UN Security Council demands end to Red Sea attacks, calls for restraint

Xinhua) 08:12, March 19, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Monday demanded an end to attacks on vessels at the Red Sea by Yemen's Houthi militia and calls for restraint in order to avoid further escalation of the situation.

In a press statement, the members of the Security Council condemned Houthi attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and demanded an immediate end to such attacks.

They called for practical cooperation, including with the Yemeni government, to prevent the Houthis from acquiring the arms and related materiel necessary to carry out further attacks and reiterated that all UN member states must adhere to their obligations in regards to the targeted arms embargo.

The council members reaffirmed that the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels of all states transiting the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, in accordance with international law, must be respected. They recalled the importance of enhancing international and regional cooperation to counter threats to peace and security in the region and called for de-escalation in the Red Sea to preserve the peace process in Yemen.

The council members further called for continued international involvement in close cooperation with the United Nations and coastal states, as well as with regional and subregional organizations to prevent further escalation with possible multidimensional consequences.

They emphasized the need to prevent further regional spillover of the conflict and its impact on the security and the stability of the region and beyond, and in this regard, reiterated the necessity to address the root causes contributing to regional tensions and to the disruption of maritime security in order to ensure a prompt, efficient, and effective response.

The council members urged caution and restraint to avoid further escalation of the situation in the Red Sea and the broader region, and encouraged enhanced diplomatic efforts by all parties to that end, including continued support for dialogue and Yemen's peace process under UN auspices.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
We Are China

Long-table banquet attracts tourists to Weishan, SW China's Yunnan

People's Daily Online) 09:32, March 19, 2024

The 11th China Dali Weishan Snack Festival kicked off in Weishan county, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on March 16.

Tourists participate in a long-table banquet in Weishan county, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Qian)

During the festival, 50 exhibitors from 14 provinces and four municipalities gather in Weishan to showcase nearly 1,000 types of snacks.

Local residents of Weishan, dressed in ethnic attire, greet tourists. (People's Daily Online/Xu Qian)

On March 16, a long-table banquet was held along a street in Weishan. A total of 169 tables were arranged in a row, creating a beautiful sight resembling a blooming flower. Tourists from various places came together to enjoy the feast.

A long-table banquet is held along a street in Weishan county, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Qian)

Tourists buy snacks during the 11th China Dali Weishan Snack Festival in Weishan county, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Xu Qian)

The festival will feature various activities, including a wellness feast, a singing competition, and a musical festival. The festival will run until March 24.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
The third annual We Remember Ota Benga memorial program at Jackson Street United Methodist Church on Sunday started with sorrow: community members retelling one mans international story of violence, captivity and exploitation.

It ended with joy: a lively West African dance and drum performance by Lynchburgs Kuumba Dance Ensemble that brought community members to their feet and to the front of the sanctuary to join in.

Why are we here today? We want to respect the wishes that a single man wished for over 100 years ago, said Marie-Helene Mathey Boo Lowumba, ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the U.S. She spoke to an audience in the church who waited quietly to hear her French sentences translated by an interpreter before applauding.

The road that took Ota Benga to Lynchburg has been very long and I think we also need to be very patient and appreciate that the return trip might be just as long, she said.

A member of the indigenous Congo pygmy community, Ota Benga died by suicide in Lynchburg on March 19, 1916 at the age of 32. Hed been captured years earlier in his native Congo by Belgian forces who killed his wife and children and sold him to a rival tribe. Benga was then sold to Presbyterian missionary and explorer Samuel Phillips Verner, who was under contract from the organizers of the 1904 St. Louis Worlds Fair to bring back pygmies and other African tribesman to exhibit at the yearlong event. Berner took Benga back to the U.S. to be displayed with several other indigenous people at the exposition.

In 1906 he was exhibited at the Bronx Zoo inside a primate house cage, often sharing it with an orangutan. Black clergymen petitioned for his release, and Benga was placed at an orphanage in Brooklyn despite being much older than its residents.

In 1910, Benga was taken to Lynchburg, where he attended school at the Virginia Theological Seminary and College  now Virginia University of Lynchburg  and was tutored by local poet and librarian Anne Spencer.

Upon his death, Benga was originally buried in Old City Cemetery, but his remains were later removed and are believed to be buried in White Rock Hill Cemetery.

Under the leadership of Lynchburg artist Ann van de Graaf, the International Ota Benga Memorial Committee has been keeping the memory of Benga alive since 2005, according to a release from the organization.

The committee is also working to return Bengas remains to the Congo, to revitalize White Rock Cemetery  a historic African American cemetery in the White Rock neighborhood of Lynchburg  and to implement educational programs to memorialize Benga and advance human and civil rights.

All of us are here because of one person, this Ota Benga. We would not be sitting in this sanctuary today memorializing anything if it were not for him, committee Co-Chair Myra Gordon said during the ceremony.

She added its truly amazing the amount of information that exists online about Benga, and said his story is known worldwide.

And what is even more amazing is that 100 plus years since this man passed, we are still coming together. We are still trying to learn the lessons that that life can teach us ... about being mistreated at home and far, far, far away.

Of all the places he could have gone, he ended up here, because this is a loving and a compassionate city filled with loving and compassionate people.

Lynchburg added a historical highway marker recognizing Benga at the intersection of Garfield Avenue and DeWitt Street in 2017.

Congolese scholar Didier Gondola of Johns Hopkins University delivered a keynote address about the subject of restitution, or the process of returning African art and artifacts collected during the colonial period to their countries of origin. Attendees also saw a performance with actors playing Benga and his mother, and heard an original song performed by Hunter Hayes, great-grandson of Gregory Willis Hayes, former Virginia Theological and College Seminary president and supporter of Benga.

Lowumba was one of the first Congolese women to attend the University of Brussels in Belgium and is only the second woman to hold her position as the Congolese ambassador to the U.S. She spoke of unrest in her country, which faces increasing violence in recent weeks from the militant rebel group M23.

Aid organizations fear another humanitarian crisis, and in February 2024 the greatest number of refugees admitted by the U.S. came from Congo, Syria and Afghanistan.

We are in a country that has the size of a continent. We are over 100 million citizens. Every day we face millions of problems and Im sure you have heard that we have had over 10 million people who have been killed, Lowumba said.

You cannot imagine how many tears have been shed for the Congolese that have disappeared recently. Ota Benga is one of them. Why is his story so important? Because we honestly and genuinely believe that it may produce something positive between Americans and African Americans.

In this room we dont just have African Americans, we also see white people. This means that amongst Americans, we also have brothers and sisters who are accompanying us on this journey. This journey that started over 100 years ago.
TOKYO, Mar 19 (News On Japan) - An emergency meeting began on Monday afternoon at the Suginami Ward Office in Tokyo, involving representatives from public elementary and junior high schools and nurseries, following a mysterious incident where a student's water bottle, brought from home, was found to contain an "abnormal" substance.

Takashi Shiraishi, the Superintendent of Education in Suginami Ward, stated, "As you all know, there was an incident at an elementary school where a foreign substance was found in a student's water bottle."

This is the second such incident in Suginami Ward.

The child noticed something unusual around 11:30 a.m. on March 14th in a classroom at Momoi Fourth Elementary School. When the child tasted the contents of the water bottle for the first time that day, they realized it was not ordinary water and immediately spat it out.

Although the child did not suffer any health problems, the school consulted with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

The school held a parent-teacher meeting last weekend, apologizing for causing great concern despite a similar incident occurring in Suginami Ward last month.

The school explained that the water bottle was hung beside the desk and that there were times when the classroom was unoccupied. While the school believes that the incident was not caused by bullying, when parents questioned the possibility of an adult perpetrator, the school responded, "As you said, everyone present in the school that day is under suspicion, including adults and children. We want to investigate and work towards improvement."

Regarding the possibility of an outsider's intrusion, the school said, "Although the security cameras did not capture any suspicious individuals, it is possible for someone to climb into the school if they intended to, so we cannot rule out the possibility of an external intrusion."

The school has suspended the bringing of water bottles until spring break.

A parent with a child at the same school expressed, "It's too late to do anything after something happens, so I can't say I'm not worried. It might be reassuring if the homeroom teacher could manage all the water bottles. But that would probably be a burden on the teacher."

In February, a similar incident occurred at an elementary school approximately 3 km away in Suginami Ward.

These puzzling incidents have occurred just before the end of the school year and promotion to the next grade.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is planning to analyze security camera footage.

Source: FNN
FUKUI, Mar 19 (News On Japan) - The limited express Thunderbird has completed its last run, but not without controversy, after a foreigner was caught without a proper ticket, leading to a scuffle with the conductor.

On the 14th, the day before the last run, fans who were savoring their final ride were on board. However, an announcement was made that there was "a police inquiry due to an onboard incident" before reaching Tsuruga Station, causing a stir among passengers.

A passenger who encountered the trouble said, "There were police officers boarding the train, and a foreigner was surrounded by the police."

According to JR West, a foreign passenger who was sleeping in a seat without a limited express ticket was approached by a conductor. Suddenly, the foreigner pushed the conductor. This incident caused the train to stop for about 40 minutes, resulting in delays for subsequent trains.

A passenger who witnessed the incident commented, "I wish the foreigner had boarded the train with proper understanding of the rules. Since it was the last run, I wanted it to end cleanly. It's an unforgivable act."

With the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, Thunderbird operations between Kanazawa and Tsuruga has officially ended.

Source: ANN
TOKYO, Mar 19 (News On Japan) - Aiming for future human habitation on the moon, a Japanese private company has announced the world's first initiative to produce hydrogen and oxygen on the lunar surface.

Takasago Thermal Engineering, a leading company in air conditioning systems, is embarking on this unprecedented challenge using a developed device to generate hydrogen and oxygen from water, which is believed to be a potential resource on the moon.

Hydrogen will be used as fuel for rockets, while oxygen will serve as breathable air, with the ultimate goal of enabling long-term human stays on the moon.

The device will be mounted on a lunar lander developed by the space-related company ispace and is scheduled to be launched this winter.

Source: ANN
TOKYO, Mar 19 (News On Japan) - Comedian duo Shinagawa Shoji's Tomoharu Shoji and talent Miki Fujimoto attended a new product launch event in Tokyo as a couple, where they revealed what they would like each other to change about themselves.

When asked about what they would like each other to fix, Fujimoto pointed out, "I'd like Shoji to be quieter when he does his late-night weight training. When he's lifting heavy things, it makes a loud clanging noise. When he's in the next room, I can hear him grunt and think, 'Oh, he's at it again,'" voicing her complaint about the noise. Shoji responded somewhat dejectedly, "Do you mean I should consider the time? But I earn my living with my muscles, so I hope you can overlook it..."

On the other hand, Shoji revealed, "I also have something I'd like to be fixed. This might be the first time I'm saying this, but..." he began, "Miki folds the laundry nicely, but there was a time when I wore smaller underwear. I had to be ready to strip and show my muscles for work. Sometimes her underwear gets mixed up in the zone where I keep my small work underwear. There was a time when I accidentally took it to a job site (laughs)." Fujimoto reacted with a wry smile, "Stop it, that's dangerous. But your underwear is so small that I've never worn a T-back like the ones you wear, right?"

Shoji also pointed out, "Sometimes the kids' socks end up with mine... Clothes can get all mixed up," but he added, "Aside from that, everything else is done perfectly."

Asked about what they want to challenge this spring, with the new fiscal year starting soon in April, Fujimoto answered, "English. I've been saying I want to do it for quite a while and haven't yet (laughs). I want to learn conversational English. When I travel, I speak with spirited English, but it's risky, so I want to speak it properly." Shoji commented, "You're the type to push through with guts. Even when traveling abroad, you somehow ask for directions or places. Even when making restaurant reservations over the phone, you manage with guts and spirit, right?" Fujimoto laughed, "Exactly. I make reservations like, 'Five people, AM seven, OK?' I want to speak perfectly. I want to be able to have conversations even if someone talks to me in an elevator."

Meanwhile, Shoji said, "Dance," explaining, "In our house, we sometimes have dance parties with the kids when music plays. We have a sixth-grader son, a second-grade daughter, a four-year-old daughter, and Miki. Everyone asks mom how to dance because she used to be an idol, and they don't respect me. If I could dance well, I think it would expand my work opportunities," showing a mysterious competitive spirit towards his wife, a former idol.

Source: MDPR
Four people were arrested Friday evening after leading Nebraska State Patrol officers and Sarpy County Sheriffs deputies on a high-speed chase near Gretna.

At approximately 7 p.m. Friday, a trooper observed a Kia Forte speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour and passing vehicles on the shoulder of westbound Interstate 80 near Gretna, according to a press release from the Nebraska State Patrol. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle continued at a high rate of speed. The trooper initiated a pursuit as the vehicle continued passing other vehicles on the shoulder, driving recklessly at approximately 120 miles per hour.

As the vehicle reached the Gretna interchange at mile marker 432, the vehicle attempted to exit but struck the exit sign, causing the cars airbags to deploy. All four occupants then fled on foot toward the outlet mall north of the interchange.

The trooper quickly located and took one of the occupants into custody inside a business, the press release stated. Troopers and Sarpy County Deputies were able to locate two additional subjects a short time later. Pilots with the NSP AirWing located the final subject, who was taken into custody approximately one hour later.

NSP dispatchers discovered that the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier in the day. Troopers located two loaded handguns inside the vehicle, one of which was stolen. Troopers also located a handgun that one of the subjects had attempted to hide inside a business while fleeing.

The suspects, identified as Ciara Johnson, 29, Jarvell Moore, 19, and Keyon Rockwell, 26, all of Omaha, and Anthony Barnum, 28, of Lincoln, were all arrested for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and obstructing a peace officer.

The driver, Johnson, was also arrested for willful reckless driving, flight to avoid arrest, and driving under suspension. Rockwell was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and was identified as the suspect who attempted to hide the gun at a business. He was also arrested for tampering with physical evidence and possession of a controlled substance. All four were booked into the Sarpy County Jail.
The pressure is continuing to build in the Iowa Legislature to resolve a trio of issues related to schools that's threatening to delay the end of the legislative session.

Lawmakers previewed upcoming debates and discussed the outcome of last week's so-called "second funnel"  a deadline after which many bills are ruled ineligible for further consideration, unless leadership uses special tools to bring them back  during an event hosted by the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce.

State Sen. Dan Dawson was joined by State Reps. Brent Siegrist and Josh Turek participated in the public forum, held at Wilson Middle School. Iowa House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl was scheduled to attend, but Siegrist said his colleague fell ill to a bug that's been circulated in the State Capitol in recent days.

The lawmakers discussed at length their views on proposals to overhaul Iowa's system of area education agencies, which provide special education instruction and other services to school districts.

Tax policy and other issues also were discussed at Saturday's event, and they will be covered in an article to appear in Thursday's Nonpareil.

Turek, the only Democrat in the group of Council Bluffs lawmakers, called the AEA legislation a solution in search of a program, cautioning his fellow representatives avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater. He urged the Republican majority to consider an interim study of the AEAs.

"I'm not in support of any bill that would limit resources or support to the individuals with special needs," Turek said, noting that residents who have reached out to him have been unanimously in favor of maintaining Iowa's AEA system.

Dawson said he believes the AEAs have a valuable role to play, especially for rural schools, but he said they merit more scrutiny than they've been receiving. He called the House proposal a "fine bill," and the Senate was debating its own AEA proposal as of Monday afternoon.

"We do all need to come together in the end," Dawson said.

The issue facing lawmakers is that the AEA reforms have become connected to a push to set the rate for state supplemental aid for schools, which is supposed to be done within the first 30 days of the session under Iowa Code. School funding is a major component of the state budget, which lawmakers are also working on, and he said there's a significant difference between the current funding proposals.

Separately, but not necessarily happening separately, Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed raising the minimum wage paid to teachers as part of her AEA bill, which died in both chambers. The House passed a bill seeking to increase teacher and school support staff payments. That proposal is being considered alongside the school funding and AEA reforms  creating a three-pronged issue that Siegrist and Dawson both said shouldn't be connected issues.

Siegrist said the House split the teacher pay and AEA issues, and called the delay in setting school funding levels "inexcusable." The delay significantly complicates the budgeting process for local schools, which have to work off educated guesses about what lawmakers will do.

"We need to figure out way through it," Siegrist said. "SSA needs to be done as quickly as possible."

Siegrist is the former director of the Iowa Association of Area Education Agencies, and he said several of his colleagues have been following his lead when it comes to the AEA reform efforts. He was initially opposed, but he voted for the House bill  helping it clear the chamber.

"This whole issue has already brought about some of the changes that people wanted to do, particularly concerning some of the administrative positions in the AEA system," Siegrist said. "The message has been heard pretty loud and clear."

Siegrist said his block of votes "could have taken that bill down," but he said that lawmakers need to do something about the AEA issue.

"Otherwise, as I said on live TV  which wasn't one of my better moves  I said that if we don't, the governor is going to go on a rampage, which wasn't met particularly well in the governor's office," he said. "But what I meant was is that she's really invested in this issue, and she's going to continue to talk about it, and when she's talking about it  in my opinion  she's trashing the AEAs unfairly, because there's plenty of blame to go around."

But Siegrist said he's opposed to not having AEAs provide special education services. Other proposals would let schools be able to contract for those services with other providers.

"In our bill, the funding would go to the school district, but they have to use the AEAs, because that's who provides the best services," he said.

He cited the profit motive getting in the way of managed care organizations helping to reform health care, comparing that to third-party providers of special education services.

"I'm just saying right now, we could be here in July or August," Siegrist said. "That's the bottom line. The House is not going to pass anything that changes the special education funding. There isn't 20 votes in the House to do that."

Siegrist said no amount of pressure will change that vote tally.

"I've gone as far as I'll go," he said. "Hopefully, we all come together very quickly."
Through the efforts of a local Girl Scout troop, Humane Pet Services will be in for a treat. So, too, are those enjoying the cookies behind a donation drive.

The troop based the Micah House shelter are wrapping up cookie sales this week with a portion of their proceeds going to Humane Pet Services to help connect homeless animals with loving homes.

We started selling cookies on Feb. 9 and it has been going good, said Sam OBrien, child program specialist at Micah House. About 1,700 boxes have been sold already.

OBrien said that $1 for every five boxes sold is going to the company, which operates an adoption center. The animals adopted out by the business are rescued from shelters where they risk being killed if they aren't adopted in a timely manner.

As of last Saturday, about $340 has been raised for the cause, O'Brein said. Donations to support Heartland Family Services can be made through the troop as well.

The troop held a cookie booth at Micah House, 1415 Ave. J, on Saturday morning for customers to pick up orders or purchase cookies on the spot.

One final cookie booth will be held Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Cookies can also be purchased by going to the Micah House website and to the Girl Scout cookie section, via the Girl Scout cookie app or by looking up the Micah House Facebook page for more details.

Girl Scout cookie season runs through Sunday. The cost is $6 per box and there is free shipping for those who purchase between eight and 12 boxes, a $10 value, OBrien said. The troop doesn't offer home deliveries.

Micah House is an emergency shelter serving families and women in the Omaha and Council Bluffs metro area who are facing the crisis of homelessness.

The agency established a Girl Scout troop in 2018 after a local official heard about one that got started in New York. The troop annually sells cookies to support itrself and assist a charitable cause.

At the present time, four or five girls living there make up this troop, OBrien said.

It gives them a sense of community, she said. It gives them fun things to do with other girls in the same situation. It offers a safe space for them.
WATERLOO  The former manager of an ATM business stole more than $3.4 million from the business over a period of years, according to figures released during sentencing last week.

James Eugene Dwyer, formerly of Gilbertville, was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday on charges of wire fraud and filing a false tax return. Following prison, he will be on supervised release for three years.

Dwyer was initially charged with taking $1.9 million from Mobile Money, where he worked as the California-based companys manager of Midwest operations out of its Waterloo office.

But court records indicate company officials estimated the office lost $3.4 million over the years Dwyer worked for the company.

Mobile Money delivers and retrieves cash from ATM machines.

In January 2021, Dwyer allegedly tried to cover up a shortage of money in Mobile Moneys Waterloo vault by tampering with the lock and telling his bosses it wasnt working. He told them he needed a cash infusion from a Des Moines bank so Mobile Money could cover its ATM routes.

The vault was supposed to contain $1.1 million, but when it was finally opened in February 2021, there was less than $100,000 inside, according to court records.

On Feb. 1, 2021, Dwyer sent 10 bank deposit tickets to Mobile Money, purporting to show he had deposited $2.5 million in cash. But, the bank deposit tickets were fraudulent, authorities said. That same month, Dwyer admitted to company officials he took money from the business, according to court records.

A review by the company found other inconsistencies, including that there was less money in ATMs than there should be, deposits Dwyer was supposed to make to a bank account never occurred, cash from ATMs that were uninstalled from Caseys conveniences stores never reached the bank, and routes that were supposed to be run that never were, according to court records.

Prosecutors said Dwyer never reported the stolen funds on his income tax filings over a period of years.

As part of his sentence, Dwyer was ordered to pay $3,407,000 in restitution to Mobile Money, Inc. and the companys insurance carrier.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Services Criminal Investigations Division.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Rebuilding Baltimores collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge could take anywhere from 18 months to several years, experts say, while the cost could be at least $400 million  or more than twice that.
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CHARLOTTE ENDORF and husband Kevin wait for a meal at a restaurant. Endorf said something as simple thing as going out to eat had to be relearned after she suffered a traumatic brain injury six years ago. The overhead music and so many conversations were too overwhelming for her.
The US counter-terrorism strategy in the Sahel is facing a tough test after Nigers military rulers asked the US troops to leave the country, revoking a military cooperation deal.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the revocation came after senior US officials accused the countrys ruling junta of secretly exploring a deal to allow Iran access to its uranium reserves.

The decision throws the US strategy in the region into disarray as 1000 American soldiers are asked to leave the country.

The move is part of a trend in the wider Sahel where western troops are being kicked out in the Sahel, which witnessed coups bringing military rulers close to Russia.

Referring to relations with Russia, military spokesperson Col Abdramane said Niger is dealing with the country to acquire military equipment necessary to its fight against the terrorists who have claimed thousands of innocent Nigerien victims under the indifferent eye of much of the international community.

The American presence in the territory of the Republic of Niger is illegal, Nigers military spokesman, Col. Abdramane, said on national television.

The U.S. military presence violates all the constitutional and democratic rules, which would require the sovereign people  notably through its elected officials  to be consulted on the installation of a foreign army on its territory, he said.

We are aware of the statement from the CNSP in Niger, which follows frank discussions at senior levels in Niamey this week about our concerns with the CNSPs trajectory, he said in a message on X, formerly Twitter.

The US has stationed drones in its 100-million-dollar air base in northern Niger, near Agadez.
Moroccan diplomatic sources provided extensive clarifications on Monday, March 18th, regarding the unfounded allegations made by Algerian authorities, who contested in a statement a supposed confiscation of seats of Algerian diplomatic representations in Morocco.

Contrary to these allegations, the Chancellery and the Residence of the former Algerian Embassy in Rabat  whose land was indeed offered free of charge by the Moroccan authorities  have not been subject to any confiscation, assure the same sources, specifying that these premises remain respected and protected by the Moroccan state, even in the absence of diplomatic privileges and immunities following Algerias unilateral rupture of diplomatic relations.

And Moroccan diplomatic sources reiterated that only one building had been the subject of discussions with Algerian authorities. It concerns an unused premises, immediately adjacent to the headquarters of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs located in Rabat.

Moreover, the expansion operation of the headquarters of this department has involved, in recent years, several diplomatic buildings, notably those of Ivory Coast and Switzerland.

Furthermore, the same sources recall that Algerian authorities have been closely involved and duly informed in advance and at all stages, with full transparency, of this procedure for over two years.

Indeed, as of January 2022, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs officially and repeatedly informed Algerian authorities of the Moroccan states wish to acquire the said premises amicably. The Consul General of Algeria in Casablanca was received four times at the Ministry regarding this matter. Additionally, eight official communications were transmitted to Algerian authorities, to which they responded with no fewer than five official communications.

Moreover, in two of their communications, Algerian authorities responded to the Moroccan offer by stating that a state property evaluation of these assets is underway and they will communicate their conclusions upon finalization, specifying that the release of premises and the relocation of its contents will be done in accordance with diplomatic practices once the sale operation is duly finalized.

Furthermore, Algerian authorities have informed the Moroccan authorities in writing that they have decided to initiate an expropriation procedure for public interest reasons for certain properties in the area near the Peoples Palace, and consequently to reclaim possession of the residence of the ambassador of the Moroccan mission in Algiers.

Moroccan diplomatic sources further emphasize that contrary to the inaccuracies contained in the statement from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Morocco fully assumes its responsibilities and obligations arising from the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, notwithstanding Algerias unilateral rupture of diplomatic relations with Morocco on August 24, 2021.

As a result, properties of the Algerian state that no longer host diplomatic or consular premises and do not enjoy the privileges and immunities provided by international law, remain respected and protected by Moroccan law, under the general conditions applicable to property rights in Morocco, specify the same sources.

They assure that Morocco has never been in a logic of escalation or provocation, as it has always worked to preserve a relationship of good neighborliness between the two countries and fraternity between the two peoples, before concluding that it is in this context that the procedure concerning the mentioned premises is at a standstill.
The European Union signed a historic deal with Egypt on Sunday (17 March) that includes a funding package of 7.4 billion euros and elevating their relationship to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership, in bid to stem migrant flows to Europe.

The 7.4 billion-euro aid package for cash-strapped Egypt was announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo amid mounting concerns that economic pressure and conflicts in neighboring countries could drive more migrants to European shores. The deal, which drew criticism from rights groups over Egypts human rights record, was signed Sunday by both leaders in a ceremony that was also attended by leaders of Belgium, Italy, Austria, Cyprus and Greece. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration in various sectors such as renewable energy, trade, and security while delivering grants, loans and other funding over the next three years to support Egypts struggling economy.

Your visit today represented a very important milestone in the relations between Egypt and the European Union, el-Sissi told visiting European leaders. He said the deal has achieved a paradigm shift in our partnership. Over the next three years, the Arab worlds most populous country will receive an aid package that includes both grants and loans, with most of the funds totaling 5 billion euros being macro-financial assistance, according to a document from the EU mission in Egypt. The deal also provides for EU assistance to Egypts government to fortify the countrys borders, especially with Libya, a major transit point for migrants fleeing poverty and conflicts in Africa and the Middle East.
Niamey revoked its military cooperation with the United States and ordered US troops to leave the country after senior US diplomatic and military officials recently warned about Nigers growing ties to Russia and Iran, the Pentagon said Monday (18 March).

Nigers military government on Saturday (16 March) revoked a major accord known as the status of forces agreement, which allows the US to station its forces in the West African country. The ruling junta order for some 1,000 American military personnel to leave the country reportedly comes, according to Pentagon, after US officials last week traveled to the capital Niamey to raise a number of concerns about Niger growing closer to Russia and Iran.

The US delegation expressed a particular concern about the escalating Russian military presence in Niger, a critical US partner in northwest Africa, amid warnings from the top US commander in the continent that the Russians are trying to take over the entire Sahel region.

Biden administration officials are aware of this startling development and are working through diplomatic channels to seek clarification, Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said Monday. Since Niger has served as a crucial foothold for US counterterrorism operations in the region for nearly a decade, analysts in West Africa are now raising concerns about possible implications for regional security.

Certainly well see a spike of insecurity in those areas because the bad guys are also looking at the development, security expert Saheed Shehu said. But I believe its not going to last because America is not going to sleep. America is going back to the drawing table to see how they can accommodate the complaints that were made by Niger.
President of Kabylias provisional government (ANAVAD) Ferhat Mhenni said the independence of the Kabylia state from Algeria will be proclaimed on April 20 in New York, denouncing Algerias repression.

The Movement for the Self-determination of the Kabylia MAK and the Anavad assume their responsibility towards Kabylia, whether towards the prisoners or those sentenced to death or towards history. This is how we have decided to take two giant steps this year and next towards our freedom and national recovery, Mhenni told his compatriots.

On April 20, 2024, we will proclaim the rebirth of the Kabyle state. April 20 is a symbolic date. History has made it a major landmark, whether for what it was in 1980, 2001 or 2021, he said, referring to Kabylia revolutions against Algerian colonialism.

Mhenni went on to highlight the Pre-Algerian colonialism history of Kabylia which safeguarded its independence during Ottoman rule, until it fell to French colonialism in 1857 which attached it to French Algeria.

The independence proclamation will take place in New York, home to the UN which the new Kabylia state aspires to join, he said.

Kabyle population have long been repressed and stigmatized by the military regime in Algiers. While the Kabyles were at the forefront of the struggle against French colonialism, Kabyle leaders were assassinated by a military junta that took power in the wake of independence installing a single party regime.

During Bouteflikas rule, the regime killed 126 Kabyle protesters in the incidents of the Black Spring, when thousands took to the streets to demand recognition of their linguistics and cultural specificities and better economic development. The protests were sparked by the killing of high school student Massinisa Guermah by the Algerian gendarmerie.

Under the Chengriha-Tebboune duo, the military regime took intimidation to a terrorizing level. Kabyle activists have accused Algiers of deliberately setting fire to their region as Algerian authorities sent scores of Kabyle independence activists to jail on bogus charges including terrorism.

Kabylia aspires to have its own president, its own parliament, its own authority, and its own sovereignty over its territories. It does not need Algeria, Mhenni said.

He recalled Kabylias boycott and near zero turnout in the Algerian 2019 elections that brought Tebboune to the presidency as well as the boycott of his constitution in 2022.

The Algerian constitution does not apply to the Kabyle people and Kabylia which also boycotted the legislative elections of June 12, 2021. The Algerian parliament and laws do not apply in Kabylia and are not recognized by the Kabyles. Kabylia has already withdrawn from Algeria, he said.
Tunisian authorities closed the Ras Jdir border crossing after armed clashes occurred there between rival Libyan factions.

Videos shared on social media showed gunfire and a torched car in the Libyan side of the crossing. The armed violence occurred between the Interior Ministrys Zuwara Military Chamber task force and armed militias, injuring several security force members and at least one civilian.

The Libyan interior ministry accused the militias of spreading chaos. Security forces have been assigned to secure the border and prevent smuggling, as well as combat crime, in order for the crossing to maintain its role due to the vital importance it holds for Libyans, the ministry said.

Since securing the crossing, the Tripoli based government launched campaigns against militias whom it accuses of engaging in all sort of trafficking.

The move was challenged by armed groups  affiliated with the Supreme Council for the Amazighs of Libya  who threatened to escalate the situation if Tripoli government refused to concede.
After Morocco announced its decision to expropriate a villa owned by the Algerian state for public utility purposes, Algerias foreign ministry issued a statement that shows that victim discourse, fake news, and conspiracy theories have become a standard tactic.

Morocco has decided after years of waiting to lawfully expropriate a villa owned by Algeria to expand the foreign ministrys premises. The two countries had agreed that Morocco would offer the current headquarters of the Algerian embassy in exchange for returning the villa and building adjacent to the foreign ministry to the Moroccan state.

The Moroccan decision was published in the official gazette and the owner of the real estate (the Algerian state) has two months to appeal.

Faithful to spreading deep fakes to portray itself as a victim, Algeria issued a statement fraught with allegations such as describing Moroccos lawful move as a confiscation and an escalation, saying it would respond and seek UN intervention.

The Algerian statement deliberately sows confusion by claiming that Morocco is seizing the premises of the Algerian embassy in Rabat!

Contrary to what the Algerian authorities claim, the Chancellery and Residence of the former Algerian Embassy in Rabat  whose land was donated by the Moroccan authorities  have not been confiscated in any way, Moroccan media said citing a diplomatic source.

The source said Morocco remains committed to protecting Algerias embassy even though Algeria has unilaterally decided to cut diplomatic ties.

It explained that the building subject to the expropriation decision is unused and that the enlargement of the foreign ministry headquarters in the previous years included similar moves involving diplomatic buildings of Cote DIvoire and Switzerland.

The Moroccan diplomatic source added that Morocco expressed on multiple times to the Algerian consul in Casablanca and sent multiple correspondences expressing a wish to acquire the building.

The Algerian response to Moroccos correspondences was that they will assess the offer in line with diplomatic practices. Later they informed the foreign ministry that they would take possession for public utility of the premises of the Moroccan ambassadors residence in Algiers, the source said.

In keeping with neighborliness, Morocco will continue to protect the buildings of the Algerian state despite the latter cutting ties.

After backing Polisario separatists for decades to unsettle Morocco, unilaterally cutting ties with Rabat, ending flow of gas through Morocco, preventing all Moroccan aircrafts from crossing its airspace, and banning transshipment or import of goods transiting through Moroccan ports, Algiers still bluntly speak of Moroccan aggression!

Algerias hostility to Morocco has become endemic, leading to irrational decisions verging on insanity. Last summer, Algerian coast guard shot at Moroccan jet sky tourists who strayed into its waters, killing two!
It has been said that every day is Ag Day for the nations farmers and ranchers.

Every day they tend to their livestock through all kinds of weather, every day they work to produce the food, fiber and fuel that keeps the U.S. economy moving and the grocery store shelves filled.

But in a country where most families are three, four and even five generations removed from anyone residing and working on a farm, National Ag Day and National Agriculture Week are important in encouraging Americans to understand about this vital industry, notes the Agriculture Council of America.

National Ag Days history can be traced to 1973 and 2024 marks the 51st year the ACA has sponsored this nationwide effort to share real stories of American agriculture and remind citizens that agriculture affects everyone.

From the food we eat and the fuel for our vehicles, to the fiber in the clothes we wear, and the oil used to make kids crayons, agriculture touches us in some way, said Jenny Pickett, ACA president.

According to the USDA Economic Research Service more than 22 million full- and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sector, or roughly 10% of all U.S. employment. In Nebraska that percentage is even higher with one in every four jobs related to agriculture, according to the Nebraska Department of Agricultures Ag Facts card.

Nationwide on-farm jobs total 2.6 million, or a little more than one percent of U.S. employment. Take that a step further and agriculture and food-related jobs total more than 19 million.

While those involved in the day-to-day operations of the countrys farms and ranches constitute less than 2 percent of the population, more and more individuals are finding careers in agriculture.

The industry needs scientists, biologists, food safety technicians, livestock nutrition specialists, arborists, conservationists  one doesnt have to be a farmer or have an on-farm job to be involved in the agriculture industry, Pickett said.

Sherry Vinton, Nebraskas Director of Agriculture, pointed out in her Ag Day remarks, Out of Nebraskas perfect resources for growing agriculture, one tops them all  our people. Nebraska farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses are true innovators, embracing precision agriculture, genetic advances, and modern equipment to produce more while using fewer resources. Their innovations ripple across the entire state, impacting all of us and emphasizing the interconnectedness of agriculture with our daily lives.

She added that Nebraska has a unique advantage, known as the Golden Triangle, where the combination of corn, livestock and ethanol production provides significant opportunity to add value at every step along the production chain.

While outsiders may view the state as flat and boring, those who know the vast difference in terrain and rainfall from east to west also means Nebraska has diverse opportunities for raising crops and livestock.

Not only do producers raise traditional crops such as corn, soybeans and wheat, but the western part of the state is also known for its dry edible bean and pea production, as well as proso millet and sunflowers.

In addition to beef and pork production, Nebraskas poultry industry has grown significantly with the addition of hatcheries and a world-class chicken processing facility in Fremont.

In 2022 eggs were on Nebraskas list of 10 leading commodities.

The American bison has also found a niche in this prairie state as 32,206 head were commercially raised here in 2022, making Nebraska the second largest bison producing state in the country.

In the nations effort to use greener energy, Nebraska leads the way. Vinton noted in 2023 Nebraska ranked number two in ethanol production in the country with 24 facilities having the capacity to produce more than 2.3 billion gallons of clean, reliable and renewable fuel.

About 35% of Nebraskas 2023 corn crop was used in ethanol production, putting Nebraska corn and value-added agriculture in action, wrote the ag director.

With spring arriving this week there are many opportunities to check out local ag production just by taking a drive in the country.

Calving season is in full swing and throughout the state it is roughly half finished. Baby calves can be found sprinkled among the calving pastures and cornstalks like so many Easter eggs.

Soon tractors will take to the field, whether that be shredding cornstalks or strip-tilling to prepare ground for planting, which usually begins sometime in mid- to late April.

Wheat farmers may be applying herbicides to thwart early weed growth or checking for insect and disease pests.

Though not as visible, baby chicks are getting their start in brooder houses across the state, and some in large growing facilities to become either broilers for meat or hens for laying eggs.

So this National Ag Day and Week, Vinton urges Nebraskans to express our gratitude to the farmers, ranchers, and all the people working in the ag industry to provide us with the food, feed, and fuel we depend on every day. By recognizing the challenges, celebrating the successes, and advocating for the future of agriculture, we help make our agriculture sector even stronger.
A bill tightening requirements for candidates for county sheriffs advanced to a third and final vote in the Legislature Monday.

State senators advanced Sumner Sen. Teresa Ibachs Legislative Bill 894 on a voice vote after stripping a first-round amendment that would have let valid immigrants under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program work in law enforcement.

Unicam advances bill to unlock $1.4B in federal Medicaid help LB 1087 was one of several bills by or involving western Nebraska lawmakers to advance during the Legislatures first 2024 daily session with all-day floor debate.

That restored the District 44 lawmakers bill to its main purpose of mandating that people running for sheriff hold a valid law enforcement officer certificate before they file for election. Would-be sheriffs seeking to fill vacancies likewise would have to be certified first.

Before senators advanced LB 894 on a 42-2 vote March 4, they voted 36-8 to attach the contents of Omaha Sen. Justin Waynes LB 918. That bill would let immigrants with DACA status receive and hold law enforcement certifications letting them work as police officers or sheriffs deputies.

Ibach, who voted against adding Waynes amendment to her bill but for advancing LB 918 from the Judiciary Committee, asked her colleagues Monday to remove his bill from hers.

Numerous members approached me asking to strip the DACA provision from LB 894, she said, in part because people who arent U.S. citizens generally arent allowed to work in law enforcement.

Waynes measure singled out DACA beneficiaries over other immigrants, she said. Other immigrants who are here legally, such as those with work permits or those with green-card status, would still be prohibited from becoming a law enforcement officer in Nebraska.

Its also unclear, Ibach said, whether law enforcement officers allowed to stay in the United States due to DACA could keep their contributions to public retirement plans if Congress or the federal courts abolished the program.

She told Wayne, the Judiciary Committees chairman, that she would welcome discussing a more comprehensive and vetted bill next year on opening law enforcement jobs to immigrants.

Senators voted 25-11 Monday to remove the DACA content from LB 894. Ibach and Sens. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, Tom Brewer of Gordon, Steve Erdman of Bayard and Brian Hardin of Gering voted in favor.

In other recent Unicameral action involving western Nebraska senators:

Gov. Jim Pillen Monday signed Erdmans LB 844, which requires seed corn companies to report on how many acres of cornfields with their seeds are detasseled by youth crews. Lawmakers gave the bill 45-0 final approval Friday.

A Health and Human Services Committee cleanup priority bill including Hardins LB 1171 won second-round approval on a voice vote Friday. Hardins part of the bill adjusts state law on verification of prescriptions by Nebraska pharmacies.
Game changing.

Thats how Harnoor Dhaliwal, associate executive director of the Walter Scott, Jr. Scholarship Program, described a more-than $23 million pledge made by the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation to bring the prestigious scholarship program to the University of Nebraska Medical Center and boost the existing scholarship program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The pledge made by the foundation, which was founded by the late Kiewit CEO Walter Scott, Jr. and his late wife Suzanne, will allow more high-achieving Nebraska high school students each year to earn the scholarship when they major in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or health science field at UNO.

The pledge will increase the Scott Scholars program class sizes at UNO from 32 scholarship recipients per class to 42 recipients per class. Students must be a Nebraska resident, have a 3.5 or higher high school GPA and score 30 or more on the ACT to qualify for the scholarship. The pledge is expected to support the program through the 2028-2029 academic year.

Every year, when we review applicants, we have way more qualified applicants than we have available (scholarships), Dhaliwal said. This allows us to look at all the talented students across the state of Nebraska and say, Theres a place for you and that place is at UNO.

At UNMC, the Scott Scholars program covers the room and board for this years inaugural class of 12 scholarship recipients who are all enrolled at the College of Medicine. The scholarship also provides a stipend to fund professional and research opportunities for four years. The more than $3 million pledge from the foundation will also support a second 12-member scholarship cohort that will begin studying at UNMC this fall.

The scholarship program at UNMC is open to native Nebraska students as well as those from outside Nebraska. Similar to UNO Scott Scholar students, UNMC Scott Scholar students live together on campus and have access to learning opportunities unique to the scholarship program.

The hope is that, once a Scott Scholar student earns their medical degree and completes their residency, they will choose to practice in Nebraska, Dhaliwal said.

What were trying to do here is really create a pipeline of leaders, whether theyre from Nebraska or outside of the state, to create a pool of physicians that are choosing to reside in Nebraska after residency, he said.

Two UNMC Scott Scholars, Heather Richard and Ryan Chapman, said they are open to practicing medicine in Nebraska. They, along with fellow medical student Nour Elrokhsi, were also Scott Scholars at UNO.

While plans in school are subject to change, Richard says she sees herself becoming a pediatric oncologist.

I see myself landing back in Nebraska and practicing in the state and kind of giving back to the community that has given me so much, Richard said.

Chapman said hes developed interests in infectious diseases, cardiology and internal medicine. Like Richard, he also wants to give back to a Nebraska community and live up to the selfless ideals embodied by Walter Scott, Jr., who died in 2021.

Although Scott achieved much in his life, Chapman remembered him as an incredibly generous guy when the two met.

All he wants to hear about is you, Chapman recalled.

Richard agreed with that assessment.

He was very kind to every single student and he treated us all with so much love and respect, she said.

The Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundations $23 million pledge was made through the University of Nebraska Foundation as part of the University of Nebraskas $3 billion Only in Nebraska fundraising campaign.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2024
March 17th at the White House. Photo: Samuel Corum/Getty Images

Every year, the Irish come to the White House on St. Patricks Day for a ritualized event that always veers a bit closely to leprechaun kitsch. (Once, when Ronald Reagan was president, there were actual little people dressed as leprechauns running around, trying to sit on his lap.) The taoiseach, as the Irish prime minister is called, presents a bowl of shamrocks to the president, shamrock-shaped cookies are served, and various notables of Irish descent get a little buzzed. This year it was much the same: Various Kennedy spawn showed up (though not the one currently running for president), along with Tip ONeills daughter and lots of journalists with nice Irish names: Norah ODonnell, Samantha Barry, Kaitlan Collins, and Donie OSullivan.

Yes, it was a good, green time. The fountain outside was burbling emerald and the Guinness was flowing, but, despite having a self-declared Irishman as president, St. Patricks Day at the White House this year felt more like an intervention than a party. We love you, we believe in you, but right now, were worried about you. Many of the actual Irish  the ones who came over from Eire for this annual celebration of the shamrock diaspora  spent the afternoon trying to talk sense to Biden over his Gaza policies, and his confounding (to them) support of Israels relentless military response to Hamas.

Look, President Biden is his own man, the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, told me while standing in the State Dining Room, but he is always somebody who listens to what we have to say.

The Irish have a long-held kinship with the Palestinians. They see parallels between their struggle against Israel and the Irish struggle against British rule. They see in the famine that is gripping Gaza today a tragic echo of their own. This has been true for decades, but never more so than now. In December, Dublins city council voted unanimously to fly the Palestinian flag over city hall. While standing beside the president in the East Room, Varadkar explained: When I travel the world, leaders often ask me why the Irish have such empathy for the Palestinian people. And the answer is simple: We see our history in their eyes  a story of displacement, of dispossessions and national identity questioned and denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now hunger.

In Ireland, there is such rage at Biden right now for his unwillingness to buck Benjamin Netanyahu that Varadkar has faced his own backlash for even showing up at this party. I just think it would be kind of gross to be drinking pints of Guinness and eating canapes when Biden is facilitating whats happening in Gaza, Colum Eastwood, the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party there, told CBS News Friday.

When I asked Varadkar about this, he said, Im just not somebody who generally believes in boycotts. He added, And Biden is a good friend of Ireland.

Varadkars most formidable political opponent, Mary Lou McDonald, the head of Sinn Fein, was also at the St. Patricks Day party at the White House. Earlier this month, I caught up with her when she was in New York and was reminded that, no matter what happens in Irelands coming election, the nations stance on this subject would not change. The experience of colonization is the same whether youre a Celt or an Arab, she told me. If your land is taken, if your identity is taken, your language, if you have an experience of dispossession as a human being, that lands the same way, whether you are like us, on the brim of the Europe and looking into the Atlantic, or if youre in the Middle East. She called Netanyahu utterly, utterly reprehensible and said that this St. Patricks Day would be about saying to Biden  an Irish man to his core  that, in the spirit of friendship, the United States has this wrong. And we dearly wish to get it right.

Biden has remained mostly circumspect, even as Senator Chuck Schumer  such a strong supporter of Israel that he opposed the Iran nuclear deal against the wishes of the Obama-Biden White House  broke with Bibi over his pursuit of the war in Gaza in a stunning speech on the floor of the Senate last week. Official Washington sees Schumers speech (he gave the White House a heads-up but didnt plan the speech with it) as perhaps providing Biden with an opening to follow. Some in Bidens orbit say this president can be a bit stuck in the geopolitics of the past (if not so glaringly as his ranting, revanchist predecessor and current opponent). Maybe the Irish could be the ones to finally give the president a push into the present, if not the future?

The President and the Taoiseach. Photo: Niall Carson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

A tricky task for any taoiseach. But Varadkar is not like any other taoiseach. He was a doctor before becoming the youngest taoiseach in Irish history when he was elected in 2017 at the age of 38. Hes conservative, half-Indian, and gay. All of which is to say: He was not going to let himself be played for just another leprechaun, no matter how much Yeats or Guinness was going around on Sunday at the White House. Varadkar was statesmanlike and clever, I thought, in how he appealed to Biden. In his remarks the Irish leader quoted Beau Biden, which clearly had an affect on his father, who dabbed at his eyes with a napkin when violinists played the hymn On Eagles Wings.

Mr. President, as you know, the Irish people are deeply troubled about the catastrophe thats unfolding before our eyes in Gaza, Varadkar said in their joint address. The people of Gaza desperately need food, medicine, and shelter, and most especially they need the bombs to stop.

But this is where the two sides of Bidens political identity clash. He loves to think of himself as Irish  loves quoting Yeats and Heaney and talking about the Finnegans of County Louth and the Blewitts of County Mayo. He casts himself as the patriarch of a big and sometimes messy Irish Catholic family (thats why he doesnt like to ever say the word abortion). But the truth about Biden is that, beyond the poetry and the sentimentality, the arc of his long career in Washington has never had much to do with Ireland. When he was senator, Irish issues were the bailiwick of Teddy Kennedy. Then it was the Clintons who led on Ireland. Leaders of the peace process in Northern Ireland tell me Biden wasnt really involved.

Israel, on the other hand, Biden has consistently supported; hes visited many times, meeting with every Israeli prime minister going back to Golda Meir. Hes been called the only Catholic Jew. Like many members of his postwar generation, his instinct is that America must unreservedly defend scrappy Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, always in a fight for its life. Its clearly difficult for him to adjust to the new consensus on the left, and throughout much of the rest of the world, that the underdog nation, while once David, had become the wealthy and well-armed Goliath, a nation of the dispossessed and oppressed now behaving like an oppressor. People around him say he was perplexed when his young campaign aides put out an anonymous letter protesting his position on Israel and Gaza. The generational consensus of young progressives took him by surprise.

So just beneath all the stout suds, these were the fault lines on display at Bidens St. Patricks Day party this year: his assumption that the Irish were his friends and that so were the Israelis. But its no longer so easy to be both.

In his speech in the East Room, Varadkar invoked the last mythic Irishman to live in this house. Tonight, he said, let us all reflect on the words of President Kennedy, when he urged us to do the most important work of peace in protecting the weak and the small. And as he said in the Irish Parliament, from Cork to Congo, from Galway to the Gaza Strip.

Biden reportedly spoke to Bibi for the first time in a month the next day.
The Republican Party is united in its belief that Donald Trumps court-ordered financial distress is the product of Democratic Party lawfare. Liberal prosecutors and courts have set out to persecute an upstanding businessman, hounding him over minor or nonexistent financial discrepancies. He is being forced to liquidate his extremely solid business to pay trumped-up fines.

The conservative talk-show host Mark Levin has absorbed these complaints and earnestly raises a natural follow-up question: Why arent any patriotic conservative businesspeople stepping in to rescue Trump with a loan?

Why are there no Republican multi-billionaires offering to lend President Trump the funds to file his appeal in the outrageous case in NY state? Are none of them liquid enough to help or join with others to help? This is an outrage.  Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) March 18, 2024

This is a perfectly natural response to the premise that Trumps totally legitimate business is facing a sudden cash crunch. And yet, none of the Republican billionaires have stepped forward to loan Trump the funds to get him through this short-term crisis.

Let me propose an alternative explanation for the paradox Levin is observing: Wealthy Republicans are hesitant to extend large loans to Trump because he is, in fact, a crook.

Trump has built his entire business career on the premise that laws are merely suggestions. The method has generally succeeded. When the government tried to make him allow Black people to live in his fathers apartment buildings, he defied the law and repeated Justice Department efforts to force compliance. He and his father funneled millions of dollars into his pockets illegally via a tax-fraud scheme of shell companies and phony paperwork. He repeatedly and habitually refuses to pay contractors for services rendered. He boasted that he could buy off public officials, a belief that, correct or not, explained his brazen willingness to cheat and steal.

All these methods have worked for him. He was finally caught using double books to report different valuations to lenders and tax officials  probably not Trumps worst crime, but one that was provable in court.

Most recently, this week, Trump was reported to be bringing back Paul Manafort into his orbit. Manafort was imprisoned for tax fraud, witness tampering, illegal lobbying, and other crimes. A normal law-abiding politician or businessperson who discovered that a close associate had been involved in criminal activity over a long period of time would feel embarrassment and wish to distance himself from a criminal associate.

Trumps response was that Manafort had stayed strong, refusing to cooperate with prosecutors, and should be rewarded for his loyalty. That is a pattern of behavior that would be very normal for Tony Soprano, but less so for a wealthy hedge-fund owner, retail magnate, or the other kinds of wealthy Republicans who might entertain loaning Trump money.

And while those wealthy Republicans are happy to vote for Trump again, their calculation is that he will get into office and enact a tax cut that will make them richer. If doing so requires them to loan money to a crook who lies about everything, including his finances, that changes the proposition. They would absorb the risk that there are other fraudulent evaluations in Trumps portfolio, and that Trump might stiff them as he has previous lenders. In short, this would mean supporting Trump would probably lose them money, which is the opposite of their intent.

Of course, if I am wrong about all this, then Ken Langone or Elon Musk or Jeff Yass or some other Republican moneybags will soon step forward to loan Trump money in full confidence they can expect repayment.

But I dont think I am wrong.
Mike Pence during his moment of truth on January 6. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Mike Pence, the man who spent four years sucking up to Donald Trump, admiring his broad shoulders, and convincing his fellow conservative Christians to share his adoration of the heathenish MAGA movement founder, is now refusing to endorse the 45th presidents reelection bid.

Is that significant? It depends on how you look at it. The Bulwarks Jonathan Last thinks its a really big deal:

[W]hen democracy was on the line, the main body of his party demanded he commit a high crime, and an armed mob came to murder him, Pence jumped on the grenade. 

Pence tried to save his party one final time by running for president and testifying about Trumps actions on January 6th.

And finally, with Trump having secured the delegates necessary to hold the Republican nomination, Pence went on Fox News on Friday to announce that he would not endorse Trump.

Its not 100 percent clear Pences non-endorsement will stick. After all, on August 23, 2023, in the first debate of 2024 presidential candidates, Pence was among the six on the stage who raised their hands when asked if they would endorse Trump as a presidential candidate even if hes a convicted criminal. He seems more determined to oppose Joe Biden than to avoid supporting Trump, as Politico reports:

Pence declined to say how he would vote in November, save to rule out the current president.

Im gonna keep my vote to myself, he said. I would never vote for Joe Biden.

To be sure, Pence is the highest-ranking among a significant number of former Trump administration officials who wont at this point endorse their former boss. And hes the rare veep who has sought to displace his presidential benefactor (though not the only one: Sitting vice-president John Nance Garner challenged FDRs re-nomination in 1940).

Without question, Pence has already done his patriotic duty in resisting Trumps authoritarian behavior. The more we learn about what happened before and during January 6, 2021, the more its clear Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential results strictly depended on Pence disrupting the electoral vote count and giving Republican-controlled state legislatures the time and encouragement to revoke and replace the electors Joe Biden won. Trumps veep maintained a constitutional process that kept him and the Boss from interfering with the requisite surrender of power.

But the Republican Party has now emphatically rejected Pences interpretation of events and embraced Trumps unsubstantiated claim that 2020 was a stolen election, with 2024 serving as an opportunity to steal back control of Washington. Indeed, the 45th president has made his twisted version of the January 6 insurrection a centerpiece of his campaign, as the Associated Press explains:

Initially relegated to a fringe theory on the edges of the Republican Party, the revisionist history of Jan. 6, which Trump amplified during the early days of the GOP primary campaign to rouse his most devoted voters, remains a rally centerpiece even as he must appeal more broadly to a general election audience.

At the same time, Trumps allies are installing 2020 election-deniers to the Republican National Committee, further institutionalizing the lies that spurred the violence. That raises red flags about next year, when Congress will again be called upon to certify the vote.

And theyre not alone. Republicans in Congress are embarking on a re-investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack that seeks to shield Trump of wrongdoing while lawmakers are showcasing side theories about why thousands of his supporters descended on Capitol Hill in what became a brutal scene of hand-to-hand combat with police.

History is being re-written every day, with Mike Pence drawn as a villain rather than a hero. If Pence wants to maintain the truth and his own dignity, he will not simply stand on the sidelines (assuming thats his plan), but will carry his defiance of MAGA pathologies into the general election. That means supporting Trumps only real opponent, Joe Biden. Its unlikely many Republicans will follow, but Pence must once again make his own case for what happened on January 6, and what it might mean for the future.
ARE YOU BETTER OFF THAN YOU WERE FOUR YEARS AGO? demands Donald Trump in one of his recent social-media posts. Well, funny he should ask.

Four years ago, we were at the beginning of a horrendous pandemic that Trump was brutally mismanaging. Precisely four years ago, Trump was in the midst of a rapid pivot from insisting the pandemic was totally under control to insisting it was a dire threat caused by China. He would eventually toggle back and forth between denial and outrage, and also between lavishly praising Chinas pandemic response and insinuating the country had deliberately spread the virus. At all times, his entire focus was on avoiding political blame, with extremely short time horizons and almost no concern for long-term outcomes.

There are many lessons from this period. The most obvious is Having Donald Trump serve as president of the United States is a terrible idea. But there are other lessons from the COVID pandemic as well, some of which could even be applied by people who still support Trump.

Yesterday, the New York Times published a retrospective on school closures during COVID. The piece notes what is now conventional wisdom: closing schools had very little benefit in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, but brought enormous costs in learning loss.

For a period of time, this issue was bitterly contested among Democrats. Schools were an early target for closures because public-health authorities drew on the lessons from the 1918 Spanish flu, when school closings proved effective. But the Spanish flu was different  it disproportionately killed the young, whereas COVID-19 mostly killed the elderly.

Soon, evidence began emerging that school closings did little to stop the spread of the 2020 pandemic. But many progressives, acting out of attachments to both stern mitigation practices and teachers unions, resisted this evidence. Emily Oster became a hate target for her early research demonstrating what is now conventional wisdom. Not everybody on the left was wrong, but almost everybody who was wrong about this was on the left. I started writing about the issue in early February 2021. Over time, pointing out the error of school closings generated less and less blowback, and it has finally become a widely accepted position.

A similar process has taken place around another source of progressive error: the lab-leak hypothesis. The notion that COVID might have emerged from a lab was initially politicized, and many progressives took the position that it was a conspiracy theory, even racist. That belief was egged on by ideological apparatchiks, many of them based on social media, who relentlessly attack any challenge to progressive shibboleths. And yet on this matter, too, the lefts orthodoxy has retreated. The Biden administration is officially neutral on the origins of COVID.

The Democratic Party is not immune to the temptations of ideological groupthink, and is not without its hacks who are eager to enforce it. But there remain enough healthy antibodies in the party to give reason a chance.

The Republican Party is so far gone to its own hacks that reason will always lose to orthodoxy. There are a million issues that prove this  the triumph of Trumps election lies being the most flagrant  but the aftermath of COVID-19 demonstrates the problem perfectly well.

There has been no grappling with, or acknowledgment of, Trumps stream of absurd spin for months, ranging from how the virus would go away on its own to how people might kill it with an internal light or swallowing disinfectant. The most depressing spectacle has been the Republican Partys embrace of vaccine skepticism.

The growth of right-wing vaccine skepticism is a bizarre phenomenon because Trump was not anti-vaccine as president. To the contrary, he supported a sped-up process that produced a highly effective vaccine in record time. But Trumps insistence on denying the severity of the pandemic itself led to conservatives questioning the vaccine. Eventually, that skepticism overtook Trumps own desire to claim credit. It is now, amazingly enough, a subject Trump is afraid to mention. A man who has taken the art of boasting to absurd lengths is literally afraid to mention his actual greatest accomplishment.

The ramifications of this failure are very much still with us. Before vaccines were available, there was little correlation between partisanship and mortality rate from COVID. Since then, people in Republican areas have been dying at higher rates, due to the pervasive skepticism of the vaccine that Trump developed but which was distributed by an administration they view with pathological distrust.

There is no clearer sign of an irredeemably diseased internal culture than a party that stumbles onto a sound position and is forced by its own fanaticism to abandon it. Are we better off than we were four years ago? Um, yes. But Trumps party has gotten even crazier.
Musk said he uses ketamine to treat a negative chemical state in my brain  and that taking it was good for investors.

When asked about his reported drug use, Musk insisted he didnt abuse any drugs, but did use ketamine, prescribed by an actual, real doctor, to treat chemical tides in his brain that resemble something like depression:

There are times when I have sort of a  negative chemical state in my brain, like depression I guess, or depression thats not linked to any negative news, and ketamine is helpful for getting one out of the negative frame of mind.

Musk said he used a small amount of ketamine once every other week or something like that. He also said he doesnt abuse ketamine, because that would limit his productivity:

If you use too much ketamine, you cant really get work done. I have a lot of work, Im typically putting in 16-hour days  so I dont really have a situation where I can be not mentally acute for an extended period of time.

Lemon asked Musk about investors concerns about him using the drug, including the possibility he could lose his U.S. government security clearance. Musk responded that if anything, his ketamine use was good for business:

From a standpoint of Wall Street, what matters is execution. Are you building value for investors? Tesla is worth about as much as the rest of the car industry combined  so from an investor standpoint, if there is something Im taking, I should keep taking it.

Musk said that he believed his depression was just genetic, basically, and that when it affects him, it feels like a brain storm. He also said that the reason he posted about ketamine on X was because I thought maybe this is something that could help other people.
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One of the most difficult things about having eczema (an inflammatory condition of the skin also known as atopic dermatitis) is that what works for one person might not work for the others. Some people swear by colloidal oatmeal, and others recommend beeswax. When my eczema flares up, my preferred treatment is the greasiest ointment I can find. Some serious cases of eczema will require prescription treatments, but other patients can get by with an over-the-counter treatment. However, little adjustments can help: All of the experts we consulted recommended five-minute showers with lukewarm water and switching to products that are fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and clear of harsh chemicals. For eczema-prone skin, hydration is the name of the game, says Dr. Corey L. Hartman, founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama.

Because reading ingredients lists can be confusing, especially if most are completely unpronounceable, I did the dirty work for you by having dermatologists and people with firsthand experience tell me their favorite and most-recommended lotions, creams, and balms for eczema-prone skin. Most of them have received a seal of acceptance from the National Eczema Foundation, so they wont exacerbate the condition and will keep your flare-ups at bay. Ive also cross-referenced these picks with the stuff that I use to keep my eczema-prone skin calm.

What were looking for Ingredients In over-the-counter treatments, Ive looked for ingredients like ceramides, petrolatum, shea butter, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and squalene. These are emollient, humectant ingredients, which will rehydrate and restore any dry, cracked skin caused by eczema, according to Dr. Hartman. For eczema-prone skin, hydration is the name of the game, he says. And since eczema is essentially just inflammation of the skin, products with additional ingredients like colloidal oatmeal and petroleum will soothe and protect the skin from further damage or irritation. Price Eczema treatments tend to be on the affordable side, but Ive noted how much youre getting in each bottle or tube and how much it costs per ounce.

Best eczema treatment overall

Best everyday eczema treatment

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream $16 Ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin | Price: 19 ounces (approx. $0.90 per ounce) I call this my old faithful, because Im never without a tub. Weve written about it many, many, many times before. It contains ceramides, which Hartman calls the building blocks of a healthy skin barrier, it will provide your dry, itchy skin the protection it needs to stay hydrated. Hartman also particularly likes the ointment-like texture thats non-greasy and thinks it should be a part of every eczema treatment plan. Thanks to the hyaluronic acid and glycerin, too, itll be exceptionally hydrating, keeping your skin soothed for longer stretches of time. $16 at Target Buy $16 at Amazon Buy

Best lightweight cream for eczema

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Soothing Relief Eczema Cream With Colloidal Oatmeal $15 Ingredients: Prebiotic water, colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide | Price: 13.5 ounces (approx. $1 per ounce) If you prefer something lightweight and even faster absorbing, Im a fan of the La Roche-Posay eczema safe line. Garshick is also a fan, and suggests this cream with added colloidal oatmeal for the itch. It contains a high concentration of prebiotic water, which may have a role in improving the skin microbiome thats linked to inflammation and irritation of the skin. Niacinamide is another ingredient in it that can be helpful for calming redness and inflammation. $15 at Walgreens Buy $16 at Amazon Buy

Best SPF for eczema-prone skin

Best ointment for eczema flare-ups

CeraVe Healing Ointment $11 $11 Ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, petrolatum | Price: 3 ounces (approx. $4 per ounce) During thick and heavy flare-ups, I reach for a suitably greasy ointment over a cream or lotion. Thats because ointments are more effective at sealing in moisture. Again, Im recommending a choice from CeraVe. Like the cream, the ointment contains an ample amount of ceramides to protect your skins barrier. And Maral Skelsey, the director of the Dermatologic Surgery Center of Washington, points out that its also lanolin free and unscented but has a higher percentage of petrolatum than the cream, so itll feel more like Vaseline being rubbed in rather than a creamy texture that blends right away. $11 at CVS Buy $11 at Ulta Beauty Buy

Best heavy ointment for eczema flare-ups

Aquaphor Healing Ointment $18 Ingredients: Petrolatum | Price: 14 ounces (approx. $1 per ounce) And then theres always the cult favorite Aquaphor, which Hartman calls the most matte, most elegant of the petrolatum products on the market. Because it contains a high percentage of petrolatum, mineral oil, glycerin, and panthenol, Aquaphor will protect the skin as well as trap in moisture better than most, as Hartman explains. Dermatologist Dr. Susan Binder is also an Aquaphor advocate, and advises that its great when used immediately after the shower or bath to lock in moisture and help heal dry, cracked skin, (though Bider warns that it can feel a bit greasy.) As its such a heavy-duty ointment, both experts recommend it for use during a flare-up, when skin is in crisis. $18 at Walmart Buy $18 at Amazon Buy

Best balm for eczema flare-ups

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Itch Relief Balm $20 $20 Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, glycerin | Price: 11 ounces (approx. $1.50 per ounce) If youre really suffering from an itch, its likely because your skin is desperate for some moisture. The dryer skin gets, the more likely the eczema flares, says Skelsey. Its why your first line of defense for eczema-prone skin should be a thick, gentle moisturizer. She likes this itch-relief balm from Aveeno (which weve covered before) because its fragrance free, hypoallergenic, and has colloidal oatmeal, which helps heal skin and stops the incessant itching that eczema sometimes causes. As an added bonus, she mentions that the added soy helps fade dark spots that eczema can leave behind. $20 at Walmart Buy $20 at Amazon Buy

Best patch for itchy skin

Re/Cover Eczema Relief System $40 Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal | Price: $2.80 per treatment Heres something a little different. Ive been using it on the little patches of eczema that crop up on my legs. Its a two-step system: Step one involves applying a cream with colloidal oatmeal to calm the itchy patch of skin, then you apply a moisturizing patch over the area to seal the cream in. But crucially, Ive found it stops me from itching, and means I can wear materials Id usually avoid during a flare-up (such as denim). It looks a little unchic (Ive been asked if it was a nicotine patch before), but to stop me from going to town on my flare-ups, I think its worth it. $40 at Kao Buy

Best lotion for eczema

Best face wash for eczema

Best eczema treatment for the face

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Face Moisturizer $28 $28 Ingredients: Colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, ceramides | Price: 1.7 ounces (approx. $16 per ounce) Its worth nothing that any of the moisturizers mentioned above are suitable for use on the face  I have acne-prone skin, and the CeraVe moisturizer has always been kind to me. But for a moisturizer specifically geared toward the face, Garshick suggests First Aid Beauty (a favorite moisturizer of our eczema-prone beauty writer Rio) because it contains colloidal oatmeal for calming inflammation and itchy skin, shea butter to protect the natural skin barrier, and ceramides. The moisturizer is also noncomedogenic, so it shouldnt block pores. $28 at Sephora Buy

Best eczema treatment for hands

Best eczema treatment for flared-up hands

The Naked Bee Hand & Cuticle Healing Salve $10 $12 now 17% off $10 Ingredients: Beeswax, sunflower oil and shea butter | Price: 1.5 ounces (approx. $8.53 per ounce) Strategist contributor Chelsey Pippin gets eczema flare-ups on her hands from time to time. But she prefers to avoid steroid creams  to her, theyre greasy, smelly, and end with me leaving icky fingerprints on my keyboard, the fridge handle, the doorknob, my clothes, you name it. Instead, she slathers this Naked Bee salve over the affected area. Its made with  you guessed it  beeswax, as well as sunflower oil and shea butter. And its teeny metal tin makes it easy to carry around when you need to reapply. $10 at Amazon Buy

Some other eczema treatments weve written about:

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One in six adults in Lee County cant read, according to the Lee County Literacy Coalition.

Founded in 1928, the Auburn Rotary Club emphasizes the importance of reading to newborns with its Babies Love Books project. The civic organization encourages parents and children to read together from birth.

"When a newborn comes home from East Alabama Medical Center, the Auburn Rotary Club wants to ensure parents and other loved ones have something to read to the baby," the club stated on its website.

The Babies Love Books project originated as part of the Rotary International's centennial celebration in which they recognize over 100 years of service. The East Alabama Medical Center delivers about 200 babies a month, said Brenda Hellums, community service chairperson of the Auburn Rotary Club.

The creators behind Babies Love Books project believe sharing books and stories with your child has lots of wonderful benefits and it is never too early or too late to start. The club also has a program named, Dictionaries for Third Graders.

Patricia Butts with the Literacy Coalition recently spoke to the Rotary Club about the need for books. She said some people dont realize that they cant read, because they have "figured out ways to still be able to navigate in life.

Wanda Lewis, the club's project coordinator, said many homes don't have books due to economic reasons and lack of awareness.

Lewis said the COVID pandemic also contributed to the issue. Parents who had to balance work had limited time to help their children navigate online learning for a year, she said.

"Many were not technologically savvy either, so that has contributed to that lack of progression as far as learning and literacy is concerned," she said.

Griffin McNeill, president of the Auburn Rotary Club, said literacy issues fly under the radar, because many assume that anyone who graduates can read.

Theres a lot of systematic issues that are rooted in that problem. One of the things here at Rotary Club is we like to bring in nonprofit organizations to discuss their challenges. Not only is the education of our tenets, but us educating ourselves of that is very important," she said.
India is set to import in April its highest oil volumes from the United States in 11 months as the stricter enforcement of the U.S. sanctions against Russia are slowing Russian crude flows to the worlds third-largest crude importer.

So far this month, three Indian refiners  state-held Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil Corporation and private refining giant Reliance Industries  have already bought around 7 million barrels of U.S. crude for loading in April, unnamed traders have told Bloomberg.

The April volumes of U.S. crude flows to India are set to be the biggest since May 2023, per Kpler data cited by Bloomberg.

Most of the crude bought in March for April loadings is WTI Midland, which, although more expensive than some Middle Eastern crude, is comparable to Russias Sokol grade, whose flows to India have been the most affected by the tightened U.S. sanction enforcement.

The tougher enforcement of the G7 sanctions and related payment issues have been holding up Indian purchases of some cargoes of Russian crude oil, with tankers previously headed to India turning back eastwards, tanker-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg showed early this year. Related: The Gas Find That Could Transform Europes Energy Future

At the end of last year, the United States took a tougher stance on the sanctions against Russia and sanctioned several vessels for violating the G7 price cap of $60 per barrel, above which cargoes cannot use Western insurance and financing. Some of those tankers were already en route to India loaded with Russias Sokol grade and departed from the Far Eastern ports in Russia.

Now China has started buying up some stranded Sokol cargoes, while India has been looking elsewhere for its crude supply.

In February, Indias oil imports from the top crude exporter, Saudi Arabia, jumped to a four-month high amid lower Saudi selling prices for last month and the tightened sanctions on Russias crude flows.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Commodity traders have amassed up to $120 billion in cash over several successive years of record performance and profits. The industry's new guard of executives is now sitting on huge amounts of cash to reinvest and turn the top trading houses from market brokers to industry shapers.

That's according to a recent report by consultancy Oliver Wyman, which sees the trading industry's new executives as the ones that could use the cash bonanza to invest in evolving and betting on long-term strategies beyond making huge profits in volatile commodity markets.

Cash Windfall

The cash bonanza has been plentiful over the past half-decade, with a sustained trend of growth in overall trading margins since 2018, per Oliver Wyman's proprietary data and analysis.

The total global commodity trading gross margin jumped from below $40 billion in 2018 to a record-high of nearly $150 billion in 2022, when energy market volatility sent profits at traders soaring. With the energy crisis in late 2021 and the highly volatile 2022 energy markets, gas and power trading even eclipsed oil trading as the segment bringing in the highest share of profits for the industry.

When commodity markets settled and supply chains stabilized last year, the gross margin declined to an estimated $105 billion in 2023. But this is still the second-highest level of industry profits ever, Oliver Wyman's analysis found.

As commodity traders have been retaining a significant portion of profits as cash on their balance sheets between 2018 and 2023, the amount of earnings retained is likely about $70 billion to $120 billion for the five-year period, according to Oliver Wyman's analysis. Related: The Gas Find That Could Transform Europes Energy Future

The world's biggest independent oil traders alone have earned record-high profits in the past two years amid market volatility and a rebound in the demand for energy commodities.

The four largest tradersprivately-held Vitol Group, Trafigura, Gunvor, and Mercuriahave also paid record dividends to their employee shareholders, and even after these record payouts, the trading houses are now sitting on nearly $60 billion in combined equity, a Reuters analysis showed last month.

For example, Vitol Group, the world's biggest independent oil trader, booked a record-high profit of $15.1 billion for 2022, thanks to the highly volatile energy markets after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Even after the record payouts to employee shareholders, Vitol has raised its equity to $26 billion, per its non-public balance sheet seen by Reuters.

Trafigura, for its part, paid its highest-ever dividends for its 2022/2023 financial year after posting another record-high profit amid volatile markets.

Due to strong profitability, group equity increased by 9% to a record $16.5 billion, up from $15 billion, and has more than doubled since 2020, "providing a solid base for further growth," Trafigura said.

'New Guard' Could Steer Commodity Traders To Energy Market Shapers

The commodity trading industry currently has the means to reinvest strategically in long-term deals and strategic decisions, including cooperation with governments to ensure the security of energy supply.

In this closer collaboration between governments and the biggest commodity trading houses, "the job of a trader transitions from a market broker to an investor reshaping supply chains," Oliver Wyman says.

As commodity traders have announced in recent years management changes at the executive C-suite level, the new management teams could use the windfall to become long-term investors in the global energy markets, according to Oliver Wyman.

"Since February 2022, at least 20 senior executives in commodity trading firms have stepped into new positions, including the roles of chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and heads of trading divisions," the consultants wrote.

Currently, three-fourths of senior executives in the commodity trading industry have tenures below the average tenure of their predecessors five years ago.

Now it's up to the 'new guard' to decide how much cash to reinvest and how to reinvest it.

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One winner move could be to invest in assets, "which gives traders greater optionality and influence over the commodities they trade," Oliver Wyman said.

Some of the top commodity traders have already made deals for assets in Europe. Gunvor, for example, said in December that it would buy from BP a majority 75% stake in Bahia De Bizkaia Electricidad S.L., a 785-MW combined cycle power plant in Bilbao, Spain.

Last month, Vitol made a step toward buying 35% of the Saras refinery in Italy after reaching a deal with members of the Moratti family. Completion of the transaction is exclusively subject to obtaining the required regulatory approvals, including clearances under the EU foreign subsidies regulation, the EU antitrust regulation, and the Golden Power framework.

"As new players, including several oil majors, national oil companies, small integrated oil and gas companies, and hedge funds, enter the market on the back of significant value created in the last two years, the need for trading firms to evolve becomes more critical than ever before," the authors of the Oliver Wyman report wrote.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Seasoned watchers of Iraqs oil and gas sector have come to regard its perennial calls for new measures to increase its gas production with the fondness of the familiar  a old record still often played, perhaps, or the call of the first cuckoo of Spring. This years pledge by the latest in its fast-revolving-door of governments certainly has the same basic melody, but there is a new phrasing there too  this time, it is looking to develop its liquefied natural gas (LNG) capabilities as well. So, with the stakes even higher now that LNG has become the worlds emergency energy source, will Iraq actually make some serious progress this time around?

In theory, there is no real reason why the country cannot become a major global gas producer, as analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. Official estimates are that Iraqs proven reserves of conventional natural gas amount to 3.5 trillion cubic metres (tcm) or about 1.5% of the world total, placing Iraq 12th among global reserve-holders. By comparison, total proven gas reserves for Russia stand at nearly 48 tcm, for Iran at nearly 34 tcm, and for Qatar at nearly 24 tcm. This said, around three-quarters of Iraqs proven reserves consist of associated gas  a by-product of oilfield development. However, Iraq did not revise its figure for proven gas reserves in 2010 at the time of the upwards revision of proven oil reserves. Logical figures for non-associated gas were not provided at the time  or since  from the Iraqi oil and gas authorities either. The International Energy Agency (IEA), though, estimates that ultimately recoverable resources will be much larger than the official estimates of 3.5 tcm  its estimate is 8.0 tcm, of which around 30 percent is thought to be non-associated gas. Related: Shadow Fleet Tanker Destined To Carry Sanctioned Russian Oil Causes Collision

Moreover, there are five very good reasons why it is in Iraqs best interests to develop as much of this gas as it can, as quickly as possible. First, it signed up to the Zero Routine Flaring initiative back in 2017 to stop burning associated gas off while drilling oil. At the time  and still  Iraq was second only to Russia in the amount of gas it wasted in this way, and last year it burned off 16 billion cubic metres. Second, not using its own gas for power generation or to monetise by exporting it means it ends up paying Iran for gas imports. Third, this reliance on Iran has caused the U.S. to withhold direct financial flows to the country and has caused several U.S. companies to cancel planned projects there. Fourth, shortfalls in its own resources to generate power has meant frequent power outages across the country through the years, which have been the spark for popular protests and violence. And fifth, a major increase in gas supplies in Iraq would enable it to finally roll-out long-delayed petrochemicals plans that would generate it tens of billions of dollars in revenue from these value-added products.

Various announcements in recent years have provided some reason for vague optimism that this deleterious situation may change at some point, as also analysed in full in my new book on the new global oil market order. One notable example was in 2020 when Iraqs Oil Ministry signed a natural gas capture deal with oil services provider Baker Hughes to harness 200 million cubic feet per day (mmcf/d) from the Gharraf oil field (and neighbouring ThiQar site, Nassiriya), plus other oil fields north of Basra. According to the Oil Ministry at the time, the first stage would involve the advanced modular gas processing solution being deployed at the Integrated Natural Gas Complex in Nassiriya to dehydrate and compress flare gas to generate over 100 mmcf/d of gas. The second stage would involve the Nassiriya plant being expanded to become a complete natural gas liquid (NGL) facility that would recover 200 million standard cubic feet per day of dry gas, liquefied gas and condensate. All this output would go to the domestic power generation sector, with Baker Hughes stating that addressing the flared gas from these two fields would allow for the provision of 400 megawatts of power to the Iraqi grid. According to an accompanying statement from then-Oil Minister, Jabbar Al-Luaibi, Iraq was also negotiating a similar gas capture deal for the state-run Nahr Bin Umar field with Houston-based Orion Gas Processors. Additionally, according to later comments from Iraqs South Oil Company, gas-processing facilities were to be constructed in the Missan and Halfaya fields that would have a combined capacity of 600 mmcf/d of gas when completed, and the construction of gas-processing facilities in the West Qurna, Majnoon and Badra fields would also move ahead, with respective overall capacities 1,650 mmcf/d, 725 mmcf/d and 85 mmcf/d. The same announcements have been made twice since then, with little progress being made overall.

Perhaps some grounds for greater optimism this time comes from two developments. The first is the ongoing US$27 billion four-pronged deal involving Frances TotalEnergies. One of these four prongs is the collection and refining of associated natural gas that is being burned off at the five southern Iraq oilfields of West Qurna 2, Majnoon, Tuba, Luhais, and Artawi. With this deal still in place, it is conceivable that other Western firms might be persuaded to strike similar deals involving the utilisation of Iraqs gas supplies, rather than its being flared. They may also be persuaded to explore and develop non-associated gas fields as well, particularly if there is government support for a roll-out of a genuine LNG capability across the country. According to recent comments from Iraqs President, Abdul Latif Rashid, new gas projects will be supported by a new LNG platform to be built in Al-Faw Port near Basra and will be part of an extended fifth and sixth round of licensing. Chinese and Russian companies have dominated recent oil and gas awards in Iraq, as covered by OilPrice.com, but Qatar  the U.S.s key non-NATO ally, according to President Joe Biden  has also expressed an interest in these new licensing rounds. Given the importance of Qatar for the ongoing energy security of the European part of the NATO security alliance, as detailed in my new book on the new global oil market order, Iraq will be under intense pressure from Iran, China, and Russia, to keep the new awards away from Doha and with firms from the Global South instead.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

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Russias energy ministry has promised to defend its oil and gas infrastructure against Ukranian strikes with missiles, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

Artyom Verkhov, the director of the energy ministrys department for gas industry development, has said that a defensive system is already in the works.

We are jointly working, including with colleagues from the Russian National Guard, to cover objects, on installing, accordingly, protection systems such as Pantsir, Verkhov said.

Ukrainian strikes have so far taken nearly between 370,000 and 900,000 bpd worth of Russias refining capacity offline, depending on which analyst estimates are used.

Ukraine has carried out a string of refinery attacks using drones in the past few weeks, inflicting significant damage according to Security Services of Ukraineto 12 oil and gas processing facilities throughout Russia. With Russias refining capacity for Q2 now reduced from missile strikes and seasonal planned and unplanned refinery maintenance expected to take place this quarter, the worlds largest fuel exporter could find its revenues curtailed.

According to Bloomberg, Ukraine has targeted a collection of Russian oil refineries that account for 12% of Russias oil-processing capacity.

Russia already said at the last OPEC+ meeting that it was planning to curb oil production by 350,000 bpd in April, resulting in export cuts of 121,000 bpd. For May, Russias production cuts of crude oil are set to climb to 400,000 bpd, with export cuts of 71,000 bpd.

With Russia being unable to process as much crude oil into products as it had originally planned, its crude oil exports may increase, as the country has limited oil storage capacity.

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Russias President Vladimir Putin claimed an election victory on Monday amidst the refinery attacks, securing 87% of the vote.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries have taken out as much as 600,000 barrels in daily processing capacity, according to commodity trading major Gunvor.

It is significant because obviously this is gonna hit the distillate exports straight away, Gunvor chief executive Torbjorn Tornqvist told Bloomberg on the sidelines of CERAWeek.

So that will probably take down exports by a couple of hundred thousand barrels, so to me its a distillate problem, the executive added.

Per Bloomberg, however, JP Morgan estimates Russias refining capacity losses are significantly higher than Gunvor, at 900,000 bpd. This would add a hefty risk premium to middle distillate prices because it would take weeks if not months to restore that capacity, the report noted. The banks analysts have estimated that risk premium at $4 per barrel.

The Ukraine has carried out a string of refinery attacks using drones in the past few weeks, damaging several processing facilities in different Russian regions.

These have resulted in lower refining capacity for the second quarter, and will combine with seasonal refinery maintenance to reduce fuel output in the worlds largest fuel exporter. This could be one of the reasons why Russia said it would focus on cuts to oil production instead of exports in its voluntary supply reduction as part of OPEC+ in the second quarter, analysts say.

Russia said at the last OPEC+ meeting it would reduce crude oil production by 350,000 bpd in April, while export cuts would amount to a more modest 121,000 barrels daily. The month after, the ratio between oil production and export cuts would increase further, with crude output cuts planned at 400,000 bpd and export cuts set at 71,000 bpd.

Russia is short on oil storage capacity, so it would be easier for it to cut crude oil production than juggle with exports.

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By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The Biden Administration aims to have crude in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) back up to the levels before the massive sales of 180 million barrels in the past two years, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston.

The U.S. saw the stockpiles of crude oil in the SPR fall from 638 million barrels at President Joe Bidens inauguration to just 347 million barrels by the summer of 2023 as the Administration tried to bring down gasoline prices for consumers. The large sell-off in the countrys safety supply of crude oil was met with criticism. Also met with criticism has been the Administrations slow response to falling oil pricesa perfect opportunity for any Administration earnestly looking to replenish SPR oil inventories.

The U.S. Department of Energy expects only 40 million barrels to be refilled by the end of this year, but the other 140 million barrels of crude will stay in the SPR after a cancellation of congressionally mandated sales from 2022, according to Reuters.

Currently, the SPR has around 362 million barrels of crude, compared to 565 million barrels in March 2022, when the Administration first announced the massive 180-million-barrel sale to curb the soaring gasoline prices after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. Administration is looking to buy 3 million barrels of oil for delivery to the SPR, the U.S. Department of Energy said last week, announcing a solicitation for the purchases.

The Administration will be looking to buy 1.5 million barrels of sour crude oil for delivery to Bayou Choctaw, Louisiana, in August 2024. Bayou Choctaw is wrapping up maintenance.

The Administration continues to target purchases of crude for the strategic reserve at a price of $79 per barrel or below.

Early on Tuesday, the price of the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, was over $82 per barrel, at $82.70.

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By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Crude oil inventories in the United States fell this week by 1.519 million barrels for the week ending March 15, according to The American Petroleum Institute (API), after analysts had predicted a 77,000 barrel build. The API reported a large 5.521-million-barrel rise in crude inventories in the week prior.

On Tuesday, the Department of Energy (DoE) reported that crude oil inventories in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) rose by 0.7 million barrels as of March 8. Inventories are now at 362.3 million barrels.

Oil prices were up ahead of the API data release on Tuesday as the market continues to digest and assess Ukraines attacks on Russian refineries.

At 3:27 pm ET, Brent crude was trading up 0.59% on the day at $87.40, up roughly $5.30 per barrel compared to this time last week. The U.S. benchmark WTI was trading up on the day by 1.02% at $83.56, up nearly $6 per barrel compared to last Tuesday.

Gasoline inventories also fell this week. Gasoline inventories fell 1.574 million barrels, after falling by 3.750 million barrels in the week prior. As of last week, gasoline inventories were about 3% below the five-year average for this time of year, according to the latest EIA data.

Distillate inventories rose this week, by 512,000 barrels, after last weeks 1.162 million barrel drop. Distillates were already 7% below the five-year average for the week ending March 8, the latest EIA data shows.

Cushing inventories also rose this week, gaining 325,000 barrels after falling by 998,000 barrels in the previous week.

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By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

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A full-time mom with a part-time job, Omaha resident Eliza Kolander is stretched thin. The YMCAs Childwatch program  a perk of a family membership  provides her with a most precious resource: free time.

With the Childwatch program at the Y, I can stay active while amazing teachers take care of my kids, said Kolander, who teaches an online course at Bellevue University. I get some time to get exercise and take a shower, without any screaming. I also can hop online while I drink a cup of coffee and get some work done.

Hollander has two children, Elaine, 4, and Isaiah, 18 months. She has been participating in the Childwatch program at the Southwest YMCA for about three years.

I asked my daughter recently if she remembered a time before we went to the Y, and she didnt, Kolander said. She has been raised there, and the same is true of my son. He has been going to Childwatch since he was five months old. Its been a really great experience for them, and for me, its an integral part of how I found work-life balance.

Giving parents a break

Offering up to two hours of drop-in care per visit, the Childwatch program is available at most YMCA of Greater Omaha locations. To participate in the program, children must be between 3 months and 9 years old.

The reason we love Childwatch is its included in a family membership, said Missy Kinzie, executive director of programs at the Southwest YMCA. Families have so much to worry about. Day care prices are skyrocketing. With Childwatch, we get to show up for families. And it doesnt cost anything extra. It is an added benefit of their membership.

The price is a clear perk and so is the quality of the drop-in care.

I have convinced several friends to join the Y because of this program, she said. I always talk about how great the drop-in care staff is. My son is 18 months old so he cant say much, but he knows all of the staff members names. I really trust these people to take excellent care of my children.

Building community

As a mom who does much of her work remotely, Kolander has found the Y gives a vital chance to be part of a community.

I have made friends at the Y, Kolander said. Some are other parents, and some are people who are there for Silver Sneakers or Aquacise. I truly view it as a community center, and I know Im not the only one who feels that way.

Childwatch is only one part of the Ys parent-centric programming. Another appealing drop-in care option is Parents Night Out. Taking place monthly, the program offers child care during evening hours to accommodate a date night.

The programming meets the Ys ultimate aim of building a thriving community.

At the Y, we want to show up for our neighbors, Kinzie said. Thats why we provide all this great programming. Families can come in to do something together or everyone can do an individual activity. Whether its Childwatch, swimming or using the gym, we want to give everyone the chance to find enrichment through an activity that they love.

Click here to learn more about the YMCAs Childwatch program.

This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com.
During opening statements in Aldrick Scotts first-degree murder trial, attorneys offered dueling versions of the events that led to the slaying of Omaha mother Cari Allen.

Deputy Douglas County Attorney Faith Kjelstrup described Scott as a jealous ex-boyfriend who drove to Omaha with the intent to confront  and kill  Allen. He waited inside her home for more than an hour before shooting her once in the chest, burying her body in a shallow grave and catching a flight to Mexico, Kjelstrup said.

But Deputy Douglas County Public Defender Megan Jeffrey painted a picture of a man fueled by panic, not premeditation, alleging Scott killed Allen in self-defense before fleeing from the country in a state of frazzled terror.

Scott will testify in his own defense, according to Jeffrey.

The reality of what happened between Aldrick Scott and Cari Allen happened in an instant, and the only person who knows is sitting in this room, Jeffrey said, gesturing to Scott.

Tuesday was the first day of testimony in the trial of Scott, 48. A jury of eight men and six women, including two alternates, was impaneled on Monday. Scott faces charges of first-degree murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony and evidence tampering in the killing of Allen, 43.

Throughout the testimony Tuesday, a clearer picture emerged of the hours before and after Allens death in the early morning of Nov. 20, 2022.

As did a clearer picture of Allen herself, who family members and friends described as caring, thoughtful and devoted to her family and her clients. Allen worked as an extended home caretaker for people with disabilities, and her most recent client had been living with Allen for about a year before Allens disappearance.

Shes a good caregiver, Julie Klemmensen, the mother of Allens most recent client, said on Tuesday. And shes so very sharp at everything she does. Really, she was.

Allen and Scott had been dating for about a year when Allen broke things off sometime in the weeks before her death. Scott, who lived in Topeka, Kansas, had been to Allens home, knew the garage door code and was familiar with Allens family and friends, according to prosecutors.

On the evening of Nov. 19, 2022, Allen went on a date with a man she had met on Facebook. They met at a steakhouse in Village Pointe at 7 p.m., but the man forgot to make a reservation and the restaurant was packed. The two decided instead to go to Good Life Sports Bar at 180th and Pacific Streets.

Meanwhile, in Topeka, Scott was looking at Snapchat, where he had access to Allens location through a feature on the app known as Snapmaps. At 7:32 p.m., according to Kjelstrup, he began driving toward Omaha. At 10:13 p.m., Scotts gold Chevrolet Equinox was seen on security footage pulling into the parking lot of the Good Life Sports Bar.

After looping through the parking lot, Scott drove to Allens home. Security footage from other homes in the neighborhood showed Scott walking toward Allens home shortly after 10:30 p.m., Kjelstrup said.

Allens date concluded at about 11:30 p.m. and they went their separate ways. At 12:01 a.m., the man messaged Allen to let her know he had arrived home safely. She messaged back at 12:05 a.m. to wish him good night.

After the date, prosecutors allege, Allen returned to her home, where Scott was waiting. Scott and Allen messaged back and forth briefly on Facebook, with a final message from Scott sent shortly before midnight advising Allen to go to bed and saying they would talk soon.

Prosecutors believe Allen was killed at about 12:15 a.m., when her phone registered activity for the last time. Defense attorneys say Scott and Allen got into an argument before the shooting.

They talked, they fought, they raised their voices, Jeffrey said during her opening statement. Cari got out a gun. There was a struggle. Both were fearful for their lives. The gun went off.

But Allens ex-husband and 16-year-old son, both of whom testified Tuesday, said Allen never owned a gun or kept one in the house. Allens son said he had seen his mother handle and shoot a firearm on just two occasions, one of which was with Scott at a firing range in early 2022.

Prosecutors said Scott spent several hours cleaning the crime scene before placing Allens body in the trunk of her own car, driving it down the street, and transferring her body into his vehicle. At about 3:30 a.m., he left Omaha and began driving back to his home in Topeka, where he arrived shortly after 6:30 a.m.

Investigators were later able to obtain location data from Scotts vehicle, which allegedly showed Scott leaving his home at 7:50 a.m. on Nov. 20 and driving to an abandoned farm property in Shawnee County, Kansas.

Allens body was found buried on the property about a month later.

Back in Omaha, Allens friends and family members were becoming concerned. She was typically in constant, almost hourly contact with her ex-husband and son, and they hadnt heard from her since the night of Nov. 19.

At 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 20, Allens ex-husband called 911 to make a missing-persons report. After they were granted permission to search the home, Douglas County Sheriffs deputies found what appeared to be bullet holes covered with drywall spackle and wood glue. A laptop and hard drive were also missing from the home, according to Allens son.

Despite an extensive search of the home, including inside the walls, deputies did not find a bullet or shell casing, prosecutors said.

When deputies contacted Scott on the evening of Nov. 20 to ask if he knew anything about Allens whereabouts, he said he had spoken with Allen the night prior but denied being in Omaha.

After speaking with detectives, according to prosecutors, Scott called a friend and told her that there had been an argument and that he had killed his girlfriend. The friend, who is listed as a witness and is likely to testify at trial, confided in a third party  a police sergeant in Texas  about what Scott had told her. The police sergeant called 911 to report what he heard about Scott, leading deputies in Topeka to respond to Scotts home early in the morning of Nov. 21.

When deputies arrived at his home, Scott was already on his way to Kansas City International Airport. He arrived there at about 3 or 4 a.m. on Nov. 21, prosecutors said, and took a flight to Houston. By that evening, he was in Cancun, Mexico.

In the coming days, prosecutors will call law enforcement witnesses to testify to the investigation into Allens disappearance and the search for Scott. The trial is expected to last two weeks.

An arrest warrant was initially issued for Scott on kidnapping and accessory to a felony charges on Nov. 25, 2022, as Allens body had not been found. Scott was located in Belize on Dec. 6 and extradited to the U.S. the next day.
Omaha motorists who have mastered roundabouts, are cool with cloverleafs, and deftly navigate that spaghetti-like convergence of Interstates 80 and 680 soon will have some learning to do.

Its called the Diverging Diamond, and it might bend your mind, at least at first. Omaha is about to get its first, on the West Dodge Expressway at 192nd Street.

In a diverging diamond, traffic on the crossing street (in this case, 192nd) is shifted from the right to the left side of the road as it passes under or over a highway. Then its shifted back on the other side on the far side of the intersection.

Construction started last week at 192nd and West Dodge on what will be Nebraskas second diverging diamond, an interchange system that first appeared in a 23-year-old's term paper. The first, at I-80 and Northwest 48th Street near the Lincoln Airport, opened in 2016.

The $17.6 million project is funded through the Build Nebraska Act, a program begun in 2013 to fund highways, roads and streets across the state by tapping a quarter-cent of the state sales tax for 20 years.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation plans at least two more diverging diamond interchanges near Omaha in the next decade or so, said Barbara Gerbino-Bevins, Nebraska Department of Transportation District 2 traffic engineer for a 5-county region that includes Douglas and Sarpy. Both are along I-80  at Nebraska Highway 370, and at Nebraska Highway 50 (144th Street).

'Non-traditional' traffic patterns, inspired by Hot Wheels play

It might twist like a strand of DNA, but engineers say diverging diamond interchanges are safer, cheaper, and move traffic more quickly by eliminating left-turn cycles at traffic lights.

It seems a little odd, Gerbino-Bevins said. But Nebraska has been looking into some of the non-traditional interchanges after seeing how they work in other states. We wanted to see if we could reap some of the benefits.

Nebraskans might never have gotten a look at this odd duck of an interchange if Gilbert Chlewicki hadn't been keen on crafting new types of tracks for his Hot Wheels cars when he was a boy.

I was always drawing roads and intersections, he said in an interview last week.

That childhood fascination grew into an adult interest in designing real interchanges and intersections. In 2000, the 23-year-old graduate student dreamed up the diverging diamond for a term paper in an engineering class at the University of Maryland.

His basic idea was that, by crossing traffic to the left, cars entering the freeway could simply merge left onto the on-ramp  without sitting at a light, waiting to make a left turn.

"You dont need left-turn lanes anymore, said Chlewicki, who is now a district traffic engineer with the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Within months of turning in his paper, he traveled to France  and discovered that the diverging diamond already was in use there. He was glad to see his concept validated but a bit disappointed to find out he wasn't the first to invent it.

He continued to champion the idea. A breakthrough came in 2003, when Chlewicki presented a paper on the diverging diamond at a traffic symposium in California.

Some people looked at me like I was kind of crazy, he recalled.

But the concept caught the attention of an engineer at the Federal Highway Administration, who studied the idea further and began lobbying transportation departments around the country to build one.

The Missouri DOT was the first to bite. It cut the ribbon on America's first diverging diamond on Interstate 44 in Springfield, Missouri, in June 2009. That prompted Popular Science magazine to list it among the years top engineering innovations.

Chlewicki has traveled widely promoting the diverging diamond to traffic engineers. He said in the past 15 years, about 200 have been built around the country.

Its beyond my imagination, he said.

Tricks in design make it 'pretty intuitive'

One such presentation to the Nebraska DOT about 10 years ago led to the construction of the I-80/Northwest 48th Street diverging diamond  and, ultimately, to this second one in Omaha.

Chlewicki said concerns about the design focus on whether drivers will become unnerved driving to the left and instead veer right, into oncoming traffic.

In practice, he said, that doesnt happen.

We do all these little tricks in the design, Chlewicki said. The lane markings, the curving, the signs  its pretty intuitive when you drive it.

He said repeated studies have validated the safety advantages. With no need for left turns, crashes are reduced by 35%, and severe crashes by 70%.

Once you realize the cost and safety benefits, its a no-brainer, Chlewicki said.

Gerbino-Bevins said the public reaction was positive at an NDOT open house held in January 2023 to explain the future interchange.

We ended up with a lot of people in the crowd who had seen them other places and really liked them, she said.

NDOT will try to minimize the pain during the nine months of construction, Gerbino-Bevins said. The agency is mindful that Methodist Women's Hospital operates an emergency room just northeast of the interchange.

There should be little disruption on the busy West Dodge Expressway, with any lane paving taking place at night.

On 192nd Street, though, traffic will be reduced from four lanes to two. Temporary traffic signals will be placed north and south of Dodge. About 27,000 vehicles a day pass through the interchange on 192nd, according to NDOT traffic data.

"We're keeping all of the ramps open during construction," Gerbino-Bevins said. "That's a high priority for us."

Over time, Omahans will need to get used to the diverging diamond concept. Gerbino-Bevins said it's likely to be the model for most new and reconstructed interchanges in the Omaha area in the future.

The Omaha metro's 10 busiest intersections No. 1: 90th Street and West Dodge Road No. 2: 120th and L Streets No. 3: 72nd and Dodge Streets No. 4: 72nd and Pacific Streets No. 5: 132nd Street and Industrial Road No. 6: The I80 westbound on-ramp from 72nd Street No. 7: 84th and L Streets No. 8: 132nd Street and West Center Road No. 9: 72nd and Grover Streets No. 10: 78th and Dodge Streets
Omaha police shot and killed a steer in South Omaha on Tuesday after it damaged vehicles, pinned a person and charged officers.

Officers were initially called to Nebraska Beef at 36th and L Streets at approximately 10:47 a.m. to assist in putting down a steer, according to the Omaha Police Department. It was believed the steer was injured and needed to be put down to prevent further suffering. However, updated information stated the steer was at the QuikTrip at 33rd and L Streets and moving around, Officer Chris Gordon said.

While officers arrived to assist with containing the animal, the steer damaged a vehicle in the gas station parking lot, briefly pinned a person against a vehicle and damaged a police cruiser after charging officers, according to police.

Officers were able to block the steers path and contain it after it made its way in front of Guaca Maya at 5002 S. 33rd St. Officers told Guaca Maya staff to stay away from the restaurants windows and doors as officers put down the steer, according to police. Nebraska Beef was on scene and collected the steer.

The person who was pinned had a minor complaint of pain, was checked by Omaha Fire Department medics and released at the scene, police said.
LINCOLN  State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings rejected calls to resign Tuesday after he read an excerpt of an explicit rape scene and injected the name of another lawmaker into the passage.

Lawmakers from across the political spectrum criticized Hallorans words and some urged his resignation or suggested that he should be punished. And a small group of protesters stood outside Hallorans Capitol office Tuesday, calling him a fascist and a despicable, evil man.

We cant just let this go, said State Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar.

But Speaker of the Legislature John Arch, while saying he did not condone Hallorans words, urged lawmakers Tuesday to move forward with the work left to do in the remaining 15 days of the session.

We cannot let this derail this session, Arch said.

The controversy began Monday evening when Halloran spoke to support Legislative Bill 441, which seeks to remove current protections that make it harder to prosecute K-12 educators charged with providing obscene materials to minors. As of Tuesday evening, lawmakers were still debating the measure.

State law lets teachers use a defense in court that the materials were provided under the purview of their jobs, although a jury could still choose to convict them.

LB 441 supporters say that legal defense is a loophole that should be closed. They contend that school libraries currently contain materials that are inappropriate for children  a view supported by numerous people who testified on the bill in March 2023 by reading explicit materials from books that were available in some Nebraska schools.

During floor debate Monday, Halloran read from a transcript of that hearing, in which one LB 441 supporter quoted extensively from a graphic rape scene from a memoir of a sexual assault survivor  Lucky, by The Lovely Bones author Alice Sebold. During his remarks, Halloran repeatedly interjected the name Senator Cavanaugh into the passage.

The backlash from his colleagues and the general public began immediately. Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha said the comments constituted harassment and noted that female lawmakers have experienced sexual violence. She said she opposed the bill but has worked to remain respectful in her opposition.

That was beyond the pale, she said in a tearful response to Hallorans comments.

Slama agreed with her and called for Halloran to resign.

I know how this crowd operates, she wrote in one social media post Monday night. Bet theres plenty of laughs happening as certain senators pretend its funny to treat colleagues this way.

In any other job, she said, an employee who said what Halloran did likely would be fired.

Slama, who sits on the Legislatures Executive Board that oversees disciplinary matters, said there are three options the Legislature can pursue to punish Halloran: a formal letter of reprimand, censure or expulsion.

The board chair, Sen. Raymond Aguilar of Grand Island, said he would consider such punishments for Halloran, although it wasnt clear whether Cavanaugh or others would request that.

Halloran apologized Tuesday for naming lawmakers in his testimony, saying it was a mistake. He said he did so in an effort to get lawmakers to pay attention to what he was reading. He also claimed that he was referring to Cavanaughs brother, Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, along with Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, who had both spoken against the bill earlier in the day.

Machaela Cavanaugh said she didnt believe Hallorans assertion. She said Halloran approached her and Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont before he made his comments, and described the same passage he later read on the floor.

Halloran stood behind his decision to read the explicit rape description, saying he wanted to call attention to materials that he repeatedly described as required reading. However, the March 2023 testimony said only that it was found in 16 different libraries across Nebraska and that in five schools, students could get points for having read the book.

John Cavanaugh, Wendy DeBoer of Bennington and Brad von Gillern of the Omaha area said Hallorans apology missed the mark and urged him to do better.

Von Gillern said that he believed Halloran meant no harm by his comments but that Hallorans apology was conditional because he paired it with further justifications for his actions.

Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln was willing to move on from the controversy, saying that it would be wrong to invoke government punishment on someone because of comments made during a debate that centered on free speech rights. She said Halloran had a right to say what he did, and other lawmakers have the right to criticize it.

Popular speech needs no protection, Conrad said. Unpopular speech is what needs protection.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2024
LINCOLN  Nebraska lawmakers reversed course Monday on a decision to allow some immigrants to work in law enforcement.

Voting 25-11, they removed an amendment from Legislative Bill 894 that would have opened the door for immigrants with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status to get jobs as state troopers, police officers and sheriffs deputies.

The Obama-era DACA program covers thousands of young adults who grew up in the United States after being brought into the country illegally as children.

State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, who had introduced the original LB 894, asked colleagues Monday to take out the language that had been added during first-round debate on the bill.

She acknowledged that she had supported the concept when it was presented as a bill before the Judiciary Committee. She voted with the other seven committee members to advance LB 918, which was introduced by Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha.

But Ibach said she started hearing concerns from colleagues immediately after the DACA provision from LB 918 was added to LB 894.

She said she was asked why the amendment did not address other immigrants with authorization to work in the U.S., whether DACA immigrants could participate in state and county retirement programs and whether noncitizens could be allowed to carry guns and ammunition.

Ibach said she welcomed a broader discussion about those issues and pledged to work on a DACA bill over the summer, but she said she did not want to jeopardize her bill now.

LB 894 would require that a candidate for sheriff have a law enforcement officer certificate. The same requirement would apply to people appointed as sheriffs. In either case, the new sheriff would also need to obtain a sheriffs certification once in office.

The bill was prompted by last years controversy over a sheriff in southwest Nebraskas Dundy County, who was elected in 2022 without law enforcement certification and failed to obtain it in office. Voters recalled him by an overwhelming margin in November 2023.

On the DACA amendment issue, Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte changed his mind after voting for the amendment earlier. He said Monday he had not realized all the implications of the amendment but he heard from many constituents after the vote.

The second house made it abundantly clear to me they dont like this amendment, he said. Nebraskans commonly refer to the public as the second house to the states one-house Legislature.

Some senators defended the DACA amendment, however, noting that other states have passed such legislation or are considering it. Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha objected to waiting another year and said the provision would help with workforce shortages in law enforcement now.

Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha argued that communities need to find creative policies to improve law enforcement, especially in minority communities. Wayne said DACA immigrants would be allowed to carry guns for work.

But Wayne also said that he understood Ibachs position and did not want to kill her bill. LB 894 advanced to the final round of consideration after the amendment was removed.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of March 2024
A Scottsbluff man died in a motorcycle crash in the Wildcat Hills in western Nebraska, the Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs Office said Monday.

Family members of Madison Hicks, 31, had reported him missing Monday afternoon, Sgt. Mark Bliss said in a press release. Hicks had gone for a motorcycle ride Sunday, reportedly en route to Kimball, but had not been heard from since.

As deputies were working to gather information for the missing-person report, Bliss said, authorities received another report about a motorcycle found off the roadway along Nebraska Highway 71, south of Gering.

Deputies responded and found Hicks dead.

Investigators determined Hicks had been riding his BMW motorcycle southbound on Nebraska 71 in the area north of the Wildcat Estates on Sunday when he failed to negotiate a curve and crossed the median into the northbound traffic lane. He ran off the road and was ejected from the motorcycle during the crash.

Excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the crash. Bliss said Hicks was wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time of the crash, but it may not have been properly secured.
The leader of outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has reacted to a court ruling revoking his bail and ordering that he be re-arrested to enable him face his ongoing trial.

Reacting to the order by an Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, Kanu alleged that there was a gang up against him, members of his group and the Biafra struggle.

In a live broadcast on Radio Biafra last night, Kanu said he was compelled to make the broadcast because of what his enemies are plotting against him.

Kanu said; I have been compelled to make this very emergency broadcast this evening by the turn of events and we must address what our enemies are doing head-on.

We know there is gang up against IPOB, there is gang up against Biafra, and there is gang up against my humble self but in all their doings in all their machinations and in all their plans and their atrocities they will never prevail because truth is in our side, light is in our side and Chukwu Okike Abiama is with us and he would never abandon us until Biafra is restored and beyond.

We are here to propagate this very gospel, the gospel truth and the gospel of redemption. People of iniquitous disposition will not understand what we are trying to do but the throne of light will.

Kanu, whose IPOB group has since being branded a terrorist group by the Federal Government, is being prosecuted on charges bothering on treasonable felony.
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has raised the alarm that there are plans to arrest and detain him immediately after he hands over power on May 29, 2019.

He said National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole, and other leaders of the party had instigated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other law enforcement agencies to effect the plan.

Okorocha detailed this in two separate fundamental rights enforcement suits marked FHC/ABJ/CS/474/19 and FHC/ABJ/CS/475/19 and filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He said the anti-corruption agencies had been directed to arrest and keep him in detention as soon as he hands over as governor on May 29, adding that he had received no fewer than 25 invitations from the anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies in purported investigation of projects executed by the state government in a bid to find some materials to justify their conclusion that he is guilty of corrupt practices.

He alleged that the plan of the APC leaders had been expanded to include a reign of terror against the applicants political, business associates and family members including his wife and children.

According to him, his political and business associates, as well as family members, allegedly targeted by the said reign of terror are Uloma Rochas, Uju Rochas, Uchechi Rochas, Ahamefula Rochas, Amen Rochas, Amamchi Rochas, Uzoma Anwukah and Uche Nwosu.

Okorocha stated that he did not commit any offence to warrant the incessant threats of arrest, detention, the harassment and terror being unleashed upon him and his family.

He implored the court to restrain the EFCC and other agencies from harrassing, intimidating and arresting him and his family members.

The defendants whom the plaintiff is seeking an order to restrain are the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police, the Department of State Services, the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

The plaintiff accused his adversaries within the party as waging a vendetta war against him by instigating the agencies to harass him on the premise of a belief that he played a role in the EFCCs alleged arrest of Oshiomhole last year.

He said Oshiomhole and the party leaders were behind the Independent National Electoral Commissions withholding of his certificate of return which ought to be issued to him following his victory at the February 23, 2019 Imo West Senatorial District poll.

According to him, his travails started because he supported another candidate for the office of the National Chairman of APC against Oshiomhole.

An affidavit filed in support of the suit read in part, The applicant had supported a candidate for the position of National Chairman of the APC other than the current incumbent, Mr Adams Oshiomhole and by reason of various events that occurred at the time, including the detention of Mr Adams Oshiomhole by the EFCC on allegations of corruption, it was assumed that the applicant was a party to that incident.

Some of the supporters of Adams Oshiomhole at the time are currently very influential in the Federal Government of Nigeria which is controlled by the APC.

These individuals, including the said current national chairman, have decided to carry out a vendetta and revenge against the applicant, including instigating the respondents against the applicant upon their spurious conclusion without evidence that the applicant is guilty of corrupt practices as the governor of Imo State.

The respondents, proceeding from this position that the applicant is guilty unless proved innocent, between 2017 and now, have expended not less than 25 invitations to the applicant in the purported investigation of projects executed by the state government in a bid to find some materials to justify their conclusion that he is guilty of corrupt practices.

This witch-hunt is clearly politically motivated, baseless, and has been designed only to discredit and humiliate the applicant in a bid to decimate him politically.

Responding to the suit, the DSS, through its counter- affidavits filed on its behalf by G. O. A. Agbadua, faulted Okorochas claims and denied planning to arrest either the governor or members of his family.

The DSS said it was not aware or part of any plan to arrest the Okorochas.

Its counter-affidavit read in part, The 3rd respondent (DSS) did not meet with the Independent National Electoral Commission concerning the applicant.

The 3rd respondent has not invited the applicant or any member of his family and/or staff for investigation.

The rest of the respondents have yet to file their defence.

The matter has been scheduled for hearing before Justice Taiwo Taiwo on May 22.
Buhari arrives for inauguration

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Wednesday witnessed low activities as a result of the inauguration of the new administration at both federal and state governments level.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the airport witnessed a decreased movement of passengers and aircraft at both domestic and international wings.

The Station Manager, Max Air, Mr Kehinde Ogunyale, told NAN that air traffic was very low even though there was no restriction of flight operations at the airport.

Ogunyale said that the airport was unusually scanty, adding that all the airlines counters were very quiet.

There is no traffic at all, it is very low because of the inauguration.

Everywhere is quiet because we are not doing normal flights today since there are no passengers, he said.

Similarly, an official of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria who pleaded anonymity told NAN that passenger movement was normal at the international wing.

He said that some foreign airlines had arrived while Ethiopian airlines were expected to land at 11:30.

He said that many international passengers were being checked in to board their flights.

At the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) where charter operations take place, he said that few private jets had landed with few dignitaries making their way to the city.

According to him, only a few domestic airlines have arrived and departed this morning because there is no much traffic.
Security aides to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has been spotted running after his car inside rain leaving tongues wagging on social media.

The photos were taken on his recent visit to Lagos State on Saturday 22nd June 2019. Some social media users have frowned at the photos saying nobody should be treated like a god, especially for elected politicians who should serve the people, as all men are equal.

However, some people have said the security operatives were just doing their job.
A 33-year-old adult male, identified simply as Seun, has been crushed to death in a hit-and-run accident that occurred at Jakande, on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos State.

National Daily gathered that the incident happened on Thursday afternoon.

A police source who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity on Sunday said Seun had parked his Lexus car by the expressway when a Honda vehicle suddenly hit it from the rear.

Seun was said to have immediately stepped out of the car and beckoned the yet-to-be-known driver to see the damage he had done to his vehicle.

According to the source, the driver of the Honda car, in an attempt to escape, drove towards Seuns direction and crushed him in the process.

A Honda Accord driven by one yet-to-be-known person hit a Lexus car belonging to one Seun where it was parked along the expressway. When the said Seun, owner of the Lexus car, asked the Honda driver to come down and see the damage he had caused to his car, he refused but instead, he used his car to knock Seun down and drove off, the source said.

The source added that the driver of the Honda Accord, in an attempt to flee the scene of the accident, lost control of his car and ran into an electric pole in the Igbo Efon area of the community.

He was said to have abandoned his accident car in the middle of the road and fled.

Meanwhile, some police officers who arrived at the scene reportedly rushed the deceased victim to the hospital where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

Motor Transport Division immediately raced to the scene. Seun Sahola m was rushed to the hospital for medical treatment, where he was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty, the source disclosed.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident.

Hundeyin said, His corpse was deposited at the mortuary for autopsy, while the abandoned accident car is in police custody. Investigation is in progress to arrest the said driver.
In the wake of the recent attack that claimed the lives of 16 soldiers and officers in Okuama Community, Delta State, Nigerian Army troops have reportedly launched a retaliatory invasion on Igbomotoru community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The soldiers, arriving in five gunboats, allegedly set fire to houses suspected to be the hideout of a militant leader believed to be involved in the earlier attack on the military personnel in Delta.

The tragic incident in Okuama resulted in the loss of an Army Commander, two majors, a captain, and 12 soldiers from the 181 Amphibious Battalion in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State. Following the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, an immediate investigation was ordered to apprehend the perpetrators.

Residents of Okuama community had already fled to neighboring Ughelli in anticipation of potential reprisals by the military. Subsequently, houses were set ablaze in Okuama before the troops proceeded to invade the neighboring Bayelsa community.

Reports from the area indicate that upon arrival, the soldiers opened fire on residents at the jetty before burning down three buildings suspected to be the hideout of the militant leader. The attack resulted in the loss of at least 11 lives, with efforts ongoing to locate other potential casualties.

The devastating military operation has left the community reeling, with significant loss of lives and property. Families are grappling with the abrupt disruption of planned events such as burials, facing additional financial burdens as a result.

Amidst this turmoil, appeals have been made to the Federal and State Governments, as well as the international community, to intervene urgently and restore peace to the affected communities.

Efforts to obtain official comments from the Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) headquarters were met with resistance, as the spokesperson, Major Adenegan Ojo, declined to respond to inquiries from journalists.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State visited the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area to assess the aftermath of the recent killings of military officers and civilians.

However, journalists were barred from covering the governors tour by the military Joint Task Force (JTF), which blocked access to the community with an armoured personnel carrier tank.

Despite this, Governor Oborevwori held a closed-door meeting with Major General Jamaal Abdulsalam, the leader of the military JTF, to discuss the situation, which lasted approximately one hour.

Recall that armed youths allegedly killed 16 soldiers in the community days ago. According to reports, the incident took place on Thursday evening when the soldiers came there for peacekeeping. The reports had it that the soldiers were suddenly surrounded by armed youths who opened fire, killing some of the soldiers, while others were kidnapped and later killed.
Parishioners and local residents of Ikot Ekang, a tranquil community nestled in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state, are engulfed in grief and mourning.

The somber atmosphere follows the tragic and brutal murder of Apostle Elisha Asuquo, the revered founder of the Mount of Solution Redeemed Church (MSRC).

Gunmen stormed the National Headquarters of the Church at about 7:30 pm over the weekend, disrupting an ongoing Parish meeting and tragically ending the lives of two clerics, Apostle Asuquo and Pastor Aniekan Ibanga.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailants arrived on a motorcycle, swiftly committing the crime before fleeing through Abak-Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway.

Apostle Asuquo, handling a sensitive marital reconciliation matter, was fatally targeted, while Pastor Aniekan Ibanga also fell victim to the attack. The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with many expressing disbelief over the unprecedented violence.

It was around 8 p.m., I was attending a church programme when somebody called and asked me whether I have heard that Prophet Elisha and his Pastor have been shot dead. While still on that call, another person came in and told me that Prophet Elisha and Pastor Aniekan have been killed, said Bishop John Jeremiah Kpongkpong, expressing his dismay.

Chief Christopher Udotim, representing Ikot Obio Ikpa Village, and Mr. Alphonsus Alphonsus Okoro, the Youth President, conveyed their deep sorrow and emphasized the need for cooperation between villages to investigate the heinous crime.

The Village Head of Ikot Ekang acknowledged the gravity of the situation, urging security agencies to intensify efforts in apprehending the perpetrators.

Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Odiko MacDon, assured that the Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough investigation, promising that the culprits would be brought to justice.
Labour Partys 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, elucidated his decision to join Muslims in breaking the Ramadan fast at the Maraba-Nyanya International Market Central Mosque in Abuja.

In a statement shared via his official X handle on Tuesday, Obi expressed his motive for visiting the mosque, aiming to grasp the challenges faced by Nigerians amidst the prevailing monumental hardships in the nation.

Obi said, My team and I had the opportunity of feeding and breaking the Ramadan fast of the day with around 1000 individuals at the Maraba-Nyanya International Market Central Mosque, symbolizing unity and cooperation during this auspicious season.

The visit signifies unity and cooperation during this sacred season of Ramadan, stated the former Governor of Anambra State, emphasizing the importance of leaders demonstrating responsibility and empathy towards their constituents.



Obi emphasized that effective leadership in a new era necessitates engaging with people in their authentic circumstances and addressing their genuine needs. He remarked, These visits provide invaluable insights into the struggles of our people, many grappling with immense hardships. Its also an opportunity to underscore the imperative for leaders to display accountability and compassion towards their communities.



He concluded, Leadership in our evolving nation must be attuned to the realities faced by the populace and respond with empathy and action.
The Army has issued a demand to the Okuoma community in Delta State to identify the perpetrators behind the killing of its officers and men.

In a social media post titled Rest in Peace our Fallen Heroes, the Army clarified that the number of fallen heroes was 17, not 16 as initially reported.

Among the slain were four officers and 13 soldiers. These are Lt. Col. A.H Ali, Maj Safa, Maj D.E Obi, and Cap U. Zakari. The soldiers are Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu, Corporal Yahaya Danbaba, Corporal Kabir Bashir, Lance Corporals Bulus Haruna, Sole Opeyemi, Bello Anas, Haman Peter and Ibrahim Abdullahi. The rest are Privates Alhaji Isah, Clement Francis, Abubakar Ali, Ibrahim Adamu and Adamu Ibrahim.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu condemned the killings and authorized the military to bring the perpetrators to justice, stating, The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and Chief of Defence Staff (Gen. Christopher Musa) have been granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people.

The DHQ and Army ruled out reprisals and warned against propaganda. Defence Spokesman Maj. Gen. Edward Buba emphasized, The senseless and barbaric killings of these men is a tragedy. They were killed in a dehumanised and unspeakable manner.

Both the DHQ and Army reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the rule of law and urged the public to cooperate with the investigation while mourning the loss of the fallen heroes.

But it also warned of consequences, However, the ugly incident in Okuama Community in Delta State is indicative of the dangers our gallant troops experience in order to secure our nation. The military assures that there would be measured responses and injurious consequences for the perpetrators of these dastardly acts.
Popular Nollywood producer, Chief Okechukwu Nnadi, popularly known as Andy Best is dead, a family source has confirmed.

He was said to have died today at a Private clinic in Owerri, Imo state after battling with a prolonged undisclosed ailments.

A source close to the family, who wishes to remain anonymous, disclosed the news of the producers death to REPORT AFRIQUE.

Chief Nnadi hails from Umunkwo Village in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo state and was the CEO of Andy Best Production, a foremost movie production firm in Nigeria.

Andy Best produced so many Nollywood movies like The Lion of Africa, White Poison, My Fathers Cup and others. His Youtube Channel has many of his movies.

His remains have been deposited at the Aladinma Mortuary, in Owerri.
Mike Ozekhome

Nigerian legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has stated that the country needs a new constitution instead of amending the 1999 constitution.

Ozekhome stated that no amount of amendment can cure the flaws in the 1999 constitution following the set-up of Committees to review and amend the countrys law by the National Assembly.

He said this on Monday during a National Constitutional dialogue in Lagos in honour of the late Ben Nwabueze, the Pioneer Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

The senior lawyer asserted that military leaders handed over the current constitution to Nigerians and that a new constitution should be created through a referendum.

Ozkehome added that a new constitution will make provisions for the creation of state police, stating that the argument for abuse of state police is not tenable.

He said: But will their (national assembly) work amount to what we are looking for? Is it just the amendment of the constitution that is our problem? Can you amend a bad document? Can you amend a fundamentally flawed document?.

My humble answer is that you cannot. One million amendments, multiple by one million amendments of the present fundamentally flawed constitution, cannot cure the original sin.

What is that original sin? It was imposed on you and me militarily by a military junta led by General Abdulsalami Abubakar and 28 members of the provisional ruling council.

It was never subjected to the referendum of the people. Guess what? The present constitution was attached as a mere schedule to decree number 24 of 1999.

So the constitution you are using is a mere schedule attached to a decree. How can you amend it? How do you cleanse it? Nigeria must own their own constitution through a popular referendum of the people.
The Nigerian Army has disclosed the identities and photographs of the 17 soldiers tragically killed during a peace keeping mission in a community in Delta State.

KanyiDaily had reported how a commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers were surrounded and killed by some community youths on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

The 16 deceased soldiers were among the troops deployed to restore order between two warring communities: Okuama and Okoloba communities in Delta.

Reports indicate that the attackers subjected most of the deceased soldiers to horrific acts, including beheading and dismemberment.

Following the incident, reports emerged of several houses in the community being engulfed in flames on Monday morning.

In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian Army attributed the attack and killings to members of the community, affirming that the troops would refrain from retaliating.

The fallen soldiers, along with their ranks, are as follows:

1. Lieutenant Colonel AH Ali (Commanding Officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion)

2. Major SD Shafa

3. Major DE Obi

4. Captain U. Zakari

5. Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu

6. Corporal Yahaya Danbaba

7. Corporal Kabiru Bashir

8. Lance Corporal Bulus Haruna

9. Lance Corporal Sole Opeyemi

10. Lance Corporal Bello Anas

11. Lance Corporal Hamman Peter

12. Lance Corporal Ibrahim Abdullahi

13. Private Alhaji Isah

14. Private Clement Francis

15. Private Abubakar Ali

16. Private Ibrahim Adamu

17. Private Adamu Ibrahim

KanyiDaily recalls that the Senate had demanded justice for the soldiers who were brutally killed during the peacekeeping mission in Delta State.
Youths in the southeast have warned Igbo leaders that the message and warning signal from Germany has been passed unto them, declaring that soon beating of political leaders and state actors will start in the zone.

The Igbo youths agitated that the beating given to former Deputy Senate Ike Ekweremadu in Germany by their brothers in diaspora was a wake up call on the youths at home to descend on the political and state actors from the south east who have not contributed to the development of the zone and their people.

Though, some of the youths expressed sympathy and respect for Ike Ekweremadu for falling victim of the beating in Germany, they warned that all Igbo political and state actors must show commitment to better governance and development of the south east. The youths, accordingly, warned Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State, Joe Igbokwe, All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Secretary in Lagos State, among others.

One of the youths had in his warning declared: Obiano keep worsening the eight years given to you by APGA; we are watching and waiting for your airport.

Another youth had declared: I have so much respect for you, sir, but you guys should sit upHow I wish it is the Governor of Ebonyi State that was the victim.Orji Uzor Kalu, Rochas and Joe Igbokwe, their turns are loading

These were the expressions of despondency from the south east.

Ekweremadu suffered a mob attack in Germany last weekend when he went on invitation to deliver a speech to an Igbo community on a new yam feast. He was assaulted before he was rescued and taken to a safe place before his return to Nigeria.

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The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has arrested another journalist, activist and critic of the regime, Chido Onumah.

According to TheCable, Onumah was arrested on Sunday evening by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport, Abuja, when he returned to Nigeria from Spain where he recently bagged a doctorate in communication studies.

We traveled together for a conference in UK. But we didnt come back together because he went to Spain to finalize his PhD thesis and I went to London but got back last week Sunday, a lawyer, Mart Obono said. He was just returning from the trip today when he was picked at the airport.

His arrest was also confirmed by another lawyer named Mbaseki Martins-Obono, who said the government was doing everything to shrink civic space. The lawyer said:

Chido Onumah has just been arrested by the DSS at Abuja International Airport. It is not clear what the offense is but it may not be unconnected with his book, We Are All Biafrians. The government is doing everything to shrink civic space but we will not let them. I was called by the person who was supposed to pick him up at the airport.

Chido Onumah has just been arrested by the SSS at Abuja International Airport. It is not clear what the offense is but it may not be unconnected with his book, #WeAreAllBiafrians the govt is doing everything to shrink civic space but we not let them.  M. M. Obono (@martobono) September 29, 2019

Onumahs latest book was published in December 2018.

Onumah is a Nigerian/Canadian journalist, author, blogger and rights activist.
11 more patients of Coronavirus have been discharged form the Infectious Disease Hospital in Lagos state.

Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu made this announcement this evening via his verified Instagram page.

The governor said the patients have all tested negative and were discharged today April 2nd. Earlier this week 9 patients were also discharged from the hospital in Lagos.

Read his statement below;

Dear Lagosians,

I am happy to break to you, the news of the discharge today of 11 more patients from our facility in Yaba.

They have fully recovered, tested negative to COVID-19 and have been allowed to return home to their families. This brings to 18 the number of discharged patients in Lagos since the index case was reported.

It is a thing of joy that we have not recorded any mortality, and we hope and pray that it remains so. We will not rest on our oars but continue to work assiduously for the full recovery of the other patients so that they can return home to their families and the community.

That the tests results of these patients came out negative twice is a big assurance to us that they pose no threat to the community. We are therefore, releasing them in furtherance of our commitment for a disease free State.

May I warn that this is not the time to relax, but to maintain our vigilance against Coronavirus because of the community infection that we are beginning to experience. We should be sober as the battle continues.

Reports of youths gathering for social and sporting activities, as well as those massing for religious purposes are quite unfortunate. This kind of insensitivity could be a weak link in our collective effort to break the chain of transmission of the infection.

The order for law enforcement agents to ensure that residents comply with the directive to stay indoors remains. I enjoin members of the Organised Private Sector and others to read the Federal Governments guidelines on the restriction of movement so that the directive is not breached in any way.

Again, I assure you as your Governor and Incident Commander, we will not relent in our efforts to completely eradicate this disease from our state.

Thank You all and God bless.
BLOOMINGTON  A Bloomington man faces a felony charge for violation of a registration law.

Wayne Damron, 53, is charged with one count of Class 2 violation of the Illinois Murderer Registration Act, having been convicted and sentenced to 45 years in prison in 1993 for the murder of 49-year-old Michael Grady.

He is accused of failing to report to the Bloomington Police Department as required.

Damron appeared in court Monday and was released on orders to abide by the statutory conditions of pretrial release, which includes notifying the court of any change in address.

An arraignment is scheduled for April 19.

As fewer students seek teaching degrees, universities close undergraduate programs As fewer students seek teaching degrees, universities close undergraduate programs Education degrees make up a small share of all bachelor's degrees
BLOOMINGTON  Northbound lanes of Interstate 55 in Bloomington were closed for several hours Tuesday afternoon after a fatal crash.

Illinois State Police Troop 5 responded at about 12:32 p.m. to a three-vehicle crash near milepost 158, north of the I-55/I-74 merge, according to a news release. The crash involved two semitrailers and a passenger vehicle, ISP said, and one person from the passenger vehicle was declared deceased.

The northbound lanes of I-55 were closed while officers continued to investigate, with the Illinois Department of Transportation diverting traffic to Veterans Parkway.

All lanes of I-55 reopened shortly after 6:15 p.m., ISP said.

Who was brunching? Photos from the Soulful Gospel Brunch Charter members of the Alumnae Chapter Beverly Gay, Debra T. Thomas, Cheryl Fluker Chapter President Goline Lawrence, 1st Vice President Takesha Stokes Renee Thompson, Soror of the Year Beverly Gay, Cheryl Fluker, Renee Thompson, Brigette Gibson Dr. Krystal Shelvin, Dr. Tasha Jones Faye Freeman-Smith, Beverly Gay, Debra T. Thomas, Cheryl Fluker, Linda Foster Lakita Scott, Danielle Beasley Ursula Crooks, Tonya Webb Candace Crooks, Belinda Brock Renee Thompson, Romeldie Rogers Takesha Stokes, Jocelyn Nelson Monique Hall, Janessa Williams Jaunita Smith Daphne Gay, Joann Evans Aagiyah Miller, Shyvonne Cole Veleda Harvey, Russell Savage Davenport chapter members Andrea Gilchrist, President Dr. Stephanie Long, Karen Roebuck with Linda Rudolph from Rock Island Meta Mickens-Baker, Brigette Gibson, Monique Hall Takesha Stokes, River Stokes-Dorsey Paula Collins, Fallon Carruthers Jaelyn, Ron and Jocelyn Fluker Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson, Cynthia Ashby, Lorraine Muhammad
DECATUR  Surgeons were not able to save the Decatur armed robbery suspect shot by two city police officers and he died Monday evening.

Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel confirmed the 38-year-old Decatur mans death at a news conference Monday night, saying he understood the man died about 6 p.m. after being rushed into surgery at Decatur Memorial Hospital.

The suspect, the chief said, initially complied with police commands to get on the ground after being confronted by officers but then got back up and ignored commands to stay down and not move before reaching into his coat and pulling out what appeared to be a gun.

That is when the two male officers opened fire; the chief said he wasnt able to yet say how many shots were fired and how many struck the suspect, initially described as a white man in his late 30s or early 40s.

The officers involved are members of the police departments Community Action Team, which targets serious crime and especially weapons offenses. They encountered the suspect around 3:50 p.m. in the 600 block of West Grand Avenue, the chief said.

Brandel said the suspect had held up the Decatur Discount convenience store at 898 W. Grand Ave. just before 2:15 p.m. The two officers were hunting the suspect and had been provided clear pictures of him from store surveillance videos. Brandel said the robber, who wore "very distinctive clothing," was spotted walking with another male and a woman.

The man's companions took off running after the shooting and Brandel, who did not identify them as suspects in the robbery, said officers were still looking for them and needed to talk to them.

Asked about the suspects weapon at the 7 p.m. news conference, Brandel said: The gun is still out there (at the shooting scene). I can tell you it looks like a gun; we havent examined it to be able to make any determination as to whether it's real or fake or a replica  unfortunately, we see too many of those. But I know it looked real.

Brandel said the shooting was captured on both squad car and body cam videos from the two officers, both of whom have been with the department for more than two years. The chief said he aims to release those videos to the public within a week.

Asked for his views on the officers' actions, he said he had only seen just over three minutes of the videos himself and would not state a conclusion now.

But he added: I explained to you what happened and so maybe you can draw your own conclusions at this point like most would: The suspect refused orders, stood up, reached into his coat and pulled out a gun after committing an armed robbery. When they (the officers) approached him in the manner they did, it was because they knew he had a gun or believed he did based on the information they had.

The shooting is now under investigation by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation and will be headed by Lt. Lisa Mitchell of the Major Crimes Unit. Its protocol for state police to probe shootings by police officers, and the findings will be passed to Macon County States Attorney Scott Rueter who will decide whether the use of deadly force was justified.

Brandel said it saddened him that the threat level facing his officers on the streets meant that incidents triggering the state police investigation protocol were far from unusual any more.

I was talking to Lisa (Mitchell) and I think in the last 3 to 3  years weve had seven officer-involved shootings, which is incredible, he added.

He described a dangerous level of gun violence that includes increasing numbers of handguns converted to fire as submachine guns, weapons that are able to fire off an extended 30-round magazine in about two seconds.

Its sad, and its a world that I wish that our officers didnt have to live in, Brandel said of the inherent dangers in police work today. And I am just thankful that we have officers, and not just here in Decatur but across this country, who are still willing to do it.

The two officers involved in the shooting will receive counseling and Brandel said that, once cleared by a psychologist, we will determine their work status from there.

A look back at Decatur police through the years  1911 1911 1911 1924 1934 1939 1941 1942 1951 1960 1977 1990
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva says Ghana must consider the wellbeing of all Ghanaians before signing into law the Anti-LGBTQ+ bill.



She said the bill which was passed by parliament some weeks ago should not jeopardise others' choices if Ghana wants to develop.



I understand that people in Ghana have taken the bill to the court. All I can say is that a more inclusive society is a more successful society. You want Ghana to flourish, make it so that everybody can contribute to the fullest of this country, Kristalina Georgieva told Citi TV in an interview monitored by Peacefmonline.com.



The Anti-LGBTQ Bill if passed into law will criminalise all its activities, as well as their promotion, advocacy, and funding.



Offenders will serve a jail term ranging from 6 months to 3 years, while those promoting and sponsoring the act could face a jail term between 3 to 5 years.



The international community has kicked against the bill describing it as harsh on inhumane on the gay community - while some sections of Ghanaians want President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to assent to the bill.







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









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THE ASHANTI Region has benefitted from 24 ultra-modern court buildings in less than eight years under President Akufo-Addos New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.



The provision of the court buildings and other infrastructure in the judiciary by the government has contributed in expediting the adjudication of cases in courts in the region.



The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, who made the disclosure, said justice delivery in the region has experienced massive improvement in recent times. According to him, the government has also worked tirelessly to provide about 40 new accommodations for the judiciary in the region, which is unprecedented.



In the judiciary sector, the government has commissioned 24 court buildings in the Ashanti Region in less than eight years, and this is an unprecedented achievement. Also, the government has provided about 40 brand new accommodations for the judiciary sector in this region alone, and this is also unprecedented, he announced.



Osei-Mensah was addressing journalists as part of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC) version of Meet the Press programme in Kumasi on Monday. Mondays event was mainly used to inform media practitioners about the NPP governments performance in the security and judiciary sectors in the Ashanti Region.



In the area of security, he said the government has been able to significantly improve the number of security personnel in the region, and it has helped to boost security.



The government has increased the number of security personnel in the region by a whopping 5,108, and this a contributory factor to the improved security, he noted. He said violent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Agogo, which were major challenges in the region, have now been reduced to the barest minimum.



This has led to improved yield in farm produce in Agogo. Now there is even Agogo plantain market in Burkina Faso because farmers in Agogo can send their produce there, he added. Osei-Mensah also announced that highway robberies in the region have been reduced and Zongo and Asante youth clashes have also been dealt with by the security forces.



According to him, the security agents are also dealing with the illegal mining menace, also known as galamsey, adding that in general, the security agents have done well.











Source: Daily Guide









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President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has given reasons why he reshuffled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta during the February ministerial reshuffle.



According to the President, the finance minister having served the country for seven years needed to go on a break.



The president made this known while interacting with the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva at the Jubilee House in Accra over the weekend.



According to President Akufo-Addo, the decision to have the Finance Minister changed was a decision that was necessary.



He said, Since last year, we have made some important changes in our government. Your old friend, Mr. Ofori-Atta has had seven years as a Finance Minister and I thought it was time for him to wind down and take on more narrow roles.



"And the new Minister of Finance is someone you have met before... now he has stepped forward, he added.



President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, February 14, embarked on a ministerial reshuffle which saw the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta removed.



During the reshuffle, approximately 13 current ministers of state, including 10 cabinet ministers and two regional ministers, were affected.



Following the ministerial reshuffle, the President later appointed Mr. Ofori-Atta as the Senior Presidential Advisor and Special Envoy for International Finance and Private Sector Investments.



In this new office, Mr. Ofori-Atta is expected to leverage his extensive experience and network to attract international investments and bolster private sector participation in Ghana's development.



The new position resulted in a media debate as many market watchers viewed it as a promotion since he will still be playing an advisory role to President Akufo-Addo on matters of international finance.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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The Member of Parliament of Essikado-Ketan Constituency and former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Joe Ghartey, has congratulated the new Majority Leader of the ruling New Patriotic Party in Parliament, Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin.



In a social media post, Hon. Ghartey expressed profound excitement over the new role of Hon. Afenyo Markin, the Member of Parliament for Winneba, wishing him and his team well.



Read Hon. Joe Ghartey's congratulatory message to Hon. Afenyo Markin below:



You were made Deputy Majority Leader and now you are the Majority Leader. I wish you well. Your metoric rise is commendable. You are a known warrior, and this allows you to go down in history as a great Leader. One of the greatest leaders of our time is Nelson Mandela. He was an amateur boxer and a warrior. Nelson Mandela was one of the co-founders of the armed wing of the African National Congress.



It was this same man after spending years in prison, negotiated with the apartheid Government for the independence of South Africa. He also became the first black President of South Africa. Nelson Mandela is not remembered for being a warrior or even a President.



He is remembered best as a man of peace. It is said in the Beatitudes that those who pursue peace will be blessed. You are in a good position to pursue peace because you are a warrior, and history reveals that the leaders who pursue peace most successfully are warrior leaders. As you said on the floor of Parliament, you will pursue collaboration.



In this political environment, sometimes it is difficult to pursue peace. I am not saying for a second that you should compromise or become weak in the belly.



All I am saying is be a man of collaboration, not of confrontation. You said that is your aim, and I am confident that your word will be your bond. If you walk your talk, you will emerge as a Wise Leader. I wish you well and God be your guide

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









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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.
The textile and fashion industry in Ghana has played a significant role in the country's economy by providing employment opportunities for a large workforce, including designers, marketers, and consultants, among others.



Ghana has a rich history of textile production, pre-dating colonial times. In ancient times, yards of fabric were spun from raw materials such as cotton and raffia using traditional wooden looms. These looms are still in use today to create iconic Ghanaian fabrics like kente and Gonja cloth.



In the late 1970s, the textile industry was vibrant, with 16 large companies employing about 25,000 people and contributing to 27% of total manufacturing employment. However, by 2005, many of the textile companies had folded up, leaving only four major surviving ones: Ghana Textile Manufacturing Company (GTMC), Akosombo Textile Limited (ATL), Ghana Textile Product (GTP), and Printex. These surviving companies now have a combined workforce of just 2,961 workers.



I recall that during President John Kufuors tenure, he made several efforts to revive the industry. The easiest that comes to mind is when he designated Friday as "Wear Ghana" day for civil servants and the general worker population. That caught on. He also leveraged trade agreements like the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) and the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) for duty-free exports to the US and EU markets to promote more Made in Ghana products.



However, the rising production costs of African fabric wear and the high importation and sales of second-hand clothing, made it difficult for Ghanaians to generally appreciate African fabric.



In recent times, one influential person who has championed the use of Ghanaian and African textiles and has indeed helped to bring attention to the industry and to attract and boost the fashion industry is Samira Bawumia, the wife of Ghanas Vice President, H.E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.



Mrs. Bawumia has, in recent times, made a significant impact on Ghanas textile and fashion industry through her consistent choice of African prints as attire for public functions. This has had a significant impact on young people who look up to her.



Through her fashion choices, Mrs. Bawumia not only celebrates African culture but also encourages young people to embrace their heritage. The vibrant African prints she wears symbolize resilience, creativity, and pride. By doing so, she sends a powerful message: our roots matter, and we can blend tradition with modernity to create positive change.



Samira Bawumias choice of African prints as her attire for public functions resonates deeply with young people, fostering a sense of identity, pride, and responsibility. As they emulate her, they not only embrace their cultural heritage but also contribute to the global fight against climate change and sustainable development.



The industry has contributed to the growth of the economy by creating value-chain employment and generating revenue through the production and sale of fashion products.



As of 2020, the National Identification Authority's (NIA) data captured over 260,000 people in the tailors, sewers, and dressmakers category, giving an overview of what the fashion sector looked like as well as its potential for scale-up.





There are diverse apparel outlets, such as physical shops, boutiques, open-air markets, and online shops (social media and web stores), involved in the sale of ready-to-wear (RTW). The value chain of the industry is enormous - from technical and industrial players to research, ICT, and human resources to finance, procurement, and transportation, among others. These players are found at all levels of the textile and apparel value chain.







I spoke to one young fashion designer in Accra to know his thoughts on Samiras influence on the fashion scene in Ghana. Madam Samira has been instrumental in showcasing the Ghanaian fashion industry to the international community. Samira amazed us with her incredible clothing, which was primarily created from smocks and Ghanaian fabric while remaining faithful to her sense of style, he told me.



We adore Samira because she has significantly contributed to the rise in popularity of Ghanaian fabric, which has influenced the designs of many fashion designers, including us.



Samira Bawumia has captured hearts and minds with her crisp fashion style, since being thrust into the public eye heading into the 2016 general election when New Patriotic Party presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo made her husband, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, his running mate,



By consistently wearing African prints, she showcases the beauty, versatility, and cultural significance, as well as the rich heritage of Ghanaian textiles. By wearing locally-made designs, she encourages others to appreciate and embrace African prints, fostering a sense of pride and identity.



Mrs. Bawumia skillfully combines luxury items with Ghanaian brands. Her preference for homegrown fashion labels has elevated their visibility and market appeal. Her endorsement of local designers has led to increased demand for their creations, benefiting the entire textile and fashion ecosystem and boosting local brands.





Notable designers and stylists behind her dazzling outfits include Pistis Ghana, Yartel, Stylista, Sima Brew, Debbie Designs, among others.



Another giant in the field is the Ankara Affair. Samira skillfully merges contemporary designs with traditional African prints, and her affinity for Ankara fabrics is evident.



Ahead of Ghanas 67th Independence Day celebration, fashion enthusiasts, industry players, fashion critics, and Ghanaians will be looking forward to seeing what the Second Lady of Ghana will wear. Her consistency and unique style of fashion at the independence parade have, over the years, been applauded by many. While her style has been described as elegant and modern, she still stays true to traditional Ghanaian fashion.



She is expected to dazzle thousands of visitors and fashion enthusiasts with her high fashion sense at the celebration. The Second Lady of Ghana is the epitome of a classy African woman, as she manages to look stylish at any state event in African print.

Source: Fred Kyei Mensah (Fredyma)









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Dancehall act, Shatta Wale, says Prophet Nigel Gaisie should be arrested following his alleged prophecy about late Deputy Finance Minister, John Kumah.



Speaking on GTV, Shatta Wale expressed dismay at the lack of action taken by authorities against Gaisie, emphasising his commitment to curbing what he perceives as false prophecies. I told myself that when I come out of prison, I am going to make sure they stop all these pastors from delivering those nonsense false prophecies, Shatta Wale asserted during the interview.



His remarks came in light of the recent controversy surrounding John Kumahs untimely demise and Gaisies prophecy, which allegedly hinted at impending threats against a certain deputy minister.



In his declaration last year, Gaisie cryptically warned of an attack targeting a Deputy Minister of Finance, spurring speculation after Kumahs passing in March 2024.



Despite the outcry, Gaisies foresight into Kumahs health condition since November 2023, as revealed by the late ministers widow, has added complexity to the situation.



Nigel Gaisie was like a brother. He knows my late husband, lawyer John Kumah personally, one-on-one, John Kumahs widow disclosed, shedding light on their personal relationship with the prophet.



She further emphasised Gaisies prior knowledge of Kumahs terminal illness, questioning the authenticity and motive behind his prophetic utterances.



Amidst growing scrutiny, Shatta Wales vocal stance underscores the tension between religious prophecy and accountability, sparking debate over the role of spiritual leaders in shaping public discourse and the consequences of their proclamations.



As the controversy continues to unfold, the demand for transparency and accountability within the realm of prophecy remains at the forefront of public discourse.



















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Music has the ability to transport listeners to a new world, and for some, that world is the past. Healthcare workers are reporting improved moods, reduced anxiety, and increased recall under a Music and Memory program aimed at patients needing memory care because of the effects of Alzheimers and other diseases.

Megan Monica, project coordinator at Alzheimers Disease Caregiver Support Initiative, said the program has lessened the frequency of frustration, agitation and crying.

The Music and Memory program is going great. Weve noticed that both the caregiver and care receiver are really enjoying it, Monica said.

The program is a part of the Alzheimers Disease Caregiver Support Initiative, a nonprofit that provides free support services to those caring for people with Alzheimers disease and memory disorders in northern New York.

The initiative covers Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Warren and Washington counties. It was started with an $8.5 million grant to SUNY Plattsburgh. Anyone who is a primary caregiver to someone with Alzheimers or similar memory illnesses may qualify for the program.

The overall needs for those with memory loss are broad and go beyond health care providers, including the need for mental stimulation. One form of mental stimulation is through music therapy.

The Glen, a senior living facility with a memory care center, is using the music program.

Activities for memory care are definitely different. Our residents love to engage in things like art and music. Music in particular for memory care  its really crucial in sort of waking that inner child up, said Andrea Herbert, The Glens executive director.

Research from the Department of Biological and Medical Psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway says that musical memory is partially spared in patients with Alzheimers disease, meaning music therapy may be a promising means to delay or decelerate the neurodegeneration in individuals at risk for Alzheimers disease.

The research also explains that Alzheimers disease comprises of 60-80% of all dementia cases, with a current estimate of 55 million worldwide, and projected to grow to 153 million by 2050.

The Alzheimers Disease Caregiver Support Initiative said the Music and Memory program is proving to be effective with patients, regardless of how far the disease has progressed.

Monica has received feedback from caregivers attesting to the power of music for those with Alzheimers.

Theres a care receiver that has been having trouble with identifying things, and the wife was playing music for her husband, and she said he was able to recall George Jones because of the music therapy, and it was a nice moment for her, Monica said.

Herbert has also seen the direct correlation between music therapy and memory recall.

There are some things that are so totally deep rooted. I remember being amazed where a patriotic song was playing, and everyone here was singing and knew all the words. Its those songs that are kind of ingrained in you, Herbert said.

Valarie Drown, project director of the Alzheimers Disease Caregiver Support Initiative, said that not only has the therapy helped patients, but de-stressed the caregivers as well.

The Music and Memory program offers the caregiver a free memory kit loaded with music based on the patients preference.

Tammy Morehouse, a wellness specialist with ADCS, says music therapy is giving caregivers comfort.

One can only imagine the heartbreak of watching a loved one slowly lose their recall, but musical therapy helps provide a sense of hope, Morehouse said.

The Post-Star recently reported that the Glens Falls region has one of the highest populations of aging communities in the country, with the need for memory care growing.

The Glen at Hiland Meadows Memory Care Center was created in a direct response to the need for a memory loss care community, according to Herbert.

Individuals who are the primary caregiver for people with memory issues and related organizations can make requests for the Music and Memory program, by calling 1-800-388-0199.
From left, Justin Mullis, Aden Derway, and Anthony Trello, sophomores in French, built a replica trebuchet, which they used to attempt launching a cantaloupe into an open filed. Although that plan literally back-fired, the trio said their medieval-era catapult performed well in tests.

The first two shots worked very well, Mullis said.

Last year, the group made a guillotine. They said studying the technology and mechanics of the apparatuses is what interests them most.
From a press release: Three SUNY Delhi students traveled to Albany and participated in the Model Senate Session at the New York State Capitol last weekend. SUNY Delhi was one of only six SUNY colleges invited to this prestigious weekend-long event this year.

Model Senate is an intensive training opportunity to learn more about the New York State government and the legislative process. Delhi students Khamil Almonte (senior), Dominick Dalton (senior), and Yasmeen Kablaoui (sophomore) each were assigned a Senator and their constituencies with access to the Senate Chamber where they were able to sit at the Senators desks. The event culminated with students debating bills on the floor of the Senate. The topic for this years session was Daniels Law, which addresses police presence in cases of a mental health or substance use crisis.

During the weekend, the students also attended a luncheon with SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr., CUNY Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, and other distinguished guests. To conclude the weekend, the students and their advisor Laura Pehrsson had the honor of attending the SOMOS Conference and Gala on Saturday evening.

Participation in the Model Senate experience reflects the commitment of the criminal justice program at SUNY Delhi to provide real-life learning and leadership development opportunities to prepare students for careers in law and the criminal justice system.

For more information, contact Criminal Justice Advisor Laura Pehrsson at pehrssla@delhi.edu or 607-746-4652.
A judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit against the independent expenditures group Jersey Freedom, saying the state Election Law Enforcement Commission has jurisdiction in deciding whether the group violated campaign finance laws.

"The Court hereby grants ELEC jurisdiction to interpret and decide all remaining issues in the case," Superior Court Assignment Judge Michael Blee wrote in his order. "The Court does not make a finding on the merits on Defendants' Motion to Dismiss because the exclusive and primary jurisdiction rests with ELEC."

That means ELEC's investigative process, which is not public, will now go on behind the scenes until a decision and possible fines are announced. Had the case stayed in court, the process would have been public.

On Feb. 1, Blee unfroze Jersey Freedom's bank account, which he had frozen in November after the state Republican Committee and state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, sued.

"Im glad the court recognized that candidates need to maintain the ability to go to court to stop bad actors like those behind Jersey Freedom from trying to undermine our elections," Polistina said. "If ELEC does their job properly and subpoenas the people orchestrating the election interference, it will definitely deter people from trying to do this in the future."

The Republicans alleged the group tried to split the GOP vote with sham conservative candidates to benefit Democrats and hid the true source of their funding until votes had been cast.

After the election, Jersey Freedom filed disclosure forms saying it had raised $225,000 from Brighter Future Forward, a South Jersey Democratic super PAC.

Jersey Freedom's lawyer William Tambussi, who has represented the Camden County Democratic Party since 1989, has consistently said the group followed New Jersey law and was not obligated to disclose its donors before the election.

Judge unfreezes bank account of independent expenditures committee Jersey Freedom A judge unfroze the bank account of the independent expenditures committee Jersey Freedom on Thursday, but did not rule on whether a lawsuit can proceed alleging the group broke election reporting law.

Tambussi has said the Election Transparency Act passed by the Legislature and signed into law in April removed some requirements for independent expenditure committees and said the group didnt violate the new law.

ELEC has not yet finalized regulations regarding the new law, ELEC attorney Edwin R. Matthews has said.

Lawyers for both Jersey Freedom and ELEC argued before Blee last month that ELEC has primary jurisdiction in the case and it should now be dismissed or referred to ELEC.

Jason Sena, general counsel to the New Jersey Republican State Committee, argued it is important for candidates to be able to come to court for emergency relief when a group is acting improperly before an election.

Once an election is over, its over, Sena said. Even if a party violates (the law) and ELEC later fines that party ... it is not an effective enough deterrent. ... People will gladly pay the fine as long as their person wins the election.

Tambussi countered by saying a lawsuit can improperly stop political speech.

Jersey Freedom, based in Queens, New York, funded ads and mailers in the 2nd and 4th legislative districts.

In the 2nd District, which covers most of Atlantic County, Jersey Freedom promoted the candidacy of Libertarian Shawn Peck, who dropped out of the race when he realized the group was actually working for Democrats. He then endorsed Republican incumbent Polistina, who won reelection.

ELEC moves to assert jurisdiction in Jersey Freedom 'dark money' lawsuit The state Election Law Enforcement Commission is asserting its "primary jurisdiction" over investigating and punishing election reporting violations in a proposed amicus brief in a lawsuit against the "dark money" group Jersey Freedom.

In the 4th District, Jersey Freedom promoted a supposedly conservative third party candidate, Giuseppe Costanzo, for Senate against Republican Christopher Del Borrello. But Costanzo did no campaigning, the suit said. Both lost to Democratic Assemblyman Paul Moriarty.

The 4th District covers parts of Camden and Gloucester counties and Buena and Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County.

Atlantic County Democrats have denied any involvement with Jersey Freedom.
ATLANTIC CITY  The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority will put $500,000 of coronavirus recovery funds toward a UFC Fight Night event set for March 30 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.

There was one abstention in the otherwise unanimous vote.

Maisha Y. Moore, the CRDAs interim executive director, told the CRDA board at the Tuesday meeting that the money could be used to offset the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism, hospitality and travel industries.

The money comes from Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery funds, which were authorized through the American Rescue Plan, a $350 billion federal authorization to state, territorial local and tribal governments in response to the COVID-19 emergency.

Government records show that fund with $6.5 billion allocated and hundreds of millions of dollars yet to be spent.

UFC announces main event for fight next month in Atlantic City UFC Fight Night will return to Atlantic City on March 30 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, and t

The event will include bouts between New Jerseys Erin Blanchfield against French fighter Monon Fiorot, and welterweights Vicente Loque vs. Joaquin Buckley.

Blanchfield is a junior at Montclair State University majoring in television and digital media.

Fiorot hasnt lost a fight since her professional debut in 2018. She also is 6-0 in the UFC.

On Ticketmaster, the face value of tickets available Tuesday runs from $150 to $2,750.

The event was scheduled before the meeting. The approved resolution states that the funds will be for the attraction and hosting of the UFC event.
OCEAN CITY  The city school district plans to spend more next year without increasing the tax rate under a $46.2 million budget introduced Thursday.

The district expects to see more state aid for the coming school year. Increasing property values mean the district will bring in more money with the same tax rate, set to remain at 19.9 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

If approved as introduced in a final vote in April, that would mean the owner of a home assessed at $650,000 would pay about $1,294 in school taxes, in addition to county and city property taxes, school Business Administrator Timothy Kelley told the board before a unanimous vote in favor.

With the total assessed value of Ocean City coming in at more than $12.77 billion, the budget proposes raising $25.3 million from property taxes to support the budget. The budget plans for $12.3 million from tuition and $4.76 million in state aid, an increase from last year.

A significant portion of Ocean City High School students attend from Upper Township and the other sending districts, with the other districts paying a per-student tuition. That amount could drop in the coming years, Kelley told the board, with the sending districts seeing a reduction in school enrollment.

Ocean City appoints new superintendent The Ocean City Board of Education has appointed Christian J. Angelillo as the district's new superintendent.

With salaries and other costs on the rise and enrollment dropping, tuition rates will increase for the sending districts, Kelley said.

Kelley said that could have a significant impact on future budgets.

The budget proposal includes no debt payments. Kelley said the district has a final payment due on improvements made last year.

As of May, we will have no debt, Kelley told the board.

In 2022, after 20 years of payments, the district paid off the construction of a new high school, freeing up close to $2 million a year. That meant a drop in the tax rate, from 21.5 cents for every $100 worth of assessment to 19.9 cents, where it has stayed.
VINELAND  The city's Fire Department has added an accelerant detection dog to its fire investigation bureau, officials said Monday.

Two-year-old Radiant and her handler, Philip McMahon, were brought in after recently graduating from the Atlantic County K-9 Academy following 16 weeks of training, according to a news release.

Aside from working cases in Vineland and Cumberland County, McMahon and Radiant will be placed on the Division of Fire Safety's backup list to conduct olfactory scene examinations throughout the state, city officials said.

I am ecstatic that we have a new member to add to our team, fire Chief Luigi Tramontana said. Radiant's nose is so highly developed that she can quickly locate even the smallest traces of flammable liquids, which can help investigators determine the cause of a fire."

A dog's nose has up to 300 million olfactory receptors, compared with the 6 million in a human. The part of the dog's brain responsible for analyzing smells is also 40 times greater than that of humans, according to the Phoenix Veterinary Center.

Labrador retrievers are the most sought-after breed for arson dogs.

New Jersey fire departments get $20 million in grants. See how much your town got. Nineteen fire departments in Atlantic County and six in Cape May County were awarded grants from an American Rescue Plan program for protective, cleaning and sanitization equipment, Gov. Phil Murphy said this week.

As an accelerant detection dog, Radiant has been trained to alert to the presence of various flammable liquids commonly used by arsonists to feed their fires, including substances such as gasoline, kerosene and lighter fluid, McMahon said. She really gives me an upper hand in the investigative process. Her ability to identify odors that arent able to be detected by both human sight and smell, and to pinpoint the location for evidence collection is remarkable.

McMahon came across Radiant after she was donated to the Joe Nick K-9 Training Academy by a local family last year.

"Her personality is friendly, energetic and affectionate, but she displays a real commitment to work when called upon," McMahon said.

Richard Franchetta, Vineland's fire and EMS director, said having an arson K-9 allows for quicker response times for investigators.

"We no longer have to rely on outside agencies for this capability," Franchetta said. "The department did have a K-9 arson program many years ago, but unfortunately it was discontinued."

Mayor Anthony Fanucci said adding an arson dog exemplifies the city's commitment to public safety.

"In Vineland, we put a real focus on public safety, Fanucci said. Our police, fire and EMS personnel do a fantastic job of protecting and serving our community, and programs like this add another important capability to our investigators by making it easier to identify suspicious fires.
The woman and man accused of murder in a January double homicide in Davenport entered pleas of not guilty last week.

Adriana Blake and Devon Braet each pleaded not guilty to numerous charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, in the Jan. 15 slayings of Brian L. Goodwin and Amy M. Smith.

Blake and Braet have their first pretrial conference scheduled for 1 p.m. April 12, with the trial slated to start April 22.

Along with the two counts of first-degree murder, they each also face charges of:

Two counts of first-degree robbery.

Two counts of assault while participating in a felony - serious injury.

Two counts of going armed with intent.

Two counts of use of dangerous weapon in commission of a crime.

Two counts of abuse of a corpse.

One count of first-degree arson.

One count of dominion/control of firearm/offensive weapon by a felon.

One count of possession of methamphetamine. In Blakes case, it is listed as her second such offense. For Braet it was listed as his third or subsequent offense.

Another woman also was arrested in connection with the case. Melisa Marie Weber, 49, is charged with two counts of abuse of a corpse and one count each of accessory after the fact and second-degree arson.

She pleaded not guilty to all charges and is slated to next appear in court on March 28.

Attorney change

Blake, 27, of Davenport, is now represented by private attorney Alex J. Gilmore, of the West Des Moines-based F.M. Brown Law Firm.

She had been represented by Troy Smith and Leanna Striegel of the State Public Defenders Office. Smith and Striegel withdrew from the case late last week, after the Public Defender's Office found they had a conflict representing her.

The petition to withdraw came one day after Blake affirmed to District Court Judge Stuart P. Werling that she wanted Smith and Striegel to represent her. In late February she had written to the court and said she did not want to be represented by them.

Braet, 34, is represented by Amy Kepes of the Des Moines-based Special Defense Unit.

Weber is represented by Beau A. Bergmann, a private attorney.

Details of the case

According to the arrest affidavits, Blake and Braet killed Goodwin and Smith between 4:30 and 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 15.

Blake and Braet were arrested for possessing firearms as felons on Jan. 18 and were officially charged with the murders on Feb. 7.

Investigators say Blake and Braet possessed firearms during the commission of the crimes and that when they were taken into custody on Jan. 18 they had 4.3 grams of heroin and 11 grams of meth.

The bodies of Goodwin and Smith, both 44, were found Jan. 16 by Davenport firefighters after a fire was reported at Goodwins residence at 5210 N. Division St. They had gunshot wounds.

According to their arrest affidavits, Blake and Braet also lived at the residence.

Under Iowa law, first-degree murder carries an automatic sentence of life in prison upon conviction.

During their first court appearance on the murder charges on Feb. 16, Davenport police investigator Brandon Askew testified that Blake was recorded on video in a hotel room in Galesburg, Illinois, bragging about "killing two people."

Askew also testified that Blake and Braet were in possession of the firearms believed to be used in the murders when they were arrested on Jan. 18.

Weber's alleged role

Authorities allege Blake and Braet, along with Weber, placed combustible materials inside the residence where the bodies of Goodwin and Smith were located. They set fire to the materials in the hopes of altering the crime scene and fire damaged the bodies of Goodwin and Smith.

After helping to start the fire, Weber helped Blake and Braet avoid apprehension, the affidavits said.

Weber is being held in the Rock Island County Jail for Scott County.

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
DES MOINES  Iowa police officers would have more protection from losing their certification and from investigations under a bill Iowa House lawmakers advanced on Tuesday.

The bill builds on the Back the Blue law lawmakers passed in 2021. That law penalized local governments that selectively enforced state or local laws and raised penalties for illegal protesting and rioting.

The law, which lawmakers passed in response to large protests in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, prohibited cities, counties and local law enforcement agencies from having policies that discouraged the enforcement of certain laws.

The new bill, House Study Bill 738, was advanced unanimously by a three-member House subcommittee on Tuesday. It is eligible for a vote in the House Ways and Means Committee.

Regent police cant selectively enforce laws

The bill is supported by the Iowa chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police. Skylar Limkemann, an attorney for the Iowa Fraternal Order of Police, said the 2021 law was initially inspired by issues on Iowas college campuses, but university police were left out of the final bill.

One of the issues that came up at that time was officers were being told that they could not enforce state, local or federal laws, he said. ...The problem was targeting the situation that was going on on our college campuses because of the unique environment that our law enforcement officers there have to enforce state and local laws.

But lobbyists for the Iowa Board of Regents, which governs the three public universities, had some doubts about the bill. Keith Saunders, a representative for the Board of Regents, said the university decided to pull officers back while protesters were spray-painting university buildings in 2020 out of concern for the officers safety.

We believe the language requiring our sworn police officers on all three campuses to enforce the laws of Iowa is redundant, said Carolann Jensen, another regents lobbyist. We believe we already do that and have the power to do that.

Revoking an officers certification

The bill would narrow the situations in which the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy can revoke an officers certification and give the academy the discretion to privately discipline an officer for misconduct.

Current law says that the state Law Enforcement Academy must decertify an officer who is fired for serious misconduct, which is defined as improper or illegal actions in connection with the officers duties.

What is improper? That is very subjective, and frankly folks have weaponized the processes to try to go after police officers' certification, not only here in Iowa but across the country," Limkemann said.

The academy does have the option to revoke an officers' certification in some cases without the officer having committed an illegal act. The bill also would allow the academy to, in those cases, privately reprimand an officer or agency without a public revocation or suspension of their certification.

Brady Carney, the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy director, said the rules would create additional cost and work for the academy, and that giving the academy the authority to punish police agencies would go beyond its current charge.

He also said the bill would make it harder for the academy to enforce its certification process, shifting more of the responsibility onto the local agencies.

This bill specifically makes it harder to appropriately deal with bad actors in law enforcement, he said. The academy council is the entity that grants the certification. They grant a peace officer certification in the state of Iowa. And this bill puts a lot of responsibility, a lot of onus on the individual law enforcement agencies.

Internal investigations

The bill would alter how investigations into officer misconduct can be conducted by a law enforcement agency.

Under the proposal, officers who are the subject of a complaint would have the right to receive a copy of the incident report and video or audio recordings related to the incident in question before being interviewed by internal investigators.

Support for the provision was mixed among law enforcement at the meeting.

Representatives for the Fraternal Order of Police said they supported the provision. They likened it to an officer reviewing body camera footage before testifying in a civil or criminal court case.

Dennis McDaniel, the police chief in Johnston and president of the Iowa Police Chiefs Association, said that in some of the departments more serious investigations, like an officer involved shooting, conducting interviews before officers review footage can be important in determining the facts.

We have to get into the legal balancing act of that officer making an independent statement, being involved in that, or other officers that were witness to that, and the potential for them to offer testimony that might be altered based on reviewing the report, reviewing the video, he said.

Correction: The chamber involved in the first paragraph has been corrected.

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
An Iowa hospital nurse has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that she deliberately overdosed patients with medications.

Rachel Faith Martinez, 36, of Peterson, is charged with six criminal violations related to her work at Clay Countys Spencer Hospital in late 2022.

The charges include two felony counts of obtaining a prescription drug by deceit and four counts of wanton neglect of a dependent adult by a caretaker, a serious misdemeanor.

Martinez has pleaded not guilty to each of the charges.

According to prosecutors, Martinez was working as a nurse at Spencer Hospital on Nov. 9, 2022, and was caring for a patient who was to receive hydrocodone once every four hours. Martinez allegedly provided the drug 11:04 a.m., 12:39 p.m., and 3:47 p.m. The same patient was to be given Tramadol once every six hours, although Martinez allegedly administered the drug at 7:12 a.m., 9:04 a.m., 12:33 p.m. and 1:39 p.m.

In December 2022, Martinez was assigned to care for a patient being treated for an allergic reaction related to cancer treatment. Prosecutors allege that Martinez told a fellow nurse the patient was being annoying and was using their call light to summon assistance, and so she administered the patient an unprescribed dose of Benadryl to put them to sleep.

A few weeks earlier, Martinez had been assigned a different patient who was to receive one dose of hydrocodone every four hours. According to prosecutors, she instead administered two doses within the four-hour timeframe and then administered Zofran, morphine and Tramadol. All of these extra narcotics, with the hydrocodone, would have further overdosed the patient, prosecutors allege.

A few days before that incident, Martinez was assigned to care for a patient who was prescribed 3 milligrams of melatonin at bedtime. Martinez is accused of providing 6 milligrams.

On two other occasions, prosecutors allege, Martinez took, for her own use, Tramadol and hydrocodone prescribed for patients of the hospital.

A pretrial conference in the case is scheduled for April 16.

States sending the most people to Iowa #24. Maryland #23. Ohio #20. New Jersey #16. Nevada #14. Hawaii #11. Michigan #10. Arizona #6. Missouri #5. Texas #3. Minnesota
Artisans keep ancient colored glaze tradition alive in Jiexiu, N China's Shanxi

People's Daily Online) 10:09, March 19, 2024

Liu Wenting crafts a piece of colored glaze art. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Liu Wenting, a fifth-generation inheritor of her family's colored glaze tradition in Jiexiu, a county-level city in Jinzhong, Shanxi Province, is recreating a full-size replica of a Ming-dynasty (1368-1644) dragon-patterned glazed tile, currently preserved at the British Museum.

Shanxi is famous for its rich cultural heritage, characterized by more than 28,000 ancient buildings scattered across the province like precious pearls. The vivid colors of the glazed ridges, tiles, and circular artifacts known as "Bi" not only enhance the beauty of ancient architecture but also highlight the grandeur of traditional culture.

Photo shows a roof decoration of the Ming dynasty. (Photo courtesy of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Jiexiu Municipal Committee)

Jiexiu city boasts a millennium-long history of colored glaze craftsmanship, hosting numerous buildings and elements adorned with this well-preserved art form.

Liu Wenting's father, Liu Kaibao, runs a design and production workshop on the outskirts of Jiexiu. The workshop showcases a wide array of colored glaze products created by the father-daughter team.

Liu Kaibao crafts a colored glaze piece, which stands 6.18 meters tall. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

In the mid-1980s, after graduating from high school, Liu Kaibao returned to his village to engage in colored glaze making. However, the once-prosperous kilns in Jiexiu had ceased operations, and his family did not support his decision to pursue the craft. Consequently, he had to work in the production of refractory bricks while also making colored glaze part-time.

In 1994, Liu established his own colored glaze factory and devoted himself to mastering the techniques. By 2009, he founded a company that undertook various endeavors to preserve, develop, and innovate in the field of colored glaze making.

Photo shows "Four Lions Carrying a Vase," a colored glaze sculpture created by Liu Kaibao. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

One of Liu Kaibao's notable creations is a sculpture titled "Four Lions Carrying a Vase," located at Sanxian Square in Jiexiu. The sculpture stands 6.6 meters tall and reaches a total height of nearly 10 meters. It is known for its smooth, translucent appearance and radiates vibrant fullness, symbolizing peace.

After finalizing the design concept, Liu Kaibao encountered a major challenge: the need to replicate a peacock blue color that had been lost for many years.

Through numerous experiments, he eventually succeeded in creating a piece that closely resembled the elusive peacock blue color.

Building on the strong foundation of craftsmanship inherited from her father, Liu Wenting has developed the skill to capture the beauty of glass in her creations.

Photo shows colored glaze writing brush racks. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Liu Wenting believes that to advance the art of colored glaze, it is important to integrate it into modern life. This means shifting the perception of colored glaze from merely a construction material to a cultural artifact that is preserved and promoted.

Colored glaze works on ancient buildings have become an iconic part of Jiexiu. (Photo/Qiao Zhongming)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
DES MOINES  Iowa law enforcement officials could arrest and order the removal of an immigrant who entered the U.S. illegally under a bill House lawmakers sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds desk on Tuesday.

The bill, Senate File 2340, would create a new crime of illegal reentry and allow the state to prosecute immigrants if they are found to be in the country illegally after previously being denied entry or deported.

Iowa Republicans have proposed several immigration enforcement bills this year, but the bill is the first to gain the approval of both chambers of the Legislature. Republicans argue the measures are necessary to respond to record numbers of illegal border crossings under President Joe Biden and have accused Biden of abandoning his responsibility to secure the border.

Also on Tuesday, a similar Texas law was briefly allowed to take effect by the U.S. Supreme Court before being blocked for a second time by a federal appeals court while a court challenge plays out. The Texas law would allow state officials to arrest and deport immigrants who entered illegally.

Immigration enforcement is generally the responsibility of the federal government, and opponents have argued states do not have the authority to take measures like those in the Texas law and Iowa bill.

The bill passed the House 64-30 with mostly Republican support. Democratic Reps. Josh Turek of Council Bluffs and Kenan Judge of Waukee joined Republicans in support, while Republican Rep. Brian Lohse of Bondurant joined most Democrats in voting against it.

It is now eligible to be signed into law by Reynolds, a Republican.

President Biden and his administration have failed to enforce our immigration laws and, in doing so, have compromised the sovereignty of our nation and the safety of its people," Reynolds said in a statement provided by a spokesperson. "States have stepped in to secure the border, preventing illegal migrants from entering our country and protecting our citizens. Americans deserve nothing less. I look forward to signing SF 2340 into law.

The bill, and others like it, have been opposed by a coalition of immigrant activists as theyve made their way through the lawmaking process.

Manny Galvez, a board member of eastern Iowa immigrant rights group Escucha Mi Voz, said in a statement on Tuesday the group would attempt to block the bill through courts and other avenues.

From Texas to Iowa, our message is No Tengan Miedo, have no fear, Galvez said. We will continue to fight this unconstitutional law during rulemaking, in the courts and on the streets. We will continue to organize to stop deportations, protect refugee children and keep families together."

What does the bill do?

Under the bill, a person arrested for illegal reentry by Iowa law enforcement could be punished with a Class D or Class C felony, depending on the circumstances. A Class D felony carries a prison sentence of up to five years, and someone convicted of a Class C felony could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

During court proceedings, a judge could issue an order to a person charged under the law requiring them to return to their country of origin.

Law enforcement would not be able to arrest a person for violating the law while they are at a school, religious institution, health care facility or a facility that provides exams for survivors of sexual assault.

The bill also would create civil immunity for city and state employees and contractors who are sued for implementing the law.

Republican cites invasion at southern border

House Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, the bills floor manager, employed arguments similar to those used by Texas officials to suggest the state has a right to enforce immigration laws. He said the influx of migrants crossing the southern border should be considered an invasion under the Constitution.

This is the situation we face today, he said. It is a clear and present danger, and we do not have time to delay and hope the federal government suddenly decides to do its job. Clearly that is not happening.

Biden proposed a bill earlier this year that would allow his administration to more strictly enforce border security and allow officials to more quickly deport migrants. The bill failed to garner support among congressional Republicans.

Holt argued that the influx of border crossings presents a higher likelihood that criminal actors are entering the country illegally. He pointed to the death of Laken Riley, a Georgia woman whose suspected killer was not in the country legally and said lax enforcement is enabling human trafficking.

Some opponents of the bill argued that it will encourage racial profiling as law enforcement has no clear way to determine someone's legal residency status. Holt said that a confirmation of citizenship would only be triggered if a person was arrested for a separate crime, which is already part of the legal process.

"I don't think there's any aspect of racial profiling here because they don't do that for a speeding ticket," he said. "They don't take people into custody for a speeding ticket, so it's going to have to be something that raises to the level where the person would have to be taken into custody."

Democratic lawmaker: Bill threatens immigrant communities

Democratic Rep. Sami Scheetz of Cedar Rapids spoke out against the bill on Tuesday, arguing it would create more legal questions and encroach on what should be a federal issue.

"This bill, in attempting to solve only one problem, risks creating others," he said. "Fostering fear among immigrant communities, disrupting families and potentially hindering cooperation with law enforcement. The ripple effects of this bill could touch every facet of our community life."

Scheetz said the fear created by the bill had the potential to damage immigrant communities in Iowa. Scheetzs mother immigrated to the U.S. from Syria, and he said his partner is also an immigrant.

Their stories, like those millions of immigrants throughout our nations history, are testaments to the enduring spirit of those seeking a place to call home, to contribute, to become part of the American mosaic, he said.

Biden touts rural achievements as part of "barnstorming" tour Biden touts rural achievements as part of "barnstorming" tour Putting money in rural America Hope and anxiety
For nearly thirty years, Lakota performers traveled the globe and performed in over 3,000 different locations as part of Buffalo Bills Wild West Show. Many different historical documents and research initiatives highlight William Codys life and show, but few projects exist highlighting the Indigenous performers he traveled with.

A new collaborative project between Oglala Lakota College and Clemson University, with funding from the National Archives, aims to gather information about Lakota ancestors who participated in the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.

The project, Wichooyake ki agliThey Bring the Stories Back: Connecting Lakota Wild West Performers to Pine Ridge Community Histories, is a community collaborative effort to get Lakota people talking about their ancestors' involvement.

We have so much history and experiences that have impacted us as a nation, but I think so few of us know all of the history of our people, said Cecelia Firethunder, Oglala Lakota and a community collaborator for Wichooyake ki agli. Its just so amazing, its a beautiful history. Nowadays I can get on an airplane and get many places in two hours. Back then they were getting on boats and traveling across the ocean for shows.

Nearing the end of the Indian Wars and westward expansion, performers such as Buffalo Bill Cody used growing nostalgia for the American Frontier to bring in viewers from across the globe. Originally, the show used Pawnee performers but later switched to mostly Lakota performers from the Pine Ridge Reservation.

The Buffalo Bill Wild West Show was a very integral part of our culture here. So many of our people went on that, Firethunder said. Our ancestors in those days went on trains across America into unknown territory, they traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. I mean they had no idea where they were going, Im sure there was a certain amount of anxiety and fear there.

Despite a large presence of Lakota people, not much is known about exactly how many Lakota people performed in the show nor what all of their names were. Those who did perform often brought souvenirs or photos back to their families on the reservation. Some of those souvenirs are still kept today.

For the Wichooyake ki agli project, organizers and researchers are hoping to gather stories, photos and other information from community members.

Over the past several months project community collaborators such as Amanda Takes War Bonnett, Firethunder and Stella Iron Cloud have hosted radio shows, contacted relatives, and raised awareness for the project.

Communicating to the community is one of the biggest challenges, Fire Thunder said. I think most people want to tell their stories, they want their familys story recorded and documented, but they also want to make sure its in a place where theyre heard and respected.

While the Buffalo Bill Show provided performers with income and an opportunity to travel the globe, it also perpetuated stereotypes about Native Americans, specifically the Lakota. In the show, the Indigenous performers would burn wagons, and reenact the Battle of Little Bighorn and other battles.

It underscored that image (of Native Americans) to violence or that theyre wild and you should fear them, said Douglas Seefeldt, associate professor of History and director, Digital History Ph.D. program at Clemson University. I do think most got the exciting, violent Wild West image, but the show also did a lot to keep them in the public mind.

The show was massive. At one point there were more than 800 performers, 180 horses, 18 buffalo, 10 elk and 2 deer that were part of the Wild West experience. During their time overseas, many Lakota did not return home  either dying from illness or work-related injuries or deciding to stay in Europe.

Many photos of performers lack names or have improper tribal affiliations. To make the show more interesting and diverse, some performers would be listed as being Cheyenne, Arapaho, or from other tribes despite being Oglala or Sicangu Lakota.

Instead of these photos just saying Indians we will get everybodys name, Seefeldt said.

Eventually, a list will be made of performers, what season/year they performed and where they were from. A list of performers who died while working for the show will also be created.

Today, many Lakota people may not know about their ancestors' involvement in the show. Firethunder and Takes War Bonnett said theyre willing to help anyone who is curious in researching their family.

If you have an ancestors name or photo, wed be happy to see if we can find any pictures or documents of them in the show, Firethunder said.

On April 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., project researchers are hosting a scanning party at Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, South Dakota. Community members can bring photos, trinkets, and other documents from ancestors who participated in the show.

We just hope there are people who have a little shoebox under their bed or in the attic or something with a story that they can bring and share, Seefeldt said. Well scan the stuff, give it back to them and give them some archival folders to help make those documents last just a little longer.

Door prizes and snacks will be available at the event.

Eventually research from the final project will be made available online using Mukurtu, an Indigenous-made, open-source platform used for digital heritage projects. This way the project will be viewable for all. Documents will also be showcased in the Oglala Lakota Colleges museum and a short film will be played at the National Museum of American History.
Monday night during their regular meeting, the Chadron City council recognized Parks/Cemetery/Airport Superintendent Schott Schremmer and Zoning/Building Official Janet Johnson.

Schremmer is serving as the president of the Wyoming Groundskeepers and Growers Association (WGGA). He has been attending the conference for more than 20 years, and four years ago was elected to the board. Last year, he was elected the board president, and will be on the board another two years before his term is up.

City Manager Tom Menke noted Schremmer is the only board member from Nebraska, and the various departments he oversees look to keep their training up and costs down. To that end, Schremmer is able to travel to Casper, Wyo. for the WGGA, rather than make a longer journey to Lincoln or Omaha.

Schremmer said there are a lot of people from the southern Panhandle who attend the conference.

Johnson has received the Loretta Ludemann Excellence in Planning by a Woman in Nebraska Award from the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association (NPZA).

The award letter from David Ptak recognizes Johnsons 37 years of service to the City of Chadron. Some of her accomplishments include: providing consistency and predictability for a development and property owners, leading and coordinating major city recreation and public works projects, and leading the update of plans and codes to keep pace with best practices and community needs.

She has also pursued continuing education at numerous Nebraska Planning Conferences and served in NPZA district officer roles, helping train citizen planners in the Panhandle.

Johnson said this is the 25th year the award has been given out, and Ptak had a hand in creating it.

Northwest Nebraska Development Corporation Executive Director Deb Cottier added that she was contacted for some information, insight and comments about Johnson, so the award has been in the works for a while. Johnson received three nominations for the award.

I think it says a lot when your peers honor you, Cottier said.

Also at the meeting, council approved of the proposed signage for Railroad Park at First and Main.

Northwest Nebraska Trails Association (NNTA) Treasurer George Ledbetter provided council with pictures of the signs, and some background.

Chadron is one of the connecting points on the Great American Rail Trail, Ledbetter explained, a pedestrian and bicycle route proposed by the Rails to Trails Conservancy to connect Washington State and Washington, D.C. Nebraska is a key component, and the Cowboy Trail will be one of the longest single stretches on the 1,200-mile trail.

The Rails to Trails Conservancy purchased the signs for the NNTA, and asked if there were locations they could be placed. Ledbetter said two signs were proposed. One is for Railroad Park, as Chadron was established as a railroad town. The second is for Charles Berg, who with his crew put up stone culverts that support many of the stream crossings on the Cowboy Trail.

The signs are made of steel, and weigh about 25 pounds each and are very durable, Ledbetter said, and will be erected with shelter in Railroad Park. The shelters were obtained from the Mickelson Trail, as there were plans to simply scrap them.

Brandon Davenport, a board member with NNTA, said Railroad Park will be something of a portal to the Chadron Business District as the Cowboy Trail and the Great American Rail Trail continue to develop.

In board action Monday night, council approved the second reading of an ordinance to annex a lot near Fuller Construction to the City of Chadron. Also approved were the federal aid urban boundary update as provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, and the interlocal government agreement for a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan update. The mitigation plan is required to be updated every five years. City Manager Menke will serve as the City representative, with Johnson as the alternate.
Last week in Dawes District Court, Warfield High Hawk was sentenced to 10-12 years in prison, with 306 days credit for time served.

10 months prior, May 12 of 2023, High Hawk led law enforcement on a nearly five-hour search in southern Chadron. The incident began when officers received word of an active shooter, identified later as High Hawk, in Memorial Park at around 6 p.m. The officers later learned the High Hawk was armed with a Smith & Wesson M&P .22 caliber P15-22 series pistol with an eight-inch barrel that had been reported stolen from a residence.

Officers pursued High Hawk, and though shots were fired they were in the air and ground rather than aimed at officers or any other person. Law enforcement met High Hawk in the Hidden Valley area and were able to get him to drop the gun without further incident.

During the incident, Chadron police received assistance from multiple agencies, with response provided through sent officers, armored vehicles, technology including thermal cameras and canine units. The CSC campus was also put on lockdown, and a Code Red alert was issued to Chadron residents.

At last weeks sentencing, Dawes County Attorney Vance Haug said in reading over High Hawks criminal history and the pre-sentence investigation, the only appropriate sentence would be incarceration.

High Hawk has had problems with alcohol, and had a traumatic past couple years in his life, Haug said, but it does not excuse his shooting the gun in the air and ground, and keeping Chadron residents in a state of terror.

Defense Attorney Stacy Bach said most of High Hawks criminal history is related to alcohol offenses, though she did note a report of domestic assault nine years back that was later dismissed.

High Hawk lost three family members in less than nine months, Bach said, and that coupled with his alcoholism and depression made for a situation that escalated quickly.

Bach spoke highly of High Hawks cooperation through the incident and the resulting court processes. She acknowledged the incident was terrifying for the community. Bach also spoke to his knowledge and attempts to mentor other inmates on the consequences of alcohol-related offenses.

Reading from a statement he prepared, High Hawk apologized to the community, courts, law enforcement, his family and any others he affected by his actions. He further said he had no intention of harming anyone, and his not seeking help to address his problem with alcohol has led to him letting his family down.

While he could give several explanations as to his actions, High Hawk respected the court's time and stood ready to face the consequences but asked for leniency. Looking to the future, he wants to return and be a contributing, positive member of society.

Judge Travis OGorman said the pre-sentence investigation lists High Hawk as a high risk to re-offend and appreciates that he took responsibility for his actions. However, the judge said, he essentially held the city hostage for two to three hours.

High Hawk was sentenced to three years on a Class IIIA felony of terroristic threats, 4-6 years on a Class IIA felony of attempted possession of a firearm while committing a felony, and three years on a Class ID felony of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The Class ID felony charge carries with it a mandatory minimum sentence of three years. He will be elgible for parole in six years.

He pleaded no contest to the charges in December, and in exchange, further counts of Class IV felony unlawful possession of a firearm at a school, Class IIA felony possession of a stolen firearm, Class I misdemeanor obstructing an officer and Class II misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking were dismissed.
More than 10,000 Native Americans live in Sioux Falls, yet no Native person has ever served on the Sioux Falls city council, according to the Sioux Falls City Council and Minnehaha County Historical Society. One Hunkpapa Lakota woman, Allison Renville, is hoping to change that by running for the Sioux Falls City Council At-Large C seat.

Renville, who was raised in Sisseton on the Lake Traverse Reservation, moved to Sioux Falls over two years ago after surviving domestic abuse. She became invested in community protests and domestic violence and sex trafficking outreach. Since moving to Sioux Falls, Renville said shes put over 1,000 miles on her car traveling around the Sioux Falls metro area helping with community projects.

We have the ability to create our own narratives and do what we can for Sioux Falls, Renville said. I bring in such a deeper understanding of the city as someone who holds conversations with houseless people, sex trafficking survivors and domestic violence survivors.

Rapid City, the second largest city in the state, has had several Indigenous city council members and school board members over the years. Sioux Falls, the largest city, has never had a Native American council member.

In 2023, Dawn Marie Johnson, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, became the first woman-of-color/first Native American woman to serve on the Sioux Falls School Board. Johnson is currently the only Native American on the Sioux Falls school board.

In recent years, more Native candidates have run for elected office. 2022 saw a record 143 Indigenous candidates filing to run for city, county and state offices.

I think that kind of resonates with folks, when you think about it there hasnt been another Native (in Sioux Falls) whos gotten this close, Renville said. I thought, Why not me?

Renville has spent the past decade involved in tribal, national and state-wide campaigns. She's also run for office previously; in 2018, she ran for District 1 State Senate.

When I moved here I was already doing a lot of election work and I got to the point where it was unavoidable for me not to put myself out there, Renville said. I was involved with protests after Jacob James was killed and I kept getting pulled into different conversations. In order to do something, I needed to establish who I want to be.

If elected, Renville said she plans to focus on homelessness, food insecurity, sex trafficking and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. Currently, six Native Americans are missing from Sioux Falls, five of whom are minors.

Renville said she also feels that more needs to be done to adjust for the citys growing population. The citys population has grown by 17,363 people since 2021  now topping 210,000 residents. Renville said she feels the citys infrastructure  specifically community-based resources, hasnt adjusted to the population.

I would hope that people would think my perspective is valuable to the conversation  we have Lakota people here, Omahas, and Iowa tribes  there are so many different folks here and a lot of the time theyre the ones who feel the brunt of the negative policies coming out, Renville said. Because we dont have that (Native) perspective (in the council) weve never been given the opportunity to add to the conversation.

The Sioux Falls city council election will be held on April 9.
Volunteers of America will hold its annual Empty Bowl event Thursday, March 21 from 5 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the Central States Fairgrounds Fine Arts Building in Rapid City.

The Rapid City Empty Bowl event is an opportunity to bring the community together in support of those in need, and will feature live music, door prizes, games for kids, uniquely painted bowls and soups donated by the community.

All funds raised go directly to support programs in South Dakota at VOA Northern Rockies.

This year, VOA is offering an Empty Bowl Family Ticket for two adults and two kids at a discounted rate. The $10 savings is offered for family tickets purchased in advance only.

VOA distributed over 1,500 food boxes, supported 239 households facing housing insecurity, and provided 1,119 families with emergency supplies last year.

"The evening will be a wonderful way to not only raise money, but to raise awareness for those in need throughout our community. VOA Northern Rockies would like to thank our Premier Corporate Sponsor, First Interstate Bank, as well as our Community Leader sponsors Monument Health, Hills Septic Services, Prouty Pottery, Janet Kahler and Modern Woodmen," said Kelly Folsom, senior director of development for VOA Northern Rockies.

Empty Bowl partnered with Rapid Citys Prouty Pottery this year to have painted bowls donated by local community members.

Tickets for the event are available online at voanr.org/emptybowl or at the door with costs of $30 for families (two adults and two kids), $15 for adults, and $5 for kids; children five and under are free.
The South Dakota Department of Transportation is planning to hold two public meeting open houses this week to inform area residents about the Interstate 90 Local Roads Crossing Study.

The first public meeting is planned for Wednesday, March 20 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the New Underwood Community Center (500 S. A Ave.). The second public meeting open house is Thursday, March 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wall Community Center (501 Main St.).

The corridor being studied includes I-90 from exit 67 to the Pennington/Jackson County line. Twelve local road crossings are being evaluated for feasibility of removal: 151st Avenue; 154th Avenue; Weiser Road; 164th Avenue; 167th Avenue; 169th Avenue; 171st Avenue; 173rd Avenue/Owanka Road; 175th Avenue/Clapp Road; Crooked Creek Road/Jensen Road; Cedar Butte Road/188th Avenue; and Big Foote Road.

The meetings will introduce the study, provide background information and collect public feedback on each location. Both meetings will involve the same information and be informal, allowing one-on-one discussion with the study team.

For those who cannot attend the open house or desire additional information on the overall study, the information to be displayed at the meetings will also be available at i90localroadcrossingstudy.com starting Wednesday. Officials would like to hear from the area commuters, concerned citizens and adjacent landowners and business owners. Written comments on what is being presented will be accepted through Thursday, April 4.

The website also has information on the study scope, study schedule and will house information throughout the project.

For more information, contact Steve Gramm, Planning Squad Leader at 605-773-3281 or via email at steve.gramm@state.sd.us.
A quadruple murder-suicide one Sunday morning in 1962 shocked Rapid City and left a grieving family with questions that remain unanswered. Veteran journalist Joe Strupp attempts to unravel the mystery in his new true crime book, Death on St. Charles Street.

The deaths of John and Alberta Bowman  Strupps great-uncle and great-aunt  and two of their three sons was a tragedy Strupp's family barely spoke of for 40 years. The Bowmans were shot to death in their ranch-style home on St. Charles Street. The familys bodies were discovered by friends of the two teenage Bowman sons. The friends had spent the night in the Bowmans basement and awoke to find an eerily silent house and the slain family.

Strupps new book includes meticulous research and interviews with people who knew the Bowman family. "Death on St. Charles Street" examines factors including alcoholism, depression, financial pressures and a marriage on the brink of divorce that likely contributed to John Bowman shooting his family and then himself. But exactly why the quiet, frustrated father with no history of violence murdered his family will never fully be understood.

A longtime family secret

Strupp didnt know about the murders or that the Bowmans existed until he was at a family gathering 23 years ago. Strupps extended family lives in the Canton, Minnesota area and Strupp himself grew up in Wisconsin, Illinois and New Jersey. While he was growing up, Strupps family made trips about once a year to visit his grandmother Peggy Connolly Snyder and relatives in the Canton area. Strupp remembers the visits fondly, describing Peggy as a bright, smiling, loving woman.

Peggy and her five siblings grew up in and around Rapid City, though none of the family lives in western South Dakota now. Peggys sister Alberta stayed in Rapid City and married John Bowman. The Bowmans lived in Rapid City for their entire 25-year marriage, and their three sons were born here.

I never knew much about my grandmothers family. Most of her siblings had died by 1974. When I really knew her, she was the only one left. She didnt really talk about her past, Strupp said. The Snyders (my grandfathers family) are all still in Canton, Minnesota. We would go there and I got to know my grandfathers (siblings) and cousins but growing up, I never heard about my grandmothers family.

In 2001, an old photo tipped off Strupp to the murders.

Basically it was a family secret that wasnt really discussed, he said. We were at this family gathering in 2001 looking at slides and home movies. This image of Alberta appeared and I said, Whos that?

A relative told Strupp the photo was of Alberta, who died before he was born. Strupp asked how she died and very hesitantly, the relative said Alberta was murdered.

As a reporter, that set me off, Strupp said, that such a horrible thing would happen to my relatives and I didnt really know about it.

Strupp is an award-winning reporter with a 35-year career in journalism. He currently works for the Asbury Park Press, and hes spent decades covering crime beats and criminal cases in California and New Jersey. He also teaches for Rutgers University and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Strupp spent years researching Death on St. Charles Street, and talking to his mother and other family members about the Bowmans and their deaths.

All along, I was asking my family, Why didnt I ever know this? It was a terrible tragedy. They didnt want to talk about it, he said. So it wasnt something that came up a lot. Why bring it up? It was a sad story.

The Bowmans' deaths aren't mentioned in South Dakota data, either.

I started looking up multiple murder cases, and this one doesnt seem to be in the data history of South Dakota violent crimes, Strupp said. Four or more deaths is considered a mass murder.

Rapid City facts, memories

Strupp made his first visit to Rapid City in 2018 to do research for his book. Strupp said his grandmother spoke fondly about the Black Hills, but Death on St. Charles Street finally prompted him to visit the Black Hills. Strupp went to the Bowman familys graves, and he attempted to find local police records about the Bowmans deaths, only to discover the police records had been destroyed in the 1972 flood.

Articles from the newspaper then known as the Rapid City Daily Journal provided vital information.

I got the old Rapid City Daily Journal articles and I found coverage of the funeral. They listed the pallbearers. It was amazing how many people I found who knew the family and had been to the funeral, Strupp said. A lot of (the Bowman sons) childhood friends told me a lot about the sons and the parents.  I was surprised so many people were reachable and willing to talk.

Death on St. Charles Street weaves together memories from people  some of whom still live in Rapid City  who knew the Bowmans. Strupp also documents his familys history, information about economic and current events that affected the Bowmans, and the priest who was called to administer last rites for the Bowmans and later became disgruntled with the Catholic Church. The Bowmans oldest son, Jack, was away at the University of Minnesota when his family died, and he was left with much of the responsibility of planning his familys funerals.

An unusual crime

The piece of the puzzle in the Bowman family tragedy that will always be missing is what exactly pushed John to shoot his family. Strupp describes John as a man in a slow fall who had a nervous breakdown and spent two weeks at the Mayo Clinic in 1951. Hed been admitted to South Dakotas mental hospital in 1961 and had been in and out of the institution. Hed most recently been released from the mental hospital just two months before his familys deaths in July 1962.

He started having emotional problems. His wife was an alcoholic. All these pieces seemed to mount, Strupp said. (Mental health experts) never found him dangerous. He was appearing to start to deal with a divorce with his wife, but he had a lot of guilt. He had a lot of demons and frustrations.

He hadnt really threatened anyone. He seemed to stew in his anxiety and depression, Strupp said.

Its troubling to know this could happen to anyone. These are regular people who deal with mental illness and alcohol and lifes trials and challenges, Strupp said. People who commit these kinds of crimes are not necessarily evil or bad people. John was a troubled, sick person who had a lot of demons and problems and sadly, this is how it came out.

Strupp contacted the Human Services Center in Yankton, the states psychiatric hospital, which provided him with records about John's stays there.

They gave me all these medical records, really detailed psychiatric reports and comments he made about his marriage and life. He wasnt violent. He was clinically depressed, Strupp said.

That lack of violent tendencies makes the Bowmans killings particularly unusual, Strupp discovered as he spoke with criminologists and mental health experts.

Usually youll have a violent person who will end up killing others and then himself. Or they will kill people because they want to erase their family and go on without them, Strupp said. Or youll have people who kill themselves and let their family live. It was very unusual to have this kind of family destruction.

The house where the Bowmans died still stands on St. Charles Street. Strupp said he was told Alberta and Peggys mother cleaned the house after the bodies had been removed and then offered it as a place for relatives to stay while they were in Rapid City for the Bowmans funeral. Everyone refused to stay in the house.

The current owner of the house bought it in 2005 and spoke to Strupp on the condition of anonymity. The owner was unaware of the homes violent history until Strupp told him about it.

Examining the toll of mental health problems

After keeping the Bowmans deaths a closely held secret for decades, Strupp said his mother and other relatives want to read Death on St. Charles Street.

So many people in my family are really interested in the story  because its connected to our family and its such a heinous act, and it still has a lot of mystery as to why it happened, Strupp said.

It was very emotional to learn about a story involving murders in my own family. As someone who has been a reporter, Ive covered a lot of killings and crimes but never had to cover something in my own family, he said. I was a little concerned about even bringing it out and airing our familys dirty laundry. I went into it more out of my own curiosity  more as an author than a reporter. I thought this is a story that would be interesting to people.

Strupp hopes his book conveys insight into the extreme toll mental health problems can take on a person and a family.

One thing I hope people take from this is not everyone who commits this kind of atrocity is bad or evil. Theyre feeling hopeless or challenged or suffering from whats a real illness, Strupp said. It doesnt make it right or excuse it, but its good to understand why something happened. Im bringing out the facts and the story thats interesting, and let the readers decide.

Death on St. Charles Street was released March 19 and is available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It is Strupps fourth book. Follow his author page at amazon.com/stores/Joe-Strupp/author/ for more information about Strupp and his books.
Trapper Creek Job Corps celebrated Women's History Month and International Womens Day with a focus on women in hard trades and Trappers ability to help them get there.

On Wednesday, 22 women students, dressed to the nines, were treated to a tour of the Daily Mansion, watched a special presentation called Under the Strong Hands of Women and took glamorous photos.

TCJC welding instructor and metal artist Laura Newby said the Glamor Day trip to Hamilton was designed to encourage women.

We want to support women in the trades, Newby said. We want to show the grit and the glam. The grit is the trades  welding, carpentry and masonry and all the other trades. We also want to show we can be glamorous too.

With an enrollment of 100 males to 22 females, age 16 to 26, staff is key at TCJC. Some staff stay in the dorms with students, some provide education, trade training, cooking and recreation. Newby said she enjoys welding and working with students. Newby has been at TCJC for four years and said anyone curious about molten metal should try welding.

It is amazing, Newby said. You can build anything you want out of steel, stainless steel, or aluminum. Anything that is steel has to be created by a person. So, I like to encourage people to think about how much steel there is in this world, starting with vehicles then bridges, trains, ships, sconces, and art and sculpture. Some things are created by robots, but people have to operate robots.

With the recent graduations, there is now only one female student to 13 males in the welding trade at TCJC. Newby said the numbers fluctuate and she encourages women to try the high-demand trade. In welding classes, Newby starts by teaching the fundamentals of welding.

I start with the structure of a bead which would be 6010 electrodes and 7018 electrodes, Newby said. They learn to run beads with those electrodes. A bead is the simplistic process of just one strip.

Then students learn joints.

Newby recently became the only instructor in the TCJC welding shop, and added Fabrication Fridays to build the integrity of the shop.

Students get to build projects together and it helps their creative path, she said. They get to build something rather than just being in a booth running beads all day. They learn more of the fabrication process on those days.

Students complete Forest Service projects like picnic tables, gate and handrails. A fun challenge for students is how to make a square.

They use a tape measure, and cut with various machines and different tools, Newby said. After that who is 'who can make a cube' so now were talking six squares worth. I want them all to make a Jenga game out of steel. It will be fun.

Valentines Day she taught students how to use the plasma cutter.

It is basically where you hook a machine up to air and use electricity and air to cut through steel, Newby said. Plasma is the hottest flame known to man and we play with it.

In 2017, she started a metal sculpting business and used her plasma cutters to cut out natural elements like antlers, flowers and wildlife from steel, stainless steel and copper. She enjoys making botanical elements and recently, by freehand, cut out a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle with an Alice in Wonderland theme plus botanical elements. She said it may be mechanically fit to drive.

Newby is also a glass artist and created fused glass lily flowers with blacksmithed sculptures.

Im using a torch, a welding machine, glass and gears from my old truck, she said. I love being an artist and creating things.

Newby said the future is wide-open for welders.

I tell my students Think about where you want to live because if you want to build ships youll typically live near the water, she said. It helps them decide what they want to do based on where they want to live. If they want to take a military path, they can join the Navy and work on boats.

Planes and pipelines are also on her list.

There is so much metal in this world the are many opportunities, she said. Salary depends on where they live and their skill set. If they have applied themselves in the program, and learned everything they could, they would be starting higher. But if they dragged their feet they would be starting as a helper. The wage varies.

Newby said a D11 Structural Iron certification is basic and allows students to work on I-beams and structural aspects of the industrial process.

The D11 is just for flat, 1G, but we can certify them in 3G and 4G as well, she said. We also can teach spray transfer and dual shield.

Newb, originally from Seattle, learned the art of welding on the Bakken Oil Field pipeline as a welding helper.

I was in love with the way the molten puddle moved around, and I kept watching the process, she said. I asked to try it, then kept going it, practiced as hard as I could. I felt like I was competing with the guys at times and that pushed me to keep going.

Newby initially moved to North Dakota seeking a better way of life.

I was tired of dead-end jobs, she said. The cost of living is outrageous there, so I got on a train and went east.

TCJC recent graduate Sierra Taylor, from Crockett, Texas, has her certification in facilities maintenance and is hoping to soon be going to advanced training in aviation mechanics in warmer north Texas. She was the only female in her TCJC program of 14 students and that has been a challenge.

I can do things easily, but there is a lot of sexism in the facilities maintenance industry, Taylor said. If I do things right, Im ignored. If I do something wrong, they rib me a little bit.

In facilities maintenance she learned to do pluming, dry wall, concrete, electrical and works to better the Job Corps Center.

Taylor said her goal is to become a pilot.

The aviation mechanics training is a step Im taking to get into the aviation industry then Ill work my way up, Taylor said. There is a high demand for pilots, especially female pilots.

She said that at the aviation mechanic program she will learn to fix the planes  engines, structure and exterior.

I want to eventually join the military but want to do training first so, hopefully, I can just jump in with a job, Taylor said. Trapper Creek provides good opportunities for any class study you want to go to and is also extremely diverse. Id never encountered a Native American in Texas but came here and learned about a whole new culture.

She said in Job Corps students go to where the jobs are and that can be all over the country.

Because Trapper Creek is a small location and people cant fly home often, we have problems and have to learn communication and problem-solving skills, Taylor said. I took Anger Management and was able to stabilize my emotions and work in different situations. When you graduate you go where a job is, Job Corps will help you out with transportation there and an apartment. Its pretty nice.
New Kent was one of the fastest-growing localities in the U.S. in 2023, a year in which the Richmond area grew by about 1%.

The U.S. Census Bureau published the figures last week. Chesterfield and Hanover counties grew, too, but at a slower pace. The city of Richmond and Henrico were essentially flat, but Henricos manager disputed its number.

Altogether, the Richmond area gained about 12,000 residents between July 1, 2022, and July 1, 2023, and grew at twice the rate of the entire state. Greater Richmond outpaced Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads as the population here expanded from about 1.34 million people to 1.35 million.

New Kent, Goochland

New Kent grew at 4.7%, making it the 10th fastest-growing locality in the country with at least 20,000 people. Goochland Countys population rose almost 4%.

As houses and rent get more expensive in the four largest localities here  Richmond and Chesterfield, Hanover and Henrico counties  people are moving farther out in order to seek affordable housing.

The Richmond region has seen significant population growth since the pandemic. While New Kent and Goochland have led the area in percent population growth since 2020, they are still small compared with their neighbors. They have a combined 53,000 residents, while Henrico is home to more than 300,000.

Growth there has caused friction at times. A plan to reimagine Centerville  the portion of Goochland across the county line from Short Pump  was rejected by the Board of Supervisors last year when residents said it would bring too much construction and too many people to the area.

Housing prices have soared in greater Richmond  the median price last year hit $382,000, which is almost 80% higher than a decade earlier. At the beginning of the year, Richmond was named one of the top 10 hardest places for Gen Z residents  generally adults ages 27 and younger  to buy a home.

Richmond has become a hot spot, and weve got a lot of people moving here from big cities, Becky McNeer, a real estate agent, said recently.

The Big 4

Chesterfield, which still has large swaths of open land in its southern and western portions, grew the fastest of the four largest localities here, expanding by roughly 1.5% to 384,000.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Henrico was essentially flat, growing by about 200 residents. County Manager John Vithoulkas rejected these numbers, telling the Henrico Citizen the county grew by about 5,200 residents, or about 1.5%.

A spokesperson for the Census Bureau said the agency published the correct number of residents  roughly 335,000, or a 0.06% gain. A spokesperson for Henrico said the county had not received an update from the bureau.

The city of Richmond grew slightly, increasing from roughly about 228,000 residents to 229,000  a growth of 0.4%. Hanover grew by about 1% to 114,000.

State as a whole

The entire Richmond area expanded by 0.9%, which is about double the growth rate of the state. There are roughly 1.35 million people in the 15 localities that make up greater Richmond, meaning the area is still slightly smaller than Hampton Roads and has a million people fewer than Northern Virginia.

Greater Richmond is gaining on them, slightly. Northern Virginia grew at about half the rate of greater Richmond, gaining 0.4% of its population to roughly 2.6 million residents.

The population of Hampton Roads was essentially flat from 2022 to 2023, growing at a rate of 0.08% to approximately 1.5 million residents.

Fairfax County remains the states largest locality with 1.2 million people, followed by Prince William County (490,000), the city of Virginia Beach (454,000) and Loudoun County (436,000).

Not all of greater Richmond displayed growth. The cities of Hopewell and Petersburg and Prince George County shrank slightly.

From the Archives: Richmond's 200th Birthday
A Henrico County chiropractor will spend two months behind bars after authorities say he groped multiple patients while performing rib adjustments at his practice in western Henrico.

Aaron Winston, 53, of Henrico  owner of Winston Chiropractic Care, P.C. at 11175 Ridgefield Parkway  on Tuesday pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery and three counts of assault and battery in connection to incidents that occurred between July 2015 and July 2022, Henrico prosecutor Nael Abouzaki told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Winston was sentenced to five years in prison with four years and 10 months suspended, according to court records.

Abouzaki said Winston had a pattern behaving flirtatiously with female patients of his practice, commenting on their bodies and asking sexual questions before ultimately assaulting them. Abouzaki began investigating claims against Winston in July 2022, after a victim identified as O.R. told police that Winston had fondled her breasts while performing a rib adjustment.

O.R. told authorities that Winston was a close family friend  like an uncle to her, Abouzaki said  and that she had met him at the church they both attended. O.R. was much younger that Winston, Abouzaki said, and was not sure how to respond to his actions.

In the course of investigating O.R.s claims, Abouzaki contacted the Virginia Department of Health Professions and was told that another woman previously had reported similar behavior from Winston.

That woman alleged that Winston had put his hands down her shirt and cupped her breasts while performing a rib adjustment in 2019. The woman did not refer the incident to police, but did submit a complaint to the VDHP in case (Winston) ever did the same thing to someone else, Abouzaki said.

After officials announced the investigation into Winston, four additional women came forward with similar allegations against him, Abouzaki said. One woman reported that Winston had made comments about having a breast milk fetish after she disclosed that she was breastfeeding.

Winstons license was suspended by the Virginia Board of Medicine in March 2023, according to court records. He was arrested on May 11.

Abouzaki said Winston had violated his professional oath not to violate (the) confidence  and dignity of his patients.

He betrayed himself, the profession, his patients and the community, Abouzaki said.

Abouzaki also commended O.R. for being a voice who gave voices to the others, and said that all of the victims were in agreement on the terms of the plea agreement.

Atlee Teacher wins $25,000 Milken Educator Award
Atlee High School teacher Travis Dodds said he was completely unaware that he was even being considered for an award of any kind.

By the end of an impromptu assembly Tuesday morning, he heard his name called as the winner of the Milken Awards, promoted as the Oscars of Teaching, with the packed gym celebrating his name.

I was in complete shock. There are so many phenomenal educators in this building. I thought my name was very low on that list, Dodds told reporters crowded around him after the ceremony. Hearing my name, the wave of emotions, hearing everyone clapping, was a very special moment.

Dodds became the first person from Hanover to win a Milken Educator Award, which is accompanied by a $25,000 prize.

Milken awards are selective and somewhat rare. The foundation is on a journey this year to give its 3,000th nationwide educator recognition since the first award was given in 1987. Dodds is one of about 50 Virginia winners since the state joined Milken as a partner in 1999.

Lowell Milken said the recognition is not a lifetime achievement award, but an honor for early and mid-career educators who have potential to leave a significant impact on the profession.

Virtually all of us can point to an outstanding teacher who ignited our passion for learning and the confidence to pursue lifes opportunities, Milken said. Travis Dodds instills in his students a love of science and the skills, knowledge and experience to succeed in a rapidly changing world.

Information provided by the Milken Family Foundation says that he was honored for his calm demeanor, kindness, attentiveness and collaborative leadership.

As leader of the science department, his students have high pass rates for standardized tests with a notable 10-year-high pass-rate on the AP Biology exam at 74%  the national average is 64%.

Dodds was heralded for his innovative, real-world approaches and extending learning beyond the classroom walls.

Dodds himself was a graduate of Atlee High School. Both of his parents were educators. He humorously said that becoming a teacher was the last thing he wanted to be growing up. But after exploring his life further he ended up gravitating back to his roots to become a teacher.

Whenever we are working on something and (I see) students really take initiative and get involved with their own learning and get excited about learning, that really motivates me to continue, Dodds said.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin was in attendance at Atlee to honor Dodds on the achievement.

Here we have a moment to celebrate extraordinary teaching right here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Youngkin said, adding that Dodds is helping students excel.

Im so honored that he is here in Virginia and can inspire others. Yes, believe that there are future teachers with us today who are going to be inspired, and we will look back and itll be this moment they can actually say I thought Id become a teacher when I saw Mr. Dodds receive the Milken Award.

Dodds joins an elite few among the nations 3.2 million full-time teachers.

Hanover Superintendent Michael Gill said it was a banner day for not just Dodds, but the school division and the entire county.

Not only is Mr. Dodds an incredible educator but as you can see, hes an incredibly humble individual, Gill said. He doesnt do it for the accolades. That makes it all the more special. He truly loves what he does, and thats evident in everything he does.

Dodds will have an all-expenses-paid trip to the Milken headquarters in Los Angeles, where he will be able to network with other winners and work with other educators on improving classrooms across the country.

Atlee Teacher wins $25,000 Milken Educator Award
Black students in Powhatan County told the county School Board on Monday evening that they are sick of being called racial slurs at school and on their school bus.

Something has to change. I cant live like this, one student said.

Hundreds of people attended an impassioned Powhatan School Board meeting amid allegations of racist incidents in the countys school system. The board was not expected to take action at the meeting.

A photo of a white student with the phrase I kill n****** written on her arm began circulating a few weeks ago and spurred the recent public outcry. The School Board suspended a meeting last week because of overcrowding and rescheduled it for Monday at Powhatan High School to accommodate the big turnout.

Monday nights meeting was tense at times, and law enforcement escorted two people out of the room, one of whom called board members white supremacists. At one point, an argument escalated between School Board Chair James Taylor and meeting attendees over whether policy allows an advocate who is not a Powhatan resident to speak on behalf of a resident.

Maddox Owens, a student at Powhatan Middle School, said he was excited to start at his new school, but that excitement quickly left when he was met with his classmates calling him racial slurs every day.

I even stopped reporting it because nothing is done, he said.

Maddox said other students call him the N word, cotton picker and other racial epithets, and one student told him: Nobody wants you here, go back to Richmond.

At lunch one day, Maddox said, another student called him the N word, and Maddox pushed the other student. Then Maddox got suspended.

Powhatan Middle School teacher Bilal Z. Raychouni said he sent three students out of his classroom earlier that day because they think the N word is funny.

Yasmine Smith, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at Powhatan Middle School, said classmates have said the N word to her face before and she begs her mom to let her stay home from school because of the racial bullying.

I now have to take the time out of my day to ask adults to do their job and protect me, Yasmine said.

She also said a student who gives a death threat deserves more than a three-day suspension.

Another student at Powhatan Middle School said that kids come to school with their bookbags adorned with Confederate flags and that the only punishment kids get for saying the N word is a brief talking to.

Mondays public comment period began at 6:15 p.m. and ended at around 8:45 p.m., then School Board members responded.

The people of Powhatan have spoken, said School Board member Jeanne Wade, who represents District 3. Discipline and consequences are what is needed.

Taylor, the School Board chairman, thanked everyone who spoke at the meeting, and said he sympathizes deeply with every story.

The situation is obviously serious. It's one that cannot and will not be solved overnight. If that was the case, it would have been solved centuries upon centuries ago, Taylor said.

We will come back  begin to have deeper conversations about how we can look (at) and tweak our policies and tighten up our disciplines and practices in that regard.

So we will do that in the months ahead, moving into the next school year.

Powhatan County Public Schools has an enrollment of about 4,300 students with three elementary schools, one middle school and one high school. Its student population is 85% white, 5% Hispanic and 5% Black, according to state data.

Today in history: March 18 1922: Mohandas K. Gandhi 1940: Benito Mussolini 1942: Milton S. Eisenhower 1965: Alexei Leonov 2012: Mitt Romney 2016: Salah Abdeslam 2017: Chuck Berry 2018: Vladimir Putin 2021: NBA
Former City Councilmember Chris Hilbert announced Tuesday afternoon he is dropping out of the race for Richmond mayor because he is unable to devote the time.

While Hilbert said he is well-qualified for the position, his ongoing obligations prevent him from committing completely to the role, which he said would not be fair to his constituents.

While I am disappointed, I know this is the right choice for me at this time, Hilbert wrote in a statement. With a full-time job and attending seminary, I am unable to devote the time that this task demands and that my neighbors and fellow residents deserve.

Hilbert announced late last year his plans to run for the office and began collecting campaign donations. As of this month, Hilbert had collected $31,000 in donations, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

Following Hilberts withdrawal from the campaign, there are five candidates currently vying for the position including Andreas Addison, current First District council representative; Michelle Mosby, former Ninth District council representative; community activist Maurice Neblett; and businessmen Garrett Sawyer and Harrison Roday.

More candidates are expected to announce their campaigns in the upcoming weeks.

Although Hilbert is out of the race, he offered advice to potential voters.

I want to strongly encourage Richmond voters to support a candidate who understands local government and who has a proven track record of building and overseeing governmental institutions and structures, Hilbert said. We need someone who is focused on our city, and not looking for a job.

From the Archives: Scenes from Broad Street
A lawsuit filed against Gov. Glenn Youngkin last summer over his administrations changes to voting rights restorations has been found to have merit by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

This means that the case will proceed.

The suit, filed last June, includes Virginias chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, voting rights group Protect Democracy, and law firm WilmerHale. They joined forces to take Youngkin to court along with a handful of state elections officials and local registrars.

It came months after the administration quietly adjusted its process for restoring rights to ex-felons.

Once an automatic process upon completion of a prison sentence, people with felony convictions must now apply for consideration to have their rights restored. While the shift is within Youngkins purview through the state constitution, it walks back bipartisan efforts on the parts of three previous governors administrations to streamline restorations.

But more than the actions of the current governor, the suit challenges how Virginias state constitution bars people who have felony convictions from voting and alleges it violates a federal law.

The roots of this go back all the way to the Jim Crow era, and all the way back to the immediate aftermath of the Civil War. So, the basis for our lawsuit is actually a law that was passed by Congress in 1870, ACLU of Virginia attorney Vishal Agraharkar told the Richmond Times-Dispatch last summer.

During the Reconstruction era, Congress passed a series of statutes called Readmission Acts that required former Confederate states to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment and guarantee voting rights for newly emancipated Black residents living in those states.

Virginia may no longer be a Confederate state, but the provision of our constitution that was specifically put in place to suppress the voting rights of newly enfranchised Black citizens after the Civil War is still oppressing Virginians today, Agraharkar said Monday in a statement following the courts recent ruling.

The Readmission Act also prohibited states from adjusting their constitutions to disenfranchise people other than those convicted of crimes that were felonies at common law in 1870. Crimes considered common law at this time were: murder, manslaughter, arson, burglary, robbery, sodomy, mayhem and larceny.

Brittani Amadi, a partner at WilmerHale, said that means Virginia has been in violation of the Act for people convicted of other crimes.

The Virginia Readmission Act is very clear: Virginias Constitution can disenfranchise someone only if theyre convicted of something that was a felony at common law in 1870a narrow set of felonies that does not include drug crimes for example, Amadi said.

By disenfranchising anyone convicted of a felony, Virginia is violating an express condition of the readmission of the Commonwealths representatives into the United States Congress, and todays ruling is a significant step towards correcting this injustice.

The administration has declined to comment on pending litigation.

Close Gov. Bob McDonnell announces the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church Wednesday, May 29, 2013. John Westbrook (left), council liason for councilwomen Michelle Mosby, 9th district, claps after Gov. Bob McDonnell announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Ben Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, speaks about the restoration of rights for non-violent offenders at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Gov. Bob McDonnell announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. Lisa Kratz, a motivational speaker after being incarcerated, thanks Gov. Bob McDonnell for the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Richard Walker, who had his rights restored a year ago, shakes hands with Gov. Bob McDonnell after he announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. Richard Walker, who had his rights restored a year ago, shakes hands with Gov. Bob McDonnell after he announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Walker is CEO of Bridging the Gap in Virginia. Restoration of Civil Rights Gov. Bob McDonnell announced a plan to automatically restore the civil rights of thousands of Virginias nonviolent felons. Gov. Bob McDonnell announces the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church Wednesday, May 29, 2013. John Westbrook (left), council liason for councilwomen Michelle Mosby, 9th district, claps after Gov. Bob McDonnell announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Ben Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, speaks about the restoration of rights for non-violent offenders at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Gov. Bob McDonnell announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. Lisa Kratz, a motivational speaker after being incarcerated, thanks Gov. Bob McDonnell for the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Richard Walker, who had his rights restored a year ago, shakes hands with Gov. Bob McDonnell after he announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. Richard Walker, who had his rights restored a year ago, shakes hands with Gov. Bob McDonnell after he announced the automatic restoration of voting and civil rights for non-violent felons on an individualized basis. The announcement was made at Cedar Street Baptist Church. Walker is CEO of Bridging the Gap in Virginia.
Virginia has a distinguished history of leading the way in public higher education. Some of the first public universities in the United States  the College of William & Mary and the University of Virginia  call the commonwealth home. In more recent times, Virginia has dramatically expanded access to post-high school education, whether through regional comprehensive universities, minority-serving institutions or community colleges.

Virginia has received well-deserved accolades for the performance of its higher education system. SmartAsset, which evaluates factors such as graduation rates and return on investment, has ranked Virginias higher education system No. 1 or No. 2 in the nation for seven straight years. CNBC most recently gave Virginia second-place honors in its state business climate rankings, citing the commonwealths top-ranked education system as a key factor.

Virginia once again has the opportunity to be a national leader in post-high school education, this time in providing access to work-based learning  specifically, paid internships. Virginia is the first (and so far only) state to set the ambitious goal of providing a paid internship opportunity to every college student. To achieve this goal, the General Assembly is now considering an additional investment. The budget recently adopted by the General Assembly provides $26.5 million over the next two years to support intensive on-campus assistance with internship placement, provide matching grants for small businesses that hire interns, and foster regional and statewide internship collaborations.

Virginias internship goal is not the product of a top-down state mandate. Rather, it came about as a joint initiative of the commonwealths public college and university presidents and major business leaders working together through the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. A strong foundation of business-education collaboration  a prerequisite for broad-based scaling of internships  is already in place, making Virginias ambitious goal plausible.

We are finding through research that internships are not a nice to have in the job market  they are a must have. A major new study conducted by our organization and the Burning Glass Institute found that bachelors degree graduates with internships were half as likely to be underemployed (i.e., in a job not requiring a degree) as those without an internship. Additionally, research soon to be published by our organization found that graduates with paid internships are far more likely to be satisfied with both their first job and their progress toward their long-term career goals. In short, internships are critical for strong transitions from learning to work.

We also know that access to paid internships is uneven and, frankly, inequitable. We have found that 70% of first-year students expect to have an internship experience, yet fewer than half of seniors report having one. Internship participation also varies significantly by race/ethnicity and whether a student is first in their family to attend college. We absolutely must close the gap between aspiration and reality when it comes to internships, and Virginias proposed investment is a strong step in that direction.

Internships represent a win-win-win for students, colleges and universities, and employers. Students clearly win by getting a head start on their careers, gaining critical skills and building social capital that will pay off over a lifetime. Colleges and universities win by having stronger employment outcomes for their graduates and by having students who are better equipped to apply what they have learned in the classroom. Employers win by having access to a larger pool of talent with career-relevant skills.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Virginia led the way in democratizing access to higher education, establishing and expanding some of the nations most respected two- and four-year colleges and universities. In the 21st century, the commonwealth can lead once again by building the nations strongest bridge between the worlds of learning and work. A robust paid internship strategy is central to that effort, and it deserves support.

From the Archives: RPI and the early days of VCU
Cancun police make arrest after 28 migrants found locked in criminal safe house

Cancun, Q.R.  A suspect remains in police custody after Cancun police located 28 illegal migrants inside a criminal safe house. Early Monday evening, the Secretaria de Seguridad Ciudadana (SSC) reported on the arrest of Jose N for the abduction of the 28 people found by police earlier in the day.

More than two dozen people were removed from a criminal safe house by Cancun police early Monday. It was after midnight when authorities began their operation that lead to the rescue of 28 people.

The SSC-headed operation was carried out in SM 229 by elements of the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) who located 24 adults and four minors. All those found inside the house are of Guatemalan and Salvadoran origin.

The operation was deployed on 87th Street where authorities found the undocumented migrants inside a home. They were being held against their will.

A total of 28 migrants were found being held against their will in a criminal safe house in Cancun. Photo: March 18, 2024.

Agents from the Secretary of the Navy, National Guard and the Rescue and Medical Emergency Squadron (ERUM) participated in the operation. Those found inside were removed and provided with medical care.

The four minors were attended to by the Specialized Group for Attention to Domestic and Gender Violence (GEAVIG).

GEAVI personnel were brought in since four minors were found inside the house. Photo: March 18, 2024.

In a statement the SSC said the arrest of Jose N, allegedly involved in the crime of Deprivation of Liberty of Migrants, was carried out at a home on 87th Street between 72nd and 74th Streets, Block 42, Lot 44, in Superblock 229 of Cancun.

Given this fact, the corresponding inspection was carried out, finding inside the home a group of 28 people in total of which there are 15 men, nine women, three boys and one girl. They were alone without family, all originating from Salvador, Guatemala.
Cozumel tourist dies day after highway motorcycle accident

Cozumel, Q.R.  The male driver of a motorcycle involved in a Sunday night accident on the island of Cozumel has died. The tourist identified as Nicandro D died Monday in hospital due to severe head injuries.

The accident happened Sunday evening around 8:00 p.m. when he was driving a rented motorcycle on an island road. While cruising the southern coastal highway with a female passenger, the bike skidded and crashed into highway brush.

The 60-year-old man was rushed to a San Miguel hospital with serious injures. Friends and family posted social media requests for urgent blood donations. He is reported to have died from his injuries Monday at the San Miguel Clinic.

The accident is reported to have been caused by passing wildlife. According to the female passenger, the driver attempted to avoid a small animal that caused him to lose control and skid.

Nicandro D, the deceased, was a Mexican television producer and was on the island of Cozumel as a vacationing tourist at the time of the accident. His body will be returned to Mexico City.
Puerto Morelos police start crime and corruption training course

Puerto Morelos, Q.R.  Police in Puerto Morelos spent part of their long weekend in training. Municipal officers began training in crime and corruption taught by the Specialized Prosecutors Office.

Municipal officers sat through their first day of the Prevention of crimes due to acts of corruption course which was given to elements of the Municipal Secretariat of Public Security and Traffic.

The one week course is being taught by the Specialized Prosecutors Office in Combating Corruption to strengthen the Public Security police with the purpose of preventing acts of corruption by action or omission.

During the opening, prosecutor Rosaura Villanueva Arzapalo announced that for one week, the training will be given to Puerto Morelos police officers and elements of the Secretary of the Navy (Semar) with the aim of maintaining close coordination to combat corruption.

She explained that the course will cover topics of reflection, ethics, integrity and the importance of the work that uniformed personnel do every day to guarantee the safety of the population.

In her message, the Municipal Comptroller Leticia Ramirez Cetina, thanked the staff of the Prosecutors Office for teaching the workshop and highlighted that from awareness and knowledge, one must act in accordance with the rules and be aware of the possible faults that may arise from inappropriate actions.

Puerto Morelos officers started the one week course Monday. Photo: Ayuntamiento de Puerto Morelos March 18, 2024.

Puerto Morelos Mayor Bianca Merari Tziu Munoz also thanked the Special Prosecutors Office for teaching the workshop that will provide great benefits among Public Security personnel.

Speakers Juan Carlos May Gongora and Ernesto Zacapala Bernabe are also participating in the weeklong workshop.
Quintana Roo pre-holiday travel figures exceed 500,000

Riviera Maya, Q.R.  More than 500,000 pre-holiday travelers arrived in Quintana Roo last week. The figures were released Monday by the State Secretariat of Tourism.

According to the State Secretariat, based on estimates from hotel associations, municipal tourism directorates, the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council, the Southeast Airport Group and Airports and Auxiliary Services, the state has recorded an important flow of tourism.

During the week of March 9 to 15, Quintana Roo registered an influx of 545,805 tourists and 2,208 national and international flights, consolidating its leadership as the jewel of the Mexican Caribbean.

Of those flights, there were 2,208 recorded arrivals of which 1,539 were international and 615 national.

Photo: CGC March 18, 2024

Hotel occupancy rates are currently averaging above 80 percent with Cancun leading the way. According to figures provided by the State Secretariat, Cancun is registering 89.2 percent followed by Puerto Morelos 88.2, Cozumel 87.7 and Costa Mujeres 87.1 percent occupancy rate.

Photo: CGC March 18, 2024.

Riviera Maya is not far behind with an 85.7 reported hotel occupancy rate followed by Isla Mujeres 81.8, Tulum 80.2 and Grand Costa Maya 45.4.
ANKARA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish intelligence has "neutralized" a senior member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in a cross-border operation in northern Iraq, Turkiye's semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Tuesday.

Rojda Bilen, codenamed Biseng Brusk, was reportedly killed in the Sulaymaniyah region of northern Iraq.

Bilen allegedly joined the PKK in 2011 and was the head of all female members in the "youth branch" of the group, Anadolu reported, adding that she was in the "blue" category, the second-highest category of wanted terrorists in Turkiye.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" in their statements to imply the alleged "terrorists" have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured.

The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, is based in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, an area where Turkiye frequently conducts airstrikes and maintains military outposts.

On March 14, Turkiye and Iraq said they had reached a landmark deal to tackle the security threat posed by the PKK, and Baghdad labeled the group a "banned organization." 
Traffic at standstill after protesting ejidos block federal highway

Othon P. Blanco, Q.R.  Hundreds of southern-based ejidos blocked a section of the federal highway Monday. The long weekend road block left dozens of vehicles at a standstill creating a several kilometer long line of backed up traffic.

The group blocked the federal road demanding pay for land used to build the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport of Tulum. They were also demanding payment for land that was expropriated for Maya Train use.

The blockade was carried out at the junction of Los Chunes where hundreds of ejidos from Chumpon and annexes prevented the passage of non-emergency vehicles.

Authorities from the state government did eventually arrive to talk with the protesters and were successful in removing the road block. Details surrounding that meeting are unknown.
Advance Auto Parts has agreed to pay $1.7 million to settle a class action lawsuit that accused it of mismanaging a company retirement plan for its employees.

U.S. District Judge Michael Urbanski granted preliminary approval of the settlement, which will potentially cover more than 22,000 Advance employees in Western Virginia and across the country.

The lawsuit, filed in Roanokes federal court in 2021, asserts that Advance officials failed to adequately review the investment portfolio of the companys 401(k) plan to ensure best performance, and subjected participants to unreasonably high fees.

In an order issued Wednesday, Urbanski found the proposed settlement to be fair, reasonable, and adequate. A July 19 hearing was scheduled for a final determination.

Janet Sweet of Roanoke was one of the first Advance employees to take legal action. She was joined by Safi Riaz of Michigan, Bessie McAdams of Arizona, Keith Edwards of Alabama and Peter Dargel of New Jersey.

All five claimed that they were charged excessive administrative and recordkeeping costs for participating in the plan, which they said failed to replace higher-cost and underperforming funds with better alternatives.

Urbanski broadened the filing to a class-action lawsuit in June, writing at the time that common sense dictates other employees should be allowed to join.

A formula will be used to determine how much each employee will receive, based on how long they participated in the 401(k) plan, the level of their financial contributions, and other factors.

The settlement covers employees and beneficiaries who were part of the plan from Oct. 20, 2015, to March 12, 2024. There is no need for individual employees to file claims. Proceeds will be distributed based on Advances records, but the company will not administer the settlement, according to court records.

A call and an email to Advances media relations department in its corporate headquarters were not returned Monday.

In a response to the lawsuit filed in 2022, attorneys for Advance denied most of the allegations and presented more than a dozen potential defenses. They wrote that the company acted at all times and in all respects in good faith and with due care and did not engage in any conduct which would constitute a breach of fiduciary duty.

Advance, which has more than 5,000 auto parts stores across the country, was founded in Roanoke in 1932.

The company moved its home office to Raleigh, North Carolina, in 2018, but still maintains large numbers in the Roanoke area and is listed as the 10th largest employer by the Roanoke Regional Partnership.
Something is afoot involving the vacant First National Exchange Bank building, which stands as one of the greater opportunities in downtown Roanoke still untapped for reuse or development.

Roanoke developer Lucas Thornton and what he called a group of community oriented investors and developers bought the building 18 months ago. Crews pulled a permit March 4 to remove asbestos as a precursor to something he isnt ready to discuss.

We do have a plan, Thorton said. It wont come out for about 90 days, he said.

Built in 1912, the marble-faced structure at Campbell Avenue and Jefferson Street emptied out when Wells Fargo closed its branch there in 2016 and donated the building to Virginia Community Capital. VCC sold it to Carilion Clinic for $500,000, which in turn sold it to the partnership for $1 million in August 2022, according to online real estate records.

During its period of ownership, Carilion paid for building upkeep and spent $200,000 to buy an adjoining parcel and building, spokeswoman Hannah Curtis said. The Thornton partnership now owns both parcels.

Thorntons project resume includes Pinnacle Financial, Gramercy Row, Market Square, The Lawson Building, Big Lick Junction and the ongoing redevelopment of the former bus station property. The mission statement at his firm Hist:Re Partners is to bring municipalities, urban planners and architects together with builders, trade contractors and sub-contractors to achieve economically propitious investments for our clients and ecologically sustainable, diverse environments for our communities.
City police have arrested a 34-year-old man for a shooting that killed a Patrick Henry High School student in northwest Roanoke last August.

On March 4, a Roanoke Circuit Court grand jury indicted Ronald Lee Bonds III on two charges, shooting in a public place with injury and possession of a firearm by a violent felon, related to the death of 16-year-old Jamar Avery Muse.

Bonds was arrested March 12, according to Roanoke City Adult Detention Center records. He continued to be held at that facility Tuesday without bond.

Police originally reported that officers responded at about 12:05 a.m. on Aug. 12 to the 100 block of Patton Avenue Northwest, where they found Muse lying outside of a residence with a critical gunshot wound. He was transported to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where he later died.

Police said a second teen that was also injured on Patton Avenue was found later near the northwest intersection of 2nd Street and Gilmer Avenue. He was also transported to the hospital for treatment.

Detectives interviewed multiple witnesses and found that a party consisting mostly of juveniles was being held at the Patton Avenue residence, according to a search warrant filed in October.

Shortly before midnight, the party ended and people began to gather outside, the warrant affidavit reads. Then a man known to witnesses as Ricco started shooting.

Witnesses described Ricco holding a handgun and shooting from the front porch, the warrant reads. Detectives were able to identify Ricco as Ronald Lee Bonds III.

Detectives were told by witnesses that Bonds was in a relationship with a female, identified as Cheyenne Didomenico, who resided at the apartment where the party and shooting took place, according to the search warrant.

One witness who was at the party just before the shooting occurred told police that they saw Bonds carrying a purple-colored 9 mm handgun in a cross-body bag on his person, according to the warrant. The witness told detectives that the purple gun was gifted to Didomenico by her sister-in-law four years ago, the warrant reads.

Police found 9 mm cartridge casings in the front yard of the Patton Avenue residence, the warrant continues.

Detectives also reviewed body camera video captured by officers responding to the shooting. The footage shows Bonds with a black cross-body bag on his person.

Police executed a search warrant on Didomenicos apartment Oct. 30. From the residence they seized a white powder substance, according to the executed warrant document.

Bonds has a criminal record in the Roanoke Valley that includes 2021 cocaine possession and fentanyl and heroin distribution convictions in Botetourt County, 2019 cocaine and heroin possession convictions in Roanoke County and a 2009 embezzlement conviction in Roanoke.

Assistant Commonwealths Attorney John McNeil handled Bonds case in 2019.

Regarding the previous charges from 5-6 years ago, I really cant speculate as to the what ifs in this situation, McNeil wrote in an email Tuesday. Im sure if we had any cooperation from the victims on that case, it could have been handled differently, but obviously it is truly hard to speculate on that.
Last Tuesdays column struck a nerve among readers. It was about the tiny book of wisdom, On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, by Timothy Snyder, a Yale historian.

The column looked at four of Snyders succinct lessons from Europe in the last century. But before we get to the copious reader feedback, lets look at one more of the professors warnings. No. 3 reads, Beware the one-party state.

Snyder elaborates:

The parties that remade states and suppressed rivals were not omnipotent from the start. They exploited a historic moment to make political life impossible for their opponents. So support the multi-party system and defend the rules of democratic elections. Vote in local and state elections while you can. Consider running for office.

The key phrase above is support the multi-party system. Believe it or not, its in democracys interest that both Republicans and Democrats remain robust institutions.

When Republicans are strong, theyre effective bulwarks against liberal excesses of Democrats. And when Democrats are strong, theyre able to save Republicans from their worst conservative instincts.

When both are strong, change occurs incrementally, around the edges of the center. That can seem frustratingly slow  it took 100 years for America to fully embrace womens voting rights.

But when neither side instantly gets what its extremists clamor for, thats stability. Which allows private enterprises to thrive.

Arguably, that setup has protected America against both communism and fascism. But it depends on both parties being strong. And thats why the Republican Partys devolution, as MAGA and QAnon extremists seize control, is so worrisome.

Some rational Republicans have bolted the party. Others, such as Mike Pence, Trumps former vice president, are announcing they cannot endorse Trump in the 2024 presidential race.

If the GOP collapses, the center will weaken, and politics will drift leftward. The exact opposite happened in Germany in the 1930s, when the left weakened and the right rose and seized power. The result was a war that killed millions and the worst genocide in human history.

Now onto reader comments.

Katherine Clemo, Roanoke: Thank you for spreading the word about On Tyranny. When that little book first came out, a friend recommended it to me. I read it, then quickly bought a handful of copies to give to friends.

It was and is an amazing book. It should be used as a textbook to teach high school civics and social studies classes and first year college American History classes. And required reading for voters.

Mary Asma, Covington: I just ordered 4 copies for us and our 3 kids. Just wish it came with your erudite comments. Thank you.

Anna Yu, Roanoke: I know some of Professor Snyders books, but didnt know On Tyranny. So, I eagerly read your article with such interest. Then, I stopped at the Valley View Barnes and Noble and inquired about the book.

As soon as I asked about the book, the customer service representative said, Oh, I know where that is because someone else called and inquired about it this morning! I was so delighted that I got the book. And I am savoring it now. Thank you for writing the article.

Juergen Fleck, Roanoke: When one sees how Donald Trump has managed to amass almost complete power over the Republican Party, has stacked the Supreme Court in his favor, and manipulates the media, one can only imagine what he will do to this country so he can become  in his own words  a dictator. It is indeed frightening.

Mike Zhang, Blacksburg: [Trump] appointing his daughter-in-law to be in charge of [Republican National Committee], in my mind, constitutes a strong case of conflict-of-interest. He did that during his presidency by using his kids as advisers. Were they even qualified to solve those national and international problems? The sad thing is that it seems no one objected to the practice. It is a pretty obvious sign of dictatorship.

Stephen M. Hatchett, Roanoke: I was blown away. Prof. Snyder was describing what was happening in America today. Your description of his prescience is right on target.

My big take-away, which you covered in your column, was that institutions wont save us. That chapter was a stunner. And, if someone is mildly interested in the book, they should at least read that chapter. Hells bells, if you are interested in democracy, our Democracy, that chapter should stir something in you.

Jeanne Larsen, Roanoke County: Mr. Trumps character flaws (ick!) and critical thinking skill level (oh my!) aside, we are faced with the horrific possibility of our nations top leadership position falling into the hands of a man who tosses out counter-factual statements like T-shirts at a ball game (or paper towels in hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico).

This man is willing to throw our NATO allies under the bus in order to curry favor with his fave role model dictator, Vladimir Putin. He doesnt give a fig about the folks who believe he cares about them; he just takes their money.

Theres one point you might have made. (Maybe Timothy Snyder did?) We who have received that precious gift, the ability to vote, MUST do so  and thoughtfully  this fall.

Which takes us back to Chapter 3.

Thanks for the many emails, readers. Please keep them coming!
Late-night city council filibusters did not halt a zoning overhaul from passing in Roanoke, even as two members and some citizens expressed lukewarm sentiments toward the sweeping changes.

Tempers on city council boiled over Monday night, late into a prolonged meeting, before a 5-2 vote to approve a long list of technical zoning changes that planners said will have positive long-term effects on neighborhoods.

Before Monday, Roanokes zoning codes represented a persisting legacy of both racial and economic segregation, while also contributing to the citys housing shortage, planners said.

Thats because most of Roanokes land area is only zoned for single-family homes, stifling availability of other home styles such as, for example, town houses, duplexes and courtyard apartments.

Those are among the missing middle forms of housing that benefit people seeking smaller, less costly places to live, planners said. Allowing more dwellings desired by young professionals and aging-in-place elderly people helps to complete the predominantly single-family neighborhoods, they said.

We know that our current zoning does not work, said Planning Manager Wayne Leftwich. We know we must do something, and thats why were here tonight.

Missing middle housing is a result of systematic zoning issues across the country, and localities are now changing decades-old policies to fix it, Leftwich said.

Roanoke has good examples of mixed-density neighborhoods, such as Old Southwest and Wasena, planners said. But still, theres a housing shortage of at least 4,000 units, creating availability and affordability problems, which also impacts homelessness, they said.

So the zoning reform that passed late Monday night made code changes intending to remove barriers for the creation of affordable housing, in addition to comprehensive definition and permitted use changes.

Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds and Councilman Luke Priddy voted against the 58-page ordinance. The complex and far-reaching series of changes met with some support from community leaders, and some opposition from homeowners.

Of the 22 people who spoke during the 65-minute public hearing, more than half expressed opposition. They listed increased housing density, unchecked slum lords, infrequent code enforcement, possible impacts to housing prices, and cramped street parking among their concerns.

But some citizens and leaders from homelessness assistance organizations said the changes could help people who are currently living on the streets.

Deputy Director of Planning, Building and Development Jillian Papa Moore said the zoning reform for complete neighborhoods is the most impactful work of her 20-year career.

This is a really exciting topic for us planners, she said. And also for our community and what it means for the city of Roanoke.

While the zoning changes wont become apparent overnight, or even perhaps within a year or more, it should help over the long term, working in addition to other, more immediate city efforts on housing issues, planners said.

Roanoke has an opportunity to show leadership on the issue of zoning reform throughout the Commonwealth, said Katharine Gray, land use and urban design planner.

A few other Virginia localities have altered their zoning laws, but none as far west as Roanoke. Alexandria, Arlington County and Charlottesville have enacted zoning reforms of their own, planners said.

The changes approved Monday night are part of a planning process included with the creation of the citys 20-year plan in 2020, and developed over the years since, planners said.

Housing studies have demonstrated the acute need for more units in Roanoke, and this is one of several approaches the city is trying, said Zoning Administrator Phillip Moore.

We really poured a lot of time and thought into these proposals, Moore said.

But some city council members wanted to spend more time. Before the 5-2 vote to approve the zoning changes, Moon Reynolds motioned to table the discussion until April.

Doing so will demonstrate a commitment to thorough decision-making, Moon Reynolds said.

But that motion failed with only support from Priddy, who led a long question session that started late into the meeting. He spent about 10 minutes asking city planners about topics ranging from blight to windmill heights, before Mayor Sherman Lea interrupted.

Is that relevant to what were talking about here? Lea said.

It was almost four hours into the city councils 7 p.m. meeting, after extended remarks from Moon Reynolds, Councilman Peter Volosin and Vice Mayor Joe Cobb. Already by then, City Attorney Tim Spencer had reminded the council that it is legally required to vote on continuing the meeting later than 11 p.m.

Priddy went 10 more minutes talking about small details of the zoning reform package. At last, there was one more thing Priddy wanted to ask, and the clerk will hate me for it, he said.

I would ask that those whereas statements be read, Priddy said. Before we take our vote.

Priddy was effectively asking the city clerk to read most of the 58-page zoning reform ordinance, an act usually reserved for shorter declarations celebrating honorees, not wordier policy changes.

The unusual inquiry set off Mayor Sherman Lea.

This is a delay tactic. I dont know why we have to go through this every time. These questions could have been answered, Lea said. I dont know why we get out here in front of a crowd and throw questions out.

Lea said to stick to the facts. He said the council needed to make a decision, not punt for later.

This is an omnibus piece of legislation, Priddy said. We have a major piece of legislation, and I do want to make sure if something goes through, that the public is comfortable.

Lea said the city planners arent going anywhere. He said council members should be more prepared before meetings.

If you come in this building like I do three or four times a week, we see them, Lea said. We can ask them questions.

Agreeing with Lea, Councilwoman Trish White-Boyd said she called the planning staff and asked them questions prior to the meeting.

You can actually pick up the phone and reach out to them, White-Boyd said. Thats why I have a lot of my questions already answered.

The council members who did vote in favor of passing the zoning reforms, including Councilwoman Vivian Sanchez-Jones, each said they wanted to hear periodic staff reports on the policies impacts, to make sure any citizen concerns do not become problems.

Thats it, Sanchez-Jones said. Short and sweet.

After a unanimous vote to proceed later than its scheduled time, the meeting adjourned at 11:02 p.m.
A vehicle fire that spread into the woods on Twelve OClock Knob in Roanoke County Monday afternoon continued to burn overnight and grew to 75 acres.

A county-wide burn ban is now in effect. Other localities are also issuing bans, including the city of Roanoke, which announced Tuesday its ban will last until at least Saturday.

The National Weather Service in Blacksburg issued a fire danger statement for the region from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to a social media post.

The combination of dry fuels, relative humidity below 30 percent, and winds gusting at times 25 mph to locally 40 mph will increase the danger of any fires quickly spreading out of control, the post read.

The weather service encourages residents to use extra caution if handling open flames, dispose of smoking materials in appropriate containers and check with local authorities before burning.

The Roanoke County Fire Marshals Office issued a burn ban for the locality Tuesday afternoon. The Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department said in a social media post that, due to the weather, a ban on all open burning, including recreational fires, would run through Thursday.

Normal operations will resume on Friday, March 22, at 4 p.m., the post read.

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, 80% of the fire on Twelve OClock Knob had been contained, the department reported in a previous post. A later post said that section of Twelve OClock Knob Road closest to the brush fire would remain closed until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday as crews continued to work.

Crews with the county and the Virginia Department of Forestry remained on the scene throughout the night to perform backfire operations, the departments post said. Lines were cut into the dirt around part of the fire by hand and by bulldozer. The department protected two structures from the fire, but there was no immediate threat to any homes in the area.

The brush fire was the second reported in the county in two days. Crews responded Sunday afternoon to a brush fire off of Keffer Road in the Catawba area. The department said Tuesday morning that that fire was 100% contained and had reached about 14 acres.
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Say you work at a fast food restaurant or coffee shop that bears the name of a national chain. Under California law, youre entitled to be paid at least $20 an hour starting Monday.
US defense chief vows continued aid to Ukraine, even as Congress is stalled on funding bill

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vows the U.S. will continue to support Ukraines war effort against Russia, even as the U.S. Congress remains stalled over funding for additional weapons
CAIRO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- At least four people were killed and seven others injured on Tuesday in a fire at an addiction treatment hospital in Ismailia, a city in northeastern Egypt, according to a medical source.

Civil protection forces managed to put off the fire, and ambulances transferred the wounded to the Suez Canal University Hospital, the source told Xinhua.

An initial probe was launched to investigate the main reasons for the fire.

The source added that the wounded suffered different degrees of burns, with two of them in serious condition. 
FLORENCE, S.C.  Francis Marion University honored five distinguished alumni at its annual Alumni Awards Ceremony March 7 at the FMU Performing Arts Center.

Shirley Bausmith (91, 94) was recognized as the universitys 2024 Outstanding Alumnus. Bausmith received her undergraduate degree in elementary education from FMU in 1991 and a master of education with an add-on certification in learning disabilities in 1994. In December 2000, she received her Ph.D. in special education from the University of South Carolina. She joined the faculty of Francis Marion in 2003 as an assistant professor in the School of Education. During her tenure at the university, she served as coordinator of the Learning Disabilities Program, center director for Project CREATE, and dean of the School of Education. She retired as dean in 2017. Bausmith is actively involved on the FMU Alumni Advisory Board and the Past Presidents Alumni Board.

DB5A9588.jpg From left are Tyler Pate, whose brother Jay accepted the award on his behalf, Dr. Philip Fulmer, John Odorisio, Dr. Harrell Docherty and Dr. S

Tyler Pate (14) received the Benjamin Wall Ingram III Young Alumnus Award. Pates artistic talents flourished at Francis Marion University, where he earned a bachelors degree in visual communication with a minor in art history. Today, he resides in Los Angeles, where he works as a full-time art director, developing and creating consumer product applications for beloved Nickelodeon properties such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Garfield.

Lowry named dean of FMUs School of Education FLORENCE, S.C. -- Francis Marion University has named Dr. Erik Lowry, a highly respected educator, as the dean of its School of Education. Lowry has been a faculty member at FMU since 2012.

Philip Fulmer (89) was awarded the Professional Industry Award in Natural & Behavioral Sciences. Fulmer completed an undergraduate degree in health physics from Francis Marion before continuing to Texas A&M University on a full fellowship. After many years working for a consulting firm, Fulmer and his wife returned to the Pee Dee region to pastor a church in Marion. Fulmer began teaching part time for FMU in 2002, and eventually became a full-time professor of physics.

John Odorisio (83) received the Professional Industry Award in Business & Industry. Odorisio graduated from FMU with a degree in business administration, and went on to earn his masters in business administration with a minor in international business from Chicagos St. Xavier University in 1999. In 2021, he concluded a 37-year career with Manheim Automobile Auctions, a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., Atlanta. Odorisio served the industry over the years in various committees and had the distinctive honor of being named president of both the Midwest and Eastern Zones for the National Automobile Auction Association.

FMU to open to public fishing, trails at ecology center FLORENCE, S.C. -- Those in and around Florence who enjoy the great outdoors will soon have a new option.

Dr. Harrell Docherty (89) was awarded the Professional Industry Award in Medical & Health Sciences. Docherty graduated from FMU with a degree in biology. He later went on to graduate from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston with a doctor of medicine degree. Docherty completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Tennessee-Memphis. Since 2016, the Dochertys have been involved with Kidz Konnect 4 Jesus ministry in Belize, participating in medical missions. Every three months, the couple travels to help provide medicine, medical care and ministry to the people in the Stann Creek district of Belize.

Editors note: The Morning News published an incorrect version of this story previously.
Segmented into two different phases, the pop-up kicks off with the "House of CIMB x ShopBack", aimed at revolutionising retail experiences.

Visitors stand a chance to win giveaways.

Leveraging emerging technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), visitors get to participate in scavenger hunts and find vouchers.

SINGAPORE, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CIMB Singapore proudly announces the launch of the CIMB pop-up, a two-phased immersive escapade aimed at providing Singaporeans a differentiated, fun and interactive experience in the heart of the city.

Launch of House of CIMB x ShopBack outside Mandarin Gallery, at Orchard Road. (Photo credit - CIMB Singapore)

Take part in the AR scavenger hunt to find surprises and unique vouchers (Photo credit - CIMB Singapore)

CIMB Singapore CEO, Victor Lee, at the launch of the House of CIMB x ShopBack (Photo credit - CIMB Singapore)

The unique pop-up experience is set to blend physical and virtual environment to create a truly phygital[1] experience. Located at Orchard Road, in front of Mandarin Gallery, the first phase of the pop-up, which features a deals extravaganza with over S$100,000* worth of giveaways, will run from 16 to 31 March 2024 (11am to 9pm daily). The second phase, which advocates three pillars of wellness  physical, mental/spiritual, and financial  will open from 6 to 21 April 2024 (11am to 9pm daily).

ADVERTISEMENT

"We continuously seek out partnerships to be part of CIMB's ecosystem to deliver a comprehensive banking experience for our customers while empowering them with the skills and knowledge to take charge of their financial well-being. By partnering with ShopBack, we aim to offer exclusive rewards and special deals with a variety of merchant options that our customers can enjoy when they visit the pop-up." said CEO of CIMB Singapore, Victor Lee.

Offering Differentiated Experiences with Two Phases:

16  31 March 2024: "House of CIMB x ShopBack"

The "House of CIMB x ShopBack" brings together leading retail brands like Pelago by Singapore Airlines, Samsung, LOOKFANTASTIC, Myprotein, and Under Armour, to offer shoppers a suite of captivating and animated "rooms" with enticing promotions and exclusive deals.

In addition, this immersive event features an AR scavenger hunt, allowing visitors to explore the pop-up booth to hunt for gift boxes, revealing surprises and unique vouchers.

Story continues

Participants can look forward to over S$100,000* worth of giveaways, including a S$1,000 Shopping Spree in the House's Social Contest Giveaway, a Live Auction featuring coveted items, S$1 deals from top brands, a Lucky Draw with Samsung S24s, 100% cashback (capped at S$150) by Pelago by Singapore Airlines, and more to be won.

New customers who apply for a CIMB Credit Card onsite will receive S$250* ShopBack Reward Code. Be the first eligible applicant at 12pm daily and receive an additional S$100* Fairmont Singapore & Swissotel The Stamford voucher. Additionally, linking and spending with CIMB Credit Cards on ShopBack offers up to S$120* cashback.

ShopBack envisions the pop-up as a sequel to the record-high eCommerce shopping trips made through its application last year, with almost double year-on-year growth for select categories.

"We're proud to announce our first 2024 online-to-offline partnership with CIMB Singapore, marking a significant step towards integrated, omni-channel consumerism," said Fern Nannaphat, General Manager of ShopBack Singapore. "This initiative underscores our commitment to being at the forefront of the exciting retail transformation; to empower customers to optimise their spendings into savings with our unique, stackable cashback offerings."

6  21 April 2024: CIMB presents the Wellness Hub

The second phase of the campaign, happening from 6 to 21 April 2024, is set to introduce a wellness hub designed to enhance physical, mental, and financial wellbeing, promoting a lifestyle centered around wellness.

Visitors can look forward to deepening their financial knowledge through informative sharing sessions, experiencing meditation through VR technology which allows them to foster resilience and self-discovery, and participating in immersive exercises such as thematic spin classes while surrounded by visuals projected on the walls, and photo opportunity with a rare bicycle.

Media Factsheet  List of Activities

Room Partner Activity Lobby CIMB Check-in at the CIMB Lobby

Register and kickstart your Augmented Reality Scavenger Hunt! Find all 6 'Octos' to unlock a secret voucher link to purchase a S$1 voucher on ShopBack app, and enter the Lucky Draw. Stand to win up to S$10,000* worth of giveaways. Powder Room LOOKFANTASTIC Snap selfies at the LOOKFANTASTIC Powder Room

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About CIMB Bank

CIMB is one of ASEAN's leading banking groups and Malaysia's second largest financial services provider, by assets. Listed on Bursa Malaysia via CIMB Group Holdings Berhad, it had a market capitalisation of approximately RM62.4 billion as of 31 December 2023. It offers consumer banking, commercial banking, wholesale banking, transaction banking, Islamic banking and asset management products and services. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, the Group is present in eight ASEAN nations (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Philippines).

Beyond ASEAN, the Group has market presence in mainland China, Hong Kong and UK. CIMB has one of the most extensive retail branch networks in ASEAN with 601 branches and around 33,000 employees as at 31 December 2023. CIMB's investment banking arm is one of the largest Asia Pacific-based investment banks, which together with its award-winning treasury & markets and corporate banking units comprise the Group's leading wholesale banking franchise. CIMB is also the 92.5% shareholder of Bank CIMB Niaga in Indonesia, and 94.8% shareholder of CIMB Thai in Thailand.

Located in ASEAN's global financial gateway, Singapore is one of our most important markets with approximately 1,000 employees serving over 500,000 customers. CIMB Singapore services include:

Banking products and services

Treasury products and services

Investment banking

Asset management

About ShopBack

The ShopBack Group is Asia-Pacific's leading shopping, rewards, and payments platform, serving over 40 million shoppers across 11 markets. In 2023, the Group expanded its offerings into Germany, signaling its entry into the European market.

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Visitors look at an oil painting entitled "Paul on a donkey" during the official unveiling of a new exhibition of works by Pablo Picasso at Malaga's Picasso Museum. (CRISTINA QUICLER)

The Picasso Museum in Malaga, the southern Spanish city where the artist was born, will open a new exhibition on Tuesday which groups his works according to theme instead of by period.

The show -- which runs until March 2027 -- brings together 141 Pablo Picasso works that the artist kept for himself, including 10 which were never before seen in Spain.

"We have not followed chronology strictly. We do begin with the very early work of Picasso and we end with the last work that he created but within that we often are combining works from different decades," said the curator of the exhibition, Michael FitzGerald, a professor of art history at Trinity College in the United States.

"It is a group of works, paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints that represents the entire production of Picasso I hope very accurately. and we particularly emphasised ceramics among them which is a part of Picasso's work that is often not shown and not perhaps taken as seriously as it should."

Museums have traditionally displayed works by Picasso grouped according to his key periods, from blue, pink and cubist to surrealist.

Picasso's great-grandson, Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, said combining works of distinct periods and techniques "allow us to link different moments of his life".

Among the works never exhibited before in Spain is a 1922 painting called "Paul" which depicts the artist's son as well as the 1933 sculpture "Femme accoudee" (1933) and a dish decorated with a bull's head from the 1950s.

Opened in 2003 in a 16th century mansion, Malaga's Picasso Museum is located just a couple of hundred metres (yards) from the house where the artist was born in 1881.

Picasso left for Paris in 1904 and most of his adult years were spent in France where he died in 1973. The Picasso Museum in the French capital houses the world's biggest collection of the artist's works.

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The men allegedly involved, identified only as Zhang and Liao, have been charged with fraud after only receiving one $7,200 insurance payout, which will reportedly be seized

Getty Dry ice.

Two Taiwanese men are facing criminal charges after one allegedly urged the other to purposefully freeze his legs to the point of requiring amputations in what authorities characterized as a botched attempt to collect a $1.3 million insurance payout.

The suspects, identified only as Zhang and Liao, both in their 20s, have been charged with fraud, according to a press release shared by the Taiwan Criminal Investigation Bureau on March 14.

Prosecutors said Zhang immersed his feet in a bucket of dry ice for around 10 hours, which resulted in frostbite and required both legs to be amputated, Business Insider and Taiwan News reports.

Liao allegedly told Zhang that gang members were after him, persuading him to file a false insurance claim, Taiwan News reports, citing authorities.

According to the release, which is translated from Mandarin, Zhang said he suffered frostbite while riding a motorcycle with his friend Liao around Taipei on Jan. 26, 2023. Prosecutors alleged that he applied for life insurance, travel insurance and accident insurance in the days before the incident. The insurance policies totaled $1.3 million.

The pair then went back to Liao's home where the foot soaking took place, Taiwan News reports. After the foot soaking, Zhang was taken to a local hospital, where medical staff believed that his injuries were manufactured, prosecutors said. The medical staff said that while his feet had frostbite, there were no socks or shoe marks'' and that the injuries were neat and symmetrical, the release states.

Prosecutors added in the release that the temperature that day was between 42 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, which is nowhere near the temperature (32 degrees Fahrenheit) that would cause frostbite.

Taiwan is a subtropical region, and cases of severe frostbite requiring amputation due to natural climate factors in the flatlands are unheard of, the release states.

Story continues

While Zhangs legs were amputated below the calf, the case was reported to local authorities, according to the release. During the investigation, authorities seized a dry ice white styrofoam box, a plastic bucket believed to have been used by Zhang, insurance documents, and electronic devices, prosecutors said. The pair were subsequently arrested on Jan. 14, Business Insider reports.

Prosecutors said in the release that Liao suffered losses from trading cryptocurrency and tricked Zhang into signing a promissory note ordering him to pay nearly $800,000.

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According to Taiwan News, authorities said that Zhang received one $7,200 insurance payout, but the money will be seized. The other claims filed following the incident were apparently canceled by the insurance providers due to the short time between getting the policies and filing them, the outlet reported.

Its unclear if the suspects have entered pleas or retained attorneys to speak on their behalf.



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According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Buescher admitted he was involved in the sale of at least 20 pounds of methamphetamine in the Rock Valley area from April 2022 through January 2023. He obtained the meth about every 10 days from a source in Colorado to sell in Iowa.
SIOUX CITY -- A Mexican man who had illegally re-entered the United States has pleaded guilty of selling methamphetamine in Sioux City.

Juan Cardona-Tinajero, 34, of Guadalajara, Mexico, entered his plea Friday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and illegal re-entry.

He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum of life in prison on the drug charges and up to 20 years in prison on the immigration charge. A sentencing date has yet to be set.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Cardona-Tinajero and others sold at least 18 pounds of meth in the Sioux City area from January 2023 through Sept. 22. Cardona-Tinajero was caught receiving approximately 9 pounds of meth by mail and had previously received meth via mail from a source in California.

Cardona-Tinajero was deported from the United States in August 2014 after a felony conviction.
IDA GROVE, Iowa -- A Galva, Iowa, man was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years in prison for fatally stabbing his brother.

Ida County jurors found Jesus Diaz, 26, guilty in January of second-degree murder for the Nov. 13, 2022, death of 26-year-old Eduardo Diaz III.

Jesus Diaz had been charged with first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison without parole. Jurors found him guilty of the lesser second-degree murder charge, which carries the mandatory 50-year prison sentence. He must serve 35 years before he's eligible for parole.

He also must pay $150,000 restitution to his brother's estate.

Ida County Sheriff's deputies responded to a call about a fight in progress on Main Street in Galva at about 7:30 p.m. the night of the stabbing. Deputies found Eduardo Diaz lying on a sidewalk in the 200 block of South Main Street, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to court documents, the brothers were fighting outside Jesus Diaz' home at that address when Jesus Diaz stabbed his brother multiple times in his chest and abdomen.

Witnesses told investigators they saw Jesus Diaz punching and kicking his brother's unresponsive body before crossing the street, then returning and resuming beating the body.

Jesus Diaz was seen placing items in his Cadillac after the stabbing, and investigators searching the car found a bloody knife in the rear seat.

Jesus Diaz was treated at Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove for non-life-threatening injuries before he was jailed.
SIOUX CITY  During Monday's Sioux City Council meeting, several residents spoke out against the city's suspension of its community inclusion liaison.

According to an internal memo obtained by The Journal, Semehar Ghebrekidan was suspended with pay effective Feb. 21, pending the completion of an investigation concerning "violations of city work rules." Ghebrekidan has been employed with the city since 2021.

"She's suspended. Her supervisor will tell her when it ends. She's been on it 30 days Thursday," said Jim Jung, who serves on the Inclusive Sioux City Advisory Committee, which Ghebrekidan oversees. "No reason is given in this memo why she's at home. So, I'm here to show my support for Semehar."

City staff and council members said little during the exchange, which occurred during the citizen comments portion of the meeting. At one point, when a supporter asked whether she could pose questions to the council, Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr responded, "We're not allowed to answer."

Sioux City resident Trisha Rivers said she's not sure why Ghebrekidan was suspended, but she said she's upset about the suspension and wants answers from the city.

"We are the second-most-diverse county here in the state of Iowa, and we're doing this to a pregnant Black woman. Do none of you care? Bob, do you care?" Rivers said, directing her question at Mayor Bob Scott.

Scott responded by saying that Ghebrekidan has hired an attorney.

"When someone hires an attorney, we don't have the privilege or the opportunity to say anything in the public about that," he said.

City Attorney Nicole DuBois said that personnel matters are confidential and "the city is prohibited from comments."

Mariana Pacheco, a Sioux City resident and educator, said the city has taken "cruel measures" against Ghebrekidan, "whose role is centered around fostering a more inclusive workplace."

"It is a shame that instead of acknowledging Semehar's valuable contributions to the community, your perspective is blinded by animosity, leading to cruel measures, such as unwarranted and unlawful house arrest upon a pregnant woman who you all know is at high-risk," Pacheco said.

The memo states that during Ghebrekidan's suspension, her residence essentially becomes her assigned work area.

"If you want to be absent from your residence for any reason other than a lunch period, you must contact your supervisor in advance and obtain the appropriate authorization. If you want to leave town at any time during this time period, you need to contact your supervisor in advance and obtain the appropriate authorization. If approved, your timecard will reflect the use of sick leave."

Gjilan mayor visits Sioux City (copy) Alban Hyseni, mayor of Gjilan, Kosovo, talks about his experience visiting Sioux City with Community Inclusion Liaison Semehar Ghebrekidan, ri

The memo goes on say that Ghebrekidan must contact her supervisor if she needs to go to a medical appointment or pharmacy, or schedule a medical treatment.

"You must contact your supervisor in advance (where practicable) for authorization. If approved, your timecard will reflect the use of sick leave," the memo states.

Ghebrekidan's suspension is in effect until she is notified by her supervisor to return to work, according to the memo.

"You will be notified at the completion of the investigation," the memo states.

Ghebrekidan's husband Logan Arguello told the council there have been "many times" that he wanted to come before the council and express his concerns. He spoke about his wife being put in uncomfortable and even dangerous situations while on the job. But Ghebrekidan asked him to refrain from doing so. Arguello mentioned that Ghebrekidan's performance was "brought up" by Councilman Matthew O'Kane last year and Councilman Alex Watters this year, during city budget sessions.

"It seems that the city only appreciates my wife when it's easy and it makes you look good. As soon as it is uncomfortable, you lash out and hurt her. I didn't say anything, because my wife handled all of these incidents and more without any support," he said. "But I do have to say something about what you did to her almost four weeks ago. You put my wife on suspension for doing her job, which is calling out social injustices at the City of Sioux City."

Ike Rayford, the president of Sioux City's chapter of the NAACP, said the community inclusion liaison is "very important" to the community, as well as the NAACP. He described the city's internal memo as "vague" and said, "It really made no sense."

"We are concerned. We would love to know what needs to happen and what we can do to ensure that (Ghebrekidan) is protected. I believe that she has done the job she was hired to do," he said.

Ghebrekidan worked in a variety of diversity, equity and inclusion positions throughout her time in college. Before coming to work for the City of Sioux City, she was employed as an HIV case manager at Siouxland Community Health Center.

Last March, Ghebrekidan was honored during the 38th annual Women of Excellence Awards ceremony with the award for "Women Striving to Improve the Quality of Life." Then, in November, Ghebrekidan launched a campaign for a vacated Sioux City school board seat. She ultimately lost the election to Dan Greenwell, who is currently serving the two-year term on the board.
SIOUX CITY  The Sioux City Council unanimously voted Monday to approve the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method for the first phase of the rebuild of the city's aging wastewater treatment plant.

The council chose CMAR over Design-Bid-Build, the traditional method of delivery for construction projects -- design, publicly advertise, contractors bid, the lowest bid is selected.

Although CMAR has only been authorized for water and wastewater projects in Iowa since July 2022, it has been used in other states for the past 20 years.

CMAR presents potential financial benefits through early contractor involvement, value engineering and risk mitigation strategies. CMAR's upfront costs may appear higher, but it has the potential to reduce change orders, project delays and overall construction expenses.

"I want to remind everyone that the advisory committee recommended approval of the Construction Manager at Risk delivery method," Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore said before the vote.

A 25-person wastewater treatment plant reconstruction and design advisory committee was established to provide citizens, businesses and industries a voice as the design of the wastewater treatment plant progresses. The committee's role is to provide insights into the needs of the plant's various users to ensure that the reconstruction is designed to meet the needs of all users now and in the future in the most economical manner.

Sioux City wastewater treatment plant (copy) (copy) The Sioux City wastewater treatment plant is shown in this 2022 file photo.

During the council's March 11 meeting, Hazen and Sawyer, a Minneapolis environmental engineering firm hired by the city, advised that CMAR "is likely going to be the most attractive way to go."

"Proposing to do phase one as one large contract gives the city an economy of scale, which means you're going to have larger, more national contractors focused on bidding this project in order to achieve that economy of scale. And you're just, frankly, likely to get a lot more bids, better bids by going the CMAR route, we feel, in this particular project," said Hazen and Sawyer's Gary Haubner, who is the project director for the wastewater treatment plant improvement project.

During Monday's meeting, Councilman Alex Watters said he wants the city to "err on the side of local labor" when it comes to this project.

"I think that sometimes we get these larger jobs and different things are outsourced or brought in different companies. Obviously, I understand a project of this scale is going to require a company of a larger scale that might not be exactly right here in Sioux City," he said. "But I think that a lot of different work can be done with the labor that we have right here. I think we have a lot of great men and women that are ready to get to work on a project like this."

Last year, the council, in spite of objections from the business community, approved a residential, commercial and industrial sewer rate hike to help fund a projected $470 million three-phase rebuild of the plant, 3100 S. Lewis Blvd. The council has committed to the first two phases of the project, which consist of rebuilding the plant at its current location and also slightly increasing the plant's capacity, which the Iowa DNR is requiring.

The plant poses significant safety issues for city staff and has a history of compliance issues with the state. In January 2022, the DNR filed suit against the city over alleged repeated environmental violations at the plant, which dated back to March 2012. The city faces fines adding up to millions of dollars.

The first phase will address all safety and reliability issues associated with the liquids stream treatment process, along with odor control at York, Floyd and Riverside lift stations. The second phase will address reliability issues with the solids handling processes. In FY 2025, $300 million in is being requested for construction and $12 million for odor control. The funding source for the $312 million is sewer Iowa revolving loan proceeds.
DOHA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Qatar takes a "cautiously optimistic" stance on Gaza ceasefire talks, said the Qatari Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.

Israel's Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea, who arrived in Doha on Monday for a new round of talks, has already left the city. However, talks will continue between technical teams, said the ministry's spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari at a media briefing.

"The negotiations are ongoing, and what gives us optimism right now is that we resume the negotiations in such a process," he said, adding that it's still too early to announce any success.

Al-Ansari also cautioned against the risk of an Israeli attack on Rafah, saying any operation in the southernmost city of the Gaza Strip would bring disaster.

"Our position is very clear. Any operation in Rafah will bring a humanitarian catastrophe, and therefore any escalation on the ground has its bearing on the talks," he said. 
WASHINGTON  A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out.

The Biden administration is suing to strike down the measure, arguing its a clear violation of federal authority that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law.

The law allows any police officer in Texas to arrest migrants for illegal entry. A judge could then order them to leave the U.S. Texas has argued it has a right to take action over what Texas authorities have called a crisis at the southern border.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Gov. Greg Abbott has described the situation at the border as an invasion of migrants.

Read more:
DES MOINES  Iowa Senate lawmakers advanced, for the second time, a bill that would protect chemical manufacturers from lawsuits over failure to warn consumers about potential adverse health effects.

The bill, Senate Study Bill 3188, was supported by Bayer, the manufacturer of the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup. Bayer has been hit by lawsuits from individuals claiming it failed to warn consumers of the potential health risks of Roundup.

The company has won some lawsuits against individuals alleging Roundup caused their cancer, but in other cases it has been found liable. Bayer spent more than $10 billion settling most pending claims in 2020.

Under the bill, pesticide manufacturers could not be held liable for failing to warn consumers about adverse health effects in a way that exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency labeling requirements. The bill stipulates that the immunity would not apply to Chinese state-owned companies, singling out the massive agriculture and chemical company Syngenta.

The bill was advanced by the two Republicans on a three-member subcommittee on Monday. It is eligible for a hearing in the full Senate Appropriations Committee.

Bayer purchased Roundup maker Monsanto in 2018. The company has multiple crop science plants in Iowa, including a plant in Muscatine that manufactures Roundup.

Lobbyists for Bayer and major farm groups supported the bill and told lawmakers on Monday it would prevent unfounded lawsuits against the company that creates a vital tool for farmers.

Brad Epperly, a lobbyist for Bayer, said existing law and EPA regulations prevented Bayer from providing warnings that exceeded EPA requirements. He said complying with EPA rules satisfied the companys duty to warn.

We are not in a position where we can make that kind of warning, he said. Theres no regulatory body in the entire world who finds this carcinogenic.

Debate over Roundup health risk

Bayer has said it will seek a U.S. Supreme Court ruling to determine whether state-level duty-to-warn claims are preempted by federal law. A federal appeals court in February decided that those claims can be considered and allowed a lawsuit to go forward.

Glyphosate-based herbicides like Roundup have received significant scrutiny over health claims. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic and has determined there are no risks of concern to human health, but a U.S. appeals court in 2022 vacated those findings for procedural reasons and required the agency to reconsider.

A World Health Organization cancer agency found glyphosate in 2015 to be probably carcinogenic to humans, but European Union regulators have found that there was not sufficient evidence for that categorization.

Environmental groups and some individuals objected to the bill, saying it would take away the ability of farmers to seek compensation when a company sells dangerous chemicals without proper warning.

Alicia Vasto, the water program director for the Iowa Environmental Council, said that there had been other chemicals approved by the EPA that were later found to be dangerous.

This bill would prevent Iowa farmers and rural residents from seeking justice in the future, Vasto said. Time and time again, research has uncovered the dangers of pesticide after the EPA has declared a product safe for use.

Bill would exempt Chinese-owned companies from immunity

A similar bill made it partway through the lawmaking process this year before failing to pass out of either chamber before a deadline. The new bill adds the language exempting Chinese-owned companies from immunity.

A lobbyist for Syngenta, which is owned by the Chinese state-owned enterprise ChemChina, called the bill discriminatory. Kellie Paschke, representing Iowa trial lawyers, said the provision might be unconstitutional.

Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, who is a farmer, said he was concerned that if Bayer received too many punitive court rulings related to Roundup farmers could lose access to the product. Costello said consumers could still sue the company over specific harms, just not over a duty to warn.

If they find out they've been lying to us or misrepresenting things, or if it ends up that it really is dangerous, and it's proven, then they can still sue under this statute, he said.

Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, declined to advance the bill. He said he thought there was evidence that Roundup contributed to instances of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and other cancers.

I think the label should say some kind of warning that this could affect your health, he said.

Counties with the most farmland in Iowa Counties with the most farmland in Iowa #25. O'Brien #24. Lyon #23. Calhoun #22. Pocahontas #21. Buena Vista #20. Wright #19. Greene #18. Grundy #17. Monona #16. Carroll #15. Ringgold #14. Shelby #13. Winneshiek #12. Clinton #11. Harrison #10. Jasper #9. Fayette #8. Tama #7. Webster #6. Benton #5. Crawford #4. Sioux #3. Woodbury #2. Plymouth #1. Kossuth
A federal appeals court late Tuesday issued an order that again prevents Texas from arresting migrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally, hours after the Supreme Court allowed the strict new immigration law to take effect.

The decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes weeks after a panel on the same court cleared the way for Texas to enforce the law by putting a pause on a lower judges injunction.

But by a 2-1 order, a panel of the appeals court lifted that pause ahead of arguments before the court on Wednesday.

Texas authorities had not announced any arrests made under the law.

Earlier Tuesday a divided Supreme Court had allowed Texas to begin enforcing a law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally as the legal battle over the measure played out.

The conservative majority order rejected an emergency application from the Biden administration, which says the law is a clear violation of federal authority that would cause chaos in immigration law.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had praised the order clearing the way for the law that allows any police officer in Texas to arrest migrants for illegal entry and authorizes judges to order them to leave the U.S.

The high court didn't address whether the law is constitutional. The measure was sent to the appellate court, which made the late Tuesday ruling.

It was also unclear where any migrants ordered to leave might go if the law is ultimately allowed. It calls for them to be sent to ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border, even if they are not Mexican citizens.

But Mexicos government said Tuesday it would not "under any circumstances" accept the return of any migrants to its territory from the state of Texas. Mexico is not required to accept deportations of anyone except Mexican citizens.

The Department of Homeland Security said the federal government would also continue the court challenge to the law that will further complicate the job of its already strained workforce. The agency won't assist in any efforts to enforce the law known as Senate Bill 4.

The Supreme Court's majority did not write a detailed opinion in the case, as is typical in emergency appeals. But the decision to let the law go into effect drew dissents from liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.

The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos, Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent joined by Jackson.

The law is considered by opponents to be the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. Critics have also said the Texas law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the law harmful and unconstitutional and said it would burden law enforcement while creating confusion. She called on congressional Republicans to settle the issue with a federal border security bill.

Texas, for its part, has argued it has a right to take action over what authorities have called an ongoing crisis at the southern border. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in a statement it is prepared to handle any influx" in the state's detainee population associated with the state law.

Sheriffs offices have been preparing for the implementation of Senate Bill 4 since the states legislative session last year, said Skylor Hearn, executive director of the Sheriffs Association of Texas.

The law allows police in counties bordering Mexico to make arrests if they see someone crossing illegally, he said. It could also be enforced elsewhere in Texas if someone is arrested on suspicion of another violation and a fingerprint taken during jail booking links them to a suspected re-entry violation. It likely would not come into play during a routine traffic stop, he said.

I dont think you will see anything ultimately different, Hearn said.

Arrests for illegal crossings along the southern border hit record highs in December but fell by half in January, a shift attributed to seasonal declines and heightened enforcement. The federal government has not yet released numbers for February.

Some Texas officials sounded a cautious note.

A lot of the local police chiefs here, we dont believe it will survive a constitutional challenge. ... We have no training whatsoever to determine whether an individual is here in this country, legally, said Sheriff Eddie Guerra of Hidalgo County. He serves as president of the Southwestern Border Sheriffs Coalition representing 31 border counties from Texas to California.

Conservative Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett suggested her vote in favor of Texas stemmed from the technicalities of the appeals process rather than agreement with the state on the substance of the law.

So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter  or not enter  an administrative stay. I would not get into the business. When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal, she wrote in a concurring opinion joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Abbotts efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.

The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the show me your papers bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

___

Associated Press writers Mark Sherman and Rebecca Santana in Washington, Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas, and Chris Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
When Judith Butler was serving as my dissertation adviser at the University of California in the late 1990s, they did not yet go by they. No one in my circle did, and at the time that circle included one of the most forward-thinking spaces in the world when it came to matters of gender: Butlers dissertation seminar, which met every two weeks so that each of their advisees could present work in progress to the group.

I had never taken an actual class with Judith, who arrived at Berkeley just as I was finishing up my coursework. A few years before, just after my Ph.D.-qualifying oral exam, I had been, in academic terms, deserted at the altar: The professor I had considered my chief ally in the department abruptly, and without explanation, made it clear she would neither advise my dissertation nor recommend me to any of her colleagues. She was one of those professors (the unethical ones, I now realize) who divide their students into an in-group and an out-group, and whatever the cause, I was now on the outs.

I dropped out for a few years, working an office job in San Francisco to save up money for a self-funded year of study abroad. When I came back to Berkeley to finish my degree, the corridors of Dwinelle Hall, where both my department (comparative literature) and Judiths (rhetoric) were housed, suddenly felt impenetrably unwelcoming. What professor who had never even taught me would be willing to take on my weird interdisciplinary thesis topic? I began awkwardly introducing myself to faculty members I hadnt interacted with before, flailingly outlining my half-formed idea.

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Whether out of interest in the project or just as an act of mercy, Judith agreed to be my adviser. As I would learn over the next few years, they were not only a committed educator but a savvy academic ally, the exact opposite of that professor who had hung me out to dry after my exams. Butler understood the advisers role as a crucial cog in the bureaucracy, helping their advisees land fellowships, degrees, and eventually jobs. To that end, they offered me the kindness of welcoming me into their dissertation group, a room full of scarily brilliant (and a few just plain scary) people. Butlers work by then extended well beyond the subject matter that had made Gender Trouble so influential and controversial when it came out in 1990. That book, Butlers second, introduced the then-radical notion that gender could be better understood as a socially constructed performance than as a stable biological fact. It was a star-making book, one of those rare academic-press publications that cross over into the mainstream conversation: Whether you read it or not, if you were interested in feminism and queerness in the 1990s, its certain you encountered its argument out in the wild.

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Because Judith Butler had become a star, even those who never seriously engaged with their work often had an opinion about them. For a few years, the conservative-leaning journal Philosophy and Literature ran an annual Bad Writing Contest to mock the alleged obscurantism of contemporary humanities scholars (though every awardee just so happened to work on questions related to leftist politics). When Judith won the award in 1999, they published a response in the New York Times that to this day remains a model for how to casually shred someone elses specious argument using steel-trap logic and a sense of humor. (Im still waiting for my check! Butler observed in acknowledging their recent prize.) The editor of Philosophy and Literature, Denis Dutton, never gave out the Bad Writing prize again, demonstrating the efficacy of a bit of advice I recall Judith giving advisees: Always refuse to frame the debate in the terms your opponent has set. It was not only Butlers writing on gender that offered an alternative to the zero-sum logic of the binary; that insistence on reframing the question was at the heart of their pedagogical method, and maybe the greatest gift they gave me as a teacher.

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Thirty-four years and at least a dozen books after Gender Trouble (on their own and co-written with other scholars, covering subjects from hate speech to post-9/11 global politics to Zionist nationalism to the COVID-19 pandemic), Butler is publishing their first book with a nonacademic press. Whos Afraid of Gender?, out this month from Farrar, Straus and Giroux, is not the simplified, popularized reworking of their early writings on the topic you might expect. Nor is it a polemic in the tradition of Gender Trouble. Instead, its an analysis of contemporary political and cultural battles over the very topics that Butlers early work brought into wider public discussion: the mutability and potential for radical social change that are contained in the category of gender, along with the right of women and all queer, gender-nonconforming, and trans people to live freely and safely in the world.

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So who is afraid of gender? Many, many institutional and governmental entities, not to mention activist groups both online and off, are now staging a mass moral panic about a phantasmatic cluster of anxieties related to gender and sexuality: queer and trans rights, feminism, abortion, contraception, reproductive technology, book banning. These issues, Butler demonstrates, can all be seen as parts of one very large and urgent problem: the global rise of authoritarianism. Donald Trump, Hungarys Viktor Orban, Italys Giorgia Meloni, Brazils Jair Bolsonaroright-wing leaders and religious organizations from around the world are all busy stoking the same fearful rhetoric around the same handful of reliably incendiary issues. Any consumer of right-wing media is dosed many times per hour with news about their children being groomed by secret networks of left-wing pedophiles, or the imminent threat posed by imaginary gender pirates whose demand for basic bodily autonomy somehow imperils the sexual self-definition and even the continued existence of heteronormative cis people.

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As statistics persistently show, the reverse is true: Its women and LGBTQ+ people, especially those of color, who are far more likely to be the targets of workplace discrimination, online and street harassment, sexual violence, and murder. The projection of ones own desire to oppress onto the target of that persecution is the kind of psychosocial phenomenon Butler excels at spotting in the wild, and at dismantling with the swiftness of a hunter field-dressing their prey. They want to quash critical thought in the name of doctrine, Butler writes after a discussion of Ron DeSantis attempt to institute a Dont Say Gay policy in public schools, and, by way of an inadvertently confessional projection, assume that their adversaries want the same.

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Gender is taking over, conservatives tell us. It is endangering the purity of the body politic. Butler notes how the right wing employs the language of migration to characterize gender as a force invading from below, transgressing its proper boundaries. Yet conservatives are also happy to replace that language with the image of gender activists as colonizing elites, bent on imposing their corrupt urban values on traditional rural cultures. The cognitive fog induced by letting these side-by-side contradictions stand unremarked upon is part of the point of such rhetoric. In the right-wing imagination, gender is nowhere and everywhere at once, an all-purpose wedge issue that Butler describes as a diabolical category. It can be spun so as to encompass every horror from Orwellian totalitarianism to lawless anarchy and also, somehow, both at the same time. The same kind of free-floating demonization has been used against Butler in their personal life, as they note in a rare autobiographical passage in the books acknowledgments. As their work has been translated and published around the globe, they and their longtime partner, the political theorist Wendy Brown, have been accused by fundamentalist groups of a chaotic and lurid cluster of sexual crimes; during a 2017 visit to a conference in Brazil, Butler was burned in effigy and denounced as a witch.

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The intersection of psychic and political territory is nowhere better exploredor Butlers refusal to cede the terms of the debate to the oppressors better displayedthan in Butlers chapter on TERFs and the British. You might argue that this authors rhetorical firepower is squandered on opponents with as weak a case to make for themselves as the anti-trans feminist movement that claims several high-profile proponents in the U.K. But Butlers methodical examination of this groups self-contradicting claims sheds welcome light on the way fantasy, paranoia, and scapegoating can supplant rational argument when it comes to the particular issue of trans rights. The chapters highlight is a section on the June 2020 post to J.K. Rowlings website in which the Harry Potter author revealed for the first time the personal history of domestic abuse that, Rowling wrote, provided the origin story for her ongoing support of anti-trans bathroom legislation.

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Butlers response to Rowlings autobiographical revelation is a case study in the value of close reading. They start off by conceding two important points: The online bullying and threats to which Rowling was subjected to were unseemly (I will not condone that kind of behavior, no matter who does it, Butler writes) and the abuse she suffered at her first husbands hands was horrific. But Butlers empathy toward the transphobic billionaire ends there, as they go on to coolly point out that the motivation one has for entering into a public debate may be worth knowing, but it rarely suffices as the reason everyone should agree with ones point of view. Butler zooms in on the language of that 2020 post, a curious document that careens between the confessional and the delusional, with abrupt 180-degree shifts in logic. Immediately after a passage proclaiming her solidarity and kinship with trans women, and after stating that her empathy for them includes a desire to keep them safe, Rowling observes that

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at the same time, I do not want to make natal women and girls less safe. When you throw open the doors of bathrooms and changing rooms to every man who believes or feels hes a womanand, as Ive said, gender confirmation certificates may now be granted without any need for surgery or hormonesthen you open the door to any and all men who wish to come inside.

With the dry sense of humor that often characterizes their public speeches (and that used to leaven the mood of those long, sometimes dull dissertation workshops), Butler notes how quickly Rowling transforms these much-empathized-with trans women into a marauding band of poorly disguised men with violent intentions. The volley of questions Butler then poses to the absent specter of Rowling shows how broad a swath of social and political reality the novelists gaslighting brief on behalf of transphobia has left out. Rowling stresses her preoccupation with cis women endangered by cis men posing as trans, something that almost never happens, while making no mention of the frequently documented violence against real trans people in virtually all public and private spaces. It would seem, Butler writes, that the violence she is concerned about is domestic violence perpetrated by men, but what about other forms of social violence inflicted against trans people more broadly?  What about incarceration, psychiatric pathologization, street violence, loss of employment?

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Having opened up the concept of violence to a broader set of possible meanings, Butler proceeds to do the same with men: Are gay men even included in this category, or are they not thinkable inside the category? What about genderqueer men, or all those who categorize themselves as transmasculine? Transgender men? True to their own advice, Butler refuses to engage Rowlings argument on the novelists spurious terms. By interrogating her conveniently narrow framing of imagined cis-on-cis sexual aggression that is still, somehow, trans peoples fault, Butler exposes the blinkered paranoia of Rowlings bathroom-invasion scenario.

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As an opponent in a reasoned debate, J.K. Rowling is fairly easy to leave flopping on the deck. But there is nonetheless a lot to be learned from this confrontation between her brand of feelings-based anti-trans activism and Butlers expansive view of gender, not as the possession of a privileged group that must circle the wagons to defend it, but as a feature of human life that transcends the concept of ownership. Trans-exclusionary feminists, Butler notes, maintain that their rightful property, their sex, is being taken from them by fake women. But gender categories are not property, and they cannot be owned. Gender categories precede and exceed our individual lives. For Butler, gender is best understood not as something one is or has, but as something one does.

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Like a deer encountered on a walk in the woods, gender should be allowed to take off at a run to wherever its headed.

In the decades since Gender Trouble came out, though, Butler has acknowledged that their earlier view of the category now seems limited in ways they were unable to see at the time as a white Western feminist trained in traditional European philosophy. Citing the work of feminist and gender-studies scholars from Argentina, Nigeria, and South Africa, Butler observes that many non-Western languages have long had a vocabulary for forms of gendered existence outside the male/female binary.

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Its Butlers embrace of the ultimate impossibility (even undesirability) of finding one final answer to the question But what is gender? that animates their long intellectual and ethical engagement with the subject. At one point in this new book, discussing the work of pioneering feminist scholar Joan W. Scott, Butler calls gender a form of power; on the next page, its a structure that saturates the world, which, while not a contradiction of the previous formulation, is far from a simple restatement of the same idea. Still elsewhere, Butler designates gender as a site where biological and social realities interact with one another. Near the end of Whos Afraid of Gender? comes a burst of lyricism not typical of Butlers usual rigorously pragmatic voice: Gender has to remain relatively wild in relation to all those who claim to possess its correct definition. Here I understand wild not as a synonym for fierce or unruly, but as the opposite of domestic or tame. Like a deer encountered on a walk in the woods, gender should be allowed to take off at a run to wherever its headed, to lead a free life without fear of unasked-for intrusion. No one, including Butler themself, should be allowed to capture that wild thing.

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What about that Bad Writing award? In their first trade-press book, Butler makes a concerted effort to keep Whos Afraid of Gender? accessible and jargon-free. It is, without question, a demanding read, but not because the author is obfuscating or showing off. Rather, the difficulty derives from the rigor of the thought itself, and the work of accompanying the movement of that thought brings its own kind of pleasure. More than anything, reading this book reminded me of attending one of Butlers large lecture classes for Berkeley undergrads, which I used to drop into sometimes for the sheer joy of watching Professor Butler think on their feet as they boiled down big ideas into a form that students new to that way of thinking and writing could understand. A generation after I was lucky enough to study with them, Butler has gone from a star in the world of academia to that rare thing: a genuine public intellectual, one whose goal is not to restrict their ideas to an academic in-group, but to bring them to the world and, perhaps, to change it. If youre not sure whether this book is for you, watch one of the many clips online of Butler talking about their work, like this 2023 lecture, which presents much of the material that makes up the books conclusion. What Judith Butler was for me 25 years ago, they now are to whoever cares to read them: a born teacher.
The world knows me as Graham v. Florida, says Terrence Graham. I just want people to know that theres more to Graham v. Florida than just a case.

Graham was 17 years old when a Florida judge sentenced him to die in prison. He was 37 when he came home last month.

Graham was the petitioner in the 2010 landmark Supreme Court decision that found that sentencing juveniles to life in prison without parole for nonhomicide offenses constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, a violation of the 8th Amendment. It was one of a series of Supreme Court decisions that reflected an evolving understanding by courts that kids are different.

In 2003, when Graham was 16, he was charged with armed burglary as an adult after he and two other teenagers attempted to rob a Jacksonville restaurant. The charge carried a possible life sentence, but he took a plea deal and was given credit for time served in county jail and put on probation. Six months later, just a month short of his 18th birthday, he allegedly committed a home invasion.

At his 2006 sentencing hearing for that crime, a Florida judge told the then 19-year-old that he had squandered his second chance: It is apparent to the Court that you have decided that this is the way you are going to live your life and that the only thing I can do now is to try and protect the community from your actions.

The judge could have given him five years, but instead sentenced Graham to the maximum: life without the possibility of parole.

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Three years later his case would be in front of the Supreme Court on appeal. The justices would find that sentence unconstitutional, noting that it does not follow that [Graham] would be a risk to society for the rest of his life.

The majority opinion noted that at the time, there were 129 juveniles convicted of nonhomicides who were serving sentences of life without parole across the country, a significant majority of whom (77) were serving sentences in Florida.

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Following the Supreme Court decision, in 2012 Grahams original judge in Florida resentenced him to 25 years in prison.

Over his 20-year incarceration, Graham earned his GED, took college classes, and found solace in his faith. Hes passionate about family, sports, and prison reform. He also co-founded Plead the 8th, a nonprofit working to end the incarceration of children in Floridas adult system.

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The state ranks third in the country for the number of individuals who have been incarcerated since they were kidsaround 2,600. Grahams case and others only led to resentencing for youth who were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, not those who have other extreme sentences.

As he seeks to restart his life, I spoke with Graham about the moment he realized the significance of his case and what life is like reentering society as an adult after going to prison as a child. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Charlotte West: What do you want people to know about who you are and what youre up to now?

Terrence Graham: I came from a broken family. I had a rough background, but that didnt define me. I never said that I was innocent from the crime that I committed. But I always felt like the sentence that I had was too harsh for a child. But it also helped me develop the character that I have today.

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These three weeks of me being out, Ive been learning how to readjust to life all over again. I left society as a child, and now Im out here experiencing life for the first time as an adult.

What has reentry been like?

I hit the ground running when I got out. Im working two jobs and fighting for prison reform, so Im trying to keep myself occupied. Im learning how to build industrial fans, and I help my mom cleaning buildings at night. We got our own cleaning service business that we started two years ago.

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There are certain things that if I didnt have the family support, if I didnt have good friends able to help me navigate, Id be lost. As part of the reentry program, they give you bus passes, but by me being on this ankle monitor, with a GPS system, sometimes it loses signal. If that happens, you need to go back to the house. So you cant just tell the bus to stop and turn around and take you home. And that can possibly become a violation. So thats one of the things that I fear. So Ive been getting rides from my family back and forth to work.

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What are some of the challenges that youre facing right now with house arrest and probation?

Im staying now at a transition house. And its me and three other guys. So my family are allowed to come visit me, but Im not allowed to go and visit them. I have elderly people in my family, such as my grandma whos 91 years old, staying in a nursing home. I just pray daily that I get to see her here in the free world before she passes. I cant leave the house but to go to work and church. I get to go to the store and the barber shop once a week. I have to fill out a weekly report of where Im going to be and when. Basically, I left one form of confinement for another.

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But its still a blessing. To be told that this will never happen, like me standing out here in the yard right now at night, thats something that I couldnt even have imagined would come about.

And youve also got to pay fines and fees for the community supervision?

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With fees and fines right now, I have to pay off $11,000 before I can get off of probation. Thats over the course of five years, I pay like $200 a month. Im on community control [house arrest] for two years.

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Back when you received your sentence at the age of 19, did you realize the gravity of the judges words?

When they gave me that sentence, I knew that life meant life, but I never really sat down and accepted it. From the time that I got to the prison system, I had started researching my case, going to the law library, reaching out to an appeal attorney. I mean, I went through some dark moments. With that sentence over my head, Im not gonna say that it was a cakewalk, because it wasnt. There was times where I cried at night because I was like, Wow, Ill never be able to talk my mom again. Or Ill never be able to be out there with my grandfather and my grandmother. Some of those things I still wont ever be able to do because my granddad passed away while I was in there. So its a lot of people that was here when I left and they didnt get to see this day come.

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Going back to 2010, when did you realize what a big deal the Supreme Court decision was?

I had got papers in the mail, but I didnt know that the Supreme Court was going to affect how the world sees juveniles sentenced as adults. I was sitting in the prison day room, and when the world news came on and popped up talking about this Supreme Court landmark case, Graham v. Florida, and they showed my picture. Everybodys like, Man, look at your case, this is big.

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The next day, it ended up being published in USA Today. And it got published in almost every newspaper in the United States. And even at that time, when all that was going on, I didnt understand that it was making history. All I knew was that I was going to get a chance to get my freedom again at some point.

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You were resentenced in 2012, but you still had more than a decade to serve. But many other people benefited from your case and got out before you did. How did you maintain a positive attitude?

When I went back and got resentenced in 2012 and they took the life sentence off of me, I had such high hopes that I was gonna walk out of the courtroom right then because of all of the media exposure and everything. So when the judge took the life off of me and he sentenced me to 25 years, that hurt me worse than the life sentence.

My positive attitude is actually by the grace of God. It was a struggle sometimes to be able to see people being released off of your case and yet you still remain in there. I just started praying. My time came when it came, and it was 20 years later. A lot of those guys was incarcerated way before me, they had 20, 30, 40 years. They deserve that chance too. Its just a blessing to be able to be the reason that they can be reunited with their family.

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When and why did you get your GED and start pursuing an education?

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I got my GED in 2008 for my family. I remember at first I was rebellious towards the staff for making me go to school when I wanted to review my case in the law library. They kept writing me disciplinary reports and putting me in the box [solitary confinement]. I turned 21 and then it was my choice to attend school.

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I was in the box when my first appeal got denied [in 2008] and it felt like I was being sentenced to life all over again. I wrote my mom and brother and they were like, Please dont give up. Pray and focus on God if you want your freedom! So thats what made me want to get my GED and enroll into college. I was the first of my moms kids to graduate and the only child of hers to even enroll into college despite me being in prison. It felt good to be doing something good instead of just being her child thats in prison.

What makes you hopeful about the future?

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I met a lot of good guys in there that will never get a chance to get out here in the free world. So Im living for them as well. Since Ive been out, Ive been trying all these different foods just to try to figure out whats my favorite food, or just trying to find a show on TV to say, This is my show. So its just a whole bunch of me trying to learn life out here.

Any conclusions yet?

Its all been good. Ive been eating prison food with no seasoning for 20 years. So to come out here to taste my moms home-cooked spaghetti and lasagna, I cant even decide which one is the best. Theres a whole lot of food I havent tried yet. But I will let you know.
In the manner of a drunk teenager with a hand on a light switch, the Supreme Court has spent the past few days turning federal immigration law in Texas on and off, on and off, while making mewling noises about whether it was on or off when the party started. In a 63 decision along the usual lines on Tuesday afternoon, the Supreme Court allowed S.B. 4Texas stunning usurpation of federal immigration lawto take effect. Through this divided and unreasoned vote, the high court will allow Texas to seize enforcement of immigration powers away from the federal government, a direct violation of a 2012 Supreme Court decision striking down Arizonas infamous show me your papers law. In so doing, the conservative majority has blessed galling chicanery by the Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which sought to shield Texas law from Supreme Court review indefinitely. As two of the dissenters noted, the six justices in the majority have injected chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement through oblivious procedural formalism that does not withstand the slightest scrutiny.

As signed into law late last year, S.B. 4 criminalizes unauthorized migration under Texas law, thereby turning unlawful entry and presence in the U.S. into an offense separate and apart from existing federal immigration law. The Texas measure also allows state law enforcement officers to stop and detain anyone they suspect of having entered Texas unlawfully, while instructing state courts to disregard any ongoing federal immigration proceedings. It also allows state judges to begin deportation proceedings and permits state magistrate judges to remove migrants back to Mexico as an alternative to continued prosecution. (Those who cannot prove their legal status may be jailed or deported back to Mexico, whether or not theyre Mexican.) This radical revision of immigration law will hinder migrants ability to cross safely into the country and seek asylum once here. It will also subject Latinos, including citizens and permanent residents, to heightened suspicion and harassment by law enforcement.

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Texas justified S.B. 4 as a necessary exercise of Texas constitutional authority to repel an actual invasion, an absurd claim with zero basis in law or fact. As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared, S.B. 4 embodies Texas singular view that its constitutional authority is the supreme law of the land and supersedes any federal statutes to the contrary. All of this, as a federal district court in Texas noted last month, amounts 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. (Fact check: true.)

And yet, shortly after that district court blocked S.B. 4, the 5th Circuitand of course it was the 5th Circuitfroze its injunction and let Texas enforce the new law from top to bottom. So the Department of Justice, joined by pro-immigration groups, asked SCOTUS for relief. While the full court mulled this request, Justice Samuel Alito kept the law on hold until Tuesday (with a four-minute lapse on Monday afternoon when he let it take effect, apparently by accident, for a short moment). After Tuesdays order, Texas can begin arresting people suspected of unauthorized presence in the country, interfering with migrants ability to seek asylum, and removing residents to Mexicoa sovereign foreign nation that has not actually agreed to take back individuals deemed deportable by Texas.

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We dont know why Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Samuel Alito voted to let S.B. 4 spring into action. But Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, proffered a weak excuse for the capitulation. The 5th Circuit, she noted, did not issue a traditional stay of the district courts injunction (called a stay pending appeal), which the justices could review. Instead, the 5th Circuit styled its order as an administrative stay. These stays are meant to briefly preserve the status quo while a court considers whether to issue more formal, lasting relief. SCOTUS does not typically look at mere administrative stays due to their fleeting and informal nature; it prefers to wait for a formal stay before jumping in. So the 5th Circuit has begun to call its most controversial stays administrative, in a brazen bid to insulate them from probing Supreme Court review.

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On Tuesday, it worked. Barrett called the 5th Circuits administrative stay an exercise of its docket-management authority, declaring that SCOTUS should not get into the business of reviewing a short-lived prelude to the main event. In other words, because the 5th Circuit used the magic word administrative to describe its (indefinite) stay, Barrett refused to consider whether S.B. 4 should be kept on ice while the merits are reviewed. She simply rubber-stamped the 5th Circuits stay, rewarding its shameless gamesmanship. The only silver lining to this is that Barrett appears to recognize the broader pattern lurking here: defiant lower courts recasting stays as administrative to thwart Supreme Court review for months, with no endpoint in sight. The time may come, in this case or another, when this court is forced to conclude that an administrative stay has effectively become a stay pending appeal and review it accordingly, she tsked, sending a warning signal to the 5th Circuit. But at this juncture in this case, that conclusion would be premature. (Barrett did not explain why SCOTUS did not just issue its own injunction against S.B. 4, as it undoubtedly could have.)

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Justice Sonia Sotomayors sharp dissent, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, was far less tolerant of the 5th Circuits duplicity. (Justice Elena Kagan also dissented, in a brief separate opinion, urging that an administrative stay not be used to spell the difference between respecting and revoking long-settled immigration law.) Sotomayor noted that the 5th Circuit recently has developed a troubling habit of leaving administrative stays in place for weeks if not months, citing stays that dragged on for as long as 85 days. In reality, she explained, this benign-sounding tool has developed into an act of extreme judicial gaslighting. The administrative stay here, she wrote, not only upends the status quo but also extends that disruption indefinitely. In the process, it defeats the purpose of this courts stay analysis and threatens to evade effective review of this unprecedented law. This play is largely a repeat of S.B. 8, Texas 2021 vigilante abortion ban, which SCOTUS allowed to take effect in the dark of night, without any reasoned analysisafter the 5th Circuit froze a district courts injunction with (you guessed it) an administrative stay. (In her opinion on Tuesday, Barrett wrongly claimed that the Supreme Court has never reviewed an administrative stay, evidently forgetting the S.B. 8 fiasco.)

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Had the court called BS on the 5th Circuit and applied its usual standards to the stay, Sotomayor correctly noted, it would have no choice but to halt S.B. 4. When you tot up the balance of alleged irreparable harms here, it isnt even a close call. On the one side of the ledger, Texas claims to suffer a temporary inability to repel an immigration invasion. On the other side, the federal government stands to suffer irreparable harm to its foreign relations, its international obligations to protect individuals fleeing from persecution or torture, and its ability to carry out legitimate immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, noncitizens face unimaginable harm now that Texas can arrest and deport them with zero regard for their rights under federal law. None of these evils can be readily unwound, and the Supreme Court had previously held unequivocally that states cannot arrogate the federal governments power over immigration policy and enforcement. These facts should have been reason enough for SCOTUS to block S.B. 4 immediately.

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Reading the Barrett and Sotomayor opinions side by side, there is a bit less of a delta than you might assume. Whats strange about Barretts opinion is that she clearly recognizes the 5th Circuits bad behavior, yet suspends any appropriate response for the time being. A cynic might think Barrett knows that S.B. 4 is obviously unconstitutional but wants to punish the Biden administration for its allegedly lax border enforcement by letting the law kick in for a few weeks. Her opinion implicitly faults both parties, Texas and the federal government, and gives Texas a reprieve this timeto the detriment of immigrants, Latinos, and the basic principle of federal supremacy. If a decision does not issue soon, the applicants may return to this court, she cautioned the 5th Circuit. In the meantime, cruelty and nullification will reign in Texas, but just for an indefinite while.

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A few short weeks ago, the high court announced that Colorado could not enforce Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to keep an insurrectionist off the ballot because the result would be a patchwork of state laws and nothing in the Constitution requires that we endure such chaos. It now seems, though, that states eager to usurp federal prerogatives and foment chaos can just hang around the 5th Circuit and seek extreme forms of relief in the wink-wink disguise of an administrative stay. Beware a high court that shows up telling you its doing nothing, or empowering an appeals court to do nothing, as it fundamentally upends the balance of powers between state and federal authorities. These procedural manipulations have real-world consequencesnamely, open season on people in Texas whom authorities deem to not look American. That heinous approach to immigration policy has only ever been the law in this country during Americas most shameful eras. Now, thanks to the Supreme Courts obtuse inaction, it is again.
Plenty of Republicans in Congress endorse Donald Trump because they truly believe hes the cats pajamas. But most Republicans in office, wed wager, endorse him because they dont really care.

Their staff puts together an endorsement statement and then tells the member that theyre just going to send it out, if thats OK. Its a box checked in a morning meeting. The member, or senator, can then proceed with their normal daily business of ensuring that a proposed rule barring local industry from contaminating waterways doesnt go into effect. As California Rep. Doug LaMalfa told Politico, the calculation is simple enough: At the end of the day, what is smart in order to keep you around? Masterfully put. Tape it above the door in the House cloakrooms.

Those cursed with the ability of complex thought have a more challenging task before them. If you think Trump is a dangerous idiotreally, the last person youd want to be presidentas many Republicans in the House and, especially, the Senate do, what is there to say? A rare few have the ability to refuse to endorse him. Indiana Sen. Todd Young has said that he will not support Trump. (Fortunately for him, hes not up for reelection until 2028.) Former Trump Vice President Mike Pence, whose thinking is likely influenced by the time members of a Trump-supporting mob sought to kill him, also has said he wont endorse Trump. (Fortunately for Pence, hes not up for election ever again.)

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Many of the GOP politicians who have found, or will soon find, themselves to yes, thoughthatll be most of themhave landed on a dispassionate mode of endorsement that sounds almost like a lawyer walking through a contract, or a mathematical proof. It goes something like this:

1. I am a Republican.

2. As a Republican, I will support the Republican presidential nominee.

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3. Given the nominating contests that have happened thus far, the status of the delegate count, and several other proprietary numerators and denominators that I have studied, the Republican nominee will be Donald Trump, who served as president from 2017 to 2021.

4. In compliance with point No. 2, my support in the presidential contest goes to the candidate named in point No. 3.

5. There is nothing I can do about this.

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This is the template for an endorsement that can be marketed as reluctant to one crowd and endorsement to another.

The champion of this school is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who believes more than most that Trump is a dangerous idiot. But McConnell is still a party man trying to pick up Senate seats.

It is abundantly clear that former President Trump has earned the requisite support of Republican voters to be our nominee for President of the United States, McConnell said in his statement endorsing Trump after Super Tuesday. It should come as no surprise that as nominee, he will have my support. This is phrased defensively, in advance of the press writing about how total his turnaround on Trump was. Theres no turnaround here, the endorsement implies. He has said he would do x if y happens, and y has happened, so, you know  heres the damn x, OK? What do you want from him?

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South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds is a normal person who likewise does not think highly of Donald Trump. The South Dakota electorate, however, thinks a great deal of Donald Trump. And so we have exchanges like the one on CNN over the weekend, when host Dana Bash asked him whether he would endorse Trump.

What I have said is, is: Tim Scott was my first choice. I thought hed make a great president, Rounds began. Tim Scott has since endorsed the former president. What I have said is, is, I will support the Republican nominee. It becomes a binary choice.

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Related From Slate Ah, Another Spineless Exercise That Lights American Politics Aflame Read More

So you are endorsing Donald Trump?

Im endorsing the Republican nominee for the presidency, Rounds said. And if thats Mr. Trump, then thats the best choice of the two choices that we have got. This is an interesting wrinkle. You can buy more time before endorsing Trump, as the self-contract stipulates, so long as hes not officially the nominee. That brings you to Day 2 or 3 of the Republican National Convention in mid-July.

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Another Trump-resistant senator in the bunch, Louisianas Bill Cassidy, was similarly pressed on his endorsement plans during an appearance on Sundays Meet the Press. His strategy involved first rolling his eyes at why hes always asked this. But hes always asked it because of the cutesy answer he repeatedly gave: I plan to vote for a Republican for the presidency of the United States. This means hes either voting for Trump, a No Labels ticket with a Republican atop it, or that most appealing of options among conservative men of a certain age: writing in Ronald Reagan.

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Aside from some especially vulnerable Republicans in competitive districts, though, most of the ones who would have given anything to not have Trump as the nominee have fallen in line (or quit Congress). Senate Minority Whip John Thune, whos running to be the next Senate GOP leader, said in late January that Ive said all along Ill support the nominee. So if hes the nominee, Ill do what I can to help the team win the presidency. He now supports the nominee, whats-his-name. Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, a more moderate member of the House GOP conference, said in late January that I commit to the nominee. After Super Tuesday, he tweeted that I am a lifelong Republican, and I will support Donald Trump as our partys nominee for President.

Disappointed in their choice? You have to understand that they had none. They are members of the Republican Party. They required themselves, at the beginning of this process, to say that they would support the Republican nominee. It would now be a breach of contract for them not to support the nominee, whose name is understood to be Trump. Why so many questions about something they cannot control?
Donald Trump on Sunday said Israel should quickly end the war in Gaza and get back to the world of peacebut its not what it sounds like.

The once and possibly future president was not urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the bombing or withdraw Israeli troops. Quite the contrary: Trump was prodding him to intensify and accelerate the military campaign, to finish it up and do it quickly.

He lambasted President Biden not for going easy on Israel, as leftist critics charge, but for applying pressure on Israel at all. Biden is so bad for Israel, Trump said. They shouldve never been attacked. If Biden were good to Israel, they wouldnt have been attacked.

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Trump did not explain, nor is it remotely clear, how any American president could have prevented Hamas Oct. 7 invasion. That failure is entirely on Netanyahu, for diverting too many troops from guarding the Gazan border to protecting settlers in the West Bank, and on Israels uncharacteristically lax intelligence officers for ignoring signs of an impending attack.

Trump also said, in a separate interview with Fox News on Friday, that Hamas invasion would have never happened if I was presidentthough, again, its not clear how Trumps very presence in the Oval Office, even positing a favorable view of his time there, would have prevented the attack. (Would Hamas have feared U.S. retaliation? Would Netanyahu have taken better care of his southern border?)

This, of course, is typical Trump. He has also said that Russia would not have invaded Ukraine if hed still been presidenteven though, in fact, hed given every signal that he would tolerate anything Vladimir Putin would do, especially if it meant hurting Volodymyr Zelensky, whom he still detests for their perfect phone call, which prompted Trumps first impeachment.

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In his Sunday interview, Trump also accused Biden of abandoning Israel for rank political reasons. Israel, Trump said, lost a lot of people on Oct. 7maybe hes forgotten it. He looks at Where do I get more votes, and hes seeing the Palestinians and the marchesthey are bigand he says, I want to go that way instead of Israel,  so, all of a sudden, he dumped Israel and just said Bibi Netanyahu should take a walk. 

All of this must come as a huge surprise to all parties involvedIsraelis, Palestinians, and advocates of one side or the otherwho see that even while he pressures Israel not to launch a massive offensive against the southern Gazan town of Rafah, Biden pledges to continue supplying U.S. weapons to Israel, regardless of its war tactics.

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Nor did Trump offer any ideas for how Israel might free the remaining 100 or so hostages (mainly Israelis but also including five Americans) in Hamas hands, while bombing Gaza to smithereens. Or how Israel could possibly get back to peacespecifically, how it can resume normalized relations with the Saudis and other Sunni Arab neighborsafter potentially killing another 30,000 or so Palestinians and razing still more of Gaza. Even then, militants would remain, in Gaza and the West Bankdetermined to continue attacking, with aspirations of destroying, Israelunless a more moderate and effective Palestinian Authority comes to power. And how could that happen in the wake of the obliterating offensive that Trump is now advocating?

A lot of people who know nothing about history think that wars are won, and some sort of peace restored, simply by blowing stuff up. It is dangerous when a commander in chief thinks so.

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Netanyahu is not making things any better. He praised Trumps tremendous support for Israel, noting that as president, he recognized Jerusalem as the capital and moved the U.S. embassy there, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and scuttled the Iran nuclear deal. (He did not mention that, as a result, Iran is much closer than ever to enriching enough uranium for an atom bomb.)

The prime minister hastily added, I appreciate the fact that, right from the start of the war, President Biden stood with Israel, came here, called Hamas sheer evil, sent aircraft carrier groups to the region, and sent us ammunition. I hope that support will continue.

And Netanyahu wonders why Biden and many other Americans who support Israel would like to see him gone from power.
Newsletters serve as a platform for launching new products, promoting campaigns, and announcing offers, effectively broadening reach and encouraging conversions. In todays competitive market, businesses are leveraging email list building through newsletters as a cost-effective strategy to enhance visibility and connect with their audience.

This approach updates customers on news, events, and promotions and establishes brand expertise and thought leadership, fostering trust and curiosity. So, lets get started with some expert tips for building a successful email list that can help your business thrive.

4 Email List Building Tips

Here are 4 ways to attract more subscribers through your email newsletters.

1. Offer Your Audience Incentives for Signing Up

Perhaps the easiest way to get more subscribers to opt into your email newsletters is by giving them something to look forward to when they sign up, which is often in the form of incentives. Many companies and brands offer their own special coupons or deals on a subscribers next purchase, and give access to free services and other useful freebies.

Having something to offer your audience the moment they click on the confirmation link for your newsletter sign-up email increases their opt-in rates. For this to work, it is essential to already have a good understanding of who your audience is and what they are most interested in. By segmenting your mailing list according to different groups in your target audience, it is a lot easier to come up with different promotions or vouchers that will entice them based on what they find interesting.

2. Create and Offer Valuable Content Consistently

As soon as companies get the audience they need through their mailing list, it is so easy to lose track of the reason why they had it set up in the first place. After some time, many brands just strive to keep up with distribution deadlines for their newsletters to the extent of releasing content that bring nothing of value to their subscribers.

Oftentimes, it is this mistake that gets them to lose subscribers quickly and prevents them from gaining new ones. Brands need to keep up with the responsibility to bring valuable content to their subscribers. One effective way to add value to your content is by sharing information that is relevant to them.

Offering tips and tricks, industry updates and popular trends and other helpful solutions gives your subscribers a reason to stay on and may even get them to recommend your brand to their friends. It is also helpful to be in the know with what the competition is offering to stay relevant to your audience.

Sign up to newsletters from your favorite brands to get an idea of what it is they share in their own newsletters. Learn from top industry players, change what needs to be improved and create a new message that speaks to your audience better.

3. Provide Your Audience with Other Options to Subscribe

Another great tip to build your mailing list is by giving your subscribers more options to choose from in terms of how often they want to receive newsletters from you which help prevent them from feeling overwhelmed by what you have to offer.

It is also preferable to give your audience better control over what topics or events they want to hear from you. By offering them this degree of control over what information they want to get, your email newsletters are more likely to be anticipated when they come.

All this will help ensure your emails will be read instead of being ticked off along with other unwanted newsletters they may be getting frequently.

4. Promote Yourself and Maximize Your Social Media Presence

Show off who you are, your expertise and what you have to offer to your subscribers by including social proof in your newsletters. This can be done by highlighting your subscriber and follower count on different social media platforms on your email signatures.

Having more subscribers on social media makes it easier to build trust and draw confidence in your audience as well. Give your subscribers easy access over share buttons that will allow them to promote your content to their own social media networks.

There is so much that brands and businesses can gain from an effective newsletter distribution system. Through email newsletters, start up brands can find a bigger audience and established companies can start to reconnect and build a new relationship with their subscribers once more. But to sustain this relationship with your subscribers and keep them engaged to stay on and even promote your brand to those they know, it is important to remember that it has to benefit them as well in the form of quality and valuable content.

Email newsletters must seek not only to promote your products and services or your company but to also distribute information that is relevant to the times and valuable to the people reading them. Without this important factor, it is so very easy to get lost among others that seek to only promote themselves and nothing else.

Tips Description 1. Offer Incentives for Signing Up Provide subscribers with incentives such as special coupons, deals, free services, or freebies to encourage them to sign up for your email newsletters. Segment your audience to tailor promotions to their interests. 2. Create and Offer Valuable Content Consistently deliver valuable content that is relevant to your subscribers. Share tips, industry updates, trends, and helpful solutions. Keep an eye on competitors and refine your message based on what resonates with your audience. 3. Provide Multiple Subscription Options Give subscribers control over email frequency and content preferences. Offering options prevents them from feeling overwhelmed and ensures that your emails are anticipated rather than ignored. 4. Promote Yourself and Leverage Social Media Showcase your expertise and social proof by highlighting subscriber and follower counts on various social media platforms in your email signatures. Make it easy for subscribers to share your content on their own social networks.

Additional Email List Building Tips

Segment Your Audience: Tailor your email newsletters to different audience groups based on their interests and preferences. Personalized content is more likely to engage subscribers. Maintain Consistency: Stick to a regular newsletter schedule to keep subscribers engaged. Erratic or infrequent communication may cause subscribers to lose interest. Interactive Content: Incorporate interactive elements like polls, surveys, or quizzes in your newsletters to encourage subscriber participation and feedback. Mobile Optimization: Ensure your email newsletters are mobile-friendly. Many recipients access emails on smartphones, so responsive design is crucial. A/B Testing: Experiment with different subject lines, content formats, and CTAs through A/B testing to determine what resonates best with your audience. Subscriber Feedback: Encourage subscribers to provide feedback and suggestions. This not only shows that you value their opinions but also helps you improve your newsletters. Legal Compliance: Familiarize yourself with email marketing laws, such as the CAN-SPAM Act, to ensure youre following best practices and avoiding legal issues. Monitor Analytics: Regularly analyze email campaign performance metrics, such as open rates and click-through rates, to gauge the effectiveness of your strategies. Email List Hygiene: Periodically clean your email list by removing inactive or bounced email addresses to maintain a healthy list and improve deliverability. Engage Subscribers Beyond Email: Use your newsletters as a gateway to other forms of engagement, such as social media, webinars, or exclusive online events.

Tips Description Segment Your Audience Tailor your emails to different audience groups based on their interests, increasing engagement. Maintain Consistency Stick to a regular newsletter schedule to keep subscribers engaged, avoiding erratic communication. Interactive Content Include interactive elements like polls, surveys, or quizzes to encourage participation and feedback from subscribers. Mobile Optimization Ensure your emails are mobile-friendly with responsive design, accommodating recipients accessing emails on smartphones. A/B Testing Experiment with subject lines, content formats, and CTAs through A/B testing to determine the most effective strategies. Subscriber Feedback Encourage subscribers to provide feedback and suggestions, demonstrating that you value their opinions. Legal Compliance Familiarize yourself with email marketing laws to ensure compliance and avoid legal issues (e.g., CAN-SPAM Act). Monitor Analytics Regularly analyze email campaign metrics like open rates and click-through rates to assess the effectiveness of your strategies. Email List Hygiene Periodically clean your email list by removing inactive or bounced email addresses to maintain list health. Engage Subscribers Beyond Email Use newsletters to drive engagement on other platforms, such as social media, webinars, or exclusive online events.

Ensuring Compliance with Email Regulations

In the world of email marketing, compliance with regulations is paramount. Ensuring that your email newsletters adhere to legal requirements and industry standards is not only good practice but also helps maintain your brands reputation. Heres a standalone section with tips on ensuring compliance with email regulations:

Know the Laws: Familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations governing email marketing in your region and industry. In the United States, for instance, the CAN-SPAM Act outlines specific requirements for commercial emails, such as including an unsubscribe option and a valid physical address.

Familiarize yourself with the laws and regulations governing email marketing in your region and industry. In the United States, for instance, the CAN-SPAM Act outlines specific requirements for commercial emails, such as including an unsubscribe option and a valid physical address. Permission-Based Marketing: Always obtain explicit consent from individuals before adding them to your email list. Use a double opt-in process where subscribers confirm their subscription to ensure you have their consent on record.

Always obtain explicit consent from individuals before adding them to your email list. Use a double opt-in process where subscribers confirm their subscription to ensure you have their consent on record. Unsubscribe Mechanism: Make it easy for subscribers to opt out of receiving emails from you. Include a clear and visible unsubscribe link in every email, and promptly honor unsubscribe requests.

These actions also help you stay compliant:

Accurate Sender Information: Ensure that your From name and email address accurately represent your brand or organization. Misleading sender information can lead to distrust and compliance issues.

Ensure that your From name and email address accurately represent your brand or organization. Misleading sender information can lead to distrust and compliance issues. Subject Line Clarity: Avoid deceptive subject lines that mislead recipients. Clearly communicate the content and purpose of your email in the subject line.

Avoid deceptive subject lines that mislead recipients. Clearly communicate the content and purpose of your email in the subject line. Identify Advertisements: If your email contains advertisements, clearly identify them as such. Transparency is key to compliance.

If your email contains advertisements, clearly identify them as such. Transparency is key to compliance. Physical Address: Include your physical mailing address in all commercial emails. This is a requirement in many jurisdictions and adds credibility to your messages.

Include your physical mailing address in all commercial emails. This is a requirement in many jurisdictions and adds credibility to your messages. Data Protection and Privacy: Comply with data protection and privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. Ensure that you have the necessary consents to process personal data and that you provide options for data access and deletion.

Comply with data protection and privacy regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe. Ensure that you have the necessary consents to process personal data and that you provide options for data access and deletion. Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA): If your email marketing targets children under 13 in the United States, adhere to COPPA regulations, which require parental consent for data collection.

If your email marketing targets children under 13 in the United States, adhere to COPPA regulations, which require parental consent for data collection. Regular Audits and Updates: Conduct regular audits of your email marketing practices to ensure ongoing compliance with changing laws and regulations. Update your privacy policy and terms of use as needed.

Conduct regular audits of your email marketing practices to ensure ongoing compliance with changing laws and regulations. Update your privacy policy and terms of use as needed. Third-Party Compliance: If you use email marketing platforms or services, verify that they also adhere to email marketing regulations. Choose reputable providers that prioritize compliance.

If you use email marketing platforms or services, verify that they also adhere to email marketing regulations. Choose reputable providers that prioritize compliance. Educate Your Team: Ensure that your marketing team is educated on email compliance practices and the consequences of non-compliance. Mistakes made in good faith can still lead to penalties.

Ensure that your marketing team is educated on email compliance practices and the consequences of non-compliance. Mistakes made in good faith can still lead to penalties. Keep Records: Maintain records of subscriber consent, opt-out requests, and email content. These records can be crucial in demonstrating compliance in case of audits or legal inquiries.

Maintain records of subscriber consent, opt-out requests, and email content. These records can be crucial in demonstrating compliance in case of audits or legal inquiries. Seek Legal Counsel: If you have concerns about email compliance, consider seeking legal counsel with expertise in email marketing regulations. Legal guidance can help you navigate complex issues.

FAQs

What are the benefits of building an email list for my business?

Building an email list offers numerous benefits, including direct communication with your audience, enhanced customer engagement, personalized marketing, increased website traffic, and higher conversion rates. Its a cost-effective way to share news, promotions, and valuable content, establishing your brands authority and trustworthiness.

How can I incentivize people to subscribe to my email list?

You can encourage sign-ups by offering incentives such as exclusive discounts, early access to products or services, free downloads, or valuable information that addresses your audiences needs and interests. Tailoring incentives to different audience segments can further increase subscription rates.

What kind of content should I include in my newsletters to keep subscribers engaged?

Your newsletters should contain content that is relevant, valuable, and interesting to your audience. This can include industry insights, tips and advice, company news, product updates, and special offers. Consistently delivering quality content helps retain subscribers and encourages them to share your newsletter with others.

How often should I send out newsletters to my subscribers?

The frequency of newsletters depends on your audiences preferences and your content strategy. Its important to maintain a balance where youre engaging your audience without overwhelming them. Consider starting with a monthly or bi-weekly newsletter and adjust based on subscriber feedback and engagement metrics.

How do I ensure my email newsletters are legally compliant?

To comply with email marketing laws like the CAN-SPAM Act and GDPR, ensure you have explicit consent from subscribers, provide a clear unsubscribe option, include your physical mailing address, and avoid misleading content. Regular audits and updates to your practices can help maintain compliance and protect subscriber data.
Chata pod Rysmi is located at an altitude of 2250 metres and is also one of the most visited places in the Tatras.

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The iconic wooden latrine near Chata pod Rysmi (Chalet Under Rysy Peak) in the High Tatras, which was destroyed by a storm last year, will be replaced by new ecological toilets.

The toilets will be constructed by activists from the Hikemates tourist club, which recently signed a memorandum of cooperation in this regard with the Tatra National Park Administration (TANAP), the Slovak Tourist Club and the Slovak Mountaineering Association James. The chair of Hikermates, Patrik Pajta, announced the building of the latrine, saying that the project is starting with the launch of an architectural competition.

Detailed travel guide to the Tatras introduces you to the whole region around the Tatra mountains, including attractions on the Polish side.

Chata pod Rysmi is the highest located Tatra chalet at an altitude of 2250 metres and is also one of the most visited places in the Tatras. However, according to Peter Spitzkopf from the TANAP Administration, a growth in tourism is accompanied by, in addition to benefits for the region, negative aspects related to human needs.

"Since people often defecate in the vicinity of hiking trails, leaving behind not only excrement, but also unwanted sanitary waste and other traces that have a negative impact on the surrounding nature," he explained for the TASR newswire.

The new ecological toilets are a patented solution that can be found in several places in mountainous regions in Europe, according to Pajta. Their advantage is easy operation and a long-term sustainable solution, where living organisms, such as earthworms, break down the solid part of the excrement and reduce its volume. The system is similar to that of ordinary "composters". However, it will not be the usual toilets that tourists are used to.

Related article

Related article Stepping aside is the biggest respect you can pay us, says legendary mountain porter Read more

"We will involve all interested parties in the architectural competition. The winning design should fit sensitively into the Tatra environment and help ecologically solve this long-standing problem," explained Matej Durnek from the company Corwin, which is covering the architectural competition and project documentation. They will prepare the modular design of the toilets so that it can be adapted to different visitor capacities and the environment in which they will be installed.

Winter hiking in the Tatras: A dramatic change from the trails of summer Read more

After the selection of the winning visual, the permit process will follow and then the construction itself. This will be financially covered by the activists thanks to partners and funds from donations and 2 percent from taxes.

"After the implementation of the pilot project, we will hand over the entire project documentation free of charge to the Administration of TANAP, and the administrations of other national parks interested in building ecological toilets in other locations as well. They will be able to use the project for various grant calls, which usually have short deadlines," concludes Pajta.

https://sk.frame.mapy.cz/s/laluhuzeka

Spectacular Slovakia travel guides
Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong meets with Reece Kershaw, Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong met with Reece Kershaw, Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, in Beijing on Tuesday.

Wang said it is hoped that the two sides will follow the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, faithfully implement the Global Security Initiative, comprehensively deepen practical cooperation in law enforcement, jointly open a new chapter in law enforcement cooperation between China and Australia, and make new contributions to the development of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership.

Kershaw expressed the willingness to enhance practical communication and cooperation in law enforcement with the Chinese side. 
Then Slovak PM was hoping that the trip would help Smer party win snap election.

Then prime minister Peter Pellegrini (left) was supposed to ask Hungarian PM Viktor Orban (right) to get him in touch with Russia during an inspection of measures against illegal migration in February 2020. (Source: TASR)

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Ahead of the early elections in 2020, then prime minister and leader of the Smer party's slate, Peter Pellegrini, asked Hungary's PM Viktor Orban to get him in touch with Moscow.

Allegedly, the reason was the decreasing support for Smer due to mass protests after the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancee Martina Kusnirova, reports the news website Aktuality, citing the Jan Kuciak Investigative Journalism Centre (ICJK). Pellegrini believed that the visit would have increased Smer's chances of winning.

Today, Pellegrini serves as speaker of parliament, and is running in the approaching presidential election. The first round will be held on Saturday.

The ICJK writes that even though Pellegrini did travel to Russia, his meeting with Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin did not amount to anything. Smer lost the snap election.

Orban served as an intermediary. The Hungarian government is known for its ties with the Kremlin. "The Slovak prime minister explained to the Hungarian prime minister that the invitation to Moscow is much more important to him than visiting the White House," writes the centre. Orban and Pellegrini discussed the matter at the Hungarian-Serbian border when they came to see a fence built to stop illegal migration. Subsequently, Orban asked his Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to deliver the message to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who then forwarded the request to Mishustin.

According to the ICJK, the information was provided to the centre by journalists from the VSquare project. The findings are based on sensitive intelligence from an unknown European country from February 2020.

"According to the intel, Hungarian and Russian officials discussed the fact that the Slovak opposition is under foreign influence and allegedly financed by the Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.

The Hungarians also suggested that Andrej Danko's nationalist SNS party making it into the Slovak parliament as well was in their interest," the ICJK writes. Danko holds pro-Russian views. The SNS party won no seats in the 2020 elections, Smer coming second.

Pellegrini and Orban also met in Budapest on March 11, 2024, just two weeks before the first round of the presidential elections.

In 2019, Pellegrini met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Slovakia appears to be a problem for investors, Pellegrini's unusual request, and an award-winning Slovak-Hungarian film.

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Good evening. Here is the Tuesday, March 19 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Farewell to the Special Prosecutor's Office

The Special Prosecutor's Office will cease to exist at midnight. (Source: TASR)

Prosecutors of the Special Prosecutor's Office bade farewell to the office on Tuesday, the last day of the office's existence following the coalition's decision to abolish the body overseeing the investigation of serious crimes.

Top prosecutors will no longer handle corruption and organised crime cases following the decision of General Prosecutor Maros Zilinka. Up until now, he had not properly explained his decision. Instead, prosecutors will join other departments.

"Thanks to the people [prosecutors and employees at the Special Prosecutor's Office], Slovakia became a more just country," said Special Prosecutor Daniel Lipsic, adding that Slovakia is about to waste the talent of elite prosecutors.

He added that he is grateful for people's support, which he didn't expect.

"We're not rock stars, but we're thankful for the support," Lipsic said.

On the last day of its existence, the office announced that charges were being pressed against prominent people:

Juraj Gedra (Smer), chief of staff at the Government Office, charged with public procurement machinations and violations of duties related to supervising entrusted property. Four other people are facing charges. The case concerns legal services, for which the lawyer Radomir Bzan was supposed to receive more than 70 million from the state firm MH Manazment for winning a dispute over the Gabcikovo power plant. Gedra was the firm's top representative back in the day. (Dennik N)

(Smer), chief of staff at the Government Office, charged with public procurement machinations and violations of duties related to supervising entrusted property. Four other people are facing charges. The case concerns legal services, for which the lawyer Radomir Bzan was supposed to receive more than 70 million from the state firm MH Manazment for winning a dispute over the Gabcikovo power plant. Gedra was the firm's top representative back in the day. (Dennik N) Kosice Region Governor Rastislav Trnka and, reportedly, ex-MP Gyorgy Gyimesi, are facing charges related to machinations in public procurement. The case is said to concern overpriced legal services. (PJD)

and, reportedly, ex-MP Gyorgy Gyimesi, are facing charges related to machinations in public procurement. The case is said to concern overpriced legal services. (PJD) Financier Jaroslav Hascak and four other people have been charged with corruption and organised crime in the Gorilla corruption case again.

and four other people have been charged with corruption and organised crime in the Gorilla corruption case again. Special Prosecutor Daniel Lipsic dismissed the complaints of the charged from last year's Virus police operation. In total, 16 people are facing charges. Some, like ex-Military Intelligence heads Jan Balciar and Lubomir Skuhra, are suspected of signing overpriced contracts for Military Intelligence between 2013 and 2020. The damage caused is said to be at least 74 million.

FEATURE STORY FOR TUESDAY

Investors having problems trusting Slovakia under PM Fico's rule

Finance Minister Ladislav Kamenicky. (Source: TASR)

Slovakia is becoming a debtor with the highest risk in the eurozone. The yield of 10-year Slovak bonds surpassed the yield of Italian bonds; Italy is currently the largest debtor in the eurozone.

More stories from The Slovak Spectator website

Politics: Ahead of the 2020 elections, then PM Peter Pellegrini asked Hungarian PM Viktor Orban to put him in contact with Russia. Pellegrini is running for president now. Here's why Pellegrini reportedly wanted to go to Moscow.

Ahead of the 2020 elections, then PM Peter Pellegrini asked Hungarian PM Viktor Orban to put him in contact with Russia. Pellegrini is running for president now. Here's why Pellegrini reportedly wanted to go to Moscow. Business: Improving the sustainability of public finances is a key challenge for the Slovak government, says the OECD in its report on Slovakia.

Improving the sustainability of public finances is a key challenge for the Slovak government, says the OECD in its report on Slovakia. Travel: A popular wooden latrine under the Tatra summit is gone, but ecological toilets will replace it.

A popular wooden latrine under the Tatra summit is gone, but ecological toilets will replace it. Opinion: Navigating HR transformations.

If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you.

FILM TO WATCH

Explanation for Everything (2023)

video //www.youtube.com/embed/xsxsjd47AEE

A divided society is the main theme of the Hungarian-Slovak film "Explanation for Everything". The film, which won the main prize in the Orizzonti section at the Venice Film Festival, won the main prize at the Febiofest Bratislava this week.

The film will be screened in Slovak cinemas as of March 21.

In other news

A new flight between Kosice and Zadar , Croatia, will be launched by Ryanair on June 2. The connection in the summer flight schedule will last until September. It will run two days a week, on Wednesday and Sunday. The flight will take about 90 minutes.

, Croatia, will be launched by Ryanair on June 2. The connection in the summer flight schedule will last until September. It will run two days a week, on Wednesday and Sunday. The flight will take about 90 minutes. A new hospital may be constructed in Presov for the money provided by the Defence Ministry. It would also serve as a military hospital. (TASR)

may be constructed in Presov for the money provided by the Defence Ministry. It would also serve as a military hospital. (TASR) The new regulation on instant payments published on Tuesday in the Official Journal of the European Union takes effect on April 8. Payment service providers based in the eurozone have nine months from publication to prepare for the receiving, and 18 months to prepare for the sending of SEPA instant payments in euros. In practice, this means that receiving instant euro payments will be mandatory for banks in the eurozone no later than January 9, 2025, and sending them no later than October 9, 2025. (SITA)

published on Tuesday in the Official Journal of the European Union takes effect on April 8. Payment service providers based in the eurozone have nine months from publication to prepare for the receiving, and 18 months to prepare for the sending of SEPA instant payments in euros. In practice, this means that receiving instant euro payments will be mandatory for banks in the eurozone no later than January 9, 2025, and sending them no later than October 9, 2025. (SITA) The Council of the EU adopted a law to protect persons who speak out on matters of public interest against abusive lawsuits meant to silence them. People targeted by so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP), typically journalists and human rights defenders, will benefit from a number of procedural safeguards and measures.

Presidential candidate Ivan Korcok during a pre-election gathering in Bratislava on March 19, 2024. His team estimates that 10,000 people gathered in one of the city's major squares. (Source: TASR)

WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Expect partly cloudy skies with occasional increases in cloud cover throughout the day. Temperatures will range from 8 to 14 degrees Celsius. Wind conditions will predominantly remain light. (SHMU)

MARCH 20 NAME's DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Vitazoslav, Klaudius. (It's also International Day of Happiness tomorrow.)

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P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk.

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Beijing on US Proposal on US-Russia Arms Control Talks: US Must End 'Microphone Diplomacy'

Beijing on US Proposal on US-Russia Arms Control Talks: US Must End 'Microphone Diplomacy'

Sputnik International

The United States should put an end to its "microphone diplomacy" regarding arms control issues, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

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arms control

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"China and the US have channels for dialogue on arms control and nuclear non-proliferation, Washington should stop "microphone diplomacy,'" Lin told reporters. Countries with the largest nuclear arsenals must reduce them to promote the international arms control process, the diplomat added.On Monday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the United States stands ready to engage in bilateral arms control talks with China and Russia without any preconditions. Commenting on the proposal, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that Moscow considers it as "hypocrisy."

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240318/russia-considers-us-proposals-to-start-arms-control-talks-hypocrisy-1117413210.html

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us proposal on us-russia arms control, foreign ministry spokesman lin jian, united states, microphone diplomacy
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/dcs-dirty-little-secret-endless-wars-havent-benefited-anyone-besides-defense-contractors-1117431529.html

DCs Dirty Little Secret: Endless Wars Havent Benefited Anyone Besides Defense Contractors

DCs Dirty Little Secret: Endless Wars Havent Benefited Anyone Besides Defense Contractors

Sputnik International

Bernie Sanders has shed some light on the profit-making bonanza being enjoyed by American weapons makers amid the proxy conflict in Ukraine, pointing out that the Stinger missile systems the US is making today cost seven times more than they did in 1991. Whats behind the ballooning costs? Sputnik turned to a senior ex-Pentagon analyst for clarity.

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2024-03-19T17:05+0000

2024-03-19T17:05+0000

analysis

michael maloof

bernie sanders

military & intelligence

us

ukraine

washington

pentagon

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Senator Sanders concerns over war profiteering by defense contractors arent to be taken lightly, and represent a deep and perhaps insurmountable rot in the US defense establishment, Michael Maloof, a former senior security policy analyst at the Pentagon, says.The claim that Senator Bernie Sanders has [made], theres a lot of truth to it, Maloof told Sputnik, referring to Sanders pithy Foreign Affairs article criticizing the war profiteering going on in Ukraine.The only people who benefit from it are the military contractors, Maloof added, pointing to the nexus between neoconservatives in Washington and the defense-industrial complex to push for military solutions to impose the American democratic way on the world.From Iraq and Ukraine to Israel, only the defense contractors have come out on top, according to the ex-DoD insider, with arms makers able to get away with jacking up prices thanks to a well-greased machine of lobbying and control in the Congress and the Pentagon, and ample readiness by lawmakers to pass supplemental funding when cost overruns become inevitable, and to allow the DoD to fail audits year after year.The procurement system is one of the worst in the Defense Department. And no one knows how to put their arms around this problem to figure out how to resolve it and get true accountability. The way its all structured today, its almost impossible, Maloof believes. Along with that, you have a Congress  even though they have proper oversight responsibilities, they have failed in this job as wellThey cant even pass a budget for the government to run, let alone oversee how efficiently or inefficiently its running. Its a walking disaster.To maintain the cycle of arms spending and arms manufacture, the Military Industrial Complex (MIC) essentially needs constant war.But the problem for Washington is that the developing Global South has caught onto the US strategy and is now actively working to challenge the unipolar order, according to Maloof.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/us-military-industrial-complex-jacks-up-prices-amid-ukraine-proxy-war-heres-by-how-much-1117424271.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230318/say-no-to-endless-wars-rally-held-in-washington-to-mark-20-years-of-iraq-invasion-1108527190.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230909/g20-split-over-ukraine-sign-of-battle-between-us-unipolarity-rising-multipolar-world-order-1113241211.html

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why are weapons getting more expensive, what is weapons inflation
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/eu-summit-may-discuss-idea-of-possibility-of-sending-troops-to-ukraine---senior-official-1117431013.html

EU Summit May Discuss Idea of Possibility of Sending Troops to Ukraine - Senior Official

EU Summit May Discuss Idea of Possibility of Sending Troops to Ukraine - Senior Official

Sputnik International

EU leaders may discuss the statements of French President Emmanuel Macron about the possibility of sending western troops to Ukraine, a senior EU official said on Tuesday

2024-03-19T16:12+0000

2024-03-19T16:12+0000

2024-03-19T16:12+0000

world

europe

emmanuel macron

sergei naryshkin

olaf scholz

ukraine

france

russia

european union (eu)

russian foreign intelligence service

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The leaders could discuss Marcon's statement at the summit, but this agenda point will not be included in the conclusions of the summit, the official said.French Army Preparing to Take Part in 'Toughest' Conflicts - Chief of StaffThe French army is preparing to participate in "the toughest" conflicts to fend off any potential attack on the country, its chief of staff, Gen. Pierre Schill, said.The challenge is to ensure that "the strength demonstrated by our troops reverses the trend" so that it "deters any attacks on France," the French general added.He also recalled that France relies for defense on its nuclear arsenal and on its "trained army compatible with the armies of the allies," especially in Europe.France is capable of deploying 20,000 soldiers within 30 days and commanding an army of up to 60,000 troops, including allied military personnel, Schill also said. The French armed forces have 121,000 soldiers in total and can call up 24,000 reservists, he added.Following a Paris-hosted conference on Ukraine held on February 26, 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. EU countries, including Poland and Germany, hastened to dismiss such plans. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that NATO had no intention of sending its forces to Ukraine.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia had taken notice of Macron's remarks and that some of the countries that participated in the Paris meeting on Ukraine had quite a "wise assessment" of the potential dangers of being involved in a conflict with Russia.France Preparing to Deploy Some 2,000 Servicepeople in Ukraine - Russias Intel ChiefFrance is preparing to send a military unit to Ukraine, and approximately 2,000 servicemen will be deployed at the first stage, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergei Naryshkin said on Tuesday.According to Naryshkin, the Elysee Palace believes that the number of French citizens killed in Ukraine has already reached above a psychological level.France also admits that it has not seen such military casualties abroad since the Algerian War in the 20th century.The French military fears that it will not be able to transfer such a significant military unit to Ukraine quietly. Thus, it will become a priority legitimate target for attacks from the Russian armed forces, the statement read.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/macron-trying-to-go-backwards-to-days-of-imperial-france-1117419288.html

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military aid for ukraine, is us giving more money to ukraine, why is us giving more money to kiev, whats happening to money given to kiev, will us give more money to kiev, how much money does ukraine get, how much money us gives to ukraine, how much money eu gives to ukraine, how much money europe gives to ukraine, what weapons does ukraine receive, does us give ukraine new weapons
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/france-joins-polands-call-to-limit-import-of-agricultural-products-from-ukraine---reports-1117422035.html

France Joins Poland's Call to Limit Import of Agricultural Products From Ukraine - Reports

France Joins Poland's Call to Limit Import of Agricultural Products From Ukraine - Reports

Sputnik International

France has joined Poland's calls to limit the import of agricultural products from Ukraine, which poses a threat to upcoming negotiations in the European Union to extend the bloc's free trade regime with Kiev, the Politico newspaper reported, citing three European diplomats.

2024-03-19T08:55+0000

2024-03-19T08:55+0000

2024-03-19T08:55+0000

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agricultural

ukraine

france

poland

european union (eu)

european commission

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The European Commission estimates Ukraine's potential losses from the loss of trade benefits at 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion), the report said on Monday. One of the diplomats told the newspaper that EU countries that "are making the biggest show of their support to Ukraine are also the ones doing the most damage to the country." Earlier in the month, members of the European Parliament did not reportedly agree on the extension of duty-free import of goods from Ukraine into the EU until June 5, 2025, and sent the document, proposed by the European Commission, for revision.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240217/letting-ukraine-join-eu-would-strike-fatal-blows-to-polish-agriculture-ex-pm-warns-1116848565.html

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agricultural products from ukraine, france has joined poland's calls, european union
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/france-preparing-to-deploy-military-contingent-in-ukraine-russian-foreign-intel-chief-1117427572.html

France Preparing to Deploy Military Contingent in Ukraine: Russian Foreign Intel Chief

France Preparing to Deploy Military Contingent in Ukraine: Russian Foreign Intel Chief

Sputnik International

President Emmanuel Macron was roundly attacked by French opposition leaders, Russian officials and even some of Paris's NATO allies after saying in February that he would not "rule out" the deployment of French troops to Ukraine. Macron repeated the threat late last week.

2024-03-19T14:26+0000

2024-03-19T14:26+0000

2024-03-19T14:50+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

emmanuel macron

france

ukraine

russia

nato

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France is preparing to deploy a contingent of troops in Ukraine, with the first echelon to include about 2,000 soldiers, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) chief Sergei Naryshkin has announced.According to the SVR head's information, France's generals are concerned about the difficulty of transferring such a large force to Ukraine and stationing it there unnoticed.Naryshkin warned that any French forces arriving in Ukraine "will become a legitimate priority target" for Russia's military, with the same fate to await them as has already befallen those who fell during previous instances of French aggression against Moscow.The SVR head also confirmed that those French nationals already in Ukraine (presumably fighting as mercenaries), have suffered losses not experienced by Paris since Algeria's war of liberation against French control in the 1960s, hence concerns among the military leadership about the threat of discontent among mid-level officers in the French Army about the prospects of being deployed in Ukraine.President Macron has been the loudest voice among any NATO leaders in warning that he wouldn't rule out sending troops to Ukraine "at some point."Macron riled up his NATO allies, particularly Germany, in early March by urging Europe not to be "cowards" in supporting the Kiev regime using all available means.If late February, he warned that he wouldn't "rule out" sending French forces east. The president was roundly condemned by French opposition leaders for his remarks, with politicians both on the left and the right accusing him of playing with the lives of the French people and risking a new world war for the sake of his personal geopolitical ambitions.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova went further, accusing Macron of trying to recreate "French SS Division Charlemagne II to defend President Volodymyr Zelensky's bunker."The extent of the French mercenary presence in Ukraine was revealed in January, when a Russian missile strike killed and injured dozens of fighters in Kharkov.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/macron-trying-to-go-backwards-to-days-of-imperial-france-1117419288.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240318/dove-to-hawk-what-influenced-macron-to-change-stance-on-ukraine---report-1117399345.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/sputnik-obtains-list-of-french-mercs-present-in-kharkov-during-russian-strike-1116309613.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/hong-kong-legislative-council-oks-citys-own-national-security-bill---reports-1117429194.html

Hong Kong Legislative Council OKs Citys Own National Security Bill - Reports

Hong Kong Legislative Council OKs Citys Own National Security Bill - Reports

Sputnik International

BEIJING (Sputnik) - The Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region voted on Tuesday to adopt the city's own national security bill, which adds punitive measures for a number of crimes that were missing in the 2020 legislation, the state-run China Central Television (CCTV) broadcaster reported.

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2024-03-19T14:41+0000

2024-03-19T14:41+0000

asia

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The bill passed the third reading unanimously, with all 89 votes in favor. The updated legislation will take effect on March 23 once it is signed by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, the South China Morning Post reported, citing the politician. The city's own bill will fill the gaps in Hong Kong's existing national security legislation, which was approved by Beijing in 2020, as the latter prescribed criminal penalties for only four types of activities: secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign countries or organizations, local authorities said. The bill, published in the Hong Kong government gazette, envisages a lifetime sentence as the toughest penalty for crimes such as treason, fomenting a coup, inciting the Chinese military to revolt, and activities undermining national security. Espionage is punishable by 20 years in prison, three to 10 years for stealing state secrets, and up to 14 years for participating in the activities of banned organizations, publicly demonstrating intent to commit treason, and covering up treason committed by third parties. Participation in foreign intelligence organizations and receiving profits from them can also be punished by up to 14 years in prison, the document read. The city attempted to introduce these laws in 2003, but failed due to widespread protests. In the summer of 2019, large-scale riots broke out in Hong Kong over the controversial extradition bill and lasted for over six months. In response, the Chinese authorities passed the Hong Kong national security law to prevent further unrest. The ban went into effect on June 30, 2020.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240129/hong-kong-high-court-orders-liquidation-of-chinas-evergrande-developer--reports-1116462207.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/israel-hamas-negotiators-propose-some-compromises-on-ceasefire-in-gaza---reports-1117420373.html

Israel, Hamas Negotiators Propose 'Some Compromises' on Ceasefire in Gaza - Reports

Israel, Hamas Negotiators Propose 'Some Compromises' on Ceasefire in Gaza - Reports

Sputnik International

Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas for the first time in months are hammering out details of a possible deal to establish a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release Israeli hostages, and have put forward "some compromises" during the latest round of talks in Qatar, Axios reported.

2024-03-19T06:35+0000

2024-03-19T06:35+0000

2024-03-19T06:35+0000

world

palestine-israel conflict

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gaza strip

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On Monday, media outlets reported that an Israeli delegation led by Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea arrived in Doha for indirect talks with Hamas, mediated by Qatari and Egyptian negotiators, on a temporary truce in Gaza and the release of hostages. Up to this point, only a framework for negotiations has been on the table, but now the details of a possible deal are being talked through. The current proposal could provide for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 40 hostages, including women, female soldiers, men over 50 years old and men in critical medical condition, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, Axios reported. Israeli negotiators will stay in Doha to continue the current round of detailed talks, which could take at least two weeks, a senior Israeli official was cited as saying. On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 31,700 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.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240309/netanyahus-office-says-hamas-currently-not-interested-in-hostage-deal-1117234328.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/macron-trying-to-go-backwards-to-days-of-imperial-france-1117419288.html

Macron Trying to Go Backwards to Days of Imperial France?

Macron Trying to Go Backwards to Days of Imperial France?

Sputnik International

Columnist Ted Rall argues President Emmanuel Macrons delusions of fighting Russia in the Donbass are not shared by most French people.

2024-03-19T05:48+0000

2024-03-19T05:48+0000

2024-03-19T05:48+0000

analysis

emmanuel macron

ted rall

russia

france

https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/03/13/1117419128_0:232:2000:1357_1920x0_80_0_0_d587db976c6d250bb2328c20e599c79d.jpg

Ever since its ignominious defeat in the Napoleonic wars, France is entrapped in the predicament of countries that get sandwiched between great powers, began a provocative article recently published on the Indian Punchline blog. As other European countries have accepted the United States as the great power of the Western world, France has never fully given up its global aspirations, argues M.K. Bhadrakumar.And what better leader to carry the torch than one who once confided France needs a king and sometimes, according to his critics, appears to see himself as one?Columnist and political cartoonist Ted Rall joined Sputniks The Critical Hour program on Monday to discuss the case of Emmanuel Macron, his comments about the war in the Donbass, and whether the French presidents megalomania borders on the pathological.One of the things I used to say during the early days of the war on terror was that the United States should follow the example of France, said Rall. Which back in the 2000s seemed to have accepted its fate as a post-colonial, post-imperialistic power, albeit still an important country in Europe.As much of the Western world moved towards neoliberalism in the 80s with leaders like US President Ronald Regan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, France went in the opposite direction, elevating Socialist Francois Mitterrand to power. The French leader left a lasting legacy in the country, investing in infrastructure, social programs and grand construction projects. His focus on domestic concerns was largely shared in the 2000s by President Jacques Chirac, who rejected French support for the war in Iraq.Macron has broken from tradition in a number of ways, implementing neoliberal economic policy and promoting a strident French militarism. Fortunately, according to Rall, his ambitions arent shared by most of the French public.Rall insisted most French people are more worried about domestic concerns such as the economy, unemployment, and demographic issues rather than the conflict in the Donbass. And the last time the French military was directly involved in a major proxy war was in the 1960s, he noted.Additionally, Rall claimed many French people are sympathetic to Russias position.Russia is not a distant country to them, he claimed. There are lots and lots of French people who are descended, who are related to Russians. There was a huge white Russian migration after the Russian Revolution to France and very close ties between Russia and France that go back to the Tsarist era.

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france, russia
MOGADISHU, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The African Union is considering a follow-on mission after the official exit of the current mission in December, a senior envoy in the country said.

The African Union Special Representative for Somalia Mohamed El-Amine Souef confirmed in a statement issued Tuesday in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, that the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) will exit the country in December but a new follow-on mission is being planned following a formal request by Somalia.

"Somalia's formal request for a follow-on mission underscores the need for continued international support in stabilizing the region," Souef said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.

The AU envoy's remarks follow a visit to Dhobley, in Jubaland State, Monday to reinforce ongoing peace support operations and uplift the spirits of the African Union troops stationed in southern Somalia.

The Sector Two Area of Responsibility covering Middle and Lower Jubaland is manned by ATMIS Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) troops.

ATMIS is preparing for the drawdown of an additional 4,000 troops from Somalia in June.

The AU mission withdrew 5,000 troops from Somalia and handed over 13 military bases to the Somali Security Forces during the first and second phases of the drawdown concluded last year.

During the visit, Souef urged KDF troops to remain vigilant against al-Shabab and praised them for preparing the Somali security forces to take over security responsibilities from ATMIS.

"We are proud of the good work that you are doing in degrading al-Shabab. I commend you for the sacrifice and professionalism which has and continues the march towards the realization of peace and stability in Somalia," Souef said. 
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/missile-milestone-for-us-allies-but-security-dilemma-for-asia-1117422153.html

Missile Milestone for US Allies, But Security Dilemma for Asia

Missile Milestone for US Allies, But Security Dilemma for Asia

Sputnik International

According to a news report on Breaking Defense, the two US allies of Japan and the Philippines are nearing important milestones in their plans to invest in new missiles that will extend the reach of their militaries in the Western Pacific.

2024-03-19T09:00+0000

2024-03-19T09:00+0000

2024-03-19T09:00+0000

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china

japan

philippines

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brahmos

tomahawk

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The first set of BrahMos missile systems the Philippines bought from India is expected to reach the Philippines by the end of March. Around the same time, 30 personnel from Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force are expected to receive guidance from the US Navy to operate Tomahawk missiles the Japanese government plans to purchase from the US.Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that this development reveals that US allies are responding to the US' so-called Indo-Pacific Strategy and its much hyped "China threat" theory with which the US tries to form small cliques. Tokyo and Manila's investment in new missiles are based on their own calculations. Since last year, China-Philippines tensions have heightened over the South China Sea maritime disputes under the incitement of Washington. BrahMos missiles have a flight range of up to 290 kilometers at supersonic speed and can be launched from land, ship or fighter aircraft. The missiles could pose a striking capability toward Nansha islands such as Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) and Meiji Jiao (also known as Meiji Reef) and even the Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island). As for Japan, the Tomahawk missiles Japan plans to buy from the US can hit the targets 1,600 kilometers away, which far exceeds Japan's need for self-defense but greatly boosts Japan's offensive capabilities. Japan is using the connivance and support of the US to break through the constraints of its pacifist Constitution and realize its dream of being a political and military major power. Japan decided in late 2022 to develop a strike capability allowing it to launch attacks on enemy forces, which was a major shift of its postwar commitment to limit its military to self-defense capabilities. If the Tomahawk missiles are deployed in Japan's offshore islands, it could have the capability of striking the Chinese mainland.Wang Yunfei, a naval expert, told the Global Times that BrahMos are mainly used against weaker targets. If a real conflict occurs, China has various kinds of weapons such as air-to-surface missiles, anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles that can overwhelm BrahMos. Although BrahMos missiles can boost the ability of the Coastal Defense Regiment of the Philippine Marine Corps, they have limited deterrence against China.As for Tomahawk missiles, which is subsonic but not supersonic, China has many counterstrike abilities as it has more kinds of missiles such as DF and other types of cruise missiles.Wang said that the analysis of the use of a weapon does not depend on its performance, but the underlying intention and motivation. Under the encouragement of the US, Japan and the Philippines are investing in these two missiles to undermine China's efforts to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits. China has no motives to attack the territory of the two countries, but if they harm China's interests, they will inevitably face counterstrikes from China and become cannon fodder for the US' aggressive Asia policy. Japan and the Philippines are not alone in missile investments. Australia is enhancing its long-range strike capabilities through similarly purchasing Tomahawk missiles. Sun Xihui, an associate research fellow with the National Institute of International Strategy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the US' Asian allies always use the "China threat" rhetoric as an excuse to develop offensive military forces. In fact, their actions are a trigger for regional arms race, which will poison the atmosphere of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and lead to a security dilemma in Asia. This is what the US likes to see. The US has used the Russia-Ukraine conflict to create fear and firmly controlled its European allies, forcing them to increase their defense budgets. Now it wants to replicate this approach in Asia. Sun noted that the US does not want to have a direct confrontation with China; instead, it relies on its allies and partners in Asia to contain China and turns its sense of strategic crisis into mutual confrontation among Asian countries to achieve the dual goals of mastering the minds of its Asian allies and maintaining regional hegemony.In the face of the disruption by the US, China must maintain strategic steadiness, strengthen self-defense, and enhance its long-range defense capabilities to ensure its national security and legitimate rights and interests.This article originally appeared on the Global Times website.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230629/beijing-calls-on-us-japan-philippines-to-stop-undermining-chinas-sovereignty-interests-1111552984.html

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dilemma for asia, japan and the philippines, invest in new missiles, militaries in the western pacific
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/nato-chiefs-yerevan-visit-served-goal-of-pulling-armenia-out-of-russias-orbit-1117424109.html

NATO Chief's Yerevan Visit Served Goal of 'Pulling Armenia Out of Russia's Orbit'

NATO Chief's Yerevan Visit Served Goal of 'Pulling Armenia Out of Russia's Orbit'

Sputnik International

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenbergs visit to Armenia was timed to a window of opportunity for the alliance to try and change the nature of strategic relations between Russia and Armenia, Stanislav Pritchin told Sputnik.

2024-03-19T16:42+0000

2024-03-19T16:42+0000

2024-03-19T16:42+0000

analysis

armenia

russia

yerevan

nikol pashinyan

collective security treaty organization (csto)

nato

jens stoltenberg

ilham aliev

palestine-israel conflict

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenbergs visit to Armenia was timed to a window of opportunity for the alliance to try and disrupt relations between Russia and Armenia.Stanislav Pritchin, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, told Sputnik that NATO members are hoping to strengthen their position in the Caucasus.He stressed that that Yerevan interests them from the point of view of Russian-Armenian relations and the transformation that is taking place in them.Stoltenbergs visit to Yerevan was aimed at reinforcing Armenias drift to the West and timed to its freezing of CSTO membership, agreed Stanislav Tarasov, political scientist and expert on the Middle East and Caucasus.It seems to close the circle of NATOs previously launched operation in the Transcaucases It is no coincidence that Azerbaijan was chosen as the first starting point, because it is in a military-political alliance with NATO-member Turkiye." Tarasov told Sputnik.As for Georgia, the second reference point, NATO has long been established in this country, since the time of its ex-President Mikhail Saakashvili," he added. "Up to a certain point, Armenia, a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Union remained a blank spot... But given that Armenia, especially after the second Karabakh conflict, began to drift to the West, and is now freezing its relations with the CSTO and developing military-technical cooperation with NATO members, Stoltenbergs appearance in Yerevan is quite natural and 'loops-in' this process, The ongoing narrative from the Armenian authorities is based upon false claims that Russia did not support enough Yerevan enough in the latest Karabakh conflict, did not involve the CSTO enough and did not supply weapons on time  which in reality is far from the truth, Pritchin said. But when you blame your strategic partner for everything, you look for alternative security guarantees  Hence Armenias Westwards drift, he argued, which is why Yerevan froze its CSTO membership to see how Russia would react, while also anticipating lucrative offers from its Western partners."Of course, for Russia, the strengthening of NATO in the South Caucasus is a serious challenge. If any tangible plan for Armenias rapprochement with the EU and NATO is adopted, of course, Moscow will need to react," noted Pritchin. "But in general, we see that Russia is actively developing economic relations with Georgia, political, economic and strategic relations with Azerbaijan.Events in the South Caucasus are now greatly influenced by what is unfolding in the Middle East, amid the Palestine-Israel conflict, Tarasov stressed."So, on the one hand, it is clear that Russia is gaining the upper hand in the conflict with Ukraine and will further strengthen its position in the post-Soviet space," Tarasov said. "On the other hand, a tsunami is approaching from the southern direction.""NATO is actually drawing the states of the region, on the one hand, into confrontation with Russia, and on the other hand, drawing them into the zone of destabilization of the Greater Middle East. This is precisely the very prospect that shrewd politicians in the Caucasus should avoid at all costs, said the analyst.Moscow has warned that Western countries seek to create a major hotbed of instability in Central Asia and destabilize the situation in the South Caucasus.Earlier this year year, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev told a meeting of security council secretaries on Afghanistan in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan that "to save hegemony, Western countries are also attempting to increase tensions in the South Caucasus to hamper the Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement."The South Caucasus is considered one of the most conflict-ridden regions of the globe, mainly due to the long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.Likening Nikol Pashinyan to Volodymyr Zelensky, Tarasov reminded that the Armenian PM had surrendered Karabakh and was now leading Armenia to the abyss of loss of statehood.Speculating which of the Transcaucasian countries will become the geopolitical victim of the Wests big game this time, Tarasov said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240223/csto-receives-no-notices-from-yerevan-on-membership-suspension-1116935206.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240216/west-seeking-to-create-hotbed-of-instability-in-central-asia---russian-security-council-1116819826.html

armenia

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/nearly-70-of-children-under-six-exposed-to-lead-in-chicago-drinking-water---study-1117419463.html

Nearly 70% of Children Under Six Exposed to Lead in Chicago Drinking Water - Study

Nearly 70% of Children Under Six Exposed to Lead in Chicago Drinking Water - Study

Sputnik International

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lead exposure can affect multiple body systems and is particularly harmful to young children and women of child-bearing age. The organization adds that children absorb 4 to 5 times as much lead as adults from a given source.

2024-03-19T05:51+0000

2024-03-19T05:51+0000

2024-03-19T05:51+0000

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A study, published on Monday in JAMA Pediatrics, has estimated that nearly 70% of children in the US city of Chicago may have been exposed to poisonous lead in their household tap water caused by lead pipes. The study added that young children in Black and Latino communities were possibly exposed at higher rates than other children.The analysis was led by researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which found that 68% of Chicago children under that age of six live in households with tap water containing detectable levels of lead, while 75% of residential city blocks had been potentially exposed.The study looked at household existing data taken between 2016 and 2023, and were taken from homes that had registered for a free, self-administered testing service, the study said. Nearly 40,000 households were involved in the program.According to WHO, lead is a toxic metal found in the Earths crust. While it is natural, its man-made use has resulted in extensive environmental contamination, human exposure and significant public health problems in many parts of the world. The organization adds that there is no level of exposure to lead that is known to be without harmful effects but exposure is preventable.The study estimated that 19% of Chicago children who have been given unfiltered tap water as their primary drinking source have about twice as much lead in their blood as they would otherwise.I think residents have reason to be concerned, said Benjamin Huynh, a public health professor and co-author of the study. I think this should be a call to get your water tested for lead, see what the results are, then make your decisions accordingly.The threshold that the researchers used for their study was the lowest detectable level of lead in the water tests which is one part per billionroughly the equivalent of a half teaspoon of water in an olympic-size swimming pool, the report explains. And 69% of the tests exceeded this level.The level of lead in drinking water must be at least 15 ppb for the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to suggest taking action. The researchers found that 9% of the tests had lead levels over 15 ppb. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for state and local governments to limit the lead in school drinking fountains to no more than 1 ppb.Studies have shown that even small exposures to lead can affect childhood brain development and contribute to preterm births, heart problems and kidney disease. Lead pipes were commonly used in construction before they were banned in the US in 1986.And while many US cities still use these old lead pipeswith more than 9.2 million households in the US getting their water this way, says the EPAChicago has more than any other city. The EPA has suggested that US cities replace all lead water service lines within 10 years, while Chicago would be given 40 years to comply.If were looking at 40 more years of contaminated drinking water, what does that mean for the children? Huynh said. What can we do about that in the meantime?

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/negotiations-are-possible-german-mp-calls-for-a-halt-to-arms-shipments-to-ukraine-1117422944.html

'Negotiations are Possible': German MP Calls for a Halt to Arms Shipments to Ukraine

'Negotiations are Possible': German MP Calls for a Halt to Arms Shipments to Ukraine

Sputnik International

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius disclosed a new military aid package for Ukraine worth 500 million ($542 million), on Tuesday during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the USs Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

2024-03-19T15:17+0000

2024-03-19T15:17+0000

2024-03-19T15:17+0000

world

bundeswehr

sputnik

kremlin

united kingdom (uk)

berlin

ukraine

annalena baerbock

sahra wagenknecht

olaf scholz

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Left-wing German MP Sahra Wagenknecht has called on the West to stop sending weapons to Ukraine and negotiate with Russia instead.The member of the lower chamber of the Bundestag, formerly of the Die Linke (The Left) party, shared her views during an interview with Welt TV. The MP argued that Western arms supplies to Kiev would only prolong the Ukrainian conflict. She also criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz' refusal to hold talks with Moscow and called for kick-starting bilateral cooperation between the two nations.Scholz has reiterated his opposition to sending long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine after secret discussions between the top Bundeswehr officers was leaked to the media  in which they discussed plans to attack Russia's Kerch bridge to the Crimean peninsula with the weapons, possibly mounted on French fighter jets.Amid the ensuing political scandal, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron proposed to his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock that the UK would send more Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine if Germany sent the longer-range Taurus to Britain.Baerbock came out in favour of that swap, claiming that the exchange is a German [idea]. That would be an option. And weve already done it with other equipment some time ago.But German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit refuted Baerbocks comments, stating that Berlin has not shifted its stance on the issue and hinting at discord between the FM and the Chancellor.Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the leaked audio of the German generals raised concerns about how much control Scholz has over his country's armed forces.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240305/bundeswehrs-audio-ignites-blame-game-in-germany-1117148118.html

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western arms supplies to kiev, taurus cruise missiles, storm shadow missile, scalp cruise missile, leaked audio of the senior german military officers conversation, missile weapon systems.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/nigers-break-with-us-shows-african-countries-tired-of-disrespect-from-west-1117416606.html

Nigers Break With US Shows African Countries Tired of Disrespect From West

Nigers Break With US Shows African Countries Tired of Disrespect From West

Sputnik International

African nations are increasingly standing up to Western powers, rejecting their continued domination.

2024-03-19T02:13+0000

2024-03-19T02:13+0000

2024-03-19T02:13+0000

analysis

niger

us military base

us africa command (africom)

us army

neocolonialism

us

us hegemony

unipolar world order

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Nigers ruling National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland has reportedly revoked an agreement governing the presence of US troops and officials on the countrys soil. The news emerged on Sunday after a statement from Nigerien military spokesman Colonel Amadou Abdramane.Abdramane announced the decision after a visit to Niger by a US government delegation led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee and General Michael Langley of US Africa Command. The colonel claimed the countrys government had been blindsided by the event, citing an absence of prior notification about the delegation's composition, arrival date, or agenda.Basically, they felt disrespected, explained host Jamarl Thomas on Sputniks Fault Lines program on Monday. Thomas welcomed African analyst Koffi Kouakou to help break down the causes and repercussions of the sudden deterioration in relations.It's an issue of sovereignty, said Kouakou, a senior research fellow at the Center for Africa China Studies at the University of Johannesburg. What's happening is Niger is not soft-balling anymore.Kouakou claimed the US delegations visit was likely more significant than has been publicly reported, speculating the US is eager to guard relations with the North African country because of the substantial American military presence there. More than 1,000 US troops are thought to be stationed in the country at at least two bases. One of the bases, dubbed Airbase 201, manages drone operations and was built at a cost of more than $100 million.Nobody puts a $100 million US military base in place and then loses the base, said the analyst. There's no way.The researcher said the governments sudden announcement was in line with a reassessment of its relationships with Western countries, which have held sway across Africa since the era of colonialism. Kouakou drew particular attention to the United States 2012 military agreement with Niger, which he claims was never approved by the countrys legislature.Just a couple of things out of this agreement. The first one is [it is] just unilateral. Second one, no Nigerien is allowed to know anything about the US activities on their own soil, drone numbers, number of military service people, and number of troops. Until today, nobody knows exactly, at least Nigeriens don't know the exact troops.Host Melik Abdul added that Airbase 201 is considered the most expensive such base in the region and the largest construction project ever undertaken by the US Air Force anywhere in the world. The United States invests $30 million annually in the bases maintenance and operation, using it as a hub for spying operations in the Sahel.Kouakou claimed the US delegation warned Nigers leadership against efforts to further pursue independence from the United States. They threatened Niger that if Niger is going that way, things are going to go very wrong for them in the coming months, he claimed. This is unbelievable.The researcher also noted Niger has reportedly been pursuing cooperation with Russia and Iran in recent months. This is what really pissed off the United States, he claimed. They are not allowing Niger to decide who they want to do business with.Supporters of Nigers transitional government have been observed protesting while waving Russian flags, an act thought to represent rejection of the Wests role in the country and in the continent historically. We want the Russians to come, said one activist to US reporters last month. We are waiting for them, waiting for them eagerly.The United States is thought to operate at least 29 bases in 15 countries across Africa, while former colonial power France is present in 10 countries.The African country of Namibia made waves with a similar expression of anti-imperialism earlier this year, condemning Germanys backing of Israel as it was being tried for genocide at the International Court of Justice. Germany formerly ruled Namibia as a colony, presiding over its own genocide there in the early 20th century.Namibias statement rejected Germanys support of the genocidal intent of the racist Israeli state, regretting Germanys inability to draw lessons from its horrific history.One might similarly denounce the United States conduct towards Niger as Western countries continue to regard sovereign African nations as mere colonies. Kouakou insisted the US militarys presence in Niger was for the United States own benefit, claiming, its about natural resources.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240316/niger-breaks-military-agreement-with-us---reports-1117373862.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240116/russia--niger-discuss-military-cooperation-1116208713.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/nz-flirts-with-aukus-pillar-ii-amid-chinese-concerns-1117419798.html

NZ Flirts With AUKUS' 'Pillar II' Amid Chinese Concerns

NZ Flirts With AUKUS' 'Pillar II' Amid Chinese Concerns

Sputnik International

New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been invited for an official visit to China as Beijing closely watches Wellingtons next steps in relation to AUKUS.

2024-03-19T06:57+0000

2024-03-19T06:57+0000

2024-03-19T14:09+0000

aukus

new zealand

china

russia

wang yi

chinese foreign ministry

winston peters

sergey lavrov

asia-pacific region

asia

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New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been invited for an official visit to China as Beijing closely watches Wellingtons next steps in relation to AUKUS.The Prime Minister has been invited to visit China, and the Chinese leadership has been invited to visit New Zealand, but nothing has been confirmed, a spokesman for Luxon was cited as saying.The invitation was extended after Luxon met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on March 18, during his first official visit to the country since 2017.Washington-based architects of the trilateral security partnership between the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia appear increasingly eager to draw more countries into what is de facto an anti-Chinese alliance, with New Zealand appearing to be in their sights.Its hardly surprising that China has been expressing concern about New Zealand - for whom Beijing has been the biggest two-way trading partner since 2017 - mulling joining AUKUS pillar two.During Wang Yis visit, the Chinese foreign minister met with his counterpart Winston Peters in Wellington ahead of travelling further on to Australia. Talks reportedly touched on security, trade, and a host of international issues. After the sit-down, Peters indicated that the matter of AUKUS had been touched on with Yi.At the same time, the increasing tilt towards the trilateral security alliance does not, in his opinion risk in any way our most important trading relationship.""Countries are entitled to make up their minds about their defense interests or their security interests," Peters reiterated. He also echoed oft-repeated US concerns about "increased tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait."As for the Chinese foreign minister, he refrained from specifically mentioning AUKUS, saying that China and New Zealand dont have historical grievances or real disputes, but share many important consensuses and broad common interests.In February, reports surfaced in Australian media that Canberra and Wellington were mulling over New Zealand's possible participation in the second pillar of the AUKUS partnership. Canberra pledged to send a working group to New Zealand in 2024 to brief the government on the development of the second pillar of AUKUS, the part of the partnership involving the development of advanced technologies, the RNZ broadcaster reported. Against the backdrop of these reports, the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries held a meeting in Melbourne under the first Australia-New Zealand Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultations (ANZMIN 2+2). They agreed to increase integration between the Australian and New Zealand armed forces, including "exchanges of senior military officers and increased participation in warfighting exercises," according to a statement. A joint statement issued by Australia and New Zealand at the time insisted that AUKUS was making a positive contribution toward maintaining peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.In response, the Chinese Embassy in Wellington argued that AUKUS ran counter to the common interests of regional countries pursuing peace, stability and common security. After the October 2023 election in New Zealand brought a new three-way coalition led by the National Partys Christopher Luxon to power, the comments coming out of Wellington have become increasingly more hawkish. Last December, Judith Collins, New Zealand's defense minister, said failure to join AUKUS in some form was a real opportunity lost by the previous government. Luxon also stated that were interested in exploring Pillar II, particularly in AUKUS, and the new technologies and the opportunities that may mean for New Zealand.China, Russia, North Korea, and several Asia-Pacific nations have repeatedly expressed serious reservations over the AUKUS pact, warning against a renewed arms race in the region. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning slammed the agreement for raising tensions in the Asia-Pacific and condemned Washington for "pursuing its own interests and adhering to a zero-sum game mindset." AUKUS could turn the Pacific into "an ocean of storms," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin warned on June 6, 2023.Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has stressed that "the Anglo-Saxon world, with the creation of bloc structures like AUKUS... is making a serious bid for confrontation for many years to come."The 10 nations of ASEAN have been highlighting the safety issues with the transportation and use of highly enriched uranium and the risk of it being diverted to weapons programs. Indonesia and Malaysia both raised major concerns about the sharing of nuclear technology for military purposes in a working paper for the UN nuclear non-proliferation review conference in New York in August 2022. Indonesia argued that the lack of safeguards could be exploited to provide a shield for diversion of that material to [a] nuclear weapons program.Rafael Grossi, the director general of the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, also admitted that the AUKUS submarines deal would be very tricky for nuclear inspectors, with vessels fuelled by highly enriched uranium at sea for months at a time.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230528/is-aukus-weaponizing-drone-swarms-against-china-1110752233.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230607/why-aukus-nuclear-sub-deal-will-stir-up-pacific-into-ocean-of-storms-1110982350.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/say-the-right-thing-for-the-cameras-the-schumer-biden-netanyahu-clash-1117416925.html

Say the Right Thing for the Cameras: The Schumer-Biden-Netanyahu Clash

Say the Right Thing for the Cameras: The Schumer-Biden-Netanyahu Clash

Sputnik International

Schumer said on Thursday that the prime minister had lost his way, adding that his coalition no longer fit the needs of the country following the initial... 19.03.2024, Sputnik International

2024-03-19T04:11+0000

2024-03-19T04:11+0000

2024-03-19T04:11+0000

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On Friday, US President Joe Biden openly praised US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers recent address in which he called for new elections in Israel. Biden said the speech was good, adding that it raised concerns shared not only by him but by many Americans.Schumers recent address marks a growing concern among the Democratic party about their weakening voter support. During the Democratic presidential primary in the swing state of Michigan, 14.5% of voters voted uncommitted as a protest to Bidens support for Israels offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas health ministry.On Monday, Sputniks Fault Lines spoke with Esteban Carrillo, a Beirut-based Ecuadorian journalist and editor for The Cradle, who agreed that the Democrats change in tone is most likely a result of poor polling.Carrillo then suggests that the White House is essentially saying to not pay attention to what we have been doing for the past six months, pay attention to what we're saying now.Now, we are concerned. Now, we want to see less civilians dead, Carrillo said. Joe Biden said it himself in an interview, a few days ago. He said something like Rafah would be a red line and then immediately walked it back, he said there are no red lines for Israel. No matter what, we are going to continue sending weapons.So, this is what Schumer and, I guess, in extension the Democrats are trying to do, is to do what we're seeing across Western media over the past several weeks, which is to paint Netanyahu as somehow external to Israel. Netanyahu is not Israel, Israel is not Netanyahu, despite the fact that Benjamin Netanyahu won, easily won, elections over a year ago, he added.And to this day, 87% of Israeli Jews, which is essentially three quarters of all Israelis, when asked, think that the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza is justified, the number of deaths are justified, and they wouldn't want to see less force being used on the ground. So, this is an attempt to whitewash complicity in genocide. It's really nothing else, said Carrillo.In January, it was reported by a global news agency that polls in Israel showed consistently high support for the states military offensive in Gaza even 100 days after the conflict first began.Sputniks Jamarl Thomas pointed out that Biden is politically boxed in by the conflict between Palestine and Israel: his voters and even those in his own party are becoming increasingly critical of Israels offensive actions which have left thousands of women and children dead, hungry, and/or seeking shelter. But Biden is also wary of the $100 million that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) will use against him this election season should he pull his support for Israel.I mean, look at how quickly the US responded to other nations with sanctions or with military action, and they don't do anything when it comes to this. The US president is afraid to lift a finger, he added.At least 30,000-plus have been killed. So many children, so many women, so many innocents. But, as far as an actual break we'll have to see because what I have seen is that apparently the US is now trying to send more precision-guided bombs, as opposed to the 'dumb bombs' that created so much death and destruction in Gaza, said Carrillo.They're also doing this pier because, yes, apparently, the US president, the most powerful man in the world, cannot pick up a phone and tell the leader of this allied nation to stop killing civilians, to stop dropping bombs on hospitals and on schools and on shelters, or to allow humanitarian aid in.Over the weekend, the European Union pledged 7.4 Billion aid package to Egypt to address economic challenges and potential migration pressures. The pledge, Thomas suggests, could be an anticipation of Israels invasion of Rafah, and followed news of Egypt building barriers in the Sinai.I'm so glad that you brought up the situation with Egypt because, yes, first of all, they have already built a buffer zone on the Gaza border security zone where Egyptian authorities give different answers as to what this is meant for, said Carrillo. They say this is an expansion of other work. [But] nobody gives a straight answer.Then, you also had the Gulf states, you had the UAE investing $35 billion in buying up land in Egypt, you had the Saudis wanting to buy up land in Egypt, you had British Petroleum talking about a 1.5 billion gas project. All of these things just one week after the next, coming together. Just as Egypt is building this security zone and you have Egyptian officials coming out and saying 'this will be an act of war, we will never accept this,' and so on and so forth, Carrillo continued.Today the Egyptian foreign minister, if I'm not mistaken, came out and said that the US needs to remind Israel of the consequences of launching the Rafah invasion. This is exactly the same strategy as we're seeing by the Democrats, as we're seeing by Chuck Schumer, by Joe Biden. [They] go out on the cameras and [they] say the right things and then turn [their] back and do the exact opposite, said Carrillo.So, the situation in Rafah is catastrophic as it is across Gaza. As we've said before, there is no safe place for Palestinians anywhere in Gaza.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back against Schumers calls for new elections in the country, adding that an effort to bring about elections now, at the height of the war is an effort to halt the war and subsequently paralyze Israel for at least six months.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240306/election-year-pandering-vp-harris-calls-for-temporary-ceasefire-forgoes-the-word-temporary-1117150526.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240318/israels-netanyahu-slams-call-for-new-elections-during-gaza-fighting-1117406409.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/us-flagged-vessels-in-middle-east-advised-to-turn-off-transponders-amid-houthi-threat-1117421600.html

US-Flagged Vessels in Middle East Advised to Turn Off Transponders Amid Houthi Threat

US-Flagged Vessels in Middle East Advised to Turn Off Transponders Amid Houthi Threat

Sputnik International

The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) has advised vessels under the US flag to turn off automatic identification systems (AIS) transponders while crossing the southern part of the Red Sea, the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Gulf of Aden amid attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

2024-03-19T08:47+0000

2024-03-19T08:47+0000

2024-03-19T08:47+0000

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"US-flagged commercial vessels transiting the Southern Red Sea, Bab el Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden with AIS transponders on are at increased risk of targeting by adversarial actors. US-flagged commercial vessels operating in these areas are strongly advised to turn off their AIS transponders, unless vessel Masters believe that doing so would compromise the safety of the vessel," the agency said in an advisory late on Monday. Since November 2023, there have been at least 47 separate Houthi attacks on commercial vessels and one ship was seized, the authority estimated. Turning off AIS transponders complicates tracking a vessel and accurately targeting it, the agency said, advising US-flagged commercial ships to remain "as far as possible from Yemen's coastline without compromising navigational safety." The Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, which controls large parts of northern and western Yemen, vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led the United States to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces later launched major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240315/despite-american-perception-iran-does-not-control-yemeni-houthis-1117340452.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/us-to-prepare-contingency-plans-for-whether-troops-stay-or-leave-niger---official-1117431866.html

US to Prepare Contingency Plans for Whether Troops Stay or Leave Niger - Official

US to Prepare Contingency Plans for Whether Troops Stay or Leave Niger - Official

Sputnik International

The US is receiving mixed signals from Niger's transitional government about whether it will follow through with terminating the bilateral military agreement, but the US Defense Department continues to prepare contingency plans for a withdrawal of US forces, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Charles Brown said on Tuesday

2024-03-19T16:33+0000

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"There's been some mixed signals that we received ... we will continue to make plans and prepare whether we stay or or depart," Brown said during a press conference in Germany. Brown pointed out that the United States will look into establishing partnerships with other nations in West Africa for counterterrorism operations. On Saturday, Amadou Abdramane, a spokesperson for the Nigerien military, said that the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) had denounced with immediate effect an agreement that allowed US military personnel and civilian Pentagon employees to operate on Niger's soil. Abdramane said the decision was taken in the interest of the Nigerien people.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/nigers-break-with-us-shows-african-countries-tired-of-disrespect-from-west-1117416606.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/watch-russian-buk-m1-missile-system-shoot-down-long-hunted-ukrainian-helicopter-1117422346.html

Watch Russian Buk-M1 Missile System Shoot Down Long-Hunted Ukrainian Helicopter

Watch Russian Buk-M1 Missile System Shoot Down Long-Hunted Ukrainian Helicopter

Sputnik International

The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage showing a Russian Buk-M1 missile system shooting down a Ukrainian attack helicopter.

2024-03-19T09:59+0000

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The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage showing a Russian Buk-M1 missile system shooting down a Ukrainian attack helicopter.A Buk-M1 anti-aircraft missile system of Battlegroup Yug shot down a Ukrainian attack helicopter in the area of Artemovsk (Bakhmut), the division commander of the anti-aircraft system said.According to the commander, the target was destroyed about 7-8 kilometers from the contact line. The hunt for the target had been underway for some time, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces helicopter was ambushed.

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TEHRAN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Iran's ambassador to the United Nations (UN) has rejected recent accusations by the United States and Britain that Tehran was "providing arms" to the Yemen-based Houthis, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday.

Amir Saeid Iravani made the remarks in a letter on Monday to the president of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for March, Yamazaki Kazuyuki, in response to the accusations leveled against Iran by the U.S. and British representatives at the UNSC briefing on Yemen in New York last week.

He said the U.S. and Britain had, once again, "abused the UNSC as a platform to make baseless claims against Iran regarding the situation in the Red Sea and Yemen."

Iravani said, "While rejecting the baseless accusations, Iran considers them to be a pretext used by Washington and London to advance their short-sighted political plan and justify and validate their illegal and aggressive actions against Yemen."

The Iranian envoy also dismissed France's similar "unjustified and unsubstantiated" allegations against Iran, which were made in a statement by its representative at the same meeting.

Iravani said Iran condemned "the constant military aggressions and illegal use of force against Yemen by the so-called coalition led by the United States," stressing that the "aggressions" had flagrantly violated Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity, international law, the UN Charter and the relevant UNSC resolutions, and were a serious threat to the regional peace and stability.

He added Iran was still committed to the UNSC resolutions 2140 and 2216 aiming to ensure peace, security and stability in Yemen and had never taken any action, including through selling or transferring arms or weaponry system to the Arab state, in violation of the resolutions.

Iravani said Iran has always supported the peaceful resolution of Yemen's crisis through diplomatic channels and underlined its commitment to maritime security and freedom of navigation.

In his remarks at the UNSC briefing on Thursday, U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Robert Wood said, "Of course, it is no secret that Iran provides weapons to the Houthis in violation of the UN arms embargo. And so, we repeat our call for Iran to stop the weapons transfers and other activities that help facilitate Houthi attacks in the Red Sea."

Leveling similar accusations, British Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN James Kariuki said, "Britain calls on Iran to cease its unlawful support for the Houthis."

Since last November, the Houthis have initiated attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, citing retaliation for Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip as their motives.

In response, the United States and Britain have conducted air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-January. However, instead of deterring the Houthi group or weakening its capabilities, these strikes appear to have led to further escalation of attacks by the Houthi forces. 
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/western-armies-unprepared-for-prolonged-conflict-like-in-ukraine-ex-us-army-officer-admits-1117431341.html

Western Armies Unprepared for Prolonged Conflict Like in Ukraine, Ex-US Army Officer Admits

Western Armies Unprepared for Prolonged Conflict Like in Ukraine, Ex-US Army Officer Admits

Sputnik International

A former US Army officer has predicted that future wars between great powers will be like the Ukrainian conflict  and Western armies are unprepared for protracted attritional warfare.

2024-03-19T19:14+0000

2024-03-19T19:14+0000

2024-03-19T19:14+0000

military

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dmytro kuleba

ukraine

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A former US Army officer has predicted that future wars between great powers will be like the Ukrainian conflict  and Western armies are unprepared for protracted attritional warfare."In attritional wars, military operations are shaped by a state's ability to replace losses and generate new formations, not tactical and operational maneuvers," writes Alex Vershinin, retired US Army lieutenant colonel, in a Royal United Services Institute article, "The Attritional Art of War: Lessons from the Russian War on Ukraine," published on Monday.Unlike maneuver warfare, which requires swift and violent obliteration of an adversary, the military expert argued that a war of attrition lasts years. The army that concentrates its strategy on destroying enemy forces rather than making territorial gains could emerge the victor.Vershinin highlighted that Western militaries had long avoided attritional wars, favoring shorter, maneuver-oriented engagements. He asserted that victory depends on an armys ability to replenish losses while fighting and the importance of formidable firepower.While Ukraine relies on arms and ammunition shipments from its Western allies, its artillery high burn rate has necessitated more investment in munitions production.So compared to the defense budget from just five years ago, we're putting nearly 50 percent more money into munitions," US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin remarked last year at the Ronald Reagan National Defense Forum in California. Vershinin stated that the Ukrainian conflict has pressed the US military to assess its actual ammunition needs in the event of a future conflict.As NATO and their allies scramble to source arms, ammo, and other military equipment, Russia has overseen a monumental ramping up of industrial output capacity of up to 250,000 artillery munitions monthly or roughly 3 million annually. This outstrips the US and Europes combined capacity of about 1.2 million munitions yearly, a top European intelligence source told the press.There is a deepening rift within the European Union (EU) regarding where to find funds to maintain support of the regime in Kiev. Germany, Italy, Spain, and other countries are gripped by donor fatigue, depleted weapon stocks and defense capabilities.Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said his country's armed forces needed 2.5 million artillery shells in 2024, but the EU was able to send only 400,000. "Wars of attrition are won by economies enabling mass mobilization of militaries via their industrial sectors...Armies expand rapidly during such a conflict, requiring massive quantities of armored vehicles, drones, electronic products, and other combat equipment," Vershinin wrote.The Ukrainian conflict has shown Russias capacity to replace military equipment, munitions, and personnel lost in combat. Kiev regime, in turn, scrambles to reinforce its dwindling numbers of troops by press-ganging citizens in the street.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230930/russia-refilling-ammunition-stocks-faster-than-expected---canadian-general-1113820016.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230915/us-to-produce-100000-155mm-artillery-shells-each-month-by-2025-1113404650.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/western-coverage-of-russian-elections-awash-in-disinformation-1117415393.html

Western Coverage of Russian Elections Awash in Disinformation

Western Coverage of Russian Elections Awash in Disinformation

Sputnik International

Analyst Mark Sleboda criticized Western reporting on Russias presidential election and explained why President Vladimir Putin is so popular in Russia.

2024-03-19T00:37+0000

2024-03-19T00:37+0000

2024-03-28T12:40+0000

analysis

russia

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mark sleboda

ukraine crisis

vladimir putin

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Russian President Vladimir Putin will return to the Kremlin this year with a renewed mandate, having won 87% of the vote in an election with over 77% turnout. The outcome suggests strong support for the leader among the Russian public, but Western media has repeatedly attempted to delegitimize the presidential contest with a combination of misleading characterizations, half-truths, and outright lies.International relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda returned to Sputniks Fault Lines program on Monday to break down mainstream media coverage of the election and explain why Putin enjoys such massive support in Russia.Putin has won this election by stunning margins, said host Jamarl Thomas, with early results showing a convincing win for the Russian president immediately after polls closed on Sunday. On some level people expected Putin to win it, and the question was going to be how much enthusiasm was there going to be in this race? And, apparently, there's been a lot of it.All of the polls, of course  domestic polls, opposition polls, foreign polls, take your pick  whichever ones you don't want to trust, they all show the same thing for the election, noted Sleboda.Take a look at elections in Palestine and Lebanon when the elections didn't go the way the West wanted, recalled the analyst. They just didn't recognize the results.The United States has a long history of casting doubt on foreign elections that produce results contrary to the countrys foreign policy aims. In the book Manufacturing Consent, authors Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman recall how the US discounted Nicaraguas 1984 election, which revealed the Sandinista movement enjoyed the support of more than two-thirds of its citizens.The United States criticized electoral conditions there even while supporting elections in neighboring Central American countries that returned US allies to power in conditions considered far more repressive, according to international observers. The US then backed violent Contra death squads in the country, fueling a bloody civil war until Nicaraguans were compelled to vote for US-backed forces to quell the conflict.I think that this vote certainly showed the unity of the Russian people, Sleboda added, and the unity, it must be said, of the new regions. The vote in Lugansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporozhye  the turnout was even higher than in the rest of the country, despite some of the people, at least on the front lines, facing going to the polls literally under fire.Thomas noted the mendacity of Western coverage on the subject, with CNN and other outlets reporting that people in the Donbass were voting under gunfire or under gunpoint. But not under gunfire from Ukrainians. But, basically, that they were being pushed to the polling, meaning the impression that is being given in some of the media outlets is the opposite.Western outlets also attempted to portray massive turnout in a negative light, with The Wall Street Journal suggesting long lines at voting locations were protesters demonstrating against the presidential elections in Russia.It's the opposite of reality, said Sleboda, criticizing Western medias dishonest presentation of information. They [voters in the Donbass] were literally under fire from the country that believes it has the right to rule over them, by the regime in Kiev. So that is a reversal of the portrayal that is in the Western media.Since 2014, since the government was overthrown, there have been over 20 political parties banned in [Ukraine], Sleboda noted. All opposition media has been shut down. There's one unified information policy. The largest church in the country is literally undergoing a pogrom, with its leaders being arrested and the leaders of the top three opposition parties in the country have all been charged with treason against the Zelensky regime. That is what is heralded as freedom and democracy that they're fighting for in the Western media.The expert pointed out that Russians turnout in this years election has surpassed that of even 1991, when Russia held its first elections of the modern era. Russia has been transformed under Putins leadership since the 1990s, when Western bombs devastated Moscows ally Yugoslavia and the Russian economy stood in tatters. Some even predicted Russia would collapse as the Soviet Union had only a few years before.Now Russia is the largest economy in Europe, with a restored military and renewed international standing as a major player in the BRICS alliance.Sleboda said Putins strong performance is a ratification of support for the special operation in the Donbass as well as a demonstration of approval of his domestic agenda, which includes support for Russian families, improving standard of living, and developing public infrastructure.Everything is as transparent and secure as it can possibly be, he concluded, noting Russias glass ballot boxes and publicly viewable video feeds from each polling location. But it doesn't make any difference to the West. They're going to not accept the results no matter what because, ultimately, the results aren't what they want. As Victoria Nuland clearly stated just before resigning, it's not the Russia we wanted.Too bad, too bad.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230802/trump-indictment-shows-free-fair-2024-election-no-longer-possible-watchdog-says-1112336655.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240318/russian-foreign-ministry-says-over-372000-people-voted-in-presidential-election-abroad-1117403962.html

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2024 presidential election in russia, incumbent vladimir putin's landslide victory in russia's 2024 presidential election, record-breaking voter turnout in russia's 2024 presidential election, western interference, ant-russian propaganda, anti-russian bias, western propaganda
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/western-delusions-shattered-putins-firm-stance-on-ukraine-highlights-natos-impotence-1117418398.html

Western Delusions Shattered: Putin's Firm Stance on Ukraine Highlights NATO's Impotence

Western Delusions Shattered: Putin's Firm Stance on Ukraine Highlights NATO's Impotence

Sputnik International

During his speech, Putin said that Russian forces could establish a security zone that would be quite difficult for the adversary to overcome with its... 19.03.2024, Sputnik International

2024-03-19T05:35+0000

2024-03-19T05:35+0000

2024-03-19T05:44+0000

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On Sunday night in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the Russian public following an election victory which saw over 87% of people vote in his favor, amid a record-high turnout. During his speech, he said that Russia has a lot of tasks ahead but if they stay united, no one can intimidate or suppress their country.According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russia has repelled multiple attacks by Ukrainian sabotage groups that attempted to break into its territory over the past week. As a way to protect its people from cross-border Ukrainian strikes, Russia could set up a buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.On Monday, Sputniks Critical Hour spoke to Ray McGovern, who served as a CIA analyst for 27 years and co-created Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity. McGovern explained Putins approach to a possible battle with NATO, as French President Emmanuel Macron has toyed with the idea of putting boots on the grounda sentiment his Western counterparts have vehemently rejected.What [Putin] has done is just reminded people in NATO that if they send troops into Ukraine, there's going to be a fight with Russia, and a fight with Russia would be very dangerous because they have weapons that NATO doesnt havesuch as hypersonic missiles, McGovern explained, adding that Russias weapons are fast and precise and can cause a lot of damage without any nuclear fallout, figuratively or literally.And so, they are considering that and preparing the propaganda play by blaming the Russians and specifically Putin, the former CIA analyst added.Putin spoke to reporters and journalists following his election victory, and said that at some point Russia could set up a buffer zone in Kiev-controlled territories in order to protect the Russian population from Ukrainian strikes. The president explained that if and when Russia considers it appropriate, they will establish a security zone that would be quite difficult for the adversary to overcome with its weapons, primarily of foreign origin.This went back a whole year, said McGovern of the buffer zones. [Sergey] Lavrov, the [Russian] Foreign Minister said they will be satisfied with the Donbass and those other two oblasts but, as long as there continues to be longer range artillery and missile range that much farther to the west, theyre going to have to go.As far as what the Ukrainians are trying to do, they're trying to show in one burst of energy that they really have the initiative, or at least they can take an initiative and they got slaughtered just over the weekend. They're all trying to show the US Congress that there's still life in the Ukrainian militaryall they need is another $60 billion from Mike Johnson, the speaker of the [US] House, McGovern added.Sputniks Wilmer Leon said the introduction of a buffer zone would be consistent with what Putin has been saying for a number of years, which is: the West has been encroaching Russias security space with missiles, and has cut Russias defense time down as a result, forcing Russia to act to defend its security.Leon also referred to an article recently published by a Washington, DC newspaper that suggested the Western strategy in their proxy war with Russia is to ignore reality. The article also highlighted that the Russian economy has withstood Western sanctions far better than most predicted, adding that the global economy is interdependent enough that bans on products such as oil negatively impacts everyonenot just those the West is trying to punish.For Russia, Ukraine is an existential issue; for the West, it is not. And [former US President Barack] Obama added that, by giving weapons to Ukraine, that would be a bad idea because that would give them the idea that they could prevail against a much more powerful Russia, the former CIA analyst said.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240318/russian-uav-strikes-ukrainian-sabotage-group-in-chernigov-region-1117411829.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240319/who-is-alexander-moiseyev-acting-commander-in-chief-of-russias-navy-1117426460.html

Who is Alexander Moiseyev, Acting Commander-in-Chief of Russias Navy?

Who is Alexander Moiseyev, Acting Commander-in-Chief of Russias Navy?

Sputnik International

Earlier today, Northern Fleet Commander Admiral Alexander Moiseyev was announced as the acting commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy at a special ceremony dedicated to Submariners Day in Russia. What is known about the decorated serviceman who has temporarily assumed the top position in the Navy?

2024-03-19T15:28+0000

2024-03-19T15:28+0000

2024-03-19T15:28+0000

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Admiral Moiseyev's academic background reflects his professional trajectory in the navy's ranks. He graduated from the Alexander Popov Naval Radio-Electronic Academy in 1987, the Kuznetsov Naval Academy in 2003 with honors and the navy department of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in 2011. After receiving his military degree, the commander began his impressive career, which included serving on a Delfin-class (NATO: Delta-IV) nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and joining a combat unit on a cruise missile submarine  first as a computing group engineer, and later as a radio technical commander. Having gained more experience, Moiseyev joined the crews of Russia's K-117 Bryansk nuclear-powered submarine and the K-407 Novomoskovsk ballistic missile submarine. Some of Admiral Moiseyev's career highlights include participating in an Arctic campaign, with his crew planting the Andreevsky and Russian Flags at the North Pole, and commanding the K-407 submarine that conducted the first successful launch of the Shtil-1 shipborne medium-range air defense missile system (ADMS). Moiseyev has since been engaged in maintaining Russias nuclear forces combat control, including ensuring a successful test of a reserve system on the K-114 Tula ballistic missile submarine.Throughout his career, Alexander Moiseyev has participated in 13 long-distance campaigns and combat patrols, including under the North Polar ice cap. His missions have successfully tested advanced weapons and fired ballistic missiles.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231203/atomic-might-russia-toasts-nuclear-powered-icebreaker-fleet-1115358750.html

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Rod Hennessy. Doug Stout. Shelly Arsenault. Shark Week. Scott McGinn

On and on goes the list of harness racings best from last year who were recently honoured just as a new season began this past weekend at Calgarys Century Downs.

Hennessy was named Horseperson of the Year for the fourth time.

Stout was given the Breeder Award of Recognition.

Arsenault was the Ron McLeod Award winner for her lifetime contributions to Standardbred racing and her hard work, dedication and passion.

The phenomenal Shark Week was, of course, Horse of the Year.

McGinn, who won 10 times from just 15 starts including eight times with three-year-old champion filly G Ts Skyla, was named the Rising Star.

The rest of the individual winners announced on March 9 at the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association (ASHA) Awards were all equally deserving.

I honestly believe I was given the award because I kept Shark Week in Alberta, Hennessy said of the sensation he bought for himself and Lorne Duffield for just $6,000 as a yearling. Ive never seen a horse that wants to pace fast like he does.

Getting this award was more than just winning races."

Shark Week, who has won 16 races in a row, has now earned $348,475 lifetime.

The only comparable horse in Western Canadian racing history is Keith Clarks legendary As Promised, who won 18 in a row in Alberta.

When you can mention As Promised and Shark Week in the same breath Well, thats pretty good, said Hennessy.

Shark Week has developed quite a following. Theres even a Shark Week Fan Club and two of their members attended the awards dinner.

When he paced in 1:49.2 in Calgary on June 3 to become the first horse in history to pace faster than 1:50 in Western Canada, that was one of the highlights of my career. And to have my son, Mike, driving him, that will always be a great memory.

Given all that Hennessy has accomplished, that says a very big mouthful.

After all, Hennessy, 70, has won 2,226 races as a trainer and another 2,831 races as a driver in a 54-year career that started when he was just 16.

Ive been around forever.

In all, horses trained by Hennessy have won $16.5 million and $15.7 million as a driver.

Thats pretty decent out here, Hennessy understated.

Another great memory and highlight of my career was when Roarin Snortin paced in 1:59.2 in 1980 to become the first two-year-old to pace in under two minutes in Alberta.

I had a really, really good year last year. I won a lot of races with a lot of different horses, he said of Shark Week, Byby Baby Byby, who was named champion Alberta-bred two-year-old filly, and Blue Star Mercury, who easily won the Western Canada Pacing Derby, to name just a few.

Stouts Breeder Award of Recognition was equally well deserved.

Stout has won 689 races as a driver and 565 races as a trainer. Moreover, Stout has won $1.2 million as a driver and $3.8 million as a trainer.

If I had saved all that money, Id be happier, but I didnt, laughed the personable Stout, who was Albertas leading driver several times.

But, as Bret Litke wrote in the Awards Night program, there is -- as is the case with Hennessy -- much more to Stout than just winning races.

There is another key aspect to Doug Stout's tenure in harness racing that not only adds to this illustrious resume but puts an exclamation mark on it: his work as a breeder, wrote Litke.

In fact, it was the breeding aspect of the business where Stout originally got his first taste of harness racing. At a young age, his father, Mr. Septimus Stout, purchased a broodmare and from there, a lifelong connection to the business was born. Partnered with his dad, Doug bred a number of quality racers, including two strand-out pupils in Moon Maid and The Hood.

Over the decades, Stout has been involved as a partner or as a sole breeder for a star-studded lineup of horses, wrote Litke. One of the most fruitful combinations included Stout's partnership with Nealie and Roy Oliver of Nealies Stable, which was a powerhouse breeding stable in the 1970s and '80s. That partnership was responsible for the legendary Nealies Ten Spot.

Nealies Ten Spot won the 1989 Nat Christie. He should have won the Derby too but [driver] Jerv Clifton dropped his whip at the top of the stretch. He wound up losing by a nose with Jerv unable to do anything.

Nealies Ten Spot won just under $400,000.

In more recent years, Doug has partnered with his son Derek, operating a small but steady breeding operation that is producing great results, continued Litke. From his racing stable, Stout has graduated such great racehorses as Baron Josie, Bearcat Josie, Blue Star Beauty and Jessies Girl into broodmares.

Those broodmares in turn have started, and will continue, to produce even more quality racehorses in the province.

The successful results of Stout's re-investment into the breeding side of business are perhaps no more apparent than with Blue Star Beauty. Originally a $2,000 2010 ASHA Yearling Sale purchase, she went on to win $311,108 in 24 wins over 99 starts. Upon her retirement from racing, she has produced two stellar foals for the Stout stable, Jessies Girl and Kioti.

Jessies Girl made $137,828 in her racing career before entering Stout's broodmare ranks, while Kioti became an overnight sensation in 2023, winning 11 of 19 races with a blistering best time of 1:51.1 at Track on 2.

For his several contributions to the breeding industry of Alberta harness racing over the past 50 plus years, ASHA is extremely proud to present the 2023 Breeder's Recognition to Doug Stout.

I guess the oldest guy around should win one of those awards, said the self-effacing Stout.

My dad bought a broodmare in foal when I was 16. That was 58 years ago and Ive been involved in breeding and racing ever since.

That broodmare was Gail Direct, who produced Moon Maid, who Stout said was the first winner of the Stewart Fraser Memorial.

She beat Native Stream and Smoky Affair and a bunch of other nice horses, said Stout.

As for Arsenault, she does a little bit of everything at the track in addition to training an eight-horse stable.

I do whatever needs to be done to keep the show going, said Arsenault. Whatever it takes to get the show ready for the next day.

In every backstretch, there's always one person who is ever ready to offer assistance regardless of the situation, wrote Jocelyn Giesbrecht in the Awards Night program.

[Shelly] is known for her exceptional work ethic and kind, helpful nature. When she's not tending to her own stable of racehorses, you can find her inspecting horses in the paddock before races, helping collect race numbers, or supporting the race office by diligently coordinating with trainers to finalize their driver selections on entry day.

Apart from her primary responsibilities in the backstretch, Shelly also serves as a dedicated volunteer Board member on the Breeders Committee. From entry day, to race day, and in the committee meetings in between, Shellys tireless efforts go a long way into supporting several people in our backstretch and helping our racing product be the best that it can be.

My parents -- Jim and Helen Zurawel -- bought a yearling filly when I was 12, said Arsenault in a tale similar to Stouts beginnings.

It wasnt long before Arsenault started going to the track and took a job in the racing office taking entries.

In 2010, she started training working with her partner Don Monkman Jr., a very successful and longtime trainer/driver. The first horse she trained was NF Star Power in 2010. He won 17 races and was second 25 times and third 38 times in his career.

As well as training, she is still working in the race office identifying horses.

Asked what she likes most about horses, Arsenault had the perfect answer: Whats not to like?

As for horse racing itself, Arsenault said, You are always chasing the next good one. Theres always something exciting and new every day.

Arsenault and Monkman have had several next good ones.

The best horse I took care of was Momas Son Byrne, she said of the horse that is still racing in Ontario after being sold in 2022.

Momas Son Byrne has won 18 races and $290,955. He has won in 1:49.

Don and I broke, raised and foaled him.

Then there is Balanchine, who won just under $800,000 while winning 62 of 285 races. Racing until 2016, Balanchine was brought to Alberta by Monkman as a yearling in 2005.

He was a very nice horse, said Arsenault, of the horse who won a Premiers Colt Stakes division as a two-year-old and then captured the $84,000 Silver Bucket Stakes in 2007 pacing in 1:53.2.

Then, like Momas Son Byrne, he too was sold.

Arsenault said she was surprised to win the Ron McLeod Award.

Im not at all about limelight. But I have to say it made me feel good.

Arsenault and Monkman have three broodmares, who are all ready to produce babies in about a month. She also has a two-year-old half brother to Momas Son Byrne, Momas Work of Art, that she is high on.

He looks good, said Arsenault hopefully.

As for the other award winners, Byby Baby Byby was voted the champion Alberta-sired two-year-old filly and Outlawguns N Roses was named champion open two-year-old filly.

Those two engaged in some of the best duels of the year, including one of the races of the year when they battled down the entire stretch with the lead exchanging hands three times with Byby Baby Byby winning in the final strides in a race that went in a two-year-old filly track record of 1:52.2.

The two-year-old colt or gelding champion was a tie between Come On Santana and Grey Horizon. Both won five of their eight starts. They too had some epic clashes, including the Super Final where Come On Santana won by a length and a quarter.

G Ts Skyla was the three-year-old filly champion winning six in a row and eight of her 11 starts overall on the year, including the $90,000 Shirley McClellan, $101,770 Gord and Illa Rumpel and $55,100 Alberta Princess.

Virtual Horizon was the champion three-year-old colt or gelding with 13 wins -- all consecutive -- in 16 appearances including the $114,250 Ralph Klein, $90,000 Moores Mile, $59,600 Alberta Marksman, $59,000 Alberta Maverick and $56,300 Alberta Plainsman. The only thing that probably kept him from winning the Western Canada Pacing Derby was when he drew the outside eighth post position.

The champion aged mare award went to Stash The Cookies, who won eight of her 25 outings.

The champion claiming filly or mare was Metaki, who was in the top three in 24 of her 30 starts. The champion claiming colt or gelding was Captain Fireball, who won half of his 24 starts.

Brandon Campbell was once again the champion trainer and driver.

Jodi Loftus, George Rogers and Raymond Henry were named Owners of the Year.

Meridian Farms and Bill and Denise Andrew were named Breeders of the Year.

Emma LaForce was named Caretaker of the Year.

The fastest boy was, of course, Shark Week. The fastest girl was Daisy Corvette, who paced in 1:51.4.

A photo gallery of the ASHA Awards presentations are available by clicking here.

(With files from Curtis Stock / thehorses.com; Photos by Orianna Scheck, of ASHA Awards presentations made to, clockwise from top left, Rod Hennessy, Doug Stout, Scott McGinn and Shelly Arsenault)
Approval of six federal spending bills by Congress on March 9 gave a boost to projects in the Panhandle.

The approved spending bills, passed by the Senate and House and signed by President Joe Biden, included roughly $18 million that will be spent in the Panhandle on various projects. In a press release, Sen. Deb Fischer detailed the funding, for which she had championed, included $12.87 million appropriated for funding of a Heartland Expressway project as well as $3.5 million for a new taxiway at Western Nebraska Regional Airport and $1.4 million for a new ladder truck for the Chadron Fire Department.

Heartland Expressway

Completion of segments of the Heartland Expressway are slated to be done, decades after state leaders first proposed the project.

The Heartland Expressway is a federally-designated, high-priority corridor that is part of a larger planned corridor, the Ports to Plains, that connects highways through nine states. Once completed, the Ports to Plains Corridor will connect highways from southern Texas to the Canadian border.

When completed, the Heartland Expressway will provide multi-lane, divided highway access between Rapid City, South Dakota, and Denver, Colorado, passing through Panhandle communities such as Alliance and Scottsbluff.

The Heartland Expressway extends from I-70 in Colorado north to I-90 in South Dakota where it connects with the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway in Rapid City. In Nebraska, it includes U.S. Highways 71, 21, 26 and 385 as well as some connecting roadways like the L-62A Junction which connects U.S. Highway 385 to U.S. Highway 26 after it passes through Minatare.

Funding allocated in the recently-approved spending bills will allow completion of that section of highway between Minatare and U.S. Highway 385, currently being studied for routing of an expansion from two lanes to four lanes.

The expansion would bring most of the states Heartland Expressway up to four lanes, excluding U.S. Highway 385 north of Alliance and parts of U.S. Highway 71 and 26. The Nebraska Department of Transportation, the recipient of the grant, has been conducting a study to decide how to most effectively expand the roadway.

According to NDOT Highway District 5 Engineer Doug Hoevet, the state plans to use what is called a two plus two construction, where the two existing lanes will become one side of the highway and an additional two lanes will be added to one side of the roadway.

The NDOT has been conducting a study to ascertain which side of the highway will be best to build on as it will be a complicated process, he said, as the highway runs through Minatare and is bordered largely by farmland all the way to U.S. Highway 385.

Hoevet described the lengthy and complex process of figuring out how to expand the highway including working with property and business owners as well as considering construction costs.

When we go through these, whether its a new set of lanes, the relocation of a highway, those types of things, theres a process that we follow, Hoevet said.

That study has been ongoing and while Hoevet was not certain of when it would be completed, he said he expected they would make an announcement around late summer to early fall of this year.

Once the study is completed the funding secured by Fischer will help to cover construction costs as the roadway is expanded. The expansion project would start on the east side of Minatare and continue to U.S. 385.

Deb Cottier, the chairman of the Heartland Expressway Coalitions Board of Directors, outlined the importance of developing the corridor. It will not only impact national trade, but also economic development in the Panhandle.

It is the premier route for moving ag exports and energy exports and the goods that are needed to actually accomplish the work in those sorts of industry sectors, Cottier said.

Cottier said she had spoken with legislators and state officials recently about the importance of their continued support for the development of the corridor. She said she felt the work on L-62A was important and she was glad it would be funded and continue.

Moving forward, she said, she had suggested the next logical step would be the expansion of US Highway 385 north of Alliance. She felt that a Super-Two configuration would be appropriate until transportation officials are able to fully expand the road.

The Super-Two configuration includes standards for wider lanes and larger shoulders as well as alternating passing lanes to encourage safer passes from drivers.

Both Cottier and Hoevet expressed their appreciation to Fischer and other Nebraska lawmakers for their continued support of the corridor.

Airport Taxiway

In the spending bills, there was also funding earmarked for the construction of a new taxiway at Western Nebraska Regional Airport. According to Airport Director Raul Aguallo, the $3.5 million from the bill, paired with $4.5 million from the airports own coffers, will be used to fund the project.

Work on the project has already started as the airport conducted an environmental impact study on the new taxiway late last year and airport officials have submitted a capital improvement program plan to the state.

Now that the funding is secured, all Aguallo is waiting on is the passage of the FAA Reauthorization bill to begin construction. He said he is hopeful that will be accomplished by May 10, allowing the airport to break ground starting in the summer 2025.

The taxiway would run parallel to runway 5-23 and would connect at the end of that runway. It would allow aircraft to take off from that runway without the need to backtaxi, or taxi in the opposite direction of runway traffic and then turn around to reach the end of the runway, he said.

Such a change will allow the airport to accommodate larger aircraft on the runway, like the Boeing 737, which would allow larger planes to be diverted to land at the airport.

Mainline aircraft in years past have gone down on those runways and turned on them and when they do, they lock one wheel and spin, and they tear up my runway, Aguallo said.

Due to the potential damage, there has been a weight limit of 80,000 pounds imposed on runway 5-23 that would be lifted following the completion of the taxiway.

Once awarded, Aguallo said, he hoped that the project could be completed within four months.
Marions police officers spend more time on mental health calls than any crime or situation that comes their way. Their chief, John Clair, has long lobbied for the law enforcement perspective in local and state forums. Now, he also plans to become an advocate for mental health services.

Earlier this year, the Smyth County Board of Supervisors appointed Clair to serve a three-year term on the Mount Rogers Community Services Board of Directors.

The Wytheville-headquartered agency, as described on its website, provides Mental Health, Developmental Disability, and Substance Use Services to the people of Bland, Carroll, Grayson, Smyth, and Wythe Counties as well as the City of Galax.

While Clair acknowledges that he and Mount Rogers representatives have often experienced a tense relationship, especially regarding officers having to sit with and frequently transport individuals who are placed under emergency custody and temporary detention orders for a mental health crisis, he believes they will now find they have in him their fiercest advocate.

No one wants high-quality mental health care more than me, Clair said.

He wants to learn about the agencys and regions needs and advocate for better solutions, he said.

Clair is adamant that easing the ongoing mental health crisis will require a full community response. There is no saying someone else should do it, he argued.

We as a community have to do it, Clair said. Yet, he added, We  the collective we  keep refusing to learn that.

At a recent Marion Town Council meeting, the chief told citizens and leaders that strong mental health care leads to a lower crime rate, including family abuse, and is a key to community health.

The chief said he hopes to share his insights and put his leadership skills to the test in this role.

County Administrator Shawn Utt believes Clairs insights may be especially valuable.

When the Board of Supervisors needed to fill two positions on the Mount Rogers board, he said they knew Clair was interested. Utt reflected, I think he can bring a unique perspective to the board that no one has brought in the past.

The Mount Rogers board agrees.

In a statement, MRCS said, Mount Rogers is excited about Smyth Countys appointment of Marion Police Chief John Clair to our Board. Chief Clair is very passionate about individuals with behavioral health needs, and we have a longstanding relationship with him to find solutions that result in the best care possible for these individuals. Law enforcement is an important part of Virginias behavioral health system, and Chief Clairs leadership and input will be invaluable.

After attending his first board meeting last month, Clair said he has much to learn about the agency. He noted that MRCS has 830 employees and a $90 million operating budget. He also expressed his gratitude to the supervisors for the opportunity.

The Mount Rogers board is not the only place where Clair is fighting for mental health and law enforcements needs.

He is one of eight officers from across the Commonwealth who have been tapped to serve on an advisory committee for Terrance Terry Cole, Virginias Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security.

In a recent meeting of that committee, Clair told the council that cyberattacks, drone activity, mental health, and violent crime were among the agenda topics. He expressed the belief that working together the needle can be moved on these vital issues.
PHNOM PENH, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Eight years on, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) mechanism has reached new heights, becoming an effective model of win-win cooperation, Cambodian Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea said on Tuesday.

The LMC countries comprise China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

He said the launch of LMC in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, in 2016 reflected the common aspirations of the leaders of the six countries in promoting peace, stability and all-round development, and in building a community of shared future of peace and prosperity for the people in the sub-region and beyond.

"Over eight years, the LMC mechanism has reached new heights. It has become an effective model of win-win cooperation, offered consistent and significant progress, and enhanced cooperation," he said in a congratulatory message on the eighth anniversary of LMC and LMC Week 2024.

"It has also promoted the region's long-term growth and sustainable development, especially through the five-year Action Plan for 2018 to 2022, which has provided fruitful benefits for the well-being of our peoples," he added.

Chenda Sophea, who is also a deputy prime minister, said despite growing geopolitical uncertainty, volatility and complexity, the LMC framework remains on its practical path.

He said the LMC Special Fund remains a crucial financing instrument for new projects in the fields of rural development, poverty alleviation, water resources, agriculture, air transport, health, education, tourism, culture and women's empowerment.

"I sincerely thank the government and people of the People's Republic of China for their support and active engagement in advancing the LMC framework," he said.

Chenda Sophea said the LMC will continue as a positive catalyst with other mechanisms.

"It complements the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as well as China's Belt and Road Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative and Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative," he said.

He added that these are designed to further promote inclusive growth and digital economic development, which will advance sub-regional integration and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) community building.

"I am confident the framework will continue to support a community with a shared future with prosperity for all as a promising development for the region," Chenda Sophea said.

Originating from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China, the river is called the Lancang River in China and the Mekong River when it flows through the lower reaches before emptying into the sea. 
While students quizzed him on everything from Area 51 to the possibility of re-instating the military draft, social media was the big issue during U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffiths visit to Graham High School on March 18.

The ninth district congressman has been visiting high schools in his district yearly since his election in 2010. While Griffith said he had no knowledge of the highly classified Air Force base in Nevada, he talked a lot about the potential ban of TikTok.

We are not attempting to ban TikTok, he said. We are saying TikTok needs to be sold from ByteDance.

ByteDance, which controls TikTok, is a Chinese company with a member of the Chinese communist party on the board of directors.

Griffith explained that TikTok and ByteDance have the same lawyers who can see everything they want to see.

Griffith serves on the energy and commerce committee, which oversees the internet. he said the panel had a three-hour classified briefing and later voted 50-0 to require the company be sold.

The company is worth nearly $1 trillion.

Griffith said he believes the sale will happen if the Senate votes for the legislation requiring the sale. In fact, Griffith said there are already people putting together deals to buy the company.

If they do eventually have to shut down, I think you will see others move forward, he told students. In the future you will see more restrictions on it.

Griffith said Virginia already bans TikTok from state-owed computers and cell phones.

Our Department of Justice does not believe it is a violation of the First Amendment, primarily because of threats to national security.

While there is no war, Griffith said there is stress, and the Chinese government has said it intends to disrupt the American government.

Facebook and other social media platforms are different, Griffith said, because they are controlled by private business and taking them down would be a violation of the First Amendment. He noted that Facebook and the other platforms can use peoples information but are not as dangerous as TikTok.

On the subject of aiding Ukraine, Griffith said the US helps because Russia is looking to restore the Russian empire.

It is better to send money to help the Ukrainians fight than to send troops, he said.

He said the district benefits because bullets are made at Radford Army Arsenal.

He also talked with the students the problems at the border with Mexico, saying that illegal entrants need to be kept out while making the process of legal entry easier.

Griffith said he hoped the draft would never be re-instated but did say armed forces recruiting efforts are lagging.
The Syrian government issued a strong condemnation of a statement made on March 15th by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

On March 17th, 2024, the Syrian government issued a strong condemnation of a statement made on March 15th by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, criticizing it as a continuation of their prolonged hostile stance towards Syria.

The Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Ministry voiced its objection, stating, For over thirteen years, the collective efforts of the US, UK, France, and Germany have maintained a confrontational posture towards Syria, employing all means of warfare against our nation. The ministry accused these nations of persisting in spreading false accusations and propaganda designed to tarnish Syrias image and distract global attention from their significant breaches of the Syrian peoples rights, particularly regarding life and development.

The Ministry lambasted the March 15th statement from the four countries as not only a perpetuation of their harmful policies but also as an epitome of political deceit and moral collapse. It argued that such statements aim to mask the catastrophic impact of the unlawful sanctions imposed on the Syrian populace, which have infiltrated every facet of Syrian life and severely obstructed crucial early recovery efforts needed to bolster the resilience of the Syrian people and facilitate the return of displaced citizens to their home regions.

Furthermore, the statement highlighted the egregious actions of the United States in supporting what it described as a terrorist separatist militia in northeastern Syria, which has inflicted significant hardship on local residents. It also condemned the U.S.s appropriation of Syrian resources, its continued occupation of Syrian lands as a stark infringement of Syrias sovereignty, and its violation of international norms and Security Council resolutions. The statement called for accountability for the destruction of Raqqa by what it termed the alleged coalition, emphasizing the need to ensure that such atrocities do not go unpunished.

This denunciation reflects Syrias steadfast refusal to accept what it sees as unfounded and politically motivated critiques from these four nations, underlining the deep rifts and ongoing geopolitical tensions affecting the region.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria.

U.S. officials believe they have successfully deterred Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria from attacking U.S. forces, noting no attacks for over a month. This development coincides with U.S.-Iraq discussions on potentially reducing the U.S. military presence in Iraq, which seems to have influenced the decision of pro-Iran groups to pause their hostilities. However, the strategies that deterred militias in Iraq and Syria may not be effective against the Houthi movement in Yemen, which continues its assaults on Red Sea shipping. The Houthis, less influenced by Iranian and domestic pressures compared to Iraqi and Syrian militias, pose a unique challenge.

Since the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, efforts to prevent the escalation of the Gaza war and deter attacks by Iran-supported groups across the region have seen mixed results. The primary goal of Iran and its allies, including forcing U.S. military withdrawal from the region and pressuring Israel, remains unchanged. In response to over 180 attacks by Iran-backed militias, the U.S. conducted significant retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria, leading to a temporary cessation of militia assaults on U.S. bases. These actions highlight the complex dynamics of Iranian influence and the varying responses of proxy groups to U.S. and diplomatic pressures.

Syrias Al-Hol camp: child inmates and false identities

In another story, AFP published a report on Al-Hol Camp, run by US-backed Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Its population spiked at more than 70,000 as the coalition began tightening its grip on the last IS holdout in Baghouz late in 2018.

Iraqis have always been the dominant nationality in the camp, with their numbers at one time reaching 30,000, according to Doctors Without Borders.

At its height, 11,000 foreign women and children  that is non-Syrian or Iraqi  were held there.

After the defeat of the caliphate in March 2019, countries across the world slowly began repatriating their nationals. Many Europeans were transferred to Roj, a smaller and better-kept camp close to the Turkish border that today holds 2,500 people, more than 2,140 of them foreign.

The sprawling 320-hectare al-Hol holds more than 43,000 people from 47 countries including France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Russia, Turkey and Tunisia  21,500 of them children, according to the latest figures.

Iraqis are the biggest group (20,144), followed by Syrians (16,710). Two thirds of the 6,612 foreigners are children under 17, according to the camp administration.

13-year-old brides

Kurdish security forces and the SDF guard the camp, with a Kurdish civil administration overseeing the camp. Dozens of United Nations agencies and international and local NGOs provide health, water, sanitation, education and protection services.

But the camps overall management is handled by the US group Blumont paid for by the US State Department, with France also funding some humanitarian assistance and improvements to the infrastructure.

The camp is divided into two parts. Syrians and Iraqis live in the main camp, with foreigners held in the high-security annex that is cut off from the main camp.

Camp officials say many of the foreigners have not revealed their nationalities or given false ones.

Many marriages in the main camp  where some 3,000 men live  are to minors, including girls as young as 13, according to humanitarian workers.

Since the Kurdish-led administration does not recognise child marriage, they are not registered, nor are their children.

Two girls point to the sky  a gesture often used by Islamic State  in the al-Hol camp in Syria where the families of IS fighters are held

Many men take second wives. These marriages are also not recognised. As a result, the camp bursts with unregistered children, a humanitarian worker said.

Jordan army detects suspicious aerial movement near Syria border

The Jordanian army said on Monday its air defence radar system had detected suspicious aerial movements from an unknown source along the border with Syria, which a regional security source said were most probably missiles fired by pro-Iranian militias from Iraq, Reuters reported.

Jets believed to be Jordanian had been heard hovering over the Jordanian city of Irbid and areas near the border crossing with Syria, witnesses said.

The army said an air force squadron had flown to ensure the airspace was not under any threat. It did not say from where the movements came.

The airforce responded to an alert of radar systems that monitored aerial movements whose source is not known, the army statement said.

In January three U.S. service members were killed and as many as 34 wounded after a drone attack on a U.S outpost in Jordan that Washington linked to Iranian-backed militants.

Jordan has requested Patriot air defence systems from Washington, saying it fears being caught in the crossfire if the war in Gaza pulls in Iran and its well-armed regional militias on the kingdoms borders.

Another regional security source said two missiles that came from the direction of the Iraqi border in an area where pro-Iranian Shiite militias have a presence were intercepted.

Regardless whether there were drones or missiles that were intercepted or fired or not, the risk of Jordan being caught in the crossfire can only increase if the war continues and expands, Saud Al Sharafat, former brigadier-general in Jordans General Intelligence Directorate, said.
The presence of a former Baath official at an official ceremony in Berlin sparked controversy.

At the end of February, Minister Reem Abli-Radovan (SPD) extended invitations to over 120 refugee women from various countries to partake in the ceremony. Memorial photos captured the presence of Amal Ezzo, a refugee, among the attendees, standing in the security line and in close proximity to the Minister.

Amal, aged 56, resettled in Germany in 2015. Presently, she serves as a social worker and translator at a refugee center located near the northern city of Titirov. Additionally, she actively engages with multiple associations dedicated to migrant issues.

Regime officials pursue Syrians in countries of asylum

Although Amal previously held a position as the head of the youth office of the Damascus branch of the Baath Party and had close ties to armed militias, according to the report, she now works extensively with Syrians who have fled persecution under Bashar al-Assads regime.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights has estimated that Syrian regime forces alone bear responsibility for the deaths of over 200,000 civilians in Syria. Additionally, more than ten thousand individuals have reportedly been tortured to death in prisons and detention centers, while the fate of over 96,000 people remains unknown.

Its worth noting that the networks statistics are considered conservative, suggesting that the actual figures could be significantly higher. The German Foreign Ministry, in its report on the current situation, asserts that opponents of the Assad regime in Syria continue to face systematic persecution today, describing the human rights situation under Assad as catastrophic.

Amal rejects these accusations

Amal asserted that she resigned from her party positions in 2015 and initially sought refuge in Lebanon. She disclosed that she had faced threats in Syria, reportedly from Islamists, for reasons including her choice not to wear the hijab.

According to NDR, her role within the Baath Party was purportedly focused on supporting women in society. However, despite her claims, social media posts depicted Amal participating in a military parade alongside the Baath Brigades militia. NDR verified the authenticity of these images.

At the same table with Bashar al-Assads advisor

Amal also previously held a position within the administration of the al-Quds International Foundation, an organization listed under U.S. sanctions. She asserted that she resigned from this role in 2015.

However, photos published by the al-Quds Foundation seem to contradict Amals statements. They depict her participating in a board meeting alongside Buthaina Shaaban, an advisor to Bashar al-Assad, in the capital city of Damascus at the end of February 2018, three years after she sought refuge in Germany.

We didnt know her previous activity

In response to this revelation, the spokeswoman for the minister, Reem Abli-Radovan, informed NDR that Amals invitation stemmed from a recommendation by an association in the state of Lower Saxony, and there was no prior knowledge of her previous positions.

If we had been aware of this information before the event, we would not have extended an invitation to Ms. Amal, the spokeswoman stated. Malteser International, the organization overseeing Amals refugee assistance center, expressed ignorance regarding her past. They emphasized taking this information seriously and committed to conducting a thorough investigation.

Fear of leaking refugee information to the Syrian regime

A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry in the city of Schwerin stated that security authorities scrutinize the issue of refugees entering Germany to ensure they are not associated with terrorism, while other factors such as ties to the Syrian regime are also considered.

However, she declined to comment on the status of Amals Syrian refugee data or how the ministry evaluates the situation of a former regime official now interacting with Syrians who have fled the same regime.

Amal has penned several extensive letters to NDR, presenting herself as a victim of malevolent Syrians. She depicted the scrutiny surrounding accusations regarding her activities in Syria, including inquiries from journalists, as deeply distressing and exhausting. Notably, she has shown no signs of remorse or attempted to distance herself from the Syrian regime.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Your daily brief of the English-speaking press on Syria.

According to Syrias defense ministry, Israel launched missiles at multiple military targets outside the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday. Regional intelligence and Syrian sources indicate that these strikes targeted fortified positions belonging to Lebanons Hezbollah and were intensified. Concurrently, a report detailing recent changes within Syrias security apparatus suggests a notable advancement in President Bashar al-Assads ongoing efforts to emerge from the immense shadow left by his father, Hafez al-Assad.

Israeli strikes target Hezbollah inside Syria, sources say

Israel launched missiles at several military targets outside the Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday, Syrias defence ministry said, in what regional intelligence and Syrian sources said were stepped-up strikes on fortifications of Lebanons Hezbollah, Reuters reported.

Syrian air defences intercepted Israeli missiles and shot down some of them, the ministry said in a statement, adding they caused only material damage.

Two Syrian military sources familiar with the strikes said Israel targeted a Hezbollah ammunitions depot near the city of Yabroud in the Qalamoun Mountains, northeast of the Syrian capital.

It was the second strike within 48 hours on the same mountain range that spills over into Lebanon where the heavily armed Hezbollah has several major supply routes into Syria.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been trading fire since the Palestinian group Hamas stormed southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, in a steadily intensifying conflict that has fuelled concern of wider escalation.

Another strike hit a nearby location near Qutayfah, almost 40 km (25 miles) east of Damascus, within the same stretch of territory where Hezbollah forces are well entrenched, according to a Western intelligence source.

These latest raids are clearly targeting Hezbollahs infrastructure in Syria, especially its elaborate fortifications along the Lebanese-Syrian border, the source who requested anonymity told Reuters. He referred also to a recent strike on the city of Qusayr along the border where Hezbollah maintains security control with checkpoints.

An Israeli military spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Israeli army forms new mountain brigade on border with Syria and Lebanon

The Israeli media reported that the army announced the formation of a new regional brigade on Israels border with Syria and Lebanon.

The HeHarim, or Mountains, Brigade, will be tasked with the Mount Hermon and Mount Dov regions, under the 210th Bashan Division, replacing the existing 810th Hermon Regional Brigade.

The army says the new brigade is formed as part of the operational response to the situation on the northern border and in accordance with the situational assessment.

The brigade will specialize in combat in difficult terrain and warfare in mountainous areas, the IDF says.

It says that the Mountains Regional Brigade will begin its activity in the coming weeks and that Col. Liron Appleman will be appointed its first commander.

UK Statement for Commission of Inquiry on Syria

During an interactive dialogue with the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Syria, Simon Manley, the UK Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, delivered a powerful statement on behalf of the UK, addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria.

In his address, Manley echoed the Commissions grave concerns about the intensifying conflict in Syria, which has seen a significant escalation in hostilities, including indiscriminate and targeted attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure. He highlighted the dire humanitarian situation, noting that the needs of the Syrian people are now at their most critical point since the conflicts onset thirteen years ago, following the suppression of peaceful protests.

The UK representative did not shy away from addressing the harrowing issues of sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and torture documented in the Commissions report. These atrocities, he stated, have a devastating impact on the Syrian population, leaving families in anguish as they wait for news of their loved ones. Manley unequivocally placed the primary responsibility for these violations on the Assad regime and its allies, calling for accountability.

Manleys statement was a call to action for members of the Council, urging them not to divert their attention from the Syrian crisis. He pressed for concerted efforts to ensure accountability for the serious violations occurring in Syria and posed critical questions to the Commissioners. He sought their recommendations for ensuring that humanitarian access is granted and aid is effectively delivered to all Syrians in need, across all areas of the country. Additionally, Manley inquired about ways in which the international community could support concrete actions to implement the Commissions recommendations.

The UKs firm stance at the UN dialogue underscores its commitment to addressing the Syrian crisis and advocating for the Syrian peoples rights and needs at the international level.

Bashar Al-Assads Security Shake-Up Is A Slap In The Face To His Late Father

Worldcrunch.com published a report on recent adjustments within Syrias security framework which signal a significant stride in President Bashar al-Assads long-standing endeavour to step out from the colossal shadow cast by his father, Hafez al-Assad, who led the country prior to him. This development involves key personnel changes within the regimes security apparatus, most notably the replacement of Maj. Gen. Ali Mamlouk with Kifah Melhem as the head of the National Security Bureau.

The motives behind these shifts, according to the report, have spurred a range of speculations. Some analysts perceive them as Assads response to the competing influences of Russia and Iran over Syria, while others consider it a routine reshuffle, particularly in light of Mamlouks health concerns. A faction believes these changes align with Assads previously announced reforms following Syrias re-engagement with Arab nations.

However, a deeper narrative suggests that these reforms are part of Bashar al-Assads broader effort to forge his own path, distinct from that of his father, Hafez al-Assad, over two decades since his death. This attempt to delineate his leadership is seen as both a symbolic and practical departure from the elder Assads era, which was marked by a tight security grip managed by figures like Mamlouk, renowned for his secretive handling of Syrias chemical program.

The report added that Bashar al-Assads strategy involves distancing his regime from the legacy of his fathers appointments, leaning instead towards a new generation of leadership that navigated the country through years of conflict. This departure is symbolized by actions such as issuing new currency notes that feature Bashar prominently, unlike previous versions that honored Hafez al-Assad.

Public perception and Assads own statements reflect this shift. Initially, Bashar al-Assad regarded his father as a guiding force beyond the grave. Yet, as he cemented his position following what he perceives as a victory in the civil war, Assad has increasingly sought to define his tenure independently of his fathers influence, despite the overarching control exerted by allies Russia and Iran.

This transition, the report concludes, is evident not only in administrative changes but also in the symbolic landscape of Syria, where Bashar al-Assads image now dominates public spaces once shared with his father. Assads recent public denials of being predestined for presidency by his father, along with the erection of monuments celebrating his leadership, underscore a deliberate effort to reshape his legacy, distinct from that of Hafez al-Assads.
An opposition figure told Enab Baladi that, if such a proposal arises, the Syrian Negotiation Commission will deliberate on it, but said they maintain Geneva as their preference.

The Constitutional Committees resurgence in the Syrian political landscape followed months of uncertainty, marked by the visit of UN envoy Geir Pedersen to Damascus and his meeting with the regimes foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, on March 17.

During this visit, the pro-regime Al-Watan quoted anonymous diplomatic sources suggesting Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, as a potential venue for future meetings. This suggestion arose after Moscow declined to hold committee sessions in Nairobi, Kenya, proposing Baghdad instead, a suggestion rejected by Washington.

The newspapers undisclosed Damascus-based diplomat source mentioned Riyadh as an option contingent upon the agreement of all parties involved. However, as of now, theres informal resistance to scheduling meetings for April 22. Pedersens intention seems to be exploring official stances, particularly Moscows, emphasizing the necessity of neutral ground for the committees resumption.

Dima Moussa, a member of the smaller negotiating committee within the Constitutional Drafting Committee, informed Enab Baladi that the opposition hasnt received any formal proposal regarding Riyadh as a venue. If such a proposal arises, the Syrian Negotiation Commission will deliberate on it, maintaining Genevas preference for hosting meetings.

Previously, the opposition tentatively agreed to Nairobi based on specific criteria, including the presence of a UN headquarters and neutrality regarding the Syrian conflict. However, Geneva remains the preferred location, with meetings in Nairobi seen as temporary, reverting to Geneva later.

The latest communication received by the commission was Pedersens invitation for a meeting in Geneva by late April, to which the official response was agreement. This approval appears as a concession in exchange for the regimes cooperation and adherence to the political process and UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

Abdul Ahad Setifou, a member of the expanded negotiating body, also confirmed to Enab Baladi that theres been no communication regarding relocating meetings to Riyadh.

Following Pedersens announcement on February 22, 2022, regarding the scheduling of the seventh, eighth, and ninth rounds of the Constitutional Committees work, only two rounds have been held, with the ninth remaining suspended. This suspension is subject to geopolitical shifts, with Moscows reluctance to use Geneva due to Switzerlands stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
Assad met with the youth volunteer group from the Dialogue Center for Virtual Education.

In a notable gathering on Monday, President Bashar al-Assad met with the youth volunteer group from the Dialogue Center for Virtual Education, consisting of young scholars specialized in diverse fields. This assembly aimed to foster discussions on various pressing topics, including extremism, cultural identity, the societal role of institutions, youth protection, and the religious institutions contribution to these discussions.

Emphasizing the critical nature of addressing misconceptions surrounding social, religious, and ethical matters, President al-Assad outlined the foundational importance of such understanding for the success of any initiative or endeavor. He articulated that effective strategies, organized procedures, and clear concepts are pivotal for achieving success. In his view, while strategies without action remain theoretical, and actions without strategies can lead to chaos, its the clarity of concepts that unites and guides efforts toward meaningful outcomes.

Highlighting the significance of ongoing dialogue in societal development, the President pointed to the need for engaging discussions that evolve in quality and relevance, targeting specific societal groups. In tackling the issue of identity crises, President al-Assad pointed to historical colonial endeavours as the root causes of distorted identities and extremism in the Arab world. He argued for a comprehensive understanding of identity that transcends mere religious or ethnic definitions.

The Dialogue Centers team shared their insights and visions, focusing on nurturing moderate perspectives within society, enhancing the culture of dialogue, and equipping the youth with the skills necessary for persuasive communication and conceptual clarity.

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
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Tax burden can be overwhelming, especially if your state levies high taxes on your profit as an individual or a company.

Fortunately, well-heeled individuals dont need to be confined to the tax regime of their homeland. Countries worldwide attempt to appeal to investors by offering second citizenship combined with an attractive tax system in exchange for a financial contribution.

Albert Ioffe, Legal and Compliance Officer at Immigrant Invest, explains how it is possible to optimise your taxes by becoming a citizen of another country.

How can they optimise taxes by becoming a citizen of another country?

Numerous countries globally present favourable taxation frameworks aimed at enticing investors. Some nations even offer citizenship by investment programs, facilitating tax residency. Moving to such a country, establishing a new business or relocating an existing enterprise to such jurisdictions can yield substantial tax benefits.

At Immigrant Invest, we help clients find the most suitable option to obtain citizenship in another country by investment. We focus on the investors main objectives but also consider other factors, such as freedom of movement and quality of life.

What are the best low-tax countries for individuals?

Several Caribbean countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia, offer favourable taxation systems for their citizens.

Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis do not impose personal income tax on their residents. Additionally, these countries, along with Dominica and Grenada, have no withholding tax on dividends, interest, and royalties. St Lucia is an exception, as it levies a 10% tax on interest and royalties and an up to 30% tax on income.

Unlike the Caribbean countries, Vanuatu, an Oceanic country, also boasts an attractive tax system for individuals. Citizens and residents of this small island nation are exempt from paying personal income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, and wealth tax.

Additionally, these countries provide citizenship-by-investment programs, enabling individuals to become tax residents.

To participate, the required minimum investments are as follows:

$100,000 in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St Lucia;

$130,000 in Vanuatu;

$150,000 in Grenada;

$250,000 in St Kitts and Nevis.

What are the best countries for companies seeking low taxes?

Vanuatu is also notable in this regard, with companies being exempt from corporate tax. Additionally, the VAT rate is comparatively low at 12.5%.

In Europe, Malta presents an option. Despite having an official corporate tax rate of 35%, the highest in the European Union, most companies can qualify for tax deductions. This reduces the actual tax rate to between 2.5% and 11.5% of profits.

Investors can register a company in Malta after obtaining citizenship for exceptional services by direct investment. They can become Maltese citizens by naturalisation after maintaining residency for either one or three years, depending on the specific criteria they meet.

The investment requirements include:

a contribution of at least 600,000 to the National Development and Social Fund;

a charitable donation of 10,000;

renting real estate for five years at an annual cost of 16,000 or purchasing property for 700,000.

Is it mandatory to become a countrys citizen to pay taxes there?

Not universally. Legal entities are typically considered tax residents in the country of their incorporation, irrespective of the citizenship of their owners. As for individuals, they often qualify as tax residents after spending a minimum of 183 days per year in a country.

For Vanuatu and Caribbean nations, obtaining citizenship through investment is the most straightforward path to achieving tax residency. Conversely, the United Arab Emirates, which levies no personal income tax and no corporate tax on incomes up to AED 375,000 (approximately $100,000) annually, offers virtually no pathway to citizenship. Nonetheless, foreign nationals can obtain UAE residency and enjoy similar tax advantages.

A 2-year UAE residence visa is available to those who purchase real estate valued at a minimum of AED 750,000 ($204,000), and a 10-year Golden Visa can be obtained by investors who spend on property at least AED 2,000,000 (around $545,000).

In Malta, obtaining citizenship is also not a prerequisite for tax residency. Maltese permanent residence can be more affordably acquired by investment of at least 150,000. Such residents are granted the same rights as citizens to start a business and pay taxes within the country.

To conclude, for those looking to relocate or move their business to optimise their tax situation, the Caribbean nations, Vanuatu, Malta, and the UAE emerge as top choices for maximising investment benefits. If you are seeking further insights into these options and want to identify the one most suited to your needs, our team of experts at Immigrant Invest is available for consultation.
Introduction

In an increasingly globalized world, individuals and businesses engage in cross-border transactions, leading to tax obligations in multiple jurisdictions. India, like many other countries, has provisions to avoid double taxation on income earned abroad. One such provision is the Foreign Tax Credit (FTC) mechanism, which allows taxpayers to offset taxes paid in foreign jurisdictions against their Indian tax liability.

The concept of FTC is a significant aspect of international taxation, particularly for individuals and businesses engaged in cross-border transactions. In India, the foreign tax credit mechanism allows taxpayers to claim a credit against their Indian tax liability for the taxes paid in a foreign country on the same income that is also subject to tax in India. The idea behind FTC is to prevent double taxation on the same income, ensuring that taxpayers are not taxed twice on the same earnings, once in the foreign country where the income is earned and again in India.

What is FTC?

FTC is a mechanism that prevents double taxation on the same income in both the taxpayers home country and the foreign country where the income was earned. In the Indian context, it allows taxpayers to claim a credit for taxes paid abroad against their Indian tax liability.

Suppose Mr. Ramana is an Indian resident but earns interest income in the United States. The source state, i.e., The US will withhold a percentage of the amount as tax. In addition, Mr. Ramana will also have to pay taxes on his U.S. Income in India. This will result in double taxation on the same income. FTC is a facility that helps people like Mr. Ramana avoid paying double tax on the same income.

Importance of Foreign Tax Credit in India

Prevents Double Taxation: One of the primary reasons for introducing the foreign tax credit mechanism in India is to prevent double taxation of the same income. Without FTC, taxpayers earning income abroad would be subject to tax in both the foreign country and in India, leading to double taxation and reducing the incentive for cross-border trade and investment.

Promotes International Trade and Investment: By providing relief from double taxation, foreign tax credit encourages cross-border trade and investment by making it more attractive for Indian taxpayers to conduct business overseas. This promotes economic growth, fosters international business relationships, and enhances Indias position in the global economy.

Avoids Tax Evasion and Tax Avoidance: The availability of foreign tax credit in India helps in combating tax evasion and tax avoidance practices by ensuring that taxpayers accurately report their foreign income and pay the appropriate taxes, thereby contributing to the overall integrity of the tax system.

Encourages Compliance and Transparency: Foreign tax credit requires taxpayers to maintain proper documentation and comply with relevant tax laws and regulations, promoting transparency and accountability in tax reporting and compliance.

The concept of FTC in India

As per the tax laws of India, sections 90 and 91 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 deals with the concept of FTC. Section 90 discusses claiming of FTC in a case where India has entered into a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with another country and such DTAA provides for claiming of such FTC while Section 91 deals with claiming of FTC in scenarios where India has not entered into a DTAA with the country where the income arises for a taxpayer. Under these sections, if the taxpayer is a resident of India, and he has paid taxes outside India, he can claim a credit of such foreign taxes paid against his tax payable in India.

Rules for claiming FTC have been notified under Rule 128 w.e.f 1.4.2017 which have helped clear out ambiguity around claiming of FTC, some of which have been briefly captured here under.

Only residents of India can claim FTC for taxes paid in foreign countries or specified territories.

FTC can only be claimed in the year when the foreign income is taxed in India.

FTC is limited to the proportion of income on which tax is paid or levied abroad.

FTC cannot be claimed on interest, fees, or penalties paid abroad.

If a Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) exists between countries, only taxes covered by the agreement are eligible for FTC.

Disputed income amounts are not eligible for FTC unless resolved within six months with evidence of dispute settlement and no outstanding tax liabilities.

FTC is calculated separately for each source of income from each country.

The lower of the resident countrys tax payable and foreign tax paid is allowed as FTC.

FTC is available for income tax on foreign income under section 115JB (minimum alternate tax).

FTC amount is determined by converting the foreign tax payment currency at the telegraphic transfer buying rate on the last day of the preceding month.

Steps to Claim Foreign Tax Credit for Indian Residents with Foreign Income:

Convert Foreign Income to INR: Convert foreign income into Indian Rupees using the Telegraphic Transfer Buying Rate (TTBR) on the last day of the preceding month.

Convert foreign income into Indian Rupees using the Telegraphic Transfer Buying Rate (TTBR) on the last day of the preceding month. Classify Income: Classify foreign income into relevant categories such as salaries, interest, dividends, etc., and ensure it does not exceed the basic exemption limit of INR 2,50,000.

Classify foreign income into relevant categories such as salaries, interest, dividends, etc., and ensure it does not exceed the basic exemption limit of INR 2,50,000. Claim TDS Credit: Refer to the DTAA with the source country and claim credit for any Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) in the foreign country.

Refer to the DTAA with the source country and claim credit for any Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) in the foreign country. Obtain TRC Certificate: Obtain a TRC to establish tax residency status and ensure eligibility for DTAA benefits.

Obtain a TRC to establish tax residency status and ensure eligibility for DTAA benefits. Fill Schedule FSI: Enter details of foreign income in Schedule FSI of the Income Tax Return (ITR), including country code, taxpayer identification number, income amount, tax paid in the source country, and tax payable in India.

Enter details of foreign income in Schedule FSI of the Income Tax Return (ITR), including country code, taxpayer identification number, income amount, tax paid in the source country, and tax payable in India. Calculate Tax Relief: Calculate foreign tax relief as the lower of tax paid in the foreign country or tax payable in India, per applicable tax rates.

Calculate foreign tax relief as the lower of tax paid in the foreign country or tax payable in India, per applicable tax rates. Provide DTAA Details: Specify the relevant article of the DTAA applicable to the foreign income.

By following these steps, Indian residents with foreign income can effectively claim a Foreign Tax Credit and avoid double taxation.

Case Law on Foreign Tax Credit (FTC)

Facts

In the case involving M/s Krishak Bharti Cooperative Limited, an Indian cooperative society engaged in fertilizer manufacturing, the company formed a Joint Venture (JV) with Oman Oil Company to establish Oman Fertilizer Company SAOC (OMIFCO or JV entity) in Oman, duly registered under Omani laws.

During the assessment proceedings, the Assessing Officer taxed the dividend income received by the Assessee from the JV entity under the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961. However, the Assessee claimed a tax credit for the tax payable in Oman on such dividend income, relying on Article 25(4) of the Indian-Oman DTAA. Importantly, no tax was actually paid by the Assessee in Oman due to an exemption under Article 28(bis) of the Oman Tax Laws, as clarified by a letter dated December 11, 2000.

Subsequently, the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (PCIT) issued an order under Section 263 of the Act, denying the FTC on the grounds that the Assessee wasnt covered under the exemption, and since tax was theoretically payable on the dividend income in Oman, Article 25 of the DTAA wasnt applicable.

In response, the Assessee challenged the PCITs order before the Income-tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), which ruled in favor of the Assessee, finding the PCITs order jurisdictionally flawed and legally untenable. This decision was upheld by the Honble Delhi High Court, affirming the Assessees right to claim the tax credit as per the provisions of the India-Oman DTAA.

The matter was subsequently brought before the Honble Supreme Court, which, in its order dated September 15, 2023, upheld the decision of the Honble Delhi High Court.

Judgement

In its deliberation, the Honble Supreme Court meticulously analyzed the relevant clauses of the DTAA, notably scrutinizing Article 7 (Business Profits), Article 11 (Dividends), and Article 25 (Avoidance of Double Taxation). Additionally, the Court took into consideration the provisions outlined in Article 8(bis) of the Omani Tax Laws.

The Supreme Court observed that as per Article 25(2) of the DTAA, India is mandated to allow a deduction equivalent to the income tax paid by the Assessee in Oman, whether directly or by deduction. Moreover, Article 25(4) of the DTAA explicitly clarifies that the tax payable should encompass the tax that would have been due if not for the tax incentives provided under the tax laws to promote development.

The Apex Court affirmed that the term incentive lacks definition under both the Indian Income Tax Act and the Omani tax laws. In this context, the Court reviewed the Clarification/Exemption letter issued by the Secretary General of Taxation to Oman Oil Company SAOC.

Accordingly, since dividends distributed by all companies (including tax-exempt entities) would be exempt from income tax in the hands of recipients, the dividend earned by the Assessee from the JV entity would similarly be exempt under Article 8(bis), receiving equivalent tax treatment in India as in Oman under Article 25 of the DTAA. This is particularly pertinent given that the Assessees investment in the project through the establishment of a Permanent Establishment (PE) in Oman contributes to economic development within Oman.

The Supreme Court examined whether the dividend income earned by the Assessee, though exempted under Omani tax laws, was taxable, ultimately concluding that the Assessee was entitled to the benefits of the India-Oman DTAA.

Conclusion: Foreign Tax Credit serves as a vital tool for taxpayers engaged in cross-border transactions, ensuring they are not taxed twice on the same income. By adhering to the prescribed rules and procedures, individuals and businesses can effectively claim FTC, fostering international trade, encouraging compliance, and promoting economic growth. The insightful case law discussed underscores the significance of FTC in providing relief from double taxation and upholding the principles of fairness and equity in international taxation.
WELLINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is saving an additional 46 million NZ dollars (27.81 million U.S. dollars) of tariff in the European Union (EU) market this season for Kiwifruit and onion exporters, by ratifying the New Zealand-EU Free Trade Agreement (NZ-EU FTA) months earlier than expected.

The New Zealand Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the NZ-EU FTA into force months earlier than expected, Minister for Trade and Agriculture Todd McClay said on Tuesday.

This agreement offers significant benefits for the New Zealand economy, and an earlier entry into force will see tariff savings of 43 million NZ dollars (26 million U.S. dollars) for Kiwifruit exporters, and 3 million NZ dollars (1.81 million U.S. dollars) for onion exporters this season, McClay said.

All parties involved in the committee process agreed to complete the legislative process by the end of March. This will mean the agreement can enter into force on the first day of the second month, May 1, instead of July or August, which would have excluded much of this year's Kiwifruit and onion exports, he said.

The EU, which is New Zealand's fourth-largest trade partner, has completed its ratification processes, and the agreement has been signed off by the European Parliament and Council.

"The FTA will level the playing field for Kiwi businesses, increase the resilience of our economy, and contribute to the government's target of doubling our export value in 10 years," McClay said, adding that once in force, over 70 percent of New Zealand's exports will be covered by the FTA network, meaning free and fairer market access for New Zealand exporters.

Other benefits of the deal include duties removed on 91 percent of New Zealand's goods exports to the EU from entry into force, rising to 97 percent after seven years, the minister said, adding that tariff savings will reach 100 million NZ dollars (60.44 million U.S. dollars) per year on New Zealand exports to the EU from day one.

Negotiations on the NZ-EU FTA concluded on June 30, 2022, with the agreement signed on July 9, 2023 in Brussels. 
A second lawsuit against Chi Alpha Campus Ministries alleging sexual assault has named the same former College Station pastor.

The lawsuit filed in Harris County last Wednesday is the second this year to connect Eli Russel J. Stewart, former pastor of the Mountain Valley Fellowship Church in College Station, to alleged sexual abuse.

The lawsuit  filed by an anonymous John Doe  accuses registered sex offender Daniel Savala of sexually assaulting Doe from 2017 to 2022. According to the lawsuit, the victim was introduced to Savala via Chi Alpha Ministries Huntsville chapter during Stewarts time as a director of the chapter.

Chi Alpha is a fraternal ministry organization with over 300 locations on university campuses around the world, including one at Texas A&M University, according to the organizations website. Chi Alphas Huntsville chapter was at one point the largest in the county and is under the direction of the South Texas District Council Assemblies of God, according to the lawsuit. The General Council of the Assemblies of God oversees the South Texas District. All four organizations are named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Doe, who is blind, was allegedly driven to Savalas house in Houston by members of the Huntsville Chi Alpha chapter for mission work in 2017, according to the lawsuit. Savala also allegedly picked up Doe several times himself.

The lawsuit alleges that Savala was presented as a prophet by Stewart and other leaders of the Huntsville chapter. It also alleges that Savala would use the Bible to groom Doe into performing sexual acts. This abuse allegedly continued through 2022, according to the lawsuit.

In July 2012, Savala was convicted of one count of third-degree sexual abuse for abusing members of his Clover Pass Community Church youth group in Alaska from 1995 to 1997. He served 90 days in prison and was required to register annually as a sex offender.

After his release, Savala moved to Texas and allegedly became involved with the Chi Alpha Huntsville chapter, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that members from multiple different levels of the religious organizations overseeing the Huntsville chapter were aware of Savalas history.

Eli Gautreaux, another district director of the Chi Alpha Huntsville chapter, is accused in the lawsuit of allowing Savala to participate in the Huntsville chapter despite allegedly being aware of his conviction. The lawsuit claims that both Gautreaux and Stewart defended Savala during his 2012 conviction by encouraging others to send letters in support of leniency before his sentencing.

The lawsuit further claims that Savala and Stewarts connection dates back to the 1990s when Stewart was allegedly a member of Savalas youth group in Alaska.

Tim Barker, the superintendent of the South Texas District, and Scott Martin, the executive director of Chi Alpha U.S.A, are also accused in the lawsuit of allegedly ignoring Savalas criminal past. According to the lawsuit, Barker also allegedly participated in Assemblies of God camps in the 1990s when Savala was a camp counselor there.

In January, a similar lawsuit was filed in Harris County against the College Station chapter of Alpha Campus Ministries and the North Texas District Council Assemblies of God, two other organizations under the umbrella of the General Council.

This earlier lawsuit accuses the College Station chapter of allowing Savala to sexually assault another individual, a minor, multiple times at his home. This lawsuit also named Stewart as one of the main authority figures who allowed the alleged assaults to continue.

On Feb. 16, the North Texas District filed a response to the College Station lawsuit denying all claims. On Feb. 20, the General Council filed a similar response denying all of the claims made in the College Station lawsuit.

At the time of publication, none of the four organizations named as defendants have filed an answer to the Huntsville lawsuit, according to the Harris County District Clerks Office website.

Both the College Station and Huntsville locations are listed as two of the 275 active Chi Alpha campuses across the U.S, according to their website.

In June 2023, Savala was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service Lone Star Fugitive Task Force and charged with a first-degree felony count of continuous sexual abuse of a child, according to the Waco Tribune-Herald. The charge was upgraded to continuous trafficking of a person in September 2023.

Savala is currently also facing charges of indecency with a child, exposure; indecency with a child, sexual contact; and sexual assault of a child, according to Harris County records. His bond hearing for these three charges is set for Wednesday.

Savala is being held at the Harris County Jail.
An Illinois woman was arrested in Brazos County on Monday for her alleged involvement in attempting to steal over $11,000 with fraudulent checks from multiple individuals, according to the Brazos County Sheriffs Office.

Iyanna Henderson, 21, has been charged with two counts of forgery of a financial instrument of between $2,500 to $30,000 and one count of forgery of a financial instrument of between $750 to $2,500, according to Brazos County Jail records.

On July 5, 2023, Henderson and another suspect named Zion Thornton were arrested at the Amarillo National Bank in College Station for forgery of a financial instrument, according to police.

Over the next several days, College Station Police Department investigators said they were able to connect Henderson to six more forged checks totaling $11,209. Police said they contacted each individual named on the checks who told officers that they had not authorized them.

Forgery of a financial instrument of between $2,500 to $30,000 is a state jail felony punishable by up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.

Henderson is being held under a $65,000 bond, according to jail records.
Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM  Get Free Report) had its target price lowered by analysts at Piper Sandler from $142.00 to $130.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the oil and gas companys stock. Piper Sandlers price objective would indicate a potential upside of 15.76% from the stocks current price.

A number of other research analysts have also recently weighed in on XOM. Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of Exxon Mobil from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the company from $116.00 to $119.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 9th. Erste Group Bank restated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on shares of Exxon Mobil from $134.00 to $127.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $120.00 price target on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Finally, UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $127.71.

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Exxon Mobil Stock Performance

Shares of XOM stock traded up $1.03 during mid-day trading on Thursday, reaching $112.30. 16,763,805 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 19,045,514. Exxon Mobil has a 12 month low of $95.77 and a 12 month high of $120.70. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $103.01 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $105.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a current ratio of 1.48. The firm has a market capitalization of $445.59 billion, a PE ratio of 12.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 0.96.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.28. Exxon Mobil had a net margin of 10.45% and a return on equity of 18.51%. The firm had revenue of $84.34 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $90.03 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.40 EPS. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts forecast that Exxon Mobil will post 9.12 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil

In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total value of $252,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 30,189 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,169,845. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Exxon Mobil

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 83.0% during the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 1,269,030 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $149,213,000 after purchasing an additional 575,649 shares during the last quarter. Qsemble Capital Management LP boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 34.3% during the 3rd quarter. Qsemble Capital Management LP now owns 4,700 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $553,000 after purchasing an additional 1,200 shares during the last quarter. Meyer Handelman Co. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 5.9% during the 3rd quarter. Meyer Handelman Co. now owns 390,975 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $45,971,000 after purchasing an additional 21,895 shares during the last quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. boosted its stake in Exxon Mobil by 36.0% during the 3rd quarter. Flputnam Investment Management Co. now owns 87,395 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $10,276,000 after purchasing an additional 23,148 shares during the last quarter. Finally, HB Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 41.3% during the 3rd quarter. HB Wealth Management LLC now owns 160,807 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $18,908,000 after acquiring an additional 46,987 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 58.53% of the companys stock.

About Exxon Mobil

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Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas.

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IVC Wealth Advisors LLC decreased its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 2.9% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 7,501 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after selling 227 shares during the quarter. IVC Wealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $750,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors also recently modified their holdings of XOM. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its position in Exxon Mobil by 140,855.3% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 123,341,568 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $13,604,575,000 after purchasing an additional 123,254,064 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Exxon Mobil in the 4th quarter valued at $5,226,390,000. Imprint Wealth LLC grew its position in Exxon Mobil by 9,115.2% in the 2nd quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC now owns 11,304,343 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $1,130,434,000 after purchasing an additional 11,181,673 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley grew its position in Exxon Mobil by 11.9% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 52,478,674 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $5,788,398,000 after purchasing an additional 5,566,797 shares during the period. Finally, Osaic Holdings Inc. grew its position in Exxon Mobil by 273.7% in the 2nd quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 7,270,987 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $209,848,000 after purchasing an additional 5,325,236 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 58.53% of the companys stock.

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Exxon Mobil Price Performance

Shares of NYSE XOM traded up $1.03 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $112.30. 16,719,277 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 19,044,674. The company has a market cap of $445.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.63, a PEG ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 0.96. The businesss fifty day moving average price is $103.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $105.91. The company has a current ratio of 1.48, a quick ratio of 1.09 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 12-month low of $95.77 and a 12-month high of $120.70.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

Exxon Mobil ( NYSE:XOM Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.20 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $84.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $90.03 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 18.51% and a net margin of 10.45%. Exxon Mobils revenue for the quarter was down 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $3.40 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 14th were given a $0.95 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 13th. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.38%. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is currently 42.74%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently issued reports on the stock. UBS Group reduced their price target on shares of Exxon Mobil from $133.00 to $132.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Mizuho cut Exxon Mobil from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $117.00 target price on the stock. in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Erste Group Bank restated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Friday, December 22nd. TD Cowen upgraded Exxon Mobil from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and set a $115.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $120.00 price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $127.71.

Get Our Latest Research Report on XOM

Insider Buying and Selling at Exxon Mobil

In other Exxon Mobil news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total value of $252,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at $3,169,845. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock.

Exxon Mobil Profile

(Free Report)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas.

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Rise Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Exxon Mobil Co. (NYSE:XOM  Free Report) by 4.8% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 6,471 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after buying an additional 297 shares during the quarter. Exxon Mobil makes up 0.5% of Rise Advisors LLCs holdings, making the stock its 20th biggest holding. Rise Advisors LLCs holdings in Exxon Mobil were worth $647,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of XOM. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 1.2% during the second quarter. Intrepid Capital Management Inc. now owns 7,928 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $850,000 after purchasing an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Exxon Mobil by 4.2% during the third quarter. Traynor Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,346 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $276,000 after purchasing an additional 94 shares in the last quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 3.1% during the third quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 3,119 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $367,000 after acquiring an additional 95 shares during the last quarter. Defined Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 2.4% during the third quarter. Defined Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,051 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $476,000 after acquiring an additional 96 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fluent Financial LLC raised its position in shares of Exxon Mobil by 2.8% during the third quarter. Fluent Financial LLC now owns 3,610 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $424,000 after acquiring an additional 97 shares during the last quarter. 58.53% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on XOM shares. Mizuho downgraded Exxon Mobil from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $117.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a sector perform rating and issued a $120.00 target price on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Monday, February 5th. Piper Sandler lowered their target price on Exxon Mobil from $142.00 to $130.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday. Redburn Atlantic upgraded Exxon Mobil from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $116.00 to $119.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Erste Group Bank reiterated a hold rating on shares of Exxon Mobil in a report on Friday, December 22nd. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given 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 $127.71.

Insider Transactions at Exxon Mobil

In other news, VP Darrin L. Talley sold 2,400 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.00, for a total value of $252,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 30,189 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,169,845. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.06% of the companys stock.

Exxon Mobil Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:XOM traded up $1.03 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $112.30. 16,763,805 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 19,045,514. The company has a quick ratio of 1.09, a current ratio of 1.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. Exxon Mobil Co. has a 12 month low of $95.77 and a 12 month high of $120.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $445.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.07 and a beta of 0.96. The firms fifty day moving average price is $103.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $105.91.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $2.48 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.20 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $84.34 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $90.03 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 18.51% and a net margin of 10.45%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 11.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $3.40 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Exxon Mobil Co. will post 9.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Exxon Mobil Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 14th were issued a $0.95 dividend. This represents a $3.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, February 13th. Exxon Mobils payout ratio is currently 42.74%.

About Exxon Mobil

(Free Report)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas in the United States and internationally. It operates through Upstream, Energy Products, Chemical Products, and Specialty Products segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas.

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Rise Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Free Report) by 10.8% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 3,065 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 298 shares during the period. Rise Advisors LLCs holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $334,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 103,159.7% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 39,327,490 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,363,385,000 after purchasing an additional 39,289,404 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $2,736,293,000. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 82,442,666 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,487,472,000 after purchasing an additional 5,196,914 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 2,671.4% in the 1st quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 5,099,334 shares of the companys stock valued at $418,400,000 after acquiring an additional 4,915,334 shares during the period. Finally, Barclays PLC grew its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 184.5% in the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 7,254,914 shares of the companys stock valued at $837,144,000 after acquiring an additional 4,705,004 shares during the period. 74.59% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of Merck & Co., Inc. stock traded down $0.08 during trading on Monday, hitting $121.44. 8,308,155 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,630,672. The stock has a market cap of $307.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 867.43, a PEG ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 0.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 1.25. Merck & Co., Inc. has a twelve month low of $99.14 and a twelve month high of $130.24. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $123.47 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $111.64.

Merck & Co., Inc. Announces Dividend

Merck & Co., Inc. ( NYSE:MRK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $0.03 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.09) by $0.12. Merck & Co., Inc. had a return on equity of 9.33% and a net margin of 0.61%. The business had revenue of $14.63 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.49 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $1.62 EPS. The firms revenue was up 5.8% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 8.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.77 per share. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.54%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Merck & Co., Inc.s payout ratio is presently 2,200.00%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently issued reports on MRK. TheStreet cut shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a b+ rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, March 4th. Barclays lifted their target price 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. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Truist Financial boosted their price target on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $122.00 to $139.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Societe Generale cut shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a hold rating to a sell rating and set a $104.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Monday, March 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, ten 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 a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $129.14.

View Our Latest Stock Report on MRK

Insider Activity

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.65, for a total value 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.65, for a total value 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 sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Joseph Romanelli sold 1,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.89, for a total value of $124,890.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now 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 currently owned by insiders.

Merck & Co., Inc. Company 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 under the Keytruda, Bridion, Adempas, Lagevrio, Belsomra, Simponi, and Januvia brands, as well as vaccine products consisting of preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines under the Gardasil/Gardasil 9, ProQuad, M-M-R II, Varivax, RotaTeq, Live Oral, Vaxneuvance, Pneumovax 23, and Vaqta names.

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Shenzhen accelerates development of low-altitude economy

10:20, March 19, 2024 By Cheng Yuanzhou ( People's Daily

After meals were packed, weighed, and mounted to drones, these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) took off under unified control, and arrived at office buildings across an overpass in just two minutes. They autonomously delivered the meals and returned.

The delivery drone fleet has become a spectacle in a commercial area in Longgang district, Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province.

Photo shows a delivery drone of Meituan in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. (Photo provided by the drone service department of Meituan)

"In this commercial area, the drones deliver over 300 orders every day. During the lunchtime, they take off and land almost every minute," said Yan Yan, head of public affairs for drone operations at Meituan, a Chinese shopping platform for locally found consumer products and retail services.

According to Yan, Meituan has opened multiple drone routes in Shenzhen, delivering a total of over 200,000 orders to communities, office buildings, tourist attractions, hospitals, and universities. The platform has established a community drone delivery model that is able to deliver orders to destinations within 3 kilometers in 15 minutes.

In fact, food delivery by drones is no longer a novelty in Shenzhen. From sightseeing to urban security, from medical assistance to emergency rescue, and from agricultural and forestry protection to power line inspections, the low-altitude economy is finding more and more application scenarios in Shenzhen.

For instance, taking a helicopter ride operated by Heli-Eastern has become a convenient transportation option for citizens going from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport to areas like Guangming and Pingshan districts of Shenzhen; a "lifeline" for transporting blood products via drones from the Shenzhen Blood Center to hospitals in Nanshan and Bao'an districts has been established; at the power transmission management office of Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau Co., Ltd., 5G-enabled drones have been employed regularly in high-voltage cable terminal inspection on transmission towers.

An electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft makes maiden flight in a low-altitude integrated flight demonstration zone in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. (Photo from the publicity department of Yantian district, Shenzhen)

"Shenzhen has listed the low-altitude economy as one of the 20 key strategic emerging sectors for development. The city aims to drive the development of this new sector with technological innovation and by creating more application scenarios," said Zhao Ke, an official of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Transport.

According to Zhao, Shenzhen has opened 126 low-altitude air routes and established 89 unmanned aerial vehicle takeoff and landing points. Last year, the city saw 600,000 flights of cargo drones and 20,000 flights of helicopters, Zhao said.

Yang Jincai, chairman of the Shenzhen UAV Industry Association, revealed that by 2023, Shenzhen reported low-altitude economy output of 96 billion yuan ($13.35 billion), and was home to over 1,700 companies engaged in the industry. The city has developed a complete industrial chain covering related R&D, design, manufacturing, operation and support.

Currently, Shenzhen holds a market share of over 70 percent in the consumer drone sector globally, and more than 50 percent in the industrial drone sector.

The 7th Drone World Congress 2023 is held in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. (Shenzhen Special Zone Daily/Lai Li)

The rapid development of the low-altitude economy in Shenzhen is attributed to the city's strategic efforts to seize development opportunities and continuously improve relevant policy systems.

In 2017, Shenzhen became a comprehensive demonstration zone for the general aviation industry. In 2019, measures were introduced to designate airspace for micro and light UAVs. On Feb. 1 of this year, regulations on the promotion of the low-altitude economy in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone officially came into effect, normalizing the development of the low-altitude economy in terms of infrastructure, flight services, industrial applications, technological innovation, and safety management.

Zhao said that the first phase of a project on promoting infrastructure for intelligent low-altitude integration in Shenzhen is currently accelerating its pace. The project aims to preliminarily establish an infrastructure network, air connectivity network, flight route network, and service network to support the low-altitude economy.

Besides, innovative platforms such as a smart air traffic operation laboratory are also being constructed. In the future, Shenzhen will gradually carry out UAV operations and integrated flight verification, as well as develop regulations, standards, and norms for low-altitude flights.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
LUSAKA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Zambia has projected to produce about 1.7 million tonnes of maize during the 2023/2024 farming season following a drought that has hit the southern African nation, according to a senior government official.

The country produced 3.3 million tonnes of maize during the 2022/2023 season.

Minister of Information and Media Cornelius Mweetwa said the projected harvest will be from four provinces that had good rains out of the country's 10 provinces.

In remarks delivered Monday when he appeared on a special interview program on state television, Mweetwa said the projection has been made by the stock monitoring team from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Mweetwa, who is also the chief government spokesperson, said the maize was expected to be available in the next two months, noting that the country currently has 450,000 tonnes of maize in stock.

"I would say that for now, the country is food secure, and there is no need to panic," he said.

He, however, said the government wanted to plan for the next 15 months' food needs and would make a detailed report on how much the country would need to be imported after the harvest.

He warned the drought that has affected the country was severe, adding that the country expects impacts on not only poor harvests of crops but shortages of water as well as electricity deficit, which has led to the introduction of load shedding or power cuts.

The drought has affected 84 out of the country's 116 districts due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, according to the official. 
Dollar General (NYSE:DG  Get Free Report) had its price target hoisted by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $125.00 to $155.00 in a report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an equal weight rating on the stock. Wells Fargo & Companys target price would indicate a potential downside of 0.49% from the stocks previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently commented on the company. Telsey Advisory Group raised Dollar General from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $155.00 to $170.00 in a report on Friday. Barclays upgraded Dollar General from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $124.00 to $154.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on Dollar General from $147.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday. Oppenheimer restated a market perform rating on shares of Dollar General in a research report on Wednesday, March 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Dollar General from $130.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Friday. Fifteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $155.28.

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Dollar General Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE DG traded up $3.81 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $155.76. 2,744,417 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,523,079. The firm has a market capitalization of $34.19 billion, a PE ratio of 20.67, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.83 and a beta of 0.41. The companys 50 day moving average price is $140.46 and its 200 day moving average price is $128.17. The company has a quick ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. Dollar General has a 12 month low of $101.09 and a 12 month high of $222.99.

Dollar General (NYSE:DG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 14th. The company reported $1.83 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.74 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $9.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $9.77 billion. Dollar General had a return on equity of 26.13% and a net margin of 4.29%. The companys quarterly revenue was down 3.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.96 EPS. As a group, analysts predict that Dollar General will post 7.33 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Dollar General

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of DG. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in shares of Dollar General by 162.5% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 18,185,887 shares of the companys stock worth $2,472,372,000 after purchasing an additional 11,257,537 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors increased its stake in shares of Dollar General by 124.4% in the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 10,787,703 shares of the companys stock worth $1,831,536,000 after purchasing an additional 5,979,461 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors increased its stake in shares of Dollar General by 64.7% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 15,087,855 shares of the companys stock worth $2,561,298,000 after purchasing an additional 5,926,555 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Dollar General by 18.9% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 21,711,407 shares of the companys stock worth $2,297,067,000 after purchasing an additional 3,457,393 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Longview Partners Guernsey LTD purchased a new stake in shares of Dollar General in the 2nd quarter worth $460,221,000. 90.37% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Dollar General

(Get Free Report)

Dollar General Corporation, a discount retailer, provides various merchandise products in the southern, southwestern, midwestern, and eastern United States. It offers consumable products, including paper and cleaning products, such as paper towels, bath tissues, paper dinnerware, trash and storage bags, disinfectants, and laundry products; packaged food comprising cereals, pasta, canned soups, fruits and vegetables, condiments, spices, sugar, and flour; and perishables that include milk, eggs, bread, refrigerated and frozen food, beer, and wine.

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Shares of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (NYSE:AXS  Get Free Report) have earned a consensus rating of Hold from the seven brokerages that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and five have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $66.83.

Several analysts recently weighed in on AXS shares. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of AXIS Capital from $56.00 to $59.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. StockNews.com lowered AXIS Capital from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of AXIS Capital from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods raised their target price on AXIS Capital from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, March 14th.

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Insider Transactions at AXIS Capital

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AXIS Capital

In related news, Director Stanley A. Galanski purchased 7,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $58.45 per share, with a total value of $409,150.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 9,763 shares of the companys stock, valued at $570,647.35. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . Company insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AXS. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV boosted its stake in shares of AXIS Capital by 2.2% in the 1st quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 8,723 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $476,000 after purchasing an additional 184 shares during the last quarter. Point72 Middle East FZE lifted its holdings in shares of AXIS Capital by 1.3% in the second quarter. Point72 Middle East FZE now owns 15,718 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $846,000 after acquiring an additional 207 shares during the last quarter. Steph & Co. raised its holdings in AXIS Capital by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. Steph & Co. now owns 10,028 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $555,000 after buying an additional 225 shares during the last quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust increased its position in AXIS Capital by 14.8% during the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,833 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $101,000 after purchasing an additional 237 shares during the period. Finally, Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of AXIS Capital by 1.7% during the 4th quarter. Linden Thomas Advisory Services LLC now owns 14,830 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $821,000 after buying an additional 241 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 89.61% of the companys stock.

AXIS Capital Stock Down 0.1 %

AXS stock opened at $63.11 on Tuesday. AXIS Capital has a fifty-two week low of $51.25 and a fifty-two week high of $63.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.60. The company has a market cap of $5.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.70, a P/E/G ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.79. The businesss 50-day moving average is $59.57 and its two-hundred day moving average is $57.12.

AXIS Capital (NYSE:AXS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The insurance provider reported $2.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($1.25) by $4.19. AXIS Capital had a net margin of 6.67% and a return on equity of 19.25%. The firm had revenue of $1.46 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.42 billion. As a group, analysts forecast that AXIS Capital will post 10.15 earnings per share for the current year.

AXIS Capital Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be paid a $0.44 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, March 1st. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.79%. AXIS Capitals dividend payout ratio is currently 43.78%.

AXIS Capital Company Profile

(Get Free Report

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides various specialty insurance and reinsurance products in Bermuda, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers professional insurance products that cover directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions, employment practices, fiduciary, crime, professional indemnity, medical malpractice, and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and other professional service providers; and property insurance products for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, property in transit, onshore renewable energy installations, and physical damage and business interruption following an act of terrorism.

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Baugh & Associates LLC lessened its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) by 1.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 36,322 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 420 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. comprises approximately 3.6% of Baugh & Associates LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest holding. Baugh & Associates LLCs holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $6,178,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 1.9% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 126,243,947 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $18,360,920,000 after purchasing an additional 2,384,901 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 105,652.2% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 98,000,567 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $13,141,876,000 after acquiring an additional 97,907,897 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 0.3% in the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 62,941,343 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $9,127,754,000 after acquiring an additional 201,441 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 53,367,497 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $7,740,212,000 after acquiring an additional 1,057,041 shares during the last quarter. Finally, FMR LLC increased its position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 49,417,639 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $7,166,546,000 after purchasing an additional 606,382 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.94% of the companys stock.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently commented on JPM. Piper Sandler raised their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $190.00 to $200.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $192.00 to $194.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $185.00 price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $191.00 to $221.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Finally, Barclays boosted their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $186.00 to $212.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $179.53.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Stock Performance

Shares of JPM traded up $1.02 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $193.68. The stock had a trading volume of 2,212,027 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,992,597. The company has a market cap of $557.87 billion, a PE ratio of 11.93, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.14. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $178.41 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $161.22. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a fifty-two week low of $123.11 and a fifty-two week high of $193.84.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $3.04 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.73 by ($0.69). JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a net margin of 20.70% and a return on equity of 17.80%. The firm had revenue of $38.57 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $39.73 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $3.57 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities analysts expect that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 15.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Vice Chairman Peter Scher sold 1,812 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $166.65, for a total transaction of $301,969.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 46,766 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,793,553.90. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other JPMorgan Chase & Co. news, CEO Jennifer Piepszak sold 1,648 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $178.96, for a total value of $294,926.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 32,819 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,873,288.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Vice Chairman Peter Scher sold 1,812 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.65, for a total value of $301,969.80. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 46,766 shares in the company, valued at $7,793,553.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 845,383 shares of company stock valued at $154,341,636. Insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Profile

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services to consumers and small businesses through bank branches, ATMs, and digital and telephone banking.

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Piper Sandler started coverage on shares of BorgWarner (NYSE:BWA  Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports. The brokerage issued an overweight rating and a $43.00 target price on the auto parts companys stock.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on BWA. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their price objective on shares of BorgWarner from $38.00 to $34.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price objective on shares of BorgWarner from $59.00 to $52.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Robert W. Baird cut shares of BorgWarner from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $45.00 to $39.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Guggenheim upgraded shares of BorgWarner from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $41.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, November 16th. Finally, TheStreet cut shares of BorgWarner from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $44.05.

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BorgWarner Stock Down 0.2 %

BorgWarner stock opened at $32.07 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $7.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.01, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a current ratio of 1.65, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The companys 50-day moving average price is $32.34 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $35.20. BorgWarner has a 52 week low of $29.51 and a 52 week high of $50.04.

BorgWarner (NYSE:BWA  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The auto parts company reported $0.90 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.93 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $3.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.62 billion. BorgWarner had a net margin of 3.94% and a return on equity of 14.69%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $1.26 EPS. On average, analysts expect that BorgWarner will post 3.91 EPS for the current fiscal year.

BorgWarner Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 1st were paid a $0.11 dividend. This represents a $0.44 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.37%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 29th. BorgWarners dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 16.48%.

Insider Buying and Selling at BorgWarner

In other BorgWarner news, VP Stefan Demmerle sold 3,000 shares of BorgWarner stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.00, for a total value of $99,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 249,013 shares in the company, valued at $8,217,429. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, VP Stefan Demmerle sold 3,000 shares of BorgWarner stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $33.00, for a total value of $99,000.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 249,013 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,217,429. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Volker Weng sold 20,000 shares of BorgWarner stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $32.85, for a total transaction of $657,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 111,964 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,678,017.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 287,503 shares of company stock worth $9,015,478 over the last ninety days. 0.45% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BorgWarner

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of BWA. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund increased its position in BorgWarner by 3.7% during the third quarter. Kentucky Retirement Systems Insurance Trust Fund now owns 8,487 shares of the auto parts companys stock worth $266,000 after acquiring an additional 302 shares during the period. First Horizon Advisors Inc. increased its position in BorgWarner by 7.5% during the first quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 4,440 shares of the auto parts companys stock worth $218,000 after acquiring an additional 308 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. increased its position in BorgWarner by 3.8% during the second quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 8,812 shares of the auto parts companys stock worth $431,000 after acquiring an additional 324 shares during the period. UMB Bank n.a. increased its position in BorgWarner by 7.1% during the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 4,952 shares of the auto parts companys stock worth $200,000 after acquiring an additional 327 shares during the period. Finally, Moors & Cabot Inc. increased its position in BorgWarner by 5.6% during the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 6,327 shares of the auto parts companys stock worth $246,000 after acquiring an additional 335 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 92.35% of the companys stock.

About BorgWarner

(Get Free Report)

BorgWarner Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides solutions for combustion, hybrid, and electric vehicles worldwide. It offers turbochargers, eBoosters, eTurbos, timing systems, emissions systems, thermal systems, gasoline ignition technology, smart remote actuators, powertrain sensors, cabin heaters, battery modules and systems, battery heaters, and battery charging.

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Express, Inc. (NYSE:EXPR  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 569,300 shares, a drop of 5.4% from the February 14th total of 602,100 shares. Currently, 16.7% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 181,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 3.1 days.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Express

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Morgan Stanley raised its position in shares of Express by 104.2% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 1,462,590 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,492,000 after acquiring an additional 746,296 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC lifted its stake in Express by 36.7% in the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 2,648,535 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,429,000 after buying an additional 711,400 shares during the period. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Express by 183.0% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 691,032 shares of the companys stock worth $1,354,000 after buying an additional 446,872 shares during the last quarter. Northern Trust Corp grew its position in shares of Express by 280.9% during the 2nd quarter. Northern Trust Corp now owns 565,061 shares of the companys stock worth $1,108,000 after buying an additional 416,724 shares during the period. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Express by 12.9% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,542,372 shares of the companys stock worth $3,862,000 after purchasing an additional 403,535 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 22.28% of the companys stock.

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Express Trading Down 5.2 %

NYSE:EXPR traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $1.27. 22,091 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 205,397. The companys 50 day moving average is $4.38 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.24. The company has a market capitalization of $4.76 million, a P/E ratio of 0.03 and a beta of 1.46. Express has a twelve month low of $1.25 and a twelve month high of $19.70. The company has a quick ratio of 0.19, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83.

About Express

Express, Inc operates as a fashion retail company that offers apparel and accessories in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company sells its products under the UpWest and Express brands for men and women through its retail and factory outlet stores; express.com, an online store; and Express mobile app, as well as franchisees Express locations in Latin America.

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Falcon Wealth Planning bought a new stake in shares of Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 1,882 shares of the healthcare product makers stock, valued at approximately $207,000.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 104,649.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,247,436 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $3,320,866,000 after buying an additional 30,218,560 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Abbott Laboratories in the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,893,715,000. Morgan Stanley raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 14.3% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 38,966,499 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $4,278,132,000 after acquiring an additional 4,886,954 shares in the last quarter. Capital International Investors raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 4.9% in the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 59,178,607 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $6,451,127,000 after acquiring an additional 2,747,652 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its position in shares of Abbott Laboratories by 83.1% in the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 4,925,012 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $582,924,000 after acquiring an additional 2,235,314 shares in the last quarter. 73.70% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Abbott Laboratories Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of Abbott Laboratories stock opened at $112.72 on Tuesday. The firm has a market capitalization of $195.59 billion, a PE ratio of 34.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.78 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 twelve month low of $89.67 and a twelve month high of $121.64. The firms 50-day moving average price is $115.42 and its 200 day moving average price is $105.96.

Abbott Laboratories Dividend Announcement

Abbott Laboratories ( NYSE:ABT Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $1.19. The business had revenue of $10.24 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.19 billion. Abbott Laboratories had a net margin of 14.27% and a return on equity of 20.65%. The businesss revenue was up 1.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.03 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

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 issued a $0.55 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 12th. This represents a $2.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.95%. Abbott Laboratoriess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 67.48%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research firms have commented on ABT. Royal Bank of Canada reissued an outperform rating and issued a $128.00 target price on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. TheStreet raised Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Barclays lifted their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. Citigroup raised their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $123.00 to $126.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Raymond James lifted their target price on Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $120.00.

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Insider Activity at Abbott Laboratories

In related news, VP John A. Jr. Mccoy sold 472 shares of Abbott Laboratories stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.50, for a total value of $55,932.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 18,760 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,223,060. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Abbott Laboratories news, VP John A. Jr. Mccoy sold 472 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.50, for a total value of $55,932.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the vice president now owns 18,760 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,223,060. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 12,500 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $120.00, for a total transaction of $1,500,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 78,704 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,444,480. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 56,435 shares of company stock worth $6,451,298. Insiders own 1.10% of the companys stock.

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.

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Grassi Investment Management cut its holdings in Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:DLR  Free Report) by 0.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 56,760 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 200 shares during the period. Grassi Investment Managements holdings in Digital Realty Trust were worth $7,639,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 18.5% during the 3rd quarter. Schechter Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,269 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $396,000 after purchasing an additional 511 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. grew its stake in Digital Realty Trust by 2.8% during the third quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 720,618 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $87,209,000 after acquiring an additional 19,931 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its stake in Digital Realty Trust by 2.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 47,390,848 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $5,735,240,000 after acquiring an additional 971,032 shares in the last quarter. Credit Suisse AG grew its stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 65.0% in the 2nd quarter. Credit Suisse AG now owns 755,372 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $86,014,000 after buying an additional 297,681 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Shelton Capital Management grew its stake in shares of Digital Realty Trust by 753.5% in the 3rd quarter. Shelton Capital Management now owns 17,897 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,166,000 after buying an additional 15,800 shares in the last quarter. 99.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on DLR shares. HSBC started coverage on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a report on Friday, December 1st. They issued a reduce rating and a $112.00 price target for the company. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $155.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $144.00 price objective on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Truist Financial boosted their target price on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $145.00 to $158.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday. Finally, KeyCorp started coverage on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a sector weight rating on the stock. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $137.87.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Jean F. H. P. Mandeville sold 3,400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $145.50, for a total transaction of $494,700.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 8,413 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,224,091.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.39% of the companys stock.

Digital Realty Trust Price Performance

NYSE:DLR traded down $1.67 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $140.54. 518,037 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,088,197. The company has a current ratio of 1.14, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. The stocks 50-day moving average is $142.07 and its 200-day moving average is $133.64. The firm has a market cap of $43.89 billion, a PE ratio of 47.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.20 and a beta of 0.54. Digital Realty Trust, Inc. has a twelve month low of $86.33 and a twelve month high of $154.18.

Digital Realty Trust Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $1.22 per share. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.47%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Digital Realty Trusts dividend payout ratio is presently 164.31%.

About Digital Realty Trust

(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.

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Bank of America upgraded shares of HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO  Free Report) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Friday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have $78.00 target price on the stock, up from their previous target price of $62.00.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. TD Cowen upped their target price on shares of HF Sinclair from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price 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. UBS Group upgraded shares of HF Sinclair from a neutral rating to a buy rating and upped their target price for the company from $64.00 to $73.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Barclays started coverage on shares of HF Sinclair in a research report on Monday, February 26th. They issued an equal weight rating and a $60.00 price target on the stock. 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 stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $64.82.

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View Our Latest Stock Report on DINO

HF Sinclair Trading Up 0.0 %

Shares of HF Sinclair stock opened at $59.35 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $11.28 billion, a PE ratio of 7.15, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.28. 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 companys fifty day moving average price is $56.48 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $55.87. HF Sinclair has a 52-week low of $37.12 and a 52-week high of $62.20.

HF Sinclair (NYSE:DINO  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 21st. The company reported $0.87 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.72 by $0.15. The business had revenue of $7.66 billion for 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%. The firms quarterly revenue was down 14.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.97 EPS. On average, analysts expect that HF Sinclair will post 6.4 EPS for the current year.

HF Sinclair Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 5th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 26th were given a $0.50 dividend. This represents a $2.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.37%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 23rd. This is a boost from HF Sinclairs previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. HF Sinclairs payout ratio is presently 24.10%.

Insider Activity

In other news, EVP Valerie Pompa sold 7,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $57.53, for a total value of $402,710.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 29,617 shares of the companys stock, valued at $1,703,866.01. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, Director Franklin Myers acquired 4,180 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 26th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $58.94 per share, with a total value of $246,369.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 131,793 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $7,767,879.42. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Valerie Pompa sold 7,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $57.53, for a total transaction of $402,710.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 29,617 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,703,866.01. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bornite Capital Management LP bought a new position in shares of HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter worth approximately $13,947,000. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. bought a new position in shares of HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter worth approximately $241,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. bought a new position in shares of HF Sinclair during the 1st quarter worth approximately $13,169,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of HF Sinclair in the 1st quarter worth $1,823,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE bought a new position in shares of HF Sinclair in the 1st quarter worth $292,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.15% of the companys stock.

HF Sinclair Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

HF Sinclair Corporation operates as an independent energy company. The company produces and markets gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, renewable diesel, specialty lubricant products, specialty chemicals, specialty and modified asphalt, and others. It 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.

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JGP Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor acquired 3,437 shares of the business services providers stock, valued at approximately $457,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. First Manhattan Co. boosted its holdings in Fiserv by 4.6% during the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 1,966 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $199,000 after acquiring an additional 86 shares during the period. Holderness Investments Co. boosted its holdings in Fiserv by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Holderness Investments Co. now owns 2,295 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $290,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares during the period. Apeiron RIA LLC lifted its holdings in Fiserv by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Apeiron RIA LLC now owns 3,217 shares of the business services providers stock worth $363,000 after buying an additional 90 shares during the period. Principal Street Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Fiserv by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Principal Street Partners LLC now owns 6,568 shares of the business services providers stock worth $829,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the period. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in Fiserv by 4.0% in the 3rd quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 2,385 shares of the business services providers stock worth $269,000 after buying an additional 92 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 89.69% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Fiserv

In other news, EVP Suzan Kereere sold 1,633 shares of Fiserv stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.88, for a total value of $216,993.04. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 47,792 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,350,600.96. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other Fiserv news, COO Guy Chiarello sold 24,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.53, for a total transaction of $3,588,720.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 163,699 shares of the companys stock, valued at $24,477,911.47. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Suzan Kereere sold 1,633 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.88, for a total value of $216,993.04. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 47,792 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,350,600.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 213,721 shares of company stock valued at $28,778,157 over the last ninety days. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

FI has been the subject of several research analyst reports. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Fiserv from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. Mizuho increased their target price on Fiserv from $150.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. KeyCorp raised Fiserv from a sector weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $180.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, January 8th. BNP Paribas raised Fiserv from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on Fiserv from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Six investment 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.com, Fiserv presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $153.04.

Check Out Our Latest Report on FI

Fiserv Stock Performance

Shares of FI stock traded up $0.45 on Tuesday, reaching $152.60. The stock had a trading volume of 213,750 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,530,965. The stock has a market cap of $90.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.91. Fiserv, Inc. has a 1 year low of $108.31 and a 1 year high of $152.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.04. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $144.93 and a 200 day simple moving average of $130.58.

Fiserv (NYSE:FI  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The business services provider reported $2.19 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.15 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $4.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.68 billion. Fiserv had a return on equity of 15.16% and a net margin of 16.07%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.91 earnings per share. Equities research analysts expect that Fiserv, Inc. will post 8.63 EPS for the current year.

Fiserv Profile

(Free Report)

Fiserv, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides payments and financial services technology services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Merchant Acceptance, Financial Technology, and Payments and Network segments.

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Armstrong Henry H Associates Inc. decreased its holdings in shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Free Report) by 2.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 380,303 shares of the companys stock after selling 9,950 shares during the quarter. Johnson & Johnson accounts for approximately 6.3% of Armstrong Henry H Associates Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest position. Armstrong Henry H Associates Inc.s holdings in Johnson & Johnson were worth $59,609,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of JNJ. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 141,833,756 shares of the companys stock valued at $23,476,323,000 after buying an additional 1,568,633 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 90,144.4% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 54,386,720 shares of the companys stock valued at $9,607,414,000 after buying an additional 54,326,454 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 2.0% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 49,697,798 shares of the companys stock valued at $8,203,608,000 after buying an additional 990,298 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its holdings in Johnson & Johnson by 12.0% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 42,224,521 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,458,962,000 after buying an additional 4,521,062 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Capital International Investors increased its position in Johnson & Johnson by 62.7% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 27,825,795 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,605,627,000 after purchasing an additional 10,724,110 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.40% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Johnson & Johnson

In other Johnson & Johnson news, EVP Jennifer L. Taubert sold 59,397 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.27, for a total transaction of $9,281,969.19. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 141,416 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,099,078.32. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, EVP Jennifer L. Taubert sold 59,397 shares of Johnson & Johnson stock in a transaction on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $156.27, for a total transaction of $9,281,969.19. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 141,416 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,099,078.32. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, major shareholder & Johnson Johnson sold 3,725 shares of Johnson & Johnson stock in a transaction on Friday, February 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.81, for a total value of $96,142.25. Following the sale, the insider now owns 4,099,575 shares in the company, valued at $105,810,030.75. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have weighed in on JNJ shares. Raymond James increased their target price on shares of Johnson & Johnson from $172.00 to $175.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. StockNews.com raised shares of Johnson & Johnson from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. UBS Group raised shares of Johnson & Johnson from a neutral rating to a buy rating and increased their target price for the company from $167.00 to $180.00 in a research report on Friday, December 1st. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Johnson & Johnson from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their target price for the company from $170.00 to $163.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $181.00 price objective on shares of Johnson & Johnson in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong 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 $177.31.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on JNJ

Johnson & Johnson Price Performance

Shares of JNJ opened at $156.77 on Tuesday. Johnson & Johnson has a 12-month low of $144.95 and a 12-month high of $175.97. The businesss fifty day moving average is $159.48 and its 200 day moving average is $156.87. The company has a quick ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. The stock has a market cap of $377.78 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.35, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.53.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The company reported $2.29 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.28 by $0.01. Johnson & Johnson had a return on equity of 37.27% and a net margin of 37.79%. The company had revenue of $21.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $21.02 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $2.35 EPS. Johnson & Johnsons quarterly revenue was down 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Johnson & Johnson will post 10.65 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Johnson & Johnson Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, March 5th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th were paid a dividend of $1.19 per share. This represents a $4.76 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 16th. Johnson & Johnsons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 34.47%.

About Johnson & Johnson

(Free Report)

Johnson & Johnson, together with its subsidiaries, researches, develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the healthcare field worldwide. The company's Innovative Medicine segment offers products for various therapeutic areas, such as immunology, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and psoriasis; infectious diseases comprising HIV/AIDS; neuroscience, consisting of mood disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and schizophrenia; oncology, such as prostate cancer, hematologic malignancies, lung cancer, and bladder cancer; cardiovascular and metabolism, including thrombosis, diabetes, and macular degeneration; and pulmonary hypertension comprising pulmonary arterial hypertension through retailers, wholesalers, distributors, hospitals, and healthcare professionals for prescription use.

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ISLAMABAD, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) conducted multiple operations in different areas of the country, recovering over 50 kg of drugs, the ANF said on Tuesday.

During the anti-narcotics operations, the ANF also arrested four smugglers and recovered drugs including heroin, hashish, and crystal methamphetamine, the ANF said in a statement.

In an operation at the Islamabad International Airport, the ANF arrested a passenger going to Qatar carrying over 440 grams of crystal methamphetamine concealed skillfully in the luggage.

In another operation at the airport, 54 heroin-filled capsules and four suspicious materials were recovered from a passenger, who was travelling to the country's southern port city of Karachi, the ANF said.

Separately, authorities recovered 70 heroin-filled capsules from a passenger going to the United Arab Emirates at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, it added.

Also, 50 kg of hashish was recovered from Turbat district of Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province.

The ANF said that separate cases have been registered against the accused while further investigations are underway. 
KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEARCA:GLD  Free Report) by 4.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,592 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 151 shares during the quarter. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLCs holdings in SPDR Gold Shares were worth $687,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Toronto Dominion Bank increased its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 14.5% during the third quarter. Toronto Dominion Bank now owns 4,660,292 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $799,007,000 after acquiring an additional 591,368 shares during the period. First Eagle Investment Management LLC increased its holdings in SPDR Gold Shares by 4.2% during the 3rd quarter. First Eagle Investment Management LLC now owns 3,451,135 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $599,794,000 after purchasing an additional 137,604 shares during the period. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in SPDR Gold Shares by 67,584.6% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 3,037,008 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $515,198,000 after purchasing an additional 3,032,521 shares in the last quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp lifted its holdings in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. Mackenzie Financial Corp now owns 1,637,245 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $276,956,000 after buying an additional 9,005 shares during the period. Finally, State Street Corp grew its position in shares of SPDR Gold Shares by 256.0% during the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,142,717 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $206,432,000 after buying an additional 821,773 shares in the last quarter. 40.99% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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SPDR Gold Shares Stock Performance

GLD stock opened at $199.79 on Tuesday. SPDR Gold Shares has a 1-year low of $168.30 and a 1-year high of $203.30. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $190.43 and a 200 day moving average price of $185.28.

SPDR Gold Shares Company Profile

SPDR Gold Trust (the Trust) is an investment trust. The investment objective of the Trust is for the Shares to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion, less the Trusts expenses. The Trusts business activity is the investment of gold. The Trust creates and redeems Shares from time to time, but in one or more Baskets (a Basket equals a block of 100,000 Shares).

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Mechanics Bank Trust Department decreased its holdings in shares of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN  Free Report) by 16.9% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 590 shares of the information technology services providers stock after selling 120 shares during the period. Mechanics Bank Trust Departments holdings in Accenture were worth $207,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of ACN. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Accenture by 4.0% in the 4th quarter. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC now owns 760 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $267,000 after purchasing an additional 29 shares during the last quarter. Jag Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Accenture by 0.3% during the 3rd quarter. Jag Capital Management LLC now owns 9,271 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $2,847,000 after acquiring an additional 31 shares during the period. Jump Financial LLC grew its stake in shares of Accenture by 3.6% during the 3rd quarter. Jump Financial LLC now owns 917 shares of the information technology services providers stock valued at $282,000 after acquiring an additional 32 shares during the period. Rainsberger Wealth Advisors Inc. lifted its holdings in Accenture by 0.4% in the 3rd quarter. Rainsberger Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 9,188 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $2,822,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Accenture by 1.9% in the 3rd quarter. Mayflower Financial Advisors LLC now owns 1,833 shares of the information technology services providers stock worth $563,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.42% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Redburn Atlantic boosted their price target on Accenture from $410.00 to $445.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Accenture from $400.00 to $417.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Monday. Bank of America upped their price objective on Accenture from $379.00 to $419.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, March 7th. UBS Group upped their price objective on Accenture from $365.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Wedbush increased their price target on Accenture from $330.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $384.38.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 4,333 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $371.83, for a total transaction of $1,611,139.39. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 34,795 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $12,937,824.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, General Counsel Joel Unruch sold 4,333 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $371.83, for a total transaction of $1,611,139.39. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel now directly owns 34,795 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $12,937,824.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Paula A. Price sold 551 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $345.36, for a total value of $190,293.36. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 6,583 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,273,504.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 26,551 shares of company stock valued at $9,739,791 in the last three months. 0.07% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Accenture Stock Up 0.5 %

NYSE:ACN traded up $1.74 on Tuesday, reaching $374.41. The companys stock had a trading volume of 450,994 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,948,915. Accenture plc has a 12-month low of $250.01 and a 12-month high of $387.51. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $369.22 and a 200 day moving average price of $339.32. The firm has a market cap of $234.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.54, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.47 and a beta of 1.20.

Accenture (NYSE:ACN  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, December 19th. The information technology services provider reported $3.27 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $3.14 by $0.13. Accenture had a return on equity of 29.08% and a net margin of 10.65%. The business had revenue of $16.22 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $16.17 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.08 earnings per share. The companys revenue was up 3.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts expect that Accenture plc will post 12.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Accenture Company Profile

(Free Report)

Accenture plc, a professional services company, provides strategy and consulting, industry X, song, and technology and operation services worldwide. The company offers application services, including agile transformation, DevOps, application modernization, enterprise architecture, software and quality engineering, data management; intelligent automation comprising robotic process automation, natural language processing, and virtual agents; and application management services, as well as software engineering services; strategy and consulting services; data and analytics strategy, data discovery and augmentation, data management and beyond, data democratization, and industrialized solutions comprising turnkey analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions; metaverse; and sustainability services.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY  Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report published on Friday.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Morgan Stanley upgraded Occidental Petroleum from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $68.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Monday, December 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their target price on Occidental Petroleum from $78.00 to $73.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 8th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on Occidental Petroleum from $59.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Raymond James lowered their price target on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $70.00 to $68.00 and set a strong-buy rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Truist Financial lowered their target price on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $80.00 to $77.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 16th. Eight equities 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $69.56.

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Read Our Latest Stock Report on Occidental Petroleum

Occidental Petroleum Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE OXY opened at $63.20 on Friday. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $59.05 and its 200-day simple moving average is $60.85. Occidental Petroleum has a 52 week low of $55.12 and a 52 week high of $67.67. The firm has a market cap of $55.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.16, a P/E/G ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 1.63. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.84, a quick ratio of 0.69 and a current ratio of 0.92.

Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.74 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.74. Occidental Petroleum had a return on equity of 20.63% and a net margin of 16.24%. The company had revenue of $7.53 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.93 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.61 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts expect that Occidental Petroleum will post 3.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Occidental Petroleum Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be given a dividend of $0.22 per share. This represents a $0.88 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.39%. This is a positive change from Occidental Petroleums previous quarterly dividend of $0.18. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. Occidental Petroleums dividend payout ratio is presently 22.51%.

Insider Activity

In other news, major shareholder Berkshire Hathaway Inc acquired 1,743,124 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 21st. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $60.26 per share, with a total value of $105,040,652.24. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now owns 243,715,804 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,686,314,349.04. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders own 0.31% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Occidental Petroleum

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Occidental Petroleum in the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. TLW Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Occidental Petroleum during the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Grove Bank & Trust increased its holdings in Occidental Petroleum by 86.0% in the 4th quarter. Grove Bank & Trust now owns 519 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $31,000 after acquiring an additional 240 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Resurgent Financial Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Occidental Petroleum in the 4th quarter valued at $35,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.54% of the companys stock.

About Occidental Petroleum

(Get Free Report)

Occidental Petroleum Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa. It operates through three segments: Oil and Gas, Chemical, and Midstream and Marketing. The company's Oil and Gas segment explores for, develops, and produces oil and condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and natural gas.

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Professional Advisory Services Inc. lifted its stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO  Free Report) by 7.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 39,816 shares of the medical research companys stock after purchasing an additional 2,768 shares during the period. Thermo Fisher Scientific accounts for about 3.0% of Professional Advisory Services Inc.s investment portfolio, making the stock its 11th biggest holding. Professional Advisory Services Inc.s holdings in Thermo Fisher Scientific were worth $21,134,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Halpern Financial Inc. lifted its position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific by 307.7% during the third quarter. Halpern Financial Inc. now owns 53 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the last quarter. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific during the 2nd quarter worth $33,000. Live Oak Investment Partners acquired a new position in Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 4th quarter valued at about $36,000. Tyler Stone Wealth Management purchased a new position in shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in the 2nd quarter valued at about $37,000. Finally, Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO purchased a new stake in Thermo Fisher Scientific during the third quarter worth approximately $38,000. 87.06% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of analysts recently commented on TMO shares. HSBC initiated coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Monday, December 18th. They set a buy rating and a $610.00 price objective on the stock. Citigroup started coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Monday. They issued a neutral rating and a $620.00 target price for the company. Raymond James lifted their target price on Thermo Fisher Scientific from $515.00 to $605.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. They set an outperform rating and a $575.00 price target for the company. Finally, Robert W. Baird reissued an outperform rating and issued a $670.00 price objective on shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $599.00.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Stock Performance

TMO stock traded up $0.82 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $580.87. The companys stock had a trading volume of 316,371 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,654,422. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has a 1 year low of $415.60 and a 1 year high of $603.82. The company has a quick ratio of 1.39, a current ratio of 1.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. The stocks 50-day moving average price is $560.11 and its 200 day moving average price is $518.19. The stock has a market cap of $221.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.56, a PEG ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 0.80.

Thermo Fisher Scientific (NYSE:TMO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The medical research company reported $5.67 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.64 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $10.89 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.73 billion. Thermo Fisher Scientific had a return on equity of 18.78% and a net margin of 13.99%. The companys revenue was down 4.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $5.40 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. will post 21.52 EPS for the current year.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Increases Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.39 dividend. This represents a $1.56 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.27%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This is a boost from Thermo Fisher Scientifics previous quarterly dividend of $0.35. Thermo Fisher Scientifics dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 10.10%.

Insider Activity at Thermo Fisher Scientific

In related news, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of Thermo Fisher Scientific stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $562.00, for a total transaction of $8,186,092.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 12,901 shares in the company, valued at $7,250,362. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Thermo Fisher Scientific news, SVP Michael A. Boxer sold 14,566 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $562.00, for a total transaction of $8,186,092.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 12,901 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,250,362. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Debora L. Spar sold 164 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $546.97, for a total value of $89,703.08. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 1,207 shares in the company, valued at approximately $660,192.79. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 50,277 shares of company stock valued at $28,513,384 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.32% of the companys stock.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Profile

(Free Report)

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, and bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets.

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Black Diamond Group Limited (OTCMKTS:BDIMF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 42,800 shares, a decline of 8.9% from the February 14th total of 47,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,200 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 35.7 days.

Black Diamond Group Price Performance

Shares of BDIMF remained flat at $6.71 during midday trading on Tuesday. The stock had a trading volume of 15 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,153. The company has a quick ratio of 1.19, a current ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Black Diamond Group has a 12 month low of $4.13 and a 12 month high of $7.22. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $6.67 and a 200 day moving average of $5.91. The firm has a market cap of $409.74 million, a P/E ratio of 18.12 and a beta of 1.10.

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Black Diamond Group (OTCMKTS:BDIMF  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 29th. The company reported $0.10 earnings per share for the quarter. Black Diamond Group had a net margin of 7.72% and a return on equity of 10.79%. The firm had revenue of $75.96 million for the quarter.

Black Diamond Group Company Profile

Black Diamond Group Limited rents and sells modular space and workforce accommodation solutions. It operates through two segments, Modular Space Solutions and Workforce Solutions. The Modular Space Solutions segment provides modular space rentals to customers in the construction, real estate development, education, manufacturing, health care, financial, government, and defense industries in North America.

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StockNews.com lowered shares of Enova International (NYSE:ENVA  Free Report) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report released on Friday.

Several other research firms also recently weighed in on ENVA. JMP Securities increased their price target on shares of Enova International from $62.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock a market outperform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. TheStreet downgraded shares of Enova International from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on shares of Enova International from $57.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 31st. 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 company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $60.00.

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Read Our Latest Research Report on ENVA

Enova International Stock Down 0.2 %

Shares of Enova International stock opened at $59.63 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $1.78 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.88 and a beta of 1.56. The companys 50 day moving average is $58.39 and its 200 day moving average is $51.35. Enova International has a twelve month low of $35.30 and a twelve month high of $64.51. The company has a quick ratio of 10.27, a current ratio of 10.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.37.

Enova International (NYSE:ENVA  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 30th. The credit services provider reported $1.62 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.54 by $0.08. Enova International had a net margin of 8.27% and a return on equity of 15.84%. The company had revenue of $583.59 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $587.34 million. Research analysts anticipate that Enova International will post 7.39 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity at Enova International

In related news, Director Linda Johnson Rice sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.12, for a total transaction of $310,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 9,182 shares of the companys stock, valued at $570,385.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, CFO Steven E. Cunningham sold 17,548 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $56.11, for a total value of $984,618.28. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 150,025 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,417,902.75. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Linda Johnson Rice sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.12, for a total transaction of $310,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 9,182 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $570,385.84. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 30,938 shares of company stock valued at $1,799,557. Corporate insiders own 7.80% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Enova International

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Headinvest LLC bought a new stake in shares of Enova International in the 3rd quarter worth about $28,000. GAMMA Investing LLC bought a new stake in Enova International during the 4th quarter valued at about $37,000. UniSuper Management Pty Ltd bought a new stake in Enova International during the 2nd quarter valued at about $101,000. Counterpoint Mutual Funds LLC bought a new stake in Enova International during the 3rd quarter valued at about $117,000. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Enova International during the 3rd quarter valued at about $181,000. Institutional investors own 90.32% of the companys stock.

Enova International Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Enova International, Inc, a technology and analytics company, provides online financial services in the United States, Brazil, and internationally. The company provides installment loans; line of credit accounts; CSO programs, including arranging loans with independent third-party lenders and assisting in the preparation of loan applications and loan documents; and bank programs, such as marketing services and loan servicing for near-prime unsecured consumer installment loan.

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StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Vista Gold (NYSE:VGZ  Free Report) in a research note published on Saturday morning. The brokerage issued a sell rating on the stock.

Vista Gold Price Performance

Shares of NYSE VGZ opened at $0.52 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $62.86 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -10.38 and a beta of 1.59. Vista Gold has a 12 month low of $0.30 and a 12 month high of $0.76. The firms 50 day simple moving average is $0.39 and its 200-day simple moving average is $0.39.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vista Gold

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VGZ. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC grew its stake in Vista Gold by 24.0% in the 1st quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 77,500 shares of the companys stock valued at $46,000 after acquiring an additional 15,000 shares during the period. Two Sigma Securities LLC acquired a new stake in Vista Gold in the 2nd quarter valued at $47,000. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its stake in Vista Gold by 64.6% in the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 272,415 shares of the companys stock valued at $135,000 after acquiring an additional 106,874 shares during the period. Finally, Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its stake in Vista Gold by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 1,806,100 shares of the companys stock worth $939,000 after purchasing an additional 71,659 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 29.45% of the companys stock.

Vista Gold Company Profile

Vista Gold Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the evaluation, acquisition, exploration, and advancement of gold exploration and development projects primarily in Australia. The company's flagship asset is the 100% owned Mt Todd gold project located in Northern Territory, Australia.

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Diligent Investors LLC lessened its position in Tanger Inc. (NYSE:SKT  Free Report) by 3.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 22,854 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 730 shares during the quarter. Diligent Investors LLCs holdings in Tanger were worth $634,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P boosted its stake in Tanger by 4,051.4% during the 3rd quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 1,453 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 1,418 shares during the last quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its holdings in Tanger by 151.5% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,846 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $37,000 after acquiring an additional 1,112 shares during the last quarter. West Tower Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Tanger during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $40,000. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of Tanger in the first quarter valued at approximately $74,000. Finally, Advisory Services Network LLC increased its holdings in shares of Tanger by 84.7% in the first quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC now owns 3,845 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 1,763 shares during the last quarter. 84.94% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Tanger Trading Up 0.1 %

NYSE SKT traded up $0.03 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $28.42. The company had a trading volume of 69,707 shares, compared to its average volume of 797,373. The company has a current ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.13 and a beta of 1.83. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $27.91 and a 200 day moving average of $25.80. Tanger Inc. has a 1-year low of $18.00 and a 1-year high of $29.98.

Tanger Dividend Announcement

Analyst Ratings Changes

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were issued a $0.26 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 30th. This represents a $1.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.66%. Tangers dividend payout ratio is currently 113.04%.

SKT has been the subject of several analyst reports. Evercore ISI upped their target price on Tanger from $28.00 to $29.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Tanger from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $27.00 to $29.00 in a research report on Monday, December 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $25.67.

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About Tanger

(Free Report)

Tanger Inc (NYSE: SKT) is a leading owner and operator of outlet and open-air retail shopping destinations, with over 43 years of expertise in the retail and outlet shopping industries. Tanger's portfolio of 38 outlet centers, one adjacent managed center and one open-air lifestyle center comprises over 15 million square feet well positioned across tourist destinations and vibrant markets in 20 U.S.

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Handelsinvest Investeringsforvaltning decreased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 18.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 5,160 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 1,181 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up 1.1% of Handelsinvest Investeringsforvaltnings holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest position. Handelsinvest Investeringsforvaltnings holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,717,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Robbins Farley bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the third quarter worth $25,000. NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 340.0% in the third quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 66 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $33,000 after buying an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the first quarter valued at about $35,000. WFA of San Diego LLC acquired a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the second quarter valued at about $39,000. Finally, Annapolis Financial Services LLC boosted its stake in UnitedHealth Group by 38.6% in the third quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 79 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.69% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently commented on UNH shares. Erste Group Bank reissued a hold rating on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on UnitedHealth Group from $565.00 to $503.00 and set a hold rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, November 20th. HSBC reaffirmed a reduce rating and issued a $480.00 price objective (down from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Monday, December 18th. Bank of America reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $675.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. Finally, Truist Financial reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $610.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $579.33.

Insider Buying and Selling at UnitedHealth Group

In other UnitedHealth Group news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total value of $451,127.82. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 32,289 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $525.79, for a total transaction of $451,127.82. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly 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 accessible through this link. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at $4,527,306.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 0.35% of the companys stock.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 1.1 %

UnitedHealth Group stock traded up $5.44 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $492.49. 1,438,290 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,191,492. The businesss 50 day moving average is $508.35 and its 200 day moving average is $518.29. The company has a current ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $445.68 and a 52 week high of $554.70. The company has a market capitalization of $454.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.60, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.54.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.98 by $0.18. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.39% and a net margin of 6.02%. The business had revenue of $94.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $92.13 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $5.34 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.79 earnings per share for the current year.

UnitedHealth Group Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be paid a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.53%. UnitedHealth Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 31.54%.

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund (NYSEARCA:HEDJ  Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $47.59 and last traded at $47.50, with a volume of 48949 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $47.19.

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $1.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 4.93 and a beta of 0.88. The firms 50-day simple moving average is $44.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $41.96.

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Institutional Trading of WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC acquired a new stake in shares of WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund during the 3rd quarter valued at about $66,000. MUFG Americas Holdings Corp bought a new position in WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its holdings in WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund by 35.6% during the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 313,464 shares of the companys stock valued at $20,544,000 after purchasing an additional 82,271 shares during the last quarter. Kingsview Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund during the 2nd quarter valued at about $259,000. Finally, Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund by 10.4% during the 1st quarter. Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC now owns 4,616 shares of the companys stock valued at $340,000 after purchasing an additional 436 shares during the last quarter.

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund Company Profile

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund (the Fund), formerly WisdomTree International Hedged Equity Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Index. The WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Index provides exposure to European equities while at the same time neutralizing exposure to fluctuations between the Euro and the United States dollar.

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COLOMBO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Over 500,000 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka by March 14 this year, the latest statistics by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) shows.

The SLTDA data released on Monday showed that 517,808 tourists have arrived in Sri Lanka in 2024, noting that it took Sri Lanka five months to cross the 500,000-tourist mark in 2023.

Russia, India, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and China are the key source markets for 2024, according to the SLTDA data.

Meanwhile, Central Bank data showed that tourism generated 687.5 million U.S. dollars in revenue in the first two months of 2024, which is a 118.2 percent growth from the same period in 2023. 
Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund purchased 11,553 shares of the insurance providers stock, valued at approximately $2,201,000. Travelers Companies accounts for 1.6% of Worth Asset Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 17th biggest position.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC acquired a new position in Travelers Companies during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. First Command Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in Travelers Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Arlington Trust Co LLC acquired a new position in Travelers Companies during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $27,000. FWL Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Travelers Companies during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Country Trust Bank lifted its position in Travelers Companies by 548.1% during the 3rd quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 175 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 148 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.12% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In other news, SVP Paul E. Munson sold 2,121 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $212.86, for a total value of $451,476.06. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 719 shares in the company, valued at $153,046.34. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. In other news, Vice Chairman William H. Heyman sold 2,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $213.54, for a total transaction of $533,850.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 255,178 shares of the companys stock, valued at $54,490,710.12. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, SVP Paul E. Munson sold 2,121 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $212.86, for a total value of $451,476.06. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 719 shares of the companys stock, valued at $153,046.34. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 109,775 shares of company stock worth $23,343,903 over the last 90 days. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts recently commented on TRV shares. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods boosted their price target on Travelers Companies from $194.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. StockNews.com upgraded Travelers Companies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Travelers Companies from $205.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Travelers Companies from $185.00 to $204.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, TD Cowen began coverage on Travelers Companies in a report on Wednesday, January 10th. They issued an outperform rating and a $247.00 price target for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $201.38.

Get Our Latest Stock Report on Travelers Companies

Travelers Companies Stock Performance

TRV stock traded up $1.83 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $223.75. 353,777 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,543,678. The company has a quick ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.34 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The Travelers Companies, Inc. has a 1-year low of $157.33 and a 1-year high of $224.17. The companys fifty day moving average price is $213.53 and its 200-day moving average price is $187.01. The firm has a market cap of $51.27 billion, a PE ratio of 17.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 0.58.

Travelers Companies (NYSE:TRV  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 19th. The insurance provider reported $7.01 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $5.10 by $1.91. Travelers Companies had a return on equity of 13.68% and a net margin of 7.23%. The company had revenue of $10.93 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.18 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $3.40 EPS. The firms quarterly revenue was up 13.4% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that The Travelers Companies, Inc. will post 17.67 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Travelers Companies Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a $1.00 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.79%. Travelers Companiess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 31.27%.

Travelers Companies Profile

(Free Report)

The Travelers Companies, Inc, through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance.

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Roanoke County Fire & Rescue Department crews worked Monday to contain two brush fires, one on private land in the Catawba area, the other on Twelve OClock Knob south of Salem.

The department said in a social media post that the Catawba brush fire began Sunday afternoon, when crews responded to a report of a brush fire on Keffer Road.

Smoke from the fire can easily be seen from miles away, the departments post read. The blaze is on private land near the Jefferson National Forest. No structures are threatened as of Monday afternoon.

As of about 8:45 a.m. Monday, the department said the fire had burned between 13 and 14 acres of land and was about 20% contained.

The department said that the terrain is very steep and rocky, but that active firefighting and containment efforts would pick up later Monday morning. Members of the Roanoke County department, the Virginia Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service will make up small ground crews.

People may notice smoke in that area today as crews will likely be back burning, the departments post continued. It is doubtful that the fire will be 100% contained today.

At about 6 p.m., department spokesperson Brian Clingenpeel said the fire had reached about 14 acres and was 80% contained.

The department said career and volunteer personnel from stations across the county have been involved in fighting the fire, the cause of which is still under investigation.

Crews responded to the second brush fire in the 3500 block of Twelve OClock Knob Road at about 1 p.m. Monday. The department said in a second social media post shortly before 4 p.m. that the blaze began as a fire that destroyed a Jeep Wrangler.

When crews arrived, they found a passenger vehicle that was fully engulfed, the post read, and that it is believed to have started the brush fire.

At about 3:45 p.m., the brush fire was estimated to have covered 20 acres. No houses or other buildings were threatened, and containment was estimated at about 10%.

Crews are reporting that they are making good progress with getting a line around the fire and that back burning operations are in progress, Monday afternoons post read. There are no injuries.

The fire department encouraged motorists to avoid both the Catawba and Twelve OClock Knob fire areas as crews worked. Residents were also asked to avoid any outdoor burning while dry and windy weather conditions remained.

The National Weather Service issued an enhanced fire danger statement for the region, particularly the southern Shenandoah Valley and areas east of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Burning is discouraged, the service said in a social media post. Refer to your local burn permitting authorities on whether you can burn. If you do, you are advised to use extreme caution.

The fire danger statement extends through Monday evening.
Three people were arrested Friday after a three-county law enforcement chase and a manhunt near Gothenburg, according to the Nebraska State Patrol.

Friday evening, the Furnas County Sheriff's Office contacted the State Patrol saying they were attempting to locate a vehicle believed to be driven by someone with an active warrant.

At about 7:15 p.m., a trooper located the vehicle, a Chevrolet Equinox, as it was traveling north on Nebraska Highway 283 near Elwood. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the driver immediately turned onto a county road and fled west. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

The vehicle continued on county roads for about 30 minutes. During the pursuit, the occupants threw several items out of the vehicle.

The suspect vehicle eventually drove into a pasture in Lincoln County, southwest of Gothenburg and came to a stop. All three occupants fled on foot.

Troopers used a thermal drone to locate the subjects, the State Patrol said.

Brian Titman, 45, of Kearney; David Griffitt, 37, of Trenton; and Madison Arledge, 26, of McCook, were arrested on suspicion of various charges, including possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, tampering with physical evidence, flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving and obstructing a peace officer, the Nebraska State Patrol said in a Saturday news release.

Titman and Arledge each had active warrants as well, the State Patrol said.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
F88 sponsors gender equality promotion

By An Binh Tue, March 19, 2024 | 11:46 am GMT+7

Pawnshop chain F88's initiatives to support self-employed low-income women and promote opportunities for female employees have been highly appreciated by international organizations.

F88 launched a loan package on March 8 specifically for female customers at half the cost of a normal loan.

The new product is part of activities that aim to bring benefits to female employees and customers after the Australian Development Investment Organization (ADI) provided F88 with technical assistance worth AUD43,000 ($28,200).

The goal of this sponsorship is to support F88's diversity initiatives to promote fairness and gender equality within the company, increasing the presence of women in leadership positions and in company services.

An F88 employee works with a customer. Photo courtesy of F88.

Majdie Hordern, secretary in charge of development cooperation, Australian Embassy in Hanoi, said that the Australian government is proud to deploy technical assistance through ADI to support a company on Australia's investment list. F88 has helped self-employed women access capital and develop products that are suitable for women business owners, which is a smart decision.

"I look forward to seeing how F88 and other lending institutions expand their customer base by customizing products for thousands of women-led businesses in Vietnam," Hordern said.

Before receiving support from ADI, F88 was a partner of Lendable with an investment of $10 million in foreign funds for a convenience store chain.

Lendable, after working with F88, introduced this partner to ADI as a business that regularly organizes activities for the community, including on promoting gender equality.

Lendable currently operates in 12 countries and territories. A company representative said that it is pleased to be the bridge connecting ADI and F88, helping its partner create financial products for women as well as strategic gender initiatives in the company.

Lienda Kavindele, head of impact and ESG at Lendable, said that F88's initiatives in supporting low-income self-employed women are very important and reflect a vision of inclusive economic development.

"We appreciate that F88 not only focuses on the external but also implements internal gender equality programs, demonstrating its commitment to positive change both in business and the workplace," Kavindele said.

Women account for a high proportion of employees at F88. Photo courtesy of F88.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Finance for 2023, women make up 47% of the Vietnamese workforce.

However, the female workforce is largely unprofessional; jobs such as housekeeping and cleaning performed by female workers account for 94.7% of the total number of hired workers.

During the pandemic, the unemployment rate of female workers was higher than that of male workers. These numbers show that Vietnamese women find it more difficult to be financially independent, and it is necessary to provide a loan solution for self-employed women.

Phung Anh Tuan, general director of F88, said that in the past five years, since receiving investment from foreign funds, the company has increasingly focused on gender equality.

Currently, the proportion of female employees in the company is 53%, of which 20-30-year-olds account for nearly 70%, those holding management positions account for 45%, and those holding executive management positions make up approximately 20%.

The proportion of female customers is currently 30%. Female customer growth in 2022 compared to 2021 reached 234%.

For F88, becoming a partner of Lendable and ADI in gender equality initiatives is a great achievement. This recognition shows that its efforts in the past have been highly appreciated by the community.
FDI businesses call for stable power supplies in Vietnam

By Tri Duc Tue, March 19, 2024 | 5:33 pm GMT+7

Foreign-invested companies in Vietnam have expressed concerns over power shortages and called on authorities to provide stable supplies for industrial parks to ensure production.

KoCham

At the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) on Tuesday, Hong Sun, chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce (Kocham), noted that some northern provinces experienced power shortages in June-July 2023.

South Korean companies, especially those in high-tech industries such as semiconductors, wish to enter the Vietnamese market, but identify power shortage concerns as a significant factor delaying their investment decisions, Hong Sun explained.

Hong Sun, chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce (Kocham) at the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) in Hanoi on March 19, 2024. Photo courtesy of Nguoi Dua Tin (News Deliverer) magazine.

"The Vietnamese government acknowledges that these power shortages pose a significant obstacle to attracting foreign investors and enhancing the manufacturing competitiveness of Vietnamese companies. Efforts are being made to formulate countermeasures, but the situation is challenging in the short term," Hong Sun noted.

KoCham requested effective measures to ensure stable power supplies within industrial zones so that FDI companies, including those from South Korea, can engage in manufacturing activities with confidence, he said.

JCCI

Similarly, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) in Vietnam said there was a serious power shortage in the northern region, especially in industrial parks, last summer. As a result, some member companies were considering reviewing their global production systems.

JCCI put forward suggestions for the Vietnamese government to consider for the smooth operation of the manufacturing sector, including stable power supplies to industrial parks; advanced notice of power outages and power saving requests with time to adjust; and incentives for companies that save power and generate electricity.

The JCCI also suggested the government speed up the early development of legal frameworks and implementation guidelines for the facilitation of power development projects. These include laws related to the use of sea areas for large-scale offshore power plant projects, relaxing eligibility conditions for Direct Power Purchase Agreements (DPPA) for renewable energy projects, and reviewing the existing pricing mechanism for biomass/waste power generation.

Gas-fired and LNG-fired thermal power is beyond the scope of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), however, under the concept of the Japan-led Asia Zero Commission Community (AZEC), which aims to provide cooperation tailored to Vietnam's circumstances. Japan would like to expand its assistance and contribute to the realization of gas and LNG thermal power in line with the Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) of Vietnam, the JCCI added.

AmCham

The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (AmCham Vietnam) noted power supply and demand dynamics are complex, and a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors is essential to develop affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity.

AmCham Vietnam encouraged continued dialogue between the Ministry of Industry and Trade, state utility Vietnam Electricity (EVN), and private sector stakeholders to explore viable short-term and long-term solutions for Vietnam to meet its energy security needs, including advancing approval of large LNG projects that support its energy security and transition goals.

The chamber recommended the government to consider aligning power purchase agreements (PPA) with international standards to enable multilateral institutions and development finance institutions to lend to large projects for energy transition and the renewable energy sector.

EuroCham

The European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Vietnam recommended the authorities soon establish PPA regulations to facilitate energy delivery from renewable energy projects directly to end-users, instead of via EVN and the national grid, with a direct offtake between generators and end-users.

EuroCham also urged the government to revise the PPA between EVN and clean energy producers to meet international standards and harvest the full cost-reduction benefits of the planned auction processes in exchange for full take-or-pay and key provisions which address concerns of international lenders.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (behind) and Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung at the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) in Hanoi on March 19, 2024. Photo courtesy of the government's news portal.

Addressing the event, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Vietnam is striving to prevent power shortages with various solutions, including the implementation of DPPA. The statement is part of the governments commitment to ensuring energy for green transition, digitalization, and digital economy.

Besides, PM Chinh noted two other commitments of ensuring the legitimate rights and benefits of FDI businesses in Vietnam in line with trends of green growth and climate change adaptation. He reaffirmed the country's commitment to independence, sovereignty, sovereign rights, political stability, social safety, and consistent policies to facilitate investors activities.
Importance of US companies in Vietnam far beyond mere FDI statistics: business council

By Quang Minh Tue, March 19, 2024 | 10:10 am GMT+7

Statistics on foreign direct investment (FDI) announced by the Vietnamese government do not fully reflect the importance of U.S. companies to the countrys economic and export growth, said a representative of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC).

Some American investments in Vietnam come under legal entities in a third country, said Vu Tu Thanh, deputy regional director, chief representative of Vietnam, USABC, at a press meeting on Monday, in response to a question by The Investor.

From left: Vu Tu Thanh, deputy regional director, chief representative of Vietnam, USABC; Ted Osius, president & CEO, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council; Marc Knapper, U.S ambassador to Vietnam; Reta Jo Lewis, U.S. EXIM Bank's president and chair of the board of directors; Sarah Morgenthau, special representative, Office of Commercial and Business Affairs, U.S. Department of State, at a press briefing in Hanoi, March 18, 2024. Photo by The Investor/Minh Anh.

U.S. companies often invest in the form of value chains, which is not reflected in statistics provided by Vietnams investment ministry. They do not directly bring money into Vietnam, but request their suppliers, mostly in the fields of electronics, footwear, and garments, to set up production facilities and hire laborers in Vietnam, Thanh explained.

These suppliers generate dozens of billions of USD in exports from Vietnam, he added.

The importance of U.S. companies to Vietnams economic growth and exports is far beyond the accumulative FDI statistics, Thanh asserted.

Ted Osius, president & CEO, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, noted that some U.S. companies make investments in Vietnam through Singapore, like Pepsi and Coca-Cola.

There's a certain amount of investment that goes through other countries for very good solid business reasons, but American investment does continue to grow in Vietnam, Osius affirmed.

Osius is leading a business delegation on a fact finding trip to Vietnam on March 19-21, comprising about 50 companies in multiple fields, making it the largest of its kind since the two countries double upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership last September.

He declined to elaborate on possible deal announcements during the trip, but said that those companies are interested in doing more business in Vietnam. I'm optimistic that the relationship and the investment will continue to grow.

Data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment shows that the U.S. was the 10th largest investor in Vietnam as of 2023, with 1,336 valid projects worth $11.83 billion. In the first two months of this year, American firms invested $5.6 million in the country, down more than 50% year-on-year.
Intel commits to long-term investment in Vietnam: representative

By Tri Duc Tue, March 19, 2024 | 11:17 am GMT+7

Intel appreciates the continued support of the Vietnamese government and is committed to long-term investments in the country, Intel Vietnam representative Phung Viet Thang said at the Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) on Tuesday.

Intel Vietnam representative Phung Viet Thang (standing). Photo courtesy of Mekong ASEAN magazine.

Thang's statement came after internatioal media reported last year that Intel had called off its planned investment expansion in Vietnam,

Intel has been working in Vietnam for 17 years and will continue investing in the country, Thang said. The recent upgrade of Vietnam-U.S. ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership would facilitate further cooperation between the two countries, especially in the semiconductor sector. The upgrade would also attract other American companies to Vietnam, Thang affirmed.

Operating beyond semiconductors and computing, Intel is striving to accompany the Vietnamese government in sustainable development and green growth, including its net zero 2050 commitment and the increased use of renewable energy by 2030.

Intel has been working with the Ministry of Information and Communications regarding Vietnam's semiconductor development initiative, and with the Ministry of Planning and Investment on its semiconductor workforce development plan. Intel is looking forward to cooperating with ministries on the detailed deployments of these plans, he emphasized.

During the forum, Thang also delivered Intel's suggestions to the government. First, for semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) development following Vietnam's ambitious plans, Intel is seeking cooperation with partners inside and outside the country, including multi-national corporations.

Second, regarding workforce, Intel has been cooperating with Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training and Danang. To speed up progress, Vietnam should seek ways to utilize the U.S.'s CHIPS and Science Act, he added.

Third, for infrastructure, Vietnam should focus more on building and deploying new-generation data centers and 5G technology to facilitate AI growth in the country.

Fourth, on the global minimum tax (GMT), Intel wants to work with authorities regarding detailed implementation as Intel understands the Vietnamese government is committed to utilizing the initiative.
Vietnam third largest cryptocurrency gainer in 2023: US analysis firm

By Minh Hue Tue, March 19, 2024 | 2:45 pm GMT+7

Vietnam ranked third in the world for cryptocurrency gains in 2023, only after the U.S. and UK, with nearly $1.2 billion, according to U.S. blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis.

Vietnam was one of five Asian markets in the top 10 countries for cryptocurrency gains last year, besides China, Indonesia, India, and South Korea.

Vietnam ranked third globally for cryptocurrency gains in 2023. Photo courtesy of Luc MacGregor/Bloomberg/Getty Images.

We can see several upper and middle income countries whose residents appear to have achieved outsized gains. Vietnam, China, Indonesia, and India, for example, all hit over $1 billion in estimated gains, it wrote in its 2023 Cryptocurrency Gains by Country report, released last week.

We previously noted in our 2023 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report that countries in these income categories, and lower middle income countries in particular, showed strong cryptocurrency adoption that remained notably resilient even through the recent bear market. Our gains estimates suggest that many investors in those countries have benefited from their embrace of the asset class, it added.

In the report, Chainalysis estimated worldwide crypto investors achieved total gains of $37.6 billion last year.

While this total is much smaller than the $159.7 billion made during the 2021 bull market, it represents a significant recovery from 2022, which saw estimated losses of $127.1 billion. Interestingly, the total gains estimate for 2023 was lower than 2021, despite crypto asset prices growing at similar rates in each of those years.



One possible explanation for this could be that investors in 2023 were less likely to convert crypto assets into cash, under the expectation that prices would rise even higher given that they didnt surpass previous all-time highs at any point in 2023, unlike in 2021, it commented.

The U.S. led the way in cryptocurrency gains by a wide margin in 2023 at an estimated $9.36 billion. The U.K. placed second with an estimated $1.39 billion.

China came in a surprise fourth place with $1.15 billion, although cryptocurrency trading and mining activities have been banned in that country since 2021.

In Southeast Asia, in addition to Vietnam, Indonesia ranked fifth with $1.06 billion, the Philippines 20th with $0.5 billion, and Thailand 28th with $0.33 billion.

According to Chainalysis, the positive trends of 2023 have carried over into 2024, with notable crypto assets like Bitcoin achieving all-time highs in the wake of Bitcoin ETF approvals and increased institutional adoption.

If these trends continue, we may see gains more in line with those we saw in 2021. As of March 13, Bitcoin was up 65.4% and Ether is up 70.2% in 2024, it said.

To compile the ranking, Chainalysis used on-chain data to estimate investors cryptocurrency gains based on movements of crypto assets in and out of services where they can be on or off-ramped into fiat currency.
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Bamberg County's administrator says the county's contract with its new ambulance service provider remains unchanged after the provider failed in its effort to form a regional service with Barnwell County.

Greenville-based Thorne Ambulance Service began providing Bamberg County's EMS services on Aug. 9, 2023. Thorne Ambulance has a five-year contract with the county, which includes the provision of two advanced life support ambulances.

The county selected Thorne to replace its former ambulance service provider, Anderson-based Medshore Ambulance.

One ambulance each is stationed in Bamberg and Denmark. Automatic vehicle locating systems are used to ensure the closest unit responds to an emergency.

Bamberg County Controller Gina Smith said, The contract with Thorne ends Aug. 14, 2028. The first-year contract amount is $533,119.20.

Barnwell County also had a contract with Thorne Ambulance until mediation between the two parties failed during a March 1 meeting. Barnwell County subsequently voted to terminate its contract with Thorne Ambulance.

Barnwell County Administrator Tim Bennett said in email on March 5 that he posted on the Barnwell County Facebook page on that day that Thorne Ambulance was in breach of its contract.

Bennett has said that the county had been in discussion with Thorne Ambulance regarding its level of service in that county, with staffing issues among its concerns.

As a result, the county implemented what was meant to be a temporary policy that prevented the provision of mutual aid resources to Bamberg and other adjacent counties until Barnwell County became what Bennett has described as fully staffed.

Following failed mediation  the county terminated its contract with Thorne, stating Thorne is in breach of contract. A lame duck provision in the contract requires Thorne to continue to provide all services until a new contractor assumes services responsibilities for up to a period of three months, the Facebook message read.

Barnwell County is committed to protect the health and safety of its citizens and visitors and will do what it needs to do to ensure no break in EMS service to the county, the message further read.

Bamberg County Administrator Joey Preston said during a March 4 Bamberg County Council meeting that he also expects reliable, uninterrupted service.

During the meeting, Preston presented a letter dated March 2 that he received from Thorne Ambulance Chief Executive Officer Ryan Thorne, stating that the ambulance service would continue to provide service in Barnwell County through May 31.

Current employees of (Thorne Ambulance) will be offered employment in nearby markets, and it is our desire to retain those who wish to remain part of our organization, Thorne said in the letter.

Thorne further stated that the ambulance service met with its Barnwell-based team on March 5, with the intent of retaining our top performers who desire to remain with our team and work in Bamberg County.

He also noted in the letter that the spirit of the contract agreements which the ambulance service provider had made with Bamberg and Barnwell counties during the same year had centered around a mutual working relationship between the two counties.

Thorne said the termination of the contract with Barnwell County was "due to Barnwell County's unwillingness to reasonably work with our organization and cure outlined breaches in the present agreement  despite being given ample opportunity to rectify these issues.

Bennett also posted on the Barnwell's County Facebook page on March 5 that Barnwell County Council authorized him during a special called meeting on March 4 to negotiate a three-year contract with AmeriPro EMS of South Carolina for ambulance service effective April 1.

Bennett also sent an email the statement that Barnwell County released on March 4 following a civil action lawsuit, which Thorne Ambulance filed against the county that same day.

The county's response stated that Thorne is in breach of its EMS contract with the county. The county further asked the court to require Thorne to pay the county liquidated damages and to further require Thorne to comply with the lame duck provision of the contract," the statement read.

In the meantime, Thorne said the ambulance service would honor its contract with Bamberg County during a March 7 EMS advisory committee meeting in Bamberg.

We have had several Barnwell-based team members submit letters of intent to transition to Bamberg County following the transition out of Barnwell, Thorne later said. We only expect improvements in service delivery.

Preston later said, The goal is to make sure that Thorne and Bamberg work together to honor the terms of the contract so the citizens of Bamberg will benefit from a much more improved EMS service.   He noted that a third ambulance unit will also hopefully be added in the county in the near future.
SINGAPORE, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Singapore will complete a new square by 2027 to commemorate its national service policy, according to a statement issued by the country's Defense Ministry.

Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen attended the ground-breaking ceremony of the NS Square on Tuesday and stressed the importance of national service in safeguarding the peace and prosperity of Singapore.

The square will stage large-scale national and public events, such as the National Day Parade, performances and sporting activities.

It is set against the signature Marina Bay, with a seating capacity of about 30,000 people. 
SANTA FE, N.M.  A suspect in the shooting death of a New Mexico state police officer was captured Sunday by law enforcement officers in the Albuquerque area based on a tip from a gas station clerk, authorities said.

State Police Officer Killed A portrait of Jaremy Smith is displayed beside U.S. Attorney for New Mexico Alexander Uballez, left, on Saturday, March 16, 2024, as Public Sa

The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office detained 33-year-old Jaremy Smith of Marion, South Carolina, in the southwestern reaches of Albuquerque after the clerk notified authorities of a man who fit Smith's description, Sheriff John Allen said at a brief news conference.

Tragic end to search for missing South Carolina paramedic, sheriff says The search for a missing South Carolina paramedic came to a tragic end after her car was found in New Mexico and her body was recovered Friday evening, a case that a law enforcement official called heinous. Phonesia Machado-Fore, 52, was last seen at her home on Wildwood Loop in Marion on Tuesday, according to the Marion County Sheriffs Office. Family reported her missing to the Marion ...

South Carolina authorities have identified Smith as a person of interest in the killing of a local paramedic whose stolen car was involved in Friday's fatal shooting of New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare along Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari.

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Allen said Smith was located walking on the outskirts of a residential area and was wounded by gunfire as officers pursued him on foot. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment under police guard. No medical condition was given.

"A foot pursuit ensued," Allen said. "Shots were fired. Some shots strike Smith, we don't know the amount right now or how many, that's still under investigation. But Smith was then taken into custody without further incident."

State Police Chief Troy Weisler said an investigation is in the early stages about Smith's movements since the fatal shooting of Hare but that the detention Sunday allows people an opportunity to begin to grieve for the slain officer. Weisler and Allen did not discuss possible criminal charges and declined to provide further information.

"Everything is really preliminary right now on the investigation, so we're not going to get into any of the details," Weisler said.

Authorities said Hare was dispatched about 5 a.m. Friday to help a motorist in a white BMW with a flat tire on I-40.

Hare parked behind the BMW, and a man got out, approached the patrol car on the passenger side, then shot the officer without warning. They said the motorist then walked to the driver's side of the police vehicle, shot Hare again, and pushed him into the back seat before taking off in the patrol vehicle.

State Police later learned that the white BMW was reported missing in South Carolina and that it belonged to a woman who was killed there last week, Phonesia Machado-Fore, 52, a Marion County paramedic.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina has reported on its Facebook page that Machado-Fore's body was found about 6:15 p.m. Friday outside of Lake View in neighboring Dillon County. Her family had reported her missing Thursday evening. The Dillon County Coroner's Office has scheduled an autopsy for Monday.

Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace on Sunday said he was relieved to learn of Smith's detention.

"I believe that I speak for many here in Marion County when I tell you that I am overwhelmed with relief knowing that Jaremy Smith is in custody," Wallace said in a statement posted on Facebook. "At this time, Marion County Sheriff's Office has no charges on Jaremy Smith. Therefore, he will remain in the custody of New Mexico State Police to face charges."

A call to the public defenders' office in New Mexico was not answered and it was unclear whether Smith had a legal representative.

In a news release, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed gratitude to the person who spotted Smith and reported to authorities, calling the suspect's detention a "major step toward justice" for Hare's family.
An Orangeburg Department of Public Safety officer was involved in a shooting incident early Saturday morning, according to a heavily redacted ODPS incident report.

David Glover, 29, has been charged with breach of peace, aggravated in nature, in the incident, according to the S.C. Law Enforcement Division. Glover was booked at the Charleston County Detention Center.

The incident took place in the area of Henley Street and Gibson Street at 4:41 a.m. Saturday.

A 23-year-old officer was in his parked patrol vehicle. Glover allegedly opened the door of the officers patrol car and, following an altercation, the officer shot Glover in the hand.

The altercation continued and back-up officers arrived.

Glover was transported to the hospital for treatment.

The officer was not injured.

SLED was asked to investigate the incident by the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety.

The incident in Orangeburg County was the 11th officer-involved shooting in South Carolina in 2024. This is the first officer-involved shooting for the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety this year.

In 2023, there were 43 officer-involved shootings in South Carolina. The Orangeburg Department of Public Safety had no officer-involved shootings last year.
A 19-year-old Orangeburg man is accused of killing an employee of the Orangeburg Tobacco and Vape Shop, located at 2565 North Road.

Artexasis Lafontae Murray, of Jasper Street, is charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.

The shooting took place at 4:39 p.m. Sunday, according to an Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office incident report.

Murray was a customer and the 21-year-old man who was killed was an employee, according to warrants.

Warrants claim Murray and the employee got into a physical altercation over a transaction.

During the altercation, Murray allegedly pulled a pistol from his left jacket pocket and shot the employee in the head.

Deputies found the employees body at the entrance of the business.

People in the parking lot wouldnt tell deputies where the shooter was, the report states.

Moments later, a dispatcher reported that a caller wished to turn himself in to law enforcement.

Investigators spoke with Murray at the law enforcement complex on Ellis Avenue.

Warrants allege Murray provided a video and audio confession of the crime.

In addition, the shooting was recorded on surveillance video, according to warrants.

The Orangeburg County Coroners Office hasnt yet released the name of the man who was killed.

Murray appeared before an Orangeburg County magistrate on Monday afternoon.

A circuit judge may consider setting Murrays bond later.

If Murray is convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
Some South Carolina congressional members voted to force Tik Toks sale in the United States or ban it. A bill that passed in the House and is moving to the Senate would effectively do so. Heres how the seven S.C. representatives voted.

Congress TikTok TikTok devotees gather Wednesday at the Capitol in Washington.

Only two S.C. members of congress voted against the bill, Democrat James Clyburn and Republican Nancy Mace, while the other five voted for it.

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The bill cites safety and security concerns over the app and would require TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell it within 180 days or it would be banned on U.S. app stores. The bill passed 325-65, and will now head to the Senate.

Mace was one of 15 Republicans who voted no on the bill. She said on X, formerly Twitter, Banning Tiktok is beating the same drum as other communist countries controlling what content we are able to see. Lets not give the government any more power to control social media.

Congressman Jeff Duncan, Russell Fry, Ralph Norman, William Timmons and Joe Wilson all voted for the bill. Duncan tweeted @tiktok_us is a national security threat. Thats it, thats the tweet, Wednesday morning.
Researchers in the Clemson University College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (CBSHS) have received $5.5 million from the National Institutes of Healths (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse to develop data-driven approaches for opioid use disorder treatment, recovery and prevention in rural communities.

Lior Rennert, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and director of the CBSHS Center for Public Health Modeling and Response, and Alain Litwin, M.D., professor of practice in the Department of Psychology and vice chair for academics in the Department of Medicine for Prisma Health-Upstate, will serve as principal investigators on the project.

The project aims to develop, deliver and evaluate peer support specialist (PSS) intervention programs and increase medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment and retention rates in rural and underserved communities. Researchers will develop a dynamic, data-driven modeling framework to identify and prioritize at-risk communities throughout South Carolina and systematically deliver mobile health clinics with PSS services to areas in critical need.

Wilson announces $350M settlement in opioid epidemic case Attorney General Alan Wilson Friday announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the global marketing and communications firms role in the prescription opioid crisis. South Carolina will receive over $5 million from the settlement to help address the opioid crisis.

As overdoses continue to rise across the state and nation, this innovative and sustainable framework has the potential to prevent hundreds to thousands of opioid-related deaths in South Carolina and beyond, said Rennert. The Colleges mission to build people and communities hinges on citizens health and well-being, and our model can be scaled up to prevent many more deaths  from opioids and other substances  if adopted by public health decision makers throughout our state and other regions.

Federal lawmakers take first steps toward oversight of $50 billion in opioid settlements A lack of transparency and enforcement makes it difficult to determine if states are spending billions of dollars in opioid settlements as intended; Congress may step in to change that.

Co-investigators on the project include Kaileigh Byrne, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, Moonseong Heo, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences, and Natasha Martin, Ph.D., professor at the University of California San Diego.

This support from the NIH allows us to broaden the scope of opioid use disorder treatment throughout our state, said Litwin. By deploying mobile health clinics equipped to provide PSS intervention programs, we have the opportunity to decrease barriers to care, increase treatment retention rates in rural and underserved communities and inform public health practices nationwide.

Over the course of the six-year grant, the initiative will work to change the landscape for opioid use disorder treatment by offering accessible and sustainable care through mobile health clinics and PSS interventions.
(TBTCO) - Ngay 1/4/2024, Kho bac Nha nuoc buoc sang nam thu 34 truong thanh va phat trien. Trong hon 30 nam qua, tu mot Kho bac truyen thong voi 4 nghiep vu chinh (ke toan thong ke, kho quy, giao dich va ke toan tong hop), Kho bac Nha nuoc a tro thanh kho bac ien tu, tao nhieu thuan loi cho khach hang trong giao dich. Trong tien trinh chuyen oi so hien nay, Kho bac Nha nuoc ang tiep tuc thuc hien nhieu cai cach, hien ai hoa e huong toi kho bac so vao nam 2030.
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Prism Logistics has one less hoop to jump through if it wants to build a gravel pit at the base of Casper Mountain.

Late Monday afternoon, a press release from Governor Mark Gordon's office announced that he had taken action on six bills that day, signing five into law and vetoing one. The bill that was dumped was Senate File 44, which contained an amendment from Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, that would have required entities seeking to kickstart their limited mining operations to obtain a conditional use permit from their respective local leaders first.

In his veto letter, Gordon said that "the amended bill would not change the particular circumstances of that gravel operation, and there is not a pending application for a LMO from that operation. However, the bill would have had constitutional consequences as to how state lands are managed to help fund schools. These impacts included making state lands uncompetitive due to an increased setback requirement and a requirement for counties to review and issue a conditional use permit, even though not all counties require one."

Kyle True, manager of Prism Logistics, has shared with the public and the Star-Tribune that his company is considering the state-owned land at the south end of Coates Road for a possible gravel mine. This has infuriated residents, who packed a Natrona County Commissioners' meeting earlier this month to share their concerns, fears and ire.

It will take months before the area is deemed feasible or not for a gravel mine, True told the Star-Tribune. Until then, he shared in a press release, Prism Logistics is choosing not to engage in speculation about "concerns raised by area residents."

Amendments that were of particular concern to Gordon, he wrote, were a 500-foot setback requirement from a limited mining operation and any occupied structure that would have only been applicable for state lands, the obligations that this act would place on counties to issue conditional use permits and "undefined approvals" left for the State Board of Land Commissioners post-county permit issuance.

Limited mining operations are required to be only 300 feet away from any occupied structure on federal and private lands. Gordon wrote that he thought this would make state lands "uncompetitive."

"Statutory changes are not the proper place to address specific concerns for individual operations, Gordon wrote in his decision. While Wyoming seeks to manage her state lands cooperatively with counties and their land use plans, the state is not constrained by them. State lands and minerals are important to our states economic well-being and need to be treated the same as other lands in the state.

In conclusion, he wrote, the Joint Minerals Committee should review the original bill in the "upcoming general session and examine ways to adequately address existing concerns over limited mining operations on state lands."

Harshman, who represents the area of Natrona County that would have been most affected by a mine, told the Star-Tribune shortly after the veto was announced that he was disappointed with Gordon's decision and sees the loss of a dedicated public comment period for the proposed mine  which a conditional use permit would have required  as a serious issue.

"How do leases like this go through a consent list, where nobody even talks about them?" he asked. "Nobody gets to know about them. There's no public comment. And I think that's a real issue.

"And so now, a bill that will give the public some comment on mining leases on state lands right next to their property  hey, sorry, you don't get any voice on that either. ... It's the board of land commissioners and the leaseholder. That's where this is at. And the public has been shut out."
Kadeem Charles should be a dead man.

On February 3, 2019, Charles, then just 20 years old, found himself looking down the wrong end of the barrel of an assault rifle, held by a masked assailant.

Already shot in the back and unable to move his legs, the frightened Sea Lots-born youngster closed his eyes and silently called out for Jesus Christ.
BEIRUT, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Chief of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) Aroldo Lazaro Saenz on Tuesday called on Lebanon and Israel to put down weapons and work on a political and diplomatic solution to the border conflict.

"We call on all parties to fully commit to implementing the UN Resolution 1701. Our more than 10,000 peacekeepers continue their critical monitoring, de-escalation, and liaison work, and we stand ready to support a peaceful resolution to the current situation," said Lazaro Saenz when marking the 46th anniversary of the UNIFIL's establishment.

The UN Resolution 1701 was adopted in August 2006 to seek a complete cessation of hostilities shortly after a month of deadly warfare between Israel and Hezbollah ended with a fragile truce.

According to Lebanon's National News Agency, Lazaro praised the work of more than 10,000 peacekeepers from 49 countries who monitor the evolving situation in southern Lebanon despite relentless exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah and paid tribute to those who have died serving for peace.

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. 
An elderly man visiting Trinidad from Canada has been murdered in his familys home by intruders.

The body of Hilton Smith, 75, was found on Friday on a bed. His mouth was gagged, and his feet and hands tied.
Last Tuesday, 17 prison officers and six inmates were injured at the Port of Spain prison.

Social media had described the incident as a riot, but when contacted by the Express, Commissioner of Prisons Deopersad Ramoutar downplayed the event, stating in a media release later that it was all in a days work for the prison officers who are at times, undervalued, and unappreciated. Everyones injuries were said to be minor, although all the officers involved were still sent on sick leave.
The former Bookmans in central Tucson will soon be stocked with a different resale option.

Midtown Mercantile Merchants, which sells antique and vintage furniture, clothing, jewelry and records, has leased the 13,548-square-foot space at Rancho Center, 3330 E. Speedway.

With over 100 vendors, the marketplace will close its current location at 4443 E. Speedway at the end of March and reopen in the new spot in April.

The landlord, Larsen Baker, was represented by its broker Isaac Figueroa and Julian Willets, with ReMax Commercial, represented the tenant.

Tami Mitchell, the owner of Midtown Mercantile Merchants, said she is eager to increase foot traffic at the new location.

The 8-year-old business will celebrate its anniversary when it reopens at Rancho Center.

Our goal is to repurpose, recycle and reuse everything, Mitchell said. We dont want to contribute to the landfill.

The new store will also have fitting rooms that are decorated to encourage selfies.

Mitchell plans to use the basement of the shop as an event center for wine tastings or art exhibitions.

Visit midtownmm.com for updates.

Other local commercial transactions include:

Tok Properties LLC bought 2,720 square feet of office space at 403 W. Cool Drive from Neuropsychology Services LLC for $605,000. Molly Gilbert, with Picor, represented the buyer and Doug Marsh, with Oxford Realty Advisors, represented the seller.

ITC Personal In-Home Care LLC leased 10,927 square feet of office space at 440 N. Bonita Ave. from Kzolchyk National Law Center. Jason Shaltiel and Thomas J. Nieman, with Picor, represented the tenant. Bruce Suppes and Diane Carlson, with CBRE, represented the landlord.

LJA Engineering Inc. leased 6,372 square feet of office space at La Cholla Corporate Center, 7458 N. La Cholla Blvd., from Tucson Portfolio 2 LLC. Thomas J. Nieman, with Picor, and Morgan Relyea Colt, with Cushman & Wakefield, Houston, represented the tenant. Jon OShea, with Vast Commercial Real Estate Solutions, represented the landlord.
Desert Toyota of Tucson has agreed to settle a consumer-fraud lawsuit filed by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes that alleged the company engaged in deceptive advertising practices before 2020.

The attorney general alleged that DT Automotive Center Inc., which does business as Desert Toyota of Tucson, failed to honor prices offered online once customers arrived at the dealership at 7150 E. 22nd St.

As part of a consent decree with the state, the company agreed to halt the challenged practices and pay $10,000 to a customer restitution fund, $40,000 as an administrative penalty and $10,000 in legal costs.

The states complaint alleges that, prior to 2020, Desert Toyota engaged in false advertising by advertising vehicles with a low price online and refused to sell the vehicle for that price.

For new vehicles, Desert Toyota did not include dealer-installed add-on accessories, such as exterior protective coating, door edge guards, door cups, and window tint, in the online vehicle price and then refused to sell the vehicles unless consumers purchased the already installed add-ons.

For used vehicles, Desert Toyota in some cases charged a reconditioning fee higher than what was advertised.

An attorney representing the dealership did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

Dealerships cannot lure consumers in with a low online price, then fail to honor that price once consumers arrive at the dealership, Mayes said in news release. All mandatory add-on accessories must be included in any advertised vehicle price.

Any consumers who believe they have been harmed by Desert Toyotas conduct should file a complaint by July 31 to be eligible to receive restitution.

Complaints may be filed on the attorney generals website, azag.gov.

To get a complaint by mail, call the Attorney Generals Office in Tucson at 520-628-6648, in Phoenix at 602-542-5763, or outside those metro areas toll-free at 800-352-8431.
by Misbah Saba Malik

ISLAMABAD, March 19 (Xinhua) -- In a remote sub-campus of Mandi Bahauddin in Pakistan's east Punjab province, Saima Noreen, a student of management sciences, attended a comprehensive lecture on business communication from a veteran professor who delivered at the main campus of the University of Gujrat in the newly inaugurated smart classroom.

"Through the smart classroom, students in remote areas, like me, are gaining access to lectures from seasoned professors at the main campus of the university, and the newly introduced classrooms are a great help to enrich our academic journey," Noreen told Xinhua.

A total of 100 classrooms, like the one on Noreen's campus, have been donated by the government and people of China to facilitate distance learning in Pakistan, and the state-of-the-art facility has garnered widespread appreciation for its myriad benefits, enhancing the learning experience for students across Pakistan.

Each classroom encompasses a comprehensive array of resources, including e-learning modules, virtual desktops, interactive whiteboards, classroom control systems, live virtual classrooms, interactive displays, and an innovative control center.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan recently inaugurated classrooms across the country, marking a significant milestone as the ceremony was a novel experience for the students of about 90 campuses nationwide.

Noreen said the digital initiative represents a departure from conventional practices and highlights the growing integration of technology in education, which fosters a sense of connectivity among students from various locations.

"In the future, I would like to attend a lecture from a seasoned professor in some Chinese universities through my smart classroom, as it provides me with an opportunity to not only get connected within Pakistan but also to the world outside," she added.

Talking to Xinhua about the smart classroom, Jamil Ahmad, the top official of information technology in the HEC, said the classrooms will transform the education sector of Pakistan as hundreds of thousands of students attend lectures through them every month.

"Every Pakistani knows that the main aim of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is to uplift Pakistan's economy, and economic prosperity cannot be achieved without quality education, so these smart classrooms are very significant for the bright future of Pakistan," Ahmad said.

These classrooms are role models, and in the next phase, the HEC will expand them to over 1,000 campuses across the country, and students in remote areas will be able to get education from famous experts and professors in big cities through the classroom screens, he added.

The Smart Classroom represents a paradigm shift in educational technology, as it is designed to strengthen the bond between educators and learners in the realm of online education, Ahmad said.

"The classroom also helps us cut the cost in many universities as sometimes for some visiting faculty we can hire only one teacher who can teach on more than one campus through the classroom screen, and because of its latest technology, it gives students an experience as if the teacher is standing right in front of them, and they can ask any question from him and vice versa," the official added.

Pakistani students, teachers and officials believe that the inauguration of smart classrooms in their country with the help of China represents a significant stride toward bridging educational gaps, empowering students with cutting-edge resources, and fostering a collaborative and technologically-driven learning environment.

Launched in 2013, CPEC, a flagship project under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, is a corridor linking Pakistan's southwest Gwadar port with Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, highlighting energy, transport, and industrial cooperation. 
After a TUSD presentation Feb. 13 on how to save certain jobs when pandemic-relief funding runs out, members of the public insisted the governing board offer a public forum.

The district has responded. Wednesday evening, March 20, Tucson Unified School District will host a forum to make the case for saving interventionist positions now paid for with COVID relief money.

Officials will first discuss the impact the learning recovery specialists have had on student performance since the pandemic. The positions in question are 54 math and reading interventionists and 46 response to intervention professionals. Studies conducted by TUSD show positive response from lower-proficiency students to the extra learning help.

The learning-recovery positions used $3.6 million of TUSDs ESSER III federal COVID relief money. That round of funding expires Sept. 30, leaving the district searching for a way to shift funds to preserve these positions.

At Wednesdays forum, TUSD representatives will discuss how funding shifts could affect various departments. Those departments include communications, curriculum and instruction, human resources, multicultural curriculum, student relations and transportation, among others.

At a heated governing board meeting Jan. 30, district officials proposed dismantling the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) department  funded by desegregation funds  and redistributing many of the departments services to other TUSD departments. Several administration positions would have been cut.

Moving desegregation funds from the EDI department drew significant public ire from a packed house at that meeting. District finance chief Ricky Hernandez then told the Arizona Daily Star the plan presented at that meeting is off the table.

As a result, the district has come up with several reallocation plans that will keep the EDI department intact.

The public will again have its say, as Wednesdays forum will close with a period for community members to provide feedback and ask questions about specific cuts and reallocations.

No specific proposal is being presented, district officials said.

The forum is set for 6 to 8 p.m. Wed., March 20, at Duffy Community Center board room, 5145 E. Fifth St.
The 6% commission, a standard in home purchase transactions, is no more.

In a sweeping move expected to dramatically reduce the cost of buying and selling a home, the National Association of Realtors announced Friday a settlement with groups of homesellers, agreeing to end landmark antitrust lawsuits by paying $418 million in damages and eliminating rules on commissions.

The NAR, which represents more than 1 million Realtors, also agreed to put in place a set of new rules. One prohibits agents compensation from being included on listings placed on local centralized listing portals known as multiple listing services, which critics say led brokers to push more expensive properties on customers. Another ends requirements that brokers subscribe to multiple listing services  many of which are owned by NAR subsidiaries  where homes are given a wide viewing in a local market. Another new rule will require buyers brokers to enter into written agreements with their buyers.

The agreement effectively will destroy the current homebuying and selling business model, in which sellers pay both their broker and a buyers broker, which critics say have driven housing prices artificially higher.

By some estimates, real estate commissions are expected to fall 25% to 50%, according to TD Cowen Insights. This will open up opportunities for alternative models of selling real estate that already exist but dont have much market share, including flat-fee and discount brokerages.

Homebuilder stocks rose Friday midday on the news: Lennar shares gained 2.6%, PulteGroup shares added 1.1% and Toll Brothers shares added 1%.

For the average-priced American home for sale  $417,000  sellers are paying more than $25,000 in brokerage fees. Those costs are passed on to the buyer, boosting the price of homes in America. That fee could fall by between $6,000 and $12,000, according to TD Cowen Insights analysis.

While the settlement comes at a significant cost, we believe the benefits it will provide to our industry are worth that cost, said Kevin Sears, president of the NAR, in a statement.

In November, a federal jury in Missouri found the NAR and two brokerages liable for $1.8 billion in damages for conspiring to keep agent commissions artificially high. Because it was an antitrust case, the NAR was potentially on the hook for triple those damages  $5.4 billion.

The NAR had pledged to appeal the case, but other brokerages settled  and, eventually, so did the NAR, on Friday.

NAR has worked hard for years to resolve this litigation in a manner that benefits our members and American consumers, said Nykia Wright, interim CEO of NAR, in a statement. It has always been our goal to preserve consumer choice and protect our members to the greatest extent possible. This settlement achieves both of those goals.

The NAR had required homesellers to include the compensation for agents when placing a listing on a multiple listing service. Although NAR has long said commissions are negotiable and that the structure helped making housing more affordable for buyers, critics have long argued that the fees were expected and homesellers felt they would lose buyers if they didnt offer them.

Settlement could lead to lower homebuying costs

Homesellers who brought lawsuits against the NAR have argued that in a competitive market, the cost of the buyers agents commission should be paid by the buyer who received the service, not by the seller. The sellers who brought the lawsuit against the NAR and the brokerages said that buyers should be able to negotiate the fee with their agent, and that the sellers should not be on the hook for paying it.

This settlement, which is subject to a judges approval, opens the door to a more competitive housing market. Realtors could now compete on commissions, allowing for prospective buyers to shop around on rates before they commit to buying a home. Brokers could begin to advertise their fees, allowing customers to choose lower-cost agents. The NAR, in its announcement, did not set a suggested fee.

The agreement will bring sweeping reforms for millions of Americans, said Benjamin D. Brown, managing partner of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll and co-chair of its antitrust practice, who helped craft the settlement.

For years, anticompetitive rules in the real estate industry have financially harmed millions of Americans, said Brown.

Individual sellers often feel powerless to negotiate a better deal for themselves, given the risk that offering lower commissions could cause brokers to steer buyers to other properties, said Robert Braun, a partner in Cohen Milsteins antitrust practice.

For far too long, home sellers have faced a system recognized by many as blatantly unfair. This class action and settlement provides justice for our clients and will require important changes that help future home sellers, said Braun.

Although most realtors are included in the settlement, agents affiliated with the brokerage HomeServices of America continue to fight the case in court, the NAR said.

The NAR said it had encouraged HomeServices of America to join the settlement, but said it was pleased to have more than 1 million of its members on board with the agreement.

Ultimately, continuing to litigate would have hurt members and their small businesses, said Wright in a statement. While there could be no perfect outcome, this agreement is the best outcome we could achieve in the circumstances.

Years of trouble for NAR

The NAR has been fighting off US antitrust officials and litigation for years regarding alleged anti-competitive practices. But Novembers verdict marked the associations biggest setback yet  and ultimately led to the downfall of the rules that have long protected its compensation model.

The association also faces scrutiny from the US Department of Justice, and its unclear whether this settlement with sellers will impact the governments scrutiny of the brokerage industry.

The trade group has also undergone severe leadership turmoil over the past year.

In January, the former president of the NAR, Tracy Kasper, stepped down, after she said she received a threat to disclose a past personal, non-financial matter unless she compromised her position at NAR. Sears replaced Kasper earlier this year.

Kasper had just taken over the role in August 2023, after Kenny Parcell, the former president, resigned amid sexual harassment allegations that were first published by the New York Times. NAR employees reportedly said Parcell improperly touched them and sent lewd photos and texts. In the Times article, Parcell denied the accusations.

In November 2023, the chief executive of NAR, Bob Goldberg, also stepped down, and was replaced by Wright. Goldberg stepped down two days after the $1.8 billion judgment against the NAR.

___
James D. Watts Jr. Tulsa World Scene Writer Follow James D. Watts Jr. 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 Tulsa World Scene staff has created a list of 24 area burgers people should try over the course of the year 2024.

And while there is no hierarchy to this list, it did seem appropriate that we begin this list with the classics.

Classics

Webers Superior Root Beer

3817 S. Peoria Ave.

The bright orange building that is home to Webers has been a familiar sight for those traveling along Brookside for close to a century, and generations of Tulsans have enjoyed Webers old-fashioned burgers, which come in three sizes, topped with your choice of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, pickles and onion, and which can be paired with hand-cut fries, onion rings and tater tots. And while a variety of soft drinks are available, why would you order anything other than its namesake, homemade root beer?

Goldies Patio Grill

Multiple locations

Tulsa used to have several Goldies locations, but only the one at 6121 E. 61st St. remains in operation, in addition to locations in Broken Arrow, Owasso and Pryor. The standard remains the Goldies Special with cheese, a thick patty dusted with Goldies special seasoning and flame-broiled. Additional condiments can be requested, but honestly, none are needed.

Rons Hamburgers & Chili

Multiple locations

Betty and Ron Baber founded the restaurant in a 10-stool building at 3229 E. 15th St. in 1975. That building is gone, but 15 still operate in Oklahoma, according to the website. Fans say the Rons Special with onions fried into the meat and then topped with bacon bits, a slice of Cure 81 ham then topped with pepper jack and American cheese is a classic choice, but its the Sausage Cheeseburger that Southern Living magazine named the best burger in the state in 2023. Add a side of the Spanish fries, cooked with onions and jalapeno peppers.

Arnolds Old-Fashioned Hamburgers

4253 Southwest Blvd.

A hamburger is a relatively simple creation, but simple things done right are something to celebrate. Arnolds Old-Fashioned Hamburgers does just that. Their burgers are as old-fashioned as they come, with flat-top griddled patties adorned with mustard, pickle, lettuce, tomato and onion, but everything is fresh and perfectly prepared. When were feeling truly decadent, we add a side of onion rings and a large caramel milkshake.

Hardens Hamburgers

6611 S. 101st E. Ave., inside Mathis Home

Hardens traces its history back to 1939, and restaurants with this name have appeared all around Tulsa in the subsequent years. It now operates inside the Mathis Home furniture store in south Tulsa, offering 10 burger preparations, available in single, double or triple patty configurations. We suggest keeping it simple: double-meat cheeseburger with onions fried into the patties, and no other condiments beyond mustard and dill pickle slices.

Linda-Mar Drive-in

1614 W. 51st St.

A West Tulsa institution since 1966, Linda-Mars specialty is the Westside Burger, a double-meat cheeseburger with mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato and onion on grilled Texas toast. More conventional, bun-borne burgers are also available, although some regular patrons insist the thing to get is the boneless fried chicken. Whatever you choose, enjoy it while watching endless showings of The Andy Griffith Show.

Bills Jumbo Burger

2002 E. Admiral Blvd.

This longtime lunch-time favorite can be a little tricky to find the first time, but those who do find it return again and again, and have since 1960. The shop often runs out of burgers before closing time, so get there early  especially if youre planning to tackle the truly jumbo Double Okie, with two pounds of beef. And bring cash.

Freddies Hamburgers

9130 E. 11th St.

Definitely not to be confused with a similarly named chain that specializes in custard, Freddies on 11th Street is the last outpost of a long-lived Tulsa burger shop (the family also specializes in concessions at the Tulsa State Fair). Here one can order a classic burger cooked either on a flat-top griddle or char-grilled over flame.

Happy Burger

215 N. Mission St.

Happy Burger claims to be the oldest restaurant in Sapulpa, serving travelers along historic Route 66 since 1957. Burgers come in one-sixth and one-fourth pound sizes, topped with mustard, pickles, onion, lettuce and tomato. Sides include fried okra, corn nuggets, jalapeno cheese balls and something called a side salad.

Contemporary

District Burger

219 S. Main St., Broken Arrow

Owner Carlos Lopez likes to keep things local at his gourmet burger restaurant, sourcing all his beef from area ranches. We are fond of the Big Grass Burger, 8 ounces of grass-fed, grass-finished beef from Big Grass Beef in Newkirk that cooks up tender, juicy and profoundly beefy, and topped with pepper-jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo and onions sauteed in beef tallow.

En Fuego

224 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

En Fuego takes the concept of a sausage cheeseburger to a new level with its Baja Burger, made with a mix of ground beef and chorizo sausage, topped with onion, tomato, slaw and a hefty dollop of queso frio, a south-of-the-border version of pimento cheese. It is a juicy, messy burger full of unusual flavors and a good amount of heat, which one can ease a bit with the malt vinegar crema that comes with the accompanying fries.

Shaky Jakes Burgers & Franks

121 N. Ash Ave., Broken Arrow

Shaky Jakes, which shares space with the Broken Arrow Bramble Breakfast & Bar, has about a dozen burgers on the menu, but the one that you probably need to experience at least once is the Philly Cheesesteak Burger, a pile of sauteed shaved steak, onions and peppers atop a beef patty on a bun, which gets drenched in a molten cheese sauce after its brought to the table.

Billys

200 Civic Center, in the BOK Center

Billys was one of downtown Tulsas most popular lunch spots, where it had perfected that uniquely Oklahoma treat, the Theta burger (mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, thick dill pickle slices and shredded cheddar cheese on a flame-broiled burger patty). You can still enjoy this delicacy, along with a side of equally famous onion rings, any time you take in a show or event at the BOK Center.

Knotty Pig BBQ, Burger & Chili House

6835 E. 15th St.

Barbecue and burgers share a good deal of the real estate on the Knotty Pigs menu, but those two things come together in The Hogfather, a jumbo -pound burger patty topped with pulled pork, ham, bacon and hot link, with melted cheddar and American cheese.

Flos Burger Diner

Multiple locations

Whether at the original Catoosa location, or its Tulsa spot along Route 66, Flos offers an array of inventively constructed burgers, but probably the best place to start is with the Bomb Burger, a double-meat, double-cheese burger layered with cream cheese, bacon and cheddar cheese, and a Bomb sauce made with jalapenos.

Howdy Burger

1124 S. Lewis Ave., 1516 E. 11th St.

Howdy Burger is a modern take on the sort of burgers travelers might have enjoyed during the heyday of Route 66. The signature Howdy Burger is made with two flat-top grilled beef patties, with lettuce, tomato and a tangy Rodeo sauce, served on a soft potato bun.

Society Burger

Multiple locations

Oklahoma is known for the onion burgers that originated in El Reno, and Society offers its version on this Depression-era creation, with onions fried into two smashed burger patties, American cheese, haystack onions and mayonnaise on a brioche bun.

Rubys Old Fashioned Hamburgers

6577 E. 71st St.

Check out Rubys Signature Burger, a single patty with fried dill pickle spears, cheese, ranch and special sauce, and a healthy pile of haystack onions. Its one of those burgers where one wondered if a beef patty was actually present, but there was enough going on to make each bite different and enjoyable. Just plan on using a knife and fork.

CLASSY

Boston Deli

6231 E. 61st St.

When the Brookside landmark Clauds Hamburgers closed in 2022, Boston Deli chef and owner Ken Schafer decided to put some gourmet and grilled know-how into building an homage to the sort of burgers for which Tulsa was known. The result is the Tulsa Classic Double Cheeseburger, featuring two beef patties, melted cheddar cheese, pickles, and grilled onion on top, paired with a side of crispy fries and house-made basil aioli. Its available as a lunch special every Monday.

Oren

3509 S. Peoria Ave.

Each Sunday evening, chef Matt Ambergs fine dining establishment Oren becomes a pop-up burger shop called Ambergers, offering a chefs take on favorites ranging from chicken tenders to root beer floats. The namesake entree, the Amberger, is made with a 6-oz. beef patty with white cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, mayo, mustard and ketchup. A vegan version, made with a patty featuring black beans and chickpeas, is also available.

SMOKE Woodfire Grill

1542 E. 15th St.; 201 S. Main St., Owasso

SMOKE Woodfire Grill takes the most basic cooking method to create highly elevated cuisine, and the SMOKE Burger is a prime example. A 10-ounce, locally sourced, wood-grilled patty is served with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and a Creole mustard on a brioche bun. Thick slices of house-made bacon can be added for a slight upcharge.

The Tavern

209 N. Main St.

For a truly decadent burger experience, The Taverns namesake creation is hard to top. A thick cooked-to-order beef patty is served on a challah bun with Stilton cheese, a mushroom-cognac cream sauce and generous pile of thin, crisp shoestring fries.

Roka

1616 S. Utica Ave.

When Roka opened in early 2016 in the space that formerly held Te Keis Chinese Asian Kitchen, the owners revamped the menu but kept several versions of favorite dishes from Te Keis, like the popular umami burger. So the Roka burger was born. It is served on a toasted kaiser bun with wasabi sauce and kewpie, a smooth and creamy Japanese mayonnaise. The hand-ground, fire-grilled beef patty is tossed in kung pao sauce with onions, red bell peppers and mushrooms and is served with Rokas signature hand-cut sesame fries. Go on Tuesday when the burgers are $7. Its a heck of a deal.

Polo Grill

2038 Utica Square

When you feel like eating your burger from a table dressed with a white tablecloth, head to Polo Grill. The Utica Square restaurant is a Tulsa treasure, and the half-pound tenderloin burger on a brioche bun is something special, too. Go ahead and add the applewood smoked bacon when you are feeling extra fancy.

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All except one of Oklahoma's governors have taken the oath of office in the state capital -- either Guthrie or Oklahoma City.

That one was George P. Nigh, whose inauguration for his second short term as governor was at Bartlett Square on Tulsa's Main Mall on Jan. 3, 1979.

The swearing-in of Nigh marked several firsts for the 51-year-old lieutenant governor from McAlester. He became the first person to take the oath of governor a second time, the first (and, so far, the only) to take the oath in Tulsa, and the first to be sworn in any place except the capital.

And those weren't Nigh's only firsts; five days later, he became the first person to take the oath a third time, and four years later he became the first person to repeat the oath for a fourth time.

The Tulsa ceremony was almost a spur-of-the-moment event. Nigh had been elected to a full four-year term at the general election in November and was scheduled to take office on Jan. 9 in a ceremony at the Capitol in Oklahoma City.

But Gov. David Boren had been elected to the Senate in the same election to replace ailing Sen. Dewey Bartlett, who was not a candidate for re-election. Boren resigned from the Governor's Office on Jan. 2 to allow him to gain seniority over other freshman senators.

Boren didn't take the oath of office as a senator until Jan. 15, but under federal law his term began Jan. 2. Bartlett kept his pledge to serve his entire term, which ended on Jan. 3.

Nigh recalled recently that his inauguration committee had already made plans for his swearing-in and he didn't want to upset those plans by having a ceremony in Oklahoma City on Jan. 3 and a sequel five days later. "So, I thought, why not move the inauguration someplace else?" he said. He picked Tulsa because the people in Tulsa "have always been good to me."

Nigh also noted that Tulsa would be the base city for that year's celebration of the Will Rogers Centennial, and Nigh had been named by the Legislature to plan the celebration.

He said he chose the exact spot where he took the oath because of a conversation he had with a woman at that spot while campaigning for governor several months earlier.

"She told me, 'It'll be a cold day in Tulsa before you ever become governor,' " Nigh said.

"Well, it is, and I am, and we're here," Nigh told about 300 people.

And he was correct. It was a cold day in Tulsa, although the temperature had climbed to 36 from an early morning low of 10. That temperature had melted much of the snow and ice that fell on the city over the weekend. But the cold returned later that week, schools were closed for four days by ice and snow, and at least three died in weather-related traffic accidents.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Allen E. Barrow administered the oath of office near the fountain on Main Mall, an area later named Bartlett Square in memory of Bartlett, who died a few weeks later.

The front page of the Tulsa World for Jan. 4, 1979, reported that Nigh as governor was just like Nigh as lieutenant governor -- informal, joking, bragging about the state and poking fun at himself.

Lt. Gov. Nigh took his first oath as governor -- for a nine-day term -- in January 1963 after Sen. Robert S. Kerr died and Gov. J. Howard Edmondson resigned so he could be appointed to the Senate seat by Nigh.

Nigh took the oath as governor a third time on Jan. 9 for the first full four-year term of his own and was sworn in as governor for a fourth time four years later -- the first person to serve two consecutive terms.

Nigh joked to the crowd on the mall: "This will break my personal record as the governor who served the shortest time," alluding to his earlier nine-day term.

"Just think," he added, "if you have the seven-day virus, you will miss my whole administration."

Photograph research by Rachele Vaughan.

Like this column? Read all the columns in the Only in Oklahoma series from the Tulsa World Archive.
Leadership Oklahoma has selected 52 high school seniors through a competitive process based on leadership, geographic, ethnic and cultural diversity to participate in its annual Youth Leadership Oklahoma class program.

Seth Vann, of Skiatook, who attends Owasso High School, is among those group members who will travel the state during a week-long trip at the beginning of June to learn about Oklahomas history, culture, issues and leaders.

YLOK was created in 2001 with the mission to develop in young leaders a feeling of hope, pride and a responsibility for Oklahomas future. Over 1,000 students have participated in the program.

The all-expense-paid weeklong program begins and ends in Oklahoma City. Other cities visited throughout the week will include Norman, Lawton, Sulphur, Tulsa, Stillwater and Enid. In each community, the class will learn about Oklahomas resources, issues and treasures, meet with state leaders and further develop their own leadership skills.

Leadership Oklahoma is very excited about the 52 young people chosen for this years program, LO President and CEO Jodi Lewis said in a news release. YLOK Class 24 is an outstanding blend of student leadership from across the state.
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 man and his girlfriend face federal murder charges linked to the Saturday death of a man found gravely injured on a north Tulsa street.

Kory Tuell and Lexus Nicole Fenix, who were arrested Wednesday, both face murder in Indian Country charges in connection with the death of Mitchell Jefferson, according to a federal complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

Jefferson, 26, was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after being transported from the 1800 block of North Yorktown Avenue, police said at the time.

Police located Jefferson there after being dispatched at 5:16 p.m. for a report of a person being hit by a vehicle, according to an affidavit filed in Tulsa federal court in support of arrest warrants for the pair.

One witness told police that they saw Tuell, 30, and Fenix earlier in the day Saturday at the witness apartment, according to the affidavit.

The witness told police that Tuell and Fenix left the apartment around 12:30 p.m., according to the affidavit.

Tuell, who was carrying a shotgun, told the witness that they were going to give Mitchell a ride, the affidavit says.

The witness also told police that Jefferson had been flirting with Fenix, which Tuell did not appreciate, according to the affidavit.

Around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, after not answering a call from the witness, Tuell called the witness back and said, I just blew his head off, the affidavit says. The witness said he could hear Fenix screaming in the background.

Another witness told police on Sunday that Fenix told them Tuell shot Jefferson and then Fenix drove over him when Jefferson fell out of the vehicle.

Fenix told others that she burned the car after dropping Tuell off at an unknown location.

The pair were both listed as fugitives in federal court records Tuesday afternoon.

Tuell is a member of the Cherokee Nation, while Fenix is a member of the Absentee Shawnee tribe, and the death occurred within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation reservation, thus establishing federal jurisdiction.

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A man caught with more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine after landing a private plane in Tulsa will spend six years in federal prison.

Badlands Justice McNally, 32, who was sentenced Monday in Tulsa federal court, will also serve five years of post-custody supervision, according to court records.

McNally was arrested at Jones Riverside Airport on March 16, 2021, after he piloted a plane to Tulsa from Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

After McNally landed in Tulsa, federal agents, who had been alerted about the flight, attempted to conduct a pilot certification inspection of McNally, according to court records.

Asked whether anyone had asked him to transport anything for them, McNally reportedly became defensive and refused a request to search the plane, according to court records.

Before investigators could finish explaining that they were not overly concerned about marijuana, McNally said, Its probably not marijuana in there, according to court records.

I dont want to get my head chopped off, he reportedly added.

After that, a Tulsa police officer had a police dog sniff the plane in a search for drugs, and the dog pointed them in the direction of the cargo door, according to the affidavit.

Investigators later discovered two duffel bags containing the meth along with two pistols and a rifle.

McNally later allegedly told investigators that he had made seven or eight similar trips in the past, for which he was paid between $7,000 and $12,000.

McNally told investigators that he would fly money and guns from Tulsa to airports in California and then return with the duffel bags, which he claimed he never looked in to see what was inside them.

McNally pleaded guilty Oct. 6, 2021, without a plea agreement with prosecutors to one count of possession of more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, according to court records.

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OKLAHOMA CITY  Oklahoma lawmakers could and should pass additional legislation this year to cut taxes, Speaker of the House Charles McCall insisted Monday.

The Legislature has already passed, and Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed, a bill to eliminate the states 4.5% tax on groceries beginning Aug. 29. The cut is expected to reduce state revenues by more than $370 million annually.

Despite that, and despite comments from Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat that the Senate wont consider additional tax cuts this year, McCall said he remains hopeful that tax legislation passed in the House and due for consideration in the Senate may still gain traction.

He noted that a bill that would gradually phase out the states tax on personal income would have no fiscal impact on state revenues this year.

It merely creates a pathway to zero over time as our economy continues to produce, and I think its worth noting that our economy over the last six years has nearly doubled, McCall said. The Senate has commented that they are not interested in cutting that rate at this time, although we would welcome an amendment to that piece of legislation if they change their mind.

McCall noted that the states recurring revenue has increased by about $5 billion annually in recent years but that state spending also has increased dramatically. Six years ago, he said, the states budget stood at around $6 billion. Since then, it has risen to the range of $11 billion.

When the economys output doubles, we should be able to lower the burden on people, he said. We dont have a money problem in the state of Oklahoma. If anything, we have a spending problem.

At the time the Senate passed the grocery tax cut, Treat said caution would be warranted in any further consideration of actions that might reduce state revenues. He said then that the Senate was done for the year on cutting taxes.

To be clear  this is the only tax relief the Senate will be seeking this year, the Senate leader said. To ensure state services and recent critical investments in education and infrastructure remain intact in the long and short term, there is no way to do more at this time.

McCall said the states current financial condition calls for more optimism.I hear the Senate loud and clear on their concerns, but we should not operate in a spirit of fear. We are in the best place in the states history. We should continue to reinvest in the state, and the greatest asset the state has is its people, McCall said. Thats where we should be investing.

He said one of the personal income tax measures passed by the House would eliminate the five lowest tax brackets. It would have a fiscal impact of $300 million, but he said the money would be most productive if left in the pockets of the people.

Another bill passed by the House proposes a five-year phaseout of the corporate tax. McCall described the current tax as really more of a deterrent for business and said Oklahoma would benefit from eliminating it over time.

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Melissa Jacques Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Melissa Jacques Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma Senate passed a budget resolution Monday, the first step in the approval process for the overall state budget, using the new budget process introduced by Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

The most important thing we do each year is pass a balanced budget, Treat said in a press release after the resolution passed. Although this is the most important part of our job, it is the one that historically has been the most opaque and least inclusive.

We have made steps in the recent past in the Senate but our chamber decided to dedicate ourselves to complete transparency this year. I am proud of the work that nearly all senators have participated in this year.

The resolution passed with 41 in favor and 3 opposed. Four senators, including Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, were absent and did not vote.

The budget resolution is based on the amount of money approved by the Board of Equalization in February for appropriations with the estimated cost of the grocery tax subtracted. Senate Resolution 31 puts forward an overall budget of $11.6 billion.

Senate Resolution 31 is a comprehensive spending plan that addresses the needs of Oklahomans across the state, because our constituents come first, said Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The purpose of state government is to ensure all Oklahomans feel safe in their homes and that they have access to quality schools and reliable health care. Although theres always more work to be done, this proposed budget prioritizes funding for education, public safety, transportation and health care. I appreciate Pro Tem Treat for trusting me to take the lead on improving our budget process.

The resolution divides up the $11.6 billion, proposing that $5.7 billion be spent on education, $1.2 billion be spent on general government and transportation, and $2.2 billion be spent on health care and social services.

The resolution is just the starting point for negotiations between the House and Senate over the state budget. Passing the budget will require sign off from all parties.

The new budget transparency process has gone better than anticipated and marks a significant step toward enhancing accountability and public trust in the Senates fiscal decision-making process, Treat said. All 33 meetings were open, livestreamed and have established a framework that promotes accessibility and a proactive approach to budgeting that will bring further accountability to government.

Treat introduced the new, more transparent budget process in December. The budget process now includes appropriations subcommittees and more meetings that are open to the public.

Treat said in the press release: It goes to show when you empower the right members, they will never cease to amaze you and go beyond your grandest concept.

This is a responsible budget that balances the needs of Oklahoma and one that keeps us on a sustainable trajectory that keeps our commitments to tax relief, investing in education, transportation, and health care. We are hiding nothing and we are ready to negotiate with the House.

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OKLAHOMA CITY  Infighting among Republicans in the Oklahoma Legislature continued Tuesday with the Senate leader refusing to apologize and defending previous remarks he made about a Broken Arrow senators terroristic actions.

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, also refused to relinquish any ground in an ongoing disagreement hes had with House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, on whether lawmakers should pass additional tax cuts this year.

The Legislature has already passed, and Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed, a bill to eliminate the states 4.5% tax on groceries beginning this summer. The cut is expected to reduce state revenues by more than $370 million a year.

McCall opened a press conference on Monday by calling on the Senate to give oxygen to additional bills passed in the House to eliminate taxes on personal income and corporate profits.

Treat said thats not going to happen.

Its time for serious talk, not just campaign slogans about, Hey I wanted to cut taxes more than the other guy, he said.

The Senate leader pointed out that the House has proposed bills, including new spending, tax relief measures and tax credit measures that, if all were to pass into law, would have a financial impact on the state exceeding $3.5 billion.

In the past, weve gotten a smorgasbord of ideas (from the House).  (They) just throw everything at the wall and see what sticks. My desire is not to do that. My desire is to be much more methodical, Treat said.

I think the responsible thing is to make sure the budget is balanced, (and) you cant have combined spending and revenue decreases of $3.5 billion and balance the budget.

Treat reiterated that senators thought the most sensible tax relief to provide this year would be the elimination of the states portion of the grocery sales tax.

We have no intent on running any more tax bills  substantial tax bills, he said.

On Monday, McCall pointed out that Oklahomas economy has grown impressively in recent years, producing billions of dollars more annually in recurring revenues, but rather than passing tax relief and spending less, lawmakers instead have substantially increased state spending.

We dont have a money problem in the state of Oklahoma. If anything, we have a spending problem, the House leader said.

Treat said its not yet known in the Senate how the House will prioritize spending in the state budget this year. He pointed out that the upper chamber proposed to keep state agency spending mostly flat as compared to last year.

Treat was asked whether he regretted remarks he made last week about Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow, and another Republican senator, Sen. Dusty Deevers of Elgin, who acted to delay votes on the Senate floor in protest of leaders not allowing some bills to be heard.

The Senate leader described the tactic of delaying the legislative process as terroristic.

Both lawmakers issued press releases condemning the comments.

Some have asked if I was surprised by Sen. Treats comment. My answer is that its certainly consistent with the leadership style that he so proudly bragged about immediately after calling us terrorists, Dahm said. Im no longer surprised by Sen. Treats actions, no matter how disgusting his comments are to all those who have suffered and lost loved ones to actual terrorism.

Treat was asked whether, after the passage of several days, he would apologize for or walk back the comment.

I have no intent of apologizing. They were acting childishly, he said. Probably more accurately they were acting in a toddler, a childlike fashion, but Dahm was trying to mutilate the process and hold it up. They were trying to give us a list of demands that hadnt even been heard in committee. They wanted me to pervert the process that they so zealously say that they defend in order to achieve their ends.



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NAIROBI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 11 university students were killed and 42 others injured in a grisly road accident Monday along a busy highway in southern Kenya, the police confirmed Tuesday.

Voi sub-county police commander Dasala Ibrahim said the accident at Voi along the Nairobi-Mombasa highway involved a bus belonging to Kenyatta University and a truck. Ibrahim said the bus with about 60 students was heading to the coastal city of Mombasa for an academic trip when it collided with a truck in the Maungu area at around 5 p.m., local time, Monday.

"Some 42 students were rushed to various hospitals with injuries. We have also launched investigations to establish the cause of the accident," Ibrahim said.

According to the police, fatal road accidents are common in Kenya due to factors including reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, and drunk driving.

An estimated 3,500 Kenyans die in road accidents annually despite concerted efforts by the state and the private sector to promote safety on the highways, according to the National Transport and Safety Authority. 
Vietnamese carrier Pacific Airlines on Monday confirmed that it no longer has aircraft after it returned all of its leased planes due to its financial difficulties.

It is in negotiations to lease three aircraft from national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines to meet the minimum requirement for an airline to keep its license.

Dozens of check-in desks of the airline at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City have been closed temporarily.

However, the air carrier has still arranged staff to support passengers.

A Pacific Airlines representative said that the airlines flights would be rescheduled or canceled.

Passengers who have made bookings will have their reservations transferred to Vietnam Airlines flights instead.

The return of Pacific Airlines leased aircraft was attributed to the air carriers large overdue debts.

The airline's leadership conducted negotiations with aircraft owners to extend the deadlines for debt payments.

They have mutually agreed to suspend the operation of aircraft under the Pacific Airlines brand in Vietnam starting from this Friday.

Nevertheless, Pacific Airlines is still maintaining its operation and denied rumors of bankruptcy.

Pacific Airlines arranged staff to support passengers although it operated no flight on March 18, 2024. Photo: Cong Trung / Tuoi Tre

It is restructuring its fleet and air route network to increase operational efficiency. It is also seeking potential investors, Pacific Airlines announced on Monday.

The carrier is still offering ground services to Bamboo Airways, another Vietnamese air carrier.

Pacific Airlines was established in 1991 as Vietnams first low-cost air carrier.

In 2007, Australian airline Qantas acquired a 30-percent stake in Pacific Airlines and renamed it Jetstar Pacific Airlines.

Vietnam's State Capital Investment Corporation transferred 68 percent of its holding at Jetstar Pacific Airlines to Vietnam Airlines in 2012 and its name was returned to Pacific Airlines.

As Qantas gave all of its 30-percent stake in the budget carrier as a gift to Vietnam Airlines in October 2020, the latter holds a nearly 99 percent stake in the airline.

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They are paid to eat in the best restaurants in the world -- but the price is having to lie even to their friends about the job.

Hidden amongst hundreds of guests descending on the 16th century Chateau de Chambord in the Loire Valley for a luxurious dinner ahead of the Michelin Guide's annual ceremony on Monday was the group's covert inspectors.

One guest at the weekend event told AFP he worked in the automobile industry -- plausible given Michelin's main business of selling tyres.

But his knowledge of France's best restaurants was suspiciously encyclopedic.

Whether or not he was a Michelin inspector would remain a mystery, since they are sworn to secrecy.

Each year, the guide receives 8,000 spontaneous applications to become an inspector, its boss Gwendal Poullennec told AFP.

The key criteria are "professionalism" and "openness" -- to travel, different cultures and new experiences, he added.

Michelin does not say how many it employs -- part of the strict secrecy it maintains to ensure they are never recognised by a restaurant and given preferential treatment.

The guide does reveal that its inspectors currently include 25 different nationalities, and men and women of all ages, operating across the 45 destinations covered by Michelin.

Undercover

It is a full-time job, and all are drawn from the world of fine dining and hospitality: applicants must have at least 10 years of experience as chefs, sommeliers or hoteliers, according to the guide's website.

A new inspector is paired with a more experienced colleague for a training period of up to two years -- or around 800 meals -- to learn the Michelin method, the organisation told AFP.

The inspector then lives undercover. Only their inner circle of family are allowed to know -- and they have an interest in keeping quiet since they often tag along to meals to avert suspicion.

The most common cover story that inspectors give their friends and wider family is that they are "consulting" with restaurants on their business strategies -- a good excuse to travel and indulge.

They give false names and even change their phone numbers when making reservations -- vital since many restaurants now have applications to scan their bookings for journalists and potential inspectors.

The reviews require an excellent memory. The inspector must recall the tiniest details of the food, service and ambiance -- right down to the appearance of the toilets -- without taking notes, though phone pictures are now common.

They must also research the wider context -- the restaurant's suppliers, how it fits into the local community and its finances.

The final report sticks to five criteria: the quality of the ingredients, the culinary technique, the harmony of the flavours, the emotion which the chef is seeking to convey through their menu, and the restaurant's consistency over time. The latter requires multiple visits.

The awarding of a star -- with three stars as the absolute pinnacle -- must be a unanimous choice when inspectors meet to discuss their reviews.

If there is disagreement, further visits are organised until a consensus is reached.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, on behalf of the Communist Party and state of Vietnam, on Monday extended his congratulations to Russian President Vladimir Putin over his re-election victory.

The congratulatory message was made after President Putin won the Russian presidential election last weekend to continue his presidentship with an overwhelming vote of over 87 percent, the Partys Central Commission for External Relations said on Monday.

On Sunday night (Russia time), Putin expressed his thanks to all the people of the country who voted in the presidential election which he won.

We are all on the same team, the Russian president emphasized in a speech at his election campaign headquarters after the victory, news website West Observer reported.

The source of Russias strength is the entire Russian people whose common will is formed from the voice of each of them, the Russian leader affirmed.

There have been conditions for Russia to become stronger, he added.

He also expressed his pleasure to be with like-minded people who support him toward common goals.

According to results published on the electronic board of Russias Central Election Commission, after counting almost all the votes, independent presidential candidate Vladimir Putin won 87.18 percent of the ballots, winning the election.

He was followed by Nikolai Kharitonov from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party, and Leonid Slutsky from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, with 4.23, 4.02, and 3.16 percent of the votes, respectively.

Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Gennady Stepanovich Bezdetko on Sunday said he had received support from relevant Vietnamese agencies in preparing and conducting the Russian presidential election in Vietnam.

Bezdetko commented that the collaboration between the embassy and Vietnamese government agencies in Hanoi proved highly effective.

He extended his gratitude to them for their assistance and facilitation during the election process.

When asked by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper about the outlook of Vietnam-Russia relations, the ambassador highlighted the enormous potential for cooperation between the two countries.

Bezdetko reviewed many prominent cooperation areas between Vietnam and Russia, such as oil and gas, high technology, transportation, and military technology.

He also welcomed the recent resumption of direct flights between Vietnam and Russia, commenting that this will help promote official delegation exchanges, boost trade and business cooperation, and facilitate Russian travelers to the Southeast Asian country.

Vietnam and Russia established diplomatic ties in 1950 and elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2001, and then a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012.

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Climate change is a particular priority of the Australian governments diplomatic policy, so Australia is working to help the Mekong Delta region in Vietnam strengthen climate change adaptation, Ciaran Chestnutt, Deputy Consul-General of Australia in Ho Chi Minh City, told a media tour briefing in Can Tho City on Monday.

The Consulate-General of Australia in Ho Chi Minh City is organizing a Mekong media tour that runs through Friday to introduce Australias commitment and activities in the delta.

The Mekong Delta is important to Vietnam as it accounts for some 70 percent of the countrys seafood farming.

However, the region is facing challenges like poor infrastructure and vulnerability in terms of climate.

That is why much of Australias official development assistance [ODA] to Vietnam heads to the Mekong Delta region, Chestnutt said.

Since 2000, Australia has delivered more than AUD650 million (US$427 million) in ODA to the Mekong Delta region.

In 2020, Australia announced the AUD232 million ($152.3 million) first phase of the Mekong Australia Partnership (MAP) to bolster the subregions resilience and inclusive and sustainable growth.

Under the environmental resilience pillar of MAP, projects have been delivered regionally in Southeast Asia using ODA funding, including in the Mekong Delta.

At the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Australia in March 2024, Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, announced the AUD222.5 million ($146 million) second phase of MAP over the next five years, with a focus on improving water security, responding to climate change, combating transnational crime, and promoting gender and social inclusion.

Separately, under the Australia-Vietnam Enhanced Economic Engagement Strategy (VEEES, as part of the MAP), non-ODA funding has been provided to grow bilateral trade and investment in southern Vietnam.

During the visit in August 2023, Wong announced a package of Support for Climate Change Adaptation in the Mekong Delta worth AUD$94.5 million ($62 million) for the 2023-34 period.

Furthermore, the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research, an Australian government statutory agency that forms part of the overseas aid program in foreign affairs and trade portfolios, has been implementing various projects in the Mekong Delta region to help farmers produce high yields, with a total investment of over AUD19 million ($12.5 million) since 1995.

The center is also executing the Transforming Rice Value Chains project worth AUD$17 million ($11.2 million) in the 2023-27 period.

The project, launched in January, is aimed at incentivizing companies in the Mekong Delta to shift to low emissions and sustainable rice cultivation technologies.

If appropriately incentivized, the private sector will overcome market barriers and create and/or scale technologies that address key sustainability challenges that will benefit small farming households.

The Mekong Delta region is facing multiple challenges, thereby receiving backing from several nations, including Australia, Nguyen Phuong Lam, director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Can Tho Branch, said at the media tour briefing.

Among them are saline intrusion, a shortage of clean water, the high rate of unskilled workers, much reliance on agriculture, the modest number of businesses, low economic growth, weak foreign direct investment attraction, and a high unemployment rate, he pinpointed.

The relationship between Australia and Vietnam is stronger than it has ever been, Chestnutt underlined.

Just two weeks ago, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Australia, and the leaders of the two nations announced the elevation of the two countries relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level in the Southeast Asian country's international relations.

Our relationship is really strong based on a complementary economy, mutual interest, and the peoples of the two countries, he said.

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Catch up on the news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, who is paying an official visit to Vietnam, in Hanoi on Monday, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

-- Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, on behalf of the Party and State of Vietnam, on Monday sent a congratulatory letter to Vladimir Putin over his re-election as President of Russia.

Society

-- Pham Nhat Vuong, chairman of Vietnams largest private conglomerate Vingroup and founder of electric vehicle maker VinFast, on Monday announced the establishment of V-Green Global Charging Station Development Company (V-Green) in which he holds a 90-percent stake. V-Green's mission is to invest in the development of a charging infrastructure system that prioritizes supporting VinFast vehicles and propel Vietnam towards becoming one of the world's leaders in electric vehicle charging station density.

-- Police in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi said on Monday that they were keeping a Pakistani man and another from Iran in temporary custody as the duo used a fake Interpol ID card to appropriate money from foreign tourists in the capital city.

-- The Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam on Monday requested the Airports Corporation of Vietnam, the investor of the under-construction Long Thanh International Airport project, to cushion against dust from the construction site of the project.

-- The authorities in a ward in Hanoi have fined a street vendor VND150,000 (US$6) for attempting to overcharge a pair of foreign tourists VND200,000 ($8.5) for a small bag of fruit. The vendor has returned VND200,000 to the tourists.

-- Vietnamese carrier Pacific Airlines on Monday confirmed that it no longer has aircraft due to its financial difficulties. It is in negotiations to lease three aircraft from national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines for further operation.

-- Fire broke out at an electrical and telecommunications cable production company which is hundreds of square meters large in Dong Nai Province on Monday, damaging many assets.

Education

-- The American International School Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday evening sent an email to parents, announcing that the school would reopen on Tuesday after suspending classes for all students on Monday as most teachers did not show up due to unpaid salaries.

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Authorities in a ward in Hanoi have fined a street vendor VND150,000 (US$6) for attempting to overcharge a pair of foreign tourists VND200,000 ($8.5) for a small bag of fruits.

The vendor then returned the VND200,000 to the tourists.

On Monday, Bui Thi Lan Huong, vice-chairwoman of the administration in Tay Ho District, informed Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that Buoi Ward in the district had fined B.T.L., a resident of Hung Yen Province, near Hanoi, who currently resides in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

According to the Buoi Ward administration, L. committed two violations related to pricing regulations and urban order directives.

The VND150,000 ($6) fine was a punishment for her urban order violation.

For the pricing violation, as she already returned the VND200,000 to the tourists, the ward has advised her against repeating it.

At the headquarters of the ward, L. admitted that her act was wrong, expressed her regret, and apologized for unintentionally creating a bad impression about Hanoi among foreign tourists.

Chairman of the Peoples Committee of Buoi Ward Nguyen Minh Hoai said the ward calls on laborers to comply with regulations on trade, show elegant and civilized behavior, and not to sell products in banned areas.

On Friday last week, a video showing a street vendor attempting to fleece two foreigners on Thuy Khue Street in Tay Ho District surfaced on social media.

The two tourists were approached by a woman selling Indian jujubes from her bicycle.

After one of them tasted the fruit, she inquired about the price.

Because of the language barrier, the vendor handed over the fruit and simply nodded, indicating the tourist should give her a VN200,000 bill from her hand.

When both tourists asked for change from the vendor, as they believed the fruit was not worth VND200,000, the seller refused.

As tensions escalated, the female tourist returned the bag of the fruit, demanding a full refund, but the vendor hesitated, attempting to offer other fruits instead.

Despite the tourists refusal, the vendor insisted on keeping the VND200,000 bill.

A nearby man intervened, questioning the vendor about the price and advising her to return the excess payment.

The incident attracted widespread attention, with many people expressing concerns about its negative impact on Hanois tourism reputation.

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A top Vietnamese property tycoon went on trial Tuesday accused of cheating thousands of investors in a $355 million bond scam, in the nation's latest criminal case targeting high-flying business leaders.

Vietnam has embarked on a sweeping graft crackdown in recent years, with corrupt officials and senior business figures among 4,400 people indicted in more than 1,700 cases since 2021.

Do Anh Dung, head of the Tan Hoang Minh group, which specialises in luxury offices and apartments, went on trial in Hanoi on Tuesday alongside his son Do Hoang Viet and 13 others on fraud charges.

They are accused of illegally acquiring $355 million in a bond sale to 6,630 investors -- all of whom have been invited to attend the trial, which is expected to last around three weeks.

Thousands took up the invitation and poured into the Hanoi People's Court, where a large viewing area was set up with CCTV to allow the victims to follow proceedings.

According to previous state media reports, by January 2022 the Tan Hoang Minh group was struggling with debts of some $810 million because of stalled projects and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The defendants sold bonds to raise capital, promising investors high returns, but embezzled the $355 million raised, the VNexpress news site reported, quoting a copy of the indictment.

The father and son have already repaid the $355 million, according to state media.

One victim who attended court told AFP she invested $20,000 of family savings in the bonds and was glad the authorities had brought the case.

"I have not received anything. I feel so stupid investing in these bonds," 47-year-old office worker Phuong, who gave only one name, said.

"Now I really hope they give the money paid by the boss of Tan Hoang Minh to people like us."

Thuy, 72, said she invested her life savings of $40,000 in the bonds.

"I really don't know whether I will get all my money back," she told AFP.

"I don't know whether I want them to be jailed for long or what. I just want my money back."

In the country's biggest ever fraud case, Truong My Lan, chairwoman of the Van Thinh Phat property development group, is currently on trial in Ho Chi Minh City accused of embezzling $12.5 billion.

The trial of 86 people, including former senior state bank and government officials, is expected to end in late April.
Authorities in Can Tho City, southern Vietnam seem confused about how to handle four-wheel electric vehicles which bear no license plate and have run on the streets in Ninh Kieu District over the past few days, saying that they need to review regulations.

There are two types of vehicles, each equipped with either one or three benches.

The three-bench vehicles resemble the electric vehicles currently utilized by the city for transporting tourists.

Nguyen Dang Khoa, deputy director of the municipal Department of Transport, said the agency currently manages 21 four-wheel vehicles which are used to transport tourists.

The new four-wheel electric vehicles have yet to be registered.

A leader of the motor vehicle management team within the municipal traffic police department mentioned that the vehicles lacked certificates or license plates for circulation.

A leader from the traffic violation team of the municipal traffic police informed Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that vehicles must undergo registration for circulation.

The traffic police officer added that the team must review regulations to address these vehicles as they have never faced such a situation before.

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Switzerland-headquartered Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the worlds largest shipping line, has a plan to invest in the Can Gio international transshipment port project in the eponymous outlying district of Ho Chi Minh City and to shift part of its transshipment operation to Vietnam.

MSC is capable of transporting over 23 million TEUs per year and currently accounts for 18 percent of the capacity of the worlds fleets.

Its services are connected to some 500 seaports worldwide.

In Vietnam, the shipping line has been operating in container ports in Hai Phong City in the north, Da Nang City in the central region, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province in the south.

MSCs fleet annually transports more than one million TEUs of cargo between Vietnam and large markets, such as the U.S., Europe, China, Japan, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

It plans to further develop its network in Asia.

MSC looks to shift part of its transshipment activities to Vietnam and establish a transshipment center in the country.

An artists impression of the Can Gio international transshipment port project in the namesake outlying district of Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Porcoast

Designed to cover an area of 571 hectares, the Can Gio international transshipment port will be 7.2 kilometers long and have 6.8 kilometers of wharves upon completion.

The project is estimated to cost over VND124 trillion (US$5 billion).

The port will be capable of receiving mother ships up to 250,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT), feeder ships with a tonnage of 10,000-65,000 DWT, and barges up to 8,000 metric tons.

The volume of cargo transported through the Can Gio international transshipment port is expected to reach 4.8 million TEUs by 2030 and 16.9 million TEUs by 2047.

Ho Chi Minh City will prepare for the development of the port until 2024, construct it from 2024 to 2026, and put it into operation in 2027.

The Can Gio international transshipment port, when in place, will create jobs for some 6,000-8,000 laborers on the spot and tens of thousands of employees in logistics services, while contributing VND34-40 trillion ($1.4-1.6 billion) to the state budget per year.

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Tia-Thuy Nguyen and the famous French fashion brand, The House of Dior, have just introduced to the public the artwork Lady Cloud. This is an adaptation of the legendary Lady Dior bag, inspired by the purity and comprehensiveness of clouds.

Lady Cloud makes a strong impression of being crafted from quartz, sparkling and durable.

In January 2024, The House of Dior reached out to Tia-Thuy Nguyen to collaborate on transforming the iconic Lady Dior bag into a work of art.

This is a project of Dior in collaboration with talented artists in many countries called Lady Dior As Seen By.

It involves a traveling exhibition that moves through different cities, showcasing artworks created through collaborations between Dior and artists to capture a creative narrative that transcends geographical boundaries and cultural principles, reflecting an international creative context.

This special collaboration is also initiated to honor founder Christian Dior's passion for art.

Dior suggested a two-month timeline to complete the work. Despite being occupied with several major art projects, Tia-Thuy Nguyen, an artist who lives by the motto always work hard with every opportunity, readily agreed without hesitation.

Lady Dior As Seen By is a project designed to pay tribute to the signature Lady Dior bag.

The name Lady Dior holds its own significance, and now, with the artistic touch and boundless creativity of the world's top contemporary artists, it will acquire an additional allure.

Dior describes the project as an enthralling modern adventure fueled by creative passion.

Contemporary artists who have collaborated on this project include Mircea Cantor, Jeffrey Gibson, Gilbert & George, Ha Chong-Hyun, Lee Kun-Yong, Mariko Mori, Ludovic Nkoth, Hilary Pecis, Mickalene Thomas, Zadie Xa, Michaela Yearwood-Dan, and Xu Zhen.

Sketches of the Lady Cloud bag. Photo: Supplied

Dior will bring those works of art to many countries so that art and fashion enthusiasts can have the opportunity to admire them over the years.

Upon seeing the completed artwork Lady Cloud by Tia-Thuy Nguyen, representatives from Dior were pleasantly surprised by the artistry of the piece and the seamless connection between the essence of The House of Dior and the artist's vision.

As time passed and the representatives spent more time with Lady Cloud, Dior, much like the audience, found themselves becoming increasingly contemplative and curious about the potential of blending art and fashion to bring inspiration to life.

As is widely understood, Lady Cloud will be showcased and recognized as one of Dior's exceptional pieces.

It stands as a work of art, distinct from the typical commercial collaborations that result in limited edition products sold in stores.

The making of the Lady Cloud bag. Photo: Supplied

Cloud, quartz, hand-applied and Tia-Thuy Nguyen

Upon receiving the invitation, Tia-Thuy Nguyen devoted time to thoroughly researching the Lady Dior bag from a creative standpoint.

The Vietnamese artist began by sketching ideas on paper, ultimately selecting colorful clouds as her creative inspiration and hand-applied techniques as her distinctive touch.

She then crafted a 3D prototype using clay, allowing her to accurately visualize the structure and proportions of the artwork in real space.

She explains that she chose quartz as the primary material for this artwork because of its symbolic significance.

As in feng shui, quartz is a stone that balances qi, helps calm the mind, crystallizes one's thoughts, and eliminates negative emotions.

Tia-Thuy Nguyen and the Lady Cloud bag. Photo: Supplied

From an esthetic perspective, quartz resembles clouds, allowing light to pass through and bending its direction to reflect its surroundings.

The contrast between the solidity of quartz and the airiness of clouds can challenge the viewer's imagination, leading to open-ended personal contemplation.

Selecting quartz crystals to form a cloud surrounding the bag posed a significant challenge, not only due to the arduous journey of finding the right quartz block but also because of the highly intricate attachment process involved.

To locate the ideal stone block with the desired clarity, hardness, and size, Tia-Thuy Nguyen and her team embarked on a journey to renowned quartz quarries in Yen Bai Province, Da Nang City, Dak Lak Province, Ha Tien City in Vietnam, and even explored options in other countries.

Each location's soil yields quartz rocks with varying colors, levels of smokiness, and irradiance properties.

Tia-Thuy Nguyen poses at the Lady Dior As Seen By exhibition. Photo: Supplied

After extensive searches, she discovered the perfect stone block for creating Lady Cloud  a 103kg crystal tree found in Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province, south-central Vietnam.

Following this, the stone sculptures were crafted, and the sizable stone blocks were meticulously divided into hundreds of thousands of tiny quartz crystals, each with varying angles and colors.

The cutting and polishing processes were entirely manual.

Once sorted, Tia-Thuy Nguyen and the artisans commenced the meticulous task of attaching the stones, forming a soft, adaptable cloud with color transitions ranging from light to dark surrounding Lady Cloud.

When art combines with fashion

Tia-Thuy Nguyen shared that throughout the creative process, there were numerous occasions when her collaborators doubted the feasibility of completing the project within the tight timeframe.

There were also moments of uncertainty when it appeared that all hope was lost, particularly when she struggled to devise a manufacturing plan.

However, by persevering step by step, they managed to navigate from the initial challenges to ultimately achieving their goal of creating the one-of-a-kind Lady Cloud bag sculpture.

Harnessing the power of light to accentuate its beauty and convey a distinct message to each observer, Lady Cloud is adorned with thousands of meticulously arranged quartz crystals, carefully chosen for their color and texture.

When illuminated, it evokes varied emotions in viewers, with the interplay of light and angles creating an ever-changing visual experience.

Dior has researched and followed my artistic journey and found similarities, now is the right time for both sides to work together, Tia-Thuy Nguyen said.

This combination is not only a collaboration to adapt a Dior icon but also an intersection between two design thoughts and philosophies.

I bring my signature esthetic and spontaneous personality, and Dior represents exemplary elegance with its classic bag shape.

For me, this is my destiny with a timeless symbol.

I am very happy that we have more opportunities to meet and interact with the diversity of the world.

Through this exhibition, I hope the audience and my colleagues will see a new possibility and a new way of expression that motivate us to move forward together.

"This project has shown us that Vietnamese artists and art no longer only see the round sky anymore.

Lady Cloud is currently on display for the public to admire at the Lady Dior As Seen By exhibition at An Gallery  Union Square, 159 Dong Khoi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.

The exhibition is open until April 14.

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GAZA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 250 Palestinians were killed and injured due to an Israeli raid on the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, the Hamas-run media office said on Tuesday.

It said in a statement that the Israeli troops fired bullets, shells, and missiles intensively toward patients, displaced persons, and civilians during their raid, resulting in the injury and death of more than 250 Palestinians, with some facilities inside the hospital being burned.

The statement did not specify the exact number of the death toll in the raid.

The statement added that the raid involved hundreds of Israeli soldiers armed with weapons, police dogs, dozens of tanks, drones, and helicopters.

The office held Israel and the United States fully responsible for what it termed a "massacre," calling on international and UN organizations to "intervene immediately to stop the aggression on Gaza, which targets civilians, children, and women."

In a separate statement, Hamas said "the attempt to use the escalation of barbaric aggression against civilians as a means of pressure and extortion to achieve their goals will not succeed."

Israeli army's spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement on social media platform X that the Israeli army and the General Security Service Shin Bet continued their operations in the Shifa complex for the second consecutive day.

He added that the Israeli forces were "eliminating saboteurs in face-to-face battles" and had uncovered combat equipment in the area while avoiding harm to civilians, patients, medical personnel, and medical facilities.

The Israeli forces have so far killed "more than 50 saboteurs and arrested about 180 suspects," according to the statement.

The Israel Defense Forces announced the death of a commander earlier Tuesday. The death of the 51-year-old commander brought the death toll of the Israeli army since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict to 594.

On Monday, the Israeli army launched an operation within the complex, marking its second raid on the hospital since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7 last year. The first raid occurred in November last year. 
Netflix today announced applications have opened for the 2024 Netflix Photography Bootcamp with a Video Bootcamp to open applications soon.

2024 Netflix Photography Bootcamp

The 2024 Photography Bootcamp will take place from April 11-12 in Melbourne and feature panel discussions with Netflix executives from Australia and Asia-Pacific (APAC), alongside a comprehensive masterclass led by acclaimed Australian stills photographer Ben King. The two-day workshop will offer insight into the inner-workings of productions in Australia and across the world.

Ben King, stills photographer and 2024 Netflix Photography Bootcamp session holder, said: The bootcamp program is a streamlined experience for young photographers that exposes them to the heart of the filmmaking process. I had the pleasure of mentoring Amanda Gooch for Apple Cider Vinegar. Rather than gradual integration, the program allows talented and affable shooters like Amanda to get right in there from the outset, and to back right off at the critical times. Understanding the rhythm and timing of a film set and where photographers are positioned within that environment takes a while, and being mentored by more senior shooters helps the participants to avoid any interactions with cast and crew which could potentially discourage someone from pursuing a career in set photography. I look forward to sharing some of the techniques that I have developed over the years with the participants in the upcoming masterclass.

Applications for the Photography Bootcamp are open until Wednesday, 27th March.

2024 Video Bootcamp

Open to emerging Australian creatives, the initiative will select up to 10 photographers and 10 videographers to participate in an intensive two-day training program  learning from industry leaders, building networks and developing the technical skills required to service the growing local film and television industry.

The 2024 Video Bootcamp will equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to tell the story behind the story. This includes exploring best practice for capturing behind the scenes video content as an essential part of the production process for a film or series. The program will take place from 6-7 May in Sydney.

Both programs will introduce participants to local industry professionals who can ensure these emerging creatives have all the tools needed to succeed on set as film and television production continues to increase in the region.

Todays announcement marks the second year of the annual Netflix Bootcamp initiative in Australia. Participants in last years program included Ben Thomas Bayliss and Amanda Gooch, who have since gone on to work on the sets of upcoming Australian Netflix Series Desert King and Apple Cider Vinegar.

Applications for the 2024 Netflix Photography Bootcamp are now open and close Wednesday, 27th March. Applications for the 2024 Video Bootcamp open 1 April.
Screen Producers Australia today opened its annual Screen Forever conference at The Star on the Gold Coast, as it awaits a governmental outcome on local content on Subscription platforms.

The topic has dominated industry events since the pandemic crisis subsided, and follows the Albanese government confirming quotas were coming.

But how it is written in legislation, including how much local content is required, is yet to be outlined.

In opening Screen Forever, CEO Matt Deaner told delegates the Australian Government is seeking to find a regulatory balance between the cultural needs of Australian audiences, the commercial imperatives of streaming businesses  many of whom are global giants  and the Australian production sector.

What we are seeking is a sort of settlement about what Australian audiences are entitled to expect on these platforms, and how the Australian Government delivers on the commitment made to us in our National Cultural Policy more than a year ago, said Deaner.

None of this is easy or straightforward. If it was, it would have been done and settled years ago.

We had hoped that this legislation would have been in Parliament by now, but as of today, it is still a waiting game. So, we continue to push on. Its not news to anyone in this room that the imperfect equilibrium that previously existed was long ago upended with the arrival of digital streaming platforms.

You only have to look at the current challenge to Australia from Meta over the News Media Bargaining Code to get a taste of how hard digital platforms both fight and test any Government moves towards regulation.

Even the toughest rules will be pressured for loopholes and fudging of figures. And even then, they can still be snubbed.

Getting some sort of settlement does feel closer than it ever has, but we dont underestimate how hard getting this done is at all and the balancing elements in play for government seeking to find compromises in contested policy settings.

In January 2023 Arts Minister Tony Burke announced the government would introduce legislation for Australian screen content on streaming platforms in the third quarter of 2023 and to commence no later than 1 July 2024.

SPA has been backing a 20% quota for Australian revenue to be reinvested back into Australian production.

Until the last vote in Parliament, I can promise you right now, my team and I will keep working to support the industry to keep fighting as hard as we possibly can to get the best outcome we possibly can for you and for our industry, Deaner continued.

Whatever the Government comes up with, we will be judging it to make sure it delivers sustainable growth for our industry through stable investment, in Australian stories.

The stakes are pretty high, and this means that sometimes, the things that divide us are at the fore.

But when our industry is united, we are at our greatest strength.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, has demanded a meeting with ABC management following last nights Four Corners episode.

Ukraines War: The Other Side was a documentary by British filmmaker Sean Langan ofering a human perspective on life on the Russian frontline.

Myroshnychenko said the program unquestioningly repeated and aired countless blatant lies, historical distortions, racist claims and propaganda narratives emanating from the Kremlin and therefore completely served the interests of Russias dictator, Putin.

It also minimised and denigrated the deaths of thousands of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children who have been killed by Russian soldiers in an illegal and brutal invasion strongly condemned by Australia and the majority of countries through the UNGA resolution in March 2022.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation should be ashamed that it put such total garbage to air, he said.

Through the Minister for Communications, I will ask for a meeting with the Managing Director of the ABC and the Executive Producer of Four Corners to understand what process led to the airing of this pro-Putin and pro-violence propaganda piece by Australias national broadcaster. I will share with them the facts that the program totally disregarded.

Members of the Sydney Ukrainian community will also be protesting outside the ABC studios in

Ultimo today at 5:00pm.

Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland, said in response, The ABC has operational and editorial independence. Questions or concerns about ABC editorial content should be directed to the ABC.

I have received the Ukrainian Ambassador to Australias correspondence, and have provided him with information regarding the ABC complaints process and relevant contact details.

Updated:

We believe Australian audiences also have the right to watch it and make up their own minds, an ABC spokesperson said.

It adds to our understanding of this tragic conflict and shows the full, horrific impact of the war. The reporter challenges the Russian soldiers and civilians featured in the film about their beliefs and opinions.

Source: Guardian Australia
Since launching in 2020, Marco has surpassed $540M in cumulative volume funded, across 63k+ receivables and against 1,700+ primarily investment-grade debtors

MIAMI, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marco, the trade finance platform catering to the needs of SME exporters in Latin America, has announced the successful closure of a $12 million Series A funding round. The round was led by IDC Ventures, with additional participation from IDB Lab (the innovation and venture laboratory of the Inter-American Development Bank Group), Barn Invest, SquareOne Capital, Arcadia Funds, Florida Funders, Miami Angels, Kayyak Ventures, and Neer Ventures, among others.

Marco

Founded in 2020 by entrepreneurs Jacob Shoihet and Peter D. Spradling, Marco has quickly established itself as a key player in the trade finance sector, with a team of over 50 employees across its offices in Miami, New York City, and Montevideo, Uruguay. The company is committed to building the operating system for Latin American SME exporters engaged in cross-border trade  providing them with fast, easy access to financing, and evolving to offer a comprehensive suite of services designed to address the unique challenges SMEs face.

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"We are thrilled to enter this new phase of growth catapulted by the unwavering support of our investors who believe in our mission," commented Jacob Shoihet, co-founder and CEO of Marco. "We are looking to serve a cohort that has been historically underserved, offering a comprehensive platform that encompasses everything from financing to compliance and beyond. With our suite of solutions, including LLC formation, bookkeeping, FX payouts, cargo insurance, and banking services, we are supercharging SMEs in trade and ultimately creating an economy that works for everyone."

Marco's innovative approach to trade finance is addressing the $350 billion trade financing gap in Latin America. By leveraging advanced, proprietary risk models that process data in real-time, Marco dynamically mitigates capital loss, having already surpassed $540 million in cumulative volume funded since inception across more than 63,000 receivables against 1,700+ primarily investment-grade debtors.

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"It's great to be part of the transformative impact Marco's platform is having on the Latin American trade sector," commented Bobby Aitkenhead, Managing Director of IDC Ventures. "The overwhelming demand for Marco's solutions highlights the critical need to modernize and automate operations for SME exporters in LatAm, who have been long constrained by a lack of financing as well as antiquated 'pen and clipboard' workflows. By centralizing operations and democratizing access to capital, Marco is not just facilitating business growth; it's profoundly impacting lives by catapulting an entire region and industry into the digital age. Backed by an exceptional team and a clear vision for a better future, Marco shines as a beacon of welcome disruption, and we're excited to support its journey."

The platform offers a holistic 360 suite of products and services tailored to SMEs, including LLC creation, bookkeeping, banking, and financing tools such as factoring and asset-based lending. These services are designed to close the gap faced by LatAm exporters, who are often underserved by banks due to perceived risks associated with their lack of history and size. For the first time since 2003, Mexico is exporting more to the US than China, highlighting the significant trend of nearshoring  and Marco plays a crucial role in facilitating this shift.

This fundraise marks a significant milestone in Marco's journey, further strengthening its commitment to ESG efforts within the LatAm region. With the backing of IDB Lab, which leverages new ways to drive social inclusion, environmental action and productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean, Marco is poised to launch new sustainable initiatives aimed at reaching the segments of the LatAm SME market most underserved by the current financial system.

"Through my own journey as an SME exporter, I've experienced the struggle of securing essential financing for growth and faced many challenges when looking for alternatives that could support my business," shared Marco co-founder and COO Peter Spradling.

"Marco's trade finance solutions, especially our factoring model, not only align perfectly with SMEs needs but also minimize risk along the way," Spradling continued. "As we embark on this milestone, we extend our deepest gratitude to all those who have played a pivotal role in our journey  from our dedicated team members to our invaluable partners and mentors. Together we are changing the risk perception associated with SMEs and shaping the future of cross-border trade enabling companies to streamline operations and invest in growth."

About Marco

Marco is on a mission to simplify and accelerate cross-border trade by providing reliable working capital and critical tools for SMEs in the United States and Latin America. It addresses the $1.5 trillion global trade finance gap by developing proprietary risk models that process data in real time to dynamically assess risk and mitigate capital loss. The company is the first operating system for SMEs in trade in LatAm addressing the most pressing problem in today's lending climate: providing them the liquidity and tools they need quickly and seamlessly. Marco unleashes the big power of small businesses by simplifying, accelerating, and reimagining cross-border trade with cutting-edge technology. Founded in 2020 by Peter D. Spradling and Jacob Shoihet, Marco is headquartered in Miami, FL, with additional offices in New York and Montevideo. For more information on how Marco can help power your business with working capital, please visit holamarco.co (LatAm) or marcofi.com (US).

About IDC Ventures

By entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, IDC Ventures (IDCV) seeks to identify, invest in, support, and propel disruptive companies at the forefront of digital innovation. IDCV backs industry-defining founders from Series A to growth stages in Europe, the US, and Latin America  and primarily in the verticals of fintech and marketplaces. IDC Ventures is the venture capital arm of the IDC Network, a multi-fund platform based in Guatemala. Learn more by visiting IDCVentures.com .

Contact:

SHIFT Communications

dweiss@shiftcomm.com

Cision

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SOURCE Marco
Red and yellow houses on a hill in Porvoo in Finland. Finn stock/Shutterstock

Finnish people use slang words and phrases which, when translated, might confuse Americans.

You might describe someone with a sweet tooth as a "pullahiiri," which translates to a "bun mouse."

The translation of "Accidents don't come with a bell around their necks" is another popular phrase.

Finland is consistently ranked as the world's happiest country, thanks to factors including a great work-life balance and internationally renowned healthcare.

But Americans moving to Finland might experience a culture shock when it comes to the Finnish language  the country has its own vernacular and phrases, and the direct translations might confuse non-Finnish people.

Here are 10 Finnish slang phrases you've probably never heard of.

"Juosta paa kolmantena jalkana" has a similar meaning to "running like a chicken with its head cut off."

Kids wearing backpacks running into a school. Johner Images/Getty Images

When Finnish people say they're in a rush to get somewhere, they use the phrase "Juosta paa kolmantena jalkana," which translates to "run using their head as a third leg," according to Edunation.

The phrase "Olla kaikki muumit laaksossa" references the Finnish "Moomin" children's book series.

Copies of Moomin books titled Tales From Moominvalley by Tove Jansson are displayed. John Keeble/Getty Images

The phrase literally translates to "be like all the Moomins in the valley."

The Moomins are a group of animal-like characters in a series of children's books by Finnish author and illustrator Tove Jansson.

According to Edunation, the phrase is used to describe someone who's silly, or "not all there," in the same way you'd wonder if someone has all their marbles.

"Olla kuin puusta pudonnut" literally means to seem or be like falling out of tree. In other words, it means to seem out of sorts.

Businesswoman using technology in office. JGI/Tom Grill/Getty Images

This is a popular phrase in Finland to describe someone who seems confused, almost like they've just fallen out of a tree and don't know where they are, according to the blog Her Finland.

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A "pullahiiri" is a "bun mouse," or someone who has a sweet tooth.

Cinnamon buns. Aly Weisman/Business Insider

If someone you know can't get enough of sweets, you might describe them using this word.

A popular dessert in Finland is cinnamon and butter buns, which are similar to American cinnamon buns.

To "heittaa lusikka nurkkaan," or "throw the spoon in the corner," means to die.

Wood spoons on marble background. ATU Images/Getty Images

It has a similar meaning to the British phrase "kick the bucket."

Instead of saying "cheese" when Finns take a photo together, they say "muikku," a type of fish.

Muikku fish. manuel cazzaniga/Getty Images

The next time you're visiting Finland and want to take a picture, shout, "Sano muikku!"

Fried vendace, or muikku, is a popular type of street food in Finland, though the origins of this saying aren't widely known.

Liars hold "ketunhanta kainalossa," or the fox's tail in their armpits.

Red fox cub running. James Warwick/Getty Images

Foxes are traditionally known as sly or sneaky creatures, which plays into this famous idiom.

"Rohkea rokan syo" has the same meaning as "fortune favors the bold."

Chicken noodle soup. Jess Lessard Photography/Getty Images

However, according to Her Finland, it has the more comical literal translation of "the brave eats the soup."

The full phrase is darker: "The brave eat the soup, but the timid die of hunger."

"Vahinko ei tule kello kaulassa" roughly translates to "accidents don't come with a bell around their necks."

A fender-bender car collision. Peter Stark/Getty Images

In other words, you don't get any warning before something bad happens, so you should always be prepared for things to happen out of the blue.

"Konstit on monet, sanoi mummo kun kissalla poytaa pyyhki" translates to "There are many tricks, said grandma while wiping the table with the cat."

A ginger cat. Chris Winsor/Getty Images

According to Her Finland, this silly-sounding phrase has the same meaning as the British proverb "There's more than one way to skin a cat"  or there's more than one way to achieve your goal.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BAGHDAD, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and more than 100 were rescued on Tuesday in a wave of torrential rain that hit the city of Duhok in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

Colonel Bewar Abdul Aziz, a media official at the Duhok Civil Defense Directorate, said in a statement that the heavy rains that fell on the city of Duhok on Monday night and Tuesday morning led to floods and torrents that swept some neighborhoods in the namesake provincial capital Duhok.

The torrents led to the death of two people, while the civil defense teams successfully evacuated more than 100 individuals who were trapped inside their cars or houses in the city, Abdul Aziz said.

He said that dozens of homes, shops, and cars were damaged by torrents, and dozens of people were displaced and evacuated to hotels and camps.

Due to the heavy rains, the authorities declared Wednesday a holiday for government institutions and schools, except for service departments such as civil defense, security, municipalities, and electricity, according to a statement by the provincial government.

The statement called on citizens to stay indoors for their safety. 
A wind turbine stands out against the sky as the sun sets over the Black Forest Brandenkopf lookout

By Kate Abnett

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's flagship policy to restore damaged environments is hanging in the balance after objections inside Germany's coalition government have threatened to sink the law at the last minute, EU officials said on Tuesday.

The EU nature restoration law has faced political backlash from some governments and lawmakers concerned it would impose burdensome rules on farmers, who have staged months of protests across Europe over complaints including EU regulations.

EU countries were due to adopt a provisional deal on the law on Monday, allowing the law to enter into force. But Germany's Free Democrats (FDP), junior partner in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition, has signalled it cannot support the law, three EU officials told Reuters.

Without Germany's backing, the policy would struggle to win approval from the reinforced majority of EU countries it needs to pass. Countries including Italy and Sweden have opposed the law, while Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands are set to abstain, EU officials said.

This would be the latest example of bickering within the awkward three-way coalition, comprising Scholz's Social Democrats, the Greens and pro-business FDP, hampering EU policy plans. The FDP position was previously reported by Table Media.

The FDP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for Germany's environment ministry said Germany had initially supported the deal on the nature law, agreed between EU countries and lawmakers last year - which was supposed to be final.

"This position of the federal government remains unchanged to this day and confirms the outcome of the negotiations between the EU institutions," the spokesperson said.

The EU Parliament approved the final law last month.

European governments are scrambling to respond to months of protests by farmers, over issues including cheap imported food and green policies.

In response, the EU has already weakened some green measures - despite the EU's own environment agency warning that more, not fewer, climate-protecting policies are needed to help farmers adapt to worsening extreme weather.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett; additional reporting by Alexander Ratz; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
Atena Daemi is seen in St. John's on March 15. (Mike Rossiter/CBC - image credit)

Iranian human rights activist Atena Daemi didn't want to leave her native country  even after spending six years in prison and being subjected to physical and psychological torture.

But in 2022, her multiple sclerosis (MS) had advanced to such a degree that her physician told her she needed to seek medical care abroad.

"I never thought about leaving Iran, even through my darkest days of imprisonment," said Daemi, 35, in a recent interview with CBC. "I wouldn't have left, if it wasn't for my MS."

And so she undertook a perilous and unpredictable six-month journey that took her from Tehran to St. John's.

Daemi's decision to leave Iran came amid one of the Islamic Republic's most violent crackdowns on anti-regime protests. From September 2022 into 2023, security forces killed more than 500 people and arrested over 20,000  actions the UN has called "crimes against humanity."

WATCH: Defiance, crackdowns in Iran a year after the protests:

Daemi had grappled with early symptoms of MS while in prison, but was denied medical care. By the time she was released in January 2022, the untreated illness had left her right leg completely numb, hindering her mobility.

Confronted with a two-year travel ban as part of her prison sentence, Daemi made the decision to leave the country illegally.

But Daemi was adamant about not leaving her older sister Ensieh behind. Ensieh had been targeted by authorities for her activism and advocacy on Atena's behalf. Aware of the high probability that Ensieh would be imprisoned if authorities found out about Atena's escape, the siblings made the decision to flee together.

Escaping Tehran

Atena Daemi turned to Front Line Defenders, an Irish NGO, who told her she and her sister qualified for Canada's resettlement program.

Without special measures for refugees to resettle in Canada directly from Iran, Daemi says the NGO urged her to flee to Turkey by May 2023, before that country's presidential election, a time when security measures at the border were expected to be intensified.

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When CBC contacted Front Line Defenders for more details, the organization said it "can't get into any specifics about the process in individual cases  the details are confidential to ensure the security of the defenders we work to support, particularly those at high risk."

Mapping Daemi's journey:

While in hiding, Daemi struggled to find a smuggler to Turkey.

Eager to leave quickly, she found smugglers to take her to Iraq instead. The Iran-Iraq border, a dangerous route for "porters," is closely watched by Iranian security forces, who shoot and kill those attempting to cross.

With an intricate plan, Daemi said goodbye to her parents and managed to reunite with her sister in Tehran without being followed by authorities. The next morning, with a hired driver, they headed west toward Iran's Kurdistan.

'I saw death before my eyes, every second'

In the city of Marivan, about 20 kilometres from the Iraqi border, the smugglers stuffed Daemi and her sister's essentials  a change of clothing, Daemi's medical documents and her prison letters  into a rice bag.

Submitted by Atena Daemi

Cloaked in Kurdish attire to obscure their identities, the siblings followed their smugglers towards the Iraqi border on foot, guided only by their whispers. Under strict orders, they stayed silent. Daemi says the smugglers also advised them not to stop for water, because it would only slow them down.

What was meant to be a swift one-hour passage turned into an arduous 10-hour trek through the mountainside and narrow pathways.

"I couldn't walk properly. My body was swollen from injections [from a failed MS treatment]. I was in bad shape," Daemi recounted. Eventually, she says she had to drag her right leg along to keep up with the rest of the group.

"I was terrified. I felt like I saw death in front of my eyes at every second. The anxiety of being discovered. It all made me feel so sick. I vomited many times," Daemi said.

Metres from the barbed wires marking the Iraqi border, Daemi was overcome by exhaustion and fell into a deep hole. It took three people to pull her out, while the smugglers kept watch for soldiers with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Daemi's arms ended up being severely bruised.

When they finally crossed the border shortly after, Daemi was overwhelmed with emotion and sobbed uncontrollably.

"It's finished, it's finished," she said one of the smugglers kept whispering to her.

Submitted by Atena Daemi

"I couldn't believe we made it. It felt as though a massive lump had been lodged in my throat for years, and now, finally, it was released," Daemi said.

Held up in Erbil

But even though they had made it to Iraq, their journey was far from over.

In Erbil, the siblings lived in constant fear of being found, often relocating to evade deportation. Daemi says their days were filled with reports about violence against Iranian dissidents by Iranian proxies and missile strikes by the IRGC on Iraqi Kurdistan.

With no appropriate Canadian representation in the region's capital, Daemi says she contacted Canada's then-ambassador to Iraq, Gregory Galligan, about their difficult situation. She and Ensieh submitted their paperwork to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and waited.

Fearful of Iranian proxies in Erbil, the Daemi sisters went into seclusion, venturing outside their home only when it was absolutely unavoidable.

It took half a year for the siblings to be accepted as part of Canada's Resettlement Scheme for Human Rights Defenders at Risk. They finally left Iraq in October 2023 and flew to St. John's, N.L., where they now reside as permanent residents.

When asked to respond, Global Affairs Canada recommended CBC speak to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, which didn't provide a comment in time for publication.

'I can't sit still until I reach that goal'

Today, Daemi still contends with the physical aftermath of the journey, which is further complicated by painful mouth sores caused by another MS medication her body rejected.

Nearly a decade since her first MS symptoms, Daemi has yet to find a treatment that effectively addresses her condition.

Mike Rossiter/CBC

The siblings receive a modest stipend from the Canadian government to cover their basic expenses  though they will need to repay the cost of their plane tickets within a year.

While Daemi says she will continue to put a spotlight on political prisoners in Iran, she often struggles emotionally with having to leave the country.

She feels an overwhelming rage toward the Iranian regime. Her goal is to help usher in a revolution that brings about a new era for her homeland  a future where she says "prison doors swing open, setting all political prisoners free."

"Prison didn't deter me. I've lost everything: my health, youth, family. I've yet to achieve my goal. Until that day, I can't sit idle. My life may be lost, but there are Iranians whose future can still be saved," she said.

Daemi believes that in light of recent nationwide protests, regime change in Iran is inevitable. But she says it's the aftermath that activists need to focus on.

"When that day comes, how will we protect the hard-earned freedoms we fought for?"
Wikimedia Commons , CC BY

The Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence exhibition at Londons Victoria and Albert Museum showcases the legacy of tropical modernism in Ghana and India.

The architectural style was developed specifically for tropical climates, so its key design consideration was optimal ventilation and minimal solar heat gain. Elaborate building forms and abstract ornamentation later became characteristic of the style.

Although the movement began with colonial architects after the second world war, it was redefined by newly independent nations of the 20th century, who wanted to create an identity detached from their colonial past. The V&A exhibition spotlights India and Ghanas nation-building projects following their independence from Britain in 1947 and 1957 respectively.

It begins with the early work of British architects Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew in Ghana. Until a few decades ago, European and colonial architects designs dominated the historical narrative of tropical modernism. This narrow viewpoint is currently contested and extensive research on post-independence architecture and non-European architects is being conducted.

The V&A exhibition attempts to redress this Euro-centric story. It centres around the lesser known architects whose input has been historically overlooked or erased. It celebrates their contributions to tropical modernism and the impact of independence projects on local architectural education.

The architecture of a new nation

Chandigarh, a planning project for Punjabs new capital after Indias partition, is one of the architectural works featured in the exhibition. The city is a famous example of 20th-century modern architecture and urban planning. It was led by European architects Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew.

While the story of Chandigarh tends to be dominated by these architects (especially Le Corbusier) its creation included a budding team of Indian architects and artists, many of whom returned to India from overseas.

Story continues

Works by these Indian architects are on display in the V&A show. Theres Eulie Chowdhurys Chandigarh chair which was co-designed with Pierre Jenneret, Jeet Malhotras photographs of the city under construction and Giani Rattan Singhs wooden model of the Legislative Assembly.

These architects were on the design team for the Capitol Complex, which comprised grand administrative buildings and monuments. The buildings were exposed concrete structures with sculpture-like forms and deep concrete louvres (slats that control sunlight entering a building).

Once dominated by British colonial architects, Ghanas building industry expanded post-independence to include architects from Africa, the African diaspora, and Eastern Europe. Victor Adegbite, a Ghanaian architect, oversaw several public works as head of the countrys housing and construction corporations. He led the team for the building, popularly called Job 600, which was constructed to host the Organisation of African Unity Conference in 1965.

Nation-building programmes also acknowledged the importance of local expertise. This subsequently aided the development of local architectural practice and education. The Chandigarh College of Architecture opened in 1961 and more followed suit.

Ghanas Africanisation policies (intended to increase the population of Africans in corporate and government positions) influenced the founding of the architecture department at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The department began by recruiting educators from Britain and around the world. On display is a student-made geodesic dome (lightweight shell structure with load-bearing properties), which was constructed during a teaching programme with American designer Buckminster Fuller.

Among the staff were Ghanaian architects like John Owusu Addo  the first African head of department. He designed new buildings for the university most notably the Senior Staff Club and Unity student hall included in the exhibition. The halls nine-storey blocks combine exterior and interior corridors to improve indoor ventilation.

The many dimensions of tropical modernism

Exhibitions like this are important because they educate the public on the strides made by academic institutions and cultural organisations in rewriting the history of tropical modernism.

V&As collaboration with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Chandigarh College of Architecture was integral to the exhibition. However, the show only briefly addresses the contemporary issues of conservation, sustainability and the alternative histories of the style.

Institutions and organisations are now pushing for the conservation of tropical modernism in Asia and Africa. Although monuments like Chandigarh Capitol Complex, have attained heritage status, many are in decline, repurposed or at risk of demolition.

In India for example, the Hall of Nations, a group of pyramidal exhibition halls, was demolished in 2017. Social media platforms like Postbox Ghana and international collaborations like Docomomo International and Shared Heritage Africa project centre the African experience in documenting and reviving public interest in tropical modernism.

Unlike the architects and the experts celebrated in this exhibition, construction labourers are not as visible in historical sources because they were often unrecorded. Oral historys ability to fill this gap diminishes with time, but we have a duty to avoid repeating the same erasure and omissions of the past. The legacy of tropical modernism is incomplete without addressing the contributions made by both professionals and labourers alike.

Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Adefola Toye's PhD research is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). It is a Collaborative Doctoral Partnership between The National Archives and the University of Liverpool.
US soldiers on Abrams tanks take part in NATO exercises in Korzeniewo, Polan on March 4, 2024 (Wojtek Radwanski)

The United States on Tuesday approved a $2.2 billion sale of advanced battle tanks to Bahrain, a Gulf Arab ally once under an arms embargo over a crackdown on Shiite dissent.

The State Department said it had notified Congress it is ready to sell 50 M1A2 Abrams tanks, generally used for ground warfare, to the small island nation which has tense relations with nearby Iran.

"The proposed sale will improve Bahrain's capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force that can deter adversaries and provide the capability to participate in regional operations with the United States and other US partner nations," a State Department statement said.

Congress can still block the sale, although most military deals go through.

Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and is classified as a major non-NATO ally, giving it privileged defense cooperation with the United States.

Unique among Arab nations, Bahrain has signed on as a member of the coalition led by the United States and Britain that has struck Yemen's Iran-allied Huthi rebels over attacks on shipping carried out in professed solidarity with the Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Abrams tanks, among the heaviest in the world, are a mainstay of the US military.

President Joe Biden last year approved Abrams tanks to Ukraine to fight back Russian invaders, after initial concerns about the time needed to manufacture and train Ukrainian forces in the vehicles.

The State Department said that some 30 US contractors and one government official would be sent to Bahrain for up to five years to lead training.

Bahrain came under criticism in 2011 when, backed by fellow Sunni kingdom Saudi Arabia, it crushed an uprising led by the Shiite community that demanded a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister.

Then president Barack Obama imposed an arms embargo for four years. Bahrain returned to US good graces under former president Donald Trump, who hailed Bahrain's recognition of Israel.

Last year Biden's administration signed a new agreement with Bahrain to enhance defense and economic ties, including through greater intelligence-sharing.

sct/bgs
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  Life & Style

Simple, Crystal Clear: Will Smith after reading Holy Quran

Ace Hollywood Star Will Smith said he read Holy Quran in its entirety and cover to cover, and found it simple, crystal clear and very admiring. Read More

Tuesday March 19, 2024 11:47 AM , ummid.com Web Desk

Mumbai: Ace Hollywood Star Will Smith said he read Holy Quran in its entirety and cover to cover, and found it simple, crystal clear, very admiring and easy to understand.

He said he was going through some difficult time recently. It was when that he read the holy books of different religions, including Holy Quran.

I read Quran from cover to cover during the month of Ramadan and loved its simplicity as it is very simple and crystal clear, the Oscar winning actor said.

'Finished reading without any misunderstanding'

The Hollywood star made these remarks on the Big Time podcast hosted by Egyptian Journalist Amr Adeeb, and noted that he read the Quran cover to cover.

Things in Quran are very clear, and so it is very easy to finish reading without any misunderstanding, he added.

The Big Time podcast was aired from Saudi Arabia Sunday which coincided with 7th Ramadan 1445 AH. Sharing his admiration about the Kingdom, Smith said that this was his third visit to the country.

Smith also revealed his deep connection to spirituality and contemplation during challenging periods.

It was a period of my life when I wanted to expand my heart as much as possible so that I could embrace the largest number of people.

'Beautifully connected'

Smith also said he was amazed to read a lot of references to Prophet Moses in Quran.

I was amazed to go through plenty of references about the Prophet Moses (may God be pleased with him) in the Holy Quran, he said while noting that this is an interesting matter.

He said the story of Prophet Moses (may God be pleased with him) had an electrifying impact on him.

I was surprised that everything in Quran seemed like one story... from the Torah to the Bible to the Quran, he said while emphasizing that he did not have any understanding of this seamless series before. The connection between these narrations was not broken, he said while referring to the Abrahamic lineage, and how the Prophet Ibrahim is the father, and from him came his descendants  the Prophets Ismail and Ishaq (peace be upon all prophets).

'Quran relieved me...'

Replying a question about how he raises his children, the American actor said:

My youngest son is now 23 years old, and yet I am still working on raising them. I thought that raising children would end at the age of 21, but it has just begun. All of my children are in their twenties, except for the eldest, who is 31 years old. Their relationships have become more serious, and therefore they always need advice and help more than ever before. They come to my house on a daily basis, which makes me see them constantly to advise them in need of advice, and therefore I raise them continuously.

Smith added that reading the Quran relieved him of his worries when they were younger and that it turned him into a person who is a partner in their lives and not responsible for them.

Quran , the Holy Book revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the month of Ramadan talks about different prophets. But, most references are reserved for Prophet Moses - revered by Muslims, Christians and also Jews.

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Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  United Nations

World can't deny immense contributions of Islam, Muslims: UN Chief

In a fiery speech on International Day to Combat Islamophobia, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres while listing the iconic Muslim and Islamic figures warned that the world is infected by a vicious plague that represents a complete denial and ignorance of Islam and Muslims, and their undeniable contributions. Read More

Tuesday March 19, 2024 3:42 PM , ummid.com News Network

New York: In a fiery speech on International Day to Combat Islamophobia, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres while listing the iconic Muslim and Islamic figures warned that the world is infected by a vicious plague that represents a complete denial and ignorance of Islam and Muslims, and their undeniable contributions'.

In a strong appeal to the world to unite against the plague of Islamophobia, the UN Secretary General without mincing words said Muslims have been an important source of culture, philosophy, scholarship and science for centuries.

For nearly two billion Muslims across the world, Islam is a pillar of faith and worship uniting people in every corner of the globe. And let us remember that it is also a pillar of our shared history, he said.

Reminding the world about the huge contribution of Muslims in the field of Science, Technology and Medicine, Literature, Art, Music and Architecture, the UN Secretary General specifically mentioned the names of Avicenna (Ibn Sina), Al-Khwarizmi and Averroe (Ibn Rushd).

From the enormous influence of Avicenna , the great Physician and Philosopher whose interpretations of Plato and Aristotle helped shaped the development of Western European philosophy. To the Muslim Mathematician and Astronomer Al-Khwarizmi , responsible for delivering Hindu-Arabic numerals and the father of algebra. To the Father of Rationalism, Averroes , whose ground-breaking commentaries bridged Islamic and Western thought. To the countless contributions of Muslims across every field  from science, technology and medicine, to literature, art, music and architecture. For centuries, Muslims have been a crucial source of culture, philosophy, scholarship and science, he said.

Secretary General Antonio Guterres was addressing the UN General Assembly (UNGA) gathered to commemorate the 'International Day to Combat Islamophobia' observed every year on March 15 following a UN General Assembly resolution passed in 2022.

'International Day to Combat Islamophobia'

The resolution to observe March 15 as International Day to Combat Islamophobia was adopted in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on two mosques in Christchurch , New Zealand, that left 51 people dead on this day in 2019.

The UN General Assembly on March 15, 2024 passed another resolution that called upon the world to unite against rampant Islamophobia.

The resolution, tabled in the UN General Assembly by Pakistan, calls for, among other things, concerted action to fight the ongoing violence against Muslims in various parts of the world and requests the UN Secretary-General to appoint a Special Envoy to combat Islamophobia.

In his address to the UN General Assembly on International Day to Combat Islamophobia March 15, the UN Secretary General also said that Muslims around the world are subjected to hate and bigotry coming in a number of forms.

That (anti-Muslim hate and bigotry) can come in many forms. Structural and systemic discrimination, socio-economic exclusion, unequal immigration policies and unwarranted surveillance and profiling, restrictions in accessing citizenship, education, employment and justice, the UN Secretary General said. These and other institutional barriers violate our shared commitment to human rights and dignity, he said. They also perpetuate a vicious cycle of exclusion, poverty and disenfranchisement that echoes across generations, he added.

'Hate a tool for political gain'

Noting that anti-Muslim hate and exclusionary policies are being exploiting for political gain, the Secretary General said:

The purveyors of hate speech are misusing the most powerful megaphone in history to amplify and spread their despicable ideologies - Social Media. Todays event reminds us that we all have a responsibility to confront and root-out the scourge of anti-Muslim bigotry. Political leaders must lead the way, and foster social cohesion, not fear, he said. Governments must condemn inflammatory discourse and safeguard religious freedom  in particular for minorities, he added.

Watch The Full Speech Below

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Pakistan's anti-narcotics force seizes over 50 kg drugs, 4 arrested

Islamabad, Mar 19 (UNI) Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) conducted multiple operations in different areas of the country, recovering over 50 kg of drugs, the ANF said on Tuesday.

During the anti-narcotics operations, the ANF also arrested four smugglers and recovered drugs including heroin, hashish, and crystal methamphetamine, the ANF said in a statement.

In an operation at the Islamabad International Airport, the ANF arrested a passenger going to Qatar carrying over 440 grams of crystal methamphetamine concealed skillfully in the luggage.
ANKARA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkish forces have conducted airstrikes against 27 targets of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in a cross-border operation in northern Iraq, the country's defense ministry said Tuesday.

"A total of 27 targets, including bunkers, shelters and caves, used by the terrorist organization PKK in Metina, Zap, Hakurk, Gara and Qandil regions of northern Iraq were destroyed by air operations," the ministry said in a statement.

The operations came after the Turkish Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that one soldier was killed and four others were injured as a result of an infiltration and attack attempt by the PKK militants in the "Operation Claw-Lock" region in northern Iraq.

The Turkish security forces often conduct cross-border operations in northern Iraq, a region holding hideouts and bases of PKK militants, from where they carry out attacks against Turkiye.

The Turkish government launched Operation Claw-Lock in April 2022 to fight against the PKK in northern Iraq near the Turkish border.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has rebelled against the Turkish government for more than three decades. 
HA NOI  China is Viet Nam's largest wood chip export market last year.

Viet Nam exports wood chips to 13 markets in 2023. China, Japan and South Korea are the country's three main wood chip export markets.

Viet Nam exported over 9.38 million tonnes of wood chips to the Chinese market in 2023, reaching over $1.43 billion, accounting for 65.1 per cent in volume and 64.7 per cent in value.

In the Chinese market, the average export price of wood chips decreased from $183 - $185 per tonne at the beginning of last year to less than $140 per tonne in the middle of the year, then rose slightly in the last months of the year but remained below $150 per tonne.

Ranking second is the Japanese market. The price of wood chips declined by up to $36 per tonne last year.

Specifically, the price of wood chips exported to this market was $181 per tonne in January last year but fell to $145 by December.

Wood chip exports to the Korean market reached 548,590 tonnes, reaching $91.88 million, accounting for 3.8 per cent in volume and 4.1 per cent in value.

Similar to the Japanese and Chinese markets, export prices to the Korean market have decreased by $27 per tonne last year with strong fluctuations during the year.

The market recorded an average export price of $200 per tonne in January, 2023, but the price decreased continuously to bottom out at $136, but bounced back to $172 in the last months of the year.

The Viet Nam Timber and Forest Product Association said that the demand for imported wood chips in the Chinese market would tend to continue to decline in the near future, leading to a decline in chip export prices in this market.

In general, the export market structure of wood chips will not change significantly in the near future.

However, the wood chip industry will continue to compete in raw materials with the pellet industry, especially in the Northern provinces because planted forest wood is the main input for both industries in this area.

Therefore, businesses and management agencies need to consider investing in building up raw material sources to ensure a stable supply for production and export. VNS
HA NOI  Foreign investors have been consistently selling Vinamilk's (VNM) shares since the beginning of March, resulting in a cumulative net selling value of over VN2.5 trillion (US$101 million) this year.

This makes Vinamilk the most heavily sold stock on the market.

This trend of net selling by foreign investors has persisted for five consecutive months and shows no signs of changing.

Looking back further to the beginning of 2023, the only notable period of net buying by foreign investors was in the third quarter of that year. During that time, Vinamilk's stock, as a leading player in the dairy industry, experienced a strong recovery, reaching its highest level in two years. However, for the rest of the period, the dominant trend has been net selling.

Since the start of 2024, Vinamilk's stock has only seen a modest increase of 4 per cent, while the overall VN-Index has risen by nearly 12 per cent.

With the current market price, Vinamilk's market capitalisation is estimated to be around VN147 trillion (approximately $6 billion), causing it to fall out of the top 10 stocks with the highest market value on the stock exchange. This figure is significantly lower compared to its peak in early 2018 when Vinamilk held the position of the most valuable company in the market with a market capitalisation of over $10 billion.

BIDV Securities Company (BSC) is optimistic about successfully upgrading the market classification in 2025, which is expected to play a crucial role in improving cash flow for stocks with large market capitalisation like Vinamilk.

The company is currently undergoing a corporate restructuring, and there are signs of improvement in 2023, as Vinamilk's net profit has returned to positive growth after two years of declines. Although the growth rate was modest at just over 5 per cent, it is still a noteworthy achievement considering the efforts made by Vinamilk to restructure its business.

The company implemented a brand identity transformation strategy to cater to the evolving demands of the new generation of consumers, expand its customer base across different age groups, and enhance its presence in global markets.

The brand innovation in 2023 led to a 2.8 per cent market share recovery in the liquid milk segment, and Vinamilk's overall market share has also been restored over the past two quarters. Vinamilk plans to focus on developing mid-range and plant-based products, as well as strengthening the powdered milk segment to consolidate its market share.

Mirae Asset Securities (Vietnam) Joint Stock Company anticipates an improvement in Vinamilk's domestic revenue in 2024, driven by the recovery of domestic consumption.

Vinamilk is also actively engaging in trade promotion activities and exploring new market opportunities in regions such as South America, the Caribbean, West Africa, and Southern Africa. Mirae Asset believes that export revenue will be a key driver for Vinamilk's future growth in overseas markets.

While there are positive prospects for Vinamilk's growth in 2024, BIDV Securities Co also highlights potential risks, including the possibility of losing market share due to competitive pressures and increased input material prices, which could narrow profit margins.  VNS
HA NOI  A delegation of 50 top US businesses arrived in Viet Nam on March 18 to seek cooperation opportunities in various sectors, including technology, energy, aviation and defence, manufacturing, agriculture and food, financial services, healthcare, and investment.

According to the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), this is the largest business delegation from the US to visit the Southeast Asian country since the two nations upgraded their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in September last year. During their stay from March 18 to March 21, US businesses are to hold working sessions with Vietnamese ministries, agencies, and localities to promote investment opportunities or expand business in Viet Nam.

Ted Osius, the President of USABC and a former US Ambassador to Viet Nam, said the delegation includes representatives from various sectors of the American economy, reflecting Washington's commitment to implement the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Ha Noi.

Sarah Morgenthau, special representative for trade and business from the US Department of State, said US investment in Viet Nam and vice versa have been on the rise and that Viet Nam plays a significant role within ASEAN.

Reta Jo Lewis, President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM), asserted that the bank will continue to enhance support for financial transactions between the two countries as part of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership's commitments. She said the bank has programmes to support American businesses producing in the US but also supports foreign businesses investing and doing business in the US, such as Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast.

US business representatives said they have confidence in the Southeast Asian country's economic potential as a Meta's representative revealed plans to introduce new products and services to Viet Nam, highlighting the country's potential to become a rising dragon in Asia in the field of artificial intelligence. Atmo, a US company specialised in providing multinational weather forecasting services with artificial intelligence technology, said the company sees great investment potential in Viet Nam, a country forecast to be heavily affected by climate change.

Soon after arriving, EXIM and the Vietnam Development Bank (VDB) signed a memorandum of understanding worth US$500 million. Cooperation between EXIM and the VDB is expected to facilitate Viet Nam-US import-export activities and cooperations, especially in green economic transformation, infrastructure development projects, and climate-related issues.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is meeting with foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises and attending annual Viet Nam Business Forum (VBF) this morning in Ha Noi which focus on promoting the pioneering role of FDI firms in implementing green growth strategies.

VBF 2024 is co-organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the World Bank (WB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

The forum will discuss roles of FDI with contributions from the European Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (Eurocham), American Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam (Amcham), Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Viet Nam, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as recommendations to further improve the investment environment in Viet nam from Intel Viet Nam, Samsung Viet Nam and Bosch Viet Nam.

VBF discusses the responsibility of FDI enterprises in implementing the green growth strategy with the focus on solutions for renewable energy development, tax reforms to attract investment in high-tech industries, human resource development and sustainable infrastructure.

In addition, discussions will centre around ESG practicing towards a green economy, circular economy and digital economy.

VBF has provided a platform for the business community and policies makers to discuss towards favourable business environment since 1997.  VNS
HA NOI  The Trade Remedies Authority of Viet Nam has provided early warnings for products at risk of being subject to trade defence measures when exported to the US, European Union (EU), Mexico and Australia.

Those included 15 products exported to the US, one to the EU, two to Mexico and one to Australia.

Some wood products exported to the US at risk are hardwood/plywood, wooden cabinets and vanities, wooden bedroom furniture, seats with wooden frames, upholstered and wood mouldings and millwork products.

Regarding hardwood/plywood with HS Code 4412.31, 4412.32, 4412.33, 4412.34, 4412.94, 4412.99, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) initiated investigation in June 2020 and issued final decision in July 2023. These products originating from Viet Nam but made with Chinese input will be subject to antidumping and countervailing duties.

DOC initiated investigations into wooden cabinets and vanities from Viet Nam in May 2022. The final decision is expected to come in April and July. The US is currently imposing anti-dumping ranging from 4.37 per cent to 262.18 per cent and anti-subsidy duties ranging from 13.33 per cent to 293.45 per cent on similar products originating from China from February 2024.

Wooden bedroom furniture, seats with wooden frames, upholstered and wood mouldings and millwork products are also at risk. The US is also imposing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on similar products imported from China.

Early warnings are provided to some building materials exported to the US, including quartz surface products and ceramic tile, steel products such as CORE, pipe and tube, prestressed concrete steel wire strand and stainless steel flanges.

Of note, the export of ceramic tile to the US is expected to increase rapidly in the context that the US imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on similar products originating from China. As Viet Nams share remains modest in the USs ceramic tile import market, estimated at just 2.3 per cent, the department urged domestic producers to avoid using imported inputs from China in production to expand exportation into this market.

The warning list also includes some hot rolled sheet and prestressed products to Mexico, hot rolled structural steel sectors to Australia, aluminium wire and cable, aluminium extrusions, solar panels, large residential washers, and truck and bus tires to the US, and electric bicycles to the US and EU.  VNS
HCM CITY  Starting from March 18, Pacific Airlines (part of the Vietnam Airlines Group) will suspend flight operations to restructure its fleet and flight network to ensure operational efficiency, a company representative said.

During this time, several flights may see some changes or be temporarily out of use, but new flight schedules will be assigned to ensure stable operation.

Pacific Airlines has also designed and carried out plans to protect its customer rights and benefits, it said.

Its representatives said passengers affected by the change will be notified of new flight schedules or transferred to flights of Vietnam Airlines.

According to the restructuring plan, Pacific Airlines will rent aircraft from Vietnam Airlines to enhance its operational efficiency and optimise resources within the Vietnam Airlines Group.

The two sides are finalising the agreement and will put the aircraft into operation soon.

Pacific Airlines will also receive support from Vietnam Airlines in using infrastructure and customer services, such as check-in counters and airport shuttles.

Enterprise restructuring is among the effective self-help solutions applied by many airlines around the world and in Viet Nam to deal with the severe consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, said the representative.

This activity is necessary for Pacific Airlines to recover effectively, adapt to the new environment, and develop in the future.

inh Viet Thang, director of the Viet Nam Civil Aviation Administration, said that Pacific Airlines is paying to use three aircraft, without accompanying crew, maintenance, or insurance from Vietnam Airlines, to ensure operations.

Previously, the Civil Aviation Administration of Viet Nam received a report from Pacific Airlines regarding the return of all aircraft to clear debt.

Accordingly, from March 18, Pacific Airlines will no longer operate any aircraft.

Pacific Airlines was established in 1991, and was the first low-cost airline with state-owned enterprises as shareholders.

The airline has faced operational difficulties for many years. In 2022, the company incurred a loss of nearly VN2.1 trillion (US$84.5 million) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh urged foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises to pioneer in implementing green growth strategies and promoting the transformation of growth models toward productivity, quality, efficiency and sustainability in Viet Nam.

Chinh was speaking while meeting with FDI enterprises and attending the annual Viet Nam Business Forum (VBF) organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the World Bank (WB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on Tuesday in Ha Noi.

He called on FDI enterprises to pioneer in innovating the way of thinking and the way of doing towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly direction, in technology transfer, research and development, innovation, and in implementing green projects.

Besides, Chinh urged FDI enterprises to enhance cooperation, experience sharing and policy consultation, promote financial and technical support, and increase cooperation in human resources training and development for Viet Nam, especially high-quality labour force for key and emerging economic sectors.

Stressing the important role of FDI in promoting green growth, Chinh said that the Government will focus on three guarantees, three breakthroughs and three enhancements to create favourable conditions for stable and sustainable enterprise development in Viet Nam.

Three guarantees include ensuring legal and legitimate rights of enterprises; ensuring political stability, social order and safety; and ensuring energy security.

Viet Nam will focus on creating three breakthroughs in institutions, laws, mechanisms and policies; in infrastructure development; and in administrative reform and human resource development.

The Government will also work to enhance the trust of enterprises, improve transparency and equality, as well as strengthen support for enterprises in green and sustainable growth.

At the forum, Chinh asked ministries to listen to every problem that enterprises face and their recommendations to timely and promptly implement measures to resolve the issues.

Emphasising that green growth is a core element in the process of economic restructuring and growth model transformation, Chinh said that Viet Nam will say no to growth at all costs. He expected FDI enterprises to play a pioneering role in promoting green growth while doing business in Viet Nam.

Vietnamese Government is hastening the effort to implement green growth strategies with its commitment to achieve net zero by 2050, participation in Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) and Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that Viet Nam has huge opportunities in promoting green growth to create momentum for significant advances in social, economic and environmental development.

Green growth is the key to the success of the countrys 10-year socio-economic development strategy for the 2021-30 period and enables the transformation of the growth model towards quality, efficiency and sustainability, he said.

Dung emphasised the roles of FDI enterprises, which have strength in capital, technology, governance, network and market, in leading and accompanying domestic firms in promoting green growth, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, greening economic sectors and promoting green transition on the principles of inclusion and equality.

According to Thomas Jacobs, IFC Country Manager, Viet Nam, climate is one of the defining challenges. He cited the World Banks Country Climate and Development Report that climate change impacts could cost Viet Nam a total of 12-14.5 per cent of GDP by 2050.

To achieve the twin goals of becoming a high-income country by 2045 and achieving Net Zero by 2050, Viet Nam will need to accelerate efforts to increase its resilience to climate change and improve sustainability while decarbonising its economy, he said, adding that the financing needed to fund these efforts could be about 6.8 per cent of GDP a year, or a cumulative US$368 billion through 2040, half of which should come from the private sector.

Foreign direct investment plays a critical role, by bringing new technologies, new ideas and practices, and foreign capital to empower new strategies to go green, he stressed. While FDI is critical to the growth of Viet Nams economy, it must not come at the expense of the environment.

The green growth strategies of foreign investors must be anchored within effective environmental, social and governance policies that promote sustainable business activity  which, in turn, contributes to job creation and inclusive growth.

Keep the lights on

At VBF, delegates discuss the role of FDI in the new context, in implementing green growth strategies as well as recommendations of foreign business communities to improve the business environment in Viet Nam.

According to Joseph Uddo, chairman of American Chamber of Commerce, Ha Noi, the most important factor for a favourable investment climate is a fair, transparent, predictable and streamlined regulatory environment that values innovation - not only to attract new investment, but also to maintain and grow investment already here.

He recommended that all the new laws and regulations be reviewed and restricted on new administrative procedures.

He highlighted the need for consistent, affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity.

Keeping energy systems working is an essential goal of good energy governance and granting investors access to renewable energy is a competitive advantage for the country. Power supply and demand dynamics are complex, and a collaborative approach between the public and private sectors is essential to develop affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity. Viet Nam can attract global financing with an effective energy regulatory system.

He added that investors need more streamlined regulations to install and provide access to renewable energy in order to invest in Viet Nam.

To unlock the full potential of the digital and creative economy, he urged the Government to take a holistic approach and global view in developing a digital regulatory framework. We see great opportunities for growth and encourage Viet Nam to prioritise the development of digital infrastructure, cloud-based services, and data centres. There are, however, regulations on cloud services and data centres which hinder US companies ability to invest in these areas.

Denzel Eades, deputy chairman of British Chamber of Commerce in Viet Nam, said that the UK private sector commits to supporting the Vietnamese Government in its sustainability efforts and stands ready to invest in key sectors such as energy, finance, pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.

Stressing that the recent adoption of the Power Development Plan 8 ("PDP8") showcases Viet Nam's strong commitment to decarbonisation, he urged the swift implementation of PDP8, particularly in relation to the development of LNG, solar and wind together with the development of legal regulations to enable such implementation, for example, regulations that relate to the Direct Power Purchase Agreement (DPPA).

Regarding administrative reform, stronger moves are still needed to better serve business, he said.

According to Korea Chamber of Business in Viet Nam (Kocham), supplementary measures are needed regarding the implementation of global minimum tax starting in 2024.

Kocham also urged a resolution of power supply instability. Korean companies, especially those in high-tech industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, aspiring to enter the Vietnamese market, identify the power shortage issue in Viet Nam as a significant factor delaying their investment decisions.

Kocham also stressed the necessity for diversification of visa types that allow long-term stays to attract foreign investment.

The Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) urged Viet Nam to develop the legal framework and implementation guidelines necessary for the facilitation of power development projects.

Regarding administrative reform, JCCI said that it is necessary to speed up the issuance of business licences and permits, and end practices requesting investors to fulfil unreasonable conditions or to submit documents that are not in accordance with laws and regulations.

At the event, VBF also published its report on environmental, social and governance (ESG) which highlighted that meeting ESG requirements will be key to continually attracting foreign businesses.

Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) is an on-going policy dialogue channel between the Government of Viet Nam and business community towards a favourable business environment since 1997.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 19 emphasised that Viet Nam will create favourable conditions for the business community, including Dutch corporations and businesses, to invest successfully, sustainably, and long-term in Viet Nam when he received a Dutch business delegation led by Ingrid Thijssen, chair of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW) in Ha Noi

Welcoming the delegation, PM Chinh said that their visit to Viet Nam this time is an activity in implementing the results achieved during the visit of the Prime Minister of Vietnam to the Netherlands at the end of 2022 and the visit of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands to Vietnam at the end of 2023.

The PM highlighted that the Netherlands has become the biggest European investor and the second-largest European trade partner and export market of Viet Nam . He hailed the practical programmes that the Netherlands has implemented to support Viet Nam in socio-economic development, poverty reduction, education and training, healthcare, climate change responses, and COVID-19 prevention and control.

PM Chinh said that he highly appreciated the business activities of Dutch enterprises in Viet Nam in the past time which contributed to Viet Nam's economic development and Vietnam - Netherlands relations.

He affirmed that Viet Nam is always open, sincere, and willing to listen to the concerns and opinions of the foreign business community, including Dutch businesses.

Informing the guests about Viet Nam 's development priorities, the PM said that Viet Nam and the Netherlands still have many potentials and strengths that can complement and support each other. Therefore, he called on Dutch corporations and businesses to effectively take advantage of the opportunities of the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and strive to increase bilateral trade to $15 billion.

He hoped that Dutch businesses will connect with Vietnamese businesses in fields where the Netherlands has strengths and Viet Nam has needs such as high-tech agriculture, new energy, renewable energy, semiconductor chips, climate change adaptation, shipbuilding services, seaports, shipbuilding technology, and logistics.

Chinh also asked Dutch businesses to make recommendations to Viet Nam regarding how to improve the business investment environment, institutions, mechanisms, and policies to encourage businesses to apply sustainable business models, develop emerging industries, and develop a digital economy, green and circular economy, and high-quality human resources training.

The Dutch business executives requested the Vietnamese Government to continue to improving policies on taxes, visas, and administrative procedures.  VNS

They asked for specific contact points to receive support, transfer technology, and promote cooperation in the fields of shipbuilding, seaports, semiconductors, renewable energy, environmental protection, climate change response, and materials supply to Vietnams project on building 1 million social housing.

The businesses also hoped the Government to direct Vietnamese businesses, especially in the agricultural and food sectors, to improve product quality and implement commitments to green, clean, safe, and sustainable development. They want to purchase directly from farmers so that Vietnamese agricultural products have more opportunities to enter the Netherlands./.
HA NOI  The film La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Taste of Things), directed by Vietnamese-born French film director Tran Anh Hung, will be screened in Viet Nam on March 22.

Hung won the Prix de la Mise en Scene (Award for Best Director) at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023.

The film is adapted from the 1924 novel The Life and Passion of Dodin-Bouffant, Gourmet by the author Marcel Rouff.

Set in 1885 France, the film tells the love story between Eugenie (played by Juliette Binoche), an exceptional cook and the famous gastronome Dodin (played by Benoit Magimel).

Eugenie has worked for 20 years alongside Dodin. Over time, a love affair develops between them, closely linked to their shared love of gastronomy. They create delicious, flavourful dishes that amaze the world's greatest gourmets. However, Eugenie, eager for freedom, never wanted to marry Dodin. Dodin decided to cook for her for the first time.

The New Yorker regards the latest film of Hung as "a philosophy of pleasure."

Peter Bradshaw wrote in the Guardian: "There are many static shots of these dishes being prepared and of Binoche and Magimel duly appreciating them, inviting our drooling at all this refined sensory luxury."

In an interview with Variery, Hung discussed the filmmaking challenges of shooting elaborate cooking scenes, the joy of seeing Binoche and Magimel reunited,and the role of gastronomy in 18th-century France.

Hung said: It was more about the filmmaking challenge that gastronomy presented. My first challenge was to make a film that didnt look like any others.

"The idea was to weave gastronomy into a love story and see how a man and a woman who share the same passion for the culinary art and have lived together for over 25 years form this spiritual bond.

Hung is best known for his Cannes Golden Camera-winning The Scent of Green Papaya in 1993 and Venice Golden Lion-winning Cyclo in 1995  both are about and were set in Viet Nam.  VNS
Commentary: The "Summit for Democracy" -- An exercise in contradiction?

10:22, March 19, 2024 By Ma Haoran ( Xinhua

BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Since 2021, the United States has convened the "Summit for Democracy" twice, with its third installment taking place in Seoul from March 18 to 20.

Ostensibly claiming to "combat authoritarianism" and "support human rights," the summit triggers questions about the credentials, intention and ability of certain countries to lead such a global initiative.

Democracy, in its essence, is not just a political mechanism but also a broader cultural practice that respects diversity and encourages ideological pluralism. It is about finding unity through dialogue and exchanges. However, the domestic and international actions of some big Western powers often mirror the very authoritarian behaviors they claim to oppose.

The Western democratic system shows signs of strain. Domestically, it grapples with deepening social divisions and a disconnect from public concerns, suggesting a systemic malfunction. The chaos in some Western countries highlight the fragility of their democracy and the severity of political polarization.

Internationally, some actions often betray a hegemonic impulse. Military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and economic sanctions against developing nations are perceived as endeavors to advance selfish interests under the guise of promoting democracy. Such actions have not fostered democratic growth but exacerbated political, economic, and social problems in these regions.

Therefore, the "Summit for Democracy" should be an opportunity for introspection and problem-solving, rather than ignoring the challenges within Western democracies. As the Summit unfolds, it's imperative to recognize that democracy cannot be confined to a single model or used as a geopolitical tool. Authentic democracy thrives on respect for diverse cultures and political systems, and genuine international cooperation and dialogue.

Instead of labeling others as "authoritarian," it is imperative for certain countries to objectively assess their own democratic practices and focus on developing effective and inclusive democracies globally.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
NAIROBI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan doctors have sustained their work boycott across the country as the industrial action entered its sixth day Tuesday.

The health workers started the boycott on March 14, accusing the government of failing to address their grievances, including a demand to post 4,000 interns to medical facilities.

Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary-General Davji Atellah said that they would not call off the strike until their issues are addressed.

Susan Nakhumicha, cabinet secretary for the Ministry of Health, said Tuesday that the government is working to address the doctors' demands.

"I applaud our doctors and all health care workers who have continued to deliver services to the people as the Ministry of Health and the relevant stakeholders work together to address the issues raised by their union," Nakhumicha said in a statement after visiting key public health facilities in Kenya's capital of Nairobi.

She said citizens could continue to seek treatment in public facilities, assuring them that healthcare workers would be available and ready to serve them.

A meeting scheduled Tuesday between Nakhumicha and the doctors' union officials did not take place, dashing hopes of resolving the crisis that has left thousands of patients stranded across the East African nation.

"This is the second day I have visited our main public hospital without receiving any help because of the doctors' strike. The government should resolve the issue," said Jacob Okumu, a patient in Kisumu, western Kenya, over the phone. 
According to Pellower, Ho Guom Opera House has standout features compared to the names on this award list. It is one of the theaters with the best equipment in the region, and even the world, from stage performance equipment to sound.
Viet Nam News reporter Khanh Duong speaks to Vo Thanh Tung, energy advisor of PtX Outreach Project of German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) about Viet Nams national strategy on hydrogen energy development.

Viet Nam has recently approved the Hydrogen Energy Strategy to develop the energy industry in a green, clean and sustainable manner. How do you assess Viet Nams potential in achieving this?

Viet Nam possesses great potential to develop the hydrogen industry. With abundant renewable energy sources such as solar power up to 300 GW or offshore wind power up to 600 GW, we can take advantage to promote the green hydrogen industrys development through the application of advanced technologies such as water electrolysis.

Recent advances that allow the production of hydrogen from seawater are extremely important factors, creating favourable conditions for us to build complexes for offshore wind power production and at the same time provide electricity for electrolysis equipment to produce hydrogen from seawater.

Currently, the annual hydrogen output produced for the domestic market is about 500,000 tonnes. But hydrogen is produced mainly from fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas.

Viet Nam not only needs to produce low-emission hydrogen to replace current market demand, but also must expand the market and boost demand from difficult-to-develop industries such as electricity, transportation (including aviation, waterways, road transport), heavy industry such as metallurgy, petrochemical refining or chemical production. This is also an important key to developing the hydrogen industry.

Viet Nam can also make good use of its geographical location to provide green hydrogen to global and regional markets, meeting the needs of countries wishing to import hydrogen products.

These are important directions that are also mentioned in the new national hydrogen energy strategy approved by the Prime Minister.

These important policy directions will serve as important premises to help management agencies and investors take appropriate steps to concretise potential into high-tech projects with commercial and economical efficiency.

How important is hydrogen in helping Viet Nam realise the green energy transition goal and net zero emission target by 2050?

Green hydrogen plays an important role in the energy transition, realising the commitment to carbon neutrality by mid-century.

According to estimates by a number of reputable organisations, the proportion of renewable energy has continuously increased in the global electricity system. However by the end of 2022 this proportion was estimated at approximately 30 per cent and the process of reducing emissions has achieved limited results.

Thats simply because the electricity industry only contributes about 40 per cent of global emissions while the remaining 60 per cent comes from manufacturing and processing industries such as metallurgy, chemical manufacturing or transportation including aviation and waterways.

That's why the world is considering the green hydrogen industry as one of the important solutions to solving the carbon neutrality problem by mid-century.

Viet Nam is in a similar situation. We will not be able to achieve the carbon neutral goal if we do not promote the hydrogen industry in order to provide products for industries that are difficult to emit emissions such as transportation, heavy industries (metallurgy, chemicals and petrochemical refining).

What are the key challenges Viet Nam will face while developing hydrogen?

To develop a new industry like hydrogen, of course there will be numerous challenges that we will encounter. I only mention a few main challenges.

First of all, that is market development. Because it is a completely new industry, there is currently no demand for the product. Of course, investors will consider choosing whether to participate in the market or not, especially when it is difficult for new products to immediately compete with traditional fossil fuels such as oil and coal in terms of price.

In many countries, to promote the market, governments need to have appropriate mechanisms to support businesses and investors to participate in the market and help shorten the gaps of green hydrogen production costs and increase competitiveness with other fuels.

Amid domestic markets various limitations and uncertainties, promoting exports is a reasonable direction, aiming to access potential markets with great demand.

The State needs to have appropriate policies to promote and encourage domestic and foreign investors to participate in the export-oriented market.

Pioneering export enterprises are also the driving force to promote the domestic markets development, creating products suitable to the needs of the domestic market in the future.

I also want to mention infrastructure. Viet Nam now only has infrastructure for the gas industry, but not for the hydrogen industry.

To develop this industry, it is clearly necessary to build a synchronous infrastructure system, from power supply, to transportation, storage, and warehouses. Building an infrastructure system is an especially important task when we know the cost of transporting hydrogen is very high.

Effective planning, increasing the ability to connect between production areas and consumption areas play a decisive role in the industrys development.

Taking advantage of the oil and gas industry's current infrastructure system is also a problem that needs an early solution to help minimise investment costs and ensure the rapid growth of the hydrogen industry.

Policy mechanisms are also important.

The launch of the hydrogen strategy has opened up an important direction for the industry to develop sustainably, effectively, and competitively.

Viet Nam needs to have consistent and reasonable policies to attract investment, develop markets, and build infrastructure. This is both a requirement and an important challenge that the hydrogen industry needs to address, eliminate bottlenecks, and clear capital flows for development.

The Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien has highlighted the roles of international partners in sharing experience, technology and training human resources for hydrogen development in Viet Nam. How has GIZ supported Viet Nam in energy transition and implementing the Hydrogen Energy Strategy?

We, as the German Agency for International Cooperation, have accompanied the Vietnamese government to develop the hydrogen industry.

Over the years, we have supported the organisation of training programmes to improve professional knowledge at Government agencies, State-owned enterprises and private companies.

We have also carried out a number of research consulting activities, thereby seeing the potential benefits of the industry not only in environmental issues but also in economic development.

We will continue to accompany the Vietnamese Government to support policy framework development, capacity building, knowledge and technology enhancement as well as support businesses in building strategies to promote the energy transition process as well as develop a sustainable and effective hydrogen market. VNS
HA NOI As part of efforts to create conditions for Vietnamese citizens travelling abroad, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been negotiating bilateral visa waivers with 15 countries to facilitate immigration.

Minister Bui Thanh Son revealed the actions being taken on Monday during the National Assembly Standing Committee's ongoing 31st sitting Q&A session.

He was speaking in response to NA deputy Ta Thi Yens queries from ien Bien Province.

She cited the fact that in recent years, Viet Nam has become a favourite destination for tourists and signed visa exemption agreements with many countries to attract tourism. However, only a small number of nations have so far waived visa requirements for Vietnamese nationals, and the process of obtaining a visa for Vietnamese nationals remains challenging.

According to Son, Viet Nam is considered a safe travel destination with a diverse range of scenery. As a result of the country's openness and deep integration, not only people from around the world come to Viet Nam but Vietnamese citizens also want to travel in search of chances to expand their businesses.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated with authorities to simplify immigration procedures. Most recently, the National Assembly passed the Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Entry and Exit.

At the moment, 13 nationsthe main travel destinations for Viet Nam have unilaterally exempted visas. The ministry is in negotiations with other nations about bilateral visa waiver applications for official visas, he said.

Deputy Pham Van Hoa from ong Thap Province brought up the issue of citizen safety, pointing out that a large number of Vietnamese students and lecturers are sent abroad by local universities and not coming home.

The deputy also asked for the responsibility of the embassies and consulate generals.

According to Minister Son, communication between Viet Nam and the rest of the world has significantly improved.

Minister Son said since the COVID-19 pandemic, exchanges between Viet Nam and the world have been strongly enhanced. Approximately 3.8 million Vietnamese nationals travelled abroad in 2022. By 2023, the number of Vietnamese people travelling overseas for study and work increased to more than 10 million. The number of Vietnamese students returning to study overseas has surged sharply.

There have been a number of law violations committed by those people, affecting cooperation between Viet Nam and other countries, he said, adding that the Prime Minister recently ordered relevant ministries and sectors to develop training regulations for our overseas workforce in order to ensure good compliance with internal regulations, contribute to the socioeconomic development of the host country, and improve relations between the two countries, he said.

Regarding ways to ease the export process for domestic companies and reduce the possibility of trade fraud or disputes, Son stated that several ministries and sectors have implemented innovative strategies to encourage Vietnamese import-export collaboration with other countries.

As one of the most open economies in the world, Viet Nam has negotiated 17 free trade agreements with 68 other nations to encourage import and export. Vietnamese exports to partner nations rose even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But in 2023, exports to a few EU nations fell as a result of those nations' own economic woes brought on by a fall in import demand. Countries are implementing new policies and laws at the same time. In an effort to find answers to challenges, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed ministries and businesses about new laws.

According to him, the ministry has increased export routes to China by building connections by road and rail, and it is in the process of establishing rules and specifications for formal import and export with other partners.

In response to a query regarding steps taken to protect Vietnamese nationals in conflict areas, the diplomat said there had been conflicts in a number of locations recently. The ministry managed the prompt evacuation of Vietnamese citizens to safe locations in the event of violence. Work on protecting citizens in Viet Nam has been caried out promptly.

He said the ministry's future efforts will be concentrated on situational forecasting, identifying the likelihood of international or domestic crises and acting quickly to evacuate citizens while alerting nearby communities and working closely with Vietnamese partners.

Ha Giang Province's NA deputy Trang A Duong made the request for citizen protection measures for migrant laborers, pointing out that protection mechanism with host countries remains inadequate, particularly in areas with no diplomatic representation office.

Son said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs have closely coordinated in sending our workers abroad. Not all countries have Vietnamese representative agencies. The foreign affairs ministry proposed close coordination with the Labour Management Board and concurrent ambassadors to promote their roles.

Responding to forced labour fraud, the minister said the fraud had been reported since 2020 and getting more complicated. The ministry has coordinated with many agencies and units to rescue and bring many people home.

In order to combat and prevent this kind of criminality and stop illegal immigration, he said collaboration with other nations in the area is essential. Viet Nam will continue to implement citizen protection work, support repatriation, and closely cooperate with host countries to rescue citizens who are victims of human trafficking and forced labour. VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 19 received the new ambassador of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and Laos who have just commenced their tenures in Viet Nam, affirming the Vietnamese Governments commitment to supporting them in fulfilling duties.

At the reception for RoK Ambassador Choi Young Sam, PM Chinh said both sides need to strengthen political ties and cooperation across various development sectors to match the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership.

He called for promoting sustainable and balanced growth in trade and encouraged Korean firms to expand their operations in Viet Nam , with a focus on areas where the RoK excels such as cultural industry, electronics, shipbuilding, and emerging fields like semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

The PM also proposed that the RoK continue expanding people-to-people exchanges and tourism cooperation, and receive more Vietnamese skilled workers.

He suggested that both sides enhance coordination at global and regional forums, with a specific request for the RoKs assistance for Viet Nam in hosting the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 summit in 2025.

Choi, for his part, affirmed that the RoK Government considers Viet Nam a priority in its current foreign policy and wishes to foster bilateral relations with Viet Nam.

He agreed with the cooperation directions outlined by PM Chinh, particularly in maintaining the exchange of all-level delegations and increasing all-around collaboration.

The diplomat also committed his utmost efforts to contribute to Vietnam-RoK comprehensive strategic partnership throughout his tenure in Viet Nam.

Hosting the new Lao Ambassador to Vietnam, Khamphao Ernthavanh the same day, PM Chinh highlighted the need for both nations to effectively carry out high-level agreements and existing cooperation mechanisms, especially the outcomes of the recent meeting between the two Parties and the 46th session of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee.

He wished that relevant agencies of both countries would better coordinate to tackle obstacles to develop economic, trade and investment ties to a level that matches the close political relations between Viet Nam and Laos, with a focus on strategic and locality-to-locality cooperation; infrastructure connectivity, energy and workforce training projects; and mutual support at global and regional forums.

The Vietnamese Government will continue assisting Laos in performing its role as ASEAN Chair 2024 and Chair of the 45th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), he said, adding that together, they will strive to maintain ASEAN's unity and centrality, step up the building of the ASEAN Community while effectively addressing common challenges.  VNS
HA NOI  Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son on March 19 held talks with Argentinas Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Diana Elena Mondino who is paying an official visit to Viet Nam from March 19-20.

During the talks, the two sides informed each other about each country's situation, agreed on directions and measures to strengthen the comprehensive partnership between Viet Nam and Argentina, and discussed the possibility of establishing a strategic partnership in the field of industry and agriculture between the two countries. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Minister Son affirmed that Viet Nam values the traditional friendship and comprehensive partnership of Viet Nam and Argentina, and wishes to promote bilateral cooperation in accordance with the strengths and needs of both sides, especially in economics, trade, and investment, and explore new areas of cooperation such as science, technology, green growth, energy transition, and digital transformation.

To make the relationship between the two countries more effective and substantive, Son proposed that Argentina, as a member of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), actively promote the bloc's internal consultation process for the early start of negotiations on a free trade agreement between Viet Nam and MERCOSUR, and continue to coordinate with Viet Nam to promote cooperation between Argentina and ASEAN, and between MERCOSUR and ASEAN.

For her part, Minister Mondino affirmed that the Argentine Government always values and wishes to strengthen relations with Viet Nam in its overall policy towards the Asia-Pacific region.

She expressed her admiration for Viet Nam's achievements during its national construction and development, particularly its oi Moi (renewal) process, which she said are experiences that the two countries can share to serve each other's socioeconomic development.

She also agreed with Son over strengthening and expanding the two countries cooperation bilaterally and multilaterally, for the benefit of the two peoples and the two countries as well as for peace, cooperation, and development in the two regions and the world.

The two ministers spoke highly of the positive developments in bilateral ties over the past years, especially joint activities marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023.

They described trade-economy ties as a highlight in bilateral cooperation, saying that two-way trade hit US$3.45 billion last year. Viet Nam is currently Argentina's sixth largest trading partner and fifth biggest export market in the world. Argentina, in turn, is Viet Nam's third biggest trading partner in Latin America.

Recognising untapped potential, particularly in investment, they agreed on a series of measures to deepen comprehensive collaboration across various sectors, including politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, agriculture, science, technology, culture, sports, tourism, national defence, and security.

Both sides also agreed to boost exchanges and consider exploring cooperation in areas of mutual demand, such as energy.

To achieve these goals, they pledged to continue utilising existing mechanisms like the deputy foreign ministerial-level political consultation and the Inter-Governmental Committee on Economic, Trade, and Investment Cooperation.

The officials also commended their ongoing collaboration and support for each other at international organisations and multilateral forums, agreeing to strengthen cooperation at the United Nations, World Trade Organisation, Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), and within the South-South cooperation framework. VNS
NINH BINH  Secretary of the Party Committee of Ninh Binh province Doan Minh Huan had a working session with a visiting delegation from the Lao province of Oudomxay led by Bounkhong Lachiemphone, Secretary of the Party Committee and governor of Oudomxay on March 19.

Huan highlighted the sound development of friendship and cooperation between the two provinces, hoping to receive support from the Party organisation, authorities, people and businesses of Oudomxay province to contribute to Ninh Binh's socio-economic development.

He also hoped that the two sides will exchange and clarify solutions to continue expanding comprehensive cooperation and coordinate information exchange in socio-economic development, and implementing their Memorandum of Understanding, contributing to strengthening and developing friendship and bilateral cooperation as well as the two countries' special ties.

For his part, the Lao official informed the host about Oudomxay provinces socio-economic development, its Party building work, and its potential, advantages, and development orientations to attract investors in the coming time.

He spoke highly of effective cooperation between the two provinces, particularly in education and training. Many Lao students have returned home and contributed to the local development, after being trained in Ninh Binh-based Hoa Lu University

He hoped to continue receiving support from Ninh Binh province, and welcome businesses from Ninh Binh to visit and seek cooperation opportunities in his province.  VNS
HA NOI  The struggle to find work for people over 40 has intensified, as they grapple with age-related biases, health limitations and exacting standards set by employers.

Travelling from Thuong Tin District on the outskirts of Ha Noi to the Ha Noi Employment Service Centre to find job at a recent job fair for northern provinces, Nguyen inh Phuc, 40, hopes to find a job after nearly six months without work.

Previously employed as a maintenance technician, repairing industrial sewing machines for a Japanese company, Phuc found himself among the casualties of layoffs when the company faced production difficulties.

Despite submitting over ten applications to the job market, he faced rejection after rejection.

"The older you are, the harder it is to find work," Phuc told Tin Tuc (News) newspaper.

"Companies often lean towards younger hires for smoother negotiations on pay and conditions."

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thi Hien, who quit her job at a company in Thai Nguyen Province at the end of 2023, said: "Young workers on assembly lines need minimal training, sometimes as short as a week, to get started in their roles, but companies tend to operate on short-term contracts. Once the term expires, they cycle in fresh faces."

Tran Thi Thoan, 42, found herself in the same boat when the company she'd dedicated 11 years of service to dissolved in 2023.

Despite her wealth of experience in the garment industry, Thoan's job applications met with the same fate, rejection, often citing age as the obstacle.

She said: "Many of my peers are in the same difficult situation. That's why I'm looking a shift to baking for a more viable career path."

Like Phuc and Thoan, others in their age group are on the lookout for opportunities to stabilise their lives in cities where the cost of living runs high.

Post-Lunar New Year, job centres report a demand for roles in leather-footwear, garment-textile, business management, IT and mechanical engineering.

Yet, all the difficulties seem to work against them, as most positions require specific skills and favour younger applicants. Few companies extend their hiring reach to those over 40, particularly in labour-intensive sectors like garment-textile, mechanical engineering and woodwork.

In an examination of early-year recruitment trends, Vu Quang Thanh, Deputy Director of the Ha Noi Employment Service Centre, highlighted the dynamic hiring landscape in the capital.

"Companies are actively seeking candidates aged 18-30 to bring diversity to their workforce," Thanh said.

"While individuals over 35 are still sought after for managerial positions, such as department heads, these opportunities requiring specialised skills and experience are fewer."

Thanh emphasised the various approaches that companies undertake in workforce planning, adjusting their recruitment strategies to align with specific job requirements.

In industrial hubs and export zones, for instance, there's a preference for young, fit workers with basic qualifications, particularly for roles on production lines.

Ho Minh Son, Director of the Institute for Market Research and International Communication, expressed concerns about the employment scenario.

"Some companies are seizing the tough times to replace older, higher-paid workers with younger ones, who command lower salaries and are seen as more productive," he said.

This trend, he added, reduces job prospects for older workers, necessitating a proactive approach to upgrading skills and awareness to remain competitive in the job market.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs highlights a prevalent problem: the one-time withdrawal of social insurance funds, particularly among workers in low-skilled industries such as textiles and seafood processing.

To counter this trend, the ministry advocates for comprehensive measures, including preferential retirement policies and robust support for job transition and vocational training.

Such initiatives aim to harness the wealth of experience and expertise of the workforce, ensuring their continued engagement in meaningful employment.

Furthermore, the ministry has spearheaded efforts to enhance vocational training programmes, recognising them as pivotal in equipping workers with the skills needed for contemporary job roles. By addressing the underlying issues, such as skill gaps and industry demands, these initiatives offer a pathway to long-term employment stability and resilience.

Looking ahead, the ministry is collaborating with various stakeholders to review and refine existing employment laws, and introduce amendments that foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for workers.

This holistic approach encompasses not only reactive measures like unemployment benefits and job placement services but also proactive strategies aimed at bolstering business sustainability and safeguarding employment opportunities for all.  VNS
HA NOI  The debate over school violence in Viet Nam has been thrust into the spotlight following a rise in classroom fights among students prompting a call for change from experts.

At Chau Van o Secondary School in Soc Trang Province, a female student was filmed assaulting another student over a damaged lipstick. Their classmates watched it but did nothing to stop it.

At My Van Highschool in Phu Tho Province, a female pushed her classmate to the ground and beat her with a helmet. A male student tried to stop it but was held back by her friends.

The fights prompted a swift response from school officials and local authorities. Investigations have been launched to determine the causes of the conflicts and punish those involved.

The fights have also exposed the need for schools to foster an environment where conflicts can be resolved without violence. Educational experts have weighed in on the situation and offered insights into potential solutions.

Psychologist Nguyen Tung Lam believes that students can easily get upset by things happening around them because they are at an age where their bodies and minds are changing.

Adults must help them understand and manage their feelings and thoughts to suppress their urges of violence.

He also highlights the importance of a multi-faceted approach to address school fights, which includes psychological, managerial, and legal strategies.

He advocates for an educational system that caters to the psychological development of students and incorporates life values and skills into the curriculum to prevent aggressive behaviours.

Regarding the managerial aspect, he suggests schools be strict about rules to ensure everyone knows their responsibilities, especially those in charge. Teachers and staff must keep a close watch to ensure schools are safe.

Observing the law is equally important, he says. If a school fight constitutes a legal violation, the students involved must be held accountable for the legal consequences.

Bui Hong Quan, a lecturer in the Department of Psychology at HCM City University of Education, underlines the role of positive relationships in preventing school violence.

He says that when friendships are nurtured, students are less likely to resort to violence to resolve their dispute because they can either talk it out or tell a teacher to mediate it.

He also cites the Happy School Criteria for educational institutions in HCM City, which says that "friendships and positive relationships in schools are based on trust, tolerance and fairness."

The point is echoed by Nguyen Viet Hien, a lecturer at the University of Education under Vietnam National University, who stresses the importance of psychological counselling in schools.

He believes that teachers with proper training in psychological counselling can identify and assist students in need promptly, and implement preventive programmes to support them.

In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Education and Training has issued Circular No 20 requiring the presence of one psychological counsellor in every school.

The Circular stipulates that if a school cannot employ a psychological counsellor as a permanent employee, it will employ one as a contract employee or appoint a teacher to take on additional counselling duties.  VNS
HA NOI Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha yesterday presided over a meeting to discuss the proposed investment direction for the National Target Programme on cultural development for the period 2025 - 2035.

He underscored two key issues that require attention in the programme: Urgent priorities in conserving and rejuvenating cultural heritage values through a combination of State budget and social resources; and the establishment of innovative mechanisms, policies, and approaches to cultural management, preservation, and development in Viet Nam.

The Deputy PM stressed that one of the primary objectives of the Programme is to leverage the inherent spiritual resilience as a foundational pillar for socio-economic advancement while ensuring national defence and security.

He said the Programme must conduct a comprehensive assessment of culture's role and significance in the nation's history, as well as address any existing deficiencies or emerging issues in cultural preservation, utilisation, and development.

Deputy Prime Minister Ha tasked the Ministry of Planning and Investment with consolidating the sensible feedback from the members of the State Appraisal Council, promptly finalising the appraisal report, and submitting it to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for further deliberation.

The Programme should inherit and assimilate existing programmes, projects, and strategies for cultural and artistic development; focus on implementing a comprehensive programme with specific mechanisms and policies, while avoiding the dispersion of resources.

In addition to providing input on the programme's name, the Deputy PM underscored that the scope of implementation "must prioritise domestic initiatives"; delineating target groups to establish distinct, dynamic, and well-preserved conservation objectives, from which sustainable and value-enhancing goals can be derived.

Leveraging the collective strength of the society

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang ong presented the content report of the Programme, outlining its seven overarching objectives and nine specific target groups. The Programme focuses on activities across the cultural and artistic spectrum, including cultural heritage, grassroots culture, performing arts, fine arts, photography and exhibitions, cinema, libraries, cultural education, training, ethnic cultures, international culture and the cultural industry.

Ha stressed the vital role of instigating significant shifts in perception, improving the efficacy and efficiency of governmental oversight in executing the Programme, and pooling resources to ignite comprehensive momentum and foster transformative strides in cultural advancement, nurturing the essence of Vietnamese identity.

At the same time, ensuring adequate budgetary allocations for the construction, restoration, and performances of traditional artistic troupes, along with optimising the economic aspects of culture, remains of utmost importance, he said.

The programme consists of 10 key components, 153 detailed indicators, 42 specific tasks, and 186 detailed activities. Some of these components include: promoting the development of the Vietnamese population with exemplary character and quality of life; fostering a healthy, civilised cultural environment; developing a comprehensive and efficient cultural infrastructure system; enhancing the effectiveness of cultural advocacy and education; preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of ethnic groups; fostering the advancement of literature and the arts; nurturing cultural industries; driving digital transformation and harnessing scientific and technological advancements in the cultural sphere; cultivating cultural human resources; promoting international integration, embracing the essence of global cultures, and disseminating Vietnamese cultural values worldwide.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hong Vinh emphasised the need to simultaneously pursue cultural rejuvenation and development. He also emphasised the goal of embedding culture deeply into the spiritual essence of every individual, community, and nation through the collective strength of society. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the requirements and principles outlined in the Programme are supported by adequate State budget allocations to meet the needs of cultural development in each specific phase.

Various recommendations were suggested, such as the necessity to distinguish clearly between overarching objectives and specific target groups; accelerating the review process by ministries and sectors to ensure timely submission to the National Assembly during its 7th session; quantifying tasks and objectives; conducting specific evaluations of funding allocations for programme implementation, especially for the 2025-2030 period; and establishing criteria to define specific tasks and projects. VNS
HA NOI  Two foreigners were criminally detained for allegedly appropriating properties of overseas tourists, according to the Hoan Kiem District Police on Tuesday.

Previously at noon last Tuesday, the Hang Trong Ward Police went on patrol on the Hang Thiec Street and discovered two foreign men riding a Honda Vision motorbike with license plate number 29S6- 96.32 with suspicious behaviour.

The police organised a secret ambush and surveillance.

When arriving at the house No.43 Hang Thiec Street, the man sitting in the back jumped out of the motorbike, stopped a foreign tourist and held up a hard card.

The police could not determine what he said.

After that, the tourist showed his passport and wallet to the man.

The tourist is Mohammad Iftakhar Hossian Khan, 46, with Bangladeshi nationality.

Mohammad told the ward police that while he was walking on the street, the man stopped him, showed a POLICE card, talking to him in English and identified himself as Interpol.

The man asked Mohammad to give him his passport and wallet for inspection.

Because Mohammad was in Viet Nam, did not understand Viet Nams laws, and was also worried and scared, he gave all of his papers and assets to the man.

Fortunately, the incident was discovered and stopped promptly by the Hang Trong Ward Police.

Investigation of the ward police showed that the two men are Abdul Aziz, 55, with Pakistani nationality and Jahanbakhsh Ghiasi, 50, with Iranian nationality.

Checking Ghiasis body, the police confiscated a "POLICE" hard card from London, the UK with name and photo of Abdul Aziz, which was the one he had used earlier to threaten the tourist.

Aziz admitted to the police that he had the card made in Bangkok (Thailand) for 500 bath (US$13), with the purpose of intimidating foreign tourists and appropriating their property.

Expanding the investigation, Ghiasi confessed that with this tactic, also at 12.20am last Monday, they stopped an Indian male tourist at No.13 Hang Gai Street in Hoan Kiem District and took VN10 million ($400) from the Indian victim.

They then used the money for personal spending.

The police reviewed and identified that the Indian victim is Pradhap Kakkappan, 26, and called the victim to identify the perpetrator, which he confirmed to be Ghiasi.

The Hoan Kiem District Police are conducting further investigation on the case.  VNS
ADDIS ABABA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Airlines, Ethiopia's national flag carrier, plans to purchase 124 airplanes from U.S. and European manufacturers, an Ethiopian official disclosed on Monday night.

Speaking to state-run media, Mesfin Tasew, chief executive officer (CEO) of Ethiopian Airlines Group, said the airline plans to buy the airplanes from Boeing and Airbus.

"Currently, we've entered into binding agreements with Boeing and Airbus to buy 70 airplanes. In addition, we've entered into a general agreement to buy 54 more airplanes," Tasew said.

The CEO did not disclose the exact dates for the delivery of the ordered planes.

Tasew said the airline is also preparing to construct a new mega airport that will eventually have the capacity to accommodate up to 100 million passengers annually.

The Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Ethiopia's largest airport, currently has a maximum capacity of accommodating up to 25 million passengers annually.

Founded in 1946, Ethiopian Airlines Group is the largest African carrier with more than 150 domestic and international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents.

Ethiopian Airlines plans to increase its fleet from the current 140 aircraft to 271 by 2035. 
LONDON  Anas Al Mustafa, from Heather Crescent, Swansea, is set to go on trial on August 5 over claims of trying to smuggle seven Vietnamese migrants into the UK in the back of a specially adapted van.

The 42-year-old man is charged with assisting unlawful entry to the UK following a major response in Newhaven ferry port in East Sussex on February 16, BBC has reported.

At the Lewes Crown Court on March 18, the handyman, aided by an Arabic interpreter, pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Earlier at Brighton Magistrates Court, the court heard that while on the ferry, the seven Vietnamese nationals were concealed in a van.  VNS
HCM CITY  Truong My Lan, chairwoman of real estate developer Van Thinh Phat, is facing death penalty for bribery, violating bank regulations and embezzlement, which is considered the largest financial scandal in Southeast Asia.

At an ongoing trial on Tuesday in HCM City, the city Peoples Procuracy proposed the most severe penalty for the chairwoman for accusation of misappropriating VN304 trillion from Saigon Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SCB), the largest private lender by assets in Viet Nam.

The Peoples Procuracy has cited the serious nature of her crimes, which have had serious consequences and have little possibility of recovery.

While all other defendants in the case have admitted to the charges brought against them, the 68-year-old real estate tycoon is the only one who maintains her innocence.

She had also rejected the prosecutions accusation that she manipulated the lenders operations, saying that she only owned a 5 per cent stake in the bank.

She explained that remaining stakes were held by her two daughters (5 per cent each) and friends in Viet Nam (30 per cent) and overseas (30 per cent).

The police have seized millions of US dollars in cash and frozen assets linked to Lan, with the funds intended to be used to compensate for damages at SCB and repay bond victims.

The chairwoman is currently being tried for bribery, violating bank regulations and embezzlement, and could face the death penalty if found guilty.

Lans husband and niece are also among the accused, as well as numerous SCB executives and government officials.

They all face charges of embezzlement, bribery, abuse of power while performing official duties, lack of responsibility causing serious consequences, and violating bank regulations.

Earlier, the real estate tycoon had offered to sell off her personal assets to compensate for all the damages without providing specific information about the assets when asked by the judge.

Van Thinh Phat had a network of 1,000 fake companies set up by the chairwoman in order to borrow money from the bank and to acquire shares in it.

In 2011, Lan was proposed by the central bank to merge two other private banks with SCB, the largest private bank by assets in Viet Nam.

Between 2012 and 2022, SCB gave Lan over 2,500 loans worth over VN1 quadrillion, or 93 per cent of its loans. In all, she is accused of causing losses of VN498 trillion to the bank.

To hide the lenders poor financial problems, Lan bribed various government auditors and inspectors.

The value of Lans alleged asset appropriation, which occurred between 2012 and 2022, was equivalent to over 10 per cent of Viet Nams GDP in 2022.

Due to the complexity of the case and the large number of defendants involved, the trial is expected to take a huge amount of time before a final decision is reached.

The trial is expected to last until the end of next month.

The trial will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner, without any restrictions or privileges, so as to uphold the publics trust in the Party and the State, according to the Peoples Procuracy.

The chairwomans arrest at the end of 2022 came as part of a national corruption crackdown that has swept up many officials and members of the countrys business elite in recent years.  VNS
HA NOI  Preservation and responsible management of ecosystems are central to the mutual understanding and shared interests between Viet Nam and the Netherlands, said Dutch Minister for Nature and Nitrogen Policy Christianne van der Wal-Zeggelink.

Government officials and business representatives from both countries gathered at an event in Ha Noi on Tuesday to deliberate on collaborative efforts towards developing sustainable food systems amidst the prevailing challenges in the agricultural sector. Notably, discussions centered around addressing the adverse effects of climate change and the declining interest among the youth, despite the increasing demand for innovation.

These challenges necessitate an approach wherein we move towards a more sustainable food production system.

This demands from us, as civil servants, scholars, bankers, farmers and all other professionals involved, to counteract climate change, biodiversity loss and more sustainable methods, said the Dutch minister.

Building on the countrys achievements in food production in terms of both volume and efficiency, the Netherlands is now shifting this sector to a more sustainable approach and intends to share the knowledge with its trading partners, she added.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said that while the Vietnamese model of agricultural production has yielded significant achievements, the sector now faces new challenges due to climate change, market fluctuations and shifts in global consumption patterns.

Highlighting key areas for cooperation between Viet Nam and the Netherlands in agriculture, Hoan emphasised the importance of promoting a green and sustainable transformation of the food system, as well as the development of agricultural infrastructure and a balance sheet for national food production and distribution.

Innovation and international cooperation will also contribute to food security in the long term, he said.

Collaboration, knowledge exchange and supporting policies were also the central focus of the panel discussion, which brought together representatives from the public and private sectors from both Viet Nam and the Netherlands.

The event also launched the Empower Youth4Food Campaign in Viet Nam, which aims to address climate change risks and ageing populations of farmers by changing the youths view on farming and involving them in shaping sustainable food systems.  VNS
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Jeff Jirak, managing director of AkzoNobel's Powder Coatings business

Sirvan Cantez, regional commercial director of Powder Coatings in South Asia-Pacific

Could you please discuss the recent trends that you've observed in the powder coatings industry, both globally and within the region?

Jirak: We're observing a shift from liquid to powder, mainly due to the environmental advantages, particularly the absence of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). This started about 15 years ago in Europe, and has moved into North America and Asia.

One other important element is aesthetics. Powder coatings offer a wide range of aesthetic options, from the entire color palette to different finishes on the surfaces, including matt, glossy, metallic looks, or the newly-introduced stone or wood grain effects.

The third trend is about durability. With certain powder coatings, we can offer up to a 30-year warranty in exterior architectural applications (when applied by an Interpon D Approved Applicator).

Finally, the fourth area of high growth is functional resins which are useful for resistance of electrical conductivity, most commonly used in the battery compartment of electric vehicles (EVs). These functional technologies are taking off, so powder coating is very much a growing market.

How will the recent expansion in Bac Ninh help AkzoNobel stay ahead of the curve?

Jirak: AkzoNobel is a market leader in powder coatings globally, with over 31 manufacturing sites with local solution laboratories around the world. Additionally, there are also central R&D locations in each region. These operations are science-driven, based on what the customers need in the various market segments that we serve.

Vietnam is one of our key growth countries in Southeast Asia, with a really big influx of business from China. With the country being a significant manufacturing hub and metal fabrication being a core manufacturing element of the Vietnamese market, powder coatings are really taking off here. Additionally, outdoor architectural applications have historically been a strong segment for AkzoNobel in the region. We need the capacity to service that growth, which is why these new lines are in place to satisfy customers' needs.

Cantez: The products we manufacture in Vietnam serve not only domestic demand but also other regional markets. In Bac Ninh we have installed five brand new state-of-the-art lines with high automation, with the main aim to boost capacity and meet the rising demand.

In a sense, it all comes back to sustainability and customer-centricity. The expansion will allow our Dong Nai site to focus on supporting volume growth in southern Vietnam, which in turn enhances our ability to offer customers more competitive shipping times in the North while reducing our environmental footprint. By making the wise choice in terms of putting the right plants and distribution centres in the right locations, we aim to minimize our impact on the environment.

What level of significance does sustainability hold within AkzoNobel's production lines?

Jirak: Sustainability is at the core of what we do. In fact, we lead the market in eco-friendly powder coatings with no VOCs. We focus on the end-to-end life cycle of our products and working with customers to find ways to lower our environmental footprint, including experimenting with a circular partnership with customers to utilize recycled content.

Our focus extends to sustainable production processes, including recirculation capabilities, minimizing wastewater, and lowering processing temperatures.

In addition, a lot of our sustainability work is geared towards helping our customers as we collaborate closely with them to tailor solutions that align with their sustainability goals. This includes offering lower temperature cure products to reduce energy and even increase usage throughput. Lower curing temperatures also open powder to a wider variety of substrates, like wood.

Our contributions to EV technologies, through protecting battery packs and cooling coils, indirectly support our broader environmental objectives.

Cantez: Our three pillars of sustainability include climate change, circularity, and peoples health and wellbeing. Our key ambitions as a company are to halve our carbon emissions by 2030, derive 50 per cent of our revenue from sustainable solutions, achieve 100 per cent circular use of materials, and empower over 100,000 individuals in local communities with new skills.

Our recent investment at Bac Ninh site ticks all the boxes. First, it improves logistics and reduces carbon footprints by cutting shipping times in northern Vietnam, as I mentioned. Second, as the processes are more streamlined with new equipment installed to recycle without affecting product quality, we can keep the use of raw materials at the optimal level. Lastly, this investment with advanced technology also enables us to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our employees, customers and other stakeholders in the communities we operate in Bac Ninh.

In collaborating with partners, what is your assessment of the Vietnamese markets readiness to embrace sustainability commitments?

Cantez: More and more customers are asking about sustainability-related topics, which is extremely positive. It surprises me that some of them are not even multinationals but relatively sizable local companies trying to find out where they can start this journey from.

So, as we are trying to understand our suppliers and our own footprint, we are also attempting to assist our customers. It's really an end-to-end process tackling the full value chain.

Looking ahead, what are the strategic priorities and goals for AkzoNobel's powder coatings business in the Southern Asia-Pacific region?

Jirak: As the market leader in powder coatings, we are expected to set the tone in innovation. As we move forward, we are staffed and resourced to continue to be the innovation leader and help customers reach their own sustainability targets and ambitions.

Our innovation is focused on three key areas: product performance, aesthetics, and processing. In terms of performance, besides the work on advancing durability, we are designing new resins that can cure at lower temperatures and still give the same level of performance. This trade-off represents an optimization on product performance. Late last year we already set an industry first with the launch of our architectural powder range with curing temperatures 30C lower than the competition.

In terms of aesthetics, our Bac Ninh facility now includes a dedicated bonding unit that can produce bonded metallics - a very strong and durable metallic looking powder. While the challenge is safe production, as bonding with aluminium flakes is highly flammable, the innovation allows us to produce some of the most remarkable metallic finishes one can imagine.

As for processing, our innovation is evident in our recent co-development of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven software called Flightpath Pro, together with coating AI, which enhances application processes and reduces our carbon footprint by optimizing equipment settings, reducing defects, overspray, and improving powder and energy consumption.

As our Bac Ninh site now has all the equipment for these three elements of innovation, the recent expansion is positioning Bac Ninh as a hub for cutting-edge developments in the region.

Cantez: Like all the other multinationals, we go through a three-to-five-year strategic cycle and then make our long-term plans accordingly. So far, we have been a great player when it comes to the premium tier. But if you think about it, it's roughly one-third of the whole market, considering the mid and low-tier segments.

Looking ahead, we plan to keep growing our market share organically on the premium side, but also increase our presence in the mid-market. That means providing our customers with a broader variety of solutions, depending on what they exactly need. That is expected to drive growth in the coming period for us, especially in Vietnam, which will also be enabled by these new investments.

Simultaneously, we aim to explore new spaces, as Jirak noted, such as powder on wood, EV-related products, and low-cure options. Diversifying our product range will also enhance our position by expanding into new market segments.

AkzoNobel awarded certificate for paint product AkzoNobel, a leading company in the paint and coatings industry, has been awarded a certification for one of its paint products.

AkzoNobel inaugurates new production facilities in Bac Ninh On March 1, AkzoNobel celebrated the inauguration ceremony of the new production facilities at Bac Ninh site of AkzoNobel, marking a significant milestone in the sustainable development strategy of the group in Vietnam.
Bangkok implements AI for weather forecasts, illustration photo/ Source: freepik.com

Bangkok  Bangkoks authorities have cooperated with Weathernews Inc., Japan to implement the AI Nowcast system, aiming to provide accurate forecasts of rainfall in the Bangkok region three hours ahead of time.

Bangkok's Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said pre-emptively predicting areas of heavy rainfall using AI and supercomputer technology, in partnership with Weathernews Inc. since 2023, will significantly enhance flood preparedness in Bangkok.

The AI enhanced system improves the predictive capabilities of two local radar stations, Nong Khaem, and Nong Chok, offering residents timely warnings to mitigate the impacts of rain and flooding.

Weathernews Inc. will coordinate with the BMA Drainage Bureau to share collected contents on Facebook and other websites.

Thailand to send 3,000 skilled shipbuilding workers to RoK Thai Minister of Labour Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn reached an agreement to send 3,000 Thai skilled shipbuilding workers to the Republic of Korea (RoK), during his trip to Seoul on March 13.
Ho Chi Minh City-based commercial lender Nam A Bank will be holding its AGM on March 29, seeking approval from shareholders for its 2024 targets, and the 25 per cent dividend payment plan through stock bonuses to raise charter capital.

Nam A Bank aims to raise its charter capital to above $570 million this year and $675 million in 2026.

Of the proposed $131 million capital addition this year, about $110 million, equal to over 264.5 million shares shall be distributed to existing shareholders through share bonuses, and almost $21 million, equal to 50 million shares, shall be sold to employees through an employee stock-ownership scheme.

Meanwhile, Hanoi-based retail bank LPBank will be hosting its AGM on April 27. After raising its charter capital by over $345 million last year, the bank is to unveil a plan to further bolster its capital resources, with concrete figures yet to be published.

With $1.06 billion in charter capital, LPBank is currently the tenth-largest commercial lender in the system.

Military Commercial Bank (MB) is also expected to submit to its AGM a capital hike plan for 2024 through dividend payments in form of share bonuses. An option for dividend payment in cash could also be considered at the AGM slated to take place on April 19.

With charter capital touching $2.17 billion, MB is currently ranked fifth in the system.

Major state lenders, however, are not the outsiders of the financial health empowerment drive. Vietcombank plans to seek shareholder approval for its capital hike plan through dividend payment in shares using 2022 undistributed profit sources approximating $904 million. The banks AGM is set to take place on April 27.

If approved by the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), the banks charter capital could reach $3.2 billion.

Similarly, VietinBank is also mulling over raising its financial standing. The bank has got the go-ahead from the SBV and the Ministry of Finance to retain its 2022 profits in their entirety for its capital hike plan.

The bank plans to seek approval from relevant management authorities to keep back its entire annual profit volume for the 2024-2028 period for the purpose of raising capital, bolstering financial capacity, and expanding credit growth space.

Last year, 20 out of 27 listed banks had embraced capital hikes, with VPBank garnering the largest capital jump. After finalising a 15 per cent stake sale to Japan's SMBC Group, the bank possesses ample capital sources.

It had also completed dividend payment in shares to raise charter capital from $2.8 billion to $3.3 billion, becoming the largest bank by that metric, far ahead of the second and third banks on that list.

Thomson Medical Group in negotiations to bolster stake in FV Hospital Singapore's Thomson Medical Group is in talks to strengthen its controlling stake in FV Hospital, potentially acquiring a substantial $400 million equity sale.

SBV injects large amount of money to support capital for banks The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) on February 20 net injected more than 5 trillion VND (nearly 204 million USD) into the banking system through the open market operation (OMO) channel to support capital for commercial banks.
The MoU will encourage collaboration between EXIM and VDB and support US export financing to advance the green economy transition, infrastructure development, and climate related projects. The ceremony was hosted by VDB at its Hanoi headquarters on March 18.

The MoU we signed demonstrates our shared commitment to strengthening the US-Vietnam commercial relationship and dedication to creating opportunities that strengthen the economies of both our nations, said Reta Jo Lewis, president and chair of EXIM. We are excited to collaboratively seek financing opportunities to advance mutually beneficial projects and support US exporters looking to do business in Vietnam.

Guided by the joint leaders statement on elevating US-Vietnam relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, our two organisations will contribute to enhancing economic exchanges between the two countries. said Le Van Hoan, chairman of VDB. I believe the MoU will strengthen our cooperative relationship, laying the foundation for potential collaboration opportunities. This will contribute to aiding both organisations in successfully accomplishing the tasks entrusted by our respective governments.

EXIM will work closely with VDB to identify infrastructure, renewable energy, and other projects to help spur the green transition in Vietnam. The MoU signing also demonstrates the US commitment to assisting Vietnam with financing solutions for the green energy transition to fulfill its ambitious climate goals.

EXIM is the US official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating US exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist US businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans.

Vietnamese textile and garment expect rosier US exports Textile and clothing exports to the US might touch $13.8-13.9 billion this year, and experts assume the sector would see more import orders shifted to Vietnam due to the implications of the US-China trade war.

FPT to inject $100 million into the US by year-end FPT Corporation has plans to invest $100 million into the US market by the end of this year and is calling on the US government to foster the growth of Vietnam's semiconductor ecosystem.
F88 launched a loan package on March 8 specifically for female customers with half the cost of a normal loan.

The new product is part of activities that aim to bring benefits to female employees and customers after the Australian Development Investment Organization (ADI) provided F88 with technical assistance.

The goal of the sponsorship is to support F88's diversity initiatives to promote fairness and gender equality within the company, increasing the presence of women in leadership positions and in company services.

Photo courtesy of F88

Majdie Hordern, secretary in charge of Development Cooperation at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi, said that the Australian government is proud to deploy technical assistance through the ADI to support a company on Australia's investment list, Lendable.

"I look forward to seeing how F88 and other lending institutions expand their customer base by customising products for thousands of women-led businesses in Vietnam," Hordern said.

Before receiving support from ADI, F88 was a partner of Lendable with an investment of $10 million of foreign funds for a convenience store chain. Lendable, after working with F88, introduced the partner to the ADI as a business that regularly organises activities for the community, including on promoting gender equality.

Lendable currently operates in 12 markets. It is pleased to be the bridge connecting the ADI and F88, helping its partner create financial products for women as well as strategic gender initiatives in the company, said Lienda Kavindele, head of Impact and ESG at Lendable.

"F88's initiatives in supporting low-income self-employed women are vital and reflect a vision of inclusive economic development," Kavindele explained. "We appreciate that F88 not only focuses on the external but also implements internal gender equality programmes, demonstrating its commitment to positive change both in business and the workplace."

Photo courtesy of F88

According to statistics from the Ministry of Finance for 2023, women make up 47 per cent of the Vietnamese workforce. However, the female workforce is largely at an unprofessional level; jobs such as housekeeping performed by female workers account for 94.7 per cent of the total number of hired workers.

During the pandemic period, the unemployment rate of female workers was higher than that of male workers. As a result, the difficulties women face in being financially independent has been the motivation for F88 to launch loan products specifically for them.

Phung Anh Tuan, general director of F88, said that in the past five years, since receiving investment from foreign funds, the company has been able to increasingly focus on gender equality.

"Currently, the proportion of female employees in the company is 53 per cent, of which 2030-year-olds account for nearly 70 per cent," Tuan said. "Those holding management positions account for 45 per cent, and those holding executive management positions account for approximately 20 per cent."

The proportion of female customers is currently 30 per cent, and female customer growth in 2022 compared to 2021 reached 234 per cent.

"Becoming a partner of Lendable and ADI in gender equality initiatives is a great achievement for us, and it demonstrates that our efforts have been highly appreciated by the community," Tuan added.

F88 receives $50 million credit via Lending Ark Asia Financial services chain F88 has raised new credit valued at $50 million through Lending Ark Asia.

F88 to pilot new loan product for female entrepreneurs F88 Business JSC will pilot a new loan product for female entrepreneurs in early 2024 in a bid to advance gender equality.
The tourism sector has seen robust growth from the European market. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi  Foreign arrivals have been on track for a full recovery since Vietnam opened its border two years ago on the back of a favourable visa policy, Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh said at the National Assemblys Q&A session on March 18.

The tourism sector has seen robust growth from the European market, he said, elaborating markets with sound recovery in 2023 included Spain (91 per cent), Germany (88 per cent), the UK (80 per cent), and France (75 per cent).

According to Khanh, in the first two months of this year, the number of tourist arrivals from the UK surged 32.6 per cent, France 34.6 per cent, Germany 37.1 per cent, Spain 48.5 per cent, and Italy 82.3 per cent year-on-year. Under the unilateral visa exemption that took effect on August 15, 2023, all tourists from these markets have had their visa-free stay in Vietnam extended to 45 from 15 days.

Vietnam now waives visas for travelers from 25 countries, with 13 enjoying unilaterally exemption. Most recently, the Prime Minister directed competent authorities to study and recommend favourable policies on immigration, expansion of unilateral visa exemptions, and pilot grant of visa at border gates, he said.

Voter Le Cong Nang, CEO at WonderTour, proposed the Government expand unilateral visa exemption for citizens from countries with a higher level of economic development, especially western countries, as well as offer short-term free visa for markets with large source of tourists like China and India.

He described the expansion of visa waiver as an invitation for foreigners, helping lure more international tourists to Vietnam, adding travel firms have benefited a lot from the policy rolled out new offerings to visitors.

The sector is expecting a full recovery this year and reach the levels in 2019  the time before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, aiming to welcome 18 million international visitors, 110 domestic travelers, and gain 840 trillion VND (33.96 billion USD) in tourism revenue.

New visa policy helping facilitate tourism development: Authority The new visa policy is presenting an opportunity for Vietnam's tourism industry to enhance its competitiveness, said the Ministry of Public Securitys Vietnam Immigration Department during a press conference in Hanoi on August 30.

New e-visa policy to help lure more foreign visitors: Official The e-visa policy, which took effect from August 15, is expected to help Vietnam attract a hike in the number of international visitors right in the autumn-winter tourist season of 2023, said Do Van Hao, Deputy Chief of Police at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnams new visa policy creating growth engine in tourism About two-thirds of the 4,000 tourists from over 60 countries and territories on the Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship joined a short excursion to explore Vietnam after it docked at Phu My port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province last week.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh chairing the VBF 2024. Photo: VGP

Speaking at the opening of the event, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said that 2023 had been a year of many challenges, with the global context changing rapidly and unpredictably. Despite this, Vietnam's economy still achieved encouraging results in many industries and fields, continuing to be an economic bright spot in the region and the world, and recognised by the international community.

"The achievements of Vietnam's economy in recent years have been contributed to by foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs), which is an important growth component that be encouraged and facilitated for long-term development and healthy competition with other economic sectors," Dung emphasised.

An increasing number of new trends are developing around the world, and green growth is one of them that has become an indispensable factor of sustainable development.

Recognising the importance of green growth, the National Strategy on Green Growth for the 2021-2030 period, with vision 2050, has been approved. "In this process, the business community was identified as a central factor playing an important role. With strengths in capital, technology, management, networks, and markets, foreign-invested enterprises must play a pioneering role, leading and accompanying domestic enterprises in implementing the National Strategy on Green Growth," Dung emphasised.

The business community has taken action to contribute to the goal of green growth such as using clean energy and environmentally friendly materials, investing in modern production lines and technologies, using less resources and energy, and minimising emissions.

The theme "FDI enterprises pioneer in implementing green growth strategies" for VBF 2024 demonstrates the government's determination as well as the important role of the business community in implementing green growth, especially FIEs.

They are on track to realise the strategic goals of cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, greening economic sectors, and promoting the green transition process on the principles of inclusion, equality, and co-benefits, improving resilience and leaving no one behind.

Nitin Kapoor, co-chair of the VBF Alliance, emphasised that since the pandemic, businesses have been accelerating and Vietnam has been recognised as one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

"The theme of green growth is to ensure the health of the planet, the wellbeing of the community, and building more sustainable businesses," Kapoor said, adding that the world has become an incredibly competitive environment marked by trade, geographic division and geopolitical tensions.

It is necessary to build a legal system with strong, reliable and sustainable policies, good infrastructure, and a high-quality workforce, which are necessary for smooth operations and continued investment attraction in Vietnam.

"Our goal is simple, yet requires courage. We want to develop our business in a way that puts the world in a better place, paying attention to how we influence the planet and people. It's about equality and thinking about the future. Experts will at this forum will share their thoughts and how they see us moving forward, and which support is needed from the government and international organisations to promote green growth in Vietnam," Kapoor emphasised.

Representing the voice of the Vietnamese business community Pham Tan Cong, chairman of the Vietnam Confederation of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said that Vietnam's economic achievements take on new meaning in the context of the general difficulties the world faced in 2023.

"Another important mark for Vietnam in foreign affairs is that it has upgraded its relations with the United States, China, Japan and recently Australia, which are all major powers and important global markets. Vietnam continues to affirm itself as an attractive and safe destination for investors," Cong highlighted.

The year 2024 has been identified by the government as a year of acceleration and breakthroughs so it can successfully implement its five-year socioeconomic development plan for 2021-2025. The government identified the year's theme as "Disciplined responsibility; timely initiative; accelerated innovation; sustainable efficiency", and introduced six key operating directions and 12 crucial tasks that include promoting green growth.

At COP 26, PM Chinh made an important announcement about Vietnam's goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, which demonstrates strong political commitment by the government of Vietnam to promote economic transformation, contributing to solving major global challenges such as climate change and environmental protection.

Beverage leaders plead for excise tax postponement Key industry players are calling for the delay of increased taxes on alcohol and sugary drinks to support business recovery and ensure they do not undermine economic growth.

EuroCham highlights digitisation in trade and economic development At the high-level session of the VBF 2023, the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) provided numerous recommendations to increase the attractiveness of Vietnam to international investors and to the development of a green economy through digitisation.

EuroCham proposes IP infringement prosecutions The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) has proposed strong enforcement measures to fight against serious copyright infringement. The threat to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) has caused significant damage to creators, as well as negatively impacted sales from legitimate consumers.
The Ministry of Planning and Investments Foreign Investment Agency has revealed that processing and manufacturing led among 16 sectors in the first two months of the year, with a total investment of $2.54 billion, capturing 59.1 per cent of all foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country, 16.8 per cent higher than the same period last year.

High-tech mindset favoured for advances in processing, illustration photo

In January, FDI disbursement was $1.48 billion, up 9.6 per cent on year. Of this, disbursement of processing and manufacturing was $1.15 billion, making up 77.7 per cent, which is a positive movement reflecting investor confidence in the future, and their desire to do long-term business in the country.

Specifically, a series of foreign-invested projects were licensed in the first two months of the year in the southern provinces. They are not large in scale, but use new, environmentally friendly technologies, and less labour-intensive processing and manufacturing.

The largest projects are a $278 million venture from BOE Audio-Visual Electronic Technology from China in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau; and SLP Park Loc An Binh Son in Long Thanh district by Sea Fund I Investment 14 from Singapore, with registered capital of $121.4 million.

In addition to new licensing projects, capital increase projects also have investment levels of up to hundreds of millions of US dollars. Among them, the coffee factory project from Nestle Vietnam in Long Binh Industrial Park (IP) has increased capital by $100 million, bringing the total thus far to just over $500 million.

A project with a fairly large capital increase is the tyre factory of Kenda Rubber Company (Vietnam) in Giang Dien IP, increasing by $80 million and bringing the total to almost $300 million.

Hyosung Group from South Korea is investing in a processing and manufacturing project in which renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel are produced through hydrogen catalytic treatment of oils and fats. The project has a total estimated investment of nearly $400 million in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. In just a short time, Hyosung has invested in three large-scale projects in the province, with a total expected funding of $1.66 billion.

In the first week of March, two big events related to the semiconductor chip industry in Ho Chi Minh City took place. The Saigon Hi-Tech Park signed a cooperation agreement with Siemens EDA to train human resources in the semiconductor chip industry, while BE Semiconductor Industries N.V Company of the Netherlands completed preparations to put chip packaging machinery into operation in the same high-tech park.

In northern provinces, numerous high-quality industrial projects in key fields have been registered and set up, such as the $45-million Goodway Vietnam factory construction project from a Taiwanese investor in Lien Ha Thai IP in the northern province of Thai Binh, producing connection devices and computer peripherals.

At the end of February, the Quang Ninh Economic Zone Management Board delivered investment certificates to two foreign-led projects worth over $330 million. They are the $275-million Gokin Solar Hai Ha Vietnam initiative involving photovoltaic monocrystalline silicon panels and more at Texhong Hai Ha IP; and the $57-million bearings and equipment manufacturing scheme at Song Khoai IP in Quang Yen town, funded by IKO Thompson Vietnam.

Gabor Fluit, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, said at last weeks Binh Phuoc investment promotion forum that businesses in high-tech agriculture, construction, tourism, banking and finance, and renewable energy were truly interested in investing in Vietnam.

European businesses are pouring capital into high-tech processing and manufacturing industries that Vietnam is looking to draw in investment in, Fluit said.

Last year, the processing and manufacturing industry lured over $23.5 billion of FDI, accounting for 64.2 per cent of total registered FDI in Vietnam and an increase of 39.3 per cent compared to 2022. This raised processing and manufacturing to become the largest foreign-invested industry out of 18 economic sectors.

When it comes to the number of new projects, the manufacturing and processing industry is also the leading industry in the number of projects, and capital adjustments, accounting for 33.7 per cent and 54.8 per cent, respectively.

As of the end of February, there are more than 17,000 foreign-invested projects in this industry, with a total investment of about $285.4 billion, many-fold higher than other industries.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade recognises that the processing and manufacturing industry is the foundation and driving force for the growth of the entire industry and the economy, and the top industry in attracting FDI because Vietnam has the advantage of large and quality labour, a stable macroeconomic policy, and an open and safe market.

The processing and manufacturing industry is the spotlight of industrial production, the main determinant of the growth rate of the entire industry, creating the greatest added value for the industrial sector and the main driving force in the countrys economic growth over the past years, contributing to successfully implementing socioeconomic development, said Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien.

The Vietnam Business Forum (VBF) returns on March 19 in Hanoi under the theme Navigating sustainability and innovation: Vietnams readiness for ESG and enabling high-tech and digitalisation. With the three main sessions focusing on business climate; environmental, social, and governance criteria; and high-tech and digitalisation, the forum is expected to provide insightful information and a valuable networking opportunity for the participants. The event will be jointly organised by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the World Bank Group, the International Finance Corporation, and the VBF Consortium. The VBF is an ongoing policy dialogue between the Vietnamese government and the business community aiming at a favourable business environment and sustainable economic development in Vietnam.

Joseph Perucca, general director GIVI Vietnam The past year has seen us reinvest our profits almost entirely to implement our production lines, improve the training of our human resources, and strengthen and innovate machinery and work processes. In addition, depending on the changing conditions of the global market, we decided to take a decisive step forward and incorporate within our structure an additional brand. HEVIK is a brand specialising in technical clothing for motorcyclists, offering a high level of production and quality at a competitive cost, with the aim of expanding our strength in 95 different markets where our current product lines are sold. Our expectations of the government remain substantially the same as always, hoping that complex bureaucratic activities can become more fluid in a vision that tends to support and not hinder foreign companies. As a company that operates globally, we need facilitated procedures, especially for customs, which is at the core of activities for a manufacturing company. These processes are still too complex and do not facilitate the operations of companies like ours. The import or export of products is the culmination towards which all the efforts and production results of a company are directed. Those results allow us to act with great civic sense and responsibility to reinvest and produce wealth in the country that hosts us. Sami Kteily, executive chairman Pebsteel In 2023, the construction industry in Vietnam faced numerous challenges. Despite this, Pebsteel overcame them, largely due to our export markets. Although revenues from Vietnam decreased, the companys overseas operations retained strong growth. Today, the workforce market remains the same, especially at the entry level. However, there are some shortages of skilled labour that Pebsteel addresses with parallel solutions. What is more, we have outlined several strategies to maintain success, including investing in automation to increase efficiency, adopting sustainable practices to reduce the environmental impact, developing high-value steel products that meet market demands, optimising our supply chain to minimise disruptions, and attracting and retaining skilled workers through training programmes and competitive compensation. By aligning these strategies with industry trends and proactively addressing challenges, Pebsteel aims to continue thriving in the dynamic manufacturing landscape of 2024. I believe our business will be the same as last year, with a greater focus and push as we expand into new markets we have not reached before, while also finding new projects in the domestic market. We are very positive about the years results and its remarkable growth. Cho Yong Hwan, deputy general director Everpia JSC 2023 was a year full of challenges for Vietnams economy, especially for manufacturing enterprises like Everpia. However, challenges always come with opportunities, and Everpia overcame 2023 with valuable lessons. Factory optimisation and digital transformation were strongly implemented. Factory operation costs decreased significantly while productivity notably increased. We also intensively review inventory, audit, and control inventory risks, which paves the way for the expansion of diverse and high-value new products. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the company's business results showed positive signs. Brand repositioning: targeting the millennial consumer group, and Everpia conducted in-depth surveys with over 5,000 customers nationwide to develop the brand and products, including restructuring the product portfolio for bedding and enhancing the brand's image through improved communication. Enhancing the effectiveness of the distribution channels, we are installing the Palexy AI camera system in all showrooms to map customer journeys, identify key adjustment points, and enhance the shopping experience. Consequently, changes were made in the display and training materials for sales staff in both showrooms and agents. We also are conducting market research and in-depth evaluations of each agent and showroom operation to develop customised distribution channels for each region. In 2024, Everpia is aiming for several operational goals, including digital transformation to increase sales, optimise profit, and continue pursuing ESG sustainable development goals, as well as strengthening the prevention of counterfeit products to protect the benefit of consumers and agents.

Agri-businesses using deep processing to boost exports Deep processing is making a difference for many industries in Vietnam, both for the domestic market and exports.

Feed firms display sourcing initiative A new strategy to develop the animal feed processing industry towards 2030 is expected to enhance food quality and safety, lower product prices, and reduce the countrys proportion of imported animal feed.
The share acquisition is made by subscription of new shares through third-party allocation and purchase from existing shareholders. The investment ratio is AWING Founders at 57.7 per cent, NTT e-Asia at 32.5 per cent, and other individual shareholders at 9.8 per cent. NTT e-Asia will become the largest shareholder of AWING.

AWING is a tech startup established in 2017, expanding its business base in Vietnam by developing a platform which delivers digital advertising to end-users when connecting to Wi-Fi. Their business model is a revenue-sharing model with Wi-Fi access point owners.

The company says it is the only one in ASEAN to succeeded with the business model at present. AWING delivers interactive ads through a highly scalable platform, and plans to enter the digital advertising market beyond ASEAN nations.

NTT e-Asia will invest in AWING as a strategic business partner and utilise its relationship with various telecommunications carriers and telecom equipment manufacturers. With this investment as a foothold, NTT e-Asia will participate in AWINGs business to expand their business in ASEAN countries.

Furthermore, NTT e-Asia will promote collaboration, creation, and expansion of various businesses through partnership with local companies including startups in telecommunications, digital technology, and various primary industries.

The Japanese company set up offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, and Jakarta in July 2023, and has been accelerating the discovery, formation, and launch of various businesses to contribute to creating value in ASEAN markets.

In October last year, NTT e-Asia also purchased the shares of OCG Technology JSC to make it a consolidated subsidiary, from 49 per cent to 99.5 per cent, in order to make it an expansion base for the NTT East Group's software development system.

NNT East Group, its parent company, specialises in providing telecommunications and IT services in Japan.

Japanese technology giant NTT looking to expand data centres in Vietnam NTT Ltd.s Global Data Centers division is considering further expansion in southern Vietnam, Bangkok (Thailand), and Osaka Metropolitan area (Japan) in response to the strong demand of its clients.

MUFG and NIC jointly propel Vietnams startup ecosystem A new partnership will support the development of Vietnamese startups in international markets while introducing global and Japanese tech firms to Vietnams opportunities.
At the roundtable between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and captains of industry in Germany (Photo: Bernama)

Kuala Lumpur  Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has revealed that the country has lured potential investments worth 45.4 billion RM (9.94 billion USD) from Germany during his official visit to Germany from March 10-15.

The potential investments are from various industries such as semiconductors, aerospace, medical devices, chemicals, and services.

Within the framework of his trip, PM Anwar, who is also Minister of Finance, held a roundtable meeting with more than 38 industry and business leaders from German cities such as Stuttgart, Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt, as well as from Belgium and France.

He also had bilateral meetings with leading officials of X-Fab, Melexis, Infineon Technologies AG, Schott AG and Airbus.

Germany has been Malaysias largest trading partner among European Union member countries since 2000, while Malaysia is the largest trading partner of Germany among ASEAN member states.

In 2023, Malaysias total trade with Germany increased by 5.9 per cent to 63.45 billion RM (13.9 billion USD) compared to 59.87 billion RM in 2022.

Malaysian ringgit undervalued, hoped to trade higher An official of Malaysias central bank expected the country's ringgit to trade higher on the back on positive economic prospects.
Manufacturers need to be able to adapt and respond to the diverse needs of data pools and wholesale distributors. This requires the development of capabilities for live data exchanges. It is essential to ensure that product content is standardised and dynamically updated.

Le Khanh Lam, Partner, RSM Vietnam

By embracing agility, manufacturers can facilitate a seamless and efficient flow of information across a variety of platforms and partners, allowing them to focus on the competition and achieve their goals with greater ease.

The future ahead of the manufacturing industry is driven by a resolute commitment to efficiency, resilience, and responsible practices. As manufacturers navigate this dynamic landscape, integrating advanced technologies and a dedication to sustainability will play vital roles in shaping the manufacturing industrys future. By embracing these trends and addressing challenges head-on, the manufacturing sector is poised for a new era of growth and innovation.

Manufacturers will try to prioritise post-production efficiency by 2024 through product content syndication tools. These tools will help streamline the management and distribution of product data, resulting in a seamless export of customised product content. They will also help cut costs and eliminate the need for extensive IT support, enhancing the overall manufacturing process.

Shortly, manufacturers will be engaging more directly with end-users through e-commerce and omnichannel strategies than ever before. This evolution will encompass both traditional business-to-business and direct-to-consumer approaches. This will not only diversify revenue streams but will also strengthen brand presence.

By adopting this strategy, manufacturers can gain valuable customer insights, improve the customer experience, and respond dynamically to market trends.

There are some trends to watch out for, and the first is reevaluating the supply chain. Manufacturers need to go beyond being aware of their suppliers and customers actions. They should extend their visibility to their suppliers suppliers and their customers customers.

To improve, manufacturers should invest in digital supply chain capabilities to gain better insights into each stakeholders functions. By doing so, each participant can make better decisions about material sourcing and customer demand.

Manufacturers can offer their products as a service, either on a fixed or usage-based price model. A subscription-based model is the definitive way to guarantee uninterrupted access to their services. Unlike traditional car leases, the automaker is responsible for registration, taxes, driver insurance, roadside assistance, and maintenance under this arrangement.

With the flexible service agreement, customers can easily switch to a new car model whenever they like. Cloud computing is also a popular product and service, where software developers deliver applications, databases, and infrastructure over the internet through a subscription.

Next, the manufacturing industry is becoming more efficient and effective thanks to the implementation of advanced technologies like digital twins, AI, machine learning, etc. These technologies allow for remote monitoring, servicing, and equipment operation without needing physical presence on-site.

Remote operation has gained significant traction in the manufacturing industry owing to the remarkable progress in communication and computing capabilities. This has enabled operators to control machines with the same precision and responsiveness as they were in the same room.

The development of so-called dark factories, entirely automated, is a direct result of such technology. The use of AR and VR in manufacturing is becoming more common. This trend aligns with recent manufacturing trends prioritising access, flexibility, and safety.

To build efficient operations, it is crucial to implement holistic solutions supported by a robust data and analytics foundation. Additionally, designing a lean digital core that operates on integrated, cloud-based applications can significantly improve overall efficiency. It is equally important to advocate for responsible AI frameworks to drive explainable and ethical AI use, which can contribute to high-trust, bias-free governance.

Lastly, working with industry-specific implementation partners can help with infrastructure evaluation, reporting, and end-to-end process visualisation and encourage the adoption of gen AI to identify new ways of working.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the focus on sustainability in manufacturing. This has been driven by a greater awareness of climate change, resource depletion, and the need for social responsibility. It is not just a fleeting trend, but a necessary response to the global challenges we face. Many companies and industries are now incorporating sustainable practices into their core operations with the aim of reducing their environmental impact and making positive contributions to society.

Manufacturers need to work together across the value chain to identify areas of their everyday operations where environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies can make a meaningful impact. Establishing frameworks that provide visibility into company activities, evaluate results, quantify carbon footprint, and implement ownership-based change management to support ESG initiatives and monitor progress is essential.

To create a value-driven ESG strategy, three key steps are crucial: defining the purpose and success metrics to encourage stakeholder buy-in; identifying and reducing carbon hotspots by integrating carbon data into processes; and improving fair operations by expanding decision criteria and considering the people and communities affected in the value chain.

Manufacturing production rises for first time in five months Manufacturers in Vietnam recorded a return to growth at the start of 2024 as tentative signs of improving demand fed through to renewed increases in new orders and output.

ASEAN manufacturing sector sees slight improvement There are some new and slight improvement across the ASEAN manufacturing sector in January, according to S&P Global Ratings, with the headline ASEAN manufacturing PMI rising from 49.7 in December to 50.3. Manufacturers continued to be optimistic about the 12-month output outlook. Growth was recorded across four of the seven ASEAN members.

Ho Chi Minh City: a rising hub for high-tech manufacturing Vietnam is currently one of the most attractive destinations for investors in the semiconductor sector due to advantages such as a large reserve of silica and rare earth metals (used for chip manufacturing), low labour costs, favourable geographical location, and government incentives.
A view of the 200-hectare PTSC port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. (Source: VNA)

Hanoi  The Petrovietnam Technical Services Corporation (PTSC), a subsidiary company of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam), is deeply engaging in domestic and international offshore wind power projects thanks to its rich experience, strong resources and highly qualified personnel.

According to PTSC General Director Le Manh Cuong, the firm is capable of providing transformer station and base manufacturing services for offshore wind power projects, and its capacity can meet international partners demand.

Recently, PTSC has been chosen by international offshore wind power developers to participate in their supply chains.

In May 2023, PTSC won the bid and signed a contract with Orsted Group to manufacture and supply 33 wind power bases for CHW2204 offshore wind farm project in Taiwan (China) which has a total capacity of 920 MW. PTSC has also signed and implemented contracts to design and manufacture nine offshore substations (OSS) for offshore wind power projects in Taiwan (China) and Europe (Baltic Sea region).

These projects have a total contract value of about 1.5 billion USD. All the supplies are manufactured in Vietnam.

In 2023, PTSC was also chosen by the Singaporean Government to partner with Sembcorp in developing a 2.3GW offshore wind power project to export electricity to Singapore through a submarine cable system.

With an over 3,000km coastline, Vietnam has the highest wind power resources in Southeast Asia, and ranks fifth in Asia and 13th in the world in the field. The World Bank estimates that Vietnams offshore wind power potential is about 600GW. Wind power development is also a focus of the National Power Plan VIII.

Cuong held that the Government should issue policies and mechanisms to encourage and attract investment in offshore wind power development to optimise the countrys strength, with priorities given to domestic firms and State-owned enterprises.

In late August 2023, PTSC became the first and only in Vietnam to be licenced by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to fully deploy monitoring, investigation, survey and assessment activities of marine resources.

In October 2023, PTSC's partner Sembcorp was also granted a conditional electricity import licence from the Singapore Energy Market Management Authority (EMA).

Cuong revealed that in 2024, PTSC will conduct offshore surveys.

Offshore developers frustrated at lack of pilot policy There is still currently no legal avenue for foreign or domestic investors to take on offshore wind power pilots in Vietnam.

Answers sought for offshore wind gains Vietnamese authorities are being urged to contemplate strategies to advance offshore wind energy development.
Le Xuan Nghia, an economist, suggests that focusing on developing affordable housing projects instead of social housing or worker housing under stringent conditions would help stimulate real estate capital flow.

Low-priced housing projects are necessary

"If the attention remains solely on social housing as it is now, it will lead to stagnation because those who can afford houses cannot buy them, while those eligible to buy lack the ability to pay," Nghia said. "The disbursement of the $5 billion package is very slow, plus, the social housing loan package under government Decree No.100/2015/ND-CP is almost a failure."

Having the same outlook on the $5 billion credit package, Phung Thi Binh, deputy general director of Agribank, believes that that package should be applied to those with moderate incomes.

"Agribank has provided loans to developers for the implementation of six affordable apartment projects in Binh Duong, and these projects have shown significant output," said Binh.

The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) only restricts real estate credit for speculative segments, or projects that inflate prices, making the products difficult to consume, and making it difficult to circulate capital and recover debts.

However, for projects suitable for the average budget, the central bank still encourages them, according to Dao Minh Tu, Deputy Governor of the SBV.

Tu also said that such projects in the market were not numerous, mostly covering two segments: high-end apartments and social housing.

Tight control over real estate credit to mitigate risks The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV)s decision to tighten control over real estate credit has helped to restrict speculation while making the market transparent and preventing a real state bubble, economic experts have said.

Central bank not tighten real estate credit: Deputy Governor The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has never issued any documents or statements ordering credit for real estate be tightened, Deputy Governor Dao Minh Tu said on February 8.
CS Wind opened its first factory in Phu My 1 Industrial Park in 2003, but due to the growing global demand for wind towers, the company has built a new factory next door to produce offshore wind towers for international customers.

Covering 24 hectares, the new factory has a capacity of 120 wind towers per week, including large offshore wind towers with a diameter of 10m and a weight of 450 tonnes. The first factory produces offshore wind towers with a maximum diameter of 7-7.5m.

The new factory consumes about 28,000 tonnes of steel per month, and is the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, according to CS Wind. The move is also part of CS Wind's plans to meet the rising demands of the global wind power market, predicted to grow four to five times by 2025.

Last August, the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation (K-SURE) announced that it would provide financial support of $110 million for the construction of the wind tower factory in Vietnam.

In accordance with a supply contract signed with Spanish wind power company SGRE, a total of $3 billion worth of offshore wind towers will be supplied by 2030.

CS Wind Vietnam is the first wind tower production base for CS Wind, which counts customers including world-leading wind turbine makers like Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, GE, and Goldwind. It has become a core factory for CS Wind to reach the Asian, South Pacific, and US markets, and has also led the establishment of factories in China and Canada.

During its 20 years of operations, CS Wind Vietnam has been constantly investing in productivity improvement to become the leader in the offshore wind power era. The company is now home to over 800 staff.

China's Electric Wind Power to provide turbines for Quang Tri plant Electric Wind Power, a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric and China's largest onshore wind power equipment manufacturer, announced on February 23 that it has signed a deal to provide its advanced wind turbines to a wind farm in the central province of Quang Tri.

Australias Corio signs an MoU with EVNGENCO3 for offshore wind Australias Corio Generation, the offshore wind energy branch of Macquarie's Green Investment Group, has signed an MoU with EVNGENCO3, a subsidiary of Vietnam Electricity (EVN), for offshore windfarm development in Vietnam.
MADRID, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and three others seriously injured when a lorry rammed into several vehicles at a police stop on the AP-4 highway close to the southern Spanish city of Seville in the early hours of Tuesday.

The incident happened at around 4:30 a.m. local time (0330 GMT) when the lorry smashed into several vehicles after appearing to run out of control, the Spanish Civil Guard reported.

Among the dead were two civil guards and four civilians, whose cars were being checked.

The driver of the lorry was unhurt and later tested negative for both alcohol and drugs.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. An early hypothesis holds that the driver was either distracted or asleep at the wheel and did not see the police stop until the last moment.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez posted a message on social media, expressing solidarity to the families of those who died in the accident. 
Accordingly, Synopsys will share training curriculum and licences to use its IC design software and tools with VNU-HCM students. The company also offers internships and jobs for IC design engineers trained at VNU-HCM at domestic and foreign businesses.

In addition, the US company supports VNU-HCM in training young lecturers in IC design through the short-term "Train the Trainer" programme. Lecturers from VNU-HCM will work at Synopsys for four months to foster practical knowledge.

Under the MoU, the two sides coordinate to develop the VNU-HCM Semiconductor Research Institute, to provide equipment for training and research for universities and startups.

According to Vu Hai Quan, director of VNU-HCM, Vietnam needs to resolve many challenges to develop high-quality human resources for the semiconductor industry.

To overcome these challenges, VNU-HCM and Synopsys will jointly take specific solutions to developing internationally qualified human resources in IC design.

Synopsys statistics indicate that over 53 per cent of engineers employed by IC design companies are graduates of VNU-HCMs member universities.

Approximately 6,000 students majoring in semiconductor technology are being trained at VNU-HCM.

The tie-up with Synopsys is expected to facilitate VNU-HCM's training of about 1,800 engineers and 500 master's degree students in IC design by 2030. This will help the university realise its goal of being Asia's top hub for training, research, entrepreneurship, and innovation in the semiconductor field.

In 2024, VNU-HCM will open and recruit students to train in IC design and semiconductor technology at three schools, namely the Ho Chi Minnh City University of Technology, the Ho Chi Minh City University of Science, and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Information Technology.

Synopsys is set to shift its investment and engineer training to Vietnam as multinationals continue to leave China. The company, one of the biggest chip design software makers in the world, will train electrical engineers in Vietnam.

The company opened its first office in the country in 2016. Today, it has four offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Danang. Of the 500 employees there, approximately 400 are in research and development.

US chip giant Synopsys supports Vietnam in training new engineers The American chip software firm Synopsys Inc. and Saigon Hi-tech Park (SHTP) signed an MoU on August 26 for the group to support chip design training in Vietnam.

Synopsys to bolster semiconductor development in Vietnam US semiconductor-maker Synopsys has inked deals with Vietnamese partners to advance semiconductor development in Vietnam.

Central city calls for investment from Intel, Marvell and Synopsys The central city of Da Nang has called for cooperation and investment programmes from Intel, Marvell Technology Group and Synopsys in building the city into a global semiconductor manufacturing centre.
Designed with the concept of the 'Vietnamese lotus - Reaching the world', the Tran Duc booth has been likened to an artistic masterpiece that blends traditional culture with modern design trends. The image of the lotus flower symbolises both national pride and the story of Tran Duc throughout its over 20-year journey.

The lotus flower, with its three layers of petals, represents three signature images, symbolising the resilience in the face of challenges that Tran Duc has overcome over the years.

The budding lotus, represents the vitality and continuous growth of the current corporation. Lastly, the blooming lotus, expresses the goal of reaching out to the world and affirming the brand's position in the future.

Nguyen Chanh Phuong, vice chairman of Hawa said, "Tran Duc's booth is unique and grandiose, and surely an unmissable highlight at HawaExpo 2024."

The Tran Duc Corporation booth at HawaExpo 2024

The Tran Duc booth was constructed using sustainable materials produced by the corporation. The floor of the structure is made of CLT components - a new green material solution that is making its debut in Southeast Asia.

The booth was constructed in record time of 72 hours, and can accommodate over 300 people along with furniture. This solution offers advantages in saving construction time and reducing the weight of the structure compared to traditional concrete.

This new technology promises to make a significant advancement in the green architecture and construction industry in Vietnam.

In addition to allowing visitors to experience the CLT components first-hand, Tran Duc also introduces other solutions in the green architecture field, such as wood treatment solutions, glulam timber components, thermowood doors and exterior solutions.

At the event, Tran Duc also collaborated with leading experts to hold a workshop "Sustainable material solutions towards net-zero in architecture and construction," providing architects, construction units, and investors with more specific information about net-zero and green materials to make informed decisions for future projects.

Tran Duc Corporation booth at HawaExpo 2024

At the opening press conference of the programme, Nguyen Quoc Khanh, chairman of Hawa said, "Compromising with the title of a workshop, international processing is a mindset that needs to be abandoned. Therefore, taking advantage of the current time when Vietnam is attracting global attention and a series of new factories are being inaugurated this year, we want to showcase the true capacity of the industry through this year's HawaExpo."

"Not only is it an opportunity to provide customers with information about the latest and most advanced green materials, but Tran Duc at HawaExpo 2024 also aims to introduce to the world its capability to provide superior solutions and production that can meet all the needs of Vietnamese and international businesses."

HawaExpo 2024 attracts more than 500 exhibitors HawaExpo 2024, the largest nationally endorsed export furniture fair in Vietnam, will gather more than 500 Vietnamese brands from March 6 to 9 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) and White Palace Pham Van Dong in Ho Chi Minh City.

Greening the furniture industry: What needs to be done? With a series of new regulations relating to the manufacture and export of wooden furniture products, what do furniture businesses need to prepare to meet the stringent market requirements?
The $2.9 million project will work to reduce threats to coastal biodiversity and fisheries and strengthen coastal resilience in the Mekong Delta in partnership with the Vietnamese government, including provincial authorities, businesses, management boards of marine protected areas, development partners, and fishing communities.

This project launch advances our shared priority with Vietnam to build coastal resilience in the vital yet increasingly vulnerable Mekong Delta region, and supports the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, said Aler Grubbs, USAID/Vietnam Mission director.

The Mekong Delta and its islands are home to 70 per cent of Vietnams mangroves and 90 per cent of its seagrass beds. Fed by sediment and nutrients from the Mekong River, these habitats support Vietnams richest fishing grounds and provide crucial protection for coastal communities from storm surges. However, these habitats and the commercially important species they support, such as sea bass and snapper, are facing a range of threats that impact long-standing livelihoods and lifestyles.

Through this new project, USAID will support Vietnams restoration of coastal biodiversity and the sustainable management of marine resources to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities and enhance coastal resilience.

The launch advances the US commitment to expand engagement in the Mekong Delta and across Vietnam, in line with the two countries shared priorities under t he Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

USAID and MPI support pioneering enterprises and promote sustainability Today, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness project (IPSC), co-hosted a business forum themed Pioneering Entrepreneurial Spirit, Fostering a Sustainable Vietnam.

US and Vietnam launch $3.25 million initiative to facilitate digital trade On October 13, the United States Mission to Vietnam and the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), launched a $3.25 million drive to facilitate digital trade.
Marko Walde, chief representative AHK Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos

In the tapestry of global investment, Vietnam has emerged as a shimmering thread, drawing the attention of German manufacturing giants seeking to weave their success story in its vibrant landscape. For years, Vietnam has been a magnet for German investors, offering a blend of opportunity, innovation, and growth potential that captivates the entrepreneurial spirit.

At the heart of this symbiotic relationship lies Vietnams textile and shoe industry, a traditional stronghold that has long enticed German investors. Names like Wendler, Groz-Beckert, and Amann have woven their presence into the fabric of Vietnamese manufacturing, supplying quality components to fuel the nations booming textile sector.

Yet, beyond mere suppliers, Germanys influence extends to original equipment manufacturers like Seidensticker and Paddocks, utilising Vietnams dynamic landscape as a pivotal node in their global manufacturing network.

However, the winds of change blow strong, ushering in a new era of industrial manufacturing. Chemical producers like Messer Gases stand as vanguards, supplying crucial components to local producers, especially in steel processing. Meanwhile, automotive and electronics titans pivot towards Vietnam, strategically positioning themselves within its borders to harness the power of its skilled workforce and burgeoning infrastructure.

At the forefront of this industrial evolution stands Bosch, with a monumental investment surpassing $350 million, emblematic of Germanys unwavering commitment to Vietnams economic ascent. Not far behind, pharmaceutical giant STADA and chemical powerhouse Messer join the ranks, with investments totalling $250 million and $228 million respectively, underscoring the depth of German confidence in Vietnams potential.

However, contrary to popular belief, the cornerstone of German business in Vietnam isnt colossal investments but rather a mosaic of smaller ventures, each contributing its brushstroke to the canvas of progress. With modest footprints ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 square metres, these investors favour the agility and efficiency of ready-built factories, propelling them swiftly into the fray of market competition.

Yet, amid the hustle and bustle of commerce, German companies remain steadfast in their commitment to embed themselves deeply within the Vietnamese market. Through strategic partnerships and alliances, they seek to leverage local expertise, fostering symbiotic relationships that benefit both parties. This dedication to integration fortifies their position in the market and fosters a spirit of collaboration and mutual growth.

Gone are the days when German business in Vietnam was confined to the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City. Today, the landscape is a tapestry of diversity, with investments spreading across the length and breadth of the nation. While Ho Chi Minh City remains a formidable hub, accounting for over half of German manufacturing, the allure of greener pastures beckons.

Central Vietnam, with its abundance of affordable land, emerges as an attractive destination, offering a blend of cost-effectiveness and accessibility. Meanwhile, Northern Vietnam stands as a strategic intermediary, bridging the gap between Ho Chi Minh City and central regions, balancing costs with gains in labour, land, and infrastructure.

Amid the symphony of success, German companies in Vietnam face a chorus of challenges. Low global demand casts a shadow of uncertainty, while skills shortages threaten to stifle growth and innovation. Potential disruptions in the supply chain loom large, casting doubt on the stability of operations.

Moreover, economic policies, with their ever-shifting landscape, pose a significant hurdle, with one-quarter of German investors citing them as a primary concern. Rising energy prices and financing challenges further compound the complexities of doing business in Vietnam, testing the resilience and adaptability of German enterprises.

To improve investment in Vietnam and enhance its attractiveness to foreign investors, the government should continue its efforts to streamline administrative procedures, to invest in infrastructure development, particularly in transportation and logistics.

Moreover, enhancing the competitiveness of local businesses, developing robust industry clusters, imparting specialised workforce training, adhering to international standards, and ensuring a stable electricity supply for sustainability are pivotal steps to enhance Vietnams investment appeal.

As Germany and Vietnam march towards a future brimming with promise, our partnership blossoms into a symphony of collaboration, each note resonating with the harmony of progress. Together, we forge new pathways, break down barriers, and embrace the winds of change, as we write the next chapter in the saga of the industrial renaissance.

In this grand tapestry of globalisation, Vietnam shines as a beacon of opportunity, drawing forth the ingenuity and vision of German investors. With more than 500 German companies, including over 100 manufacturers, offering 50,000 jobs for local Vietnamese, their commitment to Vietnams prosperity is unwavering, transcending challenges and heralding a future of shared success.

These German projects include large corporations but mainly small- and medium-sized enterprises, which have chosen Vietnam as an investment destination, thereby continuing to make a positive contribution to bilateral economic relations.

German investment reflecting rising confidence in Vietnam In the context of ongoing global economic uncertainties, German businesses still consider Vietnam as one of the developing markets with the most potential in Asia. Moreover, with Germanys investment diversification strategy, Vietnam is being evaluated as a promising and reliable investment destination for German businesses. Today, about 500 companies from Germany have invested roughly $2.9 billion in Vietnam - this being an adjusted overall value; not foreign direct investment.

German lubricant firm increases presence in Vietnam German-headquatered lubricant manufacturer Fuchs Group held an inauguration ceremony for its new plant in Ba Ria-Vung Tau on September 14, marking its deeper penetration into the Vietnamese market.

Vietnam eyes green jobs amidst energy transition: Insights from German experience Inspired by Germany's success, Vietnam is gearing up for a surge in green jobs on the push for carbon neutrality by 2050, eyeing over 75 per cent renewable energy usage by 2045.
The launch was hosted by Vietnam's National Innovation Center (NIC) in collaboration with Meta Corporation on March 18.

The Vietnam Innovation Challenge 2024 (VIC) highlights innovation to accelerate the semiconductor industry and AI in order to go global. The programme aims to create an intellectual playground, bringing together resources for collaboration, generating breakthrough ideas, leveraging the potential, and seizing the opportunities of the semiconductor and AI industries.

The initiative will assist businesses in achieving new successes, contributing to the sustainable development of the country. By seeking out and honouring solutions, the initiative will contribute to the overarching goal of raising awareness about the importance and value of the semiconductor and AI industries.

It will also recommend and connect Vietnamese enterprises with solutions that upgrade and improve business operations, enhance efficiency, and develop new products and services to increase the competitive advantage of Vietnamese businesses in the global market.

Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Duy Dong said, VIC 2024 aligns closely with the context of the semiconductor industry playing an increasingly vital role in global economic competition, the rapid development of AI, and the government of Vietnam's strategic focus on high-tech industries. The scheme not only demonstrates the vision and strong support from the ministry in promoting these two potential sectors but also contributes to realising the strategic goals set forth by the government."

Rafael Frankel, director of Public Policy for Southeast Asia at Meta added, We are proud to be a trusted partner for Vietnam. Last September, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, and other high-ranking officials visited our headquarters in Silicon Valley and experienced Metas latest technology and products. With the 2024 VIC, we are creating an intellectual playground to foster ideas, and leverage opportunities within the semiconductor and AI industries. This initiative will help foster Vietnam's dynamic tech sector to integrate into the global digital economy.

Through seeking solutions to optimise the quality of the design, packaging, and testing phases in the semiconductor industry, as well as and finding AI-powered solutions that enhance business development and productivity, VIC 2024 seeks to cultivate collaborative thinking, attract essential resources, and establish a multilateral cooperation platform to propel Vietnamese businesses forward.

The initiative also aims to enhance their value and strengthen their position within the global value chain. By identifying and recognising exceptional solutions, the programme will promote awareness of the significance of the semiconductor and AI industries. Additionally, it will connect Vietnamese businesses, offering innovative solutions for operational upgrades, performance enhancement, and new product/service development  ultimately bolstering their competitive edge in the global market.

The programme comprises three tracks: established corporations, innovative small- and medium-sized enterprises; and innovators with groundbreaking ideas, both within Vietnam and internationally.

VIC 2024 will last until October 2024 with the following timeline:

March-July: Information exchange sessions and advisory consultations for interested parties

August 15: Deadline for submission of applications

August: Preliminary selection round for application review

September-October: Evaluation rounds and direct interviews

October: VIC award ceremony

Individuals or entities with excellent solutions selected will have the opportunity to showcase their solutions and explore collaboration opportunities with corporations; receive investment commitments from ventures and leading domestic and international corporations; connect and join the NIC and Meta ecosystem; and receive support packages to enhance capabilities, facilitate trade, and other awards.

Since 2022, the programme has garnered significant attention and widespread outreach. In 2022-2023, it attracted over 750 applications for digital transformation solutions from various markets with vibrant innovative ecosystems such as the United States, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It also pulled in the participation of 50 accompanying experts as well as 40 domestic and international partners.

The initiative has also mentioned in a White House press release, demonstrating its importance and necessity in seeking innovative solutions as well as driving development for Vietnam's economy.

Innovation for future communities Official development assistance can act as the playing field for nations. Vietnam is no exception, having benefited from such assistance over the years in the building of many structures and systems up and down the country. Now, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, which launched the Creative Technology Solution programme several years ago with the idea of attracting entrepreneurs and startups to work on solving complex developmental challenges, offers new examples of innovators in the development cooperation space and how they meet evolving challenges for Vietnams future.

Positivity and cooperation can boost nations innovation Reflecting on his extensive journey in the automotive industry, Vo Quang Hue is set to release a book this year, recalling his experiences in various renowned corporations across countries.

Vietnam announces provincial innovation index for 2023 The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) held a meeting on March 12 to announce for the first time the Provincial Innovation Index 2023 (PII).

MUFG and NIC jointly propel Vietnams startup ecosystem A new partnership will support the development of Vietnamese startups in international markets while introducing global and Japanese tech firms to Vietnams opportunities.
The US' Milken Institute released the Global Opportunity Index (GOI) on March 5. The GOI remains a strong predictor of capital movements 10 years after its inception. The index alone explains 64.7 per cent of the variation in per capita foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and 51.7 per cent of per capita portfolio inflows to countries across the world. The 2024 GOI report provides a global overview of countries' attractiveness and capital inflows.

Accordingly, Vietnam placed 65th in this year's ranking globally. Meanwhile, among Asian emerging and developing (E&D) economies, Vietnam proved an investor favourite and ranked 5th in the region, trailing behind Malaysia, Thailand, China, and Indonesia.

Over the past few years, Vietnam has become popular among foreign investors. According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Vietnam lured as much as $36.61 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) capital in 2023, up 32.1 per cent on-year. Realised FDI rose 3.5 per cent from a year ago to hit $23.18 billion, a record level. In the first two months of 2024, FDI inflows into Vietnam totalled $4.29 billion, up 38.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.

While advanced economies provide stability, investors seeking high-growth returns continue to show interest in emerging and developing economies, said Maggie Switek, senior director at the Milken Institute and co-author of the report.

E&D Asia attracted more than half of the total capital flowing into E&D economies between 2018 and 2022. However, with growing tensions between the United States and China, capital inflows to E&D Asia dropped sharply by 75.4 per cent during 2022.

This year, Denmark claimed the top ranking, followed by Sweden and Finland. The US gained one spot on the index, moving up to fourth position.

To create the index, the Milken Institute evaluates investment opportunities through 100 variables organised into five categories and 14 sub-categories. The five major categories are: Business Perception, Financial Services, International Standards & Policy, Economic Fundamentals, and Institutional Frameworks.

Swire Coca-Cola posts strong performance in Vietnam Swire Coca-Cola, a wholly owned subsidiary of Swire Pacific, posted a strong performance in Vietnam in 2023 following the acquisition of the Vietnamese franchise.

Japan's NTT e-Asia invests in Vietnamese digital ads platform provider AWING Japan's NTT e-Asia Corporation signed an agreement with AWING Technologies and Media JSC on March 15 to operate an ad-monetisation platform connecting multiple Wi-Fi owners and advertisers in Vietnam, aiming at expanding business overseas.
PM Chinh made the remarks during a special high-level commemorative meeting marking 50 years of ASEAN-Australia relations.

During the event, top Vietnamese government officials met with leaders of SK Group, one of South Korea's largest diversified conglomerates, on March 8 to discuss new technology projects for green hydrogen production and CO2 storage.

According to SK's vice president of its LNG Upstream Unit, Ilyung Kim, cross-border projects with similar models are being implemented in markets such as South Korea, Australia, and Timor-Leste.

"These projects utilise natural gas sources to produce green hydrogen, with a key focus on using depleted gas fields as permanent CO2 storage sites during the production process," he said. "Projects operating in those markets could generate clean energy by capturing up to 98 per cent of emitted gases."

Enticed by the project, PM Chinh proposed that SK Group collaborate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and agencies to advance project preparations. He also referred to state-run Vietnam's oil and gas group as a suitable partner in terms of its expertise and experience.

Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Planning and Investment, also met with the Vietnam Innovation Network in Australia. He suggested that partners research and propose cooperative projects in green hydrogen that are suitable for Vietnam.

"Attention should be drawn to enhancing technological capabilities, developing human resources for green hydrogen, and facilitating investment and support for Vietnamese enterprises to participate in Australia's and regional hydrogen markets," said Dung.

Offshore wind power, hydrogen, and gas power awaiting policies The expeditious execution of gas power, offshore wind power, and hydrogen projects is contingent upon the competent authorities formulating policies pertaining to these domains.

Support policies needed to develop green hydrogen The Government should implement support policies to ensure the development and competitiveness of clean hydrogen sources in the country.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates, met with Nguyen Hong Dien, Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam more than a week ago in the Middle East nation on the progress of the completion of negotiations of the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which is expected to be clinched in mid-2024.

The CEPA is hoped to act as a key driver for both nations trade and investment ties, which are flourishing now.

The CEPA is expected to usher in new opportunities in bilateral investment and trade ties between Vietnam and the UAE as it is the first free trade deal to be inked by Vietnam with a nation in the Middle East region, laying firm groundwork for the Southeast Asian nation to boost trade and investment cooperation not only with the UAE but also with the whole Middle East and African regions, commented Vietnams Central Institute for Economic Management, adding that the UAE is now a crucial transiting market in the Middle East and Africa.

The UAE wants to intensify cooperation with Vietnam in all industries, and would like to announce that the UAE president is scheduled to pay an official visit to Vietnam in mid-2024 when the CEPA is expected to be signed, stated Minister Zeyoudi.

The content of the CEPA includes trade in goods, trade in services, investment facilitation, rules of origin, intellectual property, digital trade, trade remedies, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, government procurement, economic cooperation, and more besides.

According to Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade, the CEPA can bring about many opportunities for the two countries.

Vietnam is becoming a manufacturing hub for many types of important commodities in the region and the wider world. Meanwhile, the UAE has many strengths as a transshipment port and financial and logistics centre, said Minister Dien. Thus, the CEPA will help promote the combined strengths of the two economies and create a large propellant for growth in their trade and investment ties.

In late January, Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Minister Zeyoudi in Hanoi.

He suggested that the UAE promote investment funds to operate more in Vietnam, and that both nations study and negotiate the Vietnam-UAE Investment Protection Agreement to help ensure the rights and benefits of investors in their respective territories.

The UAE has also been asked to support Vietnam in building and operating the International Financial Centre in Ho Chi Minh City and the National Innovation Centre in Hanoi. In addition, the Vietnamese side has also asked the UAE to assist it in developing the Halal food industry and its energy industry.

Zeyoudi said that the UAE government committed to continue boosting cooperation with Vietnam in these industries, while also encouraging and facilitating UAE investors to come to Vietnam in a more significant number. At present, the UAE has 40 valid ventures in Vietnam, registered at only $71.7 million. Vietnam is now a big exporter of various types of goods, and the UAE wants to act as a sustainable supplier for Vietnam, Zeyoudi said. UAE businesses are interested in this agreement as it will provide a new impetus for both nations economic cooperation and trade relationship based on mutual benefits.

The UAE is currently the largest export market and the second-largest trade partner (after Kuwait) of Vietnam in West Asia. In the 2018-2022 period, total bilateral trade revenue averaged at about $5 billion a year, with Vietnam enjoying an annual trade surplus of as much as $3-4 billion.

In 2023, total two-way trade value sit at nearly $4.7 billion, up 5.9 per cent on-year, of which Vietnams exports reached over $4 billion  up 4.3 per cent, and imports touched $676 million  up 16 per cent.

Currently, Vietnams goods account for about 2.2 per cent of the UAEs total import value, and the UAEs goods hold around 0.2 per cent of Vietnams import value.

In past years, Vietnam and the UAE, which is among the worlds 10 largest oil producers, have been boosting cooperation in oil and gas. Vietnam has recommended that both countries sign a new MoU on energy cooperation and create new advantages for UAE partners to soon work with Vietnam in the oil and gas sector.

It is also suggested that both sides consider a possibility of constructing a centre for transporting and storing crude oil and petrochemical products in Vietnam, which will be provided for Asian markets.

It is also proposed that UAE oil and gas companies and PetroVietnam be facilitated to boost cooperation in investing in exploring and exploiting oil and gas in Vietnam, exchanging technical skills and expertise, and training high-quality human resources. In addition, both nations are also expected to increase cooperation in developing electricity transmission lines in Vietnam.

Vietnam, UAE to soon kick off negotiations of comprehensive economic partnership agreement Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Ministerial Declaration on starting negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between the two nations right after Vietnam completed its procedures. 

PM calls for early finalisation of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with UAE Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh received Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Hanoi on June 5, calling on the UAE to work closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade to soon finalise talks on the bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Investment and new labour tie-ups lead UAE negotiations An upcoming economic cooperation deal between Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates will help both economies to beef up investment flows and trade ties.
Wih Vietnams rapidly growing urban population, the lack of public transportation options, and increasing traffic congestion, the demand for private modes of transportation has gone up in recent years. Consumers increasing preference for private transportation arises mainly from convenience, and the growing number of tourists in Vietnam serve as major determinants for the growth of the ride-hailing market in Vietnam.

Additionally, the rise in travel and tourism and the emergence of a young and tech-savvy population have further fuelled the adoption of ride-hailing services. Platforms like Xanh SM, Grab, and Gojek are emerging as dominant players in the digital side of Vietnams ride-hailing market.

Passenger cars will continue to be the largest segment because they offer a comfortable and personalised mode of transportation, catering to the preferences of Vietnamese consumers. The growing urban population and increasing disposable incomes have led to a rise in demand for convenient transportation options, particularly among urban commuters and young professionals.

In 2023, Vietnams internet coverage reached nearly 80 per cent. Internet usage in Vietnam is predominantly mobile-based, with a high smartphone penetration rate. The increasing penetration of smartphones and mobile apps aids consumers in accessing ride-hailing services and booking passenger cars on-the-go.

Modor Intelligence reports that Ho Chi Minh City was the largest market for ride-hailing in Vietnam. Over the past decade, app-based driving services like ride-hailing and deliveries have become integral to business, employment, and daily life in Ho Chi Minh City. The city has the largest population in Vietnam, which offers a significant consumer base for ride-hailing companies.

The Vietnamese government is encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles, which is a pivotal measure to combat transport challenges. The government also aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, alleviate traffic congestion, and improve overall urban living conditions. These efforts mitigate the effects of climate change and create a conducive environment for expanding ride-hailing services in the city.

Overall, the Vietnamese ride-hailing market is moderately consolidated, with players like Grab Holdings Inc., Xanh SM (GSM JSC), Be Group JSC, Go-Viet, and FastGo in Vietnam. The greatest threat to Grab Holdings Inc. in the future may come from Xanh SM, Vietnam's first-ever pure electric taxi company.

Xanh SM has been aggressively expanding its market foothold due to its strong partnership growth. The company has partnered with several taxi firms across Vietnam, including Lado Taxi, Son Nam, Thanh Ha Transport, ASV Airport Taxi, En Vang, and Taxi Xanh Sapa.

Several players in the market are engaged in mergers, strategic partnerships, and new product and service launches to stay ahead of the competition. In July 2023, Grab Holdings declared its intention to acquire the entire shareholding of Trans-cab Holdings. This acquisition, encompassing Trans-cab's taxi and car rental operations, maintenance workshop, and fuel pump activities, was executed through Grab's subsidiary.

Vingroup's GSM to launch ride-hailing and electric motorcycle services Green and Smart Mobility Corporation (GSM) has announced plans to extend its electric taxi services to 27 cities and provinces in Vietnam, as part of the company's commitment to green mobility and sustainable transportation.

Grab proposes simplified administrative procedures for ridesharing Grab proposes Vietnam to remove administrative procedures that are hindering the sharing economy, as well as promote the development of electric vehicles.
On March 17, Vingroup's Board of Directors signed an agreement to sell all of its charter capital in SDI, the entity owning over 99 per cent of the charter capital of Sado Trading Commercial JSC, Vincom Retail's largest shareholder.

The transaction is expected to be completed before the end of Q3. After completion, SDI, Sado, and Vincom Retail will no longer be subsidiaries of Vingroup.

According to Nguyen Viet Quang, vice chairman of the board and CEO of Vingroup, the conglomerate aims to concentrate all resources to develop its core brands with high growth potential.

"We will devote all our efforts, especially financial resources, to create breakthrough developments in the next phase," Quang said. "Furthermore, there will be no changes in Vincom Retail's organisational structure, management, or operations. Vingroup will sign a management contract with Vincom Retail, under which the conglomerate will take charge of the operations of shopping centres, ensuring the rights of tenants and stall owners."

The former subsidiary of Vingroup currently manages 83 shopping centres in 44 localities. In 2024, Vincom Retail plans to open six more shopping centres, with a total retail floor area of approximately 160,000 square metres.

Vincom Retail is responsible for Vingroup's retail real estate segment. In 2023, the company recorded gross revenue and after-tax profit of a little over $407 million and almost $184 million, respectively, showing an increase of 33 per cent and 59 per cent on-year.

Vingroup to issue international bonds to raise $1.5 billion for VinFast Vietnam-based conglomerate Vingroup has expressed interest in raising $1.5 billion via international bonds next year for its vehicle division VinFast.

Vingroup to build a Vietnamese Sillicon Valley in Khanh Hoa Nguyen Viet Quang, general director of Vingroup, revealed that the conglomerate intends to construct a Vietnamese Silicon Valley in Khanh Hoa within the next three years.
A Brief Review of 2018-2023

In the broader public discourse, there is a prevalent tendency to focus on house churches or unregistered churches, which capture the limelight in media discussions. However, it is imperative to broaden our perspective and not disregard the significance of official churches or registered churches. According to official statistics, these churches command a substantial membership, exceeding 46 million individuals. Despite perhaps receiving less attention, these registered churches play a vital role in the religious landscape, contributing to the diversity and richness of the Christian community in China.

Understanding both the registered and unregistered aspects of the church in China provides a more comprehensive picture of the dynamic interplay within the Christian sphere, shedding light on the various challenges and opportunities that each sector encounters. The dichotomy of pressures on both sides highlights the intricate balance that Christian communities must navigate, seeking to preserve the essence of their faith while adapting to the complex socio-political landscape.

During 20182023, China underwent significant changes in its approach to religious affairs, marked by the launch of the Religious Affairs Administration Regulations in 2018. This regulatory framework set the tone for how the government intends to manage religious activities, a process that has taken time to translate into actionable plans. To maintain social stability and national security, entities other than those handling Christian affairs for Protestants (TSPM/CCC) or Catholics (CAC/BCCCC), like the National Security Administration, appear to have increased control over religious activities. This impact extends to both official and house churches in China.

As a result, registered churches seemed constrained, showing a hesitancy to undertake substantial actions beyond basic religious duties. This reluctance may stem from a) uncertainty about interpreting and implementing regulations, b) a desire to avoid drawing attention from other authorities, and c) a heightening of existing concerns caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged nationwide lockdowns, which added complexity to the situation. On the other hand, unregistered churches, operating outside official approval, have borne the brunt of intensified persecution. The pressures they face manifest in disruptions to gatherings, restrictions on religious activities, and the exile of foreign missionaries.

Anticipated Trends (20242028) in the Official Sinicization Agenda

In the next five years, the Sinicization agenda is anticipated to persist. Registered churches, despite their official recognition, will face intensified pressure to implement this agenda, aligning with government-sanctioned theological narratives. This approach has consistently drawn criticism for compromising doctrinal principles in exchange for state approval.

From years of observation, it is expected that the forthcoming official Sinicization agenda will encompass key themes, including a revitalised emphasis on theological education, theological Sinicization, and the establishment of a standardized model for church leadership and administration.

Theological education under this agenda entails highlighting patriotic sentiment and loyalty to the motherland while striving to elevate academic standards. Despite the agenda being announced over the years, the practical implementation of these goals is anticipated to gain momentum starting in 2023.

Secondly, the theme of theological Sinicization involves removing Western influence completely by stopping foreign lecturing, translation of Western theological books even if they are approved projects, and the endeavor that integrates Chinese traditional culture and values with Christian doctrine. We have noticed at least three approaches Chinese scholars have taken to theological Sinicization. Professor You Bin, based at Minzu University of China, promotes a new methodology called Chinese biblical theology. Simultaneously, there is a revival of Bishop Ding Guagxuns (K. H. Ting) theology at Nanjing Theological Seminary. Additionally, efforts are underway to use Scripture reasoning to link the Bible with the Chinese classics.

Furthermore, efforts will be made to regulate or create a single model for leadership, administration, and reporting structures within church leadership.

An intriguing phenomenon in the evolving tapestry of Christianity in China is the emergence of scriptural interpretation as a perceived safe and neutral theme. Amid regulatory challenges and shifting dynamics, the Bible has become a common ground where both registered and unregistered churches can converge without immediately invoking political scrutiny.

However, this seemingly unifying factor may also accentuate the existing division between the two groups. As registered churches seek to align their theological discourse with state-approved narratives, the interpretation and application of the Bible may undergo alterations to fit within prescribed boundaries. In contrast, unregistered churches, operating outside official endorsement, may continue interpreting the Scriptures in a manner that aligns more closely with their independent or traditional theological perspectives. In this context, the influence from so-called renewed Reformed theology and Western evangelical schools seems to be unavoidable. This dichotomy in the interpretation of the Bible further underscores the intricate dynamics at play and hints at the potential for divergence within the Christian community in both theology and practice.

Chaos in House Church Theological Education

The demand for theological training within the realm of Christianity in China has never been more pronounced. However, the surge in demand has led to a deluge of participants in this field, both qualified and unqualified, from China and overseas, who borrow the advantages of technologies, and enter without stringent restrictions. This influx, while reflective of the growing interest in theological education, has given rise to a paradoxical scenario. On one hand, there is a potential for the best and brightest minds to contribute to robust theological training programs. On the other hand, the lack of stringent entry criteria has paved the way for a proliferation of subpar and low-quality training initiatives. This conundrum poses a significant challenge, as the quality of theological training plays a pivotal role in shaping the future leadership and direction of the Christian community. Striking a balance between meeting the enormous demand and ensuring the integrity of theological education becomes paramount to foster a vibrant and informed Christian leadership in China.

Is There a Third Way?

In the midst of intricate challenges, believers and scholars are prompted to contemplate the existence of a transcendent third way. As trends shape Christianity in China, a thoughtful exploration of biblical truths may uncover a third way in biblical interpretationone that harmonizes faith, cultural context, and the regulatory environment, potentially fostering a resilient and adaptive Christian community. Can such an avenue navigate the complexities of the regulatory landscape while steadfastly upholding the core tenets of the faith? The ancient wisdom of Proverbs 3:6 urges believers to acknowledge divine guidance in all circumstances, fostering trust that a path aligned with Gods principles can emerge even in challenging times. The journey ahead poses intriguing questions, challenging the community to seek answers that resonate with the evolving dynamics of faith and society.





This article was first published on ChinaSource. It was republished with permission.

Lydia Law (pseudonym) was born in China and has been involved with Bible Mission there and in Chinese communities around the world for a long time. After training in Western theological seminaries, Lydia brings a deeper understanding to her work. She has a great passion to connect Western missionaries and Eastern communities by bridging cultural gaps and fostering understanding.
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LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, Nev. (AP)  Federal authorities are proposing an air tour management plan for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area in southeastern Nevada and northwestern Arizona.

The National Park Service and Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that the voluntary agreement would guide the two agencies in the management of commercial air tours over the recreation area that spans about 1.5 million acres.

They say the plan would establish operating parameters to protect the areas resources without compromising aviation safety.

The plan was developed after talks involving the FAA, Park Service, seven air tour operators and dozens of Native American tribes.

A 30-day public review period on the proposed agreement is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

The area surrounding Lake Mead has been protected as a bird refuge since 1933.

It has nine designated wilderness areas along with 900 plant species, 500 animal species and nearly 1,400 archeological sites.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP)  Two of the Vermont communities hardest hit by last summer's catastrophic flooding have requested $3.5 million in state funding to elevate 20 homes in Barre and the capital city of Montpelier for flood victims who still need safe places to live as the state grapples with a housing crisis.

Many whose homes were significantly damaged or lost are still recovering, and saving houses is far cheaper than building new ones, community leaders said at a Statehouse news conference.

This is an urgent request. These are people living many  in places that are not completely safe. But they have nowhere else to go, Barre City Manager Nicolas Storellicastro said. And those who are seeking a government buyout won't know anytime soon if that will happen, officials said.

We have folks that are living in dangerous situations who cannot wait that long, Montpelier City Manager Bill Frasier said.

One Montpelier woman lives in a flood-damaged 1870s farmhouse with her two children, City Council member Lauren Hierl said.

After the flood they had nowhere to go. They have been living with no floors, no walls. She's been cooking on a grill that entire time," Hierl said.

The woman has spent at least $40,000 toward the work of drying out and demolding the house, she said. She has added insulation and subfloors, and no longer has a bathroom on the first floor. If a buyout happens, the bank owns the home so she and her children will be homeless, Hierl said.

Every day she and her kids get up wondering if they will still have a home," she said.

The ask comes during a tight budget year, and city officials said they are grateful for the help they have already received. A spokesman for Republican Gov. Phil Scott did not immediately return an email seeking comment.

The July flooding only exacerbated Vermonts housing crisis, and elevating homes is a cost-effective way to keep people in them and in Vermont, officials said.

It turns out that there are safe ways to rebuild even in flood plains," said Vermont state Sen. Anne Watson, who previously served as mayor of Montpelier. And part of that means elevating buildings or homes. That is what this money would be used for, and as far as we can be preserving housing I think we need to be moving in that direction.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed a bill Monday that would have defined antisemitism in state education code while simultaneously signing a proclamation condemning all forms of antisemitism.

The Republican governor cited changes made to the bill in the final days of the legislative session in a news release. Aimed at addressing antisemitism on college campuses, the bill's opponents argued that early versions of it would penalize people for criticizing Israel.

Disagreements between lawmakers in the Republican-controlled state House and Senate threatened to kill the bill before reaching a compromise in the final hours of the legislative session on March 8.

This is the second time the state House has tried to pass the legislation; an identical bill died last year after failing to reach a committee hearing in the state Senate.

Around the country, similar legislation rose to prominence this session amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

The proposal would broadly define antisemitism as religious discrimination, claiming it would provide educational opportunities free of religious discrimination.

Defined in 2016 by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.

The original House bill used the organization's definition, which its author has since warned against using in law. It also included contemporary examples of antisemitism provided by the group, which make explicit references to Israel. These have been adopted by the U.S. Department of State and under former President Donald Trump, through executive order.

Over 30 states have adopted the definition in some way either through proclamation, executive order or legislation.

State senators, however, passed an amended version of the bill earlier this month that still included the IHRAs broad definition of antisemitism but deleted the group's name and examples that include explicit references to Israel. Opponents including the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network and Jewish Voice for Peace Indiana had argued that such direct references would stifle criticism of Israel in academic settings and activism on campuses in support of Palestinians facing a worsening humanitarian crisis and widespread starvation.

The disagreement between the chambers prompted the bill to go to conference committee, a body consisting of lawmakers from both chambers. The committee reached an agreement on the last day of the legislative session to add the IHRA attribution back to the bill but remove the clause with examples. The final version was approved in both chambers with bipartisan support.

The language that emerged in the final days of the legislative session fails to incorporate the entire International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition and its important contemporary examples, Holcomb said about vetoing the bill. Additionally, the confusing language included in the bill could be read to exclude those examples."

The Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) said the group supported the final version of the bill after it passed, as did the Indiana Muslim Advocacy Network, which was opposed to the original version over concerns about academic freedom and advocacy.

Holcomb's support wasn't clear after its passage. Last week, he expressed concern that Indiana would be an outlier among other states thanks to the changes and said he wanted to ensure there is no ambiguity in Indiana law.

Republican Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita called on Holcomb to veto the bill, saying it is toothless without the mention of the examples.

Holcombs proclamation condemning antisemitism cites the IHRA definition and its examples. In a statement, Holcomb said the proclamation ensures we join numerous states and countries by supporting the entire IHRA definition with its inextricable examples.

The JCRC thanked Holcomb in a statement for his thoughtful consideration of the concerns raised in recent days by national experts and the Attorney General.

The group said it will work closely with lawmakers and the state to ensure that the guidance of Governor Holcomb's proclamation is correctly applied to identify and confront antisemitism and meet the needs of Jewish students in K-12 and higher educational settings.

Holcomb has not vetoed a bill since 2022. Lawmakers can easily overturn a veto in Indiana and only need a simple majority to do so. It's unclear though if or when lawmakers might reconvene.

The push to define antisemitism in numerous states predates the Oct. 7 attacks in which Hamas killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, sparking a war that has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians. But the war gave supporters of the push another motivation. This year, governors in Arkansas, Georgia and South Dakota signed measures and a proposal is still awaiting gubernatorial review in Florida.
PHOENIX (AP)  Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill Monday that some legislators believed could have helped fix the states housing crisis.

Known as the Arizona Starter Homes Act, the bill would have prevented state municipalities from requiring homeowners associations, minimum home sizes and certain building setbacks, among many other provisions, the Arizona Republic reported.

Unfortunately, this expansive bill is a step too far and I know we can strike a better balance, Hobbs said in a statement. This is unprecedented legislation that would put Arizonans at the center of a housing reform experiment with unclear outcomes.

Hobbs added that hundreds of Arizonans and community leaders from across the state have contacted my office about this legislation, with over 90% requesting a veto.

State Rep. Analise Ortiz, a Democrat who voted for the legislation introduced by Republican Rep. Leo Biasiucci, said she was deeply saddened and disappointed by Hobbs veto.

Ortiz said in statement that the bill was a historic bipartisan solution to our states housing crisis and it would have created a pathway to the American dream of homeownership that too many Arizonans find themselves locked out of.

Ortiz added that while other states are proactively addressing housing in an urgent and deliberate manner, Arizona continues to kick the can down the road.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Elbert R. Hilliard, who led the Mississippi Department of Archives and History from 1973 to 2004 and established a grant program to preserve courthouses and other historical buildings, has died. He was 87.

Hilliard started working for the department in 1965 and became its fifth director in 1973. After retirement, he was named director emeritus. The department said he died Sunday, but did not say where.

The departments current director, Katie Blount, said in a statement Monday that the agency grew to have a national reputation for excellence under Hilliard.

His work had a profound impact on the effort to preserve, interpret, and promote Mississippi history," Blount said.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann called Hilliard a true icon of the state.

Hilliard worked with legislators to give Mississippi one of the strongest historic preservation laws in the country, the department's statement said.

During his time as director, the department established a program to manage state government records, and he traveled to promote records management for cities and counties.

Hilliard oversaw funding for construction of the William F. Winter Archives and History Building that was dedicated in downtown Jackson in 2003. He was secretary-treasurer of the Mississippi Historical Society from 1973 to 2017 and served as editor-in-chief for the Journal of Mississippi History throughout his 31 years as department director.

He dedicated his career to promoting the preservation and understanding of Mississippi history," said Brother Rogers, secretary-treasurer for the Mississippi Historical Society. "He will be remembered not only for his achievements, but also for his personal rectitude, humility, and generosity.
Earlier this month, Willow Creek Germany (WCD) hosted the Willow Creek Leadership Conference in Karlsruhe, Germany, which provided training and education on how Germans can share their faith with those in their surroundings. More than 7000 people attended the event including 5700 at the DM Arena and 1300 more at ten broadcast locations across Germany. The conference was held from March 7 to 9, and ended with a focus on the need for creative courage.

According to the event organizers, the attendees learned about topics such as hope in times of crisis, dealing with trauma, change in communities, and prospects for the future of the Church. More than 200 Christian organizations also used the opportunity to present their work and develop new connections in the exhibit hall.

For WDC Chairman Ulrich Eggers it was a victory to host so many individuals. 7000 people, what a blessing! Eggers said at the end of the event. He anticipates that, financial resources permitting, the next conference will be hosted in February 2026 saying the final decision will be made after Easter.

Social media influencers effectively share their faith online

Among the ten keynote speakers at the conference was Austrian theologian Patrick Todjeras, Director at the Institute for Mission and Church Research, who talked about a recent study that noted that social media is key for people to find faith. According to reporting by Pro Medien Magazin, the research team he led wanted to find out, whether Christian influencers can have a kind of missionary or evangelistic effect on Instagram.

People find their Christian faith on Instagram. This is not unusual, but normal, said Todjeras whose team looked at 15 Christian influencers and networks, and surveyed more than 2,500 of their followers. This applies to adults, young adults and teenagers, he added, highlighting that according to the study, the impact that Christian influencers have on their audience is applicable to all age groups.

Some followers mentioned how they actively seek out the opinions of the influencers they follow on Christian themes.

Todjeras emphasized that evangelism on social media must be reframed. In order to touch people's minds and hearts with faith, we need people who speak competently and consistently about the Christian faith in the digital space, he commented. We need digital pioneers who are able to live, believe and invite people to faith.

He pointed out that the study specifically found that social media followers pay attention to the consistency and competence of the influencers. He therefore encouraged audiences to support and stand behind Christian influencers.

Overall, around 56 percent of respondents mentioned they had either felt a change in their faith or found faith for the first time through social media.

The study that is yet to be published acknowledged, however, that the digital world is not the only place where people come to faith. Among the seven main factors that contribute to conversion experiences, Todjeras mentioned positive emotions, crises, the influence of others, the use of digital media, but also tradition, supportive parents and a Christian upbringing at home.

There are many different things that lead people to find faith," Todjeras said. But considering todays digital age and the potential reach to the wider society, he particularly emphasized the importance of competent and consistent communication about the Christian faith in the digital space.
WATERLOO  Two Waterloo women have been arrested after a police raid for synthetic marijuana uncovered unsanitary conditions at their house.

Officers with the Waterloo Police Department executed a search warrant at 422 Dane St. on March 7 for suspected K2, which they found along with a digital scale.

But authorities also found dog feces in most of the rooms, drugs on the floor and trash bags piled up. Children ages 3 months and 1 year also were living in the house.

On Friday, Black Hawk County sheriff's deputies arrested Aviana Eshantae Smith, 22, and Montana Lynn Eifert, 22, for misdemeanor child endangerment.

Smith was also charged with possession of synthetic marijuana with intent to deliver. Both were released pending trial after posting bond.
WATERLOO  Reconstruction soon will begin on a road many residents long have been asking the city to fix.

Part of Broadway Street, from Donald Street to the U.S. Highway 218 ramp, will be rebuilt starting this spring. The City Council on Monday approved a $4.8 million contract with Cedar Valley Corp. of Waterloo.

The two-mile stretch of roadway is expected to be completed by this winter.

Jamie Knutson, the citys engineer, estimated the project would cost $6.7 million. Since the accepted bid is almost $2 million less, he said more of the street may be worked on under this contract. Any additions to the contract would have to be voted on by the council.

One resident asked why a portion of San Marnan Drive was completed before Broadway, saying more people complain about the latter.

Knutson said that the two projects were originally bid together, but the city wasnt satisfied with the bids. When they opened up bids again, he said, there wouldnt have been enough time in the construction year for Broadway to have been done before winter.

There will be two other phases of the reconstruction. One will go from Highway 218 to the airport exit and the other from Donald Street to Burton Avenue.

The detours and traffic changes are still being worked out.

In other business, the council approved:

A $1 development agreement with Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity for the construction of a home near 216 Sunnyside Ave. with a $5,000 infill housing grant.

A bid by Peterson Contractors Inc. for $631,153 for the reconstruction of Kingsley Avenue.

The final plat of the North Crossing addition which includes a 14-lot commercial subdivision between Logan Avenue and East Fourth Street.

A development agreement with Net Worth Investment LLC for the construction of a 10-unit residential building near 2557 W. Third St., which includes a $50,000 infill incentive upon completion.
Steve Kruse's Stonehenge Kennels in West Point, Iowa, has been repeatedly cited for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. The dog pictured here is one of those that federal inspectors allege was in need of veterinary care. (Aerial photo courtesy of Bailing Out Benji. Inset photo taken by USDA inspector, courtesy of Bailing Out Benji)

A new analysis of the federal governments enforcement of animal-welfare laws has found that regulators penalize only 1 percent of the breeders who are cited for violations.

The analysis by the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found that in 2023, inspectors with the U.S. Department of Agriculture documented Animal Welfare Act violations by more than 400 commercial dog dealers and took enforcement action against four of them.

Two of the four breeders who were penalized in 2023 are from Iowa, a state that often leads the nation in the number of violations cited.

One of those Iowa breeders is Henry Sommers, the 84-year-old owner of Happy Puppy in the town of Cincinnati. Sommers was arrested in February 2023 by the Appanoose County Sheriffs Office as a result of USDA violations found in 2023. He was charged with two counts of animal neglect resulting in serious injury or death, three counts of animal neglect resulting in injury, and two counts of animal neglect without injury.

A plea deal resulted in five of the seven charges being dismissed in return for a guilty plea on the two felony charges of animal neglect resulting in serious injury or death. Sommers was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $1,710.

The USDA had cited Sommers for failing to provide adequate veterinary care for his dogs in September 2019, September 2021, January 2022, April 2022 and August 2022. Sommers canceled his USDA license in the first quarter of 2023 after he was charged in the criminal case.

The other Iowa breeder who was penalized in 2023 was Steve Kruse of Stonehenge Kennels in West Point. Kruse operates of Iowas largest dog breeding facilities. In March 2023, the USDA notified Kruse it was suspending his license for 21 days.

During a subsequent April 2023 inspection, Kruse had 435 dogs on hand and was cited for inadequate veterinary care and inadequate cleaning, sanitization, housekeeping and pest control. The inspector returned on May 9 and again cited Kruse for inadequate veterinary care.

Over the years, Kruse has been cited for numerous violations, including pouring hot sauce into a dogs wound to prevent the dog from licking it. In December 2015, Kruse received a 21-day USDA license suspension after throwing a bag of dead puppies at a USDA inspector.

In its report, the ASPCA also took issue with the USDAs long-standing practice of renewing the licenses of breeders at the same time the agency is citing them for failing to meet animal-welfare standards. A breeders history of violations, the ASPCA noted, has no impact on a facilitys ability to have its license renewed. All dealers who want to be relicensed, and who pay the associated fees, are relicensed  even if they are repeat violators.

The Animal Welfare Act sets minimal welfare requirements for animals in commercial facilities, including dogs in puppy mills, yet the USDA has continually failed to enforce those requirements, said Robert Hensley, senior counsel for the ASPCA. We urge Congress to step in to fix the USDAs broken system and ensure animals in federally licensed facilities get the protections they deserve.

In a written statement, the USDA said it takes enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act seriously.

When we find issues that are not compliant with the AWA regulations, we issue citations and work hard to bring facilities back into compliance as quickly as possible, the agency said. Our investigations may result in an enforcement action such as letters of warning, monetary penalties, and license suspensions and revocations.

As an example of the violators who faced no penalties for regulatory violations, the ASPCA report cites David Horning of Ionia. During the second quarter of 2023, Horning was issued an official warning by the USDA. The warning was tied to violations cited in February 2023, when inspectors noted a lack of veterinary care that had affected five dogs and one dead puppy that was found underneath the floor of a dog enclosure.

The inspector also found one 3-week-old Boston Terrier puppy that was much smaller than its littermates and had a thick, white discharge from one eye that she couldnt keep open. The puppy also had a very large head, as well as continuous tremors and open, red, raw sores on her hind paws. Horning subsequently canceled his USDA license  a step some breeders take to avoid USDA inspections that are imposed only on those breeders who sell to brokers and pet stores.

The ASPCA has asked Congress to incorporate animal-welfare legislation called Goldies Act  named after a golden retriever that died in an Iowa puppy mill  into the Farm Bill.

Sponsored by a bipartisan team of lawmakers that includes Rep. Zach Nunn, a Republican from Iowa, Goldies Act would require the USDA to conduct more thorough inspections, impose penalties for violations, and report suspected cruelty to local law enforcement for potential criminal prosecution.
Emphatically, unequivocally, and with a tremendous resounding belly laugh, the Irish people have given the governing politicians a swift kick to the nether regions. The twin referendums on amending our beloved constitutional text to become more modern, progressive and inclusive have failed so dramatically that one can almost hear the deflating wheezes echoing from Dublin's desert of empty ministerial offices.

Let's dispense with the niceties first. Leo Varadkar and his merry band of bumblers royally cocked this one up. Taking their cues from previous victories on same-sex marriage and abortion rights, the Fine Gael leader and his coalition cohorts catastrophically misjudged the mood of the nation. Like a lousy panto plagued by wardrobe malfunctions, the whole shambling affair was miscast, appallingly scripted, and directed with all the nuance of a drunken fog horn.

What were they thinking, wheeling out such woolly imprecisions as "durable relationships" to redefine the family unit? Did any of the bright sparks in government imagine that the Irish people - a canny, irreverent bunch not easily given to airy abstractions - would embrace something so unashamedly vague? We may revel in the lyrical flow of our native tongue, but even we know gobbledygook when we hear it.

Then there was the half-baked plan to replace "a woman's life within the home" with some gussied-up deception about the state's responsibility to "support" carers. A worthy enough aim, but why strip out any explicit mention of women and mothers? In one tone-deaf swoop, the would-be constitutional tinkerers managed to unite conservative mothers and progressive feminists in mutual outrage.

Through a combination of arrogance, haste, and plain old bungling, the Government's "gimmicky" timetabling of the vote for International Women's Day proved to be their undoing. Nothing enrages the Irish more than the reek of being patronised. We may revel in romantic ideals but also have a keenly-honed sense of bulls**t detection. By rushing out a set of half-formed, ill-communicated proposals, the powers-that-be insulted the electorate's intelligence while opening themselves up to accusations of box-ticking 'wokers'.

And so it was that a whopping 67% of voters emphatically stuck two fingers up at the Family clause, while an astounding 74% majestically turned thumbs down on the Care amendment - the largest referendum rejection in the nation's history. This chastening, perhaps even humbling, result has left the entire political establishment flatfooted and slack-jawed.

In the aftermath, plenty of blame pie has been served up, with juicy portions reserved for the chipper figure of An Taoiseach himself. Within his party, the knives are being sharpened with relish as Fine Gael TDs begin the familiar game of distancing themselves from the fiasco.

Varadkar's smooth efforts at damage limitation smacked of a salesman trying to flog a dead mule. Admitting he "got this wrong" while claiming the Virgin TV interview clip (in which he said the onus for care cannot rest with the State) had been taken out of context was about as convincing as a deflating bouncy castle. He may have survived the initial fallout, but the Taoiseach is undoubtedly weakened, the embarrassing result leaving a stain that won't easily wash out.

Not that the other parties are blameless either. Micheal Martin's Fianna Fail and the Greens under Eamon Ryan feebly echoed the "yes-yes" line while internally fretting about the incoherent messaging. Sinn Fein's opportunistic Mary Lou McDonald postured about ignoring Citizens' Assemblies while still officially endorsing a double yes. Only Aontu's Peader Tobin, the sole parliamentarian advocating a no-no vote, could look the media in the eye after the defeat.

Across the land, the 'No' side marshalled disparate forces, from conservative family values types to disability rights activists and progressive feminists outraged at the de-womanising of the text. United in their visceral distrust of the political machine, they mobilised just enough of a disgruntled rump to send the proposals packing. When you lose so comprehensively, the earnest big beasts of the 'Yes' campaign can't simply dismiss it as an irrelevant blip of backwoodsmen and cranks.

So where does this momentous doubling-down of the national 'No' leave us? For a start, let's dispatch with any talk of Ireland lurching back to the conservative Catholic mores of the past. That horse has long bolted, and aside from the usual hot-headed reactionaries, most accept the country is indelibly changed. Any suggestion that this rejected modernity or progressive social values is a stretch too far.

Instead, we are witnessing the culmination of deep wells of public disillusionment with the political ruling classes. Everything from the chaotic campaign to the rushed time-frame to the vague and alienating constitutional language reeked of the sort of remote, high-handed bungling that has become par for the course in recent decades. Lest we forget, this was also an electorate smarting from the sting of soaring living costs, the ever-present housing crisis, and a health service teetering in disarray. The referendums were simply the spark that lit an existing mattress fire of discontent.

This brings us to the real crunch - what is next for our flailing leaders as we stumble towards an inevitable general election within the next 12 months? Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail can ill afford the perception of disarray in their ranks, but the acid recriminations are already being meted out in spades behind closed doors. Meanwhile, the smaller players will shrug and move on. Ryan's Greens must be bracing for another round of soul-searching over just how far they've drifted from their roots.

Most concerning for Varadkar will be the sight of erstwhile allies and civic bodies who spearheaded the referendum campaigns washing their hands of future broken causes.

There will be ample scope for blame-spreading as the election hurtles into view, but the unavoidable truth is that, yet again, an Irish government has fallen victim to its arrogant assumptions about the people. Mired in the inescapable Dublin bunker mentality, contemptuous of actual voter sentiment, they marched cheerfully into battle waving tattered standards that nobody felt inclined to follow.

Perhaps the most stinging rebuke is that, while the well-heeled enclaves of South Dublin obediently voted yes, the 73% national batting down of the Care amendment crossed all class and geographic divides. For all our maddening contradictions, the Irish psyche fundamentally mistrusts any glib, top-down effort to rewrite immutable national self-conceptions at a stroke, no matter how old-fashioned the language. Change must be earned and inched out carefully and with consensus.

So, while the referendum corpses get shovelled into their shallow graves, let An Taoiseach and his cohorts reflect long and hard on this unambiguous kicking. For an island forged in struggle, sloganeering about a "new, modern, progressive Ireland" counts for nought if it rides roughshod over the complexities of who we are. Our cantankerousness may irritate those who crave a slick, manageable narrative, but it represents the beating heart of our essential contrariness.

They'll do well to remember that we Irish are a suspicious lot, in love with the myth of ourselves as plucky underdogs and instinctively contemptuous of naked power grabs. We'll embrace change and modernity eagerly enough, but only once we've been thoroughly massaged, seduced, and convinced it's our idea all along. Anything less just prompts the raised pencils and decisive Xs once again.
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (18 March 2024)

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on enemy units near Sinkovka (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 60 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one D-30 howitzer, and one Grad MLRS combat vehicle.

In Belgorod direction, Russian units inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 105th, 120th territorial defence brigades, and struck militants of the Ukrainian Russian Volunteer Corps (RVS) terrorist formations near Popovka, Lukashovka, Velikaya Pisaryovka (Sumy region) and Staritsa (Kharkov region).

Moreover, Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance units attempts to infiltrate the State border of the Russian federation from the side of Ukraine were foiled near Kozinka (Belgorod region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 150 Ukrainian troops and militants killed and wounded, two tanks, three motor vehicles, and one Czech-made Vampire MLRS combat vehicle.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on units of the AFU 80th, 93rd mechanised brigades, 81st Airmobile Brigade, 79th Air Assault Brigade, and 241st Territorial Defence Brigade near Maksimilyanovka, Kleshcheyevka, and Krasnoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

One attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 46th Airmobile Brigade was repelled near Krasnogorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 380 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, and four motor vehicles.

In Avdeyevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware clusters of the AFU 59th Motorised Rifle Brigade, 31st, 47th, and 53rd mechanised brigades near Netaylovo, Umanskoye, Ocheretino, and Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Seven attacks and counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 24th, 47th mechanised brigades, and 78th Air Assault Brigade were repelled near Kirovo, Orlovka, Berdichi, Semenovka, and Tonenkoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 295 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, three armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, and one UK-made FH-70 howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines, inflicted losses on units of the AFU 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Shakhterskoye, and repelled one attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 58th Motorised Rifle Brigade near Urozhaynoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 130 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured personnel carriers, and four motor vehicles.

In Kherson direction, as a result of actions of the Dnepr Group of Forces units, losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of the AFU 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and 28th Mechanised Brigade near Stepnogorsk and Sherbaki (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 55 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems.

Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces delivered strikes at the location of a meeting of the commanders of the Ukrainian Security Service and Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 137 areas during the day.

Air defence units shot down one Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter, 143 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, 22 Grad and Vampire MLRS projectiles, three Uragan MLRS projectiles, and one HIMARS MLRS projectile.

In total, 577 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 15,992 unmanned aerial vehicles, 486 air defence missile systems, 15,521 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,243 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,440 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 19,910 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

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FILE - San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell works against a San Francisco Giants batter during the second inning of a baseball gam, Sept. 2, 2023, in San Diego. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Snell and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday, March 18, 2024.
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Kamala Harris, Planned Parenthoods Negro Project, 2024 NEWS PROVIDED BY

The Restoration Project

March 18, 2024 ATLANTA, March 18, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- Since placing their population control target on the backs of black women and their children, Planned Parenthood has perfected the Negro Project their founder launched in 1939. For decades, they fought to diminish the eugenic, racist beliefs of Margaret Sanger shrouding her in rhetoric suggesting she was a trailblazer whose race animus was complex. In recent years Planned Parenthood broadened the influencer base to include black elected officials paid to straighten out the idea they want to exterminate blacks. In a nation where skin color has been wielded as a weapon of division, it is difficult to fathom how any elected official can openly hob nob with an organization that admits it is built on a foundation of systemic racism and white supremacy. In 2020 they no longer felt the need to continue the coverup and several Planned Parenthoods boldly acknowledged their racist history simultaneously acknowledging they had caused reproductive harm within communities of color,



"The evolution of reproductive healthcare language has begun to take hold in the nation and Kamala Harris, vice president of the United States has continued her membership in the Negro Project in order to avert a very serious health crisis created by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Despite the push by Planned Parenthood and the vice president to legitimize the taking of innocent life by cloaking it in reproductive healthcare language, the baby in the womb is not a disease to be gotten rid of, nor is taking the life of the baby a remedy for psychological stress related to pregnancy said Catherine Davis of The Restoration Project.



According to the Minnesota Department of Health since 2008 over 159,000 children have lost their lives to abortion. Over 39,000 of those children were black. Just as the Democrats did during the KKKs reign of terror, the Vice President supports and celebrates the organization that has helped abortion become the leading cause of death in the black community. Black women have been targeted by Planned Parenthood and are the leading consumers of abortion in America. Kamala Harris has made history by being touted as the first black woman to become vice president and the first vice president to tour an abortion facility. She does not recognize that Americas black women are worth more and deserve better than abortion, said Angela Minter of Sisters for Life.



Pastor Denise Walker of Rich in Mercy Abortion and Miscarriage Recovery in Minnesota believes Kamala Harris should be ashamed of herself for stumping for Planned Parenthood. It is appalling how Black political and religious leaders, especially in the Democrat party, continue to encourage the extermination of innocent Black people in the womb. Unfortunately, Kamala is the rule and not the exception in the blood lust war on babies -- especially Black babies.



Planned Parenthood rips apart black babies in the most horrific ways, brutally slaughtering them in the name of reproductive healthcare. Kamala Harris, a brown woman, touring that facility is a slap in the face of every woman reproductively harmed by the largest abortion provider in the nation, said Day Gardner of the National Black Pro-life Union. Black women are no longer buying the proabortion hype. We are circling the wagons to protect our own. SOURCE The Restoration Project CONTACT: Catherine Davis, 678-381-1058, Catherine@therestorationproject.life

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President of the Legislative Council Andrew Leung, center, and lawmakers attend a press conference following the passing of the Basic Law Article 23 legislation at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously approved a new national security law on Tuesday that grants the government more power to quash dissent, widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown that was triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
People gathered outside to protest the war in Gaza, and some say the President has more important matters to attend to than visiting Reno.
Tom McSpedden, 70, lives in a rented room in Citrus Heights, California. And though long-time friendships keep him from becoming isolated, his poor health and financial difficulties make it tough for him to do much.

Its a big change from the life Tom lived for three decades as a truck driver. I loved it. I felt like I was getting paid to see the country, he says. When he got tired of being on the road for long stretches, he took local driving jobs to pay the bills until a series of heart attacks stopped him in his tracks.

One of those heart attacks landed him in the hospital for several days. And it was then, Tom says, that he made the catastrophic mistake that changed the course of his life.

When I got out of the hospital, they said I owed them a million-something dollars, he explains. But I didnt ask what my options were. I gave them everything Id saved because I thought I had to.

So, in 2006, Tom became completely dependent on Social Security disability benefits, having developed COPD in addition to heart problems. Its not particularly livable, he says, but my parents taught us that you pay your bills and live within your means, so thats what I did.

He also applied for Medicaid and was automatically enrolled in CalFresh, Californias name for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps). At first, he was getting $67 a month in benefits. That amount increased over time, in part due to a CalFresh program that allows $60 a month in purchases from local farmers markets, but it wasnt nearly enough  especially for someone who, like Tom, has type 2 diabetes.

Its hard to overstate the importance of nutritious foods for people trying to manage diabetes. Unprocessed foods  like fresh vegetables and high-fiber whole grains  help to keep blood sugar levels in check, while highly refined foods  think white bread, sodas, and sugary breakfast cereals  can cause blood sugar levels to spike dangerously high.

But fresh, unprocessed foods cost a lot more than the highly processed kind. Eating healthy is expensive, Tom says. If youre living off benefits, you have to throw diabetes out the window.
If you care for a loved one with health problems, dementia or disabilities, you could probably use some breaks to manage your own health and personal business, or just to get time to yourself. Health professionals call that respite.

But chances are, you arent getting the respite youd like. While nearly 4 in 10 family caregivers want respite services, just 14 percent receive them, according to Respite Services: A Critical Support for Family Caregivers, a 2024 report from the AARP Public Policy Institute.

That gap comes with a price, says Jason Resendez, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving. Caregiving has consequences, he says. Caregiver surveys show that the levels of emotional distress that caregivers experience is really high. Many caregivers say their health has suffered, and more than one-third say their finances have, says Resendez.

Respite may not be a silver bullet, but it can help, he notes.

Some programs and policies have improved access to respite care in recent years, says Heather Young, an associate director of the Family Caregiving Institute at the University of California, Davis. But both Resendez and Young say that families often dont know about the help available.

So heres what you need to know.

What type of respite care is available?

Some services come to your home to provide you with a few hours respite, while others can take your loved one for a few hours a day, an occasional overnight or longer.

1. Volunteers. Whether its a family member, a neighbor or friend, or a volunteer from a faith group or service organization, this kind of help can be welcome  and free. But it has limits, Young says. You or your loved one might not be comfortable with a volunteer youve never met. And it can be difficult to find people capable of handling the needs of someone with advanced dementia or other intense challenges. I hear a lot of caregivers saying that thats not really the best option for them, she says.

2. Home aides. A home health aide, hired directly or through an agency, can be scheduled regularly to help with dressing, bathing, toileting and eating. It costs a median of $33 an hour, or as much as $6,292 per month, according to Genworths Cost of Care Survey 2023. An aide, or companion, who cooks, cleans and runs errands costs slightly less. Typically, aides wont come for fewer than four hours a day, Young cautions.

3. Adult day programs. Basic adult day care programs offer supervised activities such as meals, snacks and some assistance for several hours a day outside the home. These programs can be a great social outlet for people who dont need frequent hands-on nursing care, Young says.

For people with more intense needs, such as those with advanced dementia or complex medical routines, there are adult day health programs that, for a higher fee, can provide skilled nursing care and services like speech and occupational therapy. The daily median cost of adult day health programs is $95, according to Genworth. Young says programs with health services generally cost twice as much as basic programs. Unfortunately, day health programs arent available in every community.
Lindsey Stirling, the dancing pop violinist and all-round entertainer of world fame, announced last Monday, March 18, her North American "Duality" tour in 2024, which is set to kick off in San Diego, CA on July 12 and will come to a head at Highland, CA on Sept. 11.

The "Duality" US tour, which commemorates the upcoming release of Stirling's new album of the same name, is traversing through over 40 cities across the country and will see the violinist grace iconic venues like New York City's Radio City Music Hall, Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and Boston's MGM Music Hall at Fenway, among others.

Additionally, in culminating the tour, Stirling will hold a special hometown performance at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre. As for special appearances, Canadian indie pop band Walk Off the Earth and LA-based indie rock band Saint Motel will perform as supports for selected dates.

What to Expect in Lindsey Stirling's US 'Duality' Tour

Renowned all over the globe for her genre-crossing virtuosic mastery of the electronic violin, the multi-award-winning instrumentalist has found a way to integrate this musical artistry with her equally mesmerizing dance movements in an enthralling live show.

Stirling fills every nook and cranny of her performances with interesting and eye-catching elements, including intricate and elegant choreography, breathtaking aerial lyra acts, and stunning costumes, all designed and planned by Stirling herself.

Her success performing unforgettable acts like this is exemplified by over 1 million tickets sold across her more than a dozen tours in the past decade, captivating audiences not just in North America but also in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The VIP sale for tickets to Stirling's upcoming US tour is set to open this Tuesday, March 19 at 10:00 AM local time, alongside the CITI Cardmember presale. On the other hand, the artist presale will take place later in the day at noon local time.

The local presale will begin Thursday, March 21 at 10:00 AM, and the public sale will open Friday, March 22 at 10:00 AM.

VIP Experiences include a Meet & Greet, an intimate Q&A, and a chance to view a gallery curated by Stirling herself, all of which are part of the "Duality Pre-Show Experience." In addition, all VIP packages include a reserved seat and exclusive merchandise.

For the full list of VIP inclusions, visit LindseyStirlingVIP.com.

As for the complete list of tour dates and ticket sign-up, click here.

Read Also: Screening Party for London's Eurovision Song Contest Finals Canceled Due to Israel's Involvement

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


Investor Webinar Presentation invitation

Perth, Mar 19, 2024 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Great Western Exploration Limited ( ASX:GTE ) is pleased to advise that Managing Director Shane Pike will deliver an updated Corporate Presentation on 20 March 2024 starting at 9.00am WST / 12.00pm AEDT.



With a market cap of just $22 million, Great Western is about to drill two compelling copper targets near Meekatharra in WA. Geophysics and sampling show the targets have many of the same key characteristics as Sandfire's world-famous DeGrussa copper deposit nearby.



In addition to these DeGrussa like characteristics, Great Western is now preparing to drill these two biggest copper targets in Australia. Known as Oval and Oval South, geophysics shows these targets are huge by any measure, with the potential to create significant value for Great Western shareholders.



Mr Pike will explain why the Company believes these targets are so promising and outline the Company's plans to drill them in his upcoming webinar presentation.



Investors can register to join the webinar via the following link:

https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/181IW238



Investors will also have the opportunity to submit questions to Mr Pike via the webinar platform.



*To view the Presentation Slides, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/4516I2E2





About Great Western Exploration Limited





Great Western Exploration (ASX:GTE) is a copper, gold and nickel explorer with a world class, large land position in prolific mining regions of Western Australia. Great Western's tenements have been underexplored or virtually unexplored. We have numerous field work programs across multiple projects currently underway and are well-funded with a tight capital structure, providing leverage upon exploration success.

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Tony-, Grammy-, and Emmy-winning artist Ben Platt is set to play an exclusive, 18-performance concert residency in Broadway's newly refurbished and historic Palace Theatre across three weeks, from May 28 to June 15.

A Historic Residency for Both Ben Platt and the Palace Theatre

Platt is the first announced tenant for the famed venue, which closed for renovations and an expansion into a new retail space in the lower levels starting in 2018, and also marks the first time the theatre's new look is shared with the public.

Watch the trailer for Platt's upcoming concert below and see for yourself the newly refurbished theatre.

Additionally, the set of performances is also in commemoration of Platt's to-be-released third album, "Honeymind," and coincidentally, songs off of this forthcoming record and other selections from his "Reverie," "Sing to Me Instead," and other projects will be featured during his residency.

The first single from "Honeymind," entitled "Andrew," is now available to watch as a music video by clicking here.

Platt will also be reunited with Tony-winning director Michael Arden in the performances, someone whom he worked with in his Tony-nominated stint as Leo Frank in the Broadway revival of "Parade."

"It is far beyond my wildest imagination to play a residency of my own music in a house as storied as the Palace," Platt said in a press release. "I feel blessed to be part of the theater community, and to have the opportunity to perform as myself and from my own perspective on a Broadway stage is one of the greatest honors of my life."

"I can't wait to introduce my new record on the beautifully revived stage," the original Evan Hansen actor continued. "My hope is to bridge my musical theater roots that I hold so dear with the world of classic Americana songwriting that I've fallen so deeply in love with."

"I mean, Liza! Judy! 'Dreams come true' doesn't even begin to cover it!"

Tickets for Platt's concert residency performances are now for sale, get yours now and click here.

Read Also: Ed Sheeran and Diljit Dosanjh's Historic Punjabi Duet Goes Viral in Indian Social Media

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A recent series of investigations conducted by UK regulator Ofcom has found that five programmes aired on GB News, featuring politicians in the role of news presenters, have breached broadcasting due impartiality rules.

According to the Broadcasting Code, news content must be presented with due impartiality, and the involvement of politicians as newsreaders, interviewers, or reporters is subject to exceptional justification.

After a meticulous examination of the facts, including content analysis and detailed input from GB News, Ofcom found that two episodes of "Jacob Rees-Moggs State of the Nation," two episodes of "Friday Morning with Esther and Phil," and one episode of "Saturday Morning with Esther and Phil," aired between May and June 2023, failed to comply with Rules 5.1 and 5.3 of the Broadcasting Code.

These programmes, which featured a blend of news and current affairs content, saw host politicians engaging in roles that constituted news reporting without adequate justification, thus compromising due impartiality.

Ofcom emphasizes the inherently partial role politicians hold in society, which can influence audience perception of news content. The use of politicians as news presenters risks undermining the credibility and integrity of regulated broadcast news.

Of particular note, Ofcom is publishing its rationale for not investigating a sixth programme, a separate episode of "Jacob Rees-Moggs State of the Nation," which featured the politician as an eye-witness news reporter during an unforeseen security incident at Buckingham Palace. This instance serves as an example of exceptional editorial justification under Rule 5.3.

These findings mark the first recorded breaches of Rules 5.1 and 5.3 against GB News. While there has been only one additional programme prompting investigation under these rules since, GB News is cautioned that repeated breaches may result in further action.
IPREX Global President and Founder and Chief Executive of AM OSullivan PR Ann-Marie OSullivan has announced the appointment of two members to its Global Board and the onboarding of its newest partner in Canada. IPREX is the premier global network of independent communications agencies with more than 1,100 staff and 110 offices worldwide.

Anu Gupta, Director at APRW (Singapore) will assume the role of Asia Pacific President while Lindsey DeWitte, President of PR and EVP of Purpose + Sustainability at Barkley (Kansas City, Missouri, USA) will take the helm as Treasurer. Both board positions serve a two-year term from January 2024 through May 2026.

We are delighted to welcome Anu and Lindsey to IPREX's Global Board in what is a really positive step in strengthening our international network, said Ann-Marie OSullivan. In her new capacity as IPREX Asia Pacific President, Anu brings a wealth of local and regional knowledge, as well as her world-class experience and expertise. Lindsey brings solid financial management skills to IPREX, with a focus on sustainable practices. I have no doubt they will both be huge assets to the Global Board, enhancing our connections and bolstering our planning and budgeting processes as we continue to strengthen the IPREX brand.

In her role as Asia Pacific President, Anu will oversee the IPREX network in APAC. She will engage directly with existing IPREX partners in the region, as well as IPREX regional directors, identify opportunities to connect partners for new business opportunities, continued learning, collaboration and global support. She takes the reins from Xavier PRabhu, Founder and Managing Director of PRHUB, an independent public relations and marketing consultancy based in India.

I look forward to embarking on this experience to learn more about global best practices in communications from our IPREX partners and share more about Singapore and the regions promising future globally, said Anu.

As Treasurer Lindsey will bring years of experience running a B-Corporation to IPREX, where she will ensure financial stewardship, transparency, and sustainability, guiding the network towards its mission through responsible fiscal management. She takes the role from outgoing Treasurer Natalie Best, Chief Operating Officer at French West Vaughan, an integrated marketing agency based in Raleigh.

In Canada, IPREX welcomes Global Public Affairs. Established in 1997, Global Public Affairs is Canadas leading public policy, government relations, and strategic communications firm. The agency brings expert knowledge and insight to help organizations navigate complex challenges and implement winning solutions. Global Public Affairs has locations in Ottawa, Halifax, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria.

The addition of Global Public Affairs furthers our existing reach into Canada, and strategically expands our presence in the Americas, said Laura Phillips, IPREX Americas President and President at Vehr Communications (Cincinnati, Ohio, USA). We look forward to integrating the agency into the network and building strong relationships across the region.
Pune is home to diverse sectors  from auto to SaaS to e-commerce to fintech to engineering services. The city is also becoming a crucial hub for AI adoption, given its growing ecosystem of entrepreneurs. With an aim to foster this growth, CNBC-TV18 in collaboration with Moneycontrol, has announced the first edition of the AI Alliance in Pune, scheduled to be held on March 27, 2024, from 3 p.m. onwards at Hyatt Regency. The AI Alliance platform aims to bring experts and enthusiasts under one roof and serve as a platform to connect knowledge seekers with leading minds in the AI domain.

Building upon the success of the Global AI Conclave held in December 2023 in Bengaluru, this initiative seeks to explore the transformative potential of AI across sectors. The event will feature engaging panel discussions and topics focusing on the evolution and future of AI and the crucial role individuals and organisations can play in this revolution.

The themes will focus on how AI is impacting IT services, governance, manufacturing, software as a service, fintech, e-commerce and public transportation. ~Founders of Five of Punes unicorns (Druva, Icertis, Mindtickle, OneCard and ElasticRun) will be speaking at the AI event, cutting across SaaS, financial services and B2B e-commerce. Other top speakers include Shrikant Shinde, MP, Lok Sabha, Mumbai metro chief Ashwini Bhide, Bharat Forges Amit Kalyani and Kishor Patil of KPIT. Apart from talking about the impact of AI on their respective sectors, they will also shine a light on why Pune is poised to emerge as Indias AI hub

Speaking on the first chapter of AI Alliance, Chandra R Srikanth, Deputy Executive Editor, Moneycontrol said, "The AI Alliance marks an important chapter in our commitment to create platforms that will enhance understanding of AI and its transformative impact across industries. Responsible AI, in particular, is a vital pillar of the AI alliance. Pune stands as one of the largest technology hubs in India, and this AI Alliance initiative will help shine a light on the innovation and AI adoption in the city. The AI alliance will help in assembling and building a strong AI community in Pune

Dont miss a chance to be a part of this transformative AI Alliance in Pune.
Pradeep Lamba joins Revolt Motors as the Vice President of Marketing, marking a significant stride in the company's quest to redefine the future of mobility with sustainable solutions. With an illustrious career spanning over two decades, Pradeep's appointment heralds a new era of innovation and strategic direction for Revolt Motors.

In his capacity as Marketing Head, Pradeep will lead the charge in devising and executing comprehensive marketing strategies aimed at enhancing the overall brand presence of Revolt Motors. His profound expertise and visionary leadership are poised to play a pivotal role in driving the company's mission to deliver clean and accessible mobility solutions to the masses.

Drawing from his extensive experience in leadership positions at industry titans such as Samsung Electronics, Publicis Media, and Lenskart.com, Pradeep brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to his new role. His track record of success in steering marketing initiatives at renowned organizations underscores his capability to navigate the dynamic landscape of the electric vehicle market.

"I am delighted to embark on this exciting journey with Revolt Motors as the Vice President of Marketing," shared Pradeep Lamba in a LinkedIn post announcing his appointment. "Joining a pioneering organization at the forefront of India's electric vehicle revolution is a tremendous opportunity to drive meaningful change and innovation in the mobility sector."

Throughout his career, Pradeep has been lauded for his astute leadership and business acumen, driving notable growth, enhancing brand visibility, and optimizing marketing ROI through innovative strategies. His ability to align digital initiatives with overarching business objectives has consistently delivered tangible results, positioning him as a respected figure in the marketing domain.

With a strong educational foundation from prestigious institutions such as MICA and XLRI Jamshedpur, Pradeep's commitment to excellence and innovation in marketing is unwavering. His appointment underscores Revolt Motors' dedication to fostering talent and driving innovation, setting the stage for transformative advancements in the electric vehicle industry.
In the last 10 years, PR has taken a different dimension, especially after the entry of social media and the rapid shift to digital during the pandemic period. At the same time, the industry has been facing stiff challenges; moreover client expectations have also increased, with more emphasis being given to digital and online reputation management. The industry has undergone a radical shift and the current times have pushed the industry to change gears.

In an exclusive interview with Adgully, Sujit Patil, VP & Head, Corporate Brand and Communications, Godrej Industries Ltd and Associated Companies, speaks at length about building the corporate brand and reputation, creating engaging experiences through the companys homegrown property - Godrej LAffaire, creating a positive digital safety net, and much more.

How does Godrej LAffaire serve as a strategic tool for Godrej Industries in enhancing its corporate brand image and reputation?

Godrej LAffaire has been a strategic tool for building our corporate brand and reputation. It is a brand-agnostic owned media platform of Godrej Industries Limited & Associated Companies (GILAC) that brings together brands in the lifestyle space to provide immersive experiences. It was conceptualized to celebrate nuances of lifestyle through experiential engagement with key opinion leaders, content creators, business partners, customers and people from the industry who matter. Through Godrej LAffaire, we strive to craft experiential engagement, build a community of lifestyle aficionados, and weave a robust digital safety net for all the participating brands through authentic content. For instance, this year, our theme is Goodness. Hence, we would be creating experiential experiences around All Things Goodness, which, in a way, is conducive to our groups reputation.

Could you elaborate on how Godrej LAffaire aligns with the overarching corporate communication goals and messaging of Godrej Industries?

Our communication goals entail engaging with multiple internal and external stakeholders  employees, media, key opinion leaders, investors, business partners and consumers. Godrej LAffaire is attended by a curated list of our stakeholders and provides them with an opportunity to experientially engage with our brands. A large participation by non-competing brands in the lifestyle space adds an element of lifestyle quotient to our brands. Celebrating lifestyle with like-minded brands helps us beautifully position ourselves in the lifestyle space. Because it is a multitude of brands, engagements & conversations and cross-pollination of ideas all put together and amplified using various media platforms, the impact is high. We believe these sort of engagements help build trust and a good reputation for us.

How does Godrej LAffaire contribute to fostering stronger relationships with stakeholders, including customers, partners, and the general public?

We strongly believe that engaging with customers, partners, and the general public should be experiential. Our owned media property, LAffaire, was launched to create meaningful conversations with stakeholders. When these stakeholders visit the Godrej campus and witness the magic of our products in terms of their purpose and the goodness they bring to peoples lives, it fosters strong relationships. Being on the ground enables them to meet our CEOs, brand managers, and the people behind the brands, thereby further strengthening the bonds.

How does Godrej Industries utilize the platform Godrej LAffaire as part of its crisis management strategy, particularly in terms of maintaining transparency, addressing concerns, and rebuilding trust in stakeholders during challenging times?

We believe in the concept of creating a positive digital safety net. This means that we want to generate a lot of authentic, positive content for our corporate and brands based on experiences. This, we believe, helps build larger trust and positive disposition towards our brands. This certainly helps during any unfortunate adverse situation. This proactive approach is designed to mitigate any potential negative effects that might arise from a crisis. For all the activations at Godrej LAffaire, we choose a transparent and meaningful approach for showcasing our products. We dont make false claims or engage in greenwashing. Instead, we let people experience our products for themselves. This helps us to create an authentic and positive digital safety net.

In what ways does Godrej LAffaire facilitate the communication of Godrej Industries values, mission, and commitment to sustainability and social responsibility?

When you arrive at the venue and explore the experiential zones of each brand, including external brands, the aim is not to have stalls where products are sold. Instead, the focus is on showcasing the real values and purpose of each brand. And this years overarching theme of Goodness allows us to communicate our values, mission, and commitment to sustainability and social responsibility in a very effective way through an experiential engagement.

Could you discuss the role of Godrej LAffaire in strengthening internal communication within Godrej Industries and fostering employee engagement?

This is an amazing opportunity where cross functional teams collaborate together. This is not only a passion project for the corporate brand and communications team, but also for the representatives of each of the brands involved. Each brand has around five to six representatives and their business heads and CEOs also get involved in creating the showcase of Godrej LAffaire. This collaboration results in cross-learning, understanding, and empathy towards each other, which is very powerful. At the end, all this translates into an employer brand that fosters communication, collaboration, partnerships, and a positive environment within the organization.

How does Godrej LAffaire leverage digital platforms and social media channels to amplify its corporate communication efforts and reach a wider audience?

For Godrej LAffaire, almost 70% of our amplification is through digital platforms and social media channels. Therefore, we utilize almost every possible channel available. This includes content creators and their channels, as well as social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, hybrid and dark media, and everything in the realms of digital platforms that can be used as a medium to communicate an authentic story of all the participating brands. We are expecting about 30-plus brands, which will be showcasing experiential engagements at Godrej LAffaire, thereby creating a blast of authentic content. This has always resulted in huge engagement and reach on social media.

Could you share any specific corporate communication strategies or tactics employed during Godrej LAffaire events to effectively engage attendees and promote brand awareness?

The whole pretext of Godrej LAffaire event is about engaging attendees and promoting brand awareness. Engagement takes place at multiple levels. Starting with teaser campaigns featuring the logos of all participants and what attendees can expect at the event, there are also numerous social media posts and PR activities, including a pre-event press release designed to create buzz and generate interest. There are three main ways to create buzz: pre, which includes a variety of media, digital media, shout-outs by participants, and shout-outs by participating brands. Radio is also leveraged to announce the event.

Although it is invite-only, we create curiosity around what participants are going to see on-ground. Even the participating brands come and talk about their expectations from the evening soiree. The biggest amplification happens during the event, with live-tweeted content, Instagram stories, and Reels. There are also opportunities for people to take pictures and learn about the brand propositions.

Each brand has a content creator assigned to them to create discerning stories and meaningful content. After the event, a lot of content is generated, including films and videos, that are packaged in a variety of formats, such as snackable videos, Instagram or bite-sized videos, and larger videos for YouTube. The communication strategy is designed to amplify the event using all types of communication modes available. This helps us create a buzz and brings out brand awareness. And it has been our experience that if brand nuances come out based on experiential engagement by content creators on-ground, thats when real brand awareness happens, and meaningful conversation starts.

How does Godrej LAffaire integrate feedback and insights gathered from attendees and participants into its corporate communication strategy for future events?

We generate a complete report that includes both qualitative and quantitative data. The report consists of various efficiency parameters that help us understand the experiences of the people attending the event. We gather feedback on what people liked and what they didnt like, feedback from participating brands and our internal learning system. The best practices from all of this input and insight are collectively selected and then used to improve future events. We should keep in mind that our homegrown property, Godrej LAffaire, did not have a benchmark six years ago when it was launched. However, with the continuous improvement process, the event has grown in size and value every year. This is because we use all the insights, we gather to understand what needs to be done and what needs to be avoided to make the event successful.

What role does storytelling play in the corporate communication initiatives surrounding Godrej LAffaire, and how does it contribute to building brand affinity and loyalty?

As I mentioned earlier, storytelling is just a base. Through engaging experiences at Godrej LAffaire, we are trying to tell a story. All the brands would be engaging in some manner.

For instance, for one of our flagship brands  Good Knight, we are creating a Circle of Protection. It is a mosquito museum, wherein people can see different kind of mosquitoes, their life cycle, their impacts, and what actions we as an entity are taking to combat malaria and dengue in villages through our program EMBED (Elimination of Mosquito Borne Endemic Diseases). We are doing this through an informative and experiential zone, where guests can enjoy an artistic depiction of vector varietals, their life cycles and experience the mosquito menace in a lifestyle space. While a mosquito might not be a glamorous protagonist, the zone promises to be both educational and captivating.

It is all about creating lasting impact in peoples minds as they visit zones across the venue. This, in turn, helps create brand affinity by providing personal experiences and filling gaps in knowledge.

We will also be showcasing other products such as perfumes and automobiles, demonstrating their value and how they contribute to sustainability. Through an authentic approach and experiential engagement, we hope to create brand loyalty and affinity.
A new graffiti mural by famed faceless artist Banksy painted on the side of a residential building along Hornsey Road in North London has recently been authenticated with a post in the artist's official Instagram account.

Providing Aesthetic Prosthesis the Banksy Way

The wall art, located at the community's Finsbury Park, is mainly comprised of messily applied green paint, which when viewed in front of the nearby tree provides some much-needed foliage and greenery for the harshly trimmed tall plant.

On the lower left area of the wall, there's a stenciled life-size depiction of a long-haired individual holding what looks like a spray can, which makes it seem like it was them who sprayed on the synthetic facsimile of leaves.

The authentication process that involves social media posts is typical for Banksy, as new artworks that are confirmed to be his appear promptly on the artist's page.

In the actual post of the new piece, both a before and after picture were included, as well as a close-up of the painting that showed the extent of the faux foliage part's "messiness." As of writing, the post has only been up for about a day but it has already garnered over 1.3 million likes.

On the streets, similar acclaim is represented through flocking locals, all of whom are either directly ogling at the art in awe or taking photos themselves.

Read Also: Ben Platt to Play 18-Performance Concert Residency at Broadway's Refurbished Palace Theatre

Banksy's 'Gift' to North London Locals

One local, named Wanja Sellers, told BBC that the new piece "feels like a personal message to [the] residents" and that because of it they feel "so proud."

Creator of the recent BBC Radio 4 show "The Banksy Story," James Peak, also told the publication that despite the depicted foliage giving an illusion of life on behalf of the tree, the green hue itself still projects an air of inauthenticity as it resembles the color used for local signs.

"When you step back it looks like the tree is bursting to life, but in a noticeably fake and synthetic way," he said.

Local politician Flora Williamson also released a statement to the BBC, saying that it is "incredible" that the community now has a Banksy artwork in the thick of "social housing" and "one of the poorest parts of the borough."

She continued by saying the addition of this new mural provides more "intrigue and culture" to the area, and thus, more "life."

Read More: How CDK Dance Company Perfectly Captured the Feel of GOTYE's 'Somebody That I Used to Know' Through Choreography

 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The 2024 elections will decide the existence of many small parties and one of the oldest national parties, Congress. This election has the potential to decide the faith of the Congress will still remain as the opposition party or not. It will also have the potential to make the opposition delegated giving BJP an upper hand in upcoming elections. Indian National Congress is a binding power and is the only effective national political party which has the potential to challenge the BJP due to its history as a grand old political party. One side Congress is sinking but making efforts to unite like minded political parties against BJP, on the other hand Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set an ambitious target of winning 400 plus seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, much more than in 2019. The Lok Sabha has 543 seats, and the BJP had won 282 and 303 of them in 2014 and 2019 respectively.

The 2024 elections are one the crucial elections India is going to see and the winner of it will decide the fate of India for more than 5 years. The two main political parties The BJP and The Congress and their alliances the N.D.A and the I.N.D.I.A are the main candidates of the elections and everyone is looking up to them. I.N.D.I.A alliance is led by the Congress and is not a stable alliance as many members of that alliance are fighting among themselves making the alliance weak and fragile while on the other side there is the N.D.A alliance lead by the BJP which is comparatively a stable alliance and an alliance with the promoting ideology of Hindutva is a strong alliance. The I.N.D.I.A alliance is formed by leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Stalin and so on to unitedly fight against the BJP led N.D.A alliance.

I.N.D.I.A Alliance is formed on the bases of math which means if they combine the seats of every other political party which are not on the side of BJP we will win the elections easily and this math this calculation is not bad but on ground they have to compete with BJP by campaigning and they should also have a prime ministerial candidate because as of now there are no prime ministerial candidates recognized in the I.N.D.I.A Alliance. The India alliance should realize that opposing every action of BJP will not make them win elections as BJP even though they want to play politics on the bases of Hindu-Muslim divide.

The opposition was almost united in 2019 in many states but that opportunistic alliances could hardly dent the Modi juggernaut. The idea that a common opposition alliance with a common leader, common political program and a common candidate will be successful is an inherently flawed idea. The visibility of more unity by disparate outfits is unlikely to impress people. This clearly sent the message that the Congress is not ready to cede its leadership role, which is the biggest hindrance to opposition unity.

AAP Supremo, Arvind Kejriwal visualizes himself as the only alternative to Narendra Modi and his political gains are at the cost of the Congress party. He is unlikely to be in the same basket as the Congress party. At present almost all the good leaders of his party are in jail under some or the other allegations. BJP is tightening the snooze to build pressure on him, in such circumstances he has no scope to aim for the PM seat. The Samajwadi Party is focused on Uttar Pradesh and is unlikely to cede its predominant position as main opposition in the largest state. Moreover, it has limited national ambitions. Mamata Banerjee has already declared that her TMC will go it alone in the next General Elections. She herself has Prime Ministerial ambitions. Will Rahul sacrifice his own ambitions to bring her to the opposition fold? Will other regional satraps like Stalin, Sharad Pawar etc accept Mamata as their leader? Theres no clarity about who will finally become the leader and that is a bone of contention. Most probably, the opposition parties will keep the contentious issue of leadership aside for the post poll period. But that will erode voter confidence in the fragile unity of the opposition. The regional aspirations of the leaders and parties will pose immense difficulties in forging a national unity. The voters know that such a combination of disparate political outfits will not provide a stable government. There will be voter hesitation in coming forward to vote for such a combination to power.

I strongly believe that Modi is expected to triumph in 2024.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Centre to respond within three weeks to applications seeking a stay on the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud posted the matter for resumed hearing on April 9.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that he needed four weeks to file a reply to the 20 applications.

These applications have sought a stay on the Rules till the apex court disposes of the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

It (CAA) does not take away the citizenship of any person, Mehta told the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

The Centre had on March 11 paved the way for the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, with the notification of the relevant rules, four years after the contentious law was passed by Parliament to fast-track Indian citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.
An antitrust probe by the Department of Justice of Nippon Steels assets in Alabama is adding to the pressure on the Japanese companys takeover of U.S. Steel.

The DOJ inquiry, according to Politico, appears to be focused on Nippons joint stake in a large Calvert, Alabama plant, operated with ArcelorMittal, which competes directly with U.S. Steel to supply metal for the automotive sector. It comes as a separate federal body is investigating the potential national security risks of a foreign takeover.

The DOJ declined to comment. President Biden said last week that U.S. Steel should remain domestically owned.

In response, Nippon promised that it would not cut jobs, close facilities or move production overseas as part of its $14.9 billion takeover of the Pittsburgh steelmaker. Nippon, which owns other steel mills in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, added in a weekend statement that it will move its existing U.S. headquarters from Houston to Pittsburgh as a show of its commitment to the state.

During the bidding process last fall, U.S. Steels legal advisors worried that antitrust scrutiny  mostly of a combination with rival bidder Cleveland-Cliffs, but also with Nippon  could delay or derail a potential takeover.

Regulatory documents showed that U.S. Steel requested a hell or highwater covenant from Nippon  a clause designed to provide certainty that a buyer will complete the transaction regardless of scrutiny from the DOJ or Federal Trade Commission. Nippon refused to sign the covenant, but agreed to take certain specific actions if necessary to obtain antitrust approval, documents showed.

Domestic metal supply has become increasingly consolidated in recent years, leading to concern that any combination of players could lead to price increases. Automakers lobbied against Cliffs bid in October.

There are limited plants in the U.S. that are selling directly head to head to the auto industry, so it is certainly the type of transaction that you would expect the antitrust division to investigate, said Joel Mitnick, an antitrust attorney with Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft who has written specifically about hell or high water clauses.

In an interview with the Post-Gazette, he said an antirust review could easily take over a year. But if that review hinges on the one Alabama plant, Nippon has a relatively straightforward decision.

The assumption is that they would sell their 50% stake to AccelorMittal or another party, he said, adding that the review by the Committee on Foreign Investment review is far more serious.

U.S. Steel did not have an immediate comment. Nippon said it stood by last weeks statement, where it pledged to strengthen American supply chains and economic defenses against China.

No other U.S. steel company on its own can meet this challenge while also meeting antitrust requirements, Nippon said.

News of the DOJ probe came the same day U.S. Steel reported first quarter guidance, projecting adjusted net earnings of $0.80 to $0.84 per share, which CEO David Burritt said were in line with expectations.

We remain focused on running our business as we make progress towards closing our transaction with Nippon, he said.

Evan Robinson-Johnson: ejohnson@post-gazette.com and @sightsonwheels

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(c)2024 the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Visit the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette at www.post-gazette.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Update: The bill was signed into law March 20.

After days of lengthy debate, an effort to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Alabama state institutions will now head to the governors desk.

The bill, SB129, authored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, asks for sweeping changes or cancellations to state agencies and public colleges that currently fund DEI offices and programming. It is not clear yet whether the bill will force some state colleges, which support a combined $16 million in diversity spending, to lay off staff.

The bill bans any program that advocates for a divisive concept. It also would prohibit higher education institutions from allowing individuals to use a restroom that is different from their sex as assigned at birth.

The House of Representatives passed an amended version of the bill on March 7. The Senate approved the changes Tuesday afternoon on a 25-4 vote. It will now head to Gov. Kay Iveys desk; if signed, changes go into effect Oct. 1.

Tuesday evening, the ACLU of Alabama called the legislation a blow for the activists, students, and everyday Alabamians who protested the bill and others throughout the legislative session.

Public colleges also are preparing for changes on campuses. In a message to students and faculty Tuesday evening, presidents of the University of Alabama Systems three campuses said leadership and legal counsel are working to determine what actions the campuses will need to take to ensure their programs are in compliance with the law, if the bill is signed by Ivey.

It is important to note that SB 129 defines divisive concepts and DEI programs in specific terms, and it offers several exceptions for accreditation requirements, academic freedom, medical and mental health care, research, recruiting and outreach, and a host of other areas. Please look to official university communications for guidance as we continue to assess the legislation, the statement read.

We recognize differences strengthen our campuses and help us successfully prepare students to live and work in a global society. We remain committed to recruiting and retaining outstanding students, faculty and staff from all backgrounds, providing open and equal access to resources and opportunities, and equipping all campus community members for success at our universities and beyond.

What would the bill do?

Divisive concepts bills first emerged after a 2020 Executive Order from former President Donald Trump, which targeted diversity trainings in government institutions and took aim at critical race theory, a 50-year-old legal concept typically taught in law school classes.

Alabamas bill, which originated in 2021, has been moving swiftly through the legislature this year  unlike previous versions that never reached final passage.

On the stand this winter, supporters said the bill was meant to fight against indoctrination in classrooms, but gave few examples of where that was occurring on college campuses. The bills former sponsor, Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville, also claimed the costs of DEI programs in the state were too high for the efforts to be considered effective.

The original legislation listed nine so-called divisive concepts, with most covering topics related to race, ethnicity, sex, religion and national origin.

After debate on the Senate floor last month, the bill will no longer prohibit college staff from discussing whether slavery and racism are aligned with the founding principles of the United States.

It will add specific protections for womens sports, the state Office of Minority Affairs, funding for student and staff organizations, and would add sex to the list of protected classes in places where it was omitted.

Recent changes, which were approved on Tuesday, more clearly define the role of a contractor and protect those individuals from termination if they violate the law by accident. Another amendment ensures that nothing in the bill would infringe on First Amendment rights of students or employees.

The bill also says it will not impede federal reporting requirements or support services, prohibit housing or organizations that are segregated by sex, or affect student group activities or certain circumstances relating to accreditation.

Students or staff may host a DEI program or event, it added, but must not use state money to fund it.

Impact on schools, colleges

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, at least 22 states have introduced legislation targeting college diversity and inclusion efforts as of July 2023.

In Florida and Texas, some colleges have already terminated dozens of DEI positions and have threatened funding for student groups. Other campuses in those states have managed to keep staff positions by changing the names of diversity and inclusion programs.

In Alabama, at least eight public colleges have a specific office dedicated to diversity and inclusion efforts. Combined, the institutions reported at least $16 million in spending on wide-ranging diversity efforts, including student and staff recruitment, improving graduation rates, and supporting cultural events and programs on campuses.

A petition created by students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham to oppose SB129 has gained nearly 6,000 signatures as of Tuesday evening. At UA, after nearly 200 students rallied in support of the schools DEI programs, the student government passed a resolution opposing the bill.

Students protest a bill that would ban certain diversity, equity and inclusion programs from Alabama government-funded organizations Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Rebecca Griesbach/AL.COM.rebecca griesbach

Some college students said the bill would threaten programs that helped female students get jobs, and made accommodations for veterans and international students. Others said their professors are terrified of losing their jobs. Students also worried about the future of HBCUs in the state.

They want to bring back Jim Crow, Sean Atchison, a University of Alabama senior, said at a recent rally in Montgomery. They are determined to put us back in the 60s, and we wont stand for it.

In statements to AL.com representatives for Auburn University and the University of Alabama System did not confirm whether any positions on their campuses will be terminated, but said they will continue to work with legislators and act consistently with the law.

As a land-grant university, Auburn is committed to delivering exceptional experiences and support to all of our students with particular emphasis on providing access and opportunity to the citizenry of Alabama so that they benefit fully from an Auburn education, an Auburn spokeswoman said in a statement.

We work hard each day at Auburn to create an environment where our faculty, staff and students are welcomed, valued, respected and engaged. We remain committed to providing these exceptional experiences while continuing to support academic freedom and freedom of expression. As always, Auburn will act consistently with applicable state and federal law.

A University of Alabama System spokeswoman told AL.com that each of its campuses are dedicated to our mission of providing exceptional educational, research and patient care experiences to all people, of all backgrounds, in welcoming environments that foster open thought, academic freedom and free expression.

We are committed to providing resources and opportunities that are accessible to all and will continue to work with the legislature as we equip our campus community members for success at our universities and beyond, she said.

The Alabama State Department of Education, which already has a resolution banning so-called critical race theory in the state, has not responded to a request for comment on how the bill would affect local K-12 schools.

No public school systems appear to have a DEI office or dedicated DEI staff. However, some educators are worried that the bill could impact student groups and create a chilling effect on classroom instruction.

In a statement earlier this month, Montgomery Public Schools Superintendent Melvin Brown said the bill could also thwart efforts of local educators, who work hard to create a culture of belonging, and ensure their classrooms allow students to feel safe and prepared for a changing world.

Given the historical context of our countrys experiences, we must be honest about who we have been, who we are, and who we want to be, the statement read. Everyone deserves to see that he or she is reflected in and celebrated by our society.
Authorities have released the names of two of the victims killed in the spate of deadly violence in Birmingham over a 10-day span.

Jonathan ODell Thomas, 18, was found shot to death Monday on an Ensley street.

Maleak Chandler, 22, was found shot to death Saturday night, also in the middle of a roadway on the citys east side.

Chandlers family had been searching for him all day Sunday, unaware that he had been killed the night before. They were notified on Monday after authorities were able to identify him.

Thomass slaying marked Birminghams sixth homicide between Saturday and Monday, and the 11th in 10 days.

As of Monday, there had been 30 homicides so far this year in Birmingham. Of those, three have been ruled justifiable.

On March 18, 2023, there had been 17 homicides.

In all of Jefferson County there have been 37 slayings, including the 30 in Birmingham. On the same date last year, there had been 21 homicides.

Birmingham police about 11:15 p.m. Saturday, March 16, 2024, responded to shots fired in the 8200 block of Vassar Avenue.(Carol Robinson)

In Thomass death, West Precinct officers were dispatched on a ShotSpotter alert -- indicating that shots had been fired -- in the 1600 block of 27th Street Ensley around 5:20 p.m.

Officers found Thomas unresponsive in the roadway in the 2700 block of Avenue P, said Officer Truman Fitzgerald. He was pronounced dead on the scene at 5:36 p.m.

Currently, our officers are working to piece together what took place that led to the victim being shot, Officer Truman Fitzgerald said on the scene. From what we observed at the scene, we believe the shooting took place near where the victim was located, and thats based on shell casings in the roadway.

Chandlers body was discovered when Birmingham police about 11:15 p.m. Saturday started receiving calls of shots fired of 8200 block of Vassar Avenue. As they were en route, officer received information that someone had been shot.

He, too, was found dead in the roadway. Investigators marked roughly a dozen shell cases in the road.

Chandlers homicide came hours after a man was shot to death on Fourth Avenue West in the Bush Hills community Saturday afternoon.

On Sunday morning, two men were gunned down on Boise Avenue and another was shot to death at 6233 Blocton Ave., an area in Birmingham near Bessemer, Brighton, Midfield and Lipscomb.

We just have to echo the words of Chief (Scott) Thurmond when he says. stop and think,' Fitzgerald said at the scene of Chandlers slaying. Were seeing a lot of these homicides begin with very small motives and were choosing violence to resolve those conflicts.

No arrests have been announced in any of weekend killings.

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.
Alabamians have no guarantees of privacy for their data after submitting genetic samples to private companies to learn about their ancestry, but state lawmakers would like to change that.

A bill filed in the state legislature this session, called the Alabama Genetic Privacy Data Act, would require companies to get consent from consumers before sharing their genetic information with anyone else.

Currently DNA testing companies like 23andMe and Ancestry can sell customers data to other companies. That puts consumers at risk of having health insurers considering their genetic backgrounds when determining coverage, said the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Chip Brown, R-Mobile.

That potentially could lead to them being discriminatory on issuing policies to certain individuals based on family histories, he said, And thats something we have to protect.

HIPPA, a federal law that protects health information, does not apply to the use of the DNA consumers send in with their test kits, although many people wrongly assume that it will, said Suzanne Bernstein, a law fellow with the Electronic Privacy Information Center.

Theres this whole shadow industry that exists in the dark that we call a commercial surveillance ecosystem, she said, adding that data brokers sell data on people that is collected and analyzed.

There is not federal protection against the selling of DNA data, said Bernstein. Anyone can buy the information, she said, calling the situation dystopian.

Alabama would be only the third state in the nation to require a legal process for police to use DNA without explicit consent from consumers if HB21 passes, said Jennifer Lynch, an attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Americans shouldnt have to trade in their privacy rights just because they want to research their ancestry or learn about their traits and potential medical risks, she said.

Brown said the bill would still allow law enforcement to access DNA to solve cold cases.

Olivia McCarter is co-owner of Moxxy Forensic Investigations, an Alabama-based company that uses DNA databases to help adopted family members reconnect with their biological relatives. She also works with local law enforcement agencies to help solve crimes by analyzing DNA.

She said she think the benefits of doing DNA tests outweigh the risks for consumers, and the bill is a positive effort.

Theyre going to protect your genetic information, she said of the testing companies, but this law or this bill will kind of enforce that protection of not selling your genetic data to a third-party company without your consent.
Limestone County has been transforming over the past two decades, evolving from a rural community to a suburban landing place as Huntsville growth spilled west.

Farmland that used to sprout crops now houses new homes and businesses. Many residents complain of more traffic but take pride in new dining options.
FM spokespersonChina will continue to provide assistance for Cuba to overcome current difficulties

Xinhua) 10:34, March 19, 2024

BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China firmly supports the party and government of Cuba in improving people's life and will continue to provide assistance for Cuba to overcome the current difficulties, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday.

Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing when answering a query concerning protest reported by Western media which erupted in Santiago, Cuba yesterday over food and power shortages.

Lin said that China noted relevant reports. China firmly supports the party and government of Cuba in improving people's life, and upholding stability and firmly opposes external interference in Cubas internal affairs.

As a good friend, good comrade and good brother of Cuba, China will continue to provide assistance for Cuba to overcome the current difficulties, said Lin.

"I wish to point out that the longstanding blockade from the U.S. against Cuba inflicted severe difficulties on Cuba's national development and people's life," Lin said, noting that China calls on the U.S. to immediately lift its blockade and sanctions on Cuba and stop all attempts of intervention.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A proposed new section of trail along Shades Creek in Birmingham will link existing trail portions along the creek from Irondale into Mountain Brook.

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday approved a plan to pay $239,900 to Freshwater land Trust for consulting and project management of a new Shades Creek Greenway trail in Birmingham.

The trail will link the Irondale Furnace Trail in Mountain Brook eastward to Birminghams Flora Johnston Nature Preserve near Eastwood Mall at Irondale.

This is a huge expansion of the Lakeshore Trail, said Birmingham City Council member Hunter Williams in an interview after the meeting. There will be an additional vote next week for the actual construction cost.

Since it will be using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, construction will be required to be done by 2026, he said.

Youll be able to go all the way from the Flora Johnson Nature Trail, all the way down Shades Creek, then end up on Mountain Brook Parkway system, then down in Homewood on the Lakeshore Trail, Williams said. This will be a huge expansion of the Red Rock Trail System, Williams said.

The city will also vote soon on allocating more than $1 million toward construction of the trail, Williams said.
A North Carolina man pleaded guilty in federal court in Huntsville Tuesday to his part in a fraud that targeted retailers around the country using a network of more than 5,900 people.

Brian Nicklaus Buchanan, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He faces up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.

According to prosecutors, Buchanan was part of Noirs Luxury Refunds, organized through the cloud-based messaging service Telegram.

The scam was dedicated to refund fraud, where a purchaser claims to return an item, receives a refund, but keeps the product. Customers would pay Noirs a percentage of the product price in exchange for the organization fraudulently refunding the item on the customers behalf. Noirs Organization marketed itself as having the expertise to defraud retailers across the world.

Noirs operated from July 2020 until July 2022, obtaining refunds for millions of dollars worth of products, including electronics, designer clothing and apparel, home furnishings, and appliances, according to prosecutors.

The fraud, according to investigators, involved manipulating customer services representatives into issuing refunds, deceiving retailers through shipping labels into believing they had received a returned product when it had not, and recruiting customer service representatives as insiders to perform refunds on the conspiracys behalf.

Noirs also developed malware that would target retailers websites to circumvent fraud prevention measures.

Ten other alleged members of Noirs Organization, from New York, New Jersey, Arizona, Minnesota, Texas, California, Virginia and Canada, have been indicted in related cases pending in the Northern District of Alabama:

Assistance was provided by Target, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Wayfair, Dell, Dicks Sporting Goods, American Airlines, Hewlett Packard, Adidas, eBay and Googles CyberCrime Investigation Group.
The father of slain nursing student Laken Riley doesnt like his daughters death being exploited for political purposes.

I feel like shes being used somewhat politically, Jason Riley told NBCs Today show. It makes me angry. She was much better than that.

Police arrested Venezuelan citizen Jose Ibarra in connection with the 22-year-old students brutal death late last month. She was found unresponsive with visible blunt-force trauma injuries after not returning from a morning jog near the University of Georgia campus.

Ibarra, who was once arrested in New York over a vehicular charge that allegedly endangered a minor, entered the U.S. illegally in 2022. His detention further fueled the nations contentious debate on U.S. immigration laws.

Republican lawmakers have campaigned on that issue non-stop since Biden took office in 2020. Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia wore a tee-shirt bearing Laken Rileys name to the March 7 State of the Union address, where she also passed out matching pins and heckled President Joe Biden while he spoke.

Democrats have accused Republicans of sabotaging reform efforts to stop the president from scoring political points by passing useful legislation before the November election.

Id rather her not be such a political, how you say  it started a storm in our country, Jason Riley said. Its incited a lot of people.

He doesnt know if his daughter would still be alive if immigration laws were different.

We have no idea if that wouldve changed anything, Jason Riley confessed. He might not have been here had we had secure borders.

Former president Donald Trump met with the victims mother and stepfather prior to a rally in Greenes congressional district earlier this month. Hes said immigrants are poisoning the blood of our country and claimed some are animals.

Biden said during his State of the Union speech  where he briefly engaged Green in an impromptu debate over immigration reform  that he will not demonize immigrants.

While high-profile crimes involving immigrants have fueled concerns about the nation becoming more dangerous. Some immigration advocates worry migrants may face increased danger at the hands of fearful citizens who buy into bad information and scapegoating.

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2024 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Billionaire philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott announced Tuesday she is giving $640 million to 361 small nonprofits that responded to an open call for applications.

Yield Givings first round of donations is more than double what Scott had initially pledged to give away through the application process. Since she began giving away billions in 2019, Scott and her team have researched and selected organizations without an application process and provided them with large, unrestricted gifts.

The list included two Alabama organizations.

ACLU of Alabama is getting $2 million and First Light, which helps people facing homelessness in Birmingham, is getting $1 million.

In a brief note on her website, Scott wrote she was grateful to Lever for Change, the organization that managed the open call, and the evaluators for their roles in creating this pathway to support for people working to improve access to foundational resources in their communities. They are vital agents of change.

The increase in both the award amount and the number of organizations who were selected is a pleasant surprise, said Elisha Smith Arrillaga, vice president at The Center for Effective Philanthropy. She is interested to learn more about the applicants experience of the process and whether Scott continues to use this process going forward.

Some 6,353 nonprofits applied to the $1 million grants when applications opened.

The donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount, said Lever for Change, which specializes in running philanthropic prize awards.

The 279 nonprofits that received top scores from an external review panel were awarded $2 million, while 82 organizations in a second tier received $1 million each.

Competitions like Scotts open call can help organizations who do not have connections with a specific funder get considered, said Renee Karibi-Whyte, senior vice president, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

One of the best things about prize philanthropy is that it surfaces people and organizations and institutions that otherwise wouldnt have access to the people in the power centers and the funding, she said. Her organization also advises funders who run competitive grants or philanthropic prize competitions to phase the application to diminish the burden of applying on any organization that is eliminated early.

Megan Peterson, executive director of the Minnesota-based nonprofit, Gender Justice, said the application was a rare opportunity to get noticed by Scott.

Having seen the types of work that she has supported in the past, we did feel like, Oh, if only she knew that we were out here racking up wins, said Peterson.

Her organization has won lawsuits recently around access to emergency contraception and the rights of trans youth to play sports. They plan to use the funds to expand their work into North Dakota. Peterson said the funds must be used for tax exempt purposes but otherwise come with no restrictions or reporting requirements  just like Scotts previous grants.

I think shes really helping to set a new path for philanthropy broadly, which is with that philosophy of: Find people doing good work and give them resources and then get out of the way, Peterson said of Scott. I am grateful for not just the support individually, but the way in which I think she is having an impact on philanthropy broadly.

The open call asked for applications from nonprofits who are community-led with missions to advance the voices and opportunities of individuals and families of meager or modest means, Yield Giving said on its website. Only nonprofits with annual budgets between $1 and $5 million were eligible to apply.

The awardees were selected through a multilayer process, where applicants scored fellow applicants and then the top organizations were reviewed by a panel of outside experts.

Scott has given away $16.5 billion from the fortune she came into after divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Initially, she publicized the gifts in online blog posts, sometimes naming the organizations and sometimes not. She launched a database of her giving in December 2022, under the name Yield Giving.

In an essay reflecting on the website, she wrote, Information from other people  other givers, my team, the nonprofit teams Ive been giving to  has been enormously helpful to me. If more information about these gifts can be helpful to anyone, I want to share it.

Smith Arrillaga, of CEP, said it was important that Scott is, continuing to honor her commitment in terms of giving away her wealth, even though shes thinking, changing and tweaking the how of how its done and shes still trying to go with the spirit of what she committed to.
Alabama to consider changes to school report cards. Why?

After five years of using letter grades on annual school and district report cards, Alabamas top educator said its time for a review to make sure these are the best measures to use.

Supporters of report cards say parents are familiar with letter grades and its important to have a way to determine the quality of learning at a school. Opponents say letter grades arent a fair reflection of whats happening in the school.

The law mandating letter-grade report cards was passed in 2012, and Mackey, head of the school superintendents association at the time, served on the original committee that decided which measures should be included.

The first report card with a letter grade wasnt issued until 2018, the year Eric Mackey became state superintendent. Report cards were not issued in 2020 or 2021 due to the pandemics disruption of state standardized testing.

In 2022, Alabama lawmakers split the report card into two - one for federal accountability and one for state accountability. Gov. Kay Iveys Commission on Teaching and Learning issued a report in December recommending the state revisit the A through F report card and to combine the state and federal report card into one report card.

Alabamas Freedom Monument Sculpture Park opens soon: What to know about memorials new addition

Visitors to the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park wind a serpentine path past art pieces depicting the lives of enslaved people in America and historic exhibits, including two cabins where the enslaved lived, before arriving at a towering monument.

The sculpture park is the third site created by the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, which is dedicated to taking an unflinching look at the countrys history of slavery, racism and discriminatory policing. The first two sites  the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a memorial to people slain in racial terror killings; and The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration  opened in 2018.

The sculpture park, which opens March 27, weaves art installations, historic artifacts and personal narratives to explore the history of slavery in America and honor the millions of people who endured its brutality.

The park is opening as some politicians, including in the Deep South, try to put parameters on how race and history are taught in classrooms and in workforce training sessions.

Alabama labor secretary to discuss job options for formerly incarcerated people at movie screening

Alabama Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington will lead a panel discussion at Birminghams Woodlawn Theater on March 20 following the screening of the documentary Being Free.

The film follows three formerly incarcerated individuals on their journey to find careers after prison. The panel event, which also will feature discussion from Society for Human Resource Management CEO Johnny Taylor, Ken Oliver of Checkr, Birmingham City Councilor LaTonya Tate and Ronald McKeithen of Alabama Appleseed, is part of statewide efforts to reduce recidivism.

Alabama has a low labor force participation rate, with 38 workers per 100 open jobs. The state also has a high unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated individuals, over 27%, which is 10 times higher than the general population.

A 2023 report by the Society for Human Resource Management found that after HR professionals viewed Being Free, they were more likely to recognize the strengths of formerly incarcerated individuals and the benefits of hiring them. Tailored resources for both people re-entering the population after prison and for hiring professionals are needed, advocates said.

Confused about 2021 Cullman rally, Donald Trump claims he broke Elvis Presleys record crowd at Alabama state fair

During one of his signature tangents while addressing a rally in Ohio over the weekend, Donald Trump claimed to have broken Elvis Presleys attendance record at the Alabama State Fair, despite neither man making an appearance at the festival.

Trump appeared to have confused his 2021 rally in Cullman, where he stumped for Mo Brooks campaign for U.S. Senate, with a visit to the fair, which never took place. He told the crowd in Vandalia, Ohio of Brooks asking him to campaign for him in Alabama when he made the attendance claim.

Trump never made an appearance at the Alabama State Fair, which occurs in Birmingham.

And neither did Presley.

The King of Rock performed at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in September 1956, but the event did not take place in Cullman. Or Birmingham. Or Alabama.

Trumps Cullman appearance also didnt get a crowd of 68,000.

The U.S. Secret Service estimated the crowd at 45,000 people, according to Deputy Chad Whaley of the Cullman County sheriffs office. The Morgan County sheriffs office also posted on its Facebook page it had been given an estimate of 45,000.

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New body cam footage released by Nashville police Monday shows University of Missouri student Riley Strain walking and in conversation with a police officer after his last known sighting the night he went missing in Nashville.

Police said in a tweet Monday afternoon that Nashville officer Reginald Young was responding to a vehicle burglary call on Gay Street, south of the Woodland Street Bridge, when he saw Strain. They greeted each other briefly, and Strain did not appear distressed, according to Young, who remained in the area for 45 minutes.

Shown was Riley's brief exchange of greetings w/ Officer Reginald Young on Gay St., south of the Woodland St. Bridge, on the night of 3/8. Riley did not appear distressed. Officer Young was there on a vehicle burglary call & remained on that portion of Gay St. for 45 min. pic.twitter.com/z0xeEzeieK  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 18, 2024

As of now, there is no footage that shows Riley away from Gay street after 9:52, police said. No evidence of foul play has been found.

Strain, 22, of Springfield, was last seen around 10 p.m. on March 8 when he was kicked out of Lukes 32 Bridge Bar at 301 Broadway, a downtown Nashville bar owned by country star Luke Bryan, according to Metro Nashville police.

A friend told police they lost sight of him and tried to use Snapchat to find his location but werent successful, police said in a news release. Strains friends attempted to call him multiple times into the next day but kept getting his voicemail.

Police said in a tweet Sunday afternoon that Rileys bank card was found on the embankment between Gay Street and the Cumberland River. Chris Dingman, a family friend for over 40 years, said it was found by TikTok users who have taken an interest in the case. He referred to them as TikTok investigators. A segment of a livestream posted by one of the creators shows the moment when one of them found the card.

Strain was identified by a homeless person last week when he reportedly walked through a homeless camp the night he went missing.

Dingman also confirmed that the bouncer did not allow Strain to stand outside of the bar to wait for his friends to close their tabs. He was taken out the side door of the bar, and by the time his friends paid and walked out, he was gone.

Aaron Rummage, Director of Legislation, Policy and Communications at the Tennessee Alcohol and Beverage Commission told The Star in a statement Thursday there is an investigation into the bar to see if there were any violations, such as overserving the college student.

There are no specific rules or statutes that governs escorting out intoxicated patrons from their businesses or providing assistance in getting someone home. However, state law prohibits serving alcoholic beverages to someone who is visibly intoxicated. A violation is a class A misdemeanor, Rummage said in the statement.

A friend called police at 1:46 p.m. Saturday from outside the Nashville Central Police Precinct trying to file a missing persons report, explaining they were in town for a fraternity formal when Strain went missing.

Were here on a fraternity formal trip. Its one of my good buddies, the caller said.

Strain is a Springfield native and senior majoring in interdisciplinary studies and business, as well as a member of the Delta Chi fraternity. A vigil was held last Wednesday night at his old high school, Kickapoo High, to pray for his safe return.

We love him more than anything and just want him home, said Riley Strains cousin Chelsea Strain in a statement to The Star last Wednesday.

The 911 caller said that the last location of Strains phone was around 11 p.m. that night near the Central Police Precinct at the intersection of Korean Veterans Boulevard and 6th Avenue.

Well be here, the caller said when the operator told him officers were on their way the next day.

Police said they did a hospital and jail check, as well as a phone ping. Verizon was not able to get a live ping because Strains phone was off, but did give the phones last known location, which was 0.64 miles southwest of the cell tower at 19 Oldham Street, a news release said.

Detectives released surveillance video last week of Strain crossing North 1st Avenue to Gay Street that night. A be-on-the-lookout order was also issued, a release said.

Police also conducted a helicopter search of the area, including the riverbank, last Monday, as well as a ground search with no results. The Urban Search & Rescue team conducted a deep search Thursday along the brush and the riverbank of the Cumberland River, according to a tweet from the police department.

Strain is described as a white male, 160 pounds, with blue eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black and brown button-up shirt with a black chest pocket, blue jeans, brown boots and a black Apple watch.

Anyone who sees Strain is asked to call 615-862-8600.

2024 The Kansas City Star. Visit kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A suspect has been charged in the 2023 shooting death of a man who was found slain alongside his dog in his burning Birmingham home.

Jervontay Marques Traylor, 22, of Birmingham, is charged with capital murder during a robbery in the killing of 45-year-old Deshawn Kahill Murphy, according to court records made public Tuesday.

The deadly shooting happened Nov. 20 at 4328 Willard Avenue S.W.

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and Birmingham police responded about 12:15 p.m. that Monday to a blaze at the home.

Deshawn Kahill Murphy(Contributed)

As firefighters entered the house, they found Murphy and a dog unresponsive just inside the front door. Both had been shot and were pronounced dead on the scene at 1:23 p.m.

Police Sgt. LaQuitta Wade said at the time a friend of the victim was sitting outside the house in a vehicle. An unknown man fired shots at the friend and the friend then fled the location on foot.

The friend sustained a gunshot wound to side and was taken to the hospital.

A person was found dead inside a burning house on Willard Avenue shortly after noon on Nov. 20, 2023.(Carol Robinson)

Charging documents state Murphy was killed while Traylor was in the course of committing a theft of an undisclosed amount of money.

Traylor also faces unrelated charges of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle, criminal trespassing, and obstruction of justice in St. Clair County. He was also arrested last week on those charges, court records show.

Traylor was booked into the Jefferson County Jail Friday. He is being held without bond.
Former President Trump has derided Jewish Democrats for not being sufficiently strong supporters of Israel amid the war in Gaza.

The MAGA man told right-wing commentator Sebastian Gorka that Jews who do not back his Republican Party hate themselves and their own faith.

Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, he said late Monday on Gorkas podcast. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves, because Israel will be destroyed.

Trump was apparently triggered by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers speech last week denouncing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and renewing his call for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The former president accused Schumer of turning on Netanyahu because the Brooklyn Democrat is afraid of losing votes of progressive anti-war demonstrators.

I think its votes more than anything else, because he was always pro-Israel, Trump said. Hes very anti-Israel now.

Schumer hit back at Trump, calling his attacks highly partisan and hateful rants in a tweet.

The most-senior elected Jewish leader in American history  whose state is home to the largest Jewish population in the U.S.  insisted that his criticism of Netanyahu is designed as tough love for the Jewish state.

I am working in a bipartisan way to ensure the US-Israeli relationship sustains for generations to come, Schumer tweeted.

The outburst is not the first time Trump has attacked Jews for being too liberal or not supporting him strongly enough.

Any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat, I think it shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty, Trump said in 2022.

American Jews are among the nations most liberal voting blocs and regularly deliver 70% or more support for Democrats in presidential elections.

Republicans have sought to use their staunch support for Israel to cut into that edge, with decidedly mixed results.

Anti-Semitism watchdogs say accusations of disloyalty to their own countries or to Israel have been staples of bigotry against Jews for centuries.

Jonathan Greenblatt of the Anti-Defamation League said bipartisan and principled American support for Israel is crucial for maintaining the close alliance between the two nations.

Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory and patently false, Greenblatt said.

_____

2024 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
This is an opinion column.

In politics, friendship can mean a lot  a medium of exchange where no one keeps a ledger and everyone knows who looks out for whom when they need it most.

Years ago, when the FBI tried to trap Alabama gambling magnate Milton McGregor, he spoke carefully to the state lawmaker across from him wearing a wire.

You need some new friends, McGregor said to then-state Sen. Scott Beason. We all need all the friends we can get, and Ronnie and I have a bad habit of supporting our friends.

McGregor died six years ago, a free man until the end. For the jury, the recording wasnt proof beyond a reasonable doubt. It was doubt. You see, McGregor was just being friendly and was suggesting he might help Beasons political future.

You know, friends.

Fast forward to 2024. Today, a bill before the Alabama Legislature, sponsored by state Rep. Matt Simpson, R-Daphne, could open the doors for many more friendships by removing restrictions on gifts from lobbyists and special interests to lawmakers.

As long as theyre friends.

In a memo to lawmakers distributed Monday, the Alabama Ethics Commission warned that the bill would make it legal for lobbyists and the clients who employ them to ply lawmakers and their families with unrestricted gifts, as long a prosecutor couldnt prove there was a clear quid-pro-quo.

A lobbyist can claim to be a friend of a public servant and then give unlimited gifts without disclosure, even during session, unless someone can prove that the gift is NOT motivated by friendship AND that it is intended to substantially influence the recipients official activities, the commission staff wrote in the memo.

Im not sure if thats a warning or an advertisement.

Whats a little gift-giving between friends in Montgomery today?

Under the current Alabama ethics law, if those friends are a lobbyist and a lawmaker, a gift over $25 could mean time behind bars. Same for gifts between principles  those who employ lobbyists  and lawmakers.

Just ask former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, who did time for something like that, although for a lot more than $25.

However, Simpsons bill could make such exchanges legal, as long as both sides of the exchange are friends and agree its not a bribe. Also, there would be no cap on value.

Lobbyists could give away vacation cruises, skybox tickets to Braves games, or flights to the Grand Canyon. Under the new law, and it would pass muster, as long as theyre friends. And what better demonstration of friendship is there than coming through for a buddy in bad need of a five-night vacation?

Under the current law, lawmakers may accept gifts only if there was a pre-existing friendship with the gift-giver before they took office.

If youre a lawmaker and your lobbyist uncle gives you a fancy rifle for Christmas and takes you on a family hunting trip, thats fine as long as its typical of what youve always done.

But if the lobbyist is someone you made friends with after getting elected, thats trouble.

It wasnt always this way.

In 2010, Alabama Republicans won control of both houses of the Alabama Legislature and swiftly delivered on a campaign promise to tighten the states ethics laws. In a special session weeks after the election, they passed some of the toughest ethics laws in the country.

But ever since Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard got arrested and convicted for breaking those ethics laws, there have been several attempts to loosen the grip.

Simpsons bill would undo much of what those reforms put into place.

And then some.

In addition to loosening the legislative gift ban, the bill would remove ethics crimes from the criminal code and make them civil offenses.

PREVIOUS: Here we go again. Ethics reform bill legalizes Alabama corruption.

Lets repeat that so were clear: It would make ethics crimes  not crimes.

Rather than referring ethics scofflaws for prosecution, the Alabama Ethics Commission would give lawmakers reprimands and light civil fines for repeat offenses.

In addition to opposition from the Ethics Commission, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, former federal corruption prosecutor Matt Hart, and former House Ethics Committee chairman Mike Ball have all gone on record against it, although each for his own reasons.

But none of those folks have a vote on the bill, which could go before the Alabama House as early as this week. And with a flurry of proposed gambling bills riding the same tracks through the Legislature, who knows how friendly it could get?

Simpson insists the bill would make the state law tougher, but in reality, it could make Montgomery the friendliest city in Alabama.

And lawmakers and lobbyists what they always wanted to be  friends with benefits.

Kyle Whitmire is the 2023 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. You can follow him on Threads here and subscribe to his weekly newsletter, Alabamafication.
Bulldozers this past week have been clearing 105 acres south of the Tallapoosa Street exit, moving dirt and knocking down trees on a highly visible site east of W.C. Patton Park along Interstate 20/59.

Travelers headed east out of downtown Birmingham cant miss all the activity.

Whats going on?

That land is owned by Coca Cola Bottling Co. United-Central LLC in Birmingham, which currently operates from a distribution center at 4600 East Lake Boulevard overlooking the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport.

The property between 40th and 42nd St. North at 4000 Richard Arrington Boulevard (formerly 10th Ave. North) was from 1914-1997 the campus of Stockham Valves and Fittings, a company founded in Birmingham in 1903 that became one of the nations largest producers of valves and pipe fittings for heavy industry.

Weve had that property for 10 years, said Linda Sewell, spokesperson for Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United-Central LLC. Weve been hoping, and our vision has always been, to build a new facility there. At the current time, everything is not finalized.

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday voted to vacate the right of ways on the property so Coca Cola Bottling could consolidate its property.

Coca Cola Bottling is not yet announcing details of what may be built there on the property.

Since the site is ours, we are readying the site so that if and when that time comes, we can continue to move and stay on track with our plans, Sewell said. There is activity starting on the site. Were preparing it to move forward, if and when agreements are finalized.

The City of Birminghams relinquishing of right of ways was one necessary step. Other steps remain.

I dont want to go into details of the plans, Sewell said. We dont have agreements finalized. We havent announced any plans. Until everything is finalized with the local governments, and all of the governments, were not ready to move ahead.

Coca Cola Bottling United has continued to upgrade its facilities on East Lake Boulevard but has run out of room there.

Over the past several years weve made investments on our current site because of the growth of our business, Sewell said. Weve done everything we can to enhance our current location, but were landlocked.

Business continues to expand, she said.

Fortunately, weve been experiencing great growth, Sewell said. You combine those two things. We have a need for more (space). Thats what our hope and dream has been for the past decade.

In an interview after this mornings meeting, City Council President Darrell OQuinn said expanded facilities for the Coca Cola Bottling plant would be a massive investment for the city.

Its an exciting opportunity, OQuinn said.

I dont know a lot of details, OQuinn said. For the folks who live in Kingston, its a massive deal. Stockham Pipe has been an abandoned site for decades. This project would bring revitalization to that community.

OQuinn said the Alabama Department of Transportation will have to be involved in improving the Tallapoosa Street exit, which is currently oriented to traffic going north exiting the interstate, and would need to be re-worked for southbound traffic.

Reworking the exit ramp there at Tallapoosa is a critical piece of that infrastructure, OQuinn said.
A male was found shot to death early Monday evening in the middle of a street in Ensley, police said.

The homicide is the sixth in Birmingham since Saturday.

West Precinct officers were dispatched on a ShotSpotter alert -- indicating that shots had been fired -- in the 1600 block of 27th Street Ensley around 5:20 p.m. Monday, said Officer Truman Fitzgerald.

Officers at the scene found a male lying unresponsive in the roadway in the 2700 block of Avenue P, said Fitzgerald.

The victim, only identified by police as a young male -- they have yet to identify him and were unsure whether he was a juvenile or an adult -- was suffering from a gunshot wound.

Birmingham Fire Rescue Service pronounced the victim dead at the scene.

Police have few leads in the homicide case, and no suspects were in custody as of early Monday evening.

Currently, our officers are working to piece together what took place that led to the victim being shot, Fitzgerald said. From what we observed at the scene, we believe the shooting took place near where the victim was located, and thats based on shell casings in the roadway.

But Fitzgerald noted that the deadly shooting took place in a heavily populated residential area, and he urged anyone with information on the homicide to call CrimeStoppers at 205-254-7777. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

On Saturday afternoon, a man was shot to death on Fourth Avenue West in the Bush Hills community. Later that night, another man was found fatally shot on Vassar Avenue on the east side.

On Sunday morning, two men were gunned down on Boise Avenue and another was shot to death at 6233 Blocton Ave., an area in Birmingham near Bessemer, Brighton, Midfield and Lipscomb.

In all, 11 people have been killed in 10 days.

There have been 30 homicides so far this year in Birmingham. Of those, three have been ruled justifiable.

In all of Jefferson County there have been 37 slayings, including the 30 in Birmingham.
Trussville Public Library is removing 11 books from circulation and moving 25 childrens and young adult titles to an adult section after a complaint about inappropriate content.

The library canceled Monday afternoon activities to make room for nearly 200 people. They filed into the buildings auditorium to voice concerns about recent book challenges, which began last December after a patron brought a list of material she wanted removed from the shelves.

Parents and guardians are responsible for guiding and directing the reading, listening and viewing choices of minor children, board president Debbie Waid told the crowd, noting that the complaint was the first shes heard about the content of a book in her 23 years at the library. The library does not stand in place of the parents.

Trussville is the second known library in the state to remove books after a complaint  though officials said the materials were not removed because of their content. Several others have moved content to adult sections. And just last week, controversy over books in the Prattville Public Library prompted the firing of the librarys director and four staff members.

What has been happening in Alabama is weve had a kind of vocal minority of extremists who have been challenging books, who have been calling books that are about crayons sexually explicit, Matthew Layne of the Alabama Library Association recently told AL.com. Its been really remarkable and fascinating, but also kind of heartbreaking at the level of mis- and disinformation thats been spread out there.

Trussville Public Library Director Jason Baker said a Trussville resident, Sheila Wright, approached library staff on Dec. 5, 2023 about some concerns that, he said, were largely related to content around sexual orientation and gender identity. As a one-time exception, staff agreed to review the full list of 41 items that she had shared.

Trussville Public Librarys current book challenge policy requires complainants to first submit a statement of concern for each item they wish to remove. Once staff receives a submission, they will review the materials, discuss them and make a recommendation on how to move forward.

Officials said they told Wright about their decision before announcing it publicly. No other statements of concern were received at that time.

Wright then read a letter at a February board meeting demanding the removal of the materials  as well as others that were not originally included, Baker said. Officials said about 10 people spoke in support of Wright at that meeting.

The board decided to keep five titles in their current locations, including three parenting books about gender, sex and pronoun usage and two teen and adult-rated movies, The Duff and Call Me By Your Name.

The titles were removed due to low circulation, Waid said. They include the following:

L8r, g8r by Lauren Myracle

Red Hood by Elana K. Arnold

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger

The Haters by Jesse Andrews

All The Things We Do In The Dark by Ashley Hope Parez

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Parez

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

Traffick by Ellen Hopkins

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas

I am Margaret Moore by Hannah Capin

Of the 25 titles that were moved, seven were transferred to the adult section because the board felt they contained adult content.

Another 18 young adult items with mature content will be labeled as mature teen or mature young adult content and moved to its own area in the adult section. Those titles include The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, and Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell.

Wright said Monday that she is opposed to moving the material where it is still accessible, and that she wishes to protect minors from indoctrination and exposure to what most of us consider unhealthy.

She noted a board book for toddlers about gender identity, a book called Sex is a Funny Word which she said contained graphic drawings and a section on masturbation, and fantasy books by Sarah Maas, a popular teen author.

Several of the challenged books include titles contested by Clean Up Alabama, a group that is behind several book challenges in public libraries across the state.

We think that children, their minds are not developed enough to be presented with this material, Wright told AL.com after the meeting.

She was met, however, with opposition from several parents, who said they should be trusted to make their own decisions about their childrens reading habits.

Some compared recent book challenges to authoritarian rule. Others said they were an affront to values like freedom and liberty.

Im proud to be an American and proud to be a patriot, said Jennifer Corpus, a self-described homeschool mom and Air Force wife. What Im not proud of is when that same freedom that my husband has sworn to protect is infringed upon here in the Trussville library, where my five- and two-year-old come to learn about people who are different than them. It is not our right to control what others have access to.

David Teel, a Methodist pastor, said his local library introduced him to viewpoints and perspectives that he wouldnt have otherwise encountered in his rural hometown.

All of these books provide for us an opportunity to acknowledge that we struggle in life and that we need support along the way from one another, he said. I love reading these books and talking about the people living on the margins, because the stories they tell are stories that connect us all.

Some noted policies already in place to help families monitor childrens reading. Trussville Public Library cards for children under the age of 15 are connected to a parents card, which allows adults to review the content children are checking out.

The library has come under attack for these books, said Esther Glenn, who credited the library for helping to homeschool her four children. But I believe that these library policies can and should be allowed to handle every challenge thats brought before it because these are the professionals and we need to let them do their job.

View a full list of the challenged materials and where they were moved below:

A list of books to be left in place, moved or removed from Trussville Public Library in 2024. Rebecca Griesbach/AL.comRebecca Griesbach

Alaina Bookman contributed reporting.
Rainsville police say two people were charged in connection with the discovery of two children that were the subject of an Amber Alert in Tennessee.

According to police, Rainsville officers received a tip about 7:30 p.m. Monday from police in Shelbyville, Tenn. A U-Haul truck at a Burger King in Rainsville supposed had two children kidnapped from Tennessee inside the vehicle.

When officers arrived, they found two adults and two young children in the cab of the truck.

The two adults were identified as Casey Campbell, 32, of Scottsboro, and Charles Garrett, 26, of Gadsden.

Campbell had a warrant for kidnapping the two children from their guardians in Shelbyville, Tenn. She was arrested on scene and taken to the Rainsville Police Department Jail where she is awaiting extradition to Tennessee.

Garrett was arrested for an outstanding warrant with Scottsboro police.

The two children, a two-year-old girl and nine-month-old girl, were last seen in Shelbyville on Wednesday, March 13. They were both safe, authorities said.

Dekalb County DHR, the Dekalb County Sheriffs Office, and Shelbyville police were also involved in the case. More charges could follow, Rainsville police said.
A student was injured during a shootout with an Alabama A&M University police officer Monday afternoon, state authorities said Monday night.

Earlier Monday, law enforcement characterized the incident as a officer-involved shooting but did not say whether the injured party was an officer or someone else.

The campus police officer, who was not publicly identified, encountered the gun-toting student in the Knight Complex residence hall when gunfire was exchanged, according to Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Sgt. Jeremy Burkett and Alabama A&M University Police Chief Montrez Payton.

The student was injured and taken to Huntsville Hospital with undisclosed injuries, Burkett said.

The officer was not hurt.

The officer was on the fifth floor of the Knight Complex conducting a routine patrol around 1:50 p.m. Monday when the officer heard shots fired below him, Payton said.

As the officer responded to see where the shots were coming from, he made contact with a person in the southwest stairwell of the residence hall.

Multiple shots were exchanged in that stairwell, Payton said. An individual was hit multiple times.

Unfortunately, were saddened by these occurrences and also, these things are starting to become more frequent as we see in todays climate, the chief told reporters shortly after the shooting.

Just seven months ago, the Knight Complex was the scene of another shooting.

The Aug. 22 shooting injured two people and led to the arrests of two suspects.

That shooting was termed as an isolated incident stemming from an altercation between two people.
Andrew Foster, the director of my hometowns public library who was fired last week amid a book fight, says his job was politicized. Absolutely. And thats unfortunately happening at libraries all over the state and all over the nation. pic.twitter.com/Vbnwi3nDLd  Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) March 19, 2024

The former director of the Autauga-Prattville Public Library said politics was to blame for his ouster late last week amid a battle over book bans.

Absolutely, Andrew Foster said during an appearance Monday on The Source with Kaitlan Collins on CNN when Collins asked him if he believed the roles of library directors were being politicized.

And thats unfortunately happening at libraries all over the state and all over the nation, Foster said.

The former Autauga-Prattville Library director was fired by the librarys board on Friday, ostensibly because Foster complied with an open records request from the Alabama Political Reporter regarding the boards book bans.

Under the bans, more than 100 childrens and young adult books could be moved to the adult section. The board also reprimanded Foster for recording meetings, which is allowed by state law if at least one person consents.

The request showed Foster asking the board for clarity on the definition of terms like obscenity and gender identity, saying the terms under the new boards policies were vague.

If you take the full scope of what they mean at face value, [it] could be nearly any book in the library, for some of them, Foster told Collins.

The former director also said several board members would instruct him in their individual capacities but received no direction from the board itself.

Ive, for the last month and a half, been asking for clarity. In my asking for clarity, an important point is that I, as the library director, am answerable to the entire board of the library board, not to individuals, Foster said.

In my pushing for answers, several times I asked, I need this to be a clarification by the board, I need this to be clarified to me by the entirety of the board ... in an open meeting because that is, legally, to my full understanding, how that process has to work, he told Collins.

But Foster said the boards attorney disputed that open meetings needed to be held.

Besides the director, four members of the librarys staff were also fired for locking the doors to the facility shortly after Fosters termination.

Alabama Library Association president Matthew Layne said the firing is a travesty that should frighten every Alabama resident.

Social extremists are utilizing ruthless, strong-arm tactics to transform them into political battlegrounds, Layne said. He said libraries are essential public resources where all members of our community could gather and learn, and that the firings were unjust, politically motivated and undermines this librarys capacity for properly, effectively serving the public.

Further, its a frightening example of what could happen at public libraries across our state, Layne said. As a lifelong Alabama resident, I know this is unequivocally not what our states residents want.

Read Freely Alabama, an organization founded in Prattville that has pushed back against book challenges, released a statement supporting Foster and the fired staff.

The freedom to read is essential, like air and water, to a healthy democracy. We will continue to fight alongside our neighbors in Prattville and the library supporters for the right to read.
Baylee Smith gave notice to leave her job at the Autauga-Prattville Library on Monday. She wondered aloud what she could do with her free time.

My first thought was I finally get to focus on potty training, said the former childrens librarian with a laugh. As a single mom, Smiths son is her singular focus, but shes looking forward to helping him through this big phase in his life. Two former colleagues, Andrew Foster and Adrienne Barringer, laughed with her.

After nearly a year of book challenges and upheaval, the board of trustees made the dramatic decision to fire library director Andrew Foster last week, and then, after several employees protested, the board fired them, too.

The library opened Monday with shortened hours and fewer staff  and with dramatically reduced services. Among the fired staff members is Adrienne Barringer, who helped coordinate programming across the library systems four branches.

Just hours after her firing, she and her husband needed to take her son to the emergency room. Since then, shes gotten some rest, but said shes still in disbelief, sadness and grief and extreme anger that this was able to happen in the first place and nothings been changed.

Starting from scratch

In the last few months, Prattville has seen protests, heated board meetings and more than 100 books being reconsidered, most of which have LGBTQ characters.

When Foster started going through the list of books given to him by board chair Ray Boles, he questioned why some of the books, which had no sexual content or tenuous LGBTQ connections, were included.

Foster was fired for sharing emails regarding this list to a reporter and for recording meetings. In a recent interview with The Montgomery Advertiser, Boles denied wanting to remove LGBTQ books.

Monday, interim library director Tammy Bear directed all questions to the board. Board member Doug Darr said the process to review the 100 books will take time and could not give an estimate on how long it would take.

The board also needs new members to replace people who left recently. Its not clear who may be candidates, but Prattville resident Rev. Ell White II applied for an open board seat about two months ago. He hasnt gotten any notification from the current board about the application, even though the city clerk acknowledged the application was received. White is also a onetime candidate for a local school board.

The three former library staff gathered in a park a block away from the main branch to discuss their next steps and concerns about the librarys future. Among personal uncertainties, they wonder: Who will manage this years summer reading program, which has previously served more than 1,000 students? Who will work with the 700 children who, last month, participated in about 20 programs?

Its very hard to have hope right now, because they would have to completely scrap and then start back, Smith said.

All that momentum, all the continuity, everything, whenever things start up, its going to be starting from scratch, former executive director Foster said. I think its going to almost certainly be years before the library can recover to anything close to where its at.

The morning started a bit somber for Foster, who carried a small cardboard box of his belongings out of the main branchs back office. Board member Doug Darr confirmed Foster would not be allowed back into the library for an undetermined time.

Barringer and former library associate Luke Rollins, who was also fired last week, said they have yet to be offered their jobs back despite recent reports that they were asked to return.

When the library board voted to remove Foster last Thursday, Barringer, the former youth services program assistant, tearfully announced the library would be closed until further notice. She said the staff was upset and needed time to determine the next steps.

The staff very quickly convened to decide to close the library in protest of the firing, she told AL.com on Friday. We were all so blindsided. This has just been an emotional rollercoaster. We needed time to process on how exactly were going to move forward.

Foster said hes taken time to rest and reset and was glad to have a visit from his sister and her family. He doesnt have to worry about taking enough time to see them. I can just go see them whenever.

Foster said he looks back and recognizes how stressful things have been.

Even with the changes that have happened with me losing my job and all the stresses that come with that, I think Im just kind of at a place of peace now.

Librarians are very quiet, meek individuals, Barringer said. They dont like confrontation.

Now, she said librarians are angry and bold while still trying to remain peaceful and neutral.

It feels like were actually in a book right now, Barringer said. She will do what she can to ensure every community members voice is heard no matter what.

Smith said she wants to use my voice to defend all libraries in the state of Alabama.

Smith is concerned about people bullying librarians. Shes both angry and terrified about the state of libraries. These ignorant bullies are going to come for them, and they need to protect themselves from the inside so they cant get in. So Im doing what I can and using my resources to figure out the best way to approach that.

Rollins told AL.com things have been hectic, but hes been running around trying to get the word out as much as possible, trying to tell people whats going on.

He attended a Saturday protest before the library board appointed an interim director. And he is looking for other work.

Smith said she felt she couldnt speak before but is ready to protect libraries.

Now I am going to scream at the top of my lungs for the people who cant say anything, Smith said. Because, yes, they are attacking LGBTQ people. Theyre also attacking librarians.
The Donald dethroned The King?

During one of his signature tangents while addressing a rally in Ohio over the weekend, Donald Trump claimed to have broken Elvis Presleys attendance record at the Alabama State Fair, despite neither man making an appearance at the festival.

Trump appeared to have confused his 2021 rally in Cullman, where he stumped for Mo Brooks campaign for U.S. Senate, with a visit to the fair, which never took place. He told the crowd in Vandalia, Ohio of Brooks asking him to campaign for him in Alabama when he made the attendance claim.

Mo Brooks got up. He said, Sir, Id really appreciate it. And we went to the state fair  68,000 people showed up at the state fair, Trump said.

And an old guy came out, it looked like he was about 103. He said, You know, you did something I never thought would happen in Alabama. He said, Ive been at this place for 60 years, 70 years -- a long time -- and you just broke the attendance record of a man named Elvis Presley. Can you believe that? He said, You just broke it, man, the former president continued.

Trump never made an appearance at the Alabama State Fair, which occurs in Birmingham.

And neither did Presley.

The King of Rock performed at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in September 1956, but the event did not take place in Cullman. Or Birmingham. Or Alabama.

Presley took the stage in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Trumps Cullman appearance also didnt get a crowd of 68,000.

The U.S. Secret Service estimated the crowd at 45,000 people, according to Deputy Chad Whaley of the Cullman County sheriffs office. The Morgan County sheriffs office also posted on its Facebook page it had been given an estimate of 45,000.

During his Ohio rally on Saturday, Trump also attempted to rewrite history about rescinding his endorsement of Brooks in favor of eventual Sen. Katie Britt.

Trump brought up how Brooks told the crowd in Cullman to put the 2020 election behind you as the former president continued to dispute the results.

There are some people who are despondent about the voter fraud election theft of 2020, Brooks said at the August 2021 rally. Folks, put that behind you.

Trump said he was backstage being interviewed by ABC fake News at the time.

Mo Brooks gets up and he says, Lets forget about the election, the election was fine ... we have to get on to the future. He got booed, Trump said.

As a result, Trump said, Brooks lost a significant lead in the GOP primary runoff to Britt.

I endorsed (Britt) the following morning, Trump said. We have another senator now because people dont want to hear bullshit.

However, nearly 10 months passed between the rally and when Trump endorsed Britt.

He withdrew his endorsement of Brooks in March 2022 and endorsed Britt in June 2022. She won the runoff less than two weeks after his endorsement.

Its quite clear that Donald Trump has no loyalty to anyone or anything but himself, Brooks said after the Britt endorsement. He looked at who he thought had the best chance of winning and thats who he endorsed. It had nothing to do with philosophy of government other than that, he abandoned the conservative movement and the MAGA agenda in order to try to improve the reputation of his brand.
When three weeks ago French President Emmanuel Macron said he refused to rule out sending ground troops to Ukraine, his words stood in stark contrast to both the European and American red line when it comes to putting boots on the ground in that country. As a matter of fact, several NATO countries, including the U.S., Germany and the UK, were quick to rule out that hypothesis. The "path to victory" is providing military aid "so Ukrainian troops have the weapons and ammunition they need to defend themselves," a White House statement said. Analogously, German chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK prime minister Rishi Sunaks spokesman, and the office of Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni reiterated the agreed commitment to supporting Ukraine without including the presence of troops from European or NATO states on Ukrainian territory.

Since then things havent changed that much, except that the awareness that the risk of plunging the world into the Third World War has increased. This is especially thanks to three factors. The first is the so-called Weimar Triangle. Today we agreed on a number of priorities, including the immediate procurement of even more weapons for Ukraine on the entire world market, announced Scholz at the end of a summit meeting, held on March 15, with the French president and the Polish prime minister Donald Tusk referring to the launch of a coalition of Ukraines allies for long-range weapons.

The second factor is the insistence with which Macron reiterates his position. Maybe at some point -- I don't want it, I won't take the initiative -- we will have to have operations on the ground, whatever they may be, to counter the Russian forces, the French president told newspaper Le Parisien in an interview on Friday.

The third factor is the myopia with which NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg keeps repeating mantras such as Ukraine will join NATO. It is not a question of if, but of when, or influential experts such as former NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen and former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder are reiterating their calls to bring Ukraine into NATO sooner rather than later. Echoing a fairly widespread belief, Stoltenberg says that Russian President Vladimir Putin started this war because he wanted to close NATOs door... but he has achieved the exact opposite: Ukraine is now closer to NATO than ever before. Yet, the major premise of the syllogism is misleading, since while it correctly assumes that one event (Putins will to close NATOs door to Ukraine) caused another (Russia-Ukraine war), it seems to erroneously take for granted something which is in reality not so -- that Ukraines entry into NATO is in itself a good thing, regardless of the context and consequences.

Who cares if NATO expansion eastward is seen by Russians as directed against their country? Actually, only the unwary can imagine that the prospect of Ukraines entry into NATO wouldnt escalate tensions with Russia, potentially leading to further conflict or instability in the region. Putin has been clear for many years that if continued, the expansion would likely be met with serious resistance by Russia. Among Western observers, Bidens CIA director, William J. Burns, has been warning about the provocative effect of NATO expansion on Russia since 1995. But even apart from all this, there are sound reasons why NATO should not accept Ukraine -- for Ukraines sake. Bringing Ukraine into NATO now is a bad idea that will prolong the war and leave Kyiv in an even worse position over time, writes Stephen M. Walt, the Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International relations at Harvard University. Membership now will only prolong the war:

If Im correct that Moscow attacked in good part to prevent Kyiv from joining NATO, then bringing Ukraine in now will simply prolong a war that the country is presently losing. If thats why Putin launched his special military operation, hes not likely to end it if his forces are doing decently well and Ukrainian accession to NATO is still on the table. The result is that Ukraine will sustain even more damage, conceivably putting its own long-term future at risk. Ukraine was one of the most rapidly depopulating countries in Europe before the war began, and the effects of the fighting (fleeing refugees, declining fertility, battlefield deaths, etc.) will make this problem worse.

Add to this that the country does not sufficiently meet the requirements for membership. Still a fragile democracy at best, corruption is endemic and structural, elections have been suspended since the beginning of the war, and there are still influential elements in Ukrainian society whose commitment to democratic norms is questionable. For these and other reasons, the Economist Democracy Index rated the country a hybrid regime last year.

In short, the scenario is that of a western world in the grip of a strange obsession arising from a misunderstanding, whereby we are confronted with the possibility of WW III without there being any good reason for it.

Donald Trump offers an alternative. He will not give a penny to Ukraine if he is re-elected U.S. President, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said after a meeting with Trump in Florida. This would be the first great step towards the attainment of peace, because it is obvious that Ukraine cannot stand on its own feet. If the Americans dont give money and weapons, along with the Europeans, the war is over. And if the Americans dont give money, the Europeans alone cant finance this war. And then the war is over, said Orban. Furthermore, according to the Hungarian President, Trump has a detailed plan to end the Ukraine war. All of our hopes for peace in that part of the world are entrusted to that plan.

Samuel Robert Piccoli is a blogger and the author of the books Being Conservative from A to Z (2014) and Blessed Are the Free in Spirit (2021). He lives in the Venice area.

Image: Office of the President of Ukraine
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Parents have been bullied, marginalized, shouted down, targeted by the FBI, arrested, and literally dragged out of school board meetings by police for exercising their First Amendment right to protest what their children are being taught. Since their God-given parental rights have been hijacked by our legal system and institutions, parents are doing what our forefathers did to protect their liberty: organizing and fighting back. And parents are winning. It seems the left has woefully underestimated the Momma Bear instinct to protect their young.

Parents in Louisiana organized and fought back. As a result, they are celebrating their victory after a long battle against the Marxist attempt to hijack the states early childhood standards. The left underestimated the wrath of parents over their brazenly sneaking Marxist ideology into the draft standards for children aged 05. As parents compared the proposed revisions to the standards with those passed in 2013, they were alarmed at the extensive changes that included Transformative Social and Emotional Learning.

Louisiana parents were aware that, although SEL is hawked to the public as the solution for student mental health issues, it is actually the vehicle for implementing the tenets of Marxist Critical Race Theory and Queer Gender Theory. The result is not improved student mental health, but rather mental destabilization and dramatically lower academic levels. Instead of preparing students academically for their future, public school focus is on preparation for left-wing activism  Americas Red Guard.

Shocked by the radical proposed changes, the parents organization Louisiana State Advocates contacted me to request that I conduct a comprehensive expert review of the Early Childhood Education Standards for the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the Louisiana State House Education Committee, comparing the proposed changes with the 2013 standards and more specifically the Social-Emotional Development domain. State curriculum standards are intended to be a comprehensive roadmap for what is included in the local education process, yet it was clear that the Louisiana draft standards had deviated from this by producing only a skeletal outline that was purposely vague and limited to allow personal interpretation and implementation by teachers or caregivers.

The left revealed its true intentions in its PowerPoint explaining how the proposed standards included Culturally Responsive Teaching, ostensibly to be inclusive of childrens individualized needs. In reality, this teaching methodology fuses radical-left politics into the curriculum, with discussions about LGBT, racism, and DIE  code for the tenets of Critical Race Theory. Embedded political issues in 05 lessons set young children up for more advanced culturally responsive curriculum in K12, such as Wit & Wisdom English Language Arts K8, which that is already in some Louisiana public schools. Here they are psychologically programmed in thinly disguised Marxist lessons on racism, transgenderism, anti-white, and anti-America.

I found it strikingly odd that one of the proposed standards for children aged 1648 months called for encouraging expressions of embarrassment, shame, guilt, gratitude, and remorse. In K12, white students are being forced to admit shame and guilt merely for being white and for supposedly being irredeemably racist (Critical Race Theory). Consequently, white children are becoming so stressed out that many are experiencing mental health issues, with some considering suicide.

Lessons about suicide and death are not uncommon in public schools. In the Wit & Wisdom curriculum noted above, first-graders read Brave Irene, where the main character of the story considers suicide. In Amos and Boris, a third-grade book about a mouse and a whale, the idea of suicide is again presented.

The consequences of teaching impressionable students about suicide and death are devastating for a moral society. The story of the grisly school massacre in 1999 at Columbine High School in Colorado exemplifies the mental health travesty that radical-left indoctrination is having on students. Death education was integrated into many courses at Columbine, where death was portrayed as glamorous. Reincarnation was presented as the solution to a hard life, with students returning in a much better life form to become like God.

In addition to Transformative Social and Emotional Learning, the Louisiana draft standards were aligned with the National Sex Education Standards K12 , which also are infused with Critical Race Theory and LGBT. Early exposure in daily lessons to NSESs core concepts psychologically prepare young children for the more comprehensive core concepts in NSES K2, which normalize deviant sex and transgenderism.

Not only did they have to contend with radical reviewers, but parents had to battle Marxist professors from Louisiana colleges and early childhood organizational experts who denigrated the parents. Paige Lowry, education advocate for the Baton Rouge chapter of Moms for Liberty, spoke at the meeting of the BESE members to urge their approval of the final version of the proposed standards. Casting Lowry as a dangerous person, the left-leaning Louisiana Illuminator wrote that the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups, considers Moms for Liberty an  extremist  group.

With the vast differences among the reviewers, it seemed almost impossible that a strong set of Early Learning and Development Standards without SEL indoctrination could ever be passed. Yet BESE approved the proposed changes without the SEL content and radical sex alignment by a unanimous vote. The organizational strategies and the refusal to compromise by the brave parents in Louisiana serve as an extraordinary example to all Americans of how to win against Marxist activists who will stop at nothing when critics oppose them  loss of jobs and reputation, burning down businesses, prison, even murder.

Louisiana parents understand why Marxists want to control what their young are learning. Dictator Vladimir Lenin said, Give me four years to teach the children, and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted. Our legal system has not stopped the war on children or the cultural revolution being waged in this nation. It will take dedicated Americans like the parents in Louisiana to save our children and our nation.

Carole Hornsby Haynes, Ph.D. is an education policy analyst, curriculum expert, historian, and classical pianist. chaynes@drcarolehhaynes.com

Image via Pxfuel.
As most know, Peter Navarro just asked the Supreme Court to allow him to stay out of prison while his sentence is under appeal. Chief Justice Roberts denied the request:

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to halt a prison sentence for former Trump White House official Peter Navarro as he appeals his contempt of Congress conviction. Navarro is due to report Tuesday to a federal prison for a four-month sentence, after being found guilty of misdemeanor charges for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Navarro had filed an emergency appeal to stay free while he appeals his conviction.

In Navarros words earlier this year, via Fox News:

When I received that congressional subpoena, the second, I had an honest belief that the privilege had been invoked, and I was torn. Nobody in my position should be put in conflict between the legislative branch and the executive branch. Is that the lesson of this entire proceeding? Get a letter and a lawyer? I think in a way it is, Navarro said at a January sentencing hearing. I am disappointed with a process where a jury convicted me, and I was unable to provide a defense, one of the most important elements of our justice system.

What does this suggest about the Roberts Supreme Court, most particularly Roberts himself, and the languishing Jan 6 defendants? It suggests this, at least:

There will be no compassion for issues of age and health, or just generally, such as that routinely doled out to left or liberal supplicants to our courts (e.g., see Georgia and Fanis prosecution). There will be no recognition of constitutional law, disregarded in Navarros casesuch as the right to provide a defense. There will be no recognition of executive privilege for presidential, or ex-presidential, advisor testimony as forced under subpoena.

Per Breitbart News, Justice Roberts explained his rapid rejection of the emergency request on behalf of Navarro was because he had no basis to disagree with the lower appeals court. And worth noting, via Politico, is this:

Departing from the practice in most serious or high-profile legal fights, Roberts ruled on Navarros request himself, without referring it to the full court.

The elderly, frail, and heroic Navarro may not survive a purely symbolic four-month prison sentence. He may well finally collapse from his multi-year, Trump-associated, persecution nightmarewhich became overdrive when Navarro publicly questioned the Biden Swamps COVID directives.

If Navarros will to live fails at this long last, will Chief Justice Roberts still have no basis to disagree that the political/legal persecution, absent of any quality of mercy, of Peter Navarro was, indeed, justice served?

The next time (if it happens) that the Chief Justice checks in on his basis to disagree, he might care to glance at a high requirement in our justice system is that of mercyand also, he might take a gander at absence of influence.

Image: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, unaltered.
Elon Musk was never probably political or ideological: in 2018, Musk revealed he is a registered independent and politically moderate, but added that that doesnt mean hes moderate on all issues.

Thanks Jack. To be clear, I am not a conservative. Am registered independent & politically moderate. Doesnt mean Im moderate about all issues. Humanitarian issues are extremely important to me & I dont understand why they are not important to everyone.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2018

In 2022, Musk shared a meme that depicted the devolution of the left which inevitably moved him to the right, despite not altering his views.

When Musk took over Twitter, he said his goal was to preserve freedom of speech. Musk then published the Twitter Files series exposing the collusion between far-left hijacked government agencies and Twitter. This unholy alliance suppressed the Hunter Biden laptop story before the 2020 election. They suppressed information that didnt support the lefts fanatic advocacy for COVID-19 vaccines and lockdowns.

There has been a vast improvement in free expression on Twitter, now X, since Musks takeover. The lefts narrative, including tweets by Joe Biden, are challenged via community notes.

Social media was meant to allow people to communicate and give power to the voiceless. It was meant to bring the establishment, particularly the politicians and media people, to the same platform as citizens.

This is why the establishment despises free speech on social media: they do not want the public to challenge them and expose their ineptitude, hypocrisy, and corruption. This is what necessitated manipulation of the discourse, that was enabled once big tech had a monopoly on social media.

In his quest to make X a place where both the right and left have voices, Musk partnered with former CNN ex-anchor Don Lemon for his new online show. X has already partnered with Tucker Carlson who leans to the right.

The NY Post claims that Lemon dispatched an astronomical wish list to Muskincluding a free Tesla Cybertruck, a $5 million upfront payment on top of an $8 million salary, an equity stake in the multibillion-dollar company, and the right to approve any changes in X policy as it relates to news content.

The NY Post also claims that Musk agreed to Lemons list despite being aware of some of Lemons outlandish demands. When the show began, Musk realized it wasnt a civil interaction or a debate or an interview, but more of an interrogation. Lemon wasnt curious to learn about Musks perspectives; Lemons questions sounded more like sanctimonious lectures. It was almost as if Lemon had appointed himself as Musks mentor, and it wasnt an interview but a performance appraisal review.

The Don Lemon Show episode 1: Elon Musk



TIMESTAMPS:

(02:23) News on X

(10:07) Donald Trump and Endorsing a Candidate

(13:04) The New Tesla Roadster

(16:46) Relaxation and Video Games

(17:54) Tweeting and Drug Use

(23:19) The Great Replacement Theory

(30:03) Content Moderation pic.twitter.com/bLRae4DhyO  Don Lemon (@donlemon) March 18, 2024

Lemon asked Musk about his affiliations with Donald Trump, advertisers quitting X, the lefts advocacy of DEI, the great replacement theory, etc.

Lemon was intrusive and asked Musk about his drug use, to which Musk noted that he has a physicians prescription for ketamine.

During its concluding moments, Lemon questioned Xs free speech policies and the loss of big advertisers. Musk defended his stand, making it clear that X wouldnt censor content at the request of advertisers.

You said if they kill the company, its done. But doesnt the buck stop with you? Lemon asked.

Choose your question carefully. There are five minutes left, Musk replied.

After Lemon repeated his question, Musk said, I acquired X to preserve freedom of speech in America, the First Amendment. If that means making less money, so be it.

So what is the lesson to be learned from all of this?

Musk was probably expecting a spirited debate. He probably expected to disagree with Lemon without being disagreeable. Most reasonable people assume that the world is like them.

Musk should have known this very elementary fact before agreeing to the appearance though:

He should have known that for the contemporary Democrat party, of which Don Lemon is an eager PR agent masquerading as a journalist, there is no place for difference of opinion.

Lemon is part of a sinister, totalitarian cult that sees its function as eliminating any challengers. The slightest deviation from the groupthink and the challenger has to be targeted and finished.

Once upon a time the late and very great Rush Limbaugh was the target of relentless hate from the left because he was a conservative. Some of that hate transferred to President Trump in 2016, who is by no means a traditional conservative, but one who challenges the groupthink.

Musk is challenging the lefts advocacy of open borders where the citizens suffer. Musk is objecting to schools indoctrinating children about gender politics and coercing them toward transgenderism. Musk has spoken against wokeism where race and gender is often the sole focus rather than talent and individuality. Musk now controls X, which was once under the strict control of the left.

All of this makes Musk an enemy of the left, and in turn, Don Lemon.

It has to be remembered that Lemon fell out of favor with the left following his misogynic remarks on-air when he said that 51-year-old Nikki Haley, who announced her candidacy for president in the 2024 election, isnt in her prime. Lemon claimed that a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.

There were also reports of Lemons sexist behavior beyond the camera.

Lemon is desperately looking to rehabilitate himself and what better way to do that than to target one of the lefts leading enemies after President Trump, Elon Musk.

Don Lemon entered the arena not as an open-minded journalist but as an assassin.

When the interview didnt go well, Musk canceled his deal with Lemon.

Lemon used his firing to play the victim and paint Musk as intolerant, immature, and over-sensitive. He created this controversy and used it as a platform to launch his show. For the news media and various talk shows, anyone who is taking on Musk is welcomed with open arms and hence Lemon was given red carpet treatment.

The strategy by Lemon was petty and mean-spirited. He ended up biting the hand that fed him and extracted a lot of publicity out of it. Musk may not be impacted by this financially but the negative publicity was needless.

Former CNN host Piers Morgan applied an identical strategy when he interviewed President Trump during the first episode: Morgan falsely claimed Trump walked out of his interview to gain publicity.

What Musk and all those on the right looking to befriend leftists need to understand is that there is no diversity on the left. The diversity they stand for is based on genetic attributes such as sex, race, and skin color. They do not care for the most important kind of diversity, i.e. diversity of thought.

There is a stark difference in attitude.

When the Republicans win they feel the need to be gracious and cross the aisle and compromise with the Democrats. When the Democrats win they look at it as an opportunity to vilify and destroy Republicans. In fact, when the Democrats lose they still try to destroy Republicansthe Russian Collusion hoax is proof of that following Trumps victory in 2016.

You cannot befriend one who thinks of you as inferior. You cannot win over one who thinks of you as an enemy that has to be destroyed. You cannot be gracious with those who lack in grace.

If the culture and the country have to be saved, the right will have to be uncompromising on the principles and values.

Hopefully, lessons will be learned.

Image from X.
The lawless free-for-all created by the political establishment and an apathetic voting class has me seriously considering renouncing my American citizenshipjust think about all the possibilities!

You dont pay income tax. The government hands you prepaid debit cards loaded with thousands of dollars. You get free trips to swanky enclaves like Marthas Vineyard, only to be treated like guests of honor. Youre provided with free room and board at high-end hotels, or youre given the leeway to squat in an Americans home. And now, leftist judges tell you that you have Second Amendment rights which cannot be infringed upon, and you can keep your guns no problem, even if you were breaking the law with themI mean, these are perks and privileges we second-class real citizens arent afforded.

Heres the story, from a report published at The Epoch Times yesterday:

Prosecutors charged Heriberto Carbajal-Flores, the illegal alien, in 2020 after he was found in Chicago carrying a semi-automatic pistol despite knowing he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States.

But for some reason, Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, an Obama-appointed judge of the Northern Illinois District Court, decided that the text of the Second Amendment applied to Carbajal-Flores, ruling in favor of the illegal being able to retain his personal firearm(s). From the Epoch Times article:

The noncitizen possession statute, 18 U.S.C.  922(g)(5), violates the Second Amendment as applied to Carbajal-Flores, Judge Coleman, appointed under President Barack Obama, wrote in her 8-page ruling. Thus, the court grants Carbajal-Flores motion to dismiss.

I think she got it a little backwardsthis amendment was written so that citizens could arm themselves to repel an invasion it was never meant for arming the invaders! Furthermore, how did an illegal even get a gun, since hes not allowed to buy one, especially in Illinois? I thought the state had strict gun control measures in place to ensure that criminals (every illegal is automtically a felon) didnt get their hands on firearms?

Judge Coleman also wrote this, via Not the Bee:

Carbajal-Flores has never been convicted of a felony, a violent crime, or a crime involving the use of a weapon. Even in the present case, Carbajal-Flores contends that he received and used the handgun solely for self-protection and protection of property during a time of documented civil unrest in the Spring of 2020.  Additionally, Pretrial Service has confirmed that Carbajal-Flores has consistently adhered to and fulfilled all the stipulated conditions of his release, is gainfully employed, and has no new arrests or outstanding warrants.

Now Ive never been convicted of a felony, a violent crime, or a crime involving the use of a weapon, and I only carry a firearm for personal protection tooespecially since Joe Biden welcomed in millions of criminalsbut for some reason, I cant imagine Id be granted the same leniency if I were to strut around Chicago armed without the appropriate licenses.

Call me crazy, but with the open border and millions of newcomers saturating our landscape, I cant help but wonder if this is why so many bureaucratic and regulatory federal agencies have spent years arming up; here are some uncomfortable stats, via The Daily Signal:

The IRS has stockpiled 4,500 guns and 5 million rounds of ammunition in recent years, including 621 shotguns, 539 long-barrel rifles, and 15 submachine guns.  The Veterans Administration purchased 11 million rounds of ammunition (equivalent to 2,800 rounds for each of its officers), along with camouflage uniforms, riot helmets and shields, specialized image enhancement devices, and tactical lighting.  The Department of Health and Human Services acquired 4 million rounds of ammunition, in addition to 1,300 guns, including five submachine guns and 189 automatic firearms for its Office of Inspector General.

(The list goes on and on and on.)

Setting the precedent that when illegals get caught with firearms there are no consequences simply means that the terrorists and bad actors who are definitely here and continue to enter can in fact, legally carry firearmskind of gives new context to the thousands of military-aged Chinese and African males who have poured in over the last couple of years.

Image: YouTube video screen grab.
Who knew that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would have us talking about regime change again?

Well, yes he did. He wants a new election in Israel, a sovereign nation the last time I checked.

What makes all of this interesting is that Sen. Schumer should look next door and call for elections. I am talking about Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey.
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So when are immigration policy and immigration law the exact same thing?

Only when you are the Biden administration, which had been desperate to stop Texas from enforcing federal law on an illegals invasion, while trying to pretend that it wouldn't dream of allowing every illegal into the country who wants in, even though that's exactly what it is doing.

Which brings us to the Supreme Court's clarity on the matter this morning.

According to the Washington Post:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for Texas to begin enforcing, for now, one of the nations harshest immigration laws, which opponents say would disrupt more than a century of federal control over international borders. The law, known as S.B. 4, makes it a state crime for migrants to illegally cross the border and allows Texas officials to deport undocumented individuals. It was passed last year amid a historic surge in border crossings  part of Gov. Greg Abbotts (R) push to expand the states role in immigration enforcement, which historically has been a federal responsibility. The Supreme Courts decision was divided and preliminary, with two justices in the majority urging a lower court to quickly decide whether to allow the law to remain in effect while appeals continue. That approach drew dissent from the three liberal justices, two of whom said the majority was inviting further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement.

I don't know how it would "disrupt" any "federal control over the border" since there is no federal control over the border. Or more to the point, the federal government, in the name of policy, is literally ignoring the law, which is paramount over policy.

The law says you can't enter illegally.

Policy says that Biden can pick how he wants to enforce that law based on the resources he has, as in, opting to deport the most heinous felons first, and then deporting the others. Policy doesn't negate the law, it determines how a president will enact the law. In Biden's case, he's opted to deport no one on the flimsy legal grounds of catch-and-release 'parole,' and presumably, deport only the ones who are politically untenable, though we haven't seen much of that.

Texas though, is not bothering with flimsy policy choices, just simply enacting the law. The law by its very nature cannot interfere with policy. Biden is completely free to continue his policy of letting all comers in at federal ports of entry to wait out their phony asylum claims. Nothing in what Texas is doing interferes with that. By law, rather than policy, that entry should be solely to a federal prison, but, ah, policy again, Biden has claimed a right to "parole" all comers on the honor system that they will present themselves to immigration authorities in their city of choice and then show up for their court dates. The law though, says that illegals are illegal and subject to deportation.

Why Biden should fight this extra and free help from Texas toward enforcing the law is baffling on the surface since it doesn't interfere with his policy. But that's to naively miss that Biden doesn't want the law at all to be enforced, he only wants a pick-and-choose policy of enforcement of the law, which is to say, no law at all. That's the basis for which Biden, and his NGO allies, ridiculously claim that the migrants they enable with parole are "legally" present. Actually, they're still illegal, because that's the law.

The Supreme Court was right to rule for Texas and its fearless attorney general, Ken Paxton, who isn't interested in making policy, he and his state are just interested in enforcing the law as written.

The leftside of the court, of course, was upset, warning of "chaos":

The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the long-standing federal-state balance of power and sow chaos, wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. They noted that a lower court judge had concluded that the law "is likely unconstitutional.

Which is weird stuff because the migrant chaos is happening right now with ten million illegals roaming about the country with no place to put them, and job growth not enough to match the numbers of illegals who'd like to take some American's job. That's something they can see for themselves if they'd care to walk about their blue city, or the City of New York.

What kind of chaos could happen with Texas politely and firmly sending illegals back to Mexico after their illegal entry was not gotten into.

Comically, the Biden side also brought up foreign policy as if Joe were some kind of ace at this and the states were local-yokel rubes and relations with Mexico were as fragile as flowers:

Implementing it, she said, could inflame tensions with Mexico, the largest U.S. trading partner, and lead to the deportation of migrants whose lives are in danger, a violation of federal law.

Which is laughable. Mexican states send millions of gallons of raw, untreated, sewage to foul San Diego's beaches every single day and no one in the Biden administration does anything about it. Sure, it's illegal and coming from a foreign nation, but they see it as a local problem.

Texas sending illegals back to the Mexican states that admitted them should be no problem for Mexico since Mexican states regularly impose these kinds of state-to-state problems onto the U.S. to begin with.

The ruling could be revisited, as squishy justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh have seemingly suggested.

But for now, it ought to send shivers through other border states that don't enforce the law and let Biden walk all over them with his policy-over-law approach to illegals.

Ready for a spillover surge, Tucson? Ready for the human waves, San Diego? They're coming.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
As former president Donald Trump battles a $464-million bond requirement from New Yorks attorney general amid appealing the states $355-million punitive damages award, alarming constitutional questions lurk. These questions relate to the potential premature seizure of Trumps property and the excessive nature of the gargantuan financial punishments themselves.

One potential worst-case scenario gives New York authority to unilaterally seize and liquidate Trumps real estate assets and businesses. This could happen before appellate courts including potentially the Supreme Court  render their final decisions on the matter. If Trump prevails and has the colossal penalty deemed unconstitutionally excessive, he may find it legally impossible to re-acquire properties already liquidated and sold to new owners. No amount of court-ordered restitution could make him truly whole again after such deprivation of property absent due process.

This prospect creates a Pandoras box. Civil rights lawsuits against the state alleging violations could become futile endeavors if sovereign immunity shields New York from enforcing federal court orders over its assets and funds.

The implications become even more catastrophic if Trump secures an Eighth Amendment excessive fines victory at the Supreme Court while actively serving as president. In this extraordinary scenario, the federal government could initiate legal actions against a defiant New York to compel compliance. Almost certainly, this would provoke howls of authoritarianism and allegations of politically motivated overreach from the states Democrat establishment.

Options could include presidential deployment of entities like the FBI to seize state property or funds as de facto restitution. Alternatively, the Supreme Court could order New Yorks legislature to directly compensate Trump via state appropriations. Either scenario seems poised to catalyze a constitutional crisis, pitting issues of state sovereignty against federal supremacy.

The Pandoras box is clear. What began as an ostensibly bad-faith legal campaign to sledgehammer a disliked former president now risks shattering foundational constitutional guardrails meant to prevent open hostilities between states and the federal government.

More modest scenarios could involve Trump prevailing against New York before or after leaving the presidency as a private citizen. But even then, no easy path to justice exists. Constitutional tort lawsuits would face years of appeals amid uncertainty that the plaintiff could ever collect from a hostile state apparatus. Any assets already seized and sold may prove impossible to recover via monetary damages alone.

Yet even these grim alternatives pale compared to the seismic civic rupture awaiting if Trump wins the right to legally enforce restitution through extranormal federal intervention as commander-in-chief. Surely, this remains among the Founders worst nightmares about unchecked faction shattering constitutional order.

Disturbingly, all this turmoil emanates from a prosecution seemingly devoid of clearly defrauded victims. It amounts to a punitive legal crusade of such excessive constitutional magnitude that Americas chief executive could conceivably claim persecution warranting drastic armed federal intervention to enforce any favorable Supreme Court ruling.

This entire saga serves as a striking cautionary tale. It illuminates the existential perils of abandoning civic restraint while our polarized political climate fuels unsatiated desires for partisan retribution above all else. As Trumps legal battle rages on, society must soberly recognize the generational implications now potentially looming regardless of outcome. Civic contingencies our ancestors neither foresaw nor likely even contemplated may soon arrive squarely upon the Republics doorstep.

Quentin Quill curates news and empowers minds at The Daily Discourse.

Image used with permission from The Daily Discourse.
By

Need any more evidence that the border is out of control?

Look at this charmer, employed by a Protestant Pentecostal church in Montgomery County, Maryland as a "teacher," according to the New York Post:

A migrant from El Salvador who is charged with molesting children as young as 6 was deported twice  then arrested and released back into the community last year despite being in the country illegally, according to authorities. Ervin Jeovany Alfaro-Lopez, 33, is accused of groping at least four little girls as they prayed at a church outside Washington, DC, while he worked there as a teacher. He faces 25 counts of sexual misconduct charges for abuse allegations date as far back as 2014. Following his latest arrest March 11, Alfaro-Lopez is being held without bond in Montgomery County Detention Center.

The story goes on to describe how he entered the country illegally at least as early as 2014, was thrown out in 2015, got in again illegally and was thrown out in 2020, turned up in Maryland, where a large community of Salvadoran migrants live, and got charged with rape and other sexual offenses in 2023, but then this happened:

However, after again re-entering the US illegally at some point  he was arrested by Montgomery County Police Aug. 9, 2023 and charged with second-degree rape and two counts of a sex offense in the third degree, ICE told The Post. But he was back on the streets just two days later after the Montgomery County Detention Center refused to honor an immigration detainer issued by ICE, the agency spokesperson told The Post. This is a perfect example of the level of criminality  when folks are recycled back into communities and jurisdictions are not honoring our detainers, very tragic story here, ERO Baltimore Field Office Director Darius Reeves said in a statement to FOX 5 DC. Counties cannot continuously recycle gang members with guns, child molesters, rapists, accessory to murders, you cannot continuously allow that to happen, he added.

Now he's been charged with a string of new sexual assaults, this time against young girls praying in the church, feeling them up to feed his perversions and molesting them. He even molested the pastor's daughter.

It's hard to say where the lion's share of the blame lies here, given that it goes in all directions.

The Feds failed to enforce the border and imprison him as the law requires when he tried entering again after the first deportation.

The County of Montgomery, Maryland carries blame, too, having released him after sexual assault charges, which included rape in 2023, based on its 'sanctuary' status. That someone could be charged with rape and let out on the streets to go rape or molest again, all to prevent his deportation, is astounding.

Montgomery County, you may recall, was the site of a rash of rapes by illegals against residents, and popular protests that followed by 2019. Montgomery County officials dismissed the protestors as "Nazis." Five years have passed, and well, this illegal knew exactly where to go to satisfy his criminal urges. I wrote about that when it happened here. The region has also been awash in murders, child trafficking, and migrant gang activity, which I wrote about here.

Now this alleged pervert turns up and the church may be culpable, too, although to its credit, seemed to draw the line at the pastor's daughter, at least.

Why the heck did they hire this twice-deported illegal and does 'illegal' mean anything to them in their hiring practices? While I found no concrete evidence that the church takes federal funding for "refugee processing" or "migrant services" (the Big Nine religious groups of the Migrant Industrial Complex who do can be read here) but Mision Cristiana Elim's very growth as a church, according to the abstract of this Asbury Journal report on it in 2014, is profoundly based on increasing the migrant count in the states:

Immigration from Latin America to the U.S. is often seen as the movement of individuals across borders, but it often impacts communities as well, including religious organizations. Because of the cell-group focus of Mision Cristiana Elim in El Salvador and the large number of Salvadoran immigrants, it is not surprising that this movement is also growing rapidly as immigrants move into new areas. This case illustrates how one Hispanic church movement is growing transnationally through immigration.

Obviously, by fair means or foul. They ended up with 'foul' in this case, given that the illegal out teaching the kids had a record of lawbreaking they should have been suspicious of.

Their leading pastor, back in El Salvador, is a notorious hater of El Salvador's President Nayyib Bukele, who cleaned up nearly all the crime in his country (and as I researched this, found that Bukele hates him back).

Obviously, crime is not as serious a problem to this church as law and order, so if the church here is anything like their home church back in El Salvador, they would seem to have a minimal concern for migrant crime, and their permissive attitudes may have perpetuated it.

What an ugly story. If a bad guy can't be locked up, what kind of society do we have? Worse still, if illegal immigration amounts to a get-out-of-jail-free card, where does this end? The whole illegals-protecting establishment shares the blame in the assaults on those young girls praying in church.

Image: government seal, via Wikipedia // public domain
In 1987, during a school trip to London, a watchmaker apprentice stumbled upon a rare find at an antique flea market. Concealed within a box filled with antiquated metal odds and ends there was an intriguing timepiecea small copper sphere that could be opened to reveal a smaller hemisphere within. Adorning the top of this inner sphere was a dial etched with both Roman and Arabic numerals, characteristic of the renowned pomander watch design that gained popularity in 16th-century Germany.

Unaware of the importance of his discovery, the young apprentice parted ways with the timepiece, setting off a chain of transactions that eventually led it into the possession of a private collector in 2002. It wasn't until then that the true significance and authenticity of this timepiece came to light. Now known as Watch 1505, this extraordinary artifact is believed to be the oldest known functional timepiece in existence.

The Pomander Watch of 1505. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Watch 1505 was the handiwork of renowned Nuremberg locksmith and clockmaker Peter Henlein, who is credited as one of the pioneers in crafting small ornamental portable clocks, which later evolved into what we now recognize as the first watches. These miniature timepieces were often worn as pendants or attached to clothing, reflecting a fusion of functionality and adornment.

Henlein was born and grew up in Nuremberg. Son of a brass forger, he soon entered into the profession of locksmith as an apprentice. At the time, locksmiths were among the few craftsmen with the skills and tools to enter the new field of clockmaking. In 1504, an unfortunate incident which resulted in the death of a fellow locksmith forced Henlein to take asylum in the Franciscan Monastery of Nuremberg, where he lived until 1508. Sheltered within the monastery's walls, Henlein found himself in an environment rich in scientific and astronomical knowledge. It is speculated that during his time of seclusion, Henlein gained deeper knowledge of the craft of clockmaking, possibly even crafting the masterpiece, Watch 1505.

The year of creation is known because Henlein had etched the date and his initials on the inside of the watch. At that time it was not respectable for locksmiths to sign objects they had made, so the proud inventor had to sneak in his initials in tiny, coarse engraving less than a millimeter tall that are visible only under a powerful magnifying glass. Aside from the initials, on the watch housing, there is an inscription engraved in Latin that translates as: 1505 The time will escape me (Henlein), but I (the watch) will recognize the correct time.

An unknown lady holding a Pomander on a gold chain. Painting by Pieter Janz. Pourbus

The production of this watch was made possible primarily by a previously unseen scale of miniaturization of the torsion pendulum and coil spring mechanism achieved by Peter Henlein, a technological innovation and novelty of the time. By making clocks portable and a wearable time measurement device, Henlein not only personalized timekeeping but changed the way we measure and manage time.

The first and most important historical tribute of Peter Henlein and his invention of a portable watch was made in 1511 by an influential figure of the time, Johannes Cochlaus, a humanist and contemporary of Peter Henlein. In Cosmographia Pomponius Mela  De Norimberga Germania Centro, Cochlaus added a passage praising Peter Henlein and his watches:

Every day they (the craftsmen of Nuremberg) invent finer things. For example, Peter Hele (Henlein), still a young man, fashions works that even the most learned mathematicians admire: for from only a little bit of iron he makes clocks with many wheels, which, no matter how one might turn them, show and chime the hours for forty hours without any weight, even when carried at the breast or in a handbag (purse).

In his lifetime, Henlein crafted many watches and instruments, including small drum-shaped timepieces known as Nuremberg eggs. He also crafted a tower clock for Lichtenau castle in 1541, and was known as a maker of sophisticated scientific instruments.

Only two pomander watches in the world exist today. The one from 1505 is in private ownership, and the Pomander Watch of Melanchthon, from 1530, is owned by the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. It was most probably a gift by the City of Nuremberg to the Nuremberg Reformer Philipp Melanchthon and Peter Henlein was commissioned to create this personalized watch.

A statue of Peter Henlein in Nuremberg. Photo credit: Vitold Muratov/Wikimedia Commons
The rumored budget Galaxy Z Fold 6 variant wont launch during Samsungs July event, it seems. According to a new report by The Elec, a Korean publication, the phone will arrive later in the year.

The budget Galaxy Z Fold 6 wont launch alongside the regular Galaxy Z Fold 6

To be more accurate, this device, the so-called Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE, is said to launch in September or October. So it will launch two or three months after the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6.

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Those two phones are tipped to arrive on July 10. Thats the rumored launch date. Samsung is seemingly planning to host it that early for several reasons. The Olympics are starting on July 26, and theyre taking place in Paris, where the Unpacked event is also tipped to take place. Both of those days are Wednesdays, by the way.

Were not sure why Samsung decided to launch the budget Galaxy Z Fold 6 separately, but there you go. Based on this report, its coming later on. The company is not aiming at extremely high sales numbers either.

Samsung is not planning to ship out many units of this phone

Samsung is planning to ship out around 200,000-300,000 Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE models. Do note that its possible the company will use a different name for the product.

This foldable will launch around the same time the iPhone 16 models are coming. Samsung is probably hoping that it will be able to grab some attention away from Apples new devices.

The budget Galaxy Z Fold 6 model is said to be thinner than the regular one, and the regular one will be thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 5. Its about time, as other companies have trumped Samsung in that regard at this point, by quite a margin.

The budget variant of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 also wont come with the S Pen support, unlike the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
Microsoft is all set to release a new Magic Erase feature in their OneDrive app, inspired by functions in Google Photos as revealed in the beta version of the app. The next update uses generative AI technology to smoothly and seamlessly remove undesired objects from pictures.

OneDrive Beta APK-teardown suggests a Magic Eraser feature on the horizon

The Magic Erase feature is yet to activate on the OneDrive application but its appearance may be imminent following some lines of code found in the beta version. OneDrives magic eraser is similar to that of Google Photos. It will allow users to choose objects from their images by outlining them with a brush tool, a technique they can use to remove selected objects. Afterward, Microsofts generative AI algorithms fill up spaces left after removal automatically for a smooth editing process.

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The Android Beta version of the OneDrive app also comes with warnings against using Magic Erase features. As indicated by AndroidPolice, the tool works using Artificial Intelligence and hence may not give expected outcomes all the time. Users are also invited to send feedback if anything unusual happens during its operation.

While there are currently no screenshots showing how Magic Erase operates, relevant strings within the beta code suggest that it could soon be more widely available. Microsoft has already stated that Copilot for Onedrive will be accessible through web pages starting in late April which gives us reason to believe that Magic Erase might follow closely at around this time too.

Theres little to know about the accuracy of OneDrives Magic Eraser

Since last year, Google Photos has had a similar Magic Eraser function for Pixel owners and subscribers of Google One who have had a choice between manual selection or automatic suggestions. However, we do not know whether Microsofts implementation of Magic Erasers would include auto-suggests like those found on Google Photos.

This move by Microsoft adds another feather to its cap towards enhancing user experience. The company is making photo editing easier through the introduction of the magic erase feature as part of its productivity suite integrated with its renowned generative AI technology.
Samsung has just disclosed a patent for an AI that will summarize documents. It will tailor these summaries according to learned behavior. Tech_Reve, famous for their leaks and breaking news on X, talked about Samsungs patent. This move shows Samsungs continued interest in dominating the AI tools market. Following Galaxy AI in its newest Galaxy phones, this document summarizing AI will be yet another tool in the companys arsenal.

Samsung AI will output custom summaries

The patent for this feature talks of an AI tool that will read user inputs and provide related documents to the user. It can also read documents and output a summary. This output can be customized according to a users commands. For example, if the user tells the AI to provide a short and skeptical summary, the summary will be drafted as such. Other than that, the AI will make summaries of documents according to the users interests in the absence of direct instructions.

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These interests include a users political beliefs, preferences, browsing history, and knowledge levels. Conjecture dictates this might also include what the AI has learned from analyzing a users emails and texts. The patent was filed on February 29, 2024. According to the South Korean site ChosunBiz, this feature might be available on new Samsung products going forward. This includes the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, which is still yet to release.

Implications of customized summaries

Though it would be kind of irresponsible for Samsung to do so, it does appear this new feature might further the societal divide. The AI isnt out yet, of course, so it cant be said for certain just how it would work. But if the patent is taken at face value, this feature will trap people even further in their echo chambers.

Politically charged folk often have a habit of staying within their social media circles. This is usually done by design on many social media platforms. It keeps users enraged and coming back for more, resulting in more ad revenue. Staying in these echo chambers, people miss out on alternate worldviews and other news sources for current events.

An AI that outputs customized summaries will only further this behavior. The fact that it takes a users political beliefs into account is somewhat concerning. If every summary is designed to appease a user and is thus biased, there will be a lot more societal infighting going forward. It remains to be seen how precisely Samsung rolls this out, and how it combats the potential dangers of such a technology.
As many of you know by now, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 are expected to launch on July 10. That is rather early considering that the event was in late July last year. In previous years, it occurred even later than that. In fact, Samsung used to host it in August. Well, according to a new report, an early arrival of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 is spot on.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 & Flip 6 mass production scheduled to begin early

The Elec, a Korean publication, says that Samsung is scheduled to begin mass production of components for the new foldables in early May. That sets it 2-3 weeks earlier than last year.

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That basically hints that the phones will launch in the first half of July. Thats a couple of weeks earlier than last year. So, the July 10 date could be spot on, actually.

Why so early, though? Well, the thing is, the Olympic games are kicking off on July 26. Thats a Wednesday, and Samsung usually hosts its Unpacked events on Wednesdays. Furthermore, both the Olympic Games and Samsungs event are taking place in the same city, Paris.

The event will almost certainly take place in Paris, but that hasnt been officially confirmed just yet

Well, truth be said, Samsungs second Unpacked of the year still doesnt have an official venue, but the rumors are saying it will take place in Paris, so it makes sense.

The bottom line is, Samsung had to adjust its plans due to everything. Thats basically why were seeing an early launch for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 this year.

In addition to those two phones, the Galaxy Ring is also expected to arrive. That devices design was shown off at MWC 2024 in Barcelona. Samsung did not share all that much information about the product itself, though. It was more of a teaser than anything else. The company did say that its coming later this year, and were presuming it will drop in July.
Drugs giant AstraZeneca has agreed to buy a Canadian company which has a promising new drug designed to treat prostate cancer, in a deal worth as much as 2.4 billion dollars (1.9 billion).

The London-listed firm said the deal for Fusion Pharmaceuticals would be a major step forward in Astras plan to help replace chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The next-generation radioconjugates that Fusion is developing will help doctors target cancer cells more directly than in the past.

That will help minimise the damage to nearby healthy cells and can also enable the treatment of tumours that traditional methods cannot reach.

Fusions technology is based on a version of the chemical element actinium.

Called actinium-225, it can be used to produce alpha particles, which help to kill cancer cells by disrupting its DNA.

Unlike most other radiation therapy, alpha particles only travel short distances  up to three cells away  so can kill tumours much more selectively without causing as much damage to healthy cells.

But one of the downsides is that very little actinium-225 is produced in the world today.

According to Andrew Robertson, a scientist at the University of British Columbia, there is only enough of it to treat a few thousand patients every year.

Most actinium-225 comes from decades-old nuclear weapons material, Dr Robertson wrote in a 2019 article.

Fusion Pharmaceuticals came out of the Centre for Probe Development and Commercialisation, which was founded by Dr John Valliant, of Ontarios McMaster University, in 2008.

Dr Valliant, who is chief executive of Fusion, said: This acquisition combines Fusions expertise and capabilities in radioconjugates, including our industry-leading radiopharmaceutical R&D, pipeline, manufacturing and actinium-225 supply chain, with AstraZenecas leadership in small molecules and biologics engineering to develop novel radioconjugates.

The deal between the companies will be worth 2.0 billion dollars (1.6 billion) upfront, with a further 400 million dollars (315 million) possible if certain conditions are met.

Susan Galbraith, AstraZenecas executive vice president of oncology R&D, said: Between 30% and 50% of patients with cancer today receive radiotherapy at some point during treatment, and the acquisition of Fusion furthers our ambition to transform this aspect of care with next-generation radioconjugates.
Trainspotting star Ewan McGregor has said that people from Scotland still tell him to remember where I come from.

The Star Wars actor, 52, who was born in Perthshire, said he is Scottish wherever I am in the world.

Speaking to the Radio Times, he said: I left Scotland at 17 to go to drama school in London.

I havent lived in Britain since 2008, Ive been living in the States.

Ewan McGregor has not lived in the UK for 16 years (PA)

It was hard to leave Scotland, he added.

Theres a sense youre turning your back.

People in Scotland to this day tell me to remember where I come from.

I know where I come from! I dont need anybody to remind me.

Its this feeling of youre not Scottish enough.

Im Scottish wherever I am in the world. Im always Scottish!.

McGregor is starring in the upcoming Paramount+ TV series A Gentleman In Moscow alongside his second wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead and spoke about the importance of using an intimacy co-ordinator on set.

The actor plays Alexander Rostov in the historical fiction drama about a Russian aristocrat who is spared from death and put under house arrest while the Bolshevik Revolution plays out.

Winstead, 39, who is known for playing Ramona Flowers in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, portrays Anna Urbanova  who seduces Alexander.

McGregor said: We did have an intimacy co-ordinator!

Its still necessary, because its also about the crew, and its odd to be naked in front of people, its odd to be intimate in front of the camera.

If you were doing a dance scene, youd have a choreographer.

Its an important part of the work now, because its somebody that the director and actors meet in the middle.

Ewan McGregor on the cover of Radio Times (Radio Times)

The Scottish actor also appeared alongside American actress Winstead in the TV series Fargo.

McGregor and Winstead welcomed a child together in 2021 and got married in 2022.

Prior to this he was married to production designer Eve Mavrakis for more than two decades.

The full interview is available in the Radio Times.
An additional 58 billion will need to be invested in Great Britains electricity grid in the first half of the next decade to ensure that it can supply the power to keep homes and businesses going, a new report has found.

The Electricity System Operator (ESO) said on Tuesday that around 20,000 jobs could be created in the largest build-out for seven decades. Nine in 10 of these jobs will be outside London and the South East.

Great Britain is about to embark upon the biggest change to the electricity network since the high voltage transmission grid was established back in the 1950s, the report said.

It called for swift and coordinated progress, without which the countrys climate ambitions might be at risk.

The UK could have more offshore wind power in a decade than the whole world has today (Ben Birchall/PA)

The ESO is the organisation which runs the network. It is currently owned by National Grid, but will transfer into Government ownership later this year.

New connections and more capacity will be needed as people and companies switch to using electricity for their cars or heating their homes.

This will require new capacity in the grid. But the new forms of generating energy  primarily through wind and solar farms  will also change the way the grid is shaped.

Once a vast majority of Britains electricity came from massive coal-fired power plants built close to coal mines.

The power grid then moved this power into Britains cities and industrial areas.

The grid of the future will instead source its electricity from locations spread out across the country.

This is by design. Sometimes it is windy on the east coast, but not the west, so having turbines in both places can keep supplies more constant.

But this means that the grid will have to reach places where it has previously only had small capacity, not least offshore.

There will have to be 86 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind in Britains waters alone, the report said, up from 14 GW today. Today there is only 63 GW of offshore wind in the world.

That will help to satiate a jump in demand for electricity. Britains needs are expected to rise by 64% by 2035, and to double by 2050, the ESOs report said.

Investment in renewable energy generation has exceeded investment in transmission capacity over the past decade, resulting in bottlenecks on the electricity network, the report said.

This means that energy is being wasted as the grid cannot transport it to where it can be used.

For instance, if wind turbines in Scotland are producing more electricity than Scotland can use or export to England and elsewhere, then the grid has to pay wind farms to switch off some of their turbines.

This practice, known as curtailment in industry jargon, cost the grid 569.7 million last year, according to the UK Wind Curtailment Monitor.

But like the construction of new wind and solar farms, train lines, housing and much else, the expansion of new grid infrastructure can often run into opposition from local groups.

In its response to the report, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero appeared to nod to such opposition.

These are preliminary plans published by the Electricity System Operator, it said.

Any projects taken forward would be required to progress through a robust planning process.

One way to avoid local opposition from people who are worried about spoilt views is to bury the cables.

The solar and wind farms popping up across the country will need to be connected to the grid (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA)

But that comes with trade-offs. Underground cables cost around five times as much as overhead cables, are harder to maintain and are more disruptive during construction.

Meanwhile, offshore cables, another solution which does not spoil views, can be up to eight times more expensive over short distances and can disrupt sensitive marine ecosystems.

The Government has recently suggested that communities impacted by new grid infrastructure should be given substantial financial incentives to win local support.

There are also other ways of managing the countrys future energy needs which can reduce the requirement for massive expansion.

That can include locating big users of power, such as factories, close to where power is being generated, reducing the need for new long cables.

There will also be a role for what in industry jargon is called demand flexibility. This means that by managing not how much electricity people and businesses use, but when they use it, it can take the strain off the grid during peak periods, reducing the need for expansive expansion of the grid.

If this demand flexibility is introduced in certain areas it could save consumers 5 billion, the ESO said.
The Governments pledge to deliver 2.5 million more appointments through its dentistry reforms may not be entirely reliable, a minister has admitted.

Health minister Dame Andrea Leadsom said that the figure was based on modelling and there is a high likelihood that it is not reliable.

It comes as MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee heard how some dentists think that the Governments flagship dental recovery plan is a joke.

And Healthwatch England described how it continues to hear desperate stories from patients struggling to access care  including a person who overdosed on painkillers to treat pain caused by oral health issues.

The 200 million plan to bolster NHS dentistry in England was published last month.

Leading dentists said the recovery package will not be enough to help people struggling to access dental care.

But ministers said that the plan will fund more than 1.5 million additional NHS dentistry treatments or 2.5 million NHS dentistry appointments.

The NHS and Government have launched a dental recovery plan, for improving NHS dental services, ensuring patients have fairer, simpler and easier access to dental care. Find out more: https://t.co/k3lGko4Acl pic.twitter.com/CHSj2jRAAe  NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (@NHS_LLR) March 17, 2024

Asked how they got to the figure, Dame Andrea told MPs the figure was based on NHS modelling of a complicated set of factors adding: But at the same time, it has quite a high likelihood of not being reliable as is the case with all modelling.

As a previous finance person myself, I can absolutely assure you that its not rocket science, forecasting is a very tricky issue.

She added: Forecasting is not an exact science  that doesnt undermine the fact that the modelling comes out with a number of 2.5 million  I am merely being cautious in saying that it could be more, it could be less, as is the case with all forecasting.

Shawn Charlwood, chair of the British Dental Associations (BDA) general dental practice committee, told MPs that there was nothing in the dental recovery plan to bring this service back from the brink.

People in line outside the St Pauls dental practice in Bristol last month (Ben Birchall/PA)

He added: The sense of disappointment and resentment in the profession is profound.

We asked our members to sum up the plan in their own words what we got was unambiguous: Cold Fury from colleagues who have given up hope.

Mr Charlwood said that dentists described the plan as too little too late, not fit for purpose, dishonest, inadequate, rubbish and a joke.

He added: It feels to me that this plan was not designed to rescue NHS dentistry, it was designed with the upcoming election in mind to try and limit the political damage the access crisis is doing to political prospects in constituencies.

The measures in the plan make for a good press release, a nice photo opportunity or something for candidates to talk about on the doorstep, but this recovery plan, to be honest, is not worthy of the title.

Meanwhile Rebecca Curtayne, external affairs manager at Healthwatch England, added: We believe that the plan should have required dentists to put a digital flag on the NHS website listings to indicate to the public: I am open to seeing new NHS patients who havent been seen in the last two years, because we continue to hear desperate stories from patients about lack of access, including in the last week, I heard about one person who overdosed on prescription painkillers they had borrowed from a friend in desperation to treat pain for untreated problems.

The dental recovery plan includes:

 20,000 bonuses for dentists working in under-served communities.

 Dentists being paid more for NHS work.

 A Smile for Life advice programme aimed at new parents and mobile dental teams being deployed to schools.

 The rollout of so-called dental vans in rural and coastal communities.

 Plans for the biggest expansion of water fluoridation in England since the 1980s.

As the plan was unveiled, hundreds of people were seen queuing in Bristol after a dentist opened up its books for new NHS patients.

Police were called to help manage the queues as people stood for hours, hoping to get on the list for NHS care.

Yesterday, hundreds of people desperate for an NHS dentist appointment queued for hours when a new practice opened in Bristol. After 14 years of Tory decline, this is the Britain we live in today. It's time for change. pic.twitter.com/GQAIRUosCA  The Labour Party (@UKLabour) February 6, 2024

Mr Charlwood said only 2% of primary aged children in England would be seen by mobile dental teams who will deliver fluoride varnish treatments to more than 165,000 children.

And he also raised concerns about dental vans being deployed, telling MPs that they were not the way to deliver mainstream dentistry.

The plan also says that dentists will be paid more for their NHS work  uplifting the minimum unit of dental activity (UDA) value to 28, but Mr Charlwood said that this should increase to a minimum of 35.

He also raised concerns that the publication of the recovery plan had delayed contract reform for dentists.

Dame Andrea said: Contract reform is absolutely the priority, however, when I first came into this role it seemed to me that dental recovery was even more urgent than contract reform.

Having got the dental recovery plan out the door, we are now turning seriously to contract reform.

Preet Kaur Gill, shadow minister for primary care and public health, said: This shocking admission from the minister that she isnt sure the Government can deliver promised dental appointments shows the Conservatives are out of ideas and out of time.

After 14 years of Conservative neglect, patients are desperately queuing around the block to see a dentist, literally pulling their own teeth out, and tooth decay is the number one reason young children are admitted to hospital.

Labour has a plan to rescue NHS dentistry, and reform it for the long run.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: This figure is based on robust modelling which we will share with the committee. The minister simply meant that all modelling has an element of uncertainty.
JK Rowling has said she will not delete social media posts which could breach ludicrous hate crime laws.

The Harry Potter author, 58, slammed the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, which comes into effect on April 1.

It comes after she was embroiled in a misgendering row with transgender broadcaster India Willoughby.

The controversial legislation will make it an offence to stir up hatred against protected characteristics, including age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

However, concerns have been raised over the potential criminalisation of freedom of expression.

If you genuinely imagine Id delete posts calling a man a man, so as not to be prosecuted under this ludicrous law, stand by for the mother of all April Fools jokes. pic.twitter.com/ZVZQ6CV47p  J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 17, 2024

Police in Northumbria have cleared Ms Rowling of criminality after she stated India is cosplaying a misogynistic male fantasy of what a woman is.

And now writing on X, the author responded to messages that she should delete the comments prior to the law coming into effect.

But she responded: If you genuinely imagine Id delete posts calling a man a man, so as not to be prosecuted under this ludicrous law, stand by for the mother of all April Fools jokes.

Ms Rowling has been highly critical of the new hate crime legislation, arguing the police are going to be very busy when it becomes law.

Earlier this month, Northumbria Police said: On Monday, March 4, we received a complaint about a post on social media.

While we recognise the upset this may have caused, the post was reviewed and did not meet the criminal threshold.

The complainant has been updated of this.

Apart from the avalanche of hate and abuse, once again there have been death threats. This has gone way beyond what any reasonable person should be expected to put up with. I dont feel safe.  India Willoughby (@IndiaWilloughby) March 18, 2024

At the time, Ms Willoughby said the author had definitely committed a crime.

She added: Im legally a woman. She knows Im a woman and she calls me a man. Its a protected characteristic.

Ms Willougby also took to social media after the police ruling to state she had received an avalanche of hate and abuse, including death threats, adding: I dont feel safe.

Ms Rowling said she had also received a significant amount of murder and torture threats.

Ms Rowling has also been a fierce critic of the Scottish Governments gender reform plans, arguing the proposals would have infringed on womens safety.
An early painting by the late John Bellany could fetch up to 50,000 when it goes under the hammer later this month.

The Players is one of 10 Bellany works which will feature in the Scottish Contemporary Art Auction due to take place at McTears in Glasgow on March 28.

Completed in 1967, it was created during a period when the artist, from Port Seton in East Lothian, was producing some of his most memorable works as he embraced the cultural delights of London during his time at the Royal College of Art there.

The large oil on board features the artist himself as he and a long-haired companion play musical instruments.

McTears director Magda Ketterer said: These early pieces are amongst Bellanys finest, with renowned London Evening Standard art critic Brian Sewell going as far as to compare the artists work during this period to Rembrandt.

It is rare for these early oil on board works to come to auction and we are already seeing interest growing amongst potential bidders.

Experts at McTears estimate The Players could fetch 30,000 to 50,000.

A large oil on canvas titled The Portrait of Albert Irvin RA, painted in 1987 and estimated at 8,000 to 12,000, is another of the Bellany works featuring in the 245-lot auction.

Works by Bellany appear in the collections of a number of celebrities and many renowned art galleries around the world, including the Tate and National Galleries of Scotland in the UK and the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

McTears said that collector demand has never been higher for work by Bellany, who died in 2013 aged 71.

In 2022 The Finnon Smoker sold for a hammer price of 80,000 while The Bass Rock Fable achieved a hammer price of 12,000 in the same auction.
The King has greeted four British veterans of the Korean War ahead of a palace reception to mark the 70th anniversary of the conflict.

Charles was pictured standing in the 18th Century Room as he held the audience at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

He met Alan Guy, Mike Mogridge, Brian Parritt and Ron Yardley and can be seen smiling and sitting with the men.

Later, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Edinburgh will host a reception for around 200 Korean War veterans in the Bow Room.

Anne will deliver a speech on behalf of the King, in which he reflects on what was once called the Forgotten War.

The conflict ended with the signing of an armistice on July 27 1953 and the anniversary was acknowledged during the Korean state visit to the UK in November.

King Charles along with Master of The Kings Household, Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt (third left) during an audience with Veterans of the Korean War (left to right) Alan Guy, Mike Mogridge, Brian Parritt, and Ron Yardley, at Buckingham Palace

British and Commonwealth forces were deployed following a United Nations call to support South Korea after the invasion by its northern neighbour.

Of the around 60,000 members of the British Armed Forces who served, more than 1,100 were killed and 2,500 were wounded, according to the National Army Museum.

Charles is continuing with his head of state duties, including audiences and desk work, while undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

Last Wednesday, he welcomed Baroness Scotland, the Commonwealth secretary-general, to Buckingham Palace for a private meeting.

He also made a virtual appearance at the Commonwealth Day service last Monday in a pre-recorded video message.

In his annual address to the family of nations, he pledged to continue to serve the Commonwealth to the best of my ability.

Since his diagnosis was announced on February 5, the King has postponed all public-facing engagements.

His last public appearance was on February 11, when he and the Queen waved to well-wishers as they walked to church in Sandringham.

The royal family have had a challenging start to 2024, with the Princess of Wales currently not carrying out official duties following abdominal surgery on January 16.

Her absence from public life has led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about her health.

Kensington Palace have not disclosed details of her condition but previously said it was not cancer-related.

On Saturday, Kate was filmed smiling and chatting with her husband, the Prince of Wales, during a visit to a farm shop in Windsor.

The video, obtained by The Sun, suggests her recovery from surgery has progressed.

The royal couple also spent Sunday morning watching Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis taking part in a sporting event, according to The Sun.
The back injury that prompted Emma Raducanus withdrawal from the Miami Open is nothing serious, according to her representatives.

The 21-year-old, who was given a wild card for the prestigious WTA tournament, was set to play Chinas Wang Xiyu in the first round on Tuesday.

However, pain in her lower back caused Raducanu to pull out, with the Kent star unwilling to take any risks.

It is another blow for Raducanu, ranked down at 288, in her attempts to establish herself as a consistent presence on the WTA Tour.

The former US Open champion was sidelined from May until the end of last season after undergoing surgery on both wrists and one ankle, the latest in a long line of injury problems since winning at Flushing Meadows in 2021.

She made her return at the start of this year and showed promising signs by making the third round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells last week before losing to Aryna Sabalenka.

Raducanus withdrawal in Miami casts possible doubt over her availability for Great Britains Billie Jean King Cup tie with France on April 12-13.
Majestic Wines is in talks to buy wine bar chain Vagabond from administration.

Vagabond Wines, which has 12 locations, predominantly in London, filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators earlier this month.

The chain, which allows customers to order a variety of wines from self-pouring machines, was founded in 2009 by Stephen Finch.

Sky News reported that the companies could strike a deal within days.

A Majestic spokesman said: Majestic can confirm that it is exploring a deal to purchase all or part of the Vagabond Wines business.

Majestic cannot comment further on ongoing discussions but we are hopeful of securing a deal.

Since our acquisition by Fortress Investment Group in 2019, we have invested heavily in our growth plan, opening 16 new shops; hiring many new colleagues; supplying thousands of premium hospitality businesses through our business-to-business division; and training thousands of colleagues as one of the biggest wine educators in Europe.

It is understood advisors from Quantuma have been advising Vagabond in order to secure a rescue deal, with a deadline for finals offers last week.

Vagabond made revenues of 7.4 million in the 2022 financial year, according to its most recent set of public accounts.
A man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two people were injured by crossbow bolts in east London has been released under investigation.

The Metropolitan Police said its investigation into the awful attacks remained a complex and ongoing policing operation.

The 47-year-old man was carrying a knuckle duster and a bottle containing a substance when he was detained at 11pm on Sunday in Shoreditch.

At around 23:00hrs on Sunday, 18 March, officers arrested a 47-year-old man in #Shoreditch on suspicion of attempted murder and seized a crossbow as part of the operation in response to the recent crossbow attacks. Read more: https://t.co/ZqrmaQdWlM pic.twitter.com/Lcn0ifNQSX  Tower Hamlets Police (@MPSTowerHam) March 18, 2024

Officers searched his home and found a crossbow, knives and other weapons, which were sent for forensic examination.

A manhunt was launched after a 44-year-old woman was hit in the head with a crossbow bolt as she crossed the road by Clifton House in east London at around 7.45pm on Monday March 4.

A 20-year-old man was then injured in the neck by a crossbow bolt near Arnold Circus, about 60 metres from the scene of the first attack, on Thursday March 14 at 7.27pm.

Their injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing and they have now both left hospital.

 Have you seen anything suspicious in the Arnold Circus area over recent weeks? Call 101 quoting Operation Goldwater or message @MetCC. You can also contact @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111.  Tower Hamlets Police (@MPSTowerHam) March 15, 2024

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway, who is responsible for policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said: Im acutely aware of the level of concern in the community following these awful attacks.

Since the first incident, the police response has been immediate and dynamic, with my detectives leading a significant investigation involving CCTV trawls, intelligence and forensic work, whilst my neighbourhood teams have been engaged in public appeals and reassurance patrols.

This remains a complex and ongoing policing operation and the community will continue to see an enhanced police presence in the area.

Police said anyone with information on the incidents should call 101 quoting CAD 6663/14 Mar or Operation Goldwater.
Joe Biden and lawmakers at the US Capitol in Washington DC last week. Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

The Biden administration and House Republican leadership have struck a deal on a government funding package, but it remains unclear if US Congress will have enough time to pass the proposal before Saturday, when many federal agencies are expected to run out of money.

Related: US government faces another shutdown: what you need to know

Joe Biden said on Tuesday that an agreement had been reached, and he urged lawmakers to move as swiftly as possible to get the bill to his desk and avert a partial government shutdown this weekend.

We have come to an agreement with congressional leaders on a path forward for the remaining full-year funding bills, Biden said in a statement. The House and Senate are now working to finalize a package that can quickly be brought to the floor, and I will sign it immediately.

The House speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, confirmed that negotiators had reached a deal on funding the Department of Homeland Security through the rest of the fiscal year, which had become the final sticking point in the talks.

The negotiators had already closed out five of the six remaining appropriations bills, but disputes over border security funding prevented them from announcing a deal over the weekend. The exact details of the DHS deal were not immediately clear, as lawmakers waited to review the text of the legislation on Tuesday.

House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible, Johnson said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Congressional leaders are now in a race against the clock to pass the funding bill before 12.01am on Saturday, when roughly 70% of the federal government will shut down unless another spending package is approved. Earlier this month, Biden signed a bill to fund the remaining 30% of the federal government through the rest of the fiscal year, which ends on 30 September. But the departments of state, defense, labor, education and others still face a funding cliff on Saturday.

The timeline will be tight, as House Republican leaders prefer to give members at least 72 hours to review legislation before holding a vote. That would set the final House vote for Friday at the earliest, leaving the Senate with just hours to pass the bill before the shutdown deadline.

In order to accomplish that, all senators will need to unanimously agree on expediting the bills passage, and that could prove difficult given past objections from some hard-right members of the upper chamber, such as Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. If no such time agreement is reached, then a short shutdown may ensue, but it would probably have little impact on federal agencies as long as the Senate can still pass the bill over the weekend.

Once Biden signs the spending bill, the entire federal government will be funded through the rest of the fiscal year. The resolution would end a months-long standoff that has forced Congress to pass four stopgap spending bills since the fiscal year began in October, but members will not get much of a reprieve from their appropriations duties. Congressional hearings are already being held this week to discuss next years budget.
An offshore island in Kinmen, an archipelago controlled by Taiwan but just a few kilometres from China. Photograph: Helen Davidson/The Guardian

Motoring across the calm waters of the South China Sea, Taiwanese captain Lu Wen-shiung recalls the old days, when Chinese and Taiwanese fishers used to meet behind rocky headlands, anchoring their boats out of the authorities sight, to share a meal. There was less surveillance then, and the two sides were more friendly, fishing the same waters, occasionally selling to each other on the sly.

We were like brothers, we had a good relationship, they would even cook for us, he says. But  now the control has become more strict, the [Chinese] coast guard will call me if the boats are too close.

Now a tour boat captain, Lu says if he even gets close to the prohibited water line  a de facto sea border with China  hell get a swift warning over the radio from the coast guard.

Lu and his boat are travelling through the busy waters surrounding Kinmen County, an archipelago controlled by Taiwan but sitting just kilometres away from China.

The Chinese Communist party government claims Taiwan (including Kinmen) as a Chinese province, and has become increasingly hostile in its pursuit of annexation, as Taiwans government and people only grow more opposed.

Despite the political tensions that exist, Kinmen-Xiamen is one area where official cooperation has actually managed to continue, with joint efforts to crack down on illegal fishing and smuggling, and on search and rescue missions. But a fatal maritime incident last month has threatened to derail it and raised serious questions about the strength of the border.

A new normal

Lus boat passes within throwing distance of Kinmens outer islands, some of which are open to tourists, while others are restricted for the military. Not far away is the gleaming skyline of Chinas Xiamen city, and the surrounding seas heave with fishing boats, civilian ferries and foreign cargo ships. Among them are probably some Chinese vessels known to both sides as three noes  no name, no registration, no flag  which often engage in illegal fishing and smuggling. A few hundred metres away, on the other side of a narrow international shipping lane, a Chinese coast guard ship is on patrol.

In February these patrols increased after the fatal capsize of a three-noes boat in Kinmen waters. The boat had fled a Taiwan coast guard vessel which had ordered it to stop for inspection. Two of the four Chinese passengers died, for which China blamed Taiwan. The fury grew when it became clear the two boats had collided  a fact Taiwans authorities had initially omitted. Fifteen rounds of closed-door negotiations over responsibility and compensation have so far come to nought. China accuses Taiwan of evasion and Taiwan accuses China of absurd demands like wanting the Taiwanese officers to go to the mainland for questioning.

Chinese officials have publicly rejected the existence of the prohibited waters line. Such a statement is consistent with Beijings claim over Taiwan, but the line had been tacitly respected since its demarcation in the 1990s. In the days after the collision, Chinas coast guard launched extra patrols, one stopping and boarding a Taiwanese tour boat for inspection and scaring the passengers, and some others crossing into Kinmens waters.

Experts say both sides are clearly trying to avoid seriously escalating the incident, but the Chinese reaction also fits a pattern of using an incident to establish new norms and encroach on Taiwans borders.

The starkest example of this tactic came in August 2022, when the US speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. In response, Chinese military incursions into Taiwans air defence identification zone increased and crossings of the median line  Taiwan Straits de facto border  have become a regular occurrence.

Around Kinmen, Beijing has been careful to avoid looking excessively provocative even while using the incident to try to undermine Taiwans authority, says Amanda Hsiao, a Taiwan-based senior China analyst at the International Crisis Group.

The use of law enforcement patrols as a means of signalling displeasure is likely to continue, but Beijing may also choose to dial the frequency and intensity of those patrols up or down in response to events.

Last week the director-general of Taiwans National Security Bureau, Tsai Ming-ye, told parliament that China was running joint combat readiness patrols on average every seven to 10 days in an effort to normalise the activity.

The end of the silent agreement

On Kinmen, residents are relaxed, and dismiss the recent furore as bad faith parties internationalising a tragic accident. Attitudes towards cross-strait relations and national identity are different to those on Taiwans main island. The geographical economy and culture mean these two areas are always close, says independent local councillor Tung Sen-po.

Kinmen is home to more than 140,000 people. It is a quiet, semi-rural community, with visible signs of thousands of years of culture and hundreds of being a military staging base or frontline to multiple conflicts. The economy once relied on the thousands of soldiers stationed there during and after the Chinese civil war, but has since pivoted to tourism and production of a local liquor, kaoliang. In 2020 it was Taiwans fifth-richest county in terms of median income.

The primary worries among Kinmen people are about the tourism economy, and the ongoing restrictions on bilateral travel and trade privileges between their island and Xiamen, which were suspended during the pandemic and only partially restored.

Still, there are some concerns that tensions after the capsize will deter tourists. A taxi driver and hotelier both thought fewer domestic visitors have come since the capsize incident. A couple from Taiwans main island, surnamed Qiu and Li, say they were worried while planning their visit, but felt reassured once they arrived.

Some residents are concerned about maritime enforcement. At a fish market in Jincheng township, vendors say some fishing crew and tour boats are nervous to head offshore since Chinese patrols ramped up.

They are worried about safety, and we are also afraid of conflict, says Zhang, a seafood seller.

We dont think there is any hostility because [fishing crews] sometimes trade at sea, [but] the problem of smuggling is very serious, and sometimes the marine patrols will take care of it, but there are few of us and a lot of them.

In the past, China and Taiwan have cooperated on illegal activity in the strait but the future is now complicated.

Raymond Kuo, a political scientist at the Rand Corporation, says the standoff increases the risk of misunderstandings and accidents.

Not just between Chinese and Taiwanese enforcement agencies, but also between those agencies and civilians in the area, he says.

Whose rules and orders should they follow? What if they receive contradictory instructions? This disagreement in enforcement jurisdictions also creates opportunities for illegal activity.

Chinese negotiators left Kinmen weeks ago without an agreement on compensation. Taiwans Ocean Affairs Council minister, Kuan Bi-ling, has apologised for poor evidence-collecting by Taiwans coast guard, and expressed regret and condolences over the deaths. But Taiwans investigation is ongoing, and further information would not be released until it was completed, she said.

On Wednesday last week,, Chen Binhua, spokesperson for Chinas Taiwan Affairs Office, accused Taipei of stalling, and threatened further countermeasures.

Less than 24 hours later, at least two Chinese fishers were killed in another capsize, this time a registered fishing vessel near Dongding, Kinmens southernmost island. It was inside the prohibited waters, but the cause wasnt clear. Chinese and Taiwanese authorities conducted the search and rescue, suggesting that at least for now, some cooperation is continuing.

But so are the increased patrols. Over the weekend, four Chinese coastguard vessels entered Kinmens waters on consecutive days, causing confusion among Taiwanese officials who had just sent help to the capsize.

Tung says the silent agreement on the border is gone now, but hopes the two sides can formalise it during negotiations.

Lu too is hopeful that the two sides can move on, and Kinmens unique position between the two can return to friendlier times.

The incident could have been minimised in the first place, but now it has become an international issue, he says.
Members of St John's Voices performing in 2020 - St John's Voices

A Cambridge college is embroiled in a row over plans to scrap an Anglican choir to make way for more diverse musical genres.

St Johns College announced that it will strip funding from church choir St Johns Voices as it plans to fund a broader range of music instead.

The mixed male and female choir will disband at the end of the current term.

The college will also cut down on the number of chapel services held at St Johns to use the space for civic engagement.

Members of the choir, which has made several recordings of sacred music, are understood to be dismayed by the news and are set to launch a petition to demand it is spared.

One student told The Telegraph: St Johns College has a near 400-year history of choral music, only 10 of which have included women.

The British choral tradition is something that St Johns should be leading, not diminishing.

Choristers have not been informed which styles of music will be promoted instead and told The Telegraph that the process of the choirs disbandment has not been transparent.

Very sad moment

The decision emerged following a 2023 review of college activities by the St Johns leadership, which the choristers themselves have not seen.

The move to cut down on chapel services was also informed by the same internal review.

Messages seen by the Telegraph state: Keeping Mondays free of regular services will allow other uses of the space and allow the Dean and Chaplain to progress student programmes for civic engagement and faith.

St John's College has a long history of choral music - Alexander Jung/iStock Editorial

St Johns Voices was founded in 2013 as a choir that female students could join, complementing the long-standing St Johns College Choir, which has itself now begun to admit women and girls.

The director of the choir is a paid role currently held by Graham Walker, whose position is understood to be in doubt.

In a message to choristers, the college said: Council appreciates that this is a very sad moment for the St Johns Voices.

Your recording over the last three days will no doubt be a fitting tribute to the high standard the choir has achieved under Grahams excellent and dedicated leadership.

I am sorry to send such an unwelcome message, and it comes with sincere appreciation of your contribution to our College and Chapel.
The Czech Republic hopes the extra artillery shells will provide Ukraine with a few months breathing space on the frontline. Photograph: Viacheslav Ratynskyi/Reuters

The Czech Republic says it is on the verge of delivering thousands of extra artillery shells to Ukraine, just weeks after it announced an initiative to source the much-needed supplies from outside the EU.

Its foreign minister, Jan Lipavsky, said it had so far secured 300,000 shells and that the ammunition would provide a vital few months breathing space on the frontline. Sources added that the first deliveries would come before June.

We have a direct experience with 40 years of being a satellite of Moscow, being a country which was invaded in 1968 by Russian tanks to curb the Prague Spring, said Lipavsky, adding that his country could not stand by and watch Ukraine go without help. No one really wants to bring back those [Soviet] times, and I have to say that the population is very sensitive to that.

Ukraine has said it is falling short of ammunition against Russia; the EU has said it expects to meet only 52% of a target set last year to deliver a million shells by March, and a bill to fund US military aid to Kyiv has been held up in Congress.

Russia is outshelling Ukraine by a five-to-one ratio and Kyivs forces are gradually being pushed back on the battlefield. Last month Avdiivka, a frontline town, fell to the Russians after a four-month battle.

Petr Pavel, the Czech president, announced the initiative at the Munich security conference in February, saying Prague had located 800,000 shells that could be obtained with funding from a consortium of western countries.

The scheme works by European countries buying the shells from countries in Africa and Asia, such as South Korea, which are unwilling to supply them directly to Ukraine but happy to sell to a third party such as the Czech Republic. The munitions come from unused military stockpiles, but supplier nations are usually reluctant to be named.

Related: West condemns undemocratic Russian election as results show Putin landslide

Czech sources said that the consortium had obtained serious pledges to supply 300,000 high-calibre artillery shells, with the first shipments being delivered no later than June. Nonbinding pledges for a further 200,000 had been made.

Lipavsky said the Czech Republic hope to deliver the shells within months to help contain Russias imperialistic ambitions, increasing speculation Ukraine could have boosted stocks from June.

Lipavsky said the Czechs used a combination of diplomatic and defence ministry channels to create state-to-state communications to tap supplies around the world to enable EU member states to find arms previously untapped in the war against Russia.

The foreign minister said that 18 countries had committed to the initiative and they were close to raising the required funding to buy all 800,000 shells in an initiative that was partly a response the standoff in the US Congress, which is preventing the approval of a new $60bn military aid package.

I think that many European countries have realised how difficult the situation in Ukraine is, a Czech source said. At the same time, many European governments want to send a message to the US that we are seriously covering our share in order to encourage the US to do their share for the sake of defence of free world.

The Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, and Canada have publicly confirmed their involvement. On Monday night Sweden added its name, pledging 30m, and Canadas defence minister on Tuesday disclosed it had donated C$40 (27m). EU leaders are separately close to agreeing a 5bn fund for Ukraine.

Insiders said there was a close working relationship on arms for Ukraine between the Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, and his Danish and Dutch counterparts, Mette Frederiksen and Mark Rutte. Rutte has been nominated by the US, UK and Germany to become the next head of Nato.

The three countries have so far raised 1.5bn for military supplies for Ukraine, including tanks, air aircraft systems and howitzers, and their willingness has persuaded other European nations to support them.

Ukraine has to be able to defend itself because it defends the whole Europe, Lipavsky said. It is not [about] Ukraine losing; it is the whole western civilisation, the principles which are now at stake and which are being challenged by Russian imperialism.

He said the Czech initiative was accelerated two weeks after it was first announced at a summit in Paris attended by more than 20 countries. President Macron has shown very strong leadership in recent months. Im very happy for that [] Paris really put impetus into the whole thing, Lipavsky said.

The Latvian prime minister, attending a EU summit of foreign ministers in Brussels, also said Macrons leadership was important. Krisjanis Karins said Macron had inserted strategic ambiguity into the public discussion by suggesting troops from France had to be deployed Ukraine, which was important as a counter-narrative to undermine the Kremlin.

France sees the urgency we in the Baltics have had for the past two years. Russia will not stop, they can only be stopped. Ukraine is prepared to do the stopping but they need our assistance, Karins added.

A senior European official praised the Prague-led effort: The Czech initiative has proven to be very very effective. Well be able to provide ammunition to Ukraine in the coming weeks and months.

Ukraine is in dire need of ammunition to defend itself against Russia attacks. We are very happy that there are so many countries are willing to contribute and join this initiative. I think it will really make a change in the battlefield, he told the Guardian.
Leonard Farrukus family have written to the justice minister, Alex Chalk, saying they want to know the truth about how he died. Photograph: Family handout/PA

The family of Leonard Farruku, who died in a suspected suicide last December on the Bibby Stockholm barge used to accommodate asylum seekers, have said that the British government should be held responsible for his death.

The family has launched legal action against the government to force a decision over holding an independent investigation into the death. Lawyers for the family said they took the decision after the government failed to respond to three letters sent to it last month.

The lawyers have asked the government to respond by Friday due to what they said was the urgent need to secure evidence relating to the case.

Police and the coroner are investigating the death of Farruku, 27, who was found locked in the bathroom on the Bibby Stockholm, which is moored in Portland, Dorset.

Other asylum seekers on the barge have told the Guardian that Farrukus death has traumatised them and made them fearful that others onboard might suffer a similar fate.

Farrukus sister, Jola Dushku, 33, said: We feel the UK government should be held responsible for Leonards death. Our desire is to understand the truth about what happened to Leonard and to make sure that the same thing doesnt happen to other asylum seekers.

The way to do that is for government to carry out a full and independent investigation into Leonards death.

In the pre-action letter sent to the justice minister, Alex Chalk, the familys lawyers highlighted the governments failure to make a decision about whether to commission an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, which has access to specialist investigators experienced in gathering evidence relating to the deaths of people who were incarcerated.

While the barge is not a prison or detention centre, the familys lawyers describe it as quasi-detention given its remote location and the restrictions associated with living there, meaning an exceptional investigation should be launched.

The letter raises wider concerns about conditions on the barge including the vulnerability and complex mental health needs of those onboard who they say are at elevated risk of suicide.

The lawyers outline concerns about Farrukus reported behaviour before and after he was placed on the Bibby Stockholm, including him becoming hysterical when he was told to get into a car to go to the barge and strange behaviour onboard where he did not receive the support he needed.

Deborah Coles, director of the charity Inquest, backed calls for an independent investigation into Farrukus death.

Significant concerns have been raised about the prison-like conditions on the Bibby Stockholm, the systems in place to assess the suitability of individuals to be accommodated on the barge, and their subsequent health and safety, she said. An independent investigation is vital to enable the appropriate robust level of scrutiny.

A government spokesperson said: This was a tragic incident and our thoughts are with everyone affected. This incident is currently being investigated by the police and coroner, and it is right that the facts and circumstances are established in the appropriate, legal manner. It would be inappropriate to comment further while an inquest is ongoing.

 In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
Everett-Hickson was found with life-threatening injuries and died five days after being taken to hospital. Photograph: Derbyshire constabulary

The family of a 21-year-old woman who died at a flat in Derbyshire have said she will be missed beyond words.

Derbyshire constabulary said officers were called to reports that a woman had been assaulted at a home in Greenhill Lane, Riddings, at shortly after 1pm on 18 February.

Christine Everett-Hickson, better known as Chrissie, was taken to hospital and died in the early hours of the morning five days later. Kain Tailby, 30, has been charged with murder, the force said.

Before her death, Tailby  who was arrested at the scene  was charged with attempted murder.

Tributes from Everett-Hicksons family described her as a joyful, kind-hearted and affectionate woman whose death would leave a void in our family that will never be filled.

In a statement, the family said she would be missed beyond words and that she had one of lifes purest hearts.

The statement said: Her charming nature always sought out the best in everyone and everything. Her bubbly though occasionally shy personality highlighted her passion for animals, creativity, music and art.

She had the most infectious smile and a laugh that could brighten up even the darkest of days.

Losing her will for ever leave a void in our family that will never be filled as she really was one of lifes true blessings and she will be missed beyond words.

Tailby, from Riddings, is due to stand trial later this year.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, speaks with Benoit Payan, Marseille's mayor, on Tuesday after a Monday night meeting of ambassadors in Brussels - CHRISTOPHE ENA/AP

France has backed a proposal to impose restrictions on duty-free imports of Ukrainian agricultural goods to the EU  which are worth more than an estimated one billion euros a year.

Paris swung behind Poland ahead of crunch negotiations to roll over the duty-free trade regime brought in to help the Ukrainian economy after Putins illegal invasion.

It supported calls for limits on Ukrainian poultry, eggs, sugar and wheat, which Polish farmers argue is undercutting them in their domestic market.

Emmanuel Macrons move at a Monday night meeting of ambassadors in Brussels has put him at odds with allies including Germany, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries.

The French president promised local farmers he would protect them from imports after tractors besieged Paris earlier this year.

The most cynical thing about this is the two member states leading the charge on this, Poland and France, are the two that are the most vocal in saying we must do everything to help Ukraine, an EU diplomat told The Telegraph.

Macron is ready to send troops but he is not ready to set up tractors, they added, referring to the French presidents recent suggestion the West had not ruled out boots on the ground in Ukraine.

Combines harvest wheat in Russian-held part of Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine - ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO/REUTERS

The diplomat said France had performed a volte-face after Mr Macron met Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, in Berlin on Friday.

It had put France on the same side as Hungary and Slovakia, which are led by Putin-friendly governments, in talks ahead of negotiations with MEPs on the new regime on Tuesday night.

Belgian diplomats were holding talks over the new regime with European Parliament negotiators on Tuesday night to try and strike a deal.

Sources said a key issue was the length of time used to measure whether Ukrainian imports were distorting a market in a member state.

The European Parliament wants a longer period, dating to before the invasion. That became clear after member states backed last years European Commissions proposal to continue duty-free trade for another year from June.

The parliaments demand complicated what was expected to be a simple passing of the duty-free regime, giving Warsaw time to win French support for its call for further restrictions.

Polish farmers have been protesting against cheaper agricultural imports from Ukraine.

Tractors have blockaded the border in a dispute that has strained usually warm relations between Warsaw and Kyiv.

The European Commission is preparing to hit Russian and Belarussian grain imports with tariffs in the first measures against food products since the invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

An EU diplomat said the move could be intended to soften the blow of the restrictions on Ukrainian trade but expressed doubt harming the Russian economy would help Kyivs.

Brussels had until now resisted pressure from Poland and the Baltic states, EU members demanding the toughest line against Putin, to hit the agricultural products.

Officials feared the move could disrupt global food markets and hurt developing countries but will now, in the latest concession to European farmers after watering down Net Zero rules for agriculture, press ahead.

In February, Latvia imposed a national ban on Russian and Belarussian food imports, while Lithuania imposed stricter cargo inspection rules.

The Polish prime minister warned earlier this month that Warsaw could impose its own national ban.

But he said he would prefer we decide together, as the whole EU, on sanctions on Russia and Belarus on food and agricultural products.

The commission is expected to impose a 95-per-tonne duty on cereals from Russia and Belarus in the coming days, the Financial Times reported.

That would increase costs by at least 50 per cent, which would kill off any demand for the product. Tariffs of 50 per cent will also be placed on oil seeds and derived products.

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Russian exports of cereals, oil seeds and their derivatives to the EU reached a record of 4 million tonnes last year, equivalent to 1 per cent of the blocs total consumption.

An EU official told the FT cereal prices were at four-year lows and Russian cereals were putting significant pressure on prices.

The EU produces more than 300 million tonnes of cereals and oilseeds each year. Sources said Russian retaliation would be weak because Moscow has already banned most EU food imports and many European companies have pulled out of the country.

Products will still be allowed to transit through the EU en route to Africa and Asia.

Tariffs do not require the unanimous support of all 27 member states like sanctions. Hungary, which is soft on Russia, has delayed EU sanctions until winning concessions from the EU.

The Kremlin said it would need to analyse the EU decision when it was formally announced.
Weve avoided confronting the weight of our history in ways that have undermined our ability to achieve the sort of progress and justice that many of us want  an image of the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. Photograph: Equal Justice Initiative

The morning after our whipping, we all had to go to work, as if nothing had happened. I was so sore I could hardly do anything, recalled James Matthews, who, like many enslaved people after a severe whipping, ran away into the woods. I have known a great many who never came back; they were whipped so bad they never got well, but died in the woods, and their bodies have been found by people hunting. White men come in sometimes with collars and chains and bells, which they had taken from dead slaves. They just take off their irons and then leave them, and think no more about them.

Related: Bryan Stevenson: the lawyer devoting his life to fighting injustice

This quotation from Matthewss Recollections of Slavery by a Runaway Slave (1838) appears on a panel in the woodland setting of the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery, Alabama, a seamless blend of art and history opening on the banks of the Alabama River on 27 March. It is one of many first-person accounts that serve as a rebuke to historical amnesia, to deletion by indifference, to those who think no more about them. The parks artefacts and sculptures and its climactic monument are a radical act of remembrance rooted in a sense of place.

Whereas commemoration of the Holocaust has a locus in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum and other sites across Europe, tracing the memory of the 10 million Black people enslaved in America can often feel like a succession of absences. Plantations survive but with a built environment that makes it hard to avoid the centrality of the enslaver. Countless graves and cemeteries of the formerly enslaved are buried under interstate highways, shopping malls or car parks. Some African Americans travel to west Africa in search of a tangible connection with ancestors.

The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a non-profit organisation that already runs the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, seeks to close this gap with the 17-acre site built for an estimated $12m to $15m. Visitors can arrive by boat on the same waters that once trafficked enslaved people, then step inside 170-year-old dwellings from cotton plantations as well as recreations of holding pens and railway carriages. They will hear trains running on nearby railway tracks built by enslaved hands.

Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the EJI, says in an interview: Weve done a poor job in America of reckoning with our history of slavery. There just arent places people can go and have an honest encounter with that history that centres on the lives of enslaved people. In Europe, whats happened in Germany, in Berlin and other cities, has made Holocaust memorials and sites of remembrance such powerful places. When you go to the camps, its hard to avoid the power and the weight of that history.

Weve avoided confronting the weight of our history in ways that have undermined our ability to achieve the sort of progress and justice that many of us want. I do hope that people will come here and be sobered by the history but also inspired by the people who survived, endured, persevered and went on to commit to building an America that has so much potential.

The river is the first artefact. Forming just north of Montgomery and flowing 318 miles, it was bordered by plantations and forced labour camps and traversed for decades by boats carrying 200 enslaved people at a time. To be trafficked south by steamship  in overcrowded conditions with little protection from the elements  was to be sold down the river .

One enslaved person forced to work on a river boat recalled: A drove of slaves on a southern steamboat, bound for the cotton or sugar regions, is an occurrence so common, that no one, not even the passengers, appear to notice it, though they clank their chains at every step.

Once disembarked, visitors follow a path through the sculpture parks native elm, oak, sycamore, cottonwood and chinaberry trees and survey art in an evocative natural landscape. Eva Oertli and Beat Hubers 2014 concrete sculpture, The Caring Hand, presents five giant fingers protruding from the earth around a tree as the river flows beyond.

It is one of several pieces  about half of which were specially commissioned  that achieve the monumentality the space demands. At the entrance, Simone Leighs Brick House is a 16ft-tall bronze bust of a Black woman without eyes and a torso combining the forms of a skirt and a clay house (previously seen along New York Citys High Line). The Ghanaian sculptor Kwame Akoto-Bamfos bronze We Am Very Cold depicts several figures, including a child, contorted as if in a perpetual storm. David Tanychs steel Free at Last is an 8ft-diameter ball with a giant chain and open shackle.

Kehinde Wileys An Archaeology of Silence stands 17.5ft high. Invoking the visual language of heroes and martyrs in European historical art, it depicts a shirtless man in jeans and sneakers draped limply over a regal horse, acknowledging the legacy of slavery in lynchings, police brutality and other violence against Black bodies  yet with a grace and vitality that hints at resurrection.

Brad Spencers From the Ground Up depicts a life-size man, woman and child made entirely of brick. An accompanying panel notes that the tiny fingerprints of enslaved children who turned bricks as they dried can be seen today on the bricks of historic buildings in Charleston, South Carolina. Visitors to the park can see and touch bricks made by enslaved people 175 years ago.

The park performs a further act of excavation. For more than three centuries enslavers often decided what enslaved people were called; the US Census recorded them only with a number. After the civil war, some 4 million newly freed Black people were able to formally record a surname in the 1870 census. All 122,000 of these surnames are inscribed on the National Monument to Freedom, a 43ft-tall, 150ft-long wall angled like an open book, its concrete clad with a bronze-gold metal facade that changes with the light.

Stevenson, 64, a public interest lawyer revered for his work on prison reform and death row, comments: The enduring truth about enslaved people was their capacity to love, to find and create family and relationships that allowed them to survive and endure and overcome the brutality and I think that should be celebrated.

Theres a narrative of triumph that we need to acknowledge and the monument is a gesture toward that, as a physical space but also as a way of naming names, making personal, making human this history. For people who are descendants to come and see that name and have a tangible connection made to that legacy is important and necessary.

There is no more fitting venue for the park than Montgomery, capital of Alabama (a state that Donald Trump won by 35 percentage points in 2020) and crucible of American contradictions. It has witnessed one of the most conspicuous slave trading communities in the nation but also an act of courage by Rosa Parks that ignited the civil rights movement (a statue of Parks marks the spot where in 1955 she boarded the bus where she would refuse to give up her seat to a white man).

On a six-acre rise overlooking the city, Stevenson built a memorial  comprising 800 corten steel monuments  to more than 4,400 Black people killed in racial terror lynchings between 1877 and 1950. But this is also a city where the Alabama state capitol (built by enslaved brickmakers and bricklayers) still features a heroic monument to the Confederacy, the breakaway southern states that fought to preserve slavery, and a statue of Jefferson Davis, inaugurated here as its first president in 1861.

Inside there are still portraits of the Confederate general Robert E Lee and Governor George Wallace, who declared in 1963: Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. Confederate banknotes are still displayed in the old treasurers office while eight murals inside the capitol dome still include Secession and the Confederacy, Inauguration of President Jefferson Davis, 1861 and Wealth and Leisure Produce the Golden Period of Antebellum Life in Alabama, 1840-1860.

Last week, at the nearby First White House of the Confederacy, a tour guide could be heard enthusing to white tourists, Youre on the Jefferson Davis trail! as a Black woman entered wearing a T-shirt that said: But still, like air, Ill rise  Maya Angelou.

Rarely is the American paradox felt so keenly. In the jarring juxtaposition of progressivism versus revanchism, of the beauty of Stevensons vision versus the mausoleums of white supremacy, how does he avoid a permanent sense of whiplash? Were in an era of transition, he muses philosophically. When I moved here in the 1980s, there were 59 markers and monuments to the Confederacy and you couldnt find the word slave, slavery or enslavement anywhere in the city landscape.

It was a part of a history that no one acknowledged, let alone discussed, and we are still under the cloud of a historical narrative that is false and unhealthy about the greatness of the lost cause where we romanticise this effort to preserve slavery and to maintain white supremacy. That has to be challenged and were going to have to move from that and youre slowly beginning to see that.

Until this year, Stevenson notes, the three biggest high schools in Montgomery, with student populations that are 98% Black, were named after Confederates  but not any more. There is some sobering around this effort to celebrate people who did horrific things, just like it would be unconscionable to go to Germany and see Adolf Hitler statues or monuments to the perpetrators of the Holocaust.

Weve got to reckon with the fact that we are glorifying people who were insurrectionist, tried to destroy this nation, represented a commitment to a racial order that was corrupt by this false idea that Black people are not as good as white people. With each year and each decade, were going to have to do more to get to a more honest space.

That hasnt happened in the way that it will need to happen in Alabama but it is happening. We are on that path and I dont think that we can be a schizophrenic about history. History is history and we need to reckon with it and, when we reckon with it, well find the courage to celebrate people  white people included  who did extraordinarily honourable things.

Stevenson, author of the 2014 memoir Just Mercy, which became a 2019 film starring Michael B Jordan, likes to work on his historical projects covertly until they are ready to go public, thereby avoiding prejudgment by the unnerved, the resentful and the downright racist. You could call him a stealth truth bomber. The community then generally embraces his efforts, not least because they attract visitors who boost the local economy.

The Legacy Museum, which opened in 2018 and moved to a new, greatly expanded building on the site of a former cotton warehouse three years later, has few original artefacts but draws a compelling line from slavery to mass incarceration through narrative, interactive, newspaper excerpts, photos, statistics, videos, works of art and imagination. A haunting exhibit contains 800 jars of soil collected from lynching sites around the country as part of EJIs Community Remembrance Project.

Now it is the turn of the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park to make the intangible tangible. Bricks. Names. Elms, oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods and chinaberries. A river and a railway. Love in the midst of agony. Speaking in Montgomery in 1965, Martin Luther King observed: The climactic conflicts always were fought and won on Alabama soil.

Stevenson observes: The existence and the emergence of these truth-telling spaces allows us to say, look, if we can do this in Montgomery, Alabama, theres not another place in America that can say, They did that in Montgomery but we couldnt possibly do it here. Thats the power of this place collectively because we are steeped in that long history of denial and resistance to ending slavery, to ending lynching, to ending segregation. We have an opportunity to be on the other side of this movement to commit to truth that will give us a unique credibility and power.
At least three times in his fledgling career as a dentist, Dr. Francesco Sebastiani has filed discrimination complaints against former employers. krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images Bexar County-owned University Health has been sued for sex discrimination and other claims by Dr. Francesco Sebastiani. Billy Calzada/San Antonio Express-News Dr. Francesco Sebastiani was a physician in the oral and maxillofacial surgery program at UT Health San Antonios School of Dentistry. Hes sued for sexual harassment and discrimination following his dismissal from program in 2020. He's shown in a YouTube video in 2020. YouTube screengrab

At least three times in his fledgling career as a dentist, Dr. Francesco Sebastiani has filed discrimination complaints against former employers.

The 35-year-old first alleged he faced sexual harassment and gender discrimination during his oral and maxillofacial surgery residency in New York. The allegations  including that a supervisor he had a fling with later stalked and threatened to kill him, his brother and mother with a muscle relaxant if he didnt resume the relationship  landed him in the pages of a New York tabloid in 2019.

Sebastiani then came to San Antonio to train in the residency program at UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry. Now, he alleges in a federal lawsuit that he was harassed by colleagues there  including one who allegedly texted him an image of a sex toy  but that the complaints were not taken seriously. He was terminated from the program before he could complete it.

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That case against UT Health and Bexar County-owned University Health, which the lawsuit says was the programs host hospital and Sebastianis employer, is scheduled to go to trial April 8 in federal court in San Antonio. University Health disputes it was his employer, saying its only the paymaster for graduate dental education agreements with residents.

After his stint in San Antonio, Sebastiani moved to Florida, where a company that operates dental practices hired him. But his employment lasted less than a year. He alleged in a 2022 arbitration complaint that the company fired him in retaliation for bringing the lawsuits in San Antonio and New York. The company countered that hed inflated his credentials.

Ricardo Cedillo, one of Sebastianis lawyers in the San Antonio case, declined to comment during a break in a pretrial hearing before U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia earlier this month. Sebastiani wasnt there.

It couldnt be determined what Sebastiani has been doing since he was fired in Florida. His Florida drivers license shows he lives in Jacksonville. Hes licensed to practice dentistry in at least four states  Texas, New York, Florida and Pennsylvania  but the top results of an internet search for him turned up about as many links to his legal cases as to biographical references.

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N.Y. relationship

Heres what they show.

Hes been licensed to practice dentistry in Pennsylvania since 2015, and his clinical interests include reconstructive surgery, implants, jaw and face trauma, and jaw surgery. According to the bio, hes the primary author on book chapters on topics ranging from oral sedation to infection control, but the books arent identified.

In July 2015, about two months after being licensed in Pennsylvania, Sebastiani became chief resident in an oral surgery program at Brooklyn Hospital Center, he says in court papers. Not long after, he began an anesthesia rotation at the hospital under the supervision of anesthesiologist Dr. Pik Lee, 48.

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Sebastiani and Lee became involved in a voluntary sexual/romantic relationship, Matthew Walters, her attorney, wrote in a Jan. 8 letter to a federal court in Brooklyn where Sebastiani has sued her in one action and both her and the hospital in another.

Walters said the relationship continued until at least April 2017, though Sebastiani says it ended in December 2016.

He alleges Lee then began sending harassing text messages to coerce him into resuming their relationship.

If you dont want to be with me Im going to come over and kill you, she wrote, he says in court papers. He says he watched her through the peephole in his apartment door as she pulled out a syringe and said, Ill kill you if youre with someone else, how would you like my dead body on your doorstep?

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She allegedly threatened to kill his mother and brother with succinylcholine, a muscle relaxant used during surgery.

Sebastiani obtained an order of protection against her in February 2018 and another for him and his family that July, he says. He also alleges she was arrested for violating the orders.

Lee has denied the allegations, though she acknowledged in a court document that orders of protection were issued and that she had been arrested.

In December 2018, Sebastiani sued her in New York state court for assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Lee later removed the case to federal court, where it has been pending for almost five years. The assault and battery claim relates to allegations that Lee poked and prodded Sebastiani in his buttocks and genitals while he was operating. Her lawyer has sought to have that claim tossed.

Pretextual investigations

Sebastiani has another pending case in the same federal court against the Brooklyn Hospital Center, Lee and Dr. Harry Dym, head of the residency, over what allegedly occurred at the hospital. Hes suing them for sexual harassment and gender discrimination, a hostile work environment and retaliation in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and New York state law.

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Sebastiani says he reported the alleged assault to Dym, who disregarded his complaint. Sebastiani says he also requested to be transferred to another program to avoid contact with Lee, but Dym indicated he would personally see to it that his career was destroyed if a transfer occurred. Thus, Sebastiani adds, he was forced to remain under Dr. Lees supervision, subject to regular sexual assault and threats of violence.

Instead of investigating the formal complaint he made in December 2017, he says the hospitals human resources department retaliated by perpetrating their own campaign of harassment against him based on false accusations and pretextual investigations.

Sebastiani also says the hospital made false and malicious statements about him to another residency program he sought to join, resulting in an offer being rescinded. He doesnt know the content of the statements, but suspects they were related to allegations he engaged in fraudulent billing practices and/or worked outside the scope of his practice while at the hospital.

The hospital wants Sebastianis suit tossed for a variety of reasons, according to a January letter from its attorney, Barbara Hoey, who did not respond to a request for comment. In it, she told the court Lee worked as a contractor, not a hospital employee, and never served as Sebastianis supervisor.

The hospital knew nothing of the affair until December 2017, well after it was over, Hoey wrote. That month it received an anonymous tip  allegedly from Lee, it later learned  that Sebastiani was renting his hospital-owned apartment on Airbnb in violation of the lease agreement.

During its investigation into the tip, Hoey said, the hospital discovered evidence that Sebastiani had performed improper and unauthorized dental procedures on Hospital patients  and received illicit cash payments for those procedures, unbeknownst to the Hospital. Lees lawyer said in his letter to the court that Sebastiani was running an unsanctioned oral surgery clinic for cash using hospital facilities.

Starting anew

The hospital suspended Sebastiani amid the investigation, and he resigned that month, Walters and Hoeys letters indicate.

Sebastiani sought to continue his training in dental surgery and began anew, becoming a resident at UT Healths School of Dentistry. His San Antonio lawsuit doesnt specify when he joined the program but its thought to be sometime in 2018.

But his alleged troubles in Brooklyn followed him, leading to a 2020 lawsuit against the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (now UT Health San Antonio); Dr. William Henrich, UT Health San Antonios longtime president who died March 14 from complications related to a medical procedure; Dr. Peter Loomer, the dental schools dean; Dr. David E. Perez, program director of the oral and maxillofacial surgery department; and University Health. The judge subsequently dismissed the claims against the three doctors.

Sebastiani alleges a chief resident in the program, Dr. Nicole Hernandez  who happened to be a close friend of Lee  initiated a campaign of harassment that included threats to take (Sebastianis) patients, starting rumors, and accusing (him) of mishandling a case where an error was made by another resident.

Dr. Hernandez made plain she was retaliating for the damage to her friends career, Sebastiani alleges.

Hernandez, who works in Tampa, Fla., said in an email she was unable to comment. She is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

He accuses her of coining the nickname Keep it tight Franco  allegedly a reference to Sebastianis sexual harassment complaint in New York  which was adopted by others in the program. He also alleges she texted him an image of a sex toy to violate Plaintiff with. Another text she allegedly sent says, Wtf. Sebastiani finally got arrested for molestation and sedating ppl without a license.

UT Health and University Health are fighting to keep out of the trial a collection of screenshots of texts thought to have been sent to residents. Judge Garcia referred to them as the inappropriate messages at a March 6 pretrial conference.

Under rules of evidence, the actual or original messages, not screenshots, should have been preserved, John Ramsey, an assistant state attorney general representing UT Health, told Garcia. Theres also no date or time listed to indicate when the texts were sent, he said.

It would also matter if (the texts were sent) after he had already been dismissed from the program or if it was really early in the program, or after he had already been going through these proceedings, Ramsey said. So the date is highly relevant.

Cedillo, one of Sebastianis lawyers, argued the texts should be seen by jurors so they can get the full flavor of what Dr. Sebastiani was subjected to and  decide what they want to do about it.

Dismissed

Sebastiani says he endured other harassment and discrimination from colleagues, but his complaints werent taken seriously and he was retaliated against for making them.

He says he passed all academic courses and never received a final grade of D, F or unsatisfactory in any coursework.

But Perez, director of the residency program, said in November that Sebastiani had many problems associated with his duties as a resident and was counseled many times. They included failing to attend the initial surgery he was scheduled for, missing patient meetings and being unaware while on call that a patient had died in the intensive care unit.

It was only after Sebastianis dismissal from the program that Perez said he learned residents had been exchanging sexually oriented content amongst themselves.

Perezs declaration was included with UT Healths motion to dismiss all claims. It succeeded in getting one of the counts against it and the others against its doctors dismissed.

The organization is cooperating fully with the legal process and is confident that the truth will prevail, UT Health said in a statement. We remain focused on our mission and serving our community with integrity.

University Health succeeded in getting two claims dismissed. The lawsuit says University Health was involved in the residency program as the host hospital and Sebastianis employer. A University Health spokeswoman said it has a policy of not commenting on pending litigation but referred to court papers that say UT Health is solely responsible for the discipline or termination of the Resident.

It added that it never received complaints from Sebastiani about harassment and retaliation until April 20, 2020, four days after he was dismissed from the program. He alleges he endured sex discrimination and was retaliated against for opposing discrimination in Brooklyn and complaining about harassment during his stint in San Antonio.

He seeks unspecified damages for past and future lost earnings and pain and suffering, as well as punitive damages. He also seeks to be reinstated to the program.

Florida job

After his dismissal from the program, Sebastiani headed to Florida.

He became a licensed dentist in Florida on June 17, 2020, and less than two months later Professional Dental Alliance of Florida PLLC  an operator of dental practices around the state  hired him. He lasted less than nine months.

Dental Alliance alleged in a federal lawsuit filed in 2022 in Ohio that it canned Sebastiani after discovering he had falsely held himself out as a specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery when he applied.

In the Brooklyn and San Antonio court filings, Dental Alliance said in its complaint, Sebastiani concedes that he did not complete either residency program. So it terminated him for cause on April 16, 2021.

It also said it learned that during Sebastianis employment he performed dental and oral surgery procedures requiring the administration of moderate sedation without the proper permit.

He responded early in 2022 by filing a complaint against Dental Alliance with the American Arbitration Association, alleging it retaliated against him for bringing the discrimination lawsuits in Brooklyn and San Antonio.

In his arbitration complaint, Sebastiani said he never told Dental Alliance he was a specialist.

He brought his retaliation complaint under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and sought unspecified damages for lost income, damage to his reputation, confidence and self-esteem and for stress, anxiety and emotional distress.

Dental Alliance countered that Sebastianis claim was without legal merit but had to be litigated, so it filed suit in Ohio. It sought a court judgment that the dispute had to be litigated in federal or state court.

Sebastiani never filed an answer to the suit, so Dental Alliance dismissed the case in April 2022.
The number of physician associates working in the NHS is set to triple over the next decade

After being forced to wait days or weeks for an appointment at your GP surgery, it would be fair to assume that your consultation is going to be with a doctor. In reality, it may well be with a physician associate.

This medic may examine you, make a diagnosis and refer you to a consultant, or simply tell you to go home and manage symptoms yourself.

However, they havent been to medical school and have had a measly two years of training, compared to the five completed by GPs after securing their medicine degree.

The number of physician associates working in the NHS is set to triple over the next decade, as officials look to plug gaps in general practice and hospitals.

Physician associates can contribute to a sustainable workforce but there are several problems that need to be addressed, says Dr Billy Palmer, senior fellow at health thinktank The Nuffield Trust. They need to be supervised by a GP or consultant, which will be tricky as doctors are already under strain, he says.

Additionally, public awareness of who these staff are and what they can do is too low and needs to be improved, Dr Palmer adds. Even their title adds to the confusion. Some falsely describe themselves on social media as doctors, GPs and medical consultants, leading to calls for a rebrand to physician assistant.

There has been mounting concern among doctors and patients alike about their role following a spate of deaths and safety incidents. Emily Chesterton died after her blood clot was dismissed as a sprain by a physician associate, who she believed was a doctor, prompting calls for their responsibilities to be stripped back and for patients to be permitted to ask to see a doctor instead. The handling of this emerging role is creating disproportionate problems for the NHS and staff, Dr Palmer warns.

What is a physician associate?

Physician associates have been working in the NHS since 2002. These medics have completed a biomedical or science undergraduate degree and a two-year postgraduate training course. They can then work within the NHS, including in general practice, hospitals and A&E, under the supervision of more qualified staff.

In contrast, GPs complete four to six years of medical school and five years of postgraduate medical training. They must also pass two exams  a clinical knowledge test and a simulated surgery to show they can manage patients safely  before they are allowed to work independently as a fully-qualified GP.

Like GPs, physician associates can take medical histories, carry out physical examinations and develop and deliver treatment and management plans. They cannot currently prescribe medication or refer patients for X-rays or CT scans.

However, the Department of Health and Social Care is looking to regulate the profession by the end of the year, which would give the General Medical Council oversight of their education, training and standards. Once regulated, the remit of the role could be expanded to include prescribing powers.

The idea is that physician associates can increase capacity within the NHS and reduce doctors workloads. As of June 2023, there were 3,215 working in the NHS, including 1,707 in general practice. The Government plans to dramatically increase their numbers to 10,000 by 2037.

When should you insist on seeing your GP?

If youve developed any new ailment that needs to be diagnosed, you should tell your practice that you want to see a GP instead of a physician associate, according to Dr Heather Ryan, managing director of Formby GP in Merseyside.

As a GP myself, I dont feel that physician associates should be seeing undifferentiated presentations  i.e. being the first point of contact with a patient and making an initial diagnosis and plan, she says.

Seeing undifferentiated presentations is one of the hardest jobs in medicine. It takes a lot of skill and experience to manage uncertainty, assess risk, make a diagnosis and develop a safe management plan which doesnt result in either under- or over-treatment.

The more junior medics are better suited to managing the care of patients who have already been diagnosed, such as those with high blood pressure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, she says. Physician associates may be able to safely do that sort of work, as long as they have regular high-quality supervision and support, Dr Ryan adds.

However, she notes that practice nurses are trained in chronic disease reviews and are regulated professionals, unlike physician associates.

As a doctor myself, if I were unwell with a new problem and needed a diagnosis, I would want to see a doctor, not a physician associate, she says.

I think many members of the public feel the same way. I am the co-founder of a private GP practice. Some of our patients tell me that they have chosen to pay for an appointment because they know they will see a doctor, as opposed to seeing a physician associate for free on the NHS.

The British Medical Association (BMA) recommends asking if you are talking to a doctor or physician associate if you are uncertain during an appointment and states that patients have a right to demand to see their doctor.

However, Dr Ryan notes that its up to practices to decide how they deliver care.

If a patient would prefer to see a GP, I would suggest that they ask the surgery. Many GP surgeries will be happy to accommodate a preference to see a specific member of staff, especially if the patient is willing to wait for an appointment rather than needing to be seen the same day, she adds.

Recent guidance from the BMA has set out how the role of physician associates should be cut back, which would leave them unable to treat children, be a patients first point of contact at a GP clinic or make referrals, unless they have been signed off by a doctor.

What are the risks of seeing a physician associate instead of a doctor?

Concern around misdiagnosis by physician associates has been mounting following a series of high-profile deaths and harm to patients.

Emily Chesterton, 30, a musical theatre actor, developed calf pain in October 2022 and had two appointments with a physician associate at her local surgery in north London, who she believed was a GP.

Emily Chesterton, who died from a pulmonary embolism after being misdiagnosed on two occasions by a physician associate - PA

The medic diagnosed her with a sprain at the first appointment and told to take paracetamol and rest. At a second consultation with the same physician associate one week later, by which point Ms Chesterton was suffering from breathlessness and her leg was swollen and hot, she was prescribed anti-anxiety medication.

Ms Chesterton had actually developed a blood clot and died just two weeks later from a pulmonary embolism  when a clot blocks a blood vessel in the lungs. A coroner concluded that the physician associate should have immediately referred her to a hospital emergency unit, where she would have likely been accurately diagnosed and treated.

The practice admitted that patients should not see a physician associate twice for the same condition and that the medic did not have the right to prescribe her anxiety medication.

Colleen Howe, 34, died from breast cancer after a physician associate misdiagnosed her tumour as a blocked milk duct in August 2021 and told her to take paracetamol and book another appointment if the lump worsened.

As a result, it was not until October that year that her cancer was diagnosed, by which point it had spread and was incurable. She died last April.

In another case, Norman Jopling, 79, was forced to re-learn how to walk and talk after a physician associate dismissed his severe headaches, which turned out to be a brain bleed.

The BMA has called for the role to be renamed as physician assistants and for patients to consent to being seen by one of these medics rather than a doctor. Its recent survey of more than 18,000 doctors found that nearly nine in 10 had reported physician associates working in ways that could risk patient safety.

An NHS spokesperson says: The NHS has been clear that physician associates must always work under the supervision of a doctor and within the scope of their practice. Further guidance has been issued to local health services today making clear that physician associates should not be used as replacements for doctors on a rota.

So, when is it fine to see a physician associate? For patients needing ongoing treatment, its often preferable to see one rather than wait ages for an appointment with a GP. Also a physician associate can still provide a formal diagnosis and refer patients for treatment  and may reach the same conclusion as a doctor would. However, if worried about new symptoms, benefitting from the superior knowledge and experience of a more senior medic will likely put your mind at ease.

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One document says that membership in the SACR group is predicated on political alignment and faithfulness to the Christian religion. Photograph: Fortgens Photography/Getty Images

New documents have shed light on the origins and inner workings of the shadowy Society for American Civic Renewal (SACR), including methods for judging the beliefs of potential members on topics such as Christian nationalism, and indications that its founders sought inspiration in an apartheid-era South African white men-only group, the Afrikaner-Broederbond.

They also show that Boise State University Professor and Claremont thinktank scholar Scott Yenor tried to coordinate SACRs activities with other initiatives, including an open letter on Christian marriage.

One expert says that one of the new documents  some previously reported in Talking Points Memo  use biblical references that suggest a preparedness for violent struggle against the current regime.

The SACR is a secretive far-right men-only organization with an emphasis on Christian nationalism and a desire to open branches across the US.

The Guardian has previously reported on SACRs close links to the Claremont Institute, an influential rightwing thinktank with fellows who have participated in attempts to overturn the 2020 election and promoted the idea that an authoritarian Red Caesar might redeem a US republic they see as decadent.

SACRs origins appear to date to the latter half of 2020, with key milestones in the groups development coming over the following 18 months.

And there are indications that the inner circle of the group sought inspiration from earlier iterations of Christian nationalism in authoritarian states.

As previously reported in the Guardian, Skyler Kressin, a tax consultant based in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, appears to play a central administrative role in SACR. Idaho and Texas company records show that Kressin incorporated lodges in Boise, Coeur dAlene and Dallas; serves as a director of the Coeur dAlene and Dallas lodges; and was named as the principal officer of the parent organization on its 2020-21 tax return.

On 30 October 2020, Kressin wrote an email to Yenor with the question that good?, along with a screenshot of an Amazon listing for Super-Afrikaners, a book by the investigative journalists Ivor Wilkins and Hans Strydom.

First published in 1978, Super-Afrikaners exposed the workings of South Africas Broederbond, a secretive, exclusive, men-only network that promoted the interests of white Afrikaners in that country and which is credited with a significant role in bringing the National party  the architects of apartheid  to power.

Within half an hour, Yenor replied: Thats the one.

The Guardian contacted Scott Yenor with detailed questions on aspects of this reporting, including whether or not the Afrikaner Broederbond had been an inspiration for SACR.

He did not respond directly to most of those questions, but on the matter of SACRs secrecy, he wrote in an email: We maintain confidentiality because we know talentless punks like you would pose ridiculous, bad-faith questions meant to stoke your unhinged fever dreams and incriminate us and even unaffiliated people.

Yenor continued: Lazy propagandists who disregard ethics in journalism dont deserve detailed responses.

The Guardian invited Yenor to respond to the initial questions.

SACRs rules and vetting process

In the early part of 2021, Yenor drafted documents that firmed up SACRs purpose and character.

To a 27 April 2021 email sent to himself and his wife at her employment address, Yenor attached a document entitled Working membership and recruiting guide for chapter leadership.

In spelling out SACRs rules, the document reveals the high value the organization places on secrecy. It says that all discussion is confidential unless clearly noted otherwise; and all names of attendees are strictly confidential. The document even says that members should withhold information from prospective members, instructing that members should never reveal the names of other Chapter members to prospects, and never reveal national or chapter initiatives to prospects  speak only in general terms about our objectives and mission.

The document also lays out procedures for vetting such prospects. After chapter leaders have decided that a prospect is worthy of consideration, they should be invited to a chapter event.

The document says that at that point, members should gauge alignment and fit with questions such as What are your thoughts on Christian nationalism?, Comment on the Trump presidency and what it entails for the future, and Describe the dynamic of your household in terms of your role and that of your wife.

In the first section  membership criteria  the document says membership in the group is predicated on political alignment and faithfulness to the Christian religion, combined with virtue and with any of community influence, capability, or wealth.

The document elaborates on each of these criteria.

Alignment is deference to and acceptance of the wisdom of our American and European Christian forebears in the political realm, a traditional understanding of patriarchal leadership in the household, and an acceptance of traditional natural law in ethics.

Natural law is a view with a long history on the right which holds that fundamental moral principles arise from God or nature, not from human reflection or politics. It is a view that Claremont scholars have attempted to provide.

Faithfulness also has a patriarchal edge in SACRs definition: it is submission to the authority and standards of behavior of a particular Trinitarian Christian body, but also taking ownership as head of the household in terms of leading regular prayer and spiritual reading and reflection.

Influence is defined as the ability to make a mark primarily on culture and social discourse but also in politics and business. The positions here can range from equity ownership in productive enterprises to positions of influence in cultural, religious and intellectual institutions.

Recruiting efforts for the group included visits to Boise from out-of-town collaborators.

A 19 March 2021 email from Yenor lays out a draft schedule for a visit to Boise by Aaron Renn, senior fellow and editor of theocon website American Reformer  co-founded by Nate Fischer  and a former senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

Plans included dinner at Epis, a Basque restaurant in Boise; a meeting with representatives of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a far-right thinktank; and a guest lecture by Renn to Yenors students.

Also planned were drinks with SACR possibles where Yenor anticipated a soft sell as per Skylers method, a comment which is not explained further.

The documents indicate Yenor had worked on putting together a group of SACR possibles ahead of Renns visit.

In a 19 March 2021 exchange, Yenor and his son Jackson workshop the wording of an invitation to prospective SACR members to an evening talk at a local classical Christian academy, the Ambrose school. While Scott Yenors original had a national movement with national ambitions, Jackson Yenor replied with the recommendation: Say goals instead of ambitions. These guys are goal oriented business people, not Machiavelli.

Further on, the text advised prospective recruits that chapters will unite public-spirited men who are interested in doing the work of civic renewal. This might involve shoring up teetering institutions. It might involve seeking to turn corrupt institutions.

The Ambrose School is a classical Christian academy in Meridian, on the western edge of the Boise metro area, where Yenors wife Amy works as an events coordinator.

The draft invitation does not indicate any date for the drinks meeting, but Yenors visit happened less than three weeks after Yenor was working on the text.

The Guardian contacted Boise State University to ask whether there were any policies about faculty combining guest lecturer visits with political activism, but there was no immediate response.

Other documents appear to be connected to SACR recruiting.

On several occasions, Yenor emailed a link to the sacr.us domain with no further context or explanation in the email text. One such email was sent to the Gmail address of the chief executive of a civil engineering company in Pennsylvania. Another was sent to a lawyer and former justice department employee in Tallahassee, Florida.

Christian nationalist prayers

An April 2021 email Yenor sent to his wifes work address has an attached PDF  SACR-prayers. The document features a long prayer  formal and inaugural occasions and a short prayer  regular meetings.

The long prayer draws biblical and historical parallels for SACRs activities: May God unite us in this mission as Joshuas men when they defeated the mighty walls of Jericho, as Nehemiahs men who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, as St Constantines men when they conquered in the sign of the cross. May the light of Christendom be restored in our homeland, and may America not fall to those who hate God.

Brad Onishi is the author of Preparing for War, a critical account of Christian nationalism, the host of the Straight White American Jesus podcast, and an academic with appointments at UC Berkeley and the University of San Francisco. He is also a self-described former Christian nationalist.

In a telephone conversation he said that the prayers include coded references that may function as justifications of violence.

Explaining the reference to the story of the conquest of Jericho in the book of Joshua, Onishi said: What happens when the walls fall down? Joshuas men go in and kill everyone: men, children, women, animals.

Its an attempted genocide, right?

In that prayer theyre saying were Joshuas men. Were the type of men who trust God, Onishi added.

And when God, when God gives us the signal, were going to go kill everybody. Thats what we do.
Activists protest outside the UK parliament before the House of Lords Rwanda bill vote on 11 March. Photograph: Vuk Valcic/Zuma Press Wire/Rex/Shutterstock

Rishi Sunaks Rwanda deportation bill could be forced on to the statute books without fulfilling the governments legal commitment to independent scrutiny, the former borders watchdog has told peers.

David Neal, who was sacked last month as the chief inspector for borders and immigration, said the government had failed to publish his report examining the conditions for asylum seekers in the east African country.

The government could also be months away from appointing a new watchdog to examine the implications of the bill and recent conditions in Rwanda, Neal said, with ministers hoping to send asylum seekers there within weeks.

MPs voted overwhelmingly on Monday to throw out a series of amendments to the safety of Rwanda (asylum) bill by the House of Lords.

Sunaks policy faces further delays, with Labour peers expected to oppose the governments plans in a crucial vote on Wednesday.

In an appearance before the Lords justice committee on Tuesday, Neal said the government had not yet published his country report on conditions for refugees in Rwanda, work commissioned under the Borders Act 2007.

The Rwanda country information report which was subject to supreme court scrutiny has not been published and that work has been done. Thats a particular problem, he said.

Government insiders have said it could take months to appoint a new commissioner. Neal said this could mean that the new Rwanda bill was not scrutinised by an independent watchdog.

Perhaps most importantly in this week, the new material for Rwanda will be without scrutiny. It has been suggested to me  although I havent seen the evidence  that perhaps thats why I wasnt reappointed. Perhaps it was too risky to reappoint someone who can have oversight of that material, he said.

The Lords justice committee, which was examining the safety of the UKs borders, questioned Neal about the quality of data used by the Home Office. Neal, who was sacked after speaking out over the safety of e-Borders, said recent Guardian revelations about merged identities showed the Home Office needed to have a fallback position if systems went wrong.

There was a piece in the Guardian last week saying something like 76,000 files had been corrupted. So therefore anything that is using technology needs to have a fallback position that can be done by personnel. The rush to have things automated is good but not if the data quality is poor. And I have said before that the quality of data is poor in the Home Office, he told peers.

Government sources said ministers hoped to remove a small cohort of asylum seekers within weeks of the bill being passed into law under Sunaks Rwanda deal, which will cost at least 500m. The Rwandan government has asked for asylum seekers to be staggered so it can prepare for them.

Sunaks asylum plan, which will aim to send people from countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Iran 4,000 miles to Kigali, relies on MPs and peers agreeing a version of the bill in the coming weeks. If passed, it would give ministers the power to ignore any emergency injunctions issued by Strasbourg aimed at stopping flights taking off.

The House of Lords has the opportunity to work with the government and stop people-smuggling after the Commons overturned amendments to the Rwanda bill, Downing Street has said.

The prime ministers official spokesperson said: Not acting, in the governments view, is not an option and it certainly wouldnt be a compassionate route.

We want to end the business of people-smuggling and ensure that vulnerable people are not lured into making the perilous journey across the Channel, so theres an opportunity for the Lords to work with the government this week and pass this bill.

Asked whether the prime minister thought the House of Lords was out of touch, the spokesperson said he would not characterise peers in that way.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reveals new processor as company seeks to cement AI chip market dominance (Eric Risberg, Associated Press)

Nvidia (NVDA)

Nvidia has unveiled its latest artificial intelligence (AI) chip which it said it is up to 30 times speedier than its predecessor.

Its new chip, named the Blackwell B200, takes two chips the size of Nvidias previous offering and binds them together into a single chip.

Blackwell GPUs are the engine to power this new industrial revolution, said NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang at the companys annual GTC event in San Jose attended by thousands of developers.

Read more: FTSE 100 LIVE: European markets cautious as central banks circle wagons on rates

Generative AI is the defining technology of our time. Working with the most dynamic companies in the world, we will realize the promise of AI for every industry, Huang added in a press release.

Nvidia has an 80% share of the data centre AI chip market and hopes to cement its dominance with this latest chip.

The company is the third-most valuable company in the US, behind only Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple.

Apple (AAPL)

Apple is discussing a potential deal to integrate Googles (GOOG) artificial intelligence platform Gemini into the iPhone, Bloomberg reported.

Apple is holding active negotiations to license Geminis AI models to integrate its generative AI features into an upcoming software update to the iPhone later this year.

Apples models could power on-device generative AI with iOS 18, releasing later this year, while cloud-based AI features like text- and image-generation could come via partnerships with the likes of Google.

"Given Apple's installed base of 2.2 billion iOS devices, a licensing deal based on volume of usage could end up being a very significant cost for Apple but a fixed license for any cloud-based usage would not be economical for partners, Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan said.

An on-device fixed charge per device seems most likely but would be more limited in capabilities. Apple could also use this as an approach to speed up time to market, while continuing to develop in-house technologies, he added.

Unilever has warned that up to 7,500 jobs are at risk as the Magnum maker outlined plans to split off its ice cream unit as a separate business.

This overhaul is primarily aimed at saving around 800m (684m) over the next three years. The plan will separate its ice cream businesses and divide the rest of Unilever into four divisions: Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Nutrition.

The FTSE 100 consumer goods giant said it was accelerating its growth action plan which will make it a simpler, more focused company.

Matt Britzman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Action is what shareholders wanted to see from the new team at the top, and thats whats been delivered today.

Ice cream always looked like the odd one out when you compare it to other product lines, and performance has struggled of late.

Read more: AI could spark 'complete annihilation of humankind' unless regulated

Its not a huge shock to see this move, but its something prior management wasnt able to deliver.

Unilevers not an overly expensive name at the minute so expect markets to react positively to the news, perhaps more due to the decisive action than anything else.

According to the group, any impacted staff members will be consulted about the job cuts but did not reveal whereabouts they will be made.

AstraZeneca has acquired oncology biotech Fusion Pharmaceuticals for $2.4bn as part of a plan to accelerate the development of next-generation cancer treatments.

Canadian biotech Fusion, whose shares trade in New York, is involved in radiopharmaceuticals, a rapidly growing area of cancer treatment that targets specific organs, tissues or cells within the human body.

"The acquisition marks a major step forward in AstraZeneca delivering on its ambition to transform cancer treatment and outcomes for patients by replacing traditional regimens like chemotherapy and radiotherapy with more targeted treatments," said AstraZeneca.

The deal involves a $2bn upfront cash transaction, with a total transaction value of $2.4bn based on contingent, further payments. It follows AstraZenecas $1bn acquisition of a French rare diseases start-up Amolyt last week.

Watch: Nvidia CEO unveils latest powerful chip at AI Woodstock

Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android.
Palestinians wait in front of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Unrwa) distribution centre on 18 March. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Israeli restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza may amount to the war crime of deliberate starvation, the UN has said, as the White House called for unimpeded access for aid to the coastal strip.

Amid mounting and catastrophic hunger in parts of Gaza, and official UN figures for hunger levels which are the worst seen under the current classification system, the Biden administration added it was deeply concerned following a report about potential famine.

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk, said Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid may amount to starvation as a method of war.

His comments follow the UN secretary general on Monday describing the food shortages as entirely man-made and an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, the international standard for measuring food crises, warning of imminent famine in the territorys north.

The extent of Israels continued restrictions on entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime, Turk said.

While aid agencies blame Israel for blockading Gaza, the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus government says it is facilitating aid and the UN and relief groups are at fault for any issues over the quantity and pace of delivery.

Israel, as the occupying power, has the obligation to ensure the provision of food and medical care to the population commensurate with their needs and to facilitate the work of humanitarian organisations to deliver that assistance, Turk said via spokesperson Jeremy Laurence, describing the crisis as human-made and preventable.

Everyone, especially those with influence, must insist that Israel acts to facilitate the unimpeded entry and distribution of needed humanitarian assistance and commercial goods to end starvation and avert all risk of famine.

The issue of the flow of aid into Gaza has become a key point of friction between the Biden administration and Netanyahu, seeing the US and other countries both airdrop aid into Gaza and work to open a sea route from Cyprus.

Officials and experts say, however, that land routes into Gaza, controlled by Israel, remain the most effective way of delivering aid to Palestinians who have been trapped by months of devastating conflict.

Echoing the UN, Oxfam America and Human Rights Watch sent a memorandum detailing alleged Israeli breaches of international humanitarian law  including the obstruction of aid  to the Biden administration, calling for the suspension of US arms supplies to Israel.

Written in reply to the Biden administrations new National Security policy document (NSM-20) requiring recipients of US weapons to act in compliance with international law, the two groups said said Israels assurances of acting under international law are not credible.

Related: Catastrophic levels of hunger in Gaza mean famine is imminent, says aid coalition

Accusing Israel of systematically prevent[ing] aid from reaching the roughly 300,000 Palestinians who remain in northern Gaza, where the threat of starvation is most acute.

The memorandum added that in the first six weeks of this year, over half of the planned humanitarian aid missions to northern Gaza were obstructed by Israeli authorities.

Charging Israel with a deliberate policy of starvation, the documents adds: International humanitarian law prohibits parties to a conflict from deliberately causing the population to suffer hunger, particularly by depriving it of its sources of food or of supplies.

The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to allow the entry of aid into Gaza.

Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering, Guterres said in New York on Monday, describing the IPC report as an appalling indictment of conditions on the ground for civilians.

Highly technical and often cautious, IPC classification reports are regarded as the international standard for measuring food security crises. The latest IPC report also represents hard evidence of the impact of Israeli policies on the flow of aid into Gaza.

This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system  anywhere, anytime, Guterres added.

This is an entirely man-made disaster, and the report makes clear that it can be halted, he warned, saying this showed the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts.

Related: UN staff in West Bank accuse Israeli authorities of campaign of harassment

Israel on Monday asked the international court of justice not to issue emergency orders for it to step up humanitarian aid to Gaza to address a looming famine, dismissing South Africas request to do so as morally repugnant.

In recent days warnings from global officials over the risk of famine in Gaza have escalated, with the head of USAid, Samantha Power, the latest to voice her concern.

She said famine is imminent in Gaza, describing the IPC report as horrific milestone after just two previous famine declarations in the 21st century.

We call on Israel to take immediate action to put an end to this mass  and preventable  suffering, she said.

Israel must do more to protect civilians and allow humanitarians to safely and consistently deliver assistance, Power continued, calling for continued and sustained international efforts. She further called for increased safety and access for humanitarian agencies and international donors to scale lifesaving activities.

We continue to call on Israel to open more land routes into Gaza and reduce bottlenecks and inspection delays to get land crossings operating at full capacity, even as we pursue air and maritime operations to supplement those land routes, Power added.
A UN worker pictured in the yard of a UN-run school in Gaza. Unrwa has provided vital support to Palestinians for decades and has previously been accused by Israel of collaborating with Hamas. Photograph: Mohammed Faiq/AFP/Getty Images

UN staff working with Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have been subjected to a systematic campaign of obstruction and harassment by the Israeli military and authorities since the beginning of the conflict in Gaza five months ago, according to internal UN documents obtained by the Guardian.

The documents record hundreds of incidents ranging from the alleged blindfolding and beating of UN staff at checkpoints to the use of UN facilities by Israeli troops as firing positions during raids on refugee camps in which Palestinians were killed.

The documents have been compiled by Unrwa, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine, which has provided essential services to the Palestinians in the occupied territories for decades. The agency has been at the centre of a bitter controversy after being accused by Israel of collaborating with Hamas in Gaza. It denies the charge and says no solid evidence has been presented to support the allegation.

Juliette Touma, Unrwas spokesperson, said the incidents in the West Bank  where the agency runs 96 schools and 43 health clinics for 871,000 registered refugees  detailed in the internal documents were part of a wider pattern of harassment that we are seeing against Unrwa in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

A spokesperson for the IDF said they had no issues with Unrwa in the West Bank, adding: We are not trying to harass them. There is nothing we intentionally do to disturb their important work. We are unable to verify these claims and we have not been presented with evidence [for them]. We have a good relationship with Unrwa and other organisations in the West Bank.

A barrage of rhetoric aimed at Unrwa by senior officials has inflamed public sentiment in Israel. There have been weekly protests at the agencys field office in East Jerusalem as well as a previously unreported shooting earlier this year when an unknown driver fired a handgun from his car at the driver of an Unrwa truck in the city. The attack is being investigated by police.

The documents detail how Unrwas health centres in the West Bank ran low on crucial supplies after a shipment of medicine was held up by Israeli customs for more than two months in Jordan. The 42-pallet cargo, including antibiotics, antihistamines, painkillers and treatment for diabetes, hypertension and schizophrenia arrived in January in Amman but was only cleared on Sunday, two hours after the Guardian contacted Israeli authorities about it. A spokesperson for Israeli customs denied there had been any delay.

The documents also allege that Unrwa staff [in the West Bank] have been verbally abused, subject to identity checks and searches, and required to lift their clothing to demonstrate the absence of weapons.

In addition, increasingly egregious violations of privileges and immunities of the UN have been recorded, including entries into Unrwa installations by armed personnel as part of ISF [Israeli security forces] operations, as well as damage to Unrwa installations incurred during the course of such operations.

The documents cite the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN, adopted in 1946, under which UN agencies are entitled to carry out activities in support of their mandate without hindrance.

In one of the most serious alleged incidents described in the documents, two Unrwa staff in a marked UN vehicle were stopped by soldiers at a temporary checkpoint in February 2024 as they tried to leave a Palestinian village near Bethlehem.

The soldiers, who forcefully removed the keys and forced the staff to get out  at gunpoint, then searched the vehicle and mocked the staff making reference to the staff belonging to Hamas. The staff were then instructed to kneel down, were blindfolded, handcuffed with plastic cable-ties and beaten before a senior officer intervened, the documents allege.

The documents also describe the use of Unrwa facilities by Israeli troops during military operations in the West Bank, including at least one when several Palestinians were killed.

Since 7 October, according to the documents, Unrwa has recorded 135 incidents affecting its clinics, schools or offices, from incursions and misuse to military operations resulting in teargas canisters or bullets landing in them.

The documents allege that on 8 December, Israeli security forces launched a raid targeting militants in al-Faara refugee camp in the northern West Bank, where they broke through the gate of the Unrwa health centre there and took down its UN flag.

The health centre was clearly marked with a UN flag and signage. At least 10 armed ISF personnel broke into the building, which was closed  They were seen removing the UN flag on the roof and took positions on the balconies, upper-floor windows, and roof of the building with their firearms pointed towards the camp. After ISF withdrew from the camp and when Unrwa staff were able to safely return to the health centre, [spent] ammunition was found on the premises, the documents say.

The Israeli raid led to the deaths of six Palestinians, including a 14-year-old.

The documents are also critical of militants based in many camps, who Unrwa calls armed actors.

To divert ISF incursions to camps, armed actors in some of the refugee camps have set up a system of improvised roadblocks and IEDs, some of them adjacent or close to Unrwa installations, putting refugees using those services and staff providing them at further risk, the documents say.

One site of repeated problems is al-Arroub refugee camp, south of Bethlehem, which has been placed under heavy restrictions by Israeli authorities since 7 October, with new metal gates installed to control access to a nearby highway and earth or rocks dumped to block backroads. In one instance, the documents allege, security forces notified the local community that the new gates would be closed for three days because stones had been thrown at a watchtower.

Despite efforts to coordinate with Israeli authorities, Unrwa staff in and around the Arroub camp have frequently been blocked from onward travel, have had their vehicles searched and have been insulted or accused of supporting terrorism, the documents claim.

Sometimes access has been completely denied, regardless of coordination. Access procedures can sporadically change without prior notice, depending on the troops manning the checkpoint and there is no predictability. These factors have made operational planning very difficult for Unrwa on Arroub camp, the documents say.

Israeli officials say the harsh measures are necessary to prevent terrorist attacks in Israel launched from the West Bank. Since 7 October, 15 Israelis, including four members of Israeli security forces, have been killed and 99 injured in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel according to the UN.

Since December, Israels decision to take off the gloves against these groups has significantly reduced the number of successful attacks. In all, the IDF has thwarted at least 665 significant attacks since 7 October, Neomi Neumann, a visiting fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and former head of the research unit at the Israel Security Agency wrote earlier this month.

One Unrwa document says that closures and movement restrictions in the West Bank have created deepening economic hardship, particularly for Palestinians who work in a different city or who rely on travel to Israel for work.

The longer access and movement restrictions are in place, the greater the potential for further instability in the West Bank, it concludes.

Since 7 October, 418 Palestinians have been killed  including 407 by Israeli security forces and nine by settlers  across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, also according to the UN.

The war in Gaza was triggered by a surprise attack into southern Israel in which Hamas killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 250 hostages. The ensuing Israeli offensive has so far killed more than 31,000 people, mostly women and children, health officials in Gaza say.
Congress has been forced to pass four stopgap bills since the fiscal year began in October. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Congress faces its third shutdown deadline of the month this week, as much of the federal government is expected to run out of funding by Friday at midnight.

Related: Biden and House Republicans reach funding deal as time runs out before shutdown

Both chambers of Congress must approve six appropriations bills before Saturday to get the legislation to Joe Bidens desk and avert a partial shutdown. Although the current fiscal year started more than five months ago, House Republicans have struggled to pass appropriations bills due to demands from hard-right members to include controversial provisions in the legislation.

As a result, Congress has been forced to pass four stopgap bills since the fiscal year began in October, and members hope they can finally conclude the appropriations process this week.

But disputes over the Department of Homeland Securitys budget repeatedly hampered negotiations, raising serious doubts about whether members would be able to pass a spending package in time to prevent a funding lapse.

The White House announced on Tuesday that negotiators had reached a deal on homeland security funding, but it remains unclear whether Congress will have enough time to pass the proposal before Saturday.

Heres everything you need to know about the shutdown threat:

What bills must Congress pass?

Congress has to approve six full-year appropriations bills, which represent funding for about 70% of the federal government. Among other agencies, the departments of state, defense, homeland security, education and labor will all run out of funding at 12.01am on Saturday unless another spending package is approved.

Didnt Congress already pass a funding bill?

Earlier this month, Congress approved a spending package that encapsulated six of the 12 full-year appropriations bills necessary for funding the federal government. The agencies covered by that package now have funding through the rest of this fiscal year, which ends on 30 September.

But under the terms of a stopgap bill passed late last month, the remaining six appropriations bills must be signed by 22 March to prevent a partial government shutdown.

What is holding up the talks?

Democrats and Republicans appear to have reached agreement on five of the six appropriations bills, but they repeatedly clashed over funding for the Department of Homeland Security due to arguments over money for border security measures.

The House speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, said on Tuesday that a deal had been struck on DHS funding, but the exact details of the proposal remain unclear. As of Tuesday afternoon, lawmakers were still waiting to see legislative text of the deal.

House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible, Johnson said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The announcement comes weeks after congressional Republicans blocked a bipartisan border and national security deal that included more funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Does a shutdown appear likely at this point?

The exact timing of votes in the House and the Senate will determine whether a partial shutdown occurs on Saturday. House Republican leaders prefer to give members 72 hours to read legislation before a vote, and with full bill text now expected no earlier than Tuesday, it appears that a final House vote would probably take place on Friday.

That would leave the Senate with little time to approve the package before the shutdown deadline at midnight. Senators would have to unanimously agree on fast-tracking the legislation, and that task could prove difficult given past objections from some hard-right Republicans in the chamber, including Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Passing the second group of appropriations bills, of course, is not going to be easy, the Senate majority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, said last week. Democrats will continue working with Republicans to finish the job. That can only be done in a bipartisan way.

If no agreement is reached on expediting the final Senate vote, it could trigger a partial shutdown on Saturday morning. But if the Senate can ultimately approve the package over the weekend, the shutdown would be short-lived and would have little impact on federal agencies.

If Congress can pass a funding package, when will this issue arise again?

Assuming Congress approves a spending package this week, the entire federal government will be funded through the end of the fiscal year, and lawmakers will not face another shutdown deadline until the end of September.

But it is worth noting how unusual it is to have Congress still haggling over government funding at this point in the calendar, when nearly half of the fiscal year has already elapsed. Underscoring how late Congress is on passing the appropriations bills, members of Bidens cabinet will be on Capitol Hill this week to testify about the presidents proposed budget for the next fiscal year  even as this years spending levels remain up in the air.
A Guardian investigation revealed that Australians experiencing homelessness were dying at an average age of 44. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian Design

A former housing minister and a supreme court judge have joined the chief executives of 23 homelessness agencies to call for reforms mandating the reporting of homelessness deaths.

Last month a Guardian Australia investigation revealed that Australians experiencing homelessness were dying at an average age of 44, a shocking life expectancy gap driven by violence, treatable illness and systemic failures across the housing, health and justice sectors.

The revelations have prompted a nationwide push for mandatory reporting of homelessness deaths to the coroner, a reform that would go some way in ending their invisibility.

New South Wales and South Australia have committed to considering such reforms, while advocates in Western Australian and Victoria have urged governments there to follow suit.

The push has now been joined by the former Victorian housing minister Bronwyn Pike, now Uniting Vic Tas chief executive, and former Victorian supreme court judge, Kevin Bell KC.

Related: I cant keep living like this: a day on the frontline of Australias homelessness crisis

The pair have signed an open letter to the Victorian government, along with 23 homelessness agency chief executives and leaders, urging it to make a minor amendment to the Coroners Act 2008, mandating that the deaths of those experiencing homelessness are reportable.

The letter, led by the Council to Homeless Persons (CHP), calls for the building of 60,000 new social homes in the next 10 years, accompanied by appropriate support services, to prevent further deaths.

It has attracted 200 signatures in total, made up largely of workers across the homelessness sector, local government, justice and other civil society groups.

On 5 February 2024, Guardian Australia published a series of articles  highlighting the distressing fact that people experiencing homelessness in Australia are dying at an average age of just 44  more than 30 years younger than the median age of death for the general population, the letter reads.

They are dying in circumstances that are often violent. They are dying deprived of the dignity we would want for our own loved ones. And most disturbingly, they are often dying unnecessarily due to easily treatable illnesses and injuries.

Its unacceptable for people to be dying in Victoria because of unsafe living conditions. To respond effectively, our state needs to understand the full scope of this problem  but this is not currently possible as the government does not keep records of homelessness deaths.

No government in Australia reports on homelessness deaths, putting the nation at odds with the UK and parts of Canada and the US.

The CHP, a peak body for the sector in Victoria, previously wrote to the attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, urging her to adopt the reforms on 5 February.

The government responded late Tuesday saying it would consider the correspondence in any amendments we propose to make to the definition of reportable death under the [coroners act].

As you know, one of the purposes of the Coroners Court is to contribute to the reduction in the number of preventable deaths through the findings of investigations of deaths and in making recommendations, she said.

I will also raise this issue with the court for further insight into its role to date in investigating the deaths of homeless people, many of which are subject to death investigations under the existing terms of [the act].

The CHP chief executive, Deborah Di Natale, said the issue demanded urgent action.

With such prominent leaders in both the homelessness and justice sectors coming together in making this call, there is now serious momentum behind the push for coronial reporting of homelessness deaths in Victoria, she said.

The signatories to our open letter are a powerful coalition of voices uniting to end the unacceptable deaths of people experiencing homelessness. The moral imperative to start preventing these tragic and needless deaths is overwhelming.

The NSW housing minister, Rose Jackson, was the first state minister to agree to consider mandatory reporting in the wake of Guardian Australias investigation.

We will look at every option to strengthen reporting and monitoring, she said at the time. Recommendations from homelessness organisations working on the ground are welcome and encouraged, and we will look at incorporating as much of this work as possible into the [new homelessness] strategy.

The federal homelessness minister, Julie Collins, said premature deaths of those experiencing homelessness were completely unacceptable and pledged to work with the states and territories to improve data collection.
Kellie-Jay Keen, also known as Posie Parker, claims Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto engaged in a calculated and purposeful media campaign against her. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

The British activist Kellie-Jay Keen has formally commenced defamation proceedings against the Victorian opposition leader, John Pesutto, alleging he trashed her reputation during his campaign to expel Moira Deeming from the Liberal party room.

Keen, who is also known as Posie Parker, lodged her statement of claim against Pesutto in the federal court late on Monday, in which she accused the Liberal leader of engaging in a calculated and purposeful media campaign against her to justify his proposed expulsion of Deeming.

Related: John Pesuttos leadership under fresh strain as two further defamation cases loom

She alleges comments Pesutto made via a media release, radio and television interviews and a 15-page dossier circulated to MPs and the media as supporting evidence to expel Deeming were intended to create an impression in the minds of readers, viewers and listeners  that Keen is a callous, irresponsible, despicable, racist and white supremacist that supports neo-Nazi ideology and right wing extremism.

Keen helped organise a Let Women Speak tour of Australia and New Zealand last year, holding rallies in several cities, claiming that the push for transgender rights was silencing, and discrimination against, women.

Deeming and Keen both spoke at the rally in Melbourne last March, which was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis, who performed the Sieg Heil salute on the front steps of parliament.

After the rally, Pesutto moved to expel Deeming from the party, claiming Deeming had associations with the organisers of the event who had known links with Nazis, Nazi sympathisers, far-right extremists, white supremacists.

Deeming has already commenced defamation action against Pesutto, with the case set to go to a two-week trial in September.

According to Keens statement of claim, Pesuttos comments caused her to suffer threats, insults, online hatred, harassment, abuse, contempt and ridicule, including her mobbing at the subsequent Hobart and Auckland Let Women Speak rallies.

Her lawyers are seeking aggravated damages over Pesuttos alleged failure to make any attempt to fairly inquire into publicly available facts underpinning his claims about her and downplaying the seriousness of the impacts on her.

They argue he was called to apologise in concerns notices issued in August and February but failed to do so.

According to another court document, lawyers for Keen and Pesutto conducted mediation over the phone over two days in late February in an attempt to resolve the dispute, but neither party was prepared to agree to the others conditions.

Asked to respond to allegations made in Keens statement of claim on Tuesday, Pesutto said: Ill be vigorously contesting that proceeding and any other proceeding, but I wont be commenting further on it.

He also claimed the media had fabricated stories about concerns about his leadership amid the defamation action.

We just want fair treatment in the media, Pesutto said.

There are standards applied to our side of politics that simply arent applied to the government  We feel like we are treated less favourably than the government.
A man accused of planning an armed robbery at a travel agents that ended in a police officer being shot dead has told a court he did not know guns were going to be used in the raid.

Piran Ditta Khan said it was the worst news when he found out Pc Sharon Beshenivsky had been killed as she interrupted the robbery at Universal Express in Bradford, West Yorkshire, in November 2005.

Khan, 75, told jurors the owner of the travel agents, Mohammad Yousaf, owed him 12,000 and that a business acquaintance, Hassan Razzaq, had offered to get his money back.

The defendant said he thought the men Razzaq sent to get the money would intimidate the staff at Universal Express and that maximum they would probably slap him.

Piran Ditta Khan appearing at Leeds Crown Court (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Asked by his barrister, Peter Wright KC, if he knew the three men who carried out the robbery had taken firearms with them, Khan said he was not aware of anything.

Yousaf owes me money, not the police. Why did they kill the police? Why did they take a gun there in the first place? he said.

Asked if he intended anyone to be killed or seriously harmed, the defendant replied: A human value is not 12,000.

He added it was not my way to do things.

Khan said he had pleaded guilty to robbing Mr Yousaf because they went there for my money.

Jurors heard that while three men  Muzzaker Shah and brothers Mustaf Jama and Yusuf Jama  were carrying out the robbery, Khan and Razzaq sat in a Mercedes SLK nearby.

Khan said one of the group told him afterwards that Shah and those Somalians  they have shot the police officers.

He told the court: I was panicking after what they had done. It was very painful and shameful as to what they had done.

It was the worst news. A normal human being cannot do a thing like this.

There was no need to shoot a police officer.

A memorial for Sharon Beshenivsky in Bradford (John Giles/PA)

Jurors have heard unarmed Pc Beshenivsky and her colleague Pc Teresa Milburn were shot at point blank range by one of three men who had just carried out the robbery, with the gunman then firing indiscriminately as they fled the scene.

A total of seven men were involved in carrying out the raid, with alleged ringleader Khan the last to face trial almost two decades on.

Prosecutors say Khan was the only one of the group who was familiar with Universal Express after using the business to send money to family in Pakistan.

Khan denied having been to the firms premises on Morley Street, Bradford, until five days before the robbery, when Razzaq offered to take him.

He told jurors Razzaq had business up north and told him: If you come with me well go to Bradford and you show me that place.

The court heard Khan, who was living in London at the time, travelled to Bradford with Razzaq and found out where Mr Yousafs business was after asking a waiter at a restaurant.

Khan has said he had used Mr Yousaf to transfer money to family in Pakistan since 1968, but that he and his nephew Mohammad Ishaque had lost his trust after 12,000 he gave them to send to his brother in Pakistan in 1996 was not transferred.

Khan told the court Razzaq had offered to get his money back after he told him the story of the missing money while on a business trip to Aberdeen.

The pair discussed Razzaq getting a third of the money once it was recovered, the court heard.

He said Razzaq drove him to Yorkshire the night before the robbery and that they stayed at a house in Leeds provided by Razzaqs brother.

Khan told the court he met the rest of the robbers there, and did not know any of them apart from Shah, who he said he did not like.

The court has heard Khan travelled to Pakistan two months after the robbery and evaded arrest until he was detained by Pakistani authorities in 2020 and extradited to the UK last year.

Khan told the court he initially went to Pakistan for his sons wedding but did not return after seeing news reports that he was a wanted man.

He said he felt very bad, very nervous, adding: It was scary news. The issue started with me, with my money. I never did anything but somehow I got involved.

Prosecutors say that although Khan did not leave the safety of a lookout car during the raid, he is guilty of Pc Beshenivskys murder due to his pivotal role in planning the robbery knowing that loaded weapons were to be used.

Pc Beshenivsky, 38, who had only been an officer for nine months, died from her injuries, while Pc Milburn was shot in the chest and survived.

Khan denies murder, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon.

The trial continues.
Musician Azul Barrientos curated the Todos Agua Water Festival and will performing during the event. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News

Musician Azul Barrientos was listening to Chilean guitarist Julian Herreros Riveras music as the idea for the Todos Agua Water Festival was taking shape in her mind, and she thought he might be a good fit.

But Barrientos wasnt sure she could make it happen.

Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson is one of the artists taking part in the inaugural Todos Agua Water Festival at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center. Andrea "Vocab" Sanderson Poet Carmen Tafolla is one of the artists taking part in the inaugural Todos Agua Water Festival at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center. Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

To me, hes an unreachable artist, she said. Hes not like Bad Bunny, but hes known. I was, like, you know, the worst that could happen is that no one replies to my message. So I just sent a message  'Would you come to Texas?'  and he replied! And here we are.

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Rivera will headline the three-day festival, which makes its debut Friday through Sunday at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center. It includes live music, poetry readings and visual art.

Todos Agua Water Festival What: The Esperanza Peace & Justice Centers new festival celebrates water through music, poetry and visual art. There also will be discussions of public policy and other issues. When: 6-0 p.m. March 22, 7-10 p.m. March 23 and 3:30-7 p.m. March 24. Where: Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, 922 San Pedro. Admission: The suggested admission price for those over the age of 12 ranges from $10 to $25 per day. Three-day passes are available for $100. Admission is free for children 12 and under, and no one will be turned away because of inability to pay. Tickets available at esperanzacenter.org.

Mauro De La Tierra, who created the poster for the event, will be doing paintings live during the weekend. De La Tierra will be selling his work, and prints by Rivera, who also is a visual artist, will be sold as well.

Rivera will give a solo concert on Saturday and perform with Barrientos the following night.

In addition, there will be discussions of water policy and other environmental issues. That part of the event will feature environmental justice activist Maria Berriozabal, who was the first Latina to serve on the San Antonio City Council. She will talk about public policy and other matters.

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Others taking part include journalist Greg Harman, editor and founder of the South Texas environmental justice journal Deceleration, and author Marisol Cortez, who is contributing editor of the site and whose novel Luz at Midnight is a love story set in the time of climate change.

Kind of grounding and framing the festival is their role, so its not just feel good for a moment, said Esperanza director Graciela Sanchez. Its, what is our action?

The importance of caring for natural resources also will be conveyed through the performances. That blend of messaging and art has always been a part of the Esperanzas programming.

It comes through poetry, it comes through music, it comes through theater, Sanchez said. That engages people in a different way.

That was important to Barrientos, who curated the festival.

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All of us that were a part of it, we were very focused on making sure that, yes, its a celebration, but lets not forget that theres a part of it that is that we need to pay closer attention to whats happening and how it can affect not only us but all life on this planet, she said.

The idea for Todos Agua took hold during the shutdown part of the pandemic, when Barrientos shifted her monthly concert series at the Esperanza online. She played on her own and also stitched together videos of other artists for the virtual performances.

I did one that was called 'Poesia y Agua'  'Poetry and Water'  and I had my dear friend Andrea Vocab Sanders on doing poetry, I was doing music ... and Carmen Tafolla was in it, she said. The movement started there because I realized how much potential and how beautiful and how lovely it is to touch base, to go back to the very basic things of life, of existence on this planet.

The festival opens on International Water Day. The lineup will include poets Sanderson, Tafolla and Eduardo Garza.

Adding to the cultural tapestry, we have Ceiba Ili; shes from Honduras, she plays the flute, Barrientos said. We have Juan Cabrera from Paraguay, playing his harp, and Los Hermanos Bonifacio. They represent the Garifuna culture; theyre absolutely amazing.

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On Saturday, Rivera takes center stage for a solo concert. Tafolla will be on hand to read translations of some of his lyrics.

The final day of the festival will begin with a cacao ceremony by Diana Dos Santos.

She will provide an immersive opportunity to connect, remember nature within our bodies, Barrientos said. And then Julian and I will create this musical celebration focused on water, but also on Latin American folk music.

Barrientos is hoping the festival will become an annual event.

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The age rating of two James Bond films would be raised if they were rereleased today, because of the portrayal of violence and sexual assault, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has said.

Goldfinger and From Russia With Love, both starring Sir Sean Connery and released in the 1960s, were flagged during a public consultation as films audiences believe should be classified more cautiously.

The consultation involved 12,000 people across the UK and informed the new BBFC classification guidelines published on Tuesday.

Under the new guidelines, the word f*** will also be allowed for the first time in trailers rated 12.

The BBFC previously said the word was strictly not permitted in trailers and only infrequently in feature films with 12 ratings.

Speaking at the launch event for the new guidelines, BBFC president Natasha Kaplinsky said her experiences as a mother have informed her desire to help protect children from age-inappropriate content both online and offline.

Ms Kaplinsky said: There is a growing tide of people that are calling for online/offline parity.

Children need to be protected, whether theyre watching something thats been graded by the BBFC or whether theyre consuming content in their own bedrooms.

During the consultation, violence in From Russia With Love was flagged unanimously by focus groups for being too prolonged, impactful and intense to be classified as PG today, the BBFC said.

Respondents also highlighted an interaction in Goldfinger between Bond and Pussy Galore in a barn, that audiences today would view as sexual assault and not appropriate for a PG rating.

David Austin, BBFC chief executive said: People told us that neither of those films would be appropriate for PG any more, they would need to go to a 12A.

Mr Austin said the BBFC would not be reclassifying previously released films unless they were being rereleased.

He said: When stuff gets rereleased, the profile increases, more people are going to be watching it and thats when we reclassify.

If those films came in for a high-definition rerelease, for example, they would be classified at 12A.

In February, Mary Poppins age rating was raised from U to PG by the BBFC because of discriminatory language ahead of the films rerelease marking its 60th anniversary.

The BBFC said the new classification guidelines reflect shifts in public opinion on violence, drug use, sex and use of language.

Sexual violence remains the biggest area of concern for UK audiences, as it was when this research was last conducted in 2019, the board said.

The BBFC added that suicide and self-harm have risen to the second biggest area of concern, ahead of sex, violence and drugs since 2019, with audiences expressing a clear desire to be warned about this type of content.
Former Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews has explained why he questioned whether Jesus was a real person on upcoming BBC programme Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales.

The TV personality, who hosts the Big Fish podcast, said that Bible miracles sound mad, adding: I kind of thought that the people in the (Bible) stories could also be made up.

Matthews stars in the sixth series of the BBC Two show, and is joined by TV presenter Sonali Shah, comedian Eshaan Akbar, The Traitors Amanda Lovett, Friday Night Dinner star Tom Rosenthal and former model Christine McGuiness, as they traverse North Wales.

Spencer Matthews and his wife Vogue Williams (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Speaking at a Q&A event for the forthcoming series, Matthews addressed the moment he questioned Jesus existence on the show.

By the way, the Jesus being real thing, just to reference it, he said.

I think Im a bit confused with Old Testament and New Testament  and parting of the seas and the turning water into wine all sounds mad to me, so I kind of thought that the people in the stories could also be made up.

In the programme Matthews asks Akbar: Jesus Christ definitely existed?

I thought he could have been made up thats not disputed, no?

He also asks Akbar if the prophet Mohammed was Allah.

Mohammed is Allah, is he? he says.

Hes a prophet of God, Akbar responds.

Spencer Matthews (Isabel Infantes/PA)

During the Q&A, Matthews also discussed the death of his brother Michael and how he felt accepted by the group after he opened up about it on the show.

His brother disappeared into blinding snow hours after becoming the youngest Briton to summit Mount Everest in May 1999. His death was explored by Matthews in documentary Finding Michael.

Asked which moments from the pilgrimage he will treasure, Matthews said: I felt like as a group, we experienced quite a few things, moments along the way.

I think eventually getting to see Bardsey Island was very beautiful and united us still, even though it was towards the end of the trip.

I think there was a time at the, what would you call it, the Eco retreat? Where we were kind of cold plunging and bits and bobs.

And later that evening, we came together for dinner, which Eshaan very kindly cooked, and spoke about forgiveness, which I think runs quite deeply throughout most religion.

And it kind of took me back to my time on Everest where I was able to let go of quite a lot of resentment that I was holding against people that I felt could have done a better job helping my brother that passed.

And it just felt a nice moment. Im not the best emotionally and I felt very kind of welcomed and accepted in the group for sharing the story.

And I think thats when things kind of turned for me, I began to be a bit more open to the spiritual experiences that we shared as a group and it was quite a meaningful time.

The sixth series of Pilgrimage sees seven famous faces from varying faiths and beliefs embark on a 220km route that celebrates Celtic early Christian saints.

In the three hour-long episodes, the celebrities tackle North Wales Pilgrims Way  which is linked by ancient churches and dedicated to sixth and seventh-century saints.

Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales starts on March 29 and will be available to watch on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
Labour will alter Chancellor Jeremy Hunts fiscal rule on borrowing in a bid to boost investment into Britain, Rachel Reeves said.

The shadow chancellor used a speech lasting close to an hour to set out her vision if Labour wins the general election widely expected this year.

During the annual Mais Lecture in the City of London on Tuesday, Ms Reeves said Britain needs a fundamental course correction to improve living standards and guard the health of our democracy.

She said the country cannot continue with the short-termist approach that disregards the importance of public investment, as she vowed to focus on delivering growth if she becomes chancellor.

That is why our fiscal rules differ from the Governments, she said.

Their borrowing rule, which targets the overall deficit rather than the current deficit, creates a clear incentive to cut investment that will have long-run benefits for short-term gains.

I reject that approach, and that is why our borrowing rule targets day-to-day spending.

We will prioritise investment within a framework that would get debt falling as a share of GDP over the medium term.

Chancellors will only be able to scrap fiscal rules in future if the Budget watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), declares that the UK is in an economic crisis, she added.

Ms Reeves said that Labour would also ask the OBR to report on the long-term impact of capital spending decisions as part of its remit.

She committed to upholding Mr Hunts rule that debt must be falling as a share of the economy by the fifth year of a forecast.

A decade of national renewal. Restoring economic growth. A new chapter for Britain's economy. pic.twitter.com/zUWy1D3tTF  Rachel Reeves (@RachelReevesMP) March 19, 2024

The former Bank of England (BoE) economist also proposed reforms to the Treasury that will increase the role of the departments enterprise and growth unit  originally created by New Labour  so it is embedded in the existing fiscal event process.

In a wide-ranging speech, she said Labour planned to reverse changes made by Mr Hunt when he downgraded the emphasis put on climate change in the remits of the BoEs monetary policy committee and finance policy committee.

The Opposition frontbencher said her reason for doing so was because there can be no durable plan for economic stability and no sustainable plan for economic growth that is not also a serious plan for net zero.

She was also critical of New Labours economic record, saying the global financial crisis in 2008 saw weaknesses in the economy, including with productivity and regional inequality, exposed.

During the lecture, Ms Reeves said that Britain stands at an inflection point like it did at the end of the 1970s, a period that paved the way for Margaret Thatchers premiership and her sweeping economic reforms, including moves towards the privatisation of public services.

Ms Reeves said that unlike the 1980s, growth in the years to come must be broad-based, inclusive, and resilient, as she stressed that she remained an optimist about confronting the countrys challenges.

Asked after her speech what she meant by her reference to the late 1970s, Ms Reeves said she joined Labour because I disagreed with what so much of what Margaret Thatcher did to Britain but said there were parallels between the year she came to power and now.

What Im arguing in the speech is that 1979 was point when the country had to make a big choice, and they made the choice, Ms Reeves said.

What Im arguing today is that there was a similar moment, after a period of sclerotic growth and high inflation, of what direction our country goes in.

And at the next election, the choice is between five more years of chaos and instability versus the stability, the investment and reform that Ive set out this evening.

Rachel Reeves said her politics were a reaction against what Margaret Thatcher did (Phil Noble/PA)

She said voters could expect a different type of growth under Labour compared with the deindustrialised strategy advanced by Baroness Thatcher and her former chancellor Nigel Lawson.

I wouldnt draw the parallels too much, she said.

One union chief was critical of the shadow chancellors focus on sticking to phoney fiscal rules.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: Labour needs to be focused on delivering good jobs, public services and dignity in retirement, not more rhetoric about abstract economic concepts, like GDP growth.

If you stick to phoney fiscal rules, rule out taxing the wealthy and pander to the profiteers, you end up in a straitjacket of your own making.

Ripping up building regulations and tinkering in the public sector are not going to deliver serious growth  thats for the birds. Only sustained long-term public investment in our crumbling infrastructure can turn the tide on decline.

Its time Labour came up with a plan for the real economy rather than the big business lobby.
A minister is concerned that ghettoisation is occurring on university campuses which is preventing Jewish students from enjoying themselves.

Robert Halfon, minister for skills, apprenticeships and higher education, said antisemitism was a major problem across universities in the UK and incidents have surged since Hamass attack on Israel on October 7.

Mr Halfon told MPs that there had been horrific incidents of antisemitism at universities across the country.

Addressing the education select committee on Tuesday, the higher education minister said: I think it is a major problem across our universities.

I fear that there is ghettoisation going on across universities, with Jewish students unable to do what they should be doing  having the best time of their life at university.

When asked about antisemitism on campus, Mr Halfon, who is Jewish, told MPs: It has been pretty horrific.

Antisemitism was going up across our universities well before October 7. This isnt just a result about the tragedy in the Middle East and the massacre of Jews and internationals on October 7.

But since October 7, its gone up well over 200%.

Mr Halfon said the Government was developing a quality seal in higher education, which will allow Jewish students to see how well a university tackles antisemitism, and it is considering an expert advisor on the issue.

A pleasure to speak with Jewish sixth form students at @JW3london this afternoon. University can be some of the best years of your life. We will do whatever it takes to keep Jewish university students safe on campus. pic.twitter.com/yErMbuamS8  Robert Halfon MP Working Hard for Harlow (@halfon4harlowMP) March 3, 2024

I fear that there is ghettoisation going on across universities, with Jewish students unable to do what they should be doing  having the best time of their life at university

Robin Walker, chair of the education select committee, said he had heard concerning anecdotal evidence of some people choosing to study in Israel because they would not be comfortable studying in the UK.

Addressing these reports, Mr Halfon said: I still believe that our universities are great places to go across the United Kingdom. I hope very much that Jewish students will not feel that they cant go to our universities.

He added that the Government will do everything possible to stamp out antisemitism.

University leaders also gave evidence to MPs on the committee on Tuesday as part of its inquiry into the impact of last years marking and assessment boycott on university students.

When asked about a reported decline in applications from overseas students, Professor Adam Fagan, vice president (education and student success) at Kings College London (KCL), set out factors which may deter some applicants  including security concerns about large demonstrations.

He told MPs: I was in India two weeks ago and the question that came up from prospective applicants and their families interestingly was not about industrial action.

It was about whether the UK is a hospitable place for international students and I absolutely reassured them that it was because I genuinely believe that.

But certainly the pressures of living in London. Theyre very cognizant of the huge demonstrations in the city that are taking place. So concerns about security, about the financial costs of a UK education, I think they are paramount.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Two former Mississippi sheriffs deputies were sentenced to years behind bars Tuesday for torturing two Black men after a neighbor complained that the men were staying in a home with a white woman.

Hunter Elward, 31, was sentenced to about 20 years in prison, while Jeffrey Middleton, the leader of the so-called Goon Squad that abused the men, was given a 17.5-year prison sentence. Four other former law enforcement officers who admitted to torturing Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker are set to be sentenced later this week.

Before sentencing Elward, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee called the former deputy's actions egregious and despicable, and said a sentence at the top of the guidelines range is justified  is more than justified. He continued: Its what the defendant deserves. Its what the community and the defendants victims deserve.

In January 2023, the group of six burst into a Rankin County home without a warrant and assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns, a sex toy and other objects. Elward admitted to shoving a gun into Jenkins mouth and firing in a mock execution that went awry.

The terror began on Jan. 24, 2023, with a racist call for extrajudicial violence when a white person phoned Rankin County Deputy Brett McAlpin and complained that two Black men were staying with a white woman at a house in Braxton. McAlpin told Deputy Christian Dedmon, who texted a group of white deputies so willing to use excessive force they called themselves The Goon Squad.

Once inside, they handcuffed Jenkins and his friend Parker and poured milk, alcohol and chocolate syrup over their faces. They forced them to strip naked and shower together to conceal the mess. They mocked the victims with racial slurs and shocked them with stun guns.

After Elward shot Jenkins in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun. False charges stood against Jenkins and Parker for months. Jenkins suffered a lacerated tongue and broken jaw.

Last March, months before federal prosecutors announced charges in August, an investigation by The Associated Press linked some of the deputies to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another with lasting injuries.

Jenkins is a musician, and his injuries have prevented him from singing as he used to. He also said he has trouble speaking and eating. Parker said he relives the episode in his nightmares.

Both men, who were sitting in the front row, called for the stiffest of sentences. Their attorney, Malik Shabazz, said they were too traumatized to speak in court, and he read statements on their behalf.

I am hurt. I am broken, Jenkins wrote in his statement. They tried to take my manhood from me. They did some unimaginable things to me, and the effects will linger for the rest of my life.

Elward, who wore a dark blue jumpsuit with tape obscuring the name of the facility where he is housed, said before being sentenced that he wouldnt make excuses. He turned to address Jenkins and Parker and looked at them directly.

I dont want to get too personal. I see you every night, and I cant go back and do whats right, Elward said. I am so sorry for what I did.

Parker then stood up and said, I forgive you.

Elwards attorney, Joe Hollomon, said his client first witnessed Rankin County deputies turn a blind eye to misconduct in 2017.

It became the new norm, it became institutional, Hollomon said. Hunter was initiated into a culture of corruption at the Rankin County Sheriffs Office.

During a speech Tuesday at the University of Georgia, FBI director Christopher Wray spoke about the federal investigation into the unspeakable crimes committed by the six former law enforcement officers in Mississippi.

Its hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by these guys, Wray said, according to prepared remarks. But on the flip side, its hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims.

Elward was also sentenced for his role in an assault on a white man that took place weeks before Jenkins and Parker were tortured. For the first time Tuesday, prosecutors identified the victim as Alan Schmidt and read a statement from him detailing what happened to him on Dec. 4, 2022.

During a traffic stop that night, Schmidt said Rankin County deputies accused him of possessing stolen property. They pulled him from the car and beat him. Then, Dedmon forced him to his knees and tried to insert his genitals into Schmidts mouth, as Elward watched.

I pray every day that I can forgive them one day and hopefully forget the humiliation and the evil physical and sexual assault that I endured, Schmidt wrote. I know that Im not their only victim, and I pray for each victim that has crossed paths with the Goon Squad members.

The officers charged with torturing Parker and Jenkins include Elward, Middleton, McAlpin, Dedmon and Daniel Opdyke of the Rankin County Sheriffs Department and Joshua Hartfield, a Richland police officer. They have pleaded guilty to numerous federal and state charges.

All six former officers are facing potentially decades-long prison sentences on the federal charges. Time served for separate convictions at the state level will run concurrently with the potentially longer federal sentences.

The majority-white Rankin County is just east of the state capital, Jackson, home to one of the highest percentages of Black residents of any major U.S. city.

The officers warned Jenkins and Parker to stay out of Rankin County and go back to Jackson or their side of the Pearl River, court documents say, referencing an area with higher concentrations of Black residents.

For months, Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, whose deputies committed the crimes, said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department. Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.

___

Michael Goldberg 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. Follow him at @mikergoldberg.
PHOENIX  In the absence of protest vote options like the uncommitted ballot line in Michigan, Arizona activists calling for a cease-fire in Gaza are harnessing a new vessel for their message: Marianne Williamson.

Tuesdays Arizona Democratic primary is largely symbolic, given President Joe Biden has already clinched his partys nomination, according to NBC News projections. But activists hope to use Williamsons continued presence on the state ballot to send a message to the Biden administration about its policy toward Israel.

Were not delusional and thinking she may win. Thats not the point, said Belen Sisa, 30, one of the organizers behind Vote Ceasefire AZ, the group pushing Arizonans to cast their ballots for Williamson.

We want to take those votes away to send a very clear and measurable message to the Biden administration to say: You need these votes in November. And if you want us to vote for you, then you need to do better and call for a cease-fire, Sisa said.

arizona vote election preparation (Alex Tabet / NBC News)

Election rules vary state by state, which means the uncommitted option available in the Minnesota and Michigan primaries doesnt exist on Arizonas primary ballot. And without a write-in option, organizers have opted to back Williamson.

This is not an endorsement of her as a candidate, Sisa said, adding: This is just being tactical and using her name to achieve what we want to achieve.

Vote Ceasefire AZs primary demand is in its name: a permanent and immediate cease-fire and de-escalation of violence in Gaza. And while Biden has called for a temporary cease-fire in the past, the Arizona activist coalition isnt impressed with how those words are translating into whats actually happening on the ground.

Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday and warned him against carrying out a planned military operation in the southern city of Rafah, according to the White House. But on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after the phone call, Netanyahu reiterated his plan to launch the offensive.

I would tell President Biden to be courageous to take the extra step and not just use words, because actions are what matters here, said Rowan Imran, a Palestinian American with family in the West Bank and friends in Gaza.

Imran, Sisa and the rest of Vote Ceasefire AZ have set an attainable symbolic goal for Williamson on Tuesday.

We believe reaching 10,000 would be making a strong statement, Imran said, because its roughly the size of Bidens margin over former President Donald Trump in Arizona in 2020.

religion religious (Alex Tabet / NBC News)

To achieve that goal, Vote Ceasefire AZ is reaching out to voters using methods old and new. Over the weekend, dozens of volunteers gathered at a phone bank, reaching out to voters throughout the state and encouraging them to vote for Williamson on Tuesday. And Sisa, who was the national Latino press secretary for Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential campaign in 2020, is using the social media savvy she picked up on the Sanders campaign to spread the word.

When you are coming from a grassroots movement, you dont have all the money in the world, Sisa said of the low-budget operation.

The activists are aware of criticism from pundits and others on the left that such cease-fire campaigns will bolster Trump in a general election. But they discount that notion.

Some people who oppose us are saying this is just helping Trump win, Sisa acknowledged. In reality, its the opposite of that. We know what we hear from community members and from those who are going to be voting in November that they are not happy. ... What were trying to say is do better, do better, because we know whats coming.

She said she believes that if the status quo remains come November, Biden will lose support in the general election. And by nudging him to take demonstrable action toward a lasting cease-fire in Gaza, theyre actually helping him win back support by November, they believe.

Our push is only to make sure ... that Trump doesnt win in November, because we know that he may even be worse than Biden on this issue, she said.

Despite pouring time and their limited resources into getting Arizonans to vote for Williamson on Tuesday, Vote Ceasefire AZ is making it clear it isnt formally endorsing her for president. And the organization hasnt even been in contact with Williamsons team to coordinate the push. But speaking to NBC News before a campaign event Sunday, Williamson said shes not fussed by the lack of an endorsement.

One of the things you learn to do in politics is not complain. Its never a win, said Williamson, who recently made the highly unusual move of suspending and then un-suspending her campaign.

I try to keep my eye on whats most important, and thats the conversations. So the conversation thats going on in terms of Gaza is how many of us realize there needs to be a cease-fire, she added.

She hopes her campaign can earn delegates, something she has failed to achieve thus far, and gain a voice at the Democratic National Convention, increasing her leverage to pressure Biden to adopt more progressive policies, including but not limited to his policy on Israel and Gaza.

As for the Biden campaign, even with the primary campaign wrapped up, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., visited Tempe on Sunday to campaign as a surrogate for Biden. He said when he was asked that he wasnt aware of the effort to back Williamson.

Lauren Hitt, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign, wrote in a statement: The President believes making your voice heard and participating in our democracy is fundamental to who we are as Americans. He is working toward an end to the violence and a just, lasting peace in the Middle East. Hes working tirelessly to that end.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) is up on the airwaves with her first TV ad of the cycle, touting her endorsement from former President Trump as she fights to stay in Congress.

Lauren, youre gonna do fantastically in your district  Lauren Boebert, thank you, a clip of Trump at a rally can be heard saying in the ad.

President Donald J. Trump has endorsed America-First warrior Lauren Boebert for Congress, a narrator says next in the ad. Trump says Congresswoman Boebert is a proven conservative who has led the fight to stop illegal immigration, defend the Second Amendment and stand up to the radical Democrats who want to destroy our country.

We need Lauren fighting for us in Washington. Stand with President Trump and vote Lauren Boebert for Congress, the narrator ends the ad saying.

The ad is backed by a $60,000 buy, $40,000 of which is dedicated to cable and $20,000 of which is dedicated to streaming, airing for a total of three weeks.

The ad is notable given that Boebert faces a challenging reelection bid in the crowded GOP primary for Colorados 4th Congressional District.

Boebert currently represents Colorados western 3rd Congressional District but opted to run in the states eastern 4th Congressional District to avoid a competitive and expensive House race. She called it a fresh start for her family after finalizing her divorce from her ex-husband.

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), who currently represents the 4th District, threw an unexpected curveball last week when he announced he would be resigning early from Congress at the end of this week  triggering a special election to fill the remainder of his term.

The special election and the GOP primary for the full two-year term will both take place on June 25, but some Republicans say that whomever Republicans nominate as their pick for the special election could have an advantage over Boebert in the GOP primary given that the congresswoman has ruled out running in the special election amid a narrow House GOP majority.

Boebert has also grappled with negative headlines in recent months, including over being ejected from a Beetlejuice musical in Denver over disruptive behavior. She also has to convince Republicans in the 4th District why they should be offering her a shot at representing a new House seat.

At the same time, Boebert also has Trumps endorsement  an advantage in the GOP-leaning 4th District  and a clear financial edge.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson attends the Madrid photocall for "ACQUA DI GIO" by Giorgio Armani at Matadero Madrid on March 7, 2024. The Sun reported that he was offered a role as the next James Bond. Credit - Pablo CuadraWireImage/Getty Images

The iconic film role of James Bond, MI6s most famous spy, has been offered to 33-year-old British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, according to reports from The Sun. Taylor-Johnson has yet to formally accept the role, the tabloid added, but if he does, he would be the eighth actor to take on the role since the film series began in 1962.

Taylor-Johnson previously starred in the 2010 black comedy superhero film Kick-Ass and the 2015 Marvel movie Avengers: Age Of Ultron. He would replace Daniel Craig, who has played the role five times since the 2006 Bond film Casino Royale.

In the past, the role has been known for helping transform lesser-known actors into major movie stars. Sean Connery, the first Bond actor, had only appeared in a series of minor TV films before being cast in the role and catapulting to international fame.

Many prominent names have been floated as the next James Bond actor, including Henry Cavill, Tom Hardy, and Idris Elba.

Elba was voted as the top choice by fans in a poll conducted by Lottoland, an online gambling firm, but the actor has previously expressed disinterest in the role when asked about it, especially in regards to the discourse surrounding race and his casting.

Its interesting that the James Bond thing continues to go. I think its more about, we just want to have a Black guy play James Bond rather than Idris Elba, the actor, play James Bond, he told the New York Times in 2017. Thats the part that I'm like, 'Ugh, come on.

Many fans hope for a diverse choice for the role, since up to this point it has only been played by white men. Some even voted for prominent female actresses including Emilia Clarke and Emily Blunt in the Lottoland poll.

Eon Productions, which produces Bond films, is now reportedly developing a script and preparing to shoot a new movie.

As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement, The Suns source said.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Two attorneys were injured on Monday in a Martinez, California, courtroom after a man on trial for murder allegedly used a pen to stab his own defense lawyer before subsequently charging the prosecutor.

Ramello Randle, 28, allegedly broke or cut through a restraint device keeping him in a courtroom chair before he used his lawyer's pen to stab the lawyer in his face and head, according to the East Bay Times. Randle then charged the prosecutor, who suffered a scratch on his hand.

The defendant was stopped when a courtroom deputy tackled him and arrested him.

Officials later found a handwritten note Randle allegedly wrote before the attack that read, "sorry."

SAN FRANCISCO COUPLE, TODDLER, KILLED BY SUV WHILE WAITING FOR BUS TO ZOO

Ramello Randle, 28, allegedly used a pen to stab his own defense lawyer before subsequently attacking the prosecutor in a California courtroom.

Defense lawyer Matthew Fregi was treated at the courthouse for stab wounds. The scratch on Deputy District Attorney Kevin Bell's hand was also examined. Witnesses said Bell swung back at Randle after he was scratched.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"This morning at about 10:54, during a homicide trial at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez, inmate Ramello Randle attacked his attorney with a pen," the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital. "28-year-old Randle of Oakland then went to attack the District Attorney, who was able to push him off. The courtroom was immediately cleared. The fire department responded to assess both of the attorneys, who refused medical attention."

Randle was transported back to the Martinez Detention Facility, where he will face additional charges including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and battery, the sheriff's office said.

Fregi, Bell and Randle are scheduled to return to court on Tuesday to continue the trial.

The incident happened in front of a Contra Costa jury that will determine whether Randle is guilty on charges for allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend and attempting to murder a man amid a child custody dispute in 2020. Jurors are scheduled to hear closing arguments this week.

Officials later found a handwritten note Randle allegedly wrote before the attack that read, "sorry."

CALIFORNIA GOOD SAMARITAN FOOD TRUCK OWNER STABBED AFTER STOPPING ROBBERY OF ELDERLY WOMAN

Randle is accused of working with another man, Christopher Slaughter, to kill 24-year-old Jonaye Lahkel Bridges, the mother of Randles child. Prosecutors said Randle placed a tracking device on Bridges' car, followed her to a convenience store in Antioch and shot at her and a man she was with, killing Bridges.

The evidence against Randle allegedly includes text messages, location trackers and fingerprints on the suspected murder weapon.

Following the attack in court, Fregi told the East Bay Times over the phone he was "fine."

"It was no big deal," he said.

Randle's lack of courtroom decorum has already caused one mistrial in November 2022, the East Bay Times reported. The case was days away from concluding when Randle shouted expletives at Bell during the cross-examination of Randle's mother, a defense witness. Randle then told Judge Charles "Ben" Burch to "shut up, I'm not your b----" when the judge attempted to control the situation.

Burch removed Randle's ability to serve as his own lawyer and declared a mistrial the following day. Fregi started as Randle's attorney after a September 2023 hearing where Randle allegedly took a swing at attorney Lawrence Strauss, who was uninjured in the incident.

Later on Monday, Fregi said he's "hopeful we can finish what we started six weeks ago."

"I harbor no ill will toward Mr. Randle because he was in a position to do a lot more damage to me than he did, had he felt so inclined," Fregi said. "And I'm glad that I got the worst of it because it reinforces the fact that it was done as a means to an end."





Original article source:California defendant on trial for murder allegedly stabs his attorney with pen, charges toward prosecutor
Days after the body of Riley Strain, the 22-year-old University of Missouri student who went missing in Nashville, Tennessee, on March 8, was found in a nearby river, officials are saying his death appears to be "accidental."

Strain's body was pulled from the Cumberland River in West Nashville, about eight miles from downtown, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a statement on X on March 22.

"No foul play-related trauma was observed," police said in the statement at the time. "An autopsy is pending."

In a subsequent statement on March 25, Kristin Mumford, a spokesperson for the Nashville PD, said that Strain's death appeared to be "accidental."

Mumford told NBC News that a detective attended the autopsy examination, and added that Strain's death continues to appear accidental. There was no foul play-related trauma and a toxicology report is still pending, she said. The medical examiner does not complete an autopsy report until all testing is back, Mumford said.

Strain, a senior at Mizzou, was last seen by friends on the night of March 8 at Luke Bryan's bar in downtown Nashvilles busy Broadway area, according to police.

Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink said in a March 15 statement that based on our conduct standards, Strain was escorted out by security at 9:35 p.m. on the night of his disappearance. The company did not say what Strain had done to be removed.

Strain was last seen on video at around 9:52 p.m. on March 8 having a brief exchange with a police officer, according to footage shared by police on March 18. The post stated that Strain did not appear distressed.

The officer asked Strain how he was doing, and Strain replied, Im good. How are you?

Shown was Riley's brief exchange of greetings w/ Officer Reginald Young on Gay St., south of the Woodland St. Bridge, on the night of 3/8. Riley did not appear distressed. Officer Young was there on a vehicle burglary call & remained on that portion of Gay St. for 45 min. pic.twitter.com/z0xeEzeieK  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 18, 2024

On March 17, police announced Strains bank card had been found on the embankment between Gay St. and the Cumberland River.

When did Riley Strain disappear?

The 22-year-old Mizzou student went missing after being asked to leave Luke Bryan's Nashville bar, Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink, on March 8.

Strain had been at the bar during a trip with his fraternity for a spring formal.

Strains stepfather, Chris Whiteid, told NBC News that Strain had gone to two bars before he was kicked out of Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink. Whiteid said that Strain FaceTimed his mother between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. that night from Garth Brooks bar, Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk. Strain also went to Miranda Lamberts Casa Rosa that evening, according to his stepfather.

Strains mother, Michelle Whiteid, and stepfather told NBC affiliate WSMV of Nashville on March 11 that Strains friends said he told them he would walk back to their hotel after he was asked to leave Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink.

At approximately 9:45 p.m., he was asked to leave Luke Bryans bar, Chris Whiteid told the station. They got separated. The boys called him, and he said, Im walking back to my hotel. They didnt think anything about it.

Officers continue to work to locate missing person Riley Strain, 22, who was last seen Fri. night by friends @ a Broadway bar in Nashville. Riley is from Missouri and was visiting. He is 6'5" tall with a thin build, blue eyes and light brown hair. See him? Pls call 615-862-8600. pic.twitter.com/daqKDWGJJO  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 11, 2024

In a March 15 statement, the bars owners said Strain was escorted out through the Broadway exit at the front of the building. A friend accompanied him down the stairs, according to the statement, but the friend did not leave with Strain and returned upstairs.

Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink said in the statement it has been cooperating with investigators and provided "all security camera footage, photos of Riley at our establishment with detailed time stamps, transaction records, and staff accounts."

What happened to Riley Strain?

When Strain's fraternity brothers returned to the Tempo Hotel, less than a mile away from the bar, they found Strains room key but no signs of Strain. When they tried to call him, his phone was dead, Strains parents told WSMV.

The students searched for Strain for hours while attempting to find him using his Snapchat locations. Finally, they called Strain's parents in Springfield, Missouri, to notify them he was missing.

Strain's parents immediately drove from their Springfield home to Nashville. We talk every day, multiple times a day, Michelle Whiteid told WSMV. This is the longest Ive ever gone without talking to him.

Riley is a very identifiable young man. Hes 67, hes 155-160 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes, Chris Whiteid said. Were in a bad dream. Can we wake up? Please, just let us wake up.

Riley Strain (Metropolitan Nashville Police Department)

Chris Whiteid later told NBC News in an interview on Top Story with Tom Llamas on March 13 that it was out of character for Strain to not be in touch with his family.

Its very odd. Friday night when they got there, he had sent pictures, he called, Chris Whiteid said. Yes, were hurting and everything, but right now were still expecting a positive outcome.

Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink says Riley Strain only had one drink

In a statement on March 15, Lukes 32 Bridge Food + Drink and its owner, TC Restaurant Group, said Strain was served one alcoholic drink and two waters before being escorted out by security.

In his Instagram story on March 12, country music star Luke Bryan shared a statement from the TC Restaurant Group, the owner and operator of Lukes 32 Bridge, that said it was working with police to provide security camera video and other information to aid in the search.

Luke Bryan posted about Riley Strain's disappearance. (@lukebryan via Instagram)

Yall this is scary. Praying for his safe return, Bryan wrote on top of the statement.

Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones for his safe return, the statement also added.

Bryan also shared a post from Nashville police asking anyone with information on Strains disappearance to come forward.

Riley Strains university and fraternity speak out

The University of Missouri said in a news release on March 12 that school officials learned over the weekend that Strain had gone missing during a trip to Nashville for a private event.

The school said it had been in communication with Strains family and Nashville authorities and offered counseling resources to members of the MU community.

Strains fraternity, Delta Chi, also issued a statement on March 12, saying it was aware that Strain had gone missing, and added that the fraternity was actively engaged with university officials.

Delta Chi is hopeful for Rileys safe return; our thoughts are with his family and the members of the Missouri Chapter during this time, the organization said.

Additionally, fraternitys CEO Karl Grindel asked that journalists not reach out to individual fraternity members, according to NBC News.

The search for Riley Strain

Nashville Police conducted a helicopter search of the area as well as ground searches by detectives. Strains family members also searched the area.

Nashville Police shared a security video on March 13 that showed Strain crossing 1st Avenue North to Gay Street at 9:47 p.m. Friday. In the video, he is seen wearing a two-toned shirt. After crossing the street, Strain pauses and appears to briefly turn, before continuing to walk in the same direction he was headed. The cross-section is about 0.7 miles from Luke Bryans bar.

Riley Strain's body was found

Strains body was recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville, about eight miles from downtown, police said in a statement on X on March 22.

No foul play-related trauma was observed, police said in the statement. An autopsy is pending.

As of March 25, spokesperson for the Nashville PD Kristin Mumford said told NBC News that Strain's death appeared to be accidental with no foul play-related trauma. The toxicology is pending and the medical examiner will complete the autopsy report when all testing is done.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Sichuan House is joining the ranks of San Antonio restaurants graced with a visit from the mayor of Flavortown on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."

Culinary star Guy Fieri chowed down at Julia's Bistro & Bar and The Jerk Shack for this season, wowed by French toast and "killer Caribbean" eats.

Sichuan House is one of the Top 10 BYOB restaurants in San Antonio, with alcohol-friendly options such as spicy crispy chicken and wok-fried green beans. Mike Sutter / Staff Sichuan House is one of the Top 10 Chinese restaurants in San Antonio. Mike Sutter/Staff

A third Alamo City restaurant slated for the show was shrouded in mystery until Monday, when Sichuan House posted photos of Fieri's signature red convertible parked outside.

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For the March 29 episode, Fieri gets a taste of the dong po rou and a new spicy cumin duck dish, Sichuan House general manager James Galvan told the Express-News.

"He loved the fact that all of our dishes were made from scratch to order," Galvan said. "Its really humbling when you meet someone that is so respected and they having nothing but praise about the restaurant."

Owner and chef Kristina Zhao is the brains behind the acclaimed Chinese restaurant as well as Dashi Sichuan Kitchen + Bar.

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Sichuan House will be part of episode "From Spicy to Sticky" airing at 8 p.m. March 29.
Months after Isabella "Bella" Willingham was found unresponsive and severely injured in her dorm room in a case that has baffled her family and law enforcement, the former Asbury University student is still trying to piece together what happened that day.

She suffered injuries that included bruises, cuts and deep gashes, and she was missing eight acrylic nails, her family has said. Willingham is in therapy and is coping with some of her painful injuries, which are scarring and may require medical procedures to cover, her family has said.

She still doesn't remember what happened to her, and authorities are no closer to solving the mystery.

Its 100% baffling what happened to this young lady, Jessamine County Sheriff Kevin Grimes said. In some way, shape, form or fashion, shes a victim just like anybody else.  We 100% believe something happened; we just dont know what.

Willingham is now speaking out against what she says are poor security measures at the campus in Wilmore, Kentucky, and at the Glide-Crawford Residence Hall, where she believes she was attacked late last year.

I want what happened to me to draw attention to the fact that Asbury needs more cameras on all of their exits and entryways, Willingham told NBC News on Monday, marking her first public comments.

Isabella Willingham. (Courtesy Andy Willingham)

"I believe God spared me because my mission is to now bring light to the safety issues on campus. ... The students definitely need way more protection than theyre getting, Willingham said.

If there were cameras at all doors leading in and out of her residence hall, the people who attacked me, more than likely, would have been caught," she added.

'I'm so thankful for the first responders who didn't give up on me'

Willingham, 21, said shes lucky to be alive. Her father has said she stopped breathing on her own for about 23 minutes in the dorm room.

I survived my attack, and Im so thankful for the first responders who didnt give up on me. Im alive because of that," she said.

A university representative declined to comment Monday on Willingham's remarks about a lack of cameras at dorm doorways or the investigation. The university encouraged questions to be directed to the sheriffs office.

Isabella Willingham (Courtesy Andy Willingham)

In a statement last week, the university said that, Asburys priority remains the safety and wellbeing of its students, faculty, and staff.

Authorities have said her roommate found her unconscious in her dorm room on the night of Nov. 27. After struggling to breathe, she was taken to the University of Kentucky Hospital in Lexington, where she stayed for nearly two weeks.

Willingham, who no longer attends Asbury, said she has no recollection of what occurred the day she was hospitalized. She said she also doesnt remember a lot of her past semester at Asbury.

She said she believes she never left her dorm room the day of the incident.

Willinghams family has said a rape kit determined she wasnt sexually assaulted, and toxicology tests found nothing of concern. NBC News has not seen the toxicology or rape kit results.

Willingham said she doesnt know of anyone who would want to attack her and cant point out any instances of something negative occurring that may have led to someone wanting to hurt her.

She said she mostly kept to herself at college. She also noted that Asbury, a private Christian university, has strict rules about when men can enter the Glide-Crawford dorms, and those instances are supposed to be documented.

It was probably a group of girls. I barely talked to anyone. I knew like three people on campus. Like, I never left my room, she said. I just feel like it was girls because I only knew girls.

'No blood. No damage. No craziness in the room'

The Jessamine County Sheriffs Office initially said Willingham might have had a medical episode and that allegations that she was beaten were lies, according to a report from WKYT-TV of Lexington.

Sheriff Grimes on Monday acknowledged that somebody from his office, who didnt have authority to speak, made the remarks, which the Willinghams found problematic.

I can tell you, someone spoke out of turn on that, Grimes said.

He added that the investigation into what occurred to Willingham has been perplexing.

The case lacks evidence, Grimes said, adding that investigators have spent hundreds of hours on it.

Deputies were initially called to the dorm room because of a potential overdose, Grimes said. A deputy was called to the hospital because Willingham had injuries to the lower part of her body that were not seen when deputies were in the dorm because she was covered up, the sheriff noted.

The one thing that we have going against us was that we did not get notified to the injuries to her legs until probably five or six hours later.  I can say we were behind the eight ball when it comes to the injury side of it," Grimes said.

He said investigators have reviewed camera footage from the dorm and spoken to dorm residents, but no substantial leads were generated. No critical witnesses have stepped forward either, Grimes said.

He added the case was complicated because authorities got a warrant to search the dorm room and there was no evidence of a crime there.

It was a dorm room. No blood. No damage. No craziness in the room, Grimes said. If theres nothing in the room that showed there was an assault ... that makes you think maybe this happened somewhere else. We just dont know."

Bella was the victim who became villainized

Willingham and her family have grown frustrated by what they say is a lack of transparency from the university toward students and the campus community.

Willingham and her mother, Jennifer Willingham, went to a meeting at the Glide-Crawford dorm Sunday night. More than 100 people attended, the family said.

Asbury President Kevin Brown said Sunday there was no threat to the campus community the night Bella Willingham was attacked, according to a recording of the meeting the family provided to NBC News.

The county sheriffs office have publicly confirmed that. I want to share that with you and I want to reiterate that, Brown said in the recording.

That remark, and the initial remarks by the sheriff's office questioning whether Willingham was assaulted, have upset the Willinghams.

It was like Bella was being the perpetrator. Bella was the victim who became villainized, Jennifer Willingham said. If they believed my daughter was attacked, they would for sure say, Guys, theres somebody on this campus. We need to find out who did this.

The ordeal left Bella Willingham feeling violated," she said. Willingham added that her future at the university is as murky as the law enforcement investigation.

I dont want to go back unless the person, whoever did this, is caught, Willingham said. All I can do with this is to try to expose what the school is doing and to try to protect other people on campus.
Family members sorting through the attic of their father's Massachusetts home following his death last year were surprised when they came across what appeared to be a trove of Japanese cultural relics.

Fearing the artifacts did not rightly belong to their late father, the family checked the FBI's publicly-accessible National Stolen Art File, where their fears were confirmed. The collection of "valuable Asian Art" was indeed looted from Japan during World War II, prompting the family to contact the FBI to ensure the items could be returned to their country of origin, the agency said in a news release.

Among the 22 artifacts the FBI recovered were painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries that appear to have been divided into three pieces, a hand-drawn map of Okinawa dating back to the 19th century and various pieces of pottery and ceramics.

While the agency finally oversaw the return of the items to Japan last week, how the collection came into the Massachusetts man's possession remains a mystery: The man was a WWII veteran but did not serve in the Pacific theater, said Geoffrey Kelly of the FBIs Boston field office.

When taken together, they really represent a substantial piece of Okinawan history, said Kelly, the FBI's art crime coordinator. "The family did the right thing."

Here's a look at the items the family found in their father's attic:

Missing student: Riley Strain talked to officer night he vanished, body cam footage shows

FBI returns 22 ancient Japanese artifacts found in Massachusetts man's attic

This bowl was among 22 centuries-old artifacts from Okinana that were recently returned to Japan. The FB worked with the Department of Defense and the Smithsonian Institution to oversee the return.

A turtle sculpture was among the 22 ancient artifacts that the FBI returned March 15 to Okinawa, Japan. A family in Massechusetts found them in their late father's attic after he passed away. The man was a WWII veteran but did not serve in the Pacific, the FBI said.

Pictured is one of six painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries that were found in the attic of a WWII veteran who died in 2023. The FBI believes that three of them were originally one piece before they were divided.

A small plate is among the looted Japan artifacts. The FBI began investigating the case in January 2023 after receiving a complaint from a family that found the items while sorting through their deceased fathers belongings. While man was a World War II veteran, he never served in the Pacific Theater.

A small bowl was among the Okinawan items that had been lost to history for about 80 years after they were plundered from Japan. It's a mystery how they ended up in the attic of a WWII veteran who did not serve in the Pacific theater.

The FBI identifies this item as a "metal incense burner." These 22 items recovered in Massechusetts are believed to be among a repository of documents and treasures of the Ryukyu Kingdom taken during WWII. They'd be registered as stolen with the FBI in 2001.

Pictured is one of six painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries. The artifacts were taken to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., where the scrolls were unfurled for the first time in many years, revealing portraits of Okinawan royalty in vivid reds, golds, and blue accents.

A jug is among the artifacts.

An ornate plate.

A metal bowl with a lid. The National Museum of Asian Art assisted the FBI in ensuring that the artifacts were properly packaged for transport to Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. The handover occurred Friday, March 15.

A jug was among the 22 looted Japanese items. "A nation's cultural identity is really summed up in the artifacts and the history, Geoffrey Kelly of the FBIs Boston field office said. This is what makes a culture. And without it, you're taking away their history."

Pictured is one of six painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries. It's an exciting moment when you when you watch the scroll unfurl in front of you, Kelly said. You witness history, and you witness something that hasn't been seen by many people in a very long time.

A jug with a handle. Since its inception, the FBI Art Crime Program has helped recover more than 20,000 items valued at over $900 million.

Pictured is a wooden object. The family who found the items in their late father's home checked the FBI's National Stolen Art File to determine that they were indeed looted from Japan. "They did what they should have done, which is call the FBI," Kelly said.

Pictured is one of six painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries that were found in the attic of a WWII veteran who died in 2023. The FBI believes that three of them were originally one piece before they were divided.

A gloved hand holds one of a few bowls that was among 22 plundered Japanese artifacts found in a deceased WWII veteran's Massachusetts home. The FBI transported the artifacts from Massachusetts to Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C. before they were handed over in Okinawa last week.

This sculpture was among 22 artifacts from Okinawa, Japan that had been lost to history for 80 years before they were discovered last year, tucked away in an attic of a private residence in Massachusetts.

The FBI has returned 22 centuries-old artifacts to Okinawa, Japan, after a family discovered them in their late fathers attic in Massachusetts.

A hand drawn map of Okinawa dating back to the 19th century was among the artifacts looted following the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. A family from Massachusetts discovered them as they were going through their late father's personal items. The FBI helped orchestrate the return of the artifacts to the Government of Japan, Okinawa Prefecture.

Pictured is one of six painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries that were found in the attic of a late WWII veteran. The scrolls were listed in the National Stolen Art File, a repository for stolen art in the U.S. and abroad searchable by the public and law enforcement to help people identify stolen art and other antiquities.

In total, the FBI recovered 22 artifacts: six painted scrolls from the 18th-19th centuries, a hand-drawn map of Okinawa dating back to the 19th century and various pieces of pottery and ceramics. A typewritten letter was also found with the artifacts in Massachusetts that helped confirm they were looted during the last days of World War II.

A ceramic tea pot. "It's really important for us as stewards of artifacts and cultural patrimony to make every effort that we can to see that these go back to the civilizations and the cultures in the countries where they belong," Kelly said.

Several stolen artifacts remain missing

The collection of plundered items are believed to be among important documents and treasures of the Ryukyu Kingdom taken during the World War II Battle of Okinawa. Many of these missing artifacts were registered in 2001 with the FBI's National Stolen Art File and remain lost to this day.

Those with information about these pieces can submit a tip to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.

This case highlights the important role the public plays in recognizing and reporting possible stolen art, FBI Special Agent Jodi Cohen, who leads the Boston field office, said in a statement. Wed like to thank the family from Massachusetts who did the right thing in reaching out to us and relinquishing these treasures so we could return them to the people of Japan.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Looted Japanese artifacts found in late WWII veteran's attic: Photos
Famine is imminent in northern Gaza where 70% of the population are already suffering with catastrophic levels of hunger, a UN-backed report said Monday, as the EUs top diplomat accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war.

All 2.2 million people in Gaza do not have enough food to eat, with half of the population on the brink of starvation and famine projected to arrive in the north anytime between mid-March and May 2024, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

Acute hunger and malnutrition have already far exceeded the threshold for famine in northern Gaza and the IPC warns of a major acceleration of death and malnutrition.

This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded anywhere, anytime, by the IPC, said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

At least 25 people, including children and babies, have died from starvation and dehydration in the north, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. People have resorted to scavenging, eating grass and animal feed, and drinking polluted water. Starving mothers are unable to produce enough milk to feed their babies and parents beg for infant formula at overwhelmed health facilities, parents and doctors told CNN.

The crisis has been described as entirely man-made and preventable due to Israels throttling of aid and widespread destruction of Gaza. The report said famine conditions will spread unless there is an immediate cessation of hostilities and full aid access granted to the strip.

People in Gaza are starving to death right now. The speed at which this man-made hunger and malnutrition crisis has ripped through Gaza is terrifying, said World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain.

There is a very small window left to prevent an outright famine and to do that we need immediate and full access to the north. If we wait until famine has been declared, its too late. Thousands more will be dead.

The European Unions top diplomat Josep Borrell accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war, saying the famine was not a natural disaster but caused by Israel preventing humanitarian support entering into Gaza.

Hundreds of trucks were waiting at the border and being prevented entry into Gaza by Israel, he said.

The support is there waiting. Trucks are stopped, people are dying, Borrell said. Aid delivery by sea and air was only necessary because the natural way of delivering aid by land was artificially closed by Israel, he added.

The World Food Programme estimates that at least 300 trucks are needed to enter Gaza every day and distribute food to meet only the basic hunger needs. The UN agency has only managed to take nine convoys into northern Gaza since the start of the year, it said in a statement.

A ceasefire remains the only way for agencies such as the WFP to roll out a massive relief operation reaching all the communities in need, it said.

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Famine will spread, warning over Rafah offensive

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN in an interview on Sunday that his countrys policy is to let as much humanitarian aid into Gaza as is necessary. But that claim has been disputed by aid agencies and even contradicts his own statements.

Our policy is to not have famine, but to be the entry of humanitarian support as needed, and as much as is needed, Netanyahu told CNN.

Aid workers and government officials say a pattern has emerged of Israeli obstruction, where Israels Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the agency that controls access to Gaza, has imposed arbitrary and contradictory criteria on relief entering the enclave.

About 210,000 people in the northern Gaza governates are already thought to be in Phase 5 of the IPC Food Insecurity Scale - known as the Catastrophe Phase.

Displaced Palestinians gather to collect food cooked by volunteers in Rafah on December 9, 2023. - Stringer/picture alliance/dpa/Getty Images

One in three children below the age of 2 are acutely malnourished, the report said.

In the south, the governorates of Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah are all in a Phase 4 or the Emergency Phase and in the worst-case scenario face the risk of famine through July 2024, according to the report.

Between mid-March and mid-July, in the most likely scenario and under the assumption of an escalation of the conflict including a ground offensive in Rafah, half of the population of the Gaza Strip (1.11 million people) is expected to face catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), the report warned.

Scarce supplies mean that virtually all households are skipping meals every day and adults are going without so their children can eat, the report said. In two-thirds of households in northern Gaza, people went entire days and nights without eating at least 10 times in the last 30 days, the report found. In the southern governorates, this applies to one third of the households.

Famine could be halted if aid organizations are allowed full access to Gaza to bring food, water and other supplies to the civilian population, the report said.

For this to happen, a ceasefire is needed immediately, it said.

But Netanyahu has vowed to push ahead with a planned ground offensive in Rafah, which has been under Israeli bombardment for weeks and where an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians are now sheltering.

International alarm is mounting over the pending operation, with fears that further escalation of violence will lead to more deaths and suffering, and exacerbate the hunger crisis.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden voiced deep concerns over Rafah in a phone call with Netanyahu, according to Bidens top national security official.

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden sought to explain to Netanyahu why the plan for Rafah could prove catastrophic for Palestinian civilians and hamper the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The concerns fall within three areas: that civilians sheltering in Rafah have nowhere safe to go; that Rafah is an entry point for critical humanitarian assistance; and that neighboring Egypt has voiced serious concerns about a potential military operation there, he said.

Sullivan said Israel has not presented a plan to the United States or the rest of the world on protecting Palestinian civilians in Rafah.

CNNs Sahar Akbarzai, Richard Roth, Morayo Ogunbayo, Benjamin Brown, Kevin Liptak and Nikki Carvajal contributed reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
In recent years, Finland has gained notoriety as the happiest nation in the world for its continued dominance in the UNs World Happiness Report, ranking first for the six years running. Yet, this happiness does not translate into notoriety. For example, many people are often surprised to hear that tech giants such as Nokia, Supercell, and Kone, are in fact Finnish. That being said, you would not be chastised by a Finn for not knowing this. We are famous for being happyand happy not being famous.

Central to Finnish culture is the phrase kell' onni on, se onnen katkekoon, which roughly translates to, "Whoever has found happiness, that happiness they should hide. This phrase is not designed to encourage people to be sad, or to hide their emotions. Instead, it really just means to be humble and content, and not go around beating your own drum. It implores us to focus on who we are, as opposed to the facades we are building. This proverb guides much of Finnish cultureand is perhaps why you havent heard of many Finnish companies, despite having used their services.

With less emphasis on the success of those around us, the societal pressure to strive for, and attain, happiness is felt far less. To appease the oppressive climate, Finnish culture fosters a sense of community. We are all getting rained on together, at least! There is also a unique trust in the media, governmental agencies, and between citizens.

In the workplace, this notion of mutual trust is responsible for Finlands progressive attitude towards work-life balance. Its well reported that Finnish firms are comparatively more likely to offer flexible working hours, with a study from accounting firm Grant Thornton finding that 92% of Finnish companies allowed workers to adapt their hours, compared to just 76% in the U.K., and even less in other European countries. Whilst many firms globally have begun to accept the right to flexible work since the pandemic, Finland was decades ahead of the curve, passing its initial Flexible Working Act in 1996. Its very much embedded in our DNA to look out for our employees: a 2018 study found that more than four in five Finns say they trust other Finns, which was disproportionately higher than the rest of Europe. With less of a desire to get one up on the next person, it strengthens our workplace relationships, and allows happiness to be shared by enjoying a healthy work-life balance.

Despite replacing the work-hard-play-hard philosophy with flexible workplace policies, Finland remains a hotbed for successful and ingenious companies. An estimated 4,000 startups and 11 unicorns make up the countrys ecosystem, and Finnish companies are operating with quiet confidence despite a uniquely tough global environment. In 2022, Finnish startups received a record $1.8 billion in funding, and whilst forecasts suggest that 2023 figures will not reach the same heights, Finnish and other Nordic and Baltic startups continue to punch above their weight, proving their technological prowess with the emergence of new technologies and a growing deep tech scene.

While Finnish companies think that the best product will sell itself and may not shout about it as much as their noisy neighbors, we have a knack for creating ubiquitous, game-changing companies that make people's lives easier.

In recent times, it has become clear that investing in company culture leads to better results than pushing employees to the brink of their limits. Whether you are seeking business success or a happier life, the principles of humility, trust, and balance apply all the same. Fostering a competitive and strict work environment can lead to higher profits in the short term, but over time will hinder employee performance and lead to a high turnover of staff. For these reasons, its crucial to put time into building a company that is culturally and financially strong, even if it may take longer, it will be worth shouting about when its ready and delivering on promises.

As mentioned, kell' onni on, se onnen katkekoon does not mean a ban on all happiness. Learning how to celebrate wins is crucial in every facet of life. It means instead of just talking about happiness, put the things in place to make it happen. Much like the yearly fanfare for Finnish secrets to happy living, there are no shortcuts to success in life or business. Learn to take pride in humility, and over time, the world will start to shout about you.

Miika Makitalo is the CEO of Finland-based company HappyorNot.

More must-read commentary published by Fortune:

Heres how the U.S., Europe, and China are faring in the post-pandemic race for economic growth

We analyzed 46 years of consumer sentiment dataand found that todays vibecession is just men starting to feel as bad about the economy as women historically have

The U.S. housing market is headed into a pivotal spring season as home sellers wait for their sweet spot, according to Opendoor

Russia and China are leading in hypersonic innovation. Heres whats holding the U.S. back

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Here's something you don't see every day: a federal judge choosing to punish lawyers for lying to the court. Rarer stillso rare I can't recall another exampleis a judge choosing to impose such a punishment, in the form of sanctions, on lawyers for a federal agency. Ordinarily, this would be shocking. But this isn't any federal agency, it's Gary Gensler's Securities and Exchange Commission, so perhaps we shouldn't even be surprised.

The context here is a remarkable 80-page ruling issued on Monday by U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby in a case involving the SEC and a little-known Utah crypto company. The case was about the company's alleged sale of unregistered securities, but that is not what was at issue in Shelby's thunderbolt of a ruling. What the judge chose to address instead was the decision by the SEC's lawyers to lie repeatedly in order to obtain what's called an ex parte temporary restraining order.

In plain English, what that means is getting an emergency court orderin this case for the SEC to freeze the company's assetsbut, and this is the key part, without giving the firm a chance to respond. Courts are very reluctant to grant ex parte orders because they involve issuing a ruling based only on evidence from one side, which goes against common law principles of fairness. A judge will, however, grant these orders if there is an urgent reason to do sofor instance, if there is a strong chance the defendant will destroy evidence or flee the country if made aware of the court proceeding.

In the case of the Utah crypto company, that's why the SEC's lawyers needed the ex parte order. Or at least that's what they told the judge. In reality, as Shelby later learned, the defendants didn't even know the SEC was conducting an investigation. Then, after being caught in their lie, the SEC lawyers lied some more to try and paper over their initial fabrication. In response, Shelby had the judicial version of a freak-out over the deception.

In his ruling, the judge shredded the SEC's claims that the lawyers' behavior was not that bad and that, in any case, the agency enjoyed some kind of sovereign immunity from being sanctioned by his court. Instead, Shelby took the almost-unheard-of step of ordering the agency to pay the defendant's legal fees on the grounds that the agency had repeatedly acted in bad faith and engaged in a "gross abuse of power." This is very strong language for a courtthe judicial equivalent of breaking a chair over someone's head in a bar fight. And lest you think Shelby is some far-right, anti-government zealot, note that he was appointed by President Barack Obama.

This is not the sort of thing that should happen at a federal agency, but, once again, this is Gary Gensler's SEC. Time and again, in his obsession to stamp out the crypto industry, Gensler has adopted an ends-justify-the-means mentality thatno matter what you think of cryptohas no place in an administrative agency whose leaders are supposed to come up with policies that are fair and respect the rule of law. Sure, politics always plays a role, but Genslerwho is no lawyer, and it showshas pursued the course set for him by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) so aggressively that he appears to have forgotten how an agency is supposed to behave in the first place. The embarrassing rebuke from the federal judge is hardly the first example of this, but it may just be the most egregious.

Jeff John Roberts

jeff.roberts@fortune.com

@jeffjohnroberts

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
WASHINGTON  Congressional leaders struck a deal Monday evening on funding the Department of Homeland Security, two sources familiar with the talks said, paving the way for lawmakers to begin processing the remaining spending bills and avert a government shutdown next weekend.

Details of the deal, which another source characterized as an agreement in principle, were not immediately available.

Funding is set to expire Saturday morning for the departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Labor and Health and Human Services and a host of other agencies. The other five funding bills were effectively settled by the end of last week, with only the Homeland Security bill presenting deep divisions Republicans and Democrats were unable to settle.

Image: The U.S. Capitol in 2023. (Mandel Ngan / AFP - Getty Images file)

Heading into the weekend, negotiators were poised to release a package that includes the five other funding bills and would fund DHS separately on an extended stopgap basis, largely continuing the status quo, before reviving attempts to negotiate a full-year funding bill for the department through the end of September.

Separately, a source familiar with negotiations said the White House and other Democrats wanted more border security and enforcement money, while another source said Republicans wanted to reprioritize DHS funds toward the agencys core mission, without elaborating.

The pivot back to those negotiations slowed the release of text for all six bills. And it will still be difficult for Congress to move the spending bills because the Appropriations committees havent yet released the legislative text of the bills. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has indicted hell give lawmakers 72 hours to read the text before a vote. The Senate will then require unanimous consent from all members to vote by 11:59 p.m. ET Friday to avoid a partial government shutdown the following day.

The deal is being negotiated by Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the White House and top appropriators in both chambers. Congress, which broke up the process into two, passed the first tranche of bills this month.

The political salience of immigration, particularly among conservatives, presents a land mine for Johnson.

On Monday afternoon, two leaders of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, Reps. Bob Good, R-Va., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, issued a letter from 41 Republicans demanding that any DHS funding bill include the core elements of H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, or President Joe Bidens immigration policies wont change, they said.

Therefore, we ask you to join us in rejecting the appropriations package (or anything similar) slated to be before the House that will directly fund these disastrous policies, and choose instead to stand against this assault on the American people, they wrote.

The hard-right members are widely expected to vote against the package, and their votes arent necessary to create the bipartisan coalition necessary to pass the bill. But those members can create political headaches for Johnson if theyre sufficiently angry about it.

While the two parties have clashed over the appropriate venue for border policy changes  the funding bill or a separate package  the White House has also sought additional funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other operational needs.

Republicans rejected additional funding for ICE in a bipartisan border deal agreed to by senators and the White House, demanding additional policy changes. But they, too, have demands in the funding bill. The White House has also sought increased flexibility to aid border operations, sources with knowledge of the discussion said. Its unclear how many of Bidens requests will make it into the bill.

Its highly unusual for Congress to continue haggling over government funding nearly half a year into the fiscal year. Funding for fiscal year 2025 is due by the end of September.
(Clockwise top left: Marwan Issa; Khaled Meshaal; Mahmoud Zahar; Yehiya Sinwar; Ismail Haniyeh; Mohammed Deif)

Since Hamas blindsided Israel with its most ambitious attack ever launched from Gaza, questions have been raised over who masterminded the deadly invasion.

Many of the highest-ranking men belonging to the militant Palestinian group controlling Gaza keep a low public profile, while others have spent much of their lives evading assassination attempts by Israel.

These are Hamas's most prominent leaders.

Ismail Haniyeh

Haniyeh is considered the overall leader of Hamas

Ismail Haniyeh is widely considered Hamas's overall leader.

A prominent member of the movement in the late 1980s, Israel imprisoned Haniyeh for three years in 1989 as it cracked down on the first Palestinian uprising.

He was then exiled in 1992 to a no-man's-land between Israel and Lebanon, along with a number of Hamas leaders.

After a year in exile, he returned to Gaza. In 1997 he was appointed head of the office of Hamas's spiritual leader, strengthening his position.

Haniyeh was appointed Palestinian prime minister in 2006 by President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas won the most seats in national elections, but was dismissed a year later after the group ousted Mr Abbas' Fatah party from the Gaza Strip in a week of deadly violence.

Haniyeh rejected his sacking as "unconstitutional", stressing that his government "would not abandon its national responsibilities towards the Palestinian people", and continued to rule in Gaza.

He was elected head of Hamas's political bureau in 2017.

In 2018, the US Department of State designated Haniyeh a terrorist. He has lived in Qatar for the past several years.

Yahya Sinwar

In September 2015, the United States included Sinwar's name on its blacklist of "international terrorists"

The leader of the Hamas movement within the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, was born in 1962.

He is the founder of the Hamas security service known as Majd, which manages internal security matters, investigates suspected Israeli agents and tracks down Israeli intelligence and security services officers.

Sinwar has been arrested three times. After his third arrest in 1988 he was sentenced to four life terms in prison.

However, he was among 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli Arab prisoners released by Israel in exchange for an Israeli soldier held captive for over five years by Hamas.

Sinwar returned to his position as a prominent leader in Hamas and was appointed head of the group's political bureau in the Gaza Strip in 2017.

In 2015, the US included Sinwar on its blacklist of "international terrorists".

Mohammed Deif

Deif has near-mythical status in Gaza because of his ability to evade assassination

Mohammed Deif leads the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Hamas movement.

He is a shadowy figure known to Palestinians as The Mastermind, and to Israelis as The Cat with Nine Lives.

Israeli authorities imprisoned him in 1989, after which he formed the al-Qassam Brigades with the aim of capturing Israeli soldiers.

After his release, he helped engineer the construction of tunnels that have allowed Hamas fighters to get inside Israel from Gaza,

Deif is one of Israel's most-wanted men, accused of planning and supervising bus bombings which killed tens of Israelis in 1996, and of involvement in the capture and killing of three Israeli soldiers in the mid-1990s.

Israel imprisoned him in 2000, but he escaped at the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising, or intifada.

Since then, he has left behind little trace. There are three known pictures of him: one is dated, he is masked in the second, and the third is of his shadow.

The most serious assassination attempts on his life were in 2002: Deif survived but lost one of his eyes. Israel says he also lost a foot and a hand, and that he has difficulty speaking.

Israeli security forces again failed to assassinate Deif during a 2014 assault on the Gaza Strip, but killed his wife and two of his children.

Marwan Issa

Marwan Issa is thought to have played a significant role in attacks on Israel

Hamas has not confirmed that Marwan Issa, deputy commander-in-chief of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in an Israeli air strike in March 2024, as reported by the White House.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he had been killed by the IDF, following reports in Israeli media that he had died in a strike on a tunnel complex under the Nuseirat refugee camp.

The senior commander is also known as the Shadow Man and has been viewed as Mohammed Deif's right-hand man.

Prior to reports of his death, he was on Israel's most-wanted list, and was injured when Israel attempted to assassinate him in 2006.

Israeli forces detained him during the first intifada for five years because of his activity with Hamas.

The Palestinian Authority arrested him in 1997, but he was freed after the second intifada in 2000.

Israeli warplanes also destroyed his house twice during invasions of Gaza in 2014 and 2021, killing his brother.

It was not known what he looked like until 2011, when he appeared in a group photo taken during a reception for exchanged prisoners.

He is thought to have played a significant role in planning incursions into Israel, including the most recent.

Khaled Meshaal

Meshaal is one of the founders of Hamas

Khaled Meshaal, who was born in the West Bank in 1956, is considered one of the founders of Hamas.

Under direct instructions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Mossad spy agency attempted to assassinate Meshaal in 1997 while he was living in Jordan,

Mossad agents entered Jordan with forged Canadian passports and Meshaal was injected with a toxic substance while walking along a street.

Jordanian authorities discovered the assassination attempt and arrested two Mossad members.

The late King Hussein of Jordan asked Israel's PM for the antidote for the substance Meshaal was injected with. Facing pressure from then US President Bill Clinton, Mr Netanyahu provided the antidote after initially rejecting the request.

Meshaal, who lives in Qatar, visited the Gaza Strip for the first time in 2012. He was received by Palestinian officials and crowds of Palestinians came out to welcome him.

Hamas elected Ismail Haniyeh to succeed Meshaal as head of its political bureau in 2017, and Meshaal became head of the group's political bureau abroad.

Mahmoud Zahar

Zahar survived an Israeli assassination attempt in 2003

Mahmoud Zahar was born in Gaza in 1945 to a Palestinian father and an Egyptian mother. He is considered one of Hamas' most prominent leaders, and a member of the movement's political leadership.

He went to school in Gaza and university in Cairo, then worked as a doctor in Gaza and Khan Younis until Israeli authorities dismissed him over his political position.

Mahmoud Zahar was held in Israeli prisons in 1988, months after the founding of Hamas. He was among those deported by Israel to no-man's land in 1992, where he spent a year.

With the Hamas movement winning Palestinian general elections in 2006, Zahar joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's newly formed government before its eventual dismissal.

Israel attempted to assassinate Zahar in 2003, when a plane dropped a bomb on his house in Gaza City. The attack left him with minor injuries, but killed his eldest son, Khaled.

His second son, Hossam, who was a member of the al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza in 2008.

More on Israel-Gaza war
Novembers presidential matchup may be set, but Democrats and Republicans still need to decide who will run in hundreds of downballot races (e.g., for Senate and House) this fall. A batch of these contests were decided on Tuesday, March 19.

Tuesday was primary day in Ohio and Illinois, and in the biggest contest of the day, Republicans chose former President Donald Trump's endorsee Bernie Moreno as their candidate in Ohios U.S. Senate race. It was a good night for other Trump endorsees too, as Derek Merrin prevailed in the GOP primary for Ohio's 9th Congressional District, while incumbent Mike Bost is leading his challenger in Illinois's 12th District, as of early Wednesday morning. Plus, a special election in California could have immediate implications for House Republicans razor-thin majority.

538 reporters and contributors broke down the election results as they came in with live updates, analysis and commentary. Read our full live blog below.





Latest Developments





Mar 20, 12:02 AM

Two outstanding races

Finally, two of our key races arent likely to be settled tonight. Heres where things stand as of midnight Eastern:



- Illinoiss 12th District GOP primary is on a knifes edge: Republican Rep. Mike Bost narrowly leads former state Sen. Darren Bailey 52 percent to 48 percent with 75 percent of the expected vote reporting. This makes it our lone unprojected race of note in Illinois or Ohio.



- Out west, the special election in Californias 20th District to fill the vacancy left by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthys resignation looks to be headed for a May 21 runoff. With 79 percent of the expected vote reporting, Republican state Assemblymember Vince Fong leads with 40 percent, followed by 26 percent for fellow Republican Mike Boudreaux, the Tulare County sheriff. But Democrat Marisa Wood has 24 percent, so she could conceivably surpass Boudreaux for second place. Still, no candidate looks on course to win a majority, making a second vote two months from now very likely.



Geoffrey Skelley, 538





Mar 20, 12:00 AM

And the winners are ...

Its midnight Eastern, and all but one of our key races have been projected in Ohio and Illinois. Heres a recap of where things stand in those races:



- Former President Donald Trump once again flexed his muscles in the Ohio Senate race, elevating former car salesman Bernie Moreno from a 2022 also-ran to the GOP nominee in one of the two top Senate races on the map, beating an uber-rich state senator and a two-time statewide officeholder in the process. But Morenos toughest path lies ahead, against well-funded incumbent Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown. With 96 percent of the expected vote reporting, Moreno leads with 51 percent of the vote over state Sen. Matt Dolans 33 percent and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRoses 17 percent.



- In Ohio's 9th District, the conservative backed by Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, state Rep. Derek Merrin, is projected to win, and ready to take on Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in what could be a tough general election race. With 80 percent of the expected vote reporting, Merrin has won 52 percent of the vote, 18 percentage points ahead of his nearest competition.



- In Ohios 13th District, another potentially competitive Democratic-held seat, former state Sen. Kevin Coughlin advanced out of the GOP primary rather easily and will take on Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes in November. With 80 percent of the expected vote in, Coughlin leads with 65 percent of the vote so far over businessman Chris Banwegs 28 percent and Richard Morckels 7 percent.



- The Republican Main Street Partnership notched a win against its rivals in the House Freedom Caucus in Ohios 6th District, where state Sen. Michael Rulli is projected to beat state Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus. Rulli currently leads by 9 points with 83 percent of the expected vote reporting in the regular primary, and by 8 points with 82 percent of the expected vote in the special election. Rulli will face a nominal challenge from Democrat Michael Kripchak on June 11 in the special election to replace Rep. Bill Johnson.



- In another safe GOP seat, Ohios 2nd District Republican primary went for business owner David Taylor, who won a crowded race that was tantamount to election in November. With 95 percent of the expected vote reporting, Taylor leads with 25 percent of the expected vote over 10 other challengers.



- Despite several challengers lining up to replace Democratic Rep. Danny Davis, the long-time incumbent is likely to hold onto his seat in Illinoiss 7th District. With 76 percent of the expected vote in, Davis leads with 53 percent of the vote so far. In second is Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin with 22 percent, followed by community organizer Kina Collins with 18 percent. Collins was seen as Daviss primary competition tonight, and her underwhelming performance was part of a tough night for progressives in Chicago.



Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections; Geoffrey Skelley and Monica Potts, 538





Mar 19, 11:23 PM

Chicago races are a mixed bag for progressives

In downballot races in Chicago tonight, it looks to be something of a mixed result for the progressive movement. On the legislative level, moderate challengers failed to oust more progressive-leaning state legislative incumbents across the Chicago area. The more progressive candidate also has been projected to win state Senate District 20, according to the Associated Press. However, as I mentioned earlier, marquee progressive items look to be losing: Both the Bring Chicago Home referendum and Cook County States Attorney Democratic primary show progressives behind.



So despite the mayors unpopularity, and some indications in polls that the progressive movement might be on the wane in the city, theres a bit of good news for both sides of the Democratic divide tonight.



Mary Radcliffe, 538





Mar 19, 11:18 PM

It was a tough night for Republican women and a mostly good night for Democratic women

Only three of the eight Republican women we were tracking won their primary races: Two of them were uncontested and are in deep blue districts, where they are unlikely to win in November. One, Miller in Illinois's 15th, is the incumbent. On the flip side, 13 of the 17 Democratic women we were tracking won their races, many of them incumbents likely to hold their seats in November.



Women have record representation in Congress now, but of course still lack parity. But in this election, issues that women care about, namely abortion and reproductive rights, are poised to make a difference. Democratic voters could be motivated to turn out to protect abortion rights at the national level, and Democratic candidates are likely to run on the issue going forward.



Monica Potts, 538





Mar 19, 11:14 PM

Polls have now closed in California

Polls are now closed in the Golden State, where a special election is taking place to fill the seat of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for the remainder of his term. State Assemblymember Vince Fong led in the regular top-two primary two weeks ago, and is favored to ultimately win this race as well. But results in California usually take quite a while to fully come in since a large proportion of voters vote by mail. And it might not end with today's contest either: If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote today, the top two vote-getters will advance to a special general election in May.



Cooper Burton, 538





Mar 19, 11:12 PM

Republicans put their faith in another rich guy

Morenos nomination in Ohio continues a trend of Republicans entrusting their Senate hopes to a coterie of very wealthy men (and one woman, Nella Domenici in New Mexico). In almost every single competitive Senate race, the likely Republican nominee is a politically inexperienced but very wealthy man, each of whom is self-funding to some degree. While Moreno isnt as wealthy as Tim Sheehy in Montana, Eric Hovde in Wisconsin or Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania, he certainly fits the mold. And if Republicans come up short in their efforts to flip the chamber this fall, I think there will be a lot of focus on how the party eschewed candidates with experience winning races in favor of neophytes, especially when Democrats have such strong incumbents.



Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections

PHOTO: Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate shakes hands with a supporter during his primary election night watch party in Westlake, Ohio, March 19, 2024. (David Dermer/AP)





Mar 19, 10:50 PM

Checking in on anti-abortion Republican candidates

Of the 29 anti-abortion Republican candidates we're tracking, 15 have been projected to win per ABC News, including 6 incumbents. Twelve challengers are projected to lose their races (though, of course, many were running in the same contests, like the crowded Ohio 2nd District race). In the only race on this list that's not yet projected, Illinois's 12th District, incumbent Mike Bost is leading Darren Bailey  both are on the list. With abortion shaping up to be an important issue in the fall, these candidates have all made pro-life statements without saying abortion should be left to the states. That could signal their willingness to support a national abortion ban, as some Republican and national anti-abortion groups are advocating for.

How anti-abortion Republicans are doing tonight

Results for Republican candidates in the March 19 primaries for Senate, House and governor whose campaign websites use the phrase pro-life, sanctity of life, right to life, no abortion, against abortion or unborn and do not say abortion is an issue of states rights, as of 10:45 p.m. Eastern

Candidate Office % Reporting Vote Share Status Marcus Lewis IL-01 29% 80%  Won Ashley Ramos IL-02 32 100  Won Tommy Hanson IL-05 33 100  Won Niki Conforti IL-06 33 100  Won Chad Koppie IL-07 32 100  Won Darren Bailey IL-12 71 47 Trailing Mike Bost* IL-12 71 53 Leading James T. "Jim" Marter IL-14 34 79  Won Mary Miller* IL-15 39 100  Won Darin LaHood* IL-16 35 100  Won Matt Dolan OH Sen. 86 33  Lost Frank LaRose OH Sen. 86 17  Lost Bernie Moreno OH Sen. 86 50  Won Orlando Sonza OH-01 55 100  Won Niraj Antani OH-02 94 2  Lost Kim Georgeton OH-02 94 2  Lost Ron Hood OH-02 94 9  Lost Larry Kidd OH-02 94 19  Lost Charles Tassell OH-02 94 2  Lost David J. Taylor OH-02 94 25  Won Shane Wilkin OH-02 94 9  Lost Jim Jordan* OH-04 84 100  Won Bob Latta* OH-05 79 83  Won Reggie Stoltzfus OH-06 83 41  Lost Warren Davidson* OH-08 71 80  Won Craig S. Riedel OH-09 78 34  Lost Mike Turner* OH-10 48 100  Won Landry M. Simmons Jr. OH-11 41 21  Lost Elayne J. Cross OH-14 78 13  Lost

*Incumbent.

Sources: Campaign websites, ABC News

Monica Potts, 538





Mar 19, 10:43 PM

Rulli projected to win

In Ohios 6th District, Michael Rulli is projected to defeat Reggie Stoltzfus in the Republican primary, according to ABC News. Rulli currently leads by about 9 percentage points in the regularly scheduled primary and 8 points in the special election primary to succeed Rep. Bill Johnson, with over 80 percent of the expected vote reporting in each. Because the district is solidly Republican, Rulli will likely be the next member of Congress. A special election in a few months will send him to D.C., where hell fill out the remainder of Johnsons term.



Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections





Mar 19, 10:41 PM

How much is a House seat worth?

And Geoff, it only cost Taylor $1.7 million. Not a bad deal given how much some other self-funders have spent just to come up short. (David Trone dropping $13 million to lose my home district, MD-08, in 2016 comes to mind.)



Jacob Rubashkin, Inside Elections





Mar 19, 10:39 PM

Senate primary polls usually misfire, but not by this much

As I noted in the opener for our live blog today, the polls in Ohio's Senate race showed a "close race" between Moreno and Dolan, with LaRose in a somewhat distant third. The result, however, is anything but close. With 85 percent of the expected vote reporting, Moreno currently has a lead of 17 points, making for an 18-point miss in our polling average (after you account for some rounding). This is not the largest miss in Senate primary polling history  that honor belongs to surveys of the 2018 Republican primary for a special Senate election in Mississippi  but it is nevertheless very large. An 18-point miss is about 2 times the size of the expected miss of primary polls in historical Senate races (8.2 points).



This miss is notable because it's actually larger than historical expectations. That's the opposite of what we've been seeing with presidential primary polls  which, while they have systematically overestimated support for Trump this cycle, have at least been more accurate than the historical average presidential primary survey. Pollsters will need to do some work to figure out what went wrong.



G. Elliott Morris, 538

Click here to read the rest of the blog.
(Photo Credit: alberto | Getty Images)

The Washoe County Sheriffs Office is investigating after a Rottweiler was fatally shot by a dog owner at Rancho San Rafael Park in Nevada. An incident report reveals the Rottweiler got into a fight with an unleashed Shih Tzu at the park, eventually leading to the Shih Tzus owner firing their weapon at the Rottweiler.

Rottweiler shot and killed during a fight at Rancho San Rafael Park

According to KOLO8 News, the tragic incident occurred on Sunday, Mar. 17 at the parks off-leash area. Deputies with the Washoe County Sheriffs Office, along with the Reno Police Department and the Washoe County Regional Animal Services, responded to the scene shortly after 1:00 p.m. following reports of the dog shooting.

Reports say the Shih Tzu dog owner was with their unleashed pup when another dog owner walking their leashed Rottweiler came by. Suddenly, an altercation between the two canines erupted.

In an attempt to break the fight, the Shih Tzu owner intervened, only for the Rottweiler to bite him. Fearing for his and his Shih Tzus safety, the dog owner retrieved his Glock 26 and shot the Rottweiler a total of four times. Authorities say they found the dog deceased.

Police have not charged or arrested the dog owner in connection with the shooting. For now, authorities are investigating the incident to gather sufficient evidence. This may determine whether they will revisit pressing charges.

A spokesperson with the Sheriffs Office told the Reno Gazette Journal: While county code does not prohibit the discharge of any weapon in a county park, there is an exception to any person lawfully discharging a firearm in protection of life or property.

Why dogs act aggressively

It remains unclear why the Rottweiler attacked the Shih Tzu and the dogs owner. However, its important to remember that dogs are not inherently aggressive; theres always a root cause behind the aggression. More often than not, its the dog owners responsibility to address this root cause.

Aggression in dogs can occur when the dog isnt well-trained, hasnt been properly socialized, or has unresolved behavioral issues that eventually morph into aggression.

The post Dog Shot & Killed at Rancho San Rafael Park, Nevada appeared first on DogTime.
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) took a swipe at former President Trumps overhaul of the Republican National Committee (RNC), warning donors should beware after the former presidents legal team said it was impossible to secure a bond for the damages owed in his New York civil fraud case.

It is just a coincidence that Donald Trump took over the RNC, fired most of its Republican staff, and installed his daughter-law as co-chair at the same time hes become desperate for money and cant post bond? Cheney wrote Monday on X, formerly Twitter. Donors better beware.

Trumps circle of allies began a massive overhaul of the RNC last week, starting with the election of Chair Michael Whatley and co-Chair Lara Trump, both of whom were endorsed by the former president. Trump is Laras father-in-law.

A series of senior staffing changes involving former Trumps allies followed, with a letter to RNC members calling the freshly merged Trump campaign and party a united operation.

Days later, Trumps legal team indicated in court filings it will be impossible to secure the $454 million bond due in his New York fraud case. Trumps attorneys said they spent countless hours negotiating with one of the largest insurance companies in the world and approached 30 companies to back the bond.

A judge ordered Trump to pay about $355 million  plus interest  in damages last month, after concluding he conspired to lie about his net worth for tax and insurance benefits. Nearly $112,000 in interest is tacked on each day he doesnt pay, and the total judgment is now more than $454 million.

The former president also faces other mounting legal fees, including his $91 million order in a defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll and costs for four other criminal cases.

Federal election filings released earlier this year revealed his fundraising committees spent nearly $30 million in legal fees during the second half of 2023, while Trumps Save America leadership PAC spent about $3 million in legal consulting fees in January.

Top Stories from The Hill

Cheneys Monday post is the latest in a string of back-and-forths with the former president. Earlier this week, Trump called for Cheney and the rest of the members of the now-disbanded House Jan. 6 select committee to be prosecuted over allegedly withholding evidence and testimony.

His calls began over the weekend in the wake of a new report from House Republicans that attempted to discredit Congresss initial investigation of the Capitol insurrection and exonerate Trump ahead of the 2024 general election.

Cheney, one of the most outspoken GOP critics of the former president, fired back at Trumps remarks, arguing Trump and his legal team have long had the evidence included in last weeks House report.

Trump faces four felony counts over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including his alleged actions surrounding the Jan. 6 riots. The trial for that case has been delayed while the Supreme Court weighs if the former presidents actions on Jan. 6 are protected from prosecution by presidential immunity.

Trumps campaign and the RNC did not immediately respond to request for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Three-year-old Kaiden Kriger is suspected to have been abducted by his mother, 32-year-old Savannah Kriger. Courtesy Bexar County Sheriff's Office

A 3-year-old boy and his mother were found dead Tuesday after an Amber Alert was issued earlier in the day.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said his office is still investigating, but they are working under the assumption that Savannah Kriger, 32, killed Kaiden Kriger, 3, and then herself. Their bodies were found in a drainage easement behind Tom Slick Park on the citys West Side. There was a gun nearby.

Salazar said Kriger and Kaidens father were in a custody dispute, and court records show they were scheduled to attend a hearing the morning the Amber Alert was issued.

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Kriger filed for divorce on March 7 and applied for a protective order against her husband on March 15. In the application, she alleged a history of sexual and physical violence dating back to 2020. She also stated she feared he would kill her and take their son.

She received a temporary restraining order on March 7 requiring Kaiden to be removed from his fathers custody. On Friday, Kriger filed a motion for a protective order.

However, a judge ordered Monday that Kaiden be delivered to the courtroom Tuesday morning.

According to the order, Krigers husband said his wife vandalized the home where he was living, pulled Kaiden out of school early and sent messages to her husband saying goodbye to your son. He also said she drained all the funds from their bank account.

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He said Kriger expressed suicidal ideations twice in the last two weeks.

Kaiden and his mom were last seen around noon on Monday at Childrens Lighthouse Alamo Ranch when she picked him up from day care for a doctors appointment, according to a social media post from the Bexar County Sheriffs Office.

Kriger left work near the 3700 block of Fredericksburg Road and was seen leaving the day care around 2 p.m. driving a white 2023 Lincoln Aviator.

Family members became worried Monday when they called Krigers phone, which went to voicemail. Salazar said she also turned off the location tracker on her phone.

Deputies went to her home in the 8200 block of Dovers Den and were let in by a family member.

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They did find some things that led us to believe there was certainly cause for concern for the child, as well as for Savannah, Salazar said, adding that he wouldnt go into detail.
Justin Wood brought his service pet duck named Wrinkle the Duck into a Buc-ees store in Tennessee. Wrinkle was contained in a stroller for part of her visit, and at one point Wood let the duck simply follow him around the store.

He received conflicting information from Buc-ees employees while he was shopping, including that the store only allowed service dogs. A different employee told Wood that Wrinkle would be okay if she were kept on a leash. When Wood left the Buc-ees store a police officer was waiting for him.

People in the comments section are for sure on Team Wrinkle. It did seem like a lot of customers loved meeting her. One person commented, "I can't believe they did that to you. Wrinkle was not hurting anyone or anything. She just brought smiles to peoples faces. I definitely won't be visiting Bucees. I love you and wrinkle. Hopefully you have much better experiences on your adventures." Another added, "How can one store ban someone from ALL locations? That doesn't seem like something that manager should even be able to do. And wasting the cops time over such a petty thing. Honestly that's stupid. If the animal is contained, isn't interrupting business, isn't posing a health concern, isn't destroying property or anything like that, why would it even matter?"

It does seem like the cops thought this entire situation was pretty absurd.

When the one employee asked what services Wrinkle provides it was pretty shocking the other customer had to school her that you aren't allowed to ask that question. You can legally ask if the animal is a service animal required because of a disability. However, since certification isn't necessary for an animal to be a service animal, papers cannot be a condition for allowing the animal in.

Related: Therapy Bunny Visiting Residents at a Memory Care Center Couldn't Be Sweeter

According to The New York Post, "Buc-ees pet policy says The Health Code prohibits live animals, including dogs, where food could potentially be contaminated. There are exceptions, however, for service animals and animals that work with police officers. For people with disabilities, specially trained service animals play an absolutely vital role. They make it possible for those with disabilities to work, travel, stay safe, and, in some cases, stay alive.

We aren't sure whether Wrinkles is a therapy animal or a service animal, and there is an absolute difference.

The Difference Between Therapy Animals and Service Animals

Service animals are specifically trained to perform tasks for individuals with disabilities. These tasks are directly related to the person's disability.

Therapy animals provide emotional support, comfort, and companionship to people in various settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and disaster areas. They are not specifically trained to perform certain tasks, but they are usually calm and well-behaved.

It will be interesting to see if Buc-ees stands by their worldwide ban for Wrinkles and his owner!

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Puppies that are in animals shelters or Humane Societies tend to find their forever homes pretty quickly. Let's face it, puppies are adorable, people assume puppies come with less baggage than previously owned dogs, and a tiny, helpless puppy appeals to almost any dog lover.

But older dogs, especially those that are big, tend to languish in shelters and have a harder time finding a home with all the love and care they deserve. That's why the Animal Humane Society of Golden Valley, Minnesota is seeking foster families to take in these big pups.

AHS Foster Coordinator Joey Babay spoke to CBSNews and explained the average stay for a dog at the shelter used to be 7-10 days. Now, he says it can be 3-4 weeks or even as long as two months before they are adopted. One reason for this, he speculates, is due to housing limitations in the metro with some apartments prohibiting tenants from owning large dogs or dogs of certain breeds.

Babay was also quoted as saying, "When you are getting them into foster homes, you are getting them out of the shelter and into a private home where they are getting more one-on-one time," he said.

Related: Foster Dog Mom Shares the Reality of Adopting Seniors in Emotional Video

Great Reasons to Foster a Shelter Dog

You'll be saving a life. Fostering a dog provides temporary shelter and care for a homeless or abandoned animal, giving them a chance to thrive in a home away from the shelter, thus freeing up space for another pup-in-need. By fostering, you directly contribute to saving lives and reducing overcrowding in animal shelters.

You'll help socialize a dog. Dogs that are in shelters don't get enough interaction with humans as they need to, no matter how fantastic the shelter is. Shelters do their best, but there isn't enough time or manpower to give every dog the attention they deserve. Welcoming a shelter dog into your home, even temporarily, gives them the affection and care they need to help reduce kennel stress.

The benefits of fostering just don't apply to these dogs either, fostering will give you so much joy knowing that you not only gave a dog some time out from the shelter with all the love and care they deserve, but you also helped prepare them to go to their forever home.

If you'd like to apply to become a dog foster for the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley, you can visit their website here.

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.
More Americans have evacuated from Haiti with help from U.S. Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla. A group of 13 people left from Port-au-Prince over the weekend amid escalating security concerns and the shutdown of Haitis primary airport, which have stranded many foreigners in the country.

Our team successfully conducted another rescue of 13 Americans out of PAP Haiti, Mills said Monday on social media.

Miriam Cinotti, a missionary who had been in Haiti for 14 years, was among the group and shared her experience of being stranded in a remote village in the south of Haiti. We were safe, but then we couldnt get out. We were there for three weeks, only supposed to be there for two, she told NBC News.

Cinotti detailed the challenging logistics of evacuating from a remote location, including the difficulty accessing the internet and printing facilities. She said Project Dynamo, an organization that specializes in evacuation operations, and its help were crucial to her rescue.

haiti (Courtesy Miriam Cinotti)

The deteriorating security situation in Haiti, exacerbated by recent gang violence, has led to heightened concerns for the safety of foreigners in the country. The airport shutdown in Port-au-Prince has further complicated efforts.

Mills was involved this month with the rescue of 10 people from the Have Faith Orphanage in Haiti. Bestselling author and award-winning journalist Mitch Albom established the orphanage and was among those who were was rescued.

Albom said Mills and Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., helped the group, which included Americans and people from Canada and France.

I am back on American soil. Thank you to all have supported us during this difficult week. My wife and I are safe tonight, Albom said last week on X.

The State Department has continued its efforts to repatriate American citizens from Haiti, more than 30 of whom were repatriated on a chartered flight back to the U.S.

A day after the State Department posted its plans for the flight on X and invited U.S. passport holders to register, the flight departed from the northern port city of Cap-Haitien and landed in Miami.

A contingent of U.S. Marines was deployed to Port-au-Prince on Wednesday to safeguard the U.S. Embassy, which had largely evacuated nonessential personnel last year.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties, Cinotti remains hopeful and committed to supporting Haiti.

The people in Haiti still need the love, they need your funds to missions, she said. Were never going to forget Haiti, and I will forever keep putting them up there and lifting them up.
MANILA (Reuters) -U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit the Middle East this week, aiming to reach a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and secure the release of hostages held by the Palestinian militant group.

During a visit to the Philippines, Blinken said his trip to meet senior leaders in Saudia Arabia and Egypt would aim to "discuss the right architecture for lasting regional peace".

Providing more humanitarian aid into Gaza as well as discussing post-war planning for the enclave are among the topics he will discuss with Saudi and Egyptian officials.

"One hundred percent of the Gaza population is in need of humanitarian assistance," Blinken said, adding that it was "absolutely incumbent" upon Israel to prioritise assistance for those in desperate need.

Extreme shortages of food in parts of the Gaza Strip have already exceeded famine levels, and mass death is now imminent without an immediate ceasefire and surge of food to areas cut off by fighting, global hunger monitor Integrated Food-Security Phase Classification has said.

"We've also impressed upon Israel the imperative of having a plan for Gaza for when the conflict ends, which we hope will be as soon as possible, consistent with Israel's needs to defend itself and make sure Oct. 7 can never happen again," Blinken added.

Israel has said it will try to "flood" the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid from varied entry points, as global pressure mounts to tackle the growing problem of hunger in the besieged enclave.

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores in Manila; Writing by Martin Petty, Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday reiterated plans to launch an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, less than 24 hours after President Joe Biden warned against precisely such a move in a call with the Israeli leader.

Netanyahu's defiant message came during the opening of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset, Israels parliament, with him telling lawmakers that the country had an argument with Americans about the need to enter the city, which is sheltering more than 1 million Palestinians who fled their homes elsewhere in Gaza as it was being bombed.

Israeli forces needed to ensure the destruction or elimination of the military and governmental capabilities of Hamas, the release of all our hostages and to ensure that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel, Netanyahu said, reiterating the goals of the war triggered by the militants' Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,200 people and led to some 240 being kidnapped.

This necessitates the elimination of the remaining battalions in Rafah, he said. We are determined to do this.

More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war started, most of the enclave's population displaced and the majority of its buildings damaged or destroyed. The humanitarian crisis caused by the war is acute and unique, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who on Tuesday said 100% of those in Gaza are considered food insecure.

"This is the first time an entire population has been classified as such," he told reporters. "If you look at some of the assessments that were seeing now, they only underscore the urgency of making sure that this assistance is a priority and that its sustained."

Netanyahu, despite Biden's warning, faces intense pressure from family members of the 130 hostages still believed to be in Gaza who complain about a lack of commitment they see from the government in finding their loved ones.

The prime minister is also struggling to keep afloat his governing coalition, the most right-wing government in the countrys history, with members of the Cabinet pushing for an even more aggressive approach in Gaza.

Biden is facing growing political pressure of his own at home and abroad to do more to help lessen Palestinian suffering and deaths, even as the U.S. continues to supply Israel with military hardware.

The president asked Netanyahu to send to Washington a senior interagency team composed of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials. The visit would be for the officials to hear American concerns about an invasion of Rafah, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday at White House press briefing.

An Israeli official told NBC News on Tuesday that a team could travel to Washington as early as this week to discuss alternatives to a ground offensive in Rafah. They added that the composition of the team was yet to be decided.

At the Knesset meeting, Netanyahu said that out of respect for Biden, we agreed on a way in which they could present their ideas to us, especially on the humanitarian side, which we of course share this desire to allow an orderly exit of the population and provide aid to the civilian population.

But the level of distrust and tension between the U.S. and Israeli governments marks an extraordinary shift from the bear hug Biden and Netanyahu shared five months ago shortly after Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

The U.S. position, Sullivan said Monday, was that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation there would be a mistake, adding that it would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally.

The more than 1 million people who have taken refuge in Rafah "have nowhere else to go," Sullivan said. Israel has not presented us or the world with a plan for how or where they would safely move those civilians, let alone feed and house them and ensure access to basic things like sanitation, he added.

Rafah had a prewar population of around 250,000. Today the city on the Gaza-Egypt border is home to more than half of Gazas population.

Noting that Rafah is a primary entry point for humanitarian assistance entering Gaza from Egypt and Israel, Sullivan warned that an invasion would shut that down or at least put it at great risk.
Editors Note: Sign up for CNNs Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the countrys rise and how it impacts the world.

For more than a decade, Lee has been able to circumvent Chinas internet controls to go on Twitter, now known as X, without getting into trouble with the authorities.

The Chinese lawyer stayed away from politically sensitive topics and rarely engaged with other users, treating the platform mainly as an archive to back up his postings on heavily censored Chinese social media.

He has continued tweeting even as Beijing intensifies efforts to control free speech beyond its Great Firewall of internet censorship, interrogating, detaining and jailing Chinese Twitter users who criticize leader Xi Jinping and his government.

Last month, in a sign of the widening crackdown on foreign social media sites, Lee too was summoned by police  not because of what he tweeted, but because of who he followed.

In an early-morning phone call, an officer invited Lee to have tea  a euphemism for police questioning  to talk about the sensitive accounts he followed on X.

At the police station, it became clear that the officer had only one target in mind: an outspoken and unfiltered Chinese-language X account with a cat avatar and 1.6 million followers whose handle translates to Teacher Li is not your teacher.

The police asked me if I followed the account Teacher Li is not your teacher, but I honestly didnt know, Lee said in an interview. He logged into X under the watch of the officer, found the account and unfollowed it on the spot, he said.

That account belongs to Li Ying, a Chinese artist turned dissident in Italy who rose to prominence in 2022 for live-tweeting the nationwide protests in China against Xis zero-Covid policy.

Since then, Lis account has become a go-to source for news censored in China. His followers send him photos and videos from Chinese social media before they are wiped by censors, and Li reposts them on X, offering a rare and unflinching glimpse into aspects of Chinese life that Beijing doesnt want the world  or its own citizens  to see.

Lis X feed documents everything from school scandals and factory fires to protests by migrant workers demanding overdue wages  creating a parallel world to the sanitized version of reality presented by the Chinese government.

For more than a year, authorities have tried in vain to pressure Li into silence: paying frequent visits to his parents, interrogating his friends, classmates and contacts on Chinese social media, and freezing his bank accounts and mobile payments, he said.

The 31-year-old quit his job and moved four times over concerns for his safety, but he has carried on tweeting.

And now, Chinese authorities appear to be going after his followers in China.

The escalating campaign against one of the most influential Chinese accounts on X comes as Washington becomes increasingly wary of Beijings reach in cyberspace beyond its borders. On Wednesday, the US House passed a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban on Chinese-owned app TikTok over national security concerns.

Li Ying spends most of his days in front of the computer running his X account. - Courtesy Mr. Li

Emergent notice

X, like Facebook and other Western social media platforms, is blocked in China. But a small number of Chinese people  typically city dwellers who are more educated and tech savvy  still access it via virtual private networks to keep up with the world beyond the Great Firewall.

Like elsewhere on the platform since its takeover by Elon Musk, Chinese-language X is increasingly filled with misinformation, propaganda and pornography. But for Chinese speakers inside and outside the country, it still provides a valuable space to air political dissent, discuss social issues and  increasingly with accounts like Lis  find out whats really going on in the country of 1.4 billion people.

Lis popularity has surged since Chinas protests against Covid lockdowns, and his follower count doubled in the following year.

But on February 25, Li warned his readers in China that the Ministry of Public Security was going through his 1.6 million followers one by one, and local police were summoning users to have tea once they were identified.

I suggest anyone who feels scared to just unfollow me, you can bookmark one of my tweets or search my account name to read about the days news in the future, Li wrote in an emergent notice on X.

He also urged users to better protect their accounts, so as not to give away their identity. Under the post, Li shared screenshots of private messages he received from followers who said they were interrogated by police.

CNN has reached out to the Ministry of Public Security for comment.

Lis warnings sent shock waves through the small but influential Chinese X sphere. In just a few days, he lost some 200,000 followers. Other prominent Chinese dissidents and activists on the platform reported a plunge in follower counts, too. The panic also spread to YouTube, an important source of income for many exiled dissidents, including Li.

I certainly knew it would cause some panic, but I didnt expect the panic to reach such an extent, Li said. It shows that fear is more deeply rooted in our hearts than freedom.

Li said he issued the warning because police harassment of his followers had intensified drastically in recent months. From December, he had received messages from more than 100 followers across China who said they had been summoned by police over his account.

Many of the followers facing interrogation had never tweeted about politics or criticized the government, and the only question the police had for them was why they followed Li, he said.

Yaqiu Wang, research director for China at advocacy group Freedom House, said police interrogations for merely following an X account is an escalation from the past, when X users were usually targeted for expressing their own views.

To the authorities, following a certain account means that you are thinking of the wrong things in your head and should be punished, in other words, committing thought crimes, she said. This is a clear sign of the Chinese governments further tightening control of freedom of expression in the country.

Bouquets of flowers laid in tribute to former Premier Li Keqiang outside his childhood residence in Anhui province, China, on October 28, 2023. - Shen Xiang/Feature China/Future Publishing/Getty Images

Documenting China

According to Li, the police summons ramped up after Chinas former premier, Li Keqiang, died of a sudden heart attack at age 68, just months after his retirement.

Li Keqiangs death sparked nationwide mourning. For many, it also offered a rare opening to air pent-up discontent with Xi, the supreme leader widely seen as having sidelined his former premier.

On X, Li Yings account provided a window into the outpouring of grief and disaffection. Followers sent him photos of the flowers and notes left in tribute to the late premier in public spaces across the country. Some users said they were encouraged to act after seeing the posts on Lis account.

(The authorities) were upset that I had so many posts about people mourning across China. That was something they were trying to underplay in mainstream media and hide from the public, he said.

Li said his account was targeted for a simple reason: it documents whats happening in China.

Within China, the authorities have many ways to make things disappear in a heartbeat, be it a fire or a highway accident, he said. But once its posted here, itll be seen by many more people and sometimes make its way back into the Chinese internet. This is something out of the governments control.

Wang, the researcher at Freedom House, said that, amid rising discontent at political repression, the slowing economy and other societal issues, more Chinese people want to know the truth about their country and are taking the risks to scale the Great Firewall to access free information.

Beijing is growing increasingly insecure about its hold onto Chinese people ideologically and fearful of foreign influence on people inside the country, she said.

The widening clampdown is a sign of weakness, not strength, of the party-state, and a reflection of the power individual activists wield, Wang said.

The Chinese authorities are fearful of young people like Teacher Li, seeing him as a threat to its rule, Wang said.

People often say that activism and political mobilization is not possible in China given the level of government repression, but Chinese activists are constantly adapting and finding new ways to express dissent and forge a resistance movement.

Lee, the Chinese lawyer who was questioned by authorities, said he knew little about Lis backstory or his role in the anti-zero-Covid protests prior to the police station visit  he only came across the account because it posted so much news from China.

Teacher Lis content tells the truth. Hes one of the few accounts on X who dont talk nonsense, he said.

According to Lee, the police officer remained polite and civil with him throughout the questioning, which lasted less than half an hour.

I didnt feel any sense of fear because Ive done nothing bad or wrong, he said. And I followed Teacher Li right back the moment I stepped out of the door.

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A New York judge on Monday denied Donald Trump's bid to keep his former lawyer Michael Cohen and adult film star Stormy Daniels from testifying in the former president's criminal trial related to a 2016 hush money payment.

State Judge Juan Merchan gave Cohen and Daniels the green light to take the stand but placed some restrictions on Daniels' testimony, specifically that she cant testify about a lie detector test she took in 2018 indicating shed been truthful about her comments about Trump.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs case alleges that Trump falsified business records to hide money he was paying Cohen to reimburse him for $130,000 Cohen paid Daniels in the closing days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Daniels has claimed she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied that he slept with Daniels, but he has acknowledged repaying Cohen.

In a court filing last month, Trump's attorneys argued neither Cohen nor Daniels should be allowed to testify because they're "liars." Cohen admitted having lied under oath during his testimony at Trumps recent civil fraud trial, but the judge who presided over that case found his testimony credible despite his admission.

In Monday's filing, Merchan said that he had also placed some limits on another witness who claims she had an affair with Trump  former Playboy model Karen McDougal  and that "exact limitations" would be discussed in court before jury selection. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, has denied he had a relationship with McDougal, as well.

Trump had more success in Merchan's filing with another piece of evidence he argued should be kept out of the trial: the "Access Hollywood" tape. In the 2005 hot mic audio, Trump could be heard saying he can grope women without their consent. The audio surfaced after Trump became the Republican nominee in 2016, and the DA's office has argued that the bad publicity spurred the payout to Daniels.

Merchan said that prosecutors can elicit testimony that the tape "contained comments of a sexual nature which Defendant feared could hurt his presidential aspirations" but that "it is not necessary that the tape itself be introduced into evidence or that it be played for the jury."

But in another setback for Trump, Merchan didnt sign off on his request to use a partial "advice of counsel" defense.

In a court filing last week, Trump's attorneys said they planned to argue their client didn't think he was doing anything wrong by paying Cohen back in transactions that were listed as legal fees because of his "awareness" that lawyers had been involved in the talks. They said Trump wasn't asserting a formal advice-of-counsel defense, which would entitle prosecutors to more information about his communications with his attorneys.

Merchan said Monday he was rejecting that defense, finding that if he didn't, it essentially would have allowed Trump to get the benefits of the "advice of counsel" defense without the obligations that come with it.

"The result would undoubtedly be to confuse and mislead the jury. This Court can not endorse such a tactic," Merchan wrote.

Trump's attorneys didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Bragg's office declined to comment.

It's still not crystal clear when the trial will start. It had been scheduled for March 25, but Merchan on Friday postponed it until at least mid-April after federal prosecutors in Manhattan belatedly turned over more than 100,000 documents relating to Cohen's role in the case. He also scheduled a hearing for next week to discuss that matter and didn't rule out the possibility that the hearing could affect the trial's start date.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin, commenting on a visit by NATO head Jens Stoltenberg to the South Caucasus region, said on Tuesday that the bloc's efforts to expand its presence in the area were unlikely to help bring stability.

Stoltenberg on Tuesday concluded a three-day visit during which he held talks with the leaders of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, all of which were previously ruled from Moscow as part of the Soviet Union.

In a call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "NATOs attempts to expand its influence and presence (in the South Caucasus) are unlikely to add to stability."

Peskov said that the Kremlin was closely monitoring Stoltenberg's visit, but that "such contacts are the sovereign right of the Caucasian states."

Though Russia has traditionally been the dominant power in the South Caucasus, it now competes for influence there with other players, including Turkey, Iran and the West.

Georgia, whose breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are garrisoned by Russian troops, has long stated its intention to eventually become a member of NATO, while Azerbaijan has close ties to NATO member Turkey.

Armenia, until recently Russia's closest South Caucasus ally, has seen its ties with Moscow sour in recent years over what Yerevan sees as Russia's failure to defend it from neighbouring Azerbaijan.

Though Armenia remains a treaty ally of Russia, it has said repeatedly that it does not support Moscow's war in Ukraine and has sent humanitarian aid to Kyiv, drawing Russia's ire.

In Yerevan on Tuesday, Stoltenberg praised the country's pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for his "solidarity" with Ukraine.

(Reporting by Reuters in Moscow and Felix Light in Tbilisi; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he remains determined to carry out a Rafah ground offensive, despite U.S. President Joe Bidens misgivings.

Earlier, Qatari officials said they were cautiously optimistic after talks with Israels intelligence chief in Doha aimed at trying to reach a cease-fire, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Tuesday at a news conference, stressing that an Israeli ground operation in Rafah would set back any talks.

Meanwhile, incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa laid out wide-ranging plans for a revitalized Palestinian Authority and an independent trust fund to oversee Gazas reconstruction in a mission statement acquired Tuesday by The Associated Press. But the plans face major obstacles, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to any return of the PA to Gaza.

Fighting in the enclave has left at least 31,819 Palestinians dead, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead. A United Nations food agency warned that famine is imminent in northern Gaza.

Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise Oct. 7 attack out of Gaza that triggered the war, and and abducted another 250 people. Hamas is still believed to be holding some 100 people hostage, as well as the remains of 30 others.

Currently:

 Incoming Palestinian prime minister lays out plans for reform but faces major obstacles.

 Israelis evacuated from the Lebanese border wonder if theyll ever return.

 Netanyahu agrees to send Israeli officials to Washington to discuss a prospective Rafah operation.

 Israel urges a top United Nations court to reject South Africas request for more emergency orders in a genocide case.

 Find more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Here's the latest:

US AND ISRAEL DEFENSE LEADERS TO MEET NEXT WEEK IN WASHINGTON, OFFICIAL SAYS

WASHINGTON  Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin next week in Washington, a U.S. defense official confirmed Tuesday.

The official, who spoke under condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public, said Austin and Gallant plan to discuss securing the release of Hamas-held hostages, humanitarian aid to Gaza and protecting those in Rafah. Over a million displaced people have sought shelter in the southern Gaza city, where Israel has said it plans to stage a ground offensive.

___

Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor contributed.

SURGEON SAYS ISRAELI MILITARY OFFENSIVE IN RAFAH WOULD DEBILITATE GAZA HOSPITALS

UNITED NATIONS  A British surgeon who has been going to Gaza for 15 years is warning that an Israeli military offensive in Rafah will be apocalyptic in terms of deaths because there is nowhere safe for the 1.3 million displaced people in the southern city to go.

Professor Nick Maynard, a cancer surgeon who has taught and carried out surgery in Gaza, most recently in January, told a U.N. press conference Tuesday that a cease-fire is urgent because the few hospitals, with a total of 200 beds, cant cope with the current violence  and it will be inevitably worse if there is an invasion of Rafah.

Dr. Zaher Sahlouf, a critical care specialist and president of the humanitarian NGO MedGlobal who was in Gaza in late January, stressed that there is no place for this population to leave.

That means if there is any offensive, theyre going to have a bloodbath, theyre going to have massacres after massacres, he said.

Sahlouf said with the deterioration and collapse of the health system, pregnant women will die from bleeding, babies will die from lack of care, and patients with diarrhea will die from dehydration.

He pointed to some estimates that 250,000 people will die directly and indirectly if the Israel-Hamas war escalates, and that is a biblical number.

We hope that it will not happen, he said.

Dr. Thaer Ahmad, a Palestinian-American emergency medicine physician from Christ Medical Center outside Chicago who was also in Gaza in late January as part of a U.N. World Health Organization medical team, said hospitals have been targeted and the health care system has essentially collapsed.

The three doctors and Dr. Amber Alayyan, a Texas pediatrician who heads Doctors Without Borders Palestinian medical program, are heading to Washington to meet U.S. government officials and members of Congress.

We need the bombs to stop dropping, hopefully through a cease-fire, Ahmad said, and the humanitarian catastrophe thats taking place to end.

UN SAYS ISRAEL FACILITATED LESS THAN HALF OF ITS PLANNED AID MISSIONS TO NORTHERN GAZA THIS MONTH

UNITED NATIONS  U.N. humanitarian officials report that during the first half of March, Israeli authorities facilitated less than half of its planned humanitarian aid missions to northern Gaza, where a new report says famine is imminent.

U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters Tuesday that only 11 of 24 aid convoys the U.N. wanted to send took place, with the rest either denied or postponed.

He said day-to-day approvals from Israeli authorities are required for aid deliveries, and truck convoys are frequently turned back, even after long waits at the Wadi Gaza checkpoint. Convoys also run the risk of looting by desperately hungry people, he said.

The report issued Monday by the international communitys authority on determining the severity of hunger crises said 70% of people in northern Gaza are experiencing catastrophic hunger and warned that escalation of the war could push half of Gazas 2.3 million population to the brink of starvation.

Haq said the only way to prevent looting and starvation is to ensure that adequate food and other assistance can be delivered on a regular and reliable basis.

The U.N. World Food Program estimates that simply addressing basic food needs will require at least 300 trucks to enter Gaza every day and distribute food, especially in the north, he said.

The U.N. humanitarian office has repeatedly called for the Israeli military to guarantee safe, sustained and unhindered access across Gaza  and to open up all possible entry points into Gaza, Haq said.

U.N. officials have also repeatedly stressed that the only way to deliver aid on a large scale, which is required to avert imminent famine, is by road, the U.N. spokesperson stressed.

ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER POTENTIALLY WILL VISIT WASHINGTON, US OFFICIAL SAYS

WASHINGTON  U.S. and Israeli officials are working to arrange a visit by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to Washington, according to a U.S. official.

Details of a potential visit are still being worked out, and its unclear if the visit would occur in conjunction with or separate from U.S.-Israeli talks on a prospective Israeli military operation in Rafah, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment and requested anonymity.

It would be Gallants first visit to Washington since Hamas launched the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war.

President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed in a phone call on Monday to hold a meeting between U.S. and Israeli officials in Washington to discuss the U.S. administrations concerns about Israels plans for an operation in the southern Gaza city, where more than 1 million displaced Palestinians have sheltered, as well as the growing humanitarian crisis in the territory.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that the high-level meeting  which is expected to include military, intelligence and humanitarian officials from both countries  will likely take place early next week.

An Israeli Ministry of Defense spokesperson did not return immediately requests for comment regarding Gallants possible trip to the U.S.

___

Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed.

UNRWA HEAD SAYS ISRAEL BARRED HIS ENTRY INTO GAZA

JERUSALEM  The head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees says Israel singled him out by refusing his entry into the Gaza Strip.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, UNRWA commissioner Philippe Lazzarini challenged Israels claim that he was barred entry due to mistakes on his entry application.

Lazzarini, who has been to Gaza numerous times, says he was the only member of his delegation to be blocked by the Israeli defense body COGAT from entering on Monday.

I hear COGAT saying that ... I did not fill the right form, that was the public explanation, but be re-assured that all members of my delegation were authorized to enter except the commissioner-general, he said.

Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA, the largest aid organization in Gaza, of providing cover for Hamas and has also alleged at least 12 UNRWA workers participated in the Oct.7 attack.

COGAT did not respond to a request for comment.

NETANYAHU SAYS NO ALTERNATIVE TO RAFAH GROUND INVASION

JERUSALEM  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he remains determined to carry out a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite the misgivings of U.S. President Joe Biden.

Netanyahu told a parliamentary committee Tuesday that he would wait to hear proposals from the U.S. out of respect to the president about ways to protect the civilian population in Rafah before ordering the operation.

But he said he does not see any alternative to a ground offensive if Israel is to carry out its goal of destroying the Hamas militant groups remaining battalions in Rafah.

We have a debate with the Americans over the need to enter Rafah, not over the need to eliminate Hamas, Netanyahu said. We are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion.

Israel says that Rafah, located on the Egyptian border, is Hamas last major stronghold in Gaza. An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians, over half of Gazas population, are now huddled in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere in the territory.

U.S. officials say they will not support a Rafah operation without the Israelis presenting a credible plan to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians. Israel has yet to present such a plan, according to White House officials.

On Monday, Netanyahu agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss a prospective Rafah operation with the U.S. The decision took place during Netanyahu and Bidens first conversation in over a month.

GAZA AID RESTRICTIONS COULD AMOUNT TO WAR CRIME, UN HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF SAYS

GENEVA The U.N. human rights chief says Israels restrictions on aid entering Gaza and its conduct of war against Hamas could amount to use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime.

Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, made the comments in a statement from his office a day after the world communitys authority on food crises said famine was imminent in war-battered northern Gaza in particular.

The projected imminent famine in Gaza can and must be prevented, Turk said. He said law and order was breaking down, and people were forced to coping strategies in the midst of a lack of food.

The extent of Israels continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime, he said.

He said the clock is ticking and called on everyone in the international community  especially those with influence  to insist that Israel facilitate the unimpeded entry of aid into Gaza to avert the risk of famine.

Turk reiterated his calls for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of Israeli hostages still in Gaza.

In a statement, Israels diplomatic mission in Geneva shot back, saying it had sounded alarm bells for years on Hamas, its diversion of aid, and its use of the Palestinian people as human shields.

It said that had been ignored by Turk, who seeks once again to blame Israel for the situation and completely absolve the responsibility of the U.N. and Hamas.

Despite the rockets, the holding of our hostages, the acts of pure evil on Oct. 7, Israel is committed to facilitating humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel is at war with Hamas, not the Palestinian people.

Israel is doing everything it can to flood Gaza with aid, including by land air and sea, the Israeli mission added. The U.N. must also step up.

HOUTHIS CLAIM LATEST ATTACK ON VESSEL IN GULF OF ADEN

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Yemens Houthi rebels on Tuesday claimed attacks targeting a vessel in the Gulf of Aden that had previously been targeted in the Red Sea.

In a prerecorded statement, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the rebels targeted the Mado, a liquified natural gas carrier. The vessel was twice targeted by Houthi fire on March 15 and March 17. Both attacks missed the vessel, causing neither damage nor injuries.

The Houthis have attacked ships since November, saying they want to force Israel to end its offensive in the Gaza Strip against Hamas.

The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, largely have had little or no connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.



Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell contributed.

BAD WEATHER DELAYS DEPARTURE OF GAZA-BOUND AID SHIP

NICOSIA, Cyprus  World Central Kitchen says poor weather conditions are delaying the departure of a second ship to deliver some 240 tons of canned foods to Gaza.

The second vessel, called Jennifer, is ready to depart from the Cypriot port of Larnaca with food including beans, carrots, canned tuna, chickpeas, canned corn, parboiled rice, flour, oil and salt.

The U.S. charity said Tuesday the vessel will also carry 265 pounds (120 kg) of fresh dates from the United Arab Emirates which helped open the Cyprus-Gaza maritime route.

The Jennifer has two forklifts and a crane aboard to help offload cargo in future maritime deliveries to the Palestinian territory, as part of an operation the charity has named Safeena, meaning boat or vessel in Arabic.

The ship will be accompanied by a crew vessel with eight workers who will operate the forklifts and crane.

WCK said the first load of 200 tons that reached Gaza last week aboard the Open Arms vessel was delivered to the north of the territory with a U.N. World Food Program convoy on Tuesday.

The charity urged Arab countries to join with the UAE and Jordan to deliver food to Gaza by land, sea or air.

SENIOR HAMAS MILITANT AMONG THOSE KILLED IN HOSPITAL RAID, ISRAEL SAYS

JERUSALEM  The Israeli military says it has killed more than 50 militants in its ongoing raid at the biggest hospital in the Gaza Strip.

The military said Tuesday that forces have arrested around 180 suspects. It was not possible to confirm whether those killed were combatants.

Israel launched the raid at Shifa Hospital overnight into Monday, saying Hamas had regrouped in the compound and was directing attacks from it. The military said gunmen fired on its forces from inside and that one of its soldiers was killed during the raid.

The army said it killed a senior Hamas militant who was armed and hiding inside the hospital. Palestinian officials said he was a senior commander in the Hamas-run police who was coordinating the protection of convoys.

The army last raided Shifa Hospital in November after claiming that Hamas maintained an elaborate command center within and beneath the facility.

The military revealed a tunnel leading to some underground rooms, as well as weapons it said were found inside the hospital. But the evidence fell short of the earlier claims, and critics accused the army of recklessly endangering the lives of civilians.

Shifa, like most of Gazas hospitals, has mostly stopped functioning for lack of electricity, fuel and supplies. Gazas Health Ministry said around 30,000 Palestinians were sheltering there at the time of this weeks raid.

GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY RAISES PALESTINIAN DEATH TOLL TO MORE THAN 31,800

RAFAH, Gaza Strip  Gazas Health Ministry says 93 bodies have been brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours, bringing the Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war to 31,819.

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. The Israeli military says it has killed over 13,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Israel launched its offensive against Hamas after Palestinian militants stormed across the border on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and dragging around 250 hostages back to Gaza.

Palestinian health officials say at least 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes late Monday in the southern city of Rafah, where Israel has vowed to expand its ground offensive. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies, from four separate strikes, at a nearby hospital. One of the strikes killed a man, his wife and their three children.

Israel blames the civilian death toll on Hamas because it fights in dense, residential neighborhoods. The military rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children.

QATARI OFFICIALS ARE CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC AFTER CEASE-FIRE TALKS WITH ISRAEL'S INTELLIGENCE CHIEF

DOHA, Qatar  Israels intelligence chief has left Doha after talks aimed at trying to reach a cease-fire, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said Tuesday at a news conference, adding that Qatari officials were cautiously optimistic about the negotiations.

Al-Ansari said Mossad chief David Barnea had left Qatar already. He said technical negotiations between Israel and Hamas were ongoing, with Qatar carrying messages between the parties.

I dont think were at a moment now where we can say that we are close to a deal, al-Ansari said. Its still too early to announce any successes.

He stressed that any Israeli ground operation in Rafah would be a catastrophe and could set back any talks.

___

Associated Press writer Lujain Jo contributed.

INCOMING PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER LAYS OUT HIS PLANS FOR GOVERNMENTAL REFORM

RAMALLAH, West Bank  The incoming Palestinian prime minister says he will appoint a technocratic government and establish an independent trust fund to oversee Gazas reconstruction.

In a mission statement acquired Tuesday by The Associated Press, Mohammad Mustafa laid out wide-ranging plans for the kind of revitalized Palestinian Authority called for by the United States as part of its postwar vision for resolving the conflict. But the Palestinian Authority has no power in Gaza, from which Hamas drove its forces in 2007, and only limited authority in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

In his mission statement, Mustafa said he would appoint a non-partisan, technocratic government that can gain both the trust of our people and the support of the international community. He promised wide-ranging reforms of PA institutions and a zero tolerance policy toward corruption and said he would seek to reunify the territories and create an independent, competent and transparent agency for Gazas recovery and reconstruction and an internationally managed trust fund to raise, manage and disburse the required funds.

The vision statement made no mention of Hamas, which won a landslide victory the last time Palestinians held national elections, in 2006, and which polls indicate still has significant support.

Mustafa said the PA aims to hold presidential and parliamentary elections, but he did not give a timetable and said it would depend on realities on the ground in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war that the Palestinians want for their future state.



This story was first published on March 20, 2024. It was updated later on March 20, 2024 to correct the name of the president of the humanitarian NGO MedGlobal. He is Dr. Zaher Sahloul, not Dr. Zaher Sahlouf.
Mainland spokesperson highlights mutual assistance across Taiwan Strait

Xinhua) 10:41, March 19, 2024

BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokesperson on Monday highlighted cross-Strait mutual assistance while confirming the rescue of two individuals from Taiwan in the waters off the Fujian coast.

People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are of the same family and naturally will help each other when an accident occurs on the sea, said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office.

It was a humanitarian act and also showed that people from the two sides of the Strait share the same blood, Chen said.

He confirmed that two individuals from Kinmen were rescued from a trapped fishing boat due to a failed engine at around 4 a.m. Monday. They have been provided with medical care, water, food and clothing.

The two people are healthy, have contacted their families at home and will be sent back to Kinmen as quickly as possible, he said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Sylvia Gonzalez, 77, sits in her Castle Hills home the weekend before her lawsuit against the suburban city is heard at the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday. While serving on the city council, Gonzalez, then 72, was jailed on a charge of tampering with a public document, which her lawyers say was retaliation for supporting a petition to remove the city manager. KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL

A 77-year-old Castle Hills woman will ask the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to rule that her rights were violated when she was thrown in jail while serving on the suburbs city council five years ago.

Accusing the small city of retaliation and violations of the First and 14th amendments, Sylvia Gonzalez is in Washington for the culmination of a federal lawsuit she filed a year after her July 2019 arrest on a charge of tampering with a public document.

Sylvia Gonzalez, 77, sits for a portrait in her Castle Hills home the weekend before testifying to the Supreme Court of the United States on March 16, 2024. (Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Contributor) KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL

Gonzalez, then 72, was supporting a petition to remove the Castle Hills city manager, and got into a dispute over possession of the document  or an honest mix-up over its location during a meeting, depending on who told the story  during a period of bitter dysfunction on the city council.

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Her lawyers have said she was the first Hispanic councilwoman ever elected in Castle Hills and was targeted because she championed the nonbinding petition.

Gonzalez spent a day in the Bexar County Jail, but the charge was dropped by the District Attorneys Office.

The lawsuit names Mayor JR Trevino, then-Police Chief John Siemens and Alex Wright, a lawyer commissioned by the city as a special detective to investigate Gonzalez, as defendants.

Shell appear for oral arguments at the high court alongside attorneys with the Institute for Justice, a Virginia-based law firm that bills itself as a guardian of basic American rights.

JR Trevino, the mayor of Castle Hills, has not discussed the lawsuit filed by Sylvia Gonzalez but said the city has made progress since a period of political unrest plagued it nearly five years ago. Bob Owen/San Antonio Express-News

City officials have said council meeting video showed Gonzalez, then seated next to the mayor, removing the petition from in front of his seat on the council dais in May 2019, after a citizen complained shed been misled about the intent of the petition, titled, Fix Our Streets.

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The meeting ran late into the night. After it resumed the next day, Trevino realized he no longer had the petition. He spotted a binder with the documents at Gonzalezs seat and asked a police captain to help retrieve them.

In an arrest affidavit, describing the video, Wright said Gonzalez appeared to be purposefully avoiding 'finding' the petitions by feigning her failure to notice the obvious binder clip which those around her could clearly see.

Sylvia Gonzalez was getting ready last weekend to travel to Washington for a U.S. Supreme Court hearing on her lawsuit accusing the suburban city of Castle Hills of retaliation. KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL

But in a 5-minute video posted by the justice institute on YouTube, Gonzalez said she hadnt realized she had the petition, and said Trevino seemed to understand.

I found the petition, to my surprise, and I handed it to him. And he said, You probably picked it up by accident. And I thought nothing of it. But I was thrown in jail, she said. It was a very hurtful experience. And the sad part is I did nothing wrong.

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Patrick Jaicomo, attorney with the institute, said the arrest was intended to send a message both to Sylvia and anyone like her who might speak out against the way the city was running things.

Sylvia Gonzalez, 77, sits in her Castle Hills home the weekend before her lawsuit against that city goes to the U.S. Supreme Court. KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL

The First Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech and the right to petition the government. The government and its officials cannot then turn around and retaliate against that person in any way, and certainly that includes arresting someone and charging them with a crime, Jaicomo said.

At the time, Gonzalez was part of a three-member voting majority on the five-member council that passed a resolution limiting citizen comments during its meetings. Another council member, Lesley Wenger, then 77, also was arrested on July 18, 2019, and charged with tampering with evidence and fraudulent use or possession of identification information in the effort targeting the city manager.

Charges also were dismissed against Wenger, who did not sue the city.

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Trevino, who also is in Washington for the case, hasnt commented on the lawsuit, but has said it stemmed from the ongoing political feuding that crippled the small community of about 4,000 residents. The council was so dysfunctional in the summer of 2019, it had allowed 13 sets of draft council meeting minutes dating to June 2018 to accrue without being adopted.

Former Castle Hills Mayor Tim Howell appeared at a Castle Hills City Council meeting in 2019 with a big bag of popcorn. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer

The fighting subsided after Gonzalez was removed from her seat through a technicality related to her swearing-in, Wenger did not seek reelection and a third council ally moved out of state. City Manager Ryan Rapelye has stayed on the job for six years, is well regarded by many and recently was given a three-year contract extension, Trevino said.

The city manager is the longest-serving city manager in the last 20 years, which is no small feat, the mayor said. Weve also partnered with Bexar County and the city of San Antonio and the river authority for improvements. Its the first time the citys ever done a collaborative drainage project.

Castle Hills is on track this year to complete a five-year, $10 million street reconstruction project that already has tripled the percentage of local roads rated in good condition, from 22% to 66%, he said.

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Some Castle Hills residents applaud after the Castle Hills City Council voted to not reinstate Sylvia Gonzalez to her council seat in 2019. The turmoil in the small city has subsided but the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear arguments in her lawsuit accusing the city of jailing her in retaliation for her political positions. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer

Local attorney Denton Navarro and Lisa Blatt of Washington will represent Castle Hills officials in the oral arguments.

Gonzalezs initial lawsuit sought compensation of about $70,000 in legal fees, along with damages in light of stress, harm to her reputation and loss of future job opportunities.

Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ruled in her favor, saying the city could have issued a summons for the nonviolent misdemeanor but got an arrest warrant instead, which ensured that she would spend time in jail. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 ruling, reversed the decision, saying Gonzalez failed to prove her arrest was retaliatory and upholding the defendants claim of immunity.

Lawyers for Gonzalez have said the appellate decision sets an impossible standard for victims of retaliatory arrest and punishment to prove their cases.
In an effort to stem the record number of mass shootings in the United States, the FBI has been studying for years the phenomenon of "leakage," a term describing would-be active shooters offering hints of their deadly plans either online or to family and friends prior to committing violent acts.

But retired FBI agent Katherine Schweit, who conducted research for the bureau on 160 active shooter incidents in the United States between 2000 and 2013, told ABC News that a series of recent mass shootings show that despite being aware of red flags, those closest to the perpetrators are often the least likely to inform law enforcement.

PHOTO: FILE - Payton Gendron is led into the courtroom for a hearing at Erie County Court in Buffalo, N.Y., on May 19, 2022. (Matt Rourke/AP, FILE)

She said the May 14 racially motivated mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket; the May 24 Uvalde, Texas, elementary school massacre; and the Nov. 19 shooting targeting LGBTQ patrons at Club Q in Colorado Springs, Colorado, are examples of the consequences of ignoring "leakage."

PHOTO: MassShooter Warning Signs (ABC NEWS)

"'Leakage' is anything that someone relays, whether consciously or unconsciously, that kind of indicates that they are having troubles, that they are troubled [and] they might want to commit a violent act against themselves or others, whether that's suicide or whether that's something as extreme as a mass shooting," said Schweit, author of the 2021 book "Stop the Killing: How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis."

PHOTO: Screen grab of an ABC video where retired FBI agent Katherine Schweit explains the phenomenon of 'leakage,' in which would-be active shooters offer hints of their deadly plans either online or to family and friends prior to committing violent acts. (ABC News)

In the Buffalo case, confessed killer Payton Gendron made statements about committing violence at his school, prompting law enforcement to intercede and a psychiatric evaluation to be conducted a year before he killed 10 Black people at a Tops market. In the Uvalde case, authorities identified multiple occasions where the shooter, Salvador Ramos, gave clues to friends online and to relatives of his plans to shoot up a school before he acted.

PHOTO: In this image from video provided by Leslie Bowman, Anderson Lee Aldrich surrenders to police at a home where his mother, Laura Voepel, was renting a room in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 18, 2021. (Leslie Bowman via AP)

And in the Colorado Springs nightclub shooting, a judge warned in 2021 that suspect Anderson Aldrich, who had been arrested for making a bomb threat, needed mental health treatment or "it's going to be so bad," according to court documents.

PHOTO: A memorial for the 19 children and two teachers killed in the May shooting sits outside of Robb Elementary on Oct. 24, 2022, in Uvalde, Texas. (Acacia Coronado/AP)

In those cases, Schweit said friends and family members, intimate partners and spouses were reluctant to report their loved ones to law enforcement.

"In the Uvalde case, authorities identified multiple occasions where the shooter had given clues to his plans," Schweit said. "Though there was a slew of examples of things that might have, in the aggregate, shown a pattern of a concern, the state report also identified that many of those were also privately known, they were personally known to family members, or friends knew them, but they weren't all put together."

PHOTO: MassShooter Warning Signs (ABC NEWS)

There were 641 mass shootings in the United States in 2022, the second-highest number behind the 690 that happened in 2021, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks shootings nationwide. The Gun Violence Archive defines a mass shooting as four or more people shot or killed, not including the shooter.

Schweit said 56% of active shooters shared their intent to commit violence in some way prior to doing so.

She said that as technology has advanced, an increasing number of active shooters have shared their deadly plans online.

"Before the social media world and before more sophisticated internet connections that we have now, a lot of these interactions and a lot of this type of information wouldn't even have been identifiable. It wouldn't have been recorded," Schweit said.

MORE: Virginia Walmart mass shooting: Survivors and witnesses speak out

Schweit said a key to preventing mass shootings is for those who noticed warning signs in advance to set aside their desire to be "protective" of their troubled loved ones and realize they could be saving that person's life by contacting law enforcement.

"If I said to you as a parent, 30% to 40% of these shooters want to kill themselves, as well as other people, and by reporting your concern about your child or your husband you could save their life or the lives of those around you, you might react differently," Schweit said.

Phenomenon of 'leakage' key to heading off mass shootings: Expert originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Medication abortions rose in the year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, according to a report published Tuesday by the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports access to abortion.

In 2023, the first full calendar year since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, there were about 642,700 medication abortions, accounting for about 63% of all abortions in the country, up from 492,210 medication abortions, or 53%, in 2020, according to the report.

This increase is indicative of the fact that people are overcoming barriers to get the care they need, said Amy Friedrich-Karnik, the director of federal policy at the Guttmacher Institute. "Abortion is health care."

Following the Dobbs decision, 14 states completely ban abortion, which includes medication abortion. Another handful of states require patients to see doctors in person before they can get prescriptions for the drugs needed for medication abortion or ban shipping the medication by mail.

Medication abortion became available in the U.S. in 2000 when the Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone, one the drugs used in the regime, for use in early abortions. A second drug, misoprostol, is taken one to two days later.

Since 2020, medication abortion has been the most common method for ending early pregnancies in the U.S., according to the Guttmacher report.

Its also once again on the judicial chopping block.

Next week, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that could decide whether mifepristone will remain easily accessible.

The numbers in the Guttmacher report account only for people who got medication abortions through the U.S. health care system, such as through in-person visits with health care providers. People can also get the pills outside the health care system, such as through community networks or in the mail via online pharmacies.

Dr. Michael Belmonte, a fellow at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said many of his patients prefer medication abortion because it provides them with a level of privacy.

Im not surprised to see that medication abortion continues to play a growing role, he said.

Even with the Supreme Court case imminent, the drugs appear to be more available. Earlier this month, CVS and Walgreens announced that they would start dispensing mifepristone.

The report also looked at abortions overall and found that there were an estimated 1,026,690 last year  either through medication or surgery  a 10% increase from 2020 and the first time since 2012 that the number of abortions surpassed 1 million.

States without complete bans on abortions recorded a 25% increase in abortions last year compared with 2020.

The sharpest increases, however, were in states that border those with complete bans, such as New Mexico, which borders Texas and Oklahoma; and Illinois, which borders Missouri and Kentucky.

Other states, like South Carolina, had huge increases in out-of-state abortions because of their proximity to states with complete abortion bans, including many states in the South. (For much of 2023, South Carolina allowed abortions up to 20 weeks. A law banning abortion after six weeks went into effect in May but was blocked just days later; it was reinstated in August.)

Friedrich-Karnik said almost 1 in 5 people are traveling to other states to get abortion care. All of that impacts the type of care that theyll be able to receive, she said.

Arthur Caplan, the head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, said he expected the number of medication abortions would have increased last year, even without the challenge to the FDAs approval of mifepristone. Medication abortions have been on a steady upswing since it was approved in 2000, according to the Guttmacher report.

Nothing surprises me about this shift, Caplan said of the Guttmacher findings. Its less burdensome to use a pharmaceutical agent than surgery, and its cheaper.

A Supreme Court decision to restrict access to mifepristone would have huge ramifications for women, he said.

It would be absolute utter nonsense, he said. Were the court to buy into it, it would clearly bring abortion by pill to an end around the country, which would lead immediately to an enormous black market.

Dr. Kristyn Brandi, an OB-GYN in New Jersey and the former board chair for Physicians of Reproductive Health, an advocacy group for reproductive rights, said medication abortion is often the only option for marginalized communities, including people with disabilities who cant travel. The medications will become even more common, she said, unless the Supreme Court makes them less accessible.

That will affect the vast majority of people seeking abortion, she said.

Belmonte said he is worried about his patients.

Every patient should be able to choose which abortion option is right for them, without bans, restrictions or burdens, he said.
When Lateefah Simon, a congressional candidate for Californias 12th District, stopped by outgoing Rep. Barbara Lees election headquarters in Oakland on Super Tuesday, she intended to bring well wishes to the veteran congresswoman in her run for the U.S. Senate.

Id been told she was catching a flight back to Washington, D.C., said Simon, whose campaign shared the same office building downtown. I wanted to say hello and show my support.

But it was the congresswoman who surprised Simon with a gift. She took the candidate by the hand during a news conference and, as supporters and media looked on, she passed her the baton  literally.

Barbara gave me an actual baton, said Simon, 47, of the shiny blue cylinder that she accepted to cheers and applause. I was humbled. It is an honor and great responsibility, one that I feel I must live up to.

Earlier this month, Simon emerged as the top vote-getter in a field of nine, officially garnering 55% of the vote in the primary for the seat Lee represented for 26 years. Simon will face her closest contender, fellow Democrat Jennifer Tran, in Novembers general election.

Simon is currently the president of Meadow Fund, which provides grants and funding to organizations focused on race, gender, justice reform and voting rights. She also serves as a member of the Bay Area Rapid Transit Board of Directors, an elected post she said stemmed from her reliance on public transportation.

Rep. Barbara Lee, right, with Lateefah Simon. (Jane Tyska / Digital First Media / East Bay Times via Getty Images)

Her prior roles as a civil rights advocate and nonprofit leader in the last two decades have largely focused on equity initiatives.

I have spent my career fighting for people who traditionally have not had a voice in places of power, the San Francisco native said.

Simon said she gleans inspiration from women leaders such as Lee and Vice President Kamala Harris, who she says recognized and nurtured her potential early on.

Simon and Lee first met years ago at Mills College, a then-all-womens campus that merged with Northeastern University in 2022. She was teaching a course, and I was one of her students, Simon recalled. Weve been connected ever since. I just love her.

Though they were born decades apart, their lives have had some parallels. Both became single mothers while young, sometimes bringing their children to class due to lack of child care. Both awakened to the power of politics, advocacy and community organizing to effect change.

Now, Simon wants to represent the district where Lee, the highest-ranking Black woman appointed to Democratic leadership in the House, has held a seat since 1998.

According to U.S. Census data, Californias 12th District is one of the most multiracial, politically progressive areas in the country  home to cities like Berkeley, where the free speech movement percolated, to Oakland and its liberation politics.

Lee decided to forgo re-election in the House to run for the Senate, seeking the seat formerly held by the late Dianne Feinstein and now by her appointed successor, Sen. Laphonza Butler, who has opted against running for election. Lee lost the primary to a Democratic colleague, Rep. Adam Schiff, who, in November, will face the primarys second-place finisher, Republican Steve Garvey.

Meanwhile, Lee plans to serve out her House term until a new member is sworn in next January. She has formally endorsed Simon, calling her a true fighter for peace and justice.

Lateefah is from the community, and for the community, said Lee in a statement. From her teenage years working to support young women and trans youth, to fighting to make public transit more affordable and accessible, she is a fierce advocate and proven leader.

Simon, who was born legally blind, said she has experienced discrimination and weathered challenges that have fostered in her a sense of empathy and a lifetime of fighting for those in need.

At 16, she began working as an outreach coordinator for the Young Womens Freedom Center in San Francisco, helping marginalized young women empower themselves.

At 18, she became pregnant and raised her eldest daughter as a single mother. It was a struggle, she said, and I learned firsthand how important it was that government really work for people in need.

She persevered, rising through the ranks to eventually become the centers executive director. She earned national acclaim for her efforts, and, at age 26, she became the youngest woman to receive a prestigious MacArthur genius fellowship in 2003.

Some time later she met Kamala Harris, then San Franciscos district attorney, who would prove to be a pivotal influence for Simon, as she was tapped to help develop and lead Back on Track, an anti-recidivism initiative for young adults charged with low-level offenses.

She told me I needed to be excellent and encouraged me to pursue my education, said Simon, who holds a bachelors degree in public policy and a master of public administration degree from the University of San Francisco. And she introduced me to my future husband, Kevin Weston, a journalist. The pair were married until he died of cancer in 2014.

Simon is raising the couples 12-year-old daughter with support from her oldest daughter  now an attorney  as well as the proverbial village.

Even with health insurance, Simon said, her late husbands hospital bills left her nearly $1 million in debt. She was fortunate that her East Bay network rallied around, she said, assisting with everything from rent to groceries. I understand what working families are going through, she said.

Its this type of lived experience that female candidates can bring to Congress, said Deborah Walsh, director of the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University.

Besides the nod from Lee, Simon has also racked up key endorsements, such as those of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the labor groups SEIU, EMILYs List and Higher Heights for America PAC.

The Collective PAC, which works to increase Black political engagement and representation, helping more than 400 candidates win races nationwide, has also endorsed Simon.

Co-founder and President Quentin James told NBC News that its much harder for Black female candidates to raise the massive funding necessary to buy ads and pay for the numerous elements of a federal campaign. Still, he believes Simon  whose team said she has raised more than $1.2 million to date  is well-positioned. Her resume and bio speak for themselves, James said. She has gone above and beyond in supporting her community. Shes done the work.

Simon hopes she can follow the path of trailblazing Black members of Congress such as the late Shirley Chisholm of New York and Rep. Ron Dellums of California, co-founders of the Congressional Black Caucus, who both passed the mantle of service to Lee.

The baton Mr. Dellums gave her was real, too, she said.

Overall, Simon wants to be a champion for the people. I want to take their stories with me to Washington so their voices are heard by the most powerful leaders in the nation, she said.

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Michael Cohen warned Monday that former President Trump could try to elicit money from foreign nations to pay for his mounting bills after his former bosss lawyers said it was impossible for them to secure the full bond due in his New York fraud case.

As Americans, we should be very concerned where that money is coming from, said Cohen, who was an attorney for Trump before their falling out. Cohen made the remarks during a Monday interview with MSNBCs Deadline: White House.

First and foremost, if its coming from a company like Chubb or Federated [Insurance], yes we know that company, its an American company and so on. But what if hypothetically, the money is coming from Saudi Arabia, from Qatar?

What if by chance, its coming through a backdoor channel of Russia? That now leaves a potential presidential candidate  basically owing a foreign entity. All at the expense of Americas security? This is no joke, he continued.

Earlier Monday, Trumps legal team indicated in court filings it will be impossible for them to secure the $454 million bond due in his New York fraud case.

His attorneys told the states intermediate appeals court they spent countless hours in negotiations with one of the largest insurance companies in the world, and approached 30 companies to back the bond.

A New York judge ordered Trump to pay nearly $355 million  plus interest  in penalties after concluding he conspired to lie about his net worth to receive tax and insurance benefits. The total judgement climbs nearly $112,000 in interest each day he doesnt pay, and it now amounts to more than $454 million.

Cohen argued Trumps situation could put national security at risk if he is elected to a new term as president.

This places our national security in jeopardy and continues to make Donald Trump the single most  dangerous thing in America to our national security and democracy, he said. He doesnt care where the money comes from as long as he gets it.

Democratic Rep. Sean Casten (Ill.) argued a similar point on social media, writing, The presumptive @GOP nominee for President is desperate for $464M (and counting) which he cannot personally access. That fact alone makes him a massive national security risk; any foreign adversary seeking to buy a President knows the price.

Trumps campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mondays filings came nearly a week after a federal judge signed off on Trumps $91 million bond in a separate defamation case brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, though the former president found an insurance company to underwrite that bond.

Court documents indicated insurance company Chubb underwrote Trumps bond in the defamation case, but it was not immediately clear the amount of cash or collateral the former president was required to put down.

Trump has amassed massive legal fees across these cases, along with the four criminal cases he is facing. Federal election filings released earlier this year said his fundraising committees spent nearly $30 million legal fees during the second half of 2023.

Filings in February said Trumps Save America leadership PAC spent nearly $3 million in legal consulting fees in the first month of this year.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Editors Note: Jennifer Jones is a staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Her work focuses on issues related to government transparency, government surveillance and social media. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. Read more opinion at CNN.

On Monday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in two free-speech cases that could have broad implications for the way the government participates in public discourse. Both cases involve private parties who claim that the government violated the First Amendment by coercing others to censor their speech. And both cases involve government officials who claim that they have a right to attempt to sway public opinion through their own speech.

Whats hard about these cases is that both sides have merit. The First Amendment forbids the government from coercing others to engage in censorship on its behalf, but it permits the government to urge action and participate in public debate, even vigorously. The second half of this equation has been understated in the discussion of these two cases, but if the Supreme Court fails to account for it our democracy could suffer.

In National Rifle Association v. Vullo, the NRA argues that Maria Vullo  the head of New Yorks Department of Financial Services  violated the First Amendment by pressuring banks and insurance companies to cut ties with the gun-rights group based on its political advocacy. In support of that claim, the NRA  represented by the ACLU (where I used to work)  alleges that Vullo coerced one of the NRAs insurance companies by promising leniency in enforcing New Yorks insurance laws against the companys array of technical regulatory infractions  so long as [the company] ceased providing insurance to gun groups, especially the NRA.

This is a serious allegation of government coercion that (assuming the NRA can substantiate it with evidence at trial) violates the First Amendment. Vullo claims otherwise, arguing that this offer was typical of the give-and-take that occurs in plea negotiations. But as the Supreme Court said over 60 years ago, the First Amendment prohibits the government from invoking the threat of legal sanctions to suppress speech it disfavors.

In Murthy v. Missouri, several states and social media users sued President Joe Bidens administration, claiming that it violated the First Amendment by pressuring the major social media platforms into suppressing what the administration deemed misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccines and the 2020 election. The administration argues that it simply sought to inform and persuade the platforms, which the First Amendment permits.

While the allegations of unconstitutional coercion are much weaker in this case, at least one interaction between the Biden administration and the platforms appears to have crossed the constitutional line (as my organization, the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, argued in an amicus brief). That interaction involved a heated 2021 email exchange between individuals at Facebook and White House officials, who berated the platform for failing to take down disinformation and then vaguely warned that they were considering our options on what to do about it.

In short, the plaintiffs in each lawsuit have a viable First Amendment claim that government officials threatened private parties in an effort to suppress the plaintiffs speech.

But the other sides have strong arguments, too.

In 1963, when the Supreme Court decided the case that made clear that the government may not coerce intermediaries (like the platforms) into censoring speech, it also made clear that the government can advise private parties and the public of the governments views. Lower courts have since drawn a line between coercion (which is unconstitutional) and advice or persuasion (which is constitutional). That line is a crucial one, because it recognizes the right of the public to hear from their government and it recognizes that, to govern, officials must have the ability to attempt to sway public opinion through persuasion.

This principle of persuasion is at work in each of the cases before the Supreme Court, but its also at risk. In the Murthy case, for instance, the plaintiffs argue that Biden violated the First Amendment when he accused the platforms, in failing to take down vaccine disinformation, of killing people. And they argue that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) violated the First Amendment by responding to the platforms requests for help in determining whether certain posts about Covid-19 were true or false.

Whether or not you agree with the administrations views on these questions, they were plainly efforts at persuasion, not coercion. In Vullo, the NRA points to New York officials public condemnation of the group as part of a coercive campaign targeting its speech. While the NRA is right that Vullo cant coerce others into silencing the NRAs speech, public officials are free to condemn the NRA and even to urge others to dissociate from it.

Fortunately, the line of questioning during Mondays hearing suggests that the Supreme Court is sensitive to the importance of the government being able to express its views to private parties and persuade them to act. A number of justices asked questions that indicate they understand the value of government communications with private actors. In some instances, they reasoned, the government may have exclusive access to valuable information. In others, the government may have a strong interest in preventing harm and protecting public health and safety.

Its important, then, that in allowing these suits to go forward the Supreme Court reaffirms the important role of the government in being allowed to advocate for its views. As the 2024 election approaches, as gun violence proliferates and as the threat of another pandemic looms, a broad ruling for the plaintiffs at the Supreme Court could preclude government agencies from voicing policy positions on how social media companies should address election disinformation and voter suppression efforts on their platforms.

This includes criticizing powerful groups like the NRA that play a major role in the public debate on gun violence and providing valuable public health information to social media companies as they combat the spread of medical misinformation on their sites.

Such a ruling would diminish our public discourse and disarm our democratically elected government, and underscores why the court should leave space for the government to participate in a free-speech marketplace dominated by powerful companies and interest groups. The health of our democracy depends on it.

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In the midst of Haitis crisis, Telemaque Vernet has become a lifeline for more than 60 children in Canaan, north of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Vernet, an educator and Protestant pastor, runs the Institution Mixte Lumiere Celeste school and Eglise Du Christ Harmonie Des Rachetes, both of which have been upended by the recent escalation of gang violence.

Unfortunately, due to the crisis, we cant function. I have a school, but the school has almost been destroyed, said Vernet, 43. Out of the students we have now, some are orphans, and the others are children of parents who could not afford to flee the violence.

The school has become more than a place of learning; it is now a sanctuary for many children who have lost their homes and families to the violence and the chaos.

Telemaque Vernet. (Courtesy Telemaque Vernet)

Lemer Celest School is a private school for children in pre-kindergarten to the sixth grade. Vernet, the schools director, said that since January 2022, he has stopped collecting fees so local children could have a safe place to go.

The kids whose parents can afford to pay left the town, he said. The ones that are here cant afford to pay the tuition.

The school serves about 60 children and maintains an open-door policy, as highlighted by a third grader named Princile, 7, who understands this well: They dont turn people away because of money.

For children who are orphans or whose parents are homeless, Vernet has made arrangements for them to sleep in the church, providing them with sleeping bags.

A church in Haiti (Courtesy Telemaque Vernet)

Some of those kids left to go live with an uncle or an aunt, and every now and then, I follow up with them and share some food, etc., he said. If they have absolutely nowhere else to go, I try to keep them here with me.

Vernet said many of the children have witnessed unspeakable horrors and, before coming to the church, lived in constant fear of the violence that ravaged their community.

Elie, a 9-year-old fifth -grader who said he dreams of becoming a general medicine practitioner, said:

They are always shooting. Theres a war between gangs and the police. I can hear them and see them at school.

On March 4, Haiti declared a state of emergency following coordinated attacks by gangs on government institutions, the airport and prisons, resulting in the release of thousands of prisoners. According to the nonprofit organization ACAPS, formerly the Assessment Capacities Project, which provides data to humanitarian groups, gangs now control about 80% of the geography of Port-au-Prince.

Vernet said his own home in Canaan was burned down on Jan. 21, 2022, forcing him and his family to live in the church, close to the school. Despite the hardships, Vernet has remained committed to his community, providing food and shelter for those in need. Princile said he and his classmates sometimes got to eat plantains, rice or spaghetti for lunch.

Styrofoam plates of plantains and hotdogs (Courtesy Telemaque Vernet)

For children like Elie and Princile, Vernets school is a place of refuge. When there are shootings, we go to the pastors church and sleep there, Elie said.

Vernets efforts were not without their challenges.

We have a lot of people. Unfortunately, we dont have any resources, he said. When possible, I buy a bag of rice. I could have used it for my own family, but I would rather share it with the people in the community and give each a can.

The children under Vernets care, many of whom are orphans or come from single-parent households, say they have found solace and support in the church and the school. They spend their weekends playing on the school playground or in front of the church while Vernet, his team of three teachers and his wife teach them, feed them and strive to protect their innocence amid the turmoil.

We try our best to protect them so the crisis in Haiti wont completely affect them, Vernet said. If you see them right now, they are in a lot of distress. The images I would rather show are pictures of when they are happy when we are teaching them. Youll see that they are kids. Now, if you take a picture of them, youll see distress and pain.

Children in a classroom at Lemer Celest School (Courtesy Telemaque Vernet)

Vernet said he has struggled to receive aid from global humanitarian organizations.

Personally, Ive written letters to many organizations for aid, but they never respond, he said. Yes, they do help people; I hear it on the radio all the time, but personally, I have not gained anything.

As the crisis in Haiti rages on, Vernet said, he remains resolute in his mission to help the children of Canaan. He said that when the gang violence started, most people fled, but that as a leader, he resisted. Although it is scary, even if its under a tent, I am committed to staying and wont leave the town, he said.
An attorney facing criminal charges for illegally accessing Michigan voting machines after the 2020 election was arrested Monday after a hearing in a separate case in federal court in Washington, D.C.

Stefanie Lambert was arrested by U.S. Marshals after a hearing over possible sanctions against her for disseminating confidential emails from Dominion Voting Systems, the target of conspiracy theories over former President Donald Trump's 2020 election loss. Lambert obtained the Dominion emails by representing Patrick Byrne, a prominent funder of election conspiracy theorists who is being sued by Dominion for defamation.

In a statement, the Marshals office said Lambert was arrested on local charges. A Michigan judge earlier this month issued a bench warrant for Lambert after she missed a hearing in her case, in which she's charged with four felonies for accessing voting machines in a search for evidence of a conspiracy theory against Trump. Lambert had earlier, unsuccessfully, sued to overturn Trump's loss in Michigan.

Earlier Monday, Lambert had acknowledged passing on the records from Dominion Voting Systems to law enforcement. She then attached an affidavit that included some of the leaked emails and was signed by Dar Leaf, a county sheriff in northern Michigan who has investigated false claims of widespread election fraud from the 2020 election, to a filing in her own case in Michigan. The rest of the documents were posted to an account under Leaf's name on X, the social platform formally known as Twitter.

Leaf did not respond to requests for comment. Byrne wrote in a text that he did not know if Lambert had been arrested, but if she was, I respect her even more, and she can raise her rate to me.

Lambert contended the Dominion documents obtained under discovery were evidence of crimes and needed to be disclosed.

Byrne wrote on X that Lambert signed an NDA, but she found evidence of ongoing crime, and reported it to law enforcement. If she found a severed head in discovery box she had a duty to report it to law-enforcement, too.

Dominion on Friday filed a motion demanding Lambert be removed from the Byrne case for violating a protective order that U.S. District Court Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya had placed on documents in the case. It said Lambert's disclosure had triggered a new round of threats toward the company, which has been at the center of elaborate conspiracy theories about Trump's loss.

These actions should shock the conscience, Dominion wrote in its motion seeking to disqualify Lambert. They reflect a total disregard for this Courts orders, to say nothing of the safety of Dominion employees.

Upadhyaya during a hearing Monday said she had scheduled a subsequent one to determine whether sanctions against Lambert or removing her from the case were appropriate.

Dominion filed several defamation lawsuits against those who spread conspiracy theories blaming its election equipment for Trump's 2020 loss. Fox News settled the most prominent of these cases for $787 million last year.

Dominion's suit against Byrne is one of several the company has filed against prominent election deniers, including MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and attorney Sidney Powell.

___
MOSCOW  Vladimir Putin took to the Red Square stage Monday for an election celebration that seemed to carry a grander message for the flag-waving crowd of thousands, and for the world: Having extended his rule over Russia, his focus would be tightening his grip on Ukrainian territory.

Together, hand in hand  we will move on, he proclaimed before singing along to the national anthem, just hours after claiming a landslide win in a stage-managed election with no opposition.

Flanked by his favorite musical acts, pro-war celebrities and the three officially approved figures put on the ballot with him, he led this celebratory event to mark the 10th anniversary of his annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. Ukrainian officials told NBC News that the party was nothing but propaganda, and decried as illegal coercion the votes held for the first time in four newly annexed regions.

After three days of voting, Russias electoral commission said Putin had received 87% of the ballots, the biggest win of his political career, in what the Kremlin painted as an unequivocal public stamp of approval for his invasion of Ukraine, even though critics of the war were barred from running.

Just hours later, the Russian leader was in Red Square, where his face was beamed onto huge screens so that it could be seen from Lenins mausoleum and beyond.

From a stage beneath the colorful domes of St. Basils Cathedral, the music was at times as loud as thunder and the red-brick walls of the Kremlin flickered with the lights of the stage. The crowd  mostly students, some of whom said they had been given free tickets to the event  cheered and sang along as Russian stars performed patriotic ballads.

Mostly under 20 years old, many had their faces painted in the colors of the Russian flag. Putin, in power for the last 24 years, is the only leader they have ever known. They may be well into adulthood before seeing another.

He has made Russia a lot better than it was, Maksim Druzhinin, 18, said, speaking in English. Asked whether he expected to turn 30 before Putin might leave office, the teen, who is a student at the capitals prestigious Higher School of Economics, said: There is a question: Who else?

Putin Speech Moscow (Natasha Lebedeva / NBC News)

He has been keeping the country together for many years, said Alexandra Volkova, a programming student, speaking in Russian. He is definitely the most reliable candidate out there, the 18-year-old said.

Of course, the Kremlins crackdown on dissent means gauging public opinion in Russia is difficult. And this was an especially pro-Putin crowd, not filled with those who turned out at noon Sunday in a silent show of defiance called for by the opposition, or quietly resigned to life under Putin.

Crimea is not Russian

Putin used the occasion to promise to extend the Russian railroad system all the way to occupied Crimea, as an alternative to the bridge connecting the peninsula to the Russian mainland that has come under frequent Ukrainian attacks.

The Russian leader also commended the people of Crimea for what he said was their dedication to Moscow.

President Vladimir Putin seized Crimea from Ukraine a decade ago, a move that sent his popularity soaring but was widely denounced as illegal. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP)

They are our pride, Putin said. They never separated themselves from Russia. And this is what allowed Crimea to return to our common family.

That return, which boosted Putins approval ratings and set the course for Russias expansionism in the decade to follow, is considered an illegal land grab by most of the international community, rather than a historic homecoming.

Crimea, which is crucial to Russias naval power, has been used as a major hub and launchpad for the war against Ukraine, which has vowed to reclaim it along with all of its occupied territory and has increasingly targeted Russian military targets on the peninsula.

Crimea is not Russian, Tamila Tasheva, Kyivs permanent representative in Crimea, told NBC News. Legally, the territory is Ukrainian. And this, by the way, is very clearly understood subconsciously in Russia itself, and that is why such celebrations are held in order to convince themselves of the nonexistent, she said of the event in Red Square.

Eight years after occupying Crimea, Russia annexed four other regions from Ukraine in 2022: Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south, as well as Donetsk and Luhansk in the east. Some of those regions are only partially controlled by Russian troops, though that didnt stop the Kremlin from holding a vote that saw armed men at some polling stations.

President Vladimir Putin seized Crimea from Ukraine a decade ago, a move that sent his popularity soaring but was widely denounced as illegal. (Alexander Zemlianichenko / AP)

The Russian electoral commission said that in four out of the five annexed regions, including Crimea, voters gave Putin more than 90% of the vote.

These results are fictitious and are devoid of any legitimacy while Ukrainians there who oppose the Kremlin continue to suffer at the hands of the Russians, said Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Tasheva dismissed the claimed results as primitive propaganda.

But for the Kremlin, the message of the three-day election, and its Monday night celebration, was clear. Ukraine will have to fight to keep hold of its territory, with Putins eyes now set firmly beyond the Red Square stage to the battlefields that will define his legacy.

Keir Simmons and Natasha Lebedeva reported from Moscow, and Yuliya Talmazan from London.
(Reuters) -Saudi Arabia's government plans to create a fund of about $40 billion to invest in artificial intelligence, the New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing three people briefed on the plans.

Representatives of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) have discussed a potential partnership with U.S. venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and other financiers in recent weeks, the newspaper reported.

Andreessen Horowitz and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan have discussed the possibility of the U.S. firm setting up an office in Riyadh, according to the report.

PIF officials also discussed what role Andreessen Horowitz could play and how such a fund would work, the newspaper said, adding the plans could still change.

Other venture capitalists may participate in kingdom's artificial intelligence fund, which is expected to commence in the second half of 2024, the newspaper said.

Saudi representatives have indicated to potential partners that the country is interested in supporting a variety of tech start-ups associated with artificial intelligence, including chip makers and large-scale data centers, the report added.

PIF and Andreessen Horowitz did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.

Last month, PIF's Al-Rumayyan pitched the kingdom as a prospective hub for artificial intelligence activity outside U.S., citing its energy resources and funding capacity.

Al-Rumayyan had said the kingdom had the "political will" to make artificial intelligence projects happen and ample funds it could deploy to nurture the technology's development.

(Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru, Editing by William Maclean, Nia Williams and Alistair Bell)
WASHINGTON  When thousands of dollars' worth of pure methamphetamine was found in a car driven by Delilah Guadalupe Diaz, she claimed she didn't know about the illegal cargo.

Diaz's argument at trial failed, but her legal fight continued, with the Supreme Court on Tuesday considering whether prosecutors could submit evidence inferring that people convicted of being drug mules generally know what they are transporting.

Diaz was sentenced to seven years in prison and is appealing her drug trafficking conviction.

A U.S. citizen living in California, Diaz was stopped by a Border Patrol agent in August 2020 after crossing into the United States from Mexico at the San Ysidro port of entry.

She told the agent the car was her boyfriend's. The agent then asked her to roll down the rear window. She said it was manual, and the officer tried to open it himself. According to the Justice Department, the agent encountered resistance and heard a crunching sound, which can be a sign that drugs have been hidden inside the vehicle.

A search revealed 55 pounds of methamphetamine with a retail value of $368,550.

Diaz has maintained that she did not know the drugs were in the car, saying her boyfriend had loaned it to her when she was returning to the U.S. from a trip to Mexico.

At issue at the Supreme Court is a rule of evidence that was amended after John Hinckley Jr. was found not guilty based on his insanity defense for the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Congress amended the rule in an effort to exclude testimony by expert witnesses about a defendant's mental state.

The rule says "an expert witness must not state an opinion about whether the defendant did or did not have a mental state or condition that constitutes an element of the crime charged or of a defense."

At Diaz's trial, a Department of Homeland Security agent testified that drug cartels do not normally allow large quantities of drugs to be transported by so-called blind mules who are not aware of their cargo.

Diaz's lawyer unsuccessfully sought for the testimony to be omitted, saying it was the "functional equivalent" of telling the jury that she knew about the drugs.

During oral arguments Tuesday, the justices did not seem satisfied by either side's interpretation of the law, although there were indications the government could ultimately win.

Several justices indicated that in such cases, the defense could simply call their own witness to rebut the prosecution's expert.

Diaz's lawyers could have called "an expert who says there's no way for someone to suspect or know that the car has drugs in it," Justice Amy Coney Barrett said.

Some justices also indicated that as long as the witness does not directly address the defendant's state of mind, it might be acceptable to have general information about the type of people who are found to be drug mules.

"Couldn't you characterize it as the expert is speaking to the class of people who have drugs in their car and know about it?" Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said.

Justice Department lawyer Matthew Guarnieri conceded that the government does not need to introduce the kind of evidence submitted in Diaz's case to win drug mule convictions. Such evidence is already barred in the courts covered by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes Texas.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, who seemed sympathetic to Diaz's argument, addressed that issue, noting the other evidence in Diaz's case that could have supported a conviction.

"The defendant couldn't open the window. The agent well knows that usually means there are drugs stuffed in the panels of the vehicle," he said. "I mean, one can draw an inference from that pretty quickly when she says, 'I can't roll down my window.'"
Prosecutor Marissa Giovenco, center left, hugs a relative of victim Mercedes Losoya late Monday after Jose Angel Ruiz was sentenced to life in prison for the death of the 5-year-old. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Irene Ruiz, mother of Jose Angel Ruiz, testifies about the difficulties in his childhood during his sentencing hearing Monday night. A jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Defense attorney Loraine Efron points to Jose Angel Ruiz as she argues for understanding at his sentencing hearing Monday night. Ruiz was found guilty and sentenced him to life in prison in the 2022 beating death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jose Angel Ruiz cries Monday as his mother, Irene Ruiz, tells jurors who will sentence him about the difficulties in his childhood. The jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jose Angel Ruiz cries Monday as his mother, Irene Ruiz, tells jurors who will sentence him about the difficulties in his childhood. The jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Samantha Rey, sister of defendant Jose Angel Ruiz, testifies about the difficulties in his childhood during the sentencing phase of his trial Monday night. A jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Marissa Giovenco points to defendant Jose Angel Ruiz as she asks a jury Monday to give him the maximum sentence for the 2022 beating death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Lupe Marin Torres, right, the great-great grandmother of Mercedes Losoya, embraces prosecutor Marissa Giovenco after Jose Angel Ruiz was sentenced Monday to life in prison for the death of the 5-year-old. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

As a boy, Jose Angel Ruiz was singled out for mistreatment by his stepfather, who beat him nearly to death and routinely forced him to stand for hours while holding heavy objects.

His defense lawyer described that history to jurors who would soon deliberate his sentence for the torture killing of Mercedes Losoya, 5.

The jury capped the horrific trial by taking 12 minutes late Monday to send Ruiz to prison for life. The panel had taken just 45 minutes to find Ruiz, 27, guilty of seven counts of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

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In a week of agonizing testimony, the reasons why Mercedes wound up dead in a hospital emergency room on Feb. 7, 2022, reverberated through the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center. The 187th District Court was packed with lawyers sitting among relatives of the girl and her accused killer, the proceedings shown live online by KSAT-12 and on state District Judge Stephanie Boyds YouTube page.

Witnesses described gruesome treatment of Mercedes that her mother, Katrina Rose Mendoza, allowed to continue after she moved into Ruizs apartment with her and another daughter, Jordan, then 6.

Mendoza, now 24, a co-defendant who has pleaded guilty to assault in exchange for her cooperation with prosecutors, is expected to be sentenced in the same courtroom at a later date.

Before the jury left to conduct one of the shortest deliberations on record for punishment, they heard about but didnt see another image taken from Ruizs phone as evidence. He had forced Mercedes to show her private parts for his camera during one of his discipline sessions with the girl.

Boyd did not allow that photo to be displayed, but prosecutors brought it up in their closing arguments to cap off a case that was strewn with horrific photographs and video of torture and humiliation from the defendants phone. He had shared them with Mendoza.

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To defense attorney Loraine Efron, the trial was Chapter 2 of Ruizs life, and in her opening statement in the punishment phase, she offered reasons why Mercedes never had a chance while in his control.

She invoked what forensic psychologist and defense expert Dr. John Matthew Fabian said he discovered in his evaluation of Ruiz  that his father was sent to prison for participating in the sexual assault and killing of a 15-year-old girl before Ruiz was born.

Jose had the curse of a double-whammy: nurture and nature, Efron told the jury. He was cursed by nature with horrific violence from a father he never met.

His mother, Irene Ruiz, testified that she had three children as a teenager with the father who went to prison. She remarried and had four more, and her husband got hurt and could no longer work.

A sister also testified and said Ruiz got it worse than the rest of his siblings at the hands of the stepfather.

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Efron did not excuse what happened to Mercedes.

In a home that tended to normalize abuse, trauma, chaos and lack of attachment, these were things that were modeled early on, she said.

The mitigating circumstances Efron described contained similarities to what Ruiz did to Mercedes in the weeks leading up to her death.

The defense witnesses said Ruiz was hospitalized for several months as a little boy after a severe beating from his stepfather. Every day, the same man would hit Ruiz on the top of his head with a cane or a shoe.

Ruiz suffered a concussion at 12 from those beatings, Efron told the jury, and since then has experienced neurological issues.

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It had an impact on his world view and ability to assess right or wrong, she said. No one intervened on his behalf, and it happened day after day after day. His message? Its normal. No ones doing anything about it.

Prosecutor Marissa Giovenco wasnt having it.

Who doesnt get a Chapter 2? Mercedes Losoya. She didnt even get a Chapter 1, Giovenco said.

A former prosecutor who initially handled the case, now a defense attorney in private practice, she was sworn in by Bexar County District Attorney Joe D. Gonzales to continue working it at trial.

Giovenco asked jurors to consider the life Mercedes did not get to live, and the torture and abuse.

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She recalled Ruizs police interview in which he told detectives that he never would have subjected Mercedes to what they accused him of, because bad things were done to him as a child.

Prior abuse is no excuse. Someone has to end the cycle, Giovenco said. I ask you not show him any mercy like he didnt to Mercedes and sentence him to the maximum.

Twelve minutes later, the jury did.

The victim impact statement on behalf of the paternal side of the childs family, given by Valerie Rios, an aunt of Mercedes, shook many in the gallery.

Rios said the family lives daily with angst and grief that Mercedes was tortured for weeks. They felt pure anger and disgust at Ruiz, whom they saw grinning in the courtroom and who has never shown remorse for what he did, she said.

There were no kind words for Mendoza, either, because Mercedes had family members who wanted to adopt her and raise her as their own, Rios said.

She just wanted to be loved by her mother, Rios said, fighting back tears. We tried everything in our legal power, reached out to authorities  we begged to care for Mercedes and Jordan.
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan's vice president-elect and former de facto ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, is on a visit to the Czech Republic following a low-key trip to the United States, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, triggering anger from China.

Hsiao, who takes office with president-elect Lai Ching-te in May, is detested by China which calls her a "diehard Taiwan independence separatist" and has placed sanctions on her.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, a view the government in Taipei strongly rejects.

Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu said Hsiao had been invited to the Czech Republic by the Sinopsis think-tank and will speak to them, as well as meet other "friends" in the country to exchange views ahead of her inauguration.

Czech Senate speaker Milos Vystrcil, who visited Taiwan in 2020, on Tuesday posted a picture on his X social media page of him meeting and chatting with Hsiao.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the Czech government should "severely restrain certain (Czech) politicians" and "take effective measures to remove the negative influence of this incident".

Taiwan has no formal diplomatic ties with any European country except the Vatican.

But Central and Eastern European countries have been particularly keen to show support for Taiwan - especially following Russia's attack of Ukraine - defying Beijing's anger about such contacts and lessening Taiwan's international diplomatic isolation.

China expressed anger last week about Hsiao's U.S. trip, on what both Taiwan and the United States termed a private visit.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Miral Fahmy)
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump reiterated that the United States would only help protect NATO members from a future attack by Russia if its European members spent more on defense.

In an interview with Britain's right-leaning GB News that was released on Tuesday, Trump repeated remarks that triggered an uproar both at home and abroad last month. He told a campaign rally that he would encourage Russia "to do whatever the hell they want" to a NATO member if it wasn't spending enough on defense.

In the interview with Trump ally and former British politician Nigel Farage, then former president again defended his recent remark that if he lost the election, there would be a "bloodbath," saying it applied to the American auto industry. And he again said he would deport migrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

Trump has frequently taken aim at the failure of many of NATO's 32 members to meet a defense spending target of at least 2% of gross domestic product. The U.S. military forms the core of the alliance's military power. NATO estimates have shown that only 11 members are spending at the target level.

After Trump's February comments, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said he expected 18 allies to reach the spending target this year.

Defending his February comments, Trump said he did not care if his political opponents used them against him in the run-up to the Nov. 5 election, in which he will face Democratic President Joe Biden, a staunch supporter of NATO.

"I don't care if they use it," Trump said. "Because what I'm saying is a form of negotiation. Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money and the United States was paying for most of NATO?," Trump said.

Asked if the U.S. would defend NATO allies if they started to "pay their bills properly," Trump said, "Yes. But the United States should pay its fair share, not everybody else's fair share."

"So if they start to play fair, America's there?" interviewer Nigel Farage asked.

"Yes. 100 percent," Trump replied.

AUTO INDUSTRY 'BLOODBATH,' DEPORTING UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS

In a speech on Saturday, Trump predicted a "bloodbath for the whole country" as he discussed placing tariffs on imported cars and foreign competition with the U.S. auto industry, provoking an outcry.

In Tuesday's interview, he said, "It's going to be a bloodbath, in the auto industry, because we're going to lose our whole industry, because this guy's (Biden) going to all-electric cars, and they're made in China, that's where the material is, that's where the minerals are, that's where everything is." Trump did not provide further details.

Asked about his immigration policy if he became president again, Trump reiterated he would deport migrants who illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border.

"You can come into the country, but you have to come in legally. They're here illegally, especially these criminals. I'm going to deport them. We're going to get them out right away," he said.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington)
By Doina Chiacu

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos over comments the news anchor made on air involving the rape case brought against the former U.S. president by writer E. Jean Carroll.

Trump, a Republican, is already embroiled in multiple unrelated legal battles as he seeks to avoid going to trial on four criminal indictments before the Nov. 5 U.S. election, when he will try to unseat Democratic President Joe Biden.

The new lawsuit said the anchor of ABC's Sunday news program "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" "falsely stated on several occasions that Plaintiff had been found liable by multiple juries for the rape of Ms. E. Jean Carroll."

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Southern Florida, accuses Stephanopoulos of making the statements with malice and a disregard for the truth. It said the statements were distributed widely to third parties and repeated.

ABC News said it had no comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit cites a March 10 interview with U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican who has spoken publicly about being raped as a teenager. Stephanopoulos said Trump was found liable for rape and asked her how she could endorse the candidate.

A New York jury in May said Trump must pay $5 million in damages for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s and then defaming her by branding her a liar. In a subsequent defamation lawsuit brought by Carroll, a federal jury in Manhattan on Jan. 26 ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million to Carroll. Trump has appealed.

Since launching his first presidential campaign in 2015, Trump has often attacked media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. He has filed multiple similar unsuccessful defamation lawsuits, including a $475 million case against CNN that was thrown out by a federal judge in July.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
A U.S. missionary whos been traveling back and forth to Haiti for more than a dozen years helping run a school and an orphanage says it was frightening being trapped in the country for three weeks.

Miriam Cinotti in Haiti (Courtesy Miriam Cinotti)

It was scary, Miriam Cinotti said, adding that the group was stuck in a remote village in the south of Haiti for three weeks and although they were safe, they were able to access help.

We couldnt get to where the help was coming to, we couldnt get to Cap-Haitien, we couldnt get to, you know, different places, even get on a government plane, she said.

Cinotti detailed the challenging logistics of evacuating from a remote location, including difficulty accessing the internet and printing facilities. She said Project Dynamo, an organization that specializes in evacuation operations, and its help were crucial to her rescue.

The missionary, whose family runs a bakery in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, was among the 13 people evacuated from Haiti over the weekend with the help of U.S. Rep. Cory Mills. R-Fla. Amid escalating security concerns and the shutdown of Haitis primary airport, many foreigners have been stranded in the country.

Our team successfully conducted another rescue of 13 Americans out of PAP Haiti, Mills said Monday on X.

Cinotti said that shes been traveling to Haiti for 14 years as part of her missionary work, and that she and her fellow missionaries have witnessed violence and unrest before, but she said that they are driven by the importance of the work they do.

Weve heard gunshots, wed been there when roads were blocked, she said, adding, Ive never felt scared enough not to go.

The deteriorating security situation in Haiti, exacerbated by recent gang violence, has led to heightened concerns for the safety of native residents and foreigners in the country. The airport shutdown in Port-au-Prince has further complicated efforts.

Earlier this month, Mills was involved with rescuing 10 people from the Have Faith Orphanage in Haiti. Bestselling author and award-winning journalist Mitch Albom established the orphanage and was among those rescued.

The author said Mills and Michigan Republican Rep. Lisa McClain helped the group, which included Americans and people from Canada and France.

I am back on American soil. Thank you to all have supported us during this difficult week. My wife and I are safe tonight, Albom said last week on X.

The State Department has continued its efforts to repatriate American citizens from Haiti, with more than 30 individuals being repatriated Sunday on a government-chartered flight that landed in Miami.

A contingent of U.S. Marines was deployed to Port-au-Prince on March 13 to safeguard the U.S. Embassy, which had largely evacuated nonessential personnel the previous year.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties, Cinotti remains hopeful and committed to supporting Haiti.

The people in Haiti still need the love, they need your funds to missions, she emphasized. Were never going to forget Haiti, and I will forever keep putting them up there and lifting them up.
KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AP)  Moscow-backed separatists pounded eastern Ukraines industrial Donbas region Friday, claiming the capture of a railway hub as concerns grew that besieged cities in the region would undergo the same horrors experienced by the people of Mariupol in the weeks leading up to the ports capture.

Ukrainian officials renewed their appeals for more sophisticated Western-supplied weaponry. Without it, they said, Ukrainian forces wouldnt be able to stop Russias offensive.

A Russian serviceman stands guarding an area of the Mariupol Sea Port in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 27.



A Russian serviceman stands guarding an area of the Mariupol Sea Port in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 27.

The fighting Friday focused on two key cities: Sievierodonetsk and nearby Lysychansk. They are the last areas under Ukrainian control in Luhansk, one of two provinces that make up the Donbas and where Russia-backed separatists have already controlled some territory for eight years. Authorities say 1,500 people in Sievierodonetsk have already died since the wars start scarcely more than three months ago.

Massive artillery shelling does not stop, day and night, Sievierodonetsk Mayor Oleksandr Striuk told The Associated Press. The city is being systematically destroyed  90% of the buildings in the city are damaged.

Striuk described conditions in Sievierodonetsk as reminiscent of the battle for Mariupol, located in the Donbas other province, Donetsk. Now in ruins, the port city was constantly barraged by Russian forces in a nearly three-month siege that ended last week when Russia claimed its capture. More than 20,000 of its civilians are feared dead.

Before the war, Sievierodonetsk was home to around 100,000 people. About 12,000 to 13,000 remain in the city, Striuk said, huddled in shelters and largely cut off from the rest of Ukraine. At least 1,500 people have died because of the war, now in its 93rd day. The figure includes people killed by shelling or in fires caused by Russian missile strikes, as well as those who died from shrapnel wounds, untreated diseases, a lack of medicine or while trapped under rubble, the mayor said.

Russian Emergency Situations Ministry workers disassemble a destroyed building in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 27.



Russian Emergency Situations Ministry workers disassemble a destroyed building in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 27. (Alexei Alexandrov/)

An assault was underway Friday in the citys northeastern quarter, where Russian reconnaissance and sabotage groups tried to capture the Mir Hotel and the area around it, Striuk said.

Hints of Russias strategy for the Donbas can be found in Mariupol, where Moscow is consolidating its control through measures including state-controlled broadcast programming and overhauled school curricula, according to an analysis from the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank.

Gen. Phillip Breedlove, former head of U.S. European Command for NATO, said Friday during a panel mounted by the Washington-based Middle East Institute that Russia appears to have once again adjusted its objectives, and fearfully now it seems that they are trying to consolidate and enforce the land that they have rather than focus on expanding it.

But the relentless assaults in the Donbas also indicated Russias desire to expand its dominion there. Ukrainian analysts said Russian forces have taken advantage of delays in Western arms shipments to step up their offensive there.

Local civilians gather to receive pure water distributed by Russian Emergency Situations Ministry in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 27, 2022, with the letter Z, which has become a symbol of the Russian military on a board of the truck.



Local civilians gather to receive pure water distributed by Russian Emergency Situations Ministry in Mariupol, in territory under the government of the Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine, Friday, May 27, 2022, with the letter Z, which has become a symbol of the Russian military on a board of the truck. (Alexei Alexandrov/)

That aggressive push could backfire, however, by seriously depleting Russias arsenal. Echoing an assessment from the British Defense Ministry, military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said Russia was deploying 50-year-old T-62 tanks, which means that the second army of the world has run out of modernized equipment.

Russia-backed rebels said Friday that they had taken over Lyman, Donetsks large railway hub north of two more key cities still under Ukrainian control. Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych acknowledged the loss Thursday night, though a Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson reported Friday that its soldiers countered Russian attempts to completely push them out.

As Ukraines hopes of stopping the Russian advance faded, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pleaded with Western nations for heavy weapons, saying it was the one area in which Russia had a clear advantage.

Without artillery, without multiple launch rocket systems we wont be able to push them back, he said.

A local resident Nikolai Kononenko, 67, opens the door of a bomb shelter in the village of Mayaky, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 27, 2022.



A local resident Nikolai Kononenko, 67, opens the door of a bomb shelter in the village of Mayaky, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 27, 2022. (Andriy Andriyenko/)

Just south of Sievierodonetsk, volunteers hoped to evacuate 100 people from a smaller town. It was a painstaking process: Many of the evacuees from Bakhmut were elderly or infirm and needed to be carried out of apartment buildings in soft stretchers and wheelchairs.

Minibuses and vans zipped through the city, picking up dozens for the first leg of a long journey west.

Bakhmut is a high-risk area right now, said Mark Poppert, an American volunteer working with the British charity RefugEase. Were trying to get as many people out as we can.

In his nightly address to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had some harsh words for the European Union, which has not agreed on a sixth round of sanctions that includes an embargo on Russian oil. Hungary, one of Moscows closest allies in the EU, is obstructing the deal.

Zelenskyy said Russias offensive in the Donbas could leave its communities in ashes, and he accused Moscow of pursuing an obvious policy of genocide through mass deportations and killings of civilians.

On Thursday, the Russian shelling of Kharkiv, a northeastern city, killed nine people, including a father and his 5-month-old baby, the president said. AP reporters saw the bodies of at least two dead men and four wounded at a subway station where the victims were taken.

To the north, neighboring Belarus  used by Russia as a staging ground before the invasion  announced Friday that it was sending troops toward the Ukrainian border.

Elena kneels over the body of her husband Alexey after he died during shelling at the subway in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, Thursday, May 26, 2022.



Elena kneels over the body of her husband Alexey after he died during shelling at the subway in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, Thursday, May 26, 2022. (Bernat Armangue/)

Some European leaders sought dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin about easing the global food crisis, exacerbated by Ukraines inability to ship millions of tons of grain and other agricultural products.

Italian Premier Mario Draghi said there were no breakthroughs during his Thursday conversation with Putin.

If you are asking me if there are openings for peace, the answer is no, Draghi told reporters.

Moscow has sought to shift the blame for the food crisis to the West, calling upon its leaders to lift existing sanctions.

Putin told Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Friday that Ukraine should remove Black Sea mines to allow safe shipping, according to a Kremlin readout of their conversation; Russia and Ukraine have traded blame for the mines near Ukraines ports.

Nehammers office said the two leaders also discussed a prisoner exchange and that Putin indicated efforts to arrange one would be intensified.
Back when they were single, identical twins sisters Venessa and Kerissa Sealby never dreamed they would marry identical twin brothers.

We didnt have any interest in dating twins, Venessa, 28, tells TODAY.com. The idea kind of creeped us out, like no, thats weird. And physically we had completely different types.

Then, in June 2020, when Venessa was working as a personal trainer, a client told her about a pair of identical twin brothers named Lucas and Jacob Sealby. Like Venessa and Kerissa, they were sporty.

She was like, You and Kerissa ran track at University of Oregon, they ran track at Washington State, and I think youd be a perfect match, Venessa recalls.

The client had a feeling Venessa would gravitate toward Lucas, the more extroverted sibling.

I told her, You can give him my number, but Im not going to reach out to him, Venessa says. "And so that's what she did."

Hours later, Venessa received a text from Lucas inviting her and Kerissa over to his and Jacobs apartment in Medford, Oregon.

Venessa teases that Lucas was "definitely taller and more handsome than this Facebook picture!"

Identical Twins (Courtesy Sealby family)

Just as Venessas client predicted, she gravitated towards Lucas, while Kerissa felt a connection with Jacob.

Kerissa describes Jacob as a total goofball, but notes that hes shy around new people. According to Venessa, it makes sense that she was drawn to Lucas.

Were both the outgoing twin, she explains. In high school, I spoke for Kerissa and he spoke for Jacob.

Identical Twins (Courtesy Sealby family)

After that first hangout, Venessa knew she had found the one.

As soon as we got in the car, I looked at Kerissa and said, Im calling mom, because Im marrying that man, Venessa says.

Kerissa came to the same conclusion a few days later.

Jacob and had a one-on-one date and I was like, OK. This is actually happening, Kerissa says. The whole thing seemed so crazy.

Venessa and Lucas tied the knot in October 2022, while Kerissa and Jacob exchanged wedding vows in June 2023.

When Venessa and Kerissa are asked if they considered a double wedding, the sisters respond with a resounding no!

A double life

In April 2022, the Sealbys moved into neighboring houses in Oregon, where they spend their evenings playing card games. They also love to go bowling.

We live two steps away from each other, Kerissa says. Were constantly running back and forth to each others houses. Im at Venessas probably 10 times a day.

Venessa and Lucas are parents of 5-month-old daughter, Adrian, while Kerissa and Jacob share Sophie, 19 months.

Sophie and Adrian are cousins, but also genetic siblings known as quaternary twins. Quaternary twins occur when one set of identical twins has children with another set of identical twins.

They share DNA in the same way siblings share DNA, Dr. John Pappas, director of pediatric clinic genetics at Hassenfeld Childrens Hospital at NYU Langone, tells TODAY.com.

Pappas adds that quaternary twins are extremely rare.

Even though they have different parents, theyre genetically full siblings, says Dr. Robert Green, a medical geneticist at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston.

Identical Twins (Courtesy Sealby family)

Venessa and Kerissa hope to be pregnant at the same time when they go for No. 2.

Weve been talking about it. Jacob and I are close to being ready," Kerissa says. It would be so fun to have kids the same age and at the same school.

Identical Twins (Courtesy Sealby family)

The Sealbys are talking about attending the annual Twins Days Festival in August. The event in Twinsburg, Ohio, is the largest annual gathering of twins and multiples in the world.

Kerissa says that identical twins just get each other. And there's comfort in that.

Before we met Lucas and Jacob, guys didnt understand why we needed to spend so much time together. Theyd get upset if I was like, I want to go to dinner with Venessa, just her and me, Kerissa explains. Jacobs past girlfriends would get mad at him for always wanting to be with Lucas.

But Kerissa never gets mad.

Jacob will get home from work, grab our daughter and go, Want to go see your cousin? she says, with a laugh. He just wants to hang out with his brother.

Im the same way, she says. That's what we do naturally.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
A young mother desperately called 911 before she was allegedly gunned down by a man charged with killing three people over the weekend and her mother tried to fend him off with an ax handle, Pennsylvania court documents said Monday.

Andre Gordon Jr., 26, is accused of killing three family members and leading police on a chase across state lines over the weekend.

He has been charged with murder in Pennsylvania and carjacking and weapons offenses in New Jersey.

He had two children with Taylor Daniel, 25, who was fatally shot Saturday morning in Levittown, Pennsylvania, according to an arrest affidavit. Daniel had called 911 just before she was killed, authorities said.

"The caller was identified as Taylor and the caller identified the male subject as 'Andre Gordon,'" the affidavit said.

Officers arrived at the house at 5 Edgewood Lane at 9:05 a.m. and discovered "Taylor Daniel had suffered a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene," the document said.

Daniel's brother John and mother, Nancy, were in the house when she was killed, Falls Township police said.

"Nancy stated that she heard gunshots, after which she exited her bedroom and began to hit Andre Gordon Jr. with a wooden ax handle," police said. "At that point, Andre Gordon Jr. struck Nancy in the head with a rifle, causing a laceration to the head."

Minutes earlier, at 8:52 a.m., Falls Township police arrived at 45 Viewpoint Lane to find the bodies of Karen Gordon and another victim, known only as KG, the affidavit said.

"Both subjects had suffered gunshot wounds and were deceased upon police arrival," the affidavit said.

Bucks County prosecutors had identified the victims on Viewpoint Lane as the suspect's stepmother, Karen Gordon, 52, and his 13-year-old sister, Kera Gordon.

Ring doorbell video "shows Andre Gordon Jr." appearing to "point the rifle into the residence through the broken window," according to the affidavit.

The suspect's father argued with him at Viewpoint Lane before he closed the door, authorities said.

"Andre Sr. opened the front door of the residence and confronted Andre Jr.," the affidavit said. "After a verbal exchange, Andre Sr. closed the door and went to his room to get dressed. At that point, while displaying a rifle, Andrew Jr. began to hit the front door of the residence, causing glass to break on the door. Andre Sr. then heard what he believed to be gunshots in the residence. Andre Sr. remained in his room until the arrival of police."

The suspect fled to Trenton, New Jersey, where he was captured later in the day, authorities said.

He was being held in New Jersey on Monday, and it wasn't immediately clear whether he had hired or been assigned a lawyer to speak on his behalf.
By Yelin Mo and Brenda Goh

BEIJING (Reuters) -China's Xiaomi reported a 10.9% rise in fourth-quarter revenue and beat adjusted net profit estimates boosted by strong smartphone sales as the sector shows signs of recovery.

Revenue rose to 73.24 billion yuan ($10.17 billion) in the October-December quarter versus the 73.17 billion expected by analysts, LSEG data showed.

"As previously expected, the overall smartphone shipments in the second half of 2023 were better than the first half," Xiaomi President Lu Weibing said on an earnings call.

"The global consumer electronics market continues to show a gradual recovery trend."

The company's adjusted net profit rose 236.1% to 4.9 billion yuan, beating the 3.89 billion expected by analysts.

The smartphone industry has been showing signs of recovery after a long period of sluggishness.

Xiaomi's fourth-quarter global smartphone shipments were up 23% from a year earlier to 40.7 million handsets, ranking it third globally with a market share of 13%, data from researcher Canalys showed.

In China, its largest market, its shipments were up 12% to 9.5 million handsets, ranking it fifth, also with a market share of 13%.

Xiaomi received a boost from the release of its premium Mi 14 series, which saw sales surpass 1 million handsets within the first week of its October launch.

EV LAUNCH

Still, an increasingly saturated market has seen Xiaomi diversify away from its core smartphone business. It is also known in China for domestic appliances, and it has gone into electric vehicles - a plan first flagged in 2021.

Xiaomi aims to begin deliveries of its first vehicles in China this month through 59 of its stores across 29 cities. Market watchers expect to learn the price at a March 28 launch event.

During the earnings call, Xiaomi President Lu said the company aims to secure third position in the battery-powered luxury sedan segment. He did not provide detail on how Xiaomi plans to achieve this goal.

Xiaomi's foray into EVs - described by CEO and founder Lei Jun as his last big entrepreneurship endeavour - comes at a time of intense price competition in China.

The firm has partnered with a unit of state-owned automaker BAIC to produce EVs in a Beijing factory with an annual capacity of 200,000 vehicles.

Xiaomi spent 10 billion yuan developing the vehicleLei has said, and has pledged to invest $10 billion in the automotive business over the next decade.

Xiaomi's earnings report showed its research and development expenses for the full year 2023 rose by 19.2% to 19.1 billion yuan primarily due to costs associated with its EV business and other initiatives.

($1 = 7.1994 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Yelin Mo and Brenda Goh; editing by Louise Heavens and Jason Neely)
By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York University said it has moved "decisively" to root out antisemitism on its campus, and that a lawsuit by Jewish students claiming they have been mistreated should be dismissed.

In a Monday night filing in Manhattan federal court, NYU said reports of antisemitism have declined significantly, sometimes to near zero, following a surge immediately after of the Oct. 7, 2023 outbreak of war in Gaza.

The university also said student victims of antisemitism lack legal standing to demand sweeping changes.

It said it has taken "far more" steps than the law requires to address their concerns, including the adoption of a "10 Point Plan" that boosts on-campus security and disciplines on people who violate its anti-discrimination policies.

"NYU recognizes that the past few months have been profoundly challenging for many members of its community, including its Jewish and Israeli students, but plaintiffs allegations do not state a claim," it said. "There is no need for this court's intervention now, and likely never will be."

Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond on Tuesday to requests for comment.

The lawsuit filed on Nov. 14 was among the earliest of the now many lawsuits accusing major universities including Carnegie-Mellon, Columbia, Harvard, MIT, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania of failing to stop and even encouraging antisemitism.

Columbia was sued separately last week over its decision to suspend two pro-Palestinian student groups that opposed Israel's conduct in its war against Hamas.

The NYU plaintiffs accused the school of violating federal civil rights law by enforcing its anti-discrimination policies unevenly, including by allowing chants such as "gas the Jews" and "Hitler was right" while ignoring other bigotry.

The case is Ingber et al v New York University, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 23-10023.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Among the most imposing scientific leadership roles in the U.S. is director of a national laboratory.

The most famous person ever to hold the job was J. Robert Oppenheimer, whose directorship of Los Alamos National Laboratory during the Manhattan Project got star treatment in Christopher Nolan's Oscar-winning film "Oppenheimer."

Today, Oak Ridge National Laboratory is not quite as sprawling as its fellow World War II site Los Alamos, which continues work on national security.

ORNL, however, is the Department of Energy's largest science and technology lab, with over 6,500 employees and a budget of about $2.5 billion. It calls itself "the world's premier research institution."

Its director must wear many hats to coordinate science across fields and at the highest level.

Stephen Streiffer, who took on the role late last year, leads the lab at a time when breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, clean energy and manufacturing are transforming daily life for many Americans. ORNL's mission is to produce cutting-edge research that secures the stature of the U.S. as a scientific leader.

Streiffer familiarized himself with the lab's diverse collection of one-of-a-kind tools, including the world's fastest supercomputer, a world-record particle accelerator and a nuclear reactor that creates rare radioactive materials used to start up nuclear power plants and fuel NASA rockets. He also learned the names and stories of many of the thousands of people who make the lab run.

Streiffer was appointed in July by UT-Battelle, a partnership of the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute, which operates the lab for the DOE's Office of Science. He became director on Oct. 16.

Streiffer and ORNL are not so distantly connected to Oppenheimer and the creation of the first nuclear weapon. Known by code name "X-10" during World War II, ORNL was home to the Graphite Reactor, the world's first continuously operating nuclear reactor that proved uranium could be transformed into plutonium.

Plutonium production for the second bomb was done in large reactors at the Hanford Site in eastern Washington, and the X-10 site did not enrich uranium for the first atomic bomb like other Oak Ridge sites K-25, S-50 and Y-12.

Still, ORNL's history is intimately tied to the Manhattan Project and the birth of the nuclear age. Across its history, the lab has built and operated 13 nuclear research reactors to power discoveries in industries like commercial nuclear power and medical isotopes.

Before leading ORNL, Streiffer was interim director of SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, an Office of Science facility operated by Stanford University. He worked for 24 years at Argonne National Laboratory outside Chicago, where he ended his tenure as deputy director for science and technology. He also co-directed the DOE's consortium to find urgent solutions during the pandemic.

Streiffer holds a doctorate in materials science and engineering from Stanford and a bachelors in materials science from Rice University. The diversity of work that happens at ORNL, from nuclear fusion to 3D printing to plant genetics and artificial intelligence, was unlike anything he has experienced before.

Knox News spoke with Streiffer to hear about his first five months as ORNL director and where he sees the lab leading on pressing issues like AI and clean energy, as well as how he reckons with the lab's origins.

The following conversation with Streiffer has been edited for length and clarity.

ORNL director: 'This is their lab. I work for them'

Knox News: What has surprised you about the role of ORNL director and what do you love about your job?

Streiffer: I love coming into work every day. Whats really gratifying to me is just seeing the breadth of the work that we do here. I just had an opportunity today to walk around with some of our nuclear fuels folks, and what they're doing is just mind-blowing. One has this sense of how diverse the portfolio is at ORNL from the outside, but you really don't know it until you live it.

One thing that will surprise no one who lives in this area, but does surprise people who come from the outside: This is a really great place to live. I mean, it's just absolutely beautiful here. I think that's one of the reasons that Knoxville and the surrounding areas have been growing so quickly is because that secrets getting out.

Knox News: What would you describe as some of your top priorities for your directorship? Do you get the sense they differ from those of your immediate predecessors?

Streiffer: No, I think the lab has been on a great trajectory. This includes the work that we've done in computing, the work that we've done in materials, the work that we've done in biological and environmental system science. We have new opportunities, for instance, in fusion, where we can take our expertise in materials and apply that to new problems. So for me, the biggest opportunities are ones where ORNL really has unique strengths and combines them to do things that other people, other laboratories and other institutions, just really aren't able to.

Knox News: How insulated is ORNL from changes in funding that might come after this year's presidential election? Could there be a sort of funding whiplash?

Streiffer: Im actually not very worried about that and there are a couple of reasons. One is that if you look at the large amount of money that has gone into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, a lot of it is really demonstration and deployment money that's gone to industry, and that's a good thing. The laboratory system has been a relatively modest player in that space.

The portfolio of the lab is also very diverse, so we benefit from the fact that different administrations will have a different set of priorities. Regardless of the priority, I almost guarantee that ORNL is doing something in the priority area. ORNL has actually grown substantially, and I think we really need to focus on impact, not growth. We're actually in a lot of ways really maxed out on what we can do with our physical facilities right now.

Knox News: It sounds like you're saying ORNL doesn't need to be building more buildings, it doesn't need to be increasing its staff all that much, because you're at max capacity. Is that correct?

Streiffer: I would soften it a little bit. We have the luxury of actually looking at the things where we can have the most impact rather than just taking whatever work comes our way. The Department of Energy is invested heavily in us and the laboratory has done a great job of renewing its facilities over the last several years.

Knox News: People have a tendency to talk about ORNL like it's this huge brain or a factory of ideas, and not a major workplace that thousands of people come to each day. What are some of your priorities on the workforce side of things, making ORNL a good place to come to work every day?

Streiffer: One of the questions I got asked early on is, "What's more important to you, the mission of ORNL or the people of ORNL?" My answer is, you don't do the mission without the people. The staff of the laboratory are the ones that generate the ideas that are the creativity of the lab. This is their lab. I work for them. My job is to make them successful.

Stephen Streiffer, the new director of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is leading the lab through a wave of major scientific advancements.

We need to continue to modernize the campus so that people have a nice work environment. It's really easy to find out that you have a lot of very complicated administrative processes that you've inflicted on yourself, rather than actually trying to respond to something that's being passed down to us by the Department of Energy. Trying to be creative about the way that we operate the lab to make it as easy and as fun to work here as possible is one of my real missions.

Knox News: How is the lab planning to balance developing AI technology at a rapid pace, while also making sure that's being done safely, and in a way that doesn't threaten human intelligence?

Streiffer: I think foundational to being able to advance the science of AI, is just trying to establish what it means to have a truthful AI. It's not a balance of moving AI forward while also trying to make AI trustworthy, we have to do them together. They have to be knitted together exactly in the way that we talk about in the national lab system of integrated safety management. You don't do your work and layer safety onto that, safety is actually part of the way that you do the work. And we've got to do the same thing for trustworthy AI. Otherwise, the whole field falls apart.

Knox News: The lab celebrated 80 years last year, and there are a lot of other Manhattan Project anniversaries coming up. It's somewhat of a complicated legacy, the creation of the atomic bomb. How do you think about that Manhattan Project origin?

Streiffer: Science and technology is always a double-edged sword. We always have to be stepping back and asking not only could we do something, but should we do something? Particularly as one of the labs that was so deeply involved in the Manhattan Project, I think we get that better than a lot of people. We've lived that in probably the most extreme way possible.

But we can't let that paralyze us either. We're always going to be revising the way that we think and the model based on the best information that we can get an any point in time. I think that's one of the legacies of the Manhattan Project and it's got to be part of the DNA of ORNL.

Knox News: On the question of nuclear power, it's hard to find a place that's more pro-nuclear than Oak Ridge. There's been a lot of difficulties in the past, though, getting advanced nuclear projects off the ground. What's different about nuclear right now and how can ORNL keep these projects from stalling?

Streiffer: I think the problems that are facing Tennessee, the nation and the world right now are a set of interlinking problems around sustainability and clean energy. That gives us a really unique moment in history where a lot of forces are coming together to say that we have to do this now.

One of the challenges has always been that deploying a new technology is expensive. What we can do as ORNL is help reduce the risk, take the expertise and the knowledge here, work with TVA and the nuclear power industry, and try to figure out how we actually make it happen this time, in a way that's ultimately affordable for the people who have to pay for it  the taxpayers and the rate payers.

Knox News: Type One Energy recently announced they intend to come to Anderson County for their fusion research prototype at an old TVA coal plant. What did you make of that announcement?

Streiffer: I think it's just amazing. I'd love to see more of that. I think the fact that TVA and Type One could come to this agreement on the use of the property that TVA was retiring is just fabulous. One of the reasons that they're doing it is the expertise just around the corner at the laboratory. The fact that Type One is looking at this as the place to do that R&D I think speaks volumes about just the nuclear ecosystem and the science and technology ecosystem that we have here in East Tennessee.

Knox News: You co-directed the National Virtual Biotechnology Lab during COVID. Are there issues facing the U.S. today that you feel are similarly urgent?

Streiffer: What you might refer to as the climate change problem or the sustainability problem or the clean energy problem, these are every bit as urgent as the threat that was posed by COVID. Water security is a huge issue right now around the world. Climate change is leading to what we believe are an increasing number of severe weather events. Unless we realize the urgency of these problems, exactly as we did with COVID, humanity is going to be in a very bad place. I think that combined set of things really have to do with burning fossil fuels. It's not a 50-year problem. This is a now problem.

Knox News: The labs technology transfer office looks at innovations in the lab and actually turns them into patents for private tech companies. What role do those partnerships play?

Streiffer: I think it's absolutely essential if we're going to make a difference in the long term. Eventually, you need to get things into the hands of the private sector, so they can actually deliver as an economic activity. I think we have some great examples at ORNL, like the work that we do in the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, where we're bringing in a few hundred companies each year to work on projects with us.

Wed love to have work that's not only supporting companies, but is actually creating IP, and the national labs are not as good as the universities at that. I think that's something we have to figure out.

Knox News: Part of being a DOE facility is that you're doing science in the national interest. Does ORNL see itself as competing scientifically with other nations and with other governments?

Streiffer: What's the term, is it coopetition? Its a little bit of both. Most of the money that we have here at the laboratory is taxpayer dollars. We have an obligation to both help people understand what we do, but also return value to the taxpayers. We do want to make sure that we are maintaining and enhancing the place in the world of the United States, and that includes its economic competitiveness. It includes our national security as well.

But at the same time, if we're going to do that, we have to cooperate with the world in a way which recognizes the realities that we find ourselves in.

The landscape with China is very complicated right now and that precludes certain collaborations we'd like to have with China. But we have to understand that many of the scientific and technical problems that we're working on are not just national in scale, they're international, and therefore international engagement is important.

In a lot of cases, we're trying to develop technologies with our partners around the world that really is for the betterment of humanity. But at the same time, we want the U.S. to win.

Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Oak Ridge National Laboratory director talks AI, nuclear and China
Holding his puppy, Treble, tightly after climbing to the stairs to his old apartment at Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road. A building in the complex caught fire earlier in the week displacing around 22 residents, most of whom were experiencing homelessness before being placed in the apartments by SAMMinistries. All the residents have been out into new homes since the fire. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News A cat sits in the window of an apartment being occupied by men displaced from a fire earlier in the week at the Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road. SAMMinistries, which housed the residents to begin with were able to quickly move everyone affected by the fires with pets into a new apartnment in the same complex. Those without pets were moved to a hotel they run. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News A pile of clothing and other items once owned by a resident of Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road sits outside the apartment where a fire started earlier in the week displacing 22 residents. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News Caution tape blows that was meant to keep people from climbing the starirs where a fire occured March 11, blows in the wind. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News A pair of pants hangs in front of a boarded up building at the Hudson Apartments that caught March 11 displacing 22 residents. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News With his dog, Treble in tow, Adam Dubois ducks under the cation tape as he climbs the stairs to his old apartment at Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road. A building in the complex caught fire earlier in the week displacing around 22 residents, most of whom were experiencing homelessness before being placed in the apartments by SAMMinistries. All the residents have been out into new homes since the fire. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News Adam Dubois packs some of his belongings from his kitchen. A fire March 11 at the Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road displaced over 20 residents, many like Dubois, who had been expierencing homelessness before moving in. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News Adam Dubois opens the blinds in his apartment to let in what light he can with plywood sitting behind the glass. Dubois while clearing out some of his furniture after a fire tore through his building a few days before. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News Adam Dubois packs some of his belongings from his bedroom. A fire earlier in the week at the Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road displaced over 20 residents, many like Dubois, who had been expierencing homelessness before moving in. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News Adam Dubois rests on a chair, surveying his destroyed apartment while moving his furniture out of his burned out apartment. A fire earlier in the week at the Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road displaced over 20 residents, many like Dubois, who had been expierencing homelessness before moving in. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News Adam Dubois looks up at the ceiling in his kitchen as he packs up plates to bring to the apartment he was moved to by SAMMinistries after a fire in his building displaced him. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News After moving his furniture out of his burned out apartment, Adam Dubois sits on the ground, taking it all in while holding his puppy, Treble. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News With his dog, Treble in his arms Adam Dubois begins to moves some of his belongings from his old apartment at Hudson Apartments on Blanco Road. A building in the complex caught fire earlier in the week displacing around 22 residents, most of whom were experiencing homelessness before being placed in the apartments by SAMMinistries. All the residents have been out into new homes since the fire. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News Jo Ann Galindo stands in her new two bedroom apartment that she now shares with a roommate. The belongings she was able to salvage from the fire in her building sit, still piled up in a corner. Jessica Phelps/San Antonio Express News

Last week, Jo Ann Galindo woke up to a maintenance worker pounding on her apartment door, shouting for her to evacuate.

A fire was spreading in her building at the Hudson Apartments, a San Antonio Metropolitan Ministry-owned property in the 6000 block of Blanco Road that houses people experiencing homelessness.

I was in shock, Galindo, 53, said. I was half asleep.

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She grabbed a box of belongings, including important documents, and rushed out the door  and then doubled back to retrieve the cash she had in her unit.

Outside, she watched as firefighters battled the blaze.

It was very scary, she said. I could see the flames shooting up and the smoke was so black.

When the San Antonio Fire Department got to the North Side complex shortly after 10:30 a.m. last Monday, smoke was heavy as the flames made their way across the roof and second floor of a two-story building. A department spokesperson said this week that an air conditioning unit on the roof caused the fire.

No one was injured, but the smoke, fire and water damage rendered several apartments unlivable. Twenty-two people, all of whom were chronically homeless before moving into the Hudson, were relocated.

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Ten of the affected tenants, including Galindo, are still at the Hudson, rooming with other displaced occupants in two- and three-bedroom apartments that were unoccupied.

Twelve people moved to SAMMinistries 200-bed downtown homeless shelter, which operates out of a former Holiday Inn on W. Cesar E Chavez Blvd.

Galindo said she returned to her unit the day after the fire to pick up clothes, some of her food and family photos.

Its been chaotic, Galindo said, holding back tears as she recounted the events.

You have to start over again, and Im tired of starting over, Galindo said.

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Galindo gets along with her new roommate, but said she had become accustomed to living alone. Shes looking into going to school, but first needs a GED.

Before moving into the Hudson in October 2022, Galindo said she lost her job working in a hospital kitchen after missing a day of work. Without money to pay rent and nobody to move in with, Galindo found herself on the streets. She spent some nights in shelters before getting a car that she could live out of.

Adam Dubois, 46, is newer to the Hudson. He arrived in June. Dubois said he has mostly couch-surfed or lived on the streets since his parents kicked him out of their house when he was 14. He said he recently earned a nurses aide certification and is job hunting.

Dubois and his new puppy, Treble, are still at the Hudson complex after the fire. Dubois said after the fire damaged his apartment he was paired with a roommate who has cats, which Dubois is allergic to.

Dubois said he cried when he first walked into his apartment after the fire was put out. The ceiling in his kitchen and bedroom had collapsed onto the floor. But he salvaged some clothes early last week and returned Friday to grab dishes and furniture.

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I loved my own little spot, Dubois said of his now lost unit. It was my little spot. I had my safe haven.

Moving forward

SAMMinistries has given money, food and toiletries to displaced tenants to get them through this week. Nikisha Baker, CEO and president, said the nonprofit also bought some furniture for the apartments that tenants were moved to. The units were bare and left vacant because SAMMinistries was gearing up for a renovation.

The nonprofit is collecting donations to help cover the fire-related expenses.

SAMMinistries bought the 60-unit property southeast of North Star Mall in 2021 for $5.1 million. Renovations and construction of a service center were supposed to be completed in September for an estimated cost of $3 million, but Baker said the work will likely be pushed back because of the fire.

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She isnt sure yet how extensive the damage is, or how long it will take to make repairs, though preliminary estimates indicate the damaged units could reopen by the end of May, at the earliest.

When it eventually is complete, the facility will have 47 one- and two-bedroom units for people who have experienced homelessness for extended periods of time. The other 13 three-bedroom units are rapid rehousing options for families who need short-term assistance because of an eviction or other similar crisis.

The complex will have a 3,000-square-foot on-site service center for a food pantry and an after-school program. For now, the Hudson runs an office out of an apartment where tenants can talk to case managers and get food and other household supplies.
An Oregon man has been found guilty of murdering a college student in 1980 after he was linked to the case decades later by DNA genetic genealogy and chewing gum he discarded.

Robert Plympton, 60, was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder in the death of Barbara Mae Tucker, who was a 19-year-old student at Mt. Hood Community College when she was kidnapped, sexually assaulted and beaten to death near campus four decades ago, the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office said Monday in a news release.

For years, no one knew who killed Tucker.

She was killed on Jan. 15, 1980, and her body was found the following morning in a wooded area between Kane Road and a school parking lot in Gresham, Oregon, by students arriving for class, the district attorney's office said.

Barbara Mae Tucker. (KGW)

While her case was cold for years, investigators gave the case a fresh look with advances in DNA technology.

In 2000, DNA swabs taken during her autopsy were sent to the Oregon State Police Crime Lab for analysis, and a DNA profile was made from the swabs.

Then in 2021, a genealogist from Parabon Nanolabs identified Plympton as the likely contributor to the unknown DNA profile developed in 2000, the release said.

Police in Gresham found that Plympton was living in Troutdale and began to surveil him.

When they observed him spit out a piece of chewing gum onto the ground, detectives collected the gum and submitted it to the crime lab for analysis.

The lab determined the DNA profile developed from the chewing gum matched the DNA profile developed" from Tucker's 2000 DNA swabs, the district attorney's office said.

Plympton was ultimately arrested on June 8, 2021. He had pleaded not guilty to charges of murder.

Multnomah County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kirsten Snowden previously said there was no evidence that Tucker and Plympton knew each other, The Oregonian reported.

Following a bench trial from Feb. 26 to March 15, Judge Amy Baggio found Plympton guilty of murder and "four counts of different theories of murder in the second degree," the district attorney's office announced.

Though the medical examiner determined Tucker had been sexually assaulted, Plympton was not convicted of rape or sexual abuse because prosecutors failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt it happened while she was alive, the judge said, according to The Associated Press.

He remains in custody in Multnomah County with sentencing set for June 21.

NBC News has reached out to an attorney for Plympton for comment.
Despite a recent change in representation, Nadine Arslanian Menendez may soon be on the hunt for another lawyer. Recent court filings show that the government may bring David Schertler and other members of his law firm to the stand as witnesses against her and her co-defendants in a federal corruption and bribery case.

Her co-defendants include her husband, Sen. Bob Menendez, and three New Jersey businessmen, including Wael Hana and North Jersey developer Fred Daibes. The third, Jose Uribe, recently flipped his not guilty plea to guilty.

The United States attorney for the Southern District of New York requested a hearing to ensure Nadine Menendez "understands and knowingly waives the multiple issues arising from her continued retention of Mr. Schertler and his law firm," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams wrote in a letter to Judge Sidney Stein on Sunday.

The hearing would involve a series of questions posed to Nadine Menendez alerting her to all the possibilities of what could happen during trial.

A proposed list of questions was included in the court document and outlined whether there is a conflict of interest or other potential problems related to Schertler, as well as Danny Onorato and Paola Pinto, who also represent Nadine Menendez, due to their personal knowledge of certain facts that the government has alleged are relevant.

"The Government believes that Schertler participated in, among other things, relevant conversations with you and counsel for your co-defendants Robert Menendez and Wael Hana," court documents said.

The conversations included such topics as the nature and purpose of the payments co-defendant Uribe made for a Mercedes-Benz that Nadine Menendez received, the nature of payments Hana made towards Nadine Menendez's mortgage, and the purpose of repayment for both.

Related: Most people call the police once or twice in their lives. Not when you're Nadine Menendez

There is also a question of communications Nadine Menendez had with Schertler regarding a presentation he made to the United States Attorneys Office on Aug. 11, 2023, the purpose of that presentation, and communication he had with counsel for Nadine and Bob Menendez.

The state said in its sample questions that there is no decision about whether they will be witnesses, but if the government does call on one of the attorneys, there's the possibility that one or more of them would have to withdraw as Nadine Menendez's counsel.

A Mercedes-Benz that investigators say was unlawfully accepted by Sen. Robert Menendez and his wife in an indictment announced on Sept. 22, 2023.

Williams, the U.S. attorney, said his team is aware that Nadine Menendez's counsel does not consent to the proposal and that her team plans to file a response.

Nadine Menendez hired the new firm in January using pro hac vice, a process that allows her to bring in an attorney who is not bar-certified in the state where the trial is taking place. In this instance, she's hiring Mark MacDougall, who can work in Massachusetts and Maryland.

MacDougall is from the firm Schertler Onorato Mead & Sears in Washington, D.C., and has been certified as in good standing with the Maryland Supreme Court.

He has experience with this type of case, having previously represented Bijan Rafiekian, a onetime business partner to former President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, against the federal Justice Department. Rafiekian had been accused of illegally lobbying on behalf of the Turkish government.

The indictment against the Menendezes and the three businessmen includes allegations that Nadine Menendez received a car paid for by co-defendants Hana and Uribe in 2019. She totaled her previous car in December 2018 when her vehicle hit and killed pedestrian Richard Koop on a Bogota street.

Nadine Menendez did not call the police for nearly five minutes after the initial incident. She has displayed a habit of calling the police to her home.

The defendants in the federal corruption case face 18 counts brought by federal prosecutors, including conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice, amid allegations that Menendez, the senator, was working to benefit Qatar in addition to Egypt.

Menendez and his wife allegedly received, among other things, cash, gold bars and the luxury car in exchange for using his political influence.

Nadine Menendez and the senator have requested separate trials on the grounds that a joint trial could "compromise a specific trial right of one of the defendants, or prevent the jury from making a reliable judgement about guilt or innocence."

Those filings said Menendezs testimony at his trial "could include revealing confidential marital communications" with Nadine Menendez that she wishes to keep confidential in her case.

The trial is currently set to be held in May.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Nadine Menendez lawyer could be witness in bribery case
Steve Huffman receives a fixed salary of $341,346 and the rest of his compensation in shares. Bryan Steffy/Getty

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman discussed his compensation package in a video Q&A posted on the forum.

The CEO's $193 million pay package is a mix of salary and stock.

Reddit is targeting a $6.4 billion valuation as it moves to go public later this week.

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has received backlash over his $193 million compensation.

Ever since word got out about Huffman's pay, users on Quora, Reddit, and X have criticized the package. Some feel the amount is too high for a platform that doesn't pay moderators or users  and for a company that hasn't been profitable.

"The feel good moment of simultaneously revealing your CEO is overpaid while your risk assessment underscores the important of unpaid moderators," one user wrote in a discussion post about the topic on Reddit.

On Monday, Huffman defended his pay in a video Q&A posted on the platform he cofounded.

"Look, I'm glad this question was asked, because there's been a lot of commentary on this topic," Huffman said.

The CEO said that his compensation was based on salary and stock and that Reddit board members set the amount based on his performance.

A Securities and Exchange Commission filing said Huffman in 2023 got a salary of $341,346, which is relatively low for a CEO of a major public corporation. In February, this was raised to $550,000. He also got a $792,000 bonus last year based on Reddit's user numbers, revenue, and a type of profitability known as adjusted EBITDA that excludes certain expenses.

The bulk of his compensation package is now in restricted stock units and stock options. A lot of this compensation is based on Huffman staying at Reddit through late 2028, and some is triggered by completing Reddit's initial public offering, the SEC filing said.

Half of the stock options vest at $25.29, a relatively easy bar to reach. The other half vest only if Reddit shares reach $45, $60, and $90 in public-market trading over 10 years, the SEC filing says  that's a higher bar and aligns the CEO's interests with shareholders.

A 'big grant' late last year

Huffman said in the video that his "big grant at the end of 2023" was a result of the board canceling existing stock awards and then granting him this new equity package.

"They did this to simplify things for both the company and me and align my performance with the company's performance," the CEO added. "Some of the stock vests at IPO."

However, the SEC filing also says some of Huffman's previous performance-based RSU award was canceled because the grants were "not providing the incentive initially intended." Reddit went on to say that it canceled many of the "PRSUs for which performance had not already been achieved."

Huffman already owns Reddit stock

Huffman already owns about 3.2% of Reddit. The company is targeting a $6.4 billion valuation for its IPO this week. So the CEO's stake would be worth about $200 million, even before his new equity compensation begins to kick in.

Reddit and its investors plan to sell 22 million shares, and they're targeting an IPO price of $31 to $34.

Zuckerberg versus Musk

In contrast, the Meta cofounder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg gets a $1 annual salary and was awarded no bonus and zero equity awards in 2020, 2021, and 2022, Meta's latest annual proxy filing said.

Meta pays more than $20 million a year to cover Zuckerberg's security and use of a private jet. And, of course, he owns a major stake in the company, so if his performance improves, Meta shares should rise, making him wealthier. The company also started issuing dividends, meaning Zuckerberg collects hundreds of millions of dollars a year from those payouts.

Elon Musk is on the other end of the spectrum. His pay package at Tesla has been valued at more than $50 billion. A Delaware judge recently struck down this compensation.

Huffman's chance of getting even richer

Back at Reddit, it's unlikely Huffman will get $193 million in compensation. That's an estimate the company has to make for regulatory and disclosure purposes. It's based on the estimated fair value of the package on a certain date.

His new RSUs vest in installments through late 2028, and the stock options can be exercised over 10 years, but only if Reddit shares hold up and then go higher.

Either way, Huffman is already incredibly wealthy and has a chance to become even richer as Reddit goes public.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Savannah Samantha Kriger and her son Kaiden are pictured.

A possible murder-suicide is under investigation after two bodies found in a ditch in Texas were tentatively identified as a missing 32-year-old mother and her 3-year-old son, authorities said.

Savannah Samantha Kriger and her son Kaiden may have been found in a ditch near Tom Slick Park in San Antonio, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said Tuesday during a news conference.

The two were reported missing Monday after Kriger was last seen leaving her job early to pick up her son from daycare for a doctor's appointment, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post. Authorities later found her white 2023 Lincoln Aviator abandoned at Tom Slick Park, they said.

Salazar said a welfare check was attempted at the Kriger home around 6:30 p.m. on Monday night, but they could not enter. Later that evening, the sheriff's office contacted a family member who let them inside.

"I won't go too much into detail on what was found, but they did find some things that led us to believe there was certainly cause for concern for the child, as well as for Savannah," Salazar said.

Sheriff's deputies searched throughout the night for Kriger and her son until ultimately only finding the missing white Lincoln Aviator parked at Tom Slick Park, according to Salazar. Although the deputies recovered the SUV, they could not find Kriger or Kaiden, he said.

Savannah, Kaiden Kriger found in a drainage easement, sheriff says

The search resumed Tuesday at daybreak and that is when deputies and park police found the two bodies in the ditch within a draining easement located off the backside of the park, Salazar said.

"We are operating on the premise that this is Savannah and the child," the sheriff said about the bodies. "It appears that there's some evidence that there may have been some gunshots fired, but again, at this point, it's too early to give anything beyond tentative identification."

In addition to the bodies, deputies found a gun at the scene, Salazar said.

Savannah Kriger is considered the only suspect, sheriff says

The sheriff's office is considering Kriger to be the only suspect, Salazar said. A custody battle between Kriger and Kaiden's father was ongoing with a hearing scheduled to take place on Tuesday, according to the sheriff.

Kriger's and Kaiden's whereabouts became worrying to family members who could not contact them, the sheriff said.

"(Kriger's) phone was going straight to voicemail," Salazar said. "Her location services were off."

Savannah Samantha Kriger is pictured.

When Kriger left her job early, Salazar said her co-workers did not believe there was any "cause for concern."

Salazar said Kriger and Kaiden left their SUV, walked a "considerable ways" from the park to the drainage easement and that's when the possible shooting occurred.

"Disappointed that we're operating on that premise until we can verify," the sheriff said.

Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: San Antonio mother, 3-year-old son believed dead in murder-suicide
Authorities in Thailand arrested two New Zealand tourists and revoked their visas after they attacked a police officer.

Immigration authorities banned brothers Hamish Day, 36, and Oscar Day, 38, from ever returning to Thailand. Thai news outlet Bangkok Post reported that the brothers have been charged with offences including robbery, causing physical harm to an on-duty officer, attempted bribery, and driving a motorcycle without a licence.

Police said traffic officer Somsak Noo-iat on Saturday spotted the men speeding on their motorbikes. They tried to speed away after Mr Somsak tried to stop them.

They went on to offer a bribe to the officer, who tried to film the two men on his phone. After this, the brothers allegedly wrestled Mr Somsak to the ground and took his gun.

The weapon was fired, but nobody was shot. The police chief also said that one of the brothers is a mixed martial arts fighter.

Video of the incident has gone viral online, where onlookers can be heard shouting at them to stop. Both brothers have denied all charges and the police said on Monday they would ask the court for permission to deny their release on bail.

Mr Somsaks supervisor and Chalong police chief Ekkarat Plaiduang said Mr Somsak was injured but recovering well.

Phuket governor, Sophon Suwannarat, spoke at a press conference on Monday, condemning the brothers behaviour as intolerable.

"The behaviour was improper and illegal, Mr Sophon said, and added that serious action would be taken to protect the tourism atmosphere of Phuket.

The brothers father, Laurence Day, told New Zealand Herald: The family is distraught. Were praying for a good outcome. Who would have ever expected this? Just a couple of kids on a tourist trip.
BEIJING (AP)  In the last recorded moments before the 13-year-old boy's death, surveillance cameras showed him sitting on a scooter, surrounded by three classmates. An hour later, his phone went dead, kicking off a frantic search by relatives.

The following day, police in a village in central China made a sickening discovery: the boy's body, buried underneath a tarp in an abandoned vegetable greenhouse.

His three teenage classmates have been detained on suspicion of murdering the boy in a case that has riveted China, setting off outrage and frenzied debate over the young age of the suspects and soul-searching about bullying and social responsibility in the Chinese countryside.

Police in Feixiang district of Handan city identified the boy only by his last name, Wang. In a statement Sunday they said the boy had been killed on March 10 and that the suspects were detained the following day. A police investigator told state broadcaster CCTV on Monday that the crime had been premeditated, with the suspects digging out the pit twice, once the day before and again the day of the killing.

Wangs relatives and their attorney said in interviews with Chinese media and in posts on social media that the boy had long been a victim of bullying, and was forced to give money to one of his classmates before he was killed. They said police identified the suspected killers after reviewing the surveillance footage and questioning the classmates.

He was beaten alive and his body was disfigured beyond recognition, Wangs father wrote on Douyin, a Chinese social media platform. I hope the government will be fair, open and just, punish them severely, and that the killers will pay with their lives!

The case will be a test of a change in the law in 2021 that lowered the age at which children could be charged with a crime from 14 to 12 years old.

Wang's father, aunt, and grandmother did not respond to requests for comment. A person answering a phone number listed for their attorney's law firm told The AP to wait for comment, saying they were swamped with interview requests. A number for the principal of the boy's school rang unanswered, as did numbers for relatives of two of the suspects.

The victim and the suspects are all under the age of 14. Media reports said they were left-behind" children, a phrase used to describe kids in the countryside often cared for by grandparents because their parents work in faraway cities.

As details of the tragedy emerged last weekend, it renewed concern over the social and psychological welfare of such children, their exposure to violent content online and the ability of the country's social services to care for them. Posts and videos from Wangs relatives garnered millions of views and thousands of comments.

The attention paid to the mental health of minors in the countryside is too little, said one commenter on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform. I think this sort of thing could happen again.

Zhang Dongshuo, a defense attorney in Beijing unaffiliated with the case, said that Wang's death is the latest in a series of juvenile murder cases in China that have sparked debate on how old a child should be before being held responsible for a crime.

Generally speaking, these kinds of cases involving minors are rare, Zhang said. But recently more and more of these cases have been reported by the media, and it's been triggering discussion in Chinese society over revising the age of criminal responsibility.

In 2019, a 13-year-old boy who confessed to sexually assaulting and murdering a 10-year-old girl avoided criminal charges because Chinese law at the time stipulated that only those over the age of 14 could be held criminally liable. Two years later, the the age of criminal responsibility was lowered to 12, but the government mandated that prosecution only take place if approved by the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate, China's highest prosecuting authority.

Zhang added that the lack of parental guidance for left behind children has been a longstanding social issue, but that the question of how they should be raised has not been fully resolved.

Many people think schools and the government should take responsibility for children's education, but that means if the relevant government departments and schools don't educate them effectively, then it's highly likely this minor is left in an educational vacuum," he said.

State media have given Wang's death widespread coverage, though there are signs that Chinese authorities are keeping a close eye on public sentiment. On Sunday, the family's attorney, Zang Fanqing, was abruptly cut off on a live broadcast after saying he and Wang's father were barred from seeing the boys body. The next day, Zang said on social media that they were allowed to see the body.

A public statement from police Sunday asked the public not to spread rumors to protect the victims privacy and avoid further harm to the boys family.

His family has signaled they intend to pursue criminal charges. In a video Wang's father posted Monday, he said the sight of his son's body was crueler than I imagined."

Your father isn't scared, he is only upset and furious, Wang's father wrote, addressing his son. Wait for your father to avenge you!

___

AP researcher Wanqing Chen contributed to this report.
A pro-Trump lawyer who tried to overturn the 2020 election was arrested Monday after a court hearing about her recent leak of internal emails belonging to Dominion Voting Systems.

There was an existing arrest warrant for the attorney, Stefanie Lambert, stemming from her failure to appear at recent court hearings in her separate criminal case in Michigan, where she was charged with conspiring to seize voting machines after the 2020 election.

Lambert and a cadre of election deniers have disrupted one of Dominions many ongoing defamation lawsuits by publicly leaking thousands of the companys internal emails in recent days, using the disclosures to resurrect false claims about voter fraud.

The controversy erupted when Lambert provided the confidential Dominion documents to Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, who has embraced conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and has used his office to hunt for supposed voter fraud against Donald Trump. In the last 24 hours, Leaf has posted more than 2,000 internal Dominion documents on his social media account.

Lambert had access to the Dominion files because she represents former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, who is being sued for defamation by the voting company over his 2020 election lies. As part of the case, they have access to discovery from Dominion, whose lawyers said they have already turned over more than a million documents.

Lambert attended a hearing Monday in Byrnes defamation case in Washington, DC, but was never seen leaving the courtroom, and questions swirled among the other attorneys about whether she had been taken into custody.

The judge told Lambert to stay behind as the hearing wrapped up. The other attorneys left the courtroom, and two federal marshals then went inside and locked the doors. Lambert was never seen exiting the courtroom. The marshals declined to say whether they arrested her, and she didnt answer messages seeking comment after the hearing.

The US Marshals Service confirmed in a statement late Monday that Lambert was arrested.

The U.S. Marshals Service can confirm the arrest of Stefanie Lambert earlier this afternoon. Lambert is currently being held on local charges, the statement said, referring to her Michigan-based criminal case.

The Dominion leaks have, at least for now, diverted attention away from the alleged 2020 election-related defamation. More hearings will be needed to deal with the matter and for the judge to consider potential consequences for Lambert.

Dominions lawyers also said in filings that company employees are already receiving new death threats in the wake of the disclosures. The messages posted online by Leaf contain names, email addresses, cell phone numbers and office addresses of Dominion employees.

During the at-times testy hearing Monday, Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya peppered Lambert with sharp questions about the disputed Dominion materials. The judge ordered that Lambert be restricted from accessing the database containing the Dominion documents.

I will deal with the why later  but for now, I need to preserve the status quo, Upadhyaya said, adding that we need to prevent any future dissemination.

The judge said there would be a future hearing to determine whether Lambert violated a court order by leaking the Dominion files  and that Byrne would need to appear and answer questions. Dominion wants Lambert removed from the case and suggested in court Monday that she might have committed a crime by disseminating the files to Leaf.

Lambert, Leaf and Byrne have claimed in court filings and public statements that the documents they disclosed contain evidence that Serbian nationals meddled in the 2020 election at Dominions request.

As has been public for years, Dominion has a small staff presence in Serbia, but any allegation that Dominion employees anywhere tried to interfere with any election is flatly false, a Dominion spokesperson told CNN after the hearing.

During the hearing, Lambert admitted that she gave the materials to Leaf, though she said she was allowed to because she was reporting a crime to law enforcement. She also called on Congress to investigate her claim that foreign nationals interfered with the 2020 election, which the US Intelligence Community has said was the most secure ever.

I did turn the documents over to law enforcement, Lambert told the judge.

Dominion blasted Lambert and Byrne in court filings before the hearing, saying their claims of Serbian meddling in the US election were xenophobic and noting that Lambert was nearly sanctioned for her role in a frivolous, conspiracy-laden election lawsuit.

It has been nearly four years  when does it stop? Dominion lawyer Davida Brook said Monday in court, where she accused Lambert and Byrne of using these lawsuits to spread yet more lies.

Dominion is suing several other pro-Trump figures who peddled similar lies about the 2020 election, including former Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell and right-wing cable networks Newsmax and One America News. Dominion settled a defamation suit against Fox News last year for $787 million in the largest publicly known defamation settlement in US history.

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Holmes Lybrand contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Former President Trump argued Tuesday he would have to take extreme measures in order to pay a $464 million bond due next week in his New York civil fraud case, such as selling some of his properties for cheap fire sale prices.

Trump blasted New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who ruled against the former president in the fraud case, in a Truth Social post objecting to having to post the bond.

Judge Engoron actually wants me to put up Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for the Right to Appeal his ridiculous decision. In other words, he is trying to take my Appellate Rights away from me, Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform Tuesday morning. Nobody has ever heard of anything like this before.

I would be forced to mortgage or sell Great Assets, perhaps at Fire Sale prices, and if and when I win the Appeal, they would be gone. Does that make sense? WITCH HUNT. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! Trump added.

Trumps warning comes a day after his legal team informed the court that the former president was unable to secure the full $464 million bond due next week.

They cited difficulties finding a Treasury Department-approved surety company willing to underwrite a bond at such a high level. And they noted many of the approved companies have internal policies against issuing bonds of more than $100 million.

Trumps legal team also said part of the issue is that the former president cannot put up property for collateral as part of the bond.

While it is my understanding that the Trump Organization is in a strong liquidity position, it does not have $1 billion in cash or cash equivalents, the lawyers wrote, adding, As a result, for a company such as The Trump Organization, which has most of its assets invested in real estate, obtaining a bond for $464 million is a practical impossibility.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Trump is appealing the decision, but must put up the bond in order to have his appeal go forward.

Last month, Engoron ordered Trump to pay nearly $355 million in penalties in the civil fraud case that dealt a stark blow to his familys business empire in New York. Trump is currently appealing the judgment, but the total amount will continue to gain interest while that process plays out.

Top Stories from The Hill

Trump, in a series of posts Monday and Tuesday, railed against the judgment, calling it unconstitutional and un-American.

A bond of the size set by the Democrat Club-controlled Judge, in Corrupt, Racist Letitia James unlawful Witch Hunt, is unConstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY Company, including one as successful as mine, Trump wrote in a post earlier Monday.

The Bonding Companies have never heard of such a bond, of this size, before, nor do they have the ability to post such a bond, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said GOP leadership should have more carefully reviewed the claims in Sen. Katie Britts (R-Ala.) response to President Bidens State of the Union address as she faces criticism for sharing a story of sexual violence from two decades ago as an attack on Biden.

Asked by CNNs Manu Raju about Britts decision to share the story in her response, Tuberville said, Yeah, well, that obviously didnt go over too well.

I would think that our leadership would have vetted that a little bit more, because I would imagine they helped her with that, he said Sunday on CNNs Inside Politics With Manu Raju.

You know, and thats again  thats a mistake made. But it was a good point of emphasis of what really goes on from the border. And I think thats what shes trying to get over, more than anything.

During her State of the Union response, Britt told the story of a woman she met who experienced human trafficking from between 2004 and 2008. The first-term senator used the story as an attack on Bidens border policies.

Britt defended the story against criticism, arguing the story represents Bidens border policy, despite it happening before his presidential term.

Ive said, in [Bidens] first 100 days he had 94 executive actions, and those executive actions didnt just create the crisis  they invited it, Britt said in a Fox News Sunday interview with Shannon Bream. The truth is  and the media knows that theyre not covering it  that human trafficking has gone up under President Biden.

Top Stories from The Hill

The rest of Britts State of the Union response  delivered from her kitchen table  painted a similar, dark portrait of the United States and Biden, whom she called a dithering and diminished leader.

Britts rebuttal was described by many as having an unnatural delivery, and the following Saturday, actress Scarlett Johansson appeared on Saturday Night Live to mock the senator in the cold open.

When asked about her delivery, Tuberville said he thought it was good.

She really expressed heart and shes the type, you know  she gets emotional. Its not like that wasnt something that was just brought up. I mean  shes really emotional about being a mom and her kids.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Tulsi Gabbard, a former U.S. Representative once considered a rising star of the Democratic Party and even ran for president, has reimagined her political career. She went from being a prominent figure in Hawaiian politics to being considered as a potential vice presidential candidate on Donald Trumps shortlist. Its worth noting that her father, Mike Gabbard, has taken the opposite political path.

During a speech at CPAC last month, Tulsi Gabbard embraced MAGA talking points and compared the Democratic party to evil-doers and dictators. Conversely, her father, a political powerhouse in the Aloha State, remains one of the longest-serving Democratic senators in the Hawaii legislature, leading to some awkward dynamics within the Gabbard family.

I dont have the time or the information to be involved in that political circus, Mike Gabbard recently told USA Today. I feel that Id be out of place talking about it. Ive never had a clue as to what is going on (there).

Mike Gabbards political career has been remarkable for several reasons, particularly his stance on traditional marriage. He established a non-profit organization called Stop Promoting Homosexuality and spearheaded the campaign against same-sex marriage in Hawaii during the 1990s. Tulsi used to work for her fathers anti-LGBTQ organization but later expressed regret for her decision.

Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, R-HI, speaks to the crowd at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual Spring Kick-Off, on Saturday, April 22, 2023, in Clive, Iowa.

More: Tulsi Gabbard could be Trump's unusual pick for VP

When Tulsi decided to run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, she apologized in a four-minute video in 2019 for her earlier stance on homosexuality - a move that surprised and upset her father.

My father was very outspoken. He was an activist who was fighting against gay rights and marriage equality in Hawaii and at that time, I forcefully defended him, Gabbard said in the video. But over the years, as I grew up, I formed my own opinions based on my life experiences.

In an email exchange with the Washington Examiner, the elder Gabbard wrote, I never realized how much trauma I put her through because of my overly aggressive advocacy for traditional marriage.

After winning his first state senate race as a Republican representing Hawaiis 21st Senatorial District in 2006, Senator Mike Gabbard switched parties while supporting his daughters political ambitions. Still on the job after 18 years, the 76-year-old currently serves as chair of the Committee on Agriculture and Environment and vice chair of the Committee on Judiciary and Committee on Government Operations.

Gabbard says his decision was made after discussing his intentions with Tulsi and being drawn to the Democratic party by the people around him.

It was talking ... with my constituents, Democrats, Republicans and Independents that I came to this decision, said Gabbard.

Mike Gabbard has served as a Hawaii State Senator since 2006.

Hawaii State Rep. Diamond Garcia (R) shed light on the reasons behind Mike Gabbards party switch. That was, of course, to help campaign for his daughter. And so, yes, it is easier to win here as a Democrat, theres no doubt about that, Garcia said. Its easier to raise money, its easier to get bills passed. Of course, being a Republican, none of your bills will pass.

For decades, the Democratic Party has dominated Hawaiis legislature, which includes 68 Democrats and only 8 Republicans. Since its founding in 1959, the state has only elected two Republican governors.

Scott Saiki, the Speaker of the Hawaii State House, has worked with both Mike and Tulsi Gabbard. Before running for the U.S. House, Tulsi Gabbard won a seat in Hawaiis State House at 21 in 2002, making her the youngest person ever elected to the states legislature. She left office in 2004 to join the Hawaii Army National Guard, where she was deployed to Iraq for a 12-month tour of duty; in 2009, she returned to the island to work for U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI).

Saiki acknowledged the unique circumstances surrounding this father-daughter duo in politics: Mike shifted from an ardent Republican to a Democrat as he campaigned for Tulsi. At the same time, his daughter transitioned from being a Democrat, saying in a retweet that Trump was Saudi Arabias bitch" in 2018, to aligning with the Republican presumptive nominee as an independent as she considers a future in national politics.

There are two categories of people who do that, and Ive seen both. There are some who, over time, are elected from one party, but then over time, you can break with that party over policy issues over philosophy, Saiki said. But then you also see those who run are in the other camp, where they run out of political opportunity and convenience.

Tulsi Gabbard did not respond to USA Todays request to comment.

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X @JeremyYurow

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: As Tulsi Gabbard joins Trump VP list, her father distances himself
Lupe Marin Torres, right, the great-great grandmother of Mercedes Loysoya, embraces prosecutor Marissa Giovenco after Jose Angel Ruiz was sentenced to life in prison for the death of the 5-year-old on Monday night, March 18, 2024. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jose Angel Ruiz cries as his mother Irene Ruiz testifies about the difficulties in his childhood during his sentencing trial at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center on Monday, March 18, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. A jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Irene Ruiz, mother defendant Jose Angel Ruiz, testifies about the difficulties in his childhood during his sentencing trial on Monday night, March 18, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. A jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Samantha Rey, sister of defendant Jose Angel Ruiz, testifies about the difficulties in his childhood during his sentencing trial on Monday night, March 18, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. A jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jose Angel Ruiz cries as his mother Irene Ruiz testifies about the difficulties in his childhood during his sentencing trial at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center on Monday, March 18, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. A jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022 and sentenced him to life in prison. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Defense attorney Loraine Efron points to defendant Jose Angel Ruiz as she delivers a closing argument at his sentencing trial Monday night, March 18, 2024. Ruiz was found guilty and sentenced him to life in prison in the 2022 beating death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Marissa Giovenco points to defendant Jose Angel Ruiz as she delivers the states closing argument at his sentencing trial Monday night, March 18, 2024. Ruiz was found guilty and sentenced him to life in prison in the 2022 beating death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Marissa Giovenco, center left, hugs a relative of Mercedes Losoya after Jose Angel Ruiz was sentenced to life in prison for the death of the 5-year-old on Monday night, March 18, 2024. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Lupe Marin Torres, second from left, the great-great grandmother of Mercedes Loysoya, embraces prosecutor Marissa Giovenco after Jose Angel Ruiz was sentenced to life in prison for the death of the 5-year-old on Monday night, March 18, 2024. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jose Angel Ruiz looks to his lawyers as closing arguments are aboaut to begin Monday in his child injury trial. A jury found him guilty of all counts in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Dr. Veronica Zamora-Campos is sworn in by state District Judge Stephanie Boyd to testify during Jose Angel Ruizs child injury trial Monday. Zamora-Campos once was a pediatrician for Mercedes Losoya, 5. The jury later found Ruiz guilty in the girl's 2022 beating death. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Defense attorney Theresa Connolly delivers closing statements to the jury in the trial of Jose Angel Ruiz on Monday. Ruiz was found guilty of eight counts of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury in the death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Prosecutor Brittany Mitchell points to defendant Jose Angel Ruiz as she delivers the states closing argument at his child injury trial Monday. Ruiz was found guilty in the 2022 beating death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Jose Angel Ruiz, second from right, sits with his defense counsel as they listen to prosecutor Brittany Mitchell, not pictured, deliver a closing statement during his child injury trial Monday. Ruiz was found guilty in the 2022 beating death of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News State District Judge Stephanie Boyd gives the jury instructions as they prepare to deliberate in the child injury trial of Jose Angel Ruiz at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center on Monday, March 18, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. Ruiz was charged with injury to a child causing serious bodily injury after 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya died in Feb. 2022. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

A jury swiftly convicted a San Antonio man for the brutal torture and killing of 5-year-old Mercedes Losoya in 2022.

It took the panel about 45 minutes to find Jose Angel Ruiz, 27, guilty of seven counts of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury and a single count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

But it took only another 12 minutes, after punishment testimony that lasted into Monday night, to sentence him to life in prison.

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The girl, her mother and her sister moved in with Ruiz  and within weeks, she had been beaten so thoroughly that the medical examiners who reviewed her autopsy considered it likely that her kidneys failed, testimony showed.

In closing arguments, prosecutors focused on those injuries and an account by the sister. The defense blamed the mother, Katrina Rose Mendoza.

Precious Mercedes Losoya, a 5-year-old child, is dead, defense attorney Theresa Connolly told the jury. How did she die? The states not concerned about that.

Connolly told the panel that Mendoza, who testified in exchange for pleading guilty to assault for her part in the girls death, had a selective memory and accused her other daughter, Jordan, of lying in her interview with a ChildSafe investigator.

Jurors saw that interview last week, in which Jordan described Ruiz confining Mercedes to a closet, forcing her to lick her own urine when she soiled herself and inserting thumb tacks in her feet. She also said she saw her mother beat Mercedes, hold her underwater in a bathtub and force-feed her by shoving a spoon down the childs mouth, right before the girl threw up, fell and hit her head.

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Mom had to give her breath, Connolly quoted Jordan from the video. She said Mercedes has no breath. As far as she was concerned, her sister was dead.

Throughout the trial, Connolly criticized Mendoza, San Antonio police and, especially, two investigators from the Texas Child Protective Services.

What did CPS do to protect Mercedes? Connolly asked the jury. Its not called Jose Protective Services.

Connolly said Mendoza stood to gain from her testimony since her possible punishment for the assault plea ranged from five to 45 years in prison and she has applied for probation.

What if she gets 10 years, or probation? Connolly asked the jury. Nobody protected that beautiful little child.

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Prosecutor Brittany Mitchell, at times with her voice breaking, reminded jurors of the description they heard from Jordan and testimony of emergency room workers who tried to save Mercedes life, and especially the photographs and video that Ruiz himself took of the girl and shared with her mother.

She was a fighter. She was a second child, Mitchell said, Jose said, Give her to me, Ill show her discipline. But it was abuse. Jose took it to a while new level of cruelty.

Mitchell pointed to the extensive injuries all over the girls body and the medical examiners who testified that the exertion that came from being forced to hold heavy objects for hours and the injuries from blunt force trauma caused toxins to be released that likely led to kidney failure.

Mitchell displayed photographs of Mercedes tied to a pole, forced to stand on thumbtacks, being gagged with urine-soaked clothing, with dog feces smeared on her face and a phone video in which she can be heard sobbing uncontrollably in the back seat of Ruizs car as he forced her to hold up a jug.

It was Ruiz who was on trial, not the agencies who investigated her death, the prosecutor told the jury.

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She played a portion of a phone call between Ruiz and one of his brothers while he was in the Bexar County jail, in which he said, If that autopsy comes back while Im in jail, Im staying in jail.

He hit that girl. He overworked that girl, and he and Katrina worked together, Mitchell told the panel.


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YEREVAN, 18 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. Political consultations between the foreign ministries of Armenia and Malta were held on Monday in Valletta under the leadership of Armenian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Paruyr Hovhannisyan and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Malta Christopher Cutajar.

According to the readout issued by the foreign ministry of Armenia, the parties highlighted the start of the first political consultations, emphasizing the importance of holding periodic consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries.

They discussed a wide range of issues related to both bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries on multilateral platforms, emphasizing the need to develop and expand existing cooperation in the economy, high technologies, culture, education, tourism, and other fields. The issue of further deepening Armenia-EU partnership was also addressed at the meeting.

The deputy foreign minister presented his counterpart the security situation in the South Caucasus, as well as the steps towards the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Issues related to regional transport and economic programs were addressed. In that context, Hovhannisyan presented Armenias "Crossroads of Peace" project. Thoughts were also exchanged on other issues related to the international agenda.



Within the framework of political consultations, Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan had meetings with the Head of the Foreign and European Commission of the Parliament of Malta, Edward Zammit Lewis, and the members of the commission.
The bench said there was no manner of doubt that SBI is required to make complete disclosure of all details which are in its possession

New Delhi: In a stinging rebuke to the State Bank of India, the Supreme Court on Monday told it to stop being selective and make a complete disclosure of all details on the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme by March 21 to the Election Commission. A five-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said the details to be disclosed include the unique bond numbers that will reveal the link between buyers and recipient political parties.

The bench said there was no manner of doubt that the SBI is required to make complete disclosure of all details which are in its possession.

The bench, also comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, B.R. Gavai, J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said the EC shall forthwith upload on its website the details received from the State bank of India.

In a landmark verdict, a five-judge Constitution Bench had scrapped the scheme, terming it unconstitutional, and ordered disclosure by the EC of donors, the amount donated by them and the recipients by March 13.

On March 11, the SBI, which unsuccessfully argued for an extension of time till June 30 to disclose electoral bonds details, faced searching questions from the top court which wanted to know about the steps taken to comply with its directions.

On Friday, the top court admonished the SBI for furnishing incomplete information and issued a notice to the bank to explain the reasons for the non-disclosure of unique alphanumeric numbers.

During the hearing on Monday, the bench noted the submission of senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the SBI, that there was no reservation on the part of the bank in disclosing all the details of electoral bonds which are in its possession.

In order to fully effectuate the order and to obviate any controversy in the future, the chairman and managing director of SBI shall file an affidavit on or before 5 pm on Thursday (March 21) indicating that SBI has disclosed all details of the electoral bonds which were in its possession and custody and that no details have been withheld, the bench said.

During the proceedings, the bench asked the SBI to disclose all conceivable information on electoral bonds, including bond serial numbers, if any.

We had asked all details to be disclosed by the SBI which includes electoral bond numbers as well. Let SBI not be selective in disclosure, the bench mentioned orally.

The apex court had, in its verdict in the electoral bonds case, asked the bank to disclose all the details of the bonds and it should not wait for further orders on this aspect, the bench said.

The top court refused a hearing on unlisted pleas of industry bodies, Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India and Confederation of Indian Industry in the case. The industry bodies, through senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, wanted an urgent hearing on their interim application against the disclosure of the bond details.

Mr Salve told the bench it should not seem that the bank is playing with the court as it had no difficulty in disclosing the details of electoral bonds.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner NGO in the case, said that major political parties have not given the donor details and only some parties have given it.

There is enough assistance by public-spirited citizens, solicitor-general Tushar Mehta said, claiming that these sponsored NGOs are fudging figures.

The apex court also refused to take note of a letter by senior advocate Adish C. Aggarwala, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, seeking a suo motu review of the judgment on the disclosure of electoral bond details.

Apart from being a senior counsel, you are president of the SCBA. You know the procedure," CJI Chandrachud said, adding: You have written a letter asking me to invoke my suo motu jurisdiction. What is the locus to mention? These are all publicity-oriented stunts. We will not permit it.

Do not make me say anything more. It will be distasteful, the CJI told Mr Aggarwala, who had written a letter in his personal capacity.

The solicitor-general said that on behalf of the Central government: I completely disassociate myself with what Mr Aggarwala has written. It is completely unwarranted and ill-advised.

He also said that after the apex court's verdict on electoral bonds, witch hunting has started at some other level, not at the governmental level. Those before the court started giving press interviews, deliberately embarrassing the court and this creates a non-level playing field, Mr Mehta said.

The S-G also referred to social media posts and said these were intended to cause embarrassment. He stressed that the Centre's case was that they wanted to curb black money.

To this, the CJI said: Mr Solicitor, we are only concerned about enforcing the direction which we issued (on February 15). As judges, we decide according to the Constitution. We are governed by the rule of law. We are also the subject matter of comments in the social media and the press.

Surely, as an institution, our shoulders are broad enough. Our court has an institutional role to play in a polity which is governed by the Constitution and the rule of law. That is the only job, the CJI said.

The CJI said once the court delivers a judgment, it becomes the nation's property and is open for debate.

Mr Mehta said his purpose was to inform the apex court that there is something else playing out which neither the court intended nor the scheme intended.

I have something to share and I have been watching this very painfully outside the court. Your lordships sit in a kind of a silo. Your lordships are in an ivory tower, not in a negative sense of the term, but what we know here, your lordships never come to know, Mr Mehta said.
CEC to meet tomorrow to finalise nominees

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders Sonia Gandhi and P Chidambaram during the Congress Working Committee (CWC) Meeting at AICC headquarters, in New Delhi, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan)

New Delhi: The Congress' manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls would focus on "Paanch Nyay" and "Pachees Guarantee," the party said on Tuesday and resolved to take its promises to the people with a "ghar ghar guarantee" mantra.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) which met here on Tuesday authorised party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to give final approval to the party's manifesto and decide a date for its release.

Speaking at the meeting, Kharge asserted that the country was seeking a change and the "Modi ki guarantee" touted by the BJP would meet the same fate as the "India Shining" slogan of 2004. Kharge urged all party leaders and workers to take every issue raised in the party's manifesto to every village and town and to every household across the country.

Before making promises in the manifesto, an in-depth deliberation has been made to ensure that these promises are implementable, the Congress president said, adding, It is because of this very fact that, right from 1926, the Congress party's manifesto has been regarded as a 'document of trust and commitment'."

Kharge lauded the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, saying through it the Congress was able to draw the country's attention to the real issue faced by the people.

The party is fighting the elections on the issue of "paanch nyay"  "Bhagidari Nyay", "Kisan Nyay", "Nari Nyay", "Shramik Nyay" and "Yuva Nyay". The 25 guarantees, five for each nyay, announced by Kharge and Gandhi.

Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal said the manifesto will be released soon. He added that at the last CWC meeting before the Lok Sabha polls, which lasted for about three-and-a-half hours, discussions were held on how to inform people about the party's guarantees.

We will have a massive guarantee to take the guarantees to the people of this country, Venugopal said, adding that the Congress was confident of defeating the BJP. In a democracy, people are masters, not (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi. People will decide who will rule.

Congresss communications head Jairam Ramesh said the party was ready for the elections. Our manifesto will state our objectives and agenda. Ours is a nyay (justice) agenda. This is nyay patra (justice manifesto), not ghoshna patra (poll manifesto), said Mr Ramesh.

The central election committee of the Congress met on Friday evening. Sources said that about 86 seats, including from Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, West Bengal, Chandigarh, Andaman, Puducheri, Karnataka, Telangana state, MP, Gujarat and Rajasthan were discussed.

Insiders claim that a total of 30 seats were approved. Eight seats in Bengal and 15 seats in Karnataka were finalised. Discussions also took place regarding Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim Assembly elections. The CEC cleared 18 Sikkim Assembly. The next meeting of the CEC will be held on March 21. The third list of the Congress is expected on Wednesday.

The manifesto of the Congress would focus on five "nyays" under which it has made 25 guarantees.

Yuva Nyay: Bharati Bharosa of 30 lakh central government jobs, according to a jobs calendar. One-year paid apprenticeship for all educated youths at Rs 1 lakh a year or Rs 8,500 a month under Pehli Naukri Pakki. Law to ensure government recruitment examination question papers are not leaked and better working conditions and social security for gig workers. Under Yuva Roshni, Rs 5,000-crore start-up fund.

Nari Nyay: Mahalakshmi guarantee of Rs 1 lakh a year for one woman in every poor family, 50 per cent reservation for women in new Central jobs and double salary contribution of the Centre for all ASHA, anganwadi, and mid-day meal workers, "Adhikar Maitri" in every village to ensure women get their legal rights, doubling the number of hostels for working women.

Kisan Nyay: Legal guarantee for MSP under the Swaminathan formula, standing loan waiver commission for farmers, insurance payment within 30 days of crop loss and a stable import-export policy to benefit farmers, no GST on inputs for farming.

Shramik Nyay: Right to health law that provides universal healthcare, including free essential diagnostics, medicines, treatment, surgery, and rehabilitative and palliative care, national minimum wage of Rs 400 a day, including all MGNREGS workers, employment guarantee Act for urban areas, life insurance and accident insurance for unorganised workers and stopping contractualisation of employment in core government functions.

Hissedari Nyay: Social, economic and caste census, removing the 50 per cent cap on reservations through a constitutional amendment, special budget for SC and ST equal to the share of their population, settling Forest Rights Act claims in one year, notifying habitations where STs are the most populous group as scheduled areas.
Decades after WWII, many Filipinos continue to be haunted by the myth of the spoils of war that General Yamashita is supposed to have buried in tunnels. Some even lose their life in the hunt for the hidden treasure.

Davao (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Four people have reportedly suffocated to death in a cave in search of a treasure dating back to the Second World War. The sad incident occurred on Sunday on the island of Mindanao.

The victims were hunting for the fabled Yamashita treasure, spoils of war allegedly stolen in Southeast Asia by Japanese imperial forces during World War II and said to be hidden in underground caves or tunnels in the Philippines.

Rescuers found one body, while the other three presumably died exploring a cave in Kadingilan, a town in Bukidnon province.

The victims were part of a group of eight treasure hunters who had entered the Sitio Tinago cave in the Cabadiangan barangay in search of the precious goods.

Kadingilan Police Chief Capt Larry Mahlin said that a nearby police station sent a distress radio message, saying that the treasure hunters had contacted them asking for help.

Rescuers were not able to enter the underground cave because of carbon monoxide.

The Yamashita treasure is named after General Tomoyuki Yamashita who, according to a popular legend in the Philippines, buried tonnes of gold and other stolen items in caves and underground tunnels, with the intention of recovering them after the war.

In the first decades after World War II, the quest for this gold became an obsession in the country even though important historians have raised serious doubts about the treasures very existence.

Still, even today some still try their luck in this very dangerous enterprise. Last July, a group of five people were rescued as they were about to suffocate in a tunnel at a depth of 30 metres in the Puerto Princesa area, Padan Archipelago.
A Mexican spider monkey seized by federal authorities in March 2022. The woman accused of smuggling the monkey in the U.S., Savannah Nicole Valdez, was sentenced in federal court on Monday, March 18, 2024. Courtesy/U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

After serving time for trying to sneak a spider monkey into the country, a Katy woman was arrested again after using her family to sell another spider monkey and some toucans to federal investigators.

A federal judge sentenced Savannah Nicole Valdez, 21, to 16 months in prison Monday after she pleaded guilty to smuggling spider monkeys into the country and selling them in the Houston area, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

EMOTIONAL RESCUE?: Spider monkeys at Wilford Hall for emotional support, not a good idea

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Valdez ran afoul of the Endangered Species Act twice since the beginning of 2022, according to federal prosecutors. Monday's sentencing was related to a charge for selling wildlife in violation of underlying federal law in October 2023, court documents show.

In March 2022, Valdez was caught near the U.S.-Mexico border, days after running from an immigration checkpoint with a monkey in her car. Border agents found the monkey hidden in a wooden box in her car, according to court documents. In November 2022, she pleaded guilty to a charges of smuggling goods and high speed flight from an immigration checkpoint, and was sentenced to time served and two years supervised release.

Valdez linked to online ad for wildlife

While special agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were investigating first arrest, they matched her cellphone number to Craigslist advertisements offering to sell keel-billed toucans and yellow-head Amazon parrots, also protected by the Endangered Species Act.

After her guilty plea and release on the first charge, the agents called the phone number. Valdez offered to sell the caller a toucan and a Mexican Spider Monkey, according to court documents.

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Valdez's mother showed up at the Memorial City Mall on July 28, 2023, with two toucans, and was arrested by the undercover agents. Valdez's mother told the agents she had been communicating with her daughter. Four days later one of Valdez's sisters contacted the agents, saying she still had a spider monkey for sale. Two sisters met the agents a Katy gas station with the monkey. When the women were searched, they found that Valdez had used Facebook Messenger to direct the women to the delivery site.

Valdez in October 2023 was arrested and charged with selling wildlife in violation of underlying federal law, according to court documents. She reached plea agreement on the charge on Oct. 4, 2023.

Valdez was sentenced to 15 months in prison on the selling wildlife charge Monday, and another month in prison for violating the terms of her release on the smuggling charge.

Can you own a monkey in Texas?

It is legal to own monkeys in Texas, though local laws might prohibit people having the animals as pets in some cities. However, federal law prohibits monkeys of any kind from being imported as pets. People who bring monkeys into the United States for scientific or educational reasons are supposed to declare the animals and quarantine them to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

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by Nirmala Carvalho

"Let us offer our supplications for the purification of the Church and the good of the nation". The initiative was decided during the Assembly of the Bishops' Conference, concerned about the 'unprecedented religious polarisation that is damaging social harmony and endangering democracy itself'. From 19 April to 1 June, almost one billion voters will be called to vote.

Delhi (AsiaNews) - The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) has announced a Day of prayer and fasting for Friday 22 March to be observed in all the Catholic communities of the country, in view of the upcoming general elections in India and in light of the growing persecution against Christians in the country.

A letter signed by Msgr. Anil Couto, archbishop of Delhi and general secretary of the CBCI, urges the faithful "to unite in prayer for a continuous period of 12 hours to intercede for our nation, particularly for the upcoming general elections this year." With these prayers - continues the prelate - "we align our hearts with the will of God and offer our supplications for the purification of the Church and the good of our nation".

In the letter Msgr. Couto asks Catholics to celebrate Holy Mass, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the rosary and other liturgical moments as part of the special day. May this day represent a moment of profound spiritual reflection, penance and renewal for the entire Indian Church. We offer our sacrifices and our invocations with a heart open to the will of God, trusting in his mercy and providence."

This national day of prayer and fasting is an initiative decided by the Episcopal Conference in its last assembly in February. A statement released at the end of the meeting that brought together all the bishops in Bangalore observed: There is an unprecedented religious polarization that is damaging the cherished social harmony in our country and endangering democracy itself. There are fears that divisive attitudes, hate speech and fundamentalist movements are eroding the pluralist ethos that has always characterized our country and its Constitution. Fundamental rights and minority rights guaranteed by the Constitution should never be endangered."

The Indian general elections will be held in seven different rounds depending on the different areas of the country from 19 April to 1 June to elect the 543 members of the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament). Almost 1 billion voters are called to vote. The results will be announced all together on June 4th. Census statistics reveal that India's population is 79.8% Hindu, 14.2% Muslim and 2.3% Christian.
The victim, 47-year-old Nammye Hkun Jaw, was shot yesterday in his computer shop in Mogaung. Wounded in the stomach, he was finished off with a bullet in the head. A former leader of the Baptist Kachin Convention, he was active in the fight against drug trafficking.

Yangon (AsiaNews) - A murder that took place yesterday has sent shock waves through Myanmars Christian community, shaking it to its core.

The victim, a religious leader, was killed in Kachin State, northern Myanmar, on the border with China, in what his family call a targeted attack.

According to witnesses, cited by Radio Free Asia (RFA), at least three people stormed the computer shop of Nammye Hkun Jaw, in Mogaung Township, opening fire on the 47-year-old, killing him.

Three men came and said they wanted to print on vinyl and shot him, said a source close to the family. They shot him in his stomach twice, and when he did not die, they also shot him in the head, execution style.

A well-known leader in the local Christian community, Nammye Hkun Jaw Li was active in anti-military protests in Kachin State. He was also a former senior leader in the Baptist Kachin Convention and a member of Pat Jasan, a grassroots anti-drug group.

Nam Ma Tee residents are still trying to find out who killed Nammye Hkun Jaw Li, who leaves behind a wife and three children.

This incident in Kachin State comes at a time when religion is starting to colour political fighting.

Nearly two years after the 2021 military coup, the junta ordered the arrest of Hkalam Samson, a prominent Christian leader, on 4 December 2022, for his close ties to the Kachin Independence Army. He was sentenced to six years in prison on 7 April 2023.

(Photo: Radio Free Asia)
by Vladimir Rozanskij

An investigation by Sibir.Realii recounts the hardships in the lives of the ethnic groups that have lived in this region of the Russian Far East since time immemorial and today are grappling with serious difficulties caused by climate change and the industrial exploitation of natural resources. With the sanctions that have hit Gazprom, the authorities are no longer distributing subsidies, while their fishing grounds are being bought by the Chinese.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The island of Sakhalin is a long and enormous territory with which Russia in the far north points the finger at Far Eastern Asia, and is populated by local ethnic groups who are going through a period of great difficulty. In the tundra of the Noglinsk province, for some months, it has been difficult to maintain the most traditional activity, that of deer breeding. Blueberries grow among the moss and yellowed grass, which are hidden at first glance, but are exposed to the sun and offer a very sweet and special taste, collected by local tribes who try to save the local fauna and flora, those of the Nivkhi and the Oroni.

The journalist and ecologist Anastasia Trojanova, together with the documentary photographer Marina Syceva, published a report on Sibir.Realii, to try to clarify the problems that negatively influence the lives of these native peoples of the Russian Far East. They toured the island of Sakhalin, Primorje on the Pacific coast and the Khabarovsk region, where people are used to living in contact with nature and depending on its conditions, and now experience great difficulties due to climate and ecological changes, trying to adapt to situations where instead of seasonal renewal of grasses and plants there are concrete walls, steel and sewer pipes.

Many different ethnic groups have lived in the Sakhalin region since time immemorial, such as the Nanaitsy, the Orochi and the Evenki, together with the Oroni and Nivkhi. Today they are reduced to a few representatives: the Oroni are less than 300, the Nivkhi number 3,683 among all the eastern regions, the Orochi are 530, the Nanaitsy 11,668 and the Evenki 39,420, according to official statistics of all areas of Siberia. When they sit at the wheel of the car, these natives shout "Tooo-tooo!", as usually happens with herds of deer, evoking the young deer left without a mother, called Totosa and called "the deer of love", the which is not taken to the slaughterhouse, but which is taken care of until old age. In the Nivkha language, Toto also means Silver, the deer with the white coat.

Before the arrival of the Soviets, the natives of Sakhalin lived their original semi-nomadic lifestyle, roaming the taiga with deer, setting up tents for large families gathered around groups of 10-15 animals, and dedicating summer also fishing, in addition to picking berries. As a local woman, Angela Muvcik, says, "civilization and the oil industry have hit the illiterate and wild people, like a snowstorm on the head." Once the migrations through the fields ended, everyone was forced to live in small villages, even if those who could tried to return to the taiga and continue to follow the most ancient customs. Children were sent to study in boarding schools, and everyone was forced to speak Russian, forgetting their native languages.

After the end of the Soviet regime, many tried to return to life in the open air, even if deer meat is no longer eaten, rather we try to protect them in every way. Sakhalin's economy has been supported for thirty years by the oil giant Gazprom, now in serious crisis due to Western sanctions, and the local authorities no longer have funds to distribute subsidies and allow the population to live freely in the old way . There are a couple of thousand wild deer left, taking refuge in the most inaccessible areas near the western coast of the island, and we are trying to re-instill young people's passion for caring for animals and nature.

The Nivkhi are mainly fishermen, but today "the fish smells like oil", also because extraction activities have been greatly reduced, and the waste is spread without adequate recovery plans. The fishing grounds are purchased by the Chinese or by traders of various origins, and the local inhabitants are increasingly excluded from the local economy. Something is changing in nature says Angela, and a lot is changing in history, to the extent of excluding the small peoples of the past.
by Dario Salvi

The autonomous region is expected to go to the polls on 10 June in a vote postponed several times due to disagreements between the min Kurdish parties. A ruling by Iraq's Federal Supreme Court is causing chaos after it abolished minority quota seats. Both the Chaldean patriarch and the Shura Council of Kurdistan have criticised the courts ruling, which puts at risk the crucial, yet fragile balance exists between various groups.

Milan (AsiaNews)  Dark clouds are gathering over Iraqi Kurdistan amid growing tensions between Erbil and Baghdad in view of elections to the regional parliament scheduled next June.

In a joint statement released yesterday, representatives of different Christian communities - including Chaldeans, Assyrians, Syriacs and Armenians  express support for the decision by the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to boycott the upcoming vote.

This decision comes as tensions and concerns are rising about the legality and fairness of the electoral process.

The declaration, signed by key organisations such as the Hammurabi Coalition, underlines the common commitment to upholding constitutional principles and safeguarding Iraqs fragile democracy.

At the centre of the controversy is the 21 February ruling by Iraqs Federal Supreme Court (FSC), terminating the 11 seats reserved for minorities in the Kurdistan assembly: five for Chaldeans and Assyrians, one for Armenians and five for Turkmens.

Boycotting the vote is seen as a necessary step to counter unconstitutional circumstances".

Stressing the importance of fair elections, the signatories reiterate the need for the process to keep to the legal and constitutional frameworks established in the Kurdish regional government and to be impartial and inclusive, free from external interference.

We support the KDPs declaration and all efforts to protect democracy and keep a balance among institutions," which is why "any decision that undermines Iraqi democracy must be opposed."

Controversial sentence

The crisis was triggered by a ruling of the FSC to cancel the quota for ethnic minorities, including Christians, in the Kurdistan regional parliament.

Such a move is a further blow to Christians, already victims of the violence that followed the US invasion of 2003, which provoked the communitys demographic collapse, from 1.5 million to just over 300,000.

This has been compounded by a clash between the Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, Card Louis Raphael Sako, the country's highest Christian religious authority, and Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid after the latter revoked the decree that formally recognised the prelate as the countrys Chaldean patriarch.

In the wake of the presidents decision, the Chaldean primate temporarily moved the patriarchal see from the capital Baghdad to Erbil.

In addition to other critical issues, the FSC decided to abolish the 11-seat quota reserved for ethnic and religious minorities, including Christians, in the regional assembly, ahead of 10 June elections.

To critics, such a decision appears to be detrimental to the political rights of minorities that are guaranteed under the constitution.

This is why various political parties and minority representatives plan to boycott the election, which was set on 3 March, unless the ruling is overturned.

Kurdistan Regional President Nechirvan Barzani postponed it several times due to disputes between the parties.

Uncertain vote

Fuelling the controversy between the parties is the way in which the elections process itself and the dissolution of the legislature after the FSC deemed its self-extension "unconstitutional".

Since 1992 regional elections have been held every four years to pick 111 members of the local parliament, with the last dating back to 2018.

The vote was originally scheduled for October 2022, but was delayed due to disagreements between the PDK and its main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

After extensive bargaining the two parties eventually agreed to extend the mandate of the parliament by one year to continue negotiations on issues such as changing the electoral law and sharing taxes and oil revenues.

In May 2023, the FSC ruled that all decisions taken by the regional assembly after its extension were null and void, including the one aimed at reactivating the electoral commission to oversee the vote.

Last month, the court finally ruled that the Kurdistan Parliament should include only 100 members rather than 111 (excluding the minority quota) and that the elections should be overseen by the national electoral commission.

According to Dawid Salman, director of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission, there are 3.6 million eligible voters in the Kurdistan Region

The battle of religious leaders

The issue does not only concern minorities, but could undermine Iraqi Kurdistans very autonomy and its pluralistic nature, which have enabled many to find refuge from violence and persecution in recent years.

Hundreds of thousands of Christians, Yazidis, and Muslims fled Mosul and the Nineveh Plain, finding a safe haven in Iraqi Kurdistan, when Islamic State group ruled over large swathers of Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2017

For Card Sako, who spoke to Rudaw, a Kurdish media network, the courts decision to scrap the quota for minorities in the Kurdish Parliament is "unconstitutional". He also expressed concern over the very reasons that led to the verdict.

The ruling contradicts the law and the constitution, and does not honour prevailing customs. There are a lot of things that are not in the hands of the court, he said.

Not only Christian leaders, but the Shura Council of the Kurdistan Region, has come out against the FSCs ruling.

"The decision made by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court, in contravention of the constitution and laws, establishes it as a superior authority above all other powers, leading to a multitude of unfavourable consequences, encompassing legal, political, and social dimensions," the Shura said in a statement.

One consequence is the decision by parties linked to the Turkoman, Assyrian, and Chaldean communities to boycott the 10 June vote.

Considering this, the Shura Council expressed concern that non-participation in the vote would cause further political problems in the autonomous region, where a crucial, yet fragile balance exists between the various groups.

The council warns that the parliament formed after the elections will not include representatives from these communities. Therefore, it is essential for the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court to adhere to the Constitution, exercise its privileges as outlined in the Constitution, and avoid infringing upon the privileges of other branches of power.

However, such an appeal risks falling on deaf ears, generating more confusion and divisions in Iraq (and Kurdistan), already touched by past tensions and conflicts between ethnic and religious groups.

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The Latest | Netanyahu remains set on Rafah ground invasion despite US misgivings

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he remains determined to carry out a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite U.S. President Joe Biden's misgivings
US Chief of Staff Antony Blinken will travel to Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week to discuss with their leaders negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, his spokesman said Tuesday.

The secretary of state will meet with Saudi representatives in Jeddah on Wednesday and will be in Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian officials, his spokesman, Matthew Miller, said from the Philippines.

This will be Blinken's sixth trip to the Middle East since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on 7 October.

The secretary of state will address "efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire agreement that ensures the release of all remaining hostages, intensified international efforts to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, and post-conflict coordination in Gaza," Miller said in a statement.

Blinken will also address the issue of designing "a political path for the Palestinian people with security guarantees for Israel and an architecture for lasting peace and security in the region," he added.

The US chief diplomat is in the Philippines on a brief tour of Asia to strengthen relations between Washington and key countries in the region in the face of China's growing power.

Blinken's new trip to the Middle East follows some signs of progress in truce talks between Israel and Hamas.

The US is also pressing its Israeli ally to avoid a major operation on the city of Rafah, located at the southern tip of Gaza on the border with Egypt, where 1.5 million people are crowded, according to the UN.

An incursion into Rafah would result in even more civilian casualties and "worsen the already dire humanitarian situation, reinforce lawlessness in Gaza, and further isolate Israel" on the international stage, Washington warned.
While Algiers reacted to the publication of an expropriation plan in the Kingdom's Official Gazette on 13 March with a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Moroccan government has so far refrained from raising the issue.

Morocco's response

In response to the Algerian communique, an anonymous diplomatic source gave a statement to AFP. The use of this medium lends credibility to the statement. It is a way of refusing to engage in any polemic with Algiers on an issue that has been the subject of long exchanges between the two sides.

From the outset, the Moroccan diplomatic source stresses that the Foreign Ministry and the residence of the former Algerian Embassy in Rabat are in no way affected by the expropriation procedure. The land on which the embassy is built was donated by the Moroccan authorities.

Moreover, "only one building has been discussed with the Algerian authorities. It is an unused room immediately adjacent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", the same source said, adding that 'this enlargement operation has affected several diplomatic buildings in recent years, in particular those of Cote d'Ivoire and Switzerland'.

However, the most interesting aspect of this Moroccan diplomatic clarification is that it reveals that "the Algerian authorities have been closely involved and duly informed for more than two years, at all stages and with total transparency". Algiers therefore did not have to invoke an alleged Moroccan provocation. Nothing surprising about that.

Border crossing point between Algeria and Morocco - PHOTO/FILE

The Moroccan diplomatic source provides proof that Morocco did not handle this matter by stealth. "As early as January 2022, the Ministry officially informed the Algerian authorities on several occasions of the Moroccan government's desire to acquire the premises out of court. The Algerian Consul General in Casablanca was received at the Ministry no less than four times on this matter. In addition, eight official letters were sent to the Algerian authorities, who replied with no less than five official letters'.

Ahmed Attaf. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria

The Algerian Foreign Ministry's press release did not mention this exchange of correspondence and information between the two countries on this issue. The press release gave the impression that the announcement of the procedure initiated by the Moroccans was surprising and unexpected on the part of Algiers.

The communique from the Moroccan diplomatic source goes further in its revelations. It tells us that, in two of their written documents, the Algerian authorities responded to the Moroccan offer by indicating that 'an evaluation of the property is underway and that they will communicate their conclusions as soon as they are finalised', before adding that 'the premises will be vacated and their contents removed in accordance with diplomatic practice once the sale operation has been duly concluded'.

The climax of this affair, which is not really a matter of fact, is that the Algerian authorities, for their part, have informed the Moroccan side in writing 'that they have decided to initiate an expropriation procedure, for reasons of public utility, of certain properties in the area near the People's Palace (in Algiers) and, consequently, to repossess the residence of the ambassador of the Moroccan mission'. Algiers seems to have acted swiftly in this matter of 'expropriation for reasons of public utility'.

In light of these details, one wonders about the Algerian regime's intentions in issuing a press release with a bellicose tone, pretending to ignore the negotiations and discussions that took place between the two parties. Above all, we await Algiers' reaction to these revelations, which call into question the authors of the Foreign Ministry's communique.
Sabashtian Beltran, 21, was arrested Monday after he was charged with attempted burglary of habitation with intent to commit theft. Bexar County Sheriff's Office

A man allegedly caught on security footage trying to force his way into a Far West Side home was arrested, the Bexar County Sheriffs office said.

The sheriffs office received several tips over the weekend after a video of the attempted break-in was shared on social media. Deputies arrested 21-year-old Sabashtian Beltran at his home Monday in connection with the crime.

Sheriff Javier Salazar said in a media conference that Beltran came to the sheriffs office to be interviewed and provided a partial confession. He was allowed to leave, but deputies got a warrant to arrest Beltran Monday afternoon, Salazar said.

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He recently ran into some money issues and saw a house he thought would be an easy mark, Salazar said. Thankfully, these homeowners did a great job in helping us get this guy.

READ MORE: Mayor of Texas border town arrested on federal drug trafficking charges

He was charged with attempted burglary of a habitation with intent to commit theft, a third-degree felony. His bond amount has yet to be posted.

Beltran does not have a history involving theft, Salazar said. He previously faced charges of assault and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Investigators are still searching for a second person they believe acted as a lookout during the incident.

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Video taken near the front door shows a man approaching the home before knocking on the door.

Initially, the residents inside did not respond, and the man began trying to force the door open with a prybar. When one of the residents inside began screaming, the sheriffs office said the man ran.

Salazar said Beltran told investigators he ran after he heard children screaming inside the home.

The family did a great job on having the placement of the camera; that was instrumental in helping us get that information out there, Salazar said. These things are invaluable in helping us not just prevent things from happening but in identifying folks if it does happen.
1963 saw big changes for Americas sportscar: a new generation debuted  the C2 Sting Ray (two words)  and demand was over the top. It was so high, in fact, that Chevrolet scored a record production run of 21,513 units for the model year, and sales soared almost 100% from the 1961 levels. One of the reasons was the launch of the coupe body style.

Out of all the cars badged Corvette in the debut year of the second generation, almost half came with a solid roof - 10,594 coupes (49.24%), and the rest of 10,919 kept the familiar convertibles tenure (50.76%). The coupes also offered a one-year-only feature that wasnt much of a design success at the time, but it is in high demand nowadays: the split rear window.The feature obstructed the rearview and for the following year  and the rest of its uninterrupted production since  the Corvette didnt adopt the two-glass-sheet solution for the back window. Another special option that broke ground in 63 was the Special Performance Equipment optional package  the famous Z06. Only 199 units were ordered in the RPOs (Regular Production Option) first stage appearance.The design was a very far cry from the original styling of the two-seater sportscar  Bill Mitchell, the Chevy (and later GMs) beauty guru, took inspiration from a Sting Ray race car from 1959. The looks were so irresistibly sexy, and teenage boys would suddenly become aware of certain bodily functions unknown until then.In fact, one 16-year-young was so keen to get his hands over a brand-new 1963 Vette that he had his mother put her name on the registration title of a superb Solid Red convertible. The car  shown in the video below, shot at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals last November by Lou Costabile  also had another particular appealing option A 327-cubic-inch eight-cylinder powerplant with zero carburetors and a 360-horse rear-wheel punch. Thats correct; this drop-top Vette is a Fuelie, with a 4.11 rear-end gearing. Not to point fingers, but Roger E. Miller  the teen who owned the car  was probably a very busy young man and didnt want to spend too much time in traffic.He kept the car until 1990  and had it transferred to his name in 1967, when he turned 21  then sold it (with 37,234 miles / 59,909 km on the clock) to a man who kept it until 1991. Without adding a single mile to the odometer. The third owner of this stunning Corvette wasnt much of a drivers car enthusiast, either. He kept the car for three decades and sold it to Joe Verillo (a veteran Corvette dealer in the business since the 80s) in 2021.At the time, the second-generation Sting Ray Corvette was undergoing a restoration (finished to perfection by Joe), and now it proudly boasts 37,246 miles (59,912 kilometers). According to the owner, it also features a unique air cleaner system worth about $35,000. No word about how much the whole car is valued, as he doesnt plan to sell it.
EV

ICE

We dared to call them old because the third-generation Challenger premiered in 2008, the seventh iteration of the Charger appeared in 2011, and the Durango slotted in between them in 2010. Since they were all growing a little long in the tooth, Dodge proceeded to retire the Challenger to car Valhalla without 'much fuss' around it aside from making it a member of the seven 'Last Call' special editions, which include the 1,025-hp Demon 170.The Charger, meanwhile, has received a new lease of life with the eighth generation for the 2024 model year in Daytonaform with R/T and Scat Pack of up to 670-hp variants. After that, starting in 2025, they will also produce and sell the Sixpack models with the 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six mill and up to 500 hp in both four-door sedan and classic two-door fastback coupe form.Meanwhile, the Durango is looking at the last few turns as a Hemi V8 wonder because it is also getting treated to 'Last Call' special editions; the first one is the SRT 392 AlcHEMI . After that, we are also probably looking at something involving the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 Hellcat before bowing out and making way for what comes next.Obviously, with all that being said, the next iteration of the mid-size Dodge Durango family crossover seems to be quite a popular subject everywhere  including the rumor mill, which is thinking that Charger's STLA Large new platform is a perfect fit for the CUV, as well, plus the imaginative realm of digital car content creators. The latter really doesn't care if the next Durango comes with electric power only, as anrepresentative, or with both. Instead, they would love to envision it as being close to the actual series production model.The only trouble is that Dodge is still preoccupied with its Charger Daytona and Sixpack, so they haven't started the proceeds for the next-gen Durango. In fact, we haven't seen any spies just yet, let alone leaked patent drawings or any official teasers. As a matter of fact, Dodge is still promoting the 2024 SRT Hellcat model on social media, which kicks off at $95,995. No worries, as the parallel universes of vehicular CGI are already brimming with next-gen Durango visions For example, Vince Burlapp (aka vburlapp on social media or burlappcar.com) is a prolific virtual artist who loves to dream of all the latest models across the wide-ranging automotive realm, and he's already come up with a 2026 Dodge Durango EV design project featuring many of the Charger Daytona cues. Now, though, he's back with a second CGI version of the CUV with a simpler look and possibly touting the option of Sixpack under the hood. So, what do you think, and which one is your favorite?
Tiny houses may not be the all-encompassing solution to the housing crisis, the daily rut and stress, or climate change, but they sure do make a strong case for themselves. If they're as adorable and compact as this one, it's not hard to see why they're so popular.

Photo: California Tiny House

Photo: California Tiny House

Photo: California Tiny House

Photo: California Tiny House

For the past several years, tiny houses have stepped out of the shadows and into the spotlight, sparking a genuine frenzy online. They propose a dramatic lifestyle shift and boast incredible benefits like affordable housing, a nomadic existence, a more sustainable life, and perhaps best of all, a stress-free life that is equal parts leisure and fun, and only so little work.That's the ideal version of tiny living, of course  the one that presents a perfectly curated appearance on social media. Because tiny houses come with very compact footprints that make severe downsizing a prerequisite, they entail heavy compromises and a downgrade in the level of comfort. To get all those benefits, you must compromise accordingly, to put this in much simpler words.That condition granted, tiny living can be all these incredible things. Gallery 16 is a good example of the kind of compromise involved when it comes to space, but it makes a strong case for itself with incredibly adorable styling and a compact but smart layout. Yes, we know that too much emphasis on looks is a sign of superficiality, but when you're downsizing, aesthetics play a vital role. You already live in a tiny house, itlook good!California Tiny House is a U.S.-based builder of semi-custom units for most tastes and budgets. Gallery 16 is the smallest  and newest  offering in their lineup, one that proposes a return to the basics of mobile living. As such, it's very compact and very good-looking, and at the same time, a complete solution for a couple of adventurers who might want to hit the road with their home in tow.The Gallery 16 is 16 feet (4.8 meters) in total length and 10 feet (3 meters) wide and sits on a custom dual-axle trailer with a removable tongue, which makes it perfect for small parking spaces.The house itself is small compared to the majority of tinies produced in North America , but that's why we're saying it proposes a return to the basics. Tiny living and downsizing started out with units of this size, deemed ideal for their mobility, compactness, and convenience.The Gallery 16 offers 145 square feet (13.5 square meters) of living space on the ground floor, and a small loft that doubles as the main bedroom, just big enough to fit a queen-size mattress and some open shelving. The ground floor is taken up by an L-shaped kitchen, a small but full bathroom, and an equally small lounge with a dining area attached.Everything about this unit is scaled down to size, as shown in the photos in the gallery. They're of a custom unit based on the Gallery 16 model: like with every other model in the lineup, the builder allows for limited personalization options meant to make each unit a standout from the rest.The Gallery 16 might be very compact , but it's still suitable for long-term or permanent residency. The kitchen has room for all the basic appliances, from a fridge and freezer unit under the counter to a cooktop and overhead oven, and enough storage room and prep space.The bathroom comes with a shower cubicle with a sliding glass door, a flushing toilet, and a small sink with vanity. The loft sits on top of the bathroom and is accessible by means of a ladder. The addition of storage options here is a true surprise, given how small the room is, but it's a most welcome surprise. There is no such thing as too much storage.Finished with red accents throughout, this Gallery 16 unit is as cozy as it's adorable. More to the point, though, it's still an essentially mobile home while providing the basics for permanent residency, which is something you're not going to get with oversize park models that favor larger spaces over mobility.One thing that Gallery 16 does have in common with every other tiny out there, no matter the size or finishes, is pricing. For all its touted benefits and the supposed ability to provide livelihood by monetizing the tiny lifestyle on social media, tiny houses remain priced prohibitively for the amount of space they provide.The Gallery 16, for example, starts at $62,399, which doesn't include customization, furnishings, or appliances. Compared to a regular, non-moving, brick-and-mortar home, this kind of money is still peanuts, besides the bonus of not coming with a 30-year mortgage. But it's still money you pay for a house you need to park on rented or owned land, a home that has no real investment value.In the end, the choice to downsize remains a personal one and is highly dependent on how each of us prioritizes certain things in life. We're not here to convince or sell to aspiring tiny house owners but just to present options  and as far as that goes, the Gallery 16 is a solid one
It's been two weeks since America's first American commercial uncrewed mission to the Moon ended, and we're only now starting to get our first glimpse at exactly how important the flight was for the future of space exploration.

Photo: Intuitive Machines

Photo: Intuitive Machines

On February 15 a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida a Moon lander called Odysseus . Part of a family of such hardware named Nova-C assembled by private contractor Intuitive Machines, Odysseus successfully reached the Moon, landing there six NASA experiments and an equal number of other pieces of cargo shipped to Luna by companies and individuals.It's one of the NASA science instruments we're interested in right now, because we finally got an update on what it was able to achieve during the two weeks or so during which the Odysseus was operational.The piece of tech is called Lunar Node-1 (LN-1), and it is a radio beacon meant to "support precise geolocation and navigation observations" for the people who will soon flock to the Moon during the Artemis missions.The hardware relies on a navigation software called Multi-spacecraft Autonomous Positioning System (MAPS) to confirm the position of an object on the Moon in relation to others present on the surface: landers, rovers, surface infrastructure, and even astronauts.What the Node is basically meant to do is provide real-time, point-to-point navigation and communication for people and vehicles up there. It can be used to link orbiters, landers, and individuals, checking their position in relation to networked networked spacecraft, ground stations, or rovers.This type of navigation system is seen by NASA as crucial for the Artemis program, as it beats the hell out of the conventional way of determining position, relying on Earth-based data relays  a method that takes about 20 minutes for data to be received.Although there was only one Node deployed on the Moon, its success up there could open the doors for an entire network to be created to help with navigation. And success it seems to have had, as NASA released the first details of the Node's performance.The initial profile for the mission called for the tech to transmit data without stopping after Odysseus had landed. Its signals would have been picked up by the American space agency's Deep Space Network (DSN) for up to ten hours each day.But the Intuitive Machines lander's arrival on the Moon was not without issues, and the fact it touched down more or less on one side impacted the Node's ability to do what it was programmed to do.So, instead of hours of signals, the hardware only powered on for two 15-minute transmissions from the Moon, totaling just half an hour of data. The good news is that DSN antennas received the signals.The data, which contained telemetry and navigation measurements, was then sent to the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, and the Morehead State University in Kentucky.We do not exactly know what the data reveals, as science teams are still looking into it, but the relative success of the mission prompted NASA to say, "for 30 total minutes in February, NASA lit a beacon on the Moon."Separately from its task after landing, the Node was also used while the lander was on its way to the Moon, sending spacecraft positioning data to DSN receivers.NASA has big plans for this beacon network, and it is already thinking about it as something akin to "a network that monitors and maintains a busy metropolitan subway system, tracking every train in real-time." When robust enough, the system will be integrated into the upcoming LunaNet architecture.The Intuitive Machines mission to the Moon is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. That's an effort meant to advance the goals of the Artemis program by tapping into the private space industry.The IM-1 mission, as the flight was called, was the first one of the CLPS to conclude successfully, but not the first one to launch. That honor belongs to the Peregrine lander and the company that made it, Astrobotic.Launched in early January on board a Vulcan Centaur rocket, the mission came to an abrupt end after a fuel leak impacted the spacecraft's ability to reach the Moon.After spending a little over ten days in space, the Peregrine went for a controlled crash in the atmosphere of our own planet. On January 18, the ship began its descent, heading for a remote area of the South Pacific. It likely burned up before any significant pieces of it hit the ocean.There is one more major CLPS mission planned for this year, the launch of the VIPER rover. Intuitive Machines is scheduled to launch a second lander as well later in 2024, and we also expect a launch from Firefly Aerospace, in the form of the Blue Ghost lander.
Ever since the dawn of aviation many years ago aircraft have established themselves as fixed-wing machines capable of taking to the sky. Why winged? Well, for the simple reason that such a design is the most effective that we know of that can generate lift. Or is it?

Photo: NASA

Photo: NASA

Back in 1917, at a time when aviation was still young, an American tailor named Roy Scroggs imagined a new kind of aircraft that had no wings. Called The Last Laugh it was more or less shaped like a dart, and used the shape of its own body to generate lift instead of conventional wings.Nothing came of The Last Laugh, as nothing really came of a lifting-body aircraft either. The reasons for that are lost to history, and they may no longer matter as there are several aviation startups working on making such a design a reality.Even if for aviation lifting bodies didn't mean much until now, they were and still are considered as a potential way of designing hardware for space exploration.Back in the early 1960s American space agency NASA kicked off at the location now known as the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, a test program for a series of such aircraft.A total of six such designs (they were called M2-F1, M2-F2, M2-F3, HL-10, X-24A, and X-24B) were put through their paces, including during test flights that demonstrated the pilots' ability to fly and land them.The wingless machines relied on the shape of their bodies for lift, and on fins and control surfaces installed here and there. Power for all but one of them (the M2-F1 had no engine) came from an XLR-11 rocket engine, the same kind that was earlier deployed on the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, the Bell X-1.NASA performed tests with these machines from 1963 to 1975, and proudly says the work conducted with them eventually led to the development of the Space Shuttle. And, even if that work has long concluded, it could now lead to the development of aircraft meant to study other planets.The six prototypes the agency flew decades ago are the center of a new project being run at Armstrong. Led by an investigator there named John Bodylski, the project aims to develop lifting-body aircraft with no engines that could be used to gather atmospheric data on alien worlds, especially the giant ones in our solar system.Now that the Ingenuity helicopter proved that powered flight is possible in the atmosphere of other planets, NASA is looking at wingless machines that could take on the role of satellites but with better capabilities and lower cost.The idea seems to have enough merit for NASA to task Bodylski through its Center Innovation Fund to write a paper on his idea, but also build models to help advance work on an actual prototype.And that's exactly what Bodylski did, with help from people from the Armstrong Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory  not one, but two lifting body aircraft models have been created, tiny in size (they are just a little over 27 inches/69 cm long and 24 inches/61 cm wide), but effective in giving us a glimpse as to what to expect (check the attached gallery for that).The first model is made of carbon fiber and foam but still lacks a lot of components. The second one, however, is already equipped with hinged flight control surfaces, and is currently awaiting that to be tied to the structure.If the models come out right, they could inform the creation of computer models, and from there it's only a step to an actual atmospheric probe of this kind.Building an actual spacecraft using this design is still a long time away, but NASA already has an idea of how they could operate.The lifting body aircraft would be sent to an alien world attached to satellites. Once in orbit, they would detach after firing pyrotechnic bolts and descend into the atmosphere to collect data from altitudes that are not easy to reach by satellites.The actual probes would be about the same size as the models currently being built. They would drop faster and at a steeper angle than what existing CubeSats are capable of. In doing so they would be able to gather ten data points four times faster than existing technologies (in just ten minutes instead of 40). More importantly, in thicker atmospheres, lifting body probes would be able to operate for as much as 30 minutes.The downside is that these things are unpowered, and they will eventually be destroyed as they have no way of coming back up.NASA plans to test the models currently being built by the end of March. A rotorcraft will take the lifting body up and air launch it as a glider. After the first mission is over, further tests are expected in the coming months.The goals of these procedures are to see if the design can fly, but also to determine if it is stable and what components can be integrated. NASA doesn't say anything about a potential real-life use of the design anytime soon.
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

Police reports in Waze.

Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

We've all seen how this works. Users running Waze and typically driving over the limit slow down when approaching a speed trap and accelerate immediately after passing it.Several countries, including France, have banned police reports in mobile navigation apps specifically to prevent users from warning others about the location of law enforcement. Their reasoning, besides that a police report allows speedsters to escape unpunished, is that criminals could also use the data to avoid officers on the ground specifically searching for them.Think of someone running away from the police. If they run Waze, they could use the police reports within the app to use only routes where patrol cars haven't been flagged.However, police reports remain one of the main reasons people use Waze. And as it turns out, "police officers love Waze, too."These are the words of the Ontario Provincial Police, who recently took to Facebook to share a piece of advice that motorists seem to support."If you use Waze, please mark us on the map," police say. And their reasoning makes sense.The post explains that someone seeing a police report on Waze typically slows down. A driver typically going over the limit is more likely to use software or other tools to detect a speed trap, mainly to slow down in advance and avoid getting a ticket. Slowing down is what police should aim for (despite many motorists calling for bigger fines), and the Ontario Provincial Police says this is their goal, too."If you mark us on the map, it ensures that at least for the duration of enforcement, drivers will slow down, and that's what we're out here for," they say in the post.The Ontario Provincial Police claim that speedsters slowing down eventually keeps others safe on the highway. Eventually, reporting police on Waze "could help save a life."The Ontario Provincial Police might have a point here. Ensuring high visibility for speed traps is a deterrent for speedsters, providing enough time to slow down. Otherwise, many drivers could be tempted to brake hard when noticing a radar, increasing the likelihood of an accident and contributing to phantom traffic jams , especially on highways during rush hours.Waze has been struggling to find the right recipe for police reports within the app, and multiple approaches have been tested in the last months.Waze allows users to send three types of police reports: the standard report for a visible speed trap, a hidden radar, and police on the other side.The simplified Waze reporting experience, which has already launched on all supported platforms, including Android Auto and CarPlay, tested multiple approaches, at one point giving up on all options but the standard police trap. The reasoning was simple: drivers don't care what type of speed trap they encounter; all they want to know is that they approach a radar, so keeping visible and hidden reports available as separate options only made the reporting experience more cluttered.Waze eventually removed the police on the other side report, trying to focus on a single report. This option eventually returned, as it could help users, especially when traffic is light on the other side and nobody flags the location of a speed trap.Police reports have slowly made their way to other navigation apps. Google Maps and Apple Maps also support similar options, though their adoption is lackluster. Apple Maps adopted police reports as part of the incident reporting component , trying to explore the navigation experience beyond the standard turn-by-turn guidance. The incident reports are bundled with the detailed city experience rolling out across the world, so it's not yet available for all users. Apple Maps also allows users to report accidents and "other hazards."Waze remains the most popular solution for sending traffic reports, and in addition to speed traps, users can also flag the location of accidents, traffic jams, flooding, roadkill, broken traffic lights, potholes, and many other hazards they discover on the route. The crowdsourcing engine is Waze's main feature, setting it apart from the rest of the crowd as a tool that makes every route more predictable.This is what the Ontario Provincial Police tries to highlight, too. Waze helps make a road more predictable, so even if the police location is marked on the map, the application still serves its purpose. It allows drivers to act in advance, allowing them to slow down safely without braking hard and increasing the risk of accidents.Waze is available on Android and iPhone and can also run on Android Auto and CarPlay. It also includes a voice reporting component that allows users to send traffic reports without interacting with the screen, reducing distraction when the vehicle is in motion.
EV

Tesla is the current king of EVs, undeniably, at least from the delivery standpoint. No one can come close to their sales performance  neither legacy automakers nor fresh startups. However, when it comes to plain performance, Lucid found a cure  the 1,234-horsepower Air Sapphire. It's a lot costlier than a Model S Plaid, by the way, but not necessarily umpteen times faster.As such, it's a constant battle between Tesla Model S Plaid owners and Lucid Air Sapphire caretakers  including at the local quarter-mile dragstrip, even when they don't face off with each other. But there's no need to take our word for granted, as we have a feisty example.So, the owner of the Tesla Plaid Channel promises new Model S Plaid races every week, and so far, has lived up to the promise... and then some more. Most recently, he and his blue Plaid were at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, earlier this month for some great quarter-mile dragstrip action. As always, the Plaid racer doesn't disappoint and, with help from his YouTuber buddies on site, has prepared a cool video featuring theexploits of his Plaid and the competing Sapphire.First, of course, we get to see what happened that night with his Model S, which is weight-reduced and runs on stock Pirelli P Zero tires wrapped around 19-inch wheels. The banting has led to dropping around 170 pounds of weight, which in turn has led to a 9.15s best-of at the track after getting rid of the backseats and most rear material but not the two front seats, door panels, airbags, mirrors, or the 20-speaker audio system with subwoofer.So, initially, the Plaid goes up against a Big Block Chevy Chevelle SS, which definitely looks promising thanks to its massive rear tires. However, it was no contest, and the host sounded quite disappointed that the great-sounding GM representative didn't put up a better fight. Unfortunately, there was a problem with the BMP app and the paper results, so we didn't get a time slip comparison, just the Plaid's details, including the 9.25s pass.Secondly, the mighty Tesla's owner chooses to take on a Blue Oval representative  a 363ci-equipped (6.0-liter small block) Ford Mustang Cobra that's also packing a 75mm turbocharger and is said to run into the eights. Well, on this occasion, they didn't inflame the car's reputation, and the Plaid ran a very consistent second 9.25s pass, but that wasn't enough to bring home the second victory of the night. Instead, the Cobra proved even faster and smashed the EV with an 8.77s pass.Last but not least, that Lucid Air Sapphire finally dropped into the eights that night after numerous attempts by its owner. However, that wasn't nearly enough against a COPO Camaro , hence the 8.52s versus 8.99s loss.
Police wanted to pull over a female driver for overspending. However, she had other plans. She kept pressing the throttle pedal, so the police started pursuing her. To get rid of the cars that followed her, she drove her BMW straight into the ocean.

The female driver is now in police custody following the 30-mile chase that ended in the Pacific Ocean close to Venice Beach. Everything had started at around 11:21 PM on Saturday night when the police tried to pull over a first-generation BMW X3 near Temple City Boulevard in Los Angeles. The woman behind the steering wheel refused to stop and fled the police.29.8 miles and 40 minutes later, she came to a stop against her will as she hit the water after she drove off the edge of the road and flew into the ocean. A surveillance camera on the pier caught the entire scene on film.A Coast Guard boat was immediately right beside her and brought her to safety while a helicopter was in the air ready to assist if necessary.Two Boston Terriers were with her in the car during the chase. One escaped the car at the last moment before it went into the water. Lifeguards managed to save the other one. Both were handed over to the Animal Control officers. The dogs are now safe at the local animal shelter, and considering how they became famous, it won't be a problem finding homes for the two.The woman who plunged with her silver BMW into the water is now facing charges of evading the police and of animal cruelty, plus overspending.The BMW X3 was towed away by a tractor and will probably be labeled as a write-off. However, we have seen cars getting saved after falling into the water before. Unless the first-gen BMW is too old and too costly to fix. Otherwise, we are going to see it on the used car market.Police started an investigation to find out why the woman tried to flee the police in the first place and how she thought that driving into the ocean might be a way out.We usually report stories about drivers ending up in the waves because they try to show off, forget to activate the parking brake, put the vehicle in Park, or just blindly follow the route indicated by the navigation.The latest was a Toyota that slid off the pier during the driver's lunch break at the Blossom Street Pier Ferry Terminal in Lynn, Massachusetts. No one got hurt, but the car was most likely a write-off.Last year, the Essex Police posted a photo of a car nearly entirely submerged in water in Dunmow. The driver evacuated himself and swam back to the shore. He eventually told the officers that he followed the recommendations of the navigation app that he was using at the time of the event.
Francine Prosser Johnson awards Elton Anderson the Coach Raymond Johnson Memorial Scholarship during the Friends of Sam Houston High School annual community scholarship breakfast at the Second Baptist Church Community Center in 2023. KAYLEE GREENLEE BEAL 2023

The Friends of Sam Houston High School Scholarship Committee is sponsoring its annual community scholarship breakfast on Saturday to benefit seniors bound for college.

The event will take place at 9 a.m. at Second Baptist Church Community Center, 3310 East Commerce St. Tickets for an individual guest are $35, and each table is $350.

Jazz violinist and recording artist Michael Ward, a graduate of Sam Houston High Schools class of 1983, is the keynote speaker. This years honorees are Dominic Cameron, Sam Houston class of 1990, and Brandi Coleman, Brackenridge High School class of 1996.

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The volunteer alumni committee created the annual breakfast in honor of the late Donald McClure, an educator and former Sam Houston principal.
Pashinian visited on Monday two of those villages in Armenias northern Tavush province, Voskepar and Kirants, that are adjacent to four deserted settlements occupied by the Armenian army in 1991-1992. He signaled last week his readiness to accept Bakus demands for an unconditional Armenian withdrawal from those contested areas.

Pashinians office released on Tuesday more excerpts from his comments made during meetings with local residents seriously concerned about the security of their families and communities. In a video publicized by the office, he essentially confirmed that in exchange for the Armenian withdrawal Azerbaijan would not liberate any Armenian territory occupied by it in the same area in the early 1990s.

Our policy is that we must not allow the outbreak of a war, Pashinian told the villagers. This is also a reason why we decided to opt for adjusting the border of Armenia at this section.

In this situation, its better for us to stand on our border and put forward demands for them to leave our territory than to stand beyond our border while knowing that they will use it as a target, he said.

He claimed that failure to meet the Azerbaijani demands would mean a war will break out at the end of the week.

Many of the locals were unconvinced by that explanation. More of them said on Tuesday that they would lose access to their land, have trouble communicating with the rest of the country and be far more vulnerable from Azerbaijani armed attacks.

[Pashinian] said, Here is my advice to you: we must settle this without fighting; or else, we will lose, one Voskepar resident told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

The [old] border is only 80 meters from the village school. Five of its 55 students are from my household. How could I let them go there? said the man.

I wont let my grandchildren go to school, agreed another, female resident. I will immediately get them out. If there is no school, there is also no village.

I didnt go to the meeting [with Pashinian,] but everyone who did came away from it very unhappy and disappointed, said another woman.

The territorial concessions planned by Pashinian have been strongly condemned by the Armenian opposition. Opposition leaders say they would not only have serious consequences for the security of the affected communities but also the country as a whole.

Fulfilling Azerbaijan's incessant demands by continuously threatening our people with war will not only not prevent Azerbaijan from making new demands but will also create fertile ground for new aggressive actions by the latter, the main opposition Hayastan alliance said in a statement released on Tuesday. It said that Pashinian will commit a grave crime against the state if he goes ahead with his plans.

The ruined villages claimed by Baku are strategically located along one of the two main Armenian highways leading to Georgia as well as the pipeline supplying Russian natural gas to Armenia via Georgia. Pashinian said on March 12 that the local sections of that infrastructure must be rerouted so that they pass through Armenias de jure territory.

Seyran Ohanian, a former defense minister leading Hayastan's parliamentary group, countered that building such bypasses would be very difficult and time-consuming.

Ohanian said the handover of the border areas would also breach the integrity of the Armenian armys border defense fortifications in Tavush reinforced over the last three decades. Azerbaijani troops would pose a more serious security threat to this and another northern Armenian province, Lori, he told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

Pashinian had already ordered unilateral Armenian troop withdrawals from contested border areas in the southeastern Syunik province in the wake of the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh. That did not stop Azerbaijani forces from attacking Syunik and making territorial gains there in 2021 and 2022.
19 March 2024 14:28 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan's Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mukhtar Babayev, has met with the Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to the country, Thomas Stahli, Azernews reports.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on preparations for the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is set to be hosted by Azerbaijan this year.

Recall that Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, will host the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) for the first time in the region from November 11- 22, 2024. Azerbaijan will take the opportunity to bring heads of state and governments, civil society organisations, business, and international institutions together in the South Caucasus to discuss climate change, measures to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement, and focus on long-term climate strategies and goals.

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19 March 2024 11:49 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

The People's Artist of Azerbaijan, Fidan Hajiyeva, has filmed a promotional video for the upcoming festival. The music video was shot by Elvin Mirzoyev on the shores of the Caspian Sea, Azernews reports. The music was composed by Khayal Aliyev.

Baku will host Fidan Hajiyeva's First International Opera Festival from April 27 to May 3.

The event is co-organized by the Vocal Music School of People's Artist Fidan Hajiyeva with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre.

For seven days, works by Azerbaijani classics and world composers will be held in Baku and Ganja.

The main goal of the project is to promote and develop classical music in Azerbaijan, identify and support new talents in the field of opera. Among the eminent guests of the festival are world-famous conductors and composers from abroad, famous Azerbaijani vocalists and musicians, and talented youth.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az, and Turkic.World.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Uzbekistan has celebrated the Novruz spring festival with a gala concert.

Among the guests were employees of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Uzbekistan, cultural, literary, and educational figures of Uzbekistan, and diaspora representatives, Azernews reports.

Director of the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Tashkent, Samir Abbasov, congratulated everyone on the Novruz holiday, noting that it was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as a cultural monument of the Azerbaijani people.

The holiday was given the status of an official holiday in Azerbaijan by a presidential decree dated March 13, 1990.

In 2009, Novruz was included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and since then, March 21 has been declared the International Day of Novruz.

This holiday is distinguished by wonderful traditions and customs, reflecting national values, lifestyle, culture, and art for thousands of years.

The executive director of the Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan Friendship Society, Professor Erkin Nuriddinov, and Deputy of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan, Gulbahor Saidganieva, said that the Novruz holiday, widely celebrated in the Turkic world, demonstrates the ancient history and rich traditions of both peoples.

The Novruz spring festival, which embodies a common history, spiritual roots, values, and rich culture, is also an indicator of the closeness of the two peoples.

In the artistic part, the centre children's dance group of the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Centre in Tashkent performed the Azerbaijani folk dance Yalli around the festive fire.

The guests were shown a video about the celebration of the Novruz holiday in Azerbaijan, followed by a concert with the participation of the Kaikeb Aliyeva Dance Ensemble, Rano Azizova, Olima Mahmudova, and Ilham Abdullayev.

The concert program featured Azerbaijani and Uzbek songs, which the guests listened to with great pleasure. The guests of the event were also treated to traditional dishes and sweets.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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The Azerbaijan State Committee for the Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons has organised a flash mob with the participation of former IDPs who returned to their homeland.

The flash mob was shot in Lachin and Fuzuli cities, as well as in Lachin's Zabukh village and Zangilan's Aghali village, Azernews reports.

The Great Return Program brings a new breath to Garabagh and Eastern Zangazur and accelerates the revival of Azerbaijan's territories freed from occupation.

So far, 1,453 families, i.e., 5,719 people, have been resettled. Large-scale measures implemented within the first State Program on the Great Return ensure the successful implementation of this policy.

The Azerbaijan State Committee for the Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons presents the next flash mob prepared by our compatriots who have returned to their native lands.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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Root K Contemporary in Tokyo has opened a group exhibition themed Azerbaijani Cuisine.

Nearly 15 young artists representing KamART Art Gallery demonstrated their 32 art pieces as part of the exhibition organized with the support of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Japan, Azernews reports.

The Azerbaijani Ambassador to Japan Gursel Ismayilzade delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.

Japanese cultural figures Maiko Kikuchi, Matsui Kumiko, Yuko Taniguchi, Katsuyoshi Tanaka, Ichiko Kameyama, the Kazkah Ambassador to Japan Sabr Yesimbekov, the Attache of the Tajik Embassy in Japan Salokhiddin Ibodov, as well as other representatives of the diplomatic corps, attended the event.

The main purpose of the project was to draw attention to the cultural heritage and culinary traditions of Azerbaijan and support talented young artists.

The exhibition gave a general idea of the cuisine of Azerbaijan - one of the most interesting and original culinary traditions in the world, which is based on centuries-old traditions and is famous for its original dishes.

Like unique dishes of Azerbaijani cuisine among the most sophisticated gourmets, vibrant artworks of young talents aroused great interest among visitors to the exhibition.

The guests were impressed by the colorful paintings dedicated to Azerbaijan's culinary heritage .

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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19 March 2024 20:10 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

Azerbaijan's tourism opportunities are being showcased at the 30th MITT - International Travel & Tourism Exhibition, organized by the State Tourism Agency and the Azerbaijan Tourism Board, which is taking place in Moscow, the capital of Russia, starting today and ending on March 21, Azernews reports.

Considered one of the main tourism events in Russia and the CIS region, the exhibition represents Azerbaijan with Azerbaijan Airlines, Shahdag Tourism Center LLC, and 13 local industry representatives.

Visitors to the booth are provided with detailed information about Azerbaijan's tourist destinations, national cuisine samples, winemaking, business tourism, health tourism, ecotourism, as well as winter tourism opportunities, mountain-resort centers, and examples of tangible cultural heritage included in UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List, such as the Inner City, Maiden Tower, Shirvanshahs Palace Complex, Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, the Khan's Palace, along with the historical center of Sheki, Khinalug village, and the Silk Road cultural landscape.

During the B2B meetings held among tourism industry representatives, bilateral cooperation relations are discussed.

In the January-February months of this year, 91,397 visitors came from Russia to Azerbaijan, which is 21% more compared to the same period last year. In 2023, the influx of tourists from Russia increased by 39.9% compared to 2022, reaching 625,106 people.

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19 March 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Currently, the North Atlantic Alliance, known as the most powerful military organization in the world, or NATO for short, is of interest to many post-Soviet countries. Even some of those countries aspired to join NATO, especially former left bloc ones and some republics of the former USSR, are eager to be members of the organization. However, such actions sometimes raise concerns of mostly Russia and Iran. For being a member of NATO some countries even have risked a war.

As for Azerbaijan, it has very specific cooperation and partnership with NATO, but Baku has not aimed to be a member of the organization. The history of cooperation with NATO traces back to the mid-1990s. Azerbaijan participated in peace-making operations in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Besides, Azerbaijani military personnel were trained in several NATO centers. However, given the geopolitical situation, along with all these cooperation, Azerbaijan has always been reluctant to become a NATO member.

Speaking to Azernews on the issue, military expert Ramil Mammadli noted that like the other republics that gained independence after the collapse of the USSR, Azerbaijan also began to express interest in cooperating with NATO, and of course one of the main factors here was the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the negative attitude of Russian president Boris Yeltsin towards Azerbaijan. He said that cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO began to take shape in the mid-1990s. Of course, Azerbaijan also became a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization in a very short time. Certain activities were also shown in this regard.

However, the issue of cooperation with NATO began to rapidly progress during that period, and at the end of the 1990s, Azerbaijan started participating in peace-making missions with NATO. Azerbaijan participated in operations and events in this direction in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. In parallel with all this, the Azerbaijani army participated in various trainings initiated and organized by NATO partner countries and NATO itself, regular and officer personnel of the Azerbaijani army continuously attended courses in educational and training institutions. In a word, the Azerbaijani army formed and deepened its relations with the armies of the world, especially with the armies of the Western countries, within the framework of cooperation with NATO, Pundit underlined.

Mammadli pointed out that Azerbaijan fulfilled its obligations like logistics, technical support and so on. He said that the relationship was quite deep and even a cooperation center with NATO was established in the Azerbaijans Defense Ministry. But earlier he was more active. Pundit added that the processes that took place in the region starting from the mid-2010s, confrontation between Russia and the West, NATO's expansion towards Russia, its activities in Eastern European countries, Ukraine and the South Caucasus, and the steps aimed at Russia naturally led to the formation of new conflict centers.

As a result, starting from 2014, a hotbed of conflict between Russia and NATO appeared on the territory of Ukraine. Starting from 2020, this fire flared up and entered the war phase. Of course, in this case, Azerbaijan has reviewed the issue of cooperation with NATO in order not to damage the relations with its neighbors. Besides, Azerbaijan has had a rightful demand, as well. As is known, despite the fact that 20 percent of the territory of Azerbaijan has been under occupation for many years, NATO and its main countries did not take any concrete measures to eliminate this occupation, he emphasized.

Ramil Mammadli said that they did not participate in the projects of arming the Azerbaijani army for liberating its occupied territories and even they created obstacles before Azerbaijan and did not allow to be armed with offensive weapons.

They even imposed sanctions in various forms. Of course, only some countries did not participate in this process individually within the framework of bilateral cooperation. Today, the support given to Armenia by the main leading NATO countries and the lack of pressure to sign a peace treaty naturally worries official Baku. All these above-mentioned current situations pose certain questions in deepening Azerbaijan's relations with NATO. In any case, the most important issue for Azerbaijan is the long-term establishment of peace and stability in the region, the military expert concluded.

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Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov

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18 March 2024 18:55 (UTC+04:00)

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Novruz holiday, Azernews reports.

Dear compatriots!

I sincerely congratulate you on the occasion of Novruz holiday and wish you all a spring mood, good health, and success in your future endeavors.

The ancient Novruz, which goes back into our history, fully embodies the love of life, rich spirituality, broad outlook, and optimistic thoughts about the future of our great-grandfathers. There is a celebration of the unity of society with nature and the highest values inherent in humanity in it  kindness, mercy and compassion. This dear holiday, which has played an important role in the emergence of national self-awareness, is celebrated in our country with colorful ceremonies and numerous celebrations, as was the case hundreds of years ago.

Our Novruz traditions are a unique contribution of our wise people, who have always paid special respect to their centuries-old cultural past, to human civilization. It is the civic duty of every Azerbaijani to preserve these traditions, the sacred legacy of our ancestors, and pass them on to future generations.

This year's Novruz coincides with the beginning of a new phase of our life in the conditions of complete restoration of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country. The renewing atmosphere of spring increases the determination in each one of us to build and create for the sake of a stronger Azerbaijan. I am sure that we will successfully complete our soonest eternal return to our liberated ancestral lands with the great enthusiasm we derive from victory.

I do hope that this Novruz, which fills the hearts with light, will bring a lot of joy, abundance, blessings and prosperity to every home and hearth.

Happy holidays!

Ilham Aliyev

President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Baku, 18 March 2024

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18 March 2024 19:30 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan`s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Azernews reports.

The meeting touched upon the cooperation agenda between Azerbaijan and NATO, as well as the post-conflict situation in the region.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stressed that Azerbaijan attaches importance to further developing of cooperation with NATO, particularly the joint activities within the Partnership for Peace programme, which marks its 30th anniversary this year.

Bayramov noted that Azerbaijan's cooperation with NATO, aimed at advancing international peace and security, is evident in efforts related to reforming, strengthening, and enhancing qualifications in relevant spheres.

Shedding light on the preparatory efforts for hosting the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29 this year, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov mentioned the proactive measures undertaken by Azerbaijan to combat the threat of climate change.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov also provided insights into the ongoing large-scale restoration and construction efforts during the post-conflict period, addressing the mine threat and the reconciliation process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He underscored the crucial support needed from the international community to combat landmines, which pose a significant challenge to citizen security and impede ongoing reconstruction efforts. Regarding the historical context surrounding the advancement of the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace agenda, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov emphasized the country's persistent efforts to fully capitalize on the opportunities presented in this regard.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed peacekeeping missions of Azerbaijan within the cooperation with NATO and stressed the importance of Azerbaijan's contribution to the energy security of the NATO Allies. Jens Stoltenberg expressed assurance that the country's presidency of COP29 in the current year, would contribute to synergy between energy security and the fight against climate change.

The two also exchanged views on other regional and international issues of mutual interest.

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A group of Central and Southern Americans are processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the US/Mexico Border on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Eagle Pass . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Several families from Central and South America are processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the US/Mexico Border on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Eagle Pass . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A group of about 30 people from Central and South America are processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the US/Mexico Border on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Eagle Pass . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A young man from South America is processed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent after crossing the US/Mexico Border on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Eagle Pass . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A group of about 30 people from Central and South America are processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the US/Mexico Border on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Eagle Pass . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Former President Donald Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott tour Shelby Park along the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. The republican presidential nominee and Texas governor gave speeches about immigration at the park, which is currently the epicenter of an immigration enforcement battle between Texas officials and the federal government. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Alejandra Segovia, 6, lays on Rafael Martinez as she tells him she doesnt feel well while staying at a migrant encampment near the international bridge connecting Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Matamoros . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Ada Lopez, 27, and her daughter Alexa Lopez 3, look out of their tent at a migrant encampment near the international bridge connecting Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Matamoros . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer Ada Lopez, 27, and her daughter Alexa Lopez 3, wash clothes at a migrant encampment near the international bridge connecting Brownsville, Texas and Matamoros, Mexico on Friday, March 2, 2024, in Matamoros . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer EL PASO, TEXAS - MARCH 13: In an aerial view, a pregnant woman from Venezuela walks along the bank of the Rio Grande after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on March 13, 2024 in El Paso, Texas. Texas National Guard troops have placed coils of razor wire on the riverside as part of Governor Greg Abbott's "Operation Lone Star" to deter migrants from crossing into Texas. The vast majority of immigrants, however, manage to pass through the wire and are then permitted to turn themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents, usually to request asylum. The border between the two nations stretches nearly 2,000 miles, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and is marked by fences, deserts, mountains and the Rio Grande, which runs the entire length of Texas. The politics and controversies surrounding border and immigration issues have become dominant themes in the U.S. presidential election campaign. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) John Moore/Getty Images EAGLE PASS, TEXAS - MARCH 12: National Guard soldiers patrol at the entrance to Shelby Park on March 12, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. U.S. President Joe Biden's budget proposal includes a $4.7 billion emergency fund to enhance border operations in preparation for potential illegal migrant surges along the Southern border. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Brandon Bell/Getty Images EL PASO, TEXAS - MARCH 13: In an aerial view, a pregnant woman from Venezuela walks along the bank of the Rio Grande after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on March 13, 2024 in El Paso, Texas. Texas National Guard troops have placed coils of razor wire on the riverside as part of Governor Greg Abbott's "Operation Lone Star" to deter migrants from crossing into Texas. The vast majority of immigrants, however, manage to pass through the wire and are then permitted to turn themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents, usually to request asylum. The border between the two nations stretches nearly 2,000 miles, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and is marked by fences, deserts, mountains and the Rio Grande, which runs the entire length of Texas. The politics and controversies surrounding border and immigration issues have become dominant themes in the U.S. presidential election campaign. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) John Moore/Getty Images EL PASO, TEXAS - MARCH 13: In an aerial view, immigrants pass through coils of razor wire while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on March 13, 2024 in El Paso, Texas. The wire was placed by the troops as part of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's "Operation Lone Star" to deter migrants from crossing into Texas. The vast majority of immigrants, however, manage to pass through it, and are then permitted to turn themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents, usually to request asylum. The border between the two nations stretches nearly 2,000 miles, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and is marked by fences, deserts, mountains and the Rio Grande, which runs the entire length of Texas. The politics and controversies surrounding border and immigration issues have become dominant themes in the U.S. presidential election campaign. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images) John Moore/Getty Images In an aerial view, a Texas National Guard soldier stands atop a barrier of shipping containers and razor wire while guarding the U.S.-Mexico border on March 17, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. John Moore/Getty Images EAGLE PASS, TEXAS - MARCH 12: A National Guard soldier checks ID's at the entrance to Shelby Park on March 12, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. U.S. President Joe Biden's budget proposal includes a $4.7 billion emergency fund to enhance border operations in preparation for potential illegal migrant surges along the Southern border. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Latest update: A federal appeals court put the Texas SB4 law back on hold late Tuesday night. The court will hear arguments about the law on Wednesday. Follow along here for the latest live updates.

WASHINGTON  Texas officials can begin arresting and deporting migrants after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to further delay a new state law that seizes immigration enforcement authority long left to the federal government.

After twice delaying the law, known as Senate Bill 4, the high court issued an order Tuesday declining to take further action as a legal battle over the laws constitutionality plays out in lower courts.

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The order, issued essentially on procedural grounds, clears the way for authorities to begin arresting those they believe entered the state from Mexico without permission  at least for now.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote that the case is in a very unusual procedural posture. She noted the conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has sped up consideration of the case, but has yet to issue a formal decision in the case. Arguments are scheduled before the appeals court in April.

If a decision does not issue soon, the applicants may return to this Court, Barrett wrote. Just hours later, the conservative appeals court bumped up the oral arguments to Wednesday morning, set to take place via Zoom.

Liberal justices slammed the high court's decision.

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Today, the Court invites further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote. Texas passed a law that directly regulates the entry and removal of noncitizens and explicitly instructs its state courts to disregard any ongoing federal immigration proceedings. That law upends the federal state balance of power that has existed for over a century, in which the National Government has had exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens.

The law, originally set to take effect on March 5, turns longstanding immigration enforcement on its head by granting the state the powers that have long been left solely with the federal government. It makes it a crime to enter the state from Mexico without permission, allowing any law enforcement officer in Texas to arrest migrants they suspect of entering illegally and empower judges to order their removal.

The U.S. Department of Justice, El Paso County and civil and immigrant rights groups sued, arguing the law runs afoul of more than a century of court precedent on immigration powers and would interfere with the federal government's enforcement efforts. The law faces a separate legal challenge from four Texas residents who could face arrest and removal if it takes effect.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the adminsitration "fundamentally" disagrees with the Supreme Court's decision.

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"S.B. 4 will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement, and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border," she said.

Texas Republicans, who passed the law last fall, say it is necessary to protect the state against an invasion of migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. and Mexican drug cartels. They say the state has to step in because the federal government is not doing enough to stop border crossings, which have hit new records under the Biden administration.

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick addressed the courts conservative majority members in a TV news interview Monday, saying, To the Supreme Court justices who are watching Fox, I am sure this morning as they get up early, we are being attacked, Lawrence, by land, by sea, by air, literally.

FROM MONDAY: Supreme Court delays Texas deportation law for a second time

Attorney General Ken Paxton declared the order a "huge win," writing on social media: "Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect."

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Gov. Greg Abbott cheered the ruling, as well.

"We still have to have hearings in the 5th circuit federal court of appeals," Abbott wrote on social media. "But this is clearly a positive development."

It is unclear exactly how the law will work in practice, and its rollout could be complicated. It is unclear if Mexico will accept migrants the state tries to send back across the border. The Mexican government has been vocally critical of the law. Advocates, meanwhile, have raised concerns that it will lead to racial profiling, as it empowers any state or local officer to arrest those they believe entered the state illegally.

The Department of Public Safety and Texas Military Department, which have run Abbotts border crackdown, Operation Lone Star, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on enforcement plans. Nor did Abbotts office. DPS refused to release enforcement plans to Hearst Newspapers, citing the ongoing litigation.

Victor Escalon, a Department of Public Safety director overseeing operations in South Texas, said in sworn statements before the court that the agency would focus enforcement in counties that are close to facilities operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the state, though he did not specify which facilities. He said DPS officers would have probable cause to make arrests when they witness migrants crossing between ports of entry. He said DPS expects to house and process migrants detained under SB 4 primarily in state-owned facilities and does not anticipate a need for "extensive" use of county-owned jails.

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Escalon said that if Mexican authorities do not accept migrants who have been ordered back across the border, the escorting DPS officer will deliver the migrants to the American side of a port of entry and observe them go to the Mexican side. After watching them cross, the officer will consider them to have complied with the return order and will cease monitoring the migrant, he said.

The state wrote separately in legal filings before the high court that authorities would turn migrants over to federal immigration officials at ports of entry  a departure from how Texas Republicans have previously discussed the law as a means for the state to deport migrants.

The legal dispute is still in the early stages, but a federal judge in Austin last month blocked the law, calling it patently unconstitutional.

Judge David A. Ezra wrote that immigration enforcement is left to the federal government, and the law conflicts with key provisions of federal immigration law, to the detriment of the United States foreign relations and treaty obligations. The Ronald Reagan appointee was especially critical of the states argument that it is defending against an invasion, writing: To discuss 'invasion' at length is to take the argument more seriously than it deserves.

Even accepting that some small number of immigrants do traffic drugs or have cartel affiliations, he wrote, Texas cannot genuinely maintain that noncitizens crossing the border are an organized military force aimed at conquest or plunder.

The conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals set aside Ezra's ruling through an "administrative stay." Barrett's order said the high court could not act on that.

"Before this Court intervenes on the emergency docket, the Fifth Circuit should be the first mover," Barrett wrote.

Sotomayor wrote that the order meant the high court "defers to a lower courts management of its docket."

"The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos, when the only court to consider the law concluded that it is likely unconstitutional," she wrote.

Texas Republicans have cast the law as an invitation for the Supreme Court to revisit a landmark ruling from 2012 that held that only the federal government has the power to enforce immigration laws.

In that case, the high court struck down portions of an Arizona law that authorized police to arrest anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. Then-Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote the opinion. Arizona may have understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration while that process continues, but the state may not pursue policies that undermine federal law, he said.
19 March 2024 07:00 (UTC+04:00)

Events dedicated to the 109th anniversary of the Canakkale Victory were held in special educational institutions subordinated to the National Defense University, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry.

The events were attended by representatives of the Defense Ministry and the National Defense University, servicemen, cadets, professors and teachers of special education institutions, as well as other guests took part in the events.

First, the bright memories of Great Leaders Heydar Aliyev and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Shehids of Canakkale Battle, and Shehids, who sacrificed their lives for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Turkiye, was honored with observing a minute of silence. The National Anthems of of both countries accompanied by the military orchestra was performed.

At the events, it was talked about how the heroic nation wrote a great history in Canakkale 109 years ago. This war became one of the glorious pages of military history, and the brave sons of Azerbaijan showed examples of bravery in Anatolia, in Canakkale together with Turkish brothers.

It was noted that one of the brightest examples of the unity and equality of the two fraternal countries is Turkiye moral support provided by all possible means to the rightful position of Azerbaijan in the Patriotic War.

It was emphasized that the Azerbaijan-Turkiye brotherhood is built on indestructible and eternal foundations dedicated to the ideas of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev "One nation, two states" and Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk "The joy of Azerbaijan is our joy, the sorrow of Azerbaijan is our sorrow".

Then a video dedicated to the 109th anniversary of the Victory in the Cankkale was shown.

In the end, poems were recited, and soloists of the Army Ideological and Cultural Center named after Hazi Aslanov, accompanied by military orchestras, performed music dedicated to patriotism and heroism.

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19 March 2024 15:27 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

The event "Today and tomorrow of our language in Europe" was held in Euskirchen, Germany, Azernews reports, citing the Monitoring Centre under the State Language Commission of Azerbaijan.

It was noted that the State Anthem of Azerbaijan was performed at the event organized by the Monitoring Center and representatives of the diaspora, and a minute of silence was observed in memory of the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and the martyrs.

The director of the Monitoring Centre, Professor Sevinc Aliyeva, expressed her satisfaction with the organisation of the meeting dedicated to the international promotion of the Azerbaijani language. S. Aliyeva noted that thousands of Azerbaijanis live in the Federal Republic of Germany and emphasised the special role of weekend schools in Azerbaijani families in preserving our mother tongue and instilling a love for the language in the growing young generation.

Zaur Aliyev, the chairman of the European Azerbaijan Centre, provided information about the weekend school to be established in the city of Munster, Germany, with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora. He shared ideas about establishing close relations with the Monitoring Centre and organising online classes in the subsequent stage.

The participants of the event wished success to the activities of the weekend school to be established in Germany and stated that they would provide all kinds of support to this initiative.

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19 March 2024 13:54 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

Azerbaijan Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov conveyed his congratulations to the workers of the State Migration Service of the Azerbaijan Republic on their professional holiday, Azernews reports, citing a post shared by the minister on his X social account.

The post reads as follows:

"March 19 marks the professional holiday of migration agencies' employees in Azerbaijan. I would like to extend our sincere congratulations to all the committed individuals who tirelessly contribute to the advancement of this sector in our country. We wish them everlasting success and further achievements," noted Minister Jabbarov on X.

March 19 marks the #professionalholiday of #migration agencies' (@migrationAZE) employees in #Azerbaijan. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all those dedicated individuals, who tirelessly work to advance this field in our country, and wish them continued success and pic.twitter.com/sEhs0FEZ7x  Mikayil Jabbarov (@MikayilJabbarov) March 19, 2024

It should be noted that the State Migration Service of the Azerbaijan Republic plays a crucial role in facilitating various aspects of migration processes, including immigration, emigration, asylum, and refugee issues. The agency is responsible for providing support and assistance to individuals and families navigating the complexities of migration, whether for employment, education, family reunification, or humanitarian reasons.

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19 March 2024 12:02 (UTC+04:00)

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) plans to implement new investment projects in the petrochemical sector of Turkey, Azernews reports.

This was stated by Elchin Ibadov, CEO of "SOCAR Turkiye Enerji", a subsidiary of SOCAR in Turkey.

According to him, new projects will be developed in the field of petrochemicals, which is one of the important components for Turkish energy: "Using our knowledge and experience, we are working on the "Master Plan" in which we evaluate investment alternatives. We are working to identify and implement an alternative in the coming months. This will make the most accurate and effective contribution to our countries."

E. Ibadov noted that SOCAR and its partners have invested a total of 18.3 billion US dollars in projects in Turkey over 15 years: "SOCAR, which operates in more than 15 countries with its subsidiaries and joint ventures, has made its largest investment in Turkey to date. Currently, we are the largest direct foreign investor in Turkey. The point we have reached in 15 years makes us proud of the added value we give to the economy."

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19 March 2024 21:44 (UTC+04:00)

Fatime Letifova Read more

Despite the fact that over time, even the most radical forces in Armenia accepted Azerbaijan's liberation of Garabagh from occupation as a reality, some old and defunct Armenian politicians still try to grab the headlines with the claims of the so-called republic of artsakh.

Pashinyan's government, which is well-known due to its incompetence in politics, has expressed its interest in close cooperation with Azerbaijan several times. However, some old radical politicians in Armenia, who are loyal to terrorist thinking, blame the Armenian Prime Minister for such an intention and urge him to start a war again.

Vardan Oskanyan, the former foreign minister of Armenia, is one of those who hides behind the monitor and wants to find a place for himself again in the political arena with his speeches.

Under Robert Kocharyan's rule, this politician, who gained "reputation" for crimes such as bribery, corruption, falsification of documents, and money laundering, and was later kicked out of the political realm, is still trying to protect his derelict existence with baseless and illogical speeches he shares on Facebook.

Since the Second Garabagh War, the former minister, who criticised and even insulted Nikol Pashinyan almost once a month for his shameful defeat in the war, sees all the problems of Armenia in Pashinyan.

It is true that Pashinyan's dancing yalli in Azerbaijan's Shusha and the attempt to move the so-called parliament of the former separatist regime to Azerbaijan's cultural capital accelerated the war. However, we should not forget that Pashinyan took the country from the hands of Sargisyan, another corrupt politician and rednecks like him through the revolution.

In his speeches, Oskanyan often shows France as an example and claims that Armenia should benefit more from this country. But without a doubt, the only 'success' achieved by Armenia as a result of its closeness with France has been to strain the relations between Azerbaijan and France, to show its Armenian characteristics and to disrupt the relations of nations and countries.

Oskanyan also calls the Armenian people to war and states that peace is not the way out.

Although the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has repeatedly stated that the Garabagh issue has already been resolved, blabbers like Oskanyan are not satisfied with the crushing defeat and dream of war in their world.

At a time when the world's attention is focused on what is happening in the Middle East, on serious and important events taking place in the region and the world, incompetent political figures like Vardan Oskanyan pop out in the headlines in this way and drag the Armenian people, who are still unable to recover from the pain of defeat, to the next disaster.

It is clear that this person, who was named in countless crimes during his activity, tried to escape from Armenia many times, embezzled millions of drams of Armenian money, and currently lives under the protection of the Armenian diaspora in the United States, was one of the first politicians who ran away and hid during the real war and did not speak out.

Now that it's all over, the old swindler thinks that someone will take him seriously and think he's wise to come up with silly speeches. It seems that Oskanyan, more than others, thinks Armenians are stupid enough to believe him.

The reality is that Armenian politicians do not want to see him on the political scene again as an undesirable person.

Last year, Vardan Oskanian's ridiculous speech entitled "I can solve the Garabagh issue in 3 months" is proof that the former politician is not satisfied with appropriating the wealth of his people for 15 years and begging the government for another 3 months.

Gevorg Papoyan, an Armenian MP and member of the ruling "Citizens' Contract" party, called his speech stupid and said that he would never allow Oskanyan to be in power.

Vardan Oskanyan's last "Slogan" was related to the liberation of 4 villages of Azerbaijan from the Armenian occupation. He demanded that Garabagh be granted autonomy in exchange for the return of 4 villages to Azerbaijan.

It seems that the former foreign minister has not only forgotten the rules of diplomacy, but has also lost his mind. Because his asking for the autonomy of the 4400 sq/km territory instead of 4 villages was not a proposal that a sane person would make.

Either Oskanyan wants to become an influencer by increasing the number of views on Facebook with bellicose sentiments, or he really has lost his mind.

Undoubtedly, the Armenian society is also aware of his character and illogical claims.

His attempt to find a place in the current government is nothing but an attempt to resurrect a rotten corpse.

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19 March 2024 17:43 (UTC+04:00)

Fatime Letifova Read more

The complete elimination of Armenian separatism as a result of the 23-hour anti-terrorist measures in Garabagh still left a deep mark, like an incurable wound, in the Armenian diaspora and media organisations. On the eve of the Armenian authorities taking steps related to the issue of peace, separatist elements in and out of the country are actively participating in anti-Azerbaijani campaigns and working hard to impede the peace negotiations.

The Lemkin Institute, which is one of the biggest supporters of this campaign, is one of the non-governmental organisations closely connected to the Armenian lobby, which contributed to the delay of the peace agreement in the South Caucasus by creating agitation among the world community and making biased claims since the Second Garabagh War.

It should be remembered that two years ago, the Lemkin Institute claimed that Azerbaijan had a 'plan' to attack the Armenians in Garabagh. Thus, triggering the sabotage plans prepared by Armenia in advance, the organisation laid the foundation for another provocation on the border on September 12, 2022.

At that time, fierce fighting took place on the border with Armenian provocation, and Azerbaijan silenced the invading side with retaliatory fire. Although Armenia faced heavy losses on the military level, it achieved what it wanted to a certain extent in its provocation plan.

By portraying Azerbaijan as an "invader" in the media, the Armenian diaspora gathered the Western front around them and also put forward an argument of "unreliable security ally" against Russia and the CSTO.

With this, Armenia also prepared a certain basis for its exit from the CSTO.

Last year, the institute called on world leaders, especially US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz, and French President Emmanuel Macron, to take a closer look at what they claim is an "Armenian Genocide" in the so-called republic of artsakh.

It seems that the main goal of this organisation, which was founded in 2021, is not to shed light on the genocides committed in the world and to expose the actions that they claim have been committed in this area, but to directly start a campaign against Azerbaijan and show the Armenian lobby as the "victim party" with false information.

Yesterday, on March 18, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) organised a two-day discussion on Capitol Hill on the topic "Reversing Genocide: Securing the Rights and Safe Return of Artsakh's Indigenous Armenians".

During the discussions, the executive director of the Lemkin Institute, Elisa von Joeden-Forgey, claimed that the biggest threat to Armenia in the region is Azerbaijan and that the "Second Armenian Genocide" is currently underway in Garabagh.

I wonder if the world really knows about the true vandalism committed by Armenians in Garabagh 32 years ago. Or is the Armenian diaspora used to organising black PR against Azerbaijan just for the sake of show?

The point is that although there is an allegation, there is no evidence and no facts about the genocide. A group of Armenians who voluntarily left Garabagh after the September 13 anti-terrorist measures, unlike the Azerbaijanis who fled barefoot in the forests 32 years ago, were released to Armenia in their own cars from the Lachin border crossing point.

Azerbaijan does not take seriously the false claims of Armenian diaspora organisations such as the ANCA and the Lemkin Institute, which are financed from various sources in the West. But when it comes to Western organisations and politicians who support them and follow them, this raises some serious questions.

Because Azerbaijan relies more on new cooperation, development, and the peace process in the region, that will also ensure security in the region in the future. The Garabagh issue is no longer considered a problem for official Baku. Proposing such false allegations against Azerbaijan in the West and within Armenia only creates the ground for further provocations.

Given the tendency that fake information is spreading faster than truth in our time, the specialisation of the Armenian lobby in this field is due to this trend.

It is clear that the Armenian population of this region is tired enough of both war and empty promises. The majority of them, like Azerbaijanis, wish for the conclusion of the peace process and the end of the losses and problems caused by the unruly government officials.

However, it is not in the interest of certain institutions that Armenians are inclined towards peace. They intend to create tension in the South Caucasus and hinder the peace process.

Therefore, they instill hatred and terror in the thoughts of Armenians not only by means of the media but also with the beliefs of the people.

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan's speeches on the fate of 4 villages belonging to Azerbaijan are the biggest proof of this.

He openly invites the Armenian people to war, calls Azerbaijan an invader, and tries to brainwash his citizens.

It is clear that the archbishop carries out such propaganda not because he thinks about the interests of his people but to carry out the task of the institutions he receives financial support from, along with other Armenian officials who preach terrorism under the guise of religion.

People like Galstanyan are pressuring the people by catching their sensitive points and calling them to "revenge" their sons who were allegedly "murdered" by the "invading" Azerbaijan.

It should not be forgotten that during the second Garabagh War, it was the Armenian government that forcibly brought women, old people, and children to the front and armed them to fight in the war.

It is clear that it was the official Yerevan who sent the innocent population to their deaths, knowing that the country was subject to a heavy defeat.

And now it is the same Armenian lobby that is manipulating the Armenian people with such pathetic speeches and calling them to war again, creating tension in the region.

They are constantly preparing dangerous plans for further provocations in the South Caucasus, which has been the centre of the conflict for ages thanks to their incessant propaganda.

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19 March 2024 09:30 (UTC+04:00)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on winning reelection over the weekend, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

In the call, Erdogan voiced his belief that the positive course in Turkish-Russian relations will continue even stronger in the days ahead, according to Turkiyes Communications Directorate.

Erdogan added that Turkiye is ready to assume any facilitator role it can in returning to the negotiating table on the Ukraine war, now in its third year.

Incumbent Putin got 87.28% of the vote in Russia's three-day presidential election, with 100% of ballots counted, the countrys election authority said Monday.

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19 March 2024 21:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has reached an agreement to acquire American Fusion Pharmaceuticals, specializing in the development of radiopharmaceuticals, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets.

AstraZeneca will pay $21 in cash for a Fusion share. The agreement provides for additional payments of up to $3 per share when certain indicators are reached. The total amount of the transaction is estimated at $ 2.4 billion.

Fusion quotes ended Monday's trading at $10.64 per paper. Over the past 12 months, the company's capitalization has grown by more than 2.5 times (by 165%) on expectations that it may become a target for takeover by larger players in the sector.

The deal is expected to close before the end of the second quarter.

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Multiple suspected hideouts of Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan were targeted by Pakistani airstrikes early Monday, following a series of coordinated attacks and a suicide bombing that claimed the lives of seven soldiers in the northwest, according to two security officials.

A government official from the Afghan interim administration confirmed on Monday that there have been strikes in the provinces of Paktika and Khost along the Pakistan border. The official also stated that eight individuals lost their lives in these incidents.

Pakistan Strikes in Afgjhanistan

No comment was immediately provided by Pakistan's military, while the Taliban government in Afghanistan criticized the strikes, which are expected to escalate tension between the neighboring countries.

According to AP News, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson of the Afghan rulers said Pakistani aircraft were responsible for the airstrikes.

Claiming that houses belonging to ordinary citizens were specifically targeted, he reported that three women and three children lost their lives in Paktika. Additionally, a house collapsed, resulting in the deaths of two women in Khost, where another house was also destroyed.

The strikes occurred the day after President Asif Ali Zardari promised to take action in response to the tragic loss of seven soldiers, including two officers, in a terrorist attack on a security forces' post in North Waziristan.

While paying tribute to the fallen officers, he emphasized that their sacrifice would not be forgotten and that the nation would seek justice for their deaths. The president emphasized Pakistan's firm stance on self-defense, stating that any attack on its borders or within its territory would be met with a strong response.

A group has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. According to security officials, the Gul Bahadar group's fighters are primarily based in Khost on the Afghan side of the border.

Paktika province is in close proximity to Pakistan's South Waziristan District, while Khost is situated near North Waziristan.

Mujahid asserted that according to the Pakistani side, Abdullah Shah was allegedly targeted in the strikes, despite residing on their side.

Members of the same tribe reside on both sides of the border and frequently travel between the two areas. He expressed his strong condemnation of the attacks, describing them as insignificant actions and a violation of Afghanistani territory.

Read Also: Kim Jong Un Overseeing Air Warfare Drills, Calls for 'Realistic' Combat Preparation

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan Attacks

A based security expert, Syed Muhammad Ali, stated that the strikes on Monday were a response to a string of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks, with particular emphasis on the one that occurred on Saturday in Mir Ali, resulting in the deaths of an army lieutenant colonel and captain.

According to the source, the Pakistani strikes occurred just one day after Zardari vowed to respond with force.

"It also indicates that Pakistan's patience for the Afghan interim government's continued hospitality for terrorists conducting frequent attacks on Pakistan from inside Afghanistan has finally run out," he said.

The Pakistani Taliban and the Afghanistan Taliban have formed a close alliance. The Afghanistan Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, coinciding with the withdrawal of US and NATO troops.

The recent shift in power in Afghanistan has had a significant impact on the TTP, as their key figures and members have sought refuge in the country.

In recent years, there has been an increase in attacks within Pakistan, which has strained relations with the Afghan Taliban government. Despite their claims, the Taliban government in Afghanistan has not been able to prevent militant groups like TTP from launching attacks from its soil.

Related Article: Israel Launches New Operation on Gaza's al-Shifa Hospital Following Intel on Hamas Terrorists Activity

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One hopes that American politicians who have supported open borders will also see the light and come to their senses.

In the 2015 European migrant crisis, Louise Meijer, a member of parliament for the Moderate Party , was one of the most outspoken leaders of the "Refugees Welcome" movement. Now, she tells Swedish media that after seeing the results, she has changed her mind and supports not only very strict laws to keep illegal alien migrants out of the country, but also mass deportation of those already there.

"The change that Sweden has undergone and is undergoing is fundamentally changing the country," Meijer declared, "Mass immigration has been followed by several major problems." She noted an explosion in crime and gang activity, civil unrest, and welfarism. "Sweden today is a completely different country than it was in the late 1900s," she observed.

Organized crime has become a huge problem in Sweden, with almost all of those involved in it being of migrant background, and the country now has the most bombings of any country not at war other than Mexico. Sweden used to be one of the safest countries in Europe but now a leading German newspaper calls Sweden "the most dangerous country in Europe." Sexual assaults by migrants have also become a big problem with 99 of the 112 people convicted of gang rape last year being of a migrant backgrouns.

https://www.expressen.se/debatt/jag-har-andrat-mig--om-invandringen/

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ive-changed-my-mind-swedish-open-borders-mp-makes-complete-u-turn

Meanwhile, German police have arrested two Islamic jihadists plotting an attack on Sweden's parliament.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/german-police-arrest-two-islamists-planning-terror-attack-on-swedish-parliament/
Niger's ruling junta has ended an accord that allowed U.S. Department of Defense military personnel and civilian staff on its soil.

The decision follows a visit by U.S. officials.

Abdramane said the U.S. delegation did not follow diplomatic protocol, and that Niger was not informed about the composition of the delegation, the date of its arrival or the agenda.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/niger-ends-military-accord-us-122948018.html

Niger, along with neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso  which are also led by military juntas  has grown increasingly close with Russia, which has made concerted efforts in recent years to expand its influence in the region, especially via security partnerships. Niger has state-to-state relations with Russia, Abdramane said Saturday, adding that all agreements between the two countries had been made transparently.

Washington Post on MSN
David Larson - Carolina Journal

Most election days, there are reports of crowds, long waits, and lines stretching around the block. But in 2024s primary, there were no such anecdotes in North Carolinas political media. There werent even any major hiccups with this being the first major election our state held using voter ID.

It became clear, when the dust all settled, that the calm wasnt just better crowd management. Turnout was dramatically down across the state, about 20% lower than in 2020s primary.

To find a worse showing, one would have to go back 20 years, to the pre-Trump, pre-Obama 2004 presidential primary (where 98% of Republicans voted for George W. Bush and Democrats were ambivalent about John Kerry and John Edwards).

Matt Ballance, former Democratic Party chair for North Carolinas 11th Congressional District, said the states 24% participation was his top takeaway from the primaries.

But it would be simplistic to look for reasons why voters in general decided to stay home, since this drop wasnt seen across the board.

It certainly wasnt due to Republicans not showing up, as GOP voters in North Carolina had one of their best primary turnouts in state history, according to the John Locke Foundations Jim Stirling, who breaks down voter data for Lockes Civitas Center for Public Integrity. Republican voting totals went from 606,822 in the last presidential-year election to around 850,000, according to Stirlings preliminary estimate.

For Republicans, this is the highest early voting turnout in a primary election that they have seen since we started tracking these numbers, Stirling said. This goes not only for party participation but also ballot requests.

No, the steep decline in participation was almost entirely due to Democrats deciding to sit the primary out. In fact, Stirling said this was the lowest primary turnout for Democrats as far back as the Civitas Centers Vote Tracker data goes. Based on the data available now, he estimates fewer than 600,000 Democrats voted in this primary, a catastrophic decline from the 954,976 Democrat voters in the last presidential-year election primary in 2020.

There was also a drop in unaffiliated voters, with about 375,000 voting in 2020s North Carolina primary but around 300,000 this year, according to Stirlings estimates based on early-voting totals. And mirroring the turnout from those officially registered with the two major parties, unaffliateds taking a Democrat ballot were massively overshadowed by those taking Republican ballots.

Unaffiliated voters opted for Republican ballots at a higher volume and percentage than any year prior, Stirling said. Over 65% of all unaffiliated voters opted for a GOP ballot during the primary.

There are two likely reasons for this:

Not enough competition in high-profile races

A lack of enthusiasm for the partys vision and leadership

First, on the lack of competition, this is a common reason why turnout lags at times. In 2020, unaffiliated voters flocked to the Democratic Party ballot because there was a competitive presidential battle between Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. This led to the exact inverse of this years unaffiliated ballot breakdown. (This year about two-thirds of unaffiliated voters requested GOP ballots and one-third Democrat ballots, but in 2020, two-thirds requested Democrat ballots and only one-third Republican.)

Thats the difference a competitive top-of-the-ticket race can have. And this year, Democrats in North Carolina had very few races of this kind. At the very top of the ticket was Joe Biden, an unpopular incumbent. Over 88,000 North Carolinians who voted on the Democratic Party ballot, so about 13% of the total, voted no preference rather than mark the box next to Joe Bidens name.

The gubernatorial race was also not very competitive, with current Attorney General Josh Stein having been the presumptive nominee since before filing closed. None of the Democrats significant congressional races were competitive either. The only two Democratic congressional races that even had primaries on the ballot were incumbent US Rep. Deborah Ross, who won with 94% of the vote; and the inconsequential NC-14 Democrat primary to see who NC House Speaker Tim Moore will defeat in the deep-red western district.

Other than that, there were a lot of not-very-close Council of State races and the usual state legislative races and races for local office. This was clearly not enough to motivate Democrats to get to the polls.

Reason two for the disappearance of Democrats, which is my own speculation, is that the Democrats have not been able to motivate their voters with a vision grounded in policy proposals their base is passionate about and presented to them by charismatic leaders.

Regardless of what one thinks about Donald Trump, Mark Robinson, and others near the top of Republican ballots, they gather crowds and then deliver them red meat. Have I missed the big rallies for Joe Biden and Josh Stein? If they decided to have some, what would their message be?

The problem might be that Democrats are now thought of as the party of the status quo, largely because Biden is the incumbent, but also because most institutions are run by the left. And its going to be tough to get crowds jazzed about the status quo on immigration, or the economy, or public schools, or public safety, or really any of the major issues voters tell pollsters theyre most motivated by.

Now, there are years when a party has low primary turnout due to few competitive races, then are able, in the general election, to connect with their voters late and turn them out. But this is much more difficult than getting voters invested and motivated early with exciting candidates who rally them around issues theyre passionate about.

Democrats task now will be to locate all these voters that stayed home in the primaries and get them to the polls in November.
Brianna Kremer, Carolina Journal

North Carolinians top election issue headed in the 2024 presidential election is immigration, according to the latest Carolina Journal Poll. Sheriffs across the state, however, differ on how they interpret the laws surrounding illegal aliens, particularly cooperating with detention requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

One-quarter of likely voters say immigration was the most important issue when voting in the primary election, according to latest Carolina Journal poll. A 2023 study shows that nearly half a million undocumented aliens live in the Tar Heel State and cost North Carolina taxpayers approximately $3.14 billion every year.



But inconsistent ICE policies have left the door open for six North Carolina counties to avoid cooperating with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Immigration Detainer

ICE can request detainers against noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. An immigration detainer asks local police departments to notify ICE when a criminal alien is going to be released from custody as ordered by a judge. Instead of releasing them, ICE can arrive and take custody for deportation in accordance with federal law.

Some sheriffs believe that an ICE detainer is a lawful document issued by a federal agency that allows law enforcement officers to hold people based on the detainer. Sheriffs who are honoring detainers believe they give them lawful authority under federal law. On the flip side, some sheriffs dont believe they have the authority to hold the person in jail, despite the detainer request, and have thus been colloquially labeled Sanctuary Counties. These sheriffs argue that an arrest warrant can only be issued by a federal magistrate or a federal judge.

There has been no federal court case to reconcile the conflicting views definitively, and so the North Carolina Sheriffs Association has not taken a stance. Eddie Caldwell, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the Sheriffs Association, told the Carolina Journal that a lawsuit will have to be brought to the courts in order for provide clarity on the ICE issue.

There are good people on both sides making arguments in good faith, but we will not have a definitive answer until a federal court issues an opinion on this issue, Caldwell said.

ICE Responds

ICE says detainers are a critical public safety tool because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. Most sheriffs across North Carolina fully cooperate with ICE, said Sean Ervin, the agencys Atlanta Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal, who oversees North Carolina.

The Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in North Carolina enjoys very strong support from the vast majority of our state and local law enforcement partners, Ervin commented. That support is based on a shared commitment to national security and public safety,

He did note, however, that a small number of jurisdictions do not work with ICE. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, which tracks sanctuary jurisdictions nationwide, six North Carolina counties have regulations or policies that obstruct immigration enforcement and shield criminals from ICE: Orange, Durham, Mecklenburg, Wake, Buncombe, and Forsyth.

There are a very small number of sheriffs and municipalities who have passed legislation or made executive decisions to not cooperate with ERO, said Ervin. In many cases enough time has passed to realize this is not good public policy. I welcome an honest discussion with any sheriff who may want to reevaluate. We share a common goal.

While only six counties, those with a policy of non-cooperation with ICE represent a much of the states largest population centers. The actual policies can range significantly, from denying ICE access into their jails and not disclosing when an inmate will be released, to sometimes allowing them to talk with inmates, but not holding them for ICE to come pick up.

Sheriffs Respond

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page fully cooperates with ICE and honors any detainers filed.

If we get bad guys off the street, and particularly if theyre illegal, then removing them from the country at a certain time is the safest way and the best way to protect America and American people  and also it protects the immigrant population, said Page.

As a member of the Border Security Committee with the National Sheriffs, Page was saddened by the recent murder of Laken Riley by an illegal alien in Georgia, asserting that it was completely preventable. The Venezuelan migrant charged in the murder was first apprehended at the border, but was released. He made his way to New York, where he was again arrested and released, before moving down to Athens, Georgia, where he is alleged to have murdered Riley.

Page thinks the policies under former President Donald Trump were working, including Title 42 and the Remain in Mexico policy, which required asylum seekers at the US border to wait in Mexico while their cases were processed. He fears that if officers dont honor ICE detainers, allowing the undocumented criminals back into the community, they will likely re-offend and, oftentimes, victimize the immigrant population.

Im seeing the drugs, Page added. Ive seen the violence. And we know that these persons will come where they feel like they have safety, but, at the end of the day, we better wake up in our counties, and particularly sanctuary counties. Its estimated, according to Border Patrol, over 800,000 to a million persons estimated have gotten through our borders undetected. We dont know who they are and theyre going across the nation. And what I worry about is a future 9/11. Not if, but when.

On the contrary, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Gary McFadden is openly against honoring detainers from ICE, arguing they are unlawful and force a police department to bypass a judges order.

In an interview with the Carolina Journal, McFadden explained that he legally cant consider his city a sanctuary jurisdiction under state law, but still he protests a detainer is not authorized by any judicial official. He referred to General Statute 162.62, which states that nothing should prevent a person from being released if they meet all the conditions of their bond.

In other words, when they meet all the conditions of their bonds, they are supposed to be released, McFadden said, adding that they are not a federal inmate. Now ICE says you should hold them. I said, I cant because a judge ordered me to release them. So if I retained them inside the detention center, I could be sued.

The judge makes a determination, and McFadden releases any individual who meets all of the criteria for their release. Domestic child molesters, murderers, and other dangerous criminals are let out of jail every day on bond. By law they are allowed out, so McFadden questions what the difference is between releasing an undocumented alien and a citizen, who both will be expected to appear in court.

The detainer doesnt supersede a judges order, magistrate judge or court judge. So I dont know what theyre doing. I know that Im not holding them, he said. I am following the law. Not a policy, not civil law. Im following criminal law.

Policy Discrepancies

McFadden believes ICE needs to make the proper changes at the federal level, but he also notes that his department has a policy to cooperate with ICE inside his detention center and inside his courthouse.

Andrew Arthur, a resident fellow in law and policy at the Center for Immigration Studies, noted that sanctuary jurisdictions will almost never refer to themselves as such.

They will contend that they will comply with ICE if ICE comes to them with a judicial warrant, but there are no judicial warrants in immigration enforcement because immigration is a civil matter, not a criminal, explained Arthur.

A distinct disparity presents itself between Arthur, who says no judicial warrant is required because immigration is a civil matter, and McFadden, who says its a criminal matter.

A detainer is not a criminal document. Its a civil document. And so I dont know whose authority you are holding them on, McFadden said.

Both mentioned the taxpayer costs associated with keeping criminals in detention for additional time, such as costs to keep them in jail and to go to court.

The most critical issue with respect to any crime thats carried out by somebody who is removable from the United States and shouldnt be here is that that crime is avoidable, said Arthur. It never had to happen if the offender wasnt there. It really doesnt make sense. It doesnt protect anybody but criminals. It costs localities money.

As the North Carolina Sheriffs Association said, the issue will only be cleared up definitively when a lawsuit is filed and a federal court issues an opinion on the matter.

Stateside, the North Carolina General Assembly could force the issue: House Bill 10, which would mandate all sheriffs cooperate with ICE, passed the House last March and could make its way through the Senate after the short session begins in April.

The post Immigration No.1 issue for NC voters. What about your local sheriff? first appeared on Carolina Journal.
A Milwaukee man is facing allegations of child abuse following the discovery of his baby with serious injuries, which he attributed to an iPad.

A 19-year-old named Steven Nichols has been charged with child abuse and neglect by the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.

According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, the child's mother discovered her son's injuries on March 11. She entrusted him to Steven Nichols for the weekend. He accompanied Nichols from March 8 to March 10.

Upon the baby's return home, the mother observed that he exhibited signs of being unsettled, experiencing constipation, and facing difficulties with sleep.

Upon noticing the child's bruises, the mother inquired about the injuries and Nichols provided an explanation, stating that the child was accidentally hit by an iPad.

"Nichols had mentioned that an iPad he had placed on a formula container accidentally fell onto the child," the documents stated.

A baby boy, born on February 3 of this year, was brought to St. Joseph's Hospital by his mother. According to hospital staff, the baby boy sustained severe injuries including skull fractures, a serious brain injury, and fractures to both femurs.

Furthermore, he suffered injuries including rib fractures, burns to the buttocks, and bleeding in the spine. Additional bruises were discovered on various parts of the child's body, including the abdomen, left inner thigh, groin, eye, and forehead.

"Medical experts have stated that an iPad could not be responsible for all of the reported injuries," the document stated.

"After careful examination, medical professionals concluded that the injuries were intentionally caused rather than being accidental. This determination was made based on the type, quantity, and location of the injuries," it added.

During the interview, Nichols reportedly acknowledged that it could be argued that he caused harm to his child, but he continued to deny the accusations.

According to court documents, the child spent time with Nichols starting from the evening of Friday, March 8 until Monday, March 11, and then had another encounter with Nichols on March 12. Upon the boy's return to his mother on March 12, she observed that his behavior was not typical.

Later, during a phone call overheard by police, Nichols casually mentioned that he might end up in jail, but he seemed unfazed by the prospect. Nichols made an appearance in court on Sunday, where his bond was set at $75,000.

Related Article: Philadelphia Police Find 'Severely Decomposed' Child Stuffed Inside Duffle Bag in Parking Lot

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Here are five updates regarding anesthesia that healthcare leaders should know:

Data breach

Trinity, Fla.-based Bay Area Anesthesia, a division of Envision Physician Services, was affected by a data breach involving third-party legal services provider Bowden Barlow's computer systems.

Lawsuit

Two hospitals are alleging North American Partners in Anesthesia's noncompete clauses violate antitrust laws.

New programs

Henderson, Nev.-based Roseman University of Health Sciences' college of nursing is launching a Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia program.

Athens-based Ohio University, in collaboration with Columbus-based OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, is launching a new nurse anesthesia program.

Severed contracts
The Feb. 21 cyberattack on Change Healthcare is raising questions about how prepared healthcare is when it comes to cybersecurity, Politico reported March 18.

The news outlet spoke to eight U.S. hospital and government officials about the attack, and leaders stated that it has raised critical questions about what role federal agencies and Congress should play in order to prevent another attack like this in the future.

"If nothing else, it makes us say we really, really have to look at all of our points of vulnerability, systemic points of vulnerability, and really work to secure them," a senior official of the HHS, who had to remain anonymous because the incident is ongoing, told Politico.

The attack has raised four questions for government agencies and Congress. The first being: Is the government doing enough to protect organizations like Change?

Many of the leaders interviewed said that there are little-known healthcare firms that would have such an impact like Change, but that the federal government may not have enough information on how to identify which organizations could have this kind of impact if they are targeted. Additionally, leaders said the government doesn't have a plan to protect companies like Change.

"It is highly unlikely that Change is the only single point of failure in the health care sector," Nathan Lesser, chief information security officer at Washington, D.C.-based Children's National Hospital, told the news outlet. "We need to know what the others are so we can protect them."

Another question the Change hack brings up is: Should healthcare organizations be forced to increase their cybersecurity?

President Joe Biden recently proposed a plan for HHS whereby hospitals would face penalties for neglecting to maintain basic cybersecurity requirements by 2029.

"We need mandatory minimum standards for the sector, like come on," Aaron Miri, chief digital and information officer of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health, told Politico.

The third question to hack brings up: Is UnitedHealth, Change's parent company, too big to protect?

According to the story, Change handles patient data for a third of Americans.

"As these companies have become so large, it is creating a systemic cybersecurity risk," Oregon's Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said in a hearing for the Senate Finance Committee.

The fourth question Congress is grappling with is: Should ransom payment be banned?

Ransomware gang ALPHV is claiming responsibility for the Change hack, and rumors have been spread that a $22 million ransom payment was made to the hackers, but that has not been confirmed by UnitedHealth.

This comes as the White House has been contemplating whether to ban ransom payments.
Weirton (W.Va.) Medical Center has learned that an unknown actor has gained access to its systems.

On Jan. 18, the hospital detected suspicious activity in its network. After launching an investigation, Weirton learned that an unknown actor accessed its systems between Jan. 14 and 18, according to a March 18 news release from the hospital.

The unknown actor was able to obtain files with some patient information when they were in the hospital's system. Patient information included in the compromised files are names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, medical information, health insurance information, treatment information and balances due on medical bills.

Weirton reported to HHS' data breach portal that 26,793 former and current patients were affected as a result of the breach. Weirton said it does not believe the information in the compromised files has been misused, but it has alerted all those affected.
Epic is betting that generative artificial intelligence will be the future of healthcare.

The EHR vendor is developing over 60 applications that use the technology, including a billing chatbot and tools to create denial appeal letters and emergency department discharges.

The company's dominance in the hospital industry could give it an advantage in the generative AI market, as health systems might be more likely to invest in a company they've already spent tens  to hundreds  of millions on for their EHRs, Forbes reported March 18.

"Part of the problem and the strength of Epic is it has captured a large part of the C-suite of these hospitals," Zak Kohane, MD, PhD, editor-in-chief of NEJM AI and chair of biomedical informatics at Boston-based Harvard Medical School, told the news outlet. "It's almost a Stockholm syndrome.  They have a better shot than most at getting that sale."

Houston Methodist is one of the first health systems to test a generative AI-backed coding app from Epic that scans clinician notes to suggest likely diagnosis and procedure codes, according to the story. Epic plans to release the program in May.

The EHR vendor uses GPT-4 large language model technology from OpenAI, the ChatGPT developer backed by Microsoft, an Epic partner. An early tool spawned by that collaboration, which drafts patient portal messages in MyChart, has about 90 customers, Forbes reported.

"We're really trying to decrease the burden on the clinicians," Epic founder and CEO Judy Faulkner said at the Forbes Health Summit in December. "So far our clinicians and our patients have found that they liked the AI's response better than the human beings' response, because the AI was more empathetic."
Citadel CEO Ken Griffin is donating $50 million to Baptist Health South Florida, marking the largest single gift in the Coral Gables, Fla.-based health system's history.

Mr. Griffin's donation is intended to advance care and research for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. The funds will help Baptist build a new neuroscience center on the Kendall campus of its Baptist Hospital, officials told The Miami Herald. The Kenneth C. Griffin Center at Miami Neuroscience Institute is expected to break ground in 2025 and open in three years.

"This extraordinary gift is a visionary contribution to the well-being of current and future generations in South Florida and beyond," Bo Boulenger, president and CEO of Baptist Health, told The Herald. "We are enormously grateful to Mr. Griffin for this generous donation, which will further strengthen our position as one of the nation's leading centers for neuroscience."

Mr. Griffin has been in the headlines for his hospital gift-giving recently. Earlier in March, he gifted University of Miami Health System's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center $50 million for cancer research. The system's 12-story Kenneth C. Griffin Cancer Research Building will open in 2025 on its campus in downtown Miami.

Mr. Griffin is the founder, CEO, co-chief investment officer and 80% owner of Citadel, a multinational hedge fund. He moved the company's global headquarters from Chicago to Miami in 2022.
A dispute between Wisconsin lawmakers has caused the delay of $15 million in hospital relief funding ahead of the planned closure of Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System's Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wis., and St. Joseph's Hospital in Chippewa Falls, Wis., on March 22.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has "blasted" Republicans in the Wisconsin state Legislature for not releasing the already-approved funding, which would also provide relief ahead of HSHS' closures and the closure of around 20 Green Bay, Wis.-based Prevea Health clinics on April 21.

"With less than a week until now-expedited hospital closures that will have serious impacts on families and healthcare access needs, Republicans are continuing to obstruct the release of $15 million in crisis response resources to help support the healthcare industry across the Chippewa Valley," Mr. Evers said in a March 18 news release. "What are Republicans waiting for? Enough is enough. It is time to act."

State Republicans claim that the funding hold-up is due to Mr. Evers' partial veto of legislation that diverted the $15 million in funding from Chippewa Valley, Wis., and opened it up to Chippewa Valley and 16 additional counties in the state.

"All we are asking is that the Department of Health Services bring forward a proposal that aligns with the original intent of this funding and legislation: to maintain access to emergency services in the Chippewa Valley," six state Republican lawmakers said in a March 18 joint release. "Emergency services are a critical need in our area at this time. We are calling on the governor to direct his Department of Health Services to bring forward a comprehensive plan that will actually help our area and ensure these funds go to Chippewa Valley."

The funding was originally passed as SB 1015 by the Legislature with restrictions that would limit the funding for only hospital emergency department service use. Mr. Evers then approved Act 97 with line-item veto "improvements" that would enable the funding to be used for any hospital services that met the pressing need for healthcare in the area, Mr. Evers' release said.

However, Republicans accused Mr. Evers of continuing to blame the Republican-led joint committee on finance for not allowing the funding to be "blindly released."

"We already know the governor's Department of Health Services would like to expand the use of this funding so it does not have to go to emergency services and it does not have to go to the Chippewa Valley," the Republicans' statement said.

Apart from the funding, many healthcare organizations are also looking for ways to expand services in the area to ensure healthcare access amid the planned closures.

The closures will affect around 1,407 employees.
The remote area medical volunteer corps is stepping up to provide free dental, vision and medical services following the March 9 closure of Jellico (Tenn.) Regional Hospital.

The services will be provided all day March 23-24, with no ID required.

While medical services will be offered to every patient at the clinic, patients may need to choose between vision and dental services due to time restraints.

CMS intervened to shut down the hospital after its CEO resigned and the company that ran it  Oxford, Miss.-based Progressive Health Group  pulled out of operations.

The hospital had also temporarily suspended services in December due to staffing shortages. It will remain closed until Campbell County can find another entity to assume management.
A physician-owned micro-hospital, part of Houston-based Nutex Health, is opening on April 1 in Bellevue, Wis.

Green Bay ER and Hospital will be open year round and feature services like overnight inpatient care, laboratory inpatient and outpatient imaging services, cardiology, and pediatric care, according to a March 4 news release.

The University of Southern California defined micro-hospitals as facilities featuring around two to three stories and eight to 10 beds that fill in healthcare access gaps "in markets where there is not enough demand to support a traditional hospital."

The hospital is a "multimillion-dollar" facility, a spokesperson from Green Bay ER and Hospital told Becker's. The exact cost of the project was not disclosed.

Nutex Health is a physician-led healthcare services company that comprises around 1,500 employees and partners with more than 800 physicians. It has a hospital division and a population health management division. The hospital division owns and operates more than 20 healthcare facilities across eight states, according to the company's website.
Madhu Sasidhar, MD, a long-serving Cleveland Clinic executive, has left the system for a new role in India.

Dr. Sasidhar has been named president and CEO of the hospital division of Apollo Hospitals Group, the largest private healthcare network in India, overseeing 73 hospitals. The transition began in October 2023, when Dr. Sasidhar joined the organization as its chief strategy officer, the Indian newspaper Business Standard reported March 19.

Dr. Sasidhar has held various positions at Cleveland Clinic since 2008, including service as chief medical officer of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and, most recently, president of the system's Port St. Lucie, Fla.-based Tradition Hospital. He announced his move in a March 16 LinkedIn post.

"After 16 incredible years, I left the Cleveland Clinic with mixed emotions," he wrote. "Having served in various capacities throughout my tenure, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities this organization has provided me to grow personally and professionally."
Turnover among hospital and health system CEOs and other executives is to be expected, and many times they involve planned retirements or advance notice of departures for new roles. However, there are also times when a leader abruptly exits their role.

A number of hospitals and health systems, including Houston, Mo.-based Texas County Memorial Hospital and Springfield, Ill.-based Hospital Sisters Health System, have experienced such unforeseen exits in recent years. This also occurred at Franklin, Ind.-based Johnson Memorial Health. Johnson Memorial CEO Larry Heydon resigned in February 2019 after serving in the role for more than a decade. David Dunkle, MD, was subsequently named interim CEO and took over the role permanently in May 2019.

"When I took over, it was really a baptism by fire," Dr. Dunkle told Becker's. "No one really knew that a change was coming. It caught the entire team off guard. And I think you have to work hard to stay calm. It's like any crisis that you work your way through. You have to be very well-organized. You have to set out a plan of attack and execute the plan. And also it's including the whole team, because it didn't just affect myself moving to the CEO role. It affected the whole executive team. It affected the whole organization."

While the number of CEO exits that qualify as truly abrupt or unforeseen is unclear, there is data on exits in general.

Data from the American College of Healthcare Executives shows that the rate of hospital CEO turnover was 16% in 2022 and hit a high in 2013 at 20%. In 2019, the turnover rate was 17% before moving to 16% in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Additionally, Challenger, Gray and Christmas data has shown that 2023 began with 23 CEO departures announced in January at hospitals and health systems, marking the highest monthly total for the sector since August 2018. The year ended with 10 CEO departures announced in December.

Anecdotally, Dr. Dunkle and Donna Padilla, executive partner and healthcare market leader at WittKieffer, indicated they have observed an uptick in unforeseen exits.

"We're seeing more and more abrupt departures, and I think it's the stress of the job," Dr. Dunkle said. "And also hospitals are under much more financial pressures. I think that's led to a lot of this."

Ms. Padilla told Becker's that she has observed an uptick in unexpected exits  or at least, in exits that appear unexpected.

"Sometimes they feel abrupt to the market, and they aren't to those from inside," Ms. Padilla said. "You can certainly tell where some of the abrupt exits are. Usually there's a little bit of noise, a little bit more noise and then, all of a sudden, the CEO is leaving. But some of these have honestly been planned a little more than perhaps the market or the news picks up on."

The reasons for exits that appear unexpected vary and may involve the organization dismissing the executive, the executive resigning under varying circumstances, or the executive leaving for health or family reasons. There is also no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to preparing C-suite members for what comes next when an abrupt executive exit occurs. However, Dr. Dunkle and leaders at executive search firms provided some general do's and don'ts.

Having a succession plan

This is a must whether the leader leaves abruptly, exits for health reasons or perhaps is dismissed, according to Dr. Dunkle.

"It's having a plan for succession and then being sure you're developing your leaders," he said. "You've got to develop those next-in-line leaders."

Jena Abernathy, senior client partner specializing in executive search at Korn Ferry, also advocated for an emergency succession plan to alleviate any shock following an abrupt departure.

"In life, there are always circumstances that could lead to this abrupt change, and it could be a health crisis and to be in the business of health, and to not be thinking about an emergency succession plan is really surprising," Ms. Abernathy said. "So we tell boards all the time, 'You should have an emergency succession plan. You should know if the CEO exits tomorrow, who will be your interim?'"

The person who is named to the interim spot may or may not be a potential candidate for the permanent role. However, the primary aim should be stability immediately at the time an abrupt departure is announced, she said.

"This can definitely go a long way in terms of being able to calm the waters with your internal as well as your external [teams] as well as with the community," Ms. Abernathy said. "So that is where I would start."

Todd Drometer, executive lead partner with AMN Healthcare's Leadership Solutions division, agreed.

"The executive team, including human resource leadership, will first need to determine who in the short run can step in as the interim leader," he said. "This person may not be the long-term solution, but rather a short-term bridge to ease employee concerns. Sudden leadership turnover creates uncertainty, and it is important to have someone step into the role on an interim basis to provide reassurance and stability."

Mr. Drometer also recommended that the executive leadership team, in partnership with the internal communications, quickly draft and send a communication to the organization about the recent departure and the new interim leader. He also advised hospitals and health systems to quickly coordinate an in-person or virtual meeting with all related employees to explain the situation and role of the interim leader. Additionally, he recommended that the interim leader schedule smaller group meetings with all related employees to instill confidence and support.

Moving into the search process

Meanwhile, hospitals and health systems typically move into a search process for a permanent replacement around the time an interim replacement is identified. There are various options for filling the permanent role, whether that's through an external search or promoting an individual from within.

"I think that anytime there is an abrupt change, it's a matter of 'what's next?'" Ms. Abernathy said.

"What we will tell people is very quickly move into a process where you identify your search committee, and you identify your firm and you do it quickly, so that all of that can be part of the announcement [of the departure], so that people know right from the start that the board is fully engaged, they are on top of this, they already have a plan, and this is what this is going to look like over the next six months," she said. "At that point, then you can start to orchestrate moving into whether it's having internal candidates as part of the process. There are any number of ways to execute the search at that point. But you can move very quickly in the process."

Mr. Drometer agreed that hospitals and health systems should quickly evaluate options for filling the permanent role when an abrupt exit occurs.

If it appears this process may take an extended period, "then leadership should also determine if there is a need for a different longer-term interim leader who will fit the needs of the department(s)," he said.

"Such longer-term interim leaders can either be filled by an appropriate internal leader or by hiring of an external interim leader," Mr. Drometer said. "Regardless of the direction taken, related communication to the employees affected should be frequent, as employee retention becomes a major risk during times of uncertainty."

Transparency amid the unknown

Dr. Dunkle particularly saw the importance of transparency when he moved into the top role at Johnson Memorial.

"I was aware of the major issues, the major things that the CEO at the time was dealing with," he said. "But there were a lot of other things, community engagements, boards, other things that I wasn't aware of, nor were other members of the team. And I would learn by looking back at the calendar."

Today, he receives updates from his direct reports, even in reference to smaller initiatives within their departments. He said he also tells his team members "basically everything that I'm doing, even the things that maybe haven't been formally approved yet or the things that I'm working on in the background." For example, he notified the executive team of his targets in terms of direct employer contracting and strategic initiatives he's working on in the background. He also created folders for his leadership team in reference to initiatives across departments.

"It's easily accessible," Dr. Dunkle said. "Transparency is key. If you fail to prepare, you're preparing to fail.  Being ready for an abrupt change of leadership is just something you have to plan for because, unfortunately, it's becoming more of a likely occurrence in today's environment."

Connections between C-suite leaders and community leaders

Dr. Dunkle also invites other members of his executive team to attend community engagements so they are more aware of the contacts he has outside of the office with local and state officials as well as other community leaders. This includes his CFO, COO, chief nursing officer and vice president of physician practices.

It's ensuring "they're being seen at these community events and that they know the friends of the organization," he said, adding that his COO has increasingly given talks within the community about the health system.

"I want people to realize everything that he's doing and the importance of the organization," Dr. Dunkle said. "My CNO is very visible as well, and that's important. I think sometimes organizations get in the habit that only the CEO sometimes is the public face of the organization, and there are many people in the organization. They're working hard every day, and I think it's important for the public to realize that."
China brings opportunities rather than 'dumping' goods in Brazil

11:00, March 19, 2024 By Hu Weijia ( Global Times

Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times

It is interesting that not long after Chinese customs data showed China's exports to and imports from Brazil both rose by about one-third in January and February, some Western media outlets began to eagerly attack and smear trade between the two countries, trying to create a false impression that Brazil is a victim of China's dumping of cheap goods.

The Financial Times (FT) published an article on Sunday with a headline "Brazil launches China anti-dumping probes after imports soar," claiming that Brazil, Latin America's largest economy, is reeling from a wave of cheap imported goods.

The FT report came at a time when the US-led West is delivering a great deal of propaganda claiming that "China dumps cheap goods on the global market." The dumping lies are a narrative that the US-led West creates to deceive the world, and its real purpose is to smear the Chinese economy, so it can use that propaganda as camouflage for its protectionist measures against Chinese goods.

Its propaganda machine desperately needs fabricated stories to attract a larger audience, and that's why some Western media outlets, including the FT, are closely watching Brazil's anti-dumping investigations against Chinese goods. However, the Western accusation violates common sense and is contrary to the real situation. Economic and trade ties between China and Brazil are mutually beneficial.

As reported, China has been Brazil's largest trading partner, export market and source of trade surplus for 15 consecutive years. Total bilateral trade jumped 33.3 percent year-on-year in January and February to $31.8 billion, driven by a 33.1 percent increase in Brazil's exports to China. It should be noted that both Brazil's exports to and imports from China rose in the period, which is a win-win result.

As China-Brazil trade continues to grow across various sectors, disputes may also increase. This is normal and understandable. Hopefully Brazil can use trade remedy measures in a prudent way, bringing trade cooperation to a new level.

The trade structure between China and Brazil is different from that between China and many developed countries. Some Western politicians and media outlets lack an understanding of trade between China and Brazil, but they tend to exaggerate the risks and challenges, and deliberately ignore its positive aspects.

On the one hand, soybeans, iron ore, crude oil and beef are among the main components of Brazil's exports to China. On the other hand, China's exports to Brazil are dominated by manufactured goods such as electronic products, daily necessities and other items. Such a trade structure is determined by the economic development of China and Brazil in recent decades.

Recently, Brazil launched policies to support the development of its manufacturing sector as the country seeks to re-industrialize. As its new industrialization accelerates, Brazil's import and export structure may undergo some changes to adapt to this. During the process of trade restructuring, trade friction between Brazil and its trading partners may increase. This has nothing to do with the so-called Chinese dumping of cheap goods.

Amid re-industrialization by Brazil, the supply chain's restructuring has accelerated, and this provides opportunities for Chinese companies to invest in the Latin American country. China and Brazil share large potential for cooperation in manufacturing.

Chinese officials have repeatedly stressed that China firmly supports Brazil in accelerating its economic and social development. In an interview with the Xinhua News Agency, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said last year that the value of Brazil's exports to China is greater than the sum of its exports to the US and the EU.

Lula was quoted as saying that China is a great engine for the Brazilian agro-industry, and he hoped that China could become a powerful engine for Brazil's re-industrialization.

Some Western observers may try to provoke anti-China sentiment in Brazil with their theory of "China dumps cheap goods on the global market," but those people are going to be deeply disappointed by the result. Facts have again proved that China isn't a risk, but only an opportunity for the world's economy.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Shangela, who gained fame on the hit show 'RuPaul's Drag Race' is currently facing numerous allegations of sexual assault.

According to Rolling Stone, five people have come forward accusing Darius Jeremy "DJ" Pierce, known as 'Shangela' in the drag community, of sexual assault or attempting to engage in sexual activity with them while they were intoxicated.

Rolling Stone's report does not implicate RuPaul or the show.

'RuPaul's Drag Race' alum Shangela Faces Sexual Assault Accusations

A 27-year-old man named Helmer, one of the victims, shared that he first crossed paths with Shangela, 42, seven years ago while working at a bar in Los Angeles. Their connection continued as they later connected on social media.

According to Helmer, the situation took a negative turn during a dinner in 2017 when Shangela unexpectedly ordered a mojito for him. Helmer's account to the Los Angeles Police states that he found himself waking up unclothed on a bed and had no memory of what happened after consuming a cocktail.

According to a complaint Helmer filed with the LAPD, Shangela allegedly informed him about their sexual encounter and mentioned the involvement of another individual brought in by Helmer.

When Helmer inquired about the other man's identity, Shangela claimed to be unaware. "But you seemed quite enthusiastic about it," Shangela said to Helmer.

The actor's attorney, Andrew Brettler, dismissed Helmer's allegations as baseless and asserted that any sexual activity involving all three individuals was consensual.

According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, the report emerges five days after a lawsuit against Shangela was dismissed "with prejudice." The lawsuit had accused him of rape and gender violence by former Drag Race production assistant Daniel McGarrigle.

In 2018, Edward Ramirez recounted an incident where he claimed to have been forcefully pushed to the floor and subjected to an attempted penetration by Shangela. At just 21 years old, he...



"I'm absolutely certain that I made my 'no's' very clear." Ramirez stated to Rolling Stone that they were rejecting advances.

Despite facing challenges, he persevered. Brettler vehemently denied the accusation, asserting that there were three individuals who could confirm that Shangela and Ramirez were never left alone together on the evening in question.

All five individuals interviewed by Rolling Stone identify as queer and have either participated in drag shows or are avid spectators, as reported by the publication.

All of them also acknowledged their concerns about going public due to the prevailing negative sentiment towards drag shows in certain parts of the country.

Read Also: Prince William's Rumored Mistress Lady Rose Hanbury Breaks Her Silence Over Affair Allegations for First Time

Previous Allegation Against Shangela

A new revelation has emerged approximately 10 months after a production assistant named Daniel McGarrigle made allegations of rape against Shangela.

Shangela expressed his strong emotions regarding the allegations, stating that he felt hurt and disgusted. However, in February, he and McGarrigle were able to come to a settlement.

As of Monday, March 18, there has been no statement from the drag star on social media regarding Rolling Stone's recent report and the allegations associated with the entertainer.

Shangela recently shared a post about her attendance at the GLAAD awards. Shangela boasts an impressive social media presence, amassing a staggering 1.6 million followers on Instagram. The drag star was also chosen as one of the main performers for OUTLOUD Music Festival in June of 2023.

Related Article: Richard Simmons' Cryptic Message Leaves Fans Sweatin': 'I Am ... Dying'

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Adults 65 and older account for nearly half of hospital admissions, and while this group is expected to grow nearly 40% within the decade, the nation faces a significant shortage of physicians specializing in care for older adults, according to data featured in a recent report from The Washington Post.

"The vast majority of older people are getting care from people who have little to no training in the care of older adults," Louise Aronson, MD, professor of geriatric medicine at the University of California at San Francisco, told the news outlet.

Four notes on the nation's shortage of geriatricians, or physicians who specialize in care for patients 65 and older:

According to the American Geriatrics Society, there are 7,300 board-certified geriatricians in the U.S. This represents less than 1% of all physicians in the country.

There is 1 geriatrician for every 10,000 older adults in the U.S.

In 2023, fewer than 42% of geriatric medicine fellowship positions were filled. The next match day for the speciality is in December.

The supply and demand mismatch means a growing proportion of older adults who would benefit from having their care led by a physician who specializes in how, for example, medications can affect their executive functioning, attention and memory, will not have access to one.

Four notes on what is driving the shortage:
By the end of 2028, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City plans to incorporate more than 1,300 accessibility enhancements to better accommodate patients with disabilities.

The hospital has been working with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest to develop a plan to integrate accessibility enhancements into capital improvement planning for certain areas of its Herbert Irving Pavilion and NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital, according to a March 19 news release. As part of those efforts, the hospital plans to add approximately 1,300 accessibility enhancements to areas including entrances and loading areas, interior and exterior routes, doors, signage, patient rooms, service counters and nurses' stations.

NewYork-Presbyterian will also provide staff training on treating patients with disabilities and plans to install 31 adjustable exam chairs.

The hospital noted that many hospital buildings remain largely inaccessible to those with disabilities if they were built before the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990.
The CDC has issued a health alert as the U.S. faces a growing tally of measles cases this year, urging clinicians to ensure children are up to date on their measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations.

As of March 14, 58 cases in 17 states have been reported to the agency so far this year, which is the total number of cases the U.S. saw in all of 2023. The majority of cases reported so far this year were linked to international travel and were among young children who have not been vaccinated.

"Measles is highly contagious; one person infected with measles can infect 9 out of 10 unvaccinated individuals with whom they come in close contact," the CDC said in its March 18 health alert. "To prevent measles infection and reduce the risk of community transmission from importation, all U.S. residents traveling internationally, regardless of destination, should be current on their MMR vaccinations."

The agency urged healthcare providers to ensure children are up to date with the MMR vaccine. Children should receive their first dose between 12 and 15 months. International travelers who are at least 6 months old should receive a measles shot prior to their departure, the CDC reminded clinicians. Clinicians should consider measles as a diagnosis in any patients with a fever of at least 101 and a generalized maculopapular rash with cough, according to the alert.

Health officials have issued warnings about waning vaccine uptake among kindergarteners in the U.S., with coverage falling to about 93% in the 2022-23 school year. The CDC estimates that 250,000 kindergarteners have been susceptible to the disease each year over the past several years.

"We are reminding physicians to talk with their patients about the health risks associated with not being vaccinated and to make a strong recommendation for vaccinations, unless medically inadvisable," Jesse Ehrenfeld, MD, American Medical Association president, said in a statement. "We also urge physicians to educate patients on the signs and symptoms, severity and complications of measles given that many people are unfamiliar with the impact of the disease."
Healthcare workers and other experts are expressing concern over the CDC's draft masking guidelines, saying that, if finalized, the guidance would incentivize hospitals to prioritize profits over protection, NBC News reported March 18.

Critics fear that the final guidelines will not clearly state a need for N95 masks, meaning hospitals will not adequately stockpile them, which could lead to shortages in future health emergencies. They also worry the guidelines won't emphasize ventilation and air filtration, meaning health systems won't invest in upgrades.

In November, the agency sent an initial draft of recommendations to the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee, a federal advisory committee, for its consideration, which was approved by the committee. The CDC has since requested clarification on masking guidance in healthcare facilities from the committee  specifically whether N95 masks should be required and under what circumstances.

Newly released survey findings from National Nurses United indicate a significant proportion of hospital nurses do not have regular access to N95s or other types of respirators, a situation the nation's largest union of registered nurses claims could worsen if the CDC moves forward with draft guidelines that don't make firm recommendations on the use of respirators to prevent the spread of common pathogens like flu and COVID-19.

Although critics said they are glad to see the draft reconsidered, they remained concerned.

"The CDC needs to make sure that this guidance doesn't give employers leeway to prioritize profits over protection," Jane Thomason, the lead industrial hygienist at the union National Nurses United, told NBC.

One of the key points of contention in the guidance are the recommendations of different approaches for airborne viruses that "spread predominantly over short distances" versus those that "spread efficiently over long distances." The logic allowed employers in 2020 to withhold protective gear from some workers, according to the report.

For example, medical assistants at Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health weren't given N95 masks when they accompanied patients who appeared to have COVID-19. The system received a citation from the state's occupational safety and health agency, but Sutter appealed by pointing to the CDC's statement on virus spread over short distances, NBC reported.

Distinctions based on distance reflect a lack of scientific understanding, Don Milton, MD, DrPH, a University of Maryland researcher who specializes in the aerobiology of respiratory viruses, told NBC. What matters is the route that most often infects people, the concentration of virus-laden droplets and the chance of becoming sick after exposure.

"By focusing on distance, the CDC will obscure what is known and make bad decisions," Dr. Milton said in the report.
From left, David Malone, CEO of the ILCU, Martin Busch, ILCU president of the ILCU, Economy Minister Conor Murphy and Martin Fisher, head of NI for the ILCU

Credit unions in Northern Ireland say they hope to be offer more financial products to customers in future if there is progress in plans to update legislation.

Credit unions in Northern Ireland say they hope to be offer more financial products to customers in future if there is progress in plans to update legislation.

The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) has launched a policy manifesto at Stormont, backed by Economy Minister Conor Murphy, as it aims to strengthen its presence here.

Credit unions are not-for-profit financial services providers which serve the communities where they are located.

But the services available at credit unions in Northern Ireland are not keeping up with Great Britain and the Republic  where some branches have even started to offer mortgages.

The ILCU said one in three people were credit union members, with its asset book in Northern Ireland reaching 1.87bn, with 1.61bn in savings and 644m in loans.

It has called on credit union legislation, which is now nearly 40 years told, to be modernised in line with Great Britain and the Republic. This would allow credit unions to develop and offer financial products to meet their members needs, the organisation said.

And it said financial support would enable it to provide new digital platforms and services and level the playing field with bigger institutions.

It said a rates scheme exemption for credit unions, similar to that enjoyed by post offices and rural ATMs, would be welcome.

The manifesto also calls for recognition of credit unions ability to support sustainability within communities, and urged the Assembly to provide certainty around incentives and regulations for green home improvements.

Mr Murphy said credit unions had supported families and small businesses through affordable finance for over 60 years, and were growing in importance at a time when banks were withdrawing services.

He said he would set up a team within his department to help deliver the policy priorities in the manifesto, working with both the ILCU and the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions.

This important work will be prioritised by my department. It will proceed at pace and be delivered within the three years remaining of the mandate.

Martin Fisher, head of NI for the ILCU, said: As not-for-profit cooperatives owned by members, credit unions embody the power of community in action.

"Despite our success, challenges lie ahead, and we seek government support in the next mandate. This document outlines our requests to policymakers for assistance, emphasising collaboration to enhance financial well-being and contribute to future economic growth.
The headquarters of a Northern Ireland insurance broker are back on the market for offers of 2.5m  some 500,000 less than three months ago.

Strangford House on Jubilee Road in Newtownards, the location of Hughes Insurance, is being sold through selling agents Osborne King for offers of over 2.5m.

Thats a fall of 500,000 or around 4,800 a day since early December last year, when the offices were first placed on the market.

The office space needed by companies has fallen after the first Covid-19 lockdown four years ago this month led to many working from home. Most have since adopted hybrid working, with companies allowing employees to work from home and the office.

That has had the result of companies needing less office space, with many sub-letting floors within their building, or selling up altogether. Some are also seeking new, smaller offices  a process known as right-sizing.

A spokesperson for Hughes Insurance, which has been part of Liberty Insurance since 2015, said: Following well documented global events Hughes Insurance invested in our digital infrastructure and transitioned to fully remote operations in 2021.

"This enabled our team, who are based throughout the province, to work remotely.

100% of our business is now successfully conducted online or by telephone and we have adopted a hybrid model of working which means our current commercial property footprint is no longer utilised to its capacity.

"As a result Strangford House in Newtownards has been put up for sale. The executive team at Hughes Insurance are exploring alternative, more accessible commercial premises that better meet the needs of the business.

Strangford House includes two interconnected buildings of around 17,000 sq ft and 18,500 sq ft, with a total of 185 car park spaces. According to a selling brochure from Osborne King, the offices have an annual rates bill of around 158,500.

In March 2021, staff at Hughes Insurance and parent company Liberty Insurance in Northern Ireland were told they would be working from home permanently. Remote employees were to receive a 566 gross annual payment to cover any related remote working expenses.

Liberty was the first big employer in Northern Ireland to publicly announce that it was continuing with home working indefinitely.

Hughes said at the time that a survey of staff showed 93% did not want to return to traditional working.

It said that embracing remote working had allowed it to keep all staff on during the pandemic, without resorting to support from the Government's furlough scheme.

The declining need for office space among companies has been reflected in industry reports. Commercial property agents Savills has said that office values declined during 2023  although demand is strong for prime offices with strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) credentials.

Earlier this year, a report by commercial property agents CBRE in Northern Ireland said three quarters of Belfasts office stock could be obsolete by 2030 due to legislation regarding energy performance certificates.

Brian Lavery, CBRE NI managing director, said it is only a matter of time before the regulations already in place in England and Wales take effect in Northern Ireland. However, he said just 25% of larger office buildings in Belfast would comply with higher standards.
Labour will seek to bring about a new chapter in Britains economic history, the shadow chancellor will vow in a speech to business and finance leaders.

Rachel Reeves will vow to reject managed decline in a key pre-election message to the business and economic community during the annual Mais Lecture in the city of London on Tuesday.

The shadow chancellor, and former Bank of England economist, will also propose reforms to the Treasury that will increase the role of the departments Enterprise and Growth unit.

I remain an optimist about our ability to rise to the challenges we face, the Shadow Chancellor will say.

If we can bring together public and private sectors, in a national mission  directed at restoring strong economic growth across Britain.

A new chapter in Britains economic history. And unlike the 1980s, growth in the years to come must be broad-based, inclusive and resilient.

A potential Labour Government will seek to drive growth through stability, investment and reform, she will tell the audience.

It will pledge to utilise planning reform, strengthen devolution and lay out a new industrial strategy.

The Shadow Chancellor will also propose reforms to Treasury operations around budgets and spending reviews (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

Ms Reeves claims Labour will also plan to create half a million jobs across the UK through a new National Wealth Fund, to invest in growing industries.

Nevertheless, the ambitious pledges come a week after the Shadow Chancellor stressed that were not going to be able to turn things around straight away if voted into power in the election, expected to take place in the latter half of 2024.

On Tuesday, she will say that the Treasury must be ready to get to work from day one to improve economic growth.

This will include Treasury reform by bolstering the Enterprise and Growth unit set up by the last Labour Government, to integrate it into the budget and spending review processes.
Ewan McGregor has spoken about leaving Scotland at the age of 17 (Ian West/PA)

Trainspotting star Ewan McGregor has said that people from Scotland still tell him to remember where I come from.

The Star Wars actor, 52, who was born in Perthshire, said he is Scottish wherever I am in the world.

Speaking to the Radio Times, he said: I left Scotland at 17 to go to drama school in London.

I havent lived in Britain since 2008, Ive been living in the States.

Ewan McGregor has not lived in the UK for 16 years (PA)

It was hard to leave Scotland, he added.

Theres a sense youre turning your back.

People in Scotland to this day tell me to remember where I come from.

I know where I come from! I dont need anybody to remind me.

Its this feeling of youre not Scottish enough.

Im Scottish wherever I am in the world. Im always Scottish!.

McGregor is starring in the upcoming Paramount+ TV series A Gentleman In Moscow alongside his second wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead and spoke about the importance of using an intimacy co-ordinator on set.

The actor plays Alexander Rostov in the historical fiction drama about a Russian aristocrat who is spared from death and put under house arrest while the Bolshevik Revolution plays out.

Winstead, 39, who is known for playing Ramona Flowers in Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, portrays Anna Urbanova  who seduces Alexander.

McGregor said: We did have an intimacy co-ordinator!

Its still necessary, because its also about the crew, and its odd to be naked in front of people, its odd to be intimate in front of the camera.

If you were doing a dance scene, youd have a choreographer.

Its an important part of the work now, because its somebody that the director and actors meet in the middle.

Ewan McGregor on the cover of Radio Times (Radio Times)

The Scottish actor also appeared alongside American actress Winstead in the TV series Fargo.

McGregor and Winstead welcomed a child together in 2021 and got married in 2022.

Prior to this he was married to production designer Eve Mavrakis for more than two decades.

The full interview is available in the Radio Times.
Singaporean Opposition Leader Pritam Singh appeared in court on Tuesday, local time (Mar. 19), after being charged with two alleged violations of the city-state's Parliament (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act.

According to local media, Singhwho is also the leader of the Workers' Party (WP), which has a handful of seats in Singapore's unicameral parliamentwas accused of falsely testifying at the Committee of Privileges hearings involving former MP Raeesah Khan, charges to which Singh has since pleaded not guilty.

Case Timeline

The case surfaced when Khan, a first-time lawmaker who won the collective seat of Sengkang in the 2020 general election, gave a speech on August 3, 2021, over her party's motion on gender equality.

She alleged that a police officer made inappropriate comments about a sexual assault victim she had accompanied to the police station. However, Khan was unable to substantiate this when asked by ministers and the police.

Three months later, she admitted to parliament that she had lied, prompting House Leader Indranee Rajah (PAP-Tanjong Pagar GRC) to file a complaint against her and refer her to the Committee of Privileges.

Khan eventually resigned from parliament and her party on November 30, 2021.

Singh then revealed that in December, party leaders knew that Khan had lied in a parliamentary speech a week after her Aug. 3 speech. She also allegedly repeated her lie in October 2021 and did not set the record straight in parliament until Nov. 1 that year.

In its final report on Feb 10, 2022, the Committee of Privileges recommended that Singh and WP vice-chairman Faisal Manap be referred to the public prosecutor for lying while testifying under oath.

Read Also: Bad Blood? Singapore's PM Defends Exclusive Deal with Taylor Swift Against ASEAN Neighbors

Singh's Response to Charges

While the WP did not immediately respond to Singh's charges, the opposition leader previously rejected the Committee of Privileges' findings, calling out "gaps and omissions" in the report, which he said suggested political partisanship.

When the Straits Times asked him why he was coming to court, Singh answered: "Why would someone come to the State Courts?"

During the parliamentary debate on the Committee of Privileges' final report, Singh argued that the Committee of Privileges had focused on Khan's "uncorroborated testimony" that she was instructed by the WP leadership to never reveal that she had lied to parliament.

If found guilty, Singh might be imprisoned for up to three years, fined up to S$7,000 ($5,223.82), or both for each charge.

"As we have informed Mr. Pritam Singh, the prosecution's position, based on the evidence presently available and considering the totality of the circumstances, is that we will be asking the court to impose a fine for each of the charges if Mr. Singh is convicted," a spokesperson for the Attorney-General's Chambers said in response to media queries. The spokesperson added that it would be up to the court to decide if Singh was guilty of the charges.

Related Article: Singapore Minister Resigns After Being Charged With Rare Corruption Case

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tourism and hospitality company of the year

Belfast International Airport, a member of the VINCI Airports network, is proud to sponsor the Tourism and Hospitality Company of the year at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards 2024.

As the principal gateway into Northern Ireland, the airport works with key airline partners easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, TUI, Balkan Holidays and NI tour operator, Travel Solutions to develop essential air access into Northern Ireland and enabling greater connectivity for inbound tourism. In 2023, Belfast International welcomed 5.9 million passengers, with that number expected to increase in 2024.

Tourism and hospitality plays a critical role, and collaborating with all stakeholders, the airport champions Northern Ireland as an attractive visitor destination and viable region for further economic growth and international investment.

The sector employs around 71,000 people and has grown to become a key contributor to the economy. This years judges are looking for companies that provide innovation, excellent customer service, community engagement, sustainability, and, above all, a business model that offers the customer an amazing experience.

Dan Owens, Belfast International Airport CEO, believes there is confidence ahead of the busiest period of the year and Northern Ireland remains unique with a vibrant tourism offering.

He said: As we approach summer 2024, the sector is looking forward to welcoming a record number of tourists.

We believe that Northern Ireland is truly a hidden gem with its unique history, landscape, and culture. From world-class visitor attractions and luxury hotels to incredible local produce, the sector showcases outstanding products across the country.

It is important that we continue to grow this sector sustainably and I am pleased that Belfast International Airport is playing its part by halving our carbon footprint by 2030 and being completely net zero by 2050.

The airport is working on a 100m five-year expansion plan to enhance customer experience to further support the tourism sector. It will include a new 25m security building, which is on track to be unveiled in the summer with new screening technology meaning passengers will no longer have to remove liquids or electronics from luggage.

We have increased GB and Europe connectivity further which will support the inbound tourism industry as airline partners continue to boost the range of destinations now on offer, with several new routes starting this year. EasyJet will launch Tunisia and Larnaca alongside TUI, with Ryanair launching new flights to Malta and the new Porto service continuing as a year-round destination.

Jet2 will also launch new services to Malta alongside Bodrum and Madeira.

TUI will introduce new flights to both Salzburg and Turin as winter destinations. Travel Solutions will continue their ever-popular flights to Lake Garda and Bulgaria as well as an extensive ski programme.

Balkan Holidays will continue to serve Bulgaria. The introduction of these new services will provide more connectivity and choice, enabling even more visitors to experience Northern Ireland.

The airport looks forward to continuing to work with partners and stakeholders to grow the tourism and hospitality sector further.

Mr Owens added: Good luck to all of those entering the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, its a great platform to demonstrate the outstanding contributions of companies across Northern Ireland.

To enter, go to www.belfasttelegraph/businessawards/enter
An investigation found that Botox was being brought into Northern Ireland from Korea before being taken across the border and administered by unqualified staff

Stormont has been urged to act now before there is an increase in botched aesthetics treatments in Northern Ireland, after the Taoiseach said he would legislate to regulate the sector in the Republic.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar spoke out after an investigation by RTE found that Botox was being brought into Northern Ireland from Korea before being taken across the border and administered by unqualified staff.

Undercover researchers received products from a UK-based supplier who said he regularly transported large amounts of unlicensed Korean products to the Irish border area, where it would then be collected by people working in the industry across the Republic of Ireland.

Mr Varadkar revealed that his government is working on stricter regulations for aesthetic medicine, including Botox.

But the same is not true in Northern Ireland.

The Taoiseach said: "On the licensing system, it's clear that we need a better system.

"I would definitely think that we need stronger licensing and stronger regulation of aesthetic medicine.

"And that's in train and that legislation has been drafted, so that's the plan.

"But I think there will always be black market for these things, unfortunately and there always have been."

The SDLPs Mark H Durkan welcomed the comments and that the Irish Government are treating this issue with the seriousness it deserves.

The problems around lack of licensing and botched treatments are not confined to any one area, we are seeing these issues right across these islands and its important that we all take steps to keep the public safe, the Foyle MLA continued.

I would be concerned that if the Irish Government introduces this legislation and we do nothing, that we could see an increase in these treatments and those carrying them out without proper licensing on this side of the border.

Mark H Durkan

Mr Durkan had raised the issue in the Assembly last week, after comparing parts of the aesthetics industry here to the Wild West.

He called on Health Minister Robin Swann to introduce a licensing scheme and standardised qualifications for practitioners carrying out non-surgical cosmetic procedures (NSCPs).

However, Mr Swann said there are no active plans to introduce such legislation, and said his department is currently operating within a constrained budget and is required to make decisions in relation to the work that can be delivered within current resources.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Durkan added: While I acknowledge the pressures facing the Health Minister and his department I would urge him to look again at regulations around this, particularly given a completely different approach in the North and the South is very likely to prove problematic.

This is not about persecuting people or creating red tape for those who take every precaution, but we must do everything we can to protect people.

Botox is a registered brand name but has become a colloquial term for all products containing botulinum toxin.

While Botox is licensed for use in the Republic, RTE Investigates discovered many occasions of unlicensed use of such products.
A group of top medical specialists are to meet the public face to face in a unique event aimed at empowering patients to take care of their own health needs.

Body Talk Live is the brainchild of Dr Carla Devlin, one of NIs leading GPs based at the Shankill Road Surgery in Belfast.

What she hopes will be the first of many similar events tackling a range of specialist health areas, the first Body Talk Live in April will focus on womens health.

In the past few years, we have seen a health  both physical and mental  crisis that our generation has never experienced before, she says.

We know it can be difficult for people to get to speak to a GP and there are long waiting lists to see specialists.

People can have flare-ups and exacerbation of symptoms whilst on these lists.

What better way to bring the public health message in an easier format to patients than through an event like this.

In March 2020, the phones at our GP surgeries stopped ringing, and now many people are forgoing their health because of the constant news cycle of overrun hospitals and waiting lists, which leaves a gap for the wrong information to get through to them.

There is so much information and misinformation out there, whether it is through social media platforms or just in the community, swirling about on our collective health that there is a need for us professionals to cut through it.

We are still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic in healthcare and some people arent ringing their GP surgeries when they would have before.

I just thought it would be helpful to do a platform where people know they can go and hear common health care concerns addressed by experts to help them to navigate issues and signpost them.

Body Talk Live will bring together a host of my fellow professional specialist colleagues, aiming to educate people on how to look after their wellbeing, and crucially, to inspire them to make rational health choices.

Dr Carla Devlin and Sarah Weir, co-founders of Body Talk Live, launch the inaugural event with host, Pamela Ballantine MBE

Dr Devlin is well known for her devotion to her career. She chairs the North Belfast GP Federation Group and is a GP trainer and appraiser.

As well as her work in the NHS she runs the Berkeley Private Clinic alongside her brother, as well as Berkeley Aesthetics Clinic.

During her career as a GP she has developed specialist interests in a number of areas including cardiology, mental health, womens health, prescribing and dermatology.

For her first health conference to be held on Friday, April 19, she has brought together some of the UK and Irelands best known and respected healthcare professionals.

Weir Events, organisers of the annual Northern Ireland Health and Fitness Awards is organising the one day conference at the Crowne Plaza Belfast.

Hosted by TVs Pamela Ballantine, the one-day conference will cover all areas of womens health including gut health, cardiovascular health, mental wellness, fitness and much more.

The medical professionals will deliver on-stage talks, master classes, panel discussions and Q&A sessions when the public will get a chance to speak direct to them.

It will also include an exhibition showcasing a range of cutting-edge health products.

Dr Devlin is also encouraging business leaders to have members of their management teams at the conference to help put employee wellbeing at the forefront of the workplace.

She says: Particularly over the past few years, the menopause has become an issue which is more openly discussed and understood in the workplace with many business leaders putting measures in place to help their employees adapt to the demands of work when going through this natural biological process.

We need business leaders, when considering management styles and productivity issues, to increasingly show an awareness of medical conditions which are particularly affecting women in the workplace every day.

As we know and can appreciate, life can be very busy and demanding for the modern women.

With this all the strains we face, it is vital that companies prioritize employee health and emphasise awareness and support for women in the workplace.

It has been proven time and again that a healthy workforce leads to a more productive and efficient workforce."

Dr Carla Devlin

Overall the conference will be taking a holistic approach to health and to this end will bring together as many different healthcare specialities as possible.

Dr Devlin says: We want to cover health from top to toe including mental health and burnout to thyroid disease, pre diabetes, gut health, pelvic health, peri and post menopause, skin health as skin cancer is the number one cancer in Northern Ireland to muscular skeletal health.

We want people to have information on the common health care topics from medical experts who are dealing with them on a day-to-day basis rather than the social media misinformation from non-experts.

Our experts will talk about symptoms and changes that people should be worrying about and when to contact their GP and also what they can do themselves.

There is a lot of absenteeism from work in Northern Ireland due to stress, social anxiety and physical health issues and we want to inform people about how to look after themselves and prevent ill health from happening which hopefully will help us to retain our workforce.

All the information is evidence based from colleagues who work in the NHS and know the day to day pressures in the health service.

We all feel that there has to be other ways of helping patients during a healthcare crisis and this is our way of trying to do that.

While female health will be the focus of the first event, Dr Devlin hopes to tackle paediatric and mens health in upcoming conferences.

She adds: We hope it will inspire people to take ownership of their own health and promote positive lifestyle changes.

I would like to see it driven by what the public want and what they feel they need.

The idea is to work with specialists, other agencies and make sure we are all aligned and sending out the right message.

Event co-founder and Director of Weir Events, Sarah Weir adds: We are thrilled to join together with Dr Carla Devlin to introduce the first ever Body Talk Live event here in Northern Ireland, creating an open and structured environment for our guests to understand even more about their own health.

Making sure we were bringing together professionals who are clear with their advice and pulling together a schedule that will reliably inform out guests is our priority and we are looking forward to a day that will give women the tools to understand their health even better.

The event is partnered by BTL Medical, Cathedral Health, Northern Ireland Versus Arthritis, ACCA Longevity Clinic, Dr Doireens Supplements Made Simple, Kingsbury Wagyu, Berkeley Aesthetics, Design NI and S3 Creative. For further information, and to register interest visit www.bodytalklive.co.uk
Online pill-pushing Romanian doctor who put patients here at risk is struck off

Medic with cavalier attitude to prescribing drugs removed from UK register after failing to address concerns over actions

Dr Diana Gall prescribed 800 co-codamol tablets to an individual over the course of just 12 weeks, a tribunal heard

Stephen Gordon Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 08:20

A pill-pushing doctor with a cavalier attitude to patient safety has been issued with an erasure order by a medical tribunal.
A 20-year-old woman from Northern Ireland whose body was pulled from a canal in Co Monaghan on Sunday has been named locally as Kelly Marie Lynch.

Ms Lynchs remains were found in the waterway of the Ulster Canal on St Patricks Day, with the Garda confirming it is investigating the discovery of her body.

Gardai are investigating all the circumstances of a discovery of a body in Co Monaghan on Sunday, March 17, 2024, a spokesperson for An Garda Siochana said on Monday.

The body of a woman in her 20s was recovered from the Ulster Canal in Monaghan town at approximately 8.30am.

The body has since been removed from the scene to the mortuary at Our Ladys Hospital, Navan.

A postmortem examination has been arranged and the results of this examination will determine the course of the Garda investigation.

No further information is available at this time.

Tributes have been paid to the young woman, who was originally from Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh.

In a post on Funeral Times, Ms Lynch is described as the beloved daughter of Sean and Julieanne, cherished sister of Kristopher, Matthew, Rory, Poppy and Finn, and darling granddaughter of Maurice and Patsy Gilroy and Bernie Lynch. Predeceased by her grandfather Sam.

Locator: Ulster Canal Monaghan

Kelly will be forever missed by her heartbroken parents, her brothers and sister, her grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and the entire circle of family and friends.

Her funeral mass is set to take place on Friday at Holy Cross Church, Lisnaskea.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Father Jimmy Phillips, who will conduct the service for Ms Lynch later this week, paid tribute to the young woman.

Kelly was at her most happiest when she was with the family. She was amazing with children and in particular her siblings. She had a nurturing nature about her that enabled her to go down to a childs level, he said.

Lisnaskea Emmetts GAC also paid tribute to Ms Lynch, writing on social media: The club would like to extend its sincere condolences to the Lynch family on the death of Kelly Marie, Park Lane, Gilford, Armagh / Lisnaskea, Fermanagh. May she now rest in peace.

A GoFundMe has also been created by Ms Lynchs aunt Pamela McCormack, who described her niece as a bright light in all of our lives.

Kelly was not just a daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece and cousin; she was a bright light in all of our lives. Her laughter, compassionate heart and love touched everyone in her life.

She had dreams and a future filled with endless possibilities, but tragically those dreams have been cut short.

As we navigate through the depths of grief, we are faced with the harsh reality of funeral expenses. In the midst of our sorrow, the financial burden weighs heavily on our shoulders. Thats why we are reaching out to you, our community, for support.

Every contribution, no matter the size, will help us give Kelly the farewell she deserves. Together we can ease the financial strain on her grieving family and allow them to focus on healing and remembering the beautiful soul that Kelly was.
First Stalking Protection Order (SPO) handed out at Belfast Magistrates' Court.

A woman has said she no longer has to "live as a prisoner in my own life" after her former partner was handed Northern Ireland's first Stalking Protection Order (SPO).

The two year order was imposed on the 46-year-old man at Belfast Magistrates Court on Tuesday after he allegedly stalked and harassed his 50-year-old ex-partner.

The court was told the defendant had refused to stop contacting the woman and her son while turning up at her home address on a number of occasions.

He is also accused of harassing her family members.

SPOs were first introduced here in October 2023.

PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Lindsay Fisher praised the female victim for showing huge bravery throughout the case.

PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Lindsay Fisher

"Wed like to commend her and her family for their support in our application for this protection order, she added.

The anonymous victim has released a statement expressing relief and gratitude.

I have waited years for a law to protect me and my son, she said.

"I am so thankful that there is now an order in place that can protect us.

"I hope this gives other victims some hope that there is help available.

"I am so happy, I feel I dont have to live as a prisoner in my own life anymore.

The order will remain in place while a criminal investigation progresses and prevents the man in question from contacting the woman or her family by any means, including on social media.

The subject of the SPO is also prohibited from visiting locations in the victims local area.

Breaching an order is a criminal offence and can result in a prison sentence of up to five years.

Ms Fisher said SPOs provide another tool for police to use in order to help protect victims and improve their safety.

"This is the first time we have obtained a SPO and marks a huge milestone for Northern Ireland since new legislation was introduced only a number of months ago, she continued.

"We are seeing continued positive policing in this area with alleged offenders being arrested weekly.

"We will continue to raise awareness and encourage victims to come forward with the knowledge that we now have over 5,000 officers and staff trained to recognise and respond and that they take all reports seriously.

The operationalisation of SPOs allows our officers, like in this case, to take swift and decisive action, putting restrictions in place and ultimately being ready to enforce breaches, treating them as criminal offences.

Our readiness to take action in this way we hope will have a hugely positive effect on the confidence people have in coming forward, knowing that in Northern Ireland we take stalking incredibly seriously.

Only the police can apply for SPOs which means there is no pressure on a victim to make an application.

They can be obtained for both domestic and stranger stalking.

Police have urged victims to come forward and reassured them that their concerns will be taken seriously.

Further information about harassment and stalking is available on the PSNI website.

Stalking was only made a criminal offence in Northern Ireland back in April 2022.

As of the end of January 2024 an average of 15 people a month have been arrested under the new legislation.
Garda killer Pearse McAuley will be buried in his hometown of Strabane on Thursday.

The former IRA man was found dead at his home in Co Tyrone on Monday night.

His death is not believed to be suspicious, the PSNI said yesterday.

He will be buried in Strabane Cemetery on Thursday after Requiem Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane at 10am.

A funeral notice described him as the father of Pearse and Eoghain, dearly loved son of the late Pearse and Sheila Mc Cauley, much loved brother of Nancy, Siobhan, Patricia, Micheal, and the late Fionnuala, Thomas, Seamus and Maura and beloved partner of Mary.

It added: Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on his soul.

Sources said it appeared the former Provisional IRA man may have lain dead in his native town of Strabane for a number of days, and that he died from natural causes.

A PSNI spokeswoman said on Tuesday: "Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a property in Abercorn Square in Strabane on Monday, 18 March.

"At present, the death is not believed to be suspicious."

McAuley, who was almost 60 years old at the time of his death, walked free from prison in 2022 after serving his time for a brutal knife attack on his ex-wife.

He stabbed Pauline Tully, now a Sinn Fein TD, 13 times in 2014.

McAuley had previously served a sentence for killing Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996, for which he was released from prison in 2009.

Sinn Fein stood by McAuley and three other IRA killers after the 1996 killing of Det Garda McCabe during an armed robbery. McAuley was jailed for 14 years but released in 2009 after serving 10.

The party claimed he should have been released under the Good Friday Agreement and had fought for his early release despite Irish government opposition.

McAuley met Ms Tully when she visited him in jail. They married in 2003 as he was serving his sentence. They have two children.

He shot his way out of Brixton Prison in London in 1991 and fled to the Republic. After his release for the McCabe killing, the Crown Prosecution Service said it would not seek his extradition for the escape.

The ex-Provo was later disowned by republicans following the attack on his wife.
One of the men charged with the murder of Kevin Conway in west Belfast must remain in custody, a judge ruled today.

Fergal Kane, 53, was refused bail at the citys Magistrates Court amid claims he was trusted by an organised crime grouping to take part in the killing.

Mr Conway, 26, was shot multiple times in his flat at Rossnareen Park on January 9 this year.

He had been associated with notorious crime gang The Firm and was on bail for the murder of Shane Whitla in Lurgan, Co Armagh in January 2023.

Police revealed that he was gunned down just minutes after sending his partner a message to say he was relaxing at home on the Playstation.

The killers are believed to have entered the property and opened fire with a shotgun and a pistol.

Kane and co-accused Aidan OKeefe, 27, are jointly charged with the murder.

Both men, whose addresses in Belfast cannot be reported, face a further count of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Detectives claim the pair travelled in convoy by van and car to the scene of the assassination.

They are allegedly connected by CCTV evidence, a vehicle tracking device and registration plate sightings on the night of the murder.

OKeefe left the Royal Victoria Hospital earlier that evening and drove his Toyota Proace work van through a number of streets in the west of the city before linking up with Kanes BMW car, according to the police case.

The vehicles were said to have parked up a short distance from the victims home before two masked men in dark clothing got out and walked towards the property.

Based on CCTV footage and GPRS tracking data, the van and car then left the area and split up.

Two suspected gunmen were also observed walking on foot in the neighbourhood for a period after the shooting.

Kanes BMW was seized and forensically examined as part of the investigation.

Initial tests revealed three particles indicative of cartridge discharge residue were located in the car.

The court heard three men made a subsequent attempt to get rid of the work van but were chased off by plain-clothes police officers keeping the vehicle under observation.

As Kane mounted his first application for bail, prosecutors claimed the charges indicated he played a significant role in the criminal outfit behind the murder.

He would have to be a significant, trusted part of that organised grouping, a Crown lawyer submitted.

It was also disclosed that since he was first remanded in custody, Kane has been moved to the dissident republican wing of Maghaberry Prison.

With both guns used in the shooting still missing, concerns were raised that his release could further hinder the investigation.

Defence counsel JonPaul Shields argued that the prosecution will face difficulties linking Kanes BMW to the area of the murder at the relevant time.

He described the evidence against his client as speculative.

Denying bail, however, District Judge Steven Keown cited the risks of re-offending and interfering with police inquiries.

He said: On the Crowns case, Mr Kane is a trusted member of an organised crime group involved in offences of the utmost seriousness.
Three people have been arrested after armed PSNI officers carried out a raid on a house in the Holylands area of south Belfast last night.

Watch: Armed response storm Holyland flat in Belfast

A police spokesperson said that officers attended Agincourt Avenue following the report of a group of men forcing entry to a house in the area shortly after 10.30pm on Monday (March 18).

A man aged 22 was arrested on suspicion of burglary, a 41-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault, and a second 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of burglary with intent to commit unlawful damage.

All three remain in custody at this time.

Footage of the incident taken by a neighbour shows multiple officers making their way into the property armed with rifles.
A legal expert has weighed in on Donald Trump's options after his legal team failed to secure a $464 million appeal bond that he needed following a New York civil fraud judgment against him.

In a Monday, March 18 court filing, Trump's lawyers wrote that obtaining the nearly half-a-billion dollar bond was a "practical impossibility under the circumstances presented."

"The amount of the judgment, with interest, exceeds $464 million, and very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude," Trump's legal team wrote, with the $464 million figure including the disgorgement for his adult sons Don Jr. and Eric.

Read Also: Trump Launches New Bid to Boot Fani Willis From Georgia Election Interference Case

In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the size of the bond is "unConstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY Company, including one as successful as mine."

"The Bonding Companies have never heard of such a bond, of this size, before, nor do they have the ability to post such a bond, even if they wanted to," he added.

Criminal defense attorney David Gelman told Fox News that the judgment was a "unicorn," arguing that the judge should give Trump more leeway to satisfy the bond because "not even the richest man in the world has $464 million lying around."

Related Article: Trump Says Jews Who Vote for Democrats 'Hate Israel and Their Religion;' Groups Fume Over 'Defamatory, Antisemitic' Comments

@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
First Minister Michelle ONeill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly met with President Joe Biden in the China Room of the White House, Washington DC. Pic: Presseye

Jim Allister has called on Michelle ONeill to refund taxpayers after using a St Patricks Day meeting with the US President in Washington DC to peddle Sinn Fein policy on Palestine.

Ms ONeill said in a party political statement issued by Sinn Fein after meeting the President that she had again raised my grave concerns directly with President Biden on the genocide of Palestinian people, and the demand for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza.

In the statement, in which she was described as Sinn Fein Leas-Uachtaran (vice president), Ms ONeill also said that they discussed our efforts with US investors where we set out our stall and made our pitch on why the North is a great place to invest in order to create jobs.

Just over an hour later, in a joint statement with deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, Ms ONeill reiterated how she had promoted Northern Ireland to potential US investors.

However, there was no mention of the conflict in Gaza in the First Ministers statement with Ms Little-Pengelly.

TUV leader Mr Allister questioned whether Ms ONeill was speaking in an official or personal capacity in the White House on Sunday.

"Its a very fundamental issue, he said. "Its a joint office, so was she speaking for the deputy First Minister too or was she speaking as a senior Sinn Fein leader only?

"I hope the party paid her way if she was going to use the meeting as a party political platform.

Mr Allister said if the Executive Office funded the trip then Ms ONeill should refund the money.

"She was there to speak on Executive policy  if she stepped outside then she stepped outside the contract of the public purse only being used to pay for official business.

Its the insidious position the DUP is in by being in partnership with Sinn Fein.

"One minute Michelle ONeill presents herself as a First Minister for all and then she metamorphosises into something else entirely.

"She took a wholly partisan political stance to peddle Sinn Fein policy.

"Unless it is Executive policy?"

Mr Allister said the deputy First Minister must clarify her position after the Executive Office statement omitted any reference to Gaza in its summary of the traditional March 17 reception.

"What did Emma Little Pengelly do  did she contradict her, did she just sit there silent?

"She needs to come out and make that very clear.

Both leaders had described the engagement as positive.

TUV leader Jim Allister

Sinn Fein had been fiercely criticised for attending St Patricks Day events in Washington by rivals who had urged the party to boycott the White House over its support for Israel.

On Monday, a DUP spokesperson told the Belfast Telegraph the message from the deputy First Minister to the President was a positive focus on growing our economy and inward investment for Northern Ireland.

Any other comments, or those made in the margins of a meeting by others are a matter for them, they added.

The DUP position, as outlined during the trip, is that Israel was attacked by terrorists and is justified in taking action to defend its people and its borders against all current and future Hamas terrorism.

"Innocent civilians caught in the midst of this war sparked by the Hamas terror attacks ought to be supported with aid and shelter in every way possible.

"There can be no disguising the fact that the state of Israel was attacked and scores of its citizens kidnapped, some of whom remain captive five months later.

Sinn Fein and TEO have been contacted for comment.
Convicted garda killer Pearse McAuley has been found dead at his home in Strabane, Co Tyrone (Martin McCullough/PA)

Convicted garda killer Pearse McAuley has been found dead at his home in Co Tyrone.

The body of McAuley, who was in his late 50s, was discovered at a property in Strabane on Monday.

He was sentenced to 14 years in jail for the manslaughter of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, who was shot dead by an IRA gang during a raid on the post office in Adare, Co Limerick, in June 1996.

He was jailed after a notorious IRA gang shot dead Det Gda McCabe during a raid on the post office in Adare, in Co Limerick in June 1996.

IRA killer Pearse McAuley has been found dead at his home in Strabane, Co Tyrone (PA)

Mr McCabe was in an unmarked garda patrol car, escorting a van delivering 80,000 (102,000 euro) to local post offices in Adare in June 1996, when the IRA gang struck.

He was shot about 15 times with a Kalashnikov assault rifle.

His colleague, Detective Garda Ben OSullivan, was seriously injured in the shooting but survived.

McAuley was convicted of manslaughter in 1999 and was released from prison after serving 10 years.

Years before the killing, McAuley and his cellmate, Nessan Quinlivan, shot their way out of Brixton Prison in London as they awaited trial for conspiracy to murder brewery boss Charles Tidbury and for firearms and explosives offences.

Jail-breaker McAuley and IRA killer Kevin Walsh were the last of the five men jailed for the robbery to be released. They had served three-quarters of their 14-year sentences.

While McAuley was serving his sentence, Sinn Fein made an unsuccessful attempt to have him and others jailed for the garda killing to be released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

The move was resisted by the Irish Government.

Pearse McAuley was jailed for 14 years for the manslaughter of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, who was shot dead by an IRA gang in June 1996 (Paul Faith/PA)

In 2015, McAuley was sentenced to 12 years for stabbing his estranged wife, Pauline Tully, now a Sinn Fein TD, with a steak knife at her home on Christmas Eve in 2014.

The pair had married while McAuley was serving his 14-year sentence for the garda killing.

They met when Ms Tully, who was elected as a Sinn Fein councillor in 1999, visited McAuley at Castlerea Prison in Co Roscommon.

They became engaged in 2000.

He was temporarily released in 2003 to marry Ms Tully, a teacher at the time, in her home village of Kilnaleck, Co Cavan.

McAuley was finally freed in 2020.

A PSNI spokeswoman said on Tuesday: Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a property in Abercorn Square in Strabane on Monday, 18 March.

At present, the death is not believed to be suspicious.
Argyll and Bute will now look to introduce the council tax freeze. (Jane Barlow/PA)

Argyll and Bute Council will reconsider freezing council tax after previously announcing a 10% increase, it has been announced.

Council leader Robin Currie said he will advocate for the freeze at a special meeting next month following a series of positive talks with the Scottish Government.

Along with Inverclyde Council, the local authority initially defied the Scottish Governments freeze.

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison, who is also in charge of Scotlands finances, previously said councils who raised council tax would not receive a share of the additional 62.7 million in extra funding.

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The turnaround comes as Argyll and Bute Council said it has been given extra assistance to deal with the impact of severe weather support.

Mr Currie said: We can now look at freezing council tax for the coming year.

We have been lobbying hard for equal support for Argyll and Bute which reflects the incredibly severe impact of unprecedented severe weather in October last year.

We made a very strong case for that to the Scottish Government at a meeting we asked for in January this year.

We have continued to press ministers ever since on a range of other issues. We are of course delighted that they have listened to our calls for severe weather support and that they have now provided for Argyll and Bute that extra assistance that we are fighting for.

The council states additional funding totalling around 6.26 million means the overall financial circumstances are improved.

That included 2.3 million for the impact of severe weather in October and 1.1 million for Argyll and Bute through the additional 62.7 million if it agrees the freeze.

It would also see the council receive 2.86 million through the share of 147 million funding for a freeze.

Mr Currie added: We see this as acknowledgement of a number of significant issues.

It is recognition of the unique challenges that Argyll and Bute faces, which we fight for at every possible opportunity.

It reinforces the important role of local government.

And it supports what has been our priority all along  protecting vital local jobs and services.

I will be recommending that we freeze council tax for this year at a special meeting of the council.

The Scottish Government has been asked for comment.

The Inverclyde Council rise would have seen an 8.2% rise this year and 6% the following year.

However, earlier this month, council leader Stephen McCabe said he had reflected on discussions with Ms Robison, instead offering a compromise.

He wrote to the Deputy First Minister to state he would use the additional funding to offer a council tax rebate to Inverclyde residents, amounting to a freeze.

Mr McCabe said: I have reflected on the discussions at the full council yesterday and the desire expressed by many of my fellow councillors that Inverclyde residents should benefit from the funding on offer from the Scottish Government for a council tax freeze, he said.

I have therefore written today to the Deputy First Minister proposing a way in which this can be achieved.

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.
During a debate in the Commons on amendments to the Bill MP for East Antrim Sammy Wilson expressed his partys support for the sentiment of the Rwanda plan, but said if it was not applied in Northern Ireland the region could become a channel for illegal migration. Picture date: Saturday October 14, 2023.

Northern Ireland will become a weak spot in the UKs migration policy if the Rwanda Bill does not apply in the region, a DUP MP has said.

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill aims to compel judges to regard the east African country as safe in a bid to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight there.

During a debate in the Commons on amendments to the Rwanda Bill, MP for East Antrim Sammy Wilson expressed his partys support for the sentiment of the Rwanda plan, but said if it was not applied in Northern Ireland the region could become a channel for illegal migration.

Amendments Mr Wilson said the party would support the Government in voting down included amendment one, which would ensure the Bill complies with domestic and international law, and amendment four which would allow the presumption that Rwanda is safe to be challenged in the courts.

Mr Wilson told MPs: We cannot go on with the pressures that mass illegal immigration puts on society, and the cost which it puts on society and on the government and on the tax-payer.

For that reason we will oppose most of the Lords amendments which as the minister has rightly pointed out and other speakers have pointed out during this debate, many of them were designed to weaken this bill, to undermine it and to ensure that it doesnt work and that we just remain with the old flawed system that we have been trying to put aside.

The minister has said that the reason why the Government opposes them  and hes right  that he doesnt want to see the Bill weakened, but could I say the Bill is ready weakened.

Its weakened in respect of one part of the United Kingdom, and I seek assurances from the minister as to how he comes to the conclusion that by pushing the Bill through in its present form it is going to safeguard all parts of the United Kingdom against illegal immigration being channelled through different parts.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson expressed his partys support for the sentiment of the Rwanda plan, but said if it was not applied in Northern Ireland the region could become a channel for illegal migration (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Wilson said that Northern Irelands geographic separation from mainland UK by the Irish Sea did not mean the region was less susceptible to illegal migration.

He said: The implications of course are that if Northern Ireland becomes the weak spot in all of this then this becomes meaningless.

And people think the boats arent going to come from France across the sea into southern Ireland, its a 24-hour journey, but remember Belfast, already out of 77 cities in the United Kingdom, has the second highest number of illegal immigrants per 10,000 of the population.

So already it is a channel, through the Republic into Northern Ireland and then of course into England, so this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

He added: The real difficulty is and the real danger is if Northern Ireland does become that channel then well finish up not just with a border for goods, but well finish up with passport control for people moving from Northern Ireland.

Earlier in the debate, DUP MP Jim Shannon (Strangford) intervened to ask for clarity on the Rwanda Bills compatibility with article two of the Windsor Framework.

Mr Shannon said: Can the minister confirm that our concerns as the Democratic Unionist Party we put forward at the last debate, and I put forward to the minister himself, have been taken on board?

Because we dont see that in the legislation before us today, and if we dont see it then its going to be very hard for us to support the Government on this.

Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson replied: The Government continues to believe there is no incompatibility between the Bill and article two of the Windsor framework.
If Joe Bidens St Patricks Day anecdotes sounded familiar, it will be no surprise to find out that the US President has been telling the same stories for years.

On Sunday, the 81-year-old president who revels in his Irish roots recounted some words of wisdom from his mother.

Mr Biden told the St Patricks Day brunch at the White House how his mother used to repeatedly say: Joey, as long as youre alive, you have an obligation to strive and youre not done until youve seen the face of God. So keep moving. That was her expression for real.

The face of God story was heard exactly a year before, on St Patricks Day 2023 at the Shamrock bowl presentation with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

However, the president had been talking about his father when he said he was told: Joey, as long as youre alive, you have an obligation to strive, and youre not dead until you have seen the face of God. Never give up.

A year and a day before that, at the Ireland Funds 30th National Gala, Mr Biden told a different taoiseach, Micheal Martin: My mother used to have an expression  for real. Shed say, Joe, remember: As long as youre alive, you have an obligation to strive. And youre not dead until youve seen the face of God.

The president also appears to have a favourite Bidenism about his father, which he has retold on many occasions.

He said on Sunday at the White House St Patricks Day celebration: My dad used to have an expression, my dad would say Joey a jobs about a lot more than the pay cheque. Its about your dignity, its about respect. Its about being able to look a kid in the eye and say, Honey, its going to be okay.

He told the same story just six days earlier at a campaign event, and it also formed part of his State of the Union address in February 2023.

He has also posted it several times on social media in relation to everything from Covid and the economy to Republican rival Donald Trump.
Kristel Candelario, of Cleveland, Ohio, whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days (Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Department via AP)

An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on holiday has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.

Kristel Candelario, 32, had pleaded guilty last month to aggravated murder and child endangerment as part of a plea deal with Cuyahoga County prosecutors, who dismissed two murder counts and a felonious assault charge.

Authorities have said Candelario left her daughter, Jailyn, in their Cleveland home when she went on holiday to Detroit and Puerto Rico in June 2023.

When she returned 10 days later, she found the girl was not breathing in the playpen and called 911. Emergency responders found the child was extremely dehydrated and pronounced her dead shortly after they arrived.

A post-mortem examination by the Cuyahoga County medical examiners office determined that the toddler died of starvation and severe dehydration.

County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan told Candelario she committed the ultimate betrayal by leaving her daughter alone without food.

Just as you didnt let Jailyn out of her confinement, so too you should spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom, Judge Sheehan said.

The only difference will be, the prison will at least feed you and give you liquid that you denied her.

Candelario, who has struggled with depression and related mental health issues, said she has prayed daily for forgiveness.

Theres so much pain that I have in regards to the loss of my baby, Jailyn, she said. Im extremely hurt about everything that happened. I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through  God and my daughter have forgiven me.
Former US president Donald Trump and other defendants in Georgias election interference case filed court papers on Monday seeking to appeal against a judges ruling not to disqualify Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis from their prosecution.

The resignation of the special prosecutor with whom Ms Willis had a romantic relationship is not enough to correct the appearance of impropriety the judge found, lawyers for Mr Trump, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and six other defendants said in a court filing.

Whether District Attorney Willis and her office are permitted to continue representing the State of Georgia in prosecuting the defendants in this action is of the utmost importance to this case, and ensuring the appellate courts have the opportunity to weigh in on these matters pre-trial is paramount, they wrote.

Former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Georgia earlier this month (Mike Stewart/AP)

The filing asks Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to grant a certificate that would allow his decision to be reviewed by the Georgia Court of Appeals.

Judge McAfee ruled on Friday that special prosecutor Nathan Wade had to leave the case or Ms Willis could not continue to pursue the charges.

Mr Wade later resigned, allowing Ms Willis to remain on the most sprawling of four criminal cases against the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election.

Judge McAfee did not find that Ms Williss relationship with Mr Wade amounted to a conflict of interest but said the allegations created an appearance of impropriety that infected the prosecution team.

Lawyers for Mr Trump and the other defendants who joined Mondays filing said a failure to remove Ms Willis now could imperil any convictions and force a retrial if an appeals court later finds it was warranted.

Neither the court nor the parties should run an unnecessary risk of having to go through that process more than once, they wrote.

Ms Willis hired Mr Wade in 2021 to lead the team to investigate and ultimately prosecute Mr Trump and 18 others on charges that they illegally tried to overturn his narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia in 2020.

The case uses a statute normally associated with mobsters to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a criminal enterprise to keep him in power.

Ms Willis and Mr Wade gave evidence at a hearing last month that they had engaged in a romantic relationship, but they rejected the idea that Ms Willis improperly benefited from it, as lawyers for Mr Trump and some of his co-defendants alleged.

Nathan Wade looks on during a hearing on the Georgia election interference case in Atlanta on March 1 (Alex Slitz/AP)

Ms Willis and Mr Wade insisted they did not begin dating until after he became special prosecutor and the relationship ended in the summer of 2023. They both said that Ms Willis either paid for things herself or used cash to reimburse Mr Wade for travel expenses.

Judge McAfee wrote that there was insufficient evidence that Ms Willis had a personal stake in the prosecution. And he said he was unable to conclusively establish by a preponderance of the evidence whether Ms Willis and Mr Wade began dating before or after he was hired as special prosecutor.

However, an odor of mendacity remains, the judge wrote.

The judge also called a speech Ms Willis gave at a historic black church in Atlanta less than a week after the allegations of her relationship with Mr Wade surfaced legally improper.

Ms Willis complained in those remarks that people had questioned her decision to hire Mr Wade and questioned his qualifications, seeming to suggest the criticism arose from the fact that she and Mr Wade are black.

Mondays filing cited the speech and argued an appellate court would likely find it and the appearance of impropriety Judge McAfee found sufficient to disqualify Ms Willis.
Aribowo Sasmito, co-founder of the Indonesian Anti-Defamation Society, works to debunk hoaxes at his office in Jakarta, Feb. 1, 2024.

Major social media and technology platforms purged millions of hoax posts in the run-up to last months elections in Indonesia, the countrys minister of communication and information technology said on Tuesday.

TikTok led the charge by eliminating 10.8 million posts, and Google, which owns video sharing platform YouTube, removed around 2 million beginning on July 17, 2023, minister Budi Arie Setiadi said, adding the companies acted voluntarily.

On its own, his ministry identified 3,235 posts as hoaxes and successfully directed platforms to remove 1,923 of them, Budi said.

The remaining stayed but were flagged as misinformation because they were not considered harmful, the minister said without explaining why the ministry chose to leave misinformation, damaging or otherwise, on the internet.

Some of the posts were outlandish, so we flagged them as fake news, he told a news conference.

The ministry said the climate leading up to the Feb. 14 election was better than it was in 2019, but misinformation remained as rampant as it was back then.

Still, there was a shift in the types of election-related hoaxes from 2019, the ministry said in a report last month.

Previously, hoaxes often involved fabricated stories about a candidates alleged ties to China and the banned Indonesian Communist Party, the report said. The recent trend, however, is to allege bias in government institutions toward a presidential candidate and unfounded assertions of official endorsements, according to the report.

Last months presidential race featured Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, former Jakarta Gov. Anies Baswedan, and former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo.

The official results of the election, expected to be reported on Wednesday, likely will confirm the presumptive victory of Prabowo and his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of outgoing President Joko Jokowi Widodo.

People converse near a Meta sign outside of the companys headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., March 7, 2023. [Jeff Chin/AP]

Budi also said that paid online trolls, known locally as buzzers, played an outsized role in spreading fake news items.

Its crucial to note that buzzers account for almost 92% of the misinformation chatter in our digital space, he said. The activity spans across various platforms, from Google and Meta to TikTok.

The prevalence of misinformation during elections is a growing concern globally and Indonesia is no exception.

The 2019 presidential election was marked by the proliferation of fake news, with incumbent Jokowi becoming a frequent target.

Social media, deeply ingrained in Indonesian life, had been used for political smear campaigns since its introduction into the nations political landscape in 2012. However, the 2019 elections saw an unprecedented level of fake news.

Facebook was identified as the primary conduit for the spread of fake news, forcing it to take action by removing accounts and groups.

The spread of election-related misinformation has been indiscriminate during this years election, according to Pratama Persadha, a security systems analyst.

Internet hoaxes spread evenly across all presidential candidates through various channels and social media, the analyst from the Communication and Information System Security Research Center told BenarNews.

Pratama advocated for a stronger alliance between the government and social media companies to combat the proliferation of false information.

He suggested that platforms enhance their ability to detect negative content, underlining the need for partnering with fact-checking organizations to verify information.

Aribowo Sasmit from Mafindo said he was concerned about artificial intelligence (AI) being used to fabricate convincing deep fakes.

For example, using AI clones, mimicking certain voices like that of a deceased president, Sasmito told BenarNews,

He was referring to a deceptive January video that appeared to show the late former dictator Suharto endorsing the Golkar Party.

Jeirry Sumampow, of the Indonesian Voter Committee, an NGO, told BenarNews he suspected the actual number of hoaxes circulating was even higher than reported.

The researcher emphasized the crucial role of digital literacy.

The defense lies with each individual so that they are not influenced by and provoked by hoaxes, he said.
(Photo : Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

Russia's TASS news agency claims French President Emmanuel Macron plans to deploy 2,000 troops to Ukraine.

Russian state media claims France is sending 2,000 troops to Ukraine.

TASS reported that Russia's intelligence head Sergey Naryshkin claimed the French leadership "does not care about the deaths of ordinary French people or about the concerns of the generals."

The report cites French President Emmanuel Macron not ruling out the potential of sending Western troops to Ukraine.

There have been several widely viewed social media posts claiming that Macron has pledged to send troops to the war.

Some of the reports cited an article in the French newspaper Le Monde. But that report only included a supposed off-the-record quote in which Macron said he would "have some guys in Odessa" in a year, according to Newsweek.

Newsweek said here has been no promise to deploy NATO forces in Ukraine.

Several NATO countries, including the US, Germany, and the UK, ruled against sending ground troops to Ukraine, following Macron's statement.

However, according to the Russian foreign intelligence chief, the troops are going to be sent and the French military "fears that such a large military unit cannot be transferred and stationed in Ukraine unnoticed."

Naryshkin supposedly added, "It will thus become a legitimate priority target for attacks by the Russian armed forces. This means that it will suffer the fate of all the French who have ever come to the Russian world with a sword."

He also vowed that Western states would "do what is needed" to prevent Russia's victory in this conflict.





@ 2024 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (right) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Malacanang Palace in Manila, March 19, 2024.

UPDATED at 11:25 a.m. ET on 2024-03-19

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about a new horizon of cooperation as he met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila on Tuesday to lay the groundwork for a three-way summit next month with leaders of the United States and Japan.

U.S. President Joe Biden is to host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington on April 11 for an unprecedented meeting between the three leaders that will focus on protecting a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the White House announced on Tuesday.

Blinkens visit to Manila, his second one as secretary of state, occurred against the backdrop of tensions between the Philippines and China in the contested South China Sea and regional tensions over Taiwan. Marcos hosted Americas top diplomat at the Malacanang Palace after Blinken met earlier in the day with his Philippine counterpart, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

The two diplomats told reporters that the upcoming summit aimed to capitalize on complementarities among the countries, notably in infrastructure, critical minerals, energy and maritime security.

I think that new horizon of cooperation is also incredibly, incredibly promising, but its building on the very strong foundation between our countries, where we have the same priorities, whether its economic development, whether its dealing with climate change, with food security, of course upholding international law, Blinken told Marcos, according to a statement from the State Department. All of these things are front and center.

Marcos welcomed Blinken, saying he could perhaps give us a better idea of what the  how things are progressing in the rest of the world, because, of course, all of these things impact us now.

Blinken, who previously traveled to the Philippines in August 2022 shortly after Marcos took office, reiterated Washingtons ironclad commitments to defend the Philippines from outside aggression.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo speak to reporters during a news conference at the Sofitel Hotel in Manila, March 19, 2024. [Pool/AFP]

Following his meeting with Manalo, Blinken told reporters, the alliance has never been stronger, but we not only have to sustain that, we have to continue to accelerate the momentum.

The secretary of states visit comes at a crucial moment in relations between the two allies who have ramped up defense cooperation amid increasing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, including in waters that fall within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea while dismissing the territorial claims of several Southeast Asian nations and Taiwan.

During the news conference with his counterpart, Manalo said he had thanked Blinken for Washingtons consistent support, particularly in regard to Chinese harassment of Filipino supply boats.

In the most recent incident, four Filipinos sustained minor injuries earlier this month when China Coast Guard ships intercepted a supply boat and fired water cannons.

We discussed regional issues, especially the situation in the South China Sea, and I stated that the Philippines is committed to managing disputes in accordance with our national interests, the rules-based international order and international law, especially UNCLOS, Manalo said, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

We reaffirmed our shared view that a strong and capable Philippines would make a formidable ally for the United States.

Filipino activists protest at the Mendiola Peace Arch outside the Malacanang Palace in Manila ahead of a meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, March 19, 2024. [Jojo Rinoza/BenarNews]

Blinken said the two allies had shared concerns about Chinese actions that threaten our common vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, including within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

Repeated violations of international law and the rights of the Philippines  water cannons, blocking maneuvers, close shadowing, other dangerous operations  these waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, but theyre also critical to the interests of the region, the United States, and the world, Blinken said.

Meanwhile, dozens of Filipino activists gathered at the Mendiola Peace Arch outside the Malacanang Palace to protest against the presence of U.S. troops in the Philippines.

Chinese reaction

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the U.S. had no right to interfere in disputes between Manila and Beijing and China would take the necessary actions to defend its territory.

The U.S. is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines. The military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines should not undermine Chinas sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be used to support the illegal claims of the Philippines, the spokesman said.

China will continue to take necessary steps to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Security analyst Chester Cabalza, the founding president of the Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation, said Blinkens visit serves as a regular check-up to the robust U.S.-Philippine defense relations.

Secretary Blinkens meeting with President Marcos is a reassurance of the ironclad commitment that the U.S. promised the Philippines, Cabalza told BenarNews. It definitely signifies a more solid commitment from the U.S. since it initiated a joint patrol in the West Philippine Sea to a possible trilateral agreement among friends with the Philippines and Japan.

Camille Elemia in Manila contributed to this report.

This report has been further updated to include, among others, comments from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting in Manila.
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BENNINGTON  Funding earmarks announced this week by Vermonts federal lawmakers are expected to boost key construction and other projects planned in the Bennington area and around the state.

In Bennington, U.S. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., announced $5 million in congressionally directed funding toward Phase 2 of the Putnam Block redevelopment project.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., directed $1 million in federal funds to support the redevelopment of the former Bennington High School building for housing units and space for town services and nonprofit service providers.

Another $500,000 was directed by Balint to the Bennington County Coalition for the Homeless toward purchase of a building to serve as an emergency family shelter.

This is fantastic news for downtown Bennington, to have congressionally directed spending awards for both the Putnam Phase 2 project and the Benn High redevelopment, said Shannon Barsotti, the towns community development director.

We are grateful for this support from our elected officials for these transformational projects, she said. The $5 million award from Peter Welchs office will support 63 new apartments and two medical facilities on West Main Street, and the $1 million award from Becca Balints office will support 39 new mixed-income apartments, public recreation space, enhanced senior facilities, and a childcare center at the Benn High building on East Main Street.

Barsotti added, More people living downtown means more people shopping and eating downtown and more vibrancy in our community.

Putnam Block project

The $5 million Welch directed for the planned second phase of the Putnam Block project was earmarked to the Bennington County Industrial Corporation, the not-for-profit development entity holding ownership of the project site during the construction phases.

The Bennington County Industrial Corporation and Putnam Community Health LLC (the development group for Phase 2) are deeply appreciative of the efforts by Senator Welch and his staff to secure this vital piece of funding for Phase 2 of the Putnam Redevelopment Project, said William Colvin, executive director of the Bennington County Regional Commission, with which BCIC is associated.

Colvin added, The congressionally directed spending secured by the senator will play a key role in moving the project forward, creating new medical office and retail space and over sixty units of housing in the heart of downtown Bennington.

The Phase 2 proposal includes a new multi-story building, extending west along Main Street from the Phase 1 Putnam project buildings at the Four Corners intersection of Routes 7 and 9 to Washington Avenue.

The first phase included restoration of the historic Hotel Putnam, Courthouse and Winslow buildings, which straddle the corner of Main and South streets on the 4-acre Putnam Block site.

A third phase of the project is being considered for a section of the site along Washington Avenue and would include multiple housing units.

2025 target date

Colvin said Tuesday of the Phase 2 project that the current goal is to complete the permitting and funding package by summer 2025, with construction to begin soon after.

Final building and site design work also is underway.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is expected to be an anchor tenant in the Phase 2 building, providing health care services associated with SVMC.

Initial design images of the building were of a five-story structure with housing on the upper four floors.

"This is certainly a tremendous shot in the arm for the [Phase 2] project," said Thomas Dee, president and CEO of the health care organization.

The funding earmarked by Welch puts the complex, multi-million dollar project in a good position to move forward, Dee said.

"We are excited about it," he said.

Dee said the medical center has a goal of increasing its presence in downtown Bennington, adding that several interesting health care service ideas are being considered for the proposed building but no final decisions have yet gone to the hospital board for approval.

Coalition for the Homeless officials could not be reached on the $500,000 earmark through Balints office toward purchase of an emergency shelter building.

$70-plus million

In total, Sen. Welch secured nearly $30 million in federal funds in the recently passed federal budget to support 19 Vermont projects.

Federal funds can help jump-start projects that make a big difference in the community  from improving our water infrastructure systems, to building affordable housing, to making a beloved public library more accessible for everyone, Welch said. Im thrilled that federal dollars are headed back to Vermont to help strengthen communities across our state.

Rep. Balint secured more than $10.9 million in funding for community-based projects.

Im thrilled to have secured over $10.9 million to invest directly in our communities across Vermont, she said. These investments will spur 15 different projects, generating jobs and strengthening our community resources. These projects address some of Vermonts most pressing issues: rural health care, housing, climate resiliency and education.

Together with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the states federal delegation earmarked more than $70 million for projects around Vermont.

Among earmarks secured by Sanders was $2.5 million for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board to support manufactured housing communities in the state.
Volunteers measure spacing for the flags in front of the Saline County Veterans Memorial on Monday. The county will host a Vietnam veterans ceremony on March 26. Flags planted around the Saline County veterans memorial represent fallen soldiers during the Vietnam War.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Exxon Mobil Chairman and CEO Darren Woods speaks during a session at CERAWeek by S&P Global on Monday at Hilton Americas-Houston in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Wael Sawan, CEO of Shell, speaks during in a leadership dialogue session at CERAWeek by S&P Global on Monday at Hilton Americas-Houston in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Daniel Yergin, vice chairman of S&P Global, left, and NextEra CEO John Ketchum discuss in a leadership dialogue session at CERAWeek by S&P Global on Monday at Hilton Americas-Houston in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer People checking in at CERAWeek by S&P Global 2024 Monday, March 18, 2024 at Hilton Americas-Houston in Houston.CERAWeek by S&P Global Monday, March 18, 2024 at Hilton Americas-Houston in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Big Oil executives are falling back on what I call the Milli Vanilli defense, as they desperately try to justify their role in overheating the planet and slowing efforts to fight climate change.

Gotta blame it on something. Blame it on the rain that was fallin, the hit song from 1989 says. Blame it on the stars that didnt shine that night. Whatever you do, dont put the blame on you. Blame it on the rain.

The industrys new communication strategy, repeated in various iterations at the CERAWeek by S&P Global confab in Houston, is about as authentic as Milli Vanillis vocals, which were lip-synced.

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The CEO of Saudi Aramco, owned by the Saudi Arabian government and the worlds largest oil company, declared that people in poorer countries want more oil and gas through 2045, regardless of what scientists say or how world leaders have promised to phase out fossil fuels.

My proposal is this: We should abandon the fantasy of phasing out oil and gas and instead, invest in them adequately reflecting realistic demand assumptions, Amin Nasser told the conference. We should ramp up our efforts to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and introduce lower carbon solutions.

Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of French oil giant Total Energy, cited French farmers protesting higher fuel prices as an example of how politics will slow efforts to fight climate change.

If you go too quick, too fast, you could backfire, he said. I think we must find a gradual pace to make the transition. I know the scientists say it is urgent, but unfortunately, society really is conscious of price.

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The consistency of Big Oils messaging is no coincidence. The industry frequently rolls out a new propaganda strategy at CERAWeek.

Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods previewed the new and deceitful strategy in a podcast interview with Fortune magazine. He claimed the public and investors were to blame for the slow progress in developing clean energy, adding: Its time to get started on it.

Exxon, the company that denied the climate crisis for decades and still spends millions lobbying lawmakers to block legislation to slow global warming, wants us to believe we are to blame and the companies that addicted the world to oil are innocent.

We have opportunities to make fuels with lower carbon in it, but people arent willing to spend the money to do that, Woods said. The dirty secret nobody talks about is how much all this is going to cost and whos willing to pay for it.

The dirty little secret Woods will not talk about is that the past 12 months, the warmest on record, were 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial norms. If we begin phasing out fossil fuels immediately, that will be, at best, an average year.

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The other secret no oil company CEO will discuss is how much a 1.5-degree rise in average temperatures will cost the planet in more extreme weather disasters and in new infrastructure to protect against higher sea levels.

Big Oil refuses to take responsibility for slowing the response to climate change and wants to protect the trillions of dollars in capital it has already deployed. When Exxon shareholders tried to demand the company do more on climate issues, the board of directors sued them.

This public relations technique is known as deny, deflect and diffuse. The industry can no longer deny climate change, so it deflects responsibility onto the public. They also dilute accountability by claiming they are part of the solution.

Shells new chief executive, Wael Sawan, abandoned or watered down key climate targets last week. The company said it would meet investors expectations of high returns instead. Even after one of the companys most profitable years, Shell says it cant keep its climate promises.

The public can never trust Big Oil to tackle climate change. Global governments must impose science-based regulations to phase out carbon emissions because these companies are focused on profits, not the planet.

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The energy transition will be costly, and there will be winners and losers. But the discomfort of slashing emissions is nothing compared to living in a permanently warmer and irreversibly damaged world.

Despite our star role in global prosperity, our industry is painted as villains, Nasser lamented about the energy debate.

Big Oil undoubtedly made modern life possible, but its behavior threatens the future. If these CEOs want to be heroes, they should promise to phase out fossil fuels as scientists and world leaders have demanded, not give speeches that will go down in infamy.
A week ago, I returned from the vacation of a lifetime  10 days on the beautiful island of Curacao  with my friend, Sue, and her husband, Mike. The island lies about 837 miles north of the equator  sitting between its sister islands, Aruba to the west and Bonaire to the east  about 40 miles off the coast of Venezuela.

Discovered by Spain in 1499, it was then sold to The Netherlands. Since 2010, it has been an autonomous country  still part of the Dutch Kingdom, but with a significant degree of self-governance, making independent decisions about its internal affairs.

The island, roughly 172 square miles, has a population of 160,000, most of whom live in the southwestern part of the island, clustered around the capital city of Willemstad. The city is a blend of its Dutch heritage, amazing architecture and a literal explosion of colors.

We visited Willemstad several times  Mike and Sue placing a padlock celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on the Punda Love Heart; walking the Queen Emma Bridge, a pedestrian footbridge on pontoons that swings open to let ships into the inner harbor; looking at the amazing street art that abounds in the city; shopping in the quaint shops; and posing for photos near the iconic Curacao sign. We walked through the Floating Market, where boats from Venezuela bring fruits and vegetables  so many we had never seen before  and locals sell fresh fish and crafts. We ate at two restaurants in Rif Fort, a historic stone fort that once guarded the harbor. The views of the harbor were breathtaking  and at one of the restaurants, our food was served out of pirates treasure chests and adorned with pearls.

There were excursions to the northern part of the island, with its stark desert, many caves and rocky coast with blowholes. We saw cacti and unfamiliar birds, fed lizards out of our hands and got to touch a wild iguana  not to mention swimming with sea turtles and dolphins.

At our resort, there were five restaurants, many poolside bars and a coffee cafe. It also had cookies offered daily in the lobby  along with a planters punch  and in the coffee cafe, the first cookies we encountered were fruitcake cookies  so good! They were my reward at 6 a.m. on my days to stake out beach lounges. I tried to get the recipe  and failed miserably. I found this recipe on the internet and it sounds identical.

FRUITCAKE COOKIES

(Courtesy of stephiecooks.com)

Servings: 60 cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 pound chopped candied fruit

1 1/2 cups flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar, well packed

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

1/2 cup unfiltered apple juice (you may substitute orange juice)

3 cups chopped pecans

6 ounces white raisins, about 1 1/4 cups

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 F. Line sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the chopped candied fruit with a few tablespoons of flour. This will prevent the fruit from sticking together later. Set aside.

Whisk together the spices, remaining flour and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then milk and juice. Add the dry ingredients, then fold in the nuts, floured fruit and raisins. The dough will almost seem more like a cake batter than a cookie dough in consistency  that is OK, its how it is supposed to be.

Drop by spoonfuls about 1-inch apart (cookies will not spread much at all) on the prepared cookie sheets. If your spoonfuls are particularly rounded, pat them down slightly with a spatula. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
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Amanda Drane is an energy reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at amanda.drane@houstonchronicle.com.

Amanda covers the Texas energy industry and the people affected by it, with a particular focus on oil, gas, chemicals and the transition to cleaner energy. Before joining the papers business desk in May 2020 she worked as a City Hall reporter in Massachusetts, where she won regional awards for covering issues such as police accountability and the exploitation of undocumented restaurant workers.
There are a few relationships in the Bible that I would have loved to have been able to witness. The friendship and mentorship of Paul and Timothy is one of them.

Mentor relationships have provided me with some of the most significant spiritual growth in my life. I truly believe in being guided by someone further in the faith, as well as investing in others who are newer in their journeys. It is the blessing that keeps on giving to the Christian community.

Here are five lessons from Paul and Timothys relationship in the Bible.

1. Friendship Knows No Age Gap

One particular attribute of Paul and Timothys friendship that I love is that their relationship does not rely on being in the same generation. They look past the differences and focus on the common thread that is faith in Jesus. Have you ever deemed someone as out of your circle due to their age? It is easy to misjudge someone as too outdated or too immature.

Instead of ousting others, what if we were humble enough to admit that we can learn and benefit from relationships with one another? Paul and Timothy modeled this in pushing past the barrier of age in their friendship. In fact, Paul encouraged Timothy, even in his young age, to be an example for other believers. He spoke life into his brother in Christ.

Paul shares with Timothy, Dont let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

2. Ministries Are Stronger with Diversity in Age

I am all for some good contextualized ministries. It is such a gift to be able to be in community with others who relate to you in your season of life and can empathize with the current challenges you are facing. However, if we only stay with those who are just like us, we never have an opportunity to grow in ministry and church settings.

When we are diverse in our ages, we glean wisdom from those who are older, and gather childlike faith from those who are younger. Paul and Timothy were stronger in their ministry because they had each other. I imagine that Timothy kept Paul up to date and Paul helped guide young Timothy.

I have had the joy of serving in this kind of ministry partnership. I was in conference ministry with a woman 30 years older than me who taught me the gift of true friendship, support, and unity. We prayed together, laughed together, sought the Scriptures with one another, and witnessed the gospel of Jesus to others. I have treasured this friendship to this day. Our various ages and life experiences made us more relatable and more effective in sharing the gospel and encouraging our audiences of young women and moms.

We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in Gods service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith (1 Thessalonians 3:2).

3. Mentorship Is a Calling and Blessing from God

Scripture teaches us that God calls us to mentor others. Specifically, Titus 2:1-8 gives instructions on older men and women living in ways that invest and model for the younger men and women. Both have roles and standards of living according to the Bible.

Mentorship is more than just a hobby or a friendship, it is a true calling. To mentor someone younger in the faith is to be willing to be vulnerable about your own life and struggles, while also living empowered by the Holy Spirit to be a worthy model. We can only do this by the Spirit, our flesh will fail every time.

Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church (1 Corinthians 4:15-17).

4. Regardless of Our Earthly Situations, We All Have Spiritual Family

A precious lesson for us is that regardless of our biological, adopted or foster situations on this earth, we who are in Christ have a spiritual family. We have been given the gift of being called brothers and sisters in Jesus. As we cultivate relationships with other believers of various backgrounds and ages, we are all united by Jesus. We not only have friendship, we have family. This means that we will likely have rocky moments and challenges like any family, but our foundation on Christ is unshaken.

No mentorship relationship is perfect; I know that I have had my share of difficulties within these contexts and have by far not been the perfect mentee or mentor. However, family is family. We are eternally connected. There is a great comfort and encouragement in knowing that the Lord has provided such a sweet gift to adopt us into His family.

Pointing to his disciples, he said, Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:49-50).

5. God Provides for Our Needs through Relationships

We were designed for community. We need relationships. Genesis 2:18 says, The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.

The Lord provides for our needs through mentorship relationships. When we are active in our pursuit of knowing others and being known, we have opportunities to live by the fruit of the Spirit, to exercise our spiritual gifts, and to grow individually and together.

Paul and Timothy had their need of a relationship met in one another. They realized that God had blessed them with a special friendship and bond like family. They were spiritual father and spiritual son. They were brothers in Christ.

The Bible does not say that Timothy had a father who was a man of God, but it does say that his mother and grandmother had sincere faith (2 Timothy 1:5-7). Likewise, we do not know if Paul had any biological children, or even if he was married. Within their relationship, Paul became a spiritual father to Timothy and Timothy became a spiritual son to Paul. This was a special blessing entrusted to them. It reminds us that all of our needs are met in Christ Jesus, even the places we are lacking on this earth.

The Lord hears our cries and knows our desires. He is able to bless us with various people. Ultimately, we remember that He is the perfecto Mentor and Mentee. He was the authority and teacher, but He was humble and submitted to the Fathers will. Even as we navigate these beautiful relationships in our lives, we can ponder how Jesus did it perfectly. And no matter what role we are in, we can look to Him alone for our identity and satisfaction, thanking Him for those He sends along the way.

We can learn from Paul and Timothy that friendship is beyond age, ministry is stronger with diversity, mentorship is a calling, we all have a spiritual family, and God provides for our relational needs. These two men were a fine example to us as we seek to be mentored and mentor others.

RELATED PODCAST: In a recent video that went viral, progressive Christian minister Brandan Robertson claimed that the problem with evangelicalism is that it focuses too much on the teachings of Paul and not enough on the teachings of Jesus. Robertson went on to claim that Paul even contradicts Jesus on a number of important points, and that when that happens, we should go with the teachings of Jesus instead of Paul's. In this episode, we discuss Robertson's specific claims and why we believe a number of things that he says are misleading or outright false. We also explore some of the tenants of progressive Christianity more generally and discuss how tethering ourselves to the historic Christian tradition helps us from coming up with innovative ways to arrive at old heresies.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Simon Skafar

Emma Danzeys mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and mom to Graham. Emma serves alongside her husband in ministry, she focuses most of her time in the home, but loves to provide articles on the Bible, life questions, and Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 on Crosswalk in 2021. Most recently, Emma released Treasures for Tots, (Scripture memory songs) for young children. During her ministry career, Emma has released Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness, two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, and ran the Refined Magazine. You can view her articles on her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com and check out her Instagram @Emmadanzey.
An age of luxury and excess reigned, with commerce flourishing and riches overflowing. Both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah lived in peace with the surrounding nations. Instead of fighting with their enemies, their wealth and energy were used to build and develop their kingdoms.

Their cities expanded with their newfound prosperity, yet injustice ran rampant and moral erosion infected the heart of the nation. The privileged few who cherished their abundance suppressed the cries of the downtrodden. Making money was more important than worshiping God. The rich exploited the poor, the judicial system was corrupt, and injustice flourished.

The spiritual condition of Israel resembled a ship tossed in a stormy sea, battered by the waves of idol worship and cultural compromise. King Jeroboam did what was evil in the Lords sight and did not turn away from the sins of his predecessors. Altars to Baal adorned the high places. The smoke of sacrifices and incense offered to foreign gods polluted the temples. The people, like lost sheep, strayed from a life of righteousness, enticed by the allure of earthly pleasures.

Amos: A Humble Man with a Great Calling

Amid this time of turmoil, a shepherd of humble means emerged. Chosen by God to deliver a powerful message to Israel, Amos is neither trained as a prophet nor the son of a prophet. A devout man with a heart full of faith, Amos embraced his role as a messenger of God. Instead of making excuses, Amos obeyed and became Gods powerful voice for change.

From the obscurity of his flocks, this simple shepherd and fig-picker embarks on a journey from the rocky hill country of southern Judah. With unwavering conviction, he arrives in the affluent capital city of Israel.

Amos weaves together poetic language and vivid imagery to convey Gods message. He begins by announcing Gods coming judgment upon the surrounding nations. From Damascus to Gaza, from Tyre to Edom, Amos exposes their sins, emphasizing Gods sovereignty over all nations.

Next, Amos turns his attention to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He boldly proclaims the Lords words, challenging the affluent and reminding them of their moral responsibilities. Amos condemns the exploitation of the poor and corrupt practices in the courts. He exposes the empty religious rituals and challenges the people to repent and return to living holy lives.

For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts. Therefore the prudent keep quiet in such times, for the times are evil (Amos 5:12-13).

The people of the northern kingdom were guilty of injustice. Supported by corrupt judges, the rich were suing the poor, who couldnt pay their bills, and forcing them into servitude and slavery.

Amos denounced dishonest business practices and the exploitation of the vulnerable.

Pursue Social Justice

Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph (Amos 5:15).

Amos emphasized the importance of caring for the less fortunate and showing compassion to those in need. He emphasized the importance of pursuing social justice and showing compassion to the oppressed. He also denounced dishonest business practices and the exploitation of the vulnerable. Amos encourages business leaders to use ethical principles, pay fair wages, and avoid harmful practices.

Amos encourages believers to practice their faith in their professional lives, emphasizing the importance of honesty and fairness in business. As followers of Christ, we are called to stand against all forms of oppression, exploitation, and injustice. May Amos message inspire us to defend the underprivileged and passionately strive to create a just society reflecting Gods heart for His creation, extending His love to those in need.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:8-9).

This is what the Lord Almighty said: Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other (Zechariah 7:9-10).

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow (Isaiah 1:17).

Oppose Religious Hypocrisy

I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps (Amos 5:21-23).

The people of Israel loved going to religious meetings, but they didnt love the God they claimed to worship. Their gifts and songs didnt impress the Lord, for He saw what was in their hearts; and the sin in their hearts made their sacrifices unacceptable.

On the surface, Israel seemed to experience a religious revival. The people of Israel loved going to religious meetings, but they didnt love the God they claimed to worship. Crowds gathered at the altars, bringing their sacrifices and tithes. They even sang songs of praise to the Lord. but it was all for outward appearances. Their gifts and songs didnt impress the Lord, for He saw what was in their hearts; and the sin in their hearts made their sacrifices unacceptable.

Amos confronted empty religious practices and emphasized the need for genuine worship and holiness. His message encourages us to examine our hearts to make certain our praise and worship is a heartfelt devotion to God, not just an outward show. Christians should examine their hearts to ensure their intentions are pure and their actions in public worship honor God.

The people were sinning when they thought they were serving God. There was no confession of sin, no brokenness before the Lord  only a religious event that made the participants feel good.

The test of a spiritual experience should not be good feelings, sizeable crowds, or a good time. The real test should be if we are drawn closer to God and if we are becoming more like Christ.

Let us prioritize cultivating a deep and authentic relationship with Him, marked by obedience and righteousness.

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules (Matthew 15:8-9).

The Lord says: These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught (Isaiah 29:13).

Return to the Lord

Seek the Lord and live.  Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is (Amos 5:6, 14).

Amos concludes his message with a vision of restoration and hope for the repentant. Despite the wickedness and unrighteous behaviors, God still loved the people of Israel. Amos not only declared Gods coming judgment upon the lawless nation, but also pleaded with the people to repent and seek the Lord sincerely.

Following Amos instructions, a small remnant of the Israelites humbled themselves before the Lord. They turned from their sins and followed the commandments of God. They fled to Jerusalem before the Assyrians took Israel captive. (See 2 Chronicles 30:6-12.)

Even in the face of discipline and judgment, God extends His grace and compassion and calls His people back to Himself. We are called to humble ourselves, turn from our sinful ways, and seek Gods forgiveness and restoration. Gods desire is always to bring His people back into a loving relationship with Him.

Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty (Malachi 3:7).

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! (Isaiah 30:18).

An Example to Follow

I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel. Now then, hear the word of the Lord (Amos 7:14-16).

Amos was not a professional prophet. He was a poor shepherd who also tended to sycamore-fig trees, a poor-quality fruit that is a cross between a fig and a mulberry. It was eaten by the poorest of the people.

Further, Amos faced opposition and ridicule. The people of Israel rejected his message. There is no record of any conversions. There was no restoration or revival in the land. King Jeroboam and his high priest Amaziah challenged his authority and disputed his message.

Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. Then Amaziah said to Amos, Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. Dont prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the kings sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom (Amos 7:10, 12-13).

But Amos wasnt intimidated. He stood his ground.

Amos answered Amaziah, I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel. Now then, hear the word of the Lord (Amos 7:14-16).

Despite the opposition, God used Amos in a mighty way to warn the people of a neighboring country to repent and return to the Lord.

Amos stands as an enduring witness that God can and does use ordinary people to accomplish His ministry.

Every Member a Minister

Christ himself gave  pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-12).

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of Gods grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:10-11).

God had called Amos to tell the truth, and he was faithful. God does not bless His servant because they are popular and successful. He doesnt bless them because their ministry is flourishing and has a large following. He blesses them because they have been faithful even if others refused to follow.

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So, then, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).

God doesnt judge us by our successes. He judges us by our faithfulness.

Amos Ultimately Points to Christ

The book of Amos encourages believers to seek justice and pursue righteousness. It inspires us to worship God with sincerity and holiness. And it prompts us to listen to Gods voice as He calls us to works of service and to be faithful as we minister for Him.

He envisions a future where justice, righteousness, and prosperity will be fully restored. Amos points to the ultimate fulfillment of Gods promises through the Messiah and His redemptive work.

The Book of Amos encourages believers to seek justice, pursue righteousness, and offer genuine worship. It calls us to examine our lives and align ourselves with Gods heart for social justice and compassion for the downtrodden. It inspires us to worship God with sincerity and holiness, embracing His call to repentance and restoration.

As Christians, let us heed the lessons of Amos, striving to be agents of positive change in our communities. May the timeless truths of this prophetic book inspire and transform our lives as we seek to live out our faith with integrity and love for others.

HEAR A SUMMARY OF AMOS 1:

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Brad Simon has shared Gods Word for over forty-five years, with a unique blend of storytelling and Bible exposition. He is a retired Master Jeweler and relies on the God-given creativity that won him several national and international jewelry design awards to craft Biblical Narratives and Life Stories that are engaging and thought-provoking. Once a speaker, author, and publisher for the jewelry industry, now he is putting those skills to work to promote the beauty and appeal of Gods Word. Download a free copy of his devotional on prayer.
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With focus on providing accredited learning modules and training programmes

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. have recently announced a collaborative effort through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Their goal is to establish a Centre of Excellence and training programme focusing on molecular biology and life sciences in South Africa.

This collaboration aims to address the challenges faced by the African continent in enhancing the skills of graduates and laboratory personnel, particularly in practical applications and exposure to the latest technologies in molecular biology and life sciences.

Scheduled to launch in September 2024, the Centre of Excellence will be located in Pretoria, with a focus on providing accredited learning modules and training programmes covering various aspects such as general laboratory practice, theoretical science, bioinformatics, laboratory management, financial processes, and soft skills development.

Under the terms of the agreement, Thermo Fisher will supply the necessary consumables and instruments for the Centre of Excellence. SAMRC, on the other hand, will oversee the recruitment and support of student attendance, providing financial assistance and accommodation where necessary. Both parties will collaborate on designing a certified training programme curriculum, making use of Thermo Fisher's technical expertise in the sector.
Claire Partain is a suburban reporter producer for the Houston Chronicle, covering The Woodlands and writing the Woodlands Insider newsletter. She can be reached at claire.partain@houstonchronicle.com.

She got her start as sports editor at Texas State University (go Cats!) before covering professional soccer team Austin FC and other Austin news at digital startup Austonia.

Claire has also freelanced with her hometown paper, appearing in the Fairfield Recorder, Teague Chronicle and Corsicana Daily Sun.
In 2017, Phil Murphy, a former Goldman Sachs executive, made the establishment of a public, state-owned bank a centerpiece issue during his run for New Jersey governor. He regularly championed public banking in speeches, town halls and campaign commercials. He won the race, and the nations second state-owned bank following the stellar model of the Bank of North Dakota (BND) appeared to be in view.

Due to the priority of other economic-policy goals, the initiative was largely kept on the back burner until November 2019. Then, in an article titled Murphy Takes First Key Step Toward Establishing a Public Bank, the New Jersey Spotlight announced:

Gov. Phil Murphy is planning to sign an executive order Wednesday [Nov. 13] that will create a 14-member implementation board to advance his goal of establishing a public bank in New Jersey. The basic premise of such an institution is to hold the millions of dollars in taxpayer deposits that are normally kept in commercial banks and leverage them instead to serve some sort of public purpose.  [Emphasis added.] North Dakota currently is the only state that operates a public bank wholly backed by the deposit of government funds. [Emphasis added.] Founded a century ago to help insulate farmers from predatory out-of-state lenders, the Bank of North Dakota offers residents, businesses and students low-cost services like checking accounts and loans. It has also been used to advance projects that boost infrastructure and economic development, and has even produced revenue for the state budgets general fund, according to the banks promotional materials, thanks to lending operations that regularly turn a profit.

Gov. Murphy signed Executive Order 91 on Nov. 13, 2019, and the Implementation Board worked diligently for the next 3-1/2 years to advance its goals. In June of 2023, the governor signed bill S3977/A5670 into law, creating the New Jersey Social Impact Investment Fund (SIIF) along with a $20 million appropriation for seed funding. The State engaged Next Street, a mission-driven advisory firm, to create a report with guidance and input from the Public Bank Implementation Board, and on Feb. 2, 2024, Next Street submitted its Recommendations for Implementing a Public Bank in New Jersey to the governor.

The report did a commendable job of identifying the extensive needs for increased financing by a wide variety of interests in New Jersey, including support for small business, affordable housing, home ownership, student loans, education, better infrastructure, and many others. Also commendable were its recommendation that the Community Advisory Board be constituted of local stakeholders that could most benefit from public bank funding, and its assurance of accountability to the State and the public through transparency, detailed annual public disclosure, and an independent annual audit.

When Is a Bank Not a Bank?

Public banking advocates have serious concerns, however, about other aspects of the report. Most concerning is its apparent attempt to redefine a public bank. The report recommends creation of a public bank as a successor to the SIIF but asserts that the public bank should not be a depository institution. This recommendation is repeated throughout the report.

Many authorities confirm that a financial institution is not a bank unless it takes deposits. See e.g. Investopedia: A bank is a financial institution licensed to receive deposits and make loans. See also SoFis Guide to Depository Institutions, stating There is no difference between a bank and a depository. A bank is a type of depository institution. And see Wikipedia: A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits  and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans.

The Wikipedia definition highlights the stellar advantage of a bank over a revolving fund of the sort the Next Street report recommends: banks actually create money as deposits when they make loans. It is this authority that gives bankers their enormous power in the economy and in government, and it is a power backed by the credit of the people. It should therefore belong to the people; and as Governor Murphy recognized in 2017, it can be reclaimed by the people through their own publicly-owned banks.

The nations sole state-owned public bank, the Bank of North Dakota, takes deposits. Taking deposits is what makes it a bank. Being owned by the state is what makes it a public bank. Because it is a bank, BND can create new money in the amount of the loan when it extends credit; and it is permitted to make a profit through its loans. It can convert its profits or a portion of them quickly to new capital, which can generate new loans up to 10 times the banks capital base.

A New Jersey public bank on this model would be able to grow quickly, eventually reaching the size needed to fully fund the states large unmet needs. See for reference Why a Sovereign State Bank Is Good for Tennessee by Prof. Richard Werner, who proposes initial capitalization of $500 million for a Tennessee state-owned bank. A $20 million revolving fund would be barely sufficient to cover New Jerseys startup costs. The Next Street proposal is to leverage this fund with private capital, but that approach has repeatedly been shown to be inadequate to fund infrastructure and other major public projects. In many states it is unlawful for a lending institution that does not take deposits to call itself a bank. Public banking advocates contend that such misuse of the term bank confuses public officials and the public and hinders the public banking movement. The Public Banking Institute definition of public banks is banks with a depository bank charter (or equivalent direct license) that the public owns through their representative government and that work to benefit local communities. The PBI website also features an infographic distinguishing various types of financial institutions, titled U.S. Public Banks, Banks, and NonBanks At-A-Glance: How Public Banks Excel.

A Bank Is Not a Charitable Revolving Fund

Among other concerns are the Next Street presumption that the New Jersey public bank would be making risky, unprofitable loans (e.g. loans to uncreditworthy businesses otherwise unable to get affordable credit), and the recommendation that the bank could be majority privately owned and operated. The BND is more profitable than some of the largest Wall Street banks; and to be a public bank, the institution must by definition be either majority or 100% publicly owned and operated.

On the BND model, the New Jersey bank would be run by professional bankers who prioritize safe lending. BND has been safely operated for 105 years, despite a majority of its board occasionally shifting political parties. Experienced bankers make its loans free from board or political influence and from conflicts of interest. BNDs principal depositor, the state of North Dakota, by law must keep its funds in the bank, thus protecting BND from a run on its deposits. The Standard & Poors credit rating for the BND is A+/stable. The S&P report states, BND has one of the highest risk-adjusted capital (RAC) ratios for rated U.S. banks.

BNDs profitability has helped strengthen community banks and credit unions in North Dakota by making loans in partnership rather than in competition with them. In the Great Recession, it also bought loans from stressed local banks to prevent bank failures and keep the economy running smoothly. BND operates with very low overhead and stresses productive and local lending rather than lending to buy existing assets. The latter is the sort of speculative, nonproductive, bubble-creating lending engaged in by the giant commercial banks from which Gov. Murphy originally sought to divest. North Dakotas revenues are safer in its own bank than in the largest Wall Street banks, which insure their capital with interconnected derivatives backed by rehypothecated collateral, a practice that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has declared to be unsafe and unsound.

A Litany of Contrary Studies

In contrast to the conclusions of the Next Street report, other detailed studies have recommended establishing true public depository banks and have demonstrated that this can be done safely, profitably and sustainably. Here are a few:

Exploring a Public Bank for New Jersey: Economic Impact and Implementation Issues by Prof. Deb Figart (2018). Figart estimates that every $10 million in new credit or lending by a state bank would yield between $15 million and almost $21 million in gross state output and between $3.5 million and $5.2 million in state earnings. Between 60 and 93 new jobs would be created.

Public Bank East Bay Viability Study (2022). This Study and the accompanying financial projections show that the PBEB [Public Bank East Bay, California] can achieve [its] goals while operating in a conservative and secure way, minimizing the financial risk to its sponsor governments.

White Paper: Public Banking in the Northeast and Midwest States. This 2019 report by The Northeast-Midwest Institute recommends that all NEMW states adopt a public bank and do so with close attention to their circumstances and needs, tailoring the banks specifics to the nuances of the state.

Why a Sovereign State Bank is Good for Tennessee (2023). Prof. Werner states, Banking is one of the most profitable industries. The State Bank of Tennessee will be profitable and constitutes a sound investment for the State of Tennessee. However, the benefits abound and go beyond merely commercial attractiveness. The establishment of the State Bank of Tennessee is a crucial step that can be built upon in a variety of ways in order to be able to counter future possible threats to financial and economic stability and economic and political autonomy and freedoms.

Whether the final stage of New Jerseys efforts will be a true public bank, as advocated by Gov. Murphy in 2017, remains to be seen. Meanwhile other states and cities are making impressive progress toward that goal. For updates, see the Public Banking Institute newsletter.

__________________

The Public Banking Institute team contributed to this article, which was first posted on ScheerPost. Ellen Brown is an attorney, co-chair of the Public Banking Institute, and author of thirteen books including Web of Debt, The Public Bank Solution, and Banking on the People: Democratizing Money in the Digital Age. She also co-hosts a radio program on PRN.FM called Its Our Money. Her 400+ blog articles are posted at EllenBrown.com.
Former Houston Police Department narcotics officer Gerald Goines talks to his defense attorney Nicole DeBorde while appearing to Harris County Judge Frank Aguilar on Monday, Aug. 26, 2019, in Houston. Goines was is charged with felony murder in deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas Steve in a botched drug raid in Januray. Yi-Chin Lee, Staff / Staff photographer

Gerald Goines, the former Houston Police officer who led the deadly Harding Street raid, is expected to go on trial in June.

During a hearing Tuesday morning, prosecutors and Goines' defense attorneys agreed to begin picking a jury June 28, with an eye on proceedings to begin the following month. Goines was charged in August 2019 with felony murder and other offenses over the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas during the botched drug raid that January at their southeast Houston home on Harding Street.

MORE ON HARDING STREET: Man sues disgraced ex-Houston police officer Goines, accused of lying in wrongful 2014 drug arrest

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The attorneys agreed to use individual voir dire, in which jurors are interviewed one-on-one to determine if they would qualify to serve on a panel. While individual interviews with prospective jurors are typically reserved for death penalty cases, the process has been used in other cases before. Jurors on the third capital murder trial of Antonio Armstrong Jr. were picked in that fashion to keep his proceedings in Harris County rather than moving it elsewhere following two hung juries and a rash of publicity.

The decision to set the trial date came as Goines' defense team rehashed several motions for 482nd District Court Judge Veronica Nelson, who took over the case after the recent suspension of Judge Frank Aguilar, the prior jurist.

Some of the motions had already garnered rulings from Aguilar, when he presided over the case. The defense has called the felony murder charge against Goines unconstitutional and flawed.

We dont think that Judge Aguilar got it wrong, said Tiffany Larsen, a Harris County prosecutor.

One of Goines' lawyers, Mac Secrest, lamented that prosecutors could introduce many of his clients alleged bad acts during trial, before a jury declares him guilty or not. Prosecutors on Tuesday filed a list of those bad acts that could surface during the punishment phase, if the trial goes that far.

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Many of the allegations in the filing involve cases in which Goines was the arresting officer, some of which have since been overturned by the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Nelson asked both sides to return March 26 to hear her rulings on the motions.

Goines is also charged with tampering with government records, theft by a public servant and engaging in organized criminal activity.

Goines, a longtime narcotics officer, is accused of lying in police records in order to obtain a no-knock warrant on the Harding Street home. The raid quickly devolved into a gun battle that left Tuttle and Nicholas dead, and four officers, including Goines, wounded. While police entered the home under the guise of searching for heroin, they only recovered a small amount of marijuana and cocaine.

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In the wake of the raid, an investigation into the departments narcotics division led to charges not only against Goines but 12 other officers, related to falsified police reports and overtime reports, among others.
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Carers are set to receive a State contributory pension and tax credits for stay-at-home parents are to be improved under a raft of measures being worked on by the Government.

As the Irish Examiner reports, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has outlined a number of extra supports that are now being worked on for those who look after family members in the home in the wake of the defeated referendum on care.

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Obviously, what we have to do is to demonstrate to carers of people with disabilities that we are on their side, and that we are working in their interests," Mr Varadkar said.

While the Taoiseach said he would not be announcing any budget measures this far out, he pointed to recent budgets which have increased payments to carers and people with disabilities, saying: "We can do that more".

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Mr Varadkar said Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys is now carrying out a review of the carer's support grant.

"Minister Humphreys is working on further measures in that area, both a review of the means test and the various payments that are paid to carers, and also bringing in a State contributory pension for carers.

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"When people are caring, they're not able to make PRSI contributions because they're not able to work because they're caring. That will be recognised so that they can get a State contributory pension."

Mr Varadkar agreed that more respite hours also need to be provided for those who care for loved ones. However, he cited staff shortages as a major challenge in delivering these supports.

"When it comes to disability and carers as well, obviously we are doing all that we can to provide more respite, which is very deficient at the moment, and provide more therapies and more services. Unfortunately, it's not up to where it should be.

"But the real difficulty there isn't financial or a lack of concern or care from the Government, its finding skilled people who are qualified to do the job and willing to do the job. And thats been a real struggle," he said.

Turning to parents who stay at home to mind children, Mr Varadkar indicated that the home care tax credit could be improved.
The Harris County Criminal Justice Center, 1201 Franklin St., is shown Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

A Harris County prosecutor became a witness in a sexual assault trial over a dispute about whether he promised a witness her testimony would not be used against her, despite it implicating her in potential criminal activity.

The district attorney's office then dismissed the charges on Tuesday, blaming the judge's decision to allow the allegations involving their main witness to be admitted at trial.

The judge made the rare move to disqualify prosecutor Abraham Chopin from handling the 2018 sexual assault case, lamenting on Monday that the situation was messy and that mistakes, intentional or not, were made. The womans testimony ahead of opening statements disclosed allegations that implicated her in years-old sex acts involving child relatives  disclosures that Judge Mark Kent Ellis also ruled could be part of the trial.

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The visiting judge then barred witnesses from being in the court and observing any testimony, forcing Chopin from the courtroom and leaving two other prosecutors to carry on without him.

Jessica Caird, chief appellate prosecutor, stood by Chopin on Monday and denied that he had given the witness any legal advice or promises to prevent prosecution.

Defense attorney Brett Podolsky, who requested Chopin's disqualification, argued that Chopin made assurances to the woman that opened her up to potential criminal liability. The attorney then said Chopin would be a witness he planned to call to cast doubt on her credibility. A lawyer cant be a witness and testify in a case theyre prosecuting.

The case, which Chopin oversaw for nearly two years, centered on 2018 charges of sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child against a former relative of the witness.

The admission would prevent prosecutors from proving the defendant's guilt without a reasonable doubt, another prosecutor, Denise Nichols, detailed in a motion to dismiss.

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More from the Houston Chronicle: Harris County prosecutors seek judges recusal over 2019 death penalty remarks

Prior to the dismissal, the state attempted to prohibit the jury from hearing any mention of alleged prosecutorial misconduct at trial. The judge never ruled on that matter.

A jury, whom Chopin helped picked March 5, was expected to be seated that week, but the last-minute hearing brought the sexual assault trial to a halt  a pause that lasted nearly two weeks with spring break. During that time, lawyers on both sides picked apart the womans testimony about her alleged abuse of two relatives, who made outcries in 2021, and her ensuing communications with Chopin about the purported abuse.

The judge ultimately paused that hearing after determining the woman was testifying about committing serious crimes and needed a lawyer, Podolsky said in court.

Houston Chronicle investigation: How unchecked police agencies became a political powerhouse in Harris County

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The woman also stated during the hearing that Chopin told her she could testify freely about what she had allegedly done and that she would not get in trouble, Podolsky said. In the days that followed her initial testimony, the woman stated through a recently appointed attorney that she would plead the Fifth Amendment in order to not incriminate herself. She changed her mind after prosecutors in the juvenile division Friday declined to accept charges against her in connection to one of the relatives complaints.

Her continued testimony Monday varied from her earlier statements about what promises Chopin made her, the judge noted.
Petrol stations will soon have to display price comparisons between petrol, diesel and electric vehicles.

The regulation comes following an EU Directive and will require forecourt owners to display a poster or screen with the cost to travel 100 kilometres in a petrol, diesel, and electric vehicle.

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The new regulation has been introduced by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and will enforce the new regulation.

Filling stations with three or more fuel pumps have been told they must start displaying a sign showing the difference in their prices compared with the electric alternative.

The current SEAI price comparison says the approximate cost of travelling 100km with petrol is 10.04, with diesel is 8.95, and for electric is 3.18. Updated values are to be published by the SEAI every three months, and then fuel stations must update their posters within five working days. Advertisement The poster forecourts are required to display

However, there has been some pushback with fuel and motoring groups saying there was little consultation and complaints about the price example given for EVs. It is currently based on a blended rate of charging, with 90% at home (on the night rate) and 10% public charging (at fast and high-powered charge rates.)

Chief executive of Fuels for Ireland Kevin McPartlan told one radio station that the deadline for implementation at the end of this month was too soon.

The SEAI says the aim of this law is to offer consistent, independent information to consumers.
A first vote in the Stormont Assembly on the extension of a new EU law to Northern Ireland is a significant moment, MLAs have been told.

The DUPs Jonathan Buckley said his party would be voting against a law which he insisted would create a new regulatory border within the United Kingdom.

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However, Sinn Fein described the debate brought by the unionist party as a sham fight and said the Assembly should be concentrating on bringing new investors to Northern Ireland.

DUP MLA for Upper Bann Jonathan Buckley said the vote was a significant moment for the NI Assembly. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA.

The DUP has brought an applicability motion to the Assembly to vote on the protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products.

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Under the rules of the Windsor Framework, a deal agreed to allay unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements, some EU laws still apply in Northern Ireland.

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The framework contains mechanisms by which the Stormont Assembly can consent to new or amended regulations.

One of these is the applicability motion. Under this arrangement, the UK will not agree to new EU laws being applied in Northern Ireland unless the Assembly passes the motion, with cross-community consent.

The motion being debated on Tuesday proposes that a regulation legally defining and protecting certain products which are tied to a geographical area should be applied to Northern Ireland.

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The DUP has introduced the motion with the stated intention of voting against it.

If the Assembly does not give the motion cross-community support, it falls on the UK government to decide whether the new law should be introduced in Northern Ireland.

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Introducing the motion, Mr Buckley said: This is the first time the Northern Ireland Assembly will vote on whether a new EU law should apply in Northern Ireland.

That in itself is a significant moment.

Explaining that his party would be voting against its own motion, Mr Buckley added: It is clear to the Democratic Unionist Party that this new EU law would create a new regulatory border within the United Kingdom.

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He added: We are not willing to contemplate a situation in which political forces, whether it be in Dublin or Brussels, can use the silence of the Assembly on this, or indeed any other piece of EU law, to exert pressure on the government in Westminster to abandon the principle of cross-community consensus.

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Philip McGuigan described the debate as a sham fight Photo: Liam McBurney/PA.

Responding on behalf of Sinn Fein, Philip McGuigan pointed out that last week a number of Stormont ministers were in the US promoting Northern Ireland.

He added: What we should be doing today is building on the success of that trip, talking up our potential and giving our young people hope.

Instead, we have this motion. In effect a sham fight which only serves the purpose of undermining the good work of last week and which could sow confusion to potential investors to the north.

Dual market access is the key selling point to attract potential investment to the north.

Sorcha Eastwood said the Assembly was debating internal DUP wranglings. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA.

Alliance Party MLA Sorcha Eastwood said the Assembly was debating internal DUP wranglings.

She added: This is going to be a compressed mandate. We already have short enough time as it is, I dont want to be spending the next two and half to three years relitigating Brexit.

But Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said his partys MLA would be voting against the motion because the new EU law had not been given proper scrutiny.

He added: What are the long-term implications of this EU regulation? We dont know because theres been no scrutiny.

The SDLPs Matthew OToole said the proposed new regulations were a good thing for craft producers, giving them a potential advantage.
Convicted Garda killer Pearse McAuley has been found dead at his home in Strabane, aged 59.

A PSNI spokeswoman said on Tuesday: Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a property in Abercorn Square in Strabane on Monday, 18 March.

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At present, the death is not believed to be suspicious.

Mr McAuley was part of the IRA gang that shot dead Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in Limerick in 1996, and was sentenced in 1999 to 14 years in jail.

Mr McAuley and his IRA gang shot Det Gda McCabe and his partner Det Gda Ben OSullivan during a raid on the post office in Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7th, 1996.

The killing occurred four months after the breakdown of the first IRA ceasefire.

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While McAuley was serving his sentence, Sinn Fein made an unsuccessful attempt to have him and others jailed for the garda killing to be released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

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The move was resisted by the Government.

McAuley was convicted along with Limerick men Jeremiah Sheehy, Michael ONeill and Kevin Walsh.

In 2014, Mr McCauley stabbed his then wife, Sinn Fein TD Pauline Tully. He was given a 12-year sentence for the attack with the final four years suspended.

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Mr McCauley was released from prison in 2022 for the attack.

The pair had married while McAuley was serving his 14-year sentence for the garda killing.

They met when Ms Tully, who was elected as a Sinn Fein councillor in 1999, visited McAuley at Castlerea Prison in Co Roscommon.

They became engaged in 2000.

He was temporarily released in 2003 to marry Ms Tully, a teacher at the time, in her home village of Kilnaleck, Co Cavan.

Mr McAuley pulled off a prison escape in England in 1991 while awaiting trial on terrorism charges.

On July 7th, 1991, he had escaped from Brixton Prison along with cellmate Nessan Quinlivan. He was being held on charges of conspiring to cause explosions and in connection with a plan to murder a British brewery company chairman.

The two men had been arrested in October 1990, at Stonehenge in connection with the murder plot.
A man who got involved in a real estate fraud has been jailed for two years for theft and aiding and abetting money laundering.

Martin Roche (62), who currently lives in Spain, agreed to become the director of a company in 2012 that encouraged investment in a fictitious social housing scheme in Brazil. The company was later struck off in November 2014.

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Two men agreed to invest funds on the promise of a certain return on their investment, with one man contributing 183,444.54 to the scheme and another man contributing 5,000 and $6,900.

Roche, with an address in Zaragoza, Spain, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft and money laundering on dates between 2012 and 2013.

The court heard that various bank accounts owned by Roche were used to facilitate the laundering of the cash, with a total of 271,958 passed through these various accounts. At one point, Roche stole 69,000.

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Detective Garda David Egan said the man who was in charge of the operation has not been identified by gardai.

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Various official documents including partnership agreements and contracts had been given to the victims of the fraud but they contacted gardai when they did not receive the promised return on their investments.

Judge Martin Nolan said Roches bank account had been used to launder money and that he also stole some of the cash himself.

The judge accepted his pleas of guilty and evidence that Roche co-operated with the investigation, but noted it was serious criminal behaviour and Roche involved himself with particular dodgy individuals.

Judge Nolan said Roches misbehaviour is too great to avoid a custodial term, jailing him for two years.

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Real estate

Det Gda Egan said Roche agreed to become director of a company that was responsible for development and selling of real estate and was an authorised signature of the bank accounts linked to the company.

The two victims later told gardai they received cold calls from a male, advising them of an investment opportunity in a social housing development in Brazil and promising them a 15 per cent and 30 per cent return on their investment.

Gardai were notified when the company promised the funds, but they were never processed. The two men tried to make contact with the company, but their queries remained unanswered.

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Gardai contacted the Brazilian authorities, but it soon became apparent that there was no such development.

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Roche was identified as a suspect, as he was the signature on the accounts and had been registered as a director of the company.

Det Gda Egan said a total of 294,618 had been lodged into the account over the period, and 271,958 had been transferred between the various accounts.

Roche came voluntarily to Ireland from Spain in November 2022 and was interviewed by gardai.

He admitted that he agreed to become director of the company and had been promised a wage and commission.

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He said he had been told it was a legitimate business, but added that it became obvious the man had been stealing.

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Roche denied stealing any money from the investors but admitted that he flew home in February 2013 when he became aware money was about to be lodged into his account and accepted that he stole that 69,000.

He said wages had been owed to him, the court heard.

Roche agreed he had been reckless in allowing his bank account to be used, but said the man in charge of the operation never told him he would use the account to launder cash.

Det Gda Egan agreed with Seoirse O Dunlaing BL, defending, that he had been used as a front by another individual, an individual that was identifying vulnerable people and preying on them.

He further accepted that Roche had a severe gambling addiction at the time of the offending.

Mr O Dunlaing told the court that his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity because he wanted to put matters right.

Counsel also told the court that a number of years ago, Roche came to the assistance of a man who had just been attacked and helped save the mans life.

He asked the court to accept that Roche is someone who can do good, and that although it was a sophisticated offence, he was used by others in this case.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has claimed that an extension of a new EU regulation to Northern Ireland would create significant problems for supply chains and the ability to market certain products.

For that reason the DUP will oppose the regulation which requires cross-community consent from Stormont MLAs. If the regulation is not passed then the UK government will decide if it should be introduced.

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Mr Donaldson told RTE radios Morning Ireland that the DUP believed the regulation would create significant problems with our ability to market our products in Great Britain, which is our biggest market.

We sell over 12 billion pounds worth of goods to Britain every year, which is significantly smaller than what we sell to the EU. So in all of these things, one has to make judgments. And, our assessment is that, to adopt this law would create significant problems in terms of access to our supply chains in Great Britain and our ability to market certain products as well.

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Mr Donaldson gave the example of textiles imported into Northern Ireland. If we bring certain textiles into Northern Ireland as part of a process of, let's say, producing a particular department, under these regulations, it may not be possible then to, promote that garment in a certain way, because it includes textiles that have come in from other areas, thats what the whole geographical indicators are about.

So, on the basis of our assessment, we feel that we should, utilise the mechanisms that were agreed between the EU and the UK government. And which created for the first time, a democratic say in these matters.

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"Let's not forget that under the Northern Ireland Protocol, Stormont had no say whatsoever. EU law automatically applied to Northern Ireland as a result of the Windsor Agreement and the subsequent further improvements that we secured.

"That is no longer the case that that dynamic alignment was broken, Stormont has a say. And on this occasion, we feel that, in order to protect our industry in Northern Ireland, this law shouldn't apply.

Mr Donaldson said it was his understanding that the Stormont Brake did not apply in this case, it an applicability motion and that the UK government would abide by the wishes of the assembly.

If the Assembly does not vote by a cross-community consensus to adopt this law, then the UK government will respect the wishes of our democratic legislature.

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Mr Donaldson rejected criticism by SDLP Stormont leader Matthew OToole that the DUP position was a publicity stunt. If that was the best that the Opposition could do then they werent doing their job, he said.

Their job is to ensure that the laws applying in Northern Ireland are for the benefit of people in Northern Ireland, that they work for our industry, that they work for our communities. And I'm afraid that kind of language really doesn't impress anyone.

When asked if the DUP was going to object to all new EU laws in relation to Northern Ireland, Mr Donaldson said the party would assess each law on its own merits.

There is a democratic scrutiny committee that has now been established at Stormont, thanks to the negotiations that were undertaken by the DUP. And, it is the role of that committee to assess the potential impact that any such law will have. So we will take it on a case by case basis.
A protest is due to take place on Tuesday evening outside thy International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin calling on the Government to take action for homeless asylum seekers

The area around the office on Mount Street in Dublin 2 has turned into a makeshift camp where dozens of asylum seekers have been forced to sleep.

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United Against Racism, Social Rights Ireland and the End Direct Provision action group will take part in the protest, calling for the Government to open empty buildings for homeless asylum seekers.

A banner at a site used by asylum seekers at the International Protection Office on Mount Street, Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

In a post on social media, Social Rights Ireland said: The housing crisis is [government] policy.

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We need wraparound services to support our Irish homeless, not just emergency accommodation.

Ireland also has long history of emigration. People have left their countries out of total desperation, leaving family and kids.

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At the weekend, a large group of asylum seekers were moved by authorities from the makeshift camp at Mouth Street to a location in south-west Dublin.

Men who had been camping near the IPO were taken by bus to a site at Crooksling. However, some of the men have since returned to the city because of threatening behaviour by people who gathered outside the site.

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Yesterday the decision was made to move asylum seekers out of the city centre ahead of the St Patricks Day Festival.



Tuesday

5.30PM

International Protection Office



Open up empty homes! Housing for All Now!#IrelandForAll #HousingForAll



 pic.twitter.com/gMgNoIfzBg  United Against Racism (@UnitedARacism) March 17, 2024

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At the weekend, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar denied the decision to move the men was made to avoid an embarrassment for the Government around St Patricks Day.

People Before Profit Brid Smith has called for urgent questions in the Dail with Minister for Integration Roderic OGorman on the disgraceful treatment of refugees at the IPO at the weekend.

Ms Smith said she has submitted a request to the Oireachtas Business Committee requesting that time is provided on the Dail schedule this week for statements and questions and answers with Mr OGorman regarding the ongoing issue.

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Ms Smith said: There appears to have been a calculated decision to move asylum seekers out of the city centre to a remote location ahead of the St Patricks Day Festival.

On Saturday, asylum seekers were told to board a bus to be brought to new accommodation.

The bus dropped them at a remote location on the outskirts of Dublin.

They were given tents and informed that this was their new 'accommodation'. The site at the IPO has been destroyed, with thousands of euros worth of tents and belongings dumped.

It is outrageous that these vulnerable men are being treated with such contempt by the Government, and it is important that time is provided for this urgent matter on the Dail schedule this week.
Three siblings have obtained a High Court order preventing their sister from dissipating part of the proceeds of the family home which was sold for 665,000.

Jacqueline Byrne, Patricia Hyslop and Kathleen Kerrigan claim their sister, Anne Grant Arnold, allegedly fraudulently procured title to the house at Casino Road, Marino, Dublin, by allegedly having title transferred into her name before their mother died in Anne's UK home in June 2021.

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On Tuesday, the three sisters were granted an injunction by Mr Justice Liam Kennedy preventing Ms Grant Arnold from reducing her unencumbered equity in cash or other assets in this jurisdiction below 135,000 pending hearing of the entire dispute between them.

The judge also rejected an application by Ms Grant Arnold to dismiss their proceedings as having no basis or being brought too late.

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The house originally belonged to their father Patrick, who died intestate in 1990, meaning that his five children, including a brother who is not involved in the litigation, were entitled collectively to a one-third share in the estate.

The other two-thirds went to their mother Mary, who became the registered owner of the house after a grant of administration on her husband's estate was obtained in 1999.

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In 2007, the house was transferred to the joint names of the siblings' mother and Anne, who now lives in Gloucestershire in the UK.

In a 2017 will, the mother said her wish was that Ms Grant Arnold would inherit the property, and in 2018, she tansferred the entire ownership to Ms Grant Arnold.

Sale

When the house went on the market after their mother's death, the three sisters brought proceedings against Ms Grant Arnold, represented by Andew Walker SC and Liam Bell BL, instructed by Dermot McNamara & Co Solicitors.

The three claimed they had an equitable interest in the property and that Ms Grant Arnold fraudulently procured the title to it.

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Ms Grant Arnold denied the claims and asserted that her sisters signed disclaimers saying they had no interest in their father's estate, before it had been registered in their mother's name.

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Mr Justice Kennedy said the three sisters denied signing disclaimers.

Their solicitor brought in a handwriting expert who concluded it was probable that Ms Hyslop had not signed one, and it was strongly probable that Ms Kerrigan had also not done so, he said. The expert could not make a conclusion in regard to Ms Byrne's disclaimer.

The judge said while Ms Grant Arnold later admitted she herself had had prepared all the disclaimers for execution, an earlier affidavit she swore gave the impression that they were prepared by or at the instigation of the solicitor dealing with the estate and that he had corresponded with the siblings to secure their agreement.

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The judge said Ms Grant Arnold provided minimal detail as to the circumstances of the disclaimers.

She also did not sufficiently explain her change of stance when the handwriting expert provided his report or the failure of previous correspondence and affidavits to exhibit the belatedly produced documentation.

He said Ms Grant Arnold did not explain her own role in meetings or communications with the lawyer handling her fathers estate.

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Although she previously denied any involvement, she now admits that she drafted the disclaimers, apparently along the lines of the post-it note, the judge said. She also did not explain why Ms Byrne, who lived close by, did not attend the meetings with the solicitor handling the father's estate.

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In relation to a denial by Ms Kerrigan that she "knowingly" executed a disclaimer, Ms Grant Arnold "belatedly volunteered" that she accompanied her mother to Derry to visit Ms Kerrigan and that she was present when the disclaimer was signed, he said.

The judge said she did not furnish details of the meeting, how and why it was arranged, or how the document was explained to Ms Kerrigan. There was also no reference to independent legal advice.

The three sisters say the original transfer was fraudulent, tainting subsequent transactions. They also say that when their mother, and subsequently Ms Grant Arnold, became the registered owners, they held the respective interests of the three sisters on trust.

The judge said he considered that such a claim "is arguable as matters stand".

The sisters also have an arguable position that key facts only became known to them at different stages between 2019 and 2021.

"Indeed, the defendants controversial role in the disclaimers only emerged during these applications," he said.

The three sisters were not asserting a right of recourse against the entire 665,000 proceeds. The judge thought it sufficient to stipulate a figure of 135,000, below which assets should not be reduced pending trial.
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu says he remains determined to carry out a ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite the misgivings of US president Joe Biden.

Mr Netanyahu told a parliamentary committee Tuesday that he would wait to hear proposals from the US out of respect to the president about ways to protect the civilian population in Rafah before ordering the operation.

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But he said he does not see any alternative to a ground offensive if Israel is to carry out its goal of destroying the Hamas militant groups remaining battalions in Rafah.

Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu says there is no other way to eliminate Hamas without a ground incursion (AP Photo/Leo Correa, Pool)

Mr Netanyahu said: We have a debate with the Americans over the need to enter Rafah, not over the need to eliminate Hamas.

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We are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion.

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Israel says that Rafah, located on the Egyptian border, is Hamas last major stronghold in Gaza.

An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians, more than half of Gazas population, are now huddled in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere in the territory.

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More than half of Gazas population has fled to Rafah to seek refuge from the fighting (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

US officials say they will not support an operation in Rafah without the Israelis presenting a credible plan to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians.

Israel has yet to present such a plan, according to White House officials.

On Monday, Mr Netanyahu agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss a prospective Rafah operation with the US.

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The decision took place during Mr Netanyahu and Mr Bidens first conversation in more than a month.
The European Union is pressing ahead with a plan to use the profits generated from billions of euros of Russian assets frozen in Europe to help provide weapons and other funds for Ukraine, a senior official said.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell got a green light for the plan from most of the blocs foreign ministers this week, and he hopes that EU leaders will endorse it at a summit in Brussels starting on Thursday.

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The move comes as Ukraine runs dangerously low on munitions, and US efforts to get new funds for weapons have stalled in Congress.

The #FAC approved my proposal for a 5 billion #UkraineAssistanceFund.

The Fund will support Ukraine in getting the military equipment it needs to defend its people & its right to exist as a state against Russian aggression.

We turn our words into action.https://t.co/u3ojO4YySW Advertisement  Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) March 18, 2024 Advertisement

The 27-nation EU is holding around 200 billion in Russian central bank assets, most of it frozen in Belgium, in retaliation for Moscows war against Ukraine.

The bloc estimates that the interest on that money could provide around 3 billion each year.

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The Russians will not be very happy. The amount of money, three billion per year, is not extraordinary, but it is not negligible, Mr Borrell told reporters.

A small group of member countries, notably Hungary, refuse to supply weapons to Ukraine, so these windfall profits would be divided up.

Around 90% of the money would be put into a special fund that many EU countries already use to get reimbursed for arms and ammunition they send.

The other 10% would be put into the EU budget to help bolster Ukraines defence industry. Countries that object to sending weapons could then claim that they are not arming the country, Mr Borrell said.

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The EU budget cannot be used to buy arms, under current expert interpretations of the blocs treaties, but the special fund  known as the European Peace Facility  runs off-budget and does not have to respect the same legal standards or be approved by the European Parliament.

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The European Central Bank, or ECB, has warned in the past against seizing Russian assets as this could undermine confidence in the euro currency and EU markets.

But Mr Borrell said that no assets would be taken, only the windfall profits they make. He added that the ECB has been consulted on the plan.

Some EU leaders, including Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, have said that they want to use the windfall profits to fund Ukraines reconstruction, but Mr Borrell said he believes that the best thing is to avoid that anything is destroyed in the first place.
About 9,000 children are to be evacuated from a Russian border region which is being shelled by Ukraine, an official claimed.

Kyivs forces have increasingly been striking at targets behind the extensive front line that has changed little after more than two years of war.

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The children are to be moved further east, away from the Ukraine border, the governor of Russias Belgorod region, Vyacheslev Gladkov, said.

A Russian tank fires at Ukrainian troops from a position near the border with Ukraine in the Belgorod region (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

The announcement came a day after Russian president Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin wants to create a buffer zone to help protect border regions from long-range Ukrainian strikes and cross-border raids.

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Ukraine has increasingly used its long-range firepower to hit oil refineries and depots deep inside Russia and has sought to unsettle the Russian border regions, putting political pressure on Mr Putin.

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Civilian areas of Belgorod have reportedly been battered in the fighting. According to Mr Gladkov, 16 people died and 98 were injured over the last week alone.

On Saturday, he ordered the closure of shopping malls until Monday and schools until Tuesday because of the security situation.

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A Ukrainian soldier walks in position on the front line near Klishchyivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine (Iryna Rybakova via AP)

The planned evacuation of children is one of the biggest publicly announced in the Belgorod region since the war began in February 2022.

About 1,000 people, including children and their families, were evacuated to other Russian regions last June and there have been other sporadic reports of evacuations over the past year.

It was unclear whether adults would be accompanying the children under the latest evacuation order. If so, the total number of people being moved out of Belgorod could be much higher.

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Roughly 600 people were in temporary accommodation on Monday after being evacuated from their homes, Mr Gladkov said.

Mr Putin discussed the cross-border incursions at a meeting with top officials of the Federal Security Service, the FSB.

A Russian regional governor says 16 people were killed in the Belgorod region over the past week (Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov telegram channel via AP)

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Three people were wounded in a Ukrainian attack on Tuesday in the Belgorod region, Mr Gladkov said, including a 14-year-old who had part of a limb amputated. His mother was also seriously hurt in the attack, he said.

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The previous day, four members of the same family died in an attack on the Belgorod village of Nikolskoe, according to Mr Gladkov. A grandmother, mother, her partner and 17-year-old son were killed after a missile struck their house, he said.

It has not been possible to independently verify the claims.

Four people were killed in shelling, not far from the border with Ukraine, officials claimed (Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov telegram channel via AP)

Two Ukrainian drones were shot down over Belgorod and another over the neighbouring Voronezh region overnight, the Russian defence ministry said. It gave no details of any damage or injuries.

Meanwhile, Russia used S-300 missiles to attack the city of Selydove in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine overnight. Four people were wounded and houses and cars were damaged, the regional prosecutors office said.

On Monday, Russian attacks in Donetsk killed one person and wounded another, according to Vadym Filashkin, the regional governor.
Police Chief Troy Finner and Houston Mayor John Whitmire are joined by Houston Area Women's Center President Emilee Dawn Whitehurst and Deputy CEO Sonia Corrales for a press conference on Monday, March 11, 2024, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

The Houston Police Officers Union called for Chief Troy Finner to be recused from the investigation into the departments handling of 264,000 suspended cases and for the probe to be transferred to an outside agency.

The unions letter, sent Monday, asks for the internal investigation to be transferred to the states Office of Inspector General or another investigative agency unaffiliated with the department and Finner.

In short, Chief Finner is both a key witness in this matter and an individual with an inherent self-interest in the outcome of the investigation, as are other individuals who are former members of his senior executive command staff, the letter asserts.

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A Houston Police spokesman could not be reached for comment as of Tuesday evening.

Doug Griffith, president of the union, said hed heard of around 30 current and retired officers that had been called to give statements about the cases suspended using an internal code citing a lack of personnel.

In reality, this stops at the upper level, Griffith said. This shouldnt go lower than the assistant chiefs, period.

Griffith said the unions chief concern was the morale of officers during the investigation, explaining that they were demoralized and scared of becoming ensnared in the investigation when they were just following department guidelines and their superiors orders.

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This is going down to the lower ranks of lieutenants and sergeants, Griffith said. And Im sorry, they were going by their SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and procedures.

UNCHECKED FORCES: A Chronicle investigation on the Harris County constables

Finner announced on Feb. 22 that the police department was investigating thousands of sexual assault reports suspended using the code Suspended  Lack of Personnel. He said he first learned about the code in 2021.

The next week, Finner announced the departments internal probe had grown to include hundreds of thousands of cases from other divisions, including property crimes and major assaults, which had also been suspended with the same code.

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US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has vowed that the US will continue to support Ukraines war effort against Russia even though Congress remains stalled over funding to send additional weapons to the front.

The United States will not let Ukraine fail, said Mr Austin, addressing more than 50 defence leaders from Europe and around the world who are meeting at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

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This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail, he added.

The meeting comes a week after US defence officials managed to find $300 million in contract savings to fund a new package of military aid for Ukraine, pulling weapons from Pentagon stocks.

Lloyd Austin met Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov (Michael Probst/AP)

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During the session, leaders from other nations promised new aid for Ukraine.

German defence minister Boris Pistorius told reporters that Germany will provide ammunition and armoured and transport vehicles worth about 500 million.

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Mr Pistorius said: We are helping Ukraine with what it needs most in its defence against Russian aggression.

He added that the aid includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition from the German Army stocks that would be delivered to Ukraine very soon, as well as 100 armoured vehicles for the infantry and 100 transport vehicles.

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Asked whether he still sees the Americans as a reliable ally considering the ongoing delay in funding approval by Congress, Mr Pistorius said: I have no doubt about the reliability of the Americans.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Austin said that Ukraines survival is in danger and that he left the meeting fully determined to keep US security assistance and ammunition flowing.

He said: Thats a matter of survival and sovereignty for Ukraine, and its a matter of honour and security for America.

The $300 million aid package from the US was the first tranche of weapons sent by the Biden administration since December as battlefield conditions in Ukraine have been getting increasingly dire.

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German minister of defence Boris Pistorius (left) with Rustem Umjerow, Ukrainian minister of defence (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

The money  which officials called a one-time shot  allowed the Defence Department to use presidential drawdown authority (PDA) to pull weapons and equipment from Pentagon stocks and send them quickly to Ukraine.

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The funds are then used to buy replacement items to ensure the US military is ready to fight and protect the homeland.

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US leaders had insisted for the past three months that they could not take more weapons off the shelves because they had run out of money to replenish the stocks.

Congress has been deadlocked for months over a new $95 billion supplemental Bill that includes about $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.

US officials maintain there is bipartisan support for the package, but a number of Republicans oppose it and US House speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring the Bill to the House floor for a vote.

Funding to train Ukrainian forces is also at risk. The US Army regional command for Europe and Africa, which is based in Germany, has spent more than $500 million out of its budget so far this fiscal year to conduct the training and expects to run out of money by June, according to US officials.

The command spent about $2 billion for training in the fiscal year that ended last September 30th, which was paid for through supplemental funding passed by Congress.

The US has trained about 19,000 Ukrainian forces to date, the bulk of them at the Army bases in Germany.

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Ukrainian soldiers have faced shortages of ammunition (Iryna Rybakova via AP)

All together, the international coalition has trained more than 129,000 Ukrainians at more than 100 different locations around the world.

Training has slowed a bit, as the US is waiting for the next large tranche of Ukrainian troops to arrive. Scheduling can be difficult because Ukraine often has to pull troops from the battlefront to send them for training.

US officials have been publicly expressing the hope that lawmakers will manage to act soon to approve the supplemental Bill, but they have also been struggling to find other ways to get assistance to Ukraine.

Defence officials continue to warn that Ukraine remains heavily outgunned by Russia on the battlefield and note persistent reports of Ukrainian troops rationing or running out of ammunition on the front lines.

Just last month, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka, where outnumbered defenders had held off a Russian assault for four months.

Troops complained of running low on ammunition while facing a constant barrage of air strikes from glide bombs, enormous unguided Soviet-era weapons, retrofitted with a navigational targeting system, that obliterate everything around them, as well as motion-sensing explosive drones that could enter buildings and hunt personnel.
A boy in the UK has denied murdering a 22-year-old woman who was stabbed to death on Christmas Eve.

The 16-year-old defendant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared at the Old Bailey in London on Tuesday over the death of Kacey Clarke on December 24th.

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He spoke to confirm his identity and pleaded not guilty to a single charge of murder.

Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC remanded him into custody ahead of his trial on July 15th.

A pre-trial hearing was also set for June 18th at the Old Bailey.

Police had been called to reports of a woman suffering a stab injury at an address in Southwark, south-east London just after 10pm.

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Despite emergency first aid, Ms Clarke died at the scene.

A post-mortem examination gave her cause of death as a single sharp-force trauma to the chest.
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has been accused of falsifying his Covid-19 vaccination data in the first indictment for the embattled far-right leader.

The federal police indictment released by the Supreme Court alleged that Bolsonaro and 16 others inserted false information into a public health database to make it appear as though the then-president, his 12-year-old daughter and several others in his circle had received the Covid vaccine.

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Police detective Fabio Alvarez Shor, who signed the indictment, said in his report that Bolsonaro and his aides changed their vaccination records in order to issue their respective (vaccination) certificates and use them to cheat current health restrictions.

The investigation found several false insertions between November 2021 and December 2022, and also many actions of using fraudulent documents, Mr Shor added.



Brazils former President Jair Bolsonaro speaks to supporters (Silvia Izquierdo/AP)

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During the pandemic, Bolsonaro was one of the few world leaders who railed against the vaccine, openly flouting health restrictions and encouraging other Brazilians to follow his example.

His administration ignored several offers from pharmaceutical company Pfizer to sell Brazil tens of millions of shots in 2020, and he openly criticised a move by Sao Paulo states governor to buy vaccines from Chinese company Sinovac when no other doses were available.

Brazils prosecutor-generals office will have the final say on whether to use the indictment to file charges against Bolsonaro at the Supreme Court. The case stems from one of several investigations targeting Bolsonaro, who governed between 2019 and 2022.

Bolsonaro lawyer Fabio Wajngarten called his clients indictment absurd and said he did not have access to it.

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When he was president, he was completely exonerated from showing any kind of certificate on his trips. This is a political persecution and an attempt to void the enormous political capital that has only grown, Mr Wajngarten said.

The former president denied any wrongdoing during questioning in May 2023.

Police accuse Bolsonaro and his aides of tampering with the health ministrys database shortly before he travelled to the US in December 2022, two months after he lost his re-election bid to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

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Bolsonaro needed a certificate of vaccination to enter the US, where he remained for the final days of his term and the first months of Lulas term. The former president has repeatedly said he has never taken a Covid-19 vaccine.

If convicted for falsifying health data, the 68-year-old politician could spend up to 12 years behind bars or as little as two years, according to legal analyst Zilan Costa. The maximum jail time for a charge of criminal association is four years.

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What Bolsonaro will argue in this case is whether he did insert the data or enable others to do it, or not. And that is plain simple: either you have the evidence or you dont. It is a very serious crime with a very harsh sentence for those convicted, Mr Costa told The Associated Press.

Mr Shor also said he is awaiting information from the US Justice Department to clarify whether those under investigation did make use of the false vaccination certificates upon their arrival and stay in American territory.

If so, further charges could be levelled against Bolsonaro, Mr Shor wrote.

Bolsonaro retains staunch allegiance among his political base, as shown by an outpouring of support last month, when an estimated 185,000 people clogged Sao Paulos main boulevard to decry what they  and the former president  characterise as political persecution.

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Brazils top electoral court has already ruled Bolsonaro ineligible to run for office until 2030, on the grounds that he abused his power during the 2022 campaign and cast unfounded doubts on the countrys electronic voting system.

Gleisi Hoffmann, chairwoman of the Workers Party, whose candidate defeated Bolsonaro, celebrated his indictment on social media.

She said she hopes the former president stands trial in many other cases, including for his alleged attempt to sneak three million dollars (2.36 million) in diamond jewellery into the country and the sale of two luxury watches he received as gifts from Saudi Arabia while in office.

He has lied until this day about his nefarious administration, but now he will have to face the truth in the courts.

The federal polices indictment sent to prosecutors is just the first of several, Ms Hoffmann said. What is up now, Big Coward? Are you going to face this or run away to Miami?
Hong Kong lawmakers have passed a national security law that grants the government more power to quash dissent.

The legislature passed the Safeguarding National Security Law during a special session on Tuesday.

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It comes on top of a similar law imposed by Beijing four years ago, which has largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub.

Hong Kongs Legislative Council, which is packed with Beijing loyalists following an electoral overhaul, expedited the process.

Since the Bill was unveiled on March 8, a committee held daily meetings for a week following an appeal by Hong Kong leader John Lee to push the law through at full speed.



Police officers stand guard outside the Legislative Council (Louise Delmotte/AP)

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The law threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions which authorities call threats to national security, with the most severe  including treason and insurrection  punishable by life imprisonment.

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Lesser offences, including the possession of seditious publications, could lead to several years in jail. Some provisions allow criminal prosecutions for acts committed anywhere in the world.

After the vote, Mr Lee announced at the councils chamber that the law will take effect on Saturday.

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Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said he believed all lawmakers were honoured to have taken part in this historic mission.

I fully agree with what the chief executive said: the sooner the legislation is completed, the sooner national security will be safeguarded, he said.

Critics said the new law will further erode civil liberties that Beijing promised to preserve for 50 years when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Hong Kongs political scene has changed dramatically since the massive 2019 street protests that challenged Chinas rule over the semi-autonomous territory.

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Many leading activists have been prosecuted while others sought refuge abroad. Influential pro-democracy media such as Apple Daily and Stand News have closed.

The crackdown prompted an exodus of disillusioned young professionals and middle-class families to the US, Britain, Canada and Taiwan.

Hong Kongs mini-constitution, the Basic Law, requires the city to enact a home-grown national security law.



A lawmaker holds a copy of the Safeguarding National Security Bill (Louise Delmotte/AP)

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A previous attempt in 2003 sparked a massive street protest that drew half a million people, and forced the legislation to be shelved. Such protests against the current Bill were absent largely due to the chilling effect of the existing security law.

Both Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the Beijing-imposed law restored stability after the 2019 protests.

Officials insist the new security law balances security with safeguarding rights and freedoms. The city government said it is needed to prevent a recurrence of the protests and that it will only affect an extremely small minority of disloyal residents.

The measure targets espionage, disclosing state secrets, and colluding with external forces to commit illegal acts, among others.

Its provisions include tougher penalties for people convicted of endangering national security by certain acts if they are also found to be working with foreign governments or organisations to do so.

Those who damage public infrastructure with the intent to endanger national security could be jailed for 20 years or, if they colluded with external forces, for life. In 2019, protesters occupied Hong Kongs airport and vandalised railway stations.

Business people and journalists have expressed fears that a broad law against disclosure of state secrets and foreign interference will affect their day-to-day work.

Observers are closely watching to see if the authorities will extend enforcement to other professional sectors and its implications on liberties for Hong Kongers.
The UK culture secretary has raised concerns about an exhibit in the Victoria and Albert Museum which appears to describe former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher as among contemporary villains.

The puppet of Thatcher, which was used in satirical production Spitting Image, is being shown at the London museum as part of a Laughing Matters display.

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The V&A has said that the exhibits text will be reviewed and it will update the wording if necessary.

When asked about the museum reportedly labelling Thatcher alongside Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and al-Qaeda plotter Osama bin Laden on LBC, Lucy Frazer said: Yes I saw that and I didnt think that that was appropriate.

Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (James Manning/PA)

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She also said: Well, I think in describing objects, in museums and galleries, I think the creator has an important role to look at history to make sure that their objects are understood. But these are matters for those individual institutions.

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The UK government recently put out some guidance on history and how you explain history, Ms Frazer also said.

She added: And Im very much in favour overall of not whitewashing history.

In October, her department published new guidance to ensure historic statues which have been subject to removal campaigns are kept in place following a depiction of 17th century merchant and slave trader Edward Colston being pushed into Bristol Harbour in 2020.

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A Margaret Thatcher puppet from Spitting Image (Yui Mok/PA)

A V&A spokesperson said: The V&A is always open to feedback from our visitors.

In response to some concerns around a caption in the Punch and Judy case of our Laughing Matters display  telling the story of British satire and comedy  we will review the relevant label text and update the wording if necessary.

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According to the Independent, a V&A description read: Punch and Judy is seen as traditionally British, but it evolved from the 16th-century Italian street performance commedia dellarte.

Although aimed at a family audience, the original narrative in its Victoria heyday featured domestic violence, hangings and racist caricatures  a jarring and inacceptable combination for modern audiences.

Over the years, the evil character in this seaside puppet show has shifted from the Devil to unpopular public figures including Adolf Hitler, Margaret Thatcher and Osama bin Laden, to offer contemporary villains.
A former police chief in the UK has said he did not report his wifes stolen credit card, because the thief spent less than she did.

With a deadpan delivery, Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate left the chamber unsure whether he was joking or not as he recalled the incident in the UK's House of Lords.

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The non-affiliated peer said: My wife, on one of her rare visits to London, had her credit card stolen.

And I monitored the use of the card, and I have to say I didnt report it to the police, because the thief was spending less than she was.

Peers across the House erupted into laughter at his comment.

The UK's treasury minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton, responded: I think, in these circumstances, one should always report these matters to the police.

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Lord Mackenzie is a former chief superintendent in Durham and was also the president of the Police Superintendents Association for three years.
Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump drew outrage from the White House, Democrats and leaders of Jewish groups for saying Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats hate their religion and Israel.

"Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves," said Mr Trump, who hopes to unseat US president Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the November 5th US election.

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"The Democrat Party hates Israel," he said in the interview with his former adviser Sebastian Gorka posted on his website on Monday.

Groups including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Democratic Council of America condemned Mr Trump's remarks for tying religion to how people might vote.

Asked to comment on Mr Trump's remarks, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said: "There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens."

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After Mr Trump's remarks were posted, US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, wrote on social media platform X on Monday: "Trump is making highly partisan and hateful rants. I am working in a bipartisan way to ensure the US-Israeli relationship sustains for generations to come, buoyed by peace in the Middle East."

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Last Thursday, Mr Schumer, the highest-ranking US Jewish elected official and a long-time supporter of Israel, criticised Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace five months into a war in Gaza that began with attacks on Israel by Hamas militants on October 7th.

Mr Biden said many Americans shared Mr Schumer's concerns. Netanyahu called Mr Schumer's speech inappropriate.

Democratic National Committee spokesperson Alex Floyd said in a statement on Monday: "Jewish Americans deserve better than the appalling, offensive attacks Trump continues to launch against the Jewish community."

Mr Trump's campaign stood by his remarks.

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"The Democrat Party has turned into a full-blown anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist cabal," Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

The Republican Jewish Coalition on Tuesday defended Mr Trump's remarks, which it reposted on X.

RJC spokesperson Sam Markstein said that he did not know what Mr Trump meant by his comment that Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats hate their religion, but that Democrats' stances were problematic: "It's befuddling to a lot of Republicans that in light of all this, how can there not be more outrage in the Jewish community?"

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While president, Mr Trump came under fire from critics in 2017 for drawing an equivalence between white nationalists who chanted "Jews will not replace us" and protesters against racism who clashed in Charlottesville, Virginia. Mr Trump said there were "fine people on both sides."

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Mr Trump also took the unprecedented steps of recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital, moving the US embassy there from Tel Aviv and recognising Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights captured from Syria in a 1967 war.

Since Mr Trump left office, critics have cited his 2022 meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes at his Florida club that Mr Trump said happened inadvertently. Mr Biden also assailed Mr Trump for echoing Nazis by using the word "vermin" to describe political enemies.

Mr Biden has strongly supported Israel's offensive in Hamas-ruled Gaza, where Palestinian health officials say 32,000 people have been killed since October 7th, the day Hamas crossed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Under pressure from some Democrats over his staunch support of Israel, Mr Biden has shifted his position to push for a ceasefire and negotiations leading to Israeli and Palestinian states side by side.

A Pew Research Center poll conducted in 2020, when Mr Trump and Mr Biden faced off the first time, found 71 per cent of American Jews surveyed identified with the Democratic Party while 26 per cent leaned Republican.
Former US president Donald Trump and other defendants in Georgias election interference case filed court papers on Monday seeking to appeal against a judges ruling not to disqualify Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis from their prosecution.

The resignation of the special prosecutor with whom Ms Willis had a romantic relationship is not enough to correct the appearance of impropriety the judge found, lawyers for Mr Trump, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and six other defendants said in a court filing.

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Whether District Attorney Willis and her office are permitted to continue representing the State of Georgia in prosecuting the defendants in this action is of the utmost importance to this case, and ensuring the appellate courts have the opportunity to weigh in on these matters pre-trial is paramount, they wrote.

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Former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Georgia earlier this month (Mike Stewart/AP)

The filing asks Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to grant a certificate that would allow his decision to be reviewed by the Georgia Court of Appeals.

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Judge McAfee ruled on Friday that special prosecutor Nathan Wade had to leave the case or Ms Willis could not continue to pursue the charges.

Mr Wade later resigned, allowing Ms Willis to remain on the most sprawling of four criminal cases against the presumptive Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election.

Judge McAfee did not find that Ms Williss relationship with Mr Wade amounted to a conflict of interest but said the allegations created an appearance of impropriety that infected the prosecution team.

Lawyers for Mr Trump and the other defendants who joined Mondays filing said a failure to remove Ms Willis now could imperil any convictions and force a retrial if an appeals court later finds it was warranted.

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Neither the court nor the parties should run an unnecessary risk of having to go through that process more than once, they wrote.

Ms Willis hired Mr Wade in 2021 to lead the team to investigate and ultimately prosecute Mr Trump and 18 others on charges that they illegally tried to overturn his narrow loss to Democrat Joe Biden in Georgia in 2020.

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The case uses a statute normally associated with mobsters to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a criminal enterprise to keep him in power.

Ms Willis and Mr Wade gave evidence at a hearing last month that they had engaged in a romantic relationship, but they rejected the idea that Ms Willis improperly benefited from it, as lawyers for Mr Trump and some of his co-defendants alleged.

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Nathan Wade looks on during a hearing on the Georgia election interference case in Atlanta on March 1 (Alex Slitz/AP)

Ms Willis and Mr Wade insisted they did not begin dating until after he became special prosecutor and the relationship ended in the summer of 2023. They both said that Ms Willis either paid for things herself or used cash to reimburse Mr Wade for travel expenses.

Judge McAfee wrote that there was insufficient evidence that Ms Willis had a personal stake in the prosecution. And he said he was unable to conclusively establish by a preponderance of the evidence whether Ms Willis and Mr Wade began dating before or after he was hired as special prosecutor.

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However, an odor of mendacity remains, the judge wrote.

The judge also called a speech Ms Willis gave at a historic black church in Atlanta less than a week after the allegations of her relationship with Mr Wade surfaced legally improper.

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Ms Willis complained in those remarks that people had questioned her decision to hire Mr Wade and questioned his qualifications, seeming to suggest the criticism arose from the fact that she and Mr Wade are black.

Mondays filing cited the speech and argued an appellate court would likely find it and the appearance of impropriety Judge McAfee found sufficient to disqualify Ms Willis.
Britain's Prince Harry could face consequences if he lied about taking drugs on his US visa application, former American president Donald Trump has said.

In a preview of an interview between Mr Trump and GB News presenter Nigel Farage, the Republican partys presumptive nominee for the 2024 US presidential election said Harry should not receive preferential treatment.

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Asked if Harry should have special privileges if he is found to have lied in his application, Mr Trump said: No. Well have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied theyll have to take appropriate action.

However, Mr Trump refused to be drawn on whether Harry could be forced to leave the US, where he currently lives with his wife and children.

In a hearing last November, lawyers from the DHS responded that Harrys visa application answers regarding past drug use should not be disclosed because it is private personal information (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

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Oh, I dont know, he said.

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Youll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago.

It comes after Harrys references to taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in his memoir Spare prompted a conservative Washington DC think tank to question why he was allowed into the US in 2020.

The Heritage Foundation brought the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) after a Freedom of Information Act request was rejected  claiming it was of immense public interest.

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The lawsuit argues that US law generally renders such a person inadmissible for entry to the country.

In a hearing last November, lawyers from the DHS responded that Harrys visa application answers regarding past drug use should not be disclosed because it is private personal information.

Much like health, financial, or employment information, a persons immigration information is private personal information, they said.

If the court accepts Plaintiffs arguments, the Government would need to reveal confidential immigration information about Prince Harry, a result the court should not adopt.

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Mr Trumps 30-minute interview with Mr Farage will be broadcast on GB News at 7pm on Tuesday.
The United States and Japan are sponsoring a UN Security Council resolution calling on all nations not to deploy or develop nuclear weapons in space, the US ambassador has announced.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a UN Security Council meeting on Monday that any placement of nuclear weapons into orbit around the Earth would be unprecedented, dangerous, and unacceptable.

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The announcement that the US and Japan had circulated a resolution follows White House confirmation last month that Russia has obtained a troubling anti-satellite weapon capability, although such a weapon is not operational yet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared later that Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space, claiming that the country has only developed space capabilities similar to those of the US.

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The Outer Space Treaty ratified by about 114 countries including the United States and Russia prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction in orbit or the stationing of weapons in outer space in any other manner.

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Japans foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa, who chaired the council meeting, said that even during the confrontational environment of the Cold War, the rivals agreed to ensure that outer space remained peaceful.

That prohibition on putting any weapons of mass destruction into orbit must be upheld today, she said.

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Ms Thomas-Greenfield said all parties to the treaty must commit to the ban on nuclear and other destructive weapons, and we must urge all member states who are not yet party to it to accede to it without delay.

She said the United States looks forward to engaging with the other members of the 15-nation Security Council to forge consensus around this text.

Russias deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said Moscows initial impression is that the proposed resolution is yet another propaganda stunt by Washington, very politicised and divorced from reality.

He criticised the text, saying the wording was not worked out by experts nor discussed at specialised international platforms such as the UN Conference on Disarmament or the UN Committee on Outer Space.

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Outside the Security Council, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said the US is interested in engaging with parties to the treaty to explore ways to increase confidence in compliance with the ban on nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in outer space.

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The United States has already begun considering approaches to help ensure that countries cannot deploy nuclear weapons in orbit undetected, and we intend to engage with other states parties as our ideas evolve, she said.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield also reiterated to the council the United States is willing to engage Russia and China right now, without preconditions, on bilateral arms control issues.

But Russias Mr Polyansky accused the West of trying to inflict strategic defeat on my country.

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He said: Any interaction will only be possible if the United States and Nato review their anti- Russian course, and when they show that they are ready to participate in comprehensive dialogue, taking into account all of those strategic stability factors and removing all of the concerns that we have about our security.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres briefed the council, saying geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades.

He said the movie Oppenheimer about Robert Oppenheimer, who directed the US project during the Second World War that developed the atomic bomb, brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world.

Humanity cannot survive a sequel to Oppenheimer, the UN chief said.
China, five Mekong River countries launch Lancang-Mekong Week, agreeing to deepen cooperation: FM

Global Times) 11:15, March 19, 2024

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian. [Photo/fmprc.gov.cn]

China has announced plans to deepen engagement with the Mekong River countries through a series of activities to celebrate the "Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Week" scheduled from Monday to Sunday, Chinese Foreign Ministry revealed on Monday.

The events, aimed at commemorating the 8th anniversary of the LMC's inception, is expected to involve more than 20 ministries and provincial and municipal governments from China. They will work with the five countries along the Mekong River to host more than 80 events, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday.

The activities include discussions and field visits focused on water resource cooperation, round-table dialogue on green and low-carbon policies, exhibitions showcasing achievements in aquatic biodiversity conservation and fisheries cooperation, as well as seminars on wetland conservation management, Lin added.

The LMC is a regional cooperation mechanism co-constructed by China and the five countries along the Lancang-Mekong River -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The mechanism aims to build a community of shared future in the region, Lin explained.

Supported by Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, the involved countries have implemented projects to benefit local residents by ensuring food, vegetable, and fruit supply. Emerging collaborations in digital economy, new energy and aerospace, alongside the acceleration of the Lancang-Mekong Innovation Corridor, are expanding, with cooperation in the fields of cultural tourism and media continuing to deepen, Lin said.

The spokesperson reaffirmed China's commitment in ensuring downstream flow from the Lancang River, sharing hydrological information throughout the year. The country strongly supports Mekong River countries in coping with floods and droughts. Countries of the LMC have made joint efforts in combating transnational crimes, including online gambling and telecom fraud, to help maintain peace in the region.

At the 4th LMC Leaders' Meeting and the 8th LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting last year, significant areas of consensus were reached among the six countries on deepening cooperation in connectivity, green development, and non-traditional security issues, said the spokesperson, and the adoption of the Five-Year Plan of Action on Mekong-Lancang Cooperation has charted the course for further collaboration.

Amid the changing world, building a united, stable, and prosperous Lancang-Mekong zone remains a shared aspiration of LMC countries. China pledges to adhere to its diplomatic principles of mutual benefit and inclusiveness, aiming to deepen the construction of a community of shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, Lin said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken of Washingtons ironclad commitment to defend the Philippines after clashes between Chinese and Filipino coastguards in the disputed South China Sea.

Mr Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the United States ally, met his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on Tuesday before planned meetings with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and other top officials in Manila.

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President Joe Biden will host Mr Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a White House summit in April.

The three are likely to discuss concerns over increasingly aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea and North Koreas nuclear programme.



Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second left, met Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

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We stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defence commitments, including under the Mutual Defence Treaty, Mr Blinken said at a news conference with Mr Manalo.

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We have a shared concern about the PRCs actions that threaten our common vision for a free, open Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and in the Philippines exclusive economic zone, Mr Blinken said, using the abbreviation for the Peoples Republic of China.

He cited repeated violations of international law and the rights of the Philippines: water cannons, blocking manoeuvres, close shadowing other dangerous operations.

The Chinese coast guard blocked and used water cannons against Philippine vessels in a confrontation two weeks ago that slightly injured a Filipino admiral and four of his sailors near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

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The March 5 incident also caused two minor collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels and prompted Manilas Department of Foreign Affairs to summon Chinas deputy ambassador to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guards actions, which the Philippines said were unacceptable.

The Chinese coast guard said that it took control measures in accordance with the law against Philippine ships that illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Renai Reef, the name Beijing uses for Second Thomas Shoal.

The Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent but surrounded by Chinese coast guard ships and other allied vessels, has been the site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships in the past year.

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Mr Blinken shakes hands with Philippines secretary of foreign affairs Enrique Manalo (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

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But Filipino officials said the confrontation earlier this month was particularly serious because of the injuries sustained by its navy personnel and damage to their vessel.

Mr Blinken renewed a warning on Tuesday that the US is obliged under a 1951 Mutual Defence Treaty to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under an armed attack anywhere in the South China Sea.

Both Mr Blinken and Mr Manalo described their countries treaty alliance as being on hyper-drive but acknowledged that more could be done. They said efforts to shore up defence ties were not aimed against any country.

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Beijing has repeatedly said that Mr Marcoss decision to allow the expansion of an American military presence in the Philippines under a 2014 defence pact could undermine the security of China and the region.

US and Philippine forces plan to hold their largest annual combat exercises in April in the Philippines. The area would include a northern region not far from Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

We reaffirmed our shared view that a strong and capable Philippines would make a formidable ally for the United States, Mr Manalo said.
Chris Tomlin - "Holy Forever World Tour" | Schmidt Relations

Nashville, Tenn. (March 18, 2024)  Chris Tomlin, a Pollstar Top 10 Worldwide Tour headliner and one of the most successful Christian touring artists today, has added a second leg this fall to his Holy Forever World Tour due to the tremendous response for the global tour set to launch April 18. The first leg includes Chris first headline tour overseas in more than a decade as the Grammy award winner is set to perform concerts across the U.S. and globally, including England, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany and Hungary. The second leg will add 18 concerts to the calendar beginning October 18. Ticket pre-sales begin Monday, March 25th at ChrisTomlin.com Sibling trio CAIN and Grammy-nominated artist Tauren Wells will join Tomlin for various runs of the tour.

Its remarkable to see how God is using Holy Forever, said Chris. I never could have imagined how quickly the song would connect with the church around the world. As part of that, I am honored to announce the addition of 18 new cities to the Holy Forever World Tour. The tour starts next month and I am excited to see what else God has in store for Holy Forever.

The Holy Forever World Tour is aptly named after one of the fastest growing songs in the church right now and one of his largest consumed songs each week in his distinguished catalog with the single currently sitting at over 140M streams. Holy Forever, a Grammy-nominated six-week #1 single, has become one of the most significant songs of Chris 20+year career. Its reach and impact continues to help in Chris global mission and desire to help give people a voice to worship God. Billboard touted, Tomlins name has become synonymous with modern worship music, as the Texas native has issued songs that have evolved into music standards sung by church congregations around the world. Out of a desire to allow as many people as possible to join these nights of worship, tickets for the first leg of the tour are available now for $25 all in.

Holy Forever World Tour 2024 First Leg

4-18 Newark, NJ - Prudential Center

4-19 Hershey, PA - GIANT Center

4-20 Boston, MA - Agganis Arena

4-25 St. Louis, MO - Chaifetz Arena

4-27 Kansas City, MO - Cable Dahmer Arena

5-1 Spokane, WA - Spokane Arena

5-2 Everett, WA - Angel of the Winds Arena

5-3 Portland, OR - Moda Center

5-9 Fresno, CA - Save Mart Center

5-10 Anaheim, CA - Honda Center

5-11 Henderson, NV - Dollar Loan Center

5-26 West Sussex, England (UK) - Winston House- Big Church Day Out

5-27 Belfast, Ireland (UK) - SSE Arena Belfast

5-28 Rotterdam, Netherlands (NL) - Ahoy Arena

5-30 Dusseldorf, Germany (DE) - Mitsubishi Electric Halle- D. LIVE

6-1 Miskolc, Hungary - DVTK Stadium

Holy Forever World Tour 2024 Second Leg

10-9 Ontario, CA - Toyota Arena

10-10 Phoenix, AZ - Mullett Arena

10-11 San Diego, CA - Viejas Arena

10-23 Hartford, CT - XL Center

10-24 Pittsburgh, PA - Petersen Events Center

10-25 Canton, OH - Canton Memorial Civic Center

11-1 Houston, TX - Berry Center

11-2 Fort Worth, TX - Dickies Arena

11-3 San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum

11-7 Atlanta, GA - Gas South Arena

11-8 Charlotte, NC - Bojangles Coliseum

11-9 Baltimore, MD - Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena

11-14 Minneapolis, MN - Target Center

11-15 Chicago, IL - NOW Arenda

11-16 Indianapolis, IN - Gainbridge Fieldhouse

11-21 Orlando, FL - Addition Financial Arena

11-22 Sunrise, FL - Amerant Bank Arena

11-23 Tampa, FL - Yuengling Center

2024 is on pace to be one of Chris busiest of his career as he delivered a new album, Live From Good Friday on March 15 and his book How Great is Our God: Living a Worship-Led Life in a Me-Driven World (K-LOVE Books) is out tomorrow in celebration of one of his most impactful songs as he invites readers to redefine worship beyond music. Chris uses his experience as a worship leader to provide readers with tools for living a God-centered life. Live From Good Friday track listing:

Good Good Father / Great Are You Lord Ephesians 1 20-23 (feat. Pastor Darren Whitehead) Holy Forever (with Jenn Johnson & Brian Johnson) How Great Is Our God Our God Is He Worthy At The Cross (Love Ran Red) Whom Shall I Fear (God Of Angel Armies) (feat. George Mhondera) Always Precious Love It Is Well

About Chris Tomlin:

Chris Tomlin has scored 21 number-one singles, 30 top-ten hits (more than any other Christian artist), and spent a total of 158+ weeks at number-one during his career. Hes sold more than 12 million albums with 6.8 billion career global streams, won a Grammy, three Billboard Music Awards, 29 Dove Awards, became a two-time BMI Songwriter of the Year honoree and an ASCAP Songwriter of the Year. In 2016, he was named one of only four artists ever to receive the Sound Exchange Digital Radio Award for over 1 billion digital radio streams, alongside Justin Timberlake, Pitbull, and Garth Brooks. Chris is also the first Christian artist to reach the billion streams threshold on Pandora and was presented with their BILLIONAIRE award.

For more information visit www.christomlin.com or follow Chris on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

About Tauren Wells:

TAUREN WELLS is a celebrated musician, preacher, public speaker and father, with 10GRAMMY Award nominations, six number 1s, 225+ million career video views,seven GMA Dove Awards, Billboard Music Award nomination, and over 1.1 billionglobal streams to date, and counting. Through his precise artistry, masterful lyrics anddance-oriented performances, Tauren uniquely connects his contemporary Christian andGospel sound with elements of pop, hip-hop and R&B. With his 2022 album Joy In TheMorning, his first record with Capitol Records/CCMG and third career album, heemphasizes his genre-bending musical talent and limitless creative range drawing froma lifetime of influences across gospel, pop, R&B, and more. Joy In The Morningfollows 2021s Citizen of Heaven (Live), which received a GRAMMY nomination thisyear. He also received GRAMMY and NAACP Image Awards nominations for Hold UsTogether (Hope Mix), his 2021 duet with H.E.R. Having toured with industry greats(Lionel Richie, Mariah Carey, etc.), Wells most recently brought his showstopping vocalsand electrifying signature dance production across the U.S. with his Joy in the Morningheadline tour. Born and raised in Michigan, Tauren currently resides in Texas with hiswife and four sons. The Wells family recently opened a church in Austin, TX in January2024 called the Church of Whitestone.

For more information on Tauren Wells: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website

About CAIN:

The music of CAIN quickly became a mainstay at radio since their debut single, RIAA Gold certified "Rise Up (Lazarus)," released in early 2020. Pastor's kids from Alabama now living in Nashville, CAIN - Madison Cain Johnson, Taylor Cain Matz, and Logan Cain - got their first break opening for Dave Barnes in 2012. Now over a decade later, they've headlined their own tour, shared the stage with numerous Christian music giants, and even performed on the Grand Ole Opry stage. The group also hosted the 2023 K-LOVE Fan Awards.

It has been said that if you spend five minutes with CAIN youll feel like youve spent the day in the sunshine. Their joy impacts each person they meet, and their smiles are as contagious as their harmonies. CAIN has discovered what its like to live their calling while doing their favorite thing - singing about Jesus.
Demi-Leigh Tebow - "A Crown That Lasts" | Shore Fire Media

Philanthropist, entrepreneur, speaker, model and Miss Universe (2017) Demi-Leigh Tebow will release her debut book A Crown That Lasts: You Are Not Your Label on August 13 via W Publishing Group.

In A Crown that Lasts, Tebow confesses the danger of tying personal identity to accomplishments, discovering the truth of who we were created to be, and how to use any platform, no matter how big or small, for eternal impact.

On this earth, a crown is what separates victors from the rest of the competitors, but the goal of creating a life worth living is not to gain a trophy, get a prize, or keep the crown. While walking the reader through the journey of her own evolving confidencefrom basing her identity on temporary labels and her own efforts, to discovering the rock-solid security of anchoring her dreams in her MakerTebow weaves her story together with the insights she's learned along the way.

I couldnt be more excited to finally announce my first book, A Crown that Lasts! says Tebow. Its been a long time in the making and it wasnt always easythere were times I had to dig deeper, peel off the labels placed on me by society, work through the mistakes Ive made and the pain Ive experienced. But one thing remained: the calling and responsibility Ive felt to share this message with the world. I cant wait for everyone to join me on this journey to finding a crown that lasts by walking confidently in your unique purpose.

From relating to discomfort, confusion and doubt to discovering God-confidence during lifes unexpected detours and beyond, A Crown That Lasts illustrates how the purpose of our lives is to love and serve God and others, and finding the encouragement to focus not just on our own aspirations, but on our greater purpose and leaving behind a footprint of significance, not just success.

Demi-Leigh Tebow is one of the most influential voices on the international stage, using her platforms as Miss South Africa and Miss Universe to educate and inspire. After surviving an attempted carjacking, she founded the #Unbreakable Campaign to educate and empower women by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to be able to handle dangerous situations. Tebow shares her passion for living a values-driven life, her purpose inspired by her faith in God, and her insights about making an impact in sought-after keynotes and conversations. Always a community-minded leader, she strives to bring compassion to hurting people all over the world and be a voice for the voiceless victims of human trafficking. She lends her philanthropic vision to the Tim Tebow Foundation, raising awareness for the fight against human trafficking and supporting children with profound medical needs, among other impactful mission work.
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FoodArtisans & farmers Are the worlds favourite oozy cheeses in danger of extinction? Experts warn brie and camembert may fall victim to their own success. Richard Cornish March 19, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

French scientists have alarmed cheese lovers worldwide, announcing that camembert cheese is on the verge of extinction. A team at the French Centre for Scientific Research has pointed the finger at human intervention and mass industrialisation of the cheese industry, which has put the strain of microscopic fungus used to make brie and camembert on track to die out. Ripe brie, ready to eat  but potentially in danger of extinction. Getty Images Weve domesticated these invisible organisms just as we did with dogs, says French evolutionary biologist Jeanne Ropars, whose team sequenced the fungus genome. But every time an organism is subjected to overly drastic selection, their genetic diversity is greatly reduced.

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The organism in question is a carefully selected, aggressive, and fast-growing albino mutation of a penicillin mould called Penicillium camemberti, isolated in a French lab and commercialised. It produces a pure white fluffy bloom that covers the cheeses and helps break down the fat and protein inside to a delicious, gooey texture. Alison Lansley, secretary of the Australian Specialist Cheesemakers Association (rear), with cheesemakers Ivan and Julie Larcher at The Cheese School in Castlemaine. Simon Schluter Victorian-based French cheesemaker Ivan Larcher explains that before World War II, brie and camembert were not white but a variety of colours. There is a famous painting of French brie from 1888, he says. The cheese is blue and orange. Back then, these cheeses were made from a fungus called Penicillium biforme. From this mutated the white mould fungi, he says.

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Before then, cheesemakers thought white mould was a contaminant. Today we are brainwashed to expect pure white brie and camembert. Today, the albino strain of P. camemberti lacks the genetic diversity to fend off diseases, should they come along. It can no longer reproduce sexually, is unable to cross-breed naturally  which could instil genetic diversity  and can only be cloned in laboratories. The global cheese industry is now facing a shortage of this essential mould. French roquefort cheese may be affected by the lack of biodiversity in the cheese world. This lack of biodiversity in the cheese world is also affecting the rich and aromatic French blue cheese roquefort.

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To produce vast quantities of consistently flavoursome, appetising, and safe blue cheese, manufacturers selected just a few strains of Penicillium roqueforti, a naturally occurring fungus, and cloned it in laboratories. As a result, the fungi have accumulated multiple damaging mutations and are now in danger of becoming infertile. What's the difference between brie and camembert? Supermarket brie tasted and rated: From the dreamy and creamy to the deeply unsettling Some in the industry argue that genetic modification could help get the industry resolve the issue and allow cheese fungi to breed again. But French scientist Tatiana Giraud argues that gene editing would further compound the problem.

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The only way to compensate for detrimental mutations is to introduce new genes, she says. Genome editing is another form of selection. What we need today is the diversity provided by sexual reproduction between individuals with different genomes. Larcher, however, returning to traditional cheesemaking methods may provide a long-term solution. The industry is moving towards using a variety of more traditional and indigenous cultures that have not been selected in the lab, he says. The future lies in more rustic cheese made with more naturally occurring yeasts, moulds and bacteria. The greater the biodiversity, the fewer problems in the future.

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Stafford, Leonov and US astronaut Donald Slayton inside the Apollo-Soyuz spacecraft during the Russian-American handshake in space. Credit: Getty In 1962, he was selected for NASAs second group of aspiring astronauts and flew the first two of his four space flights during the series of 10 Gemini missions  a two-man spacecraft in which he played a pioneering role in learning orbit rendezvous techniques to enable vehicles to dock in space. Unlike those on the preceding one-man Mercury flights, the Gemini astronauts had computers enabling them to control and manoeuvre independently of ground control. As backup commander, Stafford had to take over the second of these flights, Gemini 9, when the prime crew were killed in an air crash. Staffords fellow crew member, Gene Cernan, made history with a two-hour spacewalk, and the new controls enabled the pair to splash down less than a kilometre from the recovery ship. Stafford then headed mission planning and software development for Project Apollo, playing a leading role in organising the series of missions that made the final moon landings possible. Commanding Apollo 10 during the final rehearsal, Stafford undocked from Apollo and, with Cernan, flew the lunar module almost to the moons surface, returning eight hours later to make the first docking in lunar orbit with the parent spacecraft. There was no temptation for them to land, as they had insufficient fuel to take off again. During their return, with John Young piloting Apollo, the spacecraft reached 24,791 miles per hour (39,897 km/h), the highest speed attained by humans.

Following the moon landings Stafford was appointed head of the astronauts, responsible for flight crew training and selection. In this capacity, he played a major role in plans for a joint Soviet-US flight. Staffords wife Faye and daughter Dionne (left) watch television coverage of the US-Soviet mission. Credit: Fairfax This was part of an agreement on the peaceful exploration of outer space made by president Nixon and Soviet prime minister Alexei Kosygin in May 1972. It suited both superpowers, filling the gap between the end of the moon race and the next developments in space exploration. The two crews were selected and announced two years ahead of the 1975 flight date, the first time Russia had named cosmonauts before they had actually flown. Both countries picked veterans since diplomacy, as well as experience, was required: Stafford for the US with Deke Slayton, the only one of the original seven astronauts who had never flown, and Vance Brand, with years of backup experience. General Leonov, who had made the worlds first spacewalk and had established his own power base in Russia, was named to command Soyuz, supported by Valeri Kubasov. Leonov (left) and Stafford reunite at a media event in Moscow, 2010. Credit: AP

For the Americans, the first shock was that they would not dock as expected with a Salyut space station, but directly with the Soyuz spacecraft, with much less opportunity to penetrate Soviet space secrets. Many thought the docking would never take place, especially when Stafford told the Russians that the mission would have to be cancelled after they blocked his requests to go to Baikonur in Kazakhstan to inspect the Soyuz. This alarmed his NASA bosses since 4000 jobs depended on the mission. But the Soviets also needed it to go ahead, and the next day, Leonov threw an arm around Stafford and said: What is the problem? Of course you can go to Baikonur. The Soviets then produced their first-ever press kit  at 204 pages long, it was twice the size of NASAs  and a simultaneous countdown of spacecraft 16,000 kilometres apart began. Despite consternation when Deke Slayton told a news conference that the Soviets had a lousy political system and he wanted no part of it, the two-day docking finally took place. It was not without some confusion, however, with Leonov rebuking Soviet Mission Control for their impatience, telling them: We are preparing to receive our guests. President Gerald Ford talked to all five spacemen, but congratulations from Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev had to be read by a Russian television newscaster. Leonov, a talented artist, lightened up the political bickerings by drawing and showing to the cameras his caricatures of the American astronauts  including one of the bald Stafford as if he had a full head of hair  and the friendships they established played a major part in the subsequent gradual thaw in East-West relationships.

For NASA, however, the celebrations at the end of a successful mission were marred by a mishap during re-entry when the exhausted American astronauts failed to operate some switches correctly, with the result that poisonous gases were sucked into the spacecraft. All three suffered blistered lungs and were in hospital in Honolulu for a fortnight. Splashdown of Gemini 9A carrying astronauts Eugene Cernan and Thomas Stafford in June 1966. Credit: Getty When he left NASA in 1975, Stafford began a new and varied career. He assumed command of the USAF Flight Test Centre at Edwards, California, with the rank of major general. Three years later, he was promoted to lieutenant general and sent to USAF headquarters in Washington, DC, as deputy chief of staff, research and development. There, he initiated work on the F117A stealth fighter and on the technology that led to the revolutionary B2 stealth bomber and was a defence adviser to President Ronald Reagan. By 1990, he was chairing a committee advising on how to achieve president George H. W. Bushs vision of returning to the moon, followed by the exploration of Mars  a so-called road map for the ensuing 30 years of the USs manned space-flight programme. Stafford was awarded many honours, and the airport in his hometown of Weatherford, Oklahoma, was named after him.
A man has been charged with dangerous driving and a couple are seriously injured after a dispute between the neighbours about their dogs ended in an alleged hit-and-run in Sydneys west.

Kurtis Saunders, 41, was walking his dog on Cygnus Close in Doonside when he allegedly got into an argument with neighbour Corey Porter, 29, who also had a dog with him, on Monday night.

Detective Superintendent Darren Newman said police later found Saunders and his partner, Jodie Robertson, hurt in a horrible scene when they responded to reports of a hit-and-run about 8.50pm.

Newman said Robertson, 42, suffered a head trauma and bruising, and Saunders injuries  which included broken ribs, leg fractures and significant dislocations around his ankles  were very difficult and confronting for those who responded.
Flight training company CAE said on Tuesday it has signed a long-term agreement with Akasa Air to train B737 Max pilots at its facilities in India.

As we receive a substantial influx of aircraft in the coming decade, this partnership with CAE will provide us access to the worlds best training facilities for the next 15 years and will help us build a team of highly experienced and skilled pilots, as we continue our commitment to becoming one of the worlds safest airlines, said Vinay Dube, founder and chief executive officer of Akasa Air.

In January, Akasa Air placed an order for 150 B737 Max aircraft with Boeing at the Wings India Summit 2024. This order comprises B737 Max 8-200 and B737 Max 10. These planes will be delivered between mid-2027 and 2032. Akasa Air has ordered a total of 226 Max aircraft from Boeing.

Previously, the airline ordered 76 Max aircraft. Out of these planes, 23 have been delivered to the airline. The airline expects deliveries of the remaining 53 aircraft by mid-2027.

CAE operates 13 simulators in three commercial aviation training centres in India. Through them, it delivers essential pilot training and training services to airlines in India. Last year, CAE became Boeing's authorised training provider for its competency-based training and assessment (CBTA) curriculum in India.

Akasa Air said in February it will operate its first international flight between Mumbai and Doha from March 28. This makes the budget carrier the first Indian airline to take to global skies within 19 months of commencing its operations.

The carrier operated its first flight on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route on August 7, 2022.

According to government regulations, an airline must have a fleet of 20 planes to start international operations. Akasa Air has 23 B737 Max aircraft and serves 20 cities in India.
Engrail Therapeutics, a precision neuroscience biotechnology company, on Tuesday announced the close of its oversubscribed $157 million Series B financing round.

The round was co-led by new investors F-Prime Capital, Forbion, and Norwest Venture Partners. It had participation from Eight Roads Ventures, RiverVest Venture Partners, Red Tree Venture Capital, funds managed by Abrdn Inc., Ysios Capital, Longwood Fund, and existing founding investor Pivotal Life Sciences. Since its inception in 2019, Engrail has raised more than $220 million. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel





ALSO READ: Health tech company HiLabs raises $39 million in Series B financing Engrail, which is based in the United States and has employees in India and Europe, was founded by Vikram Sudarsan and Stephen Cunningham and aims to become a neuroscience leader.

The Series B funding will help the company in developing therapies to treat diseases with significant unmet medical needs including anxiety disorders, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and rare neurodegenerative diseases, said Engrail in a statement.

With strong financial backing from highly sophisticated and dedicated life science investors, we are well-positioned to deliver multiple value-creating milestones. We look forward to completing our ongoing ENX-102 phase 2 study in generalised anxiety disorder and advancing the rest of our pipeline into clinical development, said Sudarsan, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Engrail Therapeutics.

Sudarsan previously worked with Cipla, one of Indias largest pharmaceutical manufacturers. He was CEO of Cipla Technologies where he built a pipeline of branded products to treat central nervous system disease disorders and respiratory diseases. Before that, he was head of strategy at Cipla New Ventures. He was on the boards of Stempeutics, Chase Pharmaceuticals, Cipla Technologies, and Cipla USA.

Peter Bisgaard, chairman of Engrails board of directors and managing director at Pivotal Life Sciences, said: We are proud to have started Engrail, which has progressed rapidly from an idea into a clinical-stage neuroscience company within just a few years.
In 2024, the company faces the repayment of debts worth Rs 5,400 crore

Vodafone Idea (Vi) executives will be in a huddle with institutional investors in Singapore on Wednesday in their bid to raise funds for the cash-strapped firm. Similar meetings are lined up in Mumbai on Thursday and Friday, the company said in an exchange filing.

The company said no unpublished price sensitive information (UPSI) is proposed to be shared by it during the investor meetings, which will be both -- one-to-one and group. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel

Last month, Vis board had approved a Rs 45,000-crore fundraising plan, through both equity and debt. This included a Rs 20,000 crore equity-based fund raise from existing investors.

Vis CEO Akshaya Moondra has said a commitment by the promoters to put up Rs 2000 crore towards meeting payment obligations remains active.

The company has missed several self-imposed deadlines to raise funds, with the latest being December 31, 2023. Any new funds raised from banks will be used for deployment of capital expenditure, and not to service existing dues, Moondra said last year.



At the end of third quarter of FY24 (October-December), Vi had an enormous total gross debt excluding lease liabilities of Rs 2.14 trillion.

This included deferred spectrum payment obligations of Rs 1.38 trillion. The telco also had an Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) liability of Rs 69,020 crore that is owed to the government.

In 2024, the company is staring at the repayment of Rs 5400 crore worth of debt.

It has been engaging with lenders for further debt fundraising as well as with other parties for equity or equity-linked fundraising, to make the required investments for network expansion, including for its anticipated 5G rollout.

Vis two main competitors, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, have already launched 5G services in 7,764 and more than 5,000 cities, respectively.

Vi had raised Rs 25,000 crore ($3 billion) in May 2019 through a rights issue, including Rs 17,920 crore ($2.2 billion) contributed by the promoter group. The promoter group had also invested a further Rs 4900 crore ($600 million) in 2022.

Currently, the government is Vodafones largest creditor, owning 33.4 percent equity stake post the conversion of the companys interest dues worth Rs 16,000 crore. The interests had piled up as a result of its deferred adjusted gross revenue (AGR) and spectrum instalments.
Attendees raising signs against superintendent Mike Miles during the Houston ISD Board of Trustees monthly agenda review meeting on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Several Houston ISD community members are expressing their concern over the results of appointed Superintendent Mike Miles controversial principal proficiency screenings by participating in a letter-writing campaign and making plans to speak at Thursday's board meeting.

As part of its mid-year proficiency screening, HISD notified about half of its principals earlier this month that they had not yet met the requirements to guarantee their jobs next year and would have to achieve proficiency under a second screening if they want to guarantee their spot during the next academic year. Under the appraisal system, the lowest-performing 10% of principals would lose their positions.

Several HISD parents, teachers and other employees have since said they believe the screening is unfair and they are worried about the future of campus leaders after the Houston Chronicle published the names of 117 principals who received the message, including longtime veterans and new principals in some of HISDs highest- and lowest-performing schools.

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The Chronicle later removed the list after receiving a tip that one principal's name may have erroneously been included in the email. Miles said Monday that the districts list of 117 principals was accurate but that there was a discrepancy in the Chronicles list that he has declined to detail

THE REPORT CARD: Subscribe to the Houston Chronicles weekly newsletter recapping HISD news

Heather Golden, a parent of two HISD high schoolers, said she and multiple other HISD parents organized a campaign to encourage community members to express their opposition to the screening by speaking during Thursday's Board of Managers meeting and sending letters to Houston-area and state education organizations asking them to publicly denounce the screenings.

When you're using a tool and it's meant to produce specific results around principal quality  like it is in this case  you would expect it to have some relevance or match up in some way with student achievement results, and there seemed to be a huge disconnect there, Golden said. We wanted people to see that this looked like a garbage in, garbage out situation.

Under HISDs mid-year proficiency screening, principals who earned a score of Proficient I or better based on the schools quality of instruction and student achievement can remain in campuses. Principals who dont earn the score must earn a Proficient I or better based on instruction during the second screening to automatically be eligible to return to their campuses.

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About 22% of principals who score below proficient on the second screening, in a category called "Progressing II," may remain in their position at the discretion of their supervisors. The 10% who receive the lowest rating, "Progressing I," will be removed from their schools, according to Miles' targeted distribution.

HISD SCHOOL BOARD MEETING: Here's what you need to know about attending, signing up to speak

Quality of instruction is based on a review teams classroom observations of core subject teachers, while student achievement is based on mid-year test data and interim results on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, according to the district.

Miles defended the proficiency screening during a press conference Monday but acknowledged that some of the confusion and concern over the screenings was understandable. He said the overwhelming majority of principals will be asked to return to the district and that he believed the community would make good decisions if the district shows that it is putting students first.

If what I say continues to be out there and ... we stay this course, the community will come along, Miles said. There's always going to be other messages. We stay on our message, and we show results for our kids. Thats what were gonna do.

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Christine Hurley, a parent of two HISD elementary school students, said she and her husband are both planning to speak at the upcoming board meeting about the screening. She said its not fair for independent review teams to have such a huge effect on whether a principal can remain in the district and questioned whether the system was setting principals up for success.

We want a fair and legal evaluation for principals and teachers, which really is a very low bar, and he is still not meeting it, Hurley said.

MORE HISD COVERAGE: District enrollment drops by more than 30,000 students since its peak

In addition to plans to speak at the board meeting, Golden, Hurley and other community members say they have sent several letters outlining the negative consequences of potential principal turnover, as well as the financial costs of Miles New Education System, a reform program expanding from 85 to 130 schools during the upcoming academic year.

Miles put 117 campus leaders  including leaders of some of our most successful and nationally ranked schools  on notice as not being proficient and at risk of losing their jobs, said the template letter that organizers drafted. ... Im concerned we will lose our best and brightest campus leaders as a result. Principal turnover destabilizes schools and does not lead to improved student outcomes.

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The template letter asks the recipients, including members of the Board of Managers, to call for an independent review of all of the districts evaluation systems that Miles has proposed. It also expresses that, if Miles is not removed from the district, the author will vote no on a future bond, which Miles has said he hopes to call for.

I dont think it is financially responsible to move forward with a bond, the letter states. Given the current level of district and financial uncertainty created by Mr. Miles, I cannot support a bond. And I will work actively across my network to convince others to vote no as well if Mr. Miles continues as a leader of our district.
Indias former ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday. He is another addition to a growing list of retired bureaucrats and those who have taken voluntary retirement and joined the BJP in recent years.

Since retiring from the Indian Foreign Service at the end of January and returning from the US, Sandhu has reached out to a cross-section of society in his hometown, Amritsar, which has contributed to the speculation that he could contest the Lok Sabha (LS) as a BJP candidate from that seat. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel





ALSO READ: Lok Sabha 2024: Congress manifesto to cover '5 Nyay' with 25 guarantees The BJP is unlikely to ally with the Shiromani Akali Dal and now has several leaders in its ranks in Punjab who were earlier with the Congress and capable of increasing its LS tally from the state.

Congress Patiala LS Member of Parliament Preneet Kaur joined the BJP last week. Her husband, former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, joined the BJP in September 2022. Former Congress leader Sunil Jakhar is currently the BJPs state unit chief.

The BJP won two of Punjabs 13 seats in 2019, including Sunny Deol from Gurdaspur, who defeated Jakhar, and former Indian Administrative Service officer Som Prakash from Hoshiarpur. Former diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri lost the LS election from Amritsar in 2019. He is a BJP Rajya Sabha MP and a Union minister.







After joining the BJP, Sandhu addressed a press conference in the national capital. Sandhu, Indias ambassador to the US for four years from February 2020 until the end of January this year, underlined that the India-US bilateral relationship in these four years has graduated to a win-win partnership in at least five sectors. He said the US investments into India have increased, as the joint statement issued during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US last year mentioned. There is greater cooperation in health care, education, manufacturing of semiconductors, and solar energy.

ROLL CALL

TARANJIT SINGH SANDHU: Former IFS, likely to contest from Amritsar

ABHIJIT GANGOPADHYAY: Former Calcutta High Court judge, recently joined BJP, could contest LS polls

R K Singh: Former IAS, Union minister, LS MP from Arrah in 2014 and 2019

S JAISHANKAR: Former foreign secretary, Union minister, RS MP

HARDEEP SINGH PURI: Former IFS, Union minister, RS MP

SATYA PAL SINGH: former IPS, LS MP from Baghpat in 2014 and 2019

ASHWINI VAISHNAW: Former IAS, Union minister, RS MP

SOM PRAKASH: Former IAS, Union minister, LS MP (Hoshiarpur)

ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL: Former IAS, Union minister, LS MP from Bikaner

APARAJITA SARANGI: Former IAS, LS MP from Bhubaneswar

O P CHOUDHARY: Former IAS, Chhattisgarh finance minister, MLA from Raigarh

NEELKANTH TEKAM: Former IAS, MLA from Chhattisgarhs Keshkal

GENERAL (RETIRED) V K SINGH: Union minister, LS MP from Ghaziabad
The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that while he has been visiting Tamil Nadu frequently in the last few weeks, he has "historically paid little attention" to the state.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed questions for the prime minister ahead of his visit to Tamil Nadu's Salem and Kerala's Palakkad on Tuesday.

"The prime minister is visiting Salem, Tamil Nadu and Palakkad, Kerala today. Some important questions that he must address: While the prime minister has been visiting Tamil Nadu frequently in the last few weeks, he has historically paid little attention to the state," Ramesh said.

For instance, he did not set foot there during the Cyclone Michaung crisis in December 2023, he claimed.

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu has repeatedly urged for the release of Rs 37,907 crore from the Modi government for rehabilitation and reconstruction after the cyclone, he noted.

Does the prime minister plan to fulfil this critical need of the people of Tamil Nadu, Ramesh asked.

"During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Salem, he will hopefully notice the numerous textile factories that have either shut down and disposed of machinery or reduced working hours for labourers," he said.

After having single-handedly destroyed India's MSME manufacturing capacities with demonetisation, GST, and the unplanned COVID-19 lockdown, what is the prime minister's vision to rescue these textile factories, Ramesh asked.

Prime Minister Modi will address a rally in Salem on Tuesday. Alliance party leaders, including PMK founder S Ramadoss, are likely to attend the public meeting.

The BJP has been focusing on the southern state, hoping to win as many of the 39 constituencies as part of its 'mission 400' seats in the coming polls.

On the PM's visit to Kerala, Ramesh said, "Kerala is the state that the prime minister had infamously compared to Somalia. Kerala's performance on development indicators has been consistently better than all Indian states.

"Will the prime minister finally apologise to the people of Kerala for his misleading commentary on the state," he asked.

Kerala is home to the Western Ghats, an extremely fragile but important ecosystem. In the last 10 years, under Modi's tutelage, there have been continuous assaults on its ecosystem, he alleged.

"The Modi government has diluted all environment and forest laws to help a few favoured corporates, and perhaps to repay the debts incurred for their purchase of the BJP's electoral bonds. Will the prime minister come clean on what his motivations were when he was diluting our environmental protection regime to favour his corporate friends?" Ramesh said and asked the PM to break his "silence" on these issues.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor hit out at the CPI on Tuesday, saying that it is ironic that the Left party which complains about Rahul Gandhi's candidature in Wayanad is "playing the BJP's game" in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram said the only effect of the CPI's campaign against him in the constituency is to divide the anti-BJP vote, "and they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad".

Tharoor, who has been representing Thiruvananthapuram for the past 15 years in the Lok Sabha, is eyeing a record fourth term.

He is facing BJP's Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Electronics and Information Technology. The CPI has fielded Pannian Raveendran in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha seat.

In a post on X, Tharoor said, "It's ironic that the same @cpofindia that complains about @RahulGandhi's candidature in Wayanad is playing the BJP's game in Thiruvananthapuram."



"The only effect of the CPI's campaign against me in Thiruvananthapuram is to divide the anti-BJP vote. And they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad!" the former Union minister said.

Last week, CPI general secretary D Raja had said that fielding Gandhi from Kerala's Wayanad is the Congress's prerogative but the public opinion is that a leader of his stature should have contested a seat where he could directly challenge the BJP whose ideology he is fighting.

On Gandhi contesting from Wayanad, from where the CPI has fielded D Raja's wife Annie Raja, the Left leader had told PTI, "The public opinion is that a leader of his stature should have contested against the BJP because we are fighting the BJP ideologically, politically, at national level and in the states. So, as a leader of this fight, he should have contested BJP directly. That is one opinion."



He had asked what was the message the Congress was trying to send by fielding Gandhi from Kerala, a state ruled by the Left Democratic Front at present.

"...If he wanted to contest any seat from the southern part of India, he could have chosen a seat in Karnataka or in Telangana, wherever to fight BJP directly," Raja had said, adding that it is public opinion, and not that of his party.

The Congress and the CPI are in alliance at the national level as part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) but in Kerala they are contesting against each other as part of the rival state blocs - United Democratic Front (UDF) and Left Democratic Front (LDF).
In response to the rescue operation on Saturday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev expressed heartfelt gratitude to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the courageous actions of the Indian Navy. President Radev's appreciation also highlighted the significance of international cooperation in combating piracy and upholding maritime security.



My sincere gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the brave action of ????????Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship Ruen and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens. March 18, 2024 In a post on X (formerly Twitter), President Radev wrote, "My sincere gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for the brave action of India Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship 'Ruen' and its crew, including seven Bulgarian citizens."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that he appreciated the Bulgarian President's message. On X, he wrote, "Appreciate your message President Of Bulgaria. We are happy that seven Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region."

Appreciate your message President @PresidentOfBg . We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region. https://t.co/nIUaY6UJjP March 19, 2024

Bulgarian ship hijacking

The ship, named "Ruen," was captured by pirates in December last year, with eight Bulgarian nationals, nine Myanmarese citizens, and one Angolan individual on board. Following the hijacking, the vessel remained under the control of the pirates until the recent rescue operation by the Indian Navy on March 16.

Indian Navy rescue operation

In a coordinated effort, the Indian Navy executed a precision rescue mission, culminating in the safe evacuation of all 17 crew members and the surrender of 35 pirates. The operation, carried out by INS Kolkata, showcased the navy's unwavering commitment to safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation in the region.

The successful rescue operation was bolstered by the deployment of additional assets, including the INS Subhadra, High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE RPA) drones, P8I maritime patrol aircraft, and MARCOS PRAHARs. These resources, along with strategic planning and calibrated actions, enabled the Indian Navy to neutralise the pirate threat and secure the release of the hijacked vessel and its crew.

Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel also lauded the efforts of the Indian Navy, emphasising the collaborative engagement between Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indian authorities. She conveyed her gratitude for the safe return of the Bulgarian crew and commended India's swift and effective response to the maritime crisis.

"Thanks to the efforts of the Indian military, the entire crew of the ship was freed. All sailors are in good health and efforts are currently being made for their timely return to Bulgaria," Gabriel stated.
At meeting held on 19 March 2024

1. Incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary company of REC for dealing in permissible activities as a Finance Company in International Financial Service Centre (IFSC), Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT), Gandhinagar, Gujarat, subject to receipt of No-Objection Certificate from the Reserve Bank of India.

2. Incorporation of a project-specific special purpose vehicle, as wholly owned subsidiary of REC Power Development & Consultancy (a wholly owned subsidiary of REC), for additional Transmission system for evacuation of power from Bhadla-III PS as part of Rajasthan REZ Phase-III scheme (20 GW) and to act as Bid Process Coordinator (BPC) for the purpose of selection of Bidder as Transmission Service Provider (TSP), through tariff based competitive bidding process.

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Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

The Board of REC at its meeting held on 19 March 2024 has approved the incorporation of subsidiaries:
According to Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant the risk of terrorism and online radicalisation remains high both in Australia and internationally | Photo: Bloomberg

Australia's online safety regulator has put social media giants on notice, requiring them to explain what they are doing to protect people from violent extremists and terrorists.

The country's eSafety regulator announced Tuesday that it had issued legal notices to Google, Meta, X, WhatsApp, Telegram and Reddit requiring each company to report on steps they are taking to protect Australian users of their platforms from extremist material online.

Accessing violent and extremist content on social media has been blamed for the radicalisation of the perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, which killed 51 people, and also a gunman who murdered 10 black Americans at Buffalo in New York in 2022. Both shooters also live-streamed parts of their attacks online.

According to Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant the risk of terrorism and online radicalisation remains high both in Australia and internationally.

"The tech companies that provide these services have a responsibility to ensure that these features and their services cannot be exploited to perpetrate such harm and that's why we are sending these notices to get a look under the hood at what they are and are not doing," Inman Grant said in a written statement.

"We remain concerned about how extremists weaponise technology like live-streaming, algorithms and recommender systems and other features to promote or share this hugely harmful material."



The Commission said it had issued the notices under transparency powers granted under Australia's Online Safety Act, which will require the six companies to answer a series of detailed questions about how they are tackling the issue.

"It's no coincidence we have chosen these companies to send notices to as there is evidence that their services are exploited by terrorists and violent extremists. We want to know why this is and what they are doing to tackle the issue," Inman Grant said.

"And, disappointingly, none of these companies have chosen to provide this information through the existing voluntary framework developed in conjunction with industry provided by the OECD."



The companies have 49 days to respond and face financial penalties of around 780 thousand Australian dollars (USD 510,000) per day if they don't comply.

According to a recent OECD report, Telegram is the top-ranked mainstream platform when it comes to the prevalence of terrorist and violent extremist material, with Google's YouTube ranked second and X, formerly known as Twitter, third. The Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram round out the top five.

WhatsApp is ranked 8th while a 2022 report by the New York State Attorney General confirmed the Buffalo supermarket shooter's manifesto cited Reddit as a platform that played a role in his radicalisation towards violent white supremacist extremism.

The eSafety Commission will also be asking Telegram and Reddit about measures they have in place to detect and remove child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The Commission said it will publish further information on the findings later in the year.
A photo at the third Summit for Democracy in Seoul, South Korea.( Photo: PTI)

Secretary of State Antony Blinken will underscore Washington's ironclad commitment to its alliance with the Philippines on Tuesday, as clashes between Chinese and Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea turn more hostile, the U.S. State Department said.

Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the U.S. treaty ally, met his Philippine counterpart, Enrique Manalo Tuesday, before planned meetings with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top officials in Manila.

Next month, President Joe Biden will host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a White House summit amid growing concerns over increasingly aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea and North Korea's nuclear program.

The Chinese coast guard blocked and used water cannons against Philippine vessels in a confrontation two weeks ago that slightly injured a Filipino admiral and four of his sailors near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

The March 5 faceoff in the high seas also caused two minor collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels and prompted Manila's Department of Foreign Affairs to summon China's deputy ambassador to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guard's actions, which the Philippines said were unacceptable.

Washington renewed a warning after the hostilities that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under an armed attack anywhere in the South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard said that it took control measures in accordance with the law against Philippine ships that illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Ren'ai Reef, the name Beijing uses for Second Thomas Shoal.

The Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent but surrounded by Chinese coast guard ships and other allied vessels, was the site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships last year. But Filipino officials said the confrontation earlier this month was particularly serious because of the injuries sustained by its navy personnel and damage to their vessel.

In his meetings with Marcos and Manalo, Blinken will advance shared economic priorities and underscore the United States' ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Philippine alliance, the State Department said.

They will discuss areas to deepen U.S.-Philippine cooperation on a range of bilateral and global issues, including on regional peace and stability, human rights and democracy, economic prosperity among others, the State Department said.

Outside the presidential palace, dozens of left-wing activists tore a mock U.S. flag in a noisy rally Tuesday to oppose Blinken's visit and U.S. involvement in the long-simmering territorial disputes.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, a key global trade route.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea. In the last decade, China has turned barren reefs into seven islands that now serve as missile-protected island bases, including three with runways, that have bolstered its capability to fortify its territorial claims and patrols.

In response, Washington has been strengthening an arc of military alliances and security relationships in the Indo-Pacific, including with the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries at odds with China in the disputed sea.

After China effectively seized another disputed atoll, the Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines, in 2012, Manila brought its disputes with Beijing to international arbitration and largely won. China, however, rejected the 2016 ruling of the U.N.-backed tribunal that invalidated its expansive claims on historical grounds and continues to defy the decision.
Gangs attacked two upscale neighbourhoods in Haiti's capital in a rampage that left at least a dozen people dead in surrounding areas.

Gunmen looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin before sunrise on Monday, forcing residents to flee as some called radio stations pleading for police. The neighbourhoods had remained largely peaceful despite a surge in violent gang attacks across Port-au-Prince that began on February 29.

An Associated Press photographer saw the bodies of at least 12 men strewn on the streets of Ptionville, located just below the mountainous communities of Laboule and Thomassin.

Crowds began gathering around the victims. One was lying face up on the street surrounded by a scattered deck of cards and another found face down inside a pick-up truck known as a "tap-tap" that operates as a taxi. A woman at one of the scenes collapsed and had to be held by others after learning that a relative of hers was killed.

"Abuse! This is abuse!" cried out one Haitian man who did not want to be identified as he raised his arms and stood near one of the victims. "People of Haiti! Wake up!" An ambulance arrived shortly afterward and made its way through Ptionville, collecting the victims.

"We woke up this morning to find bodies in the street in our community of Ptionville," said Douce Titi, who works at the mayor's office. "Ours is not that kind of community. We will start working to remove those bodies before the children start walking by to go to school and the vendors start to arrive."



It was too late for some, though. A relative of one of the victims hugged a young boy close to his chest, with his head turned away from the scene.

The most recent attacks raised concerns that gang violence would not cease despite Prime Minister Ariel Henry announcing nearly a week ago that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created, a move that gangs had been demanding.

Gangs have long opposed Henry, saying he was never elected by the people as they blame him for deepening poverty, but critics of gangs accuse them of trying to seize power for themselves or for unidentified Haitian politicians.

Also on Monday, Haiti's power company announced that four substations in the capital and elsewhere "were destroyed and rendered completely dysfunctional". As a result, swaths of Port-au-Prince were without power, including the Cite Soleil slum, the Croix-des-Bouquets community and a hospital.

The company said criminals also seized important documents, cables, inverters, batteries and other items.

As gang violence continues unabated, Caribbean leaders have been helping with the creation of a transitional council. It was originally supposed to have seven members with voting powers. But one political party in Haiti rejected the seat they were offered, and another is still squabbling over who should be nominated.

Meanwhile, the deployment of a UN-backed Kenyan police force to fight gangs in Haiti has been delayed, with the East African country saying it would wait until the transitional council is established.

In a bid to curb the relentless violence, Haiti's government announced Sunday that it was extending a nighttime curfew through March 20.
Twenty Palestinians were killed in the early hours of Tuesday in Israeli air strikes on Rafah and central parts of the Gaza Strip, Gaza health officials said.



In the southern Gaza city of Rafah near the Egyptian border, where over 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter, 14 people were killed and dozens others wounded in strikes that hit several houses and apartments, Gaza medical officials said.



Six more people died in another air strike on a house in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip, they added.



In Deir Al-Balah, a town in central Gaza about 14 km (8.6 miles) south of Gaza City, the sounds of explosions mixed with thunder, and rain added to the miseries of displaced families in tent camps.



"We are no longer able to distinguish between the sounds of thunder and bombings", Shaban Abdel-Raouf, a father of five in Deir Al-Balah, said via a chat application.



"We used to await the rain and pray to God if it was late. Today we pray it doesn't rain." The displaced people have enough miseries, he added.

The conflict, now in its sixth month, began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's assault has killed more than 31,000 Gazans, according to Palestinian health officials.



Negotiations for a ceasefire in the war were due to resume on Monday with an Israeli delegation heading to Qatar.


Andrea Leinfelder is the space reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at andrea.leinfelder@houstonchronicle.com.

Andrea writes about NASA and the commercial space sector, where her coverage spans human spaceflight, robotic exploration and operations in low-Earth orbit. She also follows Elon Musk's Texas footprint.

Originally from Florida, Andrea graduated from the University of Florida in 2012 and has worked for the Houston Chronicle since 2014. She previously wrote for The News-Press in Fort Myers, Fla. She enjoys traveling, eating her way across Texas and chasing her 1-year-old son and 5-year-old dog.
Jean-Pierre said Pakistan and Afghanistan should resolve their differences through dialogue | Photo: Unsplash

The United States urged Pakistan to exercise restraint in its counter-terrorist offensive in Afghanistan, hours after Islamabad said it carried out airstrikes on Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) affiliated militants in the neighbouring country.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US also urges the Taliban, which rules Afghanistan, to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for launching terror attacks.

Earlier on Monday, Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes on TTP militants in Afghanistan, amidst a war of words between the two neighbours over a spate of recent terror attacks in restive Pakistani cities.

Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said that rebels belonging to TTP's Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group were hit after the outfit claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday at an army outpost that resulted in the killing of seven soldiers, including two officers.

At least eight civilians, including three children, were killed in the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban said while summoning the charge d'affaires of Pakistan's embassy in Kabul to lodge a strong protest.

Jean-Pierre said Pakistan and Afghanistan should resolve their differences through dialogue.

"We are aware of the reports, obviously, that Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan in response to the attack in Pakistan on Saturday at a military post. We deeply regret the loss of life and injuries sustained during the attack in Pakistan and the loss of civilian lives during the strikes in Afghanistan," she said.

"We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil. We urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counter-terrorism efforts.

"We urge both sides to address any differences through dialogue. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or our other partners or allies," she said.

At a separate news conference, State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel spoke in the same vein.

"We deeply regret the loss of life and injustices sustained during the attack in Pakistan, and the loss of civilian lives during the strike in Afghanistan. We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil, and we urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts. And we urge both sides to address any differences," he said.

"We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or our partners and allies," Patel said.

The US has been in regular communication with Pakistani leaders to discuss Afghanistan in detail, including through counter-terrorism dialogue and other bilateral consultations, he said.

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 15 to discuss a broad range of bilateral issues, partnering with the Pakistani government on regional security, the US support for continued economic reforms with and through the International Monetary Fund, trade and investment, education, climate change, and other private sector-led economic growth issues, he added.

The airstrikes by Pakistan came a day after President Asif Ali Zardari vowed retaliation following the killing of seven soldiers, including two officers, in Saturday's terrorist attack in North Waziristan.
Western governments lined up on Monday to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's landslide reelection as unfair and undemocratic, but China, India and North Korea congratulated the veteran leader on extending his rule by a further six years.



The contrasting reactions underscored the geopolitical fault lines that have gaped wider since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, triggering the deepest crisis in relations with the West since the end of the Cold War.



Arriving in Brussels on Monday, EU foreign ministers roundly dismissed the election result as a sham ahead of agreeing sanctions on individuals linked to the mistreatment and death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.



"Russia's election was an election without choice," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at the start of the meeting.



Playing on Moscow's reference to its war in Ukraine as a "special military operation", French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Paris had taken note of the "special election operation".



"The conditions for a free, pluralistic and democratic election were not met," his ministry said.



British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the election outcome highlighted the "depth of repression" in Russia.



"Putin removes his political opponents, controls the media, and then crowns himself the winner. This is not democracy," Cameron said.



France, Britain and others condemned the fact that Russia had also held its election in occupied regions of Ukraine that it claims to have annexed during the war.



The Kremlin dismissed such criticism, saying the 87 per cent of the vote won by Putin during the three-day election showed the Russian people were consolidating around him.



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia's election had no legitimacy.



"It is clear to everyone in the world that this figure (Putin)... is simply sick for power and is doing everything to rule forever," Zelenskiy said.



US President Joe Biden has not yet commented but a White House spokesperson on Sunday said Russia's election was "obviously not free nor fair".



Outside West, Putin congratulated



In sharp contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Putin, and said Beijing would maintain close communication with Moscow to promote the "no limits" partnership they agreed in 2022, just before Russia invaded Ukraine.



"I believe that under your leadership, Russia will certainly be able to achieve greater achievements in national development and construction," Xi told Putin in his message, according to Xinhua News.



Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered his congratulations on Putin's "decisive" victory and the Kremlin said the two men expressed readiness on the telephone to pursue their "effective coordination" in the OPEC+ oil producers group.



Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed that message, saying he looked forward to strengthening New Delhi's "time-tested special and privileged strategic partnership" with Moscow.



India and China, along with Russia, are members of the BRICS group of emerging economies that aims to challenge US

domination of the global economy.



North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, accused by the West of supplying weapons to Russia, also extended congratulations to Putin, stressing their desire for further expansion of bilateral relations with Moscow.



In Africa, where the West has been struggling to win support for its efforts to isolate Moscow over the Ukraine war, some

newspapers saw Putin's re-election as reinforcing the stance of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.



Those three states in the Sahel region have strengthened ties with Russia following coups in recent years at the expense of their traditional French and US allies.


"The President will emphasise the US commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific," Jean-Pierre said | Photo: pexels

Leaders of the US, Japan and the Philippines will meet here on April 11 for their first-ever trilateral summit, during which they will discuss cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region amidst China's aggressive actions.

US President Joe Biden will host his Filipino counterpart Ferdinand R Marcos Jr and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan at the White House for the maiden trilateral summit, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Monday.

During their meeting, the three leaders will advance a partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan. At the summit, the three leaders will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world," she said.

In addition, Biden will host Marcos for a meeting at the White House on April 11 to review the historic momentum in US-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties and human rights and democracy, she said.

"The President will emphasise the US commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific," Jean-Pierre said.

The US, Japan and the Philippines have all criticised China's growing assertiveness in the region, especially over the disputed South China Sea which it claims almost in its entirety. Tensions there have soared between Beijing and the Philippines, with clashes involving government vessels from both countries erupting numerous times.

Concerns also mount over China's actions near Taiwan, which is separated from the Philippines by the Bashi Channel.
A new Buc-ee's opened in Colorado Monday, March 20, 2024, making it the first in the state and a part of the multiple Texas-based chains. Buc-ee's

A new Buc-ee's opened in Colorado Monday leaving some Texans wondering if some cities in the west side of the state will have their own large gas station soon.

The Buc-ee's in Johnstown was one of the projects coordinated in the last few years as the brand expanded outside of Texas, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Missouri. The Johnstown's Buc-ee's is the first location in Colorado.

NEW LOCATION: San Marcos may get in on Buc-ees action

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Buc-ee's posted to Facebook announcing the new site with commenters from all over the nation encouraging more projects in areas such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan and more. Some Texans commented about wanting more Buc-ee's in southern and western locations such as El Paso and Lubbock.

"Buc-ee's needs to come to El Paso!! Theyd be the busiest stop in the nation!" one commenter said.

Texas has the most Buc-ee's in the nation with more than 30 locations. However, most of them are in central and eastern Texas. Currently, Caldwell County has the largest location in the nation at 75,000 square feet, including 120 fueling stations, food, parking, merchandise and restrooms.

Some commenters asked why Colorado got a Buc-ee's before Lubbock, but others believed it was due to the buildings being placed near large interstates to attract long-distance travelers. However, for decades Buc-ee's has also been popular with residents who live down the street.

It's no surprise that more people want Buc-ee's locations throughout the South, especially in Texas. Houston Chronicle readers even weighed in on their favorite Buc-ee's spot with Katy and Texas City tying for first place. Most of the Buc-ee's are in surrounding cities and towns of Houston.

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The residents of the other side of Texas are still holding on to hope. One resident from southern Texas even commented, "Waiting for you to finally service the real south Texas. Rio Grande Valley."

MORE STORIES: Buc-ee's seeks to expand to Arizona with plans for largest store so far

Until then, Colorado residents are excited for a chance to visit the new location.

We picked a great partner in the community of Johnstown for our first store in Colorado, said Stan Beard of Buc-ees. At the foothills of the beautiful Northern Front Range, this Buc-ees will introduce all sorts of bikers, hikers, skiers, and campers to the cleanest restrooms, friendliest staff, and freshest food theyll ever find on a road trip.

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Monday, March 18, 2024 at 9:58PM

Image: Google

Fitbit branding is undergoing a shift to reflect its full integration with Google. Previously, it used "Fitbit by Google." Now, it's simply "Google Fitbit," with the Google name taking precedence. This aligns with the recent Google Store update that added Fitbit products and accessories under a new "Watches & Trackers" category.

This change reflects a deeper internal shift at Google. Hardware divisions are now merged, with one team overseeing design, engineering, and software across Pixel, Nest, and Fitbit. This streamlining coincides with the departure of Fitbit's co-founders and other leaders, solidifying Fitbit's position as a fully integrated part of Google.

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When scores of uniformed Harris County deputy constables showed up to two separate meetings of Harris County Commissioners Court in October 2022  just before early voting was about to begin in the upcoming elections  their presence raised a lot of questions.

Rarely do so many law enforcement personnel in uniform appear in one place unless theyre responding to a public safety threat or staffing a public event. But thats not what was happening here.

When Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a Democrat who was up for reelection the following month, abruptly ended one of the meetings, many deputies booed her. And more than 100 of them posed for a picture that would soon be posted on social media by her Republican opponent.

Many Houstonians wondered: Were these law enforcement officers on duty or off duty during the demonstration? If they were off duty, why were they in uniform? If they were on duty, were they allowed to be there? And were taxpayers footing the bill?

A Houston Chronicle Investigation Unchecked Forces Many Houstonians have no idea what a constable is, but Harris County constables have amassed unprecedented reach and power. An ongoing Chronicle investigation digs into how that happened and why it matters. CLICK TO READ THE SERIES

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Fred Fletcher, an expert on law enforcement practices who was an Austin police officer for 20 years, said the images of deputies packing the county administration building last year felt like deliberate intimidation.

It doesnt feel like what we do in the United States, said Fletcher, who retired in 2017 as the police chief in Chattanooga, Tenn. We dont send armed, uniformed people to influence the political process.

Deputy constables in Texas are not subject to so-called civil service rules that provide job protections for metro police and county sheriffs deputies. Those rules also prohibit officers from taking part in political activities.

Instead, the independently elected constables are free to adopt, or not adopt, whatever policies they wish for their deputies.

The Chronicle reached out to all eight constables' offices to ask more about their deputies attendance at the protest, whether it was in compliance with their internal policies, and whether they were on duty.

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Deputy Harris County constables offices attend a Commissioners Court meeting to demonstrate support for increases to their budgets on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in Houston. JEN RICE / HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Only two offices  Precinct 8 and Precinct 4  responded. Toby Hecker, an assistant chief deputy in Precinct 4, said that deputies from the department attended Commissioners Court to express their concerns as stakeholders.

Jason Finnen, chief deputy for Precinct 8, said that five members of the precincts command staff attended on county business and were signed up to speak before the court regarding the budget process.

Finnen and Hecker did not answer any other questions sent by reporters.

The Chronicle used facial recognition software, public documents and interviews to determine who went to the meeting in uniform and whether they were allowed to be there.

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Heres what we learned.

Which law enforcement officers attended the Oct. 11 meeting in uniform?

Photos show that about 100 uniformed deputy constables attended the meeting that day. The Chronicle was able to identify more than 50 of them, excluding the elected constables themselves, who have fewer restrictions engaging in political activity while on the job.

The Chronicle identified a total of about three dozen uniformed deputies who attended the meeting from Precincts 4 and 5, which are led by Republican constables Mark Herman and Ted Heap, respectively. The Chronicle identified a handful of deputies in other precincts and none from Precinct 7.

Were they on duty?

As independently elected officials, constables get to decide that. And none of them responded to reporters inquiries on the matter.

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One official told a Chronicle reporter at the time that most, if not all, of these officers are off duty.

But according to at least some constables policy manuals, deputies are not allowed to wear their uniforms while off duty.

Precincts 3 and 4 allow uniforms to be worn only while on duty or during official department functions. Precincts 1, 2 and 5 appear to carve out some limited exceptions for things like departmental authorized activities.

The manuals for Precinct 7 and 8 do not appear to specify whether an employee can wear the uniform while off duty.

Precinct 6 never sent the Chronicle its policy manuals, despite multiple requests from reporters and Chronicle attorneys over a period of several months.

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Were they paid for their time?

Based on payroll records obtained by the Chronicle through a public information request, the answer is yes. Timesheets of more than 20 deputies indicate they billed the county for eight hours or more of work on Oct. 11, 2022.

Most of the deputies didnt list the actual hours they worked, so its possible that their shift occurred outside of the period of time the Harris County commissioners were meeting. But several did report that their shifts began before the meeting did and ended after it was over.

The rest of the deputies the Chronicle identified took vacation, compensatory or sick time.

Is that allowed?

Policies in Precincts 1, 2, 5, and 7 forbid employees in uniform from actively participating in political campaigns, including making public derogatory remarks about candidates. Precinct 4 does not allow employees to engage in campaign and fundraising while on county time or using county property.

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Precinct 3s policy manual is slightly more specific, stating that its employees may not represent the Harris County Constable Department  in order to  endorse, support, oppose or contradict any political campaign or initiative.

Precinct 8s 268-page manual doesnt mention any restrictions on political activity.

So were the demonstrations allowed or not?

The answer is ultimately up to the constables themselves, most of whom didnt respond to our questions.

Members of the command staff in Precincts 4 and 8 indicated they did not consider the activity to be political. I am not aware of any type of protest, Hecker wrote in an email, while Finnen called the activity county business.

Many observers didnt see it that way. Several people submitted anonymous complaints about the constables activities to the countys ethics hotline, according to documents the Chronicle obtained through a public records request. They were focused specifically on Precinct 4 Constable Herman and his staff.

One complaint said that Herman and his deputies yelled, booed, and intimidated County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Commissioners Adrian Garcia and Rodney Ellis, and other public member including myself, at the meeting on Oct. 11, 2022.

The complaint added that the deputies actions were not due to any call for service of any kind that could be seen as part of the performance of their job duty. All while on paid county time.

Another complainant wrote the deployment of law enforcement personnel for political theatre is a shameful abuse of power.  There is enough political tension in our nation, at the moment, without irresponsible politicians abusing the prestige of the uniform and the personnel in them to create a viral moment with public funds.

Initially, Precinct 4 Chief Deputy Donald Steward ignored county officials questions when they informed him of the investigation.

Should you determine who any of the anonymous reporters are, feel free to direct them to me or my agency and we will address any concerns, he wrote to them in November 2022.

Two months later, when pressed again, he responded, We were in Commissioners Court on official county business.

When more county officials followed up afterward, Steward wrote:

Please provide the legal authority that allows you to question an elected law enforcement officials office as to assignments that may or may not have been made? Secondly, please provide the legal authority that allows you or my office to question an employee on their own time exercising their First Amendment, right?

The county eventually closed its investigations without any findings of wrongdoing, records show. Erika Owens, a manager in the countys human resources department, told the Chronicle that no rules were broken because the employees attending the meeting were following their chain of command, based on what Steward had told her office.

If they were attending  at the direction of their supervisor or boss, they had to be compensated, she said, adding that was considered work, and they should have showed up in their uniform.

And concerns beyond that, she said, would be outside our scope.
Alumtek Minerals delivers breakthrough in SCM production

19 March 2024

Alumtek Minerals (AM) has recently completed research and development on bauxite residue waste, commonly known as red mud. Most notably, AM has developed a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) meeting the stringent Australian Standard AS3582.4. The company is now actively seeking joint venture partners to propel this innovative solution to the next level, demonstrating its commitment to driving sustainable practices within the cement industry.

Red mud is an alkaline by-product of the alumina industry and is usually stored in tailing dams. In cement production, it requires less processing than clinker production, leading to a number of key benefits for miners and cement manufacturers. Collaborating closely with Cement Australia over the past two years, AMs process has enabled it to successfully remove the alkalinity and chloride impurities from the red mud.

AMs SCM not only serves as a viable replacement for fly ash and slag but also offers significant environmental advantages. When used to replace a portion of clinker in cement production, AM's SCM has the potential to reduce CO 2 emissions substantially. When used as a SCM in the production of green concrete, it has been found to overcome some of the limitations of green concrete, such as delayed setting times and reduced initial strength.

The environmental benefits of AM's SCM are multifaceted:

 Reduction in CO 2 emissions: utilising red mud, which requires less processing compared to clinker, significantly reduces the total CO 2 emissions from the cement manufacturing process.

 Conservation of resources: by incorporating a by-product from other industrial processes, the cement industry can lessen its demand for virgin raw materials, contributing to the conservation of natural resources.

 Waste diversion: by utilising red mud, an industrial waste, AMs SCM diverts waste from landfills, mitigating the environmental impact associated with waste disposal.

 Energy efficiency: the production of AM's SCM is more energy-efficient than traditional clinker production, resulting in energy savings and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

This milestone comes as a result of a Cooperative Research Centres Project (CRCP) grant, showcasing the company's commitment to innovation and sustainability. As coal-fired power stations close down and fly ash supplies diminish, the availability of ground granulated blastfurnace slag (GGBS) is also expected to dwindle as steelworks decarbonise.

AM's SCM emerges as a sustainable local alternative, offering Australian cement and concrete companies an opportunity to reduce CO 2 emissions, decrease imports and support local production.

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Mixed Pakistan export revenue trend in 8MFY23-24

19 March 2024

Pakistans cement industry has registered noticeable growth in the first eight months of FY23-24 (July 2023-February 2024), due to the continued good exchange rate of the Pakistani rupee against foreign currency and other factors.

Pakistans cement and clinker exports increased by 39.3 per cent in the 8MFY23-24 to US$163.9m (4.245Mt), compared to US$117.69m (2.473Mt) in the 8MFY22-23, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said. In Pakistani rupee terms, export revenue saw a significant growth of 71.9 per cent to PKR46.9bn (US$167.8m) during the period, sustained by the local currencys competitive rates against the US dollar. In addition, export volumes increased by 71.7 per cent YoY in the same period.

February 2024

However, export and import data released by PBS revealed that cement and clinker exports in February 2024 registered a fall of 10.1 per cent MoM to US$13.24m (349,512t) from US$14.72m (390,553t) in January 2024. Volumes saw a contraction of 10.5 per cent on an MoM. The YoY cement export data also shows a negative picture, decreasing by 22.3 per cent in value, and the volume fell by 15.1 per cent compared to data from February 2023 (US$17.05m at 411,512t).

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Ruben Garcia, founder and director of Annunciation House, a network of migrants shelters in El Paso ,Texas, speaks with the media during a news conference, Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. Garcia is reacting to the lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that claims the Annunciation House "appears to be engaged in the business of human smuggling" and is threatening to terminate the nonprofit's right to operate in Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton) Andres Leighton/Associated Press A mother and her two daughters are seen embracing during a press conference on refugees at the Annunciation House Monday, February 11, 2019, in El Paso, TX. Photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre for the San Antonio Express-News Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre for the San A mother and her two daughters are seen embracing during a press conference on refugees at the Annunciation House Monday, February 11, 2019, in El Paso, TX. Photo by Ivan Pierre Aguirre for the San Antonio Express-News Ivan Pierre Aguirre/Ivan Pierre Aguirre for the San

Nailed to a blue cross, a brown-skinned Jesus looks serenely from a vibrant mural, his arms stretched wide  not in pain but in a blessing. He looks out amid depictions of terra cotta roof lines dotting borderland hills, ablaze in purple, orange and yellow earth.

The Lord hears the cry of the poor, perhaps nowhere more than at Annunciation House, an El Paso nonprofit network of Catholic shelters serving migrants for decades. There, volunteers are on a mission to help newcomers whom they call "guests," often through the coordination of federal immigration officers who encountered them first at the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrants rely on Christian charity for shelter while they find their way onward to sponsors, court hearings and, these days, perhaps even a free bus ride to some far-off locale provided by Gov. Greg Abbott and the taxpayers of Texas.

In fact, Ruben Garcia, the founder and leader of Annunciation House for nearly 50 years, starts many of his days with a text message or email from Border Patrol. This many families showed up today. Can you help? Almost always, the answer is yes.

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But his efforts are now under threat thanks to overzealous Republican state leaders who, back in 2022, launched a legal offensive after the governor asked the attorney general to investigate charities the state believes are helping people cross the border illegally. At the time, Abbott insisted he had reports of organizations orchestrating these crossings. Last month, Annunciation House found itself in the crosshairs when three of Attorney General Ken Paxtons lawyers showed up on its doorstep demanding all manner of documents within 24 hours. When the charity said it needed more time and wanted a judge to decide what it had to hand over, Paxton moved to shut the entire network down. In a puffed-up filing, Paxton essentially accused the charity of human smuggling, enticing people to come to this country illegally and then knowingly concealing them.

It's a bold claim that might seem almost laughable for people who know Garcia  the man Rep. Veronica Escobar described to the New Yorker as "a saint who still walks the earth."

If any charges actually come from the accusations, the shelter network will almost certainly be able to argue that religious freedom should cover its charitable mission. "Is there no shame to refer to houses of God, houses of hospitality as stash houses, Garcia said at a recent news conference. Catholic leaders have already spoken up. El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz wrote that Annunciation House's "work is an example of our Catholic commitment to the poor, the Christian call to love ones neighbor, and stepping into the breach to take action where many will not. Our church, our city and our country owe Annunciation House a deep debt of gratitude." At a news conference pledging his support, he made the issue clear: "This is not about politics. It's about the Gospel." And an online petition circulated by Faithful America denouncing Paxton's "partisan legal attacks" had garnered more than 16,000 signatures as of Monday.

Annunciation House relies on its religious foundation to guide its service, opening its doors to virtually anyone who knocks. The shelter has never been shy about that. In fact, much of the evidence Paxton cited in his filing came from a 2023 public radio story profiling the shelters work. Back in the '80s, serving everyone mostly meant people who hadnt yet been processed by federal agents, according to Annunciation House's lawyer. Meaning they entered the country without encountering border agents. These days, that population is a small fraction of guests. That's because, under U.S. immigration law, anybody can request asylum regardless of how they arrive on U.S. soil. Many who cross illegally intentionally turn themselves in to make the request.

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Offering hospitality to someone who is not documented is not a crime in Texas, said Jerome Wesevich, a lawyer with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid who is representing Annunciation House.

And, contrary to Paxton's claim, Annunciation House says it has never concealed anyone, according to Wesevich, who was adamant about that: We do not hide people from authorities. In fact, each time Border Patrol has come over the years asking for a particular person, the shelter has always turned them over, he said.

So what exactly is Paxton's end goal, and what does he want with these piles of documents?

Our guess is that, like trying to rustle up voter fraud, the mission here will prove more bark than bite. Paxton pursued dozens of voter and election fraud cases, destroying careers along the way but very rarely yielding actual convictions. In several cases, the courts intervened to dismiss Paxton's efforts to unilaterally seek criminal charges against suspected offenders  a power the AG does not have under the Texas Constitution. In Annunciation House's case, yet again, a judge intervened. On March 11, state District Judge Francisco Dominguez questioned Paxtons motives and temporarily blocked the case, preventing him from shutting down the network. For now, the two parties must go through the courts to litigate which documents the attorney general is entitled to.

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But the bark itself is harmful. Already Annunciation House has lost two of its long-term volunteers who take on the bulk of the work. And the legal grandstanding has no doubt cast a chill across the state where thousands of volunteers and charities fill the gaps that our federal system has created, doing the very work that this state relies on to keep migrants off the street and help them find their way.

We believe in an orderly, lawful and humane border, and the burden of delivering this falls squarely on the federal government. We also recognize the role of so many local institutions and charities in picking up slack. Congress needs to fix this. Not Paxton.

Just by writing a simple seven-page document request, said Wesevich, the attorney general caused a lot of disruption.

It also seems to echo anti-immigrant rhetoric that casts everything from public education to the tiniest scrap of aid as "enticement" for the very people who, counter to conservative narratives, help power our economy, enliven our struggling cities and strengthen our never-ending effort to form a more perfect union.

The work of Annunciation House will neither solve the crisis at the border nor, we believe, exacerbate it. The charity has served migrants through peak immigration years and slow ones. It also won't fix the nations broken immigration system that seems to work only for a few. What it does is meet some basic needs of a few neighbors the Bible instructs us to love.

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Because the Lord hears the cry of the poor. And Annunciation House certainly does. What about our leaders in Austin?
A Soviet-era WWII monument is painted with yellow and blue, Ukrainian national colours, in Izium, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Sunday, March 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Efrem Lukatsky/Associated Press

Lost cause

Regarding Taylor: As some of our neighbors pick up a rifle to defend Ukraine, we can help with donations, too, (March 14): Shocking to see a so-called Smart Money column recommend that we use our airline miles and credit card points to support private soldiers in Ukraine. Based on accounts of how this war is going, you might as well invest in Confederate war bonds  one is no less a lost cause than the other was.

Unlike the author, I am glad Congress dithers about throwing more unaudited billions at the corrupt Kyiv regime, which would only prolong the agony of Ukraine. How about using that money for a much saner and nobler purpose like, say, relieving the sick, wounded and starving of Gaza? Far better to support real heroes like Doctors Without Borders, rather than some deluded soldiers of fortune who will only bring more tears and misery to this world.

Steve Smith, Sugar Land

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Oil and gas

Regarding Houston is making a losing bet on fossil fuels (Opinion), (March 18): Its amazing how all of these supposedly brilliant people such as Randall Morton who advocate getting rid of fossil fuels are so misguided. When you find a substitute for most medicines, asphalt roads, shingles for your house, clothing, half of your automobile (including tires), hoses, battery cases, upholstery, eyeglasses, diapers, toothpaste and all plastics products, as well as, of course, the natural gas that powers most energy-generating facilities, let us know. In the meantime, everyone with a sensible brain will be waiting.

Raymond Martin, Mont Belvieu

Regarding Polluting plastic producers received more than $1B in subsidies for Texas expansions, (March 15): Rebekah Ward and the Chronicle business section are extraordinarily brave. They report that Exxon Mobil and Chevron Phillips Chemicals, among others, made commitments to meet environmental rules in their pursuit of Texas tax breaks. These subsidies were tax dollars taken from the school districts surrounding their plants.

Those companies then released deadly pollution into the air of the mostly minority school districts from which they had taken those tax breaks. For three years, they have been designated high priority violators by the Environmental Protection Agency.

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No one is adequately holding the huge corporations to account for endangering humans who are subject to their pollution, or for essentially taking money from school districts.

Both corporations employ thousands in our area. And both are bad actors. Thank you, Houston Chronicle, for helping to expose these two companies.

Sally Lehr, Houston

Texas A&M Qatar decision

Regarding Texas A&M-Qatar partnership was a 20-year success story. Why end it? (Opinion) (March 18): I salute the opinions expressed by Texas A&M Universitys president emeritus, Ray M. Bowen, and respectfully call on Chancellor John Sharp and the System Board of Regents to reconsider this decision.

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Bowen offers a sensible way to approach this matter and one that mirrors the procedure by which Texas A&M began this program 20 years ago: organize an outside committee to evaluate the merits of this venture, including, in particular, the role of the Qatar program in promoting STEM education and demonstrating American values of freedom and independence in this sensitive region of the world.

Qatar is a strong and important ally of the United States and one that deserves the support of Texas A&M University and its programs. Lets reconsider this decision and see if we cant do better.

John Shanahan, TAMU 68, Houston

I heartily endorse the op-ed by Ray Bowen, the respected former president of Texas A&M University, in which he said the A&M campus in Doha, Qatar, has been a resounding success  for A&M, for Qatar and for the United States. The ridiculous allegation by a fly-by-night website that the campus might leak nuclear secrets was squarely knocked down by the current president of A&M, Gen. Mark Welsh, former chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force, which has a significant presence in Qatar. Indeed, strong bipartisan majorities in Congress have declared Qatar a major non-NATO ally. Unfortunately, it seems the websites hallucination was enough to panic policymakers and force a vote by A&M regents to close the Qatar campus by 2028. I sincerely hope the regents will reverse their hasty and ill-informed decision. Then we can all give a relieved and enthusiastic Whoop!

Chase Untermeyer, former ambassador to Qatar (2004-2007), Houston

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Houston joys

Regarding I made peace with Houston traffic  or maybe its TxDOT Stockholm Syndrome (Opinion), (March 15): Ha! What a great piece of opinion writing about the peace Craig Hlavaty has made with Houston traffic! How about another, Craig, this time maybe celebrating the joys of humidity?

Kent Stuckey, Frisco

I also had to just give up and find things to amuse me on my daily commutes. For me, it was unusual commuter vehicles. My favorite was a desert-camo painted Humvee with a gun turret (no gun). I would dream of putting a paintball gun on top, loaded and ready to mark crazy drivers or those who drive slow in the fast lane!

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Ada Fuller, Houston
Lees Center for Responsible Citizenship on Friday will host Dr. Zachary German, an assistant professor in the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University. Mr. German, a Lee political science alumnus, will speak on Lincoln and Americas Civic Faith.

This event is part of the CRCs 2023-2024 theme, "Faith in the Public Square. Dr. Germans talk will explore Abraham Lincolns use of moral and religious language as he worked to reestablish Americas commitment to the principles of the Declaration of Independence.

Its always good to have students come home, particularly when they have gone off to accomplish so much, says Dr. Thomas Pope, professor of political science and CRC director. Zachary models the sort of person we hope that Lee graduates grow to become  intellectual excellence wedded with Christian character. His work at ASU continues to impact the lives of students, continuing the mission of his alma mater.

Dr. Germans lecture is open to the public, and members of the Cleveland community are encouraged to attend. The lecture will take place at 5 p.m. in the Humanities Building Lecture Hall (Room 104) on Lees campus.

Lees Center for Responsible Citizenship hosts interdisciplinary reading groups, lectures, workshops, and symposia to cultivate conversation about what the elements of a healthy community really are. These conversations are essential in a time where political life is so frequently lacking patience, deliberation, and charity, says Dr. Pope. The CRC recasts political life as a framework of dialogue, mores, and institutions that help us understand what it means to pursue the good life, together.

For more information about the Center for Responsible Citizenship, or to learn how you can support its programming, visit www.leeucrc.com or email crc@leeuniversity.edu.




Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) announces the appointments of Josh Ingle, Tyler Kendall, Jeff Petrea, Jessica Missy Puckett and Megan Talley to its Board of Directors.

Ingle has served as superintendent of Dade County Schools since 2021. His previous positions with the school system include director of Public Programs and Capital Projects, district director of Public Safety and principal of Davis Elementary School, and principal of Dade County High School.

He earned an education specialist degree and a masters degree in Education Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, as well as a bachelors degree in Secondary Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Ingle has participated in various leadership initiatives, including the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI), GLISIs Developing High Performing Leaders at All Levels, GLISIs Rising Stars Leadership Development program and the University of Georgias Early Career Principals Residency Program.

Selected presentations he has given include Student Attendance Initiative for the Student Support Team Association for Georgia Educators, Leading for Effective School Climate for a Georgia Department of Education conference and Recruiting and Retaining Highly Effective Teachers for Georgia Race to the Top, an initiative to improve K-12 education in Georgia.

Ingle is a member of the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders, Professional Association of Georgia Educators and Trenton-Dade Optimist Club. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Dade County Health Department.

Kendall joined Hamilton Health Care System as vice president of Post-Acute Care Services in 2018. His achievements there have included transitioning four skilled nursing facilities from third-party management to in-house management, oversight of Hamilton Hospice and repositioning of Continuing Care Retirement Community from a buy-in facility to a rental model, which has increased occupancy and increased financial performance.

He previously worked at Mary E. Bivins Foundation in Amarillo, Texas, where he was administrator before becoming the agencys director of operations. The Bivins Foundation is a private, senior-focused, not-for-profit that supports the elderly, funds the education of Christian ministers and addresses critical community needs.

He also worked as executive director of Grand Court Lifestyles in Amarillo, Texas; administrator at Camlu Care Center in Temple, Texas; and administrator in training at Living Centers of America in Fort Worth, Texas.

Kendall earned a bachelors degree in Long-Term Care Administration at Texas State University.

Kendalls numerous leadership accomplishments include the Georgia Hospital Association Leadership Institute, vice president of the Northwest Georgia College and Career Academys Board of Directors, Leadership Dalton-Whitfield, Arrow Ministries advisory board member, Amarillo Better Business Bureaus treasurer, and LeadingAge Texas where he served as a panhandle network representative and as a board member.

Petrea currently works as Georgia Powers region executive for northwest Georgia, where he and his team are responsible for establishing and maintaining effective relationships with community leaders and elected officials across the region. He also works with power delivery, power generation, customer service and sales.

Petrea, a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelors degree in Management, previously served as Georgia Powers region director for northeast Georgia.

Throughout his 40 years with the company, beginning in Distribution as a Co-operative Education student while attending Georgia Tech, Petrea has held numerous positions, including working in Accounting Systems to support Property Accounting, Charitable Giving as assistant to the senior vice president, Corporate Services as assistant to the vice president, Customer Service as a Customer Care Center supervisor, External Affairs and Nuclear Development as assistant to the executive vice president, Pricing and Rates where he supported rate filings and created Georgia Powers Green Energy Program, and as area manager for the North Metro area.

Petrea has served on multiple boards, including recent chair roles on Envision Athens and Athens Technical College Foundation Inc. He served as public policy chair at the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. He is currently transitioning membership from the Rotary Club of Athens to the Rome chapter.

Puckett, nursing director for Atrium Health Floyd, coordinates operational management of beds and staffing. She oversees all admissions from operating room, emergency room, direct admissions, transfers and any transfers within the hospital; she also supervises centralized staffing, contracted nursing labor, nursing payroll, centralized transport, float pool nursing, sitters, certified nursing assistants and house supervisors.

Puckett has more than three decades of nursing experience. She previously worked at Floyd Polk Medical Center, Polk Medical Center, Amedisys Home Health, The Specialty Hospital and Redmond Regional Medical Center.

Puckett earned a bachelors degree and masters degree in Nursing at Chamberlain University and an associate degree of Nursing at Georgia Highlands College. She has taught Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Basic Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.

Among her accomplishments, she has received the Presidents Award at Atrium Health Floyd and the Frist Humanitarian Award. She has Six Sigma Global Institute Green Belt, Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), Clinical Practice Improvement (CPI) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) certifications.

Talley currently serves as director of Human Resources, Safety/Training and Administration at Dalton Utilities, where she is responsible for the oversight and management of all Human Resources, Payroll, Safety/Training and Administrative programs. She joined Dalton Utilities in 2011 as a Gas Regulatory Compliance coordinator in the energy sector with a focus on natural gas regulatory compliance.

Prior to working at Dalton Utilities, she was employed at various industries in Dalton, including the Minor Firm, Appalachian Community Bank and the Whitfield County Clerks Office.

Born and raised in Dalton, Talley earned an associate degree in Business Administration at Dalton State College and subsequently earned a bachelors degree in Organizational Management at Covenant College.

Talley obtained her Professional certificate in Human Resources from the Human Resources Certification Institute. She is an alumna of Leadership Dalton-Whitfield and a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, both locally and nationally. She participates in quarterly mock interviews at the Elite Lineman Training Institute to help prepare students for the workforce.

Ingle, Kendall, Petrea, and Talley were sworn in at the March Board of Directors meeting, Puckett will be sworn in at the May board meeting.

Listed are members of GNTCs Board of Directors showing the board members name, county, place of employment and title:

 Retired Chief Magistrate Judge L. Gale Buckner, Murray, Murray County Magistrate Court

 Ben Canedo, Walker, Roper Corp., Human Resources senior business partner

 Torrance Ford, Catoosa, Shaw Industries Group Inc., Talent Management vice president

 Albert Al Hodge, Floyd, Hodge Consulting, founder and chief executive officer

 Josh Ingle, Dade, Dade County School District, superintendent

 Tyler Kendall, Whitfield, Hamilton Health Care System, Post-Acute Care Services vice president

 Paul Meredith, Chattooga, Mohawk, Manufacturing director

 Jeff Petrea, Floyd, Southern Co., northwest Georgia region executive

 Jessica Missy Puckett, Polk, Atrium Health Floyd, nursing director

 Kenna Stock, Floyd, Harbin Clinic, chief executive officer

 Megan Talley, Whitfield, Dalton Utilities, Human Resources, Safety/Training and Administration director

 Michele Taylor, Gordon, Calhoun City Schools, superintendent
The Tennessee Senate State & Local Government Committee passed House Joint Resolution 5, which proposes a congressional term limits amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The effort, led by Senator Richard Briggs and spearheaded by the nonpartisan nonprofit U.S. Term Limits, passed with seven yeas and two nays.

As U.S. Term Limits' President Philip Blumel put it, The people of Tennessee are lucky to have public servants who see what is going on in D.C. and are willing to take action to fix it. They know that Congress won't set term limits on itself. Therefore, it is the obligation of the states to do so.

Tennessee State Chair for U.S. Term Limits, Mayor Glenn Jacobs, said, "I want to thank the Senate committee for bringing this resolution forward and getting us one step closer to instituting congressional term limits. Staying in office for decades has caused some of our elected officials in Washington to forget that they serve the voters, not entrenched special interests. Congressional term limits will take power away from the Washington insiders and lobbyists, and return it to where it belongs  to We The People."

According to the most recent poll conducted by RMG Research, 78 percent of likely voters in Tennessee support term limits on Congress, including strong support across party lines. Seventy-seven percent of Republicans, 90 percent of Democrats, and 71 percent of independents back this election reform.

HJR5 has the bipartisan support of more than 60 Tennessee legislators who have signed the term limits pledge, promising to support the congressional term limits effort. Once the measure passes both chambers, Tennessee will be in the forefront of the states in the nation to file an application for a convention with the exclusive purpose of proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress.

HJR5 has already passed in the house so once the measure passes on the senate floor, Tennessee will be in the forefront of the states in the nation to file an application for a convention with the exclusive purpose of proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress.

After 34 state legislatures pass similar resolutions on the topic, and the term limits amendment approved, it must be ratified by 38 states to become part of the U.S. Constitution.
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On Feb. 27, people protested against Senate Bill 4 outside the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

Texas Senate Bill 4 is back in the news, and once again, it makes me fear for my family and community.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the state of Texas to begin deporting undocumented people  a job that historically belonged solely to the federal government. Later that day, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals again moved to block Senate Bill 4, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in December, while they consider its legality.

On Oct. 25, 2023, this bill came up for debate on the floor of the Texas House. As a state representative, I had already endured years of watching our state leaders spew hateful rhetoric about folks who look like me crossing the border to seek asylum.

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This debate came after months of fighting against every iteration of this bill, and after multiple special sessions. And it was after a bill similar in spirit passed in 2017, when debate devolved into threats of violence and a member moving to call immigration authorities on Texans in the gallery.

When House leadership moved to quash further debate on the bill and just ram House Bill 4 through so that their folks could go home, I broke.

Yall dont understand how the s--- that yall do hurts our community. It hurts us.  Yall dont understand that. Yall dont live in our f------ skin.

Thats what I said on the House floor  in an exchange I did not want or expect to be caught on camera. But it was.

My first thought when I was told it had been posted and gone viral? My family.

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SB4 LIVE UPDATES: Latest developments on Texas migrant deportation law

I am from a mixed-status family. They are always on my mind. I think about their safety. I think about how we are brown, and what that means in Texas, and what laws like this one ask our police officers to guess about people like us. I think about my sons, who are too young to know their rights if they are stopped based on the color of their skin.

Which is, essentially, what SB 4 asks any peace officer to do. The state is now enforcing immigration law  something that is constitutionally under the purview of the federal government  by telling any peace officer to question and arrest anyone they believe entered Texas illegally.

The bill doesnt define how an officer would come to believe someone entered illegally. Amendments to prohibit racial discrimination failed to pass.

Now, in just a matter of weeks, this bill has been blocked and cleared and blocked and cleared again. Although the most recent ruling by the 5th Circuit is a relief, it is impossible for those of us most at risk to relax. How could my community feel safe, when it seems that each day we wake up to different news about whether or not this bill will go into effect?

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This all comes on the heels of Donald Trump sabotaging President Joe Bidens bipartisan border security bill, which was carefully negotiated across the aisle. Bidens effort was an important first step to address the real problems on our southern border, but like so many good ideas in this country, it fell prey to political games.

GOP lawmakers praise SB4 ruling that lets Texas deport migrants as Mexico says it wont accept them.

It didnt have to be this way. Legal scholar Steve Vladeck has already pointed out that although Justice Amy Coney Barrett argues SCOTUS has never reviewed an administrative stay, she neglects to acknowledge that SCOTUS could issue its own injunction.

Its a terrible time for democracy.

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The earliest iteration of this bill, 88 House Bill 20, was killed procedurally for invoking Section 10, Article I of the U.S. Constitution as justification for the bill. The House ruling on that procedural violation stated that the bills invocation of this authority is an express declaration of war.

Senate Bill 4 is tidier, craftier and less explicit than its earlier versions, but the spirit is the same. It gives our state the right to deport its people based on guesswork and profiling. It allows an individual state to pick an enemy, declare an invasion and deny due process. It cracks the very foundation of our United States. And the Supreme Court  whose sole purpose is to protect the Constitution  has allowed it to stand.

A few weeks ago, worried that SB 4 might go into effect, I held a Know Your Rights event in my district. We brought in an expert on the bill and collaborated with on-the-ground organizations to teach people how to keep themselves safe and how to fight for their constitutionally guaranteed right to due process. Even then, the fear was palpable. My neighbors  regardless of legal status  were confused and scared.

Our leaders dont understand how this hurts our communities, all of our communities. But in the coming weeks, as this becomes the new law of the land  as Texas citizens are questioned and folks legally seeking asylum are deported and untrained officers become both police and border control  they will.

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This op-ed has been updated to reflect the Fifth Circuit ruling.
The search for Cleopatras lost tomb is one that has gripped the attention of historians, archaeologists, and adventurers for centuries. Despite her historical prominence, the location of Cleopatras final resting place remains unknown.

Fueled by ancient texts, legends, and modern technology, numerous theories have arisen, and several speculative searches have taken place over the years.

One of the most famous attempts to find Cleopatras tomb occurred in the 20th century and was led by an archaeologist named Howard Carter. However, his expedition failed to turn up any results.

Recently, archaeologists have made some headway in the quest. A team led by Kathleen Martinez from the University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic stumbled across a vast tunnel beneath a temple located in the ancient ruined city of Taposiris Magna on the coast of Egypt. Experts have referred to it as a geometric miracle.

The tunnel was uncovered 43 feet below the ground. It was over six feet in height and was chiseled through 4,281 feet of sandstone.

According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the design of the tunnel is similar to the Tunnel of Eupalinos, an aqueduct from the 6th century B.C.E. on the Greek island of Samos. Its engineering is highly revered and was the first of its kind back in its day.

The Taposiris Magna tunnel is just as impressive. Some parts of it are even submerged in water. Currently, it is unclear what the tunnel was used for. Since 2004, Martinez has been working in the area, trying to hunt down Cleopatras lost tomb. The tunnel could be a crucial clue that points toward the famous ruler.

Taposiris Magna was founded by Ptolemy II around 280 B.C.E. He was the son of Alexander the Greats esteemed general and one of the forebears of Cleopatra. The temple is believed to have been erected in honor of the god Osiris and the goddess Isis.

Coins with the names and images of Cleopatra and Alexander the Great have been found there, along with figurines of Isis. In addition, burial shafts containing Greco-Roman burials have been unearthed in the temple. It is possible that Cleopatra and her husband, Mark Antony, were buried in similar tombs.

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Editors Note: Hong Kong officials unanimously passed its own version of a national security law Tuesday that could put people found guilty of political crimes, such as treason or external interference, in prison for life.

Article 23 of the Basic Law, Hong Kongs mini-constitution, mandates the enactment of a national security law, which locals have protested in the past over fears that it could curtail freedoms. Now with a pro-Beijing parliament, the bill was passed at record speed.

John Lee, the citys top leader, said the new law was needed to close gaps in the existing national security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020. He hailed its passage as a historic moment Hong Kong people have been waiting for over 26 years.

A coalition of 77 international parliamentarians and public figures, including Hong Kongs last British Gov. Chris Patten and US Sen. Marco Rubio, have issued a statement condemning the Article 23 legislation, calling it a flagrant breach of the Basic Law, the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and international human rights law.

While many Hong Kongers have left the city, others, like Lo Man Wai, editor in chief of the Christian Times newspaper, have decided to stay. He writes here about his work in Hong Kong as the city undergoes unprecedented changes.

In the past four years since the implementation of the first national security law, Hong Kong has experienced a seismic shift. Many citizens who have been devoted to this city for decades, including prominent pro-democracy activists, journalists, opinion leaders, social workers, and politicians, have disappeared from the public sphere. Some have been detained; others are in exile. Still others remain in Hong Kong but are forbidden to speak publicly.

Once known for its freedoms, Hong Kong has sunk to the bottom of the Reporters Without Borders press freedom ranking. A sense of fear permeating civil society causes citizens to self-censor. Pro-democracy newspapers and websites have shut down as journalists have started their own news channels on social media. The city is currently experiencing a severe brain drain, although the government will not admit it.

So what am I doing still running a Christian news platform in Hong Kong?

The Chinese-language Christian Times started in 1987 as a small weekly newspaper. Through news stories, features, opinions, and devotions, we reflect on social issues from a Christian perspective and convey discussions among Christians of different denominations and theological backgrounds. What differentiates Christian Times from other Christian publications in Hong Kong is its focus on journalism.

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Today we see our mission as even more necessary because an authoritarian government can easily overlook the weak and the vulnerable, and because Christians need access to the truth about what is happening around them.

As the atmosphere tightens in Hong Kong, we feel it as well. More and more writers and sources prefer to remain anonymous. It is difficult to find Christians willing to share their heartfelt opinions with our readers because of the need to self-censor.

The church is also facing unique challenges. Many churches in Hong Kong have historical, denominational, and social ties with churches in mainland China. The stories of Christian persecution in the mainlandfrom the arrests and violence of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s to the cross removals in 2014inform the churches in Hong Kong of what the future of religious freedom could look like.

Local churches are experiencing their own brain drain as congregants and pastoral staff leave Hong Kong for the United Kingdom as well as other countries. Churches increasingly face financial shortfalls as their congregations shrink and Hong Kongs post-COVID economy struggles. These are important trends and stories that Christian Times continues to cover.

While our readers continue to support us through subscriptions and donations, our advertising revenue has fluctuated. Christian organizations, churches, and members of the local Christian community are our main advertisers. For a few years after the political changes, the number of job recruitment ads skyrocketed as many churches and organizations needed to fill the vacancies left by those who migrated overseas. In the latter half of 2023, a total of 222 churches posted openings on our site and on denominational sites.

But in recent months, the number of recruitment ads has been dropping. We are not exactly sure why, even though the city is currently facing an economic decline as stock prices, housing prices, and exports drop.

Recruiting staff to run our media site is also becoming more difficult. When we post job listings, only a few people apply. In the past, many were willing to work for us as interns, volunteer reporters, or photojournalists. While Christian Times hasnt seen a mass exodus like some local churches, where up to half of the congregation has left, it is still difficult to find employees able to take on the heavy workload we currently experience.

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I dont blame those who are leaving Hong Kong, especially now as our freedoms crumble. Leaving is a rational decision. Yet while people can go, the church cannot. There are still people here in Hong Kong who need to hear the gospel and how it fulfills their spiritual, emotional, and material needs. The Christian community in Hong Kong still needs information to understand the current reality and make wise judgments. Certainly, Christian media has work to do here.

In a society that is becoming more and more authoritarian, the voices of the weak and the powerless are increasingly overlooked, neglected, or silenced. An independent media source like ours can give these voices a platform, even if we take on risks ourselves. To continue publishing, we need to make sure that we dont touch the governments red line, as the results would be catastrophic. Yet the government doesnt state clearly where that red line is. Even for simple editorial decisions, we need to seriously calculate whether it is a risk worth taking. Then we act in faith.

For instance, in 2021, just a year after the implementation of the previous national security law, the Hong Kong government planned to require all citizens to install a COVID-19 contact tracing app on their phones, which they would have to show every time they entered a public premise. But for the poor or homeless who could not afford a smartphone, such a measure could bar them from essential public facilities such as bathrooms, hospitals, and markets.

Organizations working with that population were concerned about the consequences, yet they worried that under the new law, they could be punished for discussing public affairs. Would publicly criticizing a government measure touch the red line? Still, one Christian nonprofit decided to interview some people who would be impacted by the measure and uploaded the recordings to social media.

Christian Times and several other local media outlets decided to cover the story despite the risks. Soon afterward, the government amended the measure. People without smartphones could ask social workers for letters that would permit them to register their information at the entrance to public premises by hand. The Hong Kong government did not mention whether they made the change due to public objections, so we cant say for sure if our reporting was effective. But we know it was the right thing to do.

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Our editorial desk has faced many such deliberations in the past few years. Sometimes we decided the risk was not worth taking. When we did take the risk, sometimes we saw change because of our coverage, but frequently we did not.

As Christian journalists in Hong Kong, we need wisdom from God for discernment in our daily lives. We want more people to care about the poor, the weak, the sick, the homeless, and those in prison, just as Jesus told us to do in Matthew 25:3146. We know that we cant do it all, but we hope the Lord will use our small works in this city for his purpose.

The situation in Hong Kong continues to tighten. The government has just passed legislation against treason, sedition, insurrection, espionage, and collaboration with external forces, which will go into effect on March 23. Yet a similar proposal in 2003 ignited a peaceful demonstration by half a million people, bringing the legislative process to a halt.

This time, there are no protests due to the heavy punishment against protesting since the implementation of the national security law four years ago. The government now claims that 99 percent of the people who submitted their opinions on the new law agreed with it.

A recent survey found that Hong Kongers believe that there is above-average freedom of religion in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, freedom of speech, press, and association are a bit below average. (Freedom of demonstration was rated the lowest.) However, religious freedom is not independent of other freedoms. We are not sure what will happen after the proposed legislation is in effect. Will religious freedom remain the same? Will local churches still be able to fellowship with churches overseas? Will there be space for news media to uphold journalistic values? Where will the red line be?

Please pray for Hong Kong. We also need your prayers for Christian Times so that we can continue to serve the Christian community faithfully here, providing them with truth and keeping a written history of what is happening in our beloved city.

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When Karen Roach first heard the Bible in Jamaican Patois, an English-based creole she grew up speaking, she couldnt help but laugh.

The reason why you laugh is, one, because of the way its said and, two, because it touches your heartit reminds me of home, Roach said. She felt like a light on a dimmer switch had been slid to its highest setting.

Roach, who works for Wycliffe Bible Translators in London, grew up in a middle-class neighborhood in St. Ann, Jamaica, where she attended schools that stressed speaking English. Like most Jamaicans, Roach spoke Patois (also known as Jamaican) at home and was taught what you do in the yard, you dont do abroad. So when she first heard of a Bible translation for Patois, she dismissed it, arguing that Patois wasnt a real language but a slang used by locals.

But after watching the Jesus film dubbed in Patois last year, she found herself moved. While on a visit to Jamaica in December 2022, she got her hands on a Jamaican New Testamentwhich she struggled to read because it uses a different alphabetand an audio Bible to listen to. Ive been to Bible college, done a degree in theology, but there were certain things that Jesus said which [werent] clear in English, Roach said. But when I heard it in Patois, I thought, Wow, this is interesting.

Over in the Philippines, Jorge de Ramos also heard laughter after he asked someone to read from the Taglish translation of the Bible at a Christmas party. (Taglish is a mixed language combining Tagalog and English.) Its something not irreverent, but it really departed from the very, very formal-sounding reading of Scripture, said De Ramos, pastor of Capitol City Baptist Church in Quezon City.

While Taglish is heard on the streets of Metro Manila, the Bible is predominantly read in either Tagalog or English. Many pastors found it disrespectful to use such a colloquial language as Taglish to express the Word of God, and initially De Ramos also struggled to break away from deeply ingrained ideas that the languages must not be mixed.

But its either me insisting on being a purist or adapting to the way the audience would like to hear it, he said. Today, he preaches from the pulpit in Taglish and uses the Taglish translation in Scripture readings.

Despite the vast historical and cultural differences between Patois and Taglish, both challenged the status quo around which translations should be used in the church. They faced a flurry of backlash, including claims that the translations were irreverent, when the Bible Society of the West Indies released the Jamaican New Testament in 2012 and the Philippine Bible Society released the New Testament Pinoy Version in 2018.

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Though these two translations have now gained greater acceptance, big questions remain. What is the correct language to use for a Bible, and who gets to draw that line? Even in languages deemed acceptable, are there words too vulgar to be used in the Bible? Are there times when a new version strays too far from the original text?

Various forms of these questions have been fiercely debated by Christians throughout church history, and they carry great spiritual importance. Translations can change how people view God, whom they think Gods Word is for, and whether they even pick up a Bible in the first place. Oftentimes, culture, history, class, and other biases color how we view the acceptability of a certain language. Yet perhaps what is most important is whether Gods Word speaks to listeners in a way that changes their lives.

Long before Christians debated whether to translate the Bible into Jamaican Patois, they were debating whether to translate it into English. The Latin Vulgate Bible (which was translated in A.D. 405) was the standard in Western Christianity for more than 1,000 years, with the result that only the religious elites had access to the Word of God.

In the late 14th century, Oxford professor John Wycliffe and his colleagues translated the Bible from the Latin Vulgate into the vernacular English of his day because it helpeth Christian men to study the Gospel in that tongue in which they know best Christs sentence.

The church considered the translation a heresy, and King Richard II banned Wycliffes teachings in 1382. Wycliffes actions were considered so atrocious that, 40 years after his death, officials dug up his bones and burned them.

A century later, William Tyndale had a similar vision to bring the Scriptures to the common people, creating the first English Bible translated from the original Hebrew and Greek. He managed to translate the New Testament and parts of the Old Testament before he was arrested and executed for heresy under King Henry VIII. Later, though, Henry VIII converted to Protestantism, created the Church of England, and permitted the English translation of the Bible.

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Today, there are an estimated 900 English translations and paraphrases of the Bible (including incomplete translations). This includes formal equivalence Bibles that seek to stick closely to the words and grammar of the original text (such as the King James Version) as well as dynamic equivalent versions that try to communicate the idea of the original text (like the New Living Translation).

Then there are paraphrases, like The Message and the Living Bible, which are concerned about the accuracy in translating thoughts, to express something the way the author would if they had been writing in English, Kenneth N. Taylor, the creator of the Living Bible, explained to CT in 1979.

This means that while paraphrases are more readable, they also introduce the adapters own theological leanings and commentary into the text, causing consternation among some Christians. After Taylor finished the Living Biblea project he began to help his children understand Bible readings during family devotionshe struggled to find a publisher willing to take on his manuscript. He decided to start his own publishing company, aptly named Tyndale House Publishers. The Living Bible became a bestseller when it was published in 1971 and went on to sell 40 million copies.

Some paraphrases make even more direct changes to the text, such as adding modern slang, anachronisms, and familiar names for people and places to match the knowledge of readers. Freddy Boswell, former executive director of the Bible translation group SIL International, called these paraphrases adaptive retellings.

They use various local dialects, such as in The Aussie Bible (The angel said to her, Gday Mary. You are a pretty special sheila. God has his eye on you. ). They also include Clarence Jordans Cotton Patch Gospel from the 1960s, a modern translation with a Southern accent, fervent, earthy, rich in humor, according to his publisher. It modernizes the names of people and locations (to US cities in the South) and changes the Jews and Gentiles to whites and Negros, with Jesus dying by lynching.

Jordan claimed his goal was to reframe the events of the Scripture so plain folks in the South could better understand them. [Translations] have left us stranded in some faraway land in the long-distance past, Jordan said. We need to have it come in our tongue and our time. We want to be participants in the faith, not merely spectators.

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Confusion can result if a version isnt explicitly clear that it is not an accurate translation, Boswell writes, but he sees the purpose of adaptive retellings as introducing readers and hearers to the broad strokes message of the Good News. It is a bridge to further reading, learning, and growth.

Speakers of most languages dont have the luxury to choose from hundreds of Bible translations. Translation groups are working to make the Bible accessible to everyone in the world, but with limited finances and resources, they need to figure out which languages to focus on.

With the evolving nature of language and the large number of multilingual populations, this can get tricky. Peter Brassington, a digital Scripture engagement consultant with SIL, said the main question is Can people understand [the Bible] if we dont translate it?

Translators also think through questions like Is it a language that will still be used in the next generation? How bilingual or multilingual is this people group? How do people view the language? And they dig deeper to figure out why a certain language may be looked down on, Brassington said. Is it just because weve been telling you that for the last few generations and you believed us eventually? Or is it that, yes, you have decided there are different functions, different places where you want to use the language?

Image: Illustration by Sergey Isakov

This is sometimes the case with pidgins (languages formed to communicate between two different languages), creoles (pidgins spoken as a first language), mixed languages (languages that arise within a bilingual population), and local languages that get pushed aside by another major regional language.

In Jamaica, the idea of creating a Patois Bible translation was unthinkable for many when Faith Linton, a board member of the Bible Society of the West Indies, first suggested it in the late 1960s. The languagea mix of English with West African, Taino (a Caribbean language), Irish, Spanish, and other influencesdeveloped so that people who were enslaved and brought over from Africa to work on the islands sugar plantations could communicate with their masters. After the emancipation of Jamaicas enslaved people in 1838, they sought to advance socially by speaking English.

Once Jamaica gained independence in 1962, Jamaicans felt it important to prove to Britain that we were able to manage, and one of the ways in which we could prove that  is to speak English, said Bertram Gayle, an Anglican priest in Kingston and a translator for the Jamaican New Testament. Also, there existed negative attitudes that were  inculcated in our people toward the Jamaican language, the language of the slaves, the enslaved people, or anything African.

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So while Patois is still spoken in the home and informal settings by more than four million people around the world, English is Jamaicas official language and is used in schools, the government, and the church.

English is the aspirational language, said Ruth Smith-Sutherland, executive director of Wycliffe Bible Translators Caribbean. Thats what they want to hear in church. But this means many people are unable to fully understand what they hear on Sunday mornings or read in their KJV Bibles.

Linton continued to push for a Patois version, and translation work finally began in 1993 as attitudes toward the language softened. When Gayle started working on the Jamaican New Testament in 2008, he was told that it had been 60 percent completed. Yet he found the material of such poor quality that the translators decided to start from scratch.

They faced several other challenges. Jamaican is still primarily a spoken language, so few people could read the Jamaican alphabet used in the translation. When the team finished the New Testament three years later, the group Faith Comes By Hearing helped them produce an audio Bible. Gayle noted that more people listen to the translation than read it.

The project also faced pushback from Jamaicans who considered translating the Bible into broken English a waste of time. Jamaican prime minister Bruce Golding said in 2008 that the translation signifies an admission to failure of Jamaicans to properly teach English.

The Jamaica Gleaner printed letters to the editor complaining about the translation. I imagined a Sunday or Saturday morning where there is pure laughter, while the Word of God is being read! wrote Christine Ade-Gold. The pastor and congregation would go home feeling belly pains from laughter, with nothing spiritual gained. This is not only disrespectful to God, but also a mockery of God. Others felt that Patois lacked the vocabulary to mine the deep spiritual truths in the Bible.

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So we proved them wrong, Gayle said. Any language can communicate anything; if something pops up in a particular culture, people find ways of identifying it and referring to it.

The translation team used phrases to explain concepts not used in Jamaican. For instance, the manger where Jesus was born became the box that the animals eat out of. They also used the basic word structures in Jamaican to create easy-to-understand new expressions.

In the decade since the Jamaican New Testaments publication, more Jamaicans are seeing Patois as a language to take pride in. Smith-Sutherland noted that the international popularity of reggae music and local writers like Louise Bennett-Coverley contributed to this change. Thanks to our artists, theyve torn down this barrier, Smith-Sutherland said. So its not in our churches that that happened. It happened in our dance halls.

Today, the Patois translation is used in some churches (including all of the islands Methodist churches), heard on the radio, and read on special occasions such as Pentecost or Jamaican emancipation and independence celebrations. The Bible Society of the West Indies has sold 10,000 copies of the Jamaican New Testament, and an app with the audio Bible has been downloaded 50,000 times. While most Anglican churches use only English in their services, Gayle works to incorporate Patois into sermons and Scripture reading at his church.

Ironically, hes found that churches that use English more heavily in their worship serviceswhich tend to have congregants from a higher socioeconomic classare more accepting of the Jamaican Bible than rural churches that use more Jamaican. His theory is that because those in rural areas view English as their path to social mobility, they hold tightly to reading Scripture in that aspirational language. But the more English-speaking churches dont have anything to lose in terms of upward mobility by using the Jamaican Bible.

While Patois is tied to Jamaicas history of enslavement, over in the Philippines, Taglish is a recent development birthed out of American colonialism and growing pride in the national language, Filipino (a dialect of Tagalog). Unlike Jamaican, Taglish is not a creole or pidgin but a mixed language, as speakers of Taglish speak both English and Tagalog.

The Philippines is home to more than 120 languages, with Filipino spoken most widely. (Filipino and Tagalog will be used interchangeably in this article.) Spains 300-year rule of the country resulted in Spanish words also being sprinkled into the vernacular, as well as Spanish surnames and a Spanish-based creole.

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During the 50 years of US colonialism in the Philippines, Americans set up a public school system and imported American culture, democracy, and the English language. Even after the Philippines gained independence in 1946, English was the language used in the government, media, and education.

But as people began protesting after former president Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972, the language of the expression for freedom was Filipino, said Anicia Del Corro, translation consultant for the Philippine Bible Society (PBS). The use of Tagalog grew, although the educated class was still trained in English.

Thus the two languages began to mix, creating Taglish. Del Corro noticed the language taking off around the turn of the millennium, bolstered by texting and the internet, which tore down the barrier between how language was spoken and how it was written. It became especially prominent in Metro Manila, a region made up of 16 cities and 13 million people.

Beginning in 2007, PBS started holding workshops to train translators for the Taglish Bible translation (formally called the Pinoy Version). Researching this new language, convincing the PBS board to greenlight the project, and translating the New Testament from its original Greek took 11 years. The entire Bible with the Old Testament was completed in June 2023.

Since the New Testament Pinoy Version was first released at the 2018 Manila International Book Fair, Christians (who make up at least 90 percent of the countrys population) have debated the translation endlessly on social media, through blogs, and in person. At an open-mic session hosted by PBS soon after the versions launch, attendees decried that the Taglish words used in the Bible were more fit for the tambays in the kanto [bystanders in the streets] rather than  serious readers of Gods Holy Word, according to Rei Lemuel Crizaldo, a writer and theologian who attended the event.

A fresh wave of critiques appeared after a Catholic bookstore posted an online ad for the translation in 2020. Very liberal word choices can lead to the text not being taken seriously, wrote one commenter. Others said the Bible lost its richness and contextual meaning when translated into Taglish.

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Yet the Pinoy Version also had its supporters, including Catholic bishop Broderick Pabillo, an important figure in the heavily Catholic country. He defended the translation in an article, saying, We cannot say the Pinoy version is disrespectful of the word of God as we cannot say that our Taglish is disrespectful. He sees a need for young people in Metro Manila to get interested in the Bible and feel that the Bible speaks to them  in their day-to-day language.

The New Testament Pinoy Versions sales numbers confirmed that need: Within the first year, PBS sold 100,000 copies, the most it has ever sold for a new translation. To date, PBS has distributed more than 500,000 New Testaments and 72,000 copies of the completed Bible.

The 68-year-old Pabillo says that during the liturgy, he sticks with traditional Bible translations, but in talks or Bible studies, he uses the Pinoy Version. At first, his parishioners were surprised. But after he explained how the translation was done and started using it regularly, they came to accept it and now find the Bible easier to understand, he says.

Image: Illustration by Sergey Isakov

Crizaldo, who is also the theological commission coordinator of the World Evangelical Alliance, was surprised to see the backlash against the translation. He thought the growing acceptance of Taglish in literature, including his own books, would have softened peoples stances against the language. Young people loved it, he recalled. But it was the pastors who vehemently reacted that it disrespects the Word of God because the young people are laughing while reading it.

Crizaldo found that the Pinoy Version translated not only the words but also the emotions in the culture. Its not only speaking to the mind, but its trying to capture the force of the emotions, he said. And I think thats the reason why it connects so well with people, especially the younger people.

Language can be divided into low-register (common or ordinary) and high-register (former or proper). This categorization had to be considered by translators of both the Taglish and Patois New Testaments. When Del Corro first met with her young team of translators, she stressed that the Bible would not include vulgar or tabloid language or vocabulary connected to a particular subsection of society (such as Swardspeak, a Taglish slang used within the LGBT community).

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Over in Jamaica, Smith-Sutherland noted the care translators took to ensure the Patois Bible would be appropriate in church settings. She said some of the younger translators wanted to include more street talk so the Bible could appeal to a man on the street who aint reading no Bible.

I sympathize with that, and I will go halfway down the road with them, Smith-Sutherland said. But I pull them back when I say what we want is something that is also liturgical that can be read on a Sunday morning. So thats the kind of tightrope we walk.

This too is not a new debate. Words that would make many a Christian blush are found in the original Greek and Hebrew texts of the Bible, said Andy Warren-Rothlin, global translation advisor at United Bible Societies. Most of these words refer to body parts, excrement, or sex. In the ninth century, Masoretic scribes put a note in the margin by several words including shagal (to ravish or rape) and haraim (excrement), urging people to swap them out for euphemisms when reading the Bible aloud in the synagogue,

Warren-Rothlin noted.

English translations in the past century have also cleaned up words that Wycliffe had no problem using. A taunt from an Assyrian military figure toward Israelites in Isaiah 36:12 went from insulting them as men who eat their turds, and drink the p off their feet to people who eat their own excrement and drink their own urine in the NIV.

Our modern evangelical ideas about the use of language are much more uptight than the original biblical text itself, Warren-Rothlin said. The perspective [were] seeing it from is itself odd in the perspective of history.

He noted that the prophets used very strong language when speaking about the ways Israel had strayed from God, and famously Paul uses this word skubalon, which some people think meant something like s in Philippians 3:8 when comparing his former accomplishments to knowing Christ.

Warren-Rothlin believes the influence of the King James Version made Western evangelicals feel the Bible should be communicated in high-register language and sound a bit posh. As they went out as missionaries and Bible translators, they spread that idea to Christian communities they started, he noted.

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While parts of the Bible like the Psalms belong in an elevated language, he said, other parts like the Gospels should be written in a normal narrative register, and parts of Pauls letters have a very clearly low-register, very idiomatic spoken kind of language. Novels often have characters speaking in different registers to depict their place in society, so why shouldnt our Bible translations have that same kind of diversity? Warren-Rothlin asked.

One creative translation Warren-Rothlin loves (It does really wacky kinds of things, and yet it engages people) is the German Volxbibel. It falls under the category of adaptive retelling; not only does it use low-register street language, but it also changes the Bible to include anachronistic technologyJesus rides into Jerusalem on a motorbike and gives Peter the PIN code to the kingdom.

Martin Dreyer, founder of the youth outreach ministry Jesus Freaks, decided to write the Volxbibel after realizing that the young people he worked with at a youth center in Cologne were completely unfamiliar with religious terms. When he asked them what they thought sin meant, one young man said a sinful weekend meant going partying and meeting girls. After telling them, Jesus died for your sins, Dreyer recalled them asking, Why? He shouldnt have done that for the fun times I had.

So Dreyer, who himself came from a punk-rock background, took the German Luther and Elberfelder Bibles and started to rewrite the scriptural text using words and ideas that the young people he worked with could grasp. The result was the Volxbibel, which Dreyer self-funded and published in 2005, with a cover modeled after a pack of cigarettes and a warning that reading can have radical side effects. Its currently in its eighth edition (new editions are created as the language changes).

Controversy erupted even before it was published. Hundreds of Christians signed petitions calling for its publisher, R. Brockhaus Verlag, to drop the book. The publishing house founded a separate subsidiary for the Volxbibel to avoid harming the rest of its publications. Christliche Bucherstuben GmbH, a Christian bookstore chain associated with the Brethren movement, does not sell the Volxbibel because it believes the book speaks obscenely and improperly of God.

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In an article, Michael Freitag of AEJ, an umbrella organization for Protestant youth in Germany, called the Volxbibel a pretty scary and embarrassing elaborationlinguistically, theologically, and spiritually, claiming that it tarnishes the Bible with tasteless choice of words, misrepresents Jesus, and adds commentary into the Bible rather than allowing Gods Word to speak for itself.

At the height of the protest, Dreyer said, he received about 600 messages a day about the Volxbibel. At one point, an elderly man interrupted his sermon at his church, stomped up to the stage, and gave me over to Satan.

In defense of the profanities laced throughout the text (for instance, instead of sin, Dreyer uses a German phrase that means doing s stuff), Dreyer pointed to the original language of the Bible. He noted that when Martin Luther translated Philippians 3:8 into German, he used the German word kot (dung), which was later changed to a word meaning filth.

In later versions of the Volxbibel, Dreyer decided to take out nearly all the profanities after receiving a note from a mother who said her daughter had called her dinner s after reading the word in the Volxbibel. The one instance where he kept it was the verse in Philippians.

Dreyer modernized the stories in the Bible to fit its 21st-century readers.In the Volxbibel, parables are given modern equivalents, with the parable of the sower replaced with new software (the seed) being planted in different types of hardware (the soil). Jesus is born in a car park, his Dad gave him the joystick for this world, and Christians are called to be like a refrigerator for this world (since in Jesus time, salt had a preservative function).

I said to the critics, Are we here to save the language or save people?  Dreyer said. When only one person is reached through this crazy Bible version, if they are suddenly interested in this belief, finding hope, and starting to get in contact with God, the whole work is worth it.

And the translation has had that effect, Dreyer said. Many people send him encouraging emails and letters, including a girl who said she was part of the goth scene and didnt see any reason to keep living. When a suicide attempt left her in the hospital, a nurse gave her the Volxbibel, which she read cover to cover. Afterward she prayed and found a church. Her whole life is now full of light and hope, Dreyer said.

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To keep its language current, Dreyer pasted the Volxbibel into a Google document where anyone could make suggestions for edits, creating a crowdsourced Bible. Dreyer and his team go through the suggestions to determine which they plan to keep, and before the next edition is published, two or three Bible scholars comb through the text to make sure it is faithful enough to the original. This too caused consternation among Christians, because professional Bible translators were not involved.

The media buzz around this controversial Bible caused the book to hit No. 19 on the secular bestseller list in Germany. In total, the Volxbibel has sold 350,000 copies. Its opened up doors that Dreyer never imagined, including opportunities to speak in schools and at rock festivals.

Dreyer believes that the Volxbibel is a good way to introduce people to the Word of God and that as they grow in their faith and want to know God more, they can pick up more traditional Bible translations.

Its definitely a low-level bridge for nonreligious people to get into the message of the Bible, Dreyer explained. I think my calling is to get people out of this nonbelieving area over this bridge to the church and realm of belief. Its an [evangelistic] flier for those who wont read any other fliers.

Many Bible translators see the roles that different types of retellings, paraphrases, and translations can play to make Gods Word as clear and approachable to as many people as possible. Like with the Patois or Taglish translations, having a Bible in the language that one lives and thinks in can make a profound spiritual difference.

My own personal belief is that a good Bible translation in [ones] natural language  leads to quicker transformation than if you continue to tell people to read the Bible in the language that actually they are not competent in, said Marlon Winedt, a global translation advisor with United Bible Societies and a consultant for the Jamaican Old Testament. It doesnt speak to them in the same way their mother tongue speaks to them.

Warren-Rothlin noted that even though in his professional life he is very strict about translation accuracy, he also enjoys seeing the creative ways Christians are reaching nonbelievers. At the end of the day, his ultimate goal is to get people to engage with Jesus.

Im not going to be picky about every detail about whether its true to the source text. What I care about is that people engage with it, read it, watch or listen to it, and they get to know Jesus, he said. If youve done that, Im happy.

Angela Lu Fulton is CTs Southeast Asia editor.

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Home News Hezbollah terrorist caught illegally crossing southern border wanted to make a bomb, go to NY

A Lebanese man caught trying to illegally cross the border near El Paso, Texas, reportedly claimed he was a member of the terror group Hezbollah, hoped to make a bomb and wanted to go to New York.

U.S. Border Patrol apprehended 22-year-old Basel Bassel Ebbadi on March 9. He stated in a sworn affidavit after his arrest that he trained with Hezbollah for seven years and served four more as a guard for weapons locations.

Hezbollah is an Iran-backed terrorist group that has attacked Israeli communities and military outposts following Hamas' Oct. 7 onslaught against the Jewish state. Israel was eventually forced to evacuate thousands of residents from its northern border towns due to the repeated fire exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel.

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According to documents shared Sunday by The New York Post, which first reported on the story, Ebbadi admitted in a March 11 interview following his apprehension that he was in the United States because he wanted to "try to make a bomb." He was then placed in isolation and referred to the Tactical Terrorism Response Team.

At one point during an interview with officials, the migrant claimed he fled Lebanon to escape Hezbollah, saying that he "didn't want to kill people" and "once you're in, you can never get out." According to Ebbadi, his training with Hezbollah focused on "Jihad," which, in Islam, typically means to wage war against non-Muslims until they submit to Islam.

Ebbadi also claimed that a robbery in Costa Rica is why he did not have any identifying documents when he entered the U.S., according to the report. The migrant said he used a fake name and birthday in Sweden, Ecuador and Panama, and he lied about his father residing in Ecuador.

While internal documents show that Ebbadi is marked for deportation, according to The New York Post, the country to which he will be returned is unclear.

The news of Ebbadi's apprehension comes amid a reported increase in the number of known or suspected terrorists using fake identification after crossing the southern border. FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the U.S. House Select Intelligence Committee last week that the FBI has seen this number increase within the last five years.

"There are a few different categories of people that we have concerns about," Wray said. "When a known or suspected terrorist, as in known that they're a known or suspected terrorist, is apprehended at the border, I'm confident in the vast majority of instances there's very close lash-up between FBI and DHS (Department of Homeland Security) on it.

"The bigger concern is a situation, for example, where somebody presents fake identification documents at the border and there's not biometrics to match up  so there's no way to be able to know that they're not who they say they are. Then, they get into the country; then somehow we find out that they're someone, in fact, who's on the list."

According to data last year from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 151 individuals on the Terrorist Screening Dataset were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border. Officials encountered 98 known or suspected terrorists at the Southwest border during the previous fiscal year.

For the year 2021, which includes the last three-and-a-half months of the Trump administration and the first seven-and-a-half months of the Biden administration, 15 known or suspected terrorists were caught at the Southwest border.

A former intelligence official told NewsNation last week that migrants will sneak into the country by moving to places like Brazil before coming to the U.S. and claiming that as their country of origin.

"They're infiltrating us within these groups that are turning themselves in because a lot of them have been in Mexico for a while. They learned to speak Spanish. They shaved their beards. They look like possibly a Mexican national, a Central American, and they have fake documents," former Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Victor Avila said.

"So, they present these fake documents and enter with a different nationality. It just gives me chills to think of the national security implications that we're facing and that we possibly will face in the near future," he continued.
Home News Ron DeSantis pledges help for American missionaries trapped in Haiti

As many American missionaries seek to be evacuated from Haiti after getting trapped there amid political turmoil and escalating violence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he has authorized rescue flights to help missionaries get out of the troubled Caribbean nation.

I have authorized rescue flights like we did in Israel after the October 7th (Hamas attacks) because weve got a lot of folks who are part of Christian missionary groups and they do things to try to actually help a very troubled country, said DeSantis on Friday in an interview on Fox News with host Sean Hannity.

They really are doing good work, they need to get out, so we are working on that, DeSantis said. We don't want to say anything too public about what exactly we are doing because it's a very dicey situation, but we do feel an obligation to go in and help Florida citizens who were caught in the crossfire of a very difficult situation.

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DeSantis actions come at a critical time for missionaries from Florida, Miriam Cinotti, a Jacksonville bakery owner, and Linotte Joseph, a South Florida local, who work with Mission of Grace and shared how they've been surviving since they got trapped in Haiti.

We got here Feb. 23, we had a reservation to leave on March 8, and they canceled our reservation, so were still here, Joseph told 7 News Miami.

The missionaries were expected to leave Haiti after helping to build a new home for children but since Haitis Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced he would resign earlier this month amid growing unrest things have taken a turn for the worse in Haiti.

We called the embassy, and they advised us to stay safe where we are. But they dont promise anything, Joseph said.

In July 2023, the U.S. State Department re-issued a Level 4 travel advisory for Haiti asking Americans not to travel to the Caribbean nation. The advisory ordered all U.S. citizens and non-emergency government employees to leave as soon as possible.

"Do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure. On July 27, the Department of State ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government employees and non-emergency U.S. government employees. U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges," the advisory said. "U.S. citizens wishing to depart Port-au-Prince should monitor local news and only do so when considered safe."

A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department told 7 News Miami that they don't have plans to evacuate anyone.

We always plan for all sorts of contingencies, but no, we are not planning, we are not actively planning for any evacuation, the spokesperson said.

It was noted, however, that the U.S. would be deploying a Marine anti-terrorism team to Haiti to keep Americans in the country safe and secure.

Cinotti told CNN that where they are located in Haiti, they need to arrange for two commercial flights to get out of the country so that makes their situation a bit more challenging.

We looked on to see if there are flights available even in a week and theres no flights, so weve reached out to our senators, our congressmen. We are all from Florida. And they have a program, and they are trying to get us out and we are all just waiting to hear, she said.

Joseph said even if she is rescued, she will still worry for the people in her ministry shell be leaving behind.

Im afraid because even if I get a chance to go back home, I will still leave over 300 children and staff at the orphanage where food and medication is hard to find because right now things are very short. Gas, food, medication  its a big mess, she said, urging Americans to see the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Haiti.

Its a humanitarian cause, she insisted. Its the violence, the gangs, politics, but people need to set all that apart. See those kids are dying, the elderly in the street, the innocent people whos falling every day.
Home News Supreme Court lets Texas enforce illegal immigration law, for now

The United States Supreme Court has cleared the way for Texas to enforce a state immigration law allowing law enforcement officers to arrest migrants illegally entering the state for the time being as a legal challenge continues at the appellate level.

Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday to leave in place an appeals court administrative stay on a preliminary injunction blocking Texas Senate Bill 4, which also provides a mechanism for migrants to be deported as part of their sentencing process for the crime of illegally entering the state.

Slated to take effect this month, SB4 punishes anyone who makes an illegal entry or re-entry into Texas with a penalty of at least 180 days in jail or as much as 20 years in prison.

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The law also mandates that state magistrate judges send anyone who illegally enters Texas back to Mexico, with those who fail to do so facing up to 20 years in prison.

Justice Samuel Alito denied a request to allow the preliminary injunction against the law to take effect, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett authoring a concurring opinion, being joined by Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter  or not enter  an administrative stay. I would not get into the business, wrote Barrett.

When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal. I think it unwise to invite emergency litigation in this Court about whether a court of appeals abused its discretion at this preliminary step 

Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored a dissenting opinion to the denial of the stay, being joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, arguing that the Court invites further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement.

This law will disrupt sensitive foreign relations, frustrate the protection of individuals fleeing persecution, hamper active federal enforcement efforts, undermine federal agencies ability to detect and monitor imminent security threats, and deter noncitizens from reporting abuse or trafficking, wrote Sotomayor.

The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos, when the only court to consider the law concluded that it is likely unconstitutional.

Anand Balakrishnan, senior staff attorney at the Immigrants Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, released a statement on Tuesday expressing disappointment at the ruling.

Todays decision is disappointing and threatens the integrity of our nations immigration laws and bedrock principles of due process, stated Balakrishnan. But it is only preliminary and turned on the specific posture of the case. Well continue to fight against S.B. 4 until it is struck down once and for all.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who had signed SB4 into law last year, took to X to tweet that he supported the decision, saying that this is clearly a positive development.

"Four years ago, the United States had the fewest illegal border crossings in decades," Abbott said in a statement released last year.

"It was because of four policies put in place by the Trump Administration that led to such a low number of illegal crossings. President Biden has eliminated all of those policies and done nothing to halt illegal immigration. President Biden's deliberate inaction has left Texas to fend for itself."
Home News Trump sues George Stephanopoulos, ABC News for defamation after saying he is 'liable for rape'

Former President Donald Trump is suing ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation after the host recently claimed that multiple juries found him "liable for rape" against writer E. Jean Carroll.

Stephanopoulos made the claim during a heated March 10 interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," during which he pressed the congresswoman on her support for Trump despite being a rape victim herself.

"Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape," Stephanopoulos asked Mace. "How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?"

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In the complaint filed Monday in federal court in the Southern District of Florida against Stephanopoulos, ABC and ABC News, Trump's attorney Alejandro Brito alleged that there is enough evidence to prove that Stephanopoulos engaged in the "actual malice" a public figure must demonstrate to prove defamation in court.

"These statements were and remain false, and were made by Defendant Stephanopoulos with actual malice or with a reckless disregard for the truth given that Defendant Stephanopoulos knows that these statements are patently and demonstrably false," Brito wrote.

"Indeed, the jury expressly found that Plaintiff did not commit rape and, as demonstrated below, Defendant George Stephanopoulos was aware of the jury's finding in this regard yet still falsely stated otherwise."

The complaint noted how Stephanopoulos made the statement more than 10 times throughout the roughly 10-minute interview. It also cited past instances when Stephanopoulos and ABC News were more precise in reporting that a Manhattan civil court found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, but not rape.

In one interview the complaint cited, Stephanopoulos explicitly asked Carroll what she was thinking when the jury found him not liable for rape.

The judge in the civil case clarified in a memo last July that because of the "narrow, technical meaning" of rape under the New York Penal Law, the jury finding Trump not liable for rape does not mean it did not occur.

"The finding that Ms. Carroll failed to prove that she was raped within the meaning of the New York Penal Law does not mean that she failed to prove that Mr. Trump raped her as many people commonly understand the word rape,'" Judge Lewis A. Kaplan wrote. "Indeed, as the evidence at trial recounted below makes clear, the jury found that Mr. Trump in fact did exactly that."

Trump was slapped with an $83.3 million judgment in the lawsuit, plus interest.

Trump has filed defamation suits before against other media organizations such as CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post, which have been dismissed in federal court.

During his interview with Mace, Stephanopoulos also drew the ire of the congresswoman for his line of questioning.

Mace first went public with her story of being raped at 16 during a debate in the South Carolina House of Representatives regarding whether the state's fetal heartbeat bill should contain an exception for rape and incest.

After he opened the interview with a video of her speech about the issue, Mace shot back at Stephanopoulos, accusing the former Clinton White House communications director of attempting to "shame" her for her political views by dredging up a traumatic experience that happened to her when she was a teenager.

"Well, I will tell you, I was raped at the age of 16, and any rape victim will tell you, I've lived for 30 years with an incredible amount of shame over being raped. I didn't come forward because of that judgment and shame that I felt," she said.

"And it's a shame that you will never feel, George, and I'm not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me about another potential rape victim. I'm not going to do that," she continued.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo speaks during a press conference on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023 at the Eldorado Ballroom in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the first woman to serve as the county's chief executive, won her second term in office in November 2022. She was first elected in 2018 as a 27-year-old political newcomer who defeated a Republican incumbent in a surprising upset, helping to flip control of the county to Democrats.

Here are some key things to know about the Harris County judge.

What does County Judge Lina Hidalgo do?

Hidalgo serves as county judge of Harris County, the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous in the United States.

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Like all counties in Texas, it is governed by the five members of Commissioners Court: the county judge, along with four commissioners who each represent a different geographical area. Unlike the city of Houston's "strong mayor" system of governance, in which the mayor wields far more power than City Council, the county system is more decentralized and empowers commissioners to run their own precincts.

The county judge and commissioners oversee a $2.4 billion operating budget, which is how the county pays for things like courts, libraries and elections. Nearly two-thirds of the budget goes to the criminal justice system, including the county jail, sheriff's office and constables.

While commissioners run their precincts  working on projects such as roads, parks and infrastructure  the county judge is elected by the county as a whole and helps to set the policy agenda. Hidalgo also has played a role in deciding how Harris County's massive amount of federal COVID-19 recovery funding has been spent.

How old is Lina Hidalgo?

Hidalgo is 33 years old. She is an immigrant from Colombia and a graduate of Stanford University.

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How much does Lina Hidalgo earn?

Hidalgo ranks No. 68 on the list of top-earning Harris County employees, earning $190,860 per year as of 2023.

Is Lina Hidalgo engaged?

In January, Hidalgo got engaged to her longtime boyfriend David James, a 35-year-old personal injury and civil rights attorney. Her wedding is scheduled for Dec. 1 this year.

What is the feud between Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg and Lina Hidalgo all about?

Ogg and Hidalgo have traded heated accusations over the years, with Ogg arguing the county is "defunding" law enforcement and Hidalgo calling an investigation Ogg launched into Hidalgo's former aides a "political vendetta."

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A grand jury indicted three of Hidalgos former aides in April 2022. They're accused of misusing official information by providing details of a COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to Elevate Strategies, a politically-connected firm, before the bidding process had become public. The defendants have denied any wrongdoing.

Last June, tensions reached a boiling point when Hidalgo publicly accused Ogg of harassing and bullying county officials and their staff, which Ogg's senior staff members have denied.

Ogg lost her March 2024 primary election to former prosecutor Sean Teare by an astonishing 50 points. Some party members have attributed Ogg's loss, in part, to her adversarial relationship with Hidalgo, especially during Hidalgo's re-election campaign in 2022.

(Ogg) was actively fighting against her, which basically meant our whole ticket here in Harris County, said Rebecca Shukla, a local Democratic Party precinct chair who supported Teare. Here we are knocking doors, out there in the heat and shes just making it harder.

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Why did Lina Hidalgo take a leave of absence?

Hidalgo took a leave of absence from work beginning in July 2023 so she could receive in-patient treatment for clinical depression.

'I WAS TRAPPED': Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo talks decision to seek treatment for depression

She announced the news in a letter to Harris County residents.

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I am writing to share with you that I am one of the over 21 million American adults that is suffering from clinical depression, Hidalgo wrote. For some time, I have been coping with this challenge, and it was undiagnosed until last month.

Did Lina Hidalgo resign?

No. In mid-September 2023, Hidalgo's former Republican opponent, Alexandra del Moral Mealer, called on her to return to work or to resign. Hidalgo's then-spokesperson called Mealer's demand an "irresponsible" attempt to "try to score political points against someone seeking treatment for a chronic illness."

Hidalgo returned to work in early October.

How do I contact Lina Hidalgo?
Home News Tucker Carlson exhorts Texas audience to see spiritual war behind political battles: 'Not flesh and blood at all'

FORT WORTH, Texas  Conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson urged a group of Republicans in Texas on Sunday to keep the country's increasingly evident spiritual war in mind amid the approaching election.

Speaking at a sold-out fundraising event for the Tarrant County Republican Party in the Fort Worth Stockyards, Carlson opened his brief speech by recounting how a man offered to pray over him for God's guidance before he addressed the audience, which he noted would have been an unusual experience where he lives in New England.

In Texas, however, such prayer is commonplace, he said.

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"All of you are probably thinking, 'Well, yeah, that's what we do in Texas.' That is not what they do in other states. But it is the thing that makes the state different, really different from any other place," he said.

Some of the cultural and political battles raging in the U.S. cannot be explained in political terms, Carlson explained, which he believes indicates their otherworldly nature.

"This is not flesh and blood at all. If youre offended by prayer, youre taking orders, OK? I dont see another rational explanation for it," he said, later adding that he divides political players into those who believe they're God and those who know they're not.

Carlson, who later said he has been reading through the Bible, observed that descendants have been seen since biblical times as the truest and most lasting measure of prosperity, but that many in power are effectively robbing citizens of that heritage.

"What they're promising you, every person in this room, is no descendants," he said. "No descendants. It's really that simple."

"You can reduce all these debates about climate, crime, all the weird sex stuff  I'm not going to dignify it with a name, I'm just gonna call it that 'weird sex stuff'  but, if they're promising you the opportunity to castrate your children, what are they really promising? No grandchildren. The end of your line."

"And Solomon [and] David would like instantly recognize that as an act of total war against you and your people, period," he added. "Because that's what that is."

Noting how Texas is "literally being invaded," Carlson framed the illegal immigration crisis in both political and spiritual terms, suggesting the politicians who are enabling it are deliberately attempting to dismantle American institutions and replace the diminishing native-born population of the U.S. with non-Americans.

He also hit at GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, suggesting his response to his state's border crisis has been inadequate, though he noted he was reticent to attack a Republican governor at a Republican event.

"But I just have to say that I dont understand how you can be the governor of a state in 2020 and see the border open up and get invaded and not do anything about it."

"How many community hospitals have closed in the last three years? How many schools are so dysfunctional, you couldn't even visit them at this point?" he also said. "The institutions that we and our ancestors, the ancestors of every American, spent 250 years building, are now collapsing in front of our eyes because of this."

Laying aside the danger posed by the fact that many of those crossing the border are of unknown origin, Carlson noted that no country could feasibly assimilate the number of foreigners who have been coming into Texas in recent years.

"But even if every single one of them was a NASA engineer, it's too many people for any country to digest in too short a period," he said. "You will cause social chaos."

Bringing chaos out of order is the inverse of God creating order out of chaos, which indicates the evil "spiritual objective" of those who are attempting to "destroy the good," he said.

"We don't appreciate the importance of order. In the spiritual realm, what's the first thing that God did? All Christians, all Jews, all Muslims believe the same thing: God created order out of chaos. Genesis one through six is a template not just for the rest of the Bible, but for the world as we find it. It's just true."

"Order out of chaos [...] is the first and most obvious sign of good. Chaos out of order is the most obvious sign of evil. If you're creating chaos, you are, by definition, acting on behalf of evil. It's literally that simple," he added.

Carlson concluded his speech by urging his Texas listeners to demand their politicians tackle the illegal immigration crisis before the state is reduced to something resembling his native California.

"My only totally unsolicited, probably unwelcome advice is to take your politicians by the scruff of the neck and say, 'You're not getting another dollar from me until every public remark you make is about the issue that actually matters,'" he said.

During a question-and-answer exchange with Tarrant County GOP Chair Bo French after his speech, Carlson said he has been reading through the minor prophets such as Habakkuk, which he said taught him how suddenly disaster can fall on a nation when the voices of reason go unheeded.

"I think we're wired this way, where we assume that the future is just a pure extrapolation of the past: tomorrow will be like today, but a little more so," he said. "And that's not the story of history at all. The story of history is abrupt, unexpected change, but things change in a second. And I feel like we don't and will not understand that until we see it in the only terms that explain it, which are spiritual terms."

Since his ouster from Fox News last April, Carlson has repeatedly emphasized what he sees as the spiritual nature of the culture wars in the U.S. and other Western countries.

"The evidence unmistakably shows an acceleration in whatever this dark force is in this country whose only impulse is to destroy, not to improve or create, but to destroy, and it's all around us," Carlson said during a Turning Point USA event assembled in the Phoenix Convention Center last December. "And the only way to stop it is with [moral strength]."

During a two-stop speaking tour in Alberta, Canada, earlier this year, Carlson urged his audience to observe how Christian pastors were treated in the country during the COVID-19 lockdowns and said Canadian leaders pushed "hard-edge fascism" behind the guise of "public safety."
Home News Virginia school lets students opt out of Holocaust survivor speech over 'different experiences'

A middle school mom in one of Virginia's largest school districts shared a letter from her son's school telling families their children could opt out of a presentation featuring a Holocaust survivor because all students have "different experiences."

Adele Scalia's child is in seventh grade at Cooper Middle School, part of Fairfax County Public Schools. In a Thursday X post, the mother, who is the daughter-in-law of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, shared an excerpt from a notice the email administrators reportedly sent to parents allowing students to opt out of the talk by a Holocaust survivor.

"We understand that all students have different experiences," the notice states. "If you prefer to opt your child out from participating in this presentation, please email your child's history teacher, and they will be provided with an alternate assignment."

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The Holocaust was a genocide of Jews that resulted in the deaths of 6 million Jewish people during World War II. In her tweet, Scalia, a former attorney and stay-at-home mother, praised the idea of a Holocaust survivor speaking to her child's history class. But she questioned the wording of the email.

"If the email had said, 'We understand that some students are very sensitive and Mrs. X's stories may be disturbing and traumatizing to them' I would have given the benefit of the doubt," Scalia stated. "But it didn't, and so I am drawing different, less charitable (but more likely) conclusions."

Fairfax County Public Schools did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

In a Friday statement to The Daily Wire, FCPS claimed that the opt-out was to help Jewish students, explaining that the middle school invites a Holocaust survivor every year.

"Each year, Cooper MS invites a Holocaust survivor to speak with students to affirm meaningful learning experiences that increase representation of all identity groups that are essential to student learning," FCPS stated.

"Some Jewish students have previously expressed discomfort while engaging in dialogue around this visit. For that reason, school leadership makes every effort to partner with families of these students, who are 12 and 13 years old, to keep them informed," the district added. "This opt-out allows the family the opportunity to make the best informed decision on behalf of their student."

The controversy comes as multiple schools face accusations of antisemitism following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. Israel launched a counteroffensive after the terrorist group's surprise attack that resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 people and the abduction of over 240 others.

As The Washington Post reported in October, hundreds of Fairfax County high school students staged a walk-out to express support for Palestinians and to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Students from around 10 high schools planned the demonstrations, and Muslim Student Associations organized most of them, according to the outlet.

In November, administrators at Langley High School, which is part of FCPS, suspended a student who drew swastikas and the message "Free Palestine!" on the U.S. flag. The district also reportedly suspended the student who blew the whistle on the flag.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights also opened an investigation into FCPS in 2022 following allegations that the district mishandled allegations of harassment against Jewish students.

Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, the pro-Israel group that filed the complaint with OCR in January 2022, praised the investigation into "FCPS for failing to respond effectively to longstanding problems of antisemitism in the district."

ZOA filed its complaint under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, alleging that the district violated the law by failing to "respond appropriately and effectively to a hostile antisemitic environment." The complaint shares the experiences of one parent who says her children faced antisemitic harassment while attending Irving Middle School and West Springfield High School.

According to the family, classmates would give her kids "Heil Hitler" salutes and make jokes about the Holocaust, behavior that the mother said their teacher dismissed as "foolishness."

In another alleged incident, the parent claims that a swastika was etched into her child's desk. Despite the principal assuring the mother the issue would be taken seriously, the mom claims the swastika was never removed from her child's desk and remained there for the rest of the school year.
Home News Charles Stanley ministry to launch free online learning platform on anniversary of his death

The ministry once founded and led by Southern Baptist Pastor Charles Stanley will launch a free online Christian education platform on the first anniversary of his death.

In Touch Ministries, which Stanley founded in the 1970s, announced that it will be launching the Charles Stanley Institute on April 18.

In a statement emailed to The Christian Post on Monday, In Touch Ministries said the initiative will become the disciple-training arm of ITM, providing seekers and believers with in-depth biblical instruction based on Dr. Stanleys more than fifty years of inspirational messages.

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In each class, students will begin with his sermons and then dive deeper into the spiritual truths he presented through new Scripture-centered materials  instructional videos, Bible studies, and leader guides  that explore his points further, the ministry added.

ITM COO Seth Grey said in a statement shared with CP that his organization wanted to honor the day Dr. Stanley saw Jesus face to face in a way that shows were still all in  that the mission he passed on to us continues.

Our partners are always telling us how much Dr. Stanley meant to their walk with God and how they want In Touch to keep going. Thats why were so excited about the Charles Stanley Institute, Grey said.

The Institute was the last big project Dr. Stanley signed off on before he passed away. He was thrilled by the thought of offering this kind of in-depth training to people. When he went home to be with the Lord, we knew this was our path forward  this was what he wanted us to do.

Charles Stanley Institute Executive Director Joshua Howard said he believes people will want to learn about Jesus from someone they trust.

For so many years, that was Dr. Stanley. Hes no longer here, but what God taught us through him is  its timeless and worth a deeper look, Howard added.

With God leading, Dr. Stanleys amazing content, curriculum tailored to grow disciples, and a state-of-the-art website, were hopeful we can provide believers everywhere with a place to flourish in their faith.

An author, popular televangelist, and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Stanley died at the age of 90 last year, about three years after stepping down as lead pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, a position he held since 1971.

Stanley was honored in October 2021 by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary when it created an endowed chair in his honor supported through a donor agreement between SWBTS and the In Touch Foundation, the charitable arm of Stanleys In Touch Ministries.

In October 2022, Stanley was again honored with an endowed faculty chair at Truett McConnell University, a Baptist liberal arts school in Cleveland, Georgia.

Anthony George, a trustee at TMU who succeeded Stanley as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta in 2020, expressed his support for the decision.

This gift and the naming of this Chair of Theology could not have honored anyone more fitting, stated George at the time.

His ministry has modeled the bold proclamation of Scripture so visibly, so practically, so consistently, and so globally, and to this day stands on a rock-solid theological foundation.
Home News Christian Institute founder Colin Hart dies at age 60: 'A servant-hearted man'

The founder and director of the United Kingdom-based advocacy organization The Christian Institute, Colin Hart, died on Wednesday from complications due to a suspected heart attack at age 60.

Founded by Hart in 1991, The Christian Institute promotes Christian principles and campaigns on public policy issues impacting the Church, such as religious freedom, assisted suicide, abortion, LGBT issues and education.

The institute has also represented Christians facing legal troubles, scoring a significant 2018 legal victory for Belfast-based bakers who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.

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The organization announced the death through a statement from Acting Director Ciaran Kelly, who wrote that Hart was "called home by the Lord to be with Him in glory."

"He died suddenly Wednesday afternoon of a suspected heart attack," Kelly stated. "We deeply mourn this great and unexpected loss. But we do not mourn as those who have no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). Rather, we give thanks to God for a servant-hearted man who devoted his life to The Christian Institute in the service of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

In the recent days following the founder's death, representatives from various Christian organizations expressed gratitude for Hart and offered prayerful words of comfort and condolences to grieving loved ones.

The Rev. Richard Turnbull, the chairman of trustees for The Christian Institute, said in a statement that he gives "thanks for Colin's vision, gifts and life, and pray for his family and friends."

"Many of you will have known Colin and will want to offer your own thanks and prayers to the Lord. The work continues as Colin would desire. Thank you for your support. Please keep all the staff and Trustees in your prayers."

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian legal organization Christian Concern, paid tribute to Hart in a statement, stating that he was "guided by the timeless wisdom of Hebrews 12:1 'ran the race set before him with endurance.'"

"Sometime around 1998, having returned from a two-year stint in America, I contacted Colin Hart and said, 'Colin, I think the Christian Institute could really do with a London office. What do you think? Would you consider me to run it?'" Williams said.

"Well, he never did give me an answer and that conversation became a bit of folklore between us. It was 10 years later, in 2008, that Christian Concern was incorporated," Williams added.

"As Colin and I knew one another and worked hard in our ministry space for well over two decades, we both joked and complained at how, as we travel across the country visiting churches, people often get us and our organizations muddled up. It was often amusing to be with one another when, in style, we appeared so different and yet in substance we were not."

Through the years she knew Hart, the spirit of love and respect developed so they could encourage one another to hold firm with their eyes fixed on Jesus and lift their teams "to see God's will done on earth as it is in Heaven."

"The legal, political and cultural landscape of the U.K. is different because of Colin Hart's life. God has the story written and is welcoming him home. It is our loss," she said.

Williams remembers Hart would often "joke" about how "God had not blessed him with charisma."

"I beg to differ. Colin had true charisma. He had the deep, God-given charisma of grace. He was a serious, determined, quiet, strong and powerful leader. He was unflinching in determining a task and executing it," Williams said.

"He was diligent and never distracted. Once he had decided on a pathway he walked it. He also displayed deep love for Jesus, service, loyalty and humility. This is why he was able to build such an effective and loyal team around him, some of whom have been with him practically all their working life. This says a huge amount about the character of the man," she continued.

"As for me, aside from all the core qualities I've listed above, I will also remember, miss and celebrate his lovely humor, which over time became the hallmark of our times together. I was also truly impacted by the way in which he loved and honored his parents, alongside his staff and the founders of the Christian Institute."

Along with the staff of Christian Concern and the Christian Legal Centre, William said she will be praying for Hart's family and for the Christian Institute as they respond to the sudden and "tragic" loss.

Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.

At this time, Hart's loved ones ask for prayers as they navigate their grieving process and additional prayers for The Christian Institute as it handles practical matters following the sudden death.
Home News 'Allah is displeased': Islamic extremists leave warning note on body of Christian slain for sharing the Gospel

NAIROBI, Kenya  Islamic extremists in eastern Uganda killed a Christian for leading Muslims to faith in Christ, sources said.

Kiisa Masolo, 45, had returned to his home in Nakitiku village, Bunabuka parish, Bubeza Sub-County in Sironko District at 7 p.m. on March 8 after preaching on the streets of Nakaloke and Busajjabwankuba when seven masked men dressed in Islamic attire broke in and took him away, said his mother, Norah Nandege.

After whisking him away, three men remained behind and told me that, Allah is very displeased with your son, and were out to punish him, Nandege told Morning Star News. Then the three men left.

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She called a clan leader who arrived but told her they should wait 'til the next morning before taking action, she said. When her son did not show up the following morning, she reported the kidnapping to the Local Council 3 chairperson, and a search began.

After four hours of search, the body of my son, Masolo, was found lying lifeless in the bush with a written Arabic note which we could not read, Nandege said. A person fluent in Arabic was called to read the script which stated, We had warned you not to convert our Muslim brothers and sisters to Christianity, but you failed to heed to our warning. This has finally cost your life.

Muslims had left several warnings and threats on Masolos mobile phone telling him to stop converting Muslims to Christianity, she said.

I tried to advise my son to be very cautious with his life, but he used to tell me that his life was in the hands of God and that he was called to carry out the preaching of the Gospel of Christ, Nandege told Morning Star News. Since then, I knew that the life of my son was in danger, and he might not live for long due to the many threatening messages of Allah who was out to kill him.

Masolos body, which had deep cuts in the head and neck, was taken to Mbale city mortuary for postmortem and further investigation. He was a member of Calvary Temple in Mbale.

The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.

Ugandas constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate ones faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12% of Ugandas population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.
Home News Father thanks God for sparing family after deadly tornado rips through Ohio home

An Ohio father whose young children and their mother were on their way home to join him but decided to turn around last Thursday just before a deadly tornado destroyed his home is thanking God for sparing his life and keeping his family safe.

"I thank God that I'm alive and that my kids weren't here. It was very emotional when I first got here, and it's been emotional ever since then. But I pray every day and it paid off, Blaine Schmitt of Lakeview, Ohio, told The Columbus Dispatch.

The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF3 tornado was among seven tornadoes that ripped through Ohio as part of a larger storm system that also hit Indiana and parts of Kentucky last Thursday night killing three people. The Logan County Sheriffs Office confirmed the names of the dead as: Neal Longfellow, 69, of Orchard Island; Darla Williams, 70; and Marilyn Snapp, 81. Both women were Lakeview residents.

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Schmitt told ABC 6 that his 1- and 3-year-old children and their mother were just minutes away from their home when they decided to turn around to avoid the tornado. He said if they had arrived before the tornado hit, his children would have been in an upstairs bedroom from which the tornado ripped an entire wall.

"Ive been praying about God keeping my family safe, and he does. He did. I already knew God was with us and our family," Schmitt told ABC 6. "This just is proof."

Instead of his family being at home, Schmitt told The Columbus Dispatch that his friend and former neighbor who was visiting, Greg McDougle, was with him and his dog when the tornado hit, and they all hunkered down in a bathtub.

We just crawled in the bathtub, got hunkered down, drew the shower curtain over us, and thats when it just came through, McDougle said as he packed up some belongings before he and his parents traveled out of town. It was over as fast as it started.  It just happened so fast, and it is, its just like a runaway train going right through your house.

As neighbors surveyed the damage to their community outside Schmitts home, a group of them also gathered to pray for their community.

"Prayed that God would be with their family, and this time, and give us strength and to help us get through this tough time," the group prayed, according to ABC 6.

Lakeview resident Christine Ricketts told the publication that all she could do initially was cry after she first surveyed the damage.

"We came last night, and thats all I could do ... was cry," she said. "As night falls, we realized the things that we need, cause in the daytime Ive got to stay busy or else this is what I do.

Gov. Mike DeWine who has declared a state of emergency across 11 counties impacted by the storm shared his condolences with the families who lost loved ones in the storm in a statement on X Friday while praising the resilience of the people in the affected communities.

Our hearts go out to all the families who are trying to put things back together and to the families of those who have died. I'm always amazed at the resilience of the people of Ohio. It's absolutely amazing to me, he said. This Indian Lake community will come back. That's the message I got from everyone I talked with today.

Humanitarian organizations such as Operation Blessing are on the ground in Ohio working to help affected families recover as quickly as possible.

Operation Blessing immediately deployed to Wapakoneta, Ohio, one of the areas heavily impacted by the tornadoes. Our disaster relief team is on the ground, facilitating tornado relief to Ohio by providing immediate supplies for those in desperate need. Our mobile kitchen is also there, prepared to serve hot meals to residents struggling in the aftermath, the organization said in a statement while encouraging donations to help with the response.

Many homes and businesses were severely damaged or destroyed, leaving families without basic necessities. Closed establishments and widespread power outages have made it extremely difficult for people to access food, water, and other critical supplies.
Home News Georgia hospital system denies report of banning Bibles: 'False and offensive'

A hospital system in Georgia is pushing back against claims that it banned Gideons International from distributing Bibles in its hospitals for the sake of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Citing multiple anonymous sources with knowledge of the situation, The Daily Wire reported last week that Phoebe Putney Health System  which is one of the state's largest healthcare providers with hospitals, family medicine clinics, rehab facilities and specialty physician offices in more than 40 Georgia counties  has been excluding Gideons and their Bibles for months.

One source told the outlet that they were told their work was "a violation of the DEI policy and they would no longer be allowed."

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Founded in 1899, Gideons describes itself as an association of Christian professionals who "distribute Scriptures in strategic locations so they are available to those who want them, as well as to those who may not know they need them," according to their website. The organization has distributed more than 2 billion Bibles over the years, and is famous for placing them in many hotel rooms.

Sources claimed to The Daily Wire that the move from Phoebe comes in the wake of a DEI push in the organization under the leadership of CEO Scott Steiner, who the outlet noted has been in charge since 2019 and is part of the Georgia Diversity Council, which boasts of being the "premier resource for diversity best practices and leadership development in the state of Georgia."

During a 2022 meeting, Steiner also expressed a commitment to "making meaningful change" by making diversity more evident in management, according to the local Albany Herald.

Ben Smith, who serves as Phoebe's director of public relations and communications, claimed in a statement to The Christian Post that "any accusation that Phoebe is anti-Christian is objectively false and offensive."

Smith referred CP to a video statement posted Monday afternoon to Phoebe's social media pages in which Steiner likewise refuted the story's allegations of anti-Christian discrimination and disparaged The Daily Wire as an outlet "known for sensational headlines designed to rile people up, stoke controversy and get web clicks."

Steiner characterized the story as "irresponsible, untrue and based solely on the uniformed opinion of a disgruntled anonymous source," and claimed that the system has "a large supply of Bibles donated by the Gideons that we give to any patient, visitor or employee who requests one."

The CEO went on to maintain that a local Gideons chapter requested "unfettered access" to hospital halls and patient rooms, which he noted is not permitted to any outside group.

"The local Gideons group has requested that access and has expressed frustration that we cannot grant it," he said. "That decision has nothing to do with any of our DEI initiatives. We must ensure the privacy of our patients and the safety of our patients, visitors and employees."

Steiner also noted that items such as books that "cannot be sanitized" are not allowed to be left in patient rooms to prevent infection.

Gideons International did not respond to CP's request for comment by time of publication. This article will be updated if a response is received.

"We all know Phoebe is not anti-Christian," Steiner continued, adding that they "begin every day with a brief devotional and prayer over our PA system throughout our hospital led by our chaplain."

"We begin every event with an invocation, and we host and promote a prayer line that patients, visitors and employees can call at any time," he said. "These are certainly not the actions of an organization that could reasonably be called 'anti-Christian.'"

Steiner, a self-described "middle-aged, Christian white man," went on to express the importance of diversity and hearing differing voices.

"Can you imagine what Phoebe would be if everyone here looked and thought like I do? What if every doctor and nurse, every executive, every transporter and front desk worker who greets our patients was just like me," he said. "Theres no way that kind of Phoebe could effectively serve our community. Our diversity is one of our greatest strengths and it is absolutely necessary for us to meet the needs of our diverse region."

Steiner also stressed the importance of Phoebe remaining "a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds and beliefs. We are proud of our DEI initiatives, which create a more inclusive environment at Phoebe."

"We would never institute any policy that would exclude Christians or any other group. Our vision is to make every life we touch better, and that is what we will continue to strive to do every day at Phoebe," he added.
Home News Hamas is 'pimping' Palestinians to be 'implements of war' against Israel, Jack Hibbs says

The Islamic terrorist organization Hamas is pimping Palestinians into making them implements of war against Israel, says Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, California.

Hibbs discussed the war in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Israel in a sermon preached Sunday, the first of a two-part series titled Epicenter Israel: What's Really Happening in the Middle East?

The pastor shared how Christians pray for the salvation of the Jews and we also pray for the Palestinians who have been caught up in the hijacking of their lives by Hamas.

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This is a very, very tender and sad situation, said Hibbs. Hamas is responsible for whats going on in Israel right now. You need to remember that in all thats taking place.

Tragically, our national leaders have forgotten that, our university campuses willfully neglect this. Hamas is pimping Palestinians to achieve its goal.

Hibbs added that just as it has historically always hidden behind women and children, daycare centers, and hospitals to do what it does, so its using Palestinian people today.

And our heart goes out to them. May God bring salvation and hope and peace to the Palestinian people who want nothing to do with this terrorist activity, he said. Tragically, they are being used as pawns and implements of war.

Hibbs clarified that I am not saying that Israel is flawless, adding that God never said that either, while also noting that Scripture is full of expressions of Gods affection for Israel.

Hibbs stressed the importance of the nation of Israel not only in the Bible, but also in the modern day, saying that Hamas and Hezbollah are poking God in the eye when they attack Israel.

Bible prophecy and the prophetic scriptures are centralized  on one single nation on Earth as being the epicenter, the main stage of Gods End Time final acts, Hibbs continued.

The Bible, from cover to cover, speaks about Israel and Jerusalem as the centrality when it comes to a nation or a politic. That should get your attention.

Hibbs also warned that you better be careful how you treat the Jews and the nation of Israel, given the many people throughout history who have tried and failed to destroy them.

He also cited multiple passages from the Bible, including Psalm 121:3-4, which show Gods promise to protect the nation of Israel and allow the Jews to endure, even in exile and diaspora.

Israels existence is important, Hibbs added. Because if God doesnt protect Israel, youre not going to Heaven. He owes you and I nothing if He doesnt keep His Word.

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched several attacks on Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, mostly civilians, including 31 Americans, and taking about 240 hostages.

Israel launched a military offensive in Gaza in response, with the aim of eradicating Hamas and freeing the hostages. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry has claimed that over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, although they do not distinguish between armed and unarmed individuals and the death toll is believed to be inaccurate.

Some have expressed skepticism concerning the authenticity of figures provided by the terrorist group, while Biden administration officials have said the death toll among Gazans might be higher than the numbers cited.

In late February, Israel Defense Forces reported that at least 12,000 Hamas fighters have been killed since the war began, with Israel stating that its fighters strive to avoid civilian casualties in a complex urban environment in which Hamas uses civilians as human shields.
Home News Supreme Court denies request to intervene in drag show ban at Texas university

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to issue an emergency injunction in a lawsuit against a Texas university for canceling an on-campus drag performance.

In a one-sentence order last Friday, the high court refused to intervene in Spectrum WT v. Wendler to allow campus LGBT group Spectrum WT to hold a charity drag show on March 22 at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, about 10 miles south of Amarillo.

The nonpartisan activist group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which represents Spectrum WT, asked the Supreme Court to intervene after two lower court decisions. The group claims free speech rights were violated when President Walter Wendler canceled what he called a "derisive, divisive and demoralizing" drag show.

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FIRE expressed its disappointment with the court's rejection in a statement on social media.

"While FIRE is disappointed by today's denial of an emergency injunction, we'll keep fighting for our clients' First Amendment rights. The Fifth Circuit will hear oral arguments in the case next month.

"The show is not over."

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican who has aggressively sought prosecution against local establishments that may have violated a state ban on drag shows for minor audiences, said FIRE's attempt to "short circuit the ordinary appellate process" backfired.

"President Wendler's efforts to uphold decency and protect women from hostile and degrading caricatures, and to protect children from exposure to obscene conduct, are completely defensible," Paxton said in a statement.

"I'm pleased that a unanimous SCOTUS rejected the organization's extraordinary attempt to force the University to host this activity."

In March 2023, Wendler cited his Christian faith when he said West Texas A&M would not host the drag event, which he said was advertised as an effort to raise money for a nonprofit organization, The Trevor Project.

After describing the group's stated goal of suicide prevention as a noble cause, Wendler wrote, "WT endeavors to treat all people equally. Drag shows are derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny, no matter the stated intent."

"Such conduct runs counter to the purpose of WT. A person or group should not attempt to elevate itself or a cause by mocking another person or group."

Wendler compared his opposition to the drag show to not supporting "blackface" performances on campus, calling such displays "wrong."

He concluded the letter by quoting Matthew 7:12  "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets"  as well as similar proverbs from Buddhism and Judaism. The president stated that he believes the WT community should live up to this universal standard of "law of reciprocity  in every known religion and society on the planet."

In response, FIRE filed its original lawsuit and sent a letter to Wendler stating it was "seriously concerned" by his decision as well as his stated "belief that '[b]eing created in God's image is the basis of Natural Law.'"

"As the president of a public university bound by the Constitution, your opinions on Natural Law are subordinate to your obligations under  as you dismissively put it  'the law of the land,' that is, the First Amendment, which protects student expression regardless of whether you 'condone' it," the letter stated.

The letter compared drag shows to "other forms of theatrical performance" and stated that such performances are "expressive conduct shielded from government censorship."

FIRE cited a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which, according to FIRE, "reflects the First Amendment's longstanding protection for expressive events some people nonetheless find offensive," including "blackface performances."
Pence Won't Endorse Trump, Tucker Carlson Warns Of Spiritual War, U.S. Marriages Rebound

link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 07:50 07:50

Top headlines for Tuesday, March 19, 2024

In today's episode, former Vice President Mike Pence's decision to not endorse Donald Trump, despite their shared ticket in the past. We'll dissect what this means for the GOP and the election landscape. Adding to the political fervor, Tucker Carlson's recent comments in Texas highlight the perceived spiritual battle underlying the country's current political climate. Meanwhile, on a brighter note, we pivot to explore a heartening trend: the significant rebound in U.S. marriage rates in 2022. After a deep dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, love is in the air again, with over 2 million marriages reported, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.

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Top headlines for Tuesday, March 19, 2024

In today's episode, former Vice President Mike Pence's decision to not endorse Donald Trump, despite their shared ticket in the past. We'll dissect what this means for the GOP and the election landscape. Adding to the political fervor, Tucker Carlson's recent comments in Texas highlight the perceived spiritual battle underlying the country's current political climate. Meanwhile, on a brighter note, we pivot to explore a heartening trend: the significant rebound in U.S. marriage rates in 2022. After a deep dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, love is in the air again, with over 2 million marriages reported, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.
National Guard stand for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and fellow Governors as they hold a press conference along the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border to discuss Operation Lone Star and border concerns on Sunday, February 4, 2024 in Eagle Pass, TX. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A group of about 30 people from Central and South America are processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing the US/Mexico Border on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Eagle Pass . Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

Latest update: A federal appeals court put the Texas SB4 law back on hold late Tuesday night. The court will hear arguments about the law on Wednesday.

At this point, we are still waiting on guidance on what to do, Houston Police Department spokesman Victor Senties said. The ruling will have no immediate effect on how the police department operates, he said. The department will review the law like any other new state law, and would publicly announce any changes to its enforcement strategy, he said.

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Passed by the Texas Legislature last year, SB4 made it a crime to enter Texas from Mexico without permission. It allows any law enforcement officer in Texas to arrest migrants they suspect of entering illegally and empowers judges to order their removal.

LATEST ON THE RULING: Texas can begin arresting and deporting migrants after Supreme Court declines to delay new state law

Deputies from Harris County Sheriff's Office also weren't immediately given guidance on to enforce the law, said Jason Spencer, the chief of staff of the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Spencer said that the law might be difficult to enforce in Harris County, because it's so far from the border.

"We make our decision on law enforcement based on public safety," Spencer said. "Immigration laws are nowhere near top of our public safety priority right now."

Joe Stinebaker, a spokesman for Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, declined to discuss any hypothetical impact of SB4 on local prosecutions.

"All cases are evaluated by the office based on their merits at the time of their presentation," Stinebaker said in a statement.

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The Fort Bend Sheriff's Office in a statement said the agency "does not see the need to detain any person for the purpose of determining their immigration status or enforcing federal immigration laws." The agency said it would cooperate with federal immigration authorities in cases where people are identified as part of other criminal investigations, and would follow lawful orders to detain or transfer inmates.

"Justice is blind means that race or ethnicity is not a reason to stop anyone on that basis alone," the statement said. "The Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office is responsible for public safety programs and initiatives that improve the quality of life for all residents of Fort Bend County."

Even in one nearby county that proactively enforced immigration laws before the passage of SB4, not much change was expected.

Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said the law wouldn't prompt any major changes in his department, largely because it already screens people who were booked into the Galveston Island jail for their immigration status.

SB 4 EXPLAINED: Four things to know about SB4 Texas' migrant arrest law

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Galveston County has participated in the federal program known as 287(g) for the last 10 years, Trochesset said. The program allows local law enforcement officers to be trained on how to check a person's status in federal immigration files, and to place an immigration hold on people who are in the country without permission. The hold give U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement an opportunity to take custody of the person, and deport them.

The Montgomery County's Sheriff's Office and District Attorney Brett Ligon issued a joint statement Tuesday evening that it would collaborate to "ensure the equitable and lawful enforcement" of the law.

"Our primary focus continues to be safeguarding our community and upholding laws that enhance public safety," according to a statement.

Galveston, Chambers, Montgomery and Waller Counties all participate in some form of the 287g program, according to ICE. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez cut Harris County's ties with the program in 2017.

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Despite his support of the older immigration enforcement policies, Trochesset said that his deputies likely wouldn't be proactively looking to enforce the new law, on the sole excuse of looking for people here illegally.
Home Opinion Christians will not go quietly into their night of despair

If you ever have any doubts, let me make something crystal clear: Southern Evangelical Seminary and Bible College believes in religious freedom. We also believe that our government owes to its citizens the security and protection necessary to fully practice our faith not only inside our places of worship but in the public square as well.



Scripture tells us that the primary issue for believers when it comes to good government is the freedom to give out the Gospel message in its entirety. This freedom to exercise our faith emanates from Almighty God, but also the very first words penned in our magnificent Bill of Rights. For you history buffs, two states, Rhode Island and my home state of North Carolina, were the two states that would not ratify the Constitution and refused to be bound by that unique and abiding document until the Bill of Rights was added.

England and Canada do not have a specific Bill of Rights in their constitution nor is there a particular written, articulated Freedom of Religion in their founding document, and it seems that this is now working to their detriment. It turns out that our American Revolution was well-founded, and North Carolina and Rhode Island got it right at least this one time! Without this God-given freedom, the proclamation of the Gospel is in grave danger and so is true Christianity from a national perspective. At SES, it is one of the hills on which we are prepared to die, and we urge our followers to vote for the candidates and party that seeks, at its core, to protect this unalienable and necessary right in a totally free democracy. Our forefathers recognized its necessity, and so do we.

Having stated the obvious, this precious freedom of religion that we hold so dear has come under attack in our nation and world in recent days and weeks. Just this past December, based on a new buffer zone law designed to protect the legalized killing of helpless babies, a woman in the United Kingdom was arrested because she stated that she might be silently praying in front of an abortion clinic even though the clinic was not open at the time based on its operating hours. While awaiting trial she was arrested again in March for having these deviant thoughts. Ultimately, she was acquitted, but it took a good deal of time before the police were able to muster an apology for taking so long to dismiss the second charge after the ruling in the initial case. At the same time though, many members of parliament were flummoxed by the thought that their attempt to isolate and destroy religious freedom had failed and are currently trying to figure out a way to strengthen the law to prohibit such terrorizing acts like praying in public even though no words are uttered out loud.

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Not to be outdone by the Mother Country, it appears that Canada by and through its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with Parliament, is continuing his scorched earth efforts to destroy free speech in that country. This is particularly so if the speech supports any viewpoint smacking of Christian ideals. In a purely Marxist attempt to make his secular view of culture the norm in his country, Mr. Trudeau has been hellbent on passing legislation prohibiting free speech anywhere and at any time. Perhaps you can remember the heavy-handedness with which the Canadian government moved on the truckers convoy a few months back. If you can, you might also remember that it was pastor Arthur Pawlowsky who was given a 60-day active jail sentence for preaching to the truckers who were protesting the governments draconian COVID-19 measures and who had the audacity to speak out against the Canadian government.

As if that were not enough, reports are now coming out of Canada that Mr. Trudeau and his disciples are propounding legislation known as Bill C-367, which is an amendment to the Criminal Code that prohibits anyone from expressing an opinion based on a belief in a religious text. The bill intends to pave the way for people to be arrested for quoting the Bible, or any other religious text, on Canadian soil. Why would Mr. Trudeau and his government seek to make such a dastardly move? It obviously is to curb antisemitism of course! At least that is the public persona being portrayed.

As the old saying goes, Its their story, and they are sticking to it. Never mind that Mr. Trudeau and Parliament recently celebrated a known Nazi war criminal with a standing ovation in their chamber. By the way, they want you to be sure to overlook the fact that the antisemitic law can be targeted against Jewish folks just like it will be used to deter Christ followers. Make no mistake; this is a full-blown broadside against religion, especially Christianity. Why is it happening? Because people of faith are standing in the way of what they want government to be  Marxist in its makeup. Europe, Canada, and many others are becoming more and more secular, more and more godless, and their governmental interests are being massaged by elitist conspirators who seek to make rules for the masses that they have no intention of imposing on themselves or their friends. In other words, it is a pitched battle for control by the minions of darkness, and true Christ followers are in the crosshairs.

Many prognosticators are saying that what happens in Europe and Canada is a foretaste of what is to come in the United States. In addition, there is an adage that as California goes today, so will America in 10 years. As we face this crossroads of faith and democracy in America there are only two things that will stand in the gap to prevent this wildfire of persecution from totally sweeping over our nation.



The grace of God has enabled America to be the shining light of the world. His favor has shone brightly on this nation and been a shield for us against our enemies. But as we, as a people, push God and His moral structure further and further outside of the marketplace, how long will God forbear in forestalling the total destruction of our nation? It was Billy Graham who once said, If God does not destroy America, then He will have to go back into history and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. The Rev. Grahams words are hard to hear, but they speak truth to a culture that is on its way to its own designed oblivion.

As we find ourselves standing on the precipice between good and evil, the people of God must once again turn to the source of our faith. But herein lies a serious problem. The reality of our frightful conundrum seemingly has fallen on deaf ears amongst those who make up Christs Church. In fact, a recent article reminded us that secular intolerance actually has its intentional chilling and deleterious effect on most Christians. When challenged, somehow people of faith feel the need to succumb to some form of self-censorship rather than the desired effect of standing steadfast for the truth. This reaction is concerning on at least two levels.

First, in an age of supposed tolerance, how can such blatant intolerance of faith be given such standing and credibility? How absurd to say that we are only tolerant of anything with which we agree. But that is, in essence, what our culture is apparently now saying to Christianity.

Second, and perhaps even more incredulous, is the notion that so-called Christians are willing to meld into the culture and disappear like vaporized ghosts. Never forget that it was with the torched bodies of early Christians that the Roman roads were lighted. Are we that readily willing to give up that for which so many have fought and died without even a whimper? Could it actually be that the American church has been lulled to sleep in the arms of the wicked one? If this be true, is it any wonder that average Christians have become such wandering souls?

At Southern Evangelical Seminary we proclaim that the failure of Christs Church to illuminate our culture is not acceptable. How can we ever claim that we are spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ when we are cowering behind the skirts of our rebellion and then have the audacity to call it religion? So, when it comes to defending the traditional Christian faith and Gods Holy Word, let the word go out from here today that the battle line forms behind Southern Evangelical Seminary. As the Scripture so eloquently states in Psalm 20:7, Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm!

It is past time for true Christ followers to rise all across America and proclaim that enough is enough. We must in a civil but unyielding way let the minions of Satan know that we are not willing to give our precious children over to their pernicious indoctrinations. We will no longer stand by while Socialists and Marxists take over our nation and turn it into a Hell hole of atheistic abominations. It is time for us to let the entire world know that we do not intend to go quietly into their night of despair. As we face the uncertainty of these days, let us be found standing in the battle in the full armor of God, proclaiming a God who loved the world so much that He gave His only Son to die for our sins. Then with the glory of Easter before us, we will continue to stand in the power of Christs resurrection. There is no safer place to be no matter what arrows may be directed in our midst. Then, and only then, will we be proclaiming the only truth that matters.

As for our beloved country, may the Freedom of Religion encased in the First Amendment to our Constitution ever be embraced in this great land that we love so dearly even if it takes another revolution of thought and deed.
Home Opinion Men, reject the Red Pill' prescribed by the manosphere

Feminism has, for over a century, been playing merry Hell with Western civilization, engendering (pun intended) division and enmity between the sexes and giving rise to a host of moral and societal cancers, such as abortion, transgenderism, and the decline of the family.

The division between the sexes bred by feminism initially targeted women, pressuring them to be more and more like men, especially by leaving their homes and children and joining the workforce. Of course, women cannot, by their very nature as women, be men, and thus feminism spawned a dual bitterness among its female adherents: bitterness towards masculinity for being unattainably masculine and bitterness against femininity for not being attainably masculine.

By the final quarter of the 20th century, after achieving its magnum opus in the Sexual Revolution, feminism had fixed its withering glare on men. Masculinity was soon labeled dangerous and toxic, and men were pressured to be more like women, particularly by abandoning or suppressing masculine characteristics like assertiveness or aggression, independence, and providence. Having been told for generations that they are, by their very nature as men, problematic and oppressive, it is little wonder that there has been a decades-long crisis in masculinity.

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Many men today strive to avoid the toxic label and so cede their God-given role as leader and provider, often allowing women to shape their opinions, lead their relationships, and split their role as breadwinners equally. This weakness has wrought even further civilizational decay and has driven countless men into desperate little psychological corners. Some simply whither away and die there, more terrified of being called a monster than of the sad, shivering husk they instead become; some, disgusted with the horror they are told that men are (a disgust frequently compounded by pornography addictions and neglected psychological conditions), decide its better to be women than to be men, and so seek out gender transition drugs and surgeries; and some, sick of the stranglehold that feminism has so long exerted over the culture, take the Red Pill.

The Red Pill





Across the internet, hundreds of thousands of young men partake in the manosphere, a community of websites, blogs, video channels, and social media influencers who promote physical fitness, tanned-and-toned body aesthetics, and a ridiculously luxurious lifestyle and claim that feminism has poisoned culture against men, encouraged and entrenched vitriol against men, and proliferated and normalized sexual degeneracy among women. So far, spot on. But despite its largely correct diagnosis of the social evils plaguing our civilization, the remedy prescribed by the manosphere is just as poisonous: the Red Pill.

What could have been an ordered and even noble response to feminism, a surgical maneuver to excise the cultural cancer, devolved instead into a cesspool of violent misogyny, rampant degeneracy, and nihilistic materialism, with a dash of narcissistic homosexuality for flavor.

The Red Pill does not respond to feminisms pervasive sexual promiscuity by extolling the virtue of chastity, but instead jealously encourages men to be just as promiscuous, if not more so. The Red Pill does not seek out the forgotten masculine characteristics of courage, endurance, providence, and self-sacrifice, but instead cultivates only aggression and self-seeking. The Red Pill does not remind men that they are to provide for their wives and children, but instead tells them to rise and grind so they can afford a bulky luxury watch and a fluorescent luxury sportscar  all the better for cruising for chicks. The Red Pill does not remind men why manhood is good and necessary but instead conforms masculinity to the terms set by feminism, in the inverse: poisoning culture against women, encouraging and entrenching vitriol against women, and proliferating and normalizing sexual degeneracy among men.

In short, the Red Pill is just vapid internet slang for feminisms evils practiced by and for the benefit of men. Just as feminism is characterized by labeling masculinity toxic, so also the Red Pill is characterized by labeling women sluts. Misogyny is an essential component of the Red Pill, which in many cases leads to yet another social and sexual evil: narcissistic homosexuality.

Men without Chests





Although there are multitudinous psychological factors that may lead one to identify as homosexual and lead a homosexual lifestyle, there are, at least superficially, two forms of homosexuality. The first is readily familiar and recognizable: the effeminate homosexuality which favors leopard print and limp wrists. This form of homosexuality is prone to a catty love-hatred of women born out of envy. In some ways, effeminate homosexuality feels itself more at home around women, in no small part because it seeks to emulate women.

The other form is less often seen and even more seldomly discussed: hyper-masculine homosexuality. This form of homosexuality rejects femininity altogether, deriding women for not being men, while worshipping the superficial traits of masculinity. I say the superficial traits because such authentically masculine virtues as chastity, temperance, prudence, and self-sacrifice are neither sought nor cultivated. All that is desired is the muscular male form and the personality traits of aggression and pride.

God made male and female for each other (Genesis 1:27). While effeminate homosexuality seeks to play the role of the female, hyper-masculine homosexuality removes her from the equation altogether. Its narcissism and self-absorption is so complete that it worships only itself and whatever has the hubris to resemble it. Even if it does not culminate in homosexuality, the ideology of the Red Pill still reaches these dizzying heights of auto-adulation, worshipping a warped and fractured image of masculinity so fervently, so devotedly that vehement hatred of all that is other becomes in itself an act of worship.

This self-adoration, paradoxically, necessitates a fracturing of the self. Man is incomplete in love without woman, just as she is incomplete in love without man. The Red Pill denies this fundamental truth and thus fractures man, carving out of him that which in fact makes him a man: his heart. The Red Pill encourages men to push themselves to the limit, to lift weights, to live adventurously, to earn inordinate amounts of money, but for what? Simply for the sake of making oneself into ones own idol (as in idolatry)  not for the sake of the other, for the sake of a woman, because the Red Pill preaches that no woman has value as a woman, only as a fleshy instrument for sex.

The end result of the manospheres efforts has been to instill in its adherents a distorted and disordered hierarchy of value, prizing wealth and fashion above the human souls they were made to give themselves to in love. The Red Pill encourages (almost goads) men to achieve and perform, but simultaneously denies that there is anything worth achieving and no feat worth performing, no object to either. C.S. Lewis predicted such a dreary, purposeless dystopia in his book The Abolition of Man. Lewis wrote, In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.

What a pitiable and miserable existence the Red Pill renders: sex without soul, achievement without meaning, work without purpose, nothing worth living or fighting or dying for, just ones own self. Another great Christian author, G.K. Chesterton, pithily summarized such an existence: Yourself, yourself, yourself  the only companion that is never satisfied  and never satisfactory.

The way of the cross





Surely the Red Pills depressing, stifling conclusions cant be correct, surely the cancer of feminism hasnt succeeded in actually killing its host civilization, surely there must be some hope.

There is. The moral and spiritual diseases of both feminism and the Red Pill are both cured by the cross of Christ. That way lies true manhood and masculinity. Where the Red Pill whines that feminism has ruined everything, Christ says, Behold, I make all things new (Revelation 21:5). Where the Red Pill suggests that there is no way forward for men or women, Christ says, Take up your cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24). Where the Red Pill extols promiscuity and degeneracy, Christ commands, Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48).

And more than this, Christ shows us how to be real men. The flashy images of bodybuilders and Bugattis that populate manosphere websites and social media feeds suddenly pale next to an image of one Man, not clad in designer athleisure but stripped of both his clothes and his flesh, adorned not with a Rolex or a pair of Ray-Bans but with a crown of thorns  one Man, hanging upon a tree, breathing His last.

The 20th-century Catholic priest Josemaria Escriva once explained, The school of love has a name: it is sacrifice. Christs sacrifice on the cross is the greatest image of manhood that ever existed. On that cross, Christ exemplified and embodied the perfection of every masculine trait: the strength to carry the sins of the world, the courage to submit to His own death, the humility to hang naked, nailed to a tree, the self-sacrifice He made of His life, and the love He poured out upon the entire world as it scorned Him and mocked Him.

Real manhood is not to be found in the Red Pill, nor is the manospheres response to the cancer of feminism the right one. Real manhood is to be found in taking up your cross and following Christ, even if it means following Him to death.

Originally published at The Washington Stand.
Christians could be branded extremists under new 'over-broad' definition

Christian organisations could be caught out under the government's new extremism definition, a charity has warned.

Christian policy group CARE said that the new definition was "over-broad" and would put at risk groups that make "countercultural statements" on issues "blacklisted by officials who have a political agenda".

The definition is aimed at extremist and Far-Right groups but critics have warned of a 'chilling effect' on free speech.

The government calls extremism "the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance, that aims to: negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others; or undermine, overturn or replace the UK's system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights".

Ross Hendry, CEO of CARE, said that while it was right to address extremism, the new definition risks undermining civil liberties.

"Extremism is a real threat to our society. The values of militant Islamists and far right groups are completely contrary to our democratic system and the Christian worldview. It is absolutely right that the spreading of lies, and racial and religious hatred is confronted," he said.

"At the same time, the government's new extremism definition must be closely scrutinised. Policies of this kind are notoriously fraught. There is always a danger that in trying to catch genuinely harmful behaviour, wider civil liberties are disproportionately undermined."

Hendry warned that terms like 'hatred' and 'intolerance' could be interpreted "very widely" and potentially catch out mainstream Christian groups over their views on issues like abortion, sexuality and transgender ideology.

"Whilst the new definition will not have statutory force, the government will punish groups and publish a blacklist for all to see. There is a risk that campaigning individuals within government could unfairly seek to have certain groups proscribed for holding 'the wrong beliefs'," he said.

"The government's intentions are good, but its approach is problematic. There are good mechanisms in place to deal with dangerous groups and individuals. The police need to apply existing laws effectively, and consistently. We'd urge the government to focus on this key issue."
Employment tribunal hears case of teacher sacked after raising concerns about school's trans policy

A teacher is this week giving evidence about her sacking from a school after she refused to address a transitioning female pupil as a boy.

The teacher, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was told by her school that she had to address the child by their new name and pronouns. Under the school's policy, the child was also to be allowed to use toilets and changing rooms of the opposite sex.

The teacher, a committed Christian, says she was dismissed by the school, where she had worked for five years, after she raised safeguarding concerns about the welfare of the child and other pupils at the school.

She says her concerns were ignored by school bosses, governors and the local authority.

Her dismissal came when she accessed and divulged information to lawyers as she sought a judicial review into the school and council's refusal to act on her concerns.

The school argued that the information shared with lawyers was confidential.

At an employment tribunal hearing the case in Nottingham this week, she will claim victimisation for whistleblowing, unfair dismissal, and discrimination on the grounds of her Christian beliefs.

She will also argue that extreme LGBTQI+ ideology is influencing the school's policies and that her sacking amounts to overreach.

Speaking ahead of the hearing, the teacher, who faces the prospect of never being able to teach again, said the action she took was "in the public interest".

"It is because I care so much about children that I am taking this action. This isn't about me simply trying to prove that I am right, but about the safety of seriously distressed children," she said.

"I could not participate in causing harm to Child X. The tragic stories of 'detransitioners', the Policy Exchange report and clear expert scientific evidence, back and vindicate me.

"Teachers are being bullied not to question trans affirming policies but evidence shows they put the welfare of children at serious risk.

"I am determined to pursue justice over how I have been treated because my number one concern and motivation is to protect this child and other children in this country from harm."

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: "For years, parents and teachers who have raised safeguarding concerns over these issues have been ignored and disbelieved despite clear expert evidence demonstrating the harm trans affirmation causes.

"The Policy Exchange report highlights that school leaders and teachers are endemically failing to follow standard safeguarding protocols in relation to 'transitioning', but in this case, we see what happens to a teacher who tries to do it right.

"This story exposes the confusion and untruths being embedded in primary schools which are developing into a public health crisis.

"The Department for Education must look closely at this case and take appropriate action to protect teachers, who often hold Christian beliefs on these issues, from being hounded out of the profession for opposing or even questioning transgender ideology."
Poll: Most Americans say religion's influence is waning, and half think that's bad

As the U.S. continues to debate the fusion of faith and politics, a sweeping new survey reports that most American adults have a positive view of religion's role in public life but believe its influence is waning.

The development appears to unsettle at least half of the country, with growing concern among an array of religious Americans that their beliefs are in conflict with mainstream American culture.

That's according to a new survey unveiled on Friday by Pew Research, which was conducted in February and seeks to tease out attitudes regarding the influence of religion on American society.

"We see signs of sort of a growing disconnect between people's own religious beliefs and their perceptions about the broader culture," Greg Smith, associate director of research at Pew Research Center, told Religion News Service in an interview.

He pointed to findings such as 80% of U.S. adults saying religion's role in American life is shrinking  as high as it's ever been in Pew surveys  and 49% of U.S. adults say religion losing that influence is a bad thing.

What's more, he noted that 48% of U.S. adults say there's "a great deal" of or "some" conflict between their religious beliefs and mainstream American culture, an increase from 42% in 2020. The number of Americans who see themselves as a minority group because of their religious beliefs has increased as well, rising from 24% in 2020 to 29% this year.

The spike in Americans who see themselves as a religious minority, while small, appears across several faith groups: white evangelical Protestants rose from 32% to 37%, white non-evangelical Protestants from 11% to 16%, white Catholics from 13% to 23%, Hispanic Catholics from 17% to 26% and Jewish Americans from 78% to 83%. Religiously unaffiliated Americans who see themselves as a minority because of their religious beliefs also rose from 21% to 25%.

"We're seeing an uptick in the share of Americans who think of themselves as a minority because of their religious beliefs," Smith said.

Researchers also homed in on Christian nationalism, an ideology that often insists the U.S. is given special status by God and usually features support for enshrining a specific kind of Christianity into U.S. law. But while the movement has garnered prominent supporters and vocal critics  as well as backing from political figures such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia  Pew found views on the subject were virtually unchanged from when they asked Americans about the topic in recent years.

"One thing that jumped out at me, given the amount of attention that's been paid to Christian nationalism in the media and the level of conversation about it, is that the survey finds no change over the last year and half or so in the share of the public who says they've heard anything about it," Smith said.

About 45% of those polled said they had heard of Christian nationalism or read about it, with 54% saying they had never heard of the ideology  the same percentages as in September 2022. Overall, 25% had an unfavorable view of Christian nationalism, whereas only 5% had a favorable view and 6% had neither a favorable nor unfavorable view.

Researchers also pressed respondents on fusions of religion and politics, revealing a spectrum of views. A majority (55%) said the U.S. government should enforce the separation of church and state, whereas 16% said the government should stop enforcing it and another 28% saying neither or had no opinion. Meanwhile, only 13% said the U.S. government should declare Christianity the nation's official religion, compared to 39% who believed the U.S. should not declare Christianity the state religion or promote Christian moral values. A plurality (44%) sided with a third option: the U.S. should not declare Christianity its official faith, but it should still promote Christian values.

When asked whether the Bible should have influence over U.S. laws, respondents were evenly split: 49% said the Bible should have "a great deal" of or "some" influence, while 51% said it should have "not much" or "no influence."

But things looked different when Pew asked an additional question of those who supported a Bible-based legal structure: If the Bible and the will of the people come into conflict, which should prevail? Not quite two-thirds of that group  or 28% of Americans overall  said the Bible, but more than a third of the group (or 19% of the U.S. overall) said the will of the people should win out.

Here again, opinions have remained largely static, with researchers noting the numbers "have remained virtually unchanged over the past four years."

Respondents were also asked whether they believed the Bible currently has influence over U.S. laws, with a majority (57%) agreeing it has at least some. But there were notable differences among religious groups: White evangelicals (48%) and Black Protestants (40%) were the least likely to say the Bible has at least some influence on U.S. law, compared to slight majorities of white non-evangelical Protestants (56%) and both white and Hispanic Catholics (52% for both). The religiously unaffiliated (70%), Jewish Americans (73%), atheists (86%) and agnostics (83%) were the most likely to agree that the Bible is a significant factor in the U.S. legal system.

The survey polled 12,693 U.S. adults from Feb. 13-25.

 Religion News Service
Chinese tech firm EHang sells low-altitude aircraft on e-commerce platform

Global Times) 13:09, March 19, 2024

Visitors look at an aerial vehicle of EHang during the 25th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 15, 2023. The 25th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) kicked off here Wednesday, attracting 4,925 exhibitors from 105 countries and regions. (Photo: Xinhua)

Chinese tech company EHang Holdings Limited has begun to sell its self-developed unmanned electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft EH216-S on Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao at a cost of 2.39 million yuan ($332,032) per unit, the Global Times observed on Monday.

He Tianxing, a deputy president of EHang, told the Global Times that it was not only for online sale, but also aimed to inform the public the development potential of low-altitude economy in the future.

The EH216-S last December obtained the standard Airworthiness Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, which marked the eVTOL aircraft becoming eligible for commercial operation.

EH216-S Passenger-Carrying UAV System Obtains Standard Airworthiness Certificate from CAAC and the Certified Aircraft Delivered to Customer in Guangzhou.

Aside from its main selling points including its small size, easy take-off, landing and re-charge ability, as well as quietness, EHang made multiple backups for core parts such as propellers, electric engine, flying control system and batteries.

The Government Work Report released during the recently concluded two sessions earlier this month stated that China will foster new growth engines in fields such as biomanufacturing, commercial spaceflight, and the low-altitude economy.

Analysts pointed out that low-altitude transport can help reduce waste once ground transport has reached its limit in megacities.

Following the announced policy, many cities have taken measures to develop the sector. As the country's first trial province for low-altitude air space management, Southwest China's Sichuan Province simplified low-altitude flight test applications. East China's Anhui also crafted rules to develop low-altitude economy, stating to accelerate the development of the industry in Hefei and Wuhu, two major cities there.

In addition, Shenzhen city in South China's Guangdong Province has published a set of documents and government regulations supporting the development of the low-altitude economy in the province, according to Xinhua News Agency.

As of 2025, the output value of low-altitude economy in China is estimated to reach 3 to 5 trillion yuan, according to a recent survey by the International Digital Economy Academy.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
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An addiction support charity accused of subjecting vulnerable people to psychological drills is being looked into by the Charity Commission.

This comes after an Observer investigation on the alleged practices at a facility run by drug rehabilitation charity Narconon UK in Heathfield, Sussex.

Narconon UK described the newspaper allegations as inaccurate and that it had provided information to the Commission.

The regulator said it had opened a compliance case following concerns raised in the press.

Newspaper investigation

The Observer nine-month investigation uncovered allegations of safeguarding failings and psychological abuse at the charity.

It reported that the charity was launched in the US in 1966, and its residential programme is based on a belief of L Ron Hubbard, Scientologys founder, that toxic drug residues lodge in the body and create a biochemical barrier to spiritual wellbeing.

Former patients and staff reportedly told the newspaper that people were put through mental exercise drills that left people broken and traumatised, similar to methods used in Scientologys auditing process.

Narconon UK told the Observer that the allegations were inaccurate, misleading and thoroughly distorted, adding that its approach required discipline and was mentally strenuous but denied it was harmful.

The Observer reported that the charity denied downplaying its connection to Scientology, saying it was open about its link to Hubbard.

Manager: Reports are misleading

Narconon UKs manager Sheila Maclean told Civil Society that the Observer articles were shoddy, partial and lazy journalism that included no visit to the charitys site.

The approach adopted by the reporter lacked any objectivity, fairness, or integrity. It was designed to deliberately mislead readers regarding the charity, and the proven effectiveness and safety of the programme it delivers, she said.

The reporter failed to have regard to the traumatic nature of any drug rehabilitation programme  where substance misusers have to wean themselves off the drugs which are literally destroying their lives.

The articles sensationalised headlines might be applied to the typical experience of many substance misusers going through the demanding process of withdrawal in any other rehab centre  but in the case of Narconon paint a profoundly false picture, because the most frequent report from persons who have experienced other programmes before Narconon is that Narconon was by far the least traumatic that they had experienced.

The Charity Commission requested a meeting with us to discuss the article and we have provided them with the accurate and fair information.

Compliance case

The Commission said it had opened a compliance case into Narconon UK following concerns raised in the press.

We are currently engaging with the trustees, a Commission spokesperson said.

A charity should be a safe and trusted environment. As regulator, we are clear that keeping people safe should be a priority for all charities.



The Commission said its focus would be on the conduct of trustees and the steps they take to protect beneficiaries, employees, volunteers and others who come into contact with the charity through its work.

It said it is not responsible for dealing with incidents of actual abuse or harm, does not administer safeguarding legislation and cannot prosecute or bring criminal proceedings, nor does it regulate the provision of charities services.

Narconon UK reported an income of 160,000 in 2021. The charitys reporting for 2022 is overdue by 140 days, according to the Commission website.

sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector,




One day in the early spring of last year, a sculptor from South Carolina typed his name into Google: Clint Button, he wrote. He pressed enter. He wasnt surprised to see his YouTube channel among the first results, but farther down the page, something did surprise him. Someone had uploaded his YouTube videos to a platform he had never heard of called Gan Jing World.

I pulled it up, and it had my homepage, my YouTube channel, and my YouTube channel homepage, Button said. I was pissed.

Buttons experience is not unique. He is one of many YouTube creators who have stumbled across their own videos on Gan Jing World. According to the about us page, Gan Jing World is a wholesome digital town square founded by followers of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement outlawed by the Chinese government in the late 1990s. It is one of many sites linked to the right-wing news organization the Epoch Times.

Gan Jing World (which translates to Clean World in Chinese) consists of feel-good videos, often lifted from YouTube without the original content creators consent. The videos supposedly follow the sites four guiding principles of no violence, no pornography, no crime, and no drugs. Buttons YouTube channel, which features stone-carving tutorials, likely secured a spot on Gan Jing World because it met these criteria.

Sandwiched between videos republished from YouTube are ads and channels for Falun Gongaligned organizations and local businesses. These include the ubiquitous dance troupe Shen Yun as well as the anti-CCP media groups the Epoch Times and New Tang Dynasty Television (NTD)both of which are owned by the Epoch Times Media Group. Together, these sites make up a tight-knit network echoing the teachings of Falun Gongs leader and founder, Li Hongzhi (or Master Li).

The Epoch Times has a tangled history going back to the early 2000s. Initially launched as a free propaganda newsletter to oppose the Chinese Communist Party, it transitioned into a far-right media powerhouse during the 2016 election. Today, the newspaper is published in more than thirty countries and has a dedicated following of anti-vaxxers and hard-right-wingers, according to a report by OpenDemocracy. Now media owned by Epoch Times Media Group and other Falun Gongaffiliated organizations have secured a front-page and promotional presence on Gan Jing World.

Gan Jing Worlds landing page, featuring an ad for NTDa Falun Gongaligned television station owned by the Epoch Times Media Group.

Falun Gong in the US

Falun Gong, sometimes called Falun Dafa, consists of a mix of slow-motion meditation exercises, mental disciplines, and texts that preach the virtues of truth, benevolence, and forbearance. Practitioners are told they can gain enlightenment by reading the scriptures of Li, who claims to be able to walk through walls and to levitate. His teachings include frequent pronouncements against homosexuality, interracial relationships, sex out of wedlock, and female liberation (many of these views are rejected by Falun Gongs official website).

Falun Gong flourished between 1992 and 1999 in China, claiming around seventy to a hundred million adherents (scholars estimate the number was lower, closer to ten million). The movements pulling power intimidated the CCP, which sought undivided loyalty from its people. Chinas then-president, Jiang Zemin, vowed to eradicate the movement. The government declared it an evil cult and suppressed it, resulting in the incarceration of thousands of practitioners in reeducation through labor camps. Lis teachings state that practitioners must now dedicate themselves to clarifying the truth to the public that Falun Gong is not an evil cult and is being systematically persecuted by the CCP. After Li and the Falun Gong organizations were exiled to the US twenty-five years ago, they set up a range of media outlets to convey this message.

NTD and the Epoch Times, which Li has referred to as our media, have become a success story for Falun Gong. The Epoch Times claims to be the USs fourth-largest newspaper by subscriber count, and NTD has a staggering thirty million followers on Facebook. The Epoch Times, however, rejects the notion that its officially affiliated with the spiritual movement. The chairman of the newspapers board has said it is not a Falun Gong newspaper, adding that Falun Gong is a question of an individuals belief.

Still, the newspaper keeps ties with Falun Gongaligned companies like Gan Jing World, as evident in its business transactions. In the summer of 2021, the Epoch Times bought a three-story building in Orange County, New York, for $1.45 million. According to public property records, the Epoch Times then sold it to Gan Jing World for the same price about a year later. Now the building operates as Gan Jing Worlds headquarters. Its located in a sleepy city called Middletown, conveniently located a twenty-minute drive from Dragon Springs, the remote compound where Li resides and Falun Gong runs its schools and dance company, Shen Yun.

When Gan Jing Worlds headquarters officially opened, in July 2022, it was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Influential Middletowners showed up, including the mayor, Joseph Destefano. The arrival of this high-tech firm brings with it a myriad of opportunities for economic advancement and job creation in our city, Destefano told the Epoch Times (Destefano did not return Tows request for comment). Indeed, according to the Albany Times Union, Middletown has become a hot commodity for entities related to Shen Yun and Falun Gong. In December 2023, the paper reported that the mayor attended another ribbon-cutting ceremony, this time for the opening of a Shen Yunbacked department store. The store sells outerwear, activewear, books with Falun Dafas teachings, and exclusive selections from Shen Yuns dance performances (including mens leather bracelets with Falun Gongs teachings engraved).

Gan Jing Worlds headquarters is located in Middletown, New York, twenty minutes from Dragon Springs, the remote compound where Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi resides.

In the fall of last year, I took a two-hour bus ride from Penn Station, Manhattan, to visit Middletown. A few shops, a library, and a police station fill the ten-minute walk from the train station to Gan Jing Worlds headquarters. The three-story brick block is easy to spot among the sparse and low surrounding buildings. A water fountain in a brutalist style greeted employees walking in and out of the entrance doors. One Middletown local said the building used to be a decaying Social Services office. When Gan Jing World bought and reconstructed it, the equipment was delivered wrapped in plastic with the logo of Dragon Springs. The UPS guy got in there once, he said, pointing to the headquarters. He asked them what they did, and they told him they were a newspaper company. This corresponds with property records, indicating that the Gan Jing World building used to be owned by the Epoch Times.

According to tax documents reviewed by Brandy Zadrozny at NBC, the Epoch Times has increased its revenue by a staggering 685 percent in the past two years. A large part of its success comes from its aggressive advertisement for Donald Trumps 2020 campaign, where it pushed conservative views through sensational and even fabricated information. This strategy garnered criticism from fact-checkers and led to Facebook eventually banning its ads over a lack of transparency around political advertisements. Subsequently, according to the New York Times, Epoch Media sought to protect itself from crackdowns by mainstream platforms by expanding its online reach. The Times investigation identified connections with over a dozen sites, such as Sagebook (a Twitter-like network) and YouMaker  another video platform that hosts content on the Epoch Times website.

Nick Janicki, Gan Jing Worlds director of media relations, denies that there is any corporate affiliation between Gan Jing World and the Epoch Times.

Theres no direct relationship there other than the founders are just, you know, good friends, essentially, Janicki said.

Gan Jing Worlds employees are remarkably hard to find online. The CEO, supposedly a former Apple executive named James Qiu, leaves little digital trace outside of Gan Jing Worlds website. Even Janicki does not mention the company on his LinkedIn page. Other employees I found on LinkedIn have posted vague job descriptions, like tech company, coupled with previous work experience at the Epoch Times or NTD.

This career switching is not uncommon among Falun Gong practitioners. According to Simon van ZuylenWood in The Atlantic: Once inside either the Epoch Times or NTD, they have tended to shuffle from one to the other and from job to job.

Falun Gongs Use of the Internet

Falun Gong has been incredibly successful at utilizing the internet to spread Lis teachings. As Heather Kavan, a researcher and senior lecturer at Massey University in New Zealand, phrased it in her paper about Falun Gong and the media: Of all religious adherents, Falun Gong members are perhaps the most media-savvy. Indeed, Web-based text has grown increasingly important in connecting Falun Gong practitioners as they scatter across the globe, according to Australian academic Benjamin Penny in his book The Religion of Falun Gong. Given Falun Gongs robust digital presence, Gan Jing World automatically benefits from a strong referral pipeline.

By interlinking, these sites create a network that channels traffic reciprocally. According to SimilarWeb, in January 2024, 13 percent of Gan Jing Worlds referral traffic from other websites originated from SafeChat, a platform promoted by Falun Gong social media influencers as an alternative to mainstream social networks. Approximately 15 percent came from Shen Yun Creations, a video platform dedicated exclusively to Shen Yun dance videos. The Epoch Times ranked second as the highest-referring publisher, trailing only YouTube.

Falun Gongs digital presence dates back to June 2000, when Li designed one of Falun Gongs official websites, Minghui.org. Posts from the site indicate that Li actively promoted the creation of Gan Jing World among his practitioners. One practitioner claimed that its a platform that Master has for people in the future. Another post emphasized that Gan Jing World is extremely important for saving people.

On a video call, I asked Janicki about the Gan Jing World employees who had previously worked at the Epoch Times or NTV. He compared the relationship between Gan Jing World and other Falun Gong media to that between OpenAI and Microsoft: Theres people now from OpenAI that work for Microsoft, he said. It tends to be people in similar industries or similar values that tribalize.

Whether a tribe or something more, the Epoch Times has been a consistent commercial machine for the video platform. In the past two years, the newspaper has published over twenty promotional articles about Gan Jing World dressed up as news with sparkling headlines such as Tech Startup Gan Jing World Poised to Shape the Future, One Community at a Time and Gan Jing World: Tech Platform Offers Clean Content Free of Communism. In an article written by the Epoch Times, the newspapers own editor in chief was quoted saying Gan Jing Worlds focus on character and morals is something that we have loved (the Epoch Times did not return Tows request for comment). NTD, the Falun Gongrooted television station, reposts the Epoch Times coverage and features the video platform in news segments.

One of several Twitter posts by the Epoch Times featuring Gan Jing World.

YouTube Videos on Gan Jing World

None of the Epoch Times articles mentions that Gan Jing World hosts republished videos from YouTube, including copyrighted ones. This includes everything from the work of small individual creators to large media organizations like MSNBC, CNN, Fox, and Forbes. Tow examined the top 130 videos posted on Gan Jing Worlds landing page on February 22 and found that all but nine could be traced back to YouTube. I also talked with over a dozen YouTubers with content on Gan Jing World who said they have not uploaded any of it or given Gan Jing World permission to republish it. Most of them had never even heard of the platform.

I had no idea and have never been contacted by Gan Jing World, which is very frustrating, said Molly Doubleday, a sustainable-living content creator on YouTube.

Sam Denby, an American YouTuber with over seven million combined subscribers, was also surprised to find his channel on Gan Jing World, which he described as a Falun Gongaffiliated YouTube knockoff.

They didnt bother removing our logo or description in their plagiarizing process, Denby said in a YouTube video on the channel Half as Interesting.

For the copyright holders, it raises the question: Who is selecting and republishing their videos to Gan Jing World?

If it is the companys employees, then the company is the one engaging in copyright infringement, Daniel Castro, an expert in internet policy and vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, told me in an email. If the company encourages third parties to upload copyright-protected content, they might be guilty of inducing infringement.

Gan Jing World claims all its material is either open-source or that the original creators have uploaded it. In an email, Janicki told me that Gan Jing World strictly follows copyright law even though it has no affirmative obligations to monitor its service to search for infringement.

Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, video platforms are not required to stay on top of the copyrighted material uploaded by their users. Due to the massive amount of content being uploaded every day, it would be practically impossible to do so. But platforms cant have actual knowledge that the works are infringing nor induce their users to infringe, according to Matthew Sag, a law professor at Emory University. Platforms are also required to remove copyright-infringing content to avoid liability if they receive a video-removal request from the owner.

Gan Jing World has a video-removal form but appears to respond to requests selectively. Button eventually got his content removed, but several creators in contact with Tow were unsuccessful despite submitting removal requests or emailing Gan Jing World directly.

We are such a small business that even if we were losing money, chasing to get it back with no guarantee of successits cyberspace!would cost us even more, said Chris Pye, one of the YouTubers unable to remove his videos from Gan Jing World.

Examples of videos on Gan Jing World republished from YouTube.

Republished YouTube videos on Gan Jing World rarely have high engagement. Most have just a handful of views and sparse, overly positive, bot-like comments. The only channels receiving significant engagement appear to be those from the Falun Gong universe. For instance, some recordings of Shen Yuns dance performances claim to have up to six hundred thousand views. Notably, though, the hits returned by Gan Jing World actually link to the external site for Shen Yun Creations, where users must pay $29.99 a month for full access to the dance videos. In a New Yorker article, Jia Tolentino pointedly described Shen Yun as essentially, religious-political propagandaor, more generously, an extremely elaborate commercial for Falun Dafas spiritual teachings and its plight vis-a-vis the Chinese Communist regime.

Falun Gong Practitioners on Gan Jing World

Gan Jing World is supported by Falun Gong practitioners to spur its growth. According to Minghui.org, the official Falun Gong website, practitioners are encouraged to increase traffic on Gan Jing World by creating a profile, subscribing to channels, liking videos, and writing positive comments. As one practitioner based in China wrote:

They even requested practitioners to watch a certain number of videos every day, claiming that it was Masters requirement, and that browsing Gan Jing World was the same as reading the Minghui website.

A former employee of the German Epoch Times suggested that practitioners were even encouraged to pull videos from YouTube and republish them on Gan Jing World. It did seem like they were promoting this kind of behavior while retaining plausible deniability and being able to say, Well, we didnt upload this, some user did, said the source, who goes by the pseudonym Emmanuel Goldstein (if that name sounds familiar, its from Orwells 1984). Now they changed their approach, and they want to officially get creators on there, Goldstein said.

Amid the sea of republished YouTube videos, Gan Jing World has a pool of original creators. Mikey Chen, a Chinese-born American with over four million subscribers on YouTube, is one of them. While at NTD, Chen cocreated Off the Great Wall, a YouTube channel discussing Chinese culture. At Gan Jing Worlds ribbon-cutting ceremony, he said Gan Jing World could compete with platforms like Facebook and TikTok. Likewise, California Insider, a show hosted by Siyamak Khorrami with the Epoch Times Southern California, announced on Twitter that it would move to Gan Jing World after experiencing censorship on Twitter.

Gan Jing World is becoming a key player through which Falun Gong promotes its own organizations while using content from other platforms to confer an air of legitimacy. Just as the Epoch Times grew from a scrappy newsletter to one of the most prominent conservative papers in the US, its not unimaginable that Gan Jing World could experience similar growth. Regardless of its future, Gan Jing Worlds claim to being a wholesome platform while employing questionable ethical practices should not be ignored. According to Janicki, the director of media relations, Gan Jing World is here to stay. And soon, he said, YouTube content creators may feel differently about discovering their content on the platform: There may be a day where theyre less surprised and more relieved.
Every so often, the French newspaper Le Monde goes through its archives to find the first time that a currently newsworthy person or thing appeared in its pages. Ten days ago, the subject of the feature was Vincent Bollore, a media mogul who was about to be called before a committee of Frances parliament. Le Monde first mentioned Bollore in 1985, when he was the young president of a family business with interests in capacitors and cigarette papers, among other things. Over the years, as his public persona evolved, his name recurred in the papers pages next to less neutral epithets. By 1988, he was the little prince of cash-flow; by 1998, the blond angel. Even then, he was viewed as a ruthless operator; by 2013, he was feared as a predator. Late last year, Le Monde described Bollore as an ideologue intent on defending traditional Western values and pulling the strings of Frances next presidential election.

Since then, by my count, Le Monde has mentioned Bollore in at least fifty-seven more stories. Many of them are revealing of his still-growing influence over the French media and political landscape, both of which he has helped tug toward the political right. I also wrote about this phenomenon back in August, after Le Journal du Dimanche, a decidedly mainstream Sunday newspaper, moved to install a hard-right commentator as its editor, leading to a backlash among its staff including a strike that lasted forty days. At the time, Bollores group did not yet own the paperbut it was in the process of acquiring its parent company, and many observers, both internally and externally, suspected Bollores hidden hand in its change of direction. (The papers then-owner, the industrialist Arnaud Lagardere, denied that Bollore played any role.)

In November, Bollores company finalized its takeover of Lagarderes. Recently, a similar controversy to that at the JDD has played out at Hachette, one of the worlds biggest publishing companies, which Bollores group now owns. A month ago, Hachette hired Lise Boell, an editor who, among other right-wing authors, has worked on books by Eric Zemmour, a far-right commentator and star of the Bollore media universe who ran for president in 2022. Suggestions that she would be taking control of Fayard, a leading Hachette brand, were played down, as was the notion that her arrival signaled any rightward shift. (The company reportedly pointed to the breadth of her publishing portfolio, including her success with Dora the Explorer.) It soon emerged, however, that Boell was being hired to run a new entity partially under the Fayard brand, with the power to publish political titles. The existing head of Fayard reportedly refused to authorize this arrangement, and is now in the process of being fired.

In December, meanwhile, newsroom representatives at the magazine Paris Match, another Bollore acquisition as part of the Lagardere takeover, complained to management after a photo of a Christmas nativity scene appeared on the front page. The photo in question was taken in a building that Bollore owns; in a statement, the newsroom representatives expressed concerns that it reflected a broader new editorial line at the magazine, one informed more by religious conviction than reporting, and demanded answers. In January, the newsroom organization that made the complaint was disbanded after its leaders resigned. Around the same time, the equivalent body at the JDD, which helped coordinate the strike there, was dissolved as well.

If Bollores recent spell in the headlines creates the impression that he is eating his way across the French media world, it has also pointed to signs of frictionmost notably a ruling by a powerful administrative council ordering a broadcast regulator to investigate the perceived right-wing biases of a Bollore TV station. The ruling was triggered by a complaint from the press-freedom group Reporters Without Borders, whose leader, Christophe Deloire, has said that Bollore is devouring journalism. Deloire called the ruling historic for French democracy and journalism. Whether itor anything elsecan actually slow Bollore down, however, is an open question.



Bollore took over his family company in the early eighties, but he didnt become a major player in the media business until much later. As Valentine Faure wrote for Nieman Reports in January, his modus operandi, now taught in business schools across France, consists of taking very small stakes in companies and increasing them until a stock market raid is triggered, enabling him to be the largest shareholder. This strategy enabled him to take control of the TV behemoth Canal+, the radio station Europe 1, and the print media company Prisma even before he finalized his acquisition of Lagarderes media assets last year. His group also has interests in cinema, music, and video games, among other things. It all adds up to an extraordinarily vast media empire, the historian Alexis Levrier told methe likes of which France has never known.

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Julia Cage, a French economist, told Faure that Bollore is similar to the Koch brothers in the US, in that both employ a strategy that amounts to influencing all forms of thought production. Unsurprisingly, Bollore has also been likened to Rupert Murdocha comparison Levrier sees as fair, even if Murdoch has a greater international reach and may be subtler in his dealings with his companys journalists. (Among the other similarities: Bollore, like Murdoch, is now officially retired from the family business, leaving formal control to his sons. As with Murdoch, no one seems to believe that stepping back marked the end of his influence.)

If Bollore is (sort of) a French analogue to Murdoch, then he (sort of) owns a French analogue to Fox: CNews, a network that Bollores company acquired, then rebranded in 2017. (It was previously known as iTele.) As would subsequently happen at the JDD, staffers at the channel went on a prolonged strike following Bollores acquisition; since then, his company has been accused of driving the network hard toward the political right. (Among other far-right figures, it provided a significant platform for Zemmour ahead of his presidential bid.) CNews has been in the headlines recently, as well, after a Sunday show produced in partnership with a Catholic publication flashed up a graphic referring to abortion (the right to which France recently enshrined in its constitution) as the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Bosses at the channel apologized, blaming a production error. (The same program has reportedly featured exorcists and at least one person who claims to have been possessed by the devil.)

CNews may not have a huge viewership, but it, and other Bollore properties, seem to have helped popularize hard-right ideas across the French media landscape, a dynamic Ive written about before. One identitarian intellectual recently described Bollores properties as the missing link between explicitly radical media and the mainstream. A similar dynamic has played out in the political sphere. Last year, two ministers in the (putatively centrist) government of President Emmanuel Macron vocally challenged what they saw as the corrosive influence of Bollore; since then, both have been shuffled out of their postsfor various reasons, but without being replaced by similarly skeptical voices. And officials from Macron on down have engaged with right-wing publications and figures. Last year, when a minister did an interview for the first edition of the JDD under its new hard-right editor, some of her allies called her out. Now senior ministers and Macron allies appear in the paper every weekend.

Bollore and his media properties, of course, are far from solely responsible for the rightward tilt of French politicsthats a much broader, more complicated phenomenon. But Le Monde has reported that Bollore is trying to steer it. Before Christmas, the paper wrote that he may be attempting to shape an alliance between the far right, led by Marine Le Pens Rassemblement National party, and more traditional conservatives ahead of the next presidential election, scheduled for 2027. Bollore reportedly dislikes Le Pen, whose family name is widely perceived as toxic in France even as her vote share has grown. But he may be better disposed toward Jordan Bardella, a twenty-eight-year-old Le Pen protege who is surging in popularity in France.

Recently, reports have circulated that Bardella is working on a book and that he would like it to be published by a prestigious brand like Fayardthe sort of mainstream imprimatur that has long eluded Le Pen. Initially, his overtures reportedly went nowhere. But Fayard is now under new ownership.



Last year, following the chaos at the JDD, lawmakers, including from Macrons party, suggested passing legislation that would give journalists more of a say in who their bosses are. But that legislation has not yet gone anywhere. The recent administrative ruling triggered by the Reporters Without Borders complaint could prove a more potent remedy. Under its terms, Frances broadcast regulator has been ordered to more strictly police the pluralism obligations of CNews, in particular, under French lawincluding by starting to regulate the amount of airtime that the network gives to voices from different parts of the political spectrum.

As Deloire, Cage, and others have noted, this is a significant change that will affect not only CNews but all French news channels; the balance of on-air voices was regulated already, but only among figures considered to be active politicians, as opposed to pundits. CNews seems outraged about the ruling, if its on-air commentary is any guide. But its not yet clear how it will be enforced. Cage has proposed some standards by which the alignment of a given pundit might be measured. But this task, clearly, is contentious.

The regulator will soon also have to reassign terrestrial broadcast frequencies that are public property in Francemeaning, in effect, that the rights of CNews and other Bollore channels to broadcast are up for renewal, along with those of other channels. (It was in this context that Bollore appeared before parliament recently.) In theory, these rights can be revoked for breaches of pluralism or other rules, or be renewed under certain conditions. But Levrier, for one, is skeptical that strong action will be taken in this domain, either. And on the whole, he argues, the French political elite appears scared of standing too firmly in his way.

If the domestic constraints on Bollore feel insufficient to stop his march, those emanating from the European Union might be more concrete. Already, EU antitrust regulators acted to slow his takeover of the Lagardere group, forcing him, in the process, to sell off a gossip magazine (deemed a competitor to Paris Match) and a publishing house (a rival to Hachette) that he then owned. Recently, Bollore entered into talks to sell Paris Match as well, to the luxury conglomerate LVMHa possible bid to stave off a European fine, per one account.

Whatever happens next, for Levrier, France is still in the midst of a showdown between Bollores company and the bodies trying to constrain it. Not that Bollore himself would recognize such framing. When he appeared before the parliamentary committee recently, he insisted that he does not meddle with the editorial stances of his properties. I have no ideological project, he said. I am very gentle and good-natured. Not at all an Attila.



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: Should the media broadcast Trump more?

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
Do motorist-assistance systems like GMs OnStar feed data to auto insurers, resulting in higher premiums for some drivers?

A south Florida man says indeed, they do, and has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against General Motors and LexisNexis Risk Solutions, claiming his premiums shot up after erroneous information was illegally supplied to insurance carriers.

Romeo Chicco, of Palm Beach County, claims he never signed up for the OnStar system, which monitors driving and can alerts authorities in case of an accident. Nor did he agree to let LexisNexis share his driving data.

Plaintiff is informed and believes that General Motors and OnStar sold and/or shared Plaintiffs driving data without his knowledge or consent, reads the complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for Southern Florida. This uncontextualized, misleading, and personal driving information on Plaintiffs consumer disclosure harms Plaintiffs ability to purchase car insurance. Moreover, notwithstanding the extreme frustration and dissatisfaction with the entire ordeal, these disclosures harm Plaintiffs solitude and peace of mind.

The suit follows reports in the New York Times and the New York Post this week that some makes of vehicles are secretly spying on drivers and affecting their insurance rates. LexisNexis officials could not be reached for comment by Insurance Journal Friday morning, and the defendants have not yet filed an answer to the March 13 complaint. A spokeswoman for GM told the Times that the manufacturer was reviewing the complaint, and noted that the OnStar privacy statement mentions that data may be shared.

Driver tracking systems have been offered by auto insurers for years, through smart phone apps or through devices placed in vehicles. But these ostensibly require consumer consent to be activated. Chiccos attorneys argue that he purposefully avoided consenting to OnStar data sharing, yet was enrolled anyway through deceptive practices.

After several telephone calls to GM, OnStar and LexisNexis, Chicco said an OnStar representative told him that the firm has an internal arrangement with insurance companies. Insurers were not named in the suit.

The suit maintains that Chicco became aware of the alleged data sharing two years after he purchased a Cadillac from a Delray Beach dealer in 2021. In 2023, his longtime insurance carrier notified him that it was no longer writing in Florida. He said he then contacted several other carriers, but all of them rejected his business.

Finally, he called Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., and a representative there told him that he had been denied coverage due to information in his LexisNexis report. A local agent later helped Chicco obtain coverage, but his premium was nearly double his previous amount.

Plaintiff would not have even bought the Cadillac vehicle to begin with had he known of this grave invasion of privacy, the lawsuit notes.

The suit claims that GM and LexisNexis violated state and federal statutes, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Floridas Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, and privacy laws.

Florida Secretary of State records show that a Romeo Chicco is a well-known businessman in Boynton Beach and head of a payroll services company.

The complaint can be seen here.
Californias property insurer of last resort told lawmakers that its financially unprepared to cover the costs of a major catastrophe in the state.

The plan now faces $311 billion in potential losses, up from $50 billion six years ago, California FAIR Plan president Victoria Roach said in a state legislative hearing last week.

We dont have a lot of money sitting around, she said. Our rates are not adequate. If we have a major event, were going to look to the voluntary market  which is already in a precarious situation  to cover our losses.

The state-sponsored plan has grown rapidly as private firms including State Farm General Insurance Co., Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and Allstate Corp., have retreated, citing the double-whammy of increasing natural disasters and state-imposed limits on premiums.

The plan now covers about 370,000 homeowners, more than double the number five years ago. By next year, its rolls could expand to 500,000, Roach said, further enlarging the potential losses.

Never miss an episode. Follow the Big Take podcast on iHeart, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen. Read the transcript.

The warning came a week after a Bloomberg Green investigation revealed how state-backed insurance plans in California and other disaster-prone states are largely unprepared for the growing costs of wildfires and hurricanes.

The plan has about $200 million in surplus, Roach said. It doesnt make its finances public, nor is it subject to the same kinds of reserve requirements that apply to private insurers.

Were one bad fire season away from complete insolvency  it feels like a big gamble, said Assemblymember Jim Wood, a Democrat from Sonoma County. If this were on Wall Street, Im not sure youd be able to get away with this.

The plan cant raise consumers premiums to an amount that would cover a shortfall because state restrictions bar them from factoring the cost of reinsurance into their rates, she said.

Roachs testimony also sets the stage for state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, who will announce details of his proposed reforms in a press conference Thursday. Hes proposed allowing private insurers to consider future climate risks and the cost of reinsurance when they set premiums, as long as they agree to provide a certain share of coverage in wildfire-prone areas.

Existing rules only allow them to consider historical data and prevent them from basing premiums on reinsurance. Lara has said the reforms will bring private insurers back to the market, alleviating strain on the FAIR plan.

Top photo: Relatives walk through the remains of their familys home after it was destroyed during the Highland Fire in Aguanga, California, US, on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. A wildfire fueled by gusty Santa Ana winds ripped through rural land southeast of Los Angeles, forcing about 4,000 people from their homes, fire authorities said.
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump talks with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at Shelby Park during a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) Eric Gay/Associated Press

Latest update: A federal appeals court put the Texas SB4 law back on hold late Tuesday night. The court will hear arguments about the law on Wednesday.

Top conservative officials and lawmakers praised the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday for allowing a new state law to go into effect that empowers Texas officials to act like the federal government and essentially deport migrants.

Gov. Greg Abbott called it a positive development and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office defended the law known as Senate Bill 4 in court, took credit for the huge win over the Biden Administration.

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LATEST ON SB4: Texas can begin arresting and deporting migrants after Supreme Court declines to delay new state law

Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect, Paxton wrote on X. As always, its my honor to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to victory in court.

SB 4, which was twice delayed from taking effect by the courts, makes it a crime to enter the state from Mexico illegally. It allows any law enforcement officer in Texas to arrest migrants they suspect of violating the law and empower judges to order their removal.

A top Mexican official was defiant Tuesday, saying the country would not accept deportations from Texas.

Mexico expresses its rejection of the decision of the Supreme Court, said Roberto Velasco Alvarez, the top North American official in Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry, in Spanish. The dialogue on immigration matters will continue between the federal governments of Mexico and the U.S.

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The Justice Department and civil and immigrant rights groups suing to block the law have said the law is patently unconstitutional by handing over a federal responsibility to the state and they believe it will cause severe harms, such as racial profiling by police. Leaders of those groups and their lawyers expressed their disappointment in the high courts decision Tuesday.

S.B. 4 threatens our most basic civil and human rights as citizens and non-citizens alike and we recommend anyone threatened by this, including people who fear racial profiling, to remember their rights, said Adriana Pinon, legal director at the ACLU of Texas, which represented the plaintiffs, in a statement. We will continue to halt this hateful law.

Texas Democrats, angered and concerned by the decision, took to social media to denounce it.

This is a dangerous day for our democracy, said Houston state Rep. Armando Walle in a statement. By lifting the stay, SCOTUS has allowed states to go rogue and begin enforcing patchwork immigration laws that deny individuals due process and put Texas families at risk.

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State Rep. Victoria Neave Criado, chair of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, said in a statement Tuesday that laws like this paint a target on our families and our constituents and the 12 million Latinos in Texas.

SB 4 is an extreme law and reckless attempt to circumvent our US Constitution, Criado said. We need comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, not short-sighted state or federal laws which take us backwards.

State Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican from Conroe and one of the co-authors of the bill, echoed Paxton and started looking ahead to further border measures.

This is about Texas sovereignty, rule of law, and the security of Texas communities and today, justice prevailed, Creighton wrote on X. Texas needs to keep building its own border wall and we will negotiate for reimbursement when Trump is re-elected in November.

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State Rep. Matt Schaefer, a Tyler Republican who is a member of the far-right Texas Freedom Caucus, cautioned Texans not to get ahead of themselves. He noted that the Supreme Courts decision was mostly based on procedure and the case now returns to the 5th Court of Appeals to be heard on the merits.

The ruling is positive, but very limited, Schaefer wrote on X. He said after the 5th Circuit rules and assuming the case is appealed and returns to the Supreme Court, the justices will have a monumental decision in front of them.

Even Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose business has rapidly expanded in the Lone Star State in recent years, gave his two cents.

Crazy that Texas has to do the job of the Biden administration, which filed aggressive legal action to stop the state! Musk wrote on X, which he also owns. If anyone still doesnt believe that ushering in illegals is the goal of the Biden administration, this should convince them.
Almost three-and-one-half years after the Catholic Diocese of Camden, New Jersey filed for bankruptcy citing financial effects from the pandemic and sexual abuse settlements, its Chapter 11 reorganization plan has been approved.

The final plan, the ninth amended proposal, establishes an $87.5 million trust to compensate about 324 survivors of sexual abuse within the diocese. The trust will be funded with $87.5 million from the diocese and related Catholic entities. Insurance policies turned over to the diocese will contribute $30 million.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Jerrold N. Poslusny, Jr., in Camden, approved the plan that allows the diocese to pay into the trust over five years and keep operating so it can pay creditors.

The settlement also requires the church to maintain and enhance protocols for the protection of children that were first implemented in 2002.

The plan was approved last April by all classes of creditors and 97% of survivors.

However, last year some insurers objected to loopholes that they feared might increase their liability by millions beyond their agreed $30 million, and that they said did not adequately consider legal costs. Insurers also argued that the plan was not feasible because the diocese was unable to fund its portion of the trust.

Judge Poslusny agreed with some of the insurers concerns. The court cannot approve a plan which allows attorneys to file invalid and fraudulent claims without consequence, Poslusny wrote in his opinion last September ordering another reworking of the plan.

Last week, Judge Poslusny found that the revised plan resolved the insurers issues. After a review of the dioceses most recent financials, he further found that there is reasonable probability the provisions of the plan can be performed.

The diocese serves about 480,000 Catholics in 62 parishes across six counties. The district includes four missions, and the diocese is also affiliated with 22 elementary schools, five high schools and a pre-school daycare, in addition to various social service and charitable organizations.

Prior to filing for relief, from 1990 to 2019, the diocese reached 99 settlements with abuse survivors for $10.1 million.

In December 2019, the state enacted the New Jersey Child Victims Act, reopening the statute of limitations to previously-barred claims of child sexual abuse through November 2021.

The diocese, along with other dioceses in the state, started the Independent Victims Compensation Fund (IVCF), in June 2019, and hired Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Barros to administer and settle claims. The diocese settled 71 claims for a total of $8.1 million through the IVCF. The diocese did not seek any reimbursement from its liability insurers for any of those claims.

The diocese has maintained an insurance program with numerous insurers. The bankruptcy court assumed jurisdiction over any insurance payouts. Insurers involved include certain Lloyds underwriters, Century Insurance, Interstate Fire & Casualty, Granite State, Lexington, National Union Fire, National Catholic Retention Group, American International Group and Catholic Risk.

Camden Diocese Bishop Dennis Sullivan thanked Judge Poslusny for providing a fair venue for this case and for ensuring the interests of the survivors and the Diocese of Camden were considered justly.

Sullivan expressed his sincere apology to all those who have been affected by sexual and pledged his continuing commitment to ensure that this terrible chapter in the history of the diocese never happens again.

Counsel for the survivors committee. Jeffrey D. Prol, partner at Lowenstein Sandler law firm, said the committee is pleased that the court confirmed the plan of reorganization it negotiated with the diocese. We look forward to facilitating an expeditious distribution to survivors of sexual abuse, who have been, and remain, the real heroes in our battle to bring some semblance of justice for them, Prol said in a statement.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  When Cavs star guard Donovan Mitchell said recently that he needed to sit down for a little while, he probably didnt envision this.

Mitchell, who sustained a nasal fracture in Houston on March 16 and did not play in the teams road trip finale against Indiana two nights later, underwent a medical procedure Tuesday morning at Cleveland Clinic to realign the affected area. He will be reevaluated in approximately one week.

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CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- City Council remained undecided this week on the latest draft of a proposed resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, among other components.

Councilman Anthony Mattox Jr. and Mayor Kahlil Seren questioned whether the newest version goes far enough, particularly in addressing U.S. involvement in the war through its supply of arms that have killed innocent civilians, many children among them.
AVON LAKE, Ohio  Students at Troy Intermediate School had a taste of their potential futures at its successful Career Quest event.

Held on March 7 at the Avon Lake school, children in fifth and sixth grade were asked when am I ever going to use this about their education.

A school statement said, The Avon Lake community responded with overwhelming enthusiasm. Parents and local professionals generously shared insights about their careers, providing students with a rare glimpse into diverse professional journeys.
PARMA, Ohio  An 18-year-old Cleveland man accused of stealing an Olde English bulldog valued at $7,000 is in custody, but the whereabouts of the puppy remain unknown.

Agents with the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Markeze Williams last week, according to the Parma Police Department. The puppy, named Hazel, was not with Williams when he was arrested and he is refusing to cooperate with authorities, police say.

Williams is being held in jail on a $40,000 cash bond on a charge of felony theft. Police say his case will be presented to a Cuyahoga County Grand Jury for additional charges.

Williams is accused of running off with Hazel on March 9 after asking an employee at Petland Parma, 7651 W. Ridgewood Drive, for help picking out a dog, a police report says.

The stores manager told police the suspect entered the store before noon and asked to see a French bulldog. The manager said the store did not have any, so the man then pointed at Hazel and asked to see her.

In surveillance video from the pet store, which is located in the Shoppes at Parma, an employee hands the suspect Hazel. The man and Hazel then go into another room.

When the manager walked away for a moment, the suspect leaves the room and quickly exits the store. Several store employees chased him out the door.
OXFORD, Ohio  An Ohio man is facing multiple criminal charges after he was accused of of repeatedly calling the school his child attended, berating and threatening the staff about the amount of assigned homework.

Court records in Butler County show Adam Sizemore, 37, of Oxford, faces two counts of telephone harassment and one count of menacing. All are misdemeanors.

A criminal complaint filed with Butler County Area Court 1 shows the principal at Kramer Elementary School accused Sizemore of calling the school multiple times on Feb. 29, directing verbal abuse and vulgar language at the staff.

On March 1, Sizemore again called the school multiple times, according to court records, threatening the principal by telling him he better put his big-boy pants on. The principal told authorities he believed Sizemores behavior was erratic and that he might come to the school with the intent to cause him harm.

The principal said he and the schools staff told Sizemore to stop the repeated calls, but Sizemore continued his actions.

WXIX Channel 19 reports that when the school stopped answering Sizemores calls, he then began calling the police department. Oxford Police Detective Sgt. Adam Price tells WXIX he called the department nearly 20 times.

Sizemore appeared is scheduled to be arraigned on March 28.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio  A beloved teacher who died 12 years ago has been recognized by the Independence Alumni Association as one of this years Educators of Excellence.

Science teacher William Taylor  known as Bill  passed away in 2012 but his legacy of 44 years teaching in Independence Local Schools was honored at this years ceremony on March 11, alongside his colleague and industrial technology teacher Mike Foor.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A new four-story apartment complex built with the help of investments from the Cleveland Clinic and others seeks to address the need for modern market-rate living for workers in and around Clevelands Fairfax neighborhood.

Aura at Innovation Square, a $26 million project unveiled Tuesday, offers convenient access to Opportunity Corridor and is located just minutes down East 105th Street from Meijers Fairfax Market, which opened earlier this year.

Aura consists of 82 studio to one- and two-bedroom apartments and is aimed at providing housing options for local employees, particularly at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic. The Clinic invested $10 million to the project, according to according the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corp.

Employees of CWRU and Cleveland Clinic could be eligible for a one-time $1,400 benefit through the Greater Circle Living, which is an employer-assisted housing program.

The availability of quality, affordable housing for area employees at all income levels has been a central component of our revitalization plan from the beginning, Denise VanLeer, executive director of FRDC, said in a statement.

Demands for both market-rate and affordable housing remains extremely high in Fairfax and surrounding neighborhoods, and we have an obligation to protect the ability of workers to stay close to their place of employment, as well as providing housing options for existing residents.

Some of the amenities include free parking, community and fitness rooms, an outdoor and rooftop space on the first and fourth floors, in-unit laundries, cultured stone countertops and stainless steel appliances.

The kitchen in a unit at the new apartment complex Aura at Innovation Square.Megan Sims, cleveland.com

The Cleveland Clinic Fitness Center at the new apartment complex, Aura at Innovation Square.Megan Sims, cleveland.com

A community space at Aura at Innovation Square in FairfaxMegan Sims, cleveland.com

The rooftop space at the new apartment complex Aura at Innovation Square.Megan Sims, cleveland.com

City Councilman Blaine Griffin told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer that he was very excited about the project, calling it a labor of love after two Fairfax residents sacrificed their childhood home to make room for the complex. The women received a new home.

Thats why I say its so important for the legacy residents and the incoming residents, he said. That we have a bond so we dont allow this to become a gentrified project. But that we have just a welcoming area where everybody grows. This area makes it back the way it used to be. Were going back to the future here. Theres something special happening in there.
LAKEVIEW, Ohio  Winds reached 155 mph during an EF-3 tornado that claimed the lives of three people last week in western Ohio, according to the National Weather Service.

Neal Longfellow, 69, of Orchard Island, and Darla Williams, 70, and Marilyn Snapp, 81, both of Lakeview, were killed in the tornado on March 14, the Logan County Sheriffs Office tells WCMH Channel 4. More than 20 people were injured, and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has declared a state of emergency in 11 counties as they continue to clean up from the severe weather.

The deadly tornado set down at 7:29 p.m. just east of Interstate 75 near Wapakoneta in Auglaize County before moving into Logan County and was on the ground until 8:16 p.m., covering 31.2 miles. It had a maximum width of 1,000 yards.

Joe Baker's damaged home in Valleyview, Ohio, on Saturday, March 16, 2024. (Patrick Orsagos, Associated Press)AP

While the tornado produced damaging winds throughout its course, it was strongest as it approached the village of Lakeview, the Weather Service says. The tornado likely was about a mile wide as it destroyed multiple homes and also struck a trailer park and RV camp.

It looks like a bomb zone like all the trailers are just exploded everywhere, Orchard Island resident Jessica Triplet tells WHIO Channel 7. I know the National Guards coming in and theyre going to help get all that debris up.

Indian Lake Schools have been closed since the storm hit and the buildings were used as shelters, but classes are expected to resume Wednesday, WHIO reports. The American Red Cross has been helping to shelter victims, reports say.

The Weather Service has confirmed eight tornadoes touched down during last weeks severe weather.

An EF-3 tornado produces winds between 135 and 165 mph. The weakest tornado is an EF-0, which has winds of 65-85 mph, while the strongest is an EF-5, which has winds over 200 mph.
Ford's assisted-driving software is currently under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after its in-car technology was linked to the fatal crash in Texas.

The probe was launched following initial reports indicating that the Ford Mustang Mach-E struck the Honda CR-V while under "partial automation" with its BlueCruise hand-free driver-assist system.

The road accident, which happened on Feb. 24, in San Antonio, Texas, killed 56-year-old Jeffrey Allen Johnson of Austin who was driving the Honda CR-V.

According to the NTSB, the investigation on driving assistant system "due to its continued interest in advanced driver assistance systems and how vehicle operators interact with these technologies," Reuters reported.

The automaker already said that it will "collaborate fully with any resulting investigation."

Ford's BlueCruise system, which allows drivers to take their hands off the wheels, brakes, and accelerator, is operational on 97% of controlled access highways in the US and Canada.

Also Read: San Francisco Sues California Regulators for Allowing Self-Driving Cars in the City

Driving Assistant Software Under Scrutiny Over Safety Concerns

The NSTB's investigation on the BlueCruise system follows after the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety failed almost all driving assistant software with its new evaluation rating.

The new Partial Automation Safeguard Rating placed BlueCruise's safety features and overall rating at "Poor."

Ford's Adaptive Cruise Control system, as well as assistant driving software from BMW, Genesis, Mercedes, Nissan, and Tesla, also received "Poor" ratings.

The new safeguard evaluation was prompted by the increasing number of road accidents involving the hands-free driving system.

Related Article: Former Tesla Employee Draws Doubt on Autopilot Car's Safety

Self-Driving Tech Continues to Expand Amid Rising Incidents

Despite safety concerns about the technology, automakers have been reportedly integrating the system into their latest models as car manufacturers move towards EV production.

California's and Texas' regulators have earlier been reported as starting to admit more self-driving services into its cities amid protests from its residents and local governments.
Mintlify, a documentation startup, admitted that dozens of customers had their GitHub tokens exposed during a data breach last March 1.

The company explained that the incident was caused by its vulnerable system, causing 91 of its customers to be affected.

Read Also: Okta Finalizes Breach Investigation, Says Data From All Customer Support was Stolen

Mintlify Compromises Customers' Github After Attack

In a blog post, Mintlify detailed the data breach incident which was only noticed after the company received emails regarding the security of their endpoints. After checking the logs, the company discovered unusual requests to its servers from an unrecognized device.

According to the incident report, some of the requests targeted the sensitive API endpoints of the platform and some were successful, hinting that the hackers were able to access private admin tokens.

"We received confirmation that GitHub tokens stored within our databases were used to access a customer's repository. While we do not have evidence of any other such instances, we cannot confirm that no other such instances occurred," the company wrote.

Mintlify Strengthens Security, Revokes GitHub Access

The company quickly revoked all the GitHub token access and assured the customers that they had implemented security measures to all the APIs to prevent the same incident. The company also partnered with third-party cybersecurity vendors to help with the investigation.

Meanwhile, the 91 compromised users have been notified and are currently working with GitHub to identify whether the tokens have been used to access private repositories.

Users are also instructed to immediately report any issue or vulnerability. The customers must provide a summary report including screenshots, details like OS, browsers, and device details.

The company also assured that reward efforts will be given depending on the severity of the vulnerability. Financial compensation is guaranteed for a vulnerability that scores 4 or higher in CVSS.

Related Article: 23andMe Allegedly Shifts Blame to Victims of Massive Data Breach
TikTok's US division is currently facing more than an impending nationwide ban but stagnating revenues due to rising business challenges and stronger competition.

TikTok's ad and e-commerce sales are reportedly stalling following recent policy changes on the platform, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.

There is also its ongoing license dispute with Universal Music Group, further hurting the app's profits as a music platform.

This is in addition to the growing number of users complaining about TikTok's shift towards horizontal long-form videos rather than its vertical shorts that made the site more famous.

Although TikTok is still reaching its revenue predictions, it is rare for the results to exceed markers as it did in previous financial years.

It is worth noting, however, that TikTok overall is still profiting from its international divisions, particularly with a booming business in Asia.

TikTok just recently even became the first non-gaming app to reach the $10 billion landmark for in-app purchases, surpassing the likes of Netflix, Disney+, and Meta's social media platforms.

Lawmakers Urge ByteDance to Sell TikTok's US Division

If the reports of stagnating revenue growth proved to be true, calls for ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, may soon become much more prominent as the proposed ban inches closer to implementation.

Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Activision Blizzard ex-CEO Bobby Kotick earlier expressed interest in acquiring the platform's US branch to keep them in the country.

TikTok currently hosts over 170 million daily users in the US and 7 million businesses on its app or at least 10% of its total user base.

As of writing, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has yet to declare any intentions to separate its US division from ByteDance, reiterating that the bill will be sure to ban TikTok overall in the country.

Part of the proposed Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act is targeted to ban all ByteDance's apps and other programs "controlled by foreign adversary companies" from the U.S.

Also Read: ByteDance Investors Could Benefit from Looming TikTok Sale, US Lawmaker Claims

US Users Defend TikTok from Looming Ban

While lawmakers are pushing for a nationwide ban on TikTok, more and more of its users have started protesting against the proposition.

Aside from YouTube, TikTok is the most used app among younger generations in the US, making the platform the main channel for young people to share their opinions online.

Among the rising discussions on the app among younger US users are related to politics, human rights issues, and Israel's genocide campaign in Gaza.

It is worth noting that the bill is being pushed to be passed two months ahead of the 2024 US Presidential Elections where several lawmakers, including the president, are running for their subsequent term.

Related Article: TikTok Ban and the US Government: A Case of Restrictions, State Control, and Espionage Fears
(Photo : Unsplash/Umberto )

NVIDIA introduced a new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) chips and software at its San Jose developer's conference on Monday, aiming to dominate as the preferred supplier for AI companies.

NVIDIA's Powerful H100 Chips

NVIDIA's H100 chips, essential for training large language models like ChatGPT, propelled it to become one of the world's most valuable companies in less than two years. On Monday, NVIDIA unveiled Blackwell, a next-gen platform with chips up to 30 times faster and 25 times more energy-efficient than the H100.

Blackwell: Engine to Power Industrial Revolution

NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang declared at the company's annual GTC event in San Jose, attended by thousands of developers, that "Blackwell GPUs are the engine driving this new Industrial Revolution." According to the press release, Generative AI is the defining technology of our time, and by collaborating with the most innovative companies globally, "we will realize the promise of AI for every industry."

READ ALSO: NVIDIA's Next Frontier, Vietnam Expansion on AI Revolution

NVIDIA's Blackwell chips are named after mathematician David Harold Blackwell, renowned for his game and statistics theory. Claiming the title of the world's most potent chip, Blackwell offers a significant performance boost for AI companies, boasting speeds of 20 petaflops compared to the H100's four petaflops. This remarkable speed is primarily attributed to Blackwell's 208 billion transistors, surpassing the H100's 80 billion. To achieve this, NVIDIA utilized two large chip dies interconnected at speeds of up to 10 terabytes per second.

Other Tech CEOs Confident Endorsements of NVIDIA's Chips

Demonstrating the extent of the modern AI revolution's reliance on NVIDIA's chips, the company's press release features endorsements from seven CEOs overseeing companies with a combined worth of trillions of dollars. These leaders include Sam Altman from OpenAI, Satya Nadella from Microsoft, Sundar Pichai from Alphabet, Mark Zuckerberg from Meta, Demis Hassabis from Google DeepMind, Larry Ellison from Oracle, Michael Dell from Dell, and Elon Musk from Tesla.

In the statement, Musk emphasizes that NVIDIA hardware is the top choice for AI, and Altman expresses enthusiasm for Blackwell's significant performance improvements, indicating a desire to continue collaborating with NVIDIA to advance AI computing.

NVIDIA has not revealed the pricing for Blackwell chips. As reported by CNBC, the H100 chips are currently priced between $25,000 and $40,000 per chip, with entire systems utilizing these chips reaching up to $200,000 in cost.

Despite their expensive price tags, NVIDIA's chips remain highly sought after. In the past year, delivery delays stretched as long as 11 months, and access to NVIDIA's AI chips has become a status symbol for tech firms aiming to lure AI talent. Zuckerberg highlighted Meta's initiatives to construct extensive infrastructure to support its AI endeavors earlier this year, mentioning that by the end of this year, Meta will have approximately 350,000 Nvidia H100s, a total of about 600,000 H100 equivalents of compute if you factor in other GPUs.

RELATED ARTICLE: Nvidia Faces Lawsuit for Allegedly Using Copyrighted Materials to Train AI NeMo Without Permission

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Unsplash/ KOBU Agency)

According to a 2019 CNBC and SurveyMonkey, 91% of employees who have mentors express satisfaction and happiness with their jobs.

The Importance of Having a Mentor

Mentors are crucial in advising on navigating career advancement and the corporate ladder. 71% of employees with mentors rate their company's career advancement opportunities as excellent, whereas only 47% of those without mentors share the same. Having a mentor who understands the organization's ins and outs can significantly benefit individuals aiming for promotions or seeking additional responsibilities.

READ ALSO: The Power of Informational Interviews in Shaping Your Career Path- A Guide to Get One

Common Mistakes When Finding a Mentor

However, suppose you are having challenges finding one. In that case, Thema Bryant, President of the American Psychological Association and Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, suggests that it might be because you have been approaching the wrong individual.

Seeking The Highest-Ranking Person in The Room

People often seek the highest-ranking person in a field as a mentor, who, according to Bryant, may have less time to dedicate compared to someone in a mid-level position.

Most senior individuals in your company may be unable to accommodate mentorship if you require quick email responses or frequent meetings. Instead, consider reaching out to someone at a more junior level or seek guidance from multiple sources to avoid relying heavily on just one person.

Dismissing A Potential Mentor Who Does Not Hit The Checkmarks

Bryant advises against dismissing a potential mentor solely because they don't meet all the criteria. Even if their career path does not precisely align with yours, they could still offer valuable guidance. Additionally, there is no need to restrict yourself to just one mentor.

While some mentors take a strict business-oriented approach, offering valuable insights but lacking emotional support, others excel in providing emotional guidance but may not offer the same level of business strategy. Both forms of mentorship have merits and can be beneficial.

Limiting to One Mentor Only

Bryant suggests that seeking mentorship outside your workplace can offer a balanced perspective. Having one mentor within the office provides insight into its dynamics, while an external mentor offers a different, grounding viewpoint. Bryant highlights that external mentors may notice aspects of the workplace that you overlook due to familiarity. Overall, considering both perspectives can be valuable.

Cold-Messaging Someone for Mentorship

During CNBC's Make It: Your Money virtual event, Matt Higgins shared his top advice for finding a highly successful mentor: Avoid asking anyone directly to mentor you.

The Shark Tank investor and RSE Ventures CEO disliked receiving cold messages with mentorship requests, emphasizing that mentorships do not typically develop between strangers.

Higgins pointed out that soliciting mentorship from a stranger could appear pushy and transactional. He advised that if you have someone in mind whom you would like to have as a mentor, initiate contact with a specific question seeking advice. This method allows you to begin forming a relationship that could potentially evolve into a mentorship in the future.

According to Higgins, setting aside ego and seeking assistance should not be viewed as embarrassing. Although he admits he was not always comfortable with it, he has accepted the idea of reaching out and explaining his goals by directly messaging individuals.

RELATED ARTICLE: Seven Reasons Why Mentorship Builds Successful Career

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
CNBC's Jim Cramer on Monday said he believes Nvidia will revolutionize enterprise.

"The sum of all that Nvidia's doing will indeed create the next industrial revolution, because Nvidia's about the speed with which we can arrive at smarter, better answers," he said after attending the first day of the company's conference in San Jose.

Cramer reaffirmed his belief that the company is worth its $2.2 trillion valuation. To him, Nvidia wields immense power because its software can speed up processes and innovation, as well as cut costs, for companies in a wide array of sectors.

To Cramer, Nvidia's market value isn't as apparent as tech peers like Microsoft , Alphabet or Amazon , which offer services that are clearly seen as valuable by consumers. But Nvidia is enterprise-oriented, he said, which makes the company "a behind-the-scenes kind of story." Even though its business may not be tangible to some, that doesn't mean it's not valuable, he added.

Many current digital processes currently run too slowly or are too cumbersome compared to what Nvidia's technology can do, he said.

"If you want to create wealth in the stock market, sometimes you need to make a leap of faith, that you're getting it right with [CEO] Jensen [Huang], because you have to, because, otherwise, you won't see it coming, whatever the heck it is," he said. "Let's just say, though, I think AI's bigger than the loom or the steam engine or the jet engine or the mainframe or the microprocessor, hey, perhaps all rolled into one."
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. March 9, 2024.

A few days after former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley dropped out of the Republican presidential primary on March 6, veteran media executive and Haley backer Harry Sloan got a call from movie mogul Jeffrey Katzenberg, who asked Sloan to help President Joe Biden take on Donald Trump in the general election.

Sloan agreed to help raise money for Biden's reelection effort and try to reel in Republican-aligned business leaders to get behind the president, he told CNBC in a recent interview.

"People I know who are generally business Republicans, they're going to hear from me" about helping Biden, Sloan said. The former chair of MGM said he has already reached out to some of the people in his Rolodex, and he plans to host a fundraiser for Biden later this year.

Sloan is among at least half a dozen former Haley bundlers who have decided to help Biden  and not Trump  since Haley ended her campaign, according to a source familiar with the effort, who was granted anonymity to discuss private conversations.

A co-chair of the Biden campaign, Katzenberg has been trying to recruit wealthy Haley supporters into Biden's camp since at least February.

But now, with Haley formally out of the race, that effort has gone into overdrive.

Sloan and other Haley supporters have also heard from the Biden campaign's finance chair, Rufus Gifford, who said he belongs to a WhatsApp group called "Haley Supporters for Biden."

For Biden's team, successfully snagging Republican former Haley donors would amount to a fundraising coup, bolstering the president's political operation while taking these potential donors off the field for Trump.

The effort to win over Haley donors also got a boost when Trump threatened to blacklist Haley donors.

"Anybody that makes a 'Contribution' to [Haley] from this moment forth, will be permanently barred from the MAGA camp. We don't want them, and will not accept them," he wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 24.

Haley notably did not endorse Trump when she dropped out of the race.

Sloan himself is a major addition to Biden's fundraising arsenal. While Haley was still in the primary, Sloan helped to raise at least $550,000 for her White House bid, most of it through two fundraising receptions, including one at his home in Los Angeles.

But Sloan is not a straight party-line donor. He has donated in the past to candidates on both sides of the aisle, including $100,000 last year to a pro-Biden political action committee, Future Forward, and a separate donation to Biden's campaign.

Sloan also gave $100,000 to a PAC that supported Haley, according to Federal Election Commission records. Another Republican who received a donation from Sloan is Pennsylvania GOP Senate candidate Dave McCormick.
U.S. President Joe Biden shakes hands with Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, January 13, 2023. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters

President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a White House summit next month amid growing concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, provocative Chinese action in the South China Sea and differences over a Japanese company's plan to buy an iconic American steel company. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement on Monday said the first-ever U.S.-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit is an opportunity to highlight the countries' "growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific." The three leaders have no shortage of issues to discuss. The announcement came as North Korea's state media reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a live-fire drill of nuclear-capable "super-large" multiple rocket launchers designed to target South Korea's capital. The North Korean claim followed the South Korean and Japanese militaries reporting on Monday that they had detected North Korea firing multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast, adding to a streak of weapons displays that have raised regional tensions. The U.S.-Japan relationship is facing a rare moment of friction after Biden announced last week that he opposes the planned sale of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel of Japan. Biden argued in announcing his opposition that the U.S. needs to "maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steelworkers."

Nippon Steel announced in December that it planned to buy U.S. Steel for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Meanwhile, long-running Philippines-Chinese tensions have come back into focus this month after Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided in the disputed South China Sea.

U.S. President Joe Biden holds a bilateral meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 1, 2023. Leah Millis | Reuters

The Chinese coast guard ships and accompanying vessels blocked the Philippine coast guard and supply vessels off the disputed Second Thomas Shoal and executed dangerous maneuvers that caused two minor collisions between the Chinese ships and two of the Philippine vessels, Philippine officials said. A small Philippine marine and navy contingent has kept watch onboard a rusting warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which has been marooned since the late 1990s in the shallows of the Second Thomas Shoal. China also claims the shoal lying off the western Philippines and has surrounded the atoll with coast guard, navy and other ships to press its claims and prevent Filipino forces from delivering construction materials to fortify the Sierra Madre in a decades-long standoff.

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Taxes are top of mind for investors as April 15 approaches, but there are a few steps investors may consider now to reduce tax drag on their portfolios. April 15 is the deadline for taxpayers to file their income tax returns and pay sums owed for 2023. While there isn't much you can do now to cut last year's levies, now might be a good time to rein in those expenses for 2024. "Investors should audit portfolios to understand where tax costs can be lowered," wrote Jared Woodard, investment and ETF strategist at Bank of America, in a March 12 report. "Many ETFs take advantage of [qualified dividend income] & return of capital for tax efficient distribution." Taxable income sources Woodard identified four sources of taxable income. First, there's qualified dividend income, which is taxed at favorable long-term capital gains rates of 0%, 15% or 20%. Then there's return of capital, which is untaxed in the current year and lowers an investor's cost basis in an investment. Third, there are long-term capital gains, which apply when you sell an investment you've held for more than a year and are subject. Finally, there are ordinary dividends and short-term capital gains, which are subject to the same rate as ordinary income  a top rate of 37%. For investors seeking tax-advantaged income, master limited partnerships offer attractive yield and a way to play energy. These MLPs, which include pipelines for the transport of oil and gas, have general partners that run the daily operations and limited partners  that is, individual investors  who buy interests and provide the partnership with capital. MLPs themselves aren't subject to federal income taxes, but limited partners owe taxes on the income distributed. That's different from being a shareholder in a C-corporation, where the business pays income taxes, and the investors pay taxes on income received. Due to this tax treatment, MLPs can offer a solid yield. Rather than picking out individual MLPs, investors can consider owning an ETF that holds these partnership interests. In particular, Woodard called out Global X MLP & Energy Infrastructure ETF (MLPX) and Global X MLP ETF (MLPA ). "80% of MLPX & MLPA distributions last year, on average, were classified as return of capital," he wrote. "Yields today are 5-7%." MLPX has a total return of 7.6% in 2024, and MLPA's year-to-date total return is 9.3%, according to Morningstar. Both have total expense ratios of 0.45%. Qualified dividend payers Investors may also want to consider ETFs that spin out qualified dividend income, which is subject to lower favorable tax rates. "Dividends paid by US sector funds like IYK ( iShares US Consumer Staples ETF ) and XLU ( Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund ) with relatively high yields are classified as 100% QDI," wrote Woodard. "The same is true of broad equity funds that most already own like SPY ( SPDR S & P 500 ETF ) or VOO ( Vanguard S & P 500 ETF )." In 2024, IYK has a total return of nearly 4.7%, while XLU's total return is about 0.7%, according to Morningstar. XLU has an expense ratio of 0.09%, and IYK's expense ratio is 0.4%. For those seeking exposure abroad, Woodard highlighted the iShares MSCI Indonesia ETF (EIDO ), the iShares Latin America 40 ETF (ILF) and the iShares International Select Dividend ETF (IDV). "Dividends paid by eligible foreign companies can be taxed at lower rates," he said. "For example, EIDO, which tracks Indonesia, has 100% qualified dividends. ILF, a Latin America fund, pays 93% QDI." Closed-end fund plays Closed-end funds are similar to mutual funds  they trade publicly on exchanges  but they offer investors a fixed number of shares. That means their share price may trade at a discount or a premium to their net asset value. These funds can also use leverage, which may result in enhanced returns over the long run, along with the potential for volatility. "Leveraged muni bond CEFs trade at -10% discounts, well below norms and offer a 6-7% tax-adjusted yield," said Woodard, noting that these muni bond funds offer tax-exempt payouts. "We're cautious near term as leverage costs remain elevated but investors with a longer time horizon can capture value." In particular, he highlighted MFS' Municipal Income Trust (MFM) and the Nuveen Municipal Credit Income Fund (NZF). MFM's total return this year is 3.66%, and NZF has a total return of 3.4% in 2024, according to Morningstar.
China and New Zealand are working toward implementing an upgraded version of the free trade agreement between the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday the two countries should kick off negotiations on the negative list of service trade "as soon as possible" in order to "push bilateral cooperation to a new level."

That's according to state news agency Xinhua.

Wang met New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay during an official visit to New Zealand.

McClay was cited by Xinhua as saying that "in the face of increasing trade barriers and uncertainties in the world, the upgraded China-New Zealand FTA is an important example" of expanding their partnership in economy, trade and personnel exchanges.

New Zealand was the first developed country to sign a bilateral free trade deal with China in 2008. That agreement was expanded in 2022.

China's door to the world will open even wider, Wang said, pledging to forge closer cooperation with New Zealand in the next decade and emphasizing on the need to safeguard free trade.

China is New Zealand's leading trading partner, with two-way goods and services trade between the two totaling NZ$38.7 billion ($23.55 billion) in the year ending September 2023.

Both ministers also discussed security in the Pacific.

"Alongside areas of cooperation, it was important to acknowledge areas of difference such as human rights, including the situation in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet," New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said after the meeting.

"We also highlighted New Zealand and China's shared interest in a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and raised concerns over increased tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait," Peters said, according to a statement.

China has long considered Taiwan to be part of its territory, a claim self-ruled Taiwan has objected to. Beijing has also laid claims to almost the entire South China Sea, which the Philippines and other nations have competing claims over the vital waterway.

Wang is on a visit to New Zealand and Australia from Mar. 17 to 21. He will be holding the seventh China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in his visit to Australia.
By Anna J. Park

In the face of threats of market saturation and decreasing population in the country, the Korea Life Insurance Association (KLIA) aims to find new growth momentum in the hybrid insurance and pension markets.

"It's true that the life insurance industry is facing a crisis. While it may be difficult for the life insurance industry to achieve high growth or profitability as in the past, the association plans to achieve a breakthrough," KLIA Chairman Kim Chul-ju said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday.

Acknowledging that the domestic life insurance industry's growth has been stagnant amid macro-environmental changes, including the low birthrate and rapidly aging population, Kim said that the industry is actively pursuing to increase its market share in the hybrid insurance market.

Hybrid insurance combines the characteristics of fixed compensation in life insurance products and actual expenses compensation in non-life insurance products, and both life insurance and non-life insurance can enter the market. While the market has been yielding a high growth rate of about 7 percent a year, the non-life insurance sector currently takes up over 70 percent of the entire market.

"The life insurance industry has not been able to keep up promptly with risk management and statistical management in the hybrid insurance market," Kim said.

In order to tackle such challenges, the life insurance association plans to collaborate with the Korea Insurance Development Institute to overhaul the basic statistical management system, hoping to secure flexibility in calculating risk rates and support the calculation of reasonable insurance premiums.

Developing new products with detailed and simplified coverage tailored to the needs of older people, as well as diversifying insurance sales channels utilizing various online platforms are other pathways it chooses to pursue for new growth momentum.

In addition, the life insurance industry plans to bolster further advancement into overseas markets, focusing particularly on Southeast Asia. It plans to identify specific challenges in the way of overseas market expansion and discuss them with financial authorities, both in and outside of the country.
Newly produced electric vehicles are being seen at Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory in Shanghai, China, on December 31, 2023.

A Canadian resident of China has been arrested in the United States for allegedly stealing electric car manufacturer Tesla's trade secrets and conspiring to sell them to undercover law enforcement officers.

Klaus Pflugbeil, the operator of a China-based business that sells technology used in electric vehicles, was arrested on Tuesday in New York, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said.

He had traveled for a meeting with undercover agents whom he had believed were Long Island businesspeople, prosecutors said.

Pflugbeil and business partner Yilong Shao built their business using trade secrets belonging to "a leading U.S.-based electric vehicle company," prosecutors said. Shao was also charged but remained at large.

Prosecutors did not name the U.S.-based company, but said it acquired a Canada-based manufacturer of battery assembly lines in 2019. That matches the description of Tesla 's acquisition of a Canadian company named Hibar.

Both Pflugbeil and Shao are former employees of the Canadian company, prosecutors said.

Pflugbeil was expected to make an initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors said. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shao could not be reached for comment.
The Evergrande Group headquarters building in Shenzhen is pictured on January 11, 2022 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. China Evergrande Group founder Hui Ka Yan will be barred from the securities market for life and fined 47 million yuan ($6.53 million) after the regulator accused the group's flagship unit of inflating results, securities fraud and failing to make timely disclosures.

China Evergrande Group founder Hui Ka Yan will be barred from the securities market for life and fined 47 million yuan ($6.53 million) after the regulator accused the group's flagship unit of inflating results, securities fraud and failing to make timely disclosures.

Hengda Real Estate said in an exchange filing that China's securities watchdog also penalized the company and several of its former senior executives after an investigation.

The penalty represents the latest challenge for Evergrande, the world's most indebted property developer, which defaulted on its offshore debt in late 2021 and was ordered by the Hong Kong High Court to liquidate in January.

It comes days after the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or CSRC, vowed to crack down on securities fraud, and protect small investors with "teeth and horns".

Last September, Evergrande said its founder was being investigated over suspected crimes.
Chinese military and state-run media on Sunday accused the United States of threatening global security, days after a Reuters report which found Elon Musk's SpaceX was building hundreds of spy satellites for a U.S. intelligence agency.

Chinese military and state-run media on Sunday accused the United States of threatening global security, days after a Reuters report which found Elon Musk's SpaceX was building hundreds of spy satellites for a U.S. intelligence agency.

SpaceX's Starshield unit is developing the satellite network under a classified $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office, or NRO, Reuters reported on Friday, citing five sources familiar with the program.

A social media account run by the People's Liberation Army, or PLA, said the SpaceX program exposed the United States' "shamelessness and double standards" as Washington accuses Chinese tech companies of threatening U.S. security.

"We urge U.S. companies to not help a villain do evil," Junzhengping, an account run by the PLA, posted on social media platform Weibo on Sunday. The account has 1.1 million followers.

"All countries worldwide should be vigilant and protect against new and even bigger security threats created by the U.S. government," the post said.

Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge, a magazine overseen by the ruling Communist Party, was quoted in an interview as saying the SpaceX satellite project posed "a challenge to global security and stability".
Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives for the start of his civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court on October 02, 2023 in New York City.

Donald Trump and his co-defendants were in talks with insurance giant Chubb for a $464 million appeal bond in the former president's civil fraud case, but the company backed out  days after it raised eyebrows for giving Trump a bond in a separate case, according to a Trump lawyer.

Chubb was one of more than 30 companies that refused to craft a bond that would put the massive business fraud judgment on pause, attorneys for Trump said in a New York appeals court filing Monday.

The attorneys in that filing asked the appeals court to "put the brakes" on the judgment before New York Attorney General Letitia James can start to collect on it  a process that could begin as soon as next week. James has said she will seize Trump's assets if he cannot pay the judgment.

A panel of judges on that court has yet to rule on Trump's request to pause the judgment without him having to post a fully secured bond.

Alan Garten, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, said in that filing that Chubb was the only company willing to consider underwriting an appeal bond secured by a blend of liquid assets and real property.

The other companies  which included Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway , Liberty Mutual, Allianz, and Travelers  wanted only cash or other liquid assets.

Appeal bonds aim to prevent the loser of a court judgment from using the appeals process to delay or avoid paying their penalties. The bonds also ensure that, if the appeal is unsuccessful, the plaintiff can quickly receive their award.

Chubb was "actively negotiating" with Trump and his co-defendants, Garten said. But "within the past week," he said, Chubb reversed course and "notified Defendants that it could not accept real property as collateral."

"Though disappointing, this decision was not surprising given that Chubb was the only surety willing to even consider accepting real estate as collateral," Garten said.
Ethiopia's largest bank is struggling to recoup millions of dollars after a glitch over the weekend allowed customers to withdraw unlimited funds, according to local media reports.

More than $40 million was reportedly withdrawn from the state-owned Commercial Bank of Ethiopia or transferred to other banks, as customers discovered they could withdraw more than their total balance. Transactions were halted several hours later.

The bank's President Abie Sano told a press conference on Monday that a large portion of the cash was withdrawn by students, with the BBC reporting that long lines formed at campus ATMs.

Several universities have urged students to return cash that isn't theirs, and Sano reportedly told Monday's press conference that anybody who returns the money will not be criminally prosecuted.

In a post on X, the CBE confirmed the service interruption but denied that it was the result of a cyber attack. It added that its ATM services were now "fully operational," according to a Google translation.

Ethiopia's central bank, which oversees its financial sector, said in a statement that the interruption was a result of system security checks and "not an incident that endangers the bank, its customers and the entire financial system," according to a Google translation.

"The problem stemmed from an internal application update, not an external attack. There are no issues affecting the bank's customers," a CBE spokesperson told CNBC.
After a muted session, the pan-European Stoxx 600 provisionally finished up 0.26%, with sectors mixed. Autos stocks rose 1.2%, while food and beverage stocks were down 0.5%.

European markets closed slightly higher Tuesday, as global investors looked to the start of the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting.

U.S. stocks opened mixed ahead of the Fed's meeting in Washington. Recent inflation reports could prompt the Fed to signal that interest rates will remain higher for longer than expected. Fed funds futures currently forecast a 99% likelihood that the Fed will leave benchmark interest rates unchanged this week, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

Meanwhile, it was a dramatic day for Asia-Pacific markets as investors assessed the latest central bank monetary policy decisions from the Bank of Japan and the Reserve Bank of Australia.

The BOJ officially ended its negative interest rate policy at its March meeting, hiking interest rates for the first time in 17 years and raising its benchmark interest rate from -0.1% to a range of 0% to 0.1%. The bank also abolished its yield curve control policy, marking a historic shift in policy. Asia-Pacific markets largely fell Tuesday following the move.
Canada's late former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who died on February 29, 2024 at the age of 84, attends a news conference in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada in 1986.

A solemn parade of dignitaries and VIPs offered condolences Tuesday to the family of Brian Mulroney as the former prime minister began lying in state near Parliament Hill.

A guard of honor gingerly delivered Mulroney's flag-shrouded casket before Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and husband Whit Fraser entered to pay her respects.

Simon was followed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who walked in alone before greeting family members and bowing his head at the casket.

Trudeau then lingered over a book of condolences as Mulroney's official portrait, framed by an elaborate display of flowers, loomed nearby.

Other VIPs who were present early in the day included former prime minister Joe Clark, House Speaker Greg Fergus, former governor general Michaelle Jean, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

There was visible warmth on display between the Mulroney clan and Poilievre and his wife Anaida, who shared laughs and warm embraces with Mila Mulroney and her children as they proceeded through the receiving line.
One stock is a "promising AI investment" and set to be a "serious player" in a corner of the space, according to Brian Stutland of Equity Armor Investments. That's Palantir , known for its government contract work in defense and intelligence. "They're doing more than just their cybersecurity for the government. They are really starting to become very creative in the AI world," Stutland, a portfolio manager at the firm, told CNBC's "Street Signs Asia " last week. In February, Palantir CEO Alex Karp told shareholders that demand for large language models in the U.S. "continues to be unrelenting." Palantir has been scaling its Artificial Intelligence Platform, or AIP, and Karp said the company carried out nearly 600 pilots with the technology last year. "We're in the very beginning stages, but from military identifying objects on the military field to all kinds of different artificial intelligence that can be used to help better our security and better our military," Stutland added. Shares of Palantir jumped nearly 10% on March 6 after Palantir announced its Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node was selected by the U.S. Army . TITAN uses artificial intelligence to provide targeting information for missiles. Palantir generates the bulk of its revenue through government contracts. Its government segment makes up nearly 56% of total sales. The rest of its sales are commercial. "They're going to be in play and they're going to be a serious player in this area," he said of the firm's efforts in producing AI applications for military and defense. Stutland manages the Rational Equity Armor Fund, which has so far been among this year's top performers, ranking in the top 5% of options trading funds, according to Morningstar. He gave the stock a price target of $37, implying 57% upside. Shares of Palantir are up around 41% year-to-date. Last week, tech analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Wedbush Securities raised his price target for Palantir from $30 to $35, and maintained his outperform rating for the stock. He said, "Our recent checks on Palantir in the field have been incrementally more bullish as we believe the [Artificial Intelligence Platform] foundation is becoming viewed by many US enterprises as the 'launching pad of AI use cases.'" He called the AIP a "game changer." "With a strong product portfolio coupled with AI, we expect PLTR to garner a meaningful share of what we believe to be a $1 trillion AI Global TAM as enterprise and government ecosystems rush to implement useful platforms for automating complex workflows," Ives added.  CNBC's Ashley Capoot and Keris Lahiff contributed to this report.
Filmmaker and Hollywood legend George Lucas is throwing his support behind Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger in the bitter proxy battle between the company and activist investor Nelson Peltz.

Lucas, who received 37.1 million Disney shares as part of Disney's $4.05 billion purchase of Lucasfilm in 2012, is currently the largest individual investor in the company, multiple sources confirmed to CNBC.

In a statement provided to CNBC, Lucas wrote:

"Creating magic is not for amateurs. When I sold Lucasfilm just over a decade ago, I was delighted to become a Disney shareholder because of my long-time admiration for its iconic brand and Bob Iger's leadership. When Bob recently returned to the company during a difficult time, I was relieved. No one knows Disney better. I remain a significant shareholder because I have full faith and confidence in the power of Disney and Bob's track record of driving long-term value. I have voted all of my shares for Disney's 12 directors and urge other shareholders to do the same."

Disney has lined up a number of high-profile endorsements in its battle against Peltz and his firm, Trian Fund Management, from the heirs of Walt and Roy Disney to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.

But the support from the Lucas endorsement is key, not only because of his role as Disney's largest individual shareholder, but also because of his standing in Hollywood. Lucas wrote and created the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" franchises, some of the most popular films in history, and he helped pioneer tools such as digital film editing and computer-generated imagery.

Peltz has asked investors to nominate him and former Disney Chief Financial Officer Jay Rasulo to the board at its annual general meeting on April 3. Among other things, Peltz wants to overhaul Disney's traditional TV channels, which he thinks have been a shrinking business.

Iger, meanwhile, has been trying to streamline the sprawling media company to rein in spending and make its Disney+ streaming platform profitable. Iger has instituted broad restructuring, including thousands of layoffs.
Michael Sonnenshein, CEO, Grayscale Investments at the NYSE, April 18, 2022. Source: NYSE

LONDON  The boss of digital asset management firm Grayscale, which manages the $26 billion exchange-traded fund GBTC, has said that fees on its flagship product will come down over time, after its outflows reached $12 billion. Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein said that the crypto fund manager expects to bring fees on its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF down in the coming months, as the nascent crypto ETF market matures. "I'll happily confirm that, over time, as this market matures, the fees on GBTC will come down," Sonnenshein told CNBC in an interview on Monday. The firm previously defended its costlier-than-market-average charges. "We have seen this in countless other exposures, countless other markets, you name it, where typically when products are earlier in their lifecycle, when they're new to be introduced, these [fees] tend to be higher. And, as those markets mature, and as those funds grow, those fees tend to come down, and we expect the same to be true of GBTC." GBTC has logged outflows of more than $12 billion since it was converted into an ETF in early January, according to data from crypto investment firm CoinShares, due in no small part to its higher-than-average fees.

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CoinShares' data shows that GBTC recorded its biggest single daily outflow on Monday, with withdrawals totalling $643 million. "Of course, we anticipated having outflows," Sonnenshein told CNBC. "Investors have been wanting to either take gains on their portfolio, or arbitragers coming out of the fund, or people unwinding positions that were part of bankruptcies through forced liquidation." Market commentators argue that the bankruptcy of crypto giant FTX has played a significant role in the selloff of GBTC. FTX was a major holder of GBTC before it filed for insolvency in November 2022, holding about 22 million shares as of Oct. 25. The FTX bankruptcy estate reportedly offloaded the majority of its shares in Grayscale's bitcoin ETF, according to January reporting from Bloomberg and CoinDesk. "None of that came as a surprise, right," Sonnenshein said, speaking about the outflows. "What we've seen is GBTC continue to trade liquidly with tight spreads, and across a very diversified shareholder base. So we kind of think we're between the first and the second inning of this."

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"We're kind of at the end of that first inning now, where the pent-up demand for buying has hopefully been satisfied, the pent up demand for selling has also hopefully been satisfied," Sonnenshein added. "And now we're kind of starting to move towards that second and third inning, where there's so much more of the market that still is not yet accessing these products." The crypto fund manager charges a 1.5% management fee for GBTC holders, significantly higher than the charge commanded by many ETF providers, including BlackRock and Fidelity.

VanEck has waived fees for investors entirely until March 2025 in a bid to lure in deposits. Grayscale's Sonnenshein defended the firm's high fees at the time, telling CNBC they were justified by GBTC's liquidity and track record. He said that the reason other ETFs have lower fees is that their products "don't have a track record," and the issuers are trying to lure investors with fee incentives. Sonnenshein said the reason other ETFs have lower fees is that the products "don't have a track record" and the issuers are trying to attract investors with fee incentives. "I think from our standpoint, it may at times call into question their long-term commitment to the asset class," he said.

Sonnenshein told CNBC Monday that "all of these new issuers really came into the market to compete with us" and are also rivaling each other. Grayscale also wants to introduce other ways of giving investors less costly ways of accessing its bitcoin ETF, including a "mini" version of its flagship product  the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust, announced last week. The new ETF is set to trade under the ticker "BTC" and have a materially lower fee than GBTC. The new BTC ETF would be effectively spun out of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF and seeded with an as-yet undisclosed portion of bitcoin underlying GBTC shares. Under this structure, existing holders of GBTC would be able to benefit from a lower total blended fee while maintaining the same exposure to bitcoin, spanning ownership of shares of both GBTC and BTC. Existing GBTC shareholders would also be able to convert into BTC without paying capital gains tax. The firm is currently awaiting approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for its Bitcoin Mini Trust ETF. Moving forward, Sonnenshein wants investors to turn their attention toward the business' other crypto investment products, which track prices of different cryptocurrencies including ether and solana. The company is trying to have its Grayscale Ethereum Trust converted into an ETF, but is awaiting SEC approval.

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Korea and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have launched a multiyear joint research project on budgeting and other financial issues in the face of low birth rate and rapid aging as common global challenges, Seoul's finance ministry said Tuesday.

Korea's Second Vice Finance Minister Kim Yoon-sang and the OECD's Deputy Secretary-General Yoshiki Takeuchi attended a ceremony to mark the launch of the joint international studies held in Paris on Monday (France time), according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The two sides will begin joint studies this year on a wide range of financial issues focusing on ways of ensuring the financial sustainability of member nations, and details of the yearslong project will be adjusted as it proceeds.

During the ceremony, Kim stressed the need for joint studies on how to boost the efficiency of public finance when countries are facing rising national debt and demographic changes as major challenges.

"Kim and Takeuchi held a separate meeting and discussed major policy measures on OECD member nations' low birth rate and aging. They also agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation on finance and other issues," the ministry said in a release.

Kim is in France for a five-day trip from Sunday for talks with officials of the OECD and the French government to deepen financial and economic cooperative relations. (Yonhap)
People cross an intersection in the Central business district of Hong Kong on Feb. 27, 2024.

Hong Kong lawmakers passed a new national security law on Tuesday that grants the government more power to quash dissent, widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown that was triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The legislature passed the Safeguarding National Security Bill during a special session Tuesday. It comes on top of a similar law imposed by Beijing four years ago, which has already largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub.

Hong Kong's Legislative Council, which is packed with Beijing loyalists following an electoral overhaul, expedited the process. Since the bill was unveiled on March 8, a committee held daily meetings for a week, following an appeal by Hong Kong leader John Lee to push the law through "at full speed."

The law threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions authorities call threats to national security, with the most severe  including treason and insurrection  punishable by life imprisonment. Lesser offenses, including the possession of seditious publications, could also lead to several years in jail. Some provisions allow criminal prosecutions for acts committed anywhere in the world.

Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said he believed all lawmakers were honored to have taken part in this "historic mission."

"I fully agree with what the Chief Executive said: the sooner the legislation is completed, the sooner national security will be safeguarded," he said.

Critics worry the new law will further erode civil liberties that Beijing promised to preserve for 50 years when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Hong Kong's political scene has changed dramatically since the massive 2019 street protests that challenged China's rule over the semi-autonomous territory, and the imposition of Beijing's National Security Law.
The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images

'Over 100' student loan forgiveness programs

If you're not enrolled in a program that leads to student loan forgiveness, you can find "great information" on the U.S. Department of Education's website, Studentaid.gov, about the different opportunities, said Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, a nonprofit. Mayotte said students should "read all the things. They can also contact their loan servicer to talk about their potential eligibility and steps they may have to take to qualify." Two of the most popular debt cancellation avenues are the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which leads to a debt jubilee after a decade of payments for qualifying workers, and the income-driven repayment plans. Those plans, which cap a borrowers' monthly bill at a share of their discretionary income, lead to debt erasure after 10 to 25 years of payments. There are currently four different plans, each with different rules. Much of the relief the Biden administration has delivered so far has been through fixes to these two programs.

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But there are also "over 100 other forgiveness programs out there to explore," Mayotte said. "Many are offered by states looking to encourage certain types of employment, such as health care and public defenders," she said. Mayotte's website, FreeStudentLoanAdvice.org, has a database of these programs, she said. Meanwhile, after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked President Joe Biden's sweeping student loan forgiveness plan in June, his administration began working on a revised relief plan. The administration could roll out that "Plan B" program before November, and as many as 10 million people could benefit, according to one estimate.

Track qualifying payments, required steps

The loan forgiveness programs can be confusing and many borrowers have run into walls trying to access the relief to which they're entitled. Given those difficulties, once you know the student loan forgiveness plan you're pursuing, experts recommend keeping a record of the requirements you've met along the way. For example, borrowers in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program are required to make 120 qualifying payments. They should be able to get a history of their payments at StudentAid.gov by looking into their loan details, Mayotte said. (They can also ask their servicer for a complete history.)
Artificial intelligence is moving into the housing space, specifically architecture.

ICON, which developed one of the first fully 3D-printed housing developments in the U.S., is taking automation another step further. It recently unveiled what it calls Vitruvius, an AI program that helps consumers design custom homes online and get the plans, making the process cheaper and faster.

"The big vision of Vitruvius is to go all the way from human desire all the way through deliveries, like construction documents, budgets, schedules, even robotic instructions," said Jason Ballard, CEO of ICON.

Vitruvius can recall every design and possibility it's ever seen, according to Ballard. It has been trained on building codes, building methods and structural engineering, so it understands what's possible.

"It far exceeds human capability," Ballard added.

The user starts by typing in a general idea of the type of house they'd like to build. Then Vitruvius asks questions, everything from where the home will be located, how large it will be, what type of architecture it will feature, which amenities it should include, and in what style. It then learns from the answers, incorporating knowledge from past designs, and offers designs for three potential homes.

The program also can show what the home would look like if it were 3D printed or in the style of a famous architect, living or dead. Though other AI models have gotten into hot water for potential copyright infringement, Ballard said he isn't concerned in this case.

"It's not actually stealing anyone's actual work. It's just sort of taking inspiration in the way that human artists take inspiration," he said. "I have no doubt that tools like this are going to change the way that we do things."

Vitruvius debuted at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, where both real estate agents and architects tried it out.

"I think [AI is] going to be more of a tool. There are jobs that are going to change. Obviously architecture is never going to be the same anymore," said Leonardo Guzman, an architect and builder, of the technology.

Real estate agent Gina McAndrews also tried it and said she was impressed by the technology, but expected it would be used more in conjunction with architects, rather than replace them.

"It definitely will save a whole lot of money, but at the same time you still need people to interact with to change things, but, yes, definitely to just spark ideas because I'm limited in what I've seen, and this is like mind-blowing," McAndrews said.

Ballard said the implications of AI in architecture extend beyond just consumers looking to save on architecture fees. He sees it as a game changer for affordable housing, which often cuts corners to reduce costs.

"What happens in affordable housing projects is we dispense with architecture altogether. Even affordable housing projects deserve beauty and dignity, and we think this tool makes this possible, because, over time, the cost of using this tool should approach the cost of the energy to power the system," Ballard said.
A man walks past a poster that informs customers that bitcoin can be used in this shop in Tokyo on January 06, 2018.

Japan's government pension fund on Tuesday said it is requesting information on "illiquidity assets" such as bitcoin , as part of research into potential new investments.

The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) of Japan, the world's largest pension fund by assets under management on several different rankings, said it is looking for "basic information" on illiquid assets other than those in which it already invests.

GPIF said it currently puts funds in domestic and foreign bonds and stocks, real estate, infrastructure and private equity. It is now looking for information about other assets such as forests, farmland, gold and bitcoin and how these might be incorporated into the portfolio of pension funds.
Mustafa Suleyman, Co-founder Inflection.ai & DeepMind, speaking on CNBC's Squawk Box at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 17th, 2024.

Microsoft said Tuesday it has hired Mustafa Suleyman, a co-founder of artificial intelligence startup DeepMind that Google acquired in 2014, to lead Copilot AI initiatives. Suleyman will become an executive vice president and CEO of Microsoft AI, reporting to CEO Satya Nadella.

Inside Google, DeepMind became a leader in AI research, receiving placement for its work in the journal Nature and extensive media attention. The traction caught the eye of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who sought to counter Google's rise with the creation of a nonprofit AI lab, OpenAI.

Suleyman left Google parent Alphabet in 2022 and became co-founder and CEO of startup Inflection AI. Karen Simonyan, a co-founder of Inflection and its chief scientist, is joining Microsoft as chief scientist for Microsoft AI, alongside several of the startup's employees, Nadella wrote in a Microsoft memo.

The new Microsoft AI group will work on Copilot, which appears in Bing, Windows and other Microsoft products. Consumer AI products and research will also fall under the group.

"I've known Mustafa for several years and have greatly admired him as a founder of both DeepMind and Inflection, and as a visionary, product maker, and builder of pioneering teams that go after bold missions," Nadella wrote.

Demis Hassabis, another co-founder of DeepMind, remains at Google DeepMind. Google is one of Microsoft's largest competitors in AI but has faced a barrage of issues surrounding its Gemini chatbot and image-generation AI.

Google pulled the image-generation feature tool last month following a string of controversies, including historical inaccuracies and contentious responses.

"We have taken the feature offline while we fix that," Hassabis said last month. "We are hoping to have that back online very shortly in the next couple of weeks, few weeks." He added that the product was not "working the way we intended."

WATCH: We've hit 'peak hype' of the AI revolution, says DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman
White has been living in this Naples, Florida retirement community for three years now.

In 2021, Liz White was visiting her parents  retirees who spend the winters in Naples, Florida  when an apartment became available in their building and she decided to move in. Each senior living arrangement has its own eligibility requirement, but residents in this retirement community are typically at least 55 years old. All of the residents meet this age requirement except for White. White, a customer success manager at a tech company, paid around $2000 a month in rent for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment for her first year in the building. White's landlord then put the unit up for sale, and her parents decided to buy it. The arrangement is that White lives in the apartment full-time, and when her parents are in town, they stay with her. While White did not feel comfortable sharing how much her parents paid for her unit or the cost of monthly HOA fees, she did tell CNBC Make It that apartments in the building are put on the market for as much as $1 million. The median listing price for a condo in Naples, Florida is $950,000, according to RedFin. White says she did not contribute financially to the purchase.

Liz White moved into her parents' retirement community during the pandemic. Liz White

White's parents closed on the apartment in July 2022. However, the bliss of new homeownership was short-lived  hurricane Ian flooded the unit that September. The family had to choose between a complete remodel and putting the unit up for sale just three months after closing. They decided to rebuild the apartment and rent from another neighbor on a higher floor while the renovation took place. It took almost a year for the apartment to be done. White and her parents were hoping to keep remodeling costs low, but because of the way, the condo flooded  the doors and walls had to be cut almost in half  they had to get rid of pretty much everything except one lamp and a table.

White admits going through the renovation was hard, but says it helped bring her and some of her senior citizen neighbors closer together. "It's been really good to have that sense of community and have people to grow you with different perspectives in life," White says. "It's also made me more open to meeting new people and not sweating the small stuff." "Life is hopefully going to be long and there's a lot of phases to it. If you're going through one hard phase, it's not going to be forever."

White recalls that after the hurricane, one of her neighbors told her that she would laugh at the situation one day, but she couldn't believe it in the moment. "I felt like it was the worst part of my life forever, but at the end of the day, I got through it," she says. Now that she's been living in the building for almost three years, White says the biggest adjustment for her has been "being people-ready at any time." "When you live somewhere where you're not around people, you can keep to yourself, and now, I have to be ready because I might have a conversation at any time," White says. "It was an adjustment at first but it's become a joy of my life." White has also been able to grow her group of friends, both young and old, since living in Naples. In the summer of 2022, she went on a hiking trip to Austria with two of her neighbors, and she also found people her own age to hang out with. "I think it's in part because the area here is so much older, many of us young people just naturally seek each other out."

Part of living in a retiree building means that White tends to go on early dinner dates. Liz White
Polish President Andrzej Duda speaks to members of the media following a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on March 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images

Polish President Andrzej Duda said Monday that NATO must urgently increase its defense spending to ensure it does not become the next target of a Russian attack. Speaking to CNBC, Duda reiterated his calls for NATO members to increase their military contributions to 3% amid new reports that Moscow could be readying to target the military alliance within two to three years. Citing unspecified German research, Duda said new evidence suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin is doubling down on his shift toward a war economy with a view to attacking NATO in 2026 or 2027. It follows Danish intelligence reports from February which suggested that Moscow could launch an attack on NATO within three to five years. CNBC was unable to verify the contents of either report. "The alarm bells are ringing," he told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick, according to a translation. Duda said it was therefore more critical than ever to ramp up the alliance's military investment, describing his increased spending targets as "common sense."

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"We have two or three years in which we can increase our efforts, stockpile ammunition and produce weapons to maximize European security, get ready and make sure the invasion does not happen," he said. "All this needs to be done in order not to have to get involved in a fight. The point is to create such a deterrent that ensures we are not attacked. This is the whole point because none of us want war," he added. The Polish president, whose country shares a land border with Ukraine, has spearheaded calls to supply weapons to Kyiv since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion. Poland has also bolstered its own military capabilities, ramping up its defense spending in 2023 to almost 4% of gross domestic product (GDP)  ahead of even the U.S. in percentage terms. During a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden last week, Duda called for NATO to raise its minimum military spending target to 3% of GDP to further strengthen the alliance's defenses.

Currently, NATO allies are expected to contribute 2% of GDP to defense, a threshold that 18 member states are on track to meet this year. Sweden became the 32nd member of the transatlantic military alliance earlier this month. Duda was visiting the U.S. with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, marking a rare show of unity between the political adversaries, who remain deeply divided on domestic issues despite their shared calls for improved European security. Tusk warned that failure by the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine could put "thousands of lives" at risk and further embolden Putin's offensive in Ukraine and beyond. Asked Monday whether the holdup in Congress was providing a boost to Putin, Duda would not be held. However, he said that "every dollar" donated to Ukraine staves off a Russian victory. "This Russian aggression has to be stopped at all cost. If it's not stopped it will spill over and then, I fear U.S money won't be enough to stop Russia, U.S. soldiers will have to step in and no one wants that," he added.

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Russian President and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin addresses the crowd during a rally and a concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea at Red Square in Moscow on March 18, 2024. Natalia Kolesnikova | Afp | Getty Images

It was among the least surprising political events so far this year, but Vladimir Putin's reelection to a fifth term in office comes at a time of geopolitical and economic uncertainty for Russia, prompting questions as to what we can expect from another six years of the Russian strongman's leadership. With Putin winning the vote by a huge margin, according to the Kremlin and its the Central Election Commission, the 2024 Russian election aimed to demonstrate that Russian society was "consolidated" around the president and that his domestic and foreign policies had the blessing of Russians both within the country and in its claimed "new" territories illegally annexed from Ukraine, as well as abroad. That message was meant to be encapsulated neatly in the "landslide" 87% of voters that elected him, according to the electoral authorities, and the "record-breaking, unprecedented" voter turnout of 77.4%, up from 67.7% in 2018. Analysts share their views on what we can expect now that Putin has strengthened his grip on power, with the Ukraine war, domestic economic reforms and a possible government reshuffle key factors to watch.

War footing

Russia's strategy in the war in Ukraine will be a major focus for the Kremlin in the immediate and near-term future, analysts say, with Russia appearing to have a military advantage on the battlefield in recent months. The U.S. presidential election later this year, meanwhile, puts the future of military aid for Ukraine into doubt. Russia could look to push home its advantage over the next year, sending more manpower to the front, although that could have ramifications back home. "In his post-election speech on Sunday night, Putin said that the main goals of his next six years include the special military operation and strengthening the country's defence capabilities. The war is popular in Russia but mobilisations of the population are not and the wide election victory could embolden Putin to step up the military effort," Liam Peach, senior emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, said in analysis Monday.

Ukrainian soldiers unload explosive charges in the direction of Bakhmut as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 13, 2024. Jose Colon | Anadolu | Getty Images

The Russian government has already put the economy on a war footing and has laid out plans to increase military spending significantly in 2024. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov announced last fall that Russia's spending on national defense will be almost 11 trillion rubles ($117 billion), with plans to divert almost 30% of the entire budget toward strengthening the country's defense capability and the "special military operation," or war in Ukraine. Russia's recent successes on the battlefield in Ukraine have prompted some to ask whether Putin might also order another round of partial mobilization after the election or whether he might feel safe to hold fire on a contentious move. "For now, this appears unlikely as the ongoing recruitment of contract soldiers is proving sufficient to replace Russian losses in Ukraine," Andrius Tursa, Central and Eastern Europe advisor at consultancy Teneo, said in a pre-election note.

Russian citizens drafted during the partial mobilization being dispatched to combat coordination areas after a military call-up for the Russia-Ukraine war in Moscow, Russia, on Oct. 10, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Opinion polls show that a majority of Russians do not expect mobilization in the near term, Tursa noted, and "given that the previous round of mobilization proved highly unpopular and triggered considerable public anxiety, Putin will try to avoid this for as long as possible," he added. Adeline Van Houtte, senior Europe consultant at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said that the U.S. election, expected to be held in November, will be an event that Russia is watching closely. "While we expect the war in Ukraine to probably slowly settle into a frozen conflict with an unstable dividing line and no prospect of a lasting peace, the potential re-election of Donald Trump in the U.S. in November could tip the balance in favour of Russia," she said Monday.

Domestic reforms

Analysts are also looking at domestic reforms and economic policies that Putin might choose to enact after an election result that the Kremlin portrayed as a "unique" show of support for the president. That Western countries condemned the vote as "neither free nor fair," saying it had taken place against a backdrop of political repression and censorship, was dismissed as "absurd" by the Kremlin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov on Monday. Having cleared more of a procedural hurdle than a real test of his policies and popularity in the election, Putin will have more freedom to advance contentious reforms at home, analysts note.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivering an annual address to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor, in Moscow on Feb. 29, 2024. Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty Images

"The focus now will be on whether this emboldens Putin to devote more resources to the war effort, whether policymakers push through unpopular non-war fiscal tightening to maintain macroeconomic stability and whether there are any changes in the political landscape, including the positions of power close to Putin," Capital Economics' Peach said. Putin had already flagged public spending programs and potential fiscal reforms in his State of the Nation address to Russian lawmakers in February. During the speech, which read like an election manifesto, the president flagged $126 billion in infrastructure and social spending over the next six years. New national programs focused on supporting families, such as with the subsidized mortgages scheme, as well as proposals to reduce poverty and improve the nation's health and life expectancy. Putin also said he was thinking about ways to modernize Russia's fiscal system to create a "fairer distribution of the tax burden towards those with higher personal and corporate incomes."

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - JANUARY 8: (RUSSIA OUT) A woman eats hot corn while walking along the Red Square near the Kremlin, as air temperatures dropped to -18 degrees Celcius, January,8 2024, in Moscow, Russia. Since the beginning of the year, abnormally cold weather has settled in Moscow region, causing problems with heating in apartments. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images) Contributor | Getty Images News | Getty Images

While the government will present specific proposals in the near future, Tursa noted that the speech suggested that "Russian citizens and companies are likely to see an overall increase in tax burden to help finance the war and address broader fiscal challenges." Capital Economics' Peach said the initiatives Putin flagged were important, but agreed that from a near-term fiscal perspective, "the big thing to watch is whether the government pushes through unpopular non-war fiscal tightening to accommodate higher military spending."

A reshuffle ... and possible successor?

Analysts note that proposed social programs for the six years ahead mean that there is also the possibility of a post-election reshuffle of Russia's government ministers, and that new officials could rise to prominence and be seen as possible future successor to Putin. Putin is not inclined to make major personnel changes lightly; he's kept a number of close ministers in post for many years, such as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The last major change in leadership roles took place back in 2020, when the technocratic head of Russia's tax service, Mikhail Mishustin, became prime minister, replacing Dmitry Medvedev. "Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, any personnel changes were discouraged by the Kremlin ... However, with the dynamics of the war now shifting in Russia's favor, Putin might feel more confident with the reshuffle. This would not be surprising as Putin had presided over major personnel changes in the past aiming to improve the efficiency of the bureaucratic apparatus," Tursa noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of members of his Security Council and the government and the heads of law enforcement agencies, at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia October 30, 2023. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Gavriil Grigorov | Sputnik | Reuters
Migrants from Venezuela walk behind a US Border Patrol agent to a processing area after they crossed the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas, on September 24, 2023.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to enforce a contentious new law that gives local police the power to arrest migrants.

The conservative-majority court, with three liberal justices dissenting, rejected an emergency request made by the Biden administration, which said states have no authority to legislate on immigration, an issue the federal government has sole authority over.

That means the law can go into effect while litigation continues in lower courts. It could still be blocked at a later date.

"The court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos," liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion.

The law in question, known as SB4, allows police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the border from Mexico and imposes criminal penalties. It would also empower state judges to order people to be deported to Mexico.

The dispute is the latest clash between the Biden administration and Texas over immigration enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border.

A federal judge blocked the law after the Biden administration sued, but the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in a brief order that it could go into effect March 10 if the Supreme Court declined to intervene.

On March 4, Justice Samuel Alito issued a temporary freeze on the law to give the Supreme Court time to consider the federal government's request.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said in court papers that the Texas law is "flatly inconsistent" with Supreme Court precedent dating back 100 years.

"Those decisions recognize that the authority to admit and remove noncitizens is a core responsibility of the national government, and that where Congress has enacted a law addressing those issues, state law is preempted," she wrote.
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BYD electric cars waiting to be loaded onto a ship are seen stacked at the international container terminal of Taicang Port in Suzhou, in China's eastern Jiangsu province on February 8, 2024. STR | AFP | Getty Images

In the race against Tesla for the global electric car market, Chinese automaker BYD is pushing hard overseas despite rising barriers to the U.S. market. The Shenzhen-based company has already tested the waters in a number of countries with some immediate sales success, often just one year after entering. Given policy uncertainty around Chinese EV exports to major markets like the U.S. and Europe, BYD is seeking to bolster overseas sales by moving production to regions perceived as more friendly. Already, the company has factories in Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia, Hungary and Uzbekistan in the works. "They are targeting countries without very strong domestic auto industries, where they are likely to face less political pushback or headwinds from a policy perspective," said CLSA research analyst Xiao Feng, noting that recent developments in the U.S. underscored the need for such an approach. The Biden administration last month said it's begun investigating whether Chinese-made cars pose national security risks, and raised the possibility of restricting the vehicles. The U.S. has tried to support adoption of electric cars domestically, but sales penetration is well below that of China.

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BYD is moving quickly, beginning with Thailand, where the company expects its first factory outside China to be in operation by the end of this year. The automaker surpassed Toyota to grab the top spot for passenger car sales in Thailand in January, despite having no sales there just one year prior, according to data from Marklines. Once operating, the Thailand factory will likely serve the rest of Southeast Asia. EY predicts the electric car market in the region will grow exponentially to at least $80 billion a year in sales in the next decade. BYD has established itself in Southeast Asia as the top-selling EV brand, grabbing more than one-third of the market last year after barely selling cars there previously, according to data from Counterpoint Research.

Edge against Tesla

BYD sold 70,000 electric cars in Southeast Asia last year with a 35% market share, putting it ahead of rivals Vinfast and Tesla, according to data from Counterpoint Research. One of BYD's advantages over Tesla is a number of offerings in the mass market, as well as a mix of hybrid and battery-powered cars. Tesla exclusively makes more premium-priced, battery-only cars. Having hybrid options is beneficial for emerging markets where battery-charging infrastructure remains limited. Southeast Asia will likely remain BYD's strongest overseas market in the short term as the company pursues its goal of doubling its car exports from last year to 500,000 in 2024, according to Canalys automotive analyst Alvin Liu. "The Southeast Asian EVs market is still in its early stages, and consumer habits need to be cultivated," said Liu. "Cost-effectiveness" is particularly important, he added, with BYD's Atto 3 and Dolphin models sold in the region at very competitive prices.

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The company is also investing $1.3 billion to build an electric car factory in Indonesia in 2024, local media reported in January. This year, BYD also reportedly plans to significantly increase the number of its stores in Singapore and the Philippines. The company did not respond to a request for comment about the reported plans. While BYD does not break out capital expenditure by country, it disclosed 81.52 billion yuan ($11.33 billion) in autos-related capex in the first six months of 2023, nearly double the 45.94 billion yuan reported for all of 2022. In another contrast with Tesla's direct-dealership model, BYD often relies on local distributors and partners for sales in countries outside China. For example, in late 2022, BYD signed a distribution agreement with Sime Darby Motors in Malaysia.

Plan for the Americas

While U.S. scrutiny on China's electric vehicle dominance is only growing, BYD is expanding in Brazil and has its sights on Mexico, on the U.S. border. The company's Americas CEO Stella Li told Reuters BYD is considering plans for a factory in Mexico, where it has started selling more electric cars. If BYD does build a factory in the country, that could make it a "beachhead for the Americas," Bill Russo, founder and CEO of investment advisory firm Automobility, recently told CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia." "Mexico is part of the USMCA so there is an opportunity to export perhaps from Mexico to North America," he said, referring to the free trade agreement that the United States, Mexico and Canada enacted in 2020.

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BYD does not plan to sell passenger cars to the U.S., Li reportedly said at the end of February. The automaker did not respond to a request for comment on this story. China remains by far BYD's largest market. Out of more than 3 million new energy passenger vehicles the company produced last year, just over 242,000 went overseas. The rapid growth of BYD and other Chinese electric car companies has other automakers worried. In February, the Alliance for American Manufacturing released a report warning that low-cost Chinese imports could be an "extinction-level event for the U.S. auto sector" and called on Washington to prematurely block imports from Mexico. That was just weeks after company releases confirmed that BYD was well ahead of Tesla in terms of vehicle production.

Europe and other markets
The United States remains "always watchful" for the possibility of North Korea conducting "gray zone" activities short of a major attack, a U.S. diplomat said Monday, restating Washington sees no signs of the recalcitrant regime preparing for a near-term attack.

U.S. Senior Official for North Korea Jung Pak made the remarks amid concerns that Pyongyang could undertake major provocations ahead of South Korea's parliamentary elections next month and the U.S. presidential election in November.

"I don't think we are on the precipice of war. We don't see any signals or evidence of a near-term attack. I also don't think it's in (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un's interest to launch a war," she said during an online forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"But of course, we are always watchful for anything below that  the gray zone activities," she added.

Pak stressed that the North will "manufacture a reason for provocative actions to fit their political needs or their technical needs."

Referring to the North's high-stakes defense projects unveiled at a key ruling party congress in early 2021, Pak noted that Pyongyang has a "to-do-list" when it comes to its weapons tests.

"They've also, since January of 2021, said that they are going to do a whole series of tests and develop new technologies," she said. "Hypersonic system is one ... the underwater nuclear vehicles, the solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile system, the military reconnaissance satellite."

The U.S. is "incredibly concerned" about all of these developments, she stressed.

What has also been worrisome is the North's hostile rhetoric that has accompanied missile and other weapons tests, Pak said.

"Kim Jong-un, since late last year, has talked about reunification out of the question now that South Korea is their primary enemy, which is different from their longstanding policy of reunification at some point," she said.

Despite the North's provocative acts, the U.S. envoy highlighted the need to engage in diplomacy with the regime.

"We always call for dialogue with the DPRK," she said, referring to the North by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"We've reached out privately, publicly, through third parties to try to generate some sort of diplomacy with the DPRK because we think that's the only way that we get peace and security on the Korean Peninsula," she said.

Touching on U.S. officials' recent mention of "interim" steps toward the North's denuclearization, Pak reiterated that Joe Biden administration's policy remains unchanged.

Pak and Mira Rapp-Hooper, the U.S. National Security Council senior director for East Asia and Oceania, have signaled the possibility of Washington considering interim steps for a path toward denuclearization. Their remarks were construed as a sign of Washington being more willing to be flexible in its approach to the North's nuclear conundrum.

"The policy hasn't changed. Our goal is complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," she said. "We want dialogue, and there are lots of valuable discussions that we can have with the DPRK, including on risk reduction to reduce the risk of miscalculation or inadvertent escalation."

Commenting on the North's arms transfers to Russia, Pak said that Pyongyang is "not doing this for free."

"They are almost certainly looking for things like fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, ballistic missile technologies and other technologies or armored vehicles," she said.

"This is a pretty fraught moment, from my perspective, in terms of nonproliferation, what it means for actual war fighting, and what North Korea might be learning about their weapons systems because Russia is actually using it on the battlefield," she added. (Yonhap)
A legal agreement on sending income from Russian assets to Ukraine could be finalized this week, Poland's minister of foreign affairs told CNBC Tuesday.

Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, around $300 billion of Russian central bank reserves were frozen by the G7 and its partners in March 2022.

"Some people say that the Russian central bank assets should be given to Ukraine after the war for the rebuilding of Ukraine, well I say well how about better to use them to defend Ukrainian citizen infrastructure to prevent the destruction first," Radoslaw Sikorski told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick.

Russia has already been told that it will not see this money as it will be required by Ukraine to rebuild after the war, Sikorski said.

"The only question remains is if we give this money to Ukraine after the war or when she needs it the most, which is to say now," he added.

The foreign minister said that, this week, European foreign ministers decided that "the income from the principal will be given to Ukraine."

There is an ongoing debate about the legalities and procedures of using income from frozen Russian central bank assets, which are being held by Belgian central securities depository provider Euroclear.

Earlier on Tuesday, Josep Borrell, high representative for foreign affairs and security policy for the European Union, said a proposal about using profits from the frozen assets to fund Ukrainian military aid would be presented to EU member states this week. The assets could bring in around 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion) of profit a year, he said.

 Sophie Kiderlin
As concerns swirl about lofty valuations in the stock market and investors focus on AI companies, strategists at Berenberg see one sector as a relative bargain: energy. The global energy sector is trading around record low valuations relative to the broader market, according to the German investment bank. "The US and European energy sectors now trade at, or near, all-time lows relative to the market across various valuation metrics," said Jonathan Stubbs, Berenberg's equity strategist, in a note to clients on Mar. 14. "On a global basis, energy trades at relative valuation levels only seen three times in the past 40 years: the late 1980s, 2000 and 2020." The bank pointed out that investors in oil and gas stocks on those three occasions outperformed the market by an average of 108%  or more than doubled their money  from the depressed valuation levels. The bank used a proprietary metric based on a combination of price-to-earnings multiples, dividend yields, and price-to-book multiples to determine the sector's valuation. It also noted that the European oil and gas sector, in particular, is discounted. "The European energy sector has never been this cheap on trailing price/book multiples, both on an absolute and relative basis," the bank said. For investors looking to increase their energy exposure, Berenberg named five stocks  Shell , TotalEnergies , Harbour Energy , Saipem , and Energean  as their "top picks." All five stocks are traded in the U.S. over the counter or on an exchange as dual-listed shares. Aside from valuations, Berenberg also suggested that fundamentals support owning energy stocks. "High levels of cash generation, alongside additional support from better-than-market balance sheets, should help underpin total shareholder returns," Stubbs added. He expects this cash generation to fund continued share buybacks, especially among larger companies. The bank also views energy as a potential "geopolitical hedge" given tight global oil supplies due to conflicts in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war. "Tight energy markets are likely to underpin oil prices and support an improving earnings backdrop for the energy sector," the Berenberg analyst said. "We view exposure to energy equities as one potential way of hedging geopolitical risk."
US President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah on the lines of those in Gaza City and Khan Younis, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.During his telephonic conversation with Biden on Monday, Netanyahu agreed to send an inter-agency team of Israeli officials to Washington to hold discussions on an alternative approach to target key Hamas elements in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, Sullivan said at his daily press conference on Monday.This was the first time in a month that the two leaders spoke on phone. Sullivan said Biden and Netanyahu spoke at length about Rafah."The President explained why he is so deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah of the kind it conducted in Gaza City and Khan Younis," the NSA said. More than a million people have taken refuge in Rafah. They went from Gaza City to Khan Younis and then to Rafah. They have nowhere else to go. Gaza's other major cities have largely been destroyed, he said.And Israel has not presented the US or the world with a plan on how or where it would safely move those civilians, let alone feed and house them and ensure access to basic things like sanitation, he added. Sullivan said Rafah is a primary entry point for humanitarian assistance into Gaza from Egypt and a military operation in the city would shut it down."Rafah is on the border with Egypt, which has voiced its deep alarm over a major military operation there and has even raised questions about its future relationship with Israel as a result of any impending military operation," he said. "Now, the President has rejected, and did again today, the strawman that raising questions about Rafah is the same as raising questions about defeating Hamas. That's just nonsense."Our position is that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else. But a major ground operation there would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally," he said. "Most importantly, the key goals Israel wants to achieve in Rafah can be achieved by other means," he said.During the call, Biden asked Netanyahu to send a senior inter-agency team comprising military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington in the coming days to hear the US' concerns about Israel's plans for Rafah and to lay out an alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in the city and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, according to Sullivan. Netanyahu agreed to send a team."Obviously, he has his own point of view on a Rafah operation but he agreed that he would send a team to Washington to have this discussion and have this engagement. And we look forward to those discussions," Sullivan said. He said the two leaders also discussed the ongoing negotiations for an immediate ceasefire for several weeks in return for the release of hostages currently being held by Hamas and other militants in Gaza."We would look to build on that ceasefire into something more enduring and use the space created by a cessation of hostilities to surge humanitarian assistance at a vital moment. So far, this deal has been more elusive than we would have hoped. But we will keep pressing because we regard this as an urgent priority," the NSA said. Biden emphasised his "bone-deep commitment" to ensuring the long-term security of Israel and affirmed, as he did in the State of the Union address, that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, the perpetrators of the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Sullivan said.The NSA noted that Israel has made significant progress against Hamas. "They've broken a significant number of Hamas battalions, killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including senior commanders. Hamas' number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week. The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network and justice will come for them too, and we are helping to ensure that," Sullivan said.At the same time, more innocent civilians, including thousands of children, have died in this conflict than in all of the wars in Gaza combined. A humanitarian crisis has descended across Gaza and anarchy reigns in areas that Israel's military has cleared but not stabilised, he added. The President, Sullivan said, has repeatedly made the point that continuing military operations needs to be connected to a clear strategic endgame.Biden told Netanyahu again that they share the goal of defeating Hamas. "But we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen," Sullivan said. "Now, instead of (a) pause to re-evaluate where things stand in the campaign and what adjustments are needed to achieve long-term success, instead of a focus on stabilising the areas of Gaza that Israel has cleared so that Hamas does not regenerate and retake territory... the Israeli government is now talking about launching a major military operation in Rafah," he said.
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China calls for int'l efforts to promote nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation

Xinhua) 13:13, March 19, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday called for joint efforts of the international community to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

The complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons and the eventual establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free world are a shared aspiration of the international community, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations.

All countries should join hands in practicing true multilateralism, adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, resolutely reject the Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, continuously strengthen the authority and effectiveness of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and jointly promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, he told the Security Council meeting.

Nuclear weapon states should explore feasible measures to reduce strategic risks, negotiate and conclude a treaty on no first use of nuclear weapons against each other, and provide legally binding negative security assurances to non-nuclear weapon states, said Zhang.

The countries concerned should reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their national and collective security policies, renounce the deployment of a global missile defense system, refrain from seeking the deployment of intermediate-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region or in Europe, and stop nuclear sharing and the so-called extended deterrence, so as to maintain the global strategic balance and stability through practical actions, he said.

Nuclear weapons are a product of history and nuclear disarmament will naturally have a historical process. Demanding that countries with vastly different nuclear policies and the number of nuclear weapons assume the same level of nuclear disarmament and nuclear transparency obligations is not consistent with the logic of history and reality, nor is it in line with international consensus, and as such will only lead international nuclear disarmament to a dead end, said Zhang.

The United States should continue to fulfill its special and priority responsibility to further reduce its nuclear arsenal in a drastic and substantive manner, so as to create conditions for other nuclear weapon states to join the nuclear disarmament process, he said.

Zhang also stressed the need to safeguard the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

Non-proliferation hot-spot issues such as the nuclear issues of the Korean Peninsula and Iran have complex historical backgrounds and are closely linked to the lack of continuity of the non-proliferation policies of a certain country, he said.

"All parties should adhere to political and diplomatic efforts to address each other's legitimate security concerns through dialogue and balanced solutions. The United States should abandon the threat of use and the use of sanctions and pressure," he said.

The U.S. nuclear submarine cooperation with certain countries carries a high risk of nuclear proliferation. It is a serious violation of the objective and the purpose of the NPT and undermines regional peace and stability. Therefore, corrective measures should be adopted, he said.

Development is the cornerstone of peace and security. The international community should pay attention to the needs of developing countries for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, increase relevant financial and technical assistance, and help implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said Zhang.

Relevant countries should stop generalizing the concept of national security, stop drawing lines on the basis of ideology, and stop using non-proliferation export control as a political tool to suppress other countries and to pursue the agenda of decoupling and breaking up supply chains, he said.

China has always advocated the complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons. Regardless of changes in the international landscape, China will honor its commitment of no first use of nuclear weapons, firmly pursue its nuclear strategy of self-defense, refrain from participating in any form of nuclear arms race, continue to maintain its nuclear force at a minimal level required for its national security, and continue to work to promote international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, said Zhang.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A Russian delegation led by Moscow's vice culture minister has arrived in Pyongyang, state media said Tuesday, as the two nations have been strengthening their ties following a rare summit of their leaders in September.

The delegation led by Russia's Vice Culture Minister Andrei Maluishev arrived in the North the previous day on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of a bilateral agreement on economic and cultural cooperation, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

The delegation included members of an art troupe for the Primorsky branch of the Mariinsky Theatre in Vladivostok.

Separately, the KCNA said a delegation led by Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Russia's far eastern region of Primorsky Krai that borders North Korea, arrived in Pyongyang the previous day.

It marked Kozhemyako's second visit to Pyongyang since December when he met with North Korean Premier Kim Tok-hun amid speculation that North Korea was seeking to send workers to Russia to earn much-needed hard currency.

On Feb. 5, around 300 people presumed to be North Korean workers arrived at a train station near Vladivostok, Cho Han-bum, a senior research fellow at the state-funded Korea Institute for National Unification, has said, citing an unidentified source in Russia.

The overseas dispatch of North Korean workers is banned under United Nations Security Council resolutions imposed due to Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

All member states of the U.N. were required to repatriate any North Koreans earning income in their jurisdiction by the end of 2019.

North Korea and Russia have been deepening cooperation in a wide-range of areas following the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September. (Yonhap)
The government is expected to announce the allocation of additional medical school admission seats this week, pushing ahead with the 2,000-seat increase despite stiff protests from doctors, officials said Tuesday.

Education Minister Lee Ju-ho is expected to make the announcement Wednesday afternoon following a public address by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, according to government officials.

The scheduled allocation announcement will mark the culmination of the government's much-resisted plan to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 seats from the current 3,058 starting next year to enhance health care services in remote areas as well as essential but less popular medical disciplines.

More than 90 percent of the country's 13,000 intern and resident doctors have walked off their duties at general hospitals nationwide since last month to protest the quota hike, which they said would erode the qualities of medical education and services, and lead to a surplus of physicians.

Medical professors at many universities have also resolved to submit resignations en masse next week.

The government is expected to allocate 80 percent, or 1,600 seats, to medical schools outside the capital area, as previously announced.

The allocation, if conducted as planned, would increase the total admission seats at medical schools outside the capital area to 3,623, which accounts for 71.6 percent of the total, up from the current 66.2 percent.

The hike is largely predicted to benefit the medical schools of several state-run universities located in provincial areas the most, such as Pusan National University and Chonnam National University, as well as small-sized medical schools across noncapital areas, such as the University of Ulsan.

Once the allocation process is completed, each affected university will have the new medical student quota reflected in its school regulations as well as in its medical school admission announcement for the 2025 academic year, which will be released to students around May. (Yonhap)
Errors pop up around you all the time, and your eyes just skip right over them. For example, did you notice that the previous sentence includes the word the twice in a row? You definitely didnt notice that, because the sentence actually didnt contain that mistake  we lied. But you went back and checked, didnt you, because you know how easily missed such errors are. And some of the time, the the errors are a bit bigger than that. For example...

5 The Time Someone Crashed a Stolen Plane at Nashville International Until 2013, Michael Callan was known for one thing: robbing banks. He robbed a bunch of banks in Canada, and they threw him in prison for 12 years, under the assumption that hed probably be released long before that sentence was up for good behavior. But he was not released early, because he consistently behaved badly, including regularly stripping and masturbating whenever guards checked on him. Finally out of prison, Callen joined a flight school. The last time hed come to this school, hed been on the run from the cops, and a flight instructor had had to ID him to police, leading to his arrest. They nevertheless now admitted him as a student. One October day, he booked one of their planes to fly to a small island within Canada. Then he absconded with the aircraft, flew deep into the United States and crashed the plane at Nashville International Airport, dying in the process. NTSB We said they admitted him as a student, not that they taught him well. You might imagine that this raised a huge panic at the airport. It did not. One employee heard the crash, but it was foggy that night, and he didnt see any sign of what had happened, so he shrugged and ignored it. Not till five hours later did someone see the wreckage. This someone was on a different plane about to take off when they noticed a chunk of engine on the runway ahead of them. Advertisement Callans motive in all this? We dont know, so we assume he was flying to Tennessee to see Taylor Swift. Big Machine This is a valid legal defense in most regions of North America. No, seriously  we assume he was flying to Tennessee to see Taylor Swift. He planned to visit some celebrity uninvited, and authorities concluded it was either Swift or Miranda Cosgrove, as hed been stalking both of them by mail. He listed Swift as his emergency contact over at the flight school. This raised no eyebrows there, and his later crash raised no immediate eyebrows in Nashville. Listen, we dont normally find ourselves saying airports need more security, but well make an exception when analyzing this case.

4 Chile Misspelled Its Own Name on Its Money Depending on what browser youre using to read this article, its possible that a lowercase L and a capital i look exactly the same. In fact, depending on your browser, its possible that a lowercase L and a lowercase i look exactly the same. Text is weird like that. Advertisement None of that explains this coin right here: rcab_coins/Ebay Thats a 50-peso coin from Chile. The third and fourth letters in Chile look the same there, even though the word is in all-caps, which means an I and an L should definitely not look the same. Authorities traced the error to one individual guy at the mint named Pedro. Pedro was fixing the master mold behind the coins, and he left out the horizontal part of the L. The field of typography assigns that part of the L its own name, by the way. Its called the arm. Advertisement He made that mistake in December 2008. The mint only realized what happened the following October, when a collector contacted them and told them what was wrong. The coins worth a fair bit more than 50 pesos to collectors today, so we hope that guy stockpiled a whole chest of the coins before reporting what hed seen. Advertisement

3 A Bunch of Wikipedia Turned Out to Be Made-Up Scottish Words Wikipedia is currently available in 326 languages. At least, thats the number we saw online; instead of hunting down a reliable source, we just looked the answer up on Wikipedia. Some of these wikis are huge and have many thousands of active users (English, German), while others are small and use languages you may never even have heard of (Dinka, Lak, Gun). Since 2008, theres been a Wikipedia in Scots, which is a language from Scotland. As of 2020, nearly half of all the articles in Scots Wikipedia had been created or edited by one user, named AmaryllisGardner. Amaryllis did not speak Scots. Amaryllis was American, had begun making Scots articles as a 12-year-old and kept the project going for the next seven years. Since this user didnt speak the language, they just took the original English articles and reworded them to make them Scots. via Wiki Commons Normally, wed love turning English into Scots, but not like this. Advertisement This resulted in something a little worse than just poor translation. Because, often, Amaryllis could not find an applicable Scots word, so they just misspelled the English word to make it sound Scottish. Where became whaur, part became pairt and village became veelage. Advertisement We can assume this disgusted various genuine Scots readers, while various other people who saw the articles must have concluded that Scots isnt a serious language at all. Not till 2020 did one dedicated editor round up the evidence and figure out what was going on and who was behind the disaster. Wikipedia responded by deleting thousands of Scots articles, and Scotland added one more name to its list of natural enemies.

2 A Finnish Office Employee Died at Work, and People Ignored Him We can think of few deaths more disappointing than dying while doing tax paperwork at the office. There are more painful ways, and more tragic ways, but this is a lame end no one should want for themselves. And sadly, in January 2004, it happened to a tax auditor in Helsinki. Ninara/Wiki Commons He should have spent his last day playing in the snow. Advertisement We only know about this story because of the exact way his body was discovered. His coworkers spotted it two days after he died. Up till then, everyone figured he was being quiet because he was just so very conscientious about his work. Finally, someone approached him to ask him to lunch and spotted what had happened. Hey, at least that means we cant say he died friendless.
Government social media accounts being funny and/or relatable: fun, harmless sign of the times, or evidence of a free fall into dystopia? This was, at one point, something I pondered. Then, I realized that theres enough horror in this world that I dont have the mental real estate to consider the ramifications of the FBI doing memes. I set my judgment adrift, like jettisoning a predatory alien life-form in an escape pod, and decided this was going to be something that to me, just existed.

Everything has become approximately .1 percent better since then, so why not join me and take the fact that we live in a time where OSHA is using Kevin Hart clips for engagement as a fascinating curiosity?

6 The TSA The TSA has access to one particular, boundless resource when it comes to comedy: human stupidity. Seeing the unimaginably cockamamie plans of amateur smugglers is, in fact, something I have interest in. Of course, theres a certain level of dread that arises when you start to see how many people are trying to get weird knives onto planes, but thats a thought that you just have to nip in the bud. For the tweet above: Im a simple man. I realize that Im in a historical window where a government agency does fart jokes, I enjoy it.

5 OSHA Advertisement Advertisement As far as government agencies, OSHA is a fairly easy one to stomach, which makes their forays into online comedy fairly pleasant. They, as far as I know, have never orchestrated any faulty-ladder based assassination schemes of fledgling democracies in the Congo, for example. Knowing that, if they want to repurpose a Kevin Hart meme to demonstrate the importance of whistleblowing safety issues, I more than welcome it. Not to mention that calling out bosses and greedy corporations is the only form of narcing thats punk. A whistleblower is just a cool snitch!

4 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Advertisement Advertisement The Consumer Product Safety Commission is another rare government agency that seems to still have the continued existence of the common man as a prime directive. I also assume that its one of the most stressful regulatory jobs available, if only because of the emergence of Temu. A bit of humor is also much appreciated when most every post is indicating an item in your house thats a threat to life and limb. This delightful little image featuring a possessed teddy bear is better than half of horror movies that end up just being about depression, and also seems to be targeted directly at the people who think buying discount dropshipped space heaters is a solid idea.

3 New Jersey Twitter/@NJGov Advertisement You dont even need to get past the banner to reach a point where a hat needs to be tipped. Sure, Baby Yoda (which theres about as much chance of me calling Grogu as there is calling Twitter X) is a little dated at this point. The owning up to stereotypes by slapping a series of mamma-mia hands in your banner, though? You have to respect it. Plus, if theres a state thats required to have a sense of humor about itself online, New Jersey is it. You dont want this thing run by one of those guys who turns so red they look like a fire hydrant wearing a neck chain any time you say Newark Airport sucks.

2 Sweden (When They Went Full Chaos) Twitter/MEL Advertisement Advertisement Dont bother heading over to Swedens current Twitter account, as nowadays its your standard international Twitter, mostly posting photos of pastries and successful Swedish scientists. Instead, I call back to a beautiful, chaotic experiment they underwent, in which they allowed random Swedes to run the official account for a day each. After all, the lifeblood of a country is its residents, not its cream puffs. Ill take an expression of Scandinavian utility and morbidity in equal part any day over the guy who invented the ice cube or whatever. Sadly, thanks to the new Twitter operating procedure, the tweets from that time are all lost to the void, but screenshots of this glorious mess live on.
While proton packs arent really a thing, and there is no solid evidence that 100-foot tall marshmallow monsters can be summoned by interdimensional supermodels, at least one aspect of the Ghostbusters universe actually exists here in the real world. Okay, two if you count Ecto Cooler.

I am, of course, talking about the iconic Ghostbusters firehouse, which has a prominent role in the new sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (and its marketing campaign).

In the original movie, the firehouse is a rundown dump, perfect for three disgraced academics to launch their highly-illegal, ethically-questionable business. But in real life, Hook & Ladder 8 is a working New York City Fire Department fire station.

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Amazingly, the building is over a century old, and served the community in Tribeca for decades before it was immortalized in film/80s toy commercials.

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Despite the fact that it was beloved by fans of the movie (and also fans of buildings not getting burned to the ground) in 2011, then-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg went full Walter Peck, and tried to shut down the Ghostbusters firehouse. He planned to shutter 20 fire companies in order to help fill a $600 million budget gap. Initially, Bloomberg tried to keep the list of which locations would be closed a secret, possibly because he knew that a lot of people wouldnt be thrilled that one of them was where Slimer lives. Eventually, he made the list public, but only after the City Council threatened to take legal action.

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News of the closures sparked a major demonstration that saw 3,000 people protest Bloombergs actions. And the Hook & Ladder 8 location was a specific point of contention  and not just because of its pop-cultural clout. The station was an important part of the community and one of the first companies to respond to the September 11th attacks. At one rally outside the station, future Mayor Bill de Blasio namechecked Ghostbusters, stating, That was a fantasy, and it was all about knowing there were people out there to help you. This is reality. If the mayor has his way, when you place that call, Ladder 8 wont be there to help you.

Also at the rally? Acclaimed actor and fellow youth Steve Buscemi. The star of movies like Reservoir Dogs, Fargo and The Big Lebowski previously worked as a firefighter in the 1980s, and famously volunteered to return to service on 9/11. While his firefighting days were mostly spent in Little Italy, Buscemi worked several shifts at Ladder 8. Theyve always helped us, Buscemi told the crowd outside Ghostbusters HQ in 2011. Now they need our help. Call 311. Stand up for your community.

Due to the public pressure, which saw the citys helpline flooded with complaints, Bloombergs terrible plan was eventually scrapped, and Hook & Ladder 8 was saved, thus maintaining public safety while also ensuring that the new Ghostbusters movies dont take place in a firehouse-shaped CVS.

You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time youre reading this).
Yoon urges talks with doctors, but rules out compromise on enrollment caps

By Nam Hyun-woo

President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday that his administration's steadfast commitment to expanding the medical school quota is deeply rooted in the "will of the people." He underscored that the government remains resolute in its plan to add 2,000 new slots to medical schools, with no room for compromise.

Despite Yoon's pledge to establish a presidential committee for "frank discussions" with doctors next month, he continued to criticize doctors participating in a mass walkout. He asserted that such actions amounted to a threat to public safety and questioned the ethical nature of endangering lives by leveraging their medical licenses.

The current medical reform we are undertaking is not just a task. It's a mission entrusted to us by the people, reflecting their will, Yoon said during a televised Cabinet meeting.

However, some doctors, entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding patients and guiding aspiring medical professionals, are neglecting the wishes of the people for medical reforms. They are falling short of their duties as both physicians and mentors by shirking their responsibilities. The medical license, intended to preserve lives, should not be wielded as a tool to intimidate or unsettle the public.

Yoon's remarks were directed at several professors' groups from prominent medical schools that opted to participate in the walkout alongside trainee doctors. This action was taken in response to the government's move to boost medical school admissions by 2,000 beginning next year.

Medical professors at Seoul National University and Yonsei University decided to tender their resignations collectively next Monday, while professors at other universities are also discussing whether they will join.

With the walkout showing no signs of relenting, concerns are mounting that additional disruptions may ensue within the country's medical system. In response, some moderate doctors are contemplating the notion of incrementally raising the quota on a yearly basis as a potential solution. However, Yoon ruled out that possibility, saying, It is an idea disconnected from the current realities of our medical landscape.

If citizens have to walk on eggshells to appease doctors every year, then can we really say that this is a properly functioning country? Yoon said. Gradually increasing or postponing the expansion will never accomplish the medical reforms that will save people's lives and prevent regional and essential medical systems from collapsing.

Yoon also mentioned the income level of doctors in Korea, using the negative public sentiment against doctors opposing the medical school quota expansion plan.

The average income of doctors in Korea is the highest among OECD countries, and it was about five times the average income of nurses, Yoon said. The income gap between medical professionals is also at the highest level among OECD members.

Yoon was citing the Ministry of Health and Welfares 2020 data on medical professionals. The average annual income of doctors in Korea was 230.7 million won ($172,434) in 2020, while nurses earned 47.45 million won a year.

The president said this income gap will also be alleviated when the medical school quota is expanded. He promised that the government would allocate most of the 2,000 additional slots to medical schools outside of Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province.

In a related move, the education ministry is expected to announce the allocation of additional medical school admission seats, Wednesday, following a public address by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo.

Yoon stressed that the medical reforms he is pursuing require the cooperation and help of doctors, nurses, patients, experts and other health care professionals, and pledged to set up a presidential committee on medical reforms next month to listen to their ideas.

In particular, the cooperation of doctors is paramount to the success of this endeavor, and we need to share ideas and have candid discussions, Yoon said. I, as the president, will engage in discussions with all of you for medical reforms.
South Korea's top envoy at the U.N. upbraided North Korea for doubling down on its nuclear and missile programs on Monday, portraying the recalcitrant regime as the "world's preeminent proliferator."

Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook issued sharp criticism at the North during a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) briefing on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, as tensions flared anew on the Korean Peninsula due to Pyongyang's launch of short-range ballistic missiles on Monday morning (Korea time).

"The prospect of non-proliferation is no less bleak. Indeed, the DPRK, the world's preeminent proliferator, continues to blatantly violate multiple Security Council resolutions and develop its nuclear and missile programs," Hwang said. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"While we are discussing non-proliferation at this chamber, the DPRK continues its provocations, including yesterday's launches of multiple ballistic missiles, supposedly targeting densely populated areas and key military installations of my country," he added.

Hwang also pointed out that the North plans to launch three more military reconnaissance satellites this year using ballistic missile technology, and provided ballistic missiles to Russia in breach of UNSC resolutions.

He, moreover, voiced concerns over Pyongyang's aggressive nuclear policy and its tough rhetoric against Seoul.

"Pyongyang now has markedly low threshold for using nuclear weapons," he said. "Its aggressive nuclear policy even allows for preemptive strikes against the Republic of Korea, which Kim Jong-un declared as 'a principal foreign enemy state.'"

Noting that the "hard fought" and "hard won" architecture for global non-proliferation appears to be being challenged "more than ever before," Hwang made a thinly veiled criticism of Russia and China.

"We hear precarious and irresponsible nuclear rhetoric amid Russia's war of aggression on Ukraine. Russia's tactical nuclear weapons are now deployed in Belarus and its CTBT ratification was withdrawn," he said. CTBT stands for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

"In another part of the world, rapid and opaque nuclear buildup under the guise of 'modernization' is being reported, while genuine dialogue for disarmament is turned away," he added.

All of these developments have decreased the level of confidence on the nuclear weapon states' commitment to disarmament, the ambassador stressed.

Against this backdrop, Hwang underscored that the Security Council should stand "at the very forefront" of addressing complex global challenges, and that it has to ensure that all sanctions resolutions are fully implemented.

"Through its resolutions and sanctions regimes, the Council must respond to violations of non-proliferation obligations," he said.

He also warned, "As a legal maxim goes, impunity always leads to greater violations." (Yonhap)
Most Read: Gold Price Outlook: Fed May Shake Up Markets. Pullback or Rally in Store?

The Bank of Japan is set to wrap up its March monetary policy meeting on Tuesday (Japan time, still Monday in NY). After recent media leaks, the institution led by Governor Kazuo Ueda is widely expected to end negative borrowing costs, raising its benchmark rate to 0.0% from -0.1%. This would be the first hike since February 2007, in a turning point for the BOJ's long-standing ultra-dovish stance.

The central bank is also seen terminating its yield curve control scheme, initiated in 2016 and under which it has been buying massive amounts of government bonds to target certain rates on the curve. In addition, the BoJ is also expected to end purchases of stock exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other risk assets, which were initially introduced nearly 15 years ago.

The move to start unwinding stimulus comes after salary negotiations between the countrys big unions and top businesses resulted in bumper pay boosts for Japanese workers in excess of 5.2%, the highest in more than 30%. Policymakers had repeatedly indicated that strong wage growth is necessary for a virtuous spiral that generates sustainable price increases driven by domestic demand.

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With this decision now largely discounted, traders should focus on guidance to gauge market reaction. If the central bank signals that it will only withdraw accommodative policies at glacial speed and that future rate hikes will be measured, the yen is likely to weaken as disappointed bulls cut long exposure. But even if this scenario were to play out, the Japanese currency should have better days ahead.

Conversely, if the BoJ unexpectedly adopts a hawkish stance in its outlook, traders should prepare for the possibility of a powerful bullish response in the yen. This could mean a sharp drop in pairs such as USD/JPY, GBP/JPY and EUR/JPY. However, the chances of this scenario materializing are slim, with key central bank officials leaning in favor of a very gradual normalization process.

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USD/JPY Bearish Data provided by of clients are net long. of clients are net short.

Change in Longs Shorts OI Daily -1% -2% -1% Weekly 12% 4% 5%

USD/JPY FORECAST - TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

USD/JPY edged higher on Monday, consolidating above the 149.00 handle. If gains accelerate in the coming trading sessions, resistance appears at 149.70. On continued strength, markets attention will be on 150.85, followed by 152.00.

On the other hand, if sellers mount a comeback and trigger a pullback below 149.00/148.90, the focus is likely to transition towards the 50-day simple moving average. Below this indicator, all eyes will be on 147.50 and 146.50 thereafter, which corresponds to the 200-day simple moving average.

USD/JPY PRICE ACTION CHART

USD/JPY Chart Created Using TradingView
Governor Kathy Hochul stands along a line of officers and dignitaries as the remains of state trooper John Grassia and Casey Frankoski from Albany International Airport were transported to awaiting vehicles after being flown in on an Air National Guard C-130 Monday, March 18, 2024. Grassia and Frankoski, were both killed in a UH-72 Lakota crash near the Mexico border in Texas while on a support mission with the National Guard on March 8.
Korea was to hold the second round of negotiations with Britain for upgrading the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) in response to changing global trade and business circumstances, Seoul's finance ministry said Tuesday.

The negotiation is scheduled to kick off in London on Tuesday (local time) to run through Friday, where the two sides will discuss how to improve the bilateral pact by reflecting new global trade norms on digital economy, service sectors and other issues, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Seoul and London inked the FTA in August 2019, and the pact went effect in January 2021, following Britain's departure from the European Union.

The first round of talks for the FTA revision took place in Seoul in January.

"The envisioned FTA revision is expected to strengthen trade relations between the two sides in such new fields as gender and clean energy. It is also expected to help expand our exports and investment, and ensure stable supply chains," the ministry said in a release. (Yonhap)
Mondays are odd. After the weekend's domestic harmony we are wrenched back to politics, where all is 'fury' and 'disaster' and dullards are cooked like screaming piglets on a medieval roasting jack.

Rishi Sunak had sent himself to Coventry. Who could blame him? Poor little Rishi is trying everything the technocracy textbook says a PM should do to regain support.

He has righted the economy, reduced some taxes and veered to the centre, though persisting with a Rwanda policy the voters like.

He is slender, energetic, multicultural, has a thick head of hair (less gelled than it was) and is generally as hygienic as a Dettol wipe.

Yet in opinion poll terms he is ponging like that chap's loo in the Febreze commercials.

Rishi Sunak had sent himself to Coventry. Who could blame him? Poor little Rishi is trying everything the technocracy textbook says a PM should do to regain support

He is slender, energetic, multicultural, has a thick head of hair and is generally as hygienic as a Dettol wipe. Yet in opinion poll terms he is ponging like that chap's loo in the Febreze commercials

Rishi's cabin staff are pressing all the buttons recommended by the manual. Still the jetliner won't respond. If anything the nosedive is getting worse!

He was in Warwickshire to make a sensible speech about apprenticeships. Reporters yawned.

All they wanted was a line on some plot to topple him. 'I'm not interested in all Westminster politics,' sniffed Rishi. Ha!

Meanwhile, the Rwanda Bill was again supported by the Commons and sent back to their snooty lordships.

By the time it passes, any electoral value will be negated by public weariness. The Leftist establishment will, in a warped way, have won.

In London another titch was asking voters not to change a winning formula. This was Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, claiming that his plan was working.

Mr Khan is an inch shorter than the PM. It's like when Hazel Blears (c.5ft) was in the Cabinet and Gordon Brown made her minister for floods, hoping she'd walk into a puddle and disappear.

Hazel didn't need a ministerial car. They should have given her a snorkel.

Mr Khan struts around, heavily guarded, convinced he's wonderful. He narrows his eyes, gazes at the distance rather than at the TV pygmy interviewing him, and speaks... gibberish.

He was a 'mehrul cantut frall lunnuners' (mayoral candidate for all Londoners) and he was 'nodagzeptin' (not accepting) he was favourite to win a third term. 'Snekunek,' he explained, nodding slowly.

Sky News's Kay Burley froze, wondering if it would be politically incorrect to ask for subtitles.

All reporters wanted in Warwickshire was a line on some plot to topple him. 'I'm not interested in all Westminster politics,' sniffed Rishi. Ha!

In London another titch was asking voters not to change a winning formula. This was Sadiq Khan, mayor of London, claiming that his plan was working

Sir Keir Starmer, in new spectacles, turned up to help the great City Hall elocutionist launch this re-re-election campaign

'Snekunek,' repeated Mr Khan, perhaps fearing the old girl's hearing was going. Interpreters from GCHQ in Cheltenham later worked out that 'snekunek' probably meant 'it's neck and neck'.

Mr Khan's Conservative opponent, a mature lady who used to be a car mechanic and a suburban hairdresser, is currently some 25 points behind Brother Sadiq in the opinion polls.

The technical term for that 'snekunek' claim may be a synonym for the plural of dance. Sir Keir Starmer, in new spectacles, turned up to help the great City Hall elocutionist launch this re-re-election campaign.

BOdY language between the two men seemed a little forced. Sir Keir was photographed pointing his finger up Mr Khan's nose.

If the Labour leader looked hesitant as his candidate proclaimed 'jellyuilyfoduble' (genuinely affordable) policies, it may have been that he hadn't a clue what he was saying.

Should the unexpected happen and Mr Khan lose, he can always go and work as an announcer at Paddington railway station.

At least Mr Khan has some policies, jellyuilyfoduble or not. Sir Keir, whose club colours are already being attached to the 2024 general election cup, has almost none.

Rachel Reeves, his heroically boring would-be chancellor, is giving a lecture in London this evening.

City bankers are holding unlucky dips to see who gets to attend the snore-athon. The one tax-raising policy Ms Reeves and Sir Keir are confessing to is a 20 per cent whack on private schools.

The surplus raised, allegedly, will go on state schools. But as the House of Lords heard yesterday, the policy could lose the Treasury money, with hundreds of thousands of pupils likely to migrate to the state sector.

It's a mad policy. Yet Labour is miles ahead in the polls. Mondays are indeed odd.
The death of Queen Elizabeth sent the royal postage bill soaring to 1.2 million, an increase of 100,000. All sympathy letters, cards and gifts must receive a reply.

The Coronation and two sick royals have led to further pressure on the postal budget with the King also picking up the tab for Prince and Princess Michael's replies to those who sympathised after the death of their son-in-law.

The Royal Household may be regretting offering to pay for its stamps back in 2001.

Until then it enjoyed free postage under an edict of Edward VII.

King Charles III reads cards and messages, sent by well-wishers following his cancer diagnosis, on February 21, 2024 in London

The death of Queen Elizabeth sent the royal postage bill soaring to 1.2 million (File)

After Prince Andrew's disastrous Newsnight interview, producer Sam McAlister, left alone in the Queen's waiting room at Buckingham Palace, behaved like a star-struck teenager.

'I was left with my mobile phone,' she trills. 'It started with pictures of my legs and when I realised nobody was going to take me to the Tower I got ambitious, with pictures of a side table, furniture and here is the not-so-classy bit, selfies.

'I wish I had nicked something. I am a real nick-things person.'

Promoting her portrayal of Emily Maitlis in new movie Scoop, Gillian Anderson recalls a chance encounter with the real Emily at a charity event during a break from filming.

Gillian chuckles: 'The hilarious part of it was that I'd come to this event not having prepared at all and was really dishevelled.

'She showed up like Emily Maitlis, who looks like a movie star, with a short white skirt and tanned legs and everything. I looked like her great-aunt!'

Gillian chuckles: 'The hilarious part of it was that I'd come to this event not having prepared at all and was really dishevelled'

Lord Snowdon was flattered when, at Christie's party for Pattie Boyd's auction last Thursday, a well-wisher complimented him on the scent he was wearing.

'That's because I wash with soap on Thursdays,' he replied. 'The other days of the week I use Santa Maria Novella.' Fancy!

Posh IRA fanatic Rose Dugdale caught the eye of deb's delight Ferdie Mount at her coming-out ball after she was presented to the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 1958.

'I said something smarmy about the party,' recalls Ferdie. Rose, who has died at 83, gave a 'merry chuckle' and replied: 'It's a complete and utter waste of money.'

Lots to talk about later when Ferdie was head of Margaret Thatcher's Downing Street Policy Unit and Rose was chucking milk-churn bombs out of a hijacked helicopter over Strabane RUC station.
Korea's foreign ministry said Tuesday the ongoing third Summit of Democracy in Seoul is not aimed at a specific country in a thinly veiled reference to China.

Seoul's reaction came in response to Chinese opposition against Taiwan's participation in the U.S.-led annual summit meant to strengthen democracy and confront authoritarianism around the world.

"The Summit of Democracy is held to contribute to promoting democracy and human rights, and is not aimed at a specific country," foreign ministry spokesperson, Lim Soo-suk, told a regular press briefing.

"Our government's policy on respecting the One China policy remains unchanged," he added, stressing that democracy is an issue of the "universal values of mankind."

On Monday, Taiwan's Minister of Digital Affairs Audrey Tang participated in the summit in a video message after Beijing urged Seoul to abide by the "One China" principle and opposed inviting Taiwanese officials to the meeting.

Before delivering her message, Tang was introduced by a presenter as speaking in a "private capacity."

Lim said the decision to play Tang's video message was made after "comprehensive" consideration, including the fact that the minister also participated in both the first and second summits.

A ministry official also said Korea had communicated with the "relevant countries" before the summit regarding the invitation. (Yonhap)
So the Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has evoked the Thatcher era of renewal in 1979 and vowed to 'hardwire' economic expansion into future policy-making.

Delivering the annual Mais Lecture in the City  an honour accorded in the past to former chancellors, governors of the Bank of England, Prime Ministers and Nobel Prize winners, among others  she was determined to convince the great and the good of business and finance that a future Labour government could be trusted with the economy.

And in her assertion that she and Sir Keir Starmer have rejected the statist approach of Jeremy Corbyn to concentrate on growth, she sounded almost plausible. But, as bright and appealing as her vision of reviving Britain may sound, we should not be naive.

For not only does Rachel Reeves have precious little economic room to manoeuvre, Labour is also set on a number of policies which are positively anti-growth.

The fact is that the triple-whammy of the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath, the ruinous Covid pandemic and Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine has left Britain  along with most of the rich G7 countries  with a testing legacy of borrowing and national debt which limits space for bold policies.

Delivering the annual Mais Lecture in the City Rachel Reeves was determined to convince the finance world that a future Labour government could be trusted with the economy

The Shadow Chancellor evoked the Thatcher era of renewal in 1979 and vowed to 'hardwire' economic expansion into future policy-making

This perhaps explains why the central plank of the party's growth strategy  the 28 billion green investment revolution  has already been consigned to the dustbin in one of the most staggering U-turns in recent times.

On top of this, several of the party's declared policies  most notably its 'new deal for working people'  are causing consternation in the boardrooms of the nation's top companies and sending shivers down the spines of small businesses owners and entrepreneurs.

The deal would ban zero-hours contracts, strengthen workers' rights and make it easier to strike  all of which will make it more difficult for companies to retain the dynamism and flexibility they need to grow and prosper.

Indeed, the idea of giving trades unions more power after striking workers have held the nation hostage for so long  from the railways, the NHS and other public sector unions  is nothing less than an act of sabotage.

As for Reeves' promise that she and her leader Sir Keir will ensure economic growth in future Budgets by bolstering the role of the Treasury's Enterprise and Growth Unit  that will be easier said than done.

Harold Wilson's 1960s government came to office with a determination to unleash the 'white heat' of technology using a new Department of Economic Affairs as its battering ram to circumvent the Treasury. It fell at the early fences and the power of the traditional bean-counters at the Treasury soon reasserted itself.

Whatever the rhetoric from Labour about 'securonomics', the party's attacks on wealth, opportunity and aspiration could starve Britain of the capital desperately needed to boost productivity, innovation and expansion.

Whatever Labour's rhetoric the party's attacks on wealth, opportunity and aspiration could starve Britain of the capital desperately needed to boost productivity, innovation and expansion

For example, Labour plans to substantially raise the tax rate on financial gains by private equity firms, which have made Mayfair in central London their European home. This threatens to drive overseas an industry which currently raises tens of billions worth of funding for City buy-outs, and provides endless lucrative work for legal and financial services. The pro-Europe FT recently quoted one buy-out executive as saying the effect of Labour's plan would be 'worse than Brexit'.

And while the Tories extended windfall taxes on oil and gas production, Reeves would go further, closing what she calls 'tax loopholes'  such as investment allowances, which could kill future investment in the North Sea and throw Britain's energy security into disarray. Even the class war proposal to impose VAT on private schools could have damaging effects, according to one businesswoman I spoke to yesterday  by making the UK a far less desirable place to locate to for people in financial and business services.

Ms Reeves should remember that when the socialist Francois Hollande took over the French presidency in 2012 and targeted the privileges enjoyed by the financial sector, he succeeded only in driving important contributors to Paris's prosperity to leave the French capital for London.

Ms Reeves has rightly identified some areas where the Government could do better. She called for more economic devolution to the regions  and the experience of directly elected mayors in the East Midlands, Greater Manchester and Teesside shows this makes sense.

But her growth policies will not stand a chance of bolstering economic performance if overseas investment is deterred by higher taxes, and domestic expansion stymied by tough new laws on employment.

Labour may claim it has a new economic model, but my fear is it boils down to the same old one  stifling taxes on enterprise and the provision of workers' rights which will deter employment and training.
The world was captivated by the 1986 royal wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

But what was once described as a fairytale romance between fiery redhead Sarah and the man of her dreams would ultimately end in heartbreak.

The pair first met when Princess Diana invited Sarah to a dinner at Windsor Castle and seated her next to the prince.

A whirlwind romance followed and the two married in at Westminster Abbey on July 23.

Prince Andrew and fiancee Sarah Ferguson in the grounds of Buckingham Palace after announcing their engagement in March 1986

Sarah and Prince Andrew on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day in July 1986

At the time, Sarah had only one request: that they could always be together.

But Andrew, a serving naval officer, was sent back out to sea only two weeks after their wedding.

It is thought that cracks began to show early on in their relationship.

Fergie revealed that they only saw each other 40 days out of the year during the first five years of their marriage.

'I spent my entire first pregnancy alone,' Sarah later told Harper's Bazaar of Andrew's absence. 'When Beatrice was born, Andrew got 10 days of shore leave.'

In early 1992, the couple legally separated. However, they continued to present a united front with their daughters, pictured together at the Royal Windsor Horse Show a few days afterwards.

In August that year, the situation grew more complicated. Sarah was photographed on vacation in St Tropez with her financial adviser John Bryan.

As the pair holidayed together, intimate photos were taken of the American businessman appearing to kiss the toes of the the topless Duchess.

When the news broke, Fergie was on summer holiday at Balmoral Castle with the Queen, Prince Philip, and Prince Andrew.

It was said that Queen Elizabeth was mortified and that Fergie's relationship with father-in-law Prince Philip was forever ruined.

The Daily Mail later wrote that Philip did not want to even be in the same room as Sarah again, insisting she had 'brought shame' upon the whjole family.

Their divorce was officially finalised four years later on 30 May 1996, but by that point, the Duchess was already estranged from the royal family after her scandal.

Andrew and Fergie with their two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, at the Royal Windsor Horse Show after their separation in 1992

A few months after Andrew and Sarah parted, Sarah was photographed in St Tropez with her financial adviser John Bryan

After the separation, she told Harper's Bazaar:

'I wanted to work; it's not right for a princess of the royal house to be commercial, so Andrew and I decided to make the divorce official so I could go off and get a job.'

Some reports at the time suggested that she had been holding out for a larger divorce settlement.

Sarah denied these claims, however, stating that all she wanted was to be on good terms with Andrew's family once again, particularly with the late Queen.

Though it has almost been three decades since their divorce, the Duke and Duchess have remained friends over the years.

They brought up Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie together and Fergie continues to live in Prince Andrew's home, Royal Lodge at Windsor.

In fact, the pair have appeared to spend more time together than they had spent during the ten years they were actually married.

And the pair regularly go on holiday together with their daughters.

The Duchess pictured escorting a young Princess Beatrice to school in Windsor after the news of the Yorks' separation

Prince Andrew pictured on the day of the couple's separation, which was the same day as the anniversary of their engagement

Sarah has previously told The Daily Mail: 'We're the happiest divorced couple in the world. We're divorced to each other, not from each other.'

Discussing their wedding day and their continued relationship, she added: 'July 23, 1986 was the happiest day of my life. Andrew is the best man I know. What he does for Britain is incredible; no one knows how hard he works for his country.

'My duty is to him. I am so proud of him. I stand by him and always will. The way we are is our fairy tale.

'Although we are not a couple, we really believe in each other. The Yorks are a united family. We've shown it.'
Now, he is warning other influencers to be weary of their fame

However, the 28-year-old's social media career came to a screeching halt

A former influencer has warned upcoming internet stars that 'social media doesn't last forever' - as he detailed his downfall from being rich and famous to 'losing it all.'

Taylor Caniff once spent his days partying in Los Angeles with celebrities and touring around with other members of MAGCON, a group made up of social media stars who hosted meet and greets for fans.

However, just as quickly as the 28-year-old rose to stardom, he became 'completely irrelevant' when the social media app Vine disappeared and a new wave of influencers took over.

Now, the ex-online sensation has cautioned current and upcoming influencers about the realities of being famous while suggesting they don't follow in his footsteps.

A former influencer has warned upcoming internet stars that 'social media doesn't last forever' - as he detailed his downfall from being rich and famous to 'losing it all'

Taylor Caniff once spent his days partying in Los Angeles with celebrities and touring around with other members of MAGCON (seen)

However, just as quickly as the 28-year-old rose to stardom, he became 'completely irrelevant' when the social media app Vine disappeared and a new wave of influencers took over

He lifted the lid on his experience in a viral video, which has so far amassed more than 6.9 million views.

He began by responding to a video made by another social media user who questioned what happened to the the stars that 'dropped out of college, moved to LA, and then became irrelevant.'

'No, because this is so real. This TikTok is so real. For most of you watching this, you probably have no idea who I am, but I fit every one of these characters,' he said at the beginning of the video.

'Completely irrelevant now, don't have a college degree, I didn't even go to high school. I don't even have a GED. I literally lost it all. Literally lost it all.'

In 2014, Taylor was at the height of his career, he was in a boy group known as MAGCON, which also featured social media stars Cameron Dallas and Nash Grier, and was touring around the world - even making it to Netflix.

By 2020, his wealth and fame had diminished, and he found himself spiraling.

In the clip, the ex-influencer further explained his life as an online sensation. He noted that he loved life in the limelight - especially the perks that came with it.

'During those years, I had the craziest parties, had the most insane ego. I had Lambos, a big house out here, I was throwing parties for all these celebrities and everything,' he explained.

'And before you know it, I lost it all.'

When his money and fame dwindled away, Taylor moved back home with his parents in Indiana, and went through a 'bad depression' and even struggled with addiction.

He lifted the lid on his experience in a viral video, which has so far amassed more than 6.9 million views

He said that later in life you would realize 'you got to live for quite a while and social media doesn't last forever'

Taylor - who now works in marketing - noted that while he was 'lucky' to have a second chance at life, he wanted to warn upcoming influencers of what was to come.

He added: 'I'm making this video for new and upcoming influencers. If you're able to finish college, do that. I remember when I was an influencer and I was at my peak, I was sh***ing on college and stuff like that, saying my teachers never believed in me. This, that, and the other.

'And they most certainly were most likely right.'

Taylor added that when you're at the height of your fame, you think that you will never go back to your normal life.

However, he said that later in life you would realize 'you got to live for quite a while and social media doesn't last forever.'

The 28-year-old explained that social media didn't teach you how to bounce back.

'And that's one thing social media doesn't teach you, is how to pivot and come up with a second game plan,' he said before noting that current influencers were now trying to start brands to continue their legacy.

He added: 'I know this isn't gonna last forever, no matter how big you are. I've been around them all, especially living in LA for 10 years.

'I've been around some of the biggest influencers and have seen them lose it all.'

At the end of the clip, Taylor said that he began a job in marketing and had been working with Airbnb. He has since moved back to Los Angeles.

Taylor rose to fame through the short-form video and now-defunct app Vine.

People on the web flooded the comments section and praised him for his 'mature' attitude and honesty

And while the app took off in 2013, by 2017 it had shut down and it left behind a slew of social media creators who had major fanbases because of the platform.

Underneath Taylor's video, people flooded the comments section and praised him for his 'mature' attitude and honesty.

One person said: 'This is actually such a mature take.'

Another user added: 'The transparency is kind of nice to be honest.'

'[I] really appreciate your transparency about all this,' someone else commented.

One user wrote: 'This is very sweet actually. Amazing post.'

Following Vine's shut down, the video-sharing app TikTok, which was released in 2016, provided a new platform for influencers.

A slew of people were thrust into the spotlight - including Charli D'Amelio, Addison Rae, Loren Gray, and Avani Greg.

Many of the stars - who made their start by uploading dancing videos to the app - went on to use their fame to create even more opportunities.

Charli, 19, and sister Dixie, 22, both took on new careers because of TikTok, with the younger D'Amelio becoming the face of Dunkin and even appearing on Dancing With The Stars.

Meanwhile, Dixie used her fame from the video-sharing app to launch a singing career.

A slew of people were sprung into the spotlight due to TikTok - including Charli D'Amelio (seen), Addison Rae, Loren Gray, and Avani Greg

Meanwhile, Dixie used her fame from the video-sharing app to launch a singing career

Addison also tried to capitalize on her success by using her influencer fame to transition into a career in acting, however, their careers may be threatened due to a possible ban

The two sisters have since created a clothing and shoe company.

Addison has also tried to capitalize on her TikTok success by using her influencer fame to transition into a career in acting.

The 23-year-old has since starred in various Netflix films such as He's All That and Thanksgiving.

She has also released a song and started her own fragrance line known as Addison Rae Fragrance as well as a makeup line known as Item Beauty, which has since been shut down.

However, the influencers' careers could soon come to a screeching halt due to the video-sharing app facing the prospect of a US ban amid fears its Chinese owner poses a threat to national security.

Allegations have swirled for years that the Chinese Communist Party is using the video-sharing app to spy on its American users' locations and manipulate its algorithm to conduct influence campaigns.

Following a bipartisan House vote 352-65, parent company ByteDance could be ordered to sell TikTok.
From a sign that tells you to keep left while pointing right to a typo at a buffet, these signs are more than a little confusing.

Bored Panda collated a collection of amusing photographs from around the world showcasing some of the most unusual signs in public places.

One image shows a tree jokingly instructing users to not use it as a dustbin, while another shows a graffiti removal hotline, that had been painted over.

And a different sign, found in the London Underground raised eyebrows when it directed commuters to walk left, while pointing the other way.

Smokers are notorious for carelessly littering their cigarette butts in the most convenient places, but one tree hit back with a bold defence

People lost their minds over the irony of this notice telling people to stop marring public places with graffiti, using a form of the vandalism itself, which in turn sparked

Others include a buffer serving 'meet lasange' while one road sign pointed to the 'path', in three different directions.

Salt-N-Pepa.

Here, FEMAIL looks at the funniest and most bizarre road signs...

A strange sign made it look like pedestrians were invited to topple down the stairs, not the safest way to tackle a flight of stairs

Salt-N-Pepa's here! A sign a the Museum of Discovery in Arkansas invoked the hip hop duo

This hilarious food label at a buffet was probably meant to explain to customers that it was made of meat. But instead of warding off veggies, the sign seemed to introduce foodies to the carby dish

In another ironic move, this red rectangular sign in an unknown location broke its own rules

In an amazing PR stunt, this driving school in the UK employed some bold marketing tactics to drive up customer numbers

Paths galore! This British road sign humorously pointed hikers towards different paths, except it resulted in confusion when there were three separate signs going in three separate directions

Not many people will encounter an upside down red man road signal, let alone a red man forcibly pulled out of a traffic light

This Japanese hotel also suffered an awkward translation blunder, warning guests quite bleakly that the future is dangerous

This picture, snapped in an Irish petrol station, enthusiastically boasted of its potato produce

Londoners will be used to the sight of tube signs, but most commuters don't bat an eyelid with the markings, except this one which tells people to move to the left while pointing to the right

This clunky translation, coupled with a spelling mistake, aimed to translate the hearty Italian dish into English

An irate shop owner proudly hung up this white A4 sheet on the glass display to remind customers that expecting speedy service would have a knock on effect on quality
Many said that Americans always wanted ice and were 'too friendly'

People on the web flooded the comments section with their responses

People from across the globe are sharing how they spot Americans in a matter of seconds - based on everything from their body language to the way they smile.

An unnamed social media user took to Reddit to ask people on the web to dish out the obvious signs that someone is from the United States.

In the Ask Reddit subreddit, people flooded the comments section and shared that the way Americans greeted each other, tipped, and even stood were telltale indications that they were from the States.

In addition to being too 'friendly' and leaving gratuity, foreigners noted that they could always spot an American because they wanted 'ice in their water.'

People from across the globe are sharing how they can spot Americans in a matter of seconds based on everything from their body language to the way they smile (stock image)

The anonymous user's post read: 'What's an obvious sign someone's American?'

People on the web - both from the U.S. and outside of it - took to the comments section to lift the lid on the many behaviors that they spotted.

Many users pointed out that the friendly greetings of Americans was what gave their nationality away.

One user said: 'In Salzburg I went to grab something from the drug store. As I was checking out I said hello to the cashier (thinking there was very little difference between how I said it and how Austrians say it). She immediately started speaking to me in English and I asked her how she knew I spoke English.

'She deadpan stared me in the eye and goes "hellloooo". I just about died laughing since I'm a very stereotypical friendly American that says hello exactly like that. One of my favorite memories from that trip.'

Someone else wrote: 'The gentle grins you give to strangers if you make eye contact with them as you pass by, at least in the Midwest. [It] was not well received in Germany.'

One user added: 'I dated a European man here in the US. When we walked together, every time I made eye contact with someone on our path I would smile at them, and they would always smile back.

'Boyfriend was so confused at all these strangers smiling at me. Kept asking if I knew all these people. It was hilarious.'

'They smile at strangers,' someone else agreed.

People on the web flooded the comments section and shared their thoughts

One user added: 'Very amenable to socializing with strangers in settings like bars. Assertive, fair, curious, will get your back without knowing you too well. I've had positive experiences.'

Other people on the web pointed to Americans pattern of leaving gratuity - which wasn't a practice done in many other countries.

Someone else added: I worked as a cashier in a touristic place in Paris, I always recognized Americans because they were kind of friendly to me and they always left tips.'

'They leave a tip,' one user said.

Others shared random behaviors they had noticed from Americans.

One person said: 'An Italian told me that Americans walk confidently in the wrong direction.'

Another user shared: 'If someone asks how far away something is, an American will tell how you long it takes to get there as opposed to a physical distance.'

'From what I've been told by European friends and travelers, our complete and utter lack of an indoor voice,' a third wrote.

'They want ice in their water,' someone else commented.

One comment read: 'According to the CIA - when training to be a spy - you have to unlearn how to lean. Americans tend to lean on things when standing still.'
Whenever Olivia Shelby posts footage on social media of her beloved horses, there is usually a snide comment or two. 'There'll be remarks about "daddy's money", or that I'm from a privileged background,' says the 21-year-old graphic designer.

'People have absolutely no idea about the reality of my life.'

This  together with loneliness, and a grief that will never leave her  is one of the reasons why, on Christmas Eve last year Olivia, from Warrington, uploaded an emotional video to TikTok.

'Here's a story of how my dad killed my mum on my third birthday,' is how she described it  a stark summary of a single violent act which has reverberated throughout her life.

Choking back tears, Olivia revealed how 18 years ago her father strangled her 35-year-old mother as she, their little daughter, lay asleep after marking her third birthday with a cake and a film.

Olivia Shelby, 21, from Warrington, uploaded an emotional video to TikTok. 'Here's a story of how my dad killed my mum on my third birthday,' is how she described it

Choking back tears, Olivia revealed how 18 years ago her father strangled her 35-year-old mother Lisa Cubin (right) as she, their little daughter, lay asleep after marking her third birthday

It left Olivia without both her mother, to whom she bears a striking resemblance but has no memory of, and her father: he was sent to prison for murder and Olivia has never been able to bring herself to have a relationship with him.

His crime also fractured her relationship with the rest of her paternal family, and caused years of grief, regret and loneliness as milestone birthdays, Christmases and Mothering Sundays passed by  reminders of what she had lost.

The petite and quietly-spoken brunette posted her video both to highlight the devastating ongoing legacy of domestic abuse and the lack of support for children who, though victims, are left to navigate their future with little help and advice.

She thought no one would watch it, but millions did: five million and counting. Olivia has been contacted by hundreds of people, thanking her for highlighting the grim reality of abuse in the home.

Going public  including speaking to the Mail today  is something that does not come naturally after a lifetime of locking away her emotions.

'I've just kept what happened inside for ever. I don't talk about it, even to those closest to me,' she says. 'But I know how much it has affected me. I don't think you ever really get over it.'

Olivia is certainly not alone. According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, almost half (45 per cent) of female murder victims in England and Wales in the year to March 2023 died in a domestic homicide.

While specific data is not available, John Devaney, a professor of social work at the University of Edinburgh, believes between 100-250 children a year in the UK end up grieving for parents lost to this particularly devastating crime.

Olivia with her mum Lisa when she was a little girl. Her mother's murder happened thousands of miles away in the Canadian province of British Columbia

Olivia is one of them, although you would not know it to meet her. On the surface, she has built a happy life. She runs her own graphic design and digital content business and has a boyfriend of two years, Mike, whom she met through their mutual love of cars.

She takes huge pleasure in her eight horses, many of whom are rescued. 'I don't know what my life would be like without them, to be honest,' she says.

Nonetheless, just a short time in her company is enough to reveal the continuing trauma from an event which, given her age at the time, she has had to piece together from newspaper reports and information from relatives.

Anxious to share her story, Olivia nonetheless clearly struggles to do so, sometimes falling silent, unable to find the words.

Her mother's murder happened thousands of miles away in the Canadian province of British Columbia  an area to which both her maternal and paternal grandparents had moved some decades ago from their native UK.

Her father, Bradley Benham  who already had a son, Reece, now 31, from a previous relationship  was working as a mechanic and, like Olivia's mum, Lisa Cubin, was in his early thirties when the couple met through friends.

They set up home in the picturesque neighbourhood of South Surrey, a few miles south of Vancouver, but their relationship was tempestuous, not least because Benham was a heavy drinker and had become addicted to cocaine.

'My brother Reece has told me there were happy memories. On the weekends we'd have nice family days out, but things went wrong when he [Benham] drank. I know my mum's side of the family were not happy with the relationship,' Olivia says.

But even they could not imagine the horror to come on a November evening in 2005.

It was Olivia's third birthday, and she has a hazy memory of the family snuggled up on cushions watching the cartoon Finding Nemo on the television.

'In my mind that was a happy thing,' she says.

She will never know exactly what happened next, but has a faint recollection of waking to find her mother lying on the floor, and trying to shake her.

'Later I told police that she must have eaten a sandwich, as she had ketchup over her,' she recalls.

Olivia will never know exactly what happened, but has a faint recollection of waking to find her mother lying on the floor, and trying to shake her

That ketchup was, of course, blood. And her mother would never wake up again. Her father had badly beaten, then strangled her. Some time later, he took Olivia to his childhood home, a farm owned by his parents.

For several years, only the dimmest of memories follow: of Lisa's mum, Linda, telling her granddaughter that her mother had gone away for a while, and of being taken to counselling and screaming the place down. Poignantly, she has memories of her dad taking her horse-riding.

'He wasn't jailed until three years after the crime, so he was around for those next three years and in my life,' she says. 'That's one thing I struggle with a lot, that I have memories of doing nice things with him, but nothing of my mum.'

Finally, in November 2008, Benham was convicted of second degree murder, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. By then, Olivia had been the subject of a bitter and lengthy custody battle between the grandparents.

In the end, custody was awarded to Linda, her maternal grandmother, who took the decision to bring Olivia, then seven years old, back to the UK.

Today, she remembers the alienation she felt at crossing an ocean to an unfamiliar country and leaving everything  and everyone  she knew behind, including her beloved aunt, her mother's sister Michelle.

'I hated it,' she says. 'Everything felt different; the people, the houses; everything. I didn't know anyone.'

By then, Olivia knew that her father had killed her mother, but little more than that. 'No-one talked about it, and certainly not my nan. I think she found it too difficult. So it was just something that was locked away.'

By the time she arrived at secondary school Olivia was still none the wiser about the exact circumstances in which her mum met her premature end  until a school IT lesson when she was 12.

For reasons she still doesn't really understand, she entered her mother's name into an internet search engine, only to find herself staring back at a series of grim newspaper headlines reporting that Benham had badly beaten her mother before strangling her at their home.

'I felt this horror, because it was so much worse than I knew, this realisation that he really hit her, he really hurt her and carried on hurting her. It takes a lot to strangle someone to death. So it was really bad,' she recalls.

She was offered counselling, but found it impossible to form any sort of meaningful bond with the woman assigned to her.

'Part of it was me not wanting to let things go, but also it just seemed so generic: talk about your feelings. And everything I felt was so complicated,' she says.

And so Olivia carried on doing what she had done so far: keeping it all shut away.

By the time she arrived at secondary school Olivia was still none the wiser about the exact circumstances in which her mum met her premature end

'I never talked to anyone about what had happened, including my nan who didn't want to talk about it either,' she says.

'It's hard to put myself back in that mindset now, but I think I just felt it wouldn't make any difference, it wouldn't change what had happened so what was the point?'

When people asked her where her parents were, she would reply  as she sometimes still does  'I don't have parents' to shut down the conversation.

Of course, as Olivia acknowledges, it is not just the generation above her she has lost: for many years she had no relationship at all with her paternal grandparents, despite their attempts to reach out to her.

She recalls how, when she was about 13, a car arrived outside the home she shared with Linda, and her grandmother promptly having something akin to a panic attack.

'I'd just come in from school and I was watching the Horse of the Year Show on television when nan told me to go and hide as my dad's family were outside.'

At the time, the episode was laced with sinister undertones.

Linda told Olivia that the family had been following her home from school, determined to make contact with their only granddaughter, although today Olivia sees it differently.

'It was their way of trying to connect. They had written letters but my nan had never answered,' she says. 'They're monsters to her, which I understand as their son killed her daughter.'

Time has certainly made her more forgiving towards Benham's extended family. At Christmas, not long after releasing her TikTok video, she had a Skype call with some of them, including her paternal grandparents.

Pictured: Olivia's mother Lisa Shelby pictured with her horse Pickle as a young girl

'I suppose it felt like the right time, finally, after I had acknowledged it to the world,' she says. 'It felt strange, and we were all a bit self-conscious, but I am glad I did it.'

That tentative connection is likely to be cemented this summer when she flies to Canada for her half-brother Reece's wedding. It will be the first time she has returned to the area where her mother's life came to an end.

'I have a massive family there, and we all had a really good relationship when we were young,' she says. 'I am a bit apprehensive, but I think it would be nice to reconnect.'

That sentiment does not apply to her father, now 54, who came out of prison in 2020 after serving his 12-year sentence but is now back behind bars following another allegation of domestic abuse.

'I know he is desperate to make contact with me but, while I can never say never, I don't believe I can ever see him. I know I can never forgive him,' she says.

Who can blame her? The loss he inflicted underpins her life, and was the reason she uploaded that emotional TikTok video. Alone at home, while her boyfriend Mike was having a meal with family, she found herself overwhelmed with grief, which is still palpable today.

'In hindsight, I never spoke about it, because I never wanted to be accused of being an attention-seeker, and I've spent so long keeping it in,' she recalls, wiping away tears.

'Then, in that moment, I realised there were going to be plenty of others scrolling through TikTok, who don't have a clue what people are actually going through, and I wanted to share my story.'

She has been touched by the overwhelming outpouring of support she has received, especially from others in her position thanking her for highlighting what they have gone through.

She knows there is no one size fits all answer for what three-year-old Olivia went through and what 21-year-old Olivia is going through to this day, but thinks a designated specialist counsellor for any child who has gone through domestic homicide could help.

'It's someone who knows your story, so you don't have to explain it again and again,' she says.

No amount of counselling, of course, can change the cold harsh truth that Olivia has to live with every day.

'They can't give you a normal family,' she says. 'I think that's the hardest bit, accepting you get one life  and mine was screwed up early on.'
A woman, whose boyfriend is a wheelchair user, said she is often mistaken for his carer.

Helen Hickling and her partner, Dave Eastham, both 29, from Manchester, met on Tinder in April 2018, since then Helen is constantly mistaken for his carer by airport staff and in restaurants.

Dave uses a wheelchair following an accident in Thailand that left him paralysed in June 2015. People are often surprised to learn their relationship started after Dave's paralysis.

However the couple are hoping to end the stigma of interabled relationships which sees them receive 'backhanded comments'.

Account manager Helen said: 'Sometimes people that are working can mistake or assume I'm a carer. In the airport, staff will ask me what assistance Dave needs rather than speaking to him directly.

Helen Hickling, from Manchester, said she is often mistaken for her partner's Dave Eastham carer

'People talking to me instead of Dave happens a lot. Even in restaurants they will ask me if he wants the chair moving out of the way or will he want to sit on it rather than asking him directly.

'It doesn't bother me as much now, because I know it's not intentional, and I go out of my way not to answer for him and either ask the question again to him or ask them to check with him.

She added: 'People seem to assume we were together before he broke his back, and when they learn we met once he was already a wheelchair user they tend to say ''oh wow''  as if it's not expected to meet and date someone in a wheelchair.

'It did used to bother me  I would get annoyed as it is rude, and it's people judging a situation and assuming I'm his carer or that he cannot speak for himself.

'It's insulting to both of us. It's insulting Dave, not treating him like any other 29-year-old man.

'And it's insulting to me, assuming we aren't together or I need to speak on his behalf.'

met on Tinder in April 2018, since then Helen is constantly thought to be his carer by airport staff and in restaurants

Dave uses a wheelchair following an accident in Thailand that left him paralysed in June 2015

Dave pictured on a moped before the accident that left him paralysed in Thailand in June 2015

Dave was pictured in Thailand before the accident that left him paralysed

However Dave said he is used to people unintentionally rude comments and has learned to brush them off.

He added: 'Over the years I've grown a tolerance to it, but it can be frustrating and undermining as people just see the wheelchair and not the person in it.

'But because of the type of person I am, I just try to see the funnier side of things and not let it get to me.'

Dave broke his back in a road traffic accident in Thailand in June 2015, when he was hit by a car while holidaying with friends.

While he now uses a wheelchair, the couple say it doesn't make theirs any different from other relationships.

Helen said: 'We both work full-time jobs, we both contribute to the relationship. With Dave being a wheelchair user, that means there are certain things he cannot do around the house, like help change the bedding or change a lightbulb, but I'm happy to do that.

'He can cook, drive, and pretty much do everything an able-bodied male can do  he just does it sat down! Ours is not much different from any other relationship.'

Now, the couple are looking to the future and growing their family but they will have to consider IVF due to Dave's accident.

Helen said: 'When we were getting more serious and had been together for a while, the conversation of family and babies came up which is something we both want.

'Due to Dave's accident leaving him paralysed, we had to go down the IVF route to have a baby, which is something I knew would have to happen because Dave had mentioned it in passing after the first couple of dates.

The couple stay active together and want to show other people all the things Dave can do. PIctured on a trip to Italy for a charity bike ride

While he now uses a wheelchair, the couple say it doesn't make theirs any different from other relationships

The couple share insights into their relationship on TikTok @daveandhelen including how Dave can do things like drive, ride a bike, and ski

On their TikTok page the couple encourage other people not to let disabilities affect love

Dave often shows what it is like in his day to day life using a wheelchair on his TikTok page

Now, the couple are looking to the future and growing their family but they will have to consider IVF due to Dave's accident

IVF is something Helen knew would have to happen if they wanted to have kids as Dave had mentioned it in passing after the first couple of dates

'Unfortunately we weren't successful after three tries, but plan to try again in the future.'

The couple share insights into their relationship on TikTok @daveandhelen including how Dave can do things like drive, ride a bike, and ski  and encourage other people not to let disabilities affect love.

Helen said: 'Don't overthink it and just go for it. If you like someone for who they are, you like their personality and values, then don't let their disability get in the way.

'Most disabled people manage and more than cope with their disability independently so it wouldn't affect the partner or the relationship.

'Plus to be truly honest there are also some perks too  we get great parking spaces with a blue badge, and sometimes can jump queues.'
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden beamed as she unveiled a portrait of herself during a visit to the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh today.

The royal, 46, appeared in high spirits as she uncovered the large portrait with visible excitement across her face.

It is the second day of Victoria's trip to Bangladesh, which she is carrying out as part of her role as a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador.

The regal portrait will hang on the wall of the Asian University for Women in Chattogram - an independent institution that welcomes all students regardless of their background.

During the visit, the heir to the Swedish throne also chatted with the students and interacted with their work.

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden appeared in high spirits as she unveiled a portrait of herself in Bangladesh today

The 46-year-old also gave a speech to staff and students at the institution that dedicates its efforts to advancing women's education.

Elsewhere during the day, Victoria visited UNDP project focused on climate change adaptation in rural settings in the Khulna district in eastern Bangladesh.

Victoria embraced tradition and donned a floral headpiece at the project, which has received contributions from both Sweden and the UNDP.

It comes after Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden appeared in high spirts as she held a goat while visiting a climate change project in Bangladesh.

The heir to the Swedish throne, 46, donned a red and white flower lei around her neck as she visited the female-led community project in the Khulna district on Tuesday.

The royal appeared bright and breezy in flared white trousers with a blue summer print, which she paired with an oversized T-shirt and trainers.

Victoria went for natural makeup and her brunette locks were pulled back into a laid back bun as she smiled for the cameras holding a small goat, while she held a fish in another snap.

The mother-of-two looked in high spirits as she was shown around the facility, which has received contributions from both Sweden and the UNDP.

Victoria sported a broad smiled as she visited a climate-displaced community in Jele Para Dakshin, Chattogram, Bangladesh

Victoria interacted with talented female students at the Asian University for Women earlier today

The mother-of-two appeared animated as she gave a speech to staff and students at the Asian University for Women

Looking typically stylish, Victoria donned a maxi dress with cuffed sleeves and cream sandals for the occasion

On the second day of her visit, Victoria took to a climate-displaced community as a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador

Victoria embraced tradition as she sat cross-legged on the floor while donning a floral headpiece

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, 46, donned a red and white flower lei around her neck as she visited the female-led community project in the Khulna district of Bangladesh on Tuesday

The visit is part of the royal's work as a goodwill ambassador with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

She choose to wear a simple silver chain along with hoop earrings, a bracelet, a watch and rings.

Princess Victoria has showed off her style credentials once again during her trip to Dhaka, yesterday.

She donned an eye-catching pleated swan print dress from Swedish designer Jennifer Blom when visiting the Foreign Service Academy to see how the country uses digital solutions.

Putting her best fashion foot forward for the visit, Victoria teamed her statement frock with a vibrant cherry red clutch bag.

Victoria first wore the colourful dress in 2017, when she joined other members of the Swedish royal family to celebrate 100 years of independence in Finland.

Yesterday, she opted for classy pale blue pointed heels and a practical beige shopper bag, which she elegantly slung over one shoulder.

During her visit, the heir received a pale pink shawl, which she wrapped around her neck, made from traditional fabric used in the country.

The heir to the Swedish throne beamed as she held a goat while visiting the climate change project in Bangladesh

Elsewhere the royal beamed for a snap as she held a fish in another picture during her visit to the women-led community project

Victoria went for natural makeup and her brunette locks were pulled back into a laid back bun as she smiled for the cameras holding a small goat

The royal appeared bright and breezy in flared white trousers with a blue summer print, which she paired with an oversized T-shirt and trainers

The mother-of-two looked in high spirits as she was shown around the facility, which has received contributions from both Sweden and the UNDP

Princess Victoria has showed off her style credentials once again during her trip to Dhaka, Bangladesh

During her visit, the heir received a pale pink shawl, which she wrapped around her neck, made from traditional fabric used in the country

She was also presented with flowers from Zunaid Ahmed Palak, Minister of state for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology.

Victoria attended the event: Innovate Together for Zero Digital Divide at the Foreign Service Academy, a training institution for foreign service officers from the Bangladesh Civil Service.

The royal heard about how technology has created various opportunities in sectors such as education and health, as Mr Palak announced Bangladesh's aim to ensure that citizens have equal access to the digital world.

Victoria was there as part of her role of a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, which she has held since October last year.

In her role as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador, she plays a key role in increasing awareness and engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Speaking at the time, Victoria said: 'It is a great honour to have been named Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP. It gives me additional opportunities to support the work for the Sustainable Development Goals.

'I look forward to immersing myself in UNDP's work to prevent many of the difficult challenges the world faces today that affect people all over the world.'
The French serial killer dubbed 'The Serpent', who is linked to the murder of at least 20 backpackers across Asia in the 1970s and 80s, was photographed in London last week, just days before a new documentary about his life and crimes airs on Channel 4 tonight.

Charles Sobhraj, now 79, was released after serving 20 years in prison in Nepal in December 2022 for the murder of two backpackers in Kathmandu.

The criminal, who still denies he took the lives of mainly western backpackers on 'the hippy trail', was spotted sightseeing on London's Westminster Bridge, using a wig and spectacles to disguise his appearance, ahead of being interviewed for the three-part series.

Three-part docuseries The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer, which begins at 9pm, is likely to ignite fresh intrigue into Sobhraj, also dubbed the 'Bikini Killer', and his glamorous accomplice, who helped make his macabre crimes possible.

Three years ago their romance - and subsequent descent into murder - inspired the 2021 BBC One drama The Serpent, starring Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman.

But who was the woman who became so besotted with the Serpent's charms that she abandoned her fiance and a secure job in her native Canada to join him in what became one of the 20th century's most prolific murdering sprees?

Marie-Andree Leclerc and Charles Sobhraj, aka The Serpent, pictured before their arrest in 1976; Sobhraj served nearly 20 years in a Nepal prison, charged with murdering two backpackers - and suspected of murdering many more - with a 'besotted' Leclerc his accomplice throughout

Described as a naive tourist keen to shrug off her mudane life as a medical receptionist in Quebec, Marie-Andree Leclerc met the charismatic Sobhraj in India in the early 70s...and quickly became obsessed with the serial killer

That they met at all was down to fate and wanderlust. French Canadian Marie-Andree Leclerc, born in 1945 in the province of Quebec in Canada, first encountered Sobhraj while travelling in Srinagar, India, with the man she had been set to marry and quickly became 'obsessed' with the charismatic backpacker.

The easily manipulated medical receptionist, who had previously lived in the small Quebec city of Levis, fell head over heels in love with the mysterious Frenchman; his exotic looks and mesmerising personality luring her to follow him to Bangkok, his new home.

Leclerc, who walked with a limp after a childhood injury, had a thirst for adventure and when Sobhraj persuaded her to meet him in Thailand to be his 'guide' - even paying for her air fare - she packed up her rucksack and joined him.

In 2021, the BBC's hit crime drama The Serpent, starring Tahar Rahim as Sobhraj and Jenna Coleman, retold the story of the couple's crimes as they are thought to have drugged and killed at least 20 backpackers across India, Thailand, Nepal and the Middle East before their arrest in 1976

Within months, she quickly took on a new, more dangerous role, becoming her lover's accomplice, posing as a nurse or model, sometimes even his wife, and turning a blind eye to his crimes and philandering.

Sobhraj had been born in 1944 in Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam, then a French colony, and had risen through the ranks of Parisian high society in the 1960s, cultivating a stylish image financed through burglaries and exploiting wealthy women.

When his earlier, less serious crimes threatened to catch up with him, he fled back to South East Asia, and wooed Leclerc to follow him.

The killings began in 1975. Sobhraj and Leclerc would befriend Western tourists in bars and hotels and invite them to stay at their apartment. She used the alias 'Monique', and would pretend to be Sobhraj's wife or a fashion model.

Leclerc, who walked with a limp following a childhood illness, used the fake name Monique when the couple wooed new victims; after her capture alongside Sobhraj in 1976, she was jailed - and died of ovarian cancer in her native Quebec in 1983 at the age of 38

The couple hosted parties for their 'guests' and took them to Bangkok nightspots.

Their victims were drugged with a crude mix of laxatives, sedatives and vomit-inducing medication.

Those who survived were stabbed, strangled, drowned or burned alive, their bodies dumped on roadsides or beaches, with the Thai police apparently uninterested.

Sobhraj then took their cash or travellers' cheques and stole their passports. The total number of murders he committed is unknown.

Having repeatedly slipped through the net as authorities worldwide went after him, by the time he was caught in 1976 he was Interpols most wanted man.

The couple were eventually arrested in Delhi - along with other accomplices - when a plan to drug a group of French students went wrong.

Leclerc was jailed for life in Nepal after being convicted of conspiracy to murder - but later released on appeal, freed on the grounds that she must stay in the country.

Three years later, an ovarian cancer diagnosis saw her allowed to return to her homeland, upon the proviso that she return to India to face another trial when her health allowed.

Shortly before her death from the disease, at the age of 38 in April 1984, she wrote a book called 'Je reviens' (I'm coming back), which explained her feelings for Sobhraj and her role in his killings.

Leclerc claimed in her diaries that Sobhraj had exerted control over her by withholding her passport and her money - and said she had never had strong affection for the French serial killer.

Charles Sobhraj aka The Serpent photographed at the time of his capture in New Delhi, India, in 1977. Right, after being released from prison in December 2022, Sobhraj, also dubbed the 'bikini killer', now aged 79, looked every inch the tourist as he took snaps on his phone of the sights around London Eye last week

When Jenna Coleman played her in the 2021 BBC One hit, the actress revealed she'd discovered another side to Leclerc while researching her.

The star said: She was controlled by him, but what was interesting playing her was where the line was between her willingness to stay and her desire to go. She wasnt faint-hearted.

'She could be quite fiery and she did know what she wanted. So the question of whether Leclerc was a victim is a complex one.'

Coleman added: My thinking about it was she needed to live in a delusional state, she needed to allow this to happen because she was so obsessive about Charles and she needed to be with him. Its the psychology of complete delusion.

'I dont think she allowed reality into her consciousness at all. She pushed it away. Thats the only way she could exist with him.

'Shed created this whole new identity and it was a kind of addiction for her to not be the medical receptionist with a limp living a normal dull life.

Sobhraj was freed on December 23rd 2022 after spending almost 20 years in a Nepali prison

In a media offensive in Paris in February 2023, he denied being responsible for the string of killings of mainly western tourists. Pictured: Charles Sobhraj in 2014

In February 2023, shortly after his release from prison in Nepal, Sobhraj admitted drugging and stealing passports from at least 150 victims, but insisted he was never guilty of murder.

In a media offensive in Paris, he told Le Monde: 'I've used quite a few stolen passports, but I've never killed anyone, and I'll prove it. Right now, I'm running around everywhere trying to get my papers redone.'

The man who was crucial in bringing Sobhraj to justice, diplomat Herman Knippenberg, who had been posted to the Dutch embassy in Bangkok around the time of the killings and was relentless in his pursuit of the Bikini Killer, said when the BBC One series came out that he didn't doubt for a moment that Sobhraj was guilty.

Knippenberg - now 79 - said in 2021 that the reality of the case was every bit as heart-stopping as the BBC story unfolding on screen.

'It took a long time to get Sobhraj, many years,' recalls Knippenberg, who worked as a consultant on the TV drama.

Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg was tenacious in his pursuit of Sobhraj - and said in 2021 that the murderer would have gone on to kill more if he hadn't been caught. Right: Billy Howle as Knippenberg in the hit BBC series The Serpent

'But I had to do it. He got inside me like some sort of tropical malaria. He wouldn't go away. This is not over until Sobhraj and I are in different worlds. If there is a Hell, I am sure he is a candidate.'

'Of all the things I have done, the Charles Sobhraj work is still the most important. It is the only point at which I felt I really made a difference, where I felt I saved lives.

'If we hadn't stopped him when we did, he would have gone on to kill many more.

'People say I was obsessed with it but I am absolutely not. Finally I just feel a sense of justice.'

The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer airs March 19th at 9pm on Channel 4
Bianca Censori and Kanye West displayed 'counter-intuitive' body language that provides 'new insight into [their] complex and unusual relationship, an expert has revealed.

The rapper, 46, and his architect wife, 29, turned heads in LA yesterday as they made another eye-catching appearance at The Grove, before heading to family restaurant The Cheesecake Factory.

As Australian-born Bianca stepped out in yet another revealing outfit, Kanye appeared to pull down her see-through leggings to expose her buttocks, amid concerns from her family over what they say are Kanye's 'controlling ways'.

Recently, insiders claimed that Censori's father is reportedly keen on confronting the rapper for putting his daughter in X-rated clothing.

However according to UK-based body language expert Judi James, the couple's latest display may reveal a dynamic that has not previously been visible.

Kanye West, 46, and his 29-year-old wife Bianca Censori turned heads once again in LA with their latest outrageous display - but a body language expert has revealed this outing may have revealed a different dynamic between the pair

Speaking to FEMAIL, she said that, on the surface, the relationship still resembles 'the celebrity alpha male with his younger wife who is relatively new to fame'.

Judi explained: 'She is still being taken around in public in a series of increasingly revealing and shocking out fits while he is happily and comfortably covered from top to toe.'

However she added: 'The image has been one of a controlling male with a passive female but their interaction here might show a very different angle or insight.'

Contrary to the concerns expressed by the 29-year-old's family, Judi argues it is Bianca who is 'displaying the body language signals of confidence and leadership', while Kanye 'looks more compliant'.

Judi claimed that Bianca appeared 'confident' as she took the lead between the pair while Kanye appeared to want his wife's attention while they waited for the lift

She said: 'Like a professional PR, Bianca appears to be the one taking care of business, walking up to and calling the lift and studying its arrival, checking another one out when it fails to show.

'Theres no suggestion that she is checking with him first before doing any of this, or seeking his agreement or approval.

'These might seem like subtle or small gestures but they still imply that she is the one making some of their decisions rather than just being led around passively.

'Biancas back is held straight and her chin is raised to suggest confidence despite her outfit.'

While Bianca's family members have expressed worries that Kanye is 'controlling', Judi believes the couple's body language actually signals mutual affection.

'Their hand clasp looks affectionate, with their fingers meshed, and Kanye seems to want to show himself as an old-fashioned gentleman with his etiquette displays,' she said.

'When they reach a door Bianca appears to stop as though expecting this gentlemanly behaviour as Kanye dances around to open the door for her.

'When they reach the life he seems to intend to walk in before suddenly stopping and again acting the gentleman by letting Bianca in first.

'He stands behind his wife as they wait for the lift and when she is distracted by the lift he appears to want to gain her attention by touching her.

Judi added the hand clasp between Bianca and Kanye showed 'affection' as they strolled out of the building

'Its not clear what his hand is doing when he places it on her hip. He could be adjusting her tights or just stroking her.

'Bianca responds with quite a powerful gesture of approval and reciprocation as though it was a stroke.

'Still focusing on the lift she raises her left hand to lean back and stroke his head. If he was pulling her tights down or adjusting them this would suggest her approval and that she almost sees this as a signal of affection from her husband.'

Last week, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that West had been working to 'turn things around' with Censori's mother.

Last week, she was seen with her daughter after she reportedly flew out from their native Australia to 'save' her daughter over fears she was being controlled, according to sources close to the family.

Censori's families have frequently expressed their concerns since she tied the knot with West in December 2022.

Some of her loved ones have even reportedly staged an intervention with Censori over West's alleged 'controlling ways'.

Recently, insiders claimed that Censori's father is reportedly keen on confronting the rapper for putting his daughter in X-rated clothing.

Sources claim that he is fearful that West is isolating Censori from her family.

He is also reportedly worried that his son-in-law is turning his beloved daughter into a 'trashy-looking marketable commodity' with the shockingly risque and half-naked looks.

The couple were recently spotted enjoying an amorous moment on a water taxi in Venice, with Kanye exposing his bare buttocks in front of gawking tourists

Image from Kanye's Instagram.

Insiders have told DailyMail.com that Bianca's family is 'hurting' at watching their loved one being paraded around like a 'trophy pony' and have questioned how Kanye would feel in the future if a man was treating his daughters, North and Chicago, in the same way.

'Bianca's father Leo wants to have a proper sit down with Kanye and ask him what the hell he is thinking when he parades Bianca around like a trashy naked trophy pony,' said a source close to the Yeezy architect  whose father is the brother of a notorious gangland killer.

'He knows that there is no way in hell that Kanye would allow this for his daughters so it makes no sense why he would encourage this for his own wife.'

Although concerns have been raised about how Kanye and Bianca interact while out and about, experts have previously suggested there is more to the power couple's 'game plan' and that is to out-shine ex-wife Kim Kardashian by 'breaking the internet' with the X-rated looks.

Mark Borkowski, one of the UK's leading PR gurus, told MailOnline that Kanye West is using Bianca Censori to copy the publicity strategy pursued by his ex-wife Kim Kardashian  but pushing his 'freak show' to the very limit.

Using's Bianca's body and outfits to further his fame and wealth is making many uncomfortable and alienating brands, he said.

Kanye West declared Bianca Censori will be wearing less clothes than ever before in 2024 as he posts a slew of racy snaps captioned 'No pants this year'

Image from Kanye's Instagram. As her friends and family are concerned over Kanye's 'controlling ways'

In January, Kanye shared a series of revealing snaps of his wife on Instagram

But Mr Borkowski said that despite allegations of controlling and coercive behaviour by the former rapper, Bianca may be very happy to go along with it.

He said: 'Kanye understands outrage and is trying to break the Internet. I think a lot of people are starting to feel rather uncomfortable, despite everything he's said, about that he feels he can do whatever he wants with his partner.

'There is a line here drawn between those who believe this is control and those who believe that this woman is complicit and fully involved with this freak show. But it is a weird freak show that everybody is engaging with and some are enjoying these quite explicit photos.

'I think we'll be looking back at this if a rift appears between them as something that is something exploitative. Some of the dresses are built for craving for publicity.'

Kanye has been sharing a slew of highly sexualised images of his wife, despite slamming his ex Kim Kardashian for 'dressing too sexy' during his stint as a gospel artist.

When Kim wore a custom corset-style minidress made of silk organza and dripping crystals by French designer Thierry Mugler at the 2019 Met Gala, Ye openly slammed the reality TV icon's ensemble.

'I didn't realize that that was affecting my soul and my spirit as someone that's married and loved, the father of what's about to be four kids,' Ye said about Kim's outfit choice.

'A corset is a form of underwear. It's hot. It's like, it's hot for who, though?' You are my wife, and it affects me when pictures are too sexy,' he told his wife.

Mr Borkowski continued: 'You can only assume this is a way of Kanye keeping his name at the forefront and on everybody's lips and also a statement to his ex-wife Kim who engaged in the same publicity, which he is taking to another level but she did with a lot more style and panache. It wasn't as direct as this.

'As we revaluate those who exploited their partners in the past, this is a high watermark.

'I feel uncomfortable but you are looking at someone who can generate a conversation, Kanye knows how to do that.

'But I can't see a strategy here. He has pushed himself so far away from brands with his anti-Semitic remarks and outrage that there has to be a limit where he doesn't want one'.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with senior officials of India and Australia on Tuesday and discussed bilateral relations and cooperation, Cho's office said.

The separate meetings with Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, India's minister of state for external affairs and education, and Tim Watts, Australian assistant foreign minister, took place as the two officials were visiting South Korea this week to attend the Summit for Democracy forum.

In the meeting with Singh, Cho asked for New Delhi's support in improving the investment environment for South Korean businesses in India so that the friendly relationship will further deepen in economic security and other related fields.

Cho also noted the smooth progress in South Korea's export of K-9 self-propelled howitzers to India.

Singh expressed hope that the two countries will continue to advance their special strategic partnership in areas like high-tech manufacturing and people-to-people exchanges.

In the meeting with Watts, Cho highlighted the shared vision with Australia on the Indo-Pacific region and suggested the two sides will continue strategic communication and cooperation.

Cho thanked the country for its attention and support in relation to the supply deal on the 129 South Korean-made Redback infantry fighting vehicles signed between Hanwha and the Australian arms procurement agency.

Watts also had a meeting with First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun and discussed the Indo-Pacific strategy and other regional issues, including North Korea's provocations and its illicit military cooperation with Russia, Seoul's foreign ministry said. (Yonhap)
A former consultant surgeon who was struck off the medical register after he was found guilty of branding the livers of two patients he was operating on with his initials has found a new career as a novelist.

Simon Bramhall, who worked as a hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgeon until his dismissal in 2013, has now penned a series of novels - all apparently hospital themed and co-written with a former patient.

The surgeon admitted two charges of assault by beating at Birmingham Crown Court in December 2017 after using an argon beam machine to brand the organs while working as a liver transplant surgeon at the city's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

One set of the initials were discovered by a colleague after a patient needed a second operation days after Bramhall had operated on them. And a consultant anaesthetist reported seeing him making similar marks on the liver of another patient.

He was given a community order and fined 10,000, and his name was erased from the medical register after the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) concluded Bramhall's actions were 'born out of a degree of professional arrogance'.

Former liver surgeon Simon Bramhall, who was struck off in 2022, after it was found he had used an argon beam machine to brand his initials on two patients. Now, the ex consultant is crafting a new career as the author of a series of novels, all themed around hospitals

Bramhall, 60, now writes novels with a former patient of his Fionn Murphy - all have a surgical theme and sit under the heading Scalpel Stories on his website

More than a decade since the original incidents, Bramhall, who lives in Cornwall with his wife, has just released a new book, Letterman, which is described on his Scalpel Stories website as being about a surgeon, his patient and 'two letters - a set of initials'. In a case of art imitating life, the plot sees central protagonist Alex, the surgeon, burning his initials onto the liver of a patient.

Speaking to the Guardian this week, Bramhall discussed how extreme stress at the operating table had led him to make the markings, saying they were a 'lighthearted relief of tension' after a difficult operation.

Bramhall had been working on Patient A in August 2013 and the operation had been expected to go ahead without complication.

The ex medical professional's latest book is called 'Letterman', with previous titles including Trick or Treat and Dilemma

Bramhall branded the patients' organs while working as a transplant surgeon at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham

In 2022, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service concluded (pictured) Bramhall's actions were 'born out of a degree of professional arrogance' and his name should be erased from the register

However, he told the newspaper that it took four failed attempts to connect a donor liver to Patient A's artery - and he was forced to cut the artery to a shorter than usual length after finding a tear in it.

When he finally made a successful connection, he took some sample tissue for reference, and used an argon beam coagulator to cauterise the bleeding.

He said: 'Its the sort of level of stress that I would say very few people ever feel. Im not just saying that as an excuse  I think thats factual.'

He added that after stopping the bleeding 'what I should have done is put the argon down. But I didnt.'

Bramhall's sentencing hearing in 2018 was told one of the victims suffered serious psychological harm as a result of the branding, while the other was traced through hospital records but 'did not wish to engage' with police.

The co-author of his series of books is Fionn Murphy, a retired teacher who met Bramhall when he 'saved her life'. Other titles so far have included Trick or Treat, Charity and Dilemma. The pair write the books collaboratively via email and have also penned a series of radio plays.
A 44-year-old mom is pregnant with her fourth baby from the same set of frozen embryos and is set to give birth 13 years after she had her first child through in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Tanis Larson and her 47-year-old husband, Dave, welcomed baby boy Kai, now 12, in 2011, before having two more IVF babies: Cruz, 10, and Clay, eight.

After having three IVF babies, the Canada-based couple had two kids naturally - Suzy, five, and Summer, three - and then kept the remaining two embryos frozen.

And when the couple got a call from their doctor asking if they wanted to use the remaining two embryos that were left on ice for more than a decade, Tanis and Dave jumped at the opportunity and are now expecting their sixth child - and their fourth boy in a set of IVF quadruplets.

Tanis Larson, 44, is pregnant with her sixth child as she is expecting her fourth baby through IVF this year

Tanis Larson, and her 47-year-old husband, Dave, welcomed baby boy Kai, now 12, in 2011, and then had two more IVF babies: Cruz, 10, and Clay, eight

After having three IVF babies, the Canada-based couple had two kids naturally - Suzy, five, and Summer, three - and then kept the remaining two embryos frozen

HOW DOES IVF WORK? The menstrual cycle is first suppressed with medication before other drugs are used to encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs than usual. An ultrasound scan is carried out to check the development of the eggs, and medication is used to help them mature. The eggs are then collected by a needle inserted into the ovaries, via the vagina, before the eggs are fertilised with sperm. Finally the fertilised embryo is transferred into the womb to grow and develop. A single IVF cycle has an average success rate of 32.3 per cent for those under 35, dropping to five per cent for women aged 43 and 44 and only 1.9 per cent for those 45 and older. Despite IVF being most effective for the under 35s, 57 per cent of IVF cycles are undergone by women 35 or older. Advertisement

Tanis is due to give birth to the baby boy later this year.

The four boys are considered quads because they were conceived on the same day - and at the same time - through IVF, from the same batch of embryos.

Once the little one is born Tanis and Dave will have six kids - because she had two girls naturally, against the odds, after Clay was born.

The stay-at-home noted that each pregnancy was a surprise to the couple.

She said: 'Every time we found out that I was pregnant it was more of a shock. We were going to be happy with one child, so to have five with six on the way is amazing.

'Last year we chose to go back and use the final two embryos but as they were 13 years old we only had a 20 per cent chance they were going to take.

'I feel like my husband and I are always open to things and have a "let's do it" attitude.'

The parents, who always wanted at least three kids, had been trying to conceive for two years before they turned to IVF.

On November 1, 2010, Tanis had 13 healthy embryos to use.

'Because my husband and I were both in our 30s [...] we figured we better start the process sooner rather than later. We decided to do one round and now we have got four children out of it,' she said.

Kai was born in August 2011 at 9:38 p.m., weighing 7lb 4oz at Foothills Hospital in Calgary, Canada.

The mom-of-six loved being pregnant and was overjoyed to experience motherhood.

And when the couple got a call from their doctor asking if they wanted to use the remaining embryos that were left on ice for more than a decade, Tanis and Dave jumped at the chance

The four boys are considered quads because they were conceived on the same day - and at the same time - through IVF from the same batch of embryos

She added: 'It was just an amazing feeling to find out we were pregnant. It was unexplainable, we couldn't believe it. We had tried for so long we couldn't believe it had worked the same time.'

They went back to the IVF clinic when Kai was 13 months old for round two.

Tanis said: 'We knew we had so many embryos so we wanted to use them and we wanted to have three children.

'They decided that because they were frozen they would use two embryos which would give us a better chance to get one.'

And it worked, Cruz, 10, was born in January 2014.

Just over a year later, Tanis returned to the clinic again and fell pregnant with Clay, who was born in May 2016.

The mom noted that having three boys was a 'complete dream.'

They moved into a newly renovated home with four bedrooms and they were 'so happy.'

The mom noted that having three boys was a 'complete dream'

The pregnancy came as a complete shock to the couple, who said they thought they were done having children

The week they moved into the new home, Tanis found out she had fallen pregnant naturally with her daughter, Suzy, born in January 2019.

The pregnancy came as a complete shock to the couple, who said they thought they were done having children.

Tanis said: 'We... thought we were finished. We knew we had some embryos left that we might have gone back for but for us our family was complete.

'It was the most amazing feeling - the fact I was 39 and all of a sudden we became pregnant on our own.'

Tanis was even more surprised when she fell pregnant with her fifth child in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic.

'Our doctor told us not to get Dave fixed as it was a miracle we fell pregnant naturally,' she said.

'So we decided not to and I found out I was pregnant. Dave was like, "You can't be serious, this is not happening now we have this house and two extra kids."

'Each time he became more shocked - my poor husband.'

Their fifth baby, Summer, was born in May 2021.

In 2023, Tanis received a call from her doctor at the IVF clinic who said she had two embryos left she could use or throw away.

Tanis was even more surprised when she fell pregnant with her fifth child in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic

Tanis and Dave decided to go through with the transfer and are expecting their sixth child - and fourth through IVF - in May 2024

Tanis and Dave decided to go through with the transfer and are expecting their sixth child - and fourth through IVF - in May 2024.

She noted that she hoped her experience inspired other moms who were looking to have children later in life.

'It was a toss-up, we had two left and my husband and I thought about it for a while and decided to go through with it,' Tanis said.

'I am 32 weeks now and so far so good. All the scans show the baby doesn't have any complications.

'It sounds very cliche but people should expect the unexpected. Moms who want a family should never give up - I want to give moms hope.'
The Princess Royal and Duchess of Edinburgh proved they make quite the power duo as they hosted a reception for Korean War Veterans together today.

Stepping in for King Charles III, 75, as he continues cancer treatment, Anne, 73, and Sophie, 59, appeared in high spirits as they chatted with attendees at Buckingham Palace, central London.

The pair greeted various veterans at the intimate event, which set out to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.

Despite King Charles' physical absence, the monarch added a personal touch to the reception and delivered a message via Anne.

Charles explained that his absence from the event has made him feel 'disappointed' and 'frustrated' but is 'most grateful to the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Edinburgh for standing in.'

The Princess Royal and Duchess of Edinburgh stepped in for King Charles III today and hosted a reception for Korean war veterans

In marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, the royal family aimed to honour the some 60,000 British and 50,000 Commonwealth servicemen and women who served in the Korean War.

Anne looked chic in a tunic dress as she engaged in light conversation with attendees.

She traded her usual muted shades for a bright blue dress, completed with a luxury brooch.

The Princess's hair was pinned in a classic updo, and she added an element of glamour to her ensemble with a vibrant shade of red lipstick.

Elsewhere, Sophie appeared cheerful as she shook hands with guests, including Director of Remembrance Philippa Rawlinson.

Looking typically elegant, the late Queen's daughter-in-law opted for a stylish satin dress with a floral print.

The Duchess styled her blonde tresses in a bun and wore a glam face of make-up, accentuating her eyes with dark mascara and eyeshadow.

The mother-of-two added glitz to her outfit and sported a pair of drop earrings with an opulent bronze stone.

Sophie smiled for photographs with war veterans during the reception, which marked 70 years since the end of the Korean War

The Duchess interacted with Korean War veteran Roger Baker (pictured left) and appeared to glance at his phone

The mother-of-two appeared in high spirits as she shook hands with veterans at the event in Buckingham Palace

During the event, Sophie met with the Director of Remembrance Philippa Rawlinson (pictured right)

Anne and Sophie spoke with Major General Eldon Millar (left), Korean Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Yeocheol Yoon (centre) and Director of Remembrance Philippa Rawlinson (right) during the reception

The Princess Royal was all smiles as she chatted with war veterans during the event earlier today

In his message delivered through Anne, Charles outlined his thoughts on the event. He wrote: 'I am delighted that so many of you are able to attend todays reception, a rather belated gathering, I fear, to mark seventy years having passed since the end of the Korean War.

'It has been a personal ambition of mine to invite you all, in some form, to Buckingham Palace to recognise this significant milestone and ensure you are all most deservingly honoured for your valiant service over seventy years ago.

'You might therefore imagine how particularly disappointed and frustrated I am to not be able to join you all in person... I can only hope that you are being well looked after in my absence and I am most grateful to the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Edinburgh for standing in for me.

'As you will know all too well, some 60,000 British and 50,000 Commonwealth servicemen and women served in the Korean War, alongside our United Nations Allies. During the Armistice in July 1953, President Eisenhower declared: "We shall fervently strive to ensure that this armistice will, in fact, bring free peoples one step nearer to their goal of a world at peace."

'Thanks to those of you present, and those you fought alongside, the free peoples of the Republic of Korea continue to experience democratic liberty and have proudly preserved peace ever since.

Korean Ambassador to the UK His Excellency Yeocheol Yoon appeared animated as she chatted with Anne and Sophie

The Duchess looked chic in a mid-length satin dress for the occasion. She added a touch of glamour to her ensemble with a pair of bronze earrings

Princess Anne greeted Director of Remembrance Philippa Rawlinson at the event with a firm handshake

The 73-year-old royal looked focused as she chatted with a war veteran while clutching on to her black leather bag

Looking typically stylish, Anne donned a bright blue tailored tunic dress at the Buckingham Palace event

Sophie greeted Korean War veteran Roger Baker (pictured in the centre) on behalf of King Charles

This enduring legacy was further commemorated during the recent Korean State Visit, when President Yoon himself declared that Korea would not have the political freedom, economic prosperity and flourishing culture today, that has extended far beyond its borders, without your bravery all those years ago.'

Charles concluded: 'In a world where freedoms are continually being challenged and our values scrutinised, your selfless courage and steadfast pursuit of peace are guiding principles which have not been forgotten and continue to inspire generations to come.

'We salute all those who remain among us, and offer our most heartfelt and undying gratitude for those who have gone before. Your service and your sacrifice will echo through the ages.'
A former child star who was rocketed into the spotlight thanks to the hit show Family Affair has opened up about his brutal descent into drug addiction and alcoholism.

Johnny Whitaker, now 64, who started acting when he was only three and is best known for playing Jody Davis on the beloved CBS sitcom, spoke out about how he turned to partying after the series came to an end during a recent chat with Fox News.

The actor explained he became an 'addict' after he was thrown into an 'environment where drinking and using drugs was acceptable' at age 16.

'To have a successful childhood, you need to choose the right peers,' he told the publication. 'Most of my peers were 20, 25, 30 years older than me.

Former child star Johnny Whitaker (seen in 2021) has opened up about his brutal descent into drug addiction and alcoholism

Johnny, now 64, started acting when he was only three and is best known for playing Jody Davis on the beloved CBS sitcom Family Affair (seen)

He spoke out about how he turned to partying after the series came to an end to Fox, and he said he was put into an 'environment where drinking and using drugs was acceptable' at age 16

'My peers were chosen for me And when youre in an environment where drinking and using drugs is acceptable, it becomes acceptable to you.

'You dont think theres anything wrong with using and drinking  And to some extent, I didnt always fit in.

'Those were just some of the reasons that I became an addict, an alcoholic. I wanted to fit in.'

Johnny started his career off by acting in commercials for Mattel - before he landed the role of young Scotty Baldwin in the soap opera General Hospital.

His first feature film was in 1966, in the movie The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.

But his breakout role came later that year, when he was cast in Family Affair. It was a massive success, and went on for five seasons before concluding in 1971.

It also starred Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot, and followed a New York City bachelor named Bill Davis whose life was turned upside down after his brother died - which meant he suddenly had to raise three young kids.

'It was always fun,' Johnny recalled to Fox of being on set of Family Affair as a kid.

After Family Affair, Johnny went on to star in a few other movies and shows, including Disney's Snowball Express and Napoleon and Samantha (seen)

He also acted in the musical film adaptation of Tom Sawyer, and the series Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (seen)

But amid his sudden fame, the actor (seen in 2014) said he started attending a slew of Hollywood parties as young as 16 - where he was exposed to drugs and alcohol

'We were always coddled and cared for by Brian, along with the producers and directors. They took care of us. It was an adventure.'

After Family Affair came to an end, Johnny went on to star in a few other movies and shows, including Disney's Snowball Express and Napoleon and Samantha, the musical film adaptation of Tom Sawyer, and the series Sigmund and the Sea Monsters.

But amid his sudden fame, he said he started attending a slew of Hollywood parties as young as 16 - where he was exposed to drugs and alcohol.

His former Family Affair costar Anissa Jones - who had played his sister, Buffy Davis, in the show - also had a rough time after the show came to an end. She died of a drug overdose in 1976, when she was only 18 years old

Things only got worse for him when he went through a divorce in 1988, and his girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, tragically took her own life later that year.

He married a woman named Symbria Wright in 1984, but they went their separate ways after four years together.

Soon after, he started dating someone new and was delighted when she found out she was expecting - but she died by suicide and took his unborn child's life with her.

'When she became pregnant with my child, it was too much on her. She chose to take her life, along with my childs,' Johnny shared.

'That was a traumatic experience for me, my divorce and then losing my girlfriend and child. That made it easy for me to choose drugs and alcohol.'

His former Family Affair costar Anissa Jones - who had played his sister, Buffy Davis, in the show - also had a rough time after the show came to an end. She died of a drug overdose in 1976, when she was only 18 years old.

After more than two decades of battling substance abuse, the star (seen in 2002) decided to get help in 1997 and he has since turned his life around

He is now a certified drug counselor and dedicates his time to helping others who are struggling with similar problems. He's seen in 2016

'She was my sister. I understand that this life, our existence, is a very short one. But it was still difficult to lose her so young,' reflected Johnny.

After more than two decades of battling substance abuse, the star decided to get help in 1997.

He said he realized it was time to change after having an 'a-ha moment' following a 'family intervention.'

He has since turned his life around, and he now dedicates his time to helping others who are struggling with similar problems.

Johnny is now a certified drug counselor and founded his own nonprofit organization that focuses on helping Spanish speaking addicts.

The former child star, who is Mormon, runs 12-step meetings at a local county jail 'once a month.'

'I go in to share my experience, as well as offer strength and hope,' he explained. 'I do it through my ministry.

'I want to tell these guys that there is hope. They can get clean and sober. They can get out of the revolving door that they find themselves in.'

After a nearly-30-year break from acting, he returned to the screen in 2002, when he made a brief appearance in the Family Affair remake.

He also co-hosted a radio show in 2012 called The Dr. Zod and Johnny Show and starred in the 2013 film A Talking Cat!?!

Now, he told Fox that he's working on a memoir that he 'hopes to get out' by 'the end of the year' and is gearing up to star in another new flick.

'This summer in North Carolina, Im working with Charlene Tilton, a friend of mine, on a new film. Shes the female lead, so weve been busy working on that,' he dished.

The actor also insisted that he has no regrets about his past mistakes, adding, '[If it didn't happen], I wouldnt have learned the things that Ive learned.'
Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian have come under furious fire from a professional psychotherapist over their controversial new movie collaboration which saw the actress being directed by her child as she performed a lesbian sex scene.

Elizabeth, 58, raised eyebrows for her steamy scene with another woman in the raunchy trailer for her upcoming film Strictly Confidential; which was directed by her 21-year-old son Damian.

While Elizabeth claimed to feel 'liberated' by having a family member around to film the saucy scenes, Couples Therapy star Dr Jenn Mann has criticized her actions.

According to the licensed marriage, family and child therapist, filming the scenes are a major boundary breach between parent and child, and she would advise against simulating sex in front of your child.

While Elizabeth Hurley claimed to feel 'liberated' by having a family member around to film the saucy scenes, Couples Therapy star Dr Jenn Mann (pictured) has criticized her actions

Strictly Confidential features the actress getting steamy with another woman, in scenes filmed and directed by her son, a model and budding filmmaker

Jenn told TMZ she found the actress' comments about the scenes being 'liberating,' 'bizarre' - and weren't aligned with a healthy parent-child dynamic.

She told the publication in her opinion, despite Damian being an adult, directing his own mother's erotic scenes is crossing some lines between parent and child.

Elizabeth, who shares Damian with ex-Steve Bing, previously told Access Hollywood she felt 'safe and looked after' shooting the film.

'Its relaxing knowing someones behind the camera who looks out for you,' the Austin Powers star explained, adding that was particularly important when filming this movie.

'Because the things that his script needed me to do in this werent necessarily always done in movies many times before  but having him there meant I felt safe and looked after,' she said.

The actress added: Its kind of liberating to work with your family, I may do it again.'

Damian agreed with his mom, telling the publication he didn't find the controversial scene problematic.

'We felt in our comfort zone, its very strange. I think, also, when youre on an independent film, you have 18 days to shoot, every single second counts,' he shared. 'You cant sit around mulling scenes, thinking "What if?"'

Elizabeth, who shares Damian (pictured) with ex-Steve Bing, previously told Access Hollywood she felt 'safe and looked after' shooting the film

The actress showed off her racier side in a jaw-dropping sex scene in the first trailer for Strictly Confidential, her son Damian's directorial debut

Damian revealed his mother Elizabeth had 'promised' to star in his first picture years ago, and when it was greenlit, she 'dropped everything' to take part

It's not the first time the mother-son duo have raised eyebrows. In 2018 she revealed the secret photographer behind her stream of bikini Instagram posts was in fact her only son

The director and model spoke to People about the film earlier in the year, revealing his mother Elizabeth had 'promised' to star in his first picture years ago, and when it was greenlit, she 'dropped everything' to take part.

He praised his mom in a heartfelt Instagram post, writing: Everyone involved deserves public declarations of adoration (all of which will come in due course) but right now I want to worship @ElizabethHurley1 who, during the making of my first ever short film back in 2010 (when I was 8) promised me shed be in my first feature; true to her word, the minute this film was greenlit, Mama dropped everything and raced out to the beautiful Caribbean to help. Working together was a dream.

The mystery drama - directed by 21-year-old Damian - follows Mia, played by Georgia Lock, as she is drawn into a 'world of sex, duplicity and betrayal' while trying to uncover the mystery surrounding her best friend Rebecca's suicide.

The trailer shows Mia returning to the exotic Caribbean island where Rebecca died, and along with uncovering old passions, vows to learn the truth about her friend's death.

In the trailer, Elizabeth's character Lil is being seduced by Natasha, played by actress Pear Chiravara.

It's not the first time the mother-son duo have raised eyebrows. In 2018 she revealed the secret photographer behind her seemingly endless stream of bikini Instagram posts was in fact her only son.

Damians shadow is even visible in some of the images, where she frolics on the beach in a two-piece swimsuit.

She made the revelation after uploading a series of sizzling holiday snaps of herself braless and in a bikini for Valentine's Day.

Strictly Confidential will be released in cinemas and on Prime Video on April 5.
Kris Jenner's late sister Karen Houghton had a complicated relationship with the famous momager, but during one of their times of peace she underwent a dramatic transformation to look like her high-profile sibling by getting an extensive facelift.

The Kardashians star Kris shared on Tuesday that her younger sister had died 'unexpectedly' the day before aged 65, with officials attributing her death to natural causes, but exact circumstances remain unclear.

Karen, who famously had a rollercoaster relationship with the 68-year-old Kardashian-Jenner matriarch, was reported deceased to San Diego County officials on Monday in San Marcos, California, according to TMZ.

Having a famous sibling isn't always easy, but in 2016, Karen paid the reality TV star the ultimate compliment by undergoing a facelift to 'look like my beautiful sister Kris.'

Kris Jenner's late sister Karen Houghton underwent a dramatic transformation to look like her high-profile sibling in 2016. Pictured left is Karen before and right is after

After revealing the transformation three weeks after the surgery Karen (left) told Inside Edition: 'I look like my beautiful sister and I never thought I would.' Pictured right is Kris in 2016

During a special segment on Inside Edition, Karen allowed TV cameras to document the grueling five-hour procedure.

At the time, the Kardashians' self-proclaimed 'crazy aunt' explained on camera that she wasn't happy with certain aspects of her appearance.

'Certain angles of my face were just not what I wanted. No one wants a double chin,' she said.

Karen's plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Talei transformed her face with an AuraLyft - apparently the most extensive facelift a woman could get at the time.

She admitted that while she felt some pressure to 'keep up with the Kardashians,' she was mainly having the nip-tuck for herself.

She added: 'Of course the Kardashians  everyone wants to look beautiful.'

Under just local anesthetic, and able to talk to the doctor throughout, Karen's operation lasted five hours.

Dr. Talei lifted Karen's face and neck, and also removed fat from under her eyes and transferred it to her cheeks to make her cheekbones more pronounced.

The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, with county officials attributing her death to natural causes for now

Kris reunited with Karen after a period of estrangement in 2019 - with their meet documented in an Instagram Story posted by Karen's daughter Natalie Zettel - [L-R] Natalie, Karen, Mary Jo Campbell, Kris and Kylie Jenner

In May 2023, Karen's daughter Natalie posted a loving tribute for Mother's Day posing with Karen and grandma MJ

After revealing the transformation three weeks after the surgery Karen told Inside Edition: 'I look like my beautiful sister, Kris, and I never thought I would.'

She added that she was pleased with the 'incredible' results.

In 2013, Karen claimed her famous sister spent $1 million on plastic surgery stemming from being self-conscious about her weight when she was younger.

'She was heavy as a kid and became worried about her looks at age 15,' Karen told In Touch magazine at the time.

She added: 'The whole world knows it  Kris is vain.'

However, the mother-of-six has always been open about getting cosmetic surgery, admitting to both a breast augmentation and facelift.

The TV star had her face done in 2011 and had a second boob job in 2012.

Kris and Karen have long endured a rollercoaster relationship, oscillating between taking public barbs at one another, to Kris lavishing her little sister with pricey gifts.

Part-time nurse Karen had become known as the black sheep of the family after she candidly opened up outside Kim Kardashian's baby shower in 2013 and even did a jig for waiting reporters.

Despite signing an NDA for the event, Karen waxed lyrical about eating 'marshmallow on a stick', the rose cake at the event and the goody bag, saying Kim and Kanye West 'gave out Rolexes.'

In an interview with DailyMail.com in 2014, Karen explained that she wouldn't be attending Kim and Kanye's wedding that year and revealed: 'I'm not materialistic, I'm more into animals and charities.'

She has frequently been outspoken when her sister Kris has riled her up.

Karen called Kris vain in 2013 for having '$1 million of surgery.' The KUWTK has been open about having a facelift (pictured in 2011) and two breast augmentations

In April 2014, Karen wrote on her Facebook page: 'Pray for Kris Jenner she needs itcrazy. Shes (sic) as nutcase.

'She doesn't need prayers she needs sky vodka hahaha hahaha hahaha.'

And explaining her somewhat harsh views, Karen said: 'I get p***ed off at her because she doesn't respond to me.

'If you think your sister would call you back, she doesn't. And it hurts me.'

However the part-time nurse did poke fun at herself too, in a May 2014 Facebook post, writing, 'Be someone s crazy aunt...its fabulous! !! K (sic)'

Karen blamed her sibling's celebrity status and hunger for fame and fortune.

She said: 'I don't care how much money you have or who you are, you're my sister. I'm not afraid of her. I can't get to her anymore. But I guess it's the money.

'She's a huge celebrity and now she has changed. I'm not saying good or bad. But I've seen what it can do to Kris ever since she moved to L.A.'

Admitting she has had run-ins with Kris - mainly to do with caring for their aging mother, Karen previously told MailOnline: 'I called up Kris yelling at her, because I was like, "You need to help your mom more and you know it." And I think that she kind of got the message. I was screaming - I don't even care.'

In 2014, the former air stewardess told Radar, 'when you express a loving family and family values and a close family and my mom wants to live in La Jolla, buy her a condo, Kris! I don't understand her. I never will. It's just her personality.'

The attack followed a 2013 interview during which Kris told Radar: 'Unfortunately, my sister has been dealing with demons for years.'

In 2019, the pair were revealed to have reunited in an Instagram Story posted by Karen's daughter Natalie.

The feuding sisters posed smiling with Natalie; her famous cousin, Kylie Jenner; and their mother, Mary Jo 'MJ' Campbell.

Kris, born Kristen Mary Houghton, was raised in San Diego with Karen, her only sibling.

Their single mother MJ looked after them when their parents divorced. Kris was just seven.

In the star's 2011 autobiography she said of her sister, 'We loved each other, and we were there for each other through thick and thin, and to this day we are a part of each other's lives.'
A mum's lunchbox fail has left hundreds in hysterics after her 'cute' snack didn't turn out the way she expected.

The woman attempted to create a character with her kiwi fruit by adding edible eyes onto it.

'My daughter is having a tough time adjusting to school, so I started adding little bits and pieces to jazz up her lunch box (notes, love hearts, silly faces) as something for her to look forward to,' the mum shared on Facebook.

However, her idea took a turn when her daughter brought back the fruit uneaten.

The mum was faced with a horrifying and 'haunted' sight of an eyeless kiwi face.

The mum was faced with a horrifying and 'haunted' sight of an eyeless kiwi face

'I thought itd be a great idea to chuck some cake decorating eyes into a kiwi fruit,' she explained.

'I was wrong, it was not a good idea and now the house is haunted,' the mum joked.

Once her daughter had removed and snacked on the candy eyes, the remaining fruit simply looked too spooky to eat.

The mum said that she might stick to post-it notes next time to avoid another accidental horror.

This will be the last time I Frankenstein some fruit to life, she said.

A mum attempted to create a character with her kiwi fruit by adding edible eyes onto it

A few suggested sticking to common shapes like hearts or stars, and looking into edible glitter instead.

Many other parents couldn't stop laughing at the amusing sight.

'Thats hilarious - sorry about the haunted house,' a mum said.

'Oh my god - that's terrifying!' another said.

'I'm going to do this to make my boys laugh tomorrow,' another mum shared.
An American expat was 'mind-blown' after walking around an Australian shopping centre for the first time.

The young woman from California has gained a TikTok following of more than 17,400 people by sharing her experiences under the username @beefystuu.

This week the 26-year-old 'felt like she was in Dubai' while browsing the stores at Karrinyup shopping centre in Perth and couldn't believe the selection of stores, restaurants, pharmacies and discount retailers.

She was gobsmacked by the 'fancy' bathrooms, the butcher and how customers can take a trolley between different stores.

'Shopping centres in Western Australia, or maybe just Australia as a whole, are just so much better than the ones back home,' she said in a video.

The 26-year-old was in awe walking around Karrinyup shopping centre in Perth and couldn't believe her eyes as American shopping centres only have clothing and shoe stores with fast food restaurants

Recording herself while walking around the shopping centre, she was left in disbelief as American shopping centres only have clothing and shoe stores with fast food restaurants.

'This is a shopping mall and they have a fresh market! America could never ever,' she said.

'Another thing that is mind-blowing to me is that people will put everything in a cart from one store than walk around the mall and still [take] the cart. That's not something you see in the States.

'This is crazy. Anything you can think of you can find it here.

'Honestly if you just add some apartment units to this mall you probably would never have to step foot outside of this building to sustain your life - that's how crazy it is.'

Speaking of US shopping centres, she said: 'Some are really nice, but you won't see any grocery stores or a plethora of specialty stores. Just a lot of designer shops and that's it. Other ones are just down right ghetto and embarrassing.'

'Shopping centres in Western Australia, or maybe just Australia as a whole, are just so much better than the ones back home,' she said in a video

The young solo traveller also told FEMAIL she instantly fell in love with Australia soon after touching down.

'The whole experience has really humbled me. I love the vegetation and wildlife you guys have and how everyone looks out for one another. I'm learning a lot,' she said.

She was almost brought to tears after seeing kids catching public transport with their friends or alone - highlighting the safety of the country.

'It blew my mind but it tells me how safe you guys are compared to the states. [In America] you don't really see kids going out on their own like that anymore and if they do, you are just concerned for their safety and wonder where there parents are at because it's really not safe there,' she said.

And the expat prefers Australian food and produce and the how restaurants don't charge for tap water.

'Australia is super multicultural and diverse and it's genuinely a happy place,' she added.

'The only thing I don't like is that everything closes at 5pm.'

The TikTok video also made many Aussies wonder what American shopping centres are like (stock image)

After just 24 hours the video exceeded more than 577,000 views and made Aussies feel grateful about their home country.

'Me an Australian realising just how lucky I am,' one person wrote, someone else said: 'I couldn't help but laugh because you're in such awe and wonder! Never realised how amazing my local Westfield would be to an American.'

The video also made many wonder what American shopping centres are like.

'Wait there's aren't grocery and chemists stores in shopping centres over there?! That is WILD to me. Definitely a thing all over Australia,' one person commented.

What do shopping malls have in the US? Just clothes?' another asked.

And the expat said: 'Yeah and cosmetics and shoes for the most part. The cafeterias are normally just fast food chained restaurants.'

Another person added: 'Sis, when you get home, you really need to post what shopping is like there. I couldn't imagine not having a butcher or fruit market.'
A hospitality worker has been blasted by the parents of some unruly children after she scolded them for misbehaving in the restaurant she works in.

The outraged parents demanded the server get fired because she shouted at the children who were running around and almost knocked over a tray full of hot drinks.

The woman thinks she may have overreacted but said she was in the right for telling the kids to be careful and behave.

She explained she was working a busy shift at the large restaurant where she's employed when a big family of seven adults and five kids came in for lunch.

'These kids had been running riot, screaming and yelling and playing what I think was tag. I was carrying a large tray of hot drinks when one of the kids goes whirring past me,' the waitress recalled.

A waitress had a heated run-in with some parents after she told off their children for running around the restaurant she worked at (stock image)

'The parents hadn't said anything at this point even though their kids had been running around for the past 30 minutes, one of them had already started throwing a fit and trying to undress themselves.'

The server almost had another run-in with one of the children when she was bringing hot drinks to another table.

'I shouted at the kids and told them they need to either sit down at their table and shut up, or stay outside where they can't get hurt by running into us with our hot drinks,' she said.

'I understand I could have been more polite, but there were about 100 people in the restaurant at this point and they had nearly crashed into me with boiling pots of tea.'

She said the parents were 'livid', the child she scolded started crying and the family complained to her manager that she was 'rude' which got her in 'a lot of trouble'.

'They wanted me fired for quote 'trying to discipline their kids' I get what I said wasn't good but at least it stopped their kid from getting third-degree burns from a pot of tea,' she said.

The outraged parents demanded the server get fired because she shouted at the children who were running around and almost knocked over a tray full of hot drinks (stock image)

The woman shared her dilemma in a Reddit post admitting she was slightly too 'hot-headed' with the children but maintains she was in the right for telling them off.

One user was on her side saying: 'I guarantee you if the child had run into you causing you to drop hot drinks on them and they got burns from it, the restaurant would have had a lawsuit from the parents.'

'You did nothing wrong except for having too much patience. Your manager, the parents and the kids all need to be spanked!' joked a second.

'When are such parents going to be more responsible and be able to discipline their children when in public?! It's not hard. You did the right thing,' a third agreed.

Others said she should not have lost her temper at the family and instead had a polite word.

'You should have said something to the parents, or asked your manager to do so before you reached the boiling point,' one wrote.

'My point is best to bite your tongue these days,' another added.

However, the waitress pointed out: 'My manager had spoken to them already before this point, the parents said that they would speak to their kidsthey never did and then started b****ing about my manager.'
A boss has been slammed for trying to punish an employee working the night shift because he chose to work from home.

Ben Askins, from the UK, shared the story of an anonymous office worker whose team was in the US for the week.

Because they were overseas, the man had to work on American time to be able to support them - therefore he was hunched over his laptop well into the night.

He thought it was reasonable to ignore his company's two day mandate for going into the office as it would be empty during his work hours - but everything came crashing down when he received a stern message from his manager.

'Apparently you haven't been going into the office this week?' the message read.

A boss has been slammed for trying to punish an employee working the night shift because he chose to work from home

The office worker responded: 'Yeah, I'm the only one in the office this week as everyone else is in the States for the event.'

'You know the policy, everyone must go in at least twice a week,' the manager shot back.

But the employee didn't see the logic in commuting to an empty office.

'I get that, but as I'm working on US hours to support the team, it is a lot easier to just do it from home, especially as everything is on Teams anyway,' he said.

'The reason we have the office is to provide face-to-face time with everyone,' the manager responded.

The employee didn't see the logic in commuting to an empty office

The employee tried to defend himself again, but the manager was having none of it.

'I am not here to discuss, I just wanted to make it clear that if you do this again, it will be a warning,' he reprimanded.

'This is a joke right? Because it sounds like you are giving me a warning for not going in to spend time in an empty office,' the employee texted back.

His boss said: 'Why would I be joking? Sarcasm is not necessary. I am going to send you a link so we can discuss this further.'

In a final, petty jab, the employee shot back: 'Are you sure you don't want me to come into the office for it?'

READ MORE: Fed-up bosses who refuse to hire Gen Z claim they are the laziest generation ever: 'They barely even show up' Speaking to Kian & Yaz (pictured) with Avneesha CADA radio about the study, various employers called in complaining of Gen Z employees not 'being able to say good morning', while others said they 'don't want to show up' Advertisement

Mr Askins furiously slammed the boss's management style.

'This is my issue - when companies are this inflexible, you just start treating people like children. It makes complete sense to work from home if you're working US hours and supporting your team from abroad. It is a judgement call.

'The business shouldn't care if he's in the office or not as long as he's doing his work. It's so unnecessary to make him commute to do remote calls all day,' he said.

But a few didn't see the issue with asking employees to work from the office.

'If your boss wants you to go to the office, then go. It's not up to employees to decide where they want to work,' one said.

'You should alert your boss before making a 'judgement call' of not coming to work. Remote work is not something you can decide to do. It has to be sanction by your manager. It's common sense for me,' another added.
First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun met with his Czech counterpart, Jan Marian, on Tuesday to discuss various bilateral and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Marian, deputy minister of foreign affairs, is currently visiting the country to attend the third Summit for Democracy.

Kim expressed hope for enhanced cooperation between the two countries as strategic partners, according to the ministry.

He also asked for the Czech government's support for a Korean company seeking to win the Dukovany nuclear power plant project.

In January, Prague selected Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and Electricite de France as the two finalists for the project. The winner is expected to be determined by June.

Marian was quoted as saying that the Czech government is well aware of South Korea's technological capabilities and experience.

On North Korea, the two officials shared their concerns about Pyongyang's continued provocations and the threat posed by North Korea-Russia military cooperation to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe, the ministry said.

They agreed to cooperate in preventing Pyongyang from evading U.N. Security Council sanctions and counter North Korea-Russia military cooperation, while also seeking to advance North Korea's denuclearization process and promote human rights in the reclusive North, it added.

They also stressed the need for the countries to closely cooperate with the international community to swiftly end the war in Ukraine and restore peace there. (Yonhap)
A luxury wellness resort overlooking an idyllic beach in Far North Queensland has been crowned Australia's best.

The Reef House Boutique Hotel and Spa is in the dreamy Cairns suburb of Palm Cove and earned the title of the best Five Star Luxury Accommodation in the country at the the 2024 Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin.

The adults-only hotel's rooms, restaurants and bars are mere metres away from the stunning Palm Cove Beach which recently placed number one on Conde Nast Traveller's top 34 Best Beaches in the World list.

The opulent rooms wrap around a sparkling communal pool surrounded by tropical palm trees and sun loungers.

Visitors can relax and recharge in one of the hotel's 67 suites, some of which feature a king-sized four-poster bed, a huge spa bath and views out over the picturesque beach.

The Reef House Boutique Hotel and Spa sitting metres away from an idyllic palm tree-shaded beach has been named the best luxury stay in Australia

It is in the dreamy Cairns suburb of Palm Cove and earned the title of the best Five Star Luxury Accommodation in Australia at the the 2024 Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin

The incredible adults-only hotel's rooms, restaurants and bars are mere metres away from the stunning Palm Cove Beach

Guests can enjoy more than 20 complimentary experiences as part of their beachside escape, from cocktail-making classes to yoga sessions on the sand and aqua aerobics.

There are also daily punch, canape and poolside sorbet sessions for guests as well as bikes to explore Palm Cove and a guest library to enjoy free of charge.

The Reef House Directors Malcolm Bean and David Horbelt started the gem together 13 years ago.

They said it was a great honour for the boutique hotel to win a national award which they attributed to the signature experiences guests are offered and high repeat visitation rates.

The opulent rooms wrap around a sparkling communal pool surrounded by tropical palm trees and sun loungers

Guests at The Reef House Boutique Hotel can enjoy more than 20 complimentary experiences from cocktail-making classes to yoga sessions on the sand and aqua aerobics

Visitors can relax and recharge in one of the hotel's 67 suites some of which feature a king-sized four-poster bed, a huge spa bath and views out over the picturesque Palm Cove beach

'The Reef House's vision to provide the best luxury tropical escape based on exclusiveness, experiences, service and memories is resounding with guests who flood TripAdvisor with positive reviews praising the way staff make them feel,' Mr Bean said.

'Our repeat visitation has soared to 25 per cent with guests who want to be pampered while they take time out for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation in a place where they know the staff by name.'

Mr Bean said the secret to Reef House's success is its high staff-to-guest ratio ensuring everyone who stays 'feels like a VIP' when they're on holiday.

The Reef House hotel's neighbouring Palm Cove beach was described by Conde Nast Traveller as 'the epitome of a tropical paradise'.

The Reef House Directors Malcolm Bean and David Horbelt started the Palm Cove gem together 13 years ago

The Reef House hotel's neighbouring Palm Cove beach was described by Conde Nast Traveller as 'the epitome of a tropical paradise'

They said it was a great honour for the boutique hotel to win a national award which they attributed to the signature experiences guests are offered and high repeat visitation rates

It beat out jaw-dropping beaches from all over the world including those in Hawaii, Fiji and France.

Its incredible sandy shore is shaded by leaning palm trees and 500-year-old melaleuca trees.

The inviting blue waters are popular for swimmers, fishers and kayakers. Whales and dolphins are often seen from the jetty.

The township of Palm Cove, home to just over 2,000 people, is considered by locals and visitors to be one of Tropical Northern Queensland's most 'glamorous beach villages' thanks to its collection of world-class, restaurants bars and spas.
Medics said while unsuccessful their trans patient still had a positive experience

A trans woman who tried 'chestfeeding' had to give up after a fortnight, according to a case report that challenges claims biological men can breastfeed successfully.

The unidentified 37-year-old, from the Netherlands, failed to produce enough liquid to feed her newborn. She was making only 7ml a day, 100 times less than what the NHS says is needed by that point.

Medics in Amsterdam, who treated her, documented how she wanted to breastfeed in tandem with her partner to help with 'bonding' and share the workload.

The trans woman  who froze her sperm before transitioning  conceived her child with her partner, a biological female, via IVF in 2020 using her own sperm.

Despite months of preparation, she had to stop the 'exhausting' process two weeks after her child was born due to the low amount of milk produced.

The case involved a 37-year-old trans woman, who was born male but identifies as a woman, who wanted to breastfeed her child to help with 'bonding' (image: Shutterstock)

But the researchers still said 'chestfeeding'  a controversial gender-neutral term for breastfeeding  was still 'valuable' for their patient. Sharing the trans woman's case, they also said breastfeeding has 'outgrown' its traditional female roots.

Trans women breastfeeding is a controversial topic.

Last month an NHS trust was forced to defend itself after stating 'human milk' from trans women is as good for babies as that produced by biological women.

And last year a British trans woman sparked outrage after sharing a photo of her breastfeeding her child on a bus.

How can biological men lactate? Trans women can make themselves lactate by taking a combination of medicines called the Newman-Goldfarb protocol. It tricks the body into making milk. It was originally developed for biological women who adopted or had a child via surrogacy and wanted to breastfeed. The method involves taking hormone boosting medications, including the pill. Other drugs that are used include anti-sickness medicine metoclopramide, heart medication digitalis and anti-psychotic chlorpromazine and sedative medications which are known to increase prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production. Domperidone, an anti-nausea drug, is the preferred option for the protocol as it has fewer potentially dangerous side effects. The drug regime is used in conjunction with a breast pump to mimic the changes a women's body undergoes during the late stages of pregnancy and shortly after the birth of a child. Experts have urged caution about transwomen using the Newman-Goldfarb protocol to lactate. They have warned that long term health implications from using the treatment, for both adult and baby, are unknown. There have been separate rare cases of biological men undergoing lactation in the past without deliberately setting out to do so. These are usually the result of a rare medication side effect influencing hormone production, or from a hormone-disorder. Advertisement

Induced lactation in trans women is not only controversial in itself. Experts are also concerned by how little we know of the long-term impacts of the process on children, given how some of the medications and hormones taken by trans women to induce lactation can leak into milk produced.

Writing in the International Breastfeeding Journal, the Dutch researchers said there was a 'rising demand' for 'chestfeeding' among trans women.

They detailed the case of their 37-year-old patient who was being treated for gender dysphoria in Amsterdam.

The trans women in question had undergone hormone therapy for 13 years and had a vaginoplasty, the removal of male genitalia and creation of an artificial neo-vagina.

Doctors prescribed her hormones and a galactagogue, a substance which induces lactation, for six months to help her lactate.

She also used a breast pump to physically prepare her body for milk extraction.

This process is known as the Newman-Goldfarb protocol, and is designed to mimic the changes a woman's body undergoes during pregnancy to prepare her for breastfeeding.

Once the baby was born, the medics reported the trans woman had some initial success in 'chestfeeding', giving her a 'positive experience'.

'Our patient started lactating and although the production of milk was low, it was sufficient for supplementary feeding and a positive experience for our patient,' they wrote.

However, she was forced to stop after just two weeks, describing the process of pumping for milk as 'exhausting'.

The medics also said the infant had suckling problems due to a developmental issue, and the trans woman was producing a low amount of milk.

At her peak, she produced just 7ml of milk per day, about 1 per cent of what a biological woman should ideally produce two weeks after birth.

The NHS says by two weeks, new mothers should be producing between 500 and 700ml of milk in a 24-hour period.

While the medics said 'chestfeeding' may help trans women with feelings of gender dysphoria, they said this wasn't the case with their patient.

'Our patient reported that lactation induction did not have a significant effect on her gender identity, neither did it alter the amount of gender dysphoria experienced,' they wrote.

They added that the trans woman said she was 'happy' to have achieved lactation, and for her child to latch onto her breast and 'be comforted'.

She said the decision to stop 'chestfeeding' had been 'tough' and 'it was a pity' not to be able to continue in the longer term.

Last year trans woman Mika Minio-Paluello, who was born male but now identifies as a woman, posted a picture appearing to show her breastfeeding her baby on a bus

The medics wrote the trans woman started breastfeeding earlier than planned with the baby born at 38 weeks instead of the expected 40, which may have impacted her success.

Cases recorded previously in medical literature have had similar outcomes, where the amount of milk produced is insufficient for feeding.

However, the authors said the process still had value for the parent.

'Nevertheless, as the success of induced lactation is often attributed to parent-infant bonding, rather than the possibility of exclusive 'chestfeeding', this experience is valuable,' they wrote.

But independent experts have previously expressed concerns about the practice.

One of those concerns is how the galactagogues used a part of inducing lactation could be dangerous to children.

Domperidone, primarily used as an anti-nausea medication, is one of the most commonly used in this process due to having a lower risk of side effects.

While not expressly designed for inducing lactation the drug  branded as Motilium  ups levels of prolactin, the hormone which encourages the production of milk, effectively tricking the body into making milk.

However, it still carries a potential risk of causing problems with a baby's heartrate, as tiny amounts have been detected in breastmilk among women taking it, something the medics in the recent case study acknowledged.

The patient leaflet for Motilium warns breastfeeding mothers that it's 'best not to take' it while nursing a baby due to the potential safety risks.

'Small amounts have been detected in breastmilk,' it reads.

'Motilium may cause unwanted side effects affecting the heart in a breastfed baby.

'Motilium should be used during breast feeding only if your physician considers this clearly necessary.'

Exactly how much domperidone passes through breast milk is still being assessed.

But the NHS advises that it is generally only a 'tiny amount' and has been used by women for many years without causing side effects in babies.

However, it still warns that it is best for breastfeeding women to only take it for a short time, and to keep a close watch on their baby for any changes in behaviour that could indicate a potential problem.

The drug is banned in the US entirely over concerns it causes heart problems.

Domperidone is not officially approved in the UK for use in trans women wanting to breastfeed.

But, medics are still allowed to prescribe it to increase milk production 'off-label'  a technical designation when a drug is being provided outside of its intended use.

Another known risk of the practice is that the medications trans women are prescribed as part of their gender affirming care could leak into the breastmilk they produce.

One of these is called spironolactone, a drug designed to stop the male hormone testosterone from working.

The Dutch medics said there is a potential risk of the drug passing into 'human milk' and it could impact the development of genitalia in newborn boys as a result.

They said this potential risk should be communicated to patients.

Another concern regards the nutritional composition of the 'milk' produced by breastfeeding trans woman.

The medics said they didn't analyse the nutritional value of the milk produced by their patient and this remained an area that needed further research overall.

Previous studies analysing milk produced by trans women are limited to a few isolated cases due to the rarity of the practice, meaning not much is known in general.

Limited work done so far suggests trans women produce milk resembling that of 'mature' breastmilk that produced towards the later stages of breastfeeding when the baby is older.

'Mature' breastmilk lacks colostrum, also called 'liquid gold', a component of breast milk produced in late pregnancy, and shortly after birth, which is highly nutritious to a newborn.

It gets its name from its yellow hue and the fact that it is packed with protein, vitamins, and antibodies that protect the baby from infection.

The the Newman-Goldfarb protocol used by trans women to lactate was originally developed in 2000 for women who had adopted a baby or had a child via surrogacy and still wanted to breastfeed.
Janet Allen is not one to let old age define her, according to her family. Until just over a year ago, the 85-year-old widow, who previously worked in admin, was living independently, walking a friends dog several times a week and relishing frequent visits from her four great-grandchildren.

But all that changed in January 2023 after Janet, who lives in Banstead, Surrey, fell from her bed and shattered her right hip.

It led to a chain of events that has left her frail, infirm and confined to a care home  unable to enjoy the freedom and independence she once thrived on.

Janet Allen, pictured with her grandson Jefferson, shattered her hip when she tried to climb out of her bed at Kingston Hospital

Its an unfortunate tale, certainly  but what makes Janets story so concerning is that the fall happened in hospital  the one place any vulnerable person should expect to feel safe and looked after.

Janet had been admitted to Kingston Hospital, Surrey, with a chest infection triggered by a severe bout of flu. As well as suffering a fever and breathlessness, she was experiencing dizziness and confusion (a common effect of infection in older people).

Having had a fall at home a few days earlier  which had left her bruised but thankfully not seriously injured  Janet was at high risk of another tumble.

As such, on arrival in an ambulance at A&E, she should have been given a falls risk assessment, to establish how likely it was she could suffer another collapse that might leave her with a fracture.

This is standard NHS protocol for any patient who is frail or unsteady; if someone is judged to be high risk, based on this assessment, they should receive round-the-clock supervision to prevent accidents happening, because a fracture could be life-changing.

In most cases, this will involve one nurse constantly monitoring up to six at-risk patients at a time  often in bays near the nursing station.

But, as Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust later admitted in a written apology to the family, staff failed to complete the assessment properly and had left Janet unsupervised for long periods of time.

Mum was always capable of caring for herself and living an independent life before this happened, says her daughter Jackie Batts, 58, a former hairdresser from Sutton, Surrey.

But shes never been able to go back home since, and that has been absolutely crushing for her.

Yet, sadly, Janets experience is far from unusual.

NHS England data reveals 250,000 patients a year in England and Wales suffer potentially dangerous falls while in hospital for treatment

In fact, every year 250,000 NHS patients in England and Wales alone suffer potentially dangerous falls while in hospital for treatment, according to NHS England data. Around 100,000 are left with bruises, grazes and lacerations, while 2,000 or so fracture a hip. An estimated 130 a year die from their injuries.

The annual bill for treating in-hospital injuries from falls is a staggering 630 million.

Falls represent the greatest threat to in-patient safety, mainly because a large proportion of hospital patients are elderly and fit into the at-risk group. But they are not the only danger patients of all ages face in hospital.

Last week, a coroners inquest heard how two patients at Manchester Royal Infirmary died after being served chicken mayonnaise sandwiches infected with the bug listeria.

The deaths of former nurse Beverley Sowah, 57, and retired pharmacy assistant Enid Heap, 84, were caused by meat which, it later transpired, had been past its use-by date.

Some patients have died after becoming trapped in their hospital beds  last September, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued an alert over the number of such accidents.

Between January 2018 and December 2022, the MHRA received reports of 18 deaths and 54 cases of serious injuries involving beds, rails, trolleys and grab handles, often due to worn or broken parts giving way.

Several deaths were due to unsupervised patients becoming caught up in gaps in the bed, or in the rails that had been meant to protect them.

One patient died of asphyxiation after getting his head trapped in the gap between the bed rail and the headboard.

In another tragic case, a young child died after their head got stuck between the bars of a hospital bed rail  no one had carried out a risk assessment to see if this was a hazard.

Jackie Batts, Janet's daughter, and her family are now pursuing possible legal action against Kingston Hospital

The gap between the horizontal bars was too large and the child slipped between them and asphyxiated as a result of head entrapment, said the MHRA.

These tragedies may seem rare  but, in fact, they could be more likely than other, more common fears, with research suggesting the chances of dying from medical error  of any kind  is 33,000 times greater than dying in a plane crash.

Latest figures from the National Reporting and Learning System, a database of patient safety incidents across the whole NHS, show that in England between April 2021 and March 2022 there were 1.65 million cases of patients being put in harms way as a result of NHS blunders  and the problem is getting worse, with the number of cases up by 8 per cent on the year before. More than 70,000 cases led to moderate-to-severe injury and, in nearly 6,000 cases, the patient died.

These figures cover everything from medication errors and delays in treatment to misdiagnosis and accidents in hospital, but the majority are due to falls.

Most of these incidents are entirely preventable, says Paul Whiteing, chief executive of the charity Action Against Medical Accidents. Its a major concern to us that they happen.

The causes vary, but staff shortages, lack of time and taking short cuts  with risk assessments simply not being done  are key factors.

Preventable falls are a major issue. We come across these cases all the time, says Kashmir Uppal, a partner at legal firm Shoosmiths in London.

A lot of them involve the elderly, as they are most at risk of falls. Theres a straightforward form that should be completed every time an elderly or at-risk patient comes into A&E.

Yet too often they dont bother with the assessment.

This risk assessment is a tick-box exercise that involves recording information such as a patients history of falls, as well as assessing their gait, balance and mobility, and whether poor eyesight puts them at risk of tumbling.

Last year, the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman for England, Rob Behrens, issued a damning report that said the NHS was not taking patient safety seriously enough. We are still seeing too many preventable tragedies, Mr Behrens said.

The NHS seems unable to learn from its mistakes, and we see the same repeated failings time and time again.

He called for a greater emphasis on patient safety, better support for families affected by harm, and improved staffing to reduce the risk of mishaps. He also pointed to a deficit of accountability and compassion for patients and their families when things go wrong.

The recent litany of avoidable deaths includes a 78-year-old man who suffered a bleed on the brain after falling from his hospital bed three times. Despite being high-risk, hed not been properly supervised by staff, and in February last year [2023], NHS Highland in Scotland was fined 180,000 over his death.

In April 2021, Croydon University Hospital was forced to apologise following the death of a vulnerable 84-year-old man who had hit his head in a fall while unsupervised.

George Malcolm Gomez, from South Norwood, London, had been admitted for abdominal pain but fell out of bed because there were not enough nurses to supervise him, an inquest heard.

Disturbingly, more patients fall from beds fitted with bed rails than those without. These rails can be lifted into a raised position to stop patients accidentally rolling off the bed and injuring themselves.

Yet what happens in many cases is patients scramble over the rails and end up falling from an even greater height  and, tragically, doing even more damage.

As well as a lack of supervision, last years MHRA alert highlighted failings in something as simple as maintenance, in relation to worn or broken parts in rails or grab handles, for instance.

These should have been replaced during regular servicing which was either not carried out or carried out improperly, it said.

In the case of the child who died after their head became lodged between bed rails, the MHRA warned NHS trusts: A risk assessment should always be carried out on the suitability of the bed rail for the individual child or adult, as gaps will need to be reduced. All gaps between bars should be a maximum of 60mm.

Janet Allens problems began when she fell ill over Christmas in 2022. Mum had developed flu and it turned into a chest infection which gradually made her sicker, says Jackie.

On a GPs advice, Janet was taken to Kingston Hospital by ambulance over the festive period, treated with antibiotics and discharged a few days later.

But her symptoms soon worsened and it became clear the infection had not completely gone; she was readmitted to hospital.

This time it was so busy there wasnt a bed available  she was kept on a trolley for two days, says Jackie.

She was put in a bay where the staff could supposedly keep an eye on her as she was at a high risk of falling and injuring herself if she got out of bed.

But it later emerged they didnt do that, and she was left alone much of the time. She became increasingly confused and tried to climb out of bed to find my dad, Eddie, who shed forgotten had died two years earlier.

As Janet attempted to climb over the rail, she fell  shattering her right hip.

She underwent an emergency hip replacement two days later, and after three weeks in hospital, she was discharged to a local rehab centre to try to regain movement and strength.

I know staff were under a lot of pressure and doing their best in difficult circumstances, but no one was observing Mum

But, weakened and unsteady, Janet suffered another serious fall a few weeks later, breaking her other hip, requiring a second joint replacement.

Suddenly her life of independent living was over and she has since been in a care home.

Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust later issued an apology to Janets family and fully acknowledged the areas where our care fell short of what is expected, admitting staff had failed to carry out a proper falls-risk assessment on Janet or monitor her properly.

It blamed staff shortages, a heavier than normal workload and a Covid outbreak which had stretched its resources  but said it had introduced measures to reduce the danger of other patients suffering a similar fate.

These included kitting all at-risk patients out with yellow socks as a simple way for staff to identify them.

Jackie says she cannot understand why simple technology  such as alarms that go off when a patient tries to get out of bed  are not routinely used in all hospitals, as they are in many care homes.

She says: I know staff were under a lot of pressure and doing their best in difficult circumstances, but no one was observing Mum.

The net result is the NHS has had to spend a great deal more money treating her two hip fractures than it would have cost to staff the hospital properly.

The NHS says efforts are being made to tackle the burden of accidents in hospitals.

In 2022, it launched an initiative, the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework, designed to place much greater emphasis on learning from mistakes rather than punishing them or ignoring them.

The framework sets out precisely how NHS trusts should investigate safety incidents and how they should draw up response plans to make sure the same thing doesnt happen again.

Its too early to say whether its working or not, says Paul Whiteing from Action Against Medical Accidents.

But we have not seen a decline in calls to our helpline as a result of it.

We still have people coming to us who are hitting brick walls within NHS Trusts, or raising concerns about safety and being given short shrift.

The NHS is made up of hundreds of bodies, so change will take time. But at the moment, the volume of incidents is still significant.

Jackie and her family are now pursuing possible legal action against Kingston Hospital.

Im not bashing the NHS, she says, but Mum has had to sell her beloved home in order to fund her care, and all her savings have gone.

She used to live independently and now is in a home and needs a walking frame to get around  I cant believe the change in her.

A spokesman for Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust told Good Health: The incident was investigated fully at the time and an action plan agreed to prevent similar incidents happening in the future. The safety of all our patients continues to be our priority.
Brits should aim to stand 'at least two metres' away from wild birds, officials said

Brits should stay at least 2m away from wild birds, according to new Government advice drawn up to thwart the risk of another pandemic.

In its first ever public guidance to help Brits 'stay safe', UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) officials claimed avian influenza poses a 'risk to human health'.

Bosses called for people to minimize their contact with all wild birds, which would cover pigeons and seagulls.

Under the guidance, created with the RSPCA and Animal and Plant Health Agency, Brits are urged not to 'touch or handle wild birds or their droppings'.

At all times, people should also aim to stand 'at least two metres' away 'if you can'.

Over 700 confirmed cases of H5N1 have been detected among wild birds in England since September 2022, according to the UKHSA. Pictured above, a bird flu outbreak last February in Queens Park, Heywood, Rochdale

UK scientists tasked with developing 'scenarios of early human transmission' of bird flu have warned that 5 per cent of infected people could die if the virus took off in humans (shown under scenario three). Under another scenario, the scientists assumed 1 per cent of those infected would be hospitalised and 0.25 per cent would die  similar to how deadly Covid was in autumn 2021 (scenario one). The other saw a death rate of 2.5 per cent (scenario two)

The UKHSA instructions come amid spiralling fears that bird flu may trigger another human pandemic.

There is no sign that the virus, thought to have killed millions of birds in Britain and infected poultry workers, is currently able to spread easily between people.

But experts have long feared an outbreak of H5N1, which kills close to 50 per cent of those it infects, could be around the corner.

It comes just a month after Beijing revealed the world's first ever case of a new bird flu. A farmer in her 60s died following a two-week battle with the never-before-seen H10N5 strain.

And last year, a Chinese woman became the first person to ever die from the H3N8 strain.

H5N1, which experts have identified as having pandemic potential in humans, has already fuelled the world's biggest ever bird flu outbreak.

It has affected more than 200 million domestic birds globally in the past couple of years, on top of countless wild birds, spilling into mammals like mink, foxes, raccoons and bears.

Experts fear the growing spread among species could allow the virus to pick up mutations that enable it to take off among humans.

The UKHSA advice, to stay at least 2m away from wild birds, was listed as a step for people who 'need to handle' the animals.

It also called on Brits to keep birds outside, stating: 'Do not bring it into your house or enclosed space.'

Other guidance includes wearing clothes that prevent scratch or bite injuries, such as trousers or long sleeves, and using masks, disposable gloves and eye protection.

Alan Gosling (pictured), a retired engineer in Devon, caught the virus after his ducks, some of which lived inside his home, became infected. No one else caught the virus

Humans are unlikely to catch bird flu from eating poultry and game birds because it is heat-sensitive, and properly cooking the poultry will kill the virus.

Usual symptoms in humans are high fever, a cough, sore throat, muscle aches and a general feeling of malaise.

And just like with ordinary flu, it can quickly develop into serious respiratory illness and pneumonia.

Human infections occur when the virus gets into a person's eyes, nose, mouth or is inhaled.

Under the fresh guidance, officials advised Brits to get in touch with their regional health protection team if they have been in contact with confirmed or suspected bird flu cases.

This could be by a healthcare or animal professional after a bird has been tested for the virus by a vet or DEFRA.

They cautioned, however, that the risk to people remains very low and there is currently no evidence that it can spread more easily to people or between people.

There has only been five cases of Brits becoming infected since the current outbreak began.

Retired engineer Alan Gosling  the first  caught the virus in early 2022 after his ducks, some of which lived inside his home in Devon, became infected.
DNA tests that arrive in the mail, including Ancestry DNA and 23&me, are exposing the uncomfortable extent of incest in the US.

The tests, which run for about $100, can't say explicitly whether someone is the product of incest, but the results can be taken to a third party genetic testing firm which can.

One person who found out the disturbing truth about her family history was 39-year-old Victoria Hill, who, at a high school reunion, got chatting about family trees with an ex-boyfriend with whom she was once intimate.

His family makeup was similar to hers and upon talking to her, took the same test. A text sent to her confirmed what they had feared, saying simply: 'You're my sister.' Ms Hill says she is still traumatized to this day.

Meanwhile, Virginia native Steve Edsel, found out via AncestryDNA that his parents were first-degree relatives, either siblings or father-daughter.

He radiated anger at the thought of the origins of his conception, likely the result of sexual assault of his mother carried out by his grandfather.

One 1975 psychiatry text book put the rate of children born of incest at one in a million. Subsequent research in the UK found the rate is more like one in 7,000

Incestual family relationships have garnered increased public interest after a 2004 documentary as well as exclusive DailyMail.com reporting about America's most inbred family, the Whittakers

The prevalence of incest in the US is far more common than previously thought, with research including common genealogy tests putting the rate at one in 7,000.

Dr Jim Wilson, from the University of Edinburgh who conducted that research, said: 'Thats way, way more than I think many people would ever imagine.

Its a far cry from one 1975 estimate in a psychiatric textbook, putting the rate at about one in a million.

DNA tests that arrive in the mail, including Ancestry and 23&me, can be helpful tools in determining whether someone has genetic predispositions for certain conditions.

Still, they occasionally learn the disturbing truth about their parentage.

Babies born of incest are at increased risk of suffering birth defects, developmental delays, and genetic disorders such as blindness, hearing loss, neonatal diabetes, and limb malformations.

The risks of two siblings or a parent and child having a baby are manifold. When two closely related people have sex, and the female becomes pregnant, there is an increased risk of recessive gene disorders.

This is because children receive one copy of genes from each parent, with the harmful genetic mutations known as recessive genes being overridden by dominant genes.

When related individuals get pregnant, they decrease genetic variations, and the recessive gene they have may combine to become dominant in their child, causing many types of congenital disabilities.

In cases of incestual relationships, genetic variations from two parents decrease, and recessive genes may combine to become dominant in the child, resulting in a higher risk of a range of disorders, including low IQ, cleft palate, heart conditions, cystic fibrosis, and infant death.

People born of incest may feel like they cannot reproduce for fear of giving birth to a baby with life-threatening genetic anomalies.

One such person is 64-year-old Teresa Weiler. She found out in 1985 that her father was her mothers brother.

She said: It was only when I was walking the streets afterwards, in a daze, that it hit me: I could never be a mum.

There was no way I could risk having a damaged baby. I would have to give up the one thing I wanted most in the world.

Steve, meanwhile, was born with a heart murmur that required two surgeries when he was a teen, a possible product of two sets of the same genes and mutations, though he and his wife Michelle, who has helped him on his search for the truth, cant say for sure that his incestual origins were the cause.

Steve grew up in a foster home and was always curious about his biological family. He took his Ancestry test as part of a quest to track down his birth mom, who had given him up shortly after giving birth when she was 14, according to the Atlantic.

He also enlisted the help of CeCe Moore. Who specializes in locating people using distant DNA matches, a method that found and led to the imprisonment of the Golden State Killer.

Since working on Steves case, Ms Moore now knows of well over 1,000 additional cases of people born from incest.

Most of those cases were between first-degree relatives, while the rest were the product of second-degree relatives, like half-siblings, uncle-niece, and grandparent-grandchild.

Steve was able to find a support group online set up by Ms Moore for people in his situation, and members have complained of a host of issues, including autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, and eye problems. However, its difficult to pin down incest as the cause.

One support group member, Mandy, whose last name was withheld for her privacy, found out her father was her mothers uncle. Her mother, a cruel woman, was 17 when she gave birth to Mandy, while her uncle was in his 30s.

Her mother treated her worse than her younger brothers, and Mandy now understands that to be the reason behind her mothers cruelty. But the situation still makes her uneasy.

She said: When I go to the doctor and they ask me my family history, I wonder: How much do I need to go into it?

Typically if someone wants to test for a possible incestuous relationship, they have to upload their genetic material to a third-party service. Its not something that AncestryDNA or 23&Me disclose to customers.

The third-party tests look for runs of homozygosity, or ROH for short. The genomes of children born of incest show an absence of heterozygosity, which explains why their DNA contains big chunks that show the fathers and mothers genetic contributions are identical because they themselves shared much of their genetic code.

People born of incest may feel like they cannot reproduce for fear of giving birth to a baby with life-threatening genetic anomalies. One such person is 64-year-old Teresa Weiler. She found out in 1985 that her father was her mothers brother

DNA tests mailed out by major companies have uncovered other troubling family secrets that have thrown peoples lives into a tailspin.

Iin Connecticut, Ms Hill said she was left 'traumatized' after realizing she had unknowingly committed incest with her high school boyfriend.

She told CNN she only found out the man she had grown up thinking was her dad was not her biological father after taking the home DNA test.

Ms Hill said: 'I'll just put it out there, I was intimate with my half brother.

'I was traumatized by this,' Hill added. 'Now I'm looking at pictures of people thinking, well, if he could be my sibling, anybody could be my sibling.'

In Denver, influencer and realtor Celina Quinones decided to take a DNA test in 2016. It revealed that she and her husband had a genetic match of 62 centimorgan - a unit of measuring genetic linkage - meaning they share ancestors eight generations back.

She said: 'I was in shock. I was a little depressed over it, to be honest. But this was after we already had three kids, and all of them were healthy.

'They have 10 fingers, 10 toes, but it was just a shock.'

Incestual relationships have received increased interest and attention in recent years, in part thanks to a 2004 documentary about the deformed, inbred Whittaker family in Odd, West Virginia.

When visiting the family, DailyMail.com was welcomed by several members, including Ray, who can only communicate via barks and grunts, and who insisted on showing reporters around the property.

DailyMail spoke with members of the family who said they were thrilled with their new creature comforts. Pictured: Timmy, Betty and Lorene. Pastor William Plumley told DailyMail.com that Timmy and Lorene had been members of the Good Hope congregation for many years and enjoy getting involved in the sermons

Currently living at the dilapidated homestead are siblings Ray, Betty, Larry and Lorene, as well as her son Timmy, all of them struggling with heartbreaking mental and physical conditions.

Ray appeared to suffer the most and excitedly communicated through noises, pointing to show items at their home in a childlike manner.

The siblings are the descendants of two sets of first cousins who got married. DailyMail.com previously revealed that the bloodline continued with a set of identical twin brothers whose children got married.

John and Henry Whittaker were born in 1897. John went on to marry his own first cousin Ada Riggs  the daughter of Mary Perkins, who was the sister of John and Henry's mother Eliza.

Ada and John had nine children, including Gracie Irene Whittaker who was born in 1920. John's brother Henry married Sally Burton and they had seven children, including John Emory Whittaker, born in 1913.

Gracie and John were first cousins, but married in November 1935 and had their first child in 1937, having 15 in total.

Many members of the family have suffered from a heart attack, while two did not make it through infancy. Some of the 15 children died early of an array of illnesses, including heart attack and cancer, believed to be tied to inbreeding.
Abortions have reached their highest level in 10 years, despite bans on the procedure in more than a dozen states.

A report released Tuesday by reproductive health firm Guttmacher Institute showed that there were 1 million abortions in the US in 2023, the equivalent of 16 per every 1,000 women.

That was up 10 percent from the 14.4 per 1,000 in 2020 and the highest since 2014, when the rate was 14.6 per 1,000.

The rise is largely being driven by medical abortions, which can be ordered from pharmacies online and soon-to-be in person, though they are illegal in over a dozen states that have banned abortion.

The findings come after Vice President Kamala Harris made history as the first vice president or president to visit an abortion clinic last week - which was hailed by pro-abortion campaigners but slammed by critics as a sign that she has 'spent her whole career in the pocket of Big Abortion.'

A report released Tuesday by reproductive health firm Guttmacher Institute showed that there were 1 million abortions in the US in 2023, the equivalent of 16 per every 1,000 women. That was up 10 percent from the 14.4 per 1,000 in 2020 and the highest since 2014, when the rate was 14.6 per 1,000

Vice President Kamala Harris became the first vice president or president to visit an abortion clinic last week. She is pictured here at a Planned Parenthood in Minnesota

The percentage of medical abortions soared to nearly two-thirds, a 10 percent increase from 2020. In 2000, no abortions were done via this method.

And the number is expected to grow even more in the coming years after abortion pill mifepristone hit the shelves at CVS and Walgreens for the first time this month.

Rachel Jones, Guttmacher principal research scientist, said that overturning Roe v Wade likely led to the rise of medication abortions.

'As abortion restrictions proliferate post-Dobbs, medication abortion may be the most viable option - or the only option - for some people, even if they would have preferred in-person procedural care,' she said.

The Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion, Roe v Wade, in 2022, which had been in place for nearly five decades, leaving it up to individual states.

Since then, abortion has been completely banned in 14 states, while many others restrict access after a certain point in a pregnancy, as early as six weeks.

Yet the new report found nearly every state had an increase in the number of abortions done from 2020 to 2023, which includes in-office and medication abortions.

Procedures in New Mexico, for example, where abortion is fully legal, the procedure rocketed by more than 250 percent in just three years, and states without total bans saw a 25 percent rise, which could be due to people receiving the procedure early in pregnancy, before restrictions forbid it.

Nearly two-thirds of abortions in 2023 were from medications like mifepristone

New Mexico saw the largest increase in abortions, which could be due to it bordering Arizona and Texas, which have restrictions

The report authors wrote that the 'drastic loss of access in states with bans has been counterbalanced by monumental efforts on the part of clinics, abortion funds and logistical support organizations to help people in states access care through financial and practical support.'

Guttmacher Institute releases a similar report every three years based on data collected from US abortion providers.

The team found that just over 1 million abortions were performed in 2014. This is the first time since 2012 that the number exceeded 1 million. The number increased from 0.92 million in 2020, the latest data available, which is a 10 percent jump.

Nearly every state saw in an increase in abortions performed since 2020, though those bordering states with restrictions saw the largest jumps.

For example, abortions in New Mexico increased by 257 percent since 2020, as the state borders Arizona, which restricts abortion after 15 weeks, and Texas, where the procedure is illegal.

Additionally, Kansas saw a 114 percent increase, which could be due to bordering Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, where the procedure is completely banned.

Mifepristone is one of two drugs used to initiate abortion. Researchers from Guttmacher found that nearly two-thirds of abortions are from medications such as this

Guttmacher's report found that abortion was highest in states bordering those with restrictions. The biggest increases, for example, were found in New Mexico,

The report also found that 63 percent of abortions performed in 2023 were from medications, such as the two-pill regimen of mifepristone and misoprotol. In 2000, no abortions were done with this method.

However, access to medication abortion also hangs in the balance.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on March 26 dealing with a bid by President Joe Biden's administration to preserve broad access to mifepristone, one part of the two-pill regimen that the FDA approved in 2000 for terminating early pregnancies.

This regimen has also just recently hit pharmacy shelves, including major retailers like CVS and Walgreens.

The method involves two drugs, taken over a day or two. The first, mifepristone, blocks the pregnancy-sustaining hormone progesterone. The second, misoprostol, induces uterine contractions.

The New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals decided in August to reimpose restrictions on mifepristone's delivery and distribution that the FDA had loosened to ease access during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That decision is on hold pending Supreme Court action.

The FDA maintains the drug is safe and effective, pointing to its decades of use by millions of American women with exceedingly rare adverse effects.

The report also comes after America's first-ever over-the-counter birth control, Opill, became available online. It is slated to roll out in pharmacies later this month.

Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris visited a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as part of her campaign to defend abortion rights.

'Many of you have asked why am I here at this facility in particular and I will tell you it is because right now in our country we are facing a very serious health crisis, and the crisis is affecting many many people in our country, most of whom are frankly silently suffering,' she said.

The anti-abortion organization SBA Pro-Life America slammed the vice president ahead of her visit saying Harris spent her 'whole career in the pocket of Big Abortion.'
They also speculated the weight loss could be due to substance abuse

Doctors said Scott Disick could be using Ozempic in an 'aggressive manner'

Doctors have told DailyMail.com Scott Disick's shockingly gaunt appearance has all the hallmarks of Ozempic abuse - as his friends and family have speculated.

The 40-year-old was photographed with a sunken-in cheeks and hollow eyes last week in Los Angeles - which are key features of 'Ozempic face', a side effects that has been reported in a number of users.

Dr Gary Motykie, a plastic surgeon from California, told DailyMail.com 'Typically, medications like Ozempic don't exhibit such aggressive effects.

'However, if Scott is using semaglutide, it might be in an overly aggressive manner, which could exacerbate the issue. The most noticeable change in his appearance is his hollow, dark under-eye area.'

Dr Jeffrey Spiegel, a plastic surgeon from Massachusetts, agreed, but pointed out mental health problems, substance abuse and eating disorders could also play a role.

Regardless of the cause, he told this website: 'The concern lies in the potential for malnutrition, which is never a positive sign.

Scott Disick shocked the public when he emerged looking gaunt and malnourished - prompting some to question if he was abusing the weight-loss drug Ozempic

Disick looked much fuller and healthier in 2021 - though is said to have turned to Ozempic to lose his 'dad bod'

Sharon Osbourne shared she lost so much weight taking Ozempic she could not afford to lose anymore. The 71-year-old's weight dropped from 142lbs to below 97lbs

Plastic surgeon Dr Gary Motykie said: 'The most noticeable change in his appearance is his hollow, dark under-eye area'

'Scott's skin appears gray, a common sign associated with substance abuse rather than the effects of semaglutide.'

Mr Disick has opened up about his substance abuse in the past, including abusing alcohol and sleeping pills.

However, the Kardashian family fear Ozempic abuse is his current drug of choice.

A Kardashian-insider said: 'Scott started taking Ozempic because he had serious issues with his weight gain. This time last year he saw himself as fat.

'He had gained a lot of weight and couldnt stand seeing himself in video footage that aired in the past couple of months. He would go to great lengths to cover it up.'

The source added: 'Scott wanted the easy way out of his dad bod, but now it has clearly gone too far and, of course, the family is worried about him.'

While side effects of the medication run the gamut, ranging from depression, vomiting and stomach paralysis, women have increasingly been posting on social media about the facial aging and sagging that can accompany dramatic weight loss from using the drug.

A recent celebrity user who appeared to have suffered the side effect is Sharon Osbourne, who admitted she had to stop taking Ozempic because she lost so much weight and could not afford to lose any more - dropping to 97 pounds.

With extreme weight loss, it is not uncommon for areas of the face, such as the cheeks and under the eyes to deflate because of the loss of fat, so much so that a person appears much older than they actually are.

Dr Spiegel told DailyMail.com Ozempic could be an explanation for Mr Disick's recent appearance.

The doctor said weight-loss drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy don't work overnight and need to be slowly ramped up over an extended period of time - and if Mr Disick hasn't been seen in a few months, that could be why.

Dr Motykie told this website if the celebrity is using the weight-loss drug, it could 'be in an overly aggressive manner.'

Dr Spiegel noted, however, other things can cause drastic weight loss, including mental health conditions, cancer, eating disorders and drug abuse, which the celebrity has struggled with in the past.

Dr Motykie told this website: 'Regardless, the concern lies in the potential for malnutrition, which is never a positive sign. Scott's skin appears gray, a common sign associated with substance abuse rather than the effects of semaglutide.'

But it could also be a result of abusing the weight-loss drug.

Malnutrition comes with a host of risks, including life-threatening ones. They include impaired organ and muscle function, extreme lethargy, stunted growth, ulcers and an increase the risk of diarrhea, measles, malaria and pneumonia.

No matter the reason, doctors have said they are concerned for him and that 'addressing Mr Disick's health and lifestyle choices is paramount for long-term improvement.'

Oprah Winfrey admitted to using a weight-loss drug after condemning substances like Ozempic as an 'easy way out.' The 69-year-old said she uses the drug 'as I feel I need it'

Comedian-actress Amy Schumer tried the medication but quickly gave it up, as she became so sick she was unable to play with her son

Popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy contain the active ingredient semaglutide, which mimics the actions of GLP-1, a hormone made naturally in the body that helps slow the passage of food through the stomach  making people feel less hungry  and alters the brains appetite regulation, so people feel satisfied despite eating less.

The medications also quell a person's cravings for sugary or fatty foods.

Ozempic was originally approved for the treatment of diabetes but began being prescribed off-label when it was discovered taking the drug - and those similar - could cause dramatic weight loss in people who were obese.

And they quickly took off among celebrities.

Dr Spiegel said: '[The medication is] meant for those who are unhealthfully overweight or obese, but it's well known that in image-obsessed Hollywood, they are used more widely and with softer indications.'

Ozempic and similar drugs like Wegovy and Mounjaro have become so popular their manufacturers have launched a campaign pleading with influential people to stop using them for 'vanity reasons,' which has led to shortages affecting those who genuinely need them for medical conditions.

Due to the gray area around prescribing these drugs 'off-label', and the stigma of using them when they are in short demand, many celebs have been reluctant to go public about their Ozempic use.

But DailyMail.com recently compiled a list of 16 celebrities who have admitted to using the weight-loss aids. They include Oprah Winfrey, Tracy Morgan, Elon Musk, Patti Stanger, Sharon Osbourne and Amy Schumer, who revealed she suffered 'unlivable' side effects, becoming 'so sick' she couldn't play with her son.

People who have used the drugs previously revealed to DailyMail.com similar experiences, telling of the life-threatening side effects they had, including suicidal thoughts and stomach paralysis.

While an exact reason for Mr Disick's extreme weight loss cannot be confirmed, Dr Motykie told DailyMail.com there are ways he can improve his gaunt appearance: 'Scott could consider options such as improving his nutrition or discontinuing semaglutide if applicable.

'Whether it's malnutrition, substance abuse, or other factors, addressing Scott's health and lifestyle choices is paramount for long-term improvement.

'It's worth noting that Scott is just 40 years old, so there is ample time for him to make positive changes, course correct, and embark on a healthier path.'
The shocking disparity between the price of dental care in the world's most advanced countries has been revealed.

Dental care in America is the most expensive across the G7 nations, costing an average of $518.

Germany and Italy are the cheapest, costing $210 and $173 respectively.

Healthnews focused on five key dental procedures - cleaning, crowns, root canals, tooth extractions, and fillings - and analyzed prices from more than 350 local dental and oral health websites.

Data was collected in March 2024, with an average of 50 information sources per country, including online health forums, relevant government pages and healthcare price comparison websites. Prices were converted into US dollars.

The US was the most expensive country for every procedure, with a crown there costing three times the price as in Italy at $1,052 compared to $308.

A routine clean in America costs around $163, while more complicated procedures will set you back $838 for a root canal and $305 for a tooth extraction.

In America, the dental care system is mainly made up of private practices, supported by various methods of payment including insurance, direct payments, and some government programs for those who qualify.

These include Medicaid, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part F and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP).

But insurance plans often have caps and high deductibles, meaning people can still end up paying a lot for the dental care they need.

Despite the high costs in America, people access care relatively quickly.

According to a 2022 survey, the average wait time for an initial appointment at the dentist in the US was 10 days, reported Statista.

In the UK, by comparison, some patients have been asked to wait up to three years for appointments and six weeks for emergency care.

Canada is the second most expensive nation in which to get your teeth looked after, with an average of $414 for treatment.

People living here might pay around $136 for a cleaning and almost $1,000 for a crown - a tooth-shaped cap that restores a decayed, broken, weak or worn-down tooth.

In Canada, dental care operates separately from the universal healthcare system and mainly through private clinics.

While hospital and doctor services are covered by government healthcare plans for most Canadians, dental services are not, meaning accessing affordable dental care is still challenging for many Canadians.

Compared to the US and UK, it is relatively cheap to get a tooth extraction in Canada - costing you $198.

According to the Canadian Dental Association, Canadians have some of the best access to oral health care in the world and wait times are among the shortest globally.

Three out of every four Canadians see a dentist at least once a year and 84 percent of Canadians think they have good or excellent oral health.

In the UK, an average dental procedure costs $331. Cleaning is one of the lowest at $92, and crowns are much less than in America at $627.

The system encompasses both the National Health Service (NHS) and private dental practices.

The NHS caters to check-ups, treatments such as fillings and extractions, and some cosmetic treatments if deemed medically necessary.

But there is a severe shortage of funding for NHS dentistry that has been escalating for years which has led to an increase in people attempting DIY treatments at home.

While private dentists generally offer more flexible appointments and shorter waiting lists, many are still oversubscribed.

Costs are also significantly higher and vary greatly across the UK.

In France, the average dental procedure costs $246. Tooth extractions and fillings are almost half the price they are in the UK, at $126 and $135 respectively, in contrast to $238 and $215 in England.

Cleaning costs $115 while a crown costs $418.

In theory, the French healthcare system reimburses 70 percent of the costs for most dental treatments using state social security, with an option for private health insurance to cover the last 30 percent.

However, the actual prices charged by dentists are often significantly greater than the state's suggested prices, meaning that out-of-pocket expenses can be high.

In Japan, tooth extractions cost $204 while cleaning is a modest $121. The Japanese health insurance system is inclusive of most dental treatments, including routine check ups, fillings and root canal treatments.

Patients tend to pay 30 percent of treatment costs, which makes dental care accessible and stops citizens being lumped with hefty out-of-pocket expenses.

Germany is known for its high quality dental services, which are covered under the country's statutory health insurance.

This usually covers routine check-ups and basic treatments like fillings. Cleanings generally cost $89 while crowns can be up to $323.

Italy has the most affordable dental care out of all the countries studied, being the only country where certain average procedures fall below $100.

Cleaning services are priced at $78 while tooth extractions cost $97.

The Italian National Health Service offers some dental services for free or at reduced prices, focusing on prevention through routine check-ups, basic fillings, tooth extractions, and emergency care.

And in the private sector, dental treatments are more affordable in Italy than in many parts of Northern European countries and the US. This is in part due to the lower cost of living in the country.

However, wait times can be lengthy in Italy. Wait times in the Italian NHS vary considerably, so you might wait a week or a few months, but in the private system, you can usually get an appointment quicker, even within 24 hours, according to Expatica.
Hormone drops in women from age 25, with the decline leading to menopause

Campaigners have long called for a wider range of treatments for women experiencing the grueling symptoms of the menopause  hot flashes, brain fog and debilitating fatigue.

While replacing the lost sex hormones with hormone replacement therapy is effective for some, it doesn't curb all the symptoms.

But what if you could delay  or even prevent  the hormonal change from happening altogether?

A team of New York scientists say this astounding reality is possible, and are working to make an 'anti-menopause shot' available to all US women.

The drug is still in animal trials and is many years from being made available. It is currently being tested for safety in animals (stock image)

The injection, which could be delivered once every few months, mimics the action of a hormone called anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), which is involved in ovulation and begins to drop when a woman turns 25.

When women hit menopausal age, usually between 45 and 55, they experience a sharp decline in reproductive hormones needed for pregnancy, including estrogen, progesterone and AMH.

But the researchers, from biotech firm Oviva Theraputics, suggest that injecting women with AMH every few months could artificially raise levels of the hormone AMH, which could delay the shift  perhaps indefinitely.

The scientists did not comment on the risks from the shot, but regular HRT has been shown to raise the risk of breast and endometrial cancer.

Dr Daisy Robinton, a molecular biologist at Oviva Therapeutics behind the development, told DailyMail.com: This drug couldnt just delay the menopause, it could actually prevent it.

The above graph, from a study published in 2014, shows average levels of the hormone AMH in women compared to their age. It reveals the hormone rises until the age of 25 years and then starts to drop, with menopause hitting at about 52 years old on average. Scientists believe that artificially raising these levels can halt the menopause

Studies already show women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or enlarged ovaries  who have AMH levels two to three-fold higher than normal  enter menopause about two years later than those without the condition.

AMH is produced in the ovaries by follicles and gradually declines over time, as the ovaries deteriorate with age.

The decline in the ovaries is thought to be linked to a gradual decrease in the number of follicles in the organs, which contain developing eggs.

Dr Daisy Robinton, a molecular biologist at Oviva Therapeutics, revealed the drug at the Livelong Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida

Every cycle, a woman loses around 1,000 follicles  either via ovulation, in which eggs are released, or via the natural death of cells.

But scientists have found that when a woman has higher levels of AMH this loss can be slowed.

This is because the hormone reduces the number of follicles that are recruited, and possibly lost, every cycle.

The drug is currently being tested in mice to show it is safe to use, with results expected in the next few months.

If successful, it could move to trials in humans within the next few years.

Menopause is a biological change that all women go through. It usually begins at some point in the late 40s and early 50s  when the ovaries stop releasing eggs for fertilization, and periods stop.

This is caused by the drop in estrogen and progesterone. AMH also declines significantly.

AMH levels are already tested to predict when a woman might go through the menopause and to diagnose PCOS.

But it is not clear whether drops in AMH  which is produced in the ovaries  are just a correlation with the menopause or actually cause the change.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says menopause is caused by the loss of ovarian function, as well as drops in estrogen levels.

Women going through the menopause are already offered hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to raise the levels of estrogen and progesterone, but this does not delay the dysfunction of the ovaries  it treats the symptoms by boosting hormone levels.

HRT prescriptions for menopausal women have soared over the past few years, with 11million items handed out to help deal with symptoms in 2022/23

Currently, women are offered treatments to help them with the menopause, such as HRT (pictured)

Dr Robinton presented her discovery to a packed conference room at the Livelong Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, attended by more than a thousand doctors and members of the public, including DailyMail.com.

She told the audience: The ovaries age 2.5 times faster than the rest of the body and from the age of 35 to 50, they go through a rapid decline.

At the age of 52, the menopause onset happens, with the loss of the ovaries causing the rest of the body to start to decline.

AMH hormone controls the amount of lag time until the menopause and actually acts as a brake in females.

We could use AMH to slow the loss of ovarian reserve [number of eggs in the ovaries] and extend the runway to the menopause.

By lag time, Dr Robinton was referring to the amount of time a woman has before the menopause.

Researchers are not sure at this stage how much the treatment will cost, but because of the high sums involved with research, prices could easily run into six figures initially.

It comes in spite of a major report calling for menopause to stop being pharmacologically treated and viewed more as part of the natural process of aging.

The team of researchers wrote in the Lancet that a new approach was needed based on 'health empowerment'  where women are given the knowledge, confidence and self-determination to self-manage their health.

'Although management of symptoms is important,' the team wrote, 'a medicalized view of menopause can be disempowering for women, leading to over-treatment and overlooking potential positive effects, such as better mental health with age and freedom from menstruation, menstrual disorders and contraception.'

The menopause treatments market is currently valued at $16.9billion  but is expected to grow by a major five percent every year up to 2030 where it will reach as much as $24.4billion.

Others are also working on technology to delay the menopause including scientists at Columbia University, who are testing whether rapamycin  a compound from soil bacteria on Easter island famed for claimed anti-aging properties  could delay ovary aging and, by extension, the menopause.

The trial includes 50 healthy women aged between 38 and 45 years who have regular menstrual periods but are not interested in conceiving. They are taking either weekly doses of rapamycin or a placebo.

Rapamycin is believed to help inhibit the decline of chromosomes, which has been linked to aging in cells.

Dr Zev Williams, the chief of reproductive endocrinology at Columbia University who is running the study, said: 'A lot of us think that menopause is a given and it's just a part of life.

'The truth is, across the entire animal kingdom, menopause is by far the very, very rare exception.'
The NHS is at risk of going 'the way of Woolworths' if it fails to adopt new technology that will make it more efficient, Wes Streeting has warned.

Labour's shadow health secretary said the service must modernise as there is 'no scope' for spending to go much higher and 'no future' if it continues to rely on 'outdated' and 'costly' ways of working.

He likened the NHS to Woolies, which he described as a 'much-loved national institution' but one that 'failed to change with the times and was left behind'.

The High Street retailer closed in 2009, with the loss of more than 800 stores, after struggling to recover from the 2008 financial crash.

Mr Streeting said the Government has been too 'timid' when it comes to implementing the changes that are necessary for the NHS to thrive and insisted he would go further.

Speaking at the WIRED Health event in London this afternoon, Labour's shadow health spokesman Wes Streeting said the Conservatives had been too timid and Labour would go further. He said this would include sharing all GP patient records across the health service so people could get better joined up care

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He vowed to face down the 'vested interests' of those who promote the status quo and take-on the 'scaremongering' of the 'tinfoil hat brigade' on social media, which he claimed are having undue influence on NHS policy.

The MP for Ilford North said he would force GPs to share patients' medical records across the health service so people can benefit from better joined up care.

This would also lead to the development of new treatments, better sharing of preventative health advice and an opportunity to join more clinical trials, he added.

Current plans for the NHS 'federated data platform' only include the sharing of hospital data - and even this has been met with outrage from privacy campaigners.

Speaking at the WIRED Health event in London this afternoon, Mr Streeting said: 'Unleashing the power of technology is not abstract.

'This is about how many patients the NHS can treat, and how long they have to wait.

'It is also about our experience as patients. How we're kept informed and how our time is respected.

'An estimated 13.5million hours of doctors' time is wasted every year due to inefficient IT.

'Fixing that would be the equivalent of 8,000 new doctors joining the NHS. That's the difference between the huge staff shortages in the NHS and filling almost every vacancy for a doctor.

'With our country's population ageing, the health of the public worsening, and chronic disease rising  this is also about the sustainability of the NHS: Whether it can survive the coming decade.

Mr Streeting said: 'There is no future for the NHS that involves continuing with an outdated, inefficient, and costly way of working, while demands on the service rise, and the costs pile up. 'The NHS is at a fork in the road. Another five years of the Conservatives, and it could go the way of Woolworths: A much-loved national institution which failed to change with the times and was left behind'. Pictured, Woolworths in Ledbury, Herefordshire in 2000

'The budget for health was 42 per cent of departmental spending this year. Because the Conservatives crashed the economy, there isn't scope for it to go much higher.

'So, there is no future for the NHS that involves continuing with an outdated, inefficient, and costly way of working, while demands on the service rise, and the costs pile up.'

He added: 'The NHS is at a fork in the road. Another five years of the Conservatives, and it could go the way of Woolworths: A much-loved national institution which failed to change with the times and was left behind.

'That is the path it is on today. But it's not inevitable. The NHS can change and the staff working in it are crying out for change.'

His comments come a fortnight after health secretary Victoria Atkins said the NHS needs an 'M&S moment'.

She revealed the Department of Health and Social Care had hired former M&S chief executive Steve Rowe as its NHS productivity tsar after crediting him with taking the store 'out of the doldrums'.

Ms Atkins said the 'stalwart' turned around its fortunes by 'embracing modernity' and demanded the health service does the same.

She added: 'We are standing on the cusp of a medical revolution, where technology, personalised therapies and better data can transform outcomes for a generation who are more health conscious than any that came before them.

'The NHS must seize this opportunity and look to the future, not restrict ourselves to what has always been done. In fact, it needs to have - to borrow a phrase - an M&S moment.'
South Korea will deploy homegrown bunker buster missiles capable of striking underground enemy targets to deter North Korea's evolving missile and nuclear threats, the defense ministry said Tuesday.

In its 2024 policy report, the ministry said it will first deploy the Korean Tactical Surface to Surface Missile-I (KTSSM-I), which is designed to penetrate the ground by a couple of meters to reach underground targets. It has a range of 180 kilometers with its caliber at 400 millimeters.

South Korea developed the KTSSM-I to secure precision strike capabilities against North Korean artillery pieces hidden in caves after the North's shelling of the South's northwestern border island of Yeonpyeong in 2010. The artillery shelling killed two civilians and two Marines.

The development of a long-range surface-to-air missile system will be also completed within this year as part of the plan to establish a multilayered missile defense system against the North's missile and artillery threats, according to the ministry.

South Korea and the United States will stage a joint tabletop exercise between their military and government officials under the scenario of North Korea's nuclear use and expand outdoor live drills during the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which is slated for August, the ministry said.

A new strategic command overseeing key assets to deter North Korean threats will be established later this year by upgrading the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Directorate of Countering Nuclear and Weapons of Mass Destruction.

The command will be led by an Air Force lieutenant general and is likely to be located within the compound of the Capital Defense Command in southern Seoul, according to military officials. (Yonhap)
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German car giant Mercedes-Benz set out to diffuse concerns about electric vehicle range anxiety by taking its latest concept car on a massive single-charge trek across the Arabian Desert.

The Vision EQXX has been driven from Riyadh to Dubai on a single battery charge earlier this month, covering a massive 627.6 miles in almost 15 hours without having to stop.

The aerodynamic car set a new efficiency record by travelling 8.4 miles per kilowatt hour (kWh) and completed the trip in baking hot conditions with 192 miles of range remaining.

While the EQXX is only a prototype model for now, Mercedes bosses have promised that its tech will be filtered down into its production EVs before the end of the decade.

One charge wonder: The Mercedes EQXXX electric car concept has just set a new EV efficiency record by achieving 8.4 miles per kWh on a 1,000km-plus journey across the Arabian Desert

This isn't the first long-distance voyage the ground-breaking EQXX has undertaken.

In fact, it's the third time it has covered more than 1,000 kilometres (621.4 miles) without stopping at a charging point.

It's part of the German marque's extensive technology programme to demonstrate the capabilities of EVs using the latest advancements, which has seen the car cover 14,503 miles of testing in real-life conditions so far.

On the 8 March, it endured what Mercedes calls a 'challenging route profile' that included busy city streets and straight-line blasts across the open Arabian Desert at an ambient temperature of 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit).

The EQXX is expected to perform well in these conditions, given it has a roof made up of 117 solar cells.

The solar panels power many of the ancillaries to reduce the energy drain on the car's battery. And on the entire drive, the system harvested 1.8 kWh of solar energy, adding around 15 miles to the range.

The starting point for the efficiency drive on the Arabian Peninsula was the Mercedes-Benz Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, leaving at 4:15am

Having crossed the desert, it arrived at its destination - the new Mercedes-Benz Brand Centre in Dubai, UAE - at 7:57pm the same day

The starting point for the efficiency drive on the Arabian Peninsula was the Mercedes-Benz Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, departing at 4:15am.

The destination was the recently opened Mercedes-Benz showroom in Dubai, UAE, some 1,010km (627.6 miles) away.

Arriving at 7:57pm the same day, the journey time was 14 hours and 42 minutes in total.

However, that also included the time at a standstill while waiting in traffic, driver swaps and stationary period while at the border having paperwork checked.

The total time moving was 12 hours and 45 minutes, Mercedes said.

Mercedes EQXX's 627.6-mile journey on a single charge by numbers Journey start: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 8 March 2024, 04:15am Journey end: Dubai, UAE, 8 March 2024, 07:57pm Driving distance: 1,010 kilometres (627.6 miles) Total driving time (including stopping): 14 hours and 42 minutes 14 hours and 42 minutes Total driving time (in motion): 12 hours and 45 minutes Average speed (in motion): 79.4km/h (49.3mph) Highest speed: 140km/h (87mph) Average consumption: 7.5 kWh per 100km (8.4 miles per kWh)

The average speed achieved on the 1,010km (627.6 miles) journey was 42.7mph when including static periods - or 49.3mph when running the calculation only for the time the car was moving

On arrival in Dubai, the EV concept still had a whopping 192 miles (309km) of range remaining.

A basic calculation tells you that there should therefore be the capacity for EQXX to travel almost 819 miles before the batteries run flat.

The Vision EQXX's impressive mile-eating endeavours aren't achieved because of a massive battery pack.

In fact, it uses a 100kWh battery, which is smaller than the unit fitted to some of Mercedes' most expensive existing models, such as the 100,000 EQS.

However, the concept vehicle's battery pack is 50 per cent smaller and 30 per cent lighter than what is currently on the market, which means it can be used in more compact cars if necessary.

On the long stretches of desert highway, the top speed achieved was 87mph - any faster and the EQXX would have seen a decline in efficiency

The ground-breaking EQXX might only be a concept vehicle for now but Mercedes bosses have promised that its tech - and some of the learnings from its various long-distance escapades - will be fed into its future production models in showrooms

The average speed during its eco mission to Dubai was 42.7mph when including static periods - or 49.3mph when running the calculation only for the time the car was moving.

On the long stretches of desert highway, the top speed achieved was 87mph.

The EV completed the run with an average consumption of 7.4 kWh per 100km, which works out at 8.4 miles per kWh.

To put that figure into perspective, the average EV on sale in Britain's showrooms today achieve between 2 and 5 miles per kWh.

In terms of a petrol car, it's the equivalent of 282 miles per gallon.

It smashed its own record of 7.5 miles per kWh achieved in June 2022 when the Mercedes EQXX was driven 747 miles from Stuttgart to Silverstone, which remains the longest electric car journey completed without recharging.

The longest distance the EQXX has travelled on a single charge so far is 747 miles. This was achieved in June 2022 on a journey from Stuttgart, Germany to the Silverstone racing circuit in Northamptonshire (pictured)

The inside of EQXX has a giant 47.5-inch touchscreen that spans across the entire dashboard and is AI-powered to provide drivers with the best directions and suggestions while cruising down the road

The Vision EQXX is a proper family car, with the concept featuring a four-seat layout with two individual chairs in the back

'With an exceptional consumption of just 7.4 kWh/100km, the Vision EQXX continues to provide valuable data for ongoing development of advanced electric efficiency technologies,' said Markus Schafer, chief technology officer at Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

'As expected, all systems performed perfectly in the desert conditions, handling challenges such as road surface finish and temperature as well as dust with ease.

'[It's] Further proof that electric drive is ready for global markets.'

Toyota, the world's second biggest car maker, has already predicted that by 2026 the longest-range new electric cars on sale will be capable over cover 500-mile distances on a single charge.

By 2027/28, further improvements to battery tech and new aerodynamic advancements should see ranges rise to 600 miles and from 2028 - along with the expected introduction of solid-state batteries - makers should be able to push closer to 1,000-mile ranges from a single charge, the Japanese firm says.

Toyota's technology roadmap shows how it will ramp-up EV ranges with its next-generation batteries, which could see production models achieving 1,000km distances on a single charge by the end of 2028

Is this long-distance technology coming to electric cars we can buy?

Mercedes says the purpose of EQXX's third road trip was to 'maximise efficiency in all areas and examine system performance under extreme desert conditions'.

It added: 'Of particular interest in the dry desert heat of up to 34 degrees Celsius was the cars advanced thermal management.'

This thermal management system is made up of various cooling valves, pumps and aero-shutters. The aim is to keep the powertrain cool, even in blistering temperatures that would typically challenge the efficiency of batteries and see an EV's range drop.

'The intelligent on-demand system kept the electric drivetrain and the cabin cool. The air conditioning system was operational during the trip with minimal negative impact on energy efficiency thanks in part to the multi-source heat pump,' the company said.

The heat pump developed for the EQXX is also used in Mercedes' new Concept CLA Class unveiled last year.

This 'close-to-production' saloon car is a preview of the brand's next-generation EV architecture that will underpin its new wave of battery-powered cars.

This isn't the first long-distance voyage the ground-breaking EQXX has undertaken. In fact, it's the third where it has covered over 1,000 kilometres (621.4 miles) on a single charge. It's part of the German marque's technology programme to demonstrate the capabilities of EVs using the latest advancements which has seen the car cover 14,503 miles of testing

Mercedes previews its next electric family car: The Concept CLA Class is a near-production prototype for the 2024 CLA saloon. But, more importantly, it debuted a new platform that will drive the German brand's shift to electrification

And more tech from the landscape-spanning EQXX concept should be fed into future Mercedes cars.

Talking to dedicated EV website Move Electric in 2022, a spokesman from the car manufacturer claimed EQXX will be a 'blueprint' for motors its customers will be able to buy in showrooms before the end of the decade.

Our EQXX is a research vehicle designed to push boundaries and explore options for future production vehicles. It is a blueprint for series production. Many innovations from this technology programme will soon find their way into our production vehicles," they told Move Electric.

'As well as specific components and technologies, this includes the highly agile, multi-disciplinary development approach as well as the software and digital tools used during the development process.'
My 78-year-old dad was conned into transferring 3,745 to a fraudster posing as a pension specialist.

We asked the bank if it would reimburse him but it refused to help, saying he should have known it was scam. They said he had ignored bank warnings issued on the banking app, even though he only does in-branch banking. Why did it blame him? S.W. by email

Consumer rights lawyer Dean Dunham says is it was wrong for the bank to decline to help

Consumer rights lawyer Dean Dunham replies: Most of the banks are signed up to the contingent reimbursement model (CRM) code which is a voluntary scheme designed to provide greater protection to customers from Authorised Push Payment scams (APP scam).

Banks signed up to the code commit to taking steps to increase customer awareness of scams and importantly to reimburse customers who have fallen victim to a APP scam in certain circumstances.

Your bank is clearly subscribed to the scheme, which is good news, but it has declined to help your dad, in my view, wrongly.

Under the code the starting assumption is that victims of APP scams should be reimbursed, unless one of the exceptions applies. The most common exceptions are:

The customer ignored Effective Warnings given by the bank;

The customer did not take appropriate actions following a clear negative Confirmation of Payee result  this is where the bank details do not match the payee details

The customer made the payment without a reasonable basis for believing it was genuine.

However, where the victim is classed as vulnerable, these exceptions do not apply. The problem with this is the code does not provide a neat list of who will be classed as vulnerable, so the banks can take advantage.

Instead, it says that if the combination of a persons individual circumstances and the scam itself mean that it wasnt reasonable to expect that person to have protected themselves, then they should always be given their money back.

The code refers to these people as vulnerable to APP scams. Your dad is 78 years old and clearly does not use the likes of a banking app, meaning he almost certainly would not have seen any warnings. The scam was also clearly sophisticated. This combination, in my view, made him vulnerable, meaning the bank should have refunded him. His next step is now to lodge a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Why was my claim for a faulty microwave rejected?

I purchased a microwave from a local independent trader and when I got it home, found it was faulty. The trader is ignoring me and when I made a Section 75 claim it was rejected on the basis that the goods cost less than 100. It actually cost 109 but the trader split the card transaction into two consecutive payments. Was this to avoid Section 75? D.N. via email

Dean Dunham replies: When the trader split the transaction into two payments it may well have been done with the intention of taking away your rights under a Section 75 claim but unfortunately for them it was a fruitless exercise.

Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, the credit card company is jointly liable for any breach of contract or misrepresentation by the retailer or trader, when the goods are purchased with a credit card.

Here, as the microwave is faulty, the Consumer Rights Act engages and this provides that the trader must offer you a free repair or replacement or give you a refund. As the trader here has ignored you it amounts to a breach of contract, which is one of the two vital requirements for a Section 75 claim.

The other vital requirement is that the goods cost more than 100 and this is where the trader (if it had the intention we suspect) and your bank has got confused. The requirement is therefore that the goods  here the microwave  cost more than 100, not that you paid more than 100 on your card.

Even where you pay 1p on your credit card, so long as the goods cost more than 100 you will be covered by Section 75. In your case, the microwave cost 109 and it makes no difference that the card transaction was split into two, youre still covered.

Your bank simply got this wrong so ask it to reconsider its position. If it refuses, you should lodge a complaint with the financial ombudsman service.
The taxman is closing one of its crucial phone helplines every summer, amid sweeping changes that will leave millions with reduced phone support.

From next month, taxpayers will not be able to speak to HM Revenue & Customs officials about their tax queries on its self-assessment helpline until the end of September.

The mass summer closure will be repeated every year to allow 'helpline advisers to focus support where it is most needed', according to HMRC.

The taxman will also permanently reduce its service on the helpline between October and March, taking only 'priority calls' while everyone else will be directed to its website.

This will leave millions of taxpayers without vital support at one of the busiest periods for the tax office  in the run up to the January 31 deadline each year.

The House of Commons' Public Accounts Committee of MPs has condemned HMRC's customer service for hitting an 'all-time low' with waiting times for callers rising

This comes after a damning report by senior MPs in the Public Accounts Committee warned last month that customer service at HM Revenue & Customs had hit an all-time low.

It claimed the tax office had seen a five-year decline and was 'struggling to cope'.

Money Mail revealed in January the extent of the breakdown in customer service after scores of readers told us how they had gone to great lengths to pay their taxes but hit a brick wall, waiting a year for replies to letters and encountering a lack of knowledge among officials as well as long phone wait times.

But taxpayers will face even more challenges in speaking to anyone at HMRC this year. So when exactly are the phone lines closing and what can you do to get through to an official?

When are phone lines closing?

Taxpayers have just three weeks to make their calls to the self-assessment helpline, as it will be closed from April 8 until September 30, when it will reopen for priority calls only.

During that time anyone with a query will be directed online and asked to use its online chatbot.

The cuts represent a 'vital modernisation of the tax system', according to HMRC, which will 'allow more customers to self-serve and access the information they need more quickly and easily by going online or through the HMRC app, which is available 24/7.'

This follows a series of seasonal trial runs last year, which HMRC says were successful in enabling HMRC to help more customers.

The helplines were closed between June 12 and September 4 last year and the service was reduced to priority calls only in the lead up to the Self-Assessment tax return deadline on January 31.

HMRC said around two-thirds of calls to its self assessment helpline can be resolved far quicker through its online services. It added that last year it received more than three million calls on queries that could easily and simply be done online  such as resetting an online password, getting your tax code and finding your National Insurance number.

It also said callers would be told about its extensive online services through recorded messages and text messages.

However, Money Mail revealed in January that some taxpayers found they couldn't get crucial answers to their questions in time to meet the self-assessment deadline. Readers told how they had been locked out of their accounts, or had yet to receive the letters they required to file their returns and were unable to get answers online.

HM Revenue and Custom, which has its HQ (pictured) in Parliament Street in central London, shut down its tax helpline between April 8 and September 30

Victoria Todd, of the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, a trade body, says taxpayers needing extra support will now be left jumping through hoops to get through to someone who can help them.

She adds: 'We still haven't seen any evidence to back up HMRC's claim that around two-thirds of callers to the self-assessment helpline can deal with their inquiry online, and we are concerned about the robustness of the evaluations that have been used to justify this decision.'

How else can I contact HMRC?

Taxpayers are being told to seek answers on HMRC's website or smartphone application where its online guidance includes written guidance, recorded webinars, YouTube videos and a 'digital assistant'.

The tax office says that its HMRC online services are highly rates, with more than 80pc satisfaction ratings.

However, Robert Salter, of leading tax firm Blick Rothenberg, warns that the advice given on the website can often be unclear  and in some cases has been outright incorrect. He says: 'There's a lot of nonsense on HMRC's portals, and I have seen people given advice that isn't right, especially where the lines are somewhat blurry around self-employed taxes.

'It's disappointing they are doing this and refuse to listen to the feedback from the public and the experts.'

Taxpayers can put their queries to the 'digital assistant', which is an online chatbot. But even as an expert, Mr Salter says he found it tricky to use when he had to resort to it for personal taxes.

He says: 'Even where you do get an answer, all the nuance of your personal case is lost, so it is just a partial answer.'

Use this trick to speak to official HMRC says all customers should be able to speak to HMRC advisers online where their query is not dealt with by its online guidance.

But Kelly Sizer, a senior manager at the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, says those asking questions of the chatbot will not automatically be put through to an adviser, even if they don't get a satisfactory answer.

She says: 'You first get through to a robot, and you won't necessarily be put straight through to a real person at HMRC  that's the first hurdle.'

You must type in a specific demand in order to get through, she says. On the chat, you are likely to be put through to an official if you write, 'I would like to speak to an adviser', according to Ms Sizer.

Parents could be stung

The cut in customer services will make it more difficult for taxpayers to understand what they owe and ensure they pay on time, warns Mr Salter.

Those caught in the net of complex tax rules could face the biggest struggle, he says.

For example, this applies to young parents stung by the high-income child benefit charge.

This benefit starts to decrease when one parent earns 50,000 and is entirely withdrawn for those with a salary of 60,000 a year. However, families are not always aware they need to repay the child benefit they received and can receive a large tax bill  and a fine  years down the line.

Mr Salter says: 'Surely the liability sits with HMRC to do a proper job to inform people of tax they owe.'

What happens with refunds?

Taxpayers will no longer be able to make requests relating to outstanding refunds or overpaid taxes over the PAYE helpline, HMRC has said.

This will make it substantially harder for people to chase any money they are due, Mr Salter says.

He says: 'It is ten times harder to get a refund paid compared to five years ago. But its about to become even more difficult as it's not something you can easily push along online.

'It will be harder to get any sort of clarification or for taxpayers to understand their obligations,' he says.

Ms Sizer says that the online services let you review your personal details but do not give you the option of making a query about the whereabouts of any tax refund.

The only recourse for those concerned will be to make a formal complaint against HMRC, she says.

Will there be any leniency?

No, it is extremely unlikely that taxpayers will be shown any extra leniency if they are late in filing their tax returns as a result of unanswered queries, according to Mr Salter.

He says: 'You are unlikely to get any more leeway. They are putting more pressure on individuals to resolve their questions themselves, but the core regulations around late filing have not changed and there's no reason to assume they will.'

What do you think about the changes? Get in touch

j.beard@dailymail.co.uk
It has been five decades since the chilling murders committed by French serial killer Charles Sobhraj gripped the globe and now he is the focus of a new Channel 4 documentary.

The three-part series, The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer, will provide an 'unparalleled insight' into the life and crimes of the murderer, after eight years of investigation and production.

Sobhraj, now-79, worked with accomplice Ajay Chowdhury as well as the twisted killer's wife - Marie-Andree Leclerc.

The Serpent himself returned home to Paris, France, in December 2022 to start a new life after being locked up in Nepal for 19 years.

But what happened to his accomplice, Ajay? Find out below.

Charles Sobhaj (R), 79, preyed on Western tourists in South Asia in the 1970s and lured them to their death, with the help of lover Marie-Andree Leclerc (L) and accomplice Ajay Chowdhury

Chowdhury's (pictured) whereabouts and fate remain one of the great mysteries of The Serpent's case

Sobhraj (seen in 2022) returned home to Paris, France, in December 2022 to start a new life after he was released from prison in Nepal, where he served 19 years for his twisted crimes

Who was Ajay Chowdhury and what happened to him?

Sobrhraj met Ajay Chowdhury when he was a young man in New Delhi park, in 1975.

The killer offered his new friend a job as a handyman which drew Chowdhury into Sobhraj's murderous lifestyle.

The Serpent had been financing a lavish lifestyle by posing as either a salesman or drug dealer to impress tourists, who he then drugged, robbed and often murdered.

While he claimed that murders were often accidental drug overdoses, it was later alleged by investigators that Sobhraj's motive for murder was silencing victims who threatened to expose him.

In 1976, Sobhraj attempted to drug a group of 60 French students on holiday in New Delhi in an attempt to rob them of passports and cash by giving them sleeping pills disguised as antibiotics.

But, this time, it backfired when the poison began working a lot faster than he expected. When the first few students began falling where they stood, the others became alarmed and called the police.

Sobhraj was arrested in India, and ultimately spent 21 years in jail until his release in 2022, with a brief break in 1986 when he escaped and was caught again in the coastal state of Goa.

Meanwhile, what happened to his accomplice is one of the greatest remaining mysteries of the Sobhraj case.

Though unconfirmed, Chowdhury is suspected to have died after being sent on an trip for Sobhraj around Malaysia in 1976 and was never seen again.

There was one rumoured sighting of him in Germany in late 1976, but this claim has never been proven.

Though he has not been spotted in over 40 years, Nepalese police were still searching for Chowdhury as recently in 2006.

Amesh Edireweera (pictured) as Sobhraj's accomplice in BBC's The Serpent (2021)

In the Spring of 1975, Sobhraj met Marie-Andree Leclerc (pictured), also known as Monique, a medical secretary from Quebec travelling India when he acted as her guide of the country

Who was Marie-Andree Leclerc and what happened to her?

In the Spring of 1975, Sobhraj met Marie-Andree Leclerc, also known as Monique, a medical secretary from Quebec travelling India when he acted as her guide of the country.

Three months after their initial meeting, Leclerc later flew to Bangkok to meet him after months of him seducing her with love letters - turning a blind eye to his philandering with local women.

Marie-Andree Leclerc was incarcerated in Tihar prison at the same time of Sobhraj's capture.

She faced accusations of complicity in the murders of Jean-Luc Salomon and Avoni Jacob in India.

In 1980, both Leclerc and Sobhraj were convicted of the murder of Avoni Jacob. While Leclerc decided to appeal the judgment, her release from prison was approved with the condition that she could not leave the country.

In July 1983, Leclerc was diagnosed with a gynaelogical cancer and was granted permission to return to Canada, so long as she continued to report to the Indian High Commission in Ottawa every three months.

Leclerc died at Hotel-Dieu in Levis of her cancer at the age of 38 on April 20, 1984.

Jenna Coleman (pictured) as Sobhraj's lover Leclerc in the 2021 BBC drama The Serpent

Leclerc became entwined in Sobhraj's vicious crime spree, and would help him drug tourists to steal their passports and money, while Chowdhury became his second-in-command . Above: Jenna Coleman as Marie-Andree Leclerc in the Netflix drama version of the story

How were Marie-Andree Leclerc and Ajay Chowdery involved in Charles Sobhraj's crimes?

The trio preyed on Western tourists on the hippie trail of South Asia in the 1970s and lured them to their death - with Sobhraj's 'snake-like ability' to seduce and avoid detection by authorities earning him the notorious nickname.

Besotted, Leclerc became entwined in Sobhraj's vicious crime spree, and would help him drug tourists to steal their passports and money.

Sobhraj and Leclerc first made a living by carrying out scams, and would initially target their victims by 'helping' them out of so-called difficult situations.

On one occasion, the pair provided shelter to a Frenchman, Dominique Renelleau, who appeared to be suffering from dysentery - in reality, he had been poisoned by the couple.

Chowdhury, meanwhile, became Sobhaj's second-in-command, who would help him scam tourists by helping them out of situations he had caused, for example providing shelter to victims he had poisoned.

Years on, Nepal police revealed they were searching for him in connection with a series of murders, thefts and robberies, and that he is also suspected of burning victims' bodies in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The three went on to commit their first known murders in 1975, which resulted in the deaths of an estimated 20 Western tourists in South and South East Asia.

Some of the victims had spent some time with the pair before their deaths and were, according to investigators, recruited by Sobhraj and Chowdhury to join them in their crimes.

Although Sobhraj claimed that most of his murders were accidental drug overdoses, investigators determined that the victims had threatened to expose Sobhraj, which was his motive for murder.

In 1980, both Leclerc and Sobhraj were convicted of the murder of Avoni Jacob, with Leclerc later released from prison with the condition that she could not leave India. Above: Netflix drama The Serpent
Drug addiction, an overdose death and a foray into Scientology set Stephanie Wittels Wachs on an unlikely course to team up with a member of the British Royal Family.

Last month it was revealed that Meghan Markle had signed on to women-run Lemonada Media to host a show after cutting ties with Spotify following a single season of the Archetypes podcast.

Stephanie Wittels Wachs, 43, launched the podcasting company in 2019 with co-founder Jessica Cordova Kramer, which now produces shows around sex, grief and LGBTQ issues to help 'make life suck less.'

Speaking to DailyMail.com, a Hollywood insider and friend said, 'Stephanie didn't set out to become a media mogul and certainly never expected to be in business with members of the Royal Family.'

But it was Wachs's comedian brother's 2015 overdose death at age 30 that sparked her podcasting venture and eventually led her to work with the Duchess of Sussex, who will relaunch Archetypes as well as host an unspecified show.

The Duchess of Sussex has signed on to women-run Lemonada Media to host an unspecified show. Stephanie Wittels Wachs (left) launched the podcasting company in 2019 with co-founder Jessica Cordova Kramer and won a Webby Award for online excellence last year

Wachs's brother Harris Wittels was a successful comedian and Parks and Recreation writer who died in 2015 of a heroin overdose. The brother and sister pair are pictured together

That brother was Harris Wittels who was 'discovered' by comedian Sarah Silverman in his early twenties.

He went on to count household names like Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari as his co-workers when he signed on as co-executive producer and writer on NBC hit Parks and Recreation.

He was also the author of Humblebrag: The Art Of False Modesty.

'The guy was such a talented joke writer  in addition to being a superstar on Twitter  that he continued to work at an extremely high professional level despite his issues with substance abuse,' a source told DailyMail.com.

'Parks simply wouldn't have been the same without his writing, and everybody knew it.'

A year after his death, Wachs - who was a high school teacher in Houston, Texas, at the time - told DailyMail.com that learning of her brother's passing was 'the worst day of my life'. Stephanie and Harris are pictured at her wedding

Wittels was vocal about his addiction, too, describing his drug use and stints in rehab on podcasts, even admitting to going to LA's Skid Row to score heroin at 2am.

He died of a heroin overdose on February 19, 2015 at 30 years old after a two-year battle.

'Stephanie was a Texas housewife when her brother died after a long and semi-public battle with drugs,' the source said. 'Harris's sudden, shocking death prompted Stephanie to turn her whole life upside down.

'She decided to devote her time to creating and distributing uplifting podcast content.'

Lemonada was founded four years after Harris's death after Wachs teamed up with Kramer, whose brother Stefano also died of an overdose.

The slogan for Lemonada is 'making lemonade out of lemons, one podcast at a time.'

'That in itself was a tribute to her late brother because he was passionate about the podcasting medium and made tons of hilarious podcast appearances that live on,' the insider said.

A year after her brother's death, Wachs  who was a high school teacher in Houston, Texas, at the time  told DailyMail.com that learning of her brother's passing was 'the worst day of my life'.

She said that after his third stint in rehab 'it was very clear to us that [death] was a possibility.'

'We've been dealing with this hell for a long time. When I saw the number on my phone I knew what was going on but I don't think you're ever prepared to get that call,' Wachs said.

The Hollywood insider said they couldn't help but to think that Scientology led to Wittels's downfall.

'What's utterly bizarre about this whole situation is that shortly before his death Harris basically went to war with Scientology by publicly recounting his weird, recruitment-oriented encounters publicly on as many podcasts as he could,' the source said.

'Stephanie was a Texas housewife when her brother died of a heroin overdose after a long and semi-public battle with drugs,' a source told DailyMail.com. ' Harris's sudden, shocking death prompted Stephanie to turn her whole life upside down'

Harris Wittels counted household names like Amy Poehler and Aziz Ansari as his co-workers when he signed on as one of the top writers on NBC hit Parks and Recreation

Wachs's brother Harris Wittels was 'discovered' by comedian Sarah Silverman in his early twenties. Silverman now has a podcast with Lemonada

On an episode of the 'You Made It Weird' podcast, recorded just months before his death, he spoke of his foray into Scientology for a girl he was dating  but said he eventually backed out.

'I was always a little weird about the Scientology thing with this girl that I loved. And I couldn't handle that inner turmoil and instead of thinking about it I could take a pill and relax and be fine,' Wittels said.

He admitted that it was the stress of dating a Scientologist that led him to hard drugs, including opioids and eventually heroin.

Wittels goes on to say that the girl he was dating and her father pushed him to enter Scientology rehab. He initially declined but months later entered the church's program.

'They lock you up for three months and pump you with niacin,' he said.

Wittels said he went to Promises in Malibu and paid $57,000 for a 30-day treatment, and he got clean.

But it was short lived.

Our source said, 'There has always been this nagging suspicion among his surviving friend group that Harris's weird experience with Scientology led to his death, like a chain of dominos tipping over.'

Jessica Cordova Kramer (left) and Stephanie Wittels Wachs founded Lemonada in 2019

The slogan for Lemonada is 'making lemonade out of lemons, one podcast at a time'

In addition to Meghan Markle, Lemonada works with a host of celebrities from Sarah Silverman to Julia Louis-Dreyfus and have big backers including Stephanie Hannon, who served as Chief Technology Officer for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.

'I'm proud to now be able to share that I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting,' Meghan said in a statement last month. 'Being able to support a female-founded company with a roster of thought provoking and highly entertaining podcasts is a fantastic way to kick off 2024.'

There are no details on what Markle's new show with Lemonada will be yet  just that she will be the host.

Wachs said in a 2022 interview they realized 'people are struggling and feeling really alone. The mission for Lemonada was born. Our desire is to make the hard things easier.'

One of Lemonada's most popular shows is Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, which spent 29 days in a row at the top of the Apple Podcast charts.

In the podcast she sits down with Jane Fonda, Carol Burnett, Amy Tan, Diane von Furstenberg, Isabel Allende and Fran Lebowitz 'to get schooled in how to live a full and meaningful life.'
British special forces recovered a downed 'non-human' craft in northern England in the late 1980s, a former UK paratrooper and military intelligence officer claims.

Franc Milburn, a veteran of the British Army's elite Parachute Regiment, tells DailyMail.com he has spoken with a member of the MI6-run unit that conducted the alleged operation.

Milburn said he also spoke to UK Royal Air Force crew who chased and fired on a pair of 'disc-shaped' UFOs that traveled at hypersonic speeds outstripping their fighter jets.

Milburn refused to reveal the identity of his former elite comrade, citing security and his desire to remain anonymous. DailyMail.com will refer to him using the alias 'John.'

But in an exclusive interview with DailyMail.com, Milburn divulged eye-popping details of the story told to him by his ex-Special Forces friend after both had left the Army  saying that he wanted to support recent US whistleblowers' claims of a secret UFO crash retrieval program.

British veteran paratrooper Franc Milburn (pictured left in Iraq in 1997) claims a former member of the British special forces came clean to him about a top secret operation involving a downed 'non-human' craft in the late 1980s

A now declassified 2000 UK Defence Intelligence Staff report obtained by DailyMail.com states that the existence of 'Unexplained Aerial Phenomena' (UAP) is 'indisputable' and included a scatter plot (pictured) of UAP reports across the UK between 1987 to 1991

Milburn said that in the 1980s John worked for a reported secret unit now known as the 'E Squadron', which specialized in covert, clandestine, and paramilitary operations.

E Squadron, previously called 'The Increment', recruited the most experienced and reliable operators from the UK's Special Forces units: the Special Air Service (SAS), Special Boat Service (SBS) and Special Reconnaissance Regiment (SRR).

The US equivalent to E Squadron is the CIA's Special Operations Group and Joint Special Operations Command, staffed from 'Tier-1' units including Delta Force and SEAL Team 6.

Milburn said John served in the 1982 Falklands War and on numerous high-risk missions around the world, but one of the most disturbing was in his home country in the late 1980s.

'He told me they were deployed in a troop-sized unit, maybe 20-30 Special Forces operators,' Milburn said.

'They'd been told by the RAF [Royal Air Force] that a craft which wasn't Russian, British, or American had been downed.

'He said they were tasked to secure and retrieve the craft in the north of England. They were flown in by helicopter. They established a cordon, a perimeter, and they approached the craft.

'He didn't describe the craft, he just said it was obvious it was non-human, and it was obvious that there were occupants who had fled the scene on foot  or whatever you call it.

'He said then it became a task of tracking down these beings to try to bring them into custody.

'Part of the unit was left protecting the craft. They would have left maybe six to eight blokes to cordon the craft, and the others would have been on foot, quad bikes, or 4x4s trying to track down these entities that escaped from it, with helicopters supporting.

'He said after that it was totally passed over. He said, "scientists and technicians came in and it was completely out of our hands. We were flown away by helicopter, and we knew nothing more after that."'

The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) told DailyMail.com they are 'not aware of any salvage operations with materials of unexplained origin,' however,

After leaving the British armed forces in 1997, Milburn worked alongside US Special Forces and the State Department as a contractor in Iraq

Milburn (pictured) divulged eye-popping details of the story told to him by his ex-Special Forces friend - who he did not wish to identify citing security reasons - after both had left the Army

Milburn said John declined to give him further details, and did not provide any proof for his wild tale. But the ex-paratrooper said he trusted the word of his elite ex-comrade, after vetting him with other SAS veterans.

'I believe him 100%. I worked with the bloke in Civvy Street [post-military work]. This is a true-blue paratrooper. I spoke to former SAS and paratrooper mates of his.

'We're talking about a guy who fought bravely in the Falklands in some of the most brutal engagements,' he added. 'This is not the kind of guy who f***s around or talks s**t.'

Milburn worked in British military intelligence until the late 1990s, then as a contractor in Iraq alongside US Army Special Forces and the US State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

He is now an analyst for the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, an Israeli university think tank with close ties to Israeli military intelligence, where he has written public research papers on the US government's approach to UFOs.

He said he has been close friends with John for years, and that the Special Forces veteran shared the extraordinary tale with him several years ago to get it off his chest.

'John became like a brother to me. He told me one night because he was sick of keeping this big story bottled up, but knew he couldn't tell anyone who wasn't ex-Special Forces,' Milburn said.

Milburn told DailyMail.com that he is choosing to come forward now to support other whistleblowers who have testified to Congress about alleged UFO crash retrieval programs, and is concerned that the 'excessive secrecy' around the topic is preventing scientific progress.

'The various UAP [Unidentified Aerial Phenomena] programs need to be organized under one roof so that advances can be made before the Russians and Chinese get there,' he said.

However, Milburn's former commanders are staunchly opposed to any suggestion of recovered non-human craft.

The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) told DailyMail.com they are 'not aware of any salvage operations with materials of unexplained origin.'

Milburn told DailyMail.com that he is choosing to come forward now to support other whistleblowers who have testified to Congress about alleged UFO crash retrieval programs, and is concerned that the 'excessive secrecy' around the topic

This file video grab image obtained April 28, 2020 courtesy of the US Department of Defense shows part of an unclassified video taken by Navy pilots that has circulated for years showing interactions with 'unidentified anomalous phenomena'

And in 2021, then-defense minister Baroness Annabel Goldie told Parliament that the MoD 'holds no reports on unidentified aerial phenomena' but 'constantly monitors UK airspace to identify and respond to any credible threat to its integrity.

'In over 50 years no such reporting had indicated the existence of any military threat to the United Kingdom,' the Baroness said during a June 30, 2021 session in the UK's House of Lords.

However, a 2000 UK Defence Intelligence Staff report said the existence of 'Unexplained Aerial Phenomena' (UAP) is 'indisputable'.

'Credited with the ability to hover, land, take-off, accelerate to exceptional velocities and vanish, they can reportedly alter their direction of flight suddenly and clearly can exhibit aerodynamic characteristics well beyond those of any known aircraft or missile  either manned or unmanned,' the report said.

'Attempts by other nations to intercept the unexplained objects, which can clearly change position faster than an aircraft, have reportedly already caused fatalities,' the report warned, adding that 'no attempt should be made to out-maneuver a UAP during interception.'

The December 2000 report, titled Unidentified Aerial Phenomena in the UK Air Defence Region, was originally classified secret but released to the UK National Archives in 2006.

It denied any 'incursions' by UFOs into UK airspace and said that 'no artefacts of unknown or unexplained origin have been reported or handed to the UK authorities.'

'There is no evidence of the penetration of the UKADR by unauthorized air platforms there are no reports of RAF aircraft intercepting UAPs,' it said.

But Milburn says he knows different.

He told DailyMail.com his credulity towards John was bolstered by his experience debriefing other veterans with shocking UFO encounters.

The former paratrooper said British military pilots told him about 'kinetic' encounters with UFOs, while he was working as an intelligence officer in the 1990s.

He said two pilots and two navigators of two Tornado jets told him they were ordered to intercept 'disc-shaped objects'  but when told to shoot them down, they were outmaneuvered.

Milburn also pointed to two former US Air Force pilots, Major Milton Torres (pictured) and Major George Filer III, stationed in the UK, who claimed to have taken part in intercepts with UFOs in British airspace in 1957 and 1962

In an archived video shared on YouTube, Major George Filer III said he flew to intercept a UFO 'hovering' at 1,000 ft over the British countryside in 1962

'They closed to within 20 nautical miles (nm). They were ordered to shoot them down. I wasn't told why, that was above my level,' Milburn said.

'They had radar homing missiles. The missiles left the aircraft having achieved lock on but then failed to impact the craft.

'They closed to within 10nm and released more missiles which were infrared homing. Those failed to impact the craft.

'They then flew to within one nm and closer. They were trying to shoot down these craft with the aircraft's 27mm cannon, and they failed to shoot them down.

'They said that they fired at the objects and the rounds hit, but had no effect on the craft whatsoever.'

Milburn said that although the pilots saw the craft with their own eyes, their radar had struggled to pick up the 'discs' when they were beyond visual range.

'They said to me that they were initially vectored onto the craft by the air intercept controller, because they couldn't see it on their own radar,' he said.

'Later they had the craft on their own radar, but then the ground controller lost it on his radar, which is obviously much more powerful.'

Then, according to the military aviators, the flying saucers 'disappeared.'

'The craft just basically just skipped off at hypersonic velocity far beyond what the jets had. They just disappeared,' Milburn said.

'I asked them, "what do you think those crafts were?" And they said, "well, it's nothing we have, it's nothing the Russians have, and nothing that the Yanks have."

'All four of them served in the first Gulf War. Before that they'd done years enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq. They'd logged hundreds of hours of missions and intercepts. So these guys were no strangers to intercepting aircraft.

Milburn also pointed to two former US Air Force pilots, Major Milton Torres and Major George Filer III, stationed in the UK, who claimed to have taken part in intercepts with UFOs in British airspace in 1957 and 1962.

Torres said he was scrambled in an F-86D jet from Royal Air Force Base Manston, England, one foggy night in 1957.

He said he got a radar lock on an object the size of an aircraft carrier, which flew away at Mach 10 before he could fire on it.

Filer said he flew to intercept a UFO 'hovering' at 1,000 ft over the British countryside in 1962, but when he was a mile out his radar recorded it 'shooting off up into space'.

David Grusch - a former high-ranking intelligence official  is one of three military whistleblowers who testified under oath about UFOs last year. Grusch claims he has evidence of secret programs involving technology far surpassing the US's capabilities

In July Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer co-sponsored a bill to allow disclosure of 'recovered technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence'

Milburn's claims follow allegations from three sources revealed by DailyMail.com in November, that the CIA has been conducting UFO crash retrieval operations, coordinated by a secretive directorate called the Office of Global Access, since 2003.

The three sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid reprisals, have all been briefed by individuals involved in those alleged UFO retrieval missions.

Though the shocking claims sound like they come from a science fiction novel, they are part of a growing body of evidence suggesting the US government could indeed be hiding advanced vehicles that were not made by humans.

Former top intelligence officer David Grusch told Congress as much in an explosive public hearing in July.

The same month, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sponsored an extraordinary bill to allow disclosure of 'recovered technologies of unknown origin and biological evidence of non-human intelligence'.

Other witnesses of the alleged UFO crash retrieval program have briefed lawmakers on the Senate Intelligence Committee over the past two years.

Speaking to the UK's BBC Radio 4 in August Grusch alleged that a cover-up of UFO programs extends to Five Eyes nations, of which the UK is a member.

'It does cross into other countries and other allies, including the Five Eyes alliance,' he said.

The Pentagon's UFO investigation unit, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, released a report this month saying it found no evidence for a clandestine crash retrieval program.

'AARO found no evidence that any USG investigation, academic-sponsored research, or official review panel has confirmed that any sighting of a UAP represented extraterrestrial technology,' the report's executive summary said.

'Although many UAP reports remain unsolved or unidentified, AARO assesses that if more and better quality data were available, most of these cases also could be identified and resolved as ordinary objects or phenomena.'
The Pentagon is struggling to modernize and innovate defense technologies in order to gain a 'competitive advantage' on China and other adversaries according to a scathing 'report card.'

The second annual report by the Ronald Reagan Institute reveals that the U.S. needs to better coordinate between the government, private sector and the military or risk embarrassment on the world stage.

It was put together by leading defense experts who handed out a series of Bs, Cs, Ds and even one F-.

The report card, first obtained by DailyMail.com, scores the U.S. government on 10 key areas to assess the 'National Security Innovation Base' (NSIB) as America's military, economic and technological advantage compared to China declines.

It was first designed in 2023 in order to measure the 'collective impact' of the NSIB's 'critical yet largely uncoordinated ecosystem.'

It then provides a set of recommendations for improvement so that the U.S. can get on more efficient footing to combat its geopolitical foes.

The report questions Congress' commitment to 'scale critical tech' based on funding levels

The second annual report by the Ronald Reagan Institute reveals that the U.S. needs to better coordinate between the government, private sector and the military

According to the report card, the U.S. 'continues to excel as a global leader in innovation with a vibrant and dynamic private sector.'

But the identified weaknesses 'persist as areas of grave vulnerability that undermine our competitiveness and risk leading to U.S. military inferiority.'

Government initiatives lack the 'funds and programs of record to back them up,' due to budget issues and 'appropriations dysfunction' in Congress.

That creates an inability to 'translate innovation into capabilities,' according to the report.

The lowest grade - a lowly 'F-' score - was bestowed upon the government for failing to provide 'sufficient and stable funding' for new technologies.

The report specifically states that 'lack of Congressional action' is 'constraining progress on major initiatives.'

Particularly the lack of a fiscal year 2024 budget resulted in 'significant development delays for priority programs.'

One example is the lack of funding for new 'collaborative combat aircrafts,' the report details.

It goes on to question Congress' commitment to 'scale critical tech' based on funding levels.

That includes how budgets for innovation did not 'materially change' in the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Congress only came to an agreement with the White House on the next six funding bills - including Defense - early Tuesday morning.

And the government could be headed toward another government shutdown on Friday if the six agencies are not appropriated by midnight.

NSIB Overall Grades 2024 Indicator Grade Defense Modernization D

Innovation Leadership A- Pull-Through for Broader National Priorities B Customer Clarity D Innovation Capital B Private Sector Innovator Base B Public/Civil Innovation Base C+ Government Alignment C+ International Alliances and Partnerships C Talent Base D

According to Rachel Hoff, policy director at the Ronald Reagan Institute, the goal with the F- grade was 'to say, look, Congress is moving in the wrong direction, particularly as it comes to providing stable on-time appropriations.'

The report comes at a critical time as the U.S. struggles to compete with its top foe China and other bad actors including Iran and Russia.

According to the annual Reagan National Defense survey released late last year, 51 percent of Americans think China is the 'greatest threat to the U.S.'

An overwhelming number of Americans (77 percent) view China as an enemy, with only 15 percent considering the communist state an 'ally.' And 42 percent of respondents consider China to be a 'strong' enemy.

That's a steep difference from 2018 results which found that only 55 percent of Americans viewed China as an enemy and 38 percent as an ally.
The politician also hopes to see the army work more closely with communities

Children should be prepared for battle to bolster 'resilience', says Germany's education minister as tensions continue to heat up with Russia.

Bettina Stark-Watzinger, 55, said she would also like for schools to introduce 'civil defence' exercises so that children are ready for years ahead.

'Society as a whole must prepare well for crises, from a pandemic to natural disasters to war,' she told Funke Media Group.

'Civil defence is immensely important, and it also belongs in schools. The goal must be to strengthen our resilience.'

The 55-year-old German minister expressed her desire for German Army members - also known as Bundeswehr - to work more closely with communities.

Germany's education minister, Bettina Stark-Watzinger (pictured 2024) believes children should be ready for battle as tensions heat up between Nato and Russia

The 55-year-old minister wants German Army members (pictured) to work more closely with the community so children can be familiarised with them

She believes that this would make children in the country more at ease with military officials.

'I think it is important that youth officers come to schools and report what the Bundeswehr is doing for our security,' she added.

Some German education officials have also agreed with the minister's most recent position.

The president of the German Teachers' Association, Stefan Dull said her ideas made 'sense'.

'I expect the federal minister to now seek discussions with the education ministers in the federal states,' he told the German news outlet, Bild.

'A declaration of intent is not enough  politics lessons now have to teach about the war in Ukraine and the pan-European, even global threat situation.'

Stark-Watzinger's comments come shortly after the German government declared they wanted to make their nation 'kriegstuchig', which in English means 'war ready'.

This declaration comes as the relationship between Nato and Russia becomes increasingly strained, with senior German defence officials predicting that conflict could arrive in other borders in the continent the next few years, The Telegraph reports.

The education minister's statements represent a change in stance in Germany, which for years has shied away from being a security power in Europe.

The politician also hopes to see schools introduce 'civil defence' exercises so that children can be ready for the years ahead

The president of the German Teachers' Association, Stefan Dull has agreed with the minister's recent comments but has said intent is 'not enough' (pictured: members of the Bundeswhere during a NATO exercise in 2024)

But after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, their stance on international relations has since changed.

German chancellor, Olaf Scholz coined the Ukraine war as a 'zeitenwende', signifying a turning point for his country.

With this, he also promised Ukraine record amounts of money - but his support only extended so far.

Some have been critical of the Chancellor's initial hesitance to dispatch tanks to the war-torn country.

More recently an extraordinary spat erupted after Mr Scholz declared he would not hand long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv as it would require German troops to assist on the ground.

He argued that following the lead of the UK and France would make his nation a 'participant in the war.'

Tories branded the comments 'dangerous', 'irresponsible', and a 'slap in the face' for NATO allies. He was also accused of giving Vladimir Putin an excuse for 'escalation'.

Underlining the risks of Mr Scholz's words, Mr Putin used an annual speech today to claim NATO and the West are 'preparing to strike' Russian territory and warn that he is ready to retaliate with nuclear weapons.
Major retailers are all vulnerable to IT outages after McDonald's, Sainsbury's and Tesco lost millions of pounds amid technical issues, retail experts have warned.

Tesco and Sainsbury's were both hit with unrelated problems on Saturday which saw them both have to apologise to angry customers who were left without orders.

And that came one day after McDonald's also said sorry to customers last Friday after they were unable to order food due to an IT system outage in its restaurants.

Sainsbury's shoppers could not make contactless payments following an overnight software update and the firm could not fulfil the 'vast majority' of online deliveries.

Meanwhile, Tesco had to cancel some online orders due for delivery on Saturday - although it is understood that only a small proportion of these were impacted.

Now, retail experts have warned that the IT issues highlight 'the fragility of growing dependence on digital infrastructure' and showed 'even large corporations aren't immune from normal IT troubles' amid concerns more firms could be affected.

A Sainsbury's worked looks glum at the door of a store in Worthing, West Sussex, on Saturday

Long queues at the Sainsbury's store in North Sheen near Richmond in London on Saturday

Shoppers appear to abandon their groceries at the Sainsbury's in North Sheen on Saturday

While a total figure has not been given on the cost of the outages, the Telegraph estimated that Sainsbury's orders worth up to 9million could have been affected.

This was based on analysis of the chain's sales figures for 2022/23 when it sold an average of 8.7million in online delivery and click-and-collect orders each day.

Retail expert Richard Hammond, chief executive and co-founder of analytics firm Uncrowd, told MailOnline: 'Complex modern tech stacks are by their distributed nature rife with vulnerabilities.

'We don't know what this exact cause was but just one small part of the complex chain of dependencies can change one thing and that has unexpected consequences, including shutting down whole customer systems.

'Retailers can't even foresee that, they just can't. What's important is to have a disaster process in place for the ineviatable, and be ready to be humble and gracious in rebuilding customer trust.'

Richard Lim, chief executive of consultancy Retail Economics, told The Times: 'While the immediate consequences of wasted food, lost revenue, and a potential erosion of customer trust are a blow to the retailer, the situation highlights a larger concern around operational resilience.

'This incident underscores the fragility of growing dependence on digital infrastructure and the critical nature of investing in robust IT solutions.

'Digital disruption is a principal risk for most retailers, but ensuring contingency planning is in place is vital.'

Retail technology analyst Miya Knights told BBC Radio 4 that any major update to a live system would require 'rigorous testing protocols' and 'rigorous release planning'.

She added: 'At the end of the day it's a human-related problem that these things have come down to the point where they are affecting customers.'

Shoppers queue outside a Tesco store in London to withdraw cash on Saturday

An ATM machine outside a Tesco store in London on Saturday which was out of service

Guy Warren, chief executive of software company ITRS, told technology website Verdict that the three outages showed IT estates are growing more susceptible to outages with longer periods of downtime.

He said: 'With operational resilience at the forefront of the business agenda, firms should already have introduced highly proactive monitoring and security capabilities, so they see what their systems are doing in real-time.

'If these three companies had access to this level of insight, the outages across their platforms might never have happened  let alone drag on until it becomes headline news.'

And Chelsea Hopkins, PR manager at internet service provider Fasthosts, also told Verdict that the amount of sales lost will have been 'staggering'.

She added: 'When outages like this occur the first thought for many is a cyber attack, but this is a reminder that even large corporations aren't immune from normal IT troubles.'

It is understood that the IT failures are not being investigated as a potential cyber attack at any of the three firms.

James Bore, who runs the Bores technology and security consultancy, often deals with situations relating to supply chains, logistics and overall societal security.

He told MailOnline: 'There's a rule in technology- never deploy on a Friday. The technology involved in these systems has only grown more fragile and complex over the years, and there is rarely an incentive to reduce the complexity or rebuild them properly from the ground up.

'At this scale and complexity thorough testing is essential, as even the slightest mistake can have unpredictable consequences - as we've seen.

'This is a fundamental risk of centralised control of systems by large companies - when these systems are not centralised any failures are local and so impacts are limited. Despite the impact of these, it could have easily been much worse.'

There were long queues at the Sainsbury's in Wandsworth, South West London, on Saturday

He also warned of the dangers of relying too much on cashless payment methods.

Mr Bore explained: 'Moving to a cashless society means moving to a single system to manage all payments.

'Ignoring issues around privacy and control, any failures in the system would have far more potential to be catastrophic, not to mention without a solid design dependencies on energy and connectivity could easily be introduced.

'On top of that, a vulnerability in the design of the system would put anyone from individuals to society as a whole at risk.

'These dangers can be partly designed around, for example the European Central Bank's proposal includes an offline component that retains the anonymity of cash along with many of its benefits - but does still require electricity and any such offline digital currency is at risk of theft along with the device carrying it.'

Sainsbury's had said that it could not deliver most online grocery orders and was unable to contact customers directly.

But a Sainsbury's spokesperson later said: 'We can confirm that contactless payments are now back up and running in all stores, alongside all other forms of payment.

'Our Groceries Online ordering system is working as normal and customers can place an order for delivery any time from tomorrow.

'We apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused by technical issues today - thank you for bearing with us.'

One customer said she was meant to have a 'very important' order delivered between 8 to 9am, which did not happen.

Yvonne, 56, from the Reading area, said: 'The main issue I have with this is the poor communication from Sainsbury's to its customers.

'It was obvious something was wrong at 7am as that's when they send the receipts normally. Couldn't get through to anyone about my 8 to 9 delivery.

'No statement until about 8.30, only seemed to be on social media which not all customers will have.

A Sainsbury's in Wandsworth, South West London, said that tills were 'cash only' on Saturday

'Should have been an email or text to customers which would have helped those like myself expecting an early morning delivery. Much to improve on with their communications.'

Argos, which is owned by Sainsbury's, was also affected by the software update, meaning some customers may have had issues ordering new items or collecting orders in-store.

It said there may have been delays in fulfilling orders placed.

READ MORE Panic buttons, bodycams and instant back-up: How Boots are fighting back against shoplifting gangs with help of CCTV nerve centre Advertisement

Only a small proportion of Tesco orders due for delivery on Saturday were impacted, it is understood.

Tesco customers received an email if their order was disrupted, and if it was cancelled they were not charged.

In-store shopping and placing orders on the app and website are not believed to have been affected.

Tesco said: 'The vast majority of our online orders are being delivered as normal, but due to a technical issue earlier today we have had to cancel a small number of orders.

'We are contacting affected customers directly, and we're really sorry for the inconvenience.'

It comes after McDonald's apologised to customers last Friday after they were unable to order food following an IT system outage in its restaurants.

The fast food operator later said the problem had been 'resolved' at its sites in the UK and Ireland.

On Friday morning, customers in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Japan complained about issues trying to buy from the fast food giant on social media.

In the UK, a number of customers said on social media that their local restaurants were closed although they were able to make orders through the company's app.

Most stores across the UK opened as usual on Friday morning despite the problem.

The company blamed the issue on a 'technology outage' and stressed that it was not linked to any cybersecurity issues.

A McDonald's spokeswoman said: 'We are aware of a technology outage which impacted our restaurants.

'The issue has now been resolved in the UK and Ireland. We thank customers for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. The issue is not related to a cybersecurity event.'
Lawmakers are hoping to get more candid accounts from the generals now that they are retired

The two were the top military officials in charge during the Biden administration's disastrous 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan

Over two years after the Biden administration's disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan two top military leaders who led the operation will testify before Congress about the hasty retreat that left 13 service members dead.

House Foreign Affairs Committee lawmakers will question former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley and former Commander U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie on Tuesday.

The hearing serves as a platform for the former military leaders to deliver an assessment of the withdrawal, which has been labeled a failure by some Democrats and nearly all Republicans.

It is the first time that the two generals are testifying before Congress since retiring and lawmakers want to get candid answers from the former military brass they believe have critical insights into Biden's handling of the disaster.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, plans to shine a light on the Gold Star families in attendance and recount the horrors of the withdrawal that left 13 troops dead.

One committee aide told DailyMail.com that members are preparing to ask the hard questions since Milley and McKenzie 'wont be stumped or rattled' by most lines of questioning.

A helicopter displaying a Taliban flag flies above Taliban supporters gathered to celebrate the US withdrawal of all its troops out of Afghanistan

The House Foreign Affairs Committee will question former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley and former Commander U.S. Central Command General Kenneth McKenzie on Tuesday

The goal of the Republicans is to get information that's not currently public to provide insights for the Gold Star families in attendance.

Another committee aide told DailyMail.com that there are six clear goals Republicans hope to achieve out of the hearing today.

The first is demonstrate the decision to rapidly withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan was Joe Biden's call, and that he made the decision against the advice of his advisers.

In addition, they plan to establish the Taliban takeover was predictable and show the Biden administration did not anticipate how fast that occurred.

They will also run through the State Departments bad planning that led to confusion and chaos on the ground.

According to the aide, the Pentagon leaders - including Milley and McKenzie - will be put on the spot to answer to their mistakes leading to the loss of 13 troops.

Milley previously referred to the withdrawal as a logistical success but strategic failure and has said he has 'lots of regrets' regarding the operation.

'It didnt end the way I wanted it,' Milley said in an interview with ABC News in September before his retirement. 'In the broader sense, the war was lost.'

McKenzie also expressed his regrets about the operation in an interview with NPR, saying 'thats something that haunts me to this day.'

Steven Nikoui, the Gold Star father of slain Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, told DailyMail.com last week that this hearing is critical.

'Joe Biden, personally, is the reason for that fiasco,' he told DailyMail.com, '100%.'

'I'm mad at Milley and Mackenzie, because I feel like they should have been bold and taking a stand and resign. Maybe it would have changed the course of history.'

But Nikoui says he just doesn't have the money to make it back for the hearing, which is 'sad' as a lot of the other Gold Star parents are in the same boat.

The Tuesday hearing is just one of several Congressional meetings spent on the 2021 military withdrawal this year.

In January, the committee held a hearing on the Taliban's reprisal murders of key U.S. Afghan allies.

In February, the committee held a hearing on the Biden administration's failure to uphold the Doha Agreement, which brokered a peace between the U.S. and the Taliban.

Videos and images of the 2021 withdrawal show U.S. military aircraft evacuating the country as desperate residents cling on to the exterior of the plane to try and escape Taliban rule

The withdrawal culminated with tens of thousands of Afghans attempting to evacuate the country on U.S. military transports

'As a result of the Biden administrations failure to plan, the U.S. military was forced to conduct this emergency evacuation surrounded by tens of thousands of Taliban terrorists,' House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said during a February hearing.

'Put simply, President Biden and Secretary Blinken put thousands of American lives at risk through their incompetence and willful blindness.'

McCaul also threatened to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress last month for failing to handover the departments After-Action Review (ARR) notes of the Afghanistan operation.

The Texan claim the notes may contain damning first-hand accounts of the withdrawal.

Nikoui was arrested after interrupting President Biden's State of the Union address on March 7.

'Remember Abbey Gate,' Nikoui yelled at the president before he was escorted out of the House chamber and arrested by Capitol Police.

Nikoui was released later that evening with assistance from Republican lawmakers.

Kareem was one of the 13 service members who died from a suicide bombing at the Hamid Karzai International Airport during the evacuation.

The Biden administration, however, has largely blamed the Trump administration for the operation.

'President Biden had committed to ending the war in Afghanistan, but when he came into office he was confronted with difficult realities left to him by the Trump Administration,' the White House wrote in a report detailing the withdrawal.
Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung again did not show up for a court hearing on corruption charges on Tuesday, leading the court to issue a warning that it could consider bringing him to attend hearings by force.

A bench at the Seoul Central District Court issued the warning after Lee, chair of the Democratic Party of Korea, did not attend a hearing held for a bribery case he is facing in connection with property development projects conducted during his previous term as Seongnam mayor.

Citing his duties as a party leader, Lee had requested the previous day permission from the court to be absent during Tuesday's hearing, but the court did not grant the request.

During the previous court hearing on the case a week ago, Lee was absent in the morning session and belatedly showed up for the afternoon session. That day, Lee attended a party event to launch an election strategy committee.

During Tuesday's hearing, prosecutors demanded the court compel Lee to appear for hearings if his court absence is repeated.

Lee's lawyer argued that the court should fully consider the importance of elections, for which Lee is currently working as the leader of the main opposition party. Lee's side also requested court permission for Lee to skip hearings until the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 10.

The court rejected the request, saying court hearings should not proceed in consideration of political matters.

"If Lee again does not attend the next hearing set for next Tuesday, we will consider forceful summons," the court said.

The court postponed Tuesday's hearing after a key witness in the case refused to testify in the absence of Lee. (Yonhap)
Ohio voters are headed to the polls on Tuesday to vote in a three-way Republican Senate primary, a competitive race that took a nasty turn in the final stretch of the campaign.

Matt Dolan, Bernie Moreno and Frank LaRose are all running for the chance to take on Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in November as he seeks a fourth term.

And the race could be a test for former President Donald Trump's endorsement power after he went to bat for Moreno over the weekend.

Polls opened in Ohio at 6:30am ET and will remain open until 7:30pm ET.

Voters are also participating in Ohio's presidential primaries. But Trump and President Biden already have enough delegates to clinch their parties' nominations.

More than 162,000 people have already voted by mail including 80,000 registered Republicans. More than 213,000 Ohioans cast ballots early in person including more than 126,000 Republicans.

Republicans Matt Dolan (left), Frank LaRose (center) and Bernie Moreno (right) are in a three way race for the GOP Ohio Senate nomination and the chance to take Sen. Brown in November

Moreno (second from right with wife Bridget) has the lead in the final poll before Ohio votes in the contested primary. For months, it was anyone's race to win

For months the Ohio GOP Senate primary appeared to be anyone's race but the latest poll from Emerson College shows Moreno holding a slight edge heading into primary day.

Moreno had 38 percent among likely Republican voters, state Senator Dolan has 29 percent and current Republican Secretary of State LaRose has 12 percent. But heading into the election, 21 percent remained undecided.

Moreno's widening lead came as Trump traveled to Ohio and held a rally with Moreno on Saturday despite a controversial 11th-hour report linked Moreno to an adult website.

At the rally, Trump slammed Dolan calling him weak on the border and crime while praising Moreno, who he previously endorsed, as an 'America first' candidate.

Moreno, a businessman who owned multiple car dealerships, also took the podium where he defended Trump as a 'great American.'

Moreno also has the endorsement of Ohio Senator JD Vance.

Moreno, an immigrant from Colombia, has called for changing the immigration laws on asylum and deporting all immigrants in the country illegally

Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno appearing with former President Trump at a rally in Ohio on March 16

Polling ahead of the primary showed Trump-backed candidate Bernie Moreno leading in the GOP Ohio Senate primary

But Ohio's GOP governor backed Dolan, a state senator who also ran in 2022 but lost the primary to Vance. He also has the support of former GOP Senator Rob Portman.

DeWine called Dolan the best candidate to win against Brown come November.

Dolan also has his family's considerable wealth backing his bid.

The race between Moreno and Dolan took an ugly turn in the final week after an Associated Press report on Thursday raised questions over Moreno's publicly available email being linked to an adult website profile in 2008.

Moreno's campaign slammed the report and his lawyer insisted it was a prank pulled off by an intern sixteen years ago which Moreno had nothing to do with.

But the Buckeye Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting Dolan, seized on it, running ads ahead of the primary featuring the AP and calling Moreno 'creepy' and 'damaged goods.'

Polling third in the race is the current Ohio Secretary of State LaRose. He's running as 'proven, battle-tested conservative.'

Already more than $48 million has been spent on ads in the Ohio Senate primary, according to tracking by AdImpact. 80 percent of it has been spent in the GOP primary.

Dolan has the most with $17 million in ad support, Moreno had $14.6 million and LaRose trailed far behind with $5 million in ads supporting him.

State Sen. Matt Dolan making a campaign appearance on March 13

Secretary of State Frank LaRose campaigning ahead of the Ohio Senate primary on Feb. 13

All three Republicans are gunning to take on Brown in November.

The Democratic senator is trying to hold onto a seat in a state that has become increasingly red over the past few elections. The GOP in Ohio already controls statewide offices and the legislature.

Republicans are confident they can flip the Ohio Senate seat and several others to retake the Senate from the current one-seat Democrat majority.

Brown won re-election in 2018 but the last Democrat to win the presidential race in the state was Barack Obama.

This year, Republicans there expect to benefit with Trump at the top of the ballot and say Brown is toast, but Democrats remain bullish in their incumbent.

As Ohio plays front-and-center in the Republican path to a majority, Democrats have been meddling in the primary.

The move is reminiscent of the gamble Democrats made in some 2022 primaries where they promoted conservative 'MAGA' candidates they believed Democrats had a better chance of beating in the general election.

An ad placed by Duty and Country PAC which is largely funded through the Senate Majority PAC, a super PAC that works to help elect Democrats, spent at east $2.7 million in ad reservations for an ad propping up Moreno ahead of the primary.

Republicans supporting Dolan cried foul.

The winner of the Ohio GOP Senate primary will take on Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown

But despite meddling and mudslinging, the GOP candidates have some similar stances on major issues.

Like it has been across the country, the border has been the number one issue in the Ohio primary.

All three candidates have been vying as the toughest on immigration. None of them support for the Senate bipartisan border deal which was tanked by Republicans.

Dolan has called for closing the border. LaRose has called for deploying the military to the border.

Moreno, an immigrant from Colombia, has called for changing the immigration laws on asylum and deporting all immigrants in the country illegally.

Issues Democrats are sure to seize on in the general election: all three celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade and have supported some level of federal abortion restriction.

All three have also been critical of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, and they have all attempted to tie Brown to President Biden.

Where the candidates have differed is on aid to Ukraine. Moreno is against the U.S. providing additional funding. Dolan supports funding arguing the U.S. can address issues in the states and abroad and the money helps keep the U.S. safe. LaRose said he is open to funding but not until after the U.S. addresses its own border.

Meanwhile, Democrats have also been accusing the GOP Senate hopefuls of trying to buy a Senate seat.

The expensive primary has seen a significant amount of self-funding.

Dolan loaned his campaign $9 million, a vast majority of the $11.4 million total raised. His parents Larry and Eva Dolan also contributed $1 million each to the super PAC supporting him, filings show.

Moreno has also loaned his campaign more than $4 million, nearly half the his campaign's total receipts according to the latest filings.

LaRose has also loaned his campaign funds but a much smaller amount by comparison: $250,000.
A lollipop lady patrolling at a school where police seized a black Audi in a crackdown on 'rogue parking' has quit because she no longer feels safe around impatient drivers who refuse to slow down.

Mandie Gorst said she has been sworn and spat at  and almost mowed down by motorists who ignore her pleas to keep to the 20mph speed limit on the school run.

The mother, who has been a lollipop lady at Lytham Hall Primary School in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, for six years, said: 'I have resigned because I can no longer keep either the children or myself safe.

'I'm tired of stepping into the road wondering if the car is going to stop or if I am going to get abuse.

'Some parents shout out me, and one lad on a bike spat at me when I told him he should have stopped.'

Mandie Gorst said she has been sworn and spat at  and almost mowed down by motorists who ignore her pleas to keep to the 20mph speed limit on the school run

She has been a lollipop lady at Lytham Hall Primary School in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, for six years

Ms Gorst said she was also having issues with illegally parked vehicles and had reported their number plates to police.

Officers seized a black Audi on Thursday a bid to crack down on 'rogue parking' outside the primary school.

Fylde Police said they had received numerous reports from concerned teachers and parents regarding the safety of their children who are being 'put in danger daily due to illegal, and inconsiderate driving and parking'.

Police said they seized the uninsured Audi from a man 'who believed he could park causing an obstruction'.

Police seized an Audi (pictured) in a bid to crack down on rogue parking outsideteh primary school in Lancashire

In a statement on Facebook, a Fylde Police spokesperson said they had received numerous reports from concerned teachers

'They just park wherever they want. On double and single yellow lines and on blind bends,' she said.

'It's worse when it's raining because they try to park as close the school gates as possible.

'I've had a couple of drivers fail to stop and keep on driving when I've been in the road. I don't feel safe.

'It is not just at this school; it is at most schools.

'I have had an association with the school for 20 years. I am sad to leave but I feel I don't have a choice.'

Stephen Coates, who was collecting his grandson, said: 'It is a problem.

'As you can see, cars are parked all over the place.

'Most people park responsibly but some just don't care and don't consider others.'

Mum of two Jessica Hunter, 26, said: 'I feel sorry for the lollipop lady because it is a thankless job.

'I think that she is a brave woman. I certainly wouldn't want to be walking into the road with my back to traffic.

'People don't want to walk so park on the double yellow lines.'

Ms Gorst said she was also having issues with illegally parked vehicles and had reported their number plates to police

The roads outside Lytham Hall Primary in Lytham St Annes, Lancashire

Mum of two Jessica Hunter, 26, said she feels sorry for the lollipop lady because it is a thankless job

In a statement on Facebook on March 14, a Fylde Police spokesperson said: 'You may have seen a recent police and traffic enforcement officer presence at both Heyhouses Primary and Lytham Hall Primary.

'This is in response to numerous reports from concerned teachers and parents regarding the safety of children.

'Your children are put in danger daily due to illegal, and inconsiderate driving and parking, by a minority of road users.

'We have had a very positive response from most of the parents and children we have encountered, and for that we thank you.

'Our intention is to educate drivers to prevent these behaviours continuing.

'However, we will be dealing with those drivers who continue to put children at risk robustly, so expect police action to be a regular occurrence.

'Today we seized an uninsured car from a male who believed he could park causing an obstruction, and we will continue to prosecute individuals where appropriate.

'We respectfully request going forward, people adhere to the rules which are put in place to keep your children safe.'
An Aussie mum has called out Coles after the supermarket chain 'halved' the size of its paper bags for deliveries.

In a video posted to social media, the woman expressed her shock after discovering that Coles' brown paper bags were significantly smaller in a recent order.

'So I got my Coles delivery today. What the hell is this? Why have the Coles bags halved in size? Can someone explain it to me,' she said.

'Coles, I'm just telling you, from now on, if I find out you're charging the same for the big bags compared to these half bags, and you're giving me more half bags because you can't fit as much as the big bags than it's on.'

A Melbourne woman, known on social media as 'The Mummy Blogger', has called out Coles after her online order was delivered in half-sized bags (pictured)

Coles workers explained the retailer only uses the smaller bags for online orders as the bags fit better in the crates used instore by employees who pack the orders

Responding to the mum's video, many Aussies spoke out against the change.

However, Coles workers hit back and explained why the bags were smaller.

'It's because the old paper bags are too tall to fit properly in the crates the shoppers use in-store when collecting your order,' one person commented.

'They are made specifically for the online crates, the bigger bags used to rip in the tops.'

The Coles employees also clarified that online shoppers are not charged any less for the smaller bags.

'You get charged a $1.50 flat rate for bags when shopping online,' one worker explained.

'They are the same capacity; the bigger bags get filled the same amount as these smaller bags. They just fit in our crates now when we do YOUR shopping,' wrote another.

The shorter paper bags, which were reduced by 13.5cm, were trialled over a three-month period at 48 stores in South Australia.

Coles told Daily Mail Australia that following the 'successful trial,' they decided to transition to shorter paper bags for all online deliveries.

'While the paper bags available in-store will remain unchanged, the new Coles Online version will fit more easily into packing crates, which will lead to less damage and improved reuse,' Coles said.

Like the in-store paper bag, the new Coles Online version has undergone vigorous independent testing and has been found to safely hold up the same 6kg of groceries.

'All of our paper bags can be reused multiple times and are made from 100 percent recycled paper, which, unlike soft plastic bags, can be recycled kerbside.'
Keeping the lights on while meeting green energy targets will need a 58billion network expansion to get the power where it is needed, a report warned yesterday.

Britain's electricity grid operator said a predicted 65 per cent increase in demand by 2035 will require the 'once in a generation' investment.

This includes an 'electrical spine' reaching from Peterhead in north-east Scotland to Merseyside to bring power south from North Sea windfarms.

Fintan Slye, executive director of the Electricity System Operator (ESO), insisted that 'swift, co-ordinated and lasting action' was needed soon.

While the report is likely to raise fears of more pylons springing up across the countryside, it includes detailed recommendations of where new infrastructure is needed or existing connections upgraded which reveal that three-quarters of the new connections will be using undersea cables.

Keeping the lights on while meeting green energy targets will need a 58billion network expansion to get the power where it is needed, a report warned yesterday

Britain's electricity grid operator said a predicted 65 per cent increase in demand by 2035 will require the 'once in a generation' investment

The new strategy is designed to harness a major expansion in green energy that will see Britain's offshore windfarm capacity growing to become the biggest in Europe and larger even than the USA's.

But 'bottlenecks' in the current grid system prevent renewable electricity being transported from where it is generated to where it is used.

Britain's electricity grid, which dates back to the 1950s, was designed around coal-fired power stations in the centre of the country, which has required only small upgrades since.

But growth in the demand for power from the grid will accelerate over the next decade as motorists switch to electric cars and more heating needs are met through electricity rather than gas.

'The current grid is reaching its capacity and is unable to transport much more electricity,' the report said.

'Currently, energy is being wasted as the grid cannot transport it to where it can be used.

'Because of these bottlenecks, as the system operator, we sometimes have to ask wind farms to switch off to prevent the grid becoming overloaded  wasting cheap, sustainable, home-grown wind power.'

The plans are in addition to 60billion of investment in infrastructure needed by 2030 that was laid out in a previous report, but which the new document says will 'only get Britain so far in its journey towards producing the greener and cheaper electricity that will be needed'.

'Great Britain is about to embark upon the biggest change to the electricity network since the high voltage grid was established back in the 1950s,' it said.

Last night a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: 'These are preliminary plans published by the Electricity Systems Operator. Any projects taken forward would be required to progress through a robust planning process.'
Two people allegedly broke into Chaithanya 'Swetha' Madhagani's house just days after her body was found in a wheelie bin on a remote Victorian road.

The 35-year-old's body was found in a green wheelie bin on Mount Pollock Road in Buckley, west of Geelong, at 12pm Saturday, March 9.

Homicide Squad detectives have said they want to speak with her husband, Ashok Raj Varikuppala, who allegedly fled to India with their three-year-old son Arya.

Daily Mail Australia understands that on March 13, four days after her body was discovered, two people allegedly burgled Ms Madhagani's Point Cook house and stole a car.

'Detectives from Melton Crime Investigation Unit arrested two people as part of their investigation into a burglary at a Point Cook property,' a Victorian Police spokesperson said.

Two people allegedly broke into Chaithanya Madhagani's house just days after her body was found in a wheelie bin on a remote Victorian road. Ms Madhagani is pictured

READ MORE: Tributes to Melbourne mum Chaithanya 'Swetha' Madhagani, whose body was found in a bin on an isolated road Police made the discovery inside a green waste bin off Mount Pollock Road in Buckley Advertisement

'It's alleged offenders attended a property on Mirka Way about 10.30am on 13 March and a vehicle was taken from the address.'

Police subsequently arrested a man and a woman at a property on Kiely Avenue in Werribee at about 1pm on March 13 and found a vehicle taken from the Point Cook address.

A 32-year-old Werribee man was charged with burglary and theft of a motor vehicle and has been remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on April 5.

A 32-year-old Werribee woman was released pending further enquiries and the investigation remains ongoing.

'At this time police do not believe the burglary is connected to the current Homicide Squad investigation linked to this property.

'As that investigation remains ongoing, we are not in a position to comment further on it,' the spokesperson said.

Last week, an Indian police spokesman said Mr Varikuppala has visited his wife's parents in Hyderabad and left his son there.

'After that he left. No one from the family has registered any complaint against anyone yet,' Inspector Veera Swamy of the Kushaiguda police said.

'We will help in investigations if someone approaches us. As of now, we don't know where he is as we are not investigating the case without any complaint.'

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr Varikuppala.

Victoria Police said it was limited in what it could say about the investigation.

Daily Mail Australia understands that on March 13, four days after Madhagani's body was discovered, two people allegedly burgled her Point Cook home (pictured) and took a car

Ms Madhagani's body was found in a green waste bin among trees

'Due to the seriousness of the matter, there is much we unfortunately cannot comment on as we don't want to jeopardise the ongoing investigation,' it said.

'This includes information about any ongoing enquiries or liaison with any other agencies here in Australia or internationally, or any liaison with the victim's family.'

There will be a candlelight vigil in Point Cook on Friday night for Ms Madhagani, who was known to her close friends as 'Swetha'.

'All are welcome to join, to remember her,' an invitation reads.
President Joe Biden will visit the key battleground states of Nevada and Arizona on Tuesday in a western campaign swing designed to shore up his support there against Donald Trump.

Biden left the White House wearing a pair of smart shoes with an extra large gripped sole, appearing to have at least temporarily ditched the 'lifestyle sneakers' he has sported recently.

The president's footwear has become a focus amid reports aides are seeking to give him more stability heading into the election campaign following a series of trips and stumbles.

His latest journey will take Biden to visit Washoe, Nev., and Maricopa, Ariz., two crucial, swing counties in those states, where he will court voters of color and union workers.

Nevada and Arizona make up two of the seven battleground states the Biden campaign sees as necessary to a victory in November. The other five are Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Georgia, and North Carolina.

President Joe Biden will visit the key battleground states of Nevada and Arizona on Tuesday in a western campaign swing designed to shore up his support there against Donald Trump

Biden stepped out in dress shoes with flex grooves in the sole as he made his way to Marine One

'As we enter the general election, we have multiple clear paths to victory through a number of critical swing states,' Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a memo released Monday.

His three-day trip will be a combination of campaign and official events with a round of fundraising to top it off.

On Tuesday he'll stop in Reno for a campaign event; then Las Vegas, where he'll talk about lowering housing costs; and he'll cap the day in Phoenix with a campaign event.

On his trip he'll also launch Latinos con Biden-Harris (Spanish for Latinos with Biden-Harris), which is part of the campaign's effort to woo the voting blocs crucial to giving Biden a second term.

The incumbent president will specifically focus on black and Latino voters. Polls show those groups - along with younger voters - are slowly drawing away from Biden due to their frustration with the economy and the higher cost of living.

In Phoenix on Tuesday, the president will deliver remarks at a local Mexican restaurant in the southern part of the city, which is a predominantly Latino area.

On Wednesday he'll talk about his Investing in America agenda in Phoenix before hitting two fundraisers in Dallas. And on Thursday he'll have one more fundraiser in Houston before returning to the White House.

Biden is set to visit Washoe, Nev., and Maricopa, Ariz., two crucial, swing counties in those states, where he will court voters of color and union workers

The president heads up the small stairs of Air Force One before his flight west to campaign

On his trip he'll also launch Latinos con Biden-Harris (Spanish for Latinos with Biden-Harris), which is part of the campaign's effort to woo the voting blocs crucial to giving Biden a second term

The trip is part of his post-State of the Union blitz where he'll argue his agenda has helped boost the economy as he seeks to boost his poll numbers against Trump.

In Arizona, Trump leads Biden by five points in the RealClearPolitics polling average. In Nevada, Trump is up by six points in the polling average.

In their 2020 contest, Biden won both states by close margins. He carried Nevada by 2 percent and won Arizona by just 10,000 votes out of more than 3 million cast. It was the first time Arizona voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996.

Latino voters in particular have been gravitating toward Trump. The campaign is opening up bilingual offices in each state.

Latinos make up roughly one in four eligible voters in Arizona and Nevada.

Arizona, particularly Maricopa county, the home of Phoenix, was the epicenter of the post-2020 election battle after Trump falsely claimed he won the state and his supporters conducted recounts to try and find evidence of fraud (they didn't).

US President Joe Biden in more casual shoes as he walks to Marine One as he departs from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, March 13, 2024

Biden has previously worn Hoka shoes on the campaign trail

In Phoenix Biden will discuss his 2022 CHIPS and Science Act, which helped boost semiconductor factory jobs in the area.

Arizona holds its primary on Tuesday, the day Biden is in the state. Progressives in the state are encouraging a protest vote against Biden over his handling of Israels war in Gaza. Organizers are urging Democrats to cast their ballots for Marianne Williamson.

Democrats are also hopeful about efforts in each of those states to put initiatives on the 2024 ballot that would enact a state constitutional right to abortion. The party successfully used the issue to rally its voters - particularly women - to the polls in the 2022 midterm.

'With abortion on the ballot in both Nevada and Arizona, new, good-paying jobs to tout in clean energy and chips manufacturing, and organized labor behind us, the Biden-Harris campaign is in a strong position to continue to win these voters across the Southwest,' Chavez Rodriguez said in her memo.
The reason behind ABC star Lisa Millar's lengthy absence from the popular News Breakfast show can now be revealed after she vanished for over a month.

In recent weeks, her cohost, Michael Rowland, has presented the show alongside Emma Rebellato, sparking rumours that Millar had quit the network.

'Where have you been over the last few weeks? Are you having some long service leave from ABC News Breakfast?' one fan said. 'A lot of people are thinking you have left the show.'

However, on Tuesday morning, ABC quashed the rumours and officially confirmed Millar would return to News Breakfast on March 27 after completing her filming commitments for Back Roads.

Back Roads is a beloved ABC program that focuses on rural and regional communities throughout Australia.

'Looking forward to bringing these two big stories I've been filming to you later in the year for ABC TV,' Miller told her Instagram followers on Tuesday morning.

'See you mid next week back on News Breakfast.'

Millar has also been busy promoting her book Muster Dogs: From Pups to Pros, which was inspired by two seasons of the hit TV series.

The journalist was pictured signing books at Adelaide's Writers Festival last week before continuing the tour in Cairns.

Lisa Millar (right) is the host of ABC News Breakfast alongside Michael Rowland (left)

Lisa Millar confirmed she would be back on ABC Breakfast next week

Millar has also been busy promoting her book Muster Dogs: From Pups to Pros, which was inspired by two seasons of the hit TV series

It comes a year after the ABC Breakfast host lashed out at cruel trolls who attacked her over an outfit she wore on the show in early 2023.

Millar said she was sickened by the comments especially given they were made so close to International Women's Day.

'The fact that what I wore on Monday attracted obnoxious commentary on Twitter, foul disgusting personal abuse that I wouldn't and couldn't repeat here - it was upsetting,' she said.

'I am angry, on this International Women's Day. Angry on behalf of myself and also on behalf of other women, young women, who see those stories and see someone like me being violently abused day after day, for whatever reason bullies can find.

'I worry it might make you think that no progress is being made and it's not worth it being a woman in the public arena.'

Millar went on to say she had received a wave of support in the wake of the trolling which had given her 'hope'.

Rowland stood by Millar and said she was 'one of the smartest women I know'.
Anthony Albanese has delivered a brutal comeback to a Greens MP who made another dig about his property portfolio.

Max Chandler-Mather, the MP for the Queensland seat of Griffith, took the prime minister to task at Question Time on Monday over the party's refusal to consider reforms to negative gearing, which effectively gives tax breaks to landlords, and capital gains tax.

Addressing the prime minister directly, Mr Chandler-Mather said: 'Why is Labor refusing to phase out the big tax handouts for property investors including the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing that benefit wealthy property investors like yourself and the 75 per cent of Labor politicians who own an investment property?'

But Mr Albanese shot back, suggesting the the Greens' housing spokesperson should look closer to home.

'I look forward to his discussion in the party room with the property developers in the Senate who are currently having proposals to carve through koala habitats in his party room, but that's fine,' the Prime Minister said.

Max Chandler-Mather (pictured) took the Labor leader to task at Question Time on Monday over the party's refusal to consider reforms to negative gearing, which effectively gives tax breaks to landlords, and capital gains tax

The quip was a reference to Mr Chandler-Maher's party colleague, Senator Mehreen Faruqi who owns four homes, including two investment properties.

One of Ms Faruqi's properties, which she owns with her husband, is in Port Macquarie on the NSW mid north coast.

Last year she applied for planning permission to bulldoze dozens of native trees and local flora in a koala habitat around the property to transform it into three luxury rentals.

The couple paid $250,000 for the home in 2001, with houses now being sold in the upmarket area of the regional town for well over $1million.

It is not the first time Mr Chandler-Mather has clashed with the prime minister over housing policy.

But Mr Albanese shot back, suggesting the the Greens' housing spokesperson should look closer to home - in particular his party colleague Senator Mehreen Faruqi who owns four homes, including two investment properties

Last year Ms Faruqi and her husband applied for planning permission to bulldoze dozens of native trees and local flora in a koala habitat around their Port Macquarie property to transform it into three luxury rentals

In June last year, Mr Albanese famously lashed out at the member for the Brisbane seat of Griffith as he was leaving the chamber following a heated debate on the $10billion Housing Australia Future Fund.

The Prime Minister is reported to have turned around and said to the young Greens MP: 'Youre a joke, mate.'

Last month, Mr Chandler-Mather questioned why the Prime Minister was able to rake in an extra $115,000 a year in rental income while he lives rent-free at The Lodge and Kirribilli House during a housing crisis.

Mr Chandler-Mather asked why Australia has a 'property investor as a prime minister' amid the 'worst housing crisis we've seen in a generation'.

'I think what they've got to realise on the politics of this in the course of this year a lot of renters are going to start asking the question,' he said.

Other senior members of the Labor party have previously described Mr Chandler-Mather as a 'self-indulgent student politician', a 'moron' and 'egotistical'.

Unlike the majority of MPs, Mr Chandler-Mather is a renter and has campaigned vociferously for housing reform.
The chief executive of one of Australia's largest gaming companies, Tabcorp, stepped down after he allegedly made a crass joke about performing a sex act upon a female Victorian gaming regulator.

Adam Rytenskild resigned last week after allegedly making sexually inappropriate remarks - which he said he does not recall making - about gaming regulator Annette Kimmitt, the CEO of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC).

'He (allegedly) said words to the effect of that he would perform oral sex on Annette Kimmitt if they got the Victorian licence back,' a well-placed source told Daily Mail Australia.

The comment is understood to be in reference to a looming decision that would affect the profitability of the business during a strategy meeting last year.

The comment was allegedly made in the presence of other senior employees, although the company denies any women were present at the time.

Adam Rytenskild (pictured) has been forced to resign amid claims of inappropriate and offensive language

Annette Kimmitt is the CEO of the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission

The wagering giant said the board became aware of 'inappropriate and offensive language used by Mr Rytenskild in the workplace,' and considered it to be inconsistent with his continued leadership.

Mr Rytenskild resigned from the ASX-listed bookmaker on Thursday, but said he did not recall making the offensive comments, which were not spelled out at the time.

He is understood to be paid more than $2million a year and also owns $3.36million in shares. His resignation will cost him as much as $10million in unvested shares and options.

Ms Kimmitt declined to comment when contacted for comment by Daily Mail Australia last week.

VGCCC chair Fran Thorn said the Commission acknowledged Mr Rytenskild's resignation followed comments he allegedly made about a regulatory official.

'The Commission will continue to regulate as a fierce advocate in the public interest, ensuring integrity, safety and fairness in the gambling industry,' she said.

'I am proud to be the Chair of an organisation that champions strong, female leadership and a gender inclusive, respectful workplace culture.'

Last December, Tabcorp was awarded the state's wagering and betting licence for the next 20 years.

Adam Rytenskild is pictured handing a trophy to trainer Annabel Neasham

Chairman Bruce Akhurst has been forced to step into the chief executive role while the company searches for a new chief executive and managing director

Mr Rytenskild was appointed to the CEO role in June 2022, and was in the position for almost two years.

The corporate high-flyer, who lives on Sydney's leafy north shore, did not finish university and began flipping burgers aged 19 to support his young family.

'I started on the forecourt and flipping burgers at South Tweed Heads Mobil and worked my way up from there,' Mr Rytenskild said on getting the top job.

Chairman Bruce Akhurst has been forced to step into the Tabcorp chief executive role while the company searches for a new boss.

'The board regrets that Mr Rytenskild's employment has ended this way and acknowledges his commitment to Tabcorp's growth over more than two decades, including the last two years as MD and CEO, and his contribution to the transformation of the company,' Mr Akhurst said.

Mr Rytenskild said Tabcorp had been an enormous part of his life for many years and he believed in the journey the company was on.

Tabcorp did not respond to a request for comment.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan fired back Monday when a reporter asked him why President Joe Biden was 'shouting and swearing' at staff over sluggish poll numbers.

Fox News Channel's Peter Doocy called attention to an NBC News report that was released Sunday that said Biden 'began to shout and swear' when he found out his poll numbers had dropped in Georgia and Michigan over his handling of the war in Gaza.

At Monday's briefing Doocy asked Sullivan if Biden's uproar was caused by 'Netanyahu or about Hamas or about his poll numbers.'

'This is the "when did you stop beating your spouse" question,' Sullivan answered. 'Because I don't think he ever did that.'

Over Doocy's objections, Sullivan continued, 'You use that as the premise of your question, which is "when he does that," I've never seen him do that, shout or swear in response to that, so from my perspective that particular report is not correct.'

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan fired back Monday when a reporter asked him why President Joe Biden was 'shouting and swearing' at staff over sluggish poll numbers

NBC's sources said that in a private meeting at the White House in January, allies informed the president that his numbers had dipped in the two important battleground states.

A member of Congress told the network's reporters about Biden's four-letter filled outburst.

Biden believed that he had made the right call in standing with Israel after the brutal October 7 terror attack at the hands of Hamas, though the political left has been angered by Israel's response, which has left thousands of Palestinian civilians dead.

'President Biden makes national security decisions based on the country's national security needs alone - no other factor,' White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told the network when presented with the reporting.

But Biden has had to contend with chunks of Democratic primary voters - including more than 100,000 in Michigan and one in five in Minnesota - selecting 'uncommitted' instead of him, a protest vote over his handling of the Gaza situation.

NBC's reporting also shed light on how Biden and his staff are trying to handle his other liabilities as he goes up against former President Donald Trump a second time.

Polling shows that Americans have deep doubts about Biden's age, 81, and thus his fitness for office.

President Joe Biden reportedly 'began to shout and swear' when he found out his poll numbers had dropped in Georgia and Michigan, according to a report from NBC released Sunday

The network reported that advisers have given him conflicting advice on how to counter that.

Some advisers told Biden he needed to walk faster to show vigor, but White House staff was so concerned about him tripping again that he started using the shorter steps to board Air Force One - robbing him of the photo-op of waving to the crowd below from the top of the long staircase.

'He's probably a little mad at himself for not being more forceful with the staff,' a person familiar with the discussions told NBC on Biden's now frequent use of the short stairs.

Biden, the network said, is privately wondering if he should trust his political gut over what his aides have said.

'The man's been successful for decades in Congress and became vice president and president,' said a source who formerly worked in the administration. 'If you try to change the person, you're making a mistake. Let the president go out there and do his thing.'
China, NZ eye more high-level exchanges

08:12, March 19, 2024 By Zhang Yunbi ( China Daily

During Foreign Minister Wang Yi's latest visit to New Zealand, both sides reached fresh consensus over advancing high-level exchanges and collaboration in trade.

In the New Zealand capital on Monday local time, Wang met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and also held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters.

"The two sides agreed to further roll out high-level exchanges and hold intergovernmental dialogues in areas such as foreign policy, trade, consular affairs, South Pacific, climate change and human rights," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The two countries also decided to take further measures to facilitate people-to-people exchanges.

Observers noted that the two countries have expressed mutual respect ever since the founding of diplomatic relations, and their relationship has always been at the forefront of China's bilateral ties with developed countries.

This year marks two 10-year anniversaries  President Xi Jinping's visit to New Zealand in 2014 and the two nations establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership the same year.

In New Zealand, Wang said China regards New Zealand as a sensible and mature partner. "The China-New Zealand relationship is of a strategic and long-term nature", and the country is ready to work with New Zealand to build an upgraded version of their comprehensive strategic partnership, he added.

China welcomes New Zealand's further participation in Belt and Road cooperation and looks forward to exploring new areas of growth in cooperation, including science and technology, the green economy and innovation, Wang said.

The New Zealand prime minister said his country will take the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership as an opportunity for closer high-level exchanges.

Officials noted that on the international stage, both China and New Zealand advocate multilateralism and support the United Nations playing a central role in international affairs.

Wang said China is willing to work with New Zealand to strengthen unity and cooperation; reject Cold-War era thinking, unilateralism and protectionism; and secure the right direction for humanity's progress.

Peters, the New Zealand foreign minister, said his nation firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to deepen communication and coordination in regional and international affairs.

New Zealand looks to push the relations for greater development in the next 10 and even 50 years, and it also welcomes Chinese students and entrepreneurs to come to stay and thrive, he added.

Chen Hong, a professor and director of the Australian Studies Centre of East China Normal University in Shanghai, said the relations "have not only benefited the two peoples a lot, but also helped shore up peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region".

The two sides agreed to maintain earnest communication on China's proposed accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Wang is scheduled to visit Australia on the second and last leg of his Oceania trip.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
South Africa's wine industry: Overcoming challenges and embracing growth

14:24, March 19, 2024 By Liu Chang, Madiketso Motaung ( People's Daily Online

Exciting news has emerged from the London Wine Fair as South Africa prepares to make a significant return after a hiatus. Mentzendorff and Wines of South Africa are set to make a comeback, promising a delightful showcase of the country's finest producers and wines. This year's event, featuring a large pop-up tasting on May 21, will highlight renowned names like Spier, DGB, Waterkloof, and Springfield, alongside lesser-known wineries seeking representation, offering a diverse and enriching experience for wine enthusiasts.

South Africa's wine industry has been attracting global attention, lauded for its quality and diversity rooted in a rich history dating back to the 17th century. The country's unique terroir, boasting diverse grape varieties and innovative winemaking techniques, has played a pivotal role in its international success. Understanding the distribution patterns of South African wines is key to grasping the industry's growth and potential.

Despite facing challenges in 2023 due to persistent drought conditions, which impacted vineyard yields and production costs, the industry demonstrated remarkable resilience. Some regions enjoyed successful harvests, and the domestic market remained robust, while international interest, particularly in premium wines, continued to rise.

Maryna Calow, communications manager of Wines of South Africa, highlighted climate change-related challenges affecting the industry, emphasizing the need for effective water management and the use of drought-resistant grape varieties. The trend of planting vines in new, cooler regions is also gaining popularity.

Challenges in exporting South African wines internationally, including infrastructure issues at the port of Cape Town, have led to significant delays. However, efforts to address these challenges, along with a call for more government support, are underway to facilitate the industry's growth.

Jimmy Yang, CEO of La Fleche, the distributor of Rupert & Rothschild of China, emphasizes the importance of comparing export volumes to key markets and total red wine import volumes in China between 2022 and 2023. Yang also highlights the need to focus on promoting Wines of South Africa (WOSA) in China, investing more resources into promotional efforts.

Despite these difficulties, the South African wine industry remains resilient, with certain regions experiencing successful harvests and a strong domestic market. International interest, particularly in premium wines, continues to grow, signaling a promising future for South African wines on the global stage.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Wu Chengliang)
The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) hopes to win as many as 151 seats in next month's general elections, the minimum majority in the 300-member National Assembly, one of the party's election officials said Tuesday.

Rep. Kim Min-suk, chief situation officer in the DPK's campaign committee, made the remark during a meeting of the committee, saying the April 10 elections will be a very close race where it is "very hard to secure the No. 1 party."

"The situation is very fluid and too close to call," Kim said.

The DPK said last week it expects to secure up to 153 seats in the 300-member parliament, as it projects to win around 130 to 140 directly voted seats and 13 or more seats from proportional representative votes.

"After a careful analysis and discussions, we came to the conclusion that our hope of seizing 153 seats could just be our best hope," Kim said.

Other committee members gave a similar outlook.

"We are in a phase where things are getting intense and competitive," said Kim Boo-kyum, a former prime minister and the co-chair of the DPK's campaign committee. "It would be more accurate to say that we are falling slightly behind at the moment."

Later in the day, Chairman Lee Jae-myung reiterated such a goal in a press conference.

"The goal we have to achieve at all costs is to become the No. 1 party," Lee said in the city of Chuncheon, 75 kilometers northeast of Seoul. "Ultimately our most important goal and task is to stop the People Power Party from securing a majority." (Yonhap)
AGL staff could see their annual bonuses slashed and performance reviews graded on the basis of whether they spend less than three days working in the office each week.

The power giant has required its employees to work in the office at least three days per week since December 2022 but in January this year introduced the link between attendance and performance reviews.

AGL explained the policy is 'in line' with its expectations of staff under its flexible and hybrid work model.

'Employees are required to work from the office or site a minimum of three days per week unless a flexible work agreement has been agreed upon or other site-specific working models apply,' AGL told the Australian Financial Review.

'Just as we consider individuals' alignment with our values, policies, guidelines, and procedures, working in alignment with our flexible and hybrid working expectations [is] considered as part of an individual's performance evaluation.'

Staff at energy company AGL are now required to work at least three days in the office or their annual bonuses could be slashed and performance reviews marked

The $5.9billion power company added that it 'prides itself' on having a collaborative, flexible and inclusive culture.

Employees are also given a variety of working options including reduced or compressed hours, career breaks, job share, part-time and hybrid work.

AGL joins a number of businesses in Australia, including rival company Origin Energy, which have linked annual bonuses and performance reviews to office attendance.

Last year, companies including Commonwealth Bank of Australia and ANZ Banking forced their employees back into the office.

It comes after the Fair Work Commission launched an investigation into whether working from home should be a legal right for millions of Aussies across the country.

The commission will have a look at whether Aussies under industry awards have the right to request work-from-home arrangements - which would be an expansion of an entitlement under the Fair Work Act already in place for select groups of employees.

The review's findings and recommendations will then be presented to the federal government, which will take the reforms under consideration.

AGL introduced the link between office attendance and performance reviews in January (stock image)

It comes after the Fair Work Commission launched an investigation into whether working from home should be a legal right for millions of Aussies across the country (stock image)

Earlier this month, a Queensland health worker won a landmark work-from-home legal battle.

Daniel Hume, a Queensland-based health worker, applied to work entirely from home in March 2021, claiming it made him more productive and enabled him to spend more time with his family.

After a senior director denied his request, saying he should come in to the office two days one week and three days the next, he engaged in a legal fight to overturn the decision.

Mr Hume appealed to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC), arguing Queensland Health had taken a blanket approach and did not take his circumstances into account.

The QIRC ruled in his favour and determined he would only have to work in the office one day a week.
A wanted sex offender was found living in a stick and tarpaulin shelter deep in a Louisiana swamp and eating rats that he hunted with a makeshift spear.

Brian Schaller, 51, was convicted in 2016 for distribution of child porn and had active warrants for sexual battery and violating the terms of the sex offenders' registry.

Earlier this month, US Marshals received a tip-off that he was living in the Atchafalaya Basin, East of Lafayette, and tracked him down to his encampment, deep in the swamp.

He surrendered himself and told officers he had been living there since January, catching small animals and rodents in traps and killing them with a makeshift spear for food.

Schaller had made a dilapidated hut out of stacked branches, covered with a tarp and held together with parachute cords and even created an alarm system with string and old cans.

Marshals received a tip-off that wanted sex offender Brian Schaller was living in a shelter in the Louisiana swamp

Schaller had an active warrant from the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office for allegedly violating the terms of his sex offender registry and from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's for felony sexual battery and felony oral sexual battery

The shelter was made of branches stacked together and covered in trash bags and tarp

According to a release from the Marshals Service, Schaller was initially indicted in 2015 for distribution of child pornography.

They said he also had an active warrant from the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office for violating the terms of his sex offender registry and from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Office for felony sexual battery and felony oral sexual battery.

On March 12, officers received a tip-off that Schaller was living deep in the swamp.

They put together a team of uniformed officers, boats and even canine teams to track him.

Then on March 14, the team started searching the swamp and found Schaller's shelter a mile-in.

They surrounded it and ordered him to come out, they said: 'Schaller complied with the verbal commands and was taken into custody without incident.'

Photos of the camp show a rudimentary shelter made from sawn off branches stacked on top of each other and covered over with trash bags and a tarpaulin.

To the side of the shelter he had strung a washing line which was still covered in clothes.

Schaller said he had been living there since January, surviving off small animals and rats that he killed with traps and a makeshift spear

He had fashioned a basked out of small branches and had even created an early-warning system using string and old cans

Officers also found a make shift spear, with a kitchen knife blade fastened to a stick with twine.

Schaller had also made a basket out of small branches.

The Marshals said: 'Schaller had several small game traps along the trails around his encampment, made from paracord and small limbs he had gathered.

'Schaller had also deployed an early warning system made from string and aluminum cans.

'Schaller told investigators he had been living off the land since approximately January and that he had been living off small game and rodents.'

Schaller was first arrested in December 2014 on 500 counts of child pornography possession and his bond was set at $51 million.
Get the latest politics updates on the Daily Mail Australia

Get the latest politics updates on the Daily Mail Australia

Get the latest politics updates on the Daily Mail Australia

Paul Keating's expected meeting with China's top foreign affairs official has been branded an 'insult' to Penny Wong.

The one-time Labor hero has repeatedly criticised Anthony Albanese's government's approach to China and the United States - describing Foreign Minister Wong as having been co-opted into taking a 'mindless pro-American stance'.

And it was revealed this week that Wang Yi has organised to meet with Mr Keating on a diplomatic trip to Australia this week.

Speaking to Sky on Tuesday morning, Opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham raised questions about the optics of that meeting.

'Have a look at what Paul Keating's had to say about Penny Wong and the Albanese government. And he's been highly, highly critical of them,' Mr Birmingham noted.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has been on the receiving end of criticism by Paul Keating

The one-time Labor hero has been outspoken in his disappointment with the current Labor government, sparking rebukes from the nation's most senior elected officials

He said while the Opposition 'welcomes Wang Yi's visit' and can acknowledge the importance of it, he considers the meeting with Mr Keating 'pointed'.

'It is quite pointed and somewhat insulting towards Penny Wong for the Chinese Embassy to have sought this meeting with such a vocal critic of Penny Wong.'

Mr Wang is the most senior Chinese official to visit Australia in seven years, in a further sign tensions are thawing between the two nations after contact was cut during Covid.

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He is due to meet with Senator Wong in Canberra on Wednesday, where they will jointly hold the China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue.

The meeting will be followed by a scheduled sit-down with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The Australian newspaper reported on Monday that Mr Keating will hold an 'unofficial' meeting with Mr Wang, likely in Sydney on Thursday.

Mr Keating has been highly critical of the Federal government's AUKUS nuclear submarine deal and has taken aim at Ms Wong in personal terms.

'It doesn't take much to encourage Penny Wong, sporting her 'deeply concerned' frown, to rattle the China can  a can she gave a good shake to,' Mr Keating said after the ASEAN summit earlier this month.

Those comments prompted a quick response from Mr Albanese, who considers Ms Wong one of his closest confidants.

'Penny Wong is someone who brings Australia enormous respect. She is someone who is diligent, she is someone who is engaging, she is someone who is across all her briefs,' he said.

'Paul's accountable for what he says, he knows that. But on Penny Wong, I think quite clearly he is wrong.'

Mr Albanese attended Ms Wong's wedding to her long-time partner Sophie Allouache at the Bird in Hand Winery in the Adelaide Hills on Saturday.

Mr Wang is the most senior Chinese official to visit Australia in seven years, in a further sign tensions are thawing between the two nations after contact was cut during Covid
The windshield on an Alaska Airlines flight from Washington D.C. cracked as it made its descent into Portland International Airport on Sunday night.

The plane, a Boeing 737-800, was carrying 159 passengers and 6 crew members across the country when it suffered a small crack on the inner windshield.

'The crew followed their checklists and the aircraft continued safely to its destination as scheduled. Alaska Airlines' 737 fleet are outfitted with five-layer windscreens that have an outer pane, three inner layers and an inner pane.

'If an inner pane cracks, the other pane and layers can maintain cabin pressure.' a statement from the airline read.

Alaska say the aircraft will be inspected and repaired by engineers on the ground.

An Alaska Airlines flight from Washington D.C. to Portland, Oregon suffered a cracked windshield, with 159 passengers and 6 crew onboard (file photo)

Despite the crack on the inner windshield, the crew of the Boeing 737 safely landed the aircraft (file photo)

The crack comes after a series of mishaps involving Boeing planes since the start of the year.

In January, a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner shortly after it took off from Portland International Airport.

The blow out prompted several investigations and the grounding of similar planes.

On Monday, the CEO of United Airlines was moved to reassure passengers that the airline is safe after two recent incidents also involving Boeing aircraft.

They include a wheel falling from an Osaka-bound jet in early March to a panel blowing off a plane shortly after it took off from San Francisco last week.

'Safety is our highest priority and is at the center of everything we do,' Kirby said in an email to customers on Monday.

'Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety.'

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-MAX 9 lost a door mid-flight in January, with several incident involving Boeing-made planes occurring since

Passengers had their phones and clothes ripped off by the force of the door blowout in January, with the incident sparking a lawsuit from the passengers

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby (pictured) sent an email to customers on Monday saying that 'safety is our highest priority and at the center of everything we do'

Boeing's market value dropped by 11.57 percent over the past month, including a 4.49 percent dip over the last five days alone

Last Friday, a Boeing 737 jet was found to have a missing panel after it landed in Oregon. A tire also fell from a United Boeing 777 shortly after take off from LAX.

'Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety,' Scott Kirby said. 'While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus.'

Kirby said United's teams are reviewing each case to understand what happened.

The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating the worrying incidents, which Kirby described as 'all unrelated' in an email to customers.

He also stressed how the company will use what it learns in safety training and procedures.

The aviation industry has come under the microscope after a string of recent mishaps unfolded, beginning with a door blowing off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 on January 5.

In the latest incident, a United Airlines plane from San Francisco built by Boeing was grounded Friday after it was found to be missing a panel after it touched down.

United went on to reveal that it was the wing-to-body fairing that ripped off - a part is located on the underside of the aircraft where the wing meets the aircraft body.

The panel sits just adjacent to where the landing gear deploys, and serves as a protective shell between the wing and the fuselage.

The plane is a Boeing 737-824, and successfully touched down in Medford Airport in Oregon despite the missing part.

No injuries were reported and the Boeing aircraft was not a new model or a MAX.

The incident is the latest from the embattled manufacturer - and the seventh involving a Boeing plane in 10 days.

Judd further clarified the part fell off midflight, as feds continue to look into Boeing's production practices.

A United Airlines plane built by Boeing was grounded on Friday after it was found to be missing a panel after it touched down following a flight. Pictured: The missing part on the Boeing 737

A few days earlier, on another United flight, a wheel fell off a Boeing 777-200 shortly after takeoff from San Francisco

As was the case with the other mishaps, it occurred shortly after takeoff, and saw the 256lb wheel crush several cars parked below after falling to the ground

Earlier this month a United Airlines aircraft skidded off a runway into a grassy area after a rough landing in Houston

The aircraft suffered some form of gear collapse as it exited the runway at George Bush Airport in Houston. The 160 passengers and six crew were not injured

Just three days before, a Boeing plane was forced to land due to hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area. It was also a United Flight.

Also under investigation, the forced landing happened as the San Francisco-bound 777-300 embarked from Sydney, with fluid filmed leaking from its undercarriage.

It also comes less than a week after a former Boeing staffer was found dead by an apparent suicide, while doing depositions for a suit he filed against the firm alleging he witnessed second-rate parts being fitted on planes.

After the incident last Monday - and another hours before that saw 50 passengers injured on the firm's flagship 787-Dreamliner that took a sudden nosedive, believed to have been caused after a pilot's seat slammed into the control column.

The FAA has since revealed the firm failed 33 of 89 audits during an exam of Boeing's 737 Max - a model it had been planning to update with the long delayed Max 10.

In another incident, a Boeing plane was forced to land due to hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area. The technical failure also occurred in midair on a United Airlines flight

Meanwhile, ex Boeing Quality Manager John Barnett - who had been in the midst of a whistleblower retaliation suit against the manufacturer - was found dead from what police said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound Saturday, while meeting Boeing lawyers in South Carolina

A file photo show Boeing employees walk the company's new, flagship 787-10 Dreamliner down towards the delivery ramp at the company's facility in South Carolina

After the incident - and the several before - United Airlines requested the firm halt work on the unreleased jets: an apparent sign of carriers' diminishing faith.

The Boeing whistleblower found dead, 62-year-old John Barnett, had given stark warnings over the aviation giant's 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX models specifically in an interview, just weeks before his demise.

In the midst of a deposition in a whistleblower lawsuit in Charleston related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane, Barnett was found with a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound in the parking lot of a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating nine incidents this month alone involving United planes.
An Aussie couple's date night at a kebab shop descended into an all-out brawl that left a female police officer with a broken arm.

Brooke Haynes and Dakota Jenkins, both 26, were captured on CCTV throwing chairs and shoving customers in Falafel House on Hindley Street in Adelaide's CBD.

Jenkins pushes a customer into a fridge, causing him to drop his kebab, moments before Haynes sends a plastic chair flying across the restaurant.

The couple then spill out onto the pavement as several police officers try to break up the drunken fight.

As the scuffle continues, a female officer falls backwards and breaks her arm.

A young Adelaide couple have been left red-faced after a date night turned into an all-out kebab shop brawl (pictured is Brook Haynes and Dakota Jenkins with their 11-month-old son)

Haynes (left) and Jenkins (second from left) were captured on CCTV throwing chairs and shoving customers in Falafel House on Adelaide's Hindley Street

Police will allege that Haynes, a young mum from Adelaide's southern suburbs, spat at police officers twice during the scuffle.

The O'Halloran Hill couple were charged with a series of offences, including aggravated assault and hindering police.

Haynes spent 36 hours behind bars before fronting Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday wearing the same clothes she was arrested in.

Her lawyer, Peter Hill, said the young couple had been enjoying a rare night out without their 11-month-old son before things turned violent.

'They had a night off from their son  they have responsibly caught an Uber into town but parents who don't get away much, the night's got out of hand clearly due to intoxication,' Mr Hill told the magistrate.

Haynes spent 36 hours before bars before fronting Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday wearing the same clothes she was arrested in (she is pictured arriving at court)

'We say it's not the case that this is a lady with drinking problem or a drug problem, she's simply a hardworking stay-at-home mother.

'The [police officer sustained] a broken arm and that's not the subject of any charges, the two assault police come by way of two allegations of spitting.'

Haynes was granted bail due to her 'limited' criminal history and left the courthouse hand-in-hand with Jenkins, who had already been granted police bail.

The couple refused to answer questions from waiting media.

Haynes will front court again in April, while Jenkins will return the following month.

The police officer who broke her arm during the incident was treated in hospital.
Get the latest politics updates on the Daily Mail Australia

Get the latest politics updates on the Daily Mail Australia

Get the latest politics updates on the Daily Mail Australia

A senior minister in Anthony Albanese's government has been slammed for saying the US is not Australia's most trusted security partner.

'I'm not sure the United States is our most trusted ally,' Trade Minister Don Farrell said on Monday in a response to a question from Liberal senator Claire Chandler.

'I would have said our closest international ally is New Zealand,' he said when talking about the Government's decision to reinstate funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Gaza, despite US President Joe Biden not doing so.

When Mr Farrell's response was met with laughter from Liberal and National party senators, he added 'we are very close to the United States. I freely admit that'.

Liberal senator Simon Birmingham said: 'It beggars belief that a cabinet minister in the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio would be so eager to talk down Australia's partnership with the US.'

A senior minister in Anthony Albanese's government has been slammed for saying the US is not Australia's most trusted security partner. Mr Albanese is pictured with his partner Jodie Haydon

Labor senator Don Farrell said: 'We are very close to the United States. I freely admit that.' US President Joe Biden is pictured

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Mr Birmingham, who is the Opposition foreign affairs spokesman, pointed out that Mr Albanese had described the US as Australia's 'closest ally' and 'principal strategic partner'.

'Senator Farrell's statement is something I would expect from the Greens rather than a senior government minister,' he said.

'As much as we love our Kiwi cousins, it is the US who we are asking to share with us their most sensitive defence technologies.

'Senator Farrell should correct the record and apologise to the US for his errant and disturbing remarks.'

Mr Farrell seemed to be stung by the ferocity of the response to his statement and later released a statement saying Mr Birmingham was 'just playing juvenile political games'.

'Everyone knows the Kiwis are family,' he said.

'Everyone also knows that (the) United States is our closest ally, trusted strategic partner and largest two-way investment partner.'

But Mr Birmingham kept up his attack on Tuesday morning, telling ABC radio he was surprised that Mr Farrell 'wanted to rush so quickly when a phrase was used (by the Opposition) about the United States being our most trusted ally, to try to talk that down'.

He said under the Five Eyes (Australia, Canada, NZ, UK, US) arrangement, the United States shares its most sensitive intelligence with Australia.

Mr Farrell (pictured) seemed to be stung by the ferocity of the response to his statement and later released a statement saying Mr Birmingham was 'just playing juvenile political games'

'In the AUKUS partnership we are expecting the United States to share its most sensitive defence assets with us.'

Mr Birmingham said Australia puts 'great trust' in the US and expects it to trust Australia in return.

'I would have thought that it was nothing but clear cut in terms of the US being our most trusted partner, because that's the relationship we expect for our defence and security interests,' he said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Farrell for further comment.
Donald Trump has accused Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats of hating Israel and 'their religion' in a radio interview with former White House staffer Sebastian Gorka.

Trump was asked by Gorka why the Democrats - specifically President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer - were so hostile to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

'I actually think they hate Israel,' answered Trump, who has himself criticized Netanyahu for a lack of preparation for the October 7 Hamas terror attack.

Trump - whose daughter Ivanka is Jewish - then went further in his line of attack toward Jewish Democrats.

'Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion,' he said. 'They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.'

Former President Donald Trump accused Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats of hating Israel and 'their religion' in a radio interview with former White House staffer Sebastian Gorka

Following the remarks, the White House issued a statement condemning Donald Trump's 'vile and unhinged antisemitic rhetoric.'

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Mediaite: 'President Biden has put his foot down when it comes to vile and unhinged Antisemitic rhetoric.

'As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased across the world  among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust  leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is and bring Americans together against it.

'There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens. None. Like President Biden said, he was moved to run for President when he saw Neo Nazis chanting the same Antisemitic bile that was heard in Germany in the 1930s in Charlottesville.'

A Pew Research Center study in 2021 said that seven in ten Jewish voters are Democrats.

The former president - who counted among his accomplishments during his term the moving of the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and the Abraham Accords normalizing trade between the Jewish state and several Gulf nations - sees these Democrats as cowering against pro-Palestinian sentiment.

'Don't forget, when you see those Palestinian marches - even I am amazed at how many people are in those marches,' Trump said.

'And guys like Schumer see that, and to him it's votes. I think it's votes more than anything else, because he was always pro-Israel. He's very anti-Israel now.'

Schumer, the highest ranking Jewish official in the U.S., called for new leadership and elections in Israel in a stunning rebuke of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Senate Majority leader says Netanyahu has 'lost his way' and has now become an 'obstacle to peace' five months after the October 7 Hamas attacks and the start of the war in Gaza.

In an extraordinary 45-minute speech on the Senate floor Thursday, the longtime defender of Israel said Netanyahu has put himself in a coalition of 'far-right extremists' and is more interested in his own political survival than a solution.

The White House said Schumer had informed it of his comments in advance and it 'respected his right' to make them. It expressed 'no approval or disapproval'.

Trump was asked by Gorka why the Democrats - specifically President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer - were so hostile to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer has called for elections and new leadership in Israel because Benjamin Netanyahu is an 'obstacle to peace' in some of the most scathing U.S. criticism since the October 7 Hamas attack

A displaced Palestinian man carries containers amid the rubble of houses destroyed by Israeli bombardment in Hamad area, west of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on March 14, 2024

Republicans slammed Schumer's stance as 'grotesque' and Israel said it was 'unhelpful' while it was 'at war against a genocidal terror organization.'

Schumer said: 'As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may.

'But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after Oct. 7.

'In my opinion, that is best accomplished by holding an election.'

The Senate's Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, quickly came to Netanyahu's defense in remarks just after Schumer.

'It is grotesque. and hypocritical for Americans who hyperventilate about foreign interference in our own democracy to call for the removal of the democratically elected leader of Israel. This is unprecedented.' McConnell said.

Israel's Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Herzog, said: 'Israel is a sovereign democracy. It is unhelpful, all the more so as Israel is at war against the genocidal terror organization Hamas, to comment on the domestic political scene of a democratic ally. It is counterproductive to our common goals.'

Schumer is pictured with Netanyahu in 2017. He said in his speech: 'As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me: The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7'

Displaced Palestinians walk through a street filled with rubble in Hamad area, west of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: 'We did have advance notice he was going to deliver those remarks.

'We fully respect his right to make those remarks. This was not about approval of disapproval in any away but he did give us a heads up. Leader Schumer feels strongly. We're going to let him to speak to his thought process.'

Schumer's harsh criticism follows moves from President Joe Biden and Democrats to ramp up the pressure on Netanyahu to protect Palestinian civilians as he carries on his offensive.

The Biden administration has also called for a temporary ceasefire to get aid to Palestinians and to allow the release of hostages captured by Hamas.

Netanyahu has vowed to carry on fighting until Hamas has been destroyed.

But Democrats have started to question his motives, sparking Schumer to deliver some of the most scathing criticism to date.

Smoke billows form the northern part of the Gaza Strip as a result of an Israeli airstrike

Schumer added: 'He (Netanyahu) has been too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza. Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah.

'As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me: The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7.

'The world has changed  radically  since then, and the Israeli people are being stifled right now by a governing vision that is stuck in the past.'

Schumer said the only solution is 'a demilitarized Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in equal measures of peace, security, prosperity and dignity.'

Netanyahu has rejected the idea of two-state solution because he believes it will allow a Hamas to maintain its presence and threaten the future of Israel.

Schumer's comments sparked an immediate reaction from Republicans who called his speech 'inappropriate and offensive'.

'The last thing Israel needs is the 'foreign election interference' that Democrats so often decry here,' Republican Senator Tom Cotton said.

Relatives of the Al Atrash family mourn over their covered bodies in Al Aqsa hospital, following an Israeli air strike in Deir Al Balah

U.S. President Joe Biden is welcomed by Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu, as he visits Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2023

'Besides, the main elections that worry Chuck Schumer aren't Israel's but our elections, because the rampant anti-Semitism that the Democratic Party has allowed to fester in its ranks is massively unpopular with the pro-Israel American public'.

White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said he would let Schumer 'speak to his comments' when asked about the speech.

'We're gonna stay focused on making sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself while doing everything that they can to avoid civilian casualties, Kirby added.

'We're still focused, laser focused, on trying to get a temporary ceasefire in place so that we can get the hostages out and get more aid and that's where our head is right now.'

US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, speaks to the press after the Democratic weekly luncheon at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 6, 2024

Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to destroy Hamas following the terrorist group's October 7 atrocity in Israel

Schumer and other leading Democrats, including Biden, face intense criticism from within their party, over Washington's unconditional support for Israel, given the impact on Palestinian civilians of Israel's assault on Gaza.

The war erupted after Hamas killed 1,200 people in an October 7 terrorist attack on Israel and took 253 hostages back to Gaza.

Schumer also criticized Palestinians who support Hamas, and said Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas should also step aside.

'For there to be any hope of peace in the future, Abbas must step down and be replaced by a new generation of Palestinian leaders who will work towards attaining peace with a Jewish State,' Schumer said.
From an outsider's perspective, Richard Spencer had the perfect life - a successful career on a six-figure salary, living in a large seven bedroom home nestled in a leafy suburb with his wife and their three beautiful young girls.

It was for this reason police officers believed they had the wrong home when they initially turned up to the property with a Jaguar parked outside to investigate a potential case of domestic abuse in June 2021.

Yet behind closed doors Richard Spencer, 47, had been suffering from a 20-year long campaign of terror at the hands of his wife Sheree, 46, who would batter and bite him during wine-fuelled tirades.

The former prison reform boss was jailed last year after Richard presented officers with 43 images of his bruised body having secretly recording the incessant abuse on cameras installed to monitor their children at their home in Bubwith, East Yorkshire.

Last night, the brave father-of-three spoke openly about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his wife in the harrowing Channel 5 documentary 'My Wife, My Abuser: The Secret Footage'.

Disturbing clips revealed just a fraction of the torment Richard suffered. On one occasion Spencer is seen holding a knife up to her husband throat as their children are heard crying in the background.

On another, she is seen grabbing his hair and punching him all over while sat on a sofa in the children's nursery, as she calls him a 'fat c***' and a 'lazy b******' for not putting a chicken in the oven.

But the physical abuse only formed part of what a judge later described as one 'the worst cases of coercive control' they had ever seen, with Richard explaining it was the humiliation and verbal abuse he suffered affected him the most.

From an outsider's perspective, Richard Spencer had the perfect life. Yet for two decades he was suffering abuse at the hands of his wife Sheree. Pictured: The couple on their wedding day

Richard was beaten at the hands of his wife Sheree during a 20-year long campaign of terror

Sheree Spencer was jailed for four years last month after he secretly recorded the abuse on cameras installed to monitor their children

'Things that affected me more than the physical attacks would be the more demoralising things she would do to me,' he said.

'In the kitchen we would often have a box of 12 or more eggs which she would take over to me and crack over my head or push into my face. She was so angry sometimes that the egg shell would cut into my skin.

'I'd have to go upstairs and shower to get the egg out of my hair and clothes - I would feel hopeless a lot of the time after these things happened.'

Disturbing audio footage played reveals Spencer telling her husband as he washed away the egg shells: 'Keep cleaning you c***. Keep cleaning you dirty b****. Keep scrubbing man, scrub away you b****.'

Richard said 'one of the most demoralising' incidents occurred when his wife ordered him to get off their bed as 'she bought the bed on her credit card'. While he sat on the floor arguing with her, she proceeded to defecate on his head.

Audio clips reveal Richard telling his wife he did not 'deserve it' only for her to order him: 'clean my s*** up'.

On other occasions Spencer would make comments about Richard's late mother - who died from cancer when he was just nine-years-old, causing him to suppress his emotions.

In a bid to try and hurt her husband, who she called a 'robot', Spencer would try and use his childhood trauma to inflict further pain - callously make comments such as 'I hope your sister dies from breast cancer' and 'I hope she's dead'.

Richard handed police 43 photographs he took of himself, showing cuts and bruises to his face and body

Spencer's reign of domestic terror finally ended in June 2021 when the police were called to their family home by a concerned welfare worker

The couple met in 2000 in a nightclub and married in Thailand in 2009 before having three daughters

Richard was pictured yesterday hand-in-hand with his new partner today leaving the BBC Breakfast studios in Manchester

Other audio clips reveal Spencer telling Richard 'The problem in our marriage is because of you', referring to the fact they had to use IVF to conceive.

Spencer tried to portray Richard as the villain in their relationship. At one point during a rage, Spencer smashed a wine bottle over Richard's ear leaving it permanently disfigured.

When he tried to raise with her the pain he was in, she began kicking him in the ear and threatened to smash her face into their bathroom mirror so she could tell a friend or neighbour Richard had caused the injury.

Recalling the conversation, Richard said his wife said: 'And once I've done that, I can get a restraining order against you, so you never see your baby.'

In a depraved bid to portray her husband as the abuser, she went on to shout out of their open bedroom window 'stop it, stop it Richard your hurting me, stop hitting me all the time' in an attempt for neighbours to hear.

Eventually the couple's neighbours became aware of the abusive relationship, with Richard eventually opening up about his wife's behaviour following a BBQ next door that Spencer interrupted to order the children to go to bed.

Richard had been attending the party alone with the three girls when suddenly his wife had popped up over the fence to make the demand. When he returned he began speaking about the situation.

Recalling one incident, the couple's neighbour Pip Williams told the documentary: 'I think she had asked him to go to the shop, get wine or something, and he hesitated and looked at her. She then picked up a carving knife and slashed the car tyres.

Footage showed furious wine-fuelled tirades, in which Sheree would call her husband 'fat boy,' 'a pussy' and 'dumb dumb' and inflict bruises and scratches

The hidden nanny cam gave a vital way out for battered husband Richard after he endured years of physical and verbal abuse from his wife, that sometimes left him 'broken' in a foetal position

Spencer worked at the highest levels for HM Prison and Probation Service and bragged to friends that she had the ear of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson

'There was another awful story when the three little girls were in the back of the car, Sheree was in the driving seat, and she kicked the wingmirror and then proceeds to wee on the seat and said sort that out.'

Throughout the programme, Richard said his wife had tried to involve their daughters in their arguments, telling them claim they were 'afraid of daddy'.

One clip showed her clutching one of the young girls, telling her 'he's a horrible, horrible man and we'll get rid of him soon'.

On other occasions Richard said she would tell their eldest child to tell the neighbours 'daddy's hitting mummy' or that 'daddy's a nasty man'.

PC Adele Jenkinson of Humberside Police criminal investigations department said during the programme that if the abuse had not been played out in front of his children, the father would not have voiced the abuse.

'I believe he even told me once, had she left the abuse behind closed doors form their children, had she kept it separate he would not have got anyone else involved as he felt like he was handling it and controlling it.

'He could put up with abuse if he got the family life he wanted and he felt like he deserved. So he was happy, to an extent, continue their dysfunctional family, if it meant he had a family to go home to.'

The officer said he only collected the evidence in order to protect his young girls.

Bite marks and bruises shown on Richard's body after he suffered from an attack from his wife

Equally explosive clips from police interviews show Sheree casually lying about her husband being the abuser, only for her face to turn ashen when confronted with the clips

Spencer, 46, was jailed for four years for making her husband Richard's life a living hell with daily beatings and verbal attacks that left him cowering on the floor in a foetal position

Richard, now happily settled with a new partner, decided to take part in the Channel 5 documentary to help other abused men speak out

Throughout the programme, bodycam footage from officer's showed the moment they arrived at the Yorkshire home to interview Spencer over the images of domestic abuse they had seen.

When Spencer was taken to the police station, clips appeared to show the mother-of-three more concerned about not being spotted by neighbours as she clambered into the back of the officer's van.

'Can you shove me in before anyone sees me,' she asks as she climbs into the vehicle.

Officers later claimed that Spencer was more concerned about whether her husband had packed her straighteners in her overnight bag following her interview and did not ask questions about her children's whereabouts.

Explosive clips from police interviews shared in the documentary, show Spencer casually lying about her husband being the abuser in a desperate bid to cast him as the villain - only for her face to turn ashen when she was confronted with the full audio footage.

Throughout the interview she accused her husband of being a 'drunk' and 'violent towards her' accusing him of pushing her on the floor and claiming the bite marks were made while the couple were having sex.

When probed by officers on the nanny-cam footage that showed her clutching a 'carving knife', Spencer said she 'went to push him [Richard] back'.

Richard felt his harrowing experiences should be seen to raise awareness of the type of abuse men can suffer in their daily lives at the hands of violent partners

Richard had met his wife in a nightclub in 2000, and the pair married on a Thai beach in 2009

In one clip, Spencer is seen walking around with a carving knife which she later held up against her husband's throat

The officer presses on: 'You've got a knife in your hand, what are you doing pushing him with a knife in your hand? So you must know exactly what's happening here. Could you explain that to me please?'

Spencer says: 'I wanted to give him it because he had threatened me, that he wanted to kill me, he'd rather kill me than divorce me. And I did reach for a knife - if he wants to kill me, just do it.'

Officers said Spencer went into autopilot as she explained the scenario - she was saying 'I was saying I wanted to die and I was giving Richard the knife and saying you're going to have to kill me because I can't live like this any more'.

MailOnline previously revealed that Spencer had gone through desperate lengths at the courts to try and prevent the documentary from being broadcast.

But Richard felt his harrowing experiences should be seen to raise awareness of the type of abuse men can suffer in their daily lives at the hands of violent partners but Sheree tried to block it.

He told MailOnline: 'Sheree tried to stop the documentary being broadcast in the crown court but failed, then she applied for a prohibited steps order through the family court, which luckily was rejected and thrown out at the first hearing.

'The broadcast has been delayed due to the legal challenges for about six months, but now it is finally going to be shown. I'm hopeful that the film will be well received and will make a difference.'

Richard, who was subjected to verbal abuse and daily beatings from his wife, that left him cowering on the floor in a foetal position, took photos of his injuries

Richard (pictured outside the BBC Breakfast studios in Manchester),was subjected to violent attacks at the hands of his wife Sheree at their seven-bedroom home in Bubwith, East Yorkshire

Richard, now happily settled with a new partner, decided to take part in the Channel 5 documentary to help other abused men speak out

Richard had met his wife in a nightclub in 2000, and the pair married on a Thai beach in 2009.

After they welcomed the eldest of their three daughters in 2015, Richard installed the nanny cam so they could keep watch over her.

Hull Crown Court heard that mother-of-three Spencer had carried out most of the attacks on her husband in the family home.

Spencer worked at the highest levels for HM Prison and Probation Service and bragged to friends that she had the ear of former prime minister Boris Johnson.

She was a project manager in the department's directorate of strategy and performance.

A former friend said: 'She would brag about being only two down from the prime minister in her field and had meetings with Boris Johnson, who she spoke of as though he were a friend.

'She was bragging about her high flying career while subjecting her poor husband, a lovely man, to daily abuse, degradation and humiliation.'

It was described as 'a great irony' that Spencer had done so much work aimed at investigating the effect of custodial sentences on the family.
The former head of Scotland Yard will not face a disciplinary hearing following claims that he dismissed rape complaints as 'regretful sex'.

Sir Stephen House, who served as acting Met Commissioner in 2022, was accused by a Home Office adviser of describing the bulk of rape complaints as being the result of 'regretful sex'.

But the officer strongly denied the claim and said he must have been misheard during a meeting between senior officers and academics as part of Operation Soteria, a Government project to improve the police response to rape.

Yesterday the police watchdog announced that he had been cleared of any wrongdoing despite 'evidence' that he made the remark, after officials concluded it was just a 'misunderstanding'.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched an investigation in March last year after Professor Betsy Stanko, a Home Office-appointed adviser helping to conduct a review into rape prosecutions, made the allegations.

Sir Stephen House (pictured), who served as acting Met Commissioner in 2022, was accused by a Home Office adviser of describing the bulk of rape complaints as being the result of 'regretful sex'

But the officer strongly denied the claim and said he must have been misheard during a meeting between senior officers and academics as part of Operation Soteria, a Government project to improve the police response to rape. Pictured: New Scotland Yard

She described Sir Stephen as being rude throughout the meeting in January 2022.

The senior officer was accused of saying rape and sexual assault is not equivalent to serious violence or knife crime and it was alleged that he had used the phrase 'bog of domestics' during a discussion about the overlap between domestic abuse and rape.

Sir Stephen vehemently denied the allegations, but later accepted he may have used the phrase 'regretful sex' in a different context when questioning research findings.

Yesterday the IOPC concluded he had not breached police standards of professional behaviour.

IOPC director Amanda Rowe said the investigation had been hampered by the lack of detailed minutes or notes from the meeting.

She said: 'Both Prof Stanko and Sir Stephen are of impeccable good character and have served long and esteemed careers in the public service for which they have been awarded the highest honours.

'This meeting involved robust challenges between professionals with differing styles and there may have been an element of a personality clash.

'Professional discussions on sensitive matters will rarely amount to breaches of the standards of professional behaviour.

'We found evidence that indicated Sir Stephen did use the phrase 'regretful sex', but the recollections of those present do not indicate it was used in the context alleged, and in our view there has been a degree of misunderstanding.'

Following the resignation of Dame Cressida Dick, Sir Stephen was appointed Acting Commissioner from April to September 2022.

Sir Stephen vehemently denied the allegations, but later accepted he may have used the phrase 'regretful sex' in a different context when questioning research findings

In a statement, he said: 'I am pleased that the IOPC recognised that I have demonstrated a clear record, throughout my career of prioritising the policing of rape and serious sexual offences and domestic abuse and that I helped to ensure that the resources were in place to be able to facilitate the Met in being one of the first police services to proactively engage with Operation Soteria.

'The IOPC have found that I have no case to answer on all of the allegations. Their findings underline my long-standing commitment to combating violence against women and domestic abuse.

'I bitterly regret that these allegations have helped to undermine public confidence in the commitment of the Metropolitan Police to support the victims of rape and I hope that the findings may help to reassure the public of the strength of that commitment.'
A tourist has been found dead in a hotel by a cleaner in a vacation hotspot which is famous for attracting large numbers of British holidaymakers.

He has been described in conflicting local reports as an Irish or British holidaymaker.

Police said last night they were unable to confirm his nationality as a judge had imposed a secrecy order on the case to protect the ongoing investigation which prevents public officials from going into any detail about the probe.

The apartment block where he was found dead, at around 12.30pm on Monday, has been named as the Colina Mar complex in the resort of Puerto Rico in the municipality of Mogan in the south of the island.

He is said to have suffered a head injury from a blow or fall.

The apartment block where he was found dead, at around 12.30pm on Monday, has been named as the Colina Mar complex in the resort of Puerto Rico in the municipality of Mogan in the south of the island

A cleaner raised the alarm after finding the lifeless man's body when she tried to enter the apartment on Monday (pictured: the beach in the resort town of Puerto Rico)

A Civil Guard source said last night: 'There were signs of violence but the autopsy results are still pending.'

A cleaner raised the alarm after finding the lifeless man's body when she tried to enter the apartment on Monday.

A male friend he is believed to have travelled to the island with was also in the room when police arrived.

He is said to have been 'completely disorientated' amid unconfirmed claims he could have been under the influence of drugs.

The dead man was described as a 33-year-old Irishman by one respected local paper and British by another.

He was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics to revive him.

The Civil Guard on the island said last night the secrecy order imposed on the case by a judge meant they could not make any official comment and that included giving out any information on the man's nationality.

The possibility he could have died in an accident has not been ruled out although the initial reports are pointing to his death being potentially crime-related.
PPP leader calls on gov't to be more open to public criticism

By Lee Hyo-jin

A feud between the government and the ruling People Power Party (PPP) appears to be spreading to the party's selection of proportional representation candidates, with figures close to President Yoon Suk Yeol complaining about perceived favoritism toward those aligned with the party's interim leader Han Dong-hoon.

The party's leadership is cautioning against expanding the feud, fearing it may hurt their chances in the election, but the ongoing situation appears to indicate a subtle power struggle between Yoon and Han.

The People Future Party, a satellite party of the PPP, announced on Monday a total of 35 proportional representation candidates for the April 10 general elections, a list that quickly drew criticism from party members loyal to Yoon.

"The party leadership should rectify (the candidate list), which has sidelined allies who dedicated themselves to the party by fighting against the (previous) Moon Jae-in administration in difficult times," PPP Rep. Lee Chul-gyu wrote on Facebook, hours after the candidate roster was unveiled.

He specifically expressed dissatisfaction that Joo Ki-hwan, a prosecutor-turned-politician known to have close ties with Yoon, was ranked 24th on the list, a position that may not guarantee him a seat in the National Assembly. Joo withdrew his candidacy in protest of the perceived disadvantage.

Lee also complained that figures close to the PPP leader  Rep. Kim Ye-ji and Han Ji-ah, an associate professor at Eulji Medical School  were placed at No. 15 and No. 11, respectively, making it highly likely for them to secure seats.

The semi-mixed-member proportional representation system, which will be implemented in the upcoming election, assigns a portion of the seats based on party votes. Out of the total 300 legislative seats, 46 will be distributed through proportional representation, while the remaining 254 will be determined by direct votes in electoral constituencies.

Each party fixes the order of listing for proportional representation candidates, and winners are chosen in the sequence of their placement on the list. Thus, candidates listed closer to the top hold priority in securing seats.

Given the party's current support rate, the PPP's satellite party is expected to win about 20 seats through proportional representation, meaning that those listed within the top 20 are likely to make it to the Assembly.

In response to Lee's criticism, the party leadership said the candidates were listed based on a fair process and refused to make any revisions to the roster.

"We received reports from those involved with the People Future Party that the nomination was made in consideration of various factors including party regulations and that there are no procedural issues," PPP Secretary-General Rep. Jang Dong-hyeok told reporters, Tuesday.

"Just because someone's opinion was not taken into account, it does not seem appropriate to characterize the nomination as reflecting Han Dong-hoon's personal views," Jang said, dismissing speculation that Han's opinions influenced the candidate list.

Another sign that displays the discord between the ruling party and the presidential office is former PPP member Jang Ye-chan's decision to leave the party and run as an independent candidate in a constituency representing Busan's Suyeong District.

Jang, who brands himself as Yoon's No. 1 aide after serving as a member of his presidential transition committee, made the announcement on Monday just days after the PPP canceled his nomination due to his inappropriate past remarks.

The young politician hinted at the possibility of support from the presidential office for his decision.

During a radio interview on Tuesday, Jang gave an ambiguous response to whether he had discussed the matter with Yoon's office. "Whether it's presidential officials or the party leadership, it seems inappropriate to delve into every detail of whom I've contacted or what discussions took place," he said.

"It is up to listeners how to interpret what I have said."

Tensions between the PPP and Yoon's office came to the fore after Han criticized Yoon's aides.

On Sunday, Han voiced criticism toward Lee Jong-sup, the newly appointed envoy to Australia who is under investigation over allegations of influence peddling in the military's probe into the death of a Marine. The PPP leader insisted that Lee return to Korea promptly to face further investigations. However, the presidential office asserted that Lees appointment was "appropriate and just."

Han also called on Hwang Sang-moo, senior presidential secretary for civil and social affairs, to decide whether to resign in response to criticism of his remarks that threatened press freedom.

The PPP leader reiterated his stance on Lee and Hwang on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of being more receptive to public opinion ahead of the crucial elections.

"The government and the ruling party have faced significant crises in the past when they displayed arrogance or attempts to dominate the public. Only by adopting an attitude of serving the people and being open to constructive criticism, can we win the hearts and minds of the people over the next 22 days," Han said.
Three survivors of a secret Army group that tricked Nazi Germany into calamitous mistakes through a series of audacious battlefield stunts will finally be honored at a ceremony in DC on Thursday.

Bernie Bluestein, 100, John Christman, 99, and Seymour Nussenbaum, 100, were members of a tactical deception unit called the 'Ghost Army' whose exploits were so secret they were not allowed to mention them for more than 50 years.

Just seven members are still alive out of the 1,100 artists, designers and technicians who would sometimes masquerade as a force 40 times larger within 100 yards of the front line.

They used inflatable equipment, sound effects, and radio trickery to dupe the enemy, and their efforts will be recognized with the Congressional Medal of Honor.

'I didn't even tell my wife until the 1990s, when the secrecy came off,' said Nussenbaum of Monroe Township in New Jersey.

Seymour Nussenbaum, Stanley Nance (now deceased) and Bernie Bluestein at the National World War Two Museum. Both Nussenbaum and Bluestein will be at the DC ceremony

Hundreds of inflatable tanks were mocked up and painted during the course of the war

And dummy aircraft on bogus airfields became another of the group's specialties

'I couldn't potentially risk the lives of any soldiers who might be involved because of what I said.'

Army brass began trawling theaters, advertising agencies, and art schools in 1944 for men who could fool the Nazis as D-Day approached in 1944.

They were initially drafted into two units the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133rd Signal Company Special before coming together at Stratford-Upon-Avon in England in the spring of 1944.

Once in Europe they duped Nazi surveillance by deploying fleets of inflatable rubber tanks, trucks and airplanes, sometimes even building entire bogus airfields to leave the Germans mystified as to the Allies' true positions.

'It was the first mobile, multimedia, tactical deception unit in the history of warfare,' said Rick Beyer of the Ghost Army Legacy Project.

'They were capable of projecting their deception  visual, sound, radio, special effects  through all these different means, and they are essentially another arrow in the quiver of a battlefield commander to maneuver the enemy.'

Five-hundred pound speakers would blast recordings of non-existent troop exercises up to 15 miles away while they filled the airwaves with phony radio reports.

They helped keep the Germans in the dark about the true location General George Patton's Third Army as it ploughed through France in the weeks after D-Day.

More than 1,100 men eventually served in the unit that would be dubbed the Ghost Army

Some of their work, such as this bogus artillery piece, remains on display in Army museums

John Christman, 99, will make up the trio of survivors journeying to the Capitol on Thursday

Seymour Nussenbaum, 100, told his family that his job had been to 'blow up tanks'

'I'm just sorry that there are not more of my fellow soldiers still alive that can be enjoying this as much as I do' said Bernie Bluestein, 100 ahead of the ceremony

And they spent a week masquerading as the 6th Armored Division to save Patton when his position was dangerously exposed along the Moselle River in September 1944.

The little band of brothers helped bring the war to its conclusion by inflating 200 bogus trucks and tanks in March 1945 to pose as the 40,000 men of two 9th Army divisions, diverting German efforts while the main Allied force finally crossed the Rhine.

Nussenbaum, who went on to work as a package designer, said he was being absolutely honest with his family after the war when they asked him about his experiences and he told them 'I blew up tanks!'

The Ghost Army badge adopted by the group

'Most of our operations were done within 100 to 300 yards of the front line,' said Anderson Wilson, who passed away in 2020.

'We didn't have any kind of artillery  only trucks to move the unit out in a hurry. But we didn't have as many casualties as you'd think for that kind of outfit.'

Just seven members are still alive but among those being honored is the late Mickey McKane, of Keene, New Hampshire, who was also recruited out of art school in 1944.

'Being artistically minded, he went to the Pratt Institute, which is sort of a famous art school in New York, and at some point, the US Army was beginning a recruitment process through the art schools,' his son Keith McKane said in June 2021.

'And they came and said they were looking for soldiers that were artistically inclined, and I think that was something that caught my dad's attention.

'The entire McKane family is delighted that this story is now a part of American history.'

US Representative Annie Kuster of New Hampshire, a Democrat who sponsored the bill to award the medal in the House, said: 'What made the Ghost Army special was not just their extraordinary courage, but their creativity.

'Their story reminds us that listening to unconventional ideas, like using visual and sound deception, can help us solve existential challenges like defeating tyranny.'

It is thought the unit's work saved around 30,000 Allied lives but records, as well as their stories, were sealed away until the 1996 - 51 years after their service, according to the Ghost Army Legacy Project.

'It was classified, we couldn't talk about it. People would ask, 'What did you do?' and I'd say, 'Well, I'm with special troops,' Wilson told the Record Courier in 2013.

'They'd say, 'Oh, you played in a band?' 'Yeah, I played in a band'.

'I didn't have to go through a lot of explanation. It didn't bother me,' Wilson, who did know how to play the drums and played in one of the bands on the boat ride to England, said at the time.

The group were assembled at Stratford-Upon-Avon in England to develop their techniques

Planks of wood would serve to fool the enemy if inflatable tanks were not available

Members of the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops and the 3133rd Signal Company Special - known as the Ghost Army - will be honored with the highest medal Congress can present: The Congressional Gold Medal

Nine of the 1,100 soldiers lined up enjoying a well-deserved drink

'On the boat going from the US to England they had a band I played in. I was so damn seasick, I was playing and getting sick at the same time.'

Bluestein, 100, said he was happy the group was finally getting 'a little recognition' with the highest honor Congress can bestow.

'I never in my lifetime expected anything like this, it completely blasts me,' he said.

'I'm just sorry that there are not more of my fellow soldiers still alive that can be enjoying this as much as I do.'
A photo of the late Queen Elizabeth II with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren was also manipulated, a picture agency has revealed.

The portrait taken at Balmoral in August 2022 shows the late monarch posing with two of her grandchildren and eight great grandchildren - and was taken just weeks before her death by Kate Middleton.

It was released by Buckingham Palace on April 21 last year to mark what would have been her 97th birthday.

Global picture agency Getty Images now says the heartwarming image was 'digitally enhanced at source' having undertaken a review following the recent fallout from the Princess of Wales editing a Mother's Day photo of herself with her three children.

Several discrepancies, which include the line of the late Queen's tartan skirt not matching, have been picked up by eagle-eyed members of the public.

A photo of the late Queen Elizabeth II with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren was also manipulated, Getty images has said

1. Black section behind Prince George (left) and 2. Charlotte's dress pattern repeated (right)

The green Chesterfield sofa appears to have been spliced together, while there are black patches visible behind Princes George and Louis, suggesting the area has been edited, reported The Telegraph.

In the snap the late monarch appeared in her element with Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, James, Earl of Wessex, Lena Tindall, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Isla Phillips, Prince Louis, Mia Tindall, Lucas Tindall and Savannah Phillips.

All the children are smiling sweetly as they surround the Queen, who was sitting between them on a sofa and wearing tartan at her beloved Aberdeenshire home.

A spokesman for Getty Images said: 'Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editors note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source.'

Suspicions were first raised about the portrait last year by tech CEO Christopher Bouzy who said he believed it had been photoshopped.

It will be further embarrassment for Kate, who was said to be 'very distressed by the fallout' of her Mother's Day photo, according to the Mail's royal editor Rebecca English.

Earlier this month the picture was released by Kensington Palace in what was seen as a bid to quash vicious conspiracy theories that had been swirling on social media about the Princess' health after not being publicly seen since before her planned abdominal surgery in January.

Several of the world's top news agencies took the extraordinary step to issue a 'kill' notice of the keen amateur photographer's photo over claims it had been 'manipulated'.

3. Digital repetition in Mia Tindall's hair (left) and 4. An area of the sofa where a button appears to have been cloned

5. The sofa appears to have been spliced together (left) and 6. Mismatched pattern on Queen's skirt (right)

7. Louis appears superimposed (left) and 8. A discrepancy spotted in Savannah Phillips' hair (right)

9. A small section of black in Savannah Phillips' hair (left) and 10. Another area of the sofa where lines don't appear to match (right)

11. Unnatural shading on green sofa (left) 12. Cable appears 'cut' (right)

It comes after Kate, who is currently recovering from abdominal surgery, was spotted with William looking 'happy, healthy and relaxed' at The Windsor Farm Shop (pictured)

The couple are said to have visited the farm having watched their their three children - George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five - take part in sports. Pictured: Kate with Louis and Charlotte in May 2023

William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey to attend The Commonwealth Day Service last Monday. She has now been seen four times in a fortnight

It prompted Kate to issue a statement on X hours later in which she said: 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.

'I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.

'I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day. C.'

It comes after an 'incredibly happy' Kate was pictured by a member of the public on Saturday visiting the Windsor Farm Shop with her husband William, 41, a short drive from their Berkshire home.

Looking healthy, happy and relaxed, the princess carries her own shopping bag and laughingly chats with her husband as the pair exit the shop and return to their car, according to the image published by The Sun.

Kate and William were not accompanied by their three children, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis.

The couple have, in recent weeks, been left deeply distressed by wild social media speculation and gossip about Kate's health and whereabouts.

However body language expert Judi James said tonight that Kate's behaviour was a masterclass in 'quashing all the toxic rumours'.

She told MailOnline: 'It is completely stunning to see the most sought-after woman in the world and the subject of speculation and rumours on social media suddenly appearing like this looking not just healthy, full of energy and incredibly happy but also making no apparent attempt to hide while out in public.

Five picture agencies around the world took taken the extraordinary step of killing the Mother's Day photo of Princess Kate

The Mother's Day portrait was edited by the Princess of Wales to make the perfect family shot. But conspiracy theorists have used it to question everything about Kate's health

Charlotte's hair seems to end abruptly on her shoulder on her right despite her hair on the left going on for a few inches

Kate's zip appears to be misaligned on the photo as the top of it is further left and appears significantly lighter than the rest of the zip

It appears Charlotte's hand was copied over from another picture as there is an empty space where her sleeve should be

The corner of Charlotte's skirt was pointed out as another 'editing error' by social media sleuths

'Kate walks ahead of William here, taking large enough strides to suggest no hint of any ongoing frailty. While William keeps his face partially hidden under his cap and his head lowered, Kate's body language here suggests a desire to be seen.

'Her head is up and her long hair is billowing while she wears a cheek-rounded smile that seems to signal she is completely upbeat and cheerful.

'This is quite extraordinary body language behaviour for a leading royal out "incognito" in public and it suggests a point is, quite naturally, being made in terms of reassuring fans and quashing all the toxic rumours.'

Sources close to the Wales' have told the Mail they have found the speculation hugely hurtful and hard to deal with, but were determined to focus on what was important to them - their family and the princess' recovery.

It is anticipated that the new image, showing the couple going about their normal lives, will go some way to calming many of the wilder rumours that have gripped people across the globe.

The snap was taken at 12.43pm on Saturday by a member of the public who was also at the farm shop, just a mile's drive from the Wales' Adelaide Cottage home, on their Apple iPhone 12 Pro phone.

The person concerned said they were visiting the shop to 'kill time' while on the way to meet someone to buy an item from Facebook when they recognised William and Kate and were struck by how 'happy' they looked.

The Prince and Princess of Wales's annual Christmas card image with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, also appeared to have a Photoshop fail

Last April Mr Bouzy described the photograph of the late Queen as 'beautiful' on X.

Calling on people to 'stop criticising' snap, he added: 'Yes, they Photoshopped it, and so what? It isn't easy to get the perfect photo with 10 children. It appears they took multiple shots and then edited the photo to make it perfect. I would've done the same.'

In a later tweet about the snap, which was shared on the official social media accounts of The Prince and Princess of Wales, he wrote: 'You can literally see where two sides of the sofa were spliced together, and there are pixels on the face that were not properly edited.

'As I stated in my original tweet, I don't see anything wrong with it. But to claim it's not Photoshopped is false. It's been edited.'
Rachel Reeves will pledge today to transform the Treasury from a department of bean counters to growth drivers if Labour wins the general election.

In a major speech, the Shadow Chancellor will vow to bolster the Treasury's Enterprise and Growth Unit by integrating it into the budget and spending review processes for the first time.

Ms Reeves will tell the Treasury that it must be ready to 'get to work from day one' on bringing economic growth back to Britain as she gives the Mais Lecture in the City of London tonight.

Pledging to deliver 'a new chapter' in Britain's economic history, she will say: 'We need to do more to enshrine that core growth mission within our economic architecture.

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves will pledge today to transform the Treasury from a department of bean counters to growth drivers if Labour wins the general election

'In 1997, the last Labour government established the Enterprise and Growth Unit within the Treasury. Squarely focused on driving economic growth.

'It was a source of important policy ideas, including the reform of competition law and the creation of a longer-term science funding framework.

'However, as the Institute for Government noted last month, that Unit is widely seen to be underpowered, its influence diminished compared to twenty years ago. And crucially it is not involved in the management of fiscal events.

'So, we will build on that success. Hard-wiring economic growth into budget and spending review processes, with a reformed and strengthened Enterprise and Growth Unit augmenting the existing so-called 'fiscal triangle'.'

Ms Reeves will also warn that the scale of the economic transformation needed is the same as that faced by Margaret Thatcher in 1979.

Ms Reeves will also warn that the scale of the economic transformation needed is the same as that faced by Margaret Thatcher in 1979

The Shadow Chancellor will say: 'When we speak of a decade of national renewal, that is what we mean.

'As we did at the end of the 1970s, we stand at an inflection point, and as in earlier decades, the solution lies in wide-ranging supply-side reform to drive investment, remove the blockages constraining our productive capacity, and fashion a new economic settlement, drawing on evolutions in economic thought.'

But she will say that unlike the 1980s, future growth 'must be broad-based, inclusive, and resilient'.

'Growth achieved through stability - built on the strength of our institutions. Investment - through partnership between active government and enterprising business.

'And reform - of our planning system, our public services, our labour market, and our democracy.'

Ms Reeves will urge people to 'reject managed decline' and 'pursue the long overdue task of renewing our common purpose, rethinking outmoded assumptions, and rebuilding growth on strong and secure foundations'.

The Mais lecture is considered the 'foremost event' for the City of London's banking and finance community. Past speakers have included Rishi Sunak, Mark Carney and George Osborne.
Welsh Labour has been accused of letting children change gender without telling their parents as dozens of schools in Wales would not automatically tell the family of a pupil's decision.

Outraged parents have now raised concerns about the 'shocking' approach and action group Merched Cymru warned that children's safety was at risk without proper guidance for schools on gender-questioning children, The Telegraph reports.

The Welsh Government has promised to publish advice for schools on how to respond to children who are questioning their gender.

This follows similar guidance being published in England last year, which advised schools to take a 'parents first' approach, which outlined that parents must be told at the earliest opportunity if children ask staff about shifting gender - although they can have 'questioning' discussions without informing relative.

Merched Cymru sent Freedom of Information requests to 68 of the 1,400 schools in Wales, all of which said they would make the gender transition of a pupil easier but just 28 per cent said they would inform the family of the student's decision directly.

Additionally 38 per cent said they would not notify the family automatically.

Outraged parents have now raised concerns about the 'shocking' approach and action group Merched Cymru warned that children's safety was at risk without proper guidance for schools on gender-questioning children (file image)

Some 29 per cent of the schools even said that they would inform the parents only if the student gave their permission.

The report reveals that 76 per cent of schools even propose to students to address gender-questioning children with their preferred pronouns and about 70 per cent either offer a gender neutral toilet or have all unisex toilets.

More than half of the schools even allow students to participate in sport groups according to the gender by which they identify.

Rishi Sunak has previously spoken out about not telling parents when students want to change their gender and blocked an attempt to change Scottish law to faciliate gender changes from the age of 16.

New Welsh Labour leader Vaughan Gething vowed to support the Relationships and Sex Education curriculum in Wales as Labour previously promised that it would make Wales 'the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe'.

But Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives, told The Telegraph: 'Welsh parents will be rightly horrified to see pupils placed at risk of serious harm.

'The new First Minister must intervene urgently and take action to safeguard pupils' wellbeing.'

New Welsh Labour leader Vaughan Gething (pictured) vowed to support the Relationships and Sex Education curriculum in Wales as Labour previously promised that it would make Wales 'the most LGBTQ+ friendly nation in Europe'

A father who said he only found out about his child's transition when his son Rob was referred to as Ruby during a parents' evening said his 14-year-old child's health has been 'damaged' after the school allowed him to change his name, pronouns and dress.

The concerned father told The Telegraph that the school's policy on children changing gender 'states that parents will only be informed about a social transition if the child gives permission'.

He said he felt 'powerless' and 'checkmated' by the school over the lack of communication.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: 'We agree this is an area that needs national guidance.

'That is why we are developing guidance for schools in Wales so that staff can ensure all young people are fully included in education and have a positive experience at school.

'We will be holding a full public consultation on our draft trans guidance over the coming months.'
The Government is likely to overturn amendments to its Rwanda bill made by the House of Lords, despite plans by Labour to oppose a crucial vote tomorrow.

Rishi Sunak still maintains hopes that a first flight sending asylum seekers to the East African country will depart in the spring, despite peers inflicting 10 defeats on the Government in the Lords.

Conservative MPs have accused peers of trying to 'wreck' the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, with the Prime Minister himself saying 'everyone is trying to block us'.

If the Government is defeated in the House of Lords tomorrow, it could see flights delayed until the summer with the Easter recess possibly preventing further votes on the issue until April.

In the House of Commons last night MPs voted by majorities ranging from 69 to 78 to reject the first four amendments made to the Bill by peers, an indication of a relatively stress-free Monday for the Government.

A drone shot showing migrants crossing the English Channel in a small boat on March 6, 2024

MPs gather in the House of Commons as they debate amendments to the Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill

The amendments overturned included an attempt by peers to ensure the Bill complies with domestic and international law, and a requirement that Parliament cannot declare Rwanda to be a safe country until the treaty with its promised safeguards is fully implemented.

They also rejected an amendment that would have exempted migrants being sent to Rwanda if they had helped British Armed Forces or the UK Government abroad.

Speaking to broadcasters on Monday, Mr Sunak said: 'Everyone is trying to block us, including the Labour Party because they don't have a plan to tackle this problem. We do - I'm determined to see it through.'

Meanwhile, it is believed that Labour, along with dozens of crossbench peers and other parties, will attempt to block the bill once again in the Lords on Wednesday.

Five Tory peers, including former chancellor Lord Clarke, have also voted against it and it is being suggested that Labour will whip its members to vote for six amendments that could delay flights until the summer.

The Conservatives, who do not have a majority in the House of Lords, have imposed a three-line whip ordering their peers to attend and vote in favour of the legislation.

A Labour source in the Lords told the Times that they would not back down when the matter returned to the upper house.

'Nothing has changed in terms of our intentions to have our people whipped behind amendments that are seeking to make changes to the bill,' they said.

'We're not going to back down on Wednesday. This is the first round of ping-pong, there'll be an expectation that we ask the government to think again because they just want to ride roughshod over the many concerns with the bill.'

If the bill is not passed before the Easter recess at the end of March is could mean flights are delayed until June as further votes won't be allowed to happen until April and it will take between six and ten weeks for planes to get off the ground after the law is given royal assent.

Rishi Sunak gestures as he visits and apprentice training centre in Coventry on March 18, 2024

Speaking in the Commons yesterday, Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson said Rwanda has a 'long and proud history' of integrating asylum seekers and refugees and said the UK Government had 'published evidence' in support of Rwanda being a safe country.

He also told MPs: 'They are wrecking amendments.'

The proposed legislation seeks to compel judges to regard the east African country as safe in a bid to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Rwanda.

For Labour, shadow Home Office minister Stephen Kinnock said of the 10 amendments: 'They each serve to make this shambolic mess of a Bill marginally less absurd, and they would serve only to put in statute what ministers have actually promised from that despatch box.

'Not one of these amendments is designed to prevent the departure of flights to Rwanda, as the Prime Minister has repeatedly and wrongly implied that they will.'

READ MORE HERE: Rwanda migrant deportation flights could take WEEKS to start even after new bill becomes law with only a few hundred going to east Africa before the summer - as MPs push Lords to let legislation pass by Wednesday Advertisement

Conservative former minister Sir John Hayes questioned whether peers were 'clueless or careless' about what is happening with immigration.

Tory colleague Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) told the debate: 'Any attempts to wreck this Bill is an open-door policy to let human traffickers traffic people illegally into our country, to upset our local communities and ultimately, unfortunately, more people will die if this Bill doesn't go through because of the loss of life in the Channel.'

Mr Stafford said of peers: 'They clearly don't care about the people who are dying in the Channel trying to cross it. They clearly don't care about the cost to the public purse of these hundreds of thousands illegal immigrants coming over.

'Their lordships clearly don't care about the everyday person in the street.'

Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash (Stone) criticised amendments made by peers and urged Parliament to 'get on' with the Bill, saying MPs should be 'very firm' with the Lords.

SNP MP Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) said: 'It's not really the Safety of Rwanda Bill, it's the Safety of the Prime Minister Bill.

'It's all been designed to try and keep certain elements of his backbenchers happy and on that test it seems to have failed, just as it has failed on practically every other criteria that it could be assessed against.'

Labour MP Neil Coyle (Bermondsey and Old Southwark) said: 'Virgin Galactic can send six people into space for less than this Government wants to spend sending one person to Rwanda.'

The scheme could cost taxpayers nearly 2 million for each of the first 300 asylum seekers sent to Rwanda, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).

Peers gather in the House of Lords as they discuss the Rwanda Bill, which has been voted down by the upper house

Migrants crowd onto a small boat as they attempt to travel across the English Channel on March 6, 2024

Ahead of the debate, Downing Street said the Government believed it had 'the right Bill' and 'it remains our plan to get it through as quickly as possible'.

Officials 'are identifying and have identified the cohort of people who will be the first to board flights' to Rwanda, No 10 said.

READ MORE HERE: More than 100 illegal migrants are identified for the first wave of Rwanda deportations with the first flight likely to depart next month Advertisement

'We're obviously continuing to work at pace on that, such that the first flights are ready to go in the weeks after the Bill passes,' the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.

The Bill is currently moving between the Commons and the Lords until both Houses can agree the wording of it, a process known as ping-pong.

The Commons goes into its Easter recess at the close of business on March 26, with peers heading away from Westminster a day later, meaning that if the Lords maintain their resistance to the legislation it is unlikely to pass before the break.

But officials believe that will still leave just enough time for Mr Sunak to meet his pledge of getting a plane in the air this spring.

The Prime Minister said: 'I am still committed to the timeline that I set out previously, which is we aim to get a flight off in the spring.

'It's important that we get the Rwanda scheme up and running because we need to have a deterrent.

'We need to make it clear that if you come here illegally, you won't be able to stay and we will be able to remove you. That is the only way to properly solve the issue of illegal migration.

'We've made good progress. Boat numbers were down by a third last year. That shows that our plan is working, but in order to finish the job, we need the Rwanda scheme through.'
A man accused of mowing down a mother and her fiance after a row over dogs on Monday night posted a chilling message to his Facebook page saying 'I will stab you' - as witnesses describe how the incident allegedly unfolded.

Mother-of-four Jodie Robertson, 42, and her partner Kurt Saunders, 41, were drawn into an argument with neighbour Corey Porter, 29, on Cygnus Close, Doonside in Sydney's west, just before 9pm.

Mr Saunders had been walking his dog along the street when he and Porter clashed. Things quickly escalated when Porter allegedly threatened Mr Saunders with an axe.

Mr Saunders returned home before he and Ms Robertson and her 18-year-old daughter then went to allegedly confront Porter at his house.

Mr Porter initially drove off his in his white Ford Territory before later returning. Witnesses claim they saw the couple arguing with Porter as he sat in his white SUV.

Neighbours have revealed how Mother-of-four Jodie Robertson, 42, and her partner Kurt Saunders, 41, (pictured) were allegedly mowed down in front of her teenage daughter in a street row over dogs on Monday night

Kurt Saunders has suffered broken ribs, fractures to both of his legs as well as 'severe' dislocations to his ankles

The incident erupted after an argument with neighbour Corey Porter, 29, on Cygnus Close, Doonside in Sydney 's west, just before 9pm

Neighbours told Daily Mail Australia they then saw Porter reverse and rev his SUV several times before he allegedly drove towards them.

Neighbours claimed Ms Robertson was sent flying over the bonnet of the car and onto the pavement.

Her partner was allegedly reversed over twice before Porter is said to have fled the scene.

'I'm still in shock,' 23-year-old Jacklyn Donaldson, who lives beside Porter, told Daily Mail Australia.

'We've never heard about any issues with either of them.

'Jodie's 18-year-old daughter watched the whole thing happen. We just heard her scream.'

Ms Donaldson's partner Ben Grace, 22, said the pair were in a 'bad condition'.

'She was bleeding from her head and shoulder and his leg was all bloody,' he said.

Porter's Facebook profile bio warns: 'I will stab you and anyone who stands in my path or my kids path (sic).'

In a post in April 2023, under a picture of Porter in a suit, he added: 'I will always win. I will not be beaten. You think your winning but I will win the war.

'I made promises and trust me I will be keeping them.'

Another neighbour said the scuffle ensued after Corey Porter (pictured) was earlier seen walking his dog on Monday night

Corey Porter's Facebook profile bio (pictured) warns: 'I will stab you and anyone who stands in my path or my kids path'

Tire marks are seen outside Porter's home on Tuesday

The letterbox outside Porter's home is seen knocked over

On Tuesday, NSW Police Detective Superintendent Darren Newman said Porter caused 'significant' injuries to the couple before he allegedly fled the scene, colliding with a tree on his way.

He got out of his car around the corner from his house and was walking towards the nearby train station when he was arrested.

Porter was on Tuesday afternoon charged with use offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence, cause grievous bodily harm to person with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm  drive manner dangerous.

'This particular incident highlights how horribly wrong neighbourhood disputes can go,' Det Supt Newman added.

'These people have got lifelong injuries, the male in particular will have significant rehab over many years after what he's been through.'

Ms Grundy suffered serious injuries to her head while her partner, who neighbours say was reversed over twice, is fighting for his life with injuries to his head, chest and leg

Neighbours said the couple had gotten into an argument with Corey Porter, 29, before he allegedly got in his car and ran them over (pictured, emergency services at the scene)

Another said the couple's daughter watched the incident unfold and that Mr and Ms Grundy were in a 'bad condition' before being rushed to Westmead Hospital

Mr Saunders has suffered broken ribs, fractures to both of his legs as well as 'severe' dislocations to his ankles.

He is undergoing surgery at Westmead Hospital while his fiance is in a stable condition with bruising and head injuries.

Det Spt Newman said the mother's 18-year-old daughter watched the whole thing unfold.

'CCTV footage has captured audio from the incident and the scream that occurred just after the impact was horrifying,' he said.

'I can imagine she is going to have ongoing trauma.'

A GoFundMe has been set up to support Ms Robertson and Mr Saunders' families.
A mother and daughter have been jailed for funding terrorism by sending hundreds of pounds to a relative who had joined so-called Islamic State in Syria.

Stella Oyella, 53, and Vanessa Atim, 32, both from east London, were found guilty by a jury of entering into an arrangement to fund Joseph Ogaba between March and October 2017.

Judge Mark Dennis KC, sitting at the Old Bailey, sentenced Atim to three years and nine months imprisonment and jailed Oyella for three years.

Ogaba was Oyella's brother who had converted to Islam.

He was a 30-year-old self-employed computer programmer when he left home in north London, to join the terrorist group in September 2014.

The judge said the women were not motivated by IS's extremist beliefs but wanted to help Ogaba who was manipulating their close family bond as he said he was 'desperate' for money to cover his general expenses.

There is no evidence the money was used for weapons or the women, who are Roman Catholic and of previous good character, wanted to support terrorism.

Stella Oyella, 53, and Vanessa Atim (pictured), 32, both of Newham, east London, were found guilty by a jury of entering into an arrangement to fund Joseph Ogaba between March and October 2017

Judge Mark Dennis KC, sitting at the Old Bailey, sentenced Atim to three years and nine months imprisonment and jailed Oyella for three years. Pictured: Stella Oyella

But the horrors of IS was dominating the headlines and they should have been aware of what the devastation they brought, the judge said.

He told them: 'You both turned a blind eye to what your brother and uncle was engaged in and in so doing you were in effect giving support for terrorist activity which in 2017 he was still associated with.

'However, taken that your motivation was not ideological or a desire to engage in such activities, you knew what you were doing was wrong and could get you into trouble.'

The money transferred was at a low level but the women should have known that Ogaba was a 'committed individual' who had left his home and was prepared to support jihad, the court heard.

A burst of swearing broke out from the public gallery as the sentence was passed and calls of 'stay strong' were also shouted by supporters as the women were led from the dock.

Jurors were told Ogaba was eventually captured and held in a detention camp until his death around July 2022.

During his time in Syria, Mr Ogaba kept in contact with the defendants.

In 2017, they entered into an arrangement to send him funds, with his niece Atim acting as a 'lynchpin' from Uganda where she was living at the time, the court heard.

The jury heard that Atim had updated her mother about her communications with Ogaba and when funds were successfully transferred.

Great lengths were taken to hide the financial transactions with the use of 'middlemen' overseas, the prosecution said.

The activities were exposed after a computer hard drive was uncovered in Hajin in Syria by Syrian Democratic Forces in 2018 and handed to coalition forces.

An examination revealed images of Ogaba posing with a variety of AK-47 machine guns and high-performance rifles and ammunition belts.

A burst of swearing broke out from the public gallery as the sentence was passed and calls of 'stay strong' were also shouted by supporters as the women were led from the dock. Pictured: The Old Bailey

There were also images of an apparent explosive device, extremist publications, and family photographs.

Meanwhile, Atim's iPhone had been downloaded after she was subjected to port stops at Heathrow Airport.

But its significance only became clear to investigators after the discovery of the hard drive in Hajin province, indicating Mr Ogaba was being funded from overseas.

The prosecution alleged that Atim and Oyella had entered into a funding arrangement when they 'knew or had reasonable cause to suspect that the funds provided would or might be used for the purposes of terrorism'.

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, said after sentencing: 'These women went to great lengths to first arrange, and then distance themselves from money transfers to Ogaba.

'They knew he had travelled to Syria to join a terrorist group and by sending him cash.

'They helped him remain with Daesh.

'This case shows how we work with our international partners to close the net on people who support terrorist activity, no matter how much time has passed.'
An infamous IRA killer who gunned down a policeman and stabbed his ex-wife 13 times has been found dead at the age of 59.

Pearse McAuley - who is believed to have shot Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996 - died of a suspected heart attack at his home in Northern Ireland.

Sources said the killer had been dead for several days before he was found, the Belfast Telegraph reported.

McAuley had been living in Strabane, County Tyrone, since he was released from prison in 2022 for the brutal assault on his ex-wife and Sinn Fein MP Pauline Tully.

His two young sons were in the house at the time of the attack in Cavan on Christmas Eve in 2014.

Pearse McAuley (pictured) - who is believed to have shot Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996 - died of a suspected heart attack at his home in Northern Ireland

McCabe (pictured) died instantly after he was shot by an AK47 machine gun in the spine while he was sat in his patrol car

Ms Tully told the court that one of her children had seen their father stab her through a glass panel in the door.

Describing the horrific attack to the Irish Sun, she said: 'When he came in the door and assaulted me straightaway, I remember really panicking in the kitchen and thinking "I'm going to die because he is overstepping a mark he's never stepped before, he knows I am going to contact the guards if I get out of this. So I have to talk him down".

'I remember standing at the kitchen bench when he was barking orders at the boys upstairs to do this and that  I remember thinking, 2I have to calm down, I have to not panic here".'

He was sentenced to 14 years for the assault but was later released after serving just seven years.

The pair married in 2003 after Ms Tully met McAuley while visiting him in prison.

McAuley was also jailed for ten years for the 1996 killing of Det Gda McCabe during an armed robbery in Limerick.

He was sentenced to 14 years for the assault on Pauline Tully (pictured) but was later released after serving just seven years

McAuley had been living in Strabane, County Tyrone, since he was released from prison in 2022 for the brutal assault on his ex-wife and Sinn Fein MP Pauline Tully

The police officer was providing an armed escort to a mail delivery when he was brutally attacked.

McCabe died instantly after he was shot by an AK47 machine gun in the spine while he was sat in his patrol car.

McAuley, Kevin Walsh, Jeremiah Sheehy, Michael ONeill and John Quinn were all jailed for the horrific killing in 1999.

But McAuley had already the the headlines in 1991 after he escpaed from Brixton prison where he was being held on suspicion of conspiring to cause explosions while he was a member of the IRA.

After the escape, he fled to Ireland and the Crown Prosecution said they would not be seeking to extradict him.
A family friend has revealed he's heard from a woman who texted with missing Riley Strain just minutes before he vanished.

Strain, 22, was last seen on March 8 at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, which is owned by country superstar Luke Bryan, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

The Delta Chi fraternity member was in Tennessee on a group trip for their annual spring formal when he was kicked out of the bar around 10 p.m. for unknown reasons.

Chris Dingman, a family friend, spoke to NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas Reports on Monday where he revealed the last communication anyone could find from Riley - which was a confusing text to a girl he was speaking with.

'She texted him to see how he was doing, if he was having fun. He sent kind of a scripted text back to her saying 'Good lops,'' Dingman said.

A family friend says he heard from a woman who texted with missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain minutes before he vanished ten days ago, sharing his bizarre last words

Chris Dingman, a family friend of the Strains, gave an interview on Monday where he revealed the last communication anyone could find from Riley, a confusing text to a girl he was speaking with

Neither Dingman nor the girl appeared to understand what Strain meant by this, describing it as 'unclear slang' to NewsNation, with Dingman believing it to reflect Riley's alleged mental state.

Dingman said that he and Strain's family are growing frustrated with the inability to find the 22-year-old despite having seen both bodycam footage released by the police on Monday and additional recordings the public hadn't seen.

'Every piece of the puzzle we've been receiving, it leads us down 100 more questions,' he said. 'We're no closer to finding Riley.'

Dingman even praised TikTok and social media sleuths for providing leads in the case, scoffing that it was 'ironic that they are literally trying to ban TikTok right now.'

'We just want Riley home,' he added. 'He's a great kid. He has a lot going for him.'

In a Facebook post on Monday, Dingman shared further information on what was known to the family, saying that police had taken them to view the bodycam footage as well as video from inside and outside the bar.

'Several businesses' offered their own security footage down the route where Riley was last seen.

He also said that Riley 'was asked to leave not because of a fight, or any type of altercation' but said he couldn't give further detail.

'She texted [Strain] to see how he was doing, if he was having fun. He sent kind of a scripted text back to her saying 'Good lops,'' Dingman said

Dingman wrote that Riley then went across the street, where he was denied entrance to another bar before going off on 'his journey,' as he puts it.

It was revealed earlier Monday that Strain had a chance encounter with cops on the night he vanished, where he 'did not appear distressed.'

The department shared footage on X showing Strain walking along the sidewalk past an officer, who appeared to be inspecting a car with a smashed window.

Strain says, 'How are you?' to the officer, to which the cop responds, 'How you doing sir?'

'Good you?' Strain says. 'Good,' the officer said back. Metro Nashville PD said that it is evidence the student was away from Gay St, the last place he was seen alive.

Dingman noted that the interview was a sign of what a polite young man Strain is.

The last person to potentially see Strain said he caused a 'commotion' at a Nashville homeless encampment where the student's bank card was found.

Nashville police released this haunting image of Strain walking along the sidewalk on the night he vanished, as he asked a cop how he was before telling him that he was 'doing good'

It was revealed earlier Monday that Strain had a chance encounter with cops on the night he vanished, where he 'did not appear distressed'

On Sunday, police confirmed that a bank card belonging to Strain was found on the embankment near Gay Street, which is a three-minute walk from the Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street where he was last seen on video.

'We heard a commotion. We looked back up. He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him,' an unidentified man who lives in the camp told WZTV.

He was very, very, very intoxicated. I never seen anybody stumble that hard before,' the man said. 'I yelled get up. They said, 'He's just drunk. He's okay.''

Nashville's Office of Emergency Management used a dive team for the first time in their water searches on Saturday, but nothing conclusive was found.

On Friday, it emerged that Luke's 32 was being investigated after allegedly serving him too much alcohol.

The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission said: 'The TABC has opened an investigation into this matter to see if any violations have occurred.'

In a statement from Luke's 32 Bridge, they said: 'We proactively provided detailed information quickly after his visit to our business.

'This included all security camera footage, photos of Riley, transaction records and staff accounts.

Authorities continue to search for missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain who was last seen on March 8 at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway

Video from the embankment of the Cumberland River where missing Mizzou student Riley Strain's bank card was found Sunday. https://t.co/936b648cFw pic.twitter.com/t8iK8FSgDR  WKRN News 2 (@WKRN) March 18, 2024

The last person to potentially see missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain said he caused a 'commotion' at a Nashville homeless encampment (pictured) where the students bank card was found

A bank card belonging to Strain was found on the embankment near Gay Street, which is a three-minute walk from the Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street where he was last seen on video

'During Riley's visit, our records show he purchased and was served one alcoholic drink and two waters.'

At 9:35pm, the bar said their security team made the decision to escort him from the venue.

Cops made the initial suggestion that Strain may have been overserved on the Friday, when he and his friends hit the town and visited Luke's 32 Bridge.

He reportedly told his Delta Chi fraternity brothers he would meet them back at their hotel, but was nowhere to be seen when the group returned from their night out.

The next morning, his fraternity brothers tried to find Strain using his Snapchat location but were unsuccessful and called police to report him missing.

His last cellphone location was recorded between Gay Street and James Robertson Parkway close to the bar where he was last seen.

Surveillance footage collected by police from Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street showed Strain near the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Church Street.

The seemingly intoxicated student was wearing a two-toned black and brown shirt and blue jeans and took a tumble, then quickly got back up and continued down the street.

Surveillance footage released by the Nashville police show him wobbling and appearing confused as he crossed a closed road near the water

Another camera caught near the intersection of Gay Street and 1st Avenue North just before 10pm taking large strides with his head down as he stumbled through the streets.

Additional surveillance footage released by the Nashville police show him wobbling and appearing confused as he crossed a closed road near the water.

'We feel like when he came out, because they had been to a couple of other places, that he had got turned around on the direction,' Strain's stepfather Chris Whiteid said.

Strain's family has said they're living through a nightmare ordeal as they continue to look for him.

The student had reportedly FaceTimed his mom earlier in the evening, and she said nothing seemed out of the ordinary, even though she knew he was bar hopping.

His mother, Michelle Whiteid, said he's 'a great kid' and normally 'very communicative.'

'We miss him and we want him back so bad,' she told WKRN. 'He's always texting me, calling me, FaceTiming me,' she added. 'He's always in touch with me. He's very communicative.'

In an appeal for information about Riley's whereabouts, Nashville Metro PD described him as 6-feet6-inches tall, weighing 165lbs with blonde hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 615-862-8600.
Mother of lawyer struck by car says her pain is 'unbearable'

The mother of a young lawyer killed in a suspected hit-and-run has broken her silence, saying she died the moment her beloved son died.

Mitch East, 28, was found with critical head and chest injuries by a passerby in Fletcher Street, in Tamarama, just after 4am on Sunday.

The young lawyer, who was educated at Harvard Law School, is understood to have been dropped off by an Uber just moments before he was struck.

Mr East's shattered mother has described the loss of her only child as 'unbearable'.

'He was my only child, my reason for living,' she told Stuff.

'I died when he did. The pain is unbearable. So I just can't think straight to talk sorry.'

She described her son as a 'a good person with a good heart'.

Mr East's devastated family arrived in Sydney from his home country of New Zealand on Sunday to support his heartbroken partner.

Mitch East, 28, was found with critical head and chest injuries by a passerby in Fletcher Street, in Tamarama, just after 4am on Sunday

Mr East's mother (pictured in green) said the pain of losing her son is 'unbearable'. She is seen arriving at her son's apartment building after travelling to Australia from New Zealand

Mr East's mother and his girlfriend were seen outside the couple's Fletcher Street unit on Monday as grieving friends stopped by to drop off flowers.

Mr East studied law in his home country, securing notable positions working as a senior advisor on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attack and as a solicitor at large national firm Meredith Connell.

He moved to Australia around 2022 to work for his current employer, major firm Arnold Bloch Leibler, which has an office in Sydney's CBD.

An Arnold Bloch Leibler spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that all staff were notified about the tragedy via an email on Monday morning.

Police are still on the hunt for the driver of a white Subaru Outback which was spotted in the area on CCTV about the same time as the crash.

The young lawyer, who was educated at Harvard Law School, is understood to have been dropped off by an Uber just moments before he was struck

Police are still on the hunt for the driver of a white Subaru Outback which was spotted in the area on CCTV about the same time as the crash (pictured, officers at the scene on Monday)

NSW Police Inspector Jason Hogan urged the driver to come forward.

'It is a cowardly act to drive away after colliding with another human,' he told 7News.

'They really need to attend their local police station before we knock on their door.'

Inspector Hogan said officers are canvassing local areas, businesses and transportation companies for further footage which may identify more clues.

Locals have reported hearing a car alarm going off and a loud bang around the time of the crash, with any other witnesses urged to contact police.

A GoFundMe has raised almost $90,000 for Mr East's family as they 'attempt to come to terms with the grief of losing someone so loved'.

A GoFundMe has raised almost $90,000 for Mr East's family as they 'attempt to come to terms with the grief of losing someone so loved'
Yoon needs to gauge public sentiment

During a major election year, it's common to witness unbecoming words and actions. Each political party must assess the risks involved and respond accordingly. With just 21 days until the April 10 general elections, both the ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) have swiftly distanced themselves from controversial candidates who have drawn criticism from their constituencies.

However, it seems that the presidential office has struggled to keep pace with the actions of the political parties. The controversy surrounding the new Korean ambassador to Australia, Lee Jong-sup, is anticipated to cast a shadow over the campaign prospects for the PPP. This is compounded by seemingly inappropriate remarks made by Hwang Sang-moo, the senior presidential secretary for civil and social affairs.

Amid growing discontent surrounding the envoy, the PPP interim leader, Han Dong-hoon, has called for the newly appointed ambassador to return immediately to Korea. Han's request aims to facilitate an investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). This stance is supported by influential members of the party's campaign committee including Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and former party floor leader Na Kyung-won, and candidate and former senior secretary for public affairs, Kim Eun-hye.

While campaigning to woo voters, these PPP campaign leaders and candidates are hearing public resentment against the ambassador still under investigation for meddling in a probe over the death of a young Marine last year during a search and rescue operation. Lee was defense minister at that time.

The crux of the issue revolves around how the ambassador still facing CIO probe managed to secure a diplomatic appointment and had his travel ban lifted by the justice ministry just days before departing for Australia. This sequence of events, as perceived by the public, raises concerns of favoritism and undermines President Yoon Suk Yeol's principles of fairness and rule of law.

Rebutting the party's requests and public sentiment, the presidential office has said that the ambassador will respond immediately to subpoena requests from the CIO. The CIO should take immediate action to ensure the ambassador's return to Korea and provide answers before a gathering of overseas envoys scheduled to convene in Seoul next month. The fate of his diplomatic assignment can be deliberated upon subsequently. The presidential office should remain receptive to public sentiment regarding Lee's controversial appointment.

In light of recent comments made by the senior presidential secretary for civil and social affairs, Hwang Sang-moo, Han has urged him to voluntarily step down. Hwang's remarks, recalling the 1988 stabbing of a reporter critical of the military, were made during a luncheon where he recounted his past service in the Korea Defense Intelligence Command, the agency implicated in the assault. His comments, "MBC should pay attention," was perceived as a direct threat toward a reporter with the broadcaster. Although Hwang later attempted to dismiss his remarks as a joke and issued an apology, his intimidating words caught many off guard, particularly given the ongoing legal dispute between the administration and MBC regarding the network's coverage of a previous incident involving the president. Hwang's conduct not only contradicts the responsibilities of his current role in fostering social cohesion but also undermines the principles he once upheld in his former position.

Regarding Hwang's remarks, the presidential office said, "It is our government's administrative philosophy to strictly respect the freedom of the press and the responsibility of media organizations." The statement also underscored the administration's commitment to upholding press freedom, highlighting its departure from past practices such as surveillance of journalists by intelligence agencies and tax inspections of media companies by the National Tax Service, actions that were allegedly carried out by previous governments.

The presidential office's firm and principled stance reflects its resistance to succumbing to political pressure during an election season, as well as its internal dilemma regarding whether it should hold its staff accountable on a "one-strike" basis. However, the president should carefully consider these requests. There may be broader factors at play beyond governmental and party power dynamics. The party leadership's actions may be indicative of public sentiment.

The presidential office faces tough decisions ahead, particularly as the ruling camp seeks to implement and advance its brand of conservative politics.
A distraught mother wants somebody to take responsibility after she found out her missing son was dead through social media.

Making things even worse, Luke Fergusson's remains had been identified almost two months before his mum, Sue Bedey, read about it on a newspaper's Facebook page.

Mr Fergusson, 28, who was autistic, went missing in June 2023 after wandering away from his family's property in Queensland's South Burnett region.

'Luke was a very special person to us,' Ms Bedey told 7News about her son, who had the mental age of an eight-year-old.

'He didn't have the capacity to be a normal 28-year-old. For us, he was always stuck as an eight or nine-year-old.'

Distraught mother Sue Bedey (pictured) wants somebody to take responsibility after she found out her missing son was dead through social media

Luke Fergusson (pictured) who was autistic, went missing in June 2023 after wandering away from his family's property in Queensland 's South Burnett region

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The family had recently moved to the area before Mr Fergusson went missing.

His mum said this caused him to have a 'meltdown'.

'Any change for Luke created enormous angst. He really struggled with things changing.'

She said the day he got very upset, 'it was over a little thing'.

'We couldn't find a particular set of spoons.

'He had ... quite a significant meltdown. Usually, we hold him until he's settled enough.'

Ms Bedey said her eldest child would normally have gone for a walk until things settled down, but that time he may have 'walked a little bit too far and got lost'.

She said the police did a very thorough search for Mr Fergusson at first, but scaled down the operation after about two weeks.

Human remains were found three months later, but they were unable to be identified.

The family was told very little at the time as there was a doubt about whose body it was, but in December they were told that as soon as the authorities knew anything they would contact her.

Ms Bedey said she realised they were not the only family with a missing person, or waiting on DNA results.

With no warning from the state authorities, she found out about her son's death last Friday after police updated a missing person's report and it was published to social media by a news outlet.

'I simply picked up the phone and flicked through social media. It was the first thing I read,' Ms Bedey said.

She called the newspaper that published the story and the police, but got no answers.

Eventually the coroner rang her and confirmed it was Luke's remains.

Nobody had contacted the family before that.

'It made us feel like we just didn't count,' she said.

'I know police made every effort to find Luke but, after the two weeks, they drove off, went onto their next job and we were just left.'

Ms Bedey said it felt as if 'Luke didn't matter, that it wasn't an important person.'

She is now demanding answers as to why it took two months to tell her her son was dead and why she had to read about it in the media.

The Courier-Mail has previously reported that the Australian Federal Police were brought in to help the Queensland deal with a massive DNA testing backlog in the state.

This is likely to have been one of the reasons for the delay in formally identifying Mr Fergusson's body.

Ms Bedey said it felt as if 'Luke didn't matter, that it wasn't an important person.' Luke Fergusson is pictured

The family has now set up a GoFundMe page to give their beloved son and brother the send-off he deserves.

The mum said the awful circumstances have felt like a 'drawn-out nightmare'.

'You get to a point where there is no sleep, there is no rest, there is no peace.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Queensland's Health Minister Shannon Fentiman for comment.
Court documents say she has more than 50 charges against her

She landed a $320,000 payout, but is behind bars again

A mum who was given a $320,000 payout after she was unlawfully thrown in jail for six months had been charged with 50 offences previously, and is behind bars again over stalking and assault allegations.

Bodycam footage showed Ebonie Madden, 25, and her friend Dylan Turner being bailed up by police officers on Evan Street in South Penrith, in Sydney's west, during a 'stop and search' in December 2019.

The video showed that Mr Turner had been holding a black bag which was confiscated and searched by Senior Constable Michael Darnton.

Inside the bag was new men's clothing and a knife. Mr Turner tried to tell police the bag belonged to him, and not to Madden, but he was ignored.

Senior Constable Darnton placed Madden - a mother-of-two who had recently been released from prison on parole - in handcuffs and charged her with with resisting arrest, possessing a knife and theft.

She spent six months behind bars in 2020, before she won a compensation claim two years later against NSW Police after a judge found she was the subject of malicious prosecution and false imprisonment.

Those findings were upheld on appeal in the Court of Appeal in February, while Madden was in custody awaiting trial over four other alleged offences.

Ebonie Madden (pictured) was on parole at the time of her unlawful arrest in 2019

Pictured: Ebonie Madden and Dylan Turner during her arrest in 2019

Madden won $320,000 after a judge found that Senior Constable Darnton did not have reasonable grounds to justify conducting a search (arrest pictured)

According to court documents, Madden has an extensive criminal history in excess of 50 charges.

Those charges include allegations of robbery, property offences and offences involving violence and weapons.

Now, Daily Mail Australia can reveal Madden is facing further criminal charges, including one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and stalking/intimidation with intent to cause fear or physical harm.

She is also accused of using an offensive weapon to commit an indictable offence.

Madden has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

She did not apply for bail in Penrith Local Court and will remain in custody until her bail review on Thursday.

Her matter is set down for a three-hour hearing on May 15.

Bodycam footage of Madden's unlawful arrest in 2019 was released earlier this week.

It showed the moment Senior Constable Darnton found the knife.

Ebonie Madden (pictured) is behind bars awaiting trial in Penrith Local Court

Court documents say Ebonie Madden (pictured) has more than 50 criminal allegations against her

Mr Turner could be heard saying, 'it's mine, chief,' - which officers later told the District Court of NSW they didn't hear.

A third officer, Danielle Munt, could be heard saying, 'thats what happens when youre mouthy. You get searched' - which she later conceded was 'unprofessional'.

READ MORE: Never-before-seen footage shows why young woman won $320,000 pay out from cops after being bailed up on the side of a street Pictured: Ebonie Madden Advertisement

According to court documents, the police officers believed the pair were under the influence of methamphetamine.

They were also aware of Madden's criminal history because one officer was involved in her arrest two months earlier, in September 2019.

Madden was strip searched but refused to remove her necklace.

She was charged with possessing a knife in a public place, having custody of clothing reasonably suspected of being stolen, and resisting an officer in the execution of duty.

During a roadside interview, Madden had denied knowledge of the knife and said she had borrowed the bag from her mother, but her explanation about the clothing was unclear.

She was refused bail on December 31, 2019, her parole was revoked and she was held in custody until June 9, 2020 when she made a second application for bail.

Madden pleaded not guilty to those charges and they were eventually dropped in October 2020.

A judge in the District Court of NSW found the state was liable for battery, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution, amounting to $320,000 plus interest and costs.

A spokesman for NSW Police said the force will review the Court of Appeal judgement and consider ways to improve the way they handle such matters.
Pictures taken by travellers showing 'disgusting' meals and tatty furniture in its lounges has led one frequent flyer to label Qantas 'embarrassing' - with the airline even being forced to apologise for a 'horrific' meal served in one of its business class lounges.

Australia's national carrier has come under fire in recent days for the allegedly declining quality of both general presentation and meals served in both its lounges and onboard its planes.

One furious customer shared a picture of gruel-like slop served on a Melbourne to LA flight on Monday.

'Most disgusting food we had in our lives,' they wrote.

'One bite of every meal served in QantasQF93 to LA was horrible. Kids spent 14 hours without eating anything at all.

'Should put the criminals behind the bars who are running this crappy airline.'

The Australian flag carrier has come under fire in recent days for the allegedly declining quality of the meals served in both its lounges and onboard its planes

Qantas apologised for this meal which was served in the Sydney Business Class Lounge on Thursday and Friday last week

Another customer who flew from Sydney to Melbourne shared an image of what was supposedly a pizza but looked more like a regurgitated pile of olives, peppers and cheese.

The airline even apologised for one of the meals it served in the Sydney Business Class Lounge on Thursday and Friday last week.

One customer described the braised rib dish as 'horrific', according to Yahoo News.

'This was served up for paying customers. I watched it and even tried it.

'This airline has truly gone to the dogs.'

A spokesperson for Qantas said the airline was 'incredibly disappointed with how this meal was presented'.

One customer who flew from Sydney to Melbourne shared an image of what was supposedly a pizza but looked more like a regurgitated pile of olives, peppers and cheese (pictured)

Other social media users have shared bad experiences with Qantas food (pictured: a meal that is believed to be shepherd's pie)

One furious customer shared a picture of gruel-like slop served on a Melbourne to LA flight on Monday (pictured). 'Most disgusting food we had in our lives,' they claimed

'We pride ourselves on delivering enjoyable dining experiences and this falls well short of our high standards.'

It's understood the airline has launched an investigation into the meal.

Another disgruntled high-flyer shared pictures of 'absolutely disgusting' frayed and stained seats in the Sydney International Business Lounge.

The traveller told Yahoo he was a Lifetime Gold Qantas frequent flyer for the best part of two decades but had stopped flying with them because of declining standards.

'(I can't believe) how bad the level of Qantas has got while their prices are ridiculous compared to other international airlines,' he added.

In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Qantas said the chairs were replaced last month.

Another disgruntled high-flyer shared pictures of 'absolutely disgusting' frayed and stained seats in the Sydney International Business Lounge (pictured)

Qantas said the chairs were replaced last month

'The Sydney International Business Lounge is being updated as part of a program which has so far seen 30 new and 70 refreshed armchairs and stools added,' a spokesperson for the airline said.

'Were also replacing the dining chairs this week.'

In the six months to December, Qantas made a $1.25billion underlying profit before tax, down $180million or 12.6 per cent from the $1.43billion figure for the same period in 2022.

Last September, new CEO Vanessa Hudson acknowledged the airline needed to win back the trust of customers.

'I know that we have let you down in many ways,' she said.

'We haven't delivered the way we should have and we've often been hard to deal with.

'We understand why you're frustrated, and why some of you have lost trust in us.'
A sixth-grade girl was brutally attacked by another student at a California middle school, with the horrific assault all being caught on cellphone video.

The attack, which is said to have started during a dispute over a boy, happened just before 3pm last Thursday in Riverside County at Arizona Middle School.

The onslaught saw the victim being ambushed by a classmate by pulling her hair then viciously punching in the face. The beating appeared to continue for almost two minutes before anyone intervened.

Fellow pupils at the school either stood around and watched or took out their phones to film what was unfolding before them as the girl was beat.

A sixth-grade girl was brutally assaulted by another student, captured on cellphone video

The unprovoked attack occurred just before 3 pm last Thursday, with the victim being ambushed by a classmate who pulled her hair and viciously punched her

The girl was left with scratches on her face. Clumps of hair had also been pulled from her head

The victim's mother, known as Jazmin, revealed that the altercation stemmed from a dispute over a boy, leaving her daughter bruised and traumatized

The distressing videos obtained by KTLA sees the moments just before the attack began, with the assailant apparently goaded by a friend.

'I'm scared, my heart is beating,' the girl could be heard saying in the video.

'Just fight her. She's not going to do s**t', an antagonist can be heard saying.

'Should I just start pulling her hair?' the girl asks.

The victim's mother, known as Jazmin, revealed how the confrontation stemmed from an argument over a boy and escalated suddenly into physical violence, leaving her daughter bruised and traumatized.

Despite the severity of the incident, no school staff intervened during the assault, which has only served to increase the distress felt by the victim.

'Nobody came to help my daughter; no student came to stop this at all. So, she was left alone,' Jazmin told the station.

In the moments before the attack, the assailant can be seen being goaded by a friend

Bystanders at the school either watched or recorded the assault on their phones, with no intervention from school staff. as the attack unfolded in the school yard

The assailant has now been expelled as a result of her violent actions

'I couldn't even watch the full video. It was really hard. I just thank God that my daughter's alive.'

By the time Jazmin arrived at the school to speak with her daughter, who was visibly shaken and in tears, she found her suffering from a swollen face with some of her hair having been pulled out.

'At that point, I just held her, and I hugged her. I've seen multiple things on social media of when kids are brutally attacked, and they're killed,' Jazmin said.

The girl was taken to hospital where a police report was filed.

When her mother sought answers from school officials over her daughter's safety, she was given only vague assurances.

The attacked punched and pulled the hair of another girl at the school

Fellow students did nothing and simply stood around watching or filming on their phones

The pair fought for almost two minutes before finally the attack ended

The victim could be seen clinging onto the other girl's sweater in an attempt to halt the assault

The attack happened just before 3pm last Thursday in Riverside County at Arizona Middle School

'They're just telling me you can bring your daughter back tomorrow and I can assure you that your daughter's going to be fine,' Jazmin said.

School authorities say they have disciplined the perpetrator, who may face criminal charges pending the outcome of an investigation, but Jazmin remains unhappy with the school's response.

'I want to see justice. I want to justice to be served for my daughter because I feel like it's another fight and they're brushing everything under the rug', she said.

She has now withdrawn her daughter from Arizona Middle School.

The assailant is also no longer enrolled at the school having been expelled as result of her violent outburst.

This comes just days after Missouri schoolgirl Kaylee Gain's family spoke out after she was left in a life-threatening condition by a bully who repeatedly smashed her head into concrete.

Kaylee Gain (pictured) suffered a skull fracture and frontal lobe damage when her head was repeatedly smashed into the ground during a brawl near her St. Louis high school

Kaylee was brutally beaten by another teen (pictured) last week. She is 'fighting hard to stay alive' after suffering brain damage in the horrific attack

The 16-year-old suffered a skull fracture and frontal lobe damage during a violent brawl caught on camera near her St. Louis high school on March 8.

In a devastating statement released through their attorney, Kaylee's relatives have said they won't know the extent of her injuries until she wakes up.

The family added they want 'justice through the legal system' - but pleaded with other teenagers not to retaliate against the girl who attacked Kaylee.

They confirmed Kaylee suffered 'a fractured skull that resulted in brain bleeding and swelling' and she still has not regained consciousness 10 days later.
Haiti's civil war has exploded as masked vigilantes fight back against Barbecue's bloodthirsty gangs - leaving the island nation teetering on the edge.

Hundreds of dead bodies now lie unburied in the streets as residents band together to protect themselves against armed factions bolstered by thousands of convicts freed from stormed prisons.

Chaos escalated since Prime Minister Ariel Henry was forced from office last week amid attempts by armed gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier to seize power.

Nearly 1.5 million Haitians are on the brink of famine and Monday's attacks on five of the state's power stations has left them 'completely dysfunctional'.

'Such acts of theft and sabotage only further aggravate the financial and technical situation of the company, by the acts of vandalism and terror of bandits,' a spokesman for EDH said.

A resident checks to see if he knows one of the hundreds of dead now littering the streets

The attackers carried off electrical equipment, batteries, computers and office equipment, as well as company documents.

It left much of the capital in darkness including the area around the US embassy in the east of the city.

Around 80 per cent of Port-au-Prince was already in the hands of armed gangs before Henry was swept from power last week after announcing another delay to long-postponed elections.

He is now stranded in neighboring Puerto Rico trying to broker a transitional government as the gangs extend their control, blockading fuel, food and water supplies outside the city.

Cherizier, a former police officer turned gangster, has claimed responsibility for the latest surge in attacks, and said his goal is to capture Haiti's police chief and government ministers and prevent Henry's return to the Caribbean nation.

Barbecue's threats will have struck fear into the hearts of many Haitians, with his reputation for burning people alive - something he has long denied - preceding him.

But terrified residents are flocking to a vigilante movement known as 'bwa kale' which attempts to preserve neighborhood security through shared surveillance systems, checkpoints and patrols.

Gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier has pledged to seize control of the Caribbean island

A woman in the capital weeps as the bodies of people she knew are taken from the streets

No area in the capital is free from horror as gangs battle police and each other for control

Ariel Henry, 74, tendered his resignation on March 11, a week after the growing coalition of gangs warned of civil war if he did not step down

Bodies lay in the garbage as residents tried a haphazard cremation in the streets

Thousands have been killed in the violence and nearly 1.5 million are at risk of famine

The movement took off last year when residents in relatively prosperous districts managed to expel the Ti Makak gang from their streets.

'This is the way the gangs operate: they take over areas with big businesses and force them to pay them while they remain in control,' one vigilante told CNN on Monday.

'We constantly receive threats; they say they will come and attack us, destroy the neighborhood.

'So we block the streets and the police to do the searches; no civilians are involved in searching cars.

He said the vigilantes are armed only with 'machetes and our bare hands', but the UN believes them responsible for killing hundreds of 'gang members', often burning their bodies in the streets.

'The bandits send the spy on a motorcycle to come see if there's a barricade in the road, and how many people are manning it,' the vigilante said.

'But if someone comes looking suspicious, they'll question him, find out who he is, check his telephone. If he has messages with bandits, they have to take him.

'Then they burn them.

'It's not a war, the neighborhood is trying to protect itself.'

The city's port and airport have been shut, and parts of the east end 'have malnutrition rates comparable with any war zone in the world', according to Jean-Martin Bauer of the UN's World Food Program.

He noted that Croix-des-Bouquets, in the eastern part of Haiti's capital, 'has malnutrition rates comparable with any war zone in the world'.

The leader of the alliance of gangs, former police officer Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier, allegedly gained his nickname after incinerating his enemies

Violence escalated on March 11 and has left the police struggling for control

Some hospitals in Port-au-Prince have been forced to close over safety concerns, and only two surgical operating facilities are operational, according to UNICEF.

And shortages of electricity, fuel and medical supplies have affected hospitals nationwide, with six out of ten facilities not able to function.

'It's like a scene out of Mad Max. Honestly, that's what it seems like,' said UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell.

'Gangs, vigilantes responding to the gangs.

'Now they've basically taken over the capital, they've taken over the airport. What that means for people is that we can't get aid in again, it's very difficult for us to do that,' said Russell.

'I mean, it's literally one thing after another for Haiti, and I think right now, it's the worst that anyone has seen in decades.'

A charter flight carrying dozens of American citizens fleeing the country landed in Miami on Sunday, after the US Embassy urged citizens to leave 'as soon as possible'.

Passenger Avlot Quessa, who lives in Boston, traveled from the center of the country to board the charter flight after going to Haiti last month for was supposed to be a weeklong trip to visit his mother.

Armed militias roam with impunity through the lawless streets of the capital

Basic services are a distant memory in a country that was already struggling to recover from two devastating earthquakes in 2011 and 2020

The situation has seen thousands flee their homes, as locals continue to report the overwhelming stench of the dead. Meanwhile, politicians across the region are scrambling for a solution - one that may now be in sight following Henry's removal

'It's just terrible. The suffering, you can only imagine,' Quessa told The Miami Herald of the nearby Caribbean nation.

'Haiti is my homeland and it's very stressful to see the homeland going through this act of violence, destruction, and they are our neighbors.

The State Department announced on Saturday that it would offer limited charter flights for American citizens from the less chaotic northern city of Cap-Haitien.

Officials said they could not provide ground transportation to Cap-Haitien and that U.S. citizens should consider the charter flights 'only if you think you can reach Cap-Haitien airport safely.'

'We encourage U.S. citizens still in Haiti who seek to depart to contact the Department of State using the crisis intake form on our website if they have not already done so,' the agency said.

'They are only miles away from Miami,' said Quessa, 'We cannot turn our eyes back on Haiti.'
The woman who allegedly caused a Jetstar flight headed to Bali to turn back was reportedly acting 'erratically' prior to boarding and abused an elderly man while on the plane.

Jetstar Flight JQ43 from Melbourne to Bali took off as scheduled at 10am on Monday.

Just two hours into the six-hour journey, flight crew made the decision to abandon the planned route and return to Melbourne at 3pm after a passenger became unruly.

Fellow passenger Kyle Hand said the chaotic scenes started after the woman spent 30 minutes in the toilet.

Hand added the woman was pacing up and down the aisle of the aircraft before hurling abuse at a man he believed to be about 75-years-old.

A Jetstar flight to Bali was forced to turn back and land in Melbourne after a passenger went on a tirade and even banged on the cockpit door

'She started abusing and threatening to assault, I would say the guy would have been about 75, and that's when it really kicked off,' Mr Hand told Sunrise on Tuesday.

Another passenger claimed the woman went on a tirade mid-flight and even banged on the cockpit door as she believed someone had stolen her phone.

'Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Bali turned back to Melbourne today because a woman went loopy and banged on the cockpit door because she thought someone stole her phone,' the passenger wrote on Facebook.

The unruly passenger began screaming at other travellers before she was eventually restrained.

'I am not sure what happened but she kept abusing a few more people down the back  they ended up restraining her,' Mr Hand said.

Mr Hand added another passenger told him that the woman was acting 'erratically' even before boarding the flight.

'The passengers next to me mentioned that they saw her acting pretty erratically just before she got on the plane,' Hand said.

Fellow passenger Kyle Hand (pictured) claimed the woman abused a man he believed to be about 75-years-old before she was restrained

Jetstar rescheduled the flight and apologised to its customers for the inconvenience

Jetstar rescheduled the flight and apologised for any inconvenience.

'The Captain decided to return to Melbourne to get assistance from the Australian Federal Police after a passenger became disruptive just under two hours into the flight,' the airline said in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'We know this was a difficult experience for other customers and our team members, and we thank those who assisted with the situation.

'Due to the circumstances, several crew members were unable to continue flying and the flight has been rescheduled for 10am tomorrow.

'We will provide accommodation overnight to any customers who need it and cover other reasonable expenses including meals.

'The safety of our customers and crew is our priority.'

The Australian Federal Police are currently investigating the incident.
A jump in paid parental leave to 26 weeks will help address the gender pay gap and stop working parents from losing out when they have children, the peak union body has said as legislation cemented the move on Monday.

The 20 weeks of paid leave families can currently access will be gradually bumped up by two weeks each year from July 2024, until the 26-week rate is reached in July 2026.

But those who are on leave when the financial year rolls over will not receive the extra two weeks, with the leave period applied from when an application is made.

The changes are locked in after legislation passed parliament on Monday.

It is expected to benefit more than 180,000 families each year and cost about $4.4 billion annually from 2026/27.

Extra paid parental leave for new families officially passes federal parliament (Pictured is prime minister Anthony Albanese)

To encourage more two-parent families to share caring duties, four weeks will be reserved for each parent on a 'use it or lose it' basis.

Parents will also get greater flexibility and be able to take four weeks of leave at the same time.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions welcomed the increase but called on the government to raise it to 52 weeks.

'We want to see continued improvements in our paid parental leave scheme,' president Michele O'Neil said.

'It still has a fair way to go. We need to make sure that we lift the payments that people receive so it's higher than the minimum wage.'

Half of women who take leave find their old job is gone when they return to work, while others find their role substantially changed, Ms O'Neil said.

'We got to make sure that you aren't disadvantaged or discriminated against if you have a baby,' she said.

Independent senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie, who support the expanded scheme in principle, pushed for an easier ride for small businesses when processing the payments.

They raised concerns that it placed a heavy administrative burden on small businesses, and argued the task should instead fall to Services Australia unless firms choose to take it on.

'That is so unfair,' Senator Lambie told the chamber.

'Small businesses do not have human resource departments, they don't have armies of accountants on their payroll.'

Only four per cent of businesses each year would need to administer paid parental leave and costs were minimal in terms of time and money, despite some employers experiencing a few difficulties, Labor senator Malarndirri McCarthy said.

The government was also helping employers streamline the administrative process, she added.

Maintaining a connection to your employer was critically important, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said as she lauded the increase.

'This is a very historic day for Australia, but our work is not done,' she said.

'We'll continue to work to make sure that our paid parental leave scheme improves.'

The Greens failed in a push for the government to bring forward its pledge to pay superannuation on the government payment from July 2025.

'There is still no justification for why women are being asked to wait for 16 months,' senator Larissa Waters said.
Donald Trump has suggested Prince Harry may be deported from the US under his leadership if the Duke is found to have falsified information on his visa form.

The former president, 77, spoke with TV presenter Nigel Farage on GB News, where he suggested the royal would not get 'special privileges' if he lied about his drug use.

Harry, who has lived in the US since 2020, lives in a nine-bedroom Montecito mansion with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet.

In the prince's autobiography 'Spare' he revealed he previously took drugs, which under US law would normally be grounds for a visa application to be rejected.

In the book he admitted to using to cocaine, cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms.

Farage was keen to push the fact that Harry could be kicked out of the United States while teasing his interview that was filmed at Mar-A-Lago on Monday

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrived in the U.S. in March 2020 and lives with his American wife Meghan and two children in Montecito, California

During the interview, to be broadcast in full on British television on Tuesday, Farage asked Trump if Harry should enjoy 'special privileges' should it come to light he did not tell the truth.

'We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action,' Trump responded.

'Appropriate action? Which might meannot staying in America?' Farage asked.

'Oh I don't know. You'll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago,' Trump replied.

Previously, the former president has said he 'wouldn't protect' Harry because he had 'betrayed the Queen'. Trump has also said that if he wins the election in November then Harry 'would be on his own'.

Harry has admitted to using cocaine and marijuana in the past, once saying that cannabis helped heal the trauma of his mother's death.

The Duke said that using ayahuasca, the psychedelic drug, he realized that his mother wanted him to be 'happy'.

It was back in the news following Harry's February interview with Good Morning America where the issue of him seeking US citizenship was raised.

'The American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that's a high priority for me right now,' he said.

Anyone applying for a visa to live and work in America has to answer 'yes' or 'no' to the question: 'Are you or have you ever been a drug abuser or addict?'

Harry's US visa application in March 2020 could show he ticked the 'no' box on questions about his drug use, The Heritage Foundation claims.

Donald Trump has hinted that if he were to be re-elected as president later this year, Prince Harry might face potential consequences regarding his residency

Farage couldn't resist the chance to hang out by the pool while at Trump's Mar-A-Lago

During the half hour long interview, to be broadcast in full on British television later on Tuesday, Farage asked Trump Harry should enjoy 'special privileges' should it come to light he did not tell the truth

The US immigration authorities routinely ask about drug use on its visa applications, and it has been linked to travel headaches for celebrities, including Nigella Lawson, Amy Winehouse, and Kate Moss.

Acknowledgement of past drug use doesn't necessarily result in a visa rejection or bar people from entering or staying in the country.

On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security said it needed an extra two weeks to hunt down Prince Harry's immigration records as a federal judge weighs whether or not they should be made public.

The department made its request in a court filing on Sunday, saying it needs more time to respond to Judge Carl Nichols' order to provide more information about why his immigration details should be kept secret.

The conservative Heritage Foundation is seeking the release of the documents to discover whether Harry lied on the all-important document.

'Defendant has begun the search but searching for and reviewing the records has taken longer than anticipated,' wrote D.H.S. lawyers in the filing.

They also said other government agencies may need to review the documents before they can be handed over to the judge.

The Heritage Foundation is suing the Department of Homeland Security to release details of Harry's immigration status. On Sunday, DHS lawyers asked for more time to comply with a judge's ordered to provide more information about why it did not want to release the records

The DHS have argued the release of Harry's records would be an invasion of the Duke's privacy

'Thus, having established good cause, defendant respectfully requests an additional fourteen days, up to and including April 4, 2024, to comply with the court's order,' they wrote.

The filing is the latest twist in the legal battle over the Duke of Sussex and his immigration status.

Nile Gardiner, who is spearheading the request for the Heritage Foundation, said it was a matter of ensuring that no one got special treatment.

'Again, Harry has publicly admitted to extensive illegal drug use,' he wrote recently.

'What do we submit this means? That Harry seems to have received special treatment: the DHS looked the other way if the Prince answered truthfully, or it looked the other way if the Prince lied on his visa application.

Nile Gardiner, who is spearheading the Heritage Foundation freedom of information request, said it was a matter of ensuring that no one got special treatment

In an interview on ABC's Good Morning America show on Friday, Harry said he was considering becoming a US citizen

'Either action would be wrong.'

D.H.S. refused to release any information, in order to 'protect the Duke's privacy,' and the matter is now in federal court as Judge Nichols decides on the best course of action.

After a hearing last month, he told D.H.S. its arguments were 'insufficiently detailed' for him to make a ruling.

Prince Harry's book, Spare

'Having reviewed the parties' written submissions and heard oral argument on the motions, the court concludes that in camera review is necessary to determine whether the records in dispute come within the scope of the claimed exemptions,' he wrote in an order.

And he gave the Biden administration until March 21 to submit 'declarations that detail, with particularity, the records it is withholding and the particular harm that would arise from public disclosure of them.'

In the February hearing, government lawyers argued that Harry's memoir proved nothing.

John Bardo, for the Department of Homeland Security, told the court: 'Just saying something in a book doesn't make it true.'

People put things in books sometimes just to sell more copies, he argued.

Lawyers for Heritage also introduced a transcript of the GMA interview on February 16, 2024 'in which the Duke of Sussex discusses potentially seeking United States citizenship.'

They said it added to their case seeking the release of his immigration files.

In a court filing Heritage said: 'Widespread and continuous media coverage has surfaced the question of whether DHS properly admitted the Duke of Sussex in light of the fact that he has publicly admitted to the essential elements of a number of drug offenses.'
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will underscore the US's 'ironclad commitment' to the Philippines as the country clashes with China in the South China Sea.

Conflict over the disputed waters has escalated in recent weeks with growing concerns over increasingly aggressive Chinese actions.

The Chinese coast guard used water cannons against Philippine vessels in a confrontation two weeks ago that injured a Filipino admiral and four of his sailors.

Following the clashes, Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the U.S. treaty ally, has planned meetings with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top officials in Manila on Tuesday.

Washington renewed a warning after the hostilities that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under an armed attack anywhere in the South China Sea.

Conflict over the disputed South China Sea has escalated in recent weeks with growing concerns over increasingly aggressive Chinese actions

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will underscore the US's 'ironclad commitment' to the Philippines

Next month, President Joe Biden will host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a White House summit amid the growing concerns.

The March 5 faceoff in the high seas also caused two minor collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels and prompted Manilas Department of Foreign Affairs to summon Chinas deputy ambassador to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guards actions, which the Philippines said were unacceptable.

The Chinese coast guard said that 'it took control measures in accordance with the law against Philippine ships that illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Renai Reef,' the name Beijing uses for Second Thomas Shoal.

The Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent but surrounded by Chinese coast guard ships and other allied vessels, was the site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships last year.

But Filipino officials said the confrontation earlier this month was particularly serious because of the injuries sustained by its navy personnel and damage to their vessel.

In his meetings with Marcos and Manalo, Blinken will 'advance shared economic priorities and underscore the United States ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Philippine alliance,' the State Department said.

They will 'discuss areas to deepen U.S.-Philippine cooperation on a range of bilateral and global issues, including on regional peace and stability, human rights and democracy, economic prosperity' among others, the State Department said.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, writes in a guest book as he meets with Philippines' Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, meets with Philippines' Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo

A protester holds a slogan against the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a rally near the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila

Protesters hold slogans against the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a rally near the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila

Pictured: Chinese President Xi Jinping

Outside the presidential palace, dozens of left-wing activists tore a mock U.S. flag in a noisy rally Tuesday to oppose Blinken's visit and U.S. involvement in the long-simmering territorial disputes.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, a key global trade route.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea. In the last decade, China has turned barren reefs into seven islands that now serve as missile-protected island bases, including three with runways, that have bolstered its capability to fortify its territorial claims and patrols.

In response, Washington has been strengthening an arc of military alliances and security relationships in the Indo-Pacific, including with the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries at odds with China in the disputed sea.

After China effectively seized another disputed atoll, the Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines, in 2012, Manila brought its disputes with Beijing to international arbitration and largely won. China, however, rejected the 2016 ruling of the U.N.-backed tribunal that invalidated its expansive claims on historical grounds and continues to defy the decision.
A grinning Anthony Albanese was snapped holding a book titled 'The Big Con' during a recent meeting with a prominent economist.

The prime minister met with Italian financial expert Mariana Mazzucato last Friday as part of her week-long visit to Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

The enthusiastic author shared four photos alongside Mr Albanese, of which three showed him holding her books.

However, one unfortunate title stood out from the rest - The Big Con.

Anthony Albanese posed with Italian economist Mariana Mazzucato while holding her book, 'The Big Con' (pictured), amid claims he 'conned the Australian people into voting for him'

A senior Opposition source told Daily Mail Australia 'it is great to see the Prime Minister lean into his status as being slippery with the truth'.

The title of the economic book was left out of Mr Albanese's own post in which he detailed his meeting with Ms Mazzucato.

'With changes in our global economy, my focus is making sure Australia stays ahead of the curve,' he wrote.

'I caught up with the brilliant Mariana Mazzucato, Professor of Economics at University College London, to discuss how our plan for a future made in Australia means stronger industry and better paying jobs.'

Mr Albanese and Mariana Mazzucato (pictured together last Friday) met to discuss Australia's economy during her trip to Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne

Ms Mazzucato said she and Mr Albanese used their time together to discuss Australia's economic future.

'It was a great to meet with Anthony Albanese to discuss the government's economic agenda,' she wrote.

'I raised need for a challenge driven approach to bring government, business and unions together around a green industrial strategy with social justice at centre.'

Since Mr Albanese was elected in May 2022, he has faced growing criticism for his party's handling of the increased cost of living crisis.

The ill-fated photo is far from Australia's worst-timed prime ministerial picture, with Tony Abbott's 2015 Reject Shop snap still a fan favourite.

The then-prime minister was pictured on his way to a small butcher business at Canberra's Kippax Fair shopping centre.

However, a poorly-timed photo in front of The Reject Shop saw the PM labelled 'The Reject'.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Anthony Albanese's office for comment.
By Ahn Ho-young

An important election was held in Taiwan in Janaury. Lai Ching-te was elected as the new president. His candidacy was the subject of intense negative campaigning by China, while the United States supported him. His election is worried to lead to aggravated military and economic pressures by China, raising tension in Northeast Asia and bringing a negative impact upon the Republic of Korea. I recently participated in a debate on the election with a group of scholars and former diplomats who have long followed China-related issues. I wish to share some of the highlights of the debate.

The first issue that attracted my attention was Lais position on the inter-strait relations between China and Taiwan. Lai used to be the leader of the so-called New Tide Faction in his Democratic Progressive Party, strongly supporting Taiwans independence. However, after he was appointed as a candidate, he made hard efforts to dilute his past position on the issue. In a nutshell, he tried hard to say that his position on independence is not too different from that of President Tsai Ing-wens, which is understood as pro-status quo.

Such efforts of Lai must be closely observed by Beijing and Washington. Washington supports such change in Lais position because it would help to reduce tension in the inter-strait relations. On the other hand, the relations would continue to remain tense and could lead to armed conflict for many reasons: Almost 80 percent of people in Taiwan identify themselves as Taiwanese in recent opinion polls; Chinese President Xi Jinpings intense fixation on unification with Taiwan, even through military means; and the difficulty in predicting Donald Trumps Taiwan-related actions were he to be elected as U.S. president again.

Another important issue was the possibility of heightened Chinese military pressure on Taiwan. When U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, China put up an unprecedentedly large military exercise around Taiwan. Since then, China has willfully crossed the median line in the strait and routinely held greater military activity around Taiwan. China is also strengthening diplomatic isolation of Taiwan and gray zone tactics like shifting the flight path of its commercial flights further east. On top of all these actions, would China raise the tension higher, for example, by imposing a naval blockade around Taiwan?

A large number of participants thought that China would stop short of that for many reasons: both Beijing and Washington are now trying to stabilize the bilateral relations between the two; Lai is cautiously lowering his pro-independence posture; and China cannot afford higher instability in the strait, when it has to focus on economic difficulties at home.

At the same time, many participants were of the view that Seoul must prepare for a possible military conflict in the strait. It will not be an option for South Korea to engage directly because, were a conflict to flare up in the strait, there will be a high likelihood of military conflict on the Korean Peninsula as well. However, since theres a high chance that the U.S. will be engaged in case of a military conflict in the strait, Korea should think and prepare about how to help with the U.S. efforts.

The third set of issues discussed was the possibility of Chinas increased economic pressure. China openly supported the Nationalist Partys candidate for president, and took measures not consistent with the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with Taiwan. China, for example, suspended tariff concessions to a large number of products imported from Taiwan. Would China take additional measures, like raising tariffs for semiconductors from Taiwan? Such a measure would be far more painful for Taiwan than tariffs on agricultural products. However, the chance of such a measure was not deemed high when TSMC provides more than 50 percent of system semiconductors for the world market.

In this connection, it was noted that Lai has often expressed a wish to strengthen economic relations with South Korea, especially in efforts to secure a supply chain in the increasingly fragmented world market. A large number of participants were of the view that South Korea and Taiwan should further strengthen economic cooperation, including in the semiconductor sector. Several of them took note of the fact that South Koreas Guideline on Exchanges and Cooperation with Taiwan was last amended in 1998 and needs to be reviewed, recognizing the political and economic changes in the past several decades.

We often talk about the importance of heeding Gray Rhinos and Black Swans ahead of us. Conflict in the strait, were it to happen, will definitely belong to such categories of events for South Korea in view of its security and economic implications. There are ample reasons why we must join efforts to maintain peace and stability along the strait.

Ahn Ho-young is chair professor at the Kyungnam University. He served as ambassador to the U.S. and vice foreign minister.
He's married to a woman 23 years his senior and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearances this year alone.

Now British actor Aaron Taylor Johnson, 33, is understood to have been formally offered the chance to play the next James Bond after months of speculation about the role.

The star, who has been acting since childhood, had his big breakthrough performance in 2009 as John Lennon in the biopic Nowhere Boy, directed by Sam Taylor Johnson, 57, who Aaron married in 2012.

The couple, who share four children together, have a remarkably large age difference, with Aaron being just 22 when he wed Sam who was 45 at the time in Somerset, England.

Aaron has been nominated for two BAFTAs and previously won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for Nocturnal Animals.

He is yet to officially accept the Bond role, but should he do so he will become only the seventh actor to play the iconic British secret agent since the franchise launched in 1962.

Aaron Taylor Johnson, 33, (pictured) is understood to have been formally offered the chance to play the next James Bond

Aaron is married to director Sam Taylor Johnson, 57, who his 23 years his senior

The couple share four children together and have a remarkably large age difference

Aaron starred in teenage rom-com Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging in 2008, when he was 18

The pair's relationship has caused controversy, as the couple met while filming Nowhere Boy in 2009, which Sam directed, when Aaron was 18 and she was 42 (pictured)

Aaron and Sam, who have four daughters together, share matching tattoos of each other's names

The couple married in 2012 and co-parent four children together

In his early years, Aaron appeared in films including Shanghai Knights in 2003, The Illusionist in 2006, and was the male heart throb in teenage rom-com Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging in 2008, when the actor was 18.

He is perhaps best known for his role of the title character in superhero movie Kick-Ass, premiered in 2010, and its 2013 sequel.

He has since seen his career go from strength to strength, with three major film appearances coming up this year.

Aaron will be starring as a famous action star who goes missing in The Fall Guy, opposite Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

And will also appear in the hotly anticipated remake of 1922 gothic horror Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers and featuring a star-studded cast, including Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe.

But Aaron's biggest upcoming role will see him rejoin the superhero world, as he will be playing the titular role in Kraven the Hunter, the fifth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.

The star's name has been in the running for Bond for a while now, alongside fellow A-list contenders like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and recent Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy.

In October last year, the Mail exclusively revealed that Aaron was the 'one to beat' to take the iconic role, while Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was looking likely to helm the next film in the franchise.

Aaron was born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, to his mother Sarah and civil engineer father Robert Johnson.

He began acting at the age of six, appearing in a London production of Shakespeare's Macbeth, playing the son of Macduff alongside Rufus Sewell, who played Macbeth, in 1999.

His love-life has largely revolved around his wife Sam, whom he met aged 18 when she was 42. The couple met when Aaron sat down with the director to discuss his interest in playing the young John Lennon in her pre-Beatles film Nowhere Boy.

Before he bagged the role, Aaron thought a few factors might stand in the way of Sam picking him for the part. 'I couldn't sing, I couldn't play guitar, and I couldn't do a Liverpool accent,' he told Vogue.

He added that he was so desperate to play the part that he tried to inhabit Lennon's voice and mannerisms.

'I'd go on YouTube and search for early footage of Lennon, to hear his voice, try to copy and see his mannerisms and body language,' said Aaron.

Aaron, who is known for his roles in Nocturnal Animals, Kick-Ass, Nowhere Boy and Avengers: Age of Ultron, is understood to have been offered the role as James Bond

Outside of acting, Aaron's personal life has generated much public interest, due to the large age gap between him and his wife, Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57 (pictured in 2009)

He began acting as a child and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearances this year alone (pictured in The Fall Guy)

Aaron has been nominated for two BAFTAs and previously won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for Nocturnal Animals

Outside of acting, Aaron's personal life has generated much public interest, due to the large age gap between him and his wife

Aaron in John Lennon Film Nowhere Boy (2009) Directed By Sam Taylor

Aaron has been acting since the age of six and secured many roles as a child

Aaron is yet to officially accept the Bond role, but should he do so he will become only the seventh actor to play the iconic British secret agent

Aaron became a father at the age of 20 to Sam's third daughter, Wylda Rae.

'Sam's this lovely, loving woman, you know,' Aaron told Vogue.

Aaron and Sam share matching tattoos - Aaron with a large 'Sam' inked across his heart next to a bird and Sam with a slightly smaller 'Aaron' written around her collarbone.

In March 2023, Aaron was said to have completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios with Bond boss Barbara Broccoli and impressed her.

According to the Mail On Sunday, Barbara made it clear she wanted the next actor to portray the character for 15 years.

Outside of acting, Aaron's personal life has generated much public interest, due to the large age gap between him and his wife.

Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam also has two older daughters - Angelica, 26, and Jessie, 17, with her ex-husband Jay Jopling.

Their relationship has caused controversy, as the couple met while filming Nowhere Boy in 2009, which Sam directed, when Aaron was 18 and she was 42, going on to welcome their first daughter Wylda the following year.

Sam previously spoke about falling for Aaron on the set, but insisted nothing happened until the movie wrapped.

She said: 'I managed to hold off really until almost the end of the film. We weren't even together then. Maybe feelings were there but un-acted upon.

'The thing is, we had quite a psychic link when working together. I knew from a flicker of an eyelash what kind of performance I was going to get. I felt that link almost from day one of meeting him.'

The news about Aaron's offer to play the world's most famous spy comes after fans cast their votes on who they wanted in the role.

A study of 2,000 Brits by Lottoland, saw Idris come out on top, with some unconventional choices thrown into the mix, like Emilia Clarke, James Norton, Emily Blunt and Helen Mirren.

Bond is famed for turning those who play 007 into global superstars and the franchise isn't shy of casting left-field stars to take on the role.

James Bond fans confirm who they REALLY want as Daniel Craig's replacement - overwhelmingly beating out two other 007 candidates

By Hannah McDonald

It's the movie role that can transform unknown actors into global mega stars - and now Brits have had their say over who they want the next James Bond to be.

Since Daniel Craig put down his martini and hung up his tux, movie fans have been eagerly waiting to find out who will be next to pick up 007's gun.

One of Hollywood's most iconic roles, actors who played the suave, steely-eyed and devastatingly charming spy include Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton.

Now, thousands of Bond fans have been casting their vote over who they want to replace Craig in the franchise.

And topping the list is Luther star Idris Elba, who was the overwhelming favourite for the gig following a study of 2,000 Brits.

The poll, commissioned by Lottoland, saw the 51-year-old beating the likes of Venom star Tom Hardy, Superman's Henry Cavill and the Oscar-winning man with the golden gong, Cillian Murphy, to the prized role.

Some of the other top 20 A-listers fans suggested to be in the running included some left-wing stars, like House of the Dragons' Emilia Clarke, James Norton, Emily Blunt and Helen Mirren, The Sun revealed.

Fans of James Bond revealed which actor they would most like to see replace Daniel Craig in the spy flicks - Idris Elba (seen on Saturday)

Daniel Craig has played James Bond for five instalments of the spy flicks, since Casino Royale in 2006

Superman Henry Cavill is another Bond making the top 20 of the poll

Also in the running is Venom star Tom Hardy who was the second favourite to replace Daniel Craig as 007

From Sean Connery (left) to Roger Moore (right), the men chosen to play Bond are typically steely-eyed, testosterone-fuelled, with deadly charm

Pictured: Pierce Brosnan as 007

The top 20 actors Brits want to be the next James Bond 1. Idris Elba 2. Tom Hardy 3. Henry Cavill 4. James Norton 5. Cillian Murphy 6. Tom Hiddleston 7. Tom Holland 8. Jamie Dornan 9. Aaron Taylor-Johnson 10. Richard Madden 11. Rege Jean Page 12. Luke Evans 13. Leo Woodall 14. Emilia Clarke 15. Emily Blunt 16. Helen Mirren 17. Barry Keoghan 18. Theo James 19. Lupita Nyong'o 20. Sam Heughan Advertisement

Bond is famed for turning those who play 007 into global superstars.

And the franchise isn't shy of casting left-field stars to take on the role. The late Sean Connery, one of the most recognisable Bonds, had only featured in a series of TV films when he accepted the role of the titular British spy in 1962's Dr. No, catapulting him to international fame.

But while Idris was the top choice, fans may end up disappointed after the actor ruled himself out of playing the role last year so he could focus on his deal with Netflix, where he is starring in Luther: The Fallen Sun.

Idris brought up the persistent discussions about him taking over as Ian Fleming's famed British spy in February 2023.

When asked about the Luther film at the World Government Summit in Dubai, he said: 'It's very dark.

'We've been working on the television show for about 10 years and so the natural ambition is to take it to the big screen, and so we're here with the first movie.

'You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but I'm not going to be that guy.

'I'm going to be John Luther. That's who I am.'

Back in August 2022, it was reported Idris had walked away from 'years of talks' with movie bosses to take over the famous role.

He had been the bookies' favourite to replace Daniel Craig as the super spy, but is keen to pursue other roles - and has even put forward a list of proposed names to producer Barbara Broccoli of actors to play 007.

A source told The Sun: 'Fans and Barbara wanted Idris but he wants to create something for himself.

'However, he's put forward names to play 007. He's 'informally' in the decision-making process as he's been in talks with producers for so long.'

MailOnline contacted reps for Idris and James Bond producers at the time.

While Aaron Taylor-Johnson, once hailed as the 'one to beat' to become the next 007, placed 9th

He's the man with the golden gong, but could Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy be the next 007

How about Marvel's cheeky trickster, Loki? Tom Hiddleston features sixth on the list

But there are some left-field entries, too, including Emily Blunt as the first female Bond

And House of the Dragon star Emilia Clarke - who once played Sarah Connor in the Terminator franchise - is also a female front runner

While at the premiere of his movie The Harder They Fall in 2021, Idris said when asked if he'll be considered as the next 007 he said: 'No, I'm not going to be James Bond.'

He also told The Express about the rumours: 'I'm probably the most famous Bond actor in the world, and I haven't even played the role.'

Idris then added: 'Enough is enough. I can't talk about it anymore.'

Despite this Ladbrokes awarded the actor 3/1 on taking on the role after Daniel announced 2021's No Time To Die would be his last outing as the character.

The bookmakers said at the time: 'We've seen a flurry of interest in Idris Elba and have slashed his odds accordingly, so much so that he's now the clear favourite as far as we're concerned to replace Daniel Craig as 007.'

Also rumoured to be in the running at the time were Tom Hardy at 5/1, Rege-Jean Page 4/1 and Richard Madden 20/1.

Daniel Craig has been Bond since his first outing in 2006's Casino Royal, before announcing 2021's No Time To Die would be his last time as 007

Grantchester's James Norton (pictured in 2021) placed fourth in the poll for the future famed spy

Others in the running for Bond include Scottish Game of Thrones star, Richard Madden

Rege Jean-Page (pictured in July 2022) also made the list, placing just behind Madden in 11th

Spider-Man Tom Holland was also on the list to replace Daniel Craig as Bond

James Bond producer Barbara previously admitted it will take a long time to choose Craig's 007 replacement.

The filmmaker insisted it's not as easy as picking an actor to take on the iconic role of the suave spy.

Speaking to Variety, Barbara said: 'It's a big decision.

'It's not just casting a role. It's about a whole rethink about where we're going.'

Earlier that same year, the blockbuster franchise's producer confirmed Idris was 'part of the conversation' to be the next 007.

She told Deadline's Crew Call podcast: 'Well, we know Idris, we're friends with him, and he's a magnificent actor.'

'And, you know, it's been a part of the conversation, but it's always difficult to have the conversation when you have someone in the seat.'

Hunky Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan also features in the top 20 for the next Bond

As does Welshman Luke Evans, who has starred in a string of Hollywood blockbusters - including the Hobbit, Fast & Furious 6 and Dracula Untold

Flying high off his recent role in the Netflix smash, Saltburn, could Barry Keoghan be the next to step into the shoes of 007?

Perhaps an unlikely choice but Leo Woodall's role in Neflix's One Day has seen his popularity surge - sitting 13th in the table for future Bonds

Barbara added that there is no rush from Bond bosses to name the actor as they wanted to let the cast and crew savour the Craig's final movie No Time To Die.

She said: 'I think we have decided that until No Time To Die has had its run and Daniel has been able to  well, we've all been able to savour, reap the benefits of Daniel's wonderful tenure, we're not gonna think about, or talk about anybody else.'

The producer also hinted at a re-imagining of the franchise. explaining: 'It's a reinvention of Bond. We're working out where to go with him, we're talking that through.'

She added though that any casting announcements are a way off, saying: 'We're reinventing who he is and that takes time,' she continued. 'There isn't a script and we can't come up with one until we decide how we're going to approach the next film.

'I'd say that filming is at least two years away.'
A top official in Hamas' military wing has been killed by Israel's Defence Forces, the United States has claimed, as fighting continues to rage in and around the besieged Gaza Strip's largest hospital complex.

Marwan Issa, the deputy leader of Hamas' militant group, was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike on March 11, with his death only now confirmed, according to US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Issa is the highest-ranking Hamas official to have been killed in Gaza since the October 7 attacks.

His death came as Tel-Aviv's troops eliminated more than 40 Hamas militants at the Al-Shifa hospital complex in Gaza City - including Hamas internal security official Fayq al-Mabhouh, a brigadier general in the force - and took up to 200 people prisoner whom they suspected of having knowledge of Hamas' operations.

But Gaza's soaring civilian death toll and large-scale destruction have hardened global opposition to Israel's military operation and siege, including accusations of deliberate starvation of Palestinian civilians.

The devastating war since Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel has left roughly half of Gazans - around 1.1 million people - experiencing 'catastrophic' hunger, a UN-backed food security assessment warned.

The expert report is 'exhibit A for the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire', said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, decrying an 'entirely man-made disaster'.

Marwan Issa, the deputy leader of Hamas' militant group, was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike on March 11, with his death only now confirmed, according to US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan

Palestinians rush for cover as smoke billows after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City on March 18, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas

Palestinians rush to the aid of a wounded youth after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City on March 18, 2024

Palestinians flee the area after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City on March 18, 2024

People mourn as they receive the dead bodies of victims of an Israeli strike on March 19, 2024 in Rafah, Gaza

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated that the operation at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza was targeting limited areas within the hospital complex

Despite the international pressure and mounting civilian death toll in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not softened his war objectives.

In a phone call with United States President Joe Biden, Netanyahu reiterated a commitment 'to achieving all of the war's objectives' - eliminating Hamas, freeing all hostages and 'ensuring that Gaza will never present a threat to Israel', his office said.

But European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Israel's military campaign had turned Gaza into the world's biggest 'open-air graveyard', and that Israel was using famine as a 'weapon of war'.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz countered that 'Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza' and accused Borrell of 'attacking Israel'.

With tensions rising between Israel and the United States over the war's impact on civilians, Biden and Netanyahu spoke for the first time in over a month.

'I asked the Prime Minister to send a team to Washington to discuss ways to target Hamas without a major ground operation in Rafah,' Biden said on X after speaking to Netanyahu.

Biden also 'reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire as part of a deal to free hostages, lasting several weeks, so we can get hostages home and surge aid to civilians in Gaza.'

Some 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering in crowded conditions near the Egyptian border in and around the city of Rafah.

Israel has repeatedly threatened to send ground troops into the city in its war against Hamas militants and said civilians would be evacuated, but offered few details.

Netanyahu meanwhile agreed to Biden's request to send a delegation to Washington to discuss the Israeli plans for Rafah and a possible 'alternative approach', Security Advisor Sullivan said.

'Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation there would be a mistake' and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis, Sullivan told reporters.

The Al-Shifa hospital became the focus of the Israel-Hamas war in November when the IDF said it found tunnels it claimed were used by Hamas

Palestinians wait in front of the United Nations (UN) Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) distribution center to receive a limited amount of flour as Israeli attacks continue on Gaza City

Palestinians especially in children wait with empty pots as volunteers of non-governmental organisations prepare to distribute food

People pass by the damaged Burj al-Masri building and the surroundings after Israeli attacks in Rafah City of Gaza on March 18, 2024.

People mourn as they receive the dead bodies of victims of an Israeli strike on March 19, 2024 in Rafah, Gaza

People mourn as they receive the dead bodies of victims of an Israeli strike on March 19, 2024 in Rafah

Witnesses at the Al-Shifa hospital reported air strikes and tanks near the complex crowded with thousands of Palestinian patients and displaced people trying to shelter from the attacks.

Images from the scene showed black smoke engulfing parts of the city, with Palestinians fleeing by foot along rubble-strewn roads as others treated the wounded in the street.

Israeli troops previously raided Al-Shifa in November, sparking an international outcry.

In January, Israel said it had 'completed the dismantling' of Hamas's command structure in northern Gaza, but on Monday military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Palestinian militants and commanders have since returned to Al-Shifa 'and turned it into a command centre'.

Israel has repeatedly said the complex housed an underground Hamas control base, which the militants have denied.

World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the renewed fighting around Al-Shifa was 'endangering health workers, patients and civilians'.

The bloodiest-ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on October 7 that resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, most of whom were civilians.

Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.

Israel has carried out a relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive that Gaza's health ministry says has killed at least 31,726 people, most of them women and children.

Palestinians rush to the aid of a wounded youth after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City on March 18, 2024

An injured Palestinian man and boy arrive to Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City following Israeli bombardment on October 15, 2023

Parts of the Al-Shifa hospital are seen damaged following strikes in February 202

People pass by the damaged Burj al-Masri building and the surroundings after Israeli attacks in Rafah City of Gaza on March 18, 2024

People pass by the damaged Burj al-Masri building and the surroundings after Israeli attacks in Rafah City of Gaza on March 18, 2024

As fighting flared around Al-Shifa, elsewhere in Gaza City a massive crowd gathered at a UN food distribution centre to collect bags of flour.

'There's nothing to eat or drink. Children are dying,' said resident Umm Omar al-Masharwai.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which operates the facility and coordinates nearly all aid to Gaza, has faced funding cuts since Israel accused several of its employees of involvement in the October 7 attack.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said Monday he intended to visit Gaza but had been denied entry. Israeli authorities said he had failed to follow 'the necessary coordination processes'.

Mediators who had helped secure a week-long ceasefire and hostage release in November continued their efforts toward another halt in fighting.

Israel's Mossad spy chief, David Barnea, was to meet on Monday in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Egyptian officials, a source close to the talks said.

The meeting follows the latest proposal from Hamas for a six-week truce, vastly more aid into Gaza and the initial release of about 42 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

During the proposed truce, Israeli forces would withdraw from 'all cities and populated areas' in Gaza, according to a Hamas official.
The Victoria and Albert Museum has said it will review its labelling of Margaret Thatcher as a 'contemporary villain' alongside Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin Laden after sparking backlash from Tory MPs.

The London museum was branded 'disgraceful' and 'moronic' by Conservative Party members after Britain's first female prime minister was included in its list of 'unpopular public figures'.

The label appears in a current display on British humour through the ages, under a set of Victorian Punch and Judy puppets with a caption headed: 'That's the way to do it?'

The words state: 'Over the years, the evil character in this seaside puppet show has shifted from the Devil to unpopular public figures including Adolf Hitler, Margaret Thatcher and Osama bin Laden, to offer contemporary villains.'

A puppet of Baroness Thatcher from the satirical television show Spitting Image is also included in the comedy exhibition at the London museum whose director is former Labour MP Tristram Hunt.

The museum said it was 'always open to feedback' and would review the relevant label text and update the wording if necessary.

A V&A Spokesperson said: 'The V&A is always open to feedback from our visitors. In response to some concerns around a caption in the Punch and Judy case of our Laughing Matters display  telling the story of British satire and comedy  we will review the relevant label text and update the wording if necessary.'

Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher (pictured), is described as a 'contemporary villain' in a current display on British humour through the ages

This appears under a set of Victorian Punch and Judy puppets with a caption headed: 'That's the way to do it?' Pictured: Judy and Baby puppets

A puppet of Baroness Thatcher from the satirical television show Spitting Image (pictured) is also included in the comedy exhibition at the London museum whose director is former Labour MP Tristram Hunt

According to 2022-2023 figures, the museum received most of its income, more than 67million, from the taxpayer via the Department of Culture.

Last night, a number of Conservative MPs called on ministers to axe the museum's financial backing.

What the sign says 'Punch and Judy is seen as traditionally British, but it evolved from the 16th-century Italian street performance commedia dell'arte. Although aimed at a family audience, the original narrative in its Victorian heyday featured domestic violence, hangings and racist caricatures - a jarring and unacceptable combination for modern audiences. Over the years, the evil character in this seaside puppet show has shifted from the Devil to unpopular public figures including Adolf Hitler, Margaret Thatcher and Osama bin Laden to offer contemporary villains.' Advertisement

Sir Connor Burns, a former trade minister and Conservative MP for Bournemouth, said: 'Whoever wrote that caption should be called out publicly for being a moron, or perhaps more usefully sent to read a Ladybird book of modern world history.

'It is sadly symptomatic of the woke, luvvie-dom nonsense that persists in our public institutions.

'They should be given a serious rap across the knuckles and a clarion instruction to grow up.'

Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith agreed.

'Given the fact that MPs are now regularly receiving death threats, myself included, from extremists and others, this V&A exhibition is ill-thought and mendacious,' he said.

'They must live in a bubble, away from the real world, to think that it is rational to propose that a politician of the stature of Margaret Thatcher would equate to any of those mass murderers and vile human beings.

'This sort of idiocy begs the question about funding. It would be a good idea if those who thought of this did a hard day's work in among the rest of us, rather than sitting on their lofty perch producing stupid ideas.'

Nile Gardiner, a former aide to Baroness Thatcher and director of The Heritage Foundation's Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, also commented.

According to 2022-2023 figures, the museum received most of its income, more than 67million, from the taxpayer via the Department of Culture. Pictured: Adolf Hitler

Last night the V&A was branded 'disgraceful' and 'moronic' amid calls for ministers to axe its financial backing. Pictured: Osama Bin Laden

'Disgraceful from the Victoria and Albert Museum. It should be stripped of public funding,' he wrote on X.

Political commentator and businessman Russell Quirk told GB News: 'Thatcher was the mother of entrepreneurship. How anyone can say she was a villain  she was one of political history's heroes.

'She stood up against the militant unions to make sure they didn't destroy the economy and social fabric of Britain. She should be applauded rather than labelled a villain. She gave ordinary people access to wealth, aspiration and success, and for that she should be heralded a hero.'

It is not the first time the museum's treatment of Baroness Thatcher, who died in 2013, has provoked controversy.

In 2015 the V&A was widely criticised for refusing to accept a selection of her suits and handbags.

Her family offered hundreds of items, from her wedding dress to her red prime ministerial dispatch box, because they wanted them kept together on public display rather than auctioned off and scattered across the world.

But, according to reports, the museum 'politely declined', saying it collected only items of 'outstanding aesthetic or technical quality' rather than those with 'intrinsic social historical value'.

It is not the first time the museum's treatment of Baroness Thatcher, who died in 2013, has provoked controversy. Pictured: Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum Tristram Hunt

In 2015 the V&A was widely criticised for refusing to accept a selection of her suits and handbags. Pictured: The Victoria and Albert Museum

Bosses later claimed no formal offer had been made. A year on, the V&A did put on an exhibition of some of the former Conservative prime minister's clothes, including the distinctive royal blue suit she wore as she voted in the 1987 general election.

At the time Claire Wilcox, senior curator of fashion, said this constituted 'a record of the working wardrobe of one of the most influential and powerful women of the 20th century'.

The V&A is the world's largest museum of decorative art and design with more than two million objects.

It was contacted yesterday but no-one was available for comment.
A leather-clad Kim Jong Un was seen pumping his fist in the air as he oversaw a live-fire drill of a series of 'newly-equipped super-large' rocket launcher, after he was seen cruising in a limousine Vladimir Putin gifted him.

It came after North Korea fires several ballistic missiles as the US secretary of state Antony Blinken was visiting Seoul, which itself was the first time in two months that the dictator launched weapons of that type.

State-run new agency Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the rocket launcher drills, run by North Korea's Western Region Artillery Unit, tested the 'real war capabilities' of the massive 23-inch multiple rocket launchers.

'They fully demonstrated their excellent crack-shot artillery marksmanship and prompt and thorough combat readiness,' KCNA said.

The dictator told troops present at the launch that the new missiles would be a 'core central striking means' in a war.

'The destructive offensive means possessed by our army should more thoroughly fulfil their missions to block and suppress the possibility of war with the constant perfect preparedness to collapse the capital of the enemy and the structure of its military forces,' he said.

A leather-clad Kim Jong Un (pictured, left) was seen pumping his fist in the air as he oversaw a live-fire drill of a series of 'newly-equipped super-large' rocket launcher

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gestures as he guides a training of the fire division, in North Korea

The dictator told troops present at the launch that the new missiles would be a 'core central striking means' in a war

Kim was seen wearing a leather jacket as he watched the military drill

Late last week, he was seen riding in a luxury limousine that was gifted to him by felloe dictator Vladimir Putin

Late last week, he was seen riding in a luxury limousine that was gifted to him by fellow dictator Vladimir Putin.

He was sent the Aurus Senat limousine in February after being shown it during a visit to Russia in September.

Kim's sister and senior official Kim Yo Jong said: 'The special function of the private car is perfect and can be thoroughly trusted.

'Kim Jong Un's using of the private car sent by the president of the Russian Federation as a gift is a clear proof of (North Korea)-Russia friendship, which is developing in a comprehensive way on a new high stage.'

South Korea accused Kim Jong Un on Monday of directly helping Russia's invasion efforts against Ukraine by supplying around 7,000 containers filled with military aid and munitions since last year.

Fuel shortages likely forced North Korea to scale back winter training activities for its soldiers in recent years

South Korea accused Kim Jong Un on Monday of directly helping Russia's invasion efforts against Ukraine

In exchange for sending possibly several million artillery shells and other supplies, North Korea has received more than 9,000 Russian containers likely filled with aid

North Korea's Western Region Artillery Unit's ultra-large rocket salvo firing drill, at an unconfirmed location in North Korea

North Korea in exchange possibly received badly needed food and economic aid and military assistance aimed at upgrading Kims forces, according to South Korean officials and private experts. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the existence of an arms deal between the countries.

During a news conference in Seoul, South Korean defence minister Shin Won-sik said the military believes the North, after initially relying on ships, has been increasingly using its rail networks to send arms supplies to Russia through their land border.

In exchange for sending possibly several million artillery shells and other supplies, North Korea has received more than 9,000 Russian containers likely filled with aid, Shin said.

He raised suspicions that Russia could be providing North Korea with fuel, possibly in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions that tightly cap the countrys imports of oil and petroleum products.

While fuel shortages likely forced North Korea to scale back winter training activities for its soldiers in recent years, South Koreas military assesses that the North expanded such drills this January and February, Shin said.
Rwanda flights are a step closer today after MPs rejected peers' attempts to water down crucial legislation.

The government overturned 10 amendments in the Commons last night in a major relief for embattled Rishi Sunak.

The stage is now set for a showdown with the Lords tomorrow, with ministers warning the unelected House not to 'wreck' the flagship Bill designed to help tackle the Channel boats crisis.

The PM has reiterated his vow that the first deportations to Rwanda will happen this Spring, but that timetable could be thwarted if MPs do not win the test of strength between the parliamentary chambers - known as 'ping pong'.

The Commons goes into its Easter recess at the close of business on March 26, with peers heading away from Westminster a day later.

With peers pledging to maintain resistance, it is likely to require an all-night sitting to break the deadlock on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill before then.

MPs debating amendments to the Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill in the House of Commons last night

A drone shot showing migrants crossing the English Channel in a small boat on March 6, 2024

The government overturned 10 amendments in the Commons last night in a major relief for embattled Rishi Sunak (pictured)

Government sources have played down concerns about delay, insisting there are other elements that need to fall into place alongside the legislation.

MPs voted by majorities ranging from 57 to 78 to reject the series of amendments made to the Bill by peers, an indication of a relatively stress-free Monday for the Government.

The amendments overturned included an attempt by peers to ensure the Bill complies with domestic and international law, and a requirement that Parliament cannot declare Rwanda to be a safe country until the treaty with its promised safeguards is fully implemented.

Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson said Rwanda has a 'long and proud history' of integrating asylum seekers and refugees and said the UK Government had 'published evidence' in support of Rwanda being a safe country.

He also told the Commons: 'They are wrecking amendments.'

The proposed legislation seeks to compel judges to regard the east African country as safe in a bid to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Rwanda.

Peers also moved an amendment to exempt people from removal to Rwanda if they have put themselves in harm's way by working with the UK armed forces or UK Government overseas from removal to Rwanda.

MPs rejected the amendment but Mr Tomlinson sought to offer assurances over the UK Government's commitment to combat veterans who helped the UK.

He said existing legislation gives the Home Secretary discretion to consider cases on an individual basis and once the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy review has concluded, the Government will consider and revisit how existing law can be applied.

Shadow Home Office minister Stephen Kinnock said of the 10 amendments: 'They each serve to make this shambolic mess of a Bill marginally less absurd, and they would serve only to put in statute what ministers have actually promised from that despatch box.

'Not one of these amendments is designed to prevent the departure of flights to Rwanda, as the Prime Minister has repeatedly and wrongly implied that they will.'

Tories turned the screw on peers and Labour for their opposition to the Bill. Former minister Sir John Hayes questioned whether they were 'clueless or careless' about what is happening with immigration.

Fellow MP Alexander Stafford warned 'more people will die if this Bill doesn't go through because of the loss of life in the Channel'.

Mr Stafford said of peers: 'They clearly don't care about the people who are dying in the Channel trying to cross it. They clearly don't care about the cost to the public purse of these hundreds of thousands illegal immigrants coming over.

'Their lordships clearly don't care about the everyday person in the street.'

Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash criticised urged Parliament to 'get on' with the Bill, saying MPs should be 'very firm' with the Lords.

But critics swiped that Virgin Galactic could send six people into space at a lower cost than the government is spending to deport one person to Rwanda.

The scheme could cost taxpayers nearly 2million for each of the first 300 asylum seekers sent to Rwanda, according to the National Audit Office (NAO).

Tickets for Virgin Galactic flights initially went on sale for about 158,000 each, and last summer cost about 356,000 per person  putting the cost of six space tourists at 2.13 million.

Peers discussing the Rwanda Bill in the House of Lords recently

Downing Street has said the Government believes the Bill is 'right' and 'it remains our plan to get it through as quickly as possible'.

Officials have already identified the first group who will be put on flights to Rwanda, No 10 said.

Mr Sunak said: 'I am still committed to the timeline that I set out previously, which is we aim to get a flight off in the spring.

'It's important that we get the Rwanda scheme up and running because we need to have a deterrent.

'We need to make it clear that if you come here illegally, you won't be able to stay and we will be able to remove you. That is the only way to properly solve the issue of illegal migration.

'We've made good progress. Boat numbers were down by a third last year. That shows that our plan is working, but in order to finish the job, we need the Rwanda scheme through.'
Divorced parents who have shared custody of their children will soon be eligible to work a four-day week in France under a new trial scheme.

From September, in some areas, civil servants who look after their children on alternating residence arrangements will have an extra day off if their child is staying with them, said Gabriel Attal, the prime minister, on Sunday.

Parents are expected to allocate Wednesdays as their day off because primary and most middle schools do not have classes that afternoon.

Attal, 35, had previously tested the four-day system two years ago when he was budget minister.

Staff had no reduction in working hours, resulting in slightly longer days in the office.

Gabriel Attal, the French prime minister, said from September in some areas of France divorced civil servants with shared custody of children will be entitled to work a four-day week if their child is staying with them, under a trial scheme

It remains undecided whether total working hours will be reduced for single working parents or whether workers will make up the difference in the weeks when the child is not staying with them - to put them in the same monthly average of the standard French 35-hour work week.

The government is urging unions and employers to negotiate the planned arrangements.

Following 20 years of campaigns to encourage shared custody of children and reduce the number of single-parent families in France, nearly half a million in the country shuttle, usually weekly, between two homes.

A bill before parliament now aims to change the law to make alternating shared custody the norm for courts dealing with divorce.

The French population are fans of the four-day working week - even if it means working longer hours while in the office.

In a poll carried out last month, 77 per cent of working individuals said they supported the idea.

France highlighted the success of a four-day trial in Britain involving 61 companies that took place over a six month period in 2022.

Involving 3,000 private sector workers, the trial resulted in a staggering 71 per cent drop in the number of bun-outs and a 65 per cent reduction in the number of days staff called in sick.

France's maximum 35-hour work week was introduced by a Socialist government in 2000, and was already being carried out by around 10,000 in May last year.

Attal said he wants to broaden the practice to the whole workforce as part of a drive to improve the quality of working life in France.

The plan is due to be discussed at a government seminar next week.
A real estate agency has been ordered to pay more than $850,000 in damages after a high-flying agent accidentally burned a multi-million dollar home to the ground just minutes before an open house inspection.

Julie Bundock was preparing for an open house at a four-bedroom home on Sydney's prestigious northern beaches when she noticed the current renters had left bedding on the deck to dry.

She removed the sheets and threw them in a downstairs room onto a shelf near a light, which she then switched on, news.com.au reported.

About 20 minutes later, a major fire broke out in the house on Riverview Road in Avalon Beach, believed to be caused by the shelf and bedding heating up and catching fire due to the light.

Julie Bundock was preparing for an open house at a four-bedroom home on Sydney 's prestigious northern beaches when she noticed the current renters of the house had left some bedding on the deck to dry

The home, which is estimated to be worth about $3million, along with all of its contents, were destroyed in the fire

The home, which is estimated to be worth about $3million, along with all of its contents, was destroyed in the fire.

The owner of the property, Peter Alan Bush, and the tenants took the matter to court.

Mr Bush said that after the fire, Ms Bundock said words to the effect of: 'Oh my God Pete, I think I have burnt down your house' in the presence of his de facto partner.

'I had been doing some tidying up. I collected some sheets drying on the veranda and threw them on top of a freestanding metal shelving in the bedroom under the stairs. I just threw them there Pete, right up against the light on the wall. I think that's what started the fire,' he recalled in court.

Chief Judge in Equity Justice David Hammerschlag handed down his judgment on Tuesday in the Supreme Court, after determining that Ms Bundock 'actively created the risk of fire and the consequent harm'.

He ordered Ms Bundock's employer, Domain Residential Northern Beaches, to pay Mr Bush $740,642 for the loss of his house and a combined $121,475 to the four tenants.

The real estate was ordered to pay more than $850,000 in damages after a high-flying agent accidentally burnt a multi-million dollar home to the ground just minutes before an open house

Mr Hammerschlag also ordered the agency to pay interest on the combined $862,315, from the time of the fire in May 2019.

'That a fire might be caused by putting or throwing bedding up against a burning light is obvious. That risk was plainly foreseeable, and Bundock ought to have known this,' he said on handing down his decision.

He went on to say that Ms Bundock was an 'aggressive and uncooperative witness' in court and that 'her evidence was clearly coloured by a heightened awareness that she had caused the catastrophe.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Domain Residential Northern Beaches for comment.
Prince William was cheered as he returned to royal duties today just hours after the first footage of Kate Middleton since her abdominal surgery emerged, putting to bed febrile conspiracy theories about her health.

The Prince of Wales ploughed on with the day job in Sheffield to further his aim to help end homelessness in Britain in the next five years as his wife continues her recuperation from abdominal surgery at home.

William waved to crowds and spoke to families who have experienced homelessness while visiting the city, which is one of six locations for his Homewards initiative, which he set up in 2023.

This afternoon the heir to the throne met community representatives and grassroots organisations taking part in a workshop to help design a new housing project in South Yorkshire.

It came hours after millions in Britain and around the world were thrilled to see the smiling and spritely Princess of Wales properly for the first time since mid-January.

The footage published by The Sun shows the future queen walking quickly with a bag of shopping and chatting animatedly to her husband on Saturday afternoon.

It also smashed bizarre, baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories being spread about her online including she is dead, or has been replaced by a body double or the Wales' marriage is in trouble.

One royal source told the Telegraph: 'Finally everyone can calm down'.

Prince William waves to a cheering crowd in Sheffield today as he returned to royal duties

A smiling Prince of Wales during a visit to the Learning Zone in the Northeast of the Sheffield, one of the areas of the city where families are disproportionately at risk of homelessness today

The Prince of Wales laughs as he promotes his initiative to banish homelessness

His Royal Highness joined a meeting of local landlords, convened by Homewards, to discuss how they can work together to end family homelessness

Chief royal correspondent at Newsweek, Jack Royston, slapped down 'numpties' questioning the footage of Kate, declaring: 'It is so obviously Kate in the footage. She's recovering from surgery and has no make-up on. She could do a DNA test and people wouldn't believe it's her'.

He also said he is convinced William and Kate's public outing to their local farm shop in Windsor reveals they were keen to be spotted in public as conspiracy theories about them swirl.

'They weren't born yesterday. They do understand that they are at the centre of a massive international news story. They must have been comfortable with the risk of being photographed', he said.

It also emerged today that the Palace is accelerating plans for the Princess of Wales' return to full royal duties as soon as possible now she is clearly on the mend.

The earlier she can appear the quicker cruel rumours will be banished, an insider said, adding: 'The teams are working round the clock to devise the Princess of Wales's back-to-work plan after weeks of immense pressure.'

And a source close to William today made clear he was determined to ignore speculation surrounding Kate, telling MailOnline: 'His focus is Homewards today.'

MailOnline understands that the couple have become aware of much of what is being said and are deeply saddened and distressed by the often vile speculation.

Kensington Palace has repeatedly declined to comment and a source close to William today made clear he was determined to ignore the conjecture. 'His focus is Homewards today, they said.

The Prince's initiative to end UK homelessness is one of his biggest personal passions and something he has pledged his commitment to for life.

Today, he travelled to South Yorkshire after his homelessness project was given a boost worth 1million from Homebase.

The future king unveiled a DIY retailer's pledge of support in the form of up to 1,500 home starter packs, which could include paint, furniture, flooring and furnishings to help tenants turn a property into a home.

William spoke to families who have experienced homelessness while visiting the city, which is one of six locations for his Homewards initiative, which he set up in 2023

William speaks in Sheffield today

King Charles III arriving at Clarence House this morning, after he was pictured leaving Windsor Castle

The packs from Homebase, an official Homewards supporter, are being provided to the housing projects created in Homewards' six flagship areas launched by William last year, and a further Duchy of Cornwall development.

Today's event was staged at a community space called The Learning Zone in Sheffield and attended by Damian McGloughlin, Homebase's chief executive officer.

He said: 'At Homebase, we know how important it is to have a place to call home, and we're committed to co-producing home starter packs with the people who will be using them.

'Over the next five years, we'll help end the cycle of homelessness by supporting a fresh start with a fresh lick of paint, and all their home needs.'

William also sat down with local landlords to discuss their support for ending homelessness among families - a growing issue in the city - and heard about the housing commitments they are making to support the programme.

Social housing activist Kwajo Tweneboa, whose own family suffered homelessness, also joined the session to give his thoughts on housing insecurity.

A group of landlords including Keystone Property Group, Places for People, Letzmove, My Landlord Cares and Arches Housing has pledged more than 30 three and four-bedroom properties for families on the brink of losing their homes.

Homewards wants to focus on unlocking more affordable, long-term family homes from across the rented sector in Sheffield to help families who may be struggling to find a permanent place to live.

Each Homewards location will deliver its own housing project over five years, designed to meet local needs to tackle homelessness and test new ways to unlock homes at scale, both within their area and beyond.

The six areas are Newport, South Wales, three neighbouring Dorset towns - Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, the south London Borough of Lambeth, Belfast, Aberdeen and Sheffield.

Later in the day William will visit the city centre for a meeting of the Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition, which over the past nine months has been working to create an action plan to tackle the housing issues facing the city.

The group will discuss the project's impact and its next steps forward.

William's visit comes after the couple were pictured at the Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday.

People flock to the shop, which was the idea of the late Duke of Edinburgh, to buy locally sourced goods and produce from the royal estates.

Nelson Silva, who saw the royal couple, told TMZ: 'I noticed a couple choosing loaves of bread and the woman turned her face and I felt like I had seen the face before. It was familiar.

'I went to my car and as they came out of the shop I just filmed them. I think they walked out through a gate out of the grounds. They just vanished and I didn't see a car.

'Kate looked happy and relaxed. They look happy just to be able to go to a shop and mingle. Kate looked relieved, like it was a success going to a shop. It felt natural.'

The royal couple also spent Sunday morning watching Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis taking part in a sporting event, according to The Sun.

Kate's absence from public life, following abdominal surgery on January 16, has led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about her whereabouts and health.

Details of her condition have not been disclosed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private.

The online speculation increased after irregularities were spotted in a Mother's Day photograph of Kate and her children, which led to the princess admitting to 'editing' the image and apologising for any 'confusion' caused.

March 11: Prince William and Kate are seen leaving Windsor together as they are driven in a car

March 10: Kensington Palace released the first picture of Kate since her abdominal surgery

December 25, 2023: Kate was last seen with her family attending church at Sandringham

The future Queen has been photographed in public twice since her operation.

In a picture published on March 4, she was a front-seat passenger in a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, in the Windsor area.

She was also spotted sitting next to William in a chauffeur-driven car on Monday last week, when he attended the Commonwealth Day service in London and she was driven to a private appointment.

A change to the biographies of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York on The Royal Family website was also disclosed yesterday.

It has been reported that the changes, which included giving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle one joint biography page, were part of a routine content update.

It was also claimed at the weekend that Kate may speak about her health during public engagements which are not expected to resume until after Easter.

The Sunday Times quote a source as saying: 'They are at their most open when out interacting with members of the public and I can see a world in which the princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements. If she was going to do it, that's how she would do it.'

William and Kate's children attend Lambrook School in Berkshire, which will start its summer term on April 17. Kate is expected to resume official engagements after this date.
A devout Catholic mother has been jailed alongside her businesswoman daughter for helping to fund terrorism by sending money to her brother who had fled to Syria to fight for ISIS.

Stella Oyella, 53, a psychiatric nurse, and her daughter Vanessa Atim, 32, sent Joseph Ogaba - a former computer programmer who was Oyella's brother and Atim's uncle - five payments totalling more than 1,800.

Neither woman had any sympathy for ISIS, with the trial hearing how they acted on appeals from a 'desperate' family member who persuaded them he needed money in order to survive.

Oyella was described by NHS colleagues as a 'fantastic human being', with a priest giving evidence of her 'integrity'. Her daughter, meanwhile, was a delegate to the Commonwealth Youth Leaders' Forum and owns an enterprise called Pro Intern - which helps place interns at businesses.

But during their sentencing, the judge insisted both women would have been aware of ISIS atrocities and 'chose to turn a blind eye' to the fact their money could support terrorist activity. He jailed a tearful Oyella to three years and Miss Atim - who had been due to get married - to three years and nine months.

Stella Oyella, 53, a psychiatric nurse, and her daughter Vanessa Atim, 32, sent money to their ISIS fighter relative

Atim had set up her own business and was a delegate to the Commonwealth Youth Leaders' Forum

Joseph Ogaba was a former altar boy and computer programmer from Finsbury Park in north London

Ogaba, a former Catholic altar boy from Finsbury Park in north London, converted to Islam while in jail for aggravated burglary between 2004 and 2006 and became increasingly radical.

He disappeared from the family home in September 2014, taking his passport and clothes, and his family reported him missing to police.

He left a note to his mother which read: 'I know you probably think I am crazy or something. I am not going because I dislike you or anything like that.

'I am going to implement sharia law. I have full conviction in what my brothers are doing. I love you mum and hope you revert to Islam one day.'

Ogaba travelled to Cologne and Gaziantep in southern Turkey before making it to war-torn Syria. He was eventually captured by Western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in January 2019 and died in custody from tuberculosis in April 2022.

In the meantime, the SDF recovered a number of laptops, hard drives, SD memory cards, headphones and cables during a raid in Hajin in north-east Syria on December 22 2018.

In photographs on the hard drive, Ogaba posed wearing a bucket hat as he handled a machinegun on a rooftop, straddled a high-powered blue and white Suzuki motorbike and posed in a room where a homemade bomb had been laid out.

Images Atim posted on Twitter showed her at a series of events, promoting the enterprise, called Pro Intern, which found places for interns with businesses

John Armitage, Oyella's parish priest at St Margaret's in Canning Town, East London, said Oyela was an 'honest citizen of the highest character and integrity.

The daughter, left, and mother, right, broke down in tears as they were sentenced at the Old Bailey

Oyella outside the Old Bailey during a plea hearing in April

Other photos show him laughing with terrorist comrades and firing a gun on a clifftop.

There was nothing to suggest the images of Ogaba had been seen by his family but there were also five receipts for Western Union money transfers from Uganda to Kenya and Lebanon, between February 2016 and May 2018, amounting to 2,926.

Police then pieced together five further financial transactions sent from London between March and October 2017.

They discovered that a relative had made cash withdrawals and put the money into Oyella's account, before it was transferred to Uganda, where Atim was working, and from there to Lebanon and Qatar.

Hossein Zahir KC, defending, said she had been 'successfully manipulated' by Ogaba and added: 'This is a young woman who is quite exceptional, has made genuine progress in her life and sought to help others.'

The Old Bailey was shown a series of messages between family members as Ogaba pressurised them to send money.

One relative stated: 'He sends text to blackmail people as if he's hated, yet he wasn't forced to go there.'

Explaining the transfers, Atim told the court her uncle had rung her from Syria, telling her he was 'desperate' and needed the money to 'survive.'

Ogaba was captured by Western-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and a series of photos was found on his hard drive

A photo showing the ISIS fighter posing next to the blanket covered with shells and bullets

In one photograph from the hard drive, Ogaba posed wearing a bucket hat as he handled a machinegun on a rooftop

Atim said she believed he had got married, left ISIS and was struggling to pay for food.

But messages showed that Ogaba had left his wife for two weeks and believed he might not return, suggesting he was still spending periods on the frontline.

The court heard that ISIS had initially paid its fighters a salary but payments became more inconsistent as the tide turned against them.

Garry Green KC, defending Oyella, described her as a mother and grandmother of 'impeccable character' who was a 'committed, selfless, care professional,' affectionately known to work colleagues as 'Mum.'

The manager at the NHS trust where Oyella worked, described her as a 'fantastic human being' whose 'work ethic is truly amazing' and said she had won awards, nominated by her colleagues.

John Armitage, Oyella's parish priest at St Margaret's in Canning Town, East London, said she was an 'honest citizen of the highest character and integrity.'

'You choose your friends, you don't choose your family,' Mr Green added. 'She is nurturing, considerate, a kind woman committed to life, not death. This is no terrorist sympathiser or supporter.'

Ogaba holds an AK-47 inside a carpeted living room with a bottle of Pepsi Max on the floor

There is no suggestion any members of his family had seen the photos from Syria

Images Atim posted on Twitter showed her at a series of events, promoting the enterprise, called Pro Intern, which found places for interns with businesses.

'Faith is very important to me, it is literally my foundation and something that has helped me grow into the woman I am today,' she told the Old Bailey.

However, Annabel Darlow KC, prosecuting, said messages showed that Ogaba had left his wife for two weeks and believed he might not return, suggesting he was spending periods on the frontline.

'The defendants, instead of attempting to use his financial hardship to leverage his return to the UK and abandon IS, simply sent more money,' Ms Darlow said.

Great lengths were taken to hide the financial transactions with the use of 'middlemen' overseas, she added.

The mother and daughter were convicted of terrorist fundraising, and broke down and had to be helped from the dock after they were jailed by judge Mark Dennis KC.

Ogaba posed on a high-powered Suzuki motorbike while holding an AK-47

Other photos showed the Londoner with his fellow ISIS fighters

There were shouts from the public gallery at the Old Bailey of 'stay strong' after the judge had earlier told lawyers that he was finding the sentencing exercise difficult because of the women's 'commendable' character.

Mr Dennis accepted that their motivation was neither 'ideological' nor a desire to help Ogaba engage in 'terrorist activities.'

However, he told them that it must have been 'obvious' that Ogaba was 'yet another committed individual who had decided to leave their home country and travel to Syria to join the cause of violent jihad promoted' by ISIS.

'In truth you both turned a blind eye to what your brother and uncle was engaged in,' he said. 'By doing so you were in effect giving support to the terrorist activity with which, in all likelihood, he was still associated.

'The plague of terrorism and terrorist related offending has to be taken seriously by the courts in the interest of all who desire a peaceful, democratic and tolerant society free from such dreadful violence.'

Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Command, said after sentencing: 'These women went to great lengths to first arrange, and then distance themselves from money transfers to Ogaba.

'They knew he had travelled to Syria to join a terrorist group and by sending him cash. They helped him remain with Daesh.

'This case shows how we work with our international partners to close the net on people who support terrorist activity, no matter how much time has passed.'
Researchers preparing to mount a first-of-its-kind raising of an 18th-century shipwreck from tropical seas have described themselves as 'pioneers' - but insist they aren't thinking about treasures worth billions on board.

The Spanish galleon of San Jose sank off the coast of Cartagena in 1708, as its powder magazines detonated during a skirmish with the British Navy.

It has been described as the 'Holy Grail of shipwrecks,' because its 600-strong crew was carrying up to 200 tons of gold, silver, and emeralds valued at around $20billion (15billion).

Its exact location remained a state secret for nearly a decade to prevent private firms and pirates from attempting to plunder the treasures for themselves.

But Colombian authorities finally announced last month that an expedition will be launched in a matter of weeks to recover these hidden treasures from the deep sea with the aid of an underwater robot.

Alhena Caicedo, director of the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History, said a project of this scale has never been attempted - but insisted her team is interested in the historical revelations that could be made, not the discovery of loot.

'There has been this persistent view of the galleon as a treasure trove. We want to turn the page on that... We aren't thinking about treasure. We're thinking about how to access the historical and archaeological information at the site,' she told The Guardian.

'This is a huge challenge and it is not a project that has a lot of precedents. In a way, we are pioneers.'

The 'Holy Grail of shipwrecks,' housing up to 200 tons of gold, silver, and emeralds valued at $20 billion, is set to be retrieved from the deep sea with the aid of an underwater robot

The Spanish galleon San Jose sank off the Colombian port of Cartagena in 1708, as its powder magazines detonated during a skirmish with the British. Onboard were treasures worth billions of dollars, along with 600 sailors

Colombian Rear-admiral Herman Ricardo Leon (L) and Colombian Director of Anthropologic and History Institute Alhena Caicido deliver a press conference at the Navy Museum in Cartagena, Colombia, on February 23, 2024

Nearly a decade after the Colombian government disclosed the discovery, authorities announced on Friday that an expedition will embark on the recovery of these hidden treasures. Pictured: crews searching for the shipwreck

Spain and Britain were fighting the War of the Spanish Succession at the time and the Royal Navy was approaching dominance on the high seas when it sent the San Jose to the bottom

Culture Minister Juan David Correa said that the underwater robot, scheduled to operate between April and May, will extract items from the exterior of the galleon.

The first step is to see 'how they materialise when they come out (of the water) and to understand what we can do' to continue the mission, Correa said.

Authorities have kept secrecy about the mission's location, but the scientific ship in charge of exploring the treasure was seen anchored at the dock of the ACR Bolivar naval base in Cartagena, Colombia, on Friday.

The operation is expected to cost more than $4.5million (3.5million), but the value of items recovered from the shipwreck could be 'incalculable', according to Correa.

In 2015, the Colombian government announced that a team of navy divers had discovered the legendary ship lying in nearly 3,100 feet of water.

And in 2022, another team brought back jaw-dropping images of its perfectly preserved cargo.

But the discovery of the galleon has since sparked an almighty fight over who owns the wreck, with a US firm claiming it found the boat and demanding half the loot. Also laying claims, are the Spanish government and an indigenous group.

American research company, Glocca Morra, claims it found the San Jose in 1981 and turned the coordinates over to the Colombians on the condition it would receive half the fortune once the vessel was recovered.

But this was countered in 2015 by Colombia's then-President Juan Manuel Santos who said the Navy had found the boat at a different location on the seabed.

Glocca Morra, now called Sea Search Armada, is suing for half the treasure - around $10billion (7.6billion) according to estimates - under the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, according to Bloomberg.

Authorities have kept secrecy about the mission's location, but the scientific ship in charge of exploring the treasure was seen anchored at the dock of the ACR Bolivar naval base in Cartagena, Colombia, on Friday

The discovery of the galleon has since sparked an almighty fight over who owns the wreck, with a US firm claiming it found the boat and demanding half the loot. Also laying claims, are the Spanish government and an indigenous group

But Correa said the government's team had visited the coordinates given by Sea Search Armada and found no trace of the San Jose.

Complicating matters further, there are competing claims from the Spanish - whose Navy the vessel belonged to - and Bolivia's indigenous Qhara Qhara nation which says its people were forced to mine the gold and jewels, so the treasures belong to them.

'Not only for the symbolic issue but more for the spiritual issue. We just want our ancestors to be at peace,' native leader Samuel Flores told AFP.

Meanwhile, Colombia has hailed the find as a huge historic and cultural achievement.

Correa told Bloomberg last year: 'This is one of the priorities for the Petro administration. The president has told us to pick up the pace.'

The idea is 'to stop considering that we are dealing with a treasure that we have to fight for as if we were in colonial times, with the pirates who disputed these territories,' Correa, the culture minister, said.

The robot will work at a depth of 600 meters to remove items 'without modifying or damaging the wreck'

The operation is expected to cost more than $4.5million, but the value of items recovered from the shipwreck could be 'incalculable', according to Correa

The 62-gun galleon was sailing from Portobelo in Panama at the head of a treasure fleet of 14 merchant vessels and three Spanish warships when it encountered the British squadron near Baru.

Spain and Britain were fighting the War of the Spanish Succession at the time and the Royal Navy was approaching dominance on the high seas when it sent the San Jose to the bottom.

Images recovered in 2022 show a part of the bow clearly seen covered in algae and shellfish, as well as the remains of the frame of the hull.

The images offer the best-yet view of the treasure that was aboard the San Jose - including gold ingots and coins, muddy cannons made in Seville in 1655 and an intact Chinese dinner service.

Porcelain crockery, pottery and glass bottles can also be seen.
By Martin Henkelmann

In an era marked by growing environmental concerns and the urgent need for sustainable solutions, the energy sector stands as both a realm of massive disruption and hope.

Within this dynamic landscape, two industrial powerhouses, Germany and Korea, have stepped onto the stage of sustainability, pledging ambitious goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 and 2050, respectively.

Yet, they face similar challenges on the path to sustainability, especially within energy-intensive sectors such as the manufacturing, chemical and heavy industries.

As we navigate this critical moment in history, our actions hold the power to not only shape our own future but also to resonate across the globe.

Recently, Korea joined 118 countries at COP28 in pledging to collectively triple the worlds renewable energy capacity by 2030. Encouragingly, Germany has made significant strides as recent statistics show a notable shift, with 55 percent of Germanys power was derived from renewables, with its target of reaching 80 percent green energy by 2030.

This reflects both countries commitment to sustainable economic policies.

Recognizing the imperative of transitioning to sustainable energy systems, the focus has shifted towards expanding renewable energy sources and harnessing clean hydrogen as an alternative to conventional fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

This shift creates new opportunities for closer cooperation between Korea and Germany, with potential collaborations in renewable energy, climate-friendly technologies, energy efficiency, building a hydrogen economy and economic diversification.

Germany is a strong partner for Korea in the field of hydrogen economy, where both countries are investing heavily in hydrogen technology, usage, transport and infrastructure.

Significant efforts are required in all fields to achieve progress.

Germany's revised national hydrogen strategy aims to establish a hydrogen maritime transport supply network, in preparation for a future where hydrogen imports account for 50 percent to 70 percent of the total hydrogen demand.

Similarly, Korea is expanding supply infrastructure, such as ammonia and liquid hydrogen import terminals, and is advanced in hydrogen for the mobility sector.

When looking for solutions in this transformation to decarbonization, greening processes and renewable energy, the economic powerhouses Germany and Korea can strongly contribute with their technological excellence, industrial might and their commitment to innovation.

Collaborations between German and Korean companies serve as significant drivers and the institutionalized Korean-German Energy Partnership proves the two governments commitment to continued cooperation in energy transition.

With this vision, the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry will co-organize the sixth Korean-German Energy Day conference in Berlin, March 21, in cooperation with the Korea Energy Economic Institute, Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning, German policy consultancy think tank adelphi and Hydrogen Convergence Alliance.

This cornerstone event, co-hosted by German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korean-German Energy Partnership, will delve into sustainable supply chains for the energy transition, offering a platform to explore collaborative strategies that leverage renewable energy as well as hydrogen.

As we unite forces, knowledge, strengths and expertise, we embark on this journey of enhanced collaboration, propelling economic growth and technological advancement.

The Korean-German Energy Partnership represents a strong answer to a world grappling with complex environmental challenges.

As we come together to find synergies and craft joint strategies towards sustainability, we are committed to driving economic growth and fostering innovation while addressing global challenges.

The forthcoming Korean-German Energy Day conference promises to strengthen bilateral partnerships and usher in a brighter and greener future.

The writer is the president and CEO of the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Kim Jong Un appears to have piled on the pounds since he shed almost three stone during the Covid pandemic, with the latest pictures of the North Korean dictator showing him filling out his trademark leather jacket.

The despot was seen this week on an outing with his 'most beloved' daughter, named by South Korean intelligence as Ju Ae, who has been tipped to take the reigns of the hermit kingdom.

Speculation that he has chosen his heir apparent in his middle child - who is thought be aged between 10 and 12 years old - comes after experts suggested that the 40-year-old's ballooning weight means he could 'collapse' at any time.

Now, photographs released by state media appear to show him looking more rotund than in previous months - with a slimmer look even as recently as January - and noticeably larger than when he lost weight in 2021.

Kim disappeared from public view between January and May that year before returning 40lbs lighter, with officials saying he was eating less 'for the sake of the country' - as his people starved.

The latest pictures of the North Korean dictator show him filling out his trademark leather jacket (pictured right this week and left in 2022)

Kim Jong Un and his daughter Kim Ju Ae visit the Gangdong Greenhouse in North Korea, in this picture released on March 16, 2024

Kim appeared more slender as he attended a submarine-launched cruise missile test on January 28, 2024

Kim disappeared from public view in 2021 before returning 40lbs lighter (pictured in November 2021)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a plenary meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party in this photo released on December 28, 2021

There was speculation at the time over whether the dictator - who is known for his love of fine food and wine - was simply aiming to look trimmer or if he was in fact cutting the calories over health concerns amid the Covid pandemic.

While the regime keeps Kim's health a closely guarded secret, reports have emerged over the years that he could suffer from hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

He is also a known smoker, with reports last year that he was indulging in 'heavy boozing and smoking',

In 2020, Dr Kenneth Dekleva suggested that Kim's weight and other 'risk factors' gave him a one in three chance of a heart attack in the next ten years.

But in 2021, he stunned the world with a slimmed-down physique, with South Korean intelligence saying he had shed a staggering 44 pounds.

The tyrant, who stands at 5ft 6in, weighed in at over 300lbs at his peak, before dropping to around 260lbs.

Regime officials told state media that Kim was eating less 'for the sake of the country' as it grappled with famine, insisting that he remained healthy.

State TV even spoke to someone who said his 'emaciated' condition was 'breaking our people's hearts'.

With the UN reporting that around 40 per cent of North Koreans faced malnourishment during the pandemic, such comments are considered to have been part of a propaganda campaign as many faced starvation.

Kim Jong Un is pictured inspecting a major operational training base in the western area of the Korean People's Army earlier this month

The North Korean despot was pictured standing next to a soldier during a training exercise this month

Speculation about Kim's health also forced the government to ban gossip about his weight as a 'reactionary act'.

Analysts have suggested that Kim's rapid weight loss would have been difficult to achieve had he not had a gastric band fitted.

Dr Dekleva told The Sun Online: 'The rapidity and amount of his recent weight loss is consistent with a bariatric surgery procedure, probably a gastric sleeve or bypass procedure.'

Pictures of Kim as a teenager and young man show him with a far more slender figure.

Undated picture shows Kim Jong Un as a slimmer young man

Kim was seen wearing his trademark leather jacket as he watched a military drill this week

After becoming leader of the PRK his waistline ballooned, with insiders claiming that he enjoys gorging on luxury food and drink.

But, according to a chef who worked for his late father, the dictator always had a taste for fine food and drink, including steak, sushi, champagne and cheese.

North Korean officials have good reason to worry about their Supreme Leader's health.

His father, Kim Jong Il, and his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, both died of heart attacks. The health of the dictator is always a closely guarded state secret.

Speculation is now mounting that Ju Ae is being prepared to inherit the leadership from her father, with South Korea's spy agency the National Intelligence Service (NIS) saying on Friday that it views her as his probable successor.

Cheong Seong-Chang, an analyst at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea, said that Kim likely believes his daughter has the capacity and resolve to succeed him as leader.

He said Kim Jong Un's obesity appears so serious that 'it won't be surprising even if he collapses tomorrow'.

This picture released on January 12, 2022 shows Kim Jong Un (R) speaking with military officials

A leather-clad Kim Jong Un (pictured, left) was seen pumping his fist in the air as he oversaw a live-fire drill of a series of 'newly-equipped super-large' rocket launcher

'By accompanying her father on major events, it's like she's learning kingship and building a human network at a tender age,' Cheong said.

South Korea's NIS said in January that the recent increased visibility of Ju Ae suggests she 'appears to be the most likely successor.'

But, it added: 'We are keeping our eyes open for all possibilities because Kim Jong Un is still young, has no major health problems, and there are many variables.'
A Slovakian town has declared a state of emergency after a girl, 10, became the latest victim in a spate of bear attacks - with patrols ordered to 'eliminate' the rampaging beast on sight.

The latest bear attack on Sunday, which took place in the town of Liptovsky Mikulas, left a 49-year-old woman with a shoulder injury and a 72-year-old man with a gash to his head.

A 10-year-old girl and two further adults suffered scratches and bruises, authorities said, while a couple pushing their child in a buggy were 'lucky to escape unharmed'.

Officials have now declared a state of emergency.

Residents have been asked not to leave their homes, particularly in the early and late hours, as animal hunters arrived at the town to seek out the bear.

New footage from Sunday's bear attack in Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia, shows the huge beast bounding through the streets

The Slovakian town have now declared a state emergency as officials say: 'We cannot allow a bear to attack five people in the centre in broad daylight'

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Liptovsky Mikulas' spokeswoman, Viktoria Capcikova, told AFP: 'The bear spent about 20 minutes in the town centre, attacked five people and retreated into the woods.

'They have at their disposal a drone with thermal vision, night vision, camera traps and service weapons,' she added.

Six patrol groups consisting of hunters, police officers and wildlife experts were trying to locate it around the town.

'The bear has been pushed into uninhabited zones by rescue and security forces where emergency teams  have orders to eliminate it,' the town hall said in a Facebook post.

'Hunters will patrol in the at-risk area, police patrols have been strengthened and brown bear emergency teams from all over the country have been ordered to our city and surroundings. A thermal imaging drone is also being deployed.

'We are a town between mountains, but still a town. We cannot allow a bear to attack five people in the centre in broad daylight.'

New footage of the bear shows it bounding through the streets of the Slovakian town before heading to a body of water to take a swim.

It comes just a day after a woman named Tatiana, 31, died after she and her friend were set upon by a brown bear in Slovakia.



The woman, from Belarus, had been walking with a male companion in the Low Tatras mountain range on Friday evening when they were chased by the predator.

According to the male, 29, he and the woman darted off in different directions while in the depths of the thick forest.

The woman's body was discovered by the Slovak Mountain Rescue Service on Friday evening, as the bear lingered nearby.

Local reports stated the bear was soon frightened off by sounds of the gun shots made by the rescue team.

According to the BBC it was unclear whether the woman fell to her death while trying to escape or was killed by the bear.

The Slovak authorities reassured that if she was mauled to death by the brown bear, they will reveal that information publicly.

Sunday's attacks come just days after a woman, 31, was chased by a bear and died in Slovakia. It remains unclear whether the woman fell to her death while trying to escape or was killed by the bear

The bear was spotted making its way through the Slovakian town and later enjoying a dip in the water during its violent rampage

Bears are common across many parts of Eastern Europe including the areas surrounding the Carpathian mountains, which stretch from Romania to Poland and pass through Slovakia.

Researchers have estimated that there are around 1,275 bears living in Slovakia.

There have been several bear attacks in Slovakia in recent years, including a fatal attack in 2021 - reported at the time to be the first in Slovakia for a century.

The body of a 57-year-old man was found in Bansko Valley in the Liptov region on June 14.

He was found in the forests above the village of Liptovska Luzna, with his head, hip and neck mauled.

There were fresh bear prints found at the site.

The Slovak environment ministry earlier this month published guidelines on the protective shooting of brown bears, allowing special teams to shoot any bear that presents a threat to humans.

Environment Minister Tomas Taraba on Friday blamed NGOs and the constitutional court for the death of the Belarusian woman chased off a cliff.

'According to a constitutional court ruling, shooting bears on a large scale is not allowed. So I congratulate the constitutional court. I hope you are happy with your work, this is also your doing,' he told reporters after the attack.

Also Friday, the ministry said it would, together with Romania, submit a proposal for the EU to reclassify the bear to a lower category of protected wildlife, which would allow more aggressive control of the bear population.
The NHS is spending 60,000-a-year on a role at the UK's first-ever 'drugs consumption facility' where addicts can use individual 'shooting' booths to legally inject heroin and take other class A drugs.

The 2.3million Hunter St Homeless Health Centre in Glasgow needs an operations manager to help 'provide a welcoming, clean, and compassionate service to people who are injecting drugs,' according to the job advert released on the weekend.

The facility is also hiring a nurse team leader to join the clinic for 50,000 per year to offer drug addicts clinical supervision while injecting heroin and using other drugs.

A service manager at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde told MailOnline the trust had already seen 'lots of interest' since the vacancy was published.

Addicts using the Hunter Street Health Clinic, in Glasgow, will use individual booths where they can inject heroin and take Class A drugs without fear of being arrested

Pharmacists kitted in scrubs, face masks, and rubber gloves and pictured in 2019 preparing the pharmaceutical grade heroin before it is taken

A medical professional uses a vein finder to assist an addict. The pilot will see users take their own drugs under supervision of trained health professionals

Medical professionals will prepare a 'drugs kit' tray with a syringe, cotton wool, and a dosage of the drug

These are the first two roles to be advertised and further recruitment will take place over the next two months before the clinic opens in summer 2024.

Staffing will include a range of nursing posts, social workers, harm reduction workers, medical and psychology staff.

It is understood the hiring process is ongoing for both roles, and no vacancies will be filled until after the closing date of the applications.

'This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a unique new service, the first of its kind in Scotland, and indeed the UK,' the job vacancy added.

The pilot facility will see 'drug kits' will be handed out on trays with syringes and cotton wool to heroin users in clean hygienic conditions rather than on the dirty back streets and public places in the city, where they will be able to 'shoot up' under the watchful eye of trained health professionals.

Pharmacists kitted in scrubs, face masks, and rubber gloves will prepare the pharmaceutical grade heroin and measure out dosages before it is taken while medics use vein finders to assist users.

The plans for the centre were brought in after an HIV outbreak in the Scottish city. A a health needs assessment called 'Taking Away the Chaos' found last year that 'there are approximately 400 to 500 people injecting drugs in public places in Glasgow city centre on a regular basis.'

It added: 'Injecting in public spaces increases the risk of infection and other drug related harms, and also causes a risk to the public from discarded injecting equipment and needles.'

Drug consumption room facilities typically provide users with sterile injecting equipment, counselling services before, during and after using, emergency care in the event of an overdose and referrals to social care and addiction treatment services.

The Glasgow City Integration Joint Board stated last year: 'There is overwhelming international evidence which demonstrates that safer drug consumption facilities can improve the health, wellbeing and recovery of people who use the facility and reduce the negative impact that public injecting has on local communities and businesses.'

Comparisons have been made to Portland, in Oregon, decriminalising drugs in 2021. However they were forced into a climbdown in September last year and forced to reimpose the drug ban due to concerns about increases in overdoses, deaths and property crime.

Commissioner of public safety, Rene Gonzalez, warned Scotland to 'avoid the tragedy we are going through'.

He said: 'The amount of human misery is just brutal. It is truly horrific. Portland and Scotland share many values but the addictive qualities of these drugs are so brutal that it simply overwhelms your systems.'

Data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) showed there were a total of 1,051 deaths due to drug misuse in 2022 - a drop of 279, or 21 per cent, on the previous year.

There were 1,051 deaths in Scotland due to drug misuse in 2022, a drop of 279 from the previous year but still 2.7 times the rate south of the border and the worst in Europe. Pictured: The entrance of the existing site

Hunter Street Health Centre, in the east end of Glasgow , will be the UK's first sanctioned 'drugs consumption room' and will be approved by the Scottish Parliament today

Scotland has the worst drugs death rate in Europe, with 1,051 deaths drug misuse in 2022, a drop of 279 from the previous year - but still 2.7 times the rate south of the border.

Before Nicola Sturgeon quit as first minister she admitted her government had taken its 'eye off the ball' in regard to Scottish drug deaths.

When the Glasgow centre plans were announced, Kirsten Horsburgh, the chief executive of the Scottish Drugs Forum, said the evaluation of the success of the Glasgow-based initiative should not delay more being opened in other parts of the country.

Home Office minister Chris Philp said previously the UK Government does not support such facilities in England and Wales, over concern they 'condone or even encourage' drug use, but added his department is 'not going to stand in the way' of the pilot in Scotland provided the power is exercised lawfully.

The deadline to apply for the two roles at Hunter St Homeless Health Centre is 31 March.
A Ukrainian mother has threatened to teach her trilingual son at home after he was placed in 'the worst school in England' despite passing the 11-plus exam with flying colours.

Daniel Psenicnyj, from Kemsley in Sittingbourne, was allocated a place at Oasis Academy on the Isle of Sheppey by Kent County Council, although it was not one of his four preferred schools.

He excelled in the Kent and Medway exams, which are standardised tests used to allocated places at secondary school for pupils across the country, after giving up spending time with his friends, but his mother, Anne has rejected the place at the inadequately rated Ofsted school over fears of racism.

'I worked so hard to get a good school so there wouldn't be bullies. When I found out I was going to Oasis I was just in shock. I couldn't stop crying. I worked so hard trying to reach my dream and I just got a place, at what I would say, is the worst school in the whole of England,' Daniel said.

Has your child been given an unfair placement? Email lettice.bromovsky@mailonline.co.uk

Daniel Psenicnyj, from Sittingbourne, was allocated a place at Oasis Academy by Kent County Council (KCC) despite not putting it down as one of his four desired secondary school options. Pictured with mother, Anne, and father, Roman

Oasis Academy was placed into special measures in August 2022 after it was rated inadequate by Ofsted due to concerns over 'bullying, racism, homophobia, vandalism and pupils' understanding of sexual consent'

Oasis Academy was placed into special measures in August 2022 after it was rated inadequate by Ofsted due to concerns over 'bullying, racism, homophobia, vandalism and pupils' understanding of sexual consent'.

It also led to its own staff going on strike over concerns for their safety and wellbeing.

During the action, teachers outside the academy waved signs reading: 'I come to work to teach, not to be abused' and 'Not Ready, Not Respectful, Not Safe.'

His mother 33-year-old Anna, who is a make-up artists rejected the place at this school immediately, claiming her greatest fear is the problems the school has with racism.

She explained: 'I'm originally from Ukraine and Roman (Daniel's father) is from Lithuania. We speak different languages at home and because of that, Daniel is worried about bullying. This is because he had a few situations in primary school.'

She added: 'When I saw he'd got Oasis Academy I couldn't believe it. My legs literally numbed and I couldn't walk. You can't achieve what you can in that school because kids fight with the teachers.

'This means instead of spending their time explaining the subject to the kids, teachers are just fighting with the other kids who are uncontrolled.

'We refused his place straight away and if we don't win an appeal for any other school, in the worst-case scenario, he's going to be home-schooled.

'I feel like KCC has made a big mistake. It's just not fair for him, he works hard, he has good grades, and he never had any issues at school. I want to fight for my child because it's just unfair.'

His mother 33-year-old Anna, who is a make-up artists rejected the place at this school immediately, claiming her greatest fear is the problems the school has with racism

Oasis Academy staff on strike over concerns for their safety and wellbeing. During the action, teachers outside the academy waved signs reading: 'I come to work to teach, not to be abused' and 'Not Ready, Not Respectful, Not Safe'

His preferred choice of schools were Rainham Mark Grammar School, the Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Fulston Manor or Westlands.

Oasis Academy report found that 'poor attendance and uncontrolled behaviour of pupils [were] the biggest barriers to pupils achieving well' in the school and that 'suspensions and expulsions [were] very high.'

It stated that the pupils had no 'no trust in, or respect for their school and that 'vandalism, including offensive graffiti, poor behaviour and bad language [were] rife'.

Shockingly, inspectors noted that 'sexist, homophobic and racist language regularly [went] unchallenged during their visit and that pupil's were not adequately clued up on sex education.

A Kent County Council (KCC) spokesperson said: 'All applicants for secondary school are ranked according to the details they provide to us on their application form and the published oversubscription criteria for each school they named.

'KCC will then work through their preferences and offer a place at the highest preference school that we can according to availability of places in the school. Where we are unable to offer one of their named preferences because the school is full, we are then legally required to allocate an alternative space, which is usually the next nearest school to the child's home, on National Offer Day.

'All parents have the right of appeal for any school they have been refused.

'Parents are also able to go on the waiting list for any school they named. The only exception to this is if a grammar school was named, and the child was not eligible for grammar school under the Kent Test.

'We will email all parents who have named a waiting list preference on Kent's Reallocation Day on Thursday, April 25 to let them know if we can offer a different school. After then, all parents are free to approach any other schools that they did not originally name for a place.'

An Oasis Academy spokesperson said: 'Daniel, like all students, will be made to feel extremely welcome at Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey, where we work hard to make sure that every young person has access to a high-quality education and the chance to thrive inside the classroom and beyond.

'Student wellbeing is our top priority, and the latest Ofsted visit highlighted how we continue to improve, including around behaviour.'
Amazon workers have walked out at a warehouse in Coventry as they began fresh strikes to get the online retail giant to 'formally recognise their union'.

Workers downed their tools at the Amazon fulfilment centre on Tuesday in the first of a fresh wave of strike dates in an ongoing dispute over pay, working conditions and for the recognition of the union.

Strike action will take place in Coventry today and tomorrow, Wednesday March 20, the GMB Union said.

Amazon said the strikes will have zero impact on customer orders and said that minimum starting salaries have risen by 50 per cent since 2018.

Workers will then walk out at Amazon's new flagship fulfilment centre in Sutton Coldfield, a 500million site that opened its doors in October, on March 27 and 28, next Wednesday and Thursday.

Amazon workers have this morning walked out at a warehouse in Coventry as they began fresh strikes to get the online retail giant to 'formally recognise their union'

Workers on strike over pay, working conditions and demands for trade union recognition at the Amazon warehouse facility in Coventry today

Police officers stand by Amazon staff members on a GMB union picket line outside the online retailer's site in Coventry, as they take part in a strike today

The strike dates come just days after GMB members at the company submitted an application for mandatory recognition at Amazon to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC).

The CAC - the Government body responsible for regulating collective bargaining between workers and employers - can force companies to recognise a trade union if more than 50 per cent of the workforce are members.

After over a year of industrial action, union membership at the company's Coventry site has grown significantly and GMB has said it is confident of surpassing the legal threshold for recognition.

GMB Organiser Rachel Fagan said: 'Amazon bosses wanted nothing more than a quiet year, but 2024 has already seen an explosive escalation of the strike wave hitting the company.

'When workers down tools tomorrow, they'll be starting a fresh wave of industrial action and sending a clear message that this only ends when their demands are met.

'Our members are on the brink of forcing one of the world's wealthiest corporations to formally recognise their union.

'This would be history and the first time anywhere in Europe that Amazon has been forced to accept union recognition.

'Strike action has been forced on these workers by low pay; now they're determined to win.'

Strike action will take place in Coventry today and tomorrow Wednesday 20 March, the GMB Union said

Amazon said the strikes will have zero impact on customer orders and said that minimum starting salaries have risen by 50 per cent since 2018

Amazon staff members on a GMB union picket line outside the online retailer's site in Coventry

A worker speaks through a megaphone at the Amazon strikes at their Coventry warehouse

An Amazon spokesperson said: 'We regularly review our pay to ensure we offer competitive wages and benefits.

By April, our minimum starting pay will have increased to 12.30 and 13 per hour depending on location, that's a 20% increase over two years and 50% since 2018.

We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities.

These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it's their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career.'
The sister-in-law of Underbelly star Dan Mor has broken her silence after being held hostage by Hamas terrorists for 54 days, where she feared she'd be 'raped and murdered'.

Moran Stella Yanai was snatched by the terror group as part of the horror October 7 attacks that saw 1,200 Israelis killed and a further 250 abducted and taken back to Gaza.

The Israeli jewellery designer was among the helpless revellers who attended the doomed Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im where Palestinian gunmen - some on paragliders - murdered 364 civilians.

Ms Yanai had set up a retail stand just days before the rave and spent the time assembling and designing the jewellery.

When the attack unfolded, she frantically tried to escape through the desert where the festival was being held near Mount Negev, but broke her leg in the chaos.

Moran Stella Yanai (pictured) has broken her silence after she spent 54 days being held hostage by Hamas following the October 7 attacks in Israel

Her brother-in-law, Dan Mor, who starred in the award winning Australian crime drama series, Underbelly: The Golden Mile, previously revealed the family had spoken to her on the phone as she was trying to flee the carnage.

They later discovered a clip posted to an anonymous TikTok account, showing Ms Yanai begging for her life as Hamas terrorists shouted in the background.

Eventually her worst fears were realised when about 10 terrorists pulled her out from under a tree where she had been hiding.

Ms Yanai was then piled into a Jeep and taken to Gaza where she feared she would be 'lynched'.

'You keep thinking every minute that now they're going to kill you, now you are going to be raped,' Ms Yanai told the Herald Sun.

The brave woman, who is the first October 7 hostage to travel to Australia, said she's still processing the ordeal and that she feels like 'she's still there'.

Ms Yanai was shifted to seven heavily guarded locations during her capture where she was watched day and night, had very limited food and water and needed to ask for permission to use the bathroom.

A viral TikTok video showed Ms Yanai pleading for her life (pictured) after she was found by Hamas terrorists in a tree, before she was hauled away in a jeep by the terrorists to Gaza

The Israeli jewellery designer, was among the helpless revellers who attended the doomed Supernova music festival (pictuerd) near Kibbutz Re'im where Palestinian gunman - some on paragliders - murdered 364 civilians

She described the first place where she was being held as a 'living room' which also housed another hostage, a traumatised 18-year-old girl, who lost friends and family in the October 7 attacks.

The pair only dared whisper to each other because the terrorists said they would kill them if they spoke.

One one occasion, at another location, Ms Yanai was playing a card game with another hostage when a terrorist threatened to 'put a bullet in my head'.

'I would just think: Will it end like this so that I'm like an object on the floor?' Ms Yanai said.

As she was being shifted from one safe house to another, Ms Yanai was disguised as a grandmother so locals didn't get suspicious.

She said she managed to survive her horrific ordeal, by refusing to give into fear and thinking about her loved ones.

'That's the moment you pictured every day inside captivity, that's the only thing that helps you survive,' she said.

Dan Mor (pictured) who is the brother-in-law of Ms Yanai had previously revealed the desperate attempts the family made to contact the jewellery designer during the carnage

Ms Yanai (pictured), said she kept thinking of loved ones during her time in captivity, which she said helped her survive the horrific ordeal

Ms Yanai was released 54 days after she was taken hostage along with eight others.

More than 134 hostages however are still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

Since the October 7 attacks, Israel declared war on Hamas and launched a series of air strikes and ground offensives in Gaza.

It is estimated that about 30,000 Palestinians have been killed as the war continues to rage on.
James Bond fans have taken to social media to share their thoughts on Marvel star Aaron Taylor-Johnson reportedly being cast as the next James Bond - with some fearing the action star is too bland to play the suave secret agent.

Taylor-Johnson, 33, is reportedly on the verge of inking a deal to star as the next Bond in an as-yet-untitled new take on the spy saga after Daniel Craig retired from the role following 2021's No Time To Die.

Fans are conflicted about Taylor-Johnson's casting as Bond - with some fearing he lacks the charisma necessary to fill the spy's shoes, while others had hoped made for an older star, such as Henry Cavill or Idris Elba, to carry Bond's classic maturity.

The actor is a self-confessed homebody, taking time away from acting to be with his daughters Wylda Rae, 13 and Romy Hero, 11, at home in Somerset - where he engages in un-Bondlike pastimes, keeping pigs and bees, and gardening.

He previous told Harpers Bazaar: 'If I'm home in the countryside, Im either gardening or cooking, or taking long walks. It makes me feel grounded. To avoid burnout, I think the most relaxing thing to do is just being immersed in nature.'

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is on the verge of signing a deal to become the next James Bond, according to reports

Daniel Craig retired from playing 007 with 2021's No Time To Die (pictured), after five films and 15 years

Many fans felt casting Taylor-Johnson as Bond was the wrong call - with some labelling him 'boring' and lacking charisma, and others feeling he is too young for the role

Henry Cavill (left) was a favourite among many fans to replace Daniel Craig as Bond, while Idris Elba was linked to the Bond role for years

Taylor-Johnson will be older than Sean Connery (pictured) was when he was cast as Bond in what became his breakthrough cinematic role in Dr No

Fans took to social media to share their views on who they felt should have been cast as the next James Bond - with Henry Cavill and Idris Elba among the most popular alternatives

One fan on X, formerly Twitter, wrote: 'Aaron Taylor-Johnson as James Bond? I don't see it. In the vast majority of films I have seen in him he has been an utter charisma vacuum, with zero screen presence, gravitas or charm.'

Another said: 'The next James Bond...big mistake - Henry Cavill was the best obvious choice.'

'Should have been Idris Elba,' wrote a third fan, while a fourth added: 'There is absolutely no way that the role of the world's most famous spy James Bond should go to Aaron Taylor-Johnson.'

They continued: 'It should go to Henry Cavill - he's perfect for the role.'

'Aaron Taylor-Johnson can't be the next Bond,' opined another spy super-fan. 'Great face, but wrong voice.'

Taylor-Johnson only came ninth in a recent poll of actors audiences wanted to see play the next Bond - being beaten out by Elba, Tom Hardy, Cavill, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hiddleston and Fifty Shades star Jamie Dornan.

And fans were not quiet this morning about who they would rather see stepping out of an Aston Martin, Walther PPK in hand.

'I hope (Taylor-Johnson) does a good job, but on the surface he doesn't strike me as a James Bond. I would've thought...Henry Cavill or Richard Madden,' wrote one.

'I would have preferred Henry Cavill... but hey-ho. Daniel Craig was never Bond,' said another.

One filmgoer said of the Kick-Ass actor: 'I think he'll do OK. But if I'd have been putting money into this franchise I'd have been thinking Henry Cavill.

'Big name, looks the part, can put bums on seats, guys love him, women love him. I think they could end up not making the money. Been some bad decisions by them.'

Some felt Taylor-Johnson, at 33, did not have the maturity to play an experienced version of the suave spy.

However, Sean Connery was younger than the actor when he made his first appearance as 007 in 1962's Dr No - and had been a practical unknown before he was cast.

'Don't know much about him but he should be older. Perhaps they can make him up to look older. But a man in his early 30s would not be Bond,' one X user said.

'I still kinda want Idris Elba to get a shot, maybe as an older Bond as a one-off,' another wrote.

Some, however, are willing to give the Marvel actor a chance.

'I mean in my perfect world Idris Elba BUT I'm okay with this,' one said.

'Not sure about this Aaron Taylor-Johnson lad for Bond, but I said the same about (Robert) Pattinson for Batman', said another.

On the r/jamesbond forum on Reddit, fans were equally dismissive of Taylor-Johnson's prospects.

'Doesn't have "it" in my eyes,' said one Redditor, while another added: 'Gross he's so wrong for it.'

'I have nothing against ATJ as a person or an actor, I honestly had never heard of/noticed him until talk of Bond,' wrote a third.

'In my opinion though, I absolutely cannot see him as a good fit for Bond as we've come to know him, especially considering the other contenders.'

Taylor-Johnson began performing as a child and cut his teeth in films such as Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, before achieving his breakthrough as John Lennon in the biopic Nowhere Boy.

His ascent to fame continued in Kick-Ass, based on Mark Millar's hyper-violent comic book, playing the titular teenage vigilante in two movies to date.

He was then cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver - a superhero with the ability to run at high speeds - and later appeared in Christopher Nolan's Tent, The King's Man and Bullet Train.

He is set to appear in The Fall Guy opposite Ryan Gosling as well as a remake of horror classic Nosferatu later this year.

He is also taking on the title role of Kraven the Hunter in the upcoming Marvel Comics film - set in a separate cinematic 'universe' from the one in which he played Quicksilver.

But away from the screen he has a much more sedate and quiet lifestyle with a flourishing farm in rural Somerset, where he grows organic vegetables and plans to keep chickens.

He told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year: 'I meditate for about 10 to 20 minutes every morning. I get up about 5.30 or 6am then Ill go work out for an hour and then Ill get my kids up and make breakfast and take them to school.

'So for me, those moments are precious moments. And then a big one for me is actually being immersed outside and being in the elements in nature.

'I love cooking and I love vegetable gardening and all those sort of things, sort of active and also just being immersed in outside an outdoors lifestyle. So yeah, I love being outside.'

Social media is split on whether Taylor-Johnson has the chops to step into 007's shoes after a run of action films including Bullet Train (pictured)

He began acting as a child and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearances scheduled this year alone (pictured in The Fall Guy)

He is known to millions for his role as the super-speedy Pietro Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron (pictured opposite Elizabeth Olsen in the film)

Among his early breakout roles as that of love interest Robbie in 2008's Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

Taylor-Johnson as Kick-Ass opposite Chloe Grace Moretz in the adaptation of Mark Millar's ultra-violent comic

He will also take on the title role of Kraven the Hunter in the upcoming adaptation of the Marvel Comics character

Sources told The Sun that the Bond role was his - pending his signature on a contract with EON Productions, which produces the Bond films.

One said: 'Bond is Aarons job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.

'As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.'

Responding to the rumours that he could step into Bond's shoes last week, Aaron played coy, telling Numero: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'

The Bullet Train star's name has been in the running for Bond for a while now, alongside fellow A-list contenders like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and recent Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy.

In October last year, the Mail exclusively revealed that Aaron was the 'one to beat' to take the iconic role, while Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was looking likely to helm the next film in the franchise.

The insider said: Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently the hot favorite to step into the iconic role, hes the first choice for Barbara Broccoli  he is the one to beat.

In March 2023, Aaron was said to have completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios with Bond boss Barbara and impressed her.

According to the Mail On Sunday, Barbara has made it clear she wanted the next actor to portray the character for 15 years.

Outside of acting, Aaron's personal life has generated much public interest, due to the large age gap between him and his wife.

He tied the knot with Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57, in June 2012, and they share daughters Wylda Rae, 13, and Romy Hero, 11.

Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam also has two older daughters - Angelica, 26, and Jessie, 17, with her ex-husband Jay Jopling.

Their relationship has caused controversy, as the couple met while filming Nowhere Boy in 2009, which Sam directed, when Aaron was 18 and she was 42, going on to welcome their first daughter Wylda the following year.

Sam previously spoke about falling for Aaron on the set, but insisted nothing happened until the movie wrapped.

She said: 'I managed to hold off really until almost the end of the film. We werent even together then. Maybe feelings were there but un-acted upon.

'The thing is, we had quite a psychic link when working together. I knew from a flicker of an eyelash what kind of performance I was going to get. I felt that link almost from day one of meeting him.'

And while Idris Elba was the top choice for many fans, he has ruled himself out several times - focusing on projects such as Luther instead.

Back in August 2022, it was reported he had walked away from 'years of talks' with movie bosses to take over the famous role.

And in February 2023, he insisted: 'You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but I'm not going to be that guy.'

James Bond fans confirm who they REALLY want as Daniel Craig's replacement - overwhelmingly beating out two other 007 candidates

By Hannah McDonald and Tom Cotterill

It's the movie role that can transform unknown actors into global mega stars - and now Brits have had their say over who they want the next James Bond to be.

Since Daniel Craig put down his martini and hung up his tux, movie fans have been eagerly waiting to find out who will be next to pick up 007's gun.

One of Hollywood's most iconic roles, actors who played the suave, steely-eyed and devastatingly charming spy include Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan and Timothy Dalton.

Now, thousands of Bond fans have been casting their vote over who they want to replace Craig in the franchise.

And topping the list is Luther star Idris Elba, who was the overwhelming favourite for the gig following a study of 2,000 Brits.

The poll, commissioned by Lottoland, saw the 51-year-old beating the likes of Venom star Tom Hardy, Superman's Henry Cavill and the Oscar-winning man with the golden gong, Cillian Murphy, to the prized role.

Some of the other top 20 A-listers fans suggested to be in the running included some left-wing stars, like House of the Dragons' Emilia Clarke, James Norton, Emily Blunt and Helen Mirren, The Sun revealed.

Fans of James Bond revealed which actor they would most like to see replace Daniel Craig in the spy flicks - Idris Elba (seen on Saturday)

Daniel Craig has played James Bond for five instalments of the spy flicks, since Casino Royale in 2006

Superman Henry Cavill is another Bond making the top 20 of the poll

Also in the running is Venom star Tom Hardy who was the second favourite to replace Daniel Craig as 007

From Sean Connery (left) to Roger Moore (right), the men chosen to play Bond are typically steely-eyed, testosterone-fuelled, with deadly charm

Pictured: Pierce Brosnan as 007

The top 20 actors Brits want to be the next James Bond 1. Idris Elba 2. Tom Hardy 3. Henry Cavill 4. James Norton 5. Cillian Murphy 6. Tom Hiddleston 7. Tom Holland 8. Jamie Dornan 9. Aaron Taylor-Johnson 10. Richard Madden 11. Rege Jean Page 12. Luke Evans 13. Leo Woodall 14. Emilia Clarke 15. Emily Blunt 16. Helen Mirren 17. Barry Keoghan 18. Theo James 19. Lupita Nyongo 20. Sam Heughan Advertisement

Bond is famed for turning those who play 007 into global superstars.

And the franchise isn't shy of casting left-field stars to take on the role. The late Sean Connery, one of the most recognisable Bonds, had only featured in a series of TV films when he accepted the role of the titular British spy in 1962's Dr. No, catapulting him to international fame.

But while Idris was the top choice, fans may end up disappointed after the actor ruled himself out of playing the role last year so he could focus on his deal with Netflix, where he is starring in Luther: The Fallen Sun.

Idris brought up the persistent discussions about him taking over as Ian Fleming's famed British spy in February 2023.

When asked about the Luther film at the World Government Summit in Dubai, he said: 'It's very dark.

'We've been working on the television show for about 10 years and so the natural ambition is to take it to the big screen, and so we're here with the first movie.

'You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but I'm not going to be that guy.

'I'm going to be John Luther. That's who I am.'

Back in August 2022, it was reported Idris had walked away from 'years of talks' with movie bosses to take over the famous role.

He had been the bookies' favourite to replace Daniel Craig as the super spy, but is keen to pursue other roles - and has even put forward a list of proposed names to producer Barbara Broccoli of actors to play 007.

A source told The Sun: 'Fans and Barbara wanted Idris but he wants to create something for himself.

'However, he's put forward names to play 007. He's 'informally' in the decision-making process as he's been in talks with producers for so long.'

MailOnline contacted reps for Idris and James Bond producers at the time.

While Aaron Taylor-Johnson, once hailed as the 'one to beat' to become the next 007, placed 9th

He's the man with the golden gong, but could Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy be the next 007

How about Marvel's cheeky trickster, Loki? Tom Hiddleston features sixth on the list

But there are some left-field entries, too, including Emily Blunt as the first female Bond

And House of the Dragon star Emilia Clarke - who once played Sarah Connor in the Terminator franchise - is also a female front runner

While at the premiere of his movie The Harder They Fall in 2021, Idris said when asked if he'll be considered as the next 007 he said: 'No, I'm not going to be James Bond.'

He also told The Express about the rumours: 'I'm probably the most famous Bond actor in the world, and I haven't even played the role.'

Idris then added: 'Enough is enough. I can't talk about it anymore.'

Despite this Ladbrokes awarded the actor 3/1 on taking on the role after Daniel announced 2021's No Time To Die would be his last outing as the character.

The bookmakers said at the time: 'We've seen a flurry of interest in Idris Elba and have slashed his odds accordingly, so much so that he's now the clear favourite as far as we're concerned to replace Daniel Craig as 007.'

Also rumoured to be in the running at the time were Tom Hardy at 5/1, Rege-Jean Page 4/1 and Richard Madden 20/1.

Daniel Craig has been Bond since his first outing in 2006's Casino Royal, before announcing 2021's No Time To Die would be his last time as 007

Grantchester's James Norton (pictured in 2021) placed fourth in the poll for the future famed spy

Others in the running for Bond include Scottish Game of Thrones star, Richard Madden

Rege Jean-Page (pictured in July 2022) also made the list, placing just behind Madden in 11th

Spider-Man Tom Holland was also on the list to replace Daniel Craig as Bond

James Bond producer Barbara previously admitted it will take a long time to choose Craig's 007 replacement.

The filmmaker insisted it's not as easy as picking an actor to take on the iconic role of the suave spy.

Speaking to Variety, Barbara said: 'It's a big decision.

'It's not just casting a role. It's about a whole rethink about where we're going.'

Earlier that same year, the blockbuster franchise's producer confirmed Idris was 'part of the conversation' to be the next 007.

She told Deadline's Crew Call podcast: 'Well, we know Idris, we're friends with him, and he's a magnificent actor.'

'And, you know, it's been a part of the conversation, but it's always difficult to have the conversation when you have someone in the seat.'

Hunky Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan also features in the top 20 for the next Bond

As does Welshman Luke Evans, who has starred in a string of Hollywood blockbusters - including the Hobbit, Fast & Furious 6 and Dracula Untold

Flying high off his recent role in the Netflix smash, Saltburn, could Barry Keoghan be the next to step into the shoes of 007?

Perhaps an unlikely choice but Leo Woodall's role in Neflix's One Day has seen his popularity surge - sitting 13th in the table for future Bonds

Barbara added that there is no rush from Bond bosses to name the actor as they wanted to let the cast and crew savour the Craig's final movie No Time To Die.

She said: 'I think we have decided that until No Time To Die has had its run and Daniel has been able to  well, we've all been able to savour, reap the benefits of Daniel's wonderful tenure, we're not gonna think about, or talk about anybody else.'

The producer also hinted at a re-imagining of the franchise. explaining: 'It's a reinvention of Bond. We're working out where to go with him, we're talking that through.'

She added though that any casting announcements are a way off, saying: 'We're reinventing who he is and that takes time,' she continued. 'There isn't a script and we can't come up with one until we decide how we're going to approach the next film. 'I'd say that filming is at least two years away.'
The ducklings are waiting to be rehomed and the RSPCA are looking for answers

The RSPCA were called to collect the terrified baby ducks and get them treated

Four fluffy ducklings were found dumped in a box in a London park.

A dog walker discovered the terrified ducklings in a closed box in a busy park, King George's Fields in Barnet, at about 5pm on March 8 and the RSPCA were called to collect them.

The charity is now investigating how they ended up being left for dead.

Inspector Shahnaz Ahmad, who rescued them, said: 'It would have been a terrifying experience for the poor ducklings, and anything could have happened to them in a busy park.

'Given they were in a closed cardboard box we are investigating it as an abandonment and are looking for information about where they came from.'

Duck, Duck, Duck and Goose were found terrified and alone in a closed cardboard box in a park in Barnet, London and now the RSPCA are looking for answers

The four ducklings are now in hospital being treated and waiting to be rehomed

The baby ducks, who have been named Duck, Duck, Duck and Goose, are now at South Essex Wildlife Hospital from where they will be rehomed.

'The ducklings all seem quite healthy and tame, although one is smaller than the others,' Inspector Ahmed added.

'We are very grateful that someone found them and took them home to safety until we could collect them.'

According to the RSPCA website: 'baby ducks, geese and swans don't normally stray far from their parents, so the mother will usually be close to them.

'If the parents don't return within two hours or are found dead, contact your local wildlife rehabilitation centre for advice.

If you find ducklings are in an enclosed area, the charity recommends providing 'an easy access route by placing a ramp over a fence or wall.

'If there's no safe route, but the area is suitable for them to stay then leave them until they are old enough to fly away. A suitable area will have some vegetation and a shallow water pool.'

The RSPCA are appealing for any witnesses to come forward and help them solve this puzzle.

The RSPCA website also advises anyone who find dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) to report it the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77).
The two black men who were subjected to torture that included one of them being shot in the mouth during a mock execution by a group of cops known as 'The Goon Squad' want their tormentors to be punished to the full extent of the law.

The former cops admitted in August to subjecting Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker to numerous acts of racially motivated, violent torture.

Prompted by a neighbor's complaint in January 2023 that Jenkins and Parker were staying in a home with a white woman, the group of six burst in without a warrant and assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns, a sex toy and other objects.

After a mock execution went awry when Jenkins was shot in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun.

The officers charged include former Rankin deputies Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke, and Joshua Hartfield, a former Richland police officer.

Elward was also accused in a separate incident of beating a mentally ill black man to death in 2021.

Michael Corey Jenkins, left, and Eddie Terrell Parker, right, stand with lead attorney Malik Shabazz, as they call on a federal judge Monday, March 18, 2024, to impose the harshest possible penalties

The officers charged in relation to the assault of Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker were (Top L-R) Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Christian Dedmon. (Bottom L-R) Hunter Elward, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield

They pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy against rights, obstructions of justice, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm under a crime of violence, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The Rankin County Sheriff's Department then supported the deputies' false charges, which stood against Jenkins and Parker for months.

U.S. District Judge Tom Lee will sentence two defendants each day, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after twice delaying the proceedings.

An attorney for Jenkins and Parker called Monday for the 'stiffest of sentences.'

'Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker continue to suffer emotionally and physically since this horrific and bloody attack by Rankin County deputies,' Malik Shabazz said in a statement.

'A message must be sent to police in Mississippi and all over America,' he said, that such criminal conduct 'will be met with the harshest of consequences.'

At a news conference Monday, Jenkins and Parker said they continued to suffer as a result of what they endured.

'It's been very hard for me, for us,' Jenkins said. 'We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.'

At a news conference Monday, Jenkins and Parker said they continued to suffer as a result of what they endured

'It's been very hard for me, for us,' Jenkins said. 'We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst'

Most of their lawyers did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment Monday. Jason Kirschberg, representing Opdyke, said: 'Daniel has accepted responsibility for his actions, and his failures to act. ... He has admitted he was wrong and feels deep remorse for the pain he caused the victims.'

On the federal charges, Dedmon and Elward each face a maximum sentence of 120 years plus life in prison and $2.75 million in fines.

Hartfield faces a possible sentence of 80 years and $1.5 million, McAlpin faces 90 years and $1.75 million, Middleton faces 80 years and $1.5 million, and Opdyke could be sentenced to 100 years with a $2 million fine.

The former officers agreed to prosecutor-recommended sentences ranging from five to 30 years in state court, but time served for separate convictions at the state level will run concurrently with the potentially longer federal sentences.

Shabazz said the false charges against the victims weren't dropped until June. That's when federal and state investigators began to close in on the deputies, and one of them began talking.

They were fired shortly thereafter, and prosecutors announced the federal charges in August.

Prosecutors say some of the officers nicknamed themselves the 'Goon Squad' because of their willingness to use excessive force and cover up attacks.

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey called the crimes by his deputies the worst case of police brutality he had ever seen.

For months, Bailey said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department.

Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.

'I relive this every day,' Parker said. 'Every time I turn on the TV. Every time I get on the phone, every time I'm on social media, people are telling my story.'
A former patient of rogue surgeon Sam Eljamel has called for the doctor to be prosecuted before his victims die without seeing justice.

Former radio DJ Pat Kelly, 64, has called on the Scottish Government to speed up a public inquiry into the brain butcher surgeon who left an estimated 172 patients damaged through botched operations.

Mr Kelly, from Dundee, was left in constant pain and poor health after an operation by Eljamel.

Now he fears he will not survive to see the conclusion of a public inquiry into the scandal.

Mr Kelly said: 'I would love to see him jailed before I die. I would love to see this clown behind bars because it is horrific what he has done to so many people over the years.

Sam Eljamel (pictured) left an estimated 172 patients damaged through botched operations

Former musician and radio presenter Pat Kelly (pictured) wants the butcher NHS surgeon brought to justice

I went in to have tumour removed. But instead he cut out my tear gland... Patient Jules Rose, 55 Patient Jules Rose, 55, had a tear gland removed instead of a brain tumour by Professor Eljamel. She has suffered from PTSD since the operation. The mother of two, from Kinross, was operated on by the surgeon in August 2013  after he was placed under supervision amid serious concerns about his work. Mrs Rose, who works in education, has been left with dry eyes and unable to wear contact lenses. She is a member of a patient action group set up to campaign for a public inquiry, and criticised the NHS Tayside internal review. Mr Rose said: 'NHS Tayside have marked their own homework with this review because they carried it out themselves. 'My concern is that we are now hearing of 111 patients potentially exposed to risk of harm from Professor Eljamel after he was put under supervision. 'NHS Tayside knew they were going to suspend him when they let him operate on me in December 2013. This is a bigger scandal than we realised. He butchered patients and the gravity and seriousness of this needs a public inquiry.' Mrs Rose's campaigning work has included a petition and protests outside the Scottish parliament. She added: 'Multiple patients coming forward in increasing numbers have been harmed as a consequence of inappropriate, unnecessary and in many cases dangerous care by this surgeon. 'Many of these patients are now living with life-long and life- changing debilitating injuries. 'As patients we were individually led to believe/misled that our experience was a singular incident.' Mrs Rose added: 'There are many critical questions that still remain unanswered  and as such there is no assurance that such a scenario could not arise again any day, anywhere in our health system in Scotland.' Advertisement

'If the British government managed to get an extradition treaty then there might be a chance.

'But then there is the will of the Scottish Government as well and I am not convinced on that score.'

Professor Eljamel worked as a consultant neurosurgeon at NHS Tayside from 1995 until December 2013.

The former head of neurosurgery at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, left patients with life-altering injuries.

Despite harming patients with botched surgeries, health board chiefs allowed him to continue operating until he was suspended in late 2013.

A review by NHS Tayside has found the neurosurgeon was not properly supervised despite concerns about his abilities.

He operated on 111 patients unsupervised in the last six months of his employment, even though bosses were aware of serious complaints.

In one case, he removed the wrong part of a body in an operation.

Jules Rose had her tear duct removed instead of her brain tumour.

Eljamel removed himself from the medical register in 2014 and left Scotland to live and work in Libya.

Ms Rose told the BBC: 'He has obviously gone somewhere he feels he can get away with it.

'These poor people have no idea. They are completely oblivious to what damage and what harm this man has caused.

'He is just going to do it all again.'

Ms Rose, 55, has suffered from PTSD since the operation.

Meanwhile, Mr Kelly has been told the botched operation by Eljamel could take years off his life.

He said: 'I don't know how long I have got. Every day my condition is worse, my health is deteriorating.'

Mr Kelly had problems dating back to 1992 when he was suddenly unable to feel his legs.

In pain and suffering violent leg shakes, in 2005, he was finally diagnosed with thoracic disc herniation, a serious and rare spinal condition.

Eljamel agreed to operate to shave or remove discs from his spine but the operation was a disaster.

Mr Kelly said: 'The operation involves going in by the side, then they have got to collapse your lung and remove ribs to get right through past the heart.

'You are basically wide open. It is a brutal operation. It needs a very skilled neurosurgeon to do that.

'I thought at the time I was blessed to have him.'

Four days after surgery, on February 2, 2007, he collapsed and slipped from his chair. When he came to, there was 'chaos'.

Mr Kelly continued: 'My lung had collapsed and that is what had caused me to fall off the chair and faint.

'I'd had a haemorrhage and they said if the blood went into my lung I could die.

'They told me to say goodbye to my wife and son.'

The former radio DJ said there has been 'all sorts of shenanigans' with his medical notes and he fears a public inquiry may never get to the truth.

Mr Kelly said from 2007 his condition worsened.

He added: 'I knew operations weren't always guaranteed but as years progressed and nothing improved, I just thought I had been unlucky.

Eljamel was head of neurosurgery at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and left patients with life-altering injuries. Despite concerns over his practice, he was allowed to operate on 111 patients unsupervised in the six months leading to his suspension in 2013

Mr Kelly went to Shona Robison for answers who was the then health secretary as well as an SNP MSP for the area

'I'm still in a great deal of pain. If I get up to the bathroom at night, I can hardly walk.

'My mobility is getting worse and worse and I get very breathless. I should be in a wheelchair and that will happen eventually.

'Doctors have advised me that there could be more and more problems. But if my discs had been shaved or removed that would have prevented the condition from worsening.

'They cannot operate again because of the scar tissue around that area, so there is nothing anyone can do for me now.'

In 2014, Mr Kelly read an article which said Eljamel had been suspended after a series of botched operations.

He said: 'I decided to write to NHS Tayside and got a letter back saying he was suspended but there was not much they could do because he had gone now.. I thought, 'I am not bloody having that'.'

He demanded his case was reviewed and an MRI scan showed his discs were in exactly the same position as they had been before the operation - proving his operation had been a sham.

Mr Kelly has been fighting for answers ever since. He first went to Shona Robison, the then health secretary as well as an SNP MSP for the area.

But he said: 'She fobbed it off. By then, there was a damning Royal College of Surgeons report and, had she read that, she would have known this needed to be investigated because what he was up to was horrendous.

'Had she acted back then, it would be over. I think she should resign over it because this man caused serious injuries and to so many people while she is now Deputy First Minister. It is a damned disgrace.'

Mr Kelly is furious that a government promise in May 2022 to provide victims with care and support has yet to be forthcoming.

He said the compensation package mooted by First Minister Humza Yousaf has yet to happen.

There are 172 known victims but it is feared there may be many more and they are waiting to learn the terms of reference for the inquiry.

Mr Kelly added: 'This is our last chance to put it right.'

A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'In August 2023, the due diligence review published by NHS Tayside laid bare some of the failings in the board's response to concerns over Mr Eljamel.

'The review also included significant information not previously known to the Scottish Government which made clear concerns were not acted upon with the urgency or rigour they deserved.

'The establishment of the public inquiry is progressing at pace, with the newly appointed chair, Lord Weir, leading on the necessary arrangements.'
By Jhoo Dong-chan

Net Zero 2050 Foundation has joined hands with Happy Bridge to help achieve a carbon-neutral society, the nongovernmental organization said Monday. Happy Bridge is a blockchain-based financial service provider.

Net Zero 2050 Foundation Chairman Jang Dae-sik signed an agreement with Happy Bridge head Park Nam at the nongovernmental organizations office in Seoul, Monday.

Under the agreement, the two sides will encourage their workers to use personal mugs instead of plastic cups, while jointly hosting various social events promoting reducing the use of disposable products.

We aim to reduce the use of disposable goods across the country, Jang said during the signing ceremony. We hope more people will use their own cups or mugs while reducing the use of plastics.

Park said his company will actively engage in the nongovernmental organizations mission.

Happy Bridge will do its best for carbon neutrality by utilizing the firms near-field communication technology, he said.
Rachel Reeves will warn Britain needs an economic jolt similar to that applied by Margaret Thatcher's election in 1979 as she makes a major economic speech tonight.

Labour's shadow chancellor will pledge to deliver 'a new chapter' in Britain's economic history if the party wins the election and puts her in No11.

In an address to City leaders she will warn that the scale of the economic transformation needed is the same as that faced by Margaret Thatcher after her era-defining election win 45 years ago.

But she will also warn that she wants to avoid the worst economic aspects of the 1980s.

Giving the Mais Lecture in the City of London tonight Ms Reeves will pledge to 'bring together public and private sectors, in a national mission - directed at restoring strong economic growth across Britain'.

'When we speak of a decade of national renewal, that is what we mean,' she is expected to say.

'As we did at the end of the 1970s, we stand at an inflection point, and as in earlier decades, the solution lies in wide-ranging supply-side reform to drive investment, remove the blockages constraining our productive capacity, and fashion a new economic settlement, drawing on evolutions in economic thought. A new chapter in Britain's economic history.

'And unlike the 1980s, growth in the years to come must be broad-based, inclusive, and resilient.

Labour's shadow chancellor will pledge to deliver 'a new chapter' in Britain's economic history if the party wins the election and puts her in No11.

In an address to City leaders she will warn that the scale of the economic transformation needed is the same as that faced by Margaret Thatcher after her era-defining election win 45 years ago.

'Growth achieved through stability - built on the strength of our institutions. Investment - through partnership between active government and enterprising business.

'And reform - of our planning system, our public services, our labour market, and our democracy.'

It is not the first time she has referenced the Iron Lady, who towered over Britain at the end of the Cold War like a Colossus of Rhodes.

Last November she told the Mail on Sunday: 'When I was three months old, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister.

'As I got older I rebelled against that sort of politics but I never doubted that a woman could be Prime Minister, because Thatcher was there, doing it.

'My generation of women, of course we have been influenced by her.

'Whether you agree with her or not, she smashed glass ceilings and shifted the boundaries. You'd be foolish not to recognise that.'

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has blown hot and cold on Mrs T. In December he was forced to defended his praise of the former PM after a left-wing backlash.

In an article for a Sunday newspaper, Sir Keir applauded Thatcher's drive to 'drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism'.

But his bid to woo disgruntled Tory voters by praising the ex-PM caused fury within Labour and among trade union leaders, with his comments branded 'embarrassing'.

Sir Keir, dubbed 'Sir Flip Flop' by critics, was also accused of 'saying anything to get elected' as it was noted how his remarks jarred with his past criticism of Thatcher.

The Labour leader has previously accused the former premier of 'almost destroying British manufacturing' and 'devastating' communities by closing coal mines.

He has also claimed Britain is 'still counting the cost' from Thatcher's financial 'big bang' in the 1980s - a claim he later repeated in January.

Ms Reeves is expected to pledge to transform the Treasury from a department of bean counters to growth drivers if Labour wins the general election.

She will vow to bolster the Treasury's Enterprise and Growth Unit by integrating it into the budget and spending review processes for the first time.

Ms Reeves will tell the Treasury that it must be ready to 'get to work from day one' on bringing economic growth back to Britain, adding: 'We need to do more to enshrine that core growth mission within our economic architecture.

'In 1997, the last Labour government established the Enterprise and Growth Unit within the Treasury. Squarely focused on driving economic growth.

'It was a source of important policy ideas, including the reform of competition law and the creation of a longer-term science funding framework.

'However, as the Institute for Government noted last month, that Unit is widely seen to be underpowered, its influence diminished compared to twenty years ago. And crucially it is not involved in the management of fiscal events.

'So, we will build on that success. Hard-wiring economic growth into budget and spending review processes, with a reformed and strengthened Enterprise and Growth Unit augmenting the existing so-called 'fiscal triangle'.'

Ms Reeves will urge people to 'reject managed decline' and 'pursue the long overdue task of renewing our common purpose, rethinking outmoded assumptions, and rebuilding growth on strong and secure foundations'.

The Mais lecture is considered the 'foremost event' for the City of London's banking and finance community. Past speakers have included Rishi Sunak, Mark Carney and George Osborne.

Laura Trott, the Conservative Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: 'Rachel Reeves may be promising a ''new chapter'', but it will be the same old Labour. No plan  just more borrowing and more taxes  exactly how the last Labour government wrecked our economy.

'Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a plan that will deliver a stronger economy for the long term and a brighter future for our children.'
Hong Kong lawmakers have rushed through a 'draconian' bill that would impose life sentences for 'traitors' and 'public enemies' weeks after top officials from mainland China pressured them for the sake of 'core national security interests.'

Lawmakers in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, or LegCo, today passed the domestic national security bill at a special meeting held today, just 11 days after it was published by the government.

The legislation will take effect from Saturday, and was passed unanimously, with 88 out of the 90 representatives who normally sit in the LegCo on behalf of the citizens of Hong Kong, addressing the chamber and expressing support for the worrying piece of legislation.

Two representatives from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) party, which is supporting the bill, said it would make it more difficult for 'traitors' and 'public enemies' to work with the West to disrupt Hong Kong.

It comes just weeks after China's vice-premier Ding Xuexiang visited Hong Kong and pressured lawmakers into pushing for the bill, claiming it would protect 'core national interests.'

Hong Kong lawmakers are accused of rushing through an 'authoritarian' bill that would impose life sentences for 'traitors' and 'public enemies'

Lawmakers in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, or LegCo, (pictured) today rushed through the domestic national security bill at a special meeting held today

One politician, who represents the city's financial sector, said that no one who breaks the rules should have to worry about the legislation

Xuexiang, the sixth-most powerful person in the country, visited officials in Hong Kong to pressure them into pushing the legislation through.

Hours after he visited on March 7, the city's government said the national security bill was endorsed by the Executive Council. A government source told the South China Morning Post at the time that the bill would be fast-tracked to 'minimise possible manipulation of the topic.'

The bill will introduce life sentences for Hong Kongers convicted of treason, insurrection, incitement of a member of the Chinese armed forces to mutiny, or collusion with an external force to damage or weaken public infrastructure with an intent to endanger national security.

It will also more than triple the maximum sentence for sedition, the crime of inciting people to rebel against authorities, from two years to seven years.

Some provisions allow criminal prosecutions for acts committed anywhere in the world.

City leader John Lee, who made a rare appearance at the LegCo, said: 'Today is a historic moment for Hong Kong.'

One politician, who represents the city's financial sector, said that no one who breaks the rules should have to worry about the legislation.

Banker Chan Chun-ying of the Finance Functional Constituency said: 'Law-abiding residents do not have to worry about breaking the law accidentally.'

The bill comes just a few years after the 2019-2020 freedom protests, which saw millions of Hong Kongers take to the streets to fight against a bill that would've made it easier for people to be extradited to mainland China (File image)

One politician, who represents the city's financial sector, said that no one who breaks the rules should have to worry about the legislation (File image)

The bill, which is now in its final stages, would introduce life sentences for Hong Kongers convicted of treason or insurrection

The legislation was first introduced to the LegCo in 2003, but more than half a million Hong Kongers took to the streets to protest it (File image)

Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said: 'With this draconian legislation, the Hong Kong government has delivered another crushing blow to human rights in the city. The authorities have enacted this law in the blink of an eye, killing off any remaining shred of hope that public outcry could counter its most destructive elements.

'The passing of this law sends the clearest message yet that the Hong Kong authorities' hunger to accommodate Beijing's will outstrips any past commitments on human rights. The government has ignored ever-more urgent warnings from UN human rights experts that its approach to national security legislation is incompatible with Hong Kong's international obligations.

'Above all, this is a devastating moment for the people of Hong Kong, hundreds of thousands of whom have previously marched through the streets to demonstrate against repressive laws, including an incarnation of this one in 2003. Today they lost another piece of their freedom - any act of peaceful protest is now more dangerous than ever.

'It has never been more important for organizations such as Amnesty International to stand with those Hong Kongers who continue to risk their freedom simply by exercising their rights.

'We urge all those who can wield influence in Hong Kong - from governments and businesses to the UN and the EU - not to neglect Hong Kongers in their hour of need, but instead to ramp up pressure on the territory's authorities to respect human rights and repeal all laws that violate them.'

Lord David Cameron, the UK's foreign secretary, meanwhile said: 'Hong Kong's reputation as an international city was founded on respect for the rule of law, the independence of its institutions, its high degree of autonomy and protection of the rights and freedoms afforded to all people living and working there.

'This new law, rushed through the legislative process, will have far-reaching implications for all of these areas.

'The broad definitions of national security and external interference will make it harder for those who live, work and do business in Hong Kong. It fails to provide certainty for international organisations, including diplomatic missions, who are operating there. It will entrench the culture of self-censorship which now dominates Hong Kong's social and political landscape, and enable the continuing erosion of freedoms of speech, of assembly, and of the media.

'The overall impact of Hong Kong's new national security law is that it will further damage the rights and freedoms enjoyed in the city. It undermines Hong Kong's implementation of binding international obligations including the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

'I urge the Hong Kong authorities to respect the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Basic Law, uphold its high degree of autonomy and the rule of law and act in accordance with its international commitments and legal obligations.'

Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said: 'With this draconian legislation, the Hong Kong government has delivered another crushing blow to human rights in the city' (File image)

Anti-government protesters protect themselves with umbrellas among tear gas during a demonstration near Central Government Complex in Hong Kong, China, September 15, 2019

An anti-extradition bill protester is detained by a riot police officer during a protest, at Po Lam Mass Transit Railway (MTR) station, in Hong Kong, China September 5, 2019

A protester writes 'Fight for freedom' on a wall during a rally in Hong Kong, China, 31 August 2019

The bill comes just a few years after the 2019-2020 freedom protests, which saw millions of Hong Kongers take to the streets to fight against a bill that would've made it easier for people to be extradited to mainland China, where they would be afforded far fewer rights and would have to face a murkier legal system.

The legislation was first introduced to the LegCo in 2003, but more than half a million Hong Kongers, who lived in a British Dependent Territory until 1997 when the reins of power were handed over to China, took to the streets to protest.

The politician who was forced to resign in 2003 for spearheading the law, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, said she was looking forward to completing a 'historical mission.'

She now sits on the Executive Council, an advisory body made up of politicians that guides the Chief Executive of Hong Kong.

Ip said that if her bill had passed in 2003, Hong Kong would not have seen the surge in grassroots political activity that it did in 2019 and 2014, where a series of sit-in protests took place following proposals that would've effectively allowed mainland China to pre-screen candidates for the leadership of the city-state.

'We would have not seen the 79-day Occupy Central movement in 2014,' she said.

'It was already some foreign forces doing something to overthrow the societal order in Hong Kong, so they could overthrow government policy.

'We also had the widely known violent activity in 2019 to overthrow the government and separate Hong Kong from China.'
A British father-of-one is facing a hellhole Thai prison after being arrested for alleged cocaine dealing, with cops discovering an assortment of illegal substances and drug paraphernalia in his hotel room.

Stephen Mullady, 45, from Ascot, Berkshire, was drinking with friends when cops raided his hotel room on the upmarket island of Phuket last night, March 18.

Officers allegedly found 2.4 grams of the drug along with three weighing scales and 104 small plastic bags used to separate the powder. The officers claim they also seized small amounts of methamphetamine and crystal meth.

Father-of-one Stephen allegedly tested positive for methamphetamine.

Conviction for cocaine dealing carries a minimum term of 20 years and a maximum of life in Thailand, while possession of the other substance could lead to 10 years inside.

Mullady's arrest is the latest in a spate of police operations detaining foreigners for drugs and violence, with immigration officials now vowing to tighten checks.

Stephen Mullady, 45, from Ascot , Berkshire, was drinking with friends when cops raided his hotel room on the upmarket island of Phuket last night, March 18

Officers allegedly found 2.4 grams of the drug along with three weighing scales and 104 small plastic bags used to separate the powder

Mullady's arrest is the latest in a spate of police operations detaining foreigners for drugs and violence

Police Lieutenant Colonel Kornphon Liangboonjinda, Deputy Superintendent of the Karon district police station, said: 'Officers received an anonymous complaint that there was a group of foreigners causing a disturbance by regularly partying in a room at the hotel called Just a Puff.

'Police went to check the room and Stephen was shocked and behaving suspiciously.

'When we entered we found cocaine and methamphetamine in a black bag, along with three digital weighing apparatus and his passport in a grey bag.

'Plus, there were 104 little bags for separating drugs on his table.'

Stephen was charged with selling cocaine - a Category 2 banned substance that carries minimum prison terms of 20 years and a maximum of life.

Officers also charged Stephen with possession of Category 1 methamphetamine.

Possession has a maximum term of 10 years behind bars, though police believe the quantities found were not enough for a dealing charge.

The cop added: 'Foreigners think it's easy to sell drugs. But it's also easy for us to catch them.

'They should enjoy their holiday without breaking the law.'

Stephen was charged with selling cocaine - a Category 2 banned substance that carries minimum prison terms of 20 years and a maximum of life.

Mullady is one of several Brits to have been arrested in recent weeks on drugs charges

Police chiefs said today that foreigners will be under extra scrutiny following a string of arrests.

Roy Ingpairoj, deputy chief of the Royal Thai Police, said he had told the Commissioner of Immigration to carry out extra checks on foreigners who appeared to have nefarious motives for visiting the country.

Stephen, who is waiting for a court appearance, is the fourth Brit arrested in recent weeks for alleged drug dealing.

Andrew John Brett, 36, was arrested on the island of Koh Tao on February 29 for allegedly peddling ecstasy and LSD to other tourists.

On March 3, Peter Hull, 44, was allegedly caught with cocaine and ecstasy in his room on the island of Koh Samui.

And Brit Charly Garcia, 48, from London, was arrested on March 12 for allegedly selling cocaine, ecstasy and other narcotics to tourists via the Telegram app in Chiang Mai.
Shocking footage has emerged of the terror tactics used in Vladimir Putin's election victory as a man is dragged from a polling booth by armed police suspecting him of 'voting the wrong way'.

This came as evidence was released suggesting that the Kremlin despot's victory was based on between 22million and 31.6million fake votes.

And a prominent Communist MP Maria Prusakova, 40, defied her party which has recognised Putin's landslide by saying it was based on 'imaginary support', in other words cheating.

A voter in Putin's home city St Petersburg is seen being accosted by an armed police officer while in the polling booth.

He was violently dragged away after the policeman sought to check how he was filling in his ballot.

A male voter in St Petersburg was dragged out of a polling booth by a police officer as he made checks on how the man was filing his ballot

Versions of the story suggest the officer suspected him of spoiling his ballot as a protest against Putin

Two officers ultimately led the voter away before a female election official intervened to tell the police the man has the right to mark his ballot paper however he likes

One version is that the police officer suspected him of spoiling his ballot - which he is legally entitled to do - as a protest against warmongering dictator Putin.

Another is that he was believed to be 'voting the wrong way'.

Another officer helps drag the voter away, but a female election official then intervenes to tell the police that the man has the right to mark his ballot paper the way he wants.

This example of voting terror is minor compared with mounting evidence that the result was based on a gargantuan theft of votes.

Some 75.9 million voters cast their ballots for the dictator and he officially won with 87.29 per cent of votes in the election.

Yet independent news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe has used a mathematical model pioneered by Russian expert Sergei Shpilkin whose method has long questioned the veracity of elections in the Putin era.

'From our analysis it follows that Putin received at least 31.6 million votes through fraud, that is, about half of the votes for him were thrown in,' said the outlet.

'This is a record scale of vote fraud in the presidential elections in Russia.

'There were so many falsifications that it is almost impossible to identify the area of 'honest' votes using statistical methods.'

Another preliminary analysis by Important Stories news outlet suggests the scale of the falsification at 21.9million votes based on the same model designed by Shpilkin, a physicist seen as Russia's leading independent election statistics analyst.

'This is a record scale of vote fraud in the presidential elections in Russia,' said Russian expert Sergei Shpilkin

In both cases the estimations are based on incomplete voting data and more accurate analyses will follow.

Shpilkin's theory is that is that the ratio of votes cast for different candidates should not change depending on the increased turnout.

So if turnout is higher, and votes pile up for one candidate, this is fraudulent.

This is the suspicion about Putin's victory over three days of polling from 15 to 17 March.

It is suggested votes were 'added' to the winner through stuffing ballots and rewriting the election final protocols.

'The distribution of votes for different candidates is compared with the turnout at each individual polling station,' said Novaya Gazeta Europe.

Communist MP Prusakova broke ranks among Russian politicians to declare that Putin's win was based on falsifications.

'It must be admitted that the authorities today have all the tools - electronic voting, three-day voting, administrative resources and electoral legislation - to legitimise their political hegemony,' she said.

'But unfortunately, the result of the actions of this government was only an increase in the numbers of imaginary support.'

Prominent Communist MP Maria Prusakova, 40, defied her party which has recognised Putin's landslide by saying it was based on 'imaginary support'

Russian electoral statistician Shpilkin estimated the fraud in Putin's election has been increasing since he came to power a quarter of a century ago.

In 2018 - the previous presidential election - some 8.6 million fraudulent votes were added to Putin, according to his analysis model.

Alexander Kireyev, a Russian-born election expert now based in the U.S, calculated that a 2020 vote on constitutional amendments involved 20 million rigged votes.

The 2021 parliamentary election indicated 14 million votes were rigged, said Shpilkin.

Putin's spokesman described the 2024 tally as 'a completely unique result' - but according to this analysis this is only due to cheating on an epic scale.

As a comparison the alleged number of fraudulent votes is around the same as the entire 32 million who voted in the UK's last general election in 2019.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the election outcome highlighted the 'depth of repression' in Russia.

'Putin removes his political opponents, controls the media, and then crowns himself the winner. This is not democracy,' he said.
A deadly James Bond-style comb that contained a hidden blade and was carried by a British spy behind enemy lines in World War Two has been unearthed.

The apparently harmless-looking item was given to a Special Operations Executive agent to be used in a do-or-die situation with an enemy soldier.

The ingenious comb was designed to be quickly snapped in two in the event of an emergency to reveal a hidden saw blade.

The British SOE operative only had one chance to deploy it as the comb could not be put back together afterwards.

This is a deadly comb that contained a hidden blade and was carried by a British spy

This diagram from an instruction manual shows how the blade is hidden inside of the comb

Special Operations Executive Formed in 1940, the Special Operations Executive was an underground army that waged a secret war in enemy-occupied Europe and Asia. It was mainly tasked with sabotage and subversion behind enemy lines. They had a supporter in Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who famously ordered them to 'set Europe ablaze!' The only women who were permitted to hold a combat role in the Second World War were enlisted in the SOE, but many were enlisted in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry to disguise this. Advertisement

The five inch black comb featured in a MI9 secret publication in 1942 which explained how it works.

Spies were given secret weapons including lethal daggers, bladed coins and concealed compasses to get them out of hairy situations.

The rare comb fetched 610 including fees at auctioneers Bosleys, of Marlow, Bucks, who say it is a rare survivor as most would have been thrown away post-war. It was consigned by a private collector.

Auctioneer Bernard Pass said: 'This illustrates the ingenuity and thought that went into helping British PoWs which also let them know they had not been forgotten and by escaping could tie up German troops looking for them and keeping them away from the front lines.

'These combs are very rare as often in the post war years when discovered they would be just thrown away, because they thought who wants a secondhand comb?'

The auctioneers also sold an 'escape and evasion' compass pencil clip, a small brass tunic pocket button whose base unscrews to reveal a compass, and a silk map with a selection of World War Two period European currency.

The overall sale raised 1,600.

Pictured is a magnet which is used to demonstrate that a blade is hidden inside the comb
A British Army soldier took his own life just 24 hours after being put on the 'risk register' following his arrest, an inquest has heard.

Ebrima Nyabally, who joined the Army when he was 17, was found dead in his room at the barracks in Tidworth on February 25 just five days after joining a new squadron.

On the day before his death, the 19-year-old had been arrested by the Royal Military Police for unknown reasons.

They decided to release him as there was 'nothing to suggest any risk of suicide of self harm', a coroner was told.

However, following a routine check that was put in place to ensure his safety a sergeant found the teen soldier hanged in the bathroom.

Malang Nyabally, Ebrima's father, has said: 'I am absolutely heartbroken. He did not die in the war, he died in the barracks. My family legacy is broken.'

Ebrima Nyabally, who joined the Army when he was 17, was found dead in his room at barracks in Tidworth on February 25

The 19-year-old moved to the UK from Gambia and was planning to follow in the footsteps of his father by joining the Army

Signaller Nyabally, who moved to the UK from Gambia when he was only six years old, followed in his father Malang's footsteps and joined the British Army at the age of 17.

In February last year he joined the 255th Signal Squadron in the Swinton Barracks based in Tidworth, Wiltshere.

An inquest held in Salisbury, Wiltshire, heard he was 'fresh out of' training when he joined and was well-liked by his peers.

Describing him, Lance Corporal Luke Fowler said: 'Signaller Nyabally joined the squadron in February, shortly after coming out of phase two training.

'He was a happy guy, really happy to have joined the squadron. I got on with him well but he didn't chat much.'

On February 24th, the soldier was arrested on an undisclosed matter and he was held in a cell until late that evening.

His superiors made the decision to discharge him, but for safety reasons he was put under a unit risk register with 'measures'.

Giving evidence, Major Philip Taylor told the coroner: 'As you have heard stated in statements, there were to be regular checks every 12 hours by the duty officer to touch base with Signaller Ebrima - just to check up on him.

'That's the reason they didn't remand him in custody. In light of being told that I deemed it appropriate to touch base with him.'

The soldier said the teenager did not behave in 'any other way' than one would expect in a 'stressful situation'.

He said: 'There was no assessed risk that suicide or self-harm was likely. If we said we were going to stay with him for 24 hours... in my mind that didn't allow him time to process the situation in his own way.

'I wanted to make sure that there was a physical meeting time and place.'

In further justifying the decision not to detain the Signaller, Major Taylor said his peers on the block didn't know he had been arrested and it was heard a knife and razor were confiscated from his room.

Trying to hold back their tears, Ebrima's parents said they feel like they have been 'left in the dark' (pictured - file photo of Tidworth army barracks)

On February 24 Sergeant Elliot Crush, the duty officer that evening, found Nyabally hung in his bathroom after performing a routine check.

Assistant Coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon, Ian Singleton, concluded a verdict of suicide after the inquest.

He said: 'More likely than not, Ebrima attempted to take his own life based on how he was found. In those circumstances, it's appropriate to return a verdict of suicide.'

The 19-year-old's father described his son as a 'shy, generous and kind young man who had his whole life ahead of him'.

After his death, Ebrima's parents said they felt like they had been 'left in the dark'.

His father added: 'I am so angry about everything. I wanted to see his body. I wanted to see the place where he did it. We want answers.

'What hurts us most is that we cannot see his face. We do not know what we are going to find. I was so proud of him. He was the one who would have carried on my legacy.'

Mr Nyabally said that having to tell the devastating news to Ebrima's three siblings 'was the worst thing that I had to do'.

'They were all crying,' he said. 'On the last day they spent together, Ebrima bought him a takeaway. They loved him very much. He was very generous. He used to send us 100 every month. He was very caring. He had a very strong faith as well.

'He has never been unhappy in the army. Ebrima loved life.'

Ebrima is not the first young soldier to have taken his life at the Tidworth barracks.

Fusilier Jake Llewellyn Plumb, 23, was found dead in his room after a friend alerted colleagues that they'd received a message warning he was going to kill himself.

The young soldier, from Pembrokeshire, hanged himself in his barracks two days after his girlfriend broke up with him, a previous inquest heard.

For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
The mother of a boy who died of a food allergy says schools are putting children 'at risk' by not doing enough to manage the dangers.

Benedict Blythe, five, who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas, tragically collapsed at school in Stamford, Lincolnshire, just hours after 'opening his advert calendar' and going off to classes 'happy and healthy'.

Now his mother Helen, who set up the Benedict Blythe Foundation in her son's memory, has demanded stronger legislation, claiming that current measures to protect children with allergies are 'not good enough'.

She told the BBC : 'Measures need to be put in place to keep children with allergies in England safe.

'What is in place now is not good enough.

Benedict Blythe (pictured), who was allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, sesame and chickpeas died after collapsing at school in Stamford, Lincolnshire

His mother Helen (pictured) has described how he 'opened his advent calendar and didn't come home again' and has slammed schools for putting children 'at risk'

The Benedict Blythe Foundation found that one in three schools do not have their own allergy policy set up while a quarter do not give any training on allergy symptoms or what to do in an emergency

'Pupils and their families deserve better.'

Department for Education guidance says all schools have a duty to support children with medical conditions.

But Mrs Blythe said that this did not go far enough and warned parents that thousands of pupils were being 'put at risk'.

She said: 'Current legislation makes only modest requests of schools and falls far below the recommended good practice outlined by clinicians, allergy charities and coroners.'

The Benedict Blythe Foundation found that one in three schools do not have their own allergy policy set up while a quarter do not give any training on allergy symptoms or what to do in an emergency.

Just under half were found to rely on children having their own autoinjector pen.

The foundation urged the Government to pledge 5million towards introducing safety measures and checks.

The foundation urged the Government to pledge 5million towards introducing safety measures and checks

Benedict, who had been a member of the high-IQ society Mensa since the age of four, died on December 1 2021 from anaphylaxis after eating a snack and his mother has described the tragic morning

Around 680,000 school children have a known food allergy and one in four first-time anaphylactic reactions take place at school

Mrs Blythe told the BBC : 'Measures need to be put in place to keep children with allergies in England safe'

Benedict, who had been a member of the high-IQ society Mensa since the age of four, died on December 1 2021 from anaphylaxis after eating a snack and his mother has described the tragic morning.

She said: 'He woke up, it was the first of December.

'He opened his advent calendar, went off to school happy and healthy and didn't come home again.'

Around 680,000 school children have a known food allergy and one in four first-time anaphylactic reactions take place at school.

Professor Adam Fox, one of the UK's leading paediatric allergy consultants, told The Times: 'There is a clear need for a change in culture around how food allergies are managed in schools.

'The UK lags behind other countries and children are suffering and even dying as a result.

'By really educating the whole school community about food allergy we can turn things around.'

UK hospital admissions from food-related anaphylaxis have increased by an average of 5.7 per cent each year between 1998 and 2018 with peanuts the most common cause.

UK hospital admissions from food-related anaphylaxis have increased by an average of 5.7 per cent each year between 1998 and 2018 with peanuts the most common cause. An inquest into Benedict's death continues

Mrs Blythe added: 'Current legislation makes only modest requests of schools and falls far below the recommended good practice outlined by clinicians, allergy charities and coroners'

She said: 'He opened his advent calendar, went off to school happy and healthy and didn't come home again'

A Department for Education spokesperson said: 'We understand the seriousness of severe allergies and we are clear that children with medical conditions should be properly supported to enjoy a full education and be safe at school.

'All schools are required to make arrangements that ensure this is the case.'

An inquest into Benedict's death continues.
The highest-ranking Muslim woman in Anthony Albanese's government has been confronted by a mob of irate pro-Palestine activists.

Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly - who became Australia's first female Muslim minister when she was elected in 2016 - was lambasted by the activists on Saturday over claims she has ignored the 'genocide' in Gaza.

The Perth MP's 'meet your member' event at a suburban park was flagged by the Friends of Palestine WA group as a way to confront the Labor Party for its policies regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict.

A man who introduced himself as a student kicked off the heated exchange by asking Dr Aly about Australia's decision to pause funding to the United Nations agency in Gaza, UNRWA. Funding to the agency has since resumed.

During his speech, the man tried to show Dr Aly a photo of a starving Palestinian child and questioned what she thinks the 'damage' will be to the child.

Early Childhood Education Minister Anne Aly (right) was confronted by a mob of pro-Palestine activists (left) on Saturday

However, Dr Aly was quick to shut the activists down, highlighting her background as an Egyptian-born and Australian-raised Muslim.

Dr Aly has been outspoken against Israel's actions in its conflict with Hamas.

Discussion around war in the Middle East hits particularly close to home for the MP as her father fought in the 1967 Six Day War against Israel, which saw thousands of lives lost.

'I've said it plenty. My father fought in 1967, I know what is happening. Do not come here and lecture me about that issue,' she told activists on Saturday.

'I know very well what is going on.'

One of the protesters tried to use Dr Aly's argument against her, saying: 'Using the legacy of your father, how shameful that is.'

She quickly shot back: 'Because my father fought in the war. What have you done?'

The protesters continued to demand 'answers' on Labor's policies and accused Dr Aly of supporting Zionism, a movement to establish a homeland for Jewish people in Palestine.

Dr Aly (pictured) is an Egyptian-born and Australian-raised Muslim who has been outspoken about the conflict in Gaza

The MP ignored the accusation and instead told the mob they needed to give up on the 'dream' of Israel agreeing to a ceasefire without a negotiated truce.

'I would love a ceasefire to happen. We would all agree on that, correct? What has become increasingly clear is the only way a ceasefire is going to happen is through a negotiation led by Egypt and Qatar,' she said.

Instead, she highlighted how Israel has lost a lot of its international support.

In particular its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has been criticised for making peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine difficult.

Dr Aly told Saturday's activists Mr Netanyahu's agenda was 'very clear'.

'He has ruled the far right section of the Israeli government who have voiced openly their desire for the annihilation and annexation of Gaza,' she said.

'It is a concern to the Egyptians, it is a concern to the region, and it is a concern to me as it is a concern to you.'

The activists (left) accused Dr Aly (right) of supporting 'genocide' and 'Zionism' and told her 'don't call yourself a Muslim'

Plain-clothed Australian Federal Police officers were forced to intervene as the confrontation grew more heated.

Dr Aly was led away by her husband Dave Allen and a staff member as the activists called her a 'coward' and told her 'don't call yourself a Muslim'.

The mob also chanted 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' as Dr Aly walked away.

Friends of Palestine WA told its almost 9,000 followers to 'tell federal Labor member Anne Aly what you think about her government's appalling record of support for Israel's genocide over the past five months' the morning of her event.

It urged attendees to question Dr Aly on the government's suspension of UNRWA aid and Palestinian refugee assistance.

The funding was paused by various international governments after it was revealed Hamas terrorists had been siphoning part of the aid.

Dr Aly (right) was led away from the activists (left) by her husband Dave Allen and a staff member as the activists called her a 'coward'

The Australian Jewish Association commented on the incident on Wednesday, writing: 'These guys aren't so bright. They are harassing one of the most anti-Israel Labor MPs there is.'

The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies also commented, saying: 'This is an untenable situation and, for the sake of our democracy, we should have no tolerance for this intimidatory behaviour.

'Based on her comments, Anne Aly clearly holds different views to us, but we will vehemently defend her right to maintain those views free from threats and harassment.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Anne Aly for comment.
A woman who claims she fell off a giant Suffolk Punch horse and suffered a 'traumatic brain injury' after the nag was startled by a swan is suing an animal charity for 200,000.

Sarah Ann Potterton, 40, was riding the rare breed of draught horse, owned by East Anglia-based The Otter Trust, in April 2019 when a wild swan flew up from a nearby river and caused the nag to shy and gallop away.

Mrs Potterton, who ran the coffee shop at the charity's nature reserve in Bungay, Suffolk, says she suffered brain damage in the fall, either from inadvertently being kicked by her mount or from hitting her head on the ground.

The 40-year-old claims she 'suffers from on-going headaches, fatigue, reduced concentration and word finding difficulty' as a result of the fall.

She is now suing the charity for over 200,000, claiming the nature trust's bosses ought to have known that the 'large' Suffolk Punch horse - a breed which often weighs over a ton - was unusually liable to be scared by the unexpected and that it wasn't safe for her to ride him.

But lawyers for the charity deny the horse was 'abnormally' nervous and say they were not to blame for Mrs Potterton's fall.

Sarah Ann Potterton, 40, claims she suffered a 'traumatic brain injury' after she fell from the giant horse

Sarah Potterton with one of the Suffolk Punch horses, which are owned by The Otter Trust

In documents lodged with London's High Court, lawyers for Mrs Potterton say that from autumn 2017 she was working on a self employed and voluntary basis for The Otter Trust - a charity involved in the preservation and promotion of animals associated with Suffolk and East Anglia - based at the Earsham Wetlands Centre, beside the River Waveney, in Bungay.

Initially a bookkeeper and coffee shop manager for the charity, in early 2018 she moved into also helping look after their two Suffolk Punch horses, Yale and Alfie, along with her sister Emma Marshall, who was already working with them, after a groom left.

The Suffolk Punch is an English breed of heavy draught horse, developed for farm work.

The breed also pulled artillery and non-motorised commercial vans and buses, but as agriculture became increasingly mechanised, Suffolk Punches fell out of favour, and almost disappeared completely.

Explaining the circumstances surrounding the accident, Giles Mooney KC, for Mrs Potterton, says: 'The defendants decided that they wanted the two horses, Yale and Alfie, to be exhibited at the Suffolk Show in May 2019.

'The defendants were keen that the claimant and her sister would ride the horses, as it was thought to be good publicity to have two sisters riding the two brothers.

'Although Alfie was only recently broken, he was considered to be the quieter of the two horses to ride, so it was decided that the claimant would ride Alfie and her sister would ride Yale.

'On or about April 1, 2019 the claimant and her sister were riding the horses at the centre.

'They were riding the horses along the path next to the river when a swan flew up from the river, causing both horses to shy.

'Whilst the claimant's sister was able to regain control of Yale, Alfie spun to his right and galloped off. After a few steps of gallop, Alfie stumbled and the claimant, who was already unseated by his spin to the right, was thrown to the ground.

'On falling, the claimant hit her head either on one of Alfie's feet or on the ground.

'The damage was of a kind which the horse Alfie, unless restrained, was likely to cause and/or, the damage which was caused was likely to be severe. When a rider falls from a large horse at speed and hits their head, damage is likely to be severe.

'The likelihood of the damage or of its being severe was due to the characteristics of the horse which are not normally found in horses or are not normally found in horses except at particular times or in particular circumstances.

'In this case, the horse displayed the characteristic of shying and running away from a perceived danger in circumstances of being frightened of the sudden movement of the swan.

'The defendant knew or ought to have known of the characteristics of the horse.'

He also alleges the trustees of the charity 'caused, permitted or suffered the claimant to ride the horse when it was unsafe to do so' and 'failed to ensure that the horse was professionally broken and trained before causing, permitting or suffering the claimant to ride it'.

He goes on to say that Mrs Potterton suffered 'a head injury and associated acute traumatic brain injury' and 'suffers from on-going headache, fatigue, reduced concentration and word finding difficulty'.

She is asking for 'over 200,000' in compensation, Mr Mooney says.

However, the charity's barrister Roger Harris denies it was to blame.

'Alfie was a good-mannered docile Suffolk Punch,' he says in the charity's written defence.

Pictured: Sarah Potterton (3rd from right) and her sister Emma Marshall (2nd from right) with a Suffolk Punch horse

'He had a reputation for being a calm horse that did not react unpredictably. Prior to the accident the claimant had ridden Alfie at walk, trot, canter and gallop. There had been no dangerous incidents with Alfie before the accident. He was a suitable horse for the claimant to ride.

'It is admitted that, on April 1, 2019 the claimant was riding Alfie with her sister when the horse appeared to spook. It subsequently tripped and the claimant fell and suffered injury.

'Alfie did not have any abnormal propensity to shy. It is not admitted that the horse, at the time of the accident, was displaying characteristics not normally found in horses.

'It is denied that the defendants or its employees knew that the horse possessed any dangerous or abnormal characteristics not normally found in horses.'

Mr Harris went on to deny that the charity had been negligent in any way and add that Mrs Potterton is required to prove the nature of any injuries she suffered in the fall.
A lecturer has won 25,000 after her female boss told her to look for another job after the death of her estranged husband left her a single mother.

Rachael Edgeler, 50, was subjected to 'intimidating' remarks from Rachael Rowing-Parker following the death of her two young children's father, a tribunal heard.

New academy manager Ms Rowing-Parker contacted Ms Edgeler while she was at her late husband's funeral to ask why she was not at work, a tribunal heard.

After Ms Edgeler returned from 10 days compassionate leave, Ms Rowing-Parker told her: 'Now you are a single parent, maybe you should look for another job.'

Ms Rowing-Parker also 'belittled' Ms Edgeler's Long Covid symptoms and branded her legitimate absences a 'fraud', it was heard.

College lecturer Ms Edgeler ended up resigning from her post as course lead and lecturer in health and social care over the way she was treated by Ms Rowing-Parker.

Now, ex-Royal Navy nurse Ms Edgeler has successfully sued City College Plymouth at an employment tribunal for constructive unfair dismissal and victimisation.

Rachael Edgeler, 50, (pictured with her children) has successfully sued City College Plymouth at an employment tribunal for constructive unfair dismissal and victimisation

The Devon college, which disputed the claims, must pay her 25,221.

Ms Edgeler today said she was not able to properly support her grieving children - Toby, 10, and Isabelle, eight - as a result of the ordeal.

The Plymouth tribunal was told Ms Edgeler joined the college in August 2020 and was a 'high-quality' teacher.

In November 2021 she went off work with Covid-19 and was diagnosed with Long Covid, not returning to work until January 2022 with recommended adjustments by Occupational Health.

Following the 'traumatic' death of her estranged husband in March 2022, Ms Rowing-Parker made 'disrespectful' comments over her absences.

A tribunal report said: 'On March 3, 2022, Ms Edgeler was notified by the police that her estranged husband - who was the father of her two young children then aged eight and six - had died.

'She applied for and was granted 10 days compassionate leave, to be taken shortly thereafter.

'These events coincided with the appointment of Ms Rowing-Parker as her new line manager with effect from March 1, 2022.

'On March 28, 2022, while Ms Edgeler was attending her late husband's funeral and was on compassionate leave, Ms Rowing-Parker contacted her asking her why she was not at work.

City College Plymouth (pictured) has been sued by the lecturer following the ordeal

'Ms Edgeler found that approach to been intrusive and disrespectful.

'She returned to work on March 31, 2022, and immediately after her arrival was summoned by Ms Rowing-Parker to attend her office to discuss her absences.

'She objected to what appeared to be an informal absence review on no notice, and objected to the fact that Ms Rowing-Parker should not be considering her certified Covid absence and/or agreed compassionate leave as being absence which should trigger any review.

'Ms Rowing-Parker's response was to the effect that this was no excuse, and she stated words to the effect: 'Now you are a single parent, maybe you should look for another job'.

'Ms Edgeler found these comments distressing.

'In addition, Ms Rowing-Parker criticised her timekeeping at that meeting, to the extent that she was not at work by 8:30 am.

'Ms Rowing-Parker criticised her for having to use the lift and seemed to belittle her ongoing Covid related symptoms.'

When running late for work due to roadworks, Ms Rowing-Parker chastised Ms Edgeler on the work WhatsApp group in front of other colleagues - even though her contract stated she didn't need to be in at 8.30 and other colleagues were running late.

Ms Rowing-Parker called Ms Edgeler to her office and told her she needed to be in at 8.30am every day and that the Occupational Health adjustments which were made to help her while she had Long Covid were to be abolished.

Ms Rowing-Parker also said 'maybe she should look for another job with a work-life balance' and said her sickness absence was a 'fraud', the tribunal heard.

Ms Edgeler raised a grievance over Ms Rowing-Parker's comments, however they were not upheld apart from the complaint about her WhatsApp messages.

No action was taken against Ms Rowing-Parker.

Two days after she said she would formally appeal, Ms Edgeler was told she faced disciplinary proceedings over old allegations which had already been settled, it was heard.

She felt 'ostracised and isolated' from the college and resigned in September 2022.

Her work-related stress and depression worsened as a result of her ordeal.

Employment Judge Nicholas Roper criticised City College Plymouth.

Judge Roper said: 'The college had in place an Occupational Health report and recommendations to the effect that Ms Edgeler was vulnerable and was in need of considerate and increased support from managers.

'Instead of this her line manager Ms Rowing-Parker subjected her to a course of intimidating and bullying behaviour.

'Many of the comments made were simply offensive.'

Today, speaking following the tribunal, Ms Edgeler, from Plymouth, said there was a 'toxic' environment at the college.

'From day one I felt let down', she said. 'I had an exemplary record with the college. I didn't ask to contract Covid, I felt very unsupported on my return to work.

'Then I lost my children's dad in quite traumatic circumstances and I was thinking I'd be going back to a supportive environment.

'The comments I was subjected to about being a single parent speak for themselves.

'I couldn't believe I received comments like that.. You just don't speak to people like that.

'It was the first time I met [Ms Rowing-Parker] too.

'I remember, the first words she said to the team was ''I'm not here to make friends, I'm here to make people cry''.'

She said of the entire ordeal: 'It really did rob my of me being able to support my children while they were grieving because I was solo but I was stressed from work.

'My son, two years on, still struggles to process what happened and I put that down to me not being able to support them properly.'

Ms Edgeler said Ms Rowing-Parker was a nursing home manager before taking up her post at the college.

Ms Edgeler has since secured a job as a lead tutor and assessor at an education company.
US business lobby sees Korea's potential as Asia-Pacific business hub once regulations are eased

By Park Jae-hyuk

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) requested President Yoon Suk Yeol to ease certain regulations that are unique to Korea, in order to convince multinational companies to relocate their Asia-Pacific headquarters to Seoul from Hong Kong and mainland China in light of growing geopolitical risks, the U.S. business lobby said Tuesday.

In particular, the organization highlighted concerns regarding the Serious Accidents Punishment Act (SAPA), which it claims has elevated risks for CEOs by imposing severe penalties on top corporate officials, including imprisonment or hefty fines, for fatal industrial accidents, surpassing penalties enforced in Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

AMCHAM conveyed these requests through a letter and a recent report sent to the president. Notably, this marks the first instance of the business lobby, representing U.S. companies in Korea, directly addressing Yoon since the organization formally presented a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to him in April 2022, when he was president-elect. During a luncheon held last month between Yoon and foreign business leaders, AMCHAM Chairman James Kim highlighted to the president that Korea's stringent regulations constrain the nation's ability to establish itself as a prominent business hub for high-tech industries.

"CEO risks and digital economy-related challenges arise from Korea-specific regulations," the AMCHAM chairman told The Korea Times. "For example, the SAPA imposes penalties on CEOs for serious industrial accidents, surpassing those in other countries."

Under SAPA, which came into effect in January 2022 and was extended to encompass small companies this year, CEOs can potentially face up to one year in prison or a maximum fine of 1 billion won ($746,000) in the event of major on-the-job accidents including deaths.

AMCHAM also emphasized that Korea should reform its rigid labor laws, cloud service restrictions and unpredictable tax systems, claiming that those regulations are not in line with global standards and hinder the country's competitiveness.

However, the chamber did not complain about the Fair Trade Commissions plan to introduce a law to predesignate market-dominant online platforms to prevent unfair practices, despite concerns among U.S. tech giants about the potential to inadvertently favor Chinese late movers such as AliExpress and Temu.

In a detailed report attached to the letter, AMCHAM suggested that the government develop a structured program with targeted incentives to attract foreign investments. Housing and education assistance, as well as rental space subsidies, were mentioned as necessary measures to make Korea a more attractive destination for global enterprises.

For expatriates in Korea, the chamber also asked for a seamless mobile phone setup process and simplified procedures for opening bank accounts and obtaining credit cards. In addition, the government was urged to promote its regional headquarters program by collaborating with relevant institutions, municipalities and business community.

AMCHAM underscored the significant potential for Korea to emerge as the premier commercial hub in the region citing a survey by the business lobby that showed the Asian country ranked as the second-most-preferred destination for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) headquarters after Singapore for the third consecutive year.

As Korea continues to position itself as a leading business hub in the APAC region, collaboration between government entities, local stakeholders, and international businesses will be essential, the AMCHAM chairman said. By embracing regulatory reforms and proactive promotion strategies, Korea can solidify its status as a preferred destination for multinational companies seeking to establish their presence in the region.

The chairman also vowed to help Korea become the number one destination for regional headquarters, adding that he looks forward to working more closely with both the U.S. and the Korean governments for their continued economic growth and prosperity.

He is reportedly in talks with government officials to deliver the chamber's proposals to the presidential office in person.

AMCHAM said it will continue to engage the government to discuss proposals further, including talks with the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.




The headmaster of a $40,000-a-year school has lashed out at recent criticism surrounding elite private boys' schools and their perceived culture of misogyny.

In the King's School Institute journal, Leader, Tony George argued that 'wokeness' has evolved into the 'age of victimhood' and 'cancel culture'.

He went on to say that private school students are being 'increasingly targeted and ridiculed' by media reports.

'Government single-sex schools have seemed to avoid criticism, as have single-sex girls' schools,' he wrote in the scathing article for the North Parramatta school in Sydney's west.

'However, the underlying agenda against the straw man of white privileged males has fuelled the creation of the term toxic masculinity and the religious fervour it subsequently generates.'

In the King's School Institute journal, Leader , Tony George argued that 'wokeness' has evolved into the 'age of victimhood' and ' cancel culture '

'The concept of identity abuse, where individuals are misrepresented and objectified for sensationalism, is a disturbing trend with children attending non-government schools being increasingly targeted and ridiculed.'

Mr George's comments come after questions were raised about whether there is a toxic culture of sexism and misogyny at some of Australia's leading private schools.

A viral petition circulated in 2021 brought the issue into the spotlight with up to 3000 girls claiming to have been sexually assaulted during their school years.

This month, Cranbrook School in Sydney's Bellevue Hill came under more scrutiny after an ABC Four Corners episode alleged that a teacher who admitted to looking up girls' skirts and sending lurid emails was promoted.

Cranbrook, along with Newington in the inner west, are set to become fully co-ed in the coming years, but other principals have restated their commitment to single-sex education.

Mr George also took aim at the media, which he believes is too often focused on the price of school fees instead of prioritising other major issues.

'Instead of acknowledging and celebrating the significant achievement and contribution of independent schools to society, sections of government and the press seem intent on deriding independent boys' schools with any story they can concoct, invariably referencing the kinds of clickbait memes that tantalise memetic cliches, such as toxic masculinity, linked to stories on single-sex schooling, or elitism linked to stories on school fees and funding,' he said.

'Consider, for example, the tabloid infatuation with the school fees of the top 1 per cent of schools instead of the brain drain affecting more than 90 per cent of NSW government schools by their own selective schools.'

Mr George told the Sydney Morning Herald that other states have moved to a more comprehensive assessment of success by focusing on median ATAR instead of the proportion of students scoring in the top band in their subject.

Mr George also took aim at contemporary media, which he believes is too often focused on the price of school fees instead of prioritising other major issues

He said he cannot help but think that the Greiner government's commitment to expanding the NSW state selective school system was in response to the tabloid's fascination with the performance of the top student at each school.

It remains unclear how well enrolments are tracking at private single-sex schools in the inner west and Sydney's southwest this year.

Last year, the NSW Department of Education commissioned PR firm SEC Newgate to gauge community attitudes towards co-ed schooling. It found that 76 per cent of parents of primary school-aged children wanted their child to go to a co-ed high school.

A major overhaul of 20 catchment areas across the inner west and southern suburbs this year has given thousands more families access to co-ed schools.
A man has died after a suspected eastern brown snake bite.

Paramedics rushed to a home in Deeragun, Townsville, to help the man at about 3.30pm on Tuesday.

He was taken to hospital in a critical condition, and later died.

It's understood the man was bitten by the deadly snake near the property and drove to the home to call for emergency services.

A North Queensland man died on Tuesday after a suspect eastern brown snake (pictured) bite

A study by the University of Melbourne found 23 of the 35 snake bite deaths in Australia between 2000 and 2016 were caused by brown snakes.

Most people who die from snake bites in Australia are male and are bitten in the warmer months of the year, the study found.

The eastern brown is a medium sized snake with a slender to moderate build and smallish head.

They are known to prefer woodlands, scrublands, and savannah grasslands and are common throughout Australia's east and southeast.

Eastern brown snakes are most active in spring and autumn.
A Democratic Arizona state senator announced on the chamber floor she needs an abortion - then slammed her Republican colleagues for enacting laws that she said has made it difficult for her to obtain one.

Eva Burch, a mother of two, spoke on the senate floor on Monday about her decision to terminate her pregnancy because she is carrying an unviable fetus.

'After numerous ultrasounds and blood draws we have determined that my pregnancy is, once again, not progressing and is not viable,' she began. 'And once again I have scheduled an appointment to terminate my pregnancy

'I don't think people should have to justify their abortions but I'm choosing to talk about why I made this decision because I want us to have meaningful conversations about the reality of how the work we do in this body impacts people in the real world.'

Democratic Arizona state senator, Eva Burch, announced on the chamber floor she needs an abortion and slammed her colleagues for the state law that has made receiving it difficult

Surrounded by other women from the state legislature,

Burch, a registered nurse, said she is about eight weeks along in her pregnancy and was forced to undergo multiple invasive tests and lectured about alternatives to abortion in order to receive care.

Arizona state law bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest, and the state supreme court is set to rule on an 1864 law that imposes a near total ban on abortions this year.

'The only reason I had to hear those things was a cruel and uninformed attempt by outside forces to shame and coerce and frighten me into making a different decision other than the one I knew was right for me,' Burch said.

Eva Burch, a mother of two said she has to terminate her pregnancy because she is carrying an unviable fetus

'I was told that there were alternatives to abortion, parenting or adoption among them, as though delivering a healthy baby were an option for me. It is not.'

'I don't think people should have to justify their abortions, but I'm choosing to talk about why I made this decision because I want us to have meaningful conversations about the reality of how the work that we do in this body impacts people in the real world,' she said.

Burch did not share further details of the fetus's health issues, but indicated that it would not survive if she managed to carry it to full term.

After the overturning on Roe v. Wade in 2022, Arizona enacted the law that bans abortions past 15 weeks and contains a penalty for physicians who violate the law, as they would face felony charges and potential suspension of their licenses, reported the Arizona Mirror.

Burch said she was forced to have an unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound, told to considering parenting or adoption and is under a 24 hour waiting period before she can terminate her pregnancy because it is a requirement of the state law.

The rules are designed to guilt-trip pregnant women into changing their mind about having an abortion, critics say.

The state senator revealed details of her fertility journey including an experience she had two years ago when she learned a pregnancy she wanted to have would result n a miscarriage and she needed to have an abortion.

She said when she started miscarrying the night before her scheduled abortion she was denied the procedure at the hospital because although she was bleeding, she was not bleeding out and therefore not in critical condition.

'There's no one-size-fits-all script for people seeking abortion care, and the legislature doesn't have any right to assign one,' Burch said on the senate floor.

'Doctors and patients should be making those determinations, not legislators who don't have to suffer through the consequences themselves.'

'All that the Legislature has done is to nurture distrust and confusion in the relationship between patients and providers and people who are vulnerable enough,' she said.

Burch said she was forced to have an unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound, told to considering parenting or adoption and is under a 24 hour waiting period before she can terminate her pregnancy because it is a requirement of the state law

Burch urged her colleagues to change the law and expressed her support for the ballot initiative that enshrined the right to an abortion

While the Arizona Supreme Court is hearing arguments on whether to reinstate the nearly 160-year old abortion ban, abortion rights advocates are looking to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that enshrine the right to an abortion up to viability, or 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The group leading the effort, Arizona for Abortion Access, must gather nearly 384,000 valid signatures by July 3 to get it on the ballot.

In January, the group said it had collected 250,000 signatures, reported NBC News.

Burch urged her colleagues to change the law and expressed her support for the ballot initiative that enshrined the right to an abortion.

'I call on this legislative body to pass laws that make sure every Arizonan has the opportunity to make decisions that are right for them,' Burch said.

'Our decision-making should be grounded in expert testimony and in consensus from both the medical community and from constituents, and free from political posturing and partisan bias. But that's not what I see happening. So, I truly hope that Arizonans have the opportunity to weigh in on abortion on the ballot in November.'
A London Council has been slammed by its residents due to the awful state of its pavements which have forced disabled wheelchair-users to use the road instead.

Locals have claimed that streets surrounding Windsor Road in Ealing, just yards from Ealing Broadway station, have uneven pavements and poorly planted trees forcing mobility scooter users and parents pushing buggies to risk their lives in the road.

It comes after Ealing residents also recently complained that the council isn't doing enough to clamp down on vehicles parked illegally and dangerously on pavements.

One local, named Mark, bemoaned the state of the pavements which are littered with hazards and create an obstacle in the everyday lives of vulnerable locals in West London.

Footage captured by Mark shows the issues confronting wheelchair users as one elderly person can be seen being pushed along the road past a line of parked cars.

Here is a look at the uneven, bumpy pavement on Windsor Road in Ealing where a tree is leaning over

The state of the pavements have forced wheelchair users, such as the ones pictured above, to risk their lives by walking in the street

An image also shows a lumpy and uneven pavement with a crack in the middle and a tree leaning over on one side.

Another picture taken by Mark indicates that anyone with a pram or in a wheelchair would be in for a bumpy ride with a large tree root growing under the concrete.

The pavement also breaks down from paving stones to chipped concrete before returning to paving stones after five metres.

Almost the entirety of Windsor Road is broken up by trees on the pavements in various increments which has left locals frustrated.

Mark took to social media yesterday to voice his concerns, writing: 'Windsor Road W5. I see this gentleman in a wheelchair being pushed in the road nearly every day, alongside mobility scooter users and parents pushing buggies.

'But why don't they use the pavement? Because they can't get past the obstacles on it, Ealing Council sort this out.'

His post received over 115 likes with dozens of comments from social media users who were quick to voice their opinions.

One said: 'The pavement is not wide enough for tree pits, the trees are suffering and so is the pavement. It's on the council to make sure the pavements are up to code.'

Another added: 'I know this is slightly different, but some paths are sloped to the road, it hurts hips and back to walk on them.'

A third replied: 'I am disabled and use an electric wheelchair and I have to say that the footpaths in Haringey, North London, are probably the worst I have ever encountered.

Footage captured by Mark, a local, shows the poor planting of the trees, creating uneven and bumpy surfaces

'Some of the dropped kerbs are three or four inches above the road surface and are impossible to use. I therefore have to use the road.'

Towards the end of last year, furious neighbours similarly blasted Harrow Council for refusing to fix a hazardous footpath which has seen residents young and old breaking bones in painful falls.

Locals living along Butler Avenue, in Harrow, north-west London, have dubbed the leafy suburb's perilous pavement a 'dangerous' nightmare.

Photos of the wonky walkway show a patchwork of various concretes and tarmacs, jutting up at different levels in the street, where homes can fetch for 700,000.

Elderly locals are terrified of the treacherous path with one 89-year-old, who broke her wrist tripping on the route, now refusing to use it, dodging traffic by walking down the middle of the road instead.

Another pensioner in her 80s relies on a walking stick or wheelchair to get around, and is now so terrified she'll trip over she rarely leaves her home.

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: 'Ealing is a very leafy borough, and a side effect of having so many trees is that some of our pavements suffer from rising tree roots. This is particularly true of Windsor Road, which has a number of large, mature trees lining it.

'An independent highway surveyor carries out a full condition survey of all council-maintained pavements and roads every year. Windsor Road is also inspected monthly by a member of our team, and any defects that meet our safety intervention criteria are addressed. The last inspection was on 21 February.

'We are investing 25m on a 4-year programme of improvements to the borough's roads and pavements. In the last financial year, we resurfaced around 80 of them, and the same number of improvements are being delivered in the current year.

'Residents can report any issues with roads and pavements online or via the Love Clean Streets app.'
Vladimir Putin is set to travel to China in May for talks with Xi Jinping, according to reports, in what could be the Kremlin chief's first overseas trip of his new presidential term.

The Chinese President congratulated his counterpart on his re-election yesterday, saying it 'fully reflects the support of the Russian people', despite it coming amid a brutal suppression of dissent.

The Russian despot has tightened his grip on power for another six years after authorities claimed he received 88 per cent of the vote, in an election which was overshadowed by the death and imprisonment of opposition figures.

Western governments condemned the result as unfair and undemocratic, while friends of the Russian President who head up autocratic and undemocratic states, including China, welcomed his victory.

Beijing hailed it as a chance to promote relations with its largest neighbour, with its foreign ministry congratulating Putin and assuring him that the two states will be 'strategic cooperative partners in the new era.'

Vladimir Putin is set to travel to China in May for talks with Xi Jinping in May, according to reports (pictured together last year)

The Russian despot has tightened his grip on power for another six years after authorities claimed he received 88 per cent of the vote in the election

Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a press conference yesterday that Putin and Xi 'will continue to maintain close exchanges' and 'lead the two countries to continue to uphold longstanding good-neighbourly friendship'.

As China vowed to continue to 'move forward' relations with Russia, sources claimed that Putin will visit the country in May - in what is set to be his 20th trip there since he took power.

'Putin will visit China,' one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

The details were independently confirmed by four other sources, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another of the sources said Putin's trip to China would probably take place in the second half of May, while two said the visit would come before Xi's planned trip to Europe.

Asked about the reports, the Kremlin said that several foreign trips were being planned for Putin and that preparatory high-level contacts were underway for them.

According to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Xi congratulated Putin on his election win on Monday, telling him: 'I believe that under your leadership, Russia will be able to achieve greater achievements in national development and construction.'

He reportedly added: 'China attaches great importance to the development of China-Russia relations and is willing to maintain close communication with Russia to promote the sustained, healthy, stable and in-depth development of (bilateral ties).'

Reports in Chinese newspapers of Putin's re-election as President of the Russian Federation are displayed at a newsstand in Beijing, China, 19 March 2024

A vendor stands next to traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls, Matryoshka dolls, depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping

Meanwhile Putin praised Beijing, saying he was 'sure that in the coming years we will only strengthen and build up our relations and achieve common successes for the benefit of the Chinese and Russian peoples', Russian state news agency TASS reported.

'The most important thing is the coincidence of state interests. This creates a very good tone for solving common problems in the field of international relations,' Putin is quoted as saying.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

China has further strengthened its trade and military ties with Russia in recent years as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions against both countries, particularly Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.

The two countries declared a 'no limits' partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before the invasion.

The trip would be Putin's 20th to China since he took power, with his first visit in 2000. The leaders are pictured together in 2016

Foreign diplomats and observers said they expected Putin to make China his first stop after being re-elected. Putin's formal presidential inauguration is due to take place around May 7.

Putin told reporters on Sunday that Russia and China shared a similar global outlook, enjoyed resilient relations in part due to Putin and Xi's good personal relations and that Moscow and Beijing would develop ties further in coming years.

Xi visited Russia in his first post-pandemic overseas trip in March last year, shortly after commencing his precedent-breaking third term as Chinese president.

The two leaders have often touted their close personal friendship and have met over 40 times, most recently in October when Putin was the guest of honour at China's Belt and Road summit in Beijing.

China-Russia trade hit $218.2 billion during January-November, according to Chinese customs data, exceeding a goal to increase bilateral trade to over $200 billion by 2024 that was set by the two countries.

Xi, in a call with Putin last month, said both sides should resolutely oppose interference in domestic affairs by external forces, indicating the US.

Chinese vice foreign minister Sun Weidong said bilateral ties were 'at their best in history' when meeting his Russian counterpart in Moscow last month, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.

China is considering taking part in a peace conference aimed at ending the war in Ukraine to be hosted by neutral Switzerland in the coming months, its ambassador to Bern told local media on Monday.

Beijing launched a 12-point Ukraine 'peace' plan last year but so far has not taken significant steps to resolve the conflict besides attending Western-led peace talks in Jeddah last summer.

China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui met officials in five European capitals including Moscow and Kyiv earlier this month.
Russia declared today its forces had taken control of Orlivka, a frontline village about 2.5 miles west of the town of Avdiivka in Ukraine's embattled Donetsk region - the latest battlefield success for Putin's troops.

'On the Avdiivka front, units of the 'Centre' grouping of troops liberated the village of Orlivka,' the defence ministry said.

Ukraine's armed forces are yet to confirm the loss, reporting in recent days they had repelled several attacks near the village.

The Kremlin's forces have managed to make progress in recent weeks as Kyiv's troops continue to struggle with a severe shortage of artillery shells and exhausted front-line units after more than two years of war.

The front line stretches over 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) across eastern and southern Ukraine, forcing both sides to focus on select weak points or locations considered strategically valuable.

But after a first year of resounding defeats and retreats, and a second characterised by a grinding stalemate, Moscow's men on the frontline are beginning to consolidate gains and push back Ukrainian defenders, albeit slowly and at considerable cost.

Ukrainian servicemen are seen on top of an armoured personnel carrier near Avdiivka. The fires of a recent battle can be seen just over the crest of the hill

Ukrainian soldiers unload explosive charges in the direction of Bakhmut as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 13, 2024

A Ukrainian soldier is seen as Ukrainian soldiers of the 80th brigade move along the front line towards an artillery position in the direction of Bakhmut

Ukrainian soldiers of the 80th brigade firing artillery at Russian positions in the direction of Bakhmut during the ongoing two-year war between Russia and Ukraine in Donbas

A shopping centre damaged as result of Russian shelling on March 7, 2024 in Nikopol, Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers unload explosive charges in the Adiivka front-line as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Adiivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 13, 2024

In addition to the bloody, attritional warfare on the frontlines, Russia has stepped up its aerial assault of various Ukrainian towns and cities in recent weeks.

Ukraine's air force said it intercepted 17 out of 22 Shahed drones launched by Russia over various regions of the country just last night.

Russia also fired five S-300/S-400 missiles at the Kharkiv region and two Kh-59 at the Sumy region, both in northeastern Ukraine, it said.

Authorities say the intensity of ground attacks and airstrikes has increased recently in the Sumy region, prompting the evacuation of 56 people, including 26 children, from one border village over the past week.

In the past two and a half months the region has been struck more than 3,000 times, after some 8,000 strikes over all of last year, the Ukrainian regional government says.

The number of aerial bomb attacks has tripled, and Russian saboteurs are highly active, according to officials.

Ukraine meanwhile has increasingly used its long-range firepower to strike deep behind Russian lines, hitting oil refineries, depots, manufacturing facilities and supply lines dozens of miles beyond the Russian border.

Recent drone and missile attacks on border regions Belgorod and Kursk have raised alarm among locals and government officials, particularly after groups claiming to be Ukraine-based Russian opponents of the Kremlin also launched cross-border incursions.

Regional governors Vyacheslev Gladkov and Roman Stavropoit each reported several civilian casualties from Ukraine-authored strikes in their territories last week, with thousands of residents said to have fled their homes in the run up to the weekend's presidential elections.

The attacks continued into this week, with three people wounded in a strike on Belgorod this morning, Gladkov said, including a 14-year-old who had part of a limb amputated. His mother was also reportedly hurt in the attack.

The previous day, four members of the same family died in an attack on the Belgorod village of Nikolskoe, according to Gladkov.

A grandmother, mother, her partner and 17-year-old son were killed after a missile struck their house, he said.

Such attacks have triggered officials to draw up plans to temporarily evacuate some 9,000 children further east, Gladkov declared today, a day after Putin said he would consider implementing a buffer zone between Ukrainian and Russian territory in an attempt to reduce the effectiveness of Kyiv's aerial assaults.

'We will be forced at some point, when we consider it necessary, to create a certain ''sanitary zone'' on the territories controlled by the (Ukrainian government),' Putin said late Sunday after the release of election returns that showed him securing a fifth six-year term in a landslide.

This 'security zone would be quite difficult to penetrate using the foreign-made strike assets at the enemy's disposal.'

But Ukraine is in desperate need of more ammunition and resources to keep up the pressure on Russia.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed this week the US will continue to support Ukraine's war effort even though Congress remains stalled over funding to send additional weapons to the front.

'The United States will not let Ukraine fail,' said Austin as he addressed more than 50 defence leaders from Europe and around the world at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

'This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail,' he added.

Ukrainian soldiers at the artillery position in an unidentified area on the Adiivka frontline

Ukrainian servicemen prepare themselves to return to the Semenivka battlefield nearby Avdiivka

Fire ignites after shelling in the fields nearby Novoselivka Persha as fighting in the Semenivka battlefield nearby Avdiivka rages on

A handout still image taken from handout video provided by the Russian Defence Ministry's press-service shows destroyed military equipment of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of Ukraine at the border crossing near the settlement of Nekhoteevka, Belgorod region, Russia, 12 March 2024

The meeting comes a week after US defence officials managed to find 300 million dollars in contract savings to fund a new package of military aid for Ukraine, pulling weapons from Pentagon stocks.

It was the first tranche of weapons sent since December as battlefield conditions in Ukraine have been getting increasingly dire.

The money - which officials called a 'one-time shot' - allowed the Defence Department to use presidential drawdown authority (PDA) to pull weapons and equipment from Pentagon stocks and send them quickly to Ukraine.

The funds are then used to buy replacement items to ensure the US military is ready to fight and protect the homeland.

US leaders had insisted for the past three months that they could not take more weapons off the shelves because they have run out of money to replenish the stocks.

Meanwhile, Congress has been deadlocked for months over a new $95 billion supplemental Bill that includes about $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.

US officials maintain there is bipartisan support for the package but a number of Republicans oppose it and House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring the Bill to the House floor for a vote.

It comes as Putin yesterday warned the West against deploying troops to Ukraine - something he said would bring everyone 'a step away' from World War III - after French President Emmanuel Macron said that sending Western troops to support Kyiv should not be ruled out.

Commenting on the prospects for peace talks with Kyiv, Putin reaffirmed that Russia remains open to negotiations but won't be lured into a truce that will allow Ukraine to rearm.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has apparently shut the door on such talks, saying Putin should be brought to trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which last year issued an arrest warrant for Putin on war crime charges.
Stormy Daniels attended a showing of her documentary at an LGBTQ club in Brooklyn on Monday evening after a judge ruled she could testify at his upcoming hush money trial.

Manhattan Justice Juan Merchan ruled Monday that porn star Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, former Playboy model Karen McDougal and longtime fixer attorney Michael Cohen could all testify in the upcoming documents falsification case.

In the ruling, Merchan did not address a complaint about Daniels documentary Stormy, where she spoke about the hush money payment and Trump's lawyers claim it should be grounds for complete dismissal of the indictment or delay of trial.

The film, Trump's lawyers note, was released one week before jury selection was scheduled to start, was not alerted to defense counsel and includes statements from Daniels that they claim would be prejudicial to the former president.

In DailyMail.com exclusive photos, Daniels and her small entourage are seen leaving the queer bar 3 Dollar Bill just hours after the ruling on a windy and cold New York evening. The Brooklyn venue hosted a screening of the porn star's documentary Stormy.

Stormy Daniels was captured leaving queer bar 3 Dollar Bill in Brooklyn on Monday evening

Daniels' entourage tried to help her avoid being photographed just hours after a ruling that will allow her to testify in the Manhattan case against Donald Trump alleging he falsified documents related to her hush-money payment

The Manhattan case charged the former president with falsifying documents related to a hush-money payment Cohen delivered to Daniels' ahead of the 2016 presidential election for her to keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump in 2006.

Trump last month asked Merchan to block their testimony, arguing Cohen had a history of lying and would likely lie again, and that Daniels would seek to use the trial to monetize her story.

The judge ruled to give McDougal limited ability to testify, which would be discussed at the trial. McDougal also alleged she had an affair with Trump.

A trial was initially scheduled for March 25, but last week was delayed by at least a month due to a last-minute dispute over evidence disclosure. Merchan is expected to decide on a new trial date after a March 25 procedural court hearing.

Merchan on Monday also denied Trump's request to exclude testimony from or any evidence about the three people who received hush money payments. These includes Daniels, McDougal and a doorman.

'The evidence and testimony surrounding these individuals is inextricably intertwined with the narrative of events and is necessary background for the jury,' Merchan wrote.

Daniels was out the night after the latest ruling, wearing a leather jacket and trying to avoid being photographed after leaving her documentary screening.

Trump's lawyers argue Daniels' film  released one week before jury selection  has statements they claim would be prejudicial to the former president. Trump lost a bid to block testimony from Daniels, Michael Cohen and Karen McDougal at his trial on charges stemming from a hush money payment to Daniels before the 2016 election

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up his reimbursement of Cohen for the payment to Daniels. The Republican presidential candidate denies he had a sexual encounter with Daniels.

Cohen pleaded guilty to violating federal campaign finance laws in 2018.

A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office charged Trump last year, declined to comment. Trump's lawyers also declined to comment.

The case is one of four criminal indictments Trump faces as he prepares for an expected challenge to Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 election.

He has also pleaded not guilty in the other cases, which focus on his efforts to reverse his 2020 loss to Biden and his handling of government documents after leaving office in 2021.

Trump claimed Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, would try and make money from her testimony

Trump last month asked Justice Juan Merchan to block testimony from the trio, arguing Cohen had a history of lying

The judge also cleared the way for testimony from Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who says she had an affair with Trump. He denies they had a relationship

In the Manhattan case, prosecutors argue the Daniels payoff was part of a broader 'catch-and-kill' scheme Trump and Cohen hatched to buy the silence of people with negative information about the candidate.

Prosecutors argued the October 2016 payment to Daniels was made as the Trump campaign panicked about his standing with female voters, following the leak of an 'Access Hollywood' tape in which Trump boasted about forcing himself on women.

In a modest victory for Trump, Merchan said prosecutors could ask witnesses about the tape, but agreed with Trump that playing the clip itself for the jury could cause him 'undue prejudice.'

The judge said he may reconsider that ruling 'should the Defense open the door.'
Conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton are still proliferating online despite video footage emerging that shows her looking 'happy and relaxed' during a visit to a farm shop at the weekend.

Online speculation has spread in recent weeks about the whereabouts of the Princess of Wales, 42, while she recovered from abdominal surgery she underwent in January, with palace aides saying they would not comment on her recovery.

However, the princess was captured on camera by a member of the public walking cheerily with Prince William outside Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday; he said she appeared 'super relaxed'.

But social media, which has descended into a frenzy of ludicrous conspiracy theories about the Princess' whereabouts and wellbeing, is still not satisfied that Kate is recovering well, despite proof of her ongoing recovery.

Kensington Palace has always said the Princess would be 'unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter' - and earlier this month aides condemned the 'madness of social media' as unsubstantiated theories continued to spread.

Kensington Palace released the first picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery on Mother's Day - but it only fuelled more unwarranted conspiracy theories about her health

Kate was last seen on Christmas Day 2023 with her family attending church at Sandringham before undergoing surgery in January

Kate was recently filmed in Windsor by shopper Nelson Silva, 40 (pictured)

Prince William and Kate were seen leaving Windsor together by car on the afternoon of March 11 - but the picture did little to quell cruel speculation about her recovery

The Princess of Wales and her sister Pippa Middleton in Wimbledon's royal box in July 2019. Sick trolls have claimed Pippa could be standing in for her sister as a body double

A photo of the late Queen Elizabeth II with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren taken by Kate was also manipulated, Getty images has said - adding fuel to the fire of conspiracies

There had been hopes the video would put to bed concerns about her health and discredit the bizarre, baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories being spread about her online.

One royal source told the Telegraph: 'Finally everyone can calm down'.

However, theories continue to proliferate now that the video has been published.

Among the speculation being circulated by cruel trolls are that the Princess has died, or is using a body double or even her sister Pippa as a stand-in; unkind provocateurs have even suggested that she is in a coma or being faked with AI.

The theories became frenzied after the release of a photograph on her official social media channels for Mother's Day, when it became clear that the picture had been modified using Adobe Photoshop.

Several picture agencies issued rare 'kill' notices for the photo because it had been substantially altered - with online wannabe detectives pointing out the flaws in the photograph, which Kate said she edited herself.

Matters were not helped when pic agency Getty Images said over the weekend that an image of Queen Elizabeth II sitting with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, also taken by Kate, had been 'digitally enhanced at source'.

And despite video being obtained by The Sun showing William and Kate walking happily through the car park of the Windsor Farm Shop, social media remains unsatisfied that she is recovering well.

X, formerly Twitter, is awash with 'verified' users posting scarcely believable theories about Kate.

Under new owner Elon Musk, the site's algorithms prioritise and promote content posted by those paying at least 9.20 a month for 'Premium' membership over that shared by non-paying members.

As a result, users searching for information on Kate Middleton find themselves quickly immersed in unverified and libelous speculation from which there is essentially no escape.

'This Kate Middleton situation has fr (for real) got me feeling like a flat earther,' said one user on X, formerly Twitter, referencing the cohort of tin-foil hat wearers who believe the Earth is not a globe.

Another user said: 'I might have to tap out of this whole Kate Middleton thing because I genuinely, hand on heart, do not think these pics look like the same woman and it's making me feel like I'm losing my mind. Like, I'm not trying to be a conspiracy theorist, but that is not her??'

Some users have tried to use artificial intelligence (AI) to 'enhance' the images of Kate at the farm shop, like the fictional technology used in shows such as CSI to improve grainy CCTV images of suspects.

They are then posting the shoddy images hallucinated by the AI as 'proof' that the woman pictured in Windsor is a body double.

Others are even going after the man who took the video, attempting to claim that he was 'hired' by the royal family to orchestrate the entire affair.

Some have lamented the state of social media as the unsubstantiated theories have continued to proliferate.

In America, where the royals hold quasi-celebrity status, Kate has become the subject of jokes on late night talk shows. Even Kim Kardashian has been speculating, sharing pictures on Instagram captioned: 'On my way to go find Kate.'

Some have seen fit to create jokes and memes - including Dublin Airport, which shared a crude Photoshop of William and Kate walking through the terminal, using a picture of them from the weekend.

Tweeting the image, the @DublinAirport account said: 'Great to see passengers looking so happy and relaxed this morning.'

But Jack Royston, chief royal correspondent at Newsweek, is among those who is tired of the social media speculation and the harm it is causing.

He told Sky News: 'It's so obviously Kate (in the farm shop photo). The poor woman is recovering from surgery and it's very tough for a woman who has had so much attention on her.'

He added of the social media frenzy: 'I've never seen anything like it. Now that it has become as big as it has, she could do a DNA test and people wouldn't believe it's her.'

Some have created jokes and memes based on the footage at the weekend - including Dublin Airport, which shared its own Photoshop job on X, formerly Twitter

Some sceptical social media users have accused the image of being doctored or generated using AI. Pictured: An image of Kate created by AI

Others have accused the woman in the photo of being a body double for the Princess of Wales. Pictured: Heidi Agan, a Kate Middleton lookalike

Others have suggested that neither Prince William or Kate are in the photo. Pictured: Wax figures of the Waleses in the Hong Kong Madame Tussauds

The couple were spotted visiting the Windsor Farm Shop (pictured), which is close to their home in Berkshire

One X user said: 'This insanity about Kate Middleton feels like the last days of a crumbling and fragmented society.

'People losing their minds over whether the royal family is putting out a body double of a princess to trick the pleb public. Borderline psychotic - the masses whipped into a frenzy.'

Another said: 'Okay, you Kate Middleton conspiracy people have officially gone off the deep end. You know that, right? Touch some grass. Get help.'

Kate has not been photographed at a royal event since last December when she was pictured with her family going to church at Sandringham on Christmas Day.

Since then, she has been pictured three times - in a grainy paparazzi photo on TMZ on March 4; in the Mother's Day photo which Prince William is said to have taken on March 8; and then when leaving Windsor with her husband in a car on March 11.

But issues have been cited with all three of these photos  with the first too grainy to get a clear picture of Kate; the second being followed by an admission from Kate that it was Photoshopped; and the third with her face turned away from the camera.

UK media organisations refused to use the TMZ photo on the basis that she had an expectation of privacy at the time it was taken.

Palace aides said earlier this month: 'We were really clear from the start we weren't going to provide a running commentary on the Princess of Wales's health and only provide significant updates.

'Obviously, we've seen the madness of social media and that is not going to change our strategy.

'There has been much on social media but the Princess has a right to privacy and asks the public to respect that.'

A previous Kensington Palace statement read: 'The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate.

'She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.

'Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness' progress when there is significant new information to share.

'The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible.'
A group of people know what happened to a 27-year-old woman who mysteriously vanished five years ago, police say.

Jessica Boyce, from the small town of Renwick in Marlborough, four hours south of Wellington in New Zealand, was last seen on March 19, 2019.

Ms Boyce had visited friends in Renwick earlier that afternoon and her sister saw her leaving the family home in her mum's red Holden ute.

The vehicle was found at a car park in Lake Chalice, about 50km south of Renwick.

Police launched a homicide investigation in October 2020 but have been unable solve her suspicious disappearance.

Now, detectives are closing in on a group of nine people they suspect know what happened to Ms Boyce and are offering a $100,000 reward for information.

Jessica Boyce from the small town of Renwick in Marlborough, four hours south of Wellington, New Zealand , was last seen on March 19, 2019

Officers have a strong belief these individuals have important information or were involved, in different ways, in the mysterious case.

'They know something. They individually might not know everything, but they all know a little bit of something,' Detective Senior Sergeant Ciaran Sloan, who is in charge of the investigation known as Operation Largo, told the New Zealand Herald.

'We've spoken to all of them. Some of them have been cooperative, some of them just bare-face lied.

'Some involved likely only know certain parts, what they did before she went missing, and not what happened afterwards.'

Police have already established that Ms Boyce is likely to have been targeted because she dealt drugs, including meth, and was also a user.

Ms Boyce, was last seen leaving her family home in her mother's red Holden Rodeo ute (pictured), on the day she disappeared

Police have spent the last five years gathering a mountain of information but officers were bogged down, by a large scale of details about the incident that were incorrect.

'The people involved are the ones we want to hear from and we want facts,' Sergeant Sloan said.

He said even though police are still hunting for the suspect, detectives are getting closer to finally cracking the cold case and have not lost hope the matter will be solved.

Sergeant Ciaran Sloan said in a statement issued today that the $100,000 reward will be in place until September 19.

'Our investigation team has been working tirelessly to provide answers to Jessicas family, and to hold the person or persons responsible for Jessicas disappearance to account,' Sergeant Sloan said.

'We urge anyone that has personal knowledge of the circumstances of Jessicas disappearance and who are prepared to assist the investigation team to please contact Police.'

Police said they are getting closer to cracking the investigation to find out what happened to Ms Boyce (pictured right)
Riley Strain's parents have slammed Nashville cops for doing a 'B-minus job' in the investigation into their son's mysterious disappearance.

Strain, 22, was last seen on March 8 at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, which is owned by country superstar Luke Bryan, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

The Delta Chi fraternity member from the University of Missouri had traveled to Tennessee on a group trip for their annual spring formal.

Almost two weeks later, Strain has still not been found and his parents went on NewsNation to discuss how Nashville cops have butchered the investigation into their son's disappearance.

Strain's mother Michelle and stepdad Chris Whiteid along with his father Ryan Gilbert sat down with Ashleigh Banfield on NewsNation to discuss the ongoing search.

Riley Strain, 22, is pictured here on March 8 - the night he was last seen at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, which is owned by country superstar Luke Bryan

Strain's parents have slammed Nashville cops for doing a 'B-minus job' in the investigation into their son's mysterious disappearance. Strain's mother Michelle and stepdad Chris Whiteid (middle) along with his father Ryan Gilbert (right) sat down with Ashleigh Banfield (left) on NewsNation

Nashville police released this haunting image of Strain walking along the sidewalk on the night he vanished, as he asked a cop how he was before telling him that he was 'doing good'

'We had not seen anything or heard from them throughout the week,' Strain's stepdad said - adding that they were getting frustrated with the police department's lack of communication.

Banfield responded that she was 'steaming mad' that she had interviewed a key witness who had still not been interviewed by the police at the time of the NewsNation interview.

The witness was a volunteer who works with homeless people near Nashville's downtown, where Strain went missing. She made an important connection several days after Strain's disappearance.

Sabrina Martin, who volunteers with nonprofit group Souls United said she saw someone wearing a distinctive shirt just like Riley was last seen in.

She had been feeding the homeless with a group of volunteers and as they were passing plates and water an individual passed by on a bicycle wearing a dirty hoodie with a very clean white shirt with a black collar underneath.

He dropped a bottle of water and when he leaned over to grab it, Martin noted how clean the shirt underneath was an even pointed it out to a fellow-volunteer.

Martin also said it was unusual from a homeless person to be riding a bike.

She encountered the homeless man only a 10-minute-walk from the bar area where Strain went missing.

The volunteer described the homeless man as 6 foot 1 white male with a buzzcut and ungroomed facial hair. 'His face, his neck ands his hands were very dirty,' Martin described.

A bank card belonging to Strain was found on the embankment near Gay Street, which is a three-minute walk from the Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street where he was last seen on video

Surveillance footage released by the Nashville police show him wobbling and appearing confused as he crossed a closed road near the water

Strain's stepdad said people who reached out to Crimestoppers said that they were told by investigators that 'they don't know anything about a Riley Strain case.'

'We're struggling, we're 10 days in,' Whiteid said - later adding that they're trying to be patient but 'time is of the essence.'

The parents' criticism of the Nashville cops comes after TikTokers found a crucial piece of evidence that investigators and failed to discover over a week after Strain went missing.

Two women, Anna Clemdening and Brandy Baenen, had been rummaging through trash along the riverbank when they located Strain's bank card among 'pieces of clothing, shoes, bottles, cans' and more, according to WSMV_TV.

Strain's father confirmed that police haven't said anything about the bank card being discovered.

'I think it just shines light on the B-minus job that the police force may be doing.'

A family friend revealed he's heard from a woman who texted with missing Riley Strain just minutes before he vanished.

Chris Dingman, a family friend, spoke to NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas Reports on Monday where he revealed the last communication anyone could find from Riley - which was a confusing text to a girl he was speaking with.

'She texted him to see how he was doing, if he was having fun. He sent kind of a scripted text back to her saying 'Good lops,'' Dingman said.

Neither Dingman nor the girl appeared to understand what Strain meant by this, describing it as 'unclear slang' to NewsNation, with Dingman believing it to reflect Riley's alleged mental state.

The student had reportedly FaceTimed his mom earlier in the evening, and she said nothing seemed out of the ordinary, even though she knew he was bar hopping

Dingman said that he and Strain's family are growing frustrated with the inability to find the 22-year-old despite having seen both bodycam footage released by the police on Monday and additional recordings the public hadn't seen.

'Every piece of the puzzle we've been receiving, it leads us down 100 more questions,' he said. 'We're no closer to finding Riley.'

The department on Monday shared footage on X showing Strain walking along the sidewalk past an officer, who appeared to be inspecting a car with a smashed window.

Strain says, 'How are you?' to the officer, to which the cop responds, 'How you doing sir?'

'Good you?' Strain says. 'Good,' the officer said back. Metro Nashville PD said that it is evidence the student was away from Gay St, the last place he was seen alive.

It comes as the last person to potentially see Strain said he caused a 'commotion' at a Nashville homeless encampment where the student's bank card was later found.

'We heard a commotion. We looked back up. He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him,' an unidentified man who lives in the camp told WZTV.

He was very, very, very intoxicated. I never seen anybody stumble that hard before,' the man said. 'I yelled get up. They said, "He's just drunk. He's okay."'

Nashville's Office of Emergency Management used a dive team for the first time in their water searches on Saturday, but nothing conclusive was found.
By Ko Dong-hwan

GS Retail will hire people aged 60 or over for its on-foot delivery service, the major retailer said Tuesday.

The company expects it will not only draw a competent workforce but also bring positive health benefits to its employees while reducing carbon emissions by using fewer vehicles.

The GS Group subsidiary signed a partnership Monday with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to create more jobs for the city's older adults. Company Vice President Oh Jin-seog and Seoul Vice Mayor for Political Affairs Kang Cheol-won signed the deal at City Hall.

Both parties saw that Korea's growing number of older adults willing to work should be provided with jobs, and a delivery service on foot would be ideal for them.

Hired applicants will begin working as couriers after undergoing training in April and May. The company will use a smartphone app to connect its on-foot couriers with customers. The couriers can select in the app how much they want to work and earn.

Launched in 2020, the app Our Neighborhood Delivery has been encouraging deliverers to walk to their delivery locations to reduce carbon emissions from combustion engines. In the country's delivery industry, motorcycles have been responsible for a large portion of emissions.

With the city government, the company aims to hire 250 couriers this year and eventually prepare a crew of 1,000 workers for on-foot delivery. It expects the new business will have multi-thronged effects by catering to those 60 and older who want a job, helping them take care of their own health and improving customer satisfaction through its retail brands like GS the Fresh and GS25, a convenience franchise.

"Our new business will help the country's increasing senior group achieve an economic independence and discover a new joy in their lives," Oh said. "Based on our corporate social responsibility, we'll keep introducing new job opportunities for the socially vulnerable."

The company, since 2019, has been running Senior Stores, convenience stores that primarily hire older adults, with the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The stores currently number 51 nationwide.
Boeing's slew of concerning safety issues are a problem for the entire aviation sector as customers could lose confidence in flying, an industry heavyweight and prime competitor has warned.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury told the Europe 2024 conference in Berlin that Boeing's highly publicized safety failings are damaging the image of the aerospace economy.

'I am not happy with the problems of my competitor. They are not good for the industry a whole,' Faury said when asked about Boeing.

'We are in an industry where quality and safety is top priority,' he added.

It comes after a series of terrifying incidents unfolded onboard Boeing jets in recent months - from a wheel falling from an Osaka-bound aircraft early March to a panel blowing off a plane shortly after it took off from San Francisco last week.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury (pictured) told the Europe 2024 conference in Berlin that Boeing's highly-publicized safety failings are damaging the image of the aerospace economy

It comes after a series of terrifying incidents unfolded onboard Boeing jets in recent months. (Pictured: Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun)

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told the same event in Berlin that Airbus was currently in better shape than Boeing.

'I prefer Airbus' situation to that of Boeing,' he said.

The share values of each manufacturer reflect this outlook in the short term - with Boeing's plunging by 11.57 percent over the last month while Airbus rose by 13.12 percent.

Yesterday, the CEO of United Airlines Scott Kirby moved to reassure customers that flying with the company is safe in an email circulated to subscribers.

'Safety is our highest priority and is at the center of everything we do,' Kirby said in an email to customers on Monday.

'Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety.'

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the worrying incidents, which Kirby described as 'all unrelated' in the email.

He added United Airlines is reviewing details of each incident 'and using those insights to inform our safety training and procedures across all employee groups.'

The aviation industry came under the microscope over the string of recent mishaps, beginning with a door blowing off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 on January 5.

Just last week, a United Airlines Boeing 737-824 from San Francisco was grounded after it was found to be missing a panel when it touched down at Medford Airport in Oregon.

A United Airlines plane built by Boeing was grounded last week after it was found to be missing a panel after it touched down following a flight. Pictured: The missing part on the 25-year-old Boeing 737-824

Jackson County Airport Director Amber Judd reiterated the plane was not a new aircraft, unlike the slew of incidents seen in recent months. An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-MAX 9 lost a door mid-flight in January, with several incident involving Boeing-made planes occurring since

Jackson County Airport Director Amber Judd said the panel fell off the 25-year-old plane mid-flight, and that no injuries were reported by passengers or crew.

Just three days before, a Boeing jet was forced to land due to hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area. It was also a United Flight.

Also under investigation, the forced landing happened as the San Francisco-bound 777-300 embarked from Sydney, with fluid filmed leaking from its undercarriage.

It also comes less than a week after a former Boeing staffer was found dead by an apparent suicide, while doing depositions for a suit he filed against the firm alleging he witnessed second-rate parts being fitted on planes.

After the incident last Monday - and another hours before that saw 50 passengers injured on the firm's flagship 787-Dreamliner - Boeing lost more than $4billion overnight.

The FAA has since revealed the firm failed 33 of 89 audits during an exam of Boeing's 737 Max - a model it had been planning to update with the long delayed Max 10.

After the incident - and the several before - United Airlines requested the firm halt work on the unreleased jets: an apparent sign of carriers' diminishing faith.

The incident comes just three days after another incident, where a Boeing plane was forced to land due to hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area. Now being investigated, the technical failure also occurred in midair on a United flight

Meanwhile, ex Boeing Quality Manager John Barnett - who had been in the midst of a whistleblower retaliation suit against the manufacturer - was found dead from what police said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound Saturday, while meeting Boeing lawyers in South Carolina

The Boeing whistleblower found dead, 62-year-old John Barnett, had given stark warnings over the aviation giant's 787 Dreamliner and 737 Max models specifically in an interview, just weeks before his demise.

In the midst of a deposition in a whistleblower lawsuit in Charleston related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane, Barnett was found with a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound in the parking lot of a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating nine incidents this month alone involving United planes.
A group of furious mothers have staged a protest outside a Premier Inn after a woman was told to 'hide' in a corner to breastfeed her baby.

Women have gathered outside the hotel in Admiral Park, Guernsey, where Kelly Corbin was humiliated by staff after she was ordered to feed her baby 'out the way of the public'.

The devoted parent, who had already been suffering with postnatal anxiety, left the hotel in tears and was forced to feed her 'crying, hungry' baby in the car following the traumatic ordeal.

Kelly took to social media on Saturday to tell of how the 'terrible' incident has 'knocked everything out of me' and left her doubting whether she will ever breastfeed in public again.

Premier Inn have since apologised for the incident and reiterated that 'breast-feeding mothers are whole-heartedly welcome in all our sites across the UK'.

A group of furious mothers have staged a protest outside a Premier Inn after a woman was told to 'hide' in a corner to breastfeed her baby

Kelly Corbin took to social media on Saturday to tell of how she was humiliated by staff after she was ordered to feed her baby 'out the way of the public'

Kelly wrote on social media: 'I am so upset and humiliated by this. It's taking everything in me not to go and buy some formula and end our breast-feeding journey.

'As a new mum again who has suffered immensely with postnatal anxiety, this has well and truly knocked everything out of me, just as I was picking myself up with my mental health. Shame on you.

'I don't think I will ever breast-feed her in public again.'

Kelly said she was asked by a member of hotel staff to feed her baby 'out of the way of the public as they won't like it'.

A call out was then made for by outraged fellow mother Rebecca Greening to 'breastfeeding women past, present and future to gather at the hotel to show support and make a stand'.

The group assembled and walked across the road to the hotel to enter the same restaurant, many of them with young children.

Kelly didn't participate in the protest gathering as she was still too upset to return to the hotel.

One mother said: 'The feeling among us is this type of request is unacceptable in modern society and led to unnecessary hurt for a mother trying to feed her young child.'

Another said: 'I faced a similar confrontation three decades ago, which was out of order at that time and even more so today.'

The Premier Inn in Admiral Park where Kelly was humiliated by staff after being told to feed her baby 'out the way of the public'

Another mother said: 'Breastfeeding doesn't equate to indecently exposing yourself and the activity is discreet.'

Premier Inn has since apologised for the incident. A spokesperson said: 'Breastfeeding mothers are wholeheartedly welcome in all our sites across the UK.

'Were proud to be a family-friendly business and its really important to us that all our guests including new mums and their babies have a relaxing, comfortable and enjoyable experience when they stay, enjoy a coffee or dine with us.

'Were sorry for the confusion between one of our team members and a guest in our Guernsey hotel. We have spoken to the guest to apologise directly and hope to welcome her back soon.'
A former Google executive has claimed the firm's disastrous AI chatbot was the result of the tech giant's over zealous focus on DEI.

Google Gemini was slammed as 'woke' after producing diverse but historically inaccurate images from user prompts, including a female pope, black founding fathers and black Nazis.

Shaun Maguire, a former partner at the company's investment arm Google Ventures, told the Free Press he was 'not shocked' by the chatbot's output as it 'revealed how broken Google's culture is in such a visually obvious way to the world.'

Gemini's mistakes were 'not a one-off incident' according to Maguire, but 'a symptom of a larger cultural phenomenon that has been taking over the company for years.'

Maguire has previously hit out at Google claiming he was told he would not be promoted because he is a white man while the company focused on promoting diversity. A claim Google has previously denied.

Shaun Maguire, a former partner at the company's investment arm Google Ventures, said he was 'not shocked' by Google's 'woke' Gemini chatbot

Google's Gemini AI chatbot generated historically inaccurate images of black founding fathers

Google CEO Sundar Pichai apologized for the 'problematic' images depicting black Nazis and other 'woke images'

Sundar Pichai said the company is taking steps to ensure the Gemini AI chatbot doesn't generate these images again

Gemini's image generation feature was temporarily paused last month after the furor with Google CEO Sundar Pichai calling the results 'unacceptable' in a memo to staff.

Maguire joined Google as an investment partner in 2016 but soon discovered that groups pushing for diversity within hiring were making 'unreasonable demands.'

'The demands included the insistence that senior leaders hire at least two additional female general partners, which is the senior role I was promised I'd get once I reached three years with the company,' Maguire told the Free Press.

As a result of the focus on diversity 'young people from minority backgrounds were coming in with virtually no investment experience whatsoever,' Maguire recalled.

Adding: 'Ventures promoted a 25-year-old black woman to investment partner, the same position I held at the time, who had not yet made a single investment decision in her entire career.'

A spokesman for Google Ventures said: 'These claims from Sequoia Capital Partner Shaun Maguire regarding his time at GV from 20162019 are baseless and factually inaccurate.

'GV's decisions around hiring and promotion are solely based on merit and ability.'

Google has made no secret of its political bias, with 88 percent of donations by employees going to the Democrats (almost $5.5 million) - compared to just 12 percent (some $766,000) to the Republican Party.

It comes amid heightened scrutiny on woke ideology within tech, with Elon Musk also publicly criticizing Google's Gemini chatbot, saying he spoke to a Google exec who reassured him they would correct the 'gender and racial bias in Gemini.'

AI chatbots and image generation have raised concerns that human bias and prejudice could become baked into the bots, as they learn from the information provided to them.

Google temporarily disabled Gemini's image generation tool last month after users complained it was generating 'woke' but incorrect images such as female Popes

Gemini's image generation also created images of black Vikings

It is possible in an attempt to address possible discrimination Google may have overcorrected in the production of Gemini.

'Gemini's AI image generation does generate a wide range of people. And that's generally a good thing because people around the world use it' Google explained in a statement last month.

'But it's missing the mark here,' the company added.

Suspicions about an agenda behind the bot were raised when alleged old tweets from the Google executive responsible for Gemini surfaced online.

Gemini senior director Jack Krawczyk's allegedly wrote 'white privilege is fking real' and that America is rife with 'egregious racism' on X.

Screenshots of the tweets, seemingly from Krawczyk's now-private account, were circulated online by those critical of the chatbot.

However, they have not been independently verified.

Gemini has also been criticized by former Google employee, Debarghya Das, who wrote on X that it was 'embarrassingly hard to get Google Gemini to acknowledge that white people exist.'

Elon Musk claims Google is taking 'immediate action' to fix its 'absurdly woke ' AI chatbot

Gemini senior director Jack Krawczyk's allegedly wrote 'white privilege is fking real' and that America is rife with 'egregious racism' on X

Former Google employee Debarghya Das said, 'It's embarrassingly hard to get Google Gemini to acknowledge that white people exist.'

Das posted the comment alongside a series of images generated by Gemini with no white people.

Addressing the issues raised Krawczyk wrote on X last month that the historical inaccuracies reflect the tech giant's 'global user base,' and that it takes 'representation and bias seriously.'

'We will continue to do this for open ended prompts (images of a person walking a dog are universal!),' he wrote on X.

Adding: 'Historical contexts have more nuance to them and we will further tune to accommodate that.'

Krawczyk allegedly described President Biden's inaugural address as 'one of the greatest ever' for 'acknowledging systemic racism' and 'reiterating the American ideal is the dream for the world but we need to work on ourselves to earn it.'

He also allegedly wrote about being moved to tears when voting for Biden.

'I've been crying in intermittent bursts for the past 24 hours since casting my ballot' a screenshot of a tweet shows.

'Filling in that Biden/Harris line felt cathartic.'
An Apple executive, his producer wife, and their toddler have been pictured after they were killed when a 78-year-old woman crashed her Mercedes SUV into a bus stop in San Francisco.

Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, 40, Matilde Ramos Pinto, 38, and their one-year-old son were tragically killed on Saturday as they waited for the for the bus in West Portal on their way to the zoo.

The crash also left their infant son, about three months old, in critical condition.

Mary Fong Lau was arrested Sunday on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, driving the wrong way, driving at an unsafe speed and reckless driving.

Lau was initially taken to the hospital for injuries and it remains unclear what caused her car to hop the curb, crash into a fire hydrant, pole and side of the local library.

Matilde Ramos Pinto, 38, and the couple's one-year-old son were tragically killed on Saturday as they waited for the for the bus in West Portal, in the Bay Area, on their way to the zoo

Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, 40, was also killed. The crash also left their infant son, about three months old, in critical condition (not pictured)

Matilde was taken to the hospital after the crash, while her husband and child died at the scene

Matilde was taken to the hospital after the crash, while her husband and child died at the scene. She died on Sunday in the hospital.

Other people waiting for the bus to arrive were also injured from the crash and received medical attention.

The family lived in the Mission District, a neighborhood in the Bay Area, and planned to spend a day at the zoo together for Diego and Matilde's wedding anniversary, friends said.

Diego, a creative director at Apple, was from Brazil and Matilde was a film and advertising producer from Portugal.

Loved ones have been leaving tributes on the couple's social media accounts.

'So sorry this happened to you and your family. Rooting for your baby's health,' read one comment on Diego's Instagram.

Another said: 'My dear dear Matilde. I am so heartbroken. I cannot believe this you were and are an angel in my life forever. I miss you.'

The crash site has since been covered with stuffed animals, flowers, candles, and a stroller with a heart-shaped cutout that reads: : 'Remembering the precious lives lost on March 16, 2024.'

Advocates from Walk San Francisco added three pairs of shoes in honor of the mother, father and child who were tragically lost.

Witnesses said that the toddler went flying in the air from the impact of the crash.

Diego, a creative director at Apple, was from Brazil and Matilde was a film and advertising producer from Portugal

The family lived in the Mission District, a neighborhood in the Bay Area, and planned to spend a day at the zoo together for Diego and Matilde's wedding anniversary

The crash site has since been covered with stuffed animals, flowers, candles and tributes

Another witness, Nikki Mashburn, told The San Francisco Chronicle that she heard the crash and that is sounded like 'an explosion.' She said that the victims suffered head injuries.

'When the paramedics showed up, you could tell  they didnt know what to do first,' Mashburn said.

'The stroller was clearly destroyed. Yeah, so he was still strapped in there,' Johanna Dimayuga, a resident in the area told CBS News.

Gabriel Cinquepalm, another witness, said that he saw Lau after the crash as she got out of her vehicle with a look as if to say: 'What have I done?' and that she was screaming at the sky.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on X, formerly Twitter, that she had visited the scene of the collision on Saturday. She called it 'heartbreaking.'

Walk San Francisco has planned a memorial for the family at 5pm on Monday at the crash site.

The aftermath of the horror crash is pictured above

'We are heartbroken and heartsick and horrified,' Jodie Medeiros, the executive director of the advocacy group said.

'This is one of the worst pedestrian tragedies to ever occur on San Francisco streets. It is almost beyond comprehension.'

Following the tragedy, the group and locals have voiced their concerns about the intersection of Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue where the bus stop is located.

The group noted that around the intersection, there are multiple places where families and children frequent, like a library, schools and train stations.

'It's time to fundamentally rethink areas like where this crash occurred, where thousands of people walk and cross and wait every day,' Medeiros said.

This was the second child killed in the city in less than a year, as deadly crashes like these have surged and left residents uneasy.
One witness reported hearing the girl's body hit the ground before her parents rushed over

Her stepmother described the stunt as a '"look what I can do" type thing'

The little girl plummeted from the second floor of the Southridge Mall as her parents were distracted

Bodycam footage shows the aftermath of a six-year-old's fall from an escalator in a Wisconsin mall, after the girl clung to the railing and tried to be like 'Superman.'

Greendale Police Department received over a dozen calls after 7 pm on February 27 reporting that the girl had plummeted from the second floor of the Southridge Mall.

Footage obtained by 12 News shows paramedics and officers crowding around her after she miraculously survived.

The little girl, lying prone on the floor, calls out for her father.

'Anything hurt on you at all? Your head? What hurts?' an officer asks.

'My back and my arm,' the girl responds.

'You back and your arm? Okay. You don't remember falling and hurting it, through?' the officer asks. The girl responds that she doesn't.

Bodycam footage released by the Greendale Police Department shows the moments after the little girl's fall from the second floor of the Southridge Mall

The six-year-old was reportedly trying to ride the railing 'like Superman' when she plummeted to the ground below

She told officers she didn't remember the fall, but reported pain in her back and arm

The little girl was taken to the hospital and released later that week. Her parents told police they were already on the second floor when the accident occurred

First responders are later seen lifting the girl and gingerly placing her on a stretcher so she can be taken to the hospital.

In the hospital room, a Greendale police officer spoke with her father and stepmother.

The parents said they got off the escalator to go to Champs Sporting Goods when they realized the little girl was several feet behind them.

'I thought that she was close near us but she was by the escalator,' the girl's stepmother said.

'And by the time that we turned around to call her over, she was like, oh, kind of like, "Hey, look what I can do" type thing.'

The girl's father claimed they were between five and seven feet away from the girl when they saw her grabbing the railing.

'We were already on the second floor. And she grabs the top of the rail. And she goes, and she was like Superman,' the man said.

Police also interviewed witnesses. Some said they didn't witness the accident, but heard the sound of the girl's body hitting the ground.

One woman said she heard 'a loud thump' before seeing the parents sprinting down the escalator.

Another woman claimed to have seen the fall. 'I looked over and the little girl went down and mom and dad were turning and we just heard a scream,' she told police.

'And I ran because I didn't know if it was real. I didn't know what the hell it was.'

The girl was released from the hospital later that week, according to authorities. The incident is not being investigated as suspicious and is believed to be an accident.
Mega-consumer good company Unilever plans to separate from Ben & Jerry's, a move that comes as the conglomerate spins-off its historic ice cream division after more than 100 years.

Ben & Jerry's, though an incredibly popular brand the world-over, has created political problems for Unilever in recent years as the brand's independent board ties itself to progressive stances that alienate sects of its consumer base.

In 2022, Unilever and the brand got into a legal fight after the corporation sold its Ben & Jerry's operation in Israel, a move that came after the independent American board said publicly that it would halt the sales of its products in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

In the aftermath of the October 7 invasion of Israel by Hamas and subsequent war, the chairwoman of Ben & Jerry's independent board, Anuradha Mittal, denounced Israel's campaign in Gaza.

Mittal, who also runs progressive think-tank the Oakland Institute, has shared a number of pro-Palestine posts since the Hamas attack.

Ben & Jerry's parent company will spin it, as well as its other ice cream brands, off into a stand-alone business after more than 100 years in the ice cream business

Several years ago, the brand came to blows with Unilever when it announced it would no longer sell ice cream in Israeli settlements. Unilever responded by selling the brand's Israeli operation to avoid further conflict

The chairwoman of Ben & Jerry's independent board, Anuradha Mittal, denounced Israel's campaign in Gaza

In response to Mittal's position, the Simon Wisenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization focused specifically on Holocaust research and education, encouraged people not to buy Ben & Jerry's.

Activist investor Nelson Peltz, at the time, sat on the boards of both Unilever and the Wisenthal Center, which caused discord between the brand and the company.

Peltz, who joined the Unilever board after the controversy over the brand's presence in Israeli settlements, previously told the former Unilever CEO that 'no company has any place making these kinds of political statements.'

In addition to Ben & Jerry's, Unilever also owns the ice cream brands Magnum, Wall's, Breyers, Talenti, Popsicle, and Klondike - which will also be spun off into a stand-alone ice cream business.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Unilever likely chose to spin off the business because no buyer offering an acceptable price was found.

The shake-up is part of a restructuring program meant to save the company roughly $870million in the next three years.

Unilever says the proposed changes are expected to impact about 7,500 roles globally - the company employs about 128,000 people.

Frozen-food businesses are sometimes difficult to sell because of their expensive and intricate logistics network built around keeping the food ice cold.

At present, Unilever's ice cream brands also account for some 10 percent of the company's greenhouse-gas emissions - a figure that virtually all global corporations are under pressure to bring down.

Last year, the company celebrated American independence day by declaring the US was founded on land stolen from native tribes that they would like to see returned

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory and corporate headquarters - the brand sold to Unilever in 2000

A Ben & Jerry's ice-cream delivery truck is seen at their factory in Be'er Tuvia, Israel July 20, 2021 - shortly before Unilever sold the business's Israeli operations

Last year, on July 4th, Ben & Jerry's celebrated American Independence Day by declaring the country should 'return' its land to the native tribes from whom it was originally stolen.

'This 4th of July, it's high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it,' the company's official account wrote before suggesting Mount Rushmore should be handed back to its original owners.

The post sparked immediate outrage on social media, with many disgusted customers using the #boycottbenandjerrys hashtag to slam the message as anti-American sentiment on a day meant to celebrate the United States.

The tweet then linked to a post on the company's website explaining why America should 'start with Mount Rushmore' and how they hope to support a movement that would dismantle 'white supremacy and systems of oppression.'

'Ah, the Fourth of July. Who doesn't love a good parade, some tasty barbecue, and a stirring fireworks display? The only problem with all that, though, is that it can distract from an essential truth about this nation's birth: The US was founded on stolen Indigenous land,' they wrote.

The ice cream giant then announced its support for the Land Back Movement, which it says is 'about restoring the rights and freedoms of Indigenous people.'

Ben & Jerry's has, throughout its history, been a supporter of far left causes and partnered with various movements for social justice

'It's about dismantling white supremacy and systems of oppression and ensuring that Indigenous people can again govern the land their communities called home for thousands of years.'

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenwood were longtime supporters of Democratic Socialist Senator Sanders - who represents their home of Vermont in the Senate - and created multiple flavors to support his campaign after they sold the company in 2000.

Ben and Jerry's has continued to push its woke agenda under CEO Dave Stever and its current owners Unilever, having partnered with the likes of Stephen Colbert, Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe and 'Squad' Congresswoman Cori Bush.

In September of 2021, they debuted a flavor in support of a $10 billion bill by Rep. Bush that would replace police officers with social workers and other first responders in incidents of mental health and substance abuse.
A 'greedy and grotesque' L.A. woman that was caught in an elaborate squatting scheme has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Carolina Herrling, who also goes by the name Carrie Phenix, 44, of West Hills was sentenced on Friday by a U.S. District Judge for targeting elderly men and taking over their million-dollar mansions.

Herrling has also been accused of disposing of one victim's body after he died in a home that she soon called her own.

In 2020, she found a lavish home in Sherman Oaks, owned by Charles Wilding, 71, broke into it, discovered his dead body, took over the home and disposed of his remains.

The following year, Herrling decided to fraudulently sell a mansion in Encino that was under the ownership of Robert Tascon, 53. He committed suicide on September 11, 2022.

'This lady is a big manipulator and con artist and she's gotten away with using the dead. Hold her accountable and don't let her do this to anyone else,' Miracle Williams, Tascon's heartbroken partner, told the Los Angeles Times.

Carolina Herrling, who also goes by the name Carrie Phenix, 44, of West Hills was sentenced on Friday by a U.S. District Judge for targeting elderly men and taking over their million-dollar mansions

In 2020, she found a lavish home in Sherman Oaks, owned by Charles Wilding (left) broke into it, discovered his dead body and took over the home while he rotted. In 2021, she fraudulently sold a mansion in Encino that was under the ownership of Robert Tascon (right)

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Herrling pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

She has also been ordered to pay $3.88million in restitution fees for her crimes.

'This defendants misconduct was both greedy and grotesque, causing profound pain to the victims and their loved ones,' United States Attorney Martin Estrada said in a press release.

'There must be serious consequences for those who prey on vulnerable communities, such as older adults, and my office will remain steadfast in bringing these offenders to justice.'

Court documents revealed that Herrling and her co-conspirators 'preyed on vulnerable victims' that lived in wealthy neighborhoods and resided in homes that 'appeared unkept.'

In order to do so, her and her team would use online mapping programs and visited affluent neighborhoods in search of properties with overgrown shrubs and algae-filled pools to identify the victims, the press release said.

In 2020, when she stumbled upon Wilding's home in Sherman Oaks mansion, her and her associates broke into the home before calling it their own.

'At some point in September 2020, the victim died  investigators are uncertain how  and they believe that Herrling and others took over the property while his body decomposed in his home,' the press release said.

Instead of reporting his dead body, Herrling and her crew proceeded to steal all of his assets as his body rotted away inside the home.

According to the release, Herrling use a 'forged power-of attorney form' and pretended to work on Wilding's behalf as she stole his home and took over his financial accounts.

When Tascon briefly moved out of his home to live with his partner after he developed an alcohol problem, Herrling moved into his mansion and sold it. (pictured: Tascon's former mansion located on 5309 Louise Ave in Encino, California)

In 2021, the victim's neighbors reported Wilding missing and police started to investigate.

Once they got a hold of Herrling, she told them that she was a 'close friend' of his that had been listed as the trustee of his family trust that was forged to look like his mother, who died in 2017, created, court documents said.

She then told authorities that Wilding had moved from Sherman Oaks to Carpinteria, even thought he was already dead.

Investigators soon found that Herrling and her co-conspirators re-located the victim's body to her West L.A. apartment and attempted to dissolve of it in chemicals.

When that plan failed, the scheming team decided to dismember Wilding's body throughout the Bay Area. A member of her crew even took their sailboat out into the San Francisco Bay and dropped his body parts in the water.

Wilding's remains have never been found, the press release said.

After his death, police found that Tascono had a history of mental illness and was involved in fraud litigation (pictured: Tascon seen in an undated mugshot)

During Herrling's hearing, Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong said that Wilding was 'a man and a human being' and that Herrling instead treated him 'like a cash register.'

Prosecutors said that Wilding was listed as the beneficiary and executor to the will of another victim, but that document that Herrling claimed she 'discovered' in a safe deposit box that was rented by his deceased mother, was also forged by her.

Court documents revealed that according to the forged will, the missing victim was set to inherit an estate worth more than $1.7million- assets that fell under Herrling's control as the 'trustee' of the estate.

In 2022, her and her associates defrauded Tascon, a man that came from a wealthy family and had two trusts set up for him, according to a U.S. Postal Inspection Service report.

He briefly moved out of his home to live with his partner after he developed an alcohol problem, Travis Hargraves, Tascon's lawyer and case manager told the Los Angeles Times.

During that time, Herrling moved into his mansion and with fake documents and another forged will, she pretended to be Tascon, created accounts, sold his home for $1.5million and pocketed the money from the sale.

According to the affidavit, she used the money to purchase a home in West Hills.

Herrling pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She has also been ordered to pay $3.88million in restitution fees for her crimes

Court documents revealed that Herrling and her co-conspirators 'preyed on vulnerable victims' that lived in wealthy neighborhoods and resided in homes that 'appeared unkept'

According to Hargraves, the home was one of his client's last assets, along with monthly payments form his trusts.

Once the sold was from under him, Tascon became entangled in a vicious legal battle with Herrling and filed a lawsuit against her.

Hartgraves recalled his client telling him that he feared that he was never going to get his home back.

'The fraudulent sale just about crashed him,' Hartgraves told Lyndon Versoza, a postal investigator involved in the case.

The victim killed himself in September and according to the police report, he did have a history of metal illness and was involved in fraud litigation.

Herrling said she was not involved in the sale of Tascon's home and that she only received $150 to facilitate the notary for the sale.

She was unable to describe Tascon and claimed that she did not take everything from him, the affidavit said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Brown said that Tascon 'had one property and he lost it.'

In October 2023, one of Herrling's accomplices, Matthew Jason Kroth, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Kroth faces up to two decades in federal prison for wire fraud and up to 40 years for his methamphetamine charge.
Meghan Markle believes the name of her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard is 'perfect', it was reported today - as a PR expert suggested the duchess may have chosen not to include her own name due to her plunging popularity in the US.

Meghan, 42, launched American Riviera Orchard in a glitzy social media video last week, with the new venture set to coincide with a new Netflix cookery show featuring her.

Royal watchers immediately called the name 'pretentious' and a 'word salad', with former Dragons Den star Duncan Bannatyne weighing in to dismiss it as 'nonsensical'.

But the duchess is said to be standing the name, with an insider insisting it felt 'authentic' to her. The source told People: 'Meghan finds the name American Riviera Orchard perfect. It feels authentic to her. She can't wait for the website to launch.'

Sean O'Meara, founder of the Essential Content PR business, predicted Meghan's decision not to include her own name in the branding could be a reflection of her declining popularity in America.

Meghan Markle (right, with Prince Harry) believes the name of her new brand is 'perfect', according to a source

The name American Riviera Orchard has been described by critics as a 'word salad'

Meghan, 42, launched American Riviera Orchard in a glitzy social media video last week

A survey published last month by Newsweek found Meghan was liked by 31 percent and disliked by 30 percent, giving her a net approval rating of plus one. This was a major drop compared with December, when she was on plus 15.

Mr O'Meara told MailOnline: 'Meghan and Harry's collective and individual approaches to ''personal branding'' have been gradually shifting ever since the backlash to their Netflix documentary.

'They've each been less enthusiastic about associating their names and images with the projects they're working on.

'Last summer, PR advisors were speculating that this might be on the advice of their own team, who seemed to have been urging them to step back from the limelight.

'So with that in mind, Meghan launching a lifestyle brand that doesn't feature her name or image seems in-line with the recent approach.

'I think this ''private label'' approach is a way to limit the amount of exposure Meghan gets, while allowing the brand to form its own personality. Think of Gwyneth Paltrow's 'Goop' for a similar approach.

'When needed, Gwyneth can promote the brand with the weight of her celebrity, but the brand isn't inextricably tied to her.

'Often, taking steps to keep a founder separate from the brand they launch is done with one eye on an exit strategy. It's easier to sell a brand when it doesn't rely on a single persona for market presence'.

The comments come as Harry and Meghan were 'downgraded' on the official Buckingham Palace website last night.

Despite acrimoniously stepping down as senior working royals in January 2020, full and separate profiles of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had remained up alongside the rest of the Royal Family until yesterday morning.

Last night those pictures and biographies briefly vanished.

Within half an hour they were replaced with a significantly smaller, joint biography at the very bottom of the page  below the Duke of York. The Sussexes' entry now reads that they have stepped back as working royals, with just a couple of short paragraphs on each of them.

Despite growing public anger at their continued inclusion, the Palace has always side-stepped questions about why their details remained online despite the couple quitting royal duties four years ago and launching repeated attacks on the Royal Family in print and television interviews.

Publicity materials for the brand make no attempts to hide Meghan's royal links, with its Instagram profile including the caption 'by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex'

It has been suggested that the press office was 'slowly' updating the website following the death of Queen Elizabeth and would 'get round to it in time'.

Harry's original profile described him as fifth in line to the throne and the younger son of the King and Diana, Princess of Wales. His 2,700-word biography included details of the prince's early life, education and Army career and was peppered with glossy pictures.

It also featured details of his work setting up the Invictus Games, work on the issue of children with HIV and sporting initiatives.

There was also an entire section entitled 'supporting the monarch', which included his time as a working royal for his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

It stated he represented her at events in the UK and abroad, as well as attending state and ceremonial occasions, including Remembrance events.

Meghan's separate profile was slightly shorter  around 1,300 words  and included her education and career as an actress, as well as the charitable engagements she undertook during her brief time as a working member of the Royal Family.

Interestingly, there was no mention of her parents, including estranged father Thomas Markle.

In what many will view as a marked downgrading of their status, however, the couple now only share a joint biography showing a picture of them arm in arm on a beach in South Africa, with a combined word count of just 577.

They are the only married members of the Royal Family now not to have their own individual profiles. Harry's includes just a few words about his birth and upbringing, as well as his career in the Armed Forces and work with the Invictus Games.

Meghan's merely says she was an actress and ran a website, as well as briefly including her patronages as a working royal and her official titles.

Meghan's new project is said to have been in the works for more than a year - and feature 'all the things that are close to her heart'

Their new entry begins by stating they stepped back as working royals in January 2020 and concludes with the three official statements released by Buckingham Palace between 2020 and 2021 confirming their departure. In a gracious move, however, the Palace has also notably included a link to Harry and Meghan's new website.

The link reads: 'Information about the current work of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex can be found on their official website: Sussex.com.'

Sources insisted that the changes should not be seen as a snub, but a long overdue update. The Duke of York's entry was also updated last night, setting the seal on his fall from grace.

In what will doubtless be another humiliating relegation, his vastly shortened biography now begins with the announcement of his withdrawal from public life which came after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal  and Queen Elizabeth's decision to strip him of his military affiliations and royal patronages. Buckingham Palace declined to comment last night but noted that website design and content is updated from 'time to time'.

A source said that the couple's separate pages had been combined into one as part of a routine update of content.

A 'technical glitch' meant it took a while for the system to update to include the new joint profile.
Kevin Pietersen today slammed 'absolutely absurd' and 'bulls**t' conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton because he sees the Prince and Princess of Wales 'most days' and has urged 'cruel' trolls to 'leave her and her beautiful family alone'.

The former England cricket star, 43, lives with his wife Jessica Taylor, also 43, close to Windsor, where Kate and William were spotted shopping on Saturday.

Kate was filmed carrying a shopping bag and walking swiftly from a farm shop with her husband - the first footage of the future queen since her abdominal surgery in January.

The film was a balm to millions in the UK and around the world but crazed conspiracy theories are still running wild about Kate despite The Sun's video proving she is recovering well.

Slamming the trolls and cranks still claiming it is not Kate, KP said: 'The conspiracy theories around Kate are absolutely absurd.

'We see W&K [William and Kate] most days and in the last couple days too! It beggars belief that people would be so ridiculous and cruel in writing BULLS**T on this platform that are out and out lies.

'W&K are the most wonderful parents and as normal/humble as they come. Let K who is recovering from an operation recover. Leave her and her beautiful family alone'.

Kevin Pietersen has previously tweeted about running cricket lessons at Lambrook School - which is where William and Kate send their children. It has been previously reported that KP's son Dylan, said to be a star cricketer in the making, also attends Lambrook.

The Prince of Wales returned to royal duties in Sheffield today as a royal expert claimed Kate and William's decision to stroll out of a farm shop on a busy Saturday lunchtime shatters conspiracy theories about her health and their relationship.

An angry KP slammed conspiracy theorists on social media. He said: 'The conspiracy theories around Kate are absolutely absurd!'

Kevin Pietersen speaks to Prince William at a United for Wildlife charity event in 2014

A smiling Prince of Wales during a visit to the Learning Zone in the Northeast of the Sheffield, one of the areas of the city where families are disproportionately at risk of homelessness today

The Prince and Princess of Wales were clearly 'comfortable' with being seen in public or they would not have gone to buy bread together at their local store, Jack Royston, chief royal correspondent at Newsweek has said.

Mr Royston has said that first footage of Kate Middleton since her abdominal surgery was also a slap down to 'numpties' spreading malicious rumours online.

He said: 'They weren't born yesterday. They do understand that they are at the centre of a massive international news story. They must have been comfortable with the risk of being photographed'.

The film was a balm to millions in the UK and around the world but crazed conspiracy theories are still running wild about Kate despite The Sun's video proving she is well.

The shopper who filmed the couple has also rubbished claims it was not Kate in the HD footage.

Mr Royston said: 'It is so obviously Kate in the footage. She's recovering from surgery and has no make-up on. She could do a DNA test and people wouldn't believe it's her.

'It has been very tough for a woman has so much attention on her. She has been under such searing pressure to look perfect - but she can't be expected to look perfect all the time. It's impossible and not fair'.

Prince William was cheered as he returned to royal duties today - without his wife who remains at home in Windsor.

The Prince of Wales ploughed on with the day job in Sheffield to further his aim to help end homelessness in Britain in the next five years as his wife continues her recuperation from abdominal surgery at home.

William waved to crowds and spoke to families who have experienced homelessness while visiting the city, which is one of six locations for his Homewards initiative, which he set up in 2023.

This afternoon the heir to the throne will meet community representatives and grassroots organisations taking part in a workshop to help design a new housing project in South Yorkshire.

It came hours after millions in Britain and around the world were thrilled to see the smiling and spritely Princess of Wales properly for the first time since mid-January.

bizarre, baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories being spread about her online including that she is dead, has been replaced by a body double or the Wales' marriage is in trouble.

The footage published by The Sun shows the future queen walking quickly with a bag of shopping and chatting animatedly to her husband on Saturday afternoon. It also smashed

One royal source told the Telegraph: 'Finally everyone can calm down'.

Chief royal correspondent at Newsweek, Jack Royston, slapped down 'numpties' questioning the footage of Kate, declaring: 'It is so obviously Kate in the footage. She's recovering from surgery and has no make-up on. She could do a DNA test and people wouldn't believe it's her'.

He also said he is convinced William and Kate's public outing to their local farm shop in Windsor reveals they were keen to be spotted in public as conspiracy theories about them swirl.

'They weren't born yesterday. They do understand that they are at the centre of a massive international news story. They must have been comfortable with the risk of being photographed', he said.

Prince William waves to a cheering crowd in Sheffield today as he returned to royal duties

The Prince of Wales laughs as he promotes his initiative to banish homelessness

His Royal Highness joined a meeting of local landlords, convened by Homewards, to discuss how they can work together to end family homelessness

It also emerged today that the Palace is accelerating plans for the Princess of Wales' return to full royal duties as soon as possible now she is clearly on the mend.

The earlier she can appear the quicker cruel rumours will be banished, an insider said, adding: 'The teams are working round the clock to devise the Princess of Wales's back-to-work plan after weeks of immense pressure'.

And a source close to William today made clear he was determined to ignore speculation surrounding Kate, telling MailOnline: 'His focus is Homewards today.'

MailOnline understands that the couple have become aware of much of what is being said and are deeply saddened and distressed by the often vile speculation.

Kensington Palace has repeatedly declined to comment and a source close to William today made clear he was determined to ignore the conjecture. 'His focus is Homewards today, they said.

The Prince's initiative to end UK homelessness is one of his biggest personal passions and something he has pledged his commitment to for life.

Today, he travelled to South Yorkshire after his homelessness project was given a boost worth 1million from Homebase.

The future king unveiled the a DIY retailer's pledge of support in the form of up to 1,500 home starter packs, which could include paint, furniture, flooring and furnishings to help tenants turn a property into a home.

King Charles III arriving at Clarence House this morning, after he was pictured leaving Windsor Castle

The packs from Homebase, an official Homewards supporter, are being provided to the housing projects created in Homewards' six flagship areas launched by William last year, and a further Duchy of Cornwall development.

Today's event was staged at a community space called The Learning Zone in Sheffield and attended by Damian McGloughlin, Homebase's chief executive officer.

He said: 'At Homebase, we know how important it is to have a place to call home, and we're committed to co-producing home starter packs with the people who will be using them.

'Over the next five years, we'll help end the cycle of homelessness by supporting a fresh start with a fresh lick of paint, and all their home needs.'

William also sat down with local landlords to discuss their support for ending homelessness among families - a growing issue in the city - and heard about the housing commitments they are making to support the programme.

Social housing activist Kwajo Tweneboa, whose own family suffered homelessness, also joined the session to give his thoughts on housing insecurity.

A group of landlords including Keystone Property Group, Places for People, Letzmove, My Landlord Cares and Arches Housing has pledged more than 30 three and four-bedroom properties for families on the brink of losing their homes.

Homewards wants to focus on unlocking more affordable, long-term family homes from across the rented sector in Sheffield to help families who may be struggling to find a permanent place to live.

Each Homewards location will deliver its own housing project over five years, designed to meet local needs to tackle homelessness and test new ways to unlock homes at scale, both within their area and beyond.

The six areas are Newport, South Wales, three neighbouring Dorset towns - Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, the south London Borough of Lambeth, Belfast, Aberdeen and Sheffield.

Later in the day William will visit the city centre for a meeting of the Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition, which over the past nine months has been working to create an action plan to tackle the housing issues facing the city.

The group will discuss the project's impact and its next steps forward.

William's visit comes after the couple were pictured at the Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday.

People flock to the shop, which was the idea of the late Duke of Edinburgh, to buy locally sourced goods and produce from the royal estates.

Nelson Silva, who saw the royal couple, told TMZ: 'I noticed a couple choosing loaves of bread and the woman turned her face and I felt like I had seen the face before. It was familiar.

'I went to my car and as they came out of the shop I just filmed them. I think they walked out through a gate out of the grounds. They just vanished and I didn't see a car.

'Kate looked happy and relaxed. They look happy just to be able to go to a shop and mingle. Kate looked relieved, like it was a success going to a shop. It felt natural.'

The royal couple also spent Sunday morning watching Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis taking part in a sporting event, according to The Sun.

Kate's absence from public life, following abdominal surgery on January 16, has led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about her whereabouts and health.

Details of her condition have not been disclosed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private.

The online speculation increased after irregularities were spotted in a Mother's Day photograph of Kate and her children, which led to the princess admitting to 'editing' the image and apologising for any 'confusion' caused.

March 11: Prince William and Kate are seen leaving Windsor together as they are driven in a car

March 10: Kensington Palace released the first picture of Kate since her abdominal surgery

December 25, 2023: Kate was last seen with her family attending church at Sandringham

The future Queen has been photographed in public twice since her operation.

In a picture published on March 4, she was a front-seat passenger in a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, in the Windsor area.

She was also spotted sitting next to William in a chauffeur-driven car on Monday last week, when he attended the Commonwealth Day service in London and she was driven to a private appointment.

A change to the biographies of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York on The Royal Family website was also disclosed yesterday.

It has been reported that the changes, which included giving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle one joint biography page, were part of a routine content update.

It was also claimed at the weekend that Kate may speak about her health during public engagements which are not expected to resume until after Easter.

The Sunday Times quote a source as saying: 'They are at their most open when out interacting with members of the public and I can see a world in which the princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements. If she was going to do it, that's how she would do it.'

William and Kate's children attend Lambrook School in Berkshire, which will start its summer term on April 17. Kate is expected to resume official engagements after this date.
He said gangs took over the country because there is no official police presence

Former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe called to restore law and order in Haiti

Haiti descended into darkness overnight as gangs attacked electrical stations, leading Former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe to call for law and order to be restored on the island.

Nearly 1.5 million Haitians are on the brink of famine as armed gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier attempts to seize power.

The nations power company announced on Monday that four substations in the capital and elsewhere, 'were destroyed and rendered completely dysfunctional.'

As a result, swaths of Port-au-Prince were without power, including the entrance to the U.S. embassy, the Cite Soleil slum, the Croix-des-Bouquets community and a hospital.

'Law and order needs to be restored in Haiti as there is a huge security void and breakdown,' Lamothe said on Tucker Carlson Uncensored.

Haiti descended into darkness overnight as gangs attacked electrical stations around Port-au-Prince

Gangs attacked two upscale neighborhoods near the capital city of Port-au-Prince and killed at least two dozen people on Monday

Former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe has called for law and order to be restored on the island

Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau have in effect been running domestic politics in Haiti for the past few years. The result is chaos and cannibalism. Pretty soon a big portion of the Haitian population will be living in Florida. Haitis former prime minister explains. pic.twitter.com/3gPtfhiMpi  Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) March 18, 2024

The former prime minster said Haiti had a strong military and police force until Jean-Bertrand Aristide became president and then he disbanded them out of a lack of trust, which has created the void in security the country is seeing now.

He claimed Haiti is the only country in the Western Hemisphere outside of Costa Rica that has no military and that has the biggest gang activity after El Salvador.

'That created a void. And that created a situation where we have to deal with that void is filled by gangs,' Lamothe said.

'Haiti is probably the only country in the world where gangs on Facebook every day doing Facebook Live.'

Gangs attacked two upscale neighborhoods near the capital city of Port-au-Prince and killed at least two dozen people in the rampage on Monday.

Gunmen looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin before sunrise, forcing residents to flee as some called radio stations pleading for police.

'We woke up this morning to find bodies in the street in our community of Petionville,' Douce Titi, who works at the mayor's office, told the Associated Press.

Nearly 1.5 million Haitians are on the brink of famine as armed gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier (pictured) attempts to seize power

'Ours is not that kind of community. We will start working to remove those bodies before the children start walking by to go to school and the vendors start to arrive.'

Cherizier, a former police officer turned gangster, has claimed responsibility for the latest surge in attacks, and said his goal is to capture Haiti's police chief and government ministers and prevent outset Prime Minister Ariel Henry's return to the Caribbean nation.

Barbecue's threats will have struck fear into the hearts of many Haitians, with his reputation for burning people alive - something he has long denied - preceding him.

But terrified residents are flocking to a vigilante movement known as 'bwa kale' which attempts to preserve neighborhood security through shared surveillance systems, checkpoints and patrols.

Lamothe said the situation in Haiti comes from the poverty level its citizens are experiencing.

He claimed after the devastating earthquake in 2010, Haiti had $15 billion in infrastructure damage, 250,000 deaths and over 500,000 injured.

Lamothe said the situation in Haiti comes from the poverty level its citizens are experiencing

Lamothe said Haiti had a strong military and police force until Jean-Bertrand Aristide became president and then he disbanded created the void in security the country is seeing now

Cherizier, a former police officer turned gangster, has claimed responsibility for the latest surge in attacks, and said his goal is to capture Haiti's police chief and government ministers

According to Lamothe, the international community promised $9 billion in aid but Haiti only received half of it, and out of the half most if it went to the US military.

'It's important for Haiti to restore its military and there is resistance coming from the international community to do so still now,' Lamothe said.

In total, more than 350,000 people have been internally displaced in Haiti and over 15,000 of them in the last two weeks, reported the BBC.

On Mondays and Fridays, the Dominican Republic opens its border to Haitians who want to shop at the food market located at the end of the border bridge.

However, the Dominican government has been deporting troves of Haitians who try to overstay their welcome and advised Haitians not to seek refuge in their territory of Hispaniola.
Kakao Mobility, Korea's top taxi-hailing service operator, has been pushing for plans to reappoint its CEO, despite the state financial regulator's recommendation to replace him amid allegations of accounting fraud, industry sources said Tuesday.

In a general shareholders' meeting slated for next week, Kakao Mobility will carry out a vote on reelecting Ryu Geung-seon as the CEO, following the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS)'s recommendation to dismiss him over the alleged accounting fraud, according to the sources.

Kakao Mobility has allegedly inflated its sales figure by receiving 20 percent of its taxi drivers' profit as a membership fee, and returning about 80 percent of the fee to the drivers.

Last month, the FSS issued a prior notice to Kakao Mobility that it will refer the company and key officials to the prosecution over the allegations and impose a 9 billion-won ($6.7 million) fine.

Additionally, the FSS also recommended Ryu step down from his position.

In apparent efforts to deflate its sales, Kakao Mobility recently amended its accounting standards, resulting in a 400 billion-won reduction in its annual sales last year to 600 billion won from over 1 trillion won.

The company said Ryu's reappointment as the company's CEO has yet to be confirmed, but noted he has successfully led the company during his tenure.

Kakao Mobility and its parent, Kakao, have been at the center of public criticism since last year over suspicions of unfair business practices and moral hazard of their executives, including stock manipulation allegations. (Yonhap)
Two alleged Islamic State supporters have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of planning to launch a deadly gun attack at Sweden's parliament in retaliation for Koran burnings in the country, prosecutors said.

The men, identified only as Ibrahim MG and Ramin N, were detained in the Gera area of eastern Germany after making 'concrete preparations' for the plans, the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Throughout last summer, a series of controversial protests saw activists desecrate the Muslim holy book in front of a Mosque and the parliament building in Stockholm, sparking outrage.

Around that time, Ibrahim MG, an IS member, was tasked by the jihadist group with carrying out an attack in Europe in response to Koran burnings in Sweden, according to prosecutors in Germany.

He is accused of plotting along with Ramin N 'to use firearms to kill police officers and other people in the area of the Swedish parliament in Stockholm,' German prosecutors said today.

The men had made 'concrete preparations' for an attack 'in the area of the Swedish parliament in Stockholm,' according to prosecutors (file image shows Sweden's parliament buildings

The pair 'made concrete preparations for this in close consultation with officials' from a regional branch of IS, researching the site and trying to get weapons, prosecutors said.

'They researched conditions around the possible crime scene on the internet and tried several times - albeit unsuccessfully - to procure weapons,' they added.

Karin Lutz, a spokeswoman for Sweden's Security Service (Sapo), confirmed that they had been working with German police, but declined to give further details.

Both suspects are accused of plotting to commit a crime. Ibrahim MG is suspected of having supported and of having been a member of a terrorist organisation.

Ramin N is accused of having supported a terrorist organisation. The group is known as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISPK), according to German media.

Prior to the plot, they are also accused of having collected around 2,000 euros ($2,170) for IS in Germany, which was sent to the group via intermediaries.

Sweden has been on high alert since a series of Koran burnings across the country, mainly by immigration opponents, sparked outrage in the Muslim world.

In one protest, 37-year-old Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika, along with and Salwan Najem, set fire to a copy of the Koran in front of the building.

Salwan Momika announced he would burn a copy of the Quran and an Iraqi flag in Stockholm on 20 July 2023

They had carried out a similar demonstration outside Stockholm's main mosque in late June.

The pair have repeatedly said they wanted the Koran banned in the Nordic nation, which prides itself on its free speech laws.

The burnings put Sweden at a 'heightened threat' of terror attacks, with the level increased from 'elevated' - where it had been since 2016 - to 'high' last August.

The country has also seen its diplomatic relations with several Middle Eastern nations strained over the desecrations.

Sweden condemned the attacks on the Muslim holy book but upheld its laws regarding freedom of speech and assembly.

Today's arrests are just the latest in Germany relating to alleged plots targeting Sweden.

In October, German prosecutors charged two Syrian brothers for planning an attack inspired by the IS group at a church in Sweden over Koran burnings.

Islamist extremists have also committed several violent attacks in Germany in recent years, the deadliest being a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12 people.

In another case, an extremist and his wife were jailed in 2020 for planning a biological bomb attack in Germany with the deadly poison ricin.
This is the harrowing moment cartel gunmen dumped human remains on a street in eastern Mexico before they fired multiple shots in the air and sped away.

A witness stood on a balcony several dozen yards away and filmed the assassins removing the mutilated corpses out of a SUV on a plaza in the municipality of Cazones de Herrera on Monday.

At least three of suspects stood near their vehicle and opened with their assault rifles and abandoned the area that features the city's name spelled in colorful big-blocks located across the street from the town hall.

Graphic photos posted on social media showed a severed head lying next to one the torsos belonging to two people.

The rest of the body parts were strewn on the ground as curious people looked on.

Gunmen with the Veracruzana Mafia Cartel were seen tossing the body parts of two people on a street in Cazones de Herrera, Mexico, on Monday. No arrests have been made

A Mexican criminal organization known as the Veracruzana Mafia Cartel abandoned the dismembered bodies of two people across the street from the town hall in the Gulf city of Cazones de Herrera on Monday

The Veracruzana Mafia Cartel claimed responsibility for the barbaric incident, according to a sign that the gunmen left behind.

'We are here, you damn dogs. We've just gotten them out of their caves, damn rat caves,' the sign read.

The Veracruz State Public Security Secretary and Attorney Genera's Office launched Operation Code Red after the body parts were discovered and activated a search mission to locate the cartel members.

The Attorney General's Office said it was investigating whether Monday's incident is related to the four bodies that were abandoned in the city of Tuxpan on March 2.

A cop in Cazones de Herrera, Mexico, takes images of the crime scene where the dismembered bodies of at least two people were abandoned by cartel gunmen on Monday

Veracruzana Mafia Cartel claimed responsibility for dumping human remains across the street from the Cazones de Herrera, leaving behind a sign that read: 'We are here, you damn dogs. We've just gotten them out of their caves, damn rat caves'

A bystander filmed the moment Veracruzana Mafia Cartel gunmen dumped human remains on a street in broad daylight on Monday

It is unknown if the Veracruzana Mafia Cartel was responsible also for dumping those bodies.

The cartel formed around 2017 and is comprised of former members of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas and is one of six criminal organizations that have presence in Veracruz.

It controls the drug trade in the Veracruz municipalities of Tuxpan, Poza Rica, Coatzintla and Tihuatlan

In February, the group posted 15 narco banners throughout the Veracruz city of Poza Riza, threatening rival groups and laying claim to the 15 severed bodies that were dumped in Tuxpan a week prior.
Donald Trump is suing ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for defamation after the TV host repeatedly said the former president had been found liable for rape.

The suit stems from a controversial interview with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, a rape survivor, in which Stephanopoulos asked her: 'Why are you supporting someone who's been found liable for rape?'

The lawsuit, filed on Monday, said the anchor of ABC's Sunday morning news show 'falsely stated on several occasions that plaintiff had been found liable by multiple juries for the rape of Ms. E. Jean Carroll.'

Trump's lawyers accused Stephanopoulos of making the statements with 'malice' and a disregard for the truth.

'Plaintiff has suffered and will continue to suffer harm as a direct result of defendant's conduct,' they wrote.

Donald Trump is suing ABC News and George Stephanopoulos after the TV host repeatedly said the former president had been found liable for rape

In the interview Republican Rep. Nancy Mace accused Stephanopoulos of trying to 'shame' and 'bully' her as the ABC anchor pressed her on why she endorsed Trump

Trump is already embroiled in a string of lawsuits and four criminal cases even as he campaigns to return to the White House in November's presidential election.

A New York jury in May ordered Trump to pay $5 million in damages for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s and then defaming her by branding her a liar.

In a second defamation lawsuit brought by Carroll, Trump was ordered to pay $83.3 million. Trump is appealing.

Last year, his lawyers tried to argue that her claim for damages was excessive because a jury had found that he had not raped her.

But U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan dismissed that argument, saying the jury was acting on a very narrow, legalistic definition of the term 'rape.'

'The finding that Ms. Carroll failed to prove that she was "raped" within the meaning of the New York Penal Law does not mean that she failed to prove that Mr. Trump "raped" her as many people commonly understand the word "rape,"' he wrote in a 59-page decision.

'Indeed, as the evidence at trial recounted below makes clear, the jury found that Mr. Trump in fact did exactly that.'

In their suit, Trump's lawyers say: 'Indeed, the jury expressly found that the plaintiff did not commit rape ...'

And they point out that the 10-minute interview segment opened with questions about rape.

'Given that this was the first question about of the interview, combined with the intensity and persistence of the questioning engaged in by Stephanopoulos of an actual rape victim, it was clear that Stephanopoulos maliciously intended to convince his viewers of a falsity, ie that plaintiff had been found liable of rape,' they wrote.

In their suit, Trump's lawyers say: 'Indeed, the jury expressly found that the plaintiff did not commit rape and, as demonstrated below, defendant George Stephanopoulos was aware of the jury's finding in this regard yet still falsely stated otherwise'

'You're trying to shame me for my political choice,' Mace told Stephanopoulos. 'It was not a criminal court'

ABC News said it had no comment on the lawsuit.

The March 10 interview had already attracted a slew of headlines after Stephanopoulos repeatedly pressed Mace, who has spoken publicly about being raped as a teenager, on how she could endorse Trump.

In return, she accused him of attempting to shame and bully her.

Stephanopoulos said: 'I'm asking you a question about why you endorse someone who's been found liable for rape.'

'It was not a criminal court,' she replied. 'This was a civil court and by the way, she joked about the judgment and what she was going to do with all that money. I find that offensive.

'As a rape victim, who's been shamed for years now because of her rape. You're trying to shame me again.'

The South Carolina Republican endorsed Trump in January, and the former president returned the favor this month.
Speaker Mike Johnson announced the House has struck a deal over government funding that is set to expire Friday

With four days until a government shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson announced he reached an agreement with Democrats on funding after tough negotiations threatened to derail the deal.

Details for the roughly $1 trillion spending deal are still fleeting as the text of the six bills has not yet been released.

It sets up a tight turnaround for Congress to read through and pass the massive package that will fund agencies through the end of September.

Speaker Johnson has promised that he will give members 72 hours to review bill text before a vote, which will get close to the funding dealing at 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday.

Republican and White House negotiators were stuck over the weekend on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including immigration measures, which is just one portion of the huge package.

But a deal was announced Tuesday morning, with Speaker Johnson saying the issues around DHS funding had been hashed out.

'An agreement has been reached for DHS appropriations, which will allow completion of the FY24 appropriations process,' Johnson said in a statement.

'House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible,' he continued.

Speaker Mike Johnson announced Tuesday that a government funding deal has been reached

Johnson, who implemented a staggered funding approach, set a deadline to get appropriations bills passed before March 22

Negotiators for Speaker Mike Johnson and President Biden worked over the weekend on a spending bill that would fund six agencies of government

GOP hardliner members of the House threatened to tank the appropriations package before the deal had even been agreed upon.

A letter signed by 41 members put out Monday night states that the far-right border security bill, H.R. 2, must be a part of any measure or they will vote no.

'House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible,' he continued.

The group of over 40 Republicans were led by Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, R-Va., and Policy Chair Chip Roy, R-Texas.

Though the details are still being finalized, the deal is expected to be over a trillion dollars after Congressional leadership settled on a $1.59 trillion spending top-line number in January.

Congress already passed the first tranche of six appropriations bills - totaling $460 billion - two weeks ago, narrowly avoiding a first March 8 funding deadline.

In addition to DHS, the deal announced today includes funding for State-Foreign Operations, Defense, Labor-HHS, Legislative Branch and Financial Services-General Government.

Details on new the trillion dollar deal could be released as early as Wednesday.

Delaying the release of the text could threaten to keep lawmakers in Washington over the weekend as members must have 72 hours to read over the text before votes.

Lawmakers previously set funding deadlines of March 8 for some government agencies and March 22 to fund the others.

Still, government funding for 2024 was supposed to be wrapped up by the start of the fiscal year, October 1, 2023.

The push for additional border measures come as GOP House members have been railing against Biden's DHS.

The House even impeached the department's head, Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, for high crimes and misdemeanors regarding his handling of the southern border in February.

Two men scale the cyclone fence installed by the Texas National Guard as hundreds of migrants queue up along the border wal;, awaiting processing by the Border Patrol in hopes of receiving asylum on March 15, 2024, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

Southern border crossings reached a record 302,000 in December before falling to 124,000 in January and 140,000 in February

Over the weekend, the White House made an 11th-hour request for an additional $1.56 billion in funding, a source familiar with talks confirmed to DailyMail.com, which would be an increase over the 2023 level of $61.8 billion amid a swell of migrant crossings.

Republicans shot down the ask, arguing it was not sufficiently died to border security enforcement.

Meanwhile, Republicans are demanding more money for detention facilities and migrant beds and Democrats are demanding a pay raise for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers.

The White House wants more leeway for 'anomalies' to make sure they can shift around funding as new problems emerge. Anomalies are 'exceptions to the duration, amount, or purposes.'

Southern border crossings reached a record 302,000 in December before falling to 124,000 in January and 140,000 in February.

The bill is also expected to include restrictions on funding for the U.N.'s Palestinian refugee agency, commonly referred to as UNRWA, after Israel claimed 12 of the agency's 30,000 employees were believed to have colluded with Hamas in the October 7 attack.

Congress previously passed a $460 billion funding deal on March 8 just hours before the money allocated for the agencies ran out.

The deal 'secured key conservative policy victories' in the roughly $460 billion measure despite a 'divided government' and rejected 'left-wing proposals,' Speaker Johnson said at the time.

That bill included funding for six federal agencies - including Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy-Water, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-VA and Transportation-HUD.

It also imposed 'deep cuts' to the EPA (10%), ATF (7%) and FBI (6%), which Johnson said has 'threatened our freedoms and our economy.'

The next votes in the House are expected at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday for legislative business.
A group of six people who tried to do a runner on a 300 restaurant bill were hauled back by police and forced to pay up.

The group of men had ordered hundreds of pounds of food and booze at the Black Bull, Moffat, in Dumfriesshire earlier this month.

But they claimed they were unhappy with not only their meals but also the table they sat at.

Despite management trying their best to placate them, they still refused to pay up - claiming that the staff hadn't made their night 'amazing enough' to justify paying.

Owner of the Black Bull, Janie Seaton, 52, told the Daily Record: 'The six had told us they had been unhappy with the mains so I took them off the bill.

Pictured, the group who refused to pay 300 for a restaurant bill

The bill from the Black Bull pub in Moffat for just over 400. Police were called to the scene

'They also said they were unhappy with the table.

'One of the group then came up to the bar and said they were not going to pay the remaining 300.

'Their attitude was disturbing and extremely mysogynistic to me and my manager.

'I realised that I would have to call the police. At this point, they legged it from the premises.'

The group went to a neighbouring bar in Moffat but were refused entry.

Then the police managed to trace them back to their hotel lodgings where they escorted the group back to the pub at around midnight and they paid up.

Ms Seaton added: 'The police came a short time later and were amazing.

'They spoke with the six and explained the legal situation and told me they were now going to pay.

'They brought them in one by one with a police officer flanking either side of them.

'The police stood by until they made the payment and to ensure there was no further bother.'

The publican took over the Black Bull in 2018 and in 2020 it was nominated for awards.

But Ms Seaton said such incidents have become commonplace and if the group hadn't of paid up, she would have had to take them to the civil courts.

She said: 'We scored a small win for establishments like mine and staff who deal with these incidents daily.

The Black Bull Inn in Moffat. Owner Janie Seaton said dine and dash incidents are commonplace

'We took a stance. We didn't back down and we never will. It was not just about the money, it was also about the principle.'

Leon Thompson, executive director of UK Hospitality Scotland, said: 'Any customers walking out of restaurants without paying is simply unacceptable.

'We would encourage any operators who experience walkouts to report it to the police.'

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: 'About 6pm on Saturday, March 2, 2024 we were called to a report of a disturbance following an unpaid bill at a premises in Churchgate, Moffat

'Officers attended and the customers involved had left. They were later traced nearby and the matter resolved.'
An Irish firefighter has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman during Boston's St Patrick's Day celebrations.

Dublin resident Terrence Crosbie, 37, was pulled off an airplane headed to Ireland on Saturday as he tried to flee the country following an interrogation regarding the alleged rape of the 28-year-old woman, according to police.

The alleged victim told police on Friday at Massachusetts General Hospital that she had been sexually assaulted earlier the same day at the Omni Parker House by the member of the Dublin Fire Brigade.

Investigators say they have security footage of the hotel and The Black Rose bar and restaurant, where Crosbie and the alleged victim had been on Thursday, as reported by the Boston Globe.

Crosbie has been charged with rape and ordered held on $100,000 bail.

The alleged victim told police on Friday that she had been sexually assaulted earlier the same day at the Omni Parker House by the member of the Dublin Fire Brigade

If he posts bail, he has orders not to leave the state of Massachusetts and his passport has been taken.

'As always in these matters, the willingness of the victim to come forward is crucial. This victim deserves enormous credit for doing that in this case,' said Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.

'Im grateful for the alertness of police in finding out that Mr. Crosbie was attempting to leave the country before he could be held accountable for his actions.'

Officials said Crosbie was scheduled to return to Dublin on Tuesday, after arriving with his colleagues on Thursday, but booked a flight for 10.10pm on Saturday following his interview with police.

He then boarded an even earlier flight at about 7pm from Logan International Airport.

Crosbie is due back in court on April 16.

The Dublin Fire Brigade said on Tuesday he has been put on leave.

They said in a statement: 'We cannot comment on the specific circumstances but we would reiterate the high standards that we expect from all who represent our organization at any event.

'As a result, we are conducting an internal investigation and establishing the facts in collaboration with the appropriate authorities and the organizers of the delegation. As this is a criminal investigation we will not be making any further comment at this time.'
Andaloro was arrested for changing the locks on her home - a violation of New York City's illegal eviction law

One man nearly broke the door down as he attempted to get inside, leading to a heated dispute

A New York City woman was arrested following a heated confrontation with a squatter who claimed he had the rights to live in her million-dollar family home.

Adele Andaloro, 47, inherited property on a quiet street in Flushing, Queens. She planned to sell it, but noticed someone had replaced the front door and changed the locks.

She was surprised to learn that squatters had moved in last month and refused to leave.

'It's enraging. It really is,' Andaloro told ABC7 New York. 'It's not fair that I, as the homeowner, have to be going through this.'

In New York State, squatters who occupy a property openly and adversely for 10 uninterrupted years can make an adverse possession claim, provided they have paid property taxes over that decade.

In New York City, however, squatters are granted rights after just 30 days, meaning landlords must start an eviction proceeding as soon as a squatter has been discovered.

Adele Andaloro, 47, inherited her family's property in Flushing, Queens and was hoping to sell it - but was stopped dead in her tracks when squatters moved in last month

The strangers had changed the locks and replaced the front door. In New York City, 'squatter's rights' are granted after just 30 days of occupancy

Andaloro entered the home, flanked by reporters, after an unidentified woman unlocked the door. Inside, she was greeted by two men who were ultimately led away by police

'By the time that someone does the investigation...it will be well over 30 days and that man will have stolen my house,' Andaloro said.

As she and her daughter spoke with reporter Dan Krauth outside, a woman passed by and unlocked the front door. She left upon seeing the cameras - meaning Andaloro was free to enter with property deed in hand.

'This is proving everything I said, this is my furniture, these are my curtains,' she said, pointing.

As she ventured further inside, she found two men, including one asleep in a bedroom. One of the men claimed to have moved in two days earlier.

Then they called the police on her.

'They've called the police on me and I've called the locksmith,' Andaloro said, exasperated. 'We didn't come in illegally, the door was open.'

Police arrived and began interviewing the men. When asked to show documentation showing they had been there for more than 30 days, the men were unable to provide proof.

The man who claimed to have moved in two days earlier was taken into custody while police escorted the other man as he lugged a suitcase down the street.

Minutes after police left, another man identified as Brian Rodriguez (pictured) shoved his way inside, accompanied by one of the squatters who had already been taken off the property

Rodriguez offered to leave if Andaloro reimbursed him for work allegedly done on the house

Andaloro was arrested for changing the locks, which is illegal under New York City's illegal eviction law

Before police left, they cautioned her against changing the locks. It is illegal to turn off utilities, change locks and remove the belongings of someone who claims to be a tenant under city law.

Shortly after, the locksmith arrived and fiddled with the front door.

Around 10 minutes later, Andaloro was met with another surprise as another man shouldered his way inside, accompanied by the squatter already taken off the premises by police.

'This guy just forced himself into my house,' Andaloro exclaimed.

'Do you see this? This guy just literally broke down my door, broke through myself and my daughter.'

The new man, identified as Brian Rodriguez, wheeled on the camera crew. 'Who are these people?' he demanded, insisting that it was his house.

This time, Andaloro was the one who called the police.

But officers told her that she had to go to court, as the dispute was considered a landlord-tenant issue and therefore outside their jurisdiction.

The 47-year-old was taken into custody for changing the locks - a violation of New York City's illegal eviction law.

Andaloro vowed to take Rodriguez to court, saying she had no other options

On Long Island, a different man was accused of squatting in a $2 million mansion and preventing the new owners from moving in

Susana and Joseph Landa purchased the house and planned to care for their son, who has Down Syndrome. The squatter, Brett Flores, claimed to have worked as a 'caretaker' for the previous owner and has since taken up residence

Rodriguez admitted he didn't own the house but told the news anchor, 'You should know the f***ing law works.'

He claimed to have signed a lease in October but was unable to provide proof. Police said he had no documentation other than bills for work he claimed to have done to the house.

Rodriguez offered to leave if Andaloro recouped him for those expenses. 'Pay me the money and I'll leave or send me to court, it's that simple,' he said.

Andaloro vowed to start an eviction filing in landlord-tenant court, saying she had no other choice. Eviction cases can take over a year to find a resolution.

In another highly publicized housing dispute, a New York City couple claimed they were unable to move into a $2 million property on Long Island after a squatter had taken up residence.

Susana and Joseph Landa, both 68, purchased the home in October 2023 where they planned to spend retirement as they cared for their son, Alex, who has Down Syndrome.

However, they were stopped dead in their tracks by Brett Flores, 32, who said he'd been living with the previous owner as a 'caretaker' and had since settled in rent-free.

The Landas were left to foot the cost of utility bills worth thousands of dollars. They also claimed to have found advertisements online offering rooms in the house for $50 a night.

Like Andaloro, they were forced to take Flores to court. However, the 32-year-old filed for bankruptcy in January, stalling any legal proceedings from moving forward.

According to the couple's lawyer, Flores said he would only leave once he was paid in excess of $100,000.
This is the dramatic moment a van driver forced motorists to swerve out of the way as he led police on a terrifying chase down the A10.

Albert Loveridge, 63, was spotted by the force after his white transit hit a grey van between Chittering and Stretham in Cambridgeshire on February 16, but drove off before officers could speak to him.

He was later captured on dash cam footage manoevering wildly down the major road and smashing a wing mirror off an oncoming Vauxhall Crossland.

A few moments later police were contacted by a member of the public, who reported that a white van had crashed into a hedgerow.

When officers arrived, they found Loveridge in the passengers seat claiming his mate was driving.

Dash cam footage showed Albert Loveridge manoevering wildly down the A10 as he led police on a terrifying chase

The van smashes a wing mirror off an oncoming Vauxhall Crossland - as the driver battled too avoid him

Loveridge, of Church Road, Wicken, Ely, was disqualified from driving for six years after admitting dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance at Cambridge Crown Court.

He was also given a 12-month community order and must pay a 500 fine.

PC Jake Cross said: Loveridge showed absolutely no regard for other users by driving in this incredibly dangerous manner. He put the lives of others, not to mention himself at risk.

He will now be off the roads for a considerable period of time thanks to the sentence imposed by the courts.
King's Cross station bosses today hit back at critics after an Islamic message appeared on its customer information board displaying train times.

During the holiest month for Muslims, the ninth day of Ramadan, the central London station featured a 'Hadith of the day'.

Hadith's are collections of traditions containing sayings of the Prophet Muhammad which constitute the major source of guidance for Muslims apart from the Quran.

It read: 'The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) [Peace Be Upon Him] said: All the sons of Adam are sinners but the best of the sinners are those who repent often.'

The message sparked social media debate about whether public information boards should display religious messages, with some critics suggesting it was 'misguided and counterproductive'.

But many applauded the display, and Network Rail bosses insisted messaging at the station also celebrates festivals from other religions including Easter, Christmas, Passover, and Diwali 'to mark the beliefs of our colleagues and passengers.'

A hadith saying 'All the sons of Adam are sinners' was displayed on a board at King's Cross

A Network Rail spokesperson said: 'King's Cross station is made up of a diverse and multi-cultural workforce and at times of religious significance, messages such as these are displayed to celebrate the station's diversity and inclusivity.

'Throughout the year, messaging at the station also celebrates festivals from other religions including Easter, Christmas, Passover, and Diwali to mark the beliefs of our colleagues and passengers.

'If significant disruption occurs on the network, the boards are changed to display relevant passenger information to help passengers complete their journeys.'

Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, told GB News: 'At best it's a well-meaning yet misguided and counterproductive attempt at inclusivity.

'Such gestures suggest favouritism, generating resentment and the inevitable demands from other religious or identity groups for equal recognition.

'Religious messages like this undermine the principle of neutrality. Maintaining such neutrality in public spaces and services is the best way of nurturing a fair and inclusive society that respects all individuals, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.'

Many applauded the message, including one X user who wrote: 'It's Ramadan right now, of course there is going to be a Hadith.'

Another said: 'Why are all the snowflakes getting offended by this?'
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. insisted Monday that many of his family members support his campaign despite a lot of them appearing in a St. Patrick's Day photo-op with President Joe Biden.

Kennedy appeared on NewsNation's Cuomo Monday night and was asked about the social media posts, including from his sister Kerry Kennedy, who said of Biden, 'you make the world better.'

Other notable Kennedys in the snap included Kerry's daughter Mariah Kennedy-Cuomo, sister Rory Kennedy, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who serves as Biden's special envoy to Northern Ireland and former Rep. Patrick Kennedy.

'Well, first of all, I would point out, as you know, Chris, although that looks like a big crowd of people. It is a very small percentage of my family,' Kennedy told anchor Chris Cuomo. 'Last July 4, I think there was 105 people at the Cape.'

'And many other family members are working for my campaign, many other family members support it,' the 2024 hopeful added.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (right) appeared on Chris Cuomo's (left) NewsNation show Monday night and insisted that many of his family members support his independent presidential run against President Joe Biden

His sister Kerry Kennedy and other family members posted this group shot of Kennedy family members alongside President Joe Biden at the White House on Sunday to celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Kennedy first launched his presidential campaign in April running as a Democrat, meaning he'd have to go up against Biden in the Democratic primaries.

But by October he changed course - deciding to run as an independent instead.

That meant he only had to get his name on the general election ballot - however that's a feat because every state has different, and often difficult, ballot access rules.

His siblings condemned his move, fearing he could play spoiler and open the door to another term for former President Donald Trump.

'The decision of our brother Bobby to run as a third party candidate against Joe Biden is dangerous to our country,' said a statement authored by his siblings Rory, Kerry, Joseph P. Kennedy II and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. 'Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment. Today's announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country.'

During Monday night's interview, the candidate excused his family for visiting with Biden by pointing out that many family members have worked for the administration.

'President Biden is an old friend of my family,' Kennedy offered.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s sister Kerry said as she shared the family photo with President Joe Biden, 'you make the world better'

He explained to Cuomo that his views differed with his family members on the war in Ukraine, on COVID and 'on the free speech issue.'

Kennedy made a name for himself as a prominent vaccine skeptic - something that predated the pandemic.

'They look very happy in that photograph,' he also said. 'And you know, it's very exhilarating, it's intoxicating, being in the White House, and I'm glad I got to, I played a role I think in facilitating that visit to the White House and bringing them all such happiness, so I'm happy about that,' Kennedy said.

The photo-op was largely seen as Biden snubbing his nose at the Kennedy campaign.

Maria Shriver, another member of the Kennedy clan, was invited to appear at a women's health event at the White House on Monday.

She was also a guest of the first lady at the State of the Union address earlier this month.

The 2024 hopeful told Cuomo that he hoped his family members asked about his request to receive Secret Service protection while they were there.

'So that's my hope,' Kennedy said.

Kennedy has repeatedly asked for Secret Service protection due to the fact that both his uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, were assassinated.
Extreme food shortages in parts of the Gaza Strip have already exceeded famine levels, and mass death is now imminent without an immediate ceasefire and surge of food to areas cut off by fighting, the global hunger monitor said on Monday.

The Integrated Food-Security Phase Classification (IPC), whose assessments are relied on by U.N. agencies, said 70 percent of people in parts of northern Gaza were suffering the most severe level of food shortage, more than triple the 20 percent threshold to be considered famine.

The IPC said it did not have enough data on death rates, but estimated residents would be dying at famine scale imminently, defined as two people out of every 10,000 dying daily from starvation or from malnutrition and disease.

Gaza's health ministry has said 27 children and three adults have died so far from malnutrition.

"The actions needed to prevent famine require an immediate political decision for a ceasefire together with a significant and immediate increase in humanitarian and commercial access to the entire population of Gaza," it said.

In all, 1.1 million Gazans, around half the population, were experiencing "catastrophic" shortages of food, with around 300,000 in the areas now facing the prospect of famine-scale death rates.

The prospect of a manmade famine in Gaza has brought the strongest criticism of Israel from Western allies since it launched its war against Hamas militants following their deadly attack on Israeli territory on Oct. 7.

"In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine. We are in a state of famine... Starvation is used as a weapon of war. Israel is provoking famine," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said at a Brussels conference on aid for Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded that Borrell should "stop attacking Israel and recognise our right to self-defence against Hamas' crimes."

Israel allowed "extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help", Katz said on X, and aid was "violently disturbed" by Hamas militants with "collaboration" by the U.N.'s aid agency UNRWA.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the IPC report an "appalling indictment" and said Israel must allow complete and unfettered access to all parts of Gaza.

Britain's foreign minister David Cameron said he would carefully review the report: "It's clear the status quo is unsustainable. We need urgent action now to avoid a famine."

Israel, which initially allowed aid into Gaza through only two checkpoints on the enclave's southern edge, says it is opening more routes by land, as well as allowing sea shipments and air drops. The first boat carrying aid arrived last week.

Aid agencies say they still cannot get enough supplies through or distribute them safely, especially in the north.

Hospital assault

In the ruins of Gaza City, the main settlement in the north of the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces launched a major assault on Al Shifa hospital overnight. Once the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital, it is now one of the only medical facilities still even partially functioning in the north of the territory.

Israel said it had killed more than 20 Hamas fighters, including a senior Hamas commander, Fayeq al-Mabhouh, in the hospital. Hamas said he was a Palestinian police official tasked with overseeing the protection of aid deliveries in Gaza.

Negotiations for a ceasefire in the war, now in its sixth month, were due to resume on Monday with an Israeli delegation led by the country's spy chief heading to Qatar. But an Israeli official said nailing down any deal would probably take at least two more weeks, a clear disappointment for Washington which had sought a deal by the start of the Ramadan holy month last week.

President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a call on Monday that a military operation in Rafah would deepen anarchy in Gaza and they agreed that teams from each side would meet in Washington to discuss it, the White House said.

Netanyahu has pledged to push into Rafah in Gaza's southern tip, where more than half of the territory's 2.3 million residents have been sheltering to escape an Israeli assault farther north.

The leader in the U.S. Senate from Biden's Democratic Party called on Israelis last week to replace Netanyahu, saying he was wrecking Israel's international standing by allowing too much suffering in Gaza.

The war began when Hamas fighters stormed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's assault has killed more than 31,000 Gazans, according to Palestinian health officials.

Special forces

The Israeli military said special forces, supported by infantry and tanks, conducted a "precise operation" on the Al Shifa Hospital compound, based on intelligence that the hospital was being used by Hamas leaders.

"We apprehended more than 200 terrorist suspects that are now being questioned," said spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari. One Israeli soldier was killed in the fighting, he said.

Residents described some of the heaviest fighting in northern Gaza for months.

Mohammad Ali, 32, a father of two who lives near the hospital, told Reuters via a chat app that the sound of the assault awoke the neighbourhood at around 1 a.m.

"Soon tanks started to roll, they came from the western road and headed toward Al Shifa, then sounds of gunfire and explosions increased," he said.

The Gaza health ministry said displaced people inside the hospital had been killed in a fire caused by the raid. (Reuters)
An Ohio mother who left her toddler to starve to death while she vacationed in Puerto Rico has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Kristel Candelario, a 32-year-old former elementary school worker, had pleaded guilty last month to aggravated murder and child endangerment as part of a plea deal with Cuyahoga County prosecutors, who dismissed two murder counts and a felonious assault charge.

The charges came after Candelario shared pictures of herself posing on a Caribbean beach as she enjoyed a vacation, while her 16-month-old baby was left completely alone at her home in Cleveland.

When she returned from her 10 days of travelling in June 2023, Candelario found her toddler in her playpen and not breathing.

She called 911 and emergency responders found the child laying in a pile of her own filth and was 'extremely dehydrated'. The toddler was pronounced dead shortly after they arrived.

Kristel Candelario, 32, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole after leaving her toddler home alone to die while she vacationed in Puerto Rico for 10 days

Kristel Candelario, 32, beamed as she posed on a Puerto Rican beach in an image posted three days into her daughter's ten-day abandonment which she captioned: 'The time that is enjoyed is the true time lived'

She had pleaded guilty last month to aggravated murder and child endangerment as part of a plea deal with Cuyahoga County prosecutors, who dismissed two murder counts and a felonious assault charge

'Just as you didn't let Jailyn out of her confinement, so too you should spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom,' Judge Sheehan said.

'The only difference will be, the prison will at least feed you and give you liquid that you denied her.'

Candelario, who has struggled with depression and related mental health issues, said she has prayed daily for forgiveness.

'There's so much pain that I have in regards to the loss of my baby, Jailyn,' she said. 'I'm extremely hurt about everything that happened. I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through  God and my daughter have forgiven me.'

A post-mortem examination by the Cuyahoga County medical examiner's office determined that the toddler died of starvation and severe dehydration.

County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan told Candelario she committed 'the ultimate betrayal' by leaving her daughter alone without food.

In one image shared three days into her daughter's 10-day fatal abandonment, she is seen smiling on a white sandy beach in sunglasses and a white shirt, which she captioned: 'The time that is enjoyed is the true time lived.'

In another picture taken from her cold-blooded holiday, Candelario donned jean shorts and a 'Mandalorian' Star Wars t-shirt as she appeared to visit a Star Wars theme park.

She beamed from ear to ear in the image, despite the horror she later admitted to leaving behind in her home in Cleveland, Ohio.

Prosecutors said she abandoned Jailyn in her Pack-N-Play pen in June 2023, whisking away for trip to Detroit and Puerto Rico.

In another picture taken from her cold-blooded holiday, Candelario donned jean shorts and a 'Mandalorian' Star Wars t-shirt as she appeared to visit a Star Wars theme park

At the same time as her tropical vacation, her 16-month-old baby Jailyn lay dead in a pile of her own filth, and medical examiners determined that the toddler had died of starvation and severe dehydration

She made the trips with her older daughter, and it is unclear why Candelario did not ask anyone to help her care for her child while she was traveling.

After 10 days of sunning herself on the beach and enjoying the local attractions, she returned to her home on June 16 to find her daughter not breathing.

Paramedics and Cleveland police tragically pronounced the one-year-old dead at the scene, and prosecutors said the child was discovered 'on a liner soiled with urine and feces with soiled blankets.'

After the shocking autopsy ruling over her daughter's condition, Candelario was indicted on charges of aggravated murder, two counts of murder, felonious assaults and endangering children.

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley, announcing the plea in February, said: 'This case is one of those truly unimaginable cases that will stick with me for many years to come.

'As prosecutors, it is our job to represent the victims and today we spoke on behalf of 16-month-old Jailyn - who is no longer with us - due to the selfish decisions her mother made.

Candelario's attorneys, Derek Smith and Patrick Milligan, declined to go into details about the plea deal, according to Cleveland.com.

'This was a real emotional day for our client. She has taken responsibility for what she did, and she is remorseful,' Milligan said.

'There will be mitigating issues that come up at sentencing that we will address. Hopefully, people will realize that she is not the monster that some see her as.'

The defense attorneys said Candelario suffered from mental health issues but refused to provide further information.

The Ohio mom returned from her 10-day jaunt to her home in Cleveland, Ohio (pictured) to find Jailyn was not breathing

Prosecutors said the child was found dead 'on a liner soiled with urine and feces with soiled blankets'

A neighbor revealed that this was not the first time Candelario had left her baby daughter home alone, claiming she would 'always leave her by herself'

A neighbor also revealed that this was not the first time Candelario had left her baby daughter home alone.

An acquaintance told News5 Cleveland: 'We keep telling her not to leave her by herself, not just me, my friend across the street too, but she always leave her by herself.'

Another female neighbor, who was not identified, told CNN that Jailyn was 'always a happy baby' and was 'always smiling.'

The neighbor's daughter said there were 'plenty of people' around who could have watched the baby, saying: 'She could have knocked on any of our doors and asked us to take care of Jailyn and we would have.'

'When they told us the state they found her in, I was just heartbroken,' the teenage neighbor told CNN.

Candelario had previously worked as a building substitute at Citizen Academy Glenville, an elementary school in Cleveland.

She had been in that role since November 2022, but was fired after her arrest.

The school issued a statement announcing her termination, WEWS-TV reported.

According to officials with Children and Family Services, there is no record of any previous cases involving Candelario.
Tesco is being forced to change its Clubcard logo after losing a multi-million-pound Court of Appeal fight over claims it copied rival Lidl's yellow circle branding.

Lidl had accused Tesco of trying to 'deliberately to ride on the coat-tails of Lidl's reputation' by using a yellow circle to promote its Clubcard scheme - and has now been backed by judges after a 2.35million legal battle.

Defeated retail giant Tesco - the UK's largest supermarket firm - is not expected to appeal against today's verdict and is understood to be updating its Clubcard prices logo in the coming weeks.

The company has previously said that removing all the infringing logos would cost it almost 8million.

A spokesperson for German discount supermarket firm Lidl said the grocer was 'delighted' by the judgment.

German discount chain Lidl uses a yellow circle in its main logo, while rival supermarket firm Tesco has been one to promote its Clubcard scheme

Lidl launched legal action accusing Tesco of ripping off its own logo which features a yellow circle set on top of a blue box with a thin red outline

Last year Lidl won its initial High Court claims of trademark infringement, 'passing off' and copyright infringement against the rival chain over the use of yellow circles.

Tesco introduced its unique Clubcard loyalty scheme prices three years ago, using a yellow circle cropped onto a blue square to promote it.

Tesco denied infringement and took a challenge to the ruling to the Court of Appeal last month, arguing there was 'no basis' for the decision by High Court judge Mrs Justice Joanna Smith.

But in a ruling today, Lord Justice Arnold dismissed the UK's largest supermarket chain's bid to overturn the claims of trademark infringement and 'passing off'.

Lord Justice Arnold, sitting with Lord Justice Birss and Lord Justice Lewison, said the High Court judge found the yellow circle with a red outline on a blue background 'had become distinctive of Lidl' and that the Clubcard prices signs would bring the Lidl logo 'to mind'.

He continued: 'Tesco could easily have used a different sign to promote Clubcard prices. There is no error of law or principle in that reasoning, and the conclusion is one that the judge was fully entitled to reach.'

However, Lord Justice Arnold overturned the previous finding of copyright infringement against Tesco.

He said: 'Any painter will confirm that placing one colour against another changes the viewer's perception of both. So too does placing one shape within another.

Tesco's estimated costs from the case have been put at 1,185,976, with Lidl's 1,170,244

Lidl accused Tesco (store pictured) of 'riding on the coat-tails' of their reputation as a discount supermarket offering good value

'Although Tesco have copied the visual concept of a blue square surrounding, among other material, a yellow circle, that is all they have done.'

Lawyers representing Lidl previously told the High Court case that Tesco's actions 'must involve some form of deception' which was 'not accidental', though Tesco insisted it was behaving fairly.

The High Court judge Mrs Justice Smith did rule last April that Lidl's trademark registrations in 2002, 2005 and 2007 were applied for in bad faith.

Tesco had previously alleged 'some of the Lidl trademarks' were liable to be declared invalid on the grounds that they were 'registered in bad faith' or 'should be revoked for non-use and/or that they have no distinctive character'.

An appeal by Lidl against this decision was dismissed in today's judgment.

A Lidl spokesperson said: 'Last year the High Court ruled that Tesco's Clubcard logo was copied from ours and infringed our trademark rights, allowing them to unfairly benefit from our long-standing reputation for value while misleading its customers.

'We are delighted to see that the Court of Appeal has now agreed with the High Court that Tesco's use of its Clubcard logo is unlawful.

'We expect Tesco now to respect the court's decision and change its Clubcard logo to one that is not designed to look like ours.'

Tesco is now expected to change its Clubcard logo over the coming weeks in a move the firm has said could cost it 8million

A Tesco spokesperson said: 'Our customers always tell us just how important Clubcard Prices are to giving them great value - and it's been a key reason why we're consistently the cheapest full-line grocer.

'We are disappointed with the judgment relating to the colour and shape of the Clubcard Prices logo but would like to reassure customers that it will in no way impact our Clubcard Prices programme.

'Clubcard Prices, irrespective of its logo, will continue to play a central role in rewarding our Clubcard members with thousands of deals every week.'

A previous hearing was told Tesco's estimated legal costs over the claims amounted to 1,185,976 while Lidl's were 1,170,244.
The White House is facing extra pressure in the wake of the killing of Georgia student Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant

A liberal Illinois federal judge has ruled that an illegal immigrant was wrongly banned from possessing a firearm.

US District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, an Obama appointee, ruled earlier this month that an illegal migrant residing in the US had his 2nd Amendment rights violated when he was charged for possession of a weapon.

Heriberto Carbajal-Flores was charged by prosecutors under US Code 18  922, which prohibits illegal immigrants from carrying guns or ammunition.

In her ruling, the judge with a liberal track record wrote: 'The noncitizen possession statute, 18 USC  922(g)(5), violates the Second Amendment as applied to Carbajal-Flores.

'Thus, the court grants Carbajal-Flores motion to dismiss.'

US District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, an Obama appointee, ruled earlier this month that an illegal migrant residing in the US had his 2nd Amendment rights violated when he was charged for possession of a weapon

Illegal migrants scale the cyclone fence installed by the Texas National Guard as hundreds of migrants line up along the border wall dividing Mexico and the United States awaiting processing

Carbajal-Flores' defense team posed the argument that the government could not show that 18 USC  922(g)(5) was 'part of the historical tradition that delimits the outer bounds of the right to keep and bear arms.'

In 2022, the Supreme Court ruled that government prosecutors must be able to show that regulations are 'consistent with this nations historical tradition of firearm regulation.'

The defense's argument was enough to persuade Coleman the charges should be dismissed.

'Lifetime disarmament of an individual based on alienage or nationality alone does not have roots in the history and tradition of the United States,' said attorneys for Carbajal-Flores.

Coleman acknowledges, in her ruling, that Carbajal-Flores is a 'noncitizen,' though she shied away from any harsher language.

'The court notes, however, that Carbajal-Flores has never been convicted of a felony, a violent crime, or a crime involving the use of a weapon,' she wrote.

'Even in the present case, Carbajal-Flores contends that he received and used the handgun solely for self-protection and protection of property during a time of documented civil unrest in the Spring of 2020,' she added, likely referring to the riots that swept the country in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

The ruling has inspired a plethora of responses across the legal community, including some Second Amendment absolutists who say 'the people' referred to by the Framers in the amendment include those in the country illegally.

It could also be cited in other states as they try to make the same argument, allowing more illegal migrants the right to carry guns.

Coleman has presided over a number of high-profile cases in Illinois, including a ruling in February 2014 that allowed same-sex couples to marry in the state.

The ruling went into effect in June of that year, two years before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex unions in all 50 states.

Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman (center left) swears in Illinois' 42nd Governor Bruce Rauner (center right) on January 12, 2015

In an aerial view, immigrants wait under an international bridge after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico and passing through coils of razor wire on March 17, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas

Her ruling comes as the Biden administration struggles immensely with illegal migration into the country, and is facing extra heat from the public and political class in the wake of the murder of Georgia college student Laken Riley by an illegal immigrant.

Several other illegal migrants have been arrested in recent weeks for crimes including the sexual assault of an underaged individual.

The arrests come as thousands pour across the southern border each day and show few signs of slowing down.

Recently, the administration admitted to flying 320,000 illegal migrants into the US to reduce the number of visible border crossers currently terrorizing border towns across the southern United States.

Customs and Border Protection has refused to disclose crucial information about a program last year arranging flights for thousands of undocumented immigrants from foreign airports directly to US cities.

The revelation came after a controversy over a 2022 transportation program in which the administration used taxpayer's money to move migrants throughout the country on discrete overnight flights.

The program was part of Biden's expansion of the CBP One app, which kicked off at the start of last year.

Migrants were able, under Biden's expansion, to apply for asylum using the app from their home countries.

But the Center for Immigration Studies notes the transportation of these migrants directly to the US is one of the lesser known uses of the app.

Aliens who cannot legally enter the US use CBP One to apply for travel authorization and temporary humanitarian release from those airports.

President Joe Biden expanded the CBP One app to allow aliens to apply for asylum from their home countries  and then secretly fly them to US airports from foreign ones

The US is also expected to be grappling with more than 8 million asylum seekers and migrants who will have crossed over the southern border by September.

The staggering figure represents a 167 percent surge in five years and underscores the challenges faced by what is both an underfunded and antiquated immigration system.

The vast majority of the 8 million are now free to roam US streets, including 2 million 'high-priority' cases of career criminals seeking asylum.

The system appears to be struggling to cope with the rapid numbers of migrants flowing across the border, which reached an all-time high of 302,000 monthly crossings in December.

The backlog has left millions of migrants who are currently residing in the U.S., unsure of whether they will be permitted to stay or simply be deported.

Migrants who cross the border may often be forced to wait several years for a decision to be made in their applications. In the meantime, they have been released to American streets.

Recent data suggests the backlog has only swelled during President Joe Biden's term in part reflecting the difficulties his administration has faced in addressing the unprecedented influx of migrants, mainly from Central and South America.

At the end of fiscal year 2023 on September 30, more than 6 million people were recorded on what officials term the 'non-detained docket.'

Government projections, as communicated in Homeland Security documents sent to Congress, suggest the number will have risen to 8 million by October 1.
Evil Sheree Spencer tried to dodge her way out of assault charges at least five times as she was finally brought to justice after a years-long campaign of abuse against her husband.

Spencer, 46, was jailed last year for what a judge described as 'the worst case of coercive control' she had ever seen, as the abusive ex-prison reform boss's husband Richard suffered verbal attacks and daily beatings until the alarm was raised.

But footage that aired on Channel 5 as part of a new documentary exposing her abuse shows how she attempted to manipulate the police as she was arrested on suspicion of common assault, from parading around in her underwear to flirting.

One constable who attended at Spencer's house told the programme he covered his body camera as she walked up the stairs in her knickers - adding that he did not feel 'comfortable'.

And as she was taken to the local police station to be booked in, she appeared to flirt with officers and ask for special treatment.

Sheree Spencer as seen in body-worn camera footage as police came to arrest her for her years-long campaign of abuse against husband Richard

The officers who arrested her said she appeared to 'adjust her nightie' as she was led upstairs to get dressed before she was taken into custody

One constable said he covered the lens of his camera as she went upstairs because her attire was making him 'uncomfortable'

From an outsider's perspective, Richard Spencer had the perfect life. Yet for two decades he was suffering abuse at the hands of his wife Sheree. Pictured: The couple on their wedding day

Richard was beaten at the hands of his wife Sheree during a 15-year long campaign of terror

Sheree Spencer was jailed for four years in 2023 after Richard secretly recorded the abuse on cameras installed to monitor their children

In the programme, police were seen approaching the couple's home in Bubwith, East Yorkshire - initially believing they had been sent to the wrong address because of the plush area and Jaguar in the drive.

Inside, they found Spencer in an intoxicated state, in a nightie top and a pair of pink underpants with a frilly decoration.

PC Cooke, one of the arresting officers with Humberside Police, said she began 'adjusting her nightie' as she was led upstairs to get dressed before being taken into custody.

He covered his body-worn camera to preserve her dignity, adding that he did not feel 'comfortable'.

After she got dressed, she pleaded with officers to put her in the van quickly, so her neighbours wouldn't see - seemingly more concerned with what they might think before anything else.

At Clough Road police station, PC Cooke said she was being 'almost flirtatious' with the custody sergeant booking her in. The desk officer, he added, 'wasn't having it'.

Spencer then asked for a cell with a window; then asked if she could have the door open; and finally asked if she could have an officer go into the cell with her.

She was not given a cell with a window.

As the constales left, promising to fetch her a book to pass the time in the cell, she can be heard cheerily calling: 'OK! Thanks!'

Last night, brave father-of-three Richard spoke openly about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his wife in the harrowing Channel 5 documentary 'My Wife, My Abuser: The Secret Footage'.

Disturbing clips revealed just a fraction of the torment Richard suffered. On one occasion Spencer is seen holding a knife up to her husband throat as their children are heard crying in the background.

On another, she is seen grabbing his hair and punching him all over while sat on a sofa in the children's nursery, as she calls him a 'fat c***' and a 'lazy b******' for not putting a chicken in the oven.

Richard said 'one of the most demoralising' incidents occurred when his wife ordered him to get off their bed as 'she bought the bed on her credit card'. While he sat on the floor arguing with her, she proceeded to defecate on his head.

Audio clips reveal Richard telling his wife he did not 'deserve it' only for her to order him: 'clean my s*** up'.

Explosive clips from police interviews show Spencer casually lying about her husband being the abuser in a desperate bid to cast him as the villain - only for her face to turn ashen when she was confronted with the full audio footage.

MailOnline previously revealed that Spencer had gone through desperate lengths at the courts to try and prevent the documentary from being broadcast.

But Richard felt his harrowing experiences should be seen to raise awareness of the type of abuse men can suffer in their daily lives at the hands of violent partners but Sheree tried to block it.

Richard handed police 43 photographs he took of himself, showing cuts and bruises to his face and body

The couple met in 2000 in a nightclub and married in Thailand in 2009 before having three daughters

Spencer's reign of domestic terror finally ended in June 2021 when the police were called to their family home by a concerned welfare worker

Richard was pictured yesterday hand-in-hand with his new partner yesterday leaving the BBC Breakfast studios in Manchester

He told MailOnline: 'Sheree tried to stop the documentary being broadcast in the crown court but failed, then she applied for a prohibited steps order through the family court, which luckily was rejected and thrown out at the first hearing.

'The broadcast has been delayed due to the legal challenges for about six months, but now it is finally going to be shown. I'm hopeful that the film will be well received and will make a difference.'

Spencer worked at the highest levels for HM Prison and Probation Service and bragged to friends that she had the ear of former prime minister Boris Johnson.

She was a project manager in the department's directorate of strategy and performance.

A former friend said: 'She would brag about being only two down from the prime minister in her field and had meetings with Boris Johnson, who she spoke of as though he were a friend.

'She was bragging about her high flying career while subjecting her poor husband, a lovely man, to daily abuse, degradation and humiliation.'

It was described as 'a great irony' that Spencer had done so much work aimed at investigating the effect of custodial sentences on the family.
Hundreds of students in Bristol are demanding an accommodation building is renamed over its links to the slave trade, just weeks after the university removed Edward Colston's family crest from its logo.

Bristol's Goldney Hall is named after Thomas Goldney II, who funded sea voyages which trafficked enslaved Africans in the 18th century.

From 1705 the family owned the building and grounds before they were bought by the university.

Now students have launched a petition calling for the building to be renamed.

But while the university acknowledged the Goldney family's ties to slavery, they said the name will not be changed.

Goldney House was named after the slave trader Thomas Goldney II who funded sea voyages of enslaved Africans

 Slide me  It comes after the university ditched slave trader Edward Colston's emblem from its logo and unveiled a new crest as part of a 10m 'Reparative Futures' programme

WHO WAS SLAVE TRADER THOMAS GOLDNEY II? Records show that Thomas Goldney II funded several sea voyages associated with the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans

Thomas Goldney III and his father held controlling shares in Abraham Darby's ironworks at Coalbrookdale  bought with profits resulting from these voyages

The Goldney family business interests relied on the ongoing development of transatlantic expeditions and the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans

From 1705 the family owned Goldney House and grounds later bought by the University Advertisement

The petition, signed by more than 350 people, says: 'Thomas Goldney II funded several voyages which trafficked enslaved Africans, as written in the University of Bristol's Legacies of Slavery Report.

'Profits from this immoral trade contributed towards the expansion and improvement of Goldney House. In addition, these profits funded the creation of manillas (a type of currency), which were used to trade for enslaved people.

'Goldney House has a tainted legacy, which is at odds with the inclusive values of the University of Bristol.'

It comes after the university ditched slave trader Edward Colston's emblem from its logo and unveiled a new crest as part of a 10m 'Reparative Futures' programme.

The emblem of the 17th century merchant was incorporated into the design of the university's logo in 2003 but the university decided to change it in 2023 following public outcry.

The dolphin crest has now been replaced by a book to align with the university's values of education and all references to Colston have been removed.

Meanwhile, the history society ditched the university logo entirely from its fleeces last month citing the 'problematic history' it represents.

A University of Bristol spokesperson said: 'We announced last November, following a public consultation with students, staff and local communities, Edward Colston's dolphin emblem will be removed from the university logo.

'The sun symbol of the Wills family and the horse emblem of the Fry's will remain reflecting the wider decision around retaining building names.

'We understand that not everyone will agree with our decision. But we cannot forget our connection to our founders - even if that connection is uncomfortable. Because it is through education and awareness that we create positive change.'

The History Society at the University of Bristol has ditched the university's own crest from their fleeces because of the 'problematic history' of it

Protesters throwing a statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest rally in 2020 over his slave trade links

After the statue was pulled down, some protesters symbolically knelt on its neck - in reference to George Floyd, who died after white police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck for nine minutes in May 2020

The statue of Edward Colston as it was displayed in Bristol's M Shed museum following its toppling in June 2020. It will return to the museum in a similar form

The decision to remove the Colston crest came three years after his statue was toppled in Bristol in June 2020 in the wake of the death of George Floyd.

At he end of last month, councillors agreed to formally declare the statue a piece of museum property, and agreed that a new plaque would be placed on the plinth explaining its history.

The Goldney House petition concluded: 'according to the University's renaming criteria, Goldney House fits all the conditions, yet was absent from the VC's statement over the findings of the consultation to rename buildings.

'This was mishandled and will deter prospective students, particularly those from Black and minority ethnic communities, from attending the University.

'Removing this toxic brand, as was successfully achieved by Bristol Beacon, will only enrich the diversity and academic brilliance of the University of Bristol.

'Updating the name of Goldney House would not only align with the University's values but would also create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all students and staff.

'We recognise that it is important not to forget, but instead to champion histories beyond those of an enslavers' perspective, which is why Goldney House must be renamed.'

As part of its reparations programme, the university has pledged 10million over the next 10 years to address racial injustice and inequalities internally and in local communities it works with.

This programme, named Reparative Futures, will aim to present the historical links to slavery of the university's founders, and build on a number of initiatives the university has invested in over the past few years, such as the Black Scholarships Scheme.
The EU is set to press ahead with a plan to use the profits generated from frozen Russian assets in Europe to help finance the rearmament of Ukraine and prop up Kyiv's defence industry.

The 27-nation bloc is holding around 171 billion in Russian central bank assets, most of it frozen in Belgium, as part of its economic sanctions package in retaliation for Moscow's war against Ukraine.

It is estimated that the interest alone on such assets would total roughly 2.5 billion each year - money some EU chiefs say should be used to help arm Ukraine, or reimburse countries sending weapons shipments directly to Kyiv.

Speaking to reporters today, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell recognised the move is likely to anger Moscow but wants to move ahead anyway.

'The Russians will not be very happy. The amount of money is not extraordinary, but it is not negligible... If member states agree it will be about three billion euros per year that we can get from the frozen assets revenue,' Borrell said.

Borrell received a green light for the plan from most of the bloc's foreign ministers this week, and said he hopes EU leaders will endorse it at a summit in Brussels starting on Thursday.

The move comes as Ukraine's defence chiefs warn their troops are running low on munitions, while US efforts to get new funds for weapons have stalled in Congress.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell recognised the move is likely to anger Moscow but wants to move ahead anyway

Russian troops load a Tornado-G multiple launch rocket system

Ukrainian soldiers prepare to fire missiles from a Grad PC3B, with a homemade shuttle

Ukrainian soldiers unload explosive charges in the direction of Bakhmut as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, rings a bell as he chairs a European foreign ministers council meeting in Brussels, Belgium, 18 March 2024

Around 90% of the money, currently held by the international deposit organisation Euroclear in Belgium, would be put into a special fund that many EU countries already use to get reimbursed for arms and ammunition they send.

The other 10% would be put into the EU budget to help bolster Ukraine's defence industry.

Countries that object to sending weapons, such as Hungary, could then claim that they are not arming the country, Borrell said.

The EU's budget cannot be used to buy arms under current expert interpretations of the bloc's treaties.

But the special fund - known as the European Peace Facility - runs off-budget and does not have to respect the same legal standards or be approved by the European Parliament.

There were previously calls from some European officials to seize all the frozen Russian assets to pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine.

But the European Central Bank (ECB) has warned in the past against seizing Russian assets as this could undermine confidence in the euro currency and EU markets.

Instead, the European Peace Facility will be funded from the interest generated by the frozen assets.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are among leaders who have backed the idea of using the revenues for military aid to Ukraine.

Borrell said some members of the EU had voiced concern about legal issues and others about the effect on financial markets. But he said the ECB had been closely consulted as EU staff developed the proposal.

Some governments have also voiced concerns that Moscow could retaliate by seizing assets of Western companies held in Russia.

But Borrell argued the time had come to make a decision, which will need the unanimous consent of EU members to pass.

Ukrainian soldiers at the artillery position in an unidentified area on the Adiivka frontline

Ukrainian servicemen prepare themselves to return to the Semenivka battlefield nearby Avdiivka

Ukrainian soldiers unload explosive charges in the Adiivka front-line as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues in Adiivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on March 13, 2024

A view of a damaged multi-storey apartment building hit by a Russian missile, in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Saturday, March 16, 2024. Kharkiv is Ukraine's closest big city to the Russian border and is regularly attacked by the Russian missiles

From left, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, General Charles Q. Brown, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, attend the meeting of the 'Ukraine Defense Contact Group' at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Ukrainian defence chiefs say their forces are in desperate need of ammunition and resources to keep up the pressure on advancing Russian troops.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed this week the US will continue to support Ukraine's war effort even though Congress remains stalled over funding to send additional weapons to the front.

'The United States will not let Ukraine fail,' said Austin as he addressed more than 50 defence leaders from Europe and around the world at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

'This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail,' he added.

The meeting comes a week after US defence officials managed to find 300 million dollars in contract savings to fund a new package of military aid for Ukraine, pulling weapons from Pentagon stocks.

It was the first tranche of weapons sent since December as battlefield conditions in Ukraine have been getting increasingly dire.

The money - which officials called a 'one-time shot' - allowed the Defence Department to use presidential drawdown authority (PDA) to pull weapons and equipment from Pentagon stocks and send them quickly to Ukraine.

The funds are then used to buy replacement items to ensure the US military is ready to fight and protect the homeland.

US leaders had insisted for the past three months that they could not take more weapons off the shelves because they have run out of money to replenish the stocks.

Meanwhile, Congress has been deadlocked for months over a new $95 billion supplemental Bill that includes about $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.

US officials maintain there is bipartisan support for the package but a number of Republicans oppose it and House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring the Bill to the House floor for a vote.

It comes as Putin yesterday warned the West against deploying troops to Ukraine - something he said would bring everyone 'a step away' from World War III - after French President Emmanuel Macron said that sending Western troops to support Kyiv should not be ruled out.

Commenting on the prospects for peace talks with Kyiv, Putin reaffirmed that Russia remains open to negotiations but won't be lured into a truce that will allow Ukraine to rearm.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has apparently shut the door on such talks, saying Putin should be brought to trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which last year issued an arrest warrant for Putin on war crime charges.
Labour leftwingers vented their fury at shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves today ahead of a speech in which she is expected to tacitly praise Margaret Thatcher.

They unloaded at Sir Keir Starmer's economic mastermind for briefing out that she plans to emulate the economic impact of the Iron Lady's 1979 election win and kick-start 'a decade of national renewal' if she enters No11.

In an address to City leaders she will warn that the scale of the economic transformation needed is the same as that faced by Margaret Thatcher after her era-defining election win 45 years ago.

But she will also warn that she wants to avoid the worst economic aspects of the 1980s.

Mrs Thatcher, later Baroness Thatcher, who died in 2013 aged 87, remains a hate figure for a large chunk of the Left over her anti-trade union and economic liberalisation policies, which included the bitter struggle of the Miners' Strike.

But Sir Keir and Ms Reeves have both batted their eyelids at her in recent months as they seek to win the political center ground.

But there was uproar today, with former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard saying: 'In the 1980s manufacturing was butchered, factory after factory closed, privatisation was let rip, unemployment rocketed, profits boomed, the wage share fell, the rich got richer, and inequality soared.

'No rewriting of history. Thatcher didn't renew the economy, she broke it.'

And a spokesman for Momentum, the grassroots group linked to former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, added: 'This is a Labour leadership out of touch with the labour movement and Labour values. We want to overturn Thatcher's disastrous settlement, not recreate it.'

Labour's shadow chancellor will pledge to deliver 'a new chapter' in Britain's economic history if the party wins the election and puts her in No11.

In an address to City leaders she will warn that the scale of the economic transformation needed is the same as that faced by Margaret Thatcher after her era-defining election win 45 years ago.

But there was uproar today, with former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard saying: 'No rewriting of history. Thatcher didn't renew the economy, she broke it.'

Giving the Mais Lecture in the City of London tonight Ms Reeves will pledge to 'bring together public and private sectors, in a national mission - directed at restoring strong economic growth across Britain'.

'When we speak of a decade of national renewal, that is what we mean,' she is expected to say.

'As we did at the end of the 1970s, we stand at an inflection point, and as in earlier decades, the solution lies in wide-ranging supply-side reform to drive investment, remove the blockages constraining our productive capacity, and fashion a new economic settlement, drawing on evolutions in economic thought. A new chapter in Britain's economic history.

'And unlike the 1980s, growth in the years to come must be broad-based, inclusive, and resilient.

'Growth achieved through stability - built on the strength of our institutions. Investment - through partnership between active government and enterprising business.

'And reform - of our planning system, our public services, our labour market, and our democracy.'

It is not the first time she has referenced the Iron Lady, who towered over Britain at the end of the Cold War like a Colossus of Rhodes.

Last November she told the Mail on Sunday: 'When I was three months old, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister.

'As I got older I rebelled against that sort of politics but I never doubted that a woman could be Prime Minister, because Thatcher was there, doing it.

'My generation of women, of course we have been influenced by her.

'Whether you agree with her or not, she smashed glass ceilings and shifted the boundaries. You'd be foolish not to recognise that.'

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has blown hot and cold on Mrs T. In December he was forced to defended his praise of the former PM after a left-wing backlash.

In an article for a Sunday newspaper, Sir Keir applauded Thatcher's drive to 'drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism'.

But his bid to woo disgruntled Tory voters by praising the ex-PM caused fury within Labour and among trade union leaders, with his comments branded 'embarrassing'.

Sir Keir, dubbed 'Sir Flip Flop' by critics, was also accused of 'saying anything to get elected' as it was noted how his remarks jarred with his past criticism of Thatcher.

The Labour leader has previously accused the former premier of 'almost destroying British manufacturing' and 'devastating' communities by closing coal mines.

He has also claimed Britain is 'still counting the cost' from Thatcher's financial 'big bang' in the 1980s - a claim he later repeated in January.

Ms Reeves is expected to pledge to transform the Treasury from a department of bean counters to growth drivers if Labour wins the general election.

She will vow to bolster the Treasury's Enterprise and Growth Unit by integrating it into the budget and spending review processes for the first time.

Ms Reeves will tell the Treasury that it must be ready to 'get to work from day one' on bringing economic growth back to Britain, adding: 'We need to do more to enshrine that core growth mission within our economic architecture.

'In 1997, the last Labour government established the Enterprise and Growth Unit within the Treasury. Squarely focused on driving economic growth.

'It was a source of important policy ideas, including the reform of competition law and the creation of a longer-term science funding framework.

'However, as the Institute for Government noted last month, that Unit is widely seen to be underpowered, its influence diminished compared to twenty years ago. And crucially it is not involved in the management of fiscal events.

'So, we will build on that success. Hard-wiring economic growth into budget and spending review processes, with a reformed and strengthened Enterprise and Growth Unit augmenting the existing so-called 'fiscal triangle'.'

Ms Reeves will urge people to 'reject managed decline' and 'pursue the long overdue task of renewing our common purpose, rethinking outmoded assumptions, and rebuilding growth on strong and secure foundations'.

The Mais lecture is considered the 'foremost event' for the City of London's banking and finance community. Past speakers have included Rishi Sunak, Mark Carney and George Osborne.

Laura Trott, the Conservative Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said: 'Rachel Reeves may be promising a ''new chapter'', but it will be the same old Labour. No plan  just more borrowing and more taxes  exactly how the last Labour government wrecked our economy.

'Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a plan that will deliver a stronger economy for the long term and a brighter future for our children.'
A classic car driven by Steve McQueen in his final film is up for sale for a little over $6,000 - but there's a very good reason for why the price is so low.

The 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was used as a stunt vehicle in the late actor's final film, the 1980 action thriller 'The Hunter'.

The car remained in the Pontiac Motor Division show car fleet following its assembly in November 1978 before it was sold to Paramount Pictures a year later - where it was used in the movie.

It is one of two cars used for an explosion scene and was given to a farmer in Illinois as compensation for aiding the crew in the production of the film.

It remained on the farm in a barn for nearly 40 years and - as you might expect - has certainly seen better days.

 Slide me  The famous vehicle isn't quite in the same condition it was in the 1980s film The Hunter

Steve McQueen died of lung cancer in 1980, the same year as The Hunter film came out

Said to be the only remaining Firebird from the film, it was eventually recovered by the current owner in 2018 and showcased at multiple car shows across the US.

The vehicle underwent modifications for use in the movie, being repainted from blue to black, and being stripped of its rear spoiler, side mirrors, wheel center caps, and badging by the film crew following the completion of filming.

Multiple body panels are also missing from the exterior.

Inside, the seats appear to be in relatively good shape, but the steering wheel is rather worse for wear and burns to the passenger side are still clear to see from the on-set explosion.

The listing also describes the rear bench as having 'rodent damage', while rust has penetrated through the metal along the floor.

The famous Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from The Hunter has not aged gracefully whatsoever

The car was left in a barn for nearly 40 years and is now severely worn out and damaged

Its parts are covered in rust after being in the farmer's barn for nearly four decades

The steering wheel survived McQueen's dramatic turns but couldn't survive the arrow of time

Somehow, even after nearly 40 years in the barn, the seats still seem in okay condition

Other damages include a dented roof, a cracked windscreen, a missing door and no bonnet

As with the seats, the inside of the door still seems to be in okay condition, hardly worn at all

Parts of the inside of the vehicle are moldy and rotten and appear to be wasting away

The car in peak condition in the The Hunter with McQueen about to drive somewhat recklessly

The car was put through a lot on the set of The Hunter as McQueen drove it to its limits

It had some time to rest in a field in the film - a taster of the stationery existence it had in store

The auction for the car is due to close on 20 March in Arizona, with the current bid at $6,579 (5,183) at the time of publishing.

As well as owning a slice of film history, the winning bidder will also receive two cardboard cut-outs of the late star and 'correspondence' from Paramount Pictures and Pontiac Historical Services.
The BBC has been accused of 'profoundly distorting competition' over plans to introduce advertisements for audio content outside its own platforms.

The commercial arm of the corporation is looking to generate sales in the UK by introducing ads to their podcasts on third-party websites such as Apple and Spotify.

But those tuning into BBC Sounds for audio content will not have to listen to promotions, the broadcaster has insisted.

The plan is to have ads phased in, starting in late 2024 or early 2025, for its small factual, drama and comedy shows.

It is understood that hits such as The Archers, Baron Melvyn Bragg's academic discussion programme In Our Time and interview series Desert Island Discs will follow suit if the first phase is deemed a success.

Desert Island Discs, presented by Lauren Laverne (pictured) will have adverts if the first wave is successful

Critics have raised concerns about the plans for the corporation to top its income from the licence fee by 'distorting competition'

However, news and current affairs programming will be excluded.

Critics have raised concerns about the plans for the corporation to top its income from the licence fee by 'distorting competition'.

News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith said: 'The news that the BBC is apparently set to muscle into the UK advertising marketplace by competing with commercial players for advertising around audio output is very alarming.

'Such an intervention will profoundly distort competition, wreaking havoc on commercial players right across the media and advertising sector.

'The BBC must not be allowed to use the might of its licence fee-powered services in the advertising marketplace, otherwise the consequences for our media could be catastrophic.

'This would set an extremely dangerous precedent and these plans must be stopped immediately.'

Mans Ulvestam, who co-founded podcast platform Acast, claims that it will make it more difficult for other providers of audio content.

The businessman, who has gone on to co-found the content monetisation company Sesamy, added: 'So, the impact will be that less ads will be sold on commercial podcasts, since more people sharing will mean smaller percentages of what is available of ad revenue.

'This means that many UK podcasters' ad revenue is very likely to go down, and media will be more likely to turn to other sources of revenue - for example, premium, that the end users pay for it.'

Matt Payton, chief executive of the commercial radio body Radiocentre, told The Times: 'The BBC's services are funded to the tune of 3.8 billion a year.

'It is surprising that the BBC now considers it necessary to sell advertising for its podcasts in the UK on top of that, potentially damaging commercial competitors and further distorting the market in the process.'

BBC Studios already sells audiobooks and puts adverts on the corporation's podcasts outside the UK

Meanwhile, a senior podcasting figure who wished to remain anonymous, said they were sceptical whether the move would help the BBC grow the market overall, saying it will probably send smaller independent companies 'bust'.

It comes after newspaper bosses have slammed the corporation as the 'neighbour from hell' over its plans to expand local news coverage.

The BBC is 'strengthening' its local websites in 43 areas using money redistributed from local radio, where 45 presenter roles are being axed.

Editors at major regional news publishers said the 'state-funded juggernaut' was 'on course to suffocate independent journalism' across the UK.

In a co-signed letter, published by an array of local titles, they told director-general Tim Davie he faces a 'shameful legacy' if he does not change his approach.

It said: 'If the BBC was a family and lived in the house next door it would be the neighbour from hell.

'Unlike Google, Meta and co, the BBC's funding is guaranteed by the licence fee, meaning the British public is underwriting the biggest threat local journalism has ever faced.'

The BBC said 'there is no evidence' it is 'crowding out other digital publishers'.

BBC Studios already sells audiobooks and puts adverts on the corporation's podcasts outside the UK.

In 2022/23, it recorded a profit of 240 million, a rise of 6 per cent compared to the previous financial year.

BBC Studios said in July 2023 that 75 per cent of the global content studio's revenues are from streaming platforms such as Amazon's Prime Video, Apple TV+ and Netflix.

The commercial subsidiary credited crime series Happy Valley and documentary show Prehistoric Planet are among the recent successes.

A BBC spokeswoman said: 'Listeners will continue to hear BBC audio without ads on BBC Sounds, but as many of our podcasts are available on commercial platforms like Apple and Spotify where adverts are the norm, we look to carry them in some of our content to generate more revenue to support the BBC, licence fee payers, our suppliers and rightsholders.'
Rishi Sunak will attempt to get European leaders to join his fight against people smuggling in July when the UK hosts a gathering of continental leaders.

The Prime Minister today confirmed that the European Political Community summit will take place on July 18 at the historic Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

He said that the grouping, including EPC founder Emmanuel Macron, would have the chance to discuss issues including support for Ukraine and 'stopping the scourge of people smuggling'.

It comes after Mr Sunak struggled to get a previous meeting of 47 leaders in Spain to discuss Channel boats, with October's meeting focusing on AI instead.

Britain has played an active part in the EPC since its formation in 2022.

The Prime Minister today confirmed that the European Political Community summit will take place on July 18 at the historic Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

He said that the grouping, including EPC founder Emmanuel Macron , would have the chance to discuss issues including support for Ukraine and 'stopping the scourge of people smuggling'.

Blenheim was built by the Duke of Marlborough and named for his victory as a general over the French at Blenheim in southern Germany in 1704.

He said: 'I am delighted that the UK will host the next European Political Community meeting at the historic Blenheim Palace. It is an important forum for cooperation across the whole of Europe on the issues that are affecting us all, threatening our security and prosperity.

'From putting our full support behind Ukraine to stopping the scourge of people smuggling and illegal migration, under the UK's leadership the meeting will bring together our European friends, partners, and neighbours to address our shared challenges.'

Blenheim was built by the Duke of Marlborough and named for his victory as a general over the French at Blenheim in southern Germany in 1704.

One of the largest houses in Britain, more recently it was the birthplace of Winston Churchill.

A date in spring had been expected but reports suggested Mr Sunak was delaying confirming when the summit would be because he wanted to hold the door open for a potential general election in May.

Downing Street expects that the gathering will see about 50 leaders from across the continent meet for discussions in July.

The EPC was a post-Brexit project that was pushed by French president Emmanuel Macron in the wake of Russia's assault on Ukraine.

European leaders first met in October 2022 in Prague, Czechia, as part of the project, and last met in Grenada, Spain, in October 2023.

The UK was announced as hosting the fourth summit following the first gathering almost 18 months ago.
China commits to establishing region-specific environmental management system by 2025

14:51, March 19, 2024 By Zhao Yusha ( Global Times

An aerial drone photo shows a view of Guangyang Isle in southwest China's Chongqing, March 16, 2024. Guangyang Isle, the most extensive green island in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, has been turned into an ecological restoration and protection "classroom" for ecotourists and school children. The local ecosystem and biodiversity were once seriously threatened due to real-estate projects in the area. However, the local government brought harmful projects of this sort to a halt in 2017, starting the restoration of the environment on the island. (Xinhua/Wang Quanchao)

China recently rolled out guidelines on building a system for region-specific environmental management by 2025. This system establishes comprehensive environmental goals for different regions to meet, while also allowing for flexibility in implementing measures that are tailored to local conditions. Experts believe that this move signifies a shift toward a more nuanced and sophisticated approach to environmental management in China.

The guidelines were jointly issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.

It is important to adopt a region-specific approach to environmental management, and to enforce red lines for the protection of ecosystems, the quality of the environment, and rational resource utilization, according to the guidelines.

By 2025, the system for region-specific environmental management should be established, and the system will be full-fledged and functioning efficiently by 2035, the guidelines noted.

The guidelines include 18 detailed policies covering six aspects, including facilitating high-quality development, ensuring high-level protection of the ecological environment, and strengthening supervision and assessment.

The guidelines call on regions to make their own environmental protection plans, based on the principle of sticking to national guide, obey the coordination from provincial level.

The previous ecological environment management systems were relatively extensive, with a one-size-fits-all approach that did not take into account the differences in development stages and the nature of problems in China, Li Wei, a professor from school of environment, Beijing Normal University, told the Global Times on Monday. Li had participated in making of the region-specific environmental management system.

For example, the system said that under the red lines listed for the protection of ecosystems, areas with high pressure for improving ecological environment quality, as well as high intensity of resource and energy consumption, should identify the areas where development conflicts with protection, and determine the key ecological environment control units.

Li said the new system achieves precision in ecological environment management through the differences in various regions. And unlike the previous environmental protection systems, which focus solely on certain area, the new system also manages to integrate elements such as water, air, soil, and ecology, as well as resources and environment, in a coordinated manner.

The new system also highlights the integration and innovation of new technology, artificial intelligence into environmental protection. It calls for the improvement of online government services and smart decision-making functions, in addition to enhance service efficiency.

In January, The Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have issued guidelines to comprehensively promote the development of a "Beautiful China."

This development must be given prominence in the construction of a strong country and in the process of achieving national rejuvenation, according to the guidelines.

By 2027, China will have seen a continuous decrease in the total discharge of major pollutants and improve the quality of its ecological environment.

By 2035, green methods of production and ways of life will have been developed broadly, carbon emissions will have peaked and be in steady decline, and the country's ecological environment will have improved fundamentally.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
Donald Trump faced having assets seized in a humiliating blow to his carefully cultivated image as a self-made tycoon as his lawyers acknowledged Monday he doesn't have the cash to appeal a $464 million fine for fraudulently inflating his wealth.

Trump  the Republican candidate for November's U.S. presidential election  intends to challenge the judgment imposed by a New York civil court in February, which would force an automatic stay of enforcement.

But first he must put the money into an account managed by the appeals court or post a bond in the full amount, and 30 insurance underwriters have rejected his pleas for assistance, his lawyers said in a new filing.

"We will fight and defeat this Hoax," Trump said in a vituperative statement Monday night, blasting the case as a "witch hunt" against him.

His cash crunch raises the possibility that the state of New York could begin seizing the former president's property as soon as next Monday unless the court  known as the First Department of the Appellate Division  agrees to a delay.

"Defendants have faced what have proven to be insurmountable difficulties in obtaining an appeal bond for the full $464 million," Trump Organization general counsel Alan Garten said in a filing to the court.

Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that Trump and his company had unlawfully inflated his wealth and manipulated the value of properties to obtain favorable bank loans or insurance terms.

Last month the judge ordered Trump to pay $355 million plus interest while his sons Eric and Don Jr. were told to hand over more than $4 million each.

Trump managed to put together a separate bond earlier this month for $91.6 million as he appeals a sexual assault and defamation judgment in a lawsuit brought by New York writer E. Jean Carroll.

But his lawyers said the leading bond providers all had internal policies preventing them from accepting real estate as collateral in the fraud case, and many would not exceed limits of $100 million.

That leaves Trump with the only option of posting 120 percent of the bond in cash and cash equivalents totaling $557.5 million, including fees and interest.

'Tons of CASH'?

As his lawyers laid out the problems with securing the bond, a defiant Trump raged in his statement against 2024 election rival President Joe Biden and those prosecuting the case, and even boasted of his entrepreneurial prowess.

"I built a Magnificent Business, which helped rebuild New York City and State, with Amazing, Unparalleled, Historic Properties and tons of CASH, which Crooked Joe Biden and his Maniac Persecutors are trying to wrongfully and illegally take from me," he said.

The court-set bond, Trump fumed, "is unconstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY Company, including one as successful as mine."

Trump testified in an April 2023 deposition in the same case that he had "substantially in excess of 400 million in cash" -- but he had already developed a reputation by then for exaggerating his wealth.

He has asked the appeals court to delay the deadline for posting the bond until his appeal has been heard, arguing his property empire is worth far more than the amount he owes.

He also asked to be allowed to secure a bond in a lesser amount but New York Attorney General Letitia James has objected, arguing that he would "attempt to evade enforcement of the judgment or to make enforcement more difficult."

Even with a bond, Trump would continue to incur massive interest payments during what could be a years-long appeal, unless he deposits the full fine into a court-managed account. (AFP)
Republicans have launched another investigation into President Joe Biden's liquified natural gas export pause, saying the temporary ban appears to be a move meant to placate environmentalists during an election year.

After pausing the approval process for new liquified natural gas (LNG) export applications in January, the administration has faced questions about why the pause is needed.

Republicans are now seeking to discover if White House climate advisors could have tipped off the Department of Energy (DOE) about potential election year benefits that the LNG application pause could offer.

GOP members on the House Oversight Committee demanded documents and communications between the DOE and Biden climate advisors John Podesta and Ali Zaidi, as well as communications between the department and nongovernmental organizations, according to a letter they sent to Sec. Jennifer Granholm Monday.

'The Biden Administration appears to be weaponizing DOEs public interest analysis and the administrative state to prolong new LNG export project approvals at the behest of leftist environmental groups,' said the letter signed by Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Reps. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, and Clay Higgins, R-La.

'The timing of the decision, in an election year, raises the likelihood that political motivations drove the action.'

Hosue Republicans sent a letter to Department of Energy Sec. Jennifer Granholm requesting communications and documents between the DOE and top White House advisors

John Podesta is a senior advisor to President Biden and has been involved in crafting the administration's climate policy

'The Committee is seeking information and a staff-level briefing to understand DOEs role in executing the LNG export pause, whether there were political factors that led to this decision, and how DOE is interacting with other federal agencies regulating LNG,' the letter continued.

The demand for communications between the DOE and Biden's top climate officials indicate the Republicans believe they could have had a hand in forming the LNG pause.

Podesta serves as Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation while Zaidi serves as National Climate Advisor.

An earlier investigation into the pause was launched by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee in February. That committee is seeking documents from the DOE on why the permit moratorium and environmental study were needed.

According to the White House, the move to halt new LNG export licenses was made to give the administration time to study how the shipments impact climate change, national security and the economy.

The decision was made amid mounting pressure from environmental groups who have expressed concern over investing in new infrastructure that supports oil and gas production.

The administration has said that the study is also needed to measure methane emissions caused by the LNG industry, and since the U.S. is the top exporter globally, the country has a duty to research the industry's environmental impacts.

Still, Republicans aren't convinced.

'I stand unwavering in opposition to the Biden administrations targeted, green-new-deal agenda driven oppression of the American energy industry,' Higgins told DailyMail.com in a statement.

'If their concern is about emissions, stopping the export of clean burning American LNG to our allies in Europe and Asia will harm global emissions. That is a fact,' Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska said on CNBC Tuesday.

'This is throwing a bone to the far left during an election season. That's the sole reason.'

The LNG export pause has been slammed by Republicans and American energy advocates

Republicans have said Biden's pause is dangerous for national security and the economy because the U.S. is the number one exporter of liquified natural gas in the world.

The letter comes during 'Energy Week,' which House Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise described as a time for the GOP to promote American energy legislation.

And the ban could last until after the November election.

White House energy adviser Amos Hochstein said in February the ban could last between 10 and 14 months.

Granholm has refused to say how long the ban will last, but did admit Monday that the pause will be done by this time next year.

'By the time we meet here at this place next year, its going to be long in the rear-view mirror,' she said.
A Georgia couple has been arrested after police say they found them passed out drunk on a Florida beach as their two young children ran wild.

Alyssia Langley, 27, and her fiance, Timothy Stephens, 27, were arrested and charged with child neglect. Stephens also faces charges for trying to escape police, and for having alcoholic beverages on the beach, according to online arrest records, Fox 35News reported.

The sunburned couple were out cold along the beach Saturday, when deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff's office, approached them, a moment shown in body cam footage released by the department.

It reportedly took deputies at least eight tries to wake up the highly intoxicated pair.

When they finally came to, and were asked where their kids were, the couple did not appear to have a clue. The children - aged 5 and 7 - were later found in the pool area, unsupervised but safe.

A Georgia couple were passed out drunk at a beach in Daytona Florida when they were arrested for child negligence, police say

Timothy Stephens, 27, and Alyssia Langley, 27, were arrested and charged with child neglect. Stephens also faces charges for trying to escape and alcoholic beverages on the beach, as per online arrest records

The body cam footage shows the deputies trying to wake up the couple. One deputies yells for them to 'wake up' and identifies himself as a member of law enforcement.

Bodycam footage shows Stephens calling out for the five and seven-year-old when he finally comes to.

An open beer can was found near Stephens' hand, as well as multiple empty beer cans and an empty bottle of whiskey in a cooler nearby,' and other various, unsealed alcoholic beverages in the immediate vicinity,' according to an arrest affidavit.

At one point, Langley tells the officers that her kids are 'right there' as she points at the shoreline. A deputy follows Stephens to the waves as he looks for his children.

The body cam footage shows the deputies trying to wake up the couple. One deputies yells for them to 'wake up' and identifies himself as a member of law enforcement

A deputy follows Stephens to the waves as he looks for his children

Langley and Stephens are engaged, but according to the arrest affidavit, Stephens is not the biological father, but the children's legal guardian.

In a video obtained, a visibly agitated Langley is heard telling her fiancee, 'Who the f*** is going to bail us out?'

She calls the cops 'd***heads' and said the only one has been nice to the couple. She said they were going to jail and her grandpa had to drive eight hours for the kids.

As officers told Langley to get in their vehicle, Stephens took off running while cuffed. He only made it a few dozen feet while being chased by deputies before falling face first into the sand.

His bruises were clearly seen in his mugshot after his arrest.

In a video obtained by Fox 35 News, a visibly agitated Langley is heard telling her fiancee, 'Who the f*** is going to bail us out?'

The couple are seen cuffed on the beach by the officer before Stephens took off running

Stephens only made it a few dozen feet while being chased by deputies before falling face first into the sand

Langley has several TikTok videos posted on the social media site. Many show her playing with her kids

In one, she holds a beer while pitching to a youngster

In another, she is see drinking while in a bikini by the pool

Langley has several TikTok videos posted on the social media site. Many show her playing with her kids. In one, she holds a beer while pitching to a youngster. In another, she is see drinking while in a bikini by the pool.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood shared his angst with Fox 35 Orlando.

'It just boggles my mind that you would drive here and get obliterated and allow a 5- and a 7-year-old to wander off,' he said.

'When we wonder what we see, why kids are the way they are, you gotta take a step back and look at who's in charge.

And clearly, these two clowns shouldn't be in charge of ... they can't be in charge of themselves, let alone a five-year-old or a seven-year-old,' he said.
Police are concerned that young ravers in India are turning to cobra venom to get high at parties across the country, as an Indian influencer was arrested for allegedly supplying the substance.

Youths are increasingly turning to snake venom as a substitute for traditional drugs, after discovering that highs can last for several days.

Though it is not known exactly when young people started getting high on snake venom, police officers across the nation have begun cracking down on the craze.

So much so that a winner of the Indian version of Big Brother was arrested at a rave for allegedly trying to peddle snake venom.

Social media influencer Elvish Yadav was arrested at a party in Noida, in state of Uttar Pradesh, and held for 14 days under the Wildlife Protection Act.

Social media influencer Elvish Yadav (pictured) was arrested at a party in Noida, in state of Uttar Pradesh, and held for 14 days under the Wildlife Protection AcT

He was found with nine cobras and a plastic bottle with 20ml of snake venom, and he was charged with providing snake venom

The process of venom extraction can be incredibly harmful for the snakes themselves

Police found nine cobras and a plastic bottle with 20ml of snake venom during the raid, and Elvish was charged with providing snake venom.

The influencer appeared before the District and Sessions Court in Surajpur, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

While he has denied the charges, he reportedly admitted to arranging for snakes and snake venom to be delivered to raves he hosts.

Uttar Pradesh Environment Minister Arun Saxena said that everyone, including celebrities, ought to be held accountable for their actions.

He said: 'Law will take its course, and no celebrity is bigger than the law.'

The process of getting hold of snake venom is incredibly challenging. Snake charmers are called in to coax cobras out.

Once they've been charmed, snakes, which are often injected with chemicals to make them produce more venom, are made to either spit out the venom, which is saved and ingested later, or they are made to bite a person on the foot.

After the venom enters the bloodstream, it released chemical substances including serotonin and peptides that puts them in a sedative state.

This generated an overwhelming sense of wellbeing and euphoria that is normally associated with powerful opioids, though people can also suffer muscle weakness and paralysis as well.

The process of venom extraction can be incredibly harmful for the snakes themselves.

Meet Ashar, a legal adviser with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals in India, told The Times: 'They are often starved and have their teeth yanked out to make it safer for the handler to deal with them.

'If the police found 20ml of venom thats huge, and it means many snakes were tortured or even died in the process.'
A former Mississippi sheriffs deputy was sentenced Tuesday to about 20 years in prison for his part in torturing two black men last year when he was a member of a so-called 'Goon Squad.'

Hunter Elward was sentenced in Jackson on Tuesday by US District Judge Tom Lee, who handed down a 241-month sentence.

He faced the most serious charges among the six former cops charged in the case and is still awaiting his sentence for additional state charges of conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, home invasion and aggravated assault.

Judge Lee is also due to sentence five other former law enforcement officers who admitted to subjecting Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker to numerous acts of racist torture.

Before sentencing, Lee called Elwards crimes 'egregious and despicable,' and said a 'sentence at the top of the guidelines range is justified  is more than justified.'

Former Mississippi sheriffs deputy Hunter Elward was sentenced by US District Judge Tom Lee, who handed down a 241-month sentence on Tuesday. He is pictured in court last year

Michael Corey Jenkins, left, and Eddie Terrell Parker, right, stand with lead attorney Malik Shabazz, as they call on a federal judge Monday, March 18, 2024, to impose the harshest possible penalties

The officers charged in relation to the assault of Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker were (Top L-R) Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Christian Dedmon. (Bottom L-R) Hunter Elward, Daniel Opdyke, Joshua Hartfield

He continued: 'Its what the defendant deserves. Its what the community and the defendants victims deserve.'

Elward, who had admitted to shoving a gun into Jenkins mouth and firing in a 'mock execution,' addressed the victims during his sentencing.

'Im so sorry,' the disgraced former cop said. 'I dont want to get too personal with you, Michael. Theres no telling what youve seen. Im so sorry that I caused that. I hate myself for it. I hate that I gave you that. I accept all responsibility.'

Jenkins nodded while Parker stood up and said, 'We forgive you, man.'

The two black men who were subjected to torture that included one of them being shot in the mouth during a mock execution by a group of cops known as 'The Goon Squad' had previously said they wanted their tormentors to be punished to the full extent of the law.

The former cops admitted in August to subjecting Jenkins and Parker to numerous acts of racially motivated, violent torture.

Prompted by a neighbor's complaint in January 2023 that Jenkins and Parker were staying in a home with a white woman, the group of six burst in without a warrant and assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns, a sex toy and other objects.

Eddie Terrell Parker, left, escorts Mary Jenkins, mother of Michael Corey Jenkins, into the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in Jackson on Tuesday

Michael Corey Jenkins, second from left, and attorney Malik Shabazz, left, are joined by supporters as they enter the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse Tuesday

After a mock execution went awry when Jenkins was shot in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun.

The officers charged include former Rankin deputies Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke, and Joshua Hartfield, a former Richland police officer.

Elward was also accused in a separate incident of beating a mentally ill black man to death in 2021.

They pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy against rights, obstructions of justice, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm under a crime of violence, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The Rankin County Sheriff's Department then supported the deputies' false charges, which stood against Jenkins and Parker for months.

An attorney for Jenkins and Parker called Monday for the 'stiffest of sentences.'

At a news conference Monday, Jenkins and Parker said they continued to suffer as a result of what they endured

Eddie Terrell Parker listens as his legal team calls on a federal judge at a news conference Monday

'Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker continue to suffer emotionally and physically since this horrific and bloody attack by Rankin County deputies,' Malik Shabazz said in a statement.

'A message must be sent to police in Mississippi and all over America,' he said, that such criminal conduct 'will be met with the harshest of consequences.'

At a news conference Monday, Jenkins and Parker said they continued to suffer as a result of what they endured.

'It's been very hard for me, for us,' Jenkins said. 'We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.'

Most of their lawyers did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment Monday. Jason Kirschberg, representing Opdyke, said: 'Daniel has accepted responsibility for his actions, and his failures to act. ... He has admitted he was wrong and feels deep remorse for the pain he caused the victims.'

On the federal charges, Dedmon and Elward each face a maximum sentence of 120 years plus life in prison and $2.75 million in fines.

Hartfield faces a possible sentence of 80 years and $1.5 million, McAlpin faces 90 years and $1.75 million, Middleton faces 80 years and $1.5 million, and Opdyke could be sentenced to 100 years with a $2 million fine.

The former officers agreed to prosecutor-recommended sentences ranging from five to 30 years in state court, but time served for separate convictions at the state level will run concurrently with the potentially longer federal sentences.

Shabazz said the false charges against the victims weren't dropped until June. That's when federal and state investigators began to close in on the deputies, and one of them began talking.

They were fired shortly thereafter, and prosecutors announced the federal charges in August.

Prosecutors say some of the officers nicknamed themselves the 'Goon Squad' because of their willingness to use excessive force and cover up attacks.

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey called the crimes by his deputies the worst case of police brutality he had ever seen.

For months, Bailey said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department.

Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.

'I relive this every day,' Parker said. 'Every time I turn on the TV. Every time I get on the phone, every time I'm on social media, people are telling my story.'
A James Bond superfan has revealed what he believes it takes to play the very best version of the world's most famous spy - amid rabid speculation that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is on the verge of signing up to the role.

Philip Dewhurst, president of 007GB: The British James Bond Fan Club, told MailOnline he believes 33-year-old Taylor-Johnson is 'just about right' for stepping into Bond's shoes three years after Daniel Craig bowed out.

The 007 die-hard, who founded the charitable fan club in 2022, believes the English actor has already demonstrated he can fulfil the criteria necessary to be cleared for a licence to kill with some of his recent movies.

And while Mr Dewhurst himself admits he would have loved to have seen Henry Cavill take the role, he believes Kick-Ass and Marvel actor Taylor-Johnson is signing on at the right time - around the same age as Sean Connery before him.

He also revealed what he believes makes the best on-screen Bonds - and what advice he would give to Taylor-Johnson as he reportedly prepares for what will likely be his most prolific film role ever.

Philip Dewhurst, president of 007GB: The British James Bond Fan Club, believes Aaron Taylor-Johnson is a good fit for James Bond

Taylor-Johnson, 33, is reportedly on the verge of signing a deal with EON Productions to step into the shoes of the world's most famous secret agent

Daniel Craig stepped away from James Bond after more than 15 years in the role - starting with 2006's Casino Royale (pictured)

Mr Dewhurst founded his charitable 007 fan club in 2022. He is pictured here with Barbara Broccoli, who produces the Bond films

He said Taylor-Johnson's role in action movie Bullet Train showed he could look good in a suit - and showed his ability to bring something new to the table for James Bond as a character

His appearance as a military commander in Christopher Nolan's Tenet, meanwhile, could serve as valuable experience for Bond's own experience as a navy commander

A career of action movies - including Kick-Ass and its sequel (pictured) - show Taylor-Johnson will be capable of meeting the strenuous demands associated with a licence to kill

Mr Dewhurst said of the ideal Bond: 'Bond films are reflective of what is going on in the world but they don't follow the exact same blueprint.

'Craig's Bond was a bit more casual with what he wore, a bit rougher around the edges, and each actor brings something different to the role. And there's plenty of source material to work from in the books.

'The best Bonds are the ones that are somewhere in between (the source material) and what they can bring - Taylor-Johnson has it in him to be rough, but he could be romantic and he can be very suave and quite funny.

'These are all things you need to be Bond. The very best thing he could do is look at all the Bonds and take a little bit of each one, and they've all brought something to the role that is different.

'One of the reasons Brosnan was so effortless was because he just was Bond - he understood it. He had a bit of Connery, a bit of Moore, Dalton, Lazenby and it looked effortless.

'If he does the same thing, he will be fine.'

Taylor-Johnson cut his teeth acting as a child, appearing in the likes of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy as a teen.

Action roles in films like comic book flick Kick-Ass and Godzilla, as well as his Golden Globe-winning turn as a psychopathic drifter in Nocturnal Animals, exemplified his talents in his 20s.

Now 33, he continues to embrace high-octane roles in movies like Bullet Train and Christopher Nolan's Tenet - both of which, the Bond expert reckons, set him up perfectly for acceptance into MI6.

Bond's fictional biography, after all, notes that he achieved the rank of Commander in the Royal Naval Reserve.

And while not officially confirmed, sources have suggested Taylor-Johnson is on the cusp of signing on the dotted line with EON Productions to kickstart a new era of Bond after No Time To Die brought Daniel Craig's time to a close in 2021.

'I've followed his (Taylor-Johnson's) career and in terms of his age he's probably just about right - the Bond in the books is in the 35-45 category,' Mr Dewhurst continued.

'Him being 33 now means by the time production starts he will be just the right age.

'He's got the physique, he can be suave, he's played military roles in films like Tenet, and Bullet Train showed he looks good in a suit.

'I would have liked Henry Cavill but I think that it's about six years too late for him now - because as a Bond actor you have to be prepared to play the role for about 15 years.

'Pierce Brosnan, towards the end, sustained a lot of injuries filming Die Another Day because the body doesn't work the same after 15 years of playing that role. It's the same with Idris Elba - purely an age thing.'

The 007GB president added that Taylor-Johnson's level of star power - bright, but not blindingly so - actually bodes well for a prospective Bond.

With the exception of Roger Moore, who was known for playing Simon Templar in The Saint before graduating to the role of secret agent, actors playing Bond have been plucked from relative obscurity and turned into global icons.

Mr Dewhurst continued: 'His body of work is notable but he's not the most famous person in the world - if you look at the other actors picked to be Bond before they were the same.

'Pierce Brosnan had just done Remington Steele, but it was GoldenEye that really put him on the map. It's the same for Daniel Craig.

'Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli really had to fight to cast Connery at the start as United Artists didn't want him.'

Sean Connery (left) and Pierce Brosnan as James Bond. Both were cast despite not being global superstars

Actor Henry Cavill has been a fan favourite to become the next Bond - but Bond expert Philip Dewhurst believes his time for the role may be past

Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time To Die. Mr Dewhurst suggests that each Bond actor brings a little of themselves and how they interpret the material to the role

Roger Moore as Bond with Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Loved Me - an altogether different take on Bond from another era

He continued: 'Without question, it's a role that consumes you. Look at any of the actors that played Bond and everywhere you go, every project, people want to talk about Bond, you get recognised. He's probably the most famous film character there is.

'There's nothing wrong with modernising in places but Bond isn't a period piece, it moves with the times - but there's still bad guys in the world just like there were in the 50s.

'Do we end up at the point where Bond doesn't drink and doesn't shoot people? No. But you can modernise without changing the character.'

Ultimately, he is optimistic about Taylor-Johnson's prospects despite early muted reaction from other 007 fans - but has some sage advice for him as the actor prepares to don the tuxedo and pick up his service-issue Walther PPK.

'My advice to Taylor-Johnson is to read the books, watch the films, and remember what it felt like when you were 10-years-old and watching the films, how you felt.

'Bring a little of that to every day of shooting and you will be fine. Remember that, and just have fun.

'Brosnan once said: "the ride's over before you know it" and I think that is true.

'More men have walked on the moon than have been James Bond. It's a privilege and a responsibility.'

Earlier on Tuesday, EON Productions sought to shut down rumours that the deal with Taylor-Johnson was all-but-done, contrary to the earlier reports in The Sun.

But the BBC has now put an end to speculation, with a production insider claiming there is 'no truth in the rumours'.

Responding to the rumours that he could step into Bond's shoes last week, Taylor-Johnson was coy, telling Numero: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'
An adorable baby girl died after being found unresponsive at her daycare as it was revealed that the staff had not all been trained in required CPR.

Dakota Becker was just three months old when first responders were called to a daycare facility where she was discovered to be not breathing.

The heartbreaking discovery came at 10:58 am on March 11 at the Plume Academy Daycare in Bossier, Louisiana.

According to Bossier officials, Bossier City Fire Department was dispatched to the 5500 block of Barksdale Boulevard.

CPR was performed and the baby girl was rushed to hospital, where she was tragically pronounced dead.

Dakota Becker was just three-months-old when first responders were called to a daycare facility where she was discovered to be not breathing

Dakota's mother, Kelly Becker (pictured) , said 'Dakota was the biggest blessing and came into this world full force with no waiting. We love and miss her dearly'

CPR was performed and the baby girl was rushed to hospital, where she was tragically pronounced dead

Dakota's mother, Kelly Becker, said that the family does not suspect that the daycare did anything wrong on their end

Dakota's mother, Kelly Becker, said 'Dakota was the biggest blessing and came into this world full force with no waiting. We love and miss her dearly.'

She told KSLA that the family does not suspect that the daycare did anything wrong on their end.

'I just really would like to clear up that we do not suspect anything in the daycares end. While Dakota was there, they took great care of her along with out oldest daughter, Blake, for the last three years,' Becker said.

It is unclear who performed the CPR on Dakota, or whether they worked for the daycare or were one of the first responders on the scene.

The investigation is ongoing and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death.

After launching their own investigation into the daycare, KSLA discovered that Plume Academy has a history of other incidents.

In 2023, CPR certification requirements were not met on two different instances, citing that there was a deficiency due to failure to show documentation that all staff members were infant, child and adult CPR certified, KSLA reported.

Last year, two inspections of the daycare found that there were two more deficiencies.

The investigation is ongoing and an autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death

After launching their own investigation into the daycare, KSLA discovered that Plume Academy has a history of other incidents

In 2023, CPR certification requirements were not met on two different instances, citing that there was a deficiency due to failure to show documentation that all staff members were infant, child and adult CPR certified, KSLA reported

There were separate instances in which staff members who cared for the children did not have up-to-date certifications in pediatric first aid training approved by the department.

On September 15, a staff member failed to notify child welfare within 24 hours of a critical incident during which a one-year-old child's arm was pulled out of its socket after playing with a two-year-old.

The staff member stated they did not report the incident because she didnt think she needed to.
A shocking new study alleges that children unintentionally shot and killed 157 people in 2023. The victims included friends, siblings as well as themselves.

The vast majority of the shootings took place in the child's home and were perpetrated by those younger than five, according to new data from Everytown.

'The victim is often a sibling, a cousin or a friend. It leaves multiple families facing grief and regret,' the senior director of research at Everytown Sara Burd-Sharps told NBC News.

Everytown's data is compiled mainly through media reports but seeing as many shootings do not make the news, particularly ones without fatalities, it's possible that there are even more young victims of American's love affair with guns.

Burd-Sharps told NBC that on average once a day a child finds a loaded gun and uses it.

Some examples include a two-year-old in Ohio who shot his pregnant mother in the back in June 2023. In October, an 11-year-old was arrested after shooting two friends, both 13, in Florida and an eight year-old in North Carolina who was shot dead by her babysitter's 11-year-old.

In Indiana in July, a five-year-old boy who had taken cocaine shot and killed his 16-month-old brother as his father slept. While in Virginia, an elementary school teacher was shot by a student, 6.

The five-year-old boy (left) shot his little brother, Isiah Johnson, 16 months, (right) in March, at the family's home in Lafayette, Indiana

Jenesis Dockery, eight, died after her babysitter's 11-year-old son allegedly shot her in the head using a gun he stole from a relative's safe

Laura Ilg (right) was accidentally shot and killed by her 2-year-old son

Teacher Abby Zwerner was shot at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News on January 6

According to Everytown, government officials need to do more to track the number of shootings involving children.

2023 saw the most number of unintentional shootings since Everytown began its work in 2015 with 411. The group is funded by one-time Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg who has long been an advocate for gun control.

Typically, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compiles data regarding shootings but it can take years to be published, according to the NBC News report with key information sometimes lacking.

Other federal government research into shooting statistics is only made available to 'universities and other research institutions,' NBC reports.

David Hemenway of the Harvard Injury Control Research Center told the network that no government agency is 'even close' to setting up a system that would monitor the circumstances surrounding shootings.

Hemenway said that Everytown's numbers are in-line with what most researchers find when it comes to investigating child-related shootings.

Everytown is funded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg who has long been an advocate for gun control

A 2015 study found that over 4.5 million American children were living in a home with a loaded weapon that was accessible. Between 2019 and 2020 alone, there was a 64 percent increase in gun sales in the US.

In 2021, Americans bought close to 20 million guns.

One mother who lost her son to gun violence is Julvonnia McDowell. She now works with Everytown in order to get the message about there about gun safety.

McDowell's son, JaJuan, 14, was shot dead by a friend who found a gun in a dresser as the two were playing.

'When guns arent properly stored, it means pain and trauma that I wouldnt wish on anyone. This is an issue that we all need to worry about. Whether its your gun or not, believe me  it can be your child,' McDowell told NBC News.
Slovakian bear hunters have vowed to tonight capture and kill the rampaging beast that has left at least five injured, but residents are begging them to let the animal live.

The town of Liptovsky Mikulas earlier declared a state of emergency after a 10-year-old girl became the latest victim in a spate of bear attacks - with patrols ordered to 'eliminate' the predator on sight.

Now, a bold sign has been erected by the city police that urges residents to stay out of the old road area between Ilanova and Zavazna Poruba this afternoon and evening.

'The road is temporarily closed and because of bear hunting there is a high risk to life,' the sign reads.

The capture of the bear will be carried out using firearms, Liptovsky Mikulas' official town website states.

'In case of disobedience, people will be exposed to a high risk of endangering their lives,' it adds.

A sign has been erected in Liptovsky Mikulas warning residents to stay out of the area as officials prepare to use firearms to capture the bear that has injured at least five in recent attacks

New footage from Sunday's bear attack in Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovakia, shows the huge beast bounding through the streets

The Slovakian town have now declared a state emergency as officials say: 'We cannot allow a bear to attack five people in the centre in broad daylight'

Your browser does not support iframes.

But although the bear has left at least five with injuries, residents have begged officials to have mercy on the animal.

Taking to Facebook, one wrote: 'This young bear, who accidentally entered the city, is terrified because it entered an unknown area..... definitely not going back to town after this experience..... no point in eliminating a young bear from its life..... let him live for him'.

Another said: 'I cannot understand this, that a few hundred pound bear cannot be located, put to sleep and transported to the mountains within two hours. Terrible amateurism'.

One more added: 'There is no reason to kill the bear! He has a right to live, there are other manners to ensure safety! Killers will pay for killing, you have to remember this rule'.

The latest bear attack on Sunday, which took place in the town left a 49-year-old woman with a shoulder injury and a 72-year-old man with a gash to his head.

A 10-year-old girl and two further adults suffered scratches and bruises, authorities said, while a couple pushing their child in a buggy were 'lucky to escape unharmed'.

Residents were asked not to leave their homes, particularly in the early and late hours, as animal hunters arrived at the town to seek out the bear.

'The bear has been pushed into uninhabited zones by rescue and security forces where emergency teams  have orders to eliminate it,' the town hall said in a Facebook post.

'Hunters will patrol in the at-risk area, police patrols have been strengthened and brown bear emergency teams from all over the country have been ordered to our city and surroundings. A thermal imaging drone is also being deployed.

'We are a town between mountains, but still a town. We cannot allow a bear to attack five people in the centre in broad daylight.'

New footage of the bear shows it bounding through the streets of the Slovakian town before heading to a body of water to take a swim.

It comes just a day after a woman named Tatiana, 31, died after she and her friend were set upon by a brown bear in Slovakia.The woman, from Belarus, had been walking with a male companion in the Low Tatras mountain range on Friday evening when they were chased by the predator.

According to the male, 29, he and the woman darted off in different directions while in the depths of the thick forest.

Sunday's attacks come just days after a woman, 31, was chased by a bear and died in Slovakia. It remains unclear whether the woman fell to her death while trying to escape or was killed by the bear

The bear was spotted making its way through the Slovakian town and later enjoying a dip in the water during its violent rampage

The woman's body was discovered by the Slovak Mountain Rescue Service on Friday evening, as the bear lingered nearby.

Local reports stated the bear was soon frightened off by sounds of the gun shots made by the rescue team.

According to the BBC it was unclear whether the woman fell to her death while trying to escape or was killed by the bear.

The Slovak authorities reassured that if she was mauled to death by the brown bear, they will reveal that information publicly.

Bears are common across many parts of Eastern Europe including the areas surrounding the Carpathian mountains, which stretch from Romania to Poland and pass through Slovakia.

Researchers have estimated that there are around 1,275 bears living in Slovakia.

There have been several bear attacks in Slovakia in recent years, including a fatal attack in 2021 - reported at the time to be the first in Slovakia for a century.

The body of a 57-year-old man was found in Bansko Valley in the Liptov region on June 14.

He was found in the forests above the village of Liptovska Luzna, with his head, hip and neck mauled.

There were fresh bear prints found at the site.

The Slovak environment ministry earlier this month published guidelines on the protective shooting of brown bears, allowing special teams to shoot any bear that presents a threat to humans.

Environment Minister Tomas Taraba on Friday blamed NGOs and the constitutional court for the death of the Belarusian woman chased off a cliff.

'According to a constitutional court ruling, shooting bears on a large scale is not allowed. So I congratulate the constitutional court. I hope you are happy with your work, this is also your doing,' he told reporters after the attack.

Also Friday, the ministry said it would, together with Romania, submit a proposal for the EU to reclassify the bear to a lower category of protected wildlife, which would allow more aggressive control of the bear population.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted by the federal police for falsifying his Covid vaccination card in a formal accusation released by the country's Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The far-right leader's vaccination records were tampered with and showed that he was vaccinated against the virus in the southeastern municipality of Sao Paulo in July 2021, when he was not in the city, according to an investigation head by the comptroller general's office.

Following his indictment, Bolsonaro may be charged by the prosecutor-generals office with falsifying data in the country's public health system and forming a criminal organization to evade public health rules.

He faces one to three years in prison if he is convicted of criminal association and two to 12 years for falsifying data.

The former presidents lawyer, Fabio Wajngarten, slammed the federal polices accusations, which he labeled as absurd, and defended his job in combating the pandemic, in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is accused of falsifying his Covid vaccine card

Bolsonaro used his fake vaccine card to enter the U.S. days before his term ended in December 2022

'In my humble opinion, today's indictment, which until now the technical defense has not even had access to, is as absurd as the whale case,' he wrote.

'The whole world knows the President's @jairbolsonaro personal opinion on the subject of vaccination, even though he has acquired more than 600 million doses,' Wajngarten added.

'Furthermore, while serving as President, he was completely exempt from presenting any type of certificate on his trips. This is political persecution and an attempt to empty the enormous political capital that has only been growing.'

Brazil's Public Ministry will review the accusations and determine if it will file a case with the court or dismiss it.

'The evidence collected throughout this investigation is convergent in demonstrating that Jair Bolsonaro acted with conscience and will,' the federal police said.

The agency said that the records were falsified 'for the benefit of you and your daughter.'

Bolsonaro used the fraudulent vaccine card to enter the United States on December 30, 2022, two days before his presidential term concluded.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (left) with former top aid, Mauricio Cid (right), one of 16 accused of falsifying COVID-19 records in the government data base. Cid told Brazil's federal police that he received instructions from Bolsonaro to acquire fake vaccine cards

Bolsonaro's former aide, Lieutenant Colonel Mauro Cid, who was arrested in May as part of the investigation and later released as part of a plea bargain deal, told investigators that fake vaccination cards were printed at the Palacio da Alvorado  the official residence of the president in the Federal District  and were hand delivered to him.

In his statement to police investigators, Cid revealed that Bolsonaro requested vaccination cards for himself and his daughter, Laura Bolsonaro, who was 12 years old at the time.

'That the president [Bolsonaro], after learning that the collaborator [Cid] had vaccination cards for himself and his family, requested that the collaborator make them for him too; That the former president gave the order to make his cards and his daughter,' the police report indicated.

The federal police said that Cid sent the request to former army general, Ailton Barros, who at the time was running for office in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and that he forwarded the data to Joao de Sousa, the government secretary of the Rio de Janeiro municipality of Duque de Caxias.

De Sousa used his passwords to add the fraudulent information into the Ministry of Health's national immunization program.

Cid also obtained fake cards for himself, his wife and his three daughters.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro faces one to three years in prison if he is convicted of criminal association and two to 12 years for falsifying data

Bolsonaro, who once compared Covid to being a 'little flu,' told Reuters that he had not taken the vaccine or done anything wrong.

'It's a selective investigation. I'm calm,' said the former president. 'The world knows that I didn't take the vaccine.'

In its report, the federal police said that the fraudulent certificates were issued 'to obtain undue advantages related to the evasion of sanitary rules established during the pandemic period'.

During his tenure, Bolsonaro repeatedly downplayed the importance of immunization and social distancing measures during the pandemic, which killed more than 700,000 people in Brazil.

The police report indicting Bolsonaro paves the way for Brazil's prosecutor-general to present criminal charges before the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro has already been ruled politically ineligible until 2030 for spreading electoral misinformation during the 2022 election.

Police recently seized his passport while probing his efforts to cling onto power after he lost to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the election.

Last week, the former heads of Brazil's army and air force confirmed that Bolsonaro discussed a draft decree to prevent the handover of power after the election.
The Missouri high school teacher who quit her teaching gig after she got in trouble for having an OnlyFans account revealed she was fired from her new job in healthcare.

Brianna Coppage, 28, was put on leave from St. Clair High School in Missouri in the fall after administrators received a report an employee 'may have posted inappropriate media on one or more internet sites.'

Coppage, who goes by the moniker Brooklin Love online, made headlines for the scandal which landed her $1 million in earnings from OnlyFans and allowed her to resign from teaching.

She told KMOV she then got a job with Compass Health as a community support specialist because she was bored not working, but was fired after only a few days despite claiming she disclosed her previous employment history.

'They admitted that they didn't call my references or Google me before they hired me. They claim that I violated their social media policy, but will not respond to me with how I violated it,' said Coppage.

Brianna Coppage, the Missouri high school teacher who quit her teaching gig after she got in trouble for having an OnlyFans account, revealed she was fired from her new job in healthcare

Coppage, 28, was put on leave from St. Clair High School in Missouri in the fall after administrators received a report about her account

She said she got a job with Compass Health as a community support specialist, but was fired after only a few days despite claiming she disclosed her previous employment history

'I lasted five days before they put me on leave and subsequently fired me just this month.'

'Not having to get up and go to a 9-to-5 has been tough on my mental health,' she said.

Coppage was making $42,000 per year as an English teacher at St. Clair High School on the outskirts of St. Louis and was using OnlyFans as a means to pay off her student loans.

Missouri has among the nation's lowest starting salaries for teachers in the nation, according to the National Education Association.

'I started it, one, to just supplement my income and kind of see what happens and possibly make extra money. Like, I have student loans. I was working on my third degree. So, I also have a master's degree in education, and then I was working on my specialist degree,' she told Fox News.

Coppage believed she was identified after her husband appeared in one of her videos and someone tipped off the local school board.

A post on her X account, formerly Twitter, says: 'Yall are wild, someone shared my videos with my entire hometown. I hope you enjoyed watching.'

All users of OnlyFans must be at least 18 according to the site's terms of service.

But while there are stringent age verification checks on creators, the platform only says that subscribers or fans 'may have to provide various personally identifying information' depending on their country of residence.

After being interrogated about the nature of her account, and whether or not it ever coincided with her teaching career, she told them that it was 'completely separate.'

Coppage was not asked to resign following the meeting and district officials took 'all possible steps to ensure confidentiality' after Coppage's page was discovered through social media posts, Superintendent Kyle Kruse told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Coppage said she earned up to $10,000 a month on the OnlyFans website  before the story of her suspension made international news.

She made headlines for the scandal which landed her $1 million in earnings from OnlyFans and allowed her to resign from teaching

Coppage believed she was identified after her husband appeared in one of her videos and someone tipped off the local school board

In the days that followed, her account gained more than 100 new subscribers and she more than doubled her subscription price. She said at the time of her suspension that she would continue posting on the site.

'I do not regret joining OnlyFans. I know it can be taboo, or some people may believe that it is shameful, but I don't think sex work has to be shameful,' Coppage told the newspaper in September. 'I do just wish things just happened in a different way.'

After quitting her teaching job, Coppage told The Messenger: 'I dont want the school to continue getting hate.'

'I would like the education of students to be able to return to normal,' she added.

'They deserve to have a great year.'
puti

Western governments lined up on Monday to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's landslide reelection as unfair and undemocratic, but China, India and North Korea congratulated the veteran leader on extending his rule by a further six years.

The contrasting reactions underscored the geopolitical fault lines that have gaped wider since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, triggering the deepest crisis in relations with the West since the end of the Cold War.

Arriving in Brussels on Monday, EU foreign ministers roundly dismissed the election result as a sham ahead of agreeing sanctions on individuals linked to the mistreatment and death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

"Russia's election was an election without choice," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said at the start of the meeting.

Playing on Moscow's reference to its war in Ukraine as a "special military operation", French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said Paris had taken note of the "special election operation."

"The conditions for a free, pluralistic and democratic election were not met," his ministry said.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the election outcome highlighted the "depth of repression" in Russia.

"Putin removes his political opponents, controls the media, and then crowns himself the winner. This is not democracy," Cameron said.

France, Britain and others condemned the fact that Russia had also held its election in occupied regions of Ukraine that it claims to have annexed during the war.

The Kremlin dismissed such criticism, saying the 87 percent of the vote won by Putin during the three-day election showed the Russian people were consolidating around him.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy said Russia's election had no legitimacy.

"It is clear to everyone in the world that this figure (Putin)... is simply sick for power and is doing everything to rule forever," Zelenskiyy said.

U.S. President Joe Biden has not yet commented but a White House spokesperson on Sunday said Russia's election was "obviously not free nor fair."

Outside west, Putin congratuated

In sharp contrast, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Putin, and said Beijing would maintain close communication with Moscow to promote the "no limits" partnership they agreed in 2022, just before Russia invaded Ukraine.

"I believe that under your leadership, Russia will certainly be able to achieve greater achievements in national development and construction," Xi told Putin in his message, according to Xinhua News.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered his congratulations on Putin's "decisive" victory and the Kremlin said the two men expressed readiness on the telephone to pursue their "effective coordination" in the OPEC+ oil producers group.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi echoed that message, saying he looked forward to strengthening New Delhi's "time-tested special and privileged strategic partnership" with Moscow.

India and China, along with Russia, are members of the BRICS group of emerging economies that aims to challenge U.S. domination of the global economy.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, accused by the West of supplying weapons to Russia, also extended congratulations to Putin, stressing their desire for further expansion of bilateral relations with Moscow.

In Africa, where the West has been struggling to win support for its efforts to isolate Moscow over the Ukraine war, some newspapers saw Putin's re-election as reinforcing the stance of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Those three states in the Sahel region have strengthened ties with Russia following coups in recent years at the expense of their traditional French and U.S. allies.

"In Africa, this re-election could sound like a non-event, but given the context in the Sahel it takes on a particular meaning, because Putin embodies the new geopolitical balance of power on the continent with a growing (Russian) presence and influence," said Burkina Faso daily Aujourd'hui au Faso." (Reuters)
When Hairy Biker Dave Myers passed away from cancer last month, it was his best friend Si King who led the tributes.

King said he 'will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime' as he announced Myers' death on social media.

'I wish you god's speed brother; you are and will remain a beacon in this world. See you on the other side. Love ya,' he added in a statement to X, formerly Twitter.

The pair had been on the journey of a lifetime together, forming one of TV's most enduring double acts and bringing joy to millions with their cooking.

They met on the set of a TV drama in 1995, before King sold Myers what he called the 'worst motorbike you have ever seen.'

Tonight, the final episode of the pair's last series, The Hairy Bikers Go West, reveals Myers' loving words to his best friend. He tells him that their TV double act was a 'dream come true' and adds: 'Who knows what the future holds but for the moment, I'm living in the present, and it's pretty fine.'

Myers first learnt how to cook aged 11 after his mother Margaret fell ill with multiple sclerosis

He previously told the Mail how he concocted 'complicated salads with all kinds of ingredients', whilst other dishes were made with a little too much garlic.

At the age of 17, Myers was hit by a second tragedy when his father was struck down by a debilitating stroke.

After struggling with the task of caring for them both, the presenter was forced to send his mother into hospital, and she never returned.

David 'Dave' Myers became beloved as one half of the motorcycle-riding cooking duo, The Hairy Bikers , with fellow chef Simon 'Si' King

Born in Barrow-in-Furness, Myers began his media career as a make-up artist at the BBC, before he met King.

As a student he worked in a steelworks to help finance his studies in fine arts.

His and King's first show, The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook, was launched on the BBC in 2006 and saw them ride across countries including Portugal, Romania and Namibia, tasting the local cuisine and experimenting with making it themselves.

Their combination of riding their motorcycles to locations across the world and cooking up a storm as they went earned them a loyal following.

The pair also won over viewers with their cheeky northern humour and enthusiasm.

After their first show, the bearded duo went on to film many other series and specials for the BBC, seeking out new dishes in countries such as India, Vietnam, Argentina and Mexico.

They also sampled cuisines of places nearer to home, such as Ireland and the Isle of Man.

Across their career they published more than 30 cookbooks together.

In November, King told BBC Breakfast that their more than 30-year friendship came 'naturally' to them as they were 'good mates' and 'part each other's families'.

Myers also recalled during the interview that King had cooked him his favourite comfort food of mince and dumplings while he was being treated for cancer.

At the time, the TV chef said he had been 'really enjoying life' as he had got back to riding his bike and filming with his 'best mate'.

King said last month he 'will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime'.

'I wish you god's speed brother; you are and will remain a beacon in this world. See you on the other side. Love ya,' he added in a statement to X, formerly Twitter.

He also thanked well-wishers for sending messages of support to Myers, saying: 'It meant the world to him, his family and all The Hairy Bikers team'.

Following his diagnosis, Myers briefly took a break from work before filming his last show with King, which sees them travel west across Britain from Scotland to Devon.

King previously said that the series would be one they would 'always remember'.

'We are very privileged to do what we do and I think this one was particularly special in general because of Dave's health and his sheer and utter determination and love for what he does', he added.

'Especially to continue to do it while he was having treatment took remarkable courage and energy - and adds to why Dave and I will not forget it.'

The 57-year-old presenter said the travelogue was 'a celebration of a joyous and creative friendship' and he was happy they returned to his co-presenter's original home of Lancashire during the series.

Dave Myers shares his heartbreaking final o-screen words as his best friend Si King chokes back tears during the last ever Hairy Bikers episode set to air on Tuesday evening

Si is also left choking back tears as he struggles to find the words to express his emotions: 'I'm just lost for words. It's quite remarkable what he's done'

After the credits roll, a tribute reads: 'In loving memory of our friend, Dave Myers'

Myers' and King's combination of riding their motorcycles to locations across the world and cooking up a storm as they went earned them a loyal following. Above: The pair on The Hairy Bikers Ride Again

Myers and King on their first show, the Hairy Bikers' Cookbook, which aired in 2006

Dave Myers and Simon King on The Hairy Bikers Go West, which is airing on BBC Two

Myers competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 alongside professional dancer Karen Hauer

Myers was married to Liliana Orzac, whom he met while filming Hairy Bikers in Romania

Dave as a baby with his mother Margaret. He taught himself how to cook after she fell ill

King and Myers on The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook, their first show together

Myers also competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 alongside professional dancer Karen Hauer.

After performing dances including the salsa, jive and paso doble, the pair were voted off the competition in week seven.

He also appeared as a guest on a host of shows including Sunday Brunch, Countdown, Would I Lie To You?, All Star Family Fortunes and The Weakest Link.

Myers had previously spoken about other health struggles, including discovering he had glaucoma - an eye condition that can lead to blindness.

In 2018, he revealed he had originally dismissed the condition as a bad hangover.

He had also opened up about losing weight through the years by cutting out carbs and alcohol in a bid to become healthier.

For a BBC Two series, A Cook Abroad, Myers had to travel to Egypt without King after he suffered a brain aneurysm in 2014, which his co-presenter later said he was only able to survive thanks to considerable weight loss.

Myers was married to Liliana Orzac, whom he met while filming Hairy Bikers in Romania, and was a stepfather to her two children, Iza and Sergiu, from a previous relationship.

The Hairy Bikers Go West final episode airs on BBC Two at 8pm on Tuesday
Up to 100 Tory MPs are unhappy with Rishi Sunak's flagship cigarettes ban, it was claimed today.

Legislation imposing tough restrictions on tobacco and vapes, seen as potential lasting legacy Mr Sunak's time in No10, is set to be unveiled.

But it has already been criticised as 'nanny state' by some Conservatives, including former premier Liz Truss.

According to the Guardian, lobbyists believe that between 80 and 100 MPs are uncomfortable about the plans - although it is unclear how many would vote against.

There is no real danger of it being blocked as Labour are also supporting the proposals. Tory sources said it was not yet clear what kind of opposition there would be, although be convention it will be the subject of a free vote.

Mr Sunak wants to restrict the sale of tobacco so that anyone turning 15 this year, or younger, will never legally be sold cigarettes.

Legislation imposing tough restrictions on tobacco and vapes, seen as potential lasting legacy Mr Sunak's time in No10, is set to be unveiled

Up to 100 Tory MPs are unhappy with Rishi Sunak's flagship cigarettes ban, it was claimed today

It will effectively raise the age of tobacco sale by one year every year, with the aim of stopping today's youngsters from ever taking up smoking in the first place.

Government figures show that smoking costs the UK around 17 billion a year, including 10billion every year through lost productivity alone.

Some Tory MPs have expressed concerns about the plans, with former prime minister Liz Truss saying they are 'profoundly unconservative'.

'While the state has a duty to protect children from harm, in a free society, adults must be able to make their own choices about their own lives,' she said previously.

'Banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in 2009 or later will create an absurd situation where adults enjoy different rights based on their birthdate.

'A Conservative government should not be seeking to extend the nanny state. This will only give succour to those who wish to ban further choices of which they don't approve.'

Labour has given backing to the move, which is subject to a free vote in Parliament.

Under the changes, smoking itself will not be criminalised and anyone who can legally buy tobacco now will not be prevented from doing so.

The plan has already been criticised as 'nanny state' by some Conservatives, including former premier Liz Truss

The Bill will also tackle youth vaping, by introducing new powers to restrict vape flavours and packaging intentionally marketed at children.

This could change how vapes, which contain nicotine, are displayed in shops, moving them out of sight of children and away from other products such as sweets.

Figures show that one in five children has tried vaping despite it being illegal for under-18s, while the number of children using vapes has tripled in the past three years.
A robot canine and a real sniffer dog were sent to save the day after a bomb threat struck the Ministry of Culture in Rome today.

Italy's first robot dog, Seatta alongside a sniffer pooch Olimpia were sent into the building by the Italian Carabinieri to ensure there were no explosives on the site.

Following an anonymous phone call from a man 'with an Italian voice', 400 people were evacuated from the building near Via del Corso.

The bomb threat and subsequent evacuation happened during a meeting between the Italian dance sector and ministry officials, Wanted In Rome reports.

The undersecretary minister of culture, Gianmarco Mazzi, who was acting on behalf of absent Gennaro Sangiuliano, explained they were expecting the arrival of celebrities momentarily before the threat.

Italy 's first robot dog, Seatta alongside a real sniffer pooch Olimpia were sent into the Minsitry of Culture by the Italian Carabinieri following a bomb scare

400 people were evacuated from the building near Via del Corso after an anonymous phone call from a man 'with an Italian voice' was made to the buildings doormen (pictured: Seatta)

'We are expecting at any moment stars of dance like Roberto Bolle, Eleonora Abbagnato, and many others,' he told Ansa.

'We hope to be able to resume work as soon as possible.'

Italian Minister of Culture Gennaro Sanguiliano instructed the chief of staff and head of the secretariat to contact authorities immediately after the call was received by the doormen.

He told Il Messaggero: 'I cannot say what they are doing - there are protocols. But our law enforcement are the best in the world.'

After staff were evacuated from the Ministry of Culture, bomb squads along side the robot-dog duo - Seatta and Olimpia - arrived on the scene.

The canine team investigated the premises and ensured there were no devices in the building, according to Ansa.

Remote-controlled robotic dog Seatta was revealed to the public by Italy's Carabinieri military policy ahead of the Vatican's Jubilee in 2025 - an religious event which will see millions of tourists visit Rome.

The bomb threat happened during a meeting between the Italian dance sector and ministry officials where stars were expected to arrive momentarily (pictured: Olimpia and Seatta)

The undersecretary minister of culture, Gianmarco Mazzi said they were hoping 'to be able to resume work as soon as possible' (pictured: police evacuating people from the building)

Seatta is the first device of its kind in Italy and can be controlled from a distance of 150 meters.

The robot can travel through arduous terrain and can reach areas vehicles with wheels cannot - and will be used for high-risk missions.

It also has the ability to open doors, climb up and down stairs, and even remove blockages from its path.

The advanced machine can also map locations by utilizing its thermal imaging sensors and its laser, meaning it can spot chemicals, potential explosives, and threats.
Wales's outgoing First Minister Mark Drakeford fought back tears today as he admitted the 12 months since the death of his wife had been 'the hardest and saddest of my life'.

The Labour leader gave an emotional farewell speech in the Senedd this afternoon ahead of tendering his resignation to the King tonight.

Mr Drakeford announced his intention to stand down late last year and he will be replaced by Vaughan Gething.

He dealt with personal tragedy last year, when his wife of 46 years, Clare, died suddenly aged 71.

And he referenced her passing in his goodbye today, telling Assembly Members: 'For me, personally, the last 12 months have been the hardest and the saddest of my life.

'And people will not see beyond the chamber those small acts of kindness that happen every day, from people in every part of this chamber, that help someone to get through those very, very difficult times.

The Labour leader gave an emotional farewell speech in the Senedd this afternoon ahead of tendering his resignation to the King tonight.

Mr Drakeford announced his intention to stand down late last year and he will be replaced by Vaughan Gething (centre background)

'We debate, as the leader of the opposition said, vigorously and with the conviction of our own beliefs, but as human beings, in this Chamber, we are always, I believe, amongst friends, amongst people who understand the demands of the jobs that we do and the small things that make such a difference to you.'

Earlier he sparked laughter when he joked: 'The advice to any performer is always to leave them wanting more. After this afternoon, everybody here will be looking forward to hearing quite a bit less from me, I'm sure of that.'

The outgoing First Minister has been in post since 2018, when he took over from Carwyn Jones. But he told Channel 5 News that was 'entirely unprepared for the ferocity of grief' following his wife's death.

Before his speech he faced his last First Minister's Questions (FMQs) in the Welsh Parliament.

He was quizzed on a range of topics, many of which were more positive than the fiery exchanges that can be a feature of FMQs, with questions on his legacy and Wales' place in the world.

However, he was also grilled on the closure of the coke ovens at the Tata Steel Plant in Port Talbot; Covid; and whether he thought Mr Gething should give back a controversial donation he received during the leadership campaign.

Mr Drakeford said his advice for his successor was to be ready for any question, saying he treated it like 'preparing for finals'.

At the end of his answers, Mr Drakeford was 'banged out' by members from across the chamber.
President Joe Biden nearly stumbled while boarding Air Force one on Tuesday as he left Washington, DC for a campaign trip out West.

The president was spotted briefly catching himself as he started up the shorter set of stairs he has been using recently to board the presidential plane at Joint Base Andrews.

A Secret Service agent and another aide stood at the bottom of the stairs blocking the full view of his hesitant step as he grabbed the side railing.

President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday March 19, 2024, en route to Nevada

President Joe Biden walks out to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House wearing a new pair of shoes

The new shoes are more dressier than his Hoka sneakers but perhaps not as stable.

It came after Biden was spotted at the White House Tuesday wearing a new pair of smart black shoes with large rubber soles and significant treads, different from the bulky black sneakers he has been sporting on recent trips.

The president was spotted on multiple occasions over the last few weeks wearing a pair of new high-end black Hoka sneakers.

The sturdy all-black 'Transport' model sneakers feature a wide thick sole to offer comfort and stability and are hailed by the company as the 'intersection of lifestyle and performance.'

It was not immediately clear what make the new smarter big-soled shoes are.

US President Joe Biden (R) waves as he departs the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 19 March 2024

US President Joe Biden departs the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 19 March 2024

Biden has recently been wearing Hoka 'lifestyle sneakers' but switched to more stylish dress shoes with a big sole

Biden now uses the shorter staircase at the lower part of the plane to board Air Force One, to reduce his chance of stumbling on the longer and more grand stairway that leads up to the top.

Despite the changes, however, the president has still been spotted stumbling and catching himself on the side rails.

Biden's new shoes, and his new stair-climbing protocols are part of an ongoing set of precautions by his aides to make sure he does not fall again, which campaign advisors believe would damage his reelection campaign.

A new Deseret/HarrisX poll released Monday shows one-third of American voters think Biden, 81, doesn't have the 'mental acuity' for a second term because of his age, including 22 percent of Democrats.
A photographer has revealed 'compelling' photographs of what she suggests is the mythical Loch Ness Monster, after keeping them a secret for five years.

Chie Kelly, 52, took the pictures of the creature from Scottish folklore half a decade ago but did not share them out of fear of public ridicule.

The first 15 images were revealed last year and now The Cryptid Factor podcast has released and analysed all 71 frames. It hoped that the photographs taken by Ms Kelly, who works as a translator, would spark debate in investigators around the world.

The images have been put into a video and appear to show something moving across the loch in the Highlands.

Despite many images of the so-called monster - including a famous photograph taken in 1934 by Colonel Robert Kenneth Wilson - proven to be fakes, it has not stopped tourists flocking to the area each year in hope of seeing the mythical beast.

Have YOU seen the Loch Ness Monster? Email: alesia.fiddler@mailonline.co.uk

Chie Kelly (pictured), 52, took the pictures of the mysterious creature half a decade ago but did not share them out of fear of public ridicule

The first 15 images were revealed last year and now The Cryptid Factor podcast released and analysed all 71 frames

The images appear to show something moving across the loch in the Scottish Highlands

In the startling photos Mrs Kelly claims to have captured an unidentified large eel-like creature can be seen on the surface of the legendary water.

READ MORE: The Loch Ness Monster is NOT just a giant eel, study claims Advertisement

Mrs Kelly was taking photographs of the area at Dores when she and her businessman husband Scott, 69, saw a 'strange creature' move right to left over a distance of about 100 metres.

It then disappeared and never re-surfaced, they claim.

Mrs Kelly was so shocked by what she saw on August 13, 2018, that she feared public ridicule and did not share the images.

But she was inspired by the biggest search for Nessie in over 50 years last August, in which hundreds of volunteers took part.

It was then that she plucked up the courage to show her startling photographs to veteran Nessie hunter Steve Feltham, who has set a world record for the longest vigil of looking for the Loch Ness Monster - now over 30 years long from his Dores base.

In the startling photos Mrs Kelly captured an unidentified large eel-like creature can be seen on the surface of the legendary water. Pictured: A general view of Loch Ness

Today, he said: 'They are the most compelling surface images of the phenomenon. Putting all 71 frames out there will hopefully spark international debate and an analysis. That's the point of it.

'They still defy explanation. I don't think they are otters - those creatures are much smaller than what is in the images - or divers. It also appears there may be two objects. They certainly warrant further investigation.'

Mrs Kelly was on holiday with her family from Ascot in Berkshire at the time of the sighting. The family have since moved to near Fortose on the Black Isle.

'My husband was originally from the Inverness area and Dores beach is a very special place to me as it where he used to take me when we first met,' said Japanese-born Mrs Kelly previously.

'We had lunch in the Dores Inn and then started walking around. I was just taking pictures with my Cannon camera of Scott and our daughter Alisa, who was then five, when about 200 metres from the shore, moving right to left at a steady speed was this creature.

'It was spinning and rolling at times. We never saw a head or neck. After a couple of minutes it just disappeared and we never saw it again.'

In the startling photos Mrs Kelly captured an unidentified large eel-like creature can be seen on the surface of the legendary water

Translator Mrs Kelly was taking photographs of the area at Dores when she and her businessman husband Scott, 69, saw a strange creature move right to left over a distance of about 100 metres

She said at first she wondered if it was an otter or a pair of otters or a seal, but 'we never saw a head and it never came up again for air'.

Mrs Kelly added that it making a 'strange movement on the surface' but there was no sound. Strange shapes could be seen below the surface of the water, which was was dark, she said.

'I could not accurately assess its length, but the two parts that were visible were less than two metres long together,' she said.

Mr Feltham said: 'They are exactly the type of pictures I have been wanting to take for three decades. It is rare to see something so clear on the surface.

'They are vindication for all the people who believe there is something unexplained in Loch Ness. They are remarkable. I have studied them and still do not know what it is.

Mrs Kelly was on holiday with her family from Ascot in Berkshire at the time of the sighting

The family have since moved to near Fortose on the Black Isle

Mrs Kelly said she has 'always believed there was something in Loch Ness'

'We are lucky the Kellys have decided to go public at last. I have met the Kellys twice and they are absolutely genuine. I persuaded them that these pictures were so important they should make them public. They warrant further investigation. It is not driftwood - it is a moving creature and totally unexplained.'

Hollywood star, Rhys Darby and his Cryptid Factor co-hosts director Leon Kirkbeck and Dan Schreiber - co-host of QI's No Such Thing As A Fish podcast - have put together video footage of the photos.

The Cryptid Factor hosts said: 'This video allows us to see how the monster moves, which is a game-changer. As soon as we saw the finished footage we knew we had to take it to the world'.

Dan Schreiber added: 'Whether you're a sceptic or a believer, this mysterious video will give you goosebumps and have you debating late into the night over what was captured by Chie in the loch that day. There will no doubt be those who will assume this is a video made using AI, or somehow been tampered with, but we at the Cryptid Factor can attest to them being entirely authentic.

'They have not been photoshopped or falsified in any way ... Hopefully this video will serve as a reminder that there are still mysteries still out there to be solved, and it will ignite the world of amateur sleuths into analysing this footage and helping us get to the bottom of what is in it.

'And, if you think you've cracked it, please send your theories our way on the Cryptid Factor'.

Pictured: A previous photo of the Loch Ness monster where one man claimed it was as big as a double-decker bus

It is now over 90 years since the Loch Ness Monster modern phenomenon began.

On April 14, 1933, hotel manageress Mrs Aldie Mackay reported seeing a 'whale-like fish' in the waters of Loch Ness.

According to Google, there are around 200,000 searches each month for the Loch Ness Monster, and around 120,000 for information and accommodation close to Loch Ness. The monster mystery is said to be worth 30m to the region.

Irish missionary St Columba is first said to have encountered a beast in the River Ness in 565AD.

The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register has now logged 1166 sightings - including webcam images - from records and other evidence stretching back through the centuries.

Have YOU seen the Loch Ness Monster? Email: alesia.fiddler@mailonline.co.uk
A young British woman is fighting for her life after plunging 15ft from a ski path into a huge ravine while on holiday Bulgaria.

Olivia Corbiere, 23, was pulled from the water by friends before being rushed from Bansko to the nation's capital Sofia on Sunday afternoon.

She suffered horrific injuries - including three fractured vertebra, a broken pelvis, broken eye socket and a broken nose - leading doctors to place her in an induced coma.

This afternoon she underwent a four hour emergency surgery where surgeons removed part of her skull in a bid to stop the bleeding on her brain.

Her heartbroken mother Linzi, who has flown out from Aston, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, said surgeons told her they had 'never seen' a head injury like hers.

Olivia Corbiere, 23, is fighting for her life after plunging 15ft from a ski path into a huge ravine while on holiday Bulgaria

The young woman (right, pictured with her sister Phoebe) was pulled from the water by friends before being rushed from Bansko to the nation's capital Sofia on Sunday afternoon

Speaking from a hotel in Sofia, Linzi, 46, said: 'Olivia has just come out of surgery and the surgeon says they've never seen a head injury like it.

'The next few hours are critical and they're going to wake her up tomorrow. They're very strict in Bulgaria and we're not able to sit by the bed or visit.

'But they did allow me to and see her yesterday and I was able to speak to her and tell her we're here for her. Her eyelashes flickered, so I know she heard me.'

Olivia, who celebrated her birthday last Tuesday, flew out to the resort of Chalin Valog with a group of friends including her sister Phoebe, 19, on Friday.

But disaster struck on Sunday when she came off the ski path and fell into a ravine, despite being an experienced skier.

She was rushed to hospital and panicked mum Linzi, a train dispatcher for East Midlands Railway, flew out to the country on Monday morning.

Olivia's train manager father Seb, 51, flew out last night to join his family as his eldest daughter recovers, with their son Morgan, 22, expected to fly out as well.

Linzi, who has been staying at a nearby hotel and using translators provided by the ski resort, added: 'She's not paralysed, they've assured us of that, because she was moving her limbs too much.

'That's why they had to put her in an induced coma. 'We've just got to wait and see if they'll let me be there when they wake her up tomorrow.

Olivia, who celebrated her birthday last Tuesday, flew out to the resort of Chalin Valog with a group of friends including her sister Phoebe, 19, on Friday.

'I flew out yesterday morning and my husband flew out last night.

'The girls have been great, they've been shopping for us and made sure we had things we needed.

'We just flung a few things in a suitcase and flew out, we didn't really know what to pack.

'I'm just sitting in a hotel, I need a translator to help me and we need to translate all the medical records into English for the insurance company.'

A fundraising appeal has been launched to help Linzi and her family cover the costs of travel, accommodation and other expenses.

More than 13,000 has already been donated since the appeal was launched on Monday, but as much as possible is needed to support Olivia through her recovery.

People can donate via the family's GoFundMe page.
Two former top generals in charge of the 2021 military withdrawal from Afghanistan that left 13 service members dead said the orders to evacuate from Biden came too late to avoid disaster.

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley and former Commander U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie revealed critical details about the Biden administration's decision-making process behind the withdrawal, including that the president ignored their warnings.

The now-retired military leaders gave a scathing assessment of the deadly withdrawal, which has been labeled a failure by some Democrats and nearly all Republicans.

In his opening remarks before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Milley told lawmakers that the withdrawal is 'personal to me' and gave his condolences to the Gold Star families that attended in person.

He, along with McKenzie, put the State Department at the center of the breakdown in communication that resulted in the tragic deaths of 13 troops and the abandonment of hundreds of Americans and key Afghan partners as the Taliban took over.

'On 14th August [2021] the noncombatant evacuation operation decision was made by the Department of State and the U.S. military alerted, mobilized and rapidly deployed faster than any military in the world would ever do,' Milley said.

'It is my assessment that that decision came too late.'

Former Gens. Mark Milley (L) and Kenneth McKenzie (R) testified that the State Department acted too slow in ordering the evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan

Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley was the top military official at the time of the 2021 withdrawal

A helicopter displaying a Taliban flag flies above Taliban supporters gathered to celebrate the US withdrawal of all its troops out of Afghanistan

McKenzie agreed, saying he too believes the events of August 2021 were the result of delayed decisions that were the responsibility of the State Department.

'It remains my opinion that if there is culpability in this attack, it lies in policy decisions that created the environment.'

'Culpability and responsibility do not lie with the troops on the ground,' he added.

The conversations between Biden administration officials and the generals on when and how to evacuate were ongoing for months before the August withdrawal.

Milley said that if he could make the decision again, he would have begun the evacuation over a month before the withdrawal was ordered.

'I would've brought the embassy and the State Department out with the military by the middle of July,' he said. 'If there was a do-over, that would be it.'

Milley even admitted he did not know how many Americans were in Afghanistan at the time of the withdrawal.

'I'll be candid; I don't know the exact number of Americans that were left behind because the starting number was never clear.'

He also testified that he believed the rapid withdrawal would lead to a civil war.

'My personal analysis was that an accelerated withdrawal would likely lead to the general collapse of the Afghan security forces and the Afghan government, resulting in a large-scale civil war reminiscent of the 1990s or a complete Taliban takeover,' Milley said.

The Biden administration, meanwhile, was quick to return fire at the generals participating in the Republican-led hearing.

'Shameless of House GOP to use Afghanistan to play politics,' White House spokesman Ian Sams posted on X during the hearing. 'They want to distract from their own current failures.'

The top generals also took time to acknowledge the Gold Star families that were in attendance at the hearing, including Steve Nikoui, who was recently arrested for shouting 'Remember Abbey Gate' at Biden during his State of the Union.

'I am personally here today voluntarily to help the families of the fallen, the 13 fallen at Abbey Gate,' Milley said.

'We owe them answers and I am committed to assist in the effort to get them answers,' he continued. 'I will work with them to make sure that transparency is established.'

While the hearing was ongoing, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to the Chief of Capitol Police requesting all charges be dropped against Nikoui.

Nikoui, the Gold Star father of slain Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui who was killed in the Abbey Gate bombing, told DailyMail.com last week that this hearing is critical.

'Joe Biden, personally, is the reason for that fiasco,' he told DailyMail.com, '100%.'

'I'm mad at Milley and Mackenzie, because I feel like they should have been bold and taking a stand and resign. Maybe it would have changed the course of history.'

Christy Shamblin and Alicia Lopez, who also lost family members in the Abbey Gate attack, were also in attendance.

A suicide bombing during the withdrawal claimed the lives of 13 U.S. service members

Caskets for the 13 fallen service members arrived back to the U.S. aboard a military C-17 on August 29, 2021

Gen. Kenneth McKenzie said culpability for the withdrawal is on policy makers and not troops

Code Pink protestors demanding a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war were escorted out of the hearing Tuesday

Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, opened the hearing blaming Biden for the disaster before reading off the names of the 13 service members that were killed during a suicide bombing as the U.S. military withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.

Democrats, however, quickly changed the tone by blaming of the disastrous mission on former President Donald Trump, who 'lacked a comprehensive plan for withdrawing from Afghanistan,' Ranking Member Greg Meeks, D-N.Y., said.

One Democrat, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, cast blame on the withdrawal on both the Biden and Trump administrations for the operation.

'I think there were mistakes made in the withdrawal,' he said. 'There's no doubt that mistakes were made by multiple administrations over 20 years.'

The generals also noted that $7.2 billion worth of military equipment left behind in the withdrawal.

Milley previously referred to the withdrawal as a logistical success but strategic failure and has said he has 'lots of regrets' regarding the operation.

'It didnt end the way I wanted it,' Milley said in an interview with ABC News in September before his retirement. 'In the broader sense, the war was lost.'

McKenzie also expressed his regrets about the operation in an interview with NPR, saying 'thats something that haunts me to this day.'

The Tuesday hearing is just one of several Congressional meetings spent on the 2021 military withdrawal this year.

In January, the committee held a hearing on the Taliban's reprisal murders of key U.S. Afghan allies.

In February, the committee held a hearing on the Biden administration's failure to uphold the Doha Agreement, which brokered a peace between the U.S. and the Taliban.

'As a result of the Biden administrations failure to plan, the U.S. military was forced to conduct this emergency evacuation surrounded by tens of thousands of Taliban terrorists,' House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said during a February hearing.

'Put simply, President Biden and Secretary Blinken put thousands of American lives at risk through their incompetence and willful blindness.'

Videos and images of the 2021 withdrawal show U.S. military aircraft evacuating the country as desperate residents cling on to the exterior of the plane to try and escape Taliban rule

The withdrawal culminated with tens of thousands of Afghans attempting to evacuate the country on U.S. military transports

McCaul also threatened to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress last month for failing to handover the departments After-Action Review (ARR) notes of the Afghanistan operation.

The Texan claim the notes may contain damning first-hand accounts of the withdrawal.

The Biden administration, however, has largely blamed the Trump administration for the operation.

'President Biden had committed to ending the war in Afghanistan, but when he came into office he was confronted with difficult realities left to him by the Trump Administration,' the White House wrote in a report detailing the withdrawal.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday that it would be Justice Sonia Sotomayor's 'personal decision' to leave the Supreme Court - and allow President Joe Biden and the Democrat-led Senate to replace her with a younger liberal.

The Atlantic published an op-ed Monday penned by journalist Josh Barro calling on President Joe Biden and other Democrats to push the 69-year-old liberal justice to retire while the White House and Senate remains in Democratic hands.

Otherwise, Barro warned, Democrats risked the 6-3 conservative majority growing to 7-2 if former President Donald Trump or Senate Republicans are successful.

Jean-Pierre was asked on board Air Force One Tuesday if the president had considered asking Sotomayor, the country's first Latina justice, to bow out now.

'That's a personal decision for her to make,' the press secretary replied. 'That is something that, that she has to make. It's not something that we make, we lean in on or get involved in. So I'm not even going to address that question.'

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (left) said Tuesday that it would be Justice Sonia Sotomayor's (right) 'personal decision' to leave the Supreme Court - and allow President Joe Biden and the Democrat-led Senate to replace her with a younger liberal

Barro wrote that he feared identity politics would prevent Democrats from asking Sotomayor to head to the door.

When she was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, she made history as the country's first Latina justice.

But because of this, Democrats are 'worried that publicly calling for the first Latina justice to step down would appear gauche or insensitive' according to a Politico report that Barro cited in his op-ed.

'This is incredibly gutless,' Barro wrote. 'You're worried about putting control of the Court completely out of reach for more than a generation, but because she is Latina, you can't hurry along an official who's putting your entire policy project at risk?'

'If this is how the Democratic Party, operates, it deserves to lose,' Barro added.

Barro did the math and suggested that if Sotomayor doesn't retire this year she will be 'making a bet that she will remain fit to serve until possibly age 78 or even age 82 or 84.'

'[A]nd she'll be forcing the whole Democratic Party to make that high-stakes bet with her,' he said.

President Joe Biden gives a thumbs up as he departs the White House Tuesday for a trip out west. Jean-Pierre wouldn't say if he would give Sotomayor a nudge toward the door - enabling him to appoint a second Supreme Court justice in his first temr

Sotomayor has been open about some of her health challenges, including that she's a diabetic, and sometimes has to travel with a medic.

Since the June 2021 Dobbs decision to overrule Roe v. Wade, Democrats have been reeling over the makeup of the Supreme Court.

Former President Donald Trump was able to appoint three justices during his one term.

Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch replaced the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia after the seat was controversially held open by then Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, despite Obama announcing now Attorney General Merrick Garland as his pick.

Trump then selected Justice Brett Kavanaugh to replace retiring conservative Justice Anthony Kennnedy.

Finally, in another controversial move, conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett was shoehorned into the seat - just days before the 2020 presidential election - occupied by the late liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died of cancer on September 18.

Democrats were incensed with this move - but could do nothing about it as Republicans controlled both the White House and the Senate.

'I thought Democrats had learned a lesson from the Ruth Bader Ginsburg episode about the importance of playing defense on a Court where you don't hold the majority, ' Barro said. 'All liberals have to show for this stubbornness is a bunch of dissents and kitsch home decor.'
He suffered bone fractures and was confined to his bed for a month, developing sores

Staff failed to report the incident and Portillo Estrada was left in the dark on her son's condition, even sending him back to school, the suit alleges

Patricia Portillo Estrada sued Adams 12 Five Star Schools after her son suffered severe injuries at school

A Colorado woman has filed a lawsuit against her 12-year-old son's school district after the little boy broke both his legs after speeding down a wheelchair ramp while unattended.

Patricia Portillo Estrada filed a civil action suit against Adams 12 Five Star Schools, where her son was enrolled at Rocky Mountain Elementary. She and her son, who immigrated to the United States together, primarily speak Spanish and require district employees to serve as interpreters.

According to documents reviewed by DailyMail.com, Portillo Estradas son has multiple disabilities and birth defects including intellectual, orthopedic and speech impairments. The disabilities have left him wheelchair-bound.

The lawsuit alleges that the district failed to accommodate the little boy from at least October 2020, when he started school, to the present 'by failing to supervise or assist his functional mobility.'

This neglect 'reached severe heights on May 10, 2022,' the suit claims. On that day, the boy fractured the tibia and fibula of both legs after losing control of his wheelchair while going down a ramp on campus.

Patricia Portillo Estrada filed a civil action lawsuit against Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Colorado after her wheelchair-bound son was injured on a ramp

The suit alleges the boy was unattended as he attempted to traverse a ramp between classrooms at Rocky Mountain Elementary School and lost control, slamming into a wall

The boy's knees 'absorbed the impact,' according to the lawsuit. He was hospitalized for one week and bedridden for a month, causing him to develop sores

According to the elementary school itself, staff failed to report the boy's injury.

After the accident, at least one school employee found the boy at the bottom of the ramp, but allegedly did not provide assistance. Instead, the little boy was left to gather himself and return to class.

The boy was injured at 8:15 am, just 10 minutes after the school day began. 'Accordingly, the Plaintiff spent seven hours in severe pain before the seeing his Mother,' the suit reads.

An internal report from the school notes that multiple staff members observed the boy 'on the verge of tears' throughout the day.

However, Portillo Estrada was kept in the dark on her son's condition and only became aware once she picked him up from the bus stop that afternoon.

'Without knowledge of the accident, and with no information from the School, Ms. Portillo Estrada had no way of knowing the severity of the Plaintiffs injury,' the suit asserts.

She texted the school to ask about the incident, accompanied by a photo of her son wincing in pain, but did not receive a response.

When the school finally answered, the message 'insinuated that the Plaintiffs pain was due to shoulder discomfort,' although the boy did not begin to experience significant shoulder or back pain until after the injury.

Text message exhibits show Portillo Estrada asking the school about her son's injuries, only to receive no response. She kept the little boy home the next day as he continued to experience severe pain

When he was sent back to school on May 12, the school demanded Portillo Estrada pick him up and take him to the hospital, or else they would call an ambulance

The school advised Portillo Estrada to take her son to the doctor.

Portillo Estrada explained to the school that her son was suffering from pain and swelling in his knees, but the school claimed the boy did not suffer any injuries on the campus, the lawsuit claims.

The school allegedly suggested that the boy must have gotten hurt by falling out of bed.

'Regardless of the cause of the Plaintiffs pain, RME took no action to address, treat, or mitigate the Plaintiffs condition throughout the day of May 10. Instead, he was left confined to his wheelchair, with fractured legs,' the suit reads.

She kept the 12-year-old home from school the following day as he continued to experience significant pain.

On May 12, Portillo Estrada sent him back to school. A few hours later, Rocky Mountain Elementary demanded she pick her son up or else it would call an ambulance, the suit says.

Portillo Estrada took her son to an emergency room in Broomfield. He was transferred to the Childrens Hospital at the Anschutz medical Campus in Aurora, where he was diagnosed with bilateral fractures.

His injuries were so severe that Portillo Estrada was interviewed by a clinical social worker, the suit says.

The little boy was hospitalized for one week and required to maintain total immobilization in his legs for another four weeks following his diagnosis.

According to the lawsuit, being confined to his bed for more than a month led the boy to develop bed sores, only furthering his anguish.

In June, Portillo Estrada met with Principal Kate Vogel. Vogel reviewed security footage and launched an investigation, but the suit asserts this should have happened sooner

In June, Portillo Estrada and an interpreter spoke with Principal Kate Vogel. The suit alleges that the school denied any wrongdoing until this meeting, when the principal reviewed security footage from the morning of the incident.

The footage showed the boy unattended and unsupervised, documents state. He attempted to get through the ramps between classrooms and lost control.

Footage showed the boys wheelchair rolling down the ramp and smashing into a concrete wall. According to the lawsuit, his knees 'absorbed the impact.'

The elementary school then wrote up a summary of the video and gave it to Portillo Estrada. Shortly thereafter, Vogel opened an investigation.

The suit asserts that the school's failure to supervise the boy and look into the circumstances surrounding his injuries at the time they occurred 'manifest deliberate indifference to the Plaintiffs health, wellbeing, and federally protected rights.'

It further alleges that the boys individualized education program had been amended several times since 2020. The program states that he needs supervision and assistance when navigating ramps and uneven terrain while in his wheelchair.

'The Schools conduct on, before, and after May 10, 2022 is emblematic of a pattern or practice of neglect and failure to accommodate the Plaintiffs needs as a disabled individual,' documents state.

'This pattern or practice is sufficiently severe and pervasive to constitute intentional discrimination against the Plaintiff as a disabled person.'

The school stands accused of violating Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.

Portillo Estrada seeks an unspecified amount in damages including compensatory damages and attorneys' fees.
Moldova said Tuesday it expelled a member of the Russian embassy to protest the opening of polling stations for Russia's presidential election in the breakaway region of Transnistria.

Despite opposition from Chisinau, several voting stations for the presidential election opened on Sunday in separatist Transnistria, where pro-Russian rebel officials in late February had appealed to Moscow for "protection."

About 200,000 Russian citizens live in Transnistria, according to local pro-Russian authorities.

After summoning the Russian ambassador for the second time in a week, Moldova's foreign ministry announced the expulsion in a statement.

A Russian embassy staff member has been declared a "persona non grata and will leave the country," the statement published on Telegram said.

The Moldovan government had authorised the opening of voting stations for Russia's presidential election only in the capital Chisinau.

The predominantly Russian-speaking Transnistria region, wedged between the Dniester river and the Ukraine border, unilaterally seceded from Moldova following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Kremlin has around 1,500 soldiers permanently stationed in the region.

This "new action from the Russian Federation defies the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova," pro-European President Maia Sandu told reporters on Monday.

Moldova  which has applied for EU membership and is due to hold a referendum on it in autumn  frequently accuses the Kremlin of trying to stoke tensions in Transnistria.

"We need to join the European family to receive protection as soon as possible against the evil intentions of the Kremlin," Sandu said.

In July 2023, Moldova expelled 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff following media reports of alleged spying by Russian secret service agents.

Only 10 diplomats and administrative staff remain at the embassy, according to a list published by the Moldovan foreign ministry at the end of 2023. (AFP)
Republican Nebraska State Senator Steve Halloran is facing immense backlash following a stunt on the Senate floor during which he inserted his colleague's name into a passage that described a graphic rape scene.

On Monday, during a debate over a proposed bill written to target obscenity and pornography in materials for K-12 schools, Halloran read from Alice Sebold's memoir 'Lucky.'

The book describes in graphic detail the author getting raped on her college campus during her freshman year.

Halloran, who read some of the brutal passages aloud, repeatedly inserted the name of his colleague 'Senator Cavanaugh' into the text.

'I was grounded on the ground trying to search about the fifth of my clothes, he kicked me and I curled into a ball, I want a b*** *** Senator Cavanaugh,' Holloran read in his stunt.

'That's language that should not be in front of children,' Holloran said at the end, noting he found the book in 16 schools.

The stunt drew instant criticism, including from the person he may have referenced, as other elected officials demanded his resignation. So far, Halloran has pushed back and, while apologizing, has not left his position.

Nebraska state Senator Steve Halloran invoked the name of one of his colleagues Monday during a floor speech in which he read graphic rape passages from a book given to some high schoolers to read

The passages that have caused strain among the legislators came from Alice Sebold's memoir 'Lucky,' which details her rape on the campus of Syracuse University during her freshman year

Ostensibly, the Republican legislator was attempting to underscore the severe and inappropriate nature of the reading material being provided to high school students across the state.

In state legislatures across the country, lawmakers are working to eliminate reading material, which they and some local parents deem inappropriate, from public school libraries.

It was not entirely clear to which 'Senator Cavanaugh' Halloran was referring, Machaela Cavanaugh, or her brother, state Senator John Cavanaugh - both Democrats.

'He started pumping me again while the base of my spine was crushed into the ground,' Halloran read. 'Glass cut my back and behind, he kneeled back "raise your leg" he said, spread them, "give me a b*** ***," he said.'

On Tuesday, Halloran claimed he was referring to John, who had preceded him in a speech on the floor.

Immediately following his remarks, Senator Machaela Cavanaugh tearfully called Halloran's performance 'disgusting' and 'unnecessary.'

'Don't start reading rape scene and saying my name over and over again, Senator Halloran,' she said.

'You don't know anything about anyone else's life. And I can tell you that women in this body have been subject to sexual violence.

'I didn't know you were capable of such cruelty,' she said, calling the stunt 'unbecoming' of himself and the legislative body, and adding that others in the chamber on both sides of the aisle had maintained a level of integrity during debate that he had not.

'And I hope some other people who are Republicans will stand up and defend me,' she said.

State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh tearfully rebuked Halloran's use of her name in the graphic rape scene - though Halloran says he was referring to her brother - also state Senator (John) Cavanaugh

Machaela Cavanaugh (left) pictured with her husband and children, called Halloran's stunt 'inappropriate,' 'unnecessary,' 'cruel' and 'unbecoming'

On Tuesday, Halloran apologized for referring to his colleague during the speech on the Senate floor.

'I apologize for interjecting the senators' names in the middle of reading a transcription, transcribed testimony in a public hearing, in reference to a book that is in some schools, and in some schools, required reading,' he said.

'It was a hard thing to read. And no, I was not trivializing rape. I was reading from a book thats required reading for some students. Should I have interjected the senators' names? No.

'Sometimes we do things on the floor in the midst of making a statement that we shouldnt have done.'

Machaela Cavanaugh said on Tuesday that she does not believe Halloran was referring to her brother during the speech.

Machaela (right) serves in the Nebraska state legislature with her brother John Cavanaugh (left) - both are Democrats

Independent state Senator Megan Hunt said she thinks Halloran should resign.

'The problem isnt that rape survivors have written about their experiences. The problem is standing on a platform as a state senator, and fixing your mouth to tell one of your colleagues to give you [oral sex],' she wrote in an X post.

The youngest member of the chamber, Republican Julia Slama spoke following her colleague's apology, labeling his remarks 'wholly inappropriate' and calling on him to resign.

Republican state Senator Brad von Gillern also denounced Halloran's speech, tearfully saying that as a man and the father of a rape victim he 'could not help but take it personally.'

State Senator Joni Albrecht, also a Republican, and the sponsor of the bill, said to Cavanaugh: 'I'm so sorry your name was injected into it ... I will be the first to stand up and say "I'm sorry."'
The White House said former President Barack Obama gave President Biden a heads up before his surprise appearance at Downing Street on Monday for talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The confirmation comes as the White House attempts to bat down reports of a rivalry between Biden and his old boss.

'We were aware in advance of the meeting,' White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters aboard Air Force One as President Biden headed to Reno, Nevada on Tuesday.

'President Obama's team reached out to the White House ahead of the meeting,' Jean-Pierre added.

The former president was spotted waving and smiling as he strolled up to the No10 door on Monday afternoon.

Jean-Pierre described Obama's visit to the leader across the pond as a 'informal courtesy call conducted by a private citizen in his personal capacity.'

Obama made a surprise appearance in Downing Street for talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday

The White House said Obama's team did reach out ahead of his sit down with PM Sunak

It comes after Axios reported over the weekend that Biden and Obama do not speak frequently, but behind closed doors, Biden talks about Obama a lot.

The report claimed Biden 'often measures himself against the man he served as vice president,' according to aides.

It stated there is a rivalry, particularly on Biden's side.

When asked the last time the pair did speak on Tuesday, Jean-Pierre said she did not have a call to read out.

'As you know they're close, they're like family. They speak regularly,' she said.

Her comments aboard Air Force One were similar to what she said from the White House podium on Monday.

'The two presidents, President Obama and President Biden, have a very good relationship,' said Jean-Pierre. 'You all have seen it over the past several years.'

Obama appearing with Biden and Vice President Harris at the White House in 2022

Obama has visited the White House several times since Biden took office in 2021.

The former president first returned to the White House since he left office in April 2022 to celebrate the Affordable Care Act with Biden.

He was also there later that year for the unveiling of the official White House portraits of him and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

More recently, the pair released an ad together for the ACA at the end of last year.

Later this month, Obama will join Biden and former President Bill Clinton for a first of its kind fundraiser in New York City as Biden makes a bid for a second term.

Obama has publicly praised Biden often and has already appeared in a Biden reelection campaign ad.

He is expected to be a top surrogate for his former vice president as Biden runs for reelection in a likely rematch against former President Trump.

Obama and Biden together at the White House in September 2022 for the ceremony to unveil the official Obama White House portraits

Obama and Biden at the White House in April 2022 for an event to mark the passage of the Affordable Care Act

Obama's Downing Street visit, which lasted around an hour as the pair chatted in the PM's study, was described as a 'courtesy call' as Obama happened to be in London.

No 10 said little about the content of their conversation, but both men have two daughters and a shared agenda of promoting education and opportunities for girls.

The agenda is a central mission of Mr Obamas foundation, and speaking at a business event in Warwickshire earlier, the Prime Minister said: I want my girls to grow up in an economy and society where there is no limit to their aspirations.

The PM's official spokesman said: 'He was making an informal courtesy drop-in as part of his trip to London, where he is conducting work of the Obama Foundation.'

The spokesman added: 'I think President Obama's team made contact and obviously the Prime Minister was very happy to meet with him and discuss the work of the Obama Foundation.'

A spokesperson for Obama declined to reveal the purpose of the visit instead referring DailyMail.com to the 10 Downing statement.

The former US president waved and smiled as he strolled up to the famous No10 door this afternoon

Upon leaving the meeting the former president was seen with US ambassador to the UK Jane D Hartley.

He smiled and said 'I'm tempted' when he was asked his opinion on the state of Russian democracy by reporters before getting in a Range Rover.

Obama later held private talks with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Obama was in the White House from 2009 to 2017, with Biden serving as his vice president.
Republican has also hinted he could deport Harry from U.S. if it's found he lied about his drug use when applying for a visa

Donald Trump has suggested Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'broke' Queen Elizabeth's 'heart' with the 'bad and horrible' things they said about the Royal Family.

The former president, 77, scolded the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in an interview with TV host and former leader of the Brexit Party Nigel Farage on GB News.

'I would say, although she wouldnt show it because she was strong and smart, but I would imagine they broke her heart,' Trump said referring to the Queen, who died in September 2022 at age 96 after 70 years on the throne.

'The things that they were saying were so bad and so horrible, and she was in her nineties hearing this stuff,' Trump said. 'I think they broke her heart.'

Trump, the likely Republican nominee for president, has often praised the Queen and has been a fervent supporter of the British monarchy.

Donald Trump has suggested Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 'broke' Queen Elizabeth's 'heart' with the 'horrible' things they said about the Royal Family. Trump stands with the Queen and wife Melania during a state visit in 2019

But he has also been heavily critical of Harry and Meghan, and believed they betrayed the Queen with their public scrutiny.

He has even hinted he may deport the Duke from the U.S. if elected in November.

The royal couple announced in 2020 they would step back from their duties in the Royal family and left the United Kingdom to live in the United States.

The pair were critical of the Royal family and palace staff, accusing them of failing to support Meghan as she struggled with the stresses of living in the media spotlight.

They now live in a nine-bedroom mansion in Montecito, California, with children Archie and Lilibet.

'I came to understand that not only was I not being protected, but that they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family," Meghan said during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. 'They weren't willing to tell the truth to protect me and my husband.'

The former president, 77, scolded the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in an interview with TV host and former leader of the Brexit Party Nigel Farage on GB News

Trump said he sided with Queen Elizabeth anyway, because he viewed her with respect after their meeting.

'Now I'm a little prejudiced because the Queen was incredible, I mean think of it, all those years, 75 years, she's almost never made a mistake,' he said.

In the interview, Farage asked Trump if Harry should enjoy 'special privileges' should it come to light he did not tell the truth about his drug use when he applied for a U.S. visa.

In the prince's autobiography 'Spare' he revealed he previously took drugs, which under US law would normally be grounds for the application to be rejected.

'We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action,' Trump responded.

'Appropriate action? Which might meannot staying in America?' Farage asked.

'Oh I don't know. You'll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago,' Trump replied.

Previously, the former president has said he 'wouldn't protect' Harry because he had 'betrayed the Queen'.

Trump has also said that if he beats Biden in November then Harry 'would be on his own'.

In 2022, Trump wrote an incredibly moving tribute to the Queen for DailyMail.com.

'Few in history have more fully exemplified the traits of dignity, steadfastness, resolve, duty, and patriotic devotion,' he wrote'

Trump has been heavily critical of Harry and Meghan, and hinted during the interview with Nigel Farage that he may deport the Harry from the U.S. if elected in November

Queen Elizabeth and Donald Trump are pictured inspecting the Guard of Honor at Windsor Castle in July 2018. The former president said meeting the late monarch was one of the highlights of his time in office

In the interview, Farage asked Trump if Harry should enjoy 'special privileges' should it come to light he did not tell the truth about his drug use when he applied for a U.S. visa

Previously, the former president has said he 'wouldn't protect' Harry because he had 'betrayed the Queen'

'She counseled 15 Prime Ministers and 13 Presidents, and was the longest-serving monarch in the history of England and the United Kingdom.

'Spending time with Her Majesty was one of the most extraordinary honors of my life.

'I grew up in a household where Queen Elizabeth  her grace, her charm, her nobility  were deeply admired, especially by my mother, who came from Scotland.

'The times we spent with the Queen at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle are memories Melania and I will cherish for the rest of our lives.

'Her Majesty had a sharp mind, missed nothing, and always knew exactly what to say.
The head of the Federal Aviation Administration has blasted Boeing for focusing on 'production' instead of 'safety and quality.'

Administrator Michael Whitaker was left unimpressed with the aerospace giant following a visit to its facilities.

'My impressions were similar to the culture survey that just got completed at Boeing and our audit, which is that there are issues around the safety culture at Boeing,' he told Lester Holt on NBC Nightly News in a segment that will air Tuesday evening.

'Their priorities have been on production, and not on safety and quality. So what we really are focused on now, is shifting that focus, from production to safety and quality.'

It comes after a series of terrifying incidents unfolded onboard Boeing jets in recent months - from a wheel falling from an Osaka-bound aircraft early March to a panel blowing off a plane shortly after it took off from San Francisco last week.

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration has blasted Boeing for focusing on 'production' instead of 'safety and quality.' Pictured: A missing panel on a 25-year-old Boeing 737-824

Administrator Michael Whitaker was left unimpressed with the aerospace giant following a visit to its facilities

His comment comes after a series of terrifying incidents unfolded onboard Boeing jets in recent months. Pictured: An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-MAX 9 lost a door mid-flight in January, with several incident involving Boeing-made planes occurring since

FAA administrator Whitaker was asked if there were certain protocols that were not met in the way the aircraft manufacturer approached airplane production and he said: 'Not what you would have expected if safety is the first priority.

'Whenever someone comes into the FAA to brief on their company, the first thing I expect is to talk about safety because we all have to start there.

'If it's not safe, then the whole system is not working the way it should.'

It comes after Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury told the Europe 2024 conference in Berlin that Boeing's highly publicized safety failings are damaging the image of the aerospace economy.

'I am not happy with the problems of my competitor. They are not good for the industry a whole,' Faury said when asked about Boeing.

'We are in an industry where quality and safety is top priority,' he added.

Boeing's share price has plunged by 11.6 percent over the last month while Airbus rose by 13.1 percent.

Yesterday, the CEO of United Airlines, Scott Kirby, moved to reassure customers that flying with the company is safe in an email circulated among subscribers.

'Safety is our highest priority and is at the center of everything we do,' Kirby said in his message to customers on Monday.

'Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety.'

The FAA is investigating the worrying incidents, which Kirby described as 'all unrelated' in the email.

Boeing's share prices have plummeted within the past year following a number of incidents

A Boeing plane was recently forced to land due to hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area. Now being investigated, the technical failure also occurred in mid-air on a United flight

He added United Airlines is reviewing details of each incident 'and using those insights to inform our safety training and procedures across all employee groups.'

The aviation industry came under the microscope over the string of recent mishaps, beginning with a door blowing off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 on January 5.

Just last week, a United Airlines Boeing 737-824 from San Francisco was grounded after it was found to be missing a panel when it touched down at Medford Airport in Oregon.

Jackson County Airport Director Amber Judd said the panel fell off the 25-year-old plane mid-flight, and that no injuries were reported by passengers or crew.

While three days before, a Boeing jet was forced to land due to hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area. It was also a United Airlines Flight.

Also under investigation, the forced landing happened as the San Francisco-bound 777-300 embarked from Sydney, with fluid filmed leaking from its undercarriage.

Boeing is now instructing airlines to inspect switches on pilots' seats in its flagship 787 Dreamliner jets - after a published report said an accidental cockpit seat movement likely caused the sudden plunge of a LATAM Airlines plane earlier this week.

It said it recommended airlines inspect the motorized cockpit seats the next time they perform maintenance.

There have been a series of mishaps on Boeing jets in recent months. Pictured: Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun

The aircraft manufacturer went on to point to instructions that include how to disable motors that move the seats in its 787s, before billing the advisory as no more than a 'precautionary measure.'

It also comes less than a week after a former Boeing staffer was found dead by an apparent suicide, while doing depositions for a suit he filed against the firm alleging he witnessed second-rate parts being fitted on planes.

The FAA has since revealed the firm failed 33 of 89 audits during an exam of Boeing's 737 Max - a model it had been planning to update with the long delayed Max 10.

After the incident - and the several before - United Airlines requested the firm halt work on the unreleased jets: an apparent sign of carriers' diminishing faith.

The Boeing whistleblower found dead, 62-year-old John Barnett, had given stark warnings over the aviation giant's 787 Dreamliner and 737 Max models specifically in an interview, just weeks before his death.

In the midst of a deposition in a whistleblower lawsuit in Charleston related to production of the 787 Dreamliner plane, Barnett was found with a 'self-inflicted' gunshot wound in the parking lot of a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.

The FAA is investigating nine incidents this month alone involving United planes.

Whitaker's interview with host Holt airs tonight on NBC Nightly News at 6:30 pm ET.
The Supreme Court has declined to block a Texas law that will allow state officials to arrest people suspected of crossing the US-Mexico border illegally, in a temporary blow to the Biden administration.

The administration had asked the justices to freeze a judicial order allowing the Republican-backed Texas law to take effect while the Justice Department 's challenge to the statute proceeds in the lower courts.

The SCOTUS decision means Texas cops will be allowed to arrest people suspected of entering the country illegally, giving local officers powers long delegated to the federal government.

Liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the majority decision.

The Court gave no reasons for its decision, as is typical with emergency applications, but justice Amy Coney Barrett said in her opinion the Justices were returning the case to an appeals court, and if a decision is not issued soon, 'the applicants may return to this court.'

The Biden administration has argued that the law violates the Constitution and federal law by interfering with the federal government's power to regulate immigration.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said shortly after the decision: 'We fundamentally disagree with the Supreme Courts order allowing Texas harmful and unconstitutional law to go into effect.

The Supreme Court has rejected a bid by the Biden administration to block a Texas law that would allow state officials to arrest people suspected of crossing the southern border illegally. Liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor dissented

'S.B. 4 will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement, and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border.

'S.B. 4 is just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions.

'We remained focused on delivering the significant policy changes and resources we need to secure the border  that is why we continue to call on Congressional Republicans to pass the bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of border reforms in decades.'

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who signed the bill in December, has said the law was needed due to Biden's failure to enforce federal laws criminalizing illegal entry or re-entry, claiming in December that 'Biden's deliberate inaction has left Texas to fend for itself.'

Two migrants struggle to cross the Rio Grande River on the Mexico-US border as Texas National Guards take security measures in Eagle Pass, Texas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott speaks during a news conference about the panhandle wildfires, Friday, March 1 in Borger, Texas

Abbott reacted to the SCOTUS decision on X, writing: 'In a 6-3 decision SCOTUS allows Texas to begin enforcing SB4 that allows the arrest of illegal immigrants. We still have to have hearings in the 5th circuit federal court of appeals.

'But this is clearly a positive development.'

The Democratic president's handling of the record numbers of migrants caught illegally crossing the US-Mexico border during his presidency has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans.

Abbott and other Republicans have said Biden should have kept the restrictive policies of former President Donald Trump, their party's candidate challenging Biden in the upcoming presidential election in November.

Texas has pursued a range of measures to deter people who cross illegally under its Operation Lone Star, including deploying National Guard troops to the border

The Texas law made illegal entry or re-entry into Texas a state crime, with penalties ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison. Migrants are seen crossng the Rio Grande

The Texas law made illegal entry or re-entry into Texas a state crime, with penalties ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison. Under it, Texas magistrate judges will be required to order migrants to return to Mexico, with up to 20-year sentences for those who refuse to comply.

The Justice Department sued in January to block the measure, which was originally set to take effect on March 5. Biden administration lawyers argued that it violates federal law and constitutional provisions giving the US government the power to regulate commerce with foreign countries and among states, and runs afoul of a 2012 Supreme Court precedent.

Texas-based U.S. District David Ezra on February 29 sided with the administration and agreed to preliminarily block Texas officials from enforcing the law, saying that it 'threatens the fundamental notion that the United States must regulate immigration with one voice.'

Migrants attempting to cross the North American side of the border between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in Texas, United States on March 3, 2024

The surge of migrants in Texas has created a huge burden for the state and for the non-profits that help migrants. Pictured above, migrants rest on cots at a shelter in El Paso, Texas

But the New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals paused Ezra's ruling in an order that would have let the Texas law take effect on March 10, prompting the administration to file an emergency request to the Supreme Court.

Justice Samuel Alito, who handles certain emergency matters involving cases from a group of states including Texas, on March 4 halted the 5th Circuit ruling - and thus the law - from taking effect, giving the Supreme Court more time to consider the matter.

Texas has pursued a range of measures to deter people who cross illegally under its Operation Lone Star, including deploying National Guard troops to the border, blocking migrants with concertina wire and installing a floating barrier over a stretch of the Rio Grande.

Republicans in February scuttled a bipartisan Senate deal that would have bolstered border security and tightened immigration laws after Trump pushed members of his party to reject it. Biden said blame for the bill's failure lay with Republican lawmakers who bowed to political pressure from Trump who 'thinks it's bad for him politically.'

An analysis of exit polls conducted by Edison Research following primary election voting in early March showed alarm among many voters over the situation along the border. Many called it their top voting issue. Reuters/Ipsos polling showed Biden's public approval level at 37 percent as of February 28.
An Albanian illegal immigrant smuggled into the UK in the back of a lorry is to be deported after being caught tending a cannabis farm.

Hekuran Binaj, 25, was found by police in a property in Broxburn, Scotland, where the upstairs bedrooms were filled with dozens of mature cannabis plants with a maximum value of 600,000.

Binaj was located after police swooped on a house in West Lothian after examining a mobile phone thrown away by the suspected drug dealer in Lanarkshire woodland, a court heard.

Forensic examiners found documents in the phone showing that Binaj - an Albanian national who said he had arrived illegally in the UK in the back of a lorry after paying smugglers- had access to the property at 38 Craigseaton, Broxburn.

38 Craigseaton, Broxburn in Scotland where Hekuran Binaj was found watering a cannabis farm

Craigseaton, Broxbon where the house that was being used to grow cannabis is located

Officers who arrived at the terraced house found all the window blinds were closed.

They detected a strong smell of cannabis coming from inside and the sound of fans running, Livingston Sheriff Court was told.

Two officers went to the rear of the property and spotted Binaj peering out of the back window.

The constables told him to open the front door and he did, but sprinted past them in an unsuccessful bid to avoid arrest.

A search of the property uncovered the cannabis farm in three upstairs bedrooms.

Lanarkshire woodland where the mobile phone was found by police officers

Hekuran Binaj, 25, was found by police in a property in Broxburn, Scotland, where the upstairs bedrooms were filled with dozens of mature cannabis plants with a maximum value of 600,000 (Stock Image)

READ MORE: Two illegal Albanian immigrants who ran 800,000 cannabis factory in the Home Counties after being smuggled into the UK are jailed and face deportation Advertisement

Neil Martin, prosecuting, said Binaj told police he had been driven to Scotland 'against his will' and ordered to maintain and water the plants to pay off his debt to the traffickers.

He told officers that he had been brought from London to Scotland four days before being arrested on 12 July last year and charged with being concerned in the production of a controlled drug.

Mr Martin said: 'He claims to have been approached by a group of four males in London who offered to help him get money.

'The accused said he was threatened to stay within the address, however he'd refused to work on the cannabis cultivation.

'He said he'd only carried out tasks such as pouring water and preparing food for plants when he was forced to do so.

'The accused stated he'd not received any payment for doing this and had not left due to fear.'

The court was told that Binaj was remorseful and was keen to return to Albania where his mother was unwell.

Sheriff Martin Edington granted the accused's wish. In addition to sentencing Binaj to 20 months in prison backdated to 13 July last year, he made an order under the Immigration Act to have him deported from prison to his homeland.
The meat giant says it wants to double its immigrant hires to 84,000 this year

A conservative fund manager has pulled investments from Tyson Foods, saying the meat and poultry giant has alienated its consumers by laying off Americans workers and hiring 42,000 asylum seekers.

Bill Flaig, CEO and co-founder of the $79 million American Conservative Values Fund (ACVF), told DailyMail.com that he has divested from Tyson and won't buy any more stock in the company.

Angry consumers are boycotting Tyson over revelations that the company is shuttering plants and laying off workers while hiring tens of thousands of asylum seekers  and even hiring lawyers for its new recruits.

This decision 'exposes their shareholders to backlash from one of the most contentious political issues of the day,' said Flaig.

Tyson Foods says it wants to hire 42,000 immigrants this year and offers 'job-and-lawyer' packages to new arrivals in New York

Bill Flaig, CEO and co-founder of the $79 million American Conservative Values Fund (ACVF), says he's divested from Tyson and won't buy any more stock in the 'woke' company

'I'm not sure other institutional managers will follow boycotting Tyson, but politically conservative investors are becoming aware that they can fight the woke liberal takeover of America with their investments,' he told DailyMail.com.

Poll Are YOU boycotting Tyson Foods? Yes No Not sure Are YOU boycotting Tyson Foods? Yes 2866 votes

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Tyson, which is based in Springdale, Arkansas, says it's not cutting American jobs to hire migrants, and that it only recruits newcomers with valid work permits.

'Any insinuation that we would cut American jobs to hire immigrant workers is completely false,' Tyson said in a statement.

The $54 billion company did not answer DailyMail.com's requests for more details about its recent hiring and firing moves.

Tyson earlier this month said it was shuttering its pork plant in Perry, Iowa, putting 1,276 people out of work in a town of just 8,000.

It was the latest in a string of closures across Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana and beyond in recent months.

The company is meanwhile trying to hire 42,000 asylum seekers and other immigrants, including through job fairs in New York, where many migrants end up.

The company has in recent weeks hired dozens of asylum seekers from Venezuela, Mexico, and Colombia at a job fair in New York City.

Tyson seeks to double its number of immigrant employees to 84,000 this year, including roles at this plant in Springdale, Arkansas

Tyson's pork plant in Perry, Iowa, is the latest to be mothballed, with 1,300 jobs lost

They travelled to work at its poultry plant in Humboldt, Tennessee.

The meat-packer already employs about 42,000 immigrants among its 120,000-strong US workforce.

It offers recruits $16.50 an hour work, paid-for immigration lawyers to help them get work permits, and other perks.

Meat-packing plants are undesirable places to work, and Tyson says it has lots of vacancies to fill amid a low unemployment rate of 3.9 percent.

It is cooperating with the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a nonprofit, to hire thousands of them.

Conservatives on social media say the company is unpatriotic.

They have called for a boycott of Tyson and its various foods brands, which include Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, and Aidells.

Tom Carter, ACVF's president and co-founder, said Tyson had alienated American consumers, who are worried about the influx of migrants across the border with Mexico.

Tyson is America's biggest meat and poultry firm, by sales, which dropped by 0.8 percent to $52,881 million last year

Conservatives on social media called for a boycott of Tyson and its various food brands

This backlash 'outweighs any potential economic benefit' from cheap labor, he said.

'We do not want to give the companies that are eagerly working to destroy conservative values our hard-earned investment dollars, and neither should you,' said Carter.

According to MarketWatch, Tyson stocks have underperformed when compared against other big food firms, such as Mondelez, Kraft Heinz, and Hormel Foods, since the boycott began.

America First Legal, a conservative action group launched by former Trump administration officials, warned Tyson that it could be breaking the law by favoring foreign-born workers over Americans.

'It is ILLEGAL under federal law to discriminate against American citizens based on their citizenship in favor of non-citizens of any kind when it comes to employment,' the legal action group posted online.

The boycott raises tough questions for Tyson's $13 million-a-year CEO Donnie King, who has led the firm since 2021, during which time it has funded the campaign chests of President Joe Biden, Nikki Haley and others, according to Open Secrets.

Tyson's $13 million-a-year CEO Donnie King has led the company since 2021

Tyson Foods brands include Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, and Aidells

Workers, including many Latinos, have protested Tyson's plant closures, like this one in Van Buren, Arkansas, in April 2023

It spotlights fears about migration across the US-Mexico border, and that asylum seekers are replacing Americans, especially in meat-packing and other undesirable jobs amid record low unemployment.

Asylum seekers cannot work upon entering the US, and typically don't get permits until 180 days after they apply for legal status.

Many wait for years before their first immigration court hearing to judge their asylum claim, during which time they can work.

The boycott underscores fears that Americans are losing jobs to economic migrants from overseas, who drive down blue collar wages.

Data from US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that between July and August 2023, there was a staggering decrease of 1.2 million native-born people in the workforce.

In stark contrast, some 688,000 jobs were secured by foreign-born workers, underlining the difference in President Joe Biden's pro-migration policies versus Donald Trump's tough border stance.
An actor-turned-detective exposed himself to a Tinder date and stalked another woman he met online whilst working in the Met Police safeguarding unit.

Thomas Hartill, a former detective constable, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking at Highbury Magistrates' Court on March 14.

This was two months after he was found guilty of sexual misconduct at a Met Police tribunal.

The 37-year-old, from Harpenden, previously worked as an actor and director and starred in West End productions, including As You Like It, Jekyll and Hyde, and The Intruder.

After joining the Met Police, he worked directly with female victims of stalking and abuse in a safeguarding unit.

Thomas Hartill (pictured), a former detective constable, pleaded guilty to one count of stalking at Highbury Magistrates' Court on March 14

This was two months after he was found guilty of sexual misconduct at a Met Police tribunal. Pictured: Rothamsted Park in Harpenden where one of the alleged incidents took place

Prosecutor Martin Edwards told the court how Hartill met a female teacher on a dating app in July last year, while he was still a serving officer.

After dating the woman - nine years his junior - for some weeks, she dumped him.

But rather than accept the relationship was over, Hartill repeatedly messaged her and even swapped phones after she blocked his number, the court heard.

Hartill then stalked her, appearing at a bus stop on her way home from work on July 30 last year, and then again on September 7, Mr Edwards said.

'I'm incredibly anxious and nervous about him. Especially as there was a six week break away,' the victim wrote in her impact statement. 'His behaviour is making me feel nervous. The persistent messaging is distracting and concerning... I am on edge and nervous all the time. It makes me feel incredibly unsafe.'

Defence counsel James O'Donnell said Hartill had expressed remorse as he called for an all options report from the probation service.

Chair Amanda Gibbons gave Hartill bail on the condition he makes no contact with his victim.

He stammered 'I have no reason to' as Ms Gibbons warned him any breach of the condition could land him in prison.

Hartill's criminal conviction comes after he resigned from the Met Police in January 2024, ahead of a misconduct hearing the same month.

Hartill then stalked her, appearing at a bus stop on her way home from work on July 30 last year, and then again on September 7, Mr Edwards said. Pictured: Hartill during his acting career

The tribunal heard how his victim appeared upset and told a friend, 'I think I was sexually assaulted last night' after her date with Hartill.

Like with Hartill's stalking victim, the pair met on a dating app, in this case Tinder, then agreed to meet up.

The victim said they kissed on a bench, but she refused to engage in sexual activity when Hartill placed her hand on his crotch. Despite her objections, he did it again.

Later when they went for a drive in her car, she said Hartill exposed himself and said, 'Go on' without her consent.

She also told the panel 'Hartill kept bringing the conversation around to the sexual side of a relationship while she wanted a long-term relationship'.

In his defence, Hartill accused the victim of sending bikini photos and a nude picture.

However, the panel said Hartill 'probably' accessed the bikini photos from Facebook, and he could not prove the identity of the naked woman as her face was cropped.

The panel was satisfied with the victim's evidence that Hartill placed her hand on his crotch twice, without consent, and exposed himself in the car.

They also heard evidence of the impact on the victim, who said she would now 'freeze' if she heard a police siren and had started therapy to help her cope with Hartill's behaviour.

In its ruling, the panel concluded Hartill's behaviour was repeated, deliberate, and he was seeking sexual gratification.

Had Hartill not already resigned, the panel found he was guilty of gross misconduct and would have been sacked anyway.

Later when they went for a drive in her car, she said Hartill exposed himself and said, 'Go on' without her consent. Pictured: Hartill during his acting career

On March 15, a Met Police spokesperson confirmed, 'former DC Hartill did work in a safeguarding unit, therefore would have come into contact with victims of stalking offences'.

Chief Superintendent Sara Leach, leading the Met's North West Policing Command, said: 'There is no excuse for the actions of this officer. In his former role as a police officer he would have been aware of the devastating consequences of stalking, therefore this makes his offending all the more disappointing.

'PC Hartill has been dismissed from the Met and he has been added to a barred list, held by the College of Policing, which means he cannot be employed by a police force again.'

After his conviction, Hartill will be sentenced at the same court in April.
A former constable accused of attacking a police inspector who he caught having sex with his policewoman wife today claimed the couple battered him when he found them sh******g in a Screwfix car park.

Gavin Harper, 45, said acting Inspector Andrew McLullich and his estranged wife Pc Stephanie Glynn started punching and kicking him when he discovered their affair.

That is probably the worst thing, Harper told Liverpool Crown Court. I was thinking, how has my life gone from being happily married to being on a Screwfix car park having the sh*t kicked out of me by my wife?

Harper is on trial accused of stalking his wife and wounding married Mr McLullich during the confrontation, in February 2021.

But today he told the jury that he only punched Mr McLullich three or four times in self-defence. And he claimed the couple, who both worked for Merseyside police, assaulted him when they realised he was filming their sexual encounter on his mobile phone and feared they would lose their jobs.

Former Merseyside Police Constable Gavin Harper, 45, arriving at Liverpool Crown Court today

Pc Stephanie Glynn, 40, was in a relationship with Harper for six years before they married in 2018. She told him their marriage was over and moved out in November 2020

Giving evidence in his defence, Harper told his barrister, Suzanne Payne, that he had suspected the pair were having an affair for months.

He followed them to the car park of the Birkenhead branch of Screwfix, late in the evening of February 16 2021, after he placed a tracker device on his wife's vehicle.

But he claimed he did not drive to the car park for violence.

Miss Payne asked: What did you think you needed to do?

Harper replied: Get undeniable proof they were having an affair, a sexual affair, by videoing it and then giving it to the police.

Miss Payne said: For what purpose?

Harper said: That two serving officers were having an affair during Covid.

Stephanie Glynn and Andrew McLullich were discovered in the car park of Screwfix in Birkenhead, Liverpool (pictured)

Stephanie Glynn and Gavin Harper on their wedding day in 2018

Harper said acting Inspector Andrew McLullich and his estranged wife Pc Stephanie Glynn started punching and kicking him when he discovered their affair

Harper told the court he pulled open the rear door of Mr McLullichs Kia Sportage and heard his wife screaming: Its Gav, its Gav.

Mr McLullich, who was on his knees in the footwell with her legs either side of him, immediately turned round and began repeatedly punching him, Harper said.

After Mr McLullich got out of the vehicle and pulled up his trousers, Harper claimed he came at me again. Harper admitted he retaliated, punching Mr McLullich three or four times, but claimed he soon ran out of energy and gave up defending himself.

He said his wife, who now goes by her maiden name of Stephanie Glynn, 40, was naked from the waist down apart from a pair of distinctive black socks with diamonds on them.

She was saying, get his phone, get his phone, Harper said.

He claimed Mr McLullich tried to get his phone out of his pocket and he ended up on the floor, with his wife kicking him.

READ MORE: Estranged husband caught his police officer wife having sex with a married inspector in a Screwfix car park before battering her lover with a torch, court hears Advertisement

I was trying to get myself into a ball to protect myself because he was punching hell out of me, Harper said. She came at me and started kicking me on my right side.

That is probably the worst thing out of all of it. I was thinking, how has my life gone from being happily married to being on a Screwfix car park having the sh*t kicked out of me by my wife?

Steph said, just leave it and they stopped. I was able to get back on my feet. I was dazed, confused and could feel my face was in pain.

Harper claimed he and the couple exchanged a lot of verbals and Mr McLullich said: Youre f****d, you're getting locked up, before adding: Its your fault that my marriage is over.

I remember saying, You are in a Screwfix car park sh*****g my wife and its my fault your marriage is over? Harper said.

He admitted using his phone to take photographs and that he also made a derogatory comment about Mr McLullichs penis.

He did not like it and flew into a rage and came at me again and punched me a couple of times to the face and she got between us and stopped it, Harper added.

He said he initially became suspicious about the pair, around November 2020, when he claimed his wifes attitude towards him changed.

He said he later noticed his wife's car phone call history had lots of calls from Mr McLullich.

But she denied anything was going on and told Haper that Mr McLullich was simply her mentor at work and was helping her through her police sergeant's exam.

Harper told the court: I knew something was going on but I couldn't prove it. I would repeatedly ask her and she said, 'it's in your head, it's in your head' and I was unhinged.

Harper said he decided to activate the microphone on the vehicle tracker and move it from the boot to underneath the driver's seat so he could listen in real-time from an app on his phone.

He said one conversation between the pair confirmed his suspicions.

Harper is accused of stalking his estranged wife as he bugged her car, took her phone, hacked into her social media and downloaded her Snapchat history

Harper said: They were talking about a previous night shift when they had met up and they had some sort of sexual activity, and they were laughing about who was going to sit in the wet patch of the police car.

I was upset. I now knew something was going on but I didn't have anything concrete to say anything to her because she would just deny it.

He went on to download her Snapchat phone history on to his device and discovered an absolutely massive amount of messages between the pair, he said.

Harper said he also used his ex-wife's phone to call Mr McLullich.

The defendant said: He said, 'hi gorgeous' and I said, 'it's Gav, Steph's husband'. There was then a pause and then 'oh shit'.

He begged me not to tell the police and not to inform them what had been going on. He implied he and Steph would lose their jobs.

He begged me not to tell his wife and not to spoil his children's Christmas.

Harper said Mr McLullich denied he had slept with Ms Glynn but admitted there were inappropriate messages and videos and he agreed they were disgusting.

Harper, a father-of-two, of Liscard, Wirral, denies unlawful wounding and two stalking offences during a two-month campaign in which he allegedly twice put a tracker in Ms Glynns car, took her phone and hacked into her social media and downloaded her Snapchat history.

The defendant, a former soldier, who was in the King's Regiment and then the Royal Military police before joining Merseyside police, told how he was badly affected when he was sacked from the Force in April 2015.

The jury heard he was dismissed for gross misconduct after he failed to investigate a shop lifting allegation and provided false information to the complainant and his supervisors.

A tribunal found he did not accept personal responsibility and sought to blame others in and outside the police force.

Harper said that the dismissal affected him badly leaving him in a very dark place suffering from depression.

He said he and Ms Glynn, who married in 2018, were together for 10 years and she was my best friend.

Photographs of both Harper and Mr McLullich with facial injuries have been shown to the jury.

Mr McLullich needed six stitches to the head and told the court Harper hit him over the head with a torch during the confrontation.

Ms Glynn claimed Harper could have inflicted the injuries on himself.

Yesterday Harper using the torch or attacking himself.

Asked by Ms Payne about the stalking allegations he explained that both his and his wifes car had trackers fitted and claimed she knew they were there in case the vehicles were stolen. However, he accepted he had moved one inside her car and bugged it as he wanted proof about what was going on. He denied his behaviour was obsessive or intrusive.

Harper said he made a complaint to police about the couple having sex on duty but they were not interested at all and the following day he withdrew the complaint.

The case continues.
Police fear a Kentucky college student who was found on her dorm room floor with deep cuts and bruises and had stopped breathing for 23 minutes was the victim of an attack, but have no evidence to find out who did it.

Isabella Willingham, 21, was found unresponsive in her room at Glide-Crawford Residence Hall on the Asbury University campus on November 27 and she was rushed to hospital where she was placed in intensive care.

Initially the Jessamine County Sheriff's Office allegedly told her parents she likely got hurt from falling out of her bunk bed.

Paramedics said she stopped breathing, suffered deep gashes, swollen legs and had eight of her acrylic nails ripped off.

'It's 100 percent baffling what happened to this young lady. In some way, shape, form or fashion, she's a victim just like anybody else. We 100 percent believe something happened; we just don't know what,' Jessamine County Sheriff Kevin Grimes told NBC News.

Isabella Willingham, 21, was found on her dorm room floor with deep cuts and bruises had stopped breathing for 23 minutes on November 27

Paramedics said she stopped breathing, suffered deep gashes, swollen legs and had her acrylic nails ripped off

Initially the Jessamine County Sheriff's Office allegedly told her parents she likely got hurt from falling out of her bunk bed

'It was a dorm room. No blood. No damage. No craziness in the room. If there's nothing in the room that showed there was an assault, that makes you think maybe this happened somewhere else. We just don't know.'

He said investigators have looked at security footage and spoked to other dorm residents, but no witnesses or leads have come forward.

'The one thing that we have going against us was that we did not get notified to the injuries to her legs until probably five or six hours later. I can say we were behind the eight ball when it comes to the injury side of it,' Grimes said.

Willingham's family has said a rape kit determined she wasn't sexually assaulted, and toxicology tests 'found nothing of concern.'

Her father Andy Willingham did not believe the explanation provided by authorities and told Lex18: 'There's no way these could've been caused by anything other than someone doing something to her.'

Isabella's family did not hear from her for hours after she returned to campus after Thanksgiving and they received a worrying phone call.

'At 11 that night, we get a call from the resident director of her dorm, and she tells us that Bella is in an ambulance on her way to the emergency room, that she had been found unresponsive on the floor of her room by her roommate,' Andy said.

The student spent two weeks recovering at the University of Kentucky hospital while her father waited for Asbury to notify the student body of the potential threat.

However, he claims an email was not sent out until more than a week after the incident.

'As a parent, I want to know if there's a possibility of someone coming into the school or campus being potentially dangerous,' he added.

Asbury University issued a statement in December which said they were aware about the incident involving Isabella but they did not think there was a threat to campus.

Jessamine County Sheriff Kevin Grimes said he believes she was the victim of an attack, but has no evidence to find out who did it

He said investigators have looked at security footage and spoked to other dorm residents at the Glide-Crawford Residence Hall (pictured), but no witnesses or leads have come forward

'It was probably a group of girls. I barely talked to anyone. I knew like three people on campus. Like, I never left my room,' she said. 'I just feel like it was girls because I only knew girls.'

Her family has spoked out against the sheriff's office initial claims that Isabella's injuries were caused by an accident and have said it's been damaging to her reputation.

The sheriff said that somebody from his office, who didn't have authority to speak, made those comments. 'I can tell you, someone spoke out of turn on that,' Grimes said.

Isabella, who is no longer a student at Asbury, said she has no recollection of what happened to her.

'It was probably a group of girls. I barely talked to anyone. I knew like three people on campus. Like, I never left my room. I just feel like it was girls because I only knew girls,' she told NBC News.

'I want what happened to me to draw attention to the fact that Asbury needs more cameras on all of their exits and entryways.'
Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos over comments the news anchor made on air involving the rape case brought against the former U.S. president by writer E. Jean Carroll.

Trump, a Republican, is already embroiled in multiple unrelated legal battles as he seeks to avoid going to trial on four criminal indictments before the Nov. 5 U.S. election, when he will try to unseat Democratic President Joe Biden.

The new lawsuit said the anchor of ABC's Sunday news program "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" "falsely stated on several occasions that Plaintiff had been found liable by multiple juries for the rape of Ms. E. Jean Carroll."

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Southern Florida, accuses Stephanopoulos of making the statements with malice and a disregard for the truth. It said the statements were distributed widely to third parties and repeated.

ABC News said it had no comment on the lawsuit.

The lawsuit cites a March 10 interview with U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican who has spoken publicly about being raped as a teenager. Stephanopoulos said Trump was found liable for rape and asked her how she could endorse the candidate.

A New York jury in May said Trump must pay $5 million in damages for sexually abusing Carroll in the 1990s and then defaming her by branding her a liar. In a subsequent defamation lawsuit brought by Carroll, a federal jury in Manhattan on Jan. 26 ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million to Carroll. Trump has appealed.

Since launching his first presidential campaign in 2015, Trump has often attacked media outlets whose coverage he dislikes. He has filed multiple similar unsuccessful defamation lawsuits, including a $475 million case against CNN that was thrown out by a federal judge in July. (Reuters)
Authorities traced her car to a San Antonio park and found two bodies near a ditch as well as a gun

Kriger left work early on Monday to pick Kaiden up from daycare for a doctor's appointment, but the pair vanished

Police have tentatively identified the bodies of 32-year-old Savannah Kriger and her son Kaiden

Police believe they have found the bodies of a missing Texas woman and her three-year-old son, who died by suspected murder-suicide on the eve of a custody hearing.

Savannah Kriger, 32, and her son Kaiden were reported missing Monday after Kriger left work early to pick him up from daycare for a doctor's appointment.

But family members grew concerned when they could not contact Kriger. All calls when to voicemail and location services on her phone had been turned off.

The Bexar County Sheriff's Office was called to the 8200 block of Dovers Den for a welfare check around 6pm, but were unable to get in the house.

No one was home and Kriger's white 2023 Lincoln Aviator had vanished from the driveway.

Police believe they have found the bodies of missing San Antonio woman Savannah Kriger, 32, and her three-year-old son Kaiden

Kriger left work early on Monday to pick Kaiden up from daycare for a doctor's appointment. However, family members grew concerned when they were unable to get in contact with her

Bexar County Sheriff's Office said deputies found evidence that created 'cause for concern' inside Kriger's home upon conducting a welfare check

Deputies eventually made contact with a family member who let them inside.

There they found evidence that created 'cause for concern for the child as well as Savannah,' according to Sheriff Javier Salazar.

An AMBER Alert was issued the same day. Police suspected Kriger, who was involved in an ongoing custody dispute with the child's father, had abducted him.

Authorities traced Kriger's car to Tom Slick Park off State Highway 151 East, following phone pings.

A search of the park began Monday night but had to be suspended as night fell.

On Tuesday morning, police continued to comb the area and found two bodies near a drainage easement. A gun was also recovered from the scene.

'We are operating on the premise that this is Savannah and the child,' Salazar told said during a news conference.

'It appears that there's some evidence that there may have been some gunshots fired, but again, at this point, it's too early to give anything beyond tentative identification.'

Police traced Kriger's SUV to Tom Slick Park, following phone pings. They located two bodies tentatively identified as the 32-year-old and her young son on Tuesday as well as a gun

An AMBER Alert had been issued for three-year-old Kaiden one day prior to the discovery of the bodies. In that alert, Kriger was named as his suspected abductor

Salazar said he believes their deaths resulted from a murder-suicide but did not elaborate on his reasoning.

'We dont believe there are any suspects outstanding,' the sheriff added.

He said Kriger and Kaiden appeared to have left the SUV and walked a 'considerable ways' from the park to the ditch where the bodies were located.

'Disappointed that we're operating on that premise until we can verify,' Salazar said.

Police noted the ongoing legal battle between Kriger and Kaiden's father, Brian. A custody hearing had been scheduled for Tuesday.
Riley Strain's relatives staunchly believe the missing college student is still alive - and they want the FBI to step in and take over the investigation from the Nashville cops.

The 22-year-old student from Missouri has been missing for ten days, and his worried family who previously slammed cops for doing 'a B-minus job' held a press conference Tuesday.

'With everything that's gone in the past few days - we've been reached out to and we've spoken today with the United Cajun Navy,' Riley's stepdad Chris Whiteid said.

'We feel that we need the extra resources to come in and help us as we try and get more organized for our family and see if we can't bring some more clues to light.'

The family's spokesman, Chris Dingman, also said they want the FBI to be brought in to take over from the cops. So far, Nashville cops have not determined what happened to Strain.

He was seen on surveillance video stumbling away from a bar in Nashville and a homeless person reported Strain was at an encampment the night he went missing. But, his whereabouts after remains a mystery.

Riley Strain's relatives staunchly believe the missing college student is still alive - and they want the FBI to step in and take over the investigation from the Nashville cops

The 22-year-old student has been missing for 10 days, and his worried family who previously slammed cops for doing 'a B-minus job' held a press conference Tuesday

Nashville police released this haunting image of Strain walking along the sidewalk on the night he vanished, as he asked a cop how he was before telling him that he was 'doing good'

Riley was last seen on March 8 at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, which is owned by country superstar Luke Bryan, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

The Delta Chi fraternity member from the University of Missouri had traveled to Tennessee on a group trip for their annual spring formal.

Police crews have searched the Cumberland River near the homeless camp where Strain was reported to have been spotted.

Now, the 'Cajun Navy' is joining the search later this week. The 'Navy' is a group that uses its boats to help in rescue efforts following hurricanes and other storms.

'We appreciate more than you'll ever know about the outpouring we have received. Our goal is still to bring Riley home. We feel that is still a pliable goal,' Whiteid said.

His parents previously discussed how Nashville cops butchered the investigation into their son's disappearance, as more clues to Riley's whereabouts seem to have come from the public than officers.

'There have been several leads that have come up from people that are not the police, we're thankful for that,' the family's spokesman Dingman told TMZ Tuesday.

'I reached out Saturday evening wanting more people brought into this investigation - the TBI, the FBI, Homeland Security - what if this was a trafficking case?'

Strain's mother Michelle and Whiteid along with his father Ryan Gilbert also earlier sat down with Ashleigh Banfield on NewsNation to discuss the ongoing search.

'We had not seen anything or heard from them throughout the week,' Strain's stepdad said - adding that they were getting frustrated with the police department's lack of communication.

The parents of #RileyStrain speaking in a press conference today. This is just further breaking my damn heart. pic.twitter.com/UPHSNMhwtC  Carly (@truecrimecarly) March 19, 2024

Strain's parents have slammed Nashville cops for doing a 'B-minus job' in the investigation into their son's mysterious disappearance. Strain's mother Michelle and stepdad Chris Whiteid (middle) along with his father Ryan Gilbert (right) sat down with Ashleigh Banfield (left) on NewsNation

Banfield responded that she was 'steaming mad' that she had interviewed a key witness who had still not been interviewed by the police at the time of the NewsNation interview.

The witness was a volunteer who works with homeless people near Nashville's downtown, where Strain went missing. She made an important connection several days after Strain's disappearance.

Sabrina Martin, who volunteers with nonprofit group Souls United said she saw someone wearing a distinctive shirt just like Riley was last seen in.

She had been feeding the homeless with a group of volunteers and as they were passing plates and water an individual passed by on a bicycle wearing a dirty hoodie with a very clean white shirt with a black collar underneath.

He dropped a bottle of water and when he leaned over to grab it, Martin noted how clean the shirt underneath was an even pointed it out to a fellow-volunteer.

Martin also said it was unusual from a homeless person to be riding a bike.

She encountered the homeless man only a 10-minute-walk from the bar area where Strain went missing.

The volunteer described the homeless man as 6-foot 1-inch white man with a buzzcut and ungroomed facial hair. 'His face, his neck ands his hands were very dirty,' Martin described.

A bank card belonging to Strain was found on the embankment near Gay Street, which is a three-minute walk from the Downtown Smoke & Vape Shop on Church Street where he was last seen on video

Surveillance footage released by the Nashville police show him wobbling and appearing confused as he crossed a closed road near the water

Strain's stepdad said people who reached out to CrimeStoppers to reporter they were told by investigators that 'they don't know anything about a Riley Strain case.'

'We're struggling, we're 10 days in,' Whiteid said - later adding that they're trying to be patient but 'time is of the essence.'

The parents' criticism of the Nashville cops comes after TikTokers found a crucial piece of evidence that investigators and failed to discover over a week after Strain went missing.

Two women, Anna Clemdening and Brandy Baenen, had been rummaging through trash along the riverbank when they located Strain's bank card among 'pieces of clothing, shoes, bottles, cans' and more, according to WSMV.

Strain's father confirmed that police haven't said anything about the bank card being discovered.

'I think it just shines light on the B-minus job that the police force may be doing.'

Police have defended their search efforts and said they respect any evidence the 'Cajun Navy' provides, according to News Channel 5.

However, authorities have said that conspiracy theories are not helping in the investigation.

'We've had people get frustrated with us,' Det. Anthony Chandler said. 'We have to weigh every piece of evidence we get evenly. There's a lot of tips that we are getting that are not tips.'

Riley Strain, 22, is pictured here on March 8 - the night he was last seen at Luke's 32 Bridge Food + Drink on Broadway, which is owned by country superstar Luke Bryan

A family friend revealed he's heard from a woman who texted with missing Riley Strain just minutes before he vanished.

Chris Dingman, a family friend, spoke to NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas Reports on Monday where he revealed the last communication anyone could find from Riley - which was a confusing text to a girl he was speaking with.

'She texted him to see how he was doing, if he was having fun. He sent kind of a scripted text back to her saying "Good lops,"' Dingman said.

Neither Dingman nor the girl appeared to understand what Strain meant by this, describing it as 'unclear slang' to NewsNation, with Dingman believing it to reflect Riley's alleged mental state.

Dingman said that he and Strain's family are growing frustrated with the inability to find the 22-year-old despite having seen both bodycam footage released by the police on Monday and additional recordings the public hadn't seen.

'Every piece of the puzzle we've been receiving, it leads us down 100 more questions,' he said. 'We're no closer to finding Riley.'

The department on Monday shared footage on X showing Strain walking along the sidewalk past an officer, who appeared to be inspecting a car with a smashed window.

Strain says, 'How are you?' to the officer, to which the cop responds, 'How you doing sir?'

'Good you?' Strain says. 'Good,' the officer said back. Metro Nashville PD said that it is evidence the student was away from Gay St, the last place he was seen alive.

It comes as the last person to potentially see Strain said he caused a 'commotion' at a Nashville homeless encampment where the student's bank card was later found.

'We heard a commotion. We looked back up. He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him,' an unidentified man who lives in the camp told WZTV.

He was very, very, very intoxicated. I never seen anybody stumble that hard before,' the man said. 'I yelled get up. They said, "He's just drunk. He's OK."'
A Deliveroo rider bit off a customer's thumb during a blazing row after she delivered his 57 Pizza Express order to the wrong address.

Jeniffer Rocha, 35, now faces prison after she gnawed Stephen Jenkinson's thumb down to the knuckle during the freak attack in Aldershot, Hampshire.

Winchester Crown Court heard today the pair had a brief argument over a delivery code before the Brazilian delivery worker attacked the 36-year-old plumber, who has been left 'permanently disabled' and unable to work.

Following the attack, Mr Jenkinson was rushed to hospital where he underwent an 11 hour operation which saw part of his big toe surgically sewn on to the stump of his missing thumb.

Rocha, who was due to face trial for grievous bodily harm with intent, today pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm without intent. She will be sentenced at a later date.

Jeniffer Rocha, 35, (pictured outside Winchester Crown Court today) now faces prison after she gnawed Stephen Jenkinson's thumb off down to the knuckle during the freak attack in Aldershot, Hampshire

Mr Jenkinson, a 36-year-old plumber, has been left 'permanently disabled' and unable to work

Mr Jenkinson was rushed to hospital on December 14 2022 where he underwent an 11 hour operation which saw part of his big toe surgically sewn on to the stump of his missing thumb

Prosecutor Rebecca Austin told the court: 'The impact on the victim has been devastating. He has been left with a permanent disability and a part of his toe being removed. It has had a physical and psychological impact and continues to this day.'

The court heard Mr Jenkinson ordered pizza from Deliveroo to his home on December 14, 2022 but Rocha arrived to the wrong address further down his street.

When he went out to collect his food the father-of-one forgot to bring his phone and a brief argument erupted regarding the delivery code he was required to show.

It was then that Rocha launched her attack, Mr Jenkinson told the BBC. He raised her hands to Rocha's motorcycle helmet and she bit his thumb.

'All I remember, I was shaking her helmet trying to get her off', he told the BBC. 'The force with which she must have been biting, she'd clean taken it off.'

When she eventually let go, Mr Jenkinson lifted his arm and 'sprayed her with blood'.

He said his thumb, which was severed just above the knuckle, looked as thought it had 'gone through a chainsaw'.

Neighbours began to intervene in the argument with Rocha later arrested.

Mr Jenkinson, 34 , pictured with his then partner Jessica Seymour, 33, in 2022 following the attack

Mr Jenkinson said his thumb, which was severed just above the knuckle, looked as thought it had 'gone through a chainsaw'

Brazilian born Rocha, who has citizenship in the UK until 2028, will be sentenced at a later date

He previously told the Sun: 'After realising the driver couldn't find us I messaged her asking her to come to my address, but she refused and told me to come to her, so I did.

'I ran out the house without my phone and when she asked for the code, I said I'll take the pizzas and come back with it, but she was having none of it.

'She immediately went for me, punching and kicking me, but I didn't want to hit a woman so I just pushed her, that's when my thumb ended up in her mouth and she just clamped down until it came off.'

Mr Jenkinson, a plumber by trade, said he has been unable to work and had to relearn basic tasks like tying shoelaces and doing up buttons.

Speaking to the BBC today, he said: 'Financially, I'm ruined. I'm unemployed. I'm in a massive amount of debt and I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel.'

His relationship with the mother of his newborn daughter has also broke down, the broadcaster reported.

'I have to live with this for the rest of my life,' Mr Jenkinson said.

He said has received nothing from Deliveroo.

Addressing Rocha in court, Judge Timothy Mousley KC said it was a 'serious offence which may well result in you being sent to prison'.

Rocha has citizenship in the UK until 2028.

Deliveroo said in a statement to the BBC that riders are self-employed.

A Deliveroo spokesperson told MailOnkine: 'This was an awful incident. We ended the account of the rider concerned immediately and have fully cooperated with the police on the investigation.'
The age rating of two James Bond films would be raised if they were rereleased today, because of the portrayal of violence and sexual assault, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has said.

Goldfinger and From Russia With Love, both starring Sir Sean Connery and released in the 1960s, were flagged during a public consultation as films audiences believe should be classified more cautiously.

The consultation involved 12,000 people across the UK and informed the new BBFC classification guidelines published on Tuesday.

Under the new guidelines, the word f*** will also be allowed for the first time in trailers rated 12.

The BBFC previously said the word was strictly not permitted in trailers and only infrequently in feature films with 12 ratings.

The age rating of two James Bond films would be raised if they were rereleased today, because of the portrayal of violence and sexual assault, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has said

Respondents also highlighted an interaction in Goldfinger between Bond and Pussy Galore in a barn, that audiences today would view as sexual assault and not appropriate for a PG rating.

Speaking at the launch event for the new guidelines, BBFC president Natasha Kaplinsky said her experiences as a mother have informed her desire to help protect children from age-inappropriate content both online and offline.

Ms Kaplinsky said: 'There is a growing tide of people that are calling for online/offline parity.

'Children need to be protected, whether they're watching something that's been graded by the BBFC or whether they're consuming content in their own bedrooms.'

During the consultation, violence in From Russia With Love was flagged 'unanimously' by focus groups for being 'too prolonged, impactful and intense' to be classified as PG today, the BBFC said.

Respondents also highlighted an interaction in Goldfinger between Bond and Pussy Galore in a barn, that audiences today would view as sexual assault and not appropriate for a PG rating.

David Austin, BBFC chief executive said: 'People told us that neither of those films would be appropriate for PG any more, they would need to go to a 12A.'

Mr Austin said the BBFC would not be reclassifying previously released films unless they were being rereleased.

He said: 'When stuff gets rereleased, the profile increases, more people are going to be watching it and that's when we reclassify.

'If those films came in for a high-definition rerelease, for example, they would be classified at 12A.'

In February, Mary Poppins' age rating was raised from U to PG by the BBFC because of 'discriminatory language' ahead of the film's rerelease marking its 60th anniversary.

The BBFC said the new classification guidelines reflect shifts in public opinion on violence, drug use, sex and use of language.

Sexual violence remains the biggest area of concern for UK audiences, as it was when this research was last conducted in 2019, the board said.

The BBFC added that suicide and self-harm have risen to the second biggest area of concern, ahead of sex, violence and drugs since 2019, with audiences expressing a clear desire to be warned about this type of content.

In January, it was reported film buffs attending a season of classic movies have been warned Bond's adventures 'will cause offence today', with big screen hits like Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice containing language and themes that were 'prevalent' in the 1960s.

A note, cautioning would-be viewers, has been fitted outside BFI's cinema on London's Southbank, reports the Telegraph. It says: 'Please note that many of these films contain language, images or other content that reflect views prevalent in its time but will cause offence today (as they did then).

Snowflakes at the British Film Institute have issued an 'absurd' trigger alert for modern day film-goers, warning 007's movies could 'cause offence'

In Goldfinger, Bond is shown in a scene throwing Pussy Galore - played by Honour Blackman - to the floor in a barn before pinning her down and forcing himself on her

Cinema-goers have been warned about some of the themes and language used in classic 1960s Bond films

In it's warning, the BFI said the films contained 'language, images of other content' that could 'cause offence'

'The titles are included here for historical, cultural or aesthetic reasons and these views are in no way endorsed by the BFI or its partners.'

Poll Are James Bond films offensive and do they need a 'trigger warning'? Yes No Are James Bond films offensive and do they need a 'trigger warning'? Yes 71 votes

No 1538 votes Now share your opinion





The warning has been issued for a selection of films as part of a seasonal look at the work of composer John Barry, who provided the scores for Sean Connery's 1964 classic, Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice.

Other films being shown include Midnight Cowboy, which the BFI warns 'Contains use of homophobic language and sexual violence'.

And Petulia, which is also part of the same collection, features a warning declaring that it 'Contains scenes of domestic violence'.

In Goldfinger, Bond is shown in a scene throwing Pussy Galore - played by Honour Blackman - to the floor in a barn before pinning her down and forcing himself on her.

An additional warning for the 1968 release of You Only Live Twice said the film contained 'outdated racial stereotypes', in which the film sees Bond undergoing cosmetic surgery to look more Japanese.

The film also features the bowler hat-wearing henchman, Oddjob, who suffers from a cleft palate, has been highlighted by some campaigners as an example of villains being given physical disfigurements or disabilities.

But the trigger warnings have been mocked online, with one person raging: 'What a bull***t time we are living', while another added: 'James Bond getting a trigger warning is hilarious and absolutely absurd! More pandering to the snowflakes!'

A second Bond fan added: 'I'm not sure how the modern viewer survives in real life. Original Bond films are very good. Far better than the recent ones.'

the 1968 release of You Only Live Twice said the film contained 'outdated racial stereotypes', in which the film sees Bond undergoing cosmetic surgery to look more Japanese.

An additional warning for the 1968 release of You Only Live Twice said the film contained 'outdated racial stereotypes' in reference to villain, Oddjob.

Among the films deemed potentially offensive includes 1967 classic You Only Live Twice (Sean Connery is pictured as Bond in the film being scrubbed down by a group of women)

People have reacted with anger online over the new trigger warnings for 007's films

Others on X, formerly Twitter, said the warnings were another example of 'wokery'.

'I'm fed up with this WOKERY. Every program or film seems to have a 'disclaimer' ahead of it, YET there are worse things on the news every single day suggesting that society or some sections of it have regressed and far more depraved than anything that was ever on TV or the cinema,' one person wrote.

Agreeing, another said: 'The only trigger relevant to #Bond films is that on his Walther PPK. This is yet another example of the #Woke rewriting of history. Leave #007 alone.'

But others backed the trigger warning, with one person tweeting: 'They caused offence to me as a child and teenager. Even then I saw the misogynist BS. Have always loathed them and found them boring. Even good tunes nd sound tracks couldn't lure me.'

A BFI spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'As a cultural charity with responsibility for the preservation of film and moving image work and presenting it to audiences, we continuously face and deal with challenges presented by the history of film and television programmes and how they reflect views prevalent to their time.

'Whilst we have a responsibility to preserve films as close to their contemporaneous accuracy as possible, even where they contain language or depiction which we categorically reject, we also have a responsibility in how we present them to our audiences. The trigger warnings/content warnings that we provide in all of our exhibition spaces and online platforms act as guidance that a film or work reflects views of the time in which they were made and which may cause offence.

'We continuously review our processes around the presentation of film and moving image work to make improvements and support audience trust. We listen to customer feedback and also continue to work closely with the BBFC and their classifications to give appropriate guidance. This work is by its nature on-going.'

The news comes as it was revealed 'sensitivity readers' had reworked and sanitised some of the original novels by Ian Fleming to remove offensive passages.

Casino Royale and Octopussy have been edited, with a raft of racist and sexist terms removed as the spy franchise marked its 70th anniversary last year.

Bond is famed for his romantic liaisons with women during his adventures (pictured is Izabella Scorupco and Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye)

Bond publisher Ian Fleming Publications said it had changed terms to those more accepted today while ensuring they are in keeping with the time the books were written. Pictured: Roger Moore in Octopussy

Ian Fleming Publications said it had changed terms to those more accepted today while ensuring they are in keeping with the time the books were written

The publishers of the books commissioned a review to modernise them, according to the Sunday Telegraph. It comes as children's books by Roald Dahl have been stripped of potentially offensive language with the Oompa Loompas  the workers at Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory  being made gender neutral.

In the new version of Bond novel Live And Let Die, a scene in which 007 visits a New York club is altered to remove reference to a striptease. In the 1954 original it says: 'Bond could hear the audience panting and grunting like pigs at the trough.'

The revised version will now reportedly read: 'Bond could sense the electric tension in the room.'

The N-word, which author Ian Fleming used to refer to black people when he was writing during the 1950s and 1960s, has been removed from the revised texts. However, outdated references to other ethnicities remain, as do phrases such as the 'sweet tang of rape', and the description of homosexuality as a 'stubborn disability'.

James Bond novels including Casino Royale and Octopussy have been edited to suit modern sensibilities with a raft of racist and sexist terms removed ahead of the 70th anniversary of 007 this year.

The N-word, which author Ian Fleming used to refer to black people when he was writing during the 1950s and 1960s, has been removed from the revised texts. Pictured: Roger Moore and Maud Adams

Casino Royale, published in 1953, is one James Bond novel that is being edited to remove sexist and racist language

Bond publisher Ian Fleming Publications said it had changed terms to those more accepted today while ensuring they are in keeping with the time the books were written.
Two men have been rushed to hospital with gunshots wounds after a late-night shooting which forced a McDonald's carpark into lockdown.

Police were called to Friendship Drive in Tarneit in Melbourne's west shortly before midnight Tuesday following reports of gunshots.

Officers launched a search but could not locate anyone.

They found an injured man on Tarneit Rd a short time later with a gunshot wound to his hand. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A McDonald's carpark was in lockdown after a late-night shooting in Melbourne's west

A section of the McDonald's carpark in Tarneit remained taped off on Wednesday

READ MORE: FIFO assassin suspected of killing greengrocer on Mafia orders Sources believe that John Latorre (pictured) was gunned down by fly-in fly-out assassin Advertisement

A second man was then found with upper body injuries near businesses on Derrimut Road.

It is believed he was shot at least once.

He was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. He remains in a critical but stable condition.

A nearby McDonald's carpark was cordoned off as a crime scene.

Police examined two Mercedes vehicles abandoned at the scene.

One of the vehicles had a damaged rear bumper bar.

Shoes and other discarded belongings were strewn nearby.

No arrests have been made.

It's understood the alleged shooting has occurred a few streets away in an area that backs onto a park.

No weapon has been found.

'Police are yet to establish the exact circumstances as to what has occurred and the investigation is ongoing,' said police.

Those at McDonald's at the time told Sunrise that they didn't hear or see any gunshots but said at least one of the injured men was driven to the fast food restaurant.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers.

Police surrounded an abandoned Mercedes which appeared to be damaged
Following a split 6-3 decision from the Supreme Court that will allow Texas state officials to arrest people suspected of crossing the US-Mexico border illegally, Elon Musk hit out at the justices who sided with the Biden administration.

'Crazy that Texas has to do the job of the Biden administration, which filed aggressive legal action to stop the state!' the X owner wrote Tuesday afternoon.

'If anyone still doesn't believe that ushering in illegals is the goal of the Biden administration, this should convince them.'

The high court declined to block the Texas law that allows its law enforcement officers to detain suspected illegal immigrants - a major blow to the Biden administration.

Biden's DOJ had asked the justices to freeze a judicial order allowing the Republican-backed Texas law to take effect while the Justice Department 's challenge to the statute proceeds in the lower courts.

Liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the majority decision.

Crazy that Texas has to do the job of the Biden administration, which filed aggressive legal action to stop the state!



If anyone still doesnt believe that ushering in illegals is the goal of the Biden administration, this should convince them. https://t.co/HKiJKNufFS  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2024

The Supreme Court has rejected a bid by the Biden administration to block a Texas law that would allow state officials to arrest people suspected of crossing the southern border illegally. Pictured: Migrants are seen crossing the Rio Grande near Texas

Elon Musk hit out at the liberal justices who sided with the Biden administration saying 'If anyone still doesn't believe that ushering in illegals is the goal of the Biden administration, this should convince them'

Musk, who houses his Tesla Gigafactory in Austin, Texas and a SpaceX launch site in the southern part of the state, has embraced the position that the Biden administration is prioritizing the needs of millions of illegal immigrants over those of Americans.

His intense criticism of the Democratic administration comes from his perspective as 'an immigrant who is proud to have become a citizen and who supports expanded and expedited *legal* immigration.'

Also on Tuesday, Musk pinned a video to his X profile that describes the the progressive strategy to prioritize illegal immigration in an effort to ultimately undermine the rule of law in America and ensure the permanent election of Democrats to high office.

Earlier this month, Musk bashed the Biden administration for flying 320,000 unvetted migrants into the US.

Musk took to his platform and said the president's administration is 'importing voters and creating a national security threat' for secretly allowing illegal immigrants in the country.

'It is highly probable that the groundwork is being laid for something far worse than 9/11. Just a matter of time,' Musk said as he reposted a story from DailyMail.com.

Liberal Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor dissented

Two migrants struggle to cross the Rio Grande River on the Mexico-US border as Texas National Guards take security measures in Eagle Pass, Texas, on January 30

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has pushed for law enforcement in Texas to arrest illegal migrants, a power traditionally held by the federal government

The Biden administration argued the Texas law violates the Constitution and federal law by interfering with the federal government's power to regulate immigration.

Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who signed the bill in December, has said the law was needed due to Biden's failure to enforce federal laws criminalizing illegal entry or re-entry, claiming in December that 'Biden's deliberate inaction has left Texas to fend for itself.'

Abbott reacted to the SCOTUS decision on X, writing: 'In a 6-3 decision SCOTUS allows Texas to begin enforcing SB4 that allows the arrest of illegal immigrants. We still have to have hearings in the 5th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals.

'But this is clearly a positive development.'

The Democratic president's handling of the record numbers of migrants caught illegally crossing the US-Mexico border during his presidency has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans.

Abbott and other Republicans have said Biden should have kept the restrictive policies of former President Donald Trump, their party's candidate challenging Biden in the upcoming presidential election in November.

The Texas law made illegal entry or re-entry into Texas a state crime, with penalties ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison. Under it, Texas magistrate judges will be required to order migrants to return to Mexico, with up to 20-year sentences for those who refuse to comply.

The Justice Department sued in January to block the measure, which was originally set to take effect on March 5. Biden administration lawyers argued that it violates federal law and constitutional provisions giving the U.S. government the power to regulate commerce with foreign countries and among states, and runs afoul of a 2012 Supreme Court precedent.

Texas-based U.S. District David Ezra on Feb. 29 sided with the administration and agreed to preliminarily block Texas officials from enforcing the law, saying that it 'threatens the fundamental notion that the United States must regulate immigration with one voice.'

Migrants attempting to cross the North American side of the border between El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico in Texas, United States on March 3

The surge of migrants in Texas has created a huge burden for the state and for the non-profits that help migrants. Pictured above, migrants rest on cots at a shelter in El Paso, Texas

But the New Orleans-based 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals paused Ezra's ruling in an order that would have let the Texas law take effect on March 10, prompting the administration to file an emergency request to the Supreme Court.

Justice Samuel Alito, who handles certain emergency matters involving cases from a group of states including Texas, on March 4 halted the 5th Circuit ruling - and thus the law - from taking effect, giving the Supreme Court more time to consider the matter.

Texas has pursued a range of measures to deter people who cross illegally under its Operation Lone Star, including deploying National Guard troops to the border, blocking migrants with concertina wire and installing a floating barrier over a stretch of the Rio Grande.

Republicans in February scuttled a bipartisan Senate deal that would have bolstered border security and tightened immigration laws after Trump pushed members of his party to reject it.

Biden said blame for the bill's failure lay with Republican lawmakers who bowed to political pressure from Trump who 'thinks it's bad for him politically.'

An analysis of exit polls conducted by Edison Research following primary election voting in early March showed alarm among many voters over the situation along the border. Many called it their top voting issue.

Reuters/Ipsos polling showed Biden's public approval level at 37 percent as of February 28.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff angrily condemned former President Donald Trump on Tuesday, calling him 'anti-Semitic' for claiming that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel.'

Trump criticized the Biden administration and Democrat Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer during an interview with former White House advisor and now-radio host Sebastian Gorka.

'I really believe they hate Israel,' the former president said about the Democrats.

Emhoff addressed Trump's comments during a campaign visit to Omaha, Nebraska, on Tuesday.

'This is a disgusting, toxic, antisemitic thing to say by anyone, let alone a former president of the United States,' said Emhoff about Trump's remarks about the conflict between Gaza and Israel.

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff criticized Trump's comments about Israel

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about the conflict on Monday during a podcast interview

President Joe Biden has grown increasingly critical of Israeli Prime Minster Bibi Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer last week called for new elections in Israel.

Trump said Democrat political figures were softening their support of Israel to placate angry Democrat voters who were critical of the war in Gaza.

'Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion,' Trump said during the interview. 'They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.'

Trump's comments also earned condemnation from the Anti-Defamation League.

'Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory and patently false,' wrote Jonathan Greenblatt, the chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League on X in response to Trump.

Greenblatt was a White House advisor to both Clinton and Obama during their administrations.

Emhoff criticized Trump even after his daughter Ella was caught promoting fundraising for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, a group with alleged ties to Hamas terrorists.

The United States suspended funding to UNRWA after 12 of its members were accused of participating in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel.

Ella Emhoff posted a link to the UNRWA to her social media profile before removing it after the New York Post questioned the White House about it.

Doug Emhoff's daughter Ella was criticized for promoting fundraising for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency

Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, is the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris

Emhoff is the first Jewish spouse of a president or a vice president in an American administration. As the second gentleman, he has made a push against anti-Semitism one of his priorities.

He joined Republicans criticizing the presidents of top universities after they testified to Congress in December, failing to denounce calls for genocide of the Jews on campus, citing the need for context.

'Let's be clear: When Jews are targeted because of their beliefs or identity, and when Israel is singled out because of anti-Jewish hatred, that is antisemitism, and it must be condemned,' Emhoff said. 'Condemned unequivocally and without context.'

In June, Emhoff traveled to Auschwitz to raise awareness of the Holocaust and growing antisemitism in the United States around the world.

People used to be afraid to say the ugly epithets and lies out loud. Now, they are literally screaming them. We are witnessing an epidemic of hate in the United States and internationally, Emhoff said after his visit.
Republican Senator Todd Young says he will not be voting for former President Donald Trump come November as the ex-president runs for a second term in the White House.

The Indiana lawmaker is one of very few Republicans in office not rallying behind Trump - including his own Vice President Mike Pence - after he reached the necessary delegate count to become the party's presidential nominee.

In a new local interview, the Indiana senator said he is tired of having his vote taken for granted.

'At some point, principled conservatives need to incentivize our party, the Republican Party, to nominate somebody that principled conservatives can actually believe in,' Young, 51, told Indiana reporter Dave Bangert on Monday.

'I'm tired of having my vote taken for granted, and I think a lot of Hoosiers are,' he added.

Young said he would not be voting for Trump in November, but he also would not be voting across the aisle for President Biden.

Sen. Young said he would not vote for Trump in the 2024 presidential election

Young is one of the few GOP lawmakers not rallying behind Trump since he received enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination

The interview is not the first time Young has signaled opposition to the ex-president.

WEVV reported earlier this month before Trump received the necessary delegates to clinch the nomination that Young did not know who we would support as the party nominee.

Young spoke about Trump's take on the war in Ukraine where Trump would not say that Putin is a war criminal and would not take sides.

Young said Hoosiers must decide who they will support.

When asked about his stance by CNN soon after, Young said that remained his position.

'Nothings changed from my standpoint. I trust the people I represent to make their own decisions about who they're going to vote for.'

While Trump received the necessary delegates to be the party nominee last week, Indiana does not hold its primary until May 7.

Young's resistance comes as a number of Republicans have moved to endorse Trump as he continues to sweep nearly every state GOP primary contest and is the only candidate still the in the race.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was one of the most high profile Republicans on the Hill to back Trump the day after Super Tuesday after Nikki Haley suspended her campaign.

The No 2 Senate Republican John Thune of South Dakota also announced he would back Trump late last month.

Trump received enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination with the contests held March 12

But Young is not the only Hoosier to withhold support.

Just days ago, former Vice President Mike Pence, who previously served as Indiana governor, said he would not endorse his old boss.

In an interview with Fox News, Pence cited Trump's failure to address the national debt, distancing himself from pro-life issues, and the ex-president's opposition to a Congressional bill banning TikTok as three reasons he would not endorse Trump.

Pence also noted his well-known disagreement with Trump on his decision to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election on January 6.

'Given these deep differences,' Pence said. 'I cannot in good conscience publicly endorse President Trump.'

In his interview on Monday, Young noted Pence's opposition and said a couple of his colleagues in the Senate 'hold a similar viewpoint.'

He said he was not surprised by Pence in light of their history.

'As Mike indicated, he's got serious policy concerns. Mike is a principled conservative,' Young added.

Several other Republican senators have indicated they would not vote for Trump.

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski said she could not vote for Trump in 2024.

In January, Maine Senator Susan Collins said she would not endorse Trump even if he is the party nominee.

Over the weekend, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy told NBC's Meet the Press he would vote for a Republican in the presidential election but refused to say whether he would endorse Trump.

Young was first elected to the Senate in 2016 and re-elected in 2022, so he is not up for reelection until 2028.
The brother of a Michigan Democrat has died after being shot at his home by a suspect who has been named as his son.

Rep. Kildee's brother, Timothy Kildee, 57, died from a gunshot wound in Vienna Township, Michigan, following an incident believed to have involved his own son.

It is alleged the 27-year-old shot his dad following a heated exchange in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson says his office was called about 3am on Tuesday morning about an incident in Burton.

At that time, a gun was pulled out during a verbal confrontation and the suspect left the home on foot and contacted his birth mom.

Michigan Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee's brother was killed by a suspect who is believed to be his son and the congressman's nephew after an altercation early Tuesday morning

Rep. Kildee's brother, Timothy Kildee, 57, second from right, was shot and killed in his home in Vienna Township, Michigan

Timothy Kildee's crashed vehicle was found near an intersection

While police were responding to the shooting scene in Vienna Township, reports of a serious crash came in at the intersection of Bray and Stanley roads in Genesee Township

She picked him up at some point before 5am and took him to a Vienna township home where Timothy lived with another son who was sleeping in the basement.

Another confrontation erupted which lead a gunshot being heard by the son downstairs.

Timothy Kildee's vehicle and wallet was stolen by the suspect but just eight minutes later a high-impact car crash occurred at the intersection of E. Stanley Road and N. Bray Road in Genesee Township.

The suspect suffered serious injuries and they are now recovering at Hurley Medical Center under the watch of sheriff's deputies.

'Our family is grieving and heartbroken. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy,' Congressman Dan Kildee said in a statement.

'I thank the community for honoring my family's privacy during this very difficult time.'

'Our family is grieving and heartbroken. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy,' Congressman Dan Kildee said in a statement

Dan Kildee, second from left and Timothy Kildee, third from left, with their siblings are pictured above

Kildee siblings are pictured with their mother. The late Timothy Kildee is second from right

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson speaks alongside Genesee County Prosector David Leyton during a press conference on Tuesday about the shooting

Charges are still pending, but Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said if the prosecutor's office were to 'apply the law to the facts as we know them presently,' the suspect could be looking at counts of open murder, carjacking, armed robbery, using a firearm during the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed weapon, and a motor vehicle infraction due to the crash.

Rep. Kildee, 65, has been in Congress since 2013. His uncle Dale Kildee was also in Congress and the younger Kildee was at one point one of the nation's youngest elected officials when at 18 he began serving on the Flint Board of Education in 1977.

In March 2023 he announced he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, saying that a 'very small tumor' had been found in one of his tonsils, but he underwent surgery and has said he is since 'cancer-free.'

But he said the health challenged prompted him to 'reassess' his future.

'After spending time with my wife, children and grandchildren and contemplating our future, the time has come for me to step back from public office,' Kildee said. 'Running for office, ultimately, is a personal decision first. And this was not an easy decision to make. But I know it's the right one for me and for my family.'
Former President Donald Trump cast a primary ballot for himself in the Florida primary Tuesday during a rare political appearance with former first lady Melania Trump by his side.

Trump stopped and took reporters' questions after voting in West Palm Beach near his Mar-a-Lago home, sporting a sticker proclaiming his civic accomplishment.

He quickly brushed off a question about his former vice president, Mike Pence, refusing to endorse him by invoking the events of January 6, days before Trump saluted January 6 defendants and called them 'hostages' at a campaign rally.

'I couldn't care less,' Trump said of his former governing partner.

Trump voted in Florida's primary after already wrapping up his party's nomination

Former President Donald Trump Trump said he could 'care less' about Mike Pence's statement that he would not endorse his former partner

He also vented about immigration, saying 'these people come from the wrong places  they come from very bad places' and said his company had 'a lot of cash' while facing a staggering court judgement following his New York fraud trial.

Melania sported dark sunglasses and a long white dress for the event.

She even issued her own brief comment during a rare response to a shouted question, asked if she would be joining her husband on the campaign trail, after laying low and attending the occasional event at Mar-a-Lago.

'Stay tuned,' she said.

Their last joint public appearance came nine days ago when Trump met Hungarian strongman Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Asked who he voted for, Trump, who has blasted mail voting as well as early voting despite pleas from party professionals, responded, 'I voted for Donald Trump.'

'Did somebody just say who did you vote for?' he said after a chuckle. 'I voted for Donald Trump.'

'ARIZONA, FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, KANSAS, AND OHIO, VERY IMPORTANT TO GET OUT AND VOTE  MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' Trump posted Tuesday, on a Truth Social feed otherwise dominated by his complaints about his New York fraud trial while facing a $454 million court judgement.

'Stay tuned': Melania Trump was coy when asked if she would be on the campaign trail with her husband

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and former first lady Melania Trump arrive to vote in the Florida primary election in Palm Beach, Fla., Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Trump fielded questions on Paul Manafort and Peter Navarro, calling both men patriots

Melania Trump stood alongside the former president while he took questions.She sported dark sunglasses

Trump voted on a day he repeatedly blasted the New York judge who ordered him to pay $454 million after his fraud trial

The Florida primary was a low key affair for Trump now that he has wrapped up the Republican nomination. President Joe Biden, who has also sewn up the Democratic nod, was at the start of a trip to Nevada and Arizona, where he said Trump has 'no basis of understanding' of foreign policy and blasted the press for focusing on campaing polls.

'It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year,' Pence, who ended his campaign last year before Iowa, told Fox News Friday, saying he 'cannot in good conscience endorse Donald Trump in this campaign.'

'But that being said, during my presidential campaign, I made it clear that there were profound differences between me and President Trump on a range of issues, and not just our difference on my constitutional duties that I exercised on January 6.'

Trump has been under fire for his recent comment about Jewish voters in an interview with former advisor Sebastian Gorka.

'Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves,' Trump said. 'The Democrat Party hates Israel.'

He said Tuesday that 'Were doing very well with the Jewish voter.'

On a day his former trade negotiator Peter Navarro reported to a Miami jail after being convicted of contempt of Congress, Trump called him a 'good man.'

'He was treated very unfairly.' He called Navarro 'a great patriot  great negotiator for our country.'

He also praised former campaign chair Paul Manafort, who was jailed on tax and corruption chrages, and who Trump pardoned in his last days in office.

There were weekend reports Manafort might take a role in his campaign dealing with the Republican convention in Milwaukee.

'I dont know anything about it. But he is another person who was treated badly. But he was a patriot,' Trump said.

Trump also defended his company while facing a massive judgement and the threat of having properties seized by state authorities. His lawyers are seeking to get an appeals court to impose a stay, arguing he can't secure a surety bond.

'We have a lot of cash and we have a great company,' he said. 'This was a rigged trial by a crooked judge and a crooked attorney general,' he said. 'Theyd like to take the cash away so I cant use it on the campaign,' he claimed.
At the Holocaust Memorial Day service in Glasgow in January, 99-year-old Henry Wuga was the surprise guest of honour.

Eighty-five years earlier, he had been one of thousands of young German Jews who fled Nazism to find safe harbour in Britain.

Addressing the Shabbat service at the Glasgow Reform Synagogue on the citys southside, with photographs of the scores of Israeli hostages taken on October 7 plastered onto the walls, he aimed one last dig at the thugs who, a lifetime ago, tried to erase him and the Jewish people from the map.

Im still here, he quipped.

Bigotry

Mr Wuga celebrated his 100th birthday the following month. I may be 100 but I dont feel 100, he commented. This week, however, this remarkable man finally succumbed to old age.

Mr Wuga was among the very last members of a disappearing generation of Jews: the men and women who witnessed the Nazi occupation and the Holocaust as young adults and survived to tell the tale.

Henry Wuga escaped Nazi persecution by taking the Kindertransport train to Britain in 1939

Now, we are losing them. And at a time of rising antisemitism and bigotry, I fear that without the power of their first-hand testimony we risk forgetting the content of their message, too.

Short memories and the waves of vitriol and misinformation that slosh around our public square are in danger of drowning out their evidence. Can we really say with confidence that we will still never forget?

Mr Wugas own story is remarkable. Born an only child in the city of Nuremberg in 1924, he enjoyed a normal, happy childhood. Theres even a black and white photograph of him, aged seven or so, wearing the traditional Bavarian lederhosen.

But then came the Nuremberg laws, exclusion from school and, on the very streets outside his home, the vast brutalist rallies with which the city is still associated.

Aged 14, he took a job as a cook in Baden-Baden. Six months later, in November 1938, he decided hed had enough and went home to Nuremberg. It was a decision that saved his life.

It was the day before Kristallnacht (the Nazi pogrom against German Jewish businesses and families), he told journalist Chitra Ramaswamy, who has written a book about his life. In Baden-Baden, they were all arrested and taken to Dachau.

The following year, he escaped to Glasgow, one of 9,500 young German Jews who took the Kindertransport trains to Britain.

Decades later, he would remember the moment the train pulled out of the station; and the hundreds of children who had never been away from their mum and dad, they were not crying, they were howling.

It was horrendous.

His full story is too long for one short column.

But after settling in Glasgow and running a successful business, Mr Wuga and his wife Ingrid  a fellow Kindertransport refugee  dedicated their lives to telling it.

A natural storyteller, he gripped classrooms and assembly halls the length and breadth of the country.

Mr Wugas death comes after the passing in 2021 of 98-year-old Judith Rosenberg, the last Scots-resident survivor of Auschwitz, where 1.1million people, mostly Jews, were murdered.

Speaking to STV a few years earlier, she recalled the day she arrived at the camp aged 22.

Twenty soldiers were guarding us, she said. There were people with razors and they cut off our hair and I screamed because I couldnt recognise my mother.

Like Mr Wuga, she found refuge in Glasgow. She, too, refused to be defined by the evil that came for her family and her people.

There is something special about personal testimony. I can still remember, as a 14-year-old, sitting in my school assembly room listening to the actor David Kossoff.

Kossoffs son, Paul  lead guitarist with the 70s rock band Free  had died aged 25 after a history of drug abuse.

Like Mr Wuga, Mr Kossoff spent his latter years seeking to educate young people.

What a waste! the still-grieving Mr Kossoff shouted at us in the hall.

Risk

You cant help but be gripped when you hear first-hand from someone who has come face to face with tragedy. And as the Holocaust moves further back into history, and as the physical voices of those who were there fall silent, we need to remain ever-vigilant to the risk of those voices disappearing entirely.

That risk is clear. A survey in December found that a fifth of Americans aged 18-25 believed the Holocaust to be a myth.

A poll in this country from 2019 found 12 per cent think the scale of the genocide has been exaggerated, while almost half of those questioned did not know how many Jews were murdered.

The findings are echoed across Europe.

In France, one in five young people said they had never heard about the mass extermination of the European Jewish population.

These figures arent evidence of widescale antisemitism among the young but, as the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust has warned, ignorance is a seed-bed for lies and distortions.

It is an especial risk at a time when the state of Israel is under such criticism over its response to the October 7 massacre.

We are, sadly, a society where those lies and distortions have never been so easy to create.

The Wild West of the internet hasnt just given voice to every wacky conspiracist and hate-mongerer, its also bred a deep cynicism about the very existence of truth.

Honour

Given the social media din, competing claims and the desire for my truth, better  say too many of us  to shrug our shoulders and conclude there are no such things as objective facts and therefore no point trying to honour them.

All the more need, therefore, to fight against the tide.

In Scotland, exceptional organisations doing just that include Vision Schools Scotland, which promotes excellence in the teaching of the Holocaust; the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, and  in another field  Remembering Srebrenica, the charity set up to preserve the memory of the 9,000 Muslim men and boys massacred during the 1995 Bosnian conflict.

But as the people who were there leave us, more must be done to keep their voices alive. Would a Scottish museum of the survivors and the victims not be an appropriate memorial?

Its not just the history of the Holocaust that wed be preserving, its a large part of our own past too.

The story of Mr Wugas extraordinary generation is one of people who came face to face with the greatest evil of all then found themselves spat out into a foreign land, who never gave in to bitterness and hatred, and vastly enriched their new nation to the benefit of all of us.

Its a story thats needed now more than ever. We must ensure the voices of our past are always heard.
Donald Trump has rushed to defend Kate Middleton and said the controversy surrounding her photoshop blunder 'shouldn't be a big deal'.

The former president, 77, added that the Princess of Wales is 'in a rough patch' during her recovery from abdominal surgery and absence from royal duties, and insisted she'll 'be back'.

Kate has been the victim of a mountain of conspiracy theories while she recuperates and many have questioned her whereabouts.

Donald Trump has rushed to defend Kate Middleton and said the controversy surrounding her photoshop blunder 'shouldn't be a big deal'

The speculation accelerated when she released the edited photo with her children on Mother's Day in the UK.

Trump backed Kate amid the furor and said 'everyone doctors' photos during an interview with Nigel Farage on GB News on Tuesday night.

'That shouldnt be a big deal because everybody doctors,' he told Farage.

Trump backed Kate amid the furor and said 'everyone doctors' photos during an interview with Nigel Farage on GB News on Tuesday night

Trump also criticized Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and praised the Queen during his interview which aired on Tuesday night

Kate was recently filmed in Windsor by shopper Nelson Silva, 40 (pictured)

'You look at these movie actors and you see a movie actor and you meet him, and you say is that the same person in the picture?

'I looked at that actually and it was a very minor doctoring. I dont understand why there could be such a howl over that.

'She'll be back, I mean, it's a rough patch.'

It came as the hospital where Kate was treated was at the center of a huge security scandal after reports staff attempted to access her private medical records.

Bosses of The London Clinic, where she underwent planned abdominal surgery in January, launched the investigation after it was claimed at least one member of staff tried to access the royal's notes.

On Saturday, Kate was filmed smiling alongside her husband during a visit to a farm shop in Windsor.

Donald Trump during his interview with Nigel Farage

William and Kate stand outside of Westminster Abbey after their Royal Wedding in London Friday, April, 29, 2011

Donald Trump and Nigel Farage discuss the royal family

In the video the princess can be seen with her hair down, wearing a black jacket and leggings, chatting with William and carrying a large white bag.

he Windsor Farm Shop is a short drive from their Adelaide Cottage home in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

People flock to the shop, which was the idea of the late Duke of Edinburgh, to buy locally sourced goods and produce from the royal estates.

Nelson Silva, who saw the royal couple, told TMZ: "I noticed a couple choosing loaves of bread and the woman turned her face and I felt like I had seen the face before. It was familiar.

"I went to my car and as they came out of the shop I just filmed them. I think they walked out through a gate out of the grounds. They just vanished and I didn't see a car.

"Kate looked happy and relaxed. They look happy just to be able to go to a shop and mingle.

"Kate looked relieved, like it was a success going to a shop. It felt natural."

Kate's absence from public life, following abdominal surgery on January 16, has led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about her whereabouts and health.

The Prince of Wales during a visit to the Learning Zone in the Northeast of the Sheffield on March 19, 2024

Details of her condition have not been disclosed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private.

The online speculation increased after irregularities were spotted in a Mother's Day photograph of Kate and her children, which led to the princess admitting to "editing" the image and apologizing for any "confusion" caused.

The future Queen has been photographed in public twice since her operation.

In a picture published on March 4, she was a front-seat passenger in a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, in the Windsor area.

She was also spotted sitting next to William in a chauffeur-driven car last Monday, when he attended the Commonwealth Day service in London and she was driven to a private appointment.

It was reported at the weekend that Kate may speak about her health during public engagements which are not expected to resume until after Easter.
Rishi Sunak last night branded the SNPs new hate crime law a chilling threat to freedom of speech.

The legislation  spearheaded by Humza Yousaf when he was Justice Secretary  is set to come into force next month.

Offences are considered aggravated if they involve prejudice on the basis of age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or variation in sex characteristics.

The law creates new offences of stirring up hatred  which previously applied only to race  and can be broken in private homes as well as in public, meaning that dinner party conversations could be criminalised.

Last night Downing Street attacked the legislation and ruled out any similar moves south of the Border.

It comes after Elon Musk, the US billionaire owner of social media platform X, yesterday made similar warnings about the laws potential threat to free speech.

The SNP s controversial Hate Crime Bill comes into effect on April 1

A No 10 spokesman said: I wouldnt want to comment or speculate about individual cases, but the Prime Minister himself believes in free speech. For example, he has been very clear on what the definition of a woman is, and that biological sex matters, and he doesnt believe that that should be controversial.

For the Governments part, we would never and are not introducing any similar kind of legislation here in England. And wed be very aware of the potential for chilling effects on free speech.

At the time the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill was passed in 2021, Mr Yousaf claimed that stating a belief would not cross the threshold for criminal behaviour  but critics fear the law will lead to a surge in workload for an already overstretched police force.

Police chiefs vowed to investigate every report of a hate crime  just days after effectively writing off probes into 24,000 minor offences a year as part of a more proportionate response.

Officers will be forced to look into complaints even if they are unlikely to meet the criteria for being criminal offences. They will be recorded as non-crime hate incidents, which Police Scotland noted on more than 5,500 occasions in less than a year.

Last night Tony Lenehan, KC, president of the Faculty of Advocates Criminal Bar Association, said the public knowing what is and what is not a crime is a vital part of any modern democracy.

He told BBC Scotland: Where the new statute is woven with threads of subjectivity, the broadcasters, after-dinner speakers, comedians, debaters and dramatists must trust to luck that they dont end up being prosecuted under it. Mr Lenehan said most of the behaviour tackled by the hate crime legislation would already be a crime as public order offences.

Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, an Edinburgh-based policy analysis group, has been trying to seek assurances about the position of womens rights campaigners who are critical of gender policy.

It said: There has been no attempt over the past three years to involve those who had concerns about the Act, to allay worries about how the police would handle complaints.

Despite gaining Royal Assent in April 2021, the legislation has not come into force because Police Scotland said it needed time for training, guidance and communications planning.

Last week the force was ridiculed over a ludicrous campaign aimed at tackling hate crime. It features an animated Hate Monster  derided as a pound shop version of a Sesame Street character  which weighs you down .

The Scottish Government said: There are protections in the new Act for individuals rights in respect to freedom of expression for the new stirring up hatred offences.

Elon Musk wades into row and warns legislation poses a threat to free speech

By Graham Grant and Dan Barker

The SNPs hate crime legislation is a threat to freedom of speech, Elon Musk warned last night.

The billionaire commented on X  the social media platform he owns  after it emerged that plays and other performances could fall foul of the new law.

It is due to come into effect next month, and makes it an offence to stir up hatred against protected characteristics, including age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Police chiefs have insisted that performers will not be targeted, but officers have been trained to spot potential breaches of the law which may also include material used by actors and comedians.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Musk commented on a post about the controversy, saying it was an example of why it is so important to preserve freedom of speech.

Elon Musk hit out on his X site and warned that the SNPs hate crime legislation is a threat to freedom of speech

Last night Scottish Tory justice spokesman Russell Findlay said: Long-suffering Scots have become used to dangerous SNP policies  but its little wonder that the bin fire of Humza Yousafs hate crime law is now attracting global attention.

Police Scotland training material based on Scottish Government documentation indicates that stirring up hatred under the new Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act could be communicated through public performance of a play.

The module stated the material could be shared through platforms such as podcasts and social media and spread through email, playing a video, as well as plays.

Part of the training module deals with how might threatening and or abusive material be communicated.

It reads: The different ways in which a person may communicate material to another person are by: displaying, publishing or distributing the material, for example on a sign, on the internet through websites, blogs, podcasts, social media etc, either directly, or by forwarding or repeating material that originates from a third party, through printed media such as magazine publications or leaflets.

The document goes on to say giving, sending, showing or playing the material to another person  listing examples of through online streaming, by email, playing a video, through public performance of a play.

When the hate crime legislation was first drafted, there was an outcry from artists. More than 20, including actor Rowan Atkinson and author Val McDermid, signed an open letter calling on ministers to think again.

Last night Police Scotland said the training material was based on Scottish Government explanatory notes which accompany the legislation.

A statement issued by the force last night said a range of scenarios were included, but stressed that officers had not been told to target those particular situations or locations.

Police Scotland said it was not instructing officers to target actors, comedians, or any other people or groups. It added: Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation and officers balance the protections people have under human rights legislation against other laws every day.
A record number of pupils are skipping school amid fears that thousands dropped out of state education after Covid lockdowns.

Startling figures show nearly one in three Scots children are deemed to be persistent absentees after missing 10 per cent or more of the school year.

A million school days were missed because of unexplained absences including truancy last year in secondaries, sparking calls for urgent action to get pupils back into the classroom.

Teaching unions said the SNP Government had not done enough to help children overcome the trauma of the lockdown years  and many pupils had simply walked away from schooling.

Scottish Tory education spokesman Liam Kerr said the deeply alarming figures expose how many pupils have been abandoned on the SNPs watch.

He added: They have allowed violence to spiral out of control and have presided over a widening attainment gap.

Scottish Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has ordered inspectors to address persistent absence at every school

SNP ministers should be ensuring our classrooms are safe places to learn and pull out all the stops to guarantee young people are not missing out on an education.

Scottish Government statistics for 2022-23 show 32.5 per cent of pupils were classed as persistent absentees with an absence rate of 10 per cent or more. The figures, which are reported biannually, also reveal the overall attendance rate fell to 90.2 per cent  down from 92 per cent in 2020-21 and the lowest level since records began two decades ago.

In secondaries, the attendance rate was 82.2 per cent in 2022-23, while in primaries it was 90.6 per cent  also a record low.

The absence rate for unauthorised holidays increased from 0.3 per cent to 3.2 per cent, while for unexplained absences, including truancy, the rate was 2.3 per cent, up from 2.1 per cent.

The report said term-time holidays were the biggest contributor to the increase in unauthorised absence from 2020-21.

Pupils in the poorest parts of Scotland had a lower attendance rate (86.8 per cent ) than those in richer areas (93.5 per cent).

Seamus Searson, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association, said: The return to education was badly managed post-Covid and government didnt make sure pupils got the extra support they needed.

Children coming into secondaries are not at the level they should be at but formal exams have been restored, which means pupils are facing more pressure and some have been frightened off  some have voted with their feet and simply walked away from it.

The data shows teacher numbers fell by 160 to 54,033 in 2023.

A spokesman for the EIS teaching union said: The underfunding of education and cuts to staff have robbed many young people of the support they need.

Labours Pam Duncan-Glancy said: It is clear the SNP government is failing to support teachers  with pupils paying the price.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said the rates of persistent absence are not acceptable and added: There must be a renewed drive to address this as a priority.

The 4 reasons kids dodge school ... and what we need to do about it

Commentary by Cameron Wyllie

The rise in pupil absence rates represents nothing less than a disaster for thousands of young Scots  and for the education system.

Much of the blame can be attributed to the fallout from the lockdown years when schools were forced to close and pupils, in theory, learned remotely.

The latest figures for 2022-23 show a continuing decline in school attendance.

The headline figure is 90 per cent attendance  down from a fairly steady 93 per cent in the days before Covid.

Three per cent  does that really matter? If it was your childs result in a maths test, maybe not. But, if you stop and think, that means the average child in Scotland is now absent for one day a fortnight.

Thats particularly damaging for young people from the poorest sectors of society, who tend to be absent more. One of the central missions of Scottish schools over the past decade has been trying to close the poverty-related attainment gap.

Skiving school is as old as the hills but these days were at a whole new level.

According to Nicola Sturgeons statement in 2015, this was the issue on which she should be judged.

But by most measures that attainment gap is getting worse and absenteeism from school must play a part in that story.

If youre not at school, you cant learn.

During the height of the pandemic no one went to school and teachers throughout Scotland tried very hard to provide online education.

Again, the least well-off children  those without the necessary equipment and the suitable study spaces  were those who benefited least from all this effort.

Now, for a whole myriad of reasons, many of these children are habitually absent from school. What are these reasons, and what can be done?

If you ask senior teachers why young people dont attend, the four answers they generally come up with are anxiety, mental illness, negligence and fear.

All of these are complex problems requiring thought-through solutions.

The most obvious reason young people fail to attend school is, as ever, illness. Are our young people simply less healthy? The evidence suggests increasing numbers of young people are off school because of issues to do with their mental health  stress, anxiety, depression.

One would hope that for these kids school would provide some solace, a place of safety, with concerned professionals there to care for them. The truth of the matter is Scotlands teaching profession is on its knees, and pastoral staff spend much of their time dealing with serious disciplinary issues, and lack the time and resources to deal with young people with serious mental health problems.

At the same time, the CAMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services) provision in Scotland is swamped, with referrals taking up to 18 months. In addition, some young people have caring responsibilities for their parents or siblings which make regular attendance at school more difficult.

For others, stress and anxiety is caused by them feeling unsafe in schools. As incidences of violence and disruption grow, so inevitably do the number of children feeling afraid; for every bully theres a victim.

And then theres skiving. Skiving school is as old as the hills but these days were at a whole new level.

For some children, the whole pandemic was, essentially, one long skive, and  like some mothers and fathers who got used to working at home and have never returned full-time to the office  they just cant get back into the rhythm of the school day.

School, in their minds, has become optional. They may set out and not go; they may arrive and not register; sometimes they register then dont go to classes, but mainly they just decide not to bother and their harried parents, often rushing to get to work, just let it happen.

This, of course, is truancy, and once again schools lack the resources to deal with it. Yes, there are procedures in place to deal with persistent truants, but these labyrinthine processes have many stages and are generally completely ineffective.

Essentially, we need much more investment in the education welfare officers who have to do the hard graft of getting truants back into schools; but they need to be fully supported by parents, and parental reaction and support can be half-hearted.

Gone are the days, for many parents, where their childs education was a golden chalice to be protected at all costs  hence the much-publicised issues surrounding taking holidays in term time, another contributory factor to these worrying figures.

We need to ensure schools can provide safe environments for vulnerable children and that the education they have is flexible and, if necessary, tailored to their needs.

We need to act more quickly and get these youngsters back to school. In short, we need to be tough when necessary on non-attendance and tough on its causes  and we need a new approach soon. About one in ten pupils arent at school on any one school day now: enoughs enough.

Cameron Wyllie is a former head teacher of George Heriots School in Edinburgh and author of blog A House in Joppa.
BBC presenter Glenn Campbell was airlifted from a mountainside after becoming unwell minutes into a five-hour trek.

The broadcaster, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour last year, was at the start of his ascent up a 3,425ft Munro when he fell ill.

The political journalist was airlifted from the scene, a short walk from the Ben Lawers car park near Killin, Perthshire, after mountain rescue teams were summoned to the hillside to help him.

Mr Campbell yesterday said: I was sorry not to be able to climb Meall nan Tarmachan on Sunday because I became unwell ten minutes walk from the Ben Lawers car park.

I am very grateful to my experienced hiking partner and other walkers for making me comfortable on the hill and to the emergency services for their impressive response.

Killin Mountain Rescue and Tayside Mountain Rescue were dispatched to the scene after the alarm was raised, with Mr Campbell treated on the hillside before he was airlifted to the nearest hospital. The team said Mr Campbell was airlifted by Rescue 199 helicopter, and added: We wish the casualty well.

BBC Scotland political journalist Glenn Campbell was airlifted from a mountainside after becoming unwell minutes into a five-hour trek

A helicopter was scrambled for the hillside rescue

Mr Campbell was minutes into Meall nan Tarmachan walk

It is understood the presenter, who is a familiar face in the corridors of Holyrood and TV screens across the nation, returned home on Sunday.

It is also understood he is now feeling well again, and is taking time to rest before his next round of chemotherapy.

His mountainside ordeal came after he was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour called an oligodendroglioma, which tends to respond better to treatment than many other types, last summer.

Mr Campbell wrote about his health battle earlier this year. The BBC Scotland political editor revealed in January: I do have an incurable brain cancer. It is almost certainly what will kill me, but I am optimistic that need not happen for a long time yet.

Over the autumn, I had 33 blasts of radiotherapy. I started chemotherapy before Christmas and I should be having the second of six chemo cocktails with my Burns supper.

I have remained healthy and active throughout my treatment so far. I have been able to keep working, keep walking my dog and climb a few mountains.

In his BBC online article, which told of how hard he found it to tell his children Cameron and Katie what was happening to him, he had shared images of him on the summit of Mount Keen in October, during his radiotherapy, and near the summit of Schiehallion in November.

Meall nan Tarmachan is the only Munro summit on the Tarmachan ridge and is one of the easier summits to reach thanks to its high starting point at the Ben Lawers car park.

The eight-mile route normally takes walkers between five and seven hours.

After making his cancer diagnosis public, Mr Campbell revealed: Instead of worrying about dying from brain cancer, I can see the potential for it to give me a new lease of life. In some ways that has already begun.

He added: I am spending more time with friends and family, who have humbled me with their love and support.

I am taking more time to appreciate simple pleasures, especially walking in Scotlands breathtaking landscapes.

Mr Campbells grape-sized tumour was revealed following a bike crash in June 2023 which left him with broken ribs.
The hospital where Kate Middleton was treated is at the centre of a huge security scandal tonight after reports staff attempted to access the Royal's private medical records.

Bosses of The London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales underwent planned abdominal surgery in January, launched the investigation after it was claimed at least one member of staff tried to access the royal's notes.

One insider at the hospital said of the alleged breach: 'This is a major security breach and incredibly damaging for the hospital, given its unblemished reputation for treating members of the Royal Family.

'Senior hospital bosses contacted Kensington Palace immediately after the incident was brought to their attention and assured the palace there would be a full investigation.

'The whole medical staff have been left utterly shocked and distraught over the allegations and were very hurt that a trusted colleague could have allegedly been responsible for such a breach of trust and ethics.'

A huge security breach has taken place at the hospital where Kate Middleton was treated after staff were reportedly accused of attempting to access her private medical records

The London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales was treated after undergoing abdominal surgery, first opened its doors in 1932. Above: Police outside the hospital today as Kate undergoes treatement

King Charles walks out of The London Clinic on January following a three night stay in hospital after prostate surgery

Kate is said to be aware of the alleged incident while a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: 'This is a matter for the London Clinic.'

It is a criminal offence for staff in any NHS or private healthcare setting to access the medical records of a patient without the consent of the medical provider's data controller.

An Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that we have received a breach report and are assessing the information provided.'

The Met Police told MailOnline it was unable to comment without knowing if the clinic had reported the incident to the force.

The London Clinic refused to speak about the claims but told the Mirror it firmly believes 'that all our patients, no matter their status, deserve total privacy and confidentiality regarding their medical information'.

It did not respond to questions form MailOnline about whether any staff had been suspended pending the investigation.

The clinic, based in Marylebone, central London, also did not answer when it was made first aware of the alleged security breach.

The probe comes amid a tsunami of speculation being made on social media about the Princess' unknown health condition, that Kensington Palace said would see her out of action until after Easter.

Baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories spread about her online included that she is dead, has been replaced by a body double or the Wales' marriage is in trouble.

The absurd claims only intensified when the Princess took the blame for the family photograph released by Kensington Palace on Mother's Day, which was 'killed' by six of the world's top picture agencies over concerns that it had been 'manipulated'.

Prince William was seen at the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield as his wife continues to recover

The London clinic refused to comment on the claims but said told the paper it firmly believes 'that all our patients, no matter their status, deserve total privacy and confidentiality regarding their medical information'

Kensington Palace released the picture of the Princess of Wales since surgery

The furor on social media led the Princess to make a personal apology on X, writing 'Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.'

The hospital's investigation comes just days after videos and pictures emerged on Monday of Kate and Prince William attending a farm shop in Windsor.

It showed a smiling Kate carrying a shopping bag as she walked swiftly from the shop, a mile away from their Adelaide Cottage.

While the film provided relief to millions in the UK - suggesting that the Princess' recovery is on track - crazed trolls took to social media claiming that the video was not Kate but a body double.

Details of her condition have not been revealed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that the Princess wished her personal medical information to remain private.

Last week, friends of William and Kate said they 'want to be clear and more open' about her health woes - but will only share with the public 'when they feel ready'.

The Princess underwent the major surgery on January 16 and is expected to return to public duty after April 17, when her children start back at Lambrook School, near Ascot, following the Easter Holidays.

'She and William are at their most open when out interacting with the public. I can see a world in which the Princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements,' a source told the Sunday Times.

'If she was going to do it, that's how she would do it. They appreciate the public's love and affection for their children and know there is a public appetite to see them on their birthdays.'

Kensington Palace has maintained that Kate is 'doing well' and will only provide significant updates.

Prince and Princess of Wales with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in Norfolk in 2022

William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey to attend The Commonwealth Day Service last Monday

Kate is pictured at the Christmas Day morning church service in Sandringham last year, which was the last time she was seen at a royal engagement before her surgery

There has been some speculation that the Princess could now make an earlier return and may even be seen walking into the annual Easter Matins service at St George's Chapel on the Windsor estate.

According to the Telegraph, the Princess has not ruled out making a return to the public eye on Easter Sunday and could join her family for the traditional walk about, which would be photographed.

A palace source told the paper there had been 'no confirmation either way' adding that anything else was speculation.

Tonight's security breach is not the first time the Princess has faced public exposure of otherwise private medical records.

In 2012, two Australian radio DJs pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles in a prank-call to staff at King Edward VII's hospital, where Kate was being treated for acute morning sickness.

Not seeing through their impressions, night nurse Jacintha Saldanha patched them through to a nurse helping to treat the duchess.

The stunt, which drew out information about Kate's medical condition, was broadcast in full. But it turned to tragedy when mother-of-two Mrs Saldanha was found hanged three days later.

The incident  and its tragic consequences  were known to have greatly affected the royal couple. In a letter written to Mrs Saldanha's family, William said they were 'so sorry that someone who cared for others so much found themselves in such a desperate situation.'

Kate, Charlotte, George, William and Louis at the Sandringham Christmas Day 2023 service

The London Clinic, where the Princess of Wales was treated earlier this year first opened its doors in 1932.

King Charles, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, was also underwent surgery for an enlarged prostate at the hospital earlier this year. He was pictured smiling and waving as he left the building on January 29 alongside Queen Camilla.

The hospital's illustrious list of previous patients includes Prince Philip, Princess Margaret, Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor and future US President John F Kennedy.

The clinic has a leading cancer centre which hosts patients for chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other treatments.

Since the 1980s, a number of facilities at the site have been officially launched by members of the royal family.

The King, as the then-Prince of Wales, opened the physiotherapy department in 1989, while Princess Margaret launched the MRI unit in 1991 and the late Queen unveiled a new cancer unit in 2010.

Queen Elizabeth II leaves the London Clinic after visiting her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh on June 15, 2013

The London Clinic has previously treated Prince Philip. The late Duke of Edinburgh is pictured above leaving the private hospital in 2013

Princess Margaret was treated there in 1980 to have a benign skin lesion removed

Prince Philip was admitted to the clinic for what was described as 'abdominal investigations' in 2013, whilst Princess Margaret was treated there in 1980 to have a benign skin lesion removed.

In 1947, Kennedy, who was then a US Congressman, was diagnosed with Addison's disease at the clinic.

Taylor underwent a knee operation there in January 1963 after falling on a film set.

Other former patients include former Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee, who was admitted in 1939 - when he was Leader of the Opposition - for surgery on his prostate.

Another former PM, Conservative Anthony Eden, had his gall bladder removed at The London Clinic in 1953, when he was Foreign Secretary.

Current Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who was PM from 2010 until 2016, was born there in 1966.
The entire population of Gaza is experiencing 'severe levels of acute food insecurity,' Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, underscoring the urgency for increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territory.

'According to the most respected measure of these things, 100 percent of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. That's the first time an entire population has been so classified,' Blinken told a press conference in the Philippines where he is on an official visit.

Blinken's remarks came on the eve of his return to the Middle East, this time to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and ramp up aid deliveries.

A United Nations-backed food security assessment warned Monday that half of Gazans are experiencing 'catastrophic' hunger, with famine projected to hit the north of the territory by May unless there is urgent intervention.

Martin Griffiths, the UN's humanitarian chief, has called for Israel to allow unfettered aid into the besieged Palestinian territory, saying there was 'no time to lose.'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a joint press conference with Philippines' Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo in Manila. Here he said that people in Gaza are facing 'severe levels of acute food insecurity'

Palestinians gather to receive free food as Gaza residents face crisis levels of hunger, during the holy month of Ramadan, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas

The bloodiest-ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.

Israel responded with a relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.

With aid agencies reporting huge difficulties gaining access to Gaza, particularly the north, the UN has warned for weeks that a famine is looming.

Donors have turned to deliveries by air or sea, but these are not viable alternatives to land deliveries, UN agencies say.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification partnership said Monday that while the technical criteria for a famine had not yet been met, 'all evidence points towards a major acceleration of deaths and malnutrition'.

Citing UN data, Blinken said 100 percent of the population in Gaza needed humanitarian assistance, compared with 80 percent in Sudan and 70 percent in Afghanistan.

'This only underscores both the urgency, the imperative, of making this the priority,' Blinken said of aid deliveries.

Palestinians flee the area after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City on Monday

'We need more, we need it to be sustained, and we need it to be a priority if we're going to effectively address the needs of people.'

Blinken is in Manila as part of a brief Asia tour aimed at reinforcing US support for regional allies against China.

During a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart, Blinken was asked about steps he was taking to address the lack of access to Gaza for foreign journalists.

'There are obviously profound security considerations in an active war zone and those have to be taken into account,' Blinken said.

'But the basic principle of access for journalists is something we stand strongly behind.'
The commissioner allegedly targeted the pensioner after meeting her on the job

She is accused of stealing $100K and adding $10K in debt to the victim, 96

An Orlando city commissioner allegedly exploited a 96-year-old woman and stole more than $100,000 from her in a years-long scheme.

Regina Hill is accused by Florida investigators of securing a power of attorney over the unnamed elderly victim, which she used to buy a home while also funding a lavish spending spree.

Alongside using the woman's name to secure a mortgage, she also allegedly splashed over $100,000 on a facelift, perfume, clothing, IV vitamins, a trip to Miami and dental surgery, according to court documents from News 6.

Hill has not been arrested or charged, but is the subject of a state investigation that was triggered when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) received a tip from one of her staffers who had been fired.

Orlando city commissioner Regina Hill (pictured) is the subject of a state investigation after allegedly exploiting a 96-year-old woman and stealing more than $100,000 from her in a years-long scheme

Hill allegedly became the woman's power of attorney, before exploiting her into obtaining a mortgage for an Orlando home (pictured) under the pensioner's name

According to the documents, Hill met the woman in March 2021 in her Commissioner job, and was intended to help her get improved living conditions. Within a month, she had become her power of attorney.

She then used her power of attorney to secure a mortgage for a home in the Lake Mann Estates area of Orlando without the woman's consent or knowledge, according to investigators.

Hill's son and girlfriend are believed to be living in the home, while Hill lives in a separate home that reportedly once belonged to the elderly woman's parents, which she allegedly spent a large portion of the savings to renovate.

She is also accused of racking up over $10,000 in debt under the woman's name.

In her spending spree, she allegedly used the $100,000 on luxury-brand perfumes and beauty treatments including dental work and a facelift.

Hill also used the woman's savings for a New Year's Eve vacation to Miami, and on a large number of intravenous vitamins from a company named Vitalounge, according to the reported documents.

The commissioner's office did not immediately respond when contacted for comment.

While she has not been criminally charged, Hill has had numerous other brushes with the law that reportedly surfaced when she first ran for office in 2014.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, news emerged during her run that she had a rap sheet with 21 pervious arrests dating back to 1983. The arrests included drug offenses, DUIs, fraud and passing bad checks.

She was also arrested in 2022 in Birmingham for public intoxication, the outlet reported.

Hill's son Rakeem was also arrested in 2015 when a cache of guns and drugs were found inside a home she owned at the time, reports WFTV9.

Hill is accused of going on a spending spree with the victim's savings

She allegedly spend over $100,00 on a facelift, luxury perfumes and vacations

Hill's son Rakeem (pictured) was also arrested in 2015 when a cache of guns and drugs were found inside a home she owned at the time,

The court documents reportedly stem from a petition from the 96-year-old woman's attorney to keep Hill away from the woman's properties and finances.

The petition reportedly led a judge to issue a temporary injunction a week ago, kicking Hill out of her home.

FDLE Special Agent Steve Brenton reportedly asked the woman about signing over her power of attorney, and said 'she recalled signing some sort of document but did not understand it and would have never agreed to allow Hill to be a power of attorney.'

Brenton continued that when he looked into Hill's spending, 'these purchases and/ or bank withdrawals exceeded $100,000, and solely benefitted Hill.'

He said that while her home had undergone renovations, the home the elderly woman had been living in was in need of repairs, but Hill had allegedly not spent any money to fix.

The agent's affidavit noted that before Hill met the elderly woman, she had over $164,000 in her bank account and around a $650 balance. As of October, she was left with $60,000 in her bank account, and $10,000 on her credit card.

News 6 reported that FDLE was tipped off to the alleged scheme last year, when a former aide of the Orlando Commissioner sounded the alarm after they were fired.

The former staffer, named as Jacqueline Cockerham, said that Hill 'tormented' her on the job, forced her to work long hours, and carry out her personal business.

The personal business included cleaning the elderly woman's home, which she described as being littered with urine and cat feces.

The City of Orlando released a statement after the investigation was launched, claiming it had only recently learned of the allegations.

'The City has been made aware of the injunction issued involving Commissioner Hill,' a city spokesperson said.

'We are not a part of the injunction and do not have any details on the allegations related to it.'
President Joe Biden said former President Donald Trump 'despises' Latinos in an interview released Tuesday, as he traveled to Nevada and Arizona, two Hispanic-heavy swing states.

The president taped an interview Monday for Univision Radio with Raul Molinar and hammered the presumptive Republican nominee for comments he's made about immigrants and controversial pieces of his immigration policy.

Biden is trying to shore up support among Latino voters - especially in Arizona and Nevada - as the voting bloc has been drifting toward Trump with a lot of Republican outreach.

'Trump, this Saturday, called migrants, he said they're "not people." He says immigrants are "poisoning the blood of this country," separated children from parents at the border, caged the kids,' Biden said.

The president also warned that Trump was planning a mass deportation, should he win in November and 'wants to end birthright citizenship.'

President Joe Biden (left) said former President Donald Trump (right) 'despises' Latinos in an interview released Tuesday, as he traveled to Nevada and Arizona , two Hispanic-heavy swing states. Biden is seen opening up his Nevada campaign headquarters in Reno

Migrants walk along the United States side of the border wall with Mexico to surrender to the U.S. Border Patrol near Campo, California last week. Biden pointed to Trump's comments on the migrant crisis and hard-line immigration policy in an interview with Univision radio

'I mean, we have to stop this guy. We can't let this happen. We are a nation of immigrants,' Biden said.

He also hammered Trump for helping tank a compromise immigration bill that was working its way through Congress, describing it as 'the most far-reaching immigration reform ever.'

'And guess what? Donald Trump got on the telephone, and this is a fact, started calling senators and saying don't vote for that or you'll be a victim of my retribution,' Biden said. 'And so guess what? It stalled.'

Biden pointed out how the bill would have accelerated the asylum process, increased the number of work permits and given a path to citizenship to so-called Dreamers.

Meanwhile, he reiterated, Trump and Repubilcans are trying to end birthright citizenship - meaning that every person born on U.S. land automatically becomes a citizen.

'It's crazy what they're trying to do,' Biden said. 'But there's a lot we can do.'

The Democrat set himself apart from Trump by saying that he 'never demonized immigrants.'

'I'm never going to separate families. And I'm still working to reunite those separated under Trump,' Biden said. 'He separated kids and parents at the border and encaged children. Planning mass deportations of literally several million people who are here in the country. Several million people,' Biden went on.

'I mean, this guy despises Latinos,' Biden said.
A major review into a so-called 'burking' murder involving one of Britain's longest-serving prisoners has been criticised by two former top judges.

The pair have criticised the Criminal Cases Review Commission's failure to appoint an independent pathologist to investigate the death of vagrant Alexander Hardie in 1988, in the light of evidence that points to natural causes.

Clive Freeman, an ex-polo-playing landowner, now 80, was convicted in 1989 of murdering Mr Hardie with a suffocation technique  dubbed burking  made famous by 19th Century 'body-snatchers' William Burke and William Hare, who sold the corpses to doctors for dissection.

According to the prosecution pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd, Freeman used burking to kill Mr Hardie, 49, in South London, as part of a 300,000 insurance swindle. But as revealed by the Mail, eight pathologists and forensic experts have debunked the theory.

Freeman has always denied murder, but 35 years after his conviction is still in prison.

Clive Freeman, an ex-polo-playing landowner, now 80, was convicted in 1989 of murdering Mr Hardie with a suffocation technique  dubbed burking

Retired Old Bailey judge Wendy Joseph KC has expressed concerns about the CCRC's handling of Freeman's case, which it is reviewing for a fifth time

Pictured: An artist's impression of Alexander Hardie. New evidence suggests he may have died from natural causes

Last week a major investigation by this newspaper disclosed a key prosecution witness has retracted his statement and prosecutors are facing claims that important documents were not disclosed to defence lawyers ahead of Freeman's Old Bailey trial. Now retired Old Bailey judge Wendy Joseph KC has expressed concerns about the CCRC's handling of Freeman's case, which it is reviewing for a fifth time.

In a statement sent to the CCRC she said: 'The jury were told there were two theories  either death by suffocation caused by a deliberate act designed to cause death (a la Burke and Hare) or death by natural causes.

'What they were never told was that a respectable and responsible body of expert opinion believes the former to be impossible.' The ex judge, who retired in 2022, added: 'Had the jury known that there was a body of scientific opinion that such a method of causation was not possible, this must have had some significant effect on their approach.

'The prosecution's job was to make the jury sure that whatever else Clive Freeman did or didn't do, and whatever else he intended or didn't intend to do, he actually carried out the act of killing.

'In my view it would be appropriate for the CCRC to review the current state of scientific understanding, and if appropriate to reconsider Dr Shepherd's analysis and conclusions. It may be the CCRC would be assisted by an independent expert.'

An eminent retired High Court judge, who did not wish to be named, said he also 'very much' shared the former Old Bailey judge's views.

He told the Mail: 'This case should be referred by the CCRC to the Court of Appeal.

'The only argument open to the Crown is that the pathological evidence as to cause of death was and remains inconclusive, and there was sufficient circumstantial evidence to prove guilt.

Clive Freeman, born into wealth, was a well-known racehorse trainer

Clive Freeman as a red-headed young man... and now with a silver beard in prison

'That was not how the case was presented to the jury.

'The Crown relied on Shepherd's evidence and the jury must have accepted it. Had they known of the volume of expert evidence dismissive of Shepherd's opinion, it is most unlikely they would have convicted.

'I agree with the criticism of the CCRC's failure to instruct an independent pathologist.'

The CCRC has been widely criticised recently following the Andrew Malkinson scandal, who was released last year after being wrongly convicted of rape and spending 17 years in jail.

In the Malkinson case, as in the Freeman one, the CCRC refused to refer it to the Court of Appeal because, it said, it failed the 'real possibility' test. This is defined as the 'real possibility' that judges will rule a conviction should be quashed.

The CCRC said last night: 'Mr Freeman has applied to the CCRC on several occasions previously. Following thorough reviews, it was determined that those applications did not meet the 'real possibility' test.'

Dr Shepherd has not responded to requests for comment.
Speculation about an autumn election intensified last night after Jeremy Hunt hinted it could be held in October.

Giving evidence to a parliamentary committee, the Chancellor revealed the Treasury is already working on the next comprehensive spending review on the assumption that Rishi Sunak favours an October poll.

In a further sign that the election will be delayed until after summer, Downing Street announced that European leaders will be invited to the UK in July to discuss the war in Ukraine and the fight against illegal migration.

Leaders from around 50 countries will be invited to Blenheim Palace on July 18 for the meeting of the fledgling European Political Community.

Jeremy Hunt stands outside Number 11 Downing Street before he delivers his Budget speech in The House of Commons at lunchtime, March 6, 2024

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosts his weekly cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street, March 19

Government sources last night insisted that the Prime Minister has yet to decide on an election date, but he last week ruled out going to the polls on May 2. Speaking to the Lords economic affairs committee, Mr Hunt said the next spending review, which sets expenditure in government departments for three years, will need to be completed before April.

He added: 'If the General Election is in October that will mean it is very, very tight and that is why we are thinking in advance about the most important element of that spending review.'

His intervention came as disillusioned Tory MPs suggested Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt's support for increased defence spending could bolster her hopes of succeeding Mr Sunak.

Ms Mordaunt has not publicly commented on reports that she is being lined up as a potential 'unity candidate' if the Prime Minister faces a confidence vote in the coming weeks.

Arriving at yesterday's Cabinet meeting, she said she was 'getting on with my job'.
Border Force's failure to inspect private jets poses a 'really dangerous risk to security', a sacked watchdog warned today.

David Neal, former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, claimed he would have pressed for a wider review of these arrivals if he had not been dismissed last month by Home Secretary James Cleverly.

The Mail revealed how 'high-risk' aircraft have been allowed to land at London City airport without security checks.

Mr Neal voiced fears the problem may be duplicated at other airports that handle private and chartered aircraft, known as 'general aviation'. He insisted a delay of up to nine months in appointing his successor would mean the watchdog's inspection schedule will suffer.

He told the Lords justice and home affairs committee: 'Most worryingly, it means that the remainder of this year's programme isn't going to be launched. Their experience will not be able to inform next year's programme.

David Neal, former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, claimed he would have pressed for a wider review of these arrivals if he had not been dismissed last month by the Home Secretary

Mr Neal pictured giving evidence to the Home Office Select Committee last month

Border Force's failure to inspect private jets poses a 'really dangerous risk to security', the sacked watchdog warned today (Stock Image)

The Mail revealed how 'high-risk' aircraft have been allowed to land at London City airport without security checks (Stock Image)

'One of the areas would be general aviation. I think this is a really dangerous risk to security, so we should be doing that  but there is no one in place to do that.'

He added: 'I stand by what I said in the Mail. The legislation requires me to identify border security failings. If I've not been able to communicate failings to the Home Office, either to senior officials, to the director-general of Border Force, or to ministers, then it leaves you with very few angles to go at.'

Mr Neal added there was a 'clear need for reform' of Border Force.

The Home Office published 13 of Mr Neal's reports on the same day last month when findings from an inquiry into Sarah Everard's murder by police officer Wayne Couzens was put out.

Amid accusations the Government was attempting to bury bad news, the reports revealed a litany of shocking failures in the nation's borders and immigration system.

The Home Office has disputed the accuracy of its own figures on high-risk general aviation arrivals.

UK Border Force officers are supposed to check 100 per cent of such flights that they have classified as high-risk.

But according to data given to Mr Neal, just 21 per cent of 687 were inspected by immigration officers at City airport last year.

The debacle means gangsters, illegal immigrants, trafficking victims and extremists may have entered the UK without scrutiny.

Mr Neal told peers he had been instructed not to discuss the contents of his report on City airport, which is due to be published by mid-April.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We have robust systems in place to check flights, checking every single individual's details against our Border Force systems when we are notified of a general aviation flight.

'Mr Neal's appointment as ICIBI was terminated after he breached the terms of appointment and lost the confidence of the Home Secretary. He leaked highly confidential and inaccurate information.'

They added that a new watchdog will be appointed after a 'full and proper process'.
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Detectives hunting for Samantha Murphy's body have called off their latest search.

Cadaver dogs, cops on motorbikes and dozens of officers on foot swarmed bushland in a 'significant' new search for the body of Ballarat mum Ms Murphy on Wednesday.

Fresh intelligence from confidential Victoria Police sources led detectives to launch an extensive hunt for Ms Murphy's remains at Buninyong Bushland Reserve on Wednesday.

The site is about 10km away from where the 51-year-old was last seen leaving her home at Eureka Street, Ballarat East at about 7am on February 4.

She went for a jog but no trace of the mother-of-three has been found, despite Patrick Orren Stephenson, 22, being charged with her murder on March 7.

The new search site is 3km from where Stephenson and his girlfriend were house-sitting around the time of his arrest.

At 3pm, Ms Murphy's husband, Mick, was spotted briefly inspecting the search site.

Police launched a new search for the body of Samantha Murphy in Buninyong

Officers from the Dog Squad scoured Buninyong Bushland Reserve on Wednesday in a renewed search for Samantha Murphy's remains

Cops on motorbikes embark on a search of the bushland

The new search launched by police is about 10km from original search efforts

READ MORE: Dozens of locals take part in commemorative jog for Samantha Murphy A group of almost 100 Victorians finished the final 7km Ms Murphy had planned to run Advertisement

The search has since wrapped up and it is not yet known if it will resume in a new location tomorrow.

'The search will focus on an area highlighted by intelligence derived from a number of sources,' a police statement said earlier.

Members of the public who have spent the last six weeks looking for Ms Murphy were advised to not join the latest search.

Police teams involved included members of the Missing Persons squad, specialist officers from the search and rescue unit, mounted branch, dog squad, public order response team and motorcyclists from Road Policing Command.

Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said police are committed to 'doing everything we can to locate her and return her to her family'.

'Since Samantha's disappearance, extensive searches have been conducted in the Ballarat area and today we will focus on an area of bushland in Buninyong,' he said on Wednesday.

'We will have a range of specialist resources involved, however as we are searching for Samantha's body, we ask that members of the public do not try and join today's search.

'Hopefully today's search will benefit the investigation or provide further avenues of enquiry for police.

'We will also look at further searches in the Ballarat area as the investigation progresses.'

Police have vowed to do everything they can to find Samantha Murphy's body and give her grieving family some closure

A cop suits up to jump on his motorbike

Police officers discuss strategy for the search

Dozens of specialist officers (pictured on Wednesday) have returned to Ballarat to search a new area of bushland in Buninyong

Missing Persons investigators along with specialist officers from various units, including public order response are involved in the latest search for Samantha Murphy's remains

Locals (pictured at previous search) have been advised by police to not join the latest search

The Buninyong area was previously pinpointed by police as a location of interest after Ms Murphys phone pinged near the Buninyong Golf Club.

Stephenson remains in custody and will reappear in court for a committal mention on August 8.

Stephenson is the son of former AFL player Orren Stephenson, who played 15 games for Geelong and Richmond between 2012 and 2014.

Police will allege that he killed Murphy in a 'deliberate' act.

It was hoped that Wednesday's new search would finally provide answers for Ms Murphy's grieving family.

'The adrenaline with everything that's been going on, it's just, it's trying to be brave for everybody,' her husband Mick told reporters a fortnight ago following Stpehenson's arrest.

'It's something you wouldn't want anybody to experience.'

Police remain hopeful of finding Samantha's Murphy's remains after a new search began on Wednesday

Police (pictured during Wednesday's new search) are acting on new information received 'from a number of sources'

It comes after Patrick Stephenson, 22, was charged with one count of murder following her suspicious disappearance.

Extensive police resources, including motorcycle officers have been deployed into the latest search announced on Wednesday
One week on from that disastrous Mothers Day photo debacle, and a brief, unofficial video-clip of the Prince and Princess of Wales emerging from a Windsor Farm Shop at the weekend has finally provided a reassuringly mundane answer to the question that has been dominating the internet for weeks now: Where is Kate?

Simple: where shes always been, at home with her family, recovering following an operation. Shot by a member of the public, it shows the Princess of Wales chatting and laughing with her husband as the pair carry their groceries to the car.

Her appearance will come as a welcome relief to all those, such as myself, who have been increasingly concerned about the snowballing of deranged online rumours, and the apparent inability of Kensington Palace to manage expectations of her recovery in anything approaching a competent manner.

The Prince of Wales at work on a homelessness project as he returned to royal duties in Sheffield today

Indeed, if Palace officials have shown us anything over the past few days its that they havent the first clue how to do their jobs properly. That Mothers Day photo they released, which was later withdrawn by all reputable picture agencies over concerns it had been tampered with, should never have seen the light of day.

Even if the Princess was, as she said, responsible for the alterations, someone should have identified it as a potential problem, and advised her strongly against releasing it, thus saving her the agony of having to own up to it.

Leave it to a member of the great British public to clear up their mess: one Nelson Silva, 40, who was shopping for steak when he spotted the royal couple in the bread aisle. He whipped out his iPhone 12 when he got to the car park  and the rest is history.

The footage is brief but reassuring. This is Catherine as the British public rarely gets to see her, just a wife and mum out shopping with her husband at the weekend.

The Mother's Day photo which Kate apologised for after admitting she had altered it

Perhaps because were so used to picturing her in full regalia, dressed up to the nines, elegantly coiffed and impeccably groomed, dripping in jewels, at first glance this Princess of Wales - fresh-faced, dressed like any other countryside yummy mummy in leggings, trainers and what looks like a hoodie (a hoodie?!) - almost seems unrecognisable.

She certainly doesnt appear to be struggling with her health. On the contrary: shes full of beans and looks more 24 than 42. I mean, seriously: how many women her age, with three children, could have such a spring in their step so soon after such a serious operation, not to mention look so fabulous without a single scrap of make-up on their face?

But the Princess of Wales is no ordinary woman. During her 12 years as a royal spouse  the couple will celebrate their 13th anniversary in April  the former Ms Middleton has not only shown how clearly she understands the assignment and the expectations surrounding her role, but also that she is made of far stronger stuff than that delicate outward appearance of hers might imply.

In particular, to have weathered the storm of the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs departure from royal life, and the subsequent toxic fallout and very vicious personal attacks on her own character would have tested anyone to their limits. Her grace in the face of it all has not only marked her out as a woman of quality, it has also placed her in even higher estimation in the minds of the British public.

Prince William is a very lucky man, and I hope he knows it. This woman will not only make an exemplary Queen, she already is a queen. As the young people say.

Speaking of queens, the footage is also proof positive of the effectiveness of one of the late Queen Elizabeths favourite mantras: I have to be seen to be believed. That is why last weeks botched photograph caused such a hoo-ha: it couldnt be believed because it had very obviously been tampered with.

This footage, by contrast, appears very much to be incontestable, although that hasnt stopped some people from trying: social media is still rife with conspiracy theories, ranging from the notion that they are both lookalikes to the idea that the whole thing has been generated by AI.

One of the late Queen Elizabeths favourite mantras was I have to be seen to be believed

For the record, the metadata  digital information about a picture which helped spot the anomalies in the Mothers Day photo  shows it to be genuine.

After such a catastrophic catalogue of errors recently, its a relief to see things finally going the right way for the Royal Family. But trust, as the late Queen understood so well, is something that takes a very long time to be earned and is easily lost.

In future, Palace officials might want to be mindful of this as they strive to put the confusing (and damaging, not least for the Princess herself) events of the past few weeks behind them.
The French bulldog is the most popular purebred dog breed in both the US and UK, with its big head, little body, and smushy face inspiring throngs of adoring fans.

But more than a century of breeding for its unique features has left the beloved pet with a host of physical problems - and an average lifespan of 4.5 years.

A new generation of breeders aims to change things for the French bulldog, and the end result may be a new look for the breed - with features like a longer snout to mitigate some of its well-known health problems.

Lily is the first dog that was bred by Hawbucks Franse Bulldog Kennel, a kennel whose owner is trying to breed a healthier Frenchie. Lily still looks like a French bulldog, but she has a longer tail, back, and legs than are often seen in the breed.

Some scientists argue, though, that there are not enough traits in the Frenchie gene pool to bring about these necessary changes.

They told DailyMail.com it may be necessary to breed Frenchies with other dogs to achieve the desired result.

At the same time, experts said this may require the public to rethink what a French bulldog is, because a healthier version of it will probably look a little different than the dog we have been taught to expect.

The French bulldog has big eyes and a flat face, with proportions that trigger the same nurturing and protective instincts in the human brain as a baby does, scientists have said.

They also have a short body - as measured from nose to tail.

The most popular breeds of puppy in the UK (aged under one) Non-designer crossbreed French Bulldog Cockapoo Labrador Retriever English Cocker Spaniel Chihuahua Staffordshire Bull Terrier German Shepherd Dog Shih-tzu Pug Border Collie Jack Russell Terrier Miniature Dachshund British Bulldog Cavapoo English Springer Spaniel Yorkshire Terrier Golden Retriever Labradoodle Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Advertisement

Due to their exaggerated body shape, Frenchies frequently experience breathing difficulties, spinal problems, and heat stroke.

Their short spine means they can't even lick their own rear end; their wrinkly face makes them prone to skin problems; and their narrow hips often require them to give birth via C-section.

And perhaps the most well studied part of a French bulldog anatomy: brachycephaly.

'Brachycephaly' means a short skull - in the case of the Frenchie and other flat-faced similar dogs like the pug, English bulldog, and boxer, it means a short snout.

The problem for the French bulldog is that its short, narrow airways have way too much soft tissue in them, professor Erik Olstad told DailyMail.com.

All that soft palate and other tissue in such a short snout is like 'a four-bedroom house moved into a one-bedroom apartment,' he said.

Overstuffed airways cause the breed's characteristic snoring - a trait that the American Kennel Club highlights as one of the its cute features.

'Whether its annoying, amusing, or oddly comforting depends on your tolerance and sense of humor,' according to the AKC.

Its labored and noisy breathing has real consequences, though.

Olstad is an assistant professor of veterinary medicine at the University of California, Davis. He has seen more than his fair share of French bulldogs die an agonizing death from heat stroke and hyperthermia in the southern California climate where he used to live, he said.

The breed's breathing problems leave it unable to adequately cool itself, making exercise dangerous under normal conditions, let alone extreme heat.

'It was just soul wrenching,' he said. 'It makes you go, 'What the hell is this?''

Olstad is no Frenchie hater, though - in fact the opposite is true. He describes them as 'so damn cute.'

'When I see a French bulldog, that's like a cartoon character in my exam room bouncing around,' he said. 'I feel the same feelings everyone else does. I'm like: 'Look at this frigging cute dog, I love it.''

In the Netherlands, Chantal Wageveld-van Kruining is working on a new variety of Frenchie: the Hawbucks French bulldog.

READ MORE: Pugs, French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs have declined in popularity by a THIRD in Britain Figures from December 2023 showed that the flat-faced breeds declined in popularity compared to the year before. In recent years, vets have raised serious concerns for these breeds' safety and have urged potential owners not to buy them. Now, figures published by The Kennel Club suggest that their pleas may have finally been heard, with flat-faced dogs declining in popularity in Britain by a third in 2023 Advertisement

Wageveld-van Kruining fell in love with French bulldogs after she adopted her first one, but spinal problems meant she had to euthanize the beloved dog.

As with many purebred dogs, consumers often simply accept breed-specific health problems - hip dysplasia in German shepherds, cancer in golden retrievers, and so on.

'Seeing the suffering being completely normalized by the public made me think that we should strive for a change of perspective of what we think of as 'normal,' Wageveld-van Kruining told DailyMail.com.

'It is not normal when a dog breathes with sounds. Or it is not normal a dog can not deliver her puppies naturally due to the body shape or lack of oxygen. Or a dog that can not reach it's own genitals for grooming because it is so short and heavy built,' she added.

'People laugh about these things, but it would serve them well to be in the position themselves where their body withholds them from doing their normal things. The dog's health and wellbeing should be the priority, not what we as humans find 'cute'.'

Motivated by a desire to breed a healthier Frenchie, she set out to breed a dog that doesn't have these health problems - even if it doesn't necessarily conform to the breed standard of what it should look like.

This means a longer snout and spine, as well as a tail.

And her dog Lily is proof that this is possible.

Lily may not satisfy the dog show crowd, as she does not exhibit extreme French bulldog conformation, but according to genetic testing that Wageveld-van Kruining had done, this dog is 100 percent Frenchie.

Lily is a Hawbucks French bulldog, a variety that is meant to lack the health problems common to other Frenchies

Lily's mother Yara has more of a typical French bulldog shape, but her snout is longer than average

She is what Wageveld-van Kruining calls a Hawbucks French bulldog, the result of careful breeding to get rid of the harmful French bulldog characteristics - features that experts like Dan O'Neill call 'extreme conformation.'

O'Neill is an associate professor of companion animal epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College in London.

'This dog would certainly fit the bill as a French bulldog that has moved towards improved innate health but that still looks recognizably French bulldog,' O'Neill said of Lily.

'The head shape and conformation here strongly suggest that much of this dogs lineage was the current typical French bulldogs that we are used to,' he added. 'But the body is much more moderate; longer back, long tail, longer legs.'

And he would know. O'Neill is part of the Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs, a group that is working to develop legal standards for ethical dog breeding.

The group is not just focused on Frenchies, but on all dog breeds for which the breed standard encourages extreme conformation: English bulldogs, pugs, and Cavalier King Charles spaniels, just to name a few.

Others are with them, too.

The cavalier King Charles spaniel is known to be particularly susceptible to spinal problems and heart issues - the result of generations of inbreeding.

The English bulldog, another brachycephalic breed, faces similar breathing issues as the French bulldog.

In October, the Norwegian Supreme Court ruled that the cavalier King Charles spaniel can no longer be bred.

As a breed it is so sick and inbred, the court ruled, with breeding worsening its likelihood of hereditary disorders and shortening its lifespan, that it was not only unethical but also a violation of animal cruelty laws to continue breeding it.

In the eyes of O'Neill and others like him, the situation with French bulldogs is no different.

'There are animal welfare laws that exist, and they are not being enforced,' he told DailyMail.com. 'We need to do something about and get them enforced.'

Scientists argue that to make French bulldogs healthy again, they need to have some new genetics brought in from other dog breeds. This individual is part American Staffordshire terrier

Legal options are just one avenue to pursue, though, O'Neill said.

Another huge area is public perception: If members of the general public acknowledge and accept that selective breeding for extreme conformation is hurting dogs, then demand for these purebred dogs will go down.

A major problem, he said, is that people want cute dogs but don't necessarily recognize that these dogs are suffering under the burden of that cuteness.

When a French bulldog is snorting and wheezing down the street, for example, 'the general public don't perceive that that's the dog suffering,' he said. 'So the issue really is our blindness to the suffering.'

But O'Neill and others suspect that there is actually not enough genetic diversity within the Frenchie breeding pool to breed healthier dogs.

To put it another way, long snouts have been so thoroughly bred out of French bulldogs that there aren't enough individuals with normal-sized snouts to have purebred French bulldog puppies that are innately healthy.

'A dog that's innately healthy is a dog that is born with the capacity to do all the natural functions that a dog of its age would be expected to be able to do, like sleep and run and breathe,' O'Neill said.

As he sees it, that simply is not possible with purebred French bulldogs.

Instead, he said, other genetic material needs to be brought in.

Kaptn is the third generation of descendants from a French bulldog who was bred with an American Staffordshire terrier

Lily and Kaptn's puppies are F4 hybrids, but because they are predominantly French bulldog, they can be considered purebred.

Simply put, to save Frenchies, they must be interbred with other dog breeds who possess healthy traits.

To this end, Lily just had a litter of puppies this month.

And while Lily is purebred French bulldog with more humane dimensions, her puppies take it a step further.

These dogs are technically, genetically French bulldogs. But they also contain something special: another breed's traits.

Their father is the third generation descendant of a French bulldog bred with an American Staffordshire terrier, making him what's known as an F3 hybrid, and the puppies F4.

The winning dog Elton scooped the prize for the best canine in the Utility Group and Best of Breed but animal welfare campaigners criticized the judges' decision

Campaigners were concerned that Elton (pictured) had 'no discernable nostrils' and would therefore struggle to breathe but Crufts officials said he had passed all the health checks

Hawbucks French bulldogs from Wageveld-van Kruining's kennel go for $3,000-3,500, depending on whether they can be homed at nine weeks old or must be kept at her kennel longer before being sent abroad.

'The highest goals should be happy and truly healthy dogs with longevity, and it does not matter if they have a small percentage of other breeds in them if that is what it takes to accomplish that,' she said.

O'Neill, for his part, agreed.

Broader progress may be hard-won, however.

Just this month at Crufts - around the same time Lily and Kaptn had their puppies - a particularly extreme French bulldog won both Best in Breed and Best in Group for the Utility Group.

Named Elton, this Frenchie has 'no discernible nostrils,' according to many observers, and a face so flat that it looks concave from certain angles.

O'Neill, like the others, is a lover of animals, and he has nothing against Elton as a dog.

'The dog itself is lovely,' he said, 'but this body is totally extreme.'

And when an individual dog that exhibits such extreme conformation wins the day, it becomes a sort of representative of the breed, showing the public what they should expect a French bulldog to look like.

The signal to would-be dog show winners, too, is clear: To win, your pup should look more like Elton.

Lily nurses the next generation of Hawbucks French bulldog puppies. These dogs contain American Staffordshire terrier DNA.

This AI-generated series of images offers a look at what French bulldogs could look like with some careful breeding to introduce healthier traits. At far left is what the breed looks like now, with a short nose and short spine and short legs. At far right is what it could look like in just a few generations of careful breeding.

Fortunately, Olstad pointed out, changing people's minds about dog breeds may actually not be so hard.

He points to the golden doodle as an example of 'a very expensive mutt' - a dog that is not purebred but is still highly desirable to dog buyers.

The curly-haired hypoallergenic pup is not a purebred dog, but a mix of the golden retriever and the poodle.

So if this example is anything to go by, people who want a brand-name dog may be ready to accept dogs like the Hawbucks - a French bulldog that looks more like Lily and less like Elton.

The breeder organizations making the rules about purebred dogs may remain an obstacle to change, partly because admitting that the breed needs to change would also be an admission that what they have been doing is harmful to dogs.

But by reaching the general public, people like Olstad, O'Neill and Wageveld-van Kruining hope to change minds.

'I have noticed the group calling for change gets bigger and bigger,' Wageveld-van Kruining said. 'They WANT a healthier dog they can enjoy longer without any worries about them being healthy or happy.'
Academia was engulfed in scandal this week after research papers across dozens of academic journals were found to have been written by AI.

An investigation found over 100 papers that were likely written, at least in part, by ChatGPT.

These papers slipped through because of lax or nonexistent peer-review processes at for-profit journals, stoking wider fears that the body of human scientific knowledge is being rapidly infiltrated by low-quality computer-generated garbage.

Many of these papers were published in obscure scientific journals, but news of this kind of scientific fraud hurts public trust in science, many scientists agree. Even before AI-generated text in scientific papers, so-called 'paper mills' have been pumping out low-quality and even plagiarized papers for years.

This article, published in the International Journal of New Media Studies, bears the telltale sign of being written by AI: 'As of my last knowledge update.'

This chapter from a book on media studies covers issues important to youth in India. It contains odd phrases such as 'Youth is the time of life when one is young.'

The influence of AI on research papers was exposed by a new report from the tech journalism site 404 Media.

It found there were 115 results for 'As of my last knowledge update' in Google Scholar, Google's search tool for academic papers. This phrase, which as of Tuesday returned 188 results, is often used by the bot to tell users how current its information is.

404 Media reported that the dates in the papers containing the phrase corresponded to the dates of actual ChatGPT knowledge updates.

The papers covered topics including spinal injuries, battery technologies, rural medicine, bacterial infections, cryptocurrency, children's wellbeing, and even artificial intelligence.

Many of the journals publishing these fraudulent papers are raking in money, charging the authors processing fees to publish their articles that do not contain any new ideas.

READ MORE: AI chatbots could be used to groom young men into launching terror attacks, lawyer warns Advertisement

A few of the search results are not meant to be fooling anyone, and in fact are about the pitfalls of using ChatGPT as a tool for research.

'Don't Trust ChatGPT: A Case Study of a Defective Research Tool,' is the title of one such paper.

Removing any results with 'ChatGPT' in them still yields a staggering 135 papers that include the odd phrase.

Some of these articles appear legitimate, while others are barely intelligible: 'Global Education Iducation and International Education Advocacy' is one such example of garbled titles.

The phrase even appears in a paper about how to make AI systems more transparent and explainable.

Bellingcat researcher Kolina Koltai posted a screenshot of one academic paper on X where the researchers included ChatGPT's cheery reply in their academic paper: 'Certainly, here is a possible introduction for your topic.'

Besides the fact that using ChatGPT is easy, professional pressure is a major reason this is happening.

ChatGPTis regularly updated with new knowledge about the world. When it gives answers to questions, it often clarifies when its knowledge was most recently updated. It is a useful note for ChatGPT users, but it also offers a clue that an academic paper was written by ChatGPT.

Bellingcat researcher Kolina Koltai posted this screenshot to X, showing a scientific paper whose authors did not even bother removing ChatGPT's signature cheery reply.

Academic researchers face immense pressure from their universities to publish papers, because they are one of the major ways scientists are evaluated when it comes time to get a new job or receive a promotion.

This challenge is so common, that there is an ominous phrase used to describe it: 'publish or perish.'

And for those looking to take the easy way out, plenty of academic journals are happy to oblige.

Normally the publishing process for a reputable academic journal is lengthy, involving peer review by other scientists, often followed by multiple rounds of revisions.

Scientists may even need to perform additional experiments to satisfy the requests of journal editors and reviewers.

This process can take months or even years, depending on what changes are needed.

This paper contained two different versions of the telltale phrase. The journal it is published in charges a mere $4 processing fee.

This academic article was published in December. It has been cited zero times since then, suggesting that other researchers did not find it useful

But generally speaking, the end result is a solid piece of work that has been scrutinized, polished, and perfected.

Not so with these 'paper mills' that accept nearly every submission - as long as the author also pays the publishing fee.

The International Journal of New Media Studies, for instance, has published two different papers containing the telltale phrase, 'As of my last knowledge update.'

The journal claims to conduct peer review, and even has a page dedicated to describing its process.

'The practice of peer review is to ensure that only good science is published,' reads the introduction to the page on the journal's website.

'It is an objective process at the heart of good scholarly publishing and is carried out by all reputable scientific journals.'

Peer review involves sending out a manuscript to multiple experts - usually three - who carefully read the paper and offer their critiques. Even with no major revisions, this process takes time, because reviewers are working scientists who must find time in their schedules to read the paper.

This paper is titled 'Global Education Iducation and International Education Advocacy.' It was published in January of this year, and it contains only four references to other studies

A second use of the key phrase in this paper shows that it was almost certainly written by AI

Yet the journal promises that articles will be published one to two days after they are submitted.

DailyMail.com has reached out to the journal's editors regarding its policies on AI-generated submissions.

The International Journal of New Media Studies charges authors $50 to publish an article, another $20 to assign the article a DOI number (used for online indexing), and yet another $50 to receive a hardcopy of the journal.

This journal is a glaring example, but it is hardly unique.

Searching for 'As of my last knowledge update' yields a huge list of papers published in all sorts of journals, covering topics as diverse as materials science, youth wellbeing, and quantum physics.

It is no secret that paper mills crank out low-quality papers for a fee.

But as AI chatbot tools become easier to use and more widely available, these low-value papers seem to only be getting more abundant.
READ MORE: ISS will plummet to Point Nemo when it retires in 2030

This is the furthest point from land and is the oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility

While most travellers hope to reach ancient sites or historic landmarks, one British explorer is trying to get as far away from them as possible.

Chris Brown hopes to reach Point Nemo - the most remote place on Earth and the graveyard for hundreds of pieces of space debris.

In the centre of the Pacific Ocean, Point Nemo is so far from any land that the nearest humans are on the International Space Station 254 miles (408km) above.

If successful, the 62-year-old entrepreneur from Harrogate will become the first Briton to complete a specific expedition to the point.

'I'm going to try and get in the water if it's at all possible...I also expect I'll open a bottle of bubbly when I get there,' he said.

Chris Brown hopes to reach Point Nemo - the most remote place on Earth and the graveyard for hundreds of pieces of space debris

Mr Brown and his son Mika, 32, set out on board the chartered expedition yacht, Hanse Explorer, from Puerto Montt, Chile on March 12.

The pair hope to be able to reach Point Nemo by March 20 or 21 if all goes according to plan.

While Mr Brown says he had considered using a racing yacht to get to the point as fast as possible, he ultimately opted for the safer option of a more robust ship.

The luxury yacht usually takes tourist expeditions to Antarctica and was scheduled to pass fairly near Point Nemo.

Mr Brown said that 'after a bit of negotiation, the owners agreed to our slight detour.'

Point Nemo is the furthest ocean point from land. The nearest landmass is Ducie Island, which is more than 1,600 miles to the North

POINT NEMO: THE MOST REMOTE LOCATION ON EARTH 'Point Nemo,' named after the famous submarine sailor from Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, is the most remote place on Earth. This remote oceanic location is located at coordinates 4852.6S 12323.6W. This puts it about 1,670 miles from the nearest landmass - Ducie Island. Nemo has the Pitcairn Islands to the north, Easter Islands to the northeast, and Maher Islands to the south. Its remote position has made it a popular spot for space agencies. They use it as a graveyard for rocket stages and satellites, as it allows them to return to Earth reducing risk. Advertisement

The crew's destination is the so-called Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility, meaning that it is the furthest point from land.

From Point Nemo, the nearest land is Ducie Island, part of the Pitcairn Islands, which is 1,670 miles (2,688km) away.

Besides a few small islands, the nearest large inhabited areas are Wellington, New Zealand and Concepcion, Chile both of which are over 2,500 miles (4,000km) away.

This area of the world is so remote that it has become the most popular place for international space agencies to drop falling space debris.

Since 1971, more than 260 pieces of space debris have found their final resting place in the waters around Point Nemo, including the Russian Mir Space Station.

Within the next decade, this remote stretch of the Pacific will also be where the International Space Station will be brought down.

When the ISS lands at Point Nemo, it will actually be seven times farther from any human settlement than it is in orbit.

The point has been known since 1992 when a survey engineer calculated the furthest point to land, taking Earth's ellipsoid shape into account.

Since its discovery, several ships have approached the point, including Ocean Race competitors travelling between Auckland, New Zealand and Itajai, Brazil.

Point Nemo's remote location has made it the ideal place for space agencies to bring space debris out of orbit since the chances of hitting anyone are so incredibly low

Mr Brown is travelling to the point aboard a chartered exploration yacht called the Hanse Explorer

However, maritime experts have stated 'it is possible that no human has ever passed through the specific coordinates'.

Nonetheless, Mr Brown does not seem daunted by the extreme remoteness of the location.

Ultimately, he hopes to become the first person to reach all eight of Earth's Continental Poles of Inaccessibility.

These are the points on each continent furthest away from any ocean, making them some of the most remote places on Earth.

Mr Brown has already reached five of the eight, reaching poles on Antarctica, Oceania, Africa, North America and South America.

Mr Brown and his son Mika, 30, are expected to reach the point by March 21 having set out from Chile last Tuesday

'I don't consider this to be as dangerous as my expeditions to Africa or Antarctica,' he said.

'The obvious danger is that you're miles from anywhere on the sea, and you're going to be a long way from any of the shipping lanes so if there was a problem with the boat, help would be a long time coming.'

During the expedition to the Antarctic Pole of Inaccessibility, Mr Brown and his son became briefly stranded in -18F (-28C) temperatures after their plane broke down.

But while Mr Brown might be adventurous, he also seems to have a keen sense of danger.

Last year he sprung to the attention of the media after it was revealed that he turned down a spot on the ill-fated submarine expedition to the Titanic.

Mr Brown said that he had even paid a deposit for a seat aboard the OceanGate vessel.

However, he pulled out of the trip after discovering that the submarine would be piloted with game-console controllers saying that it looked 'shoddy'.

While Point Nemo has been known since the 90s, maritime experts say that it is possible no one has ever sailed through the exact coordinates before

Mr Brown's ultimate goal is to reach all eight of the Continental Poles of Inaccessibility, of which Point Nemo is one

Mr Brown plans to gather water samples from Point Nemo to test for the density of microplastics on the way to the world's most remote oceans.

In addition to being a dumping ground for space rubbish, Point Nemo is also within a complex network of circular currents which trap large amounts of waste.

The South Pacific Gyre in which Point Nemo sits is a confluence of The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the Humboldt Current and the West Wind Drift.

As a result, this region of the Pacific has become a sort-of oceanic garbage patch.

Perhaps luckily, this area is also one of the least biologically active regions of the world's oceans.

In the 4,000m deep waters, there is so bereft of nutrients that almost no life can exist.

Scientists have only discovered bacteria and tiny crabs living at the sea vents on the ocean floor near the point.
The Southern American accent is one of the most recognizable in the world - but iconic sound varies depending on where a person lives below the Mason-Dixon line.

Linguists have found that the major divider is the coastal versus inland accent, finding the two groups mostly pronounce vowels differently.

Inland variations tend to form sounds with a tighter mouth, exemplified in words like 'goose' or 'boot,' while those along the coast pronounce the vowel sound with the tongue farther back in the mouth like 'gewse' or 'bewt.'

Coastal accents still include many pronunciations that are influenced by the British and Irish accents of early US settlers, while inland ones have drifted further away and become more of their own dialects, deeper and richer and more drawn out.

The inland accent is more closely associated with the classic Southern drawl.

Texas natives Woody Harrelson (left) and Matthew McConaughey (right) speak with the inland Southern accent which uses longer vowel sounds. They both grew up over a thousand miles from where this accent first took root on the Atlantic coast when settlers came from England, Ireland, and Scotland.

Walton Goggins, a native of Birmingham Alabama, speaks with more of a coastal Southern accent, characterized by speech that comes from the front of the mouth

Technically the South encompasses Maryland to Texas, a span that includes diverse geography, cultures, and ways of speaking.

In that sense, the 'Southern accent' can not be defined as just one thing.

Professor Margaret E.L. Renwick, associate professor of linguistics at the University of Georgia, said that simply put, there are two major flavors of Southern accents: inland and coastal.

Classic Southern drawls can be considered the inland accents, she told Southern Living.

Linguistic quirks like 'mergers' and 'fronting' are essential parts of the inland accent.

Mergers describe when two different words begin to sound the same because of pronunciation changes, and fronting describes when a word is pronounced more with the front of the mouth - the tongue sitting closer to the teeth.

These traits exist alongside long vowels and little quirks like stretching one-syllable words until they're practically two syllables.

There are two major types of southern accent, according to linguist Margaret E.L. Renwick, associate professor of linguistics at the University of Georgia

Renwick noted that the classic inland Southern accent is most commonly heard in North Alabama, East Tennessee, Eastern Kentucky, far North Georgia, western North Carolina, and western South Carolina, with the Appalachian Mountains being home to some of the most recognizable versions of the inland accent.

On the coastal side, Renwick pointed to how people talk in Tidewater Virginia or the Lowcountry. Here, accents take on a different flavor, dropping 'r's to make words like 'car' become 'cah.'

In some places like the Delmarva Peninsula of Maryland and Virginia, the Pamlico Sound area of North Carolina, and Tangier Island off the coast of Virginia, locals throw in surprises like swapping out 'ay' for 'oy' in words like 'prize.'

The locals in these places may sound much more like they are Irish or English than Southern American, pointing to the European origins of American English.

Reese Witherspoon, a native of Louisiana, speaks with a relatively light Southern accent. Louisiana contains a mix of influences, but her inland accent uses tighter mouth sounds than coastal Southern accents.

This map shows the approximate range of Southern accents in the United States, stretching from Maryland on the east to Texas in the west. Though there are differences among them, these accents all share some commonalities.

Louisiana presents a whole other swatch of accents.

Cajun country carries French heritage through its drawls, but in New Orleans, many locals speak as if they are from New York - likely a product of German, Irish, and Italian settlers who arrived before the 1900s, resulting in a similar mix as the one that yielded the classic New York accent.

READ MORE: Scientists say the classic Southern American accent is dying out Scientists observed the most notable change between baby boomers and those born between 1965 and 1982, when the accent fell off a cliff. Advertisement

Throughout the American South, though, Scottish, Irish, and English influences can still be found.

As early Americans attempted to mirror aristocratic accents from across the ocean, some minor changes in pronunciation led to an all new way of speaking - but without the 'Southern lilt,' many aristocratic accents from the time would have sounded just like the English spoken by upper-class Londoners.

Over time, Southern ways of speaking have turned into something distinct from their origins, and different regions have developed their own forms.

This kind of evolution is inevitable, according to Renwick.

'Language change is going to happen, there's no stopping it,' she said. 'It's natural, and it changes from generation to generation.'

This is true in modern times, but it's also true historically, as we trace the origins of Southern American accents back to the mother tongue from across the Atlantic Ocean.

Renwick pointed out several of the prominent features of Southern American accents.

A few distinctive markers, some of which have endured for longer than others, help discern a Southern accent.

Taylor Swift, originally from Pennsylvania, adopted elements of American Southern accents for her early music. She sang in mostly an inland accent, typified by drawn out lilting vowels

'One of the oldest sounds we know about is the 'i' sound, like 'ride,' 'why,' 'white,' and 'fire,'' Renwick said.

In many Southern accents, these words are pronounced more like 'rahd,' 'whah,' 'whaht,' and 'fahr,' though there are minor variations depending on the region.

This phonetic phenomenon dates back to the era of the Civil War, according to historians.

Renwick noted that the way Southerners say 'ride' is a quintessential aspect of the Southern dialect, a hallmark of its distinctiveness.

'That change in the 'i' is classic, an original Southern characteristic and recognizable across regional accents,' she said.'

A second noteworthy pronunciation is the similarity between 'pen' and 'pin' among certain Southern speakers.

This convergence of vowels is an example of a merger in linguistics, as mentioned above.

Something similar happens with the words 'mill' and 'meal' in certain parts of the south, where both of them sound roughly the same, both pronounced 'meal.'

Renwick points to fronting, too, as a third Southern linguistic phenomenon.

In this case, the tongue is placed farther forward during vowels, as demonstrated in the pronunciation of words like 'boot' and 'goose' - a feature known as 'u' fronting.

While fronting distinguishes Southern speech from its counterparts in Wisconsin, for example, it also can differ among regions.

The more people move around, the less distinct the differences become between people's accents throughout the south, Renwick noted.

These changes continue to happen in the modern day, as last year Renwick's team found that the Southern accents are on the decline.

According to their research, fewer white Americans in Georgia speak with the same accents as their parents and grandparents used.

But rather than these accents being 'lost,' Renwick and other linguists note that they are likely giving way to something new, and future historians will continue to trace the roots of these changes.
When it comes to jobs at the South Pole, explorers or marine biologists might spring to mind.

But scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have announced a new hiring push - and it's chefs, plumbers, and electricians they're after.

The new recruits will be stationed at the BAS' five research stations, which are dotted across Antarctica.

And while all living expenses will be covered, the jobs aren't for the faint-hearted.

People living in Antarctica are subject to icy temperatures of up to -49C in winter, as well as complete darkness for several months.

When it comes to jobs at the South Pole, explorers or marine biologists might spring to mind. But scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have announced a new hiring round - and it's chefs, plumbers, and electricians they're after

The new recruits will be stationed at the BAS' five research stations, which are dotted across Antarctica. Pictured: the Halley Research Station

READ MORE: I live in Antarctica and survive in -57C without seeing the sun for more than 3 MONTHS Matty Jordan (pictured) shares tales of battling blizzards at Ross Island in Antarctica Advertisement

BAS has announced that it's hiring skilled carpenters, chefs, electricians, plumbers, mountaineers, generator technicians, boating officers, plant operators and plant mechanics for the 'opportunity of a lifetime'.

'We have world-class laboratories, accommodation buildings, offices and technical facilities at our five scientific research stations in Antarctica,' said BAS' HR Business Partner Richard Howard.

'We need the best people to keep everything running smoothly and to provide top quality support to our science and logistics programme.

'The chance to work on the ice surrounded by stunning scenery, icebergs, penguins, whales and seals will be a fantastic experience.'

Mike Brian worked as a mountaineer - otherwise known as a polar field guide - at the Rothera Research Station, and called Antarctica an 'incredible place to work'.

'Where else in the world would I have had the chance to see icebergs floating past, and penguins and whales on an almost daily basis  all while at work!' he said.

'I often felt like I was living in a nature documentary.'

'My advice for anyone contemplating a job with British Antarctic Survey would be don't think twice; go for it!

'Antarctica is an incredible place to work, and BAS is a great organisation to work for.

BAS has announced that it's hiring skilled carpenters, chefs, electricians, plumbers, mountaineers, generator technicians, boating officers, plant operators and plant mechanics for the 'opportunity of a lifetime'

The job contracts run from six to 18 months, with salaries starting at 27,879/year alongside an enticing benefits package

READ MORE: Brits wanted to apply for one of the remotest jobs on the planet - working at the world's southernmost Post Office in Antarctica The UK Arctic Heritage Trust is currently looking for British people to apply to work at Base A Port Lockroy, Antarctica. This is the southernmost post office in the world Advertisement

'My time "south" has given me amazing opportunities and experiences. I've made so many fantastic memories which will last me a lifetime.'

The job contracts run from six to 18 months, with salaries starting at 27,879/year alongside an enticing benefits package.

All living expenses are covered, including accommodation, food, travel, specialist clothing, tools and training.

What's more, an additional allowance is also paid if significant training is needed at BAS Head Office in Cambridge before deployment in Antarctica.

However, life in Antarctica is a challenge to say the least.

TikToker Matty Jordan (@mattykjordan) shares tales of battling blizzards and encountering penguins, having worked in Antarctica for more than five years.

He currently lives at the Scott Base - named after the first Brit to reach the South Pole - which is wedged on the very tip of Ross Island.

Life here is far from easy, with the continent engulfed in complete darkness for half the year, facing powerful blizzards and even volcanic eruptions.

'Every time I go to Antarctica I'm humbled and reminded why I love my job, and why I do what I do,' he said in an Instagram post.

If you're ready to brave the cold, you can find the full range of jobs, on the BAS website. The application deadline is 31 March.
Millions of tourists are expected to flock to the path of totality during the solar eclipse on April 8 - and experts warn the influx could disrupt cellular activity.

Up to one million are set for Texas, 500,000 in Ohio and nearly 400,000 people could travel to Arkansas - and state officials fear the increased demand could trigger connection delays or dropped calls.

To ease the burden on many American cities, T-Mobile is deploying additional cell sites that will be on standby in areas expecting high tourist traffic.

And in a small Ohio town, which could see an 250,000 visitors, Verizon is setting up a portable tower ahead of the cosmic event.

Up to one million are set for Texas, 500,000 in Indiana and Ohio and nearly 400,000 people could travel to New York - and US network providers fear the increased demand could trigger connection delays or dropped calls

The total solar occurs when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun, briefly turning the outdoors dark during the daytime

When will the total solar eclipse occur? After passing through Mexico, the first state to see the total solar eclipse on April 8 will be: Texas (starting at 13:27 CDT) It will then pass to the following states: Oklahoma (13:43 CDT)

(13:43 CDT) Arkansas (13:45 CDT)

(13:45 CDT) Missouri (13:53 CDT)

(13:53 CDT) Tennessee (13:58 CDT)

(13:58 CDT) Kentucky (13:58 CDT)

(13:58 CDT) Illinois (13:58 CDT)

(13:58 CDT) Indiana (14:01 CDT)

(14:01 CDT) Ohio (15:08 EDT)

(15:08 EDT) Michigan (15:12 EDT)

(15:12 EDT) Pennsylvania (15:15 EDT)

(15:15 EDT) New York (15:16 EDT)

(15:16 EDT) Vermont (15:25 EDT)

(15:25 EDT) New Hampshire (15:28 EDT)

(15:28 EDT) Maine (15:28 EDT) It will finish in eastern Canada. Other parts of the US will just see a partial eclipse - because they are outside the 'path of totality' Source: timeanddate.com Advertisement

Rebecca Owens, director of the Richland County Emergency Management Authority (EMA), told the Richland Source: 'Cell phone (reception) will be very, very sketchy.

'There will be lots of issues with connectivity and that type of thing.'

A T-Mobile spokesperson told DailyMail.com: 'T-Mobiles network is ready for the eclipse. Our emergency teams are working with state and local officials across the country to provide additional support where needed for large gatherings.'

The total solar occurs when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun, briefly turning the outdoors dark during the daytime.

The spectacle will be visible to an estimated 32 million people along a narrow path through North and Central America.

It will mark the first total solar eclipse visible anywhere in the world since December 2021, and the first seen from the US since August 2017.

Whatever your location along the path of totality, the total eclipse should be visible for about four minutes.

However, the solar eclipse itself will not disrupt cellular service - the loads of people in the areas is what state officials are concerned about.

AT&T analyzed network traffic during the 2017 eclipse in the US, finding a more than double spike in SMS activity during the 24 hours of the eclipse path of totality versus the previous Monday.

Data showed a 40 percent increase in text messaging and a 15 percent jump in voice calls within those 24 hours.

Ulf Ewaldsson, president of technology at T-Mobile, said: 'T-Mobile is working hand-in-hand with state and local authorities to address the anticipated surge in network traffic to guarantee seamless connectivity for all.'

Arkansas is along the path of totality, where state officials are preparing for the tourist boom that could see the current three million population double in size.

Millions of tourists are expected to flock to the path of totality during the solar eclipse on April 8 - and experts warn the influx could disrupt cellular activity

To ease the burden on American towns, T-Mobile is deploying additional cell sites that will be on standby in areas expecting high tourist traffic

Rep. Davis Whitaker, from Fayetteville, said during a legislative meeting in December: 'I'm concerned about cellular communication.

READ MORE: Rare solar eclipse is set to become Arkansas' biggest tourist attraction Just two total eclipses have crossed through the state since it became part of the US after the Louisiana Purchase, the first in 1834 and the second in 1918. Advertisement

'Are the cellular providers in the state part of this plan?'

Arkansas Division of Emergency Management Director A.J. Gary told council members that cellular connectivity will be one of the top challenges during the eclipse, local 40/29 News reported

'Cell companies are involved in the communications. We also can bring in additional cell-on-wheels to boost that capacity,' Gary said.

Up north in Maine, Franklin County is also holding discussions to prepare for limited or even no smartphone service where tens of thousands of visitors are expected, worrying that 'cell coverage is scarce as it is.'

Franklin County Emergency Services Coordinator Rob Demarse told Adirondack Daily Enterprise that the town is working with the Department of Homeland Security to map all roads for cell coverage.

And in Texas, which is set to see more than one million out-of-towners, officials are advising people to enable Wi-Fi calling in the event of service interruptions.

The Lone Star state could also see a significant drop in solar generation.

Hugh Cutcher, a data scientist for solar power forecaster Solcast, said: 'Individual assets will lose up to 16 percent of their daily irradiance.

He also predicted there will be an over all 11.7 percent loss of the state's total daily solar generation.

Like any eclipse, it's important not to look directly at the sun with the naked eye while the event is happening  not even through sunglasses, binoculars or a telescope.

A simple pinhole projector, solar eclipse viewing glasses, which can be purchased online, or special solar filters are much safer.
Theyre bullet trains, but not quite in bullet mode.

Rather than shooting along at speeds of up to 200mph (320kph), these glossy marvels of engineering are trundling in and out of Tokyo Station.

Im watching this scene from my room at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi, both a boutique sanctuary and a trainspotters fantasy fulfilled.

My room, a Deluxe King, overlooks the eastern side of the station, which sees more than 4,000 arrivals and departures each day. As well as a commuter hub, it's Tokyo's main Shinkansen (bullet train) terminal, serviced by the majority of the eight major high-speed lines, including the ever-popular Tokaido line, on which bullet trains rocket past Mount Fuji towards Osaka and Kyoto at up to 177mph/285kph.

A Four Seasons representative can greet you from your train, ushering you from the platform to the hotel in under five minutes via an underground passageway.

Ailbhe MacMahon checks into Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi where she watches bullet trains slowly pulling in and out of Tokyo Station. Pictured: The view from a Deluxe Premier Twin room at the hotel

Ailbhe stays in a Deluxe King room, like the one pictured here, overlooking the eastern side of Tokyo Station, which sees more than 4,000 trains arrive and depart each day

The intimate 57-room hotel, which has been welcoming guests for two decades, occupies the lower seven floors of the glass-walled Pacific Century Place tower in the Marunouchi district in dazzling downtown Tokyo.

While east-facing hotel rooms offer ample opportunity for train-track-gazing, the prize for the best view goes to Maison Marunouchi, the Michelin-recommended restaurant on the seventh floor, where a corner table looks directly onto the Shinkansen platforms.

During dinner, I watch as Shinkansen passengers swarm into carriages, marshalled by white-gloved conductors.

The prize for the best view goes to Maison Marunouchi, the Michelin-recommended restaurant on the seventh floor, where a corner table (pictured) looks directly onto the Shinkansen platforms, writes Ailbhe

LEFT: Monkfish from Japans Hokkaido region in a spiced lentil and curry veloute sauce at Maison Marunouchi. RIGHT: Japanese kegani crab in a brioche bun with a fish broth at the restaurant

British chef Daniel Calvert oversees the menu at Maison Marunouchi, which Ailbhe describes as 'a Parisian-style bistro with teal leather booths and Art Deco room dividers'

The hotel gives children the chance to dress up as a conductor and play with a Takara Tomy Plarail toy train set as they watch the trains go by at the hotel, says Ailbhe

JAPANS SHINKANSEN BULLET TRAIN LINES Tokaido line. Maximum speed - 177mph/285kph: This connects Tokyo with Yokohama, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. Sanyo line. Maximum speed - 186mph/300kph: This takes travellers from Osaka to the city of Fukuoka, stopping along the way in Kobe, Himeji, Okayama and Hiroshima. Tohoku line. Maximum speed - 199mph/320kph: Japans longest Shinkansen line, this links Tokyo with Aomori in the north. Joetsu line. Maximum speed - 161mph/260kph: This winds from Tokyo to the coastal city of Niigata further north. Kyushu line. Maximum speed - 161mph/260kph: This links the cities of Fukuoka and Kagoshima on Kyushu Island in southerly Japan. Hokkaido line. Maximum speed - 199mph/320kph: This travels from the city of Aomori on the island of Honshu to the city of Hakodate on Hokkaido Island, moving through the Seikan Tunnel. Hokuriku line. Maximum speed - 161mph/260kph: This links Tokyo with the city of Kanazawa, stopping along the way in Nagano and Toyama. Its also known as the Nagano Shinkansen. Nishi Kyushu line. Maximum speed - 162mph (260kph): The newest line to open, this runs between the hot spring town of Takeo-Onsen and Nagasaki. Source: JR Pass/Hitachi Advertisement

The trains themselves line up like bullets in a belt of ammunition, ready to set off right on time - Shinkansen are rarely delayed.

My waiter tells us the view is especially popular with children, with staff occasionally having to clean mini fingerprints off the windows.

Taking note of their fascination, the hotel created a package that gives children the chance to dress up as a conductor and play with a Takara Tomy Plarail toy train set as they watch the trains go by.

But this trackside vantage point isnt the only ace in the hotel's hand.

It has cut through the high-stakes culinary competition in Tokyo and become a big player in the citys gastronomy scene with its two-Michelin-starred restaurant Sezanne, where British chef Daniel Calvert masterminds classically-derived French fare.

Calvert also oversees the menu in the more casual Maison Marunouchi, a Parisian-style bistro with teal leather booths and Art Deco room dividers.

There I have Japanese kegani crab meat in a brioche bun, steeped in a moreish fish broth (3,800JPYyen/20/$25), followed by buttery monkfish from Japans Hokkaido region (6,300JPY/33/$42) and a delicate strawberry mille-feuille (3,000JPY/16/$20).

I sample another slice of Calverts wares at breakfast the following morning with a serving of avocado on Sezannes light yet crunchy sourdough bread (3,000JPY/16/$20).

The Surrey-born chefs deft touch is also seen in the savoury section of the afternoon tea menu (7,600JPY/40/$51), while jewel-like desserts such as a ruby-red strawberry tart are crafted by Executive Pastry Chef Patrick Thibaud.

Afternoon tea is served in the seventh-floor Bar and Champagne Lounge, a space filled with elegantly dressed Tokyoites, asymmetrical sofas and a colourful stacked-ball sculpture by British artist Annie Morris.

Along with Maison Marunouchi and Sezanne, its been dreamt up by Hong Kong interior designer Andre Fu, who says he wished to cultivate a sense of escape from the city for diners.

Toronto-based firm Yabu Pushelberg designed the rest of the hotel, with lustrous black-walled hallways leading to spacious guest rooms.

Simple in design, my room has mint carpet underfoot and a sweeping headboard, with slate grey pyjamas left thoughtfully during the turndown service.

The hotel has cut through the high-stakes culinary competition in Tokyo and become a big player in the citys gastronomy scene with its two-Michelin-starred restaurant Sezanne. Pictured: The restaurant interior by day

Chef Calvert masterminds 'classically-derived French fare' at Sezanne, pictured by night

LEFT: Afternoon tea at the Bar and Champagne Lounge, with desserts by Chef Patrick Thibaud. RIGHT: Ailbhe samples the 'delicate' seasonal strawberry mille-feuille at Maison Marunouchi

Panoramic windows are the star attraction, with triple-glazed glass reducing the lull of train traffic to a faint rumble.

The understated luxury continues in the bathroom, with a deep limestone-edged bathtub and Epsom salts to sprinkle in it, along with Diptyque toiletries and thick bathrobes.

The hotel sets out to be a peaceful haven away from Tokyo's high-energy streets, and you feel this sense of calm the most in the spa, a bijou space with an 'onsen' hot spring bath and steam room.

Ailbhe says the hotel is 'just the spot for a luxurious nights stay before you catch a bullet train to your next destination'. Pictured: The bathroom in the Chairmans Suite

The hotel sets out to be a peaceful haven away from Tokyos high-energy streets, Ailbhe says, adding: 'You feel this sense of calm the most in the spa, a bijou space with an "onsen" hot spring bath (pictured) and steam room'

Those who are too relaxed to leave the hotel can sightsee from the comfort of bed, watching as one of Japans most iconic sights - the Shinkansen bullet train - parades below the window, says Ailbhe. Pictured: An early morning bullet train passes by her bedroom window

TRAVEL FACTS Ailbhe MacMahon was hosted by Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo At Marunouchi, where rooms begin at 158,000JPY (838/$1,057) per night. For more information visit www.fourseasons.com/tokyo/. PROS: A one-of-a-kind view of the Shinkansen bullet trains, Michelin-starred and Michelin-recommended dining, calm-inducing spa facilities, walking distance from the Ginza neighbourhood and attentive and warm staff. CONS: Bedrooms may be too simple in design for certain tastes. Rooms are quite expensive. Rating out of five: ***** Advertisement

There I try a 'Dermadrop' facial (23,908JPY/127/$160), during which a wand gently sprays 'supercharged ingredients' onto the skin.

After the treatment, my skin rosy with the promise of boosted moisture levels and elasticity, Im invited to relax with a steaming cup of ginger and lemon tea and crepe-wrapped 'wasanbon' sugar sweets, a Japanese delicacy.

My whole stay is underpinned by service thats ultra attentive but never overbearing, which Four Seasons says is based on Japanese 'omotenashi' - a centuries-old culture of wholeheartedly looking after guests.

One staff member shares advice for sightseeing in the nearby Ginza neighbourhood, kindly pointing me in the direction of the Kengo Kuma-designed Kabukiza Theatre and the stellar seafood and crockery stalls of the Tsukiji Outer Market.

Meanwhile, those who are too relaxed to leave the hotel can sightsee from the comfort of bed, watching as one of Japans most iconic sights - the Shinkansen bullet trains - parade below the window.

If youre using Tokyo as a jumping-off point for exploring the rest of Japan by rail, this is just the spot for a luxurious nights stay before you catch a bullet train to your next destination - with superior gastronomy, spa facilities and service making the ride all the more memorable.
Intimacy coordinators are now an integral part of films productions, helping actors navigate the awkwardness of intimate scenes with co-stars theyve only just met.

But, for actors and actresses who have already had their own bedroom scenes play out in private, you would have thought they would be surplus to requirement.

Not so for Ewan McGregor and wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who used one to help choreograph their sex scenes in forthcoming Paramount+ series A Gentleman in Moscow.

Despite being married for nearly two years and in a relationship since 2017, the couple were happy to be guided through the amorous scenes as they believed it was still necessary.

According to McGregor, 52, who met Winstead, 39, on the set of Fargo when they were both married to other people, it was still odd to be naked and intimate around other people.

Ewan McGregor and wife Mary Elizabeth Winstead used an intimacy co-ordinator help choreograph their sex scenes in forthcoming Paramount+ series A Gentleman in Moscow

Despite being married for nearly two years and in a relationship since 2017, the couple were happy to be guided through the amorous scenes as they believed it was still necessary

Its still necessary, because its also about the crew, and its odd to be naked in front of people, its odd to be intimate in front of the camera, he told the Radio Times.

If you were doing a dance scene, youd have a choreographer. Its an important part of the work now, because its somebody that the director and actors meet in the middle.

McGregor insisted there is a need for intimacy coordinators to protect young actresses, like his daughters Clara, 28, and Esther, 22.

My daughter [Esther] is 22. If an older, famous director goes to a 22-year-old and says, I want you to be naked in this scene, that actress might feel, Oh, my God, Ive got to do it, my career might depend on it, he said.

And then five years after that, she could look back and go, I wish I hadnt. Why am I naked in that scene? Its unnecessary. Now theres somebody she talks to whose career doesnt rest on the shoulders of this person.

McGregor sensationally left his first wife Eve Mavrakis, 57, in May 2017 after meeting Winstead while filming the award-winning Fargo together the previous year.

Winstead announced her separation from first husband Riley Steams the same month and she went public with her romance with McGregor shortly afterwards.

After McGregor filed for divorce in January 2018, his estranged wife said: Its disappointing and upsetting but my main concern is our four children are okay.

Set in post-Revolutionary Russia, the series follows Count Alexander Rostov, played by McGregor, who is spared from death but placed on house arrest in a grand Moscow hotel

Winstead plays glamorous actress Anna Urbanova, who strikes up a romance with the Count

McGregor insisted there is a need for intimacy coordinators to protect young actresses, like his daughters Clara, 28 (pictured) and Esther, 22

McGregor, who has four daughters with Mavrakis and a son with Winstead, recently repaired his relationship with daughter Clara after she called his new wife a piece of trash on Instagram. He and Winstead married in April 2022.

Set in post-Revolutionary Russia, the series follows Count Alexander Rostov, played by McGregor, who is spared from death but placed on house arrest in a grand Moscow hotel, based on Amor Towles bestselling 2016 novel.

Winstead plays glamorous actress Anna Urbanova, who strikes up a romance with the Count.

A lot of people would say, Oh, not all couples work well together. For me, thats hard to imagine, because it was so the opposite, said Ms Winstead of working with her husband.

To work with an actor who you have that immediate connection with theres no block to get over, theres nothing to work through. Its just there, its simple and pure. It was amazing.

A Gentleman in Moscow is out on Paramount+ on March 29.

A Gentleman in Moscow is out on streaming platform Paramount+ from March 29
More than half of the money the Government pledged to fund brain cancer research in honour of Dame Tessa Jowell is yet to be "deployed", a charity has said.

Dame Tessa, a former Labour cabinet minister, dedicated the final years of her life to raising awareness around brain cancer before dying from a brain tumour in 2018.

After her death the Government announced that it would make 40 million available to brain tumour researchers.

But 28 million of this is yet to be released to scientists, Brain Tumour Research said.

The charity's chief executive, Dan Knowles, said: "28 million of promised Government funding still hasn't been deployed.

'That money is yet to fund researchers, and it is yet to provide any new hope for patients and their families.

Actor Craig Russell, pictured with his family, had surgery for a brain tumour last year

The father-of-two, from Falmouth, Cornwall, was going blind in his left eye and his skull became deformed before he had surgery and had part of his skull replaced

'Research investment leads to innovation and clinical trials, resulting in new knowledge, new techniques, new therapeutics and improved options and outcomes for patients. If there isn't investment in research, clinical advancements will not happen.

'Other cancers in recent decades have seen increased research investment and associated improvements in survival. Now is the time for us to make the same investment in brain tumours and find a cure for this devastating disease.'

It is the second time in recent years that the Government has faced criticism for failing to release promised money for research.

In 2021, the Government committed at least 50 million for motor neurone disease (MND) research.

But the Department of Health and Social Care was accused of withholding the funding following the death of former Scotland rugby international Doddie Weir in November 2022.

The Motor Neurone Disease Association said at the time that none of the money had been released to researchers, prompting ministers to act.

Now brain tumour campaigners are set to gather in Westminster to urge ministers to release more funding and to declare brain tumours a "clinical priority".

They include actor Craig Russell, who had surgery for a brain tumour last year.

Russell, who played Mark Antony in the Netflix drama Queen Cleopatra, was diagnosed with a meningioma after suffering months of migraines and episodes of brain fog

'Before being told I had a brain tumour, I didn't know how little funding research this disease receives,' he said

The 46-year-old, who played Mark Antony in the Netflix drama Queen Cleopatra, was diagnosed with a meningioma after suffering months of migraines and episodes of brain fog.

The father-of-two, from Falmouth, Cornwall, was going blind in his left eye and his skull became deformed before he had surgery and had part of his skull replaced.

'Before being told I had a brain tumour, I didn't know how little funding research this disease receives,' he said.

"It's opened up conversations with friends and family who have commented how much more they are noticing brain tumour stories in their everyday lives.

'The fact brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002, is ludicrous.'

Russell in a scene from Netflix historical docudrama Queen Cleopatra, a hit on the streaming service

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Brain cancer is a devastating disease, which is why we've made 40 million available for research projects specifically looking for new treatments and therapies to tackle this illness.

'We've invested in research infrastructure, workshops and training for clinicians to further progress developments in this field.

'And we continue to encourage further applications for research funding from successful candidates through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

'We recognise the need to do more and will be convening a roundtable for researchers to come together to discuss how to drive faster progress in this important area in May.'

The Department spokesperson added: 'Brain tumours is a difficult research area with a relatively small research community and we are relying on researchers to submit high-quality research proposals.

'We've invested in every suitable research application made.'
Coma

Rating:

Nothing defines your social standing more clearly than the way you choose to enjoy a bottle of vino after dinner.

Perhaps you order a bottle of Argentinian Malbec, 'the good stuff,' for a heart-to-heart with a pal at a wine bar.

Or maybe you just nick a litre of Buckfast from the off-licence, drink it with your teenage mates in a playpark and leave broken glass everywhere.

If you're the harassed hero of a domestic thriller, you might pick up a cheap red and a cheaper white at the supermarket, knock them both back while gossiping with your partner and snacking on fish fingers, then retire upstairs for a woozy fumble.

That's what Simon Henderson and his wife Beth (Jason Watkins and Claire Skinner) do, to escape their daily stresses in the four-part domestic thriller Coma (Ch5).

Jason Watkins stars as Simon Henderson in the four-part domestic thriller Coma (Ch5)

She's a nurse, he's just been made redundant from his sales job, the mortgage is overdue, and their suburban neighbourhood is being terrorised by a gang of hoodies  that bunch from the park.

Simon has had a few run-ins with the yobbos. He tried to intervene as they battered a homeless man.

Later, one of them, a scrawny lad called Jordan, started taunting him, showing up at his door and scaring his young daughter.

When Jordan's threats turn nasty, Simon lashes out  landing a punch that leaves the youth in a coma.

Hence the title, in case you thought it was a reference to Coma Vella, a Spanish vino well out of Simon's usual price range.

And the Argie Malbec? That's favoured by Jordan's dad, Paul (Jonas Armstrong), a menacing Scouser who describes himself as a 'full-time gangster'.

When drinking red wine, Paul advises, go for the expensive stuff  it's lower in acid, apparently, which means gentler hangovers.

Mind you, after half a bottle, Paul spots a bloke he doesn't like and, following him into the gents', beats him senseless. Evidently, a couple too many glugs of South America's finest can bring out a fellow's aggressive side.

Simon has a few run-ins with the yobbos. He tries to intervene as they battered a homeless man

Paul doesn't know that Simon put his boy in hospital. Like the police and the local paper, he believes the lad was the victim of an unknown assailant  and that the mild-mannered family man saved his life by giving him first aid. Keeping up this pretence is making Simon quite anxious.

No one does mild-mannered and anxious better than Jason Watkins, and that's one of this serial's deficiencies. It feels predictable, a morality play with a cast of stereotypes.

If Watkins played the vengeful gangster, with Armstrong as the nervous nelly driven to breaking point, that could have made for a more intriguing drama.

The other problem is Beth. Claire Skinner is wasted as the overworked nurse, making her daughter's tea before taking on more overtime.

Her chief role is to give Simon reassurance that men don't have to be the sole breadwinners any more, before saying: 'Shall we open another bottle?'

If we followed the story through her eyes, it might be better  though we'd probably be seeing double.
They're the best of friends on and off screen, so it was only right Chloe Ferry and Sophie Kasaei matched each other's outfits as they headed out on Monday night.

The TV personalities attended the the Celebrity Ex on the Beach event in London.

Dressed to impress for the star studded soiree, Chloe, 28, looked nothing short of sensational in a plunging black mini dress.

The business owner and self-confessed party girl wowed in the daring number, which clung to every inch of her enviable frame.

She paired the look with black strappy heels and slipped a black coat over her shoulders.

Chloe Ferry (left) attended the the Celebrity Ex on the Beach event in London on Monday night and looked nothing short of sensational, while Sophie Kasaei (right) made sure she too stood out from the crowd in a figure hugging latex bodysuit

The business owner and self-confessed party girl wowed in the daring number, which clung to every inch of her enviable frame

The brunette beauty flashed a smile to the cameras and put on a show as she posed up a storm ahead of the anticipated event.

Meanwhile, Sophie, 34, looked incredible in a figure hugging latex bodysuit.

The influencer commanded attention in the racy piece, which cinched in at her slender waist and showed off her enviable legs.

Complementing her look, she wore statement gold heels andswept her chestnut locks off her face.

She opted for a smokey palette of makeup and accessorised with gold jewellery.

Also in attendance was rapper and internet personality Ivorian Doll, who proudly put her ample assets on display in a cut out dress.

She wore her hair in braids and added inches to her gorgeous frame with some clear open toe heels.

Love Island winners Paige Turley, 26, and Finn Tapp, 24 - who ended their three-year relationship just months before filming Celebrity Ex on The Beach - also took to the blue carpet.

The influencer commanded attention in the racy piece, which cinched in at her slender waist and showed off her enviable legs (pictured with Callum Best)

Also in attendance was rapper and internet personality Ivorian Doll (left), who proudly put her ample assets on display in a cut out dress, while Love Island winner Paige Turley (right) took to the blue carpet a corset style top and maxi skirt

Sisters Frankie and Demi Sims claimed their own share of the spotlight in all black ensembles and dripped head to toe in designer gear

Paige wore a corset style top and maxi skirt which featured floral detailing.

She caught the eye with a black floral choker and gold open toe heels. She styled her blonde hair in a glamorous up do and left some curls fall freely down her face.

Meanwhile Finn looked dapper in black trousers and a sheer black shirt with loafers.

Elsewhere sisters Frankie and Demi Sims claimed their own share of the spotlight in all black ensembles.

Frankie chose a long denim shirt jacket to wear over the top with a matching bag and shoes, whilst Demi posed for the photographers in a leather jacket and trousers.

The Only Way is Essex star, 27, completed her ensemble with blue pointed heels-backs, while a tasteful Louis Vuitton handbag and chunky silver necklaces appeared to be her only notable accessories.

Married At First Sight's Tamara Joy, 35, was also in attendance on Monday, with the Australian influencer model opting for a very daring mini dress that showed off her slender pins, toned arms and surgically enhanced assets.

Also present for the exclusive show, Canadian model Ashley Resch, 27 - the influencer & women's right activist - wore a very revealing black dress which showcased her impressive tattoo collection.

Demi meanwhile posed for the photographers in a leather jacket and trousers and slicked her hair right back to show off her heavy makeup

Married At First Sight's Tamara Joy (left) opted for a daring mini dress that showed off her slender legs, while Canadian model Ashley Resch (right) wore a very revealing black dress and chunky gold heels which showcased her impressive tattoo collection

Other guests included Jessika Power, 31, who eft her midriff and chest on show in her red and black matching two piece

Finn Tapp (left) and Joe Garrett (right) attended the Celebrity Ex on the Beach event at the Westminster Boating Base wearing all black and all white ensembles

TOWIEs James Lock looked dapper in slim fit trousers, a blazer and top which showcased his impressive build

Callum Izzard (left) and Zay Wilson (right) beamed for the cameras as they put on their best performance for the cameras in smart black outfits

Frankie Sims chose a long denim shirt jacket to wear over the top with a matching bag and shoes and kept her dark her polka straigh

Other guests included Jessika Power, 31, arguably the reason the world became obsessed with Married At First Sight Australia when she appeared on season six.

She left her midriff and chest on show in her red and black matching two piece.

Joe Garrett, James Lock, Callum Izzard, Zay Wilson and Bobby Norris were all also invited guests.

Celebrity Ex on The Beach sees nine singletons jet off to Gran Canaria on the lookout for love, while awaiting the fate of their exes' arrivals, in the explosive new series on MTV and Paramount+ starting this month.
Anna Paul's father Hanns has slammed claims he is homeless and his daughter does not financially support him despite making millions as a social media star.

Hanns is a nomad and lives and travels around Australia in a modest van.

Rumours ran rife on Monday that Hanns struggles to live out of his van while his daughter lives a lavish life filled with overseas trips, fast cars and expensive jewels.

Hanns released a statement to Instagram on Tuesday, slamming the 'gossip' and praising his daughter for being so supportive of his 'dream' lifestyle.

'It has come to my attention that there has been some toxic misinformation going on about my private life and my relationship with my family,' he wrote.

Anna Paul's, 24, (left) father Hanns (right) has slammed claims he is homeless and his daughter does not financially support him despite making millions as a social media star

'This is just to set the record straight. I have been living MY dream and my daughter has been nothing but supportive.'

He continued: 'If you have a look at my Instagram feed you will easily discover that I have been travelling the world in the last few years and that I am lacking nothing.

'I am very proud of what my daughter Anna has achieved and of the person she has become!

'If there is anything that can be taken from this is that idle gossip causes nothing but hurt. Don't participate! Now back to my family holiday.'

Followers of Anna and her father, who recently went on a holiday in Germany together, were divided as they flocked to the comments of the Hann's recent Instagram post on Monday.

Hanns, who is currently in Miami with his daughter Anna, shared innocent pictures and video of a pelican hunting for food as he strolled along a stunning beach.

Rumours ran rife on Monday that Hanns struggles to live out of his van while his daughter lives a lavish life filled with overseas trips, fast cars and expensive jewels (Pictured: Anna with her father, brother Atis, and her mother)

One follower kicked off the comments by directly asking if Hanns was broke, homeless and not being financially supported by his own daughter.

He immediately denied the accusations, writing: 'That's crazy. I'm in Miami now. My daughter is the best.'

Others continued to slam Anna, with one person writing: 'Anna is such a grub. From lying about growing up poor to now treating her dad like this, yet buys her ex a 100k car. I'm sure she could surprise her dad and upgrade his van if he wanted to live his life this way.'

Another said: 'You would think his daughter would at least buy him a nicer van.'

'So you're homeless, couldn't afford a bottle of water, while your OWN BLOOD bathes in money and leaves u to live in a van. Terrible family u got, can't even lie. They should support you no matter what you've done in the past. No father or anybody should be left in a van,' a third added.

Hanns released a statement to Instagram on Tuesday, slamming the 'gossip' and praising his daughter for being so supportive of his 'dream' lifestyle

Yet another commented: 'Hope ur okay. It's not fair for them to use you for your image whilst they're filming and then just let you go back to struggling after.'

Many followers rushed to Anna's defence, saying it was ridiculous people would ever believe such a rumour when Hanns has been open about his desire to live the 'van life' as he travels around the world.

One person wrote: 'This is legitimately so funny because if I had Anna's money I KNOW my dad wouldn't want to live in fancy houses and he'd love to live out bush on his own terms. Why are people acting like Hanns isn't a grown man with his own wants/needs in life?'

Another said: '[Her father] is out here living the dream and you're all feeling sorry for him. If he was an influencer in his 20's promoting van life you'd be lapping it up.'

A third added: 'Guys he posted years ago saying he felt liberated by selling his house and changing to travel in a van, leave them alone.'

'People are actually weird to assume stuff about you and your family. I will defend Anna till the end no shame,' yet another commented.

Anna has declined to make an official statement on the speculation.

Hanns immediately denied the accusations, writing: 'That's crazy. I'm in Miami now. My daughter is the best'

Others continued to slam Anna, with one person writing: 'Anna is such a grub. From lying about growing up poor to now treating her dad like this'

Many followers rushed to Anna's defence, saying it was ridiculous people would ever believe such a rumour when Hanns has been open about his desire to live the 'van life' as he travels around Australia

The accusations come just a few weeks after Anna dropped a whopping $200,000 on buying a car for her ex-boyfriend Glen Thompson.

They split in August last year after eight years together, and last month she shocked her fans by surprising Glen, 24, with a very pricey Nissan GT-R.

The social media star shared a three-minute long video to show her ex's reaction and how the surprise unfolded.

After having dinner with both her family and Glen's, the social media personality led her ex to his new set of wheels.

Glen looked to be in shock and close to tears as Anna unlocked the car and handed him a set of keys.

Anna revealed the GT-R, which can cost up to $400,000, was his dream car, saying: 'He's wanted this car our whole lives.'
Kayla Itsines sparked pregnancy rumours on Monday as she travelled to Sydney with her husband Jae Woodroffe.

The fitness mogul, 32, shared a photo to Instagram of 'airport snacks' as she arrived to Gold Coast Airport.

She then shared a closeup photo of the treats she purchased included a Crunchie bar, Kinder Bueno Chocolate, Nerds candy, Tic Tac and a bottle of water.

One of her friends then questioned whether she was pregnant as she indulged in the treats.

'Are you pregnant? This is rogue AF from you hahaha,' the message read.

Kayla Itsines sparked pregnancy rumours on Monday as she travelled to Sydney with her husband Jae Woodroffe

Kayla shared the comment to her story and wrote: 'My friends. Also no... I don't think so.'

Kayla recently made the move from South Australia to Queensland with Jae and her two children.

She was spotted soaking up the sun in her new neighbourhood earlier this month as she ran errands with her mother Anna on the Gold Coast.

The entrepreneur, who recently re-purchased her multimillion-dollar fitness empire Sweat, flashed her $100,000 engagement ring from Jae during the outing.

The sighting came after internet sleuths uncovered Kayla's latest home renovation project back in her former home state of Adelaide.

The fitness mogul, 32, shared a photo to Instagram of 'airport snacks' as she arrived to Gold Coast Airport

One of her friends then questioned whether she was pregnant as she indulged in the treats. 'Are you pregnant? This is rogue AF from you hahaha,' the message read

In January, Instagram account Keeping Up With Aussie Influencers spotted that Kayla was working on a property with the same builders she used for her last renovation in Malvern, SA.

Adelaide-based builders Morgan Build added one of Kayla's stories to their business page, showing a gutted brick hallway with the caption: 'Brick houses, built different.'

The highlighted story on the builder's page also showed other images of tradesmen pulling up the floorboards.

These posts from the custom builder suggested that while Kayla has moved her life up to Queensland, she is keeping one foot in the south.
An Australian influencer has had her employer's name tattooed to her face.

TikTok star Creator Jasmine - aka Brunette Bunniiiiii, is one of the stars using new Australian startup content platform Fantasy Mansion.

She is so sure the business will be a success she has become a walking advertisement for it, getting the name of the company tattooed above her right eyebrow.

The brunette beauty shared a video with her 123,000 followers capturing her visit to a tattoo parlour.

Jasmine looked focused as a tattoo artist carefully worked his magic and inked the business logo onto her visage.

TikTok star Creator 'Brunette Bunniiiiii' Jasmine (pictured) is so sure her new job will work out she has gotten her employer's name tattooed to her face

'You can't be the face of Fantasy Mansion without having it on your face,' she told Perth Now.

Fantasy Mansion is founded DJ Emma Bass and backed by tech millionaire Nick McCandless, and aims to help budding influencers build their reputation by pairing them with established figures.

Meanwhile, Amber Luke, 28, known as Australia's most tattooed woman, also uses the platform and is thrilled at how welcoming it has been to her.

The brunette beauty shared a video with her 123,000 followers capturing her visit to a tattoo parlour. Jasmine looked focused as the tattoo artist carefully worked his magic and inked the business logo onto her visage

In 2022, Luke revealed her full body tattoos made it difficult to find stable employment, so is thrilled with the new platform.

Luke, also known as 'Dragon Girl', has spent $250,000 on tattoos, piercings and surgery to achieve her desired look - but says she faces discrimination in public and in the workplace as a result.

She told Brisbane radio show Robin, Terry & Kip that having 600 tattoos, which cover 99 per cent of her body, sometimes makes her daily life challenging.

'I'm not going to sugar coat it, it has limited my employment options,' she said.

Amber Luke (pictured), known as Australia's most tattooed woman, also uses the platform and is thrilled at how welcoming it has been to her
Ben Platt is making big moves this week.

Not only did he release a new single and accompanying music video Andrew, he announced his first single album Honeymind and revealed he will play a three week residency in New York City in support of the album later this spring.

'Like my foremothers Liza and Judy before me, it is far beyond my wildest imagination to announce that I'll be playing a 3-week concert residency at the Palace on Broadway,' the Dear Evan Hansen star, 30, wrote on Instagram.

'I feel perpetually blessed to be part of the theatre community, and to have the opportunity to perform as myself and from my own perspective in this newly reopened, storied Broadway house is one of the greatest honors of my life,' he continued.

Platt's 18-show residency will run from May 28 to June 15 and Honeymind drops on May 31.

Ben Platt announced his first single album Honeymind and revealed he will play a three week residency in New York City in support of the album later this spring; pictured here in 2023

'Like my foremothers Liza and Judy before me, it is far beyond my wildest imagination to announce that I'll be playing a 3-week concert residency at the Palace on Broadway,' the Dear Evan Hansen star, 30, wrote on Instagram; Pictured in 2019 with Beanie Feldstein

Ben Platt Live at the Palace will include songs from his new album as well as songs from Reverie, Sing to Me Instead and a few surprises according to the press release.

'The evening, the latest chapter of a storied career jam-packed with hits and acclaimed performances in Dear Evan Hanson, Pitch Perfect, and Parade, will showcase Platts insightful original lyrics and breathtaking vocals from the new album,' the press release stated.

It continued, teasing fans with more of what fans can expect at Platt's residency, including, 'Selections from Reverie and Sing to Me Instead, as well as a few surprises for fans of the platinum-selling superstar.'

Tony winner Michael Arden will direct the residency. Arden and Platt collaborated on the 2023 revival of Parade.

Platt is no stranger to the world of theater or Broadway, and began his successful career as a child by starring in productions such as The Sound Of Music (2006).

He later appeared in the Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen from 2015 until 2017, which earned him a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical and made him the youngest solo winner to win the award when he was 23-years-old.

Ben has also tackled roles in both television and film, such as appearing in the Pitch Perfect franchise. He also played the role of Payton in the series The Politician, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

On a personal note, Platt is engaged to Noah Galvin. The couple first confirmed their relationship in 2020 and officially announced their engagement in November 2022.

'I feel perpetually blessed to be part of the theatre community, and to have the opportunity to perform as myself and from my own perspective in this newly reopened, storied Broadway house is one of the greatest honors of my life,' he continued, pictured in 2019

Platt's 18-show residency will run from May 28 to June 15 and Honeymind drops on May 31, pictured here in 2024

Ben Platt Live at the Palace will include songs from his new album as well as songs from Reverie, Sing to Me Instead and a few surprises according to the press release; pictured in 2024

Tony winner Michael Arden will direct the residency. Arden and Platt collaborated on the 2023 revival of Parade, pictured in 2023

On a personal note, Platt is engaged to Noah Galvin. The couple first confirmed their relationship in 2020 and officially announced their engagement in November 2022, pictured in 2024

Galvin actually asked Platt to marry him, a fact which was shared in their Instagram posts at the time.

The actor and his partner first met in 2017, when the latter took over the title role in the Broadway production of Dear Evan Hansen.

The pair developed a close friendship and were spotted in each other's company on several occasions over the next few years.

The Pitch Perfect actor went on to confirm that he was dating Galvin in May of 2020, and they went Instagram official that December.
Bethenny Frankel has stunned her Aussie fans by correctly pronouncing the name of a major Australian city.

The 53-year-old is currently Down Under for a speaking tour, which kicked off in Melbourne over the weekend.

While promoting the gig on Instagram, many of Frankel's Australian followers were amazed at her ability to properly pronounce Melbourne.

Americans often call the city 'Mel-born', with a big emphasis on 'born', but the correct Australian way to say it is somewhere between 'Mel-bin' and 'Mel-burn'.

Frankel, who has visited Australia twice before, seems to have quickly mastered Australian lingo.

Bethenny Frankel has stunned her Aussie fans by correctly pronouncing the name of the Australian city of Melbourne

The 53-year-old is currently Down Under for a speaking tour, which kicked off in Melbourne over the weekend

'Points for pronouncing Melbourne correctly and touring our beautiful city like a proper tourist instead of an uptight celeb,' one local gushed on Instagram.

'You say Melbourne perfectly, not many Americans actually say it properly,' wrote another.

Despite the praise, the debate around the right way to pronounce the city sparked a debate in the comments section of Frankel's post.

'It's only "Melbin" because of your accent. Anybody else sounds idiotic saying it that way,' one person snapped at an Australian fan of Frankel's.

'No no one pronounces it Mel-bin, there is a curve to the way we pronounce the R!' wrote another.

Frankel debuted her popular speaking tour, In Conversation with Bethenny Frankel, in Melbourne last weekend and she is now bringing it to Sydney.

She will be taking to the stage at the ICC's Darling Harbour Theatre on Friday to discuss her success and rise to fame with the audience.

'Points for pronouncing Melbourne correctly and touring our beautiful city like a proper tourist instead of an uptight celeb,' one local gushed on Instagram

Americans often call the city 'Mel-born', with a big emphasis on 'born', but the correct Australian way to say it is somewhere between 'Mel-bin' and 'Mel-burn'

According to an event description, she will have a 'candid conversation about unparalleled success, from brand building prowess to memorable moments on Real Housewives of New York and The Apprentice'.

She will also host a live Q&A where she will answer the audience's questions about entrepreneurship and reality TV, while she will also be joined on stage by MC Sally Obermeder.

The Skinnygirl mogul was joined by her daughter Brynn, who she shares with ex-husband Jason Hoppy.

It is Bethenny's third time ever visiting Sydney and she wasted no time exploring the sights of the city - and documenting every moment on social media.

She looked effortlessly chic in a denim jacket and a vibrant green wide-brimmed hat as she raised excitement for her upcoming show.

She told her followers: 'OK Sydney, we're in your neck of the woods now! This is my third trip to Sydney, which goes to show you how much I love it and love you. I love Australia. I'm thrilled to be here!'
Today show host Karl Stefanovic very bizarre conspiracy theory around wild social media speculation and gossip regarding Kate Middleton's health and whereabouts was debunked on Tuesday.

Until recently, the Princess of Wales, 42, had not been seen for weeks as she recovered from the abdominal surgery she underwent in January.

Looking healthy, happy and relaxed, Kate reassured fans she is making a good recovery from her procedure when she was snapped by a member of the public on Saturday visiting the Windsor Farm Shop, a short drive from their Berkshire home.

During a segment on the Today show on Tuesday, Karl, 49, discussed his theories with his co-host Sarah Abo and The Telegraph's Associate Editor Camilla Tominey.

He said he believed the footage of Kate and William was a set-up to quash rumours about her whereabouts, and other people in background were either members and staff from the palace or actors.

Today show host Karl Stefanovic (left) very bizarre conspiracy theory around wild social media speculation and gossip regarding Kate Middleton 's health and whereabouts was debunked on Tuesday. Pictured with Sarah Abo (centre) and Camilla Tominey (right)

'You've been brainwashed by the royal family,' he told Tominey, as the journalist insisted Kate had simply been recovering at home from her surgery and there was nothing more to the story.

'I mean, Sarah [Abo] can't go to Melbourne without getting paparazzied at the airport. How do the the two most famous people in that neck of the woods go to the markets on Sunday and not one person pulls out a phone, except for a guy with a long lens inside his car? I mean, come on,' Karl responded.

Camilla then stated that Windsor residents aren't bothered by their public appearance.

'Bear in mind, that they're local residents there. So people are used to seeing them out and about and they don't take photographs of them, because it's not a particularly rare occurrence,' she said.

'These are local Windsor people who will be like, "Oh, there's a couple of royals."'

Until the weekend, the Princess of Wales, 42, had not been seen for weeks as she recovered from the abdominal surgery she underwent in January. Pictured with Prince William in October 2023

Looking healthy, happy and relaxed, Kate reassured fans she is making a good recovery from her procedure when she was snapped by a member of the public on Saturday visiting the Windsor Farm Shop, a short drive from their Berkshire home

Sarah interrupted: 'It's the biggest story in the world! Even if they are local.'

'Look the people there, look at those people in the background. They don't even know it's William and Kate,' Camilla replied.

'Do you know what I think, Camilla? I reckon, looking at that vision, all those people around there are members of the royal household. They're extras on a set!' Karl chimed.

It has since been confirmed the footage of Kate and William was indeed taken by a member of the public and not by the paparazzi.

During her weekend outing, the princess carried her own shopping bag and laughingly chatted with her husband as the pair exited the shop and return to their car, according to the footage and images published by The Sun.

They were not accompanied by their three children, Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis.

The couple have, in recent weeks, been left deeply distressed by wild social media speculation and gossip about Kate's health and whereabouts.

This has since been reported by publications ranging from the New York Times to British Vogue - and even become the subject of cruel mockery on prime time American television.

Global superstars such as Kim Kardashian have added fuel to the fire with posts about Kate's 'disappearance' to their millions of fans.

The debacle over the princess' well-meaning Mother's Day photograph, which she later admitted to having tried to edit, only added to the swirl of speculation.

This was preceded by William's sudden announcement he was pulling out of his godfather's memorial service last month on what was only described as a 'personal matter' just 45 minutes before he had been due to give a reading.

Against the backdrop of the King's cancer diagnosis, the drama has created a febrile atmosphere of gossip and conjecture around the Royal Family.

Sources close to the Wales' have told the Mail they have found the speculation hugely hurtful and hard to deal with, but were determined to focus on what was important to them - their family and the princess' recovery.

It is anticipated that the new image, showing the couple going about their normal lives, will go some way to calming many of the wilder rumours that have gripped people across the globe.

The snap was taken at 12.43pm on Saturday by a member of the public who was also at the farm shop, just a mile's drive from the Wales' Adelaide Cottage home, on their Apple iPhone 12 Pro phone.

William and Kate were spotted leaving Windsor for Westminster Abbey to attend The Commonwealth Day Service last Monday. She has now been seen four times in a fortnight

Her Mother's Day portrait was edited by the Princess of Wales to make the perfect family shot. But conspiracy theorists have used it to question everything about Kate's health

The person concerned said they were visiting the shop to 'kill time' while on the way to meet someone to buy an item from Facebook when they recognised William and Kate and were struck by how 'happy' they looked.

They spotted the couple again in the car park and decided to capture the moment to share with their own delighted family.

'When I went inside I looked around and noticed them. They all looked happy,' the person, who wishes to remain anonymous, said.

On January 17 Kensington Palace announced that Kate had been admitted to The London Clinic in Marylebone, Central London, the previous day for 'planned abdominal surgery'.

It said the operation had been successful but would result in a two-week stay in hospital before a period of lengthy recuperation at home.

Her spokesman added that, based on the current medical advice, she was unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter. That advice has not changed.

A spokesman stated that it was the Princess' personal wish to keep her medical information private and said it would only provide an update if there were 'significant new information to share'.

The couple are said to have visited the farm having watched their their three children - George, 10, Charlotte, eight, and Louis, five - take part in sports. Pictured: Kate with Louis and Charlotte in May 2023

King Charles III (wearing his Welsh Guards uniform) watches a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour on June 17, 2023 in London. He hopes to attend this year, the Mail revealed today

However their clear statement failed to stop social media and overseas publications, websites and television from speculating wildly about the Princess' whereabouts and what may have happened to her. The hashtag #whereiskate began trending.

Even the BBC website tackled the issue, highlighting the outlandish speculation under the title: 'Royal dilemma as public curiosity over Kate's health grows.'

Some of it has been farcical, including the much-repeated rumour that she is recuperating from a 'Brazilian bum lift' or hiding away after a bad haircut.

Other claims, however, have been downright offensive - including that made by a journalist on Spanish television that she has been in a coma that gained huge international traction and had to be openly denied by Kensington Palace.

However trolls and conspiracy theorists have continued used her absence and the lawlessness of social media to spread deeply sinister and highly libellous claims to this day.

A spokesman recently re-iterated their previous advice that they were not going to provide a 'running commentary' on the Princess' health.

'From our perspective, we were very clear from our statement at the start of this in January that the Princess of Wales planned to be out of public action until after Easter and that hasn't changed,' they said.
Fans got a taste of Robert Irwin's hosting skills ahead of the I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here season premiere this Sunday - and were left less than impressed.

In a video shared to the hit Channel Ten show's Instagram, 20-year-old Irwin is shown around the African jungle set by his co-host Julia Morris, 55, but some commenters called their exchange 'cringey.'

'He's not the right fit,' claimed one viewer, while another claimed the duo's dynamic was closer to that of mother and son than previous seasons' 'court jester' and 'straight man' hosting setup.

Irwin has replaced Dr Chris Brown as Julia's co-host for the upcoming season after the latter defected from Ten to rival network Seven.

In one questionable clip, the new co-hosts relax in egg chairs before Morris encourages Irwin to try out the rope bridge.

Fans got a taste of Robert Irwin 's hosting skills ahead of the I'm A Celebrity ...Get Me Out Of Here season premiere this Sunday - and were left less than impressed. Pictured: Robert Irwin and Julia Morris

'I feel you need to have that experience. It's yours sir, go and feel it. I'm running down after you, but go down and immerse,' Julia says, as Robert walks across the bridge.

As the conservationist experiences the bounciness of the rope structure, Julia quips 'Should do it in a high heel... don't do it in a high heel Robert. That's not the direction we want you to go in.'

Julia then joins Robert on the bridge and they pose together for the camera.

'Gosh, this is stunning,' says the Wildlife Warrior as he looks out across the African jungle landscape.

'It's all ready for us, Robert,' Julia says, before calling out into the wild: 'Hello!!!'

In a video shared to the hit Channel Ten show's Instagram, 20-year-old Irwin is shown around the African jungle set by his 55-year-old co-host, but some commenters claimed it was 'cringey'

After an awkward silence, Julia looks at the camera and says 'No one cares. Nah.'

Fans made their feelings clear in the comments.

'IMHO I think it will be a bit cringey. Dr Chris Brown was the straight guy and Julia was the court jester. The chemistry worked,' they wrote.

In the comments, one fan thought the pairing of Irwin and Morris might not work for the new season. 'IMHO I think it will be a bit cringey. Dr Chris Brown was the straight guy and Julia was the court jester. The chemistry worked,' they wrote

'Now we have 'mum' and her 'son' in Africa. I'm not so confident. Look I really hope it works and my radar could be well and truly off,' they continued.

'They are both seemingly wonderful people and the show is mostly very entertaining. Fingers crossed I hope the producers have got the mix right.'

Another commenter agreed, writing 'love both of these two but am worried he's not the right fit.'

'Now we have 'mum' and her 'son' in Africa. I'm not so confident. Look I really hope it works and my radar could be well and truly off,' the fan continued

While a third wrote, 'I just hope it's not the Julia show and Robert becomes just a copy of her.'

These sentiments were echoed by another Instagrammer who wrote 'man these two together,' followed a emoji of a woman smacking her own face.

However, many fans were excited for the new direction of the show.

Another commenter agreed, writing 'love both of these two but am worried he's not the right fit'

'Loving this pairing. Sorry Dr Chris you've been replaced. So excited for the show to start let's do this thing,' one fan remarked.

'Cannot wait. Love this show. Missing the Dr though. Will see how Robert does,' wrote another in the comments.

The tenth season of the hit reality show will be filmed in South Africa and presented by Julia Morris, 44, alongside first time host Robert Irwin, 20.

Robert beat out big names Sam Pang, Jimmy Rees, Curtis Stone, Beau Ryan and Tristan MacManus for the hosting role.

The network had a hard task replacing popular host Dr Chris Brown, with Robert's natural charm impressing during his audition.

The show will premiere on Sunday, 24 March.
Married at First Sight star Tori Adams dramatically hung up the phone during a live radio interview on Monday.

The 27-year-old joined Pete and Kymba on Perth's Mix94.5 to discuss her relationship with husband Jack Dunkley, 34.

The radio duo proceeded to ask the bride an 'offensive' question about Jack: 'Has he got any friends? How come every time we go [to his home] you're being grilled by a couple of chicks he personal trains?'

A defensive Tori replied, 'So Jack grew up in Victoria and moved to the Gold Coast ten years ago. His community, his network are the people he met at work. It's such a low blow.'

Kymba continued: 'I don't call my friends my network. He didn't have any friends at the wedding, when you did family week and your best friend came to see you and support you, he had no one there.'

Married at First Sight star Tori Adams dramatically hung up the phone during a live interview on Monday

'And then when you do homestays you're meeting a couple of chicks he trains at the gym,' the radio host added.

Tori said 'If I can finish my sentence thank you, he does have friends,' before abruptly hanging up.

The shocked radio duo laughed off the situation, saying, 'If you can take dating Jack, you can take a couple of questions from us'.

The 27-year-old joined Pete and Kymba on Perth's Mix94.5 to discuss her relationship with husband Jack Dunkley, 34

The radio duo proceeded to ask the bride an 'offensive' question about Jack: 'has he got any friends, how come every time we go there your being grilled by a couple of chicks he personal trains.'

Social media users praised the radio duo in the comments: 'They deserve each other then, Kymba you did so well!!!! Somebody needs to tell Tori straight up!!!!,' one wrote.

'No words. Not sure why she even does media. Kymba you are awesome!' added another.

'Great questioning! If the experts had this approach from the get go, Tori and Jack would have been called out and walked out weeks ago,' a fan commented.

'At this point, I just think it's a business transaction. Theyve agreed to stay till the end of the experiment for views,' another wrote.

A defensive Tori replied 'So Jack grew up in Victoria and moved to the Gold Coast ten years ago. His community, his network are the people he met at work. It's such a low blow.'
Aaron Taylor-Johnson 'has been formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond', putting an end to months of speculation regarding Daniel Craig's successor.

The actor, 33, is yet to officially accept the role, but should he do so he will become only the seventh actor to play the iconic British secret agent since the franchise launched in 1962.

A recent poll suggested Idris Elba was still the public's number one choice for the role, despite being 51 - old for a Bond candidate - and already ruling himself out of the running in order to focus on his crime drama, Luther.

But Aaron, who is known for his roles in Nocturnal Animals, Kick-Ass, Nowhere Boy and Avengers: Age of Ultron, has landed the coveted part, reports The Sun.

A source said: 'Bond is Aarons job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has reportedly been formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond , putting an end to months of speculation regarding Daniel Craig 's successor

The actor, 33, is yet to officially accept the role, but should he do so he will become only the seventh actor to play the iconic British secret agent since the franchise launched in 1962 (Daniel as Bond in 2006)

A recent poll suggested Idris Elba was still the public's number one choice for the role, despite being 51 - old for a Bond candidate - and already ruling himself out of the running in order to focus on his crime drama, Luther (pictured last week)

'As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Aaron for comment.

Responding to the rumours that he could step into Bond's shoes last week, Aaron played coy, telling Numero: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'

He began acting as a child and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearance this year alone.

Aaron will be starring as a famous action star who goes missing in The Fall Guy, opposite Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

And he will also be appearing in the hotly anticipated remake of 1922 gothic horror Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers and featuring a star-studded cast, including Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe.

But Aaron's biggest upcoming role will see him rejoin the superhero universe, as he will be playing the titular role in Kraven the Hunter, the fifth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.

He also has been nominated for two BAFTAs and previously won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for Nocturnal Animals.

But Aaron, who is known for his roles in Nocturnal Animals, Kick-Ass, Nowhere Boy and Avengers: Age of Ultron, has landed the coveted part, reports The Sun (pictured 2022)

He began acting as a child and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearance this year alone (pictured in The Fall Guy)

The Bullet Train star's name has been in the running for Bond for a while now, alongside fellow A-list contenders like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and recent Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy.

In October last year, the Mail exclusively revealed that Aaron was the 'one to beat' to take the iconic role, while Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was looking likely to helm the next film in the franchise.

The insider said: Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently the hot favorite to step into the iconic role, hes the first choice for Barbara Broccoli  he is the one to beat.

They added of Christopher: He is extremely interested in doing something very different with the franchise. If he can get his way with producers, then he is all for it.

It was previously reported that the Oscar-winning director wanted to direct the next Bond film as a period piece set in the same as the original source material  something that director Quentin Tarantino had previously wanted to do with Casino Royale, but was turned down.

However, the insider added: Whether Nolan coming on board will affect the casting of Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently a grey area  as hes very particular with who he works with.

Christopher is known for consistently using similar casts in his films, working with fellow rumoured Bond stars, Tom and Cillian, on multiple films, including Inception, Dunkirk and The Dark Knight Rises.

Christopher worked with Aaron on 2020 film Tenet, in which the actor played military commander Ives.

In October last year, the Mail exclusively revealed that Aaron was the 'one to beat' to take the iconic role, while Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was looking likely to helm the next film in the franchise (pictured this month)

In March 2023, Aaron was said to have completed a screen test at Pinewood Studios with Bond boss Barbara and impressed her.

According to the Mail On Sunday, Barbara has made it clear she wanted the next actor to portray the character for 15 years.

Outside of acting, Aaron's personal life has generated much public interest, due to the large age gap between him and his wife.

He tied the knot with Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57, in June 2012, and they share daughters Wylda Rae, 13, and Romy Hero, 11.

Fifty Shades of Grey director Sam also has two older daughters - Angelica, 26, and Jessie, 17, with her ex-husband Jay Jopling.

Their relationship has caused controversy, as the couple met while filming Nowhere Boy in 2009, which Sam directed, when Aaron was 18 and she was 42, going on to welcome their first daughter Wylda the following year.

Sam previously spoke about falling for Aaron on the set, but insisted nothing happened until the movie wrapped.

She said: 'I managed to hold off really until almost the end of the film. We werent even together then. Maybe feelings were there but un-acted upon.

Outside of acting, Aaron's personal life has generated much public interest, due to the large age gap between him and his wife, Sam Taylor-Johnson, 57 (pictured in 2009)

Their relationship has caused controversy, as the couple met while filming Nowhere Boy in 2009, which Sam directed, when Aaron was 18 and she was 42 (pictured)

'The thing is, we had quite a psychic link when working together. I knew from a flicker of an eyelash what kind of performance I was going to get. I felt that link almost from day one of meeting him.'

The news about Aaron's offer to play the world's most famous spy comes after fans cast their votes to who they wanted in the role.

A study of 2,000 Brits by Lottoland, saw Idris come out on top, with some unconventional choices thrown into the mix, like Emilia Clarke, James Norton, Emily Blunt and Helen Mirren.

Bond is famed for turning those who play 007 into global superstars and the franchise isn't shy of casting left-field stars to take on the role.

The late Sean Connery, one of the most recognisable Bonds, had only featured in a series of TV films when he accepted the role of the titular British spy in 1962's Dr. No, catapulting him to international fame.

But while Idris was the top choice, fans may end up disappointed after the actor has ruled himself out several times and has even allegedly put forward a list of proposed names to play 007 instead.

Back in August 2022, it was reported he had walked away from 'years of talks' with movie bosses to take over the famous role.

And in February 2023, he insisted: 'You know, a lot of people talk about another character that begins with J and ends with B, but I'm not going to be that guy.'

The late Sean Connery, one of the most recognisable Bonds, had only featured in a series of TV films when he accepted the role of the titular British spy in 1962's Dr. No, catapulting him to international fame (pictured)

While Idris was the top choice for fans, they may be disappointed as he has ruled himself out repeatedly and even put forward a list of proposed names to play 007 instead (pictured last month)

Last summer, Idris admitted that he used to be 'super complimented' by the idea of playing Bond, saying it was the 'pinnacle'.

But he told Variety that he became turned off, when 'those that werent happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race. It became about nonsense and I got the brunt of it.'

Meanwhile, Michael Fassbender also ruled himself out, saying he thought a younger star should take on the role.

When asked by GQ magazine if he would be up for the part, the actor, 46, said: 'To be honest, no.'

Riding high off his Oscar success, Cillian, 47, has been another popular choice for fans, but also doesn't seem keen.

He told GQ: 'Its incredibly flattering to be in that conversation. I think it should be a woman [next].'

This week, another rumoured star, Theo James, called the prospect of taking on the huge role 'terrifying' and insisted there were 'better people for the job'.

He told the Guardian: 'Everyone's interested in [me playing Bond] because it's a big part of British cultural identity, but that probably wouldn't be me.

Meanwhile, Michael Fassbender also ruled himself out, saying he thought a younger star should take on the role (pictured in The Snowman in 2017)

Riding high off his Oscar success, Cillian, 47, has been another popular choice for fans, but also doesn't seem keen, preferring a woman take the job (pictured this month)

This week, another rumoured star, Theo James, called the prospect of taking on the huge role 'terrifying' and insisted there were 'better people for the job' (pictured this month)

'I do think there are better people for that job. And, honestly, it would be terrifying: if you do that, there's no going back'.

He said playing the character was like 'opening Pandora's box', as the level of fame would cause the star playing Bond and their family to have to 'live a very different life'.

While Tom Hardy has kept quiet about the persistent Bond rumours, telling The Daily Beast: 'If I mention it, its gone. You know, theres a saying amongst us in the fraternity of acting, and in the fellowship of my peer group, that if you talk about it youre automatically out of the race. So I cant possibly comment on that one.'

One actor ready to take up the mantle is Henry Cavill, who already auditioned for Bond in his twenties, but missed out allegedly due to being too young.

Speaking about what he would do if given another chance, he said: 'If Barbara and Mike [co-producer Michael G Wilson] were interested in that, I would absolutely jump at the opportunity.

'At this stage, its all up in the air. Well see what happens. But yes, I would love to play Bond, it would be very, very exciting.'

Speaking to Jimmy Fallon about the rumours he would get the role, Rege-Jean Page admitted: 'I think the internet thinks a lot of things, that's one of the more pleasant ones, so I'm pleased as far as that goes.

While Tom Hardy has kept quiet about the persistent Bond rumours, telling The Daily Beast: 'If I mention it, its gone'

One actor ready to take up the mantle is Henry Cavill, who already auditioned for Bond in his twenties, but missed out allegedly due to being too young

Speaking to Jimmy Fallon about the rumours he would get the role, Rege-Jean Page admitted: 'I think the internet thinks a lot of things, that's one of the more pleasant ones, so I'm pleased as far as that goes'

'But there might be an element of cultural translation here. If you're a Brit and you do something of any kind of renown, that people regard well, then people start saying the 'B' word. It's like a merit badge. You get a 'B' word merit badge.'

James Bond producer Barbara previously admitted it will take a long time to choose Craig's 007 replacement.

The filmmaker insisted it's not as easy as picking an actor to take on the iconic role of the suave spy.

Speaking to Variety, Barbara said: 'It's a big decision. It's not just casting a role. It's about a whole rethink about where we're going.'
Marisa Tomei made quite the impression during the opening night of the new Broadway production of An Enemy Of The People, which took place at the Square Theatre on Monday evening.

The 59-year-old performer flashed a smile as she posed for a few photos prior to the start of the Henrik Ibsen-penned play.

The actress - who recently joined Camila Mendes at a premiere event - donned a light blue crewneck sweater underneath a plaid trench coat that kept her warm in the chilly New York City weather.

Tomei tucked her sweater into a pair of slightly wide-legged black pants, and she also sported a pair of patterned socks during the event.

The My Cousin Vinny actress completed her look for the evening with leather shoes and a pair of jet-black sunglasses.

Marisa Tomei made quite the impression during the opening night of the new Broadway production of An Enemy Of The People, which took place at the Square Theatre on Monday evening

Her gorgeous light brunette hair remained free-flowing and cascaded onto her shoulders and chest while she posed for the snaps.

One of Tomei's most recent appearances in a filmed project was in the romantic comedy feature Upgraded, which was released earlier this year.

The movie served as an updated version of Cinderella and was centered on an intern who pretends to be her handsome coworker's boss.

In addition to Tomei, the cast of the feature was rounded out by performers such as Mendes, Archie Renaux and Lena Olin.

Upgraded, which was directed by Carlson Young, made its debut on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service this past February.

The feature received generally positive reviews from critics and currently holds a rating of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Tomei recently spoke to Today about working on the feature and stated that she was initially unsure about being able to portray a particularly aggressive character.

The performer stated: 'It's hard for me to do that. I'm like, "No one's going to take me seriously."'

The actress - who recently joined Camila Mendes at a premiere event - donned a light blue crewneck sweater underneath a plaid trench coat that kept her warm in the chilly New York City weather

Tomei tucked her sweater into a pair of slightly wide-legged black pants, and she also sported a pair of patterned socks during the event

The My Cousin Vinny actress completed her look for the evening with leather shoes and a pair of jet-black sunglasses

Her gorgeous light brunette hair remained free-flowing and cascaded onto her shoulders and chest while she posed for the snaps

The actress went on to express that she eventually became fond of portraying an unlikable character while filming her scenes.

'I thought I could probably push it even more. I told myself to keep going. Just...let it rip. Don't worry about being nice,' she said.

Tomei also remarked that she played the character with a slightly exaggerated accent in order as a way of showing part of her fictional personality to the audience.

'She is her own creation. She wants the atmosphere around her to crackle. So, we made up (the accent),' she recalled.
Anne Marie has given fans a glimpse into her 'crazy' London home which she may have to adapt after secretly welcoming a baby daughter with rapper husband Slowthai, admitting visitors ask 'What the f****' after seeing her decor.

The Voice star, 32, kept her pregnancy out of the public eye and welcomed the tot they named Seven - in tribute to her favourite number - two years after the couple's secret Las Vegas wedding, which was revealed last week.

Anne-Marie has shared numerous snaps to social media from inside her quirky abode which features grass flooring in the place of carpet.

The home also boasts colourful art on the walls as well as a bathroom adorned with bright blue fur walls and matching toilet seat.

She told GQ about her 'crazy' house: 'Up the stairs, instead of carpet we have, you're not going to believe this, you'll think I'm a freak, instead of carpet, we have grass.'

Anne Marie, 32, has given fans a glimpse into her 'crazy' London home, which she may have to adapt after secretly welcoming a baby daughter with rapper husband Slowthai, admitting visitors ask 'What the f****' after seeing her decor

Anne-Marie has shared numerous snaps to social media from inside her quirky abode which features grass flooring in the place of carpet

The Voice star kept her pregnancy out of the public eye and welcomed the tot they named Seven - in tribute to her favourite number - two years after the couple's secret Las Vegas wedding, which was revealed last week (pictured on Monday)

Admitting that the idea had been 29-year-old Slowthai's telling the publication: 'I just did it here and then thought: shall we do the whole house? But it wouldn't work in the kitchen.

Before quipping: 'When people come round they're just like "what the f**k?"'.

On Thursday, the family-of-three were spotted hitting the road in London, with both musicians looked delighted to be spending time with their daughter.

Seven went from reclining in her pram to being cradled by Northampton-born Slowthai, real name Tyron Kaymone Frampton, who was later seen sparking up a cigarette while Anne-Marie continued to push the buggy.

Anne-Marie's pregnancy came after their secret wedding, with sources telling The Sun: 'Anne-Marie and Slowthai have had a baby daughter they've named Seven...

'It is Anne-Marie's lucky number and she even has 0707 tattooed on her because she sees them as her angel numbers...

'She was born last month in and both of them are absolutely delighted. Anne-Marie has always wanted to be a mum so this is an amazing time for her.'

Haunted by Anne-Marie's home decor pic.twitter.com/eQVq53TdaE  Amy Van Gar (@amyvangar) August 5, 2023

The home also boasts colourful art on the walls as well as a bathroom adorned with bright blue fur walls and matching toilet seat

She previously shared cooking tutorials from her all white modern kitchen

Anne-Marie has previously spoken about her affection for the number seven and what it represented in her life. She said: 'When you see double numbers, your angels are supposed to be with you and seven is my favourite number...

'Because of where the mirror is, when I look in the mirror I see it.'

Last week, the couple's marriage was revealed. The Kiss My songstress had previously sparked speculation she had tied the knot after she was pictured wearing a diamond ring on her finger in Notting Hill in March last year.

The couple are said to have wed in secret in Las Vegas during a break from her tour.

A source said: 'Anne-Marie and Slowthai got married in secret two years ago. She had an eight-week break from her tour and they went to Las Vegas and got married.'
Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori headed to the mall in yet another explicit outfit on Monday.

The couple were spotted strolling through The Grove in Los Angeles and heading to family restaurant The Cheesecake Factory to grab a bite, and she certainly turned heads with her outrageous and very revealing look.

Earlier in the day, at a Beverly Hills building for a business meeting, the rapper, 46, was seen pulling down the 29-year-old model's see-through, neon green tights, which she wore as pants and paired with a tiny, light beige tube top.

She sported a pair of black, pointed-toe pumps and nothing else to complete her risque ensemble.

They held hands as they entered a building, and as they were looking at a directory, West put on a bold display of affection and was seen rubbing her backside.

Their outing comes after Censori stepped out in one of her most daring outfits yet, which was literally hanging on by a thread.

Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori put on a cheeky display while out in Los Angeles on Monday

They both wore their pants very low for a business meeting and then later to stop by family restaurant The Cheesecake Factory at The Grove in Los Angeles

The rapper, 46, checked out 29-year-old model in her daring and risque outfit as they stepped out. At one point, he was spotted adjusting her see-through, neon green tights, which she wore as pants and paired with a tiny, light beige tube top

And just like the night before, she rocked her jet black bob in her signature hairstyle as of late  a slicked-back bun.

Censori also appeared to be sporting a minimal makeup look featuring full and dark eyelashes as well as a mauve pink lip.

At her side, the 24-time Grammy winner wore an all-black outfit featuring a cozy hoodie and balloon pants.

He also wore his baggy pants very low and revealed his backside in boxer briefs.

To complete his look, he sported a pair of chunky, black sneakers.

After having a business meeting, the couple were also seen exiting the building with West opening the door for his wife and holding her hand.

Later, they took a break and were seen heading to The Cheesecake Factory at The Grove.

Onlookers were spotted taking ogling and taking photos of West and his scantily-clad wife.

Their outing comes after Censori stepped out in one of her most daring outfits yet  a sheer black jumpsuit, which was literally hanging on by a thread

The voluptuous vixen sported a pair of black, pointed-toe pumps and nothing else to complete her skimpy ensemble

He was seen admiring her from behind while she looked at a directory inside a Los Angeles building. Just like the night before, she rocked her jet black bob in her signature hairstyle as of late  a slicked-back bun

At her side, the 24-time Grammy winner wore an all-black outfit featuring a cozy hoodie and balloon pants. He also wore his baggy pants very low and revealed his backside in boxer briefs

To complete his look, he sported a pair of chunky, black sneakers. He was also seen affectionately grabbing her waist

Censori also appeared to be sporting a minimal makeup look featuring full and dark eyelashes as well as a mauve pink lip

Kanye couldn't keep his hands off his scantily-clad wife as he embraced her from behind

The musician tenderly kissed Bianca's neck while walking right behind her

The duo were loved up as ever

Kanye kept his hands firmly planted on his wife

For their outing, Censori had notably changed out her shoes for a pair of white sandal heels.

The night before, he wore similar or identical pants and shoes as he stepped out with Censori in Los Angeles.

His wife put on a daring display and nearly risked a wardrobe malfunction in a sheer, black jumpsuit with ultra-thin and nearly invisible straps.

This comes after DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that West had been working to 'turn things around' with Censori's mother.

Last week, she was seen with her daughter after she reportedly flew out from their native Australia to 'save' her daughter over fears she was being controlled, according to sources close to the family.

Censori's families have frequently expressed their concerns since she tied the knot with West in December 2022.

Some of her loved ones have even reportedly staged an intervention with Censori over West's alleged 'controlling ways'.

Recently, insiders claimed that Censori's father is reportedly keen on confronting the rapper for putting his daughter in X-rated clothing.

The couple were seen heading into the building while holding hands. They paid no mind to a nearby eyewitness in awe of Censori's shocking look

Underneath her tights, the architect bared it all as she opted out of underwear. West was ever the gentleman as he opened the door for his wife

They both had their backsides exposed with their pants worn low

Censori was seen carrying just her phone with her minimalist, revealing outfit

Later, they were spotted heading out after a business meeting. West was seen leading the way and holding her hand amid growing concerns for Censori from her family and friends

Last week, Censori's mom was seen with them after she reportedly flew out from their native Australia to 'save' her daughter over fears she was being controlled, according to sources close to the family

Censori's families have frequently expressed their concerns since she tied the knot with West in December 2022. Some of her loved ones have even reportedly staged an intervention with Censori over West's alleged 'controlling ways'

Bianca had all eyes on her in the head-popping look

Sources claim that he is fearful that West is isolating Censori from her family.

He is also reportedly worried that his son-in-law is turning his beloved daughter into a 'trashy-looking marketable commodity' with the shockingly risque and half-naked looks.

Insiders have told DailyMail.com that Bianca's family is 'hurting' at watching their loved one being paraded around like a 'trophy pony' and have questioned how Kanye would feel in the future if a man was treating his daughters, North and Chicago, in the same way.

'Bianca's father Leo wants to have a proper sit down with Kanye and ask him what the hell he is thinking when he parades Bianca around like a trashy naked trophy pony,' said a source close to the Yeezy architect  whose father is the brother of a notorious gangland killer.

'He knows that there is no way in hell that Kanye would allow this for his daughters so it makes no sense why he would encourage this for his own wife.'

Kanye, who wed Bianca in a private ceremony in December 2022, has also been accused of 'shutting her out' from her family in Australia.

'If this isn't bad enough, the man who is supposed to protect Mr. and Mrs. Censori's daughter is the same man that is shutting her out from her own family,' the insider continued.

'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.'

West appeared to be stifling a yawn as they took a break after their Beverly Hills meeting

He guided Censori all the way to the car hand-in-hand

Censori was seen stepping ahead to get into their car first

West was standing behind her to get in the car

Or perhaps he was checking out her curvy body in her fearless ensemble

She got into the car quickly before they headed to The Grove

They finished: 'No man should ever encourage the woman that he loves to walk out in public and present herself like this. That isn't love. That is control.'

Recently, Censori's mother flew from Australia to the United States with the intention of 'saving' her, according to insiders.

Sources revealed to DailyMail.com that she is taking time 'to see for herself' to see if her daughter really does have everything under control as she claims.

'Bianca's mom had to see for herself after Bianca told her family she has this under control,' a source said.

'This has been a wonderful opportunity for Alexandra to get to spend time with Bianca and assess the situation for herself,' the insider continued.

Her fears have reportedly been eased during this time with her daughter and West as an insider claimed the rapper 'knows how to sweet talk a mom'.

Later, Censori changed out her shoes for a pair of white sandal heels

After having a business meeting, the couple took a break and headed to The Cheesecake Factory at The Grove, where onlookers were seen taking ogling and taking photos of West and his scantily-clad wife

After eating, they were seen walking hand-in-hand again. They appeared calm as a crowd started gathering around them

They looked to be in high spirits as fans greeted them

At one point, West was seen dapping up a fan while Censori was seen giving a hug to them later

They appeared to be in high spirits as they walked through The Grove. Both West and Censori were laughing

She was seen smiling as he led the way

They grabbed a bite at the crowded Cheesecake Factory

She was pictured getting into the couple's car

'Right now is a pivotal time and Alexandra was low-key believing she would come to save her daughter,' the source said. 'But this is not the case.

'Kanye has started to turn things around since the release of Vultures in the sense that he is not going off on as many unhinged rants.

'He also knows how to sweet talk a mom,' the source added. 'This has been really a good experience, and everyone is so relieved to see her with Alexandra.'

The insider claimed that a desire to be involved in the lives of any future grandchildren may also be a driving force.

As a source previously told DailyMail.com, 'Alexandra knows that Bianca wants children, and she does not want to miss the opportunity to be a part of her grandkids' lives.'
The new trailer for Seven's Farmer Wants a Wife introduces 33-year-old Joe from the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales.

In the preview, the ruggedly handsome Joe describes himself as an Australian 'bushman' and 'not a cowboy' and reveals he is ready for a serious romance.

'I'd love nothing more than riding off into the sunset with someone for sure,' he says in the teaser.

Elsewhere, Joe reveals his life in Bombala, some 494kms from Sydney, has been a major stumbling block in the search for true love.

'I've always struggled with meeting people who want to live the same way I want to,' he declares.

The new trailer for Seven's Farmer Wants a Wife introduces 33-year-old Joe from the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales. (Pictured)

Joe appears to be quite a catch for the lucky ladies participating this season.

The horse-riding 'bushie' is caught on camera in a number of intimate situations with a series of his attractive female co-stars.

Also featured this season is 26-year-old Farmer Dustin from western New South Wales.

Dustin, 26, from western New South Wales is also set to co-star in the new season of Farmer Wants a Wife. (Pictured)

The third generation farmer reveals that he is looking for love in the dating series after experiencing the dismal 'dating scene' of the outback.

'We're pretty remote out here,' Dustin says of his small home town of Codobolin.

He says finding a girlfriend is like trying to find a 'needle in a haystack', because most women can't deal with the isolation.

Pictured: Joe romances one of the contestants in a scene from the new trailer.

Condobolin is located 457kms from Sydney and has a population of just over 3000.

During a teaser trailer for the new season, host Sam Armytage asks Dustin about the 'dating scene' in the tiny town.

'Dismal,' the good looking farmer replies.

Elsewhere in the trailer Dustin is seen romancing one of the attractive contestants.

Dustin says finding a girlfriend in his remote home town of Condobilin is like trying to find a 'needle in a haystack', because most women can't deal with the isolation. Pictured: A scene from the new season of Farmer Wants a Wife.

But the remote location of his farm means that winning a heart for Dustin will be a big challenge.

The other stars looking for love this season include Queenslanders Farmer Bert, 30 from Wamuran and Farmer Dean, 25, from Kandanga.

There's also Farmer Tom, 22, from Tabilk in Victoria.

Hosted by Samantha Armytage and Natalie Gruzlewski, Farmer Wants a Wife is set to drop on Seven and 7plus after Easter.
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Brad Pitt is making progress in his lawsuit against ex-wife Angelina Jolie for selling her share of their jointly-owned French estate and winery, Chateau Miraval, to a Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler in 2021.

The 60-year-old actor, according to legal documents reviewed by The U.S. Sun Monday, 'racked up a win in a French court last week' in connection with a ruling over documents authorities seized in a March 2022 raid.

'Theres a long way to go in this litigation, but at the moment, the momentum is certainly with Brad,' an insider close to the Moneyball leading man told the outlet after the Thursday ruling in an appeals court in the the Aix-en-Provence.

The source said last week's ruling marked the third consecutive time Pitt has made progress in the case.

'In recent months, hes landed three courtroom wins across three different jurisdictions: Luxembourg, the United States, and now France,' the source said of the Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood actor. 'From the moment this hostile takeover bid began, he made it clear that he wasnt going to be bullied - and he meant it.'

Brad Pitt is making progress in his lawsuit against ex-wife Angelina Jolie for selling her share of their jointly-owned French estate and winery, Chateau Miraval, to a Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler, 56

The Fight Club actor 'has stood his ground and will continue to do what is right.'

The recent ruling was linked to a March 2022 raid on the winery, in which officials brandishing search warrants took possession of documents and computer in connection with accusations toward Shefler's firm Nouvel of 'malfeasance and misuse of company assets,' according to the outlet, citing documents in the case.

Under French law, companies involved in lawsuits can be given clearance by the court to procure evidence from the parties they are suing, in conjunction with court-appointed officials.

The outlet reported that in the case, a separate court subsequently reversed the aforementioned ruling, ordering the items collected from Shefler to 'remained locked and sealed' pending further orders from the court.

On Thursday, according to the outlet, Judge Valerie Gerard blocked Shelfer and his company Nouvel from gaining access to the materials acquired in the raid.

The judge said that as 'an indirect shareholder,' Nouvel 'had no legal standing' to request access to the documents, which are in the custody of officials with Pitt's French firm SA Chateau Miraval.

Nouvel was also ordered by the judge to remit a sum around $21,000 in legal fees, according to the outlet.

The documents will be placed back in a safe at Chateau Miraval under the purview of Pitt's firm, the outlet reported.

Pitt said in court docs that he and Jolie initially purchased the winery in 2008 (pictured in 2008) for $28.4 million

The latest development on the case comes weeks after Jolie was unsuccessful in convincing a Los Angeles Superior Court to dismiss the case altogether

The latest development on the case comes weeks after Jolie was unsuccessful in convincing a Los Angeles Superior Court to dismiss the case altogether.

The legal clash has been far flung, as a Luxembourg court in November restricted Shefler from power over a portion of his shares, with Pitt becoming majority shareholder as a result.

The Oscar-winning stars wed at the Provence, Southern France estate in 2014 and split in 2016. They have been entangled in the legal system amid battles over their fortune and custody of their children.
Rachel McAdams looked cool and classy in all-blue as she arrived at the red carpet for the opening-night performance of Broadway's An Enemy Of The People on Monday.

The 45-year-old actress was joined at the Circle in the Square Theatre by several other stars, including Marisa Tomei, Rebecca Hall and F. Murray Abraham.

The classic Ibsen play, which is adapted by Amy Herzog and has been receiving strong reviews, stars Succession's Jeremy Strong, along with The Sopranos and The White Lotus actor Michael Imperioli and The Haunting Of Hill House's Victoria Pedretti.

Rachel looked stylish with a navy blue leather Shoshanna skirt that had a dangling leather strap belted around her slim waist.

She paired the item with a tasteful navy mock turtleneck sweater, which was ribbed and featured long sleeves.

Rachel McAdams looked classy in all-blue onthe red carpet for opening night of Broadway's An Enemy Of The People on Monday. The actress, 45, was joined at the Circle in the Square Theatre by Marisa Tomei, Rebecca Hall and F. Murray Abraham, among others

Rachel paired the dark blue ensemble with a set of matching pointy-toed pumps that strapped over her feet.

She added some sparkle to the muted look with enormous gold and diamond bracelets on her left wrist, and she wore her lustrous brunette looks in long, thick waves that were swept over one shoulder.

Complementing her blue look was the Oscar winner Marisa Tomei, who looked chic in a baby blueandblack plaid overcoat.

She wore it atop a similarly blue sweater and loose-fitting black slacks.

The Spider-Man actress completed the outfit with dark heels that strapped up her legs in a lattice pattern.

She displayed a cool set of sunglasses and wore her brunette hair down in long waves with a middle part.

Godzilla Vs. Kong star Rebecca Hall put on a sizzling display in a gray off-the-shoulder short-sleeve blouse, which she paired with flared black slacks and square-toed heels.

F. Murray Abraham, who costarred with Michael Imperioli on the second season of The White Lotus, wore a black trench coat over a navy sweater and black trousers.

Rachel looked stylish with a navy blue leather Shoshanna skirt that had a dangling leather strap belted around her slim waist

She paired the item with a tasteful navy mock turtleneck sweater, which was ribbed and featured long sleeves

Complementing her blue look was the Oscar winner Marisa Tomei, who looked chic in a baby blueandblack plaid overcoat. She wore it atop a similarly blue sweater and loose-fitting black slacks

The Spider-Man actress completed the outfit with dark heels that strapped up her legs in a lattice pattern

She displayed a cool set of sunglasses and wore her brunette hair down in long waves with a middle part

Godzilla Vs. Kong star Rebecca Hall put on a sizzling display in a gray off-the-shoulder short-sleeve blouse, which she paired with flared black slacks and square-toed heels

F. Murray Abraham, who costarred with Michael Imperioli on the second season of The White Lotus, wore a black trench coat over a navy sweater and black trousers

Abbott Elementary actress Lisa Ann Walter showed off an infectious smile when she arrived in a racy black leather ensemble.

The blazer-style mini dress was tied shut with a clasp on her side and highlighted her cleavage.

She paired it with black stockings and knee-high boots while carrying a slim black handbag.

The Sopranos star Steve Schirripa, who played Bobby Baccalieri on the iconic series, was also on hand to support his former costar Michael.

He wore a classic black three-button suit sans tie, while his wife Laura Schirripa contrasted him in a white suit.

She accessorized with a gold-and-silver sequined handbag.

The actress Micaela Diamond looked stunning in a sleeveless black maxi dress featuring diagonal rows of ruched material running across her torso.

The stage and screen actress Miriam Silverman added some color to opening night with a green-and-white patterned dress and hot pink suede heels.

Abbott Elementary actress Lisa Ann Walter showed off an infectious smile when she arrived in a racy black leather ensemble. The blazer-style mini dress was tied shut with a clasp on her side and highlighted her cleavage

The Sopranos star Steve Schirripa, who played Bobby Baccalieri on the iconic series, was also supporting his former costar Michael. He wore a classic black three-button suit sans tie, while his wife Laura Schirripa contrasted him in a white suit

The actress Micaela Diamond looked stunning in a sleeveless black maxi dress featuring diagonal rows of ruched material running across her torso

The stage and screen actress Miriam Silverman added some color to opening night with a green-and-white patterned dress and hot pink suede heels

Amy Herzog, the acclaimed playwright who adapted Ibsen's work for the latest production, had all eyes on her in a forest green velvet double-breasted tuxedo with black peaked lapels

Sam Gold, who directs the play, and is also married to Amy, wore a navy blue suit with a matching untucked shirt, a massive olive green bow tie, and casual white trainers

Amy Herzog, the acclaimed playwright who adapted Ibsen's work for the latest production, had all eyes on her in a forest green velvet double-breasted tuxedo with black peaked lapels.

She wore pointy black heels that strapped around her ankles a boxy burgundy clutch.

Sam Gold, who directs the play, and is also married to Amy, wore a navy blue suit with a matching untucked shirt, a massive olive green bow tie, and casual white trainers.

An Enemy Of The People runs through June 16.
Hollywood icon Mark Wahlberg is embracing his Sydney life by moving into a three-storey mansion estimated to be worth as much as $100m.

Wahlberg, 52, is currently in Australia filming Play Dirty alongside Oscar nominee LaKeith Stanfield and actress Rosa Salazar.

And the movie star has chosen to temporarily reside in Point Piper, one of Australia's richest suburbs.

The three-storey house features spectacular harbour views and boasts five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and seven parking spaces.

The home also comes with a cinema, deep-water jetty, gas-heated pool and a home gym.

Hollywood icon Mark Wahlberg has settled into Sydney in a three storey house estimated to be worth as much as $100m

According to realestate.com, the property was Australia's most expensive home in August 2007 after it sold for $30m.

It most recently sold for $51 million in April 2020.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph about his time down under, the actor revealed: 'I'm not the owner of the house, but it's been cool. The only difficult part is that I'm so far away from my family.'

The movie star has chosen to temporarily reside in Point Piper, one of Australia's richest suburbs

The three-storey house estimated to be worth up to $100m features spectacular harbour views and boasts 5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, and 7 parking spaces

The home also comes with a cinema, deep-water jetty, gas-heated pool and a home gym

The actor was spotted on the set of his upcoming Amazon crime thriller Play Dirty in Sydney last Monday.

The action man, 52, was seen filming scenes alongside jockeys and racehorses at Bankstown City Paceway.

Wahlberg was spotted wielding a firearm while filming an intense action sequence with stunt performers and other cast members.

Wahlberg is currently in Sydney filming 'Play Dirty' alongside Oscar nominee LaKeith Stanfield and actress Rosa Salazar

In one high intensity scene a horse jockey was seen getting run over by a car on the racetrack.

Wahlberg sported a burgundy tracksuit for filming, with a black neck gaiter and a pair of sneakers.

The film is directed by Shane Black and based on the hard-boiled Parker crime novels by Donald E. Westlake.
Lala Kent was over the moon on Monday as she celebrated finally having a well-defined baby bump.

The 33-year-old Vanderpump Rules star  who revealed she was pregnant with her second child earlier this month  shared a mirror selfie video highlighting her rounded-out tummy to her Instagram Stories.

She revealed that she was delighted to finally be showing enough to wear tight clothing again, as onlookers would know that she was pregnant now, instead of just thinking she looked 'soft.'

Lala was dressed casually but stylishly in a set of relaxed-fit black pants with flared legs and black-and-white illustrations decorating them.

She contrasted the pants with a cream-colored short-sleeve top that was decorated with what looked like Art Nouveau drawings and featured an upturned collar.

Lala Kent was over the moon on Monday as she celebrated finally having a well-defined baby bump

The 33-year-old Vanderpump Rules star shared a mirror selfie video highlighting her rounded-out tummy to her Instagram Stories

She completed the stylish ensemble with a set of black boots, and she styled her brunette tresses in a tightly wound bun.

'All right, mama is starting to bump,' Lala declared at the start of her video.

'This makes me very happy, because anytime I get out of the stage of, like, softness, and you can tell  finally  like, 'Oh, she's probably pregnant!'  that's a good stage,' she explained.

She concluded by saying she was excited to 'start wearing tight things' and looked forward to 'feeling cute.'

Lala gave her fans some frontal views of her still small figure, before turning in profile to reveal her newly rounded baby bump, before dramatically turning again to head out the door and playfully whipping her head back.

Earlier in the day, she shared a clip of herself riding in a moving truck with her younger brother Easton Burningham, who was behind the wheel.

The sibling duo appeared to be doing some moving for their mother, Lisa Burningham.

The two had joined their mother for a meal recently, and Easton posted a photo of three three displaying winning smiles while at a restaurant.

'All right, mama is starting to bump,' Lala declared at the start of her video

This makes me very happy' because she was out of the 'soft' stage, she explained. Lala concluded by saying she was excited to 'start wearing tight things' and looked forward to 'feeling cute'

Earlier in the day, she shared a clip of herself riding in a moving truck with her younger brother Easton Burningham, who was behind the wheel. The sibling duo appeared to be doing some moving for their mother, Lisa Burningham

'Life's good,' he captioned the sweet picture.

Shortly before Lala displayed her growing baby bump, she posted an adorable video of her daughter Ocean, who turned three just days earlier, at a ballet class.

The little girl looked cute in a black tutu with a white bow tied in her hair for a ballet class.

'I appreciate her resilience. 10 minutes before this she was having a meltdown,' Lala joked in a caption of the short clip, which showed her daughter practicing some rudimentary leg poses.

The reality star shares her first child with her former partner Randall Emmett, whom she was with from 2015 to 2021.

She and the 52-year-old film producer were dating when Lala appeared on season four of Vanderpump Rules, her debut with the series, but she kept his name secret until he had finalized his divorce from the actress Ambyr Childers in December of 2017.

In 2018, the lovebirds got engaged, and they welcomed Ocean on March 15, 2021.

But there was trouble in paradise, and Lala called off their engagement in October of that year and subsequently accused her ex of repeated infidelity.

Then, in 2022, the Los Angeles Times published accusations that Emmett had allegedly offered an actress film in exchange for sleeping with him.

The two had joined their mother for a meal recently, and Easton posted a photo of three three displaying winning smiles while at a restaurant

Shortly before Lala displayed her growing baby bump, she posted an adorable photo of her daughter Ocean, who turned three just days earlier, at a ballet class

She shares Ocean with her ex, film producer Randall Emmett, whom she accused of repeated infidelity, which he denied. She used a sperm donor for her second pregancy

The producer subsequently denied the accusations via his spokesperson, who went so far as to claim that the allegations were part of a 'now-familiar smear campaign' allegedly orchestrated by Lala.

'Lala Kent has lied and manipulated others in her desperate attempt to win full custody of their daughter, keep her name in the press and remain relevant in reality television,' his spokesperson Sallie Hofmeister claimed.

For her second pregnancy, Lala wanted nothing to do with Randall and instead turned to a sperm donor.

Although she has said she expects to get plenty of help raising her second child from her mother, she is moving forward with the pregnancy on her own.
Married At First Sight's controversial couple Tori Adams and Jack Dunkley have been accused of lying about sleeping together by their co-stars.

Tori, 27, and Jack, 34, struggled to form a 'sexual connection' on the dating show, but have finally shared they have had sex seven weeks since tying the knot.

Though they had a dramatic Homestays visit during Tuesday's episode, they ended their trip to the Gold Coast with a flirty exchange over dinner as things appeared to be heating up between them.

And a spoiler clip for Wednesday's dinner party episode showed the pair telling the other couples they finally had sealed the deal.

However, their admission prompted some intense reactions.

Married At First Sight's controversial couple Tori Adams and Jack Dunkley have been accused of lying about sleeping together, prompting the bride to yell in a fit of rage

They were quickly accused of lying to 'take the heat' off their controversial relationship, which has repeatedly come under fire.

During explosive dinner party scenes, set to air in full on Wednesday, Lauren Dunn boldly shared her doubts and she said: 'I don't believe it.'

Meanwhile, Timothy Smith - who has long been vocal in his opinions about Jack - added: 'Have you made up the sleeping thing to take the heat off?'

Tori was tipped over the edge when Sara Mesa insisted they 'don't feel anything' for one another, prompting her to dramatically yell: 'You can't tell me how I feel!'

The bombshell scenes come after Jack was grilled about his feelings for Tori during Sunday's commitment ceremony, before their romance hit the rocks on Monday.

While visiting Jack's Gold Coast home, Tori candidly shared her doubts about her and Jack's future together as tensions began to rise between the pair.

A spoiler clip for Wednesday's episode saw Tori and Jack telling the other couples they had slept together after seven weeks, but were quickly accused of lying (pictured: Lauren Dunn)

Sara Mesa argued that Tori and Jack 'don't feel anything' for one another as the other couples remained completely unconvinced by their admission of sleeping together

Tori told of her frustration over Jack expecting her to relocate from Melbourne to be with him and claimed she was the one 'sacrificing everything' in the relationship.

She then became enraged when Jack told her she can't 'have it all' during a tense dinner exchange where her groom refused to compromise on their future plans.

Tori said she needed to know how Jack felt about her before making the huge decision to uproot her life in Melbourne and move to be with him.

'I just need to come away from this feeling certain that Jack is 100 per cent committed, because if there is uncertainty, I'm not moving, no,' she said.

'I'm absolutely in a really exposed position right now, I'm putting all of me into this and I'm trusting that it doesn't go belly up. Tonight, I need Jack to give me a lot more reassurance.'

Tori, 27, and Jack, 34, have struggled to form a 'sexual connection' during their seven weeks on the dating experiment, but said they finally slept together during their Homestays visit

They appeared to have taken things to the next step after flirting over dinner when Jack bought Tori a rose and a bracelet - as they smoothed things over following a fierce row

During their dinner date, Tori asked Jack how he felt about navigating a long-distance relationship, with the personal trainer refusing to make any compromises.

He said: 'I haven't thought about it too much, I'd be pretty easy with it, I don't mind space.'

Tori shared her hopes they would see each other every weekend, but Jack insisted it wasn't 'practical' and wouldn't be feasible with his work schedule.

He told her she would have to just move in with him after she shared her doubts about only seeing him once a fortnight as he had suggested.

But Jack doubled down and said: 'It's not practical to get on a plane every single Friday, I work Monday to Saturday.'

In Monday's episode, Tori candidly shared her doubts about her and Jack's future together as tensions began to rise between the pair

Tori told of her frustration over Jack expecting her to relocate from Melbourne to be with him as she claimed she was the one 'sacrificing everything' in the relationship

He then told her she 'can't have it all', prompting her to fume: 'Are you taking the p*** right now?'

To the camera, she added: 'Jack wants me to move to the Gold Coast, but he's not giving up anything. He's giving a half-a**ed approach, it's p**sing me off.'

Tori's trip to the Gold Coast wasn't smooth-sailing as Jack's friend also didn't shy away from sharing her doubts about Tori's intentions.

Tori came under fierce questioning from Jack's personal training client and friend Lizz, who was unconvinced about the bride's intentions.

She made her opinions crystal clear as she boldly accused Tori of sleeping with her male friends and slammed her as 'basic'.

She then became enraged when Jack told her she can't 'have it all' during a tense dinner exchange where her groom refused to compromise on their future plans

Earlier in the drama-packed episode, Jack's friend Lizz also didn't shy away from sharing her doubts about Tori's intentions, slamming the bride as 'basic' in a shock remark

Lizz also claimed Tori was only trying to make her relationship with Jack work because of his six-pack, leaving the bride enraged as she branded Jack's friends as 's***ty'.

Lizz brazenly said: 'I don't want to stereotype but I feel like when I come across a girl that only has guy friends, and they're like "I'm one of the boys", it's usually because they're sleeping with the boys.'

She also questioned Tori on her wedding vows, claiming they came across as 'bossy' and said she wouldn't want to be friends with her based off the speech.

'I feel like anyone that makes their coffee order their personality is not my type of person,' Lizz said, referring to Tori mentioning looking forward to having lattes with Jack in her vows.

'I got the impression you're basic,' she added.

Lizz also claimed Tori was only trying to make her relationship with Jack work because of his six-pack, leaving the bride enraged as she branded Jack's friends as 's***ty'

In another jaw-dropping remark, Lizz then said: 'You've been single for a while, Jack's got a six-pack, maybe you're trying to make it work for the wrong reasons.'

But Tori insisted: 'I don't put my energy into things that I don't want to put my energy into. I wouldn't be making this work to save face, I gave up a lot to be here, so if it wasn't working, I'd leave you respectfully, and resume life on the outside.'

Reacting to the shocking grilling, Tori said to camera: 'So many things were said where I was like who are you? I don't know what Lizz was trying to achieve, her line of questioning was so negative [...] All it did was p*** me off.'

Tori also said she was left with huge doubts after getting an insight into Jack's friendship group, describing it as a 's***ty' part of his life.
Made In Chelsea is undergoing a huge cast shake-up for the upcoming 27th series this year.

One of the show's biggest and current longest-serving stars, Olivia Bentley, is stepping back from the Channel 4 series.

The reality star, 28, will be taking a break from the show in order to focus on her business after her relationship breakdown with Tristan Phipps last year.

According to The Sun, there will be up to six new cast members joining the series in the wake of Liv's exit.

An insider told the publication: 'Liv has been at the forefront of all the drama for years - she's been there the longest out of everyone.

One of the Made In Chelsea's biggest and current longest-serving stars, Olivia Bentley , is stepping back from the Channel 4 series (pictured)

The reality star, 28, will be taking a break from the show in order to focus on her business after her relationship breakdown with Tristan Phipps last year (pictured together)

Liv has been on the show since series 11 back in 2016, starting off as a previous fling of Sam Thompson (Liv pictured on the show)

'It's been hard-going in recent series with her relationship with Tristan breaking down and she realised she needs to take a step back for her own good. She's in a really great place and still loves the show so is taking a step back for now.

'There's some new stars joining the cast who are ready and raring to shake things up a bit.'

A Channel 4 spokesman confirmed: 'Liv Bentley has been sharing her life with Made in Chelsea audiences for the past eight years and is now taking a short but well-earned break from the series to focus on her business  JOMO.

'We look forward to welcoming her back to the show later this year.'

Liv has been on the show since series 11 back in 2016, starting off as a previous fling of Sam Thompson.

She went on to be a central character on the show, with her on-and-off relationship with Tristan, 26, being a hugely dramatic storyline.

She is believed to be currently single after the couple split once and for all last year, with the messy breakup was documented on the Channel 4 show.

Both stars moved on with other partners, with Liv dating David Templer before realising she wasn't ready for another relationship.

She went on to be a central character on the show, with her on-and-off relationship with Tristan, 26, being a hugely dramatic storyline

She is believed to be currently single after the couple split once and for all last year, with the messy breakup was documented on the Channel 4 show

During their brief romance they enjoyed a romantic holiday together, but ended things just before the cast jetted off to film the Sydney series before Christmas.

Meanwhile Tristan, 26, went on to date newcomer Lauren Sintes after his split from Liv.

Liv discussed filming the Down Under series with her ex, saying: 'Honestly, I mean, just stop dating people and then hanging out with them. It's weird.

'I was actually a bit apprehensive about [going to Sydney] because this was the first time Tristan and I had gone away and not been together.

'Every other away series, we'd always been in a relationship. It was alright, actually. We get on as friends.'

The news that she is taking a break from the show won't come as a big surprise, as Liv recently hinted that she soon plans to quit to focus on other things.

She told OK! Magazine in December: 'I'm retiring  I don't know when. It's amazing but maybe it's time for something else.'

As for what she would do after leaving the show, she said 'find a husband' and 'have a few kids.

She added: 'I want to focus on my well-being brand JOMO. I want to do more of that.'

Both stars moved on with other partners, with Liv dating David Templer before realising she wasn't ready for another relationship (pictured together)

The news that she is taking a break from the show won't come as a big surprise, as Liv recently hinted that she soon plans to quit to focus on other things

Her break from the show comes less than a year after her good pals Ollie Locke and his husband Gareth also quit the series in July to star in a new YouTube series.

The couple welcomed twins Apollo Magnus Obi and Cosima Emily Bex in August via a surrogate, with Liv being Apollo's godmother.

Ollie had appeared on Made In Chelsea on and off since the first series in 2011, while Gareth joined in 2018.

Speaking on their decision to leave, they said they had 'outgrown' Made in Chelsea wanted more 'control' over their output.

Gareth explained to The Sun: 'Made in Chelsea is about young people making up and breaking up. We're very much the dads of it all.

'It came the time for something new and for us to have something we have control over. We're part of the production of our new show and we'll get to share absolutely everything with our fans.

'With the kids coming along it's a completely different path we're taking. We've outgrown Chelsea in that respect.'

The upcoming series of Made In Chelsea will see a slew of stars return, including Dancing On Ice runner-up Miles Nazaire, who is expected to split time between London and Sydney to appear in the Aussie spin-off - Made In Bondi.

There will also be a spin-off with the British cast airing next month, with select number of stars flying to film in Mauritius.

Her break from the show comes less than a year after her good pals Ollie Locke and his husband Gareth also quit the series in July to star in a new YouTube series (pictured)

The couple welcomed twins Apollo Magnus Obi and Cosima Emily Bex in August via a surrogate and said they had 'outgrown' Made in Chelsea (pictured in August)
Rachel Anne Sennott is headed to HBO.

The cable network has ordered a series from the actress-writer, 28, who will be an executive producer on the project with Emma Barrie and Aida Rodgers, Deadline reported Monday.

The outlet described a logline for the project as the reunion of 'a codependent friend group' who navigate 'how the time apart, ambition and new relationships have changed them.'

The project involving Sennott would be in the vein of past HBO series aimed at the 20s demographic such as Girls (from creator-star Lena Dunham), which ran from 2012-2017; and Insecure (from creator-star Issa Rae), which ran from 2016-2021.

Sennott, a native of Simsbury, Connecticut, graduated from the Tisch School of the Arts.

Rachel Anne Sennott, 28, is headed to HBO, as the cable network has ordered a series from the actress-writer. Pictured earlier this month at theVanity Fair Oscar Party in LA

She put herself on the map with her student film Shiva Baby, which focused on a female college student attending a Jewish funeral service with her parents.

The student film was subsequently adapted into a 2020 feature film which Sennott starred in and produced.

Sennott has parlayed the success of that projects into acting stints in films including 2022's Susie Searches and 2022's Bodies Bodies Bodies.

Sennott starred in and co-wrote the 2023 comedy Bottoms, which also featured Ayo Edebiri, Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Marshawn Lynch and Dagmara Dominczyk.

Sennott has past worked with the network on multiple productions.

She appeared in a episode of the Ben Sinclair dramatic comedy High Maintenance in 2018; and played the role of Leia on five episodes on the controversial show from The Weeknd and Sam Levinson, The Idol.

She played the role of Jackie Raines in 2021 on the ABC comedy Call Your Mother, and has also been seen on shows such as Bite Size Halloween, Ayo and Rachel are Single and Get Money.

She has a part in a pair of upcoming films: SNL 1975 and Holland, Michigan.

The project involving Sennott would be in the vein of past HBO series aimed at the 20s demographic such as Girls (from creator-star Lena Dunham ), which ran from 2012-2017; and Insecure (from creator-star Issa Rae ), which ran from 2016-2021. Pictured last month in LA

Sennott starred in and co-wrote the 2023 comedy Bottoms

In SNL 1975, directed by Jason Reitman, Sennott is set to portray Canadian comedian Rosie Shuster, a longtime writer and actress on the iconic NBC comedy series.

The film also features Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson, Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris and Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin.

She will also appear opposite Nicole Kidman in Holland, Michigan, which costars Matthew Macfadyen, Gael Garcia Bernal and Chris Witaske.
Sister Wives star Madison Brush thanked fans for sharing condolences and their experiences with suicide two weeks after her 'beautiful brother' Robert Garrison Brown died at age 25.

'It wasn't bullying. It wasn't a lack of love that Garrison had, it was mental health [struggles],' the 28-year-old reality star explained in an Instagram video posted Monday.

'And I am going to continue talking about mental health and self care until I am blue in the face, because I don't think it's talked about enough in a way that people understand it.'

Madison stressed: 'Time is so precious. And if you're not happy with how you're spending your time and you don't feel fulfilled in life, I would encourage you to reevaluate.'

Brush (born Brown) repeatedly declared that 'social media is not real' and she's 'done with filters' and ready to live 'more authentic' because platforms like Instagram caused harm to her sibling.

Sister Wives star Madison Brush (R) thanked fans for sharing condolences and their experiences with suicide two weeks after her 'beautiful brother' Robert Garrison Brown (L) died at age 25

The 28-year-old reality star explained in an Instagram video posted Monday: 'It wasn't bullying. It wasn't a lack of love that Garrison had, it was mental health [struggles]'

'Garrison used to feel like he wasn't doing enough because he was comparing himself to things on social media, and I don't think that it's real and I think we need to remember that,' the married mother-of-three noted.

'So if you're ever feeling down on yourself because you see somebody post something, remember it's their highlight reel, and you don't see all the stuff going on in the background.'

Madison encouraged her 'cultivated' 642K Instagram followers to reach out to their friends and family and build a real community so 'we can show up for one another and love each other.'

Brush and Brown are two of six children from the 29-year 'spiritual union' between polygamist Kody Brown and his ex-'wife' #2 Janelle Schriever, which ended in 2022.

'Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,' 54-year-old Janelle announced March 5.

'He was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. His loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory.'

The Nevada Army National Guardsman passed away that same day from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his Flagstaff, AZ home.

Last Wednesday, High Country Humane announced the non-profit organization had received 'nearly $13K in donations and counting' in Garrison's memory.

She continued: 'And I am going to continue talking about mental health and self care until I am blue in the face, because I don't think it's talked about enough in a way that people understand it'

Brush (born Brown) repeatedly declared that 'social media is not real' and she's 'done with filters' and ready to live 'more authentic' because platforms like Instagram caused harm to her sibling

The married mother-of-three noted: 'Garrison used to feel like he wasn't doing enough because he was comparing himself to things on social media, and I don't think that it's real and I think we need to remember that. So if you're ever feeling down on yourself because you see somebody post something, remember it's their highlight reel, and you don't see all the stuff going on in the background'

Brush and Brown are two of six children from the 29-year 'spiritual union' between polygamist Kody Brown (2-R, pictured in 2014) and his ex-'wife' #2 Janelle Schriever (3-R), which ended in 2022

The Nevada Army National Guardsman passed away on March 5 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his Flagstaff, AZ home

Last Wednesday, High Country Humane announced the non-profit organization had received 'nearly $13K in donations and counting' in Garrison's (pictured February 28) memory

The 55-year-old patriarch's third ex-'wife' Christine Brown Woolley (pictured March 4) posted a recipe for Brown's favorite breakfast - a mock tapioca pudding - tinted green in honor of St. Patrick's Day

The 51-year-old mother-of-six wrote on Sunday: 'We're always going to remember and honor Garrison, no matter what life throws at us daily'

Christine added: 'It's such a difficult balance embracing life and daily routines like celebrating holidays and working while grieving. So, hey, I made his favorite for St. Patrick's Day!'

The 55-year-old patriarch's third ex-'wife' Christine Brown Woolley posted a recipe for Brown's favorite breakfast - a mock tapioca pudding - tinted green in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

'We're always going to remember and honor Garrison, no matter what life throws at us daily,' the 51-year-old mother-of-six wrote on Sunday.

'It's such a difficult balance embracing life and daily routines like celebrating holidays and working while grieving. So, hey, I made his favorite for St. Patrick's Day!'

Christine ended her 27-year 'spiritual union' with Kody in 2021 after welcoming six children, and she legally wed David Woolley on October 7.

Brown legally married 'fourth' wife Robyn Sullivan after divorcing his first wife Meri Barber in 2014 after 24 years, but they didn't end their 'spiritual union' until 2023.

TLC has yet to renew Sister Wives for a 19th season.
They have proudly carried on the legacy of Steve 'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin since he was tragically killed by a stingray barb 18 years ago.

And on Sunday, Bindi, her mother Terri and her brother Robert Irwin announced the annual Steve Irwin Gala will return on May 11 at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

'Guests are treated to a scrumptious three-course dinner and a night of wild fun and dancing with roving animals, entertainers, guest speakers and a live auction,' they said in an Instagram post.

But fans took to social media to question why the event is being held in America as Steve is an Australian icon.

'Having the Steve Irwin Gala in America instead of Australia is a disappointing to say the least,' one fan wrote.

Bindi, her mother Terri and her brother Robert Irwin announced the annual Steve Irwin Gala will return on May 11 at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas

Another user questioned: 'Steve's an Aussie icon why's this in America.'

'Time to change the venue .. your Australian , he was Australian, so bring it home .. no support at all in US,' one commented.

However, one pleased US fan wrote: 'Thank you so much for having a gala in America as it makes participating more reachable for many of Steve's fans.'

Other fans were left shocked by the $750 ticket prices.

'If only it weren't $750...I would love to go. That's a pretty hefty price for any gala,' a fan wrote.

Fans took to social media to question why the event is being held in America and slam the 'expensive' price tag to attend the event

'Wish I could afford it. Would love to go and support. Big fan of all the Irwin's, and their work.'

A gala honouring the late wildlife warrior's legacy will also take place in Brisbane on November 9.

The Irwin's have kept Steve's memory alive through their conservation work at Australia Zoo.

A gala honouring the late wildlife warrior's legacy will take place in Australia on November 9 2024

The Irwin's have kept Steve's memory alive through their conservation work at Australia Zoo

One of the family's most recent tributes to Steve is the Crocodile Hunter Lodge, which comprises of luxury cabins located inside the zoo premises.

The chic rooms offer guests modern conveniences among the picturesque grounds, with the website listing cabins which sleep four at $949 per night.

The site also houses a restaurant called 'Warrior' as a tribute to Terri's late husband, Steve, and his grandchild, Grace Warrior.
Excitement is already building for the new series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia, which is set to drop on Channel 10 on Sunday.

Hosts Julia Morris and Robert Irwin have spent days teasing the celebrity line-up for the show, and have now dropped another huge hint about the cast.

They announced that they want to take one member of KIIS FM's The PickUp drive time team into the jungle with them, raising excitement for Sunday's launch show.

The pair made the surprising reveal during Monday's episode of the popular radio show, leaving hosts - Brittany Hockley, Laura Byrne and Mitch Churri - in shock.

Each of the trio will compete in a competition to be played out on air in order to decide which of them will join the cast of the reality show.

I'm a Celebrity ...Get Me Out of Here hosts Julia Morris and Robert Irwin have announced that they want to take one member of KIIS FM's The PickUp drive time team into the jungle. (Both pictured)

'Robert and I were talking about it this afternoon,' Julia teased during the segment.

'We were like, we have official sign-off that we are not leaving Australia without a person from The Pick Up.

'We don't want to have to be the ones to decide, but I want one of you to come with us.'

At first all three of the Pick Up stars were in disbelief over the announcement, with Britney, 36, suggesting the 'offer' was a stunt.

However first-time I'm A Celebrity host Robert, 20, reassured the radio stars that it was no joke.

The pair made the surprising reveal during Monday's episode of The PickUp, leaving the radio hosts - Brittany Hockley , Laura Byrne and Mitch Churri - in shock.

Each of the PickUp team will compete in a competition to be played out on air in order to decide which of them will join the cast of the reality show. Pictured: Brittany Hockley

'This is legit, one of you is coming,' he added, as Laura, 37, shared her reluctance to get involved.

'Has anyone spoken to my husband before this? Because that would definitely rule me out! I've got children!,' she complained.

Meanwhile, excited fans took to The PickUp's social media to have their say on who they think will end up on the survival show.

Most followers appeared to agree that it would be Brittany that will heading into the jungle.

'It's Brittany!,' messaged one fan, who added that pre-publicity for I'm a Celebrity has already hinted that it was former Bachelor star.

Fans took to social media to have their say on who will be heading into the jungle.

The fan added: 'Their clue was ''radio queen known for rocky romances''.'

'Yes!,' wrote another follower.

'Laura, take Laura, she won't survive, ha ha,' messaged another fan.

It comes after Candice Warner, 39, has been rumoured to be joining the I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here cast.

The PickUp host Laura Byrne appeared to be reluctant to join the cast.

The former Ironwoman was turned away from at Sydney Airport on Monday after forgetting to bring her passport.

Reports indicate that Candice accidentally brought one of her daughter's passports instead of her own.

Channel Ten has already dropped the first teasers for the new season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! with big hints about which stars will be heading to South Africa for filming.

Pictured: PickUp host Mitch Churri.

It has been revealed that a controversial TV star, a gold medalist and a royally loved international comedian will take part.

The tenth season of the hit reality show will be filmed in South Africa and will be presented by Julia, 44, alongside first time host Robert, 20.

Robert beat out big names Sam Pang, Jimmy Rees, Curtis Stone, Beau Ryan and Tristan MacManus for the hosting role.
Joey Graziadei handed out roses to Daisy Kent and Kelsey Anderson and sent Rachel Nance home on Monday's episode of the Women Tell All of The Bachelor on ABC.

'I'm sad I had my heart broken again,' Rachel said in a confessional. 'I'll always have love for Joey.'

Rachel, 26, an ICU nurse from Honolulu, Hawaii, cried saying goodbye to Joey, 28, and he cried when she left. Rachel returned for the live show joining host Jesse Palmer, 48, on stage and cried again while watching the rose ceremony scene.

'I was definitely in love with him but who wouldn't be, he's amazing,' Rachel said. 'I have no regrets and I think I really did open up as much as I could at the time.'

Joey joined her on stage and told he cared so much for her and only wanted the best for her. Rachel said she gained confidence in herself from being on the show and thanked Joey for that.

Joey Graziadei handed out roses to Daisy Kent and Kelsey Anderson and sent Rachel Nance home on Monday's episode of the Women Tell All of The Bachelor on ABC

Rachel then broke down and said since hometowns that she had been getting a lot of hateful messages.

'A lot of racists comments towards me and just, you know, calling me the N-word or calling me jungle Asian all because I got a rose,' Rachel said.

Rachel said she was sad for her family to see people attacking her and their culture.

'You never deserve that,' Joey said.

Jesse said this season there had been a noticeable rise in hate on social media.

'I would just want to remind people that we are not just faces on the screen,' Rachel said. 'Women trying to find love, people are so quick to be little keyboard warriors and kind of pop off because there's no consequences. But we have to pay the consequences emotionally and mentally and ...just be kind. Your words have weight to it.'

At the beginning of the two-hour show Jesse asked Lea Cayanan, 23, an account manager from Waipahu, Hawaii, about why she threw her 'steal a one-on-one card' into the fire in front of everyone.

'I knew it wasn't right to use it,' Lea said. ' So here it is in front of your face. It's gone. That's me standing on business. That way, no one has to worry or have anxiety like ''Oh will my one-on-one be taken''.'

Rachel and Joey reunited during the live Women Tell All portion of the show

The rose ceremony included Rachel, Daisy Kent and Kelsey Anderson

Daisy and Kelsey accepted roses from Joey, but Rachel was sent home

Jesse said this season there had been a noticeable rise in hate on social media and asked the women to raise their hand if they received hateful messages online

'But I also think that no one's upset that you put it in the fire,' said Maria Georgas, 29, an executive assistant from Ontario, Canada. ' I think a lot of us respected you for doing that. But acting like you did it for us as women in the house, that's where the problem lies.'

Jesse asked Madina Alam, 31, a mental health therapist from Charlotte, North Carolina, about Lea confronting her in Malta about the drama between Maria and Sydney Gordon, 28, a vintage store owner from Newport, Rhode Island.

'She was telling me who to be friends with,' Madina said.

Madina said Lea posed as this 'girls' girl' and told Lea that she owed her an apology.

'I agreethat wasn't my place,' Lea said. 'But then you took that to Maria and said Lea wants everyone to be mean to you and that wasn't the conversation.'

'But that was the conversation,' Maria said. 'When I came back from my two on one. I walked into the most silent room. No one was happy for me. No one had a smile on their face, but Madina looked at me and said ''you look beautiful'' and that's a problem?'

Maria said she never told Lea to 'shut the f*** up' and the accusation got back to Joey.

'I said it,' said Lauren, 28, Allison's older sister. 'She was telling me to practice patience and to be quiet, super condescending for no reason.'

The women told all and argued with each other during the two-hour episode

Lexi Young talked to Jesse about her decision to leave the show early that crushed Joey

Maria stood up and applauded. Lea said she didn't care about the comment. Maria reminded her that she kept bringing it up so she obviously did care.

'I just don't want to feel gas lit,' Lea said.

Madina said she was disheartened to hear that her comment about being concerned about her age morphed into a conversation in the house.

'It was never s*** talking,' Maria said. 'The idea that it was going around that house that I was s*** talking that pissed me off.'

Madina admitted that maybe she shouldn't have used the word 'bully', but that she felt backed into a corner.

'But you could have shut it down, and you didn't,' said Starr Skyler, 25, a mental health counselor from Delray Beach, Florida.

'When I heard that Madina said she felt bullied at that moment I felt compelled to say something,' Sydney said. 'My truest intention was just to stick up for a friend.'

'No that wasn't what it was,' said Edwina Door, 25, an entrepreneur from Maple Grove, Minnesota. 'Sydney never liked Maria from the start.'

Sydney told Maria they just had different ways of communicating.

Jesse Palmer, who previously starred on The Bachelor, hosted the Women Tell All episode

'I speak the truth and you make up lies,' Maria said. 'You're absolutely right. You're absolutely right. We do speak different languages.'

'She was the one that was bullied,' said Taylor Wiens, 23, a recruiter from Olathe, Kansas, pointing to Maria.

'Also the way she handled things was not okay and she's not taking accountability for any of that,' Jess said.

'You called me a b**** what are you talking about?' Maria said.

Maria took the hot seat on stage and said her connection with Joey was undeniable.

'It was pretty strong,' Maria said.

Maria said it was obvious that she was into Joey.

Jesse asked Maria what her father's reaction was after Joey didn't give her a rose and sent her home.

Jesse asked Maria what her father's reaction was after Joey didn't give her a rose and sent her home

'Joey had a hit on him. He should probably sleep with one eye open,' Maria joked.

Maria said she didn't know why Sydney had such a negative impression of her.

'I pride myself on being honest,' Sydney said. 'And those things that you said - the weird, dumb, annoying, embarrassing - those things did happen.'

Sydney admitted they both said things in the moment.

'I should have been more resolution-oriented instead of pointing the finger at you,' Sydney said.

'I just get heated when I feel like I'm under attack or I feel like my character is under attack,' Maria said. 'I also do want to say, Sydney, the hate that you have been getting on social media has crossed the line and it is something I do not condone.'

'Thank you,' Sydney said.

Lea apologized to Maria and said she should have taken a chance to actually get to know her.

Maria ran over and hugged Sydney and Lea and said she wanted them all to make up.

Maria ran over and hugged Sydney and Lea and said she wanted them all to make up

Jennifer "Jenn" Tran reflected on her time with Joey

Daisy, Kelsey and Joey toasted after the rose ceremony as the field narrowed to the final two

The show then went back to Tulum, Mexico, when Joey found the note from Kelsey on his door that said she needed to talk to him.

'This is like my worst nightmare coming true,' Joey said.

Kelsey went to Joey's room to talk.

'I just wanted to tell you how much I miss you when you're not there,' Kelsey said.

Joey sighed in relief. Kelsey said she wanted to tell him that she wanted to meet his family. Joey told her that he still worried about getting his heartbroken.

The show also included bloopers at the end and an emotional sneak peek at next week's season finale that showed Joey crying with a single rose left on the table.

The Bachelor will return next Monday on ABC.
Pierce Brosnan got his week off to a stylish start by heading out to dinner with wife Keely Shaye Smith.

The 70-year-old Irish actor was all smiles while seen leaving a Malibu restaurant with his 60-year-old wife, who he's been married to since 2001.

The outing comes just days after the former 007 star offered his 'heartfelt apologies' for trespassing in the Yellowstone National Park hot springs back in November.

Brosnan stepped out wearing a white t-shirt under a blue dress shirt under a thin black zip-up coat.

The silver-haired star also rocked black Ray-Ban sunglasses as he flashed a huge smile while out with his wife.

Pierce Brosnan got his week off to a stylish start by heading out to dinner with wife Keely Shaye Smith

The outing comes just days after the former 007 star offered his 'heartfelt apologies' for trespassing in the Yellowstone National Park hot springs back in November

He completed his look with sleek black pats and matching dress shoes, while carrying a brown bag.

His wife Keely Shaye Smith opted for a stylish white blouse with small teal earrings for the outing.

She also donned black sunglasses and a black blazer while holding her husband's hand and a black purse in the other hand.

Smith completed her look with black dress pants and black flat shoes for the occassion.

The outing comes just days after Brosnan offered his 'heartfelt apologies' after he was fined $500 for trespassing in the Yellowstone National Park hot springs.

He has also been ordered to make a $1,000 donation by the end of the month to Yellowstone Forever, a nonprofit organisation that supports the park.

The Goldeneye actor posted a photo of him in the hot springs, an off-limits area, during a November visit to Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone.

Mammoth Terraces is a scenic spot of mineral-encrusted hot springs bubbling from a hillside.

The Goldeneye actor posted a photo of him in the hot springs, an off-limits area, during a November visit to Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone

The Goldeneye actor posted a photo of him in the hot springs, an off-limits area, during a November visit to Mammoth Terraces, in the northern part of Yellowstone

Federal rules stipulate visitors to national parks must stay on the designated walkways.

Brosnan took to his Instagram on Thursday, to issue a statement and an apology to his fans and followers.

'As an environmentalist I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world. However, I made an impulsive mistake - one that I do not take lightly - when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph,' he said.

'I did not see a No Trespassing sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area,' he said.

'I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area,' he added.

'Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy,' he concluded, with the hashtag #StayOnThePath.
Kristin Davis reunited with fellow And Just Like That producer-star Cynthia Nixon to attend The New Group 2024 Gala, which took place at The Edison Ballroom in Manhattan's Times Square on Monday.

The Brentwood-based 59-year-old held hands with the 57-year-old native New Yorker, who serves on the board of the 29-year-old off-Broadway theatrical troupe.

Kristin and Cynthia have been working together as far back as 1997 when they shot the pilot for HBO hit show Sex and the City, which ran for six seasons, spawned two forgettable big-screen sequels, and Max's continuation And Just Like That.

Davis looked lovely in a black tea-length dress featuring white graphic print, black pumps, and a matching leather bag.

The Emmy nominee wore her signature raven locks in waves, defined her brows, and applied a subtle mauve shade on her cheekbones and lips.

Kristin Davis (L) reunited with fellow And Just Like That producer-star Cynthia Nixon (R) to attend The New Group 2024 Gala, which took place at The Edison Ballroom in Manhattan's Times Square on Monday.

Nixon wore a cream-colored Interior pre-fall 2024 gown featuring ruched shoulders and a knee-length slit exposing her gladiator heels as well as a champagne-colored clutch selected by stylist Alicia Lombardini.

The two-time Tony winner - who's only an Oscar away from elite EGOT status - wore her natural blonde locks in a pixie cut and wore minimal make-up on her alabaster complexion.

'Look who made it all the way across the country to see the show [The Seven Year Disappear]! I [love] and appreciate you so much @iamkristindavis!' Cynthia Instastoried on Sunday.

Kristin replied via Instastory: 'So thrilled I got to see yet another brilliant performance on stage by Cyn!'

Nixon portrays nine different characters in The New Group's world premiere of Jordan Seavey's play The Seven Year Disappear, which runs through March 31 at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, the talented twosome's co-star Sarah Jessica Parker will be starring in the West End revival of Plaza Suite through April 13 at London's Savoy Theatre.

For her triple roles in the Neil Simon comedy, the 58-year-old Emmy winner will compete for the best actress trophy at the 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards, which air April 14 on ITV.

A week ago, Davis hinted that the third season of And Just Like That will soon start production by posting a montage captioned: 'It's almost that time again... can't wait to be reunited with my AJLT family.'

The Brentwood-based 59-year-old (L) held hands with the 57-year-old native New Yorker (R), who serves on the board of the 29-year-old off-Broadway theatrical troupe

Kristin and Cynthia have been working together as far back as 1997 when they shot the pilot for HBO hit show Sex and the City, which ran for six seasons, spawned two forgettable big-screen sequels, and Max's continuation And Just Like That

Davis looked lovely in a black tea-length dress featuring white graphic print, black pumps, and a matching leather bag

The Emmy nominee wore her signature raven locks in waves, defined her brows, and applied a subtle mauve shade on her cheekbones and lips

Nixon wore a cream-colored Interior pre-fall 2024 gown featuring ruched shoulders and a knee-length slit exposing her gladiator heels as well as a champagne-colored clutch selected by stylist Alicia Lombardini

The two-time Tony winner - who's only an Oscar away from elite EGOT status - wore her natural blonde locks in a pixie cut and wore minimal make-up on her alabaster complexion

Cynthia Instastoried on Sunday: 'Look who made it all the way across the country to see the show [The Seven Year Disappear]! I [love] and appreciate you so much @iamkristindavis!' and Kristin replied: 'So thrilled I got to see yet another brilliant performance on stage by Cyn!'

Nixon portrays nine different characters in The New Group's world premiere of Jordan Seavey's play The Seven Year Disappear, which runs through March 31 at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre in Manhattan

Meanwhile, the talented twosome's co-star Sarah Jessica Parker (M, pictured January 28) will be starring in the West End revival of Plaza Suite through April 13 at London's Savoy Theatre

For her triple roles in the Neil Simon comedy, the 58-year-old Emmy winner will compete for the best actress trophy at the 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards, which air April 14 on ITV

A week ago, Davis hinted that the third season of And Just Like That will soon start production by posting a montage captioned: 'It's almost that time again... can't wait to be reunited with my AJLT family'

Sarah, Cynthia, and Kristin all earned $10M paychecks to executive produce and star as Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York Goldenblatt, and Miranda Hobbes in season one

Last December, Max announced in a 'one to watch' teaser that audiences won't get to see season three of And Just Like That until 2025

But first, US audiences can catch Davis as Amelia Decker opposite John Travolta (R) in controversial director Randall Emmett aka Ives' action film Cash Out, which hits limited theaters April 26

Sarah, Cynthia, and Kristin all earned $10M paychecks to executive produce and star as Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York Goldenblatt, and Miranda Hobbes in season one - according to Variety.

Last December, Max announced in a 'one to watch' teaser that audiences won't get to see season three of And Just Like That until 2025.

And while the first season was the service's most-watched series debut to date, viewership was down for season two of the dismally-reviewed show originally inspired by Candace Bushnell's newspaper column and 1996 book anthology.

Season two saw newly-sober Miranda go back to work and navigate her post-breakup relationship with the dreaded Che (Sara Ramirez) and Charlotte leave some of her domestic duties in order to got back to work at a gallery.

But first, US audiences can catch Davis as Amelia Decker opposite John Travolta in controversial director Randall Emmett aka Ives' action film Cash Out, which hits limited theaters April 26.

Also joining Nixon at the benefit was her wife of 11 years, Christine Marinoni, with whom she co-parents 13-year-old son Max Ellington.

The Gaza ceasefire hunger striker was still with her partner Danny Mozes when she first met the 57-year-old education activist in 2001 at one of her Alliance for Quality Education fundraisers.

Two years later, Cynthia ended her 15-year relationship to the 58-year-old photographer, with whom she shares two adult sons - Samuel aka Seph, 27; and Charles, 21.

Also joining Nixon at the benefit was her wife of 11 years, Christine Marinoni, with whom she co-parents 13-year-old son Max Ellington

The Gaza ceasefire hunger striker was still with her partner Danny Mozes when she first met the 57-year-old education activist (R) in 2001 at one of her Alliance for Quality Education fundraisers

Two years later, Cynthia ended her 15-year relationship to the 58-year-old photographer, with whom she shares two adult sons - Samuel aka Seph, 27; and Charles, 21

Nixon posed with Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard (R), with whom she co-starred in The Gilded Age as well as a 2005 episode of Fox's House

Last December, Max renewed Julian Fellowes' nine-episode 1880s New York drama for a third season, so audiences will get to see more of Cynthia as aristocrat Ada Brook and Robert as clergyman Luke Forte

The former New York gubernatorial candidate also posed with actress Madison Ferris, who stars in Laura Winters' rom-com play All of Me opening April 23 at The New Group

In 2018, Nixon announced her eldest Seph's (born Samantha) gender affirmation after he graduated from The University of Chicago.

The former New York gubernatorial candidate posed with Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard, with whom she co-starred in The Gilded Age as well as a 2005 episode of Fox's House.

Last December, Max renewed Julian Fellowes' nine-episode 1880s New York drama for a third season, so audiences will get to see more of Cynthia as aristocrat Ada Brook and Robert as clergyman Luke Forte.

Nixon also posed with actress Madison Ferris, who stars in Laura Winters' rom-com play All of Me opening April 23 at The New Group.
Lisa Vanderpump says she thinking Jax Taylor's 'bad behavior' was the reason for his split with Brittany Cartwright after four years of marriage.

The 63-year-old Bravo star, citing numerous infidelity scandals that played out on her Bravo series Vanderpump Rules, said that while she wasn't sure of the cause, she had her suspicions. (He has denied cheating was the cause of the split.)

'I don't know what the reason was, but I imagine it was probably something to do with Jax's bad behavior,' Vanderpump told E! News on Monday. 'I'm not sure, but the indicator of future behavior is normally past behavior.'

Vanderpump chat with the outlet at the Vanderpump Villa premiere event, ahead of the show's April 1 debut on Hulu, about the recent split of her one-time employees.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum said that people were initially skeptical of the chances between Taylor and Cartwright, an aspect which she could empathize with.

Lisa Vanderpump, 63, said Monday she thinks that Jax Taylor's 'bad behavior' was the reason for his split with Brittany Cartwright after four years of marriage. Pictured in LA in January

Jax Taylor, 44, and Brittany Cartwright, 35, were pictured last year at an event in support of Vanderpump Rules

Vanderpump said, 'Everybody predicted that when they got married: They said, "Oh this won't last long," but I kind of never liked to draw conclusions.'

The Vanderpump Rules impresario looked back on the naysayers at the time she wed her spouse Ken Todd in 1982.

'I know a lot of people say it's inevitable, but when I walked down the aisle 42 years ago everybody shook their head and said, "This would never last,"' the English socialite said. 'Ken being a bad boy in London and 16 years older than me. You go into it totally optimistic.'

The reality star said that she felt the news of the Taylor-Cartwright split was 'a shame when they have a child,' in reference to their son Cruz, two.

'Marriage isn't easy and there's always so many options in Hollywood and excuses and their egos involved,' Vanderpump said. 'I think nearly everybody I know that was married on reality television has separated, except Ken and I.'

Cartwright, 35, earlier this month removed her married last name from her Instagram profile following her split from Taylor.

Cartwright had her name listed as Brittany Cartwright Cauchi as of March 2 until she dropped her now-estranged husband's name sometime on March 3.

On February 29, Cartwright and the 44-year-old reality star  whose full birth name is Jason Michael Cauchi  announced their separation after four years of marriage.

The pair have been together for nearly a decade since they started dating in 2015 and share one child together. They tied the knot in 2019 and welcomed their son Cruz, now three, a couple years later in 2021; seen in May 2023

Earlier this month, Taylor had claimed they are still living under the same roof around the same time Cartwright revealed she would be giving him another chance; seen in March 2023

The pair have been together for nearly a decade since they started dating in 2015 and share one child together. They tied the knot in 2019 and welcomed their son Cruz, now three, a couple years later in 2021.

Their marital woes came to light after Cartwright and Taylor announced they were separating Feburary 29. Cartwright confirmed the shocking news on a recent episode of their joint podcast When Reality Hits.

'Jax and I are taking time apart and I made the decision to move into another home to take some space for the sake of my mental health,' she said. 'I won't get into too many details right now because this is still really hard to talk about.'

She explained that her main priority is her son and insisted they will be 'just fine,' adding, 'I am taking things one day at a time ... I don't know what the future holds, but right now my focus is on being the best mom to Cruz. I love you guys and pray for us. Everything will be just fine.'

Later that same day, Taylor claimed that they were not living in separate places and Cartwright had returned home.

'We're together,' he told Page Six at the time. 'We're living in our home right now.'

He did not reveal the reason for their rift but explained that there was 'not evil or nastiness.

'It's just two people that you know are hitting a 10-year mark in their marriage. We're just spending some time apart and just trying to reassess, you know, our situation. We have a child involved, and we just wanna do what's best for our kid.'

Several days earlier, Cartwright and the 44-year-old reality star  whose full birth name is Jason Michael Cauchi  announced their separation after four years of marriage; seen in December 2019

Their marital woes came to light after Cartwright and Taylor announced they were separating last Thursday. Cartwright confirmed the shocking news on a recent episode of their joint podcast When Reality Hits; seen in November 2019

Since then, Cartwright has not confirmed if she has returned to their marital home but did say that they were working their marriage.

'I think that me moving out and taking space to figure out if this is what I want is like the best situation for me right now,' she told TMZ one day after the it was reported they were separated.

'I've asked him for a while to do certain things and nothing has come from that yet, so you know, hopefully,' she continued. 'Listen, I love Jax so much. I really do, and I want the best for me and my son at this point.'
Jake Gyllenhaal has been making the press rounds for his new Road House remake, where he opened up about playing the superhero Batman.

Two decades earlier, the 43-year-old actor auditioned for the iconic superhero for the 2005 film Batman Begins, a role that ultimately went to Christian Bale.

During a new interview with Screen Rant, Gyllenhaal was asked about the possibility of playing Batman this time around, in James Gunn's new reworked DC Universe.

'Oh, man. Thats a classic. Its an honor,' he said of the possibility of playing Batman in a future film, just after revealing he got a staph infection filming Road House.

'Speaking of playing roles that other incredible actors have played in the past, to me actually roles that other incredible actors have played in the past, which, to me, actually, when I think about it, Im going to play Iago in Othello with Denzel Washington, and I think about like the history of actors that have played that role throughout time, and Im intimidated by that,' he said, referring to the new Broadway revival he signed on for with Washington.

Jake Gyllenhaal has been making the press rounds for his new Road House remake, where he opened up about playing the superhero Batman

Two decades earlier, the 43-year-old actor auditioned for the iconic superhero for the 2005 film Batman Begins, a role that ultimately went to Christian Bale

During a new interview with Screen Rant , Gyllenhaal was asked about the possibility of playing Batman this time around, in James Gunn 's new reworked DC Universe

'So thats the first level. Thats what Im working on right now. But of course. It would be an honor always. Those types of things and those roles are classics,' he added.

Gyllenhaal was also almost cast as another iconic hero - Spider-Man - though that also never came to fruition.

The actor was being discussed to potentially replace Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire in 2004's Spider-Man 2, due to health concerns about Maguire.

The actor ultimately recovered and went on to star in both Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3.

Years later, Gyllenhaal would join the Spider-Man universe as villainous Quintin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio, in 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home.

As for the new Batman, it's unclear when Gunn may be casting for a new Dark Knight, but it may be sooner than later.

The first 'chapter' of the DCU is entitled Gods and Monsters, which is kicked off by Superman, in theaters July 11, 2025.

The first chapter also includes The Brave and the Bold, a film that Gunn described as, 'a strange father and son story' about both Batman and Robin.

'So thats the first level. Thats what Im working on right now. But of course. It would be an honor always. Those types of things and those roles are classics,' he added

Gyllenhaal was also almost cast as another iconic hero - Spider-Man - though that also never came to fruition

Years later, Gyllenhaal would join the Spider-Man universe as villainous Quintin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio, in 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home

Gyllenhaal very well could be within the age range of actors Gunn may be seeking to play Batman in this film, which would be based on Grant Morrison's run in the comics from 2006 to 2013.

The story will feature Damien Wayne - Bruce Wayne's biological son - fights crime as Robin alongside his father as Batman.

The Flash director Andy Muschietti was brought on to direct the film, with his sister Barbara Muschietti producing alongside Gunn and Peter Safran.

No screenwriter has been attached and it was confirmed that this will not be connected to Robert Pattinson's The Batman, which has a new sequel coming too.
Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian have hit back at critics who expressed bewilderment at the fact they take each other's racy social media snaps.

In 2018, the 58-year-old model revealed the secret photographer behind her seemingly endless stream of bikini Instagram posts was in fact her only son, 21 - whose shadow can be seen in the background of many of her images.

Yet some were unsure how to take her confession, with several branding the relationship 'weird' and the debate discussed on panel shows.

Now the mother-son duo have addressed the backlash, with Elizabeth brushing off the naysayers and insisting she finds it more 'relaxing' being photographed by Damian, who 'looks out for me.'

Speaking to Access Hollywood, she mused: 'Who likes being photographed in bikinis? No one, even when you're 22 and fabulous but it's relaxing knowing someone's behind the camera who looks out for me, which was the same on this movie in a way.'

Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian have hit back at critics who expressed bewilderment at the fact they take each other's racy social media snaps

Meanwhile, Damian - who has followed in his mother's footsteps as a model - also shrugged off the critics, saying: 'People find this really controversial... showbusiness has been a fundamental part of my entire life.

'So, to us, it's not a thing, it's just part of business. She takes my photos, I take hers.'

Elsewhere in the chat, Elizabeth revealed she felt 'liberated' stripping off for a racy scene in her son's directorial debut.

Titled Strictly Confidential, the film features the actress getting very steamy with another woman.

In the trailer, Elizabeth's character Lily, can be seen being seduced by Natasha, played by young actress Pear Chiravara.

But rather than be embarrassed by the intimacy of the scene, the Austin Powers star explained that Damian put her at ease on set.

Elizabeth explained: 'The things that his script needed me to do weren't necessarily things I'd always done in movies many times.

'But having him there meant that I felt safe and looked-after, and I knew in [post production] he'd look after me.'

In 2018, the model revealed the secret photographer behind her bikini posts was in fact her son, 21 and has has now revealed she finds it more 'relaxing' being photographed by Damian

Elizabeth revealed she felt 'liberated' stripping off for a racy scene in her son's directorial debut Strictly Confidential which sees her getting steamy with another woman

She added: 'So actually it's kind of liberating to work with your family. I may do it again.'

The mystery drama follows Mia, played by CBBC star Georgia Lock, as she is drawn into a 'world of sex, duplicity and betrayal' while trying to uncover the mystery surrounding her best friend Rebecca's suicide.

The trailer shows Mia returning to the exotic Caribbean island where Rebecca died, and along with uncovering old passions, vows to learn the truth about her friend's death.

It is not the first time Elizabeth has starred in one of her sons projects. She also flew out to Saint Kitts and Nevis for his short film, The Boy on the Beach.

Strictly Confidential will be released in cinemas and on Prime Video on April 5.

Inside the House of Hurley: How Elizabeth has helped son Damian, 21, achieve a $500k net worth with modelling deals and TV work - while he's scored her movie roles and helps out with THOSE bikini snaps

In recent years, Damian Hurley, 21, has been eagerly following in his mother Elizabeth's footsteps, landing a slew of big-money fashion and TV deals.

Actress Elizabeth, 58, raised her son as a single parent and he quickly developed a taste for the spotlight after being by her side at glitzy events.

Since he kickstarted his modelling career at the age of 17, Damian has delved into acting and directing, and now boasts an estimated net worth of $500,000.

Yet Damian isn't the typical nepo baby, with the 21-year-old not just following his mother's career but also helping out with hers, working alongside her in movies and acting as photographer for her striking bikini snaps.

MailOnline takes a look at how the mother and son have been supporting one another in their bid to take over Hollywood...

Inside the House of Hurley: How Elizabeth has helped son Damian, 21, achieve a $500k net worth while he's scored her movie roles (pictured on August 3)

Modelling

Damian has followed in his mother's fashionable footsteps, becoming one of the most sought after male models in the UK.

He made his modelling debut back in 2019 by posing for renowned British makeup artist Pat McGrath.

Writing on Instagram at the time, he said: 'So excited to show you guys something secret I've been working on with the divine @PatMcGrathReal !! Shot by #StevenMeisel, here's #SublimePerfection; available in stores 7.26.19.'

He is signed to the London arm of IMG Models, which also represents US sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen and Christie Blinkley.

As well as posing for multiple campaigns with Pat McGrath, he has also appeared on Double Vision's Spring 2021 issue, and YOU Magazine alongside his famous mother.

It's estimated that models signed to IMG can earn up to $201,072 a year.

Damian has learnt from the best, with Elizabeth starring in several high profile campaigns while she's also covered British Vogue three times.

She previously revealed that her modelling career came from 'out of the blue', when she was asked to become an Estee Lauder spokesmodel in 1995.

Photography

Multi-talented Damian is just as comfortable behind the camera as he is in front of it, acting as his mother's favourite photographer.

In recent years, he has honed his skills by taking his mum's sexy bikini-clad snaps.

In 2015, Elizabeth explained: 'He doesn't take all my bikini photos. Some of them are professional, some of them are my sister, anybody who I can get.

'When we're on holiday together, sure he'll take some pictures. And you know, he's got a really good eye and he's studying photography and it's ridiculous.'

She also admitted that Damian told her to 'just do it' when she was hesitant about posing in a bikini because of the cold British weather, after being unable to travel to her sunny holiday destinations during the Covid lockdown.

Speaking on PeopleTV, Elizabeth said: 'He said, mum, "Just do it." But it's good. I had him on task, especially during lockdown.'

Look at the shadows: Multi-talented Damian is just as comfortable behind the camera as he is in front of it, acting as his mother's favourite photographer for her bikini snaps

Social media

While Elizabeth has an incredible online presence, boasting 2.6 million Instagram followers, Damian is quickly following on behind.

His account is littered with striking modelling shots, glimpses at his every day life and selfies with his famous friends.

While Elizabeth also features regularly on his account, she was previously against her son using social media.

Speaking about her standpoint when Damian was 14, she explained: 'I've always said absolutely not.

'It has to be private because you're putting up, as you should be, silly pictures of you and your friends at school and they're private because you don't want anyone looking at that.

'But now he's had his first professional job. he's now going to have a public profile different to his personal one.'

Since then, Damian has amassed 142,000 Instagram followers, and with such a backing he could earn at least $1,420/month on brand deals.

Big money: Damian has amassed 142,000 Instagram followers, and with such a backing he could earn at least $1,420/month on brand deals

Acting

Thanks to his famous mother, Damian kickstarted his acting career at the age of 14 when he landed a guest role in Elizabeth's series The Royals.

The talented teen played spoiled German monarch, Prince Hansel, who begun a new career as a reality star.

Proud mother Elizabeth revealed that Damian would be making his acting debut when she shared a sweet snap of the pair together.

She captioned the image: 'Mama taking a back seat tomorrow on the set of #TheRoyals. Passing the baton to my son, who is guest starring as Prince Hansel von Liechtenstein.'

Damian first appeared in The Royals in 2016 in the episode named Aye, There's the Rub, before reprising his role in 2018 in the episode My News Shall Be the Fruit to That Great Feast.

According to The Screen Actors Guild  American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, a guest actor can earn $5,951 per week for a half an hour episode and $9,522 for an hour-long episode. Both of Damien's episodes were 43 minutes long.

Elizabeth is no stranger to the acting scene, landing her first role in a big budget film in 1992 with Passenger 57.

Since then she has starred in the likes of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Bedazzled.

Most recently she has been working in Damian's projects after he expressed an interest in directing.

As seen on screen: Thanks to his famous mother, Damian kickstarted his acting career at the age of 14 when he landed a role in Elizabeth's series The Royals

Directing

Damian has long been making short films and unsurprisingly, his mother has been more than happy to help out with his work.

Damian documented work on one of their projects in 2022, when shared snaps of the pair behind the scenes.

He captioned the gallery: 'And thats a wrap on The Boy on the Beach !! I started making shorts when I was 8, running around with a camcorder, begging my long-suffering family and friends to be in them.

'12 years later, to be able to work with the brilliant crew at @msrmedia is genuinely a dream come true. To make this even more perfect, my crazily talented (and insanely kind) mother @ElizabethHurley1 (also the star of my first ever short in 2010) flew out to film .

'Huge thanks to everyone involved for going the extra mile with me. I put my all into this short (possibly overboard- writing/directing/acting/editing). Watch this space, lots more coming very soon x'

Last month, Damian marked his writing and directorial feature debut with upcoming mystery drama Strictly Confidential.

The mystery drama follows Mia, played by CBBC star Georgia Lock, as she is drawn into a 'world of sex, duplicity and betrayal' while trying to uncover the mystery surrounding her best friend Rebecca's suicide.

Risque pictures showed his model mum Elizabeth, who plays Lily, appearing to be seduced by Natasha, played by young actress Pear Chiravara.

Damian praised his mum for sticking to her promise to be in his first film when shooting wrapped in December.

Sharing snaps on Instagram, he wrote: Everyone involved deserves public declarations of adoration (all of which will come in due course) but right now I want to worship @ElizabethHurley1 who, during the making of my first ever short film back in 2010 (when I was 8) promised me shed be in my first feature; true to her word, the minute this film was greenlit, Mama dropped everything and raced out to the beautiful Caribbean to help. Working together was a dream.

Helping hand: Damian has long been making short films and unsurprisingly, his mother has been more than happy to help out with his work (pictured on set of his short film The Boy on the Beach in 2022)

Finances

Despite his solid earnings from his acting and fashion work, Damian missed out on a 180 million inheritance.

In July 2021, it was revealed that Damian will not receive a penny from his late dad Steve Bing, who died by suicide in 2020, after he was disinherited.

Damian and Steve's relationship had almost been non-existent for most of the teen's life, but in the weeks before his death, the multi-millionaire businessman had made tentative steps towards establishing a father-son bond, calling him for the first time on his 18th birthday.

Steve died thinking that his two children  Damian and older half-sister Kira  would be financially secure.

He had recently won a court battle, overturning his own father's attempt to exclude them both from family trust funds believed to be worth up to a billion dollars (725 million).

Yet the Mail exclusively revealed that Damian wouldn't receive a penny, after his grandfather succeeded in appealing the decision.

Instead, the fortune will be split between the two children of Steves sister Mary, who crucially, unlike their cousins, were born in wedlock.

It is a betrayal that horrified and devastated Elizabeth, not just that Damian has been deprived of a share that could have reached $250 million (around 180 million) but also that he has been effectively disowned by his fathers family.

During an emotionally turbulent year, she maintained a dignified silence, but so appalled was she by the callous treatment of her son by his own grandfather that she gave a statement to the Mail.

She shared: When Stephen took his own life, he died thinking his children were going to be taken care of.

What Stephen wanted has now been callously reversed. I know Stephen would have been devastated.
The photographer who inspired Tom Hardy's new film Bikeriders has made some baffling claims about the set of the movie.

Famous snapper Danny Lyon, 82, has claimed he was told not to look at the actor, 46, during a visit to the set in Cincinnati where the film was being shot.

Bikeriders was inspired by Danny's portfolio of the same name and he was inivited to watch them film the upcoming film, which is slated for a summer release.

In his new memoir, This Is My Life Im Talking About, Danny details travelling to meet the British actor where he was working.

However, he reveals he never actually got to meet Tom because he was warned not to look at Tom at all, before being ordered to watch from behind a tree.

The photographer who inspired Tom Hardy's new film Bikeriders has made some baffling claims about the set of the movie (pictured March 2024)

Bikeriders was inspired by Danny's portfolio of the same name and he was inivited to watch them film the upcoming film (pictured Tom and his co-star Austin Butler in the film)

Danny said: 'They tried to keep me away but I finally get there. It's f***ing freezing. I just want to meet Tom Hardy.

'He gets on set and they say, 'You can't look at him'. I said, 'What do you mean? Why can't I look at him?' They say, 'Oh, he doesn't like it'.

'So they make me hide behind a tree and all this bulls**t.'

The claims come soon after Patrick Stewart spoke about Tom's aloof manner on set when they worked together at the start of his career.

The actors were working on Star Trek: Nemesis and Patrick claimed he didn't believe Tom's career would take off, partly due to his apparent dismissive nature.

The Jean-Luc Picard actor wrote in his memoir that they never developed a strong relationship during filming.

Ironically, Tom was playing the villain, Shinzon, who was a clone of Jean-Luc, but that on-screen connection didn't translate to a behind-the-scenes rapport.

Patrick wrote: 'I didn't have a single exciting scene to play, and the actor who portrayed the movie's villain, Shinzon, was an odd, solitary young man from London. His name was Tom Hardy.'

In his new memoir, This Is My Life Im Talking About, Danny details travelling to meet the British actor where he was working (pictured Tom in the film)

Famous snapper Danny Lyon (pictured), 82, has claimed he was told not to look at the actor, 46, during a visit to the set in Cincinnati where the film was being shot

He claimed Tom was more interested in spending his downtime with his girlfriend instead of building connections with the experienced group of actors in the cast.

Patrick claimed: 'Tom wouldn't engage with any of us on a social level. Never said, 'Good morning,' never said, 'Goodnight,' and spent the hours he wasn't needed on set in his trailer with his girlfriend.'

But even though he described his interactions with Tom as cold, he was also careful to clarify that the Inception actor was never explicitly rude or difficult.

'He was by no means hostile  it was just challenging to establish any rapport with him,' he wrote.

Once Tom had made a hasty exit after finishing his work on the film, Patrick didn't hold back with his negative assessment of his career prospects.

He said: 'On the evening Tom wrapped his role, he characteristically left without ceremony or niceties, simply walking out of the door. As it closed, I said quietly to [costars Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes], 'And there goes someone I think we shall never hear of again.''

But he wasn't rooting for Tom to fail by any means. 'It gives me nothing but pleasure that Tom has proven me so wrong,' he added.

The claims come soon after Patrick Stewart spoke about Tom's aloof manner on set when they worked together at the start of his career (pictured together in 2002)

In 2022, an insight into Tom and Charlize Theron explosive relationship on the set of Mad Max was revealed by the cast and crew in new interviews

In 2022, an insight into Tom and Charlize Theron explosive relationship on the set of Mad Max was revealed by the cast and crew in new interviews.

It was reported that their working relationship devolved to the point that the stars got into shouting matches, with Charlize calling Tom a 'f***ing c***' after he made her wait on set for hours.

The claims were made in New York Times columnist Kyle Buchanan's book Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild And True Story Of Mad Max: Fury Road.

In an excerpt published by Vanity Fair, members of the production detailed how Charlize, got a female producer to be with her at all times as 'protection'.

Tom starred as the title character, who was played by Mel Gibson in the first three films in the series, while Charlize starred as newcomer Imperator Furiosa, a lieutenant to the villain Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) who turns against her leader to team-up with Max.

Natascha Hopkins, a stunt double on Fury Road, recounted how Charlize didn't want to waste time on set, as she was a new mother at the time and was balancing her role with parenting.

It was reported that their working relationship devolved to the point that the stars got into shouting matches, with Charlize calling Tom a 'f***ing c***' after he made her wait on set for hours

But camera operator Mark Goellnicht recalled how Tom was often late for the start of shooting.

He recounted one day when Charlize was on set at eight o'clock sharp and got her makeup and costume set up before getting into the film's War Rig.

However, despite producers making a 'special request' for Tom to show up on time, it would be hours more before he arrived.

'Gets to nine o'clock, still no Tom,' Goellnicht recounted. ''Charlize, do you want to get out of the War Rig and walk around, or do you want to . . .'

'No, I'm going to stay here.' She was really going to make a point. She didn't go to the bathroom, didn't do anything. She just sat in the War Rig.'

Tom finally arrived after 11am, while Theron had remained in the vehicle the entire time.

'She jumps out of the War Rig, and she starts swearing her head off at him, saying, "Fine the f**king c*** a hundred thousand dollars for every minute that he's held up this crew," and "How disrespectful you are!'' Goellnicht continued.

'She was right. Full rant. She screams it out. It's so loud, it's so windy  he might've heard some of it, but he charged up to her up and went, "What did you say to me?''

The camera operator said Tom seemed 'quite aggressive,' and that his co-star 'really felt threatened.'

'That was the turning point, because then she said, "I want someone as protection." She then had a producer that was assigned to be with her all the time,' he explained.
His name alone is enough to drive audiences to catch a glimpse of him in action - but Jeremy Strong's performance in his return to Broadway has wowed critics.

Succession star Strong takes on the role of small town doctor Thomas Stockmann in the Broadway revival of An Enemy of the People - Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's tale of how societal structures endanger lives.

Considering himself to be a upstanding member of the community, Stockmann raises the alarm when he discovers the water at a newly opened spa is polluted.

But his refusal to stay quiet, threatening the community's continued economic prosperity, quickly causes him to become alienated from local townsfolk.

In contrary to Matt Smith's lukewarm reception for the current West End adaptation, Strong's performance has been hailed as 'warm and winning' in early reviews.

Jeremy Strong's performance in his return to Broadway for the revival of An Enemy of the People at Circle in the Square Theatre has impressed critics

Succession star Strong takes on the role of small town doctor Thomas Stockmann in the Broadway revival of An Enemy of the People

While the West End version sees the play moved into present day, the Broadway revival, adapted by Amy Herzog and directed by Sam Gold, stayed firmly in the 19th century.

Strong, 45, was joined by The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli, 57, as Stockmann's brother Peter, and Netflix's You actor Victoria Pedretti, 28, as his daughter Petra.

The HBO actor, whose award-winning method portrayal of Kendall Roy was as much mocked for its seriousness as it was applauded, received rave reviews from critics as he returned to the stage.

Writing for The Times, Will Pavia said: 'Perhaps Strong is funny, once again, because he does not mean to be but his performance is warm and winning.

'In Succession he was a nice man trying desperately to be mean. Here, his earnestness is allowed to shine.'

Speaking of his A-list status, Diane Snyder of The Telegraph asked: 'How do you follow a triumph like Succession?

'If you're Jeremy Strong, it turns out you go from playing the fragile, bullish Kendall Roy on that smashing TV series to starring as Henrik Ibsen's whistleblower doctor Thomas Stockmann in a quietly gripping production of An Enemy of the People, now at New York's Circle in the Square Theatre.

'It's his first leading role on Broadway, and he inhabits it with a winning combination of nuance and fervor.'

In contrary to Matt Smith's lukewarm reception for the current West End adaptation, Strong's performance has been hailed as 'warm and winning'

REVIEWS: An Enemy of the People - Broadway Revival The Times Rating: Will Pavia writes: 'Perhaps Strong is funny, once again, because he does not mean to be but his performance is warm and winning. In Succession he was a nice man trying desperately to be mean. Here, his earnestness is allowed to shine.' The Telegraph Rating: Diane Snyder writes: 'How do you follow a triumph like Succession? If you're Jeremy Strong, it turns out you go from playing the fragile, bullish Kendall Roy on that smashing TV series to starring as Henrik Ibsen's whistleblower doctor Thomas Stockmann in a quietly gripping production of An Enemy of the People, now at New York's Circle in the Square Theatre. It's his first leading role on Broadway, and he inhabits it with a winning combination of nuance and fervor.' The Guardian Rating: Adrian Horton writes: 'It could be viewed as tacky (Linie, a Nordic spirit, is very clearly a sponsor; transitions are soundtracked by castmembers singing Norwegian folk songs),' she writes. 'But there's something to be said for erasing the line between stage and stands, spotlit and shaded, performer and audience, for seeing the reaction on the face of people  wide-eyed shock, grimace, gasp  who know just as much of what's to come as you do. 'Just because a point is very on the nose doesn't make it less salient.' Time Out Rating: Adam Feldman writes: 'I have seen productions that laid out the counterarguments and personality conflicts more compellingly, but none that focused so intently and mournfully on the underlying issue of contamination, both of the environment and of public discourse. 'This version of the play is a plea to the audience. Ibsen's text ends on a note of hero worship, with Stockmann declaring himself the strongest man in the world. Strong, in this revival, seems more conscious of the limits of personal strength. The Hollywood Reporter David Rooney writes: 'Strong builds from calm certainty to febrile outrage; until numb resignation  and, later, an odd optimism for future vindication  sets in, he's so tightly wound he makes his Succession character, Kendall Roy, look chill. The role of Thomas Stockmann feels tailor-made for the actor's dangerous energy. But he's no simplistic martyr in a post-truth world. The Wall Street Journal Charles Isherwood writes: 'Jeremy Strong gives a performance of sustained, contained intensity that keeps this intimate, refreshing revival continually absorbing. Mr. Strong is powerfully affecting and at times bitterly funny in drawing a portrait of a much-wronged man who puts his ideals ahead of even his family's welfare, while also illustrating how deeply painful it is for Thomas to accept his new, dark view of humanity. 'Ms. Pedretti gives a touching performance as the devoted Petra.' The New York Times Jesse Green writes: 'More than once, I thought Strong must have modeled his spectacularly accurate yet non-showy performance on Dr. Anthony Fauci, the embattled former infectious disease expert, including not just his messianic faith in science but also his barely mastered disdain, social weirdness and haircut. 'Everyone in the uniformly excellent cast is complicated in that way: just wobbly enough, even in their bonhomie, to make credible the quick transformations to bad faith. The few who do not make that transformation are all the more touching for the quirks that make their good faith costly. Variety Daniel D'Addario writes: 'One moment in which Strong emerges, late in the show, took my breath away, and yet in memory doesn't feel like a stunt. 'This production has much to recommend it, and Strong in particular should return to the stage as often as he can. But it's hard not to feel as though this 'Enemy of the People,' in which as rootable as possible a hero is ground down by the forces of evil, ended up presenting an opportunity for the audience to put themselves on trial, and then, with a sigh of relief, exonerate themselves.' Advertisement

Echoing the praise for Strong, The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney wrote: 'Strong builds from calm certainty to febrile outrage; until numb resignation  and, later, an odd optimism for future vindication  sets in, he's so tightly wound he makes his Succession character, Kendall Roy, look chill.

'The role of Thomas Stockmann feels tailor-made for the actor's dangerous energy. But he's no simplistic martyr in a post-truth world.'

Variety's Daniel D'Addario commended Strong's performance but feels the adaptation is too forgiving of all characters.

'One moment in which Strong emerges, late in the show, took my breath away, and yet in memory doesn't feel like a stunt,' he wrote.

'This production has much to recommend it, and Strong in particular should return to the stage as often as he can.

'But it's hard not to feel as though this 'Enemy of the People,' in which as rootable as possible a hero is ground down by the forces of evil, ended up presenting an opportunity for the audience to put themselves on trial, and then, with a sigh of relief, exonerate themselves.'

Charles Isherwood for the Wall Street Journal writes: 'A performance of sustained, contained intensity that keeps this intimate, refreshing revival continually absorbing.

'Mr. Strong is powerfully affecting and at times bitterly funny in drawing a portrait of a much-wronged man who puts his ideals ahead of even his family's welfare, while also illustrating how deeply painful it is for Thomas to accept his new, dark view of humanity.'

In a nod to Pedretti's appearance, Isherwood hailed her performance as 'touching'.

Strong, 45, was joined by The Sopranos star Michael Imperioli, 57, as Stockmann's brother Peter, and Netflix's You actor Victoria Pedretti, 28, as his daughter Petra

While the West End version sees the play moved into present day, the Broadway revival, adapted by Amy Herzog and directed by Sam Gold, stayed firmly in the 19th century

The HBO actor, whose award-winning method portrayal of Kendall Roy was as much mocked for its seriousness as it was applauded, received rave reviews from critics

In a nod to Pedretti's appearance, Isherwood of the Wall Street Journal hailed her performance as 'touching'

Also giving space to the rest of the cast's performances, The New York Times's Jesse Green wrote: 'Everyone in the uniformly excellent cast is complicated in that way: just wobbly enough, even in their bonhomie, to make credible the quick transformations to bad faith.

'The few who do not make that transformation are all the more touching for the quirks that make their good faith costly.'

Adrian Horton for The Guardian commended the adaptation's bravery in having one of its most important speeches performed with Strong atop the interval beam and the townsfolk scattered among the audience, describing it as a 'polarizing stage decision'.

'It could be viewed as tacky (Linie, a Nordic spirit, is very clearly a sponsor; transitions are soundtracked by castmembers singing Norwegian folk songs),' she said.

'But there's something to be said for erasing the line between stage and stands, spotlit and shaded, performer and audience, for seeing the reaction on the face of people  wide-eyed shock, grimace, gasp  who know just as much of what's to come as you do.

'Just because a point is very on the nose doesn't make it less salient.'

On Thursday's press night at Circle in the Square Theatre, the socially critical play was rather aptly disturbed by climate protesters.

Three environmental activists from the group Extinction Rebellion, halted the show by shouting 'no theatre on dead planet' during the beginning of the second act.

Adrian Horton for The Guardian commended the adaptation's bravery in having one of its most important speeches performed with Strong atop the interval beam

On Thursday's press night at Circle in the Square Theatre, the socially critical play was rather aptly disturbed by climate protesters

'It could be viewed as tacky (Linie, a Nordic spirit, is very clearly a sponsor; transitions are soundtracked by castmembers singing Norwegian folk songs),' she said

One protester was then seen being escorted out of the theatre by cast members, including The Sopranos Imperioli, who shoved and dragged the rebel up the stairs - all while remaining in character.

In a video posted on X, formerly know as Twitter, a protester is seen walking on to the stage while stars Imperioli and Jeremy Strong, who plays Kendall Roy on succession, were in the middle of performing a rather tense scene.

'I am very, very sorry to interrupt your night and this amazing performance. I am a theatre artist,' the rebel shouted before being escorted offstage by security.

The protester continued: 'The oceans are rising. It will swallow this city and this entire theatre whole. I am putting my career on the line because we are not doing anything about this crisis. The water is coming for us!'

'Go back drama school!' Imperioli yelled in true gangster fashion.

Strong. still in character, retorted loudly: 'Let them speak.'

Imperioli then left the stage and helped to shove the activist up the stairs and out of the theatre.

Some of the crowd members believed the protesters were part of the show as the plot addresses environmental concerns and involved audience participation.

When the final activist was kicked out of the theatre, the majority of the room applauded.

The actors were told to exit the stage by an announcement, but the majority of the group refused to comply.

When the final activist was kicked out of the theatre, the a majority of the room applauded their efforts for social change

Imperioli posted a response to the incident on Instagram, suggesting that while his character Peter might not agree with the demonstrators, the actor himself was more inclined to.

'Tonight was wild.no hard feelings extinction rebellion crew,' he wrote. 'Michael is on your side but Mayor Stockmann is not. Much love.'

A statement released by the climate change group said: 'Today's action highlights the failure of governments and corporations to treat climate and ecological breakdown as the crisis it is.'

'The group emphasises that the present socio-economic system can't protect people from the environmental crises to come, because its very structure creates these crises and then ignores them.'
Giovanni Pernice's new BBC show aired on Monday night as the broadcaster continues to throw its support behind the embattled Strictly star.

Anton & Giovanni's Adventures in Spain sees the Italian dancer team up with his Strictly co-star Anton Du Beke for a lighthearted jaunt around Spanish towns and cities.

At one point during the opening episode, which some viewers labelled 'a cringe-fest', Giovanni and Anton broke into song, belting out a duet of the Bette Midler classic Together, Wherever We Go.

Giovanni crooning to the lyrics 'No fits, no fights, no feuds and no egos' felt like a pointed inclusion in the edit as the Italian's fiery feud with his Strictly dance partners threatens to overshadow his new prime time series.

Giovanni Pernice's new BBC show aired on Monday night as the broadcaster continues to throw its support behind the embattled Strictly star

Anton & Giovanni's Adventures in Spain sees the Italian dancer team up with his Strictly co-star Anton Du Beke for a lighthearted jaunt around Spanish towns and cities

Giovanni is at the centre of a Strictly dispute which has seen his 2023 dance partner Amanda Abbington accuse him of difficult behaviour during training.

On Saturday Giovanni was hit by a fresh crisis, after it was claimed that three of his former celebrity partners met to discuss their difficult experiences working with him.

Sources claim Amanda, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore had an 'emotional summit' where they 'compared notes' about their time working with the Italian dancer on the BBC show.

But just hours after the claims emerged, the BBC showed its support for their Strictly star by plugging his new travel series on social media.

Giovanni and Anton were also invited onto The One Show sofa on Monday night to promote the series in a clear sign of solidarity.

During Monday's episode Giovanni touched on his work ethic as he told close friend Anton that he is 'a workaholic.'

'Obviously there is the fear that everything is going to finish at some point. That's the truth.'

'I support me, I support my family back in Sicily financially so I always have a fear that if I stop, everything and everyone else stops because of me.'

At one point during the opening episode, which some viewers labelled 'a cringe-fest', Giovanni and Anton broke into song, belting out a duet to Together, Wherever We Go

Amanda Abbington has reportedly lined up top lawyer Persephone Bridgman Baker to demand rehearsal footage as her fight against Strictly and Giovanni, 33, continues.

The Sherlock actress, 52, quit Strictly back in October due to 'personal reasons' amid claims of a feud between her and Giovanni.

Reports then emerged she demanded footage of their rehearsals after the experience in the competition left her with PTSD.

The Sun now claims that Amanda is working with experienced lawyer Persephone as she helps her prepare a legal letter to the BBC to aid her obtaining the rehearsal footage.

A source told the publication: 'Amanda is lining up a well-known lawyer to help her gain access to the rehearsal tapes of her and Giovanni with the aim of reviewing them.'

On the website of her lawyer firm Carter-Ruck it says: 'Persephone specialises in media and reputation management work, encompassing defamation, privacy and harassment, together with data protection and intellectual property litigation.'

Giovanni crooning to the lyrics 'No fits, no fights, no feuds and no egos' felt like a pointed inclusion in the edit as the Italian's fiery feud with his Strictly dance partners threatens to overshadow his new prime time series

The BBC and Amanda have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

On Saturday Giovanni was hit by a fresh crisis, after it was claimed that three of his former celebrity partners met to discuss their difficult experiences working with him.

Sources claim Amanda, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore had an 'emotional summit' where they 'compared notes' about their time working with the Italian dancer on the BBC show.

Ranvir complained about Giovanni to producers back in 2020, during their time on the show, while Laura said she 'cried every day' and felt 'uncomfortable' while dancing with him in 2016.

Sources claimed that while 'tears were shed,' the trio also discussed the prospect of 'formally' complaining to the BBC about Giovanni's behaviour.

An insider told The Sun: 'There is every possibility all three could take it further and formally complain to the BBC, but for now they're comforting each other.'

During Monday's episode Giovanni touched on his work ethic as he told close friend Anton that he is 'a workaholic'

'Only a handful of people will understand what it's like to be trained by Giovanni and in the industry he is regarded as a ''perfectionist''.

They added: 'There is some shock that the BBC appears to be doing nothing. Like Amanda, Ranvir also flagged an issue during training with Giovanni and said she was unhappy.'

However, a source close to Giovanni told the publication: 'Gio finds some of these allegations deeply unfair and offensive. He believes he's done nothing wrong, and simply wants to get the best out of his partners.'

A representative for the BBC declined to comment to The Sun. MailOnline has contacted representatives for the BBC, Giovanni Pernice, Laura Whitmore, Ranvir Singh and Amanda Abbington for comment.

The BBC said earlier this year that they would not be investigating Giovanni's behaviour with Amanda, with a spokesperson saying: 'There is a constant dialogue between the senior production team and contestants to ensure any concerns are addressed swiftly.'

In 2016, former Love Island host Laura Whitmore said she 'cried every day' and felt 'uncomfortable' while training with him.

She later wrote for HuffPost UK in 2018: 'I'm still not ready to talk in depth about my experience on the show.

'I was placed with a dance partner I was extremely uncomfortable with and in the end I felt broken, I cried every day. And I really was broken, both mentally and physically, by the end.'

It's also thought that Giovanni clashed with his 2018 celebrity partner Faye Tozer, while his 2022 partner Richie Anderson has unfollowed him on Instagram.

'Obviously there is the fear that everything is going to finish at some point. That's the truth. I support me, I support my family back in Sicily financially so I always have a fear that if I stop, everything and everyone else stops because of me' he said

Giovanni, who is currently on tour with his stage show, hinted last month he'd return to Strictly later this year for the last time.

However a Strictly spokesman said they would make an announcement in 'due course.'

Over the weekend Giovanni broke his silence on Amanda's explosive exit from the BBC show.

Speaking on The Mirror's Invite Only podcast alongside fellow dancer Anton Du Beke he said: 'It's a shame because, in my opinion, [Amanda] could have gone all the way.'

While judge Anton added: 'I thought you and Amanda were marvellous. I thought you were terrific' and compared the Sherlock actress' talents to 2019 winner Kelvin Fletcher.

Following accusations of his 'militant' teaching style Giovanni admitted that was a 'perfectionist' but said it came from a 'perspective of caring' and that he believed all other professional dancers were the same.

Saying: 'In every single part of the world, if you're a professional dancer on one of these [Strictly] shows, you have to get these people looking the best they can on Saturday night'.

'And if we have good scores at the end, I do look back and say, 'I've done a great job'. But we all care about our partners and we want that for them every single week; to look great on a Saturday'.

He continued: 'There's no specific way that you are, or have to be with your celebrity. You make the most of their strengths so the only thing that's constant is the fact that you have to do a show on Saturday night.'

Giovanni is at the centre of a Strictly dispute which has seen his 2023 dance partner Amanda Abbington accuse him of difficult behvaiour during training

Earlier this year MailOnline exclusively revealed that Amanda had dropped her complaint to the BBC and had not contacted the Corporation on the matter further.

Sources at the BBC said that the 'matter is now closed' and they have 'moved on' after she asked to review the recordings of their off-screen dancing after she left the series, citing 'personal reasons.'

Amanda was also seeking legal advice over Giovanni's alleged behaviour towards her, believing video footage could 'back up' her claims.

It is understood that the first BBC chiefs knew about her PTSD late last year when they received a request for the tapes.

One show insider told the Mail: 'The whole thing was baffling but when Amanda contacted the BBC, she wanted some answers.

'But she hasn't followed it through and the matter is now closed. Amanda said she left for a medical reason at the time, but that was not PTSD.

'Her complaint was of course looked at but they were adamant that Giovanni had done nothing wrong. The BBC were ready to fight her, Amanda's reason for quitting Strictly was an entirely different one to her PTSD.

'She told production of a totally different medical condition and they [were] hugely supportive of her and did all they could to help.'

Amanda left the show during week five in October. It has reportedly taken months for her to recover from her time on the programme and she has apparently needed therapy following the 'behaviour she was exposed to.'

Speaking about her condition, Amanda told The Sun: 'I was diagnosed with mild PTSD after Strictly for several reasons and I told a few people about that, in the utmost confidence, among other things that were happening in my life at the time both professionally and personally.'

A BBC spokesman declined to comment at the time.

Amanda was praised by the judges for her performances during her time on the show but it was claimed she was struggling behind the scenes.

An inside source told The Telegraph: 'It could be that she didn't know what she let herself in for.

'He [Giovanni] was quite tough and she found that difficult. If she wasn't very well, that wouldn't have helped.

'She was with a partner that had a certain training style that she couldn't cope with. Whether that came to a head or whether there's something else going on I don't know.'

A source has revealed that 'Amanda is lining up a well-known lawyer to help her gain access to the rehearsal tapes of her and Giovanni with the aim of reviewing them'

Giovanni's parents said the dancer 'was just doing his job' following Amanda's shock departure from Strictly.

Addressing the news at the time, Giovanni's father Piero and mother Rosalda admitted that their son 'trained for long hours but was just doing his job'.

Twinkle-toed star Giovanni was reportedly only given the news of Amanda's exit a few hours before the official statement was released.

A source told the Daily Star: 'Amanda didn't tell Giovanni she had decided to quit the show. The first he heard was a call from a producer.

'This has really annoyed him. He's barely heard from her for 10 days. She hasn't been replying to messages or telling him what's happening.

'He's been complaining about it to friends. He's frustrated. He is worried the drama will be damaging for his career and make him look bad.'

Three of his former celebrity partners, including Laura Whitmore (pictured) reportedly met to discuss their difficult experiences working with him

Ranvir reportedly complained about Giovanni to producers back in 2020, during their time on the show, and now sources claim all three stars could make a formal complaint to the BBC

Amanda snubbed the show's December final which saw the stars of the year's series that had previously been eliminated came together to do a group dance and celebrate with the winner.

A source told The Mirror of why she wouldn't be there: 'They wanted to position her as still very much part of the Strictly family, but Amanda's response to the invitation was she'd not be back.

'It's a shame, because her exit has been a sour note to the series this year.'

The Strictly insider added her snub has been 'difficult' and upsetting for Giovanni as he doesn't want people to see it 'as a reflection on him.'

They added whilst the pair sometimes 'clashed' Giovanni wishes her all the best.
It's been almost seven years since her dramatic exit on The Only Way Is Essex.

But original cast member Lauren Goodger was back for a brand new series as she filmed with the ITVBe cast in Chelmsford, Essex on Monday.

The reality star, 37, showed off her incredible figure in a black jumpsuit which boasted eye catching polka dot mesh sleeves.

Lauren added height to her frame in a pair of black boots and accessorised with a gold necklace.

The TV personality, who is making her first appearance in the show since 2016, seemed in high spirits as she met up with pals Junaid Ahmed and Dani Imber at Zinnia Restaurant to film.

Seven years after leaving TOWIE, Lauren Goodger was back for a brand new series as she filmed with the ITVBe cast in Chelmsford, Essex on Monday

The reality star, 37, showed off her incredible figure in a black jumpsuit which boasted eye catching polka dot mesh sleeves

Lauren was seen catching up with Junaid outside the restaurant before the pair walked hand-in-hand inside.

Junaid turned heads in a stylish pink short sleeved shirt which he teamed with matching cargo pants and white trainers.

Dani showed off her toned figure in a black crop top, a matching cropped blazer and skinny grey jeans.

The reality TV beauty added inches to her frame in a pair of clear heels and carried her belongings in a Louis Vuitton backpack.

Ella Rae Wise and Jodie Wells headed to have their nails done at London Grace while filming scenes.

The duo caught up with the latest gossip surrounding Ella's new relationship with Dan Edgar and Jodie's romance with James 'Diags' Bennewith.

Ella looked effortlessly stylish in a green crop top and leggings which she teamed with a chic white jacket.

The blonde stunner kept comfortable in a pair of silver 1,500 Chanel trainers and toted her belongings around in a matching rucksack.

The TV personality, 37, was one of the original cast members, making her first appearance in series one before leaving the show in 2016 (pictured in 2012)

Lauren elevated her frame in a pair of black boots and accessorised with a gold necklace

Lauren seemed in high spirits as she met up with pals Junaid Ahmed and Danni Imber at Zinnia Restaurant to film

Lauren was seen catching up with Junaid outside the restaurant before the pair walked hand-in-hand inside

Junaid turned heads in a stylish pink short sleeved shirt which he teamed with matching cargo pants and white trainers

Meanwhile Dani showed off her toned figure in a black crop top, a matching cropped blazer and skinny grey jeans

Jodie Wells (L) and Ella Rae Wise (R) headed to have their nails done at London Grace while filming scenes

Jodie turned heads as she displayed her toned midriff in a white fur cropped jacket and matching cargo pants.

She added a pair of stylish sunglasses to the look and rocked a pair of Adidas trainers.

The pair seemed in high spirits as they posed up a storm outside the salon before heading inside to film the reality series.

Ella and Jodie were joined by Geordie Shore's Sophie Kasaei who looked sensational in a blue boucle cropped jacket and black leggings.

As the cast returned to Essex to finish filming after living it up in Bali, Lauren re-joined the cast.

With the launch date just weeks away on March 24, the latest instalment promises scandalous feuds, unexpected romance and even more drama.

The duo caught up with the latest gossip surrounding Ella's new relationship with Dan Edgar and Jodie's romance with James 'Diags' Bennewith

Ella looked effortlessly stylish in a green crop top and leggings which she teamed with a chic white jacket

The blonde stunner kept comfortable in a pair of silver 1,500 Chanel trainers and toted her belongings around in a matching rucksack

Jodie turned heads as she displayed her toned midriff in a white fur cropped jacket

She added a pair of stylish sunglasses to the look and rocked a pair of Adidas trainers

The pair seemed in high spirits as they posed up a storm outside the salon before heading inside to film the reality series

Ella and Jodie were joined by Geordie Shore's Sophie Kasaei who looked sensational in a blue boucle cropped jacket and black leggings

Set to bring plenty of sass, this series promises more drama than ever and fans can expect scandalous feuds and unexpected alliances that will keep them on the edge of their seats.

Rebecca Kenny-Smith, Director of Programming, Unscripted, Lime Pictures said: 'We're thrilled to announce the return of The Only Way Is Essex for series 33, kicking off with sun- soaked and drama-packed episodes in the picturesque setting of Bali.

'Brace yourselves for plenty of laughter, tears, and romance in this stunning location. Get ready to witness storylines unfold at a dizzying pace, and the stellar cast bare their souls beneath the tropical skies.'

Last year it was reported that Lauren had been approached to return to The Only Way Is Essex as bosses try and woo her back to the show that made her famous.

She announced in December she was returning to the show that made her famous seven years after her departure.

It is an exciting time for Lauren, whose last appearance on the show was a brief return in 2016.

Lauren was part of the original 2010 line-up for the show, which focused on her long-term relationship with Mark Wright, 37, and left in 2012 after their break up in series six.

Mark is now married to actress Michelle Keegan, 36, and the two have been together for over 10 years.

With the launch date just weeks away, the latest instalment promises scandalous feuds, unexpected romance and even more drama

In the time Lauren was gone, she became a mother to Larose, two, and Lorena who sadly passed away just after birth

Lauren returned briefly in 2015 for The Only Way Is Essexmas and, looking to the future, said she wants to 'meet up with Amy Childs and go for lunch with the kids!'

In the time Lauren was gone, she became a mother to Larose, two, and Lorena who sadly passed away just after birth.

Speaking of how her life has changed since her TOWIE days as she is now a mum, she said of her daughter Larose to OK!: 'I am absolutely obsessed with her.

'Shes beautiful. When she wakes up in the morning, even if its 5am, Im like, Baby, kiss Mummy, and she kisses me. Shes so affectionate and so clever.

"Shes not in nursery, but we do a lot of playgroups. I dont have a nanny and have no help at all.'

TOWIE returns to screens Sunday March 24 at 9PM on ITVBe and ITVX
Bethenny Frankel is making the most of her trip to Australia.

The 53-year-old is currently Down Under for a speaking tour, which kicked off in Melbourne over the weekend.

On Tuesday, the former reality star was in Sydney and stopped into the region's iconic Bondi Beach.

Bethenny showed off her ageless figure in a frilled baby blue bikini that put her fit figure on display.

She waded into the water for a swim with her hair pulled up in a ponytail and emerged looking a tad wave-tumbled.

Bethenny Frankel (pictured) is making the most of her trip to Australia

The 53-year-old is currently Down Under for a speaking tour, which kicked off in Melbourne over the weekend

On Tuesday, the former reality star was in Sydney and stopped into the region's iconic Bondi Beach

The former Real Housewives of New York City star appeared to have on a full face of makeup for her dip and wore a glistening necklace.

She had earlier arrived at the beach wearing a straw hat and designer sunglasses while carrying a towel.

Bethenny added a pair of flat red sandals and had a green purse slung over one shoulder.

The television star had a friend by her side for the beach visit, with the pair chatting on the shore.

Bethenny showed off her ageless figure in a frilled baby blue bikini that put her fit figure on display

She waded into the water for a swim with her hair pulled up in a ponytail and emerged looking a tad wave-tumbled

The former Real Housewives of New York City star appeared to have on a full face of makeup for her dip

The American star also wore a glistening necklace

Frankel earlier stunned her Aussie fans by correctly pronouncing the name of a major Australian city.

While promoting the gig on Instagram, many of Frankel's Australian followers were amazed at her ability to properly pronounce Melbourne.

Americans often call the city 'Mel-born', with a big emphasis on 'born', but the correct Australian way to say it is somewhere between 'Mel-bin' and 'Mel-burn'.

Frankel, who has visited Australia twice before, seems to have quickly mastered Australian lingo.

'Points for pronouncing Melbourne correctly and touring our beautiful city like a proper tourist instead of an uptight celeb,' one local gushed on Instagram.

She had earlier arrived at the beach wearing a straw hat

She added a pair of blue framed designer sunglasses while carrying a towel

Bethenny added a pair of flat red sandals and had a green purse slung over one shoulder

Carrying a pricey Goyard tote, Bethenny found a spot on the nearby grass

The television star had a friend by her side for the beach visit, with the pair chatting on the shore

She got a hand up onto the grassy knoll thanks to her pall

'You say Melbourne perfectly, not many Americans actually say it properly,' wrote another.

Despite the praise, the debate around the right way to pronounce the city sparked a debate in the comments section of Frankel's post.

'It's only "Melbin" because of your accent. Anybody else sounds idiotic saying it that way,' one person snapped at an Australian fan of Frankel's.

'No no one pronounces it Mel-bin, there is a curve to the way we pronounce the R!' wrote another.

Frankel debuted her popular speaking tour, In Conversation with Bethenny Frankel, in Melbourne last weekend and she is now bringing it to Sydney.

Frankel debuted her popular speaking tour, In Conversation with Bethenny Frankel, in Melbourne last weekend and she is now bringing it to Sydney

She will be taking to the stage at the ICC's Darling Harbour Theatre on Friday to discuss her success and rise to fame with the audience

According to an event description, she will have a 'candid conversation about unparalleled success, from brand building prowess to memorable moments on Real Housewives of New York and The Apprentice'

She will also host a live Q&A where she will answer the audience's questions about entrepreneurship and reality TV, while she will also be joined on stage by MC Sally Obermeder

The Skinnygirl mogul was joined by her daughter Brynn, who she shares with ex-husband Jason Hoppy

It is Bethenny's third time ever visiting Sydney and she wasted no time exploring the sights of the city - and documenting every moment on social media

She will be taking to the stage at the ICC's Darling Harbour Theatre on Friday to discuss her success and rise to fame with the audience.

According to an event description, she will have a 'candid conversation about unparalleled success, from brand building prowess to memorable moments on Real Housewives of New York and The Apprentice'.

She will also host a live Q&A where she will answer the audience's questions about entrepreneurship and reality TV, while she will also be joined on stage by MC Sally Obermeder.

The Skinnygirl mogul was joined by her daughter Brynn, who she shares with ex-husband Jason Hoppy.

It is Bethenny's third time ever visiting Sydney and she wasted no time exploring the sights of the city - and documenting every moment on social media.

She told her followers: 'Okay Sydney, we're in your neck of the woods now! This is my third trip to Sydney, which goes to show you how much I love it and love you. I love Australia. I'm thrilled to be here!'
Strictly Come Dancing winner Ellie Leach has revealed she still talks to her professional dance partner Vito Coppola every day.

The pair lifted the coveted glitterball in December and went on to tour to country with the rest of the 2023 line-up.

Ellie has now returned to acting, appearing on stage in the production on Cluedo 2.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, the former Coronation Street star, 23, revealed she is in contact with Vito, 31, every day - even though their Strictly journey has come to an end.

Ellie also laughed off the idea they were ever more than friends after host Ed Balls said: 'We all believed there was a love interest?'

Strictly Come Dancing winner Ellie Leach has revealed she still talks to her professional dance partner Vito Coppola every day

The pair lifted the coveted glitterball in December and went on to tour to country with the rest of the 2023 line-up

'I think that when you dance with someone you are practically together 24/7 and we are just the best of friends. I am so lucky that I got him as my dance partner. We just really understood each other' Ellie said.

'He was even more emotional than me, especially on the final. I was like: "You've been spending too much time with me now".'

Susanna Reid asked: 'Is it true you speak to Vito every single day?', to which Ellie replied: 'Yeah I speak to Vito every single day since September.'

Ellie also revealed she keeps the glitterball in the kitchen of her family home, with her father offering a selfie with it whenever someone comes around.

The actress went public with her romance with EastEnders' actor Bobby Brazier, 20, earlier this month, which began during the live Strictly tour, and has now moved to London.

Last week, Ellie hit back at trolls asking 'where is Vito Coppola' on her social media, amid her blossoming romance with Bobby.

The actress shared a sweet selfie with Bobby after he watched her make her stage debut last week in Cluedo 2 at Richmond Theatre.

But some of Ellie's fans didn't appear to support her new romance with Bobby, as several asked 'where's vito?' underneath the Instagram post.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, the former Coronation Street star, 23, revealed she is in contact with Vito, 31, every day

Ellie appeared on the show alongside Jason Durr, who is also starring in the stage production of Cluedo

Ellie also laughed off the idea they were ever more than friends after host Ed Balls said: 'We all believed there was a love interest?'

Ellie has now returned to acting, appearing on stage in the production on Cluedo 2 (pictured at Woking's New Victoria Theatre)

Last week, Ellie hit back at trolls asking 'where is Vito Coppola' on her social media, amid her blossoming romance with Bobby

The Strictly champion hit back by sharing a photo of Vito to her page. She said: 'Love this man dearly. Men and women can be friends and can love each other as FRIENDS... just sayin x'

Some of Ellie's fans didn't appear to support her new romance with Bobby, as several asked 'where's vito?' underneath the Instagram post

Ellie hit back by sharing a photo of Vito to her page and saying: 'Love this man dearly. Men and women can be friends and can love each other as FRIENDS... just sayin x'

The Coronation Street actress added: '@vitocoppola you have the cutest face'.

It comes after it was revealed Ellie has 'moved to London' amid her blossoming new relationship.

The former Coronation Street actress is living in the capital where Bobby lives with his dad after sparking up a romance during the Strictly Come Dancing live tour.

Ellie's cousin, actress Brooke Vincent shared she is planning to catch up with her in London during an appearance on This Morning on Thursday.

She said: 'I'm actually seeing her tonight and she's moved to London.'

Brooke added: 'I could never do Strictly since she won, she did amazing. You get bored of saying how proud you are.'
"Science and technology backyards" contribute to agricultural, rural development

14:56, March 19, 2024 By Xu Peiyu ( People's Daily

Jujube farmer Ding Taiping in Xiawa township, Binzhou, east China's Shandong province recently made some new friends - students of a "science and technology backyard" (STB) program that studies the cultivation of jujubes from China Agricultural University.

"I've been growing jujubes for many years, but this is the first time I've interacted with university students in the fields," said Ding.

Technicians check the growth of Chinese cabbages at a science and technology backyard in Haikou, south China's Hainan province. (Photo from Haikou Daily)

He said he thought it would be impossible for these students, who had never set foot in the field, to solve farmers' problems when the STB was established in the township earlier this year.

"But after spending some time together, they've actually tackled some challenges that had troubled me for a long time. Particularly by combining traditional 'local methods' with new techniques through standardized cultivation practices, efficiency has improved significantly," Ding told People's Daily.

The STB is a practical and integrated talent cultivation model that China Agricultural University began exploring in 2009. It dispatches postgraduate students in agricultural majors to the field, where they, based on what they have learned theoretically, study and solve real-world problems in agricultural and rural development, with an aim to cultivate high-level agricultural talents and serve the modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

Since the first STB program was launched in 2009, this model has soon gained widespread recognition, attracting an increasing number of research institutes and universities to join in, including Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University (NWAFU).

In 2021, NWAFU set up a STB program for the studies of vegetable technologies in Jingyang county, Xianyang, northwest China's Shaanxi province, which serves three counties and 17 demonstration agricultural parks in Xianyang.

Zhang Mingke, associate research fellow at NWAFU and chief expert at the Jingyang STB, said the program develops and introduces new crop varieties, and studies techniques such as efficient cultivation and facility soil secondary salinization improvement and restoration.

Postgraduate students of Jiangxi Agricultural University exchange views on rice sprout cultivation techniques with a farmer (middle) in Zengjia village, Shanggao county, Yichun, east China's Jiangxi province. (People's Daily Online/Zhou Liang)

New varieties and technologies developed by the program have been introduced to 12 counties and districts in Shaanxi province, as well as Qinghai province and Ningxia Hui autonomous region. They have been applied on over 1.52 million mu (around 101,333 hectares), generating over 200 million yuan ($27.8 million) in economic benefits, Zhang told People's Daily.

"Over the past more than a decade, the STB model has pioneered a new path of deep integration between scientists and farmers, and close collaboration between technology and industry. This has unleashed the potential of increasing farmers' incomes, while cultivating a high-quality agricultural talent pool that is rooted in rural areas," said Zhong Denghua, Party head of China Agricultural University.

To date, over 1,200 STBs have been set up by 74 institutions across the country, which involve more than 2,700 experts and 5,200 postgraduate students. According to incomplete statistics, these STBs have introduced and made innovations on 284 green agricultural production technologies, which are applied on a total area of 566 million mu and have increased income or cut costs by over 70 billion yuan.

While emerging across China, the STBs have also been sharing their experiences with the rest of the world.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been promoting the STB model globally for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, hailing it as a typical case of assisting smallholder farmers.

Last September, FAO official Selvaraju Ramasamy visited Quzhou county in north China's Hebei province, where China's first STB was established. He was impressed to learn that local farmers were actually "experts" in technology and marketing and were able to earn over 2,800 yuan per mu annually.

"Remarkable! This demonstrates the value of promoting the STB model worldwide," he exclaimed.

Teachers and students of China Agricultural University pose for a picture with local farmers when a science and technology backyard in Lisasadzi, Malawi's Kasungu District is inaugurated. (Photo provided by China Agricultural University)

In 2019, China Agricultural University launched a training program to cultivate young African talents that would help improve smallholder production in Africa. Augustine Talababi Phiri, an agronomist from Malawi, joined the program.

Last November, three STBs were established in Malawi. Thanks to his knowledge learned and experience gained in China, Phiri was appointed the head of a STB in Lisasadzi, Malawi's Kasungu District, promoting the Chinese model locally.

A staff member of China Agricultural University told People's Daily that the training program has nurtured 72 agriculture-related graduate students from over 10 African countries so far.

African farmers said they welcome the STBs and hope these programs can bring practical technologies to help them grow more food.

Moreover, NWAFU has taken the lead in establishing the Silkroad Agricultural Education and Research Innovation Alliance, which has been joined by 106 scientific and educational institutions and enterprises from 18 countries so far.

Zhang said the universities are responsible for the research, development, and talent support related to crop varieties, products, and technologies, while local governments organize order-based production. Chinese enterprises then demonstrate the achievements and procure the products, achieving deep integration of production, education, research, and application.

"In the next step, NWAFU and China Agricultural University will cooperate with the FAO, as well as relevant countries' agricultural departments and enterprises to establish more STBs and cultivate more young talents willing to work on the frontline of agricultural production," Zhang said.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
Bella Hadid looked incredible as she posed on a horse as she posed for the front cover of Vogue Italia.

The model, 27, went braless in the shoot where she wore a purple backless mini dress that highlighted her jaw-dropping figure.

Letting her brunette locks fall loose down her shoulders, she put on a leggy display while lying on a horse in front of a white background.

In another look, Bella wore a white jacket with a pair of blue jeans with white makeup going down her chest.

For the cover, she posed in a figure-hugging beige long-sleeved gown with a flowing train and turtle neck.

Bella Hadid looked incredible as she posed on a horse as she posed for the front cover of Vogue Italia

In one look, Bella wore a white jacket with a pair of blue jeans with white makeup going down her chest

She also sported a khaki trench coat for the shoot and accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup.

In the interview, Bella spoke about how she feels 'clear and present for the first time' in her life, nearly three years after experiencing a burnout.

She said: 'I feel so lucky to be surrounded by my family and friends. I have an incredible team. It's made up of creative people who inspire me daily.

'I feel like once I was finally able to walk in my truth, everything and everyone were brought into alignment with my destiny.'

Bella previously opened up about her mental health struggles in a 2021 Instagram post where she advised anyone struggling to remember 'you're not alone'.

She wrote: 'Social media is not real. For anyone struggling, please remember that. Sometimes all you've gotta hear is that you're not alone.

'I've had enough breakdowns and burnouts to know this: if you work hard enough on yourself, spending time alone to understand your traumas, triggers, joys, and routine, you will always be able to understand or learn more about your own pain and how to handle it.'

Elsewhere during the interview, Bella said she is 'prioritsing herself' going forward.

Bella also donned a beige trench coat while posing on blocks of timber

The star posed on a horse for the photoshoot where she wore a beige dress for the cover

She also sported a khaki trench coat and accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup.

In the interview, Bella spoke about how she feels 'clear and present for the first time' in her life, nearly three years after experiencing a burnout

She said: 'It sounds simple, but it takes a lot of effort to accomplish. I take time each day to do what makes me feel grounded, getting back on track, like riding horses, writing, talking with open-minded people, raising my dog, and just being in nature.'

It comes after Bella shocked fans after sharing her extreme morning routine in a TikTok video that she shared last week.

The supermodel raised eyebrows when she posted her strict 10-step wellness regime.

In the video, Bella swallowed 14 vitamins in one go and washed it down with a healthy green juice.

If that wasn't enough, the model had a glass of sea moss gel, shots of essential oils and took Fulvic Detox which aims to help eliminate toxins in the body.

She said: 'I feel so lucky to be surrounded by my family and friends. I have an incredible team. It's made up of creative people who inspire me daily'

Bella looked incredible for the Italian magazine's cover shot

After taking her compulsory vitamins and drinks, Bella slipped on her crystal bracelets and cleansed with a huge sage stick.

Bella tuned in to her emotions by journaling and meditating and finished off with a delicious croissant.

Her video, which gained 4.2million views, quickly went viral and was flooded with hundreds of messages from speechless fans.

Some comments read: 'Seems like a lot of work... I just run on coffee.'

'Love our spiritual queen'... 'girlie is GLOWING,' and 'You did not just swallow all these pills.'
Aaron Taylor-Johnson has reportedly been formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond - taking over from Daniel Craig for the next films.

And the actor's real Bond Girl is his wife Sam, 57, who is 24 years his senior and a British film director and artist - with the pair having a fiercely private relationship.

Actor Aaron, 33, met the filmmaker, 58, on the set of Nowhere Boy in 2009 and they share daughters Wylda Rae, 13, and Romy Hero 11, as well as Angelica, 26, and Jessie, 16, from Sam's previous marriage to art dealer Jay Jopling.

When they first met on the film Aaron was just 18 and Sam was 42. They didn't get together until after they finished the project where a 'deep connection' was formed.

Sam has enjoyed a hugely successful filmmaking career with films such as Fifty Shades of Grey and has also directed the upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson has reportedly been formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond. And the actor's real Bond Girl is his wife Sam, 57, who is 24 years his senior (seen in 2024)

Actor Aaron, 33, met the filmmaker, 58, on the set of Nowhere Boy in 2009 and they share daughters Wylda Rae, 13, and Romy Hero 11

When they first met on the film Aaron was just 18 and Sam was 42. They didn't get together until after they finished the project where a 'deep connection' was formed

But she has also faced a fair amount of personal turmoil - having battled cancer twice.

In December 1997, at age 30, she was treated for colon cancer. Then in 2000, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She practices yoga and meditation, of which she has previously said: 'I wouldn't be able to survive everything without the meditation that I do. It's what I think has made me able to cope with the madness.'

Sam was born in Croydon and grew up near Streatham Common in south London, with her younger sister Ashley and her mother Geraldine and father David.

Her father left the family when she was nine which she has previously described as a 'sudden, very weird and abrupt' split. She didn't see her dad for the next 10 years.

Sam went to Beacon Community College in East Sussex and later attended Goldsmiths, University of London.

She then began exhibiting fine-art photography in the early 1990s and began working on her filmmaking with short videos during this time.

She was nominated for the Turner prize in 1998, and was the winner of Most Promising Artist award at the 1997 Venice Biennale.

Sam has enjoyed a hugely successful filmmaking career with films such as Fifty Shades of Grey and has also directed the upcoming Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black

Sam is pictured pregnant with her third child with Aaron and her daughters Angelica and Jessie back in 2011

The couple are seen in 2015 with their daughter Wylda Rae, 13

She then moved further into filmmaking and in August 2008, was chosen to direct Nowhere Boy, a biopic about the childhood of John Lennon. She was subsequently nominated for a BAFTA for the film.

Last year Aaron gave a rare insight into their marriage and touched on their 'creative partnership'.

Speaking to Esquire the Kick-Ass star said despite collaborating with Sam on three films he 'doesn't think it's accurate' to suggest the couple's relationship is rooted in their creative partnership.

Saying: 'Yeah, we workedI met Sam as actor and director. I think we're really great at collaborating. But that's not why I fell in love with her'.

Elsewhere in the conversation he discussed the couple's home life and his shock that his children were already teenagers.

The family moved back to the UK from Los Angeles in 2022 and have since settled in Somerset where Aaron said he has pigs and bees and 'loves' life in the country.

The Bullet Train star also spoke about his upcoming acting gigs after originally opting to work less stay to home with his children when they were younger.

Saying: 'I wanted, purely, to be with my babies, I didn't want to be taken away from them. I battled with what that would be like.'

He later admitted to the interviewer: 'I've probably talked to you more about my kids and Sam than I have with anybody. I've got really nothing to hide, and I'm secure in what we have. But I'm not going to unlock things that are actually precious to me.'

Aaron has also previously touched on their age gap which has come under scrutiny in the past.

He said: 'I've got really nothing to hide, and I'm secure in what we have. But I'm not going to unlock things that are actually precious to me.

'I don't really analyze our relationship. I just know that it works. I just feel secure and loved and safe. We have this very deep connection. We're just in sync.'

Before Aaron Sam was married to art dealer Jay. They tied the knot in 1997 and had two daughters together, born in April 1997 and 2005, respectively.

In September 2008, the couple announced that they were separating amicably after 11 years of marriage.

Sam found out about her colon cancer at the end of 1997 - the same year she married Jay and welcomed their first daughter Angelica.

She originally thought that her cancer symptoms were her body's reaction to giving birth and had three GP visits where she was told she was just 'recovering slowly'.

After her pain intensified she went to see a private doctor and was correctly diagnosed.

The next day she went into hospital and had a foot-and-a-half of her colon removed and stayed in hospital for three weeks.

Then, in the autumn of 1999, she found a lump in her armpit and subsequently had treatment for breast cancer.

She told The Guardian of the tough experience: 'You go through all that, and you still don't know if it's gone.

'It's all percentages: if you do this, you get this much percentage knocked off the possibility of recurrence. And it's always something pathetic like three per cent.'

After overcoming cancer and her divorce she found happiness with actor Aaron.

In 2022 Sam dubbed her husband Aaron 'father to all 4 girls' as they celebrated 10 years of marriage.

'10 glorious years. My incredible husband, father to all 4 girls. I love you, I love you, I love you. love conquers all,' she wrote.

In honour of the marriage milestone, the pair decided to renew their 'vows and confess our love in front of our nearest and dearest friends and family.'

'It was a magical unforgettable day and the sun did not stop shining on us both,' Aaron gushed on Instagram.

'We are blessed beyond belief. Sammy you are my love, my life, my soulmate, my wife, my world!'

In 2011 then-Prince Charles presided over the ceremony in which Sam received her OBE in honor of her photography and artwork.

'It's such an incredible honor to receive this award  something I would never have dreamt of,' she told the BBC. 'It's very gratifying for an artist to get recognition at this level.'

It comes as Aaron 'has been formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond', putting an end to months of speculation regarding Daniel Craig's successor.

He is yet to officially accept the role, but should he do so he will become only the seventh actor to play the iconic British secret agent since the franchise launched in 1962.

A recent poll suggested Idris Elba was still the public's number one choice for the role, despite being 51 - old for a Bond candidate - and already ruling himself out of the running in order to focus on his crime drama, Luther.

But Aaron, who is known for his roles in Nocturnal Animals, Kick-Ass, Nowhere Boy and Avengers: Age of Ultron, has landed the coveted part, reports The Sun.

A source said: 'Bond is Aaron's job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.

'As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Aaron for comment.

Responding to the rumours that he could step into Bond's shoes last week, Aaron played coy, telling Numero: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'

He began acting as a child and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearance this year alone.

Aaron will be starring as a famous action star who goes missing in The Fall Guy, opposite Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

And he will also be appearing in the hotly anticipated remake of 1922 gothic horror Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers and featuring a star-studded cast, including Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe.

But Aaron's biggest upcoming role will see him rejoin the superhero universe, as he will be playing the titular role in Kraven the Hunter, the fifth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.

He also has been nominated for two BAFTAs and previously won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for Nocturnal Animals.

In 2022 Sam dubbed her husband Aaron 'father to all 4 girls' as they celebrated 10 years of marriage

In honour of the marriage milestone, the pair decided to renew their 'vows and confess our love in front of our nearest and dearest friends and family'

Last year Aaron gave a rare insight into their marriage and touched on their 'creative partnership' (seen in 2009)

The Bullet Train star's name has been in the running for Bond for a while now, alongside fellow A-list contenders like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and recent Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy.

In October last year, the Mail exclusively revealed that Aaron was the 'one to beat' to take the iconic role, while Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was looking likely to helm the next film in the franchise.

The insider said: 'Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently the hot favorite to step into the iconic role, he's the first choice for Barbara Broccoli  he is the one to beat.'

They added of Christopher: 'He is extremely interested in doing something very different with the franchise. If he can get his way with producers, then he is all for it.'
Gillian Anderson has revealed she initially turned down the role of Emily Maitlis in Netflix's film Scoop.

The acclaimed actress plays the Newsnight host in the anticipated movie which dramatises the notorious 2019 interview between Prince Andrew and Emily.

But Gillian has confessed she took some persuading to take on the role, insisting it 'was just too scary to play Emily Maitlis, because she's still living.'

'She's so formidable, because people know her so well,' she explained in a new BBC interview.

Gillian Anderson has revealed she initially turned down the role of Emily Maitlis in Netflix's film Scoop (pictured in the film as Maitliss)

The acclaimed actress plays the Newsnight host (right) in the anticipated movie which dramatises the notorious 2019 interview between Prince Andrew and Emily

The actress admitted that her fear encouraged her to say yes to the project. 'I thought I probably do have to do it because I'm so scared of it,' pointed out.

Gillian ended up meeting 'amazing' Emily at a party last year and she admitted 'I behaved with her as if I knew her. As if we were best friends.'

While Emily knew Gillian was playing her in the Netflix movie, she did not consult on the film because she is serving as an executive producer on a rival three-part Amazon series titled A Very Royal Scandal, which will star Luther's Ruth Wilson as Maitlis and Michael Sheen in the role of Prince Andrew.

Rufus Sewell stars as Prince Andrew in Scoop, which is based on the memoir of former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister, who secured the royal interview.

McAlister is player by Billie Piper in the drama.

The full trailer for Netflix drama Scoop was unveiled on Monday with a standout moment in the trailer coming from Billie who attempts to woo the prince into speaking with the BBC about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Sam probes: 'With respect, you know how people see you.' As the late queen's third child looks on blankly, he muses: 'Spell it out', prompting Sam to blurt out 'Randy Andy'

Keeley Hawes also stars in the film as Prince Andrew's private secretary Amanda Thirsk.

Gillian has confessed she took some persuading to take on the role, insisting it 'was just too scary to play Emily Maitlis, because she's still living'

The actress admitted that her fear encouraged her to say yes to the project. 'I thought I probably do have to do it because I'm so scared of it,' pointed out

In the infamous 2019 interview, Emily discussed Virginia Giuffre's claims that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times when she was 17 under the orders of Epstein.

The prince strongly denied the claims throughout the interview.

The discussion, in which Andrew made a series of claims - including insisting he couldn't have been with Virginia at the time of the alleged encounter because he was dining at a Pizza Express in Woking and that a medical condition left him unable to sweat - has since gained notoriety and is widely acknowledged to have embarrassed the royals.

The interview was described as a 'car crash' and on November 20, 2019, a statement from Buckingham Palace said Prince Andrew was suspended from public duties 'for the foreseeable future'.

In May 2020, it was announced that the prince was permanently stepping down from his public roles.

In January 2022, Virginia was given the go-ahead to sue Andrew for unspecified damages in a New York civil court.

Rufus Sewell (left) plays The Duke Of York

Billie Piper (left) plays the producer Sam McAlister

Keeley Hawes (left) stars as Prince Andrew's former personal secretary Amanda Thirsk

Despite vowing to fight the claims and repeatedly protesting his innocence, the prince agreed to pay a huge sum to settle the case before it ever reached a jury. interview, then the film.

Netflix describes the production as portraying: 'The inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade that led to the catastrophic fall from grace of The Queen's 'Favourite son'.

'From navigating Palace vetoes, to breaking through to Prince Andrew's inner circle, the high stakes negotiations and intensity of rehearsal - to the jaw dropping interview itself.

'SCOOP is the insider account of the inner workings of the Palace and the BBC, twin bastions of the British Establishment, spotlighting the journalists whose tenacity and guts broke through the highest of ceilings - and into the inner sanctum and calculations of a man with everything to lose.'
Kate Beckinsale admitted she was preparing for her first year 'without a father figure' on the anniversary of her dad Richard's death on Tuesday.

The actress, 50, who also sadly lost her stepfather Roy Battersby in January, paid tribute to her dad by sharing a series of childhood photos.

Richard, known for his role as Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom Porridge sadly, passed away in 1979 aged just 31, when Kate was six-years-old.

In December, her stepfather Roy was hospitalised in Los Angeles after suffering 'a massive stroke' while battling two forms of cancer, which he was diagnosed with in summer 2023. He passed away a month later aged 87.

In the candid post, Kate shared a carousel of old snaps with her dad Richard and wrote: 'Oh the day you died comes round so suddenly even when Im expecting it.'

Kate Beckinsale, 50, admitted she was preparing for her first year 'without a father figure' on the anniversary of her dad Richard's death on Tuesday

The actress, who also sadly lost her stepfather Roy Battersby in January, paid tribute to her dad by sharing a series of childhood photos

She continued: 'This is my first year without any father figure at all for a long long time. How I miss you. How familiar this falling through an abyss.

'How horribly like home falling with no one to catch you feels . I hope your energies have met. Im so grateful to have had your love. I feel it, like an echo. X'

Showing the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Richard was an actor, known best for his roles as Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom Porridge and Alan Moore in the ITV sitcom Rising Damp.

The star sadly passed away at the age of 31 after having a heart attack through the night.

He was dad to Kate, whom he shared with Judy Loe and her older actress sister Samantha, 57, his only child from his marriage with Margaret Bradley.

Kate has an ode to her dad in her Instagram bio, in a quote reads: 'A fatherless girl thinks all things possible and nothing safe,' by Mary Gordon.

Her stepfather Roy Battersby died at the age of 87, on January 10.

The actress shared a black square without a caption on her Instagram account, and her friends and fans offered their condolences in the comments.

Richard, known for his role as Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom Porridge sadly, passed away in 1979 aged just 31, when Kate was six-years-old

In December, her stepfather Roy was hospitalised in Los Angeles after suffering 'a massive stroke' while battling two forms of cancer. He passed away a month later aged 87 (pictured in 2021 with her mother Judy Loe and Roy)

In the candid post, Kate shared a carousel of old snaps with her dad Richard and wrote: 'Oh the day you died comes round so suddenly even when Im expecting it'

She continued: 'This is my first year without any father figure at all for a long long time. How I miss you. How familiar this falling through an abyss'

'How horribly like home falling with no one to catch you feels . I hope your energies have met. Im so grateful to have had your love. I feel it, like an echo. X,' the actress concluded

Showing the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Richard was an actor, known best for his roles as Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom Porridge and Alan Moore in the ITV sitcom Rising Damp

Roy was hospitalised in Los Angeles last month after suffering 'a massive stroke' while battling two forms of cancer, which he was diagnosed with in summer 2023.

The following week, Kate confirmed her stepfather's death with a video montage honouring him, which included a quick announcement that he had died the same day as her black post.

The British actress had been quietly caring for both her beloved mother and stepfather as they battle a slew of serious health issues, DailyMail.com previously revealed.

Kate's actress mother Judy Loe married Roy in 1997  18 years after Kate's father, Porridge star Richard Beckinsale, died.

Roy enjoyed his own successful career as a director, working on major British on-screen hits including Inspector Morse and Cracker. His most recent directorial credit was for a 2006 episode of A Touch Of Frost.

Kate's Instagram post included an announcement about her stepfather's death on Wednesday.

It noted that his funeral would be held back in London, with details forthcoming.

'I have no words yet,' Kate captioned the video, before thanking a fan account for editing it. 'Oh Roy I am so sorry I lost.'

The clip opened with a moving recording of Roy recalling how he was forced to hide in a shelter during the Blitz early in World War II as Nazi bombs rained down.

He called the eventually announced of Victory in Europe Day a 'wonderful thing,' because it meant no more hiding in shelters, and young men no longer had to leave their families to go off to fight across the continent.

The video also featured several sweet photos of Kate with her stepfather and her mother, including a hilarious photo showing her and Roy beaming at each other while holding playfully insulting tea cups.

Kate rushed from the Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday January 7 to the hospital, sharing photos of herself on the red carpet and by Roy's bedside with the caption: 'Golden globes 2024 start to end.'

She was still clad in her glamorous Atelier Zuhra gown for the hospital visit, as she ate a burger and chatted to her friends and family in Roy's room.

Her friends and followers were quick to check in on the star, with one commenting: 'I dont know how you made it through last night with all that is going on. You are strong and a consummate pro.

'Having to leave the side of your beautiful Roy to honor this commitment at the Globes was above and beyond. Sending love and prayers to you and your family. Im so happy you were able to make it back to the hospital. '

Kate responded: 'thank you and thank you for your supportive texts all the way through. That was so kind xx'

Kate's mother Judy Loe's has been fighting her own private health battle. The 76-year-old was diagnosed with a longstanding illness six years ago  something Kate has alluded to in several emotional Instagram posts over the past year.

Her stepfather Roy Battersby died at the age of 87, on January 10. The actress shared a black square without a caption on her Instagram account at the time

Kate's actress mother Judy Loe married Roy in 1997, 18 years after Kate's father, Porridge star Richard Beckinsale, died; seen in 1986

Kate shared a video montage to Instagram, which included an announcement about her stepfather's death. It noted that his funeral would be held back in London

Kate rushed from the Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday January 7 to the hospital, sharing photos of herself on the red carpet and by Roy's bedside

Her friends and followers were quick to check in on the star, with one commenting: 'I dont know how you made it through last night'

The tribute video opened with Roy recalling his struggles hiding in shelters during the Blitz in World War II and his elation after VE Day was declared

The video also featured several photos of Kate with her stepfather and her mother, including a hilarious photo showing her and Roy beaming at each other while holding insulting tea cups

Kate appeared to have fun pestering her stepfather in another sweetly unguarded photo

Roy and Kate's actress mother Judy Loe were dressed up as nobles from centuries earlier in a snap highlighting the fun they had as a family in his final years

She was still clad in her glamorous Atelier Zuhra gown for the hospital visit, as she ate a burger and chatted to her friends and family in Roy's room

The Underworld actress flew Judy and Roy out to the US from their home in the UK so she could care for them full-time at her Los Angeles home.

'Kate has been caring for her parents, who both have serious illnesses, for most of the year,' a source exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com late last year. 'She brought them to her home in LA and has made looking after them her number one priority.'

The insider revealed that the Snow Angels star  whose biological father Richard Beckinsale died in 1979 at 31 from a heart attack in his sleep  has been feeling the emotional toll in recent months.

'She was spotted this week several times crying in the corridors of UCLA hospital,' the source added. 'Her friends are very concerned that she has been under relentless strain for months and hardly sleeping or eating.

'Kate appears to be very strong but this has been incredibly hard and, given that she lost her father so young, is affecting her very deeply. Her friends are concerned for her own health.'

A second source explained that her mother Judy has chosen to keep her health battle private, stating: 'She's extraordinary, you wouldn't even know by looking at her. She has been keeping a very positive attitude throughout everything.'

Kate has alluded to her parents' ailing health online in recent months, sharing images of her mother undergoing treatment in hospital.

In August she encouraged fans to do what makes them happy in the Instagram caption, writing: 'Embrace joy. Accept grief. Wear feathers. Sing. Do what makes you feel happy even for a moment. Pair grief and sickness and fear with as much life and laughter and celebration as you possibly can.

'It doesnt mean you are having some sort of crisis. It means you are choosing life, fiercely. Be brave, and when you dont feel brave, listen. Laugh hard, dance hard, cry hard, love hard with those you trust.'

Kate has alluded to recent struggles in emotional Instagram posts about her parents over the past year; pictured in November 2023

Kate previously shared a snap of Roy undergoing treatment in hospital

Her 76-year-old mom has been privately battling her own illness for the past six years

Kate's close bond with her parents has been a source of delight for social media fans who often share messages of praise for the family's visible love for one another

Roy enjoyed a successful career as a director, working on major British screen hits including Inspector Morse and Cracker. His most recent directorial credit was for a 2006 episode of A Touch Of Frost; pictured with his Alan Clarke Award at the 1996 Bafta Craft Awards

The Underworld actress flew Judy and Roy out to the US from their home in the UK so she could care for them full-time at her Los Angeles home

She continued: 'Spread love when you can. Read. Stay in bed and cry when its from all sides and feels like an avalanche. Try not to be mean, or to take on others meanness. People can break.

'Be kind. Fight with everything youve got for your loved ones , and for your own spirit x.'

However, the Much Ado About Nothing actress has been determined to put on a brave face and do all she can to continue supporting her loved ones during this difficult time.

'Kate has been attempting to maintain a positive public and professional presence, and remain upbeat for her family,' the source added.
Guy Ritchie's wife Jacqui Ainsley marked 14 years together on Tuesday.

The actress, 42, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the director, 55, who she married back in 2015.

Jacqui shared the poem Love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning alongside a sweet beach selfie on Instagram on Tuesday.

She wrote: '14 years. Have I known you 14 seconds, 14 years or 14 lifetimes?

'It feels like A; relatively its B; absolutely its C.

Guy Ritchie 's wife Jacqui Ainsley marked 14 years together on Tuesday. The actress, 42, took to Instagram to pay tribute to the director, 55, who she married back in 2015

Jacqui shared the poem Love by Elizabeth Barrett Browning alongside a sweet beach selfie on Instagram on Tuesday

'Thank you for keeping the fun in the profundity and for fourteen years of peace and pleasure in equal measure.'

Friends wrote: 'Beautiful words, beautiful life, beautiful companionship' and 'I remember us meeting for lunch a few days after your first date and you already "just knew". 14 years on, and you did "just know".'

Producer Guy and Jacqui split their time between their eight-bedroom home in Fitzrovia, London and their 18th-century estate in Wiltshire which was given to Guy as part of his divorce with Madonna in 2008.

The pair married in front of family and friends, including A-listers David Beckham, Henry Cavill, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Brad Pitt, at their festival-themed nuptials.

The wedding weekend, which Jacqui described as the 'most magical time ever', concluded with a private screening of Guy's latest film at the time, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

The couple share three children Rivka, 10, Rafael, 11, and Levi, eight, together.

Guy is also father to son Rocco, 23, who he shares with his ex Madonna and David Banda, 18, who the pop icon adopted from Malawi during her and Guy's eight year marriage.

Earlier this month, Jacqui supported Guy at his premiere of Netflix's series The Gentlemen in London

In The Gentlemen, Theo portrays the fictional lead character Eddie, who inherits 'his father's sizeable estate only to discover' its a 'weed empire owned by Mickey Pearson

Earlier this month, Jacqui supported Guy at his premiere of Netflix's series The Gentlemen in London.

In The Gentlemen, Theo portrays the fictional lead character Eddie, who inherits 'his father's sizeable estate only to discover' its a 'weed empire owned by the legendary Mickey Pearson.

He is starring alongside the likes of Chanel Cresswell, Joely Richardson, Daniel Ings and Gaia Weiss.

In the series, host of unsavoury characters from Britain's criminal underworld want a piece of Eddie's operation.

Determined to extricate his family from their clutches, Eddie tries to play the gangsters at their own game. However, as he gets sucked into the world of criminality, he begins to find a taste for it.

Of the new production, Guy said: 'The world of 'The Gentlemen' is a little bit of me, I'm thrilled that with Netflix, Miramax and Moonage we have this opportunity to inhabit it once again.

'We're looking forward to bringing fans back into that world, introducing new characters and their stories and I am excited to be doing it with this extremely talented cast.'
Millie Bobby Brown has revealed she 'hates' having to wait for food to arrive when she is dining at restaurants.

The Stranger Things actress, 20, who is reportedly worth 11million, also blasted waiting staff for ordering drinks and meals separately and for not taking payment at the same time as giving her the bill.

During her astonishing outburst, Millie also admitted that she's a 'Karen' - a label typically reserved for middle-class women who demands to see the manager - for having such high standards when it comes to hospitality.

Millie said: 'You know what I hate, waiting a really long time to order.

'I've already looked at the menu in the car on the way here and when theyre like, "Well just get your drinks orders and then come back", Im like "No, no, no, stand here, lets just take the whole thing. It will make your life easier."

Millie Bobby Brown, 20, has revealed she 'hates' having to wait for food to arrive when she is dining at restaurants

The Stranger Things actress, who is reportedly worth 11million, also blasted waiting staff for ordering drinks and meals separately and for not taking payment at the same time as giving her the bill

'And then waiting for the bill, you know when they put it down on the table but then come back half an hour later?

'Im like, "Let me give you my card just right now and I must go on a walk to walk this food off".'

Millie, who was speaking from her room at Londons luxury Corinthia hotel, was interviewed for the Table Manners podcast by hosts Jessie and Lennie Ware.

And her comments have prompted fury from fans who describe her as 'rude' and 'entitled' for treating waiting staff with 'such disrespect'.

Some comments under the podcast read: 'Everyone you complain about is underpaid, and youre not, nor have you ever struggled.'

'Tell me youve never worked in hospitality, without actually telling me you never worked in hospitality.'

'Waiters stall with drinks so the kitchen doesnt get swamped and they dont get yelled at by chefs.'

Millie also revealed that she leaves reviews of restaurants and hotels, saying that she thinks its 'really important'.

During her astonishing outburst, Millie also admitted that she's a 'Karen' - a label typically reserved for middle-class women who demands to see the manager - for having such high standards when it comes to hospitality

Millie, who was speaking from her luxury room at Londons luxury Corinthia hotel, was interviewed for the Table Manners podcast by hosts Jessie Ware (pictured) and her mother Lennie

Millie said: 'You know what I hate, waiting a really long time to order. I've already looked at the menu in the car on the way here and when theyre like, "Well just get your drinks orders and then come back", Im like "No, no, no, stand here, lets just take the whole thing'

Millie also revealed that she leaves reviews of restaurants and hotels, saying that she thinks its 'really important'

She said: 'Heres the thing, my whole life is people criticising me, so Im going to give it back to you'

And her comments have prompted fury from fans who describe her as 'rude' and 'entitled' for treating waiting staff with 'such disrespect'

She said: 'Heres the thing, my whole life is people criticising me, so Im going to give it back to you.

'We were at a hotel and the woman was pulling my fiance aside saying that we needed to settle the bill and I was like, "We will at the end of our stay".

'She said "You could settle it now" and I was like, "Hmmm, I dont want to".

'So I left a review that said "I really think you should encourage guests to complete transactions at the end of their stay", I think its important.'

The actress also recalled when she was once in a supermarket and said: 'This old woman came up to me and asked for my help about a pair of socks - I think she thought I worked there - and so I was like, "Im going to help you".

'I took the old lady up to someone who worked there and they were so unhelpful.

'And I was like, "This isnt even for me" and so I left a bad review.

'Im a Karen - I think its important to know where you went wrong and theres always room for improvement.'

Bournemouth-born Millie now lives in Los Angeles with her fiance Jake Bongiovi, 21, (pictured)

Bournemouth-born Millie now lives in Los Angeles with her fiance Jake Bongiovi, 21.

She shot to fame after winning the role of Eleven in Netflix sci-fi thriller Stranger Things when she was just 11-years-old, and later played Enola Holmes.

She also has a skincare brand aimed at teenagers named Florence by Mills.
It is the first time Phillips - who stood by his side during the trial - has visited the former Scientologist since his sentencing

DailyMail.com spotted his estranged wife Bijou Phillips taking their 10-year-old daughter Fianna to visit him at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo

On his 47th birthday, disgraced actor Danny Masterson was at home with his family at their luxurious $1.27m ranch in Santa Ynez, California.

But the celebrations looked a little different this year, with the convicted rapist turning 48 last Wednesday inside the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo.

Despite being locked up, his estranged wife Bijou Phillips was still included in the festivities - with the 43-year-old actress photographed visiting him in jail for the first time over the weekend.

Exclusive DailyMail.com photos show the mom-of-one arriving at the central California jail where Masterson is serving his 30-year sentence on Saturday during the prison's weekend visiting hours.

Despite the occasion, dressed-down Phillips, who was accompanied by her 10-year-old daughter Fianna, didn't appear to be a celebratory mood - looking stony-faced and resigned to her new reality, as she made her way into the jail clutching a piece of paper.

DailyMail.com spotted his Bijou Phillips taking their 10-year-old daughter Fianna to visit Danny Masterson at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo

Happier times: Masterson, Phillips and their daughter Fianna are pictured years before he was put on trial for rape

The 43-year-old actress was photographed visiting him in jail for the first time over the weekend

A devastated Phillips filed for divorce two days after Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life, citing 'irreconcilable differences'

Phillips was handed full custody of their daughter in October and has requested that he pay her spousal support

The mother and daughter took the trip to the prison just days after Masterson celebrated his 48th birthday behind bars

Masterson has been banged up since May when he was found guilty of two counts of forcible rape following a dramatic eight-day trial and immediately sent to the cells.

In September, he was handed an indeterminate sentence of 30 years to life, with a devastated Phillips filing for divorce two days later, citing 'irreconcilable differences'.

That '70s Show actor Danny Masterson was found guilty on two of three rape counts last May and sentenced to 30 years in prison

The surprise petition came after Phillips had penned an emotional letter to the court, describing Masterson 'as an amazing father' who worked to 'shield younger actors from temptation' while begging for leniency from LA County Judge Charlaine Olmedo.

Phillips was handed full custody of their daughter in October  unopposed by the rapist actor  and has requested that he pay her spousal support.

The mom-of-one has not been seen with her husband since fleeing the courtroom in tears after the sentencing hearing in September and has been keeping a low profile at the family ranch.

The property, which was purchased for $1.27m in 2016, sits on 9.5 acres and has a four-bedroom main house along with separate accommodation for guests and a barn with room for five horses.

Phillips is the sole owner which means, once her divorce is finalized, the property cannot be seized and sold to fund compensation claims against Masterson who is currently in the middle of a civil suit over his alleged harassment of the women he raped and several others.

Although in the process of divorcing the convicted rapist, Phillips has quietly cut ties with Scientology - ditching the religion in January after Masterson was kicked out by the church and declared a 'suppressive person'.

Had Phillips remained a Scientologist, she and her daughter would have been allowed to have no contact with her estranged husband.

In January, an insider with close ties to former Scientology members said Phillips did not want to cut off Masterson because of their daughter.

The source told DailyMail.com: 'Bijou left a few weeks after she found out that Danny had been declared an SP for not living up to the standards of the church. It's never an easy decision to leave Scientology because you face being ripped apart from your family and friends who are still members.

'In Bijou's case, she had nothing to lose and wasn't about to cut ties with Danny, per Scientology's disconnection rules.'

The mom-of-one has not been seen with her husband since fleeing the courtroom in tears after the sentencing hearing in September and has been keeping a low profile at the family ranch

Masterson arrived at the minimum to medium security California Men's Colony in late February

Phillips, dressed down in tan pants and a comfortable sweater, didn't appear to be a celebratory mood while visiting the prison

'Bijou would never do that to her daughter, plus her sisters, her close friends - none of them are Scientologists.

'Chynna has been a rock for Bijou and even though she's passionate about her own religion, she would never force anything on to Bijou. She doesn't have to because she walks the talk.'

Masterson arrived at the minimum to medium security California Men's Colony in late February after spending six weeks banged up at the maximum-security Corcoran State Prison 160 miles north of Los Angeles.

Prior to that, he had been incarcerated in the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles and then North Kern State Prison.

Corcoran is notoriously where Charles Manson served out his sentence and was, until recently, home to Perris House of Horrors dad David Turpin.

Protestors are pictured outside of Masterson's La Poubelle Bistro and Bar holding up signs that say the establishment supports rape

Masterson's new digs are closer to his former family home which is just 65 miles southeast of San Luis Obispo  a pretty college town on the central California coast.

But despite the lower security level, the 48-year-old's new cell mates are no less fearsome and include John Earnest, 24, who was handed life plus 121 years in September 2021 for shooting up a synagogue in San Diego in April 2019.

Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, was killed while three others were wounded in the shooting, including the synagogue's rabbi, Yisroel Goldstein.

Also banged up with Masterson is killer California Highway Patrol officer Craig Peyer, 74, who is serving life for strangling student Cara Knott in 1986 and pedophile Jean Pierre Wehry, 66, who was locked up for life after being caught in a 2006 To Catch A Predator sting.

Previous residents include Manson Family members Bruce Davis, Tex Watson and Bobby Beausoleil, serial rapist Richard Minsky and disgraced Death Row Records boss Suge Knight.
Macaulay Culkin owes all of his skincare habits to Brenda Song.

The 43-year-old actor has revealed that he's learned everything he knows about skincare because of his fiancee.

Asked how and why he started getting into skincare, Macaulay told People: 'Whenever Brenda started schmearing stuff on my face.'

Despite this, Brenda admits that the Hollywood star is still learning skincare secrets and the routine that works best for him.

She joked: 'He has no skincare routine.'

Brenda, 35, has always taken her skincare routine pretty seriously - unlike Macaulay.

Macaulay Culkin owes all of his skincare habits to Brenda Song. The 43-year-old actor has revealed that he's learned everything he knows about skincare because of his fiancee. Asked how and why he started getting into skincare, Macaulay told PEOPLE: 'Whenever Brenda started schmearing stuff on my face.' Seen March 15

Despite this, Brenda admits that the Hollywood star is still learning skincare secrets and the routine that works best for him. She joked: 'He has no skincare routine.' Brenda, 35, has always taken her skincare routine pretty seriously - unlike Macaulay. Seen in December

The actress said: 'If he washes his face with water at night, I'm lucky. I'm the one that has to smear stuff on his face.

'He's like a boy who's like, I've never had to do anything. I'm never going to do anything.

'I was like, "Not the case for me." It took me an hour and a half to get ready [for an event], and he came up at the last minute and in five minutes, he was done.'

Despite this, Macaulay makes Brenda feel beautiful even when she's not wearing any make-up.

Brenda said: 'I think he's the one that really made me feel the most beautiful when I'm about to go to bed and I have nothing on my face and I'm so tired.

'We're about to watch some really silly thing on TV, and he looks at me, and [I'm like], 'He makes me feel so confident.'

'I have someone who makes me feel beautiful without a stitch of make-up on, because he has to sit through my 20-minute self-care at night.'

The pair - who were recently seen in a rare appearance at a Clarins party over the weekend - have been going strong since 2017.

The couple, who both began their careers at a young age, first met on the set of Dads.

She starred on the show with Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi during its one and only season from 2013-2014, and Culkin had apparently visited his friend Ribisi on set.

Culkin claimed Song at first brushed him off, which she protested when they both appeared on the actor's Bunny Ears podcast.

They met again when each was cast in Green's comedy-drama Changeland, shot in Thailand in 2017, and that' when they really got to know each other.

The pair don't speak often about their relationship, but the Righteous Gemstones actor offered a peak into their situation during an appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience in 2018.

'I have a good life now. I've got a special lady friend. We have a dog and a cat. It's one thing to exchange keys. It's another to get a cat,' he explained of their commitment.

Both Culkin and Song began their careers at an early age.

After parts in 1988's Rocket Gibraltar and 1989's Uncle Buck, he was cast in 1990's Home Alone.

The movie about a young boy who must defend his family home against some bungling burglars after he's left behind by his parents in the scramble to catch a flight for a Christmas vacation was an instant hit.

Culkin became an international star at the age of 10.

The film made $476.7 million. He returned to the character of Kevin again in 1992's Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, which was nearly as successful as the original, earning $359 million worldwide.

The young actor showed his dramatic skills in the 1991 dramady My Girl, with Anna Chlumsky and Dan Akroyd.

The couple first met in 2013, when Culkin made a guest appearance on the sitcom Dads, in which Song starred. They met and fell in love after both were cast in Changeland, written, directed and starring Dads star Seth Green

The actress shared a group photo that included Culkin and other cast and crew members from Changeland in 2017 writing Epic first #summerslam ! Shout out to @sethgreen ( aka the king of group selfies ) for this amazing night and epic selfie. Haha'

In a group photo from the Changeland Premiere in 2019, the private pair did not pose together. 'Two years ago almost to the day, I went to Thailand and made @changelandmovie with my best friends. Its out today in theaters and VOD!! Please check it out!' she wrote

Song began modeling at the age of six and started acting the next year with an appearance the short-lived series Thunder Alley.

After years of appearing in guest spots on various shows, she was cast as a regular in Disney's Phil of the Future. That show was cancelled after one season, but she got her own starring role in Disney's Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior as a California teen who learns she's a reincarnated female warrior destined to save the world.

The couple didn't hit it off after their initial 2013 meeting on the set of Dad. When the actress appeared on her then-boyfriend's Bunny Ears podcast, Culkin said his future love 'totally brushed me off, completely.'

Culkin became an international star at the age of 10 when he starred in the hit holiday movie Home Alone, released in 1990. The film made $476.7 million

He reprised the role as Kevin again in 1992's Home Alone 2: Lost in New York which was nearly as successful as the original, earning $359 million worldwide

Song began her career at a young age as a model at age six and became an actress soon after. She appeared in several Disney projects before starring in Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior in 2006

The actress has a knack for comedy and starred with Kat Dennings in Dollface from 2012-2022

'I was focused,' the actress asserted, joking it was 'the manbun' that put a barrier between the two.

That seemed to change once Culkin cut his hair and was cast in Changeland.

Rumors of their romance were sparked when they were seen on a double date at the theme park Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.

Song, who is active on social media, shared a group photo in 2017 that included director and actor Seth Green and her secret beau.

'Epic first #summerslam! Shout out to @sethgreen ( aka the king of group selfies ) for this amazing night and epic selfie. Haha,' she wrote next the the snap with Culkin wearing rabbit ears.

Rumors of the couple's romance were sparked in 2017 when they were spotted on a double date to Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA (Pictured in Santa Monica in September 2018)

In a rare admission about his personal life, the actor told Rogan during the 2018 interview, 'I'm going to make some babies, this one's a good one. I'm probably going to put some babies in her... We've definitely been practicing' (Pictured in Santa Monica in October 2023)

She shared another group shot from the Changeland premiere, writing, 'Two years ago almost to the day, I went to Thailand and made @changelandmovie with my best friends. Its out today in theaters and VOD!! Please check it out!'

In a rare admission about his personal life, the divorced actor told Rogan during the 2018 interview, 'I'm going to make some babies, this one's a good one. I'm probably going to put some babies in her... We've definitely been practicing.'

The former child star was married for two years to actress Rachel Miner. Both were 17 when they wed in 1998, but separated two years later and finalized their divorce in 2002.

Song and Culkin welcomed their first child, Dakota Song Culkin in on April 5, 2021. They got engaged in January 2022 and welcomed their second son, Carson in December of the same year.

The couple welcomed their first child, Dakota Song Culkin in on April 5, 2021. They got engaged in January 2022 and welcomed their second son, Carson in December of the same year (Pictured in Los Angeles in December 2023)

'You are absolutely everything,' he said in an emotional speech when he received his star in December. 'You're my champion. You've given me all my purpose. You've given me family. I love you. I love you so much' (Pictured in Los Angeles in December 2023)

Both are busy with their careers and seem a lot of their work voicing characters for animated series.

The ever private pair have not announced any wedding plans, but when the American Horror Story star received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he gave some insight into their commitment to one another.

'You are absolutely everything,' he said in an emotional speech. 'You're my champion.'

'You're the only person happier for me today than I am. You're not only the best woman I've ever know, you're the best person I've ever known,' he said in a faltering voice as Song wiped away tears from her eyes. 'You've given me all my purpose. You've given me family. I love you. I love you so much.'
Eiza Gonzalez has missed out on film roles because she's 'too pretty'.

The 34-year-old actress has suggested that her good looks have actually harmed her career, adding that Latinas are held to a different standard.

The brunette beauty told InStyle: 'I remember being [told for] so many projects, "She's too pretty for the role. She's too hot for the role." Then I'd just be like, What is Margot Robbie? She's the hottest, most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life!'

Eiza did not know what to do with her looks and considered shaving her head in a bid to boost her prospects.

The Baby Driver star shared: 'I had an identity crisis for a very long time.'

Eiza Gonzalez has missed out on film roles because she's 'too pretty'. The 34-year-old actress has suggested that her good looks have actually harmed her career, adding that Latinas are held to a different standard. Seen in Spain last year

The brunette beauty told InStyle: 'I remember being [told for] so many projects, "She's too pretty for the role. She's too hot for the role." Then I'd just be like, What is Margot Robbie? She's the hottest, most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life!'

'I was like, "Do I shave my head? Do I make myself less attractive? Do I make myself more attractive? Do I not dress super-hot or do I dress super-hot or do I cover myself all the time?"'

Meanwhile, Eiza previously called for greater representation for Latinas in the fashion and beauty industry, after she appeared in a campaign for Louis Vuitton.

The actress - who was born in Mexico City - told Vogue: 'I grew up watching all these beauty campaigns in the 90s and I wouldn't see a lot of Mexican women in them, especially in these large-scale brands.

'It was always kind of sold to me that I had to be a specific style of woman to be it, and the fact that girls in Mexico who are brown and Latina like me will see a campaign like this and recognise themselves in it with the scale of the brand makes me so honoured and happy.

'It's normalising an image for people and making people feel included and seen.'

She posed for the Spring 2024 cover of InStyle this month. The brunette beauty looked stunning in an all grey ensemble.

She opted for a skin tight tank top that flaunted her toned figure with trendy flowing pants. Her snake shaped diamond necklace acted as a shining statement piece. And she added natural makeup with a bold red lip that made her pout pop.

During her interview she touched on her love life. And Eiza admitted that after being cheated on, she now only dates men who have been in therapy.

Gonzalez, who is of Mexican heritage, posed for the Spring 2024 cover of InStyle this month

Eiza suffered an 'identity crisis' at one point in her career, with the actress admitting that she's considered shaving her head in a bid to boost her prospects. The Baby Driver star shared: 'I had an identity crisis for a very long time'

'I was like, "Do I shave my head? Do I make myself less attractive? Do I make myself more attractive? Do I not dress super-hot or do I dress super-hot or do I cover myself all the time?"'

The actress shared that when she was a teen idol, she learned that her boyfriend had recorded an intimate video with another girl. She claims that she learned of his infidelity from 'the cover of a magazine,' just like everyone else.

But - it did not leave her in shambles. She decided to take the unfortunate situation and make something positive out of it. Since, she found her upmost success.

The Mexico City native reflected on the scandal saying she coped with a mix of partying and crying as a young actress in Los Angeles.

So, she worked tirelessly to distract herself from the failed relationship with her career.

While distraught and emotional she revealed that her mother pushed her and made moves as she healed. When she updated her IMDB page and got a manager in the United States, the jobs started rolling in.

With 10 years of experience acting and signing in Mexico as that point, she had the resume to back her up.
Kate Beckinsale paid tribute to her late father Richard Beckinsale on Tuesday as she marked the 45th anniversary of his sudden death.

The actor, famed for his roles in popular shows Rising Damp and Porridge, suddenly died on March 19, 1979 at the age of just 31, leaving behind his devastated wife Judy Loe and young daughters Kate and Samantha.

Richard's tragic death came as a shock to the young family as he died in his sleep from a heart attack, which was later revealed to be a congenital defect.

There had been no real indication of what was to come, and it was in fact Judy who was the family's focus then, as she was in hospital recovering from an operation.

The day before his death, Richard had taken Kate - who was just five-years-old at the time - to visit her mother in hospital and had no physical complaints, simply saying he felt tired.

Kate Beckinsale paid tribute to her late father Richard Beckinsale on Tuesday with a series of throwbacks as she marked the 45th anniversary of his death (pictured with mother Judy Loe)

Richard, known for his role as Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom Porridge sadly, passed away in 1979 aged just 31, when Kate was five-years-old

Richard left behind daughters Kate (left) and Samantha who he shared with his first wife Margaret. She was raised by her stepfather and did not know Richard was her father until she was 11

That evening, Richard attended a party for The Two Ronnies before returning to the family home in Sunningdale, Berks.

The last anyone heard from the rising comedy star was in a phone call he made to friends before going to bed, in which he noted he had pains in his arms and chest but made light of it.

Tragically, Richard never woke up.

While his devastated friends and loved ones struggled to come to terms with the loss, just three days later the BAFTA Awards honoured Sydney Lotterby, producer of Porridge follow up Going Straight, and Richard's friend and co-star Ronnie Barker.

At the ceremony, Sydney was too upset to speak.

Meanwhile, Ronnie broke down in tears as he paid tribute, saying: 'The death of my friend Richard Beckinsale has robbed me of the joy of this award but the pride of winning it still remains.'

That summer saw the release of the film version of Porridge, in which Richard was seen in his role as Lennie Godber.

He continues to be seen on TVs across the nation on reruns of his popular shows.

Yet for his daughter Kate, the memories of losing her father are too distressing to contemplate.

Of losing her father, the Hollywood actress said in 2013: 'It was a terrible loss. It's so weird as a five-year-old to look out in the street and see people reading the paper and crying while you're crying and your mum is crying and your granny's crying.

'Even though it was the worst loss that I have experienced I was able to share it with people who genuinely, even if they didn't know him, really seemed to love him.

'I feel not many people are in that position  to have lost somebody and also to feel like that's something really relevant to other people.'

Kate's half-sister Samantha Beckinsale has also reflected on the loss in recent years.

She was not living with her father but her mother Margaret at the time. She had been only three when her parents split up and didn't see him because her mother divorced Richard.

Richard's tragic death came as a shock to the young family as he died in his sleep from a heart attack (pictured, left, on Porridge with co-star Ronnie Barker)

In the candid post on Tuesday Kate shared a carousel of old snaps with her dad Richard and wrote: 'Oh the day you died comes round so suddenly even when Im expecting it'

She continued: 'This is my first year without any father figure at all for a long long time. How I miss you. How familiar this falling through an abyss'

'How horribly like home falling with no one to catch you feels . I hope your energies have met. Im so grateful to have had your love. I feel it, like an echo. X,' the actress concluded

Showing the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Richard was an actor, known best for his roles as Lennie Godber in the BBC sitcom Porridge and Alan Moore in the ITV sitcom Rising Damp

Margaret later married businessman Keith Bradley and had three more children, sons with him, so for years Samantha believed Keith to be her biological father.

It was just 18 months before Richard's death that Samantha came back into his life, aged 11, by which point he was remarried to Judy and they lived together with Kate.

While they were not in each other's lives for long, the impact had a lifelong effect on Sam, who subsequently changed her surname back from Bradley to Beckinsale.

Discussing his death, Samantha told The Mirror in 2002: 'A lot of people I know lost parents when they were young, the only difference is it's not reported in the news.'

As for whether her father's legacy had influence in her decision to also become an actor, Samantha mused: 'Having a member of my family who was an actor just meant acting was an option.

'It wasn't an odd thing to do. Also there's a lot of Irish in my family and I'm sure the performing comes equally from my mum's side. No one asks me about that. They get as far as my dad and that's it.'

Kate and Samantha met for the first time in 1996 and have not been photographed together.

Samantha, 57, was at a time the most famous Beckinsale sister, with more than 15 million viewers tuning into the Nineties ITV firefighting drama London's Burning.

Nowadays it is Kate, 50, who is the household name, her breakout role coming in 2001 when she was cast as the romantic lead opposite Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor.

Since then she has gone on to star in a number of action movies, including 2003's Underworld and The Aviator and Van Helsing the following year.

In contrast, their late father made his acting debut in the much-loved British soap Coronation Street in 1969 before going on to star in the Granada sitcom The Lovers and the BBC sitcom Porridge.

Samantha, 57, was at a time the most famous Beckinsale sister, with more than 15 million viewers tuning into the Nineties ITV firefighting drama London's Burning

Nowadays it is Kate, 50, who is the household name, her breakout role coming in 2001 when she was cast as the romantic lead opposite Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor.

Kate (pictured with her parents in 1978) was sure to follow in her father's footsteps

Kate has an ode to her dad in her Instagram bio, in a quote reads: 'A fatherless girl thinks all things possible and nothing safe,' by Mary Gordon

Richard left school at 16 and began working as a bus seat upholsterer but found it so non-stimulating that he once fell asleep on the job. He was consequently fired.

Following this, he worked as a pipe inspector in plumbing, but applied for a RADA scholarship and got in.

His own father, Arthur Beckinsale, recalled: 'I told him it's a very dicey profession. You'll be out of work more than in and you must have a second string to your bow, even if it's hairdressing or something like that.'

Richard married young at the age of just 18. He wed Margaret Bradley, who is Samantha's mother, but they divorced in 1971.

The actor later met Judy and they were married in 1977 - two years prior to his death.

READ MORE: Kate Beckinsale hits back at troll who claimed her dog will die after her pets visited her during hospital stay Advertisement

Richard appeared for the first time on TV in 1969, on soap Coronation Street, as a policeman. His character arrested classic character Ena Sharples.

He later starred opposite Paula Wilcox in The Lovers, earned Best TV Newcomer award in 1971 and was cast in Porridge in 1974 as prison inmate Lennie Godber.

He worked on this and Rising Damp - in which he played Alan Moore - simultaneously.

He was able to shoot the film version of Porridge and was set to star in another sitcom, Bloomers, as well as branch into more serious drama with a role in gritty movie Bloody Kids.

Kate has admitted in the past that she finds comfort in watching re-runs of Porridge and her dad's other work.

She has an ode to her dad in her Instagram bio, in a quote reads: 'A fatherless girl thinks all things possible and nothing safe,' by Mary Gordon.

The mother-of-one often takes Father's Day as an opportunity to reflect on the sudden loss of her dad, offering her support to those coping with the annual celebration without their parent.

Kate also pays tribute on the anniversary of Richard's death, with this year no exception.

In an Instagram post on Tuesday she admitted she was preparing for her first year 'without a father figure' following the loss of Richard four decades ago and the recent death of her stepfather Roy Battersby.

In December, her stepfather Roy was hospitalised in Los Angeles after suffering 'a massive stroke' while battling two forms of cancer, which he was diagnosed with in summer 2023. He passed away a month later aged 87.

Kate's actress mother Judy married Roy in 1997  18 years after Kate's father Richard died.

Roy enjoyed his own successful career as a director, working on major British on-screen hits including Inspector Morse and Cracker. His most recent directorial credit was for a 2006 episode of A Touch Of Frost.

In the candid post, Kate shared a carousel of old snaps with her dad Richard and wrote: 'Oh the day you died comes round so suddenly even when Im expecting it.'

She continued: 'This is my first year without any father figure at all for a long long time. How I miss you. How familiar this falling through an abyss.

'How horribly like home falling with no one to catch you feels . I hope your energies have met. Im so grateful to have had your love. I feel it, like an echo. X'

Kate's actress mother Judy Loe married Roy in 1997, 18 years after Kate's father died and he became her loving stepfather (pictured with Roy in 1986)

In December, Roy was hospitalised in Los Angeles after suffering 'a massive stroke' while battling two forms of cancer. He passed away a month later aged 87 (pictured 2021)

In another blow to befall the family, Kate has been in hospital herself in recent days but has not disclosed the reason for her hospitalisation

Kate's mother Judy has been fighting her own private health battle.

The 76-year-old was diagnosed with a longstanding illness six years ago  something Kate has alluded to in several emotional Instagram posts over the past year.

The Underworld actress flew Judy and Roy out to the US from their home in the UK so she could care for them full-time at her Los Angeles home.

'Kate has been caring for her parents, who both have serious illnesses, for most of the year,' a source exclusively revealed to DailyMail.com late last year. 'She brought them to her home in LA and has made looking after them her number one priority.'

In another blow to befall the family, Kate has been in hospital herself in recent days but has not disclosed the reason for her hospitalisation.
The headquarters of The United Illuminating Co. off of Marsh Hill Road in Orange. The electric utility will launch a pilot program to help customers that own electric vehicle or have heat pumps in their homes reduce their energy usage and their monthly bills. Hearst Connecticut Media file photo An EV charges in the parking garage of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. United Illuminating and Eversource Energy are rolling out a number of pilot programs meant to lower the cost of EV charging. Save the Sound

The United Illuminating Co. will launch a pilot program in June to help customers that have electric vehicles and heat pumps in their homes reduce their monthly energy bill by as much as $400 overall.

It's one of many cost reduction pilot programs being launched by UI and Eversource Energy this summer.

The UI pilot program will allow participating customers with electric vehicles, or EVs, to reduce their energy consumption by between 15 and 20 percent while cutting their energy bills by as much as 30 percent, company officials say. UI and its technology partner in the program, England-based Kraken Technologies, hope to enroll 700 customers in the pilot program.

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Michael Crowley, manager of UI's Smart Grid Innovation Programs, said company officials are in the midst of assessing how many of the utility's customers either own electric vehicles or have heat pumps in their homes, or both. Crowley said company officials are also looking to assess the best way to recruit customers to participate in the pilot program.

"One of the things we're looking into is whether or not we might need to offer incentives for participation," he said.

Kraken's technology will allow the electricity suppliers of UI's customers to automatically match their energy usage to time periods when electricity is the cheapest. Becki Howarth, product lead for Kraken, said the company's technology works via cloud computing and is "designed to meet the customer's needs," when electricity is needed.

"Once the customer has signed up for it, we say our technology is 'set it and forget it,'" Howarth said.

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The pilot program will last for 18 months, Crowley said.

Heat pumps use electricity to provide both heating and cooling to a building. They are efficient at transferring heat from one place to another, depending on where it is needed.

The program involving UI and Kraken Technologies is one of seven pilot programs approved by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority in December as part of an effort to modernize and improve the flexibility of the state's electric grid.

All but one of the pilot programs involves the participation of either UI and Eversource Energy, according to Julia Dumaine, PURA's supervisor of Strategy & Operations.

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Eversource Energy is involved in three pilot programs, according to Jamie Ratliff, a company spokeswoman. Of the three projects, the most consumer focused pilot is being done with a California-based company, AmpUP.

The AmpUP program will see Eversource working with the electric vehicle network provider to help provide charging stations in multi-family housing complexes as well as at commercial properties and in public spaces.

Dumaine said the pilot programs approved by PURA are being funded through nearly $10 million in ratepayer money.

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Bethenny Frankel has sparked a firestorm on social media after buying an X-rated treat while on holiday with daughter Bryn, 13, in Australia.

The former RHONY star, 53, and her teenage daughter were enjoying the sights and sounds of Melbourne when Frankel purchased a phallic, rainbow colored ice cream as a joke.

Sharing a photo of the cheeky dessert to Instagram, Frankel wrote, 'The food scene here is incredible and let's just say we got more than we bargained for.'

The star, who has talked about parenting struggles in the past, also gushed about turning her work trip into a 'mother-daughter bonding trip', and shared a gallery of photos that included images of Bryn along with the ice cream.

The post caused an avalanche of outrage from Frankel's followers, who blasted everything from the racy nature of the treat to how Bryn was dressed.

Bethenny Frankel has sparked a firestorm on social media after buying an X-rated treat while on holiday with daughter Bryn, 13, in Australia. (Both pictured in Melbourne)

The former RHONY star, 53, and her teenage daughter were enjoying the sights and sounds of Melbourne when Frankel purchased a phallic, rainbow colored ice cream as a joke

The post caused an avalanche of outrage from Frankel's followers, who blasted everything from the racy nature of the treat to how Bryn was dressed

'I think it's a bit much as a mom to buy a rainbow d*** ice cream with or for my 8th grade daughter. Not appropriate sorry and I'm far from a karen,' wrote one.

'Bethenny I gave you a lot more credit, now I'm regretting. Too much too soon. You are her mom, not her bestie. Make better decisions,' complained another.

'Why would you post that with photos of you and your daughter!' raged another middle-aged woman.

One follower accused Frankel of having 'no boundaries' with her daughter, while another snapped, 'The cleavage/cropped top on a 12 year old?'

Despite the backlash, many of Frankel's fans also took to the comments section to defend the Skinnygirl mogul.

'Bethenny I am so sorry all of these people are being haters - you're a fantastic mother, your daughter is beautiful and these trolls just need a hug and some healing,' wrote one.

Another commented, 'Can't we have a post with out one f***ing Karen chiming in.'

One woman attacked Bryn's outfit, while others accused Frankel of acting like her daughter's 'best friend'

Despite the backlash, many of Frankel's fans also took to the comments section to defend the Skinnygirl mogul from the baseless attacks

'Everyone needs to relax with the last photo. We have some random stores here that serve food and dessert in funny shapes. It's funny and not that serious,' wrote one.

Dailymail.com has contacted Frankel's representative for comment.

Frankel debuted her popular speaking tour, In Conversation with Bethenny Frankel, in Melbourne last weekend and she is now bringing it to Sydney.

She will be taking to the stage at the ICC's Darling Harbour Theatre on Friday to discuss her success and rise to fame with the audience.

According to an event description, she will have a 'candid conversation about unparalleled success, from brand building prowess to memorable moments on Real Housewives of New York and The Apprentice'.

She will also host a live Q&A where she will answer the audience's questions about entrepreneurship and reality TV, while she will also be joined on stage by MC Sally Obermeder.

The Skinnygirl mogul was joined by her daughter Brynn, who she shares with ex-husband Jason Hoppy.
Kristen Stewart and Love Lies Bleeding costar Katy O'Brian put on a steamy display in a new photo shoot for the online LGBT magazine, Them, which launched in 2017.

The actresses, whose characters Lou and Jackie fall hard for each other in their sexy new action thriller, which hit theaters earlier this month, looked smitten as they got frisky with one another on a couch in a makeshift music studio in Altadena.

In one image, the Twilight star, 33, posed on top of the Indianapolis native, 35, while rocking a loose red t-shirt and blue boxers.

She brought her face right next to O'Brian's as she grazed the bottom of the actress' lips with her fingers.

Kristen Stewart and Love Lies Bleeding costar Katy O'Brian put on a steamy display in a new photo shoot for the online LGBT magazine, Them, which launched in 2017

Another picture showed them both laying in a bed with several shirtless women and men around them.

While reflecting on the photo shoot, Stewart raved that she had 'been wanting to do this photo shoot for the last 15 years.'

While speaking about their recently-released film, O'Brian said what she loves most 'about this movie is that the queerness isn't the conflict.'

'It's the type of film that I, as a queer person, would want to watch  to not have drama around my sexuality, and to just admire these two absolutely wacky individuals,' she explained.

Stewart proceeded to speak about their love scenes, which she said were aimed to not be 'about [showing] simulated sex on film.'

'I'm so embarrassed by that. I'm so sick of watching it. I'm so sick of doing it,' she noted.

For her, the actor reflected on preferring the more subtle ways of acting out intimacy.

'The ways that you let the person you're with either take over or be consumed,' she explained. 'Those were choices, and they were very articulate, yet nonverbal decisions that we made together. And without that dynamic, nobody would have cum.'

The actresses, whose characters Lou and Jackie fall hard for each other in their sexy new action thriller, which hit theaters earlier this month, looked smitten as they got frisky with one another on a couch in a makeshift music studio in Altadena

In one image, the Twilight star, 33, posed on top of the Indianapolis native, 35, while rocking a loose red t-shirt and blue boxers

Another picture showed them both laying in a bed with several shirtless women and men around them

She continued: 'Literally, you could almost take the body out of it. You could tell me the right thing, and that's what's going to get me there. Tell me I am something to you. Tell me I can be taller than you, even though I'm 5'5', and you're fucking 5'10', and I'm there.'

Over the weekend, O'Brian admitted that their 'horny sex scenes' did not 'feel as sexy in the moment' during an interview with People.

'We're filming in Albuquerque. It's hot, it's in the summer  it's like 112 degrees,' she explained. 'So we feel sweaty and gross, and we just hope that we're not stinky and everything,' adding, 'It doesn't feel as sexy in the moment.'

And while the coupling may look intimate on screen, in reality the actors were surrounded by crew members.

'It's just so not glamorous, and it's really not that sexy when you're doing it,' she maintained.

'I mean, first of all, you've got a boom-mic guy that's got his microphone hovering over you while it's all happening.'

Over the weekend, O'Brian admitted that their 'horny sex scenes' did not 'feel as sexy in the moment' during an interview with People (pictured in Los Angeles on March 5)

Director Rose Glass, who joined in the interview, agreed.

'You're usually worrying more about something like the camera falling on the actors and killing them and hoping that doesn't happen, and forgetting the fact that, oh yeah, they're simulating sex.'

And while their actions on the big screen may look spontaneous, each move is choreographed and agreed to before the cameras begin to roll.

'We stick with the script for those scenes, because with intimate scenes there's massive approvals that go into everything.'

'If anything changes,' she said, 'we have to go back and sign more paperwork. We just had to approve it all ahead of time.'

In an interview with People , the former police officer admitted her love scenes with Stewart and co-star Dave Franco were hot, but not the way most viewers might think. 'We're filming in Albuquerque. It's hot, it's in the summer  it's like 112 degrees,' she explained

Intimacy coordinators Christine McHugh and Rebekah Wiggins made sure privates were protected by using modesty garments during the simulated nude scenes.

Some were similar to the garment John Cena wore when he presented the Best Costume Design award at the Oscars. Others were put together on the set.

'Our intimacy coordinator wanted to make sure I had lots of layers between me and Kristen, so she would tape down one layer of fabric, especially in our first bedroom scene, where you have to see the side of me, so we can't have underwear on,' she said.

'I think there was another layer, and there was literally a cut-out yoga mat that she put over me, and taped that down,' she added.

There was one incident in which the sweaty conditions created a mishap in a scene, in which Stewart was supposed to remove O'Brien's pants.

O'Brien said intimacy coordinators applied protective garments during the sex scenes and all of the moves were choreographed and agreed to in advance

The actresses were surrounded by crew members while shooting the scenes. 'You've got a boom-mic guy that's got his microphone hovering over you while it's all happening' the actress explained

'It was so hot that every time Kristen would pull the pants off, everything would just pull right off. So finally we're just like, 'Can we just do this with one layer? Do we really need a diaper?' the actress asked.

For her sex scene with co-star Dave Franco, the intimacy coordinators used a 'deflated yoga ball' as 'a buffer.'

'There was some funny little experimenting with protection,' she said with a laugh, adding, 'It just felt really not sexy and very silly.'

Love Lies Bleeding is in theaters nationwide after opening in a limited release.
The drama continues to unfold in the aftermath of Stacey Slater and Jack Branning's affair in Wednesday night's installment of EastEnders.

The pair have been enjoying a secret romance in recent months after they ended up in bed together back in January, much to fans dismay.

And now with the affair out in the open, Stacey's (Lacey Turner) life has been turned upside down as she is left begging for her daughter's forgiveness in upcoming scenes.

Emotional, the mother has faced a major backlash from Lily (Lillia Turner) who has decided to go an stay with Martin and sends Stacey packing.

The couple's affair was revealed as Stacey and Jack (Scott Maslen) were caught in an compromising position by Martin in Monday's cliffhanger, just as they had finally accepted that their relationship had to come to an end.

EastEnders Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) begs her daughter Lily (Lillia Turner) for forgiveness after the dramatic revelation of her affair with Jack Branning tears the family apart in upcoming scenes

Emotional, the mother has faced a major backlash from Lily (Lillia Turner) who has decided to go an stay with Martin (James Bye)

Martin (James Bye) headed off to Australia in January, and his early return left Stacey in a bit of a frenzy as she begged him not to tell Denise about what he saw.

While Stacey admitted that she was seeing Jack, but isn't anymore, Martin left to confide in Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) about his latest discovery.

As Martin remained torn over what to do, Jack's guilt got the better of him and he broke down with Denise (Diane Parish) in the kitchen and confessed to the affair.

After a heartfelt conversation the pair decided to stick together pondered his decision, the guilt began to overwhelm Jack and he ended up breaking down to Denise in the kitchen.

This led to them having a heartfelt conversation, where they vowed to stick together no matter what.

Later on Martin had a confrontation with Chelsea (Tiana Benjamin), as she defended Jack and accused him of stirring the pot.

Her accusations caused Martin to snap, and he revealed he had walked in on Stacey and Jack kissing outside.

Furious, Chelsea then headed straight to confront Jack and Stacey publicly in front of their families.

With the affair out in the open, Stacey's life has been turned upside down as she is left begging for her daughter's forgiveness after a major backlash, yet Lily sends her packing

The pair have been enjoying a secret romance in recent months after they ended up in bed together back in January, much to fans dismay

Jack ended up in bed with Stacey back in January, six weeks after they shared a passionate kiss

While Denise initially insisted she knew all about it, Martin then stepped in and explained that he'd seen them kissing earlier that evening.

A huge physical fight then ensued between Jack and Martin, and Stacey was left dealing with a huge backlash as their world's were turned completely upside down.

After Stacey and Jack's first kiss aired last month, actor Scott hinted it was far from a steamy one-off for Jack and Stacey.

He said: 'There's genuinely got to be some feelings there because you don't do things like that without their being feelings.

'All roads point towards this as well, so there's been a lot of tension, a lot of stress, a lot of contributing factors that have led to this point and miscommunications. Reading between the lines and thinking something is something when it isn't, and it gets to the point where the you-know-what hits the fan.

'Is it expected? Is it something that was going to happen in Jack's eyes? Definitely not, but that's EastEnders.'

EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One.
She previously reconciled with Jax in 2017 after he cheated on her with a co-star

Brittany, 35, said she is still 'very much' in love with her 'handsome' ex Jax, 44

Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor may have avoided each other at the premiere party for their new show  but the Vanderpump Rules star revealed she is still very much in love with her 'handsome' husband as she discussed plans for another child.

The reality TV couple, who have two-year-old son Cruz, announced their split last month after nearly five years of marriage, with Brittany claiming she took the decision for the sake of [her] mental health.

The mom-of-one, 35, moved into a rental home in Sherman Oaks, California  but shes clearly not finished with the businessman for good, as she told DailyMail.com that she still fancies Jax, 44, and is currently trying to figure out if she wants them to reunite.

Speaking at the premiere party for The Valley, she said: I feel like I see Jax across the room and I'm like, "He looks so handsome." I still love him very much. It's a hard time, right? Its still fresh, so yeah, it's still fresh.

Brittany Cartwright has gushed over her estranged husband Jax Taylor's 'handsome' appearance weeks after they split

The Vanderpump Rules star, who has two-year-old son Cruz with Jax, also revealed plans to have another child

I don't even know what it would mean for somebody to capture my heart now. I think it just is like, I don't know. It's too early to even think about.

She continued: I am still living in an AirBNB. Still taking my time for myself, trying to figure out what I want to do, if I want to go back into that relationship or if I decide I want to do something else.

'And I never, ever, ever thought I would get to that point because I have literally been Jax's ride or die.

Brittany previously reconciled with Jax in 2017 after it was revealed that he had cheated on her with their costar Faith Stowers.

She said she stuck by him through their tumultuous times but said continuous fighting in front of their young son was the final straw for her to break away.

Everybody knows that he did me dirty so many times and I still stuck by him, she said. But after having my son, I think it woke me up a little bit and made me realize what I deserve and what he deserves.

And a happy home is more important than trying to constantly make things work. Cruz doesn't deserve to see his parents fighting. That's not okay. And Jax is a great dad. He's just not a great husband.

She continued: And I'm not perfect either. I was turning into a bitchy Brittany, which I'm not, because it was just every single thing that he was doing was annoying me, making me mad.

Brittany told DailyMail.com that she called it quits over fears their constant fights would be detrimental to their son

The reality star and businesswoman said she is still figuring out whether or not to reunite with her husband, but says she doesn't have any interest in dating other people right now

We were just fighting constantly, and that's why I noticed and because of my son, I realized that's not okay.

When asked if she would like a sibling for Cruz, with or without Jax, she replied: Oh, for sure. Yeah. One more. One more probably.

Brittany was speaking at last week's premiere party for upcoming Bravo series, The Valley, which was held at Jax's bar in Studio City on Thursday night.

The former couple avoided each other, only coming together when it was time to shoot official press photos, before going back to keeping their distance.

Brittany spent the night with her girlfriends, including co-stars Kristen Doute and Michelle Lally, as well as her publicist Lori Krebs, and comedian Heather McDonald.

Jax hung out with executive producer Alex Baskin, Bachelor In Paradise's Wells Adams, and some of his former Vanderpump Rules castmates including Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval.

Speaking about his marriage, Jax told DailyMail.com: 'We are separated. I don't want to dive too much into this. I'm going to tell you right now that we're separated.

'Our main concern is our son. And taking care of him and making sure that he's got two happy parents. We have businesses together and that is just basically all I want to say.

'I don't know what the future holds. Every day is new right now, but yeah, that's about it. That's exactly all I had to say about that.'

Brittany was speaking at the premiere party for their upcoming Bravo show The Valley - pictured with their costars

The former couple noticeably avoided each other all night at the premiere party for The Valley, which was held at Jax's bar in Studio City

Jax's castmates on The Valley defended the reformed lothario against cheating allegations, with Zack Wickham insisting: 'I can tell you he is one hundred per cent not cheating.'

Kristen added: 'I'm with Jax and Brittany literally almost daily and I've never heard anything. I've never thought that - and I'd be the very first person to call him out if I thought so.'

Brittany and Jax started dating in 2015, two years before he admitted to infidelity.

But they stayed together and got engaged in 2018, married in June 2019 and welcomed their son Cruz in 2021.

They remained together until last month, when Brittany revealed that she had separated from her husband during an episode of the their podcast, When Reality Hits.

The Valley is their long-awaited return to the Bravo universe. It premieres tonight.
Kris Jenner's younger sister Karen Houghton - who died aged 65 on Monday - famously invoked the ire of the Kardashians back in 2013 after she made a headline-generating appearance at Kim and Kanye West's baby shower.

With the famous family known for cloaking their events and inner circle in privacy, using non-disclosure agreements, Karen made a cheery exit from the baby shower for unborn baby North West - and spilled the details.

Clad in a vibrant orange top, white trousers and a sun hat, Karen gleefully told reporters outside the event as she arrived that she had a 'surprise gift for the baby'.

Emerging hours later, Karen was happy to wax lyrical about the menu, telling press: 'I ate a marshmallow on a stick!'

She added: 'I had cake... it wasn't a cake, it was roses, we had cookies instead.'

Kris Jenner's younger sister Karen Houghton - who died aged 65 on Monday - famously invoked the ire of the Kardashians back in 2013 after she made a headline-generating appearance at Kim and Kanye West's baby shower

When asked what was in her goody bag. she said: 'Rolex... I can't right now, I have a disclosure form.'

However, undeterred she then flashed a Rolex watch she said had been gifted at the event' and even did a jig for waiting reporters - cementing her status as the black sheep of the family.

That year Karen and Kris began feuding publicly. In a 2013 interview Kris told Radar: 'Unfortunately, my sister has been dealing with demons for years.'

In October 2013 - four months after the baby shower - Karen claimed that Kris had spent an eye-watering $1million on plastic surgery, which stemmed from being self-conscious about her weight when she was younger.

She was heavy as a kid and became worried about her looks at age 15, Karen told In Touch magazine.

She added: The whole world knows it  Kris is vain.

The reality star has been famously open about the two breast augmentations and the facelift she has had.

Kris paid an emotional tribute to Karen after she was reported deceased to San Diego County officials on Monday in San Marcos, California.

Kris paid an emotional tribute to her sibling following her death on Monday

With the famous family known for cloaking their events and inner circle in privacy, using non-disclosure agreements, Karen made a cheery exit from the baby shower for unborn baby North West - and spilled the details

When asked what was in her goody bag. she said: 'Rolex... I can't right now, I have a disclosure form.' However, undeterred she then flashed a Rolex watch she said had been gifted at the event' and even did a jig for waiting reporters

Jenner shared snaps with her beloved sister and wrote: 'It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness that I share that my sister Karen passed away yesterday unexpectedly'

The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, with county officials attributing her death to natural causes for now.

Karen was Kris' only sister, with the pair growing up in San Diego together raised predominately by mom MJ after her divorce from the pair's father Robert Houghton.

On Tuesday, Jenner shared snaps with her beloved sister and wrote: 'It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness that I share that my sister Karen passed away yesterday unexpectedly.

Kris reunited with Karen after a period of estrangement in 2019 - with their meet documented in an Instagram Story posted by Karen's daughter Natalie Zettel - [L-R] Natalie, Karen, Mary Jo Campbell, Kris and Kylie Jenner

'My heart aches for my mom MJ and my niece Natalie and I pray that God guides us all through this difficult time. Karen was beautiful inside and out. She was the sweetest, kindest, the most sensitive and vulnerable and so so funny.

'She always felt grateful and thankful for her life and treasured her family and friends and especially her beautiful daughter. She holds such a huge part of my heart and I cherish every single memory we have together.

'Karens passing is a reminder that life is so short and precious and tomorrow is never promised. We must tell those we cherish how much we love them. I love you my beautiful sister.'

Karen is survived by her daughter Natalie, 26, who she welcomed with ex-husband Mark Zettel, mother MJ , Kris and nieces Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and nephew Rob Kardashian.

Kris and Karen had long endured a rollercoaster relationship, oscillating between taking public barbs at one another, to Kris lavishing her little sister with pricey gifts.

In 2019 the pair were revealed to have reunited in an Instagram Story posted by Karen's daughter Natalie.

The feuding sisters posed smiling with Natalie, her famous cousin Kylie Jenner, and their mother Mary Jo Campbell.

Part-time nurse Karen had become known as the black sheep of the family after she candidly opened up outside Kim Kardashian's baby shower in 2013 and even did a jig for waiting reporters.

The exact circumstances of her passing are unclear, with county officials attributing her death to natural causes for now

Kris said: 'My heart aches for my mom MJ and my niece Natalie and I pray that God guides us all through this difficult time. Karen was beautiful inside and out. She was the sweetest, kindest, the most sensitive and vulnerable and so so funny'

Kris shared photos of Karen with her late ex-husband Robert Kardashian and mom MJ

Kris posted a snap of Karen with mom and a young Kourtney Kardashian

Karen embraced Rob Kardashian in a sweet throwback snap

In May 2023 Karen's daughter Natalie posted a loving tribute for Mother's Day posing with Karen and grandma MJ

Despite signing an NDA for the event, Karen waxed lyrical about eating 'marshmallow on a stick', the rose cake at the event and the goody bag, saying Kim and Kanye West 'gave out Rolexes'.

Karen had frequently been outspoken when her sister Kris has riled her.

In 2014, Karen told Radar that despite Kris and her estranged husband Bruce looking friendly there would be no reunion.

Karen said: 'Bruce left. He walked out on her, and I think hes not coming back. He couldnt take the yelling anymore and stuff.'

And she said Kris was not taking the split well, adding: 'I think shes got issues right now because Bruce left her. 'Kris is alone, shes not dating. Shes not the type to run around.'

Natalie shared a glamorous snap of mom Karen in the post

Natalie posed with MJ - who Kardashians fans will know well from their reality shows

Part-time nurse Karen had become known as the black sheep of the family after she candidly opened up outside Kim Kardashian's baby shower in 2013 and even did a jig for waiting reporters'

She made the comments after writing on her Facebook page in April 2014: 'Pray for Kris Jenner she needs itcrazy. Shes as nutcase [sic].

'She doesnt need prayers she needs sky vodka hahaha hahaha hahaha.' And explaining her somewhat harsh views, Karen said 'I get p***ed off at her because she doesnt respond to me. If you think your sister would call you back, she doesnt. And it hurts me.'

However the part-time nurse did poke fun at herself too, in a May 2014 Facebook post, writing, 'Be someone s crazy aunt...its fabulous! !! K [sic]'

In 2016, Karen paid the ultimate compliment to the momager, getting an intensive face lift in order to 'look like my beautiful sister Kris'

Karen - blamed her sibling's celebrity status and hunger for fame and fortune.

She said: 'I dont care how much money you have or who you are, youre my sister. Im not afraid of her. I cant get to her anymore. But I guess its the money.

'Shes a huge celebrity and now she has changed. Im not saying good or bad. But Ive seen what it can do to Kris ever since she moved to L.A.'

Admitting she has had run-ins with Kris - mainly to do with caring for their aging mother, Karen told MailOnline: 'I called up Kris yelling at her, because I was like, "You need to help your mom more and you know it." And I think that she kind of got the message.I was screaming - I don't even care.

In 2014, the former air stewardess told Radar, 'when you express a loving family and family values and a close family and my mom wants to live in La Jolla, buy her a condo, Kris! I dont understand her. I never will. Its just her personality.'

In the star's 2011 autobiography she said of her sister, 'We loved each other, and we were there for each other through thick and thin, and to this day we are a part of each other's lives.'In 2016, Karen paid the ultimate compliment to the momager, getting an intensive face lift in order to 'look like my beautiful sister Kris'.
Kanye West has added to his long list of people he is beefing with as he called out Ice Spice just days after ripping Twitch streamer Kai Cenat.

The 46-year-old fashion mogul took to his Instagram Story to say that the 24-year-old rising rapper had recorded a verse for the new version of his track New Body but her team has decided to not clear it.

He took to his Instagram story to share a text post which read: 'ICE SPICE SENT A VERSE IN FOR NEW BODY NOW HER TEAM IS SAYING WE CAN'T USE IT'

Ice -born Isis Naija Gaston - nor her team have responded to Ye's allegations.

The track New Body has been in the works for quite some time as it was originally slated for inclusion on Kanye's album Yandhi in 2018 which was never released.

Kanye West has added to his long list of people he is beefing with as he called out Ice Spice just days after ripping Twitch streamer Kai Cenat

The 46-year-old fashion mogul took to his Instagram Story to say that the 24-year-old rising rapper had recorded a verse for the new version of his track New Body but her team has decided to not clear it

Nicki Minaj was featured on the original version of the song and it was even included on the track list for Ye's collaborative album Vultures with Ty Dolla Sign which was released last month.

However, the 41-year-old Trinidadian rapper declined the verse to be included on the release.

This was not the first time that this has happened as it was previewed at listening parties for Ye's 2019 album Jesus Is King but it was ultimately scrapped due to creative differences between the two rap stars.

The track debunked body shaming and the stigma surrounding plastic surgery, however, the Jesus Is King version had Christian-themed lyrics.

In June 2020, Nicki had expressed interest in the song being released after a version leaked on TikTok, however, it never came to fruition.

Just days ago Ye responded in an astonishing fashion to American online streamer and YouTuber Kai Cenat, accusing the streamer of 'dissing' his YZY clothing range as fired out a warning, saying 'don't play with me'.

Kanye's comments came after Kai, 22, was sent some clothing from West's new YZY line, which he tried on for fans during a livestreaming service Twitch stream.

However, after he tried on a pair of tracksuit bottoms, they were considerably larger than he expected, leading him to ask for a smaller size.

The track New Body has been in the works for quite some time as it was originally slated for inclusion on Kanye's album Yandhi in 2018 which was never released and Nicki Minaj was featured on the original version of the song; she is pictured performing in Inglewood, Califor nia last week

Kai labelled the sizing of Kanye's YZY clothing range as 'crazy', while demanding a smaller size of the same product as the tracksuit bottoms fell to his ankles.

Kanye fired back while the stream was still ongoing, retorting via a direct message on Instagram: 'Don't make no jokes about my clothes. When you ain't saying nothing about what Adidas is doing.

'When Vultures song came out you ain't play my verse. You controlled. Don't play with me,' he added.

This saw the feud between the pair ignite almost instantly, as Kai retorted: ''Oh my god what the f**k!'

After reading it through, he was visibly confused by the rapper's angry response and asked Kanye: 'What the f**k did I do?!'

More back and forth messages between them followed, with Kai saying: 'I hear you bro but ain't no jokes was being said when I first opened up that package. I showed love instantly.'

The streamer continued: 'All I did was try on the sweats and it didn't fit. No jokes made. I immediately asked for a new pair.'

Kanye subsequently replied: 'So you ain't do nothing wrong? So I felt this way for no reason?'

Just days ago Ye responded in an astonishing fashion to American online streamer and YouTuber Kai Cenat , accusing the streamer of 'dissing' his YZY clothing range as fired out a warning, saying 'don't play with me'

After he tried on a pair of tracksuit bottoms, they were considerably larger than he expected, leading him to ask for a smaller size

After criticising Kanye's clothing line for its 'crazy' sizing: Kanye told him: 'Don't make no jokes about my clothes. When you ain't saying nothing about what Adidas is doing'

Kai then simply responded with a one word answer, writing 'Yes', which Kanye did not take too kindly to.

Instead the rapper accused him of deliberately disrespecting his new clothing line: 'F**k you You was told to diss my sh**. You a pawn.'

The feud between the pair comes after Kai was freed from police custody just hours after he was arrested for inciting a riot in New York City's Union Square on Friday August 4 2023.

Cenat was seen walking from the precinct with security in tow, but gave no comment to reporters standing by.

Following the riots, the NYPD arrested 65 people during the chaos that unfolded in Manhattan.
He was once, he claimed, likely to marry Princess Caroline of Monaco - until her parents, learning that he'd been jailed for fraud as well as declared bankrupt, intervened.

It proved a brief setback in the perhaps mercifully inimitable life of Nigel 'The Rat' Pollitzer which, I can disclose, has ended in a manner which none of his friends and acquaintances - Fergie, the Duchess of York, and film director Roman Polanski among them - would have expected: peacefully, at home in West Sussex, at the age of 80.

Pollitzer claimed that he pursued the teenage Caroline after a chance meeting in Swiss ski resort Gstaad. Thereafter, accompanied by his chum, Dai (later Sir Dai) Llewellyn, he repeatedly visited her in Paris.

'We tore round Paris in Dai's car,' recalled Pollitzer, who said that he and Caroline bonded in the back seat, with Llewellyn 'nearly breaking his neck to see what was going on'.

It set a pattern for a life which owed almost everything to a stroke of outrageous fortune, when two-year-old Nigel was plucked from a London orphanage by multimillionaire George Pollitzer and his wife Esme.

He was once, he claimed, likely to marry Princess Caroline of Monaco - until her parents, learning that he'd been jailed for fraud as well as declared bankrupt, intervened (pictured: Nigel Pollitzer in 2012)

Sarah Ferguson (pictured), the Duchess of York, attends the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham

After Stowe School, The Rat, as he was universally known, gambled recklessly on the Stock Exchange, only for his father to pay off his debts. But when he did it again, his father let him go bankrupt.

A 12-month prison sentence for cheque-book fraud followed. By then, Pollitzer had one ex-wife behind him, blonde Austrian actress Erika Raffael, whom he'd married in secret.

But, equipped with unwavering charm, he became the manager for The Business (later Business Connection), the aristo-band successively fronted by Lady Teresa Manners, the Duke of Rutland's daughter, and 'Bunter' Worcester, now the Duke of Beaufort.

One of Pollitzer's girlfriends, Tessa Gore, died of an overdose aged 25 in 1994. Five years later, his friend, John, 7th Marquess of Bristol, who would return 'coked up' after lunching with him at London restaurant, Foxtrot Oscar, died at 44. Pollitzer sailed on unscathed, marrying twice more.

How lawless London lost its sparkle for Swarovski

She hails from a multi-billion-pound Austrian crystal dynasty, but Nadja Swarovski has been left in fear of wearing jewellery after her luxury watch was snatched off her wrist in central London.

'I myself have been a victim. I don't wear a lot of jewellery, because of that, not even a watch,' the heiress, 52, tells me at the Mumble Forum International Women's Day Charity Gala at Apollo's Muse private members' club in Mayfair.

Unfortunately, Swarovski hasn't been reunited with her timepiece.

She adds: 'I have to say, living in London does not make you feel very comfortable, the crime is just horrible.'

She hails from a multi-billion-pound Austrian crystal dynasty, but Nadja Swarovski (pictured) has been left in fear of wearing jewellery after her luxury watch was snatched off her wrist in central London

The nation's only Field Marshal, Lord Guthrie, 85, made it to the launch party for Those Must Be The Guards, as did Viscountess Montgomery of Alamein, 90.

Not that there was any question of Tessa Montgomery, Daphne du Maurier's daughter, going awol: the book is co-written by her son, Paul de Zulueta.

The nation's only Field Marshal, Lord Guthrie (pictured), 85, made it to the launch party for Those Must Be The Guards, as did Viscountess Montgomery of Alamein, 90

James and Arun's ex enjoy a cozy day out

Newly single chef James Martin has struck up a blossoming friendship with Kim Johnson, the ex-wife of tycoon Arun Nayar.

In our exclusive picture, the Yorkshireman, 51, and the personal trainer, 37, can be seen shopping together in London's Mayfair.

A spokesman for the former Saturday Kitchen host confirmed he split from his TV producer girlfriend of 12 years, Louise Davies, back in December last year but they 'remain firm friends'.

Meanwhile, grammar school-educated Kim (pictured below with her ex husband) was left devasted after her one-year marriage to Arun, 59, ended in 2017.

She married the textiles heir after he divorced Liz Hurley, and the spectre of the actress is said to have hung over their union.

Newly single chef James Martin has struck up a blossoming friendship with Kim Johnson (pictured together), the ex-wife of tycoon Arun Nayar

A spokesman for the former Saturday Kitchen host confirmed he split from his TV producer girlfriend of 12 years, Louise Davies (pictured together), back in December last year but they 'remain firm friends'

No need to rein in horseplay, Bella!

Hold your horses, Bella Hadid! The model yesterday faced criticism for lying and standing on a horse during her latest photoshoot for Vogue Italia.

Yet, my woman at the stables tells me there's no need for the outcry.

'Bella is a keen equestrian and many riders stand on their horses, especially if they are strong and sturdy like this one,' she said.

Bella, 27, gave up riding in 2016 after developing Lyme disease.

'My devotion stemmed from my mum's love of horses. I have been riding since I could walk,' she has previously said.

Hold your horses, Bella Hadid! The model yesterday faced criticism for lying and standing on a horse during her latest photoshoot for Vogue Italia

Diners shocked at maitre d's exit

Some of the capital's beau monde have been left upset following the bewildering departure of Jesus Adorno - surely the world's most brilliant and inspired maitre d' - from Arlington.

The restaurant has only just opened on the site of Le Caprice, the legendary partnership of Chris Corbin and Jeremy King.

Jesus had been a beloved fixture at the eatery they founded in 1982, having worked there for 38 years, where he mingled with the likes of Princess Diana who lunched at least once a week at Table 7.

A source tells me: 'Jesus has been very closed about it, but as we know Jeremy King has had many fall outs, despite his media profile as a charming dining genius.'

Meanwhile, Adorno, who wrote in his farewell post online, that the Arlington 'wasn't a good fit for him' assures me he's replying to 'hundreds of messages'.

One will surely be Sir Nicholas Coleridge, next Provost of Eton, who wrote: 'I'm shocked, you have been part of my life for many many decades.'

Some of the capital's beau monde have been left upset following the bewildering departure of Jesus Adorno (pictured left with Jeremy King, right) - surely the world's most brilliant and inspired maitre d' - from Arlington
Rust Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 26, has called for a retrial after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter over the death of Halyna Hutchins.

Hutchins was accidentally shot dead during filming on the set of Rust in October 2021 when a gun Alec Baldwin was practising with discharged live ammo that was the responsibility of Gutierrez-Reed.

Prosecutors blamed Gutierrez-Reed at a two-week trial for unwittingly bringing live ammunition onto the set of 'Rust' where it was expressly prohibited. They also said she failed to follow basic gun safety protocols.

The jury convicted her earlier this month of involuntary manslaughter which carries a felony sentence of up to 18 months and a $5,000 fine.

Gutierrez-Reed is being held pending sentencing on April 15 at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed poses for mugshot after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter

Alec Baldwin out with his family in Manhattan last week days after Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty

Now, court record show that Gutierrez-Reed is challenging the verdict.

Defense attorneys filed a request for a new trial and urged a judge to release the defendant from jail as deliberations proceed.

Baldwin was indicted by a grand jury in January and has pleaded not guilty to an involuntary manslaughter charge, with trial set for July.

In an emergency court motion, defense attorneys Jason Bowles and Monnica Barreras asserted that the jury instructions in the case 'could confuse the jury and lead to a nonunanimous verdict.'

Similar objections to the jury instructions were rejected at trial.

Baldwin was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.

Baldwin has maintained that he pulled back the guns hammer, but not the trigger.

The actor was offered a plea deal last year that would have seen him serve no jail time in connection with the manslaughter of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins but the offer was withdrawn.

Halyna Hutchins at an event in an Instagram picture - her family wants everyone accoutnable

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed during her trial this month where the jury convicted her of involuntary manslaughter - now court records show she is challenging the verdict

Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office released this image of Alec Baldwin speaking to investigators on the set of Rust after killing Halyna Hutchins

The Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Oct. 23, 2021, was used for the film Rust

'Rust' assistant director and safety coordinator Dave Halls last year pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm and completed a sentence of six months unsupervised probation.

Earlier this month it was reported that Gutierrez-Reed was struggling in jail and her family is said to be devastated by her guilty verdict.

Hutchin's family have now turned their sites on Baldwin and has called for 'everyone responsible to be held accountable'.
Pharma major Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd on Tuesday announced the launch of its cancer treatment drug Versavo in the United Kingdom.

Versavo is a biosimilar of Avastin, a registered trademark of Roche, and is indicated for the treatment of several types of cancers, including metastatic colorectal cancer, lung cancer, recurrent glioblastoma, metastatic renal cell carcinoma, advanced cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and metastatic breast cancer, Dr Reddys Laboratories said in a regulatory filing.

It is the first biosimilar product of the company to be approved and launched in the UK. It is available in strengths of 100 mg and 400 mg single use vials, it added.

The launch of Versavo in a highly regulated market underscores our capability for global clinical development of high-quality biosimilar products. Versavo is a potential treatment option for patients with different types of cancers, Dr Reddys Global Head of Biologics Jayanth Sridhar said.

Further, he said, This launch reinforces our commitment to bring more biosimilar and other critical biological products to meet the unmet needs of patients, and strengthens our focus on oncology.

Dr Reddys launched Versavo in India in 2019. Subsequently, it was introduced in other markets such as Thailand, Ukraine, Nepal, and Jamaica under the same brand name.

In Colombia, the product was launched under the brand name Persivia.
An unfinished home in the Cambridge Crossing development in Simsbury. Residents there have been asking the developer to finish basic items such as drainage, street lights and traffic and street signs to no avail. Lawsuits are mounting against Sunlight Construction and William Ferrigno. Ferrigno entered a not guilty plea Monday on a charge of larceny related to his business. Steven Goode/Hearst Media Ct Farmingtion Valley developer William Ferrigno had a second court case related to his business practices continued Wednesday to Nov. 21. Ferrigno has been charged with 1 felony larceny count and three misdemeanors Steven Goode/Hearst Media Ct The town of Simsbury has begun making improvements to deficient drainage systems in the half-finished Cambridge Crossing neighborhood The town is also working with Liberty Bank to expedite foreclosure proceedings against developer William Ferrigno Steven Goode/Hearst Media Ct Residents of the half-finished Cambridge Crossing neighborhood in Simsbury have won a court victory against troubled developer William Ferrigno. Steven Goode/Hearst Media Ct Simsbury developer William Ferrigno, whose Cambridge Crossing development has garnered much negative attention, appeared in Hartford Superior Court on Monday to enter a plea on two felony larceny charges and three misdemeanor charges related to his business practices. Steven Goode Hearst Connecticut Media

HARTFORD  Simsbury developer William Ferrigno, who was charged with felony larceny in October by Avon police for allegedly selling property that didn't belong to him to a prospective home buyer, entered a plea of not guilty in Hartford Superior Court on Monday.

Ferrigno, who is also facing an additional felony larceny charge brought by Avon police and three misdemeanor charges brought by the state attorney general's office for failure to return deposits in the required amount of time, pleaded not guilty to all charges. He is due back in court on April 23.

Ferrigno and his company, Avon-based Sunlight Construction Co., are also facing some two dozen civil suits from prospective home buyers who allege that he took deposits with no intention of building homes. Ferrigno and Sunlight are also facing suits filed by the towns of Avon and Simsbury for unpaid taxes and from from suppliers for alledged lack of payment.

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Ferrigno did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

Ferrigno's alleged improper business practices initially came to light in the spring of 2023 when residents of a half-finished neighborhood in Simsbury near the International Skating Center of Connecticut made complaints to the town and the media about conditions there.

Residents of the Cambridge Crossing development said they have tried for more than two years to get Ferrigno to finish work in their development. Issues there, residents said, included unfinished drainage systems that caused roads to flood, a lack of outdoor lighting, street signs and safety signs.

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These courses are democratising access to knowledge and empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds

In a country as diverse and populous as India, with its myriad socio-economic challenges, the need for innovative approaches to education and skill development has never been more pressing. Microcredit courses emerge as a beacon of hope, offering a transformative pathway towards enhancing both learning and employability among the masses.

Microcredit courses, often provided by non-governmental organisations (NGOs), microfinance institutions, or government agencies, offer short-term, skill-based training programmes that are accessible even to those with limited financial means. These courses cover a wide array of subjects ranging from vocational skills such as carpentry, and plumbing to digital literacy and entrepreneurship. In a unique initiative, Masai School, in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and IIT Guwahati, has launched the Micro-Credit Programme in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), aiming to bridge the gap between academic learning and professional success in the technology sector. This initiative introduces a credit-based curriculum covering crucial domains such as Programming, Mathematics for Computer Science, Data Structures and Algorithms, Databases, System Design, and OS Networking. The partnership emphasises outcome-driven education, guaranteeing internships and job assurance for students who meet specific academic and engagement criteria.

The programme stands out for its rigorous admission process, comprehensive learning methodologies, and emphasis on preparing students for employment through innovative delivery methods and assessment systems.

The Micro-Credit Programme represents a transformative approach to technical education, blending academic rigour with industry exposure. By directly linking academic achievements with professional success, it sets a new standard in higher education. NSDC, as the principal architect of the skill ecosystem in India, plays a pivotal role in catalysing vocational training initiatives and supporting private sector participation in skill development.

IIT Guwahatis involvement underscores the programmes commitment to academic excellence and innovation, leveraging its reputation as one of Indias premier engineering institutions. Masai School bridges the gap between academic learning and industry demands further strengthens the initiatives potential to revolutionise technical education.

One of the most significant advantages of microcredit courses lies in their accessibility. Unlike traditional educational institutions, which may require hefty tuition fees and possess stringent admission criteria, microcredit courses are designed to be inclusive, reaching out to marginalised communities, women, and rural populations. By breaking down financial barriers and geographical constraints, these courses democratise education, empowering individuals from all walks of life to acquire new skills and knowledge.

Moreover, microcredit courses are tailored to meet the specific needs and demands of local communities. They are often developed in consultation with industry experts and employers, ensuring that the skills imparted are relevant and market-oriented. This close alignment with industry requirements enhances the employability of participants.

Furthermore, microcredit courses foster a culture of lifelong learning and self-reliance. By providing individuals with the tools and resources to upgrade their skills and adapt to changing market dynamics, these courses instil a sense of empowerment and agency. In the context of India, where sizable population lacks access to quality education and training, microcredit courses hold immense potential to drive social and economic transformation.

(The writer is an educator, views are personal)
There is a precarious balance between military power and democratic governance, with implications resonating across continents

Military coups, says Edward Luttwak in his Practical Handbook Coup dEtat, can be immediately rewarding but the penalty of failure is far greater than having to eat out of mess tin he warns. After an avalanche of coups in Latin America, South East Asia and South Asia, it is resurgent in the African continent with a focus on the French Sahel. On 22nd February Guineas military leader dissolved the government while retaining charge. In South Asia, the Pakistan Army has endured calling the shots in a new hybrid rule which was being played out clumsily recently.

In South East Asia, the Thai military has donned Bond Street suits, created political parties and made a pact with the monarchy as joint de facto rulers. Monarchy and the Army were bonded in Nepal but the alliance was broken by the Maoist civil war two decades ago. In Myanmar, Generals have fumbled badly and made a mess of the country fighting a losing civil war. Lessons emerging from Pakistan, Myanmar and Thailand on diminishing longevity of coups and military rule are still a challenge to democratic institutions and traditions as we witness in the post-colonial Sahel.

In less than three years (2020 to 2023) six countries have suffered eight coups predominantly in former French colonies in Africa  Gabon (2023) Niger (2023) Burkina Faso (2022) Chad (2021), Mali (2021 ) Guinea (2021) and Sudan (2021). French neo-colonial influence in Africa has finally dissipated. The French military (Foreign Legion) combined with their corporate interests anchored on local elites ensured France became the primary security provider in what is called Francofrique. Three of these countries  Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso  after military coups ordered the French to quit their military stations issuing a deadline. In the case of Niger, it was 1 December 2022 when the last French military aircraft evacuated its garrison. Paris announced it would close its diplomatic mission in Niger for an indefinite period though France would continue to be involved in the Sahel  the vast expanse south of the Sahara desert.

The French exodus was triggered by corruption, election fraud, dynasticism and a lack of development and economic progress. 1500 French troops were stationed in Niger to train its troops to meet the growing challenge of terrorism posed by Jihadists, Al Qaeda and Islamic State. Similarly, the Junta in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso have also forced French troops out of the country creating a void in military capacity in counter terrorism. In Burkina Faso and Mali, UN Peace Keepers were also deployed. On the withdrawal of French troops, military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed a mutual defence pact. It aims to establish architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for our people, the first of its kind in Africa.

The Jihadi insurgency in North Mali in 2012, spread to Niger and Burkina Faso in 2015. The three Junta-led countries are the first to establish a defence arrangement which is military and economic wherein an attack on any one country will invoke a clause of collective defence. The pullout of French troops from these countries was replaced by Russia and its Wagner group. In these countries, anti-West sentiment is strong with local people praising Russia. US Central Command has more than over-the-horizon capability in these states. It has located military drones in West Africa in Cote dIvoire, Ghana and Benin. Along with Togo, these countries are also racked by the Jihadi insurgency that has a stronghold in the Sahel. US and France have carried out discreet( deniable) operations but that capability will now diminish following French troops leaving Sahel.

The Sahel group that expelled French troops will lose out on US, EU and French aid that Russia will be unable to provide and sustain.

Gabon was the last country to face a coup in 2023. It is an oil-producing country that also had French troops. It was the eighth coup in Gabon since 2020. President Ali Bongo took over from his father in 2009 who had ruled the country since 1967. Bongos exit from power was another blow for France. In Gabon, election fraud had become a regular feature. A US report in January 2024 said that President Bongo had secretly provided Chinese President Xi Jinping with a military base on the Atlantic Ocean coast. Thats the reason China expressed concern in the UN about the safety of President Bongo. US Deputy NSA, Jon Finer is working the wheel to see if the military base agreement with China can be rescinded.

After the latest election in Pakistan, military wizards in that country are saying that the Army has lost its magic, given that its fixed match over former Prime Minister Imran Khan in jail has gone awry. Its leader was in jail and the party was deprived of the election symbol, still, PTI independent candidates became the single largest group in Parliament overtaking PMLN. PTI candidates have proved to be the most popular party though the Pakistan Army remains the most trusted institution among high-octane corruption-infected political leaders. Precisely the same is the story in Sahels West African countries under military rule. French troops expulsion from the Sahel was resisted by Paris like India is stubbornly defending its military presence in Maldives or earlier in Sri Lanka- in both cases, Presidents Muizze and Premadasa had issued deadlines.

(The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and a founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff. Views are personal)
Two big shots, including former Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu, joined the BJP on Tuesday amid the possibility that he may be fielded in the Lok Sabha polls from Amritsar in Punjab.

Besides in a blow to the JMM and INDIA Bloc, Sita Soren, a three-term MLA and sister-in-law of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, quit the party and joined the BJP.

Sitas decision to join the BJP is a shot in the arm for the partys efforts to boost its connect with the Scheduled Tribes, a community that has been the main vote base of the JMM.

While Sandhu joined the party in the presence of its general secretaries Vinod Tawde and Tarun Chugh, Sita joined the BJP in New Delhi in the presence of Tawde and Jharkhand poll in-charge Laxmikant Bajpai.

Joining the BJP, Sandhu spoke about the growth of the India-US relationship and said development has been its focus area in a host of fields such as the semiconductor industry. This development should also reach hometown Amritsar, he said, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda for his political innings.

Sita tendered her resignation from the JMM, claiming that she was being neglected and isolated. A rift in the Soren family had surfaced after she had openly opposed any move to make Kalpana Soren, wife of Hemant Soren, who is behind bars in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam, as Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday reaffirmed Indias commitment to fight terrorism and piracy and safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean region in response to Bulgarian Presidents gratitude to the Indian Navy for rescuing his countrys ship and citizens in a 40-hour long operation over the weekend.

Modis remarks came in response to a message from Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, expressing gratitude for the safe return of seven Bulgarian nationals.

On Monday, the Bulgarian President expressed his gratitude to the Indian Navy for successfully carrying out a rescue operation on the hijacked Bulgarian ship, MV Ruen.

Modi expressed appreciation for the President of Bulgaria and conveyed Indias satisfaction that the seven Bulgarian nationals were safe and would soon be returning home.

Appreciate your message President @PresidentOfBg. We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region, said the Prime Minister in a post on X.

The Rouen ship with eight Bulgarians, nine Myanmarese and one Angolan citizen on board was captured by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year.

In an official post on X, the Bulgarian President said, My sincere gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the brave action of the Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship Ruen and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens.

Meanwhile, Bulgarias Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel in a Facebook post said on Saturday that she held a conversation with the Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria Sanjay Rana for the Indian Navys Operation on MV Ruen and thanked him for rescuing Bulgarian nationals.

In a recent post on Facebook, Bulgarias Foreign Minister said, Today, March 16, with the help of the Indian Navy, the crew of the ship Rouen hijacked on December 14, 2023, including seven Bulgarian citizens, was released.

Thanks to the efforts of the Indian military, the entire crew of the ship was freed. All sailors are in good health and efforts are currently being made for their timely return to Bulgaria, she said.

Speaking regarding the incident, she said the ship Rouen with eight Bulgarians, nine Myanmar and one Angolan citizen on board was captured by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close cooperation with all competent institutions, the overseas representations of the Republic of Bulgaria in the region and international partners is actively involved in the efforts to release the Bulgarian crew.

On March 16, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a conversation was also held with the Indian Ambassador in Sofia, Ambassador Sanjay Rana and an additional request was made to the Indian side for assistance and to take all possible actions to protect the life and health of the crew.
Attention Holi revellers! As the festival of riots of colour is round the corner, you dont have to plan to travel to Bankey Bihari Temple in Mathura or to Barsana and Nandgaon in Uttar Pradesh to experience the joyous festivities of Phoolon Ki Holi and the spirited fervour of Lath Mar and Matka Phod Holi, symbols of the eternal love between Radha and Krishna.

Instead, get ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant spirit of festival of colours at the heart of the national Capital in Dwarka at the ISKCON temple which has curated a delightful array of festivities  from the mesmerising Phoolon Ki Holi to the spirited Lath Maar and Matka Phod Holi, all the vibrant traditions symbolising the eternal love between Radha and Krishna coming alive under one roof on March 25.

Thus, offering a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage and traditions associated with the auspicious occasion.

Vice president of ISKCON Dwarka Sri Gaur Prabhuji told The Pioneer that the much-awaited festival of Holi on March 25, a day after the Holika Dahan is being celebrated with great pomp and deep devotion on March 25 in Shri Shri Rukmini Dwarkadheesh Temple.

Not only flower Holi, lathmar Holi, matka phod Holi have been lined up but many colourful programmes are being organised here. Thousands of devotees will come to the temple, to have darshan of the Lord and celebrate Holi together, he said.

At ISKCON Dwarka, Holi isnt just a festival; its a spiritual journey. The Phoolon Ki Holi will transform the traditional splashes of colour into a delicate dance of fragrant flowers, filling the air with their sweet aroma. Similarly, Lath Maar Holi will be played amidst the laughter and joy with devotees coming together to honour the eternal bond between Radha and Krishna.

Prabhuji said lakhs of dishes will be offered throughout the day. 250 kilograms of cake will be offered to the Lord and distributed among the devotees, he said. At ISKCON Dwarka Holi will be celebrated in a very sattvik and beautiful manner in which there will be joy and also festivities around Lord Shri Krishna.

We want all the residents to come here to the temple and play Holi with each other and Lord with flowers, take part in different festivities, have soul touching prasad and feel divine bliss, said Prabhuji.

Anjana Cashyap, a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase 2, Delhi is already excited and has made plans to be at the festival being celebrated at the Iskon Temple.

I love this festival of colours and had plans to visit Mathura to participate in the festival of flowers. Last year, I was at Barsana to witness Lath Maar Holi.

But now at Dwarkas ISKON Temple I can experience the enchanting Phoolon Ki Holi, where fragrant flowers are expected to fill the air with their sweet aroma and simultaneously dive into the energetic rhythms of Lath Maar and Matka Phod Holi, re-enacting the playful antics of Radha and Krishna, she said.

Ramesh Kumar, an IT engineer, shares Anjanas excitement. His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he imagined himself participating in the spirited Lath Maar Holi, where colour-drenched women armed with sticks playfully tease men, mirroring the age-old love story of Radha and Krishna.

Phoolon ki Holi is one of the most picturesque forms of Holi where instead of colours, fragrant flower petals are used to playfully drench each other in colors of nature along with Lord Krishna.

No Holi celebration is complete without delicious sweets, food and drinks. Hence, food stalls offering a variety of traditional snacks associated with the festival like gujiya, thandai, pakoras, and sweets will be on the platter during the festivities, a perfect setting to enjoy the festive spirit with family and friends.

With cultural performances, live music, and a vibrant atmosphere, the organisers shared that they expect a large crowd of devotees and visitors alike to celebrate the riots of colours with spirituality.
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday hinted that his party could give ticket to Varun Gandhi from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat. Varun is presently a BJP MP from Pilibhit.

Akhilesh also struck a conciliatory note for Swami Prasad Maurya, the former SP MLC who recently resigned from the party.

The party will certainly consider giving a ticket to Varun Gandhi, Akhilesh said.

He said the party has received the resignation of Swami Prasad Maurya and the matter is before a committee.

Maurya, while resigning from the party and membership of UP Legislative Council, had said that he had no grudges against Akhilesh Yadav.

Varun Gandhi is said to be at loggerheads with the BJP leadership and has been constantly criticising the party leadership over the farmers issue. He had also supported the agitation by Punjab farmers on Delhi-Haryana border in 2020-21. Later, he also criticised the BJP government over the Lakhimpur Kheri incident in October 2021 involving the son of Union minister of state Ajay Mishra Teni. Two farmers had lost their lives in the incident.

Meanwhile, uncertainty continues to prevail over the BJP candidate from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat. The constituency goes to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 20 and the notification will be issued on Wednesday.

There is still no clarity on whether or not the BJP will clear Varun Gandhis name as its candidate from Pilibhit.

The BJP has set itself a target of winning all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Riding high on the Ram Mandir wave, the party has struck several crucial alliances with smaller parties in a bid to achieve its goal.

The party has struck alliances with Apna Dal (Sonelal), Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, NISHAD Party, and Rashtriya Lok Dal.

The BJP has declared its candidates on 51 seats so far, but is keeping the cards close to its chest as far as Pilibhit is concerned.

Varun Gandhi, the son of former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, is the incumbent MP from the constituency. Once seen as a formidable force within the BJP, the three-time MP entered the Lok Sabha first in 2009 from Pilibhit. He contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Sultanpur in UP and won. In 2019, he returned as the BJPs candidate from Pilibhit and won again.

The firebrand BJP leader, known to never mince words, today finds himself in a precarious situation, with rumours doing the rounds that the BJP is considering dropping him from its list of candidates. There are also reports that he may contest the election on the SP ticket.

In the latter half of his current term, he has been a man on a mission criticising his own government on multiple fronts. From the farmers agitation to unemployment, Varun has veered off the party line, even standing against it on some issues.

However, of late, Varun has appeared to be more accommodative of the party and its own leaders. A recent event to mark the launch of the Amrit Bharat station scheme to redevelop 554 railway stations across the country  Pilibhit being one of them  was the first instance in months when Varun was seen sharing the stage with BJP leaders.
A 21-year-old student and fitness influencer of Barmer, Rajasthan committed suicide by hanging with the ceiling at his freind's house in Kolar on Monday night.

Recently he had come to meet a friend of his living in Bhopal. When his friend went to his home to celebrate Holi, he hanged himself at around 10 pm on March 18.

Kolar police reached the spot after receiving the information and started investigating the matter. The family reached Bhopal on Tuesday afternoon, after which the postmortem of the body was done.

The deceased identified as Durgjit Singh has written the motto of Indian Army's Gorkha Rifles as 'Kaira Bhanda Marna Ramru' in his Instagram bio. Which means it is better to die than live like a coward.

Durgjit Singh has shared many stories in NCC dress on his Instagram profile. Apart from being a fitness influencer, he was also an NCC cadet.

According to friends, he was an all-rounder and stubborn person. His friends had told him to go home on Holi. But, he came to visit Bhopal.

ASI Santosh Kumar of Kolar police station told that on March 14, Durgjit Singh had come to Gaurav who lives in Kolar area, the day after Durgjit came to Bhopal, Gaurav went to his home to celebrate Holi, from that day Durgjit Singh was alone at home. Was living. The landlord was the first to know about the incident and informed the police. Gaurav has not made any statement yet. The case is being investigated.
Jharkhand Mukti Morchas (JMMs) Jama MLA and daughter-in-law of party president Shibu Soren Sita Soren resigned from the party and membership of State Assembly on Tuesday, saying that her family has been the victim of neglect. Hours later Sita joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sita Soren joined the BJP in the presence of its national general secretary Vinod Tawde and Jharkhand poll in-charge Laxmikant Bajpai at its headquarters in New Delhi.

The three-term MLA's decision to join the BJP is a shot in the arm for the party's efforts to boost its connection with the scheduled tribes, a community which has been the main vote base of the JMM.

More importantly, the development comes at the time when JMM is in turmoil as former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was arrested on January 31 in an alleged money laundering case, leaving a void in the state leadership which was halted by the elevation of loyalist Champai Soren as the chief minister.

Sita, before tendering her resignation from JMM primary membership, wrote an emotional letter to former Chief Minister and JMM patriarch Shibu Soren. Sita in her letter to JMM patriarch addressed several issues where she has been left to neglect by party leadership.

Since the demise of my late husband Durga Soren, who was a leading warrior of the Jharkhand movement and a great revolutionary, I and my family have been victims of continuous neglect. We have been isolated by the party and family members, which has been extremely painful for me. I had hoped that the situation would improve with time, but unfortunately, it didnt happen, Sita wrote.

She also wrote that her late husband formed JMM, a great party, on the strength of his sacrifice, dedication and leadership ability. However, it no longer remains so, she added. I feel deeply saddened to see this. The party has now fallen into the hands of those whose vision and objectives do not match our values and ideals. Despite the tireless efforts of Shri Shibu Soren (Guruji Baba) who worked hard to keep us all together, unfortunately, his efforts also failed. I have recently come to know that there is a deep-rooted conspiracy against me and my family also. A conspiracy is being hatched. I am very sad. I have firmly decided that I will have to leave JMM and this family, Sita added in her letter.

Meanwhile, JMMs Rajya Sabha MP Mahua Maji termed Sita Sorens resignation as shocking and urged her to reconsider the decision. Maji also said internal disputes should be resolved within the Soren family.

BJP State President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi welcomed Sita Soren leaving JMM and joining BJP. Marandi said that her pain and suffering are clearly visible in the poignant letter written by Sita Soren to her father-in-law and JMM chief Shibu Soren on her decision to leave JMM. Marandi said that Sita Soren was facing harassment from her party and family members for years.

He said that there is a limit to tolerating insult. Sita Soren is the elder daughter-in-law of Shibu Soren and wife of late Durga Soren ji. Durga Soren supported Guruji like a shadow and fought in the Jharkhand movement. Had Durga Soren been alive, he would have been the Chief Ministerial candidate in JMM. But Sita Soren's pain is that Durga Soren's struggle was forgotten. And those who did not struggle are reaching the top, therefore Sita Soren's resentment is natural.

He said that apart from the activities of the party, Sita ji was also upset with the state government led by JMM. From the streets to the House, she continuously protested against the water, forest, land, water, forest, etc. He vocally raised questions on the looting of mines, minerals, sand and stones. He openly opposed oppression and corruption.
In a shocking case in Agra, a Class VIII student was allegedly held captive in a hotel room and gang-raped by three men, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place in Hotel Brother Palace situated on Hathras road in Agra and all the accused are said to be its employees. The student was kept hostage in room number 8 of the hotel for more than 24 hours. The 13-year-old student is a resident of Khandauli area and she studies in a school in Tedi Bagiya area. With her friends, she used to go to the hotel to enjoy fast food.

Tinku Gupta, a resident of Prakash Nagar, is a chef at the said hotel. He has also set up a fast food counter outside the hotel. Tinku Gupta allegedly trapped the student a month ago by befriending her.

The victim, who turned up at the police station with her parents, disclosed that a month ago, Tinku had taken her to the hotel room and molested her. He also recorded the act and threatened to make it viral if she informed anyone.

She alleged that on March 15, when she was returning from school, Tinku Gupta forcibly took her to the hotel and held her captive in room number 8 for more than 24 hours. She also alleged that Tinku raped her several times and on Saturday, his friends Pramod and Lucky also took turns to rape her. She said as they went out of the room, she ran away and shared her ordeal with her family.

SO, Trans-Yamuna, Sumanesh Vikal said the student had first gone to Khandauli police station with her family. She later came to Trans-Yamuna police station on Monday and revealed the incident. The minor girl was sent to the district hospital for a medical examination.

The accused have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections 376(D) (gang rape) & 342 (wrongful confinement), and relevant sections of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act, the police said.

ACP, Chhatta, Hemant Kumar said they arrested Tinku and Pramod and efforts were on to arrest Lucky. He said all the accused are employees of the said hotel. The police also secured the CCTV footage from the hotel room.

Meanwhile, in another incident, a 16-year-old girl alleged rape and blackmail by a man in the Aligarh district since June last year. The police registered an FIR based on her mothers complaint on Monday.

The 22-year-old accused befriended her through Instagram and later called her to a hotel in Aligarh in June last year. The accused, who was friends with the hotel manager, raped her in a room and also filmed the act. He continued to exploit her physically and also demanded money. The victim gave him Rs 45,000 in October, and later, he demanded Rs 50,000 while threatening to share the video on social media. She refused to give money, and the accused made the video public. He was arrested and sent to jail on Monday, Aligarh (Rural) Superintendent of Police Palash Bansal said.
Congress Chhattisgarh chief Deepak Baij on Tuesday asked the Election Commission to derecognize the Bharatiya Janata Party for extorting money through electoral bonds.

In a statement, Baij said the data disclosed by the Election Commission shows that the BJP was the single biggest recipient from April 2019 to January this year due to the bonds which have been axed by the Supreme Court.

The BJP used the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax to extort money for the party through electoral bonds, Baij alleged. The BJP has received slightly less than 48 percent of all electoral bonds cashed by parties up to March 2023, amounting to around Rs.6,060 crore, he said.

On February 15, the Supreme Court scrapped the electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it unconstitutional and saying it violated the right of voters to know who was financing parties. The court also struck down the amendments made to the Income Tax Act and the Representation of the People Act that made the donations anonymous.
From left, sixth graders Jeremiah Hicks, Arianna Melndez and Lizmarie Gragirene on the sax and Israel Machicote on the piano play during a practice session between classes at John S. Martinez Magnet School in New Haven on March 15, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Band/Instrumental Music teacher Jose Lara and sixth grader Bianca Velasquez play the trombone during a practice session between classes at John S. Martinez Magnet School in New Haven on March 15, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media From left, sixth graders Jeremiah Hicks, Arianna Melndez and Lizmarie Gragirene play the sax during a practice session between classes at John S. Martinez Magnet School in New Haven on March 15, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Sixth grader Israel Machicote plays the piano during a practice session between classes at John S. Martinez Magnet School in New Haven on March 15, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media From left, sixth graders Jeremiah Hicks, Arianna Melndez and Lizmarie Gragirene play the sax during a practice session between classes at John S. Martinez Magnet School in New Haven on March 15, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media Sixth grader Bianca Darice Lizbeth Gonzalez plays the drums during a practice session between classes at John S. Martinez Magnet School in New Haven on March 15, 2024. Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media

Some of the greatest musicians in the world did not come from privileged backgrounds.

As children, many of America's future Charlie Parkers, Louis Armstrongs, Freddie Hubbards and Art Blakeys can't buy their own instruments.

But at some point, they were able to obtain one and begin the journey to learn how to play.

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The issue recently attracted widespread attention when The Last Repair Shop, a short film on those who work behind the scenes to maintain 140,000 instruments owned by the Los Angeles Unified School District won the Oscar for best documentary short film.

While the work Los Angeles does becomes less common as time goes on, in many of Connecticut's larger cities, a family's economic status is not a barrier to picking up a sax and learning how to honk and wail, music educators say.

"We never turn a student away that wants to play an instrument," said Ellen Maust, supervisor of performing and visual arts for the New Haven Public Schools system. "If they don't have the funds to get an instrument, we will make sure that they have an instrument."

If a family can't pay, more often than not the school will waive fees and just lend them the instrument after they sign a contract, officials from public school systems across Connecticut said. Some schools get donated instruments that are repaired and loaned to students.

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In New Haven, schools tend to have maintenance fees instead of rental fees.

"It's different in every school," Maust said. "Some don't charge anything. Some charge by the kind of instrument it is."

She recommends $40, but parents can just sign a contract to take responsibility for the instrument if there isn't that maintenance fee.

It's not the same everywhere. But in interviews with music educators throughout the state, the idea that money should not be a barrier  and isn't  when it comes to music education was a constant drumbeat.

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Differing needs

On Friday, the new sixth grade jazz combo rehearsed Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man" at John S. Martinez Sea and Sky STEM Magnet School in New Havens ethnically and economically mixed Fair Haven section. The student musicians all have unique circumstances, but share one thing: a love of music.

Jeremiah Hicks, 12, one of three saxophone players, was using an alto sax his parents bought him on Amazon for about $500. He also plays electric guitar  and they picked up that and his amplifier at Guitar Center.

Arianna Melendez, 11, who plays tenor sax after initially trying out the trumpet, uses a saxophone supplied by the school because, at this point, he doesn't have one of his own.

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Bianca Darice Lizbeth Gonzalez, uses the school's Tama kit now but soon will unleash her 4 foot, 9 inch frame on her very own drum set.

"It makes me relax," she said of her decision to play the drums.

Teacher Jose Lara, who played trombone Friday along with his students, said the students pay a maintenance fee but it's flexible.

Jill Russell-Benner, Music Department head for Danbury Public Schools, said she understands the difficulties many families face buying or renting musical instruments for their children.

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I was raised by a single mother and understand first-hand how much of a financial burden instrument rentals are for families," Russell-Benner said. "I believe what we are able to provide our students with the support of the community and district administration is invaluable.

Russell-Benner was intrigued by The Last Repair Shop movie, which is available to watch both on Disney+ and for free on YouTube.

"Like the students we serve each day in Danbury, the repair shop workers all come from diverse backgrounds and through this documentary share their story of how in many ways 'music saved them,'" she said. "The youngsters impacted by music in this documentary mirror our students."

Danbury's rental fees are typically $50 per year, done on a sliding scale for all families, based on need, Russell-Benner said.

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"The rental fee goes directly back to our instrumental program to support our inventory and replace lost, stolen or replacement instruments," she said. "Over the past four years we have been able to add more than 30 additional band and string instruments to our inventory."

Danbury has partnerships with "grantors" that help provide free instruments, she said.

"Our elementary instrumental program has over 1,000 students enrolled in third through fifth grade," she said.

'Hundreds of instruments'

Meanwhile, Bridgeport Public Schools maintains "hundreds of musical instruments" of its own, said Sarah-Jane Henry, that district's director of performing and visual arts.

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"They are all in different states of repair, but using COVID relief money we are refurbishing them, cannibalizing those that are too far gone to provide parts for those that we can repair," Henry said.

"If a student wants to play an instrument, we have the instruments," Henry said. "We have a $30 maintenance fee. But if the parents can't pay it, we can waive it ... We don't say no."

The maintenance fee covers things, such as valve oil for brass instruments or reeds for woodwinds, she said.

Bridgeport also has a partnership with KEYS, a Bridgeport nonprofit that comes into schools to give individual lessons, Henry said.

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"Kids come to school for art and music," Henry said. "So if we can have a rich arts program in our schools, we can get the kids to come to school."

West Haven's fast-growing band and music programs at Carrigan Intermediate School, Bailey Middle School and West Haven High, offers several options for getting instruments, said Scott Shand, coordinator of fine arts for West Haven Public Schools.

"The West Haven community has been very good at donating musical instruments, which we refurbish and keep for students who may not have the means, Shand said.

The district also gets help on repairs.

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"We have students and families who rent from their choice of music store, but West Haven offers options of stores that come to service instruments directly to the schools," he said. "We use Connecticut Music and JC Music to come repair our instruments and students who use them may not have to worry about repair bills," he said.

Horns For Kids

New Haven  and many music programs across Connecticut  also works with a Hamden nonprofit, Horns For Kids, started by two retired music teachers. It accepts instrument donations, refurbishes them and then puts instruments in chidlren's hands through their schools.

"If we're talking about 'The Last Little Repair Shop,' that's them," said Maust.

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Horns For Kids co-directors Fred Rossomondo, who taught music in Wallingford schools for 32 years, and Lee Walkup, who taught music in Shelton for 32 years, both got involved after each retired in 2003.

"Horns For Kids is a charity that we've run since 2003," Rossomondo said. "It's to support music education in schools, and the way we do that is by trying to make available instruments."

Twice a year, they post lists of more than 40 instruments  sometimes 50 or 60  that are available, including woodwinds, brass, strings, percussion, keyboards and guitars, he said.

"We've given out like 200 instruments in 20 years, like $2 million in instruments," Rossomondo said.

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He said the donated instruments often need to be fixed and they'll have to decide whether it's worth having them and their seven-member team fix it.

"We'll fix it if they can do it for about $100," he said.

If they ever are given a particularly high-end instrument, they seek to trade it for multiple other instruments, he said.

"We make nothing off this charity, by the way," Rossomondo said. "We pay for the phone. We pay for the gas.

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"But when that kid is given this opportunity, then he has a chance," Rossomondo said. "You can walk into a first rehearsal as a sixth grader in a middle school, get in the band  you don't have to know anyone in the band  and all of a sudden you have 40 friends."

Getting instruments in kids' hands

Meriden Public Schools has been "highly focused for years on equity in the arts," and as part of that acquired their own instruments, said Brian Cyr, the district's fine arts coordinator for music, theater and visual arts, as well as Maloney High band teacher.

"We charge a very small fee to rent an instrument ... $70 for the year," Cyr said. "We never turn a student away because they're not able to afford (it.)"

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In those cases, they'll reduce the fee.

"We just don't want to be in a situation where we're turning away students," he said.

Cyr, also the Connecticut Arts Administrators Association's vice president, said he's mindful people could spend well over $1,000 to buy a saxophone.

"There's such a huge disparity in the quality of instruments," Cyr said. "You can go into a big box store these days and buy a clarinet for $250."

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He cautioned it won't work for the students though.

It's such a low quality that a repair shop that's going to do basic maintenance isn't going to work on it," Cyr said. "They don't want to guarantee that work."

Meriden has close to 800 students playing music in its schools. About 90 percent of them get instruments from the schools and about 40 percent are on some sort of financial arrangement, he said.

Middletown also provides musical instruments for free to students whose families can't afford them, said Communications Director Jessie Lavorgna.

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We wholeheartedly believe cost should not be a barrier to wanting to learn how to play an instrument, Lavorgna said.

Kathleen Steinberg, spokeswoman for Stamford Public Schools, said Stamford provides free instruments for those students in all grades where music education is taught, including grades 4 through 12.

Amy Perras, instructional supervisor for music, art and library media for the Milford Public Schools  and president of the Connecticut Arts Administrators Association  said every district handles instrument distribution a little differently.

"Our students rent instruments from approved vendors at very, very reasonable rates," Perras said.

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But exceptions are made all the time.
Digital Transformation Group (DTG) BHEL Bhopal, has won the prestigious "Dataquest Digital Leader Award 2023". The Award was given by eminent personalities of IT fraternity at the 31st edition of Digital Leadership Conclave held at New Delhi, on March 13, 2024.

SM Ramanathan , Executive Director, BHEL, presented the trophy, in the presence of B K Singh General Manager (HR), Gautam Majumdar, General Manager (CMG,PMG,CC & DTG) to N P Sanodia, AGM(IT), Vivek Pathak, Sr DGM (IT) and other DTG officials, on March 18, 2024 at BHEL, Bhopal.

BHEL Bhopal represented by Vivek Pathak, Sr. DGM (IT), won the Digital Leader Award 2023, in the Power & Utility category.

The Dataquest Digital Leader Awards recognize the very best in the IT and reward the leading organizations & individuals for innovation and excellence in the IT Sector and their respective fields and celebrate the spirit of innovation and achievement in the IT Industry. DATAQUEST is referred to as the Bible of Indian IT, and oldest print publication in the Indian IT Industry, brings the latest information and Trends, Analysis, Research, News, People, Events of the Indian ICT Industry.

About 300 Applications were received, from reputed IT organizations, industry professionals, start-ups and practitioners from across India. The Dataquest Digital Leader Award 2023 were judged by an independent panel of highly respected judges including leading technology experts, industry gurus and industry analysts.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday said his government was analyzing the losses to farmers due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm across the state and due compensation would be provided.

The untimely rains in northern Chhattisgarh and in districts like Marwahi, Gourella, Pendra, Korea, Bilaspur, Dhamtari, Rajnandgaon and Kawardha the past few days have caused massive damage crops.

The standing Rabi crops and even horticulture crops like banana and papaya were badly devastated. Roads and fields in some areas were also badly hit.

But the weather provided relief to people from the scorching heat.

Meanwhile, taking to X, Sai said that farmers have nothing to worry as his government was committed to their welfare and to safeguard their interests.

There is nothing to be distressed, and the Chhattisgarh government will take notice of the loss and (they) will be dully compensated, he said.
The state received unseasonal rain for the fourth consecutive day on Tuesday as rainfall was witnessed in Multai, Chhindwara and Dindori in the afternoon along with strong winds. Plum-sized hailstones also fell at many places. Tomato and wheat crops have been damaged due to hailstorm.

The Meteorological Department has issued an alert of hail and rain in 13 districts including Jabalpur-Narsinghpur. At the same time, there is a red alert for Anuppur. Speedy storms will also be witnessed at a speed of 30 to 60 Km per hour in these districts.

During the last 24 hours, 57 cities and towns of Madhya Pradesh including Balaghat, Seoni, Anuppur, Mandla, Shahdol, Chhindwara, Dindori, Umaria, Rewa, Betul received light and heavy rain at some places and hail storm was also witnessed. Tirodi tehsil of Balaghat recorded the highest rainfall of 65.3 mm i.e. 2.5 inches.

Heavy rain continued in Multai on Tuesday also. There was a heavy hailstorm in Sipava block for 15 minutes. There was a blanket of snow in the fields.

Farmers said that the tomato crop got damaged due to heavy rain and hail. The harvested wheat is also rotting and have demanded a survey of crop damage due to rain in the area.

There was heavy rain and hailstorm with thunder and lightning in Dindori district on Tuesday afternoon. A young man has died after being hit by lightning in Angai village of Bajag tehsil.

Water fell in Chhindwara district also on Tuesday. Hail storms was witnessed at many places. Crops have been damaged due to hailstorm in a big village of Amarwada. MP Nakulnath inspected the crop damage due to hailstorm in Palamau Mohkhed.

Hail accompanied by heavy rain fell in many villages of Chhindwara district. Crops have been damaged.

According to the Meteorological Department, thunderstorm conditions will prevail in Sidhi, Singrauli, Dindori and Anuppur on March 20.

Orange crop has been damaged due to storm in Chhindwara.

Senior Scientist of IMD, Bhopal, said that the trough line is passing over Northern Odisha via Chhattisgarh till Vidarbha. Due to this, south-westerly winds are bringing moisture from the Arabian Sea. South-eastern winds are also bringing moisture from the Bay of Bengal to the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh. Due to this, there is a period of rain, hail and strong storms. Hail and rain are occurring in Eastern Madhya Pradesh.

Due to the current system, the period of rain and hail is expected to continue till March 20. After this a Western Disturbance will be active. Its effect will also be seen in the state. After its return the effect of heat will increase.

The weather has changed for the third time in March.
Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth today went to Khunti and met senior politician of Jharkhand, former Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha and Padma Vibhushan awardee Kadiya Munda. During this, Seth touched his feet and took blessings from him.

During the meeting, Munda blessed the MP by giving him Shrifal and shagun. Seth discussed many points with Kadiya Munda and took his guidance. Munda blessed the Parliament for victory in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. After meeting him, the MP said that Kadia Munda ji is not only the guardian of BJP but of entire Jharkhand.

He is a personality who is beyond politics. It is my good fortune that I have been receiving his guidance in my social and political life for the last 5 decades. Even today, whenever I meet him, I get the benefit of his experience on many points including society, nation, family, organization.

Seth said that Kadiya Munda ji is a walking book, who has solutions to every subject. I always get new energy after meeting him. During the meeting today, Kadiya Munda ji blessed me to go to Lok Sabha again. He also gave guidance to always work for the society and nation. Kadiya ji's guidance gives inspiration, enthusiasm and energy to every BJP worker.
Chief Electoral Officer Shri Anupam Rajan held a meeting with officials of all recognized national political parties at Nirvachan Sadan, Bhopal on Tuesday. He gave detailed information about the Model Code of Conduct effective in relation to the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in the state. He told that M.P. Lok Sabha elections will be conducted in four phases. In the first phase, elections will be held in Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency number-11 Sidhi, number-12 Shahdol, number-13 Jabalpur, number-14 Mandla, number-15 Balaghat and Lok Sabha parliamentary constituency number-16 Chhindwara. The nomination process for the first phase will start from Wednesday 20th March. The last date for filing nomination papers is Wednesday 27 March. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on Thursday 28th March. Candidates who have filed nominations will be able to withdraw their names till Saturday 30th March. Voting for the first phase will take place on Friday, April 19. Counting of votes in all phases will take place on June 4.

In the present situation, there are 5 crore 64 lakh 76 thousand 110 voters in Madhya Pradesh. This includes 2 crore 90 lakh 13 thousand 307 male voters, 2 crore 74 lakh 61 thousand 575 female voters and 1 thousand 228 other (third gender) voters.

Rajan said that the total number of polling stations in the state is 64 thousand 523. A proposal to set up auxiliary polling stations in the identified 367 polling stations with more than 1500 voters has been sent to the Election Commission of India. He said that the distribution of voter slips in the Lok Sabha elections will be started in separate phases 10 days before the voting date. This work will be completed 5 days before the voting day.

Rajan said that maximum 4 forms can be filled by each candidate in the election. Every candidate will also have to submit an affidavit in the prescribed form along with his nomination paper. The affidavits submitted by the candidates will be displayed within 24 hours on the website of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer www.ceomadhyapradesh.nic.in . The candidate will also have to give information about his criminal cases in the affidavit, so that voters can know about the background of such candidates. Besides, political parties will also have to publish announcements in newspapers and TV channels on 3 different dates stating the basis for selection of candidates with criminal cases. Within 48 hours of the selection of the candidate, it will have to be published in Form C-7 in the newspaper, social media platform and party website.

Rajan said that with the announcement of the Election Commission of India, the Model Code of Conduct is effective in the entire state. The provisions of the Model Code of Conduct are applicable to the candidates, political parties and State and Central Government as per the guidelines of the Commission. Control rooms and complaint cells have become functional in all the districts. Action against property defacement is continuing in all Lok Sabha parliamentary constituencies. So far, action has been taken against defacement of property at 2 lakh 76 thousand 892 government buildings, 1 lakh 88 thousand 203 public properties and 57 thousand 992 private properties.

Rajan informed that C-VIGIL app is available for citizens to lodge election related complaints. Through this app, if citizens provide any live photo, video and audio as complaint regarding violation of Model Code of Conduct, then action will be taken on the complaint within the next 100 minutes. He said that during the Model Code of Conduct, the use of loudspeakers will be completely prohibited from 10 pm to 6 am the next day.
Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is lodged in Delhis Mandoli prison, released another explosive letter welcoming Akkaiah K Kavitha to the Tihar Club and suggested that he has more information to reveal about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Sukesh wrote to the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, K Kavitha, saying the truth has prevailed and now a Pandora box of corruption is going to be out and open. He referred to the BRS leaders as akka (sister), who was arrested on March 11 by the Enforcement Directorate for alleged money laundering in the Delhi excise policy.

Sukesh, who is accused in a Rs 200 crore cheating case involving the wife of a former Fortis Healthcare promoter, wrote, Dear K. Kavitha Akkiah, the truth has prevailed, the dramas of saying fake cases, fake allegations, political witch hunts have fallen flat, all your karmas are coming back to you, Kavitha Akkaiah. Now you have to face the power of truth The jailed scammer said that while she thought she was invincible and untouchable, she forgot this is new Bharat, where law is stronger and more powerful than ever.

However now a Pandoras box of corruption is going to be out and open, by this arrest of yours. Kavita Akka you and all your corrupt associates including the king of corruption my dearest Arvind Kejriwal is going to be exposed to another level, he said, while attacking the Delhi Cm Kejriwal.

He alleged that the Telangana MLC and her party has looted thousands of crores and stacked it in countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany. He claimed that all of that will be revealed.

Akka all your ghee tin stories, range rover collection stories, goa stories, contract stories as per the WhatsApp screenshots I had shared last year is going to be investigated and proven right in the open now, he said while threatening her that there is no way out now. He also said that she will always be his elder sister irrespective of exposing her and her involvement in corruption.

Sukesh, who recently also wrote to Kejriwal, advised her to not  guard AAP chief. He said, One sincere advice to you, theres no use of you trying to still hide everything and try to save the kingpin and the godfather of this scam, Arvind Kejriwal. Because now the people of this country, the Honble Courts, all know the truth, there is enough evidence to prove all your corruption.

He welcomed the leader into Tihar jail and said that he will see her soon during a face to face confrontation in accordance with law at ED and CBI. Chandrashekhar further stated,  I am sure your other brother and kingpin of corruption, Kejriwal ji has arranged all luxury for your long stay in Tihar club. One more last thing before conclude this press statement Film abhi baki hai (movie is not over yet) At last, he warned Kejriwal saying that he is next and no matter how much he tries, he will be exposed too.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the family members of police constable Amritpal Singh who was recently shot dead in line of duty.

Amritpal was killed on Sunday when a police team came under attack while conducting a raid in Mansoorpur village in a bid to arrest a gangster Sukhwinder Singh alias Rana Mansoorpuria, suspected of harbouring illegal weapons.

As the team was entering the house, the suspect opened fire and Amritsapl was struck in the chest. He later died at a hospital.

During his visit, Mann expressed solidarity with the bereaved family members and offered his ''deepest sympathies''. He also paid floral tributes to Amritpal, highlighting that the constable was not just a son of Jandour village but also a son of Punjab.

In his address to the media, Mann reaffirmed the government's commitment to support the family of the slain constable. Mann also announced the construction of a stadium in remembrance of the constable.

The man, who killed Amritpal, was shot dead by the Punjab Police following an exchange of fire near the Adda Bhangala area on the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway on Monday.
Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday directed all the Commissioners of Police, Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of the state to lay effective inter-state or inter-district nakas to keep vigil on the movement of anti-social elements, drug smugglers, and bootleggers, and mobilize maximum force for area domination and confidence-building measures.

DGP Yadav, chairing a virtual state-level meeting with senior police officers, Range ADGs, IGs, DIGs, CPs, SSPs, all gazetted officers posted in districts, and all SHOs in the State, reviewed the preventive measures ahead of elections and apprise them about the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines.

Informing the officers that there is a complete ban on the issuance of new arms licenses, the DGP directed the CPs and SSPs to ensure the deposition of weapons in compliance with the ECI norms. He also asked CPs and SSPs to frequently carry out checking at gun houses to review the security arrangements and ensure that foolproof arrangements have been made by the gun house owner for safe storage of firearms.

DGP directed the officers to carry out mapping of vulnerable areas to identify the sensitive and hyper-sensitive areas so that extra force could be deployed to avoid any untoward situation ahead of the General Elections. He also directed all the officers to make special efforts to nab accused persons involved in heinous crimes and expedite the investigation and prosecution of cases of election-related offences.

The state police chief ordered officers to intensify the checking of vehicles, especially commercial vehicles, entering and exiting the state to check the influx of narcotics and illicit liquor. There should be no let up in the ongoing campaign against drug traffickers, criminals and gangsters, he made it clear.

DGP Yadav said that a special campaign has already been launched to arrest Proclaimed Offenders (POs) and parole jumpers and for execution of non-bailable warrants (NBWs). Since the launch of this campaign from January 1, 2024, the Police teams till now have arrested as many as 2,890 POs, while preventive action has been taken against 2,456 people under sections 107/151 of the CrPC. Similarly, out of 2110 non-bailable warrants, 1175 have been executed successfully, he added.
Trouble is said to be brewing in the Samajwadi Party over the selection of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Besides SP president Akhilesh Yadavs uncle Shivpal Yadav, several leaders are sulking over the candidates selected by the party.

Shiva Yadav is unhappy over the denial of ticket to his son Aditya Yadav. Shiva wanted the ticket for his son from Firozabad.

Akshaya Yadav, son of SP principal general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav, was elected from this seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. He is likely to be fielded from this seat yet again.

Though Jaswantnagar (Etawah) MLA Shivpal Yadav has been fielded by the party from the Budaun Lok Sabha seat, he is said to have been assured that his son will be given the ticket from Jaswantnagar assembly seat if he (Shivpal) is elected to Lok Sabha. Shivpal will have to resign from the assembly seat.

Akhilesh Yadavs decision to give party nominations to three outsiders in the fifth and latest list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections has not gone down well with the partys rank and file. Many aspiring Samajwadi Party leaders from western UPs Nagina, Meerut and Bhadohi seats are said to be disappointed.

The party nominees declared in the third round of candidate selection, especially in a few western UP seats, have fuelled discontent. The party preferred Supreme Court advocate Bhanu Pratap Singh from Meerut and retired additional district judge (Bijnor) Manoj Kumar from Nagina in Bijnor district while sparing the Bhadohi seat for the Trinamool Congress, an INDIA ally.

Party insiders say sitting MLA Atul Pradhan of Sardhana in Meerut district was a ticket aspirant from Meerut. He was ready to field his wife if the party did not select him. The BJP has been winning from Meerut since 2014, and Rajendra Agarwal has been the MP twice. The BSP was the runner-up in 2014 and 2019.

After the list was announced, Pradhan wrote on X: The people of Meerut prayed for me. I apologise to you for not getting a chance.

Even the candidature of Manoj Kumar, the partys choice for Nagina Lok Sabha constituency, has caused some resentment. Manoj Kumar joined the SP only recently.

It was speculated that the SP would leave the Nagina constituency, a reserved seat, for Azad Samaj Party chief Chandra Shekhar Azad Ravan.

Current SP MLA Manoj Kumar Paras was also seeking a ticket from the seat for his wife Neelam. Girish Chandra was the joint SP-BSP candidate for Nagina in 2019.




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A priest allegedly hacked to death his sewadar outside a temple located outside Alamkheda village in Unnao.

Police reached the spot and recovered the decapitated body from outside the temple. Villagers claimed to have seen the priest running away with a blood-stained axe and a rod. A forensic team was also pressed into service. The police said that the body has been sent for autopsy while they are trying to ascertain the motive for murder. Three teams have also been formed to nab the absconding accused.

As per reports, Brahmadev Baba Temple is situated on the mound of Jamalnagar near Alamkheda village on Mohan-Auras road and a Shiva temple is located around 200 metres away from it.

The accused was identified as Bablu Paswan, who is a resident of Hajipur Tareh village of Hasanganj Kotwali, and is the priest of the Shiva temple.

Maiku Sai, who is a resident of Gahrawan village, is the priest of Brahmadev Temple. About five years back, Kuldeep, a youth from Kushinagar, started working as a sewadar in the Shiva temple. He would also take care of Bablu Paswan.

On Monday night, Kuldeep was seen going to the temple with flour, oil and other items from a grocery shop. An hour later, the villagers saw Bablu Paswan, running away carrying a blood-soaked axe and a rod.

Later, the villagers spotted the head and torso of Kuldeep lying near the Shiva temple.

Police station in-charge Rekha Singh reached the spot and informed senior officers about the incident.

ASP (South) Premchandra and Bangarmau Circle Officer Arvind Kumar reached the scene to collect information and also summoned a forensic team to the spot. The police recorded the statement of other staff of the temple and villagers to ascertain the murder motive.

Reports said Maiku Sai could not give details of the deceased. Bablus father Baijnath had two marriages. Bablu is his son from the first wife, and Pintu & Bauwa from the second. After the death of his parents, Bablu left his home five years ago due to family disputes. He had been living in the temple in the guise of a priest ever since.
Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro speaks to reporters before he heads to prison, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Miami, to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Adriana Gomez Licon/AP Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro speaks to reporters before he heads to prison, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Miami, to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Adriana Gomez Licon/AP Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro speaks to reporters before he heads to prison, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Miami, to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Adriana Gomez Licon/AP FILE - Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro has reported to prison to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jose Luis Magana/AP

MIAMI (AP)  Former White House adviser Peter Navarro reported to prison Tuesday for a contempt of Congress conviction, becoming the first senior Trump administration official to be locked up for a crime related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison for defying a subpoena for documents and a deposition from the House committee that investigated the riot by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

Navarro was defiant in remarks to reporters before he headed to the federal prison in Miami, calling his conviction the partisan weaponization of the judicial system.

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He has maintained that he couldnt cooperate with the committee because Trump had invoked executive privilege. But courts have rejected that argument, finding Navarro couldnt prove Trump had actually invoked it.

When I walk in that prison today, the justice system  such as it is  will have done a crippling blow to the constitutional separation of powers and executive privilege, Navarro told reporters Tuesday.

After voting in Florida on Tuesday, Trump was asked about Navarro.

Hes a good man. He was treated very unfairly, Trump said, calling him a great patriot and praising his job negotiating trade with China. The Biden administration treated him very, very badly. Its a shame, but thats the way it is.

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Navarro, who served as a White House trade adviser under Trump, was subpoenaed by the committee over his promotion of false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election in the run-up to the Capitol attack.

Navarro had asked to stay free while he appealed his conviction to give the courts time to consider his challenge. But Washington's federal appeals court denied his bid to stave off his sentence, finding his appeal wasnt likely to reverse his conviction.

And Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday also refused to step in, saying in a written order that he has no basis to disagree with the appeals court. Roberts said his finding doesnt affect the eventual outcome of Navarros appeal.

Navarro was the second Trump aide convicted of contempt of Congress charges. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon previously received a four-month sentence but a different judge allowed him to stay free pending appeal.

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The House committee spent 18 months investigating the insurrection, interviewing over 1,000 witnesses, holding 10 hearings and obtaining more than 1 million pages of documents. In its final report, the panel ultimately concluded that Trump criminally engaged in a multi-part conspiracy to overturn the election results and failed to act to stop his supporters from storming the Capitol.

Special counsel Jack Smith has separately charged Trump with conspiring to overturn his election loss to President Joe Biden. That case is on hold while the Supreme Court weighs Trump's claim that he is immune from prosecution. The high court is scheduled to hear arguments on the matter next month.

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In a letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, BJP MLA Vijender Gupta brought to light the grave issue of sexual harassment at Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Medical College. Gupta urged Saxena to intervene in the matter and ensure justice.

Highlighting the matter Gupta called the sexual harassment by Assistant Professor Salim Sheikh a matter of grave concern. This incident not only constitutes a severe violation of the students rights and safety but also represents a significant failure on the part of the institution and the Delhi government to take adequate action against the perpetrator. The silence and inaction by the AAP Government surrounding this incident have resulted in increased distress for the victims and their families, highlighting an urgent need for intervention, said Gupta.

Gupta has laid out a series of demands to the LG office, including removal of Professor Sheikh from his position pending the outcome of the investigation to prevent any further intimidation or harassment of the students.

Gupta also demanded that the Medical College Committee responsible for the welfare of female students has failed in its duties and should be disbanded. Members of the Medical College Committee should be held accountable for their negligence in handling the complaints of sexual harassment.
Genetic diversity and evolution have long been considered to be inextricably linked and rightly so. Even Charles Darwin and his long-term research attested to the necessity for having a diverse gene pool in a species, which forms the basis for the mechanism of natural selection. A heterogeneous gene pool introduces novel genetic traits that were previously unseen in the bloodline and ancestry of the species. If the new trait is an advantageous one, then it is more likely that it would be transferred to further generations of the species. Some such traits assist the species in adapting to different environments and ecologies, including changing climate. Climate change brings with it unforeseen alterations to the environment that necessitates an advanced degree of adaptability in organisms, to enable them to survive through the changes. Without a diverse gene pool, the traits that assure higher adaptability are lost and the species becomes more susceptible to weaknesses. The mutations that arise from variations in genetic traits also eventually lead to the evolution of new species, which further enhances biological diversity.

Loss of genetic diversity occurs commonly through two routes, either through a decrease in the population of a species or the population being isolated geographically. When the population is isolated, it restricts the exposure of the animals to varied external stimuli that, in turn, closes the door on possible advantageous mutations and adaptations. The current situation of the Asiatic Lions in Gir is very similar to what would classically be considered an isolated population. There is even an argument to be made that such isolation could restrict the species from evolving into a whole different species; however, the timeframe required to attain such a vastly distinct genome to indicate the coming of a new species is considerably long. The presence of a single isolated population could also lead to increased risk from fatal epidemic outbreaks.

Moreover, the isolation would lead to interbreeding, which would lead to further loss of genetic diversity that would result in a weaker and less hardy progeny of lions. Translocation and reintroduction of species has traditionally been used as an effective tool to deal with complications that arise from isolation of a species. For instance, in India, the one horned rhino was reintroduced from Assam to Dudhwa National Park many decades ago, in 1984. The aim of the reintroduction was to reduce interbreeding while simultaneously expanding the habitat of the Indian rhino. The project was initiated on a very conservative scale with only five rhinos being transported to Dudhwa in Uttar Pradesh. However, the reintroduction was so successful that the original population multiplied more than seven-fold and today the state boasts close to 40 rhinos.

On the flip side, it is too soon to tell whether the relocation of the African cheetah to India is headed for success or failure. However, it is important to note that in the case of the cheetahs, it banks on the introduction of a sub-species of cheetah that the Indian Subcontinent has never seen before. Earlier, it was contested that African and Asian cheetah were genetically identical, but more recent genetic studies indicate that the genetic differences in the two are more significant and profound than originally thought, which means they are two distinct sub-species. Thus, the successes or failures of this particular project should be viewed in the light that it is intrinsically a more challenging project compared to the translocation of rhinos or the potential translocation of the Asiatic Lion.

It is pertinent to note that Kuno National Park, in northern Madhya Pradesh, was originally founded as a wildlife sanctuary to buttress the Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project initiated in 2004. The State Government of Gujarat strangely refused to cooperate with the project citing that the lions were part of their heritage. The arguments made by the state government were largely without substance and mostly emotional, which led to the Supreme Court of India ordering the translocation of the proposed number of lions to Kuno. However, the state government has till date failed to implement the order of the Apex court.

It is even more perplexing as to why the state government would be hesitant in following through with the mandates of the court since both national parks, Gir as well as Kuno, are strikingly similar when it comes to the ecological structure that persists in both. The two areas belong to the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forest ecoregion and are inhabited by generally identical flora and fauna. Lions are generally considered to be flexible predators when it comes to eating habits. Their preferred prey is extraordinarily diverse and lions have even been known to feed on carrion and even scavenge for meat. However, they mainly hunt hoofed herbivores such as antelope, deer and wild boar. The two national parks even possess identical species of ungulates that the lions of Gir prefer to prey on. Interestingly, the Asiatic lion is considered to be quite the adaptable species as is indicated by its vast original range which included even Arabia, Levant and Baluchistan. Even in India, specifically, the lions originally reigned as apex predators from Bangladesh in the east to the Narmada in the south. They were found abundantly through Sindh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Palamau in Jharkhand and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh; as recently as the 19th century.

Furthermore, overcrowding in Gir is an additional concern as Lions are extremely territorial. While a pride of lions can have an inordinate variance in the number of members, on average a pride is consisted of fifteen lions. Each pride can control a territory as small as 20 square kilometres or as large as 400 square kilometres, if prey is hard to come by. Lions are also known to passionately and violently defend their territory against any intruding lions. While the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is considerably large, spread over 1400 square kilometres, the protected area classified as a National Park is only 258 square kilometres. The census of 2015 revealed that there were 523 lions in Gir with this number inflating rapidly to 650 by 2017. According to the WWF, at least 200 lions reside outside the confines of the protected area, which also increases the risk of man-animal conflict. Also, there are three large temples within the protected area, which attract several pilgrims routinely, further increasing the risk of conflict and also resulting in fragmentation of the habitat of the lions. Restricting the lions to a strictly circumscribed area would result in the unfortunate transition of the national park into a glorified zoo, in substance at least if not form.

While mankind rests rightfully and conveniently atop the food chain, an attempt to control any facet of nature and natural instinct would amount to hubris. As evidenced by the Great Migration of wildebeest and other herbivores across the plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti in Tanzania, wild animals absolutely do not concern themselves with the arrogantly drawn artificial boundaries of sovereign states. The animals of the Great Migration even undertake great risk in braving the crocodile infested waters of the Mara river to complete their journey. Free movement of fauna and assuring their access to their natural destinations must be considered issues of great significance. Thus, it is imperative that conservation of nature and its resources be an international undertaking involving unprecedented cooperation. Such cooperative efforts are already becoming increasingly common. India and Nepal regularly assist each other in maintenance and upkeep of the protected area of the UNESCO world heritage site, Kanchenjunga, which spills across the boundary shared by the two nations. Similarly, cooperation between India and Bhutan is noteworthy in terms of the way the countries deal with the Manas National Park protected forest which is contiguous to The Royal Manas National Park in Bhutan. Rangers from the two countries are free to traverse the entire protected area across borders for the purposes of carrying out their duties and responsibilities. Even transboundary Ramsar wetlands are maintained by all concerned countries that the particular wetland is shared by. Similarly, all snow leopard range countries have historically cooperated in conservation of snow leopards. All wild life must remain unimpeded by circumstances created exclusively by humankind.

The writer is a Lawyer by profession. Views expressed are personal.
The total number of voters in the five parliamentary constituencies of Uttarakhand has increased by 5,55,784 in the last five years. The data of the election commission shows that in the Lok Sabha election of 2019, the State had 77,65,423 voters and in the elections of 2024 a total of 83,21,027 voters are eligible to cast their votes on April 19.

In the elections of 2019 the State had 40,53,944 male, 37,11,220 female and 259 transgender voters which increased to 43,08,904 male, 40,12,006 female and 297 transgender voters in 2024.

Haridwar Lok Sabha seat has witnessed the maximum increase of voters in the last five years in the State. In Haridwar the number of voters has increased by 1,07,870 between 2019 and 2024. Haridwar is followed by Nainital- Udham Singh Nagar constituency where the number of voters has increased by 1,04, 104 in the past five years. Similarly, the number of voters in Tehri and Garhwal Lok Sabha constituencies has increased by 54,561 and 22,254 voters respectively in the last five years. The mountainous Almora constituency which is reserved for SC candidates has witnessed an increase in voter number by only 11,997 in the last five years.

Incidentally, Haridwar is the parliamentary constituency with the maximum number of voters in Uttarakhand with 20,31,632 voters registered in the segment. Haridwar is followed by Nainital- Udham Singh Nagar constituency which has 20,10,800 voters. Tehri has 15,74,144, Garhwal 13,66,983 and Almora 13,37,648 voters.
The top Congress leadership on Tuesday held deliberations on the party's candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting of the Central Election Committee headed by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge was attended by former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other members of the panel.

Sources said candidates from states of Karnataka, Telangana, Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat were discussed during the meeting, besides candidates for assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Sikkim.

A total of around 60 to 70 Lok Sabha candidates were discussed during the meeting.

The Congress has so far announced 82 candidates for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls beginning April 19.
Asserting the importance that the BJP-led NDA has given to Kerala in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a massive roadshow here on Tuesday to boost support for its candidates from the state, where the saffron party has historically had no significant electoral victories.

The PM's cavalcade with Modi standing on an open roof vehicle heavily decorated with flowers commenced the roadshow at around 10.45 am from Kottamaidan Anchuvilakku and proceeded towards the Head Post Office in the town.

The PM arrived here in a helicopter from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

On the open-roof vehicle, Modi was flanked by BJP state president K Surendran and NDA candidates C Krishnakumar, who is contesting from the Palakkad constituency and Niveditha Subramanian, who has been fielded in the Ponnani seat.

Braving the scorching sun, thousands of people, including BJP supporters with flowers, garlands, party flags, placards of Modi and wearing party hats, lined both sides of the around one km roadshow route.

As the roadshow proceeded along the route, shouts of 'Modi', 'Bharat mata ki jai', 'Modiji swagatam' and 'Modi ki jai' were heard from the people gathered on both sides of the road.

They also showered flowers on Modi, who was wearing a Nehru cap in the saffron colour of his party.

Reciprocating the welcome received from the crowd, the PM also showered flowers on the people on both sides of the road several times.

Enduring the rising temperatures, crowds, of all ages, had gathered hours ahead of the Prime Minister's arrival and created a festive atmosphere along the route of the roadshow.

Several persons, many of whom arrived here with their families, told TV channels that they will not leave without seeing Modi.

The roadshow covered the around one km route in about half-an-hour after which the PM quickly returned to the helipad.

Modi's Palakkad roadshow follows his recent participation at a public meeting in Pathanamthitta town on March 15, where he rallied support for NDA candidates contesting in the southern Kerala constituencies.

Addressing the gathering in Pathanamthitta, the Prime Minister had said that "The Lotus is going to bloom in Kerala" in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and attacked the ruling Left and the opposition Congress-led UDF, alleging that the people of the state have endured hardship under governments plagued by corruption and incompetence.

The BJP has seen an increase in its vote share from the Palakkad constituency in the Lok Sabha polls with its candidate Krishnakumar C securing 21.24 per cent of the total votes polled from here in the 2019 general elections.

This is Modi's fifth visit to the state within three months.

He has already visited the state twice in January, once in February and then on March 15.

These visits included both official and party functions.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday in an indication that the BJP is looking to ally with him for the Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in the western state.

Thackeray, who arrived here on Monday, was joined by BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde when he met Shah.

If the alliance is sealed, the MNS may be given one seat to contest from Mumbai, the Maharashtra capital where his cousin Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction enjoys some influence.

Raj Thackeray had parted ways with the Shiv Sena, when it was undivided, due to his differences with his cousin. However, his MNS could not make much impact even though he is seen as a powerful orator and enjoys a certain following.

His controversial comments against north Indians in the past had drawn sharp criticism from leaders from various political parties, including the BJP.
(): Nepals Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said that Russia has given its in-principle consent to cancel the contracts of Nepalese nationals who joined the Russian Army and are engaged in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, a media report said on Monday.

Shreshta, also the countrys foreign minister, said in a meeting of the House of Representatives that the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that it has agreed in principle to assist those who have joined the army to cancel their contracts, the Republica newspaper reported. However, its modality is yet to be decided, he added. The 65-year-old CPN (Maoist Centre) leader said the Nepali Embassy in Moscow is constantly following up on this. Photos of those held captive in Ukraine have been released. Efforts are being made to bring them back to Nepal, Shrestha said.

Last week, Shrestha had asked Russia to share a list of Nepalese citizens serving the Russian Army but stressed that complications remained in bringing them back from the war zone. The comments by Shrestha came while speaking to media persons after the Russian Ambassador to the Himalayan nation Aleksei Novikov called on him, the Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

Since the war between Russia and Ukraine has not stopped, bringing Nepalis back from the Russian Army is still difficult, he said.

Hundreds of Nepali citizens are reportedly fighting for the Russians against Ukraine. A small number of Nepali citizens are serving in the Ukrainian Army as well, but both the conflicting nations have not shared the details with the government of Nepal. According to a network of the victims families, 20 Nepali nationals are confirmed dead fighting for the Russians, and more than 260 have gone missing or are out of contact. However, the Nepal government has said that so far 11 Nepalese nationals serving in the Russian Army were killed in the war with Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his New Zealand counterpart Monday, as Chinas most senior diplomat began a tour of the country and Australia. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters greeted Wang in Wellington, New Zealands capital.

There have been some significant developments since we last met, not least a global pandemic that impacted both our countries, Peters said in his opening comments of their formal meeting at New Zealands parliament house.

Today is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that are now before us.

Wang is the highest-ranking Chinese politician to visit the country since his own previous visit in 2017.

New Zealand has had strong economic ties with China in recent years, and was the first developed country to sign a bilateral free trade deal with Beijing in 2008.

While in Wellington, Wang will also have brief meetings with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade Minister Todd McClay.

China looks forward to working with the two countries to deliver on the common understandings between the leaders, enhance strategic communication, deepen mutual trust, advance exchanges and co-operation, promote the steady and sustained growth of the China-New Zealand and China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnerships and contribute to world peace, stability and prosperity, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

Wang will arrive in Canberra, Australia on Wednesday to meet with counterpart Penny Wong, with dialogue between the pair expected to center on the case of detained Australian Yang Hengjun. It will be the first time the two foreign ministers have met face to face since Yang was found guilty of espionage following a closed trial and sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in February.

The trade tariffs cost the local economy an estimated 20 billion Australian dollars ($13 billion), but have since been wound back on most goods except wine, rock lobsters and some abattoirs.
Israeli forces launched another raid on the Gaza Strips largest hospital early Monday, saying Hamas militants had regrouped there and had fired on them from inside the compound, where Palestinian officials say tens of thousands of people have been sheltering.

In a separate development, the European Unions top diplomat, Josep Borrell, accused Israel of continuing to hinder efforts to deliver aid to Gaza, saying the territory faces an entirely man-made famine as starvation is used as a weapon of war.

The army last raided Shifa Hospital in November after claiming that Hamas maintained an elaborate command centre within and beneath the facility. The military revealed a tunnel leading to some underground rooms, as well as weapons it said were found inside the hospital. But the evidence fell short of the earlier claims, and critics accused the army of recklessly endangering the lives of civilians.

People sheltering in the hospital said Israeli forces backed by tanks and artillery had surrounded the medical complex and that snipers were shooting at people inside. They said the army raided a number of buildings and detained dozens of people.

Were trapped inside, said Abdel-Hady Sayed, who has been sheltering in the medical facility for over three months. They fire at anything moving.  Doctors and ambulances cant move.

Gazas Health Ministry said the Israeli army was directing gun and missile fire at a building used for specialised surgeries. It said a fire broke out at the hospitals gate.

The ministry said around 30,000 people are sheltering at the hospital, including patients, medical staff and people who have fled their homes seeking safety.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief Israeli military spokesperson, said the army launched a high-precision operation in parts of the medical complex. He said senior Hamas militants had regrouped there and were directing attacks from the compound.

The army released a grainy aerial video of what it said were militants firing on its forces from inside the hospital, as well as video of a rocket-propelled grenade striking an armoured vehicle. It said its forces had detained around 80 people.

Hagari said the patients and medical staff could remain in the medical complex and that a safe passage was available for civilians who wanted to leave.

HOSPITALS OUT

OF SERVICE

Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian facilities to shield its fighters, and the Israeli military has raided several hospitals since the start of the war, which was triggered by Hamas October 7 attack into southern Israel.

Most of Gazas medical facilities have been forced to shut down for lack of fuel and medical supplies, even as scores of people are killed and wounded each day in Israeli strikes.

The Gaza Health Ministry said Monday that at least 31,726 Palestinians have been killed in the war, including 81 in the past 24 hours. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise attack out of Gaza that triggered the war, and took another 250 people hostage. Hamas is still believed to be holding about 100 captives, as well as the remains of 30 others, after most of the rest were freed during a cease-fire last year in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The United States, Qatar and Egypt have spent weeks trying to broker another cease-fire and hostage release, but the gulf between the two sides remains wide, with Hamas demanding guarantees for an end to the war and Israel vowing to continue the offensive until it destroys the militant group. Israels offensive has driven most of Gazas 2.3 million people from their homes and the UN says a quarter of the population is starving.

HARSH CONDEMNATION FROM EU DIPLOMAT

Northern Gaza, including Gaza City, was the first target of the invasion and suffered widespread destruction.

The military said late last year that it had dismantled most of Hamas military infrastructure in the north and withdrew thousands of forces, but sporadic fighting has continued.The north is the epicentre of Gazas humanitarian catastrophe, with many residents reduced to eating animal feed. At least 20 people, mostly children, have died from malnutrition and dehydration in the north, the Health Ministry said earlier this month. Airdrops by the US and other nations continue, while deliveries on a new sea route have begun, but aid groups say its essential that Israel open up more ground routes and ease restrictions to meet the mounting humanitarian needs.We are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people, EU foreign policy chief Borrell said at an international aid conference in Brussels. Starvation is used as a weapon of war.

He went on to call for greater efficiency at the two functioning border crossings and for Israel to open additional ones.Israel has to do it. It is not a question of logistics. It is not because the United Nations has not provided enough support, he said. The support is there, waiting. Trucks are stopped. People are dying, while the land crossings are artificially closed.

Israeli authorities say they place no limits on the entry of aid and accuse UN bodies of failing to distribute it in a timely manner, saying aid piles up on the Gaza side of the crossings.

Aid groups say distribution is impossible in much of Gaza because of ongoing hostilities, the difficulty of coordinating with the military and the breakdown of law and order.

The international aid group Oxfam said Sunday that a dysfunctional and undersized inspection system snarls the entry of aid, with trucks stranded in long lines for 20 days on average The group says it has an entire warehouse filled with goods that were rejected, including oxygen, incubators and water and sanitation gear. Israeli authorities are not only failing to facilitate the international aid effort but are actively hindering it, said Oxfam Mideast director Sally Abi Khalil.

Famine imminent

in northern Gaza

The UN food agency says famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where an estimated 70% of the population faces catastrophic hunger.

The World Food Program on Monday released the latest findings of its Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, an international process for estimating the scale of hunger crises.

It says virtually everyone in Gaza is struggling to get enough food, and around 210,000 people in northern Gaza are in Phase 5, the highest, which refers to catastrophic hunger.

It warned that if Israel broadens its offensive to the packed southern city of Rafah, the fighting could drive around half of Gazas total population of 2.3 million into catastrophic hunger.

In December, the IPC estimated that a quarter of Gazas overall population was starving.

Aid groups say they face a burdensome Israeli process to import humanitarian aid, and that distribution in much of Gaza, especially the north, is virtually impossible because of Israeli restrictions, ongoing hostilities and the breakdown of law and order.

Israel says it places no limits on the import of humanitarian aid and blames bottlenecks on the U.N. agencies distributing it.

The US and other countries have carried out airdrops in recent days and a sea corridor has just opened up. But aid groups say those efforts are costly and inefficient, and are no substitute for Israel opening up more land routes.
(): Nawaz Sharif is a kingmaker today while his oppressors are nowhere, an emotional Maryam Nawaz, the first woman chief minister of Pakistans Punjab province, has said, as she visited the Kot Lakhpat Jail here and recalled hardships she and her father endured in prison.

Maryam, 50, on Sunday visited the Kot Lakhpat Jail, where she and Nawaz Sharif served prison terms in corruption cases, and broke Ramzan fast with the women prisoners. She sat with the women prisoners and presented samosas, pakoras, fruits and biryani to them.

She also got to see the prison cell where her father three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif languished in a Panama Papers corruption case before leaving the country for London in 2019 on medical grounds.

Emotional moment to see the cell of MNS (Mian Nawaz Sharif), where a three-time prime minister was kept. I was in the same jail but I was never allowed to visit him. Got to see it today. He is a kingmaker today while his oppressors are nowhere, she said on X. After spending four years in self-exile Sharif, 74, returned in October last year reportedly after striking a deal with a powerful military establishment.

He was set to become premier for a record the fourth time in last months general elections but his party failed to get enough seats in the National Assembly to form a government on its own. Independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party won the maximum number of seats.

However, his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, who is considered a favourite of the military establishment, managed to form a coalition federal government with the help of five other parties. Recalling her time in this jail, she said: I was imprisoned in the death cell and faced a difficult time. My father was also imprisoned in the same jail but I was denied permission for meeting him. I used to meet my father once a week only.

She said once she received a handwritten letter from her father which stated that he after being arrested was being taken to the National Accountability Bureau jail.

Someone in the jail told me that your father is feeling unwell and is being taken to hospital. It was a time of great difficulty. I couldnt talk with my cancer patient mother. I used to talk with my children for 20 minutes only. I was greatly worried about my 15-year-old daughter at that time as she also underwent a difficult time, Maryam, considered the political heir of Nawaz Sharif, wrote.

During the visit, she announced three months of remission in the punishment of prisoners and released 155 prisoners across the province.

She said a video call facility will be provided in all the jails of Punjab very soon. She said that few persons would go to jail due to their faults and others owing to their circumstances.

Even the innocent have to face punishments due to shortcomings in the justice system. We will definitely bring improvements in the jail system along with the provision of possible ease for the prisoners. We are aware of the difficulties of prisoners and we would bring improvements in their food and other essential needs, she said.

She directed the jail authorities to adopt a respectable and dignified practice for arranging a meeting of the prisoners with their family members.

We want to bring reforms in the jails so as to make every prisoner a useful citizen of the society. We would let the prisoners stand on their feet by imparting them with various skills in the jails, she said. PTI MZ NSA AKJ
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, in her State Capitol office on Tuesday, said local officials are ready for next week's four days of early voting. Ken Dixon/Hearst Connecticut Media A Greenwich resident places her ballot in the drop box outside Town Hall in Greenwich, Conn. Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media The official ballot drop box at the Government Center in Stamford, Conn. Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022. Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media

HARTFORD  Connecticut's upcoming presidential primary will be the first time in state history that there will be extra days of early voting  including a Saturday  and Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas announced on Tuesday that the 169 towns and cities are ready.

But Thomas warned that with each voter checked-in on the state's computerized registration system, registered Republicans and Democrats may have to wait longer than usual during the four-day early voting period of March 26, 27, 28, and 30.

"Remember this is a new form of voting, so we have to have new expectations," Thomas said, stressing that there are 46 other states that have some form of early voting.

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Speaking to reporters in her State Capitol office, Thomas noted that in 2022, more than 60 percent of state voters approved an amendment to the state Constitution on early voting and that last session the General Assembly approved a framework of four days of early voting for presidential primaries and special elections, seven days for other primaries and 14 days for general elections. Next week voting hours at the polls will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the four extra days, while Primary Election Day on Tuesday April 2 will have traditional voting hours from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"Our elections division and our IT division have literally been working around-the-clock to write the processes, test the system, make sure we have the technology in place to allow for early voting, and I have nothing but gratitude for the hundreds of registrars of voters and town clerks who have helped participate and make early voting what it will be," Thomas said. "Without them our election simply would not happen."

Most voters will likely cast their early ballots in their local town and city halls, so it will be important for Republicans and Democrats  unaffiliated voters are not allowed to vote in the closed party primaries  to look up where they may participate in early voting on the Secretary of the State's website.

"You do not want to go to your normal polling place, and there may be lines," Thomas said. "Even if you don't typically experience lines, it is a slightly longer process because it's a live process. Every voter has to be looked up individually. And, also, registrars are doing this for the first time, using new spaces, so there may be some little bumps in the road."

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Unaffiliated voters who want to cast a vote during the early voting period may do so if they claim party affiliation in person with the registrar of voters or town clerk in the town where they live by noon, March 25. Unaffiliated voters may also vote on Election Day if they register with a party by April 1 at noon with the registrar of voters or town clerk in the town of residence.

The deadline to change from one party to another in order to vote in this primary has passed. That includes the Independent Party, which some young or newcomer residents don't realize is an actual political party in this state, Thomas told the legislative Government and Administrative Elections Committee earlier this week. Unlike general elections, there is no same-day or Election Day registration available for primaries.

Thomas said Tuesday that even though President Joe Biden and former president Republican Donald Trump have already locked up the number of delegates needed from around the nation to win their presidential nominations, she hopes Connecticut party members cast votes anyway to "stress test" the early voting system for the next time.

"We want to make sure registrars have more data to shore up the system in advance of our high-turnout elections later this year," Thomas said.

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Patricia Spruance, president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association, said Tuesday that her members are ready for early voting. "I'm not aware of any incidents," said Spruance, who is the Windham town clerk, in a phone interview. "But it's uncharted waters."

Chris Prue, president of the Registrar of Voters Association of Connecticut, agreed Tuesday that his members are also ready. He said that for early voting, ballot officials will have direct computer lines to the statewide voter database. "There were dedicated members of the secretary of the state's team and the vendor" that took care of the preparations, said Prue, the Democratic registrar for the town of Vernon. "It's a completely separate network from the towns. If there were problems, they just need another ethernet cord."

"We are prepared," said Ann Newberry, the Republican registrar of voters for Farmington. "We have our ballots. The setup is done. There are no worries here."

Some towns needed more funding to hardwire the Centralized Voter Registration System, while others needed to hire more poll workers, Thomas said. In the past, poll workers could rely on printed books of voters and their addresses, but for early voting the centralized system needs to confirm voters, hence the potential for added time to cast ballots after workers check voter registration on laptop computers, she said. "The real time lookup is important," Thomas added.

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She said she heard from about two towns that might have had trouble linking up with the registration system through a hardline. "Depending on how that line is run, it could vary," Thomas said. "We don't have jurisdiction over that, but we did receive funding to help offset that cost for towns if they needed additional IT infrastructure in order to implement early voting. Towns were calling us about IT changes, but those changes have to go through their town's IT department and whoever runs that line, in some cases Frontier, et cetera. I think that's all been worked out now, but I think it was just too many cooks in the kitchen."

Voter information can be found at myvote.ct.gov.

This story has been updated to reflect that unaffiliated voters may still register with a party by March 25 at noon if they are partaking in early voting or April 1 at noon if voting in person on Election Day.
Nepals new five-party coalition government Tuesday said it will adhere to an independent foreign policy to safeguard its interests while adopting efficient policies on land management, forestry, climate adaptation and disaster management.The coalitions common minimum programme was unveiled at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, in the presence of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and the top leaders of the parties in the ruling alliance.

The document underscores the governments focus on prioritising sovereignty and territorial integrity and fostering robust and balanced international relations.

It has also underscored the need for maintaining balanced, trustworthy and friendly relations with all the friendly countries, including the two neighbours (India and China), keeping sovereign equality, mutual interest and respect at the centre point.

Emphasis on womens participation, womens empowerment, social inclusion, transitional justice, sustainable peace along with youth issues, sports, tourism, culture and social harmony are also part of the Minimum Common Policy Priorities and Resolve, which is considered a guideline for the functioning of the coalition government.

The preamble of the document states that the coalition government is committed to instilling hope and confidence among the people by tackling prevalent issues such as economic downturn and impunity.

It was read out by the CPN-UML vice chair and coordinator of the governments Minimum Common Programme Draft Committee, Bishnu Prasad Paudel. Prachanda, of the CPN (Maoist Centre), dumped the Nepali Congress and forged a new alliance with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist  CPN-UML)  the second-biggest party  led by former premier KP Sharma Oli on March 4.

On March 6, Prachanda appointed four ministers from his party, seven from the CPN-UML, three from the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and two from the CPN (Unified Socialist), prompting the five-party coalition to work out new guidelines for governance. The fifth party in the coalition is the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP).

The top five leaders including Prime Minister Prachanda, UML chair K P Sharma Oli, chair of CPN-Unified Socialist Madhav Kumar Nepal, RSP president Rabi Lamichhane and chair of JSP Upendra Yadav put their signatures on the document.

Nepal has struggled to maintain political stability in recent years.

Prime Minister Prachanda has sought a vote of confidence in Parliament thrice since coming to power in December 2022. Nepal has witnessed 13 governments in the last 16 years.

The common minimum policy and priorities document includes a commitment to ensuring the integrity of financial institutions, enhancing public infrastructure, fostering good governance alongside efficient service delivery, promoting employment, entrepreneurship and domestic production and coordinating the development of physical infrastructure.

It also includes programmes to activate the share market through policy reforms, mobilise climate financing, implement the 16th periodic plan by carrying out an objective assessment of the 15th periodic plan, free the financial institutions of anomalies and resolve the problems of the cooperatives and microfinance.

The document places the supreme interests of the Nepali people at the centre to instil hope and faith by tearing apart the sense of despondency among the people, according to official sources.

The document stresses the urgency to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process. Additionally, it commits to providing treatment, employment opportunities and rehabilitation for individuals who were affected and disabled during the conflict period.

Furthermore, it highlights the necessity of fulfilling the tasks of compensation, rehabilitation, and reintegration for families impacted by the conflict.
President Vladimir Putin sealed his control over Russia for six more years on Monday with a highly orchestrated landslide in an election that followed the harshest crackdown on the opposition and free speech since Soviet times. While the result was never in doubt, Russians attempted to defy the inevitable outcome, heeding a call to protest Putins repression at home and his war in Ukraine by showing up at polling stations at noon on Sunday. But from the earliest returns, it was clear Putin would extend his nearly quarter-century rule with a fifth term.

With nearly all the precincts counted Monday, election officials said Putin had secured a record number of votes  an unsurprising development underlining the Russian leaders total control of the countrys political system.

Putin has led Russia as president or prime minister since December 1999, a tenure marked by international military aggression and an increasing intolerance for dissent. At the end of his fifth term, Putin would be the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great, who ruled during the 18th century.

As early results came in, Putin hailed them as an indication of trust and hope in him  while critics saw them as another reflection of the preordained nature of the election.

Of course, we have lots of tasks ahead. But I want to make it clear for everyone: When we were consolidated, no one has ever managed to frighten us, to suppress our will and our self-conscience. They failed in the past and they will fail in the future, he said at a meeting with his campaign staff after polls closed.

Any public criticism of Putin or his war in Ukraine has been stifled. Independent media have been crippled. His fiercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison last month, and other critics are either in jail or in exile. Beyond the fact that voters had virtually no choice, independent monitoring of the election was extremely limited.

Russias Central Election Commission said Monday that with nearly 100% of precincts counted, Putin got 87% of the vote. Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova said that nearly 76 million voters cast their ballots for Putin, his highest vote tally ever. Western leaders denounced the election as a sham, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy particularly criticized voting in Ukrainian areas that Russia has illegally annexed, saying everything Russia does on the occupied territory of Ukraine is a crime.

Germany sharply criticized the vote with Chancellor Olaf Scholzs spokeswoman, Christina Hoffmann, saying that in our opinion, it was not a democratic election.

There is no freedom of expression in Russia, she told reporters in Berlin. Russia, as the chancellor has already said, is now a dictatorship and is ruled by Vladimir Putin in an authoritarian manner.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis also said the exercise didnt deserve the name election.

Its a procedure that is supposed to resemble elections, he said. Some might call it reappointment, lacking any legitimacy.

Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un quickly congratulated Putin, along with some Central and South American leaders and presidents of nations that have historic and close current ties to Russia, such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In the tightly controlled environment, Navalnys associates urged those unhappy with Putin or the war to go to the polls at noon on Sunday  and lines outside a number of polling stations both inside Russia and at its embassies around the world appeared to swell at that time.

Among those heeding the call was Yulia Navalnaya, Navalnys widow, who spent more than five hours in the line at the Russian Embassy in Berlin. She told reporters that she wrote her late husbands name on her ballot.

Asked whether she had a message for Putin, Navalnaya replied: Please stop asking for messages from me or from somebody for Mr. Putin. There could be no negotiations and nothing with Mr. Putin, because hes a killer, hes a gangster.

A voter in Moscow, who identified himself only as Vadim, said he hoped for change, but added that unfortunately, its unlikely. Like others, he didnt give his full name because of security concerns.

Meanwhile, supporters of Navalny streamed to his grave in Moscow, some bringing ballots with his name written on them.

Putin brushed off the effectiveness of the apparent protest and rejected Western criticism of the vote as he tried to turn the tables on the West, charging that the four criminal cases against US Republican candidate Donald Trump were a use of the judiciary for political aims and describing denigrating democracy in the US as a catastrophe.

The whole world is laughing at it, he said. Putin referenced Navalny by name for the first time in years at the news conference, declaring that he was ready to release him in a swap for unidentified inmates in Western custody just days before the opposition leaders death.

Some people told the AP that they were happy to vote for Putin  unsurprising in a country where state TV airs a drumbeat of praise for the Russian leader and voicing any other opinion is risky.

Dmitry Sergienko, who cast his ballot in Moscow, said, I am happy with everything and want everything to continue as it is now.

Voting took place over three days at polling stations across the vast country, in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine and online.

Several people were arrested, including in Moscow and St Petersburg, after they tried to start fires or set off explosives at polling stations while a few others were detained for throwing green antiseptic or ink into ballot boxes. Many more were rounded up by police for attempting to protest.

The OVD-Info group that monitors political arrests said that about 90 people were arrested in 22 cities across Russia on Sunday. Stanislav Andreychuk, co-chair of the Golos independent election watchdog, said Russians were searched when entering polling stations, there were attempts to check filled-out ballots before they were cast, and one report said police demanded a ballot box be opened to remove a ballot. That left little room for people to express themselves. Still, huge lines formed around noon outside diplomatic missions in London, Berlin, Paris and other cities with large Russian communities, many of whom left home after Putins invasion of Ukraine.

If we have some option to protest I think its important to utilise any opportunity, said 23-year-old Tatiana, who was voting in the Estonian capital of Tallinn and said she came to take part in the protest.
Shares of Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of Moderate Buy by the eight research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $121.25.

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on NVO. TD Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Morgan Stanley started coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an overweight rating and a $120.00 price objective on the stock. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and set a $140.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday, February 20th.

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Novo Nordisk A/S Stock Performance

Shares of NVO opened at $132.89 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.19, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a current ratio of 0.82. Novo Nordisk A/S has a twelve month low of $70.89 and a twelve month high of $138.28. The firms 50 day moving average price is $118.62 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $100.76. The firm has a market cap of $596.35 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.13, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.41.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The company reported $0.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating 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 firm had revenue of $9.51 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.14 billion. On average, analysts forecast that Novo Nordisk A/S will post 3.36 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Novo Nordisk A/S Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a Semi-Annual dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be given a dividend of $0.664 per share. This represents a yield of 0.9%. This is a boost from Novo Nordisk A/Ss previous Semi-Annual dividend of $0.22. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 22nd. Novo Nordisk A/Ss payout ratio is 22.92%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Novo Nordisk A/S

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NVO. Westside Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 83.3% in the third quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,428 shares of the companys stock valued at $130,000 after acquiring an additional 649 shares during the period. Kranot Hishtalmut Le Morim Tichoniim Havera Menahelet LTD bought a new stake in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in the third quarter valued at about $2,408,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 182.2% in the third quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 1,494,214 shares of the companys stock valued at $135,883,000 after acquiring an additional 964,640 shares during the period. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. boosted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 94.0% in the third quarter. Benedict Financial Advisors Inc. now owns 44,292 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,028,000 after acquiring an additional 21,457 shares during the period. Finally, CENTRAL TRUST Co boosted its position in shares of Novo Nordisk A/S by 111.6% in the third quarter. CENTRAL TRUST Co now owns 6,004 shares of the companys stock valued at $546,000 after acquiring an additional 3,166 shares during the period. 6.41% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Novo Nordisk A/S

(Get Free Report

Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease.

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Aries Wealth Management reduced its stake in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY  Free Report) by 1.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 3,433 shares of the companys stock after selling 52 shares during the period. Aries Wealth Managements holdings in Eli Lilly and Company were worth $2,001,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the 1st quarter worth approximately $107,000. Roundview Capital LLC grew its position in Eli Lilly and Company by 2.6% during the first quarter. Roundview Capital LLC now owns 2,056 shares of the companys stock worth $589,000 after buying an additional 53 shares during the period. Merit Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Eli Lilly and Company in the first quarter valued at approximately $210,000. NewEdge Advisors LLC grew its holdings in Eli Lilly and Company by 9.9% in the first quarter. NewEdge Advisors LLC now owns 53,052 shares of the companys stock valued at $15,193,000 after purchasing an additional 4,774 shares during the period. Finally, Barometer Capital Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Eli Lilly and Company during the first quarter valued at approximately $561,000. Institutional investors own 81.38% of the companys stock.

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Eli Lilly and Company Price Performance

Shares of LLY traded up $1.87 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $764.53. 472,954 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,311,422. Eli Lilly and Company has a 52-week low of $323.26 and a 52-week high of $800.78. The company has a market cap of $726.43 billion, a PE ratio of 131.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.34. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $711.51 and a two-hundred day moving average of $627.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.69, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.94.

Insider Activity at Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company ( NYSE:LLY Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $2.49 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.30 by $0.19. 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 prior year, the business earned $2.09 EPS. Eli Lilly and Companys revenue was up 28.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Eli Lilly and Company will post 12.41 earnings per share for the current year.

In other Eli Lilly and Company news, major shareholder Lilly Endowment Inc sold 78,573 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $648.07, for a total transaction of $50,920,804.11. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 99,333,810 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $64,375,262,246.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 195,055 shares of company stock valued at $125,254,657. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently commented on LLY. Truist Financial boosted their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $650.00 to $850.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. TheStreet raised shares of Eli Lilly and Company from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research report on Friday, March 8th. Bank of America upped their price target on shares of Eli Lilly and Company from $800.00 to $1,000.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, March 1st. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Eli Lilly and Company from $700.00 to $825.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an overweight rating and set a $815.00 target price on shares of Eli Lilly and Company in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $689.52.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on LLY

Eli Lilly and Company Profile

(Free Report)

Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals worldwide. The company 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; Jardiance, Mounjaro, and Trulicity for type 2 diabetes; and Zepbound for obesity.

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Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC lowered its position in Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX  Free Report) by 4.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 11,840 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after selling 548 shares during the quarter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLCs holdings in Becton, Dickinson and Company were worth $2,887,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of BDX. Householder Group Estate & Retirement Specialist LLC acquired a new position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company during the third quarter worth about $25,000. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO acquired a new position in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. OLD Point Trust & Financial Services N A bought a new stake in shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $36,000. Finally, CGC Financial Services LLC acquired a new position in Becton, Dickinson and Company during the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. 86.72% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

BDX has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Becton, Dickinson and Company from $269.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Morgan Stanley lowered 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. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on Becton, Dickinson and Company from $301.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, February 5th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Becton, Dickinson and Company currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $279.17.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Thomas J. Spoerel sold 282 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $238.29, for a total transaction of $67,197.78. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 2,276 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $542,348.04. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:BDX traded up $1.68 on Tuesday, hitting $239.40. The company had a trading volume of 502,771 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,489,332. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $238.34 and a 200 day moving average price of $246.32. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a 1-year low of $229.85 and a 1-year high of $287.32. The stock has a market cap of $69.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 56.33, a P/E/G ratio of 1.96 and a beta of 0.42.

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, beating the consensus estimate of $2.39 by $0.29. The business had revenue of $4.71 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.73 billion. Becton, Dickinson and Company had a return on equity of 13.57% and a net margin of 6.44%. Becton, Dickinson and Companys revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $2.98 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Becton, Dickinson and Company will post 12.94 EPS for the current year.

Becton, Dickinson and Company Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a $0.95 dividend. This represents a $3.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.59%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. Becton, Dickinson and Companys payout ratio is currently 90.05%.

About Becton, Dickinson and Company

(Free Report)

Becton, Dickinson and Company develops, manufactures, and sells medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products for healthcare institutions, physicians, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, pharmaceutical industry, and the general public worldwide. The company operates in three segments: BD Medical, BD Life Sciences, and BD Interventional.

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Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC bought a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 2,753 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock, valued at approximately $141,000.

Several other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in BMY. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. True Wealth Design LLC acquired a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Blue Bell Private Wealth Management LLC boosted its position in Bristol-Myers Squibb by 61.5% during 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. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.98% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. 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 note on Tuesday, February 6th. Redburn Atlantic downgraded Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $77.00 to $54.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. StockNews.com raised Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, March 1st. Societe Generale downgraded Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, March 11th. Finally, Bank of America downgraded Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $68.00 to $60.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $61.12.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE BMY opened at $51.80 on Tuesday. The businesss 50-day moving average price is $50.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $52.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.24, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.31. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a one year low of $47.58 and a one year high of $71.07. The company has a market capitalization of $104.75 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.37, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 0.38.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.55 by $0.15. The company had revenue of $11.48 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.19 billion. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a return on equity of 50.95% and a net margin of 17.83%. The firms revenue was up .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.82 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, April 5th will be paid a dividend of $0.60 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, April 4th. This represents a $2.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.63%. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.18%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that its board has initiated a stock repurchase program on Thursday, December 7th that authorizes the company to buyback $3.00 billion in shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the biopharmaceutical company to buy up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are generally an indication that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.

Bristol-Myers Squibb 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.

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Chubu Electric Power Company, Incorporated (OTCMKTS:CHUEF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 538,500 shares, a growth of 6.0% from the February 14th total of 507,900 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 500 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1,077.0 days.

Chubu Electric Power Stock Performance

Shares of OTCMKTS:CHUEF remained flat at $13.65 during trading on Tuesday. The stock had a trading volume of 37 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,200. Chubu Electric Power has a one year low of $10.48 and a one year high of $13.65. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $12.63 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $12.47.

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Chubu Electric Power Company Profile

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Chubu Electric Power Company, Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, distribution, and retail of electricity in Japan and internationally. The company operates through three segments: JERA, Power Grid, and Miraiz. It generates electricity through geothermal, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, biomass, and solar sources.

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City Holding Co. reduced its stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM  Free Report) by 3.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 20,732 shares of the companys stock after selling 770 shares during the quarter. City Holding Co.s holdings in Archer-Daniels-Midland were worth $1,497,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of ADM. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland during the 2nd quarter worth $25,000. Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Tompkins Financial Corp acquired a new position in Archer-Daniels-Midland during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Legacy Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Archer-Daniels-Midland in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Operose Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Archer-Daniels-Midland in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 77.73% of the companys stock.

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Archer-Daniels-Midland Stock Up 1.1 %

NYSE ADM traded up $0.66 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $61.07. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,527,812 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,867,709. The firm has a market capitalization of $31.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.44 and a beta of 0.75. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $56.94 and its 200 day simple moving average is $68.18. The company has a current ratio of 1.60, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34. Archer-Daniels-Midland Company has a twelve month low of $50.72 and a twelve month high of $87.30.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Increases Dividend

Archer-Daniels-Midland ( NYSE:ADM Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, March 12th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.43 by ($0.07). The business had revenue of $22.98 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $23.79 billion. Archer-Daniels-Midland had a return on equity of 15.25% and a net margin of 3.71%. The companys revenue was down 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.93 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Archer-Daniels-Midland Company will post 5.58 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 29th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 8th were paid a $0.50 dividend. This is a positive change from Archer-Daniels-Midlands previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 7th. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.27%. Archer-Daniels-Midlands dividend payout ratio is presently 31.25%.

Archer-Daniels-Midland announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Tuesday, March 12th that permits the company to repurchase $2.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the company to purchase up to 6.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are often a sign that the companys board believes its stock is undervalued.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. Roth Mkm cut Archer-Daniels-Midland from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $98.00 to $66.00 in a report on Monday, January 22nd. Stifel Nicolaus downgraded Archer-Daniels-Midland from a buy rating to a hold rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $116.00 to $56.00 in a report on Monday, January 22nd. TheStreet downgraded Archer-Daniels-Midland from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Robert W. Baird downgraded Archer-Daniels-Midland from an outperform rating to a neutral rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from $96.00 to $61.00 in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Finally, Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Archer-Daniels-Midland in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. They issued a neutral rating and a $57.00 price objective on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and fifteen have issued a hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $67.00.

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Archer-Daniels-Midland

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company Profile

(Free Report)

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company procures, transports, stores, processes, and merchandises agricultural commodities, products, and ingredients in the United States, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, and Nutrition.

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Coca-Cola HBC AG (LON:CCH  Get Free Report) insider Zoran Bogdanovic acquired 172 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 18th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 2,482 ($31.60) per share, with a total value of 4,269.04 ($5,434.81).

Zoran Bogdanovic also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, February 23rd, Zoran Bogdanovic sold 39,335 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,500 ($31.83), for a total transaction of 983,375 ($1,251,909.61).

On Friday, February 16th, Zoran Bogdanovic acquired 176 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 2,455 ($31.25) per share, with a total value of 4,320.80 ($5,500.70).

On Wednesday, January 17th, Zoran Bogdanovic acquired 193 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were acquired at an average cost of GBX 2,345 ($29.85) per share, with a total value of 4,525.85 ($5,761.74).

On Tuesday, January 2nd, Zoran Bogdanovic sold 392 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,295 ($29.22), for a total transaction of 8,996.40 ($11,453.09).

On Wednesday, December 20th, Zoran Bogdanovic sold 13,500 shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,310 ($29.41), for a total transaction of 311,850 ($397,008.27).

Coca-Cola HBC Trading Down 1.2 %

Shares of Coca-Cola HBC stock traded down GBX 29 ($0.37) during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting GBX 2,452 ($31.22). The stock had a trading volume of 554,334 shares, compared to its average volume of 608,514. The firm has a 50-day moving average of GBX 2,386.60 and a two-hundred day moving average of GBX 2,269.21. Coca-Cola HBC AG has a 12-month low of GBX 2,065 ($26.29) and a 12-month high of GBX 2,582 ($32.87). The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 107.46. The firm has a market cap of 8.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 1,656.59, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.79 and a beta of 0.92.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued a neutral rating on shares of Coca-Cola HBC in a research note on Tuesday, November 21st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Coca-Cola HBC has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of GBX 2,770 ($35.26).

Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on CCH

Coca-Cola HBC Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Coca-Cola HBC AG engages in the production, distribution, and sale of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages under franchise in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers sparkling soft drinks, adult sparkling, hydration drinks, juices, ready-to-drink tea, energy drinks, dairy, coffee, water, plant-based drinks, premium spirits and flavored alcoholic beverages, and snacks.

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Diligent Investors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 12,289 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $496,000.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P purchased a new position in Altria Group in the 1st quarter valued at about $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Nemes Rush Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Altria Group by 103.2% in the 3rd quarter. Nemes Rush Group LLC now owns 636 shares of the companys stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 323 shares during the last quarter. WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Finally, Legacy Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Altria Group in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 58.94% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

MO has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. StockNews.com downgraded Altria Group from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. UBS Group restated a sell rating and set a $36.10 price objective on shares of Altria Group in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $47.22.

Altria Group Price Performance

Shares of Altria Group stock traded up $0.06 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $44.57. The stock had a trading volume of 3,116,640 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,890,512. The business has a fifty day moving average of $41.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of $41.53. The firm has a market cap of $78.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.76, a PEG ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 0.65. Altria Group, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $39.06 and a fifty-two week high of $48.04.

Altria Group (NYSE:MO  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.17 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $5.02 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.06 billion. Altria Group had a negative return on equity of 244.55% and a net margin of 33.21%. Altria Groups revenue for the quarter was down 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.18 earnings per share. As a group, research analysts forecast that Altria Group, Inc. will post 5.07 earnings per share for the current year.

Altria Group declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Thursday, February 1st that authorizes the company to buyback $1.00 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to buy up to 1.4% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are typically a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Altria Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 25th will be paid a $0.98 dividend. This represents a $3.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 8.80%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 22nd. Altria Groups dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 85.78%.

About Altria Group

(Free Report)

Altria Group, Inc, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells smokeable and oral tobacco products in the United States. The company offers cigarettes primarily under the Marlboro brand; large cigars and pipe tobacco under the Black & Mild brand; moist smokeless tobacco and snus products under the Copenhagen, Skoal, Red Seal, and Husky brands; oral nicotine pouches under the on! brand; and e-vapor products under the NJOY ACE brand.

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Supporters of mayoral candidate John Gomes watch Mayor Joe Gamin declare victory as they gather at O'Manel restaurant after the redo of the general election in Bridgeport, Conn., on Tuesday Feb. 27, 2024. A proposed bill may make it easier for the state to takeover a municipal election that has issues, such as Bridgeport. Christian Abraham/Hearst Connecticut Media State Rep. Matt Blumenthal, D-Stamford, and Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, who head the legislature's Government Administration & Elections Committee. Ken Dixon/Hearst Connecticut Media State Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco and Sen. Rob Sampson, both of Wolcott, the top Republicans on the Government Administration and Elections Committee. Ken Dixon/Hearst Connecticut Media Mayor Joe Ganim in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media John Gomes, candidate in the recent election and primary elections for mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 31, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media

HARTFORD Bridgeport's balloting irregularities that led to multiple rounds of court-ordered voting for mayor are the impetus for a proposed law that would create a new state board that could take over the elections there, or in other troubled towns and cities.

Other proposed legislation would also require the State Elections Enforcement Commission to meet deadlines in referring their investigations to the office of the Chief State's Attorney for criminal probes.

But during a public hearing Monday on the bills, a top Republican on the General Assembly's Government Administration & Elections Committee, doubted if the new laws would be effective in what he called systemic violations of election law in the state's most-populous city.

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State Rep. Matt Blumenthal, D-Stamford, and Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, committee co-chairs, said that as currently written, a new, 17-member Municipal Election Accountability Board would rate local voting problems on four escalating levels, with the first being the least problematic, such as a voter registrar office that was closed during business hours, to the fourth tier, where more-serious problems could push the board to order a state takeover of local elections.

"We imagine this board having a fair amount of discretion to figure out how these tiers should be met, and what measures are necessary to address any problems," Blumenthal told reporters before a major public hearing on election reforms. "I think the ultimate form of this bill, whatever it is, will make clear that in order to make that high-tier takeover of an election, it's a pretty high standard and it has to involve multiple violations over time that have made the board believe that such a drastic measure is necessary."

Asked whether Bridgeport's track record would qualify, including a criminal referral last year for allegations of illegal handling of absentee ballots in the 2019 Democratic mayoral primary between Mayor Joe Ganim and then-challenger Sen. Marilyn Moore, Flexer noted that currently, no one has been charged with breaking any laws.

That was followed by the 2023 municipal election where Bridgeport voters headed to the polls multiple times for mayoral primaries and general election do-overs ordered by the courts. A judge threw out the results of the first Democratic primary based on allegations of absentee ballot box stuffing after challenger John Gomes, coming off a narrow loss to Ganim in September, released security camera videos showing a woman making multiple trips to deposit what appeared to be absentee ballots into a drop box.

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"I would say looking at that, the State Elections Enforcement Commission had some investigations in 2019, then we saw the issues that happened in 2023, I think it's fair to assess that this board might evaluate the situation in Bridgeport to be at a higher tier," Flexer said, standing next to Blumenthal outside a Legislative Office Building meeting room on Monday. "We can't say it definitely but I would think it might be cause for the board to look at a municipality that had that kind of history in that short a time to say this is a place where we need to have additional scrutiny and additional oversight in how elections are administered in this community. We're trying to find a balance here, right? Understanding that here in Connecticut our elections are run locally, that they are run in each individual town and we have a long and proud history of that."

"We are somewhat unique," Blumenthal added. "Our elections are run town-by-town, they are run by 169 town clerks, 338 registrars of voters and almost all of them at almost all times are doing a tremendous job, and we don't want to create a one-size-fits-all solution that throws the baby out with the bath water." Blumenthal said the proposed legislation, drafted in recent days, would also require more transparency from state prosecutors on whether they pursue criminal charges.

During Monday's public hearing, state Sen. Rob Sampson of Wolcott, a top Republican on the panel, sparred with Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas over the issue. He wondered about the effect that appointed monitors had during the Bridgeport elections that they witnessed last year and this year.

Thomas said in a third-tier scenario, election monitors could visit housing complexes and provide information on election law to clarify issues for voters and campaign workers, such as who is allowed to place an absentee ballot in a drop box for a voter.

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Sampson said that bad actors have the resources to potentially engage in election fraud. "We keep making these steps to expand the authority and power of government, but we're not going after the problem, in my mind," Sampson said. "For me, the Bridgeport issue brought to light the potential of absentee ballot fraud. To me, that's pretty straight forward. What with ... the drop box and the video. Nothing that I've seen in this bill is necessarily going to address that."

"There are little things in the process that can be fixed, fairly simply, and make our system stronger and better for all voters, not just voters in one city," said Thomas, the state's top election administrator. "In terms of the video footage in Bridgeport last year, I'm not sure there is one cause and effect. I think there are a few different pockets. I try to remind people there is a difference between voter disenfranchisement and someone who may be breaking the law."

On Friday, Thomas's office made several referrals to the SEEC, including a complaint from a top Ganim aide charging that Gomes had offered cash for completed absentee ballots. The SEEC acknowledged receiving the complaint, but no vote on a possible investigation has come up, as yet. The regulatory agency is already investigating dozens of complaints in the various city primaries and general election from last year and this year.
Marcum Wealth LLC decreased its position in Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB  Free Report) (TSE:ENB) by 10.6% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 18,467 shares of the pipeline companys stock after selling 2,181 shares during the period. Marcum Wealth LLCs holdings in Enbridge were worth $665,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. SVB Wealth LLC boosted its position in shares of Enbridge by 3.1% in the first quarter. SVB Wealth LLC now owns 9,781 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $373,000 after buying an additional 297 shares during the period. Independence Bank of Kentucky boosted its position in Enbridge by 25.3% during the 3rd quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 1,681 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $56,000 after acquiring an additional 339 shares during the period. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. grew its stake in Enbridge by 5.1% during the 3rd quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 7,057 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $234,000 after acquiring an additional 341 shares in the last quarter. Marino Stram & Associates LLC increased its holdings in shares of Enbridge by 1.6% in the 3rd quarter. Marino Stram & Associates LLC now owns 21,685 shares of the pipeline companys stock valued at $720,000 after purchasing an additional 344 shares during the period. Finally, Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Enbridge by 2.3% in the third quarter. Azimuth Capital Investment Management LLC now owns 15,537 shares of the pipeline companys stock worth $518,000 after purchasing an additional 350 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 48.29% of the companys stock.

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Enbridge Stock Performance

ENB opened at $35.52 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.83. The company has a market cap of $75.50 billion, a PE ratio of 16.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.37 and a beta of 0.83. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $35.32 and a 200-day moving average of $34.51. Enbridge Inc. has a 52-week low of $31.03 and a 52-week high of $40.30.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Enbridge ( NYSE:ENB Get Free Report ) (TSE:ENB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The pipeline company reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.50 by ($0.03). The company had revenue of $8.37 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $9.62 billion. Enbridge had a net margin of 13.97% and a return on equity of 10.23%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Enbridge Inc. will post 2.11 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Several research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on shares of Enbridge in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. They issued a hold rating on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group began coverage on shares of Enbridge in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Enbridge currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $55.20.

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About Enbridge

(Free Report)

Enbridge Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy infrastructure company. The company operates through five segments: Liquids Pipelines, Gas Transmission and Midstream, Gas Distribution and Storage, Renewable Power Generation, and Energy Services. The Liquids Pipelines segment operates pipelines and related terminals to transport various grades of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons in Canada and the United States.

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EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Get Free Report) has been given an average recommendation of Moderate Buy by the twenty ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $141.25.

Several analysts have commented on EOG shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $156.00 to $150.00 in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $134.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Monday, December 11th. Piper Sandler decreased their price objective on shares of EOG Resources from $153.00 to $141.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $150.00 to $130.00 in a report on Thursday, December 14th. Finally, UBS Group cut their target price on shares of EOG Resources from $165.00 to $145.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 14th.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On EOG Resources

EOG Resources Stock Up 0.6 %

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in EOG. Truvestments Capital LLC bought a new stake in EOG Resources during the 2nd quarter worth about $25,000. Fortis Capital Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of EOG Resources in the 4th quarter valued at about $28,000. Lumature Wealth Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of EOG Resources in the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. McIlrath & Eck LLC boosted its stake in shares of EOG Resources by 77.6% in the 3rd quarter. McIlrath & Eck LLC now owns 238 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Exchange Traded Concepts LLC boosted its stake in EOG Resources by 530.0% during the 4th quarter. Exchange Traded Concepts LLC now owns 252 shares of the energy exploration companys stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 212 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 89.21% of the companys stock.

EOG stock opened at $123.56 on Tuesday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $114.72 and its 200-day simple moving average is $121.68. EOG Resources has a 52-week low of $101.56 and a 52-week high of $136.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $71.66 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.50, a P/E/G ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 2.44 and a quick ratio of 2.13.

EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 23rd. The energy exploration company reported $3.07 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.14 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $6.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.18 billion. EOG Resources had a net margin of 31.40% and a return on equity of 25.38%. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.30 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that EOG Resources will post 11.31 EPS for the current year.

EOG Resources Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Investors of record on Tuesday, April 16th will be given a dividend of $0.91 per share. This represents a $3.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.95%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 15th. EOG Resourcess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 27.98%.

EOG Resources Company Profile

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EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in producing basins in the United States, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ  Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 14,830,000 shares, an increase of 10.4% from the February 14th total of 13,430,000 shares. Currently, 1.5% of the companys stock are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 8,930,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.7 days.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Enrique Lores sold 38,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.75, for a total value of $1,130,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 888,911 shares in the company, valued at approximately $26,445,102.25. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Enrique Lores sold 38,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.75, for a total transaction of $1,130,500.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 888,911 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $26,445,102.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Kristen M. Ludgate sold 41,015 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.24, for a total transaction of $1,199,278.60. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 56,169 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,642,381.56. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 87,723 shares of company stock worth $2,599,117 in the last three months. 0.41% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On HP

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of HPQ. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisor L.P grew its stake in shares of HP by 89.9% during the first quarter. Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisor L.P now owns 873,243 shares of the computer makers stock worth $31,698,000 after acquiring an additional 413,491 shares during the last quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board boosted its position in HP by 46.6% in the first quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 305,877 shares of the computer makers stock valued at $11,103,000 after buying an additional 97,178 shares during the last quarter. Prudential PLC purchased a new stake in HP in the first quarter valued at approximately $892,000. Cetera Investment Advisers boosted its position in HP by 6.8% in the first quarter. Cetera Investment Advisers now owns 17,651 shares of the computer makers stock valued at $641,000 after buying an additional 1,121 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in HP in the first quarter valued at approximately $309,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 76.04% of the companys stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have commented on HPQ. StockNews.com lowered shares of HP from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note on Friday, March 1st. Evercore ISI raised shares of HP from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $33.00 to $40.00 in a research note on Monday, December 11th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of HP from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. HSBC raised shares of HP from a hold rating to a buy rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $30.00 to $33.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded HP from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $31.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $32.40.

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HP Price Performance

HPQ stock opened at $29.94 on Tuesday. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $29.27 and a 200 day moving average price of $28.54. The company has a market capitalization of $29.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.75, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.04. HP has a 1-year low of $25.22 and a 1-year high of $33.90.

HP (NYSE:HPQ  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The computer maker reported $0.81 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.81. The business had revenue of $13.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $13.56 billion. HP had a net margin of 6.45% and a negative return on equity of 181.02%. The firms revenue was down 4.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.75 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that HP will post 3.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

HP Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 3rd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be paid a dividend of $0.2756 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 12th. This represents a $1.10 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.68%. HPs payout ratio is 32.16%.

About HP

(Get Free Report)

HP Inc provides products, technologies, software, solutions, and services to individual consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses, and large enterprises, including customers in the government, health, and education sectors worldwide. It operates through Personal Systems and Printing segments. The Personal Systems segment offers commercial personal computers (PCs), consumer PCs, workstations, thin clients, commercial tablets and mobility devices, retail point-of-sale systems, displays and other related accessories, software, support, and services for the commercial and consumer markets.

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IVC Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS  Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 2,372 shares of the financial services providers stock, valued at approximately $221,000.

A number of other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of MS. Fairfield Bush & CO. purchased a new position in Morgan Stanley during the first quarter worth about $108,000. Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 7.8% during the first quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 306,637 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $26,801,000 after acquiring an additional 22,095 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 61.9% during the first quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 6,957 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $608,000 after acquiring an additional 2,660 shares during the last quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 64.5% during the first quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 17,070 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,492,000 after acquiring an additional 6,696 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd increased its position in shares of Morgan Stanley by 66.9% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 626 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $55,000 after acquiring an additional 251 shares during the last quarter. 83.09% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Morgan Stanley Trading Up 0.6 %

Shares of Morgan Stanley stock opened at $88.50 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $144.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.90, a PEG ratio of 1.79 and a beta of 1.43. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $86.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of $83.83. The company has a current ratio of 0.75, a quick ratio of 0.75 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.89. Morgan Stanley has a 12-month low of $69.42 and a 12-month high of $95.57.

Morgan Stanley Announces Dividend

Morgan Stanley ( NYSE:MS Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.07 by $0.06. The firm had revenue of $12.90 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $12.77 billion. Morgan Stanley had a net margin of 9.49% and a return on equity of 10.36%. Morgan Stanleys quarterly revenue was up 1.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.31 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Morgan Stanley will post 6.37 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 31st were paid a $0.85 dividend. This represents a $3.40 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.84%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, January 30th. Morgan Stanleys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 65.76%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have weighed in on MS. Societe Generale cut shares of Morgan Stanley from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $80.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Tuesday, November 28th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Morgan Stanley from $95.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 4th. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $85.00 price objective on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Oppenheimer dropped their price objective on shares of Morgan Stanley from $109.00 to $97.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. restated a neutral rating and issued a $87.00 price objective (down previously from $94.00) on shares of Morgan Stanley in a report on Wednesday, January 17th. Thirteen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $93.90.

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Insider Transactions at Morgan Stanley

In other news, Chairman James P. Gorman sold 100,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.30, for a total value of $8,730,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now owns 350,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $30,555,000. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, Chairman James P. Gorman sold 100,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.30, for a total value of $8,730,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chairman now owns 350,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $30,555,000. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO Raja Akram sold 7,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.56, for a total transaction of $584,920.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 97,634 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,158,297.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 208,155 shares of company stock worth $18,149,314. Company insiders own 0.24% of the companys stock.

About Morgan Stanley

(Free Report)

Morgan Stanley, a financial holding company, provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. It operates through Institutional Securities, Wealth Management, and Investment Management segments.

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Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS  Get Free Report) saw a significant decline in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 6,350,000 shares, a decline of 9.4% from the February 14th total of 7,010,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 4,850,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.3 days. Currently, 1.6% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Las Vegas Sands from $59.00 to $61.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Susquehanna started coverage on Las Vegas Sands in a research report on Friday, December 15th. They issued a positive rating and a $59.00 target price on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Las Vegas Sands from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 12th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Las Vegas Sands has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $68.82.

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Las Vegas Sands Stock Up 0.5 %

Shares of NYSE LVS opened at $50.84 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $51.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $49.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.96, a quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.31. The firm has a market capitalization of $38.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.63, a PEG ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 1.17. Las Vegas Sands has a 52-week low of $43.77 and a 52-week high of $65.58.

Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The casino operator reported $0.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.61 by ($0.04). The firm had revenue of $2.92 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.89 billion. Las Vegas Sands had a net margin of 11.77% and a return on equity of 34.40%. Las Vegas Sandss revenue was up 161.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($0.19) earnings per share. Sell-side analysts expect that Las Vegas Sands will post 2.74 earnings per share for the current year.

Las Vegas Sands Announces Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, February 14th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 6th were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.57%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 5th. Las Vegas Sandss dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 50.00%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of LVS. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its holdings in shares of Las Vegas Sands by 20.8% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 31,638,753 shares of the casino operators stock worth $1,556,945,000 after buying an additional 5,439,735 shares during the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Las Vegas Sands in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $266,538,000. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 13.1% in the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 36,898,186 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $1,815,760,000 after purchasing an additional 4,264,043 shares during the last quarter. ARGA Investment Management LP increased its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 214.5% in the 4th quarter. ARGA Investment Management LP now owns 3,110,574 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $153,071,000 after purchasing an additional 2,121,546 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Charles Lim Capital Ltd increased its holdings in Las Vegas Sands by 296.2% in the 3rd quarter. Charles Lim Capital Ltd now owns 2,575,000 shares of the casino operators stock valued at $118,038,000 after purchasing an additional 1,925,000 shares during the last quarter. 39.16% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Las Vegas Sands Company Profile

(Get 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.

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Mechanics Bank Trust Department purchased a new stake in shares of The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 2,382 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock, valued at approximately $223,000.

Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in TJX. First Business Financial Services Inc. raised its position in TJX Companies by 0.6% in the 3rd quarter. First Business Financial Services Inc. now owns 18,177 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $1,616,000 after buying an additional 113 shares during the last quarter. WNY Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in TJX Companies by 4.8% during the 3rd quarter. WNY Asset Management LLC now owns 2,511 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $223,000 after purchasing an additional 115 shares during the period. Panagora Asset Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of TJX Companies by 0.5% in the 2nd quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 23,720 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $2,011,000 after purchasing an additional 117 shares in the last quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in TJX Companies by 3.3% during the 3rd quarter. Avior Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,728 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock worth $331,000 after acquiring an additional 119 shares during the period. Finally, Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton increased its stake in shares of TJX Companies by 5.3% in the 3rd quarter. Rosenberg Matthew Hamilton now owns 2,368 shares of the apparel and home fashions retailers stock valued at $210,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares in the last quarter. 89.28% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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TJX Companies Price Performance

TJX traded up $1.28 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $97.50. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,251,118 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,926,475. The TJX Companies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $73.65 and a twelve month high of $102.84. The firm has a market capitalization of $110.53 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 24.93, a P/E/G ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 0.86. The company has a current ratio of 1.21, a quick ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $96.97 and its 200 day simple moving average is $92.58.

TJX Companies ( NYSE:TJX Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The apparel and home fashions retailer reported $1.22 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.12 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $16.41 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $16.20 billion. TJX Companies had a return on equity of 64.18% and a net margin of 8.25%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 13.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.89 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that The TJX Companies, Inc. will post 4.06 EPS for the current fiscal year.

TJX Companies announced that its Board of Directors has initiated a share buyback program on Wednesday, February 28th that allows the company to repurchase $2.50 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the apparel and home fashions retailer to repurchase up to 2.2% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually a sign that the companys management believes its stock is undervalued.

Insider Transactions at TJX Companies

In other news, EVP Louise Greenlees sold 2,694 shares of TJX Companies stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.83, for a total transaction of $266,248.02. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 50,273 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,968,480.59. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.13% of the companys stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently commented on TJX. Redburn Atlantic cut TJX Companies from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $100.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Monday, February 5th. Telsey Advisory Group reissued an outperform rating and set a $105.00 price objective on shares of TJX Companies in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on shares of TJX Companies from $95.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, March 1st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $102.19.

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TJX Companies Company Profile

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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.

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North Star Investment Management Corp. bought a new stake in shares of Fiserv, Inc. (NYSE:FI  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm bought 16,018 shares of the business services providers stock, valued at approximately $2,128,000.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. First Manhattan Co. raised its position in Fiserv by 4.6% during the 4th quarter. First Manhattan Co. now owns 1,966 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $199,000 after purchasing an additional 86 shares during the last quarter. Apeiron RIA LLC raised its position in shares of Fiserv by 2.9% in the 3rd quarter. Apeiron RIA LLC now owns 3,217 shares of the business services providers stock worth $363,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Holderness Investments Co. raised its position in shares of Fiserv by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. Holderness Investments Co. now owns 2,295 shares of the business services providers stock worth $290,000 after acquiring an additional 90 shares in the last quarter. Principal Street Partners LLC increased its position in Fiserv by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Principal Street Partners LLC now owns 6,568 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $829,000 after buying an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Brighton Jones LLC increased its position in Fiserv by 4.0% during the 3rd quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 2,385 shares of the business services providers stock valued at $269,000 after buying an additional 92 shares in the last quarter. 89.69% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at Fiserv

In other Fiserv news, EVP Suzan Kereere sold 1,633 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.88, for a total transaction of $216,993.04. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 47,792 shares of the companys stock, valued at $6,350,600.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, COO Guy Chiarello sold 24,000 shares of Fiserv stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $149.53, for a total value of $3,588,720.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer now directly owns 163,699 shares of the companys stock, valued at $24,477,911.47. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, EVP Suzan Kereere sold 1,633 shares of Fiserv stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.88, for a total value of $216,993.04. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 47,792 shares in the company, valued at $6,350,600.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 213,721 shares of company stock valued at $28,778,157 over the last ninety days. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Fiserv Price Performance

Shares of Fiserv stock opened at $152.16 on Tuesday. Fiserv, Inc. has a one year low of $108.31 and a one year high of $152.42. The stocks fifty day moving average is $144.93 and its 200 day moving average is $130.58. The stock has a market cap of $89.84 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.43, a P/E/G ratio of 1.22 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a current ratio of 1.04.

Fiserv (NYSE:FI  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The business services provider reported $2.19 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $2.15 by $0.04. The business had revenue of $4.92 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.68 billion. Fiserv had a return on equity of 15.16% and a net margin of 16.07%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.91 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Fiserv, Inc. will post 8.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. KeyCorp raised Fiserv from a sector weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $180.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Mizuho increased their target price on Fiserv from $150.00 to $156.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. Barclays increased their target price on Fiserv from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on Fiserv from $133.00 to $142.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Fiserv in a research note on Saturday, February 3rd. They set a buy rating on the stock. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $153.04.

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Fiserv Profile

(Free Report)

Fiserv, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides payments and financial services technology services in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. It operates through Merchant Acceptance, Financial Technology, and Payments and Network segments.

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North Star Investment Management Corp. lowered its position in shares of Kellanova (NYSE:K  Free Report) by 14.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 16,395 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,746 shares during the period. North Star Investment Management Corp. owned approximately 1.98% of Kellanova worth $917,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in K. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Kellanova by 0.3% during the 1st quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 51,858 shares of the companys stock valued at $170,000 after buying an additional 159 shares in the last quarter. Castleview Partners LLC lifted its holdings in Kellanova by 5.4% during the first quarter. Castleview Partners LLC now owns 3,218 shares of the companys stock valued at $215,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares in the last quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. boosted its position in shares of Kellanova by 1.7% in the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 10,272 shares of the companys stock worth $662,000 after purchasing an additional 169 shares during the period. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV increased its stake in shares of Kellanova by 2.7% in the third quarter. Mercer Global Advisors Inc. ADV now owns 6,744 shares of the companys stock worth $470,000 after purchasing an additional 178 shares in the last quarter. Finally, M&T Bank Corp raised its position in shares of Kellanova by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 38,834 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,707,000 after purchasing an additional 189 shares during the period. 83.87% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently weighed in on K. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Kellanova from $56.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Kellanova from $56.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on Kellanova from $59.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Kellanova in a report on Thursday, February 1st. They set a neutral rating and a $57.00 price objective for the company. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their target price on shares of Kellanova from $53.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Thirteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Kellanova currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $62.27.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, major shareholder Kellogg W. K. Foundation Trust sold 77,800 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.25, for a total value of $4,298,450.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 53,087,038 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,933,058,849.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders sold 933,600 shares of company stock valued at $50,850,858 over the last three months. 1.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Kellanova Stock Performance

Kellanova stock opened at $54.77 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51. Kellanova has a twelve month low of $47.63 and a twelve month high of $72.30. The companys 50-day moving average price is $54.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $54.45. The company has a market cap of $18.72 billion, a PE ratio of 19.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.40.

Kellanova (NYSE:K  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.78 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.74 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $3.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $3.07 billion. Kellanova had a return on equity of 35.17% and a net margin of 6.25%. The firms revenue for the quarter was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.94 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Kellanova will post 3.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Kellanova Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 1st were given a $0.56 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $2.24 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.09%. Kellanovas dividend payout ratio is presently 81.45%.

Kellanova Profile

(Free Report)

Kellanova, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets snacks and convenience foods in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa. Its principal products include crackers, crisps, savory snacks, toaster pastries, cereal bars, granola bars and bites, ready-to-eat cereals, frozen waffles, veggie foods, and noodles.

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North Star Investment Management Corp. lessened its holdings in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:LQD  Free Report) by 2.7% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 12,977 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 354 shares during the period. North Star Investment Management Corp.s holdings in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF were worth $1,436,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. increased its stake in shares of iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF by 194.4% in the third quarter. ST Germain D J Co. Inc. now owns 265 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 175 shares during the period. OLD Second National Bank of Aurora bought a new position in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF during the third quarter valued at about $36,000. Union Savings Bank bought a new position in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF during the second quarter valued at about $71,000. Baystate Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF during the third quarter valued at about $71,000. Finally, Adirondack Trust Co. bought a new position in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF during the third quarter valued at about $73,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.21% of the companys stock.

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iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF Trading Down 0.2 %

LQD stock opened at $107.63 on Tuesday. iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF has a 1-year low of $98.24 and a 1-year high of $111.40. The businesss 50 day moving average is $108.64 and its 200-day moving average is $105.97.

iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF Profile

iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade Index (the Index), which is a rules-based index consisting of liquid, the United States dollar-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds for sale in the United States.

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ORIX Co. (NYSE:IX  Get Free Report)s stock price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The company traded as high as $112.15 and last traded at $112.15, with a volume of 7946 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $109.53.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of ORIX from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 8th.

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Check Out Our Latest Analysis on ORIX

ORIX Trading Up 2.2 %

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40, a quick ratio of 1.75 and a current ratio of 1.79. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $100.70 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $95.43. The stock has a market cap of $25.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.78, a P/E/G ratio of 0.95 and a beta of 0.84.

ORIX (NYSE:IX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $2.66 EPS for the quarter. ORIX had a return on equity of 7.60% and a net margin of 10.31%. The company had revenue of $4.59 billion for the quarter. As a group, research analysts forecast that ORIX Co. will post 8.52 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of IX. Raymond James & Associates raised its holdings in shares of ORIX by 64.3% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 7,572 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $756,000 after acquiring an additional 2,964 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of ORIX by 2.6% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 11,950 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,193,000 after purchasing an additional 304 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. boosted its position in shares of ORIX by 20.4% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 21,994 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,196,000 after purchasing an additional 3,724 shares in the last quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new stake in shares of ORIX during the first quarter valued at approximately $60,000. Finally, Sei Investments Co. boosted its position in shares of ORIX by 45.3% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 6,198 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $619,000 after purchasing an additional 1,933 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 1.73% of the companys stock.

About ORIX

(Get Free Report)

ORIX Corporation provides diversified financial services in Japan, the United States, Asia, Europe, Australasia, and the Middle East. The company's Corporate Financial Services and Maintenance Leasing segment is involved in the finance and fee; leasing and rental of automobiles, electronic measuring instruments, and ICT-related equipment businesses; and provision of life insurance and environment and energy-related products and services.

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Pinnacle West Capital Co. (NYSE:PNW  Get Free Report) has received a consensus recommendation of Hold from the eleven brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $73.18.

Several research analysts have weighed in on PNW shares. Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Pinnacle West Capital from $78.00 to $74.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Mizuho dropped their price target on Pinnacle West Capital from $77.00 to $75.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 6th. Guggenheim raised Pinnacle West Capital from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $78.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Evercore ISI dropped their price target on Pinnacle West Capital from $76.00 to $69.00 and set an in-line rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 4th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on Pinnacle West Capital from $83.00 to $80.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, March 1st.

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Check Out Our Latest Report on Pinnacle West Capital

Pinnacle West Capital Stock Up 1.5 %

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pinnacle West Capital

PNW stock opened at $72.08 on Tuesday. The stocks fifty day simple moving average is $69.59 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $72.57. The company has a current ratio of 0.67, a quick ratio of 0.50 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. Pinnacle West Capital has a 1-year low of $65.20 and a 1-year high of $86.03. The stock has a market cap of $8.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 16.34, a P/E/G ratio of 3.78 and a beta of 0.48.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its position in Pinnacle West Capital by 0.3% during the second quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 49,483 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $4,031,000 after purchasing an additional 130 shares in the last quarter. Addison Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Pinnacle West Capital by 16.6% during the third quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 1,014 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $75,000 after acquiring an additional 144 shares during the period. Cetera Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Pinnacle West Capital by 5.6% during the second quarter. Cetera Advisors LLC now owns 2,765 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $225,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares during the period. Eaton Vance Management raised its holdings in Pinnacle West Capital by 1.9% during the first quarter. Eaton Vance Management now owns 7,921 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $619,000 after acquiring an additional 146 shares during the period. Finally, Verity Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Pinnacle West Capital by 5.3% during the second quarter. Verity Asset Management Inc. now owns 3,122 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $254,000 after acquiring an additional 158 shares during the period. 84.95% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Pinnacle West Capital

(Get Free Report

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, through its subsidiary, 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. Its transmission facilities include overhead lines and underground lines; and distribution facilities consist of overhead lines and underground primary cables.

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Crown Castle Inc. (NYSE:CCI  Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 3,610,000 shares, a drop of 5.5% from the February 14th total of 3,820,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 3,160,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 1.1 days.

Crown Castle Trading Down 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:CCI traded down $0.24 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $104.11. 1,057,165 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,778,761. The businesss fifty day simple moving average is $109.03 and its 200-day simple moving average is $104.45. The firm has a market capitalization of $45.21 billion, a PE ratio of 30.16, a P/E/G ratio of 2.81 and a beta of 0.74. Crown Castle has a 12-month low of $84.72 and a 12-month high of $136.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.46, a current ratio of 0.40 and a quick ratio of 0.40.

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Crown Castle Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $1.565 per share. This represents a $6.26 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 6.01%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. Crown Castles payout ratio is 180.92%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in Crown Castle by 0.8% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 31,643,321 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $3,605,440,000 after buying an additional 258,811 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp increased its position in shares of Crown Castle by 1.4% in the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 20,907,232 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $2,382,170,000 after buying an additional 279,702 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley raised its stake in shares of Crown Castle by 8.9% during the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 13,078,861 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,203,648,000 after buying an additional 1,064,382 shares during the period. FMR LLC lifted its position in shares of Crown Castle by 14.3% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 11,936,611 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $1,098,526,000 after buying an additional 1,496,330 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital World Investors increased its holdings in Crown Castle by 17.7% in the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 11,823,576 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,347,178,000 after acquiring an additional 1,780,200 shares in the last quarter. 90.27% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on shares of Crown Castle from $92.00 to $109.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Wells Fargo & Company raised shares of Crown Castle from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $90.00 to $115.00 in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. HSBC started coverage on shares of Crown Castle in a research report on Thursday, December 14th. They set a hold rating and a $110.00 price target on the stock. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upgraded Crown Castle from an underperform rating to a market perform rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $107.00 to $110.00 in a research note on Friday, January 19th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $121.33.

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About Crown Castle

(Get 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.

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SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. trimmed its position in shares of iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:IEMG  Free Report) by 7.9% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 34,896 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,995 shares during the period. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC.s holdings in iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF were worth $1,765,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Trust Co. of Vermont grew its stake in shares of iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 6.8% in the 3rd quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 3,182 shares of the companys stock worth $151,000 after buying an additional 202 shares in the last quarter. Private Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter. Private Capital Management LLC now owns 7,029 shares of the companys stock worth $346,000 after acquiring an additional 280 shares during the last quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 1.9% in the 1st quarter. Zions Bancorporation N.A. now owns 15,167 shares of the companys stock worth $843,000 after acquiring an additional 282 shares during the last quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 8.0% in the 1st quarter. Stonebridge Capital Advisors LLC now owns 3,826 shares of the companys stock worth $213,000 after acquiring an additional 283 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF by 13.8% in the 3rd quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. now owns 2,399 shares of the companys stock worth $114,000 after acquiring an additional 291 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF Price Performance

Shares of iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF stock traded down $0.30 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $50.95. The stock had a trading volume of 3,437,544 shares, compared to its average volume of 11,087,552. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $49.90 and its 200-day simple moving average is $49.05. The stock has a market cap of $73.88 billion, a PE ratio of 12.26 and a beta of 0.75. iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF has a 12 month low of $45.57 and a 12 month high of $52.30.

About iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

The iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI Emerging Markets IMI index, a market-cap-weighted index of emerging-market firms, covering 99% of market capitalization. IEMG was launched on Oct 18, 2012 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Calibre Mining (CVE:CXB  Get Free Report) received a C$2.25 price target from equities research analysts at Stifel Nicolaus in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus price objective suggests a potential upside of 287.93% from the companys previous close.

CXB has been the topic of several other reports. Jefferies Financial Group set a C$2.00 price target on Calibre Mining and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. National Bankshares set a C$2.00 price target on Calibre Mining and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, TD Securities lifted their price target on Calibre Mining from C$2.25 to C$2.50 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, January 29th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Calibre Mining currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of C$2.09.

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Calibre Mining Trading Down 4.9 %

Insider Transactions at Calibre Mining

Shares of CXB stock traded down C$0.03 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching C$0.58. The companys stock had a trading volume of 22,000 shares, compared to its average volume of 32,942. The stock has a market capitalization of C$26.00 million and a P/E ratio of -11.84. Calibre Mining has a one year low of C$0.30 and a one year high of C$0.75. The firms fifty day simple moving average is C$0.58 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$0.58. The company has a current ratio of 7.18, a quick ratio of 6.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.08.

In other Calibre Mining news, Director Darren John Hall purchased 25,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 19th. The stock was purchased at an average price of C$1.22 per share, for a total transaction of C$30,450.00. Insiders acquired 29,000 shares of company stock worth $37,090 over the last quarter.

Calibre Mining Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Calibre Mining Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious and base metals assets and mineral properties in Nicaragua. The company explores for gold, silver, and copper deposits. It holds a 100% interest in the Borosi project consisting of various contiguous mining and exploration concessions located in the North Atlantic Autonomous Region of Nicaragua, Central America; and a 100% interest in mineral concessions covering an area of 413 square kilometers in the mining triangle of northeast Nicaragua, including the Santa Maria project, Primavera gold-copper project, and Monte Carmelo gold project.

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StockNews.com upgraded shares of Kosmos Energy (NYSE:KOS  Free Report) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report published on Friday.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on KOS. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on Kosmos Energy in a research report on Monday, November 20th. They set a buy rating and a $10.00 target price on the stock. TheStreet cut shares of Kosmos Energy from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $9.63.

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Kosmos Energy Trading Up 1.2 %

Shares of NYSE:KOS opened at $5.77 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $2.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.11, a P/E/G ratio of 0.72 and a beta of 2.38. The stocks 50-day moving average is $5.96 and its 200-day moving average is $6.69. Kosmos Energy has a 52-week low of $5.23 and a 52-week high of $8.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.32, a quick ratio of 0.49 and a current ratio of 0.76.

Kosmos Energy (NYSE:KOS  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Monday, February 26th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.31 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.08. Kosmos Energy had a return on equity of 39.94% and a net margin of 12.55%. The business had revenue of $507.81 million for the quarter. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.23 earnings per share. Equities research analysts predict that Kosmos Energy will post 0.75 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at Kosmos Energy

In other Kosmos Energy news, CEO Andrew G. Inglis sold 166,524 shares of Kosmos Energy stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.03, for a total transaction of $1,004,139.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 3,909,135 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,572,084.05. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other Kosmos Energy news, CEO Andrew G. Inglis sold 166,524 shares of Kosmos Energy stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $6.03, for a total transaction of $1,004,139.72. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 3,909,135 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $23,572,084.05. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Nealesh D. Shah sold 84,672 shares of Kosmos Energy stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.03, for a total transaction of $510,572.16. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 1,502,206 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,058,302.18. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 335,337 shares of company stock valued at $2,022,082 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 1.79% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Kosmos Energy

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. FMR LLC grew its holdings in shares of Kosmos Energy by 7.4% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 61,424,813 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $502,455,000 after buying an additional 4,208,188 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in Kosmos Energy by 5.6% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 41,914,937 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $251,070,000 after purchasing an additional 2,228,401 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its position in Kosmos Energy by 22.6% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 25,401,775 shares of the oil and gas producers stock valued at $182,639,000 after purchasing an additional 4,679,471 shares in the last quarter. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC lifted its position in Kosmos Energy by 13.7% during the 3rd quarter. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC now owns 22,338,054 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $182,725,000 after buying an additional 2,690,342 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Kosmos Energy by 9.7% during the 3rd quarter. Vaughan Nelson Investment Management L.P. now owns 20,964,316 shares of the oil and gas producers stock worth $171,488,000 after buying an additional 1,845,273 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.24% of the companys stock.

Kosmos Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Kosmos Energy Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas along the Atlantic Margins in the United States. The company's primary assets include production projects located in offshore Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, as well as gas projects located in offshore Mauritania and Senegal.

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StockNews.com downgraded shares of Terreno Realty (NYSE:TRNO  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report released on Friday morning.

TRNO has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Terreno Realty in a report on Thursday, December 7th. They issued an overweight rating and a $71.00 target price on the stock. Mizuho cut their price target on shares of Terreno Realty from $67.00 to $52.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 5th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price objective on shares of Terreno Realty from $60.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. Finally, Scotiabank boosted their price objective on shares of Terreno Realty from $64.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research note on Monday, February 12th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Terreno Realty currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $64.88.

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View Our Latest Analysis on Terreno Realty

Terreno Realty Trading Down 0.3 %

Shares of TRNO stock opened at $62.63 on Friday. Terreno Realty has a 1 year low of $50.42 and a 1 year high of $65.64. The stock has a market cap of $5.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 34.60 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a current ratio of 2.68, a quick ratio of 2.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $62.52 and a 200 day simple moving average of $59.55.

Terreno Realty (NYSE:TRNO  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 7th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.58 by $0.10. Terreno Realty had a net margin of 46.76% and a return on equity of 5.55%. The company had revenue of $86.48 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $84.06 million. On average, research analysts predict that Terreno Realty will post 2.37 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Terreno Realty Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 28th will be given a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.87%. Terreno Realtys dividend payout ratio is presently 99.45%.

Institutional Trading of Terreno Realty

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in Terreno Realty by 6.8% in the 1st quarter. Advisor Group Holdings Inc. now owns 3,948 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $320,000 after buying an additional 253 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Terreno Realty by 55.4% during the 1st quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 39,255 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,907,000 after purchasing an additional 13,997 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers grew its stake in shares of Terreno Realty by 17.2% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 137,608 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $10,190,000 after acquiring an additional 20,239 shares in the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can grew its stake in shares of Terreno Realty by 6.0% in the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 63,883 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $4,907,000 after buying an additional 3,589 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its position in Terreno Realty by 1.7% during the first quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,336,796 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $98,993,000 after purchasing an additional 22,692 shares during the period.

About Terreno Realty

(Get Free Report)

Terreno Realty Corporation (Terreno, and together with its subsidiaries, the Company) acquires, owns and operates industrial real estate in six major coastal U.S. markets: Los Angeles, Northern New Jersey/New York City, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Miami, and Washington, DC All square feet, acres, occupancy and number of properties disclosed in these notes to the consolidated financial statements are unaudited.

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Wealth Management Partners LLC decreased its holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS  Free Report) by 3.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 874 shares of the investment management companys stock after selling 31 shares during the quarter. Wealth Management Partners LLCs holdings in The Goldman Sachs Group were worth $337,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in GS. Norges Bank bought a new position in The Goldman Sachs Group in the 4th quarter valued at about $759,531,000. Morgan Stanley increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 40.0% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 5,936,351 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $2,038,425,000 after buying an additional 1,696,350 shares during the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 168,772.3% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 1,244,589 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $427,367,000 after buying an additional 1,243,852 shares during the last quarter. Comerica Bank purchased a new stake in The Goldman Sachs Group in the 2nd quarter valued at about $2,300,710,000. Finally, Congress Wealth Management LLC DE increased its stake in The Goldman Sachs Group by 27,076.5% in the 3rd quarter. Congress Wealth Management LLC DE now owns 653,322 shares of the investment management companys stock valued at $211,396,000 after buying an additional 650,918 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 69.06% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at The Goldman Sachs Group

In related news, CFO Denis P. Coleman sold 12,680 shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $394.43, for a total value of $5,001,372.40. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 29,417 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,602,947.31. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In related news, CAO Sheara J. Fredman sold 4,300 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $380.15, for a total transaction of $1,634,645.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 11,463 shares in the company, valued at $4,357,659.45. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CFO Denis P. Coleman sold 12,680 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $394.43, for a total transaction of $5,001,372.40. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 29,417 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,602,947.31. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 38,907 shares of company stock valued at $15,080,021. Insiders own 0.54% of the companys stock.

The Goldman Sachs Group Stock Down 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE:GS opened at $384.37 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $385.11 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $353.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.29, a current ratio of 0.76 and a quick ratio of 0.76. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has a one year low of $289.36 and a one year high of $397.49. The company has a market cap of $125.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.84, a PEG ratio of 1.50 and a beta of 1.42.

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 16th. The investment management company reported $5.48 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.62 by $1.86. The Goldman Sachs Group had a net margin of 7.85% and a return on equity of 8.03%. The company had revenue of $11.32 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.80 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $3.32 EPS. The firms revenue was up 6.9% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts anticipate that The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. will post 32.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The Goldman Sachs Group Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, February 29th will be issued a dividend of $2.75 per share. This represents a $11.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.86%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, February 28th. The Goldman Sachs Groups dividend payout ratio is currently 48.20%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have commented on GS. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $437.00 to $493.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 2nd. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the company from $333.00 to $449.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $357.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 18th. JMP Securities restated a market outperform rating and set a $440.00 price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research note on Wednesday, January 17th. Finally, Oppenheimer raised their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $491.00 to $506.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $410.22.

Get Our Latest Analysis on The Goldman Sachs Group

The Goldman Sachs Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc, a financial institution, provides a range of financial services for corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals worldwide. It operates through Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management, and Platform Solutions segments. The Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial advisory services, including strategic advisory assignments related to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense activities, restructurings, and spin-offs; and relationship lending, and acquisition financing, as well as secured lending, through structured credit and asset-backed lending and involved in financing under securities to resale agreements.

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WisdomTree India Earnings Fund (NYSEARCA:EPI  Get Free Report) saw unusually-strong trading volume on Tuesday . Approximately 1,190,602 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 0% from the previous sessions volume of 1,193,219 shares.The stock last traded at $42.14 and had previously closed at $42.74.

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund Price Performance

The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $43.17 and a 200 day simple moving average of $39.79. The company has a market capitalization of $1.23 billion, a PE ratio of 9.65 and a beta of 0.72.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Morgan Stanley lifted its holdings in WisdomTree India Earnings Fund by 87.6% during the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 1,912,541 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $70,305,000 after buying an additional 893,059 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of WisdomTree India Earnings Fund by 7.6% during the third quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,851,213 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $56,536,000 after purchasing an additional 129,956 shares during the period. Driehaus Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of WisdomTree India Earnings Fund by 1.4% in the 2nd quarter. Driehaus Capital Management LLC now owns 1,555,221 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $54,122,000 after buying an additional 20,784 shares during the last quarter. Assetmark Inc. grew its position in shares of WisdomTree India Earnings Fund by 13,594,672.7% during the 4th quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 1,495,425 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $61,312,000 after buying an additional 1,495,414 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP raised its stake in WisdomTree India Earnings Fund by 76.4% during the third quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 1,434,798 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $52,743,000 after acquiring an additional 621,546 shares during the period.

About WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund (The Fund) seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree India Earnings Index. The Index measures the performance of profitable companies incorporated and traded in India that are eligible to be purchased by foreign investors and that meet specific criteria developed by WisdomTree Investments.

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From left, state Rep. Martin Foncello (R-107), Newtown First Selectman Jeff Capeci, Newtown police Chief David Kullgren, Newtown schools Superintendent Christopher Melillo and state Rep. Mitch Bolinsky (R-106). Contributed photo / Connecticut House Republicans

A state plan that would have banned students from crouching and huddling during crisis exercises and cut the number of student drills from three to one in a school year was dropped by lawmakers after heavy resistance from Newtown leaders.

With a unified voice my community did speak out with concerns. And those concerns were heard  and for that I am very, very grateful, state Rep. Mitch Bolinsky said Monday in Hartford, after the state legislatures Education Committee agreed to drop the crisis drill changes in deference to Newtowns objections.

I want to say thank you to the leaders of the committee for their work and for their recognition of testimony that was made in regard to (the deleted) sections, said Bolinsky.

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The deleted sections dealt with what proponents called ensuring that crisis response drills do more good than harm by limiting kids exposure to potentially stressful exercises, including a ban on the simulation of an active shooter in the school and crouching and huddling by students, according to the bills original language.

Bolinsky, a Republican who represents Newtown in the 106th District, and other town leaders argued that by reducing the number of student drills from the three to one per school year, the result would be a Newtown school system that was less prepared for threats, less familiar with how to stay safe and more estranged from public safety officers because they would not be in the buildings with the same frequency.

The Education Committees concession to Newtown came one week after the towns top leaders testified during a March 11 public hearing, calling on state lawmakers to allow Newtown to make its own decisions about school safety.

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It was 11 years ago in December that a gunman shot his way into a locked Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 20 first graders and six educators.

"Repetition creates habit, and in Newtown, as you will hear  we have learned a lot, Bolinsky told his colleagues on the Education Committee during the public hearing.



Along with our friends at the Department of Homeland Security, who are active participants in this with us over the course of 11 years, our drills are not what they were 11 years ago. In fact they are much more considerate of individual students needs, Bolinsky said. The fact that we do them frequently makes them far less traumatic and makes the emergency response one of looking to the adult in the room and following instructions without the traumatizing effects of the active shooter drill, which is not something that I am advocating for either.

The Education Committee heard from scores of proponents, including mothers of school-age children in medical and teaching professions, who were concerned active shooter drills do more harm than good.

An educator from Bridgeport testified that during a lockdown drill she saw one of the students quietly crying, for example, even though the teacher who was handling the exercise was incredibly warm and kind.

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It is my strong hope that the committee will pass (the bill) so that we can ensure that stories like this do not continue in our state, said Laura Kabel of Bridgeport, in written testimony. As (former National Education Association) president Lily Eskelsen Garcia said, If schools are going to do drills, they need to take steps to ensure the drills do more good than harm.

Christopher Melillo, superintendent of Newtown schools, testified on March 11 that todays lockdown drills prepare students for a range of threats within the school environment without inducing undue fear or trauma and are not solely focused on school shooters, but rather aim to equip students with strategies to maintain safety during any potential threat.

Its imperative to highlight that lockdown drills when conducted appropriately do not involve distressing scenarios that may be associated with them, Melillio said during the public hearing. Correct procedures for lockdown drills emphasize the importance of securing doors, turning off lights and remaining out of sight of hallway windows and maintaining silence. In a properly executed traditional lockdown drill, theres no simulation of a school shooting, no individual pretending to be an armed intruder, and no discussion of firearms.

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On Tuesday, one day after the Education Committee unanimously voted the bill with the deletions Newtown wanted to the Appropriations Committee, Melillo said the time to address adjustments in school safety training was after the state completes a study in January.
From left; Ron Schauwecker, Linda Schauwecker, Tracy Perry, and Sky Wells, all of Shelton, at Huntington Village, their new development of eight single family homes off Ripton Road in Shelton, Conn. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media Site preparation is underway at Huntington Village, a new development of eight single family homes off Ripton Road in Shelton, Conn. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media The first foundation is being put in at the new Huntington Village, a development of eight single family homes off Ripton Road in Shelton, Conn. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media Site preparation is underway at Huntington Village, a new development of eight single family homes off Ripton Road in Shelton, Conn. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media The first foundation is being put in at the new Huntington Village, a development of eight single family homes off Ripton Road in Shelton, Conn. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media

SHELTON  Sky Wells saw it as divine intervention when developer John Guedes stepped away from plans to construct 16 homes on land abutting Huntington Congregational Church off Ripton Road.

The single-family housing development  which at one point called for as many as 20 homes on the 6 acres of church-owned land  had drawn the ire of some Huntington residents who considered the development too dense and damaging to the neighborhood's feel.

With Guedes out, Wells called on longtime friend and local builder Ron Schauwecker to buy the church land and create a smaller development.

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Were excited, said Wells, who said his family helped found the church 300 years ago.

He said neighbors and the congregation didn't want to see 16 homes.

What we have planned is something that fits in better with the surrounding community," he said.

The new plans, approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission last July, call for eight single-family homes to be built on just over six acres of undeveloped land in what will be called Huntington Village off Ripton Road behind the church. Wells and Schauwecker purchased the land for $1 million late last year.

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The homes will sell in the $900,000 range, according to Schauwecker, and will be customized to the buyers liking.

We wanted to make this work with eight homes rather than the 16, said Schauwecker, who teamed with Wells father, Royal, to build the Berries as well as Waterview Estates and Wells View Estates over the past five decades.

Schauwecker said the new plans moved work away from the hillside and the rock, which will help keep blasting to a minimum and not change the character of the land.

This will create a village-like setting, he said, adding that the deal also leaves a conservation easement. Wells said with this open space in place, all abutting neighbors will have a buffer due to the open space, and the church will retain that land.

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Wells said he and Schauwecker have agreed to use some of the profits from the development to refurbish the church and its surrounding buildings. The pair that initial plans call for them to install new roofing on the old Sunday School building, the church and the steeple.

We also wanted to add value to the homes of the people who live around what we are doing, Schauwecker said. We want it to blend in with the same typical designs in the area.

The Planning and Zoning Commission denied the original application for 24 single-family homes in the summer of 2018.

Guedes appealed the decision and also filed a new project on the site for an 84-unit development with an affordable housing component under Sec. 8-30g of the Connecticut state statutes. This subsequent application only allowed minimum input from the Commission.

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The commission and Guedes reached a settlement in October 2019. At that time, the commission voted 4-2, with commissioners Jimmy Tickey and Mark Widomski opposing, to approve a deal that allowed for 16 single-family homes.

The settlement agreement contained three conditions  a permanent conservation easement of two acres along the Centerview Drive properties; a permanent landscape buffer abutting 24 Ripton Road and no more than 16 single-family units on the final site plan.

In September 2020, the Planning and Zoning commission approved the final design development plans for the project. However, the project never moved forward.
Dalhousie legal scholar Dr. Elaine Craig was announced Tuesday (March 19) as one of eight Canadian researchers to receive the Dorothy Killam Fellowship, one of the most esteemed academic awards in the country.

Dr. Craig joins the ranks of just 10 Dalhousie researchers to have received the award since 1969 and is the first from the universitys Schulich School of Law. Dorothy Killam Fellowships grant $160,000 over two years to researchers pursuing projects of broad significance so they can focus on and accelerate the pace of their work.

For Dr. Craig, the award is particularly significant as it will support her study aimed at understanding why so many sexual assault cases fail to progress to trial, how we can improve their investigation and prosecution, and why reforms to this area of law have failed to achieve many of their objectives.

An unprecedented investigation



To pursue her work, Dr. Craig will study hundreds of closed sexual offence files produced in Nova Scotia over a three-year period ending in 2022. The cases include both complaints that did and did not go to trial. Pursued in collaboration with the Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Services (NSPPS), Dr Craig is the first legal scholar in Canada to conduct a study that relies on closed files to gain this kind of empirical knowledge.
Tesco PLC (LON:TSCO  Get Free Report) insider Ken Murphy purchased 48 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 288 ($3.67) per share, for a total transaction of 138.24 ($175.99).

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Ken Murphy also recently made the following trade(s):

On Friday, February 16th, Ken Murphy purchased 49 shares of Tesco stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 277 ($3.53) per share, for a total transaction of 135.73 ($172.79).

On Friday, January 19th, Ken Murphy purchased 47 shares of Tesco stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 298 ($3.79) per share, for a total transaction of 140.06 ($178.31).

On Friday, December 22nd, Ken Murphy purchased 48 shares of Tesco stock. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 288 ($3.67) per share, for a total transaction of 138.24 ($175.99).

Tesco Trading Up 0.1 %

LON:TSCO opened at GBX 287.80 ($3.66) on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 129.69, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a current ratio of 0.74. The firm has a market cap of 20.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 1,439.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.72 and a beta of 0.52. Tesco PLC has a 52 week low of GBX 244.10 ($3.11) and a 52 week high of GBX 303.70 ($3.87). The firm has a 50-day moving average price of GBX 286.73 and a two-hundred day moving average price of GBX 280.68.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Shore Capital reiterated a buy rating on shares of Tesco in a research note on Friday, February 23rd.

View Our Latest Report on Tesco

About Tesco

(Get Free Report)

Tesco PLC, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a grocery retailer in the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. It offers grocery products through its stores, as well as online. The company is also involved in the food and drink wholesaling activities.

Further Reading

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Popular Irish language television presenter Manchan Magan heads to Derry as part of his new six-part documentary series that dives into the myths and legends associated with Irelands Holy wells.

In the new TG4 documentary, 'Ag Triall ar an Tobar', which continues this Thursday, Manchan Magan asks what is it about these therapeutic landscapes that retain a presence in todays world?

In each episode presenter Manchan Magan uncovers holy wells that have been sites of worship and prayer for centuries and are still visited today for those seeking comfort and peace. Where have these rituals come from and who are the people that keep these traditions alive?

Each sacred well visited acts as a passage into the earth and the Otherworld. Fresh water covered 2.5% of the plant. And 70% of this water is hidden in icebergs, icecaps.

As a society we have always been dependent on water, all our cities are built on rivers and towns. Its no surprise that there are still wells and holy wells found in our cities.

In the seciond episode well enthusiast, Gary Branigan, shows Manchan Magan a secret well underneath Trinity College Dublin and Mary Kennedy tells us about her childhood memories at St. Bridgits well, Clondalkin.

St. Columbas Well just beside the Derry walls is where Mary Delargy brings us to talk about the well that has stood through history. We hear about the long history of Galways well on the banks of Lough Ataila from Tom Kenny. And finally Diarmuid O Drisceoil brings us to Our Ladys Well in Cork and its industrial connection to Cork city.

Manchan Magan host of TG4 documentary 'Ag Triall ar an Tobar' which continues this Thursday

Have you ever come across a holy well and wondered who else has walked on this path? Ordnance Survey Ireland claimed there were as many as 3,000 holy wells in Ireland - more than in any other country in the world.

This six-part series is a new format which fuses the exploration of Christianity and Pagan customs with historical record and local knowledge to take us on a journey through some of Irelands undiscovered sacred places.

Presenter Manchan Magan treads through history to discover hidden secrets behind these rippled waters. He speaks of some of the customs that visitors to the well would enact, from tying ribbons to nearby trees to circling the well clockwise three times. He also lists all the potential ailments that might find relief and treatment from the waters of the holy well.

These ailments can be a cure for a herd of cattle or a cure for dementia or bi-polar. Each ailment is as relevant today as they were back then.

Each episode in the series delves into a theme, unveiling unique stories, rituals and beliefs associated with a local holy well. From tales of saints and fairies to ancient healing practices and modern day pilgrimages, viewers will be transported into a world where spirituality, folklore and nature intertwine.

Manchan takes a deeper look at the enduring relevance of these sacred sites in todays society. He examines the reason why these places hold a special place in the hearts of the Irish people.

Holy wells in Ireland hold a unique role as symbols of Irish culture and a connection with the natural environment. These sacred wells pre-date the Christian era, usually dedicated to Saint names that still echo like Brid, Padraig and Colmcille, there is clear evidence that they were originally pagan sites.

Where once a pagan sacrifice may have taken place, today a bride might look into the waters for good luck, or someone may come in a desperate search for a cure of an illness.

Each attached to their own saints, legends and healing properties, these holy wells have been secret sites of worship and prayers for centuries and are still visited today by those who seek the miraculous cures offered by the waters.

The next episode of Ag Triall ar an Tobar is this Thursday, 21st March at 8pm on TG4.
Chinese premier stresses efforts to stabilize grain supply

Xinhua) 16:52, March 19, 2024

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged all-out efforts to secure stable supply of grains and vital agricultural products.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in instructions on spring agricultural production as well as disaster prevention, reduction and relief efforts.

Local governments should be fully prepared for the spring ploughing, and provide greater policy support and technical guidance for agricultural production, Li said. He also emphasized the need to ensure adequate supply of agricultural materials.

Li noted that these efforts aim to help the country achieve another bumper harvest and firmly underpin its high-quality social and economic development.

A national conference on spring agricultural production and disaster prevention, reduction and relief efforts was convened in Xinxiang, Henan Province on Monday. Vice Premier Liu Guozhong attended the conference and made a speech.

Liu called for moves to increase grain and oil yields, encourage the use of supportive technology, and promote the development and maintenance of high-standard farmland.

Efforts should also go to monitoring disaster risks and strengthening emergency preparedness to reduce the impact of disasters on agricultural output, according to the vice premier.

Prior to the conference, Liu paid a visit to Xingtai in Hebei Province, north China, and examined restoration of damaged agricultural infrastructure and the growth of wheat.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A welcome sign greets motorists traveling from Branford to East Haven on Saltonstall Parkway in East Haven. The East Shore District Health Department  which serves East Haven, Branford and North Branford  cited seven East Haven businesses for priority item health violations during routine inspections in February. Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media file

EAST HAVEN  Foods found at unacceptable temperatures, improper storage of raw meats and issues with the temperature of hot water in restrooms were some of the priority item health violations the East Shore District Health Department cited restaurants for in February.

The department cited seven local businesses for priority item health violations  the most critical level of health violations  during routine inspections last month, the same number as in January. Priority health violations indicate the highest risk for food-borne illnesses, and corrections must be made within 72 hours, per the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations health code. Many times, issues are corrected on-site during the inspection.

Pho Zaaap and China One had the most violations, four each, followed by Corner Stop, Millennium Mini Mart and Minervinis Pizzeria with three each. Sushi Avenue at ShopRite had two, and ShopRite of East Haven had one.

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At Pho Zaaap, chicken pieces and beef broth that were cooked the day before the inspection were found covered while still above an accepted temperature, records show. Some foods were voluntarily discarded, correcting the issue on-site, the sanitarian noted. The sanitarian also found raw shell eggs in a container above containers of cooked tofu and shrimp, which was corrected on-site.

The hot water in the restaurants public restroom was found to be about 125 degrees Fahrenheit; the acceptable range is 85-115, according to records. In a follow-up inspection one week later, a sanitarian noted that management had contacted a plumber and was waiting for an under-sink mixer tank to be installed on each of the restroom sink fixtures. A one-week extension was given for hot water adjustment.

Pho Zaaap did not respond to a request for comment.

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At China One, a sanitarian found cell phones on the prep table during prep, and raw chicken was found stored in containers above raw beef in a walk-in cooler; both violations were corrected on-site, according to records. Hot water in the restrooms was found above the acceptable temperature range, and there was a plumbing issue with one hand sink, which the owner was given 10 days to correct. In a follow-up inspection, a sanitarian found raw chicken stored on a shelf above soy and duck sauces, which was corrected on-site.

China One did not respond to a request for comment.

At Millennium Mini Mart, raw shell eggs were found stored above milk and other beverages in a reach-in cooler, which was corrected on-site, as well as above coffee creamers in a back cooler, records show. Also, some foods requiring temperature control for safety were not maintained at or below 41 degrees, the records say.

Millennium Mini Mart did not respond to a request for comment.

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At Corner Stop, raw shell egg cartons were stored above ready-to-eat pies and water jugs, according to records. The establishment faced repeat violations for foods that were not properly cooled, such as ham and tomato slices.

Corner Stop did not respond to a request for comment.

ShopRite of East Haven was found storing raw chicken above raw beef in a rack before packaging, and raw chicken was stored above pork chops in a rack before packaging, according to records. The issue was corrected on-site. At Sushi Avenue at ShopRite, rice was being cooled improperly, an issue that was corrected on-site. The sanitarian also noted the person in charge was washing and sanitizing knives incorrectly, which was corrected on-site.

ShopRite did not respond to a request for comment.

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At Minervinis Pizzeria, no handwashing was observed on-site when employees switched between tasks, the sanitarian noted. Raw chicken was stored over ready-to-eat foods in the walk-in cooler, which was corrected on-site, and cheese was found at an unacceptably high temperature.
A man who has been returned for trial on charges linked to a dissident republican parade in Derry last April has been granted permission to address a meeting in the European Parliament on state harassment.

Patrick Gallagher (31) of Raftery Close in Derry had been returned for trial on charges of encouraging and inciting support for a proscribed organisation namely the IRA on April 10 last year and also organising a meeting encouraging such support.

Following the case defence solicitor Derwin Harvey said he was seeking to vary his client's bail as he had been invited by Clare Daly MEP to address a meeting in Brussels.

Police objected to the variation due in part to one of those accompanying Gallagher had convictions for IRA membership.

Mr Harvey said he couldn't understand the police objections as this was a case of Gallagher engaging in 'political debate' and there was a long history of people moving from one type of action to engaging in politics including some of the present day politicians both North and South.

He said surely people should be encouraged to take part in political debate as much as possible.

The solicitor described the European Parliament as 'the pinnacle of democracy' and said it was unlikely Gallagher would commit any offences in front of 700 MEPs.

District Judge Barney McElholm granted Gallagher permission to attend the meeting in Brussels between April 3 and April 5.
PICTURED ABOVE: Left to right, Thornhill Colleges Head of Technology and Design Elaine Rooney, pupil Anna McLaughlin, firmus energys Environment, Health and Safety Manager Chantal Hemphill, pupil Sophie Shongo, firmus energys HR Manager Olga Pollock, firmus energys Director of Regulations Mark Stevenson, pupil Leah McClenaghan and firmus energys Learning and Development lead Adam Slingsby.

firmus energys on-going commitment to encouraging more female representation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) roles has taken it to Derry's Thornhill College where staff delivered an educational careers talk.

The Antrim-based energy provider is actively working to further promote inclusivity, diversity, and gender equality by showcasing to women the STEM-based roles and opportunities it has to offer.

Breaking down barriers in what is a traditionally male-dominated sector, women now account for over a quarter of firmus energys engineering team, with the companys recent visit to Thornhill College underscoring its mission to advance an open and welcoming workplace culture.

An interactive STEM presentation was delivered to a group of 250 pupils at the all-Girls Grammar School, with Technology and Design students joined by those from Year 10 as they will get the chance to select the GSCE subjects they want to focus on in Years 4 and 5 in addition to their core topics.

Olga Pollock  Human Resources Manager and Investors in People lead  and Chantal Hemphill  firmus energys Environment, Health, and Safety Manager  led the talk before answering questions about the path pupils should follow to become an engineer.

Their colleagues Adam Slingsby  Learning and Development lead  and Mark Stevenson  Director of Regulations  also provided details on the new Engineering Scholarship that was launched at Ulster Universitys Magee campus last month.

Chantal said: The company is taking some big and important steps as it moves towards a sustainable future using environmentally friendly processes and technologies.

As well as explaining the qualifications and skills required for certain jobs, pupils also heard about the challenges workers often tend to face as well as the different aspects of their jobs. It was also a fantastic opportunity to talk about the exciting developments currently taking place at firmus energy as it creates sustainable  and environmentally friendly  technologies.

Olga added: We would like to thank the school principal, Sharon Mallet, for extending such a warm invitation and for giving us the opportunity to speak to pupils about the many STEM career opportunities that are available to them. Interest levels in what we had to say was very impressive and we hope this visit will go some way to inspiring the next generation of female engineers.

firmus energy has a long association with Thornhill College; in November 2018, Year 9 pupils were shown around the companys 3m River Foyle development crossing  the largest drilling project to be undertaken on the island of Ireland at the time. It involved installing a large gas pipe under the River Foyle from Strathfoyle to the former Thornhill College site on the citys Culmore Road.

Pictured (L-R) is firmus energys Health and Safety Manager Chantal Hemphill, firmus energys Learning and Development lead Adam Slingsby, Thornhill Colleges Head of Technology and Design Elaine Rooney, pupils Cara Anderson, Sophie Shongo, Leah McClenaghan, Clara Henderson and Anna Mc Laughlin, firmus energys HR Manager Olga Pollock Olga Pollock and firmus energys Director of Regulations Mark Stevenson.

To mark the completion of the River Foyle Crossing development, which meant natural gas could be provided to households in Derry, firmus helped to install a time capsule in the schools grounds the following year. Containing artefacts from 2019, it will be opened in 2069.

Elaine Rooney, the schools Head of Technology and Design, facilitated the latest visit from firmus energy and said the STEM presentation had proven to be an extremely valuable exercise.

This is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to learn more about STEM-related careers and to make them aware of some of the exciting opportunities that are available to them, she said.

Lisa Hunter, who is the Head of Careers at Thornhill College, added: With women and girls under-represented in STEM  both in higher education and professions  we were delighted to welcome firmus energy to help our students explore potential STEM career areas.
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The first ever motion on extending a new EU law to Northern Ireland has been defeated at the Stormont Assembly.

The DUPs Jonathan Buckley said his party voted against introducing a law which he insisted would create a new regulatory border within the United Kingdom.

However, Sinn Fein described the debate brought by the unionist party as a sham fight and said the Assembly should be concentrating on bringing new investors to Northern Ireland.

The DUP brought the applicability motion to the Assembly to vote on the protection of geographical indications for craft and industrial products.

Under the rules of the Windsor Framework, a deal agreed to allay unionist concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements, some EU laws still apply in Northern Ireland.

The framework contains mechanisms by which the Stormont Assembly can consent to new or amended regulations.

One of these is the applicability motion. Under this arrangement, the UK will not automatically agree to new EU laws being applied in Northern Ireland unless the Assembly passes the motion, with cross-community consent.

The motion debated on Tuesday proposed that a regulation legally defining and protecting certain products which are tied to a geographical area should be applied to Northern Ireland.

The motion fell after failing to secure cross-community consent when unionists voted against it.

It now falls on the UK Government to decide whether the new law should be introduced in Northern Ireland.

Introducing the motion, Mr Buckley said: This is the first time the Northern Ireland Assembly will vote on whether a new EU law should apply in Northern Ireland.

That in itself is a significant moment.

Explaining that his party would be voting against its own motion, Mr Buckley added: It is clear to the Democratic Unionist Party that this new EU law would create a new regulatory border within the United Kingdom.

He added: We are not willing to contemplate a situation in which political forces, whether it be in Dublin or Brussels, can use the silence of the Assembly on this, or indeed any other piece of EU law, to exert pressure on the government in Westminster to abandon the principle of cross-community consensus.

Responding on behalf of Sinn Fein, Philip McGuigan pointed out that last week a number of Stormont ministers were in the US promoting Northern Ireland.

He added: What we should be doing today is building on the success of that trip, talking up our potential and giving our young people hope.

Instead, we have this motion. In effect a sham fight which only serves the purpose of undermining the good work of last week and which could sow confusion to potential investors to the north.

Dual market access is the key selling point to attract potential investment to the north.

Alliance Party MLA Sorcha Eastwood said the Assembly was debating internal DUP wranglings.

She added: This is going to be a compressed mandate. We already have short enough time as it is, I dont want to be spending the next two and half to three years relitigating Brexit.

But Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie said his partys MLA would be voting against the motion because the new EU law had not been given proper scrutiny.

He added: What are the long-term implications of this EU regulation? We dont know because theres been no scrutiny.

The SDLPs Matthew OToole said his party would urge the UK-EU joint committee, the body that oversees the working of the Windsor Framework, to allow the law to apply to Northern Ireland.

He said: This motion today was not brought in good faith, it was a controlled explosion of an EU regulation without a thought for those who might be negatively impacted as a result of the DUPs political games.

The British Government themselves recognise that this motion would have little impact on trade.
Partnership strengthens protection against cyberattacks and safeguards intellectual property and trade secrets.

Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland and Grenoble, France  March 19, 2024  Kudelski IoT, a division of the Kudelski Group, a global leader in digital security and IoT solutions, together with Dolphin Design, announce a collaboration aiming to simplify the development of highly secure ASIC and IP solutions for Edge devices, addressing the significant challenges of securing artificial intelligence (AI) at the Edge. Traditional microcontroller unit (MCU) designs are inadequate for the advanced data processing and security demands of AI models. The partnership introduces a paradigm shift in MCU design, essential for smart devices to improve performance by 1,000 times without increasing energy consumption.

Dolphin Designs CHAMELEON platform, a versatile and pre-verified event-based MCU subsystem, now integrates Kudelski IoTs Secure Enclave IP (KSE3). This integration offers a robust security layer, ensuring secure boot, firmware updates, identity management, and data protection. Additionally, the collaboration extends to Kudelski IoTs KeySTREAM platform, providing a scalable PKI as a Service for secure lifecycle management of certificates and devices via a cloud-based application.

This comprehensive solution enables customer designs to achieve SESIP L3 certification, catering to the automotive, industrial, and medical industries stringent security requirements. Kudelski IoT offers extensive support, including threat assessment, design consulting, and security reviews, making it a comprehensive security partner to these industries.

We have a very successful history of collaboration with Dolphin Design and are delighted to now announce the pre-integration of our respective IP and solutions to cover all of the security requirements now being requested in our important target markets said Hardy Schmidbauer, SVP of Kudelski IoT. The combined solution provides robust end-to-end security in Edge designs by relying on a separated security enclave and the Kudelski IoT KeySTREAM platform to protect the customer ASICs and designs while making it very simple to provision these on the production line and manage their security lifecycle.

Security is an integral part of ensuring new designs comply with regulations such as ISO21434 and IEC62443 in the automotive and industrial sectors, said Hakim Jaafar, VP of Marketing and Application Lab of Dolphin Design. By collaborating with Kudelski IoT, we provide an one-stop shop for manufacturers to meet these requirements and achieve compliance in an accelerated timeframe by using our combined solutions and services.

Kudelski Group companies have worked with device manufacturers to enable and protect their devices and associated services for more than 30 years. Kudelski is a pioneer in pay media and has been protecting digital cable, satellite, terrestrial set-top boxes, and streaming services since their inception, providing a wide range of security technologies and services with a strong focus on device security and certification. The company has provided certificates, keys, and credentials to more than over 500 million devices.

About Kudelski IoT

Kudelski IoT is the Internet of Things division of Kudelski Group and provides end-to-end IoT solutions, IoT product design, and full-lifecycle services to IoT device manufacturers, ecosystem creators, and end-user companies. These solutions and services leverage the groups 30+ years of innovation in digital business model creation; hardware, software and ecosystem design and testing; state-of-the-art security lifecycle management technologies and services and managed operation of complex systems. For more information about Kudelski IOT, please visit www.kudelski-iot.com.

About Dolphin Design

Dolphin Design, a Soitec subsidiary, is a leading provider of semiconductor IP solutions, specializing in ASIC and IP design targeting markets such as Defense, Automotive, industrial, Personal electronics, and IoT. Dolphin Design cutting-edge technology IPs in AI computing, Power management, High-quality Audio, Power metering, and design safety/robustness, allow their thousand customers/partners to accelerate design cycles, foster faster time-to-market and build products/solutions that address the challenges of any industry and support a more sustainable world.

With a customer-centric approach, Dolphin Design provides exceptional support for successful project outcomes.






Mini LED TV technology has greatly enhanced the quality of LCD TVs. While mini LEDs in the backlight have traditionally been confined to the premium TV segment, we are now seeing mid-range options surface in India. If you are considering buying a mini LED TV in India, we will list some of the best options available and also discuss details that will help you make an informed choice. Lets start with the basics.

What are mini LED TVs? How are they different from micro LED TVs?

Mini LED is a type of backlight technology for LED LCD TVs. LCD-based TVs rely on a backlight to produce light, as they are not self-emissive. This means that instead of emitting light themselves, LCD panels pass on the light generated by a backlight located behind the screen. In the mini-LED TV backlight, clusters of tiny LEDs are positioned directly behind the LCD substrate ( and not on the edges). These mini LEDs are typically grouped into numerous local dimming zones, allowing for more precise control over brightness and contrast as compared to edge-lit or even some FALD LED LCD TVs.

In comparison, OLED and micro-LED technology are self-emissive and dont integrate backlight or LCD substrate. This means each sub-pixel can fire its light or turn off completely, resulting in excellent contrast.

Mini LED technology is almost always coupled with QLED for refining colours from the backlight and achieving a wider colour gamut. You can get mini LED TVs with VA LCD and IPS LCD panels from popular brands.

Also Read: MicroLED vs Mini LED vs OLED Displays: Whats the difference?

Are Mini LED TVs the same as TVs with Full Array Local Dimming (FALD)?

While all mini LED TVs have full array local dimming (FALD), all TVs with FALD are not mini LED TVs. A FALD TV also has an array of backlight LEDs positioned directly behind the LCD. However, mini LEDs are much smaller, allowing for more dimming zones and more precise backlight control.

Also Read: QNED vs QLED vs OLED TVs: Whats the difference?

Advantages of Mini LED TVs

Mini LED TVs can get brighter than OLED displays, resulting in impactful HDR highlights in properly lit environments like living rooms. They can deliver higher luminance for full screen rather than just a portion of it (like OLED TVs). This is also one of the reasons why Sony is opting for Mini LED as flagship technology for its TVs instead of OLEDs starting in 2024.

Since there is no risk of burn-in as in OLED displays, mini LED TVs dont need protective dimming mechanisms. This means your display will not gradually go dimmer if you have been watching bright scenes for 10-20 minutes.

Mini LED TVs offer better contrast and precise backlight control as compared to all other popular LED LCD TV technologies.

Mini LED TVs are available at more accessible price points as compared to OLED and QD-OLED displays, especially when it comes to large panel sizes above 65-inch.

Disadvantages of Mini LED TVs

OLED TVs still offer pixel-level dimming and better contrast. This is also why OLED displays are still favoured by enthusiasts who prefer a dark viewing environment.

The effectiveness of mini LED TVs depends on the efficiency of their local dimming functionality. Improper implementation of this feature could lead to artifacts such as blooming or clipping of shadow details.

Local dimming performance depends on multiple factors including the number of dimming zones, a processor that splits the input signal between the display and backlight, the LED driver IC and the quality of LEDs. The most important factor is however the local dimming algorithm of the brand. A proper algorithm makes the right compromise between suppressing blooming and shadow details while avoiding visible fluctuations in backlight.

Best Mini LED TVs to buy in India

Now, lets talk about some of the best Mini LED TVs that you can buy in India.

Samsung Neo QLED QN90C 4K Smart TV

Samsung has an extensive portfolio of mini LED TVs in its Neo QLED series. Just look for options with Quantum Matrix Technology. The Samsung Neo QLED QN90C is not the flagship model (that would be QN95C) but it is a high-performance TV that offers great picture quality at a relatively low price. You can also consider older-generation options like Neo QLED QN85B which are now available at discounted prices.

Samsung Neo QLED QN90C is powered by Neural Quantum Processor 4K and supports a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung is still adamant about not supporting Dolby Vision, but you do get HDR10 and HD10+ support. There is also Dolby Atmos audio with top-channel speakers for an immersive experience.

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TCL C755 QD-Mini LED TV

TCL C755 combines Quantum Dots enhancements with a mini LED backlight for a very attractive price. The TV comes with over 500 Local Dimming Zones (for the 65-inch model) and supports all popular HDR formats. The panel supports a 144Hz refresh rate and TCLs game accelerator can further boost it to 240Hz. Other gaming features include HDMI 2.1 connectivity with ALLM and FreeSync Premium Pro VRR.

TCL claims 1300 nits of HDR brightness and support for Dolby Vision and other popular HDR formats. The AiPQ 3.0 processor powering all the image processing on the TV is backed by ample 3GB RAM and 32GB of storage.

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TCL C825 mini LED TV

The TCL C825 is an affordable mini LED TV that you can buy in India. It has QLED technology for a wide colour gamut, supports a 120Hz refresh rate for seamless visuals, and integrates a 50W soundbar for an immersive audio experience. It supports all popular HDR formats including Dolby Vision IQ but the peak brightness is limited to 500 nits. For gamers, there is HDMI 2.1 connectivity with ALLM and eARC, VRR, FreeSync support and Wi-Fi6.

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Hisense U7K

Hisense U7K is another aggressively priced mini LED TV with 384 Full Array Local Dimming Zones and support for 240Hz refresh rate. Apart from a high refresh rate display, the TV also offers support for FreeSync VRR and ALLM VRR to enhance the gaming experience. On the connectivity front, it offers two HDMI 2.1 and two HDMI 2.0 ports, with HDMI 3 supporting eARC, along with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports. The TV supports Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ and HDR10 and has a powerful 49 Watts audio output from the 2.1 channel speaker system featuring a subwoofer.

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Toshiba QLED TV 55M650MP

This 4K mini LED TV offers a 4K UHD 60 Hertz display with 120 local dimming zones and Quantum Dot Color technology for wide colour gamut support. The display reaches 600 nits of peak brightness and supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HDR10. Audio features include 49 Watts output, 2.1 channels with REGZA Bass Woofer, and REGZA ZR 360 Surround Upscaling Dolby Atmos.

The TV runs VIDAA OS which in our experience feels quite limited, so you will have to rely on streaming dongles to upgrade the software experience. Connectivity options include 3 HDMI ports, eARC, CEC, 2 USB ports, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, and a 3.5mm earphone jack.

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Mini LED TVs from Sony and LG

Sony and LG have also launched mini LED TVs in India, available in large panel sizes that you can purchase from retail stores. Sonys offerings, the Bravia X95L and Bravia X95K, are available in India in large 85-inch sizes but come with exorbitant prices.

LG also provides mini LED TVs in its QNED range, featuring displays of 75 inches or larger. These include the LG QNED86 and LG QNED99, which are also quite expensive.
HIGHLIGHTS Apple's MM1 will provide a new method for using AI-generated data. It is a new method for training multimodal models using synthetic data Apple could also be working on Siri 2.0 which would have a lot of AI capabilities.

Like in most cases, Apple seems to be late to the AI party. However, the California-based tech company seems to be making up for the lost time by pulling its socks up. There has been news all around about Apples work in the direction of AI to stand. CEO Tim Cook had previously informed his investors that Apple would soon make a significant announcement in the space of AI. No official revelation has been made but some Apple researchers have informed that Apples MM1 AI model is in the works. There could also be Siri 2.0 which would have a lot of AI capabilities.

Also read: Apple is cooking something major with AI for iOS 18: Report

Apples MM1 AI model

There could be some weight to these rumours, a preprint research paper, called Methods, Analysis, and Insights from Multimodal LLM Pre-training, has informed that Apples MM1 AI model will provide a new method for using AI-generated data and labels to speed up the training process of new models. It is also expected that this AI model could possibly power the new Siri 2.0.

The MM1 is a new method for training multimodal models using synthetic data that includes images and text. As per the researchers behind this, it speeds up performance and reduces the number of follow-up prompts. From the looks of it, Apples MM1 AI model seems like a larger group of AI models. The largest one among these could be around 30 billion parameters. Now this is substantially lower than its competitors like GPT-4 and Claude 3 Opus which have the trillion-plus parameters. However, researchers say that it will match the benchmark with its improved efficiency.

Also read: Apple could use Google Gemini to power iPhones new AI features: Check details

The MM1 model will not rely on a single concept and instead is said to combine different types of training data and model architectures. Hence, it promises great performance. It uses higher image resolution encoders, a different approach to pre-training and labeling, and also uses that data mix to improve overall performance from a single prompt.

So Apple has definitely become more serious about its AI ambitions. Will MM1 power Siri 2.0? We dont know for sure, but all the features discussed above do give us a hint of which way Apple might take Siri in the future.

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From 200 companies to 23,000: CDP's journey in carbon emission disclosure

Nicolette Bartlett, Chief Impact Officer at CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), emphasized the importance of measuring and managing carbon emissions and sustainability efforts. Bartlett highlighted CDP's role in facilitating corporate disclosure and the significant growth in participation over the years.

CDP, with its mantra "what you can't measure, you can't manage," has been instrumental in urging companies to disclose their carbon emissions. Bartlett underscored the substantial increase in participation, from 200 companies initially to over 23,000 disclosing companies and 1,100 cities, states, and regions worldwide in 2023.

Credit: CDP

While the US, China, and Japan are among the top disclosing countries, Taiwan has emerged as a notable participant in this effort. Taiwan's disclosure increased by 22% in 2023, with 624 companies disclosing their data, including many first-time disclosers.

Credit: CDP

Bartlett outlined the various benefits of corporate disclosure, including access to capital, improved competitiveness, and compliance with regulations. She stressed the importance of transition plans, which help companies align their strategies with sustainability goals, and highlighted the increasing focus on adaptation measures alongside emissions reduction efforts.

Furthermore, Bartlett discussed the evolution of reporting standards and CDP's efforts to align with global frameworks, such as the ISSB S2 climate standards and the TCFD recommendations. ISSB, deeply rooted in accounting standards for financial actors, prioritizes assessing risks associated with climate impact, particularly in terms of value creation.

Unlike other frameworks, ISSB adopts an "outside-in" approach, emphasizing the risk climate change poses to businesses and investors' keen interest in understanding these implications. This perspective contrasts with the "inside-out" approach of assessing a company's environmental impact, which also remains important but secondary to understanding the broader climate risks.

The ISSB's standards encompass both perspectives, aligning closely with global efforts to address climate change comprehensively. Notably, the ISSB's initial standards, S1 and S2, focus on governance and climate-related disclosures, respectively. As the board progresses, attention will shift to incorporating social factors into these disclosures, ensuring a holistic approach to sustainability reporting.

For companies already engaged in initiatives like CDP, transitioning to ISSB standards should be relatively seamless, as these frameworks align closely. This alignment not only facilitates compliance but also enhances access to capital and strengthens business competitiveness.

Moreover, embracing sustainability reporting is not solely a regulatory compliance issue but a strategic move to secure market access and attract investors. This holds true for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well, as buyers increasingly demand transparency and sustainability across their supply chains.

Recognizing the diverse landscape of corporate entities, policymakers are urged to ensure that climate reporting standards are efficient, globally aligned, and inclusive of SMEs and private actors. By providing incentives and support for companies to adopt these standards, governments can drive widespread adoption and facilitate a smoother transition to a more sustainable global economy.

Looking ahead, Bartlett emphasized CDP's commitment to continuous improvement, with plans to further streamline reporting processes, expand questionnaire options, and enhance support for enterprises. She urged companies to partner with CDP in this journey towards sustainability and assured stakeholders that ongoing efforts will lead to more effective and impactful outcomes in the future.

Credit: Nicolette Bartlett
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WASHINGTON (AP)  The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a deadly carcinogen still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products.

The final rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.





. . .
Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro speaks to reporters before he heads to prison, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Miami, to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Adriana Gomez Licon/AP Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro speaks to reporters before he heads to prison, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Miami, to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Adriana Gomez Licon/AP Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro speaks to reporters before he heads to prison, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Miami, to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Adriana Gomez Licon/AP FILE - Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro has reported to prison to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jose Luis Magana/AP

MIAMI (AP)  Former White House adviser Peter Navarro reported to prison Tuesday for a contempt of Congress conviction, becoming the first senior Trump administration official to be locked up for a crime related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison for defying a subpoena for documents and a deposition from the House committee that investigated the riot by supporters of then-President Donald Trump.

Navarro was defiant in remarks to reporters before he headed to the federal prison in Miami, calling his conviction the partisan weaponization of the judicial system.

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He has maintained that he couldnt cooperate with the committee because Trump had invoked executive privilege. But courts have rejected that argument, finding Navarro couldnt prove Trump had actually invoked it.

When I walk in that prison today, the justice system  such as it is  will have done a crippling blow to the constitutional separation of powers and executive privilege, Navarro told reporters Tuesday.

After voting in Florida on Tuesday, Trump was asked about Navarro.

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Hes a good man. He was treated very unfairly, Trump said, calling him a great patriot and praising his job negotiating trade with China. The Biden administration treated him very, very badly. Its a shame, but thats the way it is.

Navarro, who served as a White House trade adviser under Trump, was subpoenaed by the committee over his promotion of false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election in the run-up to the Capitol attack.

Navarro had asked to stay free while he appealed his conviction to give the courts time to consider his challenge. But Washington's federal appeals court denied his bid to stave off his sentence, finding his appeal wasnt likely to reverse his conviction.

And Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday also refused to step in, saying in a written order that he has no basis to disagree with the appeals court. Roberts said his finding doesnt affect the eventual outcome of Navarros appeal.

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Navarro was the second Trump aide convicted of contempt of Congress charges. Former White House adviser Steve Bannon previously received a four-month sentence but a different judge allowed him to stay free pending appeal.

The House committee spent 18 months investigating the insurrection, interviewing over 1,000 witnesses, holding 10 hearings and obtaining more than 1 million pages of documents. In its final report, the panel ultimately concluded that Trump criminally engaged in a multi-part conspiracy to overturn the election results and failed to act to stop his supporters from storming the Capitol.

Special counsel Jack Smith has separately charged Trump with conspiring to overturn his election loss to President Joe Biden. That case is on hold while the Supreme Court weighs Trump's claim that he is immune from prosecution. The high court is scheduled to hear arguments on the matter next month.

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Popular Glenties-based food company Filligans is encouraging start-up and early-stage food and drink Irish businesses to apply for the Food Academy 2024.

The programme is actively seeking applications from budding start-up and early-stage food and drink producers across Ireland.

Now in its 11th year, this extended commitment highlights the sustained success and positive impact the Food Academy has had on the local Irish food and drink industry.

Speaking about his experience with Food Academy, Willie Cremen, Director at Filligans said:

Our food story started in 1997 when we began making jam, marmalade, and chutney from our country kitchen in Glenties, west Donegal. Weve always believed in creating products in small batches and using traditional farmhouse methods using the very best of natural ingredients.

"It is a natural progression for us to work with Supervalu and the Food Academy programme, a nationally recognised supporter of local producers. Providing a structured programme where we can learn how to enhance our business and reach new customers, while retaining our business identity is very attractive.

The Food Academy is a unique and tailored business development initiative for start-up and early-stage producers, which is supported by SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Office.

This programme not only helps indigenous businesses but also contributes to the overall growth and sustainability of the Irish food industry. Additionally, it serves as a platform for showcasing the excellence of quality Irish products and the innovative spirit of food and drink producers across the nation.

Over the past 11 years, more than 1,000 producers from all 26 counties of Ireland have successfully completed the Food Academy programme.

Since its inception in 2013, Food Academy producers have collectively generated 230 million in product sales within SuperValu, supporting 1,500 jobs in the economy.

Apply for the Food Academy today through your Local Enterprise Office at: https://www.localenterprise.ie/FoodSupports/Food-Academy-Programme/

The closing date for applications is April 5, 2024.
A public housing meeting organised by Louth based Senator Erin McGreehan, was held on Thursday 14 March and brought valuable insights, she said, into the various government schemes under the flagship programme, the Housing for All policy.

I get so many queries from constituents about buying houses or renovating houses, so I decided to hold this information evening to hopefully answer questions that have been raised, Senator McGreehan told the Dundalk Democrat.

The Fianna Fail Senator said the event which was well attended by party supporters and the general public, shed light on the financial supports available for people to buy their own homes, and the SEAI Warmer Homes Scheme.

Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, the Seanad spokesperson on Housing, took the to stage to outline the range of schemes designed to assist individuals in realising their dream of homeownership. The Housing for All policy, a key initiative of the government, aims to address the housing crisis and provide affordable housing solutions.

During her presentation Senator Fitzpatrick elaborated on the range of financial support mechanisms available to prospective homeowners. Some the items covered were the First Home Scheme and Help to Buy.

Senator McGreehan says that there were many questions at the meeting, on the Derelict and Vacant Home Grants. The Senator highlighted the fact that there is a housing crisis in the country and claimed that there were many factors to this  including a decade of previous governments not making housing a priority, and also a huge population increase over the past years.

She continued declaring that Fianna Fail believe in homeownership and that it should be a reality for everyone, we are fortunate to have a range of schemes and initiatives available to assist individuals in purchasing their own homes. we are committed to exploring all avenues to ensure that housing is accessible and affordable. Constantly, adapting and working the schemes to make them count best.

In addition to the homeownership supports, Shane Murphy from Ashbrook Renewables shared valuable information on the grants available under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) Warmer Homes Schemes. These grants, the Senator said, play a crucial role in promoting energy efficiency and sustainability in housing, ensuring that homes are comfortable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.

Senator McGreehan said that it was a very successful evening and people who attended gained valuable information on their housing queries. Senator Fitzpatrick has worked very closely with Minister Darragh OBrien and has a huge level of knowledge of these schemes.

Many people there were surprised at the amount of SEAI grants available, which were explained by Shane Murphy in his excellent presentation. A lady spoke to me at the end and she said she wished these schemes were available when she purchased her home years back.

The event was also attended by Barry Cowen TD, who is one of the Fianna Fail candidates for the Midlands North-West Constituency for the European Parliament elections on June 7 this year. He addressed the crowd outlining his reasons for running to become a MEP, including supporting rural communities, enhance balanced development and investment particularly on the commuter belt, energy security and protection of our taxation policy.
New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson confirmed that three shootings over the weekend "appear to be connected." Austin Mirmina / Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  City officials believe three shootings over the weekend are connected and apparently related to the same underlying "feud." Mayor Justin Elicker said the city is acting to de-escalate.

"Were working very hard to identify the individuals involved and believe there may be some sort of feud going on and are working to calm down everyone, he said Monday.

Elicker said two women were injured by gunfire Sunday at a vigil for Deshawn Maysonet, who was shot and killed early Saturday on Fairmont Avenue. Elicker said that, as of Monday, at least one of the women had been discharged from the hospital. One woman was shot in the foot, and the other was shot in the shoulder. Yale police intercepted a speeding car transporting one of the victims, a 21-year-old, to Yale New Haven Hospital, and another, who is 27, arrived separately at the hospital's St. Raphael campus.

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Yale University Assistant Police Chief Rose Dell said in a statement that none of the weekend's shootings happened on the university's campus and do not appear connected.

"Yale police will maintain high visibility and work closely with the New Haven police, providing assistance as requested. As always, we encourage the Yale community to maintain heightened awareness and report suspicious activity to police," she said in a statement.

New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson confirmed that the three shootings "appear to be connected" but declined to provide a further update.

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"We have numerous leads," he said in an emailed comment.

Elicker said the city's street outreach workers are trying to reduce the tensions.

"Given that we believe they're connected and involving some of the same people, we are engaging with street outreach workers in an attempt to de-escalate," he said.

Elicker said he believes the city's overall trend on reducing gun violence has been headed in the right direction, "but when we lose someone, as we did over the weekend, it's disheartening and underscores there's a lot more work we have to do." Last summer, officials said overall shootings were down year-over-year, but the number of shooting fatalities had increased.

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"We are implementing a multipronged approach that involves everything from the historical community policing to technology, particularly the cameras that have been helpful to us in solving crime, and violence intervention techniques as well as investments in the roots of the issue," he said.
Budding young farmer and star of The Late Late Toy Show Sheamie Garrihy has joined forces with Lidl to officially open The Lidl Farm, welcoming primary schools from Louth to visit for the 2024 school season.

Located at Lidls Regional Distribution Centre in Newbridge, County Kildare, Lidl was the first Irish retailer to launch a free farm experience where school children can trace the farm to fork story, beginning with the soil, through an outdoor classroom experience.

Since its launch in October 2022, the Lidl Farm has welcomed more than 4,000 school children and 400 teachers from primary schools across the length and breadth of Ireland.

Developed with The Lidl Farms official education partner Agri Aware and key supplier Meade Farm, this unique experience set across 8.5 acres of farmland is free and provides students with an insight into how many everyday products grown and harvested locally by Lidls network of Irish suppliers make their way from the farm to the shelves of their local Lidl store.

Led by Agri Awares Education Officers, students participate in a combination of hands-on activities and discussions, seeing first-hand how crops are grown and learning the best practice of livestock farming.

Each educational experience ends with a train ride through Lidl Regional Distribution Centre where students learn about the retailers quality check process and how fruit and vegetables are stored to ensure that produce is fresh when it arrives to a Lidl store.

Speaking at The Lidl Farm launch, Clare-native Sheamie Garrihy said: Ive had a great day at The Lidl Farm in County Kildare. It was interesting to learn about the farm to fork experience, seeing how the vegetables on our plate are planted and harvested on the farm. The Lidl Farm also has cows and sheep throughout the year so students can learn about livestock farming.

While Id know my way around a farm, I wouldnt know how everything is stored in the warehouse and how it gets delivered to Lidl stores so the train ride through the warehouse was a highlight for me. Thanks to Lidl for having me and, when you go to the farm yourself, tell them Sheamie sent you.

Commenting on the success of The Lidl Farm, Agri Aware Chairman, Shay Galvin said: The Agri Aware partnership with The Lidl Farm is brimming with positivity for agriculture, giving school children firsthand learning about where their food comes from. More than 4,000 school children have come through The Lidl Farm gates with great enthusiasm, ready to learn about the Farm to Fork experience.

School tours at The Lidl Farm are completely free, with schools only needing to cover their own transport costs to get there, making this an affordable school trip which has been welcome news for many schools and parents.

Lidl Ireland launched its innovative Farm Experience in 2022 as part of its overarching A Better Tomorrow Sustainability Strategy and says that this hands-on farm-to-fork educational programme has been guided by the SESE curriculum.

Tours run on The Lidl Farm twice a year - from March to June, and from September to October. To learn more and for schools to register an interest in visiting, please visit thelidlfarm.abettertomorrow-lidl.ie
Public Health HSE Dublin and North East, which covers Louth, Monaghan, North Dublin, Cavan and Meath, has announced details of an MMR catch-up campaign to protect against measles due to a rise in cases of the disease in the UK and Europe.

Dr Lucy Jessop, Director of the HSE National Immunisation Office, explained: Measles is highly infectious and can be an acute and serious infection. It causes a rash illness, with cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and high fever. Complications of measles include ear infections, pneumonia, febrile seizures and less commonly encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and even death.

The only protection against measles is vaccination. Two doses of MMR vaccine are needed and if a child or young adult is not fully protected then MMR vaccines can be obtained from your GP or HSE Vaccination Clinic.

The campaign focuses on delivering the MMR vaccine to key groups, who may have missed their vaccines in the past:

Children

Young adults

Health and care workers.

MMR vaccines are available free of charge from GPs to all groups, but primarily to those under 18 years, and from HSE community clinics for everyone eligible who is aged 5 years and over. A list of Vaccination Clinics is available here: https://www2.hse.ie/services/mmr-vaccine/vaccination-clinics.

To book an appointment, visit: https://www2.hse.ie/services/mmr-vaccine/book-an-appointment. Some walk-in appointments are also available.

Additionally, the HSE will also provide targeted clinics for specific groups including students and young people in education settings, underserved groups including refugees, applicants seeking protection and other minority groups.
Three final year Bachelor of Business (Hons) students (Dept. of Management and Financial Studies) at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) recently scooped first & second prize in the National Level Sustainability Booster Competition conducted by The Triple Connection on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Ireland.

These awards were bestowed to the DkIT students at the national Supply Chain Knowledge Day which was held on the Carlow campus of South East Technological University (SETU).

The winning students who took first place were Lina Lubickiene and Thomas Toner and second place went to Arjun Pramod Menon, these prizes were presented to the students by James Kearney & Katie Wheeler from the CILT.

The winning students that won 1st and 2nd prize were involved in a Supply Chain Business Simulation Game which was conducted over 2 evenings, in their own time.

The award winners were taught Supply Chain Management by their lecturer Annmarie McHugh who was absolutely delighted with their success, she said:

Im so proud of these students, it was such an outstanding achievement for the Students of DkIT to take both 1st and 2nd prize at this national event. Graduates with Supply Chain knowledge are in high demand both nationally and internationally, winning these awards will cement these students employability skills and will really enhance their CVs

Not only were the award-winning students in attendance at this Supply Chain Knowledge Day, but they were also accompanied by a bus load of DkIT Business Studies students from Year 2 and Year 3 along with lecturers Annmarie McHugh and Maryellen Kelledy.

This occasion was the 2nd ever national Supply Chain Event and students had the opportunity to gain insights and advice about jobs and careers in Supply Chain Management from industry titans such as Amazon and Lidl amongst others.
A protest calling on the Government to take action for homeless asylum seekers will take place later on Tuesday.

The protest will take place outside the International Protection Office in Dublin, which has turned into a makeshift camp and where dozens of asylum seekers have been forced to sleep.

Groups United Against Racism, Social Rights Ireland and the End Direct Provision action group will take part in the protest, in which they will call for the Government to open empty buildings for homeless asylum seekers.

In a post, Social Rights Ireland said: The housing crisis is gov policy.

We need wraparound services to support our Irish homeless, not just emergency accommodation.

Ireland also has long history of emigration. People have left their countries out of total desperation, leaving family and kids.

At the weekend, a large group of asylum seekers were moved by authorities from the makeshift camp in Dublin to a separate location.

Men who had been camping near the International Protection Office (IPO) were taken by bus to a site at Crooksling.

However, some of the men have since returned to the city because of threatening behaviour by people who gathered outside the site.

Yesterday the decision was made to move asylum seekers out of the city centre ahead of the St Patricks Day Festival. Tuesday5.30PMInternational Protection Office Open up empty homes! Housing for All Now!#IrelandForAll #HousingForAll  pic.twitter.com/gMgNoIfzBg  United Against Racism (@UnitedARacism) March 17, 2024

At the weekend, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar denied that the decision to move the men was made to avoid an embarrassment for the Government close to St Patricks Day.

People Before Profit Brid Smith has called for urgent questions in the Dail with Minister for Children Roderic OGorman on the disgraceful treatment of refugees at the IPO at the weekend.

Ms Smith said she has submitted a request to the Oireachtas Business Committee requesting that time is provided on the Dail schedule this week for statements and questions and answers with Mr OGorman about the ongoing issue.

Ms Smith said: There appears to have been a calculated decision to move asylum seekers out of the city centre to a remote location ahead of the St Patricks Day Festival.

On Saturday, asylum seekers were told to board a bus to be brought to new accommodation.

The bus dropped them at a remote location on the outskirts of Dublin.

They were given tents and informed that this was their new accommodation. The site at the IPO has been destroyed, with thousands of euros worth of tents and belongings dumped.

It is outrageous that these vulnerable men are being treated with such contempt by the Government and it is important that time is provided for this urgent matter on the Dail schedule this week.
President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at El Portal restaurant Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Phoenix. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden looks out to the crowd after speaking on the economy Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Las Vegas. Lucas Peltier/AP President Joe Biden speaks about the economy, Tuesday March 19, 2024, in Las Vegas. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at Harry Reid International Airport, Tuesday March 19, 2024, in Las Vegas, for campaign events. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden greets supporters after speaking at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nev., Tuesday March 19, 2024. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden greets supporters after speaking at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nev., Tuesday March 19, 2024. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden greets Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., and Rep. Steve Horsford, D-Nev., as he arrives on Air Force One at Harry Reid International Airport, Tuesday March 19, 2024, in Las Vegas, for campaign events. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden greets supporters after speaking at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nev., Tuesday March 19, 2024. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden greets people after speaking at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nev., Tuesday March 19, 2024. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden speaks on the economy Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Las Vegas. Lucas Peltier/AP President Joe Biden greets people after speaking at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nev., Tuesday March 19, 2024. Jacquelyn Martin/AP Demonstrators showing their support for Palestinians protest near where President Joe Biden was speaking at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nev., Tuesday March 19, 2024. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden speaks about the economy, Tuesday March 19, 2024, in Las Vegas. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden talks after speaking at a campaign event at El Portal restaurant Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Phoenix. Jacquelyn Martin/AP President Joe Biden walks to speak at a campaign event at El Portal restaurant Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Phoenix. Jacquelyn Martin/AP People listen as President Joe Biden speaks at a campaign event at El Portal restaurant Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Phoenix. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

PHOENIX (AP)  President Joe Biden on Tuesday personally appealed to Latino voters, saying they're the reason he defeated Donald Trump in 2020 and urging them to help him do it again in November.

I need you back, he told several dozen supporters packed into a local Mexican restaurant.

Biden said the upcoming election isn't a referendum on him, but rather a choice between me and a guy named Trump. The Democrat highlighted Trump's derogatory rhetoric toward Latinos, from saying during his winning 2016 campaign that many of those coming to the United States from Mexico are rapists to the Republican's more recent claim that migrants are poisoning the blood of our country."

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Biden said Hispanic unemployment is the lowest it's been in a long time because of his policies, highlighted administration initiatives to help small businesses and reduce gun violence, and criticized Trump for wanting more tax cuts for rich people.

He wants to get rid of all the programs we put together," Biden said.

Bidens push with Latino voters is part of the campaigns broader efforts to lay the groundwork to reengage various constituencies he will need to be reelected. That effort is all the more crucial as key parts of Bidens base, such as Black and Hispanic adults, have become increasingly disenchanted with his performance in office.

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In an AP-NORC poll conducted in February, 38% of U.S. adults approved of how Biden was handling his job. Nearly 6 in 10 Black adults (58%) approved, compared to 36% of Hispanic adults. Black adults are more likely than white and Hispanic adults to approve of Biden, but that approval has dropped in the three years since Biden took office.

Biden, who is on a three-day campaign swing through Nevada, Arizona and Texas that's designed largely to court Latino voters, told supporters at an earlier political stop Tuesday in Reno, Nevada, that he and Trump have a different value set." He also criticized Trump's rhetoric.

I never heard a president say the things that he has said, Biden said.

Biden said Washoe County, where Reno is located, and Nevada are really, really, really critical for the November election. Nevada is among the roughly half-dozen battlegrounds that will determine the next president, and Washoe is the lone swing county in the state.

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We're going to beat him again," Biden said of Trump.

Afterward, Biden flew to Las Vegas to promote his administration's housing policies. In Phoenix on Wednesday, he'll discuss his support of the computer chip manufacturing sector.

Tuesday's appearances coincided with the launch of Latinos con Biden-Harris (Spanish for Latinos with Biden-Harris). Campaign ads ran in English, Spanish and Spanglish, a blend of the two languages, as did two Spanish-language radio interviews with the president.

I plan on working like the devil to earn your support," Biden said on El Bueno, la Mala y el Feo (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) on Univision Radio.

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In the interview, Biden turned questions about immigration into an indictment of Trump for his language about migrants, most recently saying they are animals and not people. Biden also noted Trumps pledge to carry out mass deportations.

We have to stop this guy, we cant let this happen, Biden said. We are a nation of immigrants.

Biden's reelection campaign, along with allied Democratic groups, have opened offices in Washoe County and in specific areas of Las Vegas that aides said will help the campaign with Black, Latino and Asian American voters. The president said Tuesday that his campaign will open more offices in the state, and Daniel Corona, the campaign's deputy political coalitions director, said Biden's reelection effort was hiring a political director to focus on rural parts of the state.

Bilingual campaign organizers are already in place in Arizona, and the campaign has opened an office in Maryvale, a major Latino community in Phoenix. The campaign has hired more than 40 staffers in Nevada and Arizona.

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The Republican National Committee accused Democrats of taking the Hispanic community for granted.

Republicans will continue receiving with open arms thousands of Hispanics that are moving to our party, disappointed with Democrats and their policies, and will be fundamental to Republican victories all over the country in 2024, said Jaime Florez, the party's director of Hispanic outreach.

Biden campaign officials believe that tuned-out voters are starting to pay attention to the reality of a rematch between Biden and Trump now that they are their parties' presumptive nominees. They're trying to boost coalition-building efforts in battleground states now that the matchup is set, using the energy coming out of Biden's State of the Union address this month to jolt their campaign momentum.

That includes, for example, ensuring that chapters are in place across college campuses so that students have a place to organize and that campaign offices are open and stocked with yard signs, campaign literature and other materials. Democrats are hoping that Trump and the GOP will struggle to catch up in key states.

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Latinos con Biden-Harris formally launched at Biden's Phoenix stop. The campaign has similar groups geared toward women and college students.

This isnt stuff that you can just stand up. This is stuff that requires work, Quentin Fulks, principal deputy campaign manager for the Biden campaign, said in an interview. It does require training. It does require making sure that your volunteers and supporters have what they need on the ground.

Meanwhile, the RNC dismissed dozens of staffers after new leaders closely aligned with Trump took over last week. Those let go include people who worked at the party's community centers that helped build relationships with minority groups in some Democratic-leaning areas. The committee's new leadership has since insisted that those centers will remain open.

Still, the Biden campaign and the broader Democratic Party are confronting their own struggles, despite their organizational advantages. On top of Biden's weaker job performance numbers, Democrats are seeing less support from key voting blocs come election time: While Biden won 63% of Hispanic voters in 2020, that percentage shrunk to 57% for Democratic candidates in the 2022 midterms, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the national electorate.

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Biden campaign officials say they are confident that once the contrast between the president's agenda and Trump's plans for a second term are presented to disillusioned members of Biden's coalition, they will ultimately back the president.

Biden is scheduled to close the trip with fundraisers in Dallas and Houston.

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Associated Press writers Linley Sanders and Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.

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Mayor Shari Cantor, shown here at a West Hartford Pride event, delivered her annual "State of the Town" address Monday. Steve Smith / Contributed photo West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor delivered the 2024 State of the Town Address on March 18. Michael Walsh / Hearst Connecticut Media

WEST HARTFORD  Like all communities, West Hartford is facing certain challenges ahead. But Mayor Shari Cantor is confident that the town will continue to tackle any obstacles and flourish in the coming year.

A crowd of elected officials, local businesspeople, sponsors, and residents gathered Monday night for the State of the Town Address, in which Cantor outlined the town's accomplishments over the past year and what lies ahead.

With high rankings and praises from various reports and magazines, the town is thriving, Cantor said. "I am so happy that the state of West Hartford is in an amazing place."

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But the question she asks is, what the town can do to be better?

Housing availability and affordability is the number one challenge municipalities nationwide are facing right now, she said, and West Hartford is no different.

"We have the largest number of UConn alumni that live in any community in Connecticut living in West Hartford, and they're looking for homes," she said. "The downside of all that growth is that we have too many people who cannot find a place to live. It's not available or it's just not affordable."

Demand for homes continues to outpace supply, Cantor said. Recognizing that, West Hartford has worked to increase its housing stock.

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In 2023, 72 new affordable housing units were completed in town, she said. And 181 new affordable housing units are either approved or under construction currently. West Hartford has also put $6 million in funding toward an affordable housing trust, and the affordable housing plan is slated for review and adoption in May, she said.

The town is working to add around 1,000 new housing units, with four major housing projects currently under construction, four approved, and two proposed, Cantor said. Residents can now expect to see much of the work the town has done to bring more housing actually begin to take shape in the coming year.

But residential development isn't the only thing skyrocketing, as the town's overall economy continues to soar, she said.

"West Hartford has all these amenities and is succeeding and attracting businesses and employees while other towns or cities are struggling, even some of our neighbors," Cantor said.

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With office, multifamily, retail, and industrial vacancy rates all under 8 percent, the high occupancy and low vacancy rates are a telltale sign of the town's thriving economy, she said. More and more new businesses are coming to town, and the number of building permits issued has been especially high.

Cantor listed myriad capital projects that are underway in town, ranging from various infrastructure improvements to expanding and upgrading community facilities. The town also continues to focus on transit-oriented development, and is pursuing a rail station stop in town as well, she said.

"Finding the right balance by combining commercial centers and residential life is key to a thriving community," Cantor said.

But besides housing and economic development, another challenge that Cantor discussed in her address was keeping the community safe. She referenced the recently adopted Vision Zero Plan, a 10-year plan to eliminate all fatal and serious injury car crashes.

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"It's going to take all of us to make sure that our roads are safer for all users. West Hartford's the first municipality in the state to adopt a Vision Zero action plan," she said.

Cantor also discussed the challenge of prioritizing sustainability, and how West Hartford was doing its part to address the state's waste crisis. Initiatives like the waste reduction pilot program and electric vehicle infrastructure plan were some of the major focuses this past year.

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She concluded her address by emphasizing the importance of continuing to work hard, even when the town was in an already successful state.
BOOKING has opened for this summers West Cork Chamber Music Festival, which takes place at Bantry.

The festival will feature 50 concerts and 80 musicians over 10 days.

Billed as Irelands most exciting celebration of chamber music, the festival has five international quartets and a stellar line-up of world-class musicians.

Free family-friendly fringe concerts will bring the music to the wider West Cork area, and there will be pop-up performances in Bantry town.

Festival masterclasses will run daily and Irelands only instrument exhibition will be held in the Old Methodist Church.

The West Cork Chamber Music Festival runs from Friday, June 28 to Sunday, July 7.

The festival is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Failte Ireland, Crespo Foundation, and Cork County Council.

For more information and to book concert tickets visit https://www.westcorkmusic.ie.
THE Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Kieran McCarthy, has thanked Corks newest charity for the work it has done over the past 15 years to raise awareness around suicide and mental health.

Mr McCarthy was speaking at an event in City Hall to mark the granting of charity status to the Shine A Light Suicide and Mental Health Awareness group.

Eoin Cremin and Karen Corcoran. Picture Denis Boyle

Shine A Light was founded on the northside of Cork in 2009, at a time when that part of the city was dealing with a high number of suicides, and the group has since expanded its operations to cover the entire city.

Kieran McCarthy Lord Mayor of Cork with founder member of Shine A Light Ann Long and committee member Grainne O'Connell. Picture Denis Boyle

I hosted the committee and wider group of stakeholders from Shine A Light in the Lord Mayors chamber just to say thanks and to acknowledge the fact they had achieved charitable status, Mr McCarthy told The Echo.

Sonia Sheehan and Lauren Hogan. Picture Denis Boyle

In my speech, I praised their efforts to get people talking and to listen to peoples concerns, and I said a little about the importance of coming together in this world that we live in.

Its a tough old world and togetherness matters more than ever before, he said.

Graham McCormack, Ann Desmond and Matt Reville. Picture Denis Boyle

Mr McCarthy said he had recently seen the play, Bring Me Back Alive, performed at Blarney secondary school Scoil Mhuire gan Smal, produced by Cork troupe ActorsVision and Shine A Light, with a group of about 300 students.

After the play, a number of students came forward, and a number of parents got in touch to thank Shine A Light for their work, so the work the group is doing is a success.

Mairead Kelly, Cllr Dan Boyle, Elenor Moore and Elena Tananakina. Picture Denis Boyle

I think very, very highly of Shine A Light, what theyre doing is working, theyre getting into the heart of communities, and its important that we provide them with as much resources as possible, the Lord Mayor said.

Joe Dalton, treasurer of Shine A Light, said the evening had been a very emotional occasion for members of the newly recognised charity.

We lit a candle for those who had died by suicide and held a minutes silence, and two poems were read on the night, one read by Fiona Murray, and one by John Morgan, and they captured exactly what the after-effects of suicide are for people left behind, he said.

Johns poem, in particular, conveyed a message of hope, urging people in distress to seek assistance, and it reinforced our own message that Talking is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Mr DAlton said it had been very moving to see representatives of so many agencies and groups who have supported the charity over the years.

It was a very poignant ceremony, even though it was very simple, and everyone in the room was touched by it, and were very grateful to the Lord Mayor for all of his support, he said.
FIFTH-year students at Christian Brothers College (CBC) Cork preparing to travel to Zambia this summer will put peoples general knowledge to the test with a fun fundraising event this week.

CBC is bringing The Chaser to Cork this Thursday in a bid to raise funds for the trip to Zambia in June with SERVE, a Cork-based development and volunteering organisation.

A total of 14 students were selected to travel with three teachers from the school and will give a helping hand at various farms, orphanages, nursing homes, and schools.

Speaking to The Echo, student James Fairtlough said: Were lucky to get the opportunity to be able to now experience this once-in-a-lifetime thing, travelling to a developing country and being able to see the other side of the world and how privileged we are in our position and we will probably never forget it.

Student Jack Huggins said that, behind the scenes, parents and teachers are also regularly meeting.

We do our part but the parents and the teachers do so much too.

Jack said each of the students travelling to Zambia has been holding fundraising events including a darts tournament, quizzes, raffles, car washes, and coffee mornings.

As youre doing these activities youre doing things you would never have thought you would do, he said.

I know Im so caught up in sport that I dont take the time at times to try something different and even with what were doing now and what well end up doing come June is just unbelievable.

Teacher at CBC Steven Lynch said he hopes the trip will open the students eyes to what is happening elsewhere in the world.

Its a great opportunity for them to see it and then theyll come back as better citizens and that as they go through their life they can appreciate what they have, he said.

The event was launched by Finance Minister Michael McGrath.

James explained how contestants can play for a top prize of 1,500.

Six people from the audience, anyone with a ticket, will be picked to go up and play against one of our three anonymous chasers for a maximum prize of 1,500.

If youre chosen and you dont want to go up, you can pick someone else. Its going to be a great night.

The event will take place at the Clayton Silver Springs Hotel at 8pm on Thursday.
THE theft of a charity box from a shop counter was described as particularly low and nasty as the accused man was jailed for five months. 31-year-old Eddie ODonoghue of Cork Simon Community pleaded guilty at Cork District Court to carrying out the theft at 7.20pm on May 1, 2022, at Dealz in Blackpool, Cork.

Defence barrister Elaine Audley said he had addiction difficulties and had stolen it in a desperate effort to feed his addiction.

The barrister acknowledged:

There is no doubt that stealing a charity box is particularly low.

Judge Mary Dorgan agreed with this assessment of the crime and added that it was nasty to steal money that had been donated to charity. Sergeant Pat Lyons said Eddie ODonoghue had over 100 previous convictions to his name and that many of them were for theft.

The judge accepted that the offence went back almost two years but said the seriousness of this type of offence had to be marked with a custodial sentence.

She sentenced ODonoghue to five months in jail.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Members of the Libyan House of Representatives have formed a technical committee chaired by the Second Deputy Speaker, Mesbah Douma, to monitor the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on citizens' incomes
THE HSE has warned prisoners that they are at extra risk after a nitazene-type substance was detected following five overdoses in Irish prisons over seven days.

Analysis carried out by the HSEs National Drug Treatment Centre laboratory has confirmed the presence of a nitazene type substance associated with a number of overdoses in Irish prisons in recent days.

Nitazenes were developed in the 1950s as synthetic opioid analgesics and an alternative to morphine, but because of fears surrounding the potential for overdoses were never approved for the medical market.

The HSE has described nitazene as a strong synthetic opioid that can cause serious overdoses, hospitalisations, and drug-related deaths.

An extreme risk drug warning was issued by the executive last December, after a nitazene-type substance had been linked with what it described as recent cases of serious overdose in Cork city.

In a statement released on Friday evening, the HSE said it was extending its current red alert to Irish prisons following a number of overdoses.

The HSE advises that there is extra risk at this time and strongly recommends those in prison avoid new types of drugs or new batches being sold, the executive said.

Professor Eamon Keenan, the HSEs national clinical lead in addiction services, said this was the first known case of nitazenes in an Irish prison setting.

We remind the public that the prison market may be different from others, Prof Keenan said. These drugs may come as a variety of different coloured powders or pills.

We advise all users of powders to exercise caution with all products, as the direction of these substances on the market cannot be guaranteed.

A spokesperson for the Irish Prison Service said it was working closely with the HSE in response to what it called a number of overdose presentations in custody.

The prison service has secured extra naloxone kits in the event of clinical intervention. Extra vigilance is being taken across the prison estate and the Irish Prison Service has commenced an information campaign for prisoners around the dangers of consuming contraband.
OVER 900,000 has been pledged in financial support for Cork heritage projects through the Historic Structures Fund (HSF) and the Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS).

Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, announced 9m in funding for 676 heritage projects across every county in Ireland, 924,169 of which will be going to 44 projects in Cork.

The two schemes support the conservation of historic buildings and help fund a variety of repairs and renovation works to prevent deterioration, protect character, and encourage the re-use of protected structures.

Conservation works

The HSF provides grants of between 15,000 and 200,000 to support major conservation works to significant historic buildings.

610,000 of a total of 4.5m went to 12 projects in Cork, including 114,000 for the Cork Public Museum, 100,000 for St Marys Church, 100,000 for Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, and 96,000 for Mallow Castle House.

The BHIS provides grants of up to 15,000 for maintenance and smaller conservation works to help prevent historic buildings from falling into disrepair and possible disuse.

A total of 314,168.72 went to 32 projects in Cork including 15,000 for Our Lady of The Rosary Church in Shanakiel, 14,800 for Kiltoohig in Charleville, 11,827.50 for Midleton College on Connolly St, 10,000 for St Annes Church in Shandon, and 10,000 for the YMCA building on Marlboro Street.

Mr Noonan said: The level of funding available highlights the Governments ongoing commitment to the built heritage that communities know and love.

These schemes also provide valuable work for the many traditional craft and tradespeople across Ireland, helping to keep these unique skills alive.

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OBrien TD, said it is wonderful to see a record number of projects being approved for funding under this years Historic Structures Fund.
The HSE has provided details of the MMR vaccine catch-up plan amid rising measles cases and fears of a widespread outbreak.

The catch-up campaign focuses on delivering the MMR vaccine to key groups, who may have missed their vaccines in the past, including children and young adults.

Health and care workers born after January 1st 1978 who may have missed MMR vaccination, or those born outside of Ireland are also advised to schedule a vaccination.

Anyone born in Ireland after January 1 1978, who may have missed an MMR vaccine, is also advised to schedule a vaccination.

Anyone who missed the MMR vaccine can get the vaccine at one of the clinics in Cork and Kerry this week, and anyone unsure whether they have had the MMR vaccine as a child, can still get the vaccine now to make sure theyre protected, with the spokesperson adding if you cannot find your vaccination records, it will not harm you to have the MMR vaccine again.

The HSE is offering catch-up MMR vaccine to children under 18 years of age who may have missed routine vaccination through GP services, and parents should contact their GP to make an appointment for their child/children.

HSE vaccination teams will also offer free MMR to young adults through vaccine clinics at third level educational settings for students and through HSE community vaccine clinics.

A vaccine portal is now open to book an appointment for MMR in community settings HERE. This is open to people aged five years and older (under 16s must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian).

The catch-up clinics will be held across Cork and Kerry and new dates are being added regularly.

The following clinics are all open to walk-ins:

Bantry Newtown Vaccination Centre, Bantry, Co. Cork, P75 H304 Tuesday, March 19: 9am-4:30pm

Newmarket Primary Care, West End, Newmarket, Co. Cork, P51 W2PY: Wednesday, March 20: 10am-4pm

Kinsale Primary Care Centre, New Road, Kinsale, Co. Cork, P17 RY11 Wednesday, March 20: 9am-3pm

Skibbereen Dental Building, Mobile Vac Centre, Coolnagarrane, Skibbereen, Co. Cork, P81 HC43 Thursday, March 21, 9am-4pm

Teach Mhuire, Old Youghal Road, Mayfield, Cork City, T23 Y820 Friday, March 22: 10am-4pm

All healthcare workers, including staff working in non-HSE organisations, are advised to check locally with their Occupational Health Department or employer regarding provision of MMR vaccines. Staff can attend their GP or a HSE community vaccination clinic also.

Specialist Registrar in Public Health Medicine, Dr Michael Hanrahan said, Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious illness.

Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body. In severe cases, it can lead to complications such as pneumonia and brain swelling, which can be life-threatening or cause life-long disabilities.

"The free MMR vaccine clinics offer a safe and effective way to protect yourself and your community from measles. The MMR vaccine also protects against mumps and rubella.

Recent outbreaks of measles in Europe and the UK mean that travel can put you at risk of exposure.

Getting vaccinated not only keeps you safe but also helps prevent the spread of measles in our communities. Don't wait - make sure you are vaccinated to protect yourself and your family from measles."

The HSE vaccination team on-site will be available to answer any questions and more information is available at: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/measles/.
A Cork city councillor has said a coordinated effort must be made to ensure that the misuse of fentanyl does not become a problem in Ireland, having heard about the impacts of the opioid during a visit to the States.

Independent councillor Mick Finn said the impacts of illegal fentanyl use were laid bare during a recent city delegation to San Francisco.

We heard in advance that large areas of the city were no go areas because of the impact that fentanyl use was having and while this proved somewhat exaggerated, the San Francisco police did impress on us the huge problems associated with the use of the drug, Mr Finn said.

Potent

Fentanyl, which is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine, can be prescribed for pain management. However, Mr Finn noted that it is also manufactured illegally and mixed with other substances so its impact can be even more devastating.

He said that in some cases, mere exposure to it has resulted in police in the US city becoming ill and that all police were being trained in the administration of naloxone.

Make no mistake, this is a death drug of the highest order and all attempts must be made to keep it out of our city, out of our country.

The former Lord Mayor added that a coordinated approach across government, health agencies, and law enforcement would be required to launch a robust preventative regime.

In response to a parliamentary question in January, Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton said the Department of Health and the HSE work in collaboration with European partners to prepare and respond to fentanyl or other new synthetic opioids, or other drugs, that may emerge.

She said there has been no laboratory analytical confirmation of fentanyl being detected in Ireland.
A CORK charity is set to host a well-known Irish country and western star for fundraising event this Spring.

Nazareth House Mallow will be welcoming Mike Denver for a fundraising concert on April 21 at the Hiland in Newmarket.

Funds generated from the concert will go towards purchasing a wheelchair accessible bus for disabled residents at Nazareth House.

HR Administrator at Nazareth House Mallow, Elaine OSullivan said: We at Nazareth House hope that in purchasing a bus, our residents and staff can plan and create many happy adventures, memories and journeys in the near future and the years ahead.

"We ask you to please support us by purchasing a ticket to our concert, buying a raffle ticket for our grand draw or simply donating to the cause.

Nazareth House Mallow, operated by the Sisters of Nazareth, has served the community in the greater Mallow area since 1932 and provides quality residential and pastoral care to its 120 residents.

For tickets to the concert visit https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/nazareth-house-mallow-mike-denver-show.
A 63-year-old Cork man accused of attacking his sleeping wife with boiling water and a claw-hammer two months ago claimed there is nothing at all wrong with her.

Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, cannot understand why the case against him was delayed so that a medical report could be prepared on his wife.

Mr Twomey, who has been refused in his bail applications at Cork District Court and at the High Court, said by video link from prison today: Her face is perfect, her body is perfect, she is normal, there is nothing at all wrong with her  a normal woman.

Defence solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly, said the accused could not understand why progress in the case had to await a medical report.

Judge Mary Dorgan explained why a medical report had to be prepared in a serious case where he faced two charges of assault causing harm.

Judge Dorgan adjourned the case until March 27 with the accused man, Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, remanded in custody.

When the case came before Cork District initially, Detective Garda Brian Murphy testified that the accused man flagged down a garda patrol car while soaked in blood and carrying a bloodstained hammer in a plastic bag at 5am on Monday, January 15 at Bakers Road, Gurranabraher, Cork.

Detective Garda Murphy charged Mr Twomey with two counts of assault causing harm to his wife, Jackie Twomey, at the family home.

Objecting to bail, Det. Garda Murphy said: This is very serious. She went to sleep in the safety of her own bed. Noel Twomey made the very conscious decision to boil a pot of water and retrieve a claw hammer from the tool box He then entered his bedroom where his wife slept and attacked her in a cowardly fashion as she lay asleep.
TWO surfers have been commended for their bravery after rescuing members of a family from a riptide off a Cork beach on St Patricks Day.

A father, mother, and their two teenage children were described by a spokesperson for the Valencia Coast Guard as being shaken following the brief encounter with strong currents at Garrettstown Beach.

The spokesperson said that numerous 999 calls were placed from 2.30pm reporting swimmers in difficulty at the beach.

Following the distress calls, the Coast Guard 115 air rescue unit deployed from Shannon, along with RNLI units from Kinsale and Courtmacsherry, as well as the local Coast Guard team from The Old Head of Kinsale and Seven Heads unit.

It had potential to be a big incident, said the spokesperson. The family were shaken, but no further medical assistance was needed.

Two local surfers assisted some members of the family, bringing them ashore by 2.37pm.

One of the surfers, Carlos Amaya, owner of Pukana Surf Adventures in Garrettstown, told The Echo that he had just finished a surf lesson at the beach when he was alerted to the family in danger.

Half dressed, he ran with his surf board from his van and re-entered the water, making his way towards the family in need.

I was just finished my lesson, and was taking off my wetsuit, he said.

It was halfway down my body when people came to me saying go help, so I grabbed my board and I ran.

Accompanied by his friend Aaron OCallaghan, a local surfer who was already in the water, Mr Amaya paddled a distance of 200m to the swimmers before bringing them ashore.

I brought the son and daughter in, he said.

I was a little nervous when I saw them. The best thing was the dad was keeping them afloat.

The three of them, the father and two children, were caught in the riptide. The mom was by the rocks, she was screaming and shouting for her kids.

We were lucky, he added. It was very risky.

While a small craft warning had been in place, Mr Amaya said that is it quite common for him to assist people in getting out of the water, as the currents in that particular area of Garrettstown beach can be very strong.

In that part of the beach you see it all the time, it drags people quite far, said Mr Amaya.

People were running with ropes and buoys, they were very far from the beach.

Mr Amaya said that this incident was one of the worst he had experienced, and that the family was very grateful to him following the rescue.

The mom was so happy when the kids were out of the water, she gave me a big hug, he said. The dad came up to thank me as well.

The two surfers were later thanked by emergency services, with the spokesperson for Valencia Coast Guard stating: We have to commend their bravery.
A long-running dispute between frontline gardai and Commissioner Drew Harris about rostering may be approaching resolution.

In what it described as a significant development, the central executive committee (CEC) of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) recommended on Tuesday evening that members vote to accept a roster proposal negotiated with senior garda management.

The GRA, which represents over 10,000 rank-and-file gardai, has been in disagreement with management for months, with relations between the commissioner and the association at an all-time low.

In February, for the first time in the history of An Garda Siochana, the GRA decided not to invite the commissioner to its conference, after a vote of no confidence in Mr Harris by 98% of GRA members.

Garda dissatisfaction centred around the controversial reintroduction of the Westmanstown garda roster established in 2012, and used before the Covid-19 pandemic.

A roster of 12-hour shifts, with four units of gardai working in a pattern of four days on/four days off was introduced during the pandemic and has proven very popular with gardai.

Returning to the old roster would see a resumption of five garda units working 10-hour shifts in a pattern of six days on/four days off, and would necessitate the redeployment of staff to make up that fifth unit.

In a letter sent to all GRA members, the associations general secretary, Ronan Slevin, said the new proposal closely reflects the GRAs rosters proposal submitted to garda management last October.

Most significantly is that members earnings have been preserved and in some cases increased versus the Westmanstown roster, Mr Slevin said.

Under the new proposals, core policing function units, such as regular response gardai, would remain on a four days on/four days off 12-hour shift rotation. They would have a reduced annual leave of 29.5 days.

The non-core units, such as detectives, roads policing units, and community policing, would work a 10-hour shift duration across a rostering platform of six days on/four days off, four days on/six days off, and six days on/four days off.

Non-core teams will have 35 days annual leave.

A series of meetings will be had with GRA members proposals ahead of a ballot of members in the coming weeks.

The Cork branch of the GRA will meet next Monday evening to discuss the proposed new roster.
JURY service is when you are instructed to attend court with other members of the public, so the court can select people to sit on juries for upcoming court cases.

Even though you are called for jury service, you may not actually serve on a jury. If you are selected to serve, you and the other jurors will hear the evidence in the case, then decide if the accused person is guilty of an offence.

You have an obligation to attend for jury service if you are called to do so.

You will be contacted by summons of the County Registrar, and this will state that you are obliged to attend for jury service on a particular date.

Who is eligible for jury service?

If you are an Irish citizen aged 18 and over, and are on the Register of Electors you are eligible for jury service, unless you:

Are involved in any way with the administration of justice. This includes judges, former judges, the President, the Attorney General, the Director of Public Prosecutions, members of the Gardai and defence forces, prison officers, practising barristers, solicitors, court officers such as registrars, and personnel in government departments involved in matters of justice or the courts.

Have, or had, a mental illness or mental disability and because of this are staying in a hospital or similar institution, or regularly attend treatment with a medical practitioner

Are unable to read or have a long-term impairment that means it is not practical for you to serve on a jury

The rules about eligibility are set down in the Juries Act 1976 as amended by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008.

Who is disqualified from jury service?

You are disqualified if you:

Have been convicted of a serious offence in Ireland

Have ever been sentenced to five years or more in prison

Have been sentenced to three months or more in prison in the last ten years

Are living in Ireland but are not an Irish citizen.

Who has a right to be excused from jury service?

You have the right to be excused if you:

Are aged 65 or over

Are a member of either House of the Oireachtas, a member of the Council of State, the Comptroller and Auditor General, a Clerk of Dail Eireann or Seanad Eireann, in Holy Orders, a minister of any religious denomination or community, a member of a monastery or convent, an aircraft pilot, a full-time student or a ships master

Provide an important community service, such as a practising doctor, nurse, midwife, dentist, vet or chemist

Have served on a jury in the last three years, or been excused by a judge for a certain amount of time after a previous period of jury service

In some cases, people with the following jobs can be excused, however in these cases you must provide certification that your role cannot be postponed or reasonably performed by another person:

Member of staff of either House of the Oireachtas

Head of a government department

Civil servant

Chief executive officer or employee of a local authority

Health Service Executive (HSE) employee

Harbour authority employee

School teacher

University lecturer

You can also be excused from jury service in other situations, for example:

The County Registrar or the trial judge can excuse you if they are satisfied that there is good reason to do so

After a case of an exceptionally exacting nature, the trial judge can excuse the jury from service for as long as they deem suitable

What happens if I dont attend for jury service?

Under the Juries Act 1976, you can be fined for:

Failing to attend for jury service without a reasonable excuse

Being unavailable when called to serve

Being unfit for service by reason of drink or drugs

You can also be fined for other offences in relation to jury service, including:

Making (or causing to be made) any false representations

Serving on a jury knowing you are ineligible or disqualified

Giving false or misleading answers to the judge about your qualification for jury service

Making (or causing to be made) any false representations about a person summoned as a juror so they dont have to do jury service

How is a jury selected?

Jurors are contacted by summons of the County Registrar. You must reply to this. You can do so online at jury.courts.ie or by using the QR code on the summons. You can also reply by post using the form and pre-paid envelope provided.

If you have a right to be excused from jury service, you must state this when you respond to the summons.

If you want to be excused for another reason (such as illness), you must state that reason when you reply to the summons and enclose any certificates or documents in support of your application. The County Registrar will decide if you can be excused, or not.

Is there a payment for jury service?

You are not paid and travelling expenses are not allowed. If you are actually serving as a juror, lunch will be provided on trial days.

If you are self-employed and work alone and your attendance at jury service means you cannot earn a living, you may qualify to be excused from jury service. Contact the jury office of the court for more information.

If you are signing on for a Jobseekers payment, you will continue to be paid, but you should advise your local social welfare office that you have been called for jury service.

What happens if I am employed?

Your employer must let you attend jury service. Time spent on it should be treated as if the employee were actually employed, and you are entitled to be paid while away from work. If you have a contract of employment, for example (temporary workers or contract workers), you are entitled to be paid by your employer while on jury service.

There should also be no loss of any other employment rights while you serve on a jury.

You can request a certificate from the jury office to confirm your attendance. If you feel your employment rights have been infringed or you have lost employment rights while serving on a jury, you can make a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission using the online complaint form on workplacerelations.ie
By Claudia Savage and Rhiannon James, PA Political Staff

Northern Ireland will become a weak spot in the UKs migration policy if the Rwanda Bill does not apply in the region, a DUP MP has said.

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill aims to compel judges to regard the east African country as safe in a bid to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight there.

During a debate in the UK parliament on amendments to the Rwanda Bill, MP for East Antrim Sammy Wilson expressed his partys support for the sentiment of the Rwanda plan, but said if it was not applied in Northern Ireland the region could become a channel for illegal migration.

Amendments Mr Wilson said the party would support the British government in voting down included amendment one, which would ensure the Bill complies with domestic and international law, and amendment four which would allow the presumption that Rwanda is safe to be challenged in the courts.

Mr Wilson told MPs: We cannot go on with the pressures that mass illegal immigration puts on society, and the cost which it puts on society and on the government and on the tax-payer.

For that reason we will oppose most of the Lords amendments which as the minister has rightly pointed out and other speakers have pointed out during this debate, many of them were designed to weaken this bill, to undermine it and to ensure that it doesnt work and that we just remain with the old flawed system that we have been trying to put aside.

The minister has said that the reason why the government opposes them  and hes right  that he doesnt want to see the Bill weakened, but could I say the Bill is ready weakened.

Its weakened in respect of one part of the United Kingdom, and I seek assurances from the minister as to how he comes to the conclusion that by pushing the Bill through in its present form it is going to safeguard all parts of the United Kingdom against illegal immigration being channelled through different parts.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson said Northern Ireland could become a channel for illegal migration (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Wilson said that Northern Irelands geographic separation from Britain by the Irish Sea did not mean the region was less susceptible to illegal migration.

He said: The implications of course are that if Northern Ireland becomes the weak spot in all of this then this becomes meaningless.

And people think the boats arent going to come from France across the sea into southern Ireland, its a 24-hour journey, but remember Belfast, already out of 77 cities in the United Kingdom, has the second-highest number of illegal immigrants per 10,000 of the population.

So already it is a channel, through the Republic into Northern Ireland and then of course into England, so this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

He added: The real difficulty is and the real danger is if Northern Ireland does become that channel then well finish up not just with a border for goods, but well finish up with passport control for people moving from Northern Ireland.

Earlier in the debate, DUP MP Jim Shannon intervened to ask for clarity on the Rwanda Bills compatibility with article two of the Windsor Framework.

Mr Shannon said: Can the minister confirm that our concerns as the Democratic Unionist Party we put forward at the last debate, and I put forward to the minister himself, have been taken on board?

Because we dont see that in the legislation before us today, and if we dont see it then its going to be very hard for us to support the [British] government on this.
Gov. Ned Lamont tours Gateway Terminal to see the new All-Electric Sennebogen 895 Port Cargo Handling Machine, now in operation in New Haven, Conn. March 18, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Gov. Ned Lamont tours Gateway Terminal to see the new All-Electric Sennebogen 895 Port Cargo Handling Machine, now in operation in New Haven, Conn. March 18, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Gov. Ned Lamont, center, speaks with Gateway Terminal President Greg Baribault, left, and Enstructure Co-CEO Philippe De Montigny during a tour to see the new All-Electric Sennebogen 895 Port Cargo Handling Machine, now in operation in New Haven, Conn. March 18, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media

NEW HAVEN  On a platform suspended nearly 40 feet above New Haven Harbor, Gov. Ned Lamont got a first-hand look Monday at the latest piece of machinery designed to help the state meet its ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

From the platform, a gigantic green arm swivels over the docks, barges and cargo ships of the Gateway Terminal with the Port of New Haven. Attached to the end of the arm is a cavernous metal bucket, large enough to easily scoop up the governors state-issued SUV and deposit it into one of the awaiting ships.

At the bottom of the structure, a line of red cable runs underneath the pier and onto land, where it hooks up the rest of the region's power grid.

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The cargo mover, built by the German firm Sennebogen, is the largest machine of its kind to run entirely on electric power, according to the manufacturer. It was installed by Gateway in December utilizing a $3.1 million in state grants, replacing an older diesel-powered crane that belched carbon dioxide and other smog-forming pollutants into the air. New Haven is one of only three ports in the country equipped with the newest Sennebogen machines.

The total $7.5 million cost of the all-electric mover included infrastructure upgrades that allowed Gateway to draw enough power for the machines 500 kilowatt motor, which uses enough electricity to power several hundred homes.

With the infrastructure already in place, Gateway plans to eventually replace its other diesel-powered crane with a second all-electric model, according to the companys president, Greg Baribault.

Over the course of its lifespan, each of the electric cargo handlers will forgo around 350,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

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Wed like to get to a point where we can unload a ship with an electric crane, put it on an electric truck, bring it to our warehouse and unload it with an electric forklift and store it in our warehouse until it goes out to an end user, Baribault said.

During his tour on Monday, Lamont acknowledged that Connecticut and the other states sharing New Englands electric grid will need to vastly increase the supply of available, renewable electricity if they plan to meet their deadlines to slashing carbon emissions by mid-century.

While industrial users such as Gateway account for just 8 percent of the states greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2021 report, the simultaneous transition to electric vehicles and growth of other energy-intensive users is expected to place incredible strain on the regions power grid.

Were going to need more electric capacity, this is a small piece of that need, but nothing compared to data centers and AI and the eventual electrification of the transportation system, Lamont said. Its something were thinking hard about right now.

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Gateway is also the operator of the State Pier in New London, which was recently retrofitted to become a hub for offshore wind power. Lamont also pointed to discussions surrounding more distant possibilities, such as importing more hydropower from Quebec or even expanding the output of Connecticuts Millstone Nuclear Power Plant  though both of those options remain years away from reality.

In the meantime, Baribault said that the move to electrify Gateway's operations in New Haven is expected to result in savings on both fuel and maintenance.

While the Sennebogens 50-ton lift capacity is slightly less than a traditional crane, its longer arm and speedier maneuvering means that crews can also save time loading and unloading vessels. Baribault said the difference between a crane and a material handler depends more or less how you use it, though cranes typically involve cables supported by a latticework structure.

Even though you lose one or two tons each cycle, youre doing three cycles for every one cycle on that one, Baribault said.

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On Monday, the machine was being used to load scrap metal into a barge destined for Charleston, S.C., where its cargo was to be offloaded and recycled into steel coils and billets. In addition to exporting scrap metal, Gateways New Haven facility also imports steel products, lumber and asphalt both domestically and from ports as far away as Turkey.
Muireann Duffy

The HSE has begun the rollout of the MMR vaccine as part of a catch-up programme following an increase in the number of measles cases reported across Europe.

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella, the first dose of which is generally administered to babies at around one-year-old as part of the childhood immunisation schedule. The second dose is generally given in Junior Infants.

However, uptake rates have fallen to below the 95 per cent target set by the World Health Organisation, which has warned that reduced uptake in the population poses an increased risk of measles infections in children.

According to the Department of Health, "those born in Ireland before 1978 are likely to have immunity to measles".

Five cases of measles have been identified in the State in recent weeks. Among them was a 48-year-old man who died in early February having contracted the infection in the UK.

An increase in reported cases of measles has also been noted across mainland Europe and the UK.

Concerned about measles?



Find out about the signs, symptoms and how to protect yourself and your family by visiting our website here: https://t.co/QPH94rJhsI pic.twitter.com/XZgUcT8tf0  HSE Ireland (@HSELive) March 19, 2024

The director of the HSE's national immunisation office, Dr Lucy Jessop, described measles as "highly infectious and can be an acute and serious infection".

"It causes a rash illness, with cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis and high fever. Complications of measles include ear infections, pneumonia, febrile seizures and, less commonly, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and even death," she added.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine are administered for best protection.

The catch-up programme aims to target three key groups who may have missed their MMR vaccines in the past: children, young adults, and health and care workers.

In addition to those who have never received a dose of the MMR vaccine, those who did not or are unsure whether they received a second dose are also urged to avail of the catch-up programme.

"The only protection against measles is vaccination," Dr Jessop said.

"Two doses of MMR vaccine are needed, and if a child or young adult is not fully protected, then MMR vaccines can be obtained from your GP or HSE vaccination clinic."

The vaccines are available free of charge from GPs for all age groups, but particularly under 18s, and from HSE community clinics for all eligible people over five-years-old.

The HSE said targeted vaccine clinics will also be established for specific groups, including students, refugees, and international protection applicants.

Further information on measles, the MMR vaccine, and the catch-up programme can be found on the HSE website.
Tom Tuite

A Dublin-based garda sergeant is to stand trial accused of the false imprisonment of a woman, perverting the course of justice and burglary.

The Garda Anti-Corruption Unit has been investigating the activities of a particular Garda unit based in the Dublin region, leading to the arrest of four officers who are currently suspended from duty.

Ciaran Whelan (51), with an address in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, was arrested earlier this month and charged. He has worked out of the detective unit in Store Street Garda station in central Dublin.

Gda Sgt Whelan had been given station bail to appear before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court on Tuesday, facing seven charges concerning alleged offences between June 19th and September 27th, 2021.

He is accused of false imprisonment of a named woman at St John's Road West, Dublin 8, on September 7th.

It is also alleged he perverted the course of public justice by making a false report between August 25th and September 15th to a named Garda Superintendent regarding a search of a male's flat on Kenilworth Road, Dublin 6, on June 19th.

He is also charged with burglary at that flat, by entering it as a trespasser to commit a theft offence, and perverting the course of justice on September 27th by amending data on the Garda Pulse system regarding two incidents.

He is further accused of twice perverting the course of public justice on August 28th, by allegedly creating and printing a search warrant and information for a search that occurred on June 19th at the flat in Kenilsworth Road, Dublin6, and creating an incident on the Pulse system in relation to the search.

Trial on indictment

The defendant, who was dressed in dark blue jeans, a navy jumper, and a black jacket, stood silently throughout the brief hearing on Tuesday. He is yet to indicate a plea.

Garda Inspector Tom Cooney told the court that the defendant was arrested on the morning of March 11th at Irishtown Garda station and was subsequently charged, to which he "made no reply to any charge".

Inspector Cooney said the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed trial on indictment, meaning the case will proceed to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers in the case of a conviction.

Defence solicitor Andrew Freeman said there was consent to an eight-week adjournment.

Judge Aylmer remanded the accused to appear again at the District Court on May 17th, when he will be served with a book of evidence.

He is the second person to come before the courts in relation to the probe, after Garda Mark Duffy (39), with an address in Dublin 15, appeared before Dublin District Court last week.

The Dublin-based garda is accused of intending to pervert the course of public justice between August 28th and December 20th, 2021.

He is further accused of burglary at a flat on Kenilworth Road on June 19th, 2021.

He is also yet to indicate a plea, and is due back in court on May 17th to be served with a book of evidence.
Sonya McLean

A man who engaged in sexually obscene video calls with people he believed were 14-year-old girls has been jailed for 18 months.

Patrick McInerney (40), of Main Street, Kilkishen, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to using information technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child, sending explicit material and engaging in offensive conduct of a sexual nature on dates in February 2023.

Detective Garda Tracey OReilly said gardai were contacted by a group that been set up in the UK to seek out people who attempt to communicate with children by creating decoys and waiting to see if the decoy is contacted.

Gardai were told that McInerney had been in communication with two people who he believed were 14-year-old girls.

Two women had set up decoy Facebook profiles and McInerney had made contact with both online.

The group had set up a meeting with McInerney and had alerted gardai to the fact that the meeting was taking place.

Det Gda OReilly said McInerney was arrested that day and his phone was seized and analysed.

She said it was clear from analysis of the phone that McInerney had sent a friend request to one of the decoys, who had clearly identified herself as a 14-year-old girl. He sent the friend request and then forwarded a photograph of his erect penis.

The decoy replied asking why he had sent such an image and said she was 11-years-old. He didnt have any further communication with this profile.

On February 27th, 2023, he made contact with the second decoy, who had also been set up as the profile of a 14-year-old girl on Facebook.

In this instance, McInerney completed three video calls, two of them through the medium of Facebook, during which he masturbated. He also requested and conducted a further video call with the decoy on WhatsApp.

Det Gda OReilly confirmed that the videos were recorded and handed to gardai. The face of the person who had taken McInerneys calls was not shown during the video.

Admissions

In another incident, McInerney made contact with a woman who was selling puppies online. After some communication with the woman, he sent her a photograph of his erect penis. He sent a similar image the following day and the woman blocked him.

The woman never made a complaint to gardai and the offence was only discovered when the gardai carried out the analysis on McInerneys phone.

Det Gda OReilly agreed with Richard Brady BL, defending, that McInerney made full admissions and provided gardai with his passwords and any nicknames he used on his various social media accounts.

It was further accepted that he no longer uses Facebook nor does he own a smartphone.

Mr Brady said that a report from the Probation Service indicated a willingness to work with McInerney and outlined a number of recommended courses he could engage with.

Judge Martin Nolan said that McInerney had responded to decoys when it was apparent that they were very young. He described the communication between them as obscene in nature and noted that McInerney had engaged in similar conduct with an adult woman.

He accepted that there was good mitigation in the case and there was hope for rehabilitation for McInerney but added: He undoubtedly deserves to go to prison.

Judge Nolan sentenced McInerney to three years in prison with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a game-changing technology. It is forcefully influencing global security, reshaping international power dynamics and revolutionising the world of work.

Against this backdrop and in a world-first, Members of the European Parliament reached a historic consensus earlier this month on a comprehensive new legislation designed to govern the development and use of AI technologies.

This marks our commitment to responsible digital leadership and an ethical future for artificial intelligence in Europe.

As one of the leading negotiators working on the regulation, I was proud to see European lawmakers endorse an approach that aims to make the most of the benefits of this emerging technology while also setting up protections against its risks.

I have always said that the bedrock for regulating AI must be a risk-based approach. Future development of the technology needs to be human centric and responsible.

We cannot allow AI to grow in an unrestricted and unfettered manner. This is why the EU is actively implementing safeguards and establishing boundaries.

The objective of the AI Act is simple, to protect users from possible risks, promote innovation and encourage the uptake of safe, trustworthy AI in the EU.

This will mean that companies developing large language models and generative AI will have to follow new transparency rules in Europe if they wish to continue operating in the 27 Member States.

Chatbots and AI systems, which have the ability to create manipulated narratives and images such as deepfakes, will have to clearly show that their content is AI generated.

The European Parliament adopted the world's first regulation on AI on March 13th.

Now to the challenge: implementation and establishing a gold standard for AI regulation while developing a technological advantage for Europe in the field.

While this will be a fine balancing act, it can  and must  be done.

Leading companies in the AI field including Google, Microsoft and Meta acknowledge that AI regulation, of what is perhaps the biggest governance challenge of our time, is necessary.

It is now crucial for European leaders to take a far more active role in promoting the positive productive possibilities for AI, particularly in the areas of education, healthcare and tackling climate change.

We must deepen our relationships with industry, universities and up-and-coming innovators to strengthen our development and research capacity and invest in public digital infrastructure that will stand the test of time.

The AI Act will enable greater innovation, market competition and certainty which helps the uptake of AI within society. People expect AI to be safe and this can be ensured by regulation.

Brussels has been the first mover to put guardrails in place for AI; the rest of the world will have to follow.

Deirdre Clune is a Member of the European Parliament for Ireland and is the lead negotiator for the EPP Group on the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act.
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.

Smoke rises from a re-rolling mill in Dhaka, Bangladesh on May 16, 2022. A new report says Bangladesh was one of the most polluted countries in 2023. Kazi Salahuddin Razu / NurPhoto

Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir has released its sixth World Air Quality Report, detailing 2023s most polluted countries and territories in the world.

In compiling the report, more than 30,000 monitoring stations in 134 nations, territories and regions were examined by IQAir scientists, a press release from IQAir said. Of these, 124  92.5 percent  exceeded the annual guideline set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

Causing an estimated one in every nine deaths worldwide, air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide every year, IQAir said.

Just seven countries met WHOs annual PM2.5 guidelines  Australia, New Zealand, Estonia, Iceland, Finland, Grenada and Mauritius.

Meanwhile, the most polluted countries last year were Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Tajikistan and Burkina Faso.

A clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a universal human right. In many parts of the world the lack of air quality data delays decisive action and perpetuates unnecessary human suffering. Air quality data saves lives. Where air quality is reported, action is taken, and air quality improves, said Frank Hammes, IQAir Global CEO, in the press release.

The most underrepresented continent in the report was Africa, where one-third of the population does not have access to data on air quality. Just 24 of 54 countries on the continent had sufficient monitoring data, IQAir said, as CNN reported.

In Southeast Asia, almost every country saw PM2.5 concentrations rise, with transboundary haze and climate conditions affecting the region.

The planets ten most polluted cities in 2023 were all located in Central and South Asia. The four most polluted were in India, with Begusarai taking the top spot.

We see that in every part of our lives that air pollution has an impact, Hammes said, as reported by CNN. And it typically, in some of the most polluted countries, is likely shaving off anywhere between three to six years of peoples lives. And then before that will lead to many years of suffering that are entirely preventable if theres better air quality.

In the United States, the most polluted city was Beloit, Wisconsin, while the most polluted major city was Columbus, Ohio, the report said.

On the flipside, the cleanest major U.S. city was Las Vegas.

Fine particulate matter has been linked to many serious health issues.

Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution leads to and exacerbates numerous health conditions, including but not limited to asthma, cancer, stroke, and lung disease. Additionally, exposure to elevated levels of fine particles can impair cognitive development in children, lead to mental health issues, and complicate existing illnesses including diabetes, IQAir said.

For the first time, the report found Canada to be North Americas most polluted country with 13 of the most polluted cities in the region located there.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, low-cost sensors were used to gather 70 percent of the air quality data collected in real-time.

While the number of countries and regions with air quality monitoring has steadily increased over the past six years, there remain significant gaps in government-operated regulatory instrumentation in many parts of the world, IQAir explained. Low-cost air quality monitors, sponsored and hosted by citizen scientists, researchers, community advocates, and local organizations, have proven to be valuable tools to reduce gaps in air monitoring networks across the world.

According to independent air quality monitors, there has been a disproportionate amount of exposure to harmful air among underrepresented and vulnerable groups. Gaps in the monitoring data in places where air quality is likely poor highlight the necessity of expanding global air quality monitoring coverage.

IQAirs annual report illustrates the international nature and inequitable consequences of the enduring air pollution crisis. Local, national, and international effort is urgently needed to monitor air quality in under-resourced places, manage the causes of transboundary haze, and cut our reliance on combustion as an energy source, said Aidan Farrow, Greenpeace International senior air quality scientist, in the press release. In 2023, air pollution remained a global health catastrophe. IQAirs global data set provides an important reminder of the resulting injustices and the need to implement the many solutions that exist to this problem.

The report pointed out that, by changing weather patterns that affect rainfall and wind, the climate crisis has a major influence on air pollution levels, as CNN reported. And as extreme heat events happen more frequently and become increasingly severe, it will lead to increased air pollution.

We have such a strong overlap of whats causing our climate crisis and whats causing air pollution, Hammes said, as reported by CNN. Anything that we can do to reduce air pollution will be tremendously impactful in the long term also for improving our climate gas emissions, and vice versa.




Czech delegation led by agriculture official to visit Philippines this week

President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel has announced that he would send a business delegation, led by Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny, to the Philippines this week, according to an announcement on March 15.

The upcoming visit is in line with Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s bid to expand cooperation with the Czech Republic in terms of food security, Communication Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.

"Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny is set to visit Manila eyeing to establish cooperation that would support the food security initiatives of the Philippines," she said.

Garafil said Vyborny is expected to meet with Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel and lead a business forum in Makati on March 21.

She added that the Czech official and business delegation would also visit Davao on March 22 for a business forum and a farm visit at the Tagum Agricultural Development Company, Inc.

In a joint press conference with Marcos after their bilateral meeting in Prague Castle, Pavel said Czech businessmen who would visit the Philippines are interested in investing in agriculture and other key sectors.

"Very soon, our Minister of Agriculture shall visit the Philippines with a numerous delegation of our businessmen with specific, particular plans to offer," he said. "We also have companies that are involved in defense industry, manufacturing, in farming and agriculture, science, technology, energy sector, power sector. Many of these businesses do have particular specific plans for the future cooperation with the Philippines."

The Czech Republic is one of the Philippines' partners that provided assistance in analysing and improving value chains in the Philippine dairy industry.

The Czech Aid-for-Trade granted the National Dairy Authority's (NDA) proposal to fund the technical exchange of experts, in line with the DA's five-year programme to raise milk production in the country from 1% to 10%.

The NDA completed two projects in cooperation with the Czech Republic  the expert assistance on the in-depth analysis of the supply chain of the Philippine dairy industry undertaken in 2018 and the strengthening of the capacities of dairy farmers and extension workers project undertaken in 2019.

The Czech Republic ranked as the Philippines' 39th trading partner, 28th export market and 47th import supplier in 2022, with total bilateral trade amounting to US$303.21 million.

- PNA
The Connecticut state Capitol, in Hartford. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven File photo Attorney General William Tong Ken Dixon/Hearst Connecticut Media

HARTFORD Home health agencies would have to find out more background information about their patients, and would be reimbursed for providing visiting nurses with escorts to certain homes and neighborhoods under legislation pushed Monday by Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney.

The bill, which is a top priority for Looney's majority caucus, would require home health care companies to provide more safety training and ways to perform safety checks on cell phone apps. It would be mandatory for agencies and staff, including nurses and aides, to create risk assessments of individual patients and report threats or abuse.

It was inspired in part by the murder last year of Joyce Grayson of Brooklyn, Connecticut who was killed in a halfway house for sex offenders in Willimantic, as well as the January death of Ototegile Morulane, a live-in caregiver and citizen of the Republican of Botswana who died in an East Lyme house fire.

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"According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health care workers are five times more likely to experience violence compared to people working in other sectors," Looney said. "We just cannot ignore that risk." He noted that another survey of nurses from 2022 reported that 60 percent of those who responded had experienced violence, bullying or incivility on the job.

Under the legislation, which if approved in the committee would next head to the Senate floor, there would be a million-dollar program established in the state Department of Public Health to help purchase safety technology for the agencies. Agencies would have to research patients families, others in those homes, as well as the neighbors that nurses visit, in attempt to gauge potential physical threats to the health professionals. "It would also provide some funding to help those who believe that hiring escorts would be necessary in certain circumstances for their employees," Looney said.

"We've been waiting a long time to be the important people that deserve a safe working environment," said first-term Sen. Martha Marx, D-New London, a registered nurse and longtime visiting nurse, who knew Morulane. "I think it's going to be hard for people to understand that when we go to someone's home to care for them that it might be their home, but it's our workplace. We deserve to feel safe."

She said that the fact that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration was not called to probe the circumstances around Morulane's death, is typical of the lack of respect that home care workers get. "We're pretty low on the food chain," she said. "He was an amazing, kind man."

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She asked Looney whether if the bill become law, would working conditions actually improve for home health employees.

"We are going to have to pay increasing attention to the safety of home health care workers, visiting nurses and others, just because of the demographic change in our society," Looney said. "More and more people are going to need those services. As we know, people are desperately anxious to stay out of nursing homes, if they can. So, people infinitely prefer being cared for at home. The oldest members of the baby boom generation are going to be 78 this year. The youngest members are 60."

The bill also addresses issues of cyber-security. Attorney General William Tong said the bill would require the state Department of Public Health join the state's cyber-security preparedness plan. "We're in a brave new world and every day all of us are under attack," he told the committee. "This building, your email, my email, by scammers and bad actors who want to penetrate our cyber-security defenses and want to gain access to information."
In less than two years, NVIDIAs H100 chips, which are used by nearly every AI company in the world to train large language models that power services like ChatGPT, made it one of the worlds most valuable companies. On Monday, NVIDIA announced a next-generation platform called Blackwell, whose chips are between seven and 30 times faster than the H100 and use 25 times less power.



Blackwell GPUs are the engine to power this new Industrial Revolution, said NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang at the companys annual GTC event in San Jose attended by thousands of developers, and which some compared to a Taylor Swift concert. Generative AI is the defining technology of our time. Working with the most dynamic companies in the world, we will realize the promise of AI for every industry, Huang added in a press release.



NVIDIAs Blackwell chips are named in honor of David Harold Blackwell, a mathematician who specialized in game theory and statistics. NVIDIA claims that Blackwell is the worlds most powerful chip. It offers a significant performance upgrade to AI companies with speeds of 20 petaflops compared to just 4 petaflops that the H100 provided. Much of this speed is made possible thanks the 208 billion transistors in Blackwell chips compared to 80 billion in the H100. To achieve this, NVIDIA connected two large chip dies that can talk to each other at speeds up to 10 terabytes per second.



In a sign of just how dependent our modern AI revolution is on NVIDIAs chips, the companys press release includes testimonials from eight CEOs who collectively lead companies worth trillions of dollars. They include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, Oracle chairman Larry Ellison, Dell CEO Michael Dell, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.



There is currently nothing better than NVIDIA hardware for AI, Musk says in the statement. "Blackwell offers massive performance leaps, and will accelerate our ability to deliver leading-edge models. Were excited to continue working with NVIDIA to enhance AI compute, Altman says.



NVIDIA did not disclose how much Blackwell chips would cost. Its H100 chips currently run between $25,000 and $40,000 per chip, according to CNBC, and entire systems powered by these chips can cost as much as $200,000.



Despite their costs, NVIDIAs chips are in high demand. Last year, delivery wait times were as high as 11 months. And having access to NVIDIAs AI chips is increasingly seen as a status symbol for tech companies looking to attract AI talent. Earlier this year, Zuckerberg touted the companys efforts to build a massive amount of infrastructure to power Metas AI efforts. At the end of this year, Zuckerberg wrote, we will have ~350k Nvidia H100s  and overall ~600k H100s H100 equivalents of compute if you include other GPUs.
Signs warn drivers about the use of automated traffic cameras to catch speeders in highway work zones during a pilot program run by the Connecticut Department of Transportation between April and December last year. Submitted/DOT

HARTFORD  A pilot program that flagged nearly 25,000 drivers for speeding through highway work zones last year may soon become permanent under a bill working its way through the state legislature.

First approved by lawmakers in 2021, the Department of Transportations Know the Zone safety campaign marked the first time that the state allowed the use of automated cameras to enforce traffic laws. Authorization for the program expired on Dec. 31, after about nine months of use.

On Monday, however, members of the legislatures Transportation Committee voted to advance a bill that would restart the program and make it permanent, while also giving the Department of Transportation authority to expand its use of automated speed cameras.

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During the pilot period, the state only issued written warnings the first time anyone was caught on camera driving more than 15 mph over the speed limit in a work zone.

Of the nearly 25,000 drivers who received warnings, only 724 were fined for a subsequent offense, a fact that lawmakers said demonstrated the effectiveness of the program.

They got the message when they got the letter in the mail saying Look, we just clocked you going 60 mph in a work zone, youve got to slow down or else youre going to get a ticket, said state Rep. Roland Lemar, D-New Haven, who co-chairs the Transportation Committee.

Since implementing the pilot program in highway work areas, lawmakers have voted to expand the use of automated red-light and speed cameras by local governments throughout Connecticut. The broader use of automated cameras has generated pushback among civil rights groups and some lawmakers, who have raised concerns about their efficacy.

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By contrast, the bill to reauthorize the use of cameras in highway work areas advanced by a 33-3 margin (two Republicans and one Democrat were opposed), as supporters pointed to the danger that speeding drivers pose to construction crews.

At least 37 state highway workers have been killed in the line of duty, according to DOT. In 2022 alone, the department recorded 835 crashes within its work zones.

Unlike the rollout of municipal traffic cameras  which has taken many months as state officials worked to draft detailed guidelines governing their use  the DOT aims to resume its use of automated cameras in work as soon as this summers road work season, according to spokesman Josh Morgan. As written, the bill would take effect July 1.

We saw the success of the program last year, Morgan said. Certainly, our hope would be to get this up and running and back in the field as quickly as possible.

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Under the language of the new bill, the DOT would be allowed to expand its deployment of automated traffic cameras from five locations used during the pilot to any highway work zone in the state. The amount of a fine would remain $75.

The bill would also lower the speed at which drivers could be ticketed on a second offense to 10 mph over the posted limit. Anyone caught driving over 85 mph in a work zone would also receive a ticket, even if it was their first offense.

State Rep. Seth Bronko, R-Naugatuck, questioned the decision to lower the threshold for ticketing drivers, though he later voted to push the bill out of committee.

If it was working as is, and it was very effective, why are we lowering it 5 mph more, potentially putting that many more people in violation? Bronko said.

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After being advanced by the committee, the bill now heads to the House floor for a vote by the full chamber. The Connecticut legislative session ends on May 8.
Meghan Markle just launched her new business venture, but one expert has claimed it has a major red flag.

On March 14, the Duchess of Sussex debuted American Riviera Orchard, a lifestyle brand. She launched its official Instagram account and website bearing the golden logo written in calligraphy. However, there were no details about the company, including the products it would offer customers.

PR expert Ryan McCormick, co-founder and media relations specialist at Goldman McCormick and former CBS TV producer and editor for Long Island Business News, weighed in on how Markle launched her new business. McCormick said he wasn't impressed.

"From a PR perspective, I don't find the launch of American Riviera Orchard impressive in any capacity. The company's Instagram page has over 518,000 followers. I'm highly suspicious that most of those followers are fake," he told the Mirror.





"Why? Aside from the fact that of a half-million people started following the account in such a short window, they don't show the number of likes on each post. This is a major red flag."

He also pointed out how the users interacting with the post haven't uploaded anything themselves. McCormick felt that the website could still be improved as crucial details about the business were noticeably missing, but it had a sign-up for an email address.

"When you go to American Riviera Orchard's website is there a mission statement, a product line, [or] anything about the company? No," he continued.

"I think Meghan blew a big opportunity here. If she had products ready to do and then got all this attention, sales would probably be healthy."

There are rumors that Markle might collaborate with Kim Kardashian after Prince Harry was spotted with Kris Jenner's boyfriend, Corey Gamble. Also, Kardashian seemingly hinted at siding with the Sussexes when she fueled the rumors about Kate Middleton's disappearance in a post on Instagram.

The "Kardashians" star shared a series of photos on Instagram over the weekend. In one snap, she posed beside her luxury vehicle and captioned it, "On my way to go find Kate."





"I'm in the EU, and I'm certain Kim would much rather be associated with Harry & Meghan than those racists up in the UK. And while she's at it, she'll try to get Meghan into a pair of Skims," one netizen claimed after seeing Kardashian's post.
For more than four decades, the state of New York has abided by its obligation to honor the long-standing "right to shelter" policy. However, a recent influx of migrants has caused a strain on the state, according to the Mayor Eric Adams.

The Coalition for the Homeless says the policy is "a legal right providing that anyone in New York City without a place to live is guaranteed safe, decent, and appropriate shelter so they don't have to end up on the streets."

Mayor Adams announced Friday that some immigrants currently residing within the city of New York may be denied emergency housing after 30 days. Individuals under the age of 23 will receive 60 days of shelter.

The "Right to Shelter" originally stems from a 1979 class-action lawsuit in the NY State Supreme Court, arguing that "the aid, care, and support of the needy are public concerns and shall be provided by the state."

According to Mayor Adams, 63, over 183,000 immigrants have been in the city's care at some point since 2022.

RELATED: Joe Biden's Administration Admits To Secretly Flying 320,000 Illegal Immigrants Into The U.S.

Last year, the mayor requested a suspension of the housing requirement citing a lack of resources, saying officials are no longer able to shelter every homeless person due to the massive increase of migrants.

"It is in the best interest of everyone, including those seeking to come to the United States, to be upfront that New York City cannot single-handedly provide care to everyone crossing our border," Adams said in a statement. "Being dishonest about this will only result in our system collapsing, and we need our government partners to know the truth and do their share."

The announcement comes after shelters across the city began removing migrant families out of shelters after 60 days, mandating them to reapply in order to secure another spot.

RELATED: WATCH: Boat Full Of Migrants Docks On Barbra Streisand's Beach Backyard

The Legal Aid Society and another humanitarian organization have settled on an adjustment to the blanket "right to shelter" policy, claiming after 30 days they will operate on a case-by-case basis whether a migrant will be able to stay for additional days.

Time may be granted following proof of "significant efforts to resettle," which will require a meeting with an immigration lawyer, applying for resettlement programs, or valid proof that they are searching for housing.

This settlement is valid for adults seeking shelter, not families.

Attorney Adrian Holder of the Legal Aid Society alleges the new settlement will ensure that both long-time New Yorkers and new arrivals have access to shelter in addition to case management to aid the transition from a shelter to housing in the community.

In a statement, Holder claimed the organization won't hesitate to sue if the city doesn't comply.
Less than a day after Sri Lanka announced that Wanindu Hasaranga would be coming out of Test retirement to join the team for a two-match series in Bangladesh, he ended up with a sanction from the ICC that meant he would not be able to take part in the series.

Hasaranga was punished for breaching article 2.8 of the player's code of conduct, which relates to showing dissent against the umpire's decision. An ICC press release on Tuesday said the incident happened during the 37th over of the third and final ODI against Bangladesh when "he snatched his cap from one of the umpires and ridiculed the umpiring in the match." He received a fine - 50% of his match fees - and three demerit points, which took his total demerits to eight, and when it hits eight, he is obliged to miss two Tests, four ODIs or four T20Is, whichever comes first. Had Hasaranga not come out of retirement for the Tests, he would have missed Sri Lanka's first four games at the T20 World Cup.
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Researchers from the University Grenoble Alpes (UGA), together with the ESRF, have unveiled how cacao trees protect themselves from toxic metal cadmium. This knowledge is relevant as new EU regulations restrict cadmium concentration in chocolate. Their results are published in Environmental and Experimental Botany.

Cadmium often accumulates in food, but it is a highly toxic metal, which can be harmful in humans if chronically exposed to it, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization. The EU has imposed limits to the cadmium maximal concentration in foodstuffs such as rice, wheat, potatoes and more recently chocolate.

Whilst there have been studies on how cadmium is transferred from soil to the edible part of stable crops, there is hardly any research on cadmium in cacao cultivars. Understanding how cadmium builds up in cacao trees is paramount to subsequently find strategies to mitigate the accumulation of this metal in the final product, explains Geraldine Sarret, researcher at the University Grenoble Alpes (UGA) and co-corresponding author of the publication.

The UGA scientists travelled to the International Cocoa Genebank in Trinidad and Tobago, which hosts a field cacao collection with approximately 2400 cacao genotypes, to collect their samples in collaboration with the Cocoa Research Centre.

Then they came to the ESRF to investigate a particular cacao cultivar/variety that absorbs more cadmium than others do. Using nano X-ray fluorescence on beamline ID16B and X-ray absorption on ID21, they delved into the micro and nanoscale composition of the different parts of the plant. Thanks to the ESRF, we could map of the presence of cadmium and other elements in an unprecedented resolution, so we could see the big picture but also going to the smallest detail, says Hester Blommaert, PhD student at UGA and co-corresponding author of the publication.

The concentration of cadmium in the different parts of the plant is very low, so much so that we couldnt have done this research before EBS, says Hiram Castillo-Michel, researcher at the ID21 beamline at the ESRF. In the near future, we will see an increasing number of studies on similar food safety topics at ID21, where our recently installed new microscope will offer enhanced resolution and detection limits, he adds.

Cadmium trapped in Calcium oxalate crystals (visible on the Sr strontium- map) in cacao roots. Data from ID21. Credits: Blommaert, H., et al, Environmental and Experimental Botany, Available online 24 February 2024, 105713.

The results yield a surprise: We found that part of the cadmium is stored in calcium oxalate crystals in roots and branches of the cacao plant, which was unexpected, explains Blommaert. In particular, the crystals were most abundant in the branches. Interestingly, whilst crystals were present in the leaves, they did not seem to help in detoxifying cadmium in this part of the plant. We believe that the calcium oxalate crystals are a mechanism of detoxification of the plant against the metal, she adds.

In addition, they also discovered that cadmium combines with sulphur in certain cells in the roots. This mechanism is well known in roots of cereals, where cadmium is retained in the vacuoles and bound to thiol-containing molecules. In the case of cacao, this mechanism is less pronounced, and more cadmium is transferred to aerial parts.

Cadmium trapped in Calcium oxalate crystals in the branch. Data from ID16B. Credits: Blommaert, H., et al, Environmental and Experimental Botany, Available online 24 February 2024, 105713.

Overall, the strategy developed by cacao plants to manage cadmium is different from cereals, in terms of root to shoot transfer, storage compartments and storage forms.

This new knowledge is a prerequisite for the selection or breeding of cacao cultivars accumulating less cadmium, and support a safe cacao production in South America, says Sarret. However, we need to continue our studies, using other types of cacao plants and in different environmental conditions, to be able to design more precise strategies, she concludes.

Reference:

Blommaert, H., et al, Environmental and Experimental Botany, Available online 24 February 2024, 105713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2024.105713

Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny
Donald Trump's efforts to secure a bond to cover a $454 million judgment in a New York civil fraud case was rejected by 30 surety companies, his lawyers said, inching him closer to the possibility of having his properties seized.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

It makes sense that the greeting the citizens of Erie would offer to Lafayette would hint at what he would soon find once he crossed into the Genesee Country.

The post Lafayettes Farewell Tour: Lafayette Prepares To Enter The Greater Western New York Region appeared first on Chris Carosa.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Frank Victoria

Phone: 708-645-4216 Cell: 708-218-3144

Email: FVQuiller@gmail.com



Website: FrankVictoriaAuthor.com

New Controversial Political Thriller

Can a Governor defy the Supreme Court and get away with it?

Orland Park Il. March 19 2024. Illegal immigration, government intrigue and constitutional interpretation are as timely as today's headlines. And they are the core of Orland Park, IL author Frank Victoria's award-winning novel and Amazon bestseller, The Founders' Plot.

The storyline involves the newly-elected California governor, Michael J. DiGrasso, who pushes through a tough immigration law that's declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. But the decorated Afghan War veteran ignores the ruling, igniting a clash between federal, state, and judicial power. And leaves the governor's longtime friend, President Martin W. Ballard, to decide whether to nationalize the state's National Guard to enforce the court's ruling.





Battling the governor is Senate Minority Leader Elizabeth Stern, a powerful member of the opposition party. She'll go to any lengths to force DiGrasso to obey the Court decision. She plots an impeachment and even blackmails the governor over an affair he had years earlier.

As these forces clash, tragedy befalls two Mexican families in the country illegally. Carlos and Marisol Castellano and their friends Julio and Carmella Perez struggle to survive in the hypertensive environment created by DiGrasso's immigration law.

Author Victoria weaves a multitude of events around that narrative. "There's all kinds of good stuff," he says, "extramarital affairs, bloody fights, blackmail, killings, family strife, an assassination attempt, suicide. You name it.

"And there's plenty of historical and legal information presented. I like books, even fiction, from which I learn something, and I think many feel the same."

It took Victoria years to write the novel, but it was a dream come true. "It's something I've always wanted to do. But there were times when I thought I'd never finish it. I was forever editing and rewriting and reorganizing. It was a long process and what started as a labor of love became just plain labor."

Victoria is also the author of The Ultimate Bet, a novella available in print, eBook, and audio formats. This year, two additional books will be published including a fantasy and romantic comedy. He'd welcome an interview for an article about the book and/or a review in your newspaper.

About the author: Frank Victoria grew up in Chicago and now lives in Orland Park, Illinois. He served in the Marine Corps and holds a B.A. in Journalism. He was a professional business writer and editor for more than twenty years before making a career change into education where he taught American history and government for sixteen years in the Chicago Public Schools. Victoria donates a percentage of all his sales to Tunnels to Towers and Fisher House, organizations that aid killed or wounded military or first responders.

Media: Frank Victoria is available for media interviews and podcasts. Contact him directly at 708-645-4216 or 708-218-3144

###
Hong Kong legislators unanimously passed a new national security law on Tuesday that introduces penalties such as life imprisonment for crimes related to treason and insurrection, and up to 20 years in jail for the theft of state secrets.

The law, which the United States, Britain and the European Union have warned could further curtail freedoms in Hong Kong, was fast-tracked through the legislative process.

UN rights chief Volker Turk denounced the "rushed" adoption, criticising it as "a regressive step for the protection of human rights".

But city leader John Lee called it "a historic moment for Hong Kong", adding that the law would come into effect Saturday.

The government's previous attempt to introduce Article 23 -- as it is commonly referred to -- was in 2003, but it was dropped after half a million Hong Kongers took to the streets in protest.

Lee had repeatedly cited Hong Kong's "constitutional responsibility" to create the new law as required by the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution since its handover from Britain to China in 1997.

The homegrown legislation will work in tandem with the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 after huge and at times violent pro-democracy protests.

The new law punishes dozens of offences under five categories: treason, insurrection, theft of state secrets and espionage, sabotage endangering national security, and external interference.

Lee had said it was needed to plug the legislative gaps left by Beijing's version, which targets secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

The law "will allow Hong Kong to effectively prevent, suppress and punish espionage activities, conspiracies and traps from foreign intelligence agencies, and infiltration and sabotage carried out by hostile forces", he said Tuesday.

He added that it would also "effectively prevent black-clad violence", a reference to the 2019 pro-democracy protests that were quashed.

One of the last-minute amendments added to the law last week empowers Lee and his cabinet to create new offences -- to account for "unforeseen circumstances" -- punishable by up to seven years in prison.

- 'An effective lock' -

Sanctioned by the United States for his oversight of the crackdown on the protests while security chief, Lee has called the law "an effective lock to prevent burglars" as authorities seek to combat "threats posed by external forces".

Penalties run up to life in prison for sabotage endangering national security, treason and insurrection, 20 years for espionage and sabotage, and 14 years for external interference.

It has also expanded the British colonial-era offence of sedition to include inciting hatred against China's Communist Party leadership, with an aggravated sentence of up to 10 years in jail.

As with its 2020 predecessor, the new law claims jurisdiction over some offences committed outside Hong Kong.

But the Beijing-run national security office in Hong Kong said "only an extremely small number of people" would be punished under Article 23, mirroring language used in the run-up to the original security law's imposition.

Nearly 300 people have so far been arrested under that law, while dozens of politicians, activists and other public figures have been jailed or forced into exile.

Calling it "a new Great Wall of rule of law", the security office said in a statement that "the majority of Hong Kong residents and international investors will benefit" from it.

- 'A regressive step' -

As part of the 1997 handover from Britain, Hong Kong was guaranteed certain freedoms -- as well as judicial and legislative autonomy -- for 50 years in a deal known as "one country, two systems".

The accord has helped cement the city's status as a world-class business hub, bolstered by a reliable judiciary and political freedoms distinct from the mainland.

Britain's foreign minister David Cameron said the new law would "further damage the rights and freedoms enjoyed" in Hong Kong and have "far-reaching implications" for the rule of law and independence of institutions.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel meanwhile told reporters Tuesday that the United States was "alarmed by the sweeping and what we interpret as vaguely defined provisions" in the law.

And the Amnesty International rights group called the law "draconian".

"The passing of this law sends the clearest message yet that the Hong Kong authorities' hunger to accommodate Beijing's will outstrips any past commitments on human rights," said Amnesty's China specialist Sarah Brooks.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw firing drills involving "newly-equipped super-large" multiple rocket launchers, state media said Tuesday, a day after Seoul said Pyongyang had fired several short-range ballistic missiles.

The United States and South Korea wrapped up one of their major annual joint military exercises last week, prompting angry retorts and live-fire drills from nuclear-armed Pyongyang, which condemns all such exercises as rehearsals for invasion.

Seoul's military said Monday it had detected the launch of "multiple short-range ballistic missiles" by the North, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the South Korean capital for talks.

The super-large multiple rocket launcher, referred to as KN-25 by the Seoul-Washington military, is a short-range ballistic missile, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The North has claimed the weapon has the capability to be equipped with a tactical nuclear warhead.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim guided the drills on Monday that tested the "real war capabilities" of 600 millimetre multiple rocket launchers as he stressed the importance of "war preparations".

The drills also involved simulating an aerial explosion of a shell from the super-large multiple rocket launcher at a predetermined altitude above the target, KNCA said.

Kim said the multiple rocket launcher would help the North "block and suppress the possiblity of war with the constant perfect preparedness to collapse the capital of the enemy", according to the report.

During the drills, North Korean artillerymen "demonstrated their excellent crack-shot artillery marksmanship and prompt and thorough combat readiness," it added.

"Massive shells of super-large multiple rocket launchers, which were fired from the sharp gun barrels like lava, flew to the target with the flame of annihilating the enemy," it said.

- More drills -

State media images showed Kim, wearing his customary black leather jacket, watching the drills with his generals and celebrating their apparent success with a raised fist.

Pyongyang this month warned that Seoul and Washington would pay a "dear price" over their military exercises, and later announced that Kim had guided an artillery unit it says was capable of striking the South Korean capital.

Kim last week also oversaw paratroop drills aimed at showing his soldiers' ability to occupy an "enemy region at a stroke", according to state media.

Monday's ballistic missile test was the North's second this year, after Pyongyang launched one tipped with a manoeuvrable hypersonic warhead on January 14.

So far this year, the nuclear-armed North has declared South Korea its "principal enemy", jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over "even 0.001 mm" of territorial infringement.

Seoul is one of Washington's key regional allies, and the United States has stationed about 27,000 American soldiers in the South to help protect it against Pyongyang.

Last week's Washington-Seoul drills included "clearing operations" inside North Korea's "key facilities" in case of an attack by Pyongyang, according to Seoul's military.

bur-cdl/ceb/dhw
MISSOULA, Mont. - The United States Postal Service (USPS) hosted a public meeting at the Missoula Double Tree to discuss the potential future operations of the Missoula Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC).

Some of the potential plans include moving services from Missoula to the Spokane Distribution Center. A large crowd of postal workers and Missoula citizens attended the meeting voice their opposing about potential change in operations.

USPS is currently conducting Mail Processing Facility Review (MPSR) on the Missoula facility that will determine how the center will operate under the new USPS ten-year Delivering for America plan.

The initial findings of the review suggest keeping Missoula P&DC open and modernizing the facility as a Local Processing Center. with simplified process and layout. Some mail processing outgoing processes will then be moved to the Spokane Distribution Center. USPS also plans to invest $15 million in upgrading and modernizing the facility.

The two-hour meeting became a heated discussion as many of the attendees voiced their frustrations with these initial findings and one person called reallocating some operations to Spokane a "dumb idea."

USPS assured that no layoffs will be made due to some operations being moved to Spokane. USPS is estimating that the facility will have a net decrease of 8 positions but the employees working those jobs will be given different responsibilities.

"[The employees are] still working in the same facility, just doing a different function within the facility. So today they may be sorting letters, tomorrow they may be sorting packages still working the same hours, just doing something a little bit different."

The final decision regarding the MPFR will be made in the coming weeks/months.

USPS is accepting public comment on the MPFR until March 30.

You can submit public comments to following this link.

To find more information about the poential changes please go to USPS website.
Four farming unions will help oversee an industry-wide review into Red Tractor and other farm-to-fork assurance schemes in the UK.

NFU, NFU Cymru, the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) and NFU Scotland, as well as levy board AHDB, will all form part of the review steering group.

Work will include an exploration of best practice and consideration of how methods of assurance can provide value to farmers in a fast-changing environment.

The review, in which the views from the farming industry and wider supply chain are needed, will also look at the relationship between assurance and regulation.

It comes after the Red Tractor was urged to discontinue its controversial Greener Farms Commitment (GFC) module.

Any resumption of work on the voluntary, bolt-on module would be 'extremely damaging' to Red Tractors reputation, the five groups warned.

In October, Red Tractor received significant backlash from the industry over the module due to a lack of consultation over it.

The farming unions and AHDB are now in the process of appointing commissioners who will be responsible for setting the terms of reference and a timeline to ensure the process provides clear outcomes.

Four commissioners have already been appointed, including Dr David Llewellyn, who will be the lead commissioner. He is the former vice chancellor of Harper Adams University.

Dr Llewellyn, who worked there for 23 years, said a well-structured farm-level assurance system should be efficient, effective and economically viable for farmers and the wider supply chain.

He added that it should also provide confidence to retailers, other food businesses and consumers, that UK produce is among the best in the world.

I look forward to getting the review under way, and to the Commission engaging with industry to see how the assurance system can meet the future needs of food producers while underpinning our collective aim to continue the delivery of a high-quality UK food system.

The review aims to seek feedback from farmers about all farm assurance schemes with a view to revolutionising the network, making it 'truly fit for the future'.

It will examine how assurance can deliver value back to scheme members, and how standards are developed to meet the evolving needs of members, the markets they serve, sector diversity and in appreciation of the global marketplace.

The review will also explore how assurance schemes should fit with regulation and government schemes to best serve members.
The drastic reduction in crops expected due to the wet weather has shown just how vulnerable British farms are, the NFU has warned.

The union said the government must boost UK food security as farmers continue to face wet weather, with many thousands of acres of farmland affected.

The warning is in response to an AHDB survey showing that yields of crops such as wheat, winter barley and oilseed rape are likely to be significantly reduced this year.

It predicts that wheat is down 15% at 1.463 Mha, the biggest reduction in cropped areas since 2020, while oilseed rape is down 28% at 280 Kha, the largest fall since the 1980s.

Winter barley is down 22% at 355 Kha, the biggest reduction since 2020, but spring barley is up 29%, at 881 Kha.

Responding to the results, NFU President Tom Bradshaw noted that many farms in areas such as Lincolnshire were still under water from last October.

Since the end of last year, farms across the country have faced continued wet weather with many thousands of acres of productive farmland affected," he said.

"We have heard countless desperate stories from our members who are struggling to get on to their fields to plant any crops.

While it is difficult to mitigate against all environmental extremes, we must recognise that we havent been prioritising our water management and things are going drastically wrong.

AHDB explained that the wet autumn meant lower levels of planting, while continued severe weather resulted in winter losses.

It said farmers still had the chance to plant crops, but if heavy rain continued, crops would be planted at a point where they may become economically unviable.

Mr Bradshaw said the results from the levy organisation's survey "paint a bleak picture and build on an unprecedented year in terms of high input costs".

It is another example of how vulnerable British food producing businesses are," he said.

"Thats why domestic food production must be given the right policy framework and the priority it deserves."

The NFUs election manifesto sets out how more funding is needed by the Environment Agency so it can deliver a plan of management and re-investment in the watercourses and flood defences.

The manifesto also urges the next government to commit to an agricultural budget that ensures British farming can meet the challenges of climate change.
Louis Partridge doesn't want to live his love life "in the public eye".

Louis Partridge is dating Olivia Rodrigo

The 20-year-old actor has been dating Olivia Rodrigo over recent months, but Louis wants to keep his romance out of the spotlight.

The 'Enola Holmes' star told British Vogue magazine: "Dating probably shouldnt be done in the public eye.

"Theres enough going on between two people. You dont need the voices of thousands of others in your head.

"I think shes got it a lot worse than I have. I can be a bit of a normal person. Shes got tons and tons of eyes on her case."

Louis and Olivia's romance become a source of speculation in recent times. But the actor tries to ignore the online comments about their relationship.

He shared: "If theres a load of people nattering in a room about you, you can choose to put your ear to the door to hear what they say or not. I think youre probably better off not letting curiosity get the better of you."

Louis has enjoyed a meteoric rise over recent years. But the actor still loves spending time with his friends and family.

He said: "I dont think my older sister really cares [about the fame]. My younger sister gets asked a lot of questions about me in school though. I think she gets a few street cred points."

The actor acknowledges that he's currently in the midst of a great moment in his life and his career.

The 'Argylle' star shared: "Twenty is a pretty golden age.

I think its a great thing to be young. And a great thing to have a body that works. Im grateful for where I am in life and everything thats ahead, for better or for worse."
Jax Taylor has been able to relate to Tom Sandoval after his 2023 cheating scandal.

Jax Taylor has clashed with Tom Sandoval

The 40-year-old star split from Ariana Madix last year, after it emerged that Tom had a months-long affair with Rachel Leviss, and Jax - who has been through various cheating scandals himself - has now suggested that he can really relate to Tom.

During the latest episode of 'Vanderpump Rules' - which has been teased by E! News - Jax tells Tom: "I know what you did is wrong, but what I did was wrong too. The only problem I had with this whole situation is just the way you handle it."

However, Tom quickly fired back at the reality star, insisting that he wouldn't be patronised by Jax, who recently split from Brittany Cartwright.

He said: "It must be humbling to only have something interesting to say when you're talking about me.

Tom also insisted that he doesn't need to answer to Jax.

The TV star explained: "Jax, I don't need to humble myself to you, dude! You don't deserve it, homie. I don't need to give you answers."

Meanwhile, Ariana recently revealed that she isn't ready to forgive Tom for his cheating scandal.

The 38-year-old beauty split from Tom in 2023 - but she isn't ready to get on the "Sandoval sympathy train" just yet.

Speaking to Lala Kent on a recent episode of 'Vanderpump Rules', Ariana said: "My position has not changed that he doesn't get any sort of access to my life via me or via mutual friends.

"I'm not down with him being around. You know, I can quietly remove myself from situations that make me uncomfortable.

"I'm not the person to come to with the Sandoval sympathy train."
Prince William joked about missing his wife after they were spotted together on video for the first time since her surgery and Mothers Day photo editing row.

Prince William joked about missing his wife after they were spotted together on video for the first time since her surgery and Mothers Day photo editing row

The royal, 41, made the sentimental gag during a visit to Sheffield on Tuesday (19.03.24), when he met locals working in and affected by the blight of homelessness across Britain.

Revealing how his with Catherine, Princess of Wales, 42, should have been with him when he spoke to a worker about childhood due to her years committed to child charity projects: Were venturing into my wifes territory. She needs to be sat here to hear this.

The heir to the throne was seen grinning as he spoke with parents, carers and young adults from local families as a part of the Homewards programme, which aims to battle homelessness throughout the UK.

He then joined Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition meeting at the Millennium Gallery, where they touched on the topic of childhood, leading William to reference Catherine.

It was his first public appearance since a video emerged on Monday (18.03.24) night of he and Catherine visiting Windsor Farm Shop at the weekend.

The footage was released by The Sun after the pair were caught in a storm over the editing of a photo of Catherine and their three children was released on Britains Mothers Day on 10 March.

Despite Catherine looking happy and healthy in the new footage, conspiracy theorists have continued to spread wild tales about her condition after her successful abdominal surgery in January at The London Clinic.

Some have speculated it was body doubles of the royals at the Windsor Farm Shop, with others saying the fact the Mothers Day image was edited  which Catherine later said in a statement was a mistake  is part of a cover-up over her health.

Catherine  who has children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis with William  said in her written release: Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.

I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.
Bangladesh government is poised to limit new gas connections to industries, except for eight considered economically vital sectors, as per an upcoming regulation.

These essential sectors include readymade garments, pharmaceuticals, fertilisers, agricultural products, ceramics, cement, steel, and leather, as per reports.

According to a draft guideline on utilising liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as an alternative fuel in industries, only those economically vital industries that previously applied for but did not receive gas connections until last year will be eligible for supply.

The government is set to restrict gas connections to industries considered as economically viable. Mohammad Hatem, executive president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association highlighted potential adverse effects on new entrepreneurs and small businesses, if cost disparity between piped gas and LPG is significant.

Mahbubul Alam, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), expressed concerns over the potential hindrance to the growth of small industries even as he emphasised the importance of considering other economically vital sectors like light engineering and food manufacturing.

Furthermore, Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), highlighted the potential adverse effects on new entrepreneurs and small businesses, particularly if the cost disparity between piped gas and LPG is significant.

The largest gas distributor in the country, Titas, currently has approximately 500 pending applications from industries for new connections. However, due to insufficient production compared to demand, industrial production is being hampered, leading to increased reliance on LPG.

By 2030, the demand for LPG is expected to triple.

The draft policy suggests tax cuts to encourage LPG usage in industries. However, concerns have been raised regarding the dominance of a few businesses in the LPG market, leading to non-compliance with pricing regulations and predatory pricing practices.

The decision is expected to particularly impact small and cottage industries, as their primary energy expenses are likely to rise significantly.

Despite government obligations to provide connections to all sectors, concerns persist over market competitiveness and regulatory oversight in the LPG industry.

Fibre2Fashion
In a significant development aimed at strengthening economic ties and promoting sustainable trade, the European Union (EU) and the Philippines have officially resumed negotiations for a comprehensive, modern, and balanced free trade agreement (FTA). This move, announced recently, seeks to leverage the Philippines' strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region and its booming economy of 115 million people, making it a key player in the region's economic landscape.

The proposed FTA is envisioned to encompass wide-ranging provisions, including ambitious market access for goods, investment, and government procurement, as well as the elimination of barriers to digital trade and trade in energy and raw materials. This initiative is poised to support the digital and green transitions, streamline sanitary procedures, protect intellectual property rights, and ensure robust disciplines on trade and sustainable development. These efforts align with the European Commission's Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) review communication from June 2022, aiming to uphold high standards for workers' rights, environmental protection, and climate goals.

EU and the Philippines resumed FTA negotiations to boost economic ties and promote sustainable trade. The agreement aims for broader market access, digital trade enhancement, and sustainable development, building on the strong existing trade relations. The Philippines' strategic role in the Indo-Pacific and its green transition potential are key focuses.

Current EU-Philippines trade relations are already substantial, with trade in goods valued at over 18.4 billion (approximately $20.03 billion) in 2022. The EU stands as the Philippines' fourth-largest trade partner, while the Philippines ranks as the EU's seventh most significant trading partner in the ASEAN region and 41st worldwide. Notably, the Philippines is projected to experience the second-highest economic growth in ASEAN with a 5.9 per cent GDP increase in 2024.

The EU is among the largest investors in the Philippines, with foreign direct investment stock reaching 13.7 billion in 2021. The Philippines' vast reserves of critical raw materials, such as nickel, copper, and chromiteessential for green technology manufacturingfurther enhance its value as a strategic partner in the green transition. Recent efforts to harness renewable energy potential and liberalise the sector for foreign investors underscore the Philippines' role in advancing sustainable development.

The next steps in this pivotal partnership involve both parties making technical preparations for the first round of resumed negotiations, expected to occur later this year.

The conditions are right to take our trade relations to the next level. Trade between the EU and the Philippines is already strong and has been growing at an impressive pace over the past decade. But we can do more to realise the full potential of our trade relationship. After concluding an extensive joint stocktaking exercise at the end of last year, we are reassured that we share a commitment to strive for a state-of-the art agreement, with sustainability at its core, said European Commissions executive vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)
Egypt and the European Union (EU) recently agreed to elevate their relationship to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership.

The EU will support Egypt's ongoing efforts to enhance its business and investment environment, facilitating trade and investment flows in line with its international obligations, in particular those in relation to the EU.

Egypt and the EU have agreed to elevate their ties to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership. The EU will back Egypt's efforts to enhance its business and investment environment, facilitating trade and investment flows. It will invest up to $5.44 billion in Egypt in multiple fields, including renewable energy and advanced industrialisation.

The EU will invest up to 5 billion (~$5.44 billion) in Egypt in multiple fields of modern economy, including renewable energy and renewable hydrogen, advanced industrialisation, agriculture, connectivity and digitalisation. It will also offer guarantees under the European Fund for Sustainable Development and Economic Investment Plan.

Both sides agreed to step up cooperation with a particular focus on renewable energy sources, energy efficiency actions as well as the cooperation on other safe and sustainable low-carbon technologies.

The EU is also committed to supporting the work of the East Med Gas Forum with a view to strengthen energy cooperation and security of gas supply in the region and gas trade with the EU.

The strategic partnership will enhance cooperation to fully implement and unleash the potential of the Free Trade Area of the Association Agreement.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Italys seasonally-adjusted exports declined by 3.2 per cent month on month (MoM) and imports too fell by 7.3 per cent MoM in January this year, according to official statistical agency Istat.

The countrys exports decreased by 2.4 per cent MoM to European (EU) countries and by 4 per cent MoM to non-EU countries in the month.

Imports dropped by 6.3 per cent MoM from EU countries and by 8.6 per cent MoM from non-EU countries.

Italy's seasonally-adjusted exports declined by 3.2 per cent month on month (MoM) and imports too fell by 7.3 per cent MoM in January, official data show. January exports decreased by 0.2 per cent year on year (YoY) and imports in the month dropped by 13.5 per cent YoY. Import prices decreased by 0.9 per cent MoM and by 7 per cent YoY during the month.

January exports decreased by 0.2 per cent year on year (YoY) and imports in the month dropped by 13.5 per cent YoY. Exports were stationary for EU countries and decreased by 0.4 per cent to non-EU countries. Imports decreased by 8.7 per cent from the EU area and dropped by 19.3 per cent from non-EU area.

Trade balance registered a surplus of 2,655 million (~$2.89 billion) in Januarya 376-million (~$409.42 million) deficit for EU countries and 3,031 million (~$3.3 billion) surplus for non-EU countries. Excluding energy, trade balance surplus was equal to 6,888 million (~$7.5 billion).

Import prices decreased by 0.9 per cent MoM in January0.5 per cent for the euro zone and 1.3 per cent for the non-euro zone. Such prices decreased by 7 per cent YoY during the month3.2 per cent for the euro zone and 10.2 per cent for the non-euro zone.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Devara: Part 1 is one of the most anticipated films as Janhvi Kapoor will be seen sharing screen space for the first time with Jr NTR. The actor has been busy shooting in Hyderabad and is now heading to Goa to begin the next schedule. It is said to last for a week.





The film is said to be high on cinematic excellence with a stellar music album and high-end action sequences befitting for the big screen experience. The first few looks shared by the makers have already broken several box-office records.





Helmed by Koratala Siva, the film is set to release in theatres on October 10, 2024.
The trailer of Zack Snyders Rebel Moon - Part Two: Scargiver is out. Starring Sofia Boutella, Ed Skrein, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou and more, the film is the sequel to Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire.While the first film was panned by audiences and critics, the space saga continues with a follow-up film. The trailer picks up where the previous film ends, and it looks like an explosive ride full of action sequences set in space. Check it out here:The clip also offers a peek into Koras (Sofia Boutella) clash with Admira Nobel (Ed Skrein).The official synopsis reads, "REBEL MOON  PART TWO: THE SCARGIVER continues the epic saga of Kora and the surviving warriors as they prepare to sacrifice everything, fighting alongside the brave people of Veldt, to defend a once peaceful village, a newfound homeland for those who have lost their own in the fight against the Motherworld. On the eve of their battle the warriors must face the truths of their own pasts, each revealing why they fight. As the full force of the Realm bears down on the burgeoning rebellion, unbreakable bonds are forged, heroes emerge, and legends are made."Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver will release on April 19, 2024.
Ae Watan Mere Watan Release Date & Time: Sara Alia Khan has been on a roll these days and rightfully so. After all, she has been grabbing attention for her two big releases this month. While she started the month of March with the release of Murder Mubarak with Vijay Varma, Pankaj Tripathi, Karisma Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia etc, the Pataudi princess is now coming up with a new release.

We are talking about Kannan Iyer directorial Ae Watan Mere Watan which is a historical biographical drama film based on the life of Usha Mehta who started an underground radio station to spread the message of unity, setting off a thrilling chase with the British authorities during the Quit India movement. Apart from Sara, the movie also features Emraan Hashmi in a cameo while Anand Tiwari, Sachin Khedekar, Abhay Verma, Sparsh Shrivastav, Alexx O'Nell, and Benedict Garrett stars in key roles.

Ae Watan Mere Watan Release Date & Time

As the trailer has managed to grab a lot of eyeballs, there have been speculations about the release time of Ae Watan Mere Watan on OTT. To note, Ae Watan Mere Watan will be releasing on March 21 at midnight (12 am) on Amazon Prime.

Meanwhile, talking about Ae Watan Mere Watan, Sara told Firstpost, "I think that we're finally reaching a stage where a story of a woman, a story of bravery, a story of sacrifice, a story of national pride that I think deserves to be told is not just a story of 1942. It's a story that echoes relevance I think over the past 1942, including the 39 years that you're talking about. So what I like about this film actually the most is the timeless nature. And what I think is the potent ability to inspire. That's just innate in this film that I think will truly stand the test of time".
All corporate employees would relate when we say, "March-April is the best time of 2024." With three long weekends lined up, the plans would surely be made. However, if you are one of those who are planning to avoid overcrowded short-spree destinations, we bring to you a list of shows which will become your portals to distant lands, vibrant cultures, and breathtaking landscapes. As wanderlust continues to burn within us, travel shows offer a delightful escape-a way to explore the world without leaving our couches. From bustling markets to serene beaches, these shows take us on virtual journeys, igniting our curiosity and inspiring future adventures. So, grab your remote, pack your imagination, and let's embark on a global expedition from the comfort of home!

Once Upon a Trip! To Dubai

In the heart of the Arabian Desert, where the sun kisses the sand and futuristic skyscrapers pierce the cerulean sky, lies a city that defies imagination-Dubai. 'Once Upon A Trip! To Dubai' showcases Anil Kapoor & Maniesh Paul exploring the allure of this city. Their charm and wit illuminate the city's landscapes and culture, blending comedy, adventure, and heartfelt moments for an authentic experience. It's an odyssey-a symphony of laughter, awe, and unexpected connections.

Where to watch: JioCinema

Man Vs Wild

"Man vs. Wild" follows Bear Grylls as he navigates diverse terrains, documenting his survival efforts and providing valuable insights. Episodes typically feature Grylls stranded with his crew, facing challenges in wild environments like jungles or forests. Special episodes, such as those in urban settings with no facilities offer unique challenges. Grylls' comprehensive preparations and hands-on approach ensure each episode's authenticity. Additionally, the series includes special editions featuring Indian actors and even the Prime Minister, making it a must-watch for adventure enthusiasts.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Expedition Unknown

Embark on thrilling expeditions with the intrepid archaeologist Josh Gates as he leads us on a global expedition. Uncover ancient temples, forgotten trails, and tantalizing artefacts that captivate the imagination of historians and adventurers alike. Joining Gates on his journeys is a passport to raw, unfiltered history, where every destination holds untold secrets waiting to be revealed. Unlike glossy escapades, this is a gritty, authentic exploration of the world's hidden wonders. Brace yourself for a riveting ride through time and culture, where each discovery sparks curiosity and ignites the spirit of adventure in all who dare to follow.

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Kalki's Great Escape

Embark on an exhilarating adventure with Kalki Koechlin and her father, Joel Koechlin, as they traverse the enchanting landscapes of India's North-East. Set against the backdrop of Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, this gripping tale delves deep into the heart of diverse cultures and breathtaking vistas. Mounted on their trusty Royal Enfield Himalayan Bikes, the duo embarks on a daring journey spanning nearly 4000 kilometres over 13 awe-inspiring days. From verdant valleys to mist-shrouded mountains, every twist and turn reveals a new facet of this vibrant region, captivating the imagination and stirring the soul of all who dare to follow their epic escapade.

Where to watch: YouTube (National Geographic India)

TVF Tripling

Picture this: hitting the open road with your siblings, bound for adventure and a heap of unexpected twists. Enter "Tripling" from The Viral Fever, where the charismatic trio - Chandan, Chanchal, and Chitvan - embark on a rollercoaster road trip to Rajasthan, carrying not just luggage, but a mountain of unresolved issues. As they journey to reunite with their parents, laughter, tears, and chaos ensue, weaving a tapestry of hilarity and heartache. Will they untangle their mess of problems along the way, or will it all snowball into even more chaos? Buckle up for a wild ride, because "Tripling" promises an unforgettable journey of self-discovery and sibling shenanigans.

Where to watch: Zee5

Dark Tourist

Step off the beaten path and into the chilling world of dark tourism with journalist David Farrier in this captivating docuseries. While most vacationers flock to sunny beaches and iconic landmarks, Farrier ventures into the shadows, exploring destinations steeped in tragedy and death. From embedding himself in a death-worshipping cult in Mexico to witnessing tourists soaking up radiation in Fukushima, each episode offers a spine-tingling journey into the macabre. Meet vampires in New Orleans, dive into atomic swimming holes in the most-nuked place on Earth-no destination is too haunting for Farrier's fearless exploration. Brace yourself for an unforgettable voyage into the depths of dark tourism.

Where to watch: Netflix
Exposure Management will advance through enhanced analytics, real-time monitoring, and connection with ERM and GRC systems. The emphasis will be on cyber risk, climate risk, supply chain resilience, as well as regulatory compliance and collaborative methods.

CHICAGO, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Exposure Management Market size is projected to grow from USD 2.2 billion in 2024 to USD 7.6 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 28.3% during the forecast period, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets.

The expansion of the exposure management market is primarily driven by the escalating complexity and volume of cyber threats, digital transformation expanding organizations' attack surfaces, stringent regulatory and compliance requirements, and the financial and reputational risks of data breaches. Further, the exposure management market sees opportunities in advancing AI and ML for predictive threat analysis, expanding cloud services necessitating robust security, increasing demand for regulatory compliance solutions, and the growing awareness of cybersecurity risks among SMEs, which plays a crucial role in fueling the growth of the exposure management market.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Exposure Management Market"

204 - Tables

52 - Figures

269 - Pages

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Scope of the Report

Report Metrics Details Market size available for years 2021-2029 Base year considered 2023 Forecast period 2024-2029 Forecast units Value (USD Million/Billion) Segments Covered Component, Deployment Mode, Application, End-User Industry, and Region Geographies covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America Companies covered Major vendors in the global exposure management market include Tenable (US), CrowdStrike (US), Palo Alto Networks (US), Forescout (US), EY (UK), VIAVI (US), Verisk (US), IBM (US), eSentire (Canada), Mandiant (US), CyCognito (US), Censys (US), XM Cyber (Israel), Cymulate (Israel), Skybox Security (US), Armis (US), Picus Security (US), Adarma (Scotland), IONIX (Israel), Outpost24 (Sweden), ResilientX (UK), Ridge Security (US), Redhunt Labs (UK), Brandefense (US), and Risk Profiler (US).

By end-user industry segment, the healthcare industry will grow at the highest CAGR during the forecasted period.

The healthcare industry is anticipated to grow at the highest CAGR in the exposure management market during the forecasted period due to several critical factors. First, the healthcare sector is increasingly digitizing patient records and using connected medical devices, significantly expanding its attack surface. This digital transformation, coupled with the sensitive nature of health data, makes the industry a prime target for cyberattacks. Moreover, healthcare organizations face stringent regulatory requirements for data protection, such as HIPAA in the US, necessitating robust cybersecurity measures. The pandemic has further accelerated the adoption of telehealth services, increasing the potential for cyber exposure. Additionally, the consequences of data breaches in healthcare, ranging from financial penalties to risks to patient safety, underscore the urgent need for comprehensive exposure management solutions to safeguard critical infrastructure and maintain patient trust. These factors collectively contribute to the significant growth of the healthcare industry during the forecasted period.

By component, the solution segment holds the largest market size during the forecast period.

The solution segment in the exposure management market is anticipated to achieve the largest market size due to the urgent need for comprehensive cybersecurity solutions to identify, assess, and mitigate vulnerabilities effectively. As cyber threats grow in sophistication, organizations are increasingly seeking advanced, integrated solutions offering real-time visibility and control over their digital environments. Further, the demand is amplified by the rapid digital transformation, expanding the attack surface across various industries. Moreover, solutions incorporating AI and ML for predictive threat analysis are in demand, offering proactive rather than reactive protection. The need for these solutions is also driven by regulatory pressures, requiring businesses to maintain stringent cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance. All these factors contribute to the growing market size of the solutions segment in the exposure management landscape.

By region, the Asia Pacific market is to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The Asia Pacific region is anticipated to witness the highest CAGR in the exposure management market during the forecast period, driven by several key factors. Rapid digital transformation and economic growth across major Asian economies, such as China, India, and Japan, have led to an increased reliance on digital technologies, expanding the attack surface for cyber threats. Additionally, a growing awareness of cybersecurity risks among businesses in the region is fueled by high-profile cyber incidents and stricter regulatory mandates for data protection and privacy. The region's diverse and dynamic technological landscape also presents unique challenges, prompting organizations to invest in advanced exposure management solutions. Furthermore, the increasing penetration of internet connectivity and the expansion of SMEs embracing digital operations significantly contribute to the demand for cybersecurity measures. These factors collectively position Asia Pacific as a rapidly evolving market for exposure management solutions, aiming to address the complex cybersecurity needs of its fast-growing digital economy.

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Top Companies in Exposure ManagementMarket

The major players in the exposure management market are Tenable (US), CrowdStrike (US), Palo Alto Networks (US), Forescout (US), EY (UK), VIAVI (US), Verisk (US), IBM (US), eSentire (Canada), Mandiant (US), CyCognito (US), Censys (US), XM Cyber (Israel), Cymulate (Israel), Skybox Security (US), Armis (US), Picus Security (US), Adarma (Scotland), IONIX (Israel), Outpost24 (Sweden), ResilientX (UK), Ridge Security (US), Redhunt Labs (UK), Brandefense (US), and Risk Profiler (US)

Recent Developments

In January 2024, VIAVI enhanced its Observer Platform, introducing significant enhancements targeting exposure management, notably through enhanced application recognition and digital certificate analysis. These features aim to mitigate security risks by enabling precise application detection and proactive management of digital certificates, thus safeguarding networks against compliance issues and security threats.

In October 2023, Forescout partnered with Secior. The partnership aims to enhance their customers' cybersecurity by offering advantages such as real-time visibility, risk management, continuous threat monitoring, and NIS2 compliance services across various enterprise environments, including campus, data center, remote workforce, cloud, mobile, IoT, OT, and IoT endpoints.

In August 2023, Tenable introduced a new solution, ExposureAI, featuring generative AI capabilities and services integrated into the Tenable One Exposure Management Platform. Tenable Exposure Graph, a scalable data lake powered by Snowflake, has also been introduced and designed to fuel the ExposureAI engine. With a unified data platform representing over one trillion unique exposures, IT assets, and security findings across various environments, Tenable aims to make exposure management more accessible and efficient by turning all analysts into expert defenders.

In April 2023, Palo Alto Networks and Accenture announced a collaboration to deliver SASE solutions powered by Palo Alto Networks' AI-powered Prisma SASE. This initiative aims to enhance cyber resilience and support business transformation by addressing complexities in IT environments and ensuring business resilience.

In March 2022, Verisk acquired Opta to reshape risk management by integrating Opta into Verisk's insurance ecosystem, which offers solutions across rating, underwriting, policy administration, claims, exposure management, and reinsurance. It aligns with Verisk's strategy to expand its market reach and leverage complementary technologies to improve decision-making and operational efficiency for insurers and financial services companies.

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Exposure Management Market Advantages

Allows firms to detect, assess, and mitigate a variety of risks, including financial, operational, and regulatory risks, resulting in greater resilience and stability.

By proactively managing risks, firms can reduce the financial effect of bad events such as losses, lawsuits, or regulatory fines, resulting in long-term cost savings.

Streamlines risk assessment procedures, enabling firms to better allocate resources, prioritize risk management initiatives, and make data-driven decisions.

Helps firms comply with changing regulatory requirements by offering frameworks and tools for monitoring and reporting risks, lowering the chance of noncompliance penalties.

Businesses that successfully manage their risks can achieve a competitive advantage by demonstrating dependability, resilience, and trustworthiness to customers, investors, and other stakeholders.

Report Objectives

To define, describe, and forecast the exposure management market based on component, deployment mode, application, end-user industry, and region:

To predict and estimate the market size of five main regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America

To analyze the subsegments of the market concerning individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the overall market

To provide detailed information related to the primary factors (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges) influencing the growth of the exposure management market

To analyze opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying high-growth segments of the exposure management market

To profile the key players of the exposure management market and comprehensively analyze their market size and core competencies.

Track and analyze competitive developments, such as new product launches, mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, agreements, and collaborations in the global exposure management market.

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2024 / bettermoo(d) Food Corporation (CSE:MOOO)(OTCQB:MOOOF)(Frankfurt:0I5A, WKN: A3D8PP) (the "Company" or "bettermoo(d)") is pleased to announce during a special investors announcement on March 18, 2023, the stocking of its flagship product, Moodrink (the "Product"), at its distribution partner, United Natural Food (UNFI) Canada, to meet the demand of Canada's largest grocery retail chain.

Nima Bahrami, CEO of the Company, also praised the Product's outstanding reception, with demand outstripping the Company's forecasts and experiencing swift sell-outs and reorders in select Canadian stores, showcasing the market's appetite for Moodrink. This strategic move to stock up at UNFI is designed to ensure that Canadians across the country have reliable access to Moodrink.

Mr. Bahrami also took the opportunity to emphasize that the current achievements are merely the starting point for bettermoo(d), and lauded Moodrink's achievement of securing a nationwide presence within stores of the world's leading natural and organic foods retailer. With a commitment to capitalizing on the Company's recent success and existing momentum, bettermoo(d) is set on broadening its market footprint, delving into new ventures, and maintaining a steadfast focus on innovation. This proactive approach signifies the Company's dedication to not just sustaining but also amplifying its growth and success in this dynamic market landscape.

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 product demand and takeover and investment discussions, 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

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SANTA CLARA, CA, Mar 19, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), today announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to create a new generation of transformational artificial intelligence (AI)solutions. Hitachi Vantara will develop a portfolio of solutions, Hitachi iQ, to drive targeted AI outcomes by layering industry-specific capabilities on top of its AI solution stack, so outcomes can be more specific and relevant to an organization's business.Click here (https://tinyurl.com/5t4em3d6) to learn more about Hitachi Vantara's portfolio of AI solutions:As new and exciting data-intensive technologies like generative AI are spurring a goldrush to business transformation, these technologies are exacerbating the already-strained environments in which they run. According to a recent S&PGlobal Market Intelligence report(1), "IT infrastructure is straining under the resource requirements of AI workloads. Only a third (32%) of respondents indicate their organization is always able to support internal AI workload demand." Through this collaboration, Hitachi Vantara will be able to help address the needs of the market through the creation of hybrid cloud-enabled AI capabilities that facilitate faster, actionable insights."As part of the Hitachi family, we have strong expertise in multiple industrial market segments including energy, transportation, and manufacturing, which makes it possible to accelerate digital transformation powered by AI," said Sheila Rohra, CEO of Hitachi Vantara. "Successful collaboration is built to meet customers' needs, both for todayand the future, and this collaboration empowers us to integrate NVIDIA's AI leadership with Hitachi Vantara's expertise in future-facing hybrid cloud infrastructure solutions and services to help our customers establish a data foundation for innovation."Built on NVIDIA's latest AI technologies and combined with Hitachi Vantara's next-generation storage platforms, the Hitachi iQ portfolio will feature solutions that address the needs of the market through the creation of AI capabilities thataccelerate digital transformation in industrial and enterprise markets. Offered through multiple consumption models, Hitachi Vantara will provide customers with mechanisms to consume the data storage they need, all while providing improved on-premises performance and allowing for a better ROI.A New AI-Powered ArchitecturePowered by NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs(2), the first offering under the Hitachi iQ portfolio will launch in the first quarter of Hitachi's fiscal year. This offering will undergo NVIDIA DGX BasePOD(3) certification and plans to feature NVIDIA DGX H100 systems(4) and NVIDIA AI Enterprise software(5). Beyond that, the Hitachi iQ portfolio will also feature:- A high-end NVIDIA HGX offering - powered by NVIDIA H100 GPUs - and a complement of midrange PCI-Ebased offerings, consisting of NVIDIA H100 and L40S GPUs.- Utilizing the Hitachi Content Software for File (HCSF)(6) storage technology, Hitachi Vantara will be releasing a new Generation 5 based accelerated storage node, delivering fast storage solutions powering complex AI workloads."Enterprises across industries are building AI factories to turn their data into intelligence," said Charlie Boyle, vicepresident of DGX platforms at NVIDIA. "With solutions built with NVIDIA DGX infrastructure and software, Hitachi Vantara customers will be able to create AI Centers of Excellence to turbocharge their generative AI strategies."Leveraging Hitachi's OT and Industrial ExpertiseHitachi is transforming to meet the needs of the market. Last year, the company announced the creation of the Hitachi Generative AI Center of Excellence(7). As part of a broader relationship with NVIDIA, Hitachi will focus on the creationof OT-specific foundational models, becoming one of the first to create industry-specific generative AI models to help address the market's data-driven digital transformation needs. Additionally, through Hitachi iQ, Hitachi and itssubsidiary and partner ecosystem will help customers discover the potential of what AI has to offer, improving their enterprise.(1) S&P Global Market Intelligence: https://tinyurl.com/bdeanjyn(2) NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs:https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/h100/(3) NVIDIA DGX BasePOD:https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/dgx-basepod/(4) NVIDIA DGX H100 systems:https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/dgx-h100/(5) NVIDIA AI Enterprise:https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/products/ai-enterprise/(6) Hitachi Content Software for File: https://tinyurl.com/mspy8h38(7) Hitachi Generative AI Center: https://www.hitachi.com/New/cnews/month/2023/05/230515.pdfExhibit at the "2024 GTC AI Conference"Hitachi Vantara is a Silver Sponsor at 2024 GTC, the world's leading conference for the AI era, to be held March 18-21 in a hybrid format in San Jose and Virtual, USA. We will introduce innovation through data, infrastructure and services that enable advanced customer experiences and applications using AI.About Hitachi VantaraHitachi Vantara is transforming the way data fuels innovation. A wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Vantara provides the data foundation the world's leading innovators rely on. Through data storage, infrastructuresystems, cloud management and digital expertise, the company helps customers build the foundation for sustainablebusiness growth. To learn more, visit www.hitachivantara.com.About Hitachi, Ltd.Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers' and society's challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) andproducts. Hitachi operates under the business structure of "Digital Systems & Services" - supporting our customers' digital transformation; "Green Energy & Mobility" - contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and "Connective Industries" - connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2022 (ended March 31, 2023) totaled 10,881.1 billion yen, with 696 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.Source: Hitachi, Ltd.Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Partners Group / Key word(s): Annual Results

Partners Group's USD AuM growth of 8% translated into stable profit of CHF 1 billion, impacted by foreign exchange effects; performance fees up 37%



19-March-2024 / 07:00 CET/CEST

Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Baar-Zug, Switzerland; 19 March 2024 | Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 Listing Rules (LR) Revenues increased by 4% to CHF 1'945 million

Management fees amounted to CHF 1'575 million, down 2%, mainly due to foreign exchange effects and lower late management fees[1]

Performance fees increased by 37% to CHF 369 million (19% of total revenues); guidance of 20-30% of total revenues confirmed for next 1-2 years; increases to 25-40% for years thereafter

EBIT margin increased to 61.3%; EBIT stands at CHF 1'193 million while profit stable at CHF 1'003 million

Dividend proposed to increase by 5% to CHF 39.00 per share

Reconfirmed guidance of expected gross client demand of USD 20-25 billion in 2024 Summary of key financials 2023 (in CHF million) 2023 2022 Revenues[2] 1'945 1'872 +4% Management fees[3] 1'575 1'603 -2% Performance fees 369 269 +37% Personnel expenses -603 -596 +1% Other operating expenses/D&A[4] -149 -144 +3% EBIT 1'193 1'132 +5% EBIT margin 61.3% 60.5% Net finance income and expenses 16 -2 Income taxes -205 -124 Profit 1'003 1'005 -0%

David Layton, Partner and Chief Executive Officer, says: "We are pleased that our portfolio of businesses and assets continues to perform robustly, and our financial results are solid. 2023 was a difficult year for our industry, with distributions at the lowest levels seen since the Great Financial Crisis. We are proud to have some of the most diversified performance fees across our industry, nevertheless we felt the impact of a more cautious exit environment. Looking into 2024, our growing pipeline of high-quality assets and normalizing market conditions give us confidence for improving exit activity. On the client side, our ability to tailor bespoke solutions for both institutional and individual investors will remain a key growth driver." 2023 financials Total revenues increased by 4% to CHF 1'945 million (2022: CHF 1'872 million) at a revenue margin[5] of 1.56% (2022: 1.51%). Foreign exchange effects, in particular the continued strengthening of the CHF against the USD and the EUR, negatively impacted revenue growth by 5%. Management fees decreased by 2% to CHF 1'575 million (2022: CHF 1'603 million) and developed in line with average assets under management[6] (AuM) in CHF. Late management fees were slightly lower as the firm did not hold material closings of closed-ended programs during the period.

Performance fees increased by 37% to CHF 369 million (2022: CHF 269 million), representing 19% of total revenues (2022: 14%). H1 performance fees accounted for 72% of total performance fees and were mainly driven by the firm's infrastructure program performance. H2 performance fees, which accounted for 28%, were impacted by the slower-than-anticipated recovery of the transaction environment leading the firm to postpone several asset divestitures across private equity and infrastructure originally planned for H2. Joris Groflin, Partner and Chief Financial Officer, adds: "Our transformational investing strategy resulted in another year of strong double-digit EBITDA growth across our direct private equity and infrastructure portfolios, building the foundation for future performance fees. We remain confident in our ability to generate performance fees accounting for 20-30% of revenues in the next 1-2 years in a normalizing market environment and see further upside in the range of 25-40% for the years thereafter." Total operating costs increased by 2% to CHF 752 million (2022: CHF 740 million), mainly driven by higher variable performance fee-related personnel expenses. Total personnel expenses (80% of total operating costs) increased by 1% to CHF 603 million (2022: CHF 596 million). Non-performance fee-related personnel expenses decreased 5% year-on-year to CHF 470 million (2022: CHF 496 million), below average FTE growth of 12%. They were positively impacted by foreign exchange changes and included lower bonus accruals relative to 2022. Performance fee-related personnel expenses increased by 33% to CHF 133 million (2022: CHF 100 million), in-line with performance fees.

Other operating expenses increased by 3% to CHF 108 million (2022: CHF 104 million), in line with revenues. Depreciation & amortization remained largely stable at CHF 41 million (2022: CHF 40 million). EBIT increased by 5% to CHF 1'193 million (2022: CHF 1'132 million) at an EBIT margin of 61.3% (2022: 60.5%). Net finance income and expenses amounted to CHF 16 million (2022: CHF -2 million). The firm's transformational investing approach translated into positive underlying asset and portfolio performance, resulting in a contribution of CHF 67 million (2022: CHF 14 million) from Partners Group's investments alongside its clients. At the same time, negative foreign exchange effects, hedging, and other costs resulted in a negative contribution of CHF -51 million (2022: CHF -16 million). Income taxes totaled CHF 205 million (2022: CHF 124 million) at a tax rate of 17% (2022: 11%). In summary, the firm's profit was stable at CHF 1'003 million (2022: CHF 1'005 million). Partners Group's Board of Directors proposes a dividend of CHF 39.00 per share (2022: CHF 37.00 per share) based on the solid development of the business and its confidence in the sustainability of the firm's growth. The proposal represents an increase of 5% year-on-year. Outlook Steffen Meister, Partner and Executive Chairman of the Board, concludes: "Our hypothesis that the roles of public and private markets are switching has been confirmed in 2023, as our industry is increasingly becoming the main funding engine of the rapidly changing real economy. Looking forward, we expect technology to accelerate the pace of change in the economy, ushering in an unprecedented age of transformation and disproportional productivity, facilitated in a large part by private markets managers. During this next economic transformation we believe our industry will consolidate and business builders, who like Partners Group take a transformational approach to investing, will access a massive growth opportunity in the next 10 years." For the full-year 2024, Partners Group confirms its guidance on expected gross client demand of USD 20 to 25 billion, based on an expected normalization of the investment environment and continued strong interest in its bespoke solutions and flagship offerings. The firm further guides for USD -8 to -9 billion in tail-down effects stemming from the more mature closed-ended investment programs. From now on, Partners Group no longer includes redemptions from evergreen programs in its guidance as they are often netted out by performance effects in a normalized environment.[7] In its AuM announcement on 11 January 2024, Partners Group provided guidance for redemptions implicitly amounting to USD -3 to -4 billion for the full-year 2024. Building on the success of its existing platform, Partners Group will expand its investment universe to include private markets royalties as a fifth asset class in 2024. The firm will take a multi-sector approach to private markets royalties, which will cover intellectual property assets across the pharmaceuticals and select consumer industries, as well as opportunities within the energy transition space. With regard to financials, Partners Group expects performance fees to account for 20-30% of total revenues in the next 1-2 years in a normalizing market environment and increases the range to 25-40% for the years thereafter. The firm bases this additional upside on the increasing proportion of the firm's maturing portfolio that consists of direct investments, which entail a higher performance fee. Partners Group will continue to target a ~60% EBIT margin on newly generated management fees as well as on all performance fees as it builds out its resources in preparation for future growth. Conference call today & publication of 2023 Annual Report Partners Group's senior management will hold a conference call today at 9:00am CET at the Widder Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland. To register for the call, please click here or use the contact details at the end of this press release. The Annual Report as of 31 December 2023 is available for download at https://www.partnersgroup.com/en/shareholders/reports-and-presentations . Key dates 2024 22 May 2024 Annual General Meeting of shareholders 11 July 2024 Announcement of AuM as of 30 June 2024 3 September 2024 Announcement of Interim Financial Results and Interim Report

as of 30 June 2024

[1] Late management fees typically arise when clients join a commingled closed-ended investment program at a later stage of the fundraising period and are required to pay retrospectively for previously delivered management services to this respective program. Any such payments in relation to prior accounting years are called late management fees. [2] Revenues include management fees and performance fees. [3] Management fees and other revenues, net, and other operating income. [4] Stands for: depreciation and amortization. [5] Revenue margin is an Alternative Performance Metrics (APM). A description of the APM can be found in Partners Group's 2023 Annual Report on pages 32 and 33, available for download at www.partnersgroup.com/en/shareholders/reports-and-presentations . [6] Assets under Management is an Alternative Performance Metrics (APM). A description of the APM can be found in Partners Group's 2023 Annual Report on pages 32 and 33, available for download at www.partnersgroup.com/en/shareholders/reports-and-presentations . [7] Net AuM impact of performance effects and redemptions over the last five years in USD billion: +0.5 in 2019, +0.2 in 2020, +3.8 in 2021, -2.3 in 2022 and -1.4 in 2023 (average over five years: +0.2). About Partners Group

Partners Group is a leading global private markets firm. Since 1996, the firm has invested USD 210 billion in private equity, private real estate, private debt and private infrastructure on behalf of its clients globally. Partners Group seeks to generate superior returns through capitalizing on thematic growth trends and transforming attractive businesses and assets into market leaders. The firm is a committed, responsible investor and aims to create sustainable returns with lasting, positive impact for all its stakeholders. With USD 147 billion in assets under management as of 31 December 2023, Partners Group provides an innovative range of bespoke client solutions to institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and private individuals globally. The firm employs more than 1'900 diverse professionals across 20 offices worldwide and has regional headquarters in Baar-Zug, Switzerland; Denver, USA; and Singapore. Partners Group Holding AG has been listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange since 2006 (symbol: PGHN). For more information, please visit www.partnersgroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn . Shareholder relations contact

Philip Sauer

Phone: +41 41 784 66 60

Email: philip.sauer@partnersgroup.com Media relations contact

Jenny Blinch

Phone: +44 207 575 2571

Email: jenny.blinch@partnersgroup.com

End of Inside Information
Recognised in India for a second year in a row, IBS Software has been certified as a 'Great Place to Work' in new markets including UAE, US, Canada, UK, Japan and Germany

DUBAI, UAE, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IBS Software, a leading SaaS solutions provider to the global travel industry has again been certified a Great Place To Work in 7 countries. The company received recognition in India for the second year running and has been awarded in six further countries namely; UAE, US, Canada, UK, Japan and Germany.

IBS Software is focused on transforming how travel companies operate in a digital world by delivering next-generation products to accelerate growth, drive efficiency and create a differentiated consumer experience. The latest certification reinforces IBS Software's commitment to building an engaging and supportive working environment. IBS Software is proud of a company culture built on precision, commitment, passion, integrity and respect for all individuals.

VK Mathews, Executive Chairman of IBS Software said: "Being acknowledged as a Great Place to Work in 6 new countries and for the second time in India is a matter of great pride for us. It is a reflection of how our employees perceive us as an organization and a testimony to our commitment to providing outstanding employee experience, ensuring sustainable financial performance, and fostering a culture of equal opportunity, diversity, and continuous learning. Together, we will continue our pursuit towards workplace excellence, with a focus on meritocracy, fairness, diversity, and inclusion."

Jayan Nair, Head of Human Resources at IBS Software, commented: "I'm thrilled about the consistent positive feedback from IBS Software employees at all levels and locations. Achieving certification in multiple countries is a testament to our commitment to every employee. Our people are our greatest asset, and we remain dedicated to continuous improvement based on their valuable feedback. We have always believed in raising the bar to become an employer of choice and this recognition further reinforces our commitment in building a better company culture and providing equal opportunities for our employees."

In a world of uncertainty, creating a workplace that encourages employee feedback for business improvement has never been more important. As a result, IBS Software has launched an in-house chat bot called iKnow to ease employee queries around policies and practices and to enhance the overall HR operations experience.

About Great Place To Work

Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with feedback, real-time reporting, and the insights they need to make strategic people decisions. The Institute serves businesses, non-profits and government agencies in more than 60 countries and has conducted pioneering research on the characteristics of great workplaces for over three decades. In India, the institute partners with more than 1400 organizations annually across over 22 industries to help them build High-Trust, High-Performance Cultures designed to deliver sustained business results. Hundreds of CEOs and CXOs from India Inc. are part of the great place community that is committed to the vision of making India a great place to work for all. The Institute's research shows that great workplaces are characterized by great leadership, consistent employee experience, and sustainable financial performance. These organizations can deliver a consistent experience to all their employees irrespective of their role, gender, tenure, or level. Their leaders believe in the vision of creating and sustaining a great place to work for all and role models for all leaders. Learn more at https://www.greatplacetowork.in/ and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT IBS SOFTWARE

IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise, hospitality, and energy resources industries. IBS Software's solutions for the aviation industry cover fleet & crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel and air-cargo management. Across the hospitality sector, IBS Software offers a cloud-native, unified platform for hotels and travel sellers, including central reservation (CRS), property management (PMS), revenue management (RMS), call center, booking engine, loyalty and distribution. For the tour & cruise industry, IBS provides a comprehensive, customer-centric, digital platform that covers onshore, online and on-board solutions. Across the energy & resources industry, we provide logistics management solutions that cover logistics planning, operations & accommodation management. The Consulting and Digital Transformation (CDx) business focuses on driving digital transformation initiatives of its customers, leveraging its domain knowledge, digital technologies and engineering excellence. IBS Software operates from 17 offices across the world.

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CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Ink Additives Market by Type (Rheology Modifiers, Dispersing & Wetting agents, Foam Control Additives), Technology (Solvent-based, Water-based), Process (Lithographic, Gravure), Application (Packaging, Publishing), & Region - Global Forecast to 2029", was USD 2.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 2.9 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 5.3% between 2024 and 2029. The growth is attributed to the increasing applications, technological advancements in the ink industry, and rising demand from the packaging industry in Asia Pacific, mainly from China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Ink Additives Market"

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The major driver for the ink additives market is increased demand from flexible packaging.

The global flexible packaging sector has witnessed significant growth due to various factors, which consequently impacts the demand for ink additives. Flexible packaging typically involves a range of materials such as plastic films, foils, and laminates. Ink additives play a vital role in enhancing ink compatibility with these diverse substrates, ensuring proper adhesion and print quality. The necessity for specialized additives that harmonize well with flexible materials drives the demand for innovative ink solutions. Flexible packaging finds extensive use in the food, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods industries. Ink additives contribute to enhancing ink performance in terms of durability, resistance to abrasion, and the ability to withstand the flexible nature of the packaging material during handling, transport, and storage.

Branding and visual appeal are crucial in flexible packaging, where products often vie for consumer attention on store shelves. Ink additives are utilized to enrich color consistency and vibrancy, ensuring that the packaging maintains an attractive and uniform appearance. Flexible packaging production frequently involves high-speed printing processes. Ink additives facilitating quick drying become indispensable to maintain production efficiency and meet the demands of fast-paced manufacturing environments. Additionally, flexible packaging often requires specialized inks with barrier coatings to safeguard the contents from external factors like moisture, light, and gases. Ink additives are employed to enhance the functionality of these specialty inks, addressing specific requirements in the flexible packaging market.

The flexibility of ink formulations allows for customization based on the specific requirements of various applications within the flexible packaging sector, be it food packaging, pharmaceuticals, or industrial products. Ink additives can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each application. Ongoing advancements in ink additive technologies cater to the evolving needs of the flexible packaging industry. Innovations in adhesion promoters, drying accelerators, and other additive categories contribute to improved performance and efficiency in flexible packaging printing.

Dispersing & wetting agents type segment is expected to hold largest share of the ink additives market during the forecasted period.

Dispersing and wetting agents feature prominently in nearly all ink formulations, with similar functionalities. Wetting serves as the initial stage in the dispersion process, lowering the ink's surface tension. Conversely, dispersants play a role in eliminating flocculation. They are utilized in greater quantities within the majority of ink formulations compared to alternative ink additives. Furthermore, their widespread use across various ink types contributes to their increased demand.

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Solvent-based technology segment holds the largest segment in overall ink additives market during forecast period.

Solvent-based technology holds the leading position in the ink additives market due to its affordability and ease of application. Widely utilized in the ink industry, manufacturers prefer this technology for its cost-effective processing. The solvents used in printing evaporate quickly, reducing the risk of migration. As a result, solvent-based technology maintains its dominance globally, notably in economies such as China, India, Brazil, and Southeast Asian nations.

Lithographic process segment holds the largest segment in overall ink additives market during forecast period.

The lithographic/offset printing process stands as the dominant method in the printing ink industry. However, its growth rate has slowed compared to other processes due to the shift towards functional and sensory packaging. Over the forecast period, the digital process is expected to emerge as the fastest-growing method. This surge is attributed to the rising adoption of digital printing, which does away with the need for film plates or photo chemicals, streamlining the process from digital document files to final prints. Moreover, digital printing eliminates the production and disposal of printing plates, resulting in significant time and cost savings. Additionally, the trend towards smaller print runs and the demand for personalized content within tight deadlines are driving factors behind the increasing demand for digital printing.

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Packaging application segment accounted largest share of the global ink additives market during forecasted period.

Packaging stands as the most significant and rapidly expanding application area for ink additives. Anticipated to fuel this segment's market are the robust demands for ink additives in flexible packaging, corrugated cardboard, and folding cartons. This growth is primarily propelled by the increasing need for inks in various packaging sectors such as food (including seafood), beverages, cigarette packaging, pouches, bags, and lamination designs. Additionally, the rising demand for ink additives from narrow web, tag, and label printing segments further boosts the packaging segment market.

Asia Pacific region likely to account the largest share of the global ink additives market during forecasted period.

The ink additives market within the region is expected to be stimulated by the packaging industry in emerging countries such as India and Indonesia. Over the past few years, these nations have seen a consistent uptrend in the consumption of packaged goods. This surge in packaging consumption is chiefly propelled by the demand for secure packaging of food items and visually attractive product packaging.

Market Players

Some of the key players in the global ink additives market include Atlanta AG (Germany), BASF SE (Germany), Dow, Inc. (US), Elementis Plc (UK), Evonik Industries AG (Germany) and others. The companies are majorly following product develoment, investment & expansion, and innovation as the strategy to grow and expand the market.

Browse Adjacent Market: Coatings Adhesives Sealants and Elastomers Market Research Reports

Related Reports:

Printing Ink Market - Global Forecast to 2028

Coating Additives Market - Global Forecast to 2028

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Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes.

The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry.

To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

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Mr. Aashish Mehra

MarketsandMarkets INC.

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BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - Switzerland's foreign trade surplus decreased in February from a month earlier as imports rose faster than exports, data from the Federal Customs Administration showed on Tuesday. The trade surplus dropped to CHF 2.2 billion in February from CHF 2.7 billion in January. In real terms, exports rose 0.2 percent over the month, reversing a 0.5 percent decline in January. Imports also rebounded 3.8 percent after falling 3.9 percent in the prior month. Shipments of food products grew 3.0 percent over the month, while those of jewellery items showed a sharp decline of 13.5 percent. In nominal terms, both exports and imports increased by 0.1 percent and 2.9 percent, respectively. According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, watch exports decreased 3.8 percent year-on-year in February. Moreover, this was the first decline in just over two years due to an unfavourable base effect and a more pronounced fall in Greater China, while other markets recorded a notable increase. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Qovery BYOK enables companies to control the cost and security of Kubernetes clusters

KubeCon Qovery, the leading internal developer platform, today announced the launch of their Bring Your Own Kubernetes (BYOK) offering. Users can now leverage Qovery on their Kubernetes clusters, rather than relying solely on public clouds such as EKS, GKE, and AKS.

Companies increasingly opt to maintain their Kubernetes clusters in-house to ensure adherence to security and data compliance regulations. Amidst today's economic climate, this approach also helps control computing costs. Recognizing these challenges, Qovery introduces BYOK, allowing developers to gain the autonomy of self-service allowing DevOps engineers to maintain control of their infrastructure, ensuring efficiency and security. With hundreds of companies already using it in beta, BYOK streamlines infrastructure management and drives unprecedented productivity.

"Companies have been managing Kubernetes clusters in-house because of the challenging economy to keep cost in check but also to ensure security and data compliance," said Romaric Philogene, co-founder and CEO, Qovery. "Our BYOK offers the best of both worlds: the advantage of a self-managed Kubernetes cluster while providing a smooth developer experience that maximizes software engineering teams' productivity."

Key features of Qovery's BYOK model include:

Flexibility: Qovery adapts to users' infrastructure requirements, allowing for frictionless integration with existing setups, whether on a private cloud, public cloud, or on-premise.

Qovery adapts to users' infrastructure requirements, allowing for frictionless integration with existing setups, whether on a private cloud, public cloud, or on-premise. Security: BYOK ensures that unique network and security needs are met, offering enhanced capabilities such as integrating tools like Istio and custom ConfigMaps.

BYOK ensures that unique network and security needs are met, offering enhanced capabilities such as integrating tools like Istio and custom ConfigMaps. Developer Experience: BYOK ensures that developers enjoy a seamless self-service experience while maintaining the familiarity of the Kubernetes environment they know and love.

With Qovery, developers benefit from a self-service model that facilitates feature testing in dedicated environments. This approach contributes to increased development productivity, improved development time efficiency, a reduction in the cost of the environment, and an elevation in product quality.

For more information, read the blog on the company site.

About Qovery

Founded in 2020 by Pierre Mavro, Romaric Philogene, and Morgan Perry, Qovery is at the forefront of revolutionizing application deployment. Headquartered in San Francisco, Qovery is an Internal Developer Platform helping 60,000+ platform engineers and developers to ship faster. Learn more at qovery.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319322664/en/

Contacts:

Sylvain Kalache for Qovery

sylvain@bigopr.com
LONDON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite serious concerns over the state of the union with a Biden-Trump presidential election rematch now underway, the USA remains the world's undisputed leader in private wealth creation and accumulation. America accounts for 32% of global liquid investable wealth - a colossal USD 67 trillion, according to the 2024 USA Wealth Report published by global wealth advisory firm Henley & Partners. The USA is currently home to 37% of the world's millionaires: some 5.5 million high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) who hold over USD 1 million in liquid investable assets. This number has risen by an impressive 62% over the past decade, well ahead of the worldwide growth rate of 38%.

Although the USA's GDP is similar to that of rival superpower China, America ranks way ahead when it comes to liquid wealth (which for the purposes of this report only includes listed company holdings, cash and debt-free residential property holdings). Likewise, wealth per capita and the number of super rich is also substantially higher stateside. The USA boasts 9,850 centi-millionaires versus China's 2,352, and 788 billionaires versus China's 305. While just over 862,000 millionaires live in China, its wealth per capita is only USD 18,800 compared to USD 201,500 in America, which ranks 6th globally after Monaco, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Australia, and Singapore.

Yet despite the USA's affluence, Mehdi Kadiri, Head of North America at Henley & Partners, says record numbers of wealthy US-Americans are currently securing additional citizenships or alternative residence rights abroad. "US nationals are our single biggest cohort of applicants right now and they also outnumbered every other nationality last year. With political divisions and societal tensions at an all-time high, American investors, entrepreneurs, and wealthy families are increasingly hedging their bets and pursuing backup citizenship or residence abroad, signaling declining faith in the domestic outlook."

Commenting in the 2024 USA Wealth Report, award-winning journalist and author Misha Glenny says although just under 2% of the world's population have the right to decide who will be the next US president, their choice will have far-reaching consequences for the remaining 8 billion around the globe. "The USA remains the decisive economic power in the world but politically it has rarely appeared so unsure of itself. Despite its economic performance, the perception of ordinary voters ahead of November's high-stakes election is one of stagnating living standards, rising debt levels, and a dangerously polarized society."

America's wealthiest and priciest cities

New York City continues to wear the crown as the wealthiest city in the USA (and the world) with 349,500 millionaires calling the Big Apple home (of which 744 are centi-millionaires and 60 are billionaires), followed by the Bay Area (305,700), Los Angeles (212,100), Chicago (120,500), and Houston (90,900). Dallas (68,600), Seattle (54,200), Boston (42,900), Miami (35,300), and Austin (32,700) all make it into this year's Top 10, with Washington, D.C. in 11th place with 28,300 resident millionaires.

Looking at wealth growth over the past decade, Texas's capital Austin has enjoyed the biggest leap, with a 110% increase in its millionaire population between 2013 and 2023. The Arizona desert city of Scottsdale and Florida's Palm Beach and West Palm Beach have also proved to be millionaire magnets with increases of 102% and 93%, respectively. Greenwich and Darien on Connecticut's affluent Gold Coast, and Northern California's Bay Area, have sported wealth growth of over 80%, and Miami, Dallas, D.C., Seattle, and Houston have all seen their resident millionaires surge by over 70%. Andrew Amoils, Head of Research at New World Wealth says "future wealth hotspots to watch are Salt Lake City, Tampa, and Naples. Over the next decade, we can expect these cities to attract rising numbers of high-net-worth residents".

When it comes to the most expensive real estate in America, New York again takes the lead with the average price per m2 of a 'prime' (200 to 400 m2) apartment in the city standing at an eye-watering USD 28,400. Next up is LA, where the plushiest pads fetch an average of USD 17,800 per m2, followed closely by Palm Beach (USD 17,500), Miami Beach (USD 17,200), and the Bay Area, where you can spend up to USD 15,500 per m2 for premium residential units in the most affluent locations.

In terms of private wealth outflows, Henley & Partners received the most enquiries from US citizens on record in 2023 (with an increase of 500% over the past five years), making them the highest ranked nationality worldwide when it comes to applying for residence and citizenship by investment programs. To meet demand, the firm has opened offices in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, and San Francisco.

Read the Full Press Release

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SITTARD, Netherlands, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As of June 1st 2024, Jan Piet Valk resigns as CFO and statutory director of Boels Rental. Subsequently he will join the Supervisory Board of Boels Group as chairman per September 1st of this year. The successor of Jan Piet as CFO will be Rene Olsthoorn.

Rene Olsthoorn will join Boels on April 1st 2024, to officially become CFO per June 1st of this year. Rene was CEO and chairman of the Executive Board of TABS Holland. Over the past 15 years, as CFO and CEO, Rene has played a vital role in the successful growth of TABS Holland into a leading and financially healthy business. His relevant experience and knowledge provide a stable foundation for his future role as CFO of Boels.

Jan Piet has been CFO of Boels since April 2020 and follows up on his intention to step down as CFO after four successful years. Pierre Boels, CEO of Boels Rental says: "Jan Piet has played an important role in the professionalisation and growth of our organisation in the recent years. We are grateful for his efforts". Since 2020, Jan Piet's contributions have included numerous acquisition and integration projects such as the acquisition of CRAMO and (re-)financing projects, including the first bond placement of Boels. As statutory director, he also successfully contributed to the development and implementation of a resilient business model and growth strategy, whilst manoeuvring the company through dynamic circumstances over the past years. These efforts were awarded with the prestigious Dutch 'Huub van Roozendaal award' in 2023.

Jan Piet Valk comments: "I am grateful for the opportunities and trust that I have received from the entire Boels organisation, and particularly Pierre Boels. It is an honour to fulfil my new role in the Supervisory Board in which I can continue to contribute to this incredible company and everyone who is part of it. I am proud and look back with great pleasure on the accomplishments we achieved together in the recent years. I hope to continue contributing to Boels for a long time, but now in a different capacity as chairman of the Supervisory Board".

Because of Jan Piet's financial leadership, Boels has grown into one of the largest European rental companies with an annual turnover of over 1.5 billion in 2023. Built on a strong financial position and ready for the next phase of growth. Looking at the future Pierre Boels, CEO of Boels, explains: "I am looking forward to a successful continuation with Jan Piet as chairman of the Boels Group Supervisory Board. With confidence, I am also looking forward to the arrival of Rene Olsthoorn as CFO. With his relevant experience and knowledge, there is a stable base for continuation of the growth strategy and the strong financial position of Boels".

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Press Release

The Novo Nordisk Foundation chooses Eviden to build "Gefion" in Denmark, one of the world's most powerful AI supercomputers

Paris, France - March 19, 2024 -Eviden, the Atos Groupbusiness leading in advanced computing, today announces a new contract with the Danish Centre for AI Innovation, owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, to construct a state-of-the-art AI supercomputer in Denmark. The supercomputer is designed to cater to large-scale projects that utilize artificial intelligence and prioritize the highest level of security to support Danish data sovereignty. The new supercomputer is expected to be one of the most powerful AI supercomputers in the world. Its goal is to accelerate research and innovation in various fields such as healthcare, life sciences, and the green transition.

It will deliver 6 Exaflops of FP8 AI performance and is based on the NVIDIA DGX SuperPODTMarchitecture. Eviden will deliver, install, and configure the supercomputer, as well as provide the maintenance and technical support during its entire lifetime.

The supercomputer, named Gefion, is expected to be ready for pilot projects before the end of the year. It will be housed in Denmark's newly established national centre for AI innovation and will provide researchers from Denmark's public and private sectors access to an advanced supercomputer optimized for AI.

"We're proud to be working with Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Danish Centre for AI Innovation to deliver the AI supercomputer in Denmark to provide an unprecedented potential to accelerate groundbreaking scientific discoveries in areas such as drug discovery, disease diagnosis and treatment," said Dr. Cedric Bourrasset, Head of HPC-AI and Quantum Computing, Eviden, Atos Group. "This new supercomputer will be a powerful resource to further boost AI research and collaboration between academia and Danish industry in Denmark's already thriving AI-based research ecosystem."

Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, said, "Eviden is renowned for being the leading expert in AI supercomputing. They are therefore the ideal choice to support this exciting project and help Denmark's brilliant researchers and innovators rise to the next level."

"AI is helping researchers find solutions to many of humanity's biggest challenges in healthcare, sustainability, energy and more" said Charlie Boyle, Vice President, DGX platforms at NVIDIA. "Built by Eviden with NVIDIA DGX H100 AI supercomputing, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Gefion system can advance research and development in Denmark with transformative, full-stack AI infrastructure."

Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundationis an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. Its vision is to improve people's health and the sustainability of society and the planet, and its mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society.

***

Editorial Notes

About the supercomputer

The new supercomputer is a large-scale NVIDIA DGX SuperPODcomprised of 191 NVIDIA DGX H100 systemsand 382 Intel Xeon Platinum CPUsconnected via the NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBandnetworking platform. It will include storage from DDN. The system will also use state-of-the-art NVIDIA software platforms such as NVIDIA CUDA Quantum, an open-source hybrid quantum computing platform that features powerful simulation tools and capabilities to program hybrid CPU, GPU, and quantum processing unit (QPU) systems. The H100 GPU's Hopper chip architecture is designed to solve the world's most challenging AI problems and is four times faster at training tasks on large language models like GPT-3 compared to its predecessor.

About Eviden1

Evidenis a next-gen technology leader in data-driven, trusted and sustainable digital transformation with a strong portfolio of patented technologies. With worldwide leading positions in advanced computing, security, AI, cloud and digital platforms, it provides deep expertise for all industries in more than 47 countries. Bringing together 47,000 world-class talents, Eviden expands the possibilities of data and technology across the digital continuum, now and for generations to come. Eviden is an Atos Group company with an annual revenue of c.  5 billion.

About Atos

Atosis a global leader in digital transformation with c. 95,000 employees and annual revenue of c.  11 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 69 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), and listed on Euronext Paris.

The purpose of Atosis to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

Press contact

Laura Fau | laura.fau@atos.net| +33 (0) 6 73 64 04 18

1 Eviden business is operated through the following brands: AppCentrica, ATHEA, Cloudamize, Cloudreach, Cryptovision, DataSentics, Edifixio, Energy4U, Engage ESM, Evidian, Forensik, IDEAL GRP, In Fidem, Ipsotek, Maven Wave, Profit4SF, SEC Consult, Visual BI, Worldgrid, X-Perion. Eviden is a registered trademark. Eviden is a registered trademark.  Eviden SAS, 2024.

Attachment
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LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Consumer goods major Unilever Plc. (ULVR.L, UL) announced Tuesday its plans to seperate Ice Cream division, and to launch a major productivity programme to drive faster growth and higher margin. The steps are part of its decision to accelerate its Growth Action Plan. Ice Cream separation activity will begin immediately, with full separation expected by the end of 2025. The proposed changes are expected to impact around 7,500 predominantly office-based roles globally. The total restructuring costs are now anticipated to be around 1.2% of Group turnover for the next three years, up from the around 1% of Group turnover previously communicated. These proposals will be subject to consultation. The productivity programme is anticipated to deliver total cost savings of around 800 million euros over the next three years, more than offsetting estimated operational dis-synergies from the separation of Ice Cream. The company said it needs to be increasingly focused on a portfolio of superior brands with strong positions that have complementary operating models, while Ice Cream has a very different operating model. Following the planned separation, Unilever will become a simpler, more focused company, operating four Business Groups across Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Nutrition. Further, Ice Cream will be separated as a standalone, world-leading business with brands that together delivered turnover of 7.9 billion euros in 2023. Unilever said its Board is confident that the future growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. The Ice Cream business has five of the top 10 selling global ice cream brands including Wall's, Magnum and Ben & Jerry's, with exposure in both the in-home and out-of-home segments. It is expected that after separating Ice Cream and implementing the productivity programme, Unilever will have a structurally higher margin. Post separation, Unilever aims to deliver mid-single digit underlying sales growth and modest margin improvement. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Germantown, Maryland, and Venlo, the Netherlands, March 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QIAGEN (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) today announced a partnership with the International Panel Physicians Association (IPPA) to support and educate panel physicians around the globe on the latest tuberculosis (TB) screening requirements. A special focus will be on the new Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) requirements and the associated benefits for patients and healthcare providers.

This collaboration follows the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updating its guidelines for new TB screening requirements for immigrants to the United States. Together, QIAGEN and IPPA are committed to promoting the use of IGRA testing, such as QIAGEN's QuantiFERON-TB Plus, to ensure a safe immigration process and support the global fight against TB. IPPA is a U.S.-based non-profit organization of physicians who are authorized to conduct immigration medical evaluations by governments of countries that receive migrants, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

"Our collaboration with IPPA enables us to raise awareness about the benefits of IGRA testing and support the U.S. national strategy to eliminate TB domestically by 2050. This partnership will lead to better detection of latent TB infection before departure for the United States and help identify immigrants who would benefit from preventive treatment," said Fernando Beils, Senior Vice President and Head of the Molecular Diagnostics business area at QIAGEN.

Alexandra Ortega, MPH, MCHES, Executive Director of the IPPA, said, "Working together with QIAGEN allows us to educate panel physicians on the latest TB screening requirements, ensuring patients receive the most accurate and efficient testing available. This partnership will play a crucial role in global efforts to combat TB."

The updated CDC guidelines now mandate that by October 1, 2024, all individuals aged above 2 years old from countries with a WHO-estimated TB incidence rate of more than 20 cases per 100,000 people will require an IGRA test as part of their U.S. immigrant visa medical exam, expanding from the previous requirement covering only children age 2 to 14.

Additionally, in anticipation of World TB Day, QIAGEN is hosting a global CPD-accredited event on March 21, 2024, with top TB experts discussing the vital theme of "TB infection screening and preventive therapy for achieving End TB strategy goals". The program will explore the global TB landscape, advances in testing and prevention, and screening of migrants. A panel discussion will address TB epidemiology, cost-effectiveness, and challenges faced by high-risk groups like migrants and children.

Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection spread primarily by coughing of patients with the active pulmonary form of the disease. The WHO estimated that there were more than 10 million new cases of active TB worldwide and 1.3 million deaths in 2022. One in four people worldwide are believed to have latent TB infections, with 5-10% of them expected at some point to develop active TB. Screening for latent TB infection is therefore essential in the effort to end TB.

QIAGEN's QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus assay accurately detects TB infection by identifying interferon-gamma released by T-cells in response to TB-specific antigens. This one-visit test outperforms the century-old, two-visit TB skin test (TST), particularly for patients from high-TB-burden countries who have received BCG vaccination. The CDC and WHO endorse the use of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus to combat the global TB epidemic.

For more information and to register for this event, please visit https://www.qiagen.com/us/applications/tb-management/events/world-tb-day

About QIAGEN

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions that enable customers to gain valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life. Our sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and knowledge bases interpret data to report relevant, actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in seamless and cost-effective workflows. QIAGEN provides solutions to more than 500,000 customers around the world in Molecular Diagnostics (human healthcare) and Life Sciences (academia, pharma R&D and industrial applications, primarily forensics). As of December 31, 2023, QIAGEN employed approximately 6,000 people in over 35 locations worldwide. Further information can be found at http://www.qiagen.com .

Forward-Looking Statement

Certain statements contained in this press release may be considered 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. To the extent that any of the statements contained herein relating to QIAGEN's products, timing for launch and development, marketing and/or regulatory approvals, financial and operational outlook, growth and expansion, collaborations, markets, strategy or operating results, including without limitation its expected adjusted net sales and adjusted diluted earnings results, are forward-looking, such statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that involve a number of uncertainties and risks. Such uncertainties and risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with management of growth and international operations (including the effects of currency fluctuations, regulatory processes and dependence on logistics), variability of operating results and allocations between customer classes, the commercial development of markets for our products to customers in academia, pharma, applied testing and molecular diagnostics; changing relationships with customers, suppliers and strategic partners; competition; rapid or unexpected changes in technologies; fluctuations in demand for QIAGEN's products (including fluctuations due to general economic conditions, the level and timing of customers' funding, budgets and other factors); our ability to obtain regulatory approval of our products; difficulties in successfully adapting QIAGEN's products to integrated solutions and producing such products; the ability of QIAGEN to identify and develop new products and to differentiate and protect our products from competitors' products; market acceptance of QIAGEN's new products and the integration of acquired technologies and businesses; actions of governments, global or regional economic developments, weather or transportation delays, natural disasters, political or public health crises, and its impact on the demand for our products and other aspects of our business, or other force majeure events; as well as the possibility that expected benefits related to recent or pending acquisitions may not materialize as expected; and the other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in Item 3 of our most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F. For further information, please refer to the discussions in reports that QIAGEN has filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: QIAGEN N.V.

Category: Corporate
STOCKHOLM, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartCella Holding AB today announces that Oskar Steneryd has been appointed new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Oskar Steneryd assumes the role on April 1, 2024, and most recently was Investment Director at Impilo, a Nordic-based investment company focused on the healthcare sector. Oskar will be a member of SmartCella's Executive Management Team, based in the Stockholm head office.

SmartCella is an innovative biotechnology company developing stem cell and RNA-based therapies in combination with novel delivery devices such as the FDA-cleared Extroducer. Oskar Steneryd's recruitment adds significant strategy, growth, and capital markets experience to SmartCella's leadership, thus laying business control and reporting foundations for the future.

Niklas Prager, CEO of SmartCella, says: "It's a great pleasure to announce that Oskar is joining SmartCella. He has a stellar track record from investing in businesses in the biotech and life science space, a strong commercial focus, and a wealth of experience from financial leadership and reporting. He will be instrumental in building our Finance and Business Control function further as SmartCella is entering the next phase of expansion and market visibility. Having a CFO who combines strategic and growth skills with experience from the capital markets is essential for us at this stage."

Oskar Steneryd, new CFO of SmartCella, comments: "I have over time followed and been highly impressed with the rapid development of SmartCella and its quest to transform the potential of targeted therapies. I am excited to join such a dynamic, talented, and future-focused organization and to contribute with my specialist experience, both from investing in and building life science businesses, and in helping to further strengthen SmartCella from a financial and business control perspective."

Oskar Steneryd holds an MSc in Accounting and Financial Management from the Stockholm School of Economics. He comes with a background of fifteen years in the Private Equity and Investment Banking industry, mainly focused on healthcare investments. Oskar most recently joins SmartCella from Impilo, a Nordic-based investment company focused on investments in the healthcare sector, and prior to that Novo Holdings, Altor Equity Partners, and Morgan Stanley's Healthcare Investment Banking division in London.

Oskar succeeds the current CFO Malin af Petersens, who has been instrumental in building SmartCella into what it is today. Malin will be leaving SmartCella after the summer and will until then continue to report to the CEO and remain a member of the Executive Management Team, driving special projects within the Finance function.

Contact

Niklas Prager, CEO,

46 768 117744;

niklas.prager@smartcella.com

About SmartCella Holding AB

SmartCella, founded in 2014, is an innovative biotechnology company based in Stockholm, Sweden. SmartCella's vision is to combine first-in-class delivery platforms with cutting-edge cell and mRNA therapies to unleash the full potential of targeted therapies. The company has three main business units, Smartwise, SmartCella Solutions and ProCella.

Smartwise

Smartwise has developed a first-in-class endovascular device, the Extroducer, that enables direct-to-tissue drug delivery. This technology addresses a significant unmet need in the field novel therapies, enabling targeted delivery of a wide range of modalities for solid tumor treatment and tissue repair. Using standard equipment and routine interventional radiology approaches, the Extroducer provides access to hard to reach tissues by safely penetrating the vessel wall and delivering payload directly to the target location. Smartwise received regulatory approval from the US FDA for the Extroducer in June 2022 and is now actively licensing out the technology globally.

SmartCella Solutions

SmartCella Solutions has developed novel mRNA therapies and cell-mediated delivery platforms enabling localized protein expression. The company is now actively engaging in partnering discussions for out-licensing, as well as developing its own proprietary therapies.

ProCella

ProCella has advanced capabilities in developing proprietary stem cell therapies as well as in-house cGMP manufacturing. The first therapy, a cardiac progenitor cell, has now been taken through GLP tox and is approaching a clinical phase 1 trial in heart failure. The company recently completed the construction of its clinical GMP manufacturing facility, which has been approved by the Swedish authorities (GMP) and cleared for production. This infrastructure along with the team's technical expertise and capabilities will underpin the company's growing pipeline going forward.

Read more www.smartcella.com



Follow SmartCella on LinkedIn



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Germany's K2 Systems says that its new mounting system will be available in the spring. It supports module elevation of 10 degrees to 15 degrees. K2 Systems, a German PV mounting system specialist, has introduced a new mounting system for green rooftops. Green roofs are the roofs of buildings that are partially or fully covered with plants. Its new K2 GreenRoof Vento System is due to hit the market in the spring. The company said the mounting is made of aluminum 6063 T66, stainless steel A2-70, and polyethylene. "The K2 development team took care to minimize disruption to the greenery with small ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Dr Hillary Ray and Michael Gibbons join board, bringing significant financial services experience and oversight

Pepper Advantage Ireland, the Irish entity of Pepper Advantage Group, today announces the appointment of Michael Gibbons and Dr Hillary Ray as Non-Executive Directors, effective immediately. Michael also becomes Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee.

The appointments add significant institutional asset management and banking experience to Pepper Advantage Ireland's board as the firm invests in its data and technology to improve customer operations:

Michael Gibbons: Michael joins with a wealth of expertise ranging from investment banking to asset management and has held executive board roles for Yew Tree Investment Fund plc and Yew Grove REIT plc, as well as several property management companies. As Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Michael will also be responsible for facilitating a view of risk factors across the company.

Michael joins with a wealth of expertise ranging from investment banking to asset management and has held executive board roles for Yew Tree Investment Fund plc and Yew Grove REIT plc, as well as several property management companies. As Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Michael will also be responsible for facilitating a view of risk factors across the company. Dr Hillary Ray: Hillary joins with twenty years' experience in regulation, compliance, and risk, most recently as Head of Compliance at ffh Management Services, part of the Fairfax Financial Group. She has additional expertise gained at the Central Bank of Ireland, where she led investigations, remediation and risk mitigation programmes. As a non-executive director, Hillary will provide strategic direction to the Executive Directors, assessing the firm's strategy, technology, social responsibility, governance, and ethics.

Pepper Advantage Ireland is also looking to add a third Non-Executive Director to the board in the next few months, subject to regulatory approvals. In addition, Fraser Gemmell, Global CEO of Pepper Advantage, has rejoined the board as interim Chair as the company further enhances its operations.

Fraser Gemmell, Global CEO, Pepper Advantage, and interim Chair, Pepper Advantage Ireland, said: "Hillary and Michael's extensive experience working for and advising leading institutions will be invaluable to our business as we expand our capabilities. Both have a deep understanding of the Irish market and the risk management space expertise that will help us bolster our service to customers in Ireland. Their support and advice will be invaluable as we continue to enhance our operations and leverage our investments in technology to strengthen our position in this important market."

Michael Gibbons, non-executive director for Pepper Advantage Ireland, said: "I am delighted to be joining Pepper Advantage Ireland and look forward to supporting the business with experience acquired through a career serving leading investment firms. As the newly appointed Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, my focus will be to ensure the firm continues to drive the highest standards in risk management and deliver the best outcomes for borrowers and clients."

Dr Hillary Ray, non-executive director for Pepper Advantage Ireland, said: "I am excited to join the team at Pepper Advantage Ireland as a Non-Executive Director. My aim is to use my experience working on compliance regimes and corporate governance to improve operational resilience and strengthen customer-centric frameworks. Pepper Advantage is a key player in the Irish market and is committed to striving for the highest standards in the industry, and I am proud to be supporting the team in that journey."

About Pepper Advantage

Pepper Advantage is a global credit intelligence company that offers a range of data led and credit management services via a technology platform that spans across Asia, Europe, and the United Kingdom. The company, with $55 billion (USD) assets under management, operates in multiple asset classes including residential and commercial mortgages, real estate, SME loans, asset financing and leasing, auto and consumer loans, credit cards, retail finance and BNPL, in addition to offering outsourced operational support services to both financial and non-financial clients. It helps investors, financial institutions, fintechs, and banks manage their credit portfolios, reducing the cost and complexities of systems and supporting new non-bank lending, with a particular focus on clients whose customers are underserved by traditional mainstream lenders. Follow on LinkedIn.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319196883/en/

Contacts:

Media queries

Ireland:

nmchugh@reputation-inc.com

+353 (0)85 733 1896



Global:

PepperAdvantage@greentarget.co.uk

+44 (0)7515 586 502
Mondi Plc - Annual Financial Report

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 19

Mondi plc

(Incorporated in England and Wales)

(Registered number: 6209386)

LEI: 213800LOZA69QFDC9N34

JSE share code: MNP ISIN: GB00BMWC6P49

LSE share code: MNDI

19 March 2024

POSTING OF INTEGRATED REPORT, PUBLICATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT AND NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MONDI plc

The Mondi Group Integrated report and financial statements 2023 and the Notice of the Annual General Meeting of Mondi plc (the "Company") have been issued and posted to shareholders today, 19 March 2024. The audited consolidated financial statements reported in the Integrated report and financial statements 2023 do not contain any material changes from the results published in Mondi plc's preliminary statement (which were audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP) issued on 22 February 2024.

In accordance with Listing Rule 9.6.1, copies of the following documents have been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism

- Mondi Group Integrated report and financial statements 2023

- Mondi plc Notice of Annual General Meeting 2024

- Mondi plc Form of Proxy for 2024 Annual General Meeting

Mondi's 2023 Sustainable Development report has also been published today. The report provides an overview of Mondi's performance and approach to sustainable development.

The Mondi Group Integrated report and financial statements 2023, Sustainable Development report 2023 and the Notice of Annual General Meeting of Mondi plc are available on the Mondi Group website at www.mondigroup.com .

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of Mondi plc ("AGM") is due to be held at 10:30 (UK time) on 3 May 2024 at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, KT13 0SL, United Kingdom.

We will again be offering shareholders the choice of joining the meeting in person or electronically through the online Lumi platform, which can be accessed by following the instructions in the Notice of AGM on our website at https://www.mondigroup.com/investors/shareholder-information/shareholder-meetings/ . Shareholders attending the AGM electronically will be able to hear the directors, ask questions (in writing or verbally) and vote in real time as if they were attending in person.

To be entitled to vote at the AGM, shareholders on the UK register must be registered in the register of members of the Company as at 18:30 (UK time) on 1 May 2024. Shareholders on the South African branch register must be registered on the branch register as at 18.00 (SA time) on 29 April 2024; the last date to trade for this purpose is 24 April 2024.

About Mondi

Mondi is a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world by producing products that are sustainable by design. We employ 22,000 people in more than 30 countries and operate an integrated business with expertise spanning the entire value chain, enabling us to offer our customers a broad range of innovative solutions for consumer and industrial end-use applications. Sustainability is at the centre of our strategy, with our ambitious commitments to 2030 focused on circular driven solutions, created by empowered people, taking action on climate.

In 2023, Mondi had revenues of 7.3 billion and underlying EBITDA of 1.2 billion. Mondi has a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange (MNDI), where the Group is a FTSE100 constituent, and also has a secondary listing on the JSE Limited (MNP).

Sponsor in South Africa: Merrill Lynch South Africa Proprietary Limited t/a BofA Securities.
VANCOUVER, BC, March 18, 2024 /CNW/ - Barsele Minerals Corp. (the "Company" or "Barsele") (TSXV: BME) (OTC: BRSLF) is pleased to announce that the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") has approved the Company's application to change the name of the Company to "First Nordic Metals Corp." with the trading symbol "FNM". Furthermore, it is also expected that the Company's shares will trade under the new symbol "FNMCF" on the OTCQB. Trading in the common shares of the Company under the new name and symbol on the TSXV will commence at market open on March 20, 2024.

Taj Singh President and CEO commented, "The Barsele / Gold Line merger, which closed a few weeks ago, created a combined company with a leading gold portfolio underpinned by the advanced stage Barsele gold project and one of the largest consolidated gold exploration portfolios in Scandinavia, both in Sweden and in Finland. The flagship of the portfolio is the ~100,000-hectare district-scale position in Sweden covering almost the entire Gold Line belt and a significant portion of the Skellefte VMS (volcanogenic massive sulphide) belt and covering a +100km belt position of regional first-order structural corridors. These belts have been hosts to multiple +1Moz gold deposits, including the 4.2Moz Boliden Mine, as well as numerous base metal deposits of significant scale. The current name change to "First Nordic Metals Corp." reflects a new beginning for the recently combined companies and is obviously well-suited as we look to becoming a leading Scandinavian-focused explorer and project developer."

There is no change in the capitalization of the Company in connection with the change of name and new trading symbol. No action is required by existing shareholders of the Company with respect to the name change and new trading symbol. Outstanding common shares certificates or DRS notices do not need to be exchanged. The Company's new CUSIP number is 33583M107 and its new ISIN number is CA33583M1077.

In connection with its name change, the Company will be launching its new website at www.FNMetals.com which will go live early April 2024.

First Nordic's flagship is the Barsele gold project, located in Sweden and in a joint venture with senior gold producer Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. The Barsele project currently hosts a combined open pit and underground NI 43-101 Indicated Resource of 324koz gold and an Inferred resource of 2.1Moz gold. Immediately surrounding the Barsele project, First Nordic is the 100%-owner of a district-scale license position of close to 100,000 hectares on both the prolific Gold Line and Skellefte VMS belts. Additionally, in northern Finland First Nordic holds the entire underexplored Oijarvi Greenstone Belt.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Taj Singh

President & CEO, Director

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Gold Line's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Barsele Minerals Corp.

For further information: Alicia Ford, Business Development Manager, Phone: 403-604-9646, Email: [email protected] or [email protected]


The Congress Working Committee The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting began at the party headquarters here on Tuesday to discuss the manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. The meeting chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge is also being attended by Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders.



The manifesto committee has already sent the draft document to the CWC for its nod. The draft manifesto carries the five 'guarantees' for justice -- 'Bhagidari Nyay', 'Kisan Nyay', 'Nari Nyay', 'Shramik Nyay' and 'Yuva Nyay'. These have already been announced by Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.



The CWC meeting comes after the completion of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra that culminated in Mumbai on Saturday, the day the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha polls.



According to the party sources, the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) is also likely to meet in the evening to finalise the names of the remaining candidates for the seven-phase polls.




Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Provenance Gold Corp. (CSE: PAU) (OTCQB: PVGDF) (the "Company" or "Provenance") is pleased to report that following the strong results of the Company's recent 11-hole drill program, coupled with continuing positive geological field investigations, the Company has secured an additional 42 BLM claims through staking adjacent to its Eldorado property in Malheur County, USA (Figure 1). As part of Provenance's ongoing advancement at Eldorado, the expansion has added 804 acres to the project's original 336 acres, for a total new land package of 1,140 acres.

The expanded land area exhibits evidence of historic placer mining and hosts strong soil gold anomalies as well as scattered widely spaced historic drill holes that report strong gold intervals. Provenance's geological modeling suggests mineralized structures extend onto the new claims thereby adding several promising target areas outside the confirmed gold system.





Figure 1 - Eldorado Property Map with New Claims which Include Several Areas with Strong Surface Gold Mineralization

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5654/202116_f6b22044a445c85c_001full.jpg

2024 Exploration Plans

Provenance plans additional sampling and mapping followed by core and RC drilling in 2024 to test the extent of the large gold envelope via infill drilling, +300m vertical depth drilling, and by testing additional high-grade gold bearing breccia structures similar to the one intersected in the 2023 drilling. The success of the 2023 drill program would suggest that the mineralized system at Eldorado is large, starts at the surface and extends to depth. Please click here for a summary of our recent 11-hole RC drill program completed at Eldorado.

Qualified Person

The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Jo Price, P.Geo., M.Sc., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

About Provenance Gold Corp.

Provenance Gold Corp. is a precious metals exploration company with a focus on gold and silver mineralization within North America. The Company currently holds interests in Nevada, and eastern Oregon, USA. For further information please visit the Company's website at https://provenancegold.com or contact Rob Clark at rclark@provenancegold.com.

On behalf of the Board,

Provenance Gold Corp.

Rauno Perttu, Chief Executive Officer

Safe Harbor Statement: Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its regulation services provider, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. 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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202116

SOURCE: Provenance Gold Corp.


JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - The White House says Hamas No. 3 leader Marwan Issa was killed in an Israeli air strike.



His death was announced by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at a news conference Monday.



Sharing the details of President Joe Biden's call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Sullivan said the two leaders discussed the latest developments in Israel and Gaza, and they spoke about the state of Israel's military operations.



'Israel has made significant progress against Hamas. They've broken a significant number of Hamas battalions, killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including senior commanders,' he told reporters.



The top US security official said Marwan Issa was killed in an Israeli operation last week. The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network. 'And justice will come for them too, and we are helping to ensure that'.



The deputy commander of Hamas' military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, he is said to have played a significant role in planning the deadly October 7 cross border attack on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza.



One of Israel's most wanted militants, he was seriously wounded but survived an Israeli assassination attempt in 2006.



Sullivan said the Israeli government is now talking about launching a major military operation in Rafah, and President Biden explained why he is so deeply concerned about its repercussions.



More than a million people have currently taken refuge in Rafah. They fled from Gaza City to Khan Younis and then to Rafah, and have nowhere else to go. Gaza's other major cities have largely been destroyed.



Sullivan said Israel has not presented to the U.S. Government or the world a plan for how or where they would safely move those civilians, let alone feed and house them and ensure access to basic things like sanitation.



He expressed concern if an invasion of Rafah would shut down a primary entry point for humanitarian assistance into Gaza from Egypt and from Israel.



The Biden administration has made its position clear that a major ground operation in Rafah would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally.



On the call Monday, President Biden asked Netanyahu to send a senior inter-agency team composed of military, intelligence, and humanitarian officials to Washington to hear U.S. concerns about Israel's current Rafah planning and to lay out an alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion.



The Israeli Prime Minister agreed that he would send a team to Washington for talks, according to Sullivan.



Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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CAPE TOWN, South Africa, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Banxso, a prominent player in the online trading world, has successfully launched the Tour de Banxso, South Africa's latest trading spectacle, set to revitalize the financial trading community. This highly anticipated event, running from February 15 to May 15, 2024, promises participants 90 days of unparalleled trading excitement, marrying the thrill of the market with the grandeur of classic racing.

Authorized and regulated by the South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority, Banxso has carved a niche for itself in providing stellar trading experiences from its base in Cape Town. The Tour de Banxso marks a significant milestone in the company's mission to offer unique and engaging trading competitions to its clientele.

The competition is not just about trading prowess but also about celebrating a love for the golden age of racing. The grand prize, a 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL, valued at a breathtaking R2,800,000, is a testament to the event's homage to the classic racing era. The winner will not only take home this vintage marvel but also gain entry to the prestigious Cape 1000 Classic Car Race, alongside an Official Mille Miglia Chopard Watch worth R200,000.

The spirit of competition extends beyond the top prize, with second and third-place winners receiving exclusive invites to witness the Mille Miglia 2024 race in Italy and their own Chopard watches, respectively.

Entry into the Tour de Banxso requires traders to make a minimum deposit of R100,000 and execute at least 100 trades across ten different assets. Winners will be decided based on the highest winning ratio, ensuring a fair and competitive environment for all.

Participants will compete using dedicated competition accounts, designed to keep the focus squarely on trading skill by eschewing deposit bonuses or cash-back promotions. This unique setup, combined with real-time leaderboard updates, aims to replicate the adrenaline-pumping intensity of the Mille Miglia race, allowing traders to experience the rush of the trading floor and the racetrack simultaneously.

As the competition draws to a close on May 15, 2024, all open trades will be concluded at market prices, adding a final layer of strategy to this electrifying race to the finish line.

Banxso's foray into blending financial trading with the allure of classic car racing through the Tour de Banxso is more than a competition; it's a celebration of the timeless appeal of vintage motorsports and a testament to the innovative spirit of the trading world. This event is set to become a hallmark for traders and car enthusiasts alike, offering a rare opportunity to indulge in two passions simultaneously.

In addition to fostering this unique trading experience, Banxso proudly sponsors Bafana Bafana and South African UFC Champion Dricus du Plessis, further solidifying its commitment to supporting South African talent and sporting excellence.

As the Tour de Banxso progresses, participants and spectators alike are poised to witness a thrilling blend of finance and racing heritage, marking an exciting chapter in South Africa's trading and automotive history.

Media Contact details:

Manpreet Singh

manpreet@banxso.com

+16465064977

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CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Vehicle Armor Materials Market by Type (Metals & Alloys, Ceramics, Composites, Fiberglass, Aramid Fibers), Application (Defense, Para Military, Police, Security Agencies, Personal), and Region (North America, Europe, APAC, ROW) - Global Forecast to 2029", is projected to reach USD 9.3 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 6.7% from USD 6.7 billion in 2024.

The growth of the vehicle armor materials market is propelled by a confluence of factors that highlight the evolving demands of modern security and defense requirements. At the forefront, increasing geopolitical tensions and the proliferation of asymmetric warfare have heightened the need for enhanced protective measures for military and civilian vehicles alike. Nations around the world are investing in advanced armor solutions to safeguard personnel and assets against a diverse array of threats, including ballistic, blast, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). This necessity has catalyzed significant research and development efforts aimed at creating materials that offer superior protection without compromising vehicle performance, leading to innovations in lightweight composites, ceramics, and high-strength alloys. Technological advancements play a pivotal role, enabling the development of materials that provide improved ballistic resistance, durability, and multi-threat protection. The drive for lighter, more efficient armor solutions reflects the dual need for mobility and security, particularly in military contexts where operational flexibility and fuel efficiency are crucial. Moreover, the civilian sector's growing interest in personal security has expanded the market for armored vehicles, further stimulating demand for advanced armor materials. Regulatory frameworks and defense spending also significantly influence market dynamics. Governments and international bodies are implementing stringent safety standards and investing in modernization programs for defense forces, which, in turn, drives the procurement of vehicles equipped with the latest armor technologies. Additionally, the push towards standardization and interoperability in defense procurement across alliances like NATO encourages the adoption of advanced materials that meet these unified standards. Environmental considerations are increasingly becoming a factor in the development and selection of armor materials, as stakeholders seek sustainable options that reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing and disposal. This shift towards eco-friendly materials aligns with broader global initiatives to combat climate change and promotes the integration of green technologies in the defense sector. In essence, the growth of the vehicle armor materials market is driven by a complex interplay of security needs, technological innovation, economic factors, and environmental considerations. Together, these elements underscore the market's response to the pressing demands for protection in an uncertain world, ensuring continued investment and development in the field of advanced armor materials.

Browse in-depth TOC on "Vehicle Armor Materials Market"

187 - Tables

45 - Figures

209 - Pages

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=25420204

"Defense by application is projected to be the largest, in terms of value, during the forecast period."

The defense sector stands as the largest market for vehicle armor materials due to several key factors that uniquely position it as the primary driver of demand within the industry. Firstly, defense organizations worldwide prioritize the protection of military personnel and assets, necessitating the deployment of armored vehicles equipped with advanced protective solutions. The nature of modern warfare, characterized by asymmetrical threats, guerrilla tactics, and the proliferation of sophisticated weaponry, underscores the critical importance of effective armor materials in safeguarding against ballistic, blast, and improvised explosive device (IED) threats. Furthermore, defense budgets allocated by governments and international organizations prioritize investments in vehicle armor materials as part of broader defense modernization efforts. With significant financial resources dedicated to enhancing military capabilities and ensuring force readiness, defense procurement programs drive substantial demand for state-of-the-art armor technologies. This sustained investment enables defense contractors and material suppliers to innovate and develop advanced armor materials that meet the stringent requirements of military specifications and standards. The defense sector's prominence in the vehicle armor materials market is also underscored by its unique operational requirements and mission profiles. Military vehicles must withstand a wide range of threats while maintaining mobility, agility, and operational effectiveness in diverse environments. This necessitates the use of lightweight yet durable materials that offer superior protection without compromising vehicle performance. Additionally, the need for interoperability and compatibility with existing vehicle platforms further drives demand for armor materials that can be seamlessly integrated into various defense systems and vehicle architectures. Moreover, the defense sector serves as a catalyst for technological innovation and research in armor materials. Defense contractors collaborate with leading material scientists, research institutions, and technology companies to develop cutting-edge solutions that push the boundaries of material science and engineering. These collaborative efforts result in continuous advancements in armor materials, including lightweight composites, advanced ceramics, and high-strength alloys, which not only enhance protection but also contribute to overall vehicle performance and survivability.

"Paramilitary by application is projected to be the second largest, in terms of value, during the forecast period."

The paramilitary sector emerges as the second largest segment in the vehicle armor materials market due to several significant factors that reflect its distinct operational needs and security challenges. Firstly, paramilitary organizations, including law enforcement agencies, border security forces, and private security firms, face a wide range of threats like those encountered by military forces. These threats include armed attacks, insurgent activities, organized crime, and terrorism, necessitating the deployment of armored vehicles equipped with advanced protective solutions. Paramilitary organizations often operate in high-risk environments where the risk of encountering ballistic and blast threats is prevalent. As such, there is a growing recognition of the importance of vehicle armor materials in ensuring the safety and security of personnel engaged in law enforcement and security operations. This awareness drives the demand for armored vehicles specifically tailored to paramilitary requirements, such as armored personnel carriers, riot control vehicles, and convoy protection vehicles, among others. Moreover, the increasing frequency and severity of security incidents globally have prompted paramilitary organizations to invest in enhancing their protective capabilities. This includes procuring armored vehicles and outfitting existing vehicles with advanced armor materials to mitigate risks and improve operational effectiveness. The paramilitary sector's focus on rapid response and crisis management further underscores the need for agile and adaptable armor solutions that can withstand diverse threats while maintaining mobility and situational awareness. Additionally, regulatory and safety standards play a crucial role in driving demand within the paramilitary segment. Governments and regulatory bodies impose stringent requirements on law enforcement and security agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of personnel and civilians during operations. Compliance with these standards necessitates the adoption of certified armor materials that meet or exceed established safety and performance criteria, driving demand for high-quality armor solutions within the paramilitary sector. Furthermore, the paramilitary sector benefits from technological advancements and innovations in armor materials developed for military applications. Many of the materials and technologies initially developed for military use are adapted and applied to paramilitary vehicles, providing paramilitary organizations with access to state-of-the-art armor solutions that offer superior protection and performance.

Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=25420204

"Metal & Alloys by type segment is projected to be the largest, in terms of value, during the forecast period."

Metals and alloys constitute the largest segment of the vehicle armor market, playing a foundational role in providing robust protection against ballistic threats and explosions. This dominance is rooted in the long-standing use of metals such as steel, aluminum, and titanium in armor applications, owing to their inherent strength, durability, and versatility. Steel remains a staple material in armored vehicle construction due to its excellent ballistic resistance and cost-effectiveness.

Alloys, which are combinations of metals with other elements, further enhance the performance of armor materials by imparting specific properties such as increased hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance. Advanced alloy compositions, including high-strength steels and aluminum alloys, enable armor designers to achieve optimal balance between protection and weight, crucial for maintaining vehicle mobility and agility on the battlefield. Moreover, metals and alloys offer flexibility in armor design and manufacturing processes, allowing to produce custom-shaped armor components tailored to fit specific vehicle configurations and protection requirements. This adaptability is essential for addressing diverse threats and operational environments encountered by military and paramilitary forces. Furthermore, metals and alloys are readily available materials with established manufacturing processes, making them accessible and cost-effective options for armor applications. Their widespread use in the automotive and aerospace industries also ensures a mature supply chain and robust quality control standards, contributing to the reliability and performance of armored vehicles. While other materials such as composites and ceramics have gained traction in certain applications, metals and alloys remain the preferred choice for primary armor components, particularly in heavy armored vehicles such as main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers. Their proven performance, reliability, and affordability cement their position as the largest segment of the vehicle armor market, serving as the backbone of protective solutions for military, law enforcement, and civilian vehicles worldwide.

"Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market for vehicle armor materials during the forecast period, in terms of value."

The Asia-Pacific region emerges as the fastest-growing region in the vehicle armor materials market due to several key factors that underscore its dynamic economic, geopolitical, and security landscape. Firstly, the region's rapid economic growth, industrialization, and urbanization have led to increased defense spending among many countries, driven by the need to modernize military capabilities and address emerging security challenges. This substantial investment in defense procurement programs stimulates demand for vehicle armor materials to equip military fleets with advanced protective solutions. Moreover, the Asia-Pacific region is characterized by diverse security threats, including territorial disputes, geopolitical tensions, and transnational terrorism, which necessitate robust protective measures for military and paramilitary forces. Heightened security concerns have prompted governments to prioritize investments in armored vehicles equipped with the latest armor technologies to ensure the safety and security of personnel and assets. Additionally, the rise of asymmetric warfare and non-traditional security threats, such as insurgency, piracy, and cyber-attacks, further drives demand for vehicle armor materials across the Asia-Pacific region. Paramilitary forces and law enforcement agencies increasingly require armored vehicles capable of withstanding ballistic, blast, and improvised explosive device (IED) threats in challenging operational environments. Furthermore, the Asia-Pacific region benefits from a burgeoning automotive industry, which serves as a significant driver of demand for vehicle armor materials. The increasing popularity of armored civilian vehicles, including luxury cars, SUVs, and commercial vehicles, reflects growing concerns over personal security and the protection of high-profile individuals, government officials, and corporate executives in the region.

Additionally, technological advancements and innovations in armor materials play a pivotal role in driving market growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Rapid advancements in material science and engineering enable the development of lightweight composites, advanced ceramics, and high-strength alloys that offer superior ballistic resistance while reducing vehicle weight and improving fuel efficiency - factors that are particularly relevant in the context of military and civilian vehicle applications in the region. Furthermore, government initiatives aimed at fostering domestic defense industries and enhancing self-reliance in defense manufacturing contribute to the growth of the vehicle armor materials market in the Asia-Pacific region. Investments in research and development, technology transfer agreements, and collaborations with international defense contractors facilitate the indigenous production of armor materials and armored vehicles, driving market expansion and innovation.

The key players in this market are DuPont de Nemours, Inc (US), Saint-Gobain SA (France), ATI, Inc. (US), Honeywell International Inc. (US), Teijin Limited (Japan), Alcoa Corporation (US), Tata Steel Limited (India), Ceramtec (Germany), SAAB AB (Sweden), Morgan Advanced Materials (UK) etc.

Browse Adjacent Market: Ceramics and Glass Market Research & Consulting

Related Reports:

Armor Materials Market - Global Forecast to 2027

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Newly permitted areas hold potential for further gold and copper prospects.

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Meridian Mining UK. S (TSX:MNO)(Frankfurt/Tradegate:2MM)(OTCQX:MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the initial findings from positive metallurgical trials using a more selective reagent for copper sulphides. Preliminary results using Solvent 3418A achieved higher recoveries of copper ("Cu") than the ~92.4% achieved by the reagent PAX used in the 2023 PEA. Solvent 3418A is a common Cu reagent, engineered to also be an efficient collector of gold ("Au") and silver ("Ag"), which may lead to possible increases in their recoveries. Work is ongoing to verify the promising initial copper recoveries observed for future economic studies.

Cabacal's Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") program of infill drilling ("Figure 1") is progressing well. The drill program is currently focussed on converting Inferred zones1 hosting moderate grades of gold and copper mineralization to a higher status. Drill results have included CD-418's 16.8m @ 1.2g/t AuEq2 and CD-409's 10.0m @ 1.1g/t AuEq. Cabacal's post-PEA drill program includes some recent robust copper dominant intersections. Further drill results are pending.

With the simultaneous advancement of Cabacal's PFS and Santa Helena's resource programs, the Company has focused on updating environmental permits and access agreements to unlock additional areas for further exploration upside. Multiple prospects hosting extensive copper and gold geochemical anomalies are being progressively opened to exploration.

Highlights Reported Today

Metallurgical trials using Solvent 3418A show strong potential to increase Cabacal's Cu recoveries; Gains in Au and Ag recoveries also likely using Solvent 3418A;

Cabacal PFS's drill program continues to return wide zones of "in-pit" copper gold and silver mineralization at shallow depths; CD-418: 16.8m @ 1.2g/t AuEq from 121.5m; Including 4.8m @ 2.2g/t AuEq from 132.5m; CD-409: 10.0m @ 1.1g/t AuEq from 74.0m; CD-429: 24.5m @ 0.8g/t AuEq from 36.6m;

Meridian expands exploration footprint with newly permitted areas; and Multiple gold and copper prospects being unlocked to advance exploration programs.



Mr. Gilbert Clark, CEO, comments: "It is great to see our metallurgical optimization trials indicating the potential for even higher recoveries of Cu than we initially achieved with the PEA. If the Au and Ag results replicate our expectations, this can only improve the already high quality of Cabacal's Cu, Au & Ag concentrates. In addition, Cabacal's drill program will increase confidence in the deposit's resource base, with continued Cu-Au-Ag intercepts over the 2km length of the PEA's open pit. This will be the solid base for the PFS study where we hope to confirm Cabacal as a long-life stand-alone mine development. We are opening up more areas for exploration, expanding our field programs to test for Au and Cu mineralization along the mine corridor and its extensions. Meridian's strategy and timing to advance this emerging Cu-Au VMS belt presents a strong investment opportunity for investors seeking exposure to a development-focussed copper gold company in Brazil".

1 See Meridian PR dated September 26, 2022

2 See PR's technical notes of AuEq equations, true thickness estimate is 80 to 90%. Cabacal Project Development And Resource Definition Program Meridian is busily working on multiple fronts to advance the Cabacal PFS. This includes a focus on optimising the metallurgical recoveries of Cu, Au & Ag, and having three rigs continuing the resource definition, with an emphasis on conversion of inferred resource to higher levels of confidence. Cabacal Metallurgical Update The historical Cabacal mine's metallurgical data and the Company's own testwork have confirmed the highly favourable metallurgical processing characteristics of the deposit's Cu-Au & Ag sulphide and free gold mineralization. Cabacal's mineralization is characterized as soft to medium in hardness, with high recoveries via a relatively coarse 200-micron grind. Recommendations from the PEA included the evaluation of alternative reagents. The Company's metallurgical consultant, Mr. Norman Lotter, has scoped a series of tests using the selective collector Solvay 3418A ("3418A") in the rougher and copper cleaner circuit. 3418A is a widely used reagent that has a known ability to enhance copper and precious metal recoveries from sulphide mineralization, like that found at the Cabacal deposit. Initial tests were performed using the Cabacal PEA's master composite samples and initial results indicate higher recoveries of Cu, exceeding those used in the 2023 Preliminary Economic Assessment3. Repeat testing is scheduled to generate a comprehensive data set, to determine the total metal recoveries to be used in the PFS. Amongst the test samples are intervals with stronger or dominant copper mineralization. If 3418A continues to deliver higher metal recoveries, this will have a positive effect not only on these intersections but potentially on the broader haloes of Cu-Au mineralization currently below resource cut-off grades. Comparative testwork was also undertaken to examine Cabacal's flow sheet with and without a gold gravity circuit. Higher total Au recoveries were confirmed with the inclusion of a gravity circuit, than without. The importance of Au recovered by a gravity circuit extends to the Cabacal belt's free Au, hosted both within the VMS mineralization and the late-stage gold over print. The Santa Helena mine's historical floatation-only flow sheet excluded a gravity circuit and Au recoveries averaged 65%. This is the Au recovery factor used in the calculation of the 2022 Santa Helena Exploration Target4. Cabacal's PEA outlined Au recoveries averaging 89.7%, via a combination of gravity and flotation circuits, a 38% difference. Santa Helena's mill's tailings data also records a much higher gold grade than Cabacal's historical tailings and Meridian's own 2022 data. The late-stage gold overprint has been outlined at Santa Helena5 and the potential for higher total gold recoveries, like those demonstrated at Cabacal, will be determined by the planned metallurgical test program that will include a gravity circuit. If the potential for comparative Au recoveries is achieved from Santa Helena's metallurgical testwork, then a material increase in the Au recovery factor for the future resource calculations would be used. Cabacal Drilling Update The Cabacal resource development program continues, with three rigs currently deployed in the CNWE. Results recently received included holes from the end of the 2023 program, and initial holes from the mine area and extensions of the Cabacal deposit to the south (Figure 1). Some holes such as CD-436 are from peripheral or close-out positions corresponding to known lower grade zones of the deposit and are inline with expectations for confirming the limits of pit design.

3 See Meridian news release dated March 6, 2023 4 See Meridian news release dated December 5, 2023 5 See Meridian news releases dated March 29, 2022, and September 27, 2023. Drill results from the CNWE include: CD-418 (CWNE): 15.3m @ 0.9g/t AuEq (0.1g/t Au, 0.5% Cu & 2.3g/t Ag) from 76.0m; 16.8m @ 1.2g/t AuEq (0.4g/t Au, 0.6% Cu & 2.3g/t Ag) from 121.5m;

CD-423 (CWNE): 39.3m @ 0.5g/t AuEq from 78.4m (0.1g/t Au, 0.3% Cu & 0.4g/t Ag); including: 5.5m @ 1.3g/t AuEq (0.3g/t Au, 0.7% Cu & 0.9g/t Ag) from 106.8m;

CD-429 (CWNE): 24.5m @ 0.8g/t AuEq (0.3g/t Au, 0.4% Cu & 1.5g/t Ag) from 36.6m; including: 1.7m @ 6.2g/t AuEq (2.0g/t Au, 2.9% Cu & 11.6g/t Ag) from 36.6m; and 44.4m @ 0.5 g/t AuEq (0.3g/t Au, 0.2% Cu & 0.6 g/t Ag) from 67.0m.

Drill results from the mine area and south of the mine included: CD-405: (CCZ) 16.9m @ 0.4g/t AuEq (0.3% Cu, 0.4g/t Ag) from 19.0m; 41.0m @ 0.5g/t AuEq (0.2g/t Au, 0.3% Cu, 1.2g/t Ag) from 47.0m; including: 8.4m @ 1.4g/t AuEq (0.4g/t Au, 0.7% Cu & 3.9g/t Ag) from 60.8m;

CD-409 (SCZ): 27.0m @ 0.6g/t AuEq (0.4% Cu & 1.0g/t Ag) from 74.0m; including:

10m @ 1.1g/t AuEq (0.1g/t Au, 0.8% Cu & 1.7g/t Ag) from 74.0m;

31.4m @ 0.6g/t AuEq (0.2g/t Au, 0.3% Cu & 1.5g/t Ag) from 116.0;

CD-424 (SCZ): 27.2m @ 0.5g/t AuEq (0.2g/t Au, 0.2% Cu & 0.9g/t Ag) from 55.0m; and

CD-435 (Cabacal South): 51.6m @ 0.4g/t AuEq (0.1g/t Au, 0.3% Cu & 0.8g/t Ag) from 81.9m. From the ongoing drill program and surface mapping program results, Cabacal's open pitable mineralization in places remains open. The remaining drill program will seek to close out the mineralization so as to optimise the pit design that will be used in the PFS. Meridian's drill program at Cabacal continues and is expected to deliver an updated drill hole data base to its independent resource and mine design consultants over Q2-Q3 of this year. Figure 1: Highlights from recent drilling Update on New Licencing Of Exploration Areas The Company continues to work with local landholders and the state environment agency, SEMA, to increase the footprint of permitted land for exploration targeting. Environmental licences for exploration (Licenca de Operacao Provisoria Mineral "LOPM") have recently been expanded. The project has historically defined gold and base metal stream anomalies and soil anomalies that cumulatively extend over kilometers in scale. Additional areas of the greenstone belt remain open for further sampling and testing. To the south, additional access has been approved in areas to the west of Santa Helena. The Company has already initiated soil sampling where gaps in coverage exist in the BP Minerals sampling. 200 samples have been collected and have outlined a new Cu anomaly ~ 4km to the west of Santa Helena, extending over ~575m at a 150ppm threshold. Gold assay results for this soil anomaly are pending. The area and its extensions will be targeted with future surface geophysical programs. The Company has also now added a total of 11 properties in the Cigarra area to the LOPM north of Cabacal. This target lies within licences 866002/2016, 866455/2016, spanning 3,746 Ha across a 7km strike length of the northern extension of the Cabacal Belt. The Company continues discussions with landholders to formalize agreements on some of the larger properties in the area. Historical records describe a geological / geochemical environment similar to that of the chloritic outcrops of the Cabacal deposit setting in this region, with gold and base metal anomalies present. About Meridian Meridian Mining UK S is focused on: The development and exploration of the advanced stage Cabacal VMS gold-copper project;

Regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS belt; and

Exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone belts (the above all located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil). Cabacal is a gold-copper-silver rich VMS deposit with the potential to be a standalone mine within the 50km VMS belt. Cabacal's base and precious metal-rich mineralization is hosted by volcanogenic type, massive, semi-massive, stringer, and disseminated sulphides within deformed metavolcanic-sedimentary rocks. A later-stage gold overprint event has emplaced high-grade gold mineralization. The Preliminary Economic Assessment technical report (the "PEA Technical Report") dated March 30, 2023, entitled: "Cabacal Gold-Copper Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mato Grosso, Brazil" outlines a base case after-tax NPV5 of USD 573 million and 58.4% IRR from a pre-production capital cost of USD 180 million, leading to capital repayment in 10.6 months (assuming metals price scenario of USD 1,650 per ounces of gold, USD 3.59 per pound of copper, and USD 21.35 per ounce of silver). Cabacal has a low All-in-Sustaining-Cost of USD 671 per ounce gold equivalent for the first five years, driven by high metallurgical recovery, a low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.1:1, and the low operating cost environment of Brazil (see press release dated March 6, 2023). The Cabacal Mineral Resource estimate consists of Indicated resources of 52.9 million tonnes at 0.6g/t gold, 0.3% copper and 1.4g/t silver and Inferred resources of 10.3 million tonnes at 0.7g/t gold, 0.2% copper & 1.1g/t silver (at a 0.3 g/t gold equivalent cut-off grade), including a higher-grade near-surface zone supporting a starter pit. Readers are encouraged to read the PEA Technical Report in its entirety. The PEA Technical Report may be found on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The qualified persons for the PEA Technical Report are: Robert Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering), Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering), Simon Tear (PGeo, EurGeol), Principal Geological Consultant of H&SC, Marcelo Batelochi, (MAusIMM, CP Geo), Geological Consultant of MB Geologia Ltda, Joseph Keane (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.E), of SGS, and Guilherme Gomides Ferreira (Mine Engineer MAIG) of GE21 Consultoria Mineral. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining UK S

Mr. Gilbert Clark - CEO and Director Meridian Mining UK S

Email: info@meridianmining.co

Ph: +1 778 715-6410 (PST)

Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts here: https://meridianmining.co/contact/

Follow Meridian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeridianMining

Further information can be found at: www.meridianmining.co Technical Notes Samples have been analysed at SGS and ALS laboratories in Belo Horizonte and Lima. At SGS, samples are dried, crushed with 75% passing <3 mm, split to give a mass of 250-300g, pulverized with 95% passing 150#. Gold analyses are conducted by FAA505 (fire assay of a 50g charge), and base metal analysis by methods ICP40B and ICP40B_S (four acid digest with ICP-OES finish). Visible gold intervals are sampled by metallic screen fire assay method MET150-FAASCR. At ALS, samples are dried, crushed with 70% passing 85% passing 200#. Routine gold analyses have been conducted by Au-AA24 (fire assay of a 50g charge with AAS finish). High-grade samples (>10g/t Au) are repeated with a gravimetric finish (Au-GRA22), and base metal analysis by methods ME-ICP61a and OG62 (four acid digest with ICP-AES finish). Visible gold intervals are sampled by metallic screen fire assay method Au-SCR21. Samples are held in the Company's secure facilities until dispatched and delivered by staff and commercial couriers to the laboratory. Pulps and coarse rejects are retained and returned to the Company for storage. The Company submits a range of quality control samples, including blanks and gold and polymetallic standards supplied by Rocklabs, ITAK and OREAS, supplementing laboratory quality control procedures. Approximately 5% of archived samples are sent for umpire laboratory analysis, including any lots exhibiting QAQC outliers after discussion with the laboratory. In BP Minerals sampling, gold was analysed historically by fire assay and base metals by three acid digest and ICP finish at the Nomos laboratory in Rio de Janeiro. Silver was analysed by aqua regia digest with an atomic absorption finish. True width is considered to be 80-90% of intersection width. Assay figures and intervals are rounded to 1 decimal place. Gold equivalents for Cabacal are calculated as: AuEq(g/t) = (Au(g/t) * %Recovery) + (1.492*(Cu% * %Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag(g/t) * %Recovery)), where: Au_recovery_ppm = 5.4368ln(Au_Grade_ppm)+88.856

Cu_recovery_pct = 2.0006ln(Cu_Grade_pct)+94.686

Ag_recovery_ppm = 13.342ln(Ag_Grade_ppm)+71.037 Recoveries based on 2022 metallurgical testwork on core submitted to SGS Lakefield Gold equivalents for Santa Helena are based on metallurgical recoveries from the historical resource calculation, updated with pricing forecasts aligned with the Cabacal PEA. AuEq (g/t) = (Au_(g/t) * 65%Recovery) + (1.492*Cu(%) * 89%Recovery) + (0.474*Zn% * 89%Recovery)) + (0.013Ag(g/t) * 61%Recovery)). Soils samples have been analysed at the accredited SGS laboratory in Belo Horizonte. gold analyses have been conducted by FAA505 (fire assay of a 50g charge), and base metal analysis by portable XRF calibrated with certified references. ~10% of base metal results are verified by laboratory analysis at SGS using methods ICP40B (four acid digest with ICP-OES finish). Samples are held in the Company's secure facilities until dispatched and delivered by staff and commercial couriers to the laboratory. Pulps are retained for umpire testwork, and ultimately returned to the Company for storage. The Company submits a range of quality control samples, including blanks and gold and polymetallic standards supplied by ITAK and OREAS, supplementing laboratory quality control procedures. Qualified Person Mr. Erich Marques, B.Sc., MAIG, Chief Geologist of Meridian Mining and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and verified the technical information in this news release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements address future events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Meridian's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedarplus.ca. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by Meridian, in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, Meridian can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Meridian disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Table 1: Assays reported in this press release. Hole-id Dip Azi EOH

(m) Zone Int

(m) AuEq

(g/t) CuEq

(%) Au

(g/t) Cu

(%) Ag

(g/t) From

(m) CD-439 -21 045 100.5 ECZ 2.0 3.2 2.2 3.2 0.1 1.0 7.0 14.6 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.8 21.4 17.6 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.2 1.0 50.4 CD-437 -74 019 81.6 CWNE 1.1 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.2 31.9 13.3 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.6 48.3 CD-436 -90 000 100.3 CSTH 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.0 0.4 0.6 76.0 0.4 1.0 0.6 0.2 0.6 1.8 85.9 CD-435 -64 049 150.4 CSTH 51.6 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.8 81.9 Including 2.5 1.6 1.0 0.1 1.0 1.9 105.3 CD-434 -45 058 91.0 CWNE 0.9 4.7 3.2 1.1 2.5 4.1 37.4 2.2 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 47.8 9.1 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.9 56.1 CD-433 -50 060 92.0 ECZ 5.2 0.8 0.6 0.0 0.6 1.7 22.0 18.1 0.4 0.3 0.1 0.2 0.5 52.0 CD-430 -49 060 63.4 ECZ 6.0 0.8 0.5 0.2 0.5 0.5 32.0 CD-429 -51 060 145.7 CWNE 8.8 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.6 14.0 24.5 0.8 0.5 0.3 0.4 1.5 36.6 Including 1.7 6.2 4.1 2.0 2.9 11.6 36.6 44.4 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.6 67.0 9.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.6 118.8 CD-426 -21 045 84 ECZ 9.8 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.4 31.2 3.4 1.4 0.9 0.2 0.9 0.2 56.1 CD-425 -50 063 136.7 CWNE 7.2 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.6 52.0 13.4 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.0 85.1 14.9 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.5 104.8 CD-424 -50 061 105.2 SCZ 27.2 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.9 55.0 Including 2.9 2.0 1.3 0.4 1.1 4.5 68.5 Hole-id Dip Azi EOH

(m) Zone Int

(m) AuEq

(g/t) CuEq

(%) Au

(g/t) Cu

(%) Ag

(g/t) From

(m) CD-423 -53 055 133.9 CWNE 9.1 0.9 0.6 0.1 0.6 0.8 24.0 Including 1.6 3.0 2.0 0.3 1.9 1.8 25.9 39.3 0.5 0.3 0.1 0.3 0.4 78.4 Including 5.5 1.3 0.9 0.3 0.7 0.9 106.8 CD-418 -49 060 153.7 CWNE 10.1 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.2 0.3 16.0 7.4 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.4 51.5 1.2 0.7 0.4 0.2 0.4 1.0 64.2 15.3 0.9 0.6 0.1 0.5 2.3 76.0 Including 2.0 3.1 2.1 0.3 1.9 9.4 84.6 7.6 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.8 99.7 16.8 1.2 0.8 0.4 0.6 2.3 121.5 Including 2.4 2.5 1.7 0.7 1.3 5.1 122.1 Including 4.8 2.2 1.5 0.8 1.0 3.3 132.5 CD-409 -89 000 163.6 SCZ 27.0 0.6 0.4 0.0 0.4 1.0 74.0 Including 10.0 1.1 0.8 0.1 0.8 1.7 74.0 31.4 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.3 1.5 116.0 CD-405 -60 044 91.2 CCZ 16.9 0.4 0.3 0.0 0.3 0.4 19.0 41.0 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.3 1.2 47.0 Including 8.4 1.4 0.9 0.4 0.7 3.9 60.8 SOURCE: Meridian Mining UK S The Cabacal resource development program continues, with three rigs currently deployed in the CNWE. Results recently received included holes from the end of the 2023 program, and initial holes from the mine area and extensions of the Cabacal deposit to the south (Figure 1). Some holes such as CD-436 are from peripheral or close-out positions corresponding to known lower grade zones of the deposit and are inline with expectations for confirming the limits of pit design.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme aims to support a strong talent pipeline of women in STEM and recognises the vital importance of women being part of solving the challenges of tomorrow

Gender inequality in STEM remains a critical challenge as a new survey from L'Oreal has found that despite incredible female talent in STEM, women still face barriers

65% of women in STEM have experienced feelings of 'imposter syndrome'

67% have felt like they didn't belong in the STEM community when compared to their male counterparts

LONDON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme has today announced the recipients of the 2024 Rising Talents Awards which recognise exceptional early careers women scientists in the UK and Ireland.

Currently, women still make up less than a third of the UK STEM workforce.[1] A new survey, commissioned by L'Oreal, has looked into the barriers that still exist and identified the prevalence of 'imposter syndrome' amongst women in STEM and how the majority (65%) at some point during their career have felt that they simply do not belong in the field.

The survey found that three quarters (75%) of women in STEM have felt overlooked in their career, or throughout their journey to get to where they are, with more than a third (37%) of those surveyed feeling like they have not been awarded the same opportunities as men. Two thirds (67%) have felt like they didn't belong in the STEM community when compared to their male counterparts.

L'Oreal has been committed to promoting gender equality and supporting women in STEM for over 25 years through the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science partnership which recognises the vital importance of women being part of solving the challenges of tomorrow.

Through the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science partnership each of the winners will receive flexible grants to encourage the contribution of women pursuing their STEM research careers with this year's L'Oreal UNESCO For Women In Science Awards taking place on 18th March in the House of Commons, spotlighting the next rising stars in STEM. This year's winners included:

Sustainable Development: Dr Reem Swidah currently serves as a postdoctoral researcher at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology. Her goal is to harness the exceptional evolutionary abilities of synthetic yeast strains to develop innovative and cost-effective technologies to produce biofuels. She believes that these advancements hold the potential to combat climate change.

Highly Commended: Dr Naomi Farren

Mathematics & Computing: Dr Giulia Laura Celora is an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow at the Department of Mathematics at University College London. Her research is in the field of mathematical biology and aims to develop mechanistic mathematical models to understand the multiscale dynamics of cell collectives in development and cancer.

Highly Commended: Dr Ellen Luckins

Physical Sciences: Dr Ann Njeri is a postdoctoral research associate in Extragalactic Astrophysics at Newcastle University. Her current research work involves the use of wide-field and high-resolution radio imaging to probe the nature of hidden supermassive black holes in galaxies, for a better understanding of how they influence the formation and evolution of galaxies (including our own Milky Way Galaxy) and stars through cosmic time.

Highly Commended: Dr Aisha Bismillah

Engineering: Dr Sara Keller is a Glasstone Research Fellow in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. Her research involves developing ultrasound molecular imaging probes for the rapid diagnosis of bacterial infections with the aim of creating new tools for image-guided interventions.

Highly Commended: Dr Liyun Ma

Life sciences: Dr Oceane Seudre is a postdoctoral research fellow at Queen Mary University of London. Her current interdisciplinary research aims to uncover the developmental regulatory basis of phenotypic plasticity in tropical butterflies. Her long-term goal is to integrate epigenetic mechanisms into our understanding of resilience to changing ecosystems. Oceane received her PhD in evolutionary and developmental biology from Queen Mary University of London.

Highly Commended: Dr Angelika Zarkali, University College London and Dr Mie Wong, University College London

Thierry Cheval, L'Oreal UK and Ireland, Managing Director said: "As a company founded by a scientist over 100 years ago, L'Oreal, together with UNESCO, is committed to driving gender equality in STEM and recognising the exceptional work of female scientists who are vitally contributing to solving the challenges of tomorrow.

"Congratulations to this year's Fellows who are a true inspiration for generations to come."

Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP and Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee & sponsor the L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science programme commented: "Congratulations to this year's L'Oreal-UNESCO UK and Ireland For Women in Science Rising Talents fellows. Giving a platform and visibility to women scientists is everyone's responsibility, Government, civil society, and business, because if you cannot see it, you cannot be it. Neither the UK, nor the world, can successfully respond to the pressing environmental and societal challenges without unleashing the knowledge and capability of women scientists."

Professor Anne Anderson, Chair of the UK National Commission for UNESCO's Board of Directors: "Congratulations to the 2024 Rising Talents. As we stand at a pivotal moment in time for scientific advancement, UNESCO continues to highlight the importance of true gender equality in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and the vital role women play in a more equitable scientific society.

"The United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO is proud to support these young women in STEM from the UK & Ireland and celebrate their achievements as researchers paving the way for a brighter global future."

ABOUT L'OREAL-UNESCO FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE

The L'Oreal-UNESCO For Women In Science global partnership has been established for 26 years; supporting over 250 talented women researchers from 110 countries annually.

In the UK the programme is a partnership between L'Oreal UK & Ireland, the UK National Commission for UNESCO and the Irish National Commission for UNESCO, with the support of the Royal Society.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2366031/LOreal_UNESCO_Women_In_Science.jpg

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NEW YORK, NY and TAIPEI, TAIWAN / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd. (OTC:SUIC) SUIC's I.Hart Group is recently acknowledged by the Taiwan government as exclusive catering group and awarded the Role Model status that demonstrates its excellence and innovation to global clients and partners. Taiwan government organizes a special delegation from 18 countries. This will advance I.Hart Group's joint ventures that will bring together world-class business leaders and further its initiatives in the U.S. and in global markets, paving the way for fast growth of Beneway USA's IPO. Together SUIC and partners create an unparalleled business operations strengthening their value chains.

I.Hart Group, Taiwan has been selected as a exclusive role model by the Taiwan government agency, O.C.A.C. https://www.ocac.gov.tw/ocac/. I.Hart is also presenting its award winning central kitchen, restaurant and products during this exclusive visit. This new accolade enhances I.Hart's roster of noteworthy achievements and awards including awards won by its chefs and culinary teams in the past years - the National Yushan Award conferred for three consecutive years in the categories of The Most Outstanding Enterprise, Outstanding Enterprise Leader and The Best Product special awards.

I.Hart Group is currently operating 150 global franchised locations under a variety of brands and products. It is working on integrating more successful brands into its family in Asia, such as Thai Food, Hainan Chicken, Asia style BBQ skewer, targeting 25 different brands to enter the US franchise market in 50 states. It is replicating its successful multi-branding business model and is teaming up with US top franchise marketing and sales agencies to expand and achieve its target of 750 franchises and self-owned restaurants prior to its IPO.

SUIC is the biggest investor, shareholder and major operating partner of Beneway USA. "Our vision and passion seek and create viable solutions using our new-generation technologies will empower our partner merchants, franchisees and suppliers and make a difference for our customers around the world, forming our global technology hub in the process. This is how SUIC applies innovation power to bring about enduring value to our shareholders and to the society. We are committed to building on this legacy as SUIC and Beneway move forward together." said Hank Wang, CEO.

About SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd., USA

SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd. provides research and development, venture financing for and investing in private enterprises and the public sector that develop products and services adopting core capabilities of the Internet of Things, cloud computing, mobile payment, Big Data, Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence, to enhance and streamline existing processes, and establish new and exciting business models that will create revolutionary products and services. Shareholders of SUIC will be exposed to the diverse application of advanced services in various parts of the economy. Additionally, existing and potential customers can benefit from this company's diversified portfolio of technologies. As one of the pioneering publicly traded technology companies, SUIC will help build tech-enabled businesses of the future. To learn more, please visit www.sinounitedco.com

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at which such performance or results are achieved. This press release is considered considering all Company filings contained in the Edgar Archives of the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

Contact

SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd.

New Release Department

929-391-2550

SOURCE: SUIC Worldwide Holdings Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Predictiv AI Inc. (TSX-V:PAI.H)(OTC PINK:INOTF)(FSE:71TA) ("Predictiv AI" or the "Company"), www.predictiv.ai, announces a non-brokered private placement of up to 12,500,000 units (the "Units") at $0.02 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $250,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share of Predictiv AI ("Share") and one share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.05 per Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. If the volume weighted average price of the Shares on the TSXV NEX is equal to or greater than $0.10 for any 10 consecutive trading days, four months and a day after the closing of the Offering, Predictiv AI may, upon providing written notice to the holders of Warrants, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days following the date of such written notice.

In addition, Predictiv AI is proposing to enter into debt settlement agreements with debt holders as well as certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company to convert an aggregate of $500,000 in payables. The Company intends to issue debt settlement shares in order to preserve working capital to fund operations. Predictiv AI plans to issue an aggregate of 25,000,000 debt settlement shares at a deemed issuance price of $0.02 per debt settlement share in satisfaction of loans outstanding and payables owing.

The debt settlement shares will be issued in reliance on certain prospectus exemptions available under Canadian securities legislation and will be subject to a four-month hold period from the date of issuance.12,152,990 of the proposed debt settlement shares are proposed to be issued to insiders of the Company (the "Insiders"). Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the settlement of such payables will constitute a "related party transaction" as the Insiders are considered to be related parties to Predictiv AI. The Company will rely on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 (pursuant to subsections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a)) as the fair market value of the securities to be distributed to, and the consideration received from the Insiders will not exceed 25% of the Predictiv AI's market capitalization. The settlement of the payables has been approved by all of the directors of the Company.

Conversion of the payables and issuance of the debt settlement shares is subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange NEX ("TSXV"). There is no guarantee that such conditions precedent will be satisfied or that any of the transactions will be completed as described herein or at all.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PredictivAI/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/predictivai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/predictivai/

Company Contact:

Khurram Qureshi

Mobile: 647.831.1462

Email: kqureshi@predictiv.ai

About Predictiv AI Inc.

Predictiv AI Inc. www.predictiv.ai is a technology company which helps businesses and organizations make smarter decisions using advanced artificial intelligence, deep machine learning and data science techniques. Its Weather Telematics Inc. subsidiary uses patented air quality monitoring sensors to provide predictive weather risk information to the insurance, logistics, fleet management and public safety sectors. The Company's R&D division, AI Labs Inc., develops new products that solve real-world business problems. Due to financial constraints, Predictiv AI's operations have been put on hold.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this news release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements that involve risk, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. All forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of the Company to differ materially from the conclusion, forecast or projection stated in such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to other factors referenced in the Company's other continuous disclosure filings, which are available at sedarplus.ca. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

SOURCE: Predictiv AI, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - BMEX Gold Inc. (TSXV: BMEX) (FSE: 8M0) ("BMEX" or the "Company") announces that further to its news release dated March 1, 2024, the consolidation of its common shares (the "Consolidation") on a ten for one (10:1) basis will become effective on Friday, March 22, 2024 (the "Effective Date").

As of the date hereof, there are currently 86,075,932 issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. Following the Consolidation, it is expected that there will be approximately 8,607,593 common shares outstanding. Any fractional post-Consolidation share that is less than one-half (1/2) of a share will be cancelled and any fractional post-Consolidation share that is at least or greater than one-half (1/2) of a share will be rounded up to one whole share. The Company's name and trading symbol will remain unchanged after the Consolidation. The new CUSIP number will be 05591K703 and the new ISIN number will be CA05591K7033 for the post-Consolidation shares.

Registered shareholders of record as of the Effective Date who hold physical share certificates will receive a letter of transmittal from the Company's transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Inc., with instructions on how to exchange for new share certificates representing post-Consolidation shares. Beneficial shareholders who hold their shares through a broker or other intermediary and do not have shares registered in their own names will not be required to complete a letter of transmittal.

About BMEX Gold Inc.

BMEX Gold Inc. is a junior Canadian mining exploration company with the primary objective to acquire, explore, and develop viable gold and base metal projects in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of Quebec, Canada. BMEX is currently fully focused on its 100% interest in the two projects, both located in the prolific Abitibi greenstone belt:

King Tut Project consists of 120 contiguous claims on 5,206 hectares

Dunlop Bay Project consists of 76 mineral claims that cover 4,226 hectares

BMEX common shares trade under the symbol "BMEX" on the TSX-V and under the symbol 8M0 on the Frankfurt Exchange.

For further information please contact:

BMEX Gold Inc.

Robert Pryde, President

Tel: +1 (403) 478 6042

Email: robert@bmexgold.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. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (as defined under applicable securities laws), based on management's best estimates, assumptions, and current expectations. Such statements include but are not limited to, statements with respect to the plans for future exploration and development of the King Tut and Dunlop Bay properties and the acquisition of additional exploration projects. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "expects", "expected", "budgeted", "forecasts" , "anticipates" "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "aims", "potential", "goal", "objective", "prospective", and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "can", "could" or "should" occur. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: risks related to the King Tut and Dunlop Bay projects; risks related to general economic conditions, actual results of current exploration activities, unanticipated reclamation expenses; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; fluctuations in prices of metals including gold; increases in market prices of mining consumables, possible variations in resource estimates, grade or recovery rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; delays in the completion of exploration, development or construction activities, changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations, and political and economic developments in areas in which the Company operates. Although the Company 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 can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The forward-looking statements and forward-looking information are made as of the date hereof and are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such factors or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as require by law. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. Please refer to the Company's most recent filings under its profile at www.sedarplus.ca for further information respecting the risks affecting the Company and its business.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202149

SOURCE: BMEX Gold Inc
PARIS, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Moov , the world's largest marketplace for pre-owned semiconductor equipment, is excited to welcome Eric Tribolet as Director of European Sales. A 25-year semiconductor industry veteran, Tribolet spent the last decade developing an expertise in chemicals used in front end semiconductor processes, working with clients that include top European semiconductor manufacturers. Most recently, Tribolet held the position of Global Business Director Europe for CMC Materials (acquired by Entegris).

"We are excited to welcome Eric to Moov as we expand our presence in European markets," said Moov CEO and cofounder Steven Zhou. "Eric's wealth of experience working with top European semiconductor manufacturers and his technical expertise in process and analytical equipment will be an asset to Moov and our customers as we help shape the future of European semiconductor manufacturing by enabling more economically and environmentally sustainable capital equipment investment."

Over the course of his two-and-a-half decades in the semiconductor industry, Tribolet held various sales and marketing management positions at Ashland Electronic Chemicals Division, Air Products and Chemicals, KMG, and Cabot Microelectronics. For the last 14 years, Tribolet's primary focus on chemicals used in semiconductor processing has afforded him in-depth technical expertise in front end processes such as wet cleaning, etching, and stripping.

"I've had the opportunity to build trusted relationships with leading European chipmakers as their supply chain partner for the past 25 years," said Tribolet, "I look forward to expanding these relationships at Moov by bringing European fabs a better solution for sourcing and disposing of both front and back-end equipment. As Europe strives to grow its share of global semiconductor manufacturing capacity, a solution like Moov, which allows fabs to more nimbly scale capacity and recoup capital on underutilized assets, is more critical than ever."

The EU Chips Act, passed in July, 2023, allocates 43 billion in public and private investment to double the EU's global market share in semiconductors, from 10% now to at least 20% by 2030. Leading global semiconductor manufacturers are advancing plans to expand their manufacturing footprint in the EU. TSMC will break ground this year on a 10-billion-euro plant in Dresden, Germany; GlobalFoundries and Amkor kicked off their partnership to enable a "comprehensive EU supply chain" opening a facility in Porto, Portugal in January of this year; and Intel has announced plans to spend 30 billion on two fabs in Magdeburg.

To better serve manufacturers looking to ramp up capacity in the EU, Moov has plans to increase headcount in Europe in 2024. Zhou said Moov has already seen substantial interest from European manufacturers in Moov's new equipment management software announced in January, as part of the broader platform Moov offers to help chipmakers maximize returns on capital equipment.

"As chipmakers look for ways to cost effectively expand their manufacturing footprint in Europe, it will be crucial for them to have an ecosystem of supply chain partners, like Moov, that can help them scale up (or down) capacity quickly," said Zhou. "And, with Europe's increased focus on environmental sustainability across all sectors, the concept of a more circular manufacturing equipment economy - which Moov enables - is a natural fit for this market."

About Moov Technologies Inc.

Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and Austin, Texas, Moov is a technology-driven marketplace and asset management platform that matches buyers and sellers of pre-owned semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Built by a team with more than 50 years of experience in the manufacturing equipment brokerage industry, Moov's platform ensures accurate listings and faster transactions. CEO Steven Zhou and Managing Director Maxam Yeung co-founded the company in 2017. To learn more, please visit Moov.co .

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India was committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region. He said this while appreciating Bulgarian President Rumen Radev's gratitude to the Indian Navy for successfully carrying out a rescue operation on the hijacked Bulgarian ship, MV Ruen, on Monday..



PM Modi in his message on X said, "Appreciate your message President @PresidentOfBg . We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region."



The 'Rouen' ship with Bulgarians, Myanmarese and one Angolan citizen onboard was hijacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year.



In a post on X, the Bulgarian President said, My sincere gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the brave action of Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship Ruen and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens.



Earlier, Bulgarias Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel had said that she held a conversation with the Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Sanjay Rana, over the Indian Navys Operation and thanked him for rescuing Bulgarian nationals.



In her post, she said, "I express my gratitude to the ...navy for the successful operation to rescue the hijacked vessel Ruen &its crew members, including 7 BG nationals Thank you for support &great effort. We continue to work together to protect lives of the crew."




Anne-Aurelie Epis de Fleurian, Director of Public Affairs and Market Access

- Benoit Gueugnon, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer

- Dr. Patricia Zilliox, PhD, Independent Member of the Board of Directors

Tilak Healthcare, a leading company in digital health for the monitoring of chronic eye diseases, announces the appointment of three experts to support the leadership team, currently composed of Edouard Gasser (CEO co-founder), Philip Bouchet (Chief Operating and Product Officer), and Dr. Benigne Mathieu (Chief Business Officer). These appointments mark a crucial milestone in the evolution of Tilak Healthcare, currently in hypergrowth (+100% prescriptions in 2023), and making progress towards obtaining common reimbursement in France for its telemonitoring solution, Odysight, a first in ophthalmology.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319543098/en/

From left to right: Patricia Zilliox Benoit Gueugnon Anne-Aurelie Epis de Fleurian Source: Tilak Healthcare

For Edouard Gasser, CEO and co-founder of Tilak Healthcare: "We are very proud to welcome three renowned talents who have already played major roles in the commercialization of innovative digital health products and medical devices. Their diverse expertise in institutional, industrial, and financial sectors, as well as their deep knowledge of healthcare systems, will be crucial in realizing the reimbursement of OdySight (expected by the end of the year), our international expansion, particularly in the US, and the expansion of our solution to other indications in ophthalmology."

Anne-Aurelie Epis de Fleurian, Director of Public Affairs and Market Access

With a mixed public/private experience, Anne-Aurelie brings her mastery of political and institutional constraints and her expertise in building a successful market access strategy in France. She spent nearly 8 years at the Ministry of Health as deputy to the head of the health products department at the Directorate of Social Security, but she also negotiated the establishment of transitional coverage for medical devices when she was Market Access Director at Snitem. After participating in PM Elisabeth Borne's interministerial mission on the regulation of health products during the first 8 months of 2023, Anne-Aurelie joins Tilak to finalize and deploy the reimbursement strategy for OdySight.

Anne-Aurelie holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, a specialized master's degree in information systems management and technologies from Mines ParisTech and HEC Paris. For Anne-Aurelie Epis de Fleurian: "Few projects in digital health meet such a clear health need and present as many exciting features as Odysight. This highly promising innovation is fully part of the revolution in patient pathways enabled by telemonitoring for those with chronic diseases."

Benoit Gueugnon, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer

Benoit brings 10 years of experience in finance, including 6 years as Chief Administrative and Financial Officer of Quantum Genomics, a biotechnology company listed on the Euronext Growth market. Benoit has a deep understanding of the financing challenges faced by innovative companies, having contributed to raising over 40 million euros in several fundraising rounds. He has also developed expertise in signing international partnership agreements, particularly with pharmaceutical laboratories. He joins the management team to support them in their internal and external growth challenges.

A graduate of EM Normandie and the University of Portsmouth, Benoit holds a Master's degree in audit and corporate finance. For Benoit Gueugnon, CFO: "I would like to thank the management team as well as the investors of Tilak Healthcare (iBionext, Elaia, Swen Capital, Matmut, Caphorn, and Laboratoires Thea). I am delighted to join them at a key moment as the company moves towards the common reimbursement of Odysight. The last Serie B funding round of 10 million euros in 2023 reflects the hopes and confidence placed in Tilak's leaders and their teams."

Dr. Patricia Zilliox PhD, Independent Director of the Board of Directors

Dr. Patricia Zilliox, who holds a Ph.D and Doctorate in pharmacy, has devoted most of her career to the United States, acquiring over 25 years of expertise in ophthalmology. Before joining Tilak Healthcare's board of directors, she held the positions of President and CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Eyevensys. Based in Cambridge (MA), she successfully raised funds from American investors to develop gene therapy clinical programs in retinal diseases. Previously, she served as Chief Drug Development Officer at the Clinical Research Institute of the Foundation Fighting Blindness in the United States. Additionally, Dr. Zilliox served as Head of Clinical Development at Alcon Laboratories. Her diversified experience and in-depth knowledge of ophthalmology and the American financial environment will be essential assets in supporting the American market access for Odysight and in developing new digital health indications for chronic disease monitoring. For Dr. Patricia Zilliox: "I am impressed by Tilak Healthcare's journey, establishing itself as a leader in digital health in ophthalmology. Undoubtedly, these achievements and the quality of the team are undeniable assets for approaching the American market."

About Tilak Healthcare : http://www.tilakhealthcare.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319543098/en/

Contacts:

Tilak Healthcare

Edouard Gasser

egasser@tilakhealthcare.com

Media:

Annie-Florence Loyer +33 (0)1 44 71 00 12 (0)6 88 20 35 59

afloyer@newcap.fr
CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. ("FLYHT" or the "Company") (TSXV:FLY)(OTCQX:FLYLF) today announced that its long-term OEM partner has engaged the Company to undertake engineering and design work on the technology that it licenses from FLYHT as part of its Airbus line fit satcom program. The refresh of the technology positions the two partners to extend the longevity of this successful program with Airbus.

As part of this long-standing program, FLYHT supports its OEM partner in delivering a customized version of the AFIRSTM 228S to support voice and data communications used in the cockpit of Airbus aircraft anywhere in the world through the Iridium satellite network.

"The request by our long-term OEM partner to refresh the modem design is the surest indication that the AFIRS 228S line fit program with Airbus remains strong," commented Gurjot Bhullar, VP of Operations at FLYHT. "It is a reflection of the high quality of FLYHT's product and their acceptance and reliance upon it. We have increased confidence that this revenue stream will continue well into the future."

This technical services contract is valued at approximately $360,000 USD with work expected to be completed over the coming months. It builds upon a relationship previously discussed in press releases dated July 2014, August 2019, February 2020, July 2021, October 2021, May 2022, and June 2023. This program has resulted in the shipment of over 3,200 units to Airbus to date.

About FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

FLYHT provides airlines with Actionable Intelligence to transform operational insight into immediate, quantifiable action, and delivers industry leading solutions to improve aviation safety, efficiency, and profitability. This unique capability is driven by a suite of patented aircraft certified hardware products, AFIRS. Solutions include an aircraft satcom/interface device that enables cockpit voice communications, transmission of aircraft data both while inflight via satellite and post-flight via 5G, real-time aircraft state and fleet status analysis, and preventative maintenance solutions. FLYHT's hardware products can also be interfaced with FLYHT's proprietary relative humidity sensors to deliver airborne weather and humidity data in real-time.

FLYHT is headquartered in Calgary, Canada, and is an AS9100 Quality registered company. For more information, visit www.flyht.com.

Contact Information:

FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

Alana Forbes

Chief Financial Officer

403.291.7437

investors@flyht.com FNK IR LLC

Matt Chesler, CFA

Investor Relations

646.809.2183

mchesler@flyht.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
BROOKFIELD, NEWS, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (NYSE: BAM, TSX: BAM) announced that it has filed its 2023 annual materials on Form 40-F, including its audited financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, with the SEC on EDGAR as well as with the Canadian securities authorities on SEDAR. These documents are also available at www.bam.brookfield.com and a hardcopy will be provided to shareholders free of charge upon request.



Appointment of Hadley Peer Marshall as Chief Financial Officer



The Board of Brookfield Asset Management is pleased to announce the appointment of Hadley Peer Marshall as Chief Financial Officer, effective May 31, 2024. Ms. Peer Marshall joined Brookfield in New York in 2015 in the Infrastructure Group where she is co-head of infrastructure debt and structured solutions.

Ms. Peer Marshall has over 20 years of experience in asset management and business leadership, including investing, capital markets and fundraising. Prior to Brookfield, she worked at a global investment bank where she was co-head of the project finance and infrastructure group. Ms. Peer Marshall will continue in her role in infrastructure in addition to her new responsibilities as CFO.



She succeeds Bahir Manios as CFO of Brookfield Asset Management, a role in which he has served since our creation as a separate, publicly traded company in 2022. Mr. Manios joined Brookfield in 2004 and has served in a variety of senior roles, including Chief Financial Officer of Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and Chief Investment Officer of Brookfield Reinsurance. Having completed the very successful launch of Brookfield Asset Management and the first full year since our listing, Mr. Manios has decided to retire from Brookfield. He will remain CFO through the announcement of our first quarter earnings results until May 31, and continue as a strategic advisor to ensure a smooth transition.

Connor Teskey, President of Brookfield Asset Management, commented, "Hadley has deep experience and knowledge of our business and operations. Her acumen, energy and investor-focused perspective are ideally suited to advancing our position as a world-class asset manager."

He continued, "On behalf of the Board and our management team, we are grateful to Bahir for his commitment in completing the establishment of BAM as a leading, pure-play publicly traded alternative asset manager, in addition to his decades of collaboration and contribution to Brookfield. He leaves our asset management business in a very strong position and, like all retiring senior partners, will remain available to assist us from time to time."

About Brookfield Asset Management

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (NYSE: BAM, TSX: BAM) is a leading global alternative asset manager with over $900 billion of assets under management across renewable power and transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and credit. We invest client capital for the long-term with a focus on real assets and essential service businesses that form the backbone of the global economy. We offer a range of alternative investment products to investors around the world - including public and private pension plans, endowments and foundations, sovereign wealth funds, financial institutions, insurance companies and private wealth investors. We draw on Brookfield's heritage as an owner and operator to invest for value and generate strong returns for our clients, across economic cycles.

For more information, please visit our website at www.bam.brookfield.com or contact:


CHICAGO, IL AND VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / The Planting Hope Company Inc. (TSXV:MYLK)(OTCQB:MYLKF)(FRA:J94) ("Planting Hope" or the "Company"), a dynamic Foodtech innovation company dedicated to creating breakthrough delicious, sustainable food and beverage solutions through cutting-edge ingredient, formulation, and packaging technology, is pleased to announce, subject to regulatory approval, it has engaged the services of Independent Trading Group ("ITG") to provide market-making services in accordance with TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") policies. ITG will trade the subordinate voting shares of the Company ("SVS") on the TSXV and all other trading venues with the objective of maintaining a reasonable market and improving the liquidity of the Company's SVS.

Under the agreement, ITG will receive compensation of CAD $7,500 per month, payable monthly in advance. The agreement is for an initial term of one month and will renew for additional one-month terms unless terminated. The agreement may be terminated by either party with 30 days' notice. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement and ITG will not receive security-based compensation of any kind as compensation in association with the engagement. ITG and the Company are unrelated and unaffiliated entities and at the time of the agreement, neither ITG nor its principals have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Company.

Conversion of Interest on Outstanding Convertible Debentures

The Company also announces that it proposes to convert accrued and unpaid interest due up to and including December 31, 2023 on the Company's outstanding convertible debentures in the amount of $368,060.90 into 3,407,184 Shares at a price of $0.108 per Share in accordance with the terms of such convertible debentures. The proposed conversion of interest and issuance of Shares thereunder remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Independent Trading Group

Independent Trading Group (ITG) Inc. is a Toronto based CIRO dealer-member that specializes in market making, liquidity provision, agency execution, ultra-low latency connectivity, and bespoke algorithmic trading solutions. Established in 1992, with a focus on market structure, execution and trading, ITG has leveraged its own proprietary technology to deliver high quality liquidity provision and execution services to a broad array of public issuers and institutional investors.

About The Planting Hope Company Inc.

Planting Hope is reimagining and reinventing food today so that our planet can feed 10 billion people tomorrow. A Foodtech-driven company at the forefront of sustainable consumer food and beverage evolution, Planting Hope transforms nutrient-dense, widely cultivated crops into innovative, nutrient-rich products that reimagine pantry staples in the largest, fastest growing global food categories.

Our award-winning breakthrough brands, including Hope and Sesame Sesamemilk, RightRice High-Protein Veggie Rice, and Mozaics Real Veggie Chips, are not only disrupting global markets but also significantly reducing environmental footprints. Available in grocery retailers across North America (Whole Foods Market, Publix), through foodservice operators (CAVA Mediterranean restaurants - NYSE: CAVA), and e-commerce and alternative retail channels (Amazon, QVC), our products blend culinary innovation with advanced technology, offering breakthrough products with wide moats. Poised to disrupt global food and beverage categories, our make a positive impact on the world, and provide investors with valuable opportunities in the growing sustainable food market.

This is the food that Gen Z is demanding and that Gen Alpha will grow up with: this is the future of food.

Explore more at plantinghopecompany.com, sign up for Planting Hope news emails HERE and follow us on LinkedIn.

For Planting Hope product sales and distribution opportunities, please contact James Curley, co-founder and EVP of Sales, at james@plantinghopecompany.com.

Contacts

Company Contact:

Julia Stamberger

CEO and Co-Founder

(773) 492-2243

julia@plantinghopecompany.com

Media Contact:

Corinn Williams

(773) 492-2243

Corinn@plantinghopecompany.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 news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to hereafter as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will, or may, occur in the future, including, but not limited to, statements about the Company's ability to execute on its goals, the timing pertaining to these goals the potential demand for the Company's products, the timing and success of anticipated product launches and distribution of the Company's products, the Company's business prospects, future trends, plans, scalability and strategies, that the Company will achieve profitability in the next few years, the timing of the Company's implementation of NetSuite, and the Company's key growth priorities for 2023 . In some cases, forward looking statements are preceded by, followed by, or include words such as "may", "will," "would", "could", "should", "believes", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "continues", or the negative of those words or other similar or comparable words. In preparing the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, the assumption that demand for the Company's product will be sustained or increase in accordance with management's projections, that the Company's internal research and analysis is indicative of broader market trends and the Company's anticipated future demand for its products, that changes in consumer preferences in the plant-based food industry will continue in accordance with the Company's expectations, that the Company's current business objectives can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected, and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. Although the management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statement herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company, as well as trends identified by the Company affecting its industry can be found in the Company's annual information form dated January 6, 2022 and the Company's continuous disclosure record available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Such cautionary statements qualify all forward-looking statements made in this news release. 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 required by applicable law.

SOURCE: The Planting Hope Company Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The advanced media buying platform joins the ranks of Apple, YouTube, Microsoft, and more

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Infillion, a full-service technology platform that helps advertisers elevate their media plans with cookieless data, advanced formats, and guaranteed attention, has been named to Fast Company's prestigious list of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024.









This year's list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations. These organizations are setting new standards and achieving remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. Alongside the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 606 organizations across 58 sectors and regions.

"It's an honor to be named to Fast Company's annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies-particularly since we launched the Infillion brand just two years ago into an incredibly competitive marketplace," said Rob Emrich, founder and executive chair of Infillion. "I am grateful to our team of the most talented professionals in media and tech who continue to innovate on behalf of our clients and cut through the fragmentation that plagues the digital advertising industry."

Infillion made waves in the advertising industry last year with the announcement of its acquisition of global DSP MediaMath, and in the months since has laid out a vision for using MediaMath's pioneering technology to bring unprecedented, unified scale to Infillion's product suite. Infillion was launched to ensure that advertisers no longer need to make tradeoffs between high-quality inventory and impactful campaign reach, non-privacy-compliant data and efficiency, and transparency and performance.

The World's Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company's hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year.

Fast Company's editors and writers identified the companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world. Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies package is available online, as well as in-app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 26. The hashtag is FCMostInnovative.

"Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year," said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. "We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future."

Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala on May 16. The summit features a morning and afternoon of inspiring content, followed by a creative black-tie gala including networking, a seated dinner, and an honoree presentation. This event celebrates the Most Innovative Companies honorees and provides an inside look at cutting-edge business trends and what it takes to innovate in 2024.

ABOUT INFILLION

Infillion is the only truly global media buying platform, combining the power of MediaMath's industry-leading data and technology with the unrivaled performance of TrueX's interactive video and CTV technology. Infillion works with more than 1,400 of the world's leading agencies and brands with premium managed- and self-service cookieless media solutions that deliver guaranteed attention in an increasingly opaque media environment. Infillion is headquartered in New York City, and also owns Gimbal location-based technology, InStadium, NeXt, Analytiks.ai and Phonic.ai. Infillion can be found online at www.infillion.com. The company is one of the most awarded tech companies in the media, marketing, and advertising industries and is one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies 2024.

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

Contact Information

Ivanna Garcia

DiGennaro Communications

ivanna.garcia@digennaro-usa.com

SOURCE: Infillion

View the original press release on newswire.com.
WonderFi will be live in Australia in Q2 2024 through its first international acquisition

Australia boasts the highest rate of cryptocurrency adoption among developed nations, standing at 23%

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - WonderFi Technologies Inc. (TSX: WNDR) (OTCQB: WONDF) (the "Company" or "WonderFi"), a leading operator of regulated Canadian crypto trading platforms, today announced they have reached an agreement to purchase FX Institutions Pty. Ltd. ("FXI") in a non-dilutive transaction, subject to regulatory approval. FXI is registered in Australia to offer crypto trading and payment remittances within the region.

WonderFi is a recognized consolidator in the crypto industry, and wholly owns and operates two of Canada's largest regulated crypto trading platforms, Bitbuy and Coinsquare, as well as its global crypto payments business, SmartPay.

After successfully acquiring and consolidating the clients of five of the eleven registered crypto trading platforms in Canada, WonderFi continues to validate the Company's strategy of attracting trading volume, staking activity and total client assets to its crypto trading platforms.



WonderFi, through FXI, will launch over-the-counter (OTC) trading services in Australia in Q2 2024, with plans to roll out a comprehensive suite of offerings for retail and institutional traders in Q3 2024.

Tim Lo, recently appointed as Head of Sales in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, will spearhead the go-to-market strategy in Australia. Mr.Lo brings a wealth of expertise from both the crypto and traditional finance sectors, having held positions at institutions such as Deutsche Bank, HSBC, BTIG, and TPS Capital.

"WonderFi is pleased to announce our upcoming launch of a regulated crypto trading offering for Australian investors. With its high cryptocurrency adoption rates and vibrant digital asset community, the Australian market has tremendous potential for WonderFi. Our established track record and extensive experience growing two of the largest regulated crypto platforms in Canada, including obtaining registration for two of our businesses to offer crypto-staking, provides a solid foundation for international expansion," said WonderFi President & CEO, Dean Skurka.

The Company's OTC crypto desk in Canada offers large trade execution with a $50,000 minimum for Bitcoin, Ethereum and other digital assets, in addition to white glove service, no deposit or withdrawal fees, same-day fiat currency funding, and institutional grade security. WonderFi crypto trading platforms have facilitated over $7B of OTC transactional volume.

As of 2023, Australia boasted the highest rate of cryptocurrency adoption among developed nations, standing at 23%, and ranked 8th globally in terms of crypto adoption, according to Statista. This compares to an estimated 16% in the United States and 12% in the UK.

In connection with the Transaction, WonderFi engaged Clyde & Co. as its legal advisor.

For further information regarding WonderFi's Australia launch please visit www.wonder.fi/australia.

ABOUT WONDERFI

WonderFi owns and operates Bitbuy and Coinsquare, two leading domestic crypto platforms with strongholds in the Canadian market; WonderFi operates Internationally through its expansion in Australia, as well as through Smartpay, its global crypto payments platform.

With a collective user base of over 1.6 Million registered Canadians and a combined assets under custody exceeding $1.5 Billion, WonderFi serves one of the largest crypto investor communities in Canada.

For more information, visit www.wonder.fi.

Additional Information

For additional information, please contact:

Media / Investor Relations

Charlie Aikenhead

Invest@wonder.fi

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the beliefs of WonderFi Technologies Inc. ("WonderFi" or the "Company") regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "planned", "estimated", "soon", "potential", "anticipate" or variations of such words.

In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: the inability of the Company to meet its expected revenue targets and revenue growth of SmartPay, each of which may be subject to market conditions and regulatory or other approvals which may be required in connection therewith; the inability to maintain current levels of user growth due to competition and cyclical market conditions; the inability of the Company to work effectively with strategic investors and partners, and any changes to key personnel; security and cybersecurity threats and hacks; internet and power disruptions; uncertainty about the acceptance or widespread use of digital assets; failure to anticipate technology innovations; and material adverse changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets and compliance with extensive government regulation. These risks are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors that could affect the Company. A more fulsome description of risk factors that may impact business, financial condition and results of operation with respect to WonderFi is set out in its management's discussion and analysis and financial statements for the period ended March 31, 2023, as well as its annual information form and the joint management circular of WonderFi, Coinsquare and CoinSmart in respect of the Acquisition, available on its SEDAR+ profile at https://www.sedarplus.ca.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The company has provided an updated outlook for the purpose of presenting information about current expectations for the periods presented. This information may not be appropriate for other purposes. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which reflect expectations only as of the date of this news release.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not approved or disapproved of the information contained in this release. Except as may be required by applicable law, WonderFi disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202214

SOURCE: WonderFi Technologies Inc.
Research found 47% of study sites were likely to use an eConsent solution that enhances patient comprehension and engagement

PHILADELPHIA, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Suvoda LLC, a leading global clinical trial technology company specializing in complex studies in therapeutic areas like oncology, central nervous system (CNS), and rare disease, today launched the latest version of its eConsent solution to further enhance the patient experience and ease the patient's journey through a clinical trial.

The latest Suvoda eConsent solution provides robust functionality to empower patients with needed "self-serve" tools to help them fully grasp complex study information, while also offering sponsors full visibility and control over consent across all study sites and patients. New features include embedded videos and FAQs, in-document discussion threads, and cross-linked glossaries. Suvoda customers identified these enhancements as critical in helping to minimize delays and, more importantly, to help patients make informed decisions about their clinical trial participation.

"The latest Suvoda eConsent release is the next step in improving the patient experience," said E.K. Koh, chief product officer. "This new version will help to ensure a smoother patient journey without disrupting existing processes."

"Research with sponsors, clinicians, and patients shows that this eConsent solution will help streamline the clinical trial process by increasing patient comprehension," added Koh. "In our 2023 survey, we found that nearly two-thirds of sponsors would use an interactive eConsent solution, if it were available, to improve participant comprehension. We also received feedback from our Customer Advisory Board, reaffirming the importance of simplifying the clinical process by fully incorporating an eConsent solution with the Suvoda Platform."

A systematic review showed that compared to paper-based consent, patients who used eConsent better understood clinical trial information, engaged more with content, and found the consent process more acceptable and usable.

Suvoda eConsent offers a simplified approach to digitizing the consent management process. Purpose-built on the Suvoda Platform and seamlessly integrated with Suvoda IRT and eCOA, Suvoda eConsent gives sponsors, CROs, and sites improved visibility and automated control of consent throughout the life of a trial. It provides peace of mind that patient data is secure, compliant, and available at the moment of signature while supporting existing site processes. Learn more about features and benefits of Suvoda eConsent:

https://www.suvoda.com/products/econsent

About Suvoda

Suvoda is a global clinical trial technology company specializing in complex, life-sustaining studies in therapeutic areas like oncology, central nervous system (CNS), and rare disease. Founded in 2013 by experts in eClinical technologies, Suvoda empowers clinical trial professionals to manage the most urgent moments in the most urgent trials through advanced software solutions delivered on a single platform. Headquartered outside Philadelphia, Suvoda also maintains offices in Portland, OR, Barcelona, Spain, Bucharest and Iasi, Romania, and Tokyo, Japan. The company's Net Promoter Score (NPS) consistently exceeds the technology industry average, contributing to the company being selected by trial sponsors and CROs to support more than 1,400 trials across 85 countries. To learn more, visit? suvoda.com . Follow Suvoda on? LinkedIn ?and? X .

Contact:

Deb Massa

Suvoda

dmassa@suvoda.com

610.241.2170

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Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press . For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com For more information, please visit: https://www.bybit.com For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Leading Warehouse Automation Provider Recognized for Its Groundbreaking LocusOne Robotics Orchestration Platform

WILMINGTON, Mass., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Locus Robotics, the global leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for warehouse automation, today announced it has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2024. The company was recognized for its groundbreaking LocusOne robotics orchestration platform, which is revolutionizing warehouse operations by seamlessly orchestrating large, diverse fleets of AMRs using AI and real-time data analytics.

This year's list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations. These organizations are setting new standards and achieving remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. Alongside the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 606 organizations across 58 sectors and regions.

LocusOne represents a paradigm shift in warehouse automation, redefining how businesses manage their material movement needs while optimizing productivity, efficiency and sustainability. By seamlessly blending cutting-edge robotics, AI, data science and smart orchestration, the platform enables warehouses to dynamically coordinate heterogenous AMR fleets to handle any job - from delicate picking to heavy payload transport - while boosting productivity 2-3x.

"We are honored to be recognized by Fast Company as one of the world's most innovative companies for our revolutionary LocusOne technology," said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. "The Locus Solution is transforming the logistics industry by accelerating digital transformation through AI-driven, real-time robotics orchestration. This prestigious award validates our commitment to innovation that drives quantifiable business value for our customers worldwide."

Kait Peterson, Sr. Director of Product Marketing at Locus Robotics, added: "In today's fast-paced fulfillment environment, warehouses require flexibility, scalability and predictive intelligence to optimize their operations. LocusOne's ability to coordinate diverse robot types as a single, cohesive unit, while generating actionable business insights through advanced data analytics, is truly pioneering. We are delighted that Fast Company has recognized the transformative impact of our solutions."

Fast Company's editors and writers identified the companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.

"Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year," said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. "We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future."

The LocusOne platform is deployed in over 300 sites across 18 countries, powering digital transformation for some of the world's largest logistics operations. Locus's data-driven autonomous robotics solutions are delivering proven benefits including 80% reduction in workplace injuries, increased worker satisfaction and morale, seamless scalability, and a significantly reduced environmental footprint.

ABOUT LOCUS ROBOTICS

Locus Robotics' revolutionary, multi-bot solution incorporates powerful and intelligent autonomous mobile robots that operate collaboratively with human workers to dramatically improve piece-handling productivity 2-3x, with less labor compared to traditional piece-handling systems. This multiple award-winning solution helps solve the challenges companies across multiple industries face - labor shortages, costly and inefficient-to-operate systems, and inflexible processes - allowing brands to easily meet higher throughput requirements and easily adapt to volume changes in any operation.

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

For information or inquiries about Locus Robotics:

Kary Zate

Sr. Director Marketing Communications

kzate@locusrobotics.com

+1-774-249-4477

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/locus-robotics-named-one-of-fast-companys-most-innovative-companies-of-2024-302091905.html
Deal Provides Curaleaf Strategic Supply Chain Advantage in Key Growth Markets of Germany, Poland, U.K. and Establishes Presence in Australia and New Zealand?

NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf" or the "Company"), a leading international provider of consumer cannabis products, today announced it has signed a deal to acquire Northern Green Canada ("NGC"), a vertically integrated Canadian licensed cannabis producer focused primarily on expanding in the international market through its EU-GMP certification. NGC also partners with Canadian GACP cultivators to produce and distribute finished cannabis products to both the domestic and global markets.

NGC is one of the few Canadian cultivators with EU-GMP certification. As such, NGC has consistently supplied high THC, non-irradiated flower to the German market, which is expected to see exponential growth following the recent removal of cannabis from the narcotics list. NGC is also increasingly supplying Australia and New Zealand, the world's fastest-growing cannabis markets.

Given NGC's longstanding role as a key supplier to Curaleaf's Four20 brand, this acquisition marks a significant milestone in Curaleaf's expansion strategy, particularly in Europe. By integrating NGC, Curaleaf can significantly increase its European margins while extending its global footprint across three continents: North America, Europe, and Australasia (Australia/New Zealand). The deal provides Curaleaf International with secure and consistent high quality indoor EU-GMP flower supply, ensuring the leading position in the growing German market during a critical juncture, while also allowing the Company to maintain its leadership position in the U.K. and expand its first-mover advantage into Poland. Further, NGC's facility has both ample space and regulatory certification available for modular build-out of additional grow rooms, allowing for increased capacity.

Boris Jordan, Executive Chairman of Curaleaf, stated, "We expect the NGC acquisition to be a highly accretive deal that marks Curaleaf's first step into the Australasian markets, creating a true global cannabis company with global brands. It allows Curaleaf to safeguard our position in Europe, enhancing our supply chain while increasing our margins. The opportunity in Germany alone cannot be understated, and we continue to prepare strategically for that moment and beyond. We are committed to delivering the highest quality flower in every market we operate, and we are thrilled to welcome the NGC team to the Curaleaf International family."

Juan Martinez, Head of Curaleaf International, added, "The NGC deal complements our Portuguese cultivation and processing assets, which we continue to expand and develop. With the addition of NGC's indoor non-irradiated flower, coupled with existing production from Portugal that can be quintupled as demand dictates, Curaleaf will have ample high quality GMP supply and future expansion capacity to meet growing market needs. We anticipate other EU countries to follow Germany's lead in advancing their medical cannabis programs to increase patient access."

Lisa McCormack, President and CEO of Northern Green Canada, said, "The NGC team is excited to become a part of the Curaleaf family. As their longstanding commercial partner, we believe we can help accelerate Curaleaf's growth in global markets. We are committed to providing high quality GMP products under the umbrella of the largest global cannabis company in the world."

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024, pending all regulatory approvals.

About Curaleaf Holdings

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (TSX: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf") is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to enhance lives by cultivating, sharing and celebrating the power of the plant. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select, Grassroots, JAMS, Find and Zero Proof provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. In the United States, our brands are sold in 17 states with operations encompassing 145 dispensaries. Curaleaf International is the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction and production. Curaleaf is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CURA and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol CURLF. For more information, please visit https://ir.curaleaf.com,

About Northern Green Canada Inc.

Northern Green Canada Inc. is a federally licensed, EU GMP-certified producer of medical cannabis, focused on providing cannabis medications for a better quality of life. Their experienced team of experts operates in an EU GMP-certified, 2500 m2 (27,000 square foot) indoor growing and 25-ton processing facility with a 4275 m2 (46,000 square foot) expansion capability. NGC was the first privately-owned Canadian licensed producer of cannabis to have EU GMP certification and in 2023 over 95% of their Revenue was attributed to international markets.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This media advisory contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements or information. Generally, forward-looking statements and information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or, "proposed", "is expected", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information concerning Curaleaf's acquisition of Northern Green Canada. Such forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the company with respect to the matter described in this new release. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are based on current expectations as of the date of this release and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Additional information about these assumptions and risks and uncertainties is contained under "Risk Factors and Uncertainties" in the Company's latest annual information form filed May 1, 2023, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at http://www.sedar.com, and in other filings that the Company has made and may make with applicable securities authorities in the future. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. We caution investors not to place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the content of this news release.

INVESTOR CONTACT

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.

Camilo Lyon, Chief Investment Officer

IR@curaleaf.com

MEDIA CONTACT

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.

Tracy Brady, SVP, Corporate Communications

media@curaleaf.com

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A new bill would allow BART and other financially challenged transit agencies to put a request for tax subsidies to the voters in 2026. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Commuters board the Muni train at the Van Ness Station in San Francisco in 2022. Bay Area transit agencies could be asking voters, in 2026, to approve tax subsidies. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

The Bay Areas transit agencies could get the financial help theyre looking for if state lawmakers approve a bill allowing them to place a tax measure for operations on the 2026 ballot.

However, the proposal comes with a catch: It would include a study exploring the consolidation of some of the regions 27 transit agencies, something many of the agencies resist, wanting to retain local control.

The main component of SB1031, by San Francisco Sen. Scott Wiener and Hayward Sen. Aisha Wahab, gives BART and the regions financially imperiled agencies the authorization to ask voters in the nine-county Bay Area to approve a long-term subsidy.

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The ballot measure would also include money for road repairs and climate-neutral highway improvements, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the regions transportation agency. The measure could seek to raise billions of dollars annually, though it would have to earmark at least $750 million per year for transit operations.

Bay Area officials would be allowed to ask voters approval on a sales tax, regional payroll tax, parcel tax or a vehicle registration fee if the bill is passed by two-thirds of the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The measures specifics, including the taxs duration, have not been finalized and could involve a combination of fees and taxes.

Bay Area transit officials view the 2026 measure as the long-term solution for looming financial crises facing the regions largest operators.

BART and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which runs Muni, both project nine-figure operating deficits annually starting in 2026. Most transit agencies across the region continue to see lower ridership than before the pandemic since hybrid and remote work became widespread in the Bay Area.

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The ridership drop especially impacts BART, which projects the regions largest annual deficit of about $300 million, because of its high reliance on fare revenues. BART used to pay for 70% of its operating costs through fares, but its weekday ridership remains about 45% of 2019 levels since last year.

Dwindling federal pandemic aid has mostly kept transit service stable in recent years. Wiener championed a state subsidy last year that bought struggling agencies more time before they reach their fiscal cliffs.

BART officials say theyll have to make deep service cuts without a long-term subsidy.

We have never funded our public transportation agencies in a way that will allow them to fully succeed, so that we can truly have a mode shift where its not about forcing people out of their cars but giving people amazing options so that theyll choose to take public transit, Wiener said.

The bill also would give the MTC the ability to withhold about $300 million in state funds that it distributes to transit agencies if they dont follow through on integrating fares, schedules and signage.

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Agencies have discussed making these rider improvements for years, though theyve had a tough time reaching consensus on issues like fare integration. Resolving that issue could pave the way for agencies to offer an all-in-one monthly pass where people can ride an unlimited amount of public transit, regardless of whether its on a BART train or AC Transit bus.

Beyond that, the bill also would require the state to commission an independent study on whether to consolidate some of the regions 27 transit agencies.

The transit consolidation debate is not new in the Bay Area, though it has resurfaced since the pandemic as many of the regions transit agencies face slow ridership recoveries and rising operating costs.

The issue is both sensitive and complex. Some localities in the Bay Area want to preserve their local control over transit service. Some proponents of mergers say they could bring improvements for riders.

Consolidation could mean merging entire agencies or some functions or departments across multiple operators. The Bay Areas transit network includes small bus operators that already outsource some of their operations as well as behemoths like BART and the SFMTA that operate across county lines or are responsible for multiple functions beyond transit.

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Despite the complexity and potential pushback from agencies, Wahab said the moment presents an opportunity to improve, reform and expand transit efficiencies for the benefit of all Bay Area residents.

We want to make sure that we are delivering the best for the rider, first and foremost, Wahab said. And if that study means five agencies, if it means nine agencies, if it means one agency, we will know once the data and assessment is complete.

Bay Area officials will have to tackle other challenging questions if the bill passes, including how the ballot measure will distribute the funding from county to county.

Not all transit agencies are in financial distress. Operators like the Santa Clara Countys Valley Transportation Authority are already heavily subsidized by local taxes and dont project fiscal cliffs.

A regional measure would enable BART to transition its funding model closer to the VTAs. BART Director Robert Raburn said he supports SB1031, including the consolidation study.

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Freestar appoints Oliver Burns as Chief Technology Officer (formerly EVP Engineering)

Freestar reinforces its Product, Engineering, Data Science, Supply Technology and Marketing leadership with V-level hires

Freestar names Matthew Whaley Chief Strategy Officer (formerly COO)



PHOENIX, March 19, 2024, the leading monetization partner for content publishers and e-commerce sites, today announced that Oliver Burns has been appointed Chief Technology Officer. Burns' promotion to the role underscores Freestar's commitment to product innovation and building the next generation of advertising technology leveraging machine learning and Artificial Intelligence in new ways.

Reporting to Chief Executive Officer, Kurt Donnell, Burns will oversee Freestar's extensive ad product portfolio, maintain excellence in engineering and drive the data science and AI agenda. This tripartite role provides a platform for Burns to build more award-winning solutions for Freestar's premium publishers.

A stalwart of tech development, Burns spent over 20 years leading Product, Engineering and Digital Marketing at Totaljobs and Stepstone, joining Freestar in 2021 as part of its Triple13 acquisition. Since then, he has overseen the company's data science team that developed its award-winning Dynamic Ad Stack technology, recently named AdWeek's AI Tool of the Year.

Joining Burns are four other key tech hires; Jared Canova, SVP of Engineering (formerly Penske Media Corporation), Jamie Murphy, VP of Product (formerly Amazon), Martin Hill, VP, of Supply Technology (formerly Magnite/Rubicon and IPONWEB) and Burns' former Totaljobs colleague, Hugh Barnes, VP of Data Science. Combined, they bring almost 100 years of industry experience, further cementing Freestar's already impressive tech prowess.

"We continue to invest and hire in the areas where our business will best serve our publishers. Publishers want to work with a partner that can be flexible to their changing needs and that they can trust to ensure that they reach their revenue potential," says Donnell. "That means weaving deeper technology expertise into every facet of our business."

"These hires provide us with yet more capacity and expertise to support them in all the right areas; whether that be through automation, further building out our Dynamic Ad Stack features or navigating complex challenges such as privacy and compliance."

With these changes come additional strategic moves reinforcing Freestar's commitment to the goals of its publishers. Matthew Whaley has been named Chief Strategy Officer (formerly COO) and new hire, Eve Cross, joins from MiQ, as Vice President of Marketing following the company's hire of Heather Carver as Chief Revenue Officer in September of 2023.

"This doubling down on tech and talent coupled with a laser focus on the needs of premium publishers ensures that we are better capable than ever to help to future-proof our partners in this ever-evolving publishing and programmatic landscape," says Donnell.

About Freestar

Freestar engineers cutting-edge monetization solutions for websites and apps. Leveraging industry-leading technology, data science and massive scale, the company's passionate team of 200 ad tech experts enable busy website and app owners to seamlessly maximize revenue while freeing themselves of the hassles of ad operations.

Freestar's ever-expanding family of publisher and app developer partners reach over 70% of all U.S. internet users each month and provide unique opportunities for advertisers to reach their target audiences efficiently at scale.

The company has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States on the annual Inc. 5000 list for each of the last 5 years, most notably in 2019 when Freestar was number 1 on the list. The company has been honored with a myriad of other awards, including the 2023 AdWeek AI Tool of the Year and the 2023 Titan Business Awards Customer Service Team of the Year.

Headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ, the company has team members spread across the world in thirteen different countries.

For more information, visit www.freestar.com.

Media Contact



Eve Cross

VP, Marketing Freestar

eve.cross@freestar.com

+447951291868
Vancouver, BC, March 19, 2024),),) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that RevoluGROUP, through its wholly owned subsidiary RevoluPAY, has entered into a strategic collaboration with SHIFT Financial Services Ltd. ("SHIFT"). This collaboration offers SHIFT intermediary transfer solutions for core, high-value, and high-margin payment transactions, leveraging the RevoluPAY innovative multi-currency payment solutions catering to the dynamic needs of global businesses and consumers.

"Our collaboration with SHIFT is a testament to our commitment to providing top-tier financial solutions that meet the evolving demands of the global market," commented Alfred Manresa, Director of RevoluGROUP and General Manager of RevoluPAY. "Together, we are setting a new standard for multi-currency transactions, driving the digital payments revolution forward."

The agreement sets forth a detailed operational framework that encompasses intermediary services for processing international transactions streamlined through the RevoluPAY platform. SHIFT has concluded extensive compliance and transaction testing, delivering global transactions exceeding USD $400,000 in under a week and is prepared to rapidly scale up transactions to support clients evolving requirements.

Update on the Erik Riveros Agreement

RevoluGROUP is also excited to announce an initial verbal agreement with Mr. Erik Aaran Lara Riveros, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to innovate within the financial sector. This agreement, built on mutual respect and a shared vision for the future, underscores a firm foundation of trust and collaboration. A key highlight from our discussions includes Mr. Riveros's commitment to a $647,000 penalty payment, demonstrating his strong belief and confidence in the shared objectives. This amount will be held in trust as both parties enter into a formal agreement to solidify our strategic partnership, aiming to substantially increase transaction volumes and secure a financial injection of up to CAD 12.47MM by Mr. Riveros into RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.

Moving forward, both parties are focused on finalising the written agreement and completing the due diligence to ensure a seamless and prompt finalisation. RevoluGROUP will keep its shareholders informed of any developments throughout this process.

"Mr. Riveros's commitment and financial backing are paramount to accelerating our mission of revolutionizing the financial ecosystem.", remarked Gavin McMillan, CEO of RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. "This partnership is an excellent example of the mutual dedication to innovation, and we look forward to rapidly concluding the steps necessary to move forward quickly and efficiently."

About SHIFT Financial Services

SHIFT Financial Services Ltd., based in the UK, has rapidly established itself as a leader in the fintech space, specialising in providing innovative and secure payment solutions that cater to a diverse clientele ranging from individuals to businesses. With a focus on compliance and customer satisfaction, SHIFT utilises state-of-the-art technology to ensure that each transaction is fast and secure, offering its users peace of mind. The company is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and regulated by HMRC, underscoring its commitment to adhering to the highest standards of regulatory oversight. SHIFT's suite of services includes money transfers, mobile wallet solutions, and custom payment services tailored to the specific needs of its clients. Through its dedication to excellence and innovation, SHIFT Financial Services Ltd. is reshaping the landscape of financial transactions, making them more accessible, efficient, and safe for all parties involved.

About RevoluPAY

The Company's flagship Neobanking technology is RevoluPAY, the Appleand Androidmultinational payment app. Conceived entirely in-house, RevoluPAY features proprietary, sector-specific technology of which the resulting source code is the Company's intellectual property. RevoluPAY's built-in features include Remittance Payments, Forex, Retail and Hospitality payments, Real Estate Payments, pay-as-you-go phone top-ups, Gift Cards & Online Credits, Utility Bill payments, Leisure payments, Travel Payments, etc. RevoluPAY is aimed at the worldwide multi-billion dollar Open Banking sector and + $630 billionfamily remittance market. RevoluPAY is operated by the European wholly owned subsidiary RevoluPAY EP S.L located in Barcelona. RevoluPAY is a licensed United States MSB, Canadian FINTRAC, and European PSD2 payment institution 6900under E.U. Directive 2015/2366 with EU Passporting. RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. controls five wholly owned subsidiarieson four continents.

About RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.

RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. is a multi-asset, multidivisional, publicly traded Canadian Company deploying advanced technologies in; Banking, Mobile Apps, Money Remittance, Cross-Border Forex Payments, Mobile Phone Top-Ups, EGaming, Healthcare Payments, Esports, Invoice factoring, Online Travel, Vacation Resort, Blockchain Systems, and Fintech app sectors. Click hereto read more.

For further information on RevoluGROUP Canada Inc..

RevoluGROUP Canada, Inc.

"Gavin McMillan"

______________________

Gavin McMillan

CEO and Director

For further information, contact:

RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.

Telephone:

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
Invests multi-million dollars in a Boston-based 'Digital Imaging Radar' specialist firm

Investment and Collaboration Between AI Semiconductor 'Brain' and Autonomous Driving 'Eyes' Radar Technology Companies to bring a comprehensive solution to ADAS and Autonomous Driving Markets

Telechips (KOSDAQ:054450), led by CEO Jangkyu Lee, is looking to increase its presence in the advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) and autonomous driving (AD) semiconductor market through investment in a digital imaging radar (RADAR) company.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319044544/en/

Telechips and AURA have entered into an investment agreement to collaborate on automotive technologies. (Graphic: Telechips)

On March 19th, 2024, Telechips announced its agreement to invest an undisclosed amount in Aura Intelligent Systems ("AURA"), a radar technology solution development firm based in Boston, USA. Telechips joins existing investors including a semiconductor legend Ray Stata (Founder of ADI), Activate Global, and GigaScale Capital. AURA specializes in next-generation radar technologies for Autonomous Driving. Aura's high-resolution radars, combined with cameras and LiDARs, provide 360-degree coverage of the environment and enhance AD performance and safety. AURA's patented technology overcomes the critical limitations of existing radars, which suffer from low resolution and phantom targets due to radio interferences.

AURA's groundbreaking "high-fidelity, high-resolution imaging radar" technology promises to address existing radar's resolution and interference problems, offering an innovative solution that complements cameras and LiDARs. Once commercialized, the company anticipates positioning its product as a critical sensor for autonomous driving.

Dr. Jungah Lee, CEO of AURA, stated, "Today's radar technology dates back to the 1950's. Aura is bringing in digital disruption to radars, just like what happened in the mobile phone industry. Aura has been advancing the technology with support from DARPA and MIT Lincoln Laboratory. Aura's software-defined imaging radar will unlock new possibilities in autonomous mobility. The strategic investment and collaboration with Telechips will help accelerate technology commercialization." A former Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at Lucent Technologies-Bell Labs, she served as a Senior Vice President at Samsung Electronics, leading technology and systems innovations. With over 40 patents in mobile communications and radar imaging, she is recognized as a leader in the radar imaging field.

Jangkyu Lee, CEO of Telechips, said, "With our successful entry into the autonomous driving market and strategies for next-generation semiconductor technology, AURA's patented technology presents promising prospects for future growth. Through this investment, we will focus on enhancing business cooperation with our AI semiconductor chips, such as the high-performance vision processor 'N-Dolphin' and the AI accelerator 'A2X.'

Telechips also said it will participate in the 'Embedded World 2024', scheduled in Nuremberg, Germany from April 9th to 11th (Hall 4-561). The company will showcase its comprehensive automotive SoC line-up, including AI chips, high-performance computing (HPC), microcontrollers (MCU), and network chips. For exhibition inquiries, please contact Telechips Europe branch (sales_eu@telechips.com)

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319044544/en/

Contacts:

Telechips

KW Lee, Team Leader

+82-2-3017-5730

ma40481@telechips.com

Alley Chun, Manager

+82-2-3017-5722

alley.chun@telechips.com

AURA Intelligent Systems

Brian Lee

info@auraisystems.com
Corsicana, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. (TSXV: MEEC) (OTCQB: MEEC) ("ME2C Environmental " or the "Company"), a leading environmental technologies firm, announced today that the Company will be receiving a credit of $960,000 against the remaining outstanding principal balance of the unsecured note held by its principal financial partner.

As part of the debt restructuring previously reported, the Company has been granted the ability to facilitate the sale of certain shares of common stock held by the lender through the end of 2024 and would be entitled to receive dollar for dollar credits based upon the amount received by such lender. On March 11, 2024, the private sale of certain restricted shares held by the lender to certain unaffiliated third parties was completed which entitled the Company to receive the credit being announced today.

The Company indicated that any further sales of stock held by the lender facilitated by the Company through the end of 2024 will entitle the Company to receive a dollar for dollar credit against the non-recourse profit share held by the lender.

Richard MacPherson, Chief Executive Officer of ME2C Environmental, stated, "Following the recent announcement of this restructured debt arrangement with our financial partner which provided millions of dollars of benefits immediately, we have now additionally reduced the remaining outstanding principal balance owing by an additional $960,000 as a result of this private sale of restricted stock offered to friends and family being announced today. We remain committed to continuing our efforts to further reduce and ultimately eliminate any remaining debt obligations with this lender."

About ME2C Environmental

ME2C Environmental is a leading environmental technologies company developing and delivering patented and proprietary solutions to the global power industry. ME2C's leading-edge mercury emissions technologies and services have been shown to achieve emissions removal at a significantly lower cost and with less operational impact than currently used methods, while maintaining and/or increasing power plant output and preserving the marketability of byproducts for beneficial use. ME2C Environmental is a trade name of Midwest Energy Emissions Corp. For more information, please visit http://www.me2cenvironmental.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement

With the exception of historical information contained in this press release, content herein may contain "forward-looking statements" that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are generally identified by using words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "expect," "intend," "will," and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Matters that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, among other factors, the loss of major customers; dependence on availability and retention of key suppliers; changes, or lack of changes, in environmental regulations; risks related to advancements in technologies; lack of diversification in the Company's business; risks related to intellectual property, including the ability to protect intellectual property and the success with any patent litigation; competition risks; changes in demand for coal as a fuel source for electricity production; ability to retain key personnel; absence of a liquid public market for our common stock; share price volatility; and, the potential that dividends may never be declared. In addition, this release contains time-sensitive information that reflects management's best analysis only as of the date of this release. ME2C Environmental does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. Further information concerning issues that could materially affect financial performance or other forward-looking statements contained in this release can be found in ME2C Environmental's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or Canadian securities regulators.

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.

ME2C Environmental Contact:

Stacey Hyatt

Corporate Communications

ME2C Environmental

Main: 614-505-6115 x-1001

Direct: 404-226-4217

shyatt@me2cenvironmental.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Jessica Butt

IR Representative

Adelaide Capital

Direct: 416-844-6202

jessica@adcap.ca

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202234

SOURCE: Midwest Energy Emissions Corp.
Renewable energy (RE) adoption drives Crown's Twentyby30 targets forward; new Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) shows continued commitment to sustainability

TAMPA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CCK) has entered a 15-year Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Enel Green Power Espana (EGPE), Endesa's renewable energy subsidiary, securing renewable electricity from a new PV project built in Badajoz, Spain. This deal will cover all of Crown's current operational footprint in European countries that are part of the Alliance of Issuing Bodies (AIB), which manages the European Energy Certificate System, allowing the Company to advance in its Twentyby30 sustainability program.

The PV project will contribute to Crown's overall goal of stronger corporate stewardship. To initiate this latest effort around responsible solutions, Crown worked with Schneider Electric, the leading adviser in corporate renewable energy procurement and carbon management, on the project selection and VPPA negotiation.

This agreement is Crown's first VPPA in Europe and demonstrates the Company's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to act locally. The project is expected to produce an annual output of 285,100 Megawatt hours (MWh), of which Crown is contracted for around 70%-saving the CO2 emissions equivalent of nearly 40,000 homes' electricity use for one year. Scheduled to start operation in October 2025, the renewable energy supply from the PV power plant follows Crown's earlier renewable energy project designed to address decarbonization and sustainability goals.

In 2020, Crown became the first metal packaging manufacturer to activate renewable electricity in 100% of its U.S. and Canadian beverage can plants when it executed a VPPA in Texas. Sourcing wind power, the project was estimated to prevent over 310,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year-equal to taking at least 67,000 passenger vehicles off the road for one year.

Renewable energy is a key target in Crown's sustainability strategy. Once operational, the PV project VPPA will directly contribute to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-approved goal of Crown's Twentyby30 program to achieve 75% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% by 2040.

"Covering our energy consumption in the EU serves as a milestone achievement for our organization," said John Rost, Senior Vice President - Corporate Technology, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs. "As we work toward the ambitious goals of our sustainability program, it is critical we identify and implement real solutions that can reduce our energy consumption, lower our emissions and create a more balanced footprint for our business, across all regions in which we operate. Working with Schneider Electric to establish an impactful VPPA in Europe underscores that we are taking responsibility for our actions and striving to be the strongest partner possible."

"Crown stands as a leader in the packaging industry's decarbonization efforts, showing a strong commitment to sustainability," said John Powers, VP Global Renewables at Schneider Electric. "We're proud to have facilitated this pivotal agreement between Crown and EGPE, which significantly advances Crown's environmental and sustainability initiatives."

About Crown Holdings, Inc.

Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading global supplier of rigid packaging products to consumer marketing companies, as well as transit and protective packaging products, equipment and services to a broad range of end markets. World headquarters are located in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

For more information, contact sustainability@crowncork.com.

For editorial inquiries: Emily Hogan, Senior Account Executive, FINN Partners; Tel: (630) 248-5232; Email: emily.hogan@finnpartners.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, all other information in this press release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities law. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the statements made in this release or the actual results of operations or financial condition of the Company to differ are discussed under the caption "Forward Looking Statements" in the Company's Form 10-K Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in subsequent filings. The Company does not intend to review or revise any particular forward-looking statement in light of future events.

About Schneider Electric

Schneider's purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.

Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency.

We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.

About Enel Green Power

Enel Green Power, within the Enel Group, develops and operates renewable energy plants worldwide and is present in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. A world leader in clean energy, with a total capacity of around 61 GW and a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal, and hydroelectric power, as well as energy storage facilities, Enel Green Power is at the forefront of integrating innovative technologies into renewable energy plants.

View original content here.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Crown Holdings, Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Crown Holdings, Inc.

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/crown-holdings-inc

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Crown Holdings, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
OASIS 3 study provides additional supporting efficacy data as well as long-term safety data of elinzanetant, complementing positive topline results of OASIS 1 and 2 studies

Bayer will submit data from OASIS 1, 2 and 3 studies to health authorities for approval of marketing authorizations of elinzanetant for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS) associated with menopause

Elinzanetant is the first dual neurokinin-1,3 (NK-1,3) receptor antagonist, in late-stage clinical development for the non-hormonal treatment of moderate to severe VMS associated with menopause, administered orally once daily

Bayer today announced positive topline results of the Phase III study OASIS 3 evaluating the efficacy and long-term safety of the investigational compound elinzanetant versus placebo. In this study, elinzanetant successfully met the primary endpoint demonstrating statistically significant reduction in the frequency of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS, also known as hot flashes) from baseline to week 12 compared to placebo. The long-term safety profile observed over 52 weeks in the OASIS 3 study is overall consistent with previously conducted studies and published data1,2 on elinzanetant.

"OASIS 3 was designed to address the important question of the long-term profile of elinzanetant. With the positive topline results of OASIS 3 adding to the existing evidence from OASIS 1 and 2, elinzanetant has consistently shown positive data across all Phase III clinical trials in the treatment of moderate to severe VMS associated with menopause," said Dr. Christian Rommel, member of the Executive Committee of Bayer AG's Pharmaceutical Division and Global Head of Research and Development. "We are looking forward to sharing the full data at upcoming medical conferences as we move towards submitting to health authorities."

Elinzanetant is the first dual neurokinin-1,3 (NK-1,3) receptor antagonist, in late-stage clinical development for the non-hormonal treatment of moderate to severe VMS associated with menopause, administered orally once daily.

"It is critical that we continue to broaden therapeutic options that will effectively meet the significant needs of menopausal women," said Nick Panay, Principal Investigator for OASIS 3, Consultant Gynaecologist, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Professor of Practice, Imperial College London and President of International Menopause Society. "These results, coupled with the recent announcement of topline data for OASIS 1 and OASIS 2, strengthen our confidence in the proposed efficacy and safety of elinzanetant as a potential novel non-hormonal solution for women experiencing menopause-related symptoms."

OASIS 3 (NCT05030584) is the third Phase III study in the OASIS clinical development program with positive topline results. In early 2024, Bayer announced topline data of the first two Phase III studies OASIS 1 and 2 (NCT05042362 and NCT05099159) which met all primary and key secondary endpoints. The results of all three studies will be presented at upcoming scientific congresses. Bayer will submit the data from the OASIS 1, 2 and 3 studies to health authorities for approval of marketing authorizations of elinzanetant for the treatment of moderate to severe VMS associated with menopause.

About the OASIS 1, 2 and 3 studies

OASIS 1 and 2 are double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter studies investigating the efficacy and safety of elinzanetant administered orally once daily in women with moderate to severe VMS associated with menopause over 26 weeks. OASIS 1 and 2 randomized 396 and 400 postmenopausal women between 40 and 65 years across 184 sites in 15 countries. OASIS 3 is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter study to investigate the efficacy and safety of elinzanetant for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms over 52 weeks in postmenopausal women. OASIS 3 randomized 628 postmenopausal women between 40 and 65 years across 83 sites in 9 countries.

About the OASIS Clinical Development Program

The Phase III clinical development program of elinzanetant, OASIS, currently comprises four Phase III studies: OASIS 1, 2, 3 and 4. The OASIS 1, 2 and 3 studies investigate the efficacy and safety of elinzanetant 120 mg in women with moderate to severe VMS associated with menopause. The OASIS 4 study is an expansion of the clinical phase III program and investigates the efficacy and safety of elinzanetant in women with moderate to severe VMS caused by endocrine therapy for treatment or prevention of breast cancer.

The design and dosing of the Phase III clinical development program is based on the positive data from two Phase II studies (RELENT-1 and SWITCH-1). RELENT-1 was a Phase Ib/IIa study investigating the safety, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of elinzanetant. SWITCH-1 was a Phase IIb study investigating the efficacy and safety of four different doses of elinzanetant compared to placebo in women with VMS.

About Elinzanetant

Elinzanetant is the first dual neurokinin-1,3 (NK-1,3) receptor antagonist, in late-stage clinical development for the non-hormonal treatment of moderate to severe VMS associated with menopause, administered orally once daily. Elinzanetant may address moderate to severe VMS by modulating a group of estrogen sensitive neurons in the hypothalamus region of the brain (the KNDy neurons) which, with the decrease of estrogen, become hypertrophic and lead to a hyperactivation of the thermoregulatory pathway, consequently disrupting body heat control mechanisms resulting in VMS. Elinzanetant may also decrease sleep disturbances associated with menopause.

About Vasomotor Symptoms

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS; also referred to as hot flashes) result from hyperactivation of the thermoregulatory pathway mediated by hypertrophy of the KNDy neurons. This is due to a decrease of estrogen, which can result from the progressive reduction of ovarian function due to natural menopause or medical intervention by bilateral oophorectomy or endocrine therapy.

VMS are reported by up to 80% of women at some point during the menopausal transition and are one of the leading causes for seeking medical attention during this phase of a woman's life. Over one-third of menopausal women report severe symptoms, which can last 10 years or more after the last menstrual period, with relevant impact on quality of life.

VMS may also be caused by endocrine therapy, for the treatment or prevention of breast cancer, impacting quality of life and treatment adherence. For these women, there are currently no approved treatment options.

About Menopause

By 2030, the world population of women experiencing menopause is projected to increase to 1.2 billion, with 47 million new women entering this phase each year. Menopause is a transitional phase in women's lives, related to the progressive decline of ovarian function, and which usually occurs in women during their 40s or early 50s. It can also be the result of surgical or medical treatment, for example breast cancer treatment. The hormonal decline can lead to various symptoms which can substantially affect a woman's health, quality of life, healthcare utilization and work productivity. The most frequently reported and disruptive symptoms during the menopausal transition are VMS, sleep disturbances and mood changes. Addressing these symptoms is key to maintaining functional ability and quality of life in menopause which is highly relevant from both a healthcare and socio-economic perspective.

About Women's Healthcare at Bayer

Women's Health is in Bayer's DNA and as a global leader in women's healthcare Bayer has a long-standing commitment to delivering science for a better life by advancing a portfolio of innovative treatments. Bayer offers a wide range of effective short- and long-acting birth control methods as well as therapies for menopause management and gynecological diseases. Bayer is also focusing on innovative options to address the unmet medical needs of women worldwide and to broadening treatment choices such as in menopause. Additionally, Bayer intends to provide 100 million women per year in low-and-middle income countries by 2030 with access to family planning by funding multi-stakeholder aid programs for capacity building and by ensuring the supply of affordable modern contraceptives. This is part of the comprehensive sustainability measures and commitments from 2020 onwards and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. In line with its mission, "Health for all, Hunger for none," the company's products and services are designed to help people and the planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to driving sustainable development and generating a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2023, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 47.6 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 5.8 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Find more information at https://pharma.bayer.com/

Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bayer

Follow us on Twitter: @BayerPharma

kw (2024-0048e)

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conformthem to future events or developments.

References:

1 Simon JA, Anderson RA, Ballantyne E, Bolognese J, Caetano C, Joffe H, Kerr M, Panay N, Seitz C, Seymore S, Trower M, Zuurman L, Pawsey S. Efficacy and safety of elinzanetant, a selective neurokinin-1,3 receptor antagonist for vasomotor symptoms: a dose-finding clinical trial (SWITCH-1). Menopause. 2023 Mar 1;30(3):239-246.

2 Trower M, et al. Effects of NT-814, a dual neurokinin 1 and 3 receptor antagonist, on vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women: a placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society. 2020; 27 (5): 498-505.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319303649/en/

Contacts:

Contact for US media inquiries:

Courtney Ambrosi, phone 1 (908) 798-1107

Email: courtney.ambrosi@bayer.com

Contact for global media inquiries:

Katja Wiggers, phone +49 30 221541614

Email: katja.wiggers@bayer.com

Contact for investor inquiries:

Bayer Investor Relations Team, phone +49 214 30-72704

Email: ir@bayer.com

www.bayer.com/en/investors/ir-team
Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin) scales global digital presence adding 35 new webshops with commercetools Composable Commerce for B2B

commercetools' technology drives significant revenue growth for Orbia Wavin, with a 9-digit turnover in 2023

More than 60% of sales are expected to soon be digital thanks to enhanced online customer experiences

MUNICH, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- commercetools, the global leader in composable commerce, today unveiled how its technology drove the digital transformation of plastic pipes manufacturer Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin), resulting in significant revenue growth with more than 60 percent of sales soon expected to be digital.

Orbia Wavin, which specializes in products and solutions for safer drinking water supply, sanitation and urban water resilience, had long relied on personalized one-to-one relationships between field salespeople and long-term customers. By moving to a digital commerce platform, the manufacturer was able to significantly grow its online presence, meeting the growing demand of B2B merchants, with close to two webshops being set up per month for the past two years.

The company expects more than 60% of its global sales will soon be digital, thanks to the flexibility and scalability it now has with composable commerce.

"The success Orbia Wavin experienced with our composable commerce platform underscores the importance of why B2B companies should invest in their tech stack to meet the digital demands of today's fast-paced market. Gartner predicts that 80% of sales interactions between suppliers and buyers will be in digital channels by 2025. Our solution enabled Orbia Wavin to transform complex product catalogs into a unified digital ecosystem, at speed and at scale," said Neerav Shah, Head of EMEA at commercetools.

Orbia Wavin first created a pilot webshop for one of its core markets before launching 35 localized webshops across Europe, Latin America and APAC. This expansion was made easier with commercetools' modular, easy-to-integrate and cloud-native composable technology. Today, Orbia Wavin has scaled across more than 80 countries.

"Once we got the core webshop in place, it was significantly easier to get them localized and ready to be used by our customers. We've grown from one webshop to 35 in a short period of time, especially considering that Orbia Wavin was a first-timer in eCommerce," said Sam Brands, Global Product Manager for Digital Ordering at Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin).

Orbia Wavin's technology stack also incorporates Contentstack's CMS, and the manufacturer is currently in the process of implementing Akeneo's PIM (product information management) system, with each of these best-of-breed components operating within a cloud-native infrastructure powered by Google Cloud.

To learn more about commercetools and how it helps customers drive revenue growth through flexible, scalable solutions, please visit commercetools.com.

About commercetools

commercetools is the leading composable commerce platform, allowing companies to dynamically tailor and scale shopping experiences across markets. We equip some of the world's largest businesses with tools to future-proof digital offerings, reduce risks and costs, and build outstanding experiences that drive revenue growth.

Headquartered in Munich, commercetools has led a global renaissance in digital commerce by combining cloud-native, technology-agnostic, independent components into a unique system that addresses specific business needs. We empower brands - including Audi, Danone, Eurorail, NBCUniversal, Sephora and Volkswagen Group - to stay ahead of changing consumer and buyer behavior.

To learn more, visit commercetools.com .

About Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin)

Orbia's Building and Infrastructure business Wavin is an innovative solutions provider for the global building and infrastructure industry. Backed by more than 60 years of product development experience, Orbia Wavin is advancing life around the world by building healthy, sustainable environments for global citizens. Whether it's to improve the distribution of clean drinking water, to make sanitation accessible for everyone, to create climate resilient cities or to design comfortable living spaces, Orbia Wavin collaborates with municipal leaders, engineers, contractors and installers to help future-proof communities, buildings and homes. Orbia Wavin has over 12,000 employees across approximately 65 production sites worldwide, serving over 80 countries through a global sales and distribution network.

To learn more, visit orbia.com .

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Transactions Consolidate Multiple Overlapping Mineralized Systems Under Quartz Control

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. ("Quartz" or the "Company") (TSXV:QZM)(OTC PINK:QZMRF) is pleased to announce the Company has agreed under two separate transactions, to purchase a 100% interest in each of the Lone Pine Claim and the North Claim (the "Acquisitions"). These two mineral claims total 169 hectares and are located within the Company's 100%-owned Maestro Property located 15km north of the town of Houston, British Columbia.

Consolidation of the 2,309 -hectare Maestro Project area allows continuous, through-going access to explore the potential for multiple overlapping precious and base metal systems in their entirety. As such, they add significant value to the Company's strategic plan to develop and transact the Maestro Project. In December 2023, Quartz completed 1,445 meters of diamond drilling in two holes at the Prodigy Au-Ag-Mo-Cu epithermal target approximately 1km north of the Lone Pine porphyry deposit. In addition, Quartz also completed surface and downhole geophysical surveys over the newly drilled area immediately after completion of its two drill holes. Results from the 482 core samples collected during that drill program are being processed and expected to be announced within the next three weeks.

Bob Dickinson, Chairman of Quartz commented, "These claim acquisitions are strategically important to Quartz as they allow us to rapidly move the Maestro Project forward. Our property assessments to date indicate Maestro hosts multiple overlapping precious and base metal mineralizing events over a large area. Historical drilling of 24,300 meters at Lone Pine delineated a sizable and higher-grade molybdenum porphyry deposit. We believe this system is the heat-engine for potentially extensive, epithermal gold and silver mineralization in addition to molybdenum and copper outboard of the Lone Pine deposit."

Figure 1: Plan map showing Lone Pine and North claim acquisitions within Maestro Property.

The Lone Pine mineral claim was purchased from Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., an arms-length vendor, for 750,000 common shares of the Company and a 2% NSR royalty, of which 1.5% can be purchased at any time by payment of $5 million. The shares are subject to a 24-month contractual resale restriction and a further right for the Company to arrange purchasers of the shares in the case of resales after that period. The Lone Pine transaction is subject to customary TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and closing conditions.

The North mineral claim was purchased from Shawn Merkley, an arms-length vendor, for $24,000, 45,000 common shares of the Company, and a 2% NSR royalty which can be purchased at any time by a payment of $2 million. The cash and common shares will be paid in three equal installments ($8,000 and 15,000 common shares) over two years with the first installment due upon closing. The North transaction is subject to customary TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and closing conditions.

Historical Resource Estimate at Lone Pine Claim1

Drilling of some 24,300 meters was completed historically in 49 holes at the porphyry molybdenum deposit on the Lone Pine claim by previous owners. A historical estimate of the mineral resources was also done and comprises Measured and Indicated Resources (M+I) of 110Mt grading 0.083% Mo, and Inferred Resources of 25.8Mt grading 0.088% Mo at a 0.04% Mo cut-off described in NI-43-101 Technical Report, effective date of January 21, 2011, by P & E Mining Consultants Inc. for Bard Ventures Ltd.

A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources and the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources.

Additional work needs to be done to upgrade or verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources. Quartz has not yet conducted any drilling on the Lone Pine mineral property. Thus, the historical estimate and historical drilling are of uncertain relevance and reliability.

Qualified Person

Farshad Shirmohammad, M.Sc., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, who is not independent of Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd., has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

_________________________________________________________________________________

1 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Lone Pine Project for Bard Ventures Ltd by P&E Mining Consultants Inc., effective date January 21, 2011, is filed on the profile for St James Gold Corp. (formerly Bard Ventures Ltd.) at www.sedarplus.ca.

M+I includes 33.4Mt grading 0.092% Mo in measured category and 76.98Mt grading 0.079% Mo in indicated category.

The historical estimate used ordinary kriging constrained by grade domain and lithologic solid models. Only molybdenum grades were estimated. Assay grade distribution was evaluated statistically before compositing with no cutting or capping deemed necessary. Density measurements were made on 83 core samples; density was assigned based upon the median value for each lithologic domain. "Best Fit? 10 m downhole composites were generated within a grade shell domain based on a 0.02% Mo cut-off grade. Semi-variograms were modeled in order to develop kriging parameters, search parameters and anisotropy. Block size was set at 20 x 20 x 10 m, and block grades estimated using three interpolation passes with increasing search distance. The model was validated by comparing to nearest neighbour estimated and composite grade distributions, swath plots and visual inspection of sections and plans. Classification as measured, indicated and inferred was based upon constraints including zone, drilling density and distance to nearest composite. The report states that classification was done in accordance with CIM Standards.

A preliminary open pit optimization was carried out in order to identify potential open pit resources. A number of Lerchs-Grossmann pit shell envelopes were generated by varying operating costs, metal prices and pit slope parameters. The 0.04% cutoff assumed a Mo price of US$25/lb. (85% recovery), mining cost of $2.00 per rock tonne and processing/refining/general and administration ("G&A") costs of $10.00 per tonne processed.

About Quartz

Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSXV:QZM),(OTC PINK:QZMRF) is a restructured mineral exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. It is focused on discovering and transacting high-value gold, silver, and copper projects. The Company holds 100% of the Maestro Gold-Silver-Molybdenum-Copper Property and 100% of the Jake Copper-Gold-Silver Property. Both projects have access to infrastructure and high potential for important resources and future transactions. The BC government has awarded permits for 50 drill sites for each project.

Quartz is associated with Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI), a company with over 35-years of successfully discovering, developing, and transacting mineral projects in Canada and internationally. Former HDI projects in BC included, Mount Milligan, Kemess South, and Gibraltar - all of which are porphyry deposits with current or former producing mines. Other well-known projects with HDI involvement include Sisson and Prosperity in Canada, Pebble and Florence in the United States, and Xietongmen in China.

Quartz is committed to the advancement of important scale, critical and essential mining assets while following responsible mineral development principles, including a mandate to employ best practice approaches in the engagement and involvement of local communities, and meeting rigorous environmental standards.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Robert Dickinson

Chairman

For further details, contact Robert Dickinson at:

T: (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.

E: info@quartzmountainresources.com

W: www.quartzmountainresources.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 Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking-statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking-statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Assumptions used by the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the Company's projects will obtain all required environmental and other permits, and all land use and other licenses, studies and exploration of the Company's projects will continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. Though the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking-statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to future events and third party discretion such as regulatory personnel. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include variations in market prices, continuity of mineralization and exploration success, and potential environmental issues or liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and tenure and delays due to third party opposition, changes in and the effect of government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and exploration and development of properties located within Aboriginal groups asserted territories that may affect or be perceived to affect asserted aboriginal rights and title, and which may cause permitting delays or opposition by Aboriginal groups, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, and the risks and uncertainties connected with its business, investors should review the Company's home jurisdiction filings as www.sedarplus.ca and its 20F filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

SOURCE: Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) (OTCQX: KLDCF) (FSE: 3WQ0) ("Kenorland" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company was approved for a $200,000 grant from the government of Ontario under the Ontario Junior Exploration Program ("OJEP") on July 17, 2023 and received the final tranche of funds on March 7, 2024.

The OJEP program is designed to promote early-stage exploration in Ontario, whereby companies can receive up to $200,000 per project to cover 50% of eligible exploration costs.

Zach Flood, CEO and President, states, "On behalf of Kenorland, I'd like to express our gratitude to the government of Ontario for its support of early-stage exploration through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program. The funds provided by OJEP will help Kenorland generate new drill targets at the South Uchi Project, located in the prolific Red Lake District of northwestern Ontario."

"Early exploration projects taking place in Ontario by companies such as Kenorland Minerals Ltd. are vital to tapping into the critical minerals potential in the north," said George Pirie, Minister of Mines. "Through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program, our government is creating the conditions to ensure the continued success of Ontario's mining industry, keeping our mines operating for generations to come."

About the South Uchi Project

The South Uchi Project is a 100% owned project targeting gold, nickel-copper and lithium mineral systems, located in the Confederation Assemblage volcanics within the Red Lake Mining District of northwestern Ontario. The South Uchi Project is approximately 45 kilometers along strike to the east of Kinross Gold's Great Bear Project. The Company recently announced a widespread 40km2 gold-in-till anomaly at the Papaonga target area with multi-element Ag-Te-WAs-Sb signatures, an area with limited exploration and no historic drilling (see press release dated February 28, 2024). Multiple discrete Ni-Cu+/-Co-Pt anomalies were identified, and multiple new pegmatite occurrences were identified and sampled on the project, some of which note beryl, apatite and lepidolite.

Kenorland Completes Top-Up Right Exercise with Sumitomo

Kenorland is also pleased to announce that further to its press release dated March 8, 2024, the Company and Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. ("Sumitomo"), have completed the exercise of Sumitomo's 'top-up right' to retain its 10.1% interest in the Company as granted within the investor rights agreement dated November 5, 2021.

An aggregate of 24,075 common shares were issued for aggregate consideration of $16,852.50. The common shares issuable in the placement are subject to a statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities legislation and the rules and policies of the TSXV expiring on July 13, 2024.

As Sumitomo is the beneficial owner of more than 10% of Kenorland's outstanding shares, it is a "related party" to the Company within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As such, the transaction constituted a "related party transaction" within the meaning of MI 61-101.

The Company has relied upon on exemptions from formal valuation and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 found in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of either transaction does not constitute more than the 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

About Kenorland Minerals

Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) is a well-financed mineral exploration company focused on project generation and early-stage exploration in North America. Kenorland's exploration strategy is to advance greenfields projects through systematic, property-wide, phased exploration surveys financed primarily through exploration partnerships including option to joint venture agreements. Kenorland holds a 4% net smelter return royalty on the Frotet Project in Quebec which is owned by Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. The Frotet Project hosts the Regnault gold system, a greenfields discovery made by Kenorland and Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. in 2020. Kenorland is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Further information can be found on the Company's website: www.kenorlandminerals.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Zach Flood

President, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Alex Muir, CFA

Investor Relations Manager

Tel +1 604 568 6005

info@kenorlandminerals.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202236

SOURCE: Kenorland Minerals Ltd.
PARIS and SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Moon Surgical's Maestro, with embarked NVIDIA Holoscan, delivers surgeon autonomy in the first commercial use.

Moon Surgical today announced that over 200 patients have been successfully treated with its Maestro System, powered by NVIDIA Holoscan, which delivers surgeon autonomy in its first commercial use in various surgical interventions.

The Maestro System is used in laparoscopy, where surgeons operate through small incisions with an internal camera and instruments. The System is powered by NVIDIA Holoscan, a powerful edge computing platform that allows real-time algorithms based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to be deployed in the operating room for immediate benefits during surgery.

In late 2021, Moon Surgical earned a spot in NVIDIA's Inception Program, designed to accelerate startup growth by providing access to advanced technical resources and pioneering technology. One such technology was the NVIDIA Holoscan, NVIDIA's inaugural platform dedicated to medical technology, which the Moon Surgical team provided input on during development. Moon Surgical has now integrated Holoscan into its commercial Maestro System to enable its first computer vision-based capability, the ScoPilot.

Maestro's ScoPilot provides autonomy for the surgeon, who must normally rely on other staff to control the laparoscope. This task requires continuous coordination and anticipation. Surgeons can use ScoPilot to control the laparoscope themselves without taking their hands off surgical instruments, which are often engaged with other critical surgical tasks. Over ten surgeons have used the Maestro System and ScoPilot across two hospitals in France.

"Surgeons are astounded by the fluidity and speed that ScoPilot introduces to the operating room," remarked Anne Osdoit, CEO of Moon Surgical and Partner at Sofinnova Partners. "This is the perfect illustration that Maestro is ready for more digital features, enabled by NVIDIA Holoscan, that deliver transformative experiences for the operating room."

"AI is at the top of mind for the next wave of MedTech innovators like Moon Surgical, who seek to deliver innovative solutions to surgeons, nurses, and patients," stated Kimberly Powell, Vice President of Healthcare at NVIDIA. "This proof-of-concept showing an AI application running on NVIDIA Holoscan in real-time during Maestro surgery validates the principle behind our platform."

About Moon Surgical

Moon Surgical, based in Paris, France, and San Francisco, California, is building the OR of the future, one that is digitalized, efficient, and sustainable. The combined power of the transformative Maestro System and the intelligent Maestro OS empowers healthcare teams to make confident decisions and provide better surgical care for their patients. Founded in 2020, Moon Surgical prides itself on staying nimble, prioritizing innovation, and building a culture of inclusivity, creativity, and collaboration among its multi-cultural team members.

Moon Surgical. Inspiring and Innovating the Art of Surgery.

Check us out at www.moonsurgical.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

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Silvia Olivar places flowers with Sullivan Clerico, whom she nannies, during a vigil for those killed on West Portal Avenue when a woman crashed into a Muni bus stop last week in San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, 2024, Two people died at the scene and one died at the hospital the following day. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Family and friends of the victims embrace during a vigil for those killed on West Portal Avenue when a woman crashed into a Muni bus stop last week in San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, 2024, Two people died at the scene and one died at the hospital the following day. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Mourners gather to pay their respects during a vigil for those killed on West Portal Avenue when a woman crashed into a Muni bus stop last week in San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, 2024, Two people died at the scene and one died at the hospital the following day. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle SFPD Chief Bill Scott and his command staff pay their respects during a vigil for those killed on West Portal Avenue when a woman crashed into a Muni bus stop last week in San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, 2024, Two people died at the scene and one died at the hospital the following day. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Acquaitances of the victims console each other during a vigil for those killed on West Portal Avenue when a woman crashed into a Muni bus stop last week in San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, 2024, Two people died at the scene and one died at the hospital the following day. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Colleen Hamlin holds her daughter Birdie, 4 mos., as she places flowers during a vigil for those killed on West Portal Avenue when a woman crashed into a Muni bus stop last week in San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, 2024, Two people died at the scene and one died at the hospital the following day. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle A makeshift memorial honors victims of Saturday's crash at a bus stop near Muni's West Portal Station in San Francisco. David Hernandez/The Chronicle

UPDATE: Three family members killed by West Portal driver identified

A crowd of people gathered in San Francisco Monday at the site of a horrific crash that killed a married couple and their toddler  and gravely injured their 3-month old infant  who had been waiting at a Muni bus stop when an SUV barreled into it on Saturday.

More than 100 people filled the corner of West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street, which was blocked off as San Francisco police directed cars to alternate routes. The crowd spanned generations, all facing a makeshift memorial overflowing with stuffed animals and so many flowers their scents filled the intersection. Many walked to the site with dogs on leashes or pushing young children in strollers. Commuters paused on their way home from the many Muni bus lines that run through the neighborhood, some clanging as they rumbled past.

It could have easily been us, leaving the library, said West Portal resident Margaret Lee, 39, referring to herself and her two toddlers, ages 5 and 2, with the younger one in a stroller.

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Lee and others said the tragedy shows that San Franciscos efforts to eliminate traffic fatalities and encourage alternate forms of transportation have been insufficient.

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott and Mayor London Breed attended the vigil and placed flowers on the memorial.

Mary Fong Lau, 78, is suspected of recklessly driving her Mercedes sport utility vehicle onto a sidewalk and into a bus stop around noon Saturday, striking the family of four. The man and a 1-year-old toddler died at the scene. The woman died Sunday at the hospital.

The man was identified as Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, a Brazilian citizen, by the Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco and Clube de Criacao, a business association in Brazil. Oliveira was an associate creative director at Apple, where hed worked for four years. His family planned to travel to San Francisco from Brazil to visit the infant, who remained in intensive care with life-threatening injuries.

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The identities of Oliveiras wife and toddler were not released.

Young Kim, 28, who works in design, bikes from the West Portal Muni station to his house on nearby Vicente Street every day. He stopped on his way home to pay his respects. Its tragic what happened, Kim said. I know its not the time now but I need to know more about what happened.

The sentiment was echoed by longtime neighborhood residents Bill and Lena Clarke. Its strange but slow, Bill said of the intersection, where the Muni runs out of the station and two roads meet. I can understand being confused, but this. Bill trailed off, shaking his head.

Police arrested Lau on Sunday on suspicion of three counts of felony vehicular manslaughter as well as misdemeanor counts of reckless driving and driving the wrong way. She was also accused of speeding, an infraction, jail records show.

She was booked into jail on Sunday and remained in custody Monday, records show.

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District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Monday that her office was in the process of receiving case information and evidence from the police department, but had not yet filed formal charges following the arrest.
vSphere replacement that combines the simplicity and user experience of true private cloud

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2024, the worldwide leader in true private cloud infrastructure, today announced VM Squared, a virtualization platform combining simplicity with a true alternative to VMware's vSphere product suite.



"Analysts tell us one in five enterprises are looking for a real alternative to VMware," said Phil Straw, CEO at SoftIron. "VM Squared builds on our leadership in True Private Cloud to provide a modern virtualization platform that installs in less than 30 minutes and offers a pathway towards true private cloud."

Modern Virtualization

VMware was introduced a quarter of a century ago - 6 yearsbefore AWS invented the cloud. The complexity enterprises put up with back then doesn't wash today, especially with IT now running workloads in radically simpler public cloud environments.

SoftIron designed VM Squared as an alternative to VMware's last-century complexity:

Installs in 30 minutes (or less).



Streamlined user interface provides a modern cloud feel. No configuration setting is more than a couple clicks away, and clever automation features greatly reduce daily operational overhead.



No configuration setting is more than a couple clicks away, and clever automation features greatly reduce daily operational overhead. Remove barriers to scale. Scaling a VMware solution scales more than just the solution, it increases management complexity and the time, effort, and expertise to provision, monitor, and maintain. VM Squared automates the provisioning and deployment process to enable scale in your solution without a matching scale in management overhead.



Scaling a VMware solution scales more than just the solution, it increases management complexity and the time, effort, and expertise to provision, monitor, and maintain. VM Squared automates the provisioning and deployment process to enable scale in your solution without a matching scale in management overhead. Simple upgrade path to p rivate c loud . Because VM Squared is built by the same team as SoftIron's HyperCloud, we offer a simple, quick upgrade path to a true, fully-featured private cloud.



. Because VM Squared is built by the same team as SoftIron's HyperCloud, we offer a simple, quick upgrade path to a true, fully-featured private cloud. VMware migration tool. VMware may be complex, but upgrading to VM Squared doesn't have to be. The VM Squared migration tool offers an onramp that migrates your entire VMware vSphere estate quickly and easily.



SoftIron established its ability to uniquely provide a true private cloud experience with HyperCloud

Anyone can provide a true cloud experience in the public cloud. But a true cloud on-premises, or at the edge, ready to deliver full sovereign data compliance? That's a much more difficult task. But SoftIron is an industry leader in exactly that. When it comes to True Private Cloud, HyperCloud is the only True Private Cloud on the market. No other company delivers the ability to deploy, manage, and maintain True Private Cloud, perfect for sovereign cloud deployments designed for security from the ground up.

Now, organizations can benefit from HyperCloud's unique True Private Cloud features within their virtualization solution, on their own hardware.

We've enabled a wide range of HyperCloud features to run within VM Squared in order to provide users with a modern virtualized environment:

Multitenancy Ready to go out of the box. Add new tenants in seconds. MSP-ready security compliance. Perfect for Edge deployments.

Cloud billing Centralized integrated billing. Intuitive GUI dashboard for chargeback. Role-based access control.

Cloud scalability Automated provisioning and deployment. Reduce operational overhead. Light touch deployment and node-add. Scale out and up. Elastic resource allocation.

Cloud resiliency Highly available by default. Distributed control plane and storage. Move VMs between hosts with zero downtime.

Cloud upgrade process One license, all features. Automated one-click upgrade. Non-disruptive upgrades.

Dedicated marketplace Click-and-go images ready from Day 1. Easily install Linux, Windows, and partner appliances. Speed up time-to-value through streamlined deployment.

Straightforward "cloud" management experience Infrastructure that manages itself. Modern UI for a modern cloud feel. Do more with less through efficient resource management. Achieve a cloud experience within your virtualization solution.



The SoftIron Extra

VM Squared is brought to market by SoftIron, the world's leading True Private Cloud. This means users enjoy the "SoftIron Advantage":

Private cloud heritage. As the provider of the world's only True Private Cloud, SoftIron enjoys a private cloud heritage that lets us bake in a True Private Cloud experience that competitors cannot.



As the provider of the world's only True Private Cloud, SoftIron enjoys a private cloud heritage that lets us bake in a True Private Cloud experience that competitors cannot. Security heritage. Due to SoftIron's deep experience with the world's most secure organizations (both government and military), security is in our blood. VM Squared was built with security in mind from the ground up.



Supporting Quotes

"SoftIron's VM Squared is an enticing alternative for customers looking for a simple solution during what is a somewhat uncertain time in the history of virtualization," said Thomas Gilsenan, President of DZ Solutions, a reseller of hardware, software, cloud, and IT professional services. "Their simple licensing and deployment mode-available either a-la-carte or as part of SoftIron HyperCloud-is an exciting addition to SoftIron's robust true private cloud solution stack."

"It was impressive when SoftIron set-up HyperCloud, the world's first true private cloud, in Soho, London in just two hours," said Jack Alaway, Managing Director and co-owner at VSPL. "Now with VM Squared, their modern software-only virtualization product in market, VMware users have a viable offramp from vSphere while retaining their legacy hardware. And then when they are ready, an onward path to a fully integrated on premise cloud if that is their ultimate destination."

"Many of our clients are evaluating options with respect to their VMware environments," says Mark Matheson, CEO at Distributed Technology Group. "But they have no appetite for a long, complex migration. SoftIron VM Squared installs in less than 30 minutes and offers a VMware migration tool to simplify transition. It is precisely what our clients are looking for."

"'Simple' is the new black for Enterprise," says Dirk Webbeler, CEO at Blue Technologies, a full-service IT provider in Germany. "VMware's quarter-century-old interface is as complex as it gets. SoftIron's VM Squared - with its true Private Cloud experience - is extremely simple, and our clients are responding enthusiastically."

"SoftIron has a rich history of industry firsts, doing engineering the right way, designing from the top down," said Cosimo Gianfreda, CEO at E4 Computer Engineering. "From the early ARM days when I first met SoftIron CEO Phil Straw, through to developing the world's first true private cloud, HyperCloud. It comes as no surprise that SoftIron are pioneering again by offering a virtualization platform at a realistic and affordable price point that is easy to manage. We are continuously improving the quality of our services to our customers through innovation, constant research and investment in new technologies."

For more information regarding VM Squared and to access a free trial, please visit: http://www.softiron.com/vmsquared/.

About SoftIron

SoftIron is a Silicon Valley-based worldwide leader in true private cloud infrastructure. HyperCloud by SoftIron allows organizations to build a true private cloud on-premises that deploys, manages and consumes like public cloud. HyperCloud provides the elasticity of cloud in a solution that is fast and simple to deploy, driving extreme agility. HyperCloud delivers the benefits of AWS Outposts or Azure Stack HCI but in a cloud-neutral solution. Learn more at www.SoftIron.com.

For SoftIron:

Mike Bradshaw

Connect Marketing for SoftIron

P:
Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl

DUBLIN (dpa-AFX) - Accenture Plc (ACN) said on Tuesday that it has acquired Flo Group, a Dutch consultancy and Oracle business partner with a focus on global supply chain logistics. The financial terms of the transaction, which will boost acquirer's supply chain logistics capabilities in Europe, were not disclosed. 'This acquisition further enhances Accenture's Oracle capabilities in Europe to help clients build more resilient and agile supply chains that provide end-to-end visibility,' the company said. Founded in 2007, Flo is headquartered in Rotterdam, with additional offices in Argentina and India. Flo's 280 people join the Accenture Oracle Business Group, to strengthen its capabilities to help clients design their digital core to be ready for supply chain transformation. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
NEW DELHI, INDIA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / OWLS, a leading Outdoor Education Organization, proudly unveils its enhanced online platform, coinciding with its third-year anniversary in the outdoors. The upgraded platform aims to revolutionise the Himalayan adventure experience, offering a wealth of new features and resources.

Himalayan Treks - OWLS Adventures

Founder of OWLS, Himanshu Singla, expressed enthusiasm about the launch, stating, "As we celebrate our third year in the outdoors, we are excited to introduce our enhanced online platform designed to elevate your Himalayan adventure. Featuring user-friendly navigation, sleek design, and enhanced functionality, our platform makes it easier than ever to explore our range of Himalayan treks and cultural experiences."

Operating in both India and Nepal, OWLS specializes in providing unparalleled trekking experiences across the Himalayas. From the serene landscapes of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh to the rugged terrains of Sikkim and Leh Ladakh, adventurers have access to some of the world's most awe-inspiring landscapes. OWLS extends its offerings into Nepal, offering classic Himalayan treks like the Everest Base Camp trek.

The new website offers a wide range of informative content tailored to assist trekkers. This includes detailed information on specific Himalayan treks, covering aspects like weather conditions, ideal trekking times, and navigation to base camps. Additionally, we provide ongoing updates across various categories:

Trek-Specific Content: Offering comprehensive details on all treks nationwide, covering optimal visiting times, difficulty levels, altitudes, and more.

Offering comprehensive details on all treks nationwide, covering optimal visiting times, difficulty levels, altitudes, and more. Trek-Related Content: Providing curated lists and comparisons to guide adventurers to the best treks for every season and preference.

Providing curated lists and comparisons to guide adventurers to the best treks for every season and preference. Outdoor Content: Offering valuable tips on camping, cooking, and the benefits of outdoor activities. We also recommend essential gear for outdoor enthusiasts.

OWLS ensures a safe and unforgettable journey by offering expert guidance and resources on trails suited to every level. Whether you're a seasoned trekker or a first-time explorer, OWLS caters to your needs. From the beginner-friendly treks like Dayara Bugyal or Brahmatal to moderately challenging Sandakphu or the adrenaline-pumping Buran Ghati, there's a trail for every level of experience.

One of the standout treks recommended by Himanshu is the Kashmir Great Lakes trek, renowned for its lush valleys, towering pine forests, and crystal-clear alpine lakes. This trek offers a truly immersive experience, allowing participants to connect with the pristine beauty of nature.

About OWLS:

OWLS is a community of outdoor professionals and enthusiasts dedicated to reshaping the perception of the outdoors in India and Nepal. Founded in 2021 by IIT-BHU alumni, OWLS is committed to revolutionizing the trekking experience by integrating adventure with experiential learning. OWLS curates immersive treks and cultural tours across the Himalayas and Nepal, providing meaningful experiences for adventurers of all levels.

For media inquiries or more information, please visit our website or contact us at contact@gooutwithowls.com or +91-9667867679

Contact Information

Tamanna Tamang

Content Manager

contact@gooutwithowls.com

+91-9667867679

SOURCE: OWLS Adventures

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Lawyers from Pogust Goodhead and Lemstra Van der Korst file claim in the Netherlands against world's second largest mining company following Brazil's worst environmental disaster

Vale SA (VALE3:SAO), (VALE3:BZ), (VALE:NYSE), (0LBF:LSE), the world's second-biggest mining company, is facing a new lawsuit for its role in the Mariana Dam collapse, Brazil's worst environmental disaster.

The 3bn action is on behalf of claimants including seven Brazilian municipalities (from the states of Bahia, Espirito Santo and Minas Gerais), nearly 1,000 businesses and associations, and over 77,000 individuals.

The case was launched in the Netherlands against Vale SA and Samarco Iron Ore Europe BV, Samarco's Dutch subsidiary, after lawyers attached the shares that Vale holds in Vale Holdings BV, its Dutch subsidiary.

The asset attachment was made as a means of ensuring assets are ringfenced in the event of a successful outcome of the claim.

The Mariana dam was operated by Samarco, which is a joint venture between mining giants Vale of Brazil and the Anglo-Australian BHP.

The claim by the individuals and businesses affected by the collapse of the dam is brought by the Stichting Acoes do Rio Doce, a not-for-profit foundation in the Netherlands. The foundation has instructed leading global law firm Pogust Goodhead as legal advisor, together with Lemstra Van der Korst, a leading litigation firm in the Netherlands.

International law firm Pogust Goodhead already represents close to 700,000 victims of the Mariana disaster in a separate claim against mining company BHP in the English courts. The claimants bringing the new action in the Netherlands are not part of the English action.

News of the new action in the Netherlands against Vale and Samarco Iron Ore Europe BV comes as Vale faces a crisis in Brazil, after an independent director resigned from the board, citing concerns about corporate governance and alleged "nefarious political influence" around the choice of Vale's next chief executive.

CEO and Global Managing Partner of Pogust Goodhead, Tom Goodhead, said: "More than eight years after the worst environmental disaster in Brazil's history, it is appalling that many victims have still not received adequate redress for the damages caused to them.

"The claims being brought in the Netherlands against Vale and Samarco Iron Ore Europe BV for their role in the disaster show that delaying justice and making low value offers in Brazil will not stop the victims from demanding justice. We are glad to be instructed to hold Vale and Samarco's subsidiary to account for their role in the disaster.

"The time has come for multinational conglomerates to be held accountable for their actions wherever they operate or make their profits. The Dutch subsidiaries played a key part in the global extraction of profits from the Samarco mine, with Samarco Iron Ore Europe BV a significant means of managing, marketing, and distributing Samarco's iron ore produced from the Mariana dam that collapsed, destroying the lives of so many.

"Not only have Vale and Samarco failed to do the right thing by the victims, but they have also exposed their investors to extraordinary levels of risk in relation to the unprecedented compensation bill the company now faces.

"For too long, the victims of the Mariana dam disaster have seen Vale and BHP continue to boast about their profits and shareholder dividends while the victims have yet to receive redress for their losses as they continue to live with the devastation the companies caused eight long years ago."

These new claims come after settlement negotiations in Brazil broke down in December 2023 between Mariana dam owners, Samarco, Vale and BHP, and the Federal Government. This breakdown was followed by an order from a Brazilian federal court for Vale and BHP to pay US$9.7bn (47.69bn reais) in damages for the deadly tailings dam disaster.

The Mariana dam collapsed in November 2015, unleashing a torrent of toxic mud into the river basin below, destroying whole towns and villages across two Brazilian states before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

The disaster is described as the worst environmental disaster in Brazilian history and the effects are still being felt to this day.

BHP will face a trial on liability in October 2024 in London's high court. BHP has recently launched a contribution claim against Vale in those proceedings, seeking contribution from Vale in the event that BHP is held liable.

The Municipality of Gonzaga said: "This claim is of the utmost importance because it aims to repair the damages suffered by the municipality, and we believe that the funds sought will be used to develop public policies that the municipality needs, in education, health and the environment."

About Pogust Goodhead

Founded by Tom Goodhead and Harris Pogust in 2018, Pogust Goodhead is an international law firm headquartered in London, England. Its growing global partnership consists of over 100 lawyers and more than 500 staff members, all working to help individuals, groups, and businesses access fair and tangible justice.

The firm has been described as "the first legal unicorn," following a trajectory more like a Fintech start up than a traditional law firm. Pogust Goodhead represents 1.9 million clients in cases across the world, seeking billions of dollars in damages.

Since its formation, Pogust Goodhead has become a world leader in environmental litigation. In 2022 the firm secured a landmark, unanimous judgment from the Court of Appeal that allows victims of the Mariana dam disaster to seek redress against BHP and now Vale, in the Courts of England and Wales. The firm's cases against corporate giants TUV SUD, Norsk Hydro and Braskem are all centered around providing redress for claimants who have suffered through a total disregard for the environment they inhabit.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319756880/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Pogust Goodhead



Lauren Veevers

lveevers@pogustgoodhead.com

Simon Alcock

salcock@pogustgoodhead.com

Priscilla Mendes

pmendes@pogustgoodhead.com
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / 3M

Originally published on 3M News Center

On March 12, 3M announced that William M. "Bill" Brown is appointed chief executive officer, effective May 1, 2024. He succeeds Michael Roman, who is appointed to the role of Executive Chairman of the 3M Board of Directors, also effective May 1, 2024.

"Bill's strong track record as a CEO for a global technology company makes him the right leader for 3M," said Roman. "He brings a wealth of experience in strategic leadership, innovation, and operational excellence to 3M. I look forward to working with him to build on our momentum in my new role as executive chairman."

"I am excited for the opportunity to lead this iconic global company," said Brown. "The company has made significant positive changes under Mike's leadership, and I am looking forward to building on that progress as CEO as 3M continues to deliver for its customers, shareholders, employees, and communities around the globe."

Brown, 61, is the former Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of L3Harris Technologies, a global innovator in aerospace and defense technology solutions, where he served as chief executive officer and chairman, and then executive chair from June 2019 to June 2022. Brown previously served as chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Harris Corporation prior to its merger with L3 Technologies in 2019. He joined Harris Corporation in November 2011 as president and chief executive officer. Prior to Harris Corporation, Brown spent 14 years at United Technologies Corporation (UTC) serving in a variety of leadership roles.

Brown holds bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from Villanova University, as well as an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is the former Chair of the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) Board of Governors and formerly a member of AIA's Executive Committee.

Roman will continue to chair 3M's Board of Directors and provide insights from his more than 35 years with 3M to the company's strategic direction as executive chairman of the board. He has served as 3M's CEO since July 2018.

William Brown, Chief Executive Officer, 3M.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from 3M on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: 3M

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/3m

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: 3M

View the original press release on accesswire.com
JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. announces the release of a market assessment report on the "Global Digital Health in the Neurology Market - By Component (Hardware, Software, Services), By End-use (Patients, Providers, Payers, Others)), Trends, Industry Competition Analysis, Revenue and Forecast To 2031."

According to the latest research by InsightAce Analytic, the Global Digital Health in the Neurology Market is valued at US$36.28 Bn in 2023, and it is expected to reach US$ 167.58 Bn by 2031, with a CAGR of 21.3% during the forecast period of 2024-2031.

Digital Health In Neurology Market Report Scope:

Report Attribute Specifications Market Size Value In 2023 USD 36.28 Bn Revenue Forecast In 2031 USD 167.58 Bn Growth Rate CAGR CAGR of 21.3% from 2024 to 2031 Quantitative Units Representation of revenue in US$ Bn and CAGR from 2024 to 2031 Historic Year 2019 to 2023 Forecast Year 2024-2031 Report Coverage The forecast of revenue, the position of the company, the competitive market structure, growth prospects, and trends Segments Covered By Component and End-Use Regional Scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; Middle East & Africa Country Scope U.S.; Canada; U.K.; Germany; China; India; Japan; Brazil; Mexico; France; Italy; Spain; South East Asia; South Korea Competitive Landscape Neofect, Teladoc, Proteus Digital Health, Akili Labs, AppliedVR, Aural Analytics, BehaVR, BetterHelp, Big Health, Omada Health, Blackrock Neurotech, and AdvancedMD and Other Prominent Players

Request for Sample Pages: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/request-sample/2358

Digital health in neurology refers to using eHealth and other digital tools to improve neurological disorders' diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Digital health technologies are on the rise in neurology due to several factors: better internet connectivity, more widespread use of smartphones, more expensive healthcare, a greater need for remote patient monitoring services, and easier access to virtual care.

Moreover, the expansion of this market is being propelled in large part by government programs that aim to digitalize healthcare systems worldwide. However, the high costs associated with developing and implementing digital health solutions, as well as potential issues with insurance companies' willingness to cover these costs, make it difficult for neurology providers and patients to have access to these technologies, which could limit the growth of the digital health in neurology market. Digital health in the neurology market is an expansion market that can be facilitated by government initiatives that promote digital health and by regulatory settings that are favorable to this industry, propelling digital health in the neurology industry.

List of Important Players In The Digital Health In Neurology Market:

Neofect

Teladoc

Proteus Digital Health

Akili Labs

AppliedVR

Aural Analytics

BehaVR

BetterHelp

Big Health

Biogen

Omada Health

Blackrock Neurotech

AdvancedMD

Linus Health

Medibio

The Echo Group

Spring Care Inc.

Qualifacts Systems, Inc.

Other Prominent Players

Market Dynamics:

Drivers-

A growth in the digital health in neurology market is being propelled by the increasing need for improved healthcare solutions due to the rising global prevalence of neurological disorders like Parkinson's, seizures, and multiple sclerosis. The market is being propelled even further by government initiatives and supportive regulatory frameworks encouraging developing and implementing digital health solutions.

Market expansion is also pushed by the rising adoption and utilization of digital health in neurology solutions, which are being educated and widely known to healthcare providers and patients. As a result, the global market for digital health in neurology continues to expand.

Challenges:

Strict regulations, high costs, and limited technology in developing regions are predicted to be challenges that will reduce the market's growth. There are strict regulatory frameworks in place in several locations that affect the digital health sector of neurology. While these rules are essential for protecting patients' health, they can hinder the development and rollout of innovative digital health solutions in neurology.

Due to a lack of readily available technology in developing economies, the cost of using digital health to treat neurological diseases is currently expensive. Neurological illness treatment is costly, and cutting-edge technologies can drive up the price tag even further. These limitations are expected to limit the expansion of the digital health market in neurology during the next few years.

Regional Trends:

The North American digital health in neurology market is expected to register a large market share in the revenue. It is projected to grow at a high CAGR in the near future. The growing need for digital health in neurology due to several reasons, such as increased spending on healthcare IT, better internet connectivity, new technologies, new businesses, beneficial initiatives by the government, rising smartphone penetration, greater resources and expenditures, and the availability of sufficient digital infrastructure, which is expected to grow the region's digital health in neurology market.

Besides, Asia Pacific has a prominent share of the digital health in the neurology market. They are in high demand due to the strong expansion of the economy, which in turn boosts consumer expenditure on health. Factors contributing to the industry's expansion include improvements in coverage networks, the rising use of smartphones, a growing elderly population, and an alarming increase in neurological disorders, contributing to the region's digital health in neurology. Moreover, the regional market's growth is boosted by the increasing frequency of neurological illnesses, with market participants' growing number of technology developments and business activities driving this growth.

Curious About This Latest Version Of The Report? Enquiry Before Buying: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/enquiry-before-buying/2358

Recent Developments:

In March 2024, Linus Health disclosed the acquisition of Aural Analytics, which provides clinical-grade speech analytics. This agreement includes Aural Analytics' assets, such as advanced technology and intellectual property, within Linus Health's multimodal cognitive evaluation platform. Linus Health expects the acquisition to improve its ability to identify cognitive impairment and develop into the life sciences business.

Linus Health disclosed the acquisition of Aural Analytics, which provides clinical-grade speech analytics. This agreement includes Aural Analytics' assets, such as advanced technology and intellectual property, within Linus Health's multimodal cognitive evaluation platform. Linus Health expects the acquisition to improve its ability to identify cognitive impairment and develop into the life sciences business. In February 2024, Aptar has signed a multi-year enterprise partnership with Biogen to provide digital health solutions to improve care for patients with neurological and rare disorders. The partnership will use Aptar's skills to help create and operate new and existing digital health solutions around the world. According to the agreement, Biogen will transfer ownership of some solutions to Aptar, which will provide a broad range of services.

Aptar has signed a multi-year enterprise partnership with Biogen to provide digital health solutions to improve care for patients with neurological and rare disorders. The partnership will use Aptar's skills to help create and operate new and existing digital health solutions around the world. According to the agreement, Biogen will transfer ownership of some solutions to Aptar, which will provide a broad range of services. In February 2024, AppliedVR and Kernel announced a cooperative study to measure the brain impact of virtual reality pain management. AppliedVR is a medical device pioneer creating a revolutionary approach to medicine based on virtual reality. A single-masked sham-controlled strategy was employed in the study to examine physiological measurements and brain activity patterns in individuals with persistent low back pain before, during, and after virtual reality encounters.

AppliedVR and Kernel announced a cooperative study to measure the brain impact of virtual reality pain management. AppliedVR is a medical device pioneer creating a revolutionary approach to medicine based on virtual reality. A single-masked sham-controlled strategy was employed in the study to examine physiological measurements and brain activity patterns in individuals with persistent low back pain before, during, and after virtual reality encounters. In Aug 2023, Government funding was awarded to Neofect for the development of an AI-powered digital rehabilitation device. Neofect and the Korea Medical Device Development Foundation (KMDF) had entered into a research and development (R&D) agreement for the creation of digital smart boards for patient rehabilitation utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

Segmentation of Digital Health in Neurology Market-

By Component-

Software

Hardware

Services

By End-Use-

Patients

Providers

Payers

Others

By Region-

North America-

The US

Canada

Mexico

Europe-

Germany

The UK

France

Italy

Spain

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific-

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Southeast Asia

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America-

Brazil

Argentina

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa-

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of Middle East and Africa

For More Customization @https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/customisation/2358

Why should buy this report:

To receive a comprehensive analysis of the prospects for global Digital Health in Neurology market

To receive industry overview and future trends of global Digital Health in Neurology market

To analyze the Digital Health in Neurology market drivers and challenges

To get information on the Digital Health in Neurology market size value (US$ Mn) forecast till 2031

Major Investments, Mergers & Acquisition in global Digital Health in Neurology market industry

Other Related Reports Published by InsightAce Analytic:

Neurovascular Devices or Interventional Neurology Market

Placental Stem Cell Therapy for Neurological Disorders Market

Neuroimmunology Drugs Market

Emerging Mental Health Devices and Platforms Market

About Us:

InsightAce Analytic is a market research and consulting firm that enables clients to make strategic decisions. Our qualitative and quantitative market intelligence solutions inform the need for market and competitive intelligence to expand businesses. We help clients gain competitive advantage by identifying untapped markets, exploring new and competing technologies, segmenting potential markets and repositioning products. Our expertise is in providing syndicated and custom market intelligence reports with an in-depth analysis with key market insights in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Contact US:

InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd.

Tel.: +1 551 226 6109

Email: info@insightaceanalytic.com

Site Visit: www.insightaceanalytic.com

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/digital-health-in-the-neurology-market-worth-167-58-bn-by-2031---exclusive-report-by-insightace-analytic-pvt-ltd-302092900.html
Capita Plc - Director/PDMR Shareholding

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 19

19 March 2024

Capita plc ("the Company")

Notification and public disclosure of transactions by Director/Person Discharging Managerial Responsibilities ("PDMR")

As announced on 9 November 2023, Adolfo Hernandez was appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer with effect from 17 January 2024.

On 19 March 2024, the following award was granted over the Company's Ordinary 2 1/15p shares ("Ordinary Shares") to Adolfo Hernandez ("the Buy-Out Award"). The Buy-Out Award is granted pursuant to UK Listing Rule 9.4.2(2). The Buy-Out Award may not be settled with new issue or treasury shares.

The Buy-Out Award is capable of vesting in five independent tranches as set out below:

Name Status Number of Ordinary Shares under Buy-out Award Vesting date Adolfo Hernandez Chief Executive Officer 2,509,709 15 July 2024 2,497,467 15 January 2025 1,897,585 15 July 2025 1,885,343 15 January 2026 3,256,501 15 July 2026

No consideration was paid for the grant of the Buy-Out Award which is structured as a conditional award comprising the respective tranches.

Notes:

The Buy-Out Award has been made to compensate Adolfo Hernandez for the forfeiture of incentive arrangements held with his previous employer, Amazon Web Services.

The number of Ordinary Shares under the Buy-Out Award has been calculated using an Ordinary Share price of 19.81 pence per Ordinary Share being the average of the closing Ordinary Share prices over the five Dealing Days preceding 17 January 2024.

Tranches shall ordinarily be forfeit in the event of cessation of employment prior to the relevant vesting dates.

Notification andpublic disclosure oftransactions by director/personsdischarging managerialresponsibilities and personsclosely associated with them

The information set out below is provided in accordance with the requirements of the UK Market Abuse Regulation

1 Detailsofthepersondischargingmanagerialresponsibilities/ personcloselyassociated a) Name Adolfo Hernandez 2 Reason for the notification a) Position/status Chief Executive Officer b) Initial notification /Amendment Initial notification 3 Detailsoftheissuer,emissionallowancemarketparticipant,auctionplatform,auctioneer orauction monitor a) Name Capita plc b) LEI CMIGEWPLHL4M7ZV0IZ88 4 Detailsofthetransaction(s):sectiontoberepeatedfor(i)eachtypeofinstrument; (ii)eachtypeoftransaction;(iii)eachdate;and(iv)eachplacewheretransactionshave beenconducted a) Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument Identification code Ordinary shares of 2 1/15p each GB00B23K0M20 b) Nature of the transaction Grant of a conditional share award (Buy-out share award) over Capita ordinary shares to compensate Adolfo Hernandez for the forfeiture of incentive arrangements held with his previous employer. c) Price(s) and volume(s) Price Volume Vesting date Nil 2,509,709 15 July 2024 Nil 2,497,467 15 January 2025 Nil 1,897,585 15 July 2025 Nil 1,885,343 15 January 2026 Nil 3,256,501 15 July 2026 d) Aggregated information - Aggregated volume - Price 12,046,605 Nil e) Date of the transaction 19 March 2024 f) Place of the transaction Outside of a trading venue

For more information, please contact:

Investor enquiries

Helen Parris, Director of Investor Relations

Tel: 07720 169 269

Email: IRteam@capita.co.uk

Stephanie Little

Deputy Head of Investor Relations

Tel: 07541 622838

Email: IRteam@capita.co.uk

Media enquiries

Capita external communications

Tel: 0207 654 2399

Email: media@capita.co.uk

Notes to editors:
Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl

ESPOO (dpa-AFX) - Reddit announced on Tuesday that Nokia Corp. (NOK) has accused the social discussion forum of patent infringement. However, Reddit denied the accusations by stating that, 'As we face increasing competition and become increasingly high profile, the possibility of receiving more intellectual property claims against us grows.' The announcement follows an inquiry by the Federal Trade Commission into Reddit's practices regarding the sale, licensing and sharing of user-generated content with third parties for the purpose of training of artificial intelligence models. Currently, Nokia's stock is climbing 0.97 percent, to $3.51 on the New York Stock Exchange. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
The digital business card and technology company will soon relaunch the utility token for the MobiCard app.??

CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Peer To Peer Network (PTOP) is pleased to announce that it has retained a highly rated attorney specializing in Corporate Governance Cryptocurrency Securities law to assist with the relaunch of MOBICOIN, the innovative utility token integrated with its groundbreaking MOBICARD app.?

PTOP's decision strengthens its commitment to the digital currency sphere using Binance blockchain technology to recreate MOBICOIN developed within SEC guidelines. It marks a significant step in integrating blockchain technology and legal regulatory frameworks in the company's business model, merging new financial tech with regulatory compliance.??

"MOBICOIN is coming back," said Joshua Sodaitis, CEO and Chairman of MOBICOIN. "The day we announce it is back will be a game-changer, in my opinion. MOBICARD is coming along great, and soon, we will announce that we are opening a Beta Test version to a wider audience. Everything is coming together nicely."?

The new MOBICOIN will launch as soon as PTOP's attorney legally clears the contracts to create a utility token that will interact with the MOBICARD app. The attorney will provide the company with the guidance and legal opinion to move forward with its utility token and how to remain within the SEC guidelines for Reward Tokens trading in secondary markets.?

"The token will allow us to effectively market the application and reward users with tokens for milestones and achievements automatically in the app," said Sodaitis. "The last time MOBICOIN was launched, the stock appreciated 998% in one day on the news from the announcement and traded over a million dollars in the stock on that day alone."?

The new MOBICOIN will incorporate the state-of-the-art features of blockchain tech and will interact seamlessly with the MOBICARD app. A development server will work on integrating the token and its technology with the app to bring new and extensive functionalities to MOBICOIN, propelling MOBICARD and its services firmly into the era of Web3.??

"We will be coding our smart contracts in solidity utilizing the BNB blockchain," said Nicholis Santana, head developer of MOBICOIN. "All code is set to launch the MOBICOIN token as soon as the legalities have been approved. If changes need to be made, we will implement them immediately."?

The relaunching of the MOBICOIN embodies PTOP's commitment to legal compliance while leveraging blockchain tech in a mobile application environment, a new chapter of growth, innovation, stability, and rewards for PTOP and the users of MOBICARD. Bringing back a MOBICOIN as a reward and utility token is expected to be a game changer for PTOP and allow advertisements on the MOBICARD platform.??

"The rebranding of MOBICARD is going to make everything look better and smoother," said Santana. "We have made vast improvements to the look and flow of MOBICARD while staying ahead of the curve with web3 integration."??

MOBCARD has a new logo and will be completely relaunched as a new product when MOBICARD 1.5 is ready. We are getting ready to open up a larger Beta test to the public before we submit the apps to the app stores for release. To sign up for this, you must email: Info@freemobicard.com and include the type of phone you have and your full name and contact details. Make sure you subject line the email "BETA TESTER".

For more information, please visit www.ptopnetwork.com ??

About MOBICARD??

Peer To Peer Network's flagship product is MOBICARD, the first-of-its-kind, digital contact/business card that will shift the paradigm of personal and professional networking. It will help individuals and businesses share information and more effectively expand their visibility and brand awareness. The MOBICARD is a combination of powerful mobile and desktop apps with wide-ranging capabilities, including linking videos, user websites, all forms of contact information, and each user's social media links into one consolidated digital source. It is more than just a digital business card; it is a "Dynamic Digital Footprint."??

Contact Information:

Michael Albanese

michael.albanese@issuerdirect.com

SOURCE: MobiCard

View the original press release on newswire.com.
Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl

SCHIPHOL-RIJK (dpa-AFX) - Aerospace company, Airbus SE (EADSY.PK), Tuesday announced that it has ended talks with Atos, an information technology company, regarding the potential acquisition of the latter's big data and security or BDS unit. Airbus added that the decision was made after careful consideration of all aspects of the potential transaction. Earlier, Airbus had proposed an offer price of 1.5 billion euros to 1.8 billion euros for the BDS unit. Currently, Airbus's shares are moving up 2.04 percent, to $45.23 on the Other OTC. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. The university accepted only 372 of 11,169 applicants who were on the admissions waiting list in 2022, or 3.3%. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

As college-bound high school seniors decide where the next four years will take them, many hoping to attend a University of California school in the fall are left in limbo  on the waiting list.

Its a tense waiting game with unpredictable odds, and for many students it may be months before they know where theyll be attending in the fall.

Data from the past three UC admissions cycle show just how much the odds of success can vary from year to year and from campus to campus.

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For example, in fall 2022, the more selective campuses, like UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC San Diego, also tended to be selective about their waiting lists.

UC Berkeley accepted only 1% of students from the 2022 waiting list: 48 of the 4,650 students who opted in. UCLAs rate was nearly as low, with 3.3% of waiting list applicants accepted, though the actual numbers were higher: 372 of 11,169 students who opted in. UC San Diego accepted 6.7% of waiting list applicants: 2,401 of 36,137 opt-ins.

Other campuses had higher percentages of wait-listed students admitted: UC Santa Cruz accepted 13%, UC Davis accepted 19%, UC Santa Barbara accepted 27% and UC Riverside accepted 40%.

But its important to remember that one years numbers do not have any bearing on what happens in the next year, according to Ariel Mazel-Gee, a college admissions consultant based in San Francisco, and Dale Leaman, executive director of undergraduate admissions at UC Irvine.

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In fall 2020, for example, waiting list admissions were very high across the board as students grappled with new challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, choosing to defer admission rather than have a remote first year of college, or changing plans for financial reasons. The next year, the numbers were much lower at most schools.

How the waiting list works

Most colleges and universities, public and private, have waiting lists where admissions officers place students who didnt quite make the first cut in admissions, but could still get in if room opens up in the enrolling class.

That means that during March, when students were receiving admissions decisions from UC campuses, some, rather than getting a yes or a no, got offered a place on the waiting list.

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It is common for students to apply to more than one UC, and thousands of students are placed on the waiting list for each UC campus every year.

While they can accept only one offer of admission, students can accept multiple waiting list offers  and many do both, taking a guaranteed spot at a less preferred campus while hoping to still get into their dream school.

UC Berkeley had the lowest rate of the UCs for waiting list admissions in 2022: It accepted only 1% of applicants. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2022

Students offered a waiting list spot had an opt-in deadline of April 15. Statements of intent to register by those accepted in the first round are due May 1. Wait-listed students wont find out whether they made the second cut until after that deadline  anytime between May and July  as colleges calculate the number of spots available after admitted students accept their spots.

That means wait-listed students may have chosen a college by May 1, only to have those plans upended if they get off the waiting list for another school they prefer.

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It makes me anxious

Marianne J., an 18-year-old senior at Sequoia High School in Redwood City, was wait-listed at UC Davis and UC San Diego and opted in to both. She said the extended uncertainty is stressful.

UC Davis accepted 19% of admitting wait-listed students in 2022. Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle 2016

It makes me anxious. I dont like thinking that I have to wait past May 1, said Marianne, who asked that her last name be withheld as the admissions process continues. Its like everyone else has decided around me, and Im here waiting for something I might not even get.

UC admissions officers emphasized that there is no way to predict how many students will be admitted from the waiting list at any campus. Because schools have a limited number of spots each year, it depends on how many admitted students choose to enroll, which means that the numbers vary from year to year, and from major to major.

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Its important to realize that wait lists are a strategy for colleges to ensure that they have a full incoming class, said Mazel-Gee, the admissions consultant.

Leaman of UC Irvine added that students can do little to affect or even predict their chances of getting in.

Its just waiting, he told The Chronicle. I know its frustrating for students. I know its frustrating for parents. I know its frustrating for families. But we are really trying to use this process to provide as many opportunities as possible to students.

And for UCs, the waiting lists arent ranked, Mazel-Gee explained. If an admitted student who planned to major in biology and had a passion for art decides not to enroll, the school is likely going to look for someone with a similar profile.

They are looking to fill different niches within a class, she said.

Tips and strategies

Steps that students can take to increase their chances depend on the campus, according to Iris Berkley, a college admissions consultant based in Southern California.

Some campuses allow students to write a brief statement when they opt in to the waiting list, in which they can describe why the campus is right for them and anything theyve accomplished since the original application, she said. Others do not ask for any extra information to join the waiting list, nor will they consider any if a student offers it.

UCLA, for example, allows for an update letter, where students can reiterate their interest in a school and provide any new information about their academics or extracurriculars, Mazel-Gee said. In that letter, applicants can describe specific opportunities at the school and explain how those factors make the it a great match for them. But most others review only the original application when making waiting list decisions.

The admissions department at UC Berkeley will not consider anything beyond the initial application, including any extra letters of recommendation or letters of continued interest, a spokesperson for the school confirmed.

Berkeley only considers the applicants waitlist opt-in form and original application when determining who to admit off the waitlist, the spokesperson said in an email.

UC Berkeley Campanile tower as viewed from Memorial Stadium. UC admissions officers and college consultants recommend that students still accept a spot at another school if they are on a UC waiting list. Brant Ward/The Chronicle 2010

The situation is similar at UC San Diego, said Jim Rawlins, associate vice chancellor of enrollment management.

Any movement of students off the waitlist is based on enrollment needs, and the waitlist is not ranked, he said. While a lot of students hear that they should write a letter of further interest, or have someone write a letter of support, we make our decision solely based on what the student has already provided  they do not need to take any additional steps.

If you are on a waiting list, UC admissions officers and college consultants recommend that you still accept a spot elsewhere.

All students should accept an offer at a school they have been accepted to, Mazel-Gee said. There is no guarantee that youll be admitted from a waitlist.

While it varies by UC campus, students who are let off the waiting list typically have no more than a week to accept the offer. While the good news is that they will still be eligible for housing and financial aid, students who accepted a spot at another UC will have to give up any deposit they made at that school, and deposits cannot be transferred between UCs. Deposits at UCs for undergraduates are $250.

What not to try

Leaman said that there are a few other misconceptions when it comes to the waiting list. Students cannot, for example, change their major in hopes of getting in through a different major, or try to offer their spot to a friend on a waiting list.

Admission is nontransferable, he said.

But the most important thing to remember during the process? Admission to any college wont make or break you, Leaman said.

Students are going to be successful wherever they go, he said. Dont let a college admission decision define you as a human being.

Marianne, the Sequoia High senior, said that even if she receives an offer from either of the two UC campuses where she is wait-listed, she doesnt think at this point her plans will change. Hoping to break into the creative industry, she accepted a spot at the Parsons School of Design in New York, which she visited  and loved  over spring break.

She said that going through the admissions process has shown her that no matter what classes you take or activities you do in high school, theres only so much you can control.


BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The EU and the Philippines officially announced the resumption of negotiations for an ambitious, modern and balanced free trade agreement.



An FTA with the Philippines, a booming economy of 115 million people in the heart of the strategically important Indo-Pacific region, would be a valuable addition to the EU's network of trade deals.



The European Commission said EU aims for a comprehensive FTA with the Philippines that includes ambitious market access for goods, services, investment and government procurement; the removal of obstacles to digital trade and trade in energy and raw materials.



The EU and the Philippines will now make their respective technical preparations for the first round of the resumed negotiations, expected to take place later this year.



The European bloc and the Philippines already have well-established trade relations. Trade in goods was worth more than EUR18.4 billion in 2022, while trade in services was worth EUR4.7 billion in 2021.



The Philippines is among the fastest growing emerging economies in the world, projected to see the second highest economic growth in ASEAN with 5.9 percent GDP growth in 2024.



In addition to being a significant and growing economy, the Philippines also has major reserves of critical raw materials, including nickel, copper and chromite, which are vital for the manufacture of green technologies.



Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Groer Dividenden-Report 2024 von Dr. Dennis Riedl Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl Jetzt hier klicken
Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl

TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - President Joe Biden will host Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on April 11 at the White House for the first trilateral U.S.-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit. At the summit, the leaders will advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, the White House said. The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan. At the summit, the three leaders will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world. In addition, President Biden will host President Marcos for a meeting at the White House on April 11 to review the historic momentum in U.S.-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, and human rights and democracy. Biden will reaffirm the ironclad alliance between the two allied nations and emphasize U.S. commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl

WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (HII) announced on Tuesday that its Mission Technologies division secured a $305 million contract from the Defense Intelligence Agency or the DIA. The contract involves providing intelligence analysis and operational support services for the Joint Intelligence Operations Center-Korea. Under this agreement, HII will deliver timely analysis of relevant intelligence to aid United States Forces Korea in understanding enemy capabilities, detecting threats, and determining enemy courses of action. Additionally, HII will support USFK in optimizing intelligence activities within the Korean Theater of Operations by collaborating with theater and global intelligence communities to protect U.S. personnel and interests in the KTO. This task order, which was recompeted, spans five years and builds upon previous work carried out under a contract awarded by the DIA in 2019. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Billbee, a portfolio company of funds advised by Bregal Unternehmerkapital ("BU") has acquired German software provider amaZervice. Through the recent partnership with amaZervice, Billbee strengthens its expertise in VAT compliance and invoicing and realizes new valuable synergies through an extended product offering with cross selling potential and additional go-to-market value creation opportunities.

Headquartered in Wildpoldsried, Germany, amaZervice is a specialist niche provider of invoicing and VAT compliance software with a particular focus on Amazon Marketplace sellers. The company's software-as-a-service offering, Amainvoice, automatically imports sales data from Amazon Marketplace sellers and generates all the necessary digital documents for invoicing, financial accounting and international VAT compliance. amaZervices's software solution is standardised with a very fast implementation and installation time. Moreover, the company offers a range of services related to the use of its software, such as historical analysis of Amazon data for VAT compliance. Founded in 2010, amaZervice now serves more than 2,500 customers, primarily Amazon merchants with tax domicile in Germany, across a variety of industries and categories.

At the beginning of November 2023, BU laid the foundation for the new e-commerce software group with the majority acquisition of the SaaS multi-channel solution provider Billbee GmbH, followed by the acquisition of Channel Pilot Solutions GmbH, a leading provider of cloud-based software for product feed management and marketplace connectivity. Both companies have strong positions and a solid customer base in their respective markets. With amaZervice becoming part of Billbee, the e-commerce software group will continue to grow through further acquisitions and position itself as a market leader in the ever-growing field of online retailing.

"We are delighted to be working with BU, Billbee and the broader E-Commerce Software Group and see them as ideal partners to support our growth and presence in the market", said Andreas Honisch, CEO of amaZervice, who will remain invested in the company together with the other existing shareholders after the transaction. "The partnership allows us to join forces with leading players in the field of e-commerce enablement and marketplace connectivity and to further develop and expand our product portfolio."

"amaZervice has developed one of the market-leading e-commerce VAT software solutions and has built up a large and diversified e-commerce customer base in the DACH region. This is a highly complementary addition for Billbee and will make a valuable contribution to continuing Billbee's success story", adds Norbert Heller, Director at BU.

About Bregal Unternehmerkapital

Bregal Unternehmerkapital (BU) is a leading private equity firm with offices in Zug, Munich and Milan. As part of a family business that has grown over generations, the funds advised by BU invest in medium-sized companies headquartered in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Northern Italy, covering a wide range of industries. In its efforts to be the partner of choice for entrepreneurs and family businesses, BU focuses on partnerships with market leaders and "hidden champions" with a strong management team and great growth potential. Since its foundation in 2015, the funds advised by BU have invested over 2.7 billion euros in more than 100 companies and supported over 20,000 employees. In close partnership with entrepreneurs and families, their companies are further developed, internationalized, and digitalized so that sustainable value is created on a responsible basis for the next generation.

For more information, please visit www.bregal.de or follow us on LinkedIn.

About amaZervice

amaZervice GmbH headquartered in Wildpoldsried is a leading provider of VAT compliance and invoicing solutions. Founded in 2010, the business has grown consistently and serves over 2,500 clients today which are active as Amazon merchants. It's product functionality includes automated creation of digital documents required for invoicing, accounting, and VAT compliance (in particular in relation to international VAT returns and cross-border stock movements).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319383357/en/

Contacts:

BU Press

IWK Communication Partner

Florian Bergmann

bregal@iwk-cp.com

+49-89-20003030
TEL AVIV, Israel, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Greeneye Technology, the pioneer of AI-enabled precision spraying technology that is proven to improve weed management and reduce herbicide use in farming, has appointed Tobias Menne to its advisory board.

Menne brings with him more than two decades of experience in developing and scaling agtech products and businesses for leading companies including Bosch BASF Smart Farming (now One Smart Spray), xarvio Digital Farming Solutions, and Bayer. He will leverage his considerable experience to expand Greeneye's network of strategic partnerships with machinery, crop-protection and trait companies, and to scale-up the business through product and technology innovation and expansion into new territories.

Menne's career includes four years as Global Head of Digital Farming for Bayer, where he was responsible for leading the company's innovation strategy, working with universities, incubators, start-ups and industry-leading companies to bring the most innovative and cutting-edge agtech solutions into the Bayer portfolio. Under his direction, the company also built from scratch xarvio Digital Farming Solutions - at the time, the most popular digital farming product on the market with 1.4 million users globally.

In 2018, Menne led the acquisition of xarvio Digital Farming Solutions by BASF and joined the Global Executive Leadership Team of BASF's Agricultural Solutions Division. Between 2019 and 2022, he also served as Non-Executive Chairman for the Bosch BASF Smart Farming joint venture (now One Smart Spray).

Speaking about his appointment, Menne comments: "Smart spraying technology is proven to unlock significant value for growers through improved weed management, simplified logistics, and increased yields. It is also a unique enabler of new business models for key stakeholders in the industry. I firmly believe Greeneye is uniquely positioned to lead this market with its proprietary technology, agronomic value to growers, and its G2M strategy."

The first company to launch a commercially available precision spraying system in the U.S., Greeneye is transforming the way farmers manage weed control with its unique retrofit solution which can be installed on any brand or size of sprayer. Menne's appointment comes at a strategically important time for the company as it looks to increase its lead in the U.S. by launching into new states and expanding the system's capabilities to include new crops and inputs.

Nadav Bocher, CEO, Greeneye Technology, says: "We are extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Tobias to our advisory board. His extensive experience of business management, scaling breakthrough agricultural technologies, and developing strategic partnerships perfectly aligns with our ambitious growth plans. With Tobias as a member of our team, we believe we are now several steps closer to unlocking the full potential of precision spraying for more farmers in the U.S. and, ultimately, globally."

About Greeneye Technology

Greeneye Technology was founded in 2017 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Its mission is to develop alternative and sustainable solutions to current crop protection practices that meet the growing global demand for food production, while also increasing productivity and profitability for farmers. The company is pioneering the use of precision spraying technology by harnessing AI and deep machine learning to enable intelligent, real-time decisions in the field that are proven to reduce chemical use by 87% on average. Greeneye has a multidisciplinary team with expertise in computer vision, AI, agronomy, mechanical engineering, and business. In November 2021, the company closed a $22m funding round led by international venture capital firm JVP, KDT and including investment from agriculture industry leaders, Syngenta and AGCO. In April 2022, it announced the commercial launch of its technology in North America, signalling a major milestone in unlocking mainstream adoption of precision spraying by overcoming previous barriers of efficacy, speed of delivery, and cost.

For more information, see: www.greeneye.ag

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2366286/Tobias_Menne.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tobias-menne-joins-greeneye-technologys-advisory-board-302093183.html
ABU DHABI, UAE, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week (ADGHW), a transformative platform looking to tackle the world's biggest health challenges, is announcing the launch of a new podcast series - 'HealthBeats' - in collaboration with Lara Setrakian, award-winning journalist, policy influencer and former Middle East correspondent for Bloomberg TV and ABC News. The series, which airs with its first episode today, will tackle some of the biggest topics set to revolutionise the healthcare industry; featuring global and local leaders, experts, and CEOs.

Setrakian is renowned for her work reporting on critical conflicts, politics, and economics in the Middle East. As the President of the Applied Policy Research Institute, an independent think tank and policy accelerator, her current areas of interest go beyond geopolitics and into environmental and public health.

Lara Setrakian, Host of HealthBeats and Co-Founder and CEO of News Deeply, said: "With HealthBeats, we are looking to inspire and educate our listeners, exploring the ever-fascinating vector between health challenges and technological solutions. As an Armenian-American, I am honoured to bring stories of regional innovation and collaboration to the global stage and, as a journalist and entrepreneur, I am greatly looking forward to hearing from other business leaders. With such a broad range of expert guests in plan, the opportunity to debate pressing healthcare topics with the people that are shaping the industry is unparalleled, and I am eager to see which direction our conversations take us."

The series, which can be found on Apple, Spotify, Sound Cloud and Google, launches ahead of ADGHW and Future Health Summit - one of world's largest healthcare conventions - which will take place from 13th-15th May.

Her Excellency Dr Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, which is hosting ADGHW, said: "Under the directives of our wise leadership, we continue to strengthen Abu Dhabi's position as a global hub for life science. Abu Dhabi Global Healthcare Week will provide an always-on, collaborative platform to discuss critical topics in the field. HealthBeats is an exciting extension of this platform, where Lara will delve into insights from the individuals at the cutting-edge of industry transformation, unravelling the intricacies of Abu Dhabi's healthcare landscape and its global impact."

About Lara Setrakian:

Lara Setrakian is an international journalist, social entrepreneur, policy influencer and media innovator. She is the Co-Founder of News Deeply, an innovative digital media company focused on critical global issues, now published in collaboration with The New Humanitarian. She is also President of the Applied Policy Research Institute and known for her prominent and award-winning work in television, radio and digital media, having served as a former correspondent for ABC News and Bloomberg TV in the Middle East.

About Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH):

The DoH is the regulatory body of the healthcare sector at the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and ensures excellence in healthcare by monitoring the health status of the population. DoH defines the strategy for the health system, monitors and analyses the health status of the population and performance of the system. In addition, DoH shapes the regulatory framework for the health system, inspects against regulations, enforce standards, and encourages adoption of world-class best practices and performance targets by all healthcare service providers in the Emirate. DoH also drives programmes to increase awareness and adoption of healthy living standards among the residents of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in addition to regulating scope of services, premiums and reimbursement rates of the health system.

For further information on DOH, visit https://www.doh.gov.ae/ and follow on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2366293/Setrakian_Headshot.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2366292/ADGHW_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/award-winning-journalist-lara-setrakian-launches-healthbeats-podcast-in-partnership-with-abu-dhabi-global-healthcare-week-302093185.html
WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Yesterday, the American Conservative Values ETF (NYSE:ACVF) announced that it has divested its holdings of and initiated a "Refuse to Buy" rating on Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN)

After a comprehensive review of our continued investment, ACVF's management team has decided to divest its holding of Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN)). "Their recent decision to hire migrant workers while firing American workers, exposes their shareholders to backlash from one of the most contentious political issues of the day" stated CEO and co-founder William Flaig.

According to Pew Research, 80% of US Adults say the U.S. government is doing a bad job handling the migrant influx.

"The risk of alienating 80% of your customers outweighs any potential economic benefit" stated ACVF president and co-founder Tom Carter "ACVF's principled boycotts should reflect concerns within the conservative community. Using migrants to replace American jobs gives the stream of illegal workers reason to keep crossing our open border. Securing the boarder should be America's number one priority. "

"It's a moral imperative to stop and roll back the left's takeover of corporate America," stated Flaig. "Giving conservative investors the power to fight back is why we built ACVF."

"We must hold companies accountable for their actions. We need to vote with our wallets and deny them access to the capital they need. ACVF is currently refusing to invest in 36 such companies," stated Carter. "I'm proud to offer an alternative to the S&P 500*, which currently keeps 25 cents of every invested dollar from these companies."

Tom Carter reiterated, "we do not want to give the companies that are eagerly working to destroy conservative values our hard-earned investment dollars, and neither should you. Companies like Walt Disney, Blackrock, Google, Amazon, and others."

Links

InvestConservative.com

Current Factsheet

30sec Video

Fund Material

About ACVF

The American Conservative Values ETF (ACVF) is based on the conviction that politically active companies negatively impact their shareholder returns, as well as support issues and causes which conflict with our conservative political ideals, beliefs and values.

*The S&P 500 is a broad-based unmanaged index, which is widely recognized as representative of the equity market in general.

* As of 3/15/2024 the fund holds 0.00% of Disney, Blackrock, Google and Amazon. The fund's holdings are subject to change. For current holdings, please visit https://acvetfs.com/fund/etf-fund/holdings

* The 36 companies that are currently excluded from their portfolio represent 25% of the S&P 500.

* For current holdings, fund factsheet and more information, please visit www.acvetfs.com

To schedule an interview with Mr. Flaig or Mr. Carter, please contact Michael Tammero at:

Mtammeromba@gmail.com or 516 551-1549

www.InvestConservative.com

Carefully consider the Fund's investment objectives, risk factors, charges and expenses before investing. This and additional information can be found in the Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus, which may be obtained by visiting ACVETFS.com. Read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.

An investment in the Fund is subject to risks, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested. Overall stock market risks may affect the value of individual securities in which the Fund invests. The Fund is actively managed, and the adviser's investment decisions impact the Fund's performance. The Fund and adviser are new, and the ETF has only recently commenced operations. This Fund may not be suitable for all investors.

The equity securities in which the Fund invests will generally be those of companies with large market capitalizations. Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, and will fluctuate in market value. Transactions in shares of ETFs will result in brokerage commissions, which will reduce returns. Unlike typical exchange-traded funds, there are no indexes that the Fund attempts to track or replicate. Thus, the ability of the Fund to achieve its objectives will depend on the effectiveness of the portfolio manager. There is no assurance that the investment process will consistently lead to successful investing. The Fund is new and has a limited operating history.

The ACVF Fund is distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Ridgeline Research, LLC, the Fund's Investment Adviser.

The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result, is subject to special risks. Shares are bought and sold at market price (closing price) not net asset value (NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Market price returns are based on the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (when NAV is normally determined) and do not represent the return you would receive if you traded at other times.

SOURCE: American Conservative Values ETF

View the original press release on accesswire.com
GOTEBORG, Sweden, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Minesto, leading ocean energy developer, welcomes the newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Enhanced Cooperation between the Government of the Faroe Islands and the European Union. The enhanced cooperation opens for strengthened business and public funding opportunities for Minesto, proposing 200 MW tidal energy buildout to support Faroe Islands in reaching 100% renewables by 2030.

The Faroe Islands and national utility company Sev have one of the world's most ambitious energy transition schemes, aiming for 100% renewables to 2030, where tidal energy can play a key role. Partly funded by EU programme Horizon Europe, Swedish tidal energy developer Minesto has grid connected and successfully installed its unique technology in the Faroe Islands.

An MoU on enhanced cooperation was mutually signed in Torshavn the 14th of March, by the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands Aksel V. Johannesen. Among the key priorities, the EU and the Government of the Faroe Islands intend to work together towards the transition to an energy-efficient and renewable-energy-based system.

Hakun Djurhuus, CEO at Sev and Terji Nielsen, Head of R&D at Sev, held a presentation to the European Commission President about Sev's ambitions for renewable energy, including the innovative tidal energy project together with Minesto.

In a press statement by President von der Leyen with Prime Minister Johannesen of the Faroe Islands, von der Leyen specifically referred to Sev's and Minesto's tidal energy project: "We are already doing great work together under for example Europe's Horizon programme. We just saw it with renewable energy where Horizon Europe played a role in developing these technologies".

"We welcome the enhanced cooperation between the EU and the Faroe Islands, as it means increased business and funding opportunities. Our close collaboration partner Sev is a true pioneer, and it is very positive to see the Faroe Islands acknowledged by the European Commission and the President herself", comments Dr Martin Edlund, CEO of Minesto.

CONTACT:

For additional information, please contact

Cecilia Sernhage, Chief Communications Officer

+46 735 23 71 58

ir@minesto.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/minesto-ab/r/minesto-welcomes-enhanced-cooperation-between-european-union-and-the-faroe-islands,c3948384

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/14621/3948384/2679855.pdf Press release

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/minesto-welcomes-enhanced-cooperation-between-european-union-and-the-faroe-islands-302093204.html
BlackRock Throgmorton Trust Plc - Result of AGM

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 19

BlackRock Throgmorton Trust plc

(LEI: 5493003B7ETS1JEDPF59)

Result of AGM

BlackRock Throgmorton Trust plc announces that, at the Annual General Meeting held today, all 15 resolutions were duly passed on a poll.

The full text of the resolutions can be found in the Notice of Annual General Meeting set out in the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 November 2023, which has previously been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism.



Under listing rule 9.6.2 a copy of the resolutions has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism, and will shortly be made available for inspection at:



https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism



Proxy votes received in respect of the resolutions were as follows:

Votes

For

% Votes

Against

% Votes

Total % of Available

Voting Rights* Votes

Withheld Resolution 1 37,891,648 93.48 2,644,887 6.52 40,536,535 43.13 25,955 Resolution 2 40,355,999 99.72 112,261 0.28 40,468,260 43.06 94,230 Resolution 3 40,519,660 99.95 18,989 0.05 40,538,649 43.13 23,841 Resolution 4 39,996,205 98.68 536,502 1.32 40,532,707 43.13 29,783 Resolution 5 40,010,617 98.71 521,610 1.29 40,532,227 43.13 30,263 Resolution 6 40,001,623 98.70 525,703 1.30 40,527,326 43.12 35,164 Resolution 7 39,988,531 98.66 543,645 1.34 40,532,176 43.13 30,314 Resolution 8 39,899,180 98.43 636,182 1.57 40,535,362 43.13 27,128 Resolution 9 39,894,998 98.65 545,999 1.35 40,440,997 43.03 121,493 Resolution 10 37,859,274 93.40 2,674,745 6.60 40,534,019 43.13 28,471 Resolution 11 40,497,466 99.91 35,105 0.09 40,532,571 43.13 29,919 Resolution 12 40,470,253 99.88 49,866 0.12 40,520,119 42.11 42,371 Resolution 13 39,651,363 97.86 865,534 2.14 40,516,897 43.11 45,593 Resolution 14 40,478,958 99.87 52,226 0.13 40,531,184 43.13 31,306 Resolution 15 40,400,847 99.68 129,187 0.32 40,530,034 43.12 32,456

*Available Voting Rights equals 93,984,864

19 March 2024
SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- International Automotive Components Group (IAC Group), a leading global supplier of automotive components and systems, has reinforced its presence in Europe with the appointment of Martin Stuettem as Chief Operating Officer for the region. This strategic move underscores IAC's commitment to enhancing performance and fostering growth in one of the world's most dynamic automotive markets.

With over 30 years of seasoned experience in the automotive supplier industry, Mr. Stuettem brings a wealth of expertise to his new role. His background encompasses Business Unit Leadership positions as well as functional roles in Manufacturing, Quality, Program Management and Research and Development. Prior to joining IAC Group, Martin served as Vice President of Global Operations, Seating, at FORVIA, overseeing a vast network of over 70 sites with revenue of 7 billion. His career also includes distinguished global and European leadership roles at LEONI AG, Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, and EMCON Technologies. Martin will be based in Germany, further strengthening IAC Group's presence in the region.

"I am delighted to welcome Martin to IAC's Executive Leadership Team. His extensive experience and demonstrated track record of business leadership and operational excellence make him a valuable addition to our organization," remarked Kevin Baird, CEO of IAC Group.

"The European market presents distinctive challenges and opportunities for tier-one automotive suppliers," noted Stuettem. "I am eager to collaborate with the talented team at IAC to harness emerging opportunities and drive growth in the region."

About IAC

Headquartered in Luxembourg, International Automotive Components (IAC) Group is a leading global supplier of automotive components and systems, including instrument panels, console systems, door panels, headliners, and overhead systems to automakers worldwide. With nearly 18,000 employees, IAC Group is a multi-billion-dollar global manufacturing company operating in 55 locations, including over 40 manufacturing facilities in 17 countries. For more information, visit www.iacgroup.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/iac-group-bolsters-eu-presence-with-martin-stuettem-as-european-chief-operating-officer-302093276.html
A United Airlines Boeing 777 bound for Japan had to return to the gate at San Francisco International Airport on Monday, March 18, due to a mechanical issue with the plane. The incident marks at least the 10th of its kind involving the airline in the past two weeks. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle

A United Airlines flight bound for Japan had to return to the gate at San Francisco International Airport on Monday due to a mechanical problem with the plane.

The incident marks at least the 10th of its kind involving the U.S. airline in the past two weeks.

Flight UA35 was scheduled to depart for Osaka at 12:05 p.m. After taxiing on the runway for over an hour, the plane  a Boeing 777-200  returned to the gate, and passengers and crew deplaned around 1:45 p.m.

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Belinda Pitco, a passenger onboard the flight, told the Chronicle that the pilot announced that the right engine is not working, without offering additional information.

A spokesperson for United Airlines said on Tuesday, While taxiing to the runway for departure our crew on United flight 35 received an indication of an engine start issue yesterday afternoon. They emphasized, The aircraft was never grounded, it had not yet departed SFO before the issue was discovered.

The flight departed for Osaka at 4:56 p.m., they added. There were 243 passengers and 14 crew members on board.

United Airlines has encountered multiple problems on recent flights to or from San Francisco.

On Friday, it was discovered that a plane flying from San Francisco to Oregon was missing an external panel upon landing. A day prior, a United Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth arrived at SFO with a hydraulic leak and a small amount of smoke.

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Last Monday, a flight bound for SFO had to return to Australia due to a maintenance issue. Similarly, on March 9, another United Airlines flight returned to Chicago OHare International Airport due to a maintenance concern.

On March 8, a flight from San Francisco to Mexico City was forced to make an emergency landing in Los Angeles due to a hydraulics problem, while another United Airlines aircraft rolled off a runway and became stuck in grass at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

A day before that incident, a United Airlines jet heading to Japan from San Francisco lost a wheel during takeoff.

Earlier, on March 4, a flight from Houston to Florida made an emergency landing due to an engine fire. On the same day, a San Francisco-bound flight from Honolulu experienced engine failure mid-flight but landed safely.
Visit Includes a Private Meeting Between SCU President Julie Sullivan and His Holiness Pope Francis

A delegation of leaders from Santa Clara University (SCU) and its Jesuit School of Theology (JST) are visiting Rome March 17-19 to meet with various senior Vatican leaders and leaders of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

The purpose of the delegation's visit is to deepen ties and engage in wide-ranging discussions on global Jesuit higher education; the ethical use of artificial intelligence; advancing a synodal Church; and meeting the needs of the changing Catholic Church through theological education and formation.

On Monday, the delegation discussed with Vatican leaders the importance of the ethical and responsible use of AI for the betterment of humanity, which was the theme of the pope's recent World Day of Peace, and is an area of intense focus within Santa Clara's new seven-year strategic plan, "Impact 2030" and across the Silicon Valley-based campus.

Also on Monday morning, March 18, University President Julie Sullivan had a private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis

During this meeting, Pope Francis shared a red hardbound copy of his 2018 apostolic exhortation, "Gaudate et Exsultate, on the Call to Holiness in Today's World," with Sullivan. The publication contained a passage, which the two of them discussed, about joy and humor. Pope Francis "is an extremely joyful person who exudes an extraordinary light and magnetic human connection," said Sullivan. "I came away feeling so uplifted by who he is as a person and the way the Holy Spirit powerfully radiates from him," she added.

Pope Francis also signed a copy of Impact 2030, joking he will "sign anything that is not a check." He urged President Sullivan to continue Santa Clara's focus on educating the entirety of each student. "He's very expressive," Sullivan said of Pope Francis. "He was touching his head, his heart, and his hands. And he said often education is about filling the head. And it really needs to be about finding harmony between the head, the heart, and the hands," she said.

AI and Education at the Forefront

On Monday, the delegation met with Vatican leaders including Cardinal Jose Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca, Bishop Paul Tighe, and Antonio Spadaro, S.J., of the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education. Dicastery leaders sought Santa Clara's insight and partnership for initiatives to better equip K-12 Catholic school educators with AI literacy guidelines, and to convene thought leaders to explore the ethical and humanistic dimensions of AI.

They also met with Cardinal Mario Grech of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops and Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., the head of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development. The meetings covered topics such as how to be a synodal Church in mission; five principles to advance a synodal Church; and how Santa Clara University can serve as a strategic partner to help meet the needs of the changing face of the Catholic Church. They also explored opportunities for Santa Clara to help the Dicastery for Integral Human Development provide greater service to bishops in areas including pastoral theology and Catholic social teaching.

The delegation discussed programming underway at Santa Clara's Jesuit School of Theology to advance the goals of Pope Francis's two-part Synod on Synodality. During this year between two Rome-based synod gatherings, JST is hosting, in collaboration with partners such as SCU's Division of Mission and Ministry, "Synodal Journey," a programmatic series featuring speakers and events to invite deep and meaningful discussions on key themes from the Synod. The delegation invited Cardinal Grech to be the keynote speaker at Synodal Journey Spring 2025 conference.

Meeting with Jesuit Leaders Tuesday

On Tuesday, the delegation is expected to further explore the vision in Impact 2030 for Santa Clara to become a University that better serves the world. That includes consideration now underway for a Global Theological Initiative, to explore how Jesuit theologates can form future leaders in a more globally experiential way, responsive to the needs of the changing Catholic Church in regions like Africa, Asia, and South America.

The SCU delegation included:

Santa Clara University President Julie Sullivan

JST Dean Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, S.J.

SCU Board of Trustees Chair Larry Sonsini and his wife Ashley Sonsini

and his wife SCU Board member and Chair of JST Board of Directors Agnieszka Winkler

Incoming rector of the JST-SCU Jesuit Community Thomas Smolich, S.J.

Rector of the Santa Clara Jesuit Community Luis Calero, S.J.

On Mar. 19, the SCU delegation is slated to meet with leaders of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) including

Fr. General Arturo Sosa, S.J.

Douglas Marcouiller, S.J. , general counselor and regional assistant for the USA Assistancy at the Jesuit Curia in Rome

, general counselor and regional assistant for the USA Assistancy at the Jesuit Curia in Rome Joseph Christie Pushparaj, S.J. , secretary to Fr. General for Higher Education

, secretary to Fr. General for Higher Education Mark Ravizza, S.J., assistant to Fr. General for Formation.

About Santa Clara University

Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valley-the world's most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The University's stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asis. Ranked among the top 15 percent of national universities by U.S. News World Report, SCU has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. SCU has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education. For more information see www.scu.edu.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319036170/en/

Contacts:

Deepa Arora SCU Media Communications darora@scu.edu

Preston Carmack JST Marketing and Communications pcaramack@scu.edu
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 19

For immediate release

19 March 2024

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 224,960 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 841.81 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 23 January 2024.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 36,080,098; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 188,911,205.

The figure of 188,911,205 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
EQS-News: PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a.r.l. / Key word(s): Restructure of Company/Conference

PlusPlus Capital Announces Reorganization Petition to be filed by PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l. - Invitation to update call on 25 March 2024



19.03.2024 / 18:45 CET/CEST

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





PlusPlus Capital Announces Reorganization Petition to be filed by PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l.

Invitation to update call on 25 March 2024



Tallinn, Estonia, 19 March 2024. PlusPlus Capital ("PPC"), a leading pan-Baltic and Finnish technology-driven receivables management group, announces that the Management Board of PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l., representing the subsidiary and largest creditor of the parent company AS PlusPlus Capital, intends to vote in favor of the reorganization plan of AS PlusPlus Capital , as the ability of PlusPlus Financial S.a r.l. to meet its obligations to its creditors is directly and inevitably related to the liquidity of the parent company.

The restructuring plan of AS PlusPlus Capital was submitted to creditors on 12 March 2024. The deadline for the adoption the restructuring plan is 26 March 2024 and the deadline for submission of the restructuring plan to the Harju District Court for approval is 01 April 2024.

PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l. intends to file its petition for the reorganization under the supervision of Luxembourg Court on 26 March 2024 in order to safeguard the interests of the company and its creditors. Pursuant to the applicable laws, the court must examine the petition and issue a ruling on it within 21 days of its filing. Once the judicial reorganization has been initiated, the court will set a stay of proceedings for a maximum of four months to negotiate with the creditors and draw up reorganization measures.

PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l. is confident that the restructuring of its obligations under similar principles as set forth in the reorganization plan of the parent company, will enable PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l. to cope with the financial difficulties, taking into account the interests of PlusPlus Capital Financial S.a r.l., its creditors and other relevant stakeholders.



Update Call:

PlusPlus Capital cordially invites investors and analysts to an update call with the Management on 25 March 2024, 10.00 CET.

The Management Board will comment on the progress of the reorganization by means of a webcast presentation. The update call will be held in English and will be recorded.

Please register in time to participate in the update call at:

PlusPlus Capital - Update Call PlusPlus Capital S.a r.l. Reorganization .



Contact:

PlusPlus Capital

Kaarel Raik, Member of the Management Board

Email: kaarel.raik@plusplus.ee

Phone: +372 56 606 148



About PlusPlus Capital:

PlusPlus is a pan-Baltic and Finnish technology-driven receivables management company with offices in Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and Helsinki. The Company acquires overdue loans and other non-performing exposures from financial institutions and non-financial sector merchants. With its core competence in handling claims against private individuals, PlusPlus prefers diversified portfolios balanced by geography, portfolio type, and other metrics.

Since its inception in 2010, PlusPlus has bought over 120 thousand claims with nominal value of approximately EUR 270 million. The Company offers its clients affordable recovery solutions and aims to avoid litigious scenarios. In doing so, PlusPlus pursues win-win solutions that allow sellers to focus on their core business, provide affordable solutions for borrowers, and ensure adequate returns for investors.

PlusPlus is a transparent and socially responsible company set to assist people in resolving problems connected with their insufficient solvency. The ambition of PlusPlus is to increase its market share and further strengthen its position as a leading player in its regional market.

pluspluscapital.eu

19.03.2024 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.eqs-news.com


Press release

Pluxee reinforces Leadership Team to accelerate the execution of its strategic growth.

Paris: March 19, 2024 // Pluxee (the "Group"), a global player in Employee Benefits and Engagement, strengthens its Leadership Team with the implementation of a new geographic governance.

These new changes reflect the Group's strong commitment to execute successfully its strategic plan, aiming at reinforcing its position as a global leader in Employee Benefits and Engagement and deliver its ambitious financial objectives.

To further drive sustainable and profitable growth in key markets, Pluxee is implementing the following changes, effective immediately:

Thierry Guihard, CEO of Pluxee Brazil, and Malena Gufflet, CEO of Pluxee France, join the Leadership Team. With these appointments Pluxee creates a dedicated governance and ensures strategic decision making for the Group's two largest markets, enabling them to realise their full potential.





CEO of Pluxee Brazil, and CEO of Pluxee France, join the Leadership Team. With these appointments Pluxee creates a dedicated governance and ensures strategic decision making for the Group's two largest markets, enabling them to realise their full potential. Sebastien Godet, currently President of Asia, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, becomes Chief Revenue Growth Officer for Asia, Middle East, Africa and Continental Europe outside France. Manuel Fernandez, currently CEO of Romania and Bulgaria, is appointed Chief Revenue Growth Officer for Hispanic Latin America. Alongside Viktoria Otero del Val, Chief Revenue Growth Officer for the U.K. and the U.S., they will support country teams in setting, enabling and tracking growth plans, and ensuring best in class execution.





Juan Camilo Chaves and Jean Istasse, currently heading Latin America and Europe respectively, will leave Pluxee to continue their professional career outside the company.

Aurelien Sonet, CEO of Pluxee, commented:

"This is a very exciting time for Pluxee globally. With a strengthened geographic governance in place and a reinforced Leadership Team, the company is ideally positioned to execute its strategic plan and realise the substantial growth opportunity across its key markets. Pluxee is poised for even greater success in the years ahead."



Biographies

Manuel Fernandez, Chief Revenue Growth Officer Latin America

Manuel Fernandez Amezaga has served as Pluxee Romania & Bulgaria CEO since August 2020 and joined the Group Leadership Team in March 2024.

Manuel started his career with American Express in 1997, joining the FES division in Greece before moving to American Express Global Business Travel in Spain, where he became Commercial Director in 2008.

In December 2010, Manuel joined Pluxee Spain (then Sodexo Benefits & Rewards Services) as Commercial Director, leading restructuring efforts, process overhauls, and new business development for seven years.

Manuel then served as Pluxee Philippines CEO from August 2017 to August 2020, overseeing the entity's transformation and the successful digitalisation of its products and processes. Towards the end of his mandate, Pluxee Philippines stood out by providing crucial aid to millions of Filipinos amidst challenging lockdown conditions following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August 2020, Manuel transitioned to Bucharest to take on the role of Pluxee Romania & Bulgaria CEO. Under his leadership, the entity achieved 250% growth, finalised the digitalisation of all its services, and consolidated its position as the leading card issuer in Romania's payment sector - all while playing a key role in supporting the implementation of social programs.

Manuel holds a law degree from CEU University in Madrid and a PDD from IESE Business School. A Spanish citizen, he speaks Spanish, English, Italian, and Greek.

Sebastien Godet, Chief Revenue Growth Officer for Asia, Middle East, Africa and Continental Europe

Sebastien Godet has been Pluxee's Asia-Middle East-Turkey-Africa President since 2020 and a member of the Group Leadership Team since 2012.

Sebastien began his career in the retail space, occupying various Purchasing, Marketing, and Operations roles between 2000 and 2008 within the PPR Group (now Kering), which notably held Fnac, La Redoute, Conforama, and Kadeos.

Between 2008 and 2010, he held the position of Vice President BtoC, Marketing & Development at Accor Services (now Edenred), and of General Manager Purchasing, IT & Offer Marketing within the Altavia Group.

In 2010, Sebastien joined Sodexo Benefits & Rewards Services as General Manager BtoC in the Gift BU, contributing his key experience in product- and process-based innovation as well as business development. He was then appointed Gift Market President in 2012, joining the Group Leadership Team while expanding his scope to include the US and International Large Accounts.

In 2015, Sebastien moved to Singapore to take on the role of Asia President. He then returned to Paris in 2020 following his appointment as Asia-Middle East-Turkey-Africa President. In this capacity, Sebastien oversees Pluxee's performance in 9 countries, driven by adaptability, strategic partnerships, and developing local talents.

Sebastien is a graduate of HEC Business School in Paris, France. A French citizen, Sebastien speaks French and English.

Malena Gufflet, CEO France

Malena Gufflet has served as Pluxee France CEO since July 2023 and joined the Group Leadership Team in March 2024.

In 2007, Malena took a major step in her early career by joining AccorHotels headquarters in Paris, where she held various positions in strategic accounts management before becoming Sales Director of Business Travel France and later Sales Director of Aparthotels Adagio. In her nearly eight years with the group, she led revenue development through a transformative period for the hospitality sector, marked by the rise of new distribution channels.

In 2016, Malena transitioned to the event sector by joining La Maison Options, Europe's leading provider of tableware and ephemeral decoration, as Commercial Director.

Having acquired a wealth of experience in both industries, Malena then began a new challenge at a world leader, Booking.com, the digital native company, as CEO of France in February 2020. For over three years, Malena led the implementation of the group's strategy in the French market through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the exceptional recovery of the travel industry thereafter.

In July 2023, Malena brought her digital and change management expertise to the Pluxee Group. As Pluxee France CEO, she spearheaded the brand's launch in France and continues to drive its digitalisation while growing the employee benefits and rewards business.

Malena holds a master's degree from the Leonardo da Vinci School of Management in Paris and attended Coventry University in England. A French citizen, she speaks French, English, and Spanish.

Thierry Guihard, CEO Brazil

Thierry Guihard has served as Pluxee Brazil CEO since January 2021 and joined the Group Leadership Team in March 2024.

Thierry joined Pluxee in 1996 (then Sodexo Benefits & Rewards Services) as a Marketing Manager within the Mexico entity. Thierry then took on various senior marketing roles in Central and Western Europe and Latin America, developing his adaptability and global perspective.

Thierry's deep expertise of the Latin American benefits market led to his appointment as Country CEO for Chile in 2008 and Mexico in 2017. In both roles, his contributions included launching education and mobility solutions, boosting operational efficiency, and implementing robust growth strategies.

As Pluxee Brazil CEO, Thierry pushed the entity's digital transformation and introduced innovative products like multi-benefit cards, NFC payments, and balance transfers. His focus on enhancing user experience across digital platforms also earned industry recognition through various awards.

As a board member of the Brazilian Association of Worker Benefits Companies (ABBT) and the France-Brazil Chamber of Commerce, Thierry actively shapes the benefits market and promotes sustainability in Brazil. A champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), he also represents the Group in discussions on important societal issues.

Thierry is a graduate of Paris ESLSCA Business School and holds a master's in international management from IAE France. A French citizen, Thierry speaks French, Spanish, English, and Portuguese.

About Pluxee

Pluxee is a global player in employee benefits and engagement that operates in 31 countries. Pluxee helps companies attract, engage, and retain talent thanks to a broad range of solutions across Meal & Food, Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Reward & Recognition, and Public Benefits. Powered by leading technology and more than 5,000 engaged team members, Pluxee acts as a trusted partner within a highly interconnected B2B2C ecosystem made up of more than 500,000 clients, 36 million consumers and 1.7 million merchants. Conducting its business as a trusted partner for more than 45 years, Pluxee is committed to creating a positive impact on all its stakeholders, from driving business to local communities, to supporting wellbeing at work for employees while protecting the planet.

For more information: www.pluxeegroup.com

Contacts

Media

Cecilia de Pierrebourg

+33 6 03 30 46 98

cecilia.depierrebourg@pluxeegroup.com Analysts and Investors

Pauline Bireaud

+33 6 22 58 83 51

pauline.bireaud@pluxeegroup.com

Attachment


Perspective rendering of the new head office building

TOKYO, Mar 20, 2024 - (JCN Newswire) - TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Group CEO: Koichiro Tanaka), the sole holding company of TANAKA Precious Metals, announced today that it constructed a new head office building in Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, the founding site of TANAKA Precious Metals, and will relocate head office functions to the new building on April 1, 2024.Relationship Between Kayabacho and TANAKA Precious MetalsFounder Umekichi Tanaka trained at a pawn brokerage in Tokyo called Ejimaya and opened Ejimaya Tanaka Shoten, a money exchange firm, in 1885. Later, the company transitioned from money exchange to the bullion trading business and started melting down and refining purchased foreign currency to sell the metal. The techniques acquired during this period led to the development and manufacture of precious metal products and materials used in industrial areas. Subsequently, TANAKA Precious Metals has consistently delivered a diverse range of technologies and services tailored to meet evolving demands while exploring the expansive potential of precious metals.The founding site, located in Kitajima-cho, Nihonbashi-ku, Tokyo (currently Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku), was the location of TANAKA Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K.'s head office from 1885 to 2006, but the head office functions were relocated to Tokyo's Marunouchi district in 2006. To remain at the cutting edge as a leading precious metals company and to develop even further while maintaining the founding philosophy, TANAKA Holdings decided to return head office functions to Kayabacho, the Group's founding site in a community that continues to undergo remarkable evolution, including redevelopment of surrounding areas and establishment of sites that promote interaction among generations.Concept Incorporated into the New Head Office BuildingThe new head office building was designed based on the concept of "Connecting with people, the city and the future" and the idea of serving as a site for creating a more promising future while interacting with various people and achieving harmony among diverse values.The exterior of the new building adopts calm colors, and the limited space is used to create a site that incorporates greenery and effectively evokes a sense of nature to achieve harmony with the tranquil townscape of Kayabacho, which has developed throughout history.The new building features an open staircase in the center to create a barrier-free atmosphere and promote openness and candid communication among employees. In addition, to encourage Activity Based Working (ABM), a work style that enables flexible selection of working place and time according to the specific details and circumstances of one's work, the new building adopts a free-address system and has a layout with a variety of different spaces ranging from web-enabled booths that facilitate individual work to meeting spaces that can easily accommodate variable numbers of people.The building also has DOCK2085, a future concept room that will serve as a site for innovation initiatives by TANAKA Precious Metals. Here, we will envision the global environment in 2085, including climate and resources, as well as the industries that support people's lives, including food, healthcare, and cities. We will also tackle the challenges of finding solutions to global environmental and social issues and creating a sustainable future through research, development, and collaboration with world-class engineers.Not only did we take measures to reduce environmental impact during construction, but the new building satisfies the Zero Energy Building (ZEB) Ready standards, based on an assessment that energy consumption will be 51% lower than that required by a conventional building through the adoption of high-efficiency equipment and the active use of natural energy to reduce energy consumption.Overview of the New Head Office Building- Location: 2-6-6 Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo- TEL: 03-6311-5511- FAX: 03-6311-5509- No. of floors: Eight stories and one basement level- Structure: Steel frame with partial steel-reinforced concrete structure- Main uses: Offices and meeting spaces- Owner: TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.- Designer: KUME SEKKEI Co., Ltd.- Builder: Obayashi Corporation- Site area: 1,307.88 m2- Building area: 1,040.98 m2- Total floor area: 8,809.27 m2- Start of construction: February 1, 2022- Completed: February 29, 2024About TANAKA Precious MetalsSince its foundation in 1885, TANAKA Precious Metals has built a portfolio of products to support a diversified range of business uses focused on precious metals. TANAKA is a leader in Japan regarding the volumes of precious metals handled. Over the course of many years, TANAKA has not only manufactured and sold precious metal products for industry but also provided precious metals in such forms as jewelry and assets. As precious metals specialists, all Group companies in Japan and around the world collaborate and cooperate on manufacturing, sales, and technology development to offer a full range of products and services. With 5,355 employees, the group's consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, was 611 billion yen.TANAKA Holdings Websitehttps://www.tanaka.co.jp/english/Press inquiriesTANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.https://www.tanaka.co.jp/support/req/other_contact_e/index.htmlPress Release: http://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20240319EN.pdfSource: Tanaka Holdings Co., Ltd.Copyright 2024 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
Redde Northgate Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 19

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

19 March 2024

REDDE NORTHGATE PLC

("Redde Northgate" or the "Group" or the "Company")

Transaction in Own Shares

Redde Northgate plc (LSE:REDD) announces that on 19 March 2024 it purchased the following number of its own shares to be held in treasury:

Class of shares : Ordinary shares of 50p ("shares") Number of shares purchased : 25,000 Weighted average purchase price paid : 374.35 pence per share Highest purchase price paid : 374.35 pence per share Lowest purchase price paid : 374.35 pence per share

Following the above transaction, the Company's issued share capital consists of 246,091,423 ordinary shares of 50p each, of which 19,740,071 ordinary shares are held in treasury, and 1,000,000 preference shares of 50p each which do not carry any rights to vote. Therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 226,351,352 which may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

In accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (the Market Abuse Regulation) as incorporated into UK domestic law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the schedule below contains detailed information about the purchases made by Numis Securities Limited on behalf of the Company as part of the Company's buyback programme.

Schedule of Purchase - Individual Transaction (as at 19 March 2024)

Number of shares

purchased Transaction price

(GB pence per share) Time of transaction Transaction reference number Venue 25,000 374.35 10:54:19 00069282181TRLO0 LSE

Notes

This announcement is made in accordance with the requirements of Listing Rule 12.4.6.

For further information contact:

Buchanan

David Rydell/Jamie Hooper/Hannah Ratcliff +44 (0) 207 466 5000

Notes to Editors:

Redde Northgate is the leading integrated mobility solutions platform providing services across the vehicle lifecycle. The Company offers integrated mobility solutions to businesses, fleet operators, insurers, OEMs and other customers across seven key areas: vehicle rental, vehicle data, accident management, vehicle repairs, fleet management, service and maintenance, vehicle ancillary services and vehicle sales.

The Company's core purpose is to keep its customers mobile, whether through meeting their regular mobility needs or by servicing and supporting them when unforeseen events occur. With its considerable scale and reach, Redde Northgate's mission is to offer a market-leading customer proposition and drive enhanced returns for shareholders by creating value through sustainable compounding growth. The Group aims to achieve this through the delivery of its strategic framework of Focus, Drive and Broaden.

Redde Northgate services its customers through a network and diversified fleet of over 120,000 owned and leased vehicles, supporting over 600,000 managed vehicles, with more than 170 workshop, body shop and rental locations across the UK, Ireland and Spain and a specialist team of over 6,000 automotive services professionals.

Further information please visit the Company's website:
Elevating the UAE's Position in Global Logistics: The New FedEx Hub Highlights Innovation and Efficiency

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / FedEx Express (FedEx), a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX) and the world's largest express transportation company, is expanding its footprint in the Middle East with its new Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa (MEISA) state-of-the-art hub at Dubai World Central (DWC) Airport in Dubai South. The facility was officially inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, along with Raj Subramaniam, FedEx Corporation President and CEO, Richard W. Smith, FedEx Express President and CEO, Airline and International, and Kami Viswanathan, FedEx Express MEISA President.

The launch of the hub marks a long-term investment of more than USD 350 million (approximately AED 1.3 billion) into the UAE's economy through infrastructure and technological advancements in the facility. This investment reaffirms the company's commitment to the UAE's economic growth, in line with the 'National Agenda for Non-oil Export Development', which aims to increase the nation's foreign trade[1].

In his comments, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, said: "The inauguration of the FedEx MEISA hub in Dubai South is a strategic milestone for Dubai's aviation and logistics sectors, consolidating the emirate's robust infrastructure, strategic location, and our ongoing efforts to enhance global connectivity. As we continue to strengthen Dubai's position as a leading business hub, this new facility underscores our commitment to supporting the growth of trade and commerce, aligning perfectly with our vision for economic diversification and innovation-led development."

"The establishment of our new hub in the UAE is a strategic move that significantly boosts our presence and capabilities in the MEISA region. This investment is not just about expanding our network; it's about enhancing the region's connectivity and playing a key role in facilitating trade and commerce across the world," said Richard W. Smith, FedEx Express President and Chief Executive Officer, Airline and International. "Given the UAE's current status among the top five countries in global re-export operations[2], our regional hub not only aims to serve the MEISA region, which accounts for approximately 45% of the world's population, but is also a crucial part of our global air network that connects 220 countries and territories."

"At Dubai South, our mandate is to support the government's economic diversification efforts through the different services and solutions that we provide to local and international companies, complemented by our state-of-the-art infrastructure. We are delighted to welcome the new FedEx facility, which will serve as a regional hub contributing to the growth of the emirate's top sectors, aviation and logistics, while catalyzing its role in the wider development of an economy centered on innovation and technology," said HE Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South.

"The new FedEx hub marks a pivotal stride in our growth strategy to build a more flexible, efficient, and smart network, to deliver outstanding services that fit our customers' needs. Harnessing cutting-edge technology, our hub at DWC in Dubai South exemplifies our commitment to transforming our operations through automation and building a smarter and more sustainable logistics network," said Kami Viswanathan, President of FedEx Express Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa.

The 57,000 sq. m facility incorporates advanced technologies that includes automated sort systems that enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and speed of package processing and distribution from the facility. The hub also boasts two automated high-speed x-ray machines equipped with artificial intelligence, to efficiently scan goods and enhance security. Additionally, a 170 sq. m cold storage area caters to a wide range of temperature-sensitive shipments.

The new FedEx hub is also a testament to the company's commitment to sustainability and our goal of achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2040. The facility adheres to Dubai Municipality Green Standards, featuring a solar power project, and a building management system that helps ensure efficient energy use. In addition, FedEx is leveraging electric ground service fleet along with electric charging stations for pick-up, delivery, and employee vehicles.

Situated in DWC, at the heart of Dubai South, the hub forms an integral component of the region's aviation and logistics ecosystem. This strategic location is further enhanced by a comprehensive multi-modal transportation network, seamlessly connecting air, land, and sea.

[1] https://uaecabinet.ae/en/details/news/uae-cabinet-approves-national-agenda-for-non-oil-export-development

[2] https://wam.ae/en/details/1395303174739

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, His Excellency Khalifa Al Zaffin - Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South, and FedEx Executives, Raj Subramaniam - FedEx Corporation President and CEO, Richard W. Smith - FedEx Express President and CEO, Airline and International, and Kami Viswanathan - FedEx Express MEISA President inaugurate the new FedEx Hub in the UAE, marking a milestone in global connectivity and innovation

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from FedEx Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: FedEx Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/fedex-corporation

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: FedEx Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
In response to US sanctions regulations effective March 1, Martin Rapaport, Chairman of the Rapaport Group, sent a detailed letter to the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The letter addressed several highly problematic issues related to sanctions restrictions for polished diamonds produced prior to March 1, 2024, and an exemption for all diamonds in the US, including recycled diamonds and pre-owned jewelry. OFAC quickly responded saying they will review the letter and revert if they have questions.

In his letter, Martin Rapaport expressed strong support for efforts by the US government to reduce Russia's revenue from the sale of diamonds. The letter requests a review and consideration of the "Rapaport US Diamond Protocol," which will eliminate Russian diamond revenue while protecting the interests of the US diamond trade. To date this initiative is supported by 1,587 members of the trade and the American Gem Trade Association.

"Our objective is to eliminate the flow of funds to Russia generated by the sale of Diamonds. It follows that Diamond imports or transactions that do not result in the transfer of funds to Russia should not be sanctioned. There should not be any sanctions restricting the trade or import of 'pre-war' diamonds unless they involve current sanctioned entities. Furthermore, all polished diamonds purchased or in existence before March 1, 2024, should be exempt from sanction regulations as Russia has already received payment for them," said Martin Rapaport, Chairman of the Rapaport Group.

Industry professionals, jewelers, and supporters of an ethical diamond trade are encouraged to register their support for the Rapaport US Diamond Protocol by visiting rapaport.com/sanctions-protocol. A copy of the March 18, 2024, letter to OFAC is available here.

About the Rapaport Group: The Rapaport Group is an international network of companies providing added-value services that support the development of ethical, transparent, competitive and efficient diamond and jewelry markets. Established in 1976, the group has more than 20,000 clients in over 121 countries. Group activities include Rapaport Information Services, providing the Rapaport benchmark Diamond Price List, as well as research, analysis and news; RapNet, the world's largest diamond trading network; and Rapaport Trading and Auction Services, the world's largest recycler of diamonds. Additional information is available at rapaport.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319079451/en/

Contacts:

Rapaport Media Contacts: media@diamonds.net

US: Sherri Hendricks +1-702-893-9400
(Oslo, 19 March 2024) Today, Statkraft has issued a dual-tranche EUR 1 billion senior unsecured bond offering under its EMTN (Euro Medium Term Note) programme. The bonds mature in March 2032 and 2039 and pay a fixed coupon of 3.375% and 3.75% respectively and are expected to be rated A from S&P and A- from Fitch (both stable).

Both tranches were substantially oversubscribed, and more than 200 investors participated in the transaction.

An equivalent amount to the net proceeds from the bond issue will be used to finance Eligible Projects as specified in Statkraft' s Green Finance Framework.

Commenting on the issue, Anna Nord Bjercke, Chief Financial Officer, said;

"We are very pleased with the success of this bond issue. The interest shown by investors with combined books more than 5x covered and the competitive pricing demonstrates the international market's confidence in Statkraft."

Barclays, Nordea, DNB Markets, Danske Bank, UniCredit and Societe Generale acted as joint bookrunners on the bond issue.

Statkraft will apply for the bonds to be listed on Euronext Dublin.

The EMTN Offering Circular and Green Finance Framework are available on Statkraft' s website:

https://www.statkraft.com/IR/funding/

For further information, please contact:

Funding Manager Andre Halle Julin, tel.: +47 992 54 205

VP Group Treasury Stephan Skaane, tel.: +47 905 13 652


Kallidus, an industry leading provider of learning and development software, has announced that Harry Chapman-Walker has been named CEO taking over from Stephen Read.

Having joined Kallidus in 2013, Harry helped grow the business over the past 11 years, originally starting in the sales team. Most recently, Harry led the company's effort to establish its business in North America.

Today, Kallidus serves over 1,200 customers with over 200 Kallidus employees across the UK, the US, and Canada.

Rob Caul, Kallidus founder and former CEO, said "I'm excited to announce Harry Chapman-Walker as Kallidus's new CEO. Harry has helped the company to become a leading provider of learning development software and content."

Harry Chapman-Walker, CEO of Kallidus said, "I'm incredibly proud to have an opportunity to lead Kallidus through its next phase of growth. Having worked for Kallidus for 11 years, I know how highly our customers value our HCM, L&D software and e-learning content. We'll work hard to make it easy for customers to support their people, to empower our own employees to achieve great things, and to deliver strong returns for all stakeholders."

Kallidus is partnered with Apse Capital, a London-based private equity firm specialising in investing in tech-enabled B2B businesses in high-growth sectors across Europe.

Learn more about Kallidus at http://www.kallidus.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319886693/en/

Contacts:

Ross.Chapman@kallidus.com
Colleen Hamlin holds her daughter Birdie, 4 mos., as she places flowers during a vigil for those killed on West Portal Avenue when a woman crashed into a Muni bus stop last week in San Francisco, on Monday, March 18, 2024, Two people died at the scene and one died at the hospital the following day. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

The three people killed Saturday after an SUV crashed into a West Portal bus stop were a Brazilian-Portuguese family, the San Francisco Medical Examiners office confirmed Tuesday.

The victims were Diego Cardoso de Oliveira, 40, Matilde Moncada Ramos Pinto, 38, and 1-year old Joaquin Ramos Pinto de Oliveira, medical examiners said.

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The familys injured 3-month-old infant remained hospitalized with life-threatening injuries on Monday, the San Francisco Police Department said.

Their whole family is gone, a representative of the the Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco told the Chronicle on Monday, noting that the infant was in intensive care.

Oliveira and Pinto and their children were waiting at the Muni bus stop around noon on Saturday when an SUV barreled into it. The suspected driver of the SUV, Mary Fong Lau, 78, was booked into jail on Sunday and remained in custody on Tuesday, records show.

Oliveira was a Brazilian citizen working in the Bay Area, according to the Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco and Clube de Criacao, a business association in Brazil. Oliveira was an associate creative director at Apple, where hed worked for four years. His family planned to travel to San Francisco from Brazil to visit the infant, the consulate said.

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The business association said Oliveira had an incredible career outside of Brazil that included time spent at advertising agencies in London.

There are no words to express our sadness and our hope that the baby survives, the association said.

Pinto had a long career in the advertising and film industry and had been an executive producer at Ridley Scott Films since 2022, according to a company press release from that year. The company declined to comment. The Portuguese Consulate of San Francisco declined to comment on her death, saying the Pinto family is devastated and wants to safeguard its privacy.

Laus attorney, Samuel Geller, told the Chronicle that Lau was still hospitalized as of Monday evening undergoing treatment for injuries sustained in the crash.

It is a tough situation for her, Geller said. She is definitely not okay.

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Geller said Lau cooperated with investigators at the scene and continued to do so at the hospital. She and her family ask for privacy, the attorney said, as investigators continue to gather information about the circumstances of the crash.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Monday that her office was in the process of receiving case information and evidence from the Police Department, but had not yet charged Lau following the arrest.

Jenkins said her office was awaiting additional materials, including toxicology results and a review of the vehicles operating systems, before making decisions about charges.
Der kostenlose Dividenden-Report zeigt ganz genau, wo Sie in diesem Jahr zuschlagen konnen. Das sind die Favoriten von Borsenprofi Dr. Dennis Riedl

WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Crude oil futures settled higher on Tuesday, rising for a second straight day, as traders continued to assess the impact of Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries on oil supplies. With Ukraine continuing to attack Russian oil facilities, Russian refining capacity has already dropped by about 7% or approximately 370,500 barrels per day, according to a report by Reuters. Oil prices were also supported by Iraq's decision to reduce crude exports to 3.3 million barrels per day in the coming months, in order to comply with its OPEC+ quota. Signs of stronger demand from the U.S. and China contributed as well to the rise in oil prices. China has reported a 7% increase in industrial output in January-February combined, faster than the 6.8% growth in December 2023. Industrial output was expected to rise 5% in January-February. West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for April ended higher by $0.75 at $83.47 a barrel. Brent crude futures were up $0.51 at $87.40 a barrel a little while ago. Traders now await the release of inventory reports from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Administration (EIA) for further direction. The API report is due later today, while the EIA will release its inventory data Wednesday morning. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Namibia Critical Metals Inc. ("Namibia Critical Metals" or the "Company" or "NCMI") (TSXV:NMI)(OTCQB:NMREF) announces that it has entered into a share purchase agreement with Sylla Gold Corp. ("Sylla" or "SYG") to divest four non-material gold properties located in Namibia. Under the agreement, Sylla is to acquire NCMI's 95% interest in its Namibian subsidiaries that own the rights, title and interest to the Grootfontein, Erongo, Otjiwarongo, and Kaoko licences, and certain associated assets.

NCMI now fully focuses on advancing its Lofdal Heavy Rare Earth Project and is working to deliver a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) in H2 2024.

Terms of the Agreement

As consideration for the acquisition, Sylla shall: (i) issue to NCMI 3,000,000 common shares at a deemed issuance price of $0.05 per common share; and (ii) make a cash payment to NCMI of $100,000.

Closing is subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of a number of conditions precedent, including, but not limited to receipt of all regulatory approvals and the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange. The transaction is a Non-Arm's Length transaction pursuant to TSX Venture Exchange policies as Darrin Campbell, President and a director of NCMI, is also a director of Sylla.

About Namibia Critical Metals Inc.

NCMI is developing the Tier-1 Heavy Rare Earth Project, Lofdal, a globally significant deposit of the heavy rare earth metals dysprosium and terbium. Demand for these critical metals used in permanent magnets for electric vehicles, wind turbines and other electronics is driven by innovations linked to energy and technology transformations. The geopolitical risks associated with sourcing many of these metals has become a repeated concern for manufacturers and end users. Namibia is a proven and stable mining jurisdiction. The Lofdal Project is fully permitted with a 25-year Mining License and is under a Joint Venture agreement with Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).

About Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) and the JV

JOGMEC is a Japanese government independent administrative agency which seeks to secure stable resource supplies for Japan. JOGMEC has a strong reputation as a long term, strategic partner in mineral projects globally. JOGMEC facilitates opportunities with Japanese private companies to secure supplies of natural resources for the benefit of the country's economic development.

Rare earth elements are of critical importance to Japanese industrial interests and JOGMEC has extensive experience with all aspects of the sector. JOGMEC provided Lynas with USD$250,000,000 in loans and equity in 2011 to ensure supplies of the Light Rare Earths metals suite to the Japanese industry.

Namibia Critical Metals owns a 95% interest in the Lofdal project with the remaining 5% held for the benefit of historically disadvantaged Namibians. The terms of the JOGMEC joint venture agreement with the Company stipulate that JOGMEC provides C$3,000,000 in Term 1 and C$7,000,000 in Term 2 to earn a 40% interest in the Lofdal project. Term 3 calls for a further C$10,000,000 of expenditures to earn an additional 10% interest. JOGMEC can also purchase another 1% for C$5,000,000 and has first right of refusal to fully fund the project through to commercial production and to purchase all production at market prices. The collective interests of NCMI and historically disadvantaged Namibians cannot be diluted below a 26% carried working interest upon payment of C$5,000,000 to JOGMEC for the dilution protection. NMI may elect to participate up to a maximum of 44% by funding pro rata after the earn in period is completed.

To date, JOGMEC has completed Term 2 and earned a 40% interest by reaching the C$10 million expenditure requirement. JOGMEC has approved an additional C$3,050,000 budget for Term 3 through to March 31, 2024. Total approved project funding to date is C$13,050,000 of the $20,000,000 Earn-In requirement to reach 50% interest.

The common shares of Namibia Critical Metals Inc. trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "NMI" and the OTCQB Market under the symbol "NMREF".

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information please contact -

Namibia Critical Metals Inc. Darrin Campbell, President

Tel: +01 (902) 835-8760

Email: Info@NamibiaCMI.com

Web site: www.NamibiaCriticalMetals.com

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

SOURCE: Namibia Critical Metals Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Tbilisi, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Exnode, a leading provider of secure crypto processing and merchant services, announces Exnode Pay for the international market. The move is set to take the advanced payment gateway to businesses of all sizes and expand its services worldwide, allowing businesses around the globe to accept cryptocurrency payments with confidence.





Exnode Pay

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8798/201469_ce656027b497f9d1_001full.jpg

Exnode Pay addresses the growing need for a reliable and compliant crypto-processing solution in the international market. Unregulated peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms have caused concerns for businesses due to a lack of transparency and potential financial losses. Exnode Pay offers a secure alternative, fostering trust and mitigating risk.

By expanding its operations into the global market, Exnode Pay offers a reliable and secure payment processing alternative, instilling confidence in businesses of all sizes. With a commitment to transparency, compliance, and innovation, Exnode Pay stands at the forefront of the fight against financial crime, empowering businesses to navigate the complexities of the modern financial landscape easily and confidently.

Exnode Pay delivers a robust suite of features for international businesses, including:

Unparalleled Reliability: 99.9% uptime ensures seamless transaction processing.

99.9% uptime ensures seamless transaction processing. Speed and Efficiency: Issuing details are provided in a mere 0.2 seconds, accelerating transactions.

Issuing details are provided in a mere 0.2 seconds, accelerating transactions. High Conversion Payment Pages: Streamlined checkout experiences optimize conversion rates.

Streamlined checkout experiences optimize conversion rates. Flexible AML Setup: Tailored solutions cater to individual business needs.

Tailored solutions cater to individual business needs. Instant Settlements: Rapid payment transfers with network approval confirmation in under a minute.

Rapid payment transfers with network approval confirmation in under a minute. Reduced Fees: Less than 1% transaction fees and zero chargebacks minimize costs.

Less than 1% transaction fees and zero chargebacks minimize costs. Enhanced Security: No risk of blocking or holding ensures smooth operations.

After six years on the market, Exnode has established itself as a trusted brand in the crypto processing industry. With over $100,000,000 in annual turnover and 132,747 transactions processed per month, Exnode boasts a proven track record of success. The international launch of Exnode Pay signifies the company's commitment to expanding its reach and empowering businesses worldwide.

Through Exnode Pay, businesses can now accept more than 30 cryptocurrencies, creating opportunities for business growth by saving traders up to 80% on commissions compared to traditional banking systems. Exnode Pay offers less than 1% transaction fees, zero chargebacks, no rolling reserve, and a 99.9% success rate.

Finally, Exnode Pay comes with simple integration with readily available SDKs for PHP, Python, and Go. Additionally, 24/7 support ensures a smooth user experience for businesses of all sizes and locations.

About Exnode:

Founded by Vitalii Butok, Exnode has been a trusted provider of secure crypto processing and merchant services for over six years, enabling both small and large businesses to accept popular digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. The platform facilitates digital currency transactions and blockchain operations. Exnode Pay offers a reliable and secure environment for conducting international payments, empowering businesses to thrive in the evolving digital currency landscape.

Media Contact:

Exnode

Vitaly Butok

info@exnode.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201469

SOURCE: Ascend Agency
BrickBio, a Boston, MA-based biotechnology company focused on developing precision biologics using an expanded genetic code, received an investment from Samsung Ventures.

The amount of the investment  made by Samsung Life Science Fund, created jointly between Samsung Biologics (KRX: 207940.KS), Samsung Bioepis, and Samsung C&T (KRX: 028260.KS), and managed by Samsung Ventures, was not disclosed.

The company intends to use the funds to support further development and advancement of its protein engineering technology and preclinical assets.

Led by CEO John Boyce, BrickBio is a biotechnology company providing a site-specific and site-selective platform, which spans prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems, enabling the development of unique biologics and protein therapeutics with enhanced characteristics, including improvements to half-life, dosage and efficacy. With a toolkit of bioconjugation handles, it can optimize any conjugate. The company is expanding its therapeutic programs, including ADCs, bispecific conjugates and novel scaffolds.

FinSMEs

19/03/2024
Coterie, a Cincinnati, OH-based insurtech MGA company simplifying small business insurance, raised $27M in Growth funding.

The round was led by Hiscox as well as existing investors Intact Ventures, Weatherford Capital, and RPM Ventures among others.

The company intends to use the funds to expand its business reach.

Led by CEO David McFarland, Coterie Insurance operates in all 50 states and D.C. where it enables independent agents and brokers to write instant small business insurance. Empowered by data-backed underwriting, the company delivers accurate pricing and a submission-to-bind experience quickly.

Coterie, which has now raised over $102M in funding to date, continues to scale with revenue growing by over 200% in 2023. In addition, the company expanded its reinsurance panel in 2023, adding two leading reinsurance markets rated A or better by S&P Global.

FinSMEs

19/03/2024
Moove, an African mobility fintech that eases access to vehicle ownership for mobility entrepreneurs, raised USD$100M in Series B funding, at $750M valuation.

The round saw participation from Uber as well as existing investors Mubadala, The Latest Ventures, Africinvest, Palm Drive Capital, Triatlum Advisors AG, and Future Africa.

The company intends to use the funds to scale globally extending its operations to 16 markets by the end of 2025.

Founded by Ladi Delano, Moove is a global mobility fintech that embeds alternative credit scoring technology onto ride-hailing platforms, using proprietary performance and revenue analytics to underwrite customers that have previously been excluded from financial services. It operates in 9 markets across Africa, Middle East, Europe and Asia. Its customers have completed more than 30 million trips in Moove-financed vehicles to date.

Commenting on the news, Ladi Delano said: This recent investment is a game-changer for Moove, enabling us to substantially broaden our offerings by introducing 45,000 new vehicles to our platform. This funding milestone not only expands our operational capacity but also supports our drive to profitability by the next financial year. We are committed to building Moove in a sustainable, customer focused and profitable way.

FinSMEs

19/03/2024
Poseidon Ocean Systems, a Vancouver Island, Canada, BC-based company providing solutions for the aquaculture industry, raised US$20.75M in Series B funding.

The round was led by Ecosystem Integrity Fund (EIF), and joined by InBC Investment Corp., along with additional investment support from Export Development Canada.

The company intends to use the funds to continue their expansion into global markets; deepening their relationships with Canadian, Chilean and UK farmers, and expanding into new markets.

Led by CEO Jamie Gaskill, Poseidon delivers solutions for the aquaculture industry. It is focused on improving fish welfare, while reducing the environmental impact of producing nutritious, sustainable protein to feed the global population. Their technology can help farmers improve fish welfare to realize greater survival and growth, and minimize  if not eliminate  mortality events, thereby increasing the yield from every fish, all while reducing the carbon footprint of aquaculture operations.

Customers include large salmon farmers.

FinSMEs

19/03/2024
The alliance is designed to focus on scalable capacity expansion and strengthened sales efforts within existing business segments such as VFX, game trailers, animation, and in-game content

Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan has donned multiple hats with remarkable success over the years, demonstrating versatility in Indian cinema. From his captivating acting debut to his entrepreneurial ventures, the Shaitaan actor is full of talent. While the actor continues to grace the screen with his powerful performance, his VFX studio, NY VFXwala, has become a leader in visual effects for Indian cinema. Recently, his visual effects studio established a strategic partnership with Goodbye Kansas Studio in Sweden.

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This achievement was facilitated through an offshore subsidiary, which aligns with the inauguration of a joint venture studio in India. The alliance is designed to focus on scalable capacity expansion and strengthened sales efforts within existing business segments such as VFX, game trailers, animation, and in-game content.

Moreover, the company aims to target new geographical markets and leverage the growing trend of outsourcing VFX and gaming content. In addition to that, the companies will take a global approach to resource planning and talent acquisition. NY VFXwala and Goodbye Kansas also plan to capitalise on opportunities in the Indian and Asian games markets. The companies will together form a collaborative research and development team, as per Variety.

Founder and chair of NY VFXWaala, Ajay Devgn, said that their endeavours involve setting new milestones with each production. They embrace an ongoing process of learning, evolution, and adaptation to the latest technologies, reported Variety.

Creative head and co-founder of NY VFXWaala, Naveen Paul, said, Our joint vision is to drive global expansion, set quality benchmarks, and deliver exceptional service to clients worldwide.

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NY VFXWaala is an ideal partner for Goodbye Kansas, sharing the same dedication to cutting-edge technology, engaging narrative and outstanding talent. This strategic partnership brings together our strengths in a way that will benefit both our organisations. Together, we are positioned to create exceptional value for our viewers and open new development opportunities for our talented co-workers, added Goodbye Kansas board chair Per Anders Warn.

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The partnership with NY VFXWaala will provide major opportunities for expanding production resources and capabilities and significantly contribute to their mutual growth supporting Goodbye Kansas journey towards profitable growth, said Goodbye Kansas CEO Stefan Danieli.

Notably, Ajay Devgns established NY VFXWaala boasts a 300-film portfolio featuring Bollywood films like Bhuj, Malang, and Shaitaan and the Tamil film Bigil.

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Goodbye Kansas, on the other hand, excels at crafting game trailers and visual effects for live-action productions. It has partnered with platforms like Netflix, HBO, Apple TV, and Disney, among others. Its portfolio includes work on games like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassins Creed Valhalla, and God of War: Ragnarok, and film work includes A Man Called Otto and Asteroid City.
The Supreme Court will hear a clutch of pleas against the notified Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) today. The Congress will also finalise its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Heres what else is expected to happen today

Protesters display postcards during a demonstration organised as part of the 'Satyagraha' against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizenship (NRC) and National Population Register(NPR) in Bengaluru. File image/PTI

Its a Tuesday and theres a lot of news waiting to happen.

The Supreme Court will hear pleas seeking a stay on the Centres Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Congress Working Committee will also meet today (19 March) to discuss the manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

What else is expected to happen? Heres a quick guide to the headline-making events.

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Supreme Court to hear pleas on CAA

The Supreme Court will hear a batch of pleas for staying the freshly-notified Citizenship Amendment Rules (CAA) today. Their primary contention is that the CAA violates the Constitution by not making Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan eligible for citizenship.

Kapil Sibal, who is representing the petitioners, had said in his application, The petitions have been pending since 2019. Earlier, we did not press for a stay of the law because they (Centre) argued that rules were yet to be framed. Just before the general elections, they announced the rules. Once citizenships are granted, it would be difficult to reverse the process, Sibal, appearing for the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), submitted.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is leading the charge against the CAA and has a case pending on the matter.

Congress to meet and finalise manifesto

The Congress Working Committee will be meeting today and it is reported that the partys manifesto, which is likely to offer a slew of sops, will get its final approval.

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The Congress has already promised to give Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women, 50 per cent reservation for women in government jobs, a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations, fill up three million public sector jobs and offer a social security net for unorganised sector workers.

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AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the CWC, its top decision-making body, would meet on 19 March and give its nod to the draft manifesto which carries the five guarantees for justice.

He said the party will fight the elections on the issue of  five nyay (justice)  Bhagidari Nyay, Kisan Nyay, Nari Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Yuva Nyay  with 25 guarantees, five for each nyay, which have already been announced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi.

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Bharat Rising summit to commence

Bharat Rising, the fourth edition of the CNN-News18 marquee leadership conclave, will commence today and continue until 20 March.

Through insightful discussions, thought-provoking panels and visionary keynote address, Rising Bharat aims to delve deeper into the multifaceted dimensions of Indias global influence and its role in shaping a more equitable and sustainable future for all with its mantra  Leading for Global Good.

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The PM will deliver the keynote address of the event. Other speakers at the event will be Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, lawyer J Sai Deepak and founder of OYO, Ritesh Agarwal among others.

Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar. File image/PTI

SC to hear matter in Pawar vs Pawar case

The Supreme Court will hear the matter of Pawar vs Pawar today. Earlier, the apex court had pulled up the Ajit Pawar camp over the alleged use of National Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawars name and pictures for campaigning.

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A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan had then said, You are a different political party now. You have chosen not to be with him. So why use his picture Go with your own identity now, the bench said.

ICAI to announce chartered accountancy exam schedule

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) will announce its revised schedule for the Chartered Accountancy exams. In an official notification, ICAI said that it will declare new dates for the conduct of CA exams on 19 March as the previous dates are coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections.

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The announcement by the ICAI was made after the release of schedule for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The elections are scheduled to be held from 19 April to 1 June.

As per the official calendar released earlier by ICAI, the CA Foundation course exams were scheduled for 20, 22, 24, and 26 June. The Intermediate Group 1 exams were set for 3, 5, and 7 May, while Group 2 exams were set for 9, 11, and 13 May. The CA Final exams were scheduled to be held on 2, 4, and 6 May for Group 1, and on 8, 10, and 12 May for Group 2.

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This day, that year: Sydneys Harbour Bridge opens

Today, 19 March, marks the 92nd anniversary of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, which was conceived by engineering alumnus Sir John Bradfield.

It was on this day in 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge opened to the public. It serves as the primary transportation link between Sydney and its suburbs on the northern side of the harbour. It spans about 500 metres (1,650 feet), making it one of the longest steel-arch bridges in the world. Along its length, it features four railroad tracks, a highway, and two pedestrian walkways.
Female genital mutilation, a centuries-old ritual practised in some communities, includes the deliberate cutting or changing of a young girl or womans external genitalia. Gambia, which banned it in 2015, is seeking to remove those legal protections for girls

Supporters of a bill aimed at decriminalizing female genital mutilation demonstrate as parliament debates the bill in Banjul, Gambia, 18 March 2024. Reuters

Gambia could overturn a historic ban on female genital cutting. On Monday (18 March), lawmakers in the small West African nation referred the attempted repeal of the 2015 ban to a parliamentary committee for review.

A final vote on a Bill to overturn the ban could be held in the coming weeks and months. Only five of the countrys 58 lawmakers are women, with men at the forefront of discussions in Parliament. If passed, Gambia would become the first country in the world to reverse a ban on female genital mutilation (FGM).

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Although the West African nation prohibited cutting in 2015, the ban came into force only last year. As per New York Times (NYT), a powerful imam in the Muslim-majority country has been spearheading the demand to repeal the ban, claiming the practice is a religious obligation.

Gambian activists fear a rollback would undo years of efforts to protect girls and women better, reported Associated Press (AP).

What is FGM? Why does Gambia want to overturn a ban on the practice? Is it still prevalent in other countries? Lets take a closer look.

What is FGM?

Female genital mutilation or female genital cutting is a centuries-old ritual steeped in ideas of sexual purity, obedience and control, noted NYT.

It involves the deliberate cutting or changing of a females external genitalia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), FGM refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

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Mostly young girls between infancy and adolescence, and sometimes adult women, are subjected to the cutting. Over 230 million (23 crore) girls and women around the world have been cut, a rise from 200 million (20 crore) eight years ago, the United Nations Childrens Fund reported earlier in March.

FGM is internationally recognised as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It can lead to severe pain, excessive bleeding, urinary problems, infections, and even death, as per the WHO.

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A traditional surgeon holds razor blades before carrying out female genital mutilation on teenage girls from the Sebei tribe in Bukwa district, about 357 km northeast of Ugandas Kampala, 15 December 2008. Reuters File Photo

Its long-term effects can entail urinary tract infections, menstrual problems, reduced sexual satisfaction, and heightened risk of childbirth complications, along with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and low self-esteem, the UN health agency noted.

A study last year found that female genital cutting was the leading cause of death in girls and young women in African countries where it is practised.

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Why is FGM practised?

The most common reasons to justify FGM include social acceptance, religion, and a way to prepare a girl for adulthood and marriage by controlling her sexuality to encourage premarital virginity and marital fidelity, as per the WHO.

There are no health benefits to female circumcision. However, the communities practising it believe womens vaginas need to be cut and consider those who do not undergo the procedure as unhealthy, unclean or unworthy, reported BBC.

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As FGM is often carried out on minors, it is also seen as a form of child abuse.

The procedure is often done by traditional community practitioners with tools like razor blades, or sometimes by health workers.

Omnia Ibrahim, a blogger and filmmaker from Egypt, told BBC in 2019 that FGM damages womens relationships and their feelings about themselves. She said she dealt with the mental health problems of FGM her whole adult life.

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Omnia said her community had taught her that a body means sex and that sex is a sin. To my mind my body had become a curse.

I used to always ask myself: did I hate sex because I was taught to be afraid of it, or do I really not care for it?

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Why does Gambia want to repeal FGM ban?

FGM was banned in 2015 under dictator ex-president Yahya Jammeh, with Gambia imposing steep fines and jail sentences on violators. However, the ban has received pushback since President Adama Barrow came to power in 2017.

In Gambia, FGM involves removing the clitoris and labia minora of girls in the 10-15 age group.

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Lawmaker Almameh Gibba presented the bill to repeal the FGM ban earlier in March, saying the ban violates peoples rights to practice their culture and religion, reported Reuters.

The bill, which says it seeks to uphold religious purity and safeguard cultural norms and values, has the backing of religious conservatives in Gambia.

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When three women were fined last August for carrying out FGM on eight infant girls, Gambias Supreme Islamic Council responded to the verdict by saying that female circumcision was one of the virtues of Islam, reported Reuters.

On Monday, the Gambian lawmakers voted 42 to four to send the bill to a national committee for further consideration before a final vote.

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Gambian protesters against a bill aimed at decriminalising female genital mutilation protest as parliament debate the bill in Banjul, Gambia, 18 March 2024. Reuters

Speaking to AP, Jaha Dukureh, the founder of Safe Hands for Girls, a local group wanting to end FGM, said that if the ban is overturned, the next target would be other laws safeguarding womens rights.

If they succeed with this repeal, we know that they might come after the child marriage law and even the domestic violence law. This is not about religion but the cycle of controlling women and their bodies, she said.

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As per UN figures, the prevalence of FGM among girls in Gambia saw a sharp decline after the ban.

If the law is reversed in Gambia, there is a risk that the advocacy efforts in subsequent countries  will fail or go back, Caroline Lagat, a programme officer at the advocacy group Equality Now, told Reuters.

Which countries still practice FGM?

It is still practised in about 30 countries in Africa and West Asia or the Middle East.

African countries account for 144 million cases of FGM , followed by more than 80 million in Asia and over six million in West Asia, reported Reuters.

The traumatic ritual is also practiced in some countries in Latin America and among immigrant populations living in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, BBC reported citing the United Nations.

According to UNICEF, female genital cutting is still a widespread practice in Somalia, Guinea and Djibouti, affecting 90 per cent population or more.

Even though more than half of 92 countries practicing FGM have banned it, the ritual is still prevalent there, Reuters reported citing the advocacy group Equality Now.

With inputs from agencies
The Sacramento River is seen in December 2019 in the area of Clarksburg (Yolo County). The Bay-Delta Plan is intended, fundamentally, to halt the decline of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

A state policy that seeks to protect Californias major rivers and creeks by cracking down on how much water is pumped out by cities and farms can move forward despite widespread opposition, the Superior Court has ruled.

The long-awaited decision on whats known as the Bay-Delta Plan denies 116 claims in a dozen separate lawsuits that seek to undo a 2018 update to the policy, most of which are from water agencies saying the limits on their water draws go too far.

The 160-page verdict, released Friday by Sacramento County Judge Stephen Acquisto, specifically notes that arguments made by San Francisco against the regulation fell short. The city, which gets most of its water from the Tuolumne River in and around Yosemite National Park, has claimed that regulators showed preference for safeguarding fish and wildlife instead of defending Bay Area water supplies, ratepayers and economic growth.

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This is a win for the (state water) board and the boards authority to help protect fish, Michael Lauffer, chief counsel for the State Water Resources Control Board, told the Chronicle.

The Bay-Delta Plan is intended, most fundamentally, to halt the decline of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The region is the hub of the states river flows and an ecological hot spot. However, decades of overpumping waterways from Fresno to the Oregon border has left less water flowing into the delta, undermining the estuarys ability to both supply water to communities and nurture wildlife, notably salmon runs. It also means less fresh water flowing into San Francisco Bay.

Six years ago, following one of the worst droughts in modern times, the state water board approved what is expected to be the first of several updates to the plan seeking to keep more water in waterways that feed the delta. The update covered the lower San Joaquin River and its three main tributaries, the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Merced rivers.

The update calls for no more than 60% of the natural flow of the rivers, on average, to be taken out by water users during certain months in winter and spring. The average flow now is less than 30% because of pumping, and at times, the channels carry less than 10% of what they naturally would.

We have built an entire state and society on the backs of these rivers, Lauffer said. The 2018 plan update was designed to recognize the existing uses but pay attention to the native fish and the communities that rely on those fish.

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The changes to the Bay-Delta Plan prompted lawsuits from mostly agricultural water suppliers, which use the bulk of the water in the lower San Joaquin River basin, including the Modesto Irrigation District, Merced Irrigation District and Westlands Water District. Municipal suppliers, though, were also involved.

The legal arguments in the suits varied, with challenges to the water boards authority based on the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, the California Environmental Quality Act, the public trust doctrine and the California Constitution.

San Francisco was represented in a suit brought by the San Joaquin Tributaries Authority.

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, which manages water supplies for the city as well as about two dozen other communities, has maintained that tighter limits on water draws could force the agency to find new sources of water at a much higher cost to customers. The agency also has expressed concerns about not being able to maintain reliable supplies to support the Bay Areas robust economy.

The SFPUC offered its own scientific assessment of ecological problems in the watershed, concluding that fish and wildlife habitat on the Tuolumne River could be improved without much increase in river flows. Its study flew in the face of what state and independent scientists have found.

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SFPUC officials declined an interview Monday, saying they were still reviewing the court ruling. But in a statement to the Chronicle, the agency reiterated its disapproval of the update to the Bay-Delta Plan.

As a public water provider to 2.7 million residents and thousands of businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area, we remain disappointed in the environmental review that informed the State Water Resources Control Boards 2018 adoption of the Bay-Delta Plan amendments, the statement read. This 2018 decision could significantly impact our water supply with rationing of up to 50% in extended droughts.

Fridays court ruling is widely expected to be appealed.

A few of the 12 lawsuits that were addressed in the courts decision were filed by environmentalists, representing such groups as San Francisco Baykeeper, the Bay Institute and North Coast Rivers Alliance. These organizations had hoped to see the Bay-Delta Plan do more to protect fish and wildlife. The judge said these arguments, too, didnt pass muster.

Felicia Marcus, who served as chair of the state water board in 2018 and is now a visiting fellow at Stanford Universitys Water in the West Program, said she felt the board was validated by the court decision.

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How do you improve the situation, which is dire for fish and wildlife, while not causing undue economic harm? she said. The water boards task is to review all of (the information) and try to find a reasonable path through.

The state is yet to begin enforcing the updated Bay-Delta Plan. The agency must first approve an implementation strategy, which could involve updating water rights or drafting regulation specific to water draws and releases. The agency is also looking to update flow requirements in the Sacramento River basin.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who took office shortly after the new water restrictions were adopted, has advocated for a more collaborative approach between state regulators and water users. His administration has been trying to work out a deal with municipal and agricultural suppliers, known as the Voluntary Agreements, that could satisfy water agencies and protect the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Environmentalists, however, have been critical of the negotiations. They say the talks are bound to compromise the health of rivers and creeks and that theyve already gone on too long with nothing to show for it.

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Reach Kurtis Alexander: kalexander@sfchronicle.com X: @kurtisalexander
People, including babies, are dying from starvation and dehydration in north Gaza. Many are scavenging and eating animal feed and grass. Now a UN-backed report says that a famine is imminent as 70 per cent of the population is suffering from catastrophic levels of hunger

Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip, on 16 February. A UN-backed report has warned of a famine in northern Gaza. AP

Gaza has been under Israels attack for four months now. The death toll in the enclave has surpassed 30,000, this includes thousands of children and women. The worlds most densely populated place has run out of clean water and food. Now its staring at a famine.

Famine is imminent in northern Gaza where 70 per cent of the population is already suffering from catastrophic levels of hunger, a United Nations-backed report said Monday.

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We take a look at the report and how real the threat is.

What does the report on Gaza say?

According to the report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), an initiative of more than a dozen UN agencies, regional bodies and aid groups, the entire population of Gaza is experiencing high levels of acute food shortage with around 1.1 million people or half the population living through catastrophic food insecurity.

Famine is now projected and imminent in the North Gaza and Gaza Governorates and is expected to become manifest during the projection period from mid-March 2024 to May 2024, it said.

Acute hunger and malnutrition have already far exceeded the threshold for famine in northern Gaza and the IPC has warned of a major acceleration of death and malnutrition, reports CNN.

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This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded anywhere, anytime, by the IPC, said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Palestinians with children wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen amid shortages of supplies in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. The UN-backed report says that the entire population of the enclave is facing high levels of acute food shortage. File photo/Reuters

The famine is projected to occur if the conflict escalates, including the impending ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah and if the hostilities continue to block the flow of humanitarian aid to parts of Gaza where people reside, the IPC report added.

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The crisis has been entirely manmade and preventable and is caused because Israel obstructed aid and destruction of Gaza, it said.

What is a famine and when is it declared?

Famine is described by the UN as a situation where a substantial part of the population of an area is unable to access adequate food, leading to widespread malnutrition and loss of life by starvation and disease, reports Al-Jazeera.

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Acute food insecurity is when peoples lives or livelihoods are in danger because of lack of food.

The situation is assessed by the IPC, which uses a five-tier system to determine if a famine should be declared in a region. A famine is declared when the fifth tier is reached. The fourth tier is an emergency and the third is a crisis.

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Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah in the Gaza Strip in December. The number of people facing catastrophic hunger in the Gaza Strip has reached 1.1 million, the IPC said. File photo/AP

For the IPC to declare famine, at least 20 per cent of the population must be suffering extreme food shortages with one in three children acutely malnourished and two of every 10,000 people, or four out of 10,000 children per day dying from starvation, malnutrition, and disease.

Malnutrition occurs if an individual does not have enough food to eat or if they eat an excess of the wrong kind of food. Starvation is a process leading to death if an individual does not get enough calories.

So hunger becomes severe malnutrition, which leads to starvation, which leads to death. When deaths occur within a certain population, especially of children, due to starvation, this could become a famine, Catherine Bertini, an emeritus professor of international affairs at Syracuse University, told The Washington Post.

Also read: Famine eats away at our flesh: How hunger has gripped the people of Gaza

How bad is the situation in Gaza?

Gaza has a population of 2.3 million. About half of it  1.1 million  in the enclave are facing catastrophic hunger. That is double the figure deemed at risk in December.

The IPC said malnutrition is probably already at famine levels. It did not have enough data on death rates in Gaza, but estimated residents would be dying at famine scale imminently, reports Reuters. It said children under four may already be.

At least 25 people, including children and babies, have died from starvation and dehydration in the north, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.

People have started scavenging and eating animal feed and grass in desperation. The lack of clean water has left Gazans with no choice but to drink polluted water.

Starving mothers are unable to produce enough milk to feed their babies and parents beg for infant formula at overwhelmed health facilities, parents and doctors were quoted as saying by CNN.

A 10-year-old Palestinian boy, Yazan al-Kafarna, who was born with cerebral palsy, lies at a hospital in Rafah. He died earlier in the month due to what his doctor said was extreme muscle wastage caused primarily by a lack of food. AP

What about aid to Gaza?

An estimated 500 trucks of food and aid are required daily to meet the needs of Gazas population. However, since the Israel-Hamas conflict began after the 7 October attack, these shipments have seen a fall.

The 300 trucks that entered Gaza on 28 November were the most in a day since the war started, according to the United Nations. In February, 20 or fewer trucks entered the enclave in seven days, reports The Washington Post.

In recent weeks, Israel has been blocking the delivery of aid supplies including food to the strip. On Sunday, the first aid trucks entered northern Gaza in months, according to an Al-Jazeera report.

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 on 19 February. File photo/Reuters

The European Unions top diplomat Josep Borrell has accused Israel of provoking famine in Gaza and using starvation as a weapon of war. In Gaza, we are no longer on the brink of famine, we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people, he said at the opening of a conference on humanitarian aid for Gaza in Brussels.

The support is there waiting. Trucks are stopped, people are dying, he remarked, adding that aid delivery by sea and air was only necessary because the natural way of delivering aid by land was artificially closed by Israel.

What is Israel saying?

Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN in an interview on Sunday that his countrys policy was to let as much humanitarian aid into Gaza as possible. Our policy is to not have famine, but to be the entry of humanitarian support as needed, and as much as is needed.

He shifted the blame on Hamas, accusing the group of looting relief supplies.

We provide minimal humanitarian aid, the Israeli leader said at a press conference in January. If we want to achieve our war goals, we give the minimal aid.

A nurse cares for babies at the preemie ward of the Emirati Hospital in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Sixteen premature babies have died of malnutrition-related causes over the past five weeks at the hospital, one of the senior doctors told The Associated Press. AP

Where have there been recent famines?

In February 2017, the United Nations declared a famine in South Sudan, saying that 100,000 people faced starvation. A famine was declared in Somalia in July 2011, where 250,000 people, half of them under 5, died in that famine, The Washington Post reported.

Malnutrition is rising across the world. A quarter-billion people grapple with severe hunger and malnutrition, a 100 per cent increase in the past five years, according to a report in TIME last September.

With inputs from agencies
Kate, the Princess of Wales, finds herself embroiled in Kategate, with people speculating about her health, whereabouts, and even her marriage with Prince William. However, this isnt the first time that the women in the British royal family have found themselves in the eye of the storm. From Meghan Markle to Princess Diana, theyve all had their share of controversies

Britain's Kate, Princess of Wales arrives with her family to attend the Royal Family's Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene's church at the Sandringham estate in eastern England. This was the last time that Kate was officially seen in public. She then underwent surgery in January after which she has skipped royal engagements. File image/Reuters

With great power, comes great responsibility, and in the case of the British royal family also greater scrutiny. The British royals over the years have had their fair share of controversies and scandals  from cheating rumours to actual affairs, divorces and abdications, unruly royals, phone recordings, rehab, and a princes dubious friendship with Jeffrey Epstein  with many achieving legendary status.

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Presently, the British monarchy is embroiled in the Middleton Mess in which the Princess of Wales has gone missing, only to reappear in a photo, which was then cancelled by media agencies for being manipulated.

As the controversy drags on, we take a closer look at some of the most infamous British royal scandals, involving the women.

Kate and the case of the missing princess

In early 2024, the British royals, who were just coming out of the shadow of Queen Elizabeth IIs death, announced that Kate, Prince Williams wife would be undergoing abdominal surgery and would be absent from public events until at least the end of March.

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Further details about her surgery or her health werent shared, leading to a whole lot of speculation to what had gone wrong with the mother of three. During this time, Prince William attended a series of high profile events, like the BAFTAs, alone. Then in late February, the prince skipped out on a royal engagement  the memorial service for his godfather, King Constantine of Greece  leading to further speculation and rumours about Kates health.

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The internet was abuzz with memes discussing Kates whereabouts. It was amid this time that Kates representative issued a statement on 1 March, Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the Princess recovery and wed only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands.

However, that did little to calm social media and royal watchers.

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The image that has caused a storm in the UK for the royals. Image Courtesy: @KensingtonRoyal/X

And that brings us to the present and what is now being dubbed as Kategate. On the occasion of Mothers Day, the princess released an image on their official Instagram handle of her with her three kids  George, Charlotte and Louis.

However, not long after the portrait was released, several leading photo agencies issued kill notices for the picture because it appeared to be digitally manipulated.

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Kate then appeared to personally address the photo editing controversy in a social media post.

Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mothers Day. C  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) March 11, 2024

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But the damage was already done. The image made Kensington Palace less trustworthy and only increased speculation about Kates disappearance. It also led to a spur of related controversies, including one of Prince William allegedly cheating on his ailing wife with her friend Lady Rose Hanbury , Marchioness of Cholmondeley.

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Megxit and racism allegations

And it seems that scandal has plagued both the British princes and their spouses. Before Kategate happened, there was Megxit. In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, aka The Sussexes, announced that they were stepping away from their royal duties.

Following their announcement, the couple moved to California in the US and began pursuing independent projects, including a deal with Netflix for a documentary on their lives.

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The decision to step away while controversial on its own, became even more scandalous when the couple sat down with American talkshow queen Oprah Winfrey and made stunning allegations of racism not just against the British press but also the Royal Family.

Prince Harry and Meghan in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. In this chat, the couple accused the royal family of having a racist bias. File image/AP

One such incident that cast the other royals in a particularly bad light was an unnamed member of the family asking about their son Archies skin tone. Harry and Meghan also revealed in the sit-down that the family hadnt provided Meghan with access to mental health care as she dealt with suicidal ideation.

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Following the Winfrey interview, Buckingham Palace had released a brief statement addressing the claims. The issues raised, particularly of race, are concerning. While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.

Love triangle of Charles, Diana and Camilla

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But before Kate and Meghan, the biggest royal scandal came in the 1990s when the then Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their separation.

When the two married in 1981, Charles and Diana became the couple to watch. They welcomed two children together  William and Harry. But it wasnt a royal love story for them, as they announced their separation in 1992.

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It was in 1993 that  tampongate  scandal broke out. For the unaware, tampongate refers to the full transcript of a telephone call between Charles and Camilla (that took place in 1989) which was printed in the press. During the six-minute call, the long-time lovers  who were both married to other people at the time  discussed being intimate with each other, but the most notable comments came from Charles, who talked of being reincarnated as Camillas tampon.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles look in different directions. After a much-celebrated wedding in 1981, the two separated in 1992. File image/Reuters

Two years later, Princess Diana sat down for the now most infamous interview with journalist Martin Bashir in which she said that she was aware of her husbands affair from its beginning and she uttered those famous lines  There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.

She also spoke of the lack of support she received from the royal family when she was experiencing postpartum depression and openly discussed her bulimia.

She went on to admit her own affair with former army officer James Hewitt, who had served as her and her sons riding instructor. She told Bashir she was very let down when Hewitt contributed to a tell-all book about their affair, Princess in Love.

Sarah Fergusons many controversies

Now disgraced Prince Andrew s former wife, Sarah Ferguson, is also no stranger to controversy. The two had married in 1986 after only a three-month engagement. But it seems the love faded soon and they separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.

It was after her separation that images of a vacationing Ferguson became a scandal. She had gone on a holiday with her financial advisor John Bryan and the media caught photos of Bryan sucking on Fergusons toes. There were also other images from the vacation, but its the toes that are still remembered.

Sarah Ferguson married Prince Andrew in 1986 after only a three-month engagement. But it seems the love faded soon and they separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996. File image/Reuters

Years later in 2010, Ferguson found herself in hot water when an undercover reporter for News of the World posed as a businessman and recorded Ferguson accepting money in exchange for a promise of access to her ex-husband.

It seems that the women of the royal family are magnets of scandal and controversy for a long, long time. What happens next in Kategate is unknown, but one things for certain: the royals continue to make headlines and pique peoples interests.

With inputs from agencies
MNS founder Raj Thackerays meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday has set off speculations about the BJP getting a new ally in Maharashtra. With its 48 seats, the western state, which sends most MPs to Lok Sabha after Uttar Pradesh, is important for the BJPs over 400 target for its alliance NDA

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set lofty goals for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. To meet the target of over 400 seats, the saffron party is leaving no stone unturned to bolster the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Maharashtra is an important state for the party in this regard.

After Uttar Pradesh, the western state with its 48 seats sends the most MPs to the lower house of Parliament. The BJP, which is in alliance with Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-headed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, has now reached out to Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to bring the party into the NDA fold.

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Lets take a closer look.

Raj Thackeray meets Amit Shah

MNS leader Raj Thackeray, who arrived in Delhi last night, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday (19 March). The meeting has triggered speculations that he can join the BJP-led NDA bloc ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde was also present during the huddle.

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I was told to come to Delhi. So I came. Lets see, Thackeray had said after arriving in Delhi on Monday.

Although both parties have remained tight-lipped about a possible pre-poll alliance, the MNS is seeking three Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra  South Mumbai, Shirdi and Nashik, according to NDTV.

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It is unclear if the BJP will meet this demand. As per Indian Express sources, the BJP is only expected to concede the Mumbai South seat to the MNS.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule had met the BJP top brass in Delhi on Monday during which the tie-up with MNS was discussed, the newspaper reported.

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On alliance talks with the MNS, Fadnavis had said last week, Today, I cannot say anything about it officially.if any decision is taken, we will let you know.

After the Tuesday meeting, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said a decision will be taken in the coming days. He (Raj Thackeray) said that positive discussions were held and a decision would be taken in two to three days. I cant tell how many seats were demanded but all the demands were discussed positively he was quoted as saying by ANI.

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#WATCH | On Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar says, "He (Raj Thackeray) said that positive discussions were held and a decision would be taken in 2-3 days. I can't tell how many pic.twitter.com/nFWGUY0Csv  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024

The development comes as the saffron partys Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra is yet to finalise seat-sharing in the state for the Lok Sabha polls. The bump is reportedly over a handful of seats.

Why is the BJP courting MNS?

MNS chief Raj Thackeray is the estranged cousin of Uddhav Thackeray. Raj, the nephew of Uddhavs father and the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, left the then-undivided party in 2005 and went on to form his own Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

His exit had come following differences with his cousin Uddhav.

Raj Thackerays MNS performed its best electorally in the 2009 Maharashtra Assembly polls, winning 13 seats.

In the 2014 Assembly elections, the MNS contested 232 out of the 288 constituencies but managed to win only one seat. The partys tally remained one in the 2019 state polls.

The MNS won six corporators in the 2017 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls. However, all, except one, joined the then undivided Shiv Sena headed by Uddhav Thackeray.

As per Indian Express, some in the BJP initially believed that a tie-up with the MNS was not needed as it is not a strong force in Maharashtra.

Raj Thackeray, who is a powerful orator, has also courted controversy in the past over his remarks against north Indians, which drew flak from several parties, including the BJP.

Then, why is the BJP keen to forge an alliance with his MNS? The answer lies in Marathi votes. The BJP is reportedly trying to make a dent in the Marathi vote bank of Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction.

Raj Thackeray with his oratory skill will play a significant role in attacking the Opposition. He may not have a strong party network or potential to win many seats, but MNS still have some support base in Thane, Nashik, Mumbai, Kalyan and Pune, a BJP source told Indian Express.

Maharashtras political landscape has witnessed a remarkable transformation in the last few years. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena contested together, securing 41 out of the states 48 seats. The alliance also won the state Assembly elections later that year.

However, the Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP due to a dispute over power sharing. Uddhav Thackeray then joined hands with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

This was not the end though. In June 2022, Eknath Shinde rebelled against Uddhav, splitting Shiv Sena into two factions. The MVA government fell. Shinde came to power with the support of the BJP in the state.

Uddhav Thackerays Shiv Sena was split into two after Eknath Shindes rebellion in 2022. PTI File Photo

Uddhav lost the party name and symbol to the Shinde camp.

Similarly, Sharad Pawars NCP was splintered into two after his nephew Ajit Pawars revolt last year. After losing the partys name and symbol, the senior Pawars faction is now known as NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Thus, the battle in the western state has become multipronged this year. The BJP seems to want to take no chance in Maharastra despite already having the support of Shinde-led Sena and Ajit Pawars NCP faction.

The BJP believes it should further expand its alliance by getting all like-minded parties, a senior political observer in the saffron party told Indian Express.

Taking a dig at the BJP over the possible tie-up with the MNS, Uddhav said the saffron party is attempting to steal a Thackeray to win elections .

BJP knows very well that they dont get votes in the name of PM Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. People vote here in the name of (Bal) Thackeray. This realisation prompted the BJP to try to steal leaders from outside (BJP fold), he said at a gathering in Nanded district, reported PTI.

Accusing the BJP of trying to appropriate the legacy of his father, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said he was not bothered if the BJP forged an alliance with his estranged cousin.

With inputs from agencies
With the gift of 15 lakh shares, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy made his four-month-old grandson Ekagrah perhaps the youngest millionaire in the nation. Currently, the baby owns 0.04 per cent of the second-largest information technology company in India

Infosys co-founder, Narayana Murthy is making headlines this week as he gives their grandchild Ekagrah shares valued at crores of rupees.

Thanks to such gifts, some of the businessmens grandkids are now members of the promoters group.

He has become the youngest millionaire in the country.

Lets take a closer look.

The most expensive gift

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According to a stock exchange filing, on Friday, Narayana Murthy gave his four-month-old grandson Ekagrah a present of 15 lakh shares.

The filing says the infant currently owns 1,500,000 shares, or 0.04 per cent of the value of Rs 240 crore, in the second-largest information technology company in India.

Ekagrah, the youngest Infosys promoter group member, was born in November 2023 to Rohan, Murthys son, and his daughter-in-law Aparna Krishnan. He is the third grandchild of Murthy, as per The Times of India.

His two other granddaughters, Krishna and Anoushka, are born to his daughter Akshata Murty, the first lady of the UK and Rishi Sunak, Britains prime minister.

The promoter and promoter group of Infosys owned 54,86,43,979 shares, or 14.78 per cent of Infosys Ltd., as of December 2023. Akshata possesses 3,89,57,096 shares, which equals 1.05 per cent of the companys equity, reported Mint.

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The son of the Infosys co-founder, Rohan, owns 6.08,12,892 shares, or 1.64 per cent of the company. Their mother, Sudha Murty, recently took the oath of office as a member of the Rajya Sabha, owns 3.45,50,626 shares, or 0.93 per cent of the company, valued at about Rs 5,600 crore at current market prices.

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Other crorepati babies

Tanush Nilekani Chandra, the grandson of Nandan Nilekani, became a new member of the promoter group two years ago, owning 7.7 lakh shares. Nilekanis daughter Janhavi transferred these shares, as per TOI.

These shares were valued at Rs 106 crore at the time. These shares are valued at Rs 124 crore as of Mondays closure. Tanush presently owns 33.5 lakh Infosys shares, which are valued at approximately Rs 530 crore.

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Co-founder of Infosys SD Shibulal and his daughter Shruti Shibulal had already given shares to Milan Shibulal Manchanda, the formers grandson, and other family members totaling R 2,327 crore. Milan currently has about 69 lakh shares, which are worth more than Rs 1,100 crore, the report claims.

Nikita Shibulal Manchanda, Shrutis daughter, owns more than 69 lakh shares as well.

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Decline in own stake

In the wake of this transaction, Murthys personal ownership of more than 1.51 crore shares in the Bengaluru-based company has decreased from 0.40 per cent to 0.36 per cent.

The exchange filing also stated that the share transfer was done off-market, as per Business Standard.

On the National Stock Exchange, its shares closed at Rs 1,601.80 apiece on Monday, down two per cent from Fridays finish.

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Another case of babies becoming a millionaire

Well, Ekagrah is not the only one who became a millionaire even before he started walking or speaking.

According to Times Now, a two-day-old newborn girl in the UK became a millionaire in June 2023 after receiving a mansion worth Rs 10.44 crore and an additional Rs 52 crore from a trust fund from her multimillionaire grandfather.

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On Instagram, multimillionaire Barrie Drewitt-Barlow revealed the birth of his daughter Saffron Drewitt-Barlow, a girl.

While speaking to The Sun, Barrie said, Im so proud of both Saffron and her husband Conor. They are very well-matched. Now I have another princess to spoil and I cannot wait.

She said, I just bought her a new house this weekend worth 1 million and Ive instructed a team of interior designers to go in and totally renovate it for her. As pen (Saffrons brother) just bought them a 5,000 Dior pram and pushchair.

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Barrie went on to say that she is already a multimillionaire since her ex-husband Tony established a 5 million trust fund for her.

Barrie and Tonys multimillion-dollar wealth came from a transatlantic surrogacy agency among other business endeavours.

Ways for grandparents to bequeath to a grandchild

A will or a trust are the two most common ways to leave immovable property, such as property you own yourself, to your grandkids.

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A will is a formal statement of a persons desires that he/she wants to be fulfilled after he/she passes away, according to another Livemint report. It controls the transfer of property and establishes the succession as specified by the testator.

On the other hand, in a trust, a third person, or trustee, is permitted to hold assets on behalf of beneficiaries under this fiduciary arrangement. Trusts can be set up in a variety of ways, with the ability to control the precise manner and timing of asset transfer to beneficiaries.

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In addition to real estate and personal belongings, grandparents can invest for their grandkids. Mutual funds are one type of such tool. As with any financial objectives, its best to begin thinking about a grandchilds succession early on.

With inputs from agencies
Abhijeeth Paruchuru, hailing from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, was found dead in Boston on 11 March, with his body discovered in a car deep within a forest. However, authorities have ruled out any foul play

On 11 March, it was reported that Paruchuru was found dead in Boston, with some media reports citing that he had been allegedly murdered. Image Courtesy: @TeluguScribe/X

Theres some tragic news coming out of the United States. Another student, 20-year-old Abhijeeth Paruchuru, has died in Boston. However, an initial probe has ruled out any foul play in his death.

What is the case? Who is Abhijeeth Paruchuru? Heres more on the matter.

Death of Paruchuru

Paruchuru, a 20-year-old from Burripalem, Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, had gone to the United States to pursue engineering from Boston University.

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He was an only son of his Paruchuru Chakradhar and Srilakshmi. According to a Times of India report, he was a bright student since his childhood. His mother initially did not want him to go abroad for higher studies but later agreed keeping his future in mind.

On 11 March, it was reported that Paruchuru was found dead in Boston, with some media reports citing that he had been allegedly murdered. The 20-year-olds body had been discovered in a car deep within a forest, raising suspicions surrounding his death.

However, on Monday, the Consulate General of India in New York announced that foul play had been ruled out. Additionally, his parents, based in Connecticut, are in direct contact with detectives as the investigation progresses.

Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of Mr. Abhijeeth Paruchuru, an Indian student in Boston.



Mr. Puruchurus parents, based in Connecticut , are in direct touch with detectives. Initial investigations rule out foul play. @IndiainNewYork rendered  India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) March 18, 2024

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The Indian Consulate in New York also stated that they have been actively involved in the case, assisting with documentation and the transportation of Paruchurus mortal remains back to India. Expressing deep sorrow over the loss, the Consulate General of India in New York said in a post on X, Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of Abhijeeth Paruchuru, an Indian student in Boston.

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As per PTI, Paruchurus last rites have already been performed in his hometown Tenali in Andhra Pradesh. US-based nonprofit organisation TEAM Aid had helped to bring his body to India.

Alarming surge in attacks on Indian students in the US

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.

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In March, Amarnath Ghosh , 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 Ghosh migrated to the US from West Bengal last year to follow his dancing dreams. He was shot several times near the border of St. Louis Academy and Central West End neighbourhoods. He died on the spot.

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Sameer Kamath, a 23-year-old Indian-American student at Purdue University, was found dead in a nature preserve in Indiana on 5 February.

On 2 February, 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.

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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.

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Another Indian student, identified as Neel Acharya at Purdue University, Indiana, was confirmed dead days after being reported missing on 28 January.

Akul B Dhawan, an 18-year-old at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, was found dead last month with signs of hypothermia.

The USs actions in this regard

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 community.

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About 150 Indian Student Association office bearers and students from 90 US universities participated in the interaction led by Charge dAffaires, and Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan.

It was also attended by the Consul Generals of India in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle.

With inputs from PTI
Pakistan launched two airstrikes on Monday in Afghanistans Paktika and Khost provinces, killing eight people. Later, Islamabad said it was part of their intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations. In retaliation, the Taliban carried out firing across the border, which is likely to increase tensions between the two. Why have the two neighbours fallen apart?

Taliban fighters stand guard near the Torkham Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Following the airstrikes by Islamabad, Kabul countered with heavy weapons at the border. Image used for representational purposes/AP

All is not well at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In fact, ties between the two countries have been deteriorating in recent times and its bound to worsen after Mondays (18 March) incident. Islamabad confirmed it had carried out intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations in the neighbouring country, which ended up killing eight citizens. In response, the Taliban government fired at Pakistani troops along the border.

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Now, tensions are peaking between the two nations, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of sheltering terrorists and the Taliban denying the charge. In fact, this will be another chapter in the long-standing tensions between the Pakistan government and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

But what exactly happened on Monday? And how does this incident affect already strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul?

Mondays airstrikes and resulting crossfire

In the wee hours of Monday (18 March), Pakistan launched two airstrikes in the Paktika and Khost provinces in eastern Afghanistan. According to Taliban officials, these strikes killed at least eight people, including three children.

Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesperson for the Taliban government, confirming the incident, warned Pakistan not to blame Afghanistan for the lack of control and problems in its own territory. Such incidents can have very bad consequences which will not be in Pakistans control, he added.

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Hours later, the Pakistan Foreign Office too confirmed the strikes, saying it had carried out intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations inside the border regions of Afghanistan. It further added that terrorists belonging to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group were the prime targets of its operation.

It said that these terrorists along with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials.

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A view of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after airstrikes. Image Courtesy: @yuvnique/X

Hours later, the Taliban condemned the attacks. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid wrote, The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns these attacks and calls this reckless action a violation of Afghanistans territory. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has a long experience of freedom struggle against the superpowers of the world, does not allow anyone to invade its territory.

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Furthermore, it also launched heavy weapons at Pakistani forces near its border. The Afghan defence ministry said, In response to that aggression, the border forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan targeted military bases of Pakistans army across the artificial Durand Line with heavy weapons.

The Afghan foreign ministry also summoned Pakistans charge daffaires and sent him a letter of protest against the incident.

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Immediate cause of airstrikes

Pakistans airstrikes on Monday come after an attack in North Waziristan last Saturday killed seven Pakistani soldiers. President Asif Ali Zardari vowed retaliation for the attack.

At the funeral of two of the officers, he had stated that the blood of the martyrs would not go in vain and the country would avenge them. The president said Pakistan would not hesitate to strike back if attacked by anyone at borders or inside its territory.

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Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of Pakistan Asim Munir, along with others carry a coffin as they attend the funeral of Lieutenant Colonel Syed Kashif Ali and Captain Muhammad Ahmed Badar after militants attacked a military post in Mir Ali, North Waziristan district in Pakistan near Afghanistan early on Saturday using a vehicle laden with explosives as well as suicide bombs, during the funeral at Chaklala Garrison, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Reuters

The TTP and Pakistan

Such strikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border isnt a new thing, though. In the recent years, attacks by the TTP , a globally designated terrorist group and considered a close ally of the ruling Taliban in Kabul, have increased on Pakistani soil.

In fact, in 2023, the nation witnessed a 17 per cent spike in terrorist violence with a total of 306 terrorist attacks which killed 693 people, according to Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies. The report further said that militants intensifying attacks indicate that the TTP and its affiliates will continue to resort to an intensified terrorism onslaught with a view to force Pakistan to reinstate the process of dialogue.

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The country has seen attack after attack in the past year, dating back to January. It was then that a suicide bomber, belonging to Jamaat-ul-Ahrar which is a faction of the TTP, blew himself up inside a crowded mosque in a highly fortified security compound in the north-western city Peshawar on 30 January, killing at least 100 people, mostly policemen, while 57 people were injured.

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This was followed by an attack in July at the Zhob Garrison in Balochistan. At least 23 soldiers were killed in the attack.

A massive terror attack at Pakistan Air Force Base in Mianwali. File image/Reuters

In November last year, terrorists belonging to a TTP faction had also attacked the Pakistan Air Forces Mianwali Training Air Base , some 300 km from Lahore, damaging three grounded aircraft. All the attackers were killed in the army operation, which came a day after 17 soldiers were killed in three separate terror strikes.

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In light of these attacks, Pakistan has also held multiple rounds of talks with its counterparts in Kabul, with the latest engagement occurring in early January when Islamabad hosted a high-powered Taliban delegation. But neither side reported any breakthrough, nor has the diplomatic effort brought about a reduction in TTP-led extremist.

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Other factors in strained ties

However, the TTP isnt the only reason for deteriorating ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Islamabads decision to expel over 1.5 million Afghan refugees and migrants last November has also been a thorn in the relationship between the two neighbouring nations.

At the time, Bilal Karimi, spokesperson for the Afghan government, had been quoted as saying, This is injustice, an injustice that cannot be ignored in any way. The forced expulsion of people is in conflict with all the norms of good neighbourliness.

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Theres also the concern in Islamabad that the Taliban is trying to cosy up to India. On 7 March, an Indian delegation led by Joint Secretary JP Singh in the Ministry of External Affairs held extensive meetings with Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meetings explored expansion in bilateral Afghan-India relations, especially economic and transit matters.

Following this meet, Singh had been quoted as saying that New Delhi was interested in expanding political and economic cooperation with Afghanistan. This India-Taliban engagement is ruffling feathers in Pakistan, especially among its military circle.

With inputs from agencies
RLJP chief Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned as Union minister after his party got no place in the BJP-led NDAs seat-sharing pact in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Now, a direct contest between him and his nephew, Chirag Paswan, is likely on some seats in the state

Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) chief Pashupati Kumar Paras has resigned as Union minister, a day after his party found no place in the National Democratic Alliances (NDA) seat-sharing deal in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Speculations were rife about Paras exiting the NDA after he warned last week that his party was free to go anywhere as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chose his estranged nephew Chirag Paswan, who controls a faction of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), over him.

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I worked for the NDA with full honesty. I am thankful to PM (Narendra) Modi. However, injustice has been done to me and our party. Hence, I am resigning as Union minister, 71-year-old Paras told reporters on Tuesday (19 March).

He was the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries in the Modi Cabinet.

VIDEO | Here's what Pashupati Kumar Paras (@PashupatiParas) said after resigning as Union minister.



"I worked for the NDA with full honesty. I am thankful to PM Modi. However, injustice has been done with me and our party. Hence, I am resigning as Union minister."



(Full video pic.twitter.com/rVShVjed9s  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 19, 2024

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Why did the BJP pick Chirag Paswan over his uncle? What does Pashupati Kumar Paras exit from the NDA mean for the general elections in Bihar? Lets take a closer look.

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A brief look at Chirag Paswans feud with uncle

Rift erupted between Chirag Paswan and his uncle, Paras, after the death of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) founder Ram Vilas Paswan in October 2020.

In June 2021, the LJP split into two groups. One faction  LJP (Ram Vilas)  is led by Ram Vilas son, Chirag, while the other  Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP)  is headed by Paras.

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Paras, the younger brother of the LJP founder, took five of the six MPs with him, leaving his nephews faction with just one and no MLAs.

The uncle and nephew are in a bitter dispute over the Hajipur Lok Sabha constituency in Bihars Vaishali district. The late LJP founder had represented the seat eight times in Parliament.

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Now, Ram Vilas Paswans kin are wrangling over his legacy. Pashupati Paras won the Hajipur constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on an LJP ticket, defeating the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) by more than two lakh votes, as per Times of India (TOI).

However, Chirag, an MP from Jamui, is unwilling to relent.

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Why has BJP picked Chirag Paswan now?

Chirag Pawan had walked out of the BJP-led NDA in 2020 and contested the Bihar Assembly elections that year on his own. In 2021, the BJP sided with Paras in his battle for Paswans legacy with his nephew, leaving Chirag isolated.

However, the tides began to turn for the LJP (Ram Vilas) head after Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar left the NDA in August 2022, as per India Today.

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The Janata Dal (United) supremo had shared an uneasy relationship with Ram Vilas Paswan. He and Chirag are also not on good terms. In fact, the JD(U) chief was even accused of engineering a split in the LJP. The BJP is also alleged to have backed the splinter in Ram Vilas party that came ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar.

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Chirag Paswan is back in the BJP-led NDAs fold. PTI File Photo

During the 2020 polls, Chirags party fielded candidates in all Assembly seats where the JD(U) had contested. According to India Today, Nitish Kumars party was considerably reduced from 71 seats in 2015 to just 43 due to the division of votes.

As a result, for the first time, JD(U) had to contend with being a junior partner to the BJP, which had won 74 of the 243 Assembly seats.

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Despite a split in the LJP, Chirag Pawan has proved his electoral mettle. A significant portion of the six per cent Paswan vote in Bihar has rallied behind him, noted India Today. Paswans make up the largest constituent of the Scheduled Caste population in Bihar.

Even after leaving the NDA, Chirag did not spoil his relations with the BJP. He once described himself as PM Modis Hanuman. Nearly three years down the line, his efforts have paid off and he is back in the NDA fold, while his uncle has been given the cold shoulder.

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The saffron party appears to have factored the Paswan vote before dropping Paras.

Among the Paswan voters, acceptance of Chirag Paswan is any day bigger than his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, a senior state BJP leader had told The Hindu last year.

However, the rift between Nitish Kumar and Chirag could be a thorn in the BJPs ambitious goal of securing over 400 seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The JD(U) supremo rejoined the NDA this January.

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The BJP is set to contest from 17 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, while the JD(U) will field candidates from 16 seats  an indication of the saffron partys upper hand in its ties with Nitishs party this time, as per NDTV.

Chirag Paswans LJP (Ram Vilas) has been given five seats, including Hajipur, instead of the six the party wanted.

The two smaller NDA partners  Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha  will fight from one seat each.

ALSO READ: In Graphics | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: When will your state go to the polls?

What Parass exit means for Bihar LS polls

Paras exit from the NDA has opened doors for an uncle vs nephew battle in Bihar.

Besides Hajipur, Chirags party will be contesting from Samastipur, Jamui, Vaishali and Khagaria seats.

The BJPs dumping of Paras could lead to LJP vs LJP fight in these seats. Paras has iterated he will fight from the Hajipur seat, which means a direct fight with his nephew.

All the three party MPs will contest from their respective seats, Paras had said earlier.

Although the RLJP supremo has not shared his future plans, there are rumours that he could join the Opposition INDIA bloc.

A national vice president of RLJP told The New Indian Express (TNIE) that senior party leaders met Paras on Monday at his official residence in New Delhi on Monday (18 March) to deliberate on the future course of action. The talks on joining the Opposition grand alliance in Bihar also came up.

We will have to wait and see what is in store for Bihar politics.

With inputs from agencies
Sri Lankas government-backed traditional astrologers have failed to unanimously agree on dates for new year rituals, with squabbling seers warning of disaster and accusing rivals of misinterpreting the position of stars

The majority set the dawn of the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year on the night of 13 April. File image Reuters

In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year are a big deal with lots of traditions. However, this years festivities are overshadowed by a celestial dispute between the countrys renowned astrologers.

Sri Lankas government-backed traditional astrologers have failed to unanimously agree on dates for new year rituals, with squabbling seers warning of disaster and accusing rivals of misinterpreting the position of stars.

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Whats the matter?

Sri Lankas people have great faith in astrology. Astrologers are hugely influential figures consulted by both the islands Buddhist and Hindu communities. Their advice on auspicious dates guides everything from marriages to business deals, and even national elections.

The South Asian country employs a 42-member group of astrologers to decide the date for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, known locally as Aluth Avurudda and Puthandu, respectively, which usually falls in April. Typically, they reach a consensus on these matters. However, for the first time, they have failed to agree unanimously, leading to public disputes and warnings of potential disaster.

We discussed very deeply, said Ananda Seneviratne, the spokesman for the New Year auspicious time committee. After a lot of deliberations, we finalised the auspicious time through a majority decision.

The majority set the dawn of the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year on the night of 13 April.

However, not everyone agrees with the decision.

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Who disagrees and why?

Roshan Chanaka, a dissenting astrologer, has spoken out against the decision

He claims that the time is wrong and would lead the country into disaster.

Sri Lanka will go up in flames if the official times are followed, he added, without giving further details.

Does this raise concerns?

In Sri Lanka, astrology has sometimes influenced political decisions.

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Nearly a decade ago, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa called a snap election in January 2015 based on the date advised by his personal astrologer. He lost the polls.

This timing is crucial as Sri Lanka is recovering from its worst economic crisis, which led to months of street protests and the resignation of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2022.

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Additionally, President Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to run for re-election later this year, potentially between September and October.

With inputs from AFP
TikToks argument that American users data is safe because its stored outside China is not convincing. Regardless of whether ByteDance has formal ties with the Chinese Communist Party, there will be the tacit understanding that the management is working for two bosses: the investors and their political overseers who represent the party

A person arrives at the offices of Tik Tok after the US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance about six months to divest the US assets of the short-video app or face a ban, in Culver City, California, US. File photo/Reuters

Does the Chinese government have officials inside TikToks parent company, ByteDance, pulling the strings? And does the storing of data from the popular social media app outside of China protect Americans?

These questions appear to dominate the current thinking in the US over whether to ban TikTok if its owner, Chinese technology giant ByteDance, refuses to sell the platform .

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But in my opinion  forged through 40 years as a scholar of China, its political economy and business  both questions obscure a more interesting point. Whats more, they suggest a crucial misunderstanding of the relationship between state and private enterprise in China.

Simply put, theres no clear line between the state and society in China in the same way that there is in democracies. The Chinese Communist Party  which is synonymous with the Chinese state  both owns and is the nation. And that goes for private enterprises, too. They operate like joint ventures in which the government is both a partner and the ultimate boss. Both sides know that  even if that relationship isnt expressly codified and recognisable to outside onlookers.

ByteDance under the scanner

Take ByteDance. The company has become the focus of scrutiny in the US, largely due to the outsised influence that its subsidiary plays in the lives of young Americans . Some 170 million Americans are TikTok users, and US politicians fear their data has a direct route back to the Chinese state via ByteDance, which has its head offices in Beijing.

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Location aside, concerned voices in the US cite the evidence of former ByteDance employees who suggest interference from the Chinese government and reports that the state has quietly taken a direct stake and a board seat at Beijing ByteDance Technology Co. Ltd., ByteDances Chinese subsidiary.

Grilled by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in March 2023, TikToks Singaporean CEO Shou Zi Chew said unequivocally that ByteDance was not an agent of China or any other country.

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The history of the Chinese governments dealings with private companies suggests something more subtle, however.

People walk past the Bytedance headquarters building in Beijing. American lawmakers are concerned that ByteDance could be forced to hand over Americans private data to the Chinese state. File photo/Reuters

Chinese Communist Party and its control over China

Over its century-long history, the Chinese Communist Party has sought to exercise control over all aspects of the country, including its economy. In its early days, this control took the form of a heavy-handed command economy in which everything was produced and consumed according to government planning.

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China took a step in a more capitalist direction in the latter half of the 20th century after the death of Mao Zedong, founder of the Peoples Republic of China. But even the reforms of Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s and 1980s  credited for opening up Chinas economy  were in the service of party goals. Because Chinas economy was in ruins, the partys emphasis was on economic development, and it loosened its grip on power to encourage that. The continuation of party control was still paramount  it just needed to reform the economy to ensure that goal.

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That didnt mean the party wanted pluralism. After decades of economic growth, and with a GDP surpassing that of the US when measured by purchasing power parity , the Chinese government once again started to shift its focus to a comprehensive control of China.

In recent years, under the increasingly centralised control of Xi Jinping , the Chinese government has evidently opted to run the entire country as a giant corporation , with the ruling party as its management.

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Devotees of TikTok gather at the Capitol in Washington, as the House passed a bill that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app if its China-based owner doesnt sell, on 13 March. Lawmakers contend the apps owner, ByteDance, is beholden to the Chinese government, which could demand access to the data of TikToks consumers in the US. AP



The emergence of China Inc

Unlike political parties in democracies, which people freely join and leave, the Chinese Communist Party resembles a secret society. To join , you need to be introduced by two party members and tested for an extended period, and then pledge to die for the partys cause. Quitting it also needs approval by the party . Orders are implicit , and protecting ones superior is crucial.

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People who dont cooperate face serious consequences. In 2022, an official warned a resident who disobeyed the officials order in COVID-19 testing that three generations of the residents descendants would be adversely affected if he were uncooperative. The same is true of businesses: Ride-sharing company Didi incurred the partys displeasure by listing its stocks in the U.S., and was harshly punished and forced to delist as a result  losing more than 80 per cent of its value .

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Since those who disobey the party are weeded out or are punished and seen to have learned their lessons, all surviving and successful private businesses are party supporters  either voluntarily or otherwise.

The rapid emergence of China Inc. has caught even seasoned Chinese entrepreneurs off guard. Consider the case of Sun Dawu , a successful agricultural entrepreneur known for advocating for rural reform and the rights of farmers. That offended the party, and in 2020, authorities confiscated all his assets and sentenced him to 18 years in prison.

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As if that werent enough, Chinas National Intelligence Law granted broad powers to the countrys spy agencies and obligates companies to assist with intelligence efforts. Thats why some American lawmakers are concerned that ByteDance could be forced to hand over Americans private data to the Chinese state. TikTok denies this is the case. However, recently leaked files of I-Soon, a Chinese hacking firm, reveal public-private collusion in data sharing is common in China.

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Thats why Im not convinced by TikToks argument that American users data is safe because its stored outside of China , in the US, Malaysia and Singapore. I also dont think its relevant whether the party has members on the ByteDance board or gives explicit orders to TikTok.

Regardless of whether ByteDance has formal ties with the party, there will be the tacit understanding that the management is working for two bosses: the investors of the company and  more importantly  their political overseers that represent the party. But most importantly, when the interests of the two bosses conflict, the party trumps.

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As such, as long as ByteDance owns TikTok, I believe ByteDance will use TikTok to support the party  not just for its own business survival, but for the safety of the personnel of ByteDance and TikTok, and their families.

Shaomin Li , Eminent Scholar and Professor of International Business, Old Dominion University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .
The Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG) is the first of its kind unit that will undertake research and evaluation of futuristic communication technologies, like AI, machine learning, software-defined radios, electronic warfare systems, 6G networks, and more. It is part of the Indian Armys efforts to develop technologies

Getting ready for futuristic warfare, the Indian Army has established the first of its kind, the Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group (STEAG).

It is part of the Armys efforts to develop technologies, considering the future battlefield.

According to PTI, which quoted officials, it is required to support technologies that cover the whole range of wired and wireless systems.

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Heres all we know about it.

Nurturing future technologies

The Signals Technology Evaluation and Adaptation Group or STEAG will undertake research and evaluation of futuristic communication technologies, like electronic exchanges, mobile communications, software-defined radios, electronic warfare systems, 5G and 6G networks, quantum technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, quantum computing, etc. for military use in view of the changing nature of the field.

STEAG aims to harness niche technology, leverage cutting-edge solutions, and identify suitable cases for defence applications by fostering collaboration with academia and industry," one of the officials said.

The hi-tech unit will carry out technical scouting, evaluation, development, and management of core ICT solutions and provide user interface support through the maintenance and upgrade of contemporary technologies available in the environment, the news agency quoted an official as saying.

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In line with Atmanirbhar Bharat

Army Chief General Manoj Pande has been highlighting the need for acquiring new technologies by the force in view of the changing nature of warfare.

Aligning itself with the tenets of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Start-Up India, STEAG will help bridge the divide between the armed forces on the one hand and industry and academia on the other, the official said on condition of anonymity.

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A game-changer in communication technology

According to the official, the new Centre of Excellence will revolutionise the way that high-end communication technologieswhich are currently exclusive to a few countries with developed economies and research ecosystemsbe fostered and become more self-sufficient.

The Army believes communications are going to be an important component of military operations.

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In the fast-evolving technologies for the battlefield, the side with better communication technologies and the ability to connect the various constituents for information sharing will have an edge over its adversary, another official said.

Notably, it is expected that the Chinese military will give priority to the progressive adoption of 6G technology, considering its crucial part in the future military upgrade, as per The Times of India. Operators will be able to better command unmanned military assetswhich are expected to play a major role in future conflictsthanks to 6G technology.

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He said modern warfare necessitates the induction of new equipment to provide seamless communication support to units and formations during operations.

To imbibe such advancements in technology, the Indian Army has raised this ground-breaking technology-oriented unit STEAG which will bolster its capabilities in the digital domain, he added.

With inputs from PTI
People pass Ackerman Student Union on the UCLA campus in April 2019. Each University of California campus looks at GPAs differently as part of the admission process. Reed Saxon/Associated Press 2019

A Chronicle data tool shows the average grade-point average that got students into each University of California campus by every high school  public and private  in California for the fall of 2023, the current freshman class.

At first glance, the numbers might look intimidating  for many high schools, admitted students on average had above a 4.0 GPA for many of the nine UC schools, with UCLA and UC Berkeley typically drawing the highest numbers.

So what do those numbers actually mean?

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The UC system has its own system for calculating GPAs to ensure they are weighted equally. UC-approved courses are divided into lettered categories from A to G, with each letter representing a subject like history, math, etc.

First, students must convert letter grades they received in each A-G course into points  4 points for an A grade, 3 points for a B, and so on. There are no adjustments for pluses and minuses.

From there, students add an extra point for Advanced Placement classes, International Baccalaureate classes or UC-certified honors classes. UCs also count classes only from the beginning of sophomore year, including the preceding summer, through the summer after junior year.

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The minimum GPA to be considered for undergraduate, first-year admission to a UC is a 3.0 for California students and a 3.4 for out-of-state students. Any applications with GPAs below those will not be considered.

In total, the UCs look at three GPAs  the weighted, capped GPA; the fully weighted GPA; and the unweighted GPA. The weighted, capped GPA, in an effort to account for differences in what schools offer, caps the number of extra points that can be added for honors or AP classes to eight. The information in The Chronicles data tool reflects the weighted, capped GPA.

But UC colleges can also see the fully weighted GPA, which does not limit extra points for advanced courses, as well as the unweighted GPA, which rewards no extra points for advanced courses. These numbers are all taken together as part of the UCs holistic admissions process, UC officials said.

That holistic process includes a comprehensive list of factors that UC campuses use to determine admission. Other factors include how many UC approved and AP courses a student took relative to the opportunities they were offered; outstanding work in one subject, project or field of study; recent, marked improvement in academic achievement; special talents or skills; community service; life circumstances, and the location of a students school and residence.

Notably, that process no longer includes standardized test scores  the result of a 2019 lawsuit that argued including test scores disadvantaged low-income students of color and students with disabilities.

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Han Mi Yoon-Wu, executive director of undergraduate admissions at the University of California Office of the President, couldnt quantify how important GPA is as part of the admissions process, but she explained that it gives application readers an initial view of a students achievement in 10th and 11th grades. The readers are also able to look at an applicants GPA in relation to other students from the same high school, which helps account for variations in grading and offerings at different schools, she said.

And the different UC campuses look at all of the information differently, including the capped and the fully weighted GPAs, depending on their individual admissions process.

We do ask for a lot of information because we want to use it to the greatest degree that we can, Yoon-Wu said, noting that the UC application is extensive.

That means that, while GPA matters, the number itself is only a slice of what colleges are looking at, explained Iris Berkley, a UCLA-certified college counselor based in Newport Beach.

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Each department at a UC campus such as Berkeley may look at GPA and AP courses differently during the admissions process. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2022

UCs also look at the rigor of classes, she added  including those from freshman year and senior year, even though those grades are not counted in the GPA. So a hopeful math major who took AP calculus might look better than one who took AP statistics, even though both count the same in the GPA, because calculus is more rigorous and attuned to the math major.

While the drive to achieve the highest GPA possible with the hardest classes possible in an effort to get into the most competitive schools may mean some students take on more than they should, Berkley said shes found that the students she works with have a good grasp of their mental health, and they try not to push themselves over the edge.

Ive seen a lot more students thinking, Thats too much for me to take on. Even if it might improve my chances of getting in, Im not going to do it,  she said.

And while application readers do look at what classes were offered at an applicants high school, Berkley said she recommends that students describe in the application any limitations they had for any reason, just in case  spell out if their school only offered three AP classes, but they took them all, or whether they had a scheduling conflict that prevented them from taking something they would have liked to.

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At the end of the day, she said, looking at the average GPA for admitted students shouldnt scare anyone off  or give them too much confidence. Many UCs admit students by academic department, she explained, so students trying to get in for engineering might need higher GPAs, while students trying to get in for art or theater might need stellar portfolios or auditions.

It really tells such a small piece of the story, she said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Bengaluru is currently facing a scarcity of potable water. The IT hub of India currently has a shortage of 500 million litres of water per day (MLD) against the actual requirement of 2,600 MLDs

Taps in Bengaluru are running dry, people in the city are considering relocating as the water crisis looms large and amid Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state has enough storage of drinking water in Cauvery and Kabini, which is sufficient to last till June.

There is 11.04 TMC water storage in KRS, 9.02 TMC in Kabini, the chief minister said.

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Also, the Congress-led Karnataka government will be drilling bore wells at 313 places and 1,200 inactive bore wells will be revived, he said.

Bengaluru facing shortage of 500 million litres of water

Talking to the media, Siddaramaiah shared how Bengaluru is falling short of potable water in the IT hub of India.

He said Bengaluru is currently facing a shortage of 500 million litres of water per day (MLD).

Bengalurus actual requirement of water

The minister said the actual requirement of water in Bengaluru in 2,600 MLD.

Borewells in Bengaluru have dried

Bengaluru has 14,000 borewells of which 6,900 have dried.

Water bodies have been encroached or died. Bengaluru needs 2,600 MLD of water. Out of this, 1,470 MLD comes from the Cauvery river and 650 MLD from borewells. We have a shortage of about 500 MLD, Siddaramaiah said after his meeting with the officials of civic agencies and the Irrigation Department.

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Karnataka govt hopes to provide water to 110 villages in June

Pinning hope on the Cauvery Five project to help quench Bengalurus water demand, Siddaramaiah said, with the help of the project, which will commence in June, the government will be able to cater to 110 villages, which were added to the Metropolitan Bengaluru Municipal Corporation in 2006-07, he noted.

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Enough storage of drinking water to last till June

Siddaramaiah, in an attempt to allay fears, said Karnataka has enough storage of drinking water in Cauvery and Kabini, which is sufficient to last till June. There is 11.04 TMC water storage in KRS, 9.02 TMC in Kabini, he added.

The Congress-led Karnataka government also will be drilling bore wells at 313 places and 1,200 inactive bore wells will be revived, the CM said.

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How government is bracing to address shortage?

Siddaramaiah said all the concerned officials have been instructed to use all private tankers, including the ones from Karnataka Milk Federation in slums, upland areas, 110 villages and bore well-dependent areas.

Also, orders were given to increase the number of task forces to respond to complaints immediately and not to use drinking water in parks.

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The Chief Minister also said his government will fill up dried lakes in Bengaluru with treated water as has been done in KC Valley.

There is no shortage of funds to provide drinking water, he said.

With inputs from PTI
There has been a buzz that BJP and BJD may join hands for Lok Sabha 2024 polls and Odisha Assembly elections. However, there has not been any official announcement yet

VK Pandian, a close aide of Odisha Chief Minister, Tuesday said Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) does not need BJP to form government in the state, and BJP may not need BJD to form government in the Centre.

Pandian, Chairman 5T in his first LIVE interview on any news platform, speaking at CNN-News18 Rising India Summit 2024 in New Delhi said, Naveen Patnaik does not require the BJP support to win the sixth term in Odisha and serve the people. I would say the same thing about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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The alliance has no electoral value for the BJD or BJP, Pandian said, adding: If anything [alliance> happens, we will get to know.

He said the alliance talks between the BJP and Odishas ruling BJD were beyond politics and a mark of great statesmanship of two great leaders.

Naveen Patnaik is going to be the chief minister of Odisha undoubtedly, and PM Modi is going to be the Prime Minister, Pandian said.

There is something beyond politics. It is the mark of great statesmanship. The two great leaders wanted to come together for a greater cause. It has significance as two great people as mark of statesmanship and it has nothing to do with politics thats how I see it, he said.

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There has been a buzz that BJP and BJD may join hands for the Lok Sabha 2024 polls and Odisha Assembly elections. However, there has not been any official announcement yet.

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In February, when PM Modi visited Odisha, praised CM Patnaik and described him as a friend.

In February, BJD, despite having the numbers, chose to support BJP candidate Ashwini Vaishnaw in the Rajya Sabha polls.

The parties were in a coalition for eleven years beginning in 1997, and, before becoming the chief minister, Patnaik was a union minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayees government in the late 1990s.

Both BJP and BJD had successfully contested Lok Sabha elections in 1998, 1999, and 2004 and Assembly polls in 2000 and 2004.

Is Pandian Naveen Patnaiks political successor?

Pandian, a bureaucrat, had quit the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in October 2023 to join BJD. Many see him as a successor to Naveen Patnaik who is going to be the longest-serving chief minister of state in India.

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But what does Pandian have to say about the claims of him replacing Patnaik?

I dont think I should answer this. The people of Odisha will answer this. I succeed his (Patnaiks) values, and his hard work, I get inspired by his sincerity, commitment and keeping politics away from public service and doing service to the people. These are the values I have imbibed from the chief minister, politics can come later on whenever, whatever people will think is fine, Pandian said.

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He went on to say that Patnaik is a futuristic chief minister who holds people of Odisha in his heart and will definitely have planned out something for the BJD which will be rocking as always as he does.

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No parallel to CM Patnaik

Praising his leader, Patnaik, Pandian said: I dont know throughout the world you have any parallel of democratically elected leader continuing in a space as popular as the Chief Minister of Odisha and winning election after election with a higher margin. Instead of anti-incumbency, having a pro-incumbency. He is now going to touch two and a half decades.

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Pandian said one of the main reasons for Patnaiks success is that he does not see politics as politics, he sees it as public service and people also dont see him as a political leader, they see him as somebody who is there to serve them and that is the connect he has with people which has made him very popular.

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What inspired Pandian to join politics?

Sharing about what made him leave bureaucracy and join politics, Pandian said: I have been with the Chief Minister of Odisha for the last 12 years in his office and before that, I used to be a collector of his Ganjam. I was inspired by him. The first reason is his commitment to the cause of people, public service.

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Whats Pandian objective?

It is a blessing to work with a great soul like him. I cant just use the word soul, its more of values. It is not about a great leader doing great work, but this chief minister has a great soul. I consider it a blessing to be with him for more than a decade and I thought as a disciple that I should try and do something for him at this point of time to help him reach out to people and thats my only objective right now, Pandian said.
INDI alliance deliberately insults Hindu dharma and every statement against Hindu Dharma is well thought of. Congress-DMK INDI alliance never speak against other religions. But they do not take a second to insult Hindu dharma, said PM Modi while addressing a rally in Tamil Nadu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the INDI alliance leaders of deliberately insulting Hindu dharma and said that their every statement against the religion is well thought of.

#WATCH | PM Modi says, "INDI alliance deliberately insult Hindu Dharma & every statement against Hindu Dharma is well thought of. Congress-DMK INDI alliance never speak against other religions. But they do not take a second to insult Hindu Dharma..." pic.twitter.com/72MHMTCGFc  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024

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Addressing a rally in Tamil Nadus Salem, PM Modi said, INDI alliance deliberately insults Hindu dharma and every statement against Hindu Dharma is well thought of. Congress-DMK INDI alliance never speak against other religions. But they do not take a second to insult Hindu dharma.

Referring to INDI alliances Mumbai rally where Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the bloc is fighting against a Shakti, PM Modi said, Mariamman yahan ki Shakti hai. In Tamil Nadu Kanchi Kamakshi is Shakti, Madurai Meenakshi is ShaktiCongress, DMK & INDI alliance says they will destory this (Shakti).

#WATCH | PM Modi says, "INDI alliance deliberately insult Hindu Dharma & every statement against Hindu Dharma is well thought of. Congress-DMK INDI alliance never speak against other religions. But they do not take a second to insult Hindu Dharma..." pic.twitter.com/72MHMTCGFc  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024

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Hamare shastra sakshi hai ki vinash unka hota hai jo Shakti ko khatam karne ka vichar rakhte hai, he added.

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Targeting DMK & Congress for corruption and family rule, PM Modi said that both the parties are two sides of the same coin.

DMK and Congress mean - Big corruption & one family rule. When the country got rid of Congress, the country reached 5G technology. But in Tamil Nadu DMK is running its own 5G- one familys fifth generation to have control over Tamil Nadu, said PM Modi.

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Talking about PMKs entry into NDA, he said the alliance has got new energy.

I welcome Ramadoss into our alliance, added the Prime Minister.

Ahead of the April 19 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, the BJP has been focusing on the southern state, hoping to win as many of the 39 constituencies as part of its mission 400 seats in the coming polls.

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PM Modi had addressed a public rally in Kanniyakumari last week, even as he has made a number of visits to the southern state in the past few months.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi held a massive roadshow in Keralas Palakkad to boost support for its candidates from the state, where the saffron party has historically had no significant electoral victories.

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The PM arrived in Palakkad in a helicopter from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

The roadshow covered the around one km route in about half-an-hour after which the PM quickly returned to the helipad to return to Tamil Nadu.

PM Modis Palakkad roadshow follows his recent participation at a public meeting in Pathanamthitta town on 15 March, where he rallied support for NDA candidates contesting in the southern Kerala constituencies.

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Addressing the gathering in Pathanamthitta, the Prime Minister had said that The Lotus is going to bloom in Kerala in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and attacked the ruling Left and the opposition Congress-led UDF, alleging that the people of the state have endured hardship under governments plagued by corruption and incompetence.

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The BJP has seen an increase in its vote share from the Palakkad constituency in the Lok Sabha polls with its candidate Krishnakumar C securing 21.24 per cent of the total votes polled from here in the 2019 general elections.

This was PM Modis fifth visit to Kerala within three months.

He has already visited the state twice in January, once in February and then on March 15.

These visits included both official and party functions.

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With inputs from agencies
Hours after Bulgarian President Rumen Radev thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Indian Navys daring act of rescuing his countrys ship and crew, PM Modi on Tuesday responded to Radev by saying that India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region

Hours after Bulgarian President Rumen Radev thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Indian Navys daring act of rescuing his countrys ship and crew, PM Modi on Tuesday responded to Radev by saying that India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.

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Taking to X, PM Modi said, Appreciate your message President of Bulgaria. We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.

Appreciate your message President @PresidentOfBg . We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region. https://t.co/nIUaY6UJjP  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2024

Earlier, Radev had posted on X, My sincere gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for the brave action of India Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship Ruen and its crew, including seven Bulgarian citizens.

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My sincere gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the brave action of Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship Ruen and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens.  President.bg (@PresidentOfBg) March 18, 2024

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The Ruen ship with eight Bulgarians, nine Myanmarese and one Angolan citizen on board was captured by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year.

On Saturday, the Indian Air Forces C-17 aircraft conducted a precise airborne drop of two boats, accompanied by Indian Navy MARCOS, in the Arabian Sea to support the ongoing anti-piracy mission, Operation Sankalp.

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As reported by ANI, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the exercise was part of an ongoing anti-piracy operation since 2008 and piracy suddenly increased some months ago.

It has been an ongoing operation for a long time. Since 2008, we have had a presence in anti-piracy operations. Piracy suddenly resurfaced around 3-4 months ago, and since then we have put more ships there. We are investigating all suspicious vessels that have piracy triggers in this ongoing operation," Admiral Hari Kumar told ANI.

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The Indian Navy said in an official statement that the Indian warship INS Kolkata successfully cornered and coerced all 35 pirates to surrender on Saturday, ensuring the safe evacuation of 17 crew members from the pirate vessel without any injury.

In the rescue operation, which lasted for the last 40 hours, INS Kolkata intercepted the under-attack pirate ship Ruen", sailing almost 2600 km from the shores of the Indian Coast, and forced the pirate ship to stop through calibrated actions.

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During the operation to safely rescue the crew members and gain control of the distressed vessel, support was provided by various assets including the Indian warship INS Subhadra, High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, P8I maritime patrol aircraft, and MARCOS (Marine Commandos) PRAHARs which were airdropped by C-17 aircraft.

Furthermore, the vessel underwent a sanitization process to check for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition, and contraband after the operation.

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With inputs from agencies
Mauritius former president Ameenah Gurib-Fakim underlined the need for India and Africa to collaborate more and more, underlining how Mauritius can play a seminal role in bringing this about, given the robust historical friendship between the two nations

I want that India should use Mauritius more and more as a gateway to Africa, said Mauritius former president Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, speaking to Firstpost at the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit in New Delhi.

India will be a key player. Bot just fifth biggest economy but will rise to be third biggest economy. There a whole lot of political maneuvering India is on the cusp of riding this wave, she said.

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Fakim underlined the need for India and Africa to collaborate more and more, underlining how Mauritius can play a seminal role in bringing this about, given the robust historical friendship between the two nations.

India-Mauritius-Africa Trifecta

The relationship between India and Mauritius goes back a long time it has been very strong for a very long time. India has been a great help to Mauritius. Our economy has thrived because of the double taxation treaty with India. Our economy rested on two pillarsour relationship with Europe and with India. Our ties with India have been strengthening. We see India as a great partner.

Whether India will use Mauritius as a stopgap to go to Africa? Fakim said Mauritius welcomed it.

We welcome this. Our economy will strengthen. Also, we would like to see the extent to which our country benefits. We can reinforce our cooperation and collaboration and future partnership beyond just the finances and beyond the security issue. We would like to see mutual partnership in other areas such as ocean economy, agriculture, new tech and fintech. I see this as a work in progress and depends on how much we invest in each other.

Africa plundered; needs to collaborate with emerging nations.

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Fakim also underlined that Africa was afflicted historically by what is called resource curse and that everybody who came to Africa came only to exploit.

Africa has had a history that has been defined by a lot of tension. Slavery has been one of the issues. But, I see a renaissance in Africa. Like India, Africans too have a strong sense of belonging. Africa has the realism to be proud to be African. One can see the Africa free trade agreement. Here they are creating a huge internal market of 1.4bn going up to 2bn. For my country I see that we are the point of connection between Indian and Africa. India has a lot to gain from Africa and vice versa. I see lot of possibilities and a symbiotic relationship. I see that India use Mauritius more and more as a gateway to Africa.

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Fakim said Mauritius should actively play the role of being the bridge between Asia and Africa. It is time that we played that role of being the bridge between Asia and Africa.

Big game between big powers

Africa suffers from what we call the resource curse. If you look at the Manhattan Project, it started with African Uranium the demise of Patrice Lumumba who was killed in the race to get the best Uranium. Everyone wants to come to Africa for exploitation, literally. It is time to move beyond these extractive ways. There is need for African countries to collaborate with emerging countries. I stress here the need for the global south to have a voice, a common voice. Still 85% of world lives here and we must speak in one voice.

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Having Africa on the table will help Africa resolve its own issues. Africa should move beyond its natural resources and become a major player.

India in UNSC

Fakim said India was a big player in the world and pitched for New Delhi to have a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It (India) is taking its rightful place in the pantheon of the big economies. I would want to see India at the level of the UN Security Council. We need a total reform of the UN Security Council.

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Right now, If I may say, now that I am not in office, the UNSC is obsolete. It is a colonial construct. It should move to reflect the realities of the world and have countries from Latin America, Africa, India, Indonesia. So, we really need a multifaceted UN system. In its current form it has become obsolete and that has come to happen when this world has got more fragmented and fractured. A multi-polar world can also mean a more insure world and this not the time for it. So, let us get together and move together.
Ex-Indian ambassador to US Taranjit Singh Sandhu joins BJP

Former Indian ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu joined the BJP on Tuesday amid the possibility that he may be fielded in the Lok Sabha polls from Amritsar in Punjab. He joined the party in the presence of its general secretaries Vinod Tawde and Tarun Chugh. After joining the BJP, Sandhu said,In the last 10 years, I have worked closely with PM Modis leadership, especially in the relationship with the United States and Sri LankaPM Modi is development focussed Development is very much needed today andthis development should reach Amritsar too. So, I thank the party president, the Prime Minister, Home Minister who encouraged me for the new path of service to the nation that I am entering

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Raj Thackeray meets Amit Shah amid alliance talks

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday in an indication that the BJP is looking to ally with him for the Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in the western state. Thackeray, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday, was joined by BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde when he met Shah. If the alliance is sealed, the MNS may be given one seat to contest from Mumbai, the Maharashtra capital where his cousin Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction enjoys some influence. Raj Thackeray had parted ways with the Shiv Sena, when it was undivided and led by his cousin. However, his MNS could not make much impact even though he is seen as a powerful orator and enjoys a certain following.

Ex-Jharkhand CM Hemant Sorens sister-in-law Sita Soren joins BJP

JMM legislator Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, joined the BJP on Tuesday. She quit the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) hours before joining the BJP, claiming that she was being neglected and isolated in the states ruling party. Soren joined the BJP in the presence of its national general secretary Vinod Tawde and Jharkhand poll in-charge Laxmikant Bajpai at its headquarters here. The three-term MLAs decision to join the BJP is a shot in the arm for the partys efforts to boost its connect with the Scheduled Tribes, a community which has been the main vote base of the JMM.

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Pashupati Paras resigns from Union cabinet, accuses BJP of injustice

Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned on Tuesday and accused the BJP of doing injustice with his Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party by not including it in the seat-sharing deal with allies for the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. Parass announcement came at a press conference a day after the BJP-led NDA announced its seat-sharing pact and gave five seats to the Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ram Vilas). Paras made brief remarks at the press conference about his resignation and did not elaborate about his future plans.

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President Murmu accepts resignation of Telangana Governor Soundararajan

President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignation of Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement on Tuesday. It also said that the President is pleased to appoint C P Radhakrishnan, Governor of Jharkhand, to discharge the functions of the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in addition to his own duties until regular arrangements are made. Soundararajan, who was also the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, tendered her resignation on Monday. I resigned of my own volition as my desire is to serve the public directly. I want to involve myself in intense public service, she had said. The resignation came amid reports of her plans to contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Tamil Nadu.

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PM Modi to address rally in Tamil Nadus Salem today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a rally in the western town of Salem on Tuesday, a day after he held a well attended roadshow in nearby Coimbatore. Alliance party leaders, including PMK founder S Ramadoss are likely to attend the public meeting. Ahead of the 19 April Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu, the BJP has been focusing on the southern state, hoping to win as many of the 39 constituencies as part of its mission 400 seats in the coming polls.

PM Modi had addressed a public rally in Kanniyakumari last week, even as he has made a number of visits to the southern state in the past few months.

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TMC complains to EC about PM Modis model code violation

The Trinamool Congress has complained to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the BJP candidate from Varanasi, has violated the model code of conduct by using central government funds for campaigning. In a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner on Monday, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Derek OBrien said a message by the PM highlighting his governments programmes reached the electorate on 16 March, after the model code of conduct came into force. PM Modi has purportedly written the message in the form of a letter to the voters on 15 March, the TMC leader claimed. By using the office of the prime minister, the BJP has issued the aforesaid letter at the cost of the public exchequer under the guise of a message seemingly sent by the Government of India. Such mass circulation is nothing but an appeal to the voters in favour of the BJP and Mr Modi and thereby flouting the mandate of the Election Commission of India, OBrien said in the complaint. He urged the EC to ensure that appropriate directions are issued to the BJP and its candidate Modi to withhold from future campaigns at the cost of public exchequer, to withdraw the letter.."

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SC to hear over 200 petitions challenging CAA implementation today

The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear a batch of more than 200 petitions challenging the implementation of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) by the Centre. The petitions seek a stay on the implementation of the CAA and the Citizenship Amendment Rules 2024. The petitions will be heard by a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

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With inputs from agencies
Hindutva is Hinduism in practice which is always updating itself all negative interpretations about it are only professional, critical analysis, its only a job to remain critical not because they dont understand it but being critical also has a market, said Ram Madhav at Rising Bharat Summit on Tuesday

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) National Executive member Ram Madhav on Tuesday said that Hindutva is Hinduism in practice which is always updating itself and all negative interpretations about it are only professional and critical analysis because being critical also has a market.

Speaking at News 18 Rising Bharat Summit on Tuesday, he said, Hindutva is Hinduism in practice which is always updating itself contemporarily relevant is what is Hindutva, all negative interpretations about it are only professional, critical analysis, its only a job to remain critical not because they dont understand it but being critical also has a market.

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He said if there is anything wrong happening in Hinduism there is always scope and place for questioning and criticism, which is the very fundamental quality of Hinduism.

Gandhi ji said continuous reform is the name of Sanatan dharma Does Hinduism not have asuras in it? Was Ravan not a great Hindu in that sense? but he was still an asura. He was to be opposed, he was to be killed. Such things if whether they happen in any form, any name or any organisation have to be opposed but to brand a particular group as you are Hindutva, since you are Hindutva, you are bad is what is wrong. If there is something not correct in any group In so called non-Hindutva group championing caste and diving society in the name of caste, asking people tell me how many judges are from your caste its all progressive in our country, nobody questions that politics dont brand a particular group because then you call it a political form. Its not politics, its about this country, added Ram Madhav.

He said if Hindutva is politics, then Mahatma Gandhi was the first person to use it for political reason as he called himself a proud Sanatani Hindu.

Its not politics, its about certain value system which we believe is the core value system of our country, added Ram Madhav.

He said it is the same Hindutva which has freed millions and millions of women from smoke puffing chulas, by providing them gas cylinders, without asking their religion.

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Is it not the same Hindutva that has freed millions and millions of Muslim women from triple talaq, the curse of triple talaq. Is it not the great service that so called Hindutva leadership is doing for Muslim women of this country. Fortunately in our country, all those sections of people understand that what is projected as a big demon, and suddenly we pretend to be victims you have been exposing your caste for many years nothing happened to you, people are listening to you, you are respected. Why did this victimhood syndrome occur to you Years after years, decades are decades you kept us calling communal, you kept calling us fascist. Did we then cry from rooftops that what will happen to me if I call myself a nationalist. Tables are turning"

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He said so far as Hindutva politics is concerned, its totally non-discriminatory.

In the true spirit of Hinduism or Hindutva, its for the welfare of everybody, for the welfare of 1.4 billion Indians. That is what you witness in this country. That is the reason why people today support Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, he added.
Bullet trains are not just about travel and journeys, they will be a major boost to economy, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at Rising Bharat Summit 2024

Indias first Bullet Train will be ready in 2026, will run in one section from Surat to Bilimora in Gujarat, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday at the Rising Bharat Summit 2024.

The Centre is working on the 508-km-long Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR (highspeed rail) project that will initially cover Surat-Bilimora in Gujarat, and the full stretch is expected to be completed in 2028.

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As per reports, India is expected to seal the deal for procuring 24 E5 Series Shinkansen trains (bullet trains) from Japan by March end.

The minister further informed that work on the 284-kilometer stretch of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad HSR (highspeed rail) project is already completed.

Bullet trains are not just about travel and journeys, they will be a major boost to economy, Vaishnaw said.

3 things help fast-track upgrading of India

In his address, the minister pointed out three things that have helped fast-trach upgrading of Indian Railways technology.

1 - Increased funding to Indian Railways

2 - Systematic plan for future maintenance of Railway technology

3 - Depoliticising Indian Railways.

Increased funding

Vaishnaw said railways in India have seen a massive transformation with a remarkable change in its budget. Earlier only Rs 15,000 crore was allocated for the railway budget. Ever since it was merged with the general budget, it has been increased to Rs 2,52,000 crores, he added.

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Systematic plan for future maintenance

The Railways Minister said India in the 10 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, practically all states have been electrified.

As much as 40,000 kms have been electrified in the 10 years of Modi government, as opposed to 20,000 kms in the 60 years before that. Also, new tracks have been laid on 30,000 kms, the minister said.

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We added as much railway tracks as Germanys entire railway network and we have been adding about one Switzerland worth of railway networks each year, Vaishnaw said.

India is building the capacity to handle 1,000 crore annual passengers, by 2030, the minister said, adding that currently the Indian Railways carry about 700 crore passengers annually.

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Depoliticising railways

The minister said, before 2014, the Indian Railways was treated like a cow carrying milk.

Earlier, ministers would only focus on announcing new trains, coaches, stations, and no one was bothered about whether the tracks had capacity, Vaishnaw said.

Their focus was not on passengers or the railways, it was on their politics. PM Modi depoliticised railway and put it through a technical overhaul, the Railways Minister said.

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Railways now working with a changed culture

Vaishnaw said there has been a change in culture in how Railways work. PM Modi gave us a free hand in taking tough decision.

The minister also gave an example saying, earlier regular maintenance of tracks was not being done because of contracts and improper planning. Often, maintenance workers would assemble near a segment of the track, but leave by the end of the day without working because their supervisors failed to get permissions on time.

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Now, we plan out regular maintenance schedules for 26 weeks in advance, on every Fridays.

Railway employees are happy that they can work freely and that the railway is operating as a technical organisation should, he added.

Goal to strengthen Viksit Bharat foundations in next 5 years

Vaishnaw said the government has been laying the foundations of a Viksit Bharat and in the next five years, the goal is to strengthen these foundations.

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The minister further said Vande Bharat and NaMo Bharat trains have been giving middle class Indians and aspirational youth an experience that is truly world class.

NaMo Bharat is great for regional transport, he said, adding that Vande Bharat sleeper coach trains are coming soon.

Vande Metro and Amrit Bharat Train are also on the way, the minister added.

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Kavach or ATP shouldve been adopted earlier, opposition failed

Vaishnaw said, ATPs or Automatic train protection technology was started in 1980s in other major countries across the world, but in India it started in 2016 only by PM Modi.

Previous Indian governments should have invested in safety as early as 2000s Had the Opposition started it in 2000s, the country would have had Kavach-like ATPs all over, Vaishanaw said.

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Now, we have invested over Rs 1,87,000 crores, he added.
When asked how he would describe the Indian democracy, Babones said, India has a robust and liberal democracy that is based on the Western model. Critics love to say that India is not a liberal democracy but the country is in effect the worlds only post-colonial country that has cracked the code of how to run a liberal democracy

Hailing the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India, American Sociologist Salvatore Babones said that people want to seek refuge in India because the liberty extended to them here is not offered in their own countries.

Describing CAA as good policy but bad politics, Babones said, India is an inclusive society and democracy. Out of all the places governed by the British in South Asia, only India emerged as an inclusive society.

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When asked about his assessment of India's democracy, Salvatore Babones (@ProfBabones) praised the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as a good policy but criticized it as bad politics, highlighting India's inclusive society | @RShivshankar #News18RisingBharat #RisingBharatSummit pic.twitter.com/TNU2ahgqZp  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 19, 2024

India has a liberal democracy

When asked how he would describe the Indian democracy, the sociologist said, India has a robust and liberal democracy that is based on the Western model. Critics love to say that India is not a liberal democracy but the country is in effect the worlds only post-colonial country that has cracked the code of how to run a liberal democracy.

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Indias intellectual class is anti-India

When asked about one of his comments that Indias intellectual class is anti-India, Babones said, Intellectuals all across the world are critical of their countries. By this I want Indians to understand that all of the negative about Indian democracy does not originate with Western experts who independently come to the country for evaluation. Instead, it originates with Indian intellectuals who write for Western outlets.

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"Indian intellectuals writing for Western academic journals are telling us that India is no longer democratic, and we believe them because we don't know much about India," shared Salvatore Babones (@ProfBabones) | @RShivshankar #News18RisingBharat #RisingBharatSummit pic.twitter.com/IPYKW0atSX  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 19, 2024

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Anti-Hinduism is the new antisemitism

Babones said that the rise of anti-Hinduism in the West is in parallel with antisemitism.

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'Anti-Hinduism is the new anti-semitism,' said Salvatore Babones (@ProfBabones) in conversation with @RShivshankar. He also said that 'Bharat awakening is India's coming to terms with its own history'#News18RisingBharat #RisingBharatSummit pic.twitter.com/rsqeqQIgqj  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 19, 2024

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For the last 25 years, Israel has been slapped with a Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign that prevents Israeli scholars from speaking at US universities. Now, BDS has been applied to India and it is the same people using the same strategies to marginalise India on the global stage, Babones said.
Sahay was probably replaced as he is expected to retire in May this year when the Lok Sabha 2024 polls would be undergoing in seven phases

West Bengal has again got a new director general of police (DGP), the second in less than 24 hours. The Election Commission of India (ECI) Tuesday replaced Vivek Sahay, who was appointed as DGP on March 18 with Sanjay Mukherjee.

Why did Bengal get new DGP in less than a day?

A report by Hindustan Times cited a senior state government official saying Sahay was probably replaced as he is expected to retire in May this year when the Lok Sabha 2024 polls would be undergoing in seven phases.

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Sahay, a 1988-batch IPS officer, was appointed DGP of Bengal on Monday afternoon and by Tuesday early noon he has been replaced.

Who is Sanjay Mukherjee new DGP of West Bengal?

The name of Mukherjee, a 1989-batch IPS officer, was among the three eligible officers state chief secretary BP Gopalika has sent to the poll body for the post of DGP. The others were Sahay and Rajesh Kumar.

Mukherjee is the son of Arun Prasad Mukherjee, a decorated IPS officer who served as DGP West Bengal, director of CBI and post-retirement, adviser to Union home minister Indrajit Gupta and governor of Mizoram.

EC transfers Bengal ex-DGP Rajeev Kumar

Sahay, Bengals DGP for a day, had replaced Rajeev Kumar who was transferred to non-political duties by the ECI within 48 hours after the announcement of the dates of the Lok Sabha polls 2024.

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Polling on 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal will be held in seven phases between April 19 to June 1. The state has a history of political violence in the elections and in the panchayat polls held in 2023, about 50 people have lost their lives.

Interestingly Kumar was appointed the DGP of West Bengal three months ago.

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Kumars transfer, according to the commission, is part of its efforts to maintain a level-playing field and ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

Back in 2016, Kumar, a 1989-batch IPS officer, was removed by the EC from the post of Commissioner of Kolkata Police. He was reinstated by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee soon after the Trinamool Congress returned to power.

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Why was Kumar removed?

Kumar, who was appointed as the state DGP last December, has been at the centre of many controversies. In the 2016 Assembly polls, Opposition leaders had accused Kumar, who was the Kolkata police chief at the time, of tapping their phones.

The decision to shift Kumar was taken as the officer was removed earlier too from active election management-related duty during the 2016 assembly election in the state and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, poll panel sources pointed out.

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In 2019, the Central Bureau of Investigation knocked on Kumars door in connection to the Saradha chit fund scam.
A tray of raw oysters at the Marshall Store in 2014. Michael Short/The Chronicle

Oyster fans will once again be able to shuck their own briny bivalves at a popular West Marin destination.

Oyster bar the Marshall Store (19225 Highway 1, Marshall) will let customers come shuck their own oysters starting the first week of April. They can purchase their own oysters for $2 each and crack them open (with provided knives) on the restaurants patio, which offers sweeping views of Tomales Bay.

The Marshall Store had not previously offered oyster shucking to customers. But owner Shannon Gregory noticed demand after the nearby Hog Island Oyster Co. stopped offering the option. Current plans are to offer oyster shucking Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with no reservations. There are plans to expand hours and service based on demand as summer rolls in.

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Connoisseurs of the practice were devastated when Hog Island closed its shuck-your-own picnic tables in March 2021. An announcement declared it the end of an era but blamed the impact of trash and non-compostable items (the tables were also BYOB).

Because of a lack of shucking spots, a common practice among visitors to the area has been to buy oysters and shuck them somewhere else, Gregory said. He hopes oyster shucking can bring a bump in business for the warmer months of the year.

We always get people in here, but if we want to pull a seven-day-per-week operation, it requires extra staff that we dont have available, said Gregory, who also owns the Route One Bakery & Kitchen, praised for its cookies, sourdough bread and afternoon pizza.

The Marshall Stores oysters come from sister company Tomales Bay Oyster Co., a farm just 3.5 miles away. Gregory said the patio will serve a few salads, fish plates like ceviche, chowder and bread on picnic tables. Dungeness crab will be available, though Gregory notes it will mostly be crab from Oregon.

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Once (California Dungeness crab) gets to about $11 a pound for crab you have to reconsider it, Gregory said.

Gregory recommends people looking to shuck oysters at the Marshall Stores patio check weather forecasts and layer up.

There can be 20-degree to 30-degree differences in a day compared to other parts of California, Gregory said.
Scheduled from March 26 to 31, the Sea Phase will involve the naval units from both the countries setting up joint command and control centre and a joint relief and medical camp.

The Indian and US navies on Tuesday held a bilateral tri-service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, Tiger Triumph 24, on the Eastern Seaboard.

The HADR exercise represents the robust strategic partnership between India and US, with the drill aimed at sharing best practices and standard operating procedures (SoPs).

The participating units from the Indian Navy include a landing platform dock, landing ship tanks including their integral landing crafts and helicopters, guided missile frigate and long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

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The Indian Army would be represented by one infantry battalion group including mechanised forces. The Indian Air Force would deploy medium lift aircraft, transport helicopters and a Rapid Action Medical Team (RAMT). Additionally, the special operation forces from all three services will also participate in the exercise.

The US task force would comprise a US Navy landing platform dock including its integral landing craft air cushions and helicopters, a destroyer, maritime reconnaissance and medium lift aircraft, and also US marines.
Nearly two centuries after Englands Great Reform, India still has not returned to the principle of one person, one vote

One person, one vote is the fundamental principle on which all democracies are based. That fundamental principle was enshrined in the Indian Constitution adopted on 26 January, 1950. But in a clear contradiction of the wisdom of Indias founding fathers, it no longer applies today.

Indira Gandhi ended the equal representation of the people of India in 1977, Indias politicians endorsed unequal representation in 2002, and the Supreme Court of India seems to believe that unequal representation is consistent with the basic structure of the Constitution.

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As a result, every Keralan is now worth approximately 1.8 Rajasthanis, and everyone in Tamil Nadu has the vote of 1.6 Biharis. Andhra, Odisha and Telangana similarly get extra votes, while Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh come up short.

Proponents of unequal representation in India claim that states should be rewarded for limiting population growth. By that reasoning, they must also be penalised for having dynamic economies that attract internal migrants. Thats the story in Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra.

The entire fertility argument is as specious as it is anti-democratic. After 1977, fertility fell no faster in the south than in the north. It started out lower and it ended up lower. In fact, the decline in fertility ratesthe policy outcome that was used to justify unequal representationhas actually been more rapid in the north than in the south.

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In reality, everyone knows why Indias political class has agreed to freeze representation at 1977 levels. Its to ensure that no politicians seat will be pulled out from under his or her you-know-what. And it keeps the peace by buying off petulant southerners who would otherwise raise a fuss over tax transfers.

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There is, after all, a strong correlation between per capita income and Lok Sabha overrepresentation. Richer people pay more taxes and its easy for them to believe that that entitles them to more representation. In a plutocracy, it would. In a democracy, it doesnt.

India is the worlds only democracy that violates the principle of one person, one vote. Strangely, the international democracy rankings dont seem to mind. Like Indias own intellectuals, they seem happy with the idea of unequal representation, as long as the people getting the extra representatives are relatively rich, relatively well-educated and relatively on their side of politics.

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Unequal representation is nothing new. The English Parliament used to be famous for its rotten boroughselectorates that still returned representatives based on Medieval populations who no longer lived there. They were eliminated by the Great Reform Act of 1832. The redrawing of constituencies is always controversial in the UK, but it is always done as the population changes, as it is in every other democracy.

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Except India. Nearly two centuries after Englands Great Reform, India still has not returned to the principle of one person, one vote. Indias founding fathers understood this principle and embraced it. It is the one major blot on the record of Indian democracy that the current crop of Indian politicians cannot see their way to embracing the wisdom of their predecessors.

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Some overrepresentation in very small states and Union Territories is inevitable. Thats part and parcel of the workings of a federal system. But for states and Union Territories that are large enough to have five or more representatives, equality of representation should be the rule. India needs a census and it needs a properly democratic delimitation exercise.

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The author is an associate professor at the University of Sydney. He will be a featured speaker at the News18 Bharat Rising Summit. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_s views._
In what looks like a coordinated effort to make the drone work meaningful, the Maldivian Cabinet has since decided to make it mandatory for all sea-bound vessels to install tracking devices, for easy identification

With the deployment of two Turkey-made  Bayraktar TB2 military drones with attack capabilities, Maldives has become the first nation to have an Air Corps dependent exclusively on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). President Mohamed Muizzu, while launching the drones at North Maafaru Airport in Noonu Atoll, relatively closer to the Indian coast, however, said that there was no enmity towards any nation for them to be concerned about his government strengthening the nations military capabilities. Instead, it was only a part of the efforts for Maldives to stand on its own feet to secure its vast EEZ  and be empowered  he declared. It is a fundamental duty and honour, he said.

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Muizzu said the vast EEZ presented a tremendous opportunity for the nation to expand the economy of the region and secure a prosperous future for our descendants. He declared an end to concerns regarding self-power in vast areas of the country emphasising a new-found ability to manage these territories independently. The president took an indirect snipe at India, without naming it, that Maldives would now be able to patrol our borders, and others dont have to worry about it.

As if responding to the Opposition MDPs claims that while in power, they were in negotiations for free delivery of UAVs from a country, Muizzu said that Turkey too had gifted some equipment  but did not provide details. He claimed it owed to his friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan , who also fast-tracked the delivery of the drones with unprecedented speed for such transactions.

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However, neither did Muizzu say which among the equipment came as gifts or if a particular number of drones too were included in the list. As was to be expected under the circumstances, the government has not shared the details of the drone deal with the nation  when sought by the media. As may be recalled, during the presidential poll campaign, Muizzu reiterated that if elected he would place all foreign agreements signed by past governments, and also those of his own, before Parliament and the nation.

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According to early information that Muizzu shared with the media on his return from China in mid-January, the drone deal was worth $37 million. According to military experts, it could procure five or six drones in all with allied components. Hence, the question of drone gifts, if any, assumes greater significance. Incidentally, the president said that in the subsequent phases, drones would be deployed elsewhere across the country, possibly implying southern islands and airports closer to the contested IMBL with Mauritius, where incidentally, India has built an airstrip on Agalega Island.

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Ingenious way

There is no denying the ingenious way Maldives has entered the air defence space without acquiring fighters and more expensive attack aircraft. According to some American news analyses, a drone costs less than 20 times the price of a fighter jet. Of course, those calculations were made independent of the emerging situation in Maldives. Drones come with their operational limitations compared to a fighter jet, but can still cause enough damage, both as defensive and offensive weapons.

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However, in the case of Maldives, no one is visualising a full-scale war with any nation or non-state player. Hence, the limited number of drones at the nations disposal may not matter compared to a warzone like the Russia-Ukraine theatre. But their aerial surveillance capabilities and Maldives choice of end-user of the collected data could matter to nations like India and Mauritius, if not Sri Lanka, a common neighbour in the region.

The question is simple: Will Maldives use drones to swoop down on strategic installations in India along its path? When some of it will be unavoidable, how intentional would such deployment be? Will the nation then share it with Indias adversaries like China and Pakistan?

The inherent limitations of the drones could attest to the host nations intentions to have only defensive air-power and not any offensive machines. Because it is the least expensive way to acquire an air arm for national defence, Maldives experience can set the trend for other smaller and less-resourced nations, whether islands or not, to create an air defence force to call their own, as Muizzu began dubbing it in the early days of his presidency, since November 2023.

As coincidence would have it, the drones-launch function came days after the exit of the first of the three batches of unarmed Indian military personnel manning the two helicopters and one fixed-wing Dornier that New Delhi had gifted, for undertaking humanitarian operations like medical evacuation, and also air surveillance of the nations huge EEZ. There was no question of Indian aerial platforms carrying weapons when their pilots did not carry personal arms. In contrast, the Turkish drones are armed though the fact remains that they will be operated by local military personnel, instead.

Incidentally, on Muizzus insistence, the Indian pilots and technical staff are being replaced by technical personnel, meaning civilian pilots and technicians from India. The first batch of pilots left recently after the incoming technical staff had become acclimatised. However, it remains to be seen if it is only an interim arrangement before Muizzu asks India out for good, once his plans for a separate domestic air-ambulance service and the drone-based aerial surveillance work stabilises on the ground  or, is it in the air?

Whatever that be, the high-level core groups tasked by President Muizzu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Dubai, to discuss all bilateral matters, had their third meeting at the Maldivian capital of Male on Sunday. According to a statement by Indias Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides reviewed the ongoing deputation of Indian technical personnel to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms that provide humanitarian and medvac services to the people of Maldives.

The two sides also continued their discussions on wide ranging issues related to bilateral cooperation. This inter alia, included expediting the implementation of ongoing development cooperation projects through regular convening of joint monitoring mechanisms, efforts to boost bilateral trade & investment and enhancing people-to-people linkages through capacity building and travel, the statement said. By implication, it referred to India-funded projects, including the $500 million Male-Thilafushi Bridge and a host of high-impact development projects across the country.

Funding drones purchase

However, issues may remain. As Indian officials repeatedly pointed out, during the early days of the Muizzu regime especially, the depletion levels of India-trained MNDF pilots for manning the helicopters and the lone Dornier was high  and that was the reason why the Indian pilots, though coming in on rotational deployment, could not go home for good. The MNDF has since published photographs of their personnel manning the control of the drones, but there is no knowing if there is an international market for them, like for trained pilots.

Yet, the fact remains that Muizzu has kept his word to his people that he would soon have Maldivians watching over their EEZ (instead of Indians). But to acquire drones at such short notice has caused eyebrows to raise, both inside the country and outside. The implication is that the strategy to introduce drones in the place of Indian aerial surveillance and trade negotiations with Turkey might have informally commenced even before Muizzu was elected President in end-September 2023.

If so, there are concerns as to who did the strategising for Muizzu  Maldivians or outsiders? There are also concerns about the financing of the drone purchases, as they seem to fall outside the governments budget for the current fiscal, commencing January 2024. Granting Muizzus statement that some of the equipment were personal gifts of his Turkish counterpart, there is still a huge monetary gap to fill. Where did the government raise the funds from, and how?

One up on Yameen

It is anybodys guess who had strategised Muizzus approach in the matter. Looking back, through the short and medium terms, it is clear that a hurriedly put-together air-ambulance service that is already at work and the drones-centric MNDF Air Corps now may have completed the process for his government to ask India out of twin-sectors at one go. To this end, the Muizzu government has also hurriedly-concluded a tie-up with hospitals in neighbouring Sri Lanka, to be reached through the air ambulance service. For now however, it is being deployed only between suburban reclamation island of Hulhumale and capital Male, with better hospital facilities.

Yet, by doing it all in a systematic way and putting the horse before the cart, Muizzu may have also proved to be one up on his estranged political mentor and one-time president Abdulla Yameen  now technically in prison but has been campaigning for the 21 April parliamentary election within the Greater Male region. In the closing months of his presidency (2013-18), Yameen had unilaterally asked New Delhi to take back the aerial platforms that India had gifted in the past and also the personnel manning them. He made it into an India Out / India Military Out campaign while in the Opposition during the successor regime of India-friendly president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (2018-23) of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

The common Maldivian was not happy with Yameens demands, while in power and even more so when out of it. The emergency medical evacuation in an archipelago-nation was a boon. The law-enforcing agencies too had acknowledged the usefulness of aerial surveillance as it helped in larger seizure of drugs in transit.

As the Indian High Commission (IHC) in Male too repeatedly pointed out, in the five years of operations, their military team had done 500 medivac sorties. Likewise, their aerial surveillance had helped a large cache of drugs, which has become a perennial menace in the archipelago as about 10 per cent of the population are believed to have become addicts.

Of equal concern is Maldives remaining a major hub for international drug trafficking, which along with India and Maldives forms an IOR triangle for large quantities of illegal drugs sourced from the Golden Crescent and Golden Triangle across Indias land borders in the north-west and north-east, respectively. Muizzus current strategy seems to be asking India out only after addressing domestic concerns  and thus not becoming as unpopular as Yameen on this score (as well).

Economic independence

Yet, there is no denying the unwilling Yameen hand in Muizzus policy initiatives. The lesser-known and even less-remembered foreign policy document rolled out by Yameen in January 2014 put economic independence as the sine quo non for political independence in matters of foreign and security policies. However, Muizzu has put Yameens policy frame-work on its head, and has made security issues the core of his foreign and domestic policies.

In context, the Muizzu leadership signing a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement during his China visit in January, when he met his counterpart, President Xi Jinping, too needs to be remembered. So are Chinas promised cooperation under the nations Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Civilisation Initiative (GCI) apart from the revival of Maldives participation in Chinas BRI from the Yameen era. It remains to be known if economic independence would follow from any of Muizzus initiatives involving China and or Turkey, over the short and medium terms. Going by published accounts, the strategic cooperation agreement is limited to Muizzus initial term of five years, ending in 2028.

At least for now, the Maldivian Monetary Authority (MMA), the nations central bank, has claimed that the monthly budget for February ended on a positive note, and attributed it to better tax and duty collections and also higher tourist-arrivals. However, local media reports have pointed out that the month was bereft of any known development investment and argued that if the trend continued, the ill-effects would be felt over the medium and long terms.

However, knowledgeable Maldivians say the economy is on a positive recovery path, but will take time to stabilise. They are also concerned about huge out-of-turn procurements and poll promises that the president might be tempted to offer like his predecessor Solih did for a whole year and more in the run-up to last September presidential poll, which however he lost.

While it is acknowledged that the Boycott Maldives call led to a 33 per cent fall in Indian arrivals, the full impact, if any, will be known in subsequent months. Incidentally, even before the boycott call that followed the defamatory posts by three junior Maldivian ministers against India and Prime Minister Modi, China had begun reclaiming its top slot as the tourist source nation after it opened out, post-Covid. As if for effect, Muizzu publicly urged China to do it, while in that country. Some Maldivians feel that the real impact of the boycott call in India will be known only at the end of the current examination season in that country, which naturally cuts into family holidays and the like.

Best practices

In what looks like a coordinated effort to make the drone work meaningful, the Cabinet has since decided to make it mandatory for all sea-bound vessels to install tracking devices, for easy identification. It is in furtherance of the continuing governmental efforts over the past decades, to combat drug trafficking. The government can also claim to have introduced international best practices in the matter, which most other nations in the region have mandated only for larger vessels.

Incidentally, from prior to the Muizzu presidency, the MNDF had started intercepting foreign fishing vessels, including those from India and Sri Lanka. During the closing weeks of the Solih regime, an Indian vessel was ordered to pay Rs2.27 crore while another vessel was taken into custody recently. A Maldivian civil court recently ordered an equally hefty fine on another foreign vessel  thus clearly sending out a strong message.

From a purely Indian perspective, the MNDFs initiative in this regard, now to be supported by drone-search, could add a new element to strained bilateral relations. However, unlike in the case of common neighbour Sri Lanka, bilateral fishers issue is not a great concern in the case of Maldives. The reported use of Indian fishing vessels using the Maldivian seas for innocent passage are few and far between, yet the message is clear that they have to remain clean and should have some way to prove that the catch on board was not fished in the nations territorial waters.

The writer is a Chennai-based policy analyst and political commentator. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
In recent years, the European Union (EU) has engaged in a curious dance with authoritarian leaders in countries like Egypt, Tunisia and Mauritania. The latest partner in this tango is Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Once hailed as a beacon of democracy, Egypt now finds itself embraced by the EU, despite el-Sisis controversial rise to power.

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El-Sisi, a former military man who orchestrated a coup in 2013 to overthrow Egypts first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi, has since tightened his grip on power. His regime has been marked by crackdowns on dissent and human rights abuses with political opponents languishing in jail. Despite these actions, the EU seems eager to cozy up to the Egyptian leader.

Windfall for Abdel Fattah el-Sisi

In a stunning display of support, the EU recently pledged a whopping 8 billion dollars to Egypt over the next four years. This financial windfall, which includes grants, concessional loans, and other funds, comes under the guise of a strategic partnership between the EU and Egypt. However, the real motivation behind this largesse becomes evident upon closer inspection.

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Today marks a historic milestone with the signature of joint declaration for strategic and comprehensive partnership, it is a partnership based on six main pillars, six areas of mutual interest for Europe and Egypt, and I am pleased to announce that this will be supported by new financial investment package of 7.4 billion euros for the coming 4 years, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

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Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said, I would also like to reiterate my gratitude to you, Mr. President El-Sissi for all of Egypts efforts in hosting so many refugees and for making sure that no smuggling boats with illegal migrants have left Egypt since 2016.

The EUs newfound generosity towards el-Sisi stems from one key factor: his role in curbing illegal migration. By stemming the flow of migrants through Egypt, el-Sisi has endeared himself to EU leaders grappling with the continents migration crisis. In their eyes, his authoritarian tendencies are a small price to pay for securing Europes borders.

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Not just Egypt

But Egypt isnt the only recipient of the EUs benevolence. Similar deals have been struck with other authoritarian regimes in North Africa, such as Tunisia and Mauritania. In both cases, leaders who have cracked down on dissent and stifled democracy are being rewarded with financial incentives to stem the flow of migrants towards Europe.

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The hypocrisy of the EUs approach is glaring. Despite paying lip service to democracy and human rights, EU leaders are willing to turn a blind eye to authoritarianism when it suits their interests. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, may talk about promoting democracy and human rights, but her actions speak louder than words.

The EUs willingness to engage with authoritarian leaders undermines its credibility as a champion of democracy. It sends a troubling message to the world that democratic values can be sacrificed in the pursuit of pragmatic goals. By cosying up to dictators, the EU tarnishes its reputation and undermines its moral authority on the global stage.

The EUs embrace of authoritarian regimes exposes the gaping chasm between its rhetoric and reality. While it may preach democracy and human rights, its actions tell a different story. Until the EU aligns its actions with its principles, its lectures on democratic values will continue to fall on deaf ears.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
As the ball now lies in the Talibans court, they have various options at their disposal, including proxy attacks through groups like the TTP

The tension between Pakistan and the Taliban has escalated dramatically, resembling a tumultuous breakup that has now spiralled into military confrontation involving fighter jets, air strikes and accusations of terrorism. Heres a breakdown of the recent events.

Air strikes in Afghanistan

Pakistan and the Taliban have clashed once again, with the Taliban alleging that Pakistan conducted air strikes in two Afghan areas: Barmal in the Paktika province and Separa in Khost. The Taliban claims that these attacks resulted in the deaths of around eight people including women and children.

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Pakistan, however, has admitted to carrying out air strikes but asserts that they targeted terrorists within their own territory, not in Afghanistan. Islamabad maintains that the operation killed eight terrorists in response to a recent terror attack on a military post in Waziristan, which claimed the lives of seven soldiers, including two officers. The attack was claimed by a new terror group called Jaish-e-Fursan-e-Muhammad, allegedly based in Afghanistan and shielded by the Taliban.

The funeral for the slain Pakistani soldiers saw high-ranking officials, including President Asif Ali Zardari and Army Chief Asim Munir, in attendance, underscoring the gravity of the situation.

Taliban response

The Talibans response to Pakistans actions has been defiant, accusing Pakistan of incompetence and vowing to defend their territory. Reports indicate retaliatory measures, including a gunfight near the border where the Taliban targeted Pakistani military installations, indicating a cycle of tit-for-tat attacks.

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To understand the roots of this conflict, one must look back to Pakistans initial support for the Talibans conquest of Kabul in 2021. However, the dynamic shifted as Pakistan sought the Talibans assistance in controlling the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an affiliate aiming to establish an Islamic caliphate within Pakistan by overthrowing the current regime. Despite shared ethnic ties, the relationship soured as the Taliban allegedly began supporting the TTP, leading to a surge in terrorist attacks within Pakistan.

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Efforts by Pakistan to address the issue through military action, deportations of Afghan refugees and appeals to the United Nations have yielded limited results as the international communitys attention has waned leaving Pakistan to face the consequences alone.

Pakistan seeking to assert itself

The current Pakistani regime appears vulnerable with a weak civilian government and eroding military influence. The recent airstrikes on Afghanistan serve as a symbolic assertion of Pakistans capability to defend itself although Islamabad may seek to avoid further escalation by denying involvement in Afghan territory.

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As the ball now lies in the Talibans court, they have various options at their disposal, including proxy attacks through groups like the TTP. Nevertheless, this conflict underscores the irony of Pakistans support for the Afghan Taliban as allies against bad terrorists while battling their own good terrorists, resulting in a situation where both factions are bleeding Pakistan.

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Ultimately, Pakistan finds itself isolated in this battle against terrorism, bearing responsibility for nurturing the very groups now threatening its stability.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Does a forensic analysis of district-wise data on religious composition in India give us a better understanding of the significant demographic changes underway in the country? Does it enhance our grasp of the ground realities that might not be perceptible solely through national-level or state-level aggregate figures?

A recent paper published in EPW by scholars Shamika Ravi, member of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister, Mudit Kapoor of Indian Statistical Institute, Sunil Rajpal of Flame University, Pune and SV Subramanian of Harvard University, provides an empirical answer to the question by scrutinizing the differential in growth rates across religions at the district-level.

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For their research, the scholars have considered Indian census data on religion from 2001 to 2011, which remains the latest and only available set of data on the population of religious groups. This is also the set of data used by American think tank Pew Research Center for its 2021 study of Indias religious demography in states and Union territories.

We already know going by the relevant Census data from 2001 and 2011, that Indias population grew by 17.7 per cent during this period. Hindus remained the dominant religious group. Their population share dropped from 80.46 per cent in 2001 to 79.8 per cent in 2011, a decline of approximately 0.7 per cent. The decline seems negligible. In comparison, Muslims grew 13.43 per cent in 2001 to 14.23 per cent in 2011, an increase of 0.8 per cent which again appears marginal. In terms of rate of population growth, Muslims were the fastest at 24.6 per cent, followed by Hindus at 16.8 per cent. These numbers, however, argues the paper, conceal more than they reveal.

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To dissect the religious composition of a billion-plus people, the authors pore over the changes in religious composition across all 640 districts in the country, to find that the share of the population of a religious group appears to depend on the differences in growth rates across religions (and not on the absolute growth rates of any given religion) and the baseline share of religion in the previous period. They add that similar growth rates across religions will still generate different compositions in the districts, underscoring the importance of understanding religious composition in contextual terms.

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With general elections approaching in weeks, what better than the unfolding political theatre to illustrate the points being made by the authors? Lets turn to the ongoing debate over the recently implemented Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to demonstrate how demographic changes in India are affecting social and political narratives. Ill need to digress a little.

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The CAA was passed in 2019 but on March 12 this year, the Narendra Modi government at the Centre notified the rules for its implementation and has made operational a web portal through which applicants may apply for Indian citizenship.

The CAA facilitates the granting of Indian nationality to non-Muslims (Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians) from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who suffered religious persecution in the Muslim-majority Islamic nations and were forced to migrate to India before December 31, 2014. Religious persecution, crimes against women, forced conversion and daily discrimination are well-documented realities in these countries neighbouring India.

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For instance, according to a 2013 report by the US-based think tank Hudson Institute, At the time of Partition in 1947, almost 23% of Pakistans population was comprised of non-Muslim citizens. Today, the proportion of non-Muslims has declined to approximately 3%.

Since the CAA focuses on non-Muslim persecuted minorities, the Opposition has tried to interpret the CAA as an anti-Muslim law. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has clarified multiple times that the CAA accords Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities and has no provision to take away anyones citizenship.

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At a recent event in New Delhi, the minister stated , I want to make it very clear that there is not even a gene of NRC in the Citizenship Amendment Act. The CAA has no provisions for snatching the rights of the people. The Opposition is instigating the minorities of the country. I humbly request my Muslim brothers and sisters not to trust them. They are once again doing politics. The CAA can only give citizenship to refugees coming from three neighbouring countries.

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That has meant little as Opposition leaders such as Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, has launched a campaign of disinformation against the newly enacted law, claiming with little justification that citizens will become refugees the moment they apply through the CAA web portal and will be sent to detention camps, that the law discriminates against Muslims, and aims to divide people.

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It may seem that Mamata is trying to instigate the electorate to consolidate the Muslim votes that is critical to her political survival. The Bengal chief minister at a rally in January had urged Muslim voters not to waste their votes by supporting any party other than the TMC, hinting at alliance partner Congress.

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If we look at Mamatas actions and utterances over the years, it becomes clear that securing the support of Muslims remains her top electoral strategy. The West Bengal governments order against Durga idol immersion in view of Muharram was revoked by the Calcutta High Court in 2017. In 2019, she had vowed to attend iftar a hundred times since the Muslim community votes for her party ( https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/lok-sabha-2019/story/attend-iftar-mamata-muslim-appeasement-allegations-1534819-2019-05-26 ) and last year she had hiked the honorarium for imams and muezzins in the state by Rs 500. https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/mamata-banerjee-hikes-honorarium-for-imams-and-muezzins-in-bengal-by-rs-500/cid/1960634

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Political leaders have their ear to the ground. To better understand Mamatas motivations, we need to look at the demographic situation in West Bengal. This is where the EPW paper comes in.

The authors find that the share of the Hindu population has declined in 468 (73 per cent) districts, while in 227 (35 per cent) districts, it has reduced by more than 0.7 per cent (which is the overall decline in the share of the Hindu population). How do these numbers explain the situation in West Bengal? We need to dig a little deeper. The EPW paper observes a U-shaped pattern in the fall in the share of Hindus between 2001 and 2011 and the share of the Hindu population in 2001. It means that the decline was the lowest in districts with a substantial share of the Hindu population (more than 80%), or where the share of the Hindu population was less than 20% and was higher in districts where the share of the Hindu population was between 20% and 80%.

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In other words, in districts where the Hindu population fell in the 80% to 20% band, the decline was the steepest. Lets now turn to a study by Americas Pew Research Center on Indias religious composition in 2021, where it focused on state-level data. The study showed that according to the 2011 census, Hindus formed 71% of the population in West Bengal, which falls right into the 80%-20% band as described by the recent EPW study. Do remember that these are 2011 figures, and the trend, if anything, would have deepened by now. This is further illustrated by a graph that shows the geographical distribution of change in the share of religion between 2001 and 2011, as shared by Ravi, one of the authors of the paper.

The paper reinforces the fact that differences in growth rates among different religious groups affect districts differently and has a critical bearing on the demographic shift even if the overall rise or decline of a religious group or groups remains marginal.

This happens because the growth of a group isnt uniform, and as the paper points out, in districts where one religious group constitutes a significant majority, the change in population share due to these growth rate differences will be much smaller compared to districts where religious groups are more evenly spread out.

Going by this methodology, the authors discover that the Hindu population has plummeted (more than the overall decline of 0.7%) substantially in certain parts of the country such as in the north-eastern states, West Bengal and Assam in the east, and in the north-western districts of Uttar Pradesh. Concomitantly, further skewing the demographic structure, the eastern districts in West Bengal and Assam experienced a substantial increase in the share of the Muslim population, as has the central districts in Maharashtra, the coastal districts in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and the Malabar region even though the Muslims have reduced in numbers in districts in Jammu and Kashmir.

The reasons that drive the West Bengal chief ministers political strategy are now evident.

Plotting the geographical change in religious composition through district-level data is therefore critical to our understanding of demographic shifts. To press the point further, lets again look at the Pew survey conducted in 2021 that looked at state-level data and found that In most Indian states, Hindus have stayed stable or declined modestly as a share of the population.

The EPW paper takes a microscope at the data and figures out that though Indias overall population grew by 17.7 per cent between 2001 and 2011 across 640 districts, in reality, 348 (54 per cent) districts recorded a growth rate less than the overall population growth, and in 25 (4 per cent) districts, the population in 2011 was less than the population in 2001, which means a growth rate of less than zero per cent.

It indicates that the population growth was concentrated over certain regions and not evenly distributed. The implication is that even if state-level data sees Hindu population remaining stable, district-level data punctures that impression by adding important context.

For example, in 458 districts (72 per cent), the growth rate of Muslims were greater than the overall population growth of 18 per cent (approax), whereas the corresponding number for Hindus is 268 (42 per cent) districts. To demonstrate the demographic swing even more effectively, the authors look at distribution of change in the share of the population across districts by creating two benchmarks  +0.8 per cent (that signifies the overall rise in Muslim population between 2001 and 2011) and -0.7 per cent (that signifies the overall decline in Hindu population).

Taking +0.8 per cent as the first benchmark, the paper finds that in 150 districts, the share of the Muslim increased by more than +0.8 per cent; correspondingly for Hindus and Christians, the share of their population increased by more than +0.8 per cent in 60 and 50 districts, respectively.

Taking -0.7 per cent as the second benchmark, the authors find that in 227 districts, the share of the Hindu population decreased by more than -0.7%, while the corresponding decline in the number of districts for Muslims and Christians was 24 and 32, respectively".

The paper confirms through granular data that religious diversity in India is taking newer forms and shaping the ground realities faster than it appears on the surface. Ask the politicians.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
With the US on the verge of either banning TikTok or forcing ByteDance to sell its stake, EU may start investigating American social media companies on how they deal with data privacy, and safeguard against AI

Social Media platforms are set to face increased scrutiny now, especially on how they deal with privacy and GenAI. Image: AFP

Now that the US House of Representatives have passed a bill which may potentially ban TikTok, or force its owner ByteDance to sell its stake in the social media platform, other social media platforms too will be under scrutiny by the EU mainly in regards to how they deal with user data and While TikTok is currently the primary focus of scrutiny regarding alleged ties to the Chinese government, it is not alone in facing international censure.

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Over the past year, tech giants including Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook), Apple, and others have found themselves embroiled in legal battles over issues of content moderation and data privacy on both sides of the Atlantic.

This collective scrutiny marks the emergence of a new regulatory consensus in Western nations, indicating a shift towards more stringent oversight of the tech industry.

The European Union (EU) has also taken action against TikTok, launching an investigation in February into the platforms alleged failure to protect minors. This investigation follows a substantial fine of $372 million imposed on TikTok by the EU just six months earlier for similar violations. Under the EUs new Digital Services Act, TikTok could face penalties of up to $800 million or 6% of its global turnover.

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With major elections scheduled in Europe and the United States later this year, consumers should prepare for significant changes in their online experiences, prompting questions about the future of social media platforms.

The renewed focus on tech companies places increased pressure on TikTok and its parent company, Bytedance. Even if the proposed TikTok ban clears the US Senate, Bytedance would have a five-month window to sell TikToks US operations before facing more severe measures.

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However, such decisions are likely to face legal challenges, as seen with previous attempts by states like Montana to enact bans on TikTok, resulting in disputes over First Amendment rights. The evolving legislative landscape underscores a shift in priorities from protecting freedom of speech to prioritizing user protection, reflecting an international trend towards greater regulatory oversight of online platforms.

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The EUs Digital Services Act represents the latest effort in a series of global regulations aimed at addressing online safety concerns.

These regulations, which place greater responsibility on platforms, signify a departure from earlier internet legislation. In the 1990s, legislation governing online service providers, such as Section 230 in the United States, focused on extending First Amendment protections.

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However, recent events, including public outrage over cases like the Molly Russell inquest and US Senate hearings on online child exploitation, have prompted regulators to emphasize online safety and transparency. The shift reflects growing concerns that platforms prioritizing user acquisition over safety can result in significant harm to users.

The adoption of regulatory measures extends beyond the EU, with countries like the United States, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, and several Latin American nations rolling out their own legislation in recent years. This global consensus marks a significant departure from previous approaches and signifies a unified effort to establish stronger regulatory frameworks to protect internet users.

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Despite their immense value to local economies, tech giants like Google, Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft are facing increased regulatory scrutiny. Recent fines imposed on Apple under EU antitrust laws and the ongoing enforcement of GDPR demonstrate the growing willingness of regulators to hold tech companies accountable.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is already tightening the screws o big tech companies including Google, Facebook and TikTok with requests for information on how theyre dealing with risks from generative artificial intelligence, such as the viral spread of deepfakes. To that effect, they have shared has sent questionnaires about the ways that eight platforms and search engines  including Microsofts Bing, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and X, formerly Twitter  are curbing the risks of generative AI.

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European users, constituting a significant portion of social media platforms user bases and advertising revenue, are particularly influential in shaping regulatory responses.

The evolving relationship between regulators and tech companies is characterized by complexity and interdependence. While calls for regulatory constraints on Big Tech are growing, unilateral bans remain uncertain. Both parties recognize the importance of collaboration, as highlighted by statements from figures like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg.

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For users, changes in online features and services are imminent, with potential shifts towards subscription models aimed at offsetting compliance costs. Such agreements may benefit consumers by promoting digital literacy and safeguarding personal data from exploitation by ad-dependent companies.

As technology and democracy intersect in a pivotal year, the ongoing debate between regulators and online platforms is expected to intensify. Greater legislative clarity and a safer online environment are the desired outcomes of this ongoing struggle, promising a future where user protection and online safety are paramount.

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(With inputs from agencies)
Despite sanctions from the US, NVIDIA has announced that they will be working closely with several Chinese EV makers, including Tesla-rival BYD, in order to develop self-driving technology and AI-driven infotainment systems

American chipmakers like NVIDIA and AMD have to abide by a number of sanctions imposed by US on the China. Image: Reuters.

In a bid to spearhead the development of self-driving technology and AI-driven infotainment systems, NVIDIA announced on Monday its extended partnerships with leading Chinese automakers, including BYD, in a move to bolster their competitiveness in global markets.

BYD, recognized last year as the worlds top electric vehicle manufacturer, is set to integrate NVIDIAs cutting-edge in-vehicle chips, dubbed Drive Thor, into its upcoming vehicle models. These chips will facilitate enhanced levels of autonomous driving and various digital functionalities within BYD vehicles, as revealed by NVIDIA Vice President for Automotive, Danny Shapiro, during a conference call.

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Shapiro confirmed the deployment of Drive Thor in BYD vehicles slated for the next year, underscoring NVIDIAs pivotal role in advancing the automotive industrys technological landscape. This announcement comes amidst a flurry of collaborations between NVIDIA and prominent Chinese automakers, such as Xpeng and GAC Aions Hyper brand, aimed at leveraging NVIDIAs expertise in autonomous driving technology.

The utilization of NVIDIAs Drive Thor technology by Chinese automakers underscores their concerted efforts to overcome global brand recognition barriers and expand their market presence beyond Chinas borders. With ambitions to penetrate European, Southeast Asian, and other international markets, BYD and its counterparts face stiff competition from established Western brands like Tesla, necessitating a strategic focus on technological innovation and advanced AI capabilities.

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Shapiro emphasized the favourable regulatory environment and the burgeoning culture of innovation within the Chinese automotive sector, attributing NVIDIAs growing partnerships with Chinese automakers to these conducive conditions. He highlighted the multitude of incentives driving Chinese automakers towards the development of increasingly sophisticated autonomous driving solutions.

In addition to its collaborations in the automotive sector, NVIDIA unveiled partnerships with leading players in the software and technology domains. A notable collaboration with U.S.-based software company Cerence aims to adapt large language model AI systems for in-car computing, paving the way for enhanced user experiences and functionality.

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Furthermore, NVIDIAs collaboration with Chinese computer manufacturer Lenovo signifies a concerted effort to deploy large language models in various industrial applications, demonstrating the versatility and breadth of NVIDIAs technological innovations.

Soundhound, another key partner, will leverage NVIDIAs technology to develop an in-vehicle voice command system, offering vehicle owners seamless access to information through intuitive speech commands, revolutionizing the automotive user experience.

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As NVIDIA continues to forge strategic alliances with global industry leaders, its commitment to driving innovation and shaping the future of automotive technology remains unwavering.
India will see the first made-in-India semiconductor by December 2024, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw declared today at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2024. He also revealed just how close the mission is to PM Modis vision of Viksit Bharat

With several chip manufacturers setting up shop and investing in India, Indian consumers will see the first made-in-India semicon chip as early as December 2024, said Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Mark your calendars  December 2024  thats when the market will see the first made-in-India semiconductor.

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was speaking at News18s Rising Bharat Summit 2024, where he spoke of Digital India, Indias semicon dreams and when will India finally arrive at the global stage of designing and making its own semiconductors.

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Intent and conviction in Indias manufacturing

As a nation, India has had several domestic semiconductor manufacturing units before, but they needed to grow more so that India could have a semicon industry of its own.

India has been trying to establish a semicon industry since 1962 but the reason why we failed was because those attempts lacked intent and did not have the right conviction, said Minister Vaishnaw. PM Modi brought that conviction and intent, he added.

Electronics manufacturing is a core element of the foundations of Viksit Bharat, and at its core, is India Semicon. From your TVs to the refrigerators, from your power electronics to the telecom machinery, from electronics in defence tech to the electronics in your car, semiconductors are at the core of it all.

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As far as the current government and its relation to semiconductors are concerned, it is PM Modis dream project. The intent and conviction that the Prime Minister has for this mission is unparalleled. No other Prime Minister has ever had this vision

India Semicon

Explaining just how essential India Semicon is to PM Modis vision of Viksit Bharat, minister Vaishnaw gave a few examples of how he conducts his meetings when it comes to semiconductors.

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Whenever we asked for a 30-45 minute meeting with the PM to discuss semiconductors, he would often be in those meetings for over 3 hours. He would discuss everything in great detail, often going through the agenda, line by line, he said.

PM Modi would also take every concerned department on board, would personally meet them and engage with them. He did not give us the option to fail  We have to succeed in making India a semiconductor-manufacturing hub he would say often, said the minister.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw claimed that Congress wasted the first 40 years independent India. Had the laid the foundations of the tech manufacturing sector properly, India would have been a major export hub a long time ago

While speaking at the News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2024, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw offered some strong rebuttals to the allegations levelled by the opposition. While doing so, the minister also tore into the opposition, claiming that Congress wasted the first forty years of India after its independence.

He further went on to say that right after Independence, Indias manufacturing and policies were very stifling. Minister Vaishnaw also showed how despite global headwinds, Indias manufacturing industry is growing, stronger by the day, and also creating massive employment opportunities.

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On Manufacturing vs Assembling

When confronted with the allegation that India isnt really manufacturing anything, but merely assembling things, Minister Vaishnaw explained how every industry has its own lifecycle and that the foundations of Indias manufacturing industry should have been laid down long ago.

Lets take the auto industry as an example. When the industry started in India in the mid-1980s. We first had CKDs or completely knocked-down units. Then we had SKDs or semi knocked-down units, the minister said.

We then slowly developed an ecosystem of different component manufacturers, which then grew over time. Slowly thereafter, we started exporting. It is a cycle and had the previous Congress governments laid down the foundation of all of this in the 1970s, India would have already been a major manufacturing destination, added Minister Vaishnaw.

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India lost its first four decades because of the Congress government and their policies that stifled Indias already frail manufacturing industry, the minister claimed. They had spun such an intricate web of laws, red tapes and regulations that even if someone had the means to set up a manufacturing unit, they couldnt, the minister claimed.

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Before the 1990s, the situation was so bad, that if a manufacturer wanted to change the design of a basic, simple component, like a door handle, you would have to take permission from an official of the Indian government, he continued.

India a major exporter of tech

Today, India stands at a juncture where the foundations upon which India wil be built as a manufacturing destination, has been laid down and in the next 5 years it will only grow, said Minister Vaishnaw

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Minister Vaishnaw then went on to show, how India is already becoming a manufacturing force to be reckoned on a global scale claiming, If we consider mobile manufacturing, it went fro ma negligible number to over USD 55 billion in the last 10 years. Similarly, electronics is seeing an output of $105 billion, and this is growing in double digits.

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In terms of exports too, India has grown significantly. In just a few years, Indias defence exports have grown to $2 billion. This, from a point in time where we did not have any serious equipment export, is a pretty significant development.

Similarly, Indias telecom manufacturers had exports worth $1 billion, and that number too, is quickly growing. It is hard to fathom this, but once, an industry veteran of the Indian telecom sector with experience of over 35 years they could have never imagined that India would have its own telecom manufacturing.

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Today, we are exporting all sorts of things, all over the world. Clearly, the opposition has no clue what they are talking about, he said.

On how the tech industry is creating jobs

When asked about the oppositions allegations that the growth that the government of India speak of is jobless, Minister Vaishnaw replied, Just look at the numbers from the EPFO. Factor in all those who have joined, those who have quit, and those who have rejoined the workforce after a hiatus  the net number of all these people, the total job opportunities was about 6,00,000 people per month a few years ago. 

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Today, on average that number stands at about 12,00,000 a month. Thats about 1.44 crore job opportunities. Ask the people from the opposition if these numbers are fudged in any way or form. Several economists have verified not only approved the methodology but also verified the numbers, he said.
North Coast Brewing Co. in Fort Bragg is reviving the Acme Beer label. A can of the new Acme lager, left, with an old can of Acme lager. Courtesy Paloma Michelsen

Before the Fritz Maytag era of Anchor Steam began, San Francisco had a different favorite beer: Acme.

Its building at Fulton and Webster streets was heralded as a jewel of industrial architecture. Its billboards were ubiquitous, and one particularly racy ad campaign became a minor local scandal. At its peak, Acme produced roughly 1 million barrels annually and rose to prominence as the leading brand of beer brewed in California, wrote Bill Yenne in Great American Beers: Twelve Brands that Became Icons (2004).

Since it went out of business in 1958, there have been multiple attempts to revive the Acme brand, to varying degrees of success. Now, the latest resurrection is taking place. A new iteration of Acme Beer begins rolling out in California stores this week, and this time around, its parent company believes its finally capturing the spirit and the charm of the original.

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There has been a huge push this time around to really reflect the history of the brand, said Jennifer Owen, CEO of North Coast Brewing Co. in Fort Bragg.

A Chronicle photo from Oct. 26, 1948, shows a new boom being delivered to one of the windmills in Golden Gate Park, with an Acme Beer billboard in the background. The Chronicle

This is not the first time that North Coast, maker of popular beers like Scrimshaw pilsner and Old Rasputin Russian imperial stout, has made a run with Acme. After acquiring the trademark in 1995, the brewery came out with Acme Pale Ale, Acme Brown Ale and Acme IPA  three styles of beer that were popular in the 90s but which the original Acme brewery never produced.

I think it was a mistake, said co-founder Mark Ruedrich of the decision to make those beer styles. North Coast discontinued the last of those erroneous Acmes in 2022.

Now, the brewery is launching a single, historically accurate product: a lager. This Acme Beer isnt an exact replica; the original almost certainly included corn, and probably used different hops. We use better malt than they did in those days, brewmaster Chuck Martins said. But the spirit is the same. As was typical of pre-Prohibition lagers, its fairly bitter, and at 4.4% its lighter than your standard modern lager.

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Still, Martins hopes that the appeal of such a beer is timeless. The goal, he said, was to make something that tastes good and is recognizable to anybody that drinks yellow beer. It will retail for $10.99 per six-pack.

An Acme Beer bottle from the 1940s. Courtesy William Yenne

In its heyday, Acme Beer was nothing if not recognizable. It was the beer, said Ruedrich. It blossomed in the years immediately following Prohibition, the golden age of the great regional brands, as Yenne put it in his book. But its story begins earlier.

In 1907, Leopold Schmidt, who owned Olympia Brewing Co. in Washington, opened the Acme brewery at 1401 Sansome St. near Telegraph Hill. Nine years later it merged with the National Brewery, a local outfit that had sprung up after the Civil War. Their timing was poor: The temperance movement was gaining ground, and by 1920, when Prohibition took effect, the companys two San Francisco plants had to shift to new activities like refining cereal grains and producing sub-1% near beer.

Yet Acme managed to survive, and as soon as Prohibition was repealed, it burgeoned into a California legend, wrote Yenne. In 1935, it opened a large facility in Los Angeles. Acme became one of the major beer suppliers to U.S. troops during World War II, according to Yenne.

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The closest rival Acme had was Lucky Lager, but according to Ruedrich, Acme retained about a 70% share of the California market.

It became really huge in that 1945-1955 era of mass advertising, said Yenne by phone from his home in San Francisco. There was a huge amount of money in California at the time, a very prosperous consumer base.

An Acme Beer ad appearing in the Sept. 23, 1949, edition of the Chronicle. The Chronicle

The key ad campaign began in 1950, with more than 200 billboards throughout California. Riffing on the Cole Porter song Lets Do It, in which it refers to falling in love, the Acme ads playfully asked, Do YOU do it? Billboards proclaimed that outfielders do it, left fielders do it, fly casters do it and welders do it. By the time the ads were suggesting that telephone girls do it, brazenly leaning into the double entendre, the Chronicle had to weigh in.

I seem to be obsessed with the billboard campaign, wrote columnist Bob de Roos on May 4, 1950. The telephone girl ads had made the telephone company executives writhe and groan, he said. Now the Acmes are hastily removing the telephone girl billboards.

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It was really the talk of the town, said Yenne of the ads.

But as with many of this eras popular regional beers, the heyday was soon to end. In the mid-50s, mega-size beer companies were going national. Pabst, Falstaff, Schlitz and Anhaueser-Busch all opened brewing facilities in California. Even a regional behemoth like Acme couldnt compete.

In fact, Acme fell sooner than many of the other regionals, like its rival Lucky Lager. Acme glowed more brightly than anybody else, Yenne said, but that glowing brightly was very short lived.

Acme sold to a New York beer company in 1954, then changed hands several more times. In 1987, a Santa Rosa brewery called Xcelsior acquired the rights to the Acme name, but Xcelsior was out of business by 1989.

Meanwhile, the Acme brewery, which some architects had hailed as the most beautiful industrial building in the world, according to Yenne, was destroyed and replaced by a freeway off-ramp.

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But Acme had lodged in the memory of at least a few nostalgic beer fans  Ruedrich and Allen, the North Coast Brewing co-founders, among them. The two began drinking it during the Xcelsior era. It was (Allens) fascination, said Martins, the brewmaster. He was always checking to see if the trademark had expired, and lo and behold, one day it was. Hed been chasing it that whole time.

North Coasts original run with Acme lasted 26 years. The packaging was retro, featuring an old-timey drawing of a woman swinging from a rope and the original brands signature red A, rendered in a Germanic-looking script. But the beers themselves were modern, a response to the contemporary craft beer drinkers taste for hoppy ales. In 2022, when North Coast discontinued Acme, it was because it saw an opportunity to introduce fresher-feeling IPAs, like the hazy IPA Foggy Day.

Will this new Acme revival have staying power? Its hard to say, said Yenne. One thing working in North Coasts favor: Craft beer drinkers are much more open to light lagers than they were just a few years ago.
In its yearly State of the Climate report, the World Meteorological Organization of the United Nations confirmed initial statistics suggesting that 2023 was by far the warmest year ever recorded

And by the end of 2023, more than 90 percent of the ocean had experienced heatwave conditions at some point during the year, the WMO said Image Courtesy Agencies

The UN said on Tuesday that temperatures throughout the world smashed records last year, and that 2023 will be the hottest decade ever as heatwaves threatened the oceans and glaciers lost unprecedented amounts of ice.

In its yearly State of the Climate report, the World Meteorological Organization of the United Nations confirmed initial statistics suggesting that 2023 was by far the warmest year ever recorded.

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The report should be seen as a red alert to the world, UN said.

And it came at the end of the warmest 10-year period on record, the WMO report said.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said the report showed a planet on the brink.

Earths issuing a distress call, he said, pointing out that fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts, and warning that changes are speeding up.

The WMO said the average near-surface temperature was 1.45 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels last year  dangerously close to the critical 1.5-degree threshold that countries agreed to avoid passing in the 2015 Paris climate accords.

Never have we been so close to the 1.5C lower limit of the Paris Agreement, WMO chief Andrea Celeste Saulo warned in a statement.

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The report, she said, should be seen as a red alert to the world.

Going through the data, the organisation found that records were once again broken, and in some cases smashed, warning that the numbers gave ominous new significance to the phrase off the charts.

Saulo stressed that climate change was about much more than temperatures.

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What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern.

One especially worrying finding was that marine heatwaves gripped nearly a third of the global ocean on an average day last year.

And by the end of 2023, more than 90 percent of the ocean had experienced heatwave conditions at some point during the year, the WMO said.

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More frequent and intense marine heatwaves will have profound negative repercussions for marine ecosystems and coral reefs, it warned.

At the same time, it warned that key glaciers worldwide suffered the largest loss of ice ever since records began in 1950, driven by extreme melt in both western North America and Europe.

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In Switzerland, where the WMO is headquartered, Alpine glaciers had for instance lost 10 percent of their remaining volume in the past two years alone, it said.

The Antarctic sea ice extent was also by far the lowest on record, WMO said.

In fact, it pointed out, its maximum extent at the end of the southern winter was around one million square kilometres below the previous record year  equivalent to the size of France and Germany combined.

The continued ocean warming combined with the rapidly melting glaciers and ice sheets also drove the sea level last year to its highest point since satellite records began in 1993, WMO said.

The agency stressed that the global mean sea level rise over the past decade (2014-2023) was more than double the rate in the first decade of satellite records.

It highlighted that the dramatic climate shifts are taking a heavy toll on people worldwide, fuelling extreme weather events, flooding and drought, which trigger displacement and drive up biodiversity loss and food insecurity.

The climate crisis is THE defining challenge that humanity faces and is closely intertwined with the inequality crisis, Saulo said.

The number of people who are considered acutely food insecure around the world has more than doubled, from 149 million people prior to the Covid-19 pandemic to 333 million at the end of 2023, WMO pointed out.

The UNs weather and climate agency did however highlight one glimmer of hope: surging renewable energy generation.

Last year, renewable energy generation capacity  mainly from solar, wind and hydropower  increased by nearly 50 percent from 2022, it said.

Guterres also emphasised that there was an upside to the findings.

The world, he insisted, still has a chance to keep the planets long-term temperature rise below the 1.5C threshold and avoid the worst of climate chaos.

According to the WMO study, it also occurred at the conclusion of the warmest 10-year period on record.

We know how to do it.

(With agency inputs)
At first, a document was posted next to a picture of King Charles on Russian internet channels, such as Readovka, a Telegram group that supports the Kremlin

The British Embassy in Ukraine released a statement declaring that King Charles is alive following a rush of false reports from Russian media Image Courtesy Reuters

Following reports in Russian media that King Charles had passed away, the British Embassy in Ukraine and Buckingham Palace were compelled to declare that the monarch was very much alive.

The Guardian claims that the rumor gained widespread attention online after being disseminated on a Telegram channel affiliated with Vedomosti, one of the most reputable newspapers in Russia. The words British King Charles III has died were written next to a picture of King Charles wearing a ceremonial military outfit. The story soon went widespread on Russian social media, raising doubts and creating panic before being swiftly disproved.

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At first, a document was posted next to a picture of King Charles on Russian internet channels, such as Readovka, a Telegram group that supports the Kremlin.

The following announcement is made by royal communications, it stated. The king unexpectedly passed away yesterday afternoon, the 18 March 2024 text said.

Nevertheless, the British Embassy in Ukraine released a statement declaring that King Charles is alive following a rush of false reports from Russian media. The embassy wrote: News about King Charles III death is fake in both Ukrainian and English.

In a further development, Buckingham Palace rejected the report as well. The Palace added, We are happy to confirm that The King is continuing with official and private business, in a statement to the state-run TASS news agency in Russia.

Notably, some major pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and mainstream Russian news sources reported incorrectly that King Charles had passed away. They did, however, eventually revise their accounts.

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The 75-year-old British king has been receiving cancer treatment at the time of the rumours of his demise. It also coincides with Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William, continuing to stoke rumors about her well-being after undergoing stomach surgery in January.

It all began with the uproar caused by the Palaces official release of altered images of Kate. After multiple news organizations reported that the image was altered, they later issued an order to destroy it. Since undergoing stomach surgery on January 16 to treat an undisclosed but non-cancerous ailment, Kate Middleton has not been sighted in public.

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She hasnt been seen since, with the exception of a few grainy photos, and in recent weeks, rumors and conjecture regarding her condition have taken the world by storm on social media.
Blinken is on a brief trip of Asia to bolster US assistance for regional allies against China. This is his second visit to the Philippine capital, Manila, since President Ferdinand Marcos assumed power in 2022

Following Secretary of State Antony Blinkens statement that Washington is committed to protecting the Philippines against armed assault in the disputed waterway, China declared on Tuesday that the United States has no right to meddle in the South China Sea.

The United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in maritime issues that are between China and the Philippines, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference in Beijing.

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Blinken is on a brief trip of Asia to bolster US assistance for regional allies against China. This is his second visit to the Philippine capital, Manila, since President Ferdinand Marcos assumed power in 2022.

Military cooperation between the US and the Philippines must not harm Chinas sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and still less be used to provide a platform for the Philippines illegal claims, Lin said in a response to a question on Blinkens earlier comments.

China will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea, he added.

Beijing has asserted its claim to nearly the whole South China Sea, which is an essential passageway for world trade. It has disregarded rival claims made by many Southeast Asian countries, such as the Philippines, and an international court that has deemed its position to be unfounded.
This move follows demonstrations across Cuba since Sunday, triggered by prolonged power outages and food scarcities, with protests reported in various locations including Santiago, the nations second largest city, as per state-controlled media outlets

Cubas foreign ministry announced the summoning of the top US diplomat stationed in the country for a meeting, citing concerns of US embassy interference in internal affairs and efforts to incite anti-government unrest.

This move follows demonstrations across Cuba since Sunday, triggered by prolonged power outages and food scarcities, with protests reported in various locations including Santiago, the nations second largest city, as per state-controlled media outlets.

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In response, the US government, via a statement on X, formerly Twitter, expressed its awareness of the protests and urged the Cuban authorities to uphold the human rights of demonstrators and attend to the genuine needs of the populace.

Those comments prompted Cubas foreign ministry to call charge daffaires Benjamin Ziff to a meeting with deputy foreign minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, who formally conveyed his firm rejection of the governments interventionist behaviour and slanderous messages, a statement from the ministry said.

A US State Department spokesman said it was absurd to suggest Washington was behind the protests.

The latest tiff between the two long-time foes underscores the still frosty relationship between Cuba and the United States, which has barely improved since Democratic US President Joe Biden took office in 2021.

Cubas foreign ministry on Monday repeated the communist-run governments long-standing accusation that a Cold War-era US embargo and other sanctions were seeking to impoverish Cubans and destabilise the country.

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Sundays protests, which were described as respectful by Cuban officials, marked the largest single night of confirmed protests since October 2022, when power across the island was cut for nearly a week in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

Protests are rare in Cuba, a country where authorities take a dim view of dissent.

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Cubas state-run newscast early on Monday showed posts from social media  including some from US members of Congress  about the demonstrations, and accused US-based agitators of seeking to confuse the situation or stoke anger by suggesting government repression or more widespread protests than was actually the case.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel also pointed a finger at Washington.

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Mediocre politicians and networked terrorists lined up from South Florida to heat up the streets of #Cuba with interventionist messages and calls for chaos. They were left wanting, Diaz-Canel said on X.

The Caribbean island nation appeared quiet on Monday, although the government said it expected blackouts to remain acute through the week, with electricity generation meeting only around two-thirds of demand.

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With inputs from Reuters
Analysts see no immediate prospect of negotiations to find a breakthrough in the Ukraine war, with Russias Vladimir Putin emboldened by the erosion of Western support for Kyiv  while Ukraine is determined to keep fighting to recapture territory

Head of the major left-wing party in the EU has backed Pope Francis contentious demand for Kyiv to fly the white flag, saying its time to negotiate an end to Russias conflict in Ukraine.

I believe helping the Ukrainian people means now making attempts to end the war, said Walter Baier, the 70-year-old Austrian picked last month by the Party of the European Left as its candidate to head the next European Commission.

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In Junes European elections, Baier emphasised that his party, which has 26 full members, including the Communists of France, Greeces Syriza, and Germanys Die Linke, had absolutely condemned the Russian aggression in its programme.

However, he said that a new strategy was needed due to the conflicts frozen fronts in a joint interview that was conducted on Monday with the European Newsroom, which unites news organisations including AFP.

I would wish from the European Union to take diplomatic efforts to start negotiations to achieve a ceasefire and to achieve the withdrawal of the Russian troops, Baier said.

In this regard, I fully support what Pope Francis was saying. Now its the time to end the war, and now its the time to negotiate and stop killing, said the former head of Austrias communist party.

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In an interview broadcast earlier this month, the Argentine pontiff urged Kyiv, which has been fighting invading Russian forces for more than two years, to raise the white flag and negotiate.

The Ukrainian government reacted with fury, even while the Vatican insisted the words white flag were intended to mean a cessation of hostilities, not a surrender.

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Analysts see no immediate prospect of negotiations to find a breakthrough in the Ukraine war, with Russias Vladimir Putin emboldened by the erosion of Western support for Kyiv  while Ukraine is determined to keep fighting to recapture territory.

The Party of the European Left is the larger of two leftist formations in the European Parliament  along with Now the People whose members include Spains Podemos and France Unbowed.

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Both are part of the 37-strong group of lawmakers called The Left in the EU parliament  where polls point to a surge by far-right movements following Junes vote across the 27-nation bloc.

The EU parliament currently has 705 seats, which will increase to 720 seats after the 2024 elections.
Details regarding the passengers identity and the underlying reasons for the attempted suicide remain undisclosed. However, onboard crew members, assisted by a physician among the passengers, administered initial medical assistance to the individual

An EVA Air flight, designated as BR67, en route from Bangkok to London, underwent an emergency landing at Heathrow Airport last Friday after a passenger allegedly attempted suicide inside the aircrafts restroom, as per reports.

During the descent phase, cabin crew members discovered the passengers presence in the lavatory, prompting concern. Upon investigation, the crew found the individual in a condition indicative of a potential suicide attempt.

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Details regarding the passengers identity and the underlying reasons for the attempted suicide remain undisclosed. However, onboard crew members, assisted by a physician among the passengers, administered initial medical assistance to the individual.

The aircraft safely landed at approximately 7:30 pm local time, with medical personnel prepared to transfer the passenger to a nearby hospital. As of now, there have been no updates regarding the passengers condition.

While EVA Air confirmed the occurrence of the incident, the airline has refrained from providing additional information or responding to inquiries for comment.

This incident follows a similar occurrence earlier this year, involving a Ryanair flight in January. During a journey from the UK to Spain, the flight diverted to Portugal due to a disturbance onboard. Allegedly, a group of intoxicated individuals was harassing female passengers, prompting intervention from flight attendants.

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The situation escalated when a flight attendant was reportedly rendered unconscious by the unruly passengers, leading the captain to issue a warning and divert the flight for safety reasons.

Despite the captains admonition, the disruptive behavior persisted for approximately 20 minutes before the flight made an unscheduled landing in Portugal to address the situation.
Each family recounted being urged to provide a minimum of 200 (170), pledging revelations about their relatives whereabouts. One individual claimed assurances of receiving photographs of their loved ones remains at a police morgue

Migrants families fleeced of hundreds for info on loved ones in Europe

Relatives of migrants who went missing during the perilous journey from Africa to Europe have revealed they were asked to pay for hundreds of euros in exchange for information regarding their loved ones fate.

Talking to British Media house The Guardians, three families disclosed their prolonged quests for missing kin, during which they engaged with individuals purportedly affiliated with an NGO in southern Spain, offering assistance.

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Each family recounted being urged to provide a minimum of 200 (170), pledging revelations about their relatives whereabouts. One individual claimed assurances of receiving photographs of their loved ones remains at a police morgue. Nonetheless, none of the families complied with the demands.

For the brother of a migrant who departed from Algeria in 2021, the 200 request followed revelations that the vessel carrying his sibling was relocated due to alleged hazardous contents. The stipulated sum was purportedly necessary to obtain details about the detention facility where his brother was allegedly held captive.

Lamenting the lack of aid from authorities, he highlighted the vulnerability exploited by opportunistic individuals, stating, After three years, we havent had any news. We just want to know where he is.

The individuals implicated in these incidents, along with the associated NGO, declined to respond to inquiries from the Guardian. However, the NGO released a statement on social media refuting allegations of misconduct and affirming its commitment to the families trust.

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Spanish authorities announced the arrest of 14 individuals accused of exploiting the grief of families whose relatives perished while attempting to reach Spain via small boats.

According to police, the suspects employed social media to offer false information to families, capitalizing on their anguish for financial gain. Allegations include fraud, forgery of official documents, and mistreatment of the deceased.

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The suspects purportedly collaborated with public employees from forensic institutes in southern Spain, facilitating the photographing of migrant bodies. These images were allegedly employed to coerce families into signing repatriation contracts with specific funeral homes.

Despite these developments, some families have not been contacted by law enforcement. Organisations aiding families of missing migrants advocate for the establishment of dedicated support mechanisms, citing the prevalence of scams due to the existing legal vacuum.

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Maria Ouko, a volunteer assisting families in Algeria, emphasized the urgent need for institutional support, asserting, There are no institutions that offer clear support to families looking for their missing people. So there are scams, theres everything.
After debating the bill, the lawmakers voted by 42 to four to send it to a parliamentary committee for review, the parliaments speaker said

Supporters of a bill aimed at decriminalizing female genital mutilation demonstrate as parliament debates the bill in Banjul, Gambia. Reuters

Legislators in Gambia discussed on Monday whether to remove the prohibition on female genital mutilation, which has become more common in recent years despite protests by activists to stop the practice.

Female genital mutilation, or FGM, is punishable by severe fines and jail terms in this small West African country as of 2015.

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According to the World Health Organisation, there are no health advantages to the procedure, and it can cause severe bleeding, shock, psychological issues, and even death.

The repeal measure was introduced by legislator Almameh Gibba earlier this month. According to Gibba, the restriction infringes on citizens rights to practise their culture and religion. The majority of the population of Gambia is Muslim.

The Gambia will be the first nation to lift its prohibition on FGM if the measure is approved.

After debating the bill, the lawmakers voted by 42 to four to send it to a parliamentary committee for review, the parliaments speaker said.

The committee can make amendments to the bill and is expected to send it back to the national assembly for a vote, a routine procedure which usually takes at least 3 months.

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FGM on the rise

The number of women and girls who have undergone FGM worldwide has increased to 230 million from 200 million eight years ago, the United Nations Childrens Fund reported earlier this month.

It said the largest share of those women and girls were found in African countries, with over 144 million cases, followed by over 80 million in Asia and over 6 million in the Middle East.

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Advocacy group Equality Now said criminalisation was a crucial step in the fight against female circumcision, though it noted that more than half of the 92 countries where FGM is practised have laws banning it.

The prevalence of FGM among girls in Gambia has fallen precipitously since its ban was enacted, according to U.N. figures.

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If the law is reversed in Gambia, there is a risk that the advocacy efforts in subsequent countries  will fail or go back, said Caroline Lagat, a programme officer at Equality Now.

Gambias ban, adopted under autocratic ex-president Yahya Jammeh, has faced pushback, particularly since President Adama Barrow came to power in 2017.

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Three women were fined last August for carrying out FGM on eight infant girls, becoming the first people convicted under the law.

Gambias Supreme Islamic Council responded to the verdict by saying female circumcision was one of the virtues of Islam.

Members of parliament have come out both in favour of and against the bill.

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Jaha Dukureh, an anti-FGM campaigner in Gambia, said she was confident the bill would be voted down but that activists like herself faced an uphill battle.

Michele Eken, a senior researcher at Amnesty International in Dakar, said reversing the ban on FGM would set a worrisome precedent.

It will simply will be disastrous for womens rights, not only in Gambia, but in the region, she said. If this is passed, then whats next?
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated earlier on Tuesday that severe levels of acute food insecurity affect the entire Gaza population, highlighting the critical need to increase the flow of humanitarian supplies into the Palestinian enclave

Israel may be using forced starvation as a weapon of war with to its harsh restrictions on supplies entering Gaza and its continued conflicts, the UN said on Tuesday.

The extent of Israels continued restrictions on entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which he continues to conduct hostilities may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime, UN rights office spokesman Jeremy Laurence told reporters in Geneva, adding that the final determination of whether starvation is being used as a weapon of war would be determined by a court of law.

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated earlier on Tuesday that severe levels of acute food insecurity affect the entire Gaza population, highlighting the critical need to increase the flow of humanitarian supplies into the Palestinian enclave.

According to the most respected measure of these things, 100 percent of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. Thats the first time an entire population has been so classified, Blinken told a press conference in the Philippines where he is on an official visit.

On the eve of his imminent trip to the Middle Eastthis time to Saudi Arabia and EgyptBlinken made his comments regarding efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza and increase relief deliveries.

According to a food security assessment supported by the UN, half of Gazans are suffering from catastrophic hunger, and if immediate action is not taken, famine is expected to strike the northern part of the enclave by May.

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According to UN humanitarian director Martin Griffiths, there is no time to lose and Israel must provide unrestricted supplies to reach the beleaguered Palestinian region.

On October 7, Hamas launched an unprecedented onslaught on Israel, sparking the worst Gaza conflict to date. Israel retaliated in the Palestinian region controlled by Hamas with an unrelenting air campaign and ground invasion.

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The UN has been warning for weeks that a famine is imminent as relief organizations report enormous difficulty entering Gaza, especially the northern half of the territory.
Residents reported that armed men dressed in army uniforms entered the area unobserved because they had parked their motorcycles distant from the settlement

In two weekend raids in Kaduna state, gunmen in Nigeria abducted almost 100 people, including women and children, locals and police said on Monday.

In Nigeria, particularly in the north, kidnappings by criminal groups seeking ransom have become nearly regular occurrences, and the government dont appear to be able to stop them.

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The incident in Kajuru Station village on Sunday night was verified by Kaduna police spokesperson Mansur Hassan, but he was unable to provide an estimate of the number of people missing. He claimed that in order to save the locals, security personnel had been sent in.

According to village chief Tanko Wada Sarkin, 87 persons were abducted.

We have so far recorded the return of five people back home who fled through the bush. This attack makes it five times that these bandits are attacking this community, he told Reuters by phone.

Residents reported that armed men dressed in army uniforms entered the area unobserved because they had parked their motorcycles distant from the settlement.

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Another resident, Aruwa Yau, claimed he was apprehended but freed by the gunmen since he was unable to walk owing to his ill condition. He was being treated at a local government facility, he explained.

Gunmen are known to force-march their victims deep into the woods, detaining them for up to months while demanding ransom payments.

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The abductions came after an armed group kidnapped 286 pupils and staff from a school in Kuriga, Kaduna state, in early March, and 61 individuals were kidnapped on March 12 in the Buda town.

In Dogon Noma, another community in Kajuru local government area, gunmen abducted 16 people from their homes in an attack on Saturday night, residents said.

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Local resident Daniel Shamang said they had not heard anything from the abductors or the missing villagers.

Kidnappings at schools in Nigeria were first carried out by jihadist group Boko Haram, who seized more than 200 students from a girls school in Chibok in Borno state a decade ago.

But the tactic has since been adopted by criminal gangs without any ideological affiliation seeking ransom payments.

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The kidnappings are tearing apart families and communities who have to pool their savings to pay the ransoms, often forcing them to sell prized possessions like land, cattle and grain to secure the release of captured loved ones.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins speaks to members of the community at a Public Safety Town Hall at St. Anthony's Foundation in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, August 3, 2023. Jungho Kim/Special to the Chronicle 2023

Regarding DA Jenkins says victim denied justice in probation for S.F. stabbing of 94-year-old (Crime, SFChronicle.com, March 17): San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins is again blaming judges and misleading the public just like she did in the recent challenge against two Superior Court judges, who fortunately were reelected.

Jenkins failed to mention that the defendant in the stabbing case has an extensive history of serious mental illness and that he waived over three years credit for the time he did in custody awaiting trial. He had credit for six years against an eventual sentence. The District Attorneys Office requested 12 years, which would leave six years for the defendant to serve and with additional good time credit, less than six years.

No one receives mental health treatment in prison, and he would have been released in a worse condition than that which led to the stabbing. With the five years of probation and supervised behavioral and mental health treatment that the court imposed, the defendant will finally get the help that he desperately needs, which will ensure the publics safety.

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I commend the sentencing judge for her wisdom and courage.

Ellen Chaitin, retired Superior Court judge, San Francisco

Naloxone saves lives

Regarding A new overdose reversal treatment could save lives. Why isnt California taking advantage? (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, March 4): Despite what the op-ed says, naloxone remains an effective antidote for reversing an opioid overdose and any claim to the contrary is dangerous  especially if it discourages people from carrying it or using it during an emergency.

Nationwide, people are dying at a staggering rate due to fentanyl and many more would be dead if not for naloxone (also known as Narcan).

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When given in a timely manner, naloxone works. Thousands of doses are used across the country every day to save lives. The San Francisco Department of Public Health and its many dedicated partners distributed more than 124,000 naloxone kits in 2023.

Science tells us that higher doses and longer-acting reversal medications such as nalmefene worsen the profound discomfort of opioid withdrawal that results from an overdose reversal.

When naloxone appears ineffective, its likely because drugs that are not reversed by naloxone are involved or it was given too late. If a persons breathing and heart have stopped for a period of time, no medication will revive them.

How much naloxone is administered is less important than how quickly it is given. Carry naloxone and get trained on how to use it to reverse a fentanyl overdose  every life is worth saving.

Hillary Kunins, director of behavioral health services and mental health, San Francisco Department of Public Health

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Preserve neighborhoods

Regarding S.F. Mayor Breed vetoes legislation she calls anti-housing from supervisor expected to run against her (San Francisco, SFChronicle.com, March 14): Thank you to Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin and the seven other supervisors who supported the legislation to protect three historic districts in northeast San Francisco.

Peskin is right that we can  and should  be both pro-neighborhood and pro-housing. Thats smart planning. To see for yourself how critical it is to preserve neighborhood character, stroll charming Fillmore Street from Jackson to Geary, then compare that to Fillmore Street south of Geary, which was forever altered by urban renewal in the 1960s. The difference is shocking.

The importance of neighborhood preservation is clear, and thats just a single example. I am optimistic that eight supervisors can override Mayor London Breeds veto within the 30-day timeframe.

Richard Kurylo, San Francisco

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Keep voice of Giants

Regarding Giants and longtime Oracle Park PA announcer Renel Brooks-Moon part ways (Giants, SFChronicle.com, March 18): I read with disbelief that the San Francisco Giants were parting ways with public address announcer Renel Brooks-Moon.

I held my nose when Giants management let Brandon Crawford go to the Cardinals after his illustrious career in San Francisco. Not rehiring Brooks-Moon is the final straw. She is the voice of the Giants and should be given anything she wants to remain.

As a longtime fan, I feel completely ignored by those running the Giants.

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Gunfire and looting were reported by Haitians in the nearby area of Laboule. Later, the streets around Petion-Ville were completely deserted

A woman is comforted by others at a crime scene where the bodies of several people, who had been shot dead earlier in the morning amid an escalation in gang violence, were being removed by an ambulance, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. REUTERS.

At least 12 people were killed and their bullet-ridden bodies lay in the street in upscale Petion-Ville on the outskirts of Haitis capital Port-au-Prince as the violence in the Caribbean nation intensifies.

Also, there were reports of gangs looting homes, forcing residents to flee. The EDH electricity service said several stations had been attacked and that electrical equipment including cables, inverters, batteries and documents were stolen.

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Gangs tighten grip in Haiti

Armed gangs, who have been increasing their might in recent years, took advantage of the absence of Prime Minister Ariel Henry earlier this month to escalate violence, attacking infrastructure including police stations and government offices.

On Monday, gunfire and looting were also reported by Haitians in the nearby area of Laboule. Later, the streets around Petion-Ville were completely deserted.

Under international pressure, Henry announced his resignation pending the appointment of a council and temporary replacement a week and is stranded in Puerto Rico. The transition council has yet to be appointed amid disagreements by some of the groups putting forward representatives.

UNICEFs executive director, Catherine Russell, called the situation in Haiti horrific and likened the lawlessness to the post-apocalyptic film, Mad Max.

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When Haiti will finalise councils membership?

As per the US State Department spokesperson, the councils membership in Haiti could be finalised very soon.

According to reports in local media, Haitis Catholic Church would not participate in the council in order to maintain a moral distance, although it was quoted as saying it hoped all sectors would seek a resolution to the crisis.

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Leaders of the armed groups who have long sought to oust Henry have warned of a battle for Haiti and threatened politicians who join the transition council.

People of Haiti face brunt of gang war

Residents of Haiti are facing worsening shortages of food and medical care as shipping firms have changed routes.

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UN childrens agency UNICEF, over the weekend, said one of its containers of essential items for maternal, neo-natal and childcare was stolen from Haitis main port.

Due to rising insecurity, the international presence in Haiti has also declined.

The United Nations and the US and Canadian embassies have withdrawn staff this month.

Over the weekend, the Dominican Republic - which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti - evacuated dozens of its citizens by helicopter, while the Philippines PNA state news agency said it would repatriate at least 63 of 115 nationals and was looking for options such as chartering a flight. Commercial flights have been suspended.

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Around 17,000 people left the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area last week, according to U.N. estimates. Many of those had already been displaced.

Neighboring countries have been bolstering their borders. Plans for an international intervention, which Haitis government requested in 2022 and was ratified by the UN nearly six months ago, remain on hold.

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With inputs from Reuters
In recent weeks, Pashinyan has made it clear that he is prepared to give the villages back to Azerbaijan. These towns are crucial to Yerevan because they are in charge of the key route that leads north to the Georgian border

Nikol Pashinyan, the prime minister of Armenia, warned that if Baku is not persuaded to return some strategically important Azerbaijani provinces that Armenia has ruled since the early 1990s, Armenia may be headed for war.

Pashinyan was speaking on Monday during a meeting with people who live near a series of abandoned Azerbaijani villages that Yerevan has been in charge of since the early 1990s, when the conflict between the two nations began. The gathering took place in the Tavush region of northern Armenia.

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TASS quoted Pashinyan as saying in a video of the meeting circulated by his government: Now we can leave here, lets go and tell [Azerbaijan> that no, we are not going to do anything. This means that at the end of the week a war will begin.

In recent weeks, Pashinyan has made it clear that he is prepared to give the villages back to Azerbaijan. These towns are crucial to Yerevan because they are in charge of the key route that leads north to the Georgian border.

Azerbaijan, which retook the province of Nagorno-Karabakh in September, has stated that the restoration of its lands is an essential prerequisite for a peace agreement to end three decades of fighting over the area.

The two parties have stated their desire to sign an official peace treaty, but negotiations have stalled on a number of problems, including where to draw the border between their militarily active and closed 1000 km (620 mi) borders.

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Both Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to occupy lands that are internationally recognised as part of the others territory.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev have said that they are now closer to signing a comprehensive peace deal than ever before

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev have said that they are close to signing a peace deal. Sources: Reuters

Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of the North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), on Tuesday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a peace agreement. Armenia and Azerbaijan have an opportunity to achieve an enduring peace, Stoltenberg said during a press conference in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

Recently, the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev have said that they are now closer to signing a comprehensive peace deal than they have been ever before.

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Heres a look at what the two nations conflict is about, and what the peace treaty may entail.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Armenia and Azerbaijans issue concerns a mountainous region called Nagorno-Karabakh. Until September 2023, the area was inhabited by ethnic Armenians, but recognised as a territory of Azerbaijan. Heres what happened:

Around the end of the Cold War during 1990-91, Armenia and Azerbaijan declared independence from the erstwhile Soviet Union. Nagorno-Karabakh announced its secession from Azerbaijan a year later after a contested referendum That led to the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. The bloodshed lasted 2 years, claiming the lives of 20,000-30,000 people and displacing around one million more The 1994 Russian-brokered ceasefire put a temporary stop to the hostilities. It also left Armenia in de facto control of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjoining regions around one-sixth of the Azerbaijani territory In September 2020, war broke out once again, this time killing 6,000 troops. During the 44-days-long combat, Azerbaijan regained control of most of the seven districts. Armenia had kept these under control for more than two decades On September 19, Azerbaijan carried out a lightning offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh. More than one hundred thousand people, almost all of Nagorno-Karabakhs population, fled to Armenia in one week. The ethnic Armenian enclave was dissolved on January 1, 2024

Since then, the focus has been on Yerevan and Baku signing a comprehensive peace treaty.

What could be a part of the Peace treaty

So far, Azerbaijan and Armenia have reportedly exchanged as many as seven draft peace agreements. Based on speeches and comments of President Aliyev, Elchin Amirbayov, the Azerbaijani presidents representative on special assignments, and European Council President Charles Michel who has been mediating EU-led negotiations, heres a list of key points in the peace treaty:

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Territorial sovereignty: Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are expected to focus on the mutual respect for each others territorial integrity and sovereignty. The peace deal may also include a mention of the square kilometres of area under each country Delimitation of borders: The delimitation of the borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan has never been done before. The border demarcation issue, however, may be settled later since it is a complex problem. The delimitation may or may not happen on the basis of the Almaty Declaration of 1991 Communication and connectivity: For the past three decades, the two countries have been without connection, in the words of Amirbayov. Opening communication routes, and developing connectivity based on the principles of sovereignty and reciprocity is considered crucial for lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan Return of certain areas to Azerbaijan: Pashinyan recently said that Armenia may face a war with Azerbaijan if it does not compromise with Baku on returning some strategic Azerbaijani territories that Armenia has controlled since the early 1990s. Azerbaijan has said that the return of its lands is necessary for a peace deal Return of refugees: The return of refugees and internally displaced people to their homes, as well as some level of demilitarisation may be part of the peace treaty

With inputs from agencies
The White House reports that the decision to undertake discussions over Rafah coincided with Biden and Netanyahus first conversation in over a month, during which they discussed the growing gulf between allies over Israels actions during the war and the Gaza food crisis

Biden and Netanyahu spoke Monday, March 18, in their first interaction in more than a month as the divide has grown between allies over food crisis in Gaza, conduct of war. AP

As both sides seek to make clear to the other its perspective, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided on Monday to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss a potential Rafah operation with Biden administration officials, according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.

The White House reports that the decision to undertake discussions over Rafah coincided with Biden and Netanyahus first conversation in over a month, during which they discussed the growing gulf between allies over Israels actions during the war and the Gaza food crisis. The discussions, according to Sullivan, are anticipated to include military, intelligence, and humanitarian specialists and will take place in the next several days.

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Regarding Netanyahus proposal to launch an operation in the southern city of Rafah, where about 1.5 million displaced Palestinians are seeking refuge, the White House has expressed scepticism. Israel wants to destroy Hamas in the wake of the terrorist organizations horrific strike on October 7.

According to Sullivan, Biden pressed Netanyahu not to conduct a Rafah operation during the call. At the coming talks, he said U.S. officials will lay out an alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion.

The president has rejected, and did again today, the straw man that raising questions about Rafah is the same as raising questions about defeating Hamas, Sullivan said. Thats just nonsense. Our position is that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation there would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally.

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The call comes after Republicans in Washington and Israeli officials were quick to express outrage after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sharply criticized Netanyahus handling of the war in Gaza and called for Israel to hold new elections. They accused the Democratic leader of breaking the unwritten rule against interfering in a close allys electoral politics.

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Biden hasnt endorsed Schumers call for election but said he thought he gave a good speech that reflected the concerns of many Americans. Netanyahu raised concerns about the calls by Schumer for new elections, Sullivan said.

Biden administration officials have warned that they would not support an operation in Rafah without the Israelis presenting a credible plan to ensure the safety of innocent Palestinian civilians. Israel has yet to present such a plan, according to White House officials.

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Netanyahu in a statement after the call made no direct mention of the tension.

We discussed the latest developments in the war, including Israels commitment to achieving all of the wars goals: Eliminating Hamas, freeing all of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza never (again) constitutes a threat to Israel  while providing the necessary humanitarian aid that will assist in achieving these goals, Netanyahu said.

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The Biden-Netanyahu call also came as a new report warned that famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where 70% of the remaining population is experiencing catastrophic hunger, and that a further escalation of the war could push around half of Gazas population to the brink of starvation. The report came from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a partnership of more than a dozen governments, U.N. aid and other agencies that determines the severity of food crises.

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Netanyahu lashed out against the American criticism on Sunday, describing calls for a new election as wholly inappropriate.

Netanyahu told Fox News Channel that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and he denounced Schumers comments as inappropriate.

Were not a banana republic, he said. The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who theyll elect, and its not something that will be foisted on us.

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Even as they express frustration about aspects of the Israeli operations, the White House acknowledges that Israel has made significant progress in degrading Hamas. And Sullivan revealed on Monday that an Israeli operation last week killed Hamas third in command, Marwan Issa.

The president told the prime minister again today that we share the goal of defeating Hamas, but we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen, Sullivan said.

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Biden after his State of the Union address earlier this month was caught on a hot mic telling a Democratic ally that he has told Netanyahu they would have a come to Jesus meeting over the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. His frustration with Netanyahus prosecution of the war was also on display in a recent MSNBC interview, in which he asserted Netanyahu was hurting Israel.

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He has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas, Biden said of Netanyahu in the MSNBC interview. But he must, he must, he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken. Hes hurting  in my view, hes hurting Israel more than helping Israel.

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The president announced during his State of the Union address that the U.S. military would help establish a temporary pier aimed at boosting the amount of aid getting into the territory. The U.S. military has also been air-dropping aid into Gaza.

The Biden administration resorted to the unusual workarounds after months of appealing to Israel, a top recipient of military aid, to step up access and protection for trucks bearing humanitarian goods for Gaza.

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The five-month war was triggered after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in a surprise attack, rampaging through communities, killing some 1,200 people  mostly civilians  and taking around 250 hostages.

Israel responded with one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns in recent history. The war has killed over 31,000 Palestinians, according to Gazas Health Ministry. Around 80% of Gazas population of 2.3 million have fled their homes, and a quarter of the population faces starvation.
The Islamabad police filed separate cases on May 27, 2022, alleging arson and vandalism in the federal capital the previous day against 150 people, including Imran Khan, the then-chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and fellow party leaders Asad Umar and Asad Qaiser

In May 2022, Imran Khan launched a march towards Islamabad to topple the coalition government that assumed power after he was ousted as the premier following a vote of no confidence Image Courtesy Reuters

Imran Khan, the former prime minister of Pakistan, was relieved to learn on Tuesday that he had been found not guilty in two counts of long march vandalism.

According to The Express Tribune, the Islamabad police filed separate cases on May 27, 2022, alleging arson and vandalism in the federal capital the previous day against 150 people, including Imran Khan, the then-chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and fellow party leaders Asad Umar and Asad Qaiser.

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Shaista Kundi, the judicial magistrate, pronounced the verdict that was reserved earlier in the day. Nonetheless, the motion to call the PTI founder into court was denied by the judge.

The news daily from Pakistan stated that Imran Khans attorney, Naeem Panjotha, stated during the hearing that all allegations against the former PM were restricted to notification.

In one day, he had several identical instances booked. An SHO is the complainant in this instance, but he lacks the right to file a complaint. He also stated that witness statements are not included in the case.

The judge asked the lawyer if Imran Kahn had ever been found not guilty in any previous trials, and the lawyer replied in the positive.

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The police stations in Sahala and Lohi Bhair received the complaints against the former premier.

In the case filed against the PTI founder and others, the footage of the Safe City cameras as well as those from private TV news channels were included in the challans of the cases as evidence. At least 39 people were taken into custody after identification from the footage.

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Two FIRs were registered at Kohsar police station over the complaint of sub-inspector Asif Raza and sub-inspector Ghulam Sarwar under Sections 109 (abetment), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public service), 188 (disobedience), 353 (assault on public servant), 427 (causing damage) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

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Sub-inspector Raza stated in his FIR that he was patrolling with his other police personnel near Jinnah Avenues China Chowk when, at 11 PM, around 100-150 people with PTI flags suddenly moved towards Express Chowk. He added that the police tried to stop the PTI supporters due to the imposition of Section 144 in Islamabad but they did not listen and instead pelted stones at the police officers and also set fire to trees, The Express Tribune reported.

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The SI said 36 individuals, acting at the behest of Imran and other PTI leadership, were brought under control..

In May 2022, Imran Khan launched a march towards Islamabad to topple the coalition government that assumed power after he was ousted as the premier following a vote of no confidence.

The rally was part of the PTIs struggle to achieve real freedom and deliver the nation from the slavery of the US-backed coalition government, The Express Tribune reported.

Imran Khan accused the coalition government of being an imported government that came to power through a US-backed conspiracy.

(With agency inputs)
The two brothers were labeled proclaimed offenders in 2018 when they declined to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureaus (NAB) investigation into the Avenfield Apartment, Al-Azizia, and Flagship Investment cases

The accountability court heard the acquittal plea on Tuesday. Following the hearing, Judge Nasir Javed Rana found the two not guilty in any of the three instances Image Courtesy Agencies

The two sons of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif were cleared by a Pakistani anti-corruption court on Tuesday in three instances involving allegations of corruption, thereby resolving the former prime leaders familys legal issues.

In 2018, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz were linked to the Panama Papers corruption cases in Avenfield, Flagship, and Al-Azizia.

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The two brothers were labeled proclaimed offenders in 2018 when they declined to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureaus (NAB) investigation into the Avenfield Apartment, Al-Azizia, and Flagship Investment cases.

Their father Sharif, the primary accused, was found guilty in the Avenfiled and Al-Azizia corruption cases but found not guilty in the Flagship case, therefore their trials were not held because they were abroad.

After completing his nearly four-year self-exile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and three-time prime minister Sharif returned to his home country of Pakistan in October of last year. In both cases, he contested his conviction, and the Islamabad High Court cleared him. His sons felt empowered by this to come back from London and confront the accusations.

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After the court deferred their status as absconders until their final appearance before the court on March 14 and their release on bail, they returned on March 12.

After the primary accused was found not guilty, they had also requested that the court clear them.

The accountability court heard the acquittal plea on Tuesday. Following the hearing, Judge Nasir Javed Rana found the two not guilty in any of the three instances.

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The same court had earlier issued a significant reprieve for Sharifs sons, rescinding its previous ruling designating them as proclaimed offenders and removing the warrants for their permanent detention.

With his two sons acquittal on Tuesday, the cases against him and his family members that began in 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him have now concluded, clearing Nawaz Sharif and his whole family.
The semiconductor industry in the Philippines can be a lynchpin for several goals that the US in pursuing in the Southeast Asian region, especially with reference to China

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday arrived in the Philippines. One of the first things he did is head to the facility of a semiconductor packaging, design, and testing services provider company, Amkor Technology.

Theres a long-standing partnership between the United States and the Philippines when it comes to semiconductors. We have companies that have been here, working here, investing here, for many, many years[>We continue to look for ways to strengthen even more the partnership between our countries. The Chips (and Science) Act has significant funds the State Department is responsible for, to make further investments in partner countries to build their capacities, he said.

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That is a calculated move on the part of the US.

Two birds with one stone for the US

Blinkens meeting with Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo is about deepening the US ties with the Philippines, a key ally of Washington. Simultaneously, it is also about countering the influence China has over the country owing to its economic engagement with Manila.

The semiconductor industry in the Philippines can be a lynchpin for not just these goals, but also serve the US well in securing its supply chain for various industries that rely on chips.

Greater economic integration to counter China

The US push for greater investment in the semiconductor industry in the Philippines comes after multiple warnings from government officials and analysts. They have pointed out that the US is missing from regional trade deals, while China is aggressively forging ahead with them.

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No wonder Washington is having a hard time countering Beijings deep influence in Southeast Asia, where the economies of several nations are deeply intertwined with that of China. There are calls for Washington to ramp up its economic engagement and military and security co-operation with its allies in Asia to match up.

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Securing US chips supply chain

Under President Joe Biden, the US government has been trying to diversify its supplier base for semiconductors, and reduce its dependence on a handful of producer nations in Asia.

That attempt has become even more important in light of the China-Taiwan tensions escalating.

The self-governing island territory of Taiwan, which China claims as its own, is home to the worlds largest semiconductor manufacturer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC). Along with South Korea, Taiwan produces most of the worlds most advanced semiconductors. In contrast, mainland China supplies a significant number of more mature legacy chips.

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Why focus on the Philippines?

The electronics sector has played a vital role in the Philippine economy since the 1970s and serves as the backbone of the countrys export industry. Although the Philippines isnt the leading exporter of any particular semiconductor product category, it is renowned for having a substantial number of semiconductor assembly and testing facilities.

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The country has 13 back-end semiconductor plants that specialise in assembling, testing and packaging chips that are manufactured elsewhere.

The US ongoing efforts

Just a week ago, the US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo has called for doubling the capacity the Philippines currently has. That appeal came at the heel of 22 US-headquartered companies like Microsoft and Unite Airlines pledging fresh investment worth $1 billion in the country.

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The Philippines is one of the six nations that US will be supporting under the CHIPS Act. Last month, it was announced that the US International Development Finance Corporation would establish a more permanent presence in the Philippines. This came with the announcement of both the nations forging a strategic collaboration in the semiconductors space.

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With inputs from agencies
Following a hearing on potential fines against her for sharing private emails from Dominion Voting Systemsthe subject of hoaxes regarding the defeat of former President Donald Trump in the 2020 electionStefanie Lambert was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals

Following a hearing in a different case in federal court in Washington, D.C., an attorney who is charged with a crime for using unauthorised access to Michigan voting equipment following the 2020 election was taken into custody on Monday.

Following a hearing on potential fines against her for sharing private emails from Dominion Voting Systemsthe subject of hoaxes regarding the defeat of former President Donald Trump in the 2020 electionStefanie Lambert was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals. By defending Patrick Byrne, a well-known donor to election conspiracy theories, against Dominions defamation lawsuit, Lambert was able to access the Dominion emails.

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The Marshals office claimed in a statement that Lambert was taken into custody on local charges. Earlier this month, a Michigan judge issued a bench warrant for Lambert following her absence from a court appearance in her case. In this case, she faces four charges related to her use of voting machines to obtain evidence for a conspiracy theory against Trump. Lambert had already filed a lawsuit in Michigan, but it was unsuccessful.

Lambert had admitted earlier on Monday that law enforcement will receive the documents from Dominion Voting Systems. Then, she submitted to a filing in her own Michigan lawsuit an affidavit sworn by Dar Leaf, a county sheriff in northern Michigan who had looked into fictitious allegations of widespread voter fraud from the 2020 election and which contained some of the hacked emails. The rest of the documents were posted to an account under Leafs name on X, the social platform formally known as Twitter.

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Leaf did not respond to requests for comment. Lamberts attorney, Daniel Hartman, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Byrne wrote in a text that he did not know if Lambert had been arrested, but if she was, I respect her even more, and she can raise her rate to me.

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Lambert contended the Dominion documents obtained under discovery were evidence of crimes and needed to be disclosed.

Byrne wrote on X that Lambert signed an NDA, but she found evidence of ongoing crime, and reported it to law enforcement. If she found a severed head in discovery box she had a duty to report it to law-enforcement, too.

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Dominion on Friday filed a motion demanding Lambert be removed from the Byrne case for violating a protective order that U.S. District Court Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya had placed on documents in the case. It said Lamberts disclosure had triggered a new round of threats toward the company, which has been at the center of elaborate conspiracy theories about Trumps loss.

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These actions should shock the conscience, Dominion wrote in its motion seeking to disqualify Lambert. They reflect a total disregard for this Courts orders, to say nothing of the safety of Dominion employees.

Upadhyaya during a hearing Monday said she had scheduled a subsequent one to determine whether sanctions against Lambert or removing her from the case were appropriate.

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Dominion filed several defamation lawsuits against those who spread conspiracy theories blaming its election equipment for Trumps 2020 loss. Fox News settled the most prominent of these cases for $787 million last year.

Dominions suit against Byrne is one of several the company has filed against prominent election deniers, including MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and attorney Sidney Powell.
A group of Palestinian patients who are not in need of further medical care at Jerusalem hospitals are being compelled to return to Gaza this week, only to be left nowhere to go

Refugees from Gaza who are no longer in medical care at Jerusalem hospitals are being asked to return. Reuters File

Israel will send back Palestinian patients who were receiving treatment in East Jerusalem hospitals. However, the news of going back home has not brought happiness to the patients as many fear they would be left homeless in Gaza.

If I go back with the twins where do I go with them? Where would I get diapers and milk? asked Abu Garrara, mother of twins, who is among the group of Palestinian patients asked to return to Gaza this week from the Israeli capital.

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Abu, along with 22 other patients, was brought to a Jerusalem hospital for medical treatment when she was pregnant with her two kids and, like many others has lost family, friends and home in the ruins of Gaza, a CNN report quoted her as saying.

Mostly all patients were brought to East Jerusalem before Hamas attack began in Israel and had received permission for advanced medical care from Israeli authorities.

COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry body for Palestinian matters, confirmed that Palestinians from Gaza who are not in need of further medical care are being sent back to Gaza and that it would coordinate the return with international aid organizations.

The hospital in Jerusalem has long been asked to send a list of treated patients to authorities who will get on buses to Kerem Shalom crossing on the Israel-Gaza border on Wednesday.

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Gaza is not the same anymore

Gaza has been facing a dire humanitarian crisis with severe shortages of basic necessities. Around 1.1 million Gazans are facing catastrophic levels of food shortages, with fear of famine-related deaths looming over the war-struck region, a UN-backed report said.

To add to their misery, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has been reportedly planning an invasion of Rafah, a crossing between Israel and Egypt, which has been acting as a safe corridor to deliver humanitarian aid for 2.3 million Gazans.

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I might go back and then they invade Rafah, Abu said of the Israeli military. Ill be the one responsible for anything that harms them (kids). I was dying when I came here and stayed with them here to protect them, she stated while adding, Gaza is not the same anymore.

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10,000 Cancer patients suffering in Gaza

As per a BBC report citing data from Gazas health ministry, approximately 10,000 cancer patients in Gaza have been unable to get treatment or medicines since hospitals shut down in November due to fuel and power shortages.

Recent data from Gazas health ministry revealed that more than 2,600 patients had been evacuated through the Rafah crossing, including 1,700 wounded and 900 sick.

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In November, Egypt reopened the Rafah crossing to allow seriously injured and sick Palestinians into the country for medical treatment. Turkey, the UAE, and Jordan have also joined Egypts pledge to treat thousands of cancer patients as well as those injured in the war.
In an event to commemorate 10 years of Crimean annexation, Putin called the peninsula pride of Russia. While announcing a alternate, new route, via a railway line, Putin said he will connect the Crimean peninsula to the mainland Russia which passes through occupied Ukrainian regions

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the return of Crimea to the Russian territory at an event to commemorate 10 years of the countrys illegal annexation of the former Ukrainian territory.

Putin who was recently re-elected in a landslide victory called Crimea the pride of Russia, in a brief address at a concert held at Moscows Red Square on Monday.

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Putin said Crimea had returned to its home harbour after Russia annexed the Ukrainian territory in 2014, which led to a tussle between the two countries. Eight years later, Russia announced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, only this time to occupy more Ukrainian territories, which Putin now calls part of the new Russia.

The Russian leader hailed the seizure of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia and called their invasion much more grave and tragic than Crimea.

But in the end we did it. It is a big event in the history of our country, Putin said

Putin had also justified his countrys annexation of Ukraines Crimean peninsula as a matter of great historical redemption. The Black Sea region, Putin insisted, was as dear to Russians as the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is to Jews and Muslims, Putin was quoted earlier as saying in The Washington Post report.

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A new railway line to Crimea?

A bridge connecting Crimea to the Russian mainland was opened in 2018 but closed twice due to attacks between the two warring sides. Putin announced a new railway route connecting Crimeas Sevastopol and the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, in an an attempt to better connect the port city to the Russian mainland.

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The railway line would be as Putin says, another, alternative road, that would pass via the occupied Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Mariupol, and Berdyansk.

This is how together, hand in hand, we will move on. This is what - not in words, but in deeds - makes us really stronger, Putin said while addressing thousands at the Red Square.

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Notably, for the first time occupied Ukrainian regions of Donbass and Novorossia voted in Russian elections. The polling in these places began 10 days before the elections started in the rest of Russia, with social media flooded with advertisements urging people to cast votes.
Shira Stein is The San Francisco Chronicle's Washington correspondent, covering national politics and policy with a particular eye to the impacts on California. She was previously a health care reporter and received several awards for her work covering the COVID-19 pandemic for Bloomberg. She also covered the fall of Roe v. Wade, including being the first to report President Joe Bidens consideration of a public health emergency for reproductive rights; the Trump administrations efforts to lower prescription drug prices; and the third legal fight to overturn the Affordable Care Act.

She previously interned at the Washington Post, Bloomberg Law, and the Colorado-based Durango Herald. She is a native of the Bay Area and a graduate of American University.

She can be reached at shira.stein@sfchronicle.com.
Hand in hand, we will move forwards and this will make us stronger  Long live Russia! Putin told a crowd at a Red Square pop concert to mark 10 years since Russias annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine

Having assumed office on December 31, 1999, he is currently on track to become the most tenured Russian president in over 200 years. AP

After winning an election that Western powers denounced as fraudulent, President Vladimir Putin celebrated the return of seized Ukrainian territory to Russia on Monday.

Over 87% of voters cast ballots in the three-day election, which took place in areas of Ukraine seized by Russian forces.

Moscow has claimed that the results of this weekends presidential election demonstrate that, more than two years after the invasion of Ukraine, Russians have united behind Putin.

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It is generally anticipated that Putins win will strengthen his hold on power in Russia, where dissent is now met with relentlessly escalating repression.

Having assumed office on December 31, 1999, he is currently on track to become the most tenured Russian president in over 200 years.

Hand in hand, we will move forwards and this will make us stronger  Long live Russia! Putin told a crowd at a Red Square pop concert to mark 10 years since Russias annexation of the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine.

Putin boasted of a new rail link in areas of Ukraine captured by Russian forces, saying those regions had declared their desire to return to their native family.

He appeared at the concert alongside the three candidates who ran against him after hosting them at a Kremlin meeting in which they all congratulated him.

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All of the 71-year-olds major opponents are dead, in prison or in exile, and voting took place a month after Putins main challenger Alexei Navalny died in prison.

Authorities had called on Russians to take part in the vote out of patriotic duty.

The three-day vote  also held in occupied Ukraine  was marred by spoiled ballots and Ukrainian bombardments.

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Thousands responded to the oppositions call to protest against the election by forming long queues at polling stations  both inside and outside Russia.

Yulia Navalnaya, who has vowed to continue her late husband Alexeis work, queued with crowds in Berlin on Sunday and said she had written his name on her ballot paper.

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Moscow had warned Russians not to take part in the protests and on Monday dismissed the opposition.

There are many people who  have completely broken away from the motherland, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Yulia Navalnaya, whom you mentioned, belongs to this group of people who lose their roots, he added.

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Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, who had already slammed Putin for seeking to rule forever, urged the US Congress on Monday to quickly approve a US$60 billion military aid package.

It is critically important for us that the Congress soon completes all the necessary procedures and makes a final decision  that will strengthen the Ukrainian economy and our armed forces, Zelensky said in a statement after meeting with US Senator Lindsey Graham.

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His comments came as Ukraine has ramped up its attacks on Russian territory in recent days, with Ukrainian shelling killing four people near Russias border city of Belgorod on Monday, bringing the total number of dead in the region since last week to 15, authorities said.

Putin on Sunday said Navalnys name for the first time in public, breaking his years-long tradition of never referring to his opponent by name.

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It was the first time he had commented on Navalnys death in prison on February 16.

Putin said that he had green-lighted an initiative for a prisoner swap including Navalny for Russians held in Western jails  confirming allegations made by Navalnys team.

I agreed on one condition: for us to exchange him and for him not to return, Putin said.

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He said Navalny died days later.

But this happens. There is nothing that you can do about it. Thats life.

He did not say how Navalny died.

Navalnys team alleges that he was killed on the eve of a prisoner swap.

Navalny is the latest Putin opponent to die in mysterious circumstances.

The Kremlin said Putin held phone calls with his ex-Soviet allies in Central Asia, Belarus and Azerbaijan after the vote, as well as with Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who congratulated his counterpart and offered to mediate between Moscow and Ukraine.

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Putin also received congratulations from countries such as China, North Korea, Venezuela and Myanmar, Russian state media said.

But the result was met with scathing statements from Western leaders  in contrast with the previous four elections Putin has won since 2000.

This election has been based on repression and intimidation, the EUs foreign minister Josep Borrell said.

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The UK also slammed the vote as unfair.

Putin removes his political opponents, controls the media, and then crowns himself the winner. This is not democracy, Britains foreign minister David Cameron said in a statement.

With inputs from AFP
He was beaten alive and his body was disfigured beyond recognition, Wangs father wrote on Douyin, a Chinese social media platform. I hope the government will be fair, open and just, punish them severely, and that the killers will pay with their lives!

FILE - A man walks along the road in the city of Handan in northern Chinas Hebei province on Feb. 28, 2024. Chinese authorities in the Feixiang district near Handan city announced three suspects have been detained over the March 10, 2024 gruesome murder of a thirteen-year-old boy, riveting users on Chinese social media and sparking debate over bullying and mental health in Chinas countryside. (AP Photo/Emily Wang Fujiyama, File)

In the harrowing final moments before his death, surveillance cameras captured a 13-year-old boy sitting on a scooter, surrounded by three classmates. Hours later, his phone went silent, sparking a frantic search by his family.

The following day, a chilling discovery unfolded in a village in northern Chinas Hebei province: the boys lifeless body, buried beneath a tarp in an abandoned vegetable greenhouse.

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His three teenage classmates now face detention on suspicion of murder, triggering shockwaves throughout China and igniting discussions on the young age of the suspects and societal responsibility, particularly concerning bullying.

Identified by his last name, Wang, the boy fell victim to a premeditated crime, according to police in the Feixiang district of Handan city. Wang had been slain on March 10, with the suspects detained the subsequent day. Investigations revealed a disturbing pattern of bullying, with Wang coerced into giving money to one of his classmates prior to his death.

Wangs relatives and their attorney said in interviews with Chinese media and in posts on social media that the boy had long been a victim of bullying, and was forced to give money to one of his classmates before he was killed. They said police identified the suspected killers after reviewing the surveillance footage and questioning the classmates.

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He was beaten alive and his body was disfigured beyond recognition, Wangs father wrote on Douyin, a Chinese social media platform. I hope the government will be fair, open and just, punish them severely, and that the killers will pay with their lives!

The case will be a test of a change in the law in 2021 that lowered the age at which children could be charged with a crime from 14 to 12 years old.

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Wangs father, aunt, and grandmother did not respond to requests for comment. A person answering a phone number listed for their attorneys law firm told The Associated Press to wait for comment, saying they were swamped with interview requests. A number for the principal of the boys school rang unanswered, as did numbers for relatives of two of the suspects.

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The victim and the suspects are all under the age of 14. Media reports said they were left-behind children, a phrase used to describe kids in the countryside often cared for by grandparents because their parents work in faraway cities.

As details of the tragedy emerged last weekend, it renewed concern over the social and psychological welfare of such children, their exposure to violent content online and the ability of the countrys social services to care for them. Posts and videos from Wangs relatives garnered millions of views and thousands of comments.

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The attention paid to the mental health of minors in the countryside is too little, said one commenter on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform. I think this sort of thing could happen again.

Zhang Dongshuo, a defense attorney in Beijing unaffiliated with the case, said that Wangs death is the latest in a series of juvenile murder cases in China that have sparked debate on how old a child should be before being held responsible for a crime.

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Generally speaking, these kinds of cases involving minors are rare, Zhang said. But recently more and more of these cases have been reported by the media, and its been triggering discussion in Chinese society over revising the age of criminal responsibility.

In 2019, a 13-year-old boy who confessed to sexually assaulting and murdering a 10-year-old girl avoided criminal charges because Chinese law at the time stipulated that only those over the age of 14 could be held criminally liable. Two years later, the the age of criminal responsibility was lowered to 12, but the government mandated that prosecution only take place if approved by the Supreme Peoples Procuratorate, Chinas highest prosecuting authority.

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Zhang added that the lack of parental guidance for left behind children has been a longstanding social issue, but that the question of how they should be raised has not been fully resolved.

Many people think schools and the government should take responsibility for childrens education, but that means if the relevant government departments and schools dont educate them effectively, then its highly likely this minor is left in an educational vacuum, he said.

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State media have given Wangs death widespread coverage, though there are signs that Chinese authorities are keeping a close eye on public sentiment. On Sunday, the familys attorney, Zang Fanqing, was abruptly cut off on a live broadcast after saying he and Wangs father were barred from seeing the boys body. The next day, Zang said on social media that they were allowed to see the body.

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A public statement from police Sunday asked the public not to spread rumors to protect the victims privacy and avoid further harm to the boys family.

His family has signaled they intend to pursue criminal charges. In a video Wangs father posted Monday, he said the sight of his sons body was crueler than I imagined.

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Your father isnt scared, he is only upset and furious, Wangs father wrote, addressing his son. Wait for your father to avenge you!

With inputs from The Associated Press
The chairman of the Workers Party, Pritam Singh, was accused of repeatedly giving false testimony before the committee in December 2021. If found guilty, he may be sentenced to up to three years in prison or a fine

According to police and prosecutors, the opposition leader in Singapore was charged on Tuesday with two charges of providing false information before a parliamentary committee when the committee was looking into one of his party members.

The chairman of the Workers Party, Pritam Singh, was accused of repeatedly giving false testimony before the committee in December 2021. If found guilty, he may be sentenced to up to three years in prison or a fine. The charges were brought before the State Courts.

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He is accused of wilfully making false answers to material questions put to him during examination by the (committee), police and the prosecution said in a joint statement.

Singh said on social media that he pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. A spokesman for his party added the next hearing was scheduled for May 10.

Until the legal process comes to a complete close, I will continue with all my Parliamentary duties and Town Council responsibilities, Singh wrote in a post on Instagram.

Raeesah Khan, a politician, was at the centre of the proceedings when she accused Singapore police of acting insensitively towards a lady who had been sexually assaulted.

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Khan later acknowledged she had made up the tale, although she had stated at a parliamentary session on womens empowerment that she had accompanied the lady to the police station to submit a report.

Since then, she has resigned from the party and given up her parliamentary position.

Singh was called as a witness by the parliamentary committee on behalf of the Workers Party.

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According to the accusations, Singh lied to the committee and said he had wanted Khan to acknowledge that she had made up the story.

When I first entered politics some years ago now, I was under no illusion as to the challenges that lay ahead in building a more balanced and democratic political system in Singapore, Singh said on Instagram.

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Parliament is dominated by the Peoples Action Party (PAP), which has ruled Singapore uninterrupted since 1959.

The PAP won 83 seats during the 2020 general elections, with the Workers Party taking 10 to hold the largest opposition in the legislature.
In August, the ex-law enforcement officials acknowledged that they had repeatedly tortured Eddie Terrell Parker and Michael Corey Jenkins violently and with racist motivations. In an episode from January 2023, the six broke into a house in Rankin County without a warrant, attacking Eddie Parker and Michael Corey Jenkins with stun guns, a sex toy, and other items

This combination of photos shows, from top left, former Rankin County sheriff's deputies Hunter Elward, Christian Dedmon, Brett McAlpin, Jeffrey Middleton, Daniel Opdyke and former Richland police officer Joshua Hartfield appearing at the Rankin County Circuit Court in Brandon, Miss. AP File

A federal court will begin sentencing six former Mississippi law enforcement officials on Tuesday after they entered guilty pleas to many state and federal offences related to their abuse of two Black men.

After postponing the hearings twice, US District Judge Tom Lee will sentence two defendants each day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Every one of them might spend decades in prison.

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In August, the ex-law enforcement officials acknowledged that they had repeatedly tortured Eddie Terrell Parker and Michael Corey Jenkins violently and with racist motivations. In an episode from January 2023, the six broke into a house in Rankin County without a warrant, attacking Eddie Parker and Michael Corey Jenkins with stun guns, a sex toy, and other items.

On January 24, 2023, a racist demand for extrajudicial brutality marked the start of the horror.

A white individual complained over the phone to Brett McAlpin, the Rankin County Deputy, about two Black males lodging at a Braxton, Mississippi, home with a white woman. Deputy Christian Dedmon was informed by McAlpin, and he texted a group of white deputies who were so eager to use excessive force that they went by the nickname The Goon Squad.

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Once inside, they covered Jenkins and his friend Eddie Terrell Parkers faces with chocolate syrup, milk, and alcohol while handcuffing them. To hide the filth, they made them shower together in their pants. They used stun guns on the victims and racially disparaged them.

After a mock execution went awry when Jenkins was shot in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun. False charges stood against Jenkins and Parker for months.

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Ahead of sentencing, Jenkins and Parker called for the stiffest of sentences at a news conference Monday.

Its been very hard for me, for us, Jenkins said. We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

Jenkins suffered a lacerated tongue and broken jaw. He still has trouble speaking and eating.

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Malik Shabazz, an attorney representing both men, said the result of the sentencing hearings could have national implications.

Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker continue to suffer emotionally and physically since this horrific and bloody attack by Rankin County deputies, Shabazz said. A message must be sent to police in Mississippi and all over America, that level of criminal conduct will be met with the harshest of consequences.

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Months before federal prosecutors announced charges in August 2023, an investigation by The Associated Press linked some of the deputies to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another with lasting injuries.

The officers charged include McAlpin, Dedmon, Hunter Elward, Jeffrey Middleton and Daniel Opdyke of the Rankin County Sheriffs Department and Joshua Hartfield, a Richland police officer. They pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy against rights, obstructions of justice, deprivation of rights under color of law, discharge of a firearm under a crime of violence, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.

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Most of their lawyers did not immediately respond to emails requesting comment Monday. Jason Kirschberg, representing Opdyke, said: Daniel has accepted responsibility for his actions, and his failures to act.  He has admitted he was wrong and feels deep remorse for the pain he caused the victims.

On the federal charges, Dedmon and Elward each face a maximum sentence of 120 years plus life in prison and $2.75 million in fines. Hartfield faces a possible sentence of 80 years and $1.5 million, McAlpin faces 90 years and $1.75 million, Middleton faces 80 years and $1.5 million, and Opdyke could be sentenced to 100 years with a $2 million fine.

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The former officers agreed to prosecutor-recommended sentences ranging from five to 30 years in state court, but time served for separate convictions at the state level will run concurrently with the potentially longer federal sentences.

The majority-white Rankin County is just east of the state capital, Jackson, home to one of the highest percentages of Black residents of any major US city.

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The officers warned Jenkins and Parker to stay out of Rankin County and go back to Jackson or their side of the Pearl River, court documents say, referencing an area with higher concentrations of Black residents.

In the gruesome crimes committed by men tasked with enforcing the law, federal prosecutors saw echoes of Mississippis dark history, including the 1964 killing of three civil rights workers after a deputy handed them off to the Ku Klux Klan.

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For months, Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, whose deputies committed the crimes, said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department. Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.
The move on the electoral reforms assumes significance as the country is set to hold the next presidential election in the last quarter of this year. The next parliamentary election is not due before August 2025.

In a move ahead of the presidential election likely to be held later this year, Sri Lankas cabinet approved a proposal to reform the countrys parliamentary election system.

This decision to implement electoral reforms holds particular importance as Sri Lanka prepares for its next presidential election. Although the subsequent parliamentary election is not scheduled until August 2025, there is speculation within the ruling SLPP (Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna) about the possibility of holding the parliamentary election before the presidential one.

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The next parliamentary election is not due before August 2025. However, speculation is rife that a section of the ruling SLPP wants a parliamentary election to precede the presidential election.

A note from the cabinet meeting held Monday and released on Tuesday said that a cabinet sub-committee has been appointed to formulate a hybrid system for parliament representation  160 members to be appointed by first past the post system while 65 members would be elected under the proportional representation system while retaining the total number of MPs at 225.

Presently, 196 members are elected under districts-based proportional representation while 29 members are appointed on the cumulative votes polled from the nationwide vote.

The cabinet note added that the Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was advised to work out a draft election law accordingly.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has the power to dissolve parliament for a snap election or the 225-member house can pass a resolution by simple majority to call for a fresh parliamentary election.

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But analysts say either party was unlikely to make the move for a snap parliamentary election.

Political sources said that Wickremesinghe on Monday asked his cabinet members to get ready for the presidential election which should take place between September 15 and November 15.

With inputs from PTI.
The bills opponents have dubbed it the most drastic attempt by a state to control immigration since the Supreme Court overturned parts of an Arizona law more than ten years ago. The legal dispute is developing as immigration becomes a significant factor in the 2024 presidential election

Migrants are taken into custody by officials at the Texas-Mexico border, in Eagle Pass, Texas. AP File

A Texas legislation that would have given police wide ability to detain those they believe are entering the country illegally was blocked by the Supreme Court on Monday. This is because the statute is still being challenged in court over immigration authorities.

A one-page decision written by Justice Samuel Alito stops Texas from implementing a comprehensive state legislation on immigration enforcement that was supposed to go into effect this month for an undetermined period of time. The orders phrasing makes it seem quite likely that the court would act further, but it doesnt say when.

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This is the second time that Alito has called for a halt to the Senate Bill 4 legislation, which the Justice Department claims would infringe upon the federal governments immigration authority. There was a brief misunderstanding over the status of the legislation when the courts order to prolong the stay on Monday arrived only minutes after the 5 p.m. deadline that it had set for itself.

The bills opponents have dubbed it the most drastic attempt by a state to control immigration since the Supreme Court overturned parts of an Arizona law more than ten years ago. The legal dispute is developing as immigration becomes a significant factor in the 2024 presidential election.

The office of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has said the states law mirrored federal law and was adopted to address the ongoing crisis at the southern border, which hurts Texans more than anyone else.

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Arrests for illegal crossings along the southern border hit record highs in December but fell by half in January, a shift attributed to seasonal declines and heightened enforcement by the US and its allies. The federal government has not yet released numbers for February.

The Biden administration sued to strike down the Texas measure in January, arguing its a clear violation of federal authority on immigration that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law. Critics have also said the law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.

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A federal judge in Texas struck down the law in late February, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed that ruling, leading the federal government to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the show me your papers bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

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The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Greg Abbotts efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.
Tata Steel is engaged in advanced consultations with trade unions in the UK regarding its proposal for restructuring, which includes shutting down iron and steelmaking assets at Port Talbot, to ultimately transition towards sustainable low carbon steel production

Tata Steel announced Monday its decision to halt the operations of the coke ovens at the Port Talbot plant in the United Kingdom. The company disclosed in a regulatory filing its intention to increase coke imports to mitigate the effects of the closures.

The filing elaborated that Tata Steel UK opted to cease the coke oven operations at the Port Talbot facility in Wales due to a decline in operational stability. This move follows the acknowledgment by Tata Steel of the aging condition of many heavy-end assets in Port Talbot.

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Currently, Tata Steel is engaged in advanced consultations with trade unions in the UK regarding its proposal for restructuring, which includes shutting down iron and steelmaking assets at Port Talbot. The plan aims to transition towards sustainable low-carbon steel production.

As part of this transition, Tata Steel plans to invest 1.25 billion in Electric Arc Furnace technology in Port Talbot, alongside upgrading assets to facilitate the shift.

With inputs from PTI
An estimated 1.7 million Afghans, including almost 1.4 million Afghans registered as refugees, had been living in Pakistan when authorities announced its nationwide crackdown, saying that anyone without proper documents had to leave the country by October 31 or else get arrested

Starting October 31 last year, Pakistan has initiated an effort to remove the unauthorized Afghan settlers from the nation Image Courtesy PTI

Pakistan disclosed on Tuesday that two Afghan nationals serving in the army at the rank of officer were among those banished from the nation as part of its campaign against undocumented immigrants.

The disclosure was made one day after tensions between Islamabad and Kabul erupted as a result of Pakistan Air Force operations conducted throughout the night that killed eight women and children and targeted armed organizations that were holed up in border regions.

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Following a string of terror strikes, Pakistan has publicly expressed its suspicions that the Afghan Talibans breakaway group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) may have been involved. The nation has pushed the Afghan government to act against the TTP and its allies on several occasions.

Conversely, starting October 31 last year, Pakistan has initiated an effort to remove the unauthorized Afghan settlers from the nation.

Speaking to a private TV channel, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif insisted that there hasnt been any additional inflow of refugees from Afghanistan at the state level, although there have occasionally been militant efforts at infiltration.

The defense minister emphasized the porous nature of the Pakistan-Afghan border, stressing how simple it is for people to enter Pakistani territory, gain legal paperwork, and even be recruited into the armed forces, according to The Express Tribune newspaper.

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As the minister of defence, I signed two or three files in which Afghan recruits were discharged, one of them was a Captain and one was a Lieutenant, Asif said.

Referring to terrorists affiliated with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan, Asif said the vast majority reside in Afghanistan while 3,000-4,000 militants were brought to Pakistan for resettlement during the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

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We also briefed the National Assembly on the issue, he said.

Stressing the need to address the issue collaboratively with the Afghan government, the minister cited a visit to Kabul during the previous tenure of his party, where the involvement of Afghan nationals in terrorist attacks in Pakistan was discussed and evidence was presented.

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Tensions flared on Monday between Islamabad and Kabul following overnight raids by the Pakistan Air Force. Pakistan said the attack had targeted armed groups hiding out in border regions. The Taliban claimed eight women and children were killed in the strikes, which came merely days after a militant attack killed seven Pakistani soldiers, including two officers.

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Afghanistans interim government claimed the PAF aircraft had hit the houses of ordinary people in Paktika and Khost provinces.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which has a long experience of freedom struggle against the superpowers of the world, does not allow anyone to invade its territory, said Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid in a released a statement.

In the 1980s, millions of Afghans fled to neighbouring Pakistan during the Soviet occupation of their country. The numbers witnessed a spike after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

An estimated 1.7 million Afghans, including almost 1.4 million Afghans registered as refugees, had been living in Pakistan when authorities announced its nationwide crackdown, saying that anyone without proper documents had to leave the country by October 31 or else get arrested.

(With agency inputs)
In the coming months, Kuleba is anticipated to ask India to support a peace summit that is being organised in Switzerland. In New Delhi, Kuleba and Jaishankar are expected to co-chair a meeting of the India-Ukraine inter-governmental commission

Later this month, Dmytro Kuleba, the foreign minister of Ukraine, is expected to make his first trip to India since the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine more than two years ago.

People familiar with the matter said that Kuleba is currently finalising the visit and, if all goes as planned, he will arrive in New Delhi by the end of March.

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In addition to meeting with several senior officials, the Ukrainian foreign minister is scheduled to have extensive discussions with his Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, they said.

In the coming months, Kuleba is anticipated to ask India to support a peace summit that is being organized in Switzerland.

In New Delhi, Kuleba and Jaishankar are expected to co-chair a meeting of the India-Ukraine inter-governmental commission, the people cited above said.

In January, Jaishankar and Kuleba held a phone conversation focusing on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Kyivs peace formula.

Following the conversation, Kuleba had said that he conveyed to his Indian counterpart the peace formula and Ukraines plan for the Global Peace Summit of leaders.

Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put forward a 10-point peace plan for ending the conflict that included punishing those responsible for the war crimes, withdrawing all Russian troops from Ukraine and restoring his countrys territorial integrity.

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Under the plan, he also called for ensuring energy security, food security and nuclear safety.

India has been maintaining that the conflict in Ukraine must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.

In May last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held in-person talks with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima.

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In the talks, the prime minister conveyed to the Ukranian leader that India will do whatever is possible to find a solution to the conflict.
For decades, the Muslim Rohingya have been persecuted in Buddhist-majority Myanmar; today, around a million of them are housed in overcrowded camps in the border area of Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh. The majority escaped a 2017 military crackdown

According to a U.N. official, military bombings in Myanmar, including one on Monday in Minbya township, have left several civilians dead or injured. This alarms UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Ever since the military overthrew an elected government in a coup in 2021, Myanmar has been in chaos.

The expansion of conflict in Rakhine State is driving displacement and exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities and discrimination, the spokesman said. The Secretary-General calls on all parties to prevent further incitement of communal tensions.

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For decades, the Muslim Rohingya have been persecuted in Buddhist-majority Myanmar; today, around a million of them are housed in overcrowded camps in the border area of Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh. The majority escaped a 2017 military crackdown.

The Rohingya have been refused citizenship by Myanmars military government because they see them as foreign invaders.

According to Radio Free Asia, who cited locals, a fighter jet bombed Thar Dar, a mostly Rohingya community located three miles (five km) north of Minbya, on Friday, killing twenty-three and wounding thirty.

The account could not be verified by Reuters right away.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is just one of many Democratic leaders across the country shifting to the right on criminal justice policies amid rising concerns from Americans about crime and safety. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

SACRAMENTO  In the last six months, Gov. Gavin Newsom has sent state police into Oakland to crack down on thefts, announced new efforts to charge drug dealers with murder and sent attorneys from the California National Guard and the California Department of Justice to help Alameda County prosecute more people.

His focus on prosecution and policing marks a departure from his past embrace of criminal justice reform efforts that focused more on rehabilitation than locking people in jail. It has increased speculation that hes preparing for a future presidential run, but Newsom is just one of many Democratic leaders across the country shifting to the right on criminal justice policies amid rising concerns from Americans about crime and safety.

Before he became governor, Newsom forged much of his political reputation through advocacy on criminal justice-related ballot measures. He was a leading supporter of Proposition 47, a 2014 law approved by voters that reduced punishments for drug possession and theft of property worth less than $950. In 2016, he spearheaded the successful campaign to legalize recreational cannabis in California and supported a failed effort to end the death penalty. Though Californians affirmed their support for capital punishment that election, Newsom thwarted the will of the voters when he became governor in 2019 and placed a moratorium on executions in the state.

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Mayor London Breed addresses plans to have California Highway Patrol officers supporting drug enforcement efforts in San Francisco on April 28, 2023. Justin Katigbak/Speical to The Chronicle

The heightened concern accompanies an increase in violent crime in California. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the states violent crime rate increased by 5.7% from 2021 to 2022, the last year for which comprehensive data is available. Experts at the PPIC noted that the nation as a whole has also seen violent crime increase in the years since the COVID pandemic hit and that Californias violent and property crime rates are still well below levels from the 80s and 90s.

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Americans also view crime as more of a problem nationally. Last year, 63% of Americans identified crime as extremely or very serious in a Gallup poll, up from 54% in 2021.

Tinisch Hollins, who runs the criminal justice reform organization Californians for Safety and Justice, said the recent efforts to recall politicians over progressive policies is helping drive the more moderate push from many Democrats.

There is for sure a trend that is sweeping the country with people who have been typically progressive or liberal moving to the middle or to the right, she said.

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In New York City, Gov. Kathy Hochul sent the National Guard into the subway system to conduct random bag searches after a spate of violence on trains.

Members of the Armed Forces, including the National Guard, patrol the subway system in Penn Station as police officers check commuters' bags in New York on March 7, 2024. Ted Shaffrey/Associated Press

Hollins has been very critical of San Francisco Mayor London Breeds recent actions on crime. Hollins pointed to Breeds successful championing of Proposition E, which expands San Francisco polices power, and Proposition F, which requires welfare recipients to submit to drug screenings. She characterized the mayors advocacy for the measures as a significant swing to the right from Breed, who just a few years ago led an effort to spend $60 million to uplift the citys Black community in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

Hollins said shes particularly concerned about Breeds backing of a proposed ballot measure that would roll back parts of Proposition 47.

Breed has characterized the ballot measures as important steps to crack down on crime and drug use in the city as she fights to win reelection.

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Newsom faces some of the same political pressure to crack down on crime, Hollins said, but she praised the governor for continuing to support Proposition 47. She said its too early to judge his deployments of state police officers in the Bay Area to fight crime, which she said could be beneficial if they are targeted and dont amount to a general increase in policing.

The state police deployments have led to increases in arrests but also concern that the officers are pulling people over for minor things like tinted windows or a broken taillight as a pretext to search cars. City leaders in San Francisco and other cities across the state have sought to limit police use of so-called pretextual stops, which have been linked to racial profiling.

Hollins said she is concerned about the possibility those officers are conducting pretextual stops, especially in light of the recent passage of Proposition E, which lowers the standards for when San Francisco officers can initiate car chases and surveil residents with drones and cameras.

We tried tough on crime. We tried mass incarceration, she said. We know they dont work or increase public safety.

Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, chair of the California Democratic Partys Progressive Caucus, said she views Newsoms policies as moving in the wrong direction and as evidence hes contemplating a run for higher office.

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We know our governor has other political ambitions, she said. I think were seeing some of these  reactionary policies so he can go out and say, I cleaned up our state. 

Americans attitudes on criminal justice tend to shift back and forth, said Mike Madrid, a California-based Republican strategist. When crime is low, they tend to support more rehabilitation-focused policies, but when its up, they turn to a more lock them up and throw away the key approach, he said.

The Democratic Party is shifting toward the right on crime, Madrid said, because people feel less safe in their communities. Newsom, in particular, needs to be receptive to that shift in public sentiment as he faces down a difficult budget year that will test his political power. Backers of a long-shot effort to recall Newsom have also cited crime as one of the issues motivating them to try to oust the governor.

I dont think its because hes running for president, Madrid said of Newsoms shift on crime. Its because hes a governor who needs a lot of support going into a tough budget season.

Katie Merrill, a Democratic consultant in California, characterized Newsoms moves as being responsive to complaints from communities in response to rising property and violent crime.

She said she also doesnt see it as a sign he is mounting a presidential run.
At Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Austin presided over the monthly gathering known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG). This assembly comprises approximately 50 allies who have been actively militarily supporting Ukraine.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin conveyed assurances to European allies on Tuesday regarding President Joe Bidens administrations continued commitment to supporting Ukraine. This statement comes at a time when Washington is facing financial constraints, impeding its ability to further arm Kyiv and few signs that Congress will move to replenish funds.

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Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has refrained from scheduling a vote on a proposed bill that would allocate an additional $60 billion for Ukraine. Consequently, the White House is actively exploring alternative avenues to assist Kyiv amid the ongoing conflict.

At Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Austin presided over the monthly gathering known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG). This assembly comprises approximately 50 allies who have been actively militarily supporting Ukraine.

The United States will not let Ukraine failThis coalition will not let Ukraine fail, Austin said at the start of the meeting.

Austin, who is travelling for the first time this year since prostate cancer treatment, did not say how Washington would support Ukraine without additional funding and did not specifically mention Congress.

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Officials say the lack of funding available is already having an impact on the ground in Ukraine and Ukrainian forces are having to manage scarce resources.

I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation and the Ukrainians more so than anyone because of the shortages that are resulting from us not being able to supply them, a senior U.S. defence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.

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Last week the Biden administration said it would send $300 million in military assistance to Ukraine, but added that it was an extraordinary move after unexpected savings from military contracts the Pentagon had made.

Officials have not ruled out that they could find additional savings, but they say that amount would not be enough to make up for the lack of Congressional action.

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Experts say that Austin will face a sceptical audience in Europe.

Its becoming harder and harder for U.S. leaders to travel to Europe, with the message that the United States is committed to Ukraine in the long-term, Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Europe Center in Washington, said.

The message of this long-term financial, military, economic commitment flies in the face of the reality of whats happening on Capitol Hill, Rizzo added.

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At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, whose ammunition-starved troops face their toughest battles since the early days of Russias invasion two years ago.

European support has become increasingly key with Biden unable to get a big Ukraine aid package through Congress, and much of his foreign policy energy is focused on the war in Gaza.

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But U.S. officials say that the reality is that without the United States, European support for Ukraine will not be enough to fend of Russian forces.

There isnt a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support, the senior U.S. defence official said.

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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said that Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer.

With inputs from Reuters.
Austin is leading the monthly meeting known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, of about 50 allies that have been militarily supporting Ukraine.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday issued a warning expressing concern over the survival of Ukraine. Austin sought to reassure allies that the United States remained committed to supporting Kyiv, despite facing financial constraints that have essentially depleted funds for further arming Ukrainian forces.

Austin is leading the monthly meeting known as the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, of about 50 allies that have been militarily supporting Ukraine.

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Austin while addressing the media after the meeting said Today, Ukraines survival is in danger and Americas security is at risk,.

Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine and the White House has been scrambling to find ways to send assistance to Kyiv, which has been battling Russian forces for more than two years.

The meeting comes a week after U.S. defence officials found and used $300 million in contract savings to fund a new package of military aid for Ukraine, pulling weapons from Pentagon stocks.

During the session, leaders from other nations promised new aid for Ukraine. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters that Germany will provide ammunition and armoured and transport vehicles worth about $542 million (500 million euros).

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We are helping Ukraine with what it needs most in its defence against Russian aggression, Pistorius said, adding that the aid includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition from the German Army, or Bundeswehr, stocks that would be delivered to Ukraine very soon, as well as 100 armoured vehicles for the infantry and 100 transport vehicles.

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I leave here today fully determined to keep U.S. security assistance and ammunition flowing. And thats a matter of survival and sovereignty for Ukraine and its a matter of honour and security for America, he added.

Austin, who is travelling for the first time this year since prostate cancer treatment, did not say how Washington would support Ukraine without additional funding.

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Officials say the lack of funding available is already having an impact on the ground in Ukraine and Ukrainian forces are having to manage scarce resources.

I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation and the Ukrainians more so than anyone because of the shortages that are resulting from us not being able to supply them, a senior U.S. defence official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.

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Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed to Kyivs allies on Tuesday to supply more air defences, saying Russia had launched 130 missiles, more than 320 attack drones and almost 900 guided bombs in attacks this month alone.

Last week the Biden administration said it would send $300 million in military assistance to Ukraine, but added that it was an extraordinary move after unexpected savings from military contracts the Pentagon had made.

Officials have not ruled out that they could find additional savings, but they say that amount would not be enough to make up for the lack of Congressional action.

Experts say that Austin will face a sceptical audience in Europe.

Its becoming harder and harder for U.S. leaders to travel to Europe, with the message that the United States is committed to Ukraine in the long-term, Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Europe Center in Washington, said.

The message of this long-term financial, military, economic commitment flies in the face of the reality of whats happening on Capitol Hill, Rizzo added.

At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, whose ammunition-starved troops face their toughest battles since the early days of Russias invasion two years ago.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Tuesday a 500 million euro ($542.55 million) aid package for Ukraine which includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition and said the United States was still a reliable partner.

I have no doubt about the reliability of the Americans, Pistorius said.

There are particularities in the political systems, and we have to deal with that, Pistorius added.

European support has become increasingly key with Biden unable to get a big Ukraine aid package through Congress, and much of his foreign policy energy is focused on the war in Gaza.

But U.S. officials say that the reality is that without the United States, European support for Ukraine will not be enough to fend off Russian forces.

There isnt a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support, the senior U.S. defence official said.

With inputs from agencies.
The inaugural leaders summit between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines presents a chance to showcase the nations growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to a statement released by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

President Joe Biden is scheduled to have a White House summit with the prime ministers of Japan, the Philippines, and North Korea next month. The summit comes amid mounting concerns over North Koreas nuclear programme, provocative actions by China in the South China Sea, and disagreements over a Japanese companys proposed acquisition of a well-known American steel company.

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The inaugural leaders summit between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines presents a chance to showcase the nations growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to a statement released by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday.

There are plenty of topics for discussion amongst the three leaders.

The announcement came as North Koreas state media reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a live-fire drill of nuclear-capable super-large multiple rocket launchers designed to target South Koreas capital. The North Korean claim followed the South Korean and Japanese militaries reporting on Monday that they had detected North Korea firing multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast, adding to a streak of weapons displays that have raised regional tensions.

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The U.S.-Japan relationship is facing a rare moment of friction after Biden announced last week that he opposes the planned sale of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel of Japan. Biden argued in announcing his opposition that the U.S. needs to maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steelworkers.

Nippon Steel announced in December that it planned to buy U.S. Steel for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security.

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Meanwhile, long-running Philippines-Chinese tensions have come back into focus this month after Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided in the disputed South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard ships and accompanying vessels blocked the Philippine coast guard and supply vessels off the disputed Second Thomas Shoal and executed dangerous maneuvers that caused two minor collisions between the Chinese ships and two of the Philippine vessels, Philippine officials said.

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A small Philippine marine and navy contingent has kept watch onboard a rusting warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which has been marooned since the late 1990s in the shallows of the Second Thomas Shoal.

China also claims the shoal lying off the western Philippines and has surrounded the atoll with coast guard, navy and other ships to press its claims and prevent Filipino forces from delivering construction materials to fortify the Sierra Madre in a decades-long standoff.

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Close U.S.-Philippines relations were not a given when Marcos, the son and namesake of the former Philippines strongman, took office in 2022.

But both Biden and Marcos have thrown much effort into strengthening the historically- complicated relationship between the two countries, with the two leaders sharing concerns about aggressive Chinese action around the region.

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A U.S. appeals court in 1996 upheld damages of about $2 billion against the elder Marcos estate for the torture and killings of thousands of Filipinos. The court upheld a 1994 verdict of a jury in Hawaii, where he fled after being forced from power in 1986. He died there in 1989.

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The elder Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, a year before his term was to expire. He padlocked the countrys congressional and newspaper offices, ordered the arrest of many political opponents and activists and ruled by decree.

The younger Marcos made an official visit to Washington last year, the first by a Philippine president in more than 10 years. The U.S. made the announcement of Marcos coming trip to Washington as Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Manilla.

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Jean-Pierre said that in addition to the leaders summit Biden will hold one-on-one talks with Marcos. She said the leaders would discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, human rights and democracy.

Biden is set to honor Kishida a day before the leaders summit with a state visit. The White House announced the state visit in January.
A high-level delegation of US officials, led by US Africa Command chief Gen. Michael Langley, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, and Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander, visited Niger last week to hold talks with members of the military junta

In this image taken from video provided by ORTN, Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane, front center, makes a statement on July 26, 2023, in Niamey, Niger, as a delegation of military officers appeared on Niger State TV to read out a series of communiques announcing their coup detat. ORTN via AP File

In response to a request that they go over the weekend, the Pentagon is coordinating with Niger officials to find a means for US troops to remain in the nation, which serves as a vital base for counterterrorism operations in sub-Saharan Africa.

A high-level delegation of US officials, led by US Africa Command chief Gen. Michael Langley, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, and Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander, visited Niger last week to hold talks with members of the military junta.

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Concerns over Nigers possible ties to Russia and Iran were one of the main drivers for the US officials lengthy and direct talks with the junta leaders, according to Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh on Monday.

We were troubled on the path that Niger is on, Singh said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US was closely monitoring the Russian defense activities there in order to assess and mitigate potential risk to US personnel, interests and assets.

On Saturday, following the meeting, the juntas spokesperson, Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane, said US flights over Nigers territory in recent weeks were illegal. Meanwhile, Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who assists Nigers military rulers with their communications, criticized US efforts to force the junta to pick between strategic partners.

The American bases and civilian personnel cannot stay on Nigerien soil any longer, he told The Associated Press.

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Singh said the US was aware of the March 16 statement announcing the end of the status of forces agreement between Niger and the United States. We are working through diplomatic channels to seek clarification. These are ongoing discussions and we dont have more to share at this time.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the discussions were prompted by Nigers trajectory.

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We are in touch with transition authorities to seek clarification of their comments and discuss additional next steps, Patel said.

The junta has largely been in control in Niger since July when mutinous soldiers ousted the countrys democratically elected president and months later asked French forces to leave.

The US military still had some 650 troops working in Niger in December, largely consolidated at a base farther away from Niamey, Nigers capital. Singh said the total number of personnel still in country, including civilians and contractors, is roughly 1,000.

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The Niger base is critical for US counterterrorism operations in the Sahel and has been used for both manned and unmanned surveillance operations, although Singh said the only drone flights being currently conducted are for force protection.

In the Sahel the US has also supported local ground troops, including accompanying them on missions. However, such accompanied missions have been scaled back since US troops were killed in a joint operation in Niger in 2017.
China News Service: Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid an official visit to New Zealand yesterday. Do you have more information to share with us?



Lin Jian: On March 18, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited New Zealand. Prime Minister of New Zealand Christopher Luxon met with Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang Yi also held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters, and met with New Zealands Minister for Trade Todd McClay.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted that, since China and New Zealand established diplomatic relations, bilateral relations have enjoyed sound momentum of development. Mutual respect, inclusiveness, cooperation, and benefits to the peoples are the valuable lessons from the development of China-New Zealand relations. This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinpings state visit to New Zealand and the establishment of comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. China is ready to work with New Zealand to carry forward the pioneering spirit and achieve more firsts, so as to keep China-New Zealand relations at the forefront of Chinas relations with developed countries. This benefits our two peoples, and will make new contribution to world peace and development. Foreign Minister Wang Yi pointed out that the Chinese economy will continually inject new momentum into the world economy, and will bring new opportunities for New Zealand. China is willing to join hands with New Zealand to actively implement the upgraded version of China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, launch consultations and negotiations on the negative list of trade in services at an early date, and take cooperation between the two countries to a new level. China welcomes New Zealands continued participation in Belt and Road cooperation. Foreign Minister Wang Yi also noted that both China and New Zealand are participants and contributors of the existing international system and international order. The two countries champion multilateralism, support the core role of the UN in international affairs, and are committed to resolving international disputes with peaceful means. China stands ready to work with New Zealand to enhance solidarity and cooperation, oppose Cold War mentality, unilateralism and protectionism, reject acts of turning back the wheel of history, and uphold the right direction of human progress.

The New Zealand side said that China is an important cooperation partner of New Zealand. The comprehensive strategic partnership between New Zealand and China has provided an important driving force for bilateral cooperation. New Zealand will continue to adhere to the one-China policy, and is willing to further strengthen high-level exchanges with China, deepen cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, education, cultural exchanges, and climate response, and strive for greater development in New Zealand-China relations. The upgraded version of China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is of exemplary significance. The two countries should make joint efforts to defend the principle of free trade, and resist all forms of protectionism and unilateral moves. New Zealand welcomes Chinese students and entrepreneurs to study and do business in the country.

The two sides reached broad-based common understandings on practical cooperation across the board, and agreed to hold intergovernmental dialogues in such areas as foreign policy, trade, consular affairs, South Pacific affairs, climate change, and human rights, take more steps to facilitate cross-border travel and maintain active communication on Chinas accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. New Zealands Minister for Trade will visit China in April. After Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to New Zealand, the two sides will achieve mutual visit of foreign ministers in this year. The two sides agreed to have more high-level exchanges.

China-Arab TV: The Palestinian-Israeli conflict, now in its 164th day, has killed over 31.7 thousand people and wounded 73.7 thousand others in Palestine. Yesterday Israel launched a military operation at Dar Al-Shifa hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza, with Palestinian journalists arrested by Israeli forces during their raid. Israeli military claimed that the operation was targeted at Hamas rather than the people in Gaza. However, what weve seen is that in each operation it is the people in Gaza who lost their lives. Whats Chinas comment?

Lin Jian: Its been over five months since the Gaza conflict broke out. The humanitarian situation on the ground has become extremely dire. The struggling Dar Al-Shifa Hospital is an epitome of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Currently the top priority is to achieve an immediate ceasefire, do everything possible to protect civilians, avoid more casualties and ease the humanitarian crisis. Relevant members of the international community need to take substantive measures and make a great effort to this end.

Bloomberg: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Chinas provocative actions in the South China Sea and reaffirmed the US security commitment to the Philippines. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on Secretary Blinkens comments in the Philippines?

Lin Jian: The US is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines. The military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not undermine Chinas sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be used to support the illegal claims of the Philippines. China will continue to take necessary steps to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Global Times: According to reports, Yasukuni Shrine announced that Umio Otsuka, former admiral of Japans Maritime Self-Defense Force (SDF), will assume the post of the 14th chief priest, the highest-ranking position of the Yasukuni Shrine, on April 1. Its the first time for a former admiral of the SDF to assume the post. Whats Chinas comment?

Lin Jian: The Yasukuni Shrine is a spiritual tool and symbol of Japanese militarists war of aggression. It honors 14 convicted Class-A war criminals with grave responsibilities for the war crimes committed during that war of aggression. Not long ago, Japanese defense officials visited the Yasukuni Shrine, and a former admiral will for the first time assume the post of the Yasukuni Shrines chief priest. These negative moves once again showed the Japanese sides erroneous attitude toward the history of aggression. China urges Japan to face up to and reflect on the history of aggression, take concrete measures to make a clean break with militarism and avoid further losing the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

Sputnik: Western media reported that China does not plan to participate in the Ukraine peace conference to be held in Switzerland if Russia is not part of the negotiation process. Whats your comment?

Lin Jian: On the Ukraine issue, China upholds an objective and just position and is committed to promoting talks for peace. China supports the holding in due course of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans.

RIA Novosti: US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield said on Monday that the United States stands ready to engage in bilateral arms control talks with China and Russia without any preconditions. Whats Chinas comment on this? And is China ready to join this kind of talks?

Lin Jian: China and the US have channels of dialogue on arms control and nonproliferation. The US should stop its megaphone diplomacy. In terms of advancing the international arms control process, the top priority now is that countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should fulfill their special and primary responsibilities in nuclear disarmament by further reducing the nuclear arsenals significantly and substantially to create conditions for other nuclear-weapon states to join in multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations. This is also a widely shared consensus in the international community.

AFP: Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating said yesterday that he will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who is visiting Australia. Mr. Keating criticized Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wongs position on China, saying that she overstated Chinas military threats. Is the Foreign Ministry worried that the meeting between former Prime Minister Paul Keating and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will affect the recently thawing China-Australia relations? Do you have more information to share with us on this meeting?

Lin Jian: China will release information on Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to Australia in due course. Please check back for updates.

Bloomberg: The Chinese Foreign Ministry Envoy Wang Kejian met with the Chairman of Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar. Can you offer any more details about this meeting between the Envoy from the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau?

Lin Jian: China has released a readout on the meeting which you may refer to.

Peoples Daily: The conflict in Gaza is still raging on. The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appointed Mohammad Mustafa as the new Prime Minister. Whats Chinas comment?

Lin Jian: China congratulates Mr. Mustafa on taking office as the new Prime Minister of Palestine. Any arrangement concerning the future and destiny of Palestine must follow the principle of the Palestinians governing Palestine and fully reflect the Palestinians aspirations. We support the Palestinian Authority in enhancing its authority and effectively controlling all of Palestines territory, and support all political factions in Palestine in achieving internal reconciliation through consultation and dialogue. China stands ready to work with all parties to deescalate the current tensions and bring the Palestinian question back to the right track of the two-State solution.

Reuters: Taiwans vice leader-elect Hsiao Bi-khim arrived in the Czech Republic today and will speak to a think tank there. Whats your comment?

Lin Jian: China strongly opposes official interaction of any form between Chinas Taiwan region and countries that have diplomatic relations with China. This position is consistent and clear.

In multiple official documents, including the joint statements and joint communique between the government of China and the Czech government, the government of the Czech Republic solemnly committed to stick to the one-China policy, respect Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity and recognize that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. China urges the Czech Republic to follow its commitment, strictly restrain certain politicians, immediately stop the egregious moves that undermine the national credibility of the Czech Republic and its relations with China. We urge the Czech Republic to take effective measures to undo the negative influence of the incident. Our message to Taiwan independence separatists is that whoever engages in Taiwan independence will be held accountable by history; whoever in the world creates one China, one Taiwan will get burned for playing with fire and taste the bitter fruit of their own doing.

Associated Press of Pakistan: Last week, Prime Minister Sharif met with Chinese Ambassador in Islamabad. In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, he said Pakistan is keen to move to the next phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework. Do you have any comment on that?

Lin Jian: China commends Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs positive remarks. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative. A batch of early harvests of cooperation have been achieved in such areas as ports, transportation infrastructure, energy and industry. Last year, the two sides held a grand celebration event to mark the 10th anniversary of the launch of CPEC. Leaders of the two countries reached new important common understandings on high-quality development of CPEC.

China stands ready to work with Pakistan to follow the guidance of the important common understandings reached by leaders of our two countries, build a growth corridor, a livelihood-enhancing corridor, an innovation corridor, a green corridor and an open corridor, continue to deepen cooperation in various areas, foster new growth points and impetus, and build an upgraded CPEC to deliver greater benefits to the two peoples.

AFP: We learned that Hu Shiyun who taught Chinese literature and language at Kobe Gakuin University in western Japan went missing during his stay in China. Is the Foreign Ministry aware of this? If so, can you share more information with us?

Lin Jian: Im not aware of that.
Nurses and supporters attend a hearing Monday at City Hall on UCSFs proposed acquisition of Dignity Health. The nurses say theyre mostly in the dark about the impact the deal will have on patient care. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Dozens gathered for a rally organized by the California Nurses Association at City Hall in San Francisco on Monday. The nurses are pressing UCSF for details on its $100 million purchase of two S.F. hospitals. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

Nurses at UCSF, St. Marys Medical Center and St. Francis Memorial Hospital are pressing UCSF  which is slated to complete a $100 million acquisition of the two community hospitals by June  for detailed answers to their questions about how UCSF will maintain critical patient services and preserve staffing once the deal is complete.

UCSF has committed to keeping staff and medical services at the two hospitals at current levels or above. But nurses at all three facilities, who are represented by the California Nurses Association, say they have been largely shut out for months when theyve requested information from UCSF about how the deal will affect the community  particularly indigent and underserved patients who rely on the hospitals for care.

Dozens of nurses rallied outside San Francisco City Hall on Monday morning and shared their concerns with supervisors during a Rules Committee hearing about the acquisition.

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Nurses are the majority of hospital staff and weve wanted to be included in how the transition will work, said Elizabeth Fenchel, chief nurse representative at UCSF, who works in the inpatient adult bone marrow transplant unit. UCSF has completely shut us down and ignored our requests for information about this. We got one email saying they acquired the hospital, but no other information. And theyve ignored our unions attempts to work with them and meet about this and discuss what their plans are.

The concerns among nurses reflect broader worries that as the health care sector becomes increasingly consolidated across the country and the state, patient care, access to services, and the retention and safety of medical workers will suffer.

At the hearing, UCSF said it has met with the bargaining unit representing UCSF nurses but not the bargaining units representing St. Marys and St. Francis nurses because the acquisition has not been completed. UCSF has responded twice in writing to the California Nurses Association, in October and in February, in response to requests for information, said Shay Strachan, UCSFs vice president of strategic partnerships. Strachan reiterated UCSFs intention to keep services including the burn center at St. Francis, adolescent behavioral health services and the Sister Mary Philippa Health Clinic at St. Marys, and ICU beds at both hospitals.

Its our commitment to maintain those services and all services currently offered, Strachan said.

In a separate statement, UCSF said all applicable collective bargaining units will be honored before and after the transaction closes, and that it has been regularly engaged with the nurses' association and other labor partners.

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Shay Strachan of UCSF speaks during a hearing on the status of UCSFs proposed acquisition of Dignity Health at City Hall in San Francisco on Monday. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

Many nurses cited previous mergers, including UCSFs 2014 affiliation with Childrens Hospital Oakland  now named UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital Oakland  as reason for their concerns. Following that deal, the Oakland provider reduced key staff or consolidated services in many areas, the nurses say, which made care less accessible for East Bay patients.

Nurses at St. Marys and St. Francis have similar concerns. In its 167-year-history, St. Marys ownership has changed hands a number of times: In 1986, it joined several other hospitals to form the medical network Catholic Healthcare West, a precursor to Dignity Health. The network acquired St. Francis in 1993, and renamed itself Dignity in 2012; in 2019, Dignity merged with Catholic Health Initiatives to become CommonSpirit.

When these companies come in, they seem to forget were a community hospital, said Albina Guerrero, whos been a nurse at St. Francis for 38 years. Following each changeover, she said, some services were cut, reduced, or relocated.

Two nurses who spoke at the hearing said they heard more information from UCSF at the hearing than when UCSF began the acquisition process in 2023.

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On March 18, 2024 local time, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with New Zealand's Minister for Trade Todd McClay in Wellington.

Wang Yi said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and New Zealand have always adhered to the principles of mutual respect and inclusiveness, focusing on cooperation and benefiting the people, and constantly set new records for cooperation, making China-New Zealand relations maintain a leading position among China's relations with developed countries. This is the important and unique value of China-New Zealand relations. China is ready to work with New Zealand to actively implement the upgraded China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and launch negotiations on the negative list of trade in services at an early date, so as to take bilateral cooperation to a new level. Opening up brings progress while isolation results in backwardness. The door of China will open wider to the world, and China's door to New Zealand will always be open. The two sides should jointly safeguard free trade, oppose unilateralism and protectionism in the name of "de-risking", build an open world economy and provide a good business environment for enterprises of the two countries.

Todd McClay said, since the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and China, bilateral cooperation has yielded fruitful results and brought important benefits to the two peoples. The New Zealand side is willing to work with the Chinese side to further expand cooperation in economy, trade and other fields and facilitate personnel exchanges. In the face of increasing trade barriers and uncertainties in the world, the upgraded China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement is of great exemplary significance. The two sides should work together to uphold the principle of free trade and resist all kinds of protectionism and unilateral practice.
Apple is currently in discussions with Google regarding the incorporation of Googles Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone. This potential collaboration hints at a significant development in the AI industry, according to reports on Bloomberg by Mark Gurman.

This move aligns with Apple CEO Tim Cooks earlier commitment to a major AI announcement this year. Cook had promised investors transformative features aimed at breaking new ground, especially crucial as the company seeks new avenues for growth following the cancellation of its self-driving car project earlier this year.

Negotiations with Google and OpenAI

Negotiations between Apple and Google are actively underway to license Gemini for powering new iPhone software features. Discussions also involve OpenAI as a potential partner for AI models.

If successful, this agreement would extend beyond their existing search partnership, potentially impacting billions of users. However, it also raises antitrust concerns and could attract regulatory scrutiny.

Despite developing AI models like Ajax and Apple GPT, Apple is considering partnerships due to the perceived superiority of Google and other competitors technologies.

Google sees this partnership as a significant boost for its AI efforts, leveraging Apples extensive user base. However, regulatory challenges, especially regarding their existing search deal, loom over this potential collaboration.

Regulatory Challenges

Regulatory pressure in both the U.S. and EU, coupled with the evolving AI landscape, could reshape the dynamics of their current agreements. Microsofts funding of OpenAI faces similar scrutiny, reflecting broader concerns about tech giants dominance.

Considerations and Timeline

While talks continue, any official announcement is unlikely before Apples Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Apple may opt for multiple AI partners or choose alternatives like OpenAI or Anthropics Claude.

The envisioned AI features would enhance Siri and other apps, complementing Apples in-house AI capabilities focused on proactive user assistance and other AI capabilities for the upcoming iOS 18 update.

Commenting on the development, Mark Gurman, said:
William Holder-Soto, 17 (left), Yixi Ou, 18, and Tuvana Soronzonbold, 17, walk to class at Mission High School in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Yixi Ou, 18 (left), Tuvana Soronzonbold, 17, and William Holder-Soto, 17, are Mission High School students going through the college application process. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Mission High School boasts the highest rate of admission to UC campuses among San Francisco schools. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Mission High School really supports students, said Yixi Ou, who moved to the U.S. from China just before ninth grade. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Jourdan Jackson works at the college center at Mission High School in San Francisco. The school has several programs to aid students applying to attend universities. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle Mission High seniors are getting into the most competitive UC campuses at higher rates than the average public school. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

Lowell High School is often seen as the crown jewel of San Franciscos public high schools, an academically intense place that sends students to the best colleges and universities. And while its true that Lowell graduates go on to some of the nations top institutions of higher learning, a different San Francisco high school actually sees the highest admissions rate to a University of California campus among the citys public schools.

That honor goes to Mission High, where 92% of seniors who applied to a UC  the top of Californias three-tier public university system  were admitted to at least one, according to a Chronicle data analysis.

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Talking to students, its no surprise that the admissions rate is so high.

Mission High School really supports students, said senior Yixi Ou, who moved to the U.S. from China just before the ninth grade.

A new data tool from the Chronicle allows readers to look up any public high school in California and see the percentage of students who apply to a UC and, of those, the percentage who get in. A Chronicle analysis of data from the tool shows that several schools in San Francisco with a higher share of low-income students than Lowell have a higher admissions rate to the prestigious nine-campus UC system.

For instance, at Mission High School, more than half its students (58%) qualify for free or reduced-price meals  much higher than Lowells 37%. Yet Mission's UC acceptance rate far exceeds Lowells rate of 79%.

Not only are Mission High seniors admitted to a UC school, theyre getting into the most competitive campuses at higher rates than the average public school.

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Among in-state residents, UCLA and Berkeley are the hardest UC campuses to get into, with acceptance rates of 9% and 15%, respectively. Lowells admission rates closely match these statewide numbers (7% and 14%), but Missions percentages are notably higher  12 of the 77 students applying to UCLA (16%) and 39 of the 90 applications to Berkeley (43%) were accepted for the 2023 fall semester.

Lowell, however, has far more students applying to the UC system than Mission. Among Lowells 688 seniors, 598 (or 87%) applied to a UC in 2023, compared with 114 of 277 seniors (41%) from Mission High. So while Mission Highs students who do apply are more likely to get in, the number of all Lowell students who are accepted to a UC is much higher.

But even at the schools where more students apply, Black and Latino students arent necessarily admitted at higher rates.

At Lowell, 71 Latino students and 18 Black students applied to a UC. Of those, 48 Latino students and 9 Black students were admitted to at least one UC. At Mission High School, 64 Latino students and 16 Black students applied to at least one UC. Of those, 60 Latino students and 15 Black students were admitted  higher rates and absolute numbers than at Lowell.

The trend holds when looking at the two most selective UC schools  UCLA and UC Berkeley. From Lowell, 53 Latino students and fewer than three Black students applied to UC Berkeley. Only three Latino students were admitted. But at Mission, 49 Latino students and 15 Black students applied. Twenty-one of the Latino students got in, and three of the Black students did. The data does not give more specific numbers below three to protect students privacy.

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SFUSD did not respond to specific questions about Black and Latino students at Lowell, instead providing a statement outlining their districtwide offerings to help students at every stage, including dedicated college admissions counselors and a range of college prep programs.

At SFUSD we want all of our students to recognize their potential and abilities, and we are dedicated to opening doors for students, particularly those who might not otherwise view themselves as able to go to college, said district spokesperson Laura Dudnick. Our job as a school district is to help students realize their potential and their dreams. We are excited for all of our graduating seniors to pursue continued learning, whether in a four-year college, a local community college, a trade, internship, job or a certificate program.

Additionally, the UC system has a program that guarantees admission to at least one UC to the top 9% of students at each participating California high school, and the overwhelming majority of high schools participate. The program is meant to recognize students who make the most of the opportunities available to them.

Yixi Ou listens in class at Mission High School in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

However, the program does not mean that if a top student applies only to UCLA, they are guaranteed admission to UCLA. If a student does not get into any of the UCs they applied to, they are offered a place at another campus where space is available.

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Missions success has shown that lower-income high schools can overcome opportunity gaps, experts said.

Economic disruption and inequality creates instability in the lives of young people that create a number of challenges, said John Rogers, the director of UCLAs Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access, who has studied trends in higher education access for years. Low resource schools can do a lot to address some of those challenges, but it really takes a lot of resources.

Thats where Missions approach comes in.

At Mission, counselors stay with a class for all four years, before starting back at ninth grade once a class graduates. That system allows each counselor to get to know the students before they start applying to colleges. While not necessarily unique to Mission, counselors said it helps them get to know the students, their families, strengths and challenges early on.

Were better able to help students find the best fit for them because of those relationships, said 11th-grade counselor Lena Rodriguez.

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That also means counselors can help students find things like leadership opportunities and activities that are right for them throughout their high school careers.

Some students might not take those opportunities without a little bit of a push, said counselor Jennifer Soliz, who currently serves the senior class.

Many students at the school are first-generation college students, said ninth-grade counselor Maria Servellon Segovia. Some are also the first generation to even go to high school, especially a high school in the U.S. That means its critical to get families involved and help them see and understand the variety of options available for their children.

Applying to college is a long and complicated process, she said. Getting families involved is a big piece of that.

Beyond that, students are able to drop in at the counseling office, known as the Future Center, at any time, including during lunch and after school, to ask questions or get assistance.

For seniors, theres a class called AVID, specifically designed to help students through the application and financial aid processes, said Dawn Woehl, the counselor for newcomer students, or recently arrived immigrant students. The AVID program is also available at eight other SFUSD high schools, including Lowell, though at Mission, aspects of the AVID program are integrated into required classes for each grade in addition to the optional senior class.

Karen Quartz, director of the UCLA Center for Community Schooling, who studies equity in education, said that many of these strategies  particularly involving families  are key to helping lower-income or first-generation students thrive.

It definitely takes a village to get a young person into college, she said. Its not one program or one reform. Its a real community effort.

According to several Mission students who spoke to The Chronicle, that variety of support made a huge difference.

Senior William Holder-Soto, whose parents are both from Peru, said that being in the AVID class was incredibly helpful in keeping him on top of his 10 college applications. In addition, he said, teachers and counselors always encouraged him to get involved in any activity he was interested in, as well as challenge himself academically.

Tuvana Soronzonbold, 17, draws during art class at Mission High School in San Francisco. Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

Junior year, (applying to college) felt intimidating, he said. But I definitely felt better about it with all of the support here.

His classmate Tuvana Soronzonbold agreed. He was born in South Korea and grew up in Mongolia before moving to the U.S. in 2015.

The counselors definitely made it easier to stay organized during the application process, he said, and counselors and teachers made themselves available for help on essays as much as they could.

For him, that help was essential  he applied to 30 colleges, including California State University schools, UCs and other public and private universities across the country.

Now, he has dreams of studying political science at the University of Pennsylvania, opening his own business and one day running for public office, either in the U.S. or Mongolia.

And critically, the students each described how their counselors and teachers helped them learn about the intricacies of the college admission process  knowledge that is not evenly distributed across social classes, Rogers noted  and strategize about how best to stand out, from deciding which classes to take, which activities to join or start, and how best to tell their own unique stories.

Youre going against everyone in the U.S., Soronzonbold said. But Mission High School students are special and have great stories, and here we learn how to tell those.

The counselors emphasized that their role is to find the right fit for a student, which in many cases isnt a UC. Servellon Segovia, who was the counselor for last years senior class, said that many students opted not to go to a UC for a variety of reasons, many of which had to do with location or financial feasibility.

A previous Chronicle analysis found that Black and Latino students remain underrepresented in the number of accepted students who actually enroll at a UC, because they often opt for more affordable Cal State schools or selective private schools that can offer more scholarships and financial aid.

Ou said that early on, she really didnt know her options outside of the UCs, but working with her counselors showed her the variety of schools available. Now, her top choice is Pomona College, she said.

Theres lots of help for newcomers, she said. It helps students be more confident and comfortable.

Editor's Note: This story was originally published in 2023. It was updated in 2024 with the latest data on University of California accep
The Warehouse Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Tony Carter as an Independent Director to the company's board, effective 1 May 2024.

The Warehouse Group Chair Joan Withers said she was delighted to welcome Tony to the Board.

Tony is an outstanding appointment whose wide-ranging retail, commercial and governance experience will complement the capability already in place around The Warehouse Group Board

table.

Tony is a seasoned leader in corporate governance and business strategy, renowned for his career and leadership in some of New Zealand's most successful companies. We look forward to his

contribution as we continue towards our goal of helping Kiwis live better every day.

Tony Carter said he was delighted to be getting back to his retail roots by joining the Group as a director.

The opportunity to join such an iconic company is exciting and I am really looking forward to it.

Tony Carter replaces current director Julia Raue, who will step away from the Board on 31 May 2024.

I want to take this moment to thank Julia for her invaluable impact and dedication over her seven and a half years tenure on the board, says Ms Withers.

Julia's leadership, particularly as Chair of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, and her roles in the Audit and Risk Committee and the Environmental and Social Sustainability Committee, have been instrumental in steering the Group towards a better and more sustainable future. As inaugural Chair of our dedicated Health, Safety and Wellbeing committee Julia has championed this critically important area across the organisation in an exemplary manner.

Julia informed us earlier of her intention to resign during 2024, allowing us ample time to prepare for a seamless transition. On behalf of the entire board and The Warehouse Group, we thank Julia and wish her the very best in her next chapter.

About Tony Carter

Tonys previous directorships encompass decades of governance, including roles at Fisher and Paykel Healthcare, Air New Zealand, Fletcher Building, ANZ Bank New Zealand, and Vector New Zealand. He has previously served as managing director of supermarket operator Foodstuffs and Mitre 10 stores, where he played a critical role in their strategic development and expansion.

Tony Carter currently chairs the boards of MyFoodBag, Datacom Group and The Interiors Group, and

is a director of Ravensdown.

- Ends -

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EQS-Ad-hoc: Douglas AG / Key word(s): IPO

Douglas AG: Final offer price for DOUGLAS AG shares set at 26.00 euro per share



19-March-2024 / 18:09 CET/CEST

Disclosure of an inside information acc.



The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.







Final offer price for DOUGLAS AG shares set at 26.00 euro per share



Dusseldorf, March 19, 2024 DOUGLAS AG, together with its shareholder Kirk Beauty International S.A., a holding company majority-owned by funds advised by global private equity firm CVC Capital Partners as well as the Kreke family, has set the final offer price at 26.00 euro per share today. In total, 34,192,455 shares are being placed with investors thereof 32,692,308 newly issued shares and 1,500,147 existing shares from the holdings of Kirk Beauty International S.A. The total offer size amounts to around 890 million euro with gross proceeds for DOUGLAS AG of around 850 million euro, which corresponds to a market capitalization of DOUGLAS AG of around 2.8 billion euro.



Following completion of the IPO, the free float is expected to be arround 1.8%. CVC Capital Partners and the Kreke family retain their indirect investments resulting in indirect holdings of around 54.4% for CVC Capital Partners and around 10.2% for the Kreke family.



The shares of DOUGLAS AG are expected to be trading on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange from March 21, 2024, on. The settlement and closing of the offering are planned for March 25, 2024.



Investor Relations Contact DOUGLAS Group

Stefanie Steiner

Director Investor Relations and M&A

Phone: +49 211 16847 8594

E-Mail: NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA, JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL OR REQUIRE REGISTRATION OR ANY OTHER MEASURES.Final offer price for DOUGLAS AG shares set at 26.00 euro per shareDOUGLAS AG, together with its shareholder Kirk Beauty International S.A., a holding company majority-owned by funds advised by global private equity firm CVC Capital Partners as well as the Kreke family, has set the final offer price at 26.00 euro per share today. In total, 34,192,455 shares are being placed with investors thereof 32,692,308 newly issued shares and 1,500,147 existing shares from the holdings of Kirk Beauty International S.A. The total offer size amounts to around 890 million euro with gross proceeds for DOUGLAS AG of around 850 million euro, which corresponds to a market capitalization of DOUGLAS AG of around 2.8 billion euro.Following completion of the IPO, the free float is expected to be arround 1.8%. CVC Capital Partners and the Kreke family retain their indirect investments resulting in indirect holdings of around 54.4% for CVC Capital Partners and around 10.2% for the Kreke family.The shares of DOUGLAS AG are expected to be trading on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange from March 21, 2024, on. The settlement and closing of the offering are planned for March 25, 2024.Stefanie SteinerDirector Investor Relations and M&APhone: +49 211 16847 8594E-Mail: ir@douglas.de



End of Inside Information

Information and Explanation of the Issuer to this announcement:



Important Notice



This announcement is an advertisement for the purposes of the prospectus regulation EU 2017/1129, as amended (Prospectus Regulation). It does not constitute an offer to purchase any shares in DOUGLAS AG and does not replace the securities prospectus which will be available free of charge, together with the relevant translation(s) of the summary, on DOUGLAS Group's website at https://douglas.group/en/investors/ under the Listing section. The approval of the securities prospectus by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) should not be understood as an endorsement of the investment in any shares in DOUGLAS AG. Investors should purchase shares solely on the basis of the prospectus (including any supplements thereto, if any) relating to the shares and should read the prospectus which is yet to be published (including any supplements thereto, if any) before making an investment decision in order to fully understand the potential risks and rewards associated with the decision to invest in the shares. Investment in shares entails numerous risks, including a total loss of the initial investment.

This announcement does not contain or constitute an offer of, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for, securities to any person in the United States, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Japan or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful.



Neither this announcement nor the publication in which it is contained is for publication or distribution, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States of America, including its territories and possessions, any state of the United States and the District of Columbia (the United States). The information in this announcement does not contain or constitute an offer to acquire, subscribe or otherwise trade in shares in DOUGLAS AG in any jurisdiction. Any securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered, subscribed, used, pledged, sold, resold, allotted, delivered or otherwise transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States absent such registration, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act, in each case in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. There will be no public offer of the securities in the United States.



Subject to certain exceptions under applicable law, the securities referred to herein may not be offered or sold in Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan or to, or for the account or benefit of, any national, resident or citizen of Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan. There will be no public offer of the securities in Australia, Canada, South Africa or Japan.



In member states of the European Economic Area (other than Germany), this announcement is only addressed to and directed at persons who are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation.

In the United Kingdom, this announcement is only addressed to and directed at persons who are qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2 of the Prospectus Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and amendments thereto) as it forms part of United Kingdom domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the Order) or (ii) are high net worth entities falling within article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons being referred to as relevant persons). In the United Kingdom, this announcement is directed only at relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its contents. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons and it should not be relied on by anyone other than a relevant person.



No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representation not contained in and not consistent with the announcement and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized by or on behalf of DOUGLAS AG or any Person.



This announcement may contain forward-looking statements which reflect DOUGLAS AGs current view on future events and financial and operational development. Words such as intend, expect, anticipate, may, believe, plan, estimate and other expressions which imply indications or predictions of future development or trends, and which are not based on historical facts, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements inherently involve both known and unknown risks and uncertainties as they depend on future events and circumstances. Forward-looking statements do not guarantee future results or developments and the actual outcome could differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Each of the Banks and their respective affiliates expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, review or revise any forward-looking statement contained in this announcement whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.



The Banks are acting exclusively for DOUGLAS AG and the Selling Shareholder and no-one else in connection with the planned offering of shares of DOUGLAS AG (the Offering). They will not regard any other person as their respective clients in relation to the Offering and will not be responsible to anyone other than DOUGLAS AG and the Selling Shareholder for providing the protections afforded to their respective clients, nor for providing advice in relation to the Offering, the contents of this announcement or any transaction, arrangement or other matter referred to herein.



In connection with the Offering, the Banks and any of their affiliates, acting as investors for their own accounts, may subscribe for or purchase securities of DOUGLAS AG and in that capacity may retain, purchase, sell, offer to sell or otherwise deal for their own accounts in such securities and other securities of DOUGLAS AG or related investments in connection with the Offering or otherwise. Accordingly, references in the prospectus, once published, to the securities being issued, offered, subscribed, acquired, placed or otherwise dealt in should be read as including any issue or offer to, or subscription, acquisition, placing or dealing by the Banks and any of their affiliates acting as investors for their own accounts.



In addition, certain of the Banks or their respective affiliates may enter into financing arrangements and swaps with investors in connection with which such Banks (or their affiliates) may from time to time acquire, hold or dispose of DOUGLAS AGs shares. The Banks do not intend to disclose the extent of any such investment or transactions otherwise than in accordance with any legal or regulatory obligations to do so.



None of the Banks or any of their respective affiliates, directors, officers, personally liable partners, employees, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from the announcement) or any other information relating to DOUGLAS AG, its subsidiaries or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of this announcement or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.



In connection with the Offering, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, as stabilization manager, or any of its agents, may (but will be under no obligation to), to the extent permitted by applicable law, take stabilization measures in accordance with Article 5(4) and (5) of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 16, 2014 on market abuse in conjunction with Articles 5 through 7 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052) of March 8, 2016. Stabilization measures aim at supporting the market price of the shares of DOUGLAS AG during the stabilization period, such period starting on the date the DOUGLAS AGs shares commence trading on the regulated market segment (regulierter Markt) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierborse) with simultaneous admission to the sub-segment of the regulated market with additional post-admission obligations (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierborse), expected to be March 21, 2024, and ending no later than 30 calendar days thereafter (the Stabilization Period). Stabilization transactions may result in a market price that is higher than would otherwise prevail. The stabilization manager is not required to enter into such transactions and such transactions may be effected on any stock market, over-the-counter market, stock exchange or otherwise. However, there will be no obligation on the stabilization manager or any of its agents to effect stabilizing transactions and there is no assurance that stabilizing transactions will be undertaken. Stabilization measures may be undertaken at the following trading venues: Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Xetra, BATS Europe, Chi-X Exchange, Munich Stock Exchange, Stuttgart Stock Exchange, Turquoise MTF. Such stabilizing measures, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time without prior notice. In no event will measures be taken to stabilize the market price of DOUGLAS AGs shares above the offer price. Save as required by law or regulation, neither the stabilization manager nor any of its agents intends to disclose the extent of any stabilization transactions conducted in relation to the Offering.



The information contained in this release is for background purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. No reliance may be placed by any person for any purpose on the information contained in this release or its accuracy, fairness or completeness.



Solely for the purposes of the product governance requirements contained within: (a) EU Directive 2014/65/EU on markets in financial instruments, as amended (MiFID II); (b) Articles 9 and 10 of Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2017/593 supplementing MiFID II; and (c) local implementing measures (together, the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements), and disclaiming all and any liability, whether arising in tort, contract or otherwise, which any manufacturer (for the purposes of the MiFID II Product Governance Requirements) may otherwise have with respect thereto, the shares have been subject to a product approval process, which has determined that such share are: (i) compatible with an end target market of retail investors and investors who meet the criteria of professional clients and eligible counterparties, each as defined in MiFID II; and (ii) eligible for distribution through all distribution channels as are permitted by MiFID II (the Target Market Assessment). Notwithstanding the Target Market Assessment, distributors should note that: the price of the shares may decline and investors could lose all or part of their investment; the shares offer no guaranteed income and no capital protection; and an investment in the shares in compatible only with investors who do not need a guaranteed income or capital protection, who (either alone or in conjunction with an appropriate financial or other adviser) are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of such an investment and who have sufficient resources to be able to bear any losses that may result therefrom. The Target Market Assessment is without prejudice to the requirements of any contractual, legal or regulatory selling restrictions in relation to the offering.



For the avoidance of doubt, the Target Market Assessment does not constitute: (a) an assessment of suitability or appropriateness for the purposes of MiFID II; or (b) a recommendation to any investor or group of investors to invest in, or purchase, or take any other action whatsoever with respect to the shares.



Each distributor is responsible for undertaking its own target market assessment in respect of the shares and determining appropriate distribution channels.



The date of the admission to trading of shares of DOUGLAS AG on the regulated market segment (regulierter Markt) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierborse) with simultaneous admission to the sub-segment of the regulated market with additional post-admission obligations (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Frankfurter Wertpapierborse) (together, the Admission) may be influenced by things such as market conditions. There is no guarantee that Admission will occur and no financial decision should be based on the intentions of DOUGLAS AG in relation to Admission at this stage. Acquiring investments to which this release relates may expose an investor to a significant risk of losing all of the amount invested. Persons considering making such investments should consult an authorized person specializing in advising on such investments. This release does not constitute a recommendation concerning the Offering. The value of shares can decrease as well as increase. Potential investors should consult a professional advisor as to the suitability of the Offering for the person concerned. 19-March-2024 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.eqs-news.com


Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. J. Scott Applewhite/AP Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., right, confers with Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., during a news conference ahead of the State of the Union address, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 6, 2024. J. Scott Applewhite/AP President Joe Biden, from left, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., listen as Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, not pictured, speaks at a Friends of Ireland luncheon on Capitol Hill, Friday, March 15, 2024, in Washington. Andrew Harnik/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden and congressional leaders announced Tuesday that they have reached an agreement on this fiscal year's final set of spending bills. Now, the question is how fast lawmakers can get the bills passed to avoid a partial government shutdown.

While Biden said he'll sign the bill package as soon as he receives it, time is running short. Legislative staff needs time to finish the bill text, an arduous task. The House has a rule that lawmakers get 72 hours to review a bill before voting. And the Senate has never been known for its ability to sprint. Meanwhile, funding for several key agencies expires at midnight Friday.

We have come to an agreement with Congressional leaders on a path forward for the remaining full-year funding bills, Biden, a Democrat, said in a statement Tuesday morning. The House and Senate are now working to finalize a package that can quickly be brought to the floor, and I will sign it immediately.

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Work on the final spending bills hit a late snag around funding for the Department of Homeland Security, but the contours of that bill were resolved late Monday. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the relevant committees are now drafting bill text to be considered by the full House and Senate as soon as possible. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, issued a similar statement, saying in the next few days, upon completion of the drafting process, Congress would consider the package.

The action comes nearly six months into the fiscal year, with Congress still only halfway home in passing spending measures expected to total about $1.65 trillion. Lawmakers passed the first portion of spending bills in early March, representing about 30% of discretionary spending for the year. Now lawmakers are focused on the larger package and, in what has become routine, are brushing up against a shutdown deadline.

Emerging from a meeting with GOP colleagues, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said he expected legislative text to be unveiled Wednesday and a vote in the House to occur by Friday.

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We want to get it done before the government funding expires Friday, Scalise said.

On holding the vote before lawmakers had 72 hours to read the bill, Scalise said no final decisions had been made, "but obviously weve got a deadline of the 22nd thats coming up that we want to make sure were focused on as well.

The package is expected to provide about $886 billion for the Pentagon. It will also fund the departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and others.

Overall, the two spending packages provide about a 3% boost for defense, while keeping nondefense spending roughly flat with the year before. That's in keeping with an agreement that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy worked out with the White House, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills.

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House Republicans have been determined to end the practice of packaging all 12 annual spending bills into one massive bill called an omnibus. They managed this time to break the spending bills into two parts.

With the possible release of legislative text late Tuesday, the Houses 72-hour rule means that chamber would not take it up until late Friday, just hours before funding expires. Johnson would then likely have to bring the bill up through a streamlined process requiring two-thirds support to pass.

Most of the no votes are expected to come from Republicans, who have been critical of the overall spending levels as well as the lack of policy mandates sought by some conservatives, such as restricting abortion access, eliminating diversity and inclusion programs within federal agencies, and banning gender-affirming care.

Then, the Senate would act on the bill, but it would require all senators to agree on speeding up the process to get to a final vote before the midnight Friday deadline. Such agreements generally require Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to allow for votes on various amendments to the bill in return for an expedited final vote. Schumer said Tuesday he was hopeful of avoiding a lapse in government services.

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We haven't had a government shutdown since 2019. There's no good reason for us to have one this week now that we're getting very close to finishing the job, Schumer said.

One provision in the bill would provide for 12,000 special immigrant visas for eligible Afghans who helped Americans despite great personal risk to themselves and their loved ones during roughly two decades of war in Afghanistan. Without congressional action, the State Department could run out of such visas by the end of summer, endangering thousands of Afghans seeking safety in the U.S.

The news was welcomed by advocacy groups. Shawn VanDiver, a Navy veteran and head of #AfghanEvac, a coalition supporting Afghan resettlement efforts, called it an unequivocal win if the legislation is ultimately passed.

While this wont be enough visas to help all our Afghan allies, this gives us some breathing room and will show our partners in Americas longest war that we wont leave them behind, VanDiver said.

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Migrants seeking asylum in the United States wait on the Mexican side of the border in Ciudad Juarez, after the US Supreme Court lifted its hold on a Texas law that allows state police to arrest and deport migrants
Fri Friday

68 /36

Windy with a mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the mid 30s.
Connecticut's workplace death rate remains among the lowest in the nation. Hearst Connecticut Media

Workplace deaths in Connecticut increased in 2022 after dropping in each of the previous three years, but the rate of fatalities in the state is still among the lowest in the nation, according to recent reports from state and federal labor agencies.

The 34 workplace deaths in 2022 were an increase from 23 the previous year and from totals in 2019 and 2020, but Connecticut's rate of two deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers was second lowest in 2022, just behind Rhode Island's rate of 1.4, among the 50 states. The national average was 3.7, and the highest death rates were recorded in Wyoming (12.7) and North Dakota (9.8).

Transportation incidents resulted in 12 fatal work injuries in Connecticut in 2022, reflecting nationwide numbers that show crashes and other road accidents accounted for 38 percent of fatal work injuries that year, U.S. and state labor departments reported recently.

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The private construction, private transportation, and warehousing sectors both had the highest number of fatalities in Connecticut with nine each, up from six and four in the previous year, respectively. Falls, slips, and trips accounted for seven fatalities in Connecticut, up from three in 2021, and contact with objects and equipment resulted in six fatalities, unchanged from the prior year.

Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 57 in 1998 to the low of 23 in 2021. Connecticut averages 38 work-related deaths each year, according to the state Department of Labor. Connecticut was among the 10 states with the fewest fatal injuries in the workplace, 29, in 2020, the same number as Montana. The spread of COVID-19 that year and in 2021 meant many people switched to working from home most or all of the time.

In 2020, Rhode Island had the fewest workplace deaths of the 50 states at five and Texas had the most at 469, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2022, those same two states again bracketed the workplace death tally, with Texas at 578 deaths and Rhode Island with seven.

Massachusetts' workplace death toll in 2022 was 81; Maine, 23; New Hampshire, 19; and Vermont, 11. Connecticut has relatively few jobs in dangerous fields such as logging and mining. Overall, the 4,764 total deaths nationally that year was the lowest since 2013.

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Workplace injuries and illnesses in Connecticut's private industries in 2022 totaled 35,700 cases, an incidence rate of 3.2 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers compared with a national rate of 2.7. In the same year, 7,500 illness and injury cases were reported among state and local government workers, a rate of 5.4 cases per 100 full-time workers compared with the national rate of 4.9, according to labor department statistics. Seventy-three percent of injuries and illnesses reported in Connecticuts public sector occurred among local government workers, the federal labor department reported.

Other highlights from the recent reports included:

Men accounted for 94 percent of the work-related fatalities in Connecticut in 2022, similar to the national share.

White non-Hispanics accounted for 59 percent of the workplace deaths in the state, similar to the 58 percent nationwide. Black workers accounted for 9 percent of Connecticut's fatalities and Hispanic workers accounted for about 24 percent. Nationally, deaths of Black workers climbed to 734 in 2022 from 653 in 2021, a 12.4 percent increase.

Thirty-two of Connecticuts deaths in 2022 were men; nationally 92 percent were men.

Workers who were 55-64 years old accounted for 32 percent of the states work-related fatalities in 2022, compared to 21 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.

Of the 34 fatal work injuries in Connecticut, 82 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed.

Three of the Connecticut deaths were listed under "nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol/unintentional overdose. Nationally, this category of workplace fatalities has increased 619 percent since 2011 and has affected all employee demographics, industries, and occupations, the federal labor department reported. The category does not include accidental exposure to drugs.

Nationwide figures show deaths due to violence by persons and animals increased 11.6 percent to 849. Homicides accounted for 61.7 percent of these fatalities, an 8.9-percent increase from 2021.

Bristol police officers who were ambushed and fatally shot in October 2022 accounted for two of Connecticut's workplace deaths that year. Nationally, fatalities among protective service occupations, which includes police officers and firefighters, increased 10.9 percent in 2022.
Blinken Warns Democracy Summit of Dangers of Disinformation

By VOA News March 18, 2024

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that in a year where more than half the world will be holding elections, new technologies including social media and artificial intelligence have made disinformation a greater threat than ever.

Speaking to the third Summit for Democracy in Seoul Monday, Blinken added that while those technologies have dramatically accelerated the already fast-changing information environment, they have also "created an accelerant for disinformation, fueling polarization, adding to the general sense of confusion that people have about the world around them."

Blinken said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, disinformation discouraged millions from getting vaccinated, "sometimes with fatal results." Climate change, he said, was another example where disinformation has helped delay action on the crisis.

With the number of elections being held globally, Blinken called 2024 "an extraordinary election year in country after country - but warned that citizens and candidates will face "a flood of falsehoods that suffocate serious civic debate."

He said adversaries of democracy are using disinformation to exploit differences inside democratic countries by sowing cynicism and instability.

"Pitting one group against another. Discrediting our institutions," Blinken said.

The secretary of state pointed to a 2023 State Department report that says China has spent billions of dollars to spread propaganda and suppress Western news outlets.

He gave the example of China buying television platforms in Africa that excluded international news channels from subscription packages, and surreptitiously buying media companies in Southeast Asia - which then run heavily pro-China news.

He said Russia has used similar tactics, "laundering" Russian media content through Latin American channels to undermine global support for Ukraine.

"By discovering and publicizing these influence operations, we've enabled other governments, media, civil society to track and to thwart them," Blinken said. For its part, he said, the U.S. is trying to use diplomacy to promote common principles and align allies to counter media manipulation by foreign adversaries.

In his speech, Blinken also stressed that governments need to uphold media freedom and the safety of journalists on- and offline - because an independent and empowered press is a cornerstone for healthy democracies.

The Summit for Democracy, launched by the U.S. in 2021, seeks to promote democratic values and to demonstrate how democracies better serve their people.

According to a statement on the U.S. State department's website, more than 70 nations have endorsed the summit's Declaration for Democracy.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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USS Rafael Peralta Conducts Port Visit in Ishigaki, Japan

US Navy

15 March 2024

From Petty Officer 1st Class Devin Monroe

ISHIGAKI, Japan -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) concluded a visit to Ishigaki in the southern Japanese island prefecture of Okinawa, Mar. 13.

"I would like to thank the city of Ishigaki for your warm welcome," said Cmdr. Stephen D. Szachta, commanding officer of Rafael Peralta. "Our Sailors enjoyed the opportunity to explore the surrounding area and try the local cuisine."

The Rafael Peralta is the first United States destroyer to visit Ishigaki. The last US navy vessel to visit Ishigaki was USS Pioneer (MCM 9) September 11, 2023.

While at the port, the Rafael Peralta crew hosted a tour and reception for members of the media and other locals. The tours took visitors through the ship where subject matter experts explained the many ways the crew safely operates and navigates the ship.

Port visits are a critical mission for the U.S. Navy. This port visit facilitated the building of relationships and the exchanging of culture between the citizens and Sailors of Japan and Rafael Peralta Sailors. It also allowed for the demonstration of the life of a Sailor and of the capabilities of a destroyer.

"The U.S.-Japan alliance is a cornerstone in maintaining peace and stability within the dynamic Indo-Pacific region and our alliance has never been stronger," Szatcha stated.

The Rafael Peralta is underway conducting routine operations and exercises building warfighting proficiency and increasing allied interoperability. Rafael Peralta is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy's largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet's principal surface force.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest forward-deployed fleet in the world, and with the help of a network of alliances and partners from 35 other maritime-nations, the U.S. Navy has operated in the Indo-Pacific region for more than 70 years, providing credible, ready forces to help preserve peace and prevent conflict.

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US military plans $400 million upgrade to Yap's airport in western Pacific

The proposal adds to other significant expansion of U.S. military infrastructure in the Pacific.

By Stephen Wright for BenarNews 2024.03.17 -- The U.S. Air Force has outlined plans to spend US$400 million on upgrading the international airport on the Micronesian island of Yap to overcome what it says is a lack of military-capable airports in the strategically important Pacific region.

The plan is detailed in budget documents for the 2025 fiscal year and is one of the air force's largest outside-of-America appropriation requests for that year. It adds to other significant expansion of U.S. military infrastructure in the Pacific in response to China's increased defense spending.

"Development of Yap Airport is essential because there are very few divert or contingency airfields available as potential United States defense sites in the region," according to the budget request submitted to Congress last month.

"The strategic intent is to support and conduct current, emerging, and future United States Air Force training activities, and to ensure the capability to meet mission requirements in the event that access to other western Pacific locations is limited or denied," it said.

U.S. President Joe Biden earlier this month signed a budget bill that included funding for the renewal of close ties with Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands. The three countries give the United States military access to their vast ocean territories between the Philippines and Hawaii in exchange for economic assistance and the right to live and work in the U.S.

The U.S. is building an over-the-horizon radar facility in Palau that will add to its early-warning capabilities for the western Pacific and also has expanded military bases in the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam over several years.

In the South Pacific, the U.S. envisages upgrades over several years to sea and air ports in Papua New Guinea under a defense cooperation agreement signed last year. It also plans to base nuclear-capable B-52 bombers in the far north of Australia after upgrading airport infrastructure.

China's annual military budget has about doubled over the past decade to $298 billion in 2022, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's military spending database. U.S. military spending fell over that period but remains nearly three times greater than China's.

Competition between China and the U.S. has been sharpest in East Asia due to possible flashpoints such as Taiwan - which China regards as a rebel province - and Beijing's claims to the South China Sea that overlap with the claims of Southeast Asian nations.

The Pacific has also become a focus for the rivalry as the U.S. responds to China's inroads with island states over several decades. U.S. interest in the Pacific was particularly galvanized after the Solomon Islands signed a security agreement with China in 2022.

Yap, one of the four states that make up Federated States of Micronesia, comprises islands with a total area of about 100 square kilometers (39 square miles) and is known for maintaining a strong traditional culture and its giant stone money.

The airport project on Yap island, which is the largest island in the remote group, would lengthen the runway so more U.S. military aircraft can safely use it, according to the budget document. The construction work could begin in the second half of next year.

Yap's strategic location is vital to the U.S. military's Indo-Pacific Command and the U.S. Pacific Air Force for future missions and for aircraft involved in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts in the area, it says.

An additional project planned for Yap would expand the area for aircraft parking and improve access to the runway, according to the document.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.

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.

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Vietnam parliament's Thursday meeting fuels leadership speculation

A letter to legislators said the extraordinary session is to discuss 'personnel issues.'

By RFA Vietnamese 2024.03.17 -- Vietnam's parliament will hold an extraordinary session on Thursday to discuss 'personnel issues,' according to a letter sent to legislators and seen by Reuters.

The news agency quoted Vietnamese officials and diplomats as saying the resignation of President Vo Van Thuong may be on the agenda.

Radio Free Asia's call to Vietnam's Ministery of Foreign Affairs to confirm details of Thursday's meeting went unanswered.

The session comes after Vietnam canceled a state visit by the Dutch King and Queen planned for March 19-22, due to unspecified "internal circumstances," according to a statement from the Dutch Royal House.

President Thuong has only been in the job for a year. He was appointed in March, 2023, after a special meeting of the National Assembly two months earlier saw the sudden resignation of then president Nguyen Xuan Phuc who took responsibility for a series of major COVID scandals.

The Vietnamese presidency is largely a ceremonial role.

United States-based lawyer Le Quoc Quan told RFA extraordinary meetings of Vietnam's National Assembly have become normal because of the recent turbulence in senior leadership positions.

Quan said even though state media had not reported on the meeting, social media posts led him to believe President Thuong would resign to take responsibility for a corruption case involving officials from Vinh Phuc and Quang Ngai provinces.

He said Thuong's likely replacement is Minister of Public Security To Lam.

"Recently, the Ministry of Public Security has been given a lot of budget, the ministry has a lot of power, it has influenced the National Assembly to pass many laws to protect the police sector.

"The Ministry of Public Security is actually consolidating its power firmly and strongly and is like [Communist Party of Vietnam General Secretary] Nguyen Phu Trong's right hand to carry out the so-called anti-corruption work, or in other words, suppressing subjects that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong himself as well as the Ministry of Public Security found inappropriate, including senior leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam and activists."

Vietnam watcher and emeritus professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy, Carl Thayer said Permanent Member of the Secretariat Truong Thai Mai is another possible candidate for the presidency, which he sees as an immensely significant reshuffle.

"It involves replacing one of the four pillars of Vietnam's leadership (party secretary general, state president, prime minister, chairman of the National Assembly) twenty-one months in advance of the 14th national congress of the Vietnam Communist Party," he said.

"The Central Committee must decide whether Thuong's replacement is a caretaker for Thuong's remaining term in office or whether Thuong's replacement will continue in office after the next party congress."

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.

Updated to include comments from Carl Thayer.

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.

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Secretary Antony J. Blinken At the Ministerial Conference of the Third Summit for Democracy

US Department of State

Remarks

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Shilla Hotel

Seoul, Republic of Korea

March 17, 2024

SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you, everyone. Thank you, and good morning again. Thank you.

So I again want to thank President Yoon and Foreign Minister Cho for bringing us together to discuss what is one of the most transformational forces that's shaping our future, our world, our democracies - and that is artificial intelligence.

I think it's hard to overstate the extent to which the decisions that we make as governments, as communities, as people, as enterprises, over the coming months and coming years - it's hard to overstate the impact that's going to have on many years and many decades to come when it comes to AI. We have a profound stake in ensuring that democracies can lead the world in AI innovation - so that we can in turn lead the world in setting the norms, the standards, the rules by which artificial intelligence is used. That's the most effective way, and the necessary way, to make sure that we're reaping the technology's extraordinary opportunities, but also protecting people from harm. And you heard Gabriela allude to some of this just a few moments ago.

We can see, we can feel the tremendous excitement about AI around the world, and in fact, nowhere more so than in the vast global majority countries. There's a sense that this is a tool, a means by which to genuinely accelerate progress. And we're already seeing some of that.

Kenya, for example, has deployed a new AI-enabled bot that enables women and girls to access comprehensive and accurate reproductive health information.

Chile developed "Creamos," an AI-supported tool that encourages young people to contribute their ideas to foster social change and to advance sustainable development.

In Ukraine, an anti-corruption organization and tech companies came together on an AI-enabled system to accurately document attacks on cultural heritage and civilian infrastructure, which is strengthening Ukraine's prosecution of war crimes.

We also know that AI has tremendous power to drive development that directly improves people's lives - and in doing so, earn the confidence of our people, people around the world, in our democratic model.

But here's the reality. Right now, the world is on track to achieve just 12 percent - just 12 percent - of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. So we are way behind. But AI could accelerate progress on 80 percent of the goals - from improving agricultural productivity to combatting hunger, to detecting and preventing outbreaks of disease, to accelerating our clean energy transition that creates jobs and protects our planet at the same time.

And as I'm traveling around the world, at least, what I'm hearing again and again and again is optimism about the potential for AI. Democracies are positioned to harness that optimism.

But AI is also a critical arena in which democracy is being challenged.

So while we seek to harness the power of AI and other digital technologies for good, some governments are abusing those same technologies to do just the opposite.

They're using AI tools, like facial recognition and bots, to surveil their own citizens. Harass journalists, human rights defenders, and political dissidents. Spread mis- and disinformation that undermines free and fair elections, or sets one segment of our societies against another.

Our democracies are hardly immune to the harms from AI misuse and failure, including impacts from the choices that tech companies make in deploying their innovations - from our citizens being able to access fewer and less diverse media sources because of the failures of AI-enabled search engines, to discrimination and bias that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities.

The United States is determined to shape the terms of our technological future in a way that's inclusive, rights-respecting, that sustains democratic values and democratic institutions. We've made historic investments in our technological capabilities and those of our democratic partners.

At the same time, we're pairing those investments with efforts to lead on the governance of artificial intelligence. Those include an executive order strengthening AI safety and security, privacy protections, and equity and civil rights, while promoting innovation. We've also set out an AI Risk Management Framework, a Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, a new AI Safety Institute, voluntary commitments endorsed by 15 top tech companies, and an international code of conduct for organizations developing advanced AI systems.

We're building broad and inclusive support to uphold safe, secure, and trustworthy AI. Just this week, the United Nations is set to adopt the first-ever standalone resolution on AI - focused on ensuring that AI is deployed to advance sustainable development and actually deliver progress in people's lives. This resolution is led by the United States; it's now co-sponsored by more than 75 countries. And to those who have not yet joined, we really invite you to do so.

This unity reflects a strong global consensus in support of two equally important goals: that AI is safe, secure, and trustworthy, and that its benefits are actually shared by all. We must support governance and capacity building that narrows the digital divide.

AI is just one component of our broader democratic approach to technology.

We're countering government surveillance and the misuse of spyware.

Last year, President Biden issued an executive order prohibiting the use of commercial spyware by the United States Government when its use poses security risks to our country - or where it could lead to misuse by a foreign actor, including to carry out human rights abuse or to suppress civil liberties.

Six countries just signed on to our joint statement on the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware. They join a 17-member-strong coalition that's collaborating to make sure that spyware is used consistent with respect for universal human rights and for basic freedoms.

We're defending human rights defenders online. Today, we're releasing first-of-its-kind guidance to give technology companies the tools to help prevent, mitigate, and seek justice for attacks on human rights defenders online.

We're protecting access to a free and open internet. Since 2023, the U.S. Government has supported 30 million users of circumvention tools, like VPNs, to get around government internet blackouts each month through the Surge and Sustain Fund for Anti-Censorship Technology.

The stakes of this work could not be greater. But again, seeing everyone here today, seeing the work that we'll be doing over the next three days, the information we'll be sharing, the best practices we'll be working on together, that, again, gives me confidence that this is a challenge that we can not only embrace, but that we can succeed in meeting. If we can harness all of the extraordinary potential, all the extraordinary good in AI, while mitigating the downsides, we will - we will - advance progress for people in all of our countries and around the world.

It's a tremendous responsibility, but we have to meet it in this moment. Because again - I'll close with this - this is moving so fast, it's moving so quickly, that what is decided now and in the weeks and months ahead is going to shape the future for generations to come. So there's urgency to this effort, and we'll be much more effective, much stronger, when we work together.

Thank you. (Applause.)





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Secretary Antony J. Blinken At the Opening Ceremony of the Third Summit for Democracy

US Department of State

Remarks

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State

Shilla Hotel

Seoul, Republic of Korea



SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thank you very, very much. President Yoon, Foreign Minister Cho: Thank you for hosting this third Summit for Democracy. And I hope that the extraordinary spirit of nori that we just saw a few moments ago pervades the next three days, and indeed, helps us carry forward from Seoul as we not only do our work here, but then continue it in the many weeks and months ahead.

It's particularly fitting - in fact, it's even a little bit poignant - that we're gathered here in Seoul, in Korea, for this third Summit for Democracy - a nation that transformed, over a single generation, into one of the strongest, most dynamic democracies in the world, a champion of democracy for the world.

I also want to thank our partners who are here with us today from the United Kingdom and Ecuador in helping to carry forward the banner of the Summit for Democracy. And everyone present today: Thank you for being here.

We come from nations large and small; East and West; developed and developing economies. But we're all united by a fierce conviction: that democracy is the single most powerful tool for unleashing human potential and delivering results for our people.

Three years ago, President Biden launched the Summit for Democracy, out of a recognition that democratic governance has reached what he calls an inflection point.

There was a powerful wave of political opening around the world after the end of the Cold War, but that has been followed by nearly two decades of democratic backsliding. In many places, basic freedoms have eroded, electoral rights have come under assault, corruption has eaten away at hope.

Under the summit banner, over the past three years, we have risen together to meet this challenge. More than 100 governments from every part of the world have committed to taking concrete action to strengthen and renew democracy both in their countries, but also working together to tackle shared threats around the world.

We're fighting corruption. Bulgaria is protecting whistleblowers and increasing accountability for public prosecutors. Kenya adopted open contracting data standards for public procurement and created a public beneficial ownership register. Canada is investing millions in combatting money laundering around the world.

We're promoting free and fair elections. Switzerland is supporting emerging democracies with technological expertise and guidance to reduce the risk of violence ahead of elections.

Botswana is engaging regional bodies like the African Union and the regional economic communities to advocate for presidential term limits. Australia is providing electoral support to Southeast Asian and Pacific nations.

We're protecting independent media and journalists. The United States has supported grants around more than a dozen countries to strengthen the long-term stability of media outlets through the International Fund for Public Internet Media - excuse me, Public Interest Media. And we're improving the security of journalists, including those operating in exile, under the Journalism Protection Platform.

We're upholding and defending human rights. Nepal increased the statute of limitations to file a rape case. Czechia has begun a program to issue emergency visas for human rights defenders who may be under threat. The Bahamas launched a mobile tool to connect people with disabilities to services and employment opportunities.

And critically, we are bringing partners outside of government into the important work of protecting and promoting democracy. The United States is launching a new National Action Plan on Responsible Business Conduct. This plan sets out more than 40 concrete actions across the U.S. Government to help ensure that the companies that we work with are actually upholding human rights.

President Biden has made the defense of democracy a core pillar of American diplomacy - because safeguarding and accelerating our democratic renewal at home requires that we help shape a world in which democracies can thrive.

Shoring up traditional pillars of democracy is more important than ever.

But we also need to show that democracy is responsive to our people's needs and can deliver on the issues that matter most in their lives and for their livelihoods.

Like the climate crisis - which, for millions of people, is literally an existential threat to their livelihoods today.

Inclusive economic growth that protects the dignity of work and strengthens the economic competitiveness of democracies.

Social rights, like food, health care, education, housing.

The rights and needs of the vulnerable and historically marginalized: women and girls, people living with disabilities, the LGTBQI+ community, religious and ethnic minorities, young people. Our democracy cannot be for some - it must be for all.

That's why we're investing in new Summit for Democracy initiatives like the Youth Democracy Network to connect young democratic leaders across our countries. We need to be informed and animated by their needs, by their aspirations - and act on them, if we want rising generations to support democratic societies.

Revitalizing democracy will also require us to shape a technological future that's inclusive, that's rights-respecting, directed at driving progress in people's lives.

As authoritarian and repressive regimes deploy technologies to undermine democracy and human rights, we need to ensure that technology sustains and supports democratic values and norms.

A little bit later this morning, we'll have an opportunity to talk about ways to make sure that our technological progress - specifically artificial intelligence and digital tools - actually spur democratic renewal and do not undermine it.

As President Biden often says, democracy doesn't happen by accident. We have to renew it constantly. And we have to confront our own shortcomings, transparently, even when it's uncomfortable, even when it's painful.

We do so secure in the knowledge that democracy is a shared aspiration for people around the world - and that demand for representative democracy remains strong.

Safeguarding our democracies is a collective effort, one that depends on our governments and on our people working together. All people, all nations, all sectors have contributions to make. And none of us has a monopoly on ideas, never mind good ideas.

And that's, in a way, the power of the Summit for Democracy - the ability to actually share and scale solutions; to catalyze collective action; to shift norms. In doing that, we continue to earn the confidence of our people and the confidence of the world in our democratic model.

So to everyone here, thank you. Thank you for your engagement. Thank you for your leadership each and every day by each and every country here. And looking around this room, hearing the commitments from so many partners, I remain more than optimistic that we will - we will - meet the challenge of this moment.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

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95th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion hosts Pony Express

By Capt. Misael Saldivar March 18, 2024

BAUMHOLDER, Germany -- The 95th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion conducted a week-long "Pony Express" at Smith Barracks, Baumholder, Germany on March 11-14, 2024. The convoy support center training exercise was in preparation for upcoming operations during DEFENDER 2024.

The 95th CSSB began its preparations for future operations at full steam by integrating Allied nation Soldiers in their week-long field training exercise focused on convoy support center operations which, included a proof of principle in fuel distribution. This integrated training is designed to prepare the battalion to work with and alongside Allied and partner nations during the Defender 24 exercise and in future real-world missions.

Training for the first two days focused on the deployment and operation of a 1600-gallon capacity fueling station. This specific training is where the multinational soldiers worked in conjunction with U.S. Soldiers to create an integrated task force that was able to establish and operate up to six stations simultaneously.

Lt. Col. Robin Eskelson, the 95th CSSB's commander, explained the need for the fuel system proof of principle.

"With the central European pipeline ending in Germany, it's really how do we combat large scale operations and get fuel to the force, and large amounts to the force quickly," said Eskelson. "And that's what our convoy support center hub really instigates."

The field exercise concluded with a Distinguished Visitors Day, in which senior leaders from the participating militaries were shown not only the training their soldiers received but were also presented with other capabilities the 95th CSSB is capable of bringing to the fight.

Eskelson showcased the 95th CSSB's theater maintenance capabilities, where the battalion can deploy a team anywhere in Europe to provide critical maintenance in austere environments. The DVs were not only shown the battalion's field feeding capabilities but were treated to several types of field rations for tasting and were even included in the end of mission steak lunch provided to the Soldiers.

Col. Matthew Alexander, commander of 16th Sustainment Brigade and the 95th CSSB's higher headquarters, amplified the importance of multinational interoperability.

"When you look at how we're going to be asked to operate in NATO under the JSEC [Joint Supporting and Enabling Command] construct, you're going to have to have several of these sites to sustain and support the movement of combat forces," said Alexander. "These kits are an integral part of that, and we don't have enough U.S. forces to do that on our own, so this interoperability training is crucial to providing that combat power if we ever go into a large-scale combat operation."

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Darien Police patrol vehicles have a new look. Contributed photo / Darien Police Department

STAMFORD  The case against a New York man accused of buying an $85,000 BMW from a Darien dealership using a stolen identity was continued on Monday.

Christopher Louis, 27, of Queens, N.Y., will next appear at the state Superior Court in Stamford on May 20.

Louis was arrested on Nov. 21 and charged with first-degree larceny, second-degree forgery and first-degree identity theft in connection with the alleged theft.

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Darien Detective Leslie Silva wrote in an arrest warrant that a man identified as Louis and a second man allegedly used a stolen identity and fake license to purchase a 2020 BMW M4 from BMW of Darien on July 10. In order to secure the purchase, Louis and the other man provided a salesman with an Optimum bill, health insurance card, auto insurance policy, etc. all belonging to a man whose identity was stolen, the warrant said.

The two men later left the dealership with the car, which police said in the warrant was never recovered.

Silva wrote in the warrant that Louis and the same friend went to the Land Rover in Hartford and purchased another vehicle using the same stolen identity.

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When New York police apprehended Louis in connection with the case, he was driving a third stolen car, Silva wrote.
Strengthening partnership through patrol boats

By Richard Wilkins

18 March 2024

Timor-Leste will receive two Guardian-class patrol boats in 2024 as part of Australia's regional Maritime Security Program.

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Timor-Leste Defence Force (F-FDTL) naval component have partnered together to prepare the NRDTL Aitana and Laline crews for the patrol boat handover later this year.

Sea Training Group has facilitated the international training program utilising PT Paluma - a decommissioned RAN hydrographic survey vessel.

The Aitana and Laline crews have each spent two months on board Paluma to consolidate their mariner skills and gain valuable experience at sea.

The highlight of the program was the promotion of Laline's future Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Jacinto Nascimento, on board Paluma.

At the request of F-FDTL's naval Chief, Commodoro Higino das Neves, Australia's Senior Naval Adviser to Timor-Leste, Commander Bill Triffitt, conducted the promotion ceremony.

It marked a milestone for Lieutenant Nascimento, since his completion of the New Entry Officers' Course at the Royal Australian Naval College in 2013.

The event symbolised the warm relationship between Australia and Timor-Leste.

"This shows how important it is to strengthen the relationship between our two nations, because we have a longstanding friendship with a strong commitment to a safe and secure Australia and Timor-Leste region," Lieutenant Nascimento said.

"I am grateful for the support provided by the Australian Government through the Defence Cooperation Program and the opportunity to train the F-FDTL crew members prior to receiving Aitana and Laline."

RAN training systems officers utilised their expertise as training coordinators while living on board Paluma alongside the Timorese.

Senior Training Coordinator Lieutenant Donald Parker said the crews trained hard and overcame a range of challenges that were expected when adjusting to life at sea.

"To start with the fundamentals for operating a vessel, such as standard operating procedures, and reach the point where F-FDTL and RAN can jointly promote the commanding officer designate, symbolises the close bonds and the trust built by living together at sea," Lieutenant Parker said.

"Through the execution of the program, RAN training systems officers continue to prove adaptive to develop solutions to meet the training needs of a foreign navy".

The first F-FDTL crew are expected to commission Aitana in 2024.

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March 18, 2024

Transcript

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds an Off-Camera, On-the-Record Press Briefing

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh

DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY SABRINA SINGH: Hi, everyone. OK? Good morning. Happy Monday. A few things at the top and then we'll -- be happy to take your questions.

So as many of you know, Secretary Austin and his team departed today for Ramstein, Germany, where he and Chairman Brown will host the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. The Secretary and the Chairman will join ministers of defense and senior military officials from nearly 50 nations from around the world to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and reiterate the coalition's support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Switching gears, on Niger, last week, a high-level U.S. delegation traveled to Niger, which was led by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Dr. Celeste Wallander, and the commander of U.S. Africa Command General Michael Langley.

The delegation conducted meetings with the CNSP and also met with civil society organizations and diplomats from other partner nations and international organizations. The U.S. delegation met with a CNSP delegation led by the Prime Minister and several Cabinet ministers, as well as technical experts and advisors. Dr. Wallander and General Langley also had a separate meeting with the Chief of the General Staff of the Nigerien Armed Forces.

The lengthy and direct discussions included an exchange of views on how to chart a new path of cooperation forward, emphasizing the importance of respecting Niger's sovereignty and concerns from both sides.

We are aware of the March 16th statement by CNSP announcing an end to the status of forces agreement between Niger and the United States. We are working through diplomatic channels to seek clarification. These are ongoing discussions and I don't have more to share at this time.

And with that, I'd be happy to jump in and take questions. Tara?

Q: ... do you take it that this wasn't a hard get out, that maybe there's some wiggle room for U.S. forces to stay in Niger?

MS. SINGH: So we're -- I mean, we're aware of the statement that they issued over the weekend. We remain in contact with the CNSP. We're continuing to conduct those conversations at a diplomatic level. So I don't have a timeframe of any withdrawal of forces. We're -- those conversations are ongoing.

Q: But is there any DOD planning going on right now to have forces withdraw?

MS. SINGH: I'm just not going to get ahead of any of those conversations.

Q: OK. And then on the drones over Langley, can you give us any sort of sense of were these big drones? Were they -- they obviously were low altitude. Did they actually start concern here at Pentagon?

MS. SINGH: It was something that we were monitoring but I think the -- Langley Air Force Base does have a statement, or should have more for you. I direct you there for more information.

Q: OK.

MS. SINGH: But yeah, it was something that we were monitoring here. Great, no more questions? Perfect. Done. OK. Oren? Yeah.

Q: Are U.S. forces out of Niger conducting any missions, whether ISR or otherwise?

MS. SINGH: The only missions that are being conducted with ISR are for force protection only. There have been no counter-terrorism -- either unilaterally or with the Nigerien government since the July coup.

Q: And just to be clear, you have not, since the March 16th statement, which was ...

MS. SINGH: Two days ago ...

Q: ... two days ago ...

MS. SINGH: ... yeah.

Q: ... withdrawn or retrograded forces ...

MS. SINGH: That's correct.

Q: And then one more question. You said a new path of cooperation forward. It -- is there -- I mean, has the previous framework of cooperation broken down, or why a new path?

MS. SINGH: Well, it's a new path in that it's a new government that took over in July. So we are -- the department and the State Department, through this delegation that was led last week, is trying to find a way for the path forward, what that looks like for cooperation between the U.S. government and Niger, and that's something that's continued to be worked through. But again, I just don't have more for you at this time.

Jeff?

Q: Just a couple quick ones. Why is DOD seeking clarification if it was pretty clear that they said "the SOFA is over, we want you to leave"?

MS. SINGH: Because we have different lines of communications at all levels of government with Niger and our government. And so we're keeping those dialogues open. And so we're seeking further clarification for what that means -- what that statement means. Again, we want to see our partnership continue if there is a pathway forward, and I'll just leave it at that.

Q: And is there anything the U.S. can do, if it does leave, to prevent the $110 million airbase from becoming, say, a Russian airbase?

MS. SINGH: Again, I'm not going to get ahead of any conversations or discussions that we're having. Right now, we continue to engage with the CNSP, and when I have more to share, I'll -- certainly will.

Meghan?

Q: How many American troops are in Niger right now?

MS. SINGH: Approximately 1,000.

Q: OK. And what are their -- what's their mission set right now?

MS. SINGH: Right now, they're still there doing what they were doing post-July, which is, you know, they're there consolidating from -- as we did from 101 to 201. Their mission of course remains counter-terrorism but we haven't been able to do that since the July coup. So anything that we're doing there is just for force protection.

Yeah, Courtney?

Q: I don't understand, was the meeting last week because there was concerns that the leadership in Niger was going to kick the U.S. out or did they decide to kick U.S. out at -- cause of something that happened in the meeting?

MS. SINGH: I'm not going to get into too many details of the meeting, but the U.S. delegation was there to raise a number of concerns that we've been having from State and DOD. We were troubled on the path that Niger is on. And so these were direct and frank conversations, to have those in-person, to talk about our concerns and to also hear theirs.

Q: Did the U.S. go into the meetings though with the understanding that Niger was getting ready to boot you out? I mean ...

MS. SINGH: I don't -- I'm not going to get into more details of the conversation. I can tell you that the purpose of why the delegation was there -- was to have this in face-to-face conversation, to discuss what a possible path forward could look like, and we certainly welcome that these conversations, post that March 16th statement, continued to be ongoing -- or are ongoing.

Q: And one -- one more -- since the U.S. hasn't been doing counter-terror missions there, operations there, has the budget changed? I can't believe I just asked a budget question, by the way.

MS. SINGH: I'm not aware of any changes to the budget but, you know, we are going into budget season and we'll be submitting our new budget, as you saw us roll out, I guess -- I think that was last week, but I just don't have any updates on that.

Q: Quick follow on that, on Niger if I could? You said that you were troubled -- or the DOD was troubled about the path Niger is on. What specifically was troubling the DOD? Was it increasing ties with Russia or something else?

MS. SINGH: U.S. officials expressed concern over Niger's potential relationships with Russia and Iran.

Luis?

Q: Yeah, thank you. How many Americans did we -- back in July, remember there was, like, some kind of a -- in the dozens or something is what it was.

MS. SINGH: Like with contractors and others? I would have to refer you to our statements back in -- I don't have those exact numbers in front of me.

Q: ... shift in the -- the size or the scope ...

MS. SINGH: We did consolidate and pare down some of our forces from what the original footprint was, and we consolidated from 101 to 201. That force posture right now is approximately around 1,000. I don't have more -- I don't have those numbers.

Q: ... I mean, what was it? Because 1,000 sounds a lot like what it was back over the summer.

MS. SINGH: I don't have those specific numbers from July. I'm happy to take that question. We did put out -- when we were repeatedly briefing over the summer and had those numbers, I know we did consolidate, there were contractors that did leave, but right now, it remains around approximately 1,000.

Q: And last one -- the Nigeriens, they've mentioned publicly that, about the Iranian deal with Iran specifically, is that obviously (inaudible) and they said that the deal was actually eventually worked out. So if it wasn't worked out, what were their concerns going in?

MS. SINGH: Yeah, I don't have more specifics. And again, not going to get into more details on the conversation that was had with the U.S. delegation. All I can tell you is that we raised our concerns in a direct and frank manner. And just leave it at that.

I'll go to Nick and then I'll come over here.

Q: Sorry I was late. Just a couple on Niger and one on Haiti.

MS. SINGH: Sure.

Q: -- so, can you confirm -- alluded to this, but the junta has asked that the U.S. to leave -- the acting prime minister sounds like is asking to stay. Is that -- can you just kind of confirm kind of that divide between the (inaudible)?

MS. SINGH: Yes, I'm not going to get into specifics and speak for their government. What I can tell you is that conversations remain ongoing between us and the CNSP.

Q: Okay, good. And can you confirm there is contingency planning that you're giving authority notice -- contingency planning if the United States government decides that it has (inaudible)?

MS. SINGH: We're a planning organization. There's always plans for every type of scenario. That's what makes us so great at our jobs. And I'll just leave it at that.

Q: All right. And then on Haiti, so -- the new (inaudible) weekend was obviously done by State. The next step it sounds like, whether it's helicopters or not, would be done by State. But what is the military goal if the State Department executes another evacuation, especially if that includes helicopters going to Port-au-Prince, essentially entering a war zone, even if the gains aren't necessarily (inaudible)?

MS. SINGH: So, I think what you're referring to is the chartered flight -

Q: Right.

MS. SINGH: -- that State had over the weekend. So, would direct you to State for more specifics, but I wouldn't call it like an evacuation. It was a flight, to my understanding, that was offered to American citizens who could not find a way through regular commercial means, as there is a less availability of fights. So, I direct you to State for that. The U.S. military no role in that, our presence there remains just at the embassy for security purposes only.

Q: But can you just talk at all about if State does a further evacuation and a further charter -

MS. SINGH: Yes.

Q: -- they'd be helicopters landing at the embassy trying to get people out. Surely the military has a role in security, planning, (inaudible) can you talk at all about.

MS. SINGH: I'm not aware of any discussion about that. Wouldn't get into a hypothetical. But again, that's something that State would arrange if they requested assistance. Of course, we'd be willing to help. But I am not aware that they have.

Phil, and then over here.

Q: Well, Nick asked my question, but I'm just curious on Niger. So, the U.S. presented a flight ultimatum to Niger about U.S. presence, if there was a deal in Iran and Russia, and then -

MS. SINGH: I'm not going to get too far into the conversation that was had between the delegation and the CNSP. I wouldn't say it was an ultimatum. We had direct conversations about some of our concerns, about some of their, you know, pursuing relationships with Russia and Iran. But I wouldn't say it's an ultimatum. Ultimately, we want to see what our relationship could look like if there is one to pursue going forward.

Q: Did the U.S. add -- tell them that the U.S. wouldn't be able to have military troops present if with -- if they went ahead with those agreements with the (inaudible) Russia?

MS. SINGH: Yes, appreciate the question, just not going into further specifics on the conversation.

Yes?

Q: following up again on Niger, earlier today the senator -- the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee told reporters that he saw the developments in Niger as the result of Russia trying to insinuate itself in the region and try to cause trouble for the U.S. To what degree does the Pentagon agree with that assessment? And since you are a planning organization, how quickly do you have an alternative basically stood up to take over the counterterrorism mission that may have to be abandoned in Niger?

MS. SINGH: So, on -- you said it was the Chairman of SASC?

Q: Jack Reed, yes.

MS. SINGH: Okay. So, I haven't seen his exact comments, but I wouldn't dispute, we know that Russia has, certainly, a presence within the region from, you know, they continue to pursue ties to African nations to deepen their security cooperation. We've seen that before in other countries. I haven't seen the exact comments, but again, that is something that we have raised our concerns over and that was something that was spoken about in the meetings.

And then I'm sorry, your second question?

Q: How quickly could an alternative base for counter-terrorism be set up if U.S. forces -- since you're a planning organization and you've been planning presumably since around last July, last August, how quickly could something else be set up and get up and going?

MS. SINGH: Yeah, so I'm not going to preview what things could look like in the region. I can tell you that General Langley is certainly engaged with other partners there. The Secretary is continuing to get briefed by General Langley and his team. But I just don't have anything to announce today on that.

Jeff?

Q: Thank you. I have -- sorry for the follow-up. Back a while ago, the White House had reported there was 648 troops in Niger, and you had said there's roughly 1,000. So does that 1,000 include civilians and contractors or is that ...

MS. SINGH: Yeah, I believe that's total.

Q: So 648 troops and the rest are contractors and civilians?

MS. SINGH: I can just tell you that our force posture is approximately around 1,000.

Q: And including contractors?

MS. SINGH: To my understanding, yeah, that's right.

Did I see another -- yeah, Kelly?

Q: I just wanted to follow up on the port for Gaza and just the U.S. personnel off-shore, just the concerns for safety of them, you know, going forward.

MS. SINGH: Sure. Was there a question?

Q: Just if you have any updates on that or just kind of the comments that are coming out from some on the -- on Capitol Hill, that they're concerned about their safety?

MS. SINGH: Got it. So it's obviously something that we take very seriously. We are -- of course the Secretary wants to make sure that our people are taken care of when it comes to securing their -- the port and ensuring security around for our forces there -- and I should say -- correcting myself, the floating pier and the causeway. That's something that's still being worked through with partners in the region, including the IDF. When we have more for you on that, we'd certainly share it, but that's not something that I just have more to share at this time.

Q: OK. And then no updating on timing or anything like that?

MS. SINGH: No. I mean, we're probably around 50 days from -- I want to say 50 or high-40s from when we first announced this mission. And so we're about, you know, around 50 days from when it'll be operational, when we'll be able to be able to get food from the floating pier and causeway into Gaza, but that's about the rough timeline that I have.

Q: OK.

MS. SINGH: Yeah. Did I see more over here? No? Yeah -- oh, Luis?

Q: Following up on Phil's question, when you responded to his question about an ultimatum, you said that one of the things that was discussed essentially was whether to see if a relationship could be pursued in the future. If there is a relationship pursued in the future, it kind of indicates that one of the things discussed was the U.S. presence and not being there any longer? Can you kind of expand on that?

MS. SINGH: I don't have more to expand on. Again, I'm not going to get into more details of the conversation. It was -- you know, the delegation had very direct and frank conversations with the CNSP about what mil-to-mil -- a relationship could look like, but we have our concerns. We expressed concern over the direction that Niger is going. And so that's what those conversations are for. But again, I'm just not going to be able to get into more details of anything else that the delegation discussed at this time.

Q: And when you say that if there is a relationship ...

MS. SINGH: Yeah, I'm just going to leave it at ...

Q: ... possibly pursued, it indicates that it's not firm right now. So, I mean ...

MS. SINGH: Well, we -- it hasn't been firm since July. We haven't been able to conduct our counter-terrorism operations that we used to do with the Nigerien military since the coup happened in July. That was something that we suspended. We also had to change what our footprint looked like and consolidated that from 101 to 201. So yeah, I mean, we are open to pursuing, you know -- to continuing the dialogue with the CNSP, but right now, I just don't have more to share with you from what else the delegation discussed.

Anything else?

Q: Just a quick question on ...

MS. SINGH: Sure.

Q: Is the consolidation from 101 to 201 complete or do there remain U.S. personnel at 101? I feel like we know this and I just forgot.

MS. SINGH: I'm not aware that there is a heavy presence at 101. I believe, like, the -- it's been consolidated to 201.

OK, all right, thanks, everyone.

Q: ... give you a timeline, say you have to be out by a certain date?

MS. SINGH: No. And you can -- I'd refer you to their statement too. They didn't indicate a timeline.

Q: Sabrina, has the junta communicated privately the same thing they're communicating publicly or (inaudible) the same message?

MS. SINGH: We always continue to engage through diplomatic channels, both publicly and privately, but the -- I mean, they obviously made their very public statement on March 16th. I don't have more for you there.

Thanks, guys. All right.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3710176/

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March 18, 2024

By David Vergun , DOD News

U.S. Working Diplomatically With Niger on New Path of Cooperation

Last week, a U.S. delegation met with Nigerien officials, expressing concerns over Niger's potential relationships with Russia and Iran, as well as the status of U.S. forces in the country, said Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh who spoke to the media today.

"The lengthy and direct discussions included an exchange of views on how to chart a new path of cooperation forward, emphasizing the importance of respecting Niger's sovereignty, and concerns from both sides," she said.

The Defense Department is aware of the March 16 statement by Niger's officials announcing an end to the status of forces agreement between Niger and the United States, she said. "We are working through diplomatic channels to seek clarification. These are ongoing discussions."

The delegation included Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, commander of U.S. Africa Command; Mary Catherine Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs; and Celeste Wallander, assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.

The delegation, she said, met with Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine, several cabinet members, civil society organizations, technical experts and advisors, as well as members of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, which is the ruling military junta of Niger.

The meetings also included diplomats from other partner nations and international organizations, Singh added.

Currently, there are about 1,000 U.S. military personnel, including contractors, in Niger. Since the July 26 coup last year in Niger, their mission has been force protection and consolidating from Air Base 101 in Niamey, the capital, to Air Base 201 in the city of Agadez. Their previous counterterrorism mission ceased since the coup, she said.

On July 26, Niger's military removed democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum from office and replaced him with Gen. Abdourahamane Tchiani, who served as the commander of the Nigerien presidential guard. The group subsequently formed the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, also called the CNSP.

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March 18, 2024

By Jim Garamone , DOD News

Special Ops Builds on Strengths as it Charts Future

The strengths of the U.S. special operations community have always been agility, adaptability and innovation its service members demonstrated as they approached a mission. Special ops leaders are working to continue this process as the Defense Department drives forward, Army Command Sgt. Maj. Shane W. Shorter said.

Shorter, the senior enlisted leader of U.S. Special Operations Command, sees special operators playing key roles across the military spectrum and using new domains, new technologies and new processes to do their crucial jobs better.

Shorter accompanied Army Gen. Bryan Fenton, the Socom commander, to meet with Congressional leaders. Fenton will testify before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.

He said many people are still unclear about the role special operations forces play in the National Defense Strategy. They do not understand what role these "quiet professionals" have in great power competition.

"I think there [are] still folks that just relate SOF to counterterrorism," Shorter said. The prominent role that Army Special Forces, Navy SEALs, Marine reconnaissance units, Army Rangers and more had in combat against terrorists in the years after the attacks on the U.S. after September 11, 2001, has skewed perceptions of the capabilities of these operators, the senior enlisted leader said.

"SOF was formed long before the global war on terror and long before 9-11," he said. "Great power competition is in our roots from the [Office of Strategic Services] in World War II."

Special operators played crucial roles in counterinsurgency during the Vietnam War, but operators were also in Europe during the Cold War, filling gaps in that great power confrontation that conventional forces couldn't fill.

Today, the National Defense Strategy calls China the pacing challenge for the department, with Russia an "acute threat." Special operators are working throughout the Indo-Pacific, building partners' military capabilities and working with allies to deter aggression.

In Europe, special operators worked with the Ukrainian military years before the Russian invasion. Shorter said the first teams worked with the Ukrainian military in the 1990s. The pace of training, obviously, picked up following Russia's first invasion in 2014 when Russian President Vladimir Putin illegally annexed Crimea.

In addition to teaching Ukrainian forces about new technologies, new tactics and new procedures, special forces personnel worked with the Ukrainians to develop an empowered NCO corps in their military, an effort that was instrumental in stopping the Russian forces when they first moved into the nation in 2022, Shorter said.

Today, there are no boots on the ground in Ukraine, but special operators maintain contact with their Ukrainian friends and advise them remotely. "It's not ideal," Shorter said. "But it's been working."

The work with partners in the Indo-Pacific and Europe go back decades, Shorter said, and that demonstrates the first special operations truth; "Humans are more important than hardware and things."

The relationships that special operators develop over these years pay dividends for all countries involved. But this takes time. "You can't mass produce SOF in times of crisis," the command sergeant major said. "It takes time to develop these skill sets."



He said it is harder to build special operations forces today than in the past because "of the plethora of wide-ranging roles that technology plays."

Shorter sees technology playing a key role, but not the key role for SOCOM. "It's always going to come down to a special operator talking to a partner," he said. "The special operator has to know the culture, the language, the likes and dislikes and more. It's going to be relationships."

In short, people will always make the difference in SOCOM, he said. "In SOCOM, we don't think one more platform or thing is going to win the war," he said. "I think that creative thinking humans with the ability to interact with our partners and allies will make the difference."

Combining that with what he calls the special operations-space-cyber nexus "is going to be very, very important for the future fight," Shorter said. "In the old days when a Special Forces [Operational Detachment-Alpha] went to Vietnam, they took their rucksacks, their weapons and their smarts."

But today, deploying teams take the rucksack, the weapon, their smarts and 15 or 20 different computer systems, the sergeant major said. "Yes, the human is the most important, but if we can fold the technology around that individual, then that individual is much more proficient and that much more of a powerful weapons system," he said.

This has changed training in the special operations community and changed the focus. "Does it mean that SOF will be less proficient in their weapons system, or less proficient in their physical capabilities or less proficient in their cognitive abilities," he said. "Absolutely not. It just means that they need to be cloaked with the technology, and they need to train in that technology."

Working with allies and partners is second nature to special operators, and that will continue in a world of integrated deterrence, Shorter said. "For the past 20-plus years, we did a lot of work with our partners and allies, and they helped us immensely. It got to the point where you could intermix some of our partners and allies with U.S. SOF forces on operations and you couldn't tell the difference."

Shorter said this experience is invaluable. "You can't surge relationships, you can't surge trust," he said. "That's just the human element. It's constantly deploying to that same area. It's understanding the culture. It's drinking the cups of tea, eating the dinners, singing karaoke."

In addition to its role in great power competition, the counterterrorism mission did not go away. Terrorists still operate in shadowy areas around the world, and SOF personnel must be ready to confront them. "We can't drop the ball on the CT fight," Shorter said. "What it means for us is that we have to modernize our CT efforts as well."

For the CT fight, SOF personnel must continue to work with conventional forces, interagency partners and counterterrorism forces from other nations. The command sergeant major said U.S. forces have been able to fold in technology that wasn't available three years ago. And it is making a difference. "It allows us to sense, see and strike anywhere on the planet," he said.

U.S. special operations forces have a full plate, Shorter said, and they are approaching the various aspects of it with the same enthusiasm and morale that they have approached problems throughout their history. "It's in our DNA," he said. "We will do what the country asks of us. The DOD's main effort has always been SOCOM's main effort."

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Foreign Affairs Council: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell after the meeting

European External Action Service (EEAS)

18.03.2024

Brussels

EEAS Press Team

Check against delivery!

Thank you to all of you for waiting. This has been a little bit longer [meeting].

In any case, [we had] a Council on important topics, with important guests and with important results - if I may say.

At the start, we were joined by Secretary [Anthony] Blinken, the US Secretary of State. We discussed a number of topics with him via videoconference.

I think that this exchange has demonstrated that both parts of the Atlantic - the EU and the US - we have a strong commitment to enhance this transatlantic coordination.

We need urgent action in Ukraine, both here and in the US. We have been listening after to Dmytro Kuleba [Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine] [and] it is clear that action is urgent. If we want to continue providing support to Ukraine, action is urgent and both parts have to accelerate decisions on that.

On the Middle East, we can achieve more together - more specifically on the situation in Gaza and for a lasting peace based on the Two-States solution. We can achieve more together, working together, in order to look for solutions to Gaza and to push for the Two-States solution.

For both things, Ukraine and the Middle East the transatlantic unity is essential - if we want to face these challenges.

Then we were joined by another guest - which is a usual guest that comes to talk to us every Foreign [Affairs] Council: Dmytro Kuleba, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Ukraine. He updated us about the situation on the ground, in particular, on the military side, on Ukrainian current position and priorities.

In this context, of the urgency to support Ukraine's military, the Council - the Ministers - made two important decisions:

First, we adopted the Ukrainian Assistance Fund within the European Peace Facility with 5 billion more. This will add predictability to our military support, which remains guided by the needs of Ukraine.

This will allow us: to deliver from [existing] stocks, purchasing bilateral procurement, deliveries based on joint procurement, and training under our military mission [EUMAM Ukraine], which has been one of the most successful training missions of the European Union.

Second, we agreed to sanction those responsible for the murder of Alexei Navalny - [over] 30 individuals and entities - under the EU's Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.

We also discussed the issue of frozen assets. Let's be clear: we talk about the revenues. We talk about the windfall profits. We do not talk about the capital. We talk about the revenues of this capital which has been extraordinary. This is something that we have identified to put aside. Now the issue is to take it and to use it for the benefit of Ukraine.

I discussed that with the Ministers, we had been discussing that for months. At the end of the discussion, I told the Ministers: "Look, we have to take a decision on the basis of a concrete proposal, a Council decision, a legal text, that only the High Representative can table to the Council." [I told them] that - as always, every time there is a restrictive measure, and this is a restrictive measure taken under the Common Foreign and Security Policy - it will be accompanied by a joint regulation from the High Representative and the [European] Commission.

Decisions and regulations. They are two different legal texts. A Council decision, tabled by the High Representative, and a Council regulation to implement the decision, which will be according to a joint communication from the High Representative and the [European] Commission.

But the first step is the Council decision. If there is no decision there cannot be a regulation. To regulate what? To regulate the implementation of the decision. So, after the discussion today, I have seen there is strong support. There are some Member States that want to have more details, but there is a strong support to take the revenues [from] the windfall profits. And to use it to support Ukraine.

How? Militarily, to increase the resources of the European Peace Facility, and also to support the development of the Ukrainian defence industry. I am going to table this Council decision proposal and work with the Commission to approve a Council regulation, in order for the Member States to discuss a concrete proposal before the European Union Council. I cannot say that there was unanimity but a strong consensus to take this decision.

Then, we exchanged on the presidential "elections" in Russia - you have seen the EU27 Statement on this. These so-called elections took place in a highly restricted environment, with voters deprived of a real choice and systematic internal repression.

There was no electoral observation mission, certainly not from our side but not even from the OSCE. So, we can only consider that these elections have been taking [place] in the middle of a systematic repression of the voters. And we have to condemn the illegal holding of these so-called "elections" in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied.

We discussed the situation in Belarus and the constantly worsening internal situation. Belarus remains high on our agenda.

The violations of civil and political rights of the Belarusian people continue. There are more than 1,400 political prisoners. We ask for their release, and we will take further measures according with the proposal of the Member States to continue supporting the Belarusian opposition.

Then, we went to the situation in the Middle East - in general - and in Gaza - in particular.

Today, the World Food Programme has issued a report on the situation in Gaza. The report says that they have never seen a starvation situation as the one that people in Gaza are suffering. 70% of the population are at risk of starvation and 100% - almost everybody - is under severe food stress.

This is the situation in Gaza.

We discussed about the Cyprus Maritime Route. I issued a statement this afternoon together with Commissioner [for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Janez] Lenarcic about this situation in Gaza.

Certainly, when we talk about the situation in Gaza, we have to repeat our condemnation of the Hamas attacks, and to ask for the freedom of the hostages - as we always do. But this statement from this body attached to the World Food Programme is very important to have a clear understanding of what is going on there.

Certainly, the Cyprus Maritime Route has to be developed, but more access by land has to be facilitated by Israel.

I want to repeat again that all hostages should be unconditionally freed. Nobody should bargain with civilian lives.

Then, we discussed about the sanctions on Hamas. And we also agreed on sanctions on extremist settlers. It was not possible last Foreign Affairs Council; this time it has been possible.

A solid compromise has been agreed at the working level. And I hope this will be continued until full adoption soon. But the political agreement is there.

We also had an orientation debate on the EU-Israel Association Agreement. This Association Agreement is explicitly based on the shared values between us - on respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy.

We have to further engage with Israel to further discuss the situation in Gaza. To call for an Association Council certainly was complicated and had not [received] strong support because first, you have to agree on an agenda, and you have to agree on a common position from Member States, which was going to be very difficult to get.

By the contrary, many Member States had, instead of that, in order to continue reaching out to Israel and to discuss about this issue, we could invite again the Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel [Yisrael Katz] to attend the Foreign Affairs Council, and certainly, the new Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority [Mohammad Mustafa] should also be invited [for us] to listen from the Palestinian side.

In any case, the respect of human rights around the world is something that matters to us, wherever there is a problem. And we have an EU Special Representative for Human Rights [Olof Skoog] who takes care of these issues all around the world. And what is happening in Gaza is also something that concerns all of us, remembering, once and again that the terrorist attack of Hamas against the Israeli people. But the answer from Israel has to be studied, considered. Many voices have been asking for Israel not to attack Rafah and to take more measures to protect the civilians.

We also discussed the recent developments in Haiti. We support a viable, inclusive and sustainable Haitian-led political transition. We emphasised the importance of deploying the Multinational Security Support Mission authorised by the United Nations Security Council. We are also exploring how we can indirectly support the objectives of the multinational mission.

Haiti is the typical example of a failed state - completely failed - in the hand of gangs, of organised crime. When there is not a state that can provide a framework for security, that cannot provide security from police forces, a judiciary. When there is not an organised society, then what happens? Well, it happens that the gangs are taking arms and try to control the country, fighting against each other, terrorising the civilian population, and bringing the society towards a complete chaotic dangerous situation.

Haiti is a typical example. We have seen that in Somalia also - before, in Mogadishu. And I am sorry to say that, the situation in Gaza can also be something [like] that. We see the development of gangs, we see the development of forces which take advantage of the dire situation. And we have to restore security, and we have to restore human support to the population in Gaza, if we [do not] want Gaza to become a Mediterranean Haiti.

This is a reflection that I put on the table of the Ministers in order to increase our support, to take into account the role of UNRWA - who has to continue to be supported. Some Member States have retaken the support to UNRWA. But also organisations can also participate on the support of the Palestinians.

We want to stress that, certainly, we support the right of Israel to defend itself, but it has to be done in accordance with international law and humanitarian law. And we do not accept the blaming of UNRWA saying that UNRWA is a partner - or is cooperating - with Hamas or any terrorist organisation. We have to reject this accusation, and wait for the Colonna mission in order to analyse what has happened during the 7 October day, and to follow the result of this audit.

Q&A

Q. We have read that Ukraine's Assistance Fund is designed to incentivise the European defence industry and the defence industry of Norway. My question is: is that project, in the framework of this Ukraine Assistance Fund open for Ukranian enterprises? I mean, would this money be directed to producing ammunition or military equipment in Ukraine itself? And the second question, if I may, but as we are speaking about the framework contracts on ammunition production, when can we expect the first delivery of ammunition from those projects to Ukraine? Because you know - maybe the best of all - that each and every minute of delay costs a horrible price for Ukrainians.

Yes, we are very much aware of that. Well, the Ukrainian Assistance Fund is to assist Ukraine. It is not to develop the European defence industry. It is to support Ukraine. And I put that clearly today, that any Member State who wants to buy ammunition outside of the European Union - because they have an offer or they know where to buy it - they can do it, and this is eligible to be refunded from the European Peace Facility. It has always been like this. Member States who want to buy the munition to Ukraine can take this ammunition from wherever. From their stocks, from the European defence industry, from any supplier around the world.

In fact, this Czech initiative, to provide - they say - 800,000 [pieces of] ammunition is perfectly eligible to use the Ukrainian Assistance Fund to refund part of the cost to the Member States who participate in this initiative. But, at the same time, there are proposals for joint procurement to the European industry. But do not confuse joint procurement from the European industry, and the fact that any Member State can look around the world, to look ammunition, to buy it, to sell it to Ukraine, and after to be refunded. That has always been like this.

If the Member States agree on seizing the revenues from the Russian frozen assets, these resources could partially be allocated to the European Peace Facility to increase our military support to Ukraine. It is nothing new, we have been discussing that for months and, also, to increase the defence capacity of the industrial sector in Ukraine.

Both things are needed. We have to push for the industrial capacity of [the] Ukrainian defence sector, at home, and we can, in the meantime, provide [and] supply arms to Ukraine. For that we have an instrument which is the European Peace Facility for a simple reason: the European Union budget cannot use its resources to buy arms. Not to buy arms. That is why you have this extra budgetary fund, which is not submitted to these restrictions. But the Ukrainian Assistance Fund is to support Ukrainians, [it] has only this purpose.

Q. Concernant les sanctions sur les colons israeliens extremistes, je voulais avoir quelques precisions. La on a un accord politique, et il faut ensuite que vous fassiez des propositions pour sanctionner ces personnes avec un gel des avoirs et un interdiction visa, ou seulement un de deux aspects. Est-ce-que vous esperez rapidement que ces decisions pourront entrer en vigueur sachant que Antony Blinken vous en a parle et que les americains ont ete plus vite que les europeens dans ce cote-la. Et je voulais une deuxieme question sur le corridor maritime: vous etiez assez reticents, enfin du moins j'avais compris ca au depart sur la faisabilite de ce corridor. Il se met en place ? Est-ce-que vous allez de soutenir financierement d'une facon ou d'une autre, afin qu'il puisse avoir plus de bateaux qui s'arrivait sur place? Comment ca fait que les europeens ont ete incapable de mettre en place ce corridor plus tot?

Je n'ai jamais ete reticent. Ecoutez : l'aide a Gaza, par tous les moyens. Normalement ca devrait etre par route. C'est la facon la plus efficace, mais si ce n'est pas possible parce qu'il y a une limitation au nombre des camions qui peuvent entrer - et il y a une limite, c'est evident - alors, s'il y a des bateaux, faisons-le par bateaux. Mais, ecoutez, le bateau qui est alle de Chypre a Gaza, c'est un bateau d'une organisation privee. C'etait un cuisinier espagnol qui a une ONG, qui donne de la nourriture aux gens de Gaza. Oui, il a utilise - je ne sais pas si on peut dire le corridor maritime - il est sorti de Chypre et il est arrive a Gaza. Oui, il est un corridor maritime, mais quand on est arrive a Gaza le bateau a debarque sa cargaison d'une facon assez precaire.

Mais, c'est quand meme fait. C'est bien. C'est tres bien. Mais c'est une organisation privee. Evidemment, nous, on va aider developper les cargaisons par bateau, s'il n'y a pas d'autres solutions, il est mieux par bateau que rien. Donc, il faut vraiment dire que c'est une initiative positive, et au meme temps il faut dire aussi que la seule alternative qui peut fournir la quantite d'aide necessaire c'est l'ouverture de la frontiere terrestre. C'est comme le parachutage. Un parachute de colis est a une heure et demie de la ou le parachute tombe il a un aeroport. A une heure et demie par route de la ou le parachute tombe il a un aeroport. Mais l'aeroport est ferme.

Bon, alors, on fait un parachutage. Le normal serait que vous puisse atterrir avec un avion-cargo. De la meme facon qu'on demande Israel d'ouvrir un port. Et la, Chypre a joue un role tres important, et je vais remercier Chypre parce qu'il a lance cette idee et cette idee commence a marcher.

Mais pour les settlers, le dernier conseil, on n'a pas eu d'unanimite. Alors on a deja chacun que peut le faire de son cote. Mais les gels des actifs finances ne peuvent pas etre fait chacun de son cote. Parce que ca c'est une competence de l'Union. Soit on le fait au niveau de l'Union, soit on ne le fait pas. Pas contre les visas, oui, les visas c'est une competence des Etats membres. Donc, chacun peut le faire. Alors, maintenant il y a l'unanimite. Le pays qui avait bloque maintenant il dit qu'il est d'accord. Bon, 'il est d'accord' - il s'abstient. Il ne s'oppose pas. Alors, on avait deja prepare la liste des personnes qui allaient etre sanctionne. Il faut tout simplement remettre ca en route, et proposer ca a nouveau en Coreper, [pour] que la decision soit adoptee.

Q. High Representative, you said there is strong support for using the revenues - or the proceeds - from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine but there was not unanimity. How many countries are not convinced? Do you need unanimity to be able to do this? Are there more reservations when it comes to the idea of using this for military purposes? Would it be easier to get an agreement if it was only to be used for reconstruction?

No, I do not think so. There is an issue in itself, which is the legal basis and the financial consequences of seizing not the assets, but the revenues generated by these assets in exceptional circumstances. I cannot say that anyone was opposing but they wanted to have a concrete proposal in order to carefully study the legal basis. I understand [that]. We live in a state of law, we cannot take arbitrary measures. The decisions that we take have to be supported by international law or be compatible with international law. Some Member States want to study carefully the text that will be presented to them in a couple of days.

Q. We read the reports, we hear you speaking, we listen to the ministers entering the Foreign Affairs Council complaining about the starvation in Gaza. But what the EU can do to literally and actually help the people in Gaza? You invite now the Foreign Minister of Israel; what do you expect from him? Do you want to put some pressure on him in order to stop the situation of starvation or not to attack in Rafah?

Pues, claro. Certainly, we are going to put pressure. We are doing that. Chancellor [of Germany, Olaf] Scholz went to discuss with Prime Minister [of Israel, Benjamin] Netanyahu and I think he put a lot of pressure, saying that the Europeans cannot sit and look what is happening, cannot look at the starvation of the Palestinians without doing nothing. So, I understand that, this statement - and other statement - coming also from the US is an expression of the will to put pressure on Israel in order to make them understand that they have to allow more humanitarian support coming into Gaza. But, from our side - maybe others can take other measures - but from our side it is the political and diplomatic pressure on Israel, in order to make them understand that this situation is not acceptable. This is what all political leaders of the European Union have been saying. And today, it was a clear consensus that the situation is not acceptable, and the only solution is to put political pressure on Israel.

Q. Me gustaria preguntarle por las elecciones rusas, preguntarle por el comunicado que es contundente, pero me gustaria saber si cree usted que se podria haber llegado un poco mas lejos. Dice que no se reconoce los resultados en los territorios ocupados, en Crimea y en el Donbas, pero se podria haber llegado al punto de no reconocer las elecciones en todo el territorio ruso?

Bueno, hay una diferencia clara entre celebrar elecciones en casa del otro y hacerlas en tu casa. Llueve sobre mojado. No solamente las elecciones son unas elecciones 'fake', en el sentido de que no hay libertad de expresion, ni candidatos alternativos. En fin, todo el mundo sabe como son las llamadas elecciones en Rusia. Pero si ademas las hace usted en un territorio que no pertenece a Rusia, sino que lo ha usurpado del pais vecino, pues doble condena, no? Doble condena. No solamente las elecciones son elecciones que no pueden ser reconocidas como tales, en su esencia misma, sino que encima se hacen violando la ley internacional porque se hace en un territorio que no reconocemos como territorio ruso.

Que mas podemos decir, mas que lo que ya he dicho? Son elecciones que han tenido lugar en un contexto altamente represivo, donde todos los electores y candidatos - candidatos entre comillas alternativas - han estado bajo una fuerte presion donde las libertades publicas no son reconocidas. Que mas puedo decir para descalificar la esencia democratica de estas elecciones?

Q. On the Israeli extremists, can you name the organisations? Are there individuals? What exactly are the sanctions? Is it a travel ban plus freezing of their assets? How do you identify those assets?

Se trata de personas concretas que han sido identificadas como responsables de acciones violentas contra los colonos. Nuestras sanciones siempre son individuales, son siempre de la misma naturaleza, que es: prohibir el acceso a territorio europeo, y congelar activos si se identifican. Que mas podemos hacer? Siempre sancionamos a los individuos y a las organizaciones de la misma manera. Usted no esta autorizado de venir a Europa, y si tiene activos se los congelamos.

Y eso sera lo mismo que hagamos con estas personas violentas cuyo nombre, como dice el Quijote, no quiero acordarme. Tampoco creo que sea importante el nombre en concreto y en particular, que no tengo en la cabeza. Pero ya estaban perfectamente identificados, y las sanciones propuestas.

Ahora se va a volver a poner sobre la mesa lo que no fue aprobado en el anterior FAC [Foreign Affairs Council], y ahora si.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-254137



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Strategic Compass: EU bolsters its work on security and defence

European External Action Service (EEAS)

18.03.2024

EEAS Press Team

On 18 March, the High Representative Josep Borrell presented the second annual report on the implementation of the Strategic Compass, which has guided the EU's actions in security and defence.

The report highlights significant progress made over the past year. The EU is better prepared to protect its citizens and interests, as well as support its partners worldwide in today's complex security landscape.

The EU and its Member States have continued to provide crucial support to Ukraine with more than 28 billion of military supplies, including 6.1 billion allocated under the European Peace Facility (EPF). With the recently adopted Ukraine Assistance Fund worth 5 billion, the EU has allocated a total of 11.1 billion for military support under the EPF. Additionally, the EU has already trained over 40,000 Ukrainian soldiers with an additional 20,000 soldiers by this summer.

In parallel, the EU has further consolidated its role as a global security provider by launching new missions and operations : the new naval operation EUNAVFOR ASPIDES to safeguard the freedom of navigation and protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf Region, a Security and Defence Initiative to support West African coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea in facing the security spill over from the Sahel region, and a civilian mission in Moldova to support its security sector reform and counter hybrid threats.

The EU continues to advance towards the operationalisation of the Rapid Deployment Capacity . Full operational capability is planned for 2025. The EU's Military Planning and Conduct Capability has been strengthened with additional personnel, new infrastructure and more secure communication means. The first ever EU military live exercise took place in October 2023, involving 31 units, 25 aircrafts, 6 ships and 2,800 personnel from Member States' armed forces.

The EU has enhanced its resilience to anticipate and counter threats in the cyber domain, at sea , in space and against critical infrastructure . It also reinforced its capacity to counter disinformation campaigns and foreign interference.

In response to the growing geopolitical challenges, the EU is working with Member States to spend more, better, and together in defence. The new European Defence Industrial Strategy and Programme will further incentivise joint procurement, industrial ramp-up and security of supply, providing a long-term strategy to reinforce our European Defence industry. It will ensure that armed forces are well-equipped for future challenges, while being able to deliver support to key partners in the long run, particularly Ukraine.

The EU has continued to expand its security and defence cooperation with partners worldwide, such as NATO, the US, Canada and Norway and launched new dialogues with countries in Africa, Indo-Pacific and Latin America. The European Peace Facility now provides military assistance to 22 partner countries in Eastern Neighbourhood, Western Balkans, Middle East and Africa.

Read the report to learn more about the implementation of the Strategic Compass.

Background

On 21 March 2022, the EU and Member States collectively agreed to increase our capacity and willingness to act, strengthen our resilience, secure our access to the strategic domains, build solidarity and mutual assistance, invest in much needed capabilities and strengthen our strategic partnerships. The Strategic Compass has more than 80 concrete and time-bound actions that set out a clear and ambitious agenda for our security and defence.





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European Humanitarian Forum: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell at the opening ceremony

European External Action Service (EEAS)

18.03.2024

Brussels

EEAS Press Team

Check against delivery!

Good morning to everybody.

Dear Minister [Caroline] Gennez [Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation and Major Cities],

Dear President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric,

Esteemed Martin Griffiths, United Nations Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator: you must have a lot of work.

Dear Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,

Dear Janez, Commissioner Lenarcic - colleague and friend, both.

Ladies and gentlemen,

You have already mentioned this but allow me to repeat it again: there are more people in need of emergency assistance than ever before. Things have become very bad, much worse, every day. Let me go through a few important points.

The first one - you will not be surprised - is the situation in Gaza. I will have a look at that, not only from [a] humanitarian but also [from a] political point of view.

Gaza is no longer controlled by anyone. Not by Hamas, and not by Israel. The territory of Gaza is very quickly becoming a territory without any kind of order. Not a state, but a single order. It is more and more looking like Haiti, like Somalia, like Syria, or Mosul.

This will be the first failed state before having existed. All territories beyond the control of the state become spaces captured by armed groups [and] organised gangs living of trafficking of all kinds, which basically leave the population with only two options: immigration or terrorism. Or both. This is something that was already said in December, and now on which [has] everybody agreeing. That is what is happening in Gaza.

In Gaza, we are no longer 'on the brink of famine', we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people. Chancellor [of Germany, Olaf] Scholz told Prime Minister [of Israel, Benjamin] Netanyahu "We cannot stand by and watch the Palestinians starve". Ok, then what are we going to do? We cannot stand by and watch Palestinians starve. What are we going to do?

Because this famine it is not a natural disaster, it is not a flood, it is not an earthquake; it is entirely man made. By whom? Let's dare to say it: by whom? By the one that prevents humanitarian support [from] entering into Gaza; by the lack of access; by the acute insecurity inside Gaza.

Insecurity in itself prevents distribution of support, of help. But the problem is that hundreds of trucks are waiting at the border, and the ones controlling the border are preventing from coming into [Gaza].

I am coming from Washington, and I dare to say - well, yes - Israel is provoking famine. "Oh, how do you say that? What evidence do you have?". Come on, what evidence do I have? Hundreds of trucks are waiting to enter [Gaza], and it is absolutely imperative to make crossing points to work effectively and open additional crossing points. It is just a matter of political will, Israel has to do it. It is not a question of logistics. It is not because the United Nations has not provided enough support. The support is there, waiting. Trucks are stopped, people are dying while the land crossings are artificially closed. And yes, it is good to look at support by sea or by air, but we have to remind [ourselves] that we have to do it because the natural way of providing support is being closed, artificially closed.

We send parachutes to a place that is one hour by car from the next airport. Why do not we not send it to the airport? Because they do not let it, and this is unacceptable. Starvation is used as a weapon of war. Yes, starvation is used as a weapon of war. Let's say that.

And it is not a question of a lack of sufficient supplies: we hear that there are several months of food stocked on the Egyptian side. Several months of food stocked. And even more than in any other conflict, children are suffering the most in Gaza, because they have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.

So, I would like to encourage you, to encourage the call for actions for the children affected by the war in Gaza. This is a war of children; more children have been killed in Gaza in these months, than in the whole world in the last 4 years.

We need to work with Israel, yes, we need to work with them, on some potentially promising signs we that have seen in recent days of a little bit of willingness to facilitate new additional land routes into the North of Gaza.

Second, about the actors, most notably UNRWA. UNRWA is the last lifeline for many. No other agency has the staff and capacity on the ground to provide support. Yes, UNRWA is facing allegations. And we await with interest the results of the ongoing independent investigations, as well as the findings of the [Catherine] Colonna Commission set up by the United Nations Secretary-General [Antonio Guterres].

But let me remind you of one thing: UNRWA exists because there are Palestinian refugees. It is not a present of the international community to the Palestinians, it is an answer to their needs. And even if UNRWA disappears, the Palestinian refugees will not disappear. They will not disappear by making UNRWA disappear. It is important to launch this message, in a moment in which many countries [like] Canada, Switzerland are restarting [their] support to UNRWA. And I hope the European Commission will, apart from the first package of financial support, quickly provide the rest.

The second point I want to make is about the alarming situation in other places in which we face war.

In Ukraine, Russia shows no respect for international humanitarian law either. 14 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

In the Sahel, terrorism and the reactions of military regimes are exacerbating instability. One in five people in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger - [together it] make[s] 17 million people - depend on humanitarian assistance.

Sudan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Yemen, Nigeria and Myanmar. This is the list of the most awful crisis where tens of thousands of people are being killed in internal fight. And Janez [Lenarcic] knows better than I how many people are in need of humanitarian assistance.

My last point is about humanitarian funding gap and the need for global outreach.

Humanitarian funding should be a shared responsibility. Unfortunately, this is not the case. In 2022, the three largest global donors accounted for 64% of all humanitarian assistance. You have said that - dear Janez [Lenarcic] - we have to increase and broaden the donor base, going beyond the European Union and the like-minded. And our global outreach efforts should not be limited to funding:

We need to increase our respect for international humanitarian law. We see unacceptable levels of violence against humanitarian aid workers, which have risked their lives more and more, working in dangerous contexts.

Humanitarian action cannot stand alone. We need to work together to find solutions to the drivers of humanitarian needs. And for that, increased multilateralism [in] international relations is a must. I hope that the Summit of the Future in September at UN General Assembly will be a key opportunity to reinvigorate global commitment to multilateralism.

We see at the United Nations Security Council more and more vetoes and less and less agreements. And in particular, in these dramatic circumstances, the vetoes do not allow to take political actions.

I hope that in the medium future the discussions at the United Nations Security Council will allow for a ceasefire in Gaza, to free the hostages, and to increase humanitarian support to the Palestinian people.

I hope the UN General Assembly in September will be an opportunity to reinvigorate our global commitment to multilateralism, and I hope that this Forum today will send a strong message of the continued support from the European Union and our Member States to engage to address humanitarian crises through the world.

Yes, we need good Samaritans, we need people to support people in need, but stop [it] with the crocodile tears. We have to take action in order to prevent what is happening, not only complain about it.





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Foreign Affairs Council: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell upon arrival

European External Action Service (EEAS)

18.03.2024

EEAS Press Team

Check against delivery!

Good morning to everybody,

Here we are again, for another Foreign Affairs Council with - more or less - the same items on the agenda.

The most important geopolitical issues today, as you can understand, are Ukraine, Gaza, Belarus and Haiti. These crises determine regional and global stability. The Council will discuss it.

We will have two important guests with us - by video conference: Secretary of State from the United States, Anthony Blinken and the Foreign Minister of Ukraine [Dmytro Kuleba].

I hope that we will finally adopt important decisions today. First, the Ukrainian Assistance Fund, with a top-up to the European Peace Facility of 5 billion, that has been discussed for weeks. I hope that today the Ministers will definitely approve that, in order to increase our military support to Ukraine which is very much needed.

On the support to Ukraine, as I said at the last Foreign Affairs Council, I will hope - definitely - [to] have a political agreement from the Ministers on the windfall profits coming from the Russian assets, that have been frozen. I hope a political decision will finally be taken in order to take this windfall profits, not the capital but the revenues, in order to increase our capacity to finance Ukraine's defence. I hope today a political agreement will be reached in order to finally take action on that. So, the Ukrainian Assistance Fund on one hand, and the [proceeds from the] frozen assets on the other hand.

We will adopt a package of sanctions for the killing of Alexei Navalny, and also, I hope for the Hamas and extremist settlers, both. We failed at the last Foreign Affairs Council having agreement on that. It seems that today all will agree on putting sanctions on both: Hamas and the violent settlers who are harassing Palestinians in the West Bank.

We see that Russia continues attacking civilians, with the last attack in Odessa with a lot of casualties [last Friday]. We have seen the Russian elections, and a statement by the 27 [Member States] will be issued.

But I want to anticipate that this has not been free and fair election, no OSCE observation, with highly restricted environment. This is what diplomatically I can say, but more than that, this election has been based on repression and intimidation. And being held on the occupied Ukrainian territories violating Ukrainian sovereignty.

Then, the Middle East, the situation in Gaza. Gaza was before the war the greatest open-air prison. Today, it is the greatest open-air graveyard. A graveyard for tens of thousands of people, and also a graveyard for many of the most important principles of humanitarian law. This is the sad situation in Gaza. I hope that the Ministers will discuss in order to prepare for the next European Council, a review of the EU joint position. In the meantime, today, United Nations will issue a statement about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and we will issue a statement from myself, and the Commissioner [for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Janez] Lenarcic on that.

And finally, today is the first anniversary of the Ohrid Agreement. Time flies, it is already one year that we reached an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in order to move towards normalization [of their relations]. Unhappily, despite extensively European Union and international support, Serbia and Kosovo have achieved very limited progress.

There will be soon a new meeting of the chief negotiators here in Brussels. I am very sorry that this agreement [which] was very difficult to reach, has not been implemented. We will continue putting pressure on both sides in order to move forward. But, one year later, the implementation has not been very much what I expected to be.

This is the programme for today.

Q&A

Q. The Association Agreement with Israel, will you ask from the Ministers to [inaudible]

Look, when we will discuss about the situation in the Middle East certainly, two Member States have asked for to analysing the Association Agreement point of view. I will ask the ministers to debate about it. This is a political orientation debate. And, according to the results, we will proceed one way or another. We are not talking about full suspension of the Association Agreement, this would be something for the [European] Commission to propose. We are talking about the political dimension based on the respect of humanitarian law and humanitarian principles - Article 2 of the Association Agreement. This is up to the High Representative to ask to the Members of the Council what they think about, and let's see what is going to be the result.

Q. Mr Borrell, you said with quite strong language concerning Gaza from the EU leaders at the summit this week. Is it enough to ask for humanitarian pauses, or like a ceasefire, or does it need more, more actions?

Well, more and more, I think public opinion as well in Europe as the US - and I am coming from the US - I see public opinion moving more and more, expressing concern and asking for actions. You see the Democratic Party leader asking for elections in Israel in order to substitute the government, which has raised important reactions. As you have seen, Chancellor [of Germany, Olaf] Scholz, saying that Europeans cannot sit and watch how Palestinian people are starving.

[On] the Egyptian side of the border there is food for months accumulated in the stocks. While on the other side of the side of the border people are dying of hunger. Well, this is something that requires some reaction, not us just expressing concern but taking decisions. I hope the European Council will discuss about it and see.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-254705





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USEUCOM and NATO Allies participate in command post exercise

U.S. European Command and its component commands' strategists, operators and planners conducted the 2024 iteration of Exercise Austere Challenge March 4-14 to plan and execute a response to a fictional military crisis.

By U.S. European Command Public Affairs , United States European Command Stuttgart, Germany Mar 18, 2024

U.S. European Command and its component commands' strategists, operators and planners conducted the 2024 iteration of Exercise Austere Challenge March 4-14 to plan and execute a response to a fictional military crisis.

The intent of Austere Challenge 24 was to prepare U.S. and NATO forces to operate across the full range of military operations in joint, trans-regional, multi-domain, multi-functional, integrated and contested environments. Through these efforts, the exercise contributed to strengthening interoperability with our partners globally.

"The U.S. is dedicated to our security commitments to the NATO Alliance and our global partners," said Gen. Christopher Cavoli, commander, U.S. European Command. "Exercises like Austere Challenge enhance our integration with Allies and partners, bolstering the collective security of the Euro-Atlantic."

The exercise was conducted virtually by military and civilian personnel across the European Theater. Additionally, this iteration of Austere Challenge was linked to three other U.S. Joint Force exercises: U.S. Cyber Command's Cyber Guardian; North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command's Vigilant Shield; and U.S. Strategic Command's Global Lightning. Elements from Allied Command Operations and select NATO Allied nations observed, advised, and assisted USEUCOM forces and its components to AC24 exercise objectives.

The exercise occurred during two phases. The Deliberate Planning phase occurred in the fall of 2023 where the USEUCOM staff increased cohesion and integration among the U.S., NATO, Allies, and partners in planning across multiple domains. In the just-concluded execution phase, the USEUCOM staff coordinated U.S. operations in support of NATO's defense.

AC24 is part of an exercise series planned and executed since the 1990s which focuses on training combatant command coordination, command and control and the integration of capabilities and functions across USEUCOM's headquarters, its component commands, other combatant commands and U.S. government agencies.

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About USEUCOM

U.S. European Command is responsible for U.S. military operations across Europe, portions of Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean. USEUCOM is comprised of more than 65,000 permanent military personnel supported by rotational forces and DoD civilians working closely with NATO Allies and partners. For more information about USEUCOM, visit www.eucom.mil.

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Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic on famine in Gaza

European Commission

Statement

18 March 2024

Brussels

High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, have issued the following statement:

"Five months into the Gaza crisis, the results of the updated Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) assessment released today indicate the unfolding of the worst possible forecast for Gaza.

Gaza is already facing famine, with 100% of people estimated to be acutely food insecure, according to the IPC. In Gaza's Northern Governorates, 70% of the population are facing imminent famine.

In the centre and southern governorates, 50% of people face catastrophic food insecurity conditions. The situation is projected to deteriorate fast in the next weeks and months and famine is likely to also affect the South.

This is unprecedented. No IPC analysis has ever recorded such levels of food insecurity anywhere in the world.

Life-threatening levels of acute malnutrition have risen at an alarming rate since the last report, and we are already witnessing with horror the death of children due to starvation.

Hunger cannot be used as a weapon of war. What we are seeing is not a natural hazard but a manmade disaster, and it is our moral duty to stop it.

Over 30,000 people have already died due to the conflict, a large part of them children, and the death toll could rapidly increase due to starvation or diseases.

The situation has gone beyond catastrophic. There is an absolute imperative to act now.

While we are exploring all possible means of aid delivery, including airdrops and maritime corridors, these do not replace the most viable and effective solution which is the full and unconditional opening of land access.

An urgent expansion of existing access points for land deliveries, and the opening of additional access routes, is needed to secure impactful food assistance for the entire population of Gaza, the provision of specialised medical aid to address malnutrition and the implementation of public health measures.

We urge Israel to allow free, unimpeded, and safe humanitarian access to all people in need and to cooperate with UNRWA and other UN agencies and other humanitarian actors involved in the humanitarian response including by issuing requisite visas and other permits in a timely manner. The EU recognises their essential work and remains committed to their safety and the assurance of unhindered access to those in need."

Background

In 2024, the EU has initially earmarked over 125 million in humanitarian funding for Palestinians in need, over 50 million of which is specifically dedicated to food assistance and to cover health and other basic needs. A further 68 million are being allocated to support Palestinians inside Gaza and across the region with a strong focus on food, nutrition and health. The EU is also delivering nutritional assistance via Humanitarian Air Bridge flights for the people of Gaza.

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Brandon Wagshol, charged with possession of an illegal magazine appears for a pre-trial hearing Wednesday, November 6, 2019, at the Stamford Superior Court in Stamford, Conn. Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media Norwalk police said Brandon Wagshol, who is on probation, was found dressed in camouflage with a fake gun at the corner of Maple Street and Van Buren Avenue. Norwalk Police Department / Contributed Photo

STAMFORD  A felon who police say suffers from delusions of being in the military and was found dressed in camouflage and carrying a fake rifle near a Norwalk school in December applied for a supervised diversionary program on Tuesday.

Attorney Rob Shrage applied for the psychiatric accelerated rehabilitation program on behalf of his client Brandon Wagshol during a pretrial hearing at the state Superior Court in Stamford.

Wagshol will now undergo a mental health evaluation to find out if the 26-year-old Norwalk resident is a proper fit for the program, according to Judge Gary White.

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Just because you apply doesnt mean you get it, White told Wagshol at Tuesdays hearing.

If the program is granted, Wagshol would be teamed up with a probation officer who has specialized training in working with people who have psychiatric disabilities. If Wagshol successfully completes the court-ordered treatment program, his case could be dismissed.

Wagshol pleaded guilty in 2021 to illegally possessing a large capacity magazine and second-degree assault from unrelated incidents in 2019 and 2020 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspended after four years served, followed by five years of probation. He was released from prison in October.

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He has a history of violent behavior, officials said, and was found walking along Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk on Oct. 23 wearing a gas mask and appearing disoriented, according to an arrest warrant for violating his probation. He was taken to Norwalk Hospital and remained there as an inpatient until Nov. 13, the documents stated. He continued to suffer from the delusions during his stay, up until at least Nov. 7, according to the documents, which said he "still has military delusions; he does not care what anyone says.

Wagshol was arrested on Dec. 14 and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, second-degree breach of peace, illegal use of a facsimile firearm and two counts of violation of probation after Norwalk police received reports of a man dressed in camouflage holding what appeared to be an assault rifle in the area of Maple Street and Van Buren Avenue. Police said they found Wagshol nearby, laying face-down on Norwalk River Valley Trail with an Airsoft rifle next to him.

If found guilty of violation of probation, Wagshol could face up to six years in prison.

Norwalk police arrested Wagshol in August 2019 after they received tips from the FBI that he was attempting to illegally purchase extended magazine clips in New Hampshire. Wagshol had been a student at Central Connecticut State University at the time.

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During the arrest, police seized a .40-caliber handgun, a .22-caliber rifle, a rifle scope with a laser, four firearm optic sites, a firearm flashlight, body armor with a titanium plate, a full camouflage outfit, a ballistic helmet, tactical gloves, a camouflage bag, computers and numerous .40-caliber, .22-caliber and .300 blackout rounds of ammunition, according to the search warrant.

Investigators wrote in the warrant that Wagshol had an interest in mass shootings that dated back to 2008 when he was a sixth-grader at Ponus Ridge Middle School. In November of that year, Wagshol threatened to shoot another student using his fathers guns after he said the other childs talking made it hard for him to concentrate, the warrant said.

Wagshol was arrested again in February 2020 after police say he assaulted his father with a pipe.
Press Briefing by IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, March 18, 2024

IDF Press Release

March 18, 2024

18.03.24

IDF

Good evening,

Tonight at around 2:30 AM, IDF soldiers embarked on a focused operation in the Shifa Hospital compound.

According to precise intelligence information from the ISA and the Intelligence Directorate, Hamas terrorists, including field commanders, fled to the area of the hospital, are hiding there and turned it into a command center from which they dispatched and managed terrorist operations and managed combat. We have been tracking this compound for some time and waited for the most appropriate time to act.

Before dawn, forces from Shayetet 13 and other special units took control of the Shifa Hospital compound and certain buildings within the compound by surprise based on the precise intelligence. Armored and Infantry forces from 401st Brigade under the command of the 162nd Division encircled the hospital area with tanks and soldiers in order to prevent terrorists from escaping the area. The IAF provided aerial coverage over the entire area throughout the operation.

As our forces entered the compound, surprised terrorists barricaded themselves in several buildings in the hospital and opened fire from within the hospital towards our forces, from rooms within the building and from various parts of the compound, there were a number of encounters with terrorists in the area. Our forces returned fire, and exchanges of fire developed on site. Additionally, a combat helicopter precisely struck one of the rooms from which fire was directed at our forces, and only terrorists were killed inside the room due to this strike.

During the operation, we apprehended over two hundred terror suspects who are currently under investigation, eliminated more than twenty terrorists within the hospital area, including the terrorist Faiq Mabhouh, who served as the head of the Special Operations Directorate of Hamas' Internal Security. He was killed in an encounter with Shayetet 13 forces in the hospital area. In addition, forces from 401st Brigade eliminated more than twenty terrorists just in the area surrounding the hospital.

During the battles, IDF soldier SSGT Matan Vinogradov z"l, fell in combat. I send condolences to his family in these difficult hours. We are accompanying them and share in their grief.

During searches in the hospital, our forces found weapons and money intended for distribution to Hamas terrorists within the hospital. This money indicates a mechanism, a mechanism that the terrorists exploited, including senior field operatives, to manage a Hamas mechanism from within the hospital, to distribute money to terror operatives and from there to dispatch operations. Even while Hamas terrorists hide inside the hospital, the terrorists first and foremost took care of themselves, at the expense of the patients and civilians there.

The Hamas terrorist organization continues to systematically operate from hospitals and civilian infrastructure and exploits civilians and patients as human shields.

Hamas tried to rebuild its base in the hospital and use it as a refuge for fleeing terrorists. We will not allow this and will strike and continue to strike wherever Hamas tries to regain its control.

IDF forces continue to operate in the hospital area tonight. We still have buildings to scan and more terrorists in the area that we know about. Any terrorist trying to escape, we will harm, we call upon the terrorists to surrender, we declare through ISA personnel and soldiers of Unit 504 call upon them to surrender, dozens have already surrendered, many of whom are in field investigations of Unit 504. This unit brings intelligence in real-time during the operation through which we discover more things in the hospital and in the area.

One hundred and sixty-four days. We continue to act in all ways and with all efforts, operational, intelligence, and through negotiation teams, to bring about the important thing - returning the one hundred and thirty-four hostages to their homes.

This is our responsibility, our duty, and we do not forget it, not even for a moment.

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Lebanon's Hezbollah launches missile attack on Zionist military positions

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 18, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Islamic Resistance of Lebanon announced on Monday night that it targeted the positions of Zionist soldiers in the north of occupied Palestine with a missile attack.

The Islamic Resistance of Lebanon announced that "our Mujahideen targeted the headquarters of the Zionist military in Barka Risha and Hadab Yarin located in the north of occupied Palestine with a missile attack."

The Lebanese Islamic Resistance added: "The missiles fired hit the intended targets." Previously, Lebanon's Hezbollah targeted the positions of the Zionist military in the north of occupied Palestine with a missile attack.

According to Hezbollah, in support of Gaza and the heroic resistance of Palestine, it targeted the Israeli occupying forces in the heights of Carentina in the north of occupied Palestine with a missile attack.

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Iran condemns Israel's barbaric attack on Gaza's al-Shifa hospital

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 18, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Spokesman Nasser kanaani has strongly condemned the Israeli regime's barbaric attack against al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City.

"Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the world has witnessed this bitter reality that the Zionist regime commits an attack on a hospital, massacring, injuring, or capturing medical staff, patients, and the wounded in violation of all international laws and regulations," kanaani said in a statement on Monday.

He emphasized that attacking medical facilities, which should be protected under international humanitarian law, are a blatant violation of "the most basic principles of international human rights and humanitarian law."

Earlier in the day, Israeli occupying forces stormed al-Shifa hospital with tanks and heavy gunfire, killing and wounding a number of Palestinians sheltering in the medical complex.

About 30,000 people, including displaced civilians, wounded patients and medical staff are trapped inside the hospital, according to Gaza's health ministry.

"In recent months that the Zionist regime's killing machine has not spared any brutal act against the innocent people of Palestine in the world's largest open-air prison; hospitals, medical centers, and medical staff have been targeted in savage attacks," Kanaani said.

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Israeli regime launches airstrikes on south Lebanon

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 18, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Zionist regime has launched fresh aggressive air raids on southern Lebanon, local sources reported early Wednesday.

The Lebanese media reported on Monday that the Israeli regime carried out air strikes on Ramyah, a village in the Bint Jbeil District in southern Lebanon.

No reports of possible damage and casualties have been released so far.

On October 7, Palestinian resistance groups launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm from Gaza against the Israeli regime's positions.

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Israel deliberately blocks humanitarian aid into Gaza: OXFAM

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 18, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Israeli regime systemically and deliberately prevents the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, OXFAM International has warned.

According to AFP, the global anti-poverty charity published a report on Sunday night, pointing to the Israeli regime's act as a move against international humanitarian laws.

The report said the regime defied a January order by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to enhance aid in Gaza and failed in its responsibility to protect civilians in the besieged strip.

Oxfam Middle East and North Africa director Sally Abi Khalil said that the ICJ order should have shocked Israeli officials to change course, but since then conditions in Gaza have actually deteriorated.

"Israeli authorities are not only failing to facilitate the international aid effort but are actively hindering it," Abi Khalil said, adding, "We believe that Israel is failing to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide."

According to the non-governmental organization, Israeli authorities arbitrarily eliminate "dual-use" items such as backup generators and torches; so, the list of rejected items is overwhelming and ever-changing.

Oxfam also noted that "unjustifiably inefficient" inspection rules were causing aid trucks trying to get into Gaza to be stuck in queues for 20 days on average.

The organization further announced that 2,874 trucks entered Gaza in February, representing only "20 percent of the daily average" before the onset of the war.

Some 31,676 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, when the Israeli regime launched a genocidal war on Gaza after a surprise operation by the Palestinian resistance groups against the occupying entity.

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Israel far-right minister calls to attack Al-Aqsa Mosque

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 18, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Far-right Israeli minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir has reportedly issued yet another derogatory remark, calling on Zionists to attack Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied al-Quds during the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Zionist television channel 13 aired Ben-Gvir's notorious call on Sunday night, according to the Palestinian Sama news agency.

The Israeli media citing high-ranking Israeli officials said however that Ben-Gvir's call is very worrying and will not be agreed to in the end.

The hawkish far-right Israeli politician, who is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition, is known for his anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian statements.

Just days before the beginning of Ramadan, he proposed barring Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and other occupied territories in 1948 from praying at Al-Aqsa, Islam's third holiest site.

Netanyahu officially did not heed to the proposal but Israel forces prevented hundreds of youths from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first congregational Friday prayer of Ramadan.

The mosque has frequently been a flash-point for violence often sparked by storming of the complex by Israeli settlers under the protection of Zionist troops.

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Not enough forces to defend the regime: Israeli politicians

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 18, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Israel's opposition leader, Yair Lapid, in a speech on Sunday night acknowledged that the regime has not enough military forces to defend itself.

Lapid, an outspoken Israeli politician of the centrist Yesh Atid party, sarcastically said that there is no one left except the Haredim movement to get new recruits, according to the Palestinian SAMA news agency.

He was probably referring to a recent warning by Yitzhak Yosef, the Chief Jewish Rabbi, also called Sephardic or Haredi Rabbi of ultra-orthodox Jews that there will be mass exodus of his community if they were forced to join the army.

Yoav Gallant, the Minister of War, in a press conference earlier, demanded a new law that could cancel the military exemptions for ultra-orthodox Jews, including Haredim, an issue that raised concerns about the collapse of the ruling coalition.

Earlier, the head of the opposition also criticized the policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toward Gaza, saying he has not learnt a lesson from his defeat in Gaza and cannot remain at the top of the power.

"In times of war, Netanyahu destroys Israel and endangers the alliance with Washington", the Zionist newspaper Haaretz wrote recently in a report that also expressed concern over the continuation of the current cabinet under Netanyahu as well as the continuation of war.

Netanyahu is trying to use the war to fulfill his election goals amid his declining popularity as "Israelis are tired of him", Haaretz added.

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'Israel' lost the war against Hamas: Res. General Yitzhak Brik

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 18 March 2024 / 10:42

In a recent op-ed, Brik details the gaps in Israeli leadership in the war on Gaza, slamming the government's failure on the battlefield.

Tehran-ISNA- Israeli Reserve General Itzhak Brik said that "Israel" has "lost the war against Hamas, and continues to lose its allies around the world."

In an op-ed for the Israeli newspaper Maariv, Brik stated that "Israel's" goal to defeat Hamas has been completely wiped off the war agenda. Meanwhile, the goal of bringing captives back is yet to be achieved, amid the "army's failure to return captives alive."

In this context, Brik affirmed that "the maneuver that the entire Israeli people cheered for did not stand the test and did not achieve the result that everyone had hoped for," and explained that "Security Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi managed the war with a tactical vision instead of a strategic vision. While the war cannot be won in tactical battles alone."

He also said "Israel" cannot continue lying to its people, because what is happening in Gaza and on the northern front against Hezbollah will come back to blow up in their faces, revealing the reality of matters.

He slammed the strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities "Israel" lacks because they "prefer to live in delusion, and deal with images that please their audience and the army."

Brik pointed out that "The Chief of Staff has been isolated, silent, and at a loss of control of the ground for a long time, so he began appointing colonels and lieutenants in his likeness and image."

He said this in itself is a scandal and "the most dangerous failure" since the establishment of the Israeli military. Instead of claiming responsibility for his actions, Brik said, the Chief of Staff decided to reinforce the generation of chaos that he heads with the brigade officers, who share this failure with him.

He added that soldiers are getting killed and injured daily as a result of the hasty and negligible inspection of the homes they enter in Gaza, which are booby-trapped with explosives.

"This must be stopped immediately," Brik said, stressing that "if the political and military paths continue in this manner, we will find ourselves in a much worse situation than it was before the attack on the Gaza Strip began."

He proceeded, "If the army does not succeed in returning some captives alive, this war will be publically shaped as the worst failure in Israel's wars since its founding, whether from the terrible blow it received from Hamas on October 7, or from the abject failure to fight in the Gaza Strip."

Building on his findings, Brik said "Israel" will find itself amid difficult, insoluble gaps in Gaza and the regional war, which signifies the gravest threat against the occupation since its establishment. "The internal front is not prepared for a regional war that would be a thousand times more crushing than the Gaza war."

Further slamming Benjamin Netanyahu and the Chief of Staff, Brik said they were leading "Israel" nowhere, to a dead-end, and exerting the most effort to weaken the occupation. He described the Israeli senior as "rusty, headless nails in Israel's body, and there is no way to remove them."

"These people brought upon us the worst hell on earth in the history of Israel, and are paving our way to the next hell without strategic thinking or rationality."

Earlier today, Israeli newspaper Haaretz said the occupation's behavior and actions since October 7 only prove that after one of the "worst disasters in its history" and over five months of aggression, the same faults still pilot the mentality of its leading officials.

Haaretz highlighted that the occupation's attempt to find a mechanism for distributing aid in Gaza independent of Palestinian factions and its refusal to discuss the "day-after" plan is a clear indication that "Israel" has applied a policy of time killing and improvising with no clear vision ahead, up until October 6.

It added that the only difference is the magnitude of the massive destruction in Gaza, the unimaginable civilian death toll, and the severe humanitarian catastrophe in return for a captive crisis unprecedented for "Israel".

Up until the war, the policy followed by Israeli occupation governments, specifically Netanyahu's government, has been perpetual separation between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in attempts to prevent any opportunity for political progress, the Israeli newspaper said.

Even though the Israeli occupation has specified that after October 7 its focus has shifted toward "ending Hamas", it has failed to provide any serious alternative, Haaretz stressed.

End Item

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Gaza Resistance showers Israeli military positions with rockets

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 18 March 2024 / 10:38

The Palestinian Resistance factions continue to confront and attack the raiding Israeli occupation forces and their positions across the Gaza Strip.

Tehran-ISNA- On the 163rd day of the war, the Palestinian Resistance continues engaging in fierce confrontations with Israeli occupation forces at several points in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, after limited incursions.

Palestinian media reported Sunday evening ongoing intense battles between the Resistance fighters and Israeli occupation forces inside the western camp in Khan Younis.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, delivered an illustrated video message to "Israel" concerning captives held in Gaza, titled "The Israeli Nazi entity tastes its captive soldiers taste from the same cup it tastes to our people."

The illustration depicts the tragic situation endured by the Palestinian people in besieged Gaza from killing, destruction, and starvation due to ongoing Israeli aggression, which is simultaneously affecting captives held by the Palestinian Resistance in the Strip.

Meanwhile, al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement, announced that its fighters attacked an Israeli occupation soldiers' position east of the central governorate with a barrage of mortar shells.

The Brigades also confirmed that its Resistance fighters shot down an Israeli Sky Lark reconnaissance drone while on a spying operation east of Gaza City.

On its part, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, in a brief statement, affirmed that its fighters engaged in fierce confrontations with raiding Israeli occupation soldiers in the advancement axis in Khan Younis city.

The statement mentioned that the Resistance fighters attacked an Israeli occupation soldiers' position in the eastern axis of the central governorate with heavy caliber mortar shells.

End Item

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Several killed, wounded in Israel raid on al-Shifa hospital

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Mon / 18 March 2024 / 10:30

Israeli forces raid the al-Shifa Medical Complex in western Gaza City and impose a tight siege on it.

Tehran-ISNA- Israeli occupation forces raided early Monday the al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City under heavy aerial and artillery cover fire.

The Israeli occupation military announced an operation was underway in al-Shifa, claiming Palestinian Resistance fighters were using the complex.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza reported that Israeli military drones opened fire on Palestinians in the vicinity of the hospital as Israeli warplanes launched fire belts in the area.

Our correspondent also mentioned that Israeli naval vessels fired toward the vicinity of the al-Shifa Medical Complex west of Gaza City, confirming that several people were martyred and others were injured due to the relentless aggression.

He noted that there are bodies of martyrs within the premises of the Complex that can't be reached due to the ongoing Israeli assault, emphasizing that Israeli occupation forces are surrounding hundreds of displaced individuals, patients, medical teams, and journalists inside the facility.

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that a fire erupted in the specialized surgery building inside the al-Shifa Medical Complex due to Israeli airstrikes.

In the same context, Palestinian journalist Alam al-Deen Sabah told Al Mayadeen that an Israeli occupation force was ambushed near the complex.

Israeli media suggested that a special unit of the Israeli occupation army engaged in a confrontation in the area, prompting the dispatch of numerous aircraft and armored vehicles.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza held the Israeli occupation accountable for the well-being of medical staff, patients, and displaced individuals inside the al-Shifa Medical Complex, underlining that the Israeli occupation forces' actions constitute a blatant violation of international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

In a statement, the Ministry denounced "Israel's" continued use of fabricated narratives to justify its raid, pointing out that the Israeli occupation army aims to persist in destroying the healthcare system in the northern Gaza Strip.

It called on the international community to reject the Israeli occupation's practices against the al-Shifa Medical Complex and hospitals in Gaza.

On its part, the Government Media Office in Gaza said that the Israeli raid on the al-Shifa Medical Complex caused fear and panic among the wounded, patients, and displaced individuals.

The Office indicated that the Israeli assault threatens the lives of thousands inside the Complex, in a war crime added to the criminal record of the Israeli occupation army, which continues to commit various crimes and massacres and continues to harbor the intention to destroy the healthcare sector and destroy hospitals.

It held the Israeli occupation, the US administration, and the international community fully responsible for the well-being of the medical staff, wounded, patients, and displaced individuals in the facility.

The Government Media Office in Gaza called on the United Nations, international organizations, and all free countries of the world to urgently intervene to halt "Israel's" genocidal war, cease its aggression, and stop targeting the healthcare sector, medical institutions, and hospitals.

End Item

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Norwalk City Hall on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Erik Trautmann/Hearst Connecticut Media

NORWALK  After combing through and trimming the city of Norwalks budget this past week, the Board of Estimate and Taxation discussed the dilemma of finalizing a budget in the face of a dramatic increase in residents' taxes.

On Wednesday night, the residents of Norwalk will have the opportunity to weigh in on the budget plan. BET members said they were eager to hear residents' thoughts to help shape their priorities on the budget.

I know this is always a grueling process but especially this year where we have had to make some very, very difficult decisions, Mayor Harry Rilling said during the BET meeting Monday night.

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Even with a completely flat budget, Norwalks residential taxes are set to increase because the result of the 2023 revaluation was an increase in the value of residential property and a slight decrease in commercial property values. This year, 71.5 percent of Norwalks property value is residential and 28.5 percent is commercial property value. Last year, residential property was 66 percent and commercial was 34 percent.

This shift between residential and commercial property values means residential properties will bear an increase in the tax burden.

Norwalks Common Council set the spending cap for fiscal year 2024-25 at $440.6 million, a 4 percent increase from last year. While the BET has worked to cut and refine the city budget, residents' taxes will still increase dramatically with a $440.6 million budget.

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These are tough times, tough decisions have to be made, said Troy Jellerette, a BET member. I cant imagine having a 36 percent, 37 percent increase in my taxes. Its crazy.

Im recommending that we have a 5 percent cut across the board on the city side and on the education side to get us to bring us back to a number that Norwalk residents can live with, Jellerette said.

BET members weighed Jelleretes proposal of a 5 percent cut, which would result in a reduction in city services.

It is within the power of this board to cut the budget by 5 percent, Rilling said. I caution that because we will be laying off, possibly laying off police officers, firefighters, teachers. And again no action comes without a reaction.

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Another idea suggested to reduce the tax burden on residents was to set different mill rates on residential and commercial properties.

As BET, the most important thing that we do at the end of April is set the mill rates, said Anne Yang, a BET member.

The legality of setting different mill rates is something the city is looking into, but this solution could hurt Norwalks commercial properties, such office buildings, that are already struggling, Rilling said.

We have not been blind to this possibility; we have asked corporation council, he said. Right now there is only one city in the state of Connecticut that does that and its Hartford.

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Increasing the commercial property mill rate could also cause rent prices to go up, Rilling noted.
Data on interceptions of aircraft completed near the Baltic States' borders on March 11-17, 2024

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence

2024-03-18

International cooperation

On March 11-17 the NATO Air Policing Mission fighter aircraft were scrambled five times to intercept aircraft of the Russian Federation violating flight rules in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

On March 11 fighter aircraft of the NATO Baltic Air Policing Detachment were scrambled to intercept one TU-134 and one IL-76. The aircraft were heading for the mainland of the Russian Federation from Kaliningrad. Neither had flight plans, both kept the onboard transponders switched on and maintained radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On March 11 the NATO fighter aircraft were also scrambled to identify and escort one AN-26 flying through international airspace from Kaliningrad to mainland Russia without the flight plan, not using the onboard transponder, though maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre. NATO fighter jets also intercepted one TU-134 flying from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder switched on and maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On March 12 NATO Air Policing fighter aircraft identified and escorted two TU-22M3 and two SU-30SM aircraft of the Russian Federation flying through international airspace from and to locations in mainland Russia. They had no pre-filed flight plans, the onboard transponders were switched off and the crews did not radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On March 12 NATO fighter jets also were scrambled to intercept one IL-20 flying from the mainland Russia to Kaliningrad without having pre-filed a flight plan, its onboard transponder off, though maintaining radio communication with the regional air traffic control centre.

On March 15 NATO fighter aircraft intercepted an IL-20 flying out of Kaliningrad into international airspace and back to Kaliningrad without the flight plan, with its onboard transponder off and not maintaining radio communication.

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Secretary General in Tbilisi: NATO supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

18 Mar. 2024

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg continued his tour of the South Caucasus on Monday (18 March 2024), meeting with President Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of Georgia in Tbilisi.

"Georgia is one of NATO's closest partners. We highly appreciate your substantial contributions to NATO missions and operations and we fully support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. South Ossetia and Abkhazia are part of Georgia," Mr Stoltenberg said. He called on Russia to reverse the recognition of Georgian territories South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states and added that Russia's organisation of elections in occupied parts of Georgia and Ukraine is completely illegal. "Russia's presidential election was clearly neither free nor fair," Mr Stoltenberg said.

The Secretary General welcomed Georgia's substantial contributions to NATO operations and support to Ukraine. Georgia is hosting thousands of Ukrainian refugees and providing crucial humanitarian and financial aid. "Russia persists in its pursuit of imperial ambitions. And in Ukraine, the situation on the battlefield remains difficult," he said. "But, with our support, Ukraine has pushed back - destroying or damaging a significant part of Russia's Black Sea fleet," allowing Ukraine to re-open grain shipping that is vital for their economy and for global food security.

During his visit, the Secretary General discussed ways to further strengthen NATO's partnership with Georgia. NATO is stepping up its cooperation with Georgia in areas such as crisis management, cyber security, military engineering and secure communications. Mr Stoltenberg underlined NATO'S commitment to support Georgia's path towards stronger democracy and full Euro-Atlantic integration, including the 2008 Bucharest decision that Georgia will become a member of NATO.

The Secretary General will conclude his three day visit to the South Caucasus in Yerevan on Tuesday, meeting with President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia. On Sunday and Monday, he met Azerbaijan's leadership in Baku.

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Secretary General starts South Caucasus visit in Baku, welcomes NATO's long-standing partnership with Azerbaijan

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

18 Mar. 2024

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Baku on Sunday (17 March 2024), kicking off a three-day, tri-nation tour of the South Caucasus. Meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, the Secretary General welcomed Azerbaijan's long-standing collaboration with the Alliance, saying he looked forward to further strengthening the partnership.

Mr Stoltenberg welcomed the opportunity to discuss energy security, saying: "energy matters for our security and I welcome that Azerbaijan is developing closer and closer ties with several NATO Allies." He further pointed to a track record of work on issues of mutual concern and thanked Azerbaijan for its contributions to NATO-led operations and missions - including in Kosovo and Afghanistan - since Azerbaijan joined NATO's Partnership for Peace in 1994. The Alliance and Baku have also cooperated through NATO's Science for Peace and Security programme on counter-terrorism and cyber security.

On the situation in the South Caucasus, the Secretary General underlined that "peace and stability is not only important here but for security more broadly". He said: "Armenia and Azerbaijan now have an opportunity to achieve an enduring peace after years of conflict." He added: "I can just encourage you to seize this opportunity to reach a lasting peace agreement with Armenia". On Ukraine, Mr Stoltenberg welcomed the much-needed support provided by Azerbaijan, and called on all countries in the region to step up: "more support is needed because the situation in Ukraine is extremely difficult."

The Secretary General called the upcoming COP29 global climate summit in Azerbaijan an important milestone: "It is important for everyone concerned about climate change but also important for our security because those issues are closely interlinked."

On Monday, the Secretary General will meet Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Defence Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov. He will then travel to Tbilisi for meetings with Georgia's leadership. On Tuesday, Mr Stoltenberg will meet with Armenia's leadership in Yerevan.

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EU agrees on sanctions against violent Israeli settlers

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 8:51 PM

The European Union's foreign ministers have agreed in principle on imposing sanctions against violent Israeli settlers, who will be slapped with travel bans and asset freezes upon implementation of the measures.

"A solid compromise has been agreed at the working level and I hope that this will be continued until full adoption soon, but the political agreement is there," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters after the ministers met in Brussels on Monday.

"Today, we have approved, unanimously, the sanctions against the violent settlers that harass the Palestinians in the West Bank," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also said.

The violence has ramped up over the past months. Combined with the Israeli regime's raids across the occupied territory, aggression perpetrated by the illegal settlers has claimed the lives of hundreds of Palestinians throughout the period.

Earlier this month, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed serious concern regarding the rising settler violence in a report to the world body's Human Rights Council.

"The West Bank is already in crisis. Yet, settler violence and settlement-related violations have reached shocking new levels, and risk eliminating any practical possibility of establishing a viable Palestinian State," he said.

More than 600,000 Zionists live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank.

All the settlements are considered to be illegal under the international law. The United Nations Security Council has condemned the Israeli regime's settlement construction activities across the occupied territory through numerous resolutions.

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Israel's atrocities at Shifa Hospital illustrate military chaos, confusion: Hamas

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 6:53 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says Israel's new raid on al-Shifa Hospital underlines the regime's "confusion and hopelessness" in achieving its goals in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Hamas said on Monday the regime "has committed a new crime" by directly targeting al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City on Monday morning "without caring about the patients, medical staff and displaced people in it."

It said "crimes" being committed by the regime are "an expression of its confusion and loss of hope in achieving any military achievement other than targeting defenseless civilians."

Hamas criticized the international community and the United Nations for inaction, which, it said, was a green light to the regime "to continue the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing" in Gaza.

The resistance group urged international institutions to fulfill their responsibilities and protect the remaining medical facilities in the Palestinian territory.

The regime's forces started an overnight raid on the hospital, Gaza's largest, which has sheltered thousands of Palestinians who fled the war in northern parts of the territory.

According to witnesses, al-Rimal area of Gaza City, where the hospital is located, had been hit by airstrikes.

"Suddenly, we started to hear sounds of explosions, several bombings and soon tanks started to roll," Reuters quoted a Palestinian man as saying.

"They came from the western road and headed towards Shifa, then sounds of gunfire and explosions increased."

Witnesses described scenes of panic and unverified footage showed people attempting to flee along a street in the dark as Israeli forces started raiding the complex.

According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the raid had caused a fire at the entrance of the complex, resulting in cases of asphyxiation among displaced women and children in the facility.

The ministry said people were trapped inside the surgery and emergency units of one of the buildings, while communication had been cut off.

"There are casualties, including deaths and injuries, and it's impossible to rescue anyone due to the intensity of the fire and targeting of anyone approaching the windows."

The ministry said the regime has committed "another crime against health institutions" in Gaza.

Israel drew widespread international condemnation after its forces raided the hospital in November 2023. Analysts say the new raid is a further illustration of the increasingly vexing problems the regime faces in Gaza.

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Israel threatening Marwan Barghouti's life in jail: Palestinian official

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 6:38 PM

A senior Palestinian official says Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian detainee, is being isolated and tortured by Israeli authorities.

Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary-general of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), in a Monday post on X said Israeli authorities were endangering Barghouti's life.

Sheikh said Barghouti was being exposed to "isolation, torture and attempts to coerce, humiliate and beat him, putting his life in danger."

"We call on the international community, institutions and international organizations to intervene immediately and urgently in order to stop the repressive measures against our prisoners and our leaders in the occupation prisons, protect them, and release them immediately," Sheikh said.

Barghouti, 64, has reportedly been beaten by Israeli guards in recent days.

Last month, Israel's far-right minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Barghouti had been placed in solitary confinement.

Barghouti was a prominent leader in the first and second Intifadas. He has been behind bars for over two decades.

Israel accused Barghouti of having founded the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades in the early 2000s.

Barghouti remains a popular Palestinian figure. He has refused to recognize the authority of the Israeli court in his case.

Barghouti is also a favorite presidential candidate for the Palestinian people. A survey carried out in December showed him to be ahead of the current president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.

Qadura Fares, the head of the Palestinian Commission for Detainees and Ex-Prisoners' Affairs, said the targeting of Barghouti is part of a campaign of repression against the Palestinian prisoners that has escalated since the start of the month of Ramadan.

Fares said punitive measures include "severe beatings, insults, humiliation and confiscation of the holy Quran from cells."

"The situation has become more dangerous than anyone could imagine, as the lives of the prisoners have become threatened in the true sense."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Fares said Thabet Merdawi is another high-profile prisoner facing increased attacks recently. He is a leader from the Islamic Jihad resistance movement who has been in jail since 2002.

Rights advocates warn of the record number of Palestinian prisoners filling Israeli detention centers in light of the bloody onslaught on Gaza. They say the inmates are subjected to "systemic abuse" and torture.

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Israelis fume at ICJ order to step up humanitarian aid into Gaza

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 5:38 PM

Israel has hit out at South Africa after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an emergency order for the regime to step up humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

In a filing to the ICJ made public on Monday, the regime claimed it "has real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking"!

Israel has killed more than 31,700 Palestinians in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

The regime said South Africa's repeated requests for additional aid to Gaza were an abuse of court procedures.

The regime's lawyers said South Africa's court action against Israel and its request for new measures was "morally repugnant."

On March 6, South Africa filed an "urgent request" with the ICJ for the "indication of additional provisional measures and the modification" of the court's order issued on January 26 and its "decision of" February 16 which dealt with the case on the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip, according to the ICJ.

Numerous relief organizations have talked of Israeli forces deliberately causing humanitarian suffering in Gaza, where tens of thousands have died in bombings and where famine is looming.

"Much like South Africa's application that instituted the present proceedings, they are wholly unfounded in fact and law, morally repugnant, and represent an abuse both of the Genocide Convention and of the Court itself," read the filing.

Many legal experts say the Israeli forces' mass killing of the Gazans amounts to a textbook example of genocide.

South Africa says the regime has failed to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention. It filed the lawsuit against Israel at the end of December.

The African nation has been an outspoken critic of Tel Aviv, denouncing the regime's genocidal war in Gaza.

On January 26, the ICJ delivered its interim verdict, ruling that South Africa's claims were plausible.

It ordered provisional measures, saying the regime must implement steps to prevent genocidal acts and allow humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza.

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Painful tragedy in Gaza: Iran slams raid on al-Shifa hospital, urges UN to stop Israel war crimes

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 4:27 PM

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan'ani has censured Israel's brutal attack on the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City and the regime's crimes against medical staff and patients.

In a statement on Monday, Kan'ani said it is not the first time that the Israeli regime has blatantly violated all international rules and regulations as well as the most obvious human principles.

Heavily armed Israeli forces stormed the al-Shifa hospital early on Monday using tanks and drones, firing at people inside the complex.

Gaza's Health Ministry says some 30,000 people, including displaced civilians, wounded patients and medical staff are trapped inside the hospital.

Kan'ani said Israel's power structure has been based on occupation, terror, violence and crimes over the past seven decades which has been coupled with genocide in the Gaza Strip during the past six months.

He criticized the international community for remaining silent vis-a-vis Israel's massacre of Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in 1982 and its massacre in Qana, a village in southern Lebanon, in 1996.

Backed by certain Western countries, the Israeli regime has intensified its acts of violence and crime against the oppressed people in Palestine, the Iranian spokesperson emphasized.

He said a "painful tragedy" is unfolding in Gaza as Israel has been targeting hospitals and patients despite the fact that hospitals and patients are spared by international rules and regulations in all wars.

Kan'ani once again reiterated the international community's responsibility regarding the tragic situation in Palestine, particularly in Gaza.

He called on the United Nations and its Security Council to fulfill their international duty and stop Israel's war crimes.

Since the start of Israel's genocidal war on October 7, 2023, at least 31,726 Palestinians, including many women and children, have lost their lives. Another 73,729 individuals have sustained injuries as well.

Israel has additionally enforced a comprehensive blockade on the coastal sliver, severing the supply of fuel, electricity, sustenance and water to the population of over two million Palestinians residing there.

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Israel assassinates Gaza police commander in violent raid on al-Shifa hospital

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 3:50 PM

Israeli regime forces have assassinated a high-ranking Palestinian security officer after a violent raid on al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip as the occupying entity presses ahead with its months-long genocidal war against the besieged territory.

Brigadier General Fayeq al-Mabhouh, the commander of the Police Service in the Gaza Strip, was killed during the Israeli regime's storming of al-Shifa medical complex in the early hours of Monday.

Local sources said Mabhouh "refused to surrender to Israeli forces, engaging them before his death."

Mabhouh was a leading officer in the security apparatus of the besieged Palestinian territory and most recently was responsible for securing humanitarian aid to the northern Gaza Strip after months of Israeli-imposed starvation policies.

The high-ranking officer was also a coordinator between Palestinian police in Gaza, families in the area and the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the killing of Mabhouh as well as the violent raid on the medical facility.

The Health Ministry in Gaza said some 30,000 people, including displaced civilians, wounded patients and medical staff were trapped inside the hospital.

The Israeli military announced earlier in the day that its troops were "conducting a high-precision operation" at the al-Shifa hospital against what it called "senior fighters of Hamas."

The Health Ministry denounced the attack as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, saying the regime's military is using fabricated narratives to justify its conduct.

The ministry called on all international organisations to "immediately stop this Israeli massacre against the sick, the wounded, the displaced, and the medical staff inside al-Shifa Hospital."

Israel waged its brutal US-backed war on the Gaza Strip last October after Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 73,676 others.

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Israel lost not just war against Hamas, but future forever: Iran's FM spokesman

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 11:09 AM

The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry has echoed recent remarks by a former Israeli military commander who admitted that the regime has lost its genocidal war against the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in Gaza, stressing that the Zionists also wasted away their future forever.

"Not only did the Zionist regime lose the war in the Gaza Strip, but also the future forever. The regime will have no place in the world's public opinion," Nasser Kan'ani made the remarks in a post published on X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday.

"The fake [Tel Aviv] regime has killed 31,000 people, including 22 thousand women and children, in the Gaza Strip within 5 months. The Palestinian issue has however flourished more after the death of every Palestinian civilian, and elevated its place in the world public opinion more than before."

Kan'ani noted that Israel and its allies should know they are not simply facing off Hamas, but rather an ancient, noble and established nation called Palestine.

"There's no doubt that future belongs to Palestine, and the Israeli regime will fall into never-ending shame and disgrace," the spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry said.

Yitzhak Brick, a former ombudsman major general, wrote in an article in the Hebrew-language Maariv newspaper on Sunday that Israel has lost its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

"You can't lie to many people for a long time," he said, adding, "What is happening in the Gaza Strip and against Hezbollah in Lebanon will blow up in our faces sooner or later."

Brick also stressed that the Israeli military "is not prepared for a regional war, which will be thousands of times more difficult and serious than the war in the Gaza Strip."

The former Israeli military commander also criticized Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, saying he is "detached" from reality.

'Support for Israel amounts to brazen violation of human rights'

Separately, Kan'ani sharply criticized the so-called Western advocates of human rights for behaving like dictators on the international stage, describing their political, military and financial support for Israel as a flagrant violation of human rights.

The senior Iranian diplomat, in a social media post, slammed the political, military and financial support for the usurping regime.

"Providing political, economic, military, financial, legal, and international backing to the Zionist regime, notwithstanding its illegitimate and terrorist identity and accusations of war crimes and genocide, stands as a violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. This stands as the epitome of the most egregious violation of human rights and represents undemocratic and dictatorial conduct within international relations," he said.

The Iranian diplomat underscored that the dictators of the international stage cannot present themselves as exemplars of democracy, champions of human rights, protectors and advocates of international peace and security, and lecture others.

"The conduct of this group of claimant countries vis-a-vis six months of unequal war against the Gaza Strip, resulting in over 31 thousand civilian casualties due to the Zionist regime's genocide, starkly illustrates the extent to which these professed ideals align with their slogans.

"As global public opinion is outraged over the unprecedented crimes committed by the Zionists in Gaza and calls for deterrent measures to halt these crimes and genocide further, the very usual claimants and false flag-bearers of championing security, world peace, human rights, and peremptory international laws and regulations have thus far thwarted any legal or executive decisions against this regime within the world's most significant security authority," Kan'ani noted.

Since the start of Israel's genocidal war following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by Gaza-based resistance movements on October 7, 2023, at least 31,645 Palestinians, including many women and children, have lost their lives. Another 73,676 individuals have sustained injuries as well.

The Israeli military offensive has left a trail of destruction in Gaza, leaving hospitals in ruins and displacing around half of its 2.4 million residents.

Israel has additionally enforced a comprehensive blockade on the coastal sliver, severing the supply of fuel, electricity, sustenance and water to the population of over two million Palestinians residing there.

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Norwalk police Sgt. Shannon Sherry, seen in a file photo, was involved in a fatal crash that killed a New Britain man last year, officials said. File photo

NORWALK  A city police sergeant arrested on motor vehicle misconduct charges in connection with an off-duty crash last April that killed a 24-year-old man wants his Tesla returned, his attorney said.

Shannon Sherry, 48, was charged by state police in February with misconduct with a motor vehicle and failure to maintain a proper lane in the crash on Interstate 84 in Southington that killed Elijah Joseph Vallier.

Tuesday at state Superior Court in New Britain, Sherry's attorney Alec C. Gulash said his client wants to regain possession of the Tesla he was driving when the fatal crash occurred on April 19, 2023. The car was seized by state police last April as part of the investigation into the crash.

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A judge did not rule during Tuesday's proceedings on whether Sherry could have the vehicle returned. The case was continued to April 24.

Norwalk Police Chief James Walsh said in a news release in February that Sherry was placed on paid administrative leave after he was arrested and that the department's Internal Affairs Unit would conduct its own investigation now that the criminal probe had been completed.

A warrant for Sherry's arrest said the state police investigation found the cause of the crash was that Sherry "made an unsafe lane change movement," going from the left lane to the right "in one movement," while trying to quickly exit the highway.

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Sherry "demonstrated driver inattention, in that there was insufficient, or no attention, to activities critical for safe driving," the warrant stated.

Vallier recently had started working for a construction company at the time of the crash and was planning to get his commercial driver's license, according to his obituary.

State police said the April 19, 2023, crash occurred on Interstate 84 near Exit 30 in Southington. Vallier had been driving a 2003 Ford F-250 Super Duty east on the highway in the right lane, when a 2023 Tesla Model 3 driven by Sherry veered out of the left lane, crossed the center lane and collided with the pickup truck, state police said.

Dash-cam footage from a driver in the area showed the Tesla, which was in the left lane, activate its blinker as Exit 30 came up, according to the warrant for Sherry's arrest. The footage shows Sherry "crossed the center lane and enters the right lane without stopping in the center lane," Trooper Michael Dean wrote in the warrant.

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While entering the right lane, the Tesla collided with the driver's side of the truck, according to the footage described in the warrant.

"The Ford F-250 then veers across all lanes of traffic, enters the center median and enters into a rollover event," Dean wrote in the warrant.

The truck came to rest blocking traffic in the left lane of I-84 west, according to state police.

Vallier was thrown through the rear window of the truck during the rollover and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the warrant. He was not wearing his seatbelt at the time the collision occurred, Dean noted in the warrant.

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The video footage contradicted Sherry's sworn statement he provided to state police. According to the warrant, Sherry told state police he had been heading east on I-84 near Exit 30 in the center lane. He told police he did not see anyone in the right lane, and signaled to move over from the center to the right lane "but a gray truck sideswiped the passenger side of his vehicle and the truck spun out," the warrant read.

Sherry told troopers he pulled over to exchange information with the other driver, but when he got out of his vehicle, "he saw the truck upside down in the westbound side of Interstate 84."

"Shannon Sherry explained he ran over to check on the operator of the truck, but somebody was telling everybody to get away," Dean wrote in the arrest warrant.

Sherry was able to bring the Tesla to a stop in the right shoulder. He and a passenger in the Tesla were uninjured and declined medical treatment, according to the warrant.

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Neither vehicle had any mechanical issues that would have contributed to the crash, Dean wrote in the warrant.

Sherry was freed after posting $25,000 bond, state police said in a news release.

In 2011, Norwalk police charged Sherry with disorderly conduct during a domestic violence incident. Sherry, who police said was drunk, was reported to have grabbed his wife by her hair during an argument and held her down, then-Police Chief Harry Rilling said at the time.

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The state's judicial website shows no record of the court case and the outcome is not clear.
Israeli forces raid Gaza al-Shifa hospital, open fire inside complex

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 8:50 AM

Heavily armed Israeli forces have stormed the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City using tanks and drones, firing at people inside the complex.

The government media office in Gaza said the raid, which was conducted early on Monday, sparked fear and panic among thousands of patients, medical staff and the displaced, and threatened their lives.

The new war crime "added to the black record of the occupation army, which is still committing various crimes and massacres, and continues ... to eliminate the health sector and destroy hospitals" in the besieged Gaza Strip, it noted.

Gaza's Health Ministry says some 30,000 people, including displaced civilians, wounded patients and medical staff are trapped inside the hospital.

The ministry said anyone "who tries to move is targeted by sniper bullets and quadcopter".

The Israeli military announced that its troops were "conducting a high-precision operation" at the al-Shifa hospital against what it called "senior fighters of Hamas."

The Health Ministry in Gaza denounced the attack as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention, saying the regime's army is using fabricated narratives to justify its conduct.

It also urged the international community to condemn the raid, calling for the UN to intervene to protect the hospital and those trapped inside it.

The Ministry further said that a fire broke out at the entrance of the medical compound, causing cases of suffocation among women and children.

"There are casualties, including deaths and injuries, and it's impossible to rescue anyone due to the intensity of the fire and targeting of anyone approaching the windows," it added.

The ministry called on all international organisations to "immediately stop this Israeli massacre against the sick, the wounded, the displaced, and the medical staff inside al-Shifa Hospital".

Crimes 'won't create image of victory' for Israeli PM

In a statement, Hamas said the Israeli crimes during its genocidal war on Gaza "will not create any image of victory for [prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his Nazi army."

The Israeli atrocities show "the state of confusion, chaos, and loss of hope" within the regime's military, which has made no achievements during the Gaza onslaught, said Hamas.

"The failure of the international community and the United Nations to take action against the occupation army was a green light to continue the war of genocide and ethnic cleansing it is committing against our people," it added.

'US, West, Arab regimes accountable for Israeli crimes'

The Palestinian Mujahideen movement also said the Zionist enemy keeps targeting hospitals and abusing patients and medical staff under US support and the silence of international organizations.

"We hold the American administration, the Western governments, the negligent Arab regimes, and the incapable international system responsible for the continuation of the genocidal massacres committed by the Nazi-Zionist enemy against our people in the Gaza Strip, the most recent of which was the storming of the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza," it stressed.

In November 2023, Israel conducted a similar raid on the medical facility, sparking widespread international condemnation.

Israel waged its brutal US-backed war on the Gaza Strip last October after Hamas carried out its historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 73,676 others.

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Israel 'deliberately' blocking humanitarian aid to Gaza, Oxfam says

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 8:06 AM

A global anti-poverty charity has denounced Israel for intentionally preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in violation of international humanitarian law.

Oxfam said in a report on Monday that Israel continues to "systematically and deliberately block and undermine any meaningful international humanitarian response" in the Palestinian territory.

The independent non-governmental organization further noted that the Tel Aviv regime is openly flouting an emergency ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on January 26 to ensure the delivery of basic services and essential humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, and is failing its legal responsibility to protect people in the land it occupies.

"The ICJ order should have shocked Israeli leaders to change course; but since then, conditions in Gaza have actually worsened," Oxfam Middle East and North Africa Director Sally Abi Khalil said.

"Israeli authorities are not only failing to facilitate the international aid effort but are actively hindering it. We believe that Israel is failing to take all measures within its power to prevent genocide," he added.

Oxfam said that "unjustifiably inefficient" inspection rules were causing aid trucks trying to get into Gaza to be stuck in queues for 20 days on average.

It said that Israeli authorities arbitrarily reject "dual-use" items  civilian goods that also have potential military use such as backup generators and torches.

"The list of rejected items is overwhelming and ever-changing," Oxfam said.

It argued that Israeli officials once rejected water bags and water testing kits in an Oxfam shipment without providing any reason for their decision, before they later permitted entry.

The group also denounced "attacks on aid workers, humanitarian facilities and aid convoys" and "access restrictions" for relief staff, particularly to northern Gaza.

Oxfam noted that 2,874 trucks entered Gaza in February, which represented "20% of the daily average."

According to the anti-poverty charity, some 1.7 million Palestinians, 75% of Gaza's population, are at risk of famine.

"The conditions we have observed in Gaza are beyond catastrophic," Oxfam said in its report.

Israel waged its brutal US-backed war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the Hamas resistance movement carried out its historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 73,676 others.

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Hamas: War not confined to Gaza; Israel facing 'extensive resistance front'

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 7:03 AM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says Israel has come to face an "extensive front" far greater than the Gaza Strip.

"The field battle is not confined to Gaza," Osama Hamdan, who represents the group in Lebanon, told the country's al-Manar television network on Monday.

The enemy sees itself face to face with an extensive resistance front, he asserted.

Israel launched the war against Gaza on October 7 after a retaliatory operation by the territory's resistance groups, during which hundreds were taken captive. Since the beginning of the war, the regime has killed more than 31,600 Gazans, most of them women, children, and adolescents.

In response, resistance movements from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen have been carrying out military operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its interests in the region.

'Enemy baffled by resistance's unwavering power'

Hamdan also noted that, despite its hugely deadly and destructive campaign, the enemy has fallen short of realizing all of its "objectives."

He was referring to the declared goals of releasing the captives, bringing about forced displacement of Gaza's population to neighboring Egypt, and "eliminating" Hamas.

"After 163 days, the resistance is still capable in the field battle," Hamdan said.

The resistance is still fighting across locations, where the Israeli army claims to have ended the war and eliminated the resistance, he said, adding, "This issue has created crises for the occupying army."

'Post-Netanyahu era'

The Hamas representative, meanwhile, pointed to rising tensions across the occupied territories over Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's failure to clinch the return of the Israeli captives.

"The tensions are deeper and greater that what comes to the eye," he said.

"All eyes are on the next elections in the occupied territories," he said, adding, "Planning underway for the post-Netanyahu era."

Elsewhere in his remarks, Hamdan said Hamas faced a "real chance" of ending the invasion and achieving a "permanent ceasefire."

The resistance movement has agreed to the Israeli military's "partial withdrawal" from Gaza until the realization of an agreement on complete cessation of the aggression, the Hamas official said.

In the first phase, the movement would identify the ailing Palestinian prisoners for release by the regime, he said.

Hamdan pointed to talks in Doha aimed at enabling a prisoner swap.

The Israeli cabinet would determine the sphere of authority of its negotiators in upcoming meetings in the Qatari capital, Hamdan said. "And we determine the likelihood of conclusion or defeat of an agreement accordingly," he added.

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Mar. 17: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 6:53 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 31,700 Palestinians so far, including at least 14,500 children, resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against the Tel Aviv regime and its Western backers.

The major operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Sunday, March 17, are as follows:

Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Mar. 17:

Shot down Israeli military's "Sky Lark" drone belonging while it was carrying out spying operations, east of Gaza City.

Shelled the positions of Israeli regime soldiers, east of the central Gaza Strip, with a barrage of mortar shells.

Shot dead an Israeli regime soldier, southwest of Gaza City.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades operations on Mar. 17:

Carried out 14 operations in the past 48 hours, including engaging in fierce clashes and targeting Israeli army vehicles with mortar shells on the axes in the Gaza Strip, resulting in multiple casualties.

In a joint operation with the forces of Martyr Omar al-Qassim Brigades, shelled gatherings of Israeli forces in the south of Gaza City with short-range rockets.

Shelled a gathering of Israeli regime soldiers and their military vehicles, east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, with mortar shells.

Shelled the positions of Israeli soldiers with heavy caliber mortar shells on the axis east of the central Gaza Strip.

Engaged in fierce clashes with Israeli forces, using appropriate weapons, on the axis of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza.

Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on Mar. 17:

Shelled the Israeli army site "Netzarim" with several mortar shells.

Shelled Israeli army positions, northeast of Juhr al-Dik, using short-range rockets, achieving direct hits and causing heavy damage.

In a joint operation with the Mujahideen Brigades, Saraya Al-Quds, and Al-Husseini Groups, targeted Israeli army positions south of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood with a barrage of B-107 caliber rockets, causing heavy losses.

Hezbollah's operations on Mar. 17:

Eastern sector:

At around 02:20 local time, Israeli soldiers near Wazzani town were targeted with appropriate weapons.

At around 12:50 local time, the Metulla site was targeted with appropriate weapons.

At around 14:00 local time, surveillance equipment at the Al-Assi site was targeted with machine guns.

At around 15:30 local time, the Al-Marj site was targeted with artillery shells.

At around 15:30 local time, the Al-Samaqa site in Kfar Shuba was targeted with missiles.

Western sector:

At around 15:15 local time, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Mitat Barracks were targeted with missiles.

At around 18:30 local time, Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the Hanita site were targeted with missiles.

At around 20:30 local time, Israeli vehicles were targeted with artillery shells as they entered the Al-Malikiyah site.

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Over 13,000 children killed in Israel's Gaza war: UNICEF

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 6:20 AM

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says more than 13,000 children have been killed in Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, calling the death toll "astronomical" and "horrifying".

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said on Sunday that in addition to the children killed in Gaza, many others are missing.

"Thousands more have been injured or we can't even determine where they are. They may be stuck under rubble," she added.

"We haven't seen that rate of death among children in almost any other conflict in the world."

Russell also said that the malnourished children in maternity wards in Gaza "don't even have the energy to cry."

She further complained about "very great bureaucratic challenges" to move aid trucks into the besieged Palestinian territory, where hunger and severe malnutrition are widespread.

Israel waged its brutal US-backed war on the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the Hamas resistance movement carried out its historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

So far, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 73,676 others.

In a war crime, the occupying regime is intentionally starving the people in Gaza by destroying food supplies and severely restricting the flow of food, medicines and other humanitarian supplies.

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Iraq's Islamic Resistance strikes Israel's air base in occupied Golan with drones

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 1:39 AM

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq says it has carried out another anti-Israeli operation, targeting the regime's air base in the occupied Golan Heights with drones.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is an umbrella group of the country's anti-terror movements, made the announcement in a statement on its Telegram channel early Monday without naming the Israeli air base.

"The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, at dawn today, Monday, 3/18/2024, targeted with drones an air base for the Zionist occupation's drones in the occupied Golan," the statement said.

It added that operations against the occupying entity will continue and double during the holy month of Ramadan in order to destroy more enemy strongholds.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq asserted that the new strike was part of the second phase of its operations against the Israeli regime and in support of the Palestinian people in Gaza, amid the regime's ongoing genocide across the territory.

Israel's military aggression against Gaza has so far killed at least 31,645 Palestinians and injured 73,676 others.

The regime has also imposed a complete siege on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, medicine and water to more than two million Palestinians living there.

The new operation came almost a week after the Iraqi resistance struck Israel's main airport in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

"The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq ... targeted Ben Gurion Airport deep within the usurping entity by drone," it said in a statement.

Earlier this month, the Iraqi resistance announced it had targeted the Haifa Airport in the northern part of the occupied territories in another pro-Palestinian operation.

The group has also staged numerous attacks against bases housing American occupation forces in Iraq and neighboring Syria in protest at the United States' unreserved political, military, and intelligence support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza.

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European Commission chief: Gaza facing famine, ceasefire agreement must be reached rapidly

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 12:37 AM

The president of the European Commission has warned about imminent famine in the besieged Gaza Strip, stressing that an agreement for the establishment of ceasefire across the territory must be reached as soon as possible.

"Gaza is facing famine and we cannot accept this," Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Cairo on Sunday after signing a strategic partnership agreement with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

"It is critical to achieve an agreement on a ceasefire rapidly now that ... allows more humanitarian aid to reach Gaza," she said.

Her remarks came after the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, warned that one-third of children under two years old in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished as famine looms amid Israel's complete blockade of the coastal territory.

Adding that "children's malnutrition is spreading fast and reaching unprecedented levels in Gaza," the agency cautioned, "Famine is looming. There is no time to waste."

On Wednesday, European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell voiced deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying the Israeli regime is using starvation as a weapon of war in the besieged territory.

"This humanitarian crisis (is) not a natural disaster, is not a flood, is not an earthquake, it is man-made," he said, adding that aid deliveries via road are "being artificially closed, and starvation is being used as a war weapon."

Elsewhere in her Sunday remarks, Von der Leyen said, "We are all extremely concerned about the war in Gaza and the unfolding catastrophic humanitarian situation .... and we're also very concerned about the risks (that) a full-scale offensive in Rafah would have for the vulnerable civilian population. This needs to be avoided at all costs."

Despite increasing international calls to halt its military aggression, Israel has approved plans to assault the city of Rafah in Gaza's south, where about 1.4 million Palestinian citizens have taken refuge after the regime forced them from their homes in other parts of the territory.

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the regime would push on with its planned ground offensive, vowing to send ground forces into Rafah.

Israel's allies and critics have warned Netanyahu against the invasion of Rafah, fearing mass civilian casualties.

Israel launched its the war of genocide on Gaza on October 7, 2023 after the territory's resistance movements waged Operation al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the regime's decades-long campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians.

Since the start of its aggression, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 31,645 Palestinians and injured 73,676 others.

The regime has also imposed a complete siege on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, medicine and water to more than two million Palestinians living there.

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Taliban Says It Strikes Back After Deadly Pakistani Strikes

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal and RFE/RL's Radio Azadi March 18, 2024

Afghanistan's Taliban-led government said its border forces targeted the Pakistani military installation along its eastern border in retaliation for two air strikes that Islamabad carried out on Afghan territory that killed eight people, including three children.

The Taliban's artillery shelling on March 18 came hours after Pakistani warplanes bombed "militant hideouts" inside Afghanistan that Islamabad said belonged to Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban.

In Kurram, a western district in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, locals confirmed the Taliban's shelling of the area. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Haji Nowroz Ali, a local tribal leader, told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that a gunbattle between the Taliban and Pakistani forces ensued after four rockets were fired at the border village of Kharlachi from Afghanistan.

Pro-Taliban accounts on X, formerly Twitter, shared a video they claimed showed the Taliban's attacks on Pakistani installations in what appeared to be Kharlachi.

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been on the rise since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of the U.S.-led forces in August 2021. Islamabad accuses the conservative Islamist movement of harboring TTP militants on its territory and allowing them to carry out cross-border attacks in Pakistan. Afghanistan's ruling Taliban deny this.

At "around 3 a.m., Pakistani aircraft bombarded civilian homes" in Afghanistan's southeastern provinces of Khost and Paktika bordering Pakistan, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement.

"Pakistan should not blame Afghanistan for the lack of control, incompetence, and problems in its own territory," Mujahid said in a statement.

He added the strikes targeted Pakistan's Barmal district of Paktika and the Spera district of Khost, killing three women and three children in Paktika, and two women in Khost.

In a March 18 statement, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry defended the attacks.

"Certain elements among those in power in Afghanistan are actively patronizing the TTP and using them as a proxy against Pakistan," the statement said, adding that groups like the TTP are a collective security, which requires the two neighbors to "work toward finding joint solutions in countering terrorism and to prevent any terrorist organization from sabotaging bilateral relations."

Pakistani officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have said that the house of Abdullah Shah, one of the TTP commanders reportedly hiding in Afghanistan, was apparently targeted in the attacks in Paktika.

But Mujahid rejected the accusation and said Shah was inside Pakistan.

"The same [Pashtun] tribe lives on both sides [of the Durand Line border]. Its members frequently move among their communities," he said in a statement.

The TTP said the strikes targeted civilians, denying Shah's house had been hit.

The group issued a video in which Shah claimed to be present in the Shawal areas of Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan's Paktika and Khost Provinces.

An unconfirmed social media post said "multiple" Pakistan strikes targeted the Paktika, Khost, and Kunar regions.

The reported strikes came after seven Pakistani soldiers were killed and 17 others wounded in a militant attack that targeted a sprawling army post in the volatile North Waziristan district near the Afghan border on March 16.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, who attended the funeral of those killed in the attack on March 17, said Islamabad would give "a befitting reply to the terrorists" that perpetrated the attack.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban- pakistan-airstrikes-bomb/32865938.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Wider Europe Briefing: An Eastern European Could Be The New NATO Chief

By Rikard Jozwiak March 18, 2024

Brief #1: Klaus Iohannis Gets In The Mix

What You Need To Know: Four big political jobs are up for grabs in 2024: the European Commission and European Council presidencies, now occupied by Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, respectively, as well as the bloc's foreign policy chief post, held by Josep Borrell for the past five years. And then, in another part of the Belgian capital, NATO is looking for a replacement to Jens Stoltenberg as secretary-general with the Norwegian departing after a decade in the post.

Two EU summits in June, already penciled in for June 17 and June 27, featuring the 27 EU heads of state and government, will decide the three posts in closed-door negotiations. It's a complicated jigsaw in which candidates will be selected that reflect a balance of gender, political affiliation (often divided between pan-European political parties representing the center right, center left, and liberal), and geography.

The European Commission president usually hails from the political group that wins the most votes in the parliamentary elections taking place across the bloc on June 6-9. In the last four elections, this has been the center-right European People's Party (EPP), and polls indicate they're on course to win this time as well. Their lead candidate, crowned at the EPP congress in Bucharest last week, is Von der Leyen. Logic would dictate that she's a shoo-in for another five years heading the European Commission.

Deep Background: This is where outgoing Romanian President Klaus Iohannis comes into the picture. Last week, he officially announced that he wanted to become NATO secretary-general. This position is officially separated from the three EU positions. But considering that 23 out of 27 EU member states also belong to the military alliance and that the NATO secretary-general should be European, the two organizations are fishing in the same talent pool.

Sources at NATO say they want the decision to be made in April, well before the NATO Washington summit in July -- and, crucially, well before the process becomes "too entangled" in the EU's own recruitment timeline.

Only a few weeks ago, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States (known collectively as the "Quad"), as well as up to 17 other countries, largely in the West, rallied behind outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Considered a safe pair of hands with lots of experience, well-liked in Washington, and famously adept at dealing with former U.S. President Donald Trump, in Brussels, he seemed a decent, if perhaps uninspiring, pick.

Drilling Down

Iohannis's candidacy also poses a more pertinent question: Is he the "Eastern" person who will fill one of the four top vacancies? "Eastern" here is far from a coherent geographical or political concept, but it covers the countries of the former Soviet bloc or ex-Yugoslavia that joined the EU (and NATO) in the past 25 years: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia (and, additionally for NATO, Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia).

No NATO secretary-general has ever come from any of these countries. In 2019, when the EU last picked the three heads, the eastern flank was completely overlooked. In fact, the only "Easterner" who has ever held a high position in Brussels was current Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was president of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. So, one of the four positions on offer in 2024 should really go east.

Some arguments truly favor Iohannis. There have already been three Dutch NATO secretary-generals. The Netherlands has struggled to spend 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense, a NATO goal for over a decade and something many Eastern European countries, including Iohannis's Romania, have managed. Rutte, while being supportive of Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, is considered a "softie" on Russia. His support for Gazprom's Nordstream 2 pipeline is a case in point.

Then there is the need for unanimity. All 32 NATO allies need to be on board. Hungary has already indicated it's against Rutte, especially after countless spats between The Hague and Budapest over Hungarian rule of law. Turkey hasn't voiced a preference, but Ankara has had its own issues with Rutte, notably after Turkish efforts a few years ago to hold political rallies in the Netherlands that resulted in The Hague barring Turkish officials from arriving.

As one NATO official recently told me, "Turkey and Hungary showed with Sweden's NATO accession that they are willing to go the extra mile and more to get what they want." The question remains: Is it Iohannis they want?

The consensus among NATO officials seems to be that Rutte will carry the day. It's hard to get around "the Quad." Additionally, in some quarters, Iohannis's move appears a little desperate, and there has been annoyance expressed that the NATO selection process might now continue for months. Others were rather bemused at Iohannis's 10-point plan -- presented in Politico on March 13 -- that included things that the military alliance is already doing.

-- that included things that the military alliance is already doing. There is speculation in Brussels that Iohannis, in fact, isn't aiming for the NATO role but rather putting himself in the "shop window" for one of the three EU positions. The issue here is that he belongs to the EPP, the same as Von der Leyen. If she gets the commission presidency, it's unlikely another EPP candidate could get anything else. The center left, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), will likely finish second in the European Parliament elections and demand the European Council or the foreign policy job. The liberals (Renew) or the more conservative and euroskeptic ECR group could also stake out positions depending on the June vote.

Most of the other Easterners who might be gunning for EU jobs belong to the EPP, too. There's Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic; the Bulgarian managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva; Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski; and his Lithuanian and Latvian counterparts, Gabrielius Landsbergis and Krisjanis Karins, respectively.

Von der Leyen is widely considered a successful commission president, especially for her steadfast support for Kyiv. But some in Brussels are a little down on her: There is concern that she's made the European Commission too powerful and that she runs it with an iron fist, not letting other commissioners shine.

Then there is the issue with the European Parliament. The candidate for commission president needs to be approved by a majority of members of the house. Last time, Von der Leyen scraped by with eight votes. It might be even tighter this time. Perhaps that means it's time for a consensus candidate. And that could be Iohannis or someone else from the eastern part of Europe.

Brief #2: Stoltenberg's Last NATO Report

What You Need To Know: On March 14, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg presented his annual report for 2023, a common rite of spring in Brussels. It will be the Norwegian's last, as he is set to depart later this year (as discussed above). The report looks back at 2023, concluding it was "a challenging but successful year for the alliance," with Finland becoming member No. 31 and Sweden well on the way. (The latter became member No. 32 on March 7.)

The challenges come mainly from Russia, with the text noting that "in 2023, Moscow continued its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, bringing violence and death to the heart of Europe while, at the same time, seeking to divide NATO." However, the text goes on: "In doing so, it underestimated both the determination of the people of Ukraine and allied unity."

Perhaps the most poignant line in the entire 172-page report underlines that, "If Putin wins, this would send a dangerous message to authoritarian leaders around the world that they can achieve their objectives through war and violence. Supporting Ukraine is not charity, it is in our own security interest."

Those words could be aimed at politicians in some NATO member states who, in recent months, have questioned why the West is supporting Kyiv both politically and militarily.

Deep Background: The big question, however, is what NATO-Ukraine relations will look like going forward. The annual report highlights the key reforms the alliance made in 2023 that have benefited ties with Ukraine. For example, the NATO-Ukraine Commission, which oversaw collaboration between Kyiv and the alliance, was upgraded to a council, meaning that Ukraine now can call a meeting at any level -- head of state, ministerial, or ambassadorial -- with its NATO counterparts.

Plus, at the Vilnius NATO summit in July 2023, it was also decided that Kyiv doesn't need the usual Membership Action Plan (MAP) to join NATO, which would make Ukraine's path toward membership a little easier. And NATO has committed both politically and financially to help Ukraine make its armed forces interoperable with NATO troops, reform its institutions, notably the Defense Ministry, and assist with the general reconstruction of the country.

But is all that enough? And can Ukraine expect anything more at the NATO summit in Washington in July?

The annual report simply notes that "allies will be in a position to extend an invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance when they agree and conditions are met." From speaking to NATO officials, I don't think this line will change much going into the July summit. The mantra from alliance officials is still: "As long as the war goes on, little will change politically."

Now that Finland and Sweden are both members, Ukraine is probably the closest country to joining. That day, however, is unlikely to come any time soon.

For the other two aspirant countries, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Georgia, the language in the report is sparse and not particularly encouraging: "Allies remain committed to supporting the eventual NATO membership of Georgia. Bosnia-Herzegovina continued its close cooperation with NATO, including through the Reform Program, without prejudice to a final decision on NATO membership."

While NATO will likely emphasize again in Washington that it remains open to new members, the summit won't be the time or the place when the alliance agrees to let them in.

Drilling Down

Perhaps the most interesting section of the report deals with China. For years, NATO has been sharpening its language toward Beijing -- and it takes it up another notch here: "China is watching our actions closely. China does not share our values, it challenges our interests, and Beijing is increasingly aligned with Moscow. We will continue to trade and engage with China, but we must manage the risks and prepare for enduring competition."

Ominously, the report warns that "as the war in Ukraine has demonstrated allies' dangerous dependence on Russian gas, NATO is working to assess potential dependence on other assertive authoritarian regimes for sustaining NATO's supply chains, technology, or infrastructure."

The report also includes the results of polls taken throughout 2023, where citizens of NATO member states were quizzed on issues related to security. Perhaps the most reassuring result for NATO is that 77 percent of respondents overall think that defense spending should either be maintained at current levels or increased. In 2022, that figure was 74 percent; in 2021, it was 70 percent.

Otherwise, there are a few small but worrying indicators for the alliance. In 2023, 73 percent of those polled in NATO countries agreed that other allies should defend their country if attacked, down from 75 percent in 2022. And in 2023, 61 percent of those polled agreed that their country should defend other allies if attacked, compared to 69 percent in 2022.

And last year, 63 percent of those polled considered Russia's invasion of Ukraine to have affected the safety and security of their country. That number was higher, at 64 percent, in 2022. And across NATO, only 22 percent of those polled worried that war will break out in their country; the biggest concern for most people (58 percent) was the high cost of living.

Perhaps the most pertinent question is whether people in NATO member states would vote to remain in the military alliance if there was a referendum. In 30 out of the 31 allied countries, a majority would opt to stay in. Montenegro is the only outlier, with only 46 percent of respondents saying they would vote "yes" to continued membership. Curiously, 100 percent -- yes, 100 percent -- of all Albanians said they would vote in favor of continued membership.

Looking Ahead

The European Commission will present a paper on March 20 on what it calls "pre-enlargement reforms and policy review." This is an internal exercise showing what the bloc needs to change in order to welcome new members from the Western Balkans and Ukraine. The briefing will be followed by various forums and debates in the future to discuss how an EU with up to 37 members would operate.

A day later, on March 21, EU leaders gather in Brussels for another EU summit. They are expected to endorse the European Commission recommendation to open accession talks with Bosnia, even though they will remain noncommittal on when the negotiations will begin. The leaders are also expected to evaluate Ukraine's and Moldova's progress toward membership; urge the European Commission to work on further sanctions against Belarus; and sign off on earmarking 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) to purchase arms for Ukraine.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/jozwiak-brussels-top- jobs-nato-european-council-commission/32866241.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Transnistria Foreign Ministry Calls Drone Strike on Military Base Terrorist Attack

Sputnik News

20240318

TIRASPOL (Sputnik) - The bombing of a helicopter by a kamikaze drone at an airfield in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria was a terrorist attack, the region's foreign ministry said on Monday.

The Transnistrian Ministry of State Security said on Sunday that an explosion caused by a kamikaze drone attack occurred on the territory of a military base in the breakaway region. No casualties were reported, the ministry said, adding that a criminal case had been initiated.

"We condemn this terrorist act and any similar actions that threaten people's lives, peace and security on the banks of the Dniester River, which is a challenge for all states truly interested in regional stability," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry also called on the 5+2 format on Transnistria to take active position to prevent terrorist attacks in the region, the statement read.

Transnistria Investigators Open Criminal Case Into Helicopter Blast at Military Base

The Investigative Committee of Moldova's unrecognized breakaway region of Transnistria said on Monday that it had opened a criminal case under the article sabotage in connection with the bombing of a helicopter at an airfield in Tiraspol.

On Sunday, the regional ministry of state security told Sputnik that an explosion caused by a kamikaze drone attack occurred on the territory of a military base in Transnistria.

"A criminal case has been opened into the fact of the explosion of the MI-8 MT helicopter under Part 1 of Article 277 of the Criminal Code of Transnistria [sabotage]," the statement said.

Experts found various metal and plastic parts of the drone that exploded at the scene, the investigators said, adding that a special examination has been appointed to establish the explosive with which the drone was loaded.

 Sputnik

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Norwalk's Common Council approved $1.8 million for new sidewalks and drainage improvements on Berkeley Street in anticipation for the road being repaved. Monday, March 18, 2024, Norwalk, Conn. H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media Norwalk's Common Council approved $1.8 million for new sidewalks and drainage improvements on Berkeley Street in anticipation for the road being repaved. Monday, March 18, 2024, Norwalk, Conn. H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media Norwalk's Common Council approved $1.8 million for new sidewalks and drainage improvements on Berkeley Street in anticipation for the road being repaved. Monday, March 18, 2024, Norwalk, Conn. H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media Norwalk's Common Council approved $1.8 million for new sidewalks and drainage improvements on Berkeley Street in anticipation for the road being repaved. Monday, March 18, 2024, Norwalk, Conn. H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media Norwalk's Common Council approved $1.8 million for new sidewalks and drainage improvements on Berkeley Street in anticipation for the road being repaved. Monday, March 18, 2024, Norwalk, Conn. H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media

NORWALK  The mission to close travel gaps for pedestrians and drivers and improve Norwalks road system continues with the approval of new projects.

Berkeley Street is set to get new sidewalks after Norwalks Common Council approved a $1.8 million request from the Department of Public Works.

As you know, we have our annual paving operations; we pave our roads every year and as construction protocol, we always build our sidewalks ahead of time, James Meehan, a principal engineer for Norwalk, said during the Common Council meeting on March 12. Were planning to pave Berkeley Street in the next coming construction phase.

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Off West Avenue, pedestrians often use Berkeley to avoid the main roads, said Nicol Ayers, a Common Council member from District A.

Berkeley Street is a very quaint, quiet street, Ayers said.

Im just happy that it is getting some curb appeal or some needed improvements, and because its in my district, Ayers added.

In addition to the new sidewalks and curbs, Berkeley Street will receive drainage improvements ahead of the repavement project.

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I think its really valuable to highlight the strategy here, which is they go through, they fix all the drainage, they get the utilities taken care of, they make sure that everything is in good shape and that it has time to settle. So that then when they pave it the next year, we dont get the cracking and the potholes, said Nora Niedzielski-Eichner, a Common Council member. I just really want to commend DPW for the thoughtfulness of this process.

I grew up on Berkeley Street, and I dont think the roads and sidewalks have been paved since then, Mayor Harry Rilling said.

In addition to approving the $1.8 million contract for Berkeley Streets improvements, the Common Council also approved $550,000 for ongoing accessibility improvements in Norwalk.

An ongoing project with Norwalks Transportation, Mobility and Parking Department, the city has made several connectivity improvements associated with the Americans with Disabilities Act across the city, including a raised crosswalk on the Norwalk River Valley Trail at Union Park.

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We also did some ADA handicap ramps and crosswalks on North Water Street leaving the South garage and going directly across into the Maritime Aquarium entryway, said Troy Deering, TMPs construction project manager.
Hezbollah Says Struck 8 Israeli Positions in Southern Lebanon

Sputnik News

20240318

SOUTHERN LEBANON (Sputnik) - Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said it had mounted attacks against eight positions of Israeli troops and military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

"On Sunday in the eastern part of southern Lebanon, Islamic Resistance members struck with appropriate weapons at a group of Israeli troops outside the town of Wazzani, [they] also struck facilities in Metulla, Marjah and Samak, and directly hit spy equipment at Al-Asi training ground," the movement said in a statement.

Hezbollah has also claimed responsibility for strikes in western parts of southern Lebanon against Israeli soldiers and military transport, according to the statement.

The attacks brought the total number of Hezbollah operations in 159 days of hostilities to 1,222.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging airstrikes in areas along the Israeli-Lebanese border since last October, as the situation in the region deteriorated dramatically after Israel announced a military operation against Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 31,600 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

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Israel to Send Delegation to Qatar to Discuss Hostage Deal With Hamas - Reports

Sputnik News

20240318

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israel's security cabinet has approved sending a delegation to Qatar to continue negotiations with Hamas in an effort to secure a ceasefire and release hostages held by the Palestinian movement in the Gaza Strip, Israeli media reported.

The decision was made at a security cabinet meeting late on Sunday, the Ynet news portal reported.

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Hamas's proposals regarding a possible ceasefire deal as "delusional." The same day, the Israeli government said it would send a delegation to Qatar to continue negotiations with the movement through mediators.

On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 31,600 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

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Imminent famine in northern Gaza is 'entirely man-made disaster': Guterres

18 March 2024 - Amid reports that the Israeli military stormed Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Monday in search of Hamas fighters, UN humanitarians warned that new food insecurity data indicates that famine could happen "anytime".

"Famine is projected to occur anytime between now and May 2024 in the northern governorates," the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said, upon publication of a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on Gaza.

'Act now to prevent the unthinkable'

"Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering", said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres outside the Security Council in New York, describing the IPC report as an "appalling indictment of conditions on the ground for civilians".

"This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system - anywhere, anytime," he added.

"This is an entirely man-made disaster, and the report makes clear that it can be halted," he warned, saying this showed the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

"I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts.

"We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable and the unjustifiable."

Meanwhile, in response to the unfolding situation at Al-Shifa, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted that "hospitals should never be battlegrounds."

The lives of medical workers, patients and civilians were at stake, the WHO chief warned, adding that "minimal" health services had only recently been restored at Al-Shifa.

IPC: A key aid tool

IPC forecasts are compiled from on-the-ground assessments which humanitarians then use to respond to the most at-risk individuals.

Data indicates that the "entire population" of Gaza - some 2.3 million people - are enduring high levels of "acute" food insecurity. This includes 1.11 million suffering from "catastrophic" food insecurity - IPC Phase 5.

Grim hunger data

Compared to the last IPC analysis in December, acute food insecurity in the Gaza Strip has "deepened and widened", FAO noted, with 79 per cent more Gazans likely "sliding into catastrophic levels of hunger" from mid-February to mid-March and 92 per cent more expected to do so between now and July.

"If no steps are taken to cease hostilities and to provide more humanitarian access, famine is imminent," said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.

"It could already be occurring. Immediate access is needed to facilitate delivery of urgent and critical assistance at scale."

Skipping meals

The IPC report noted that virtually all households now skip meals every day in Gaza. Adults have reduced their meals so that children can eat.

"In the northern governorates, in nearly two thirds of the households, people went entire days and nights without eating at least 10 times in the last 30 days," FAO said, adding that in these locations, one in three children under the age of two is acutely malnourished.

The development follows repeated international calls for a ceasefire and the release of all remaining hostages taken during Hamas-led terror attacks in Israel on 7 October that killed some 1,200 people.

Continuing international efforts for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages were due to continue on Monday with the delayed arrival of Israeli negotiators in Qatar, reports indicated.

Rafah alert

In a social media post at the weekend, WHO chief Tedros expressed grave concern that preparations were continuing for an Israeli ground assault on Rafah, the southernmost city in Gaza, where well over one million people have sought shelter in packed conditions.

"(A) further escalation of violence in this densely populated area would lead to many more deaths and suffering, especially with health facilities already overwhelmed," Tedros wrote on Saturday. "The 1.2 million people in Rafah do not have anywhere safe to move to...Many people are too fragile, hungry and sick to be moved again. In the name of humanity, we appeal to Israel not to proceed and instead to work towards peace."

No end to bombing

Amid intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza, FAO noted that hostilities had halted supplies of water, food and fuel. All food-related sectors had "collapsed", the UN agency continued, including vegetable production, livestock production, fisheries and aquaculture.

Around 60 to 70 per cent of meat- and dairy-producing livestock in Gaza have been either killed or prematurely slaughtered to meet the dire food needs stemming from the conflict.

To help Gazans, FAO has mobilised to provide key agricultural supplies into the Strip "as soon as conditions allow". The organization said that its initial priority was to move animal feed, including 1,500 tonnes of barley, "through one or two of the remaining open border crossings where food distribution is taking place".

This barley delivery "should be sufficient to provide milk for all children under 10 years of age in Gaza", FAO said, noting that it would amount to around 20 per cent of recommended calories for children.

Death toll latest

According to the Gaza health authority, 31,726 people have now been killed in the Strip and 73,792 injured since the outbreak of hostilities.

The development came as the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned that life-threatening malnutrition is "spreading fast" and reaching unprecedented levels "due to the wide-reaching impacts of the war and ongoing restrictions on aid delivery".

Echoing those concerns, the UN's top aid official, Martin Griffiths, told a humanitarian forum in Brussels on Monday that the United Nations and its partners were suffering from "an age of war in which reaching for the gun is increasingly the first option...an age in which the UN for example is prevented from doing its job and then criticized for not doing enough; we see this in Gaza".

'The aid is there, right across the border'

At the same meeting, Natalie Boucly, Deputy Commissioner-General of the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNWRA), insisted that it remained the "backbone" of humanitarian operations in Gaza.

UNRWA is key to humanitarian assistance in Gaza, she maintained, working with partners including the UNICEF - which had vaccinated 53,000 children since January in seven remaining UNRWA shelters - WHO, World Food Programme (WFP), UN migration agency, IOM, and other non-UN partners, "from the reception to the storage to the distribution of aid and the tracking, the reporting, the logistics, the fuel, the vehicles and the accommodation and the coordination with the Israeli authority".

"The aid is there, right across the border. All we need is political will to open more crossings to get the aid and distribute it across Gaza. We need a ceasefire," Ms. Boucly emphasized.

In a call for more aid crossing points into Gaza, the UNRWA official pledged to "scale up" assistance...if that environment was enabled. "At the moment it is very difficult to operate," she continued, pointing to the "trickle" of aid entering Gaza currently, currently at around 99 trucks a day.

Prior to the war, about 500 trucks delivered goods into Gaza daily.

"All the constraints around getting the aid in need to be eased, we need to have more stable communication (and) internet; all this has broken down," she insisted.

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Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths, 2024 European Humanitarian Forum: Keynote speech - 18 March 2024, Brussels

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Congratulations, Excellency, thank you very much for inviting me to attend, participate, speak in this beautiful location. It's a pleasure and a privilege to be here, the third one. Gets bigger every year. It's a unique event. Huge thanks to the presidency, the Belgian people, the Belgian government, and thank you, of course, to Janez [Lenarcic], ECHO, EU for this opportunity.

We all share common goals, I think. We share the common goal of a peaceful, more humane world. And we all know the challenges. An age of war in which reaching for the gun is increasingly the first option. We see this in Ukraine, we see this in Sudan, we see this elsewhere. An age in which the United Nations, for example, is prevented from doing its job and is then criticized for not doing enough. We see this in Gaza. And an age in which gangs can run an entire country as we have seen in Haiti. It is shameful for all of us.

As international attention frantically races from one big crisis to the next, we are failing to resolve those that came before: Syria, Yemen - as I know - and Mali alone account for almost 35 years of war. Across the world, civilians and humanitarians are being killed in unconscionable numbers - and a moment of peace for the leadership of UNRWA and the tragedy of those who have fallen in Gaza.

Rampant food insecurity and malnourishment as humanitarian access is treated as optional, or indeed wielded as a weapon of war. Displaced people, as many of us who have had the awful privilege of seeing, languishing in host communities in camps for years, years on end. My most vivid example of that from travels this last year was in Rakhine State in Myanmar, where in a Rohingya camp a woman whose home was, I think, about 20 kilometers down the road, but she had been 12 years in that camp. Twelve years, three children - what did she ask for? Birth certificates for her children, the opportunity to return home. And yes, a livelihood, something beyond a dependency on aid.

Women and girls facing entrenched inequality and as has been said by Janez [Lenarcic] a pandemic, indeed, of gender-based violence. I grew up in the Congo, in your era, and the terrible facts of what is going on in the east of that country makes us wonder whether we share any common humanity. Soaring climate change, pushing more and more people towards the mouth of disaster.

And despite the valiant efforts of donors, huge credit to those here today, huge credit,

Janez [Lenarcic] to you to protect humanitarian funding amid challenging economic times. I commend you for your protection, also for the pledges that you've announced today. We are facing an alarming funding crisis. For example, just pick one example. We are at present in Sudan, where we face the needs of 25 million people, 4 per cent funded for this year - 4 per cent after the first quarter, and I know Filippo [Grandi] would say the same for the needs of those in the neighbouring countries. We are all - and our colleagues in the field in particular - daily making extremely difficult decisions. Decisions about life and death, about what to fund, who to prioritize, a sort of godlike powers over the prospects for people.

I'm more convinced than ever, not just because of these crises, but also out of a sense of values, on the need for a step change in how we deliver assistance. This has to start with a more precise understanding of what people in crisis really need, not what we think they need, what they think they need. Many, as we know from many surveys, do not feel heard. We need to learn how to listen. Last year, we launched what I have perhaps ludicrously called a flagship initiative in four countries, to find this more collaborative approach. It's more than that. It's an approach which gives leadership to those people we intend to serve, not to lead, but to serve.

We need to become less reactive, more proactive, better at building community resilience by the community. That woman in that camp, 12 years, with no livelihood, and but an hour from her old home. We need - thanks to Germany also for their leadership in this - more anticipatory action, to help people get ahead of predictable crises, reducing humanitarian impact and cost. More flexible funding - we'll be hearing this for the next two days - that gets support where it needs to go fast, including to local actors and groups directly. We have many mechanisms to do this, we can do more with those. And we need to distinguish and support and respect the leadership of women and their organizations locally, globally, so that we can help them to show us how better to do our work.

And more community investment across the board, particularly on tackling climate change, breaking down silos, to provide humanitarian support, alongside bridging development and climate finance. Breaking down silos in front of those communities, not in high level panels but in learning and listening together to the needs of those we serve, and passing between us those aspects to which we can produce a response.

This is a lot on our plate. We are trying to change the business model at a time, as we have heard, when the world has never been as bad, certainly in my long age, as it is today. We're facing protracted complex political crises. We need that political will as has been said, we need it desperately. We must not be allowed to be left alone helping people, we must allow the people to go away from us back to their lives and to have, I believe still, the hope for the future.

Thank you so much.

18 March 2024

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CNO Travels to Arctic for Operation Ice Camp 2024

US Navy

18 March 2024

BEAUFORT SEA, Arctic Circle (March 17, 2024) -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti traveled to the Arctic Ocean to attend Operation Ice Camp (ICE CAMP) 2024 and to visit with crewmembers of a U.S. Navy fast attack submarine, March 17.

Previously known as Ice Exercise (ICEX), the operation's new title better reflects the Department of the Navy's Arctic strategy and its priority to maintain enhanced regional presence.

"Our ability to operate on, under and above Arctic waters ensures this region remains one of low tensions, and prevents competitors from disrupting emerging sea lines of communication and commerce," said Franchetti. "The Navy will continue to modernize our facilities and platforms, and train personnel to meet the demands of an increasingly accessible Arctic operating environment."

ICE CAMP is a three-week operation, hosted by Commander, U.S. Submarine Forces, in collaboration with the Arctic Submarine Laboratory (ASL), and is designed to research, test, and evaluate operational capabilities in the Arctic region. While visiting, the CNO had the opportunity to speak with Sailors operating in the austere Arctic conditions.

"There is no corollary to the demands of the Arctic environment, and there is no finer test for a submarine or its crew than actually being north of the Arctic Circle and under the ice," Franchetti said to the crew. "I want each of you to know I am incredibly proud of you and of all that you are doing to make sure that our Navy remains the most powerful Navy in the world."

In addition to U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Space Force participation in the exercise, personnel from the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy, the French Navy, the United Kingdom Royal Navy, and the Royal Australian Navy are participating.

"It is remarkable to see what our Joint Force, alongside our partners from the ASL have organized, coordinated and planned for ICE CAMP to ensure our combined forces are ready to execute our Arctic mission," said Franchetti. "We will continue to strengthen our partnerships with like-minded nations to enhance our awareness and increase interoperability."

The Navy remains committed to supporting Defense Department's desired end state for the Arctic: a secure and stable region where U.S national interests are safeguarded, the U.S. homeland is defended, and nations work cooperatively to address challenges. ICE CAMP is a biennial event to demonstrate, evaluate, and advance the capabilities of the Navy operating in the Arctic.

This was Franchetti's first visit to ICE CAMP as the Chief of Naval Operations.



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NIWC Pacific collaborates on potential of AI for maritime security, defense

US Navy

18 March 2024

From Ashley Nekoui

SAN DIEGO -- Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific hosted the eighth annual workshop on Naval Applications of Machine Learning (NAML), which brought together experts and innovators from government, academia and industry to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) March 11-14 in San Diego.

Over the course of this four-day event, presenters highlighted the impact these technologies are having and will continue to have on the future of maritime security and defense and provided a platform for collaboration among the 600 attendees.

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jack Long, acting Navy Chief AI Officer at the Office of Naval Research, opened the event as the initial keynote speaker, providing a preview of the Marine Corps' AI Strategy, still in its draft stage.

"Fighting smart," said Long. "That is the key to what we want to do. The Marine Corps is very good at fighting. If you look at how we've fought for the last 50 years, compared to where we could be in the future, not to say we fought dumb but we can certainly fight smarter."

Long also highlighted the Marine Corps' commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance readiness, agility, and mission success in an increasingly complex and dynamic operating environment.

"We are very much focused on maneuver warfare, rapidly seizing the initiative, breaking apart the enemy's coherence and beating them through that," said Long. "Fighting smart is how you do that. We need to make decisions faster than they can and put them in a position they're unable to react to... if we are not leveraging these tools, we're not going to be able to do that. We want to recognize that and make it central to how we think about information, how we think about intelligence and decision making for our senior leaders all the way down to our most junior leaders."

As the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps continue to adapt to evolving threats and operational environments, AI/ML is expected to play an increasingly important role in enhancing capabilities, improving decision making processes, and ensuring mission success in the 21st century maritime domain.

NIWC Pacific established NAML in 2016 as a showcase for ML research at its labs, and very quickly grew to include partners from other Navy warfare centers and defense organizations. NIWC Pacific now partners with the San Diego chapter of AFCEA International San Diego, and NAML serves as a forum for government, industry, and academia to share their work and learn about technical developments in the defense space.

"NAML has almost tripled in size from when we started the program," said Katie Rainey, Ph.D., a NIWC Pacific scientist and one of the founding organizers of the event. Rainey notes how she has personally seen the benefits of this event, identifying projects that have been generated based on the communication that takes place at this forum.

NIWC Pacific organizes the technical agenda at NAML, which included around 150 technical talks and 60 posters at the unclassified and classified levels. Themes that emerged from the agenda included advances in developing AI for low-data and low-power environments, and ways to ensure that AI systems are robust and reliable in safety-critical settings.

Events such as the NAML workshop are a key part of collecting the best minds from across the defense community to solicit war-winning solutions for the fleet, according to Rainey. Through events, tech talks and strategic partnerships, NIWC Pacific is using innovations in machine learning and artificial intelligence to keep the Navy on the cutting edge of information warfare.

As a part of NAVWAR, NIWC Pacific's mission is to conduct research, development, engineering, and support of integrated command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, cyber, and space systems across all warfighting domains, and to rapidly prototype, conduct test and evaluation, and provide acquisition, installation, and in-service engineering support.





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Biden Voices New Concerns to Netanyahu About Israel's Conduct of War on Hamas

By VOA News March 18, 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time in more than a month, voicing new concerns about Israel's conduct of its war in Gaza against Hamas militants and its plan for a ground attack on the southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden told the Israeli leader in a phone call, "We share the goal of defeating Hamas. We just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen."

Sullivan called Netanyahu's plan for a ground offensive "smashing into" Rafah a "mistake." More than a million Palestinians are sheltering in makeshift tents and structures there to try to protect themselves from the ravages of the war, many on orders from the Israeli military to abandon their homes in the northern reaches of Gaza as Israel continues to attack that region.

Israel has promised to move the Palestinians in Rafah to an undisclosed location for their safety before any attack on the region but has given no public indication of where that would be.

At Biden's request, Sullivan said Netanyahu agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington in the coming days, possibly early next week, to discuss Israel's plans for any attack on Rafah and safeguards for Palestinians sheltering there.

Sullivan said the U.S. "fully expects" Israel to not initiate any attack on Rafah until after the discussions in Washington.

In a statement after the Biden-Netanyahu call, the Israeli leader's office said, "We talked about the latest developments in the war, including Israel's commitment to achieving all the goals of the war  the elimination of Hamas, the release of all our hostages, and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel  while providing the necessary humanitarian aid that helps achieve these goals."

Rising frustration

The Biden phone call with Netanyahu came as the U.S. leader has voiced growing frustration at Israel's conduct of the war, the ever-growing death toll of Palestinian civilians and the lack of humanitarian aid reaching famished people in Gaza.

Over the weekend, Biden embraced the general tenor, if not all the specifics, of a speech last week by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish leader in the U.S., saying Netanyahu had "lost his way" in overseeing the war and calling for new elections.

Netanyahu retorted Sunday in a CNN interview that Schumer's call for a snap election was a "totally inappropriate" demand, a stance some U.S. Republicans echoed in attacking the Senate Democratic leader's speech criticizing Israel.

Negotiators for Israel and Hamas are headed to Qatar to try again this week to reach agreement on a six-week cease-fire and the release of 40 or so of the estimated 100 hostages Hamas is still holding in exchange for dozens of Palestinians Israel has jailed.

But Sullivan said of the truce negotiations: "So far, this deal has been more elusive than we had hoped."

On the battlefield, Israel's military said Monday that it was conducting an operation at the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, an area where it came under international criticism for a November raid.

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a statement that Israeli forces were acting Monday because senior Hamas officials were using the hospital to command attacks against Israel.

"We will conduct this operation with caution and care while ensuring that the hospital continues its important function," Hagari said.

Airstrikes, tanks

Witnesses reported airstrikes near the hospital, which is the largest in the Gaza Strip, as well as the presence of Israeli tanks.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday that Israel "is provoking famine" in Gaza and using starvation "as a weapon of war."

"In Gaza, we are no longer on the brink of famine, we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people," Borrell told a conference on humanitarian aid for Gaza in Brussels.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said his government "allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air and sea for anyone willing to help," and he accused Hamas militants of "violently disrupting aid convoys."

Humanitarian groups have frequently cited challenges in getting aid into Gaza, including being blocked by Israel and being unable to access areas inside Gaza because of the conflict.

The war started with Hamas' October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and the Hamas capture of about 250 hostages. Health officials in Gaza say Israel's counteroffensive has killed nearly 32,000 people, the large majority of whom were women and children, while displacing more than half the Gaza population of 2.3 million and leveling much of the territory's infrastructure and homes.

VOA's Anita Powell and Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report. Some information came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.

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Famine Imminent in Northern Gaza, Food Security Experts Warn

By Margaret Besheer March 18, 2024

Famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip between now and May, and the rest of Gaza's population is facing crisis levels of hunger and worse, a United Nations-backed food security report concluded Monday.

"More than half of all Palestinians in Gaza 1.1 million people  have completely exhausted their food supplies and are facing catastrophic hunger, according to the report," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Monday after the release of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report.

"This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system  anywhere, anytime," Guterres said.

The U.N.-backed IPC report says famine could occur at any time in the coming weeks, with an estimated 210,000 people in northern Gaza facing the most catastrophic danger.

In the southern governorates of Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis and Rafah, where about 1.5 million Palestinians have fled the fighting, the experts say they are a step away from famine.

"However, in a worst-case scenario, these governorates face a risk of famine through July 2024," the IPC report said.

The IPC  which is comprised of about 18 different U.N. and non-U.N. agencies  raised the alarm in December saying famine could occur by the end of May without an immediate halt to the fighting and sustained humanitarian access.

"We must act before there is a famine  before famine is declared," Arif Husain, chief economist for the World Food Program (WFP) told reporters in a video briefing. "In northern Gaza, the window is closing so fast. We need to get in now, if we want to have any chance of halting this famine."

Both U.N. chief Guterres and many humanitarian groups reiterated their calls Monday for a humanitarian cease-fire to get significantly more and sustained aid into Gaza. WFP said it got 18 food trucks into Gaza City in the north late Sunday along a newly opened road corridor, but that is nowhere near what is needed.

U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said the international community should "hang its head in shame for failing to stop this," adding Gaza must be "flooded" with food and other life-saving aid.

"There is no time to lose," he said. "I renew my call to the Israeli authorities to allow complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods."

Israel says it facilitates the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza via land, air and sea in accordance with international law, and does not limit the amount of food that can enter Gaza. It blames the U.N. and its partner agencies for not distributing it fast enough inside the territory.

Before the October 7 Hamas terror attack inside Israel and the start of Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza, the U.N. estimated that 1% of the territory's population faced acute malnutrition. But the report said the figure increased to as much as 9.1% in January and 16.5% in February, with children less than two years old affected in even greater numbers, who make up nearly 30% of the population.

The initial Hamas attack killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to the capture of about 250 hostages. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says Israel's counteroffensive has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, the overwhelming majority are women and children. Israel says the Palestinian death toll includes thousands of Hamas fighters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel, while trying to negotiate a short-term cease-fire, has no intention of ending the fighting until it erases all vestiges of Hamas control of the narrow enclave on the Mediterranean Sea coastline.

He said that Israeli efforts to allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians often have been thwarted by Hamas militants and gangs who have looted the aid trucks and stolen the food for themselves.

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NATO Chief Visits Georgia to Discuss Cooperation, Path to Membership

By VOA News March 18, 2024

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg traveled to Georgia Monday where he met with leaders to discuss strengthening cooperation between the nation and the alliance and a path to eventual membership.

Stoltenberg held meetings with both President Salome Zourabichvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in the capital, Tbilisi. Kobakhidze was elected to his position last month and has, at times, been critical of the West, though he has expressed a desire to join both NATO and the European Union.

At a joint news conference after their talks, Stoltenberg expressed his appreciation for Georgia's "substantial contributions to NATO," and said NATO fully supports Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

He said South Ossetia and Abkhazia are part of Georgia, despite Russia's insistence they are independent. The Russian military seized control of the territories in a brief 2008 war.

Stoltenberg also called Russia's efforts to organize elections in parts of Georgia and Ukraine "completely illegal," and called Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent reelection as "clearly neither free, nor fair."

"Russia persists its pursuit of its imperial ambitions, and in Ukraine the situation on the battlefield remains difficult," Stoltenberg said. "So, it is vital that we continue to step up our support."

Stoltenberg also credited Georgia for hosting thousands of Ukrainian refugees and providing crucial humanitarian and financial aid.

In a statement, NATO said it is stepping up its cooperation with Georgia in areas such as crisis management, cyber security, military engineering and secure communications.

The statement said Stoltenberg stressed NATO'S commitment to support Georgia's path towards stronger democracy and "full Euro-Atlantic integration," including the decision made during the 2008 Bucharest NATO summit to invite Georgia to eventually become a NATO member.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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Haitian Gangs Launch New Attacks Amid Transitional Council Delays

By VOA News March 18, 2024

Gangs attacked affluent neighborhoods in Haiti early Monday, killing at least a dozen people, according to witnesses.

The upscale neighborhood of Petionville outside the capital, Port-au-Prince, was one of those attacked, and at least 12 bodies were found, according to residents and media.

Gunmen looted homes in the Laboule and Thomassin communities before sunrise, forcing residents to flee. Until now, both communities had been mainly peaceful amid the gang attacks in Port-au-Prince.

The attacks also targeted Haiti's power company, which said Monday that four substations "were destroyed and rendered completely dysfunctional." The attacks have left much of the capital without power.

According to The Associated Press, the recent attacks have led to concerns that gang violence would not subside in Haiti, even though Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced last week that he would resign once a transitional council was established. The gangs had demanded that Henry resign.

The establishment of a seven-member transitional council, which will work to replace Henry, has been experiencing significant delays as political parties disagree over who should sit on the council.

The issue has also delayed the deployment of a U.N.-backed police force from Kenya, which has said it will wait until the transitional council has been deployed before entering Haiti.

Worsening violence has led the United States and Canada to withdraw embassy staff. In recent days, fires were set to the national police chief's residence and the main penitentiary, which gangs stormed, along with another prison, freeing thousands of inmates.

As the transitional council faces delays, and the national police force is overwhelmed by the gangs, a humanitarian crisis worsens daily in Haiti. The country is facing food and medical care shortages.

Approximately 1.4 million Haitians are on the brink of famine, and more than 4 million need food aid. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that not all aid is delivered to those who need it most.

UNICEF shipped a container of essential goods to Haiti but said Saturday that the goods were looted.

The U.S. hopes the transitional council will be ready "as soon as Monday," said State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.

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A shellfish boat heads out to the Long Island Sound from Milford Harbor in Milford, Conn. Forecasters say small crafts or inexperienced boaters should avoid the Sound Tuesday due to strong wind gusts. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media

As spring arrives in Connecticut, Tuesday will be mostly cloudy with gusty winds that will pose hazardous conditions on Long Island Sound, the National Weather Service said.

The weather service has issued a Small Craft Advisory for Long Island Sound until 6 p.m. The weather service said winds could pick up to around 17 to 23 mph out at sea, which could result in 1 to 3 feet waves. The agency advises that any small crafts, or inexperienced boaters, should avoid the potentially hazardous conditions.

On land, winds will mostly remain around 8 to 14 mph, the weather service said. Though, the agency added, that winds could reach as high as 24 mph.

Advertisement Article continues below this ad

The weather service said temperatures will reach the mid- to upper-40s during the day before dropping into the low-30s at night when spring officially starts. The weather service said the wind chill could make conditions feel a few degrees cooler.
Statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the Upcoming Trilateral Leaders' Summit of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States

March 18, 2024

President Biden will host President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of the Philippines and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan on April 11 at the White House for the first trilateral U.S.-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit. At the summit, the leaders will advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan. At the summit, the three leaders will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.

In addition, President Biden will host President Marcos for a meeting at the White House on April 11to review the historic momentum in U.S.-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, and human rights and democracy. The President will reaffirm the ironclad alliance between the United States and the Philippines and emphasize U.S. commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

###

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Blinken to Discuss Cease-fire Push, Post-War Gaza Plans at Talks in Saudi Arabia and Egypt

By VOA News March 19, 2024

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week for talks that he said will focus on pushing for a cease-fire in Gaza, the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants, and planning for a post-war Gaza.

Speaking Tuesday during a visit to the Philippines, Blinken told reporters that there will need to be arrangements in place for how to approach governance, security, humanitarian assistance and redevelopment of Gaza.

Blinken said the United States has impressed upon Israel the imperative of having a plan, and that the hope remains the conflict will end as soon as possible.

Much of the Gaza Strip's infrastructure and homes have been leveled as Israel pursued its campaign to eliminate the Hamas militant group following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people according to Israeli tallies and included the capture of about 250 hostages.

The Gaza health ministry says the Israeli counteroffensive has killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. More than half of Gaza's population has been displaced.

Blinken described what he called the "horrific humanitarian situation" in Gaza, citing United Nations reports that the entire population needs humanitarian aid.

"According to the most respected measure of these things, 100% of the population of Gaza is at severe level of acute food insecurity," Blinken said. "That's the first time an entire population has been so classified."

Blinken expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself and ensure another attack like the one on Oct. 7 does not happen again, but he also said it is "absolutely incumbent on Israel" to prioritize protecting civilians and providing for those who are desperately in need of humanitarian aid.

Blinken blamed Hamas for the current situation in Gaza, saying the terror group initiated the attack on Israel and could have stopped the war if it put down its arms, did not hide behind civilians and released the hostages it is still holding.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time in more than a month, voicing new concerns about Israel's conduct of its war in Gaza against Hamas militants and its plan for a ground attack on the southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden told the Israeli leader in a phone call, "We share the goal of defeating Hamas, we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen."

Sullivan called Netanyahu's plan for a ground offensive "smashing into" Rafah a "mistake." More than a million Palestinians are sheltering in makeshift tents and structures there to try to protect themselves from the ravages of the war, many on orders from the Israeli military to abandon their homes in the northern reaches of Gaza as Israel continues to attack that region.

Israel has promised to move the Palestinians in Rafah to an undisclosed location for their safety before any attack on the region but has given no public indication of where that would be.

At Biden's request, Sullivan said Netanyahu agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington in the coming days, possibly early next week, to discuss Israel's plans for any attack on Rafah and providing safety for Palestinians sheltering there.

Sullivan said the U.S. "fully expects" Israel to not initiate any attack on Rafah until after the discussions in Washington.

In a statement after the Biden-Netanyahu call, the Israeli leader's office said, "We talked about the latest developments in the war, including Israel's commitment to achieving all the goals of the war: the elimination of Hamas, the release of all our hostages, and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel  while providing the necessary humanitarian aid that helps achieve these goals."

The Biden phone call with Netanyahu came as the U.S. leader has voiced growing frustration at Israel's conduct of the war, the ever-growing death toll of Palestinian civilians and the lack of humanitarian aid reaching famished people in Gaza.

Negotiators for Israel and Hamas are headed to Qatar to try again this week to reach agreement on a six-week cease-fire and the release of 40 or so of the estimated 100 hostages Hamas is still holding in exchange for dozens of Palestinians Israel has jailed.

But Sullivan said of the truce negotiations: "So far, this deal has been more elusive than we had hoped."

Anita Powell and Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report. Some material came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.

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Operation Iron Swords - Day 164 - 18 March 2024

Joint IDF and ISA announcement: "The IDF and ISA eliminated the head of the Operations Directorate of Hamas' Internal Security. Following IDF and ISA intelligence indicating the presence of senior Hamas terrorists in the Shifa hospital, IDF and ISA forces conducting precise operational activity in the compound eliminated Faiq Mabhuoch, head of the Operations Directorate of Hamas' Internal Security. He was also responsible for coordination of Hamas terrorist activities in the Gaza Strip. Faiq Mabhouh was eliminated in an encounter with the troops while armed and hiding in a compound at the Shifa hospital, from which he operated and advanced terrorist activity. Numerous weapons were located in the room adjacent to where he was eliminated."

Faiq Mabhouh, the Hamas internal security commander killed by IDF troops at Gaza Citys Shifa Hospital, was the brother of Mahmoud Mabhouh, who was allegedly assassinated by the Mossad in Dubai in 2010,

The Washington Post quoted officials in the US administration as saying that Biden's strategy regarding Israel "is heading towards failure", and that the US President found himself, after more than 5 months, "deeply involved in a war that he does not want." Officials told the American newspaper that there is extreme frustration and uncertainty among the Biden administration regarding how the war on Gaza will end, and that the administration has concluded that Netanyahu is prioritizing his political survival and its patience is beginning to run out.

On the other hand, US Senator Chris Van Hollen told the newspaper that "the gap is large between what Biden demanded of the Netanyahu government and what happened." Holen stated that he received a US intelligence briefing regarding the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, which contradicts the positions of the Biden administration.

Maariv newspaper reported from sources that Finance Minister Smotrich spoke of a high possibility of the fall of Netanyahus government due to the conscription law or the inclusion of New Hope party leader Gideon Saar in it. The newspaper also quoted an Israeli minister as saying that the worsening crisis within the ruling coalition may bring down the right-wing government due to the whims and interests of its members.

According to the "Palestine Online" website, Hebrew media indicated that Ben Gvir presented to the government a request to facilitate the storming of Al-Aqsa by settlers during the last ten days of Ramadan, contrary to the policy that has been in place for years. The extremist minister conveyed his request to officials in the occupation police, to discuss the matter at the government table, in the next two weeks.

Earlier, Ben Gvir asked Netanyahu to prevent residents of the West Bank from entering Jerusalem to pray at Al-Aqsa during Ramadan. In addition to restricting the entry of Palestinians from 1948, which sparked a wave of warnings from occupation security officials and the Shin Bet, as a decision like this could cause an explosion in the situation.

It is noteworthy that the occupation deliberately, from the first day of the holy month of Ramadan , set up iron barriers, harassed worshipers, launched a campaign of arrests among young men, and deported a number of Jerusalemites and stationed people from the mosque throughout the holy month of Ramadan, as a dangerous step to empty Al-Aqsa and escalate its violations.

But sources in the Israeli security services said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not agree to this request, especially after the Israeli security services warnings to Netanyahu that any storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by extremists would explode the situation not only in the West Bank but even in the territories occupied in 1948.

War Termination

An Israeli official said that his country will send a high-level delegation headed by the head of the Mossad to Qatar, on Monday, to hold talks through mediators with Hamas, with the aim of securing a 6-week truce in Gaza, under which the movement will release 40 hostages. The official estimated that this stage of negotiations may take at least two weeks, pointing to the difficulties that Hamas negotiators may face in communicating with the movement inside the besieged Strip, more than 5 months after the war began.

In a related context, a source familiar with the negotiations told Agence France-Presse that the head of the Mossad is meeting with the Qatari Prime Minister in Doha, on Monday, to discuss the truce in Gaza. The mediating countries, the United States, Qatar and Egypt, are working to reach an agreement on a truce and an exchange deal between Palestinian hostages and prisoners held by Israel.

On Friday, Hamas proposed a six-week truce agreement that would include the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners, in what was considered a more flexible position after it had been demanding a final ceasefire before any agreement on the release of hostages held in Gaza. The developments of recent days had revived hopes of reaching a truce in the war between Israel and Hamas that has been going on for more than five months in Gaza, after the movement postponed its demand for a ceasefire to a later stage, which it had placed as a basic condition for any agreement regarding the release of Israeli hostages in the Strip.

A Hamas leader told AFP on Saturday that the movement is ready to release 42 Israeli hostages, including women, children, the elderly and the sick, provided that Israel will release 20 to 30 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli detainee. The movement demands the release of 30 to 50 Palestinian detainees in exchange for the release of every soldier detained by it. She spoke of her willingness to release female soldiers for the first time. Also, the proposed first phase includes military withdrawal from all cities and populated areas in the Gaza Strip, the unrestricted return of the displaced, and the flow of aid at no less than 500 trucks per day.

Israel controls the flow of aid, which is still completely insufficient given the enormous needs of the Strip's population of 2.4 million people, the vast majority of whom are threatened by famine, according to the United Nations. A ship belonging to the Spanish non-governmental organization "Open Arms" arrived in the Gaza Strip on Friday from Cyprus, carrying 200 tons of food from the "World Central Kitchen" organization, and a second ship is scheduled to follow it at a date that has not yet been revealed. In addition, several countries continue to airdrop food supplies into Gaza. But the United Nations confirms that transporting aid by land remains the fastest and most effective method.

In the discussion that took place in the cabinet Sunday night, the many and detailed details about the mandate for the Israeli delegation that arrived in Qatar today (Monday) were presented. At the discussion there was someone from within Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's circle who thought that all the details should be brought to the expanded cabinet.

All the heads of the defense system objected and said that the discussion on the size of the delegation's mandate would be leaked. They stated that the information is extremely sensitive and added that exposing Israel's cards before the negotiations could damage the deal. Finally, the Prime Minister decided to present a general line in the expanded cabinet so as not to damage the deal and this indicates the tensions and pressures behind the scenes.

Israeli N12 TV reported a senior Israeli official said: "Hamas representatives in Qatar will not make the decisions. The one who will make the decisions will be Sinwar. Each comma and each point where we want to move forward will take between 24 and 36 hours, until his answer arrives from the tunnels." "This is a complex, long and branched negotiation that requires a great deal of patience," added an Israeli source who said that the delegation "commits to doing everything and working around the clock to bring about a deal that will bring the abductees home."

Against the background of the resumption of talks, there are several gaps that the parties will have to bridge. As much as there is a real debate that requires a return to the political level, the cabinet authorized Netanyahu and Gallant to make decisions, and this should speed up the process. In the Paris plan, for example, Israel agreed to the release of 400 prisoners in exchange for 40 hostages. Hamas is asking for 950 prisoners and therefore the question arises - what is the room for maneuver in this issue.

The Paris plan did not discuss how the names of the terrorists were chosen. In Hamas' answer, the terrorist organization seeks to determine the names that will be released. Another alleged discussion in the Paris outline is that the issue of resettlement of the displaced people to the north of the Gaza Strip will be postponed until the end. In Hamas' answer, he demands the complete return of displaced persons there. What is the flexibility space? Will women, children and men over a certain age return? Maybe gradually?

Another question that arises, comes after the Paris outline does not mention a comprehensive ceasefire at all. Hamas demands that in moving to Phase B of the deal, Israel will commit to such a cease fire, i.e. the end of the war. As mentioned, these are only some of the issues that will have to be discussed.

Israeli Major General Nitzan Alon, the army representative in the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza and the prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, warned against reducing the powers of the negotiating delegation in Doha. Hebrew Channel 13 reported that a confrontation broke out between Alon and a number of ministers during a meeting of the mini-security government on Sunday evening. Alon believes that "the political level has excessively reduced" the Israeli delegation to the Qatar negotiations from delegating the necessary powers.

If there is not a broad mandate for the negotiating team, there is a missed opportunity, and this could lead to the failure of the agreement, he said in a discussion attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sources familiar with the details say, according to the Hebrew Channel 13, that Major General Alon discussed whether to join the negotiating team in Qatar in light of the mandate changes, but in the end he decided to join Mossad chief David Barnea and the Israeli team.

Israeli officials say the mandate has already been reduced, but add that the team has set out with the "capacity" to conduct negotiations. Israeli negotiating teams representing the Mossad, the Shin Bet, and the Israeli army arrived to hold indirect negotiations with the Hamas movement under the auspices of Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The Hebrew Channel 13 transmits a statement by a senior Israeli official in which he said, The gaps are very large. The deal, even if it is reached, will not be completed within days.

"i24NEWS" quoted sources as saying, "The Israeli delegation, headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, is heading to Doha to continue ceasefire negotiations and the release of hostages with the aim of changing the broad lines proposed by Hamas," while the sources described them as "bad." According to "i24NEWS", "Israeli officials are reducing the possibility of reaching a new agreement to release the hostages, in the wake of Hamas' proposal against the broad lines put forward by the international mediators," as they claimed.

According to the Israeli website "Ynet", the negotiating team requested "a large amount of time to conduct negotiations" in order to improve the current deal on the table. While the war council will also participate in a broader debate on the prisoner release and the ceasefire agreement, despite what they call ridiculous demands, such as Israel agreeing to steps towards a permanent ceasefire as part of the agreement.

Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that the talks are taking place in one building in an indirect manner, in a format similar to that which took place in the Shalit deal negotiations 13 years ago. The newspaper reported that the Israeli delegation will remain in one room, while Hamas representatives will remain in another room. The Qatari mediators will move between the two rooms, which are close to each other.

Mossad chief David Barnea met with Qatari and Egyptian mediators for breakfast. The Israeli teams are scheduled to remain in Doha for several days to conduct intensive negotiations. The New York Times reported that a meeting is expected to be held between members of the Israeli delegation and the mediators this evening. A source familiar with the details told the American newspaper that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani and Egyptian representatives who are also mediating with Hamas will participate in the meeting.

An Israeli diplomatic source said, It is just the beginning of a long and complex process. This is the first time that there will be individual negotiations on the agreement. Everything will be changed. Every comma will be changed in the wording of the agreements, every word and every content. It will take a very long time to manage the negotiations.

The source added: "There is Hamas in Qatar and Hamas in the tunnels, and it takes between 24 and 36 hours to transmit each message." He added, "The negotiations are not with Hamas outside, which has neither authority nor decision-making ability, but only with Sinwar, who is in the tunnels. This makes the process very difficult. These are not negotiations that will be conducted by mediators. We need to lower expectations of reaching a quick agreement." ". The source indicated that the Cabinet's mandate to the delegation is "clear" and that clear lines have been drawn about where it can be flexible and where it cannot be done. He said: "The team did not get everything it wanted, for example about the number of prisoners, and the Council of Ministers limited that and set clear red lines."

Israeli officials considered Hamas's demands an attempt by the movement to "erase the achievements made by Israel in the war on Gaza and what it calls" dismantling the organization" in the wake of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation launched by "Hamas" on October 7.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority quoted a source as saying today: The war cabinet met yesterday evening and approved relatively broad powers for the negotiating team to be able to reach an exchange deal, adding at the same time that the ministers approved less than what the Israeli negotiators requested. These developments come after Israel became aware of the content of a new proposal presented by the Hamas movement , which included a presentation of an agreement in 3 stages, each stage lasting 6 weeks, including an exchange of prisoners, the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza , and the declaration of a permanent ceasefire in the second stage.

Hamas confirmed earlier that it had presented to the mediators a comprehensive vision based on the principles it described as necessary to agree on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The movement said in a statement that the vision is based on these principles and foundations, which it considers necessary for the agreement, noting that the vision presented by the movement includes its vision regarding the prisoner exchange file.

Meanwhile, the Hebrew website "Ynet" reported, quoting an Israeli official, that "it can be said that there are positive indicators about some progress in communications towards a new deal, but it is too early to say whether this will lead to moving the negotiations."

In turn, Reuters news agency, quoting an Israeli official, said that the current round of truce talks and the exchange of detainees between Israel and Hamas may take two weeks. It indicated that Tel Aviv would offer a 6-week truce in Gaza in exchange for the release of 40 detainees. For its part, the Hebrew Channel 13 confirmed that the head of the Mossad will leave for the Qatari capital, Doha, within hours. It said, quoting an official official, We are facing long and complex negotiations, as the security and political cabinet did not give the negotiating delegation all the powers it requested.

The official added, We have obtained sufficient powers to initiate important and professional negotiations. He pointed out that some of Hamas's new demands for the deal include guarantees from Russia and Turkey as part of any deal that will be implemented, and the release of all prisoners of the Shalit deal. He pointed out that yesterday an initial document was approved between the heads of the security services that includes the demands agreed upon by Israel, and in the cabinet session the document was finally approved, in preparation for the delegations departure to Qatar.

He stressed that "Israel" is ready to release a large portion of the prisoners who were re-arrested from the Shalit deal, but not all of them. He noted that, Hamas demands, in the first phase of the deal, the return of all citizens to the northern Gaza Strip, but the Israeli army demands a limited return of women and children only.

However, this optimism in concluding a prisoner exchange deal may clash with developments on the ground in the Gaza Strip, and Israeli threats to launch a large operation in the city of Rafah, which is crowded with displaced people.

Operational Update

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with an AIPAC leadership delegation led by AIPAC President Michael Tuchin. Following are excerpts from the Prime Minister's remarks: "How do we define victory? We define it as the destruction of Hamas's military and governing capabilities, as the return of the hostages, which we're working right now, and also as preventing the return, Gaza from becoming a threat to Israel at any time in the future. There is also the northern front, where we want to return our people to a condition of security. That requires that Hezbollah move back. That is also part of our goals, which we will not give up on. Very important. If we achieve these goals, then we will also deliver a stinging blow to the Iran terror axis, which is behind everything that we're seeing here today."

Operational Update - Gaza

Israel denies obstructing the entry of aid into Gaza and accuses relief organizations of failing to distribute it. COGAT (Coordinator of the Government Activities in the Territories) is the official Israeli unit tasked with the coordination and facilitation of humanitarian initiatives. COGAT reported 243 humanitarian aid trucks were inspected and transferred to the Gaza Strip. 165 via Kerem Shalom and 78 via Nitzana. 167 trucks were distributed within Gaza. Humanitarian aid entered Gaza by sea: A ship carrying 200 tons of aid from the World Central Kitchen organization, donated by the UAE, arrived (Friday, Mar. 15) in Gazas maritime space. This was in accordance with the government's decision. 12 WCK trucks distributed the aid to the northern Gaza Strip.

A WFP convoy of 18 food trucks made its way to northern Gaza last night. Over the last 3 weeks, more than 150 trucks were transferred to the northern Gaza Strip, most by the private sector. Yesterday, (Mar. 17) 3 tankers of cooking gas designated for the operation of essential infrastructure in Gaza, have entered the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid trucks entered Gaza via the Jordan delivery route. 5 water pumping facilities supplying water to over 200,000 residents in northern Gaza were refueled (Mar. 16), following coordination.

179 packages were airdropped by Jordan, yesterday (Mar. 17). Since the start of the war, and in cooperation with the USA, UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Holland, Belgium and France, over 30 airdrops have taken place, airdropping over 1250 packages of humanitarian aid, most to northern Gaza. Ill and wounded patients exited the Gaza Strip yesterday, more are expected to exit today. 21 bakeries are operational in Gaza, providing over 2 million breads, rolls, and pita breads a day for the local population.

Al-Shifa Hospital, located in the northern Gaza Strip, returned to the forefront again, after witnessing violent clashes between the Israeli army and the Hamas movement. Specialists reveal to Al-Hurra website the circumstances of the ignition of that front again, and their expectations of what may happen in the coming days. On Monday, the Israeli army asked all civilians in the Al-Rimal neighborhood and the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and its surroundings in Gaza City to leave immediately, considering their locations a dangerous combat zone.

Eyewitnesses described a state of panic inside the Shifa Hospital complex in Gaza City, hours after the Israeli army announced operations inside it. On Monday, the Israeli army and the Shin Bet announced that a clash had occurred with gunmen during an attempt to arrest them. An army statement said that gunmen opened fire on the forces that were working to arrest gunmen at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, revealing that "our forces responded with fire and wounded the terrorists."

Al-Shifa Hospital was the main medical facility in Gaza before the conflict, but its operations were severely disrupted after months of fighting. Hundreds of displaced Palestinians are taking refuge in the health complex that was raided by Israeli forces, earlier in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli army explained that its latest operation was based on intelligence information indicating that the hospital was being used by senior officials of Hamas terrorists, who had regrouped and were planning terrorist activity, according to the  Times of Israel . According to the Israeli newspaper, footage was circulated showing a building in the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City burning as a result of the Israeli attack, while forces working in the buildings located near it were trying to get out.

The HAMAS Ministry of Health in Gaza said that a fire broke out at the entrance to the complex, leading to suffocation cases among displaced women and children in the hospital. The Ministry explained that communications were cut off, and that there were people trapped inside the surgical and emergency units in one of the buildings. It pointed out, "A number of martyrs and wounded fell, with the inability to save any of the injured due to the intensity of the fire and the targeting of everyone who approached the windows, in another crime against health institutions."

The Israeli army spokesman said that the latter's forces were clashing with Palestinian militants in the vicinity of Al-Shifa, and a number of casualties were recorded, according to what was reported by its correspondent Al-Hurra. Another video shows residents near the complex fleeing the complex in the predawn darkness. Al-Hurra website was unable to verify the published videos.

The Israeli army spokesman for the Arab media, Avichay Adraee, confirmed on the X platform that the Israeli army and the security service (Shin Bet) are working inside the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, and that the operation that the army announced it began at dawn on Monday is still continuing. Al-Hurra website contacted the Israeli army spokesman, Avichay Adraee, to find out more details about how Hamas members infiltrated the north, and whether northern Gaza has returned to the forefront as a theater of operations again, and what happened during the clashes, but we did not receive a response as of writing this. the report.

The Israeli army spokesmen's unit merely told Al-Hurra, "Even if most of northern Gaza is cleared, there will still be a low-level war," and referred to the successive statements that were issued, without giving further details. In a statement, the Israeli army indicated that soldiers are currently carrying out a precise operation in the area of Al-Shifa Hospital, adding that the operation is based on information indicating that the hospital is being used by senior Hamas officials.

During the operation, which was carried out in cooperation with the Shin Bet, the forces were exposed to fire by saboteurs from inside the Shifa Medical Complex, where the forces responded with fire and wounded the saboteurs, according to the Israeli army statement. The Israeli army also announced the elimination of the head of operations for Hamas internal security in Gaza, Faiq al-Mabhouh, during the Shifa Hospital operation.

Hamas did not comment, confirm or deny what the Israeli army said, until the time of publication of the report. Before that, the Hamas governments media office condemned what happened at Al-Shifa Hospital, saying: Racing into Al-Shifa Medical Complex with tanks, drones, and weapons, and shooting inside it, is a (war crime). The media office said that Al-Shifa Hospital was being bombed, noting that tens of thousands of displaced people were in the building.

On the ground, eyewitnesses told Agence France-Presse about air operations taking place in the Al-Rimal neighborhood, where Al-Shifa Hospital is located. Residents in this neighborhood said that "more than 45 Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers" entered the sand. Some also spoke of "battles" in the vicinity of the hospital. Eyewitnesses in Gaza City reported that they saw tanks surrounding the hospital site.

Speaking to the Al-Hurra website, former colonel in the Israeli army, Moshe Elad, reveals that Hamas members are trying to return to the northern regions little by little. Hamas believes that the Israeli army is only interested in the Rafah area, and therefore it is trying to return to the north, but intelligence information came that dozens of Hamas members had arrived at Al-Shifa Hospital, according to Elad.

At the same time, there was intelligence information that a meeting of senior Hamas leaders was being held in the same area, and thus the Israeli army imposed a cordon on the hospital, Elad adds. The former Israeli army colonel points out that Israeli forces have already arrested about 80 Hamas members, and there are violent and ongoing clashes in the region.

Al-Shifa Complex, the largest hospital in the Strip before the war, is one of the few remaining health facilities that are even partially functioning in the northern Gaza Strip, and also houses hundreds of displaced people. This is the second time that the Israeli army has carried out an operation in this hospital, since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Israel has previously accused Hamas of using medical facilities as a cover for its operations, which the movement denies.

On November 15, the Israeli army entered this hospital and the facility is currently operating at its minimum, with a minimum number of employees. After that operation, the army said that it found ammunition, weapons and military equipment for Hamas in Al-Shifa Hospital, which the Palestinian movement denied. The army also stated that it had discovered a 55-metre-long tunnel that it said was being used for terrorist purposes under Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

Therefore, Palestinian political analyst, Ayman Al-Raqab, confirms that the events in the sand and around Al-Shifa Hospital represent a qualitative development that will make Israel reconsider its calculations during the war. What is happening in northern Gaza confirms the falsehood and deception of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus talk about eliminating Hamas brigades and leaving only four of them in Rafah, according to what he told the Al-Hurra website. Al-Raqab points out the presence of armed men, fighters, security personnel, or popular committees affiliated with Hamas in all of the Gaza Strip, starting in the north of the Strip, which Israel says it has controlled, and concluding in the city of Rafah on the border with Egypt.

For his part, Elad asserts that the Israeli army cannot be everywhere at the same time, and Hamas exploits this to exit tunnels and gather to reach certain areas. The former colonel in the Israeli army explains that the number of Israeli forces present in the Gaza Strip decreased greatly, after a large part of them headed to the West Bank. He points out that the Israeli army forces currently in the West Bank are larger than those in Gaza.

The number of forces present in Gaza does not give them the opportunity to be everywhere, so the work of the forces will depend largely on intelligence information, the former colonel in the Israeli army confirms. The Israeli army moves based on intelligence information regarding the presence of Hamas groups, and reaches the area and clashes with those elements, regardless of their location, according to Elad.

Elad does not believe that northern Gaza is a new arena for confrontation or a path capable of military escalation, but the region may witness clashes here or there during the coming period. The majority of the "Hamas brigades" in northern Gaza have been destroyed, and the elements currently present in the area are "individual elements," according to the former colonel in the Israeli army.

But Al-Raqab denies this proposal, and confirms that Hamas is still present and strong, contrary to what the Israeli government is promoting. He points out that demolishing Gaza homes and turning them into rubble will hinder the Israeli army in implementing its goals, and that these homes will be easy locations for Hamas members and (Popular War) fighters to move. The Palestinian political analyst explains that Hamas members were "trained very extensively" to move between demolished homes, rubble and tunnels, but the Israeli army will suffer.

Elad confirms that the army will continue the military operation and invade Rafah by land due to the presence of the most dangerous Hamas brigades in the city. After the end of the Rafah operation, the army will return to northern Gaza and the center of the Strip to eliminate individual cells or elements present in the tunnels attacking the Israeli forces, according to the former colonel in the Israeli army. Elad confirms that "Hamas is no longer as strong in the Gaza Strip as it was before, and therefore eliminating the movement is a matter of time."

But Al-Raqab points out that Hamas is trying to prove its presence everywhere, and indeed its power on the ground still exists, even if in secret. Hamas will seek to prove to the world that it still exists in the Gaza Strip, and must be an integral party in any expected negotiations, and eliminating the movement will take many years, and is not as easy as Israel talks about, according to the Palestinian political analyst.

Operational Update - Judea-Samaria

Since the beginning of 2023, the Palestine Liberation Organizations Land Defense Center has monitored the construction of twenty-nine settlement outposts, the majority of which were built after October 7, including fourteen pastoral and agricultural outposts. The process of new settlement construction, which usually begins with a settlement outpost and turns into settlements, comes with the encouragement of ministers in Netanyahu's government, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The official in charge of popular action at the Wall and Settlement Authority, Abdullah Abu Rahma, said in a statement to Al-Alam TV: There is a systematic policy on this issue, as this government has been called from its first moment the settlement government, and what is happening on the ground is that Smotrich and Ben Gvir are trying to exploit every moment and trying to compromise. This government wants more settlements and more settlement units, as we have witnessed in recent days.

Those surrounding Benjamin Netanyahu from the nationalist right believe that working on the ground to establish settlements is the only way to prevent the establishment of the expected Palestinian state. These people realize that what is imposed on the ground today will turn into a subject for negotiation with the Palestinians tomorrow, which means that it will become something that the Palestinians must struggle to change or bargain over.

The writer and political analyst, Ibrahim Rabaya, told Al-Alam Channel: Israel invested in this war to strengthen the settlement presence in the West Bank on two levels: the infrastructure level and the legislative level, and this is what Smotrich showed in his capacity as Minister of the Army and the owner of the settlement strengthening project in this government.

The next battle for the Palestinians is the battle with settlement, a battle that the occupation seeks to impose in order to reach what it calls the settler state. The settler state that the Israeli occupation wants means controlling 67 percent of the area of the West Bank, and what remains for the Palestinians is nothing more than isolated cantons.

Al Jazeera's correspondent said that the Israeli occupation forces stormed tonight the towns of Jalboun and Faqoua, north of the city of Jenin in the West Bank , amid gunfire. They also stormed the village of Tal, south of Nablus, and arrested a number of Palestinians. The correspondent also reported that the occupation forces arrested a number of imams and preachers of mosques in the town of Al-Samou, south of Hebron in the West Bank.

Confrontations took place between the occupation forces and Palestinians in the town of Al-Khader, south of the city of Bethlehem in the West Bank, while Jerusalem witnessed the occupation army storming the village of Al-Issawiya, where it arrested a number of Palestinians. This came hours after the storming of the town of "Ya'bad" in Jenin, and the town of "Husan" west of the city of Bethlehem, where Israeli forces conducted their patrols in the two towns, raided and searched homes, tampered with their contents, and arrested a number of young Palestinian men.

Meanwhile, the occupation army opened fire on children collecting seasonal plants in Wadi Al-Jawaya in Masafer Yatta, after chasing them. The occupation forces stormed the town of Ya'bad in Jenin, and the town of Husan, west of Bethlehem.

The head of the Palestinian Prisoners' and Ex-Prisoners' Affairs Authority, Qaddoura Fares, announced today, Monday, that Israel has increased its repression of male and female prisoners in its prisons since the beginning of the month of Ramadan . He warned that their situation had become more dangerous than anyone could imagine. Fares explained that the escalation occurs through increasing repressive measures, such as violent beatings, insults, diminishing the dignity of prisoners, and confiscating the Quran from their rooms, with full government cover.

He also referred to the appointment of Kobi Yacobi, who belongs to the extreme right-wing movement, as acting director of the prison administration. The head of the Prisoners' Authority believes that Yaqubi seeks to demonstrate his loyalty and strictness through this appointment, with the aim of promotion in the future at the expense of the dignity, health and lives of the prisoners, according to the statement. Fares stressed that the lives of the prisoners are now at real risk due to the continuation of retaliatory policies that have cumulatively affected their health, especially as they enter the sixth month in this dangerous situation.

He explained that prisoners in isolation are subjected to various forms of torture and humiliation by the jailers and special units that are called to carry out operations of oppression and torture permanently in front of the prisoners sections and rooms, since the Al- Aqsa Flood Battle launched by the Palestinian resistance led by the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ).

Fares also pointed out that these units carry out their criminal tasks wearing black masks, and that their methods and actions are very similar to those practiced by gangs. He added that among those most targeted by these policies - in recent days - are Marwan Barghouti, the leader of the Fatah movement, who was beaten and assaulted, and Thabet Mardawi, who has been in prison for more than 22 years. Fares explained that targeting them threatens their lives.

Israel's escalation against at least 9,100 Palestinians in its prisons coincides with its devastating war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, which resulted in the death and injury of tens of thousands of civilians, most of them children and women, and caused massive destruction and an unprecedented tragic humanitarian situation. Example, according to Palestinian and international data.

Operational Update - Lebanon

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, revealed in multiple statements that it engaged with several Israeli occupation forces posts in support of the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and their "brave and honorable resistance as well as in response to the Israeli attacks on Lebanon." Using missile weapons, the resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli occupation troops in Al-Tayhat Hill, facing the Lebanese town of Mays Al-Jabal, and the Ruwaisat Al-Qarn site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms. Lebanese Hezbollah announced that it had targeted two Israeli military sites and a gathering of soldiers with missile weapons, confirming that direct hits had been achieved. Hezbollah issued several statements stating that in support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance :

At 7:15 p.m., the Islamic Resistance's fighters engaged the "Hadab Yarin" Israeli outpost, facing the Lebanese Southern town of Yarin using missiles. At 7:15 p.m., the Islamic Resistance's fighters engaged the "Birket Risha" Israeli occupation military site facing the Lebanese Southern town of Al-Bustan using missiles. At 05:30 pm today, Monday (Lebanon time): The Islamic Resistance Mujahideen targeted the Bayad Blida site with artillery shells, and hit it directly. At 05:05 pm today, Monday: The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted the Zibdin site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with missile weapons, and hit it directly. At 05:02 pm today, Monday: The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in Al-Tayhat Hill with missile weapons, and hit it directly. At 05:00 pm today, Monday: The Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance targeted the Ruwaisat al-Qarn site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with missile weapons, and hit it directly.

Operational Update - Syria / Iraq

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq conducted another anti-Israeli operation, hitting the regime's air base in the occupied Golan Heights with drones, according to a statement by the group. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of the country's anti-terror movements, announced the attack on its Telegram channel early Monday, without specifying the name of the Israeli air base.

"The fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, at dawn today, Monday, 3/18/2024, targeted with drones an air base for the Zionist occupation's drones in the occupied Golan," the statement said. The group emphasized that operations against the occupying entity would increase during the holy month of Ramadan to dismantle more enemy strongholds. This strike is part of the second phase of the group's operations against the Israeli regime, showing support for the Palestinian people in Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli aggression.

Operational Update - Yemen

Maps

All maps are lies. Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential, wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper [in old days] is bound to be reductive. But it is impossible to comprehend the war in Gaza without reference to maps, otherwise the entire conflict is reduced to an endless series of meaningless acts of random violence and the suffering of civilians. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. Evidently, different mappers have different ideas of how to depict the war in Gaza, notably those that seek to depict Israeli progress in the ground campaign. Part of the problem is latency. The news that forms the basis of the maps takes time to filter out to mappers, and the cartographers take time in crafting their maps, and it takes time to curate them. These processes are uneven among mappers, so their maps may differ in detail. Probably there is some ideological bias, or at least thematic apperception, which is understandable in wartime. It may come as no surprise that al-Jazeera maps depict rather less Israeli territorial progress than other sources. Finally, there remains the epistemological question of just exactly what are the colored in areas depicting. Naively, this might be understood as areas of Israeli control, that are no longer contested by the HAMAS. Or possibly these are areas of Israeli presence, in many of which the possibility of an RPG-wielding HAMAS militant popping out of a tunnel unexpectedly remains a live possibility. With the "zero-range" combat characterized by small unit tactics on both sides, maps may be prey to a fallacy of misplaced concreteness.

Bystanders

Half of Gaza's population suffers from "catastrophic" hunger, while famine is expected to strike the northern Gaza Strip "at any time" between now and May in the absence of any urgent intervention to prevent this, according to a UN-backed food security assessment. The situation in northern Gaza is particularly difficult, and relief agencies have reported difficulties in reaching the area to distribute food and other aid. About 1.1 million Palestinians suffer from the most severe levels of food insecurity, while famine is imminent in the northern regions and is expected to occur at any time between mid-March and May 2024, according to the Integrated Interim Classification of Food Security report prepared by the United Nations and relief agencies.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, "The latest report on food insecurity in Gaza is an appalling indictment of conditions on the ground for civilians. The worlds leading experts on food insecurity clearly document that famine in the northern part of Gaza is imminent. More than half of all Palestinians in Gaza 1.1 million people have completely exhausted their food supplies and are facing catastrophic hunger, according to the report. Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering. This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system anywhere, anytime. This is an entirely manmade disasterand the report makes clear that it can be halted. Todays report is Exhibit A for the need for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire.

I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts. We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable and the unjustifiable.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen said allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA ) cooperated with the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) were a "blatant lie," and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others were lying to advance their own agenda. A report in the American newspaper "Politico" stated that Van Hollen said in an interview with "CBS" that "the demonization of UNRWA in relation to the Hamas attack on Israel on the seventh of last October was an attempt by Netanyahu to get rid of the agency."

The report stated that Van Hollen explained to host Margaret Brennan that there is no doubt that the claim made by Netanyahu and others that UNRWA is, in some way, an agent of Hamas is just lies. He pointed out that the person responsible for the agency's operations on the ground is a 20-year veteran of the US Army, and called on his host to make sure that he does not cooperate with Hamas, stressing that Netanyahu had wanted to get rid of UNRWA since at least 2017.

Some Republicans in Congress have called for halting funding for the agency, but Van Hollen said UNRWA's work is still necessary at a time when many Gazans are living in deplorable condition due to the ongoing Israeli war. He also said that if there were specific members of UNRWA who cooperated with Hamas in that attack, they must be held accountable.

Van Hollen recalled that the Israeli government had previously claimed that up to 14 of the International Agency's 13,000 workers participated in the "horrific" attack, saying that what should be done is to investigate the matter and hold the 14 people responsible, instead of holding them responsible. For two million innocent Palestinian civilians dying of hunger. Van Hollen met last week with the families of some of those still detained in Gaza, stressing that they were very clear that what is required now is to focus on the recovery of the detainees and a ceasefire.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said "Gaza was before the war the greatest open-air prison. Today, it is the greatest open-air graveyard. A graveyard for tens of thousands of people, and also a graveyard for many of the most important principles of humanitarian law. This is the sad situation in Gaza." The European Union worked hard to unify the ranks of its countries regarding the Gaza war, as some of its countries strongly support Israel, while others follow a more supportive approach to the Palestinians.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded to Borrell, calling on him to "stop attacking Israel and recognize our right to defend ourselves in the face of Hamas' crimes." Israel allows significant humanitarian aid to enter Gaza by land, air and sea by anyone who wants to help, Katz wrote

The non-governmental organization Oxfam accused Israel of "deliberately" preventing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including food and medical equipment, in violation of international humanitarian law. Oxfam said in its report, Despite its responsibility as an occupying power, Israels practices and decisions continue to systematically and deliberately obstruct and prevent any meaningful international humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip. The NGO specifically denounced the "unfairly ineffective" aid inspection protocols, which lead to an "average of twenty days" delay in allowing trucks to enter the besieged Palestinian enclave. It also condemned "attacks against humanitarian workers, aid structures, and humanitarian convoys." Oxfam said, "The conditions we witnessed in Gaza are worse than catastrophic," at a time when the Strip is on the verge of famine.

The head of the Palestinian caretaker government, Muhammad Shtayyeh, confirmed on Monday his rejection of the presence of any foreign parties to administer the Gaza Strip , and considered this a conspiracy that will be failed by the Palestinian people, warning of the waterway turning from an aid crossing for Gaza into a way out for the displacement of citizens.

Shtayyeh said - in a speech during the government session in Ramallah - that there are those who want self-administration of Gaza, and there are those who are working to bring in private security companies to work in the sector, and he stressed that this represents aggression, and that the Palestinian people who thwarted all conspiracies will also thwart these attempts. ", according to what was reported by the Palestinian News Agency "Wafa".

The head of the Palestinian caretaker government explained that they called for international protection forces for all Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem , the West Bank and Gaza, under the banner and umbrella of the United Nations , referring to the call on donors to transfer cash sums in order to help the people in the Gaza Strip, and to hold a session to support the Palestinian National Authority and its components. So that the next government can work successfully, he said.

Shtayyeh explained that there are those who want to replace what he called the political system with another system, and we are knocking on the door of national unity now and not to face the challenges ahead, saying, just as we were the pioneers of the Authoritys reform program, we will work to reform all the institutions of the Palestinian people in a way that befits them and their sacrifices.

Shtayyeh sent a call to the world to take action to stop the suffering of the people of Gaza, and not to remain alongside Israel, the criminal state. He pointed out that "the last call to humanity is from Rafah, the last spot waiting for death. Save Rafah, and save what remains of Gaza," and Shtayyeh stressed that "the occupation has lost all its components and has begun to collapse and is disappearing."

Palestinian factions had previously said that the Israeli occupation's plans to establish a political administration under civilian names to administer Gaza would fail in the face of the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the resistance. Shtayyeh's statements today come after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas , last Thursday, assigned economist Muhammad Mustafa to form the new Palestinian government, 3 weeks after Shtayyeh resigned from his position.

Last Friday, the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and Palestinian factions described the efforts to form a new Palestinian government without national consensus as deepening the division, and an indication of the crisis of the PAs leadership and the gap between it and the Palestinian people and their aspirations.

Recently, the official Israeli Broadcasting Authority (KAN) reported that Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant proposed that Palestinian Authority Intelligence Chief Majid Faraj take over the administration of Gaza temporarily, after the end of the war.

Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hussein Al-Sheikh, said in mid-December that the Palestinian Authority is the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and will be prepared to take over the administration of Gaza after the end of the Israeli war on the Strip.

Axis of Resistance

In the seventh Ramadan lecture by the leader of the revolution, Sayyed Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi, Monday 8 Ramadan 1445 AH - 18 March 2024 AD, he stated that " the theory of [evolution] is ridiculous, a false theory, with no basis and no truth. It is a trivial and ridiculous theory, and it should never have been accepted by the West, and it should have spread in Western circles for decades, or for a long period, more than a matter of decades. of time, for a long period of time; While it was not based on a scientific basis from the beginning, it was just a theory, and a wrong perception, a wrong perception that is not based on facts at all, and belies the verses of God, Glory be to Him, the Most High, and belies the realities of reality that we see in the reality of life.

"If the theory [of evolution] was correct; It would have been continuous. When they claimed that the origin of man was a monkey, then he evolved into a human being over time, if the matter were as they say, it would continue, and the apes would constantly develop into humans and transform into human beings. After every period, a new batch would come from the monkeys to transform them into a human being. But it is a false and ridiculous theory, and has no scientific basis. It is based on the absurdities presented in the West that harm man, his origin, his role, and his responsibilities and tasks on this earth."

What has been unfolding in the Gaza Strip during nearly six months of relentless Israeli strikes illustrates the extent of the resistance fronts power, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said. The resistance shown by the people of Gaza for about six months under the harshest attacks of the Zionist regime indicates the extent of the resistances power and its great capabilities, the top Iranian commander said in a meeting with Syrias defense minister, held in Tehran on Monday.

Paying tribute to the defenseless people of Palestine for their epic struggle against the Israeli aggression, General Baqeri said the Zionist regimes inhumane crimes have further disgraced its sponsors. He also slammed the Israeli airstrikes on Syria and Lebanon as proof of its failure to achieve its illegitimate objectives. The top Iranian general and the Syria defense minister also weighed plans for closer military cooperation between the two nations.

Lauding the good progress in the relations between the Iranian and Syria armed forces, Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas said the military forces of the two countries, as two members of the resistance axis, need to expand coordination in all affairs. He noted that the world has changed after the Al-Aqsa Storm operation that the resistance forces launched outside Gaza in October 2023.

The Foreign Ministry of Iran strongly condemned the Zionist regimes brutal storming of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza. The Israeli regime's military forces on Monday stormed al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City with tanks and heavy gunfire, resulting in deaths and injuries. Gazas Ministry of Health said about 30,000 people, including displaced civilians, wounded patients and medical staff are trapped inside the complex.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani lashed out at the Zionist regime for blatantly violating all international rules and regulations and trampling on humanitarian principles and law. He said the Israeli regimes dark record of occupation, terror, violence, and crimes during the past seven decades has been coupled with genocide in the Gaza Strip during the past six months.

Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri, said that the Al-Aqsa flood showed everyone the weakness of the spiders web. Admiral Tangsiri said , in a speech during a meeting with the leaders of the naval forces: In the past few months, a small group of zealous Palestinian youth stood up against the Zionists, the killers of children, and broke their empty hegemony . The flood of Al-Aqsa has shown everyone the weakness of the spider to everyone.

The Commander of the Naval Forces considered the awakening of the Islamic nation to be the fruit of 45 years of resistance, and said: The awakening of the Islamic peoples is rooted in the victory of the Islamic Revolution, and there is not much time left until this cancerous gland is eradicated.

He added: Coinciding with International Jerusalem Day, this year, heavy and light naval vessels belonging to the Revolutionary Guards Mobilization Forces, under specific command, will launch a general maneuver off the shores of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of ??Oman, and the Caspian Sea. As an expression of feelings of denunciation and anger regarding the genocidal massacres targeting Muslim children and women in Gaza, and the occupation of Palestinian lands by the murderous Zionist entity. He continued, All boats and naval vessels participating in this maneuver will raise the flag of the Islamic Republic and the Palestinian flag, as an expression of solidarity with this oppressed people.

Nasser Kanaani, spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed in a post on the X platform that the Zionist entity has lost the future forever. Kanaani wrote the goal of completely eliminating Hamas is off the agenda, and we have not recovered the prisoners either...

Kanaani added, the Zionist entity not only lost the war in the Gaza Strip , but also lost  the future  forever. The Zionist entity will have no place in world public opinion. This false entity killed 31,000 people, including 22,000 women and children, in the Gaza Strip within 5 months. But by killing every Palestinian person, the Palestine issue returned to the forefront, became more vital, and regained its place in the world. World public opinion More than before.

He continued, The Zionist entity and its supporters must know - and they know - that they do not stand against Hamas, but rather against a historical, authentic and deeply rooted people called the people of Palestine. Kanaani stressed that there is no doubt that the future belongs to Palestine, and the eternal shame and bad reputation of the Israeli entity.

Kanaani strongly condemned the brutal aggression carried out by the Zionist entity in attacking and occupying Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip, and the crimes committed by the soldiers of this entity against the medical staff, patients and wounded in this hospital. Kanaani said in his statement, Unfortunately, this is not the first time that the world has witnessed the bitter reality of the Zionist entity flagrantly violating all international laws and regulations, launching an attack on hospitals and killing, injuring or capturing medical staff, the sick and the wounded, and violating the most basic principles of humanity and human rights. International.

He added; During the past seventy years, occupation, terrorism, violence, captivity and crime have been the main form of the power structure and policy of the Zionist entity, and during the past six months, all of these cases, in addition to genocide, have come together in the operational plan of this entity in the Gaza Strip .

He continued, What happened in the Sabra and Shatila camps in recent years, and in Qana and the Lebanese suburb, and what is happening now in the Gaza Strip, is only a small part of the black record of the Zionists, which did not only receive an appropriate reaction from the international community, but also the support of some countries. The well-known West served as the basis for the increase in Zionist violence and crime against the oppressed and occupied Palestinian people.

He added; In recent months, the Zionist genocidal machine has not hesitated to commit any brutal act against the wild Palestinian people in the largest open-air prison in the world, and hospitals, medical centers and medical workers have been subjected to brutal attacks as they are considered military targets. He added that the painful tragedy that Gaza witnessed in recent months is taking place before the eyes of the entire world, while in all wars and conflicts, hospitals and patients enjoy the protection of international laws and regulations and are considered areas that cannot be attacked or exposed. However, to the shock of the world, Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza was attacked several times by the terrorist army of the Israeli entity, and its medical staff, patients and wounded were killed and kidnapped.

Kanaani stressed the responsibility of the international community towards the painful situation experienced by Palestine, especially the Gaza Strip, and once again called on the United Nations and the Security Council to fulfill their duty and international responsibility to prevent the continuation of war crimes committed by the Israeli occupation.

Hamas insists on liberating all prisoners, or at least prisoners serving long life sentences as part of its strategy to achieve strategic victory, as Zvi Barel, a writer in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, says. Baril says that the main demand put forward by Hamas throughout the negotiations regarding the exchange of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners was for Israel to declare a permanent ceasefire, withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip, and prepare for reconstruction.

Not only does Hamas insist that the relevant regional players - Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates - ensure that these demands are met, but the United States does so openly as well. According to Israeli sources and mediators, Hamas showed flexibility to divide this demand into two stages. The first phase entails a 6-week ceasefire, during which Israeli occupation forces withdraw from the Rashid and Salah al-Din roads (not all of Gaza).

As Hamas originally demanded) so that the residents of northern Gaza can return to their homes comfortably, the second requires a permanent ceasefire. This would allow the resumption of negotiations on Monday, March 18, in Qatar, but Hamas has not officially announced anything about this. At the same time, says Israeli writer Barel, it is not clear what will be the fate of the Israeli request for Hamas to provide a detailed list of the names of living and dead prisoners.

About two weeks ago, Netanyahu prevented the Israeli delegation from leaving for Egypt until the list was received. A week ago, CIA Director William Burns proposed a short ceasefire in exchange for the list, an offer rejected by Hamas, which said that Israel would have to "pay a very heavy price" for this information. However, this request, like Hamas's other initial conditions, is part of its well-known tactic of negotiating negotiations, which it uses as a way to keep talks alive on subsidiary issues while the main points of contention threaten to collapse them.

These issues come together in three intertwined "packages" that cannot be separated from Hamas' point of view. The first is a list of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons whose release it demands. Israeli sources say that the dispute does not revolve around the number of prisoners, but rather their quality. Israel has agreed in principle to Hamas's demand that in exchange for the release of Israeli women, children, the elderly and the sick, 50 Palestinian prisoners will be released for every female soldier held by Hamas.

But Hamas also demands that 30 of these prisoners be sentenced to life imprisonment. In past deals, Hamas's main goal was to free prisoners and achieve an achievement. But this time, the release of prisoners forms part of the image of strategic victory that the movement seeks to paint.

Moreover, the Israeli writer says that Hamas aims to lay the foundations that will enable it to control the political structure of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority in the future. Therefore, it will insist on demanding the release of Marwan Barghouti, for example, who is serving a life sentence and enjoys broad popular support, and who may succeed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

This is not a new demand on the part of Hamas, as it was raised in previous prisoner exchange deals, but Israel rejected it without causing the negotiations to collapse. But this time, as Hamas fights for its political and military survival, and while the United States and Arab powers seek to create a new Palestinian authority to govern Gaza, it is crucial that Barghouti be among the prisoners to be released.

Baril says that Barghouti is not only the hope of Hamas, but he is the leader that most of the Palestinian public considers the best person to head a Palestinian authority, or perhaps the only person capable of doing so, and who enjoys sufficient international legitimacy to enable the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Hamas will achieve a strategic achievement, and if Hamas succeeds in releasing Barghouti, this will constitute a strategic achievement whose importance is difficult to exaggerate, as Baril says. For the same reason, Israel will continue to oppose his release. The question now is how far Hamas might be willing to go to achieve this goal, and whether Barghouti's release will lead to the success or failure of the hostage deal.

The answer to this lies partly in the reward that Hamas will receive in the second part of the deal. In addition to the release of prisoners, it ultimately demands a commitment backed by guarantees for complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and reconstruction. According to reports published by Arab media this weekend, Hamas is already demanding, in the first phase of the partial Israeli withdrawal - that is, the second phase of the prisoner exchange, the scope of which has not yet been agreed upon - the reconstruction of the northern Gaza Strip.

This will include bringing about 60,000 mobile homes and containers and thousands of additional tents for displaced residents returning to northern Gaza. The scope of humanitarian aid will also increase significantly, reaching more than 500 trucks per day, along with adequate supplies of medicines and medical equipment, the opening of all border crossings to goods, and a 3-year plan to fully rebuild the Strip, all sponsored by Qatar and Egypt. However, neither Israel nor Hamas can answer the questions regarding who will manage the reconstruction process, not only in its final phase, but also in the phase that will be implemented in the first part of the ceasefire agreement.

The head of the Baalbek-Hermel bloc and member of the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, MP Hussein Haj Hassan, confirmed that the axis of resistance is at the height of its strength, pointing to the major differences occurring in the Zionist entity. In his speech during a political meeting organized by Hezbollah in the town of Rayak in the Bekaa Valley , Hajj Hassan spoke about the importance of the month of Ramadan and the keenness to seize its opportunities, stressing the necessity of commemorating International Jerusalem Day on the last Friday of the holy month. Hajj Hassan concluded his speech by referring to the approved budget and its positive points.

Allied for Democracy

A new survey conducted by the Jewish Peoples Policy Institute revealed that two-thirds of Israelis think that the IDF should attack Hezbollah with full force. According to the survey, 63% of Israelis believe that Israel should attack Hezbollah with full force at the first available opportunity or after the war. Of those surveyed, 79% of the Israeli public believes there is no chance for peace with the Palestinians, and 44% think that the government, the IDF, and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) have equal and shared responsibility for the October 7 failure. Approximately 29% believe that Hezbollah should be attacked in Lebanon as soon as possible, 34% support an attack in Lebanon after the end of the campaign in Gaza, and 28% prefer continuing to strive for a political arrangement that will prevent military escalation in the north.

American journalist and writer Thomas Friedman said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will go down in history as the worst leader in Jewish history. He said in an interview with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, "I will be honest, I think this is the worst government that Israel has ever seen. I believe that Netanyahu will go down in history as the worst leader in Jewish history, and not just in Israeli history."

He added, "I will not allow this Israeli government to be waiters at my grandson's coming-of-age party. They are truly incompetent," referring to the failure of the Netanyahu government to manage the war on Gaza . Friedman criticized the government's refusal to make any kind of plan for the morning after the war. He considered that if Israel entered into a partnership with the Palestinian Authority to form two states for two peoples, it could solve 3 of its current problems: changing the narrative, changing Gazas options, and strengthening the regional alliance with its Arab allies.

Friedman, a writer for the American newspaper The New York Times, described the Israeli war on Gaza as the real World War II. He said, When the Ukraine war broke out, I said: This is actually World War I. The war we call "World War I" was not a world war. Friedman added, explaining that the Ukraine war was World War I because people could follow it on their smartphones, and they could express their opinions about it, and the agricultural impact was immediate, there was an impact on food prices, and it was a real world war. He continued, "I claim that Israel's war on Gaza is in fact World War II. Everyone in the world has an opinion about it, follows it, and is affected by it. It affects classrooms everywhere."

Friedman rejected that Israel's crimes in Gaza were genocide. "I find that horrific, I think that's wrong. I don't think this is genocide . But I think it's a terrible war in which a very large number of civilians were killed, but I don't think it was intentional," he said. He believed that the case of South Africa against Israel in the International Court of Justice is a clear indication that Israel launched a war without any kind of political vision or strategic plans for the future, thus exposing itself to accusations that it is committing genocide.

Friedman concluded the interview with two stark warnings: The first is for the Americans: Do not re-elect (former US President Donald) Trump , and the second is for the Israelis: Vote to oust Netanyahu and his coalition government. I believe that if Netanyahu survives this war and Trump is re-elected, the world that I want to leave to my new grandchildren will no longer exist, Friedman said.

Amid the series of ongoing disputes within the Israeli government, and between the political and military levels in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to challenge internal and external opponents, in an attempt to save himself from the Gaza impasse. The head of the Department of Political Science at Hebron University, Dr. Bilal Al-Shobaki, confirms that Netanyahu, despite the dilemmas he faces, still enjoys the support of an extreme right-wing street, in addition to being aware of the weaknesses of his opponents, meaning that the rights threats to pressure him are in fact empty because they are concerned with survival. In the government he leads.

As for the other opponents, such as the Minister in the Israeli War Council, Benny Gantz , and the opposition leader, Yair Lapid , they are all investing in the current scene, and therefore there is no need for them to turn the tables on Netanyahu.

As for Netanyahus weaknesses, they are represented in the state of division within the Israeli War Council. At the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip , this council was a symbol of Israeli unity, but today it has become a burden on Netanyahu, as Al-Shobaki said in his interview with the program Gaza... What Next? On Al Jazeera channel.

According to the Palestinian writer and political analyst, Ahmed Al-Haila, Netanyahu has 64 seats in the Knesset thanks to the support of the extreme right-wing parties, and this number may jump to 68 if a consensus occurs between him and Israeli Minister Gideon Saar, who broke up his political partnership with Gantz.

Regarding whether Netanyahus dispute with the US administration would help him at home, Al-Haila explained that the Israeli Prime Minister took it upon himself to confront the administration of President Joe Biden , especially after US intelligence said that he - that is, Netanyahu - had become untrustworthy among Israeli public opinion, and called for The idea of ??early elections in Israel. He did not rule out that the dispute between Netanyahu and the Biden administration would have an impact on the upcoming negotiation process with the Palestinian resistance regarding the exchange deal.

Netanyahu - adds the Palestinian writer and political analyst - wants to maintain the sustainability of the state of war in Gaza, because it enables him to continue in the government, and he may show some kind of flexibility regarding the issue of humanitarian relief in Gaza to ease internal pressures and pressures from the Americans.

However, the problem that will continue to confront the Prime Minister of Israel - as Al-Hila says - relates to the Israeli prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance who he failed to liberate by force, and therefore he is trying through negotiations to pressure the Palestinian resistance movement ( Hamas ) to accept some deal that stipulates its acceptance after a sustainable cessation of the war. He will market this matter within the Israeli scene... but will Hamas accept that?

In the estimation of the head of the Department of Political Science at Hebron University, the United States needs to put pressure on the deep institutions rooted in Israel, such as the Internal Security Services ( Shin Bet ) and the Intelligence Services ( Mossad ). He stressed that the Americans' pressure on Netanyahu personally is useless, because he is trying to use this matter to his advantage, as he tells his supporters on the extreme right that the American ally left him halfway.

It is noteworthy that Netanyahu rejected - today, Sunday - an American call to hold early elections. In an interview with CNN, he commented on the severe criticism directed at him by the leader of the Democratic majority in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, last Thursday. Schumer called - in a speech to Congress - for new elections in Israel and described the Israeli Prime Minister as an obstacle. In front of peace, and later US President Biden praised his speech and described it as good.

Israeli Army Radio had announced that the Chief of Staff would conduct - today, Monday - a campaign of appointments in the army for officers with the rank of colonel, including the appointment of 52 new officers, including two in sensitive positions related to their direct relationship to the war in Gaza and the October 7 failure of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Launched by the Palestinian resistance led by the Al-Qassam Brigades. Israeli Army Radio said that the two positions are the army's Southern Command intelligence officer, and the head of the Coordination and Liaison Department, who is responsible for bringing aid into Gaza.

Hebrew media reported that the Israeli War Council session yesterday evening, Sunday, witnessed a sharp disagreement regarding the issue of appointments in the Israeli army. The Hebrew channel "N12" reported that Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticized the issue of appointments, saying: "The Israeli army and those heading it have failed, not only at the tactical and operational level, but also at the intellectual level." Halevy says that stopping appointments will harm his work, but Smotrich, in return, accused the chiefs of staff of the Israeli army of failure and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to intervene to prevent the upcoming military appointments.

Smotrich said in a letter to Netanyahu that preoccupation with appointments during the war is very dangerous, because it means forming the army according to the vision of the current chiefs of staff who have failed in their mission, adding that the current leadership of the army has only one mandate, which is to win the war, he said.

Smotrich added: "The general staff is the one who shapes the character of the leaders, and the current round of appointments must be carried out by the next general staff. This general staff has failed, so there is only support for him to use force." Smotrich continued his criticism by demanding: "It is not possible for the police commissioner not to be able to make appointments."

In turn, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir entered the line and attacked Defense Minister Yoav Gallant , according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, which said that he attacked his behavior and considered that he was working independently of the government, reminding Netanyahu that he was Gallants boss and that it is unreasonable for him to let him do this. Whatever he wants, the newspaper reported.

For his part, Defense Minister Yoav Galant responded to Smotrich, saying: If you address this, then look at reality completely. How can the Israeli army, which failed, rise from the most difficult place and act as a role model? The Israeli army is achieving the achievements that we are proud of... You are harming security. Israel is undermining the security system for political reasons only. This is always dangerous, especially during war, allowing anyone to turn the Israeli army into a militia in the service of this official or another.

Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter and War Council Minister Benny Gantz joined Gallant in criticizing Smotrich. Gantz accused Smotrich of delegitimizing the army, while Dichter said: The most important infrastructure for the Israeli army is appointing leaders, especially after October 7, and you are harming this. While Minister Shasha Biton added: All you care about is politics.

For his part, Prime Minister Netanyahu joined Gallant's position by saying: "No party can interfere with appointments." Another controversy occurred in the cabinet session after National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir attacked the government's judicial advisor, Galli Bhara Meara, during the session. During the meeting, Ben Gvir raised the issue of appointments in the police, and asked why senior commanders could be appointed in the army but a similar round of appointments could not be made in the police.

Yitzhak Brik, a retired IDF major general from the occupation army, said, We lost the war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and the home front is not prepared for a wide regional war. He added, in an article in the Hebrew newspaper Maariv, that "You cannot lie to many people for a long time. What is happening in the Gaza Strip and against Hezbollah in Lebanon will explode in our faces sooner or later, and then the truth will be revealed with all its secrets." He warned that the occupation's internal front is not prepared for a regional war that would be thousands of times more difficult and dangerous than the war in the Gaza Strip.

He pointed out that occupation soldiers "are killed and seriously injured every day by booby traps and explosives when they enter booby-trapped houses, without any inspection and without taking appropriate measures before entering." He described the occupation chief of staff, Halevy, as disconnected from reality and lost control of the land a long time ago. He even appointed colonels and lieutenants in his likeness and image.

He added: "This is the most dangerous scandal since the founding of the army. The Chief of Staff has failed and it is the most serious failure since the founding of the state. Instead of taking responsibility for it and resigning, he decided to reinforce the generation of chaos and failure that he heads with his generals who are partners in the failure." He believed that if the military and political levels continued in this manner, "we will find ourselves in a much worse situation than the situation was before the start of the attack on the Gaza Strip."

He added: "We will lose the achievements we have achieved, we will not achieve the two goals of the war, and we will continue to pay a very high price for the loss of our soldiers even in the areas that we declared to be under our control." He explained: "We have lost the war with Hamas, and we are losing our allies in the world at an astonishing rate. The goal of completely eliminating Hamas has been removed from the agenda, and we have not returned the kidnapped people alive yet."

The former general added: The maneuver in Gaza, which was cheered by the entire people of Israel, did not stand the test and did not achieve the result that everyone had hoped for. He added: "The soldiers fought bravely, but the Minister of the Army and the Chief of Staff managed the war with a tactical vision and not a strategic vision, and the war cannot be won only in tactical battles." He stressed, "If we are not able to return some of the kidnapped people alive, this war will enter the public consciousness as the worst failure in Israel's wars since its founding, whether in terms of the terrible blow we received from Hamas on October 7 or the painful failure to fight in the Gaza Strip." Gaza".

An army, whose soldiers are stuck in the sands of Gaza, and whose leaders are lost between negotiating decisions and attempts to continue the military operation, in light of internal and external pressures; The American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal , considered that the Israeli army is detained in the Gaza Strip . Despite its intention to enter the city of Rafah in the south, it is practically unable to do so without providing safe exits for more than one and a half million civilians gathered in the city.

The newspaper considered that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus approval of the plans to attack Rafah carries potential risks for the already tense relationship with the United States. Relationships that President Biden described at the beginning of the Israeli aggression as unbreakable, but American support for Netanyahu quickly eroded. Biden showed erosion by supporting the call for new elections in the entity to succeed Netanyahu.

On the other hand, the army reduced its military divisions stationed throughout Gaza to one division. The IDF moved to focus on destroying Hamas infrastructure, a daunting task that could take an entire year, according to Israeli military personnel, while the newspaper considered that the ongoing operations indicate the extent of the difficulty that Tel Aviv may face in attempts to subjugate Hamas, with Hamas strategy shifting from continuous defense. To set up ambushes and disrupt Israeli forces.

The Israeli government appears to be in a real dilemma, according to Israeli experts, while Netanyahu is living perhaps his worst nightmare, in light of the conflict between his personal interests and the interests of the White House administration in entering the city of Rafah under any circumstances and at any price.

American sources revealed that President Joe Biden's administration admitted, in a secret meeting at the White House, that Israel repeatedly bombed buildings in the Gaza Strip without confirming that they were purely military targets. According to what the Washington Post reported from sources, senior American officials admitted in a private meeting at the White House in October 2023 that the Israeli army carried out attacks without having reliable information about the legitimacy of the selected targets.

In addition, a panel of foreign policy officials from current and previous US administrations also discussed Israel's apparent lack of a plan to "defeat Hamas." A source familiar with the meeting told the newspaper: We did not have a clear understanding at all that Israel had a military goal that could be achieved. From the beginning there was a feeling that we did not know how Israel would implement what it thought it would do. As the newspaper points out, the meeting, which was not previously announced publicly, indicates that the contradictions between the Joe Biden administrations true position toward Israels actions and its official declared position arose much earlier than it was revealed to the public.

Senior security officials in Tel Aviv are concerned that the United States may slow arms shipments to Israel, Israel Hayom reported. According to sources familiar with the details: Since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas (October 7), there has been no slowdown in arms shipments by Washington to Israel, but in recent days concerns have increased about their supplies amid growing tension between senior Biden administration officials and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Regarding the war effort in the Gaza Strip.

According to the sources, The United States can ostensibly conduct business as usual, but in reality it slows down shipments by creating numerous bureaucratic hurdles without explicitly saying that it is delaying deliveries. Since the beginning of the war, more than 300 aircraft and about 50 ships carrying ammunition and military equipment containing about 35,000 tons of weapons systems, ammunition and other weapons have arrived in Israel, according to the Hebrew newspaper.

The newspaper revealed that "a small portion of the shipments come from several countries around the world, but the main supplier was and remains the United States. Arms shipments and clear American support for Israel have allowed the Israeli army to fight in Gaza during the past five months while maintaining its readiness for war in the north." .

Israel Hayom said: The concern of the security establishment in Israel over this issue has increased in recent days amid what appears to be a shift in policy from the White House, which is trying to distinguish between its support for the State of Israel and its citizens and its support for the Netanyahu government.

Several days ago, the Democratic leader in the US Senate, Chuck Schumer, said, Netanyahu lost his way and put himself in a coalition with right-wing extremists like Ben Gvir, and called for new elections in Israel. Schumer later received support from Biden, who said he "gave a good speech." Netanyahu responded in the US media and Sunday by emphasizing in the Cabinet session that in the international community there are those who are trying to stop the war now before all its goals are achieved. They are doing so through an effort to hold elections, and now in the midst of war.

He added, in a not-so-veiled criticism of the United States: To our friends in the international community, I say: Is your memory so short? Have you forgotten so quickly on October 7, the most horrific massacre committed against the Jews since the Holocaust? According to the newspaper. The newspaper added: Despite Netanyahus words, Israeli officials realize that they must maintain American support, and they cannot continue fighting in Gaza and prepare for war in the north without American arms shipments.

The White House said that US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held telephone discussions on Monday, which discussed developments in the war and humanitarian aid provided to Gaza. This is the first call between Biden and Netanyahu in more than a month, after the last time on February 15, amid increasing disagreements over Israels management of the war. The White House said in a statement on Monday that they "discussed the latest developments in Israel and Gaza, including the situation in Rafah and efforts to increase humanitarian assistance to Gaza."

A statement by Netanyahu said that he spoke with Biden about achieving the goals of the Gaza war and providing the necessary humanitarian aid. The Israeli Prime Minister said, in a recorded video: I spoke with the President of the United States, Joe Biden, about the latest developments in the war, including Israels commitment to achieving all the goals of the war: eliminating Hamas, releasing all hostages, and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. Now, with the provision of the necessary humanitarian aid that helps achieve these goals.

Biden warned against the attack on the city of Rafah in southern Gaza, saying, Israel should not carry out a military operation in Rafah without an honest plan to protect more than a million refugee citizens there. Biden's comments came amid United Nations warnings of an imminent famine in Gaza. Amid disagreements over the management of the war, Netanyahu rejected pressure from Washington, and recently confirmed that Israel would proceed with its plans to launch an attack on Rafah.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Monday that Israel will send a team to discuss the possible operation in Rafah. Sullivan explained that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed US President Joe Biden in a phone call today that he would send a joint team to Washington to discuss the possible military operation in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. Sullivan added in a press conference, Biden expressed to Netanyahu his concern about the possible Israeli attack on Rafah, and stressed the United States support for Israels security.

The US National Security Advisor pointed out that Rafah is an important point for aid crossing, and attacking it will stop this aid, describing the United Nations report on the famine in the Gaza Strip as worrying. He said, "The number of innocent civilians who have died in the current conflict is more than in all of Gaza's wars combined," and pointed out that "Hamas can end the crisis tomorrow if it wants to." He added, "Reaching a ceasefire agreement is more difficult than the United States had hoped."

Sullivan also underscored that the U.S. recognizes Israel's security concerns and is open to discussing alternative strategies to achieve its objectives in Rafah. Biden suggested sending an interagency team to Washington to explore alternative approaches targeting key Hamas elements and securing the Egypt-Gaza border without resorting to a major ground invasion. Sullivan highlighted Netanyahu's willingness to engage in discussions, stating, "Obviously, [Netanyahu] has his own point of view on a Rafah operation, but he agreed that he would send a team to Washington to have this discussion, and we look forward to those discussions."

Operation Iron Swords - By the Numbers

73,792 Gazans injured, 28% adult male

40,000 Gazans killed, including buried under rubble

33,000 Gaza targets attacked

31,726 Gazans martyred

15,000 rocket launched from Gaza

14,793 Israelis were injured [i24 TV]

13,430 Gazan children martyred

13,000 HAMAS combatants killed [N12]

12,000 HAMAS combatants killed [IDF]

11,000 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank in 2023

9,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons

9,000 IDF psychological assistance

9,000 Gazan women martyred

8,000 Gazans missing under the rubble

7,500 arrested by Israelis in the West Bank since Oct.7th

6,000 HAMAS combatants killed [HAMAS]

5,500 IDF wounded [reports]

4,700 West Bank Palestinians wounded

3,484 administrative detainees

3,400 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria

3,079 IDF wounded [IDF]

1,609 terrorists killed on the first day

1,500 wanted persons arrested throughout Judea and Samaria affiliated with Hamas

1,200 Israelis killed on the first day

591 Israeli officers and soldiers killed

433 West Bank Palestinians martyred

249 Israeli officers and soldiers killed in Gaza

222 Hezbollah fighters killed in Lebanon

126 people recovered, including 91 Israelis, 11 bodies, and 24 foreign workers

116 living hostages in Palestinian custody

50 civilians killed in Lebanon

29 IDF deaths were caused by "friendly fire"

15 Israelis killed in the West Bank and Israel

Many of these numbers fluctate, up and down, with no apparent explanation. This list records the highest number reliably reported for each matter, under the theory that reality with catch up with reports, as is relentlessly the case.

The Palestinian resistance says that the losses of the Israeli forces are much greater than what is announced. Al Jazeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi expressed his conviction that the numbers of dead and wounded announced by Israel cannot represent the truth, due to a discrepancy between the Israeli armys data and the Walla website, which is close to the army itself.

In an interview with RT, Military strategist retired Tunisian Brigadier General Tawfiq Didi said that the number of Israeli army deaths in the Gaza battles is much greater than what Israel announces. Didi explained in an interview with the Best Saying program on RT channel, The number of people killed in battles can be easily known, as the equation in wars is that for every 3 wounded there is a dead person, and the numbers now in Israel hover around 12,500 wounded and disabled people, and when we divide by Three, we find that the death toll exceeds 4,000, especially after eliminating more than a thousand tanks and armored vehicles, and I know what happens when Kornet missiles hit a tank. Its ammunition explodes and no one is left alive.

He added, "The Israelis announce their dead only of those of Jewish origin and of the first race, meaning all Arabs, Falash, and those who are among them. They are not counted because they are of the second category. So I am sure that the number exceeds 4 thousand dead, and this is a very easy military calculation."

He pointed out, "The Palestinian resistance documented everything it did, unlike the Israelis. The resistance documented shooting at tanks and armored vehicles and destroying the houses in which the Israeli soldiers were holed up, and we saw them being killed... We saw the Kornet hitting the tanks, we saw Al-Yassin 105, so the difference is clear."

Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held as hostages in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively. Unlike the roughly 240 people kidnapped in the Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks, the campaign for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed has received little publicity. Mengistu is known to suffer from what HRW deemed "serious" mental health issues. "Avera crossed one of the safest borders in the world, under the eyes of the security services," recalled Gil Elias, a relative. "We're talking about a mentally ill person who got lost." The calls for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed have been barely audible during the many years they have been held captive in Gaza.

Abraham Wyner, Professor of Statistics and Data Science at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, reported 06 March 2024 that : "While the evidence is not dispositive, it is highly suggestive that a process unconnected or loosely connected to reality was used to report the numbers.... Another red flag, raised by Salo Aizenberg and written about extensively, is that if 70% of the casualties are women and children and 25% of the population is adult male, then either Israel is not successfully eliminating Hamas fighters or adult male casualty counts are extremely low. This by itself strongly suggests that the numbers are at a minimum grossly inaccurate and quite probably outright faked.... Taken together, Hamas is reporting not only that 70% of casualties are women and children but also that 20% are fighters. This is not possible unless Israel is somehow not killing noncombatant men, or else Hamas is claiming that almost all the men in Gaza are Hamas fighters....

"Israel estimates that at least 12,000 fighters have been killed. If that number proves to be even reasonably accurate, then the ratio of noncombatant casualties to combatants is remarkably low: at most 1.4 to 1 and perhaps as low as 1 to 1. By historical standards of urban warfare, where combatants are embedded above and below into civilian population centers, this is a remarkable and successful effort to prevent unnecessary loss of life while fighting an implacable enemy that protects itself with civilians."

This makes perfect sense under a third possibility, namely that the IDF doing a really good job of targeting male combatants, most of whom are in proximity to their families. There are no HAMAS barracks, so everyone lives at home, en famille. Co-habiting extended families are common [hence reports of dozens of family members killed in a single strike]. The HAMAS battalions are organized by neighborhoods, so it would not be surprising that multiple HAMAS combatants live in a single building. So casualties structured as one male combatant, one female cohabitant, and two children are approximately consistent with both expectations and reports.

Lord Roberts of Belgravia (Con) stated 08 February 2024 "My Lords, even if we were to take as accurate Hamass statistics and the 27,500 figure  there is no reason why we should; we do not do that with Putin or ISIS  if one subtracts the number of Gazans who have been killed by the quarter or so of the Islamic Jihad and Hamas rockets that fall short, one is left with a less than 2:1 ratio of civilians to Hamas terrorists killed, of whom there have been more than 9,000 so far. War is hell, and every individual civilian death is a tragedy, but  I speak as a military historian  less than 2:1 is an astonishingly low ratio for modern urban warfare where the terrorists routinely use civilians as human shields. It is a testament to the professionalism, ethics and values of the Israel Defense Forces."

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Russo-Ukraine War - 18 March 2024 - Day 753

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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 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that on March 18, there were 56x tactical engagements.

Russian forces launched a total of 5x missile and 55x air strikes, 60x MLRS attacks on positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have killed and wounded civilians. Residential apartment blocks and private houses got destroyed and damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the russian areas bordering Ukraine. Russian troops conduct subversion in order to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to threatened axes. Russia continues shelling of Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the concentration of mining operations along the state border of Ukraine. The Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinities of Velyka Pysarivka, Lukashivka, Ponomarenky, (Sumy oblast). More than 20x settlements came under Russian artillery and mortar fire, including Klyusy, Prohres (Chernihiv oblast), Kruzhok, Atyns'ke, Katerynivka, Vodolahy, Myropillya, Ponomarenky (Sumy oblast), Hur'iv Kozachok, Hatyshche, Vovchans'k, Bochkove, Budarky, Ambarne (Kharkiv oblast).

Kup'yans'k axis: the Russian adversary conducted 3x unsuccessful assaults on positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the vicinity of Syn'kivka (Kharkiv oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 4x assaults in the vicinity of Terny (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 15x settlements, including Nevs'ke, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Tors'ke, Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Spirne, Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x attacks in the vicinities of Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Rozdolivka (Donetsk oblast). Around 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Mykolaivka, Vasyukivka, Bohdanivka, Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, New York (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x attacks in the vicinities of Berdychi, Tonen'ke, Orlivka, Nevel's'ke (Donetsk oblast). The Russian occupiers launched air strikes in the vicinities of Ocheretyne and Novobakhmutivka (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Prohres, Vovche, Zhelanne, Myrnohrad, Novohrodivka, Umans'ke (Donetsk oblast).

Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to block Russian forces near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Vodyane, Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the Russian invaders, using air attacks, made 21x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka, Velyka Novosilka. Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Berestky, Kostyantynivka, Antonivka, Katerynivka, Zolota Nyva, Blahodatne (Donetsk oblast).

Orikhiv axis: Russian forces, using air attacks, conducted 7x attacks on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 15x settlements, including Malynivka, Hulyaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka, Mali Shcherbaky, Prymors'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Kherson axis: Russian forces conducted 3x assaults on positions of Ukrainian defenders on the left bank of the Dnipro. More than 10x settlements, including Burhunka, L'vove, Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Novotyahynka, Tokarivka (Kherson oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

On March 18, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 6x concentrations of Russian troops, weapons and military equipment.

The Ukrainian Missile Forces hit 1x air defense system of the Russian invaders.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery inflicted losses on enemy units near Sinkovka (Kharkov region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 60 Ukrainian troops, four motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, one D-30 howitzer, and one Grad MLRS combat vehicle.

In Belgorod direction, Russian units inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 105th, 120th territorial defence brigades, and struck militants of the Ukrainian Russian Volunteer Corps (RVS) terrorist formations near Popovka, Lukashovka, Velikaya Pisaryovka (Sumy region) and Staritsa (Kharkov region).

Moreover, Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance units attempts to infiltrate the State border of the Russian federation from the side of Ukraine were foiled near Kozinka (Belgorod region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 150 Ukrainian troops and militants killed and wounded, two tanks, three motor vehicles, and one Czech-made Vampire MLRS combat vehicle.

In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on units of the AFU 80th, 93rd mechanised brigades, 81st Airmobile Brigade, 79th Air Assault Brigade, and 241st Territorial Defence Brigade near Maksimilyanovka, Kleshcheyevka, and Krasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

One attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 46th Airmobile Brigade was repelled near Krasnogorovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 380 Ukrainian troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carrier, and four motor vehicles.

In Avdeyevka direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware clusters of the AFU 59th Motorised Rifle Brigade, 31st, 47th, and 53rd mechanised brigades near Netaylovo, Umanskoye, Ocheretino, and Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

Seven attacks and counter-attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 24th, 47th mechanised brigades, and 78th Air Assault Brigade were repelled near Kirovo, Orlovka, Berdichi, Semenovka, and Tonenkoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 295 Ukrainian troops, two infantry fighting vehicles, three armoured fighting vehicles, nine motor vehicles, and one UK-made FH-70 howitzer.

In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces took more advantageous lines, inflicted losses on units of the AFU 128th Territorial Defence Brigade near Shakhterskoye, and repelled one attack launched by an assault detachment of the AFU 58th Motorised Rifle Brigade near Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 130 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armoured personnel carriers, and four motor vehicles.

In Kherson direction, as a result of actions of the Dnepr Group of Forces' units, losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of the AFU 128th Mountain Assault Brigade and 28th Mechanised Brigade near Stepnogorsk and Sherbaki (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 55 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, one D-20 howitzer, and two Gvozdika self-propelled artillery systems.

Operational-Tactical and Army Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces delivered strikes at the location of a meeting of the commanders of the Ukrainian Security Service and Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 137 areas during the day.

Air defence units shot down one Ukrainian Air Force Mi-8 helicopter, 143 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, 22 Grad and Vampire MLRS projectiles, three Uragan MLRS projectiles, and one HIMARS MLRS projectile.

In total, 577 airplanes and 270 helicopters, 15,992 unmanned aerial vehicles, 486 air defence missile systems, 15,521 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,243 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 8,440 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 19,910 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.





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Joint Statement on the Inaugural United States-Czech Republic Cyber Dialogue

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

March 18, 2024

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Czech Republic on the occasion of the Inaugural 2024 United States-Czech Republic Cyber Dialogue.

Begin text:

The Czech Republic and the United States held their inaugural bilateral Cyber Dialogue on March 18, 2024, in Prague, Czech Republic on the margins of the Prague Cyber Security Conference. The Czech Republic and the United States noted the fifth anniversary of the endorsement of the Prague Proposals which represented a significant milestone in promoting the secure development of next-generation networks worldwide. The Czech Republic and the United States reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing trusted Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure, including in the context of 6G networks and undersea cables.

U.S. and Czech officials covered a wide range of cyber and digital issues. Both sides reiterated their commitment to promote an open, free, global, interoperable, secure, and reliable Internet and a stable cyberspace, and to protect and respect human rights online. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to counter authoritarian state actors' malign behavior in cyberspace.

Officials stressed the importance of protecting the information-integrity environment and protecting against all forms of its erosion. They discussed the importance of building safeguards in digital public infrastructure to protect user safety and privacy while promoting inclusivity. Officials also exchanged best practices about protecting children in the digital space.

Both sides noted growing malicious cyber activities from state and non-state actors against critical infrastructure. The United States and the Czech Republic exchanged views on recent developments in national strategies and policies. Both sides discussed avenues for increasing collaboration, including by strengthening information sharing between Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) on cyber threats and vulnerabilities, collaborating on cyber exercises, addressing the risks posed by AI in the context of cybersecurity, and confronting the challenges of quantum-resistant cryptography.

Underlying the serious threat posed by ransomware, both sides discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in countering cybercrime and disruption of malicious cyber actors, including within the International Counter Ransomware Initiative. The Czech Republic recalled its recent participation in operation DYING EMBER, an international effort to remediate over a thousand compromised routers belonging to unsuspecting victims in the United States and around the world that were targeted by malicious, nation state actors in Russia to facilitate their strategic intelligence collection. Both sides discussed mutual actions to reinforce deterrence posture, including development of cyber capabilities, preparedness in cyberspace, and attribution of malicious cyber behavior.

The United States and the Czech Republic underscored the importance of transatlantic cooperation in emerging and disruptive technologies. The sides decided to expand bilateral cooperation with a particular emphasis on AI and quantum technologies, including in the field of research and development in quantum sciences and quantum computing, and to explore new avenues for bilateral engagement of their respective research institutions and industries. Both sides also exchanged views on relevant regulatory approaches in the field of AI and decided to continue collaboration on promoting responsible AI innovation that respect human rights, safety, and shared democratic values, including within the Global Partnership on AI.

On cyber diplomacy, both sides discussed the progress of the Open-Ended Working Group on the Use of ICTs in the context of international security, the status of the Ad Hoc Committee on Cybercrime, and the commitment to continue collaboration in international organizations. The United States and the Czech Republic decided to further coordinate efforts on resilience and cyber capacity building in other countries and regions, including but not limited, to Ukraine, the Western Balkans, Latin American and Caribbean regions, as well as the Indo-Pacific.

Jennifer Bachus, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the U.S. Department of State and Katerina Sequensova, Director General for Non-European Countries, Economic and Development Cooperation launched the dialogue with opening remarks that highlighted the U.S-Czech Republic relationship and cooperation on cyber and digital issues. The dialogue was chaired by Liesyl Franz, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cyberspace Security for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the U.S. Department of State, and Ambassador Richard Kadlcak, Special Envoy for Cyberspace at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The United States was also represented by the Department of Homeland Security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, the Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Communications Commission, the National Security Agency, and the Department of Commerce. The Czech Republic was represented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Cyber and Information Security Agency, Office of the Government, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Prosecutor General's Office, National Organized Crime Agency, National Centre for Terrorism, Extremism and Cyber Crime, Ministry of Defense, Cyber Forces Command and intelligence agencies.

End text.

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Growing Coalition of Governments Join the U.S. In Countering the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware

US Department of State

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

March 18, 2024

Today, at the third Summit for Democracy in Seoul, South Korea, Secretary Blinken announced that Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Poland, and the Republic of Korea have joined the Joint Statement on Efforts to Counter the Proliferation and Misuse of Commercial Spyware, launched by an inaugural group of 11 like-minded countries at the second Summit for Democracy. The Joint Statement collectively affirms the threat posed by the misuse of commercial spyware, and countries commit to working within their domestic systems to establish robust guardrails to counter the proliferation and misuse of this sophisticated surveillance technology.

The United States' flagship side event at the third Summit for Democracy, "Galvanizing Multi-Stakeholder Action to Combat the Misuse of Commercial Spyware," highlighted the new Joint Statement countries and, for the first time, provided a platform for a victim of commercial spyware to share his experiences with ministers and other high-level participants from across the globe. The event also featured an investigative journalist and representatives from a technology company and the investor community.

On March 19, the second day of the Summit, the Joint Statement countries will meet in person for the first time. It will be an opportunity to share best practices and lessons learned, and identify opportunities to most effectively counter the misuse of commercial spyware.

At the second Summit for Democracy in March 2023, the United States announced key initial actions related to commercial spyware:

President Biden signed the ground-breaking Executive Order Prohibiting the Use of Commercial Spyware that Poses Risks to National Security to restrict U.S. Government use of commercial spyware, which reflects the United States' commitment to lead by example;

The U.S. Government released, along with over 45 countries, new Guiding Principles on Government Use of Surveillance Technologies [275 KB], which illustrate how governments can maintain their commitment to respect democratic values and protect human rights in the responsible use of surveillance technology.

Over the past year, the United States has implemented a government-wide approach to counter the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware, including

On March 7, 2024, the White House convened members of the investor community, for the first time, for a dialogue on responsible investment of trusted capital in a number of domains with national security implications, including commercial spyware, artificial intelligence, and cyber, among others. At this event, the investors announced a set of voluntary principles and commitments to guide investments in ways that promote the values of free and open societies;

On March 5, 2024, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions on five entities and two individuals involved with commercial spyware entities that pose a counterintelligence threat to U.S. Government personnel and have flouted calls for safeguards while continuing to enable human rights abuses. This is the first time that the U.S. Government has applied sanctions to actors involved in commercial spyware misuse;

On February 6, 2024, the United States joined the United Kingdom-France-led Pall-Mall Process which brought together international partners and stakeholders to address the proliferation and irresponsible use of commercial cyber intrusion tools and services;

On February 5, 2024, the Department of State announced a new visa ban policy to block entry to the United States for individuals involved in or who profited from the misuse of commercial spyware;

On October 4, 2023, the State Department worked with 59 other countries at the Human Rights Council in Geneva to issue a joint statement on Heightened Risks Associated with Surveillance Technologies & the Importance of Safeguards;

On July 18, 2023, the Department of Commerce imposed export controls on four commercial spyware entities for engaging in trafficking in cyber exploits used to gain access to information systems, threatening the privacy and security of individuals and organizations worldwide.

Taken together, these actions demonstrate U.S. leadership in countering the threats posed by the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware and send a strong signal that those who misuse, or enable the misuse, of this technology will face consequences.

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Background Press Call on U.S. Efforts to Counter Misuse of Commercial Spyware and the Third Summit for Democracy

March 18, 2024

National Security Council

Via Teleconference

9:02 A.M. EDT

MODERATOR: Hello, everyone, and good morning. Thank you for joining us today. This is Jessica Kosmider with the NSC press team, and I'll be facilitating today's call.

As a reminder, this call is on background, attributable to senior administration officials.

Not for your reporting, but for your information, today on the line we have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official].

We'll try to get to as many questions as we can in the time that we have available. Please keep your phones on mute unless you're called on for a question.

With that, I'll turn it over to senior administration official number one for any opening comments.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Hey, everybody. Thanks for taking the time. We're joining extremely jetlagged here in South Korea.

But we just concluded a successful first day of the Summit for Democracy that South Korea is hosting this year. And an important focus for the United States and for many of the countries present was countering the misuse of commercial spyware.

So we wanted to just bring to your attention a few developments and a few events that we had here that I think are a powerful reflection of the shifts happening in this domain.

The first is that we announced the addition of six new countries to the joint diplomatic statement that we first unveiled a year ago at the second Summit for Democracy. This joint statement, which is the first of its kind, outlines a shared vision of the threat posed by the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware, and outlines both individual and collective actions that governments are prepared to take.

And at the summit, in remarks that Secretary of State Antony Blinken provided, he announced that six new governments a Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Poland a have also joined the joint statement, which now means that the coalition has grown to 17 likeminded governments that are focused on countering the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware.

The Secretary of State also held a photo with representatives from the joint statement countries, including the new countries. And the United States also hosted a signature side event at the conference, the only one today during the ministerial portion of the Summit for Democracy, where we held a panel with four representatives from different parts of a there's essentially four different stakeholders in this area, including a journalist who was a target of commercial spyware a his name is Ricardo Avelar from El Salvador; a reporter from Lebanon, Alia Ibrahim, who was part of the founding group of reporters around the Pegasus files from 2021; representative from the investor community, Jamil Jaffer, from Paladin Capital Group. After, they and several other investors outlined voluntary principles and commitments around the responsible use of trusted capital. And we also had Shane Huntley, the head of Google's Threat Analysis Group.

And they all outlined work happening in their respective domains that are all converging now, a year since the last Summit for Democracy, where all of these different stakeholder groups are all rowing in the same direction in both recognizing the risks and the threats posed by the misuse of commercial spyware, but also recommending concrete actions that are aligning between all of these communities.

We also had, in a very powerful set of remarks, the Polish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs speak at the end of the event, explaining why Poland, since they are wrestling with the fallout of commercial spyware use within their own country, are signing on to the joint statement. And it was both moving and powerful to see the Deputy Foreign Minister outline the reasons why Poland is both committed to the principles outlined in the joint statement, but also noted that he heard echoes of what his country has gone through in what some of the panelists outlined during the preceding panel.

And finally, what we would also emphasize, as we thought today was also a powerful reflection of concrete action that the United States has taken, including recent steps, like a visa ban policy that the Secretary of State announced a few weeks ago and U.S. financial sanctions that the U.S. Treasury Department imposed on a number of commercial spyware vendors and two individuals a demonstrate that there's growing momentum in this space but also that there's more room for collective action. And this will be a focus of ours moving forward.

So I'll pause there.

MODERATOR: Thank you. For anyone who would like to ask any questions, please raise your hand and I will start calling on folks in quick order here.

First up, we'll go with Chris Bing. I am going to a you should be able to unmute yourself here.

Q Thanks for the update. And good luck on your trip to South Korea.

Yeah, I just wanted to ask, I guess, a few questions. First, what is the feedback that you've been receiving from other Western nations in terms of some sort of agreed-upon framework when it comes to exportation of spyware? Are countries eager to put something in paper? In the past, it's been hard to get to a combined agreement or even framework due to how these tools are used for law enforcement purposes as well.

And then the second question I wanted to ask you was: To what degree is the NSC and the administration looking at controls or the issue of the exportation of exploit code by American developers overseas to some of these companies? This is a component of the ecosystem that isn't talked about very much but there is still sale of exploits and zero days from American researchers abroad. Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks, Chris. So, first, I would note that, you know, the joint statement outlines a series of steps that governments that sign on should be looking to take both individually, including with regard to export controls, as well as collectively.

You may have seen that among the countries that have signed on, Ireland also joined. And Ireland also put out a statement today, in case you haven't seen, explaining their commitment to adhering to this. And this was done in recognition of the fact that a number of spyware vendors have sought to use Ireland as a place a essentially as a financial pass-through for some of their activities. And you may have seen that the Treasury Department actually placed two entities that were domiciled in Ireland a placed financial sanctions on them just a couple of weeks ago.

So I think what we're trying to do is very deliberately build out a group of likeminded countries, including some in Western Europe but also beyond that. So, you know, I think notable that we have Japan and the Republic of Korea that have also joined the statement. And this is going to allow us to actually begin those conversations and to grow the number of countries.

We're actually going to be convening all the joint statement countries tomorrow, during the second day of the summit. This will be the first in-person convening where we're going to be talking exactly about these steps that we can take and the lessons learned to see if we can galvanize more collective action.

On the second issue regarding the exploit market, what I will say is that the United States actually joined and signed on to something called the Pall Mall Process, if you're familiar with it, that the UK and France initiated, which is a recognition that there are a broader set of issues that we also want to begin looking at addressing.

One thing, though, that we've been very clear about is we want to make sure that we are able to take concrete and impactful measures. And we have been able to do so with regard to the commercial spyware vendors themselves, but we are looking at what impactful actions we might be able to take in other domains, but to do it in a collective fashion, which is why we are having those conversations with some of our partners through this Pall Mall Process.

MODERATOR: Thanks, Chris. Again, if anyone would like to ask any questions, please raise your hand and I'll be able to unmute you. Thanks.

All right, if we don't have any additional questions a oh, Chris Bing from Reuters. If you'd like to do a follow-up, that's a

Q Yes, that'd be great. I'm happy to keep it going.

Two things that are interrelated. One, is there any representation a I haven't seen the full list of representative countries, but is there any representation from the Gulf, from Israel or India? The first question.

And the second is: Have you had a chance to speak with some of the large vendors, specifically Google and Apple, while working on policy? It's our understanding that Apple is looking at changing how it does its threat notifications, so to victims who have been targeted with spyware in the aftermath of an angry response that they received from the Indian government. And we could see changes to that notification process as soon as this week. And so I wanted to get your take on that if you're tracking at all.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sorry, can you clarify? So what are the changes that you're noting?

Q Yeah. So, in particular, the Apple threat notification process. I'm sure you're familiar with it. Typically, the message that one would receive after they've been targeted and Apple was aware, it would say that you had been a target of state-sponsored hacking. That a there will be a change in edit, which cuts out "state-sponsored," in response, it is our understanding, to the anger that Apple faced by the Indian government following their last round of notifications.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, so on that note, I can't speak, obviously, to what Apple may or may not be doing. What I can say is that, you know, we had a representative from Google on our panel who spoke very powerfully about the effort by his company and others in this space to identify and expose commercial spyware misuse. And in particular, he cited work done a published in our recent report you would likely have seen by the threat analysis group at Google.

And this was a common theme, essentially, that, you know, dogged reporting, civil society work, and tech companies are all committed and working to identify and expose commercial spyware misuse, which I think is going to be a feature moving forward. We highlighted, for example, the fact that leading philanthropies are donating a have identified money for civil society organizations to continue their work, including donations in part provided by Apple. So you may have seen the Ford Foundation announce a $4 million donation a couple of weeks ago. So that was something that was also highlighted.

And, you know, the notifications provided by Apple and others are vital, and they have informed a lot of our work and work by groups around the world. But I obviously can't speak to any changes that may or may not be happening.

Your first question again, if you don't mind?

Q Yeah, not a problem. I have not seen the full roster of countries that are engaged in the Democracy Summit or in some of these spyware conversations recently, and I asked if there had been representation from Gulf countries, India or Israel.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, so both India and Israel did have representatives at the summit.

Q Okay. Great. Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: (Inaudible.) Sorry, in the ongoing summit. Yeah.

MODERATOR: All right. Next up, we're going to go to Lorenzo from TechCrunch. You should be able to unmute yourself.

Q Hi, everyone. Thank you for doing this. You briefly mentioned that Paladin Group and other investor groups are involved in this process. Can you expand a little bit about that? Like, what are they committing to?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Sure. And obviously, I would point you to Paladin. And I think our press team might be able to connect you with their representative, Jamil Jaffer.

But Paladin and several others a investors a came to the White House a couple of weeks ago and outlined for us voluntary principles and commitments regarding trusted capital and the investment of trusted capital in a variety of technology domains that include a and a big feature of the conversation with them was on commercial spyware but also AI, cybersecurity.

So Mr. Jaffer was on the panel as well. And for us, it was an important first step in having an investor outline both the recognition that investments should not be going towards companies that are undertaking or selling products and selling to clients that could undermine free and fair societies, but also a recognition that the U.S. government is not prepared to do business with companies, through our executive order, that are engaged in selling products that could pose a counterintelligence threat on the one hand, but also can enable human rights abuses around the world and threaten the privacy of Americans.

So they have put out these voluntary principles that we can point you to.

MODERATOR: Thank you. Next up, we'll go to Rishi from CNN. Rishi, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q Hi. I'm actually with Foreign Policy Magazine. I don't know a

MODERATOR: Oh, I'm so sorry, Rishi. My bad.

Q No, no, that's fine. I used to work at CNN, so maybe there was some old a something that came in somewhere.

But anyway, thanks for taking my question. My question is: I believe you said 17 countries have signed on between, like, the 11 last year and then 6 more this year. What is your sense a what reasons have, sort of, countries given for joining this?

And can you talk a little bit more about the countries that haven't joined and what the administration a whether the administration is doing anything to sort of pressure or convince other democracies in particular to sign on to these agreements?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Thanks for your question. So we've actually taken a very deliberate approach to engaging likeminded partners and gradually growing the number of countries that are committed to the commitments in the joint statement. And the reason is that we want to ensure the integrity of this joint statement that it is a vehicle for countries to act, both domestically and collectively, to share information.

And we're also very conscious that we don't want it to be, essentially, a statement that can serve to whitewash reputations by countries that may be either misusing the tools themselves or serve as hosts for vendors that enable misuse and human rights abuses.

So that's why we had initiated deliberate engagements prior to the last Summit for Democracy that ultimately led us to join with 10 others for a total of 11 countries. And we announced it during the second Summit for Democracy. And similarly, since then, we started having careful conversations with a number of countries that ultimately led us and led these six a so, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Poland a to join. And each have different reasons for doing so.

I think the Republic of Ireland a sorry, for Ireland, I would point you to what they put on their website. They posted today, actually, a statement explaining their commitment.

Poland: They have been very clear that in light of the challenges they have faced within their own country, this reinforced their desire to be part of a coalition looking to counter the misuse because they have seen the effects a kind of the corrosive effects within their own society and their own political system of the misuse of spyware.

And in that, I would a you know, I'd obviously point you to the other countries, but I think there is what is an increasing shared understanding that the unregulated spread of these really sophisticated tools can have corrosive effects domestically but also can create longer-term problems if they're not regulated within particular countries.

So I think as a result, we have this kind of shared understanding that we are now growing over time. And it is quite remarkable: If you look back two years ago, there was nothing of the sort. You know, over the past two years, we have built a coalition that, again, is very careful, very deliberate, and I think is reaffirmation that a sorry, an affirmation that we are building momentum in this space.

Q Thanks. Just a real quick follow-up.

MODERATOR: Last question we'll have Jonathan from The Record. Jonathan, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q Hi. CNN reported last night that there's a new batch of U.S. government officials who have been hit with spyware. Could you talk about that? And is it more than 10? Is it a handful? And how long ago were these people targeted with spyware?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Hey, Jonathan. Unfortunately, I'm not able to speak to that. What I can tell you, though, is that beginning two years ago and ever since, we have been very focused on understanding the extent to which U.S. personnel and their family members may be targeted by commercial spyware. And that's based on a recognition that governments that acquire this sort of sophisticated surveillance technology more likely than not will first use it against their own populations but, secondarily, may use it against diplomats and others from the United States or other governments, either to surveil them or also to understand who from their own societies are talking with these diplomats in their country.

So, all I can say is that we are intensely focused on better understanding the extent to which U.S. government personnel and their family members may be targeted.

MODERATOR: All right. Thanks, [senior administration official]. Everyone, this is all the time we have today. If you have any follow-up questions, don't hesitate to ask.

As a reminder, this call was on background, attributable to senior administration officials. Thanks so much for joining us.

9:24 A.M. EDT

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Iran among top ten countries in manufacturing satellite, space launch vehicle: Minister

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 8:23 AM

Iran's Minister of Communications and Information Technology Issa Zarepour says the Islamic Republic is among the top 10 countries in manufacturing satellite and space launch vehicle.

Iran is in possession of the base for launching satellite-carrying rockets into space and ground stations to receive data from satellites, Zarepour said in an interview with Iran's Arabic-language television news network Al-Alam TV on Sunday.

Pointing to a significant milestone for Iran's space program after the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, he said, "For example, our space launch vehicles can carry satellites weighing up to 200 kg and place them in orbit."

Iran also plans to send heavier satellites into space in the next 5 years, the minister noted.

Zarepour pointed to significant advancements in the country's space program for the year 1402 and said, "For the first time, Iran succeeded in placing its satellites in a Low Earth orbit, which is at a distance of 450 to 2,000 km from the earth. Iranian satellites are now in space."

In the coming year, Iran plans to work on preparing a group of communications and internet satellites to be sent to space, especially in remote areas, he added.

The minister noted that only two of 12 space launches Iran made in 1402 were carried out by Russia given Moscow's great advancement in space technology.

He said Iran is currently building the largest space base in West Asia in the south of the country whose first phase will be completed by the next year.

Despite sanctions imposed by Western countries in recent years, Iran has taken giant strides in the civilian space program.

Late in February, Iran successfully put into orbit the domestically-built Pars 1 research-sensing satellite. The 134-kilogram satellite was launched by a Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia's far eastern Amur region.

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Chinese FM hails China-New Zealand ties during visit

Global Times

Productive relations with China and staying away from US chessboard vital for Wellington

By Xu Keyue in Beijing and Vicky Hanqi Lu in Wellington Published: Mar 18, 2024 10:49 PM

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with New Zealand prime minister and foreign minister on Monday, where he acknowledged that two sides have set many "first" records, making bilateral relations always at the forefront of China's relations with developed countries, and becoming a valuable asset for both sides to cherish and carry forward.

Wang said during his meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon that China regards New Zealand as a rational and mature cooperative partner, and China-New Zealand relations are of a strategic and long-term nature, according to the statement published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

We are ready to take the opportunity of celebrating the 10th anniversary of our comprehensive strategic partnership with New Zealand to transcend new benchmarks, upgrade our comprehensive strategic partnership, and build relations between countries that are harmonious but different, so as to benefit our two peoples and make new contributions to world peace and development, Wang stated.

China is ready to work with New Zealand to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, resist a Cold War mentality, unilateralism and protectionism, oppose reversing the course of history and safeguard the right direction of human progress, the senior Chinese diplomat said.

Before his meeting with New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters, Wang said in the capital Wellington that in the face of the current tumultuous international situation, China is willing to strengthen strategic communication with friends in New Zealand on international and regional issues of common concern.

Given that the trip marks the start of a diplomatic blitz through New Zealand and Australia, Wang's first visit to either country since 2017, Chinese observers believe that in the trip, the senior Chinese diplomat first visits New Zealand and then Australia demonstrates the significance China attaches to its ties with New Zealand.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong, in an exclusive written interview with the Global Times, said that through this visit, China hopes to work with New Zealand to implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen strategic communication, enhance political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, jointly promote the steady and lasting development of China-New Zealand comprehensive strategic partnership, and make positive contributions to world peace, stability, development and prosperity. The ambassador noted that both sides attach great importance to this visit.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also revealed that Wang Yi and Peters discussed trade, business and security in the Pacific as well as "areas of difference" including human rights and the situation in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Xizang.

"We also highlighted New Zealand and China's shared interest in a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and raised concerns over increased tensions in the South China Sea and Taiwan Straits," according to a statement issued by Peters following the meeting.

Chen Hong, executive director of Asia Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University, urged Wellington to refrain from joining Washington in provoking key issues related to China especially on the Taiwan question as the resolution of the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese.

While a continuous stable development of China-New Zealand ties is under anticipation, Chen warned that the US and some of its allies would try to further instigate tensions and woo New Zealand to follow its anti-China strategy.

The New Zealand Herald pointed out in its latest article on Monday that "from China's perspective, this week's visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment" as Wellington's "potential wavering over AUKUS is an opportunity" for "Beijing to make its case to Wellington."

In New Zealand itself, opposition to the country joining the AUKUS deal also appears to be increasing in intensity.

Many key voices including politicians and businessmen in the Pacific country urged the coalition government to think twice as they pointed out that AUKUS is offensive warfighting alliance against China, and joining such a deal would harm New Zealand's national interests.

China has been New Zealand's biggest two-way trading partner since 2017. Indeed, 10 years ago, the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and New Zealand marked the start of glory days for bilateral trade.

For New Zealand, economic issues are critical, so maintaining productive and constructive relationships with China rather than putting itself on the strategic chessboard of the US is vital for the South Pacific country, Chen stressed.

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34th spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry makes public appearance, used to work in Denmark and Poland

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 18, 2024 06:11 PM

Lin Jian, the newly appointed 34th spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, formally met with Chinese and foreign media reporters and chaired the regular press conference held on Monday.

"Hello, friends from the media. I'm Lin Jian," Lin greeted the reporters after being introduced by his colleague Mao Ning. Lin said that he will learn from his predecessors and colleagues, and work together to elaborate timely and accurately China's diplomatic policies, ideas and actions.

"I hope to communicate with you in a genuinely way and cooperate to promote the mutual understanding between China and the world, helping the world understand China in the new era and making efforts in promoting the peace and development," the new spokesperson said.

Before inaugurating as a deputy director-general of the department of press, communication and public diplomacy of the ministry, Lin has worked at the Chinese Embassy in Denmark, the Chinese Embassy in Poland and at the Department of European Affairs of the ministry.

Lin was graduated from Wuhan Foreign Languages School in Central China's Hubei Province in 1995 and was recommended to the English department of Beijing Foreign Studies University.

After graduation, Lin was selected by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for studies in Denmark and was later assigned to the Political Section of the Chinese Embassy in Denmark. Subsequently, he has held positions such as Political Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Poland and Counselor at the Department of European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to a Hubei-based Changjiang Times, while at the Political Section of the Chinese Embassy in Denmark, Lin researched the host country's policies and trends, producing research reports used for policy analyses. Additionally, he played a role in facilitating some cooperative projects.

Through their research, Lin and his colleagues learned from Denmark's clean energy initiatives, leading to the launch of a bio-intelligent power generation demonstration project in East China's Shandong Province and assisting in establishing the largest Danish wind power company's plant in North China's Tianjin Municipality.

Regarding the frequent changes in his position, Lin said that "in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there's encouragement to become versatile employees, experiencing a variety of jobs."

In 2020, Lin was appointed as the Party Group Secretary and Director of the Corps' Foreign Affairs Office of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. He also received an honor certificate on local foreign affairs conference in December2020 in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs established its spokesperson system in 1983, becoming the first government department in China to implement such a system. Operating for 41 years without interruption, the system has become increasingly systematic, standardized and efficient.

The ministry is also the only government department that holds regular press conference every working day, a practice that has received unanimous approval from various sectors both domestically and internationally.

Since 1983, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has seen 34 spokespersons. They have always been committed to introducing and explaining the concepts, guidelines and policies of China's diplomacy, safeguarding national sovereignty, security and dignity, enhancing the domestic and international understanding of China's foreign affairs, and promoting friendly cooperation between China and other countries around the world.

The development of the spokesperson system had accompanied the deepening process of China's reform and opening-up, matching the trend of progress of the times, the development trajectory of China's world relations and the mutual understanding needs between China and foreign countries, experts said.

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A Westport Police Department car, in Westport, Conn. Feb. 12, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media

WESTPORT  The police, fire and EMS departments are looking to combine their headquarters into a joint public safety facility to enhance operations in town.

Deputy Fire Chief Nick Marsan said the goal is to "build a better and more up-to-date and fortified emergency operation center," which could help operations move more smoothly. Recently, the Board of Finance approved $110,000 for conceptual plans to get the process started.

Marsan said the project has been in the works since 2018, when the fire department went before the Board of Finance to request a study for the renovation or reconstruction of four fire stations.

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The average age of the buildings is 85 years old, and the fire department and public works department have done all they can to maintain them, he said.

However, Marsan said, "the buildings are increasingly unable to meet our demands of a modern fire service."

The architectural rendering of the project showed that three of the four firehouses would be replaced. The Saugatuck station would need a renovation, mainly because its proximity to water and lack of space wouldn't make it eligible for a rebuild.

A capital forecast same time determined it would take about $70 million over 10 to 15 years to restore each of the buildings, Marsan said.

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He said the buildings aren't large enough to house their equipment and apparatuses, such as respiratory machines, maintenance supplies, radios and hazmat equipment. Firefighters also need room to separate the equipment from the floor and comply with workplace safety and health regulations.

From the 1970s to today, the square footage needs have increased about 250 percent, Marsan added.

After talks with town leadership and determining it would be $70 million just for the fire improvements, town administrators looked at the two other emergency departments.

"Current public safety best practices are indicating the trend is in the creation of a joint public safety facility," Marsan said.

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So, the fire department started looking into combining the forces as a solution and have turned to other municipalities for inspiration, including Greenwich and some in lower Massachusetts.

Marsan said the police department needs updated holding facilities for prisoners and space for equipment storage.

At the Board of Finance meeting, Police Chief Foti Koskinas said there have been four times in the last five years where police couldn't exit the department without going through private lots because of flooding.

All the departments are looking to add gender-inclusive restrooms and changing facilities, and make the buildings more energy efficient. Marsan said he also anticipates operating costs decreasing for the departments.

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Marsan said the administration is hoping a facility like this will enhance emergency response coordination, since fire, police and EMS will all be at the same location. However, town administrators need to ensure the facility would keep response times to fires the same as it is currently.

Town administrators cannot determine where the location will be until the architectural design is created. Then, administrators can see if one facility will be enough or if other fire locations would have to remain open, he said.

There is not a clear timeline for the project. Marsan expects the concept to be done by late fall and it may be four to six years before shovels are in the ground.

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"Without this conceptualized architectural plan and without knowing what our needs are, we cant have the next conversation responsibly and intelligently, he said.
PLA Navy, Air Force join China Coast Guard in combat exercise

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Mar 18, 2024 07:18 PM

The navy and air force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command recently joined the China Coast Guard (CCG) and held a series of combat exercises across several maritime regions amid tensions in the Taiwan Straits, a move experts said on Monday will contribute to the safeguarding of national sovereignty, territorial integrity, as well as peace and stability in the region.

A task force attached to a frigate detachment affiliated with the navy of the PLA Eastern Theater Command recently conducted a cross-regional, multi-course, round-the-clock realistic combat exercise in collaboration with the air force and the coast guard, the PLA Navy said in a press release on Monday.

Type 056A corvettes, the PLANS (People's Liberation Army Navy Ship) Ezhou, and the PLANS Yiwu, the CCG Ship 11506 and an air force fighter jet were parts of the exercise, according to the press release and photos provided.

During the exercise, the naval vessels simulated air defense using main guns and close-in weapons systems against incoming missiles before the PLANS Ezhou intercepted the hostile aircraft, while the PLANS Yiwu was then tasked with the mission to clear sea mines, the press release said.

The corvettes then held joint training sessions with the CCG simulating emergencies such as violent resistance against law enforcement, the PLA Navy said in its release.

Focused on the joint operation among the naval task force, the air force and the coast guard, the exercise amplified emergency scenarios to the strictest and the most difficult settings, and effectively enhanced the forces' interoperability and joint strike capabilities, the PLA Navy said.

The cross-service exercise under the Eastern Theater Command came at a time when the CCG has been boosting its law enforcement patrols in the waters near Kinmen after the fatal February 14 boat incident, in addition to the Democratic Progressive Party authorities' continued "Taiwan independence" attempts and collusions with the US, observers said.

Tasked with law enforcement missions, the CCG plays a special role in safeguarding territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, as well as the lives and properties of fishermen from both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and the latest joint exercise showed that in emergencies, the CCG will be backed by the PLA, a Beijing-based military expert who requested for anonymity told the Global Times on Monday.

Since the military reform, the PLA has stressed joint operation, and the same goes for the People's Armed Police and the CCG, the expert said.

The PLA and the CCG's display of their capability to conduct joint operations is conducive to the safeguarding of national sovereignty, security, as well as peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits, the experts said.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian's Regular Press Conference on March 18, 2024

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

2024-03-18 21:13

Mao Ning: Friends from the press, good afternoon. Welcome to today's press conference. I'm happy today because I'm not here for taking questions. It is with great pleasure that I introduce my new colleague Mr. Lin Jian, the new Foreign Ministry Spokesperson and Deputy Director General of the Department of Press, Communication and Public Diplomacy. Today he will hold the regular press conference as the 34th Foreign Ministry Spokesperson.

Deputy Director General Lin Jian has worked in the Foreign Ministry for 25 years. He is a well-experienced diplomat and good communicator. We hope that you will support him in performing his duty as you have supported me and other spokespersons. Now, I will give the floor to Deputy Director General Lin Jian.

Lin Jian: Good afternoon, friends from the press. It's a great pleasure to meet you from this podium. In this new capacity, I look forward to learning from the fine spokespersons the ministry has had and all my colleagues, work with the entire team and do my level best to communicate China's foreign policy and diplomatic vision and action to you and the rest of the world in a timely and accurate fashion. I look forward to connecting and working with you to jointly promote mutual understanding and cooperation between China and the world, help the world understand and appreciate China in the new era, and make the world a more peaceful and prosperous place.

Xinhua News Agency: President of Angola JoAo Manuel GonAalves LourenAo just concluded his state visit to China. Can you further brief us on the visit? What has been achieved between the two sides during the visit? What's China's assessment and expectation of the future development of China-Angola relations?

Lin Jian: At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President of the Republic of Angola JoAo Manuel GonAalves LourenAo paid a successful state visit to China from March 14 to 17. During the visit, President Xi Jinping held talks with President LourenAo and Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji met with President LourenAo respectively. During the meeting, the two presidents provided strategic guidance for the future development of the bilateral relations and agreed to elevate the bilateral ties to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. They witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents on formulating Belt and Road cooperation plan and in such areas as trade, agriculture and green development. After the talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Angola. The joint statement has substantive content, follows the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and focuses on joint efforts of implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative. Pooling important common understandings between the two sides on enhancing political mutual trust, deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, reinforcing international coordination and jointly upholding international fairness and justice, the joint statement comprehensively elaborated on the meaning of China-Angola comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

The profound traditional friendship between China and Angola is as strong as ever as the two countries stood the test of the changing international landscape. China and Angola carried out fruitful cooperation with mutual benefit and delivered tangible benefits to the two peoples. This visit injected new impetus to and charted a new blueprint for the growth of China-Angola relationship. Looking forward, China will work with Angola to implement the important common understandings reached between the two presidents, carry forward our traditional friendship, render each other firm support, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and work together to advance our respective process of modernization.

News 1 Korea: It's said that people from Taiwan will participate in the Summit for Democracy that opens today in the ROK. What's China's comment? My second question is what's China's comment on the DPRK this morning firing another ballistic missile in a month?

Lin Jian: On your first question, China firmly opposes the ROK inviting the Taiwan authorities to participate in the so-called Summit for Democracy. There is but one China in the world. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. The government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Any attempts by external forces to interfere in China's internal affairs, and connive at and support "Taiwan independence" are doomed to failure. China has strongly urged the ROK to abide by the one-China principle and stop providing podium for or supporting "Taiwan independence" forces. The world will not be deceived by the DPP authorities' attempt to seek larger space for "Taiwan independence" activities under the banner of "democracy" and "human rights," which will only make itself look bad and is doomed to failure.

On your second question, China noted relevant reports and that the ROK and the US held joint military drill targeting the DPRK. China believes that upholding peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula serves the common interests of all sides.

CGTN: March 15 marks the second International Day to Combat Islamophobia. On that day, the UN General Assembly adopted the draft resolution Measures to Combat Islamophobia, calling upon Member States to take all necessary measures to combat hatred and violence against Muslims. What's your comment?

Lin Jian: China is the co-sponsor of the resolution Measures to Combat Islamophobia. We welcome the UNGA's adoption of the resolution and support the UN in playing a positive role in combating Islamophobia.

We always believe that civilizations only vary from each other and no civilization is superior over others. Inciting civilization clashes and attacking religious beliefs will only bring division and turbulence to the world. Discrimination, exclusivity and hostility against other civilizations produce no winner, still less promote peace and tranquility.

Last March, President Xi Jinping put forth the Global Civilization Initiative and clearly stated four aspects that should be jointly advocated. First and foremost, jointly advocate the diversity of civilizations. Countries need to uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority. China stands ready to work with Islamic states and other parties to advocate the spirit of the Global Civilization Initiative, uphold openness and inclusiveness, promote exchange and dialogue, safeguard the diversity of civilizations, firmly oppose acts of hatred against religions and strive to remove Islamophobia's breeding ground.

RIA Novosti: The presidential election in Russia was held from March 15 to 17. President Putin won landslide support in the voting. What's China's comment? How will the presidential election influence China-Russia relations?

Lin Jian: China extends its congratulations on that. China and Russiaa are each other's largest neighbors and comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era. We're convinced that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, the China-Russia relations will continue to make progress.

Beijing Daily: This week is the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Week 2024. What is China's comment on LMC's progress and China's expectation for its future development?

Lin Jian: The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) is a new type of regional cooperation mechanism launched by China and five Mekong countries based on wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. Over the past eight years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and leaders of the five Mekong countries, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam successively announced with China the building of a community with a shared future, which means that countries in the region have all been committed to building a community with a shared future both bilaterally and multilaterally under the LMC mechanism. The LMC Special Fund has supported the delivery of livelihood projects such as the LMC Bumper Harvest Projects, the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Action, and the Green Lancang-Mekong Initiative, providing quality rice, vegetable and fruit to the people in the region. Cooperation in emerging areas of digital economy, new energy and aerospace has been expanding, and the LMC Innovation Corridor is being built at a faster pace. Cultural, tourism, youth, media and sub-national exchanges have been deepening. China has made all efforts to ensure reasonable river flows of the Lancang River, shared hydrological information throughout the year, and provided strong support for Mekong countries' response to floods and droughts. The six countries have also worked together to combat online gambling, telecom fraud and other cross-border crimes, which effectively protect the security of the region.

In December last year, the fourth LMC Leaders' Meeting and the eighth LMC Foreign Ministers' Meeting were successfully held. The six countries reached important consensus on deepening cooperation in connectivity, green development and non-traditional security, adopted the Five-Year Plan of Action on Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (2023-2027), and pointed the way forward for deeper cooperation in the next stage. In a world fraught with uncertainties and instabilities, building a united, stable and prosperous Lancang-Mekong home is the common aspiration of the six countries. China will remain committed to the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in neighborhood diplomacy, promote deeper and more substantive development of building a community with a shared future for Lancang-Mekong countries, and provide more positive energy to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

To celebration the eighth anniversary of LMC's launch, China and the five Mekong countries will host diverse events during this year's LMC Week from March 18 to 24. Over 20 Chinese ministries, provinces and cities will work with the five Mekong countries to hold more than 80 events, including Lancang-Mekong water resources cooperation seminar and field trips, green and low-carbon policy roundtable and practice activities, aquatic life conservation and fisheries cooperation outcomes exhibition, wetland conservation and management forum, Lancang-Mekong book charity event and Lancang-Mekong audiovisual week. If you are interested, please stay tuned.

Reuters: Russian President Putin called Russia and China relations "sustainable" and he was sure ties "will be stronger in coming years". What are the next steps in China-Russia relations and in which direction would bilateral ties grow next?

Lin Jian: As I've stated just now, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, the China-Russia relations will continue to make progress. This year marks the 75th anniversary of China-Russia relations. The two presidents will continue to maintain close interaction, lead the two countries in upholding everlasting good-neighborliness and friendship, deepen comprehensive strategic coordination and advance the China-Russia relations in the new era.

AFP: A follow-up question on the presidential election in Russia. Did President Xi Jinping personally congratulate Mr. Putin? If so, what did he tell him?

Lin Jian: We will release relevant informationain due course. Please stay tuned.

CCTV: It's reported that on March 15 when attending an online seminar held by a US think tank, US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said that the summit meeting between the two presidents in San Francisco led to a relatively more stable relationship between the two countries. "It didn't resolve many of the outstanding differences on major issues, but it confirmed the judgement of both countries that we are competitors." "This relationship remains highly competitive. We will very likely be systemic rivals well into the next decade. It's very important that we manage the differences between us responsibly. We don't agree with those in China who say that the East is rising and the West is declining. That's not how we see our power position in the Indo-Pacific. There is just no way that anybody can make the charge that somehow the United States is declining. We are strengthening both strategically, militarily as well as economically." Besides, the US is closely following Hong Kong's legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law. What is China's comment?a

Lin Jian: We noted that Ambassador Burns has recently made negative comments on China on multiple occasions. These statements deviate from the important common understandings reached by the two presidents of China and the US at the summit meeting in San Francisco. They go against the spirit of the summit meeting in San Francisco and don't serve the sound and steady growth of China-US relations, still less aligned with the right way for the two countries to get along with each other.

China always believes that the bilateral relations should not be a zero-sum game where one side outcompetes the other or thrives at the other's expense. We oppose defining the bilateral relations with competition, and smearing and attacking China. We stand against the US interfering in China's internal affairs under the pretext of human rights and values, and restraining China's legitimate right to development in the name of competition.

China always follows the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation proposed by President Xi Jinping in handling and growing the bilateral relations. We hope that the US will work with China in the same direction and implement the important common understandings and vision reached by the two presidents at the summit meeting in San Francisco to promote the steady, sound and sustainable growth of the bilateral relations.

TASS: My first question is that Russian President Putin today in a press conference following the president election said that attempts made by China's enemy, such as provocations around Taiwan, are doomed to failure. What's China's comment? My second question is that Putin was elected as President, does China expect him to visit China?

Lin Jian: China highly commends President Putin's statement. There is but one China in the world, the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. This is a prevailing international consensus and a basic norm governing international relations.

On your second question, I have nothing to offer at the moment.

JoongAng Ilbo: The Third Summit for Democracy opens in the Republic of Korea today. China's official news agency condemned the ROK and the US yesterday. What's your comment?

Lin Jian: I would not comment on media's viewpoints. Broadly speaking, China always opposes drawing lines on ideological grounds and using democracy-related issues as tools or weapons. These practices themselves go against the spirit of democracy. What the world needs today is not to create divisions under the pretext of democracy, but to enhance solidarity and cooperation on the basis of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter for greater democracy in international relations. China stands ready to work with other countries based on mutual respect to have exchange and mutual learning on democracy and other issues, and make new contributions to the democracy of humanity. Countries in the world need to jointly strive for harmonious coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation instead of damaging the solidarity in the international community.a

Rudaw Media Network: Iran and China have an agreement for Chinese companies to build housing projects in Iran. What is the content of this agreement? And when are these projects scheduled to be implemented?

Lin Jian: I do not have specific information on that. I'd refer you to competent authorities. China and Iran have friendly relations and normal cooperation between the two countries under the framework of international law serves the common interests of the two peoples.

China Daily: Western media reported that protest erupted in Santiago, Cuba yesterday over food and power shortages. What's China's comment?

Lin Jian: We noted relevant reports. China firmly supports the party and government of Cuba in improving people's life, and upholding stability and firmly opposes external interference in Cuba's internal affairs. As a good friend, good comrade and good brother of Cuba, China will continue to provide assistance for Cuba to overcome the current difficulties.

I wish to point out that the US's longstanding blockade against Cuba inflicted severe difficulties on Cuba's national development and people's life. China calls on the US to immediately lift its blockade and sanctions on Cuba and stop all attempts of intervention.

Reuters: China's Embassy in Singapore today urged Chinese citizens there not to gamble, saying that gambling overseas violates Chinese laws. The Embassy said that cross-border gambling by Chinese citizens is suspected of violating laws in China. We wanted to find out what stipulates Chinese citizens breaking domestic laws on gambling when they are in another country.

Lin Jian: China's position on cross-border gambling is consistent and clear. China allows no Chinese capital to be invested in overseas casinos, allows no Chinese nationals to engage in operating overseas casinos, and allows no overseas casinos to entice Chinese nationals into gambling. China is willing to continue advancing cooperation with relevant parties, step up the fight against cross-border crimes, and safeguard regional social stability and order, and people's life and property.

On your specific question, I'd refer you to relevant legal provisions or competent authorities.aa

PTI: You have referred to China's resolution on Islamophobia in the UN. There are several countries abstaining from it on the ground that the phobia against religions exists and is also happening against other religions that include Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity. And why the exclusivity, as far as Islam is concerned? It could have been an inclusive resolution, probably including all religions.

Lin Jian: I just stated China's principled position. The Globala Civilization Initiative put forth by President Xi Jinping last March is the best answer. The initiative stresses that countries need to uphold the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness among civilizations, and let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend clashes, and coexistence transcend feelings of superiority.

Kyodo News: You are appointed as the spokesperson. There will be four spokespersons in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, won't there?

Lin Jian: Thank you for your interest in China's diplomacy and spokespersons' work. You may refer to the official website of the Foreign Ministry where relevant information is released.

Bloomberg: China is considering to take part in a Ukraine peace process that's planned by Switzerland. This is according to the Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland who said this in an interview with the Swiss publication. My question to you is can you elaborate a little bit more on this and the Chinese participation? And when can we expect a concrete decision from China as to whether it will participate or not?

Lin Jian: China supports the holding in due course of an international peace conference that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine and ensures the equal participation of all parties and fair discussions on all peace plans. China's position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. China will continue to play a constructive role for the ceasefire and political settlement of the crisis.a

Bloomberg: First of all, I'd like to welcome you here today. To be honest, at the beginning, I missed a little bit of the introductory details. I was wondering if you could maybe give some more remarks about your previous experience and also what you're looking to achieve here in this position. One specific question I have is your background with the Xinjiang Production Corps. Is that something that observers should be concerned about or note given your background with the Xinjiang Production Corps?

Lin Jian: What I can tell you is that China's central state organs, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have programs to send some officials to China's provinces, regions and municipalities on secondment every year. This work arrangement helps diplomats better learn about national conditions and society and better contribute to subnational development. On the other hand, such practice also helps those regions to build bridges of communication and cooperation with the world.a

Reuters: A follow up to the question about the peace conference that Switzerland is looking to arrange this year. The Ambassador in Switzerland said in his interview that we should support Russia and Ukraine in resuming direct dialogue. And since Russia has also said that the conference is doomed to fail without Moscow's participation, I'm wondering if China is brokering any talks to encourage or to help with Russia or push Russia to participate in this peace conference?

Lin Jian: I just stated China's position. China will continue to play a constructive role for ceasefire and political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

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UK relaxes rules for Hong Kong migrants ahead of new security law

An immigration consultant reports a surge in interest in emigration to the UK since the law's launch.

By Cheryl Tung for RFA Cantonese 2024.03.18 -- As Hong Kong authorities prepare to pass a second national security law, the British government has relaxed some of the immigration rules for people from the city seeking to emigrate to the United Kingdom amid a crackdown on dissent.

The Safeguarding National Security bill, currently before the Legislative Council, includes sentences of up to life imprisonment for treason, insurrection, sabotage and mutiny, and 20 years for espionage.

It can punish people 10 years for crimes linked to "state secrets" and "sedition," and allow the passports of anyone who flees overseas to be revoked.

The legislation is mandatory under Article 23 of its Basic Law, which has provided a constitutional framework for the city since the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.

It was recently rebooted after being shelved following mass popular protests against it in 2003, and is expected to pass this week.

Critics say the ruling Communist Party has a broad and vaguely defined interpretation of many of the crimes in the bill, and that "national security" charges are already being used to prosecute people for peaceful dissent and political opposition in the city.

Relaxed rules

Now, the U.K. Home Office has relaxed the rules for holders of its British National Overseas, or BNO, passport who wish to apply for a visa.

The visa offers a pathway to resettlement and eventual citizenship, making it easier for them to obtain public assistance if they run out of money, smoothing out bureaucratic bottlenecks and allowing them to bring relatives and dependent adults with them with independent visa status.

In February, the United Kingdom loosened requirements for people wanting to emigrate from Hong Kong with their partner under the BNO route to citizenship. To date, at least 191,000 people have applied to the visa program, according to government figures released in November.

The moves, while not huge in scope, will likely smooth the path of many families to resettlement in the United Kingdom, an immigration consultant told RFA Cantonese.

An immigration consultant with the British advocacy group Hong Kong Aid who gave only his surname Chow for fear of reprisals said he has seen an uptick in inquiries about the BNO visa since the government announced it would fast-track the new national security law through the legislature.

"My sense is we have been getting a lot more inquiries from Hong Kong about applying for BNO visas and political asylum as the Article 23 [law] has been in process," Chow said.

"We have been getting a call every couple of days since February," he said. Public consultation on the law started on Jan. 30.

Chow said he didn't believe that the rule changes alone were enough to prompt a surge in applications.

A Hong Kong resident who moved to the United Kingdom a few months ago and who gave only the surname Cheung welcomed the rule changes. Now she plans to apply to have her elderly, dependent mother join her.

"It's definitely very beneficial, because I had been worried about this for a long time," she said. "She's very old, and this is about our family's long-term future and career development. We all think the U.K. is a better place."

Moves in Canada

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Canada are calling on the government to make sure that they continue to offer priority processing of applications from Hong Kongers wanting to emigrate to the country, and to take steps to ease bureaucratic bottlenecks for more than 100 applicants.

Parliamentarians Melissa Lantsman and Tom Kmiec said they are concerned about the effects of delays "as the human rights situation in Hong Kong continues to deteriorate and Hong Kongers look for a safe way to exit the city by immigrating to Canada."

"We would like to clarify whether priority processing is still in place as the situation in Hong Kong continues to deteriorate," they said in a letter to the immigration minister.

Aileen Calverley, co-founder and trustee of the London-based rights group Hong Kong Watch, said many Hong Kongers are being faced with delays in processing their applications to emigrate to Canada.

"It is important that the government uphold its commitment and ensure their applications are processed in a timely manner," Calverley said in a statement.

Translated with additional reporting by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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.

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China's economy improves on industrial output growth

The real estate sector continues to be a drag, with new home sales plunging over 29%.

By RFA Staff 2024.03.18 -- China's economy improved in the first two months of the year buoyed by a 7% rise in industrial output despite the ongoing decline in the beleaguered real estate industry, a major economic driver.

The two-month increase in industrial output from enterprises above designated size was also a 0.2 percentage point increase from December, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.

A 5% jump in retail sales - a gauge of consumption - also boosted growth in the world's second-largest economy which is facing its slowest economic growth since 1990 and hamstrung by structural problems such as the property sector.

"China's activity data broadly stabilized at the start of the year. But there are still reasons to think some of the strength could be one-off," said Louise Loo, a China economist at Oxford Economics in a note on Monday.

"Consumers were buoyed temporarily by festivities-related spending at the start of the year. In the absence of decisive consumption-related stimulus this year, we think it would be difficult to sustain a robust consumer spending pace this year," Loo wrote.

Still, the numbers surpassed market expectations, according to a Reuters poll of economists, which forecast a 5% increase.

The state's investment push would also have boosted overall growth. Fixed asset investments, including those in infrastructure projects, expanded 4.2% to 5.08 trillion yuan (US$706 billion) in January and February from the year-earlier period. Investments in real estate continued to be a drag as, minus property investments, the increase was 8.9%.

On the other hand, investments in property slid 9%, underlined by a 20.5% drop in the amount of newly built floor area compared with the first two months of 2023. In tandem, sales of new homes plunged 29.3% to 1.05 trillion yuan ($145.9 billion).

Still, Liu conceded that the worst is over.

She said industries and companies continue to suffer operational pressure due to rising costs and insufficient orders.

But she was quick to add that a "new leap forward" to modernize the industrial system and accelerate the development across sectors like electric vehicles, hydrogen power, new materials, life sciences and commercial spaceflight would revive growth.

It is also part of the domestic consumption drive under Chinese President Xi Jinping's latest mantra to unleash "new productive forces," to buffer the structural challenges hammering economic prospects clouded by not just the real estate market crisis but also local government indebtedness and economic issues due to demographic shifts.

The consumption campaign urges industries to upgrade their equipment and citizens to trade in their old vehicles and home appliances for new ones. Granted, investments in the manufacturing sector rose 11.9%.

Policy-makers project that an over 5 trillion yuan ($694 billion) market could be created annually as industries and companies upgrade their equipment to raise development quality. A similar billion-dollar trade-in market is also expected when consumers replace old vehicles and home appliances.

"From a demand perspective, the consumer market continues to recover and the potential consumption for product upgrade to unleash," said Liu Aihua, NBS spokesperson.

To support the domestic demand policy, Beijing will issue 1 trillion yuan of special long-term bonds this year, and more in the next few years.

Externally, China continues to face a complex and difficult global trade environment, even though exports edged up 10.3% in the first two months of this year, compared with the previous year.

Edited by Mike Firn and 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.

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Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming and Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui

18 March 2024 18:31

507-18-03-2024

On March 18, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov received SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming and Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui. They were in Moscow as observers in the election for the President of the Russian Federation.

Mr Lavrov thanked the heads of the SCO and China's monitoring missions for their visit to the Russian capital. In turn, Zhang Ming and Li Hui thanked Lavrov for the warm reception and all-round assistance in their work. They expressed satisfaction with the success of the election and the excellent organising and noted that the election was open and unbiased throughout the nation.

In the context of the tentative election results announced by the Central Election Commission, Zhang Ming and Li Hui asked Mr Lavrov to convey to Vladimir Putin their congratulations on the victory in the election. They noted his instrumental contribution to the founding and development of the SCO and to the dynamic and comprehensive strengthening of the Russian-Chinese strategic partnership.

During the meeting, Mr Lavrov exchanged views with Zhang Ming on a broad range of issues pertaining to the SCO's activities. He emphasised the practical aspects of the SCO's comprehensive changes to the current geopolitical reality amidst mounting challenges and threats to the security of the SCO member states.

The officials also discussed in detail the crisis in Ukraine and ways of overcoming it. Li Hui spoke about his recent European tour that he conducted to compare positions and assess opportunities for a political and diplomatic settlement to the crisis. Mr Lavrov confirmed that Russia is open to a negotiated solution. However, he emphasised that Moscow finds any event promoting the Zelensky formula, regardless of its wrapping, unacceptable. Mr Lavrov also noted that responsible proposals on a negotiating process need to be preceded by the elimination of Kiev's self-ban on talks with Moscow, the cessation of arms supplies and a clear signal on a willingness to consider current realities and Russia's lawful interests, as President Vladimir Putin has emphasised more than once.

By tradition, the conversation took place in a friendly and trust-based atmosphere.

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Despite Offers to Mediate, China Distances Itself from Mideast Turmoil

By Dale Gavlak March 18, 2024

For years, China has sought to raise its profile by offering to broker conflicts and disputes in the Middle East, but analysts say Beijing's limited involvement in the Gaza war shows China continues to put its self-interests first.

In a recent article in Foreign Policy magazine, Yun Sun, China Program director at the Stimson Center in Washington said that China's role in brokering the Saudi-Iran rapprochement last year raised hopes it could chart a way to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East. Instead, she said, "China has not delivered on that success."

Sun and other analysts point to China's huge dependence on Gulf crude oil for its economy, and with 53% of its energy needs coming from the region, Beijing sees Middle East stability as paramount. "China has long positioned itself as a customer and a client of Middle Eastern oil," a role that gives it power, Sun said; however, "without the burden for China to provide peace."

Hesham Alghannam heads the Strategic Studies and National Security Programs at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Speaking recently at an online Carnegie Endowment for International Peace seminar, he praised China's shared views with Arab states, including promoting a cease-fire early in the Gaza conflict. Yet, Alghannam added that Chinese political involvement in the Middle East "remains limited."

"The Middle East is not a fundamental interest of China, and no one, I think, should exaggerate the Chinese power and role in the Middle East," he said. "Similar to the U.S., China lacks a comprehensive security strategy that addressed the main security challenges in the region, such as ending the conflict in Gaza. We did not see from China what we would expect. Thus far, China did not take any action that would, for instance, end the war really seriously in Gaza."

Ahmed Aboudouh, an associate fellow with London's Chatham House Middle East program, said in a report that China pressured Iran over Houthi attacks in the Red Sea "but only to protect its own ships." He adds that "Beijing will not use its limited influence to support the U.S. agenda," in seeking to protect global commercial shipping in the region.

"China's efforts were focused exclusively on extracting guarantees to protect China's direct interests. There is no evidence to suggest Beijing was in any way interested in putting its credibility on the line to push for a full de-escalation in the Red Sea," Aboudouh wrote.

He points out that China's threats resulted in the Houthis' granting Chinese and Russian ships immunity. China has adopted a "low-risk, wait-and-see approach because it can't afford other options," Aboudouh said. "They don't want to be forced to adopt a dramatic policy shift and jump into the foray because a Chinese ship has been sunk or seriously damaged."

Professor Degang Sun directs Middle East studies at China's Fudan University in Shanghai. He told an online Chatham House panel that China sees the rise of non-state actors [like the Houthis] as a direct threat to its interests in the Middle East as it is its largest investment and trading partner.

"Therefore, China says the U.S. cannot leave the Middle East. The Middle East needs the U.S. because it can be a stabilized force for China and the rest of the world," he said.

He adds that Beijing "wants to send a signal to the U.S. that China is not a U.S. rival, but a U.S. partner in Middle Eastern governance," and that the rise of nonstate actors in the Mideast region "is the outcome of a governance deficit."

Sun believes the U.S. and China can fill this deficit through cooperation in Middle Eastern security affairs.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Visits Australia Amid Efforts to Stabilize Trade Relations

By William Yang March 18, 2024

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will make his first trip to Australia in seven years Wednesday, a visit that some analysts say will be dominated by efforts to resolve remaining trade disputes between Beijing and Canberra even as the two seek to address contentious consular and security issues.

Wang will hold meetings with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong during his time in Australia, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Top of the agenda will be talks about removing Chinese tariffs on Australian wine, a decision Beijing made in 2020 amid a fierce bilateral diplomatic dispute.

At the time, Chinese authorities said Australia was guilty of anti-competitive behavior. The tariffs were lodged after Canberra put its support behind an independent investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move caused the value of Australian wine exports to China, which was at more than $662 million at its height, to drop to just $6.6 million last year.

Last week, an interim statement from China's Ministry of Commerce suggested that the tariffs could be lifted within weeks. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that he would discuss the issue with Wang during their bilateral meeting on Saturday, saying that Beijing could reopen the Chinese market to Australian wine "in the coming weeks" and the development will be a "win-win" for both countries.

Since coming to power in May 2022, the Albanese administration has tried to reduce tension between China and Australia while promising to ensure the removal of Chinese tariffs on a wide range of Australian commodities. Since then, Beijing has lifted import restrictions on Australian beef, barley, coal, and cotton.

"Both sides want to move down the route of normalizing trade relations and get Australian exports back into the Chinese market," said Benjamin Herscovitch, a research fellow at Australian National University, told VOA by phone.

Experts say Wang will likely push Australia to ease restrictions on Chinese investment in the country while seeking Canberra's support for China's attempt to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP.

"I think Wang will raise CPTPP and will try to get some sort of progress with Australia on a bilateral basis," Alex Bristow, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI,) told VOA in a video interview.

Sensitive issues

Despite signs of warming bilateral trade relations, Herscovitch says there are still fundamental disagreements between Beijing and Canberra over a range of contentious issues.

"Australia will likely focus on consular cases and contentious human rights and geopolitical issues," he told VOA, adding that the case of detained Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who received a suspended death sentence from a Chinese court last month, will be "the highest priority" for Canberra.

After Yang received a suspended death sentence from a Chinese court, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the decision as "harrowing" and "appalling," and vowed to continue advocating for justice for the detained Australian writer.

In response to inquiries about Yang's case, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said earlier this month that Yang's health wasn't as grave as his family had described and suggested that the suspended death sentence "might not be carried out" if he complied to the terms of his imprisonment and committed no further crimes.

While Canberra has repeatedly vowed to defend Yang's rights, some analysts think the Australian government has not done enough to prioritize his case while engaging with China bilaterally.

"They keep promising to defend Yang's consular rights, but when trying to strike a balance between Australia's economic interests and human rights issues, the Australian government always prioritizes its trade relations with China," Feng Chongyi, an expert on Chinese politics at the University of Technology Sydney and Yang's former academic adviser, told VOA by phone.

In addition to Yang's case, Herscovitch said Australia will also express concerns about the Chinese military's conduct in the South China Sea and other parts of the Indo-Pacific region. It is also likely to touch on the "dire" human rights situation in Xinjiang, Tibet, and other parts of China, he adds.

"Beijing will listen intently to all those comments from Australia, but they won't necessarily want to engage that much," Herscovitch told VOA, adding that the Chinese side may likely "rebuff" Canberra's concerns and "explain them away."

In recent weeks, Australia has urged all countries to avoid disrupting the peace and stability in the South China Sea during a summit with Southeast Asian countries. It has also upgraded bilateral ties with Vietnam to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Responding to an inquiry about the elevated ties between Canberra and Hanoi, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin urged countries in the Indo-Pacific region to "do more things conducive to regional peace and stability" on March 11 and warned that advocating "bloc confrontation" goes against the common aspiration of regional countries.

Herscovitch said while Beijing and Canberra both want to stabilize trade relations, there could be a gap between the level of expectations each country has for the overall bilateral relationship.

"The mantra from Canberra is relationship stabilization but they don't have big ambitions for a new and bold cooperative agenda due to serious security concerns about different forms of cooperation with China," he told VOA.

As for Beijing, there is an appetite for what it calls a "new cooperative agenda" that includes more engagement in military, science, and technology.

"There will probably be a mismatch between what Canberra and Beijing hope to get out of this relationship," Herscovitch said.

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Following the DPRK's ballistic missile launch on Monday 18 March, an FCDO spokesperson gave a statement.

18 March 2024

An FCDO spokesperson said:

North Korea's ballistic missile launches on 18 March are a breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). Unlawful ballistic missile launches continue to destabilise the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula.

The UK strongly urges North Korea to refrain from further provocations, return to dialogue and take credible steps towards denuclearisation.
Prime Minister congratulates H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation

India - Ministry of External Affairs

March 18, 2024

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation. The Prime Minister also emphasized working together to further strengthen the time-tested Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia in the years to come.

The Prime Minister posted on X:

"Warm congratulations to H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation. Look forward to working together to further strengthen the time-tested Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia in the years to come."

New Delhi

March 18, 2024

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Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh holds telephonic conversation with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Discusses range of bilateral, regional security & defence cooperation issues

Posted On: 18 MAR 2024 5:49PM by PIB Delhi

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a telephonic conversation with US Secretary of Defence Mr Lloyd Austin on March 18, 2024. Both Ministers briefly discussed a range of bilateral, regional security and defence cooperation issues. They reviewed the recent bilateral events such as the INDUS-X Summit held in New Delhi in February 2024, and the bilateral Tri-Service exercise 'Tiger Triumph' which has also commenced in India on March 18, 2024.

The US Secretary of Defence appreciated the important role being played by the Indian Navy in conducting anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean Region. The two Ministers discussed ways and means to implement the India-US Defence Cooperation Roadmap which was concluded last year. Other defence industrial cooperation issues such as repair of US naval ships in Indian shipyards were also briefly discussed.

Both the Ministers had last met in New Delhi in November 2023 during the India-US Ministerial 2+2 Dialogue.

*******

ABB/Savvy



(Release ID: 2015415)

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MBABANE  Local businesses have been warned to refrain from unjustified price increases.

The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, said scores of emaSwati raised concerns on the high increases in prices of food and services at the recently held Sibaya. Khumalo was speaking during the launch of the Tinkhundla Consumers Awareness Campaign that will be carried out in the different tinkhundla centres in the country. The campaign is meant to empower citizens and businesses at the tinkhundla level with information on consumer protection and welfare. Khumalo said his ministry together with the Eswatini Competition Commission (ESCC) will do everything in their power to ensure that those who, without justification, increase prices excessively to the detriment of consumers, are dealt with in terms of the law. As a Ministry responsible for Commerce, Industry and Trade, we want to encourage all Eswatini businesses to observe and respect consumer rights to increase their client base, sales and business credibility, said the minister.

He further stated that the legislative and policy framework regulating competition and consumer issues in the Kingdom of Eswatini, is currently under review. He said the government supports the development of a robust policy framework and an effective legislative framework that will improve the ease of doing business and further promote consumer welfare and protection. Khumalo said the legislative review is meant to ensure that the kingdoms competition and consumer policy framework is in line with developments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The minister said the improved legal framework would also make provisions that would safeguard consumers who transact in the digital marketplace and the artificial intelligence space, to minimise the risks to consumers.

He said it was very important that businesses in rural areas have exposure to consumer-related awareness sessions to improve their services and gain an advantage over competitors by being responsive to consumer needs and welfare. The minister also highlighted the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as they played a pivotal role in driving economic growth across the globe, stimulating development, innovation and competitiveness. He noted that according to the World Bank, in emerging markets SMEs generate seven out of 10 jobs and contribute up to 40 per cent of national income. I strongly believe that now, more than ever, SMEs must keep pace with both the positive and negative developments brought about by globalisation and the slow economic growth caused by the after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts impacting supply chains and unpredictable weather patterns, he said.
'I Feel Like An Alien': Afghan Muslims Decry India's New Citizenship Law

By Faiza Ibrahimi, Sana Kakar and Abubakar Siddique March 18, 2024

Osman Ali was just a few weeks old when his family fled Afghanistan's devastating civil war and moved to India in the early 1990s.

Today, few members of his family of eight remember their homeland. Ali and his five siblings all grew up in India and do not speak any Afghan languages.

But the 30-year-old, like many other Afghans in India, is only on a temporary visa and ineligible to work or receive government help.

When Indian lawmakers moved to amend the citizenship law for migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, many Afghans were hopeful of gaining a fast track to naturalization.

But the new rules implemented by New Delhi on March 11 exclude Muslims, who are the majority in all three countries. Only members of non-Muslim minorities, including Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists, who moved to India before December 31, 2014, can apply for citizenship.

The move is a major blow to many of the thousands of Afghan Muslims in India, a Hindu-majority country of some 1.4 billion people.

"I feel like an alien staying in my own country and not enjoying any of the rights that all citizens in India enjoy," Ali told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi. "It is a dark day for secularism in India."

The Citizenship Amendment Act has sparked protests in India and attracted widespread criticism. Human rights groups said the legislation discriminates against Muslims and undermines the South Asian country's secular constitution.

'Bad Development'

Farhad, an Afghan migrant, has lived in India for the past 15 years. Each year, he must renew his visa. He is not permitted to travel abroad. Even traveling within India is difficult, he said.

Farhad, a Muslim, had hoped the Indian government would provide a fast track to citizenship for Afghans who had fled their homeland due to war and poverty.

"This is a bad development," Farhad told Radio Azadi, referring to the new citizenship law. "We have tried very hard, but we have been denied citizenship [for years]."

Without Indian citizenship, many Afghans cannot open a bank account or work legally, condemning them to a life of poverty, said Farhad, who only revealed his first name.

"The government needs to pay attention to the numerous problems we face," he said.

India has been a close ally of Afghanistan for decades. New Delhi has granted asylum to tens of thousands of Afghans since the civil war of the 1990s, including Muslims as well as members of Afghanistan's small Hindu and Sikh communities.

But New Delhi is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or the related 1967 protocol intended to eliminate restrictions on who can be considered a refugee.

The result has been that thousands of Afghan migrants and refugees have lived in India in limbo for years, with no livelihood or security.

The exact number of Afghans in India is unknown. The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said in 2022 that people from Afghanistan and Myanmar comprised most of the 46,000 registered refugees in India. Several thousand more undocumented Afghans are also believed to live in India.

"Most of us have no money to pay rent and other expenses," said Mohammad Qais Malakzada, the head of the Afghan Solidarity Committee, an NGO based in New Delhi that provides help to the estimated 7,000 Afghans living in the Indian capital.

Boon For Hindus, Sikhs

The new citizenship law does not just affect Muslim migrants.

The legislation marks the first time that India -- officially a secular state that is home to over a dozen religious groups -- has established religious criteria for citizenship.

Rights groups said the amended law is the latest attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government to further marginalize the 200-million-strong Muslim minority in India.

"The Citizenship Amendment Act is a bigoted law that legitimizes discrimination on the basis of religion," said Aakar Patel, chairman of the board at Amnesty International India, on March 14.

Despite widespread criticism, the new law is a significant boon for members of Afghanistan's Hindu and Sikh minorities.

Sikhs and Hindus together numbered around 100,000 several decades ago, but the outbreak of war and the onset of growing persecution pushed many out.

Many of those who remained fled Afghanistan after a string of deadly militant attacks in 2018 and 2020.

"This law will solve all of our problems," Partab Singh, an Afghan Sikh who arrived in New Delhi in 1992, told Radio Azadi.

Diya Singh Anjan is another Afghan Sikh who has lived in the Indian capital for decades.

"If we go to any government office now, we will receive the same treatment and privileges given to a citizen," he said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-muslims-decry-india- citizenship-law/32866612.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iran Fears Loss Of Clout In The Caucasus

By Kian Sharifi March 18, 2024

An emboldened Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, has changed the balance of power in the South Caucasus in recent years.

Baku reclaimed full control over Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway region that for three decades had been under ethnic-Armenian control, last year.

A weakened Armenia, meanwhile, has distanced itself from its traditional ally, Russia, and looked to move closer to the West.

The geopolitical changes in the region have raised concerns in Iran, which neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan. Tehran fears it could lose its clout in a region that has long been dominated by Moscow, an ally.

The Islamic republic strongly opposes the proposed east-west Zangezur Corridor that would connect mainland Azerbaijan to its Naxcivan exclave through Armenian territory and open a long-sought trade route to Tehran's rival, Turkey, and beyond.

Iran is also concerned Baku could forcibly seize territory in southern Armenia to create territorial continuity with Naxcivan, which would cut off Tehran from Yerevan, an ally.

Iran also opposes normalization between Armenia and Turkey, a scenario that could reduce Yerevan's dependence on Tehran and pave the way for greater Western influence in the volatile region.

"The changing dynamics in the region and the decline of Russia's relative influence pose potential challenges to Iran's long-term geopolitical and security goals in the region," said Hamidreza Azizi, a fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

Cutting Iran Out

The top diplomats of Armenia and Turkey met on March 1 in the Turkish coastal city of Antalya and reiterated their nations' intention to fully normalize relations.

That meeting was viewed with apprehension by some pundits inside Iran who suggested such a move would cut Tehran out of the region.

"If Ankara's efforts to normalize relations with Yerevan are successful, leading to the establishment of the Zangezur Corridor, it could indeed marginalize Iran geopolitically," Azizi said.

The 45-kilometer-long proposed corridor, Azizi said, would "not only enhance Turkish and Azerbaijani influence by providing a direct link between the two but also bypass Iran, diminishing its role as a potential regional transit hub."

Eldar Mamedov, a Brussels-based expert on the South Caucasus, said the corridor would effectively leave Iran "excessively dependent on the goodwill of Ankara and Baku for the security of its northern borders and also for accessing transit routes [to Russia]."

Azerbaijan's increasingly cozy relations with Iran's archfoe, Israel, have fueled tensions with Tehran.

Iran is also wary that Baku's growing influence in the region could fuel "irredentist tendencies" among Iran's large ethnic Azeri population, separated from Azerbaijan by the Aras River and located primarily in Iran's East and West Azerbaijan provinces, Mamedov said.

For Armenia and Turkey to normalize relations, Yerevan and Baku first need to sign a peace agreement, according to Benyamin Poghosyan, a senior research fellow at the Applied Policy Research Institute of Armenia.

Poghosyan said Azerbaijan would only sign the deal if Armenia conceded to all of Baku's demands, including the establishment of the Zangezur Corridor.

"But I don't believe Armenia will agree to provide Azerbaijan [with an] extraterritorial corridor," he said.

Poghosyan added that Azerbaijan is unlikely to forcibly seize Armenian territory to establish the corridor given the presence of a "hard-power deterrent" like Iran.

Wary of The West?

In February, Armenia suspended its membership in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

The government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has long criticized the CSTO for its "failure to respond to the security challenges" facing Armenia.

In 2020, Baku recaptured parts of Nagorno-Karabakh, a mainly ethnic-Armenian-populated region inside Azerbaijan, following a six-week war that ended with a Russian-brokered cease-fire.

In September 2023, Azerbaijan retook the rest of the territory after a lightning offensive that resulted in the full capitulation of the de facto Karabakh government.

Armenian authorities have accused Russian peacekeepers deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh after the 2020 war of failing to stop Azerbaijan's offensive last year, a claim rejected by Moscow.

Armenia on March 6 said it had requested Moscow to remove Russian border troops from the international airport in Yerevan, the latest sign of souring relations.

The moves have fueled concerns in Iran that Armenia could turn to the West to guarantee its security.

In an apparent warning, Iranian Defense Minister Amir Ashtiani on March 6 told his Armenian counterpart in Tehran that "looking for security outside the region will have the opposite effect."

"We believe that the security architecture of the region should be designed in the region; therefore, any approach by countries in the region against this policy would be in no way acceptable," Ashtiani warned Suren Papikyan.

Poghosyan said Armenia seeks to "diversify its foreign and security policy" but that it was too soon to tell whether it wants to completely pivot to the West or just strengthen relations with Western powers without abandoning Russia.

He added that Iran has made it clear to Armenia that it "would not tolerate geopolitical changes in the South Caucasus, which means not only changes [to] borders, but also changes [to the] balance of power in the region."

For all their differences, Iranian and Western interests converge on their support for Armenian sovereignty.

As such, Mamedov argued, Iran's opposition to a Western presence "may not be as rigid as it appears to be in the official rhetoric."

But it is unclear if that will lead to any collaboration.

"The overarching anti-Western stance in Iranian foreign policy and Tehran's presumed desire not to upset Moscow in the South Caucasus make such cooperation very unlikely," Azizi said.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-fears-loss-influence- caucasus/32867388.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Baku Said To Be Preparing To Reopen Tehran Embassy After Attack

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda March 18, 2024

The Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran is preparing to resume operations, according to Iran's ambassador to Baku, signaling a potential thaw in relations between the two countries.

In a statement to Baku TV, Iranian Ambassador Abbas Musavi said preparations for the reopening are under way, with an Azerbaijani delegation already having made the journey to Tehran. He did not give a specific date for the reopening.

The announcement comes a year after the Azerbaijani Embassy was the scene of an armed assault in January 2023 that resulted in the death of one embassy employee and left two others injured.

The attack, which Baku has called an "act of terrorism," led to a significant downturn in diplomatic relations, prompting Azerbaijan to remove its embassy staff from Tehran. Azerbaijan left open its consulate in Tabriz.

Musavi addressed the incident, saying that investigations by both nations concluded the attack was an isolated act driven by personal motives. The assailant, identified as Yasin Husseinzadeh, has been apprehended and tried. Details of the sentence were not released, but in Iran murder is punishable by a maximum penalty of death.

The trial of Husseinzadeh, marking a year since the attack, has been a focal point in discussions between the two countries, with Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian confirming on March 16 that a delegation from Azerbaijan would soon visit Tehran to facilitate the embassy's reopening.

Baku had said that the identification and prosecution of anyone involved in the attack were prerequisites for the normalization of relations and the reopening of its embassy in Tehran.

Relations between Iran and Azerbaijan also have been complicated by Azerbaijan's ties with Israel and Iran's support for Shiite groups in Azerbaijan. Such disputes have led to mutual accusations and arrests over alleged espionage and efforts to establish a theocratic state in Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan has also accused Iran of backing Armenia in a long-standing conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Iran also has long accused Azerbaijan of fueling separatist sentiments among its sizeable ethnic Azeri minority.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-azerbaijan-embassy-tehran- reopening/32866417.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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UN Human Rights Council 55: Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on Iran

UK statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Iran.

18 March 2024

Thank you, Mr President.

Special Rapporteur - your report is clear - the human rights situation in Iran remains appalling and is getting even worse. Last year the Iranian authorities executed over 800 people. Women are persecuted and their voices forcibly repressed. Civic space is shrinking and human rights defenders are being targeted.

We are, in particular, concerned by the discrimination and violations against persons belonging to minorities. Kurds and Baluchis made up a highly disproportionate number of those put to death in 2023. Baha'is, Christians and Sunni Muslims face daily discrimination, whether accessing education, jobs, or places to worship. Furthermore, Baha'is are arbitrary detained, forced from their lands and denied burial rights.

Iran is also escalating its campaign of censorship and suppression of media freedoms. We thank the Special Rapporteur for raising the targeting of BBC News Persian, including the death threats, criminal prosecution, harassment of family members, and online attacks on women journalists. We would like to ask the Special Rapporteur his view on recent reports of BBC journalists being convicted in absentia for 'propaganda against the Islamic Republic'.

Mr President,

It is time to end these violations. It is time for accountability. It is time for justice for the Iranian people.

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Rights Violations in Iran May Be Crimes Against Humanity, UN Investigators Find

By Lisa Schlein March 18, 2024

Iran's violent repression of peaceful protests and widespread, systematic violations of human rights could, in many cases, amount to crimes against humanity, according to a U.N. fact-finding mission.

The three-member team on the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, in its first report to the U.N. Human Rights Council, accuses the Iranian government of a litany of crimes in connection with the protests that erupted following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini on September 16, 2022.

The mission, which was established two months later to investigate the crackdown on the protests, accuses Iranian authorities of "egregious human rights violations."

They include unlawful deaths, extra-judicial executions, arbitrary arrests, rape, sexual violence, and enforced disappearances.

The chair of the mission, Bangladeshi lawyer Sara Hossain, who also presented the report, said these acts were conducted in the context of a "widespread and systematic attack against women and girls," and others expressing support for human rights.

"Some of these serious violations of human rights thus rose to the level of crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape, and gender persecution, intersecting with ethnicity and religion," she said.

Regarding 22-year-old Amini, whose death in custody of the so-called morality police sparked the nationwide protests, Hossain said "Our investigation established that her death was unlawful and caused by physical violence in the custody of the state authorities."

The mission found that the use of disproportionate force on peaceful protests, including firearms and assault rifles by Iran's security forces resulted in 551 deaths "among them at least 49 women and 68 children."

Hossain said security forces carried out mass arbitrary arrests of protesters, many of whom were sent to unofficial detention facilities run by the Ministry of Intelligence and the Revolutionary Guards.

She said witnesses have described conditions under which detainees were held as inhumane, with many subjected to prolonged solitary confinement, and deprived of any contact with families and lawyers.

"To punish, humiliate or extract a confession from them, detainees were often subjected to sexual and gender-based violence, including gang rape and rape with an object, as well as beatings, flogging, or electric shocks in acts that constitute torture," she said, adding that children also were subjected "to extrajudicial killings, torture, rape and held in detention along with adults."

Hossain added that at least nine young men were arbitrarily executed, following a flawed prosecution "creating terror among other protesters." By January this year, she said at least 26 other death sentences were pronounced by Iranian courts.

Iran dismisses report as 'charade'

Kazem Gharib Abadi, secretary-general of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, was scathing in his response to the report of the "so-called fact-finding mission," which was formed "owing to the lobbying as well as political wheeling and dealing of certain countries," principally the United States, Germany, England, France, and Canada.

He said the mission's report "has been marred by a glaring lack of independence and impartiality." Calling it a "political charade," he said the report omits all reference to his government's investigation of the protests.

He said the events in Iran last year "did not constitute peaceful gatherings, but rather evolved into orchestrated riots characterized by extensive injuries to law enforcement personnel and substantial damage to both private and public property."

A complementary report submitted to the U.N. council by Javaid Rehman, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, paints a chilling picture of a repressive regime that rules its people by coercion and fear.

"I remain very concerned at the on-going executions and spike in death penalty sentences," said Rehman. "At least 834 people were executed in 2023, a 43 percent increase compared to 2022."

Rehman noted more than half of these executions were for drug-related charges. He said children continue to be executed in Iran, with at least one child execution reported last year.

Additionally, at least 22 women were executed in 2023, making this "one of the highest rates of women executions recorded in the country."

He expressed deep concern about the disproportionately high number of ethnic and religious minorities executed by the government for drug or security-related crimes.

In his report, Rehman documents cases of arbitrary arrests and allegations of torture and ill-treatment in detention. He describes the government's suppression of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and efforts to stifle opposition voices through "the harassment, intimidation, targeting, arrests and imprisonment of human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, and trade union activists."

Rehman condemned the government's continued disdain of women's rights, noting that authorities have "with complete impunity, unlawfully killed at least 48 women and 68 children and injured, violated, and brutalized a very large number of women and girls during the 'Women, Life, Freedom' movement."

He said he has received "extremely concerning reports that rape, torture, and other forms of sexual violence were weaponized in order to inflict punishment on these peaceful protesters."

Iran's human rights counselor at its permanent mission in Geneva, Somayyeh Karimdoust lambasted the rapporteur's report as "fabricated and distorted."

She said the report is not factual, nor is it professional, "let alone being reasonably fair and fairly balanced and reflective of Iran's constant progress in promotion and protection of human rights... It is absolutely one-sided and misleading."

The mandates of both the fact-finding mission and that of the rapporteur on human rights in Iran come up for renewal at this Council session.

Karimdoust was clear about where she stood on this matter.

"A monitoring mechanism on Iran's human rights is unwarranted and lacks legitimate ground, is not fair and is not justified," she said.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Israel War Cabinet member Minister Benny Gantz

Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau

March 18, 2024

Ottawa, Ontario

Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Minister Benny Gantz, a member of Israel's War Cabinet.

The Prime Minister and the Minister discussed the situation in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Prime Minister Trudeau reiterated his condemnation of Hamas and its brutal attacks against Israel. The Prime Minister and the Minister called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages held by Hamas.

The Prime Minister shared his concern around Israel's planned offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and the severe humanitarian implications for all civilians taking refuge in the area. He underscored the need to increase the volume of life-saving humanitarian aid for civilians and to ensure aid reaches all those in need, safely and without delay. He also stressed the need for continued support from Israel in facilitating the exit of Canadians and their families from Gaza.

Prime Minister Trudeau underscored the importance of renewing efforts toward a two-state solution to secure lasting peace in the region. He reiterated Canada's support for the right of Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, dignity, and security.

The Prime Minister and the Minister reaffirmed the strong bond between Canada and Israel and agreed to remain in contact as the situation continues to evolve.

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PM Netanyahu at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem met with an AIPAC leadership delegation led by AIPAC President Michael Tuchin

Israel - Prime Minister's Office

The 37th Government

18.03.2024

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to AIPAC Leaders: "If we achieve these goals, then we will also deliver a stinging blow to the Iran terror axis, which is behind everything that we're seeing here today."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, met with an AIPAC leadership delegation led by AIPAC President Michael Tuchin. The Prime Minister spoke with the delegation, briefed them on the fighting in Gaza, and answered their questions.

Following are excerpts from the Prime Minister's remarks:

"How do we define victory? We define it as the destruction of Hamas's military and governing capabilities, as the return of the hostages, which we're working right now, and also as preventing the return, Gaza from becoming a threat to Israel at any time in the future.

There is also the northern front, where we want to return our people to a condition of security. That requires that Hezbollah move back. That is also part of our goals, which we will not give up on. Very important.

If we achieve these goals, then we will also deliver a stinging blow to the Iran terror axis, which is behind everything that we're seeing here today.

That is something that we all have to understand, that this is not just Israel's battle. It is a battle for our future, but it's also the battle for the victory of the Israel-America-moderate Arab axis against the Iran axis.

Unless we have that victory that I talked about, then we have a defeat. A defeat spells terrible things for our future and for the future of the Middle East and beyond the Middle East. Because this is a war of civilization against barbarism, those who want to bring back the Middle East to the Middle Ages, early Middle Ages, and those who want to see it going to the century of progress and advance in the 21st century. That's really the battle. It's a very, very big battle."

Prime Minister Netanyahu added:

"The picture that is presented in the last few days and weeks in the United States is completely different from what I described. It's not the unity of the people. You can go into any cab, go into a mall, walk down the street and talk to people. The great majority will tell you that they support what I just said, the goals that the government has set.

That's not the description you have an outlier prime minister who put some extreme fringe groups, and that's what's driving the policy. False. I would say deliberately false. They know it's false. But that falsehood is perpetrated and it's wrong.

There is unity among the people to achieve victory along the lines that I described. It is within reach and we're going to do it. I've said this to the president. I've said it to the people that I've talked to. They keep saying that local politics is interfering with this. They may be right. On which side of the pond?

We have to win this war. We have to stand together and win this war. We have to stand together here, and we have to stand together there. Because it's the right thing to do. Because it's the necessary thing to do. Because it's the one thing that will assure the viability, future and security of the State of Israel."

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Readout of President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

March 18, 2024

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this morning with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. The President and the Prime Minister discussed ongoing hostage negotiations taking place in Qatar. They also discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The President stressed the urgent need to significantly increase the flow of lifesaving aid reaching those in need throughout Gaza, with special emphasis on the north. The President reiterated his deep concerns about the prospect of Israel conducting a major ground operation in Rafah, where more than one million displaced civilians are currently seeking shelter after fleeing fighting in the north. The President affirmed the need to defeat Hamas in Gaza while also protecting the civilian population and facilitating the safe and unhindered delivery of assistance throughout Gaza. The President and Prime Minster agreed to have their teams meet soon in Washington to exchange views and discuss alternative approaches that would target key elements of Hamas and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground operation in Rafah.

###

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INTERVIEW: Myanmar's junta is weakening, but world needs to cut off weapons, funds

UN rapporteur Tom Andrews calls for a coalition to take steps to weaken the junta and support the people.

By Ye Kaung Myint Maung for RFA Burmese 2024.03.18 -- Tom Andrews has served as the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar since 2020. The former U.S. Congressman for Maine is the author of papers examining the military's claim as the government of Myanmar following its February 2021 coup d'etat and international arms networks that enable rights violations by the junta in the Southeast Asian nation.

Ahead of a trip to the United Nations in Geneva on Tuesday, Andrews spoke with Ye Kaung Myint Maung of RFA's Burmese service about how the international community can support the people of Myanmar in the absence of a stronger stance by the UN Security Council. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

RFA: In light of the dire circumstances in Myanmar, what message would you like to convey to both the junta and the people in Myanmar?

Andrews: Well, the junta's days are numbered. They are losing ground, literally. They are losing troops. They have lost all legitimacy. They are desperate. And so the idea that they tried to create - this idea that they are inevitable - everyone now can see through this. They are declining and they will continue to decline. The people of Myanmar have shown remarkable tenacity and courage. They are truly an inspiration to me and to many others. They deserve the support of the international community.

The international community has failed to provide that support in any kind of adequate measure. So my job is to work with member states of the United Nations and with the United Nations itself to encourage much stronger support for the people of Myanmar as they step forward to reclaim their country and their future.

RFA: Many people are trying to leave the country because of the compounding impact of the armed conflict and also the fear caused by the conscription law. What do you want to say to the countries who are receiving Myanmar refugees and migrants?

Andrews: Respect the principle of non-refoulement, accept people that are coming from Myanmar into your country. Protect them, support them, care for them, respect them. People from Myanmar are not crossing the border because they want to. They're doing so because they have to. Their lives are at stake. And so it is critically important for the international community and those living right next to Myanmar to support those people who are seeking safety.

Humanitarian aid

RFA: We're seeing the international community pressure the junta to allow humanitarian access in the country. Is there an update on the international collaboration on open access into Myanmar?

Andrews: Well, first of all, the reason that there's a humanitarian crisis in Myanmar is precisely because of the junta. Before the coup, there were about a million people who were in need of humanitarian aid. Today, there's 18.6 million people in need of humanitarian aid. That's all since the coup. So it's the junta that's driving the need for humanitarian aid, driving this desperation.

On top of all of that, they are restricting access to those who are seeking to provide humanitarian aid to those in desperate need. They're blocking roads. They're creating all these bureaucratic obstacles, requirements for travel authorizations, a variety of ways in which aid is being blocked. It's a horrific situation that's being made worse by the junta and driven by the junta.

I think what the international community needs to do is look at those areas - those expanding areas, those conflict areas outside of what the junta can control - and find ways to provide greater aid, greater support to those conflict areas, using the organizations - the citizen organizations, CSOs, NGOs - that have direct access to those communities. Provide that aid, get it into their hands so that they can in turn get that aid to people inside of these conflict areas.

That's where I think a greater focus of the international community needs to be, because the growth in the need for humanitarian aid is in these areas that are under siege.

Ending support for junta

RFA: So your recent report at the United Nations highlighted Russian involvement with Myanmar's military. So can you shed some light on that?

Andrews: Well, I've released two reports on how the junta is getting its weapons. And the report that you're referring to, what I call "the billion dollar death trade," I released this past year. And I list the countries that are providing these weapons. Number one, as you say, Russia. Number two, China. And number three, in that report, Singapore. 138 Singapore-based entities were involved in the transfer of US$254 million worth of weapons materials into Myanmar.

Now, the bad news is I don't see much changing with respect to Russia as being the number one source of weapons. I made it clear in the report that, unlike Russia or China, there was no evidence that Singapore knew that these transfers were being made.

I'm about to head to Geneva ... I'll be giving an updated report on what's been developing. And in that report, I'm going to indicate that there has been a significant reduction in the transfer of weapons materials from Singapore over the course of the last several months. So that's a very, very good sign.

RFA: With regard to the international collaboration to cut ties with the junta and to cut their resources and revenue - where are we on that?

Andrews: Well, first of all, we're nowhere when it comes to the Security Council. The Security Council has the authority to establish an arms embargo, to refer the junta - those responsible for these atrocities - to the International Criminal Court, to take these measures.

Because they're unable or unwilling to do so, because of the lack of political will, it leaves it up to member states who care about human rights in Myanmar, who want to stand with the people of Myanmar, to do it themselves.

Now, the good news is many [member states] have been doing so. And I've been reporting on arms embargoes, the freezing of assets, the fact that countries like the United States and now Australia are sanctioning banks. These are all positive steps to continue to weaken the junta's capacity to commit its violence. The problem is they're not being done in a strategic, coordinated way.

And what I'll be recommending ... in Geneva is that those countries who support pressuring the junta need to build a network, a coalition, if you will. Sit down and identify together what are the points in which we think we can be most effective in undermining the capacity of the junta to continue its violence. Target those points of vulnerability of the junta, and then coordinate actions, all the sanctions and other types of actions, to those points and then work together to enforce those sanctions. I think that kind of coordinated approach is necessary, particularly because the Security Council is not going to take those actions.

Onus on member states

RFA: What can we expect from the upcoming U.N. General Assembly and U.N. Security Council meeting?

Andrews: I'm an optimist by nature. The U.N. General Assembly has passed resolutions that have expressed their support for human rights in Myanmar, for the people of Myanmar. They've called for member states to prevent the flow of weapons into Myanmar. The Security Council has expressed, to various degrees, support for the people of Myanmar and called for a cessation of violence.

But those are words. It's not action. And what the people of Myanmar desperately need right now are not more words from member states or from politicians, but some action to back those words up.

That action is going to have to come from individual member states working together in coordination to cut off the weapons that the junta needs, cut off the money that they're going to need and to support the humanitarian needs of the people of Myanmar. That takes more than words. That takes action.

Edited by Josh 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.

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Number of students taking key exam has plunged amid war in Myanmar

Fighting, blocked roads and poor economy have all contributed to a 87% drop in high school exam-takers.

By RFA Burmese 2024.03.18 -- The number of high school students registered to take a key exam in Myanmar has plummeted nearly 87% from the academic year before the military took control in a February 2021 coup d'etat, showing the devastating impact of war on education.

This year, more than 146,500 students registered for the military-administered university entrance examination held at 841 test centers across the nation and abroad, according to a March 13 report by Global New Light of Myanmar, an online news outlet, citing Ministry of Education figures.

During the 2019-20 academic year, when the civilian-led National League for Democracy was still in power, nearly 970,800 students registered for the test, also called the matriculation examination, a benchmark for the country's educated workforce for decades.

About 128,725 students out of those who registered sat for the English subject test on March 12, the second day of the exam period, which runs Mar. 11-19, though nearly 17,800 others didn't show up for the exam, the report said.

Under a new education system curriculum, students complete separate tests in several subjects, including Burmese, English, mathematics, chemistry, geography, physics, history, biology, economics and social science.

Conscription law

The development comes amid an exodus of young people following the ruling junta's announcement of a conscription law in February to increase military manpower in the face of numerous battlefield defeats and large-scale surrenders in recent months during Myanmar's civil war.

Young people are applying for visas to go to Thailand or contemplating becoming monks, as the junta looks to recruit up to 50,000 men and women this year, Radio Free Asia reported earlier.

When RFA contacted Kyaw Swar Thwin, director general of the Department of Basic Education and a member of the junta's press team, for comment, he claimed to have no knowledge of the current absentee test-taker situation.

But parents and teachers said fighting between the military and rebel forces has kept students away from the exams, while others point to the sluggish economy.

Test administrators in Kayah state, where fighting is intense, could not open exam centers.

Similarly, in Chin state, more than 1,300 registered students did not take the exam, according to a list issued by the military council.

'No one dares'

A parent of a student from Khaikam in the state's Tedim township, told RFA that students could not sit for the university entrance exams because residents, including students and teachers, had fled with their families to escape the armed conflict.

"No one dares to enter the city right now," he said, adding that those who already left have yet to return to Khaikam.

In Rakhine state, another conflict-ridden region, 18,602 youths were registered for the exam, but more than half - some 10,071 - didn't show up, according to the junta's list.

The lack of security and blocked roads and waterways were key reasons, said a resident of Kyaukphyu in Rakhine. "There are many people who are uncomfortable coming for exams," he said, asking not to be identified.

Those taking the exams must carry a flag with the emblem of the Ministry of Education, he said. If they don't, the junta soldiers might "do something," he said. "Many parents are concerned. Consequently, a significant number of people opt out of taking the exams altogether."

With the stagnating economy, some young people are prioritizing work over study, said a high school teacher in Yangon's Mingaladon township.

"When the parents were a little easier with the economic situation, children could continue their education," the teacher said. "But some children have stopped attending school due to a lack of interest in education."

Translated by Kalyar Lwin for RFA Burmese. 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.

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MBABANE  This year, artists are in for a treat as the Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) will be introducing their first-ever awards.

This was revealed by ENCAC Arts Manager Vusi Nkambule during the recent arts summit, which was hosted from March 14 to 15, at Julios Cinelux in Manzini. Nkambule was asked to take the podium to share an update on how the council is working with the various arts centres that have just been introduced. He also introduced the arts officers who work in the different centres.

Awards

Nkambule shared that the awards are aimed at empowering and motivating local artists to make a living through their talent. This year we will be introducing awards in the four regions of the country. These awards will be a way to motivate artists to work hard toward pursuing their dreams. The awards will feature a variety of categories, including traditional dance and the singing of cultural songs. We hope that we will introduce the awards soon because our art centres have already opened in the four regions. The plan is to make these centres a place for unearthing talent and a support pillar for artists, he said.

In his submissions, Nkambule also revealed that going forward; they will be introducing new equipment in the art centres. He said the equipment will be used by artists to practice and further master how the equipment works. We have finished building art centres in the four regions of the country. This year, we will be bringing equipment to the different arts centres.

The equipment will include musical instruments such as keyboards, drums, and cameras. This equipment will be used by artists to practice and further use it for their own production. Our wish in these art centres is for them to be offices as well as spaces where artists can work, Nkambule said.

He further mentioned that they have now seen growth in associations that have been registered under the Arts Council and encouraged artists to join these associations as they will be able to benefit. Since we started working in arts and culture, we got pointers that artists can survive through their talent. All we do as a council is support these artisans by showing them how much better we can work together. In our office, we have 18 associations, and they are focusing on seven codes, which include performing arts, dance, theatre, visual arts, copyright, and business, to name a few.

Performing

In these associations, emaSwati is working towards finding consensus on how they can make money through their talent. The associations are also there to look at how we can promote and protect the interests of artists. They are also there to advocate for artists when they have to get paid for performing. We urge artists to join the associations so that they can be supported by the council as a collective, Nkambule said.
'Piles of corpses' left after Myanmar junta attacks village

An aerial attack left 20 people dead and 33 injured in a township under Arakan Army control.

By RFA Burmese 2024.03.18 -- A junta aerial bombardment killed and injured dozens in western Myanmar, residents told Radio Free Asia.

Most residents in Thar Dar, a predominantly Rohingya village in Myanmar's Rakhine state, were sleeping when a fighter jet dropped a bomb around 1 a.m. Friday, a resident said.

"Twenty-three people died on the spot and more than 30 were injured. There are piles of corpses in the village," said the man who didn't want to be named for safety reasons. "Children and elderly are among the dead, covered with tarpaulin and everything. Most of those who died and were injured lost their limbs."

Thar Dar village, nearly five kilometers (three miles) north of Minbya city, was captured by the Arakan Army on Feb. 26.

The rebel group has also seized six other townships in Rakhine state, including most recently Kyaukphyu, where a large Chinese mega-project is located. The army also controls Pauktaw township in neighboring Chin state to the north.

While the Arakan Army has announced its intentions to control the state's capital of Sittwe, junta troops have focused their resources on both small and large-scale attacks against civilians, which villagers have labeled a pattern of indiscriminate killings. Thar Dar village has little more than 300 houses and a population of under 2,000, residents said.

While there was no battle in the area to warrant an attack, residents told RFA the village had become a brief refuge for Rohingya fleeing nearby Sin Gyi Pyin village after it was also targeted. Rakhine state has also seen other attacks on the ethnically persecuted group, including an attack that killed an entire Rohingya family in Sittwe.

Nay San Lwin, an activist for Rohingya affairs, said that the junta continues to target Rohingya people with shooting attacks, as well as arrests for conscription.

"The military council has increasingly targeted Rohingya, shooting and killing them day by day," he said. They are committing more and more war crimes every day, and they are forcibly recruiting soldiers for the fights against the AA."

RFA contacted Rakhine state's junta spokesperson U Hla Thein for more information on Thar Dar's aerial bombardment, but he did not pick up the phone.

Junta columns regularly shell and drop bombs on villages in Minbya, Mrauk-U, Pauktaw and Ponnagyun townships where they have already lost control, residents said.

As of March 3, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported more than 170 civilians had been killed and over 400 injured since the fighting in Rakhine state began again on Nov. 11, 2023.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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.

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Operation Against Terrorist Sanctuaries of TTP

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs

This morning Pakistan carried out intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations in the border regions inside Afghanistan.



The prime target of today's operation was the terrorists belonging to Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which along with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials. The latest attack took place on 16 March 2024 at a security post in Mir Ali in North Waziristan and claimed the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers.



Over the past two years, Pakistan has repeatedly conveyed its serious concerns to the Interim Afghan Government over the presence of terror outfits including TTP inside Afghanistan. These terrorists pose a grave threat to Pakistan's security and have consistently used Afghan territory to launch terror attacks inside Pakistani territory.

Pakistan accords prime importance to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. It has, therefore, always prioritized dialogue and cooperation to confront the terrorist threat. We have repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete and effective action to ensure that the Afghan soil is not used as a staging ground for terrorism against Pakistan. We have also called on them to deny safe havens to TTP and to hand over its leadership to Pakistan.

Pakistan has great respect for the people of Afghanistan. However, certain elements among those in power in Afghanistan are actively patronising TTP and using them as a proxy against Pakistan. Such an approach against a brotherly country, which stood with the people of Afghanistan through thick and thin, manifests shortsightedness. It ignores the support extended by Pakistan to the people of Afghanistan over the last several decades. We urge these elements in power to rethink the policy of siding with Khwarij terrorists shedding the blood of innocent Pakistanis and to make a clear choice to stand with the people of Pakistan.

Terrorist groups like TTP are a collective threat to regional peace and security. We fully realize the challenge Afghan authorities face in combating the threat posed by TTP. Pakistan would therefore continue to work towards finding joint solutions in countering terrorism and to prevent any terrorist organization from sabotaging bilateral relations with Afghanistan.

Islamabad

18 March 2024

48/2024

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Taliban attack Pakistan after several killed in Pakistani air strikes on Afghanistan

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 10:39 AM

The Taliban have carried out a border attack against Pakistan after air strikes by Pakistan killed at least eight people, all women and children, in border regions of Afghanistan.

On Monday, the Taliban's ministry of defense said its forces had targeted Pakistani military centers along the border areas.

Earlier, Zabihullah Mujahid had said in a statement that at "around 3:00 a.m. (22:30 GMT Sunday), Pakistani aircraft bombarded civilian homes" in Khost and Paktika Provinces near the border with Pakistan.

The Taliban government "strongly condemns these attacks and calls this reckless action a violation of and an attack on Afghanistan's sovereignty," Mujahid added.

"Such incidents can have very bad consequences, which will be out [of] Pakistan's control," he noted.

Pakistan's air strikes came a day after seven Pakistani troops were killed in an attack inside Pakistani territory, for which the country's President Asif Ali Zardari vowed retaliation without blaming either Afghanistan or the the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group.

"Islamabad has decided that whoever will enter our borders, homes or country and commit terror, we will respond to them strongly, regardless of who it is or from which country," he said while attending the funeral prayers of the soldiers, which included a lieutenant colonel.

Pakistan provided refuge for the Taliban leadership between 2001, when the group was ousted in a United States-led invasion of Afghanistan, and 2021, when it seized Afghanistan's control.

Border tensions between the countries have, however, risen since the Taliban came to power.

Pakistan says the Taliban's rise to power has been followed by a surge in armed attacks in the former's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan Provinces.

Most such attacks are claimed by the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group. They are a separate militant group but an ally of the Afghan Taliban.

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Pakistani Fighter Planes Bomb 'Terrorist Sanctuaries' in Afghanistan

By Ayaz Gul March 18, 2024

Pakistan confirmed Monday that its military had carried out "intelligence-based" aerial strikes inside Afghanistan to punish "terrorists" responsible for killing hundreds of civilians and security forces in cross-border raids.

A foreign ministry statement said the counterterrorism operation had targeted fugitive commanders allied with Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, a globally designated terrorist organization operating out of Afghan sanctuaries.

Afghanistan's Taliban government denounced the pre-dawn strikes in the southeastern Paktika and Khost border provinces, claiming they resulted in the deaths of eight civilians, mostly women and children. The identities of the slain people could not be verified from independent sources.

"We have repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take concrete and effective action to ensure that the Afghan soil is not used as a staging ground for terrorism against Pakistan. We have also called on them to deny safe havens to TTP and to hand over its leadership to Pakistan," the Pakistan Foreign Ministry stated.

It renewed Islamabad's allegations that "certain elements among those in power" in Kabul "are actively patronizing TTP and using them as a proxy against Pakistan." The statement urged the Taliban "to rethink the policy of siding" with foreign "terrorists" and "to make a clear choice to stand with the people of Pakistan."

The cross-border military action apparently came in retaliation to Saturday's high-profile militant raid against a Pakistani military base in the volatile North Waziristan border district that killed seven soldiers, including two officers.

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns these attacks and calls this reckless action a violation of Afghanistan's territory," said Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in response to Pakistani airstrikes. He used the official title of his government, which has yet to be recognized internationally.

Mujahid denied again that the Taliban allowed Afghan soil to be used by militant groups against Pakistan or any other country.

"Pakistan should not blame Afghanistan for the lack of control, incompetence, and problems in its own territory. Such incidents can have very bad consequences, which will be out of Pakistan's control," Mujahid warned.

Monday's airstrikes prompted Taliban border forces to stage retaliatory fire at Pakistani outposts, sparking skirmishes across several locations along the nearly 2,600-kilometer (1616-mile) border between the two countries.

The Taliban Defense Ministry formally confirmed that its security forces targeted Pakistani positions with "heavy weapons" in response to the incursions into Afghan territory. Kabul later summoned the chief Pakistani diplomat to the foreign ministry to protest the cross-border raid.

Separately, a TTP statement claimed the airstrikes hit Pakistani refugee camps in the Afghan border area rather than its members. The claim could not be verified immediately.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani military said Monday that its troops had conducted a pre-dawn intelligence-led security operation in North Waziristan, killing eight TTP members. The slain militants included a key commander who played a role in plotting Saturday's attack on the army base, the statement said.

Islamabad says that TTP has intensified cross-border attacks from Afghan sanctuaries since the establishment of the Taliban government in Kabul in 2021. The violence has reportedly killed about 2,000 Pakistanis, including police and military personnel, and strained relations between the two countries.

In April 2022, Pakistani fighter planes also carried out raids against TTP hideouts in Afghanistan.

Pakistan and the United Nations dispute Taliban claims they are not harboring foreign militant groups on Afghan soil.

"In the region and beyond, there are well-founded concerns over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan," Roza Otunbayeva, the head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, told a March 6, 2024, U.N. Security Council meeting.

"It is not only Daesh that constitutes a threat but also TTP, a major concern for Pakistan, which has seen an increase in terrorist activity," Otunbayeva said.

Daesh is an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. Its Afghanistan-based regional IS affiliate conducts terrorist attacks on both sides of the long border between the two countries.

Last month, the U.N. Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team said in a report that al-Qaida operatives were increasingly assisting TTP militants to launch cross-border attacks. And some ruling Taliban members joined TTP, the report noted.

"Besides supplying weapons and equipment, Taliban rank and file, al-Qaida core.... assisted TTP forces in cross-border attacks... Some Taliban members also joined TTP, perceiving a religious obligation to provide support," the U.N. report said.

Asif Durrani, Pakistan's special representative to Afghanistan, told a seminar in Islamabad last week that up to 6,000 TTP fighters are sheltering in the neighboring country.

TTP-led violence has strained Pakistan's relations with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. It has prompted Islamabad to tighten border controls for Afghan travelers. In the last six months, Pakistan has deported more than 500,000 Afghans and sent them back to their home country for not possessing valid documents, fueling bilateral tensions.

Pakistani authorities have pledged to resume the deportation process in April after the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramadan ends.

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Statement by Minister of Foreign Affairs on Russia's sham presidential election

Global Affairs Canada

Statement

March 18, 2024 - Ottawa - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable MAlanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement:

"Canada is deeply concerned by the flawed electoral process that concluded in Russia on March 17, 2024. Russia has violated international commitments on the conduct of elections that it had previously accepted, including those in the 1990 Copenhagen Document. Canada condemns the conduct of voting in occupied territories of Ukraine, which is a blatant breach of international law.

"The presidential election in Russia was a non-democratic process that does not conform to international standards. Flaws include a biased and exclusionary nomination procedure, abuse of public resources in favour of Vladimir Putin's candidacy, extremely unbalanced media coverage, lack of public discussion of policy issues, and lack of guarantees of secrecy in electronic voting. The system was stacked to benefit the favoured candidate and deny voters a meaningful choice long before balloting began.

"Sadly for the Russian people, Putin has constructed a political system in which human rights are denied. His opponents are arrested and silenced, a free media does not operate and citizens are denied genuine political options.

"Putin offers his people and the world a bleak vision in which military aggression abroad is matched by political repression at home. While he may celebrate today, history will judge Putin poorly for his authoritarianism, war and the illegal attempted annexation of the territory of a neighbouring country."

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Presidential 'election' in Russia: "Let's not recognise Putin's legitimacy as president", PACE President says

Council of Europe

Parliamentary Assembly

strasbourg

18 March 2024

Following the Presidential election in Russia, PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos today made the following statement:

"Some minutes ago, the polling stations in the so-called 'elections' in the Russian Federation closed and the exit polls announced the projections. And there was little surprise in the outcome of this exercise. In fact, we have all known this result for months. Vladimir Putin reconfirmed yet another term in office.

These elections have no legitimacy. There were no genuine alternative candidates, no free media, no credible observers present. Civil society has been silenced. And above all, this election has also been conducted on the illegally occupied and annexed territory of Ukraine. All political opposition has been brutally suppressed, and any critics of the regime are either imprisoned or have been forced out of the country. And tragically, the most vocal and popular opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, was murdered in prison one month ago after being subjected to torture and inhumane treatment for months.

There cannot possibly be any free and fair elections in such circumstances. Mr Putin clearly lacks any vestige of democratic legitimacy.

This has been confirmed by our Council of Europe Venice Commission, which has found that the procedure to grant Putin yet more terms of office violated Russian constitutional law and contravened long-established international legal principles.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe unanimously urges the international community to no longer recognise Putin's legitimacy as president. We call on them to cease all contact with Putin, except in the pursuit of peace and for humanitarian purposes, for example in organising prisoner exchanges or to bring home the lost children of Ukraine.

The overwhelming power of Putin, exacerbated today by his extremely long term in office combined with the lack of any checks and balances such as a strong parliament, an independent judiciary, free media and a vibrant civil society, has sadly turned the Russian Federation into a de facto dictatorship.

This is not what the Russian people deserve. They do not deserve either the mockery of an election which we witnessed today.

The Parliamentary Assembly will continue to support the development of an alternative vision for Russia as a peaceful, free, democratic and accountable country which poses no threat to its neighbours and its own citizens. We will step up our support to the Russian democratic opposition who share the Council of Europe principles and values, human rights defenders, independent journalists and free civil society. We will stand by all those who dare to fight for freedom in Russia, who condemn the war of aggression against Ukraine and fully recognize its territorial integrity.

Freedom and democracy will prevail in Russia!"

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Putin reelected; 'China-Russia ties to continue to make progress'

Global Times

By Yang Sheng Published: Mar 18, 2024 04:57 PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated Vladimir Putin on his reelection as Russian president, as Putin has addressed his supporters and declared his reelection victory earlier on the same day following the victory of presidential election with over 87 percent of the vote in his favor.

Chinese analysts said that several major powers will hold elections this year, and Russia's presidential election result has provided certainty to a world in turbulence, as Putin's victory proves that Russian people widely support his governance and Russia's policies and stances over key issues like the Ukraine crisis and its relations with other major powers will unlikely undergo dramatic change.

Putin's reelection will bring certainty to the future development of the China-Russia relations, as the consensus reached by the top leaders of the two countries will be implemented and further promoted, according to experts, adding that China maintains its objective stance on the Ukraine crisis and will continue its efforts to help relevant parties to find a solution for political settlement.

China-Russia strategic ties

According to the Xinhua News Agency, in a congratulatory message to Putin on his reelection as Russian president, President Xi said China attaches great importance to the development of China-Russia relations. China stands ready to maintain close communication with Russia to promote the sustained, sound, stable and in-depth development of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era to benefit the two nations and their people.

In recent years, the Russian people have united as one, overcome challenges, and made steady progress towards national development and revitalization, Xi said, adding that the reelection of Putin as Russian president fully reflects the Russian people's support for him. Russia will surely make greater achievement in national development and construction under Putin's leadership, Xi said.

Chinese experts said Xi's congratulatory message shows China has confidence in Russia's internal stability and development, and China will continue to actively develop bilateral ties to benefit the two peoples without targeting any third party.

While retaining an objective stance and making efforts to mediate the Ukraine crisis, China will continue to coordinate with Russia on international issues that the both sides share concerns and will jointly safeguard the international order and the global strategic balance, said analysts.

Cui Heng, a scholar from the Shanghai-based China National Institute for SCO International Exchange and Judicial Cooperation, told the Global Times on Monday that the friendship between top leaders of the two countries is the guarantee of the stability of China-Russia relations.

The two countries will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year, and they are expected to promote their ties to higher level and further coordinate their stances on multilateral mechanisms. The development of China-Russia relations sees great certainty, and the long-term stability of the ties can be expected," Cui noted.

During his speech on Monday, Putin said "Taiwan is an inherent part of the People's Republic of China (PRC)," and China has many friends in the international arena, and those who do not regard China as a friend are bound to fail in provoking China on Taiwan question and imposing sanctions against China.

Analysts said Putin's remarks showed that Russia also has great confidence in China's development and China's national strength to safeguard its own interests despite pressure and threat from the US, in other words, Russia is confident and optimistic in its decision of building and promoting close strategic ties with China.

China highly commends President Putin's statement. There is but one China in the world, the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. This is a prevailing international consensus and a basic norm governing international relations, Lin Jian, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said at the routine press conference on Monday.

Future of Ukraine crisis

According to TASS, with 99.43 percent of ballots counted as of 7:00 am Moscow time (4:00 am GMT), Russian presidential race frontrunner and incumbent President Putin leads the 2024 presidential race with 87.32 percent of the vote, according to information published on the Russian Central Election Commission's official website.

This result proves that Western attempts to challenge the rule of Putin administration by sanctions and supporting anti-Putin forces within Russia has failed, as vast majority of Russian people continue to support Putin and his government, experts said.

Putin will have another six-year term, and whether the US and its allies like this result or not, they will have to face the reality and they might need to find a more pragmatic and flexible way to deal with Russia on the Ukraine crisis, Yang Jin, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

Putin said on Monday that Moscow has always favored peace talks, as long as the opponents are serious about establishing good neighborly relations in the long term, not just because "the adversary has run out of ammunition," RT reported.

Russian President also said that Russia is ready to consider various scenarios, provided that they align with Russia's national interest. "But since Kiev barred talks with the current leadership in Moscow, and President Vladimir Zelensky has no intention to hold elections," it will require "painstaking research" to even figure out "who to negotiate with over there," Putin said, according to RT.

Cui said Russia has once again expressed its open attitude for talks, but from Russia's perspective, the current leadership in Kiev might not be treated as an ideal counterpart, so now the ball is in the West and Ukraine's court.

Weighing in on the possibility of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, Putin said that "anything is possible in the modern world" and warned that it "would be one step shy of a full-scale World War III."

This is a warning to the West, especially to the US, and since Putin gets reelected, Washington needs to consider whether to keep the costly and dangerous confrontation with Russia or find a way out by negotiation and accept mediation provides by other third parties including China, and if Russia achieves more victories in the battlefield, the situation will be worse for the West and Ukraine, experts said.

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Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un Sends Congratulatory Message to President of Russian Federation

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, March 18 (KCNA) -- Kim Jong Un , president of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, on March 18 sent a congratulatory message to Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation.

The message said:

I extend my heartfelt congratulations and warm comradely greetings to you on the happy news that you have been reelected as president of the Russian Federation.

Through the recent presidential election the Russian people further strengthened the socio-political unity with you as the centre and fully demonstrated at home and abroad their will to build a powerful Russia with confidence by displaying patriotism.

Your reelection to the heavy responsibility of the head of state is the Russian people's valuable estimate of the outstanding leadership and tenacious executive ability you displayed in state activities with a high prestige as the leader of the nation, and an expression of their unshakable support and trust in you.

I am firmly convinced that, under your energetic and correct guidance, the Russian people will surely win victory in the cause of reliably defending the sovereignty and security of the country, accelerating the socio-economic development, realizing international peace and justice and building an independent multipolar world.

Thanks to the meeting between us at the Vostochny Spaceport in September 2023, the good-neighborly relations between the DPRK and the Russian Federation have greeted a historic turning point and are developing into the everlasting strategic cooperative relations with anti-imperialist independence as a common idea.

I will firmly join hands with you and bring about a new era of the DPRK-Russia friendship with long historical roots and traditions in conformity with the requirements of the times and push forward with the accomplishment of the cause of building a powerful country, the aspiration and desire of the peoples of the two countries.

I wish you good health and greater success in your responsible work for the Russian people. -0-

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Krisjanis Karins calls for manganese ore to be covered by the 14th round of sanctions

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

18.03.2024

On 18 March 2024, at the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krisjanis Karins, called for an increase in the sanctions pressure on Russia and for work to begin on the 14th round of sanctions against Russia in order to weaken its war machine through a ban on the import of the country's agricultural products as well as expanding the export and transit ban on raw materials used in the Russian military industry to include the manganese ore and aluminium oxide.

At the Foreign Affairs Council, EU Foreign Ministers discussed Belarus, the Middle East, and support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's aggression.

In his comments on the results of the Russian President's so-called "election", Krisjanis Karins emphasized that it lacked any democratic legitimacy and "it was getting clear that nothing would change in the nearest coming years and Russia would remain on the warpath. We must work together to develop and strengthen the EU's defence industry." The Foreign Minister also called for implementing not only the individual Member States' procurements but also joint EU procurements for deliveries of ammunition from third countries to Ukraine.

During the discussion on Belarus, Krisjanis Karins called for a plotting a course towards broader sanctions against the Lukashenko regime, while encouraging the EU to ensure visible support for the Belarusian democratic movement and civil society.

While addressing current developments in the Middle East, the Latvian Foreign Minister noted: "The EU must stand united to prevent a humanitarian disaster and move towards a two-state solution." The Minister also highlighted the need to achieve the release of hostages taken by Hamas.

Latest developments in the Middle East was also one of the central matters in an informal exchange between the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers and the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who joined the Foreign Affairs Council via a video tele-conference.

During the Foreign Affairs Council, Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins met with the German Federal Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock. The Ministers discussed how to rein in the Russian aggression and to support Ukraine. Krisjanis Karins and Annalena Baerbock agreed that further cooperation between the defence industries of Latvia and Germany would play an important role in a common solution for developing the military capabilities of Europe and Ukraine.

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Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the imitation of elections in Russia

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2024.03.18

The procedure imitating the Russian presidential election, which took place on 15-17 March 2024 under the conditions of an unprecedented restriction of civil and political rights, cannot be considered or called an election, because it was neither fair nor free, nor did it comply with any universally accepted standards of democracy and the rule of law.

As Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine, the Russian authorities, which organised the imitation of an election procedure, took indiscriminate reprisals and unlawful actions against the opposition and representatives of the civil society, suppressed the voice of the independent media, and, in breach of international commitments, failed to invite observers from the OSCE/ODIHR to monitor the elections.

The death of the opposition leader Alexei Navalny under mysterious circumstances in the Russian Arctic prison just before this sham election that has shocked the world, the unjustified imprisonment of other political opponents of the regime, the persecution of people who hold different opinions in Russia and even abroad - all of this reaffirms the Russian Government's desire to silence anyone who dares to fight for freedom and democracy.

The new "mandate" for Vladimir Putin under these circumstances lacks any democratic legitimacy.

Moreover, in a complete disregard for international law, including the United Nations Charter, Russia also organised an imitation of election in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine - the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as in parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Lithuania, together with the entire European Union, does not recognise and will never recognise the results of this fake procedure in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. These results are null and void and can have no legal effect. The Russian political leadership and the individuals involved in organising this political spectacle will suffer the consequences of their illegal actions.

Lithuania also strongly condemns the bogus procedure in the Russian occupied regions of Tskhinvali and Abkhazia in Georgia and Transnistria in Moldova, organised against the will and without the consent of the governments there. This is yet another despicable assault on the sovereignty of neighbouring countries. Lithuania emphatically reiterates its respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

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Awali Hospital, the oldest and most prestigious medical centres in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has inaugurated a state-of-the-art radiology department equipped with the first-of-its-kind magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device in the region.

The department that has been also fitted out with 128 computed tomography (CT) imaging device, and latest technologies, was inaugurated in the presence of members of the Hospitals Board of Directors and Bapco Energies Executives Management, who took a tour of the new facility, led by Dr Tariq Hameed, Awali Hospital Chief Medical Officer.

Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery, Chief Executive Officer of Bapco Refining, a subsidiary of Bapco Energies, praised the advanced facilities at the department, laying emphasis on the importance of state-of-the-art medical equipment to provide patients with precise diagnosis.

In 2023, Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery, inaugurated the hospitals new expansion, which included several new treatment units, including a hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) unit to treat diving injuries, carbon monoxide poisoning, and cancer patients.

The expansion also included a new physical therapy unit consisting of four clinics providing diagnostic, rehabilitation, and preventive services.

Awali Hospital comprises several specialised clinics managed by a group of highly experienced medical practitioners, including a team of doctors and consultants in various medical specialties, as well as a distinguished nursing staff.

The hospital was awarded the Diamond Accreditation Status for healthcare services in 2021, representing the highest classification of accreditation awarded by the National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) in the Kingdom of Bahrain.  TradeArabia News Service
Potential Russia-NATO conflict just one step from WW3, Putin warns

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 4:02 PM

President Vladimir Putin has warned the US-led Western camp against the world-spanning consequence of a conflict between Russia and NATO.

"It is clear to everyone that this will be one step away from a full-scale World War Three. I think hardly anyone is interested in this," Putin said.

The Russian leader was talking to reporters on Sunday evening, after his re-election for a new term of six years as president.

"Everything is possible in the modern world," Putin said when asked about French President Emmanuel Macron's remarks in February about sending troops to Ukraine and the risks a conflict between Russia and NATO.

The Russian leader said he wished Macron would stop seeking to aggravate the war in Ukraine but to play a role in finding peace. "It seems that France could play a role. All is not lost yet."

Putin said NATO military personnel were presently active in Ukraine, and that Russian forces had picked up transmissions both in English and French on the warfront. "There is nothing good in this, first of all for them, because they are dying there and in large numbers."

Putin was asked if he considered it necessary to take over Ukraine's Kharkiv region. He said if the attacks continued, Russia would create a buffer zone out of more Ukrainian territory to defend the Russian territory.

"I do not exclude that, bearing in mind the tragic events taking place today; we will be forced at some point, when we deem it appropriate, to create a certain 'sanitary zone' in the territories today under the Kiev regime."

'Russia is for peace talks'

Putin also reiterated Russia's view on peace and stability in the region.

"I've been saying it over and over again and I'll say it again. We are for peace talks, but not just because the enemy is running out of bullets."

The Russian president said Moscow's willingness to establish peace rested on one condition: "If they really, seriously, want to build peaceful, good-neighborly relations between the two states in the long term, and not simply take a break for rearmament for 1.5-2 years."

On the election in Russia, Putin dismissed allegations of vote rigging. He censured the United States and certain other Western countries for labeling the Russian presidential race not free and fair.

The Russian leader underscored the geopolitical fault lines that have gaped wider since Moscow launched its special military operation in Donbas in 2022. Putin said it was the deepest crisis in diplomatic relations with the West since the end of the Cold War.

'No democracy'

Putin commented on the election process in the United States, criticizing the misappropriation of state power over the course of elections. "The whole world is laughing at what is happening there."

"It is just a catastrophe - it is not democracy - what on earth is it?"

Speaking in front of his supporters on Sunday night, Putin said the "only source of power in the country is the Russian people," adding that the vote of every citizen counts when it comes to charting the nation's course.

"No matter who and how they would try to intimidate and suppress us, our will, our consciousness... Nobody in our history has ever succeeded, won't succeed now or in the future. Never."

Putin thanked Russian citizens for the trust they placed in him. "I will do my best to solve the tasks set before the country and achieve the goals we all consider to be of the highest priority."

The 2024 Russia election was marked by a record-high turnout.

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Putin's Re-Election Confirms Russia Is 'Authoritarian Society,' Says NATO Chief

By RFE/RL's Georgian Service March 18, 2024

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Russia's presidential election was "not free nor fair" and only confirms that Russia is "an authoritarian society."

In an interview with RFE/RL on March 18 in Tbilisi on the second day of a trip to the South Caucasus, Stoltenberg said the election that handed President Vladimir Putin a fifth term was "rigged and, of course, no surprise." Stoltenberg also said Moscow's attempt to conduct the vote in occupied territories of Ukraine was a violation of international law.

The NATO secretary-general said Putin incorrectly stated in his victory speech that NATO troops are in Ukraine. NATO allies have provided training but "are not planning any military presence on the ground."

Stoltenberg also reiterated that NATO has an open-door policy for countries that seek membership and denied that the alliance is "expanding aggressively eastward," which was one of the justifications Putin used for launching Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Countries in Eastern Europe have been told that if they meet NATO standards and are democratic societies, then NATO membership is open to them, he said.

"We respect if you don't want NATO membership. But of course, we also respect if you want NATO membership," he said, adding that those countries cannot "live in a world where Moscow decides what [its] neighbors can do or not do."

Stoltenberg would not say whether Ukraine's bid to join NATO would be granted during the NATO summit in Washington in July, but he said he expects the alliance to "make decisions that will move Ukraine even closer to NATO," including steps to ensure that Ukraine's military is "fully operable" with NATO and to further integrate political cooperation.

"First of all, we are implementing what we have already agreed, but I also expect new decisions," he said.

Asked whether Georgia's aspirations to join NATO would advance during the summit, Stoltenberg said he could not "prejudge or preempt" the summit's outcome.

"I think the most important thing we can do is to ensure that we help [Georgia] to implement the necessary reforms on transparency, on fighting corruption, on strengthening a rule of law in institutions," he said.

For the first time Stoltenberg said Georgia and Ukraine "have separate and independent responsibilities" when it comes to their NATO applications, indicating a decoupling of the two countries' bids.

"They are at different levels in different ways," he said, implying that Ukraine's application is more urgent because it is currently fighting Russian forces.

"I'm not saying that Ukraine is ahead of Georgia in all fields," he said. "There are individual assessments, there are individual efforts to support Georgia and to support Ukraine, and there will be individual separate decisions."

Asked about the recent requests for protection from Moscow by separatists in the breakaway Transdniester region of Moldova and in Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the NATO chief admitted that the alliance wouldn't be able to offer much other than to condemn the presence of Russian forces and to pressure Russia to revoke its recognition of these territories as separate states.

Stoltenberg, who has been urging NATO members to provide Kyiv with badly needed ammunition and military equipment, also acknowledged that international support for the Ukrainian military has not remained at the same high level as it was at the beginning of the war, noting that a major aid package from the United States has stalled in Congress.

He said he still expects the United States to agree to support Ukraine because a majority in the U.S. Congress supports more aid for Ukraine and because it is in the security interest of the United States to do so.

With reporting by Vazha Tavberidze of RFE/RL's Georgian Service

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/nato-stoltenberg- russia-election-authoritarian-ukraine/32867531.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Amid 'Repression And Intimidation,' Putin Posts 'Record' Election Win

By RFE/RL's Russian Service and Current Time March 18, 2024

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 Stalin's 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 nation's 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 a White House spokesman saying they "are obviously not free nor fair," and EU foreign ministers roundly dismissing them as a sham ahead of agreeing to impose sanctions on individuals linked to the mistreatment and death of Kremlin critic Aleksei Navalny.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told RFE/RL in an interview in Tbilisi on the second day of a visit to the Caucasus that the Russian election was "not free nor fair." He said those who have had the courage to oppose Putin "are either force to flee, to live abroad, they are jailed, or some of them are killed as we saw with Aleksei Navalny."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, speaking at the start of the EU foreign ministers' meeting, said Russia's election was "an election without choice."

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said the conditions for a "free, pluralistic, and democratic election were not met," and British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the election outcome highlighted the "depth of repression" in Russia.

"Putin removes his political opponents, controls the media, and then crowns himself the winner. This is not democracy," Cameron said.

France, Britain, and other countries condemned the fact that Russia had also held its election in occupied regions of Ukraine.

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.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Putin and again offered to mediate between Moscow and Ukraine, the Turkish presidency announced.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the presidents of Azerbaijan and Belarus also congratulated Putin as did the leaders of China, Iran, and North Korea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said President Xi Jinping and the Russian leader "will continue to maintain close exchanges, lead the two countries to continue to uphold longstanding good-neighborly friendship, deepen comprehensive strategic coordination."

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called Putin's victory "decisive," the state news agency IRNA reported, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in a congratulatory message to Putin quoted by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that Russian voters had shown "unshakeable support and trust in" their president, state media reported.

In the tightly controlled race, Putin was opposed by three relatively unknown, Kremlin-friendly politicians whose campaigns were barely noticeable.

Prior to the election 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 a united nation behind Putin and his war, experts said.

Russia's opposition movement suffered a serious blow last month when Navalny, who was Putin's 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.

Russian political analyst Ivan Preobrazhensky said in an interview with Current Time that Putin was also frightened by the rebellion staged by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in June when Prigozhin's forces briefly took control of Rostov-on-Don and were greeted by many citizens as heroes.

Prigozhin ended his rebellion before reaching Moscow and was later killed in a plane crash that many believe was retaliation by the Kremlin.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-presidential-election- putin-day-3-win/32864966.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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The Foreign Secretary condemns electoral violations, the suppression of opposition voices, and breaches of Ukrainian sovereignty during these elections.

18 March 2024

The Foreign Secretary condemns electoral violations and the suppression of opposition voices during the Russian elections, as well as the breaches of Ukrainian sovereignty in conducting elections on Ukrainian territory.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said:

These Russian elections starkly underline the depth of repression under President Putin's regime, which seeks to silence any opposition to his illegal war.

Putin removes his political opponents, controls the media, and then crowns himself the winner. This is not democracy.

Russia failed to uphold its commitments to OSCE principles guaranteeing that the will of the people would be expressed freely and fairly. We have seen widespread reports of electoral violations. Independent OSCE observers were not invited.

Any candidate who expressed anti-war views was swiftly disqualified. With only 3 Kremlin-approved challengers, the outcome of this election was never in any doubt.

The death of Alexei Navalny just weeks before the election was a tragic reminder of the severity of political repression in Russia today. Russia must immediately release all political prisoners, including dual-national Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Holding elections on Ukrainian territory - as Russia did in Crimea, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia - is an abhorrent violation of the UN Charter and Ukrainian sovereignty. These regions will always be Ukrainian; holding Russia's presidential elections in these regions does not alter this fact. The UK continues to stand with Ukraine.

Russia must uphold the commitments it freely signed up to and end aggression beyond its borders and repression within them.
Visiting Syrian defense minister meets top Iranian general

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 18, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Syria's Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Ali Mahmoud Abbas, who is heading a high-level delegation to Tehran, has met with Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri.

General Abbas and General Bagheri, during their meeting, exchanged views on bilateral relations, including defense cooperation as well as other regional developments such as the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, according to the IRNA reporter.

Apart from denouncing Israeli crimes in Gaza and the silence of some of the countries, the two top generals assessed Israeli strikes on occupied Palestine, Lebanon and Syria as a sign of the regime's failure to achieve its illegitimate goals and emphasized the need of continuous consultations between Syria and Iran at different levels.

General Bagheri referred to the Operation Al-Aqsa Storm as a great epic by the oppressed Palestinians in Gaza in October and said it necessitates more exchange of views and high-level visits.

The resistance of the people of Gaza for nearly six months against the most intense and incessant attacks by the Zionist regime shows the strength and capability of the resistance, and the regime's crimes have made its backers dishonorable as well, he underlined.

General Abbas and General Bagheri also assessed the progress in bilateral military relations and expressed their satisfaction in this regard.

Last year, there was a lot of progress in the relations between the two armed forces, and we carried out many things mutually, the Syrian defense minister said, adding that Damascus hopes the same this year in order to make progress in all matters.

After the Al-Aqsa Storm operation, the world has changed and therefore it necessitates more exchanges and the armed forces of Iran and Syria, as part of the axis of resistance, have deep ties with each other, he noted.

4399**2050

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Iranian, Syrian defense ministers condemn U.S. "illegal" presence in Syria

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 10:45, March 18, 2024

TEHRAN, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani and his Syrian counterpart Ali Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday condemned the U.S. "illegal" presence in Syria, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency.

The two sides made the remarks in a meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran, during which Ashtiani described the U.S. military presence in Syria as "occupation," which is "illegal, unjustifiable, and in flagrant violation of the norms and fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter."

He noted that the U.S. presence in Syria, over the years, has led to instability, insecurity and the displacement of millions of Syrians.

For his part, the Syrian minister said the United States had spared no effort to compromise stability and security in the region.

He added the U.S. presence in Syria was "illegal and aimed at turning the Arab country into a base for supporting separatist and terrorist groups."

Abbas emphasized that the developments that had unfolded in Gaza further revealed the real "hypocritical" nature of the West and the United States to the world.

The two ministers also condemned Washington for stoking tensions in the region, especially in the Gaza Strip, and continued Israeli strikes on Syrian territories and Gaza.

Meanwhile, they highlighted the importance of promoting bilateral defense cooperation, with Ashtiani voicing Iran's readiness to use all its capacities to help the Syrian government improve the country's defense and deterrence capabilities.

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Iran, Syria should hold constant consultation to counter Israel: Top general

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 2:40 PM

Iran's highest-ranking military commander has underlined the need for constant consultation with Syria in the face of Israel's aggression in the region.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri made the remark in a meeting with Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas in Tehran on Monday.

He said the oppressed and defenseless Palestinian people have created a great epic in the fight against Israel since early October.

He emphasized that resistance of the Palestinian people in Gaza against the "heaviest" Israeli attacks for nearly six months evinced the high power and capability of the resistance front.

"Israel's crimes against humanity have discredited its supporters," the top Iranian general said.

The Syrian defense minister, for his part, said the global developments have changed after the Operation al-Aqsa Storm launched by Gaza-based resistance groups against Israel.

The armed forces of Iran and Syria as members of the resistance front have made a major breakthrough in mutual relations and should further improve ties in all fields, Abbas added.

The Iranian general and Syrian defense chief exchanged views about the developments in the region, particularly Israel's genocidal war in Gaza, and condemned the continuation of the regime's atrocities and inaction of certain countries.

Baqeri and Abbas emphasized that Israel's attacks on the oppressed Palestinian people and its airstrikes against Lebanon and Syria showed that the regime has failed to achieve its illegitimate goals.

Since the start of Israel's genocidal war following Operation al-Aqsa Storm on October 7, 2023, at least 31,726 Palestinians, including many women and children, have lost their lives. Another 73,729 individuals have sustained injuries as well.

Israel has additionally enforced a comprehensive blockade on the coastal sliver, severing the supply of fuel, electricity, sustenance and water to the population of over two million Palestinians residing there.

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Mar. 18, 2024

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2024/03/18

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1. Dateis



6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Sunday to Monday, Mar. 17-18

2.PLA activitiesis

9 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 ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities.







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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan Mar. 19, 2024

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2024/03/19

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1.Dateis

6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Monday to Tuesday, Mar. 18-19

2.PLA activitiesis

9 PLA aircraft and 10 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 2 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.



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"It is an obligation for us to have a powerful military"

Presidency of The Republic of Turkey

18.03.2024

Speaking at an iftar with soldiers, President ErdoAYan said: "If we want to live freely, honorably and peacefully on our own homeland watered with martyrs' blood, we have no other choice but to continue to foil games and frustrate treacherous aspirations. In this regard, it is an obligation, rather than a preference, for us to have a powerful military."

President Recep Tayyip ErdoAYan met with soldiers during an iftar at the 4th Corps Command in Ankara.

Conveying his Ramadan Mubarak wishes to the participants, President ErdoAYan expressed his happiness to be coming together with soldiers during this holy month.

Wishing success to soldiers, who carry out their duties at the cost of their lives for the state's permanence and the nation's security, President ErdoAYan said: "May Allah help all our security forces, including soldiers, police, gendarmerie, village guards and intelligence personnel, and protect them against all kinds of accidents, troubles, attacks and treasons."

"We have sacrificed lives, shed blood, put up a fight and paid a heavy price since 1071 both to make these lands our home and defend our eternal homeland," the President stated, further stressing that they will continue to protect the country, adhan and flag with the same determination and perseverance in the future as well.

"WE SHOULD MAINTAIN A MAXIMUM LEVEL OF DETERRENCE"

Stressing that attacks against the country will never come to an end as long as TArkiye, the defender of the oppressed, continues to maintain its existence, adhere to its roots and stand with the downtrodden, President ErdoAYan underlined: "If we want to live freely, honorably and peacefully on our own homeland watered with martyrs' blood, we have no other choice but to continue to foil games and frustrate treacherous aspirations. In this regard, it is an obligation, rather than a preference, for us to have a powerful military. We are a country, nation, an army that should always maintain a maximum level of deterrence. Only our own strength, only the means and capabilities that we ourselves develop can protect us, the Turkish nation, against our enemies."

"WE WORK FOR A FULLY-INDEPENDENT TARKAYE IN EVERY AREA"

President ErdoAYan said: "We know from our bitter recent experiences that when we are on our own, neither the alliances we are a member of nor the international organizations whose duty is to protect the global peace are of any use. That is why we constantly say 'domestic and national defense industry' and work for a 'fully independent TArkiye in every area'."

Underscoring the importance of a strong military for a strong TArkiye, President ErdoAYan described the nation's unity and solidarity as their biggest support, and stated that they spare no sacrifices in order for the Turkish military to fulfill its duty to defend the homeland in the best manner, and that they will continue to provide every sort of support for the success of the fight against bloodthirsty terrorist organizations.

Pointing out that TArkiye has already begun to see the positive outcomes of its "strategy of eliminating terror at its source", which it has been patiently executing for some time now, both at home and abroad, President ErdoAYan stated: "Wherever there is a terrorist, we find and crush them with our UCAVs, homegrown ammunition and indigenous weapons. We will definitely not allow this herd of contract killers, which have been cornered and come to the brink of death and extinction because of our operations, to thrive again and cause troubles to our nation. We will not allow a 'terroristan' to be established across our southern borders, no matter whose project it is. We will have completely safeguarded the security of our Iraqi border as of this summer, and will definitely complete our unfinished work in Syria. Our aim is to leave our children a TArkiye which has been fully liberated from the dark shadow of terror and both the path and the future of which are bright. We see the establishment of a terror-free climate in our region as our debt not only to our martyrs but also to future generations."

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UAE's Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI) and Lootah Biofuels, a leading circular economy pioneer producing biofuel from cooking oil, have signed an MoU to develop, promote and utilising biofuels as a sustainable energy source.

The MoU was signed at the Lootah Biofuels factory in Dubai Industrial City. Sharif Salim Al-Olama, the Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs in the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and Yousif bin Saeed Lootah, Founder and CEO of Lootah Biofuels, signed the deal.

The key focus areas under the MoU include collaborative R&D initiatives to explore and develop the biofuels market in the UAE and actively share knowledge and technical expertise through workshops, seminars, and knowledge-sharing sessions for industry stakeholders.

Mutual exchange

The partnership will also facilitate the mutual exchange of comprehensive data pertaining to biofuel production and commercial distribution. This data will be instrumental in informing policy decisions and tracking progress towards national clean energy goals.

The collaboration will focus on raising awareness and promoting the use of biofuels across the UAE. This will contribute to enhancing the country's energy security and achieving its environmental sustainability objectives.

This MoU builds upon the successful meeting held in November 2023, where a high-level delegation from MoEI, led by Eng Saif Ghobash, Assistant Undersecretary for the Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Sector at MoEI, visited Lootah Biofuels. The visit allowed MoEI to witness firsthand Lootah Biofuels' innovative and sustainable solutions for biofuel production.

Sustainable solutions

At the MoU signing, Al-Olama said: I would like to appreciate the efforts being made by Lootah Biofuels to promote the use of biofuels and to raise public awareness. We are excited to collaborate with Lootah Biofuels to continue advocating for adopting sustainable solutions while driving our climate commitments."

Lootah said: Our collaboration with MoEI signifies Lootah Biofuels commitment to supporting the UAE's clean energy strategies to develop greener and circular energy resources. As an Emirati brand, we are honoured to partner with MoEI to drive the biofuels industry forward and contribute to the UAE's Net-Zero 2050 ambition."

In addition to joint research and market development for biofuels, both parties will raise awareness and promote the use of biofuels across the UAE. The MoU underscores the UAE's unwavering commitment to achieving its clean energy goals and Net-Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative. By combining Lootah Biofuels' expertise in biofuel production with MoEI's leadership in energy policy, this collaboration will pave the way for significant advancements in the biofuels sector.--TradeArabia News Service
Ukraine Delegation Visits Washington National Guard Leaders

By Joseph Siemandel, Joint Force Headquarters - Washington National Guard March 18, 2024

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. -- A delegation from Ukraine visited Washington National Guard leaders March 15 to thank them for supporting the country.

"We know your unit deployed to Ukraine in 2021 to help our military and we want to take this time to thank them for their support of the people of Ukraine," said Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration.

Kravchenko, the current regional Ukrainian governor, joined Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to sign a commitment to engage in economic and academic exchanges between Kyiv Oblast and Washington state. The city of Tacoma also committed to a Sister Cities relationship with Brovary, Ukraine.

The visit to Camp Murray focused on sharing stories and building on a friendship established during the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team's deployment to Ukraine from April to December 2021, supporting the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine mission.

More than 100 Guard members from the 81st SBCT headquarters helped with training, equipping, training center development and doctrinal assistance to the Ukrainian armed forces. Joined by NATO allies and partners, Soldiers provided mentoring and advised Armed Forces of Ukraine observer controller trainers at the Combat Training Center near Yavoriv. The model employed a "train-the-trainer" approach, enabling Ukrainians to take the lead in training rotational brigades.

As Washington Guard members returned home in January 2022, Russian forces began to make their way to the Ukraine border, attacking into Ukraine in February 2022.

"We had Guard members working with your Ukrainian armed forces members to help teach them how to use the weapon systems that they are now utilizing and having success with," said Brig. Gen. Ken Borchers, director of the joint staff, Washington National Guard.

During the visit, a member of the 81st SBCT shared stories with the guests about phone calls they received early in the war to help troubleshoot and set up equipment. After clearing it with the Department of Defense, Guard members help their Ukrainian counterparts with the new equipment via telephone.

"We believe we are successful because we were able to call for your help and for the assistance you have given," said Kravchenko.

The California National Guard has had a close working relationship with the Ukraine military and the Ukraine National Guard since 1993 as part of the National Guard State Partnership Program. The program was based on an American suggestion to NATO and has many objectives, including helping partner nations become more interoperable with NATO forces, more transparent in military affairs and, perhaps most importantly, more knowledgeable on how a military works in a democracy.

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Canada and Ukraine provide update on International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children

Global Affairs Canada

News release

March 18, 2024 - Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable MAlanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, today provided an update on the work of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.

Launched in Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 2, 2024, the coalition is a joint initiative by Ukraine and Canada to coordinate efforts and cooperation between Canada, Ukraine and partner states to address the unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia. As of today, 33 countries have become active members of the coalition and will combine their efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their families and ensure their safe reintegration into families and communities.

Since the launch of the coalition, Canada has engaged with many international partners in bilateral and multilateral forums to raise awareness of, and advocate on, this issue, which has been ongoing since Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014 and has come to light following the launch of Russia's full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022.

As an example of ongoing cooperation between Canada and Ukraine in relation to the coalition, a working group of Canadian consular and emergency response officials recently completed a scoping mission in Kyiv, where they met with Ukrainian officials and representatives of non-governmental organizations, international organizations and like-minded missions to better understand the complexities and potential challenges surrounding the forced transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia, as well as to identify partners, needs, gaps and potential areas of assistance. These efforts will help inform Canada's work to bolster capacity building and provide technical assistance to the Ukrainian government, in cooperation with the members of the coalition.

Canada and Ukraine, along with the members of the coalition, will continue to coordinate efforts to facilitate the return of Ukrainian children and to ensure the protection of their rights and freedoms.

Quotes

"We began this initiative as children should never be pawns for military and political purposes. The International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children is also an important component of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula. I am thrilled to see that the work of the coalition is making good progress, and that we can now count on a growing number of international partners to facilitate the return of those unlawfully deported and forcibly transferred Ukrainian children to their families. We will continue to actively be engaged by raising global awareness, advocating, and putting public pressure for their return." - MAlanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

"The safe return of the abducted Ukrainian children demands a united international effort. Ukraine is grateful to Canada for initiating the creation of the Coalition during the meeting of national security and foreign policy advisors in Malta, convened to discuss President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula. Within just a few months, witnessing the dedication of 33 states to work collectively assures us of our ability to succeed in bringing the children back." - Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine

Quick facts

Experts estimate that since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thousands of Ukrainian children have been deported, forcibly transferred or otherwise displaced from the territory of Ukraine to the temporarily occupied territories and to Russia to erase their identity. Currently, fewer than 400 children have been returned to Ukraine and reunited with their families.

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Russia/Ukraine: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the EU on Russian presidential elections and their non-applicability on Ukrainian territory

European Council / Council of the European Union

Council of the EU

Press release

18 March 2024

The presidential elections held by Russia on 15-17 March took place in a highly restricted environment exacerbated also by Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Russian authorities have continued to increase the systematic internal repression by cracking down on opposition politicians, civil society organisations, independent media and other critical voices with the use of repressive legislation and politically motivated prison sentences. The shocking death of opposition politician Alexei Navalny in the run-up to the elections is yet another sign of the accelerating and systematic repression. The elections took place in an ever-shrinking political space, which has resulted in an alarming increase of violations of civil and political rights, and precluded many candidates from running, including all those opposed to Russia's illegal war of aggression, deprived Russian voters of a real choice and heavily limited their access to accurate information. The European Union will continue to support the important work of Russian civil society organisations, human rights defenders and independent media.

The European Union regrets the decision of Russian authorities not to invite OSCE/ODIHR observers to its elections. This runs contrary to Russia's OSCE commitments and has denied Russia's voters and institutions an impartial and independent assessment of these elections.

Furthermore, the European Union strongly condemns the illegal holding of so-called "elections" in the territories of Ukraine that Russia has temporarily occupied: Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, as well as in parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. The so-called "elections" in these territories represent yet another manifest violation by Russia of international law, including the UN Charter, and of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Referring to the two UNGA Resolutions of 12 October 2022 and 27 March 2014, we urge Russia to respect Ukraine's internationally recognised borders and sovereignty. The European Union reiterates that it does not and will never recognise either the holding of these so-called "elections" in the territories of Ukraine or their results. They are null and void and cannot produce any legal effect whatsoever. Russia's political leadership and those involved in organising them will face consequences of these illegal actions.

The European Union reiterates its unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Russia must cease its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its military forces and equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine.

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Statement by Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on the 10th anniversary of the annexation of Crimea

Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

18.03.2024

Ten years ago today, the Russian Federation annexed the Crimean peninsula. For ten years, Russia has occupied Ukrainian territories illegally, claiming them as its own, violating Ukraine's internationally recognised borders and territorial integrity, and endangering international security.

Holding so-called elections in Crimea and in other occupied areas of Ukraine is proof of Russia's continued imperialist policies. It is a blatant violation of international law. We do not recognise these so-called elections nor their results in the occupied territories of Ukraine. The individuals who organised elections there must be sanctioned. The 'elections' that ended in Russia yesterday once again confirmed that the rules of a democracy ceased to function there long ago; the dictatorial President Putin continues to rule the country and unfortunately any change is unlikely in Russia.

Ten years ago, Putin's regime decided to blatantly violate Ukraine's sovereignty, organise a sham referendum and declare Crimea part of Russia. The indigenous peoples of Crimea - Crimean Tatars, Karaites, Krymchaks - were left under Russian occupation without any right for free expression. Tens of thousands of residents of Crimea are subjected to violence, terrorism, deportations and other international crimes. Putin belongs in The Hague, at the International Criminal Court, answering for the suffering he has caused to all the people living in Ukraine.

Ukraine is fighting for our freedom and our future, which is why it is our duty to support them until they have won the war. We are firmly supporting Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Crimea is Ukraine.

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Sweden supports Czech ammunition initiative for artillery shells to Ukraine

Government Offices of Sweden

18 March 2024

Sweden intends to provide EUR 30 million in support for a Czech ammunition initiative for artillery shells to Ukraine. The Government has authorised the Defence Materiel Administration to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the responsible authority in Czechia.

"Ukraine is in great need of ammunition, particularly artillery shells. Czechia has identified possibilities for purchasing large amounts of ammunition in the global market for donation to Ukraine. The Government wants to support Czechia in these efforts," says Minister for Defence PAl Jonson.

To contribute to Ukraine's defence against Russia's war of aggression, Czechia has taken the initiative to purchase large volumes of ammunition with short delivery times in the global market, and additional countries can provide funding.

The Government today authorised the Defence Materiel Administration to negotiate and enter into an agreement with the responsible authority in Czechia on financial support for procurement of ammunition for Ukraine. Sweden intends support Czechia for this initiative by providing EUR 30 million.

This contribution will be funded as part of Sweden's 15th military support package, provided as financial contributions to funds and a number of bilateral and multilateral donation projects that countries in the EU and NATO have launched to support Ukraine.

The details of support package 15 are being finalised in the Riksdag, and a Swedish contribution to the Czech initiative is subject to the Riksdag's approval of the Government's bill on an additional amending budget.

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Concert marking 10th anniversary of Crimea and Sevastopol's reunification with Russia

Vladimir Putin attended a concert on Red Square to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Crimea and Sevastopol's reunification with the Russian Federation.

March 18, 2024

19:20

Red Square, Moscow

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends,

From the bottom of my heart, I welcome and congratulate you all on the anniversary of the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia!

Exactly ten years ago, taking the same stage on Red Square, I recalled that Crimea is often called the unsinkable aircraft carrier. This is what prompted me to say that Crimea had returned to its home harbour.

However, Crimea is not only a strategically vital territory, not only part of our history, our traditions and Russia's pride. Crimea is primarily its people. The people of Sevastopol and Crimea, they are our pride. They remained faithful to the homeland over the decades, they never separated themselves from Russia, and this is precisely what made it possible for Crimea to come back to our common family.

The same is true of Donbass and Novorossiya. The people living there expressed their will to return to their family during the days of the "Russian Spring." Their path home involved much greater difficulty and tragedy. Nevertheless, we did it, and it is also a great event in the history of our state.

Now we are making progress and moving forward together, side by side. Just this morning, I received a report that the railway from Rostov to Donetsk, Mariupol and Berdyansk has been restored. We will continue this work and soon trains will go straight to Sevastopol. This would be yet another alternative route - instead of the Crimean Bridge.

We will carry on like this together, hand in hand. This is what makes us truly stronger - not in words but in deeds. And credit for all this goes to you, citizens of Russia.

Friends,

I have just met with my colleagues who travelled their own path in the presidential campaign. They are all here. I have invited them - much to their surprise - to join you here for this celebration. We have different approaches to achieving our national goals but we have one Motherland, and they are here.

I wish you a happy holiday and would like them to say a few words today as well.

Nikolai Kharitonov: Friends,

You remember that unsettling time when the entire country was worried, but everyone believed and hoped that Crimea would return home to its native harbour. We all remember how President of Russia Vladimir Putin spared no effort to ensure that the aspirations of the people of Crimea prevailed and that they return home.

Russia and Crimea have one and the same Motherland. Happy holiday, friends, happy 10th anniversary! Hooray!

Leonid Slutsky: Good evening, Russia! Good evening, Crimea! Good evening, Sevastopol!

We remember those exciting days 10 years ago. Since that day, Crimea and Sevastopol have been on the political map of the world as part of great Russia and will forever be.

Those were challenging days, but there was no other choice but to return it to its home. We remember the happy faces and - all these ten years - the radiant eyes and smiles of those who returned home, who returned to their home harbour, those who returned to the great Russia.

Today, as we mark the tenth anniversary of this historic day, which is forever inscribed in golden letters in Russian history, I once again wish a happy anniversary to the courageous people of Crimea and Sevastopol.

To Russia! To our great future! To the President of the great Russia!

Vladislav Davankov: Friends,

I will never forget that sense of pride for my country and for my President ten years ago.

I wish you a happy holiday!

Vladimir Putin: Happy holiday! Long live Russia!

(The National Anthem of the Russian Federation plays.)

We are proud of Russia!

Thank you!

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Landsbergis in Brussels: "Lithuania will be part of the coalitions that help Ukraine win this war"

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2024.03.18

Today, on 18 March, ahead of the EU's Foreign Affairs Council, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, spoke about the situation in Ukraine.

"So we will discuss everything we cannot do to Ukraine and try to be a bit more political and offer some support."

"There are difficulties for us in finding a date for an intergovernmental conference, which will kick off the Ukrainian EU membership negotiations during the Belgian presidency."

"I do not believe that there is a possibility to agree on how Europe should communicate with one voice, but as far as my country is concerned, we are ready to consider all options and be part of the coalitions that help Ukraine win this war," the head of Lithuania's diplomacy said.

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Ukraine's 'air defense' may fail by end of March as Kiev running out of ammunition: Report

Iran Press TV

Monday, 18 March 2024 10:59 AM

Ukraine's army might deplete its air defense ammunition by the end of this month, and as it is grappling with shortages of air defense missiles, according to a report.

Ukrainian officials shared their concerns regarding the rapidly dwindling supplies of missiles with their European and American counterparts at a security conference last month, The Washington Post said

The American newspaper cited one of the officials as saying that while Ukraine is currently trying to shoot down four out of every five missiles aiming for its cities, it soon may be able to intercept just one in five.

This will have a "significant effect on Ukraine's urban centers", the two Ukrainian officials told US officials at the conference, according to The Washington Post.

That comes as a political stalemate in Washington has hindered an increase in missile supplies for Ukrainian air defenses. The Senate has passed an emergency aid bill, including $60.1 billion for Ukraine, but it is currently held up in the House of Representatives by Republican opposition.

The warning also comes as Russia has reportedly ramped up missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.

The Telegraph quoted officials in Russia as saying that they know Ukraine is running out of ammunition and have decided that this is the time to strike.

However, Rybar, a Russian Telegram channel linked to the Russian Ministry of Defense, said Ukrainian forces appeared to be relatively well-armed.

"The enemy has an abundance of drones. Not only vehicles and armored vehicles, but even individual soldiers are subject to drops and strikes from first-person view drones, which indicates that there is no shortage of weapons," it said.

Russia launched the military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Western countries have responded to the Russian military operation by backing Ukraine with cash and heavy weaponry while imposing unprecedented sanctions on Russian officials and entities.

Moscow has repeatedly warned that such a flow of weapons to Kiev will only prolong the conflict.

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2 Killed By Ukrainian Strike On Russia's Belgorod, Officials Say

By RFE/RL's Russian Service and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service March 18, 2024

Two people were killed and four others were wounded in a Ukrainian air strike on Russia's Belgorod region on March 18, the head of the region's administration, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on Telegram.

Gladkov said one of the two victims was a 17-year-old boy, while one of the wounded was a young girl pulled from under the rubble.

Ukraine has not commented on the attack, which could not be independently confirmed.

Russia's Defense Ministry earlier on March 18 said the Belgorod region had been targeted by 10 Ukrainian Vampire missiles. All had been shot down by the air defense systems, it said.

Meanwhile, air-defense systems shot down 17 of the 22 drones launched by Russia at several Ukrainian regions early on March 18, Ukraine's military said in a statement on Telegram.

The drones were destroyed over nine Ukrainian regions -- Kyiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskiy, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsya, Zaporizhzhya, and Rivne -- the military said, adding that the Kharkiv and Sumy regions were also targeted by a total of seven missiles.

The military did not report any casualties or damage, but regional authorities in Sumy said civilian infrastructure was damaged in the city of Konotop.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belgorod-strike-russia- ukraine-drones-two-killed/32866389.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

18.03.2024

From 11:30 to 11:45 Moscow time, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have foiled the Kiev regime's attempt to launch a terrorist attack against the facilities in the Russian Federation using RM-70, Vampire, Olkha, and Grad MLRS.

The air defence systems on alert have shot down eight Vampire MLRS projectiles, two Olkha projectiles, and one Grad projectile over Belgorod region.

Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Polish Defense Minister Forecasts 'Hard' Path for Ukraine to NATO Membership

Sputnik News

20240318

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The process of Ukraine's accession to NATO will be difficult, Polish National Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Monday.

"Ukraine's path to NATO will be hard," Kosiniak-Kamysz was quoted as saying by the defense ministry, recalling that "Poland has always been supportive of other countries' accession to NATO."

He said Warsaw should continue supporting Kiev as "investing in Ukraine's victory means investing in Poland's security."

Ukraine submitted its application for NATO membership in September 2022, counting on expedited processing. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has on numerous occasions said that the military alliance was supportive of Kiev's aspirations but is not ready to approve its application right away.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was closely monitoring the situation and recalled that one of the reasons for Russia's special military operation in Ukraine was the latter's enshrining its euroatlantic aspirations in its constitution.

Western countries, including NATO member states, have been providing military and financial aid to Kiev since the start of Russia's special military operation in February 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that NATO's expansion to include Ukraine would create a direct national security threat to Russia and that Moscow considers the non-aligned status of Ukraine to be extremely important.

A Sputnik

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Ukraine Loses Up to 1,070 Soldiers in Past Day

Sputnik News

20240318

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Ukraine lost up to 1,070 soldiers both killed and wounded over the past 24 hours, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) said on Monday.

Over the given period, the Russian forces have repelled seven attacks and counterattacks near Avdeyevka, the MoD said in a statement.

"Enemy losses amounted to up to 380 military personnel, two armored fighting vehicles, including a US-made M113 armored personnel carrier and four combat vehicles [in the Donetsk area]," the ministry specified.

Ukraine also lost up to 295 soldiers around Avdeyevka and over 130 soldiers south of Donetsk, the ministry added.

In the course of the ongoing military operation, Russian troops managed to improve their frontline positions in the Donetsk area, and to take up better strategic ground in the Avdeyevka region, the MoD also noted.

Over the same period, Russian air defenses shot down a Ukrainian Mi-8 military helicopter and 143 drones.

Ukraine's Loses Around Russia's Belgorod

Russia has prevented the attempts of Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance groups to infiltrate Russia's Belgorod Region, where Kiev lost up to 150 soldiers in combat, the MoD added.

"The enemy lost up to 150 soldiers and militants [both] killed and wounded, two tanks, three vehicles, as well as a Czech-made Vampire multiple launch rocket system (MLRS)," the ministry said.

Russian forces thwarted all Ukrainian attempts to break into the Russian lands near the settlement of Kozinka in the Belgorod Region, the ministry noted.

A Sputnik

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This year we must and will reach the maximum level of Ukrainian defense production throughout the entire period of independence - address by the President of Ukraine

President of Ukraine

18 March 2024 - 19:54

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

Briefly about this day.

I held a meeting of the Staff. There was a report by the Commander-in-Chief on the main areas of operations. Kupyansk direction, our directions in Donetsk region, southern directions. There was an analysis of the dynamics in terms of ammunition - logistics in the army has become significantly more efficient. There were reports from the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Strategic Industries on contracts for the supply of weapons and ammunition from both partner countries and domestic manufacturers. This year we must and will reach the maximum level of Ukrainian defense production throughout the entire period of independence. And every year we will consistently expand this potential, which is an obvious strategic perspective for Ukraine. I am grateful to everyone who contributes to this, giving all their energy, and to everyone who truly helps - every leader, every state, every company in the world that stands with Ukraine. The Staff also listened to the government's report on the construction of fortifications - all resources are provided.

A few things today about our communication with partners. I spoke with the President-elect of Indonesia. We appreciate the relations that have already been achieved between our countries. It was in Indonesia that the Ukrainian Peace Formula was first presented. And since then, the Peace Formula has gradually become global, bringing together the world's majority. States and leaders from all continents have already joined the work on the Formula, and we are now preparing the first inaugural Global Peace Summit. And today I invited Indonesia to participate in it. Senator Lindsey Graham, a representative of the Republican Party, visited Ukraine today. We talked, among other things, about the importance of freedom and democracy winning now, in this war, here in Ukraine, because otherwise Russian aggression and chaos will spread around the world. I informed the Senator about the situation on the battlefield and the key needs of our Defense Forces. The needs are quite obvious. Patriots, ATACMS, F-16s. And, of course, artillery. We discussed further cooperation and support for Ukraine. All our actions must be far-sighted, long-range, and as effective as possible to enable all free nations to live on in freedom and security. I am grateful to everyone in the United States who feels as we do that freedom must always prevail.

Today I would also like to thank the leadership of the European Union and all member states for establishing a new Fund to assist Ukraine within the European Peace Facility. The amount is 5 billion euros, which will be used to support our defense efforts this year. We also expect this Fund to become part of a general security agreement between Ukraine and the European Union.

I am grateful to all our people who fight and work for Ukraine and Ukrainians, who support each of our cities and communities. And especially to those who are currently having the hardest times: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and our Odesa. We are doing our best to give Ukraine and each of our regions more protection and more strength. I thank everyone in the world who stands with Ukraine!

Glory to Ukraine!

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President of Ukraine met with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham

President of Ukraine

18 March 2024 - 17:38

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who is on a visit to Ukraine.

The Head of State emphasized that the regular visit of Senator Graham demonstrated the unwavering powerful support of the United States for our country in the fight against Russian aggression.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the Congress, both Democratic and Republican parties, the President of the United States, his administration and the entire American people for providing Ukraine with defense, financial and economic assistance.

"Our fight for independence and territorial integrity continues. The sustained support of Ukraine by international partners, especially the United States, is now more important than ever for the implementation of plans to de-occupy our territories and protect our people. We count on preserving and strengthening such support," the President emphasized.

In this context, the parties discussed the issue of further comprehensive assistance to Ukraine from the United States.

"We see a strong determination of the U.S. Congress to step up support for Ukraine and we are grateful for it. It is critically important for us that the Congress soon completes all the necessary procedures and makes a final decision on the allocation of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine that will strengthen the Ukrainian economy and our Armed Forces," the Head of State noted.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy briefed the U.S. Senator on the situation on the frontline and the priority needs of the Armed Forces. The President emphasized the critical importance of further provision of military and technical assistance by partners, including air defense systems and missiles.

Special attention was paid to the topic of Euro-Atlantic integration of our country.

"Ukraine counts on further support from the United States for our Euro-Atlantic aspirations. This is also important for strengthening the entire transatlantic security," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

The parties exchanged views on further increasing the sanctions pressure on the aggressor state and the important role of the Congress in this regard. In particular, the importance of the Congress finalizing the legal framework for the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's urgent needs was emphasized.

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Zelenskyy Says Ukraine Will Boost Defense Production

By VOA News March 18, 2024

Ahead of the latest meeting Tuesday of a U.S.-led group focused on military support for Ukraine in its battle against a Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country will seek to maximize its own defense production.

Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Monday that it is in Ukraine's strategic interest to expand its production potential every year.

His comments also followed a meeting with visiting U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham at a time when new U.S. aid has been stalled by political differences in Washington.

Zelenskyy said he and Graham discussed "the importance of freedom and democracy winning now, in this war, here in Ukraine, because otherwise Russian aggression and chaos will spread around the world."

Zelenskyy said his military needs artillery, F-16 jets, Patriot missiles and Army Tactical Missile Systems.

U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed $60 billion in new Ukraine aid as part of a security package already approved by the Democrat-led U.S. Senate. The Republican-led House of Representatives has not taken up the measure, with House Speaker Mike Johnson insisting a security package also address U.S. border security.

Ukraine's military reported Monday shooting down 17 of 22 drones that Russia launched in overnight attacks that were aimed at areas nationwide.

The Ukrainian air force said the Russian attacks also included five missiles targeting the Kharkiv region, located along the Ukraine-Russia border, and two other missiles targeting the neighboring Sumy region.

The drones were widespread, with the Ukrainian military saying its intercepts took place over the Kyiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhya, and Rivne regions.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

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Austin Hosts First In-Person Ukraine Defense Contact Group of 2024

By Carla Babb March 18, 2024

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is in Germany to build upon the international community's military support for Ukraine, even as the U.S. Congress has yet to approve additional funding for Kyiv.

This is Austin's first international trip since he was hospitalized on Jan. 1 due to complications from surgery to treat his prostate cancer in late December. On Tuesday, he will host another round of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), which brings together officials from more than 50 nations to coordinate their Ukraine efforts.

Ukrainian forces have continued to fight back against Russian forces in the east while inflicting "considerable damage" to Russian forces in the Black Sea. However, Moscowa with the help of North Korea and Iran a has drastically ramped up its defense production capacity, forcing Ukraine to retreat from some battles due to ammunition shortages, according to a senior defense official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity ahead of the UDCG.

"Ukraine is heavily outgunned on the battlefield. We've received reports of Ukrainian troops rationing or even running out of ammunition on the front lines," said the official.

The U.S. has contributed about $44 billion in security assistance for Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February 2022, with allies and partners also committing more than $44 billion in that time frame.

But the U.S. military has run out of congressionally approved funds for replenishing its weapons stockpiles sent to Ukraine, and leadership in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives has so far refused to bring new aid for Ukraine up for a vote.

Last week, the United States announced its first new round of military aid for Ukraine since late December, in what defense officials have called an "ad hoc" package made possible through U.S. Army procurement savings.

The military assistance package is valued at up to $300 million and will provide Ukraine with immediate air defense, artillery and anti-tank capabilities, along with more ammunition for HIMARS and 155-mm artillery rounds. But officials say it is unclear if there will be future procurement savings to produce another extraordinary package of aid.

"This is not a sustainable solution for Ukraine. We urgently need congressional approval of a national security supplemental," the senior defense official said.

"There isn't a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support," the official added.

The emphasis on ammunition and air defense will likely be as strong as ever during this UDCG meeting.

"They need interceptors for a whole variety of their air defense systems, and over time, they keep running out as they try to defend against these wave upon wave of attacks that we're seeing from Russia," the senior official said.

Coalition leadership group

To better organize how the UDCG provides Kyiv with military weapons and equipment, the group's members have formed capability coalitions to identify ways to increase Kyiv's efficiency and cut costs.

Defense officials say Austin will convene a meeting of the leads and co-leads of all the capability coalitions for the first time on Tuesday, during a special coalition leadership group session.

Air Force capability is co-led by the United States, Denmark and the Netherlands. The armor capability is co-led by Poland and Italy. The artillery capability is co-led by France and the United States. De-mining is co-led by Lithuania and Iceland. Drone capability is co-led by Latvia and the United Kingdom. Information technology is co-led by Estonia and Luxembourg. Integrated air and missile defense capabilities are co-led by Germany and France, and maritime security is co-led by the United Kingdom and Norway.

Critics like Sean McFate, a professor at Syracuse University and author of "The New Rules of War," told VOA the international community is putting its money into expensive military aid that falls short in modern warfare.

"It's not conventional warfare that beat back Russia's blitz. It was Ukrainian guerrilla warfare," he said. "Ukraine was winning the unconventional fight. But then in fall of 2022, they decided to go conventional against Russia, which was strategically silly."

McFate added that giving Ukraine more conventional war weapons was, in his view, "the strategic definition of insanity."

Instead, he said Ukraine and its allies needed to think about unconventional ways where they can leverage their power to defeat Russia, such as guerilla operations and more direct actions deep inside Russia to build upon the Russian population's unfavorable opinions of the war.

"Use your conventional forces to hold the line, but don't invest them to create an offensive which requires a lot more resources," McFate told VOA.

"M1A1 Abram tanks and F-16 fighter jets ... will win tactical victories on the battlefield, but we all know that you can win every battle, yet lose the war, because wars are won on the strategic level, not at the tactical level of warfare," he said.

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VOA Interview: Latvia's Defense Minister Offers Support to Ukraine for 'As Long as it Takes'

By Oleksii Kovalenko March 18, 2024

Latvia is among the top European contributors of military assistance to Ukraine relative to the size of its economy.

Together with Ukraine and Great Britain, the country launched a military "drone coalition" to supply drones to Ukraine and cooperate on technology.

Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds spoke with VOA last week during his visit to Washington to meet with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. He emphasized the importance of continuous support for Ukraine in the war against Russian aggression.

"Ukrainians are fighting for our freedom, independence and sovereignty," Spruds told VOA.

The following transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: After French President Emmanuel Macron's statement last week about possibly sending troops to Ukraine, the Latvian Ministry of Defense noted that Latvia does not exclude that scenario. What would be the conditions for that?

Andris Spruds, Latvian defense minister: There are different initiatives, and we appreciate the high level of the French initiative. They are also looking for different solutions on how to sustain continuous support for Ukraine.

Latvia's position is that we support countries deciding individually how they provide support, for instance, by sending troops. At the same time, if we speak about sending troops jointly, a collective decision by NATO is instrumental and very important.

VOA: Ukraine and Latvia agreed to create a drone coalition during your visit to Kyiv. What are the strategic goals that this coalition brings to the battlefield?

Spruds: The drones are very important for Ukraine. They are now part of the warfare. ... The major goal is to support Ukraine, to supply Ukraine with necessary equipment, and drones are part of this. It is also about developing our own industry a the drone industry and military industry a to have the capacity to supply Ukraine.

VOA: More voices in the West are talking about a stalemate on the front in Ukraine and the possibility of Ukraine negotiating with Russia, or even waving the white flag. As a minister of a NATO country, how do you respond to those voices?

Spruds: Well, my response is very clear. First of all, the flag must be yellow and blue. Ukraine is fighting for its freedom. The Ukrainians have said a and strongly expressed a that Ukraine will fight until it wins the war and liberates its territories. For us, the Western nations a all the members of the alliance a it is important to support Ukraine as long as it takes and with all necessary means.

It's Ukraine's decision what kind of peace agreement there will be when all the territories will be liberated. Russia must suffer strategic defeat in Ukraine.

VOA: Latvia reintroduced military conscription. As a NATO member state for 20 years now, do you fear Russia's direct military confrontation?

Spruds: We are doing a lot for our military capabilities. And of course, it will be a permanent job to strengthen our defense capabilities.

We are already now in a hybrid warfare [with Russia]. There are the cyberattacks, the weaponization of illegal immigration, disinformation campaigns and incidents against critical infrastructure. We are basically in conflict with Russia right now in more conceptual terms. But of course, we should also be ready for military threats. Russia is a threat, and all those scenarios should be taken into account.

VOA: You noted that Ukraine after Vilnius will be moving to NATO membership. How optimistic are you about that ahead of the Washington, D.C., summit?

Spruds: The Baltic countries, including, Latvia, strongly support Ukraine as a member of NATO. But of course, as was declared during the Vilnius [summit] a when the conditions allow and when allies agree.

Now, it's important to have a consensus to support Ukraine as long as it takes with all necessary means. In this case, it's all for one, one for all, in supporting Ukraine. Certainly, Ukraine must be in the EU and also NATO in the future.

VOA: Some experts called last Tuesday's drone attack inside Russia an embarrassing day for Russian President Vladimir Putin. While many Western leaders hesitate to give Ukraine long-range missiles, what do you think of Ukraine getting these capabilities to reach deeper Russian territories?

Spruds: Ukraine should be given all necessary rights and means to defend itself. Ukraine can respond by defending its country, including by active defense. That's why Latvia is very clear: Ukraine should be given all necessary means to protect itself with all the necessary ways against Russia's aggression. [The drone attack] has been an embarrassment for Russia, and I think it will have quite a number of such embarrassments in the future. So, let's not also overestimate the Russian strength. I think Russia has a lot of weaknesses.

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Nuclear war cannot be won and must not be fought: UK statement at the UN Security Council

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

18 March 2024

Thank you President. I am grateful to Japan for convening this meeting, and the Secretary-General, Dr. Floyd, and Ms Mukhatzhanova for their briefings.

For fifty years, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty has been a bulwark for global security, allowing peaceful uses of nuclear technologies to flourish while preventing the erosion of non-proliferation norms.

The UK remains committed to full and complete disarmament in line with Article Six of the NPT. We reaffirm the P5 leaders' statement of 2022 that a nuclear war cannot be won and must not be fought. The UK is the only Nuclear Weapon State to have reduced to one delivery system, and we maintain a minimum credible deterrent. We have pioneered work in nuclear disarmament verification, championing transparency and advancing risk reduction. We are one of the largest financial contributors to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation and host thirteen of its monitoring facilities.

This Council cannot be complacent about nuclear proliferation. We must continue to counter the DPRK's nuclear programme, and we urge the DPRK to commit to denuclearisation. The 1718 Panel of Experts carries out important work and must retain the Council's full support. We also call on Iran and Syria to cooperate fully with the IAEA, and express grave concern that Iran's nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today.

It is deeply concerning that Russia, who played an important role in building the international non-proliferation and arms control architecture, has suspended its obligations under New START, de-ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and breached resolutions on Iran and DPRK to source weapons for its illegal war in Ukraine. We urge Russia to reaffirm its commitment to its international obligations.

Colleagues, our non-proliferation architecture supports and enables the peaceful use of nuclear technologies worldwide. The UK is helping to expand access to peaceful nuclear technology in support of the Sustainable Development Goals through our Sustained Dialogue on Peaceful Uses initiative and we've given $4.3 million in funding to the IAEA's Technical Cooperation Fund this year. Next month marks twenty years since this Council adopted the 1540 resolution, helping prevent non-state actors' access to WMD materials, and I take this opportunity to thank Ecuador for their stewardship.

Combating nuclear non-proliferation and promoting disarmament is a global challenge. We call on all States who have not yet done so to ratify the NPT. A strong Non-Proliferation Treaty means a more secure world. The UK is committed to a successful review conference in 2026 and looks forward to working with all UN members to this end. I thank you.

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Guterres urges disarmament now as nuclear risk reaches 'highest point in decades'

18 March 2024 - Almost 80 years after the incineration of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons still represent a clear and present danger to global peace and security, UN Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres told the Security Council on Monday.

Calling for disarmament now, he urged States with nuclear arsenals to lead the way across six areas for action that include dialogue and accountability.

"Nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons ever invented, capable of eliminating all life on Earth. Today, these weapons are growing in power, range and stealth. An accidental launch is one mistake, one miscalculation, one rash act away," he warned.

Doomsday Clock ticking loudly

The meeting on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation was convened by Japan, Security Council president for March and, as Mr. Guterres noted, the only country that knows better than any other "the brutal cost of nuclear carnage".

It was being held at a time "when geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades", the UN chief said.

He said the Doomsday Clock - the symbol for humanity's proximity to self-destruction - "is ticking loudly enough for all to hear".

Meanwhile, from academics and civil society groups to Pope Francis, youth and the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, known as Hibakusha, have been clamouring for peace and an end to the existential threat.

No 'Oppenheimer' sequel

Even the Oscar-winning Hollywood film Oppenheimer "brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world", he said, adding that "humanity cannot survive a sequel".

Despite these appeals for the world to step back from the brink, "States possessing nuclear weapons are absent from the table of dialogue", he said, while "investments in the tools of war are outstripping investments in the tools of peace."

Mr. Guterres stressed that disarmament is the only path to "vanquish this senseless and suicidal shadow, once and for all".

Dialogue and confidence-building

He appealed to States armed with nuclear weapons to take the lead in six areas, starting with re-engaging in dialogue to develop transparency and confidence-building measures to prevent any use of a nuclear weapon.

"Second, nuclear saber-rattling must stop," he said. "Threats to use nuclear weapons in any capacity are unacceptable."

Nuclear weapon States must also reaffirm moratoria on nuclear testing, which includes pledging to avoid actions that would undermine the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), whose entry into force must be a priority.

From commitment to action

Furthermore, disarmament commitments must become action, together with accountability, under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The landmark accord, signed more than 50 years ago, is the only binding commitment to the goal of disarmament by States that officially stockpile nuclear weapons.

The Secretary-General also highlighted the need for a joint first-use agreement.

"Nuclear weapon States must urgently agree that none of them will be the first to use nuclear weapons. As a matter of fact, none should use them in any circumstances," he said.

Reducing stockpiles

Finally, he called for reductions in the number of nuclear weapons. In this regard, he urged the United States and Russia - the world's largest nuclear weapons holders - to take the lead and also find a way back to negotiations towards the full implementation of the New START Treaty and agree on its successor.

Mr. Guterres pointed to the responsibility of non-nuclear weapon States to fulfil their own non-proliferation obligations and to support disarmament efforts.

He said the Security Council has a leadership role, including "to look beyond today's divisions and state clearly that living with the existential threat of nuclear weapons is unacceptable".

Test-Ban Treaty

Robert Floyd, head of the organization overseeing the CTBT, also briefed the Council on the treaty's impact and the need to push further.

"A lot has changed since I was last here in 2021, but one thing hasn't changed - the case for the CTBT's entry into force," he said.

The treaty prescribes a global network of 337 monitoring facilities to detect any significant explosion anywhere on Earth almost immediately and envisions more verification tools.

It has been signed by 197 States and ratified by 178. However, entry into force requires signing and ratification by 44 specific nuclear technology holding States, eight of which have yet to ratify: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Pakistan and the United States.

Last year, nuclear weapon holder Russia, which had signed and ratified the CTBT, announced that it had revoked its ratification.

Arms race fears: Japan

Japan's Foreign Minister, Yoko Kamikawa, who chaired the meeting, stated that the catastrophes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never be repeated.

Although the international community has become even more divided over how to advance nuclear disarmament, "nevertheless, we must steadily advance realistic and practical efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons," she said.

She warned that a rapid build-up of nuclear capabilities by certain countries could spark a nuclear arms race.

"Russia's nuclear threats, let alone any use of nuclear weapons in the context of the situation in Ukraine, are absolutely unacceptable," she said, while urging the country to return to the full implementation of the New START treaty.

DPRK and Iran concerns

The Foreign Minister voiced Japan's strong hope for dialogue leading to the development of a broader framework of arms control that covers a wider range of weapon systems with appropriate governance.

She pointed to the DPRK, commonly known as North Korea, which tested another ballistic missile on Sunday.

"Such activities by North Korea threaten the peace and stability of the region and international community. It is totally unacceptable. Moreover, there is a possibility of further provocations, including a nuclear weapons test," she said.

Ms. Kamikawa stressed that in this context, the role of the Security Council's DPRK sanctions committee and panel of experts is critically important and needs to be maintained.

Turning to other matters, she noted that "with no clear outlook in resolving Iran's nuclear issue, restraint by countries concerned, including Iran, is necessary, particularly in light of the current heightened tension in the Middle East."

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Nuclear Warfare Risk at Highest Point in Decades, Secretary-General Warns Security Council, Urging Largest Arsenal Holders to Find Way Back to Negotiating Table

Meetings Coverage

Security Council

9579th Meeting (AM)

SC/15630

18 March 2024

Delegates Stress Non-proliferation Architecture Must Be Strengthened

With geopolitical tensions escalating the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades, reducing and abolishing nuclear weapons is the only viable path to save humanity, the UN chief told the Security Council, as delegates expressed deep concern about the continuous erosion of the international non-proliferation architecture.

"There is one path a and one path only a that will vanquish this senseless and suicidal shadow, once and for all. We need disarmament now," said AntAnio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, urging nuclear-weapon States to re-engage to prevent any use of a nuclear weapon, re-affirm moratoria on nuclear testing and "urgently agree that none of them will be the first to use nuclear weapons".

Further, he called for reductions in the number of nuclear weapons, led by the holders of the largest arsenals a the United States and the Russian Federation, "who must find a way back to the negotiating table" to fully implement the New Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms a or START Treaty a and agree on its successor.

"When each country pursues its own security without regard for others, we create global insecurity that threatens us all," he observed. Almost eight decades after the incineration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons still represent a clear danger to global peace and security, growing in power, range and stealth. States possessing them are absent from the negotiating table, and some statements have raised the prospect of unleashing nuclear hell a "threats that we must all denounce with clarity and force," he said. Moreover, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and cyber and outer space domains have created new risks.

From Pope Francis, who calls the possession of nuclear arms "immoral", to the hibakusha, the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to Hollywood, where Oppenheimer brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world, people are calling for an end to the nuclear madness. "Humanity cannot survive a sequel to Oppenheimer," he warned.

Citing September's Summit of the Future a and the Pact that will emerge a as an important moment for the world to gather around concrete reforms to the global disarmament architecture and the bodies and institutions that uphold it, he stated: "Only by working together can the prospect of a nuclear holocaust be eliminated."

Citing an example of such cooperation, Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, said that the number of nuclear tests globally fell from over 2,000 to fewer than one dozen after the Treaty's establishment in 1996 thanks to its "fair and transparent" nature. Detailing some of the instrument's provisions, he said it prescribes a global network of 337 monitoring facilities that can detect any significant explosion, anywhere on Earth, almost immediately. While there was "one high-profile deratification" in 2023, two additional States have signed the Treaty and eight more have ratified it since 2021. "One step backwards, but nine more steps forward a the trend is clear," he observed.

However, he said that something else has changed since 2021. New wars have promoted a sense of unease, nuclear weapons are back in the public consciousness, there are concerns that one State is accumulating worrying amounts of highly enriched uranium, reports indicate increased activity at former nuclear test sites and there are suggestions that some States might even consider using a nuclear weapon. Underlining the need for "certainty through transparency", he said the Treaty's entering into force would result in a world "with much more security and a maybe a even more peace".

Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, Director of the International Organizations and Non-Proliferation Programme at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation , stressed that the briefing the Council has not received a and must never receive a is one on the effects and consequences of a new use of nuclear weapons. "A briefing that could tell of tens of thousands killed in the blasts; hundreds of thousands suffering and dying from radiation sickness (...); millions displaced and many, many more at risk of starvation due to the medium and longer terms effects on climate, agricultural production, and food markets around the world," she said.

While this scenario seems unthinkable, she said, the risk of nuclear weapon use is higher than it has been in decades, as the nuclear taboo is undermined by reckless rhetoric and threats, especially those issued in the context of an active military conflict. Moreover, the world is now witnessing a recommitment to nuclear weapons, an increase in the value attached to them that challenges the norm against their pursuit and acquisition and contributes to proliferation pressures.

Appealing to the five permanent Security Council members a all of whom possess nuclear-weapon a she stated: "It is in your hands [...] to make sure that the nuclear taboo holds and that this Council and its future iterations never have to receive the kind of briefing I described earlier." In the world of heightened nuclear threat, "be the peacemakers", she declared.

In the following discussion, many Council Members a among them the representatives of Switzerland, Ecuador and Algeria a underscored that the global non-proliferation architecture must be strengthened, highlighting the crucial role of relevant landmark treaties a including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Numerous speakers a including the representatives of Malta and Guyana a also stressed the need to ensure women's participation in disarmament discussions and decision-making.

Yoko Kamikawa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Council's President for March, spoke in her national capacity to state that her country a the only one to have ever suffered atomic bombings a has been a global leader in the "quest to realize a world without nuclear weapons". Detailing such efforts, she announced the establishment of a cross-regional group of friends that aims to maintain and enhance political attention towards a fissile material cut-off treaty, which would limit the quantitative improvement of nuclear weapons by banning the production of fissile materials.

The delegate for the United Kingdom said that his country a "the only nuclear-weapon State to have reduced to one delivery system" a has pioneered work in nuclear disarmament verification, championed transparency and advanced risk reduction. Further, it is one of the largest financial contributors to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization and hosts 13 of its monitoring facilities. London is also helping to expand access to peaceful nuclear technology and has given $4.3 million to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) technical cooperation fund in 2024, he added.

Also urging efforts to reduce stockpiled nuclear arsenals worldwide, his counterpart from France reported that Paris has reduced its arsenal to that "strictly sufficient for its security". He warned that Iran's nuclear weapons programme is accelerating as Tehran accumulates amounts of highly enriched uranium well above the limits set forth under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Underscoring that Iran can no longer ignore its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, he called on that State to respect its international commitments.

The representative of the United States echoed that, noting Iran's failure to cooperate with the IAEA. Further, the Russian Federation has irresponsibly invoked dangerous nuclear rhetoric and walked away from several of its arms-control obligations; China has rapidly and opaquely built up and diversified its nuclear-weapon stores; and both States have defended a and even enabled a dangerous proliferators. She stressed that Washington, D.C., is willing to engage in bilateral arms-control discussions with Moscow and Beijing "right now, without preconditions a all they have to do is say 'yes' and come to the table in good faith".

The speaker for China rejected the United States' "totally groundless" allegations against his country, calling on Washington, D.C., to reduce its nuclear arsenal. Further, that country should play a "lead-by-example" role recognized by other parties a "rather than self-styled" a and abandon the threat and use of sanctions. He added that the United States' nuclear-submarine cooperation with certain countries carries a high risk of nuclear proliferation, urging that "corrective measures should be taken to rectify it".

More broadly, he underlined the need for the countries concerned to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in their national security policies; renounce the deployment of a global missile-defence system; refrain from seeking to deploy intermediate-range missiles in the Asia Pacific or European regions; and stop "so-called extended deterrence".

The representative of the Russian Federation said that today's "absurd allegations" against his country are "completely divorced from reality". Moscow "religiously" follows its nuclear doctrine, which clearly states the conditions under which such weapons can be used. He pointed out that having nuclear weapons is currently essential in "maintaining strategic balance", underscoring that upending such balance "will plunge the world into endless wars and attempts to establish hegemony by force". On strategic dialogue between the United States and his country, he said that any interaction will only be possible if Washington, D.C., and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) "review their anti-Russian course" and "remove all of the concerns that we have about our security".

The speaker for the Republic of Korea cautioned that Pyongyang a "the world's preeminent proliferator" a now has a markedly low threshold for using nuclear weapons. Additionally, its aggressive nuclear policy allows for pre-emptive strikes against his country. He, therefore, called on the Council to enforce vital global norms and to "lead by example", stating that a permanent member's military cooperation with Pyongyang, against the organ's own decisions, would erode the Council's authority and relevance.

For his part, Slovenia's delegate expressed deep concern over the lowering of thresholds for the use and threats of the use of tactical nuclear weapons. "Maintaining an option for the first use of low-yield weapons in nuclear doctrines is irresponsible and simply wrong," he insisted.

A nuclear war would be particularly unfair to Africa, said VerAnica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Mozambique, noting that none of the 54 African countries possess nuclear weapons. She called for a world that does not gravitate around the doctrine of nuclear deterrence and, instead, gives primacy to the development of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, with emphasis on energy transition and human medicine. She suggested the creation of a Global Compact a in the form of an incubator a through which nuclear knowledge and technology relevant to the progress of humanity are shared.

Francess Piagie Alghali, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, observed that the possession of nearly all the world's more than 12,000 nuclear weapons by a minute number of Member States, along with recent rhetoric threatening to use them, remains a significant concern. With the spectre of nuclear catastrophe looming over major conflicts in regions such as Ukraine, the Middle East and the Korean Peninsula, "the Council must take decisive steps to mitigate the risks of nuclear conflict", she emphasized, adding: "A nuclear war can never be won and should never be fought."

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Ankara ready to meet with Syrian govt

Ankara, Mar 19 (UNI) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara is ready to meet with the Syrian government.



"We have never refused negotiations with Damascus. We have had meetings in the past. We are ready to meet now, but the Damascus administration must also reconsider its position," Fidan said in an interview with CNN Turk on Monday.
Disarmament Now Only Viable Path to Vanquish Senseless, Suicidal Shadow of Nuclear War, Secretary-General Tells Security Council, Outlining Six Steps for Non-Proliferation

Press Release

Secretary-General / Statements and Messages

SG/SM/22163

18 March 2024

Following are UN Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres' remarks to the UN Security Council's open debate on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, in New York today:

I thank the Government of Japan for convening the Council around the vital issue of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Japan knows better than any country on earth the brutal cost of nuclear carnage. But almost eight decades after the incineration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons still represent a clear and present danger to global peace and security.

When I launched the Disarmament Agenda in 2018, I warned that: "When each country pursues its own security without regard for others, we create global insecurity that threatens us all."

Today, we meet at a time when geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades. The Doomsday Clock is ticking loudly enough for all to hear. From academics and civil society groups, calling for an end to the nuclear madness. To Pope Francis, who calls the possession of nuclear arms "immoral".

To young people across the globe worried for their future, demanding change. To the hibakusha, the brave survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki a among our greatest living examples of speaking truth to power a delivering their timeless message of peace. To Hollywood, where Oppenheimer brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world.

Humanity cannot survive a sequel to Oppenheimer. Voice after voice, alarm after alarm, survivor after survivor, are calling the world back from the brink.

And what is the response? States possessing nuclear weapons are absent from the table of dialogue. Investments in the tools of war are outstripping investments in the tools of peace. Arms budgets are growing, while diplomacy and development budgets are shrinking.

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and domains in cyber and outer space have exposed new vulnerabilities and created new risks. Countries are pouring resources into deadly new nuclear technologies and spreading the threat to new domains. And some statements have raised the prospect of unleashing nuclear hell a threats that we must all denounce with clarity and force.

Nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons ever invented, capable of eliminating all life on earth. Today, these weapons are growing in power, range and stealth. An accidental launch is one mistake, one miscalculation, one rash act away. And ultimately, all of humanity will pay the price. A nuclear war must never be waged a because a nuclear war can never be won.

There is one path a and one path only a that will vanquish this senseless and suicidal shadow, once and for all. We need disarmament now. In fact, eliminating nuclear weapons is the first action called for under the proposed New Agenda for Peace a our effort to strengthen the tools of prevention and disarmament. We need nuclear-weapon States to lead the way across six areas.

First a we need dialogue. Nuclear weapon States must re-engage in working together to develop transparency and confidence-building measures to prevent any use of a nuclear weapon. This should include measures that address the nexus between nuclear weapons and new technologies and domains. Second a nuclear sabre-rattling must stop. Threats to use nuclear weapons in any capacity are unacceptable.

Third a nuclear weapon States must re-affirm moratoria on nuclear testing. This means pledging to avoid taking any actions that would undermine the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, whose entry into force must be the priority. Fourth a disarmament commitments must become action. Nuclear-weapon States under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must reaffirm their commitment to that Treaty and to the commitments they have made as States parties. And they should pledge to hold each other accountable to these commitments.

Fifth a we need a joint first-use agreement. Nuclear weapon States must urgently agree that none of them will be the first to use nuclear weapons. As a matter of fact, none should use them in any circumstances. And sixth a we need reductions in the number of nuclear weapons. This reduction must be led by the holders of the largest nuclear arsenals, the United States and the Russian Federation, who must find a way back to the negotiating table to fully implement the New START [Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms] Treaty and agree on its successor.

The responsibility to act extends to non-nuclear weapon States. In addition to fulfilling their own non-proliferation obligations, I urge their support for efforts to ensure that nuclear disarmament is verifiable and irreversible. Help us hold nuclear-weapon States to account. Help us strengthen the global disarmament architecture a including the Treaties on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

And support the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and our efforts to get the Conference on Disarmament back to work. The diplomatic deadlock and outdated working methods that have come to define the Conference on Disarmament in recent years are shameful.

When I addressed the Conference last month, I called for a new intergovernmental process, under the General Assembly, to develop reforms to disarmament bodies, including the Conference. We hope this could lead to a long-overdue fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament.

September's Summit of the Future a and the pact that will emerge a will be an important moment for the world to gather around concrete reforms to the global disarmament architecture and the bodies and institutions that uphold it.

Across all of these areas, this Council has an opportunity to lay down a marker. To look beyond today's divisions and state clearly that living with the existential threat of nuclear weapons is unacceptable. To agree that only by working together can the prospect of a nuclear holocaust be eliminated. And to lead the way to a world free of these instruments of annihilation. It's time.



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London, UK, March 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the last few weeks we have witnessed the establishment of BlockDAG Network as a global cryptocurrency-superpower. With its focus on technological advancements and a vision for democratic adoption, BlockDAG Network has learned that the best way to gain global attention and adoption is through transparency.

BlockDAG Network, built on the innovative Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) architecture, represents a turning point in blockchain technology. Unlike traditional blockchain structures, BlockDAG leverages a mesh network of transactions, enabling unparalleled scalability, faster transaction speeds, and enhanced security. The project is an all-in-one platform where users can mine, spend, and earn all within the BlockDAG ecosystem.

Just last week BlockDAG Network released their Keynote video to their global audience, a testament to the open and transparent approach they are taking. This has led the cryptocurrency project to start trending on all major social media platformsInstagram, X, Telegram, with users praising the creators for their straightforwardness and overall appreciating the strive to be recognised, in an often opaque space, as a trustworthy project.

BlockDAG Network represents the culmination of years of research and development aimed at addressing the scalability and efficiency challenges facing blockchain technology. The video showcases the projects past achievements and future endeavors with a specific focus on whats to come. The creators behind the BlockDAG Network are proud to introduce a platform that not only meets the needs of today's users but a project that finally strives to democratize the digital economy space and by doing so it also lays the groundwork for the future of decentralized finance."

The Keynote video released last week, that has since gone viral, offers a sense of participation and inclusivity. The presenter invites everyone to join the democratization of the digital economy, and to enter a world where mining, earning, building, and spending know no bounds.

The key features outlined in the video, and that are driving the rise of BlockDAG Network include a specific attention to growth through marketing, promotion, and customer care, an architecture that allows for fast and secure transaction processing which in turn eliminates bottlenecks and enables the network to scale seamlessly with increasing demand, and an easy-to-use home mining system for passive income generating. Furthermore, with minimal transaction confirmation times and low fees, BlockDAG Network offers a frictionless experience, ideal for both microtransactions and large-scale transfers. This is all done while empowering users to take real and effective control over their assets, fostering and driving an ecosystem resistant to censorship and manipulation while efficient for individual and collective financial goals.

Since going viral through the video release the BlockDAG Network online community has been growing exponentially. This has brought together developers, enthusiasts, investors and all of those who felt disappointed with other cryptocurrency projects lack of transparency and inclusivity. For these reasons, and more outlined in the Keynote video , BlockDAG Network has established itself as a cryptocurrency superpower here to redefine the way individuals around the globe transact and interact with digital assets while opening the doors onto a more inclusive, transparent, and efficient financial ecosystem which can alone drive the democratization of the digital economy.

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Escondido, CA , March 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo Screen & Shade is set to become the top choice for screen and shade solutions in North America with its superior-quality offerings. These include retractable screen doors, awnings, and motorized patio shades that cater to clients diverse tastes and needs.

Having an outdoor area can add to the look and value of a property. It also allows homeowners to make the most of outdoor living, whether relaxing on their own or having fun with family and friends. Retractable screen doors ensure homeowners can enjoy these moments without having to worry about bugs and insects making their way into their houses. They also offer the convenience of being opened or closed based on ones needs.



Apollo Screen & Shade

Apollo Screen & Shade has the solution to all screen and shade needs across North America. Launched in June 2023, the company is dedicated to meeting customer expectations with top-notch products known for their quality and style. With more than two decades of experience in the industry, it brings unparalleled expertise to the table, resulting in products that effortlessly enhance the look of any home. The products are also easy to install and use, which makes them a practical choice for homeowners.

They are there when you need them to provide insect protection and relief from the sun and out of your sight when you dont, said a representative for the company.

Each retractable screen door from Apollo Screen & Shade features an engineered, built-in slow-close device for smooth and reliable operation every time. With a superior tracking system and smart design, these doors expand and retract effortlessly. Moreover, these screens are handcrafted and custom-fit to perfectly suit the specifications of each door, ensuring a seamless integration.

Aside from quality products, Apollo Screen & Shade is also gaining its reputation through exceptional service provided by factory-trained installers and carefully selected distributors with more than a century of experience between them. They are highly skilled in addressing concerns, recommending the best solutions for every space, and installing high-quality retractable screen doors or shades seamlessly and to perfection. Above all, they care deeply about their work, so rest assured the home is in good hands. For those looking for quality sliding screen doors for French doors and front doors, motorized patio shades, or retractable awnings, Apollo Screen & Shade has it all under one roof

To learn more about the company and its wide range of products, visit https://apolloscreen.com/.

About Apollo Screen & Shade

With two decades of experience in the retractable screen and shade business, the company provides premium-quality products designed to enhance both style and convenience in peoples homes.

###

Media Contact

Apollo Screen & Shade

Sam Steinberg

Address: 2121 Enterprise St, Escondido, CA 9202

Phone: 855-530-1246

Website: https://apolloscreen.com/

Email: office@apolloscreen.com

























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KubeCon Europe - Paris, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Working with the worlds largest enterprises and global policymakers to address the complexities of optimizing your software supply chain with SBOMs (Software Bill of Materials), Sonatype today announced SBOM Manager. This industry-first solution provides an integrated approach to managing SBOMs from third-party vendors, alongside those SBOMs created for your own software, powered by Sonatypes unique data and security research.

By enabling comprehensive optimization of SBOM management, Sonatype sets a new standard for compliance, scalability, and cybersecurity. Through its seamless management of SBOM generation, collection, categorization, and ongoing monitoring, Sonatype SBOM Manager empowers organizations to achieve unparalleled security and efficiency in their software supply chains, marking a significant advancement on the journey toward integrated and secure software distribution and management.

The digital landscape is witnessing a surge in the demand for greater transparency into software development; from regulations such as the EU's NIS2 Directive to the US Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity to industry mandates like the PCI Security Standards for financial institutions, and specific requirements for medical device manufacturers in the FD&C Act. These growing requirements underscore the critical need for visibility into software supply chains, making SBOMs an indispensable tool for modern enterprises and government agencies.

Good software development is the crux of our modern world, and SBOMs have emerged as a critical building block in software quality. The FDA now requires SBOMs for new medical devices, but there will be a trickle-down effect from this regulation. Were seeing more diversity in use cases, with organizations across industries adopting SBOMs to provide transparency into their software components and supply chains, said Katie Norton, IDC Research Manager, DevSecOps and Software Supply Chain Security. As it becomes a widespread requirement, the challenge will be generating, monitoring, and managing these complex lists of dependencies at scale. Organizations need solutions like Sonatypes SBOM Manager to help address this growing problem.

"Organizations depend upon Sonatype Lifecycle to generate SBOMs in their software supply chains everyday, and have for years. But, as software development and distribution continues to evolve, so too do the challenges associated with managing risk, compliance, and technical debt in the third-party software and software components you and your customers rely on, said Mitchell Johnson, Chief Product Development Officer at Sonatype. Sonatypes SBOM Manager was developed with a deep understanding of these challenges as a software supply chain pioneer. Now we are introducing the worlds first easy-to-use solution for organizations to not only comply with emerging regulations, but also to enhance their development productivity and security posture through greater transparency and control.

Key Features and Benefits of Sonatype SBOM Manager include:

A powerful, yet easy to use System of Record for all SBOMs - Comprehensive SBOM Management : Generate both CycloneDX and SPDX SBOM formats with ease to share with internal and external stakeholders such as auditors, regulators, compliance officers, customers. Ingest and import SBOMs from third-party software, including VEX documents, and analyze them to pinpoint components, vulnerabilities, and contextual policy violations. Monitor for policy violations, manage vulnerability disclosures to partners, and report on application risk in a way that makes it easy to understand across business functions, from procurement, to legal, to software engineering. Store SBOMs from any source to create your own SBOM repository that you can continuously review and manage, ensuring complete visibility and control

: Enhanced Compliance : Stay ahead of global regulations with tools designed to ensure continuous compliance, reducing the risk of penalties and reputational damage.

Stay ahead of global regulations with tools designed to ensure continuous compliance, reducing the risk of penalties and reputational damage. Advanced Security: Proactively identify and mitigate vulnerabilities within the software supply chain, enhancing your security posture and protecting against potential breaches.

Proactively identify and mitigate vulnerabilities within the software supply chain, enhancing your security posture and protecting against potential breaches. Strategic Advantage: Leverage Sonatype's superior data and deep expertise in SBOMs and component scanning to gain a competitive edge in software security and compliance.

Leverage Sonatype's superior data and deep expertise in SBOMs and component scanning to gain a competitive edge in software security and compliance. Optimize Efficiency: Sonatype SBOM Manager significantly reduces the manual effort and complexity involved in handling SBOMs by automating SBOM generation, management, and monitoring. It also helps prioritize what issues need to be addressed first directly in the workflow.

Initially available as a SaaS solution, on-premise and air-gapped versions will be available in the fall of 2024.

"With new regulations pushing for SBOMs, many are left wondering what to do with them. Without practical application, SBOMs risk being ignored and merely filed away, said Brian Fox, CTO of Sonatype. At Sonatype, we address this issue head-on. Our SBOM Manager turns these ingredient lists into actionable assets, allowing organizations to actually use their SBOMs for improving security and compliance. It's about making SBOMs work for you, not just collecting them."

Sonatype's SBOM Manager is not simply a tool, but a strategic asset for any organization wanting to excel in today's fast-paced and regulation-heavy digital world. It represents over 15 years of Sonatype's commitment to innovation, security, and compliance in the software industry.

This announcement comes on the heels of another first-of-its-kind feature Sonatype released earlier this year, artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) component detection which extended the ability to create AI bills of materials (AI BOM).

Currently available for preview, the Sonatype SBOM Manager will be generally available in June 2024. To learn more about Sonatype SBOM Manager and to get a free sample SBOM report today, visit https://www.sonatype.com/products/sonatype-sbom-manager.

About Sonatype

Sonatype is the software supply chain optimization company. We provide the worlds best software supply chain optimization technology and intelligence, empowering enterprises to create and maintain secure, quality, and innovative software at scale. As founders of Nexus Repository and stewards of Maven Central, the worlds largest repository of Java open source software, we are software pioneers and our open source expertise is unmatched. We empower innovation with an unparalleled commitment to build faster, safer software and harness AI and data intelligence to mitigate risk, maximize efficiencies, and drive powerful software development. More than 2,000 organizations, including 70% of the Fortune 100 and 15 million software developers, rely on Sonatype to optimize their software supply chains. To learn more about Sonatype, please visit www.sonatype.com .

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Public joint stock company INVL Baltic Farmland, legal entity code 303299781, the registered address Gyneju str. 14 Vilnius, Lithuania (hereinafter  the Company or  INVL Baltic Farmland), informs that on the initiative and decision of the Management board, the General Ordinary Shareholders Meeting (hereinafter  the Meeting) is to be held on 10 April 2024.



The place of the Meeting: the office of Company, the address Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius.

The Meeting will start at 9:00 a.m. (registration starts at 8:30 a.m.).

The Meetings accounting day 3 April 2024 (the persons who are shareholders of the Company at the end of accounting day of the Meeting or authorized persons by them, or the persons with whom shareholders concluded the agreements on the disposal of voting right, shall have the right to attend and vote at the Meeting).

The day of accounting of rights is 24 April 2024.

The total number of the Company's shares is 3,291,549 shares. Considering that the Company has acquired its own shares, the total number of votes at the Company's shareholders' meeting is 3,228,510 votes.

Agenda of the Meeting:

Presentation of the Companys consolidated annual report for 2023 Presentation of the independent auditor's report on the financial statements and consolidated annual report of the Company Regarding the assent to the remuneration report of the Company, as a part of the consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2023 Approval of the consolidated and stand-alone financial statements for 2023 of the Company Deciding on profit distribution of the Company Presentation of the Report of the Audit Committee of the Company Regarding the determination of the remuneration of the Audit Committee members of the Company Regarding the determination of the procedure of purchase of own shares of the Company

Draft resolutions of the Meeting:

1. Presentation of the Companys consolidated annual report for 2023

1.1. Shareholders of the Company are presented with the consolidated annual report of the Company for 2023 (there is no voting on this issue of agenda).

2. Presentation of the independent auditor's report on the financial statements and consolidated annual report of the Company

2.1. Shareholders of the Company are presented with the independent auditor's report on the financial statements and consolidated annual report of the Company (there is no voting on this issue of agenda).

3. Regarding the assent to the remuneration report of the Company, as a part of the consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2023

3.1. To assent to the remuneration report of the Company, as a part of the consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2023 (attached).

4. Approval of the consolidated and stand-alone financial statements for 2023 of the Company

4.1. To approve the consolidated and stand-alone financial statements for 2023 of the Company.

5. Deciding on profit distribution of the Company

5.1. To distribute profit of the Company as follows:

Article (thousand EUR) Retained earnings (loss) at the beginning of the financial year of the reporting period 10,301 Net profit (loss) for the financial year 2,643 Profit (loss) not recognized in the income statement of the reporting financial year - Shareholders contributions to cover loss - Distributable profit (loss) at the end of the financial year of the reporting period 12,944 Transfers from reserves - Distributable profit (loss) in total 12,944 Profit distribution: -388 - Profit transfers to the legal reserves - -Profit transfers to the reserves for own shares acquisition - - Profit transfers to other reserves - - Profit to be paid as dividends* -388 - Profit to be paid as annual payments (bonus) and for other purposes - Retained earnings (loss) at the end of the financial year 12,556

*0.12 EUR is paid per share

6. Presentation of the Report of the Audit Committee of the Company

6.1. In accordance with the rules of procedure of the Audit Committee of the Company (approved on 29 March 2023 by decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company), the shareholders are hereby briefed on the activity report of the Audit Committee of the Company (attached) (no decision is taken on this item of the agenda).

7. Regarding the determination of the remuneration of the Audit Committee members of the Company

7.1. To set the hourly remuneration for each member of the Audit Committee of the Company at EUR 200 per hour (before taxes) for the service on the Audit Committee of the Company. The remuneration is paid for actual hours spent while performing the activities of the Audit Committee member.

8. Regarding the determination of the procedure of purchase of own shares of the Company

8.1. Until the day of the General Shareholders Meeting the reserve for the purchase of own shares which is equal to EUR 3,079,669 not used.

8.2. To use the reserve (or the part of it) for the purchase of own shares and to purchase shares in the public joint-stock company INVL Baltic Farmland by the rules mentioned below:

(i) The goal for the purchase of own shares  to ensure for shareholders a possibility to sell companys shares.

(ii) The maximum number of shares to be acquired  the nominal value of own shares by the public joint-stock company INVL Baltic Farmland, which may not exceed 1/10 of share capital.

(iii) The period during which the public joint-stock company INVL Baltic Farmland may purchase its own shares 18 months from the day of this resolution.

(iv) The maximum and minimal one share acquisition price: the maximum one share acquisition price- EUR 5.50, the minimal one share acquisition price  EUR 3.50.

(v) The conditions of the selling of the purchased shares and minimal purchase price: the acquired own shares may be annulled by the decision of the General Shareholders Meeting or sold by the decision of the Board on condition the minimum price of sale of own shares shall be equal to the price at which they were acquired and the procedure of selling the shares shall ensure equal opportunities for all shareholders to acquire the said shares.

8.3. The Board of INVL Baltic Farmland is delegated on the basis of this resolution and the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania to organise purchase and sale of own shares, to organise purchase and selling procedure of own shares, and to determine order and timing for purchase and sale of own shares as well as the amount of shares and shares price, and to complete all other actions related with purchase and sale procedure of own shares.

From the date of this resolution, the resolution of the General Shareholders Meeting on 29 March 2023 on the acquisition of own shares expires.

The documents related to the agenda, draft resolutions on every item of the agenda, documents that have to be submitted to the General Shareholders Meeting and other information related to the realization of shareholders' rights are published on the Companys website https://invlbalticfarmland.com/ section For investors, and also by prior agreement available at the premises of the Company, located at Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius (hereinafter  the Premises of the Company) during working hours. Phone for information +370 5 279 0601.

The shareholders are entitled:

to propose to supplement the agenda of the Meeting submitting draft resolution on every additional item of agenda or, than there is no need to make a decision - explanation of the shareholder (this right is granted to shareholders who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes). Proposal to supplement the agenda is submitted in writing sending the proposal by registered mail to the Company at Gyneju str. 14 LT-01109 Vilnius, Lithuania, or, by prior agreement, delivered in person to the representative of the Company at the Premises of the Company on business hours or by sending proposal to the Company by e-mail farmland@invaldainvl.com. The agenda is supplemented if the proposal is received no later than 14 days before the Meeting. In case the agenda of the Meeting is supplemented, the Company will report on it no later than 10 days before the Meeting in the same way as on convening of the Meeting; to propose draft resolutions on the issues already included or to be included in the agenda of the Meeting at any time prior to the date of the Meeting (in writing, sending the proposal by registered mail to the Company at Gyneju str. 14 LT-01109 Vilnius, Lithuania, or, by prior agreement, delivered in person to the representative of the Company at the Premises of the Company on business hours or by sending proposal to the Company by e-mail farmland@invaldainvl.com or in writing during the Meeting (this right is granted to shareholders who hold shares carrying at least 1/20 of all the votes); to submit questions to the Company related to the issues of the agenda of the Meeting in advance but no later than 3 business days prior to the Meeting in writing sending the proposal by registered mail to the Company at Gyneju str. 14 LT-01109 Vilnius, Lithuania, or, by prior agreement, delivered in person to the representative of the Company at the Premises of the Company on business hours or by sending proposal to the Company by e-mail farmland@invaldainvl.com. All answers related to the agenda of the Meeting to questions submitted to the Company by the shareholders in advance, are submitted in the Meeting or simultaneously to all shareholders of the Company prior to the Meeting. The Company reserves the right to answer to those shareholders of the Company who can be identified and whose questions are not related to the Company's confidential information or commercial secrets.

The shareholder participating at the Meeting and having the right to vote, must submit the documents confirming personal identity. A person who is not a shareholder shall, in addition to this document, submit a document confirming the right to vote at the Meeting. The requirement to provide the documents confirming personal identity does not apply when voting in writing by filling in a general ballot paper.

Each shareholder may authorize either a natural or a legal person to participate and to vote on the shareholder's behalf at the Meeting. An authorised person has the same rights as his represented shareholder at the Meeting unless the authorized person's rights are limited by the power of attorney or by the law. The authorized persons must have the document confirming their personal identity and power of attorney approved in the manner specified by law which must be submitted to the Company no later than before the commencement of registration for the Meeting. The Company does not establish special form of the power of attorney. A power of attorney issued by a natural person must be certified by a notary. A power of attorney issued in a foreign state must be translated into Lithuanian and legalised in the manner established by law. The persons with whom shareholders concluded the agreements on the disposal of voting right, also have the right to attend and vote at the Meeting.

Shareholder is entitled to issue power of attorney by means of electronic communications for legal or natural persons to participate and to vote on its behalf at the Meeting. No notarisation of such authorization is required. The power of attorney issued through electronic communication means must be confirmed by the shareholder with a safe electronic signature developed by safe signature equipment and approved by a qualified certificate effective in the Republic of Lithuania. The shareholder shall inform the Company on the power of attorney issued through the means of electronic communication by e-mail farmland@invaldainvl.com not later than on the last business day before the Meeting. The power of attorney and notification must be issued in writing and could be sent to the Company by electronic communication means if the transmitted information is secured and the shareholder's identity can be identified. By submitting the notification to the Company, the shareholder shall include the internet address from which it would be possible to download software to verify an electronic signature of the shareholder free of charge.

Shareholders of the Company are urged to use the right to vote on the issues in the agenda of the Meeting by submitting properly completed general voting bulletins to the Company in advance. The form of general voting bulletin is presented at the Company's webpage https://invlbalticfarmland.com/ section For Investors. If shareholder requests, the Company shall send the general voting bulletin to the requesting shareholder by registered mail or shall deliver it in person no later than 10 days prior to the Meeting free of charge. If general voting bulletin is signed by a person authorized by the shareholder, it should be accompanied by a document certifying the right to vote.

The Company invites its shareholders who decide to participate in the Meeting to choose one of the following alternatives:

__________

Alternative No. 1:

A shareholder or person authorised by them should complete and sign a written voting bulletin and send it to the Company by e-mail ( farmland@invaldainvl.com) and send the original bulletin by registered or ordinary post to the address Gyneju str. 14, LT-01109 Vilnius. Properly completed written voting bulletins may be sent by registered or ordinary post to the address Gyneju str. 14, LT-01109 Vilnius without submitting a copy to the e-mail address specified or delivered in person to the Company on business days at the Companys registered address mentioned above. Along with a bulletin, a document confirming the right to vote must also be sent. Those voting bulletins shall be deemed valid which are properly completed and are received before the start of the general shareholders meeting.

__________

Alternative No. 2:

A shareholder or person authorised by them should complete a written voting bulletin, save it on their computer and sign it with a qualified electronic signature. Send the written voting bulletin which is properly completed and signed with a qualified electronic signature to the Company by e-mail at farmland@invaldainvl.com.

The Company suggests using the following free qualified electronic signature systems: Dokobit and GoSign.

__________

Alternative No. 3:

If shareholders of the Company do not have the possibility to use voting alternatives No. 1 or No. 2, the Company will provide conditions for the shareholders or persons duly authorised by them to come on 10 April 2024 to the address Gyneju str. 14 in Vilnius, to the Companys Meeting.

The person authorized to provide additional information:

Director

Egle Surpliene

E-mail: egle.surpliene@invaldainvl.com



Attachments
FREMONT, Calif., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The LoRa Alliance, the global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for the internet of things (IoT) low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), today announced its presence in Hall 14 Stand H06 at Hannover Messe 2024 from April 22 to 26 at the Hannover Exhibition Grounds. The LoRa Alliance will also host a panel titled Flexibility in Connectivity for Industrial IoT (IIoT): Driving the Revolution of Industry 5.0 with LoRaWAN on Thursday, April 25, at 2:15 p.m. on the 5G & Industrial Wireless Conference Stage in Hall 14.



At the show, the LoRa Alliance and member companies co-exhibiting on the stand will illustrate the role of connectivity in industrial digital transformation. Industry 5.0 represents the next evolutionary phase of industry, which focuses on the integration of advanced technologies with human ingenuity to enhance both productivity and worker well-being. LoRaWAN facilitates these advancements to enhance aspects such as worker safety, environmental protection and emergency preparedness. Onsite, LoRa Alliance members will show how LoRaWAN optimizes industrial operations, integrates with existing infrastructure and creates synergies with complementary technologies to maximize the value of IIoT solutions.

The overall theme for this years Hannover Messe is Energizing a Sustainable Industry, which embodies how LoRaWAN supports industrial IoT and Industry 5.0, said Donna Moore, CEO and chairwoman of the LoRa Alliance. Today, enterprises are seeking insights into labor practices, devices, supplies and equipment in their factories and campuses, as well as into facility conditions, and applying adaptive intelligence to the data to drive benefits like efficiency, improved safety, increased productivity and enhanced worker utilization. This is where LoRaWAN shines: being able to provide access to data that enables continuous optimization of processes, equipment and the work environment itself, which ultimately drives sustainability and workforce well-being in support of people, planet and business profits.

The Alliances Flexibility in Connectivity for IIoT panel will feature experts from Actility, Browan Communications, Disrupt-X, TWTG, and ZENNER discussing the value of the LoRaWAN open standard and highlighting its role in facilitating end-to-end solutions, scalability and interoperability, backed by real-world examples. Speakers will also showcase how data-driven insights lead to operational efficiencies and quantifiable ROI, using compelling case studies as examples.

In addition, the Deutsche Messe fairgrounds has a LoRaWAN network that will feature live use cases during the event, including a dashboard of LoRaWAN deployments. Live sensor data will be available at this public dashboard. LoRa Alliance members MultiTech, Connected Inventions, MOKO Technology and TWTGs live sensor-based demos are featured:

MOKOs LW007-PIR sensor using LoRaWAN will be placed in the locker room of the arena for motion detection, while its LW009-SM will be used for parking detection. Additionally, the LW008-MT will be utilized for vehicle tracking near the Industrial Wireless Arena.

Continuous, permanent leak-detection sensors from MultiTech using LoRaWAN are deployed by facility management technicians in the Industrial Wireless Arena, monitoring water damage and excessive waste from water leaks under sinks, by toilets, in water pump areas and in a difficult-to-reach cable shaft covered by a steel lid under the Hall 14 expo area.

TWTG will showcase a live use case featuring its NEON Temperature Transmitter. This device will monitor temperature changes and extremes in the fairground pond located south of Hall 2.



Booth demos from LoRa Alliance member companies include the following:

Actilitys Abeeway Smart Badges will be used to demonstrate people-tracking at Hannover Messe, with select attendees locations shown on the event floor in real time. Additionally, the company will demo LoRaWAN relay, DLMS/COSEM integration with LoRaWAN, as well as LoRaWAN firmware updates over the air (FUOTA).

Browan Communications is introducing a new telemetry system that utilizes LoRaWAN to connect tanks with a network of smart devices. This technology enables the real-time transmission of tank level and location data to the cloud, allowing suppliers and customers to collaboratively monitor levels, streamline delivery schedules and prevent stockouts. The user-friendly portal provides easy access to visualize and track gas levels and usage in real time, enhancing efficiency and communication.

Connected Inventions will show its IoT devices that use LoRaWAN to deliver energy-efficient IoT solutions for buildings, offering proven return on investment, simplified operations and assured compliance with ESG and sustainability targets. Using granular, real-time sensor data, building managers gain the visibility to optimize utilization, monitor indoor air quality and more.

Disrupt-X will present its next-generation IoT platform, ALEF, featuring an embedded LoRaWAN network server. This integration harnesses LoRaWAN protocols to offer a comprehensive suite of IoT solutions. Key offerings include its Ignite Shield application, focusing on environmental and asset monitoring, with about 20 IoT solutions using LoRaWAN to meet the needs of asset owners and facility managers.

MOKO Technology will show how it uses LoRaWAN technology to elevate industrial safety and operational efficiency. It will spotlight its LW001 and LW008 GPS Trackers tailored for industrial vehicle/materials management, as well as the LW006 Smart Badge, an intuitive button-based alarm system that enables distress signaling to safeguard personnel.

MultiTech will showcase how 5G and LoRaWAN are transforming digitization of assets and processes for industry, seamlessly integrating LoRaWAN, a standardized LPWAN technology in unlicensed ISM band, with 5G NR network infrastructure. The company also has demonstrations of permanently deployed low-power, long-range LoRaWAN battery-operated sensors deployed in Hall 14 managing water leaks and environmental risks.

TagoIO will demonstrate how energy meters and industrial equipment using LoRaWAN connected to its IoT platform can provide precise consumption information and yield maintenance insights. Among the solutions presented, TagoIO will show integration with asset-management tools to help with predictive maintenance and asset utilization goals.

Traxmate and Codepoint have revolutionized the safety and asset-management industry with their cutting-edge LoRaWAN-based technology. They have created end-to-end tracking-based solutions perfect for campuses and regions. Compared with cellular-based solutions, these offer monitoring and tracking at a fraction of the cost and without sacrificing performance.

TWTGs sensor product line features pressure, vibration, valve position and temperature sensors using LoRaWAN to empower data-driven decision-making, optimizing processes and enhancing operational efficiency. The company will showcase how its sensor technology revolutionizes reliability and maintenance management, transitioning from reactive to proactive strategies.

ZENNER is demonstrating one of the largest operated LoRaWAN networks in Europe, which supports 7.5M sensors and 100,000 gateways. The ZENNER Team will provide insight into the latest LoRaWAN IoT use cases and projects and will share several industrial use cases to demonstrate the strength of LoRaWAN as a sustainable technology for all kinds of industries.

On June 19 & 20, the LoRa Alliance will return to Germany for LoRaWAN Live, taking place in Munich. The program is ideal for anyone interested in or working with LoRaWAN. As the official LoRaWAN event of the year, LoRaWAN Live offers a unique opportunity to share insights, experiences and visions with a vibrant and engaged ecosystem from multiple industries across the globe. The event will feature an agenda filled with technical sessions, a products and solutions marketplace, mainstage keynotes and VIP speakers, live demonstrations focusing on various use cases and markets, and plenty of opportunities for networking and business meetings.

Learn more and register here.

Editors and analysts interested in meeting with representatives from the LoRa Alliance at Hannover Messe or who want to attend LoRaWAN Live Munich can contact the Alliance at lora-alliance@kiterocket.com to make arrangements.

About LoRa Alliance

The LoRa Alliance is an open, nonprofit association that has become one of the largest and fastest-growing alliances in the technology sector since its inception in 2015. Its members closely collaborate and share expertise to develop and promote the LoRaWAN standard, which is the de facto global standard for secure, carrier-grade IoT LPWAN connectivity. LoRaWAN has the technical flexibility to address a broad range of IoT applications, both fixed and mobile, and a robust LoRaWAN Certification program to guarantee that devices perform as specified. The LoRaWAN standard has been deployed by more than 170 major mobile network operators globally, with connectivity available worldwide. More information: lora-alliance.org

LoRa Alliance, LoRaWAN and LoRaWAN CertifiedCM are licensed marks.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kiterocket

Stephanie Quinn, LoRa Alliance PR, +1 480 316 8370, squinn@kiterocket.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/15d877c0-7800-404f-a515-4c8e0fb901eb
Dublin, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global and China Automotive AUTOSAR Platform Research Report, 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

AUTOSAR Platform research: the pace of spawning the domestic basic software + full-stack chip solutions quickens.



In the trend towards software-defined vehicles, AUTOSAR is evolving towards a more open and cooperative ecosystem.



On December 7, 2023, AUTOSAR released the latest standard AUTOSAR Release R23-11. From a functional perspective, the update focuses on three aspects: information security, functional safety and communication protocol stack. In the Release R23-11, the architecture of AUTOSAR Adaptive Platform (AP) is readjusted, and its functions are reorganized and described. The architecture is re-divided into Foundation, Platform Service, Standardized App/Interface and Vehicle Service.



Wherein, the function components (FC) of Vehicle Service are not required to be deployed on every Machine of the AP, but available within the vehicle. Platform Service is partially responsible for providing specific functions for a single AP Machine; Standardized App/Interface provides standard interfaces or applications; Foundation provides local functions and C++ library of an AP Machine.



In addition to continuous efforts to upgrade and improve functional standards, AUTOSAR will take a more open attitude and cooperate with other third-party organizations to build a new automotive ecosystem and favor the boom of the intelligent vehicle market, in the face of new trends such as software-defined vehicles.



In March 2023, AUTOSAR, COVESA, Eclipse SDV and SOAFE jointly formed the SDV Alliance, a "collaboration of collaborations". The main purpose of the collaboration is to align efforts in the SDV ecosystem. By embracing existing descriptions of SDV from each of these efforts, as well as other external organizations, the SDV Alliance will agree on a clear and unified definition of what constitutes an SDV.



The Alliance will then look at the different technologies, methodologies, and standards of each organization and show how they can work together for the development of the SDV. Recognizing that the SDV is conceptually too complex to be handled in a single industry consortium, and by looking at each of the organization's core competencies and varied execution environments, the Alliance will pool these skills to create a joint SDV vision.



At CES 2024, the SDV Alliance announced its first integration blueprint, contributing to promoting software-defined vehicles.



Mass production of intelligent driving solutions based on AUTOSAR AP is increasing.



As autonomous driving domain controllers are spawned and installed in vehicles, supported by solutions of major suppliers, intelligent driving software based on AUTOSAR AP has also achieved mass production and application, and keeps increasing. As well as intelligent driving domain controllers for Volkswagen ID series that use AUTOSAR AP basic software, intelligent driving solutions for multiple vehicle models of Chinese independent brands, like Geely Boyue L and Changan NEVO A05, have also adopted AUTOSAR AP solutions since 2022.



Freetech launched ODIN Digital Intelligence Base, a domain control solution that includes FAS, its self-developed autonomous driving software platform. FAS, middleware self-developed on hardware driver, contain standard middleware AUTOSAR CP and AUTOSAR AP and non-standard middleware FTZen (FTZen Middleware System), and enables EM management, status machine management, EOL, communication management and data services, node services and so on. Accordingly, the FAS toolchain also provides configurations for AP, CP, and non-standard middleware.



Based on ODIN Digital Intelligence Base, Freetech has launched multiple domain controller products such as ADC 15, ADC 20, ADC 25 and ADC30, and has mass-produced them.



HoloMatic tailored basic software HoloSAR for autonomous driving application scenarios. HoloSAR meets AUTOSAR standards and SOA, and consists of three parts: AP, Frameworks and Adapter. HoloSAR builds a complete, loosely coupled and scalable software architecture, supports global communication and diagnosis protocols like DDS, SOME/IP, Zero-Copy and DoIP, and can provide flexible engineering configuration and a complete code generation toolchain, greatly reducing the workload of migration and deployment of autonomous driving algorithms for different hardware domain control platforms. HoloMatic's software and hardware integrated autonomous driving solution has been designated by leading automakers like Chery and Dongfeng, and has begun to be installed in several new vehicle models of Chery STERRA and Dongfeng Aeolus e? from late 2023.



AUTOSAR attracts increasing attention in the Chinese market, and localization is accelerating.



Driven by the boom of intelligent vehicles in China, AUTOSAR catches the increasing attention of the Chinese market, specifically:



First, AUTOSAR works hard on layout in the Chinese market. In 2022, the organization established China Center in the country. By organizing AUTOSAR-related public training, cooperating with universities, and holding AUTOSAR open conferences, it makes greater efforts to promote and improve its services in the Chinese market.



Moreover, the number of AUTOSAR's Chinese members is increasing, and they have a bigger say. The number of AUTOSAR's members in China increased from 21 in 2019 to over 60 in 2023, and Neusoft Reach, iSoft, Jingwei HiRain are all its premium partners. In 2023, Huawei became AUTOSAR's Premium Partner Plus (there are only three worldwide, and the other two are Vector and Denso). Premium Partner Plus need to send a Project Leader to participate in management of formulation of AUTOSAR standards, and co-decision on standardization, In the future, ever more Chinese voices will be heard in formulation of AUTOSAR specifications.



Second, in China there are increasing software vendors using AUTOSAR. Neusoft Reach, iSoft, Jingwei HiRain, Huawei, Baidu, EnjoyMove Tech, HoloMatic Technology, Freetech, Novauto, Hinge Tech, Zhicong Technology, and CICV among others make product layout in line with AUTOSAR standards.



Third, in the trend towards localization of automotive chips and OS in China, AUTOSAR software vendors vigorously adapt to domestic MCUs and other chip products, accelerating mass production and application of Chinese full-stack solutions. Under the wave of localization of basic software and chips, there is an increasing demand for independent R&D of automotive software platforms. In China, AUTOSAR-based software development has also transitioned from the 'introduction phase' to the 'application phase', and will enter the 'innovation phase' in the future, absorbing the quintessence of AUTOSAR and empowering independent automotive software development. In recent years, quite a few basic software vendors have worked on adaptation to domestic MCU and OS products to accelerate the mass production of domestic solutions and application in vehicles.



Finally, factors including intelligent vehicle development and policies will bring the opportunities of domestic replacement of AUTOSAR, especially in the field of intelligent driving. With the rapid iteration of EEA, a unified standard for intelligent driving basic software middleware has yet to form. Currently AUTOSAR AP is one of the options, and many OEMs or suppliers with software strength, such as Technomous, Zuxia Technology and IMotion Automotive Technology, will choose to self-develop middleware products.



Key Topics Covered:



1 Overview of AUTOSAR

1.1 Introduction to AUTOSAR Standard

1.2 Classification of AUTOSAR

1.3 AUTOSAR Adaptive Platform (AP)

1.4 AUTOSAR Partnership

1.5 Development of AUTOSEMO in China



2 Status Quo and Trends of AUTOSAR Market

2.1 Status Quo of AUTOSAR Market

2.2 AUTOSAR Solution Layout of Main Suppliers

2.3 AUTOSAR Localization in China

2.4 AUTOSAR Development Route



3 AUTOSAR Application and Cases

3.1 Application of AUTOSAR by OEMs

3.2 Application Trends of AUTOSAR in Central Integrated Architecture

3.3 Application of AUTOSAR in Vehicle OS

3.4 AUTOSAR Application in Ethernet and Other Communications

3.5 AUTOSAR Application in Intelligent Driving

3.6 AUTOSAR Application in Vehicle Control

3.7 AUTOSAR Application in Cockpits

3.8 AUTOSAR Application in OTA



4 Foreign AUTOSAR Companies

4.1 Vector

4.2 Elektrobit

4.3 ETAS

4.4 WindRiver

4.5 KPIT

4.6 TaTa Elxsi

4.7 Autron

4.8 Siemens Mentor Graphics

4.9 Apex.AI

4.10 PopcornSAR



5 Chinese AUTOSAR Companies

5.1 Neusoft Reach

5.2 Huawei

5.3 iSoft

5.4 Jingwei HiRain

5.5 Hinge Technology

5.6 Lancong Technology

5.7 Novauto

5.8 UAES

5.9 Zuxia Technology

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/cf6eba

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.
Orientate to Growth as a Tech-driven Pure-play Logistics Enterprise

Strengthen Balance Sheet to Support Growth Investments

SINGAPORE, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Singapore Post Ltd (SingPost) today announced the completion of the strategic review of the group. The strategic review was initiated in May 2023 where Merrill Lynch (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (BofA Securities) was appointed as the financial advisor with the aim of enhancing shareholder returns and ensuring the Group is appropriately valued.

Over the last few years, the Group has progressively transformed from a postal organisation to a technology-driven international logistics enterprise focused on growth and sustainability.

The transformation has been underpinned by a disciplined and systematic acquisition approach since 2020 and has successfully built a significant and profitable business in Australia. Revenues generated overseas now contribute more than 85% of both total Group revenue and operating profit.

In the last year, the Group has also taken steps to address the structural decline of letter mail which has impacted the commercial viability of postal firms globally. The postage rate adjustment in October 2023 has contributed to the postal segment returning to profitability in the third quarter ended 31 December 2023 (Q3FY2023/24). The sustainability of the postal segment is contingent on integration with our growing eCommerce logistics business and agreeing on a new operating model with the regulator.

The Board believes that the Group is well positioned to scale its logistics ambitions over the next few years as a pure-play logistics operator serving international markets and delivering sustainable growth to create long term value for shareholders.

Simon Israel, Chairman of SingPost, said, Following consultation with BofA Securities, the Board is of the view that the share price of the Group does not appropriately reflect the intrinsic value of the company. This is particularly apparent considering the value of the SingPost Centre, the Groups Australian business and the Groups growth potential. Managements execution of our strategy will unlock value for shareholders and deliver agility and sustainable long-term growth as an international logistics enterprise.

Vincent Phang, Group Chief Executive Officer of SingPost, said, We have progressively transformed from a traditional postal organisation to a logistics enterprise and are well positioned to leverage eCommerce logistics growth trends to scale our businesses. We are focused on executing our strategic thrusts to create market leadership, orientate to growth and generate shareholder value.

The Board has approved 5 strategic thrusts for the Group to be executed over the next 3 years.

1. Reorganisation of the Group

The Group will be reorganised into three business units of Singapore, Australia and International. Each business unit will have the agility and empowerment to operate in their own markets, to develop market leadership and build on their core capabilities according to their individual strategies. This provides clarity on the valuation of the individual businesses against comparable market and sector ratings. The revised corporate structure creates flexibility and facilitates future optionalities.

2. Strategic management of capital

The Group will continue to actively manage its capital deployed in its portfolio of businesses with regular reviews of the financial performance and returns against set targets. The target for each business unit is to generate a spread above the cost of capital.

The Group has identified a list of assets and businesses that are non-core to its strategy which can be monetised to recycle the capital. This includes selected properties as well as various assets in its international footprint. Potential proceeds will be appropriately allocated by the Board to reduce debt, support growth investments, and return value to shareholders.

The timing of any potential divestitures will be subject to market conditions to achieve appropriate valuations as well as necessary approvals from the authorities and shareholders.

In view of the transformation of the Group to a technology driven international logistics enterprise focused on growth, the dividend policy was also reviewed as part of the Strategic Review. From FY2024/25, the Board will adopt a dividend policy of paying out between 30% and 50% of underlying net profit. The Board believes this is a balanced policy taking into consideration the capital needs of the enterprise and sustainable returns to shareholders.

3. Transforming urban logistics and deliveries in Singapore

The focus of the Singapore business unit is to be the countrys market leader in deliveries, building on the core capability and strength of the postal network to capture the growth of eCommerce logistics, innovating and transforming Singapore's urban logistics landscape. The Group will continue to re-engineer this network to be best-in-class in service, efficiency and sustainability.

4. Achieving scale in Australia

The Australia business unit will leverage the asset-light hybrid 4PL and 3PL capabilities and strengthen its position as one of the top 5 logistics companies in Australia. The Group will explore near term partnerships that contribute to growth, provide equity to deleverage acquisition debt and establish an independent valuation benchmark. The Group will continue to pursue appropriate M&A opportunities and seek future liquidity options to maximise value.

5. Building tech-driven excellence to serve cross-border customers

The International business unit will focus on serving our cross-border eCommerce customers through an asset-light model and its 4PL platform, ARRIV. This was launched in the last quarter of 2023 to enhance customer experience, strengthen its partnership network, and achieve operational excellence in international connectivity. The Group will explore options across key geographies to further enhance the eCommerce supply chain network, expanding the hubs in Singapore, Hong Kong and Europe.

Disclaimer

There is no assurance that any transaction will materialise from the Strategic Review or that any definitive or binding agreement will be reached. If and when there are any material developments which warrant disclosure, SingPost will, in compliance with applicable rules, make further announcements as appropriate.

Shareholders of SingPost are advised to refrain from taking any action in respect of their shares which may be prejudicial to their interests, and to exercise caution when dealing in such shares. Shareholders are advised to seek their own professional advice and consult with their stockbrokers, bank managers, solicitors, accountants and other professional advisers if they are in doubt as to the actions they should take.

For the full details, please refer to the SGX Announcement dated 19 March 2024 on Board Strategic Review Unveils Pathways To Growth And Unlocking Shareholder Value .

About Singapore Post Limited (SingPost)
MONTREAL, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aya Gold & Silver Inc. (TSX: AYA; OTCQX: AYASF) (Aya or the Corporation) is pleased to announce that it has completed 50% of its airborne MobileMT geophysical survey and secured the right to 6 exploration permits at its Boumadine Project in the Kingdom of Morocco. Its Boumadine exploration portfolio now totals up to 141.4 square kilometers (km2).



Highlights from Boumadine

Acquired 6 exploration permits totaling 58 km in the area of Boumadine (Figure 1)



Completed 50% of a 6,515 linear km airborne MobileMT geophysical survey



Drilled 11,130 meters (m) of DDH YTD as part of an aggressive 120,000m exploration program (Figure 2)

Received preliminary regional hyperspectral data, with the structural and mineral interpretation well underway



We are excited to consolidate further and increase our footprint by 70%, as our largest annual drill program ever at Boumadine continues to exceed expectations and indicate significant potential, said Benoit La Salle, President & CEO. Our confidence continues to grow with additional drill results, and we expect our geophysics, hyperspectral and ground mapping to generate valuable data to define quality drill targets on the permits.

Boumadine Project

With the addition of the 6 new exploration permits, Boumadine now covers 141.4 km2. In the past year, the Corporation has more than quadrupled its surface footprint from its original mining permit in what it believes to be one of the most prospective and underexplored areas of Morocco. The Corporation will continue to proactively add exploration permits as it develops a greater understanding of the regional geology, structure, and mineralization models.

Figure 1  Location of New Boumadine Permits





Currently, 4 DDH rigs are turning at Boumadine, with 3 additional surface rigs expected in the coming weeks as part of the 120,000m drill exploration program (Figure 1). The Corporation will test targets generated by 2023 and 2022 exploration work including drilling, the hyperspectral survey, detail airborne geophysics (magnetics and electromagnetics), detail mapping and prospecting. The 2024 program will test strike extensions of the Boumadine Main Trend; N030 and N70 structures; extensions of the Tizi Zone; and other exploration targets based on the mapping and prospecting data (Figure 1).

A surface mapping and prospecting campaign on the permits acquired in 2023 is well underway. In addition to a 90-grab sampling program, an ongoing mapping campaign has allowed identification of several new mineralized structures that will warrant further work (Figure 3).

Figure 2  Surface Plan of Boumadine Property with Magnetic Data (Residual Total Field) and 2024 Drilling Program





Figure 3  Surface Plan of the Property with Simplified Geology and 2024 Surface Samples





Technical Information

Aya has implemented a quality control program to comply with best practices in sampling and analysis of drill core and surface sampling. Samples were delivered in sealed bags to Afrilab mechanical preparation unit at Boumadine, and prepared pulps transported for analysis at Afrilab laboratory in Marrakech. Standards of different grades and blanks were inserted every 25 samples in addition to the standards, blanks and pulp duplicate inserted by Afrilab.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this press release have been reviewed by David Lalonde, B. Sc, Head of Exploration, Qualified Person, for accuracy and compliance with National Instrument 43-101.

About Aya Gold & Silver Inc.

Aya Gold & Silver Inc. is a rapidly growing, Canada-based silver producer with operations in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The only TSX-listed pure silver mining company, Aya operates the high-grade Zgounder Silver Mine and is exploring its properties along the prospective South-Atlas Fault, several of which have hosted past-producing mines and historical resources. Ayas Moroccan mining assets are complemented by its Tijirit Gold Project in Mauritania, which is being advanced to feasibility.

Ayas management team maximizes shareholder value by anchoring sustainability at the heart of its production, resource, governance, and financial growth plans.

For additional information, please visit Ayas website at www.ayagoldsilver.com or contact:

Benoit La Salle, FCPA, MBA

President & CEO

benoit.lasalle@ayagoldsilver.com Alex Ball

VP, Corporate Development & IR

alex.ball@ayagoldsilver.com



Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (forward-looking statements), which reflects management's expectations regarding Ayas future growth and business prospects (including the timing and development of new deposits and the success of exploration activities) and other opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as secure, consolidate, exceed, indicate, continue, grow, expect, generate, believes, prospectives, greater, confirm, remains, confidence, potential, complete, extend, , and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might, will, or are likely to be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify such forward-looking information. Specific forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements and information with respect to the exploration and development potential of Boumadine and the advancement of and success of the exploration program at Boumadine, the capacity for the Company to obtain clean, unincumbered free and clear title to permits, the capacity of the Company to obtain all regulatory permits and permissions, and timing for the release of the Company's disclosure in connection with the foregoing. Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release reflect management's current beliefs based upon information currently available to management and based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, Aya cannot be certain that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions, opinions and analysis made by management in light of its experience, current conditions, and its expectations of future developments that management believe to be reasonable and relevant but that may prove to be incorrect. These assumptions include, among other things, the ability to obtain any requisite governmental approvals, the accuracy of Mineral Reserve and Mineral Resource Estimates (including, but not limited to, ore tonnage and ore grade estimates), silver price, exchange rates, fuel and energy costs, future economic conditions, anticipated future estimates of free cash flow, and courses of action. Aya cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements.

The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward-looking statements include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including government approvals and permitting, changes in economic conditions, changes in the worldwide price of silver and other key inputs, changes in mine plans (including, but not limited to, throughput and recoveries being affected by metallurgical characteristics) and other factors, such as project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of Aya, as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in Aya's 2022 Annual Information Form dated March 31, 2023, and in other filings of Aya with securities and regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Furthermore, Ayas corporate update of May 28, 2020 regarding the materiality of its assets as well as to studies regarding non-material assets remains applicable as at the date hereof. Aya does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs, and opinions change. Nothing in this document should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy or sell Aya securities. All references to Aya include its subsidiaries unless the context requires otherwise.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

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Dublin, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Real World Evidence Solutions Market by Component (Services, Disparate Data Sets (Clinical), Application (Drug and Medical Device Development and Approvals), Mode of Deployment, Revenue Model, End-users, & Region, Business Model - Forecast to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global Real-World Evidence Solutions market is projected to reach USD 4.5 Billion by 2029 from USD 2 billion in 2024, at a CAGR of 16.5% from 2024 to 2029

This report studies the Real-World Evidence Solution market based on components, application, end user, and region. The report also analyses factors (such as drivers, opportunities and challenges) affecting market growth. It evaluates the opportunities and challenges in the market for stakeholders and provides details of the competitive landscape for market leaders.

The growth of the market is fuelled by an upsurging shift from volume to value-based care and rise in geriatric population. Real-world evidence (RWE) holds the potential of cutting down both costs and time in the drug development process. This has resulted in a growing adoption of RWE within numerous pharmaceutical and medical device companies, leading to drive the market growth throughout the forecast period. But scarcity of skilled personnel, and absence of universally acknowledged standards or principles governing the design, execution, analysis, and reporting of Real-World Evidence (RWE) poses a significant challenge within this market.



The RWE solution market in APAC is projected to register the highest CAGR rate during the forecast period. The growth of this region is due to rise in government initiatives towards the adoption of RWE by the pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Moreover, the clinical trials in this region are very cost-effective thus increasing the number of clinical trials being conducted in this region.

For instance, according to the NOVOTECH report published in May 2022, on the Evolution of Clinical Trials in the Asia-Pacific Region in comparison to the US and the EU5, a total of over 70,000 new clinical trials were recorded across the APAC region, the US, and the EU5 during the analysis period from 2017 to 2021. Notably, the APAC region emerged as the primary contributor, accounting for over 50% of the trials, followed by the US with 29%, and the EU5 with 17%.



Real-World Evidence Solution, services segment to witness the highest growth during the forecast period



Based on component, the Real-World Evidence Solution market is segmented into Real-World Evidence Solution services and Real-World Evidence Solution data sets. In 2023, service segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The service segment encompasses advanced analytic services and consulting services. These services play a crucial role in extracting meaningful patterns of information, enabling clinicians to make informed treatment decisions.

Additionally, they help end users in conducting multifunctional workshops for the development of Real-World Evidence (RWE) and operational plans. Furthermore, experts in Real-World Evidence (RWE) actively communicate and collaborate with subject matter experts from pharmaceutical and medical devices companies. This collaboration aims to provide services that contribute to the formulation of intelligent strategies, ultimately driving growth the services segment throughout the forecast period.



Drug and Development and approval segment to register the highest growth in the Real-World Evidence Solution market during the forecast period



Based on application, the Real-World Evidence Solution market is segmented into drug development and approvals, medical device development and approvals, post market surveillance, market access and reimbursement/coverage decision making, Clinical & regulatory decision making. The drug development and approval segment dominate the market by application. The drug development and approvals market are further bifurcated into oncology, neurology, cardiovascular diseases, immunology, and other therapeutic areas.

The oncology segment holds the largest position in drug development and approval segment. This is attributed to the increasing number of clinical trials conducted on cancer drugs, and upsurging number of cancer patients across the globe drives the segmental growth. As per World Health Organization (WHO), the implementation of evidence-based prevention strategies and the avoidance of risk factors have the potential to prevent approximately 30 to 50% of cancers.



Pharmaceutical and medical device companies' segment to register the highest growth in the Real-World Evidence Solution market during the forecast period



Based on end user, the RWE solution market is segmented into pharmaceutical and medical devices companies, healthcare payers, healthcare providers, and other end-users which includes CROs, academic institutions, patient advocacy groups, and HTA agencies. In 2023 the pharmaceutical and medical device companies hold the largest share among the end users. This is due to many companies are adapting the RWE solutions to decrease the cost and time for the drug development process, as RWE data helps new drugs and new medical devices to successfully pass through the clinical trials phases.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 412 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $2 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $4.5 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 16.5% Regions Covered Global



Premium Insights

Rising Geriatric Population and Subsequent Increase in Prevalence of Chronic Diseases to Drive Market

Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Companies Accounted for Largest Share of Asia-Pacific Market in 2023

India to Register Highest Growth During Forecast Period

North America Will Continue to Dominate Market During Forecast Period

Emerging Economies to Register Higher Growth During Forecast Period

Use Cases/Case Studies

Optimizing Rwe with Scientifically Rigorous Data-Agnostic Approach: Designing and Building Rwe Dashboards and Leveraging Ehr and Claims Data

Utilizing Drug Data and Rwd to Enhance Patient Adherence: Integrating Specialty Pharmacy and Patient Hub Data with Rwd Data to Investigate Non-Adherence Factors

Existing Analytics Technology: Simplifying Data Analytics with Rwe Platform

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Rising Geriatric Population and Subsequent Increase in Prevalence of Chronic Diseases

Shift from Volume-based Care to Value-based Care

Potential of Rwe in Reducing Drug Development Costs and Expediting Drug Development Process

Increased R&D Spending for Development of New Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices

Support from Regulatory Bodies for Use of Rwe Solutions

Restraints

Reluctance of Medical Practitioners and Researchers to Rely on Real-World Studies

Opportunities

Growth Opportunities in Emerging Markets

Increased Focus on End-To-End Rwe Services

Challenges

Lack of Universally Accepted Methodology Standards and Data Processing Infrastructure

Shortage of Skilled Professionals

Industry Trends

Emerging Role of Wearable Devices

Social Media-Sourced Rwe

Rising Use of Rwd and Rwe Across Pharmaceutical Industry

Technology Analysis

Key Technologies

Use of AI and ML

Blockchain Technology

Adjacent Technologies

Predictive Analytics

Visualization Dashboard Software

Real-World Evidence Solutions Business Model

Platform as a Service (PaaS) Model

Data Provider Model

Consulting and Services Model

Collaborative Research Model

Company Profiles

Key Players

Iqvia Holdings Inc.

Merative

Deals

Optum, Inc.

Icon PLC

Syneos Health, Inc.

Parexel International Corporation

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Fortrea Inc.

Oracle Corporation

Elevance Health, Inc.

Sas Institute Inc.

Aetion, Inc.

Trinetx LLC

Trinity

Perkinelmer Inc.

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation

Cegedim Health Data

Verantos

Medpace Holdings, Inc.

Other Players

Healthverity, Inc.

Datavant

Syapse, Inc.

Tempus

Flatiron Health

Quantzig

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rvmpxz

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Patna, Mar 18 (UNI) A day after being sidelined by BJP in seat sharing among constituents of NDA for Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, RLJP President Pashupati Kumar Paras on Tuesday resigned as union minister from Narendra Modi cabinet.

Paras peeved over being ignored by BJP in seat sharing for Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, announced his resignation as Union Minister from Narendra Modi's cabinet. He was deeply upset over not being done justice to his party in seat sharing, he remarked.

" Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a leader of great stature who allowed me to serve as Minister in his cabinet", RLJP President said adding that there was no reason for him to continue in cabinet after being ignored in seat sharing. He, however, refused to divulge his next move after being ignored by the BJP.

" I was waiting for an official announcement on seat sharing by NDA which was made yesterday", Paras said adding that NDA announced the list of seat sharing for 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. His party had five MPs but no claim was entertained, he pointed out.

" I worked with utmost sincerity. injustice has been done with us", Paras maintained. It is being speculated that RLJP may join hands with alliance INDIA to contest Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.

Paras had earlier announced that his party would contest Hajipur, Nawada, and Samastipur Lok Sabha seats at any cost. He is sitting MP from the Hajipur seat.

In seat arrangement among constituents of NDA, BJP will contest 17 seats, JD(U)-16, LJP-Ram Vilas-5, HAM-1 and Rashtriya Lok Morcha -1 seat in Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.

UNI KKS BD
Notice is hereby given of the Annual General Meeting of Copenhagen Airports A/S to be held on Tuesday, 16 April 2024 at 3:00 pm.

The notice, including the agenda and the full text of the proposed resolutions is attached.





COPENHAGEN AIRPORTS A/S

P.O. Box 74

Lufthavnsboulevarden 6

DK-2770 Kastrup





Telephone: +45 32313231

E-mail: cphpresse@cph.dk

www.cph.dk

CVR no. 14 70 72 04





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VALENCIA, Spain, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), with a membership of over 16,000 from 125 countries, annually orchestrates its congress to unveil the latest research and innovative advancements in allergy and clinical immunology. We are thrilled to extend a warm invitation to you for the upcoming EAACI Congress 2024, scheduled to take place in Valencia from May 31st to June 3rd, 2024.

In a bid to provide you with an immersive experience, we will offer you a dedicated press area where you can schedule interviews with leading physicians and researchers in the field.

Register for free

LOCATION:

Our venue, Feria de Valencia, is a prestigious convention and exhibition centre known for its modernity and versatility. Moreover, the event will take place at the vibrant city of Valencia, which is celebrated for its harmonious coexistence of tradition and modernity.

PROGRAMME:

The Scientific Programme will encompass the entire spectrum of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Under the overarching theme of "Revolutionizing Patient Care Through the Power of Data Science" our congress promises to be an extraordinary intellectual journey. We are delighted to present a diverse and dynamic program featuring over 150 scientific sessions meticulously crafted to inform and inspire.

CONGRESS TOPICS:

Environmental Science: Join the conversation to understand how environmental issues have significantly increased allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and atopic dermatitis in industrialized countries in recent years.

Food Allergy: A major public health issue with rising prevalence in metropolitan areas and a significant impact on the lives of patients with allergies. We will discuss about cutting-edge approaches to managing food allergies.



Innovations in Immunotherapy: Discover revolutionary developments in allergen immunotherapy, an area transforming the landscape of allergy treatment. Learn about the latest advances in the application of immunotherapy.



Pediatric Allergies: Explore the increasing incidence of allergies among children worldwide and the factors contributing to this phenomenon. Gain insights into global initiatives addressing pediatric allergies and collaborative efforts to enhance the well-being of young individuals affected by allergies.



KOLs of EAACI

In this link, you'll find our dedicated committee, comprised of renowned doctors and scientists from various nationalities, available for interviews and reports.

PRESS RELEASE: https://eaaci.org/news/

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Podcast: https://linktr.ee/eaaci

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eaaci/

Instagram: @eaaciHQ

Twitter: @EAACI_HQ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EAACI

CONTACT: communications@eaaci.org

HASHTAGS: #EAACIannualCongress
ATLANTA, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Monarch Private Capital, a leading impact investment firm renowned for its development, financing, and management of a diversified portfolio of projects generating federal and state tax credits, announced today that it has reached a settlement with the North Carolina Department of Revenue (NCDOR) regarding the treatment of North Carolina tax credits. Under the terms of the agreement, NCDOR has committed to honoring all of the North Carolina tax credits reported by Monarch Private Capital's investors.



This settlement marks a significant milestone for Monarch Private Capital and its investors. All investors who received NC tax credits, either directly or indirectly from Monarch, will have 100% of their tax credits honored by the NCDOR and will be entitled to refunds and interest where applicable.

Monarch's unwavering commitment to protecting our investors' interests has yielded a favorable resolution with the North Carolina Department of Revenue. We felt morally obligated to support our investors in persuading the NCDOR that the position it took was in error. After six years of confrontation and litigation with NCDOR, including the successful prosecution of three separate suits filed against NCDOR and spending millions of dollars in legal fees and expert witnesses, Monarch was ultimately successful. We were determined to ensure that our investors received not 90%, not 95%, but 100% of the NC credits that they expected to receive, said George L. Strobel II, Partner, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Monarch Private Capital. This outcome not only assures our investors receive the benefits they deserve but also paves the way for continued investment in North Carolina's tax equity projects. We are proud to have played a proactive role in supporting economic growth and job creation in the state, underscoring our firm belief that state tax credit incentives are highly effective in driving positive change.

Monarch Private Capital remains committed to advocating for its investors and ensuring the success of renewable energy projects, affordable housing projects and historic renovations across the nation. We are proud to note that after twenty years of business Monarch has never had an investor lose a single dollar of tax credits. For more information on Monarch Private Capital and tax equity impact investing, please contact George Strobel at gstrobel@monarchprivate.com.

About Monarch Private Capital

Monarch Private Capital manages impact investment funds that positively impact communities by creating clean power, jobs, and homes. The funds provide predictable returns through the generation of federal and state tax credits. The Company offers innovative tax credit equity investments for affordable housing, historic rehabilitations, renewable energy, film, and other qualified projects. Monarch Private Capital has long-term relationships with institutional and individual investors, developers, and lenders participating in these federal and state programs. Headquartered in Atlanta, Monarch has offices and professionals located throughout the United States.
BALTIMORE, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Workforce solutions company CareerCircle LLC, an Allegis Group brand, has been named to Fast Companys prestigious list of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies for 2024. Alongside the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognized 606 organizations across 58 sectors and regions. CareerCircle ranked number five in the Social Good sector.







On a mission to close the opportunity divide and develop the workforce of tomorrow, CareerCircle has helped more than 140,000 members navigate their digital career journeys. Combining a 360-degree candidate view with 1:1 advocacy, workforce development, AI matching, an equity mindset and emphasis on representation, CareerCircles impact is tangible. In recent years, that has included enrolling more than 3,500 candidates in certification programs and placing over 2,000 candidates in the tech industry. By the end of 2024, CareerCircle expects to have upskilled 10,000 members since its inception.

Dedicated to creating a better workforce, CareerCircle is reimagining what qualified means and building a hiring process driven by equity, said Kim Sneeder, the company's Managing Director. We find career pathways for underserved people, support their development, and advocate for their hire in the marketplace. Were proud of the work were doing, and were honored to be recognized by Fast Company for driving results that change lives.

The World's Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company's hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. This years list spotlights businesses shaping industry and culture through their innovations. The honorees are setting new standards and achieving remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy.

Fast Company's editors and writers identified the companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the world's most valuable companies.

Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year, said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future.

Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies issue is available online, in app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 26. Fast Company will also host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala on May 16. The event will celebrate this years honorees and provide an inside look at cutting-edge business trends and what it takes to innovate in 2024.

To learn more about CareerCircle, visit https://www.careercircle.com .

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication, Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com .

ABOUT CAREERCIRCLE

CareerCircle LLC, an Allegis Group brand, is a workforce solutions company. Committed to closing the skills gap nationwide, CareerCircle connects job seekers from underrepresented communities with employers across the U.S.

Through its career services offerings, which include upskilling, CareerCircle helps break down the barriers that stand between job seekers and their next career move. CareerCircle also provides DEI training with a focus on disability inclusion, giving employers the ability to build inclusive cultures where diverse teams can thrive. Learn more at https://www.careercircle.com .




TEMPE, Ariz., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arizona State University (ASU) and Deca Technologies (Deca), a premier provider of advanced wafer- and panel-level packaging technology, today announced a groundbreaking collaboration to create North Americas first fan-out wafer-level packaging (FOWLP) research and development center.



The new Center for Advanced Wafer-Level Packaging Applications and Development is set to catalyze innovation in the United States, expanding domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and driving advancements in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, automotive electronics and high-performance computing.

The center will combine state-of-the-art advanced-packaging technology, equipment, processes, materials, expertise and training, fostering the development of new capabilities from proof of concept to pilot scale. ASU is the first university implementation of Decas M-Series fan-out and Adaptive Patterning technologies under the Microelectronics Commons, a network of regional technology hubs coordinated to deliver on projects requested by the Department of Defense as part of the CHIPS and Science Act, the federal legislation which aims to expand Americas global leadership in microelectronics.

The new center will include integration with the universitys MacroTechnology Works center at ASU Research Park in Tempe and will provide enhanced capability that will advance projects within the ASU-led Southwest Advanced Prototyping (SWAP) Hub, part of the Microelectronics Commons.

This is at the heart of the next generation of innovation in microelectronics and everything it enables, said Zak Holman, vice dean for research and innovation for ASUs Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Deca has developed a unique technology, and ASU brings extraordinary capacity that will provide the resources to leverage Decas technology in ways that will be a differentiator for the work we are doing together through the SWAP Hub.

The initiative also offers a workforce-development opportunity with ASU faculty and students engaging in the work being done, providing training for the growing number of technicians who are needed domestically, including in metro Phoenix, which is home to Intel, TSMC, Amkor and other companies.

In collaboration with Deca, ASU is committed to establishing onshore access to these advanced-packaging capabilities. This entails acquiring, installing and implementing a comprehensive set of process and metrology equipment at the facility, capable of accommodating both 200mm and 300mm device wafer formats, as well as 300mm M-Series molded fan-out wafers, providing unparalleled flexibility for a diverse range of customers and applications.

With the industrys leading fan-out technology1 as a foundation, were excited about the possibilities this new center brings to Arizona as well as the broader U.S. semiconductor industry, commented Tim Olson, Decas founder and CEO. Through ASU and Decas collaboration, unprecedented access for industry, academia, government and others opens the door to accelerate innovation and bolster U.S. technology leadership.

Decas first-generation M-Series FOWLP is widely adopted in leading smartphones around the globe. The Gen 2 M-Series including Adaptive Patterning technology brings unprecedented scaling to higher densities for heterogeneous integration and chiplet applications.

About Deca Technologies

Deca is a leading provider of advanced-packaging technology to the semiconductor industry with M-Series fan-out and Adaptive Patterning. Deca has a growing list of industry-leading partners working on technology transfer and license agreements to gain access to the proven structures, processes, materials, equipment, design systems and know-how of the industrys No. 1 volume fan-out technology. Starting with the highest quality and reliability in Gen 1 aimed at smartphone applications, and moving on to the growth of Gen 2 for chiplets and heterogeneous integration, Decas technologies are emerging as key industry standards for the future. For more information, visit www.thinkdeca.com.

1M-Series is the highest-volume fan-out technology, with over 5 billion devices in the field.

About Arizona State University

Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and it assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround its campuses. For more information, visit asu.edu. For more information about ASUs work in microelectronics, visit microelectronics.asu.edu.

Deca Company Contact: Lori McDonald | 480.236.4236 | lori.mcdonald@decatechnologies.com

Deca Media Contact: Stephanie Quinn | 480.316.8370 | squinn@kiterocket.com

ASU Media Contact: Jay Thorne | 602.677.7518 | jay.thorne@asu.edu

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c24f2930-8454-421a-9711-b87a782159d9
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virtual Investor Conferences, the leading proprietary investor conference series, today announced the agenda for the Oil & Gas Virtual Investor Conference to be held March 21st. Individual investors, institutional investors, advisors, and analysts are invited to attend.



REGISTER NOW AT: https://bit.ly/3wZs3sA



It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates. There is no cost to log-in, attend live presentations and schedule 1x1 meetings with management.

With an assortment of OTCQX and Pink Market companies presenting, were excited to host our upcoming Oil and Gas Virtual Investor Conference this week, said Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of Corporate Services at OTC Markets Group. Our markets are tailored to meet the needs of companies in this sector as they look to engage more investors, and were pleased to provide them with a platform that supports their outreach.

March 21st



To facilitate investor relations scheduling and to view a complete calendar of Virtual Investor Conferences, please visit www.virtualinvestorconferences.com .



About Virtual Investor Conferences

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc. +1 (212) 896-4428, media@otcmarkets.com
Installation of BrewVo Technology Gives Deschutes Brewery a Highly Competitive Edge to Craft the Best Tasting Non-Alcoholic Beer and Accelerate Within the Fastest Growing Category in Beer1



BEND, Ore., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With over three decades of experience brewing delicious craft beers and delivering award-winning innovations, Deschutes Brewery has unveiled its next chapter of investment in the future of non-alcoholic brewing with the introduction of Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA. Crafted entirely in-house through a partnership with Sustainable Beverage Technologies (SBT) and utilizing the companys patented BrewVo technology in combination with Deschutes proprietary brewing methods, this groundbreaking technology allows Deschutes to create the best-tasting flavor-forward non-alcoholic beer on the market. The introduction of Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA comes on the heels of Deschutes first packaged non-alcoholic beer, Black Butte Non-Alcoholic, which quickly became the brewerys highest rate-of-sale six-pack.

The non-alcoholic beer category is revolutionizing the beer industry and grew 163% in dollar sales from 2019 to 20232. According to a Mintel study, 75% of Gen Z and Millennials are interested in non-alcoholic options with taste and flavor being the number one attribute theyre looking for in products, and a separate nationwide survey3 shows that 94% of non-alcoholic beer drinkers also drink beer with alcohol.

We believe that our fans deserve non-alcoholic options that taste amazing. At Deschutes, we are all for beer and proud to make beer for all, said Julie Galbraith, CMO of Deschutes Brewery. Our two brands, Fresh Squeezed IPA and Black Butte Porter, are top-performing brands for a reason and were thrilled to be able to give our customers the flexibility they deserve without sacrificing the craft beer experience they love by introducing them to our non-alcoholic versions of their favorite Deschutes IPA and Porter.

Launch of Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA

Crafted using Sustainable Beverage Technologies patented BrewVo equipment and a proprietary non-alcoholic brewing process, Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA is brilliantly balanced and features the same Citra and Mosaic hops as the original, delivering refreshing notes of bright citrus and tropical fruit, with less than 0.5% ABV. Both Fresh Squeezed brands packaging designs have recently been updated and now feature a similar but lighter and brighter look, with changes to accent colors, fonts, and graphics. The result of over five years of research, development, and equipment investment, Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA has been meticulously perfected and is now available nationwide at major retailers and online at DeschutesBrewery.com in six-pack 12oz cans.

Reintroduction of Black Butte Non-Alcoholic

Inspired by Americas favorite craft porter, Black Butte, Black Butte Non-Alcoholic was Deschutes first packaged non-alcoholic beer. Brewed using a specialty chocolate malt, it presents a velvety texture with creamy foam and delivers surprising flavor complexity with tastes of chocolate, a malty aroma with a touch of coffee sweetness. Black Butte Non-Alcoholic has already secured eight international Awards, including a 2022 World Beer Cup silver medal in the Non-Alcohol Beer category. The original Black Butte Porter and Black Butte Non-Alcoholic both feature updated packaging artwork with illustrations by artist Sam Larson.

This announcement marks a significant milestone in the brewery's commitment to innovation in the non-alcoholic space and is the result of over five years of research and development and over $5 million invested. Deschutes is the first brewery of scale to have installed BrewVo technology along with the necessary end-to-end technical capabilities which enables the brewery to gently remove alcohol from the beer while preserving the sensory elements that contribute to a full-fidelity craft beer experience. Deschutes has also installed a 65,000-pound tunnel pasteurizer, a necessary step to ensuring the safety and quality of its non-alcoholic beers, giving the brewery a unique advantage to maintain full control of supply which enhances their ability to deliver on consumer demand; many other non-alcoholic brewers rely on third-party cross-brewing, co-packing and off-site tunnel pasteurization.

Crafting a full fidelity non-alcoholic beer that delivers the flavor, aroma and mouthfeel of a great craft beer involves a lot more than just removing the alcohol. When we began our research and development five years ago it became clear to us that the technologies in broad use to produce non-alcoholic beer all led to certain degrees of sacrifice on sensory experience of the final product. We didnt want to accept sacrifice in the beer drinking experience and sought a better way. Our patented and proprietary process, rooted in decades of brewing experience, ensures that our non-alcoholic products offer an excellent craft beer experience without the alcohol, said Peter Skrbek, CEO of Deschutes Brewery. With the launch of Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA and the installation of the BrewVo technology, as well as our tunnel pasteurizer, we aim to redefine the craft beer experience for our fans. We want our non-alcoholic beers to be excellent when compared to any beer with or without alcohol. Gone are the days of our fans and customers needing to make trade-offs in their beer drinking experience based on whether a beer has alcohol.

Deschutes Brewerys Fresh Squeezed IPA, Fresh Squeezed Non-Alcoholic IPA, Black Butte Porter and Black Butte Non-Alcoholic are available nationwide at select retailers, bars, and restaurants. For more information, use the  beer finder  to find the closest retailer at DeschutesBrewery.com or to purchase the new non-alcoholic options online.

About Deschutes Brewery

Deschutes Brewery is a family and employee-owned craft brewery based in Bend, Oregon. Utilizing the volcanic filtered waters of the Deschutes River and hops from local farmers in and around Washington and Oregon, Deschutes has been a pioneer in creating award-winning, Damn Tasty Beer since 1988. Committed to a high standard of craftsmanship and quality, Deschutes is well known for its best-selling brand Fresh Squeezed IPA, the #1 porter in the US, Black Butte Porter, its heritage series of beers like Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Obsidian Stout, and newer brands like King Crispy and Symphonic Chronic Double Dank IPA. Through the brewerys patented and proprietary non-alcoholic brewing process, Deschutes is proud to offer best-in-class non-alcoholic beer that tastes as good as higher ABV craft beer. In 2021, Deschutes forged a partnership with Boneyard Beer accelerating the growth of RPM, Oregons #1 IPA. Visit our brewpubs in Bend and Portland, Oregon and our Tasting Room in Bend to try our latest brews. Visit us online at deschutesbrewery.com or on social media @deschutesbrewery.

1 Source: IRI TUS MULO+C, Beer Segment by Dollar CAGR, Non-Alcoholic Segment 2019-2023

2 Source: IRI TUS MULO+C, Beer Segment by Dollar CAGR, Non-Alcoholic Segment 2019-2023

3 Source: Deschutes Gutcheck Survey, May 2023

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5ec789b3-fbb2-41bb-9115-7e145b510440
California, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hitachi America, Ltd. (Hitachi), Hitachi Energy, and Penske Truck Leasing today announced the launch of a large-scale, centralized electric truck charging solution. This groundbreaking project supports Penskes electric truck deployments for its customers in the Stockton, California area.

For this pilot initiative, Hitachi Energy has supplied Penske with its state-of-the-art Grid-eMotion Fleet EV charging system. The integrated direct current (DC) fast charging solution is designed to scale up and deliver multi-megawatt level charging capabilities, tailored to meet the demanding requirements of truck fleets of varying sizes.

The new system features include its ability to reduce space requirements up to 60 percent compared to conventional charging systems. Additionally, it cuts cabling needs up to 40 percent  ensuring effective use of resources while maintaining high-capacity charging for electric vehicles (EVs).

Investing in our capabilities with electric vehicles and charging solutions is crucial as our customers seek to decarbonize their fleets and comply with emissions regulations, said Art Vallely, President of Penske Truck Leasing. Robust public and private charging infrastructures are essential to ensure the viability of commercial electric trucks in the future.

Penske has been a pioneer in adopting battery electric commercial vehicles and made substantial investments in testing, maintaining, and expanding charging infrastructure to support these vehicles. The company has been continually testing and operating EV trucks across its leasing, rental and logistics fleets in various industries including retail, manufacturing, grocery, quick-service restaurant chains, medical, automotive parts, among others.

Hitachi Energys Grid-eMotion Fleet charging system in Stockton is already being used to charge a growing number of EVs across light-, medium- and heavy-duty applications. Its 10-pedestal system can charge as many as 10 trucks on-site up to 100kW or five trucks up to 200kW, showcasing its versatility and scalability for Penskes fleet operations.

Were excited to be working with Hitachi on deployment of this cutting-edge technology, said Drew Cullen, Senior Vice President of Fuels and Facility Services at Penske. When we were first introduced to the Grid-eMotion solution, we were impressed with its capability and flexibility and what that could mean for our customers. This installation in Stockton will provide real world experience and significantly enhance our collaboration with Hitachi.

This collaboration extends Hitachis existing partnerships with Penske Corporation, rooted in the IndyCar racing series, emphasizing their joint commitment to expedite fleet-wide emissions reduction through widespread electric charging station deployment. Additionally, Hitachi and Penske are exploring AI-based smart charging solutions to optimize vehicle charging processes. This endeavor unlocks fresh prospects, laying the groundwork for enhanced service, maintenance, and EV charging opportunities throughout Penskes fleet.

Hitachi Energy is proud to support Penskes sustainability journey with the deployment of our Grid-eMotion Fleet system in Stockton. This project presents an ideal opportunity to highlight the benefits of charging systems designed specifically for fleets and how they can support the transition to a more sustainable mode of operations, said Alireza Aram, General Manager of Hitachi Energys Grid Integration Business in North America. Hitachi Energys Grid-eMotion Fleet technology can provide fleet operators with the flexibility they need to address the unique requirements of each facility.

This project with Penske marks a significant leap forward in our collective commitment to sustainable transportation and demonstrates how we can move electric fleets from niche to mainstream, said Hicham Abdessamad, Chairman and CEO of Hitachi America, Ltd. Hitachi designed Grid-eMotion Fleet and other solutions specifically to address commercial and public transportation electrification. Partnering with Penske, were paving the way for a better transportation future for everyone.

Note to Editor

About Grid-eMotion Fleet

Grid-eMotion Fleet is a grid-scale and space-saving grid-to-plug charging solution that can be installed in new and existing truck depots and logistics centers. The charging solution can be scaled flexibly as the fleet gets bigger and greener. It includes different charging points configurations and a robust and compact grid connection directly at the distribution level. The system is available to support commercial vehicle fleets of all kinds, including last-mile delivery and heavy-duty trucks that require high-power charging of several megawatts.

The solution is equipped with configurable smart charging digital platforms that can be embedded with larger fleet and energy management systems. Additional offerings from Hitachi Energy for EV charging systems consist of e-mesh energy management and optimization solutions and Lumada APM, EAM and FSM solutions to help transportation operators make informed decisions that maximize their uptime and improve efficiency.

-End-

About Hitachi Energy

Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world's energy system to become more sustainable, flexible, and secure whilst balancing social, environmental, and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. We integrate more than 150 GW of HVDC links into the power system, helping our customers enable more wind and solar. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ more than 40,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of over $10 billion USD.

https://www.hitachienergy.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachienergy

https://twitter.com/HitachiEnergy

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers' and society's challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the business structure of "Digital Systems & Services" - supporting our 'customers' digital transformation; "Green Energy & Mobility" - contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and "Connective Industries" - connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The 'company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2022 (ended March 31, 2023) totaled 10,881.1 billion yen, with 696 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.us/.

About Penske Truck Leasing

Penske Truck Leasing is a Penske Transportation Solutions company headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania. A leading provider of innovative transportation solutions, Penske operates and maintains more than 439,500 vehicles and serves its customers from more than 980 maintenance facilities and more than 2,650 rental locations across North America. Solutions from Penske include full-service truck leasing, fleet maintenance, truck rentals, used trucks, and a comprehensive array of technologies to keep the world moving forward. Visit PenskeTruckLeasing.com to learn more.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/penske-truck-leasing

https://www.twitter.com/PenskeNews

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Surrey, BC, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The CDI College Surrey campus Practical Nursing students organized a fundraiser in support of the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation. They raised a total of $4,000 with the help of their program coordinator, Sudeshna Siwan.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, CDI College Surrey used to host an annual fundraiser for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The fundraiser was paused during the pandemic. This year, the students and their program coordinator decided to relaunch the initiative.

First, the students set a fundraising goal of $1,000. They were able to exceed their goal within ten days by getting $1170. CDI College matched the amount dollar for dollar.

The campus then planned a cheque presentation ceremony on February 15. Remarkably, in the few days prior to the event, the students raised an additional $2,000, increasing the total donation to $4,000.

It was so impressive that the students collected $4,000 in just three weeks, said Mandy Wong, Fundraising Relationship Specialist at the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation.

The Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation is a non-profit organization promoting heart health and preventing heart disease and stroke. The Foundation funds research, advocates for public policies that promote healthy living and provides support to those affected by heart disease and stroke.

CDI College is committed to giving back to the community and plans to continue its support of the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation in the future. The college has a long history of partnering with the Heart & Stroke Foundation for various health-related campaigns.

CDI College has transformed lives through education and has driven students to build their careers for over 50 years. As one of Canada's premier career-training providers, CDI College offers robust, market-driven programs that focus on helping its students develop the skills that leading employers demand in the business, technology, and healthcare industries.

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BOSTON, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Occupancy analytics software company Lambent today announced the addition of three new members to its Board of Advisors. Tracy Hawkins, Vice President of Real Estate and Workplace at OpenAI and formerly with Grammarly and Twitter, joins along with Suzanne Heidelberger, former executive at Fidelity, American Express and Deutsche Bank, and Cynthia Rock, current executive at Uber and formerly with Bank of the West and HP.

In their roles, Hawkins, Heidelberger and Rock will help Lambent expand on its success optimizing real estate portfolios in corporate real estate and higher education and providing employees, students and visitors with more productive experiences.

Tracy, Suzanne and Cynthia have tremendous track records in guiding organizations on the optimal use of their real estate portfolios and work and learning spaces, commented Julie Roberts, Lambents Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer. They not only understand the critical return on investment aspect of workspaces, but also the needs of real estate leaders and what makes spaces more productive. That in combination with their experience in technology and financial services will provide an invaluable perspective to help us build on our success to date in both corporate real estate and higher education.

Hawkins is the new Vice President of Real Estate and Workplace at OpenAI where she is leveraging her strengths in real estate portfolio growth and rationalization, service procurement, change management and developing and implementing workplace standards. Previously she was the head of Global Head of Workplace Experience, Connection and IT at Grammarly, and spent almost ten years at Twitter in a variety of real estate and workplace management roles. Her prior experience includes Calvin Klein Brands, Yahoo and Deluxe. Hawkins also sits on the Advisory Board at flexy.ai and is a Board Member at CoreNet Globals North California chapter.

Heidelberger was formerly the Head of Fidelity Real Estate Company (FREC), the corporate real estate division of Fidelity Investments. There she oversaw complex projects covering a global real estate portfolio of more than 10 million square feet, including office and call center space, retail branches, data centers, and a 428-room hotel. FREC had end-to-end responsibility for creating and delivering physical and virtual spaces and experiences that encouraged Fidelity employees, businesses, and customers to thrive. Prior to Fidelity, Heidelberger led the Global Real Estate and Workplace Experience division for American Express and was Managing Director and Global Lead of Real Estate and Transaction Management at Deutsche Bank. She has also served on the Global Board of Directors of CoreNet, and its Learning and Womens Committees.

Rock is currently the Vice President of Workplace and Real Estate at Uber where she is responsible for the companys extensive portfolio. Previously, she served as Head of Enterprise Business Services and Real Estate at Bank of the West, Head of Global Real Estate at HP, and Head of Corporate Real Estate at MUFG Union Bank. Her background also includes executive roles at Jones Lang LaSalle, the Compass Group in Dubai UAE, Cushman & Wakefield and Bank of America. She has led large internal and external teams to deliver innovative portfolio strategies and executed thousands of real estate projects across the globe.
5 killed in car accident in central Iraq 31 Mar 2024 | 9:33 PM Baghdad, Mar 31 (UNI) Five people were killed and two others injured Sunday in a car accident in Salahudin province north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the traffic police said. see more..

Israeli PM to undergo hernia surgery: office 31 Mar 2024 | 8:19 PM Jerusalem, Mar 31 (UNI) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will undergo a hernia surgery on Sunday night, his office said in a statement. see more..

Voting under way in Turkiye's local elections 31 Mar 2024 | 7:54 PM Ankara, Mar 31 (UNI) Turkish citizens head to voting stations Sunday for local elections, a crucial test for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who seeks to retake control of major cities that his party lost to the opposition in 2019. see more..

4 killed, 17 wounded in Israeli bombing on hospital in central Gaza: sources 31 Mar 2024 | 7:50 PM Gaza, Mar 31 (UNI) At least four Palestinians were killed and 17 others were wounded on Sunday in an Israeli bombing on tents inside the Al-Aqsa Hospital in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian eyewitnesses and sources said. see more..
TORONTO, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Find the perfect beach destination with Visited App's Top 25 Most Visited beaches , published by Arriving In High Heels, the company behind Visited App. The most popular beaches list is based on over 2 million international travelers that love to frequent beaches. With the travel app, users can create their personalized travel map, print personalized travel posters, check off famous places on travel lists, discover new destinations and get personalized travel stats.



Most popular beach destinations include:

Cancun, Mexico South Beach Miami, United States Majora, Spain Cannes, France Amalfi Coast, Italy Tenerife, Spain Punta Cana, Mexico



South Beach Miami is the 2nd most popular destination in the world and the only American beach that made it to the top 25 list among international travellers. Mexico and Spain both tied for most destinations found in top 25 lists, both destinations are popular for their sunny beaches, developed tourism and ease access.

Popular beaches are only one of 150+ travel lists available for users to mark off popular places. Users can see what percentage of top 10, and of total list they have visited, they can also get their own personalized percentage visited based on their only bucket list. Other travel lists which are popular include:

To see more top travel lists with the most popular destinations worldwide, users can download Visited on iOS or Android.

About Visited Travel App

Visited is a travel app that allows users to keep track of all the places and countries/regions and cities that they have been to or wish to visit in the future. Their travels can be visualized on a map, printed on a poster or displayed as a travel stats. Users can also get inspired by uncovering new locations and adding them to their bucket lists. For those planning their next trip, the app will rank countries based on travel places they wish to visit there. The app is available on iOS and Android and is free to download.

About Arriving In High Heels Corporation

Arriving In High Heels Corporation is a mobile app company with apps including Pay Off Debt, X-Walk and Visited, their most popular app.

Contact:

Anna Kayfitz

anna@arrivinginhighheels.com
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gynesonics, Inc. a privately-held womens healthcare medical device company focused on the development of minimally invasive solutions for symptomatic uterine fibroids, is pleased to announce several executive appointments for the positions of Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, Chief Human Resource Officer, and Vice President of Market Access and Reimbursement. The addition of these executive team members will support the companys continued growth and adoption of the innovative Sonata Treatment.



Commenting on these appointments, Skip Baldino, President and Chief Executive Officer of Gynesonics said, I am very pleased to welcome Ted Stephens, Keith Chrzanowski, and Laurie Sandberg to Gynesonics. They bring decades of diverse leadership experience, spanning global markets in the medical device and life science industries, including introducing innovative products and procedures to the market. Their collective contributions will help further accelerate adoption of the Sonata Treatment and help deliver on our commitment to provide women with a safe, effective alternative to more invasive treatment options for symptomatic fibroids.

Mr. Ted Stephens joins Gynesonics as its Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer. In this newly created role, Mr. Stephens will lead the development of strategies and overall marketing plans to help the company achieve its short and long-term commercial growth plans. Prior to joining Gynesonics, Mr. Stephens served as the Vice President of Marketing for Telix Pharmaceuticals, where he led a team responsible for promoting the commercial adoption of diagnostic and therapeutic radio-pharmaceutical products. Prior to his tenure at Telix, Mr. Stephens served as Global Vice President of Marketing for both EndoGastric Solutions and Apollo Endosurgery. He also had a 16+ year tenure at Ethicon Endo-Surgery. Mr. Stephens holds a Master of Business Administration from Xavier University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Michigan State University.

Mr. Keith Chrzanowski joins Gynesonics as its Chief Human Resources Officer. Prior to joining Gynesonics he provided outstanding human resource and operational leadership to achieve success within several industries. Mr. Chrzanowskis experience includes serving as Principal for Kalan HR Consulting, where he worked with early stage and mid-size organizations. He has also served as Head of Human Resources for Akesis, Inc. and Vice President of Human Resources for Elekta. He was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Given Imaging and then with Medtronic after it purchased the company. Other experience includes Vice President of Human Resources for McKesson and also for Spherion. Mr. Chrzanowski holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Development from Norwich University and a Bachelor of Arts from Western Illinois University.

Ms. Laurie Sandberg returns to Gynesonics as Vice President of Market Access and Reimbursement. She brings over 20 years of industry experience in various roles including Sales, Strategic Accounts, and Market Access, always with the goal of improving patients lives through innovative technology. Prior to her current role, Ms. Sandberg spent much of her career in womens healthcare with roles at Axena Health, Renovia Inc., Hologic, and Gynesonics, and developed a passion for Market Access at Insulet Corporation where she helped patients gain access to treat their diabetes with a tubeless insulin pump. Ms. Sandberg holds a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

About the Sonata System

The Sonata System is intended for diagnostic intrauterine imaging and transcervical treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids, including those associated with heavy menstrual bleeding. Common Side Effects include bleeding, spotting, cramping, post-ablation inflammatory symptoms, and/or discharge. There are potential risks with this treatment such as skin burn and infection. Women who are pregnant, have a pelvic infection, are known to have gynecologic cancer, or have intratubal implants for sterilization should not have this procedure.

The Sonata System is CE marked and is approved for sale in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States. For more information on Sonata, please visit us at www.sonatasystem.com.

About Gynesonics

As pioneers in womens health, Gynesonics is committed to developing and delivering minimally invasive, incision-free, uterus-preserving, transcervical technologies for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Our flagship product, the Sonata System, is the first FDA cleared medical device for diagnostic intrauterine imaging and transcervical treatment of symptomatic uterine fibroids. Gynesonics headquarters is in Redwood City, CA. For more information, go to www.gynesonics.com.

About Fibroids

Fibroids are non-cancerous growths in the uterus, affecting millions of women worldwide. Symptoms include heavy menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, and infertility. Treatment options range from medication to surgery, depending on severity. Awareness and timely intervention are crucial for managing this common condition.

Company Contact:

Tara Murphy, Senior Director, Global Marketing & Advocacy, Gynesonics, tmurphy@gynesonics.com, (215) 620-3004

Media Contact:

David Gutierrez, Dresner Corporate Services, dgutierrez@dresnerco.com, (312) 780-7204

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2c334c9f-b950-49f0-9eed-fb94224bbc7c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/efcd6757-f3c6-4c68-9126-873c364d4889

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74d18a39-1401-43ef-82ed-f356bf7d8e50
TORONTO, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On March 21st, the Toronto & York Region Labor Council (TYRLC) and the Urban Alliance on Race Relations (UARR) will mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) by presenting Mayor Olivia Chow and Toronto City Councillors with practical and impactful policy proposals, tools and solutions to address racial inequity in Toronto.

 Who: Toronto & York Region Labour Council

Urban Alliance on Racial Relations  What: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination  When: 10:30 AM Thursday, March 21, 2024  Where: City Hall (100 Queen St. W)  Why: Present solutions to Toronto City Council to eliminate racial inequity in TO

Speakers:

Andria Babbington - President, Toronto & York Region Labour Council

Nigel Barriffe - President, Urban Alliance on Racial Relations

Neethan Shan - Executive Director, Urban Alliance on Racial Relations

Andrea Vasquez Jimenez - Director and Principal Consultant, Policing Free Schools

Melissa Wong - Director, Engagement & Strategic Initiatives, Social Planning Toronto

Following the press conference, TYRLC and UARR will host an interactive panel  Racial Justice Toronto  at Metro Hall at 12:30pm with speakers and members of the public. At discussion will be how racial inequity manifests in Toronto around housing, transit, community services, policing, and good jobs.

Media Contact:

Susan McMurray, Executive Assistant, Toronto & York Region Labour Council

Phone: 416-882-2247 Email: smcmurray@labourcouncil.ca

The Toronto & York Region Labour Council represents over 220,000 workers from diverse sectors across the Toronto region. Committed to fighting for economic, social, racial and climate justice, the Council works tirelessly to create a fair and equitable future for all.

The Urban Alliance on Race Relations works with the community, public and private sectors to provide educational programs and research critical to addressing racism in our society.
ROCKAWAY, NEW JERSEY, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ROCKAWAY, NEW JERSEY  MARCH 19, 2024  TOPDON USA, the nations premier provider of cutting-edge technology and advanced tools for auto repair professionals and enthusiasts, announced today the donation of $10,000 cash and $15,000 in products to TechForce Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the education, training and career development of aspiring auto technicians. To date, TOPDON has donated over $66,000 to aid organizations and schools that are dedicated to preparing the next generation of auto technicians around the world.

According to TechForce Foundation, the need for qualified automotive, diesel, and collision techs in the auto industry is staggering, with demand for new specialists expected to rise to nearly 800,000 by 2027, said Chad Schnitz, Vice President of TOPDON USA. As a leading provider of the tools and solutions that auto techs use to be successful in their careers, we understand the need to provide students with more opportunities available in this industry. A career as an auto tech is extremely rewarding, and TechForce Foundation is empowering students from all walks of life and backgrounds with the tools, training and network they need to be successful.

TOPDON USA's contributions will support TechForce Foundation's mission including their work to provide $4 million in scholarship funding in 2024. Since 2017, TechForce has awarded more than $18 million in scholarships and grants to financially disadvantaged students as they obtain their technical education.

Were grateful for companies like TOPDON USA that not only recognize but invest in our mission to champion all students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional technicians, said Jennifer Maher, Chief Executive Officer of TechForce Foundation. It takes all of us working together and pitching in to make the greatest impact and change the lives of young people through career development.

Additionally, TOPDON has donated $15,000 in automotive tools and products that will be available to students, providing practical, hands-on training opportunities as students progress through their education. The TOPDON USA products being donated include diagnostic scan tools, battery service tools and thermal imaging cameras.

About TOPDON USA

Founded in 2017 and based in Rockaway, New Jersey, TOPDON USA is a provider of entry-level, mid-level, and advanced tools and solutions for professional technicians, as well as DIY enthusiasts. Globally, TOPDON has over 200 industry-leading engineers and owns over 140 intellectual property rights. The companys cutting-edge technology helps shops minimize downtime and maximize profits. For more information visit www.topdon.us

About TechForce Foundation

TechForce Foundation is a national nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion all students to and through their education and into careers as professional technicians. TechForce powers the technician workforce by awarding more than $4 million in scholarships and grants annually to financially disadvantaged students; changes perceptions towards this evolving, new collar STEM career; and provides local career exploration and workforce development programming. TechForces online network of students, working technicians, instructors, employers, industry professionals and enthusiasts is the conduit through which the charity delivers its free resources for the benefit of aspiring technicians. For more information, visit techforce.org. Follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin.

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BOWLING GREEN, KY, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Recently, the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and Competitive Markets Action (CMA), honored U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, with their Competitive Markets Leadership Award for 2023. Paul was honored for his work to reform the U.S. Dept. of Agricultures Commodity Checkoff Programs, for helping American family farmers localize meat processing, and his support of competitive markets in the United States.

Paul is one of the leaders of the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming (OFF) Act, H.R. 1249/S. 557, in the Senate where hes worked in bipartisan fashion alongside Sens. Mike Lee, R-UT, Cory Booker, D-NJ, and Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, as well as Reps. Nancy Mace, R-SC, and Dina Titus, D-NV, to reform the U.S. Dept. of Agricultures scandal-ridden checkoff programs that have been plagued by unethical and illegal activities for decades. This measure is backed by more than 200,000 farmers and ranchers across the country and groups like FreedomWorks, the Heritage Foundation, Farm Action, National Taxpayers Union, American Grassfed Association, as well as fellow Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie, who cosponsored the House bill, and led a House checkoff reform amendment in 2023.

OFF would reform the checkoff programs by bringing transparency and requiring the programs be audited for compliance; by prohibiting disparagement of one product over another and picking winners and losers in the marketplace; and by prohibiting checkoffs from contracting with lobbying entities.

The campaign to reform the checkoff programs has also brought more light to controversy surrounding President Joe Biden's USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, D-IA, who has directly benefited from millions of checkoff dollars funneled into his own personal coffers, and a salary of nearly $1 million per year from Dairy Management, Inc., following his eight years as President Barack Obama's USDA Secretary, before being reappointed to the same post by Biden.

Sen. Paul is also the lead Republican sponsor of the bipartisan Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption (PRIME) Act, H.R. 2814/S. 907, alongside Sen. Angus King, I-ME, Massie, and others, that would exempt custom animal slaughter facilities from burdensome federal regulations for distribution and processing of meats within the state. PRIME is supported by the Competitive Markets Groups, FreedomWorks, and other conservative and farming organizations across America.

We applaud Sen. Paul for his work to help bring reform to the USDAs checkoff programs so each and every dairy producer in America that pays into the till can see where their money is going, said Lee Robey, owner of Robey Dairy Farm in Adairsville.

Many thanks to Sen. Paul for his tremendous leadership in the competitive market space and for helping small distillers stay afloat, said Peg Hays, owner and proprietor at Casey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville.

Sen. Paul is a tireless champion for independent business owners and producers that just want a fair shake in the marketplace and we are grateful for his work, said Tyler Young, owner and proprietor at H.K. Young Bourbon who also raises bison in Hopkinsville.

Rand Paul is a man of principle and conviction that has made great strides for Kentucky farmers by challenging the status quo during a time when family farmers are rising up to take back American agriculture from the checkoff programs that have been utilizing producers own money against them, said Michael Pape, a member of the Organization of Competitive Markets and adviser at Competitive Markets Action who resides in Hopkinsville. The Organization for Competitive Markets and Competitive Markets Action are proud to present this award to the Senator and applaud his tireless work.

We applaud Sen. Paul for his tremendous work, leadership, and intestinal fortitude in standing up to Chinese interests and multinational conglomerates who continue to further consolidate American agriculture, said Taylor Haynes, president of the Organization for Competitive Markets and founder of the Wyoming Independent Cattlemens Association. If Agriculture Committee leaders want to get a Farm Bill done in 2024 theyd be wise to jettison any language that nullifies state and local agriculture laws and include a provision to reform USDAs swampy checkoff slush funds.

Rand Paul is a courageous American hero with real guts and we applaud him for pushing back against the swampy government checkoff slush funds, said Marty Irby, president & CEO at Competitive Markets Action and board secretary at the Organization for Competitive Markets. American family farmers finally stand a fighting chance against the checkoff whipping boys of the four-big-packer-monopoly and multinational conglomerates.

OCM and CMA also conducted its third fly-in since July of 2023 to Washington, D.C. this month and engaged in nearly 90 meetings in support of the OFF Act, checkoff reform, and against the EATS Act, H.R. 4417/S. 2019, during those events.

The Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Lincoln, Nebraska. The foundation of the Organization for Competitive Markets is to fight for competitive markets in agriculture for farmers, ranchers and rural communities. True competition reduces the need for economic regulation. Our mission, and our duty, is to define and advocate the proper role of government in the agricultural economy as a regulator and enforcer of rules necessary for markets that are fair, honest, accessible and competitive for all citizens.

Competitive Markets Action (CMA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit based in Washington, D.C., that was formed with the mission of shaping policy to promote more regenerative and sustainable agriculture, and competitive markets in the U.S., and to defend against attacks on states rights by the federal government. CMA works to raise awareness of the harm caused by multinational conglomerates to the American family farmer, the consumer and our U.S. economy as a whole in an effort to bring about legislative and regulatory reforms.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2024 Design and Verification Conference and Exhibition U.S. (DVCon U.S.), sponsored by Accellera Systems Initiative (Accellera), concluded its 36th annual event in San Jose, CA earlier this month. The 2024 Best Paper and Poster winners, as voted on by attendees, were announced during a reception in the exhibit hall on March 6.



Participants came from 28 countries and represented approximately 327 companies, with 394 attending the conference and exhibition for the first time. Overall attendance for DVCon U.S. 2024 was approximately 975, including attendees from 25 exhibiting companies.

It was really an exciting time to be back at DVCon U.S., stated Tom Fitzpatrick, DVCon U.S. 2024 General Chair. "The camaraderie among industry peers created a lot of energy and interaction during the sessions and exhibition. We had many sessions that were standing room only. Artificial intelligences influence permeated presentations and discussions, underscoring DVCons commitment to empowering practicing engineers looking for ways to improve their day-to-day projects, as well as a look toward what will be impactful in the future.

The award for the Stuart Sutherland Best Paper Presentation, as voted by conference attendees, went to Aman Kumar, Deepak Narayan Gadde, Thomas Nalapat, Evgenii Rezunov, and Fabio Cappellini, Infineon Technologies for their paper, All Artificial, Less Intelligence: GenAI through the Lens of Formal Verification. Second place was awarded to Neha Goyal and Justin Refice, Nvidia Corp. for Leveraging Interface Classes to Improve UVM TLM. William Moore, Paradigm Works took third place for his paper, Gherkin Implementation in SystemVerilog Brings Agile Behavior-Driven Development to UVM.

Top honors for best poster went to Sharada Vajja, Raghu Alamuri, Saksham Mehra, Google LLC for AI-based Algorithms to Analyze and Optimize Performance Verification Efforts. Nimay Shah, Pranav Dhayagude, and Paul Wright, Analog Devices Inc., and Raj Mitra, Cadence Design Systems, took second place for Enabling True System-Level, Mixed-Signal Emulation. Third place was awarded to Santosh Kumar, Yogish Raja, Geetika Agrawal, Karthikeyan SugumaranArjun Vazhayil, and Tommy Brunansky, Qualcomm Technologies Inc. for their poster Scalable Functional Verification using Portable Stimulus Standard.

Highlights of the Week:

Accellera Day opened the conference on Monday featuring a morning tutorial on the Portable Test and Stimulus Standard (PSS), as well as 11 workshops throughout the day.





The Accellera-sponsored luncheon on Monday focused on Federated Simulation and included a presentation from members of Accelleras Federated Simulation Standard Proposed Working Group, including insights from Ford Motor Company.





The keynote on Tuesday, Addressing the Evolving Landscape of Automotive SoCs, was presented by Paul Cunningham, senior vice president and general manager of the system & verification group of Cadence Design Systems and his guest, Anthony Hill, a Texas Instruments (TI) Fellow, who also leads the Technology Backplane Organization for TIs Processors Business. They spoke to a standing room only crowd eager to learn more about the complexities and potential solutions for automotive design and verification.





Wednesday morning opened with a panel: When Will We Be Able to Say, EDA GPT, Verify My ASIC? The topic provided for lively discussion among panelists about asking the right questions to get better output, what to do with code if its generated by someone else, etc. There was a long queue for those wanting to ask questions and learn more.





On Wednesday afternoon Alex Starr, AMD Corporate Fellow responsible for AMDs Shift Left Initiative and Verification Strategy, presented the second keynote, From Chips to Checkered Flags: The Race Towards Real World Innovation. He drew fascinating comparisons between designing a chip and a Formula 1 car.





For the second consecutive year, the Poster Ninja Warrior Session determined the Stuart Sutherland Best Poster Award winners. The top four poster presenters engaged in a spirited battle in front of an audience helping to determine who would win top honors. Attendees enjoyed popcorn while listening to the presentations and questions from a panel of judges.





Save the date: DVCon U.S. 2025 will be held February 24-27 at the DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose, California. Tom Fitzpatrick will continue as General Chair for DVCon U.S. 2025.

About DVCon

DVCon is the premier conference for discussion of the functional design and verification of electronic systems. DVCon is sponsored by Accellera Systems Initiative, an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating design and verification standards required by systems, semiconductor, intellectual property (IP) and electronic design automation (EDA) companies. For more information about Accellera, please visit www.accellera.org. For more information about DVCon U.S., please visit here. Follow DVCon on Facebook, LinkedIn or @dvcon_us on Twitter or to comment, please use #dvcon_us.

For more information, please contact:

Laura LeBlanc

Conference Catalysts, LLC

352-872-5544 Ext. 115

lleblanc@conferencecatalysts.com

Barbara Benjamin

HighPointe Communications

503-209-2323

barbara@hipcom.com
Dublin, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Indonesia Loyalty Programs Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics Databook - 50+ KPIs on Loyalty Programs Trends by End-Use Sectors, Operational KPIs, Retail Product Dynamics, and Consumer Demographics - Q1 2024 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Indonesia's Expanding Loyalty Programs Landscape Spurs Market Growth

As businesses strive to foster customer retention and maximize lifetime value, a new comprehensive study has been added to our repository, analyzing the burgeoning loyalty programs market in Indonesia. With a deep-dive into loyalty programs trends by end-use sectors, operational KPIs, retail product dynamics, and consumer demographics, the databook presents an extensive overview of the market's future growth dynamics, with projections suggesting an increase from US$1.66 billion in 2023 to an estimated US$2.64 billion by 2028.

Comprehensive Market Insights to Drive Data-Driven Business Strategies

In a digital era where consumer engagement is pivotal, our latest research offers over fifty key performance indicators (KPIs) at the country level. The databook fosters a nuanced understanding of the loyalty market's size, forecast, and share statistics, indispensable for businesses seeking to craft data-driven market strategies. This report accentuates the need for organizations to assess and leverage loyalty program dynamics specific to Indonesia's distinct market environment.

Scope of the Research and Consumer Behavior Analysis

Data-centric Examination across Various Retail Sectors

Analysis of Functional Domains within Loyalty Schemes and Platforms

Evaluation of Loyalty Program Types including Points, Tier-based, and Spend-based Programs

Channel-based Breakdown covering In-Store, Online, and Mobile App Dynamics

Consumer Demographics & Behavior Insight with Segment-specific Spend Dynamics

Effective Benchmarking against Sector Competitors and Loyalty Program Models

Adapt to Emerging Consumer Trends with Actionable Insights

This detailed and methodologically robust publication is an essential tool for entities operating within, or looking to enter, the Indonesia loyalty market space. The research deciphers critical loyalty spend market trends and the influence of consumer behavior, enabling stakeholders to adapt to the rapidly changing loyalty landscape ahead.

Armed with these insights, organizations will be able to benchmark their performance, fine-tune their loyalty program incentives, and craft personalized experiences that resonate with contemporary Indonesian consumers. This study provides the market intelligence necessary for creating sustainable competitive advantages and capitalizing on the anticipated market growth through the foreseeable future.

Facilitate Informed Decision Making for a Thriving Loyalty Program

Leveraging the comprehensive analysis provided, businesses are equipped to make informed decisions that drive loyalty and engagement. Stay abreast of shifting market trends and consumer preferences to ensure the success of your loyalty program in Indonesia's dynamic and growing market.

Key Attributes

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 117 Forecast Period 2024 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $1.84 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $2.65 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 9.5% Regions Covered Indonesia



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/23isa2

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Dallas, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dickeys Barbecue Pit continues to grow their retail presences with Albertsons Grocery Stores in North Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

Starting in April 2024, the Texas-style barbecue brand is excited to offer Albertsons retail customers their famous Original Kielbasa Sausage Links, Jalapeno Cheddar Kielbasa Sausage Links, and Hot Links. The pit-smoked proteins will now be sold in 208 Albertsons Company, Inc. stores throughout their Southern division allowing barbecue lovers to enjoy some Legit. Texas. Barbecue. from the comfort of their own home.

Were thrilled to be partnering with Albertsons to bring our handcrafted Kielbasa-style pit smoked sausages and hot links to the great folks of Arkansas, Louisiana and North Texas, said Laura Rea Dickey, CEO, Dickeys Barbecue Pit, Inc. We look forward to offering Original and Jalapeno Cheddar Sausage Links as well as spicy Hot Links to backyard Pit Masters for many years to come.

Hurry to a participating Albertsons store to purchase The Official Sausage of the Dallas Cowboys.

To learn more, follow Dickeys Barbecue Pit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Download the Dickey  s Barbecue Pit app from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

About Dickeys Barbecue Restaurants, Inc.

Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc., the worlds largest barbecue concept, was founded in 1941 by the Dickey family. For the past 80 years, Dickeys Barbecue Pit has served millions of guests in 44 states Legit. Texas. Barbecue.  At Dickeys, all our barbecued meats are smoked onsite in a hickory wood burning pit. Dickeys proudly believes theres no shortcut to true barbecue and its why our name isnt BBQ. The Dallas-based, family-run barbecue franchise offers eight slow-smoked meats and 12 wholesome sides with 'No B.S. (Bad Stuff)' included. Dickeys Barbecue has 550 locations across the United States and eight other countries.

Dickeys was named to Newsweeks 2022 Americas Favorite Restaurant Chains list and USA Today 2021 readers choice awards. Dickeys won first place on Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers list, been named a Top 500 Franchise by Entrepreneur and named to Hospitality Technologys Industry Heroes list. Led by CEO Laura Rea Dickey, who was named among the countrys 50 most influential women in foodservice in Nations Restaurant News, was recognized by Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers list and honored by Dallas Business Journal. Dickey's Barbecue Pit has also been recognized by Fox News, Forbes Magazine, Franchise Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine and QSR Magazine. Dickeys Barbecue is part of Dickeys Restaurant Brands which has more than 700 restaurants nationwide including brands Wing Boss, Trailer Birds, Big Deal Burger and bbqathome.com. DRB is led by CEO Roland Dickey Jr. For more information, visit www.dickeys.com.

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Dublin, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Marine Fasteners Market - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2018-2028F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The marine fasteners market is showcasing substantial growth, driven by progressive trends in the shipbuilding industry and technological advancements.

In the light of increasing marine trade and offshore exploration, the demand for marine fasteners continues to rise. The report indicates a healthy projection for the market's future, signifying strong potential through to 2028. The driving force behind this upward trend is the burgeoning shipbuilding sector, alongside technological innovations that have led to the development of high-strength, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant fastening solutions.

Marine fasteners, renowned for their robustness and reliability, are essential components for securing maritime structures. The integrity and safety of ships and other marine vessels are largely hinged on the quality of these fasteners. With an emphasis on sustainability, the market is seeing an increasing shift towards eco-friendly fastener solutions. This initiative is in line with stringent environmental regulations shaping the marine industry and impacting the selection of materials and products.

Furthermore, advancements in smart technologies are pioneering a new era for marine fasteners. Integration of IoT capabilities into fasteners is setting a trend towards intelligent maritime operations. The industry is witnessing the emergence of 'smart ships' where real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance are becoming standard features, thus improving safety and operational efficiency.

Asia-Pacific Dominates Marine Fasteners Market Amidst Global Expansion

Geographically, the Asia-Pacific region is at the forefront of the marine fasteners market, with notable contributions from shipbuilding hubs such as China and South Korea. The report also highlights significant market shares held by European countries, where advanced marine engineering is the norm. Furthermore, the market is experiencing rapid expansion in regions like the Middle East and Africa, owing to increasing maritime security initiatives.

Within the marketplace, stainless steel fasteners maintain dominance due to their superior durability and corrosion resistance. The report showcases key insights into the market's competitive landscape, profiling leading companies and their strategies to navigate the complex industry dynamics.

Key Market Trends

Growing Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Augments Fasteners Demand

Increased Focus on High-Strength, Lightweight Materials

Smart Technologies Revolutionize Marine Fastening Systems

Regulatory Compliance Shapes Eco-Friendly Innovations

The future of the marine fasteners market appears promising with a continued emphasis on innovation and sustainable development. As the marine industry gears up for a technological revolution, the demand for advanced, high-performance fasteners is projected to escalate, presenting ample growth prospects for key market players.



Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 185 Forecast Period 2022 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $1.7 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $2.32 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.4% Regions Covered Global

Report Scope:



In this report, the Global Marine Fasteners Market has been segmented into the following categories:



Marine Fasteners Market, By Type:

Steel Type

Cooper Type

Marine Fasteners Market, By Application:

Commercial

Special Purpose

Marine Fasteners Market, By Region:

Asia-Pacific China India Japan Indonesia Thailand South Korea Australia

Europe & CIS Germany Spain France Russia Italy United Kingdom Belgium

North America United States Canada Mexico

South America Brazil Argentina Colombia

Middle East & Africa South Africa Turkey Saudi Arabia UAE



Companies Profiled:

Attwood Marine Products

Seastar Solutions

Marine Fasteners, Inc

Fasco Fasteners

Bainbridge Marine

HandiMan Marine

Arrow Fastener Company

Perfect Fit - McDonald

Sea-Dog Corporation

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/d8xhjf

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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Photo by Somava Saha, ARISE Community Health Improvement Leadership Academy, Champaign, IL



ST. LOUIS, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WE WIN Together Week is proud to announce the inaugural "'No Code' Hackathon for Social Change," scheduled virtually from April 1-21, 2024, with an onsite option for teams in St. Louis during the homestretch of April 20 and 21. Hosted by WIN Network , Communities RISE Together, Well-being and Equity in the World , and Harris-Stowe State University , this groundbreaking event will harness the collective creativity of diverse teams to address systemic injustices prevalent in communities across the US and globally.

Steven Ketchpel, Director of Community Technology Operations and Innovation at WE in the World, expressed great enthusiasm, sharing, We're excited to have fresh ideas from the hackathon teamsthey come at a critical time as we kick off our next phase of project development. The event itself should be a lot of fun, with talks from industry and nonprofit leaders, and a chance to meet other socially motivated people, whether virtually or in St. Louis."

Hackathon participants will work together to prototype ideas that champion changemakers and rectify the systemic inequalities perpetuated by barriers such as racism, sexism, classism, and caste. Their projects will spotlight issues, propose solutions, and mobilize movements for transformative change.

Drew Martin, Director of Networks and Partnerships at WE in the World, emphasized the event's significance: The hackathon not only offers participants the chance to compete for cash prizes, but more importantly, community members have the opportunity to forge lifelong connections and contribute to impactful projects with far-reaching societal implications. We are especially excited to have lots of youth actively involved in this hackathon!"

The "No Code" Hackathon welcomes individuals from diverse backgrounds; no coding expertise required. By leveraging publicly available tools and datasets, participants will have the opportunity to innovate and collaborate across various disciplines.

A series of speakers during the week of April 8-12 will provide valuable insights and guidance to support participants in their journey toward social change.

We believe that true innovation thrives on diversity and inclusivity," shared Christian Pearson, CEO at Easter Egg Labs . "Whether you're a data scientist, urban planner, poet, youth organizer, community member, or someone with lived experiences of inequity, your perspective is invaluable in crafting solutions that embrace and advance equity and justice.

Participants can register as pre-formed teams or join forces with like-minded individuals during the virtual team mixer on April 6, 2024. Additionally, the hackathon will be complemented by " WE WIN Together " sessions April 22-24, where changemakers will convene to discuss strategies for building a better future.

Focused on tackling structural racism and inequities, the hackathon will explore various areas, including healthcare, education, social services, transportation, and beyond.

"We envision this hackathon as a way to engage our community in creating meaningful change," added Megan Wanzo, Adjunct Professor in the Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics at Saint Louis University. "Through collaboration and innovation, we will create a more equitable and just society for all.

The hackathon will feature a distinguished judging panel comprising industry experts, innovators, and domain specialists, who will provide valuable feedback and insights to participants. Winners will be announced on April 22, with winning teams having the opportunity to present their projects to attendees of the " WE WIN Together " gathering later in the week.

For those interested in onsite participation, limited spots are available at Harris-Stowe University in St. Louis, MO. To explore sponsorship opportunities, contact Drew Martin at Andrew.Martin@weintheworld.org.

For more information and registration, visit www.winnetwork.org/hackathon-for-social-change-wwtw-2024

About the Organizations:

Harris-Stowe State University , located in St. Louis, Missouri, with a statewide mission in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for underrepresented and under-resourced students, offers baccalaureate and select masters degrees to address the higher education needs of the metropolitan St. Louis region. Harris-Stowe is designated as one of two Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs) in Missouri and serves African-Americans and other diverse student populations throughout the state.

The Well Being In the Nation (WIN) Network is a growing strategic network working together to advance intergenerational well-being and equity.

Communities RISE (Reach, Immunizations, System Change for Equity, RISE) Together is an alliance of partners connected to 2,400+ organizations across the nation who are deeply rooted in communities, and have deep trust with Black, Native-American, Latinx, Asian-American/Pacific-Islander, immigrant/migrant, and low-income older adult populations.

Well-being and Equity (WE) in the World is a multiracial community of well-being and equity architects, building the social and vital conditions we all need to thrive on a foundation of racial and economic justice. The organization serves as the implementation team for the WIN Network and Communities RISE Together.

Partners co-hosting WE WIN Together Week include the Center for Popular Democracy, chromatic.black, the Illinois Department of Public Health, Latino Health Access, Migrant Clinicians Network, National Councils on Aging, National Indian Health Board, Public Health Institute, and WE in the World.

Media Contact:

Shonda Smith | Director of Communications | Well-being and Equity in the World

1.833.936.9753 (Dial ext. #722)

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6a974861-e454-4ecf-914f-b58a52a1f0b8
Government reassures its tenants that existing sublet policy continues unchanged

The Department for Housing is addressing concerns expressed by its tenants regarding the subletting or unregistered use of Government rental properties.

'The Governments rental housing stock is a valuable local asset in high demand. It is imperative that these properties are allocated fairly to those requiring Government accommodation.'

'Government tenants' well-being and fair access to much-needed housing are top priorities. Reports of unlawful subletting undermine the housing system's integrity and deprive those genuinely in need. The Government will not allow this unacceptable and illegal behaviour.'

Simultaneously, the Government has said that it would like to reassure its tenants that the policy in relation to visitors and guests remains unchanged, for example grandchildren who are resident elsewhere but are staying overnight with their grandparents. The Government says it understands that such visits are an important part of family life.

The Minister for Housing, the Hon Pat Orfila, said: We have been made aware that some of our tenants are concerned about illegal subletting. Id like to take this opportunity to reassure them, as well as the wider taxpaying public, that the subletting of Government rental housing is illegal and will not be tolerated. Nothing has changed in that respect, and for the vast majority of our tenants who keep to the rules, home life continues as normal. It is one thing to have a visitor or a guest to stay temporarily overnight. It is another thing completely to allow your Government rental property to be used for residential purposes by someone else, for a profit. That is what we will never allow.
SHANGHAI, China, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lilith Games  the acclaimed studio behind AFK Arena, Rise of Kingdoms, and Dislyte  has announced third-anniversary celebrations for its widely acclaimed real-time military strategy MMO, Warpath .



Over its lifespan, Warpath has been downloaded by over 36 million people on both PC and mobile devices, achieving 4.2/5 on Google Play across more than 450K reviews and 4.7/5 on the App Store across 70K reviews. Warpath has also been crowned the Best Selling Strategy Game in 16 countries on the Google Play Store and 47 countries on the App Store.

To celebrate three years of Warpath, Lilith Games has launched a care package chock full of minigames and prizes. From Honorary Tribute, in which players are rewarded for past achievements and claim exclusive medals, to Gunning for the Top, where all players compete for a spot to earn the Galactic Adventurer skin. Warpaths three-year anniversary celebration contains 15 new events for fans to take part in and a payload of prizes to unlock.

In Warpath, commanders rely on their aerial and ground forces to conquer battlegrounds around the world in real-time. This strategy MMO tasks players with establishing formidable forts, customizing and upgrading units, and working with allies to defeat any foe who stands in their way. Battles take the fight to deserts, forests, and cities as forces fly in and roll out in realistic combat scenarios. With highly customizable weapons, aircrafts, and the ability to move between ally bases, Warpath makes the journey to battlefield dominance a dynamic, cinematic experience.

Featuring iconic wartime locations from around the world, Warpath invites players to recreate historical battles with its advanced, highly customizable weapon systems that include 104 types of tanks, 34 types of artillery, and 27 types of infantry armaments. Warpath offers the most realistic battlefield experience, allowing players to form alliances, recruit officers, command diverse troops, conduct diplomatic negotiations, and participate in wars for territorial expansion.

Key features of Warpath:

Full Arsenal: Over 200 armaments divided into 13 unit types, with over 1000 unique modifications, give you plenty of firearm options for every challenging mission



Caught in the Crosshairs: A diverse array of sniper missions lets players destroy buildings, target enemies, and keep allies protected from miles away



Strength in Numbers: Rapid recruitment lets you quickly reinforce your troops, and you won't lose resources when you're defeated, so you'll never be out of the fight



Hold Your Breath: Dive into an immersive sniper experience, including feeling the pounding of your heartbeat, the slight sway of your gun, and the weight of the recoil



Happy Birthday to All of Us: To celebrate three years of Warpath, players can compete in various minigames and competitions to earn tons of rewards, including a pool of 100 million gold!



Download Warpath for free on PC , the iOS App Store , and Android Google Play .

For the latest on tournaments, updates, and new features, follow Warpath on Facebook , X (Twitter) , Instagram , and Discord .

A full press kit containing game key art, screenshots, logos, and more is available here: https://uberstrategist.link/warpath-press-kit .

About Warpath

Warpath is a classic real-time strategy game where players build their forces to unleash fury on enemy units through strategic ground combat or advanced aerial assault. Featuring iconic wartime locations from around the world, Warpath invites players to assemble deeply customized military units and build impregnable bases in full, high-quality HD. Zoom freely about the map between rugged terrain and urban landscapes, locating allies to increase control and battle-defining in-game power level. With highly customizable weapons, aircraft, and the ability to move between ally bases, Warpath makes the journey to battlefield dominance a dynamic, cinematic experience.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/65b141a9-91d8-4ddd-90ad-eec6f7dac3d7

A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c868e3b2-e40f-428f-ab98-61fafd356e11

About Lilith Games

Established in May 2013, Lilith Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (AKA Lilith) is devoted to creating an unprecedented gaming experience for players around the globe via engaging and diverse mobile games.

Since its founding, Lilith has developed and published a variety of acclaimed games, such as Soul Hunters, Abi: A Robots Tale, Rise of Kingdoms, Art of Conquest, AFK Arena, and Warpath. Lilith Games ranked 10th place in terms of global game publishing company revenue according to data from App Annies State of Mobile 2021 report. In addition to commercial gaming success, Lilith creates and publishes compelling independent games, including popular titles Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite and Mr. Pumpkin 2: Walls of Kowloon. Visit www.lilithgames.com to learn more and explore Liliths expanding catalog of titles.

PRESS CONTACT

CJ Melendez and Sean Walsh

UberStrategist Inc.

pr@uberstrategist.com

1-646-844-8388
Scottsdale, Arizona, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Rock Coffee Bar, known for its premium roasted coffees, teas, smoothies and flavorful Fuel energy drinks, has announced its first store opening in Buckeye, Arizona, approximately 30 miles west of downtown Phoenix. This is the boutique coffee chains 37th store in the Phoenix metro area and 42nd in the state, reinforcing Black Rocks rapid growth in Arizona.

The store debuted with a soft opening on March 15, welcoming eager patrons to experience Black Rocks signature offerings ahead of the grand unveiling. Scheduled to officially open its doors on Friday, March 22, 2024, the new Black Rock Coffee Bar is located at 19621 West Indian School Road at the intersection of Indian School Road and Jack Rabbit Trail just off N. 195th Ave. This prime location ensures easy access for residents and commuters seeking their daily dose of expertly crafted beverages and hospitality.

Black Rock Coffee Bar will celebrate its grand opening by offering customers medium-sized drinks for $2.00 throughout the day at this new location and will offer various promotions throughout the week.

Weve always believed in fostering meaningful connections over exceptional coffee, and our commitment to these principles resonates deeply as we expand into Buckeye, said Mark Davis, CEO Black Rock Coffee Bar. We invite the residents of Buckeye to join us in creating a vibrant hub where coffee lovers can gather, share stories and build lasting connections.

The new 2000-square-foot Black Rock Coffee Bar store showcases the boutique coffee chains signature industrial modern design. This design philosophy is aimed at ensuring that visitors can not only enjoy their favorite beverages but also relax, work, or socialize in a laidback and inviting environment.

With more than 130 stores across the U.S., the popular coffee chain is set to become the go-to destination for all coffee enthusiasts seeking fast and friendly service. The skilled team of baristas at Black Rock are committed to enhancing the overall customer experience making it their mission to brighten their customers' day. Black Rock Coffee Bars mission is to be a positive force in the communities it serves.

Founded in 2008 in Portland, Oregon, an area of the Pacific Northwest known for its coffee excellence, Black Rock Coffee Bar continues its rapid expansion in the West and into the Sunbelt with locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Texas and Washington. The boutique coffee chain recently was named the Fastest Growing Private Company in Oregon and SW Washington in 2021 by the Portland Business Journal. In 2023, Black Rock Coffee Bar ranked 1179th among Americas Fastest-Growing Private Companies by Inc. Magazines 5000 Annual List.

The Black Rock culture prides itself on providing opportunities for young people to learn how to lead, run a business, and develop people skills.

About Black Rock Coffee Bar

Black Rock Coffee Bar is a national boutique coffee shop that is known for its premium roasted coffees, teas, smoothies and flavorful Fuel energy drinks. Founded as a family owned and operated business in Oregon in 2008, Black Rock Coffee Bar has grown to more than 130 retail locations in seven states.

The Black Rock culture prides itself on not only being a positive force for the communities it serves, but also the team members that fuel their locations day in and day out. An important aspect of their team mission is to recognize those that go above and beyond by displaying the 4Gs of Black Rock - grit, growth, gratitude, and grace.

For more information, visit https://br.coffee/

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BUBENDORF, Switzerland, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Switzerland-based CARBOGEN AMCIS, a pharmaceutical process development and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing company, announces the successful completion of its first Brazilian Regulatory Authority Agency (ANVISA) routine inspection of its facility in Shanghai.



Between 6-10th November 2023, a five-day inspection was undertaken, which concluded successfully with no critical and no major observations raised. A Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificate has been granted to the site by the authority.

Pascal Villemagne, CEO of CARBOGEN AMCIS, said: I want to congratulate the Shanghai team on their first successful independent regulatory inspection, and for being commended by the inspectors for their transparent and open approach. The GMP certification is a reflection of our high-quality standards and the commitment of our teams at this important site.

CARBOGEN AMCIS Shanghai site employs 140 people and specializes in large-scale manufacturing of raw materials, intermediates and API; manufacturing of highly potent chemicals up to category III; GMP product release and analytical support for development activities.

The ANVISA audit was focused on areas including utilities, maintenance and calibration, production, quality control and assurance.

Harry Wong, General Manager of CARBOGEN AMCIS Shanghai site, said: We are delighted to establish ourselves as a crucial part of the CARBOGEN AMICS CDMO network, meeting the same high standards our clients expect globally. We are an integral part of the company supply chain, offering the group great possibilities in terms of capacity and geographical flexibility.

Martin Schneider, Vice President Quality & ESH of CARBOGEN AMCIS, said: I was pleased to support the Shanghai site through their first international authority inspection and impressed by how professional the inspection was prepared and hosted. This success adds to our history of positive global inspections at our facilities around the world, which we are, and the local team can be very proud of.

For Further information contact:

Lucie Framinet +33 7 84 23 10 69 lucie.framinet@carbogen-amcis.com

CARBOGEN AMCIS (www.carbogen-amcis.com) is a leading service provider offering a portfolio of drug development and commercialization services to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries across all stages of clinical development and product life cycle. Our integrated services and innovative chemistry solutions support timely and safe drug development, allowing customers to better optimize available resources. CARBOGEN AMCIS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dishman Carbogen Amcis Limited, Ahmedabad, India.

Multimedia available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9e6a224d-17ab-4164-a66c-5d16ac8fc20e
(Oslo, 19 March 2024) Today, Statkraft has issued a dual-tranche EUR 1 billion senior unsecured bond offering under its EMTN (Euro Medium Term Note) programme. The bonds mature in March 2032 and 2039 and pay a fixed coupon of 3.375% and 3.75% respectively and are expected to be rated A from S&P and A- from Fitch (both stable).

Both tranches were substantially oversubscribed, and more than 200 investors participated in the transaction.

An equivalent amount to the net proceeds from the bond issue will be used to finance Eligible Projects as specified in Statkraft s Green Finance Framework.

Commenting on the issue, Anna Nord Bjercke, Chief Financial Officer, said;

"We are very pleased with the success of this bond issue. The interest shown by investors with combined books more than 5x covered and the competitive pricing demonstrates the international markets confidence in Statkraft.

Barclays, Nordea, DNB Markets, Danske Bank, UniCredit and Societe Generale acted as joint bookrunners on the bond issue.

Statkraft will apply for the bonds to be listed on Euronext Dublin.

The EMTN Offering Circular and Green Finance Framework are available on Statkraft s website:

https://www.statkraft.com/IR/funding/

For further information, please contact:

Funding Manager Andre Halle Julin, tel.: +47 992 54 205

VP Group Treasury Stephan Skaane, tel.: +47 905 13 652


Zwijndrecht, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zwijndrecht, Antwerp -

De Wifi Expert, a firm specializing in Wifi and security solutions for businesses, is excited to announce a greater emphasis on Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services. With their deep-rooted knowledge in IT and network design, De Wifi Expert is helping businesses shift towards efficient and seamless communication by utilizing VOIP technology. This new focus supplements their already robust array of services, reinforcing their standing as a comprehensive one-stop solution for broadband and network consultation.

De Wifi Expert has a proven track record of successful Wifi installation projects, including diverse clients such as schools, small businesses, and even large-scale events with up to 50,000 attendees. Now, they are lending their expertise to the rapidly developing field of VOIP. The effort is aimed at improving their clients' communication efficiency while maintaining optimal network performance and security, with a dedicated focus on VOIP technology.

The announcement comes directly from Wim Roelands, the founder of De Wifi Expert. Utilizing VOIP technology's ability to convert analog voice signals into digital data packets, which can be transmitted over the internet, Roelands seeks to enhance business communication by improving quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness.

Roelands stated, "VOIP technology propels business communication into the modern digital age. With VOIP, businesses can harness their existing Wifi networks to make high-quality voice calls, enjoy seamless CRM integration, benefit from smart calendar linking, and flexibly redirect calls to voicemail during meetings. Plus, with VOIP, businesses can make international calls without worrying about extra charges, making this a cost-effective choice for firms operating globally."

With a wealth of IT experience and unparalleled skill in Wifi installations, Roelands is a master at customizing VOIP solutions to suit specific business needs. His unique capabilities position him to guide businesses through the intricacies of VOIP integration, facilitating a seamless transition that is tailored specifically to their topology. Services like Wifi Design, which focus on creating custom Wifi solutions for businesses, play a significant role in ensuring the success of VOIP integration by optimizing network infrastructure for quality voice communication.

Speaking about the expanded VOIP services, Roelands added, "Our clients can count on us to offer end-to-end VOIP services, from thorough consultation and design, all the way to implementation, examination, and continuous support. We carefully tailor our services like Network Analysis and Network Security to the operational needs of each client, enhancing their communication framework without sacrificing security."

Despite the increased focus on VOIP, De Wifi Expert continues to offer exceptional service across all their established offerings like Wifi Site Survey and Network Topology. Roelands, recognized as the foremost wifi expert in Belgium, maintains a commitment to these services. Additionally, De Wifi Expert is open to assessing the viability of Voice over Wifi (vowifi) for interested businesses.

In conclusion, De Wifi Expert's expansion demonstrates an ongoing dedication to leading in modern communication technologies. With VOIP gaining exponential popularity, those businesses that adopt it will undoubtedly reap the rewards in communication efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and agility. As an established leader in network consultation, De Wifi Expert stands on the forefront of VOIP advancement, primed to guide businesses through their digital transformation.

###

For more information about De Wifi Expert, contact the company here:



De Wifi Expert

Wim Roelands

+32 3 252 46 94

wim@dewifiexpert.be

De Wifi Expert

Zwijndrecht, Belgium 2070
Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

TORONTO, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PIMCO Canada Corp. (PIMCO Canada) is pleased to announce today that it has declared monthly distributions on its Class A Units (the Units) of the PIMCO Canada closed end funds (the Funds). The distributions will be paid on April 12, 2024 to the holders of record at the close of business on March 28, 2024.

Details of the distribution amounts are as follow:

Fund Name Ticker Cash Distribution per Unit Change from Previous Month Percentage Change from Previous Month PIMCO Global Income Opportunities Fund PGI.UN $0.05688 - - PIMCO Tactical Income Fund PTI.UN $0.05580 - - PIMCO Tactical Income Opportunities Fund PTO.UN $0.05709 - - PIMCO Multi-Sector Income Fund PIX.UN $0.06538 - -



Unitholders are reminded that each Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (DRIP) which will provide unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest their distributions. Eligible unitholders are encouraged to contact the institution through which they hold their Units to confirm enrollment procedures and timelines. A copy of the DRIP is available at www.pimco.ca.

The Manager, PIMCO Canada, retains Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (PIMCO), to provide investment management services to the Funds.

About PIMCO

PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. We invest our clients capital across a range of fixed income and credit opportunities, drawing upon our decades of experience navigating complex debt markets. Our flexible capital base and deep relationships with issuers have helped us become one of the worlds largest providers of traditional and nontraditional solutions for companies that need financing and investors who seek strong risk-adjusted returns.

This is not an offer to sell Units and not a solicitation of an offer to buy Units in any region where the offer or sale is not permitted. Before you invest, you should carefully read the Funds disclosure documents and consider carefully the risks you assume when you invest in the Units. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated. Copies of the Funds disclosure documents may be obtained from your financial advisor.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions expect, intend, will and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Funds. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect each Fund, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCOs current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, market factors. Although the Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell Units on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX). If the Units are purchased or sold on the TSX, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying Units and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them. There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning Units. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the fund. You can find more detailed information about the Funds in these documents. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

Each Fund is a closed-end exchange traded investment fund. The material presented here is only to provide information and is not intended for trading purposes. Closed-end funds, unlike open-end funds, are not continuously offered. After the initial public offering, units are sold on the open market through a stock exchange. Closed-end funds may be leveraged and carry various risks depending upon the underlying assets owned by a fund. Investment policies, management fees and other matters of interest to prospective investors may be found in each closed-end funds annual and semi-annual report. For additional information, please contact your investment professional.

For a summary of the risks of an investment in each Fund, please see the Funds disclosure documents. Units of closed end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.

PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material contains the current opinions of the manager and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America LLC in the United States and throughout the world. 2024, PIMCO

The products and services provided by PIMCO Canada Corp. may only be available in certain provinces or territories of Canada and only through dealers authorized for that purpose.

PIMCO Canada has retained PIMCO as sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada will remain responsible for any loss that arises out of the failure of its sub-adviser.

PIMCO Canada Corp. 199 Bay Street, Suite 2050, Commerce Court Station, P.O. Box 363, Toronto, ON, M5L 1G2, 416-368-3350

Contact:

Agnes Crane

PIMCO  Media Relations

Phone: +212 597.1054
PITTSBURGH, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in high-power diode lasers for aesthetic and dermatological applications, today introduced a game-changing diode laser bar for the hair removal industry. This innovative 808 nm bar employs a two-junction configuration to deliver 200 W of output with just 100 A of input current, thus doubling the efficiency of previous single-junction bars. A significant milestone, the Coherent 808 nm diode laser bar enables faster, safer, and more effective hair removal treatments while significantly reducing discomfort.







The global laser hair removal market has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. To meet the demand for more effective and less painful solutions, the new Coherent 200 W laser bar addresses a key challenge by offering higher power output at shorter pulse widths and higher repetition rates.

To simplify upgrading, the new diode laser is compatible with power supplies used in existing systems. Designs currently based on 100 W 808 nm bars that require 100 A can now easily upgrade to 200 W performance without replacing the power supply and electronics. This also reduces costs and safety concerns associated with higher-current systems.

Our two-junction edge-emitting laser represents a significant leap forward in diode laser bar design for hair removal, said Dr. Karlheinz Gulden, Senior VP, Laser Components & Subsystems Business Unit at Coherent. This innovation leverages the extensive experience at Coherent in multi-junction technology and our well-established reputation for reliability, stability, and high-volume production. We anticipate putting this new laser into full-scale production by summer 2024.

Additionally, the output and operating characteristics of the new 200 W diode laser bar may foster the penetration of portable home-use devices in the market. The high-power, low-current capabilities of the 808 nm bar could even extend application beyond hair removal. It holds promise for solid-state pumping, high-energy lasers, and laser fusion research.

Coherent offers a comprehensive portfolio of hair removal products, encompassing a range of wavelengths from 755 nm to 1064 nm. Additionally, the company provides hair removal stack modules, beam delivery systems, and other critical components for complete system development.

About Coherent

Coherent empowers market innovators to define the future through breakthrough technologies, from materials to systems. We deliver innovations that resonate with our customers in diversified applications for the industrial, communications, electronics, and instrumentation markets. Headquartered in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, Coherent has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. For more information, please visit us at coherent.com.

Contact

Amy Wilson

Manager, Corporate Communications

corporate.communications@coherent.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62c47bb7-45bb-4f0a-afbb-68db446103e1
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES



TORONTO, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Silver Mountain Resources Inc. (Silver Mountain or the Company) (TSXV: AGMR; OTCQB: AGMRF) today announces that it has filed an independent technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects supporting the updated mineral resource estimate for its 100% owned Reliquias project in central Peru.

The technical report entitled NI 43-101 Technical Report: Mineral Resource Update, Reliquias Mine dated March 8, 2024 and with an effective date of January 1, 2024 is available on SEDAR Plus (www.sedarplus.ca) under the Companys issuer profile and will be posted on Silver Mountains website at www.agmr.ca. The Company is pleased to report there are no material differences between the key results, assumptions and estimates contained in the news release dated February 7, 2024, and the content of the technical report filed today.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Silver Mountain Resources Inc.

Alvaro Espinoza, Chief Executive Officer

About Silver Mountain

Silver Mountain Resources Inc. is a silver explorer and mine developer planning to restart production at the Reliquias underground mine and undertake exploration activities at its prospective silver camps at the Castrovirreyna Project in Huancavelica, Peru.

For additional information in respect of the Castrovirreyna Project, please refer to the Companys technical report, titled NI 43-101 Technical Report: Mineral Resource Update, Reliquias Mine, dated March 8, 2024, effective date January 1, 2024, available at https://sedarplus.ca.

For further information about our drill program, including cross sections of the main veins with drill hole locations, please refer to our corporate presentation, available on our website at www.agmr.ca

Silver Mountains subsidiary Sociedad Minera Reliquias S.A.C. owns 100% of its concessions and holds more than 60,000 hectares in the district of Castrovirreyna, Huancavelica, Peru.

For Further Information Contact:

Alvaro Espinoza

Chief Executive Officer



Silver Mountain Resources Inc

82 Richmond Street East

Toronto, ON M5C 1P1

info@agmr.ca

www.agmr.ca



Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to Silver Mountains current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Silver Mountains control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the factors set forth under "Risk Factors" in the Companys annual information form dated August 14, 2023 and other disclosure documents available on the Companys profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Silver Mountain 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 Silver Mountain 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 news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Athene Holding Ltd. (Athene) today announced it has agreed to sell $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.25% senior notes due 2054. The offering is expected to close on March 22, 2024, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.



Athene intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including capital contributions to its insurance subsidiaries to support organic growth.

Deutsche Bank Securities, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley and RBC Capital Markets are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. Apollo Global Securities, Barclays, BNP PARIBAS, BMO Capital Markets and Blaylock Van, LLC are acting as joint lead managers for the offering.

The notes are being offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement that has previously been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any offer, or solicitation to buy, if at all, will be made solely by means of a prospectus and related prospectus supplement filed with the SEC. You may obtain these documents without charge from the SEC at www.sec.gov . Alternatively, you may request copies of these materials from the joint book-running managers by contacting Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. toll-free at (800) 503-4611, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC toll-free at (866) 471-2526, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC toll-free at (866) 718-1649 or RBC Capital Markets, LLC toll-free at (866) 375-6829.

About Athene

Athene is a leading retirement services company with $300 billion of total assets as of December 31, 2023, and operations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, and Japan. Athene is focused on providing financial security to individuals by offering an attractive suite of retirement income and savings products and also serves as a solutions provider to corporations.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains, and certain oral statements made by Athene's representatives from time to time may contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results, events and developments to differ materially from those set forth in, or implied by, such statements. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of Athene's management and the management of Athene's subsidiaries. Generally, forward-looking statements include actions, events, results, strategies and expectations and are often identifiable by use of the words believes, expects, intends, anticipates, plans, seeks, estimates, projects, may, will, could, might, should, or continues or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements within this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future growth prospects and financial performance. Although Athene management believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties related to Athenes forward-looking statements, see its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which can be found at the SECs website www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements described herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results, events or developments referenced herein will occur or be realized. Athene does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future operating results.

Contact:

Media Contact

Jeanne Hess

VP, External Relations

+1 646 768 7319

jeanne.hess@athene.com
MONTREAL, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midland Exploration Inc. (Midland) (TSX-V: MD), in partnership with Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. (RTEC), is pleased to announce the start of a maiden drilling program on the Galinee project, approximately 8 kilometres east of the Adina lithium deposit held by Winsome Resources (Winsome). The Galinee project is currently wholly owned by Midland and is subject to an option agreement signed with RTEC in June 2023 (see press release by Midland dated June 14, 2023).



Highlights :

Maiden 5.8M CAD drilling program targeting the Iceberg Showing to start on the Galinee project;

Iceberg Showing consists if spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes identified over at least 600 metres strike length with high-grade grab samples grading up to 7.2 % Li 2 O;

An additional 1.3M CAD exploration program on the 10 optioned projects, including Komo and Shire.



A 5.8M CAD maiden diamond drilling program is planned to begin early April on the Iceberg spodumene showing. This program aims to define the grade and geometry of the Iceberg spodumene pegmatites, identified in 2023 (see press release by Midland dated January 15, 2024), by drilling along several fences. In addition to drilling, a summer surface exploration program is also planned on the Galinee project over targets generated by the 2023 high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey used to identify structures that could host spodumene pegmatites. This summer exploration work is part of a vast 1.3M CAD reconnaissance exploration program planned to cover the ten (10) projects of the option agreement (Galinee, Corvette, Mythril East, Chisaayuu, Komo, Shire, Moria, Picard, Warp, and Sulu).

The Iceberg showing consists of a series of spodumene exposures outcrop, now over a 600m east-west strike intermixed with amphibolite and granodiorite. High-grade grab samples on the Iceberg showing returned up to 7.2 % Li 2 O, including 6 samples grading between 5.0 % Li 2 O and 7.2 % Li 2 O (see press release by Midland dated November 2, 2023). Two other lithium showings, Iceberg Southwest and Iceberg South, are located respectively 900 and 500 metres from the main Iceberg showing. The Iceberg Southwest spodumene-bearing outcrop returned three (3) samples grading between 3.0% Li 2 O and 3.6% Li 2 O. Moreover, a spodumene-bearing boulder located 100 metres west of this showing returned 4.1% Li 2 O. The Iceberg South Showing consists of a pegmatite subcrop and returned an anomalous lithium value of 0.7% Li 2 O (see press release by Midland dated January 15, 2024).

The Galinee project is located approximately 4 kilometres due east of the Adina showing held by Winsome. This showing is located at the contact between amphibolites of the Trieste Formation to the south and felsic intrusives to the north and is marked by a major structure that likely controlled the emplacement of pegmatites at the Adina showing. The same highly favourable contact zone is present on the property over more than 7 kilometres, and the Iceberg lithium showing was discovered along this contact (see press release by Midland dated September 19, 2023).

The Komo Project is located approximately 20 kilometres west of the James Bay lithium deposit (Arcadium Lithium). Komo and the James Bay lithium deposit are both located at the contact between the La Grande and Nemiscau geological subprovinces. This contact is a major structure that likely plays a critical role in the emplacement of the James Bay lithium host pegmatite and is present over nearly 30 kilometres on the Komo project.

The Shire project is located within amphibolites of the Lac des Montagnes geological Group, which hosts the Whabouchi lithium deposit about 60 kilometres southwest of Shire. The Whabouchi lithium deposit is characterized by a pegmatite intrusion assigned to the Senay granitic Suite, which also occurs on the Shire project. This project is also located along a major structure that could be critical for the emplacement of lithium-bearing pegmatites in the area (the boundary between the La Grande and Opatica geological subprovinces).

Furthermore, a regional statistical treatment completed by Midland identified several lake bottom sediment lithium anomalies on the Corvette, Chisaayuu, Komo, Shire, Picard, Warp and Sulu projects (see press release by Midland dated March 6, 2023).

Cautionary statements

Grab samples are selective by nature and may not be representative of mineralized zones.

Lithium mineralization occurring at deposits mentioned in this press release is not necessarily indicative of mineralization that may be intersected on projects held by Midland and mentioned in this press release.

About Midland

Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold and critical metals. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as RTEC, BHP Canada Inc., Barrick Gold Corp., Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd, Probe Gold Inc., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Electric Element Mining Corp., SOQUEM Inc., Brunswick Exploration Inc., Nunavik Mineral Exploration Fund, Cosmos Exploration Limited and Abcourt Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up Midlands portfolio and generate shareholder value.

Qualified Person and Chief Geologist Jean-Francois Lariviere, P. Geo, Ph. D, prepared this press release and verified the Galinee project data as Midlands qualified person (QP) within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. The QP has verified the data as per clause 3.2  given they are confidently identifying spodumene using these methods.

For further information, please consult Midlands website or contact:

Gino Roger, President and Chief Executive Officer

Tel.: 450 420-5977

Fax: 450 420-5978

Email: info@midlandexploration.com

Website: https://www.midlandexploration.com/

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Midlands periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Midland from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:



https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/293bb6b8-592c-4e0e-9e7a-fd6b800b70d4

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/76e93f74-b4b1-48f3-86ba-4cb450f74414

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6889360c-0cc7-4cd4-9ce6-2d2c89d27efc

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e80b85fb-1921-4e80-b67e-abaea276a2e5

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/55e67c07-350b-447d-b031-3b850d8777aa

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/87039426-88b0-438f-9d0a-f856b75f90d3
Addressing School Attendance Concerns

The Department of Education has launched a campaign to improve school attendance in local Government schools.

The Department of Education Attendance Working Party, made up of senior teachers from the different educational sectors, along with members of the Education Advisory Team met with Minister for Education John Cortes and the Director of Education last week to discuss the issue and launch this strategy.

Qualitative and quantitative information has informed professionals of the issues around school attendance, and they are concerned about the low levels of attendance seen across many pupils in Gibraltar Government schools and the impact this has on the holistic development of our children. The working party has already started to address aspects which fall in the professional domain and the newly launched awareness campaign now aims to make school attendance a public wide consideration; and educate parents, carers and children about the importance of regular school attendance.

The Working Party will strive to build an ethos across Gibraltar schools where all understand the importance of school attendance. This will be strongly supported by the Department of Education's fundamental priority of ensuring pupils can and want to be in school.

Minister for Education, John Cortes, said: Attendance at school is important in ensuring that the child benefits from the learning experience. Missing school will strongly prejudice the child, which will be reflected in the child not achieving the full potential that our excellent Education system offers. In many cases it will lead to additional problems in later life, including social problems and absenteeism at work. Parents, carers and the community as a whole need to be aware of the importance of being at school, and this is what this Working Party, one of several we have recently set up, means to achieve.
Aspocomp Group Plc, Inside Information, March 19, 2024 at 2:25 p.m.





We are pleased that Manu Skytta will take up his position as President and CEO of Aspocomp in May. With his character, competence and energy, Mr. Skytta strengthens Aspocomps strategy as a trusted supplier of demanding circuit board technology to all Aspocomp customers. At this point, I would like to thank Mikko Montonen on behalf of the entire Board for his long-term commitment to Aspocomp, says Paivi Marttila, Chair of Aspocomps Board.



Manu Skytta succeeds Mikko Montonen, who, as previously announced, has agreed with the Board of Directors to step down from the role of President and CEO of the company. Mr. Montonen has committed to staying on as the company's President and CEO until May 20, 2024.





For further information, please contact Paivi Marttila, the Chair of the Board of Directors, tel. +358 40 028 5358.





ASPOCOMP GROUP PLC

Board of Directors





Aspocomp  heart of your technology



A printed circuit board (PCB) is used for electrical interconnection and as a component assembly platform in electronic devices. Aspocomp provides PCB technology design, testing and logistics services over the entire lifecycle of a product. The companys own production and extensive international partner network guarantee cost-effectiveness and reliable deliveries.



Aspocomps customers are companies that design and manufacture telecommunication systems and equipment, automotive and industrial electronics, and systems for testing semiconductor components for security technology. The company has customers around the world and most of its net sales are generated by exports.



Aspocomp is headquartered in Espoo and its plant is in Oulu, one of Finlands major technology hubs.



www.aspocomp.com




Atco Mining Inc. (the "Company" or "Atco") (CSE: ATCM; OTC: ATMGF; Frankfurt: QP9) is pleased to announce that it has closed a first tranche of its non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") and has issued 6,200,000 flow-through units (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of $0.0575 per FT Unit and 10,760,000 non-flow-through units (each, a "NFT Unit") at a price of $0.05 per NFT Unit (together, the "Units") for gross proceeds of $894,500. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one transferable common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"), entitling the holder thereof to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.15 until March 18, 2026.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds raised from the Offering for exploration expenses in respect of the Company's existing exploration projects and for general working capital purposes.

In connection with closing of the Offering, the Company paid finder's fees totaling $4,790.00 and issued 94,000 Warrants to certain arms-length brokerage firms. All securities issued in connection with the private placement are subject to a statutory hold period until July 19, 2024 under applicable Canadian securities laws, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws of jurisdictions outside Canada.

Etienne Moshevich, an insider of the Company, through Transcend Capital Inc., a holding company controlled by Mr. Moshevich, subscribed for $218,000 or 4,360,000 NFT Units. Participation in the Offering by an insider of the Company constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The issuance of securities to Transcend Capital Inc. is exempt from the valuation requirement of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in section 5.5(b) as the Shares are not listed on a specified market and from the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemption contained in section 5.7(a) of MI 61-101, in that the fair market value of the consideration paid for the securities issued to Transcend Capital Inc. does not exceed twenty-five percent of the Company's market capitalization.

"I want to thank our shareholders for their support and belief in our company," said Etienne Moshevich, CEO of the Company. "Atco has never seen a more exciting time with a drill program currently underway. This cash infusion not only cements our ability to continue our program but gives us the ability to extend it. We are looking forward to updating our investors with our progress over the coming weeks."

The Company also announces that Dawson Brisco has resigned from the Board of Directors. "I was elected to the Board of Atco to assist with the early development of the Company and its hydrogen energy strategy, and I am very proud to have helped in that regard," stated Mr. Brisco. "However, due to an increasing level of professional commitments, I find myself unable to continue serving on the Board. I want to thank my fellow directors and wish Atco much success as it advances its newly identified uranium prospects." The Company would like to thank Mr. Brisco for all his efforts and wish him the very best with his future endeavors.

About Atco Mining (CSE: ATCM):

Atco is a junior exploration mining company focused on exploring for green energy metals throughout Canada. Atco is exploring for uranium in the Athabasca Basin as well as salt opportunities in Western Newfoundland. Investors are encouraged to visit the company's website here: www.atcomining.com

For further information contact:

Atco Mining Inc.

Email: info@atcomining.com

Telephone: (604) 681-0084

www.atcomining.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not in any way approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain information in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulations. 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. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law.


Vancouver, March 18, 2024 - StrategX Elements Corp. (CSE: STGX) ("StrategX" or the "Company") announces a transition in leadership with the departure of Andrea Yuan from her role as Chief Financial Officer ("CFO") to pursue other endeavours. Ms. Yuan was instrumental in navigating the Company through its IPO process and subsequent listing on the CSE. The Board and CEO would like to thank Andrea for her efforts and contributions over the past few years. Ryan McEachern, a director of the Company and previous Chair of the Audit Committee, has been appointed interim CFO effective immediately. Mr. McEachern brings a wealth of experience to the role, ensuring a smooth transition. Concurrently, he has stepped down from the Company's Audit Committee position.

StrategX is pleased to welcome David Haig to the Board as an independent director and the new Chair of the Company's Audit Committee. With an impressive 25-year track record in corporate finance, Mr. Haig brings significant experience and expertise to our team. His extensive background includes successful ventures in technology, financial services, investment banking, manufacturing, and mining industries, where he has raised over $800 million.

StrategX CEO, Darren Bahrey, comments; "On behalf of the Board, it is my pleasure to welcome David Haig to the StrategX team. His vast global expertise spanning diverse industries will undoubtedly enrich our journey toward establishing StrategX as a prominent explorer and developer of critical metals. We are confident that Mr. Haig's strategic insights and leadership will greatly benefit the company as we continue to pursue our growth objectives and deliver value to our shareholders."

About StrategX

StrategX is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on discovering energy transition metals in northern Canada. With five strategic projects situated on the East Arm of the Great Slave Lake, Northwest Territories and the Melville Peninsula, Nunavut, we're leading discovery in untapped regions. This first-mover advantage in underexplored regions presents a unique opportunity for investors to be part of multiple discoveries and the development of new districts for critical metals essential for the global green energy shift. For updates and the latest insights, explore our Investor Portal.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Darren G. Bahrey

CEO, President & Director

For further information, please contact:

StrategX Elements Corp.

info@strategXcorp.com

Phone: 778.231.2767

For further information about the Company, please visit our website at www.strategXcorp.com.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that the Company expects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202196
/NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES./

VANCOUVER, March 18, 2024 - Vizsla Copper Corp. (TSXV: VCU) (OTCQB: VCUFF) (FRANKFURT: 97E0) ("Vizsla Copper" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has increased the size of its non-brokered private placement, previously announced on March 5, 2024, from $1,500,000 to $2,500,000.

The Company will issue up to 38,461,538 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.065 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one additional Share (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.12 per Warrant Share until the date which is 36 months following the Closing Date (as defined below).

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used for further exploration and general working capital purposes.

Closing of the Offering is anticipated to occur on or about April 4, 2024 (the "Closing Date") and is subject to customary closing conditions, including the Company's receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval. In connection with the Offering, the Company may pay finder's fees to eligible finders. All securities issued in connection with the Offering will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and a day from the Closing Date.

The Units will be offered pursuant to available prospectus exemptions set out under applicable securities laws and instruments, including National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions. The Offering will also be made available to existing shareholders of the Company pursuant to the existing shareholder exemption set out in BC Instrument 45-534 - Exemption From Prospectus Requirement for Certain Trades to Existing Security Holders (the "Existing Shareholder Exemption"). The Existing Shareholder Exemption is available to shareholders residing in all Canadian jurisdictions. Shareholders of record of the Company as at March 4, 2024 (the "Record Date") are eligible to participate under the Existing Shareholder Exemption. To rely upon the Existing Shareholder Exemption, the subscriber must: (a) have been a shareholder of the Company on the Record Date and continue to hold shares of the Company until the Closing Date; (b) be purchasing Units as a principal and for their own account and not for any other party; and (c) not subscribe for more than $15,000 worth of securities from the Company in the past 12 month period under the Existing Shareholder Exemption unless they have first received advice from a registered investment dealer regarding the suitability of the investment. Existing shareholders interested in participating in the Offering should consult their investment advisor or the Company directly. Subscriptions will be accepted by the Company on a "first come, first served basis"; therefore, if the Offering is over-subscribed it is possible that a shareholder's subscription may not be accepted by the Company, unless the Company decides to increase the size of the Offering.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About Vizsla Copper

Vizsla Copper is a Cu-Au-Mo focused mineral exploration and development company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. The Company is primarily focused on its flagship Woodjam project, located within the prolific Quesnel Terrane, 55 kilometers east of the community of Williams Lake, British Columbia. It has two additional copper exploration properties: Copperview and Redgold, both well situated amongst significant infrastructure in British Columbia. The Company's growth strategy is focused on the exploration and development of its copper properties within its portfolio in addition to value accretive acquisitions. Vizsla Copper's vision is to be a responsible copper explorer and developer in the stable mining jurisdiction of British Columbia, Canada and it is committed to socially responsible exploration and development, working safely, ethically and with integrity.

Vizsla Copper is a spin-out of Vizsla Silver Corp. and is backed by Inventa Capital Corp., a premier investment group founded in 2017 with the goal of discovering and funding opportunities in the resource sector. Additional information about the Company is available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.vizslacopper.com).

Qualified Person

The Company's disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Ian Borg, P.Geo., Senior Geologist for Vizsla Copper. Mr. Borg is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101.

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

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to: obtaining the required regulatory approvals for the Offering; the expected Closing Date; completion of the Offering; the intended use of proceeds of the Offering; the Company's growth and business strategies; and the exploration and development of the Company's properties.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Vizsla Copper Corp.
VANCOUVER, March 19, 2024 - Defense Metals Corp. ("Defense Metals" or the "Company"; (TSXV: DEFN) (OTCQB: DFMTF) (FSE: 35D) is pleased to announce the appointment of HCF International Advisers Limited ("HCF"), a leading global independent corporate finance advisory boutique based in London, UK, to conduct a strategic funding review for the Company's wholly-owned Wicheeda Rare Earth Element (REE) Project located in British Columbia, Canada.

HCF specializes in providing comprehensive financial advisory services with a primary focus on the metals and mining sector. The strategic funding review will, among other things, assist Defense Metals in thoroughly analyzing potential funding options and strategic partnerships for the development and advancement of the Wicheeda REE Project beyond the completion of its Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) expected in Q2 2024.

Craig Taylor, CEO of Defense Metals, commented:

"We are thrilled to collaborate with HCF International Advisers for a strategic funding review of our Wicheeda REE Project. Following our PFS, as we navigate the dynamic landscape of the metals and mining sector, having HCF's expertise on board will be instrumental in evaluating and pursuing optimal funding and strategic partnership opportunities, especially in Europe."

About HCF International Advisers

HCF International Advisers is a leading independent corporate finance advisory boutique based in London, UK, specializing in providing strategic financial advice to companies in the metals and mining sector. With a commitment to excellence, HCF has a proven track record of assisting clients in navigating complex financial landscapes.

HCF is led by Guy de Sellier de Moranville, President and Co-founder, and Sean Gorman, CEO and Managing Director. HCF's expertise in the financing of internationally recognized mining projects and, in particular, critical minerals, is evidenced by its involvement as financial adviser to projects in Canada, Africa and in particular to Arafura Rare Earths Ltd. on the financing of the Nolans NdPr Project (Northern Territory, Australia).

Guy de Selliers de Moranville - President and Co-founder of HCF

Guy is a seasoned finance professional with a distinguished career. He served as a Senior Advisor to the Atlantic Council's Future Europe Initiative and played key roles in advising the European Commission and co-chairing a joint European/Russian task force for strategic energy projects. Mr de Selliers has held executive positions at Robert Fleming and Co Ltd, was a member of the senior executive team which created the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and served as Senior Vice President at Lehman Brothers.

He has been a member of the board of directors of many influential organizations such as Solvay Group, Ageas Group, AG Insurance Belgium, Ivanhoe Mining, Pamplona, I Pulse, The Cranemere Group Ltd, Renewable Energy Foundation, and Drive Forward. Mr de Selliers, with a Master's degree in engineering and a Master's degree in economics from Louvain University in Belgium, is widely respected for his diverse expertise across various sectors, making him a valuable asset in the international business community.

Sean Gorman - CEO & Managing Director of HCF

Sean has over 30 years of experience in the natural resources sector. As a Chartered Engineer, he led the design and construction of oil refineries and onshore gas plants around the world prior to moving into banking, where he worked in project finance and debt restructuring for the power sector. Subsequent to that he was Head of Business Development for a renewable energy company involved in equity investment prior to a successful sale of the company. As CEO of HCF Sean has worked on the financing for a wide range of projects across multiple jurisdictions and commodities though in recent years has had a strong focus on critical minerals and is leading the financing of the Arafura NdPr Project in Australia.

About Defense Metals Corp. and its Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project

Defense Metals Corp. is focused on the development of its 100% owned, 8,301-hectare (~20,534-acre) Wicheeda REE Project that is located on the traditional territory of the McLeod Lake Indian Band in British Columbia, Canada.

The Wicheeda REE Project, approximately 80 kilometres (~50 miles) northeast of the city of Prince George, is readily accessible by a paved highway and all-weather gravel roads and is close to infrastructure, including hydro power transmission lines and gas pipelines. The nearby Canadian National Railway and major highways allow easy access to the port facilities at Prince Rupert, the closest major North American port to Asia.

Defense Metals is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit:

www.discoverygroup.ca.

For further information, please visit www.defensemetals.com or contact:

Todd Hanas, Bluesky Corporate Communications Ltd.

Vice President, Investor Relations

Tel: (778) 994 8072

Email: todd@blueskycorp.ca

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.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking" Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements relating to the engagement of HCF, potential funding options and strategic partnerships, completion of a preliminary feasibility study on the Wicheeda REE Project, advancing the Wicheeda REE Project, the expectations and plans for the Wicheeda REE Project, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. 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, including the price of rare earth elements, the anticipated costs and expenditures, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration and metallurgical results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and development and cost estimates, the potential for unexpected costs and expenses and those other risks filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather and climate conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain or obtain community acceptance (including First Nations), risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of personnel, materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters), risks relating to inaccurate geological, metallurgical, engineering and pricing assumptions, decrease in the price of rare earth elements, the impact of viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, loss of key employees, consultants, officers or directors, increase in costs, delayed results, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/defense-metals-appoints-hcf-international-advisers-for-strategic-funding-review-of-wicheeda-ree-project-302092298.html

SOURCE Defense Metals Corp.
Vancouver - - March 19, 2024-Bathurst Metals Corp. ("Bathurst" or the "Company") (TSXV:BMV) (OTC:BMVVF) is pleased to announce the completion of the Company's inaugural diamond drilling program on our Peerless Project, testing the Beta Zone area. The program entailed completing four HQ-size diamond drill holes for 702.0 metres. The Peerless Property is in the historic Bralorne-Gold Bridge Mining Camp area in southwest British Columbia.

The company initially planned to drill three (3) holes totaling 600 metres. Based on the extent and concentrations of mineralization and noted visible gold, the program was expanded to four (4) holes for a total of 702.0 metres.

Mineralization consisted mainly of fracture-controlled to semi-massive arsenopyrite, pyrite, galena, and sphalerite associated with quartz veins, quartz-carbonate veining, micro-veining, and areas of extensive silica flooding. Intense clay alteration also occurs near sulphide mineralization. Mineralization is hosted mainly within brecciated and listwanite altered (carbonate, serpentine, talc,  mariposite/fuchsite) ultramafics, sparse feldspar porphyry dykes and carbonatized felsic dykes.

This successful drill program allowed the Company geologists to confirm the occurrence of an east-west trending, near vertical structure associated with mineralization. The structure appears to offset the local dykes, and based on airborne and ground magnetic surveys, several additional structures may occur on the property in areas of elevated base and precious metals present in historic soil samples.

Lorne Warner, P.Geo, President of Bathurst Metals Corp., States, " We were very successful in our first drilling program consistently locating and encountering significant concentrations of mesothermal sulphide mineralization in the target east-west trending structure we believe is responsible for the gold mineralization. Confirming our hypothesis, visible gold was indeed observed to be associated with sulphide mineralization. We also suspect we have located a second similar gold-bearing structure, both of which remain open along strike and to depth."

Once the Company has received and compiled the multi-element analysis ICP (Induced Coupled Plasma) and gold fire assay data of the 108 selected samples. The Company will consider further drill testing in late spring 2024 as the structure remains open along strike and down-dip. Assay results are pending.

Qualified Person

Mr. Greg Bronson, P.Geo., is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Bronson has approved the dissemination of the scientific and technical information in this news release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Harold Forzley"

CEO

Bathurst Metals Corp.

For more information contact Harold Forzley, Chief Executive Officer

info@Bathurstmetalscorp.com

604-783-4273

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About Bathurst Metals Corp.

Bathurst Metals Corp. is an exploration-stage company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Nunavut and British Columbia, Canada. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Turner Lake, TED, McGregor Lake, Speers Lake, Gela Lake and McAvoy Lake Projects in Nunavut and the Peerless Property a gold /silver prospect in the historic Bralorne Camp in British Columbia.

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Vancouver, March 19, 2024 - Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) (OTCQX: KLDCF) (FSE: 3WQ0) ("Kenorland" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company was approved for a $200,000 grant from the government of Ontario under the Ontario Junior Exploration Program ("OJEP") on July 17, 2023 and received the final tranche of funds on March 7, 2024.

The OJEP program is designed to promote early-stage exploration in Ontario, whereby companies can receive up to $200,000 per project to cover 50% of eligible exploration costs.

Zach Flood, CEO and President, states, "On behalf of Kenorland, I'd like to express our gratitude to the government of Ontario for its support of early-stage exploration through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program. The funds provided by OJEP will help Kenorland generate new drill targets at the South Uchi Project, located in the prolific Red Lake District of northwestern Ontario."

"Early exploration projects taking place in Ontario by companies such as Kenorland Minerals Ltd. are vital to tapping into the critical minerals potential in the north," said George Pirie, Minister of Mines. "Through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program, our government is creating the conditions to ensure the continued success of Ontario's mining industry, keeping our mines operating for generations to come."

About the South Uchi Project

The South Uchi Project is a 100% owned project targeting gold, nickel-copper and lithium mineral systems, located in the Confederation Assemblage volcanics within the Red Lake Mining District of northwestern Ontario. The South Uchi Project is approximately 45 kilometers along strike to the east of Kinross Gold's Great Bear Project. The Company recently announced a widespread 40km2 gold-in-till anomaly at the Papaonga target area with multi-element Ag-Te-WAs-Sb signatures, an area with limited exploration and no historic drilling (see press release dated February 28, 2024). Multiple discrete Ni-Cu+/-Co-Pt anomalies were identified, and multiple new pegmatite occurrences were identified and sampled on the project, some of which note beryl, apatite and lepidolite.

Kenorland Completes Top-Up Right Exercise with Sumitomo

Kenorland is also pleased to announce that further to its press release dated March 8, 2024, the Company and Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. ("Sumitomo"), have completed the exercise of Sumitomo's 'top-up right' to retain its 10.1% interest in the Company as granted within the investor rights agreement dated November 5, 2021.

An aggregate of 24,075 common shares were issued for aggregate consideration of $16,852.50. The common shares issuable in the placement are subject to a statutory hold period in accordance with applicable securities legislation and the rules and policies of the TSXV expiring on July 13, 2024.

As Sumitomo is the beneficial owner of more than 10% of Kenorland's outstanding shares, it is a "related party" to the Company within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101- Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). As such, the transaction constituted a "related party transaction" within the meaning of MI 61-101.

The Company has relied upon on exemptions from formal valuation and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 found in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 as the fair market value of either transaction does not constitute more than the 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

About Kenorland Minerals

Kenorland Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KLD) is a well-financed mineral exploration company focused on project generation and early-stage exploration in North America. Kenorland's exploration strategy is to advance greenfields projects through systematic, property-wide, phased exploration surveys financed primarily through exploration partnerships including option to joint venture agreements. Kenorland holds a 4% net smelter return royalty on the Frotet Project in Quebec which is owned by Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. The Frotet Project hosts the Regnault gold system, a greenfields discovery made by Kenorland and Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd. in 2020. Kenorland is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Further information can be found on the Company's website: www.kenorlandminerals.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Zach Flood

President, CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Alex Muir, CFA

Investor Relations Manager

Tel +1 604 568 6005

info@kenorlandminerals.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing these forward-looking statements are reasonable based upon the information currently available to management as of the date hereof, actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202236
VANCOUVER, March 19, 2024 - Hudson Resources Inc. ("Hudson" or the "Company") (TSX Venture Exchange "HUD"; OTC "HUDRF") is pleased to announce that effective March 21, 2024, the Company's name will change to AnorTech Inc. to reflect its ongoing focus on creating innovative and sustainable technologies from anorthosite (aluminum calcium silicate), including waste-free alumina and CO2 free cement for global markets.The new CUSIP for the Company's common shares will be 03634T104 and the new ISIN number will be CA03634T1049. The Company's common shares are expected to begin trading under the Company's new name and ticker symbol ANOR at the opening of trading on March 21, 2024. A new corporate website will also be launched on the same day under the domain www.anortechinc.com.Green alumina made from anorthosite is a revolutionary zero waste product that minimizes the environmental impact traditionally associated with alumina production from bauxite, which produces almost four tonnes of caustic tailings waste for every tonne of aluminum. The Company is aiming to provide the aluminum industry with an alumina feed product that is not only high-quality but also zero waste with the added benefit of saleable byproducts.The CO2 free cement made from anorthosite eliminates the need for clinker which releases over 800kg of CO2 for every tonne of cement produced. Initial studies indicate a white refractory (heat resistant) cement can be produced which will be a premium product.The Company currently has R&D programs underway in Canada and Denmark on the alumina and cement products. The Company will provide an update on these programs shortly. The company owns 100% of the Gronne Bjerg (Green Mountain) anorthosite project which is located near the capital of Nuuk on open tidewater and adjacent to some of the best hydroelectric potential in Greenland (see NR2023-02).Jim Cambon, President, commented: We are excited to be launching AnorTech which better reflects our goals and considerable efforts over the past 10 years in creating green products which have the potential to revolutionize several global markets. Our work to date has shown that anorthosite is a mineral of the future and can play a key role in making greener, more sustainable products. Our plan is to utilize results from our 2024 R&D programs to attract global partners in key industries to further advance the applications to commercialization as quickly as possible.The Company has relinquished its 31% interest in the White Mountain anorthosite project in Greenland to allow the Company to focus all efforts on its 100% owned, and debt free, Gronne Bjerg anorthosite project. The carrying value of the White Mountain investment was reduced to $nil on the Company's financial statements since the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.The Company has a 5% carried interest in the advanced Sarfartoq rare earth element project in Western Greenland which was sold to Neo Performance Materials in 2022 (see NR2022-02). A significant field program including drilling was undertaken on the Sarfartoq project in 2023.Shareholders will not be required to take any action in connection with the name change. Issued certificates representing common shares of the Company will not be affected by the name change and will not need to be exchanged. There is no consolidation of capital associated with the name change. The name change does not affect the rights of the Company's shareholders.Hudson is well funded with $3.5M cash on hand.AnorTech is a Canadian based technology company focused on the development of game changing green technologies made from anorthosite (aluminum calcium silicate) rock. The company is focused on three global markets: green alumina, CO2 free cement and concrete thermal energy storage systems. AnorTech has over 10 years experience in anorthosite R&D and marketing. The Company owns 100% of the Gronne Bjerg Anorthosite project in Greenland, which is on open tide water near the capital of Nuuk.ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR"Jim Cambon"President and DirectorPh: 778-373-2164Neither 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.
China's GCI to shape harmonious world by connecting cultures: former Pakistani minister Pub Date:24-03-19 09:28 Source:Xinhua The China-proposed Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) holds immense potential to shape a harmonious world through cultural connectivity, greater cooperation and mutual respect among nations, a former Pakistani minister said. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Editor:

Related News Visa-free policy ignites China-Thailand tr... Chinese wigs speeding up to capture global... Economy&Life | 4th China Cross-border E-co... National standard set for hotpot cooks
By Isobel Williams via SWNS

Social activities such as playing bingo can help to keep dementia at bay for care home residents, suggests a new study.

Researchers found that participation in social activities offers a protective effect for those with no, or little, cognitive impairment.

The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, analyzed the cognitive performance of 3,600 patients in 42 Dutch and Belgian care homes over 18,000 times, on average every six months.

Care home residents were then categorized based on their level of decline.

In the groups with the least cognitive decline, thus those with no or only mild cognitive impairment, social activity was shown to prevent further, or the beginning of, decline.

The findings were not affected by the level of physical activity, suggesting that social activity has a specific relationship with cognitive function.

Project leader Professor Hein van Hout, of Amsterdam UMC said: "Cognitive decline in long-term care residents is relatively common, a Canadian study showed that almost a quarter of residents cognitively declined after a year of residency.

"So, when student Jack Pieters made a connection between reduced social activities and his grandmother's cognitive decline since her admission to a nursing home, we decided to investigate.

Our study shows that this decline can be mitigated, for those in which cognitive decline has not, or only just, started, if they participate in social activities.

The team hope that their findings will encourage care home workers to use social activity as a cheap means of preventing cognitive decline in their patients.

Professor van Hout added: "Social activity can mean a lot of things.

"In this study we looked at both general activities, and specific social activities such as conversing, reminiscing, helping others and going on trips or even just to the shops.

We saw that all of these activities offered this preventative effect. This may affect our ideas of how an optimal staff mix looks like, for example with more professionals or volunteers to help facilitate social activities.

This, in turn, can lower their dependence on assistance in their daily lives which could have a knock-on effect on the societal costs of long-term care in the long run.
Vancouver, March 19, 2024 - VanadiumCorp Resource Inc. (TSXV:VRB) (FSE:NWNA) (OTC:VRBFF) ("VanadiumCorp" or the "Company) announces that the Company's technical team is conducting the final stages of process optimization of our vanadium electrolyte Plant No. 1. The plant is functioning as designed and calibration electrolyte batches are running as expected. The construction advisors from C-Tech UK have completed their work and have demobilized.

Vanadium electrolyte production is a key milestone for VanadiumCorp. Plant No. 1 will provide electrolytes to develop our initial customer base. Concurrently with the design and construction of Plant No. 1, the Company's technical team prepared a scoping-level engineering study for a 4 million litres per year plant. Upon securing offtake contracts, our scoping indicates that about 18 months of detailed engineering, procurement and construction is required to open Plant No. 2.

The Company's Plant No. 1 is located in Val-des-Sources, Quebec, at the Carrefour d'Innovation sur les Materiaux de la MRC des Sources (CIMMS). The Company's website (www.vanadiumcorp.com) displays photographs of the completed plant.

Paul McGuigan, P. Geo., CEO of the Company, stated:

"VanadiumCorp will enter midstream into the Vanadium Flow Battery (VFB) supply chain with the production of vanadium electrolytes for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). With the initial production of electrolytes from Plant No. 1, VanadiumCorp is on track to produce up to 350,000 litres of electrolytes annually, sufficient to store some 6.8 MWh of electrical energy in VFB installations. The Company welcomes inquiries from those VFB OEMs seeking a reliable, Made-in-Canada source of high-purity vanadium electrolytes."

About VanadiumCorp Resource Inc.

A remarkable transformation of the global energy landscape is underway as we shift toward renewable energy sources. Solar and wind energy sources are forecasted to dominate power generation. Yet, vast amounts of long-duration energy storage (LDES) are vital to time-shift and stabilize these variable energy sources. The Vanadium Flow Battery is the most mature of the LDES battery technologies. According to MIT (2022), the flow battery "technology platform can incorporate a wide array of chemistries, among which the most developed at present is the VFB, which is unique for its ability to perform indefinitely with inexpensive operational maintenance."

The Company's initial manufacturing facility is in Val-des-Sources, Quebec. To assure stable, long-term access to vanadium feedstocks for electrolyte manufacturing, the Company is developing novel hydrometallurgical processes to extract vanadium from the titanomagnetite deposits at its wholly owned Lac Dore property near Chibougamau, Quebec.

The Company's electrolyte plant will also test the quality of the anticipated outputs from a Lac Dore pilot plant and reprocess electrolytes as needed. We are currently scoping the expansion of production to 4 million litres of electrolytes per year.

On behalf of the Board of VanadiumCorp Resource Inc.:

Paul McGuigan, P.Geo.

Director, Chief Executive Officer

pjm@vanadiumcorp.com

Direct: +1.604.970.3278

Company Contact Information:

Canada

Suite 303 - 5455 West Boulevard

Vancouver, British Columbia V6M 3W5

Canada Germany

Omniturm, 1st Floor, Groe Gallusstrae 16-18

Frankfurt am Main, 60312

Germany

3 rue de Boise,

Marieville, Quebec J3M 1S7

Canada Email: info@vanadiumcorp.com Website: www.vanadiumcorp.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This document may contain forward-looking statements (including "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) regarding, among other things, VanadiumCorp's business. and the environment in which it operates. In general, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipates", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "forecast", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "could" or "will be taken", "occur" or "will be achieved". VanadiumCorp relies on a number of assumptions and estimates to make these forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the ability to acquire the necessary permits and authorizations to advance the Lac Dore property to the production stage, the ability to add to existing resources at Lac Dore through drilling, the costs associated with the development and operation of its properties. These assumptions and estimates are made in light of forecasts and conditions that are considered relevant and reasonable based on available information and current circumstances. A number of risk factors may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or results of such exploration and/or mine development to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, whether such discoveries will result in commercially viable quantities of such mineralized materials, the ability to modify project parameters as plans continue to be refined, the ability to execute planned future exploration and drilling programs, the need for additional financing to continue exploration and development efforts, changes in general economic, market and business conditions, and other risks outlined in VanadiumCorp's latest Annual Information Form under the heading "Risk Factors" and in its other public documents. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and such information is inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and that may be beyond VanadiumCorp's control. Although VanadiumCorp has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. In addition, all forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. VanadiumCorp disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this disclaimer.

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
High Priority Target 2 at Salvadora, TheNewswire - San Lorenzo Gold Corp. (TSXV:SLG) ("San Lorenzo" or "the Company") is pleased to provide additional information on the Tres Amigos target located on its flagship Salvadora Property.

San Lorenzo has identified six individual targets on Salvadora. Two of them - Tres Amigos and Cerro Blanco - are the highest priority targets for additional exploration efforts to commence immediately. San Lorenzo's most recent press release (Feb 26, 2024) pertained to the Cerro Blanco target. This press release pertains to the Tres Amigos target.

San Lorenzo believes that incremental spending on the aforementioned two targets has the greatest potential to impact near-term valuation.

The Tres Amigos Target

The Tres Amigos Target area is characterised by multiple epithermal vein systems close to surface. The known vein system extends for 2.5 km with widths up to 200 meters - as evident from numerous surface artisanal workings and high-grade Cu-Au rich outcrops at surface. Since 2015, San Lorenzo has completed initial phases of exploration on the system including surface soil and rock sampling, limited IP and shallow depth confirmatory drilling. Management believes that Tres Amigos hosts a mineralized system that has a combination of scale and grade

that may allow San Lorenzo to build a significant high-grade copper/gold resource.

Surface and Mine Face Sampling

Surface soil geochemical sampling has shown that the whole Tres Amigos target area exhibits strong anomalous copper values - greater than 300 ppm within which two 1 - 1.5 sq km areas average 0.2 - 0.28% Cu in soils. Mineralized outcrop and float samples from the two sectors returned values of 0.3 - 5.6% Cu and anomalous gold values from 0.174 - 4.14 g/t Au.

Figure 1 below provides an outline of the expanded Tres Amigos target area including rock chip sample values. It also identifies the Tres Amigos and Sin Codicia mine locations and the location of the holes drilled by San Lorenzo during the 2016 and 2018 programs. It also provides the grades obtained from mineralized intercepts in those drill programs.

Hole # From(m) To(m) Width(m) Cu% Au g/t SAL-01-18 59 109 60 0.47 0.17 Including 75 107 33 1.07 0.37 SAL-02-18 15 40 25 1.04 0.25 Including 30 38 8 1.58 0.47 SAL-06-16 36 70 34 1.48 0.22 Including 48 54 6 5.71 0.1

Prior Drilling

With widths of up to 200 meters evident on Tres Amigos from historical workings, the two limited drilling programs completed to date have so far confirmed mineralized widths below surface of up to 60 meters in the high-grade copper-gold-silver rich epithermal vein system (grades of 0.47 - 5.71 % Cu, 0.17 - 0.25 g/t Au and 3.1 - 26.9 g/t Ag were obtained). That drilling, at less than 100 meter depths, only tested upper oxide material such that the system remains open at depth.

Results to date support management's opinion that additional exploration, including drilling along the additional width, strike, and depth of the system has the potential to define a many-million-ton bulk mineable deposit within the Tres Amigos target.

Prior Workings

As recently as 2006, mining in the Tres Amigos target occurred from a spiral decline from which high grade oxide ore - up to 14% Cu - was extracted - from a mine known as the "La Fortuna".

Reported grades have been supported by mine face sampling conducted by San Lorenzo which showed copper grades of 2.5 - 14.75% copper across 1.8 - 4.1 meter widths.

Figure 2: shows the decline entrance on the La Fortuna mine from which up to 14% copper material was historically mined.



Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 3 above highlights the extent of the existing IP/Resistivity lines (in blue) and the locations of the planned additional lines (in yellow).

Immediate Next Steps - IP

San Lorenzo intends to immediately acquire the additional IP coverage by completing the (yellow) lines outlined above. San Lorenzo is hopeful that the additional coverage will identify anomalies in the larger northern and northwestern sector of the Tres Amigos Target underlying the areas of numerous high Cu-Au rich surface samples. IP will provide deeper penetration that

should highlight zones of copper-rich sulphides beneath near surface oxides.

Follow-Up Next Steps - Drilling

San Lorenzo expects to commence a drilling program on both the Tres Amigos and the Cerro Blanco target areas during Q3 2024. While the locations on the Cerro Blanco target have largely been decided upon, the location of drill holes on the Tres Amigos target remains dependent on the results of the upcoming IP program.

The Salvadora Property Generally

Significant surface soil and rock samples that are highly anomalous in copper and gold, together with the significant grades obtained by San Lorenzo from drilling on the Tres Amigos target (and on the nearby Arco de Oro and Caballo Muerto targets) continues to affirm to management of San Lorenzo the existence of several hydrothermal systems that have mineralized the Salvadora property. This observation is further supported by the numerous artisanal workings evident on the Salvadora property.

Figure 4 above illustrates the artisanal workings - depicted by mine symbols - that are evident on the Salvadora property. Each indicates NW-SE trends - the one circled in red being on Tres Amigos target and the one circled in blue being on Arco de Oro target.

The Arco de Oro Target - Further Details to be Provided Within Approximately 2 Weeks

The Arco de Oro target is a third high value target within the Salvadora property that San Lorenzo will provide more detailed information on in the coming weeks. Further exploration at Arco de Oro is being delayed until completion of next steps on Tres Amigos and Cerro Blanco.

More Information

San Lorenzo Gold encourages readers to obtain more information about the Tres Amigos target by following the link (www.sanlorenzogold.ca/tres-amigos ) or by visiting San Lorenzo's website at: www.sanlorenzogold.ca

About San Lorenzo Gold Corp.

San Lorenzo Gold is involved in the exploration and advancement of mineral properties in the Mega Porphyry Cu-Au and the coastal IOCG belts of Chile. The Salvadora property is located in the Mega Porphyry Cu-Au belt and is being explored for large scale copper-gold porphyry deposits and high-grade epithermal gold-silver-copper vein type deposits.

The Company has two other properties: Nancagua, a high grade mesothermal gold-silver prospect and Punta Alta, a copper-gold-silver-cobalt prospect with related disseminated and vein style copper-gold-silver-cobalt mineralization in the coastal IOCG belt.

Contact Information:

Gordon Aldcorn, VP Corporate Development

Email: galdcorn@sanlorenzogold.ca

Ph: 403-618-6507

or:

Terence (Terry) Walker, VP Exploration

Email: twalker@goldenrock.cl

Ph: + 56 9 5179 5902

or:

Al Kroontje

Email: al@slgold.ca

Ph: 403-607-4009

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release may contain forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond the control of San Lorenzo. All statements included herein other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, San Lorenzo does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
(TNS)  High-paying jobs held by male, white and Asian-American workers will be more affected by artificial intelligence than lower-paying jobs, a new study has found. And San Jose and San Francisco are among the metro areas that will feel the biggest impact from AI, according to the researchers.The study released Wednesday by the Brookings Institution seems to contradict findings from previous studies  including Brookings own  that show lower-skilled workers will be most affected by robots and automation, which can involve AI. But it may be more accurate to say it complements those earlier studies. The new research is based on work by Stanford Ph.D. student Michael Webb, who developed a method to examine AI patents and compare the text with a Department of Labor database containing descriptions of occupational duties.Brookings  which defined AI as an increasingly powerful form of digital automation, based on machines that can learn, reason, and act for themselves  used Webbs data.Webb found the most instances of paired verbs and nouns in AI patents and compared those with pairs found in occupational descriptions. From the patents, recognize was paired with nouns such as pattern, image, speech, face, voice, automobile, emotion, gesture and disease. Another verb, predict, was paired with the following nouns: quality, time, performance, fault, behavior, traffic, prognosis and treatment.Fully 740 out of the 769 occupational descriptions Michael Webb analyzed contain a capability pair match with AI patent language, meaning at least one or more of its tasks could potentially be exposed to, complemented by, or completed by AI, the Brookings study said.According to the study, some occupations that could be most affected by AI include market research analysts and sales managers, programmers, management analysts and engineers.The lead author of the study, Brookings senior fellow Mark Muro, pointed out in an interview that its analysis is a forecast of involvement with AI or exposure to it, but not necessarily worker displacement. He expressed optimism that those with bachelors degrees or higher will have greater skills and resiliency and ability to reorient their work than other workers.But in his study, Webb said older, higher-skilled workers could be negatively affected. Older workers tend to be less mobile than younger workers, in terms of both occupation and geography, making it more difficult for them to adapt, Webb said. They also have fewer years of working life remaining, making educational and training investments less attractive for them.Both Muro and Webb were careful to stress that high exposure to AI isnt necessarily negative, though. It could mean changes in duties but not necessarily the loss of jobs.The Bay Area will probably do pretty well, Webb said in an interview. Its creating a lot of the underlying technology for AI.Patrick Kallerman, research director at Bay Area Councils Economic Institute, agrees. He called the Bay Area unique and predicted that the region is unlikely to feel a huge effect from short-, medium- or even long-term automation.But he added that if research continues to show similar findings, then none of us (is) safe. It could shift the political-public policy landscape going forward.Other key findings by Brookings:Because men are overrepresented in analytic technical and professional roles (plus production), they work in jobs with much higher AI exposure scores than women.White and Asian American workers, who are overrepresented in technology, engineering, and legal-managerial occupations, will be affected most by AI.People with bachelors degrees will be more than five times as exposed to AI than workers with a high school degree.Prime age workers ages 25 to 54  in professional and technical roles  have jobs that are going to be disproportionally affected by AI.The metro area most likely to be affected by AI based on what kinds of jobs are there is the area that includes San Jose, Sunnyvale and Santa Clara. The area that includes San Francisco, Oakland and Hayward was No. 22 on the list.Besides high-tech metro hubs, the study also found that areas most likely to be affected by AI are places heavy on agriculture and manufacturing, including Bakersfield and Salinas in California, and places like Detroit, Greenville, South Carolina, and Louisville, Kentucky.
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Xiaomi Civi 4 Pro will arrive on March 21, the company announced today. In a series of posts, Xiaomi confirmed the phone's chipset was revealed to be Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, while the triple camera at the back will be enhanced by Leica.

The Civi 4 Pro will arrive in four colors. The back panel of the Green, the hero color, will have a glass and a leather part stylishly separated from each other.



Xiaomi Civi 4 Pro key features

According to a teaser on Weibo, the new Civi phone will be focusing on performance, photos, and design. The frame will be flat and made of metal instead of plastic. The handset will weigh under 180 grams and be 7.45 mm thin in its basethat's without the protruding camera island.



Xiaomi 4 Civi Pro design

The Xiaomi Civi 4 Pro's arrival with such a powerful chipset is a huge shift from the previous Civi devices, which used lesser SoCs. Their best-selling feature was the dual front-facing cameras for young selfie enthusiasts.

We have to wait for the event on Thursday to learn how much the Civi will sell for, which would also set a benchmark for what to expect on future pricing for Snapdragon 8s Gen 3-powered devices.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
The Matao, Guams senior mens national soccer team, goes against Singapore in the second leg of the FIFA World Cup 26 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Joint Preliminary Qualification Round 1.
If the attorney general does not review contracts for the Guam Waterworks Authority and the Guam Power Authority in a timely manner, the utilities will still be moving forward, according to GWA counsel Teresa Rojas.

The move comes after numerous requests for the Office of the Attorney General to review contracts have gone unanswered, Rojas told members of the Consolidated Commission on Utilities during Tuesdays work session.

Pending a court decision about alleged conflicts of interests in ongoing prosecutions, Attorney General Douglas Moylan recently withdrew from representing GWA and GPA, and 20 other government of Guam agencies.

The withdrawal has sparked concern from the Leon Guerrero administration that GovGuam contracts worth over $500,000, which require the AGs signature, could grind to a halt.

Moylan has proposed a workaround solution, and asserted he continues to review contracts, albeit not as legal counsel for the agencies that submit them.

But GWAs Rojas on Tuesday said Guam law gives CCU the authority over utilities contracts, not the attorney general.

Its our duty to send over the contract for his review, and then his duty to provide that service, she said. Weve sent numerous contracts for review that have been unanswered.

Contracts sent to the AG are now attached with a request that the review be done in a certain amount of time.

And then we ask for a response. And if the response doesnt come, if he doesnt perform the function to be our legal adviser, we move forward, because the approval authority is of course management and the board, Rojas said.

If there are any issues with the legality and form of contracts, we will address them, she said.

That course of action is being taken in an ongoing joint procurement that GWA is doing with GPA for merchant services, she noted.

Take us to court

Commissioners made no objection to the move, and CCU Chairman Joey Duenas asked GWA to propose any additional policies they might need for contract handling.

Because of the tantrums of the AG ... youre not going to stop GWA and GPA from doing its function, said Commissioner Francis Santos. So well make our decisions here. And if you dont like it, take us to court.

If the attorney general was more inclined to hire attorneys to investigate the utilities than to perform contract reviews for them, Im not gonna sit here and feel sorry for the attorney general, Santos said.

God help us if hes going to delay the contract review of buying fuel for our generators. I would love that scenario to come up, he said.

Since returning to office last year, Moylan has ended the practice of designating so-called special assistant attorneys general to review contracts for government agencies. These designated attorneys are usually employed or contracted by the agency which needs the contract review.

Moylan asserts the AGs office is better left to do the job, as it prevents waste and corruption in the use of government money.

But agency heads, including GPA General Manager John Benavente, have complained to lawmakers that elimination of the special assistant attorney general designation has slowed procurements down, as contracts await review at the AGs office.

GPAs ongoing attempt to procure temporary power generation to stave off load shedding this summer is the largest example of such a delay, they said.

Moylan reviewed the contract and sent it back to GPA last week, citing a number of legal concerns with the temporary power deal.
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Superior Court Presiding Judge Alberto C. Lamorena III granted professional MMA fighter Roman Alvarezs motion to dismiss the attempted murder and aggravated assault case against him.

The case was dismissed without prejudice, which means the charges can be refiled at some point.

Alvarez was indicted in February 2022 on charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault, both with special allegations of use of a deadly weapon in commission of a felony.

Alvarez was accused of striking Joseph Baby Joe Taimanglo, another MMA fighter, with his vehicle as he left the parking lot of a Tumon night club.

In November 2022, Alvarez, through his attorneys at the Arriola law firm, filed a motion to dismiss the charges, claiming that the government did not properly instruct the grand jury nor offer surveillance footage that captured the alleged crimes.

The key issue in the dismissal was exculpatory evidence, which means evidence that is favorable to the defendant.

Alvarez said the government wrongly withheld key pieces of exculpatory evidence that also supported a self-defense case.

Alvarez also claimed immunity via castle doctrine, which allows an individual to use force in self-defense to protect himself or others.

The government prosecutors in the case were Assistant Attorneys General Basil OMallan, Yusuke Haffeman-Udagawa, Sean Brown and Gloria Rudolph, while Arriola Law Firm attorneys Jay Arriola and William Brennan represented Alvarez.

The prosecution contended that they were not required to submit exculpatory evidence because it did not negate the elements of the alleged crimes that Alvarez was accused of.

Lamorena held six hearings throughout 2023, and following the final hearing in December, took the matter under advisement.

In his March 18, 2024 order, Lamorena said prosecutors are required to present exculpatory evidence to grand juries, as well as instruct them on possible defense and justifications.

Lamorena also said the evidence clearly showed an exculpatory defense: surveillance footage of Taimanglo as the aggressor as Alvarez left the parking lot, and Alvarezs post-arrest mugshot which showed swelling and bruising on Alvarezs face.

These failures by the People tainted the grand jury process and necessitate dismissal of the indictment, wrote Lamorena.

The castle doctrine claim was rendered moot given that the charges were already dismissed with the first two arguments.

In the order, Lamorena said if the government wants to re-indict Alvarez, they must instruct the grand jury on exculpatory defenses, and present the grand jury with exculpatory evidence, namely Alvarezs mugshot and surveillance footage of the alleged crimes.
Nikolette Salas, an 11th grade student from Tiyan High School, won the island's 3rd Annual Poetry Out Loud and will be representing Guam in the national competition in Washington, D.C. in May.

While in the nation's capital, Salas will face off against champions from other states and jurisdictions, according to the Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency, which hosted the 3rd Annual Poetry Out Loud Guam on March 9 at the University of Guam.

CAHA presented the competition in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, and is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.

Angie Taitague, the acting director of CAHA, said the agency is honored to have organized the first live in-person Poetry Out Loud competition this year because the event was previously held virtually.

"Observing the youth of our island harnessing their creativity through art, transforming written words through their interpretation, and bringing them to life is truly inspiring," Taitague said in a statement.

Salas will receive an award of $200 and Tiyan High School will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry materials from the Poetry Foundation, according to CAHA.

As the first runner up, Teiula Keresoma, an 11th grade student from Guahan Academy Charter School, will receive $100, with $200 for her school from the foundation.

Danah Bonto from Okkodo High School won 3rd place, while Madison Lujan from Southern High School won 4th place in the competition.

Guam Department of Education congratulated Salas in a press release Wednesday.

"Her achievement is a testament to her hard work and dedication to the arts," GDOE said in a release.

Superintendent Erick Swanson praised Salas for her efforts to represent Guam in the Poetry Out Loud National Finals and the Tiyan High School team especially Ms. Mayoyo-Buan for the support they provided Salas.

"We wish Nikolette the best as she represents our island in Washington, D.C.," Swanson said in a release.

Guest judges presided over the competition, and evaluated student performances on criteria including physical presence, voice and articulation, accuracy, and evidence of understanding.

Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country.

CAHA said Poetry Out Loud uses a pyramid structure. Beginning at the classroom level, winners advance to a school wide competition, then to the state competition and ultimately to the national finals.

In addition to the competition, there were also performances from guest poets and rappers, as well as a special Kantan Chamorrita presentation by the Guam Community College's Ninafitmen Inetnon Hugua cohort class.

Event sponsors included Bank of Guam, Promotions Specialties, Triple J Ent., GTA, Galaide Group, and the UOG CM210 CHamoru Studies and Practice class, according to CAHA.
When your phone rings starting in April, it could be the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, conducting a phone survey on immunization.

To avoid phone scams out there, the Department of Public Health and Social Services said Guam residents need to know the numbers that the CDC survey team would be using for its National Immunization Survey starting in April.

The no-charge, off island telephone numbers are (404) 809-2644, (404) 809-2195, (404) 806-4810, (404) 806-4811, or (404) 806-4812, Public Health said in a press release.

This survey is intended to help assess immunization coverage among children between 19 and 35 months of age, and adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 years old.

We ask the public that if you are called to please cooperate, as the information collected is important, Public Healths chief medical officer and pediatrician, Dr. Robert Leon Guerrero, said.

The survey is expected to be ongoing for several months or until the CDC collects their data, Public Health said in a press release.

CDCs contractor, National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, will administer the Guam national immunization survey.

Frequently asked questions

What is the National Immunization Survey?

NIS is a random digital-dial telephone survey used to find households with children between the ages of 19 and 35 months or 13 and 17 years of age living in the home.

Parents or guardians will be asked to provide information on the date and type of vaccinations given to their children.

At the end of the interview, authorization to contact their childs vaccination provider will be requested from the parent or guardian. The health care provider will then be contacted by mail to verify the childs vaccinations.

All data collected will be sent to the CDC for analysis and then provided to the DPHSS Immunization Program to compare Guams vaccination rates with those of other states and territories.

How is NIS information used?

The data gathered by NIS is used to identify groups at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, to provide feedback to increase coverage, and to evaluate the effectiveness of programs designed to increase coverage.

How can I learn more about the NIS?

For any questions concerning the NIS, contact the DPHSS Immunization Program at (671) 735-7143/148/160.
In recent years, Freret Street in Uptown New Orleans has transformed into one of the most vibrant streets in the city. From open mics and late-night coffees at Rook Cafe, to high-end cocktails at Cure bar and monthly outdoor art markets, the six-block stretch has something to offer everyone.

This years Freret Street Festival will bring 20 bands, three stages and over 200 local vendors to the street from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 30.

The neighborhood festival is one of the little guys  at least compared to contenders like French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest  but it still manages to pack a punch. According to New Orleans Magazine, nearly 20,000 people attend the annual event.

The 2024 musical lineup includes artists like the Honey Island Swamp Band, the 79ers Gang, the Marigny Street Brass Band and more. The event is also pet-friendly and will feature a pet adoption station at Zeus Rescues.

For a full guide to New Orleans upcoming festivals, see here.
Sorry Barbz: Queen Nicki had to stay home last night.

Rapper Nicki Minaj cancelled her New Orleans concert, scheduled for Monday, March 18, only hours ahead of showtime, citing doctors orders.

As Nicki is still sick, our team does not want to run the risk of getting others sick, and Nicki would not be able to give NOLA the show they deserve, the Smoothie King Center announced on Instagram. We are working diligently to find a new date.

Some fans were less than enthused.

She aint just get sick a few hours ago ... This is extremely last minute and Im very frustrated, Instagram user @queencion commented on the announcement.

Girl I came all the way to New Orleans and paid for a room, you better figure something out!!!! wrote user @trendyy.j.

Barbz pls send me healing energy. woke up feeling like I had Covid. Thank God I dont. You guys are just everything.

I appreciate you.

I love you so much.  Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) March 16, 2024

Minaj isnt the only artist to no-show a performance in NOLA.

Last week, J. Lo canceled several dates on her upcoming tour, including an Aug. 30 show at the Smoothie King Center.

Beginning in June 2023, Drake rescheduled the New Orleans date of his Its All A Blur Tour a whopping three separate times before finally showing up on March 6, 2024.

The Pink Friday 2 Tour, named after Minajs most recent album, began on March 1 with nearly 50 dates across North America and Europe.

Minajs next show is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgiaalthough its unclear if her health will affect the performance.

Tickets are still available for Minajs March 24 tour date in Nashville, Tennessee.
Update: Pokemon expert weighs in on community outrage over MadRat Toys haul

MadRat Toys, a Houston-based toy, comics and card dealer, is under fire after posting photos with shopping carts full of Pokemon cards at a local Costco. The Facebook post shows the owners posing with the overfilled shopping carts at Costco and later, the boxes of Pokemon cards displayed across their shops counters.

The exclusive two-pack features Zapdos EX and Alakazam EX cards. Although Costco imposes limits on certain items, this Pokemon card set was not restricted, a Costco customer service representative told LoneStarLive.com.

David Doehring, owner of MadRat Toys, confirmed that he purchased about 100 of the Pokemon bundles at a Houston-area Costco. As a small business owner, he relies on purchases from warehouse stores, eBay and collector networks to stock his inventory. We are having a lot of fun opening them - we do resell the cards, but not the bundles, Doehring said.

If it were available by distributors, we would have bought it that way. Its been sold out for months, Doehring said in an interview with LoneStarLive.com. To satisfy demand, one must seek out deals, he added.

Master Rat and Lil'Rat brought the house down! MadRat Toys is where it's at for all your ratty needs. Master Rat and Lil'Rat delivered! Stay tuned for more Master Binders MadRat Toys Posted by MadRat Toys on Sunday, March 17, 2024

Users on Reddit were quick to point out the Pokemon haul. Reddit user /u/komododave17 posted on the /r/Houston subreddit, lamenting, My kid loves Pokemon cards and loves going to collectible stores. He was hoping hed see this pack at Costco next time we went. Guess we wont now. This is a poor look for them gloating on social media. The store just opened and theyve already lost a customer.

The post quickly garnered more than 300 responses. While majority criticized the store for depleting Costcos stock, some defended the action.

Another Reddit user, Sturmundsterne, noted that local shops often resort to purchasing from eBay or Costco due to the prohibitive costs of entering the distribution network for cards and comics.

Doehring confirmed this challenge, stating that the Pokemon sets he acquired were unavailable through his usual distribution channels.

MadRat Toys is not reselling the sets but is offering individual cards instead. We assume the risk of opening the packs, allowing customers to buy specific cards without the gamble, Doehring explained.

MadRat Toys is located at 1570 S. Dairy Ashford Road Unit 107, in Houston, Texas. The toy and card store opened in February 2024.
John Horgan at his own website:

I interviewed de Waal in 2007 while researching my book The End of War. At the time, high-profile scientists were promoting the notion that humans are genetically predisposed to war. As evidence, they cited the violence of our closest genetic relatives, chimpanzees. In his influential 1996 book Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence, anthropologist Richard Wrangham declared: Chimpanzee-like violence preceded and paved the way for human war, making modern humans the dazed survivors of a continuous, five-million-year habit of lethal aggression. This hypothesis, which I call the deep-roots theory of war, was embraced by public intellectuals like Steven Pinker and Francis Fukuyama.

I discussed the deep-roots theory with de Waal on June 12, 2007, at the Yerkes Primate Research Center in Georgia, which houses chimpanzees and monkeys. De Waal was tall with sandy-colored hair. He still spoke with a faint Dutch accent, although he left his native Holland in the 1980s. We chatted in a watchtower overlooking a yard where three male chimps and a dozen females lolled, lazily nitpicking and sniffing each other.

Against this backdrop, de Waal heatedly rejected the widespread belief in some sort of blind aggressive drive that makes us go to war.

More here.




Haiti - FLASH : Nearly 1,000 Americans in Haiti request help from the State Department





Monday March 18, 2024, Vedant Patel, the Spokesperson for the Department of State revealed that "nearly 1,000 Americans have filled out a 'crisis intake form' seeking assistance in Haiti", referring to the form available on the website from the Department of State to request assistance.



Vedant Patel, made this statement the day after the landing on Sunday March 17 in Miami of 47 Americans on a charter evacuation flight chartered by the American Government from Cap Haitien https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41909-haiti-flash-the-first-flight-of-americans-fleeing-the-chaos-in-haiti-landed-in-miami.html



"It is not hyperbole to say that this is one of the most dire humanitarian situations in the world," Patel said. "Gang violence continues to make the security situation in Haiti untenable, and it is a region that demands our attention."



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Politics: The Bahamas deploy significant resources to fight against Haitian boat people





Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis said in a statement that the Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) was deploying significant assets, including surface ships, aircraft and 120 RBDF personnel, to combat illegal immigration in the context of the worsening crisis in Haiti and an increase in illegal attempts to enter Bahamian waters.



The recent escapes of nearly 5,000 prisoners in Haiti hhttps://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41847-haiti-news-zapping.html and https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41793-haiti-flash-the-national-penitentiary-stormed-many-prisoners-escape-chaos-in-the-capital-video.html have caused the intensification of efforts to secure the borders of the Bahamas, to protect them, the authorities have increased patrols over thousands of km2 of ocean and launched a blockade operation in the South of the Bahamas, focusing on areas close to Haiti https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41811-haiti-flash-the-bahamas-implement-a-blockade-on-the-south-east-of-the-archipelago.html . The operation includes the deployment of ships, aircraft and personnel with the aim of effectively monitoring and intercepting boats arriving from Haiti.



He specified that operations would focus on the northern coast of Haiti, the Old Bahama Canal and the Windward Passage explaining that the United States and the United Kingdom would position assets in the region and that intelligence would be shared between those responsible of the Bahamas, the United States Coast Guard, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cuban Border Patrol.



Davis stressed that he did not sign an agreement to welcome refugees at the 2022 Summit of the Americas. "I continue to believe this is the right decision for our country [...] We Bahamians are a compassionate people, but we simply cannot absorb additional burdens or security risks at home."



The RBDF has apprehended 247 Haitians in recent weeks, including 50 Haitians in an irregular migration situation, on Saturday March 16, 2024, approximately 8 km west of Bell Island.



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41847-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41811-haiti-flash-the-bahamas-implement-a-blockade-on-the-south-east-of-the-archipelago.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41793-haiti-flash-the-national-penitentiary-stormed-many-prisoners-escape-chaos-in-the-capital-video.html



S/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - NOTICE : The Canadian Embassy reduces its staff to the essentials





Due to the volatility of the situation, the lack of reliable supplies and the need to ensure an effective presence in an unstable context, Canada is temporarily reducing staff at its embassy in Haiti to the essentials. Displaced staff members will continue to carry out their functions from a third country.



"In these difficult times, Canadas embassy will continue to support Canadians who remain in the country, as well as Haiti and the Haitian people. Canadas ambassador to Haiti will also remain in the country and continue to engage Haitian stakeholders and international partners toward the implementation of the political agreement. We will continue to support Haitian-led solutions to the political, security and humanitarian crises.



"The Embassy of Canada in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, remains temporarily closed to the public. However, we are maintaining consular services to Canadians who need assistance in Haiti.



"Canadians requiring consular assistance in Haiti should contact the embassy by dialing +011 (509) 2812 by texting 9000, or prncecs@international.gc.ca.



"Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance can contact Global Affairs Canada's Emergency Watch and Response Center in Ottawa, which is open 24 hours a day. 24 and 7 days a week:



by telephone at +1 6139968885 (collect calls are accepted where available)

by email to sos@international.gc.ca

by SMS to +1 6136863658

by WhatsApp at +1 6139098881

by Signal at +1 6139098087

by Telegram to Emergency Canada abroad



"We continue to advise Canadians to avoid all travel to Haiti and encourage all Canadians in Haiti to check our Haiti travel advice as often as possible for updates and to sign up with the service Registration of Canadians Abroad."



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Hong Kong: Article 23 legislation effective Mar 23

Chief Executive John Lee

Today marks a historic moment for Hong Kong. It is a historic moment that Hong Kong has been waiting 26 years, 8 months and 19 days for. It is a historic moment where the Sixth-term Government and the Seventh Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have finally accomplished a glorious mission together. It is a proud moment for all of the Hong Kong SAR in collectively making glorious history.

Today, the constitutional responsibility and historic mission of legislating for Article 23 of the Basic Law have finally been fulfilled. The Safeguarding National Security Bill has been passed after the third reading, ensuring the effective protection of national security.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinpings proposal of the holistic view of national security. On this very day, we have fulfilled our constitutional responsibility of enacting local legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law. We have accomplished this historic mission, living up to the trust placed in us by the central government and the country. I will sign the bill and promulgate the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance by publication in the gazette on the 23rd. In other words, the ordinance will officially take effect on March 23, 2024.

The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance enables Hong Kong to effectively prevent, suppress and punish espionage activities, conspiracies and traps from foreign intelligence agencies, and infiltration and sabotage by hostile forces. We can effectively prevent black-clad violence and colour revolution. We can effectively prevent Hong Kong independence and violent destruction. We no longer need to worry about saboteurs mutual destruction threats in Hong Kong and their acts of damaging public facilities, throwing petrol bombs, setting fires, assaulting citizens with differing opinions, pushing Hong Kong into an abyss, and destroying years of our citys development. From now on, the people of Hong Kong will no longer experience these harms and sorrows.

The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance aligns with three principles, as stipulated in its provisions. These three principles are:

(1) the highest principle of the policy of one country, two systems is to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests;

(2) human rights are to be respected and protected, and the rights and freedoms, including the freedoms of speech, of the press and of publication, the freedoms of association, of assembly, of procession and of demonstration, enjoyed under the Basic Law and the provisions of two international covenants as applied to the Hong Kong SAR, namely the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, are to be protected in accordance with the law; and

(3) for acts and activities endangering national security, there must be adherence to active prevention in accordance with the principle of the rule of law, and suppression and punishment in accordance with the law.

The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance demonstrates three key objectives:

(1) to resolutely, fully and faithfully implement the policy of one country, two systems under which the people of Hong Kong administer Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy;

(2) to establish and improve the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong SAR to safeguard national security; and

(3) to prevent, suppress and punish acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law, to protect the lawful rights and interests of the residents of the Hong Kong SAR and other people in the Hong Kong SAR, to ensure the property and investment in the Hong Kong SAR are protected by the law, to maintain prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong SAR.

The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance has four characteristics:

(1) the ordinance achieves convergence, compatibility and complementarity with the Hong Kong National Security Law and other Hong Kong laws concerning national security;

(2) the ordinance made reference to the experience of other common law jurisdictions, but is implemented in the light of the actual situation in Hong Kong;

(3) the provisions of the ordinance were written in line with common law conventions, and are detailed, clear and easy to understand; and

(4) the ordinance improved laws which were obsolete and inadequate.

I unveiled and embarked on the mission of legislating for Article 23 of the Basic Law at the Chief Executives Interactive Exchange Question & Answer Session in LegCo on January 25. My consultation with LegCo was immediately followed by the public consultation from January 30 to February 28.

The Government has received over 13,000 submissions of opinions, of which 98.6% showed support and gave positive comments, indicating that the legislation has strong popular support.

I would like to express my gratitude to the President and all Honourable Members of LegCo. From convening a council meeting for the first and second readings of the Safeguarding National Security Bill, and the unremitting scrutiny by the Bills Committee and the unwavering support of the House Committee, to convening a full council meeting today for the resumption of the second reading debate, third reading and passage, their focus has always been on the genuine and urgent need of the legislation. They have upheld the goal of completing the legislative work as soon as possible, and fulfilled the Hong Kong SARs constitutional duty that has been long awaited in the past 26 years, 8 months and 19 days.

Here, I would like to extend my gratitude firstly to President Andrew Leung for leading LegCo to express support for the necessity and urgency of enacting the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, for convening special meetings to expedite the completion of the legislative work as soon as possible to safeguard national security as well as for ensuring the scrutiny proceeded in an orderly manner according to established procedures. President Leung has disclosed that every morning when checking his mobile phone, he would receive text messages from a number of members, all about Article 23. He cared for Article 23, day and night, and he felt that all members attached as much importance to the legislative work for Article 23 as he did. The unity and sharing the same goal with all members had given him a boost in taking things forward.

I also sincerely thank all members of the Bills Committee, including Chairman Martin Liao, Deputy Chairman Chan Hak-kan and the 13 committee members. They engaged in intensive scrutiny of the bill, nearly ceaselessly from 9am to 7pm on seven consecutive days. They often expended a significant amount of time deliberating individual clauses. On one occasion, more than 1 hour and 20 minutes was spent in the examination of a single clause, while instances where more than 30 minutes was spent on a single clause were aplenty. The Bills Committee, together with the subcommittee earlier set up by the House Committee to study matters relating to Basic Law Article 23 legislation, convened 25 meetings in total, and devoted nearly 50 hours to scrutinise every clause of the bill in detail, raising over 1,000 questions and comments and resulting in 91 amendments. Every member has been conscientious and completed the scrutiny process with high quality and high efficiency. I know that in order to ensure the effective scrutiny of the bill, Chairman Liao did a lot of preparatory work in advance, especially in preparing for possible situations where the chairman had to make rulings. But in the end, that became unnecessary. As every committee member did their preparatory work thoroughly, the process of scrutiny was very smooth and there was no need for him to make any ruling. He told others that he felt encouraged by members unity and determination in accomplishing this historic mission.

I also take the opportunity to thank Chairman Starry Lee and all members of the House Committee for agreeing to the Governments proposal to expedite the introduction of the bill to the council for consideration. With her other capacity as a member of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, Chairman Lee had to travel twice in two days between Hong Kong and Beijing during the two sessions. She had indicated that the experience was unforgettable but worthwhile.

The entire legislative process at LegCo was conducted in accordance with procedures throughout, and lawmakers scrutinised the bill diligently and meticulously. Speeches by members covered diverse perspectives and a wide range of topics. Some focused on details, others on principles, and some discussed ideologies. The content was comprehensive and in-depth. The scrutiny process, proceeded under the goal of completing the legislative work as soon as possible, was of high quality and high efficiency. Today, we have passed the Safeguarding National Security Bill. It demonstrates the greatest value of patriots administering Hong Kong, enabling the Hong Kong SAR to gloriously accomplish the sacred mission of legislating for Article 23 of the Basic Law.

Furthermore, I would like to express my gratitude to the Government for staying united in contributing to the Basic Law Article 23 legislation. In particular, I want to pay tribute to my colleagues in the Security Bureau and the Department of Justice. I thank Secretary for Justice Paul Lam, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung, and relevant colleagues in the Security Bureau and the Department of Justice, who have worked tirelessly from conducting consultation, drafting legislative proposals, and explaining and rebutting criticisms, to assisting LegCo in scrutinsing the bill. I recall a number of occasions when I made phone calls to the offices of the Security Bureau and the Department of Justice. I only realised, after hanging up the phone and checking the clock on my desk, that it was already two or three in the morning. I am proud and grateful for their dedication, enthusiasm and professional competence. They are heroes in my heart and guardians of the Hong Kong SAR.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who loves the country and Hong Kong for supporting and advocating for the Basic Law Article 23 legislation. With our concerted efforts, we have put an end to a predicament that has plagued Hong Kong for 26 years, 8 months and 19 days, and made glorious history for the Hong Kong SAR. With the passage of the Safeguarding National Security Bill, we will be able to effectively safeguard national security, allowing Hong Kong to move forward without worry or burden, and focus on developing the economy and improving peoples livelihoods. Together, we will make Hong Kong a more prosperous and better home for everyone.

History bears witness to this important moment, witnessing our joy, inspiration and pride, and witnessing our collective contribution to the glorious history of the Hong Kong SAR. Thank you, Mr President. Thank you, Honourable Members.

This is the English translation of the address by Chief Executive John Lee at the LegCo meeting on the council's passage of the Safeguarding National Security Bill on March 19.

This story has been published on: 2024-03-19. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Cold returns and snow likely throughout the week, starting tonight

It seems that the risk of minor flooding from Lodge Creek moving into Hill and Blaine counties is low, as the National Weather Service was poised this morning to update their advisory in the area.

The Weather Service Monday extended an advisory they had put out about flooding, the result of snow melt in Canada north this part of Montana, but this morning the service said they have no more concerns about increased flooding.

National Weather Service Great Falls Meteorologist Rosemary Webb said the flooding in the Lodge Creek area is steadily receding, and while the area will likely see some prec...
Editor,

Montana families deserve the financial freedom that comes from good health and a hard days work.

It is only fair.

Under Gianfortes government the uninsured rate has increased by 127,000 Montanans of all ages. His approach to Medicaid redetermination has failed. We all will pay for Gianfortes comedy of errors, but wait, there is nothing funny about human suffering. Or so most of us believe.

As a matter of fact, the Governor is hurting defenseless children, making it harder to work for their parents, and further squeezing the small businesses who rely on these worker...
Martti Koskenniemi , a professor emeritus of international law at the University of Helsinki, on Monday stated on YLE A-studio that the proposal fails to align with basic rights in Finland.

THE GOVERNMENT of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) has faced severe criticism from experts in constitutional and international law over its draft proposal to combat instrumentalised immigration from Russia.

Koskenniemi estimated that the proposal is mostly well drafted, except for the segment where the government acknowledges that it violates basic and human rights. The government, he pointed out, fails to account for the fact that the bill would also violate the core principles of the major constitutional reform carried out in the 1990s. Designed to make the country a western rule-of-law state, the reform adopted human rights as part of basic rights, thus prohibiting even limited deviations from them.

The governments plan strikes at the core of the constitution, its fundamental provisions. My colleagues in the field of constitutional law are catching their breaths, he said to the public broadcasting company.

Koskenniemi estimated that the bill could nonetheless receive the requisite parliamentary support, possibly denting the global credibility of Finland. The country, he reminded, has sought to profile itself as a strong advocate and defender of rule of law.

Thered be snickering in the audience if we continued to talk the way we talked before after passing a law that violates human rights, he predicted. The rationale behind the [constitutional] reform was that basic rights and internationalisation were the core principles of our countrys identity and laws.

The controversial draft bill was published for comments on Friday.

Atte Harjanne, the chairperson of the Green Parliamentary Group, said on A-studio on Monday that the Green League is unlikely to vote for the bill, taking the same stance as the Left Alliance. The Social Democrats and Swedish Peoples Party have communicated that they will review the expert feedback before deciding on whether or not to support the bill.

The government has outlined its intention to pass the bill as urgent, a procedure that requires a five-sixths majority in parliament. Its decision to shut down border-crossing points on the eastern border will expire on 18 April 2024.

Legal experts have expressed deep reservations about the bill also to Helsingin Sanomat. Martin Scheinin, a British Academy professor at the University of Oxford, highlighted to the newspaper that the government itself acknowledged that the proposal to restrict the possibilities of arrivals to seek asylum stands in conflict with its binding human rights obligations.

The government is openly admitting that the proposed act stands in conflict  not only in so-called tension  with the human rights obligations of Finland. Nothing like this has been done before and wont be done now either, unless you first remove the text in the constitution about Finland committing to internationally protected human rights, he viewed.

Janne Salminen, a professor of public law at the University of Turku, described the draft bill as exceptional.

The government recognises that it contains major problems when it comes to international human rights obligations. At a glance, the draft is legislatively problematic and it remains to be seen whether itll develop into a government bill thats scrutinised first by the chancellor of justice and then the constitutional law committee, Salminen said to Helsingin Sanomat.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
Customs authorities have emphasized the importance of drivers with Russian-registered vehicles in Finland being able to demonstrate their legal right to use these vehicles upon request.

Following the expiration of a six-month national transition period, Finland has clarified that Russian-registered vehicles will continue to be seen on its roads legally, under certain conditions. This comes after a weekend where authorities noted the presence of three such vehicles, signaling the end of the transition period that was set in motion by EU sanctions against Russia.

This requirement came into effect immediately after the transition period ended on 15 March 2024, in accordance with a directive from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and EU sanctions.

Sami Rakshit, Director of the Enforcement Department, commented on the smooth transition over the weekend, highlighting ongoing examinations into the legality of the Russian-registered cars currently in Finland. Rakshit further explained that the continued presence of such vehicles is not only a result of the EU sanctions but also national policies accommodating exceptions, including provisions for individuals who have fled the war in Ukraine and are under international protection in Finland.

Under both EU regulations and Finnish national policy, exceptions have been outlined for the legal use of Russian-registered cars. These include vehicles owned by EU or EEA citizens with permanent residence in Russia, diplomatic vehicles, cars belonging to full-time students living permanently outside the EU, and those used by individuals working in Finland under valid fixed-term contracts. Furthermore, due to the unique circumstances brought about by the war in Ukraine, individuals under international protection in Finland are permitted to declare their Russian-registered vehicles for import into Finland until the end of March 2024, provided these vehicles entered the EU by 19 December 2023.

Authorities urge all drivers of Russian-registered vehicles in Finland to carry the necessary documentation proving their right to use such cars. This measure is designed to facilitate compliance checks by enforcement authorities and ensure that the operation of these vehicles on Finnish roads remains within the bounds of legal and regulatory frameworks. The guidelines aim to balance the enforcement of EU sanctions with practical considerations for individuals affected by the current geopolitical situation, ensuring a coherent approach to the complex issue of Russian-registered vehicles in Finland.

HT
County commission scheduled to take up 2045 comp plan Wednesday

The Henderson County Board of Commissioners could vote on adoption of a 2045 comprehensive land-use plan during its regular mid-month meeting on Wednesday morning, setting the stage for goals and policies designed to manage growth over the next 20 years.

Three years in the making, the comp plan and the commissioners' changes to the draft they received is widely believed to be one reason two incumbents lost their re-election bids two weeks ago.



The county started drafting the comp plan in July 2021 and, over the next two years, thousands of residents expressed their views in person and on line about their vision for the next two decades.

Commissioners received the Planning Boards recommended draft of the plan on Dec. 5, 2022, and held a public hearing. The board decided a month later to review the plan's goals and action steps one by one and in July 2023 began to review the draft Future Land Use Map.

The Board responded to public comment and strengthened recommendations related to agricultural preservation and edited the FLUM in the Etowah area, a staff review of the process said. The latest version of the 2045 Comprehensive Plan reflects these changes along with other changes the board discussed over several months.

The board was initially scheduled to take up the comp plan adoption on Feb. 21, 11 days before the primary election during which the two incumbents on the ballot lost their jobs. Commissioners at that time booted the agenda item to this week because, board Chair Rebecca McCall said, they agreed they needed more time to review it.

Critics have excoriated commissioners for what they described as a significant retreat from the recommendations on land conservation, farmland preservation and urban sprawl prevention that more than 7,000 survey respondents supported.

"If I were still a county commissioner, I would vote no on this plan and I urge you to vote no," Chuck McGrady, a former county commissioners and five-term state House member, told the board in April 2023. "First, the current draft fails to establish a vision for 2045 that is consistent with the views of the residents of the county," he said. "You've largely ignored what they asked you to do. Second while the surviving goals are consistent with the desires of your constituents, you pretty much deleted most of the action items by consistently replacing actionable verbs by a bunch of weasel words, rather than saying what you want staff to do following the adoption of the plan."

David Weintraub, an environmental activist who is director of the Center for Cultural Preservation, urged residents to turn out to speak against the plan's adoption.

"This is the same comp plan that contradicts everything citizens have been asking for," he said, calling the draft "a recipe for sprawl which would encourage the destruction of tree canopies, the filling of open space with more residential developments and McMansions, the continuation of inappropriate development in rural areas."
Families in New Mexico, Illinois, and Washington D.C. will now Have Access to Community Solar Through HHS Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration, through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), launched the pilot of the Clean Energy Connector, a tool that connects families to solar energy through HHS Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The first-of-its-kind software can now be used by local LIHEAP program administrators in Illinois, Washington, D.C., and New Mexico to connect community solar subscriptions to as many as 40,000 households with low incomes. Connecting LIHEAP-eligible households with community solar subscriptions will lower energy bills for families, increase access to clean energy among underserved communities, and increase equitable solar energy deployment, in support of President Bidens ambitious clean energy and Justice40 goals.

Renewable energy is by far the cheapest form of power and now, thanks to innovative solutions developed under the Biden-Harris Administration, more households across America can access the health and savings that solar power provides, said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. DOEs partnership with HHS will increase the deployment of community solar, helping thousands of families lower their energy bills and in turn reduce their energy burden, ensuring Americans across the nation are included as we transition to a clean energy economy.

LIHEAP keeps families and individuals safe and healthy by providing heating assistance in the winter and cooling assistance in the summer, said U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra. Connecting LIHEAP-eligible households with the benefits and bill-savings of community solar will also have a lasting impact and provide increased economic security for families.

After announcing the development of the software in 2022, this pilot will enable as many as 40,000 LIHEAP-eligible households in the two pilot states, plus Washington, D.C., to have access to available community solar projects. Successfully enrolled participants could see meaningful electricity bill savings, in alignment with the National Community Solar Partnership goal of 20% household savings, equal to $370 per household annually.

Solar energy is now cheaper than utility bill rates in many states. Community solar, which allows multiple customers to benefit from a shared solar energy system, provides a way for individuals who cannot access rooftop solar panels to save money on utility bills and access other benefits.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said, We cant claim to be serious about a clean energy future until its an option for everyone, not just those with the extra resources available to invest in technologies like solar. This program will expand solar to families who will see the most benefit from lower energy bills and place an equitable focus on clean energy distribution, an essential part of a sustainable future that Im grateful the Biden-Harris Administration is prioritizing.

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said, Through our participation in the Clean Energy Connector, New Mexico is reducing the burden of renewable energy costs for families around the state. New Mexico is proud to be one of the first states to pilot the Connector, and I urge other states to join us in implementing this program that is making solar available to more Americans.

Expanding who can access solar energy at home isnt just good for the environment, its good for the economy and the households that will benefit the most from lower energy costs, said Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia. Programs like the Clean Energy Connector make renewable energy more equitable and accessible and are helping build a more sustainable future for all Americans. We have seen the benefits locally of making solar power more accessible, and now we are grateful for the Biden-Harris Administrations continued investments in our clean energy infrastructure.

Approximately 5.7 million households in the United States receive LIHEAP assistance with heating costs. LIHEAP can assist eligible households with their heating and cooling costs, weatherization, and energy-related home repairs. Transitioning to solar energy can help households across the country save money on their electricity bills, but many American families face barriers to accessing these benefits, including the subscription fees.

Developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with support from the National Energy Assistance Directors Association and the National Association of State Energy Officials, the Clean Energy Connector will enable state community solar program administrators to thoroughly vet the providers, who must adhere to the state consumer protection and savings requirements to participate in the platform. Local LIHEAP and community action agencies, and county social support offices in Illinois, Washington D.C., and New Mexico assisted in the development and testing of the tool, with Colorado, New Jersey, and New York participating as advisor states. Additional states are encouraged to join DOE's webinar on April 10 to find out how to get involved.

DOE also convened an advisory group, with compensation, who provided strategic support to Connector development through 2023, including the American Public Power Association, Clean Energy States Alliance, Edison Electric Institute, National Community Action Partnership, National Consumer Law Center, National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition, National Energy Assistance Directors Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and Solar United Neighbors.

According to a report recently released by NREL, if all technically viable community solar is deployed, it could serve more than 53 million households and over 300,000 businesses in the U.S. that cannot access rooftop solar, representing nearly 1 terawatt of potential community solar capacity.

Read more about the Solar Energy Technologies Office, and National Community Solar Partnership in DOEs Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Learn more about HHS Community Solar and LIHEAP consideration.

Households looking for LIHEAP assistance should visit energyhelp.us or call 1-866-674-6327.
Leaders from HHS, White House, and health insurance companies convened to discuss ways to mitigate harms to patient and providers caused by the cyberattack.

On Monday, March 18, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm led a convening of payers to discuss concrete actions to mitigate harms to patients and providers caused by the cyberattack on Change Healthcare. White House Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden and White House Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA) for Cyber and Emerging Technologies Anne Neuberger, and others from the federal government, also participated. This was a follow-up to last weeks meeting.

Since the last meeting, HHS surveyed payers for data and information relating to actions they were taking to help providers resolve issues stemming from the cyberattack. HHS teams then worked over the weekend to review the responses.

During the meeting, Secretary Becerra and Director Tanden discussed the adjustments made to improve claims processing, but urged more support to providers who remain in need, particularly those serving vulnerable populations, rural hospitals and smaller institutions. They made clear the government and private sector must continue to work together to help providers make payroll and deliver timely care to the American people.

Deputy Secretary Palm acknowledged steady progress in reestablishing claims processing and urged insurers to target advanced payments to small, rural, and safety-net health care providers who are still voicing concerns with cash flow.

DNSA Neuberger noted the interconnectedness of the domestic health care ecosystem and the urgency of strengthening cybersecurity resiliency across the sector. She urged insurers to implement HHS voluntary HPH Cyber Performance Goals (CPGs). Noting that many payers and providers will require third party certification of the cybersecurity of Change Healthcares system before reconnecting, she encouraged United Health Group (UHG) to communicate to providers about efforts to safely secure claims systems and the timeframe for those third-party assessments.

Secretary Becerra and Deputy Secretary Palm also urged United Health Group (UHG) to connect providers to needed supports. Director Tanden urged insurers to assess their own data to determine which providers are in need of additional supports, and directly engage them.

Representatives from the participating insurance providers offered updates on their efforts to date and outlined specific actions they will be taking to resolve outstanding issues. HHS and White House leadership pressed insurers to be targeted and specific in carrying out solutions, including increasing advanced payments where needed to the providers and communities still most in need.

List of Administration participants:

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra

HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm

Neera Tanden, White House Domestic Policy Advisor

Anne Neuberger, White House Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technology

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Jonathan Blum, Principal Deputy Administrator and Chief Operating Officer, CMS

Melanie Fontes Rainer, Director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights

Brian Mazanec, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Deputy Director for Preparedness, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response

Bertha Alisia Guerrero, Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs

List of Stakeholder participants:

Alliance for Community Health Plans (ACHP)

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)

AmeriHealth Caritas

Association of Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP)

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA)

Centene

The Cigna Group

CVS Health/Aetna

Elevance

HealthCare Services Corporation

Humana

Kaiser Permanente

Medicaid Health Plans of America (MHPA)

Molina

UnitedHealth Group

These efforts are part of HHS broader cybersecurity strategy. HHS continues to urge everyone to implement the aforementioned CPGs designed to help health care organizations strengthen cyber preparedness, improve cyber resiliency, and ultimately protect patient health information and safety.

HHS Actions on Change Healthcare to Date

Once the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was notified of the cyberattack on Change Healthcare systems on February 21, 2024, HHS acted to address the impacts. The following are additional key actions taken by HHS since the last readout on Tuesday, March 12.

Additional Key Actions:
At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, India awoke not only to life and freedom but also to the mass exodus of people from and to what was then East and West Pakistan. Thus, one of the first tasks before the newly independent state was the rehabilitation of the refugees of the Partition. On what grounds was asylum  or citizenship  to be granted to them? While policy on paper was rational and reasonable, a charged communal atmosphere often led to Hindus and Sikhs returning from Pakistan getting precedence over Muslims, who after initially going to Pakistan, sought to return to India, correspondence between Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel and the relief and rehabilitation ministry, revealed.

The only legislation that governed the field was the Foreigners Act, 1946, and a decade later, the Citizenship Act, 1955  both inadequate to deal with the complications of the issue. Interestingly, neither law defines who a refugee is or on what grounds asylum may be granted.

Nearly eight decades on, as India notifies the rules of the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act, the framework to deal with refugees puts forward more questions. The CAA creates concessions for Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan seeking asylum in India. The amendment applies to the above-classified foreign persons who entered India by the cut-off date and have resided continuously in India for five years instead of 11, as required for other refugees to get citizenship, according to the citizenship rules.

Is there an internationally followed framework that should govern any law pertaining to refugees? Yes  the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, which defines who a refugee is, safeguard the right to seek asylum and protect against being forcibly returned to a country where one would face persecution (non-refoulement). However, India is not a signatory to it, which is how it was able to justify deporting the Rohingya refugees, already under political persecution, back to Myanmar in 2021.

The status of refugees who enter India is dependent on Standard Operating Procedures and regulations issued by the Union home ministry and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC), which has a limited say. Foreign nationals from Sri Lanka and Tibet have to register with the Union home ministry and all other refugees register with the UNHCR.

A question of definition

While the law does not define who a refugee is, it is clear about who an illegal migrant is. In 2003, the Centre amended the 1955 Citizenship Act to state that any foreigner staying in India without a valid document or staying beyond the permitted period was an illegal migrant. Thus, even a refugee could be counted as an illegal migrant. The Centre assured Parliament that humanitarian assistance would be provided to those fleeing persecution from their countries, but the same was not incorporated into the law.

In 2011, the Unions SOP allowed long-term visas to be granted to foreign nationals who claim to be refugees. The measure was supposed to be a stop-gap measure before the enactment of a comprehensive law on the field. Three years later, in December 2014, the SOP was modified to create four categories of Pakistani/Bangladeshi/Afghanistani nationals who could be granted long-term visas  Minority communities in these countries namely Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Buddhists; Pakistani/Bangladesh women married to Indian nationals and staying in India; Indian women married to Pakistani/Afghanistani/Bangladeshi nationals but returning due to widowhood or divorce; and Cases when the government chooses to grant citizenship out of extreme compassion.

In 2019, the government amended the Citizenship Act and carved an exception to the definition of illegal migrants for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jain, Parsis or Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

The creation of this new class of migrants on the grounds of religion by way of the amendment has been challenged before the Supreme Court as violative of the principle of equality under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and secularism. The Supreme Court has yet to decide on the constitutionality of the amendment, but it has, on occasion, gone into the status of refugees in India.

What the top court has held

On 23rd February 1955, the Supreme Court while deciding the detention of a West German national in Hans Muller of Nuremberg v. Superintendent, ruled that the Foreigners Act confers the power to expel foreigners from India. A foreign national also enjoys the protection of Article 21. However, in that case, the Court noted that the process of the detention was in consonance with the procedure established by law and did not violate Article 21.

The fundamental right of a foreigner was revisited by the Supreme Court in 1991 while deciding Mr Louis De Raedt & Others v. Union of India. The court ruled that merely because a Belgium national resided in India for many years, an intention to reside forever could not be inferred, and he did not automatically become a citizen of India.

Subsequently, in the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court in 1996 in National Human Rights Commission v. State of Arunachal Pradesh, the Court ruled that the Indian state was bound to protect the life and liberty of every human being, whether a citizen or otherwise. In this case, the National Human Rights Commission in a PIL sought to enforce the rights under Article 21 of about 65,000 Chakmas who were being persecuted in Arunachal Pradesh. The Supreme Court held that the state government was constitutionally and statutorily obligated to protect the threatened groups.

Following this ruling, the Gujarat high court in Ktaer Abbas Habib Al Qutaifi and Anr. v. Union of India in 1998 held that the principle of non-refoulement (no state shall return a refugee in any manner to a country where his or her life or freedom may be in danger) can be read under Article 21 of the Constitution. The same was reiterated by the Delhi high court in Dongh Lian Kham v. Union of India in 2015.

However, in 2021 while deciding the issue of the deportation of the Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar, the Supreme Court in Mohammad Salimullah v. Union of India, held that India was not bound by the principle of non-refoulement as it was not a signatory to the convention on refugees. The Court noted that the Rohingyas are not citizens of India, they did not enjoy the right to reside in India and could be deported in accordance with the law.

A year later, the Supreme Court came across a peculiar matter of detention of a foreign national. In Ana Parveen & Anr. v. Union of India, a habeas corpus was sought by the daughter of the detainee Mr Mohd Qamar alias Mohd Kamil, a 63-year-old man. Mohd Qamar was a Pakistani national who married an Indian citizen in 1989 and had five children in India. The spouses divorced in 2010 and in 2011 Qamar was arrested under the Foreigners Act and sentenced to three years and six months simple imprisonment. He completed his sentence on February 6, 2015. However, his nationality was not confirmed by the Pakistani government  a necessary requirement for his deportation  and thus, he continued to languish in the detention centre till 2022. The Supreme Court noted that such prolonged detention was a violation of Article 21 and if he was not a threat to national security he should be considered for a long-term visa.

Refugees enter India from several countries. Thus, instead of providing a concession to few the need of the hour was to create a cogent legal framework to safeguard the rights of refugees. The CAA has created arbitrariness in the framework governing refugees. For instance, it leaves out Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka and provides no rational explanation for favouring persons from particular religions from specific countries only. Thus, the need of the hour is to have clear legislation to regulate the issue of refugees, which will streamline the states power to grant asylum or refuse it.

Parijata Bharadwaj, a lawyer and researcher based in New Delhi, co-founded the Jagdalpur Legal Aid Group that offered legal services to adivasis in Chhattisgarh. The views expressed are personal.
Ludmila Ulitskaya began her career as a scientist at the Institute of General Genetics in Moscow. In 1970, she was fired for reading and distributing western literature in samizdat (self-published) form. Today, she is one of the most significant writers in Russia. Her works have been translated into 47 languages and have won Russias most prestigious literary awards. Ulitskaya has been vocal in her opposition to the Russia-Ukraine war, and, as a result, had to flee Russia for Berlin, Germany, where she currently lives. One of the stories in this collection features a landscape photographer who wonders if the beauty he has witnessed can triumph over decay. (Shutterstock)

168pp, 1317; Yale University Press

Her latest book, The Body of the Soul, is a collection of 11 short stories translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky (translators of the works of Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Chekhov and Bulgakov, to name a few). The stories are varied: one is about a woman who believes that the best way to control her life is to control her death; another features a landscape photographer who wonders if the beauty he has witnessed can triumph over decay; a third is about a coroner confronted by a startling physical anomaly. Other stories include one about a lonely divorcee who experiences an extraordinary transformation and another about a librarian who finds words slipping away from her.

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Remarkably, each story is equally powerful and is perfectly crafted to meet the readers expectations. This level of consistency and balance is a rare feat in collections where, usually, some stories take precedence over others.

Together, these works delve into the complexity of the human condition and the workings of fate in subtle yet profound ways. Many characters grapple with a range of complex emotions, including loss, melancholy, and a sense of disillusionment. In one, the reader meets a lonely single woman who has spent her life working hard and planning for her retirement. Having reached a point where she believes there is nothing left to live for, she decides to get some pills from the doctor and end her life. However, fate intervenes. She unexpectedly falls in love with the doctor, who is a widower. This unexpected turn of events leads her to re-evaluate her life and her choices, and she begins to see the world in a new light. The second story follows two sisters who travel to Italy after their mothers death. There, they begin to realise how much they misunderstood their mother during her lifetime.

The first five stories are centred solely around women with the unifying theme being the examination of the opposing forces that confine and liberate them. The second part of the book focuses on the relationship between the body and soul:

Daniil Andreyev was granted knowledge of the origin of souls. This question had never interested Sasha before; she had not even known about the existence of such a question. Daniil Andreyev opened her eyes. After an insistent appeal to the High Powers to reveal the origin of souls in our world  whether they had been created by the Lord God at the same time, and when were then sent down to our world as needed, or were being created constantly, along with each pregnancy, and descended to the earth as needed, as soon as new born body uttered a first peep.

One of these stories is about a woman biologist engaged in the meticulous task of extracting pineal glands from the brains of pigs. In another, a coroner dissects corpses with great care and precision to reveal hidden tumours, all the while providing vivid and sensual descriptions of the post-mortem journey of the human soul.

Author Ludmila Ulitskaya (Yale University Press)

The concept of the soul is elusive and difficult to define, despite our ability to perceive, understand, and examine the physical body. The characters in these stories ponder over profound questions  where does the soul begin and end? Is it inseparably linked with love? Is it even real, and if it is, does it outlast the body? Or is the soul and the body one and the same; are they intertwined inextricably? These stories explore intriguing questions and offer unique perspectives.

The Body of the Soul is a brilliant display of intellectual and emotional engagement that leaves a lasting impact.

Hritik Verma is an independent reviewer. He blogs at allayingart.wordpress.com. He is @Hritik38233434 on Twitter and @allayingart on Instagram
China Evergrande Groups alleged $78 billion revenue overstatement escalates the legal peril of founder Hui Ka Yan, who now stands at the center of one of the biggest financial fraud cases in history. A partially removed company logo of China Evergrande Group is seen on the facade of its headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China.(Reuters)

The nations top securities regulator said the developers onshore unit inflated revenue by recognizing sales in advance in the two years through 2020 that led up to its default. It imposed a 4.18 billion yuan ($581 million) fine against the unit.

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Evergrandes alleged fraud dwarfs that of Luckin Coffee Inc. and Enron Corp., dealing a blow to the reputation of its former auditor and the countrys financial oversight. It fuels concern about how widespread such accounting issues are, just as the new China Securities Regulatory Commission chairman is trying to tighten oversight.

The CSRC fines may serve as a warning to owners of other defaulted developers that failing to collaborate with authorities over debt restructuring could result in severe consequences, said Zerlina Zeng, senior credit analyst at Creditsights Inc.

The allegations mark the latest blow for Hui, once among Asias richest tycoons, who oversaw a sprawling empire that spanned real estate to electric vehicles. Evergrande was one of Chinas biggest developers, taking on massive debt to expand across the country as condo sales boomed. The group received a liquidation order from a Hong Kong court in January, marking the largest collapse in Chinas three-year real estate crisis.

The CSRCs action may pave the way for more serious charges against Hui, who was detained by police last year due to suspicion of illegal crimes. No criminal charges against Hui have been made public and his whereabouts arent known. The levies are administrative penalties.

The CSRC laid much of the blame on Hui, who it alleges instructed other personnel to falsely inflate annual results. The onshore unit Hengda Real Estate Group boosted its 2019 revenue by about 214 billion yuan, and another 350 billion yuan in 2020, the regulator said.

The alleged fraud is shocking in its scale, said Brock Silvers, managing director at private equity firm Kaiyuan Capital. Hui became an expected civil and criminal target as soon as Evergrande was ordered into liquidation.

As the supervisor in charge, Hui used particularly egregious means, the regulator said. Hengda was also accused of fraudulently issuing a combined 20.8 billion yuan in bonds using these figures in marketing.

Hengdas auditor in 2019 and 2020 was PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP, a mainland entity affiliated with PwCs network. PwC resigned as Evergrandes auditor in January 2023 due to audit disagreements.

The CSRCs fine against Hengda, while among the largest ever in China, trails that of the 7.1 billion yuan slapped on fintech giant Ant Group Co. for policy violations.

Hui was fined 47 million yuan for the falsified results and other alleged violations, and banned for life from capital markets activities. Other former executives Xia Haijun and Pan Darong were also among people punished with fines and market bans.

The regulatory action comes as China continues to grapple with a property downturn that has eroded economic growth and household wealth, as home sales and prices tumble. A Bloomberg gauge of China developer stocks dropped as much as 1.1% in early trading on Tuesday, taking losses to 54% in the past year.

Good Thing

Some investors welcomed the CSRCs move, seeing it as a positive step for financial regulation. This is a good thing, said Yu Yingdong, general manager at Shenzhen Cowin Asset Management Ltd. Regulators are expected to keep the pressure on in the future.

The inflated figures accounted for half of Hengdas total revenue in 2019, and 79% in 2020, according to the regulator. The developers profits were exaggerated by 63% and 87% respectively in those two years, the regulator said. Hui was responsible for delays in publishing Hengdas earnings reports and failures to disclose the lawsuits it faced, as well as unfulfilled debt payments, the CSRC added.

Once Asias second-richest man, worth $42 billion at his peak in 2017, Hui has seen his wealth plummet to about $1 billion after the developer defaulted in 2021. Evergrandes stock has tumbled and was eventually suspended from trading.

Meanwhile, another Hong Kong mansion tied to Hui has been put up for sale. The luxury property, 10E on Blacks Link in the prestigious Peak area, is seeking bidders before a tender ends on April 22, Savills Plc said in an emailed statement.
Nvidia seeks to work with more Indian businesses to tailor more country-specific artificial intelligence innovations and products, Vishal Dhupar, the MD, Asia-South of Nvidia said while talking about the company's multi-million dollar partnership with Yotta Data Services- Mumbai-based company which has invested in Nvidia's 16,000 chips. The logo of technology company Nvidia is seen at its headquarters in Santa Clara, California. Yotta Data Services haul of Nvidia chips will reach about 20,000 by June. (Reuters)

Vishal Dhupar said, We are working with multiple business houses. One which has been publicly now been announced is Yotta. They're bringing 16,000 GPUs. It's going to be the state of the art data center. It's exactly the same architecture, as we used for our own engineers. I physically saw the machines coming into the country last week. They will quickly get built up.

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Yotta Data Services making biggest bet on AI in India

Sunil Gupta, chief executive officer and co-founder of Yotta Data Services, said, Im ambitious, Im hungry. Im willing to take a bet on the future of AI. The company is aiming to offer high-performance computing capabilities from data centers in India in order to help the countrys corporations, startups and researchers to develop their own AI services. The most important part of this strategy are Nvidias chips which will be used to train large language models and building applications like OpenAIs ChatGPT and Microsoft GitHub Copilot.

Yotta Data Services' Nvidia delivery truck has arrived

Yotta Data Services' 16,000 Nvidia GPUs have been delivered. The graphics processing units run $30,000 to $40,000 each and are called Hoppers. Yottas haul of Nvidia chips will reach about 20,000 by June but still falls far behind tech giants like Microsoft Corp. who purchase them by the tens of thousands. Metas Mark Zuckerberg said he aims to get 350,000 H100s by year-end. Tata Group and Reliance Industries Ltd., which plan to develop AI infrastructure too, have yet to order Nvidias most advanced chips.

But what is Sunil Gupta's biggest worry?

Not security for sure as he said, Security?! I never thought of that! A lot of people want these.
Senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa, who has raised a banner of revolt over denial of ticket to his son to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections from Haveri, on Monday skipped Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally here, in an embarrassment to the party. KS Eshwarappa. (PTI)

The 75-year-old former Deputy Chief Minister, who has turned down the invitation to attend the event, was seen visiting maths of various communities. Eshwarappa has announced he will contest as an independent candidate from Shimoga (Shivamogga) in the coming Lok Sabha polls, blaming veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra, who is state BJP President, for his son K E Kantesh being denied ticket.

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READ | PM Modi is afraid of Mallikarjun Kharge: Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar

Yediyurappa's son and sitting MP B Y Raghavendra is the BJP candidate from Shimoga, and Eshwarappa is firm on contesting against him despite efforts by the party leaders to pacify him. Eshwarappa, a former BJP state president, Yediyurappa and former Union Minister late H N Ananth Kumar were widely credited with building the party from the grassroots in Karnataka. Yediyurapa and Eshwarappa hail from Shivamogga district.

Eshwarappa has alleged that Yediyurappa, who is a member of the Parliamentary Board, had promised Kantesh the ticket to contest from Havari but betrayed him. Yediyurappa has denied the charge, saying candidates are finalised by the party's central election committee and he had no role in it. BJP leaders, including party national general secretary and State poll in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, met Eshwarappa to persuade him to change his decision but he stood his ground.

READ | PM Modi to Karnataka voters: Wipe out Congress in Lok Sabha polls'

Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has got BJP's Haveri ticket. Eshwarappa has alleged that the BJP in Karnataka is in the clutches of the Yediyurappa family, and has claimed that his fight was to "save the party and its ideology" in the state on behalf of "hurt party workers", and to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister once again.

He has also said that several Hindutva leaders were being neglected by Yediyurappa and Vijayendra. Speaking to reporters, Vijayendra expressed confidence about the Eshwarappa revolt issue getting resolved, and said it was natural for aspirants to get upset on not getting the ticket to contest elections.

READ | BJP's Sadananda Gowda expresses displeasure over ticket denial in Karnataka

Acknowledging Eshwarappa's contribution in building and strengthening the BJP in Karnataka, he said the candidates for Lok Sabha polls were decided by the party's national leadership, and it was not his decision.
Bengaluru police on Tuesday recovered explosives near the premises of a local school near the Sarjapur main road, prompting an immediate investigation into the matter. Cops received intel that rocks were being blasted at a construction site. (Representative Image)

ALSO READ | Bengaluru Rameshwaram Cafe blast: NIA yet to detain any suspect, denies reports

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Cops have seized explosives including gelatine sticks and detonators. The suspicious items were found in an empty plot near the private school's premises. Ingredients such as gelatine are usually used in explosives meant to carry out the bursting of rocks and other heavy construction-related materials.

ALSO READ | 15 schools in Bengaluru receive bomb threat emails; Students evacuated

Cops located an abandoned tractor near temporary sheds put up for construction workers on an empty plot of land near the school. They also received intel that rocks were being blasted at a construction site, which caused further concern, leading to the discovery.

ALSO READ | Bomb threat at Delhi college, declared hoax by police

"We suspect that these could have been kept by the labourers to break rocks for constructing buildings," A police officer told news agency PTI.

The incident occurred within the Bellandur police station limits, and cops have filed a case under the Explosives Substances Act. Further probe is underway to curb illegal activities involving explosives.

(With inputs from PTI)
A farmer, who was guarding the garlic crop at his farm during the night, was found murdered on a cot in the field in Baloda Lakkha village of Badnagar in Madhya Pradeshs Ujjain district on Tuesday morning, said police. The deceased, identified as Kishan Singh Chavda, 50, was a local leader of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The farmers are hoping that the price of garlic will increase further and they guard their crop. (Representative Image)

He (Chavda) used to sleep on a farm, which is one km away from his home, to guard the garlic crop. He did not return home in the morning. The family members went to the farm and saw that he was lying on the cot and had blood stains in the upper parts of his body. The injury marks of attack with a sharp-edged weapon were found on the farmers head, said the Ujjain superintendent of police (SP), Pradeep Sharma.

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Police are investigating the matter to find out the motive behind the murder, said the SP.

The villagers told police that garlic crop has not been stolen from the field, but it could be a reason behind the rivalry.

In the past two months, the price of garlic reached 40,000 per quintal. For a long time, it had been sold for 25,000 per quintal. The production of garlic reduced especially at Mandsaur and Neemuch due to poor rainfall. In coming days, the price will increase a lot and thats why farmers are guarding the crop to save it, said Paramjeet Singh, an agricultural expert and farmers leader.

Commenting on the incident, Congress state president Jitu Patwari said, Chief minister Dr. Mohan Yadav ji, you are the home minister of the state as well. Ujjain is your home district. Most of the anarchy is happening in Ujjain district only, why?

Responding to it, BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said, Jitu Patwari should be concerned about Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh (Congress-ruled states). The murder of the farmer is an unfortunate incident, but police are doing their job, and the accused will be nabbed soon.
Following a complaint by a city-based advocate over alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was removed from a web portal for filing consumer complaints. Advocate Pankaj Chandgothia had forwarded a complaint on C Vigil app on March 18. (HT File)

Advocate Pankaj Chandgothia had forwarded a complaint on C Vigil app on March 18. The complaint mentioned: There is an Edaakhil.nic.in web portal for filing of consumer complaints across the country. Lakhs of people access it daily. The opening page of the said portal contains a poster/banner of PM Narendra Modi, who is the brand ambassador of BJP political party. It is a violation of MCC. This be immediately removed and BJP and PM Narendra Modi be barred from contesting elections for this glaring violation.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The banner had a photo of Narendra Modi, with a slogan Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas.

Following the complaint, the Chandigarh deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh and his team reached the premises of consumer court on Monday and with the help of NIC, New Delhi, they got the banner removed from the website.

Read more: PM Modi hits back at Rahul Gandhi's 'shakti' remarks: I accept the challenge'

Six flying squads to resolve complaints

On Monday, returning officer Vinay Pratap Singh disclosed that six flying squads have been deployed to handle MCC violation complaints registered through the Election Commission of Indias C-Vigil app. These squads have demonstrated remarkable efficiency in addressing grievances, with all five complaints received today being promptly resolved within an average time of 59 minutes.

One of the complaint regarding the reception of bulk WhatsApp messages purportedly sent by a department of the government of India under the banner of Viksit Bharat Sampark was found prima facie evidence of a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The matter is now referred to the Election Commission of India for appropriate action.

Read more: Priyanka defends Rahul Gandhi after attack by PM Modi over Shakti row, says

Show cause notice to Chandigarh BJP president

Chandigarh BJP president Jatinder Pal Malhotra has been issued a show cause notice by the returning officer Vinay Pratap Singh for alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct. The notice pertains to the installation of name plates bearing the title Modi Ka Parivar in certain residences of Maloya village.

The state BJP President has been instructed to either provide evidence of permission from the residents, owners, or occupants of these private houses by 3 pm on March 19 or to remove the name plates in question. Failure to comply with this directive will result in appropriate action being taken for the violation of the MCC.

Ahead of polls, MC chief issues directions

To ensure free and fair Lok Sabha polls in the Chandigarh, municipal commissioner Anindita Mitra on Monday issued directions to councillors and political leaders to not monopolise the community centres, as per directions of Election Commission of India on the Model Code of Conduct.

Read more: Priyanka defends Rahul Gandhi after attack by PM Modi over Shakti row, says

In the letter addressed to councillors, sitting MP Kirron Kher and all party presidents, Mitra said, Public buildings, such as community centres, should not be monopolised by party in power or its candidates, but these should be available to all parties and their candidates in free, fair and transparent manner. As per the orders of the ECI, even the causal meetings by members of political parties at community centres are not permitted and it shall be deemed a violation of the code of conduct.

It has also been directed by the Commission that community centres shall not be set up as campaign office or for holding any public meeting for the purposes of election propaganda. Also, no political meeting shall be allowed in any government accommodation, Mitra said.

Mitra also directed superintendent engineer to ensure that no photographs or images of the political functionaries, who may have deep influence on the minds of the electors and many of whom are still active in public life with their high possibility of contesting the upcoming elections, should not be displayed in any government building or premise of MC Chandigarh since it would have the effect of disturbing the level playing field vis-a-vis political functionaries of other parties and candidates.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) submitted a memorandum to chief electoral officer Manisha Garg urging him to continue with 1,500 per month financial assistance to women in the age bracket between 18 and 60 years under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) submitted a memorandum to chief electoral officer Manisha Garg on Tuesday. (Aqil Khan/HT)

Shimla ex-mayor Sanjay Chauhan led the partys delegation that submitted a memorandum for the continuation of the scheme. We, on behalf of the CPI (M) Himachal Pradesh State Committee, have come before your good self in a preventive capacity so that lakhs of women in our state are not denied their right to receive pension as notified by the state government on March 13, 2024, before the notification to the Lok Sabha elections made by the Election Commission of India, read the memorandum.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The CPI (M) is aware a complaint has been made with a political motive just to satisfy the political philosophy of their party to deny pension of 1,500 per month to all eligible women above the age of 18 years. You are also aware that Himachal Pradesh has the highest percentage of working women in the country and the nature of work carried out by them is mainly agricultural which is passing through a deep agrarian crisis. This is the primary reason for more than 50% of women being victims of anaemia in the state, denying them pension would be a gross injustice and also against the tenants of the Constitution of India violating Article 21  right to life and liberty, the letter read, requesting the CEC to ignore the complaint against the state government.
Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, came out in support of Satyendar Jain, even as their party colleague surrendered on Monday evening and returned to Tihar Jail, hours after the Supreme Court rejected his plea seeking regular bail. Satyendar Jain leaves his house for Tihar Jail on Monday. (ANI)(HT_PRINT)

Ex-minister Jain, 59, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 30, 2022, for alleged money laundering. He was granted interim bail by the apex court on May 26, 2023, on health grounds, and had been out since then after several extensions to the interim bail.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Meanwhile, here is how AAP leaders reacted:

Arvind Kejriwal: The AAP national convenor called Jain a hero for all Dilli wallas' (people of Delhi).

He (Jain) made arrangements for providing 24x7 electricity, free electricity, good govt hospitals and mohalla (community) clinics. Feel extremely sad for him and his family. God bless him, the Delhi chief minister posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Atishi: The Kalkaji legislator, a minister in the Kejriwal-led government, simply wrote Heart breaking along with broken heart and sad face emojis.

Saurabh Bharadwaj: The Greater Kailash MLA, also a minister the Union territory (UT) government, lashed out at the Centre's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Just see the (low) level of BJP's politics. The person who gave the fantastic mohalla clinics to Delhi, has been sent to jail. It is extremely saddening, Bharadwaj wrote on the social media platform.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has challenged the summons issued to him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the agencys probe into the Delhi excise case. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal arrives at Rouse Avenue Court at DDU Marg in New Delhi on March 16. (Sanchit Khanna/HT photo)

Kejriwals petition will be heard by a bench of justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain on Wednesday.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Kejriwals move to the high court came three days after he was granted bail by the additional chief metropolitan magistrate (ACMM) Divya Malhotra on March 16 in the case based on the two complaints filed by ED against him for allegedly disobeying the probe agencys summons in the case.

Read more: AAP's Satyendar Jain returns to Tihar Jail, party calls him a hero

ED had filed two complaints on February 3 and March 6 against Kejriwal seeking initiation of prosecution under section 174 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), for not appearing before the investigators despite repeated summons issued to him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Under section 174 of the IPC, the person not appearing on the summons issued by a public servant shall be punished with imprisonment up to one month and a fine of 500.

Read more: Union Minister retracts Tamilians' claim on Bengaluru blast case suspect

The federal investigating agency has till date issued nine summons to Kejriwal, asking him to join the investigation being conducted in the alleged money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy case -- on March 4, February 26, February 19, February 2, January 18, January 3, and December 22 and November 2 last year. On Sunday, the probe agency had issued fresh summons to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asking him to appear before it on March 21 for questioning.

To be sure, the sessions court on March 15 had refused to stay the summons issued by the magistrate court while taking cognisance of the two complaints moved by the federal anti money laundering agency.

Read more: Media persons, people in essential services can vote using postal ballots: ECI

Kejriwal had earlier written a letter to the ED, terming the summonses as illegal and politically motivated. He alleged they were aimed at preventing him from campaigning in elections.

.
ksandeep.kumar@livehindustan.com Despite knowing the uphill battle he faced against the popular Nehru, Lohia fearlessly campaigned with full vigour. (File)

PRAYAGRAJ: Renowned as the epicentre of Indian politics, the parliamentary constituencies of Allahabad and Phulpur have consistently attracted political stalwarts from diverse ideological backgrounds. These twin seats of Prayagraj (formerly known as Allahabad) hold significant historical importance and helped these stalwarts to bolster their standing within the Indian political landscape.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

While some of these leaders faced setbacks, many successfully ascended to prominent positions in politics. Among them are luminaries such as Ram Manohar Lohia, an advocate of socialist ideology, Kanshi Ram, a champion for Dalits and the marginalised, and Sonelal Patel, who took up the cause to uplift the Kamera community.

Ram Manohar Lohia contested the 1962 elections from Phulpur, with the UP Committee of the Socialist Party fielding him against then prime minister Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru. Despite knowing the uphill battle he faced against the popular Nehru, Lohia fearlessly campaigned with full vigour. In a remarkable feat, Lohia managed to defeat Nehru at 35 polling stations, showcasing the magic of his personality. Ultimately, Nehru emerged victorious, securing 1,18,931 (61.62%) votes, while Lohia garnered 54,360 (28.17%) votes, placing second.

Similarly, Kanshi Ram, often dubbed as the messiah of the Dalits and the deprived, founded the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the political integration and upliftment of the Bahujans. He contested elections from both the Phulpur and Allahabad seats, although he failed to win on any of the seats.

In 1988, Kanshi Ram contested the Allahabad seat against Vishwanath Pratap Singh, who had exposed the Bofors scam and contested as an independent candidate after being expelled from the Congress. Singh won the election with 2,02,996 votes, while Kanshi Ram secured an impressive 69,517 votes but finished in third place.

Kanshi Ram again contested from the Phulpur seat in the 1996 elections, where Jang Bahadur Singh Patel of the Samajwadi Party emerged victorious with 1,62,844 (29.41%) votes. Kanshi Ram secured the second position with 1,46,823 (26.51%) votes.

Similarly, Sonelal Patel, who advocated for the rights of the backward Kamera community, contested elections from the Phulpur seat from 1996 to 2009. In the 1996 general elections, he secured only 2,426 (0.44%) votes and finished in ninth place.

In the 1998 elections, he improved his performance, securing fourth place with 42,152 (6.27%) votes. Despite an increase in votes to 1,27,780 (18.79%) in the 1999 general elections, he maintained his position at fourth place. In the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, he received 80,388 votes and again finished fourth. In the 2009 election, Sonelal Patel garnered 76,699 (13.9%) votes but remained in third place.

Prayagraj holds a unique position in Indian politics. Thats why people from outside choose to contest elections here, seeking broader acceptance. These leaders recognise that contesting elections elsewhere may not afford them the same level of importance as they receive by contesting from Prayagraj, said Pro Badri Narayan, a distinguished political analyst and director of the Govind Ballabh Pant Social Sciences Institute.
The Office of the Ministry of Education recently released a letter titled 'Announcement of the Implementation of the First Batch of Lists of Junior College-Level Higher Education Institutions for 2024,' disclosing the list of junior college-level higher education institutions newly approved by provincial governments. Among them, Anhui Province will add three colleges, namely Wuhu Medical and Health Vocational College, Wuhu Aviation Vocational College, and Bengbu Urban Rail Transit Vocational College, all of which are private colleges. According to the Anhui Business Daily, on November 27, 2023, the Anhui Provincial Department of Education publicly announced its intention to approve the establishment of these three higher vocational schools. According to the website of the Wanzhi District People's Government in Wuhu City, Wuhu Aviation Vocational College is a privately owned for-profit institution located on Nanhu Road in the Wanzhi District of Wuhu City. It covers a total area of 721.5 mu and has an estimated enrollment capacity of about 10,000 students. The investment in this project is made by Beijing Zhonggong Future Group Co., Ltd. The college's professional layout is mainly focused on aviation transportation and aviation equipment-related majors, supplemented by high-tech fields such as electronic information technology and finance and trade. The initial set of majors includes civil aviation transportation services, flight attendants, unmanned aerial vehicle application technology, intelligent manufacturing equipment technology, cross-border e-commerce, and software technology. It is expected to expand to 15 majors by 2027 in response to the needs of economic and social development. Wuhu Medical and Health Vocational College is a private nonprofit institution located at No. 3 Binhu Avenue in the Wanzhi District of Wuhu City. The college is organized by Anhui Huaqiang Dabieshan Education Investment Co., Ltd. The college's educational model focuses on full-time general higher education while also incorporating vocational training. Bengbu Urban Rail Transit Vocational College is located at 985 Longhua Road, Huaishang District, Bengbu City. The college occupies 650 mu of land and has a total construction area of 350,000 square meters. According to the official WeChat account of Bengbu Rail Transit, the college's initial set of majors includes urban rail transit mechatronics technology, urban rail transit communication and signaling technology, urban rail transit operation and management, computer application technology, e-commerce, big data and accounting.

Source: anhuinews.com
The Bombay high court on Tuesday convicted former Mumbai Police encounter specialist Pradeep Rameshwar Sharma and sentenced him to life imprisonment for eliminating Ramnarayan Gupta aka Lakhan Bhaiyya, an alleged member of the Chhota Rajan gang, in a fake encounter at the Nana Nani Park in Versova in November 2006. The Bombay high court. (HT File Photo)

The division bench of justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice Gauri Godse reversed his acquittal, and upheld convictions and life terms handed down to 13 other accused in the case, including another encounter specialist Pradeep Suryavanshi, for kidnapping the victim from Vashi in Navi Mumbai along with his friend Anil Bheda and bringing them to the city.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

According to senior advocate Rajeev Chavan, who represented the prosecution, Lakhan Bhaiyya and Bheda were picked up by a Mumbai Police team from the latters house in Vashi and was killed on November 11, 2006 in Mumbai. The police claimed Lakhan Bhaiyya, who was 38 at the time, had cases of murder, extortion and attempted murder registered against him.

On July 12, 2013, the Mumbai sessions court had acquitted Sharma, the prime accused, and convicted some police personnel, including Suryavanshi, and a few private individuals, sentencing them to life imprisonment. While the court acquitted six other accused in the case, the case against two abated as they expired during pendency of the appeals before the high court.

Acting on a petition filed by the victims brother and advocate Ramprasad Gupta, the HC had in February 2008 ordered a magisterial enquiry into the killing. On August 11, 2008, a metropolitan magistrate submitted the report, concluding that the encounter was fake, and it was nothing but a cold-blooded murder.

On September 13, 2009, the high court constituted a Special Investigation Team and appointed IPS officer KMM Prasanna, the then deputy commissioner of police (Zone IX) to investigate the matter.

On April 3, 2010, the SIT filed a charge sheet against 22 accused, revealing that his former partner, real estate agent Janardhan Bhange, who had disputes with Lakhan Bhaiyya over some joint land transactions, had allegedly given a contract to Sharma and Suryavanshi to eliminate his rival, and the cop duo involved the other accused to carry out the encounter.

Bheda, a crucial witness in the case, went missing from Vashi on March 13, 2011, a few days prior to his scheduled testimony before the trial court. His decomposed body was later found in Manor area of Thane.

Apart from the two encounter specialists, the case involves assistant police inspectors Dilip Palande and Nitin Sartape, police sub-inspectors Arvind Sarvankar, Ganesh Harpude, Pandurang Kokam, four police constables, including Vinayak Shinde  an accused in the Antilia explosives scare and subsequent murder of Thane trader Mansukh Hiran  and 11 private individuals who worked for the two encounter specialists.
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday reversed the acquittal of former encounter specialist Pradeep Rameshwar Sharma and sentenced him to life imprisonment for eliminating Ramnarayan Gupta aka Lakhan Bhaiyya, an alleged member of the Chhota Rajan gang, in a fake encounter at Nana Nani Park in Versova in November 2006. The court also upheld the conviction of 12 other policemen and one private individual but acquitted six others. Mumbai, India - October 1, 2019: Pradeep Sharma Shiv Sena MLA candidates during interview at Shiv Sena Office, Nallasopara in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, October 1, 2019. (Photo by Pramod Thakur/ Hindustan Times) (Hindustan Times)

In the facts and circumstances, we hold that the finding of acquittal recorded by the trial court despite there being overwhelming evidence pointing to the complicity of OA1 (Sharma) in the crime was clearly perverse and unsustainable, the division bench of justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse said while striking down the trial court order acquitting the 63-year-old former cop. The bench held Sharma guilty of conspiracy to kidnap and murder the victim and ordered him to surrender before the sessions court within three weeks to serve his prison term.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Read more: Union Minister retracts Tamilians' claim on Bengaluru blast case suspect

The sessions court had, on July 12, 2013, acquitted Sharma, but convicted 13 other police personnel including Pradeep Suryavanshi, another encounter specialist, and eight private individuals; all of them were sentenced to life imprisonment.

In its 876-page order, the high court bench said the trial court had relied on the ballistic report to convict Suryawanshi and assistant inspector Dilip Panlande, yet refused to use the evidence against Sharma. Though the report had indicated that one of the three bullets retrieved from the victims body was fired from Sharmas service revolver, it was discarded by the trial court as former cop had questioned the credentials of the ballistic expert.

Read more: Adhir Ranjan's Sandeshkhali reference on TMC's SC-monitored LS polls demand

The bench also noted the presence of other overwhelming evidence such as call detail records showing an unusually high number of calls between Sharma, the leader of the squad, and other policemen convicted in the case.

While overturning Sharmas acquittal, the bench upheld the conviction of 12 other police personnel sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court. They included police inspector Pradeep Suryawanshi, assistant inspectors Nitin Gorakhnath Sartape and Dilip Sitaram Palande, sub-inspectors Ganesh Ankush Harpude and Anand Balaji Patade, and constables Pandurang Ganpat Kokam, Sandip Hemraj Sardar, Tanaji Bhausaheb Desai, Ratnakar Gautam Kamble, Vinayak Babasaheb Shinde, Devidas Gangaram Hari Sakpal and Prakash Ganpat Kadam, and Hitesh Shantilal Solanki; all of them were involved in kidnapping the victim from Vashi and killing him in a fake encounter.

Read more: Former diplomat Taranjit Sandhu joins BJP, Jaishankar sends confidence message

The circumstances on record, when taken together on their face value, clearly indicate the meeting of minds between the conspirators for the intended object of committing an illegal act (to kill Lakhan Bhaiyya), the bench said while upholding their convictions.

The bench also set aside convictions of six private individuals  Shailendra Pandey, Akhil Shirin Khan, Manoj Mohan Raj, Sunil Ramesh Solanki, Mohamad Shaikh and Suresh Manjunath Shetty, setting them free.

The cases against assistant police inspector Arvind Arjun Sarvankar and real estate agent Janardan Tukaram Bhanage, who gave the contract to eliminate his former partner to Sharma and Suryawanshi, died during pendency of appeals.

Embed: Probe into Anil Bheda murder a travesty of justice

The high court expressed immense displeasure over the fact that Anil Bheda, a crucial witness in the Lakhan Bhaiyya fake encounter case, went missing from Vashi on March 13, 2011, a few days prior to his scheduled testimony before the trial court; later, his decomposed body was found in the Manor area of Thane district. Though a case was registered in connection with Bhedas alleged murder, the court pulled up the state CID, which is investigating the matter, for not making any progress.

It is a matter of shame that more than a decade has lapsed, but there is no progress in the case. It is extremely unfortunate that a prime eyewitness in this case, Anil Bheda, lost his life before his evidence could be recorded and to date, the perpetrators have not been booked and are obviously looming large, said the bench.

It is travesty of justice for the family. The police, whose duty it is to uphold the law and to find the perpetrators of the crime, have hardly taken any pains to trace them. It is important for the police to investigate and to take the case to its logical end, lest people lose faith in the system, the bench added.
A debate organised by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at the Gauhati University campus in Assam on Monday turned violent after a group of students opposed it, police said adding that they had to intervene to control the situation. The ABVP, which organised the debated, alleged that a group of students initially attempted to create obstacles in the debate and later they attacked the organisers. (Representative Image)

According to police, after an argument, students started fighting with each other, resulting in at least six of them being injured. However, the injuries were minor, and the students were released from the hospital after initial treatment, police said.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

The ABVP on Monday organised a debate at their State Students Leaders Conference at the Birinchi Kumar Barua Auditorium of Gauhati University. According to the ABVP, a group of students initially attempted to create obstacles in the debate and later they attacked the organisers.

However, the protesting students claimed that ABVP members were making derogatory remarks and targeting some sections of society. This is an educational institute and students politics has certain limits, said a student.

The university authorities said that they will investigate the matter and actions will be taken if required.

The rules of CAA were announced by the central government on March 11 and several discussions are happening across Assam regarding the importance and impact of the law.

Parliament passed the law in December 2019, which paves the way for citizenship to undocumented Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.
Bihar Board 12th Result 2024 Live Updates: Bihar School Examination Board or BSEB will declare Bihar Board 12th Result or BSEB Intermediate (Class 12th) final examination results soon. The results, when announced, can be checked on biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in. The Bihar Board 12th results will be available on hindustantimes.com as well. According to a senior official, Class 12th results are expected after March 21 and before Holi. The exact date and time of Bihar board (BSEB) 12th or Inter results will be confirmed by the board soon....Read More

The result can be checked through the link given below.

BSEB Bihar board 12th result on HT portal

Students can check the Bihar 12th result date on X(Twitter) and Facebook pages of the board after the announcement.

The formal announcement of the BSEB Inter results will be made through a press conference at the BSEB head office. Names of Bihar board 12th toppers, pass percentage, number of students, gender-wise results, information on scrutiny, compartment examination, etc., will be shared in the result press conference.

Follow this live blog for the BSEB Bihar board 12th results 2024 date and time and all other important updates.
SSC GD Answer Key 2024 Live Updates: The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) will release answer keys of the Constable GD examination on the official website, ssc.gov.in. Latest Update is that SSC GD Constable 2024 re-exam will be conducted. The examination will be conducted on March 30, 2024 for certain venues/shifts/dates....Read More

The computer-based examination (CBE) for Constable vacancies in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), SSF, and Rifleman (GD) in the Assam Rifles recruitment examination was held from February 14 to March 7. The tentative answer keys are expected next. Candidates can check SSC GD answer keys inside the commission's website's Answer Key tab.

Direct link to download SSC GD Constable answer key (not released yet)

Through SSC GD 2024, a total of 26,146 vacancies will be filled in various user organisations. These are:

BSF: 6,174 vacancies

CISF: 11,025

CRPF: 3,337

SSB: 635

ITBP: 3,189

AR: 1,490

SSF: 296.

After releasing the answer keys, the commission will invite objections from the candidates. Objections will be reviewed, and the final answer key and results will be prepared. Candidates who qualify in the computer-based examination can appear for the Physical Standard Test (PST), Physical Efficiency Test (PET), Medical Examination and Document Verification rounds in the upcoming stages.

Follow this live blog for the latest SSC GD 2024 answer key updates.
In the realm of creative arts, the UK has stood as a cornerstone, nurturing and producing globally acclaimed artists across diverse disciplines for centuries. Artists like David Bowie, Adele, and the Beatles revolutionised music while directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Christopher Nolan reshaped the cinematic landscape. (Unsplash)

Artists like David Bowie, Adele, and the Beatles revolutionised music while directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Christopher Nolan reshaped the cinematic landscape. Many of these iconic figures honed their craft within the UK's esteemed institutions.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Actors like Sir Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, products of the UK's renowned drama schools, exemplified the calibre of talent nurtured within these institutions.

For individuals who want to create their own niche in the realm of the arts, the UK stands as a beacon for aspiring artists. This is why, as per UCAS data, there was a 6% increase in applications for design, creative, and performing arts degrees in the UK for the academic year 2021-22, with over 271,000 students seeking to explore these diverse fields of study.

Here are five compelling reasons why the UK stands out as an exceptional destination for pursuing creative arts:

Honing Skills and Talent

There are more than 1,500 art and design degrees in the UK, and four of the best-performing arts universities in the world  the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

These programs cover film, music, drama, dance, animation, fine art, graphic design, 3D design, creative writing and screenwriting, offered across universities, colleges, and specialised conservatoires. The modular teaching structure allows for specialisation as students progress, often resulting in quicker graduation compared to other educational systems.

Modular Learning

The modular structure of UK education allows students to specialise progressively. This not only streamlines the learning process but also provides the opportunity to graduate faster than in other countries.

The emphasis on creativity starts from day one, fostering academic rigor while encouraging exploration across disciplines, enabling students to carve their unique career paths.

Thriving Creative Arts Industry

The UK's creative heritage spans millennia, contributing to an industry now valued at 100 billion.

Whether it's the multicultural vibrancy of London or the artistic heritage of Edinburgh, the diversity within the UK fuels creativity. With an expansive sector that employs two million people, 75% of whom work outside London, the country offers a vibrant ecosystem for creative exploration. Festivals, galleries, gigs, and independent cinemas pepper the landscape, ensuring a constant source of inspiration beyond the classroom.

Unlocking Opportunities

Numerous scholarships and bursaries cater to overseas students pursuing creative arts courses, offering financial aid from both private organizations and universities.

The Charles Wallace India Trust and Commonwealth Scholarships are also available, providing additional avenues for funding. Moreover, UK graduates are among the most employable globally, with a growing array of career opportunities in fields ranging from dance and music to various roles in the film industry.

Global Platform for Artistic Talent

From West End theatres to avant-garde galleries, the country teems with opportunities for aspiring artists to showcase their talents.

London stands as a global epicenter for the arts, hosting renowned events like the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the Turner Prize exhibition. These platforms not only provide exposure but also serve as launchpads for emerging artists to make their mark on the international stage.

Also, upon completion of undergraduate or master's degrees, international students can apply for the Graduate Route, allowing them to work in the UK for two years. This not only facilitates the practical application of their acquired skills but also offers a platform for global networking and career advancement.

Also Read: Top 10 US Liberal Arts Colleges in 2024 ranked by U.S. News & World Report

Conclusion

The amalgamation of premier institutions, rich cultural heritage, industry opportunities, and post-graduate prospects renders the UK an unparalleled hub for those seeking a career in the creative arts.

From leveraging state-of-the-art equipment to benefiting from cross-disciplinary collaborations, students find themselves equipped not just with artistic prowess but also with the necessary skills for global success. By choosing the UK as a launching pad for their creative aspirations, individuals open doors to a world of artistic innovation and boundless possibilities.

(Authored by Rittika Chanda Parruck MBE, Director Education India, British Council. Views are personal)
There were rumours that director Atlee and actor Salman Khan will team up for a film soon. There was also speculation that he and his brother, actor-filmmaker Arbaaz Khan met with the director recently to discuss the film. In an interview with Mid Day, Arbaaz clarified these rumours. (Also Read: Is Salman Khan launching nephew Arhaan Khan? Arbaaz Khan responds to 'rumours') Arbaaz Khan spoke in a recent interview and stated that Salman Khan is not working with Atlee

Ive never seen Atlee

When Arbaaz was asked by the publication if he and Salman recently met Atlee to discuss a film, he said, It's just a rumour that Salman, Atlee and I have met. I've never met Atlee in my life. I've never seen him, forget meeting him. Until you hear from the horse's mouth, you shouldn't believe (the rumours) too much. Atlee had recently debuted in Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan, and fans were thrilled at the prospect of Salman potentially teaming up with the director.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Nothing has been decided

Arbaaz was also asked about the potentiality of making Dabangg 4, despite Dabangg 3 not performing as well as the first two parts. Abhinav Kashyap had directed the first part while Arbaaz directed the second part and Prabhu Deva directed the third.

When asked if a fourth part is in the works and if he will direct it, Arbaaz said, Right now, both of us are in the middle of our (upcoming projects). He has (to shoot) a film with Sajid Nadiadwala. Salman is certain that he wants to do Dabangg 4, as am I. We will do it when the time is right. I don't know if I will direct it. I would love to, but it hasn't been decided yet.

Upcoming work

Arbaaz was last seen in the 2023 film Farrey and was recently in the news for marrying makeup artist Shura Khan. Salman was last seen in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan and Tiger 3, apart from a cameo in Pathaan.

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Unarguably one of the most well-known actors in Bollywood, Kareena Kapoor, entered the film industry alongside Abhishek Bachchan in JP Dutta's Refugee (2000). The film not only got critical acclaim but also won her a Filmfare Award For Best Female Debut. In an interview with Rediff in May 2000, a month before she made her acting debut, Kareena had opened up about her relationship with Abhishek and her take on his father, actor Amitabh Bachchan. Also read: When Kareena Kapoor thought Amitabh Bachchan was evil Kareena Kapoor praised her first co-star Abhishek Bachchan in a 2000 interview.

Kareena called Abhishek 'one of my closest friends'

When asked how she would 'rate Abhishek Bachchan in the film (Refugee)', Kareena had said, As an actor, he is better, at least I find him a thousandfold better... His father (Amitabh Bachchan) was the best, but he is going to be better than the best. I am sure about it. As a person, he is wonderful, he is one of my closest friends.

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Abhishek Bachchan in stills from his debut film Refugee. The film also marked the debut of Kareena Kapoor.

Kareena on her chemistry with Abhishek

Kareena also recalled her first-ever scene in Refugee. She said, "It was a romantic scene between Abhishek and me. We were very comfortable from day one because he is part of my family and a close friend of mine. The chemistry was there right from the word go."

Karisma Kapoor was about to marry Abhishek

In the early 2000s, there was a brief period when Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena's elder sister, Karisma Kapoor, were reportedly all set to marry. Karisma was seen with the Bachchan family at events.

Eventually, Karisma and Abhishek parted ways and married other people  he married actor Aishwarya Rai in 2007, while Karisma tied the knot with Delhi-based businessman Sunjay Kapur in 2003. They have a daughter, Samaira (born in 2005), and a son, Kiaan (born in 2010). Karisma and Sunjay divorced in 2016.

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Ever since Daniel Craig announced that he would bow out of the spy franchise after his film No Time to Die (2021), speculation has been rife over who would succeed him as James Bond. As per a new report by The Sun, British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been formally offered the job as the new James Bond, although no casting announcements have been made yet. Also read | Daniel Craig has no time to think about the next James Bond: 'Not my problem' British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been formally offered the job as the new James Bond, as per a new report. (AP)

New James Bond

Per the report, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is expected to accept the role as 007, taking over from Daniel Craig, who has played MI6s most famous spy for 15 years. A source told the outlet, Bond is Aarons job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back."

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According to report, the banner Eon Productions is hoping to start filming the 26th Bond movie later this year, and 33-year-old Aaron Taylor-Johnson, whose credits include Kick-Ass, Tenet and Bullet Train, is the top choice for the role. The source added, "As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.

Aaron was in the running for the role alongside actors such as Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy, Idris Elba, Henry Cavill and James Norton. In 2022, it was first reported that Aaron had secretly screen tested for Bond movie supremo Barbara Broccoli at Pinewood Studios.

Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time to Die.

About Bond 26

Though few details about Bond 26 have been revealed yet  likely because they havent even been figured out yet  its confirmed to be in the works. Now, The Sun insiders confirmed a script was currently being worked on, with production scheduled to take place at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

Other actors linked to James Bond role

The key question surrounding Bond 26 is who will play James Bond after Daniel Craig. Some of the biggest names in the conversation have been tossed around for years, including Idris Elba (The Suicide Squad) and Tom Hardy (Venom). Idris Elba has said he doesnt want the role publicly, although hes glad to be fancasted so often. Another choice for the next James Bond appeared to be Henry Cavill, who is most known for playing Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher and Superman in the DCEU.

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Anne Hathaway is back with a rom-com! The actor's latest feature The Idea of You recently premiered at the SXSW 2024 and opened to great reviews, with unanimous praise for the Oscar-winning actor. Ahead of the release of The Idea of You, let us take a look at five of her best roles in her decades-long career. (Also read: The Idea of You first reviews: Anne Hathaway-Nicholas Galitzine's rom-com debuts with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score) How many of these Anne Hathaway films have you seen?

The Devil Wears Prada

The 2024 SAG Awards saw one of the most anticipated reunions of all time with Anne, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt coming together present the award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. In The Devil Wears Prada, Anne plays Andrea Andy Sachs, the newbie who gets to work directly under editor-in-chief of Runway magazine, played by Meryl. Anne navigates through the pangs of anxiety, fear and embarrassments with a sharp sense of relatability. And her getting a dressing down from Miranda for giggling at a minor crisis remains an all-timer that never fails to make us laugh and shudder in equal measure.

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The Princess Diaries

No Anne Hathaway list can be complete without the mention of The Princess Diaries and that's a fact! Anne was radiant and charming as ever as Mia Thermopolis, the shy American teenager who discovers that she is the heiress to the throne of a European kingdom. It is a true star-making turn and Anne's chemistry with Julie Andrews remains unforgettable.

The Intern

The Intern, directed by Nancy Meyers, tells the story of a 70-year-old widower named Ben Whittaker (played by Robert De Niro) who is hired as a senior intern at an online fashion site run by Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway). Anne brings great charm and poise to her character, careful enough not to turn her into some improbable nice-boss archetype.

Ocean's Eight

Daphne Kluger from Ocean's Eight could have been annoying and unlikeable if not for the hilarious turn from Anne Hathaway. She gives the most wackiest performance in the film brimming with a terrific ensemble cast. Daphne is mean and arrogant, has her bad day at the Met Gala out of all places, and turns into someone else entirely- all just for fun! Anne runs away with the part, and how!

Rachel Getting Married

Certainly the most compelling performance of Anne Hathaway's career came in Rachel Getting Married, the masterful drama directed by Jonathan Demme. As Kym Buchman, a woman fresh out of rehab to attend the marriage of her older sister, she is awkward and full of grief, unable to fit in within the family dynamic. Anne brings tremendous depth and sensitivity to the part, which deservedly earned her the first Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Special Mention: Eileen, Love and Other Drugs, Les Miserables, Brokeback Mountain

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The director of The Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer, who won Best International Feature at the Oscars has angered many jews with this acceptance speech. During his note of thanks he connected the films theme of dehumanisation to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Director Jonathan Glazer wins the Oscar for Best International Feature Film for "The Zone of Interest" of United Kingdom during the Oscars show at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 10, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake(REUTERS)

"Our film shows where dehumanisation leads at its worst," said Glazer. "Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation, which has led to conflict for so many innocent peoplewhether the victims of October 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gazaall the victims of this dehumanisation, how do we resist?

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The film "The Zone of Interest shows the life of a Nazi commander's family living near the horrifying Auschwitz concentration camps and won two Academy Awards, despite controversy surrounding Glazer's speech.

Glazer's speech faced severe backlash from various A-list celebrities like Debra Messing, Julianna Margulies, and Michael Rapaport, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tovah Feldshuh, Lisa Edelstein, Brett Gelman; top producer Amy Pascal; and filmmakers Eli Roth and Rod Lurie.

How did the executive producers of Jonathan Glazer's film express disagreement with his views?

Even one of the films' executive producers, Danny Cohen, disagreed with Glazer. Simply saying, "I just fundamentally disagree with Jonathan."

"Its really important to recognize its upset a lot of people and a lot of people feel upset and angry about it. And I understand that anger frankly," Cohen said on the Unholy podcast. "The war and the continuation of the war is the responsibility of Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization which continues to hold and abuse the hostages which doesnt use its tunnels to protect the innocent civilians of Gaza but uses it to hide themselves and allow Palestinians to die. I think the war is tragic and awful and the loss of civilian life is awful, but I blame Hamas for that.

Holocaust Survivors Foundation angry with Glazer

The Holocaust Survivors Foundation condemned Glazer's speech, stating it to be "morally indefensible in an open letter.

"I watched in anguish Sunday night when I heard you use the platform of the Oscars ceremony to equate Hamas's maniacal brutality against innocent Israelis with Israel's difficult but necessary self-defence in the face of Hamas's ongoing barbarity. Your comments were factually inaccurate and morally indefensible," Holocaust Survivors Foundation USA president 94-year-old Holocaust survivor David Schaecter wrote to Glazer.

"The occupation of which you speak has nothing to do with the Holocaust. The Jewish people's existence and right to live in the land of Israel predates the Holocaust by hundreds of years. Today's political and geographic landscape is the direct result of wars started by past Arab leaders who refused to accept Jewish people as their neighbors in our historic homeland. Now that several Arab countries are making peace with Israel because security and prosperity are better for all people, Iran and its terrorist proxies started another war, abetted by too many, who, through naivete or malice, blame the occupation.

"Worse is that you chose to use the Holocaust to validate your personal opinion. You made a Holocaust movie and won an Oscar. And you are Jewish. Good for you. But it is disgraceful for you to presume to speak for the six million Jews, including one and half million children, who were murdered solely because of their Jewish identity," Schaecter continued. "And it is disgraceful for you to presume to speak for those of us who personally saw the world stand silent as our mothers, father, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were murdered. We actually had nowhere to go - no possible place for refuge.

No country would accept us even though world leaders knew full well that thousands of Jews were being murdered every day. There was no Jewish nation to which we could flee. You should be ashamed of yourself for using Auschwitz to criticize Israel."
Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri's recent photo is causing a stir online. Their cute selfie, in which the actors are seen getting close, was recently shared by Ayo on Instagram Stories to mark St Patricks Day. The two sat together on a staircase as Ayo wrapped her arms around Pauls shoulder. Also read | The Bear's Ayo Edebiri acknowledges past jokes at Jennifer Lopez's expense: Its wrong to run your mouth' Ayo Edebiri and Paul Mescal's selfie together (left) celebrating St Patrick's Day created buzz around their rumoured relationship.

Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri's selfie

Happy St Paddys, Ayo Edebiri wrote along with their photo. Soon after, fans shared the picture on social media and wondered if Paul Mescal and Ayo were dating. Some also asked if they were working together on a secret project. However, it's unclear if the picture was taken recently or is a throwback photo of an earlier time when the actors were hanging out.

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Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri fans need answers

Fans have collectively lost their minds, wondering if there is something romantic going on between the pair. "I approve of this," tweeted an X user in reaction to Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri's selfie. Another said, "They look beautiful together." A person also wrote, "I love Ayo Edebiri. She looks so happy with Paul."

A tweet also read, "They both have an energy I really like; I think they'd have great chemistry together." A person also asked, "Are they just mates having a Guinness to celebrate their shared Irish heritage?" Another tweeted, "Are they soft-launching a relationship?"

This isn't the first time Paul and Ayo have been spotted together. In the last year, they've seemed friendly with each other, often posing for photos together at events.

When Paul said he wanted to work with Ayo

In November 2023, Paul expressed his interest in doing a romantic comedy with Ayo, telling Awards Watch, "Comedy scares me deeply because I think I saw Bottoms recently and I was in awe of how they do that. That's one of those I leave the cinema and I'm incredibly jealous and brightened of everybody's talents involved with that film. But I think in the next five years I'm going to set myself a challenge to do maybe a rom-com with Ayo [Edebiri] or something like that would be cool."

Ayo's joke about being Irish

Ayo might have posted the recent photo with Paul in reference to her claimed Irish roots, which has become a running joke on social media. She previously joked about her time living in Ireland to prepare for a role in The Banshees of Inisherin, only she wasnt actually in the Oscar-nominated film, nor did she live in Ireland.

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Sydney Sweeney is opening up about the many reasons she signs up for a project. The actor, who starred as Julia Carpenter in Madame Web, talked to British GQ about the decision and said that it was more of a strategic business decision for securing more future projects. (Also read: Sydney Sweeney got fake blood in her eye while filming Immaculate but said keep shooting: She was in a lot of pain) This image released by Sony Pictures shows Sydney Sweeney in a scene from Madame Web. (Columbia Pictures/Sony via AP)

What Sydney said

In the interview with British GQ, Sydney said about Madame Web, "The movie is such a large movie with so many people involved. I was just hired as an actor and happy to bring to life a character that my little cousins are excited about. Theres no outcome I can control on a film like that, especially when Im not a producer. You sign up for whatever happens and you take the ride.

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She further added how she views the film as an opportunity to establish important relationships in the industry. To me that film was a building block, its what allowed me to build a relationship with Sony. Without doing Madame Web I wouldnt have a relationship with the decision-makers over there. Everything in my career I do not just for that story, but strategic business decisions. Because I did that, I was able to sell Anyone But You. I was able to get Barbarella, she said.

More details

After Madame Web received negative reviews from critics and fans alike, Sydney joked about it on Saturday Night Live which she hosted for the first time a few weeks ago, You definitely didnt see me in Madame Web.

Sydney has had back to back releases with Anyone But You, Madame Web and is now gearing up for Immaculate, the horror film directed by Michael Mohan which hits theatres on March 22.

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Unnerving resurfaced scenes of Ariana Grande on Nickelodeon shows her being "sexualized" at a young age. The clips that are now surfacing were aired during the debut episode of Quiet On Set: The Dark Side Of Kids TV. The new documentary has brought to the fore the disturbing allegations behind the scenes at Nickelodeon. Disturbing resurfaced scenes show young Ariana Grande being sexualized on Nickelodeon (Photo by Marleen Moise / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP)

The clips show Grande putting her hand down her throat and sucking her toes. It also shows her pouring water over her chest and head as she lay on a bed. Another clip shows her milking a potato and making moaning sounds. A different section of the video shows two female writers revealing the "disgusting" meaning behind the name of a character that Amanda Bynes was meant to play.

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Several cast and crew members, including Drake And Josh star Drake Bell, have opened up in the show about what went on behind the scenes. Dan Schneider's empire ran in the 1990s and 2000s. The Investigation Discovery four-part docuseries will air over two nights. The show highlights how Schneider abused his power position and how various convicted paedophiles were allowed to work on the shows. IMDb says that it is a docu-series that uncovers the toxic culture behind some of the most iconic children's shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

One of the central questions we were looking at was this power dynamic

Mary Robertson directed the show with Emma Schwartz. Speaking of the show, Robertson previously said, according to The Hollywood Reporter, One of the central questions we were looking at was this power dynamic, whether thats a child being put in a work environment, whether thats a parent trying to support their child, whether thats the child relating to a showrunner who has the power to make or break their career, or their future as a star.

The kids who grew up loving these shows are now a new generation of parents in their own right. Our hope is that Quiet on Set sparks meaningful conversations amongst families and positions them to not only have a better understanding of grooming, but all the complicated issues tackled in this documentary, Jason Sarlanis, president at Turner Networks, ID and HLN, linear and streaming, added.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo actor Kang Tae-oh, who entered the South Korean military in September 2022, was discharged on Tuesday. As reported by Soompi, Tae-oh shared a note saying that he 'fixed my bad habits and earned only good things'. As per the report, Tae-oh was discharged following the completion of his military service as an active duty soldier after approximately one year and six months. (Also Read | Extraordinary Attorney Woo actor Kang Tae Oh enlisted in military, fans react) Actor Kang Tae-oh ahead of joining the military.

Kang Tae-oh discharged from military

Kang Tae Oh shared, I enlisted after receiving great love from everyone after wrapping up Extraordinary Attorney Woo. I faced the end of my 20s and start of my 30s in the military, and it was a meaningful time during which I fixed my bad habits and earned only good things. I will work to impress with great projects going forward, so please show lots of anticipation and love.

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Tae-oh's journey in military

During his military service, Tae-oh read the memorandum at 2023s memorial service on Hyeonchungil (Memorial Day in South Korea). He also served as an assistant instructor for the Recruit Training Center.

Actor's next project

Ahead of his discharge, his agency, Man of Creation, shared that the actor is in talks to star in the upcoming drama Potato Research Institute. It is a romantic comedy series set against the backdrop of a rural potato research institute. Kang Tae-oh is in talks for the role of the protagonist.

Tae-oh's note ahead of military

In 2022, ahead of his enlistment, he wrote a note on Instagram, Thank you for your support and overflowing love. I will come back lively. See you soon. In photos, he posed in a green hoodie and jeans while covering his haircut in the first two of them.

Tae-oh will reportedly revive his role in season 2 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo this year. Lee Sang Baek of production house A Story told Soompi in a statement, Thanks to the support of many people, we will produce Season 2 of Extraordinary Attorney Woo. The goal is to air Season 2 in 2024. It is not easy to coordinate the schedules of the cast and production team, so we will have to go through a lot of discussions.

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The agreement between three southern states to harmonise coexistence with wildlife is the first of its kind in the country. The forest departments of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu forged an interstate agreement last week. The agreement was inked during a meeting of the forest ministers of Karnataka and Kerala and forest officials of the three states, which outlines strategies to deal with conflicts, map conflict zones, and escalate joint intervention efforts.

This is the first time in India that there has been this kind of interstate coordination at the ministerial level, as far as human-wildlife conflict is concerned. In my 37 years of service, I have not come across a collaboration at this scale, said Brijesh Kumar Dixit, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) and head of forest force, Karnataka.

Along with Dixit, PCCFs from the other two states  D Jayaprasad of Kerala and Srinivas Reddy of Tamil Nadu  aim to develop a standardised framework, including a unified standard operating procedure (SOP) to address conflict, as well as a forewarning system across state lines, particularly for the movement of tigers and elephants monitored through camera traps or radio collars.

The Centre provides financial assistance to states under schemes such as Development of Wildlife Habitats, Project Tiger and Project Elephant for the construction of physical barriers such as barbed wire fence, solar-powered electric fence, bio-fencing using cactus, boundary walls to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields. The joint SOP must factor this in by pooling funds, a senior official from the Union environment ministry, who did not wish to be named, said.

We have already established an official nodal person for all three states for a common point of contact and created common WhatsApp groups for staff from each state on both sides of the boundary. These immediate measures have been taken to facilitate communication and coordination, said Dixit.

This is not to say that local-level coordination didnt already exist in the states.

In February, the Kerala high court (HC) advocated for the establishment of such a high-level committee dedicated to effectively managing human-animal conflict situations across the states. "In fact, we were already cooperating at the local level with joint patrolling and other activities. Now, after the court direction () the coordination has escalated to the level of additional chief secretaries and ministers, which is beyond what the court explicitly mandated, but shows the increased interest and commitment at higher levels, Reddy said.

A ministers-level agreement is very important for one particular reason: People understand borders and boundaries, animals don't, Jayaprasad said.

All three states face similar issues, pertaining to loss of human life, crop damage, and community unrest due to conflict. The agreement aims to further safeguard forest communities as well as animals under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act like elephants and tigers involved in conflict, and conserve ecosystems.

ALSO READ: How to save the life of a tiger

Seasonal migration

Data presented before the Lok Sabha by the ministry of environment, forests and climate change in February revealed a fluctuating trend in human deaths due to elephant attacks in Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu over five years.

Kerala experienced a high of 27 deaths in the year 2022-2023, with a subsequent drop, reaching 17 in 2023-2024. This is a decrease from the 35 deaths reported in 2021-2022. In fact, between 2022-23, 8,873 incidents involving attacks by wild animals were reported, of them, 4,193 incidents were attributed to elephants and 193 to tigers, among others. Wild animals were responsible for damaging crops in 20,957 instances, and killing 1,559 cattle between 2017-2023.

Karnataka's figures have seen an upward trend, from 12 in 2018-19 to 29 in 2022-23. Tamil Nadu has remained relatively stable and low, with two fatalities reported in 2021-22 and 2022-23. In 2022-23 Karnataka reported 15 elephant deaths, Tamil Nadu had 14, and Kerala saw seven fatalities, all due to various unnatural causes. For tigers, Tamil Nadu and Kerala each reported 15 deaths, while Karnataka recorded 13 fatalities in the first nine months of 2023.

Jose Louies, joint director and chief of wildlife crime control, Wildlife Trust of India, explained that the border areas of the three states were actually a trijunction with good forest cover and traditionally rich in tigers, elephants, and gaurs among other animals.

With the onset of summer, animals come out of the forest in search of food, water, and shelter. These animals move between the boundaries in a highly seasonal way. When it is monsoon, the animals move towards Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and when it is summer, they move back to Kerala. Owing to this seasonal migration, animals can easily move into plantation areas where they find it easy to get food and water. If you look at tigers, the coffee estates act as a good habitat for them to move and find prey, and there is a lot of feral cattle in these areas, he said.

The western ghats and the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are crucial biodiversity hotspots. The 5,500 sq. km reserve, as well as the Bandipur tiger reserve, and Wayanad forest region, hosts over 11,000 Asian elephants, almost 800 tigers, and a myriad of other species. The Nilgiri reserve alone is home to over 5,000 species of flowering plants, 139 mammal species, at least 508 bird species, and 179 amphibian species. Thus any human activity in this region heightens the possibility of human-wildlife conflict.

The situation is complex due to varied reactions from the community, often spurred by different entities for their gain, be it political or economic. Many who amplify these incidents don't aim to resolve them but continue to further their agenda. The forest department is taking adequate measures but true resolution requires collaboration, Louies explains.

Wayanad has seen 21 fatalities due to elephant attacks over the past year, according to the forest department; 18 elephant deaths have been recorded between November 2023 and February 2024 within the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary as a result of infighting among animals that are in fierce competition with each other for water, on account of drought-like conditions, forest officials said.

ALSO READ: Wayanad requires long-term restoration, not trigger happy responses to human-animal conflict

Kerala plays a role as a sort of buffer for the other two states because of the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. Also, Kerala state is not part of Project Tiger and has protection only as a sanctuary status, said Jayaprasad, adding, The main conflict is connected to Schedule I animals (under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972) elephants and tigers here. Animals migrate from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and stay in Kerala because of its greenery and weather, making it a favourable habitat. That is the reason why it is important to tackle this issue together, and forms the basis of this agreement.

Mapping conflict zones

The challenges in Wayanad are emblematic of broader issues across the western ghats, where the push for development meets the needs of wildlife conservation.

Other than Wayanad, Munnar and Palakkad are also significant conflict zones, Jayaprasad explained. Specifically, the Munnar landscape, which includes Chinnakanal and the Palakkad landscape, which includes Mannarkkad near Attappadi, are areas where human-elephant interactions are frequent. Kasaragod has also seen a rise in conflicts in recent years, exacerbated by human settlements in traditional elephant corridors, he said.

Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the contiguous landscape connecting Nagarahole National Park and Wayanad is the most prominent for wildlife conflict. Regions such as Kutta and adjacent areas, along with Kundapur, Moyar Gauj, and Mudumalai, also emerge as critical zones of wildlife movement and conflict, Dixit said.

The interface areas of Tamil Nadu such as Gudalur, Talavadi, parts of the Sathyamangalam tiger reserve, Anamalai, and Mudumalai see conflicts as well but on a limited scale, Srinivas said. It is less than whats happening closer to Wayanad but in these areas, there's a possibility for sharing resources including intelligence and tranquilising equipment, and overall coordination efforts, he said.

In Kerala, there are areas such as Arulam in Munnar, where regular incidents occur. In Karnataka, Shimoga and Hassan are places where conflict is present, Louies added.

The need for more comprehensive and localised strategies remains evident with the inclusion of better mapping of conflict zones, understanding the behavioural patterns of wildlife, using technology and integrating community-based approaches to conservation.

The joint effort between Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is the main solution because animals do not represent states. So, when three states work together and inform each other on the movement of large elephant herds or even individual conflict cases, this can help prepare and develop action plans and in case of emergencies, work together to mitigate the conflict. It is a welcome move, said Louies.
They were the perfect patsies  born at the coast near Pakistans Gwadar port, condemned to be fishermen but living lives of mounting debt, many battling gambling addictions. They knew their lives were in danger; but they did not care. On March 11, six Pakistani men, mules for the Haji Salim cartel, set off from Gwadar in Pakistan, their boat loaded with 62kg of methamphetamine. A day later, they were surrounded and captured by a joint team of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Indian Coast Guard and the Gujarat ATS. It wasnt the first time this year that such a capture had been made. On March 12, six Pakistani men, mules for the Haji Salim cartel, were captured by a joint team of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the Indian Coast Guard and the Gujarat ATS near the Gujarat coast. (Indian Coast Guard)

The arrests and seizures have laid bare one of the Arabian Seas worst kept secrets. That from the shores of Pakistan, boats criss-cross the choppy waters, delivering their illegal consignments to accomplices waiting in India. But what the arrests have also done, NCB and Gujarat Police officials HT spoke to at length said, is give them an understanding of the modus operandi  a network built on code words, desperation, and surgical precision.

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The modus operandi

On the morning of March 11, when 27-year-old Mohammad Ayaz of Kolachi Mohallah in Pasni, Gwadar, set sail for India, all he carried along was a Thuraya handset (a satellite phone), a VHF radio, and two code words that he muttered to himself so as not to forget. Dariya (river) and Badshah(emperor).

Sometime before they were to set off, the consignment was loaded on the boat. Ayaz has told interrogators he knew it was drugs, but he wasnt sure which. It could have been anything  heroin, methamphetamine or hashish. He has said he did not know what drugs were concealed in packets of coffee beans. But it didnt matter. Because he knew he would be behind bars in an Indian prison if he was caught. This did not stop him. He had made the journey before, an NCB officer said.

Read more: The curious case of missing Pakistan Airlines cabin crew

A handler who only spoke to him over the Thuraya satellite phone and is likely based in Duba gave Ayaz the two code words, to be spoken to receivers when they reached specific coordinates near Porbandar. If Ayaz said Dariya, the receiver would have to say  Dariya khoobsurat hai (the river is beautiful). If Ayaz said Badshah, the receiver had to say Badshah salamat hai (the king is safe). There are hundreds or thousands of boats in the sea. Sometimes identifying the boat at the decided location is difficult so code words ensure that the consignment reaches the correct person and not to a mole or an informant, the NCB officer added.

The carriers have no other identification; no cellphones, no identification papers. Once these carriers leave Pakistan, they are only in touch with their handler. Even during the journey, the handlers change the coordinates multiple times. This is the cartels way of taking precautions, the officer said.

The mules

One question facing Indian investigators is why people from Pakistans Gwadar port would risk their lives for an operation fraught with risk. The answer, investigators have now found, is as old as time  poverty. The six arrested men have said that there are recruiters who visit the Gwadar port every week looking for a particular kind of person. Someone with debt and a large family to feed. Someone facing an existential crisis will find the gumption to enter Indian waters with drugs.

Read more: Pakistan election drama continues as 3 main parties step up efforts to form govt

All six of those arrested, Ayaz and Zubair Ahmed (24), Mutalib Khan (22), Bahar Ali (22), Andaz Lala (19) and Mohsin Hussain (40), are l residents of Gwadars Pasni. They are all fishermen who earn a living by looking for catch near the Gulf of Oman. If the catch is good, each fisherman makes a profit of around 2,000 from one trip. A trip could last from four days to a week. They go in groups of 4-5, so they share the profit. With profits in the fishing business no longer what it used to be, fishermen like Ayaz are ready to carry drugs or do any job that involves boats and water, a second NCB officer said.

Andaz Lala has told investigators, the officials said, that most men at the Gwadar port have addictions that range from gambling to a particular brand of tobacco. Prime facie enquiries have revealed that the six men were promised 50,000 for a three day journey from Pakistan to India and then back. They were also told that all the leftover diesel in unused barrels would be theirs to share upon return. In last months operation, where the joint agencies seized over 3,000kg hashish the fishermen were paid between 1-2 lakh. In the latest case, it is possible that there were many fishermen who took the drugs off from a mothership and were bringing it to Indian waters in smaller quantities, the second officer added.

The men who run the operation

At the centre of it all is the 40-year-old Haji Salim, the Karachi-based underworld kingpin who sits at the top of a vast network that sends drugs into India.

Central intelligence agencies suspect that Salim is responsible for smuggling 70% of the drugs that come to the country. Apart from Pakistan, Salim has methamphetamine laboratories in Balochistan and areas around the Pakistan-Iran border. Delhi Police and central agencies suspect that he also has contacts in Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The net worth of the drugs he smuggles runs into thousands of crores. We suspect drug money is also used in terror activities. Every month the BSF recovers dozens of drugs from the Jakhau coast in Gujarat, which flows to the coast after they are dumped by his men on seeing Navy and Coast Guard personnel, said a Gujarat ATS officer who asked not to be named.

Read more: Sajid Mir, 26/11 attacks plotter, on ventilator after being poisoned in Pakistan jail: Report

Running the business for Salim are people such as Ayaz, called tandels  a word used to refer to the chief fisherman or the ships captain. These tandels largely build their own team to carry out the operations, a group of men they trust implicitly, often experienced. Ayaz, for instance, had made the trip four times before. There are hundreds of poor fishermen used by the cartel. Most times even the fishermen at port are unaware which boat is taking the drugs. The profit margin of selling heroin or hashish from Pakistan and Afghanistan is so high that these cartels send consignments every week. Even if one consignment successfully lands in India or Maldives or Sri Lanka, the profits they make will cover the losses, said NCB assistant director Sagar Kaushik, who is the investigating officer in both cases.

A Gujarat ATS officer explained how it is difficult to identify boats in the Arabian sea. There are thousands of boats, big and small, in the water. Unlike operations on land, it is difficult to stop every boat and search it. Our operations are based on intelligence inputs and finding moles. When you are in the sea it is difficult to zero in on the boat carrying the drug. This is why smugglers sometimes managed to exchange drugs mid-sea. But they are cautious now because of the record seizures that the agencies are making.

Of the eight Pakistan nationals arrested in the last two operations, only one who brought over 3000kg hashish on February 27 claimed to have spoken directly to Salim. But there is an open secret they have all confirmed  Salims methamphetamine laboratories along Gwadar port.

Salim has a separate team that works at his methamphetamine laboratories. The drugs sent by Salims cartel are usually packed in coffee bean packets, or rice bags with the words  Afghanistan 999 or 555 Rice. They are also concealed in jute bags with the names, Al Faisal Rice or Shaheen Rice, produce of Pakistan. When we ask these fishermen whose consignment there were carrying, they confess  it belongs to Haji Saab, the second NCB officer said.

NCBs director general, SN Pradhan in a joint press conference with Indian Navy and Gujarat ATS officials on February 28 said that the smuggling of drugs in bulk via the sea is one of the many ways to destabilise India. With a sense of responsibility as DG of NCB, I can say that it is part of a grand design to try and destablise the countrys by sending drugs into the subcontinent, he said.

Gyaneshwar Singh, deputy director general (operations) at NCB, said the agency is coordinating with other agencies and keeping a strict vigil on the sea route. We are working with Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Gujarat police to ensure that drugs are not smuggled to India. We are on high alert also because of the forthcoming elections. All agencies have come on board to achieve the Prime Ministers vision of a drug-free Bharat.

Importantly, they now know what to look for.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Tuesday took oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha. In a video shared by news agency ANI, Singh was seen taking oath in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and others. AAP leader Sanjay Singh takes oath as a member of Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.(ANI)

Earlier, a Delhi court had ordered the Tihar Jail authorities to take Sanjay Singh to Parliament on Tuesday to enable him to take oath. Special judge M.K. Nagpal also directed the jail superintendent to make adequate security arrangements for Singhs visit to Parliament.

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"The Jail Superintendent concerned is directed to ensure that the accused is taken to Parliament on 19.03.2024 under adequate security for the purpose of making and subscribing of oath as a Member and after the oath, he is also brought back to the jail safely," the judge said.

READ | Delhi HC rejects AAP MP Sanjay Singh's bail plea in money laundering case

Sanjay Singh, an MP, was suspended from the Rajya Sabha last year. However, he was re-elected later in January this year. Singh was elected along with former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal, and chartered accountant Narain Das Gupta. While Singh and ND Gupta are sitting Rajya Sabha MPs and were re-elected, Maliwal was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the first time.

Following the re-election, the Rouse Avenue court in Delhi allowed Sanjay Singh to take oath as a Rajya Sabha member under judicial custody.

Sanjay Singh has been in judicial custody since October last year concerning a money laundering case linked to Delhi excise policy. The Enforcement Directorate arrested Singh after conducting searches at his residence in Delhi. Singh was also questioned by the probe agency for over 10 hours in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam.

The ED said that the AAP leader played a key role in implementing the now-scrapped policy which benefited certain liquor manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. The ED case, registered in September 2022, was based on a CBI FIR filed in August of that year.

(With inputs from ANI)
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into Sandeshkhali case, hours after INDIA ally Trinamool Congress's MP Derek O'Brien sought an apex court-monitored Lok Sabha election. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and TMC MP Derek O Brien

"The Election Commission is a constitutional body, and if the TMC has requested the Supreme Court to monitor the election, it's their choice. However, I urge that the investigation in Sandeshkhali should be conducted by the Supreme Court," PTI quoted Chowdhury as saying. The Congress leader is known for his attacks on the TMC and its chief Mamata Banerjee.



Sandeshkhali, a village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, has been in the news recently after several women accused local TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan of sexual assault and land grabbing. Shahjahan was arrested earlier this month and has now been handed over to the CBI in connection with the case related to attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in Sandeshkhali on January 5.



Earlier in the day, Brien had hit out at the Election Commission after it ordered the removal of Rajeev Kumar as West Bengal director general of police (DGP). The poll panel selected Vivek Sahay as the next Bengal top cop. However, the EC on Tuesday appointed Sanjay Mukherjee as the new DGP.

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"BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like Election Commission of India. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Opposition? ECI or His Master's Voice?" Derek O'Brien had posted on X.

"Transferring officers of elected state governments! For free and fair elections. We want Supreme Court-monitored Election 2024", he further said.



West Bengal BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar had hit out at TMC over the Rajya Sabha MP's demand.

The TMC is cribbing over the removal of Rajeev Kumar as they had some sinister design during the polls using him at the helm of the police department of the state, the leader claimed.
According to a report, Uttar Pradesh was the only state to argue its case after the Election Commission of India (ECI), in a move ahead of April's Lok Sabha elections, removed home secretaries of six states and Rajiv Kumar, the police chief of West Bengal. Sanjay Prasad (right) with Yogi Adityanath (Twitter/@sanjaychapps1)

The Election Commission, however, stood firm, and Uttar Pradesh eventually relented, the Indian Express report stated.

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Sanjay Prasad, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1995 batch, is said to be among the most trusted officials of chief minister Yogi Adityanath. Prasad took over as Uttar Pradesh's Principal Secretary (Home) in September 2022.

UP argues its case

As per the report, UP Chief Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra, within hours of the Election Commission's Monday decision, wrote back to the poll panel, making a case against its order. In his submission, Mishra noted that Prasad had relinquished the additional charge of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) days before the ECI, on March 16, declared schedule for the Lok Sabha polls.

As the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect immediately after the schedule was released, there was no conflict of interest on Kumar's part, the Chief Secretary wrote.

ECI responds

The ECI reiterated its decision, and asked Mishra, the UP Chief Secretary, to recommend three names from which the poll body will pick one as Prasad's interim successor, who will hold charge for the duration of the polls.

While the Commission considered the UP government's stance, its order was reaffirmed, a source was quoted as saying.

Who else was removed? Why the action?

The home secretaries of Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand were removed as well, with each of these states complying with the order on the same day. Iqbal Singh Chahal, the commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Mumbai-based Asia's richest civic body, was shunted as well.

The transferred bureaucrats, ECI officials said, were holding dual charges including one in the office of the respective chief minister; this, in turn, would have potentially seemed to compromise impartiality and neutrality required during the electoral process.

During MCC, a government cannot make policy-related decisions or transfer officials. Therefore, as the body that conducts elections, the power to transfer officials during such a period, lies with the ECI.
BHUBANESWAR: A 24-year-old servitor at Bhubaneswars Lingaraj temple has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for sexual harassment of a 28-year-old woman tourist from Sweden in February, people familiar with the matter said. The incident took place on February 19 after she hired Mohapatra to be her guide around the main temple and other smaller temples (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Judicial Magistrate First Class of Bhubaneswar, Payal Gupta sentenced Kundan Mohapatra, a servitor of Lingaraj temple, under sections 354 (criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment) and 341 (wrongful restraint). In her order, the judge said Mohapatra kept on touching the tourist despite her protests.

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The incident took place on February 19 after she hired Mohapatra to be her guide around the main temple and other smaller temples. At one point, the servitor started touching her and did not stop even after she told him to back off. Eventually, she ran away and later reported to incident to the Lingaraj police station.

Mahapatra was arrested the following day and the police submitted the chargesheet within 72 hours.

Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissioner of police Sanjeeb Panda said his team accorded top priority to the case and completed the investigation quickly. The investigating officer and the prosecuting team of Lingaraj police station deserve to be complimented for accomplishing success in the criminal justice system in just 28 days, he said.

The trial started four days later. The foreign nationals statement was recorded on the first day. There were seven prosecution witnesses in the case.

The speedy conviction is a sharp contrast to Odishas poor track record of convicting men accused of crimes against women. According to the National Crime Records Bureau report of 2022, the conviction rate for criminal cases against women in Odisha was 9.2%, while the national average was 25.3%. Only Karnataka, Gujarat, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Assam fared worse than Odisha in conviction rate. At 70%, Uttar Pradesh had the highest conviction rate.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said Congress MP Rahul Gandhi insults the Hindu culture but he doesn't have the courage to use derogatory terms against other religions. Reacting to the controversy triggered by Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the former is in sway of elements with Maoist and anti-Hindu thoughts. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to spin his remarks. (ANI file photo)

"Rahul Gandhi insulted Hindu culture yesterday. We thought that he would realise his mistake. But even after a day, there have been no efforts to rectify the statement. His coterie spokespersons were looking for meaning in his remark and attempting to justify it...The Congress party under Rahul Gandhi is no more the Congress party imbued with the doctrine and ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. This is a Congress party led by a divisive mind, Maoist thought and anti-Hindu thought," Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

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"Rahul Gandhi is completely in the sway of these elements...Rahul Gandhi, do you have the courage to speak in the same derogatory terms with regard to the fundamental principles of faith of other religious thoughts or gods?" he added.

On Sunday, Gandhi, during a rally in Maharashtra, raised concerns about EVMs.

Also read: Congress, INDIA bloc never speak against other religions, says PM Narendra Modi

"There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hinduism. We are fighting against a Shakti (might of the state). The question is, what is that, Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King (Modi). This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax Department, have traded their spines to the Centre," he said in Mumbai.

The BJP on Monday claimed the remark was against Hinduism and that it reflected Rahul Gandhi's misogynistic mindset.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also slammed Gandhi's remarks.

Later on Monday, Gandhi claimed PM Modi twisted the meaning of his words.

"Modi ji does not like my words, he always tries to change their meaning by twisting them in some way or the other because he knows that I have spoken a deep truth. The power that I mentioned, the power that we are fighting, is the mask of that power, Modi ji. It is such a power that today has captured India's voice, India's institutions, CBI, IT, ED, Election Commission, media, Indian industry and the entire constitutional structure of India in its clutch," he said.

He also clarified that the Shakti he was talking about wasn't "a religious power of any kind".

Also read: Priyanka defends Rahul Gandhi after attack by PM Modi over Shakti row, says

Today, at a rally in Tamil Nadu's Salem, PM Modi said the INDIA bloc wants to destroy Shakti.

"The election campaign has started, but the INDI alliance's plan came out in their first rally in Mumbai. Their manifesto and ill intentions have come out. At Shivaji Park in Mumbai, INDI alliance openly declared they will destroy Shakti which is faith. What does Shakti mean in Hinduism-- everybody in Tamil Nadu knows that," he added.

PM Modi said the INDIA bloc deliberately insulted the Hindu faith.

"The INDI alliance doesn't target any other faith, doesn't speak a word against others, but won't waste a second in abusing Hinduism," he added.

With inputs from ANI
The Supreme Court will on Tuesday, March 19, hear a batch of petitions seeking a direction to the Centre to stay the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024 till the apex court has decided the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. A view of the Supreme Court of India. (ANI)

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), that once Indian citizenship has been granted to migrant Hindus, it cannot be taken back, and so an early hearing was warranted.

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The CAA rules, introduced by the Centre and passed by the Parliament in 2019, aim to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants, including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

A day after the Centre issued the rules under the CAA, the Kerala-based political party Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the implementation of the rules. The IUML demanded that the impugned statute and regulations be stayed and that no coercive steps be taken against persons belonging to the Muslim community who have been deprived of the benefit of this law, news agency ANI reported.

In addition to the IUML, other parties and individuals such as the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), leader of Opposition in the Assam assembly Debabrata Saika, Congress MP from Assam, Abdul Khaleque, and others have also submitted applications.

The IUML, which was among the initial parties to challenge the CAA before the Supreme Court in 2019, submitted the application stating that the law establishes a "highly truncated and fast-tracked process" for granting citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from specific countries. This, according to them, implements a "manifestly arbitrary and discriminatory" regime based solely on religious identity.

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, raised doubts about the standing of the petitioners, as reported by news agency PTI.

Tushar Mehta stated, "No petitioner has any locus to question the grant of citizenship." He noted that there were 237 pending petitions against the CAA, with four interim applications seeking a stay on the implementation of the rules.

"We will hear this on Tuesday. There are 190 plus cases. All of them will be heard. We will place a full batch with the IAs (Interim applications)," the Chief Justice of India (CJI) remarked.

Meanwhile, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi also approached the Supreme Court against the CAA. Owaisi's petition seeks directions to the Centre not to entertain or process applications seeking a grant of citizenship status under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, 1955 (as amended by the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019) during the pendency of the proceedings. Advocate Nizam Pasha, representing Owaisi, stated that they had filed an application in 2019 when the act was passed in Parliament.

(With inputs from agencies)
It is not possible to control the availability of content containing profanity and swear words by making it illegal, the Supreme Court emphasised on Tuesday, adding that labelling abusive language as a criminal offence would in fact be an infraction of free speech rights. Overturning the high court judgment, the top court held that the high court arrived at a wrong answer because it posed a wrong question (ANI)

According to a bench of justices AS Bopanna and PS Narasimha, courts must follow the test whether the material alleged to be obscene under the criminal law has the tendency to deprave or corrupt minds.

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Even vulgarity is different from obscenity because the words that are vulgar can create a feeling of disgust and revulsion and may shock the reader, but this, the bench said, does not necessarily amount to obscenity, which has the tendency to deprave and corrupt.

Read more: Supreme Court opens new frontier for insurrection claims that could target state and local officials

The availability of content that contains profanities and swear words cannot be regulated by criminalising it as obscene. Apart from being a non-sequitur (a conclusion that does not follow logically), it is a disproportionate and excessive measure that violates freedom of speech, expression, and artistic creativity, underlined the judgment authored by justice Narasimha.

Adding another standard to test whether a material can be made liable for criminal prosecution for being obscene under Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act if it is available online, the bench highlighted that the metric to assess legality of any content cannot be that it must be appropriate to play in the courtroom while maintaining the courts decorum and integrity.

Read more: Adhir Ranjan's Sandeshkhali reference on TMC's Supreme Court-monitored Lok Sabha polls demand

Such an approach unduly curtails the freedom of expression that can be exercised and compels the maker of the content to meet the requirements of judicial propriety, formality, and official language, said the bench.

The courts views defining obscenity as an offence came while quashing a criminal case against the actors, casting director, script writers and creator of the web-series College Romance, and the media company that owns the YouTube channel on which the series was hosted. A criminal prosecution was launched against them in March 2023 under the IT Act for production, transmission, and online publication of obscene and sexually explicit material after the Delhi high court ordered registration of a first information report.

In its judgment, the high court found excessive use of profanities and vulgar expletives in the web series falling afoul of the contemporary standards of civility and morality, besides being indecent and not the one commonly used in the country.

Overturning the high court judgment, the top court held that the high court arrived at a wrong answer because it posed a wrong question. The inquiry is to determine whether the content is lascivious, appeals to prurient interests, or tends to deprave and corrupt the minds of those in whose hands it is likely to fall.The high court embarked on a wrong journey and arrived at the wrong destination, it said.

Read more: Union Minister retracts Tamilians' claim on Bengaluru blast case suspect

Profanity is not per se obscene, added the court, noting that the second threshold error is in the finding of the high court that the language is full of swear words, profanities, and vulgar expletives that could not be heard in open court and also that it is not the language of the youth.

The high court has equated profanities and vulgarity with obscenity, without undertaking a proper or detailed analysis into how such language, by itself, could be sexual, lascivious, prurient, or depraving and corrupting...While a person may find vulgar and expletive-filled language to be distasteful, unpalatable, uncivil, and improper, that by itself is not sufficient to be obscene, maintained the court, citing a line of judicial precedents.

The bench also pointed out that the web series is a light-hearted show on the college lives of young students, using expletives to express anger, rage, frustration, grief and excitement, instead of sexual feelings or lust. It is clear that the use of these terms is not related to sex and does not have any sexual connotation...By taking the literal meaning of these words, the high court failed to consider the specific material (profane language) in the context of the larger web-series and by the standard of an ordinary man of common sense and prudence, it said.
The ministry of electronics and information technology is all set to notify the setting up of a fact-checking unit (FCU) to monitor content on social media concerning the business of the Union government under the recently amended Information Technology Rules, officials familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Last week, the Bombay high court refused to restrain the Centre from notifying the setting up of FCU until a third judge renders his opinion on whether the fact check amendment is unconstitutional. (HT FILE)

Speaking on condition of anonymity, two senior government officials said that ministry has readied the gazette notification, which might be published on Wednesday, to notify the Press Information Bureaus FCU.

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The will be issued under Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 under which all intermediaries are required to make reasonable efforts to ensure that its users do not host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any information that deceives or misleads the addressee about the origin of the message or knowingly and intentionally communicates any misinformation or information which is patently false and untrue or misleading in nature or, in respect of any business of the Central Government, is identified as fake or false or misleading by such fact check unit of the Central Government as the Ministry may, by notification published in the Official Gazette, specify.

The Union government had on April 6, 2023 promulgated certain amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, including a provision for an FCU to flag misleading content.

Last week, the Bombay high court refused to restrain the Centre from notifying the setting up of FCU until a third judge renders his opinion on whether the fact check amendment is unconstitutional.

The court passed the order on a bunch of interim application filed in petitions filed by standup comedian Kunal Kamra and others seeking a stay on the notification of FCU pending the final disposal of their pleas against the fact check amendment.

The petitioners have filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the high court order. The matter is slated to be taken up by the apex court on Thursday.

The petitioners had argued that predicating intermediaries protection from liability for third party content (that is, their safe harbour) on potentially removing fake news related to the central government would coerce them into censoring any content that could lead to a legal liability, thereby muzzling users speech online. They had also argued that for government content to be fact-checked by a government entity would lead to a significant conflict of interest.

Under the Rules, it is not clear what intermediaries - which run the gamut of the entirety of the internet from social media platforms to cloud service providers to domain registrars to web hosts to internet service providers - are supposed to do when the FCU labels any content as patently false and untrue or misleading in nature. Actions that have been discussed in the Bombay high court and within the IT ministry include labelling content as fake or misleading, and taking it down entirely.

.
A Delhi court on Tuesday issued summons to Congress MP Karti Chidambaram after taking cognizance of the charge sheet filed against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case related to the issuance of Chinese visas. Congress MP Karti Chidambaram. (PTI Photo)

ED had filed its first charge sheet in the case naming Chidambaram as an accused under sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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Special judge MK Nagpal has issued summons to all the accused in the case and ordered them to appear before the court on April 5.

ED had in its charge sheet filed on January 25 also named four others, including the Congress MPs close aide S Bhaskararaman, along with Padam Dugar, Vikas Makharia and Mansoor Siddiqui.

The charge sheet also named three companies  Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Ltd., Dugar Housing Limited and M/s Talwandi Sabo Private Limited (TSPL).

Chidambaram had earlier moved an anticipatory bail plea before the trial court, but that was dismissed in June 2022. He then challenged the order before the Delhi high court, which is still pending.

EDs case stems from an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in May 2022, wherein it alleged that Chidambaram and his aide received 50 lakhs from TSPL for reissuance of visas to Chinese nationals in 2011. TSPL had sought reissuance of project visas for 263 Chinese nationals back then for setting up a power project

This is the third case registered by the ED against Chidambaram after the INX Media case and the Aircel Maxis case.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is probing into Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) case against former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, conducted mahazar at his residence in Sadashiva Nagar, Bengaluru on Monday. BS Yediyurappa is accused of sexually harassing a minor girl at his residence Dhavalagiri on February 2. A Pocso case has been registered against BS Yediyurappa in Sadashiva Nagar police station (PTI)

A Pocso case has been registered against him in Sadashiva Nagar police station. On March 15, the government transferred the case to the CID for investigation. The CID has appointed Senior IPS officer BK Singh to lead the investigation team with DCP Bengaluru South Sarah Fathima as the investigating officer in the case.

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On Monday, a team of CID officers visited BS Yediyurappas home and Sadashiva Nagar StarBucks Cafe and conducted mahazar along with forensic experts.

We have conducted Mahazar at the residence. We have also conducted the mahazar in the cafe since the victim and her mother visited it before visiting the residence of the accused, a senior officer who is part of the investigation said on the condition of anonymity.

According to the complaint filed by survivors mother, the alleged sexual harassment took place in Yediyurappas home when the survivor had gone to seek his help in a case.

The survivor had earlier lodged a complaint against a relative who sexually assaulted the minor girl and her mother had sought the ministers help in getting justice.

However, Yediyurappa who was assured to talk to senior police officers to deliver the justice had allegedly asked the minor to come with him to a room in his home. The complainant alleged that the latter molested the minor.

Yediyurappa has refuted the accusations, stating that he intends to address the issue through legal means.
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up senior advocate and bar association chief Adish C Aggarwala for seeking a review of the top courts electoral bonds verdict, with Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud calling his letter publicity-oriented. Please leave it at that or we will have to say something which might be distasteful, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said to Adish C Aggarwala (PTI)

Last week, Aggarwala wrote to CJI in his personal capacity, seeking a review of the SCs order directing the poll panel to post the electoral bond information provided by the State Bank of India on its official website.

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Apart from being a senior counsel, you are also the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association. You have written to me and released the letter. This is all publicity-oriented and we will not permit it. Please leave it at that or we will have to say something which might be distasteful, CJI said to Aggarwala. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta distanced himself and the Centre from the letter.

We disassociate ourselves from this letter. This is not the manner in which we have understood the judgment, Mehta added.

On March 12, Aggarwala first wrote to President Droupadi Murmu urging her to seek presidential reference of the apex court judgement in the electoral bonds scheme case.

In a resolution, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) earlier distanced itself from Aggarwalas letter, saying that the members of the panel neither authorised the SCBA president to write it nor do they endorse the views expressed in the communication.

Two days later, he wrote to CJI seeking suo motu review of the electoral bonds judgment. Aggarwala, in his letter, said that the apex court verdict directing abrupt disclosures of identity of corporate donors, the amount of donation and donee political party will have an adverse impact on the said corporate donor. He added that revealing the names of corporate donors and amount of donation would render the corporates vulnerable for victimisation.

The court, on February 15 struck down the Centres 2018 EB scheme of political funding, declaring it to be unconstitutional because it completely anonymised contributions made to parties, and added that restricting black money or illegal election financing -- some of the articulated objectives of the scheme -- did not justify violating voters right to information in a disproportionate manner. It had ordered full disclosure of EBs purchased and those redeemed by political parties.
Amid the rising drinking water concern, the Karnataka government on Monday decided to form an expert committee at the earliest to ensure no shortage of water in the capital city in future. It also decided to drill 300 new borewells and revive 1,200 inactive bore wells across the city. People collecting drinking water from a water tanker amid the ongoing water crisis in Karnataka, in Bengaluru,on Monday. (PTI)

The decision came after chief minister Siddaramaiah met Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) senior officials.

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Siddaramaiah called for an official meeting with the senior officers of BBMP and BWSSB to check the status of the drinking water crisis. However, the official meeting was cancelled since the election model code of conduct is already in place. Siddaramaiah then had a closed door meeting with officials.

Out of 14,000 government bore wells, 6,900 are dry. Hence, the problem. Out of 110 villages, 55 villages have problems. About 775 MLD (minimal liquid discharge) of additional water will be available after the completion of Cauvery Phase 5 work by the end of June. It supplies drinking water to 110 villages, Siddaramaiah said after the meeting.

He further said, We are drilling 300 new bore wells and 1,200 inactive bore wells will be revived. The CM said that the government is confident in dealing with the crisis till June. We have collected enough water for drinking water in Kaveri and Kabini reservoirs till the end of June. There is 11.02 TMC water storage in KRS, 9.02 TMC in Kabini, Siddaramaiah said.

He also asked the civic bodies to use all private tankers including those owned by the Karnataka Milk Federation to supply water in slums, high areas and bore well dependent areas.

He reiterated the recent order by the BBMP that the drinking water should not be used in parks and other non drinking purposes. The CM also instructed the officers to fill the lakes of Bengaluru like KC Valley and 14 major lakes that have dried up to recharge the bore wells with groundwater.

Siddaramaiah ensured that there is no shortage of funds for drinking water. The government and BBMP are providing sufficient funds, he said.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah has warned the officials that if complaints from the public are not addressed, BBMP and BWSSB will be held accountable.

He further said that the city currently has a shortage of 500 MLD water. 2,600 MLD water is required for drinking and industries in Bengaluru city. Out of which 1,450 MLD water is obtained from Cauvery river. 650 MLD water is available from bore wells and there is a shortage of 500 MLD water. Necessary measures have been taken to overcome this shortage, he said.

So far 1,732 water tankers are registered with the BBMP. An official release from BBMP Special Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath said, Water tankers which are registered with BBMP through the portal are already distributed among eight zones. Officials are asked to distribute more water in 110 villages which come under BBMP limits.

Last week, the BBMP had capped the price of water tankers. According to the new guidelines, tankers supplying water within a 5-kilometre radius can charge 600 for 6,000 litres, 700 for an 8,000-litre tanker, and 1,000 for a 12,000-litre tanker.
Union minister Shobha Karandlaje on Tuesday demanded Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara's resignation and accused the Congress government of bias against Hindus amid tensions over the assault on a trader allegedly for playing the 'Hanuman Chalisa' loudly in his shop during Azaan (Islamic call for prayer). A member of Bomb disposal Squad at the Rameshwaram Cafe after a blast, in Bengaluru, Friday, March 1, 2024.(PTI)

Several BJP leaders including Karandlaje were taken into preventive custody after they staged a demonstration in Bengaluru in response to the assault on the trader.

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The police said that we could only leave after the Namaz was complete... I want to ask Siddaramaiah who's government is running here. Have Hindus not voted for you?... Hindus' insults are going on here constantly, Karandlaje said.

Read: Rameshwaram cafe blast: NIA releases CCTV footage showing suspect, seeks help from public

A group of youths objected to a trader playing 'Hanuman Chalisa' loudly in his shop on Juma Masjid road on Sunday during 'Azaan' and assaulted him, according to police.

The BJP had called for a peaceful procession from the shop of the victim, Mukesh, with chanting of 'Hanuman Chalisa' by the participants.

Boys come and beat up a boy in a shop where he was listening to Hanuman Chalisa. I just saw a video where they are roaming around with open swords in RT Nagar. There is no action. This government is protecting minorities and it is anti-Hindu... The law and order situation is poor and we demand Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara's resignation... We will keep fighting, Karandlaje said.

Read: Bengaluru blast: What CCTV footage found about Rameshwaram Cafe bomber

While highlighting a series of incidents involving individuals from different states engaging in criminal activities within Karnataka, the minister went on to claim that the suspect involved in the March 1 blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe was from Tamil Nadu.

One person comes from Tamil Nadu and plants a bomb in a cafe. Another man comes from Delhi and raises pro-Pak slogans in the Vidhan Soudha. Another man comes from Kerala and throws acid at college students, the BJP MP said.

To be sure, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the investigation into the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, has not revealed the identity of the prime suspect. The state home minister last week told media persons that investigators were verifying the suspects identity and were drawing closer to locating him.

Reacting to Karandlaje's remarks, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin strongly condemned what he described as a reckless statement saying one must either be an NIA official or closely linked to the blast to make such claims.

Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of BJP, Stalin said, calling for appropriate legal action against the Union minister for causing threat to peace, harmony and national unity.

From the Prime Minister to cadre, everyone in the BJP should stop engaging in this dirty divisive politics at once. ECI must take note of this hate speech and initiate stringent action immediately, Stalin posted on X.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reschedule the polling in the southern state as it currently falls on a Friday, considered the most significant day of the week in Islam. In a joint letter to the poll panel, KPCC acting president M M Hassan and leader of the Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan requested to shift the day of voting from April 26 citing potential difficulties for Muslim voters, reported PTI citing party sources. Kerala is scheduled to vote in a single phase on April 26.(PTI/ File photo)

The letter said that holding elections on Friday or Sunday could pose significant inconvenience to the voters as well as poll officers and booth agents, according to the report.

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The polling date in Kerala is April 26. In Kerala, Friday and Sunday will be inconvenient to various sections of the community. So we have demanded to change the polling date to some other date, Hassan told ANI.

I have also sent emails to the Central Election Commissioner and the UDF chairman and the opposition leader. He has also sent a mail to the Central Election Commissioner, he added.

(Also Read: Indian Union Muslim League to urge EC to change dates for polls on Fridays)

Earlier, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) had also expressed intentions to approach the poll panel seeking to change the polling dates in Kerala as well as Tamil Nadu, which votes in the first phase on April 19, also a Friday.

The IUML, a key ally of Congress in Kerala, had said it would approach the ECI to change the dates of elections in the two southern states.

"The announcement of polling on Friday will cause inconvenience to voters, candidates, polling agents, and officials assigned to election duty. We will move the ECI," P M A Salam, state general secretary of IUML, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

(Also Read: Lok Sabha election 2024: Which state, UT will vote in how many phases? Check details)

The Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections last week, making it a seven-phase affair. The polling will begin on April 19 and will extend to the peak summer month of June.

The counting of votes will be held on June 4.
The Congress on Tuesday moved the Delhi high court challenging the Income Tax departments order to reopen assessment proceedings against it. Advocate Prasanna S, appearing for the party, urged the court for an urgent hearing stating that the proceedings have already begun for three years. Delhi high court. (HT Photo)

The bench of acting chief justice Manmohan and justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora agreed to list the matter for hearing on Wednesday.

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The high court had on March 13, while rejecting the partys plea seeking a stay on the Income Tax notice for recovery of more than 105 crore outstanding tax for assessment year 2018-19, remarked that the Congress fell in deep slumber and stood reawakened in January 2023 when a demand notice was raised.

The court noted that the problems that beset the party today were to a large extent because of its own actions, adding that despite issuance of the first demand notice in July 2021 and the rejection of its application for stay in October 2021, the party did not take any step to either securitize the outstanding amount, or seek appropriate interim protection.

As we read the impugned order, what ultimately appears to have weighed upon the ITAT [Income Tax Appellate Tribunal] is of the petitioner having firstly been remiss in taking peremptory steps in respect of a demand which had remained outstanding right from 2021. It failed to abide by the conditions which had been imposed by the AO while considering its application under Section 220(6) of the Act. The petitioner appears to have fallen into deep slumber and stood reawakened only in January 2023 when a notice of demand came to be raised, a bench led by justice Yashwant Varma said.

The bench, also comprising justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, said, Even though an appeal against the order of the CIT(A) came to be instituted before the ITAT in May 2023, it chose to move a stay application in that pending appeal only in February 2024. The problems that beset the petitioner today are thus, and to a large extent of its own making.
Congresss highest decision-making body on Tuesday authorised the party president Mallikarjun Kharge to give final shape to the manifesto for the 2024 national polls. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi chaired the CWC meeting. (ANI)

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the manifesto will be released soon. He added how to take the party guarantees to the people was discussed at the last Congress Working Committee (CWC)s meeting before the polls which lasted three and a half hours.

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We will have a massive guarantee to take the guarantees to the people of this country, he said. Venugopal said the Congress was confident of defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party. In a democracy, people are masters, not [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi. People will decide who will rule.

Congresss communications head Jairam Ramesh said the party is ready for the election. Our manifesto will say what is our objective and agenda. Ours is a nyay [justice] agenda. This is nyay patra [justice manifesto], not ghoshna patra [poll manifesto], said Ramesh.

He added Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was the first to use the word guarantee in politics. Now other parties are using guarantees. Remember this is a guarantee of an entire party, not an individual, said Ramesh. In the manifesto, an entire section will be on the federal agencies...steps to ensure the neutrality of these agencies, he said.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet on Tuesday morning for the last time before the general election to approve the partys poll manifesto, among other things. In the evening, the central election committee is expected to clear the candidate list for the first phase of the polls scheduled on April 19, functionaries said. The CWC will meet for the last time before the general elections in April-May. (ANI)

The working committee meeting, scheduled at 10 am , is expected to spend most of its time on approving the manifesto. The meeting is also expected to pass a resolution hailing former party chief Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which started from Manipur on January 14 and ended in Mumbai on March 17.

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There are many pressing issues before the party. But the CWC might be hard-pressed for time to discuss all raging subjects as the primary objective of the meeting is to approve the Congress manifesto, a committee member said on condition of anonymity.

Read more: Cong spokesperson Rohan Gupta opts out of Lok Sabha election. Why?

The highest executive body of the party is also set to discuss and move a resolution on the electoral bond data. The developments came a day after Election Commission uploaded the data a day before the deadline set by the Supreme Court in the high-profile case. Around 1,260 companies and individuals bought 22,217 bonds worth 12,155.51 crore between April 12, 2019, and February 15, 2024, the data showed.

Read more: Assam CM Himanta Sarma says No benefit in voting for Congress, explains why

During this period, 20,421 bonds worth 12,769.09 crore were redeemed by 23 political parties, with the Bharatiya Janata Party leading the pack with 6,061 crore (47.5% of total redeemed value), followed by the Trinamool Congress with 1,610 crore (12.6%) and Congress with 1,422 crore (11.1%).

The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is expected to be the other focus area of the meeting, with Gandhi completing the east-to-west leg of the march after the historic Bharat Jodo Yatra last year.

Read more: HC seeks response from Centre over plea challenging CM Nayab Saini's appointment

The partys poll panel is expected to clear the remaining names for the first phase of the election in 18 states and three Union Territories. The meeting was earlier scheduled on March 15, but couldnt take place as the top leaders were busy in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

The Congress so far has cleared 82 names in two meetings of the poll committee. On Tuesday, it will focus on Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra, J&K, Uttar Pradesh and other places.
New Delhi gained the notorious distinction of being labelled the most polluted capital city in the world in the year 2023, as residents breathed air that is nearly 20 times the international safe standard, according to data from Swiss firm IQAir revealed on Tuesday, which also ranked India as the worlds third most polluted country. In the 2022 iteration of the report, New Delhi ranked as the second most polluted capital in the world behind Chads NDjamena(Raj K Raj/HT photo)

With an annual population-weighted PM2.5 of 92.7g/m3, New Delhi edged out Dhaka (80.2 g/m3) to become the worlds most polluted national capital. Burkina Fasos capital Ouagadougou, with a population-weighted PM2.5 of 46.6g/m3, was a distant third on the list.

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Of the 50 most polluted cities in the world, 42 were Indian  up from 39 in 2022, with Begusarai (118.9g/m3) in Bihar occupying the top spot, followed by Guwahati (105.4g/m3).

The larger Union territory of Delhi recorded an average PM2.5 concentration of 102.1g/m3 in 2023 making it the third most polluted city globally. The smaller capital of New Delhi was on the sixth spot globally.

Across the National Capital Region (NCR), Delhi was followed by Greater Noida (88.6g/m3) as the most polluted, ranking 11th in the list of the worlds most polluted cities. Gurugram (84g/m3) was next at 17th. In 2022, after Delhi, Ghaziabad was the most impacted (88.6).

The findings were part of the World Air Quality Report 2023 and are concurrent with the annual spectre of air pollution that engulfs the National Capital Region around Diwali every year and extends well into the winter. Of late, the residents of Indias capital are not even spared the onslaught of pollution even in the thick of winter.

In the 2022 iteration of the report, New Delhi ranked as the second most polluted capital in the world behind Chads NDjamena (89.7g/m3). In 2021, it was again the most polluted capital city in the world with an annual average of 85g/m3, ahead of Dhaka (78.1g/m3).

PM2.5 levels in the National Capital Territory, Delhi, rose by 10% in 2023, with levels peaking in November which saw a monthly average of 255 g/m3, the report said.

Read more: Delhi records 200% on-year increase in red-light violation cases in 2024

To be sure, some regions, including Chad, were dropped from the list due to lack of sufficient data.

Delhi usually goes through three fortnights where the AQI is routinely in the severe zone: The first half of November, the second half of December, and then mid-January. During the first phase, the toxicity is fuelled largely by smoke from farm stubble fires in Punjab. The second and third phases are, however, down largely to local sources of pollution like vehicular and industrial emissions, which are in turn worsened by nearly still winds and dipping temperatures.

According to IQAirs report, vehicle emissions are responsible for 40% of PM2.5 emissions in the city.

The report looked at data from more than 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,812 locations in 134 countries, territories, and regions and tracked PM2.5 concentrations  fine particulate aerosol particles measuring up to 2.5 microgrammes per cubic metre  to understand the exposure to the people living in the specific area and determine a population-weighted exposure level.

Read more: Kathakar fest: Delhi's date with tales by Gulzar, Prem Chopra & Mohit Chauhan

Over the last decade, both the central and state governments have introduced measures to help combat the pollution.

In 2016, the Centre approved the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) for Delhi-NCR  a series of emergency-level measures that are enforced every winter, based on the prevailing air quality. In 2021, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for NCR was constituted to enforce measures and bring down pollution in Delhi.

Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution can exacerbate numerous health conditions, including but not limited to asthma, cancer, stroke, and lung disease. It can also lead to impairment of cognitive development in children, and complication in existing illnesses including diabetes.

The report noted that northern India and Delhi struggle with smoke from crop burning, vehicle emissions, coal burning, waste burning, and biomass burning for heat and cooking.

Annual crop burning in northern India and neighbouring Pakistan regularly results in Delhi experiencing emergency-level air quality days, it said.

Mullanpur (100.4g/m3) in Punjab and Lahore in Pakistan (99.5g/m3) ranked number four and five, respectively.

Indias annual PM 2.5 was 54.4g/m3  behind only Pakistan (73.7g/m3) and Bangladesh (79.9g/m3), the report said.

Read more: AAP's Satyendar Jain returns to Tihar Jail, party calls him a hero

In 2022, when the country ranked 8th in the list of most polluted countries, Indias annual PM 2.5 average was 53.3g/m3.

Chad (89.7 g/m3) was the most polluted country in 2022, followed by Iraq (80.1g/m3) and Pakistan (70.9 g/m3). The other countries ahead of India were Bahrain, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso and Kuwait.

In the latest report, while Chad is missing due to lack of air quality data, Iraq, Bahrain, Burkina Faso and Kuwait have shown an improvement.

There were nine new entrants in the top 50 most polluted cities list, on account of data being available for the first time in 2023.

These included eight Indian cities: Goshaingaon in Assam (ranked 9), Samastipur in Bihar (15), Hanumangarh in Rajasthan (23), Bandhwari in Haryana (32), Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh (33), Mushalpur in Assam (45), Dhaulpur in Rajasthan (49) and Ganganagar in Rajasthan (50).

Experts said that the high number of Indian cities featuring in the most polluted list indicated that pollution levels across the country were high.

This shows that we possibly have high pollution across the country, but dont have adequate ambient air quality stations spread so far. Begusarai, which has been ranked as the worlds most polluted city, also is a hub of fossil-fuel based industries. This shows the possible impact such industries can have on the air, said Avinash Chanchal, campaigner at Greenpeace India.

The only city from southern India that found a mention on the list was Vayushaktinagar in Hyderabad, ranked 60 among the most polluted Indian cities.

In 2022, Lahore in Pakistan (97.4), Hotan in China (94.3) and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan (92.7) were the worlds most polluted cities, with Delhi ranking fourth overall (92.6). Interestingly, in the 2023 rankings, Bhiwadi is down to 31 rank overall, recording an average concentration of 77.1.

The report said only seven  Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealand  out of the 134 countries analysed were able to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) annual PM 2.5 average of 5g/m3 or less.

IQAirs annual report illustrates the international nature and inequitable consequences of the enduring air pollution crisis. Local, national, and international effort is urgently needed to monitor air quality in under-resourced places, manage the causes of transboundary haze, and cut our reliance on combustion as an energy source, said Aidan Farrow, senior air quality scientist, Greenpeace International.

In 2023, air pollution remained a global health catastrophe. IQAirs global data set provides an important reminder of the resulting injustices and the need to implement the many solutions that exist to this problem, he added.

According to the report, Indias overall PM 2.5 concentration was 10 times higher than the WHO permissible limit, putting nearly 1.36 billion people at risk of health hazards. Furthermore, 1.33 billion, or 96% of the population, experience PM2.5 levels more than seven times the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline, the report said.

Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said the latest rankings once again highlight how air quality continues to remain challenging in rapidly motorising and urbanising Indian cities.

To fix this, we need transformative multisector action across all regions under the National Clean Air Programme for time bound reduction in pollution levels. While most global rankings happen based on the PM2.5 concentration, our NCAP programme is solely focused on evaluating performance of cities based on PM10 which diverts attention and resources towards dust control. This also shows that we need stronger strategies for controlling more harmful finer fraction of PM2.5 that comes largely from combustion sources, she said.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has termed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a political wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and dismissed its charges against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as blatant and frivolous lies. The BJP hit back at the AAP describing Arvind Kejriwal as a corrupt and greedy thug. BRS leader K Kavitha, AAP's Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia.

The ED on Monday claimed that BRS leader K Kavitha and some others conspired with top AAP leaders, including AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, to get favours in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy by paying 100 crore to the political party that rules Delhi.

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K Kavitha was arrested last week by the ED from Hyderabad. Reacting to the allegation, the AAP said the ED's investigation was biased.

What did ED say on K Kavitha and AAP leaders?

The Enforcement Directorate in its statement said K Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, along with others, was found to have conspired with the top leaders of AAP, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, for favours in the Delhi excise policy.

"ED investigation revealed that K Kavitha along with others allegedly conspired with the top leaders of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia for getting favours in the Delhi Excise policy formulation and implementation," ED claimed in a statement.

"In exchange for these favours, she was involved in paying  100 crore to the leaders of AAP. By the acts of corruption and conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, a continuous stream of illegal funds in the form of kickback, from the wholesalers was generated for the AAP," the agency added.

100 crore to the leaders of AAP. By the acts of corruption and conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, a continuous stream of illegal funds in the form of kickback, from the wholesalers was generated for the AAP," the agency added. Further, K Kavitha and her associates were to recover the proceeds of crime paid in advance to the AAP and to further generate profits and proceeds of crime from this entire conspiracy.

In exchange for these favours, she (K Kavitha) was involved in paying  100 crore to the leaders of AAP, the ED said.

How AAP reacted to ED charges against Arvind Kejriwal

The AAP dismissed the ED allegations and said even the Supreme Court had not found credibility in the claim.

"Even the SC has discarded ED's claim that any money trail of  100 crore exists in this matter. The entire world knows by now that the entire excise case is fake and without an iota of evidence," the AAP said in a statement.

100 crore exists in this matter. The entire world knows by now that the entire excise case is fake and without an iota of evidence," the AAP said in a statement. "On earlier occasions too, ED has released such blatantly false and frivolous statements which show that instead of being a neutral investigative agency, it is working like a political wing of BJP," it added.

Delhi minister Atishi alleged that the ED is planting stories in the media and has not even a penny worth of evidence against Kejriwal.

The AAP termed the ED probe a "desperate attempt" to malign the image of Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia by "planting falsehoods and creating a media sensation."

"ED is showing its true political colour by sending summons after summons to Kejriwal and issuing statements to the media. This whole game of ED-CBI is to stop Kejriwal from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls," Atishi said.

What BJP said

BJP national spokesperson Sanju Verma said, Arvind Kejriwal, the corrupt and greedy thug who masquerades as CM is clearly mentioned in this ED press release and how alongwith Manish Sisodia and K.Kavitha, he was involved in a quid pro quo, is again a reflection of the rot that pervades the Arvind Kejriwal regime in Delhi.

"ED's statement, which presents no new fact or evidence, speaks volumes of its frustration since they have not recovered a single rupee or piece of evidence in this case, despite carrying out over 500 raids and questioning thousands of witnesses," the AAP said.

What's liquor policy case and allegation against K Kavitha?

The ED has questioned K Kavitha thrice last year in this case and again summoned her this year but she did not depose citing a Supreme Court direction that allowed her protection from any coercive action.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had claimed that K Kavitha was linked to a South Group lobby of liquor traders, who were trying to play a larger role under the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.

The agency alleged that one of the accused in the case, Vijay Nair, received kickbacks to the tune of at least  100 crore on behalf of the AAP leaders from the South Group, allegedly controlled by Sarath Reddy, Kavitha and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy.

100 crore on behalf of the AAP leaders from the South Group, allegedly controlled by Sarath Reddy, Kavitha and Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy. K Kavitha has asserted that she had done nothing wrong and alleged that the Centre was using the ED as the BJP could not gain a backdoor entry into Telangana.

What is the South Group?

The "South Group", according to the ED, comprises Sarath Reddy (promoter of Aurobindo Pharma), Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy (YSR Congress MP from Ongole Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh), his son Raghav Magunta, Kavitha and others.

The ED alleged in Pillai's remand papers that he represented the benami investments of K Kavitha in the case.

The ED also recorded the statement of Butchibabu, an accountant allegedly linked to K Kavitha. According to the ED, the accountant said that "there was political understanding between K Kavitha and (Delhi) chief minister (Arvind Kejriwal) and (then Delhi) deputy chief minister (Manish Sisodia). In that process, K Kavitha also met Vijay Nair on March 19-20, 2021".

Nair was arrested in the case by both the ED and the CBI.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Tuesday filed two complaints with the Election Commission in Tamil Nadu against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). DMK registered complaints against PM Modi and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. (ANI)

In the first complaint to chief electoral officer Satyabrata Sahoo, DMKs organising secretary RS Bharathi raised the incident where schoolchildren participated in Prime Minister Narendra Modis roadshow in Coimbatore on March 18. The second complaint was against Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for alleged hate speech.

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Tamil Nadus Coimbatore district administration on Tuesday ordered a probe after students from Sri Sai Baba Vidhyalayam Aided Middle School in Sai Baba colony post which was the starting point of Modis road show had attended. The districts education department sent a notice to the school management seeking a detailed explanation.

Read more: PM Modi to address entrepreneurs at Startup Mahakumbh on Wednesday

This is to state that Bharatiya Janata Party members have involved children below 12 to 15 years old in their campaigning activities, the complaint said.

The Children were made to wear clothes with Bharatiya Janata Party insignia and further they were made to recite poems and sing songs in a music display organised by them. In continuation of the above, children were made to wear saffron robes and stand in queue in the public road carrying Bharatiya Janata Party flags in their hand while the Honble Prime Minister Modi was conducting his road show.

In the second complaint, Bharathi said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is making a defamatory speech in the public, media, and social media to diminish the reputation of the DMK with an ill motive and with a hope of winning elections by spreading false propaganda by violating the Model Code of Conduct and Representation of People Act, 1951. After the Election Commission of India announced the General Election on March 16 at 3pm, Sitharaman addressed a meeting for a youtube channel named Chanakyaa at 5,30pm, he said.

Read more: In Salem, PM Narendra Modi gets emotional while recalling Auditor Ramesh. Who was he?

The DMK translated her speech as her questioning why anyone would vote for the Dravidian party which is destroying religion and plundering temples. The above said false Statement by the Union Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman is made with a view to evoke religious feelings of a particular Religion, in connection with the Elections, the DMK said.

She has violated the model code of conduct through her hate speech and unverified allegations, the ruling party of Tamil Nadu added.

Our Party never worked against the temples, any religion and at no point of time worked against the interest of the temples, the complaint said and listed the steps taken towards protecting temples and their land.

Read more: PM Narendra Modi on Shakti row: DMK, Congress never speak against other religions

Our party is extending cooperation for the development of all religions without any discrimination. As stated in the Constitution of India our party is following SECULARISM and no discrimination is made against any religion. People following different religions are living in Tamil Nadu peacefully and a brotherhood is cherished among them.
The Election Commission of India's (ECI) disclosure of electoral bonds data indicates that a total of 333 individuals bought bonds amounting to 358.91 crore between April 2019 and January 2024, The Indian Express reported. Among these individuals, 15 notable figures, many of whom hold significant positions in large corporate entities, accounted for 158.65 crore or 44.2% of the total, the newspaper found. The Election Commission released data received from political parties on electoral bonds, which it had given to the Supreme Court in sealed covers. (For Representation)(Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg)

Here is the list of 15 individuals:

Lakshmi Niwas Mittal (ArcelorMittal):  35 crore Laxmidas Vallabhdas Merchant (Reliance Life Sciences):  25 crore Rahul Bhatia (IndiGo):  20 crore Inder Thakurdas Jaisinghani (Polycab Group of Companies):  14 crore Rajesh Mannalal Agarwal (Ajanta Pharma Limited):  13 crore Harmesh Rahul Joshi & Rahul Jagannath Joshi (Om Freight Group of companies):  10 crore each Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (Biocon):  6 crore Indrani Patnaik:  5 crore Sudhakar Kancharla (Yoda Group):  5 crore Abhrajit Mitra (Searock Infraproject Private Limited):  4.25 crore Sarojit Kumar Dey (JD Agro Development Private Limited):  3.4 crore Dilip Ramanlal Thacker (Samudra Real Estate Private Limited; Jade Minerals & Mines Private Limited):  3 crore Prakash Balwant Mengane (Shreenath Stapatya India Private Limited):  3 crore Nirmal Kumar Bathwal (Penguin Trading & Agencies Limited):  2 crore

The Election Commission data released on Sunday showed lottery king Santiago Martin's Future Gaming was the biggest purchaser of electoral bonds at 1,368 crore, of which nearly 37 per cent went to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). These details are for the period before April 12, 2019. Electoral bond details after this date were made public by the EC last week.

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The company donated 509 crore to Tamil Nadu's ruling party DMK, through the electoral bond. Other major donors of the MK Stalin-led DMK included Megha Engineering 105 crore, India Cements 14 crore and Sun TV 100 crore.

The Election Commission released data received from political parties on electoral bonds, which it had given to the Supreme Court in sealed covers.

The data also showed the BJP received the maximum funds through these bonds at 6,986.5 crore since they were introduced in 2018, followed by West Bengal's ruling party Trinamool Congress ( 1,397 crore), Congress ( 1,334 crore) and BRS ( 1,322 crore).
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reschedule the polling in the southern state as it currently falls on a Friday, considered the most significant day of the week in Islam. In a joint letter to the poll panel, KPCC acting president M M Hassan and leader of the Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan requested to shift the day of voting from April 26 citing potential difficulties for Muslim voters. Dig deeper The voter turnout in the 2019 election in Kerala was 77.84%. (Representative file photo)(HT_PRINT)

More on Lok Sabha polls: Derek O'Brien claims PM- Modi violated Model Code of Conduct, BJP slams TMC leader

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Rijiju confident of winning fourth term from Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat

The Nayab Singh Saini-led government in Haryana carried out its first cabinet expansion on Tuesday by inducting eight MLAs as ministers of state (independent in charge). Haryana governor Bandaru Dattatreya administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. Former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar was also present at the swearing-in ceremony. Saini, a Lok Sabha MP from Kurukshetra, took oath as the new chief minister of Haryana last week, replacing Manohar Lal Khattar. Along with him, five other ministers - BJP leaders Kanwar Pal, Mool Chand Sharma, Jai Parkash Dalal, Banwari Lal, and an independent MLA Ranjit Singh Chautala - also took oath as members of the new council of ministers. Dig deeper

More on Haryana: Felt happy like a family elder, says Khattar on Saini taking over as Haryana CM

Country has scripted new chapter of development under PM Modis rule: Haryana CM Saini

The Latest News

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India News

Navjot Sidhu back in the IPL commentary box, not playing ball for LS polls Dig deeper

MoD extends order suspending business with Vectra over Tatra case Dig deeper

Global Matters

Israel's restrictions to Gaza aid may amount to war crime: United Nations Dig deeper

Around 9,000 children to be evacuated from Russia's Belgorod amid war Dig deeper

Sports Goings

A day after Hardik Pandya set the record straight on the captaincy saga at the Mumbai Indians (MI) camp, veteran batter Suryakumar Yadav posted a cryptic post on social media. All-rounder Hardik completed a sensational transfer from Gujarat Titans (GT) to Mumbai Indians (MI) in an all-cash deal before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction. After re-joining the Mumbai Indians franchise, the white-ball maverick was confirmed as the successor of Rohit Sharma. Hardik will make his captaincy debut for Mumbai in the IPL 2024. Dig deeper

Entertainment Focus

Ever since Daniel Craig announced that he would bow out of the spy franchise after his film No Time to Die (2021), speculation has been rife over who would succeed him as James Bond. As per a new report by The Sun, British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been formally offered the job as the new James Bond, although no casting announcements have been made yet. Per the report, Aaron Taylor-Johnson is expected to accept the role as 007, taking over from Daniel Craig, who has played MI6s most famous spy for 15 years. A source told the outlet, Bond is Aarons job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back." Dig deeper

Thats all we have at this hour in our evening briefing. Catch you tomorrow morning.
Former Indian ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), almost two months after he wrapped up his term in office in Washington DC. He joined the ruling party in the presence of its general secretaries Tarun Chugh and Vinod Tawde in the national capital. Former Indian ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.(Twitter)

According to reports, the BJP is likely to field the former envoy in the Lok Sabha polls from Amritsar in Punjab - the city where Sandhu hails from. The party reportedly believes that Sandhu, who comes from a Jat Sikh family, may turn out to be its best bet to win back the Amritsar seat.

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Addressing the media after joining the saffron party, Sandhu thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and party president J P Nadda for his political innings, and called Modi a development-focused leader.

Development is very much needed today. This development should reach Amritsar too, he added amid speculations about his candidature in the Lok Sabha elections.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar welcomed Sandhu to the BJP and expressed confidence in his contribution to the country's development.

Welcome to @BJP4India, Ambassador @SandhuTaranjitS. Our close association gives me fullest confidence that you will continue contributing to the nations development and progress, he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. The minister also shared a picture with the former ambassador on the social media platform.

Sandhu assumed the charge as the Indian Ambassador to the United States in February 2020. His most immediate task after his appointment was the then-President Donald Trump's visit to India.

Previously, he has served as the First Secretary (Political) at the Embassy of India, Washington DC from 1997 to 2000. He was also the Consul General of India in Frankfurt from September 2011 to July 2013, and the deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of India in Washington DC from July 2013 to January 2017.

Along with this, Sandhu has also worked in the Ministry of External Affairs in various departments - Joint Secretary (United Nations) from March 2009 to August 2011, and later as Joint Secretary (Administration) heading the Human Resource Division.

Born on January 23, 1963, Sandhu studied at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, and graduated with History Honours from St. Stephens' College in Delhi. He has a Master's Degree in International Relations from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies)
Former Karnataka chief minister and BJP lawmaker DV Sadananda Gowda, who has been denied a ticket to contest from Bangalore North parliamentary constituency, said on Monday that he has been approached by other parties ahead of the polls. BJP lawmaker DV Sadananda Gowda.

Speaking on his birthday celebrations at his residence, the 71-year-old expressed disappointment over being denied a ticket to contest from Bangalore North, questioning the BJPs stance in Karnataka.

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It is true that I have been contacted by others. It is also true that our party leaders also contacted and discussed with me. Last night a predominant office bearer of our party came to me and tried to pacify me. Various things are happening, said Gowda, a former state BJP president.

He said he would like to consult his family and well wishers before taking any decision. Reflecting on recent events, Gowda said he was initially reluctant to engage in electoral politics but was persuaded by party leaders. However, he felt let down when support dwindled at the crucial moment, causing embarrassment, Gowda said.

He claimed that BJP national general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal had told him that out of 28 constituencies in the state, Bangalore North was the only one where there was no other candidate other than him. I had decided to stay away from electoral politics, but I was pulled back, but no one came to my rescue at the last minute, and have caused some embarrassment to me, he said.

Gowda had earlier announced his decision to retire from electoral politics, but later backtracked, saying that there was pressure on him to contest the 2024 general elections.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje, who met Gowda on Monday, said the Congress will not be successful in its attempts. Congress is frustrated and confused without candidates, dont know who all they are contacting, Sadananda Gowda is a former chief minister. He had occupied several important ministries at the Centre. He is our senior leader. Congress will not be successful in this. Let them contact whoever they want, everyone will support Narendra Modi and will work towards making him Prime Minister once again, she said.

In the candidate list released on Thursday, Vokkaliga leader Karandlaje has been moved to the Bengaluru North constituency, causing protests among party workers. Gowda, who previously contested this seat, has been removed after announcing his retirement from electoral politics. Karandlaje candidature led to protests in Bengaluru North, where party workers shouted Go back Shobha, calling her an outsider.
Gandhinagar, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has said incidents like the attack on foreign students allegedly for offering namaz in the Gujarat University's hostel block indicate people of the country are still not fully aware of its traditions and cultural heritage. HT Image

Khan made the remarks while talking to reporters on Monday at the Central University of Gujarat in Gandhinagar where he was invited to speak in a national conference on 'Indian Knowledge Tradition'.

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Queried on the attack, he said, "Such incidents indicate we are still not fully aware of our own traditions and cultural heritage. Conferences like this will help us in understanding what our traditions are."

In his address, Khan said though people follow different faiths and traditions, they are ultimately united by their soul.

"We all might be having different ways of expressing our devotion. My language, skin colour as well as customs and traditions may also differ from yours. Still, we all are united by our soul, that is what the Indian knowledge tradition teaches us," he said.

On the occasion, Khan recited several slokas and verses from the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita, and told the audience that majority of the scholars India has produced were "saints".

Quoting the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, Khan said a knowledgeable person is one who will always find unity hidden behind the visible diversity in society.

Citing Swami Ranganathananda, Khan said though the Indian civilisation was known for its knowledge system, it became "vulnerable and conquerable" because those with immense knowledge had stopped sharing it with the masses.

Around two dozen people allegedly barged into the government-run Gujarat University's hostel in Ahmedabad on Saturday night and raised an objection to students from foreign countries offering namaz near the facility block where they stayed, according to the police.

Two students - one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan - were hospitalised after the incident, police earlier said.

An FIR was registered against 20-25 unidentified assailants, and nine teams were formed to conduct a probe into the incident.

So far, five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, police said on Monday.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Gujarat University vice-chancellor Neerja Gupta said namaz couldn't have been the only provocation for violence against foreign students on Saturday night. Neerja Gupta told The Indian Express that ignorance of local culture by foreign students might have led to the incident. She claimed that foreign students eat non-vegetarian food and the dumping of leftovers can be an issue in Gujarat's vegetarian society. Ahmedabad: Police investigate the Gujarat University hostel campus where students hailing from different foreign countries were assaulted allegedly by a group of persons over the issue of offering Namaz, in Ahmedabad (PTI)

The vice-chancellor talked about the need to sensitise and mentor foreign students about local culture and practices.

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ALSO READ| Gujarat University attack incident shows we are not fully aware of our traditions: Kerala Guv

What's the controversy involving foreign students at Gujarat University?

On Saturday, a group of people entered the Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad and allegedly attacked foreign students who were offering namaz inside the premises. In the violence, five persons suffered injuries. One student from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan were hospitalised after the attack.

One video purported to be of the incident and viral on social media shows a student hitting a person who is complaining about namaz being offered inside the university campus.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Police have arrested several people for their alleged role in the attack. A first information report (FIR) was registered against some 25 unidentified people for rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, damage to property and criminal trespass, police officials in Ahmedabad said.

The incident has attracted widespread condemnation from various quarters. Opposition parties have criticised the ruling BJP government for law and order situation in the state.

ALSO READ| After attack, Gujarat University to shift foreign students to new hostel, strengthen security: VC

The ministry of external affairs also took cognizance of the incident. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X(formerly Twitter) that the Gujarat government is taking strict action against the perpetrators.

An incidence of violence took place at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad yesterday. State government is taking strict action against the perpetrators, he said.
Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Tuesday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur saying that the opposition is completely stunned by the 1500 that women are going to get under the Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi. Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi (HT File)(HT_PRINT)

"The formalities for providing the benefits of this scheme in the state from April 1, 2024, have been completed before the implementation of the Election Code of Conduct," he added.

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Negi pointed out, "BJP and Jairam Thakur are anti-women."

Negi said that budget provision has been made for the scheme, which has been approved by the Cabinet. "The government has issued a notification to implement the scheme. If women are submitting forms now then why are BJP and Jairam Thakur opposing?" he questioned.

"They have to tell the women if they want that eligible daughters, sisters and mothers above 18 years of age should not get the benefits of this scheme. The Leader of the Opposition sees the defeat of the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and Assembly by-elections, hence he has come out against women."

He stated that the women's power in the state would give them a befitting reply to this protest and would defeat the BJP in the upcoming elections.

Jagat Singh Negi lashed out at the former Chief Minister for opposing women-friendly schemes.

"He should have supported it, but he is opposing this scheme by doing party politics. BJP and Jairam Thakur are also protesting because this was a guarantee given by the Congress which the government has fulfilled during its tenure of one and a quarter years," he slammed.

Appreciating Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, he said, "The opposition is not able to digest the public welfare schemes of the government. CM Sukhu has done unprecedented work during his tenure of one and a quarter years, five out of ten guarantees have also been fulfilled."

He hit out saying that BJP leaders are upset due to this, they do not like the change in the system of the Sukhu government. "BJP and Jairam Thakur should think carefully before opposing the policies being implemented in the interest of Himachal Pradesh," he added.
By going with Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) led by Jamui MP Chirag Paswan and not the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) of Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, the Bharatiya Janata Party has made its choice clear: LJP-R has got five seats in the National Democratic Alliance this time.

In the 2020 assembly elections in Bihar, Nitish Kumars Janata Dal-United suffered at the hands of the LJP, who accused it of playing as BJPs B team. Following this, the LJP split, and Paras broke away with five MPs to form a separate party. Chirag was left alone.

On July 8, 2021, Paras received a berth in the Narendra Modi cabinet, which was largely seen as a result of the BJPs unwillingness to antagonise Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, whose party was reduced to the third position in the polls. Nitish, close to Paras, also blamed Chirag for the poor show in the 2020 assembly elections.

Isolated, Chirag hit the streets to connect with his supporters and refused invitations from Lalu Prasads Rashtriya Janata Dal to join the Grand Alliance (GA).

BJPs deft manoeuvrings meant that Chirag never felt left out despite being denied the cabinet berth. Paras remained under the illusion that he was the preferred choice in the NDA. He won the early rounds. But in politics, things are strategically planned and Paras can feel that now. Chirag remained out of favour for a cabinet berth, but he called himself Narendra Modis Hanuman, said Nawal Kishor Choudhary, a retired professor at Patna University.

In 2023, ahead of a meeting of NDA parties, Chirag bestowed the title upon himself. "He [the PM] lives in my heart. I am his Hanuman and will support him in all difficult situations, he said after his party LJP-R rejoined the NDA.

The BJP is known for enabling generational power shifts within the party and in Chirag, it saw the future. At 72, Paras may be past his prime, while Chirag is young and the heir of former Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Chirags patience and maturity during the period the BJP kept him waiting may have worked in his favour. Chirag hit the streets to build his organisation, he added.

Chirag, on his part, always maintained that he was never in contention for a cabinet berth, but had his eye on Hajipur, a Parliamentary seat represented by his father nine times, before his uncle Paras won it in 2019.

Also read: Why a family fight is holding up seat-sharing talks in Bihar for BJP-led NDA

Paras, in turn, stuck with his stand that he would only contest from Hajipur, based on the wishes of his late brother. He reiterated the same while giving an ultimatum to the BJP.

Part of the problem was the fight over the legacy between Chirag and Paras. Ram Vilas Paswan formed the Lok Janshakti Party in 2000. The heavyweight leader in Bihar politics passed away in October 2020, just before assembly elections were held in the state.

Paras may have lost the BJPs favour, but Chirags real challenge will be to join hands with Nitish during campaigning. Since 2020, Chirag has been a bitter critic of the CM and never denied his role in giving JD-U the jolt in the polls he thought it deserved.

Now, he seems ready to reconcile with Nitish. With Nitish Kumar also in the NDA, the Opposition does not stand a chance. I thank BJP president JP Nadda for addressing all my concerns. In politics, there is no personal enmity, Chirag said soon after the seat-sharing was announced.

Chirags separation from his uncle was further underlined when he said that he would field fresh faces, particularly favouring those who were with him during his days of political isolation. This spells trouble for Paras and the four other MPs who may find themselves out in the cold unless the NDA is able to accommodate them elsewhere.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday turned emotional and paused his speech briefly while remembering a late BJP leader who was hacked to death in 2013. Salem: Prime Minister Narendra Modi drinks water amid his address during a public meeting ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Salem, Tamil Nadu, Tuesday, March 19, 2024.(PTI)

Addressing a public rally in Salem, Modi recalled three personalities related to the district, including the late BJP leader KN Lakshmanan.

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However, he turned emotional while talking about 'Auditor' Ramesh.

Today, I remember Auditor Ramesh, PM Modi said before pausing his speech for over a minute.

The crowd fell silent for a few seconds and then raised slogans in Modi's support.

Resuming his speech, PM Modi said, Unfortunately, My Ramesh of Salem is not among us.

Ramesh worked hard for the party, day and night and he was a good orator. But he was killed, he added as he paid tribute to the late BJP leader.

(Also Read: PM Narendra Modi on Shakti row: DMK, Congress never speak against other religions)

Who was Auditor Ramesh?

V Ramesh, an auditor by profession, was a Salem-based state general secretary of the party. The 52-year-old BJP leader was attacked with sharp-edged weapons near his house on July 19, 2013, by unidentified assailants. The BJP leader had gone to his office to discuss party affairs around 9pm and was attacked by four persons while returning to his residence, according to police.

At that time, then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi had called and enquired about the murder.

The incident caused tensions in the region as protesters stoned five government buses and the authorities had to declare a holiday in schools.

In October 2013, HT reported that Narendra Modi, who was BJP's prime ministerial face, didn't offer any praise for then Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa, during his rally in Tiruchi. TN BJP leaders said that Modi was not too happy with the state government for the lack of progress in the probe into the killing Auditor Ramesh.

The prime minister also paid rich tributes to the late Lakshmanan, recalling his contributions for the party's growth in Tamil Nadu.

"Lakshmanan ji role in the anti-emergency movement and participation in socio-cultural activities will always be remembered. His contribution to the expansion of the BJP in the state is unforgettable. He also started many schools in the state, he added.
The ministry of external affairs on Tuesday rubbished China's absurd claims over Arunachal Pradesh and said that repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity. Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs, asserted that Arunachal Pradesh will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled projects worth  55,600 crore in the Northeast, including the strategic Sela tunnel which will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.(PTI)

Jaiswal's statement was in response to media queries on remarks made by Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, who had reiterated Beijing's claim over Arunachal Pradesh, calling the area an inherent part of China's territory".

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(Also Read: Army plans to strengthen posture against China along the LAC in central sector)

When asked about India's enhancement of its military readiness through the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh, Zhang said that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China's territory, and Beijing "never acknowledges and firmly opposes" the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India.

On March 9, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the Sela Tunnel built at an altitude of 13,000 feet in Arunachal Pradesh that will provide all-weather connectivity to strategically located Tawang and is expected to ensure better movement of troops along the frontier region.

We require the Indian side to cease any action that may complicate the boundary question, and earnestly maintain peace and stability in the border areas, Zhand was quoted as saying by the state media.

(Also Read: In a first, Centre sanctions Border Intelligence Posts along the LAC to keep an eye on China)

China, which claims Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet, routinely objects to Indian leaders' visits to the state to highlight its claims. Beijing has also named the area as Zangnan.

We have noted the comments made by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry advancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh. Repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity, Jaiswal said in a statement.

Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Its people will continue to benefit from our development programmes and infrastructure projects, he added.
NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday rejected as absurd the Chinese sides claim over Arunachal Pradesh, saying the northeastern state is an integral and inalienable part of the country. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Chinese side had made absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh. (REUTERS FILE)

Last week, the spokesperson of the Chinese defence ministry contended that Arunachal Pradesh is Chinas inherent territory and that Beijing firmly opposes Indias establishment of the state.

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Responding to these remarks, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Chinese side had made absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh.

Jaiswal added: Repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity. Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.

The people of Arunachal Pradesh will continue to benefit from Indias development programmes and infrastructure projects, Jaiswal said in response to the Chinese sides opposition to infrastructure projects such as the Sela Tunnel.

This was the latest in a war of words between India and China over Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing refers to as Zangnan and claims as part of South Tibet. In recent years, China has resorted to steps such as renaming dozens of towns and geographical features in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its efforts to reinforce its claim on the region.

India has rubbished these claims. Ties between the two sides are currently at a six-decade low over the military standoff in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which is currently in its fourth year. India has maintained that bilateral ties cannot be normalised till peace and tranquillity is restored on the border.

The latest exchanges between the two sides have been triggered by Indias inauguration of the Sela Tunnel, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a cost of 825 crore. The worlds longest twin-lane tunnel, located above 13,000 feet, provides all-weather connectivity and allows quicker deployment of troops and equipment to forward areas in the Tawang sector of the LAC.

On Friday, the Chinese defence ministry spokesperson, senior colonel Zhang Xiaogang said that Beijing has never recognised Indias illegal establishment of Arunachal Pradesh.

Zhang also described the overall situation in the China-India border areas as stable, and said both sides maintain effective communication through diplomatic and military channels to address border issues of mutual concern.

In a reference to the opening of the Sela Tunnel, Zhang claimed Indias actions are contrary to the efforts of both sides to ease the border situation and are not conducive to maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

The Chinese side, he said, requires the Indian side to cease any action that may complicate the boundary question. He added, The Chinese military remains highly vigilant and will resolutely defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Last week, India rejected the Chinese foreign ministrys opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Arunachal Pradesh for the inauguration of the Sela Tunnel. China traditionally bristles over visits to Arunachal Pradesh by top Indian leaders but such reactions are brushed aside by New Delhi. The Indian side also said that objecting to such visits or Indias developmental projects will not change the reality that the state of Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.

Sela Tunnel is part of projects taken up by India to upgrade infrastructure all along the LAC amid the dragging military standoff with China in the Ladakh sector that began in May 2020. Both sides have arrayed close to 50,000 troops each in the Ladakh sector following skirmishes in mid-2020 that left 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops dead.
NEW DELHI: India was the third most polluted country in 2023 after Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to the World Air Quality Report based on data from the Swiss firm IQAir. Indias annual PM 2.5 was 54.4g/m3 compared to Pakistans 73.7g/m3 and Bangladeshs 79.9g/m3. Forty-two of the worlds most polluted 50 cities are in India. (HT PHOTO/Representative)

Indias annual PM 2.5 average was 53.3g/m3 in 2022 when it was the eighth most polluted country. It was 58.1g/m3 in 2021. The report, which was released on Tuesday and is based on data from over 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 7,812 locations in 134 countries, territories, and regions, said 42 of the worlds most polluted 50 cities are in India.

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New Delhi (92.7g/m3) was the most polluted capital city globally. Begusarai (118.9g/m3) was the most polluted in India followed by Guwahati (105.4g/m3).

The Union Territory of Delhi had an average PM 2.5 concentration of 102.1g/m3, making it the third most polluted worldwide. New Delhi (92.7g/m3) was the sixth most polluted.

Mullanpur (100.4g/m3) in Punjab and Pakistans Lahore (99.5g/m3) were the fourth and fifth most polluted places.

Greater Noida (88.6g/m3) was the most polluted, ranking 11th, across the National Capita Region after Delhi. Gurugram (84g/m3) was next at 17th.

The report said seven of the 134 countriesAustralia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius, and New Zealandmet the World Health Organization annual PM 2.5 average of 5g/m3 or less.

Greenpeace International senior air quality scientist Aidan Farrow said the report illustrates the international nature and inequitable consequences of the enduring air pollution crisis. Local, national, and international effort is urgently needed to monitor air quality in under-resourced places, manage the causes of transboundary haze, and cut our reliance on combustion as an energy source, he said.

In 2023, air pollution remained a global health catastrophe. IQAirs global data set provides an important reminder of the resulting injustices and the need to implement the many solutions that exist to this problem.

Centre for Science and Environment executive director (research and advocacy) Anumita Roychowdhury said the report again highlights how air quality remains challenging in rapidly motorising and urbanising Indian cities. To fix this, we need transformative multi-sector action across all regions under the National Clean Air Programme for a time-bound reduction in pollution levels.

She said while most global rankings are based on the PM2.5 concentration, their NCAP programme is solely focussed on evaluating the performance of cities based on PM10, which diverts attention and resources towards dust control. This also shows that we need stronger strategies for controlling the more harmful finer fraction of PM2.5 that comes largely from combustion sources.
Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan on Tuesday was given the additional responsibility as the in-charge governor of Telangana, in place of Tamilisai Soundararajan, who resigned from her constitutional post on Monday. Radhakrishnan is likely to assume charge as governor of Telangana on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. (CP Radhakrishnan | Official X account)

A communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said the resignation of Tamilisai was accepted with immediate effect and in her place, Radhakrishnan was given the additional charge of Telangana.

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He will also carry the additional responsibilities of the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, a post which Tamilisai was holding till she resigned on Monday.

Also Read:Constitution cant be at mercy of state governments: Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan

An official from Telangana Raj Bhavan said Radhakrishnan is likely to assume charge as governor of Telangana on Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.

Radhakrishnan is the third person from Tamil Nadu to occupy the post of governor in Telangana for a consecutive term, the first one being ESL Narasimhan, who was followed by Tamilisai Sounderarajan.

Radhakrishnan, a two-time Member of Parliament (MP) from Coimbatore as a BJP candidate, assumed the governorship of Jharkhand in 2023.

I am humbled and blessed to be given the additional responsibility to serve as the governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry. I thank from the bottom of my heart our beloved and most respected honourable President Smt Droupadi Murmu ji, our beloved most respected Honble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and our beloved most respected Honble Home Minister Amit Shah ji for giving me this great additional responsibility to serve our motherland. Jai Hind, Radhakrishnan posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday moved the Delhi high court challenging all Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued to him in the Delhi excise policy case. The high court's division bench will hear the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor's plea on Wednesday.



On Sunday, the central agency had issued ninth summons to Kejriwal, asking him to appear for questioning on Thursday, i.e March 21 in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.



The summons were issued a day after a Delhi court had granted bail to the Delhi CM on two complaints filed by the ED against him for skipping six of the previous eight summons in this case. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has challenged all ED summons issued to him in Delhi excise policy case.

The ED had moved the magisterial court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for not attending the summonses issued to him in the case. The AAP chief's name has been mentioned multiple times in charge sheets filed by the ED in the excise policy case. The agency has said that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal regarding the preparation of the excise policy for 2021-22.

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So far, the ED has arrested AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, party communications in-charge Vijay Nair and some liquor businessmen in this case. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha was arrested by the agency last week. In its statement, the ED alleged that she was in a conspiracy with top AAP leadership including Kejriwal and Sisodia.



ALSO READ: BJP would send ED-CBI even to Lord Ram if: Arvind Kejriwal's jibe at Centre



The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday lashed out at Kejriwal over summons issued to him in the case.

Nine-odd summonses have been issued to Kejriwal in the last six months and he has skipped all of them making some excuses or other. But these excuses are not going to work. How far you will run away from the long hand of the law. It will eventually catch you when there is evidence. The storm is coming and it will certainly come when you have committed corruption, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said.


Lok Sabha Election 2024 Highlights: The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on March 16 that this year's general election will be conducted in seven phases, beginning on April 19 and ending on June 1. While the counting for all the state assemblies, which are going for election during the same time, has been set for June 4, the poll body changed the counting dates for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, where counting will occur on June 2. Other states going for Assembly elections are Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, with 175 and 147 seats, respectively....Read More

Before gearing up for voting, the public can now check the details of the candidates from their constituency through the "Know Your Candidate" mobile application recently launched by the Election Commission. It will also provide details on the candidate's "criminal history", if any.

Detailed dates of seven phases of Lok Sabha Election 2024 -

 Phase 1- April 19, 2024

 Phase 2- 26 April 2024

 Phase 3-7 May 2024

 Phase 4 - 13 May 2024

 Phase 5 - 20 May 2024

 Phase 6 - 25 May 2024

 Phase 7 - 1 June 2024

 Counting on June 4

Schedule for state Assembly elections -

Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim - Phase 1 (60 seats)

Andhra Pradesh - Phase 4 (175 seats)

Odisha - In four phases, Phase 4, 5, 6,7 (147 seats)

Here are some top election updates so far -

 Approximately 65,000 paramilitary personnel will be deployed by the Centre in West Bengal for election security, the largest deployment among all states. New checkpoints will be established by the Election Commission near West Bengal's international border, along with drone surveillance to prevent smuggling of election-related items.

 Besides West Bengal, about 50,000 paramilitary personnel will be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir to ensure peaceful elections.

 NDA reveals a seat-sharing plan for Bihar, with 40 seats going to polls starting on April 19. In 2019, NDA won 39 out of 40 seats, with BJP winning 17, JD(U) 16, and LJP 6. BJP will fight 17 seats, the same as 2019, and its principal ally, the Janata Dal (United), will fight in 16, one lower than 2019. For the first time, the BJP would contest more seats than the JD(U).

 DMK allocates nine Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and one in Puducherry to Congress, following their successful alliance in the 2019 elections. In 2019, the Congress contested nine out of 39 parliamentary seats, besides the lone seat in Puducherry. It won eight seats in the polls in Tamil Nadu. The DMK contested 20 seats and won all of them that year.

 Telangana Governor and Puducherry Lt Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan resigns. Speculation arises about her potential candidacy for the Lok Sabha elections in South Chennai or South Tamil Nadu.

Scroll down for more dynamic election updates
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday hit out at INDIA ally Left, accusing it of trying to split opposition votes by fielding a candidate against him in Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha elections.



Last two elections the BJP came second, if they're really so concerned about opposition unity why are they undercutting my vote by running a candidate whose campaigning has been entirely against me? I have not heard the left speaking against the BJP, they're speaking against me all the time and trying to take away for example minority votes, Tharoor, a three-time MP from the Kerala state capital, was quoted by ANI as saying.



ALSO READ: Shashi Tharoor says he is convinced about BJP's defeat in 2024 Lok Sabha polls



This is a tactic which can only help the third party namely the BJP, so I'm asking the CPI what are you talking about? Why are you doing this here? And then demanding alliance between Dharma and Wayanad be consistent that's my message, he added.



Earlier in the day, Tharoor had taken to social media platform X to attack the Communist Party of India (CPI). Its ironic that the same @cpofindia that complains about @RahulGandhis candidature in Wayanad is playing the BJPs game in Thiruvananthapuram. The only effect of the CPIs campaign against me in Thiruvananthapuram is to divide the anti-BJP vote. And they preach alliance dharma in Wayanad! Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is contesting his fourth Lok Sabha election from Thiruvananthapuram.(PTI)





Hitting back at Tharoor, CPI general secretary D Raja said,"It is an absurd statement. An educated man like Shashi Tharoor must understand the history of Kerala properly. It is the Left that is fighting the communal and fascist forces...so many Congress leaders are leaving and joining BJP."



Against Tharoor, the BJP has fielded Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. Pannyan Raveendran, the Left Democratic Front's Lok Sabha candidate from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, had said that the main fight in the constituency is between the LDF and the Congress-led UDF.

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"The main contest is between LDF and UDF. BJP is irrelevant in Thiruvananthapuram," he told ANI. Kerala, which sends 20 members to the Lok Sabha, will vote in the second phase on April 26.

BJP mocks Cong-Left war of words

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar slammed Congress over the infighting between the INDIA allies. Everything about the Congress is beginning to look like a surreal circus because on one day Rahul Gandhi will attack 'Shakti' in Mumbai without knowing what that means...He is the sitting MP. This is an election to elect the next MP and he wants the voters to think about something else. I don't understand his logic.



This newly found strategy by the Congress to criticize their own INDI alliance partner CPM, CPI. What that game is I don't know. Except to say these are the two parties who have more commonality than any other two parties in India. They both have MoUs with China. They both want Narendra Modi to be toppled and they both today are in an alliance to keep Kerala and Thiruvananthapuram behind, the minister told ANI.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader KS Eshwarappa on Tuesday defended his decision to contest as an independent candidate from Shivamogga in the Lok Sabha election.



Karnatakas BJP is in control of one family, and we are protesting against this. All those people who are talking about Hindutva have been sidelined. Whether it is CT Ravi, Pratap Simha, Basangouda Patil Yatnal, Sadananda Gowda, or anyone else, those who speak about Hindutva are being sidelined. They are all leaders, who have done a lot of work for the party," Eshwarappa, who served as deputy chief minister in the previous BJP government, told PTI.



Eshwarappa, 75, has raised a banner of revolt after the BJP denied poll ticket to his son KE Kantesh from Haveri constituency. Former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has been fielded from this seat. KS Eshwarappa has accused BS Yediyurappa of 'cheating' his family.

He had blamed ex-CM BS Yediyurappa for denial of ticket to his son, accusing the veteran leader of cheating his family. Yediyurappa promised KE Kantesh will get the BJP ticket from Haveri. Taking him at his word, Kantesh was directing his efforts on Haveri, trying to win the trust of people. However, my son was eventually denied a ticket. Yediyurappa cheated us," said Eshwarappa, who resigned as deputy CM in 2022 after being charged with abetment of suicide of a contractor.



Eshwarappa even skipped Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Shivamogga on Monday. The BJP has fielded Yediyurappa's son BY Raghavendra, who is a sitting MP from the constituency.



Yediyurappa had denied the charge, saying candidates are finalised by the party's central election committee and he had no role in it.



The party may issue notice to me or expel me. In case I win within two months, I'm confident that my supporters will join me at the feet of my mother -- the BJP, Eshwarappa had declared.
New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday reacted to his cousin and MNS chief Raj Thackeray's meeting with home minister Amit Shah, saying the BJP is trying to steal "a Thackeray" to ensure its victory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Shiv Sena (Udhhav Balasaheb Thackeray) Chief Uddhav Thackeray addresses a public meeting ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, at Vasmat in Hingoli on Monday.(ANI)

Addressing a gathering in Nanded district, Uddhav Thackeray said he would not be bothered if the BJP took away his cousin.

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Raj Thackeray met Amit Shah in Delhi today amid speculation that the former is trying to stitch an alliance with the BJP for the polls.

"BJP knows very well that they don't get votes in the name of PM Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. People vote here in the name of (Bal) Thackeray. This realisation prompted the BJP to try to steal leaders from outside (BJP fold)," he said.

"First, they stole the photo of Bal Thackeray, but it doesn't matter. Today, they are trying to steal another Thackeray....take it, I and my people are enough," he said after concluding his two-day tour of Nanded and Hingoli districts in the Marathwada region.

Uddhav Thackeray said the people of other religions have no problem with his version of Hindutva. He said the image of the undivided Shiv Sena was being sullied by the BJP.

"The image of Shiv Sena (undivided) was getting sullied when we were with the BJP. But since we severed ties with them, even members of Christian and Muslim communities are saying that they have no issues with our Hindutva ideology," he added.

Raj Thackeray was a Shiv Sena leader. However, in 2006, he founded MNS after quitting the party due to differences with Uddhav Thackeray.

MNS performed well initially. Ihas lately lost steam electorally. Raj Thackeray, however, is still popular.

Uddhav Thackeray, meanwhile, also attacked the BJP over SBI's electoral bonds disclosure.

"BJP should declare the funds it collected under the electoral bonds scheme. My party Shiv Sena (UBT) will also declare the funds. Shiv Sena (UBT) also got electoral bonds, but it did not receive these donations by scaring the donors of the Enforcement Directorate or through grant of favours to them," Thackeray said.

In 2022, Uddhav Thackeray's confidante Eknath Shinde led a rebellion of Shiv Sena MLAs over the former's alliance with ideologically opposite Congress and NCP, leading to a vertical split in the party. Uddhav Thackeray, the son of late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, lost the chief ministerial post as well as a significant chunk of his party.

Shinde, who enjoys the support of most of the Shiv Sena MLAs and MPs, later joined hands with the BJP and formed a coalition government in Maharashtra, pushing Uddhav Thackeray to the margins of the state's politics.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress has filed a written complaint with the Election Commission, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi violated the model code of conduct. West Bengal's ruling party claimed that PM Modi, BJP's Varanasi candidate, used central government funds for the election campaign. TMC leader Derek O'Brien lodged a complaint with the Election Commission (File).(ANI)

Derek O'Brien, TMC's Rajya MP, wrote to the chief election commissioner on Monday, claiming a public message highlighting the government's programmes reached the electorate on March 16, after the model code of conduct came into force.

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Derek O'Brien said PM Modi purportedly sent the message in the form of a letter to the voters on March 15.

He said the BJP used the office of the prime minister to put forth its message at the cost of the public exchequer. He claimed the letter was a vote appeal to the masses.

"By using the office of the prime minister, the BJP has issued the aforesaid letter at the cost of the public exchequer under the guise of a message seemingly sent by the Government of India. Such mass circulation is nothing but an appeal to the voters in favour of the BJP and Mr Modi and thereby flouting the mandate of the Election Commission of India," O'Brien said in the complaint.

He urged the "EC to ensure that appropriate directions are issued to the BJP and its candidate Modi to withhold from future campaigns at the cost of public exchequer, to withdraw the letter".

Also read: In letter to dear family, PM Modi seeks suggestions for Viksit Bharat

He also claimed that the cost of the letter to the electorate be included in the election expenditure account of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya slammed Derek O'Brien, saying his claims were untrue and preposterous

"The concerned person (Derek OBrien) keeps posting tweets and sharing images on X handle. Let him move the EC, let him move the SC, if he wants, with such untrue and preposterous claims though it will not help his party win the hearts of people of the country of Bengal, which Narendra Modi has won, by his good governance and pro-people image and policies," he told PTI.

"TMC leaders have no place in the hearts of people and that will be clear after the polls conducted by the Election Commission," he added.

Also read: Shakti row: BJP calls Rahul Gandhi misogynistic, Opposition backs Congress leader

Last week, PM Modi, on the eve of the announcement of the general elections, wrote a letter to the masses and sought suggestions from a section of people for shaping the Union governments Viksit Bharat (developed India) agenda.

I need and indeed, look forward to your ideas, suggestions and support as we work to fulfil the resolve of building a Viksit Bharat," he wrote.

With inputs from PTI
The Lokpal, countrys anti-corruption watchdog, on Tuesday ordered a formal Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra in cash-for-query charges saying there is sufficient prima facie evidence (against the former member of parliament) on record that deserves deeper scrutiny. Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra.

It has directed the federal probe agency to complete investigations in all aspects of the allegations against Moitra within six months and also file periodical reports every month.



ALSO READ: No case for interference with Mahua Moitras expulsion: LS secretariat

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What may be unethical can also constitute an offence under law, which is what the present proceedings are all about. There is sufficient prima facie evidence on record that deserves deeper scrutiny, said Lokpal in its order on Tuesday, seen by HT.

After careful evaluation and consideration of the entire material on record, there remains no doubt regarding the fact that the allegations levelled against Moitra, most of which are supported by cogent evidence, are extremely serious in nature, especially in view of the position held by her. Therefore, in our considered opinion, a deeper probe is required to establish the truth. This is vital in view of the position and status held by the RPS (respondent public servant) at the relevant point of time, it said.

HT exclusively reported last week that Lokpal will soon decide on a probe against Mahua Moitra and that her defence team had presented arguments in Lokpal.

Moitras legal team refused to comment on Lokpal order.

Rejecting Moitra arguments during a hearing at Lokpal last week that allegations regarding bribery and quid pro quo have not been substantiated against her, the bench of Justice Abhilasha Kumari, Archana Ramasundaram and Mahender Singh further said,Whatever be the position held, a public servant is bound to exercise probity in the discharge of his/her duties as a public servant. The responsibility and burden are heavier on the shoulders of a public representative.

Corruption is a malaise that is adversely affecting the legislative, administrative, social and economic functioning of this democratic country. It is a duty cast upon us and, indeed, the mandate of the Act, that all attempts be made to root out corruption and corrupt practises that bring under their fold aspects such as undue advantage, illegal gain or benefit and quid pro quo in the discharge of public duties, it added.

The federal agency has been investigating allegations against Moitra, 49, as part of a preliminary enquiry (PE) since November last year based on a Lokpal reference. In a PE, CBI is empowered to examine documents and summon a person for questioning but cannot carry out searches or make arrests.

It is alleged that former TMC parliamentarian from Krishnanagar in West Bengal accepted money and favours to ask questions in Parliament. She was expelled from the lower house on December 8 based on a recommendation by the ethics committee.

Moitras troubles started in October 2023, when Bharatiya Janata Party (CBI) lawmaker Nishikant Dubey wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the basis of a complaint by lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, who alleged that Moitra accepted money and favours to ask questions in Parliament.

The same month, he approached Lokpal over the cash-for-query charge against Moitra.

Moitra is accused of giving direct access of her official MP ID to businessman Darshan Hiranandani to post questions on the Lok Sabha portal on her behalf and receiving expensive gifts from the businessman who also allegedly underwrote her bungalow renovations and paid for her foreign trips. While Hiranandani has corroborated the charges, Moitra has denied the allegations that she received gifts, and has asked other parliamentarians if they never shared their passwords.

Lok Sabha ethics committee adopted a report recommending Moitras expulsion for sharing her login credentials and password with an unauthorised person, its impact on national security and finding that it amounted to unethical conduct and contempt of the House.

Once CBI files a case in the matter, the Enforcement Directorate is also likely to register a money laundering case against Moitra, according to an official in ED.
New Delhi, The Delhi High Court was on Tuesday informed that the Manipur government is in favour of having centres outside the troubled north-eastern state for holding civil services preliminary examination, which are scheduled to be held on May 26. HT Image

The counsel appearing for the Manipur government told the court, which was hearing a plea seeking setting up of additional examination centres there for civil services and Indian Forest Service aspirants, that the chief secretary has said the government would provide monetary assistance to these aspirants for travel to centres outside the state which is in the grip of a protracted ethnic strife.

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In view of the stand taken by the Manipur authorities, a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan observed that the examinations may be held outside the state, as held last year, and asked the UPSC counsel to take instructions.

"Take a call. Follow the 2023 pattern then. We will ask UPSC to take instructions. Prima facie we are of this view," the bench, also comprising Justice Manmeet PS Arora, said.

"Counsel for the UPSC is directed to take instructions," the court said.

Petitioner Zomi Students Federation had moved the high court last week, seeking setting up examination centres in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi in the state and reopening of the application window to enable civil services aspirants to opt for a centre of their choice.

The counsel for the Manipur government said the chief secretary of the state, in a letter addressed to him, said the state government is of the opinion that given the situation and to maintain the sanctity of the examination, it may not be appropriate to provide centres in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi.

The letter suggested that students in Manipur, who have to take the civil services examination, may be allotted centres outside the state and financial assistance would be provided to them.

The counsel stated that even last year, the civil services examinations were held in centres outside Manipur.

Counsel for the UPSC had earlier told the court that the commission has already written three letters to the Manipur chief secretary with respect to opening of examination centres in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Ukhrul but no response has been received yet.

Manipur plunged into violence in May 2023 over a high court order directing the state government to consider including the non-tribal Meitei community in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

This order led to rampant ethnic clashes. More than 160 people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic violence first broke out in the state on May 3 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

The matter would be heard next on March 22.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
New Delhi: The Manipur chief minister Biren Singhs office took down the CMs official website on Tuesday to bring it in compliance with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) implemented ahead of the Lok Sabha polls beginning next month. The official website of Manipurs chief minister Biren Singh was taken down on Tuesday to comply with the Lok Sabha election-related Model Code of Conduct. (Photo/Screenshot)

The website was taken down at least twice on Tuesday - in the afternoon and again in the evening. HT had not seen the website when it was taken down in the afternoon but in the evening, the link cmmanipur.gov.in said, Website is Under Maintenance. Until the time of publishing, the website had not been restored.

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The website has been temporarily suspended voluntarily by the Chief Ministers Office so as to observe compliance with provisions of the Model Code of Conduct and not on account of any instructions of the ECI (Election Commission of India) for any violation, a press statement from the chief ministers secretariat said.

Also Read: Polling stations near relief camps in strife-hit Manipur

An official from the chief ministers office said that the website was taken down as a precautionary measure. There was no particular content that prompted it. This was just routine maintenance to check if anything violated MCC. In previous elections, people have raised issues around the content on the CMs website as being violative of the MCC, this person said on the condition of anonymity.

HT could not independently ascertain if any content had been removed from the website when it was temporarily restored on Tuesday.

Also Read: In Manipur conflict, vehicles of all kinds on hit list

A senior official from the Election Commission also confirmed to HT that neither the EC nor the states chief electoral officer (CEO) had issued any advisories or notices to Singh or the state government over the issue.
In a bizarre incident, a married woman performed wedding rituals with her brother to get cash and gifts under the Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna in Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place recently in Lakshmipur block of Maharajganj as part of a community wedding function in which 38 couples tied the knot in the presence of senior district officials, reported Deccan Herald. In a bizarre incident, a married woman performed wedding rituals with her brother to get cash and gifts under the Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna in Uttar Pradesh. (Representational picture)(File photo)

As per the report, intermediaries convinced the married woman and her brother to take part as bride and groom to each other in the wedding event. On the day of the marriage, the woman garlanded her brother and also, performed other rituals, including going around the holy fire seven times to solemnise the wedding. The couple also received gift items from authorities, to mark the occasion.

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Block Development Officer(BDO) of Lakshmipur block Amit Mishra said that an investigation has been ordered into the matter. He has assured strict action against those found guilty. He also said that the cash assistance given under the scheme would not be provided to the couple.

''The gift items given to the couple have been taken back,'' he added.

ALSO READ| Married marry again in Ballia; official, 8 more booked for fraud

What is Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna in UP?

Mukhyamantri Samoohik Vivah Yojna aims to benefit the economically weaker sections in Uttar Pradesh. Under the scheme, the marriage ceremony of women from such families is organised through a programme by the state government. The marriage is done as per a woman's social/religious beliefs, customs and traditions and financial assistance is also provided.

Under the scheme, the Uttar Pradesh government spends 51,000 per couple. The bride gets 35,000 transferred to her bank account for happiness in her married life and the establishment of a household. Rest of the amount is used in organising the marriage programme and providing gifts.

The scheme has been grabbing headlines due to instances of fraudulent activities. Recently, brides in Uttar Pradesh's Ballia district allegedly garlanded themselves at a mass wedding event under the scheme. Videos purportedly showing the incident went viral on social media.
Vinay Kumar, a seasoned diplomat who served as Indias envoy in hotspots such as Afghanistan and Myanmar in recent years, was on Tuesday named as the new ambassador to Russia. Vinay Kumar, a 1992-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, served as the ambassador to Myanmar since late 2021. (Photo from X)

Kumar, an officer of the 1992 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has been the ambassador to Myanmar since late 2021. He will replace Pavan Kapoor, recently appointed the new secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry, in Russia.

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A statement from the external affairs ministry announcing Kumars new appointment said he is expected to take up the assignment shortly.

Kumar, a graduate of IIT-Kharagpur, served as Indias envoy in Kabul from 2018-20. He also did a stint as joint secretary (South) in the external affairs ministry and served in Indias permanent mission to the United Nations in New York.

Moscow, along with Washington, London, Tokyo and Canberra, is among the top postings for an Indian diplomat and Kumar will be responsible for steering Indias relations with Russia at a delicate juncture. India has faced considerable pressure from the West over its stance on the Russian invasion of Ukraine while working behind the scenes to help end the conflict.

Russia remains one of the main suppliers of defence equipment and civilian nuclear technology to India and has also emerged as a key provider of energy in the past two years.
New Delhi, The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said it has noted the comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry "advancing absurd claims" over the territory of Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that the state "was, is and will always be" an integral and inalienable part of India. HT Image

The response from the MEA comes days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, calling the area an "inherent part of China's territory", in the wake of India rejecting Beijing's objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state.

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"We have noted the comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry advancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The MEA statement said that it was in response to media queries on comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry regarding Arunachal Pradesh.

"Repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity. Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Its people will continue to benefit from our development programmes and infrastructure projects," he said.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang had said that the southern part of Xizang is an inherent part of China's territory, and Beijing "never acknowledges and firmly opposes" the "so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India", official media in Beijing had reported.

India has repeatedly rejected China's territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of the country. New Delhi has also dismissed Beijing's move to assign "invented" names to the area, saying it did not alter the reality.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The defence ministry has extended an earlier order suspending business dealings with Vectra Advanced Engineering Private Limited for another six months in connection with previous corruption charges in the supply of heavy-duty Tatra trucks to the army, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday. The latest order, dated March 6, extended the decision to suspend business with Vectra from Feb 14, 2024, for six months. (File photo)

The first such order was passed in August 2020, putting on hold all business with Vectra for a year, followed by a series of six-monthly extensions of the suspension of business order, the officials said.

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These orders were in line with guidelines issued by the defence ministry in November 2016 for penalties in business dealing with entities.

Also Read: MoD suspends business with Vectra for a year over Tatra case

In 2012, then army chief General VK Singh had claimed he was offered a bribe of 14 crore to clear the purchase of sub-standard Tatra trucks.

Vectra supplied the Czech-made all-terrain Tatra trucks to the army through Bharat Earth Movers Limited.

The latest order, dated March 6, extended the decision to suspend business with Vectra from February 14, 2024, for six months.

The decision to put all dealings with Vectra on hold for a year in 2020 was taken in the light of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigation into the Tatra deal in 2012 and bribery allegations made by Singh, who is now a union minister.

In 2016, the ministry cleared its new blacklisting policy for suspending or banning arms contractors for wrongdoings.

Dealings with Vectra were suspended under the 2016 policy that contains penalties that debar firms from conducting business with the government for a period ranging from one to 10 years to remove corruption in the defence sector.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told the partys working committee on Tuesday that the country wants change and the Narendra Modi governments guarantees will meet the same fate as the India Shining campaign of 2004. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge (right) with senior party leader Sonia Gandhi at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

India Shining was a key slogan of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in the run up to the 2004 general elections, but it failed to capture the discontent on the ground and Vajpayee lost the polls. Kharges comments assume importance as Modis guarantees are one of the key planks of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in this election.

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The CWC met this morning to approve the draft Lok Sabha election manifesto of the party, and is also expected to pass resolution on the success of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi.

While the approval is a foregone conclusion, the Congress president in his opening remarks said that to defeat the BJP , every worker of our village and city will have to stand up; your manifesto will have to be delivered to every home.

Kharge also asked senior leaders to play the role of motivators. After this, all you senior leaders will play a very important role. I request all of you to play the role of a motivator in taking all its major issues across the country, from village to locality and to every home.

He also insisted that the Congress leaders retain their focus on raging national issues, which have been the focus of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

In the end, I would like to say to all the colleagues that we should keep ourselves focused only on all the basic issues related to the public. We have to present our views strongly on what our policy will be, what our programs will be and what our priorities will be during the next 5 years, he said.

Former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders P Chidambaram, Mukul Wasnik, Randeep Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh, Meira Kumar, Tariq Anwar, BK Hariprasad, were among those who joined the meeting of the CWC, which was expanded last year to include enhanced quota for women, SC, ST and youth.

This would also be the last CWC meeting before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Kharge explained that the committee tried our manifesto should not be an academic exercise, but there should be widespread public participation in it. Contacted and communicated for this. (It) invited suggestions through website. The website was named Awaaz Bharat Ki. Due to this, this manifesto has become the voice of the people, he said.

The Congress chief also emphasised that the promises we have made will be fulfilled and Before making promises, we investigate deeply whether we will be able to fulfill them or not. That is why the manifesto of Congress has remained a document of trust in the political history of the country since 1926.

He also reminded that the first manifesto after independence was issued in 1951 under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. It was called What Congress Stands For.

Kharge also heaped praises on Rahul Gandhi and said, I would like to especially mention the 63-day long Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra under the leadership of Rahulji, whose issues have been discussed a lot in the country and abroad. With this we were able to draw the countrys attention to the real issues of the people. The yatra concluded in Mumbai on 16 March.

These yatras are not only politically important but have also been recorded in our political history as the biggest effort of public contact. Such a long march has not been undertaken by any politician for a long time, which cannot be ignored even if one wants to, he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region after Bulgarian President Rumen Radev thanked him for the Indian Navy rescuing his country's ship and crew. Pirates detained by the Indian navy during a rescue operation for the hijacked ship MV Ruen sit on the deck in this handout image released on March 16, 2024. (via Reuters)

Rumen Radev had posted on X (formally Twitter), "My sincere gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for the brave action of India Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship Ruen and its crew, including seven Bulgarian citizens."

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In his reply, Modi said he appreciated the message.

We are happy that seven Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region, Modi added.

Earler on Sunday, Bulgaria's deputy prime minister also thanked India, Modi, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for successfully rescuing the hijacked vessel MV Ruen.

"I express my gratitude to the navy for the successful operation to rescue the hijacked vessel Ruen &its crew members, including 7 BG nationals. Thank you for support &great effort. We continue to work together to protect lives of the crew," Bulgarian minister Mariya Gabriel posted on X. 'That's what friends are for," Jaishankar replied.

The Indian Navy on Saturday made 35 pirates to surrender and successfully rescued the MV Ruen, which Somali pirates had seized on December 14 last year. The hijacking of the Bulgaria-owned MV Ruen marked the first instance of Somali pirates boarding a cargo vessel since 2017. All crew members were safely rescued on Saturday without any injuries.

How the Indian Navy carried out the operation

The Indian Navy said that INS Kolkata spearheaded the operation. The Navy employed its P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, alongside frontline ships INS Kolkata and INS Subhadra, and a high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle. On Saturday, the Indian Air Force's C-17 aircraft conducted a precise airdrop of two boats alongside Indian Navy MARCOS in the Arabian Sea to support the ongoing anti-piracy mission Operation Sankalp.

During the 40-hour rescue operation, INS Kolkata intercepted the pirate ship MV Ruen, which was under attack, nearly 2600 km away from the Indian Coast. Through strategic manoeuvres, INS Kolkata compelled the pirate ship to halt its course.

"INS Kolkata, a mission deployed in the Arabian Sea, through the sustained high tempo of operations, has thwarted the designs of the Somali pirates to hijack ships transiting through the region by intercepting the pirate ship MV Ruen, on March 16. The merchant vessel had been hijacked in December 2023 and was under the control of the Somalian Pirates till now," the Indian Navy statement read.

The Indian navy has been monitoring the MV Ruen since Somali pirates seized it 380 nautical miles east of Yemen's Socotra island in December. At that time, the pirates released one injured Bulgarian sailor to the Indian Navy.

They then took the MV Ruen and its 17 crew members to Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland, where the Indian navy reported it was anchored near Bosaso.

(With ANI inputs)
In the next Lok Sabha, MPs may be able to pick an assistant from a pool of experts to help improve their (the lawmakers) performance, and reduce their dependence on personal assistants, people familiar with the matter said, adding that one trigger for the idea, which is in the works, was the fallout of the so-called cash-for-queries scandal involving the TMCs Mahua Moitra.

The Lok Sabha secretariat is working on a plan to create a pool of professionals including retired House officials and external experts familiar with the various facets of parliamentary functioning. MPs, HT learns, will be free to choose an expert from that pool.

Senior Lok Sabha officials are involved in developing the new system, the people cited above added. To be sure, any such pool can be created only after the approval of the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.

One of the people said that NICs decision to change the protocol and limit access of the personal assistants of lawmakers to the system following the scandal involving Moitra  she was expelled from the House on December 8 last year  was one of the factors considered.

But there was a larger issue, that of MPs giving the job of personal assistant to relatives or someone known from their constituency, said a second person. We have seen that many of them are not accustomed to parliamentary functioning. This affects the MPs performance in the House.

To help the MPs, we have decided to provide them professional support. We will hire both retired officials from the secretariat and also young professionals from colleges and universities who are aware of the procedures, said the second official.

The Lok Sabha secretariat will decide a monthly remuneration for these experts. The first official pointed out that PRS Legislative Research runs a similar programme called The Legislative Assistants to Members of Parliament or LAMP. A fellowship programme, it offers an opportunity for young Indians to understand law-making and public policy. LAMP Fellows are mentored by a Member of Parliament (MP) and work full-time with the assigned MP during a given year, starting from the Monsoon session of Parliament till the end of the Budget session, according to the PRS website.

Chakshu Roy, Head of Legislative and Civic Engagement, PRS Legislative Research, said, Our MPs are responsible for holding the government accountable, discussing complex legislation, the union budget and national policy issues. To strengthen their role as legislators, there is an urgent need to support them with high-quality research and secretarial staff. And every initiative taken by the Lok Sabha secretariat towards this end will lead to a more deliberative Parliament. It will add to the quality of discussions and is an urgent requirement for deepening democracy.

The primary role of a LAMP Fellow is to provide extensive research support to her/his MP for their parliamentary work. This includes drafting parliamentary questions for the MP, preparing the MPs speeches for zero-hour debates, raising matters of public importance, and drafting private members bills, he added.

The Lok Sabhas assistance programme will be based on the same model, said a third official familiar with the plan.

The Lok Sabha already has two established channels to assist MPs. PRISM or parliaments research wing provides well-researched documents on bills to the lawmaker. There is also a 24x7 helpline to give general information.

After the cash-for-questions scandal last year, NIC and the secretariat brought about significant changes in the access to PAs. They could earlier access the Digital Sansad system to file documents such as parliament questions, requests for short-duration, zero-hour discussions, draft bills, amendments, etc through their accounts. They can now only save these as drafts and the lawmakers have to submit/file them.

The PAs and staff of lawmakers will still have their own accounts with the Digital Sansad portal and OTP (one-time password) delivered on their mobile numbers. But they cant post notices. That can only be done by lawmakers. To be sure, this is effected through a One Time Password (OTP) sent to the MPs phone, and they can still share these, or even give the phones, to their PAs.
In a boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit in Tamil Nadu, the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) led by TTV Dhinakaran, a breakaway faction of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), and regional party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) joined the saffron party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, formalising what has been speculated for long.

The BJP on Tuesday morning allocated 10 seats to the PMK, a caste-based party, that holds sway among the Vanniyar community in Tamil Nadu. The AIADMK, which left the BJP last September, was embarrassed since the party and the national hegemon were both wooing those who remained in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Dhinakaran was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 along with his aunt VK Sasikala, the party supremo J Jayalalithaas closest confidante.

On March 1, he announced his decision to offer unconditional support to the BJP to ensure that Tamil Nadu also does its bit in electing Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for a third consecutive term. This also paved the way for another expelled AIADMK leader and former chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) to join the BJP alliance who was seen along with Modi on stage in Salem during his public address on Tuesday. OPS has repeatedly offered his support to the BJP-led NDA in his battle against AIADMKs general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS) who had expelled the trio of him, Dhinakaran and Sasikala.

The expelled trio belong to the Thevar community, a subset of the Mukulathors who dominate the southern and a few central districts of Tamil Nadu. They have traditionally been a vote bank of the AIADMK but have been upset with EPS hailing from the Gounder community  for having expelled the Thevar leaders.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, AMMK had a vote share of 5%. AMMK candidates polled more than 100,000 votes in at least five Lok Sabha segments. However, their vote share plunged by half in the 2021 assembly elections when the DMK swept to power defeating the AIADMK-BJP combine.

Even when OPS and EPS were leading the AIADMK together, the BJP had wanted Dhinakaran and Sasikala to be brought within their fold to bring in a chunk of the Thevar vote bank, but EPS staunchly opposed it.

The BJP has understood that we have the support of cadres. We have been in talks with them for the past six months in a democratic manner, Dhinakaran had said. We have not made any specific demand for the number of seats.

However, Dhinakaran had in the past criticised the BJP. I only said that if the BJP continues to bring in schemes that go against the people of Tamil Nadu, I can never ally with them, he said responding to reporters. Whether it is the Sterlite plant [in Thoothukudi] or the methane and hydrocarbon projects that Tamil Nadus farmers are opposed to, the BJP does not force such schemes anymore. Prime Minister Modi had said several times that he would bring in good schemes in Tamil Nadu, so without any pricking of our conscience, we have decided to ally with the BJP The BJP will definitely form the government again in India. Everybody knows that Narendra Modi will be the Prime Minister again.

Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai and Union minister of state L Murugan drove to the residence of PMK founder S Ramadoss in Thailapuram, 130 km from Chennai, on Tuesday. PMK had also been in talks with the AIADMK and has oscillated between tying up with either of the Dravidian parties over the years. After signing the agreement with the BJP, the regional partys president and former Union minister (in UPA-1) Anbumani Ramadoss said the BJP-PMK alliance will usher in change in Tamil Nadu, whose people, he claimed, were fed up with 60 years of Dravidian rule. PMK has been part of the NDA in Delhi since 2014, Anbumani noted. We decided to join NDA keeping in mind national interests. We are confident that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will steer the NDA to a hattrick win, the junior Ramadoss said.

Despite its poor show in the electoral fray in the past decade, PMK retains clout in matters of alliance because of their dominating influence in the Vanniyar community  their core vote bank  in Tamil Nadus western and northern belt.

Ahead of the 2019 parliamentary elections, the AIADMK- BJP stitched together an alliance with PMK along with late actor-politician Vijayakanths Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) and Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT). The alliance was humiliated by winning just one seat managed by the AIADMK. PMKs vote share was 5.4% higher than BJPs 3.6%. In the 2016 assembly elections, PMK went solo projecting their leader and former union minister Anbumani Ramadoss as their chief minister candidate but it drew a blank with a 5.3% vote share. The Tamil Maanila Congress led by former Union minister GK Vasan, who was part of the NDA in 2019, has also tied up with the BJP.

Before the 2021 assembly elections, the AIADMK led by then chief minister EPS accepted the PMKs decades-old demand of providing a 20% sub-quota reservation for the Vanniyar community in education and government jobs. The alliance lost to the DMKs coalition.

The AIADMK has not announced any alliance yet for the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry. Meanwhile, the ruling DMK, which swept the 2019 LS polls by winning 38 seats, has moved fast to finalising its seat-sharing pact and identified constituencies for the INDIA bloc in the state. The DMK will contest 21 seats while its principal ally, the Congress, has been allotted 9 seats in TN and the Puducherry seat. Other allies such as the VCK, CPI (M) and CPM have been allotted two seats each while the IUML, MDMK, and KMDK will contest a seat each. Actor-politician Kamal Haasans Makkal Needhi Maiam will campaign for the INDIA bloc and the DMK has assured them of a Rajya Sabha seat.
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the order of Himachal Pradesh speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania disqualifying six rebel Congress MLAs, who had cross-voted for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the Rajya Sabha election and later defied the party whip during voting for the finance bill. The six rebel Congress MLAs had cross-voted for the BJP (ANI)

A bench headed by justice Sanjiv Khanna also issued a notice to the speaker and sought its response within four weeks on a petition challenging the legislators disqualification. It also said that it will decide in May whether fresh bypolls in the six seats, as scheduled by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for June 1, needs to be stayed.

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We will issue notice but we are sure, we cannot stay the disqualification as they (petitioners) will not be allowed to vote or participate in the House proceedings, the bench, also comprising justice Dipankar Datta, said.

We are on the second part whether there should be stay on fresh elections as the petition will then become infructuous, the bench added.

Read more: SC refuses to stay disqualification of 6 Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs

On February 29, speaker Pathania disqualified Sujanpur MLA Rajinder Rana, Dharamshala MLA Sudhir Sharma, Barsar MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Kutlehar MLA Devinder Kumar Bhutto, Lahaul and Spiti MLA Ravi Thakur and Gagret MLA Chaitanya Sharma for defying the party whip during voting for the finance bill a day before.

The disqualification order also referred to the Rajya Sabha election that was held on February 27 though no whip applies to voting for the Upper House. Pathania said it was unethical for an elected MLA of any party to vote in favour of another ideology even though a whip is not issued for Rajya Sabha elections.

Pathania said he received a complaint from parliamentary affairs minister Harshwardhan Chauhan against six MLAs under the anti-defection law.

Read more: Himachal: Over 56 lakh voters to exercise their franchise

On March 5, the rebel MLAs challenged the disqualification in the top court, saying Pathanias order was pre-meditated and suffers from illegality as it was decided with a pre-determined mind. The respondent 2 (Pathania) has failed to appreciate the facts and law on the point and the same has been passed only to serve the purposes of his original party Congress (I) and his political bosses, it said.

Appearing for the rebels on Monday, senior advocates Harish Salve and Maninder Singh told the top court that ECI had fixed June 1 for simultaneous elections to the six assembly seats along with the last phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

I am entitled for a stay. If elections are held, I cannot be told that you cannot come in. My petition will become infructuous, Salve said.

Read more: Lok Sabha election 2024: Punjab, Himachal to vote in last phase, Haryana on May 25

To this, the bench said: When we issue notice, EC may itself delay. That normally happens In view of the fresh elections, this may be an issue whether to decide the matter before the elections or we dont allow fresh elections.

The court also voiced concerns over the six constituencies going unrepresented. There is no question of stay in the present as some portion of the state is remaining unrepresented in the House, it said as it sought a response from the assembly secretary on the petition.

It also issued notices to Pathania and Chauhan and posted the matter for hearing in the week commencing May 6.

Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who was the Congress candidate for the Rajya Sabha election, and lawyer Varun K Chopra appeared for the chief whip in the top court.

This court may only issue notice. Once the elections are notified, Article 329 process has kicked in. There is no question that the court will stay the election process. There is also no question of stay of disqualification, the lawyers said.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who represented the state assembly, pointed out that the speaker was named individually by the petitioners. They have named speaker in person. The court may direct the response to be filed by the legislative secretary of the assembly, he said.

The disqualified MLAs opposed Sibals request, alleging malafides against the speaker.

The court, however, permitted Sibals request as it ordered submission of responses within four weeks and the petitioners reply to it within one week.

Senior advocate SP Jain, who appeared for the petitioners, told the court that though the poll body has announced the schedule for fresh elections in the six seats, the process of filing nomination is still far off on May 7. He requested the court to decide on the matter before May 7.The bench refused to change its earlier date.

On March 12, the bench had asked the disqualified Congress legislators to list the ground on which they filed their petition in the top court without approaching the high court citing a violation of their fundamental rights.
New Delhi Noted poet and litterateur Prabha Varma will be awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2023 for his verse novel Roudra Sathwikam, the KK Birla Foundation said in a statement on Monday. Prabha Varma has excelled as a bilingual writer, with exemplary literary works in both Malayalam and English (Wikimedia Commons)

Instituted in 1991, Saraswati Samman is one of the most prestigious literary awards in the country. It is given every year to an outstanding literary work written in any Indian language by an Indian citizen and published within the last 10 years. It carries a citation, a plaque, and a cash prize of 15 lakh. The recipient is chosen by a selection committee, whose current head is former Supreme Court judge, Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri.

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Born in Thiruvalla, Kerala, in 1959, Varma has excelled as a bilingual writer, with exemplary literary works in both Malayalam and English. He has emerged as one of the most important voices in contemporary Malayalam literature, with his work reflecting a confluence of tradition and modernity. In a career spanning decades, Varma has to his credit more than 30 books, including a dozen collections of poems, three novels in verse, eight books on the contemporary sociopolitical milieu and literature, and seven collections of essays in criticism, among others. He has bagged more than 70 awards, including the National Sahitya Akademi Award and the National Film Award.

The literary stalwart has also worked as a lyricist and media personality, and also contributed to the realm of classical music.

Published in 2022, Roudra Sathwikam is a novel written in poetic verse in Malayalam and probes the conflict between power and politics, individual and state, art and power in a unique way. The book transcends the concept of time and space as it addresses the predicament of dharma and adharma in a creatively philosophical way.
Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned from Prime Minister Narendra Modis cabinet on Tuesday after his party, the RLJP, did not get any seat allocations for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Bihar. The move comes after the National Democratic Alliance's seat-sharing with his nephew Chirag Paswan of the LJP (Ram Vilas) on Monday. RLJP chief Pashupati Kumar Paras. (PTI)

Yesterday, the NDA announced the list of 40 candidates for Bihar Lok Sabha...Our party had five MPs and I worked with utmost sincerity...Injustice has been done with us and our party. Therefore, I resign from the post of Union minister, Pashupati Kumar Paras said at a press conference.

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Pashupati Kumar Paras made brief remarks about his resignation and did not elaborate on his future plans. The only ally in the Union cabinet headed by Modi, he called the prime minister a big leader.

Pashupati Kumar Paras said he was thankful to Modi before expressing his displeasure over the treatment meted out to him. He said he had served the NDA with honesty and loyalty but received injustice.

The NDA finalised its seat-sharing formula in Bihar for Lok Sabha elections, announcing the Bharatiya Janata Party will contest 17 constituencies, the JD(U) 16 and Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas) five, while rebuffing the claims of the LJP faction led by Pashupati Kumar Paras.

Two other NDA allies  Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Morcha  will contest one seat each, Vinod Tawde, the BJP's in-charge for elections in Bihar, told a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.

This will be the first time the BJP has got more seats than chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) in Bihar, underscoring the change in their equations after they joined hands recently. Tawde expressed confidence that the National Democratic Alliance will win all 40 seats in the state. It had bagged 39 seats in 2019.

"The BJP will contest 17 out of the total 40 seats and the JD(U) will contest 16. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will contest five seats," Tawde told the presser jointly addressed by NDA allies from the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid floral tribute to portraits of victims of the 1998 blasts in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore which killed 58 people as he held a roadshow in the southern city just weeks ahead of the general elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a roadshow in Coimbatore on Monday. (PTI)

Modi held the roadshow from near Saibaba temple in Mettupalayam Road to RS Puram in an open, flower-decked vehicle as people, who gathered on both sides of the road, showered flower petals on him and chanted slogans hailing him.

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While traditional music was played to welcome him, several of them danced and waved at him enthusiastically.

Clad in a spotless white kurta, Modi sported a colourful BJP shawl and often raised both his hands to wave at people who took vantage positions in buildings to take a glimpse of him. All along the about 2.5 km route, Modis vehicle slowly made its way while people followed him on the service lanes.

Modi is on the first day of his two-day visit to the state  his sixth since January  as Tamil Nadu goes to polls in the first phase on April 19 and nominations begin on March 20. Modi will be in Salem district on March 19.

Tamil Nadu is going to surprise everyone with the results. Our party is emerging as a very strong force across the state. The people are in no mood to support the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) any longer, Modi posted on X later as he shared photographs of the roadshow.

The Prime Ministers visit sparked a controversy last week after the state government refused permission citing law-and-order concerns since he was taking the route where the blast occurred in 1998.

However on Friday, the Madras high court permitted the roadshow, asking the police to allow it with reasonable conditions. The high court said the rejection of permission citing the proposed route is communally sensitive was unsustainable.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh said one such condition shall be that no flex boards will be allowed to be erected by the organisers during the event. All concerned shall ensure that the roadshow takes place in a smooth manner without giving rise to any law and order problem or cause any concerns to the safety and security of the Prime Minister, the judge added.

The BJP polled around one-third of the votes in the Coimbatore in the past two Lok Sabha elections, but came relatively close to the winner (AIADMKs P Nagarajan) only in 2014, when the contest was a three-cornered one between AIADMK, BJP, and DMK.

The road show came amid discussions on the BJPs list of candidates for Tamil Nadu and speculation that state unit chief Annamalai might contest from Coimbatore.

Fifty-eight people were killed and 250 injured after 19 bomb explosions rocked Coimbatore city between February 14 and 17 in 1998. The improvised explosive devices (IED), with time delay mechanisms, were placed in cars, two-wheelers, abandoned bags, push carts, tea cans and so on.

SA Basha and Mohammed Ansari, leaders of Muslim militant organisation Al-Umma, were the prime convicts in the case. Of the 166 accused, the trial court in August 2007 pronounced 69 people guilty of various offences. In December 2009, the Madras high court upheld the convictions of 18 people  17 life terms and one 13-year prison term. The bench acquitted 22 people of all charges for want of sufficient evidence.

Following the 1998 blasts, BJP veteran C P Radhakrishnan (who is the current governor of Jharkhand) was elected twice, but failed to retain the seat in the 2019 polls.

Coimbatore witnessed widespread violence in 2016 after several mosques and churches were pelted with stones following the murder of Hindu Munnani spokesperson C Sasikumar. In its charge sheet, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) named members of the now-banned People Front of India (PFI).

During his roadshow, Modi was flanked by Annamalai, Union minister of state L Murugan and Coimbatore South MLA, Vanathi Srinivasan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a roadshow in Kerala's Palakkad district on Tuesday, March 19. The roadshow commenced after 10:45 am from Kottamaidan anchuvilakku, proceeding towards the head post office in the town. PM Modi holds a roadshow in Kerala's Palakkad(ANI)

Ahead of Modi's roadshow, the Bharatiya Janata Party held a bike rally in the town on Monday evening. Modi's Palakkad roadshow follows his recent participation at a public meeting in Pathanamthitta town on March 15, where he rallied support for NDA candidates contesting in the southern Kerala constituencies.

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Addressing the gathering in Pathanamthitta, Modi had said, The Lotus is going to bloom in Kerala in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and attacked the ruling Left and the opposition Congress-led UDF, alleging that the people of the state have endured hardship under government plagued by corruption and incompetence.

READ | All previous records will be broken: PM Modi ahead of Lok Sabha poll dates announcement

In Kerala, both LDF and UDF engage in apparent conflict but unite in Delhi. The Congress labels the Left government as fascist, while the Communists criticize Congress for corruption. Yet, they form alliances in the capital. Both parties have deceived Kerala extensively. Kerala's populace has now seen through this deception, he added.

The prime minister visited the southern state multiple times this year. He has also paid visits to famous temples in Kerala.

Earlier Monday, the Prime Minister visited Karnataka's Shivamogga and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Attacking the Congress-ruled government in the state, PM Modi said, The Congress leaders are only capable of telling blatant lies. Karnataka Congress has many CM aspirants who keep blaming Modi and the central government for their inefficiency It is high time for the people of Karnataka to wipe out and clean off Congress from the state in this general election."

The Prime Minister also paid floral tribute to portraits of victims of the 1998 blasts in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore on Monday. The PM was holding a roadshow in the city at the time. Prime Minister's roadshow commenced near the Saibaba temple in Mettupalayam Road and concluded at RS Puram.

While traditional music was played to welcome him, several of thempeople also danced and waved at him enthusiastically.

(With inputs from PTI)
Salem: Referring to Rahul Gandhi's Shakti remark, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said INDIA bloc allies Congress and DMK have the propensity to insult the Hindu religion. He said they never speak against other religions. Salem: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses during a public meeting ahead of Lok Sabha elections.(PTI)

"INDI alliance deliberately insult Hindu Dharma and every statement against Hindu Dharma is well thought of. Congress-DMK INDI alliance never speak against other religions. But they do not take a second to insult Hindu Dharma," he said at a rally in Tamil Nadu's Salem.

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He said the DMK, Congress and the INDIA bloc say they would destroy Shakti.

"Mariamman yahan ki Shakti hai. In Tamil Nadu Kanchi Kamakshi is 'Shakti', Madurai Meenakshi is 'Shakti'...Congress, DMK and INDI alliance says they will destory this (Shakti)," he added.

PM Modi said in Hinduism, Shakti means women power, mother's power, but the INDIA bloc allies say they will destroy it.

Also read: PM Modi hits back at Rahul Gandhi's 'shakti' remarks: I accept the challenge'

PM Modi said Tamil Nadu has made up its mind to vote for the BJP.

"DMK and Congress are two sides of the same coin. DMK and Congress means- Big corruption and one family rule. When the country got rid of Congress, the country reached 5G technology. But in Tamil Nadu DMK is running its own 5G- one family's fifth generation to have control over Tamil Nadu," he said.

Also read: Rahul Gandhi issues clarification after PM Modi attacks him on Shakti row

PM Modi also claimed the DMK insulted late former CM Jayalalithaa.

"You all are witness to the kind of behaviour INDI alliance does with women. When former state CM J. Jayalalithaa was alive you all know how DMK leaders behaved with her. This is DMK's real face," he added.

What Rahul Gandhi had said

At Mumbai's Shivaji Park on Sunday, Gandhi invoked Shakti to question the electronic voting machines (EVM). There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hinduism...We are fighting against a Shakti (might of the state). The question is, what is that Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King (Modi). This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax department, have traded their spines to the Centre, he said.

The BJP claimed Gandhi's remark showed his misogynistic mindset.

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi claimed PM Modi had twisted the meaning of his Shakti remark.

Modi ji does not like my words. He tries to twist my statements and change the meaning, because he knows that I have spoken a deep truth, Gandhi said in a post on social platform X.

With inputs from ANI, PTI
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose the unique serial number associated with each electoral bond (EB) and all other information the bank possesses while supplying the Election Commission of India (ECI) with data about bond beneficiaries and donors for public release  a move that potentially enables a correlation of the two. The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the State Bank of India (SBI) to disclose the unique serial number (HT Photo)

However, the five-judge bench denied a request for the release of information about EBs sold before April 12, 2019, the cut-off date fixed by the court in its February 15 ruling that invalidated the EB scheme and ordered SBI to provide bond details to ECI for public viewing.

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Simultaneously, the bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, refused to grant an out-of-turn hearing to industry bodies Ficci and Assocham that requested a postponement of an order requiring the disclosure of bond numbers on the grounds that EBs were donated with an assurance of anonymity and thus, they should be heard before any further order is made.

Under the 2018 EB scheme, which was quashed by the Supreme Court, each electoral bond is imprinted with a unique number that can assist in tracking the issuance and redemption of bonds, and in tracing the bond back to the purchaser. It may become feasible to match redemptions with purchases and create a one-to-one relationship if this number is supplied.

There is no manner of doubt that SBI was required to disclose all information in its possession, which will include alphanumeric numbers and serial numbers. In order to obviate any controversy in the future and to give full effect to our judgment dated February 15, 2024, the chairperson of the bank shall file an affidavit by 5pm on Thursday (March 21) that it has disclosed all details in its custody and that no details have been withheld, directed the bench. It further stated that as soon as ECI receives the information from SBI, it will post it on its website forthwith.

The date of purchase or redemption, the recipients or buyers name, and the denomination are among the all details that the February 15 ruling required SBI to reveal, according to the court. The word including indicates that the information provided in the ruling is illustrative rather than exhaustive, said the bench, also comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.

According to data released by ECI on March 14 and 17, EBs valued at 16,492 crore were redeemed in 30 phases of their sale between March 1, 2018, and January 11, 2024. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) redeemed around 50% of them ( 8,252 crore). The Congress accounted for 11.8% ( 1,952 crore) while the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) accounted for 10.4% ( 1,708 crore). Prior to the 2019 elections, the BJP received the maximum amount through EBs, having redeemed 68% ( 3,963 crore) of all redeemed bonds, as reported by HT on March 18. The Congress redeemed 12% ( 698 crore), and the TMC redeemed 2.6% ( 150 crore).

Read more: Dont shout at me': CJI DY Chandrachud chides lawyer during electoral bonds hearing

On Sunday, ECI further uploaded all EB-related documents that it received from political parties in 2019 and November 2023 in sealed covers, which it had subsequently presented to the top court. The records revealed that some political parties were aware of the identities of the individuals and organisations that gave them money, contrary to earlier assertions that EB scheme would guarantee that the donors identities remained secret from the recipients. Eight political parties, including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Janata Dal (Secular), revealed names of their donors. The BJP, which received the maximum amount through EBs, however, said it had no information on the donors.

During the proceedings on Monday, the court castigated SBI for not being forthcoming with the information about the unique serial numbers. SBI cant be selective in disclosing details. It had to be candid and fair to the court. SBIs attitude appears to be you tell us what to disclose and then only we will disclose. Thats not a fair process. As SBI chairman, he should have said I would disclose all possible details in terms of the court order...We want all information related to the electoral bonds to be disclosed which is in your possession, the court told senior counsel Harish Salve.

Read more: Electoral Bonds: Supreme Court rebukes SBI, says don't be selective

Salve, representing the state-owned bank, undertook that SBI shall share all the information it possesses with ECI. He pointed out that since there was already a direction to the political parties to disclose the details of EBs redeemed by them, including the unique serial numbers, SBI was under an impression that serial numbers were not required to be given again.

Disapproving of this contention, the bench replied: Your argument appears to be banking on in interim order of this court. But that interim order merged with our February 15 judgment when we directed complete disclosure...We will now say you would disclose bond numbers but will also ask for an affidavit from you that you havent concealed anything. The burden should not lie on this court or the petitioners that something has not been disclosed. You disclose everything.

Even as a further direction was issued to SBI, the court declined to expand the remit of the disclosure under the February 15 judgment, saying it would not order making public information about EBs purchased and redeemed before April 12, 2019  when the court issued an interim order directing all political parties to submit EB data to ECI.

Senior counsel Vijay Hansaria and advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for some of the petitioners, pressed for a directive to SBI for also disclosing EB data for a period prior to April 12, 2019, to facilitate a full disclosure. He argued that details of EBs sold since March 1, 2018, should also be disclosed by SBI to ECI for public revelation.

Read more: Electoral bonds: A key poll plank for anti-BJP forces

But the bench remained indisposed. In our judgment, we have taken a conscious decision that the cut-off date should be date of our interim order (April 12, 2019). We took that date because it was our considered view that once that interim order was pronounced, everybody was put on notice. If we have to go back to any earlier date, it will become a substantive modification of the judgment and will require a review of this judgment. This cannot be done in a miscellaneous application, said the court, rejecting the plea.

Bhushan further requested the court to consider issuing a directive to all the political parties to furnish information about their donors, but the bench refrained from commenting on the plea.

During the hearing, the court also refused to entertain a plea by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who represented Ficci and Assocham while pressing for a deferment of the disclosure of the bond numbers since the industry bodies wanted to be heard.

The court told Rohatgi: We have no such application on board. You file an application and then we will see. The whole world knew about the pendency of these proceedings. You have chosen to come now after the judgment is delivered. File an application and we will consider it.

When Rohatgi questioned how information could be requested to be revealed when anonymity was guaranteed as a part of the EB scheme, the bench retorted: Mr Rohatgi, there is only one answer. With effect from April 12, 2019, we directed the collection of details. Everyone was put on notice at the time. This is why we did not ask for the disclosure of the bonds sold prior to this interim order. This was a conscious decision by all the five judges on this bench.

The proceedings on Monday also witnesses solicitor general Tushar Mehta and Salve questioning the motives of some of the PIL petitioners in the case. While Salve contended that though the emphasis of the courts judgment was on the voters right to know, it was being exploited by some of the petitioners to target SBI and the donors.

Mehta complained: How this courts judgment is playing out is something which it must be informed ofNow the witch-hunting has started at some other level, not at the government-level. Those before the court have started giving press interviews, deliberately embarrassing the court. A barrage of social media posts intended to cause embarrassment has started. Statistics can be twisted in any manner. Based upon twisted statistics, all kinds of posts are made. Would your lordships consider issuing a direction

The bench, however, replied that it is only concerned about enforcing the directions contained in its February 15 judgment.

As judges, we decide according to the Constitution. We are governed by the rule of law. We are also subject matters of comments in social media and the press but surely, as an institution, our shoulders are broad enough. Our court has an institutional role to play in a polity that is governed by the Constitution and the rule of law. Thats the only job we have, it said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday refrained from restraining the Union government from the grant of citizenship under the recently notified rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, even as it gave it three weeks to respond to a bunch of pleas demanding that CAA rules be stayed and that no coercive steps be taken against persons belonging to Muslim community who have been deprived of the benefit under this law. The Supreme Court of India (PTI)

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud set April 9 as the next date of hearing and asked the government to submit its response by that date in light of the Centres resistance to any interim order that would prevent it from processing requests for grant of citizenship under CAA.

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Because they are not willing to make a statement, we have given them three weeks, the bench, also comprising justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, told a group of senior lawyers, pressing for an interim order to effectively put CAA in abeyance.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, Indira Jaising, Vijay Hansaria, Sidharth Luthra, among others, appeared on behalf of the petitioners, seeking a stay of the CAA and the rules that were notified by the Union government on March 11, breathing life into the controversial law.

Emphasising that the grant of citizenship is an irreversible process, Jaising, Hansaria and Luthra requested the bench to make the government undertake before the court that no person would be granted citizenship until the petitions are effectively heard on the next date of hearing.

The lawyers, including Kaleeswaram Raj and Nizam Pasha, added that the law that fast-tracks citizenship to non-Muslim refugees who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, because of religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, is bound to be prejudicial to Muslims on the ground of religion and must be stayed immediately.

Rebutting this, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, argued that none of the petitioners is actually prejudiced since CAA is not a law to take away citizenship. It does not take away citizenship of anyone. There is no prejudice caused to the petitioners. Those who have migrated here because of the persecution are to be granted citizenship. Also, citizenship is not given to any new person. They are already here. Those who entered before December 31, 2014, become entitled, Mehta added.

He opposed the plea for an undertaking by the government, saying: I am not willing to make any statement that nobody will be granted citizenship in the meantime...There are more than 200 petitions and at least 20 applications seeking a stay of the rules. I have to be given some time to bring my response on record.

Read more: Supreme Court seeks Centre's response to pleas seeking stay of CAA rules

Responding, Sibal highlighted that the rules have been notified more than four years after the law received the presidential assent in December 2019. The problem is that if any citizenship is granted, it will be an irreversible step. This process cannot be allowed to start. If they have delayed it for four years, they can wait for some more time, he added.

As Mehta voiced his opposition, the bench questioned the law officer about any steps taken after the regulations were announced on March 11. It is a three-tier system. Any request goes through the district committee, empowered committee and then the central government. My first submission will remain that whether anyone is granted or not granted, none of the petitioners is affected because of these rules, replied Mehta.

While Mehta asked for four weeks to respond to multiple petitions and applications in the matter, the court granted him three weeks to do so, fixing the next hearing on April 9.

Read more: Debate on CAA at Gauhati University campus turns violent, six students injured

As the hearing came to an end, Jaising made a fervent request if the bench stated in its order that any citizenship granted before the next date of hearing would be subject to the final decision of the court.

But the bench retorted: They are opposing...They dont even have the infrastructure in place...we will hear this on the next date.

The court was hearing separate applications filed by Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Kerala government, Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), among others, seeking a stay on the CAA rules.

Four years after the controversial law was passed to fast-track citizenship to non-Muslims who entered India from the three neighbouring countries on or before December 31, 2014, the Centre notified the rules on March 11.

Announcing the notification, which was expected after several ministers and officials over the past few months said that the rules would be released before this summers general elections, Union home minister Amit Shah said on X: The Modi government notified the Citizenship (amendment) rules, 2024. These rules will now enable minorities persecuted on religious grounds in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to acquire citizenship in our nation... With this notification, PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has delivered on another commitment and realised the promise of the makers of our constitution to the Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians living in those countries.

PHOTOS: Protests against CAA and NRC at Jantar Mantar, Delhi

The announcement of the rules, in keeping with the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) promise in its 2019 manifesto, was criticised by Opposition parties who said the timing of the notification is linked to the coming elections. The law itself was passed in December 2019, but the underlying rules were not framed. Its passage resulted in protests, which petered out only with the Covid-19 pandemic, and a clutch of petitions that remain before the Supreme Court.

A clutch of over two hundred connected petitions, filed in the top court since 2019, have challenged various CAA provisions on grounds of religious discrimination against Muslims and arbitrariness.

The petitioners include Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, the Indian Union Muslim League, and its MPs, Lok Sabha MP and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, RJD leader Manoj Jha, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, All Assam Students Union and Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman.

Responding to these petitions, the Centres affidavit in October 2022 stated that the legality of the CAA may not be within the scope of judicial review since matters of citizenship and foreign policy fall squarely within the domain of Parliament. The government asserted that issues concerning the sovereign plenary power of parliament, especially regarding citizenship, cannot be questioned by filing PILs.

According to the affidavit filed through the Union ministry of home affairs, the power of exclusion of immigrants is an incident of sovereignty belonging to a duly constituted nation-state and immigration policy. The policy, it added, impacts the foreign policy of a State and by extension, affects its security apparatus and would fall squarely within parliaments domain.

The 2022 affidavit also sought to allay the apprehensions that CAA would incentivise influx of illegal migrants, pointing out the migrants who are entitled to citizenship under the law are already living in various parts of India.

IUML last week moved its plea contending that CAA rules create a highly truncated and fast-tracked process for the grant of citizenships to non-Muslim migrants from the specified countries, thereby making operational a manifestly arbitrary and discriminatory regime solely on the ground of religious identity.

Since the CAA is discriminates on the basis of religion, it strikes at the root of secularism, which is the basic structure of the Constitution...Indias constitutional framework, read with obligations under the international law, mandates a framework of refugee protection that is non-discriminatory, stated the plea, filed through advocate Pallavi Pratap.

It pointed out that waiting for the final judgment of the top court would not hamper anyones interest as the Centre itself has taken more than four years to notify the rules after the amendments received the presidential assent in December 2019.

If this court finally decided that CAA is unconstitutional, people who would have received the citizenship under this Act will have to be stripped of their citizenships. Therefore, it is in the best interest of everyone to defer the implementation of CAA and impugned rules till this honble court finally decides the matter, IUML pleaded.

The Kerala-based political party urged the court to stay the implementation of CAA and the rules, adding that until the court decides, persons belonging to Muslim community may not be subjected to any coercive action under the Citizenship Act, Passport Act or Foreigners Act. IUML has also approached the registrar concerned to seek an urgent hearing of its plea. Similar applications were filed by Owaisi, Kerala government and some other petitioners too.
Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, currently lodged in jail in a money laundering case, has reportedly written to K Kavitha, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy case, and took a potshot at the Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader. In his letter, Sukesh Chandrashekhar claimed that the truth had prevailed and told K Kavitha that there was no benefit of shielding CM Arvind Kejriwal. Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar leaves after being produced at Patiala House court in connection with a money laundering case, in New Delhi earlier.(PTI)

The truth has prevailed the political witch hunt has fallen flat, all your karmas are coming back to you, Live Hindustan reported quoting Sukesh Chandrashekhar's letter.

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You always thought you were untouchable... But you forget this new Bharat, the law is a strong and powerful than ever... You will have to face the power of truth," Chandrashekhar added.

Chandrashekhar also claimed that he had mentioned two things while addressing the media last year - The BRS would be thrown out of power in Telangana following the 2023 assembly elections and your countdown for arrest and to be a part of Tihar club.

"Looks like both have happened now," Chandrashekhar said in the letter.

The conman added that the BRS leader's arrest would open a pandora's box of corruption.

All your corrupt associates, including the king of corruption, Arvind Kejriwal, are going to be exposed... Thousands of crores that you and your party have looted and stacked in Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany will all be out in the open, he added.

The letter comes days after the BRS MLC K Kavitha was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED claimed that Kavitha conspired with top Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including the party supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former minister Manish Sisodia, to get favours in the Delhi liquor policy by paying 100 crore to the political party.

Reacting to this claim, the AAP said agencies like the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation have become goons of the BJP.

Following her arrest, BRS leader and her brother KT Rama Rao lashed out at the BJP-led government at the Centre. In a post on X, he wrote, Abuse of power and institutional misuse to settle political scores is something that has become increasingly common with BJP govt in last 10 years

ED needs to answer Supreme Court on the inordinate rush to arrest when the matter is very much sub-judice & up for review in a couple of days, on the 19th March. Whats even more appalling is the ED undermining its own undertaking given to the Honble Supreme Court," he added.

(With inputs from ANI)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the Narendra Modi government's response to a bunch of petitions seeking a stay on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules, fixing April 9 as the next date of hearing.



In the meantime, there is no stay on the grant of citizenship even as some of the petitioners pressed for it.



During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the government, told a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud that he needed some time to respond to the 20 applications which have sought a stay on the Rules till the apex court disposes of the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. The Supreme Court. sought Centre's response to a bunch of pleas seeking a stay of the CAA rules

"It (CAA) does not take away citizenship of any person," Mehta told the bench, also comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, PTI reported.



On March 11, the Centre notified the CAA rules four years after the law was passed by Parliament. The CAA aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants--including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians--who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.



Several opposition parties have criticised the CAA, calling it discriminatory, communal and anti-constitutional.



On the other hand, the Modi government maintains that nobody's citizenship will be taken away due to CAA. I have spoken on CAA at least 41 times on different platforms and spoken on it in detail that the minorities of the country need not be afraid because it has no provision to take back the rights of any citizen, Union home minister Amit Shah had said in an interview to ANI.



ALSO READ: Amit Shah slams foreign media over anti-Muslim law claims: 'Ask them...'



The CAA aims to confer Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants--including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians--who migrated from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014, and through this law, their sufferings can be ended, the minister had added.
Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan resigned from the constitutional post on Monday, saying that she wanted to serve the public directly amid speculation that she might contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. (ANI)

Soundararajan, who was also the lieutenant governor of Puducherry, submitted her resignation from both posts to President Droupadi Murmu, an official statement said.

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The Honble governor of Telangana and lieutenant governor of Puducherry Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan has tendered her resignation with immediate effect. The resignation has been submitted to the honourable President of India, the communique said.

Soundararajan was the Bharatiya Janata Partys ( BJP) Tamil Nadu unit president for five years before she was appointed as the governor of Telangana in November 2019. She contested the last Lok Sabha elections as a BJP candidate from Thoothukudi but lost to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagams (DMK) Kanimozhi.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a person familiar with the matter said Soundararajan told Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday that she wanted to return to active politics.

She might contest from Puducherry or Chennai (central) or Thoothukudi. She is awaiting clearance from the BJP national leadership, the person added.

Soundararajan said that she resigned from the posts of her own volition, adding that she wanted to involve herself in intense public service.

There was no pressure [to resign]. I resigned of my own volition, as my desire is to serve the public directly. I want to involve myself in intense public service, she said after arriving in Chennai. She, however, did not comment on whether she will contest the upcoming general elections.

My resignation has to be accepted first. Let that happen, I will disclose to you about my future plans later, she said.

DMK spokesperson A Saravanan hit out at Soundararajan, saying that she made unnecessary political statements during her tenure as the governor. After the BJP made her the governor, Tamilisai did everything except that job, he added.

In December, Soundararajan visited the flood-hit Thoothukudi district and criticised the Tamil Nadu government and chief minister MK Stalin for mismanaging the situation. The DMK countered her at the time, saying that her statements were unconstitutional and unbecoming of a governor.

The fact that she has to quit a governors post  which is usually a retirement post in Indian politics and then likely contest the polls shows that the BJP doesnt have enough people in Tamil Nadu to stand in the elections,  Saravanan added.

Before leaving for Chennai, Soundararajan said she was unhappy to leave the people of Telangana but was content that she was returning to the service of people.

I am very unhappy to leave the Telangana people. I thank each and everyone, my brothers, sisters and elders of Telangana. I will always be in touch with you. Telangana days are very, very memorable for me. I really thank them for the love and affection shown on me. Your sister, ever.. But, I am happy I am returning to the service of people, she said.

Soundararajans tenure as the Telangana governor was marked by frequent run-ins with the former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) state government over the withholding of bills and alleged violations of protocol, with both sides accusing the other of breaching the established norms of functioning.

(With inputs from Chennai)
Three more people have been arrested in connection with the attack on international students offering namaz at the Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad, senior police officers involved in the investigation said on Monday, two days after the violence that triggered outrage on social media and prompted the ministry of external affairs to step in. Gujarat Police have now arrested five people  they picked up two people on Sunday  after Saturday evenings attack (PTI)

The institution, for its part, said it had taken a raft of measures to better secure the hostel and safeguard students.

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Gujarat Police have now arrested five people  they picked up two people on Sunday  after Saturday evenings attack, when a group of 20-25 people stormed the university hostel and attacked people who were praying on a platform. Five students were injured in the violence and two of them  one from Sri Lanka and the other from Tajikistan  were hospitalised.

Three of the suspects were presented before a court and remanded for three days. Two more will appear before a court on Tuesday for their remand. Our current focus is on arresting all the culprits, stated Ahmedabad deputy commissioner of police (zone 7) Tarun Duggal.

Gujarat University vice-chancellor Neerja Gupta detailed a list of steps she said were being taken for the security of students and to give them more facilities.

The measures include shifting over 150 international students residing on campus to a separate hostel for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) within three days; hiring former army personnel to enhance hostel security (for which a private agency has been roped in)and replacing the universitys study-abroad programme coordinator and the warden of the NRI hostel.

We recognise that these are foreign students, and when travelling abroad, cultural sensitivity is very important. We will engage with them to provide cultural guidance and discuss strategies to enhance their security. Additionally, we will sensitise students to local customs and cultures to mitigate any potential conflicts, said Gupta.

She also said foreign student advisory committee would be convened to regularly engage with foreign students, document their grievances, and work towards finding solutions to address them.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat high court declined to intervene as a probe agency, emphasising that not every incident warrants a public interest litigation (PIL).

A division bench led by chief justice Sunita Agarwal and justice Aniruddha Mayee rejected a request from advocate KR Koshti to take suo motu cognisance of the incident. Chief justice Agarwal declined the request, stating that the police will look into it, that is not a matter of PIL. Every matter is not a matter of PIL. Let the police take note of this..

Dont substitute this court with police inspectors. Dont make us the inspector of police. We are not investigating officers, she said.

The attack took place in Block A of the Gujarat University hostel, which houses around 75 of Gujarat Universitys 300 international students. The group that broke into the hostel asked students who were praying why they were praying there and told them to go to a mosque.According to the police, this led to a verbal altercation that then escalated into stone-pelting and physical violence.

Some people in the group then barged into the rooms and began vandalising property, senior police officers had said on Sunday.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had in a post on X said the Gujarat government is taking strict action against the perpetrators.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh has imposed a penalty of 20,000 on Uber India. The Commission asked Uber India to pay 10,000 in compensation to a customer named Ashwani Prashar and 10,0000 to be deposited in the legal aid account. The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission of Chandigarh has asked Uber India to pay  10,000 in compensation to a customer named Ashwani Prashar.(Reuters)

The customer had raised a complaint after paying Uber 1,334 for an 8.83 km ride, reported The Indian Express.

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In his complaint, Chandigarh resident Prashar said that he took a cab using ride-hailing app Uber on August 6, 2021. He alleged that the 8.83-km long ride lasted just 15 minutes from 10.40 pm to 10.57 pm but he was charged 1,334, which comes to around 150 per km. Prashar had filed the complaint after his several chats and emails to Uber seeking redressal of his grievance went in vain.

ALSO READ| Google techie abused by Bengaluru Uber driver: Told me to get out of car when

What Uber India said in its defence

In its reply, Uber India said that the upfront fare shown to the rider was 359. However, the final fare came to be 1334 due to multiple route deviations during the course of the journey from AG Colony, Audit Phool Colony, Sector 41-B, Chandigarh to Sector 48-B, Chandigarh.

Uber India stated that it is unable to determine if the said deviations were rider/ complainant- or driver-induced. The company argued that in either case, it cannot be held liable for any deviation in route due to the rider/complainant or the driver. The company also stated that it acts merely as an intermediary between the rider and the driver and is not party to any agreement between them regarding the route taken for any journey.

The company highlighted that as a goodwill gesture and to maintain the rider's faith in the reliability of the platform, they refunded Uber Credits worth 975 to the complainants Uber account as it was a cash trip.

ALSO READ| Man books cab through Uber in Bengaluru, gets shocked to see extremely long wait time

What the Disputes Redressal Commission said

While judging the matter in the favour of the complainant, the Disputes Redressal Commission termed the matter "unfair trade practice".

It said, practice of charging excess fare than that of actual contracted fare at the time of advance booking, is unfair trade practice, which needs be deprecated and as such complainant is entitled for compensation for mental agony and harassment and also to litigation expenses. In order to keep check on such unruly service providers, who commit breach of assurances, promises and commitments at the nick of time, they are required to be dealt with heavy hands and as such OPs must be made to deposit at least 10,000 as compensation in Consumer Welfare Fund of this Forum, in addition to the amounts payable to complainant as compensation and litigation expenses.
New Delhi, Unhappy over the conduct of the Centre's counsel while hearing a bureaucrat's plea seeking documents related to his empanelment, the Central Administrative Tribunal has said the case will be decided on Friday ex-parte in case the respondents advocates fail to appear before it, according to an official order. HT Image

The directive came on Monday on a plea filed by Sanjiv Chaturvedi, a 2002 batch Indian Forest Service officer of the Uttarakhand cadre, in December 2022.

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Hearing the matter through video-conferencing, the CAT principal bench said that "nobody is present on behalf of the respondent-UOI although Shri Hanu Bhaskar, counsel for the respondents put his appearance through video conferencing, but he refused to argue the matter on merits", the tribunal said in its order.

T C Aggarwal, learned counsel representing the respondents is also not connected and "private secretary to one of us, repeatedly called from his mobile to Shri T C Aggarwal... but he has not responded the same or connected through V.C. in the matter", said the order issued by the bench of Justice Rajiv Joshi and Anand S Khati .

The conduct of the counsel for the respondents is not appreciated by the court, it said, adding that the court has no option, but to adjourn the matter.

The CAT directed the case to be put up on March 22, 2024, and inform about this order to both the counsels for the respondents in writing, according to the order's copy.

"It is made clear that on the next date fixed in the matter, if the counsels for the respondents failed to appear, the matter shall be decided ex-parte on merit," said the tribunal, which adjudicates matters related to the government employees.

Hearing this matter, the bench had last month directed to put up this matter "for final hearing peremptorily".

"Since, the pleadings between the parties have already been exchanged, put up this matter on 18.03.2024 for final hearing peremptorily," it had said in an order dated February 20.

Chaturvedi had sought directions to the Central government to produce all documents, appraisals, reports of expert committees, civil services board and findings of the competent authorities related to the rejection of his application for empanelment at the level of joint secretary or equivalent in the Central government.

The officer was conveyed his non-empanelment for holding the post of the joint secretary or equivalent by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet through an order dated November 15, 2022, by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

The tribunal had issued notices to the Central government on December 20, 2022.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) president Pashupati Kumar Paras on Tuesday resigned from the Modi cabinet, alleging injustice after his party was not included in the seat-sharing deal for the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party president Pashupati Kumar Paras. (PTI File Photo)

RLJP was part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) but was not given any seats in the upcoming general elections.

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Injustice has been done to us and our party. Therefore, I resign from the post of Union minister, he said.

The development comes a day after the BJP and its allies announced the seat-sharing details in Bihar. The Chirag Paswan faction has been given five tickets  Hajipur, Jamui, Vaishali, Samastipur and Khagaria.

Paras was unhappy with the BJPs decision to back his nephew Chirag Paswan  who has floated his own party, the LJP (Ram Vilas)  for Lok Sabha tickets, including from the family bastion of Hajipur. Paras represented the constituency and staked claim to it.

Yesterday, the NDA alliance announced the list of 40 candidates for Bihar Lok Sabha... Our party had five MPs and I worked with utmost sincerity, Paras told media persons at the press conference in Delhi.

He and five other RLJP MPs, including his son Prince Raj, had sided with the BJP in 2021 when Chirag Paswan decided to contest the state assembly polls on his own. He was also against the Janata Dal (United) being made part of the NDA in Bihar.

Following a bitter fallout between Chirag and the JD(U), which is also now part of the NDA, Paras and his faction removed Chirag from the position of the parliamentary party leader in the Lok Sabha and publicly distanced themselves from the feud.

The BJP, which is contesting on 17 of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar where polling will be held in seven phases beginning April 19, is yet to comment on Paras resignation. The JD(U) will contest on 16, while one seat each has been allocated to Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha and Upendra Kushwahas Rashtriya Lok Morcha.
Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje, after massive backlash, retracted her previous statement claiming that the suspect in the Bengaluru cafe blast was from Tamil Nadu. Karandlaje issued an apology to the public of Tamil Nadu after they brought pain to some. Union minister Shobha Karandlaje (HT Archives)

Taking to X hours after her post about the Rameshwaram cafe blast, the Union Minister said, To my Tamil brothers & sisters, I wish to clarify that my words were meant to shine light, not cast shadows. Yet I see that my remarks brought pain to some - and for that, I apologize.

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My remarks were solely directed towards those trained in the Krishnagiri forest, linked to the Rameshwaram Cafe blast. To anyone from Tamilnadu effected, From the depths of my heart, I ask your forgiveness. Furthermore, I retract my previous comments, she tweeted.

This comes after Karandlaje on Tuesday demanded that Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara resign from his post, accusing the Congress government in the state for having a bias against the Hindu community.

The BJP MP had said earlier, One person comes from Tamil Nadu and plants a bomb in a cafe. Another man comes from Delhi and raises pro-Pak slogans in the Vidhan Soudha. Another man comes from Kerala and throws acid at college students.

It must be noted that the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the investigation in the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, has not yet released the identity of the suspect. The state government said earlier this month the NIA is close to locating the suspect and is closing in on his identity.

Read more: Lokpal orders CBI to file FIR against Mahua Moitra in cash for queries charges

MK Stalin's backlash against Shobha Karandlaje's remarks

After Karandlaje's Tamil Nadu statement on the Bengaluru blast suspect, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin strongly condemned the claim, calling it a reckless statement.

Calling for legal action against the union minister, Stalin said, Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of BJP. He said that action should be taken against Karandlaje for causing threat to peace, harmony and national unity.

The Tamil Nadu CM posted on X, From the Prime Minister to cadre, everyone in the BJP should stop engaging in this dirty divisive politics at once. ECI must take note of this hate speech and initiate stringent action immediately.
A new artwork by British street artist Banksy appeared in London and was confirmed by the anonymous artist on his social media account Monday. The work, which appeared in the Finsbury Park area of northern London, uses green paint sprayed across the side of a four-story building to imitate the missing leaves of a heavily pruned tree that stands a few meters in front of it. (Also Read | 'The Mystery of Banksy': The unauthorized exhibition) Banksy used green paint and sprayed across the side of a building to imitate the leaves of a heavily pruned tree. The artwork was first visible on Sunday - St Patrick's Day. (Instagram)

The artwork also shows a small figure holding a pressure hose next to the leaves. When viewed from certain angles, the green paint lines up with the tree's branches.

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Corbyn hails 'environmental' message of Banksy piece

Independent lawmaker and former leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, hailed the Banksy piece in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Banksy has come to Islington! What wonderful artwork, proving there is hope for our natural world everywhere," Corbyn said. Corbyn represents the district of Islington in parliament, which includes Finsbury Park.

He said the artwork "makes people stop and think, 'Hang on. We live in one world. We live in one environment. It is vulnerable and on the cusp of serious damage being done to it.'"

"Environmental politics is about densely populated urban areas like this, just as much as it is about farmland and woodland and hedges," he added.

Who is Banksy?

Banksy began his career spray-painting buildings in the southwestern English city of Bristol. He has never confirmed his full identity.

He has become one of the world's most well-known artists, with some of his works selling for millions of dollars at auction.

In December, a man was photographed using bolt cutters to take down a stop sign in south London that had a Banksy stencil on it depicting military drones. Police later arrested two men on suspicion of theft and criminal damage over the incident.
Some of the holy relics of Lord Buddha along with those of his disciples Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalayana are scheduled to return to India on Tuesday evening after being displayed at various locations in Thailand as part of a 26-day exposition. Devotees pay their respects and witness a vibrant procession with the sacred relics of Buddha and his two disciples which were later enshrined at Wat Maha Wanaram during a solemn ceremony, in Ubon Ratchathani on Sunday. Celebrating heritage: Buddha's relics journey home to India after 26-day exposition in Thailand (Embassy of India, Thailand/ANI Photo)

These relics, revered by the Buddhist followers around the world, were ferried in a special Indian Air Force aircraft, befitting the status as a 'State Guest' on February 22.

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The relics would be arriving at Air Force Station, Palam, New Delhi this evening. Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi "will receive the relics in a humble ceremony" marking their return home, a senior official said.

The four Holy Piparahwa Relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples are preserved in India. While the relics of Lord Buddha is in the custody of the National Museum, the relics of his esteemed disciples were sent to Delhi by Madhya Pradesh for their eventual journey to Thailand for the exposition.

The relics were enshrined on February 23 for public veneration at the specially built mandapam at Sanam Luang pavilion in Bangkok.

This was the first time that the holy relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples were showcased together, the Union Culture Ministry earlier said.

As per the schedule, these holy relics were displayed at Ho Kum Luang, Royal Rujapruek, Chiang Mai, from March 4-8; Wat Maha Wanaram, Ubon Ratchathani, from March 9-13: and Wat Maha That, Aoluek, Krabi, from March 14-18.

The holy relics will be escorted back on March 19 from Thailand to their respective homes, concluding a historic and spiritually enriching exposition in Thailand, the Culture Ministry earlier said.

Millions of people paid respects to the holy relics during the exposition and they will finally return to India amid full state honours, the officials said.

The exposition in Thailand drew phenomenal response. Scenes of winding queues of devotees waiting with offerings since early hours of the day became a familiar sight in parts of Thailand, they said.
Happy Nowruz 2024: The special time of the year is here. Every year, Nowruz is celebrated with a whole lot of pomp and grandeur all over the world. Usually, observed by people of the Persian community, Nowruz is an ancient festival with its roots in Zoroastrianism. Countries along the Silk Roads, including, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, India, Iran, Iraq, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan celebrate Nowruz with a lot of festivities. Nowruz is the Iranian or Persian New Year which is considered extremely auspicious. Nowruz falls along the spring equinox and marks the beginning of the Iranian Solar Hijri calendar. This year, Nowruz will be observed on March 20. (Pinterest)

This year, Nowruz will be observed on March 20. As we gear up to celebrate the special day, here are a few wishes, messages and images that you can share with your friends, family and loved ones and wish them happiness, hope, prosperity and fortune.

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ALSO READ: Happy Nowruz: 5 Parsi delicacies to relish on Iranian New Year

Wishes to share with friends and family:

Happy Nowruz to you and your family. May this new year bring a lot of hope, fortune and success in your life.

For last year's words belong to last year's language, And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning."  T.S. Eliot

This year, Nowruz will be celebrated on March 20.

Let's celebrate the ancient festival of Nowruz with food and festivities. There's no bigger joy than knowing that we can always start afresh.

Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.  Benjamin Franklin

Nowruz is the Iranian or Persian New Year.

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity, and its first chapter is New Year's Day.  Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Nowruz is mainly observed by the countries along the Silk Route.

A new year brings the hope of starting something new and turning it over to the next chapter of our lives. May life guide us to our dreams.

Each age has deemed the new-born year; the fittest time for festal cheer.  Sir Walter Scott

Have a happy and blessed Nowruz!

This Nowruz. I want to wish you a lot of success, fortune and hope as you walk towards your dreams and aspirations with newfound zeal.
Happy International Day of Happiness 2024: The International Day of Happiness (also known as World Happiness Day) falls annually on March 20. As the name suggests, the International Day of Happiness is a day to be happy because happiness is a fundamental human goal. International Day of Happiness was first observed in 2013 by the United Nations. According to the United Nations website, it recognizes this fundamental goal and calls for "a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples." Additionally, the UN also urges nations to create a space for the happiness of their citizens. International Day of Happiness 2024 wishes, images, quotes, SMS, WhatsApp and Facebook status to share with your loved ones. (HT Photo)

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International Day of Happiness is an annual celebration observed all across the globe. (HT Photo)

You can also celebrate International Day of Happiness with special wishes and images we have curated for you. Check out these wishes, images, quotes, SMS, WhatsApp and Facebook status, and more inside.

International Day of Happiness 2024 Wishes, Images, Messages, Quotes, SMS, Greetings, WhatsApp & Facebook Status:

Nothing scares your enemies more than knowing you never shed your smile, even in the face of adversity. Keep smiling. Happy International Day of Happiness.

International Day of Happiness is also known as World Happiness Day. (HT Photo)

The most wonderful thing you can do is to continue to be happy and to share happiness with others. Best wishes on the International Day of Happiness.

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times; if only one remembers to turn on the light."  JK Rowling.

International Day of Happiness falls on March 20. (HT Photo)

Discovering joy in everyday occurrences is a gift that lets you be happy all the time. Warm wishes to you on this International Day of Happiness!

"The supreme happiness of life consists in the conviction that one is loved; loved for one's own sake  let us say rather, loved in spite of one's self."  Victor Hugo.

International Day of Happiness was first observed in 2013 by the United Nations. (HT Photo)

Best wishes for the International Day of Happiness. Happiness is all around you; once you find it, keep it close to you always.

Being happy is knowing that no matter what comes, we can overcome obstacles and achieve our dreams. Happy World Happiness Day.

The International Day of Happiness reminds us to recognise the relevance of happiness in our lives. (HT Photo)

Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections." - Gerard Way.

"The most important thing is to enjoy your life  to be happy  it's all that matters." - Audrey Hepburn.

According to United Nations, happiness is a fundamental human goal and we must strive to achieve it. (HT Photo)

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." - Mahatma Gandhi.
Asif Ali Zardari recently took over as President of Pakistan. His wife, Benazir, has been dead, assassinated, and remains buried for 17 years now. Thirty-six years ago, in 1988, not many outside Pakistan had heard of Zardari. But he had just become what Royals would call consort, and a figure to watch in Islamabad. His wife, the 35-year-old Benazir had just become prime minister (PM) of Pakistan. Not many in India knew much of her either except as the stunning-looking, very shy daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto accompanying her father to Simla in 1972, where the then President of Pakistan signed the celebrated agreement with PM Indira Gandhi.

Neither country was nuclear in 1972, when the two heads of government signed the pact (even as Benazir scooped up all photo-ops in Simla), though there were enough bomb-walas in the policy-making lobbies of both countries. No one, least of all ZA Bhutto and Indira Gandhi, would have thought that his daughter and her son would be PMs of their countries, both having the capacity to make nuclear bombs.

Mani Shankar Aiyars just-out nugget of a book on Rajiv Gandhi (The Rajiv I Knew, Juggernaut, 2024) has much going for it, but what I have found to be of more than a memoir value in it is the authors description of the former PMs thoughts and actions on nuclear weapons. On this subject, Rajiv was his grandfathers grandson more than his mothers son. He loathed the idea of India disembowelling itself to make the nuclear bomb which would maim and kill millions. A nuclear war cannot be won, he believed; a nuclear war should not be fought. But if Pakistan and China have the wretched thing can India fold its hands over its chest and put a ring of olive leaves on its head? It cannot. So, must it blindly follow suit?

He once told me, writes Aiyar, You know, Mani, if Pakistan does really have the bomb, even I cannot stop India from going down the road to nuclear weapons. In another telling conversation, Rajiv told him, Well, you see, India and Pakistan both already have the bomb. Aiyar was puzzled. Rajiv explained. The Canadians have gifted them to us. We have the Bhabha Atomic Centre reactor in Bombay and the Pakistanis have the Candu reactor in Karachi. All that it would take for devastating nuclear explosions that would destroy both our commercial capitals would be for kamikaze pilots from either country to fly an aircraft straight into the reactor of the other.

This was not nuclear science fiction. This was not Arthur C Clarke talking. Nor an anti-nuke activist standing on a dealwood box in Hyde Park. This was the PM of India, a grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, despiser of all war, and, therefore, of nuclear war, thinking aloud. Not in panic, not in morbid hallucination, but in full possession of his powers of cogitation. He was, of course, a pilot; so, he knew what he was saying, aeronautically. For him, kamikaze was no frame from a Japanese animation during World War II. It was something as real as anyone sitting in a pilots seat on any old aeroplane can do. And we should remember this was visualised and said way before 9/11.

Reading this, I recalled with gratitude for the late PM and his visit to Islamabad over the last two days of 1988. Benazir Bhutto had just taken over. The visit to Islamabad was for a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit. But the visitor being the PM of India and the host, the PM of Pakistan, it had to be about the two countries. Asked by Benazir spontaneously, but in reality after due preparations by both sides, to spend some extra hours after the summit for bilateral talks, much progress was made to improve the prospects for peace between the two sides and reduce the risks of violence. Swift action ensued.

One of these was the signing, on December 31, 1988, of the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities. I see that agreement as an answer to Rajivs vivid visualisation of the kamikaze-type attack on reactors. Signed by Humayun Khan, Benazir Bhuttos foreign secretary for Pakistan, and KPS Menon, Rajiv Gandhis foreign secretary for India, the Agreement bound both parties to refrain from causing the destruction of or damage to any nuclear installation or facility in the other country. The term nuclear installation or facility was specified to include atomic reactors. This propelled Rajiv Gandhis thought into intent and action. An operative part of the agreement was that both countries would exchange, on January 1 each year, a list of their nuclear installations and facilities.

Incredible for our times of suspicion, secrecy and solecisms, this exchange of lists has taken place unerringly year after year for the last 33 years. It has been done without a single year missed, under the governments of Rajiv Gandhi, VP Singh, Chandrashekhar, PV Narasimha Rao, AB Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi. Likewise, through all the vicissitudes of politics in Pakistan from the era of Benazir Bhutto right through to the present time when her husband is the President once again. The lists were exchanged this year, on January 1, as well.

Why should one be so thankful and so happy over this? For the reason that the agreement (which I would like to think of as the Khan-Menon Agreement) shows that both countries regard their nuclear installations and facilities as something that should not form part of any designs for war. We have the means for that dead-end war but we will not use them is not as good as not having them, but is better than having them and reserving the right to use them in any way we like whenever we choose to. That is to say, while both countries are now nuclear weapons countries, we still do not want to become nuclear blasters-of-each-other-and-others. It is important, strategically and civilisationally, for there to be such an agreement binding the two countries to self-restraint, no less than a no-first-use agreement.

But there is another and very important reason why the Khan-Menon Agreement should be cherished. Our exchanging lists, with the latitudes and longitudes for each site being described, should be with the knowledge that each of these installations is or can at any time be on the radar of non-State players that can destroy or damage any of them and paralyse either or both countries, with no war happening.

We already have the bomb, Rajiv Gandhi told Aiyar, very rightly, when we did not have the bomb. And the Khan-Menon Agreement was the answer. Now, when Pakistan has just got a new dispensation to take control over its nuclear installations and facilities, it could well be the time for PM Narendra Modi to visualise and propose starting a new bilateral initiative for nuclear self-restraint. And thereby moving the world nearer to the goal of what Rajiv Gandhi wanted  a time-bound, phased, verifiable action plan for universal nuclear disarmament.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi, a former administrator and diplomat, is a student of modern Indian history. The views expressed are personal
On February 3, Ladakh saw its biggest-ever demonstration and complete shutdown, over four key demands  statehood, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (which provides for regional self-governance institutions), job reservation for locals, and a parliamentary seat each for Leh and Kargil. This followed a similar mass agitation in January 2023, spurred by a protest fast by local inventor, educationist, and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk. Ladakh does not have much of a history of protest movements. But in the last few years, its residents have been getting increasingly agitated by some heavy-handed treatment by the government.

In 2019, as part of its abolition of Jammu and Kashmirs (J&K) special constitutional status, New Delhi granted Union Territory (UT) status to Ladakh. Residents of Leh district celebrated, for it has been a long-standing demand to be freed from J&K state, within which Ladakh was only a district. Within a short time, however, they realised this only meant that one insensitive ruler had been replaced by another.

The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council set up in 1995 under a special law as a locally elected body, was supposed to give residents an effective mechanism for self-governance. But it has little meaningful power. Much of the expenditure under the  6,000-crore annual budget for Ladakh is decided by the UT administration; several Council members and civil society groups allege there is mostly token consultation regarding budget priorities. Village assemblies, self-governed through the traditional goba and yulpa (gram sabha) system combined with the more recently introduced panchayat system, are nowhere in the picture. The BJPs promise to grant Sixth Schedule status, backed by a strong recommendation from the National Commission on Scheduled Tribes, has remained unfulfilled.

Of particular concern is that effective local control over land use, though nominally still the Councils prerogative, has gone into the hands of the UT administration. There are legitimate fears of land being grabbed by outsiders, including for tourism, industry, mines, mega-energy, and other projects. Not all such projects are unwelcome for a region that needs livelihood opportunities, but residents ask how sustainable are these, who controls them, and for whose benefit.

A proposed Ladakh Industrial Land Allotment Policy 2023, has raised hackles because all of the single-window clearance committees have only government officials and an industry representative  no Council members, no civil society groups, and no panchayat representatives. The document does not even lay out the environmental or cultural criteria for considering an industrial project, nor does it provide for any public consultation, though it mentions sustainable industrialisation (without defining it) and prioritises local entrepreneurs. Most of the policy proposals have been drafted by non-Ladakhi consultants hired by the UT administration.

Not all that the UT administration proposes or supports is problematic, of course. The 2019 Hill Council decision to make Ladakhs agriculture completely organic by 2025 has been welcomed, but its implementation status is unclear. A proposed tourism policy has useful recommendations to work out Ladakhs carrying capacity and regulate tourist flows accordingly, but it is not clear who will carry out this study, and how its recommendations will be implemented. Actual expenditure and actions to promote mass tourism, already booming in an unregulated manner, are being taken up even as the policy is under consideration.

In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that Ladakh will be Indias first carbon-neutral region. The roadmap for this is unclear. Ladakh may already be carbon-neutral, perhaps even carbon-negative, given how much its vast territory probably already soaks up carbon and how its pastoral-agricultural-trade-based living has made virtually no contribution to global warming.

Conversely, development projects that the Union government is conjuring up for the region are adding significantly to climate stress, including building a new airport with a capacity for 2 million tourists (six times the resident population!), and a series of highways with enormous black soot potential. Ironically, a mega-solar project that is supposed to be part of the announced carbon neutrality, is proposed to be located over 20,000 acres in the ecologically fragile Changthang area, home to the regions nomadic pastoralists and unique wildlife. There is also concern about Hindutva forces incursions in a region that has majority Muslim (Kargil) or Buddhist (Leh) populations; in 2021, the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) protested the attempted conversion of an annual inter-faith Sindhu river festival into a Hindu-dominated mahakumbh.

Statehood and Sixth Schedule status could help safeguard Ladakhs land and fragile environment, unique culture, and traditional governance system, combined with new ones like panchayats, and a more empowered Hill Council. Also worth considering is Schedule 5 status, providing constitutional powers to its village assemblies (Ladakhs population is predominantly Scheduled Tribe), and implementation of the Forest Rights Act. But Ladakhis need to build their own capacities and visions for ecologically and culturally sensitive governance, not least because short-term profit-making has entered many Ladakhi mindsets too, as seen in the mad hotel construction boom in Leh town.

With talks between the Ladakhi leadership and the Union government failing, Wangchuk has started a fast unto death, and the region is heating up again.

Ashish Kothari is with Kalpavriksh, Pune. The views expressed are personal
Google Doodle on Tuesday marked International Nowruz Day 2024, which is a Persian New Year, an ancient Iranian festival celebrated on the vernal equinox, signifying the onset of spring. The word Nowruz means "new day" in Persian. Nowruz 2024: Monday's Doodle depicted animal friends gathering in a flower-filled courtyard to ring in the coming of spring under the blossoming tree.(Google Doodle)

Iranian guest artist Pendar Yousefi created this Doodle. The artist wanted to evoke his happy childhood memories of Nowruz. The Doodle on Monday depicted animal friends gathering in a flower-filled courtyard to ring in the coming of spring under the blossoming tree.

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Its a lively springtime festival that promotes peace, respect, kinship, and the harmony between life and nature, according to Google Doodle's explanation of the Persian festival.

Google Doodles are brief and transient modifications made to the Google logo, commemorating local and worldwide events like holidays, important dates, and notable individuals who have impacted society.

These alterations can take various forms, including images, animations, slideshows, videos, and games, offering users a variety of immersive and interactive experiences.

Here's all you need to know about the Persian New Year

 With a history spanning over 3,000 years, Nowruz, the annual festival, finds its earliest roots in ancient Iran, known as Persia. Observed initially during the spring equinox, it signalled the onset of the blossoming season.

 The festival is celebrated on or near the astronomical vernal equinox (on or around March 21), which signifies spring's arrival. It is a significant cultural event, uniting diverse communities across regions and countries.

 Nowruz was officially recognised in 2016 as part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

 Embraced by more than 300 million individuals globally, its observance extends across various territories, including the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East, as highlighted by the United Nations.

 A central custom during this period was the coming together around the Table, decorated with symbolic items representing purity, vitality, and prosperity. Families gather to share a special meal with their loved ones.

 At the heart of the Nowruz celebrations lies the haft-sin tradition, where families arrange seven symbolic items signifying renewal and vitality.

 These items typically include wheat for new beginnings, wheat pudding for strength, olives for affection, berries for the dawn, vinegar for maturity, apples for beauty, and garlic for health.

 Exchanging gifts, particularly among children, is customary, often featuring artisan-made crafts. Additionally, the festivities encompass street performances, traditional music and dance, communal rituals involving water and fire, traditional sports, and the crafting of handicrafts.
Two brothers in Uttar Pradeshs Ambedkar Nagar converted Maruti Suzuki Wagon R into a helicopter. However, before they could complete their project and paint the vehicle, the police caught them and seized their creation. A video of the vehicle in police custody has surfaced on social media, which has attracted a lot of comments from netizens. The modified vehicle made by two brothers in Uttar Pradesh. (X/@priyarajputlive)

Journalist Priya Singh shared the video on X with a caption in Hindi. When translated from Hindi to English, it reads, In Ambedkar Nagar, UP, two brothers converted a car into a helicopter using jugaad. They were going to get the dent painted when the police caught them. And the vehicle (helicopter) was seized.

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The video shows that the rotor blade of a helicopter is welded onto the roof of the car while the tail rotor is welded to the boot of the car. It also shows people and a few policemen standing around the vehicle which is parked outside a police station in Ambedkar Nagar.

According to reports, the vehicle was en route to Akbarpur for a fresh coat of paint when a routine check in the Akbarpur Kotwali area caught the polices attention. The modified vehicle was seized by the police from the Akbarpur bus stand.

Watch the video here:

Singh shared the video on March 17 on X. It has since garnered over 68,000 views. Additionally, the share has also received numerous likes and retweets. Many even took to the comments section of the post to share their thoughts.

Check out a few comments here:

We should respect innovation. Innovation drives progress and pushes boundaries in every aspect of society. Its crucial to respect and encourage innovation to foster growth, solve problems, and improve the quality of life for everyone, posted an individual.

Another added, Very interesting and amazing. Much fun, unbelievable.

A third shared a GIF with the text insert, It happens only in India.
Google Maps was launched in 2005 and has since become an indispensable part of our lives. The app not only helps us reach our desired destination but also provides real-time traffic updates and helps us discover nearby businesses, restaurants, and attractions. However, sometimes Google Maps may provide incorrect directions due to obsolete GPS data or technical issues, leading us to a place we didnt intend to visit. So, when locals in Karnatakas Kodagu district realised that travellers were getting lost in the area due to Google Maps, they put up a signboard saying Google is wrong. They did so to help people reach Club Mahindra resort via the correct route. The signboard put up by locals in Kodagu, Karnataka. (X/@KodaguConnect)

Somewhere in Kodagu, reads the caption to the picture shared on X. The picture shows a signboard with the text, Google is wrong! This road does not go to Club Mahindra.

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Take a look at the tweet here:

The tweet was shared on March 14 on X. It has since collected over 47,600 views and more than 1,200 likes. The share has even received a flurry of comments from people.

Check out how people reacted to this tweet here:

It is not in mountainous regions that Gmaps is misleading. Once in Lucknow, looking for an institute, I landed in a residential colony! In another instance in Mumbai, looking for a Vodafone gallery, I reached a garage, posted an individual.

Another tagged official X handles of Google Maps and Google India and wrote, Would you care to correct this route?

Once we climb up the mountains, Google always gets it wrong. Once I remember how we travelled from Kukke Subramanya to Madikeri via Sullia. Google made us take a random right, and we travelled for 80+ km, realising we were on the wrong and got the correct route by a local person, expressed a third.

A fourth shared, Sometimes Google refuses correct road names in spite of suggestions.

So true. Not always, Google Maps are right. Last week, my sister went to Sakleshpura and followed Google Maps, which eventually led them to a dead end and the car got stuck in a bad road. Luckily, some locals helped them. Never rely on navigation while visiting hill stations, commented a fifth.
Eight years ago, US resident Megan Troutwine visited her cousin Tony Martinez in New York. While they were on their way to Rockefeller Center in Midtown, Troutwine took a selfie with the reflecting pool and Sixth Avenue fountains in the background. Little did she know that this selfie would lead to the discovery of a brain tumour. Troutwine recently shared about her ordeal in an interview with her local Fox station. The woman saw her eyelids were dropping in the selfie and then contacted a doctor. (Unsplash)

"I looked at the picture, and my eyelid was drooping. I thought it was odd, so when I returned home, I mentioned it to my neurologist, Troutwine told the New York Post.

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After she got back from vacation, she underwent an MRI scan that revealed a benign mass growing at an aggressive rate inside her brain. (Also Read: 3-year-old girl eats literally everything in the house, from walls to sofa and even glass)

After receiving her diagnosis, Troutwine began treatment at the Moffitt Cancer Center. There, she underwent 23 rounds of radiation therapy, one operation to remove the tumour and another surgery to remove further growth. Troutwine, a hardcore runner, had to slow down her pace to recover. She believes that her faith helped her get through the many difficult days that followed, reported Fox13.

Speaking to Fox13, she said, "Dealing with the cognitive issues and dealing with the memory loss and stuff like that, that was probably the hardest because I know that I'm smarter than that. I'm more capable than that. I can do more. But, it's learning how to give myself the grace in the midst, too."

Throughout Troutwine's treatment, Dr Mokhtari, Neuro-Oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, found another primary brain tumour- glioma. "It was very tiny, and as we are following it over the years, we are seeing a little bit of increase in size over time," Dr Mokhtari said to Fox13. (Also Read: UK woman battling cancer announces death in a LinkedIn post, says ' I chose not to mourn')

Troutwine told Fox13, "I've lost so many friends to glioblastoma and, you know, there's over 40 different types of brain tumours. So, a low-grade glioma is like a blessed juxtaposition, I guess you could say, because it's like you're on a cliff, and you know what's going to happen. You know it will progress. You will have to do treatment for it. You know it may very well be what could jeopardise your mortality in the future. But, you know, at the same time, you're like waiting for it to do something."

Following a craniotomy in 2017, Troutwine received a diagnosis and underwent treatment for uterine and breast cancer as well. Troutwine went from being a patient to an employee at Moffitt Cancer Center, where she currently holds the positions of volunteer Comfort Companion and Health Unit Coordinator.
NASA took to Instagram to share a series of pictures that show the beauty of the incredible Whirlpool Galaxy. The space agency shared that while some are composite images created with data from Chandra X-ray Observatory, others are prepared using Hubble Space Telescopes data. NASA shared this image of the Whirlpool Galaxy on Instagram. This picture, along with a few other photos, has gone viral. (Instagram/@nasa)

Shedding some light on spiral galaxies. At a distance of about 30 million light-years from Earth, the Whirlpool Galaxy is one of the brightest spirals in the night sky. This composite image of the Whirlpool Galaxy shows the majesty of its structure in a dramatic new way through several of NASAs orbiting observatories, NASA posted and wrote about the first image of the series on Instagram. In the following line, they urge netizens to swipe through different spectra to see the galaxy through new lenses.

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Also Read: 5 amazing pictures of the Sun by NASA that will leave you transfixed

X-ray image of the Whirlpool galaxy. Chandras image highlights in purple the energetic central regions of the two interacting galaxies that are collectively called the Whirlpool Galaxy, NASA added about the second image.

Take a look at the entire series of images of Whirlpool Galaxy here:

The post was shared about ten hours ago. Since then, the share has accumulated nearly 7.5 lakh likes, and the numbers are increasing. The post has further prompted people to share varied comments.

What did Instagram users say about this post about the spiral galaxy?

Our galaxy is also a spiral galaxy, right? asked an Instagram user. NASA replied, Correct! The Milky Way is also a spiral galaxy.

Another shared, I want to go there.

A third added, The images sent by NASA are extremely complex. Each image requires years of interpretation by scientists. Thank you, NASA.

A fourth wrote, These are so beautiful.

What are your thoughts on these images of the Whirlpool Galaxy shared by NASA? Did the pictures leave you in awe?
A London-bound flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger attempted suicide mid-air. The incident happened on an EVA Air flight from Bangkok, Thailand to London, United Kingdom, as per reports. The man attempted suicide on an EVA Air flight. (Unsplash)

According to Daily Mail, when the flight started descending into Londons Heathrow Airport, the crew members realised that a passenger was still inside the toilet.

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Upon checking on the man, the cabin crew found him in a state of serious distress. He had also sustained injuries. The cabin crew, along with an onboard doctor, administered immediate first aid, and the passenger was subsequently rushed to a hospital upon landing.

EVA Air confirmed that the incident happened on the BR67 Bangkok-London flight on March 15, reported The Mirror.

According to tracking site FlightAware, the aircraft landed 17 minutes ahead of the scheduled time at Londons Heathrow Airport.

The airline hasnt disclosed the identity of the individual and didnt comment on the mans injuries, reported Daily Mail.

Earlier, a LATAM Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland nosedived suddenly after experiencing a technical issue approximately an hour before its landing. This caused strong turbulence, injuring at least 50 passengers onboard. Of these, 13 people, including both passengers and crew, were taken to the Middlemore Hospital after the flight landed. One of the individuals was in serious condition.

Some passengers and crew onboard the aircraft even slammed into the ceiling due to a sudden drop. A passenger even recorded a video of what he thought was his final moment to send to his mother.

After the incident, LATAM Airlines issued a statement. It reads, LATAM Airlines Group deeply regrets any inconvenience and discomfort this situation may have caused its passengers and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards. LATAM is working in coordination with the respective authorities to support the investigations into the incident.

If you are going through something, call 9152987821.
The technology is advancing rapidly and has become a big part of our everyday lives. While numerous technological innovations have proved to be beneficial, the emergence of certain upcoming technologies often leaves people baffled. A video showing just that has gone viral on social media. The clip which featured a robot dog interacting with an Indie dog stirred up mixed reactions from viewers. The footage was captured by Dr Mukesh Bangar and was shared on Instagram. The incident occurred during the Techkriti festival at IIT Kanpur, where the real-life canine and the robot dog had an intriguing encounter. 'Real dog vs robot dog' at IIT Kanpur. (Instagram/@Dr Mukesh Bangar)

"Funny incident happened with robot dog vs real dog," wrote Dr Mukesh Bangar in the caption of the post. The video shows a stray dog approaching the robot dog. The stray can be seen carefully analysing the robot and trying to understand its movements. As it is doing that, two other dogs also come near the robot and look baffled by its presence. The video ends with the robot falling down on the ground. (Also Read: China fastest in replacing workers with robots, US think tank says: Only a matter of time when)

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Watch the video of the robot dog and the real dog here:

This post was shared three days ago. Since being posted, it has garnered more than three lakh views. The share also has close to 10,000 likes and the numbers are only increasing. Many people flocked to the comments section of the post to share their reactions. (Also Read: Robot delivers food to man in his hotel room in China, netizens have mixed reactions)

Check out how Instagram users reacted to it:

An individual wrote, "Even the dogs are getting replaced in future."

A second commented, "He'll go back and tell his friends, but they won't believe his story!"

"Science meets reality," posted a third.

A fourth commented, "In the end, dogs are dogs mechanical or real, haha."

A fifth shared, "Well done, guys, I'm hoping for a lot more new things from you."

What are your thoughts on this video of the robot dog interacting with the real-life dog? Have you ever seen anything like this?
A woman claimed that she felt "hurt" and "humiliated" after she, along with her friend, was asked to leave the aircraft for being "too big". As per reports, the incident occurred on an Air New Zealand flight from Napier to Auckland. The airline later addressed the issue and apologised. One of the women who claimed she had to deboard the flight for being "too big" shared that the incident left her feeling "humiliated" (Representational image). (Unsplash/@nzdoug16)

The woman, identified as Angel Harding, told The Mirror that she and her friend were on the plane when a flight attendant "aggressively tried to push down the armrest next to them". Later, they were asked to get off the plane.

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Harding shared that after this, the flight attendant also announced on loudspeaker that the flight was taxied back to the airport because of an "inconvenience".

"After [the attendant] hung up the phone, she came over and said, 'You two should have booked four seats. You two should have bought two seats each'," Harding added.

"My thoughts are they took me off because of my build, because of my size. As to myself and our build, our size had a lot to do with it," Harding told 1 News, reported NZ Herald.

Daily Mail shared a video where one of the women is seen sharing her experience. "Two women have claimed they were kicked off an Air New Zealand flight for being too big and told they should have booked two seats each," the outlet wrote while posting the video.

Take a look at this video:

According to the Mirror, the women demanded compensation for the "hurt, humiliation and trauma" that they felt due to this incident.

An Air New Zealand spokesperson told The Mirror that the customers needing extra room are accommodated if space is available. The airline also "strongly" recommended that customers should contact the airline before travelling regarding extra space requirements for a comfortable journey.

"We are committed to treating all customers with respect and dignity and we apologise that these customers received an inconsistent experience. We will continue to work with the customer directly to address their concerns," the airline said in their statement.
Foreign ministers of the European Union agreed on new sanctions related to the death of the Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny in an Arctic prison last month. Tributes laid after Alexei Navalny's death (Reuters)(via REUTERS)

The ministers approved the package during a meeting in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters Monday. The restrictive measures include some 30 persons and two entities, according to an earlier draft of the proposal seen by Bloomberg.

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The decision comes after Vladimir Putin was declared the winner of a presidential election whose outcome was pre-determined. Putin extended his quarter-century rule after winning 87.3% of the vote with no serious challenger in the election.

Among the proposed listings are several prison and government officials and judges, as well as the IK-3 and IK-6 penal colonies, according to the draft. The EU approved a modest package of sanctions last month aimed at Moscow, its 13th since Russia invaded Ukraine. Those measures focused on enforcing existing restrictions.

Navalnys allies had called on people to protest Putins election by turning up at noon on Sunday. Long lines formed at that time outside some polling stations, including in Moscow and St. Petersburg, in a symbolic show of defiance amid the harshest Kremlin crackdown on dissent in decades.

Navalny rose to prominence during massive pro-democracy protest in Russia in 2011-2012. The Kremlin critic was barred from running in a 2018 presidential ballot because of a fraud conviction that the US and EU criticized as politically motivated.

He fell ill in August 2020 on a flight to Moscow after meeting with local activists in the Siberian city of Tomsk. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an international watchdog, confirmed that a nerve agent from the banned Novichok group had been used in the poisoning.

The opposition leader was transferred to a remote Arctic prison colony, IK-3, in late December from a jail outside Moscow. In his last post on X, formerly Twitter, on Feb. 14, he reported that hed been sentenced to 15 days in a punishment cell for the fourth time since hed arrived there.

Separately, the EU also approved new sanctions on Hamas leaders and violent Israeli settlers, Borrell said, without providing additional details.
In some relief to Imran Khan, a court in Pakistan on Tuesday acquitted the jailed former prime minister in two different cases related to the incidents of vandalism during his anti-government long march in March 2022. Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan(REUTERS)

District and Sessions Court Judicial Magistrate Shaista Kundi accepted Khan's petitions and acquitted him in cases registered at Islamabad's Lohi Bhair and Sahala police stations, Geo News reported.

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"Several cases were registered in a single day, PTI's founder was [framed] in the same role," Khan's lawyer, Advocate Naeem Panjotha, argued.

He added that neither a notification was issued nor the party was informed regarding the enforcement of a prohibitory order under Section 144. The lawyer maintained that the plaintiff is the Station House Officer (SHO), who has no jurisdiction to register the case.

"There are no witness statements in the cases filed against the PTI founder," he further argued.

The judicial magistrate asked the counsel if Khan had been acquitted in cases before, responding to which he said: "Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder had been acquitted in several cases even earlier."

Following the arguments by the former premier's counsel, the court reserved the verdict, which was announced later.

Khan is currently imprisoned in Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail as he serves several sentences in the Toshakana, un-Islamic marriage, and the cipher cases.

Khan took out a long march demanding snap polls after his ouster from power in 2022. The march was suspended after a failed assassination attempt on Khan's life.
Hong Kong lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed a new national security bill within a fortnight of it being tabled, fast-tracking a major piece of legislation that critics say further threatens the China-ruled city's freedoms. Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee, fifth foreground left, pose for photographs with lawmakers following the passing of the Basic Law Article 23 legislation(AP)

The package, known as Article 23, punishes offences including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage with sentences ranging from several years to life imprisonment.

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Hong Kong's leader John Lee said the law would come into effect on Saturday and called it a "historic moment for Hong Kong".

The new slate of laws comes on top of an earlier, China-imposed national security law that has been used to jail pro-democracy activists and triggered sanctions from the United States, including against Lee.

Some lawmakers, however, shrugged off the risk of further sanctions and possible credit rating downgrades.

"We have to legislate for the security of our country and Hong Kong. Whatever comes, will come. We don't mind," said the head of the legislature, Andrew Leung.

Read here: US 'alarmed' by Hong Kong security law, sees 'closing' of freedoms

Hong Kong's Legislative Council, stacked with pro-Beijing loyalists, was first presented with the bill on March 8 following a month-long public consultation.

The new law will have extraterritorial effect outside of Hong Kong, giving rise to fears it could be used to intimidate and restrict free speech in other jurisdictions.

Critics, including the U.S. government, say the law will further narrow freedoms, and could be used to "eliminate dissent through the fear of arrest and detention".

Britain said the legislation would have a far-reaching impact on Hong Kong's reputation as an international city that respects the rule of law, has independent institutions and protects its citizens' freedoms.

"This new law, rushed through the legislative process, will have far-reaching implications for all of these areas," Foreign minister David Cameron said in a statement. He said it undermined the terms of the 1984 agreement under which Britain handed back rule of Hong Kong.

The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China - which advises the U.S. Congress - published a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken last Thursday criticising the new laws and urging the U.S. government to "take additional steps to protect American citizens and businesses".

China's Foreign Ministry Commissioner's office in Hong Kong condemned the United States for its criticism.

"Immediately stop the political manipulation and interference in Hong Kong affairs," it said in an earlier statement.

All 89 lawmakers present voted to pass the bill. The assembly once had a strong pro-democracy camp but was overhauled in 2021 to ensure only Chinese "patriots" could run for office.

China's State Council Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said the law would "secure Hong Kong's prosperity and stability" as well as safeguard the interests of overseas investors, democracy and freedom.

Critics say authorities largely ignored calls from diplomats, legal scholars, rights advocacy groups to better safeguard fundamental rights, including exemptions for the media from crimes like state secrets.

One foreign executive with decades of experience in Hong Kong and China said the new law could hurt Hong Kong as it finds itself caught between U.S.-China geopolitical tensions.

"To the rest of the world, Hong Kong is increasingly considered to be a part of China - economically and politically. Its uniqueness continues to be eroded," he said, declining to be identified given the sensitivity of the topic.

Hong Kong officials, however, say the laws are no more severe than those in other countries including the United States, Britain and Singapore; and will ensure stability and prevent a repeat of the mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Australia to suspend anti-dumping measures against Chinese wind towers in positive signs for resolving other trade disputes with China

Global Times) 08:19, March 19, 2024

A wind farm generates power in Tangshan City, in north Chinas Hebei Province, on December 22, 2023. Photo: Xinhua

Chinese experts said on Monday that Australia's move to suspend anti-dumping tariffs targeting wind towers from China is in line with Australia's green development, and is also a "good gesture" by the Australian side ahead of a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Australia announced it would suspend trade remedy measures against China's wind towers when the current measures expire on April 16, 2024, according to a notice released by Australia's Department of Industry, Science and Resources on Friday.

The notice, signed by Australian Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic, said that the Anti-Dumping Commission has completed an inquiry into whether the continuation of anti-dumping measures applying to certain utility scale wind towers exported from China is justified. The inquiry commenced on May 12, 2023, and the measures are in the form of a dumping duty notice applying to all exporters from China except Shanghai Taisheng Wind Power Equipment Co.

Wind towers are used to create cross ventilation and cooling in buildings.

The anti-dumping measures targeting wind towers have not only affected normal operation and business diversification for Chinese businesses, but have also increased the cost for Australia to optimize its energy structure amid its energy transition, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Monday.

Zhou added that the move is in line with Australia's need for development, noting that the termination also released a positive signal for promoting economic and trade recovery.

This is a good gesture by the Australian side amid Wang's visit, Zhou Fangyin, professor at the Guangdong Research Institute for International Strategies, told the Global Times on Monday. The professor also noted that China is conducting a review of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Australian wine and may eventually cancel those duties.

Zhou Mi said that both Australia and China have been reviewing the cases and making decisions under the WTO framework.

Zhou Fangyin said Wang's visit will help cement the achievements of bilateral relations by reducing impediments, although few new cooperation projects are in sight.

"Many Australian products such as beef, lobster and barley are of good quality and they are competitive in the Chinese market. However, the previous Australian government's provocative behavior put off many Chinese consumers," Zhou Fangyin said.

He said Canberra should figure out where its own interests lie and stop following the US' anti-China policies too closely. "By doing that, China-Australia relations are expected to maintain stable development," he said.

Wang is paying an official visit to New Zealand and Australia from Sunday to Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry announced previously. Australian companies have expressed high hopes for Wang's visit to Australia with the Global Times in recent interviews, saying that they hope to expand their presence in the Chinese market and strengthen mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation with their Chinese partners.

As for the much-watched anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Australian wine, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on March 14 that China will make a final review ruling in accordance with the investigation procedures.

Last week, the ministry disclosed the basic facts regarding the ruling, and gave all parties an opportunity to express their opinions.

China and Australia reached a consensus on resolving their disputes on wine and wind towers properly under the WTO framework, MOFCOM announced in October 2023. The two countries have conducted friendly consultations under the WTO framework governing areas that are of mutual concern, and they have reached consensus on properly resolving them, a MOFCOM spokesperson said in a statement published in October.

Australia's Anti-Dumping Commission in October already proposed to recommend that the anti-dumping measures on wind towers exported to Australia from China expire on April 16, 2024.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
China and Angola have a strong foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation. As relations progress, the two nations will witness exciting new chapters in their friendship. by Xinhua writers Lv Chengcheng, Yan Ran and Dai He LUANDA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- On Friday in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Angolan President Joao Lourenco announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Angola, a Portuguese-speaking country in Southwest Africa emerging from a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002, has enjoyed a flourishing partnership with China over the past two decades. This partnership is characterized by cooperation across various fields, and Angola has achieved significant progress in rebuilding the country, industrial modernization and talent development. As Xi said during talks with Lourenco, China-Angola cooperation is South-South cooperation and cooperation between developing countries. It is defined as mutual help between good friends, reciprocity and win-win collaboration. FACILITATING NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION Located 18 km south of Luanda, Angola's capital, the "new city," Kilamba stands prominently on the horizon. More than a decade after its completion, this monumental public welfare project, executed by Chinese firms, comprises 700 buildings and 20,000 housing units, providing contemporary living conditions for its 120,000 inhabitants. "I've been living here since January 2013, and back then, it felt like a fresh, pioneering city, with everything shining," 73-year-old resident Gaspar Pedro told Xinhua. Pedro's home is situated in a 13-story residential building. Inside his cozy, orange-hued living room, a collection of family photos, including his daughter's wedding and the birth of his grandchildren, adorn one side of the bookshelf. Pedro enjoys a tranquil retirement life here with his wife, frequently visited by their children and grandchildren. Mario Cassinda, who has managed a restaurant "Puro Tempero" in Kilamba for six years, believes the city has addressed more than just housing issues. "It was constructed on a barren land. Since the city's establishment, it has created more jobs and attracted many people from the outskirts. I can say it's a beneficial project," said Cassinda. The City of Kilamba, formerly known as the Kilamba Kiaxi Housing Project, was initiated by Chinese company CITIC Construction. It features well-equipped facilities, including schools, water treatment plants and substations, ensuring residents enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Chinese engineer Qi Juntuan, who participated in the city's construction, recalled the challenges they encountered, particularly the uncommon issue of poor soil adhesion, a problem rarely encountered by Chinese engineers elsewhere. "The team, working tirelessly day and night, eventually overcame these obstacles with techniques like layered backfilling," he said. "The thought of applying our knowledge to bring tangible improvements to the local area fills us with great motivation." In 2010, Xi visited Angola, when Angola and China announced the establishment of a strategic partnership. Xi personally inspected the project, spending half a day there, inspiring builders from China and Angola. Rising from once barren land, the new city is a testament to the accelerated cooperation between the two nations. China and Angola celebrated the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023, and the partnership continues to thrive. Deepened political trust and practical cooperation have benefited the people of both nations. China has been Angola's largest trading partner, largest export market and an essential source of investment for many years, while Angola is China's second-largest trading partner in Africa. Drummond Mafuta, president of the Board of Directors of Edicoes Novembro, one of Angola's largest media groups, commented that when the Angolan civil war ended and the country needed reconstruction, China was the first to extend a helping hand. Mafuta said friendship with China "is and will always be marked in the history of Angola's reconstruction." FOSTERING INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT After the talks on Friday, Xi and Lourenco jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents regarding the Belt and Road cooperation plan, the economy and trade, agriculture, green development and other fields. Tiago Quissua Armando, a scholar at Angola's Venancio de Moura Diplomacy Institute, sees the outcomes of the leaders' talks as addressing vital issues for Angola, such as economic diversification, industrial investment and agricultural modernization. "President Lourenco's visit also includes a trip to Shandong, a Chinese province with significant experience in the agricultural sector. Angola can benefit from this experience to enhance its local industry," he said. Last year, Shandong Province signed a friendly cooperation agreement with Bengo Province of Angola, committing to strengthening cooperation in agriculture, economy, trade and vocational education. One of the flagship Shandong enterprises in Angola is the Sino-Ord Industrial Park. Since its establishment in 2019, the park has launched six industrial projects, with around 200 Chinese employees and approximately 1,700 local workers. In June 2021, the Angolan president visited the industrial park and praised its role in boosting local employment, increasing tax revenue, and propelling Angola's industrialization and economic diversification efforts. "Working with colleagues from China and other countries has broadened my horizons and made me realize that only through strengthening international cooperation can our country's development be more hopeful," said Joao Paulo, a senior external relations manager who has worked at the industrial park for many years. In Luanda, the Fatima Furniture Factory of the Qingdao Yewhing Group has set an example in the local industry by providing employment opportunities for hundreds of families. "Having the factory or local production not only provides the product but also creates jobs, allowing more Angolans to have a source of sustainability for their families. Now, everyone here dreams of becoming an excellent technician," said Wilson Manuel, a 30-year-old human resources manager at the furniture factory. Today, products such as cabinets and wardrobes from the factory account for 40 percent of the domestic market in Angola, while the factory's sofa brand occupies a quarter of the market share. Angola's Minister of Industry and Commerce Rui Miguens said China's industrial development has raised living standards. He noted that Angola hopes to learn from China's experience in industrialization and looks forward to more Chinese companies investing in Angola. CULTIVATING FUTURE TALENT Luis Erivaldo, a young Angolan working at Huawei, developed a strong interest in communication technology during his school years. After four rounds of interviews, he joined Huawei Angola and, over six years, grew from a freshman to a technical director. In 2022, the Angolan government signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei for a "digital talent" training program, which plans to train over 10,000 Angolan youths in the next five years. There is a broad scope for cooperation in vocational education between China and Africa. In August 2023, President Xi co-chaired with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue in Johannesburg, proposing initiatives to strengthen practical cooperation between China and Africa and support African integration and modernization, including the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development. The inauguration ceremony of the Chinese-donated Integrated Center for Technological Training took place in Huambo City, Angola, on Jan. 12. The 20,000-square-meter center has 30 laboratories and six workshops covering robotics, mechanical processing, computer science and automotive repair. In its first phase, it plans to train 2,400 people annually. President Lourenco personally inaugurated the training center. During his visit, he inquired in detail about the project's construction and teaching plans. Just before leaving, he stepped out of his car to shake hands and again express gratitude to the Chinese personnel. "This is a modern training center with complete facilities, and all the teachers have been trained in China. We are very grateful for China's help and look forward to continuing cooperation with China in the future," said Geraldo Pambasange, the training center's principal. Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security of Angola Pedro Filipe said that in recent years, vocational training and talent cultivation have become critical areas of cooperation between Angola and China. China and Angola have a strong foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation. As relations progress, the two nations will witness exciting new chapters in their friendship.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, have seen an unprecedented surge of followers on their Instagram. This increase in online followers comes amid a whirlwind of speculation and controversy over a edited family photo of the Princess that she shared on Mother's Day. Prince William- Kate Middleton: Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, depart following the annual Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey in London, Britain.(Reuters)

A close-door study by OnlineCasinos365, which was shared with HindustanTimes.com, intricately tracked the fluctuation in social media followings of various royal family members. The focus was to pinpoint the impact of the intense public curiosity about Princess Kates public absence since last December (although a recent TMZ video has spotted Kate walking with Prince William at Windsor Farm), which has set the internet abuzz.

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The findings from the research are quite revealing

Since the release of a Mothers Day photo by Kensington Palace on the 10th of March, the official Instagram handle of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, (@princeandprincessofwales), witnessed a whopping increase of 170,349 followers.

ALSO READ| Royal family website removes individual bios of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Plus, the Kensington Palaces X (formerly Twitter) handle, experienced a boost of 48,016 followers.

X trends show Kate Middleton trending huge(X)

This spike in followership is the most significant the royal couple has seen in a single week since the coronation of King Charles in May 2023.

The recent social followers' data for Prince and Princess of Wales(Instagram/OnlineCasinos365)

The implication of the Google Trends data is unmistakable: the searches for 'Kate Middleton' have reached their highest peaks in the last five years, which is exactly the case now. The quotient worry has increased 388 times which is 26 times higher than even above normal levels.

The Princess of Wales topped the chart surpassing Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Elon Musk. Trump was sitting on top for quite some time after Late Night show Jimmy Kimmel made a joke on the former President on Saturday night, but the Princess dethroned him.

Since the last week, Google searches for Middleton in the US have averaged over six times higher than searches for Trump and more than nine times higher than searches for Biden, according to data from Google Trends.

Kate is nailing the Goggle Trends(Google)

What was Kate's edited image controversy?

A picture that has the world water cooler on social media became even more heated as eagle-eyed netizens discovered signs of digital manipulation. This has sole achieved the already rife the rumours regards the princess's hiding place, considering that she has been missing from the public eyes ever since December prior to her reported abominable surgery. In the heat of KateGate controversy, this image has become the talk of the town on the internet and news channels, such that some of the publications are pulling down the image in the absence of clear narrative about her future lifeCamillas Ex-Husband Andrew Parker Bowles' Unexpected Role

In response to the escalating drama, the Princess of Wales took to social media on the 11th of March with a candid admission. Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mothers Day, she tried to console.

ALSO READ| Princess Dianas brother addresses concerns over Kate Middleton's whereabouts: I do worry about

Despite the increasing pressure, Kensington Palace has stood firm in its decision not to release the original, unaltered image. This stance has only intensified public scrutiny and has led to a surge in the number of individuals flocking to the royal social media accounts.

A spokesperson from OnlineCasinos365 weighed in on the phenomenon, stating, The social media rumours spreading like wildfire worldwide have sent thousands of new followers to royal accounts. It has caused Kate and William to gain the most followers in a week since the coronation almost a year ago. It demonstrates the royal familys influence and the intense magnifying glass they are under. Public interest and pressure is building around Kate Middleton, sparking wild conspiracy theories and social commentary.
The United Nations human rights office said on Tuesday that Israel's restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza could amount to a war crime. The symbol of the United Nations (AP)

"The extent of Israel's continued restrictions on entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime," said UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

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Israel has denied obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
OPPOSITION leaders usually dream of entering Downing Street to the roars and bellows of a triumphant crowd. According to Sir Keir Starmer , the arrival of a new Labour government after the next general election will sound more like the start of a yoga class. There will be a collective breathing out, he said in a speech on January 4th. A burden lifted. And then, the space for a more hopeful look forward. Fourteen years of Conservative government will end not with a bang but an ommmmm.

Call it Britains populist paradox. Across Europein Austria, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlandsradical-right parties are in fine fettle. Many draw inspiration from Donald Trump, who has a remarkably good chance of returning to the White House. Britain is on a different trajectory. A Conservative Party which has often echoed the policies, rhetoric and tropes of what academics call national populism is on course for an electoral defeat, and possibly a calamitous one. Instead, the country is likely to elect Labour under Sir Keir, a stiff social democrat who offers a worthy recipe of restored institutions, fiscal rectitude, diligent public service and healed social divisions.

For more on Britons voting intentions, see our poll tracker, updated daily

That is a puzzle. Forces that feed the radical rightdepressed living standards, high immigration and mistrust of elitesproliferate in Britain. Real wages will be no higher by the end of the year than they were in 2006, according to a paper by the Resolution Foundation, a think-tank, published in December. Britons voted to limit migration in the Brexit referendum of 2016; instead, it has surged, to a net 745,000 in 2022. Just 9% of Britons say they trust politicians to tell the truth, according to Ipsos, a pollster; that is the lowest score since it began asking the question in 1983.

This sounds like fertile ground for Reform UK, a right-wing outfit co-founded by Nigel Farage (and formerly known as the Brexit Party), that is led by Richard Tice, an ex-property developer. Reform UK has seen an uptick in the polls, to 11%, according to The Economists poll tracker. But it is part of a fight between conservative elites for the future of the right rather than a popular movement that slices through established party lines, as Brexit and Mr Trump did. It draws almost entirely from Tory ranks: some 20% of the Conservatives 2019 voters say they will support Reform, against just 2% of Labours.

Mr Tice has cast his outfit in neo-Thatcherite colours: he denounces the governing Consocialists and calls for deep cuts to tax, government spending and regulation to stimulate Britains sluggish economy. The aim is to exploit the gulf between the Conservative Partys self-image as the party of low taxes and low immigration and its record in office. Mr Sunaks warnings that Mr Tice will only help the Labour Party are met by Reformers with a shrug: splitting the right is the point. They hope the Tories suffer an electoral calamity, the worse the better, and then split between moderates and right-wingers. Reform UK would then challenge the rump party to be the true voice of British conservatism. The next election will be a punishment-beating from which they cant come back in their current form, says one party figure.

This is not a strategy with mass appeal. Whereas the UK Independence Party (UKIP), which Mr Farage once led, routinely polled second place in by-elections in the years before the EU referendum, Reform UK has not met the 5% threshold to keep its deposit in ten of the 11 contests it has entered since 2022. The reason is largely its small-state agendaa return to UKIPs fusty roots, which Mr Farage had to disguise as he wooed working-class voters in poor towns who wanted higher spending. (Reform UKs stint as a lockdown-sceptic outfit flopped among an electorate that rather liked the slap of the COVID-19 state.) For now, Reform UK looks more like a virtual movement than a popular one: it has a scant presence on local councils and Mr Tice relies on regular slots on Talk TV and GB News, right-leaning channels that are increasingly influential among conservatives. This will change only if Mr Faragewho can still pack out pubs and theatresreturns to the front line.

Namaste Labour

Sir Keir, meanwhile, understands Mr Farages old voters better than the caricatures of him as a Europhile, metropolitan human-rights fanatic allow. Leaders are shaped by what preceded them: Sir Tony Blair by Thatcherism, David Cameron by Blairism and Sir Keir by the Brexit years. His party is refitted around what Labour wonks term hero votersthe older, white working classes in Brexit-leaning seats. Labour is now sceptical of globalisation; it venerates blue-collar work over white-collar jobs; it is authoritarian on crime; it denounces Westminster as endemically self-interested and sleazy. Sir Keirs speeches are peppered with words like class, family, work, respect, security, resilience, duty, service and country. (Absent: equality, freedom, openness.) Whenever he talks of Brexit, he sounds rather like Charles de Gaulle addressing the French Algerians: Je vous ai compris."

Sir Keirs promise of yoga-class politics is also astute. The problem with populism and nationalism, Sir Keir said in his speech, is that it needs your full attention. It needs you to constantly focus on this weeks common enemy. And thats exhausting, isnt it? His promise for a politics that treads a little lighter on all of our lives sounds like a repudiation of the past decade. But it also harnesses the desire for security and a more parochial politics. Recall that the Vote Leave campaign pitched Brexit not as a risky adventure but as the safer option than staying in a crisis-ridden EU, and as a means to get more money for the National Health Service. Note how, three years later, Boris Johnsons promise to Get Brexit Done was sold not as a continuation of the constitutional battle but as a way for bored voters to end the argument, stop the chaos and hire more nurses and police officers. Sir Keirs post-populist pitch is a bet that British voters want to hear less from their politicians and to see more of their doctors. They always did.

Read more from Bagehot, our columnist on British politics: What Britains Labour Party thinks of Europe (Jan 2nd) Inside the banter-industrial complex (Dec 20th) Cheer up, Sir Keir! It might never happen (Dec 14th)

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
A London-bound flight made an emergency landing at the Heathrow Airport on Friday after a passenger allegedly tried to commit suicide inside the airplane's bathroom, reported NDTV citing the Metro. A London-bound flight made an emergency landing at the Heathrow Airport on Friday after a passenger tried to commit suicide inside the airplane's bathroom. (Representational picture)(REUTERS)

As per the report, cabin crew of the EVA Air flight (BR67) from Bangkok to London noticed that someone was still in the restroom during the aircraft's descent. They found the passenger in a condition that indicated a possible suicide attempt.

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The flight's crew members and a doctor onboard provided first aid to the passenger. The passenger's identity and the reason behind the suicide attempt is not known.

ALSO READ| Women claim they were kicked off an Air New Zealand flight for being 'too big', airline responds

The flight landed at around 7:30 pm local time and medical personnel took the passenger to a hospital.

Recent instances of issues caused by flight passengers

In January this year, a Ryanair flight from the UK to Spain had to make an emergency landing in Portugal due to a fight among passengers.

As per reports, a group of possibly intoxicated men allegedly harassed female passengers on the flight. A flight attendant intervened to resolve the situation but was allegedly knocked unconscious by the unruly passengers. The flight's captain issued a warning but the ruckus continued for 20 minutes, prompting the diversion of the plane.

An ugly incident took place in India in January when a passenger hit an IndiGo pilot of a Goa-bound airplane after the flight was delayed to very low visibility at Delhi airport. A video of the incident went viral on social media, sparking mixed reactions from netizens. The passenger was detained and a complaint was filed with the Delhi Police.

In March, a passenger allegedly smoked a beedi (cigarette) inside the restroom of a Delhi to Mumbai flight. The passenger was arrested by the Mumbai Police after the flight landed in the city.
A Pakistan anti-corruption court on Tuesday acquitted the two sons of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in three cases of alleged corruption, nearly ending the legal woes faced by the former prime minister's family. Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif(REUTERS)

Hassan and Hussain Nawaz were implicated in the Avenfield, Flagship, and Al-Azizia corruption cases in 2018 related to the Panama Papers.

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In 2018, the two brothers were declared proclaimed offenders after they failed to join the investigation in Avenfield Apartment, Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

However, their trials were not held as they were abroad while their father Sharif, the main accused, was convicted in the Avenfiled and Al-Azizia corruption cases but acquitted in the Flagship case.

The three-time former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Sharif returned from London to Pakistan in October last year after ending his self-exile for nearly four years. He challenged his conviction in the two cases and the Islamabad High Court acquitted him. This emboldened his sons to return from London to face the charges.

They returned on March 12 after the court had suspended their absconder status until March 14 when they finally appeared before the court and were given bail.

They had also asked the court to acquit them after the main accused was exonerated.

On Tuesday, the acquittal plea was heard by the accountability court. Judge Nasir Javed Rana after hearing the case, acquitted the two in all three cases.

Earlier the same court granted Sharif's sons major relief by revoking its earlier order declaring them proclaimed offenders and cancelling their permanent arrest warrants.

With the cases against his two sons wrapped up with Tuesday's acquittal, the entire family of Nawaz Sharif has been exonerated in cases which were launched against him and his family members in 2017 when he was disqualified by the Supreme Court.
Democratic countries around the world should band together to confront the threat of AI used by malign states to threaten free elections and spread misinformation, British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said on Tuesday. Democratic countries around the world should band together to confront the threat of AI used by malign states to threaten free elections and spread misinformation, British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said on Tuesday.(Thinkstock)

In Seoul for the Summit for Democracy, Dowden on Monday announced what he hopes will be a "groundbreaking" new global government compact on countering deceptive use of artificial intelligence by foreign states in elections.

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South Korea is hosting the third Summit for Democracy conference, an initiative of U.S. President Joe Biden aimed at discussing ways to stop democratic backsliding and erosion of rights and freedoms.

Details of the compact are still being worked out, but Dowden said several countries had signed on, without naming any.

ALSO READ| Ukrainian YouTuber finds deepfakes of herself on Chinese social media, claims they're being used to promote propaganda

Citing how major technology companies agreed at the Munich Security Conference in February to coordinate responses to AI-generated deepfakes that deliberately trick voters, Dowden said it is time for governments to follow suit.

"What the UK is leading on is a government-led process, a government-led agreement to tackle the threat from AI from foreign states," he said in an interview at the UK Embassy in Seoul.

Britain has been embroiled in a debate over an edited photograph of Kate, Princess of Wales, for which she apologised after several leading news organisations, including Reuters, withdrew the picture citing post-publication analysis that showed it did not meet editorial standards.

Dowden said that incident is "totally separate" from the misinformation risks from "malign foreign states" seeking to interfere in democratic elections.

The compact "is not about the internal politics of each individual nation states that's rightly a matter for nation states", he said.

The risks from AI come amid other challenges to freedom and democracy around the world, Dowden said.

"For me the number one threat to democracy right now is the war that's going on in Ukraine," he said. "That's why I think the discussions going on today have that added edge, because of the threats we face to democracy right now."

ALSO READ| Rival campaign consultant behind deepfake Biden AI call

Dowden said he was deeply concerned about the reported weapons transfers from North Korea to Russia, and called on Moscow to stop interfering on the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang and Moscow have forged closer ties since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia in September and vowed to deepen military relations. They deny Western accusations that North Korea is supplying Russia with artillery shells and missiles used in Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
A seven-year-old Arizona girl is battling for her life after she underwent several amputations following a rare bacterial disease diagnosis. Victoria Pasten-Morales, a seven-year-old Arizona girl is battling for her life after she underwent several amputations following a rare bacterial disease diagnosis.

According to Fox 10, Victoria Pasten-Morales, a second grade student, had eight surgeries since she was diagnosed with Group A Streptococcus.

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The bacterial disease weakened her immune system, making her vulnerable to additional infections. In February, her illness began with fever and vomiting, and ultimately her hands and lips turned blue. Her parents hurried her to Phoenix Childrens Hospital, but the dangerous sickness swiftly spun out of control, forcing doctors to amputate a hand and both of her feet.

"Everything happened very fast. It occurred very fast. We don't know where it came from, but it all happened in less than 12 hours," her heartbroken mother Obdulia Morales said. She further described her daughter as a warrior, who is surviving on a ventilator.

Also Read: First drug to treat common, lethal liver disease gets US nod

While the bacteria has damaged her lungs and kidneys, doctors are yet to discover how she got this rare disease.

"Diseases come unexpectedly. From morning to night, everything can change in just one second," the girl's father Pasten Victor said.

When her teachers and school staff members arrived at hospital to wish Victoria a speedy recovery, she was seen blowing kisses and nodding her head.

In order to meet the rising hospital expenses, her parents started a GoFundMe that has raised $23,000 for the family.

As Victoria fights sepsis, the GoFundMe page describes her as a bright and kind-hearted child who loves her family dearly. She has wonderful and loving parents along with three siblings who mean the world to her.

Also Read: Avian flu cases in Mammals raise concerns in US states as scientists warn against high-likely spread to humans

What is Group A Streptococcus?

The bacteria Group A Streptococcus can trigger an array of infections, ranging from simple illnesses to severe and fatal diseases.

It can spread from one person to another via respiratory droplets that are produced by coughing or sneezing, or from touching other surfaces or skin contamination with bacteria.

As per experts, patients with symptoms should seek urgent medical attention. Doctors usually suggests antibiotics for treatment.

According to CDC, children with infections should not attend school or daycare centers until they feel better after receiving one day of antibiotic treatment.
Billionaire investor Nelson Peltz expressed his intention to support former US President Donald Trump in the upcoming election, according to Financial Times. FILE PHOTO: Nelson Peltz founding partner of Trian Fund Management LP. speak at the WSJD Live conference in Laguna Beach, California October 25, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo(REUTERS)

Peltzs decision is influenced by his reservations regarding the current 81-year-old President Joe Bidens capability to serve.

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During the interview, Peltz stated, It will probably be Trump and Im not happy about that, when discussing his presidential candidate preference. His decision to support Trump again places him among a growing number of former critics who are returning to the ex-president's fold, drawn by Trump's dominance in the Republican primary race and his call for unity behind the "Maga" movement

Peltz's recantation of his early support for Trump is concerned with Biden's health and, considering their are of the same age, being the both 81 years old, the risks are far superior to those Trump would face at his age.

ALSO READ| Resurfaced footage shows Nickelodeon producer Dan Schneider in hot tub with then minor bikini-clad Amanda Bynes. Watch

I said I did regret voting for Trump: Peltz

Trian Partners founder admitted not being sure who Biden's actual contender for re-election is and said he also "do not know" Biden's cognitive abilities among others and remarked: I don't know what he knows and I don't know what he doesn't know.

Whilst Biden treats his age and mental health well whereas Peltz gives another opinion that he should stop worrying about how at the age of 77 Trump is better and worse. Peltz later revealed on CNBC that he despises Trump. He said, I said I did regret voting for him because for me the Capitol is one of the sacred grounds.

Through the last 81 years, we have seen Mr. Bloombish's involvement in politics change. He contributed to the Tim Scott's bid before to supporting Trump. Yet, he was also looking at throwing his full weight behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential rival to Trump, and reluctantly finally made a full toss towards the old boss.

Illegal immigration is a question that we are all seeing divided among republicans including Trump that is one of the most concerning problems in Peltzs opinion. Peltz mentioned the ideas of a tight immigration policy which he also supports and related that into his statement of knowing who we are bringing into the country.

ALSO READ| How many followers did Kate Middleton pocket amid edited family photo debacle?

Despite verbally supportive of Trump's political venture, the tech magnate has yet to determine whether he would go further to finance Trump during these strenuous times. Although he and Donald have known each other in the Palm Beach, Florida, Floridian neighborhoods for a long time, but unfortunately they don't seem to be on the speaking terms.
Former US President Barack Obama on Monday paid a 'courtesy' visit to No.10 Downing Street to meet UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Former U.S. President Barack Obama walks with U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Jane Hartley, at Downing Street in London, Britain, March 18, 2024. (REUTERS)

Obama, who served as president from 2009 to 2017, arrived in the UK to discuss the work of the Obama Foundation, his non-profit organisation, with Sunak. They both spoke about a range of topics, including artificial intelligence, over cups of tea.

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As he was leaving Downing Street after a one hour meeting, Obama didn't respond to reporters' questions, stating he was "tempted" to respond when asked about his views on Russia. He last visited Downing Street in 2016.

Also Read: 'Barack Obama is on the case', Netizens link ex-US president's Downing Street visit to Kate conspiracy

Obama's meeting with Sunak sparks MAGA theories

Following Obama's UK visit, Make America Great Again (MAGA) supporters raised question over his undisclosed private meeting with Sunak and even accused him of violating The Logan Act.

Laura Loomer, a staunch Donald Trump supporter, queried on X (formerly Twitter), Why is Obama having private meetings with world leaders?

Another user said that meeting ahead of the November elections made it evident that the current Biden government was Obama's "third term."'

A third user even went on to call Biden a "puppet" of Obama.

Because Obama has never stopped being POTUS. We know hes pulling the strings with Biden, one more chimed in.

The meeting also comes amid speculations that Obama's wife Michelle may run for presidency in light of mounting concerns about Joe Biden's age and mental fitness.

The former First Lady has yet to make any formal announcement on it. But her office recently dismissed the reports.

Also Read: I am terrified': Michelle Obama reveals her biggest fears about 2024 presidential race

As Obama is not part of the Biden administration, it's difficult to picture anything more than an informal talk over a cup of English tea.

Meanwhile, one X user slammed MAGA for keeping mum when ex-US President Donald Trump held a meeting with Hungary PM Viktor Orban at Mar-a-Lago.

What is the Logan Act and what does it have to do with Barack Obama?

The Logan Act was one of the topics that drew attention during Obama's brief visit to the UK. It is suspected that Obama did not receive formal consent from the US government to meet Sunak, which would be a breach of The Logan Act. According to the law, people who infringe it "shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than three years, or both."

It is a federal law of the United States that prevents Americans to engage with foreign governments or leaders without the government's consent.

The act, which was passed in 1799, is named after George Logan, a Pennsylvania state politician and pacifist who had unauthorised discussions with France during the period of quasi-war between the US and France.

In the recent past, several people have been accused of breaching the act, including SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for his blatant meddling in the Russia-Ukraine war. While the act has been in place for nearly 200 years, only two people have ever been charged with violating it but none of them was convicted.

It is highly unlikely that the government would attempt to apply the legislation to Obama in this circumstance.

Many people have raised voice against the law's constitutionality, with The Federalist Society claiming that The Logan Act undermines free expression rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. There are also issues regarding the law's effectiveness, considering its lack of enforcement despite technical breaches over the years.
Former US President Donald Trump has ruled out biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy as his running mate and is now considering offering him a Cabinet role, Bloomberg reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Donald Trump personally informed Vivek Ramaswamy that he would not be selecting him for the vice president position.(Getty Images via AFP)

Despite the fact that Trump allies see Ramaswamy as the perfect pick for the job, the ex-US President personally informed him that he would not be selecting him for the vice president position. However, he is thinking about appointing Indian-American Ramaswamy as Homeland Security Secretary.

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Trump doesn't want to lose Ramaswamy as he possesses strong public speaking skills and may assist in deflecting criticism of stringent immigration policies, as per the report.

Several leaders, including North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Representative Elise Stefanik, have left a remarkable impression on Trump and his team for possible Cabinet roles.

Trump's focus is on selecting a candidate who is not keen to earn limelight but to provide him immense support to win the race against incumbent President Joe Biden, according to those familiar with his thoughts. So far none of the potential running mates have wowed Trump due to which his list has only expanded rather than getting shorter, said his close aides.

Also Read: Donald Trump warns of bloodbath if he is not elected, Joe Biden blasts his thirst for revenge

Is Trump considering picking a woman candidate over Ramaswamy?

Ramaswamy, who was running for the Republican presidential nomination, stepped out of the race after finishing fourth against Trump and other challengers in the Iowa caucuses in January.

Though he failed to clinch the presidential nomination, his strategy has been proven effective in garnering Trump's support and earning him a position on the platform at campaign rallies.

At CPAC's Ronald Reagan banquet on Friday night, Ramaswamy declared that Trump would lead Republicans to victory in what he called a struggle for the destiny of the United States.

Also Read: Is Donald Trump broke? What his net worth has to say

Some people may have averse to choosing Ramaswamy, believing that picking a woman candidate would make a huge difference. However, history has shown that having a woman on the ticket makes no effect.

There are five key GOP women that Trump could consider for his running mate, including New York Republican Elise Stefanik, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former Democratic Party representative Tulsi Gabbard, firebrand Republican Kari Lake and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.

Trump made advances with women in 2020, and he performed similarly well among female voters while running against Hillary Clinton.

The Trump campaign is concerned about female voters as one of the eight voters believe that abortion is a crucial issue for their vote in the 2024 elections. The former president has already started addressing the problem, portraying himself as a contender who wants to find a common ground.
The US Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, denied former Donald Trump aide Peter Navarros request to delay his prison sentence. An appeals court Thursday, March 14, denied Navarros bid to stave off his jail sentence on contempt of Congress charges for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Navarro has been ordered to report to a federal prison by March 19. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)(AP)

Navarro was slated to begin a four-month term for contempt of Congress after ignoring a subpoena from the House January 6 committee.

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The Supreme Courts decision came just before Navarros scheduled to report to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility in Miami on Tuesday. His conviction and subsequent sentencing in January were the culmination of a case that began last year when he defied the committees demand for his testimony and documents.

Chief Justice Roberts, in his order, referenced the lower courts finding that Navarro had forfeited his right to bail under the Bail Reform Act. This forfeiture stemmed from Navarros failure to comply with the conditions set forth by the act.

ALSO READ| Who is Peter Navarro? Former Trump aide ordered to report to jail on March 19 to serve four-month sentence

Navarros defence hinged on the assertion of executive privilege. His legal team contended the first time in our nations history, marking the first time a senior presidential advisor has been convicted of contempt of Congress after asserting executive privilege over a congressional subpoena.

However, the appeals court had previously determined that Navarro was still obligated to appear before Congress and answer questions seeking information outside the scope of the asserted privilege.

Supreme Court finds no grounds for favour

Chief Justice Roberts concurred with the appeals court, stating, I see no basis to disagree with the determination that Navarro forfeited those arguments.

The federal appeals court had already dismissed Navarros request for a stay the previous week. The court ruled that Navarro failed to demonstrate that his appeal raised significant legal or factual questions that could lead to a reversal of his conviction, a new trial, or a sentence without imprisonment. Plus, they found no likelihood of a sentence reduction to less than the time already served plus the expected duration of the appeal process.

ALSO READ| 'Practical impossibility': Trump claims he can't pay $464mn bond in NY fraud case as deadline looms

The former Trump aide, known for denying the legitimacy of the 2020 election results and his involvement in attempts to overturn Trumps defeat to Joe Biden, faced stern words from U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta during his sentencing. Judge Mehta dismissed any notion of Navarro being a victim or the target of a politically motivated prosecution, asserting, You are not a victim. You are not the object of a political prosecution  you arent. You have received every process you are due.
Prince William and Kate Middleton find themselves at the center of a media storm following Kate's abdominal surgery in January. Royal experts believe, The Duke of Cambridge is deeply concerned about the intense media scrutiny surrounding his wife's health. He reportedly feels echoes of the relentless media pursuit his mother, Princess Diana, endured. FILE PHOTO: Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte arrive for the coronation ceremony of Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey, in London, Britain May 6, 2023. Peter Tarry/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo(via REUTERS)

William is concerned for Kate's privacy as it echoes media frenzy around Diana

Royal expert Roya Nikkhah sheds light on William's perspective, "Having seen his mother go through quite a lot of that, the hounding of his mother, I think he feels he is seeing elements of that being breached again...over her medical privacy and that is hurting him."

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The media scrutiny surrounding Kates health, particularly following her abdominal surgery in January, had led to the rise of bizarre conspiracy theories on social media. This relentless speculation, coupled with media pressure, has taken a toll on the couple. Reports suggest Kate "did not look happy at all" during a recent public appearance, hinting at the emotional strain.

How did the Palace address public curiosity on Kate's terms?

Despite the royal family remaining tight- lipped about the situation, there is expectation that Kate will address her health condition in upcoming public engagements. "I think she is going to be much more open about what's happened; I think she will do it in a natural, organic way, like on an engagement," Nikkhah added.

How is the British royal family planning to maintain traditions?

There are plans to release new photographs, adhering to tradition, which may provide an opportunity to discuss her condition. However, sources within royal circles express concern about the negative impact of rumours and media attention on Kate's well-being, noting her apparent unhappiness during recent public appearances. "I worry about all this attention on Catherine. She did not look happy at all in the car on Monday," a source within royal circles expressed.
The father of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant last month, has spoken out for the first time since his daughters death. Jason Riley told NBCs TODAY show that he wishes it would have been me. He also criticised those who are politicising her death. Laken Riley's father breaks his silence after her murder (GoFundMe, NBC News)

I wish I would have been there to protect her, Jason said. I wish it would have been me.

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Riley killer Jose Antonio Ibarra, 26, had entered the US from Venezuela illegally. The students death soon turned into a political flash point. Id rather her not be such a political, how you say  it started a storm in our country, he said. Its incited a lot of people.

Rileys killing prompted conservatives to discuss border security, bringing negative responses from both sides of the aisle. Theres people on both sides that have lashed out at our families, Jason said, referring to himself and Rileys mom. The pair is reportedly divorced.

I think its being used politically to get those votes, he said. It makes me angry. I feel like, you know, theyre just using my daughters name for that. And she was much better than that, and she should be raised up for the person that she is. She was an angel.

I just didnt want to believe it

Jason said that the national spotlight on Rileys death has made it difficult for him to grieve. The issue escalated recently when Joe Biden, while speaking about Riley publicly, referred to her as Lincoln Riley.

It was really surreal. I just didnt want to believe it  its still hard to believe, Jason said.

Jason said he supports Donald Trump. He said that although he wishes the incident had not become so political, he did think it helped people bring important issues like border safety and violence against women to the fore.

Laken has been a rallying cry for secure borders and for the illegal immigration policies of this current administration, but theres many women we dont get to hear about, he said.

Ibarra has been charged with malice and felony murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping, concealing the death of another and other charges. Police said the incident was a crime of opportunity.
Donald Trump lost his bid to prevent testimony from a porn star and a Playboy model at the former presidents criminal trial in New York, where hes accused of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments before the 2016 election. State court judge Juan Merchan ruled Monday that adult firm actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal can be called as witnesses.(REUTERS)

State court judge Juan Merchan ruled Monday that adult firm actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal can be called as witnesses because their testimony is central to claims by prosecutors that Trump sought to conceal alleged sexual encounters with the women. Trump, who denies wrongdoing, had argued their testimony wasnt relevant to charges that hed falsified business records.

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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges the real estate mogul engaged in a catch and kill scheme with his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen and former American Media Inc Chairman David Pecker to buy rights to the salacious claims and keep them quiet through non-disclosure deals to help Trumps 2016 presidential campaign. The trial was set for March 25, but has been delayed until at least the middle of next month.

Also Read: Stormy Daniels regrets revealing alleged affair with Donald Trump: I spoke my truth but

Trump was indicted on charges he falsified his companys records to conceal the true nature of a $130,000 payment to Cohen as legal fees that prosecutors allege went to Daniels to suppress her claims of an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Prosecutors also claim McDougal got $150,000 to keep quiet about her claim of an affair, and former Trump doorman Dino Sajudin got $30,000 to suppress his claim that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock.

The probative value of the evidence is evident, Merchan said in his ruling. The alleged actions of Trump, Cohen and Pecker flow directly from a 2015 meeting at Trump Tower between the three men in which prosecutors claim they discussed making payoffs, the judge said. Their discussion is inextricably interwoven with the narrative of events and the steps that eventually led to the purchasing of information from others, Merchan said.

Also Read: Stormy Daniels says Donald Trump should not go to prison in hush money case

Trump argued that allowing Daniels to testify would be unduly prejudicial, and that information from McDougal and Sajudin would relate to uncharged crimes not included in the district attorneys indictment.

But the judge said testimony from Daniels, McDougal and Sajudin was admissible to show Trumps propensity that he was likely to have committed the crime at issue, the judge said.

However, Merchan barred prosecutors from showing the jury the so-called Access Hollywood tape, in which Trump makes vulgar comments about grabbing women in a hot-mic recording to a show host in 2005. Merchan said while it helps establish Trumps motive for a making payment to Daniels and then attempting to conceal it, the tape could cause undue prejudice. Instead, prosecutors could ask witnesses about the tape if they want, the judge said.
A former New York City employee filed suit on Monday accusing Mayor Eric Adams of sexually assaulting her in 1993, when both worked for the municipal transit police bureau, after she went to him seeking help in navigating a hostile office environment. FILE PHOTO: New York City Mayor Eric Adams looks on during a press conference amid an election fundraising controversy at City Hall in Manhattan in New York City, U.S., November 14, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo(REUTERS)

In a 26-page civil complaint filed in New York state court in Manhattan, Lorna Beach-Mathura alleged that Adams, then a transit officer, assaulted her in his car while parked along the Hudson River after promising her a ride home to discuss her career problems.

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She had trusted Adams and sought his help because of his role at the time as both a police department officer and leader in the NYPD Guardians Association, a fraternal group advocating equality and fair treatment for Black employees, the suit said.

Adams flatly denied the allegations in a statement issued by city lawyers.

Beach-Mathura said the alleged assault capped years of pervasive sexual harassment, discrimination and repeated denials of promotion she had endured as an administrative aide for the city transit bureau, now a part of the New York Police Department.

According to the complaint, Adams agreed to help her obtain a promotion and offered to drive her home one evening to discuss the matter, but instead took her to a darkened, vacant lot where he demanded sexual favors in return for his assistance.

As described in Beach-Mathura's account, she refused his advances and pulled away her hand when Adams forcibly placed it on his exposed genitals before he masturbated himself to climax and ejaculated on her inside the car. She says he then dropped her off at a subway station.

According to Beach-Mathura, Adams also was behind her subsequent transfer to another department where she lost seniority and was forced from her job during layoffs "in retaliation for refusing his quid pro quo sexual demands."

The lawsuit was filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act, allowing accusers to sue over alleged long-ago sexual abuse even if statutes of limitations have expired. Beach-Mathura reserved her right to bring such a suit in a less-detailed court summons initially filed against Adams in November.

At the time, a spokesperson for the mayor denied the claim and said Adams did not know the accuser or recall meeting her.

In a statement issued on Monday, New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia Hinds-Radix said the mayor still "fully denies these outrageous allegations and the events described."

It adds that Adams in 1993 "was one of the most prominent public opponents of the racism within the NYPD, which is why the suit's allegations that he had any sway over promotions of civilian employees is ludicrous."

The NYPD Transit Bureau, the Guardians Association and the city of New York are also named as defendants in the suit, which seeks unspecified damages. (Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
Former president Donald Trump has backed State Assembly member Vince Fong, a onetime Kevin McCarthy aide, in Californias special election for the former speakers seat. Fong, as well as Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, are among a few candidates looking to fill the speakers seat. The race is now being considered a possible proxy vote on Trumps clout, with the former presidents involvement. Donald Trump backs Vince Fong, once a Kevin McCarthy aide, for ex-speaker's seat in California special election (House Select Committee via AP, AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

McCarthy became the only speaker in history to be voted out of the job. It is likely that Republicans will easily hold the seat. The district, cutting through the Central Valley farm belt including parts of Bakersfield and Fresno, is known for being strongly Republican.

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Notably, only 11 of the states 52 House seats are occupied by Republicans. The one that McCarthy held is vacant at present.

The special election is set to cover the time that is remaining in McCarthys term. It runs through early next year. Should no candidate win more than 50% of the vote, the top-two finishers are going to be matched in an election on May 21.

There are nine names on the ballot, with Democrats including public school teacher Marisa Wood. She too is seeking the full term.

This is an unusual process

Between March and November this year, voters are likely to see Fong and Boudreaux on four different ballots. Boudreauxs campaign has reminded voters that a separate election is being held on Tuesday. Fongs campaign, too, has alerted voters to the second election.

This is an unusual process, Fong adviser Ryan Gardiner said, according to AP News.

Fong was endorsed by Trump back in February. The former president called him a true Republican. On the other hand, Boudreaux is backed by Ric Grenell, a former acting director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, and Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield. Both Fong and Boudreaux are known to be Trump-supporting conservatives.
Former US President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos, alleging that the host made disparaging remarks during an interview with Rep. Nancy Mace. The 20-page lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Miami, claims that host Stephanopoulos defamed Trump while interviewing Mace on This Week. (REUTERS)

The 20-page lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Miami, claims that host Stephanopoulos defamed Trump while interviewing Mace on This Week, Fox News reported. He asked Mace how she could support Trump after a jury found him accountable for "sexual abuse" in the case of writer E. Jean Carroll.

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Trump alleged that Stephanopoulos' frequent use of the word "rape" during the interview amounted to defamation.

Earlier this year, a jury awarded $83.3 million in additional damages to Carroll. This came after another jury awarded her $5 million in damages in sexual assault and defamation verdict in 2023. Trump has disputed her allegations and filed an appeal against the verdict.

The lawsuit states that Trump's team approached ABC News following the Mace interview, requesting a retraction and a statement of regret. While ABC did not respond to his request, they changed the heading of a related article from "rape" to sexual assault. The lawsuit also listed over ten incidents in which Stephanopoulos stated that Trump "was found to have committed rape" or "liable for rape".

The lawsuit alleges that the Stephanopoulos assertions were "false, intentional, malicious, and designed to cause harm."

Also Read: Donald Trump breathes a sigh of relief as he secures a $92 million bond for E Jean Carroll verdict appeal

Nancy Mace lambasts Stephanopoulos over Trump rape case

During ABC News' This Week, Mace seemed annoyed when Stephanopoulos played a video in which she stated that she had been raped.

The host first questioned Mace over endorsing Trump after two distinct juries held him responsible for rape and defamation of the victim.

"How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony that we just saw? he asked.

Any rape victim will tell you Ive lived for 30 years with an incredible amount of shame over being raped, Mace responded. Its a shame that you will never feel, George. And Im not going to sit here on your show and be asked a question meant to shame me about another potential rape victim. Im not going to do that.

Mace also emphasised that Trump's case was "not a criminal court case." She also corrected Stephanopoulos that Trump was guilty of sexual assault rather than rape.

"It was not a criminal court case, number one," she stated. Number two, I live with shame. And you're asking me a question about my political choices, trying to shame me as a rape victim and I find it disgusting.

Also Read: Is Donald Trump broke? What his net worth has to say

After her exchange with Stephanopoulos, Mace took to social media and blasted the ABC host for attempting to insult her as a rape victim

"I was brought on to talk about 2024...instead Clinton crony turned fake journalist @Gstephanopoulos attacked me and tried to shame me as a rape victim. Gross," she wrote. In response, Stephanopoulos said, We'll let the viewers decide about that.

Meanwhile, Carroll thanked Stephanopoulos for valiantly defending her.

I wish representative Mace well. And I salute all survivors for their strength, endurance and holding on to their sanity," she wrote on X.
Senator Steve Halloran stirred a storm on Monday after he invoked a colleague's name while reading a book passage about an explicit rape scene. During the 83-second reading, Senator Steve Halloran repeatedly inserted Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh's name into the text as the victim.(X@NebraskaMegan)

The incident occurred during a Nebraska legislative debate over keeping profanity and pornography out of K-12 classrooms. However, the session ended abruptly after Halloran's statement sparked outrage.

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When lawmakers were debating on Legislative Bill 441, Halloran warned his colleagues that he would be quoting the bill's hearing testimony, according to Nebraska Examiner.

The bill introduced by Sen. Joni Albrecht aims to eliminate a prosecution exemption for schools that give pornographic materials to students in K-12 schools.

Before concluding his arguments during the debate, Halloran read an excerpt from Alice Seabold's "Lucky," which he claimed was available in at least 16 Nebraska school libraries. The book recounts Sebold's pain of being raped in college and highlights the importance of discussion on trauma and victimisation.

During the 83-second reading, Halloran repeatedly invoked female Senator Machaela Cavanaugh's name into the text as the victim.

At least two of Hallorans colleagues -- Sens. Julie Slama and Megan Hunt -- have called for his resignation.

Also Read: Utah parents allegedly admit to sexually abusing teen daughter in a bid to teach her about

Machaela Cavanaugh reacts: It was harassing

Calling out Halloran, Cavanaugh termed the "incident out of line, harassing and disgusting" as she was left tearful on the floor.

"That was about a book about sexual violence. I have done nothing but try to have a respectful debate with Sen. Albrecht about her bill that impacts my children," she stated, hoping that other coworkers and Republicans will defend her.

Albrecht, who left the floor immediately, said she was "mortified" after Cavanaugh's name was mentioned.

Meanwhile, Julie Slama of Dunbar, a conservative, responded to Cavanaugh's tweet and slammed Halloran, stating that no context makes this appropriate.

Also Read: A mower sparked a Nebraska wildfire that has burned an area roughly the size of Omaha, officials say

Halloran defends self, says I was addressing her lawyer brother

In an email to a Nebraska teacher on Monday evening, Halloran claimed that he was referring to Cavanaugh's lawyer brother, John, reported Nebraska Examiner.

If you would have listened closely, I was addressing her lawyer brother  John!

Meanwhile, Cavanaugh rejected Halloran's claims that he was talking about her brother rather than her as dismissive.

Context matters  which was the crux of the bill being debated. Inserting my or my brother or both of our names into the reading of an explicit excerpt from a story about rape is the context of this video, she wrote.
Albeit by a thin margin, Crimea's population voted in favor of Ukraine's independence in 1991. As of March 27, 2024, it will have been ten years to the day that the Russian Federation annexed Crimea in an illegal military action that eventually led to the war in Ukraine.

Though no shots were fired, the "bloodless seizure" of the peninsula, which was also home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet and a popular vacation destination for Russian citizens, was a populist victory for Vladimir Putin in March 2014.

As was the case with past Russian Federation and Soviet leaders Nikita Kruschev, Boris Yeltsin, and Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Putin often relies on threats of nuclear escalation to cow the West while obtaining military objectives that are illegal according to international law.

While the European Union, NATO, and the United States debate on the next best moves to make, the Russian grip on the once-independent state of Crimea has only grown stronger with time.

Human rights have been systematically stripped away, and the Tatars, a Muslim ethnic minority with Turkic origins, have bore the brunt of the crackdowns.

"The situation is only getting worse," said human rights lawyer Emil Kurbedinov, himself a Crimean Tatar. "The cases of kidnapping, detention of people without trial in prisons, have increased, especially after 2022."

The Tatars have been traditional victims of Russian aggression dating back to Joseph Stalin, who forcefully deported Crimea's Tatar population in 1944.

But what was already common has become more frequent and more invasive since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The woman is Lutfiye Zudiyeva, a Crimean Tatar, and she shared video of the moment on her social media accounts.

"They came to my house to carry out a search," Crimean Tatar activist Lutfiye Zudiyeva told CNN in an interview from the occupied Ukrainian peninsula. "I had been preparing for it for years."

She had been arrested three times since 2019. This time it was over posts she made to social media.

According to the United Nations, the decade long occupation by Russia has been marked by the imposition of Russian laws and institutions, as well as the smothering of any opposing views, and serious human rights violations.

"There are arrests, searches, torture and repression," Zudiyeva said. "As soon as you try to publicly express your disagreement... or you somehow get involved, you become a target. It's inevitable."

The occupation of Crimea occurred not long after the Maidan Revolution in Ukraine, which kicked up pro-Russian sentiment in the region that was part of the Soviet Union until 1954 and already leaned more toward Moscow than Ukraine.

There are reportedly pockets of pro-Russia sentiment in the region, such as the port city of Sevastopol, but such pro-Russian fervor is not considered widespread.

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(Photo : Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump faces key developments in two of his legal battles on March 25, 2024.

A U.S. congressman labeled former President Donald Trump a "massive national security risk" on Monday over his seeming inability to come up with the $454 million bond he's been ordered to pay in a New York civil fraud case.

Trump's lawyers reportedly told a New York appeals court that he's thus far been unable to find an underwriter willing to put up the nine-figure sum - plus an additional $10 million to cover interest. He's been given until the end of the month to come up with the cash.

The financial fix makes Trump, this year's presumptive Republican presidential nominee, a liability, Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL) claimed Monday.

"The presumptive @GOP nominee for President is desperate for $464M (and counting) which he cannot personally access," Casten wrote in a post on X. "That fact alone makes him a massive national security risk; any foreign adversary seeking to buy a President knows the price."

The presumptive @GOP nominee for President is desperate for $464M (and counting) which he cannot personally access. That fact alone makes him a massive national security risk; any foreign adversary seeking to buy a President knows the price. https://t.co/9bPylekmoB  Sean Casten (@SeanCasten) March 18, 2024

New York Attorney General Letitia James said last month that she would move to seize some of Trump's New York properties if he didn't come up with the sum.

But one insurance broker, Gary Giuletti, reportedly signed an affidavit presented to the appeals court stating that securing a bond in the full amount "is a practical impossibility."

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A former Federal Bureau of Investigations agent has publicly cast doubt on the parents of missing teenager Sebastian Rogers, as efforts to find the boy enter their fourth week.

"No shoes. Dog scent ended at [the] construction site. Step-dad wishy-washy on where he was, publicly," tweeted retired agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, early on Monday morning.

"Not all parents act alike when their child goes missing, but there is a general range. These parents are outside that range."

Fifteen-year-old Sebastian went missing from his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee on February 26. The teen is autistic and missing person posters advise that this "may impair his ability to return safely without assistance."

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations has worked with Sumner County Sheriff's Office and the FBI to search an area of more than 2,000 miles in an effort to locate Sebastian. Law enforcement have also conducted aerial searches and reviewed surveillance footage.

"Much of the work currently being done to bring Sebastian home may not necessarily be public or visible. But agents, detectives, and intelligence analysts continue to work around the clock to review every bit of information available," the TBI said in a statement on Friday.

"Sebastian's family has remained cooperative since the search began, and have done whatever law enforcement has asked of them."

In their most recent statement, the TBI also emphasized that there was both no proof of criminal involvement but also no proof of no criminal involvement.

"Agents and investigators are reviewing any possibility at all that may indicate where Sebastian is."

In a heartening update since retired agent Coffindaffer's post, she tweeted later in the morning, "This is good news. I learned my lesson years ago about jumping to conclusions when it comes to casting aspersions against the parents of Austic children too early. "

"I will keep synopsising facts and posting information. More hope after seeing this!". The post was accompanied by screenshots where Sebastian's mother, Katie Proudfoot, asked an online commenter who said they spoke to him about his whereabouts.

The commenter, whose name was blurred out, said they did see Sebastian as did a 'guy across the street'.

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A Washington man was allegedly poisoned with fentanyl and then fatally stabbed in the neck by a couple he met on a dating app, who then later tried to squat in his house following his reported slaying, authorities say.

Philip Brewer, 32, and Christina Joel Hardy, 47, allegedly killed 74-year-old Curtis Engeland of Mercer Island, Washington, according to prosecutors, KOMO-TV, KIRO-TV, and the Seattle Times reported.

It's unclear if the pair entered pleas or retained attorneys to comment on their behalf.

Engeland was first reported missing by loved ones Feb. 24. His body was later found March 7 during a search over 100 miles away in Grays Harbor County, Washington, after cell phone evidence indicated the area was his last known location, according to Mercer Island police.

An autopsy revealed he suffered from blunt force trauma to the face, a stab wound to the neck, and had an "unquantified amount of fentanyl" in his system, according to the Kings County Medical Examiner, KOMO reported. His cause of death was ruled a homicide.

The investigation revealed Engeland met Brewer through the Scruff dating app in January, KCPQ-TV reported, citing court documents.

During their first date at the victim's home, Engeland allegedly fell asleep while they watched a movie. When he awoke, Brewer was gone and so were his belongings - including his wallet, car keys, cell phone and social security card, authorities allege.

After Engeland's alleged murder, Brewer and Hardy attempted to move into his home, before making their way to Portland, Oregon, and later on, southern California, police said.

On the way, they allegedly stole thousands of dollars from the victim and purchased a car.

"First and foremost, we must acknowledge Mr. Engeland's family - when this incident was first reported to police as a missing person, we hoped for a better outcome," Mercer Island Police Chief Ed Holmes said in a statement Friday.

"The family remained determined to help our investigation over the past few weeks and we hope some comfort can be found through the hard work being done to bring justice for Curtis and his loved ones. We appreciate the community's support as the police department was unable to share law enforcement-sensitive updates with the public until after our suspects were apprehended and know it was difficult to await answers in the wake of such terrible circumstances," Holmes said.

Brewer and Hardy are being held at a southern California jail, where they await extradition to Washington. A judge set their bail at $5 million.

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Two men in Atlanta were hospitalized with gunshot wounds when a confrontation between a security guard and a suspect escalated into violence.

Law enforcement responded to the scene of two separate 911 calls on Friday - one reporting a gunshot wound to the head and the other reporting a gunshot wound to the knee. Over the course of their investigation, they learned that the two cases were linked.

Police first arrived at Discount Food Mart, in southwest Atlanta, where the store's security guard had been shot in the knee. The conscious guard was transferred to a nearby hospital, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Law enforcement was then called to a home, about four miles away, where they found a man who had been shot in the head. Investigators believe that the man suffering from the head injury had shot the security guard at the grocery store.

Police allege that the suspect had pointed a gun at the security guard, outside the grocery store. While attempting to disarm the suspect, the guard was shot in the knee. Eventually, the guard gained control of the weapon and shot the suspect in the head, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The suspect was taken to a secure wing of Grady Memorial Hospital that treats patients in police custody.

Neither man has been publicly identified.

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After a month-long silence, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finally spoke Monday, amid heightening tensions between the two leaders over Israel's handling of its war with Hamas.

"President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to discuss the latest developments in Israel and Gaza, including the situation in Rafah and efforts to surge humanitarian assistance to Gaza," the White House said.

This is the first time the two leaders have communicated since the highest-ranking Jewish official in US history, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, expressed the necessity to replace Netanyahu, calling for new elections.

The remarks came as a surprise, considering Schumer and Netanyahu's close relationship. However, from the Senate floor, Schumer declared Netanyahu an obstacle to peace in the Middle East, saying he has "lost his way" by putting his political survival ahead of the best interests of Israel.

Biden agreed with Schumer's comments, noting it was a "good speech." To avoid any miscommunication, the White House later stated Biden was not calling for new elections or Netanyahu's replacement.

"That's going to be up for the Israeli people to decide," John Kirby, the White House spokesman for national security issues, told reporters on Friday.

One of the most contentious issues between Biden and Netanyahu is the future-- if any, of Rafah. Located on Gaza's 7.5-mile border with Egypt, Rafah is the only crossing that is not controlled by Israel.

On Sunday, Netanyahu announced his intention to move forth with a military campaign against Rafah, despite the United States and other Israeli allies' advice to heed action against the southern Gaza Strip city.

More than one million Palestinians displaced by the war have fled to Rafah, reported USA TODAY.

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Following a shoot-out with law enforcement, a man accused of killing a New Mexico State Police officer while driving a car belonging to a murdered South Carolina paramedic was arrested Sunday.

Early Friday morning, State Police officer Justin Hare was called upon to assist a motorist with a flat tire, Police Chief Troy Weisler said at a press conference Saturday.

The suspect, Jaremy Alexander Smith, a South Carolina resident, allegedly shot the officer before bolting from the scene, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriff's office, said, People.

Authorities claim Smith had been driving a white BMW that belonged to South Carolina parademic Phonesia Machado-Fore, whose body was found Friday evening, as reported by The Marion County Sheriff's Office.

After a two-day manhunt, Smith was apprehended in Albuquerque following a gunshot wound to his foot.

Smith is considered a person of interest in Machado-Fore's death but has yet to be charged in relation to the crime, as he remains in New Mexico on a murder warrant.

It remains unclear as to whether Smith has been officially charged in Hare's death. However, before his arrest, New Mexico State Police disclosed it had issued an arrest warrant for him on several charges, including first-degree murder and armed robbery.

"Officer Hare died serving his state and his community," Weisler said Saturday.

"On a cold, dark, and windy morning, he offered help to a person he thought was in need. That person killed him in cold blood."

"Mrs. Fore was one of us, a fellow first responder," Marion County Sheriff Brian Wallace says in a statement.

"Her death is senseless. Our community has suffered a tremendous loss. My team and I will not stop until we bring the person or persons responsible for her death to justice."

A prior connection, if any, between Smith and Machado-Fore has not been confirmed.

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A California county supervisor was accused at a Shasta County supervisors meeting of being a follower of Satan after it was revealed her license plate number is "666," a symbol of evil and a connection to "The Beast" that's mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible.

District 3 Supervisor Mary Rickert faced unexpected criticism as she arrived at the meeting by District 2 candidate Laura Hobbs, who brandished a photocopy of a license plate as evidence.

"Are you a Satanist?" Hobbs asked Rickert after holding up a photograph of Rickert's license plate.

"That came from the [DMV], I did not choose that. They sent that to me...I did not ask for that number...Call the [DMV]," Rickert responded.

For which Hobbs replied, "For the love of God, repent," before leaving.

"You just embarrassed yourself," Rickert responded. "That's terrible. That's the license plate [the DMV] sent to me. I did not request those numbers. It's an invasion of my privacy that people are going around sharing my license plate number and I really resent that. Mrs. Hobbs, you should be embarrassed. You should be totally embarrassed."

"I feel a little violated that my license plate was photographed and then it was altered, because it didn't show that they're specialty plates for agriculture. When you order those through the DMV, they send you whatever numbers, whatever letters, that are on there. I didn't request-I didn't ask for special numbers or special letters, or anything," Rickert told KRCR.

"It's a little unsettling to have someone going around stalking you, and stalking your car and your license plate, and showing it in a board meeting."

Shasta County voters appear to have grown weary of divisive political stunts and tactics given recent election results.

The county has been considered a hard-right from a political point of view since 2016 after being more moderately Republican in the past. But the people recently voted out a major catalyst for the current Shasta County political atmosphere as former chair of the Board of Supervisors Patrick Jones was soundly defeated in the Super Tuesday election as opponent Matt Plummer garnered almost 60% of the vote.

Jones, a gun store manager, is considered by analysts to be an ultra-conservative who helped lead his Northern California locality into an era of election denialism and hard-right governance-even working with militia members and secessionists.

He even helped the county remove Dominion voting machines and return to hand counting the ballots.

Supervisor Kevin Crye, an ally of Jones, barely won a recall election by 46 votes. He made headlines when he enlisted the support of MyPillow CEO and election denier Mike Lindell to support the GOP push to remove Dominion voting machines in the county.

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Romania has reportedly started construction on a huge expansion of a military base near the Black Sea that will be the largest used by the NATO alliance, and it sits within 300 miles of land occupied by Russian forces.

The Mihail Kogalniceanu Romanian Air Force is located in Constanta, Romania which sits 275 miles across the Black Sea from Crimea.

When fully constructed, the 2.5 billion ($2.7 billion) base will reportedly be the size of a small city and house 10,000 NATO troops and their families, according to Euronews.

The massive project includes building runways, hangers, housing, a hospital and schools.

In July 2015, the NATO Investment Committee approved a significant renovation plan for the base.

The investment will be implemented in four stages over 20 years and include various works such as terrain arrangement works, runway and taxiway construction..

The new flight line will provide a flight traffic control post, aircraft operating platforms, lighting and radar systems.

The project also includes administrative and social facilities, transit and storage areas, aircraft maintenance areas, military equipment warehouses, perimeter fence and access post control, according to NATO.

The base currently hosts 5,000 NATO soldiers, mainly American but there are no families currently housed at the base.

Planes from several NATO members are cycled through the base to help secure the airspace over the Black Sea region.

The U.S. also used the base to support operations when combat troops were in Afghanistan.

Moscow has consistently warned the US and its allies against NATO's eastward expansion and military buildup near Russia's borders.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a direct warning of nuclear retaliation against the West, alleging that NATO and the US are planning to attack Russia.

The 71-year-old Russian president has emphasized the formidable capabilities of Russia's weaponry and underscored the risk of a conflict involving nuclear weapons, posing a serious threat to global civilization.

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(Photo : Metro Nashville Police)

Riley Strain's body was pulled from the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee on March 22, 2024.

An unhoused man who believes he saw Riley Strain shortly before he disappeared said that the missing Mizzou senior appeared extremely intoxicated and caused a "commotion" inside his encampment, according to a report.

Strain, 22, was visiting Nashville with other members of his fraternity when he was kicked out of Bryan's Luke's 32 Bridge bar on March 8.

The business and finance major told his fraternity brothers that he planned to go back to their hotel - but surveillance footage indicates that he may have gotten lost, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Surveillance footage shows the visibly intoxicated student walking near the Cumberland River. A married couple who live in a homeless encampment near the river believe they might've spotted Strain shortly before he vanished.

"We heard a commotion," the unnamed husband told WZTV. "We looked back up. He almost fell over. The last bush right there caught him. He was very, very, very intoxicated. I never seen anybody stumble that hard before."

The witness added that he called out to see if the man was alright and someone else responded by saying "he's just drunk. He's okay."

In the ensuing days, Strain's family has descended on Nashville while law enforcement continues to search the area. A dive team searched the river on Saturday but found no conclusive evidence.

Strain is 6-foot-5, 160 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. He was wearing brown boots, jeans and a black-and-white shirt the evening he disappeared.

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An Ohio mother who was found responsible for her 16-month-old daughter's death said at her sentencing hearing that her dead daughter and God had 'forgiven' her, as a judge handed down a life sentence, according to a report.



Kristel Candelario, 32, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Candelario left her 16-month-old girl at home alone so she could go on vacation in Michigan and Puerto Rico for ten days.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan J. Sheehan announced his ruling during an emotional hearing Monday morning, reported WKYC.

"As a court, I have to remember Jailyn, where you did not," Judge Sheehan said. "Just as you didn't let Jailyn out of her confinement until she died, so too you should spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom. The only difference will be that prison will at least feed you and give you liquids that you denied her."

The judge told Candelario she committed "the ultimate act of betrayal."

"Leaving your baby terrified, alone, unprotected to suffer what I heard was the most gruesome death imaginable with no food, no water, no protection and lying in her own feces," he said. "Miss Candelario, you know the responsibility of parenthood. You have a child already. You raised another child. I've witnessed here before me, your parents who've shown you love and respect and education. They came here to help you, to advocate for you. More than what you've done for your own child. The evidence that I've witnessed here before this court shows that this time, you simply chose not to be here because you wanted to have fun. You decided you needed a vacation. What followed was absolute depravity. You left your baby, Jailyn, trapped in a pack-and-play without food and water for ten days. This wasn't simply an oversight. You could've saved Jailyn's life many times. You could've found someone to watch her while you were gone. You could've taken her with you. While you were in Detroit or Puerto Rico, you could've called someone in Cleveland and told them that Jailyn needed help."

According to the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office, the case built around the 32-year-old began June 6, 2023, when she left her daughter "alone and unattended at her residence near Lorain Avenue and West 97th Street in Cleveland."

She returned to the child ten days later, June 16, to find her daughter unresponsive and proceeded then to call the police.

Jailyn was immediately pronounced dead by authorities on the scene.

"This case is one of those truly unimaginable cases that will stick with me for many years to come," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley. "As prosecutors, it is our job to represent the victims, and today we spoke on behalf of 16-month-old Jailyn, who is no longer with us -- due to the selfish decisions her mother made."

Candelario herself offered a statement before sentencing. Through an interpreter, she addressed the court, "God and my daughter have forgiven me."

"There's so much pain that I have in regards to the loss of my baby, Jailyn," she said. "I'm extremely hurt about everything that happened. I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through. Every day, I ask forgiveness from God and from my daughter, Jailyn. I'm a person who believes in God, and I recognize today that all of us are sometimes subject to the enemy. God and my daughter have forgiven me."

She also spoke to her eldest daughter in court and expressed the love she holds for her and their family.

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(Photo : Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was accused of requesting sexual favors from a colleague in a dramatic new lawsuit.

The woman who accused New York City Mayor Eric Adams of assaulting her in 1993 revealed dramatic details of the alleged assault in a $5 million lawsuit that was filed on Monday.

Lorna Beach-Mathura was a police officer in 1993 when she approached Adams for career assistance.

Beach-Mathura, a Black woman, had been passed over for a promotion within the New York Police Department. At the time, Adams was the leader of the Transit Bureau NYPD Guardians Association, which advocated for Black NYPD employees.

"Defendant Adams preyed on her perceived vulnerability, demanding a quid pro quo sexual favor and sexually assaulting Plaintiff, revealing himself not to be the 'Guardian' he purported to be, but a predator," the lawsuit reads.

Beach-Mathura alleges that Adams offered to drive her home, to Cony Island, after work, so that the pair could discuss her situation.

"Instead, he drove towards the Hudson River," the lawsuit continues. "Shortly after, Defendant Adams pulled into a remote, vacant lot and drove in, away from the street."

At this point, Beach-Mathura said she was growing increasingly "alarmed," while Adams insisted he wanted to focus on what she had to say.

Adams allegedly told her that he "also needed some help," and "began rubbing his penis through his clothes with his hand."

The mayor, who was armed at the time, allegedly demanded oral sex from Beach-Mathura. He made continual sexual advances which she repeatedly rejected. The plaintiff claims that Adams eventually masturbated to completion and ejaculated on her, before driving Beach-Mathura to a nearby subway station.

Adams has disputed the allegations when they were first made in November - claiming that he did not know the plaintiff and that the assault never happened.

"It did not happen. That's not who I am," he said. "That's not who I am in my professional life. It's just something that never took place."

Representatives for Adams and Beach-Mathura did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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(Photo : (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for EGPAF))

Fitness guru, Richard Simmons shared a positive update on his recent cancer diagnosis.

He may be best known for his 1980s-'90s workout tapes with titles like "Sweatin' to the Oldies" but on Monday, celebrity American fitness guru Richard Simmons left his concerned fans just plain sweatin'.

Simmons, 75, told his followers on Facebook and X, "I am ... dying," sparking a fury of concerned responses.

The flamboyant Simmons  who became a household name 40 years ago with his down to basics workouts and frequent talk show appearances, especially on David Letterman's "Late Night" and "The Late Show"  advised his followers to "hug those people and cildren who you really for," in the bizarre statement.

Continuing, he said, "Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day," and to "Get up in the morning and look at the sky... count your blessings and enjoy."

Simmons has yet to release a followup statement shedding light on what prompted the post, or whether he was alluding to a health condition.

Seemingly living a reclusive life since 2014, which he has denied amid reports citing concerns he suffered depression, Simmons has in recent years resurfaced.

In January, he spoke publicly claiming he never gave permission for an upcoming biopic set to star comic actor Pauly Shore, NBC News reported.

"I have never given my permission for his movie. So don't believe everything you read," he wrote on Facebook at the time. "I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support."

The full statement Simmons posted Monday reads:

"I have some news to tell you. Please don't be sad. I am ....dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.

"Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky... count your blessings and enjoy.

"Start with a healthy breakfast. Do you like oatmeal.... Whole wheat toast ..eggs once or twice a week Fresh fruit or half of an English muffin?

"Then there is lunch. How about a nice salad? Don't eat your dinner too late. Combine your protein with a starch and a few vegetables. And sure, once in a while, have dessert. One healthy day of eating will lead to the next...and the next," the message continues.

"Every day that you are alive you have got to move. Whether it is standing or sitting you have got move your body every day. Start with stretching then cardio and strength.

"I have a lot of workout videos on YouTube that you can use. Or maybe you have some videos at home. And before you go to bed do a little stretching. Stretch your neck. Your shoulders....and your arms...and dont forget your legs. Do some circles with your ankles. Point and flex your feet and I promise that you will have a better night's sleep.

"There is something else very important that you must do. Tell the ones that you love that you love them. Hug those people and children who you really care for. A big hug really goes a long way.

"If you have time I want you to listen to a terrific song. It is by Tim McGraw it is called 'Live Like You Were Dying.' Live today and don't forget to pray."

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Retired US General and current NATO Senior Mentor for Logistics, Ben Hodges, called Romania's recent contributions to NATO's collective defense "very good news" in a recent post on X.

Hodges' post read, "Very good news. The latest example of Romanian contributions to collective defense. MK has for years been an important hub in the Black Sea region for NATO Air Policing and for US logistics and training. MK Expansion is important for implementing Black Sea strategy."

The Mihail Kogalniceanu Romanian Air Force is located in Constanta, Romania, which sits 275 miles across the Black Sea from Crimea.

The massive project is set to include runways, hangers, housing, a hospital, and schools. The significant renovation plan for the base was approved in July 2015 by the NATO Investment Committee.

Mihail Kogalniceanu will be considered the largest military base in Europe, implemented in four stages over 20 years.

5,000 NATO soldiers, most of whom are American, are on site, however, no families are currently housed at the base.

When fully constructed, the $2.7 billion base will reportedly amount to the size of a small city with the capacity to house 10,000 NATO troops and their families.

Dorin Popescu, geopolitical analyst, told Euronews, "The Mihail Kogalniceanu base will become NATO's most important permanent military structure in the immediate vicinity of the conflict in southern Ukraine. Let's not imagine that this conflict will end this year in 2025, in 2026, it's a long-term conflict."

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A judge dropped two kidnapping charges against suspected Delphi killer Richard Allen in the high-profile murder cases of a pair of Indiana best friends.

Allen, 51, is accused of murdering 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German, after the girls were dropped off near the Monon High Bridge for a hike in Delphi, Indiana, in February 2017, according to police.

Their bodies were found a day later on a trail in a nearby wooded area.

Allen was arrested and charged in connection with Abby and Libby's murders in October 2022, more than five years after the alleged slayings.

In January, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland requested an amendment to the charges, to include two counts of murder and two counts of kidnapping, in addition to the original two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping, filed upon Allen's arrest, WTHR-TV reported.

On Monday, Special Judge Frances Gull announced the dismissal of the pair of kidnapping charges, but approved the charges of murder, according to the outlet.

Gull also ruled future preliminary hearings would be held in Carroll County, but jury selection would consist of residents of Allen County, citing the suspect's right to a fair trial, NewsNation reported. The murders occurred in Carroll County.

Allen's trial is slated to begin in May.

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Israel has decided to send a delegation to provide information to US officials regarding an upcoming offensive in Rafah.

This decision was made following a phone call between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed the news.

Biden, Netanyahu Discuss Plans for Attack on Rafah

During the daily White House press briefing, Sullivan informed the press that Biden and Netanyahu discussed Israel's ongoing campaign in Gaza and their plans for an attack on Rafah. Administration officials, including Biden, have emphasized the importance of a credible plan from the Israelis before the US would support such an offensive.

He mentioned that Biden expressed his deep concern regarding the possibility of Israel carrying out significant military operations in Rafah. He emphasized that these operations should not resemble the ones conducted in Gaza City and Khan Yunus following the attacks by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the loss of over 1,000 Israeli lives.

"Our position is that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else, but a major ground operation there would be a mistake," Sullivan said.

Sullivan highlighted the significance of Rafah as a crucial gateway for humanitarian aid into Gaza, both from Egypt and Israel. According to AP News, he expressed concern that any potential Israeli invasion of the city could disrupt or jeopardize this vital lifeline at a time when it is desperately needed.

He also mentioned the concerns of Egypt regarding a potential influx of refugees from Rafah crossing the Gaza border into Egypt. Egypt has stated that this situation would lead them to withdraw from the long-standing Camp David Accords peace treaty with Israel.

"Israel has not presented us or the world with a plan for how or where they would safely move those civilians, let alone feed and house them and ensure access to basic things like sanitation," Sullivan said.

Sullivan emphasized the urgent need for Israel to take action and increase efforts to provide food to the starving population in northern Gaza. UN organizations have issued a warning that famine is likely to occur in this region, with a potential onset between mid-March and May.

Read Also: Hamas Top Internal Security Chief Killed In Al-Shifa Hospital Raid, Israel Says

US Stands Against Israel's Rafah Offensive

Sullivan reiterated the US's stance against the planned Rafah offensive, highlighting the fact that over a million Palestinians sought shelter in the southernmost town of Gaza after fleeing other cities devastated by Israeli airstrikes.

Additionally, he highlighted that Rafah serves as the primary gateway for the limited aid that reaches Gaza, and any disruption could have significant implications for Israeli-Egyptian relations along the border.

Sullivan characterized the Biden-Netanyahu call, their first in more than a month, as "businesslike."

He mentioned that the US president had rejected the arguments presented by the Israeli leader as "straw man."

According to the national security adviser, ongoing discussions are taking place in Doha involving Israel, Qatar, and Egypt with the objective of reaching a hostage agreement. If Hamas agrees to release elderly, sick, and women hostages "tomorrow," a six-week ceasefire will be implemented without delay.

The United States is aiming to surpass the estimated timeframe of 45 to 60 days for constructing a floating dock near the Gaza Strip, said Sullivan. This dock will be used to facilitate the delivery of aid via sea.

The strategy involves US military engineers assembling the dock at sea and subsequently having it floated to shore and secured by Israeli troops. Despite the potential construction of a pier, aid agencies have expressed concerns about the worsening famine in Gaza.

The distribution of food and the need for additional land routes to provide aid to the besieged coastal strip remain unresolved issues, The Guardian reported.

Related Article: Netanyahu Says Israel to Push Ahead With Assault on Rafah as Truce Negotiations Resume

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Lady Rose Hanbury has finally addressed the rumors surrounding her alleged involvement with Prince William.

According to a report from Business Insider, Lady Rose Hanbury has vehemently denied the rumors, stating that they are entirely baseless, as conveyed by her legal representatives.

Lady Rose Hanbury's Lawyers Deny Affair Allegations

Hanbury's lawyers said the rumors circulating are completely false. This statement was reportedly given to Business Insider on Saturday, March 16, following the mention of the Marchioness of Cholmondeley on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Hanbury, 40, has recently gained attention due to Stephen Colbert's coverage of the affair rumors on 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' last week. Hanbury is known for being a close friend of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

According to Colbert on Tuesday's episode, speculation has arisen among online sleuths regarding Kate's recent absence and its possible connection to her husband, William, who is the future king of England, allegedly having an affair.

"There have been rumors of an affair between William and the Marching Band of Chicanery since 2019," Colbert said. "According to tabloids back then, when Kate supposedly confronted him about it, he laughed it off, saying there was nothing to it. Always a good response when your wife accuses you of cheating."

Colbert went on to use a fake British accent, mimicking Prince William and jokingly exclaiming, "Ha ha, imagine me having an affair! It is to laugh. It reminds me of a jape: Knock, knock. Who's there? Oh, it's my illegitimate son. I've knocked up my mistress."

Amid the speculation surrounding Kate Middleton's recent absence from the public eye following her surgery earlier this year, a comedian took the opportunity to mock the rumors of Prince William's alleged affair with Rose Hanbury, a rumor that has been circulating since 2019.

There has been a flurry of unfounded rumors and theories circulating on social media regarding Kate Middleton's absence from public view in recent weeks.

In a puzzling move, Prince William has chosen to remain tight-lipped about his wife's condition and her recovery from a mysterious medical issue, further fueling the flames of internet conspiracies.

Furthermore, there was a significant issue surrounding their UK Mother's Day photo featuring Kate Middleton and their three children. Photo agencies decided to remove the photo, alleging that it had been "manipulated."

However, according to Colbert, there are rumors suggesting that Middleton's recent absence from public view may be linked to her husband's alleged affair.

Read Also: Lady Rose Hanbury: Prince William's 'Rumored' Mistress, Wild Paternity Allegations About Daughter of Kate Middleton's Close Friend

Who is Rose Hanbury?

Rose Hanbury has a long-standing connection to the royal family, spanning several generations.

Lady Elizabeth Lambart, the grandmother of the bride, had the honor of being one of the bridesmaids at the wedding of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947. She has been married to David Rocksavage, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, since 2009.

The couple resides at their family's Norfolk estate, Houghton Hall, which is conveniently located near Anmer Hall, the estate of William and Kate. The Cholmondeleys are often seen attending the same events as William and Kate, attracting the attention of photographers. They were present at Elizabeth's state funeral and later witnessed King Charles III's coronation in May 2023.

Their 15-year-old son, Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, had the honor of being one of the pages at the coronation, alongside Prince George, the eldest child of William and Middleton.They have two additional children besides Oliver: Alexander Hugh, Oliver's twin, and Iris Marina Aline, who is 8 years old.

Related Article: Prince William 'Absent' as Kate Middleton Faces Photo Controversy, Health Rumors: Royal Commentator

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Israel has requested the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to refrain from issuing emergency orders requiring it to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza to address a looming famine, dismissing South Africa's request to do so as "morally repugnant."

In a legal filing to the top United Nations court, Israel said on Monday that it has a real concern for the humanitarian situation and innocent lives, as demonstrated by the actions it has and is taking in Gaza.

Israel Asks ICJ to Dismiss Gaza New Measures

Lawyers for Israel denied claims of deliberately causing humanitarian suffering in the besieged enclave, where tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed and starvation is rising. They said South Africa abused the process by repeatedly requesting more measures.

In its March 6 request for new measures, South Africa made claims that the filing claimed were wholly unfounded in fact and law, morally repugnant, and represented an abuse both of the Genocide Convention and of the court itself.

The latest exchange between the parties is a part of South Africa's ongoing case of Israel's alleged state-led genocide in Gaza following Hamas strikes on Israel on October 7.

Israel was given an injunction in January by the ICJ to ensure that Israeli troops do not perform any acts that could be considered violations of the Genocide Convention against Palestinians in Gaza. Israel called the accusation of genocide "baseless."

Relief organizations providing help to Gaza's 2.3 million people reported serious restrictions on essential aid. Since October 7, Israel has shut off Gaza and stopped the inflow of much-needed fuel.

ICJ emergency measures serve as temporary injunctions to prevent a problem from deteriorating before the court in The Hague can hear the entire case, which usually takes several years.

Israel released a statement on the same day that the UN World Food Programme said that "famine is imminent" in northern Gaza. According to the agency, over half of Gaza's population might face starvation if Israel escalates its attack, with 70% of the remaining population already suffering from catastrophic hunger.

Palestinian authorities reported at least 20 people have died from malnutrition and starvation in Gaza since Israel started its attack on Gaza.

Josep Borrell, the senior diplomat for the European Union, declared on Monday that starvation is used as a weapon of war and that the looming famine in Gaza was "entirely man-made."

"Trucks are stopped. People are dying while the land crossings are artificially closed," he said.

Pretoria has petitioned the ICJ twice, the second time supporting South Africa's plea. Its initial request, made in February, to put pressure on Israel to stop an offensive against Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, was rejected.

Read Also: Academy Award-Winning Writer for 'The King's Speech' David Seidler Dies at 86

Gaza To Face Famine Between March, May

On Monday, a United Nations-backed report warned that over 70% of Gaza's 2.3 million residents are facing "catastrophic hunger" and that the region's north might experience famine at any point between mid-March and May.

There are still 300,000 people stranded in northern Gaza, where they have resorted to consuming animal feed out of desperation. In the past few weeks, at least 27 children have passed away from hunger as a result of Israel's blockade of assistance supplies, including food.

On Sunday, the first aid trucks entered northern Gaza in months.

According to a report by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), half of Gaza's population, with around 1.1 million people, lives in severe food insecurity, with the entire population suffering from high levels of acute food shortage.

It said that famine is now projected and imminent in the North Gaza and Gaza Governorates and is expected to become manifest during the projection period from mid-March 2024 to May 2024.

Related Article: Gaza's Children Grapple with Hunger Amidst Israeli Bombings As Aid Trickles In



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US President Joe Biden signed a historic executive order on Monday promoting women's health research as the country celebrates Women's History Month.

The executive actions follow First Lady Jill Biden's announcement last month of $100 million in funding for women's health.

Biden To Boost Women's Health Research

The president issued the order during a Monday morning Women's History Month event. First Lady Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former California First Lady Maria Shriver joined him.

According to the White House, the order allocates $12 billion and represents the "most comprehensive set" of executive action to advance women's health research.

However, this funding is not guaranteed. Congress can take action to deny the president funding since it has the "power of the purse."

Shriver, a journalist, author, and advocate for Alzheimer's research, said that now that the president has done his job, they must do theirs. She added that Congress must approve the $12 billion investment this president has called for to implement this bold vision.

If approved by Congress, the order will support menopausal research and allow the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to launch its first-ever "Pathways to Prevention" series on the topic.

Shriver called the president's order historic, especially in light of the emphasis on menopause.

Furthermore, she noted that this is the first the president of the US has ever signed an executive order that mentions the words' menopause' and 'women's mid-life health.

Further study on reproductive aging is especially crucial for racial health equality, given that women of color in the US experience inequities in access to reproductive health care compared to white women. These disparities are caused by both systemic racism in the healthcare system and individual racial bias.

Compared to white women, black women are more likely to experience more negative bodily symptoms as they approach middle age. Shriver said that Black and Brown women are more likely to develop endometriosis and face pregnancy-related complications.

Beyond reproductive health, Biden's order includes research on environmental health concerns, mental health and substance use disorders, and autoimmune diseases that disproportionately affect women, like rheumatoid arthritis.

Read Also: Elon Musk's xAI Introduces AI Model Grok to Open-Source Community

Biden Stands Up for Women

Biden stressed that research "has taken too long" to address women's health care and said his executive order mandates the most comprehensive executive actions ever taken to improve maternal and child health.

The president warned that his opponents were underestimating the "power of women" at the ballot box and criticized Republicans who opposed the COVID-era economic stimulus bill known as the American Rescue Plan, which he signed into law.

He claimed that the bill's increase in the child tax credit "cut child poverty nearly in half."

"Clearly those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade to support national abortion ban have no clue about the power of women," he said, referring to conservatives who support the Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn the landmark ruling.

He added, referring to women voters, that they would speak out again in 2024 and send him a Democratic Congress that supports reproductive freedom. "I promise you, I promise you we will restore Roe v. Wade again as the law of the land," he noted.

Related Article: Kamala Harris To Visit Minnesota Abortion Clinic, in Historic First for Any President or VP



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Police and residents said on Monday that gunmen in Nigeria have kidnapped at least 87 people, including women and children, in two-weekend attacks in Kaduna state.

The abduction came after an armed gang seized 286 students and staff from a school in early March.

Nigerian Gunmen Kidnap 87 People

According to officials on Monday, the abduction happened in Kaduna state's Kajuru district.

The United Nations reported that around one million people have been displaced by violence in northwest and north-central Nigeria, where bandits frequently loot towns and execute mass kidnappings for ransom.

The attacks, which seem to be happening almost every day, have increased pressure on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the authorities.

Kaduna police spokesperson Mansur Hassan said the Kajuru incident happened on Sunday night. Hassan also stated that security agents had been sent to rescue the villagers.

Local official Ibrahim Gajere told the Agence France-Presse news agency that they went and removed people from their homes at gunpoint.

The residents claimed that armed men wearing army uniforms entered the area unnoticed because they had parked their motorbikes away from the village.

Village head Tanko Wada Sarkin reported that 87 people were kidnapped.

Sarkin told the Reuters news agency that they have recorded the return of five people back home who fled through the bush, and this attack makes it five times that these bandits have attacked this community.

Another resident, Aruwa Ya'u, said that the gunmen had taken him hostage but eventually freed him because of his weak condition. He said he was being treated at a local government clinic.

Resident Haruna Atiku shared that they were outside their homes talking around 10:30 pm, and bandits appeared, beating and shooting. He said his wife and two daughters were missing.

The officials said on Saturday that 16 people were abducted in the Dogon Noma area, about 10 km away.

In one of the largest kidnappings in recent years, gunmen abducted around 250 students from a school in Kuriga village, around 150 km from Kajuru, on March 7.

Read Also: Apple Buys Canadian Start-up DarwinAI, Attempts to Bring Killer Feature to Catch up With Microsoft, Google

Nigeria's School Abductions

The group Boko Haram was the first to kidnap students from a school in Nigeria, seizing around 200 girls from a school in Chibok, Borno state, a decade ago. However, since then, criminal gangs without any particular ideological affiliations have started using the strategy to extract ransom payments.

In Nigeria, victims of kidnapping are frequently set free following discussions with the authorities. However, a law enacted in 2022 bans handing money to kidnappers, and authorities deny ransom payments are made.

Families and towns are being torn apart by the kidnappings, which force people to pool their savings to pay the ransom. This frequently means selling valuables like grain, animals, and property to secure the return of loved ones.

Furthermore, SBM Intelligence, a risk consultancy based in Nigeria, said that 4,777 people have been kidnapped since Tinubu took office in May.

Related Article: Nigerian Kidnappers Put Price on Heads of Student Hostages: Pay or 'Will Kill All'



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Donald Trump has once again asserted that the Democratic Party holds animosity towards Israel and that Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats harbor disdain for their religion.

This is a recurring statement Trump made during his presidency, suggesting that these voters demonstrate a lack of loyalty to their faith.

Trump Rages at Jews Who Support Democrats

"I actually think they hate Israel," Trump said during a radio interview with former White House staffer Sebastian Gorka.

"Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed," Trump continued.

Trump, who has a Jewish daughter Ivanka, extended his criticism towards Jewish Democrats.

In the interview posted on Monday, Trump specifically mentioned Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Schumer holds the distinction of being the nation's highest-ranking Jewish elected official and has consistently shown support for Israel throughout his career.

He implied that Schumer's stance on Israel has shifted due to political motivations, pointing to the widespread pro-Palestinian demonstrations during the Gaza conflict.

"I am working in a bipartisan way to ensure the US-Israeli relationship sustains for generations to come, buoyed by peace in the Middle East," Schumer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Schumer, who has expressed his support for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict and has voiced his concerns about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emphasized the importance of not turning Israel into a divisive political matter, as it could have negative consequences for both Israel and the relationship between the United States and Israel.

Trump also claimed that Democratic lawmakers who criticize Israel are solely motivated by a desire to gain support from people who sympathize with Palestinians in Gaza, despite evidence to the contrary.

Read Also: NYC Mayor's Accuser Reveals Damning Details Of Alleged 1993 Sexual Assault in New Court Filing

White House Condemns Trump's 'Offensive' Remarks

After the comments were made, the White House released a statement strongly criticizing Donald Trump's offensive and disturbing language targeting the Jewish community.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Mediaite that President Joe Biden has taken a firm stance against offensive and irrational antisemitic rhetoric.

President Biden has put his foot down when it comes to vile and unhinged Antisemitic rhetoric. As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased across the world - among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust - leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is and bring Americans together against it. There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens. None. Like President Biden said, he was moved to run for President when he saw Neo Nazis chanting 'the same Antisemitic bile that was heard in Germany in the 1930s' in Charlottesville.

Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, reacted by saying, "Another day, another depraved antisemitic screed from Donald Trump, who has repeatedly vilified the overwhelming majority of American Jews."

In September, there was significant backlash against Trump when he shared a social media post that targeted "liberal Jews" during the start of Rosh Hashanah, a highly significant holiday for Jews globally. Jewish groups were particularly vocal in their criticism of the incident.

During that incident, Trump referred to his attack as a "quick reminder" for liberal Jews who voted based on what he believed were false narratives, with the intention of harming America and Israel.

Related Article: Trump Launches New Bid to Boot Fani Willis From Georgia Election Interference Case

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On Monday, Gambian lawmakers voted to advance to the next parliamentary phase a highly controversial bill that seeks to lift a ban on female genital mutilation (FGM), which has been in place since 2015.

The issue has divided the small West African country for months, and hundreds of people have come to protest outside parliament.

Gambian Parliament Advances Bill to Reverse FGM Ban

According to AFP journalists, pro-FGM campaigners surpassed the number of people advocating for the continuation of the ban.

Almameh Gibba, the lawmaker who introduced the bill, said during the debate that the bill seeks to uphold religious loyalty and safeguard cultural norms and values.

He added that the use of a ban on female circumcision is a direct violation of the citizens' rights to practice their culture and religion.

However, activists and rights organizations claimed that the measure reverses years of progress and jeopardizes the nation's record on human rights.

"There's the inherent risk that this is just the first step, and it could lead to the rollback of other rights such as the law on child marriage... and not just in The Gambia but in the region as a whole," Divya Srinivasan from women's rights NGO Equality Now, told AFP.

Lawmakers sent the bill to a parliamentary committee, where it would be examined closely for at least three months before returning for discussion.

A 2021 report by UNICEF, the UN children's agency, stated that 76% of Gambian women between the ages of 15 and 49 have undergone FGM.

The organization defines the procedure as the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or another injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

It reduces sexual pleasure and increases the risk of major health issues like bleeding, infections, infertility, and difficult childbirth.

The UN's Gambia office wrote on X, formerly Twitter, ahead of the debate that girls' bodies are their own and FGM robs them of autonomy over their bodies and causes irreversible harm.

Furthermore, the UN rights office had called for the bill to be withdrawn, and Amnesty International claimed it would create a dangerous precedent for women's rights.

Read Also: Israel Asks World Court To Dismiss South Africa's Request for New Measures Over Famine in Gaza

Ex-Gambian Dictator Bans FGM

Former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh outlawed FGM in the Muslim-majority nation of Gambia in 2015. He said that the practice was outdated and not required by Islam.

Later, the first law explicitly banning the practice was passed by parliament, which is currently a crime that carries a maximum three-year prison sentence.

However, Amnesty International reported that only two cases have been prosecuted since 2015, and the first conviction occurred in August 2023.

The problem erupted last year when three women were sentenced to prison or penalties for conducting FGM.

Furthermore, the Islamic Council, the country's main Muslim organization, declared that the practice was "one of the virtues of Islam" and not "just a merely inherited custom."

It urged the government to reconsider the ban.

Related Article: Biden Signs Executive Order to Boost Women's Health, Adds $12B for Sexual, Reproductive Issues



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AstraZeneca recently made public that they will be implementing a cap on the out-of-pocket costs for inhalers and related medication. This implies that those will not have to pay more than $35 per month for these essential medications.

The pharmaceutical company based in Britain said that the increased savings target to support individuals with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, particularly those who lack health insurance, in a compassionate manner. The price cap will be implemented on June 1.

AstraZeneca Expands Patient Assistance

AstraZeneca is now offering additional programs to help patients with respiratory diseases overcome financial constraints and access the medications they need. The decision is in line with a cost-cutting initiative by Boehringer Ingelheim, an opponent from Germany.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions has initiated a look into the matter, as Democratic senators and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders encourage other companies to do the same. GlaxoSmithKline and Teva, the other two leading manufacturers, have not yet agreed to a price cap.

In a move to address the growing concerns surrounding the high costs of healthcare, AstraZeneca, a leading pharmaceutical company, has implemented an initiative to ease the financial strain on patients.

They have set an upper limit of $35 per month for out-of-pocket expenses related to their inhalers and associated medication. The company's CEO, Pascal Soriot, has announced a move intended at addressing the pressing need for affordability in the healthcare sector.

Senator Bernie Sanders offered support for AstraZeneca's healthcare reform initiative and called on other major players in the industry, such as Teva and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), to do the same.

Sanders, along with other lawmakers, has taken the lead in investigating the substantial price disparities between inhalers in the United States and other countries, according to Reuters.

Read Also: Missing Mizzou Student Riley Strain Caused 'Commotion' At Encampment Where Bank Card Was Found: Witness

Inhaler Price Gap Raises Healthcare Affordability

GSK said its dedication to working with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) to improve transparency surrounding healthcare costs in the United States, in response to Sanders' call for action.

However, Teva has not yet answered requests for comment, highlighting the ongoing discussion about pharmaceutical pricing practices.

The cost variances placed by Sanders and his colleagues are punching. For instance, AstraZeneca's Breztri Aerosphere inhaler is priced at $645 in the US, while consumers in the UK only pay $49 for the identical product.

The stark difference between these two situations highlights the pressing need to take on an issue of affordability in the American healthcare system.

CEO Pascal Soriot identified AstraZeneca's dedication to enhancing patient access to medications, specifying the need for partnership with stakeholders and policymakers. The amount of detail of the healthcare system was highlighted by Soriot, who stressed the need for full reform to guarantee long-term affordability for patients.

Sanders, who has been engaged in discussions with pharmaceutical CEOs since the start of the investigation, promoted the necessity for industry leaders to step up conduct.

He demonstrated the possibilities for other companies to adopt cost caps, using AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim as examples, The Hill reported.

Related Article: Netanyahu To Send Envoys To Washington To Discuss Rafah Offensive, 'Hamas Should Not Be Allowed Safe Haven'

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Elon Musk revealed that he includes ketamine into his mental health routine to enhance his well-being.

When questioned about drug use, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, openly admitted to having occasional bouts of a negative chemical state in his brain, similar to depression. He stated that he uses a small amount once every other week.

Elon Musk Discusses Ketamine Use for Mental Health

"Ketamine is useful for getting one out of a negative frame of mind," Musk said, describing his own sadness as "chemical tides" and insisting that it wasn't "bad news."

In the interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon, Musk also hinted that his use of ketamine was advantageous to his companies.

During a recent interview with Lemon, Elon Musk discussed insights into his personal use of ketamine and how it contributes to his mental well-being. The billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla openly discussed his personal struggles with depression and the positive effects he believes he gains from medication.

The person speaking pointed out that the medication acts as a means to relieve these instances, whatever any external negative triggers. Musk clarified the credibility of his usage, including that he obtains his prescription through consultation with a qualified medical professional.

In response to questions on drug use, Musk explained his views on sobriety, saying that he does not consume drink or smoke. However, he chose not to clarify whether his mention of being "almost always" sober referred to ketamine or another substance, especially when using social media late at night.

Ketamine, a commonly used anesthetic in medical settings, has recently gained recognition for its potential to treat a range of mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Musk's candidness about his use of prescription medication offers valuable perspective on the role of ketamine in mental health treatment, particularly when considering his influential position, according to CTV News.

Read Also: Jacksonville Beach Shooting Leaves 1 Dead, 2 in Critical Condition as Suspect Search Underway

Elon Musk Balances Ketamine Use

In answer to speculation about potential overuse, Musk brushed off such concerns and promoted the demands of his rigorous work schedule. He was anxious about his sense of mental clarity in order to effectively handle his duties, stating that excessive ketamine use would hinder his capacity to be productive.

Connecting his depression to genetic factors, Musk conveyed assurance that his ketamine routine would not hinder his professional obligations or entrepreneurial endeavors. The person specified how important both success and value generation are in the view of investors, connecting their medication usage with their dedication to achieving outcomes.

Aside from personal health, the interview covered a number of things, such as Musk's remarks of diversity initiatives and the popularity of Tesla's Cybertruck. Also, Musk addressed the current status of X's advertising business, recognizing the difficulties that have arisen due to controversial content on the platform.

In a situation of attention about X's content policies, Musk came firm in his approach, highlighting the freedom of advertisers in deciding where their ads are displayed. He promoted the platform's dedication to supporting freedom of expression, highlighting its positive growth in advertising and subscription revenue, CNN News reported.

Related Article: OpenAI Reinstates Sam Altman, Strengthens Board After Internal Turmoil





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The White House told reporters on Monday, March 18, that US President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a summit in Washington on April 11 to discuss economic relations and the Indo-Pacific situation.

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said the three would "discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world."

Reuters quoted Marcos when he previously said that his country's sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction were essential principles should there be a resumption of joint exploration talks with China in the South China Sea.

Filipino news site Rappler added that Marcos and Biden would have a separate meeting to "review the historic momentum in US-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, and human rights and democracy."

Read Also: Nikkei Closes Above 40,000; Chip Stocks, China's 'Two Sessions' Credited for Score

Meanwhile, The Japan Times reported that Kishida would be treated to a lavish state dinner and hold policy talks at the White House while the United States is currently in the election campaign season. This would once again pit Biden as the Democratic candidate against former US President and Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told a news conference on Tuesday morning local time (Mar. 19) that the talks would provide a boost to "the free and open international order based on the rule of law."

"With the US-Japan alliance as a cornerstone, it is essential to deepen our cooperation across a wide range of fields with like-minded countries such as the Philippines to maintain peace and prosperity in the region," he added.

Kishida and Biden could also discuss a potential deal for Japanese shipyards to overhaul and maintain US Navy warships despite Biden's opposition to Nippon Steel purchasing US Steel.

Marcos, Kishida, and US Vice President Kamala Harris had an informal meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta back in September 2023.

The foreign ministers of the three countries also met in the same month, laying the foundation for trilateral cooperation between the US and two of its Asian treaty-allies, especially regarding their mutual opposition to China.

Related Article: Philippines Accuses Chinese Coastguard of 'Dangerous Maneuvers' Leading to South China Sea Collision

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A wanted sexual offender was found hunting rats with a homemade spear and eating them while living in a stick and tarpaulin shelter in the heart of a Louisiana swamp.

The 51-year-old Brian Schaller had an active warrant for sexual violence and breaking the requirements of the sex offenders' register. He was found guilty in 2016 of distributing child porn.

Sex Offender Found Living in Louisiana Swamp

Authorities received information leading them to an isolated spot in the Atchafalaya Basin, located to the East of Lafayette. After an extensive search, they successfully located the person in question at his encampment nestled deep within the swamp.

The suspect willingly turned himself in and informed the authorities that he had been residing there since January. He survived by using traps to catch small animals and rodents, which he then dispatched with a makeshift spear to sustain himself.

Schaller's criminal record dates back to 2015, when he faced allegations for distributing child pornography. The seriousness of his crimes was made worse by being aware that he had pending warrants from both the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office for sexual battery and other related offenses.

The search for Schaller turned more serious when officers received information about his location on March 12. A well-organized operation was quickly launched, involving officers in uniform, boats, and K-9 units, to locate him. After two days, on March 14, authorities managed to find Schaller's encampment deep within the swamp, about a mile away.

Officers surrounded the makeshift shelter and instructed Schaller to surrender. Without any objections, Schaller willingly followed the instructions and was apprehended without any additional trouble, according to WAFB 9.

Read Also: Suspect in New Mexico State Trooper's Slaying Arrested After Pursuit, Shooting: Authorities

Sex Offender Survives on Rats in Swamp Hideout

Photographs of Schaller's camp released a simple construction made from cut branches and adorned with a mix of materials, such as discarded bags and tarp. Next to the shelter, a clothesline with garments offered a glimpse into Schaller's daily life in the wilderness.

Authorities defined Schaller's encampment as a clever arrangement, complete with various small game traps and a makeshift early warning system made from string and aluminum cans. Schaller confessed to investigators that he had been surviving solely by foraging for food in the wilderness since January, depending on hunting small game and rodents to sustain himself.

The capture of Schaller was made possible through the combined efforts of the US Marshals Service Middle Louisiana Fugitive Task Force, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and other participating agencies.

In the morning of March 14, a team from multiple agencies gathered for a meeting and carried out an operational briefing.

They then deployed their assets into the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area, located in the remote wilderness of the Atchafalaya Basin.

The team discovered Schaller's encampment after a one-mile trek on foot. After finding the encampment, the team quickly surrounded the structure and firmly instructed Schaller to exit and surrender. Schaller cooperated with the verbal instructions and was apprehended without any issues.

The dwelling where Schaller had been residing was built using tree limbs, tarps, and parachute cord. Schaller had a number of small game traps set up along the trails near his camp.

Schaller informed investigators that he had been surviving solely by relying on the resources of nature since around January. He mentioned sustaining himself by consuming small game and rodents.

The MLFTF is comprised of individuals from various law enforcement agencies, including the US Marshals, Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, Louisiana Probation and Parole, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office.

Related Article: Riley Strain: Missing Missouri Student's Bank Card Found Near Nashville River Days After Being Kicked Out of Bar as Search Continues

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(Photo : MIKHAIL TERESHCHENKO/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian President Vladimir Putin looks on as he holds a meeting of the Russia

Days after firing Russia's Naval Commander in Chief, Vladimir Putin appears to be limiting his fleet's exposure to Ukrainian long range attacks after weeks of staggering losses in the Black Sea, according to an intelligence report.

On Sunday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu visited the Black Sea Fleet (BSF) command post, according a U.K. Minister of Defence intelligence report. Shoigu was briefed on Ukrainian operations in the Black Sea and "discussed the performance of Russian naval assets in the region."

Shoigu also announced new measures to "mitigate" threats posed by Ukrainian uncrewed surface vehicles (USV), which have sunk multiple Russian vessels in recent weeks, including the Sergey Kotov corvette, which was sunk by maritime drones operated by Ukraine Special Forces on March 5, HNGN previously reported.

In response to this, the Russian Navy has likely "resorted to limiting it's operations," according to the intelligence report, adding that the Russian Ministry of Defense "has been prompted to increase it's efforts to preserve it's fleet in the Black Sea".

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  19 March 2024.



Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/OU9Qq7F1Ee #StandWithUkraine  pic.twitter.com/GHPjJC5ML0  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) March 19, 2024

On March 10, the Commander in Chief of the Russian Federation Navy, Admiral Nikolay Anatolyevich Yemenov, was removed from his position folllowing the destruction of the Kotov vessel. The Kotov was the 9th major war vessel to be destroyed since Russia invaded Ukraine over two years ago.



Yemenov has been replaced by Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, according to the Moscow Times. Moiseyev last commanded Russia's Northen Fleet before the Navy's reschuffle.

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(Photo : MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump sues Michael Cohen, his former attorney and "fixer" who has become a crucial witness in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's criminal case against him.

Donald Trump's former personal attorney is warning that the ex-president's inability to come up with $454 million in New York for a bond payment may open him up to even further legal trouble.

"It tells you he's not nearly as rich as he's sold himself to the American people," Michael Cohen said on MSNBC on Monday night.

Thirty bond companies declined to post cash for Donald Trump, according to a court statement by his legal team, which makes it "a practical impossibility" to post the amount by the March 25 deadline.

"He's right, it's effectively impossible," Cohen said, noting that much of Trump's worth is tied up in real estate. Much of Donald Trump's money is tied up in real estate and many of our readers can attest that it takes time to sell anything, let alone $400 million worth of "anything."

"If that's true, post the $400 million and get the balance," Cohen said. "And if it's not true, who knows, maybe it could be a perjury charge."

Cohen also stated that Trump's money crunch could make him vulnerable to foreign interests.

"It leaves a presidential candidate basically owing a foreign entity, all at the expense of America's national security," he said. "This is no joke. This places our national security in jeopardy and continues to make Donald Trump the single most dangerous thing in America to our national security and democracy."

Last year Bloomberg estimated Trump's net worth at $3.1 billion, but the former president has a lengthy history of exaggerating his personal wealth, which may have played a role in the fraud case.

If Donald Trump does not post the bond by March 25 and does not reach another agreement with the court, New York Attorney General Letitia James will be able to seize his assets.

Michael Cohen served as Donald Trump's personal attorney for years before turning on his boss when he cooperated with investigators and testified before Congress.

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(Photo : Thibaud MORITZ / AFP) (THIBAUD MORITZ/AFP via Getty Images)

In October, a jury found Brett Pruett, 62, guilty of 11 counts of first-degree murder, four counts of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of burglary, and one count of assault, in connection with the July 2020 deaths of Elmer Edwin Hughes III, Tashia Heather Cobb, and Lawrence Wayne Murphy, in their Portland, Oregon, neighborhood, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney.



A Portland man was handed down three life sentences for the slayings of his three neighbors during a meth-fueled killing spree.

In October, a jury found Brett Pruett, 62, guilty of 11 counts of first-degree murder, four counts of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of burglary, and one count of assault, in connection with the July 2020 deaths of Elmer Edwin Hughes III, Tashia Heather Cobb, and Lawrence Wayne Murphy, in their Portland, Oregon, neighborhood, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney.

On Monday, Pruett was punished with three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, KATU-TV, KGW-TV, and KOIN-TV reported, citing the district attorney.

"We are pleased that this sentence brings justice to the families of Mr. Hughes III, Ms. Cobb and Mr. Murphy. While their loved ones can never be brought back, the families can have some peace knowing that the person who took their lives will be behind bars for the rest of his life. Our hope is that the families can now move forward," the DA said in a statement.

Prosecutors argued Pruett was driven to fatally shoot the victims under the delusion the trio owed him rent money, in the midst of a meth binge, during which he was awake for 72 hours straight, according to KGW.

Pruett will be transferred to the Oregon Department of Corrections to serve out his life sentences.

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(Photo : Telemundo 40)

Progreso Mayor Gerardo Alanis is accused of running a cocaine distribution ring.

A Texas border town mayor is under arrest accused of drug trafficking charges.

Progreso Mayor Gerardo Alanis appeared in Brownsville Federal Court on Tuesday morning wearing handcuffs and a chain around his waist after being arrested by federal agents Monday.

Alanis is charged alongside his brother, Francisco Alanis, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

The siblings are accused of being part of a cocaine trafficking ring that was operating from January 2020 to March 2022.

They possessed a total of more than 64 kilos of cocaine on several occasions, according to an indictment.

Francisco Alanis was arrested in October on similar charges and pleaded not guilty.

A third person being charged in the case has already pleaded guilty, KRGV-TV reported.

The investigation was launched when a school bus driver was caught with more than 30 pounds of cocaine.

Attorney O. Rene Flores represents Jerry Alanis. He declined to comment after Tuesday's hearing, KDBC-TV reported.

If convicted, the could face a minimum 10-year federal prison term fines of up to $10 million.

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(Photo : (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images))

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 19: Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie testifies at a congressional hearing.

Former US commander Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., who oversaw the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, said while testifying in a congressional hearing that he alone bears responsibility for the American soldiers killed during the attack at Kabul's airport.



"I was the overall commander, and I and I alone bear full military responsibility for what happened at Abbey Gate," McKenzie, who led US Central Command from 2019 to 2022, said at a congressional hearing Tuesday.

The Gold Star families who lost loved ones during the Abbey Gate attack were present at the hearing Tuesday by the GOP-led House Foreign Affairs Committee that highlighted an assessment of the Biden administration's withdrawal.

13 US service members and 170 Afghan civilians were killed in an attack led by the Islamic State terrorist group outside the Abbey Gate airport on Aug. 26, 2021. Troops were helping evacuate people from the country at the time, according to NBC News.

Retired Gen. Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also testified at the hearing. Lawmakers believed the two generals could be candid and open up with more information to members in the room now that they are no longer serving.

"We owe them answers," Milley said about the Gold Star families in his opening statement, promising to help them understand what happened.

"There's nothing that I can say or do that's going to fill that gaping hole in your heart. But as I've told you before, I'm committed. I will honor that commitment to get you the answers to get you to the truth."

It will take a "considerable amount of time" to get those answers, Milley said, emphasizing that much of the record remains classified.

"It was a tragic event, one of many that have occurred over our 20-year engagement in Afghanistan," McKenzie said about the Abbey Gate attack.

"It remains my opinion that if there was culpability in this attack, it lies in policy decisions that created the environment of August 2021 in Kabul. ... The simple fact is this: On the battlefield, even with good planning, and tremendous execution by bright people on the ground, the enemy sometimes has success."

However, later into the session, both McKenzie and Milley placed some of the blame on the State Department, revealing that the order of evacuation from Afghanistan came too late.

McKenzie elaborated it was up to the State Department -- not the Pentagon -- to authorize the order, which finally came on Aug. 14, 2021.

"I believe that the events of mid and late-August 2021 were the direct result of delaying the initiation of the [evacuation] for several months," said McKenzie, who explained that the Defense Department had already begun positioning US forces in the region as early as July 9, 2021.

"But we could do nothing, nothing to commence the operation, the evacuation" until it was declared by the State, he added.

"I believe the call to execute the [evacuation] came too late," Milley said.

Both of the retired generals claim their previous testimony on the withdrawal stands as is and that the havoc didn't occur overnight, as multiple factors contributed to the collapse of the Afghan government following the US departure from the country.

Milley noted that he remains unsure how many Americans were left behind, saying, "The starting number was never clear."

During their testimony before Congress regarding the chaotic withdrawal in 2021, the former generals disclosed that they had recommended to President Joe Biden that the US keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan well after the Aug. 31 deadline.

Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, shared his criticism on Tuesday of the Biden administration's execution of the military pullout.

"I believe the accountability ensures mistakes of the past are not repeated. But from where I sit, the president and this administration refused to acknowledge their failures," McCaul said. "I launched this investigation to make sure that the mistakes made in Afghanistan never, ever happen again."

In April 2023, the White House blamed the Trump administration for incidents encountered during the withdrawal in a released statement.

However, Trump continues to berate Biden, claiming Biden and his administration's handling of the withdrawal is the real reason the evacuation order failed.

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(Photo : Romero Funeral Home)

In March 2023, Rigoberto Rigo Esparza III was fatally shot in the driveway of the Denver, Colorado, residence owned by Bobby Manigo, Westword reported, citing the Denver Department of Excise & License, which oversees the citys short-term rentals.



The vacation rental where a Colorado teen was shot to death last year is reportedly still available for rent, despite the revocation of the property owner's short-term rental license.

In March 2023, Rigoberto "Rigo" Esparza III was fatally shot in the driveway of the Denver, Colorado, residence owned by Bobby Manigo, Westword reported, citing the Denver Department of Excise & License, which oversees the city's short-term rentals.

Rigo, 18, showed up with a group of friends to attend a house party allegedly co-hosted by Manigo.

The residence was reportedly equipped with a stripper pole, bar, DJ and food truck. Despite city regulations prohibiting parties at short-term rentals, security charged guests a $100 cover, according to the outlet.

That costly entrance fee allegedly angered some patrons who were turned away, and later returned to carry-out the drive-by, police said.

As he stood in the driveway, Rigo was struck in the torso by gunfire, police said, according to the outlet. He died on the scene, leaving behind a 1-year-old son, at the time.

The day before his funeral, Rigo's father, Rigoberto Esparza, Jr., killed himself.

"I still can't believe it's happened," Mary Esparza, Rigo's grandmother, told the outlet."I don't think it will ever pass. I just sit here crying. It's dead here. We can't be happy. I can't even laugh."

Added Rigo's mother, Miranda Fresquez, "If it wasn't for my other kids, I would probably be buried right next to them. I don't want to be here. ... I am such a different person now that my son and his dad are gone. It has torn our lives apart, and it's never going to get better."

Joseph Lash, 21, Alijah Scott, 19, and Daniel Villegas, 21, were arrested and charged with Rigo's murder.

Police allege Villegas drove the getaway car, while Lash and Scott indiscriminately fired off dozens of rounds at the home, hitting Rigo once, killing him.

Lash pleaded not guilty, while Scott has not yet entered a plea.

Villegas was handed down a 12-year suspended sentence for his part as the driver, according to Westword.

Manigo has not been held criminally liable, the district attorney confirmed, Westword reported.

The shooting involving Rigo is reportedly the third such incident to have occurred at a short-term Denver rental property owned by Manigo.

The city reportedly first revoked Manigo's rental license in 2020 after a shooting at a different property he owned. His license was reinstated a year later, only to have it revoked again, months after Rigo's death, according to the outlet.

Despite his lack of a license, the listing for the short-term rental home where Rigo died remains active on sites, such as Vrbo and TripAdvisor, Westword reported. Airbnb and Booking.com removed the listing.

Westword reported on March 1 guests were staying at the home, but claimed they were unaware a murder had occurred at the property.

According to a city report obtained by Westword, officials allege Manigo has tried to find ways to continue his business as a rental owner, accusing Manigo's sister of trying to rent out another house under her name so that he could keep hosting illegal parties.

"[Manigo] tries to find loopholes to continue running these venues," the report stated.

Manigo will be eligible to reapply for a license in October 2025.

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Marriott International, Inc. recently announced it has signed an agreement with Hainan Qianrui Industrial Development Co., Ltd. to bring the W Hotels brand to Sanya, the popular tourist hub located on China's southerly island province of Hainan. Located in Sanya Bay, W Sanya is slated to open in the second quarter of 2028. With its bold, detail-driven design, elevated service, and engaging always-on programming, the hotel is poised to become a new symbol of luxury hospitality in Sanya.

Nestled on the southern coast of Hainan province, Sanya is known as the "Hawaii of the East" for its tropical flair and picturesque scenery. With its crystal blue waters and lush coconut groves, Sanya Bay is an outstanding option for a getaway, with visitors able to enjoy the seaside retreat and embrace local culture and traditions. Conveniently located only four kilometers from Sanya Phoenix International Airport, W Sanya is adjacent to renowned landmarks and attractions such as Tianya Haijiao, Dadonghai Beach, and Phoenix Island, creating a highly sought-after destination for guests.

Designed by WATG, a well-known architectural firm from Singapore, W Sanya is an avant-garde 15-storey building that boasts a remarkable and sprawling rooftop terrace. With its interior design led by internationally acclaimed design firm Yabu Pushelberg, the hotel is expected to offer 260 stylishly appointed guest rooms and suites, with over half of the rooms featuring uninterrupted ocean views. Guests can also enjoy a refreshing dip in the outdoor infinity pool against a stunning skyline backdrop. The hotel is also slated to feature four signature restaurants and bars, inviting guests to savor Sanya's diverse culinary offerings. Design plans for the property include signature facilities such as the WET deck and swimming pool, FIT fitness center, and AWAY Spa, that will provide guests with rejuvenating and revitalizing experiences, ensuring their energy remains balanced for their next big adventure. The hotel is also set to offer comprehensive venues and facilities for conferences and events, with 1,533 square meters of multi-functional space to meet a broad range of event needs. W Sanya will create an inviting space for guests with a dynamic design, exceptional culinary options, and immersive experiences.

Marriott International now operates nearly 70 luxury hotels in Greater China, six of which are in Hainan. The unveiling of W Sanya will further cement the company's growing luxury footprint in southern China.

Hotel website
Lodge at Marconi, the newly renovated historic coastal retreat located in Northern California's Tomales Bay, is pleased to welcome Patrick Stanley as General Manager. With more than two decades of experience working in management throughout the region, Stanley brings a wealth of expertise to his new role at Lodge at Marconi where he will oversee strategic and day-to-day operations at the expansive 62-acre property, including on-site excursion management, sales and marketing, team member engagement, and the overall guest experience.

Patrick brings robust background to his position at Lodge at Marconi, most recently serving as an educator at the University of California, working with medical students at the Kanbar Center UCSF Medical School. Prior, Patrick held the role of Director of Operations at Alliance Redwoods Conference Grounds for several years where he handled Food Service Operations, Retail Operations (brick and mortar as well as on-line marketplaces). Additionally, Stanley has held the roles of district manager for H&R Block and regional Sales manager with Masco/Home Depot.

Today, Patrick, a longtime native resident of the North Bay Area, currently lives in Occidental, CA with his wife Tracy. When he is not at work, he enjoys composing and recording music, as well as hiking the coastal outdoors of West Sonoma/Marin Counties and visiting his three boys at each of the Universities they are attending.
Dear Shareholders

This is my first note to shareholders since we bought control of the company over a decade ago.

With all thats gone on recently and my understanding that there has been leaked confidential information from the special committee process, I thought Id proactively share my thoughts with you directly in the event confidential information is indeed leaked.

Ive made hundreds of investments in my life, but none with a business model I like better than Soho House.

Its hard to read that we arent profitable when our Houses are very profitable and create tremendous long-term value as an in-place network.

I feel the real focus should be on mature Houses that are in their second 5-year period of their growth curve, when the profitability and durability of the units really kicks into gear.

With approximately half our Houses still less than five years old, we have substantial embedded value that will grow as those Houses mature, even before adding a single new House.

Our post five-year Houses contribute on average 35% plus House-Level margin, with some of our oldest Houses well above that, making the network more valuable with time. This a unique and really compelling feature of the business model.

Public companies always have a tug of war over short term vs. long term profits. Id again emphasize that this (to me) should be about value creation more than anything.

Today Soho House is a public company. The Board and its affiliates alone controls approximately 75% of the stock, there arent many shares in the publics hands.

We have bought back so much of the small float that at todays stock price the company can almost go private without any of us writing a check.

When we went public I believed the market would reward growth, but it seemed to quickly switch to rewarding free cash flow and profit over our top-line growth.

So at this point in time we have all the costs of being a public company with few benefits.

The recent negative write up caused the company to have an outside audit firm be hired by an independent law firm.

Its expensive to be a public company, this year it will be even more for a forensic audit that confirmed there are absolutely no issues and took critical management time away from the business.

Its important to note that this wasnt anyone with knowledge of some non-public fact.

On top of all this, management already spends a huge amount of time on public company issues that could be better spent growing and managing the business.

Ive debated for some time whether Soho House should be a public company.

To be honest the biggest argument I have with myself (its not solely my decision and many other opinions matter) is that Ive never had shareholders lose money with me from an IPO of a company I control.

My personal belief in the value being created at Soho House is so strong that Id rather just be patient, but my investing style shouldnt be imposed onto others.

Over time weve had inquiries about taking the company private. As we reported, the Board formed a special committee to review any transaction that would require me to be part of the future of the company.

To be clear, I want to and intend to be an owner for the long haul, but at this time Im not part of a group and havent made a bid (although Im not prohibited).

We were shocked Friday when it came to my attention that certain information from the special committee process had been leaked. Neither the broader Board nor management have been part of the special committee process, making this potential leak particularly concerning to us, and warranted this statement.

To be clear, Im not part of any bid at this time, but any proposal that may be on the table requires me to roll my shares. Hence the current need for a special committee.

In laymans terms, the process is that the independent special committee is advised by their bankers and lawyers as to the appropriateness and the fairness of any proposal. Then I have to agree to contribute my shares at that value. Then the independent Board votes and then the minority shareholders vote, requiring a majority of the minority.

In summary there are a lot of checks and balances.

There has always been a lot of investor interest in Soho House, and now is no exception. It is one-of-a-kind. Its not a hotel company and its not a food and beverage company. Its a membership company with a lot of demand and very low attrition (which provides a large and growing base of recurring revenues in the multiple hundreds of millions).

The public market doesnt seem to understand or fully appreciate the value of Soho House, and the interest from the special committee process has shown private buyers may be willing to step-up and close the gap. However, its not for me to opine on the fairness or the appropriate value of the companys stock, especially if I am not intending to be a seller.

In closing, given the mere potential of leaked information involving the special committee process, I wanted to go the extra step to share with you directly how I see the Company, any proposal and the process.

Sincerely,

Ron Burkle

Executive Chairman of the Board, Soho House & Co Inc.

About Membership Collective Group Inc.

Soho House & Co Inc. is a global membership platform of physical and digital spaces that connects a vibrant, diverse, and international group of members. These members use the Soho House & Co platform to work, socialize, connect, create, and flourish all over the world. We began with the opening of the first Soho House in 1995 and remain the only company to have scaled a private membership network with a global presence. Members around the world engage with Soho House & Co through our international collection of 41 Soho Houses, 9 Soho Works, The Ned in London, New York, and Doha, Scorpios Beach Club in Mykonos, Soho Home  our homeware and interior design brand  Soho Skin - our skincare brand and our digital channels. The LINE and Saguaro hotels in North America also form part of Soho House & Cos broader portfolio.
Latest search and destination insights for June-August 2024 from Skyscanner Travel Insight Data

Analysis of booking windows, top and trending destinations across EMEA, AMER and APAC

LONDON - Global travel leader Skyscanner, today released its latest Horizons report, highlighting insights into booking windows, destination choices, and trending destinations across the EMEA, AMER and APAC regions.

The analysis is based on Skyscanners proprietary forward-looking Travel Insight data, comparing traveller behaviour and search trends year-on-year.

Read the full report HERE.

Our latest Horizon insights reveal a travel landscape that is both familiar and evolving. While traditional seasonality is returning and popular destinations remain in demand, travellers are also seeking value and exploring options closer-to-home. Across Skyscanners platforms we have seen incredible demand at the start of the year, and we expect this to continue as we head into the summer, especially in regions such as Europe, North America and North Asia. Zeynep Mutlu Bigal, Head of Destination Partnerships

Booking windows reflect confidence to plan ahead

Across the board, travellers are planning further ahead compared to the previous year, marking a return to traditional seasonality in 2024.

EMEA: Travellers in EMEA are exhibiting strong confidence, with increases in trips booked further in advance (greater share of 60-89 day and 90+ day booking windows).

AMER: Increases in the share of longest booking window (90+ days), now making up a third up of demand.

APAC: A greater distribution of booking windows compared to other regions but an overall increase in bookings over 30 days (including a 2% jump in the 90+ day segment).

Destination choices highlight regional preferences

EMEA: A significant 53% of EMEA travellers are opting to explore Europe, marking a 4% increase from the previous year. Southeast Asia also sees a rise in popularity, suggesting a trend towards both proximity and affordability.

AMER: With a diverse destination mix, AMER travellers are showing a growing interest in South America and North Asia, alongside traditional favourites in Europe, indicating a shift towards new experiences and value in 2024.

APAC: APAC travellers are turning their focus towards intra-regional destinations, with a notable decrease in trips to Europe compared to last year. This reflects a preference for shorter, more budget-friendly vacations.

Shorter trip lengths to top destinations

Across all regions, average trip lengths are slightly down or flat year-on-year for the majority of popular destinations.

EMEA: Spanish and Greek destinations dominate the most popular destinations searched on Skyscanner, with Bangkok, New York City and Sydney also popular for long-haul travel.

AMER: Global destinations are most searched for, with "Everywhere" topping the list, followed by Tokyo and European capitals. San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina and Orlando, Florida are also popular choices within the region.

APAC: Well-known European and US destinations are most popular, with Athens experiencing the biggest increase in trip length. "Everywhere" also ranks highly, and Tokyo is the only destination with a single-digit trip length.

Trending destinations

Destinations with the biggest year-on-year increases in search volumes reflect a mix of wanting to explore new places, as well as those with new route connections.

EMEA: Victoria, Canada; Marmagao, India; Panama City; Bol, Croatia; Pristina, Kosovo; and Lampedusa, Italy are all experiencing significant search volume growth with EMEA travellers

AMER: For AMERs travellers, San Carlos de Bariloche, Tokyo, Madrid and Orlando are trending alongside Medellin, Colombia; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Ushuaia, Argentina; Porto Seguro, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Tunis, Tunisia.

APAC: New Delhi, India and Shanghai, China are experiencing the biggest growth amongst APAC travellers, while Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Dubrovnik, Croatia; and Victoria, Canada are also trending. Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia is the only trending destination with an increase in average trip length.

At the start of 2024, Skyscanner saw record travel demand, outperforming the global flights market and was the fastest growing metasearch in 2023.*

Skyscanner continues to be a strategic partner for some of the biggest brands, airlines and DMOs in the world; working with companies from across the travel ecosystem including DMOs like Visit California to promote destinations, powering the next generation of AI travel tools such as Bing Chat and Layla, as well as helping airlines promote their unique offers via NDC and launch new routes based on data intelligence.

*Between the end of 2023 and the start of 2024, Skyscanner outperformed the global flights market, recording +16% growth in visitors compared to the wider markets +3%. SimilarWeb data based on global flight sessions of tracked brands between 29th Dec -4th Jan. Analysis includes 272 tracked brands and 34 markets. Full list of markets and brands tracked available on request.

Methodology: Skyscanner Travel Insight data; flight redirects and flight searches from 01/01/24-31/01/24 departing 01/06/24-31/08/24 and compared to the equivalent period in 2023. Analysed between 12/02/24 and 16/02/24.

About Skyscanner Partners

Skyscanner is a global leader in travel connecting over 100m users in 180 markets and 30+ languages to more than 1200 flight, hotel and car hire partners every month.

Skyscanner's global audience provides unrivalled reach into geographies and deep insight into traveller search and redirect behaviour in almost every market. Skyscanner's app, desktop and mweb metasearch platforms offer next generation, best-in-class brand and performance capabilities to deliver on partners strategic priorities. Skyscanner is using the latest technology to build dynamic distribution and advertising solutions to connect businesses with highly qualified audiences, using real-time, actionable intelligence.

Founded in Edinburgh in 2003, Skyscanner has offices worldwide, in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. Skyscanner is committed to helping shape a more responsible future for travel in collaboration with our partners, so that every traveller can explore our world effortlessly for generations come.

For more information visit: https://www.partners.skyscanner.net/.

Skyscanner Limited. Registered in England & Wales (Company No. 04217916). Registered Office: Level 5, Ilona Rose House, Manette Street, London W1D 4AL. Skyscanner Private Limited. Registered in Singapore (Registration No. 201317279D). Registered Office: 30 Raffles Place, #28-02, 30 Raffles Place, Singapore 048622.

Matt Bradford

Senior Communications Manager

+44 785 066 5563

Skyscanner Ltd

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Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is celebrating a major milestone for its award-winning Women Own the RoomSM initiative, surpassing 15 hotel openings and more than 50 signings in just over 24 months.

The first-of-its-kind offeringwhich has seen its network of current and prospective women hotel owners climb to more than 550leverages Wyndham's scale and influence to break down the unique barriers women face on the path to hotel ownership. According to data from U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Castell Project, while women make up nearly 60% of the work force in hospitality, they hold only one leadership spot for every 10 men.

For decades, the hotel industry has been complacent in allowing women to remain on the sidelines of hotel ownership and in turn, has missed out on the opportunity to strengthen itself through greater diversity. Women Own the Room and the subsequent programs it has inspired throughout the industry are finally changing the narrative and Wyndham is proud to lead the way. Galen Barrett, VP, Strategic Franchise Initiatives, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Breaking Down Barriers

From offering comprehensive financial solutions, personalized operational support and a community that promotes networking and education, Women Own the Room was specifically curated and continues to evolve to meet the needs of women in the industryand the strategy is working.

Inspired by her mother, who grew her own business of owning rental properties, film and television producer Christina Lambert (one of the program's founding members), joined the hotel industry in 2020 after a successful career in the arts. Lambert, along with her mother, decided to purchase two hotels in Loveland, Co., one of which required a sizeable loan to complete the transaction. After being rejected by multiple lenders, one finally said yes.

Shortly thereafter, Lambert joined forces with Wyndhama decision driven by Wyndham's ability to offer one-on-one renovation support (including key money), combined with its commitment to championing diverse ownership through Women Own the Room. Today, her hotelsa 50-room Travelodge by Wyndham and 49-room Baymont by Wyndhamare flourishing and outperforming their competitive sets. Revenues for the Travelodge are up more than 29% over the last two years, while the Baymont, which she converted from a competitor brand in 2021, is up more than 26% year-over-year.

Wyndham has played a pivotal role in my success as a first-time hotelier, which I credit not just to the accessibility and responsiveness of leadership, but their willingness to work with me on an individual basis to help my hotels thrive. Through Women Own the Room, Wyndham is actively investing in women and in doing so, they're changing the face of the hotel industry. Christina Lambert, Wyndham Franchisee and Member of Women Own the Room

The Wyndham Advantage

In addition to the unique benefits offered by Women Own the Room, Wyndham franchisees benefit from the Wyndham Advantagea combination of world-class marketing, distribution and other resources designed to put owners on the path to success. Inclusive of more than $275 million in innovative technology investments over the past five years, owners have access to best-in-class technology from industry-leading providers, including next-gen property and revenue management systems, as well as a growing member base of more than 106 million enrolled Wyndham Rewards members globally.

Wyndham Rewards is the number one hotel rewards program as named by both USA Today and U.S. New and World Report with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals. Members make up nearly half of all U.S. check-ins and on average, spend nearly twice as much as non-members.

Since first launching in early 2022, Women Own the Room has led to the signing of more than 50 hotels, representing over 4,000 rooms, across the U.S. and Canada. Today, 16 hotels are open spanning brands like Days Inn, Baymont, Wyndham and Trademark across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Georgia, Virginia and more. Approximately 5 to 10 additional hotels are anticipated to open over the next 12 months. For more information on Women Own the Room, including franchising opportunities, visit www.womenowntheroombywyndham.com.
La Dolce Vita Orient Express Train

La Dolce Vita Orient Express Train

La Dolce Vita Orient Express Train

La Dolce Vita Orient Express Train

La Dolce Vita Orient Express Train

La Dolce Vita Orient Express announces today that sales will officially open this April, marking an important milestone for an unparalleled travel experience in one of the world's most cherished destinations: Italy.

The opening dates were shared at this year's DUCO Travel Summit in Milan, Italy - complete with the unveiling of the mock-up cabin of the long-awaited train and introducing Samy Ghachem, the newly appointed General Manager of La Dolce Vita Orient Express.

This moment follows a successful pre-sales period initiated in December 2022, during which an impressive 400 cabins have already been pre-booked. La Dolce Vita Orient Express marks the first Orient Express experience tailor-made alongside hospitality partner Arsenale and with the support of Trenitalia Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato and Fondazione Fs e Treni Turistici Italiani, inviting those with a taste and passion for extraordinary travel to partake in an iconic OMade in Italy' journey.

A dedication to life, freedom, indulgence, and pleasure, La Dolce Vita Orient Express invites travelers to immerse themselves in the spirit of the 1960s while exploring the wonders of Italy from the comfort of its cabins and suites. With nine iconic journeys, each promising a blend of luxury, culture, and history, La Dolce Vita guarantees an unforgettable adventure, with its first departures taking place in the Spring of 2025.

The train pays tribute to the years of La Dolce Vita, a fantastic period of history, to the artistic and cultural fervour of Italy in the 1960s. The exceptional experience combines the Italian way of life with the contemporary spirit of travel. The trains sumptuous essence will live through its 12 deluxe cabins, 18 suites, a "La Dolce Vita" suite and a restaurant, lounge, and bar, all boldly celebrating the art, design, and creativity of the 1960s and 1970s.

Travelers can choose from 9 captivating itineraries (season depending), each unlocking the joys of Italian regions. On the agenda:

The thrilling Coast to coast, Venezia e Portofino; The enchanting Bella Italia, Venezia e Siena; The adventurous Matera e Palena OLa Transiberiana Italiana'; The scenic Montalcino, OViaggio tra i vini Italiani'; The tantalizing Monferrato OVino e Tartufo'; The sun-soaked Sud Italia  Maratea e Palermo; The coastal exploration from Palermo to Roma, OAlla scoperta della costa Tirrenica; The awe-inspiring OLe meraviglie della Sicilia'; Or, OLe meravigle della Sicilia e del Mediterraneo'.



Each itinerary is a tapestry of delights, promising a voyage as captivating and vibrant as Italy itself.

In collaboration with the best international chefs and sommeliers, travellers will enjoy 5-star service on board, discovering the treasures and excellence of the "Made in Italy" way, savouring its gastronomy and the finest Italian wines. At Rome Ostiense station, the La Dolce Vita lounge will welcome passengers to indulge in a relaxing pre-boarding experience, setting the perfect tone to prepare travellers for their extraordinary journey.

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Gilda Perez-Alvarado, CEO Orient Express states: "We are thrilled to officially open the doors to a new era of travel with La Dolce Vita Orient Express. This endeavour embodies the essence of exquisite exploration, where sophistication meets adventure. As we embark on this journey together, we invite travellers to experience the pinnacle of elegance and excitement, immersed in the charm and splendour of Italy."

Paolo Barletta CEO Arsenale Group expresses: "Today marks a concrete step towards the realization of a dream for many, but also the beginning of a new Italian frontier in the luxury market. We have created a new market segment: Rail cruises, and the response from pre-bookings has already signaled the success of this initiative. Italy can once again play a leading role, not only nationally but also internationally in the world of tourism, increasingly intercepting high-end tourism and creating a winning model. That's why we have decided to invest in a unique product capable of creating the conditions to welcome millions of travelers in a new, entirely Italian form of slow, sustainable, and luxury tourism.

Pricing is tailored to travel preferences and departure date. Starting prices referring to a one-night itinerary are U3,500 per person in a deluxe cabin and U4,700 per person in a suite.

As of April 2nd 2024, guests may contact our reservations center at one of the following contact numbers : France : +33 (1)8 72 12 940, United Kingdom : +44 20 30 24 49 49, Italy : +39 0 28 14803 33, United States & Canada : +1 833 661 3080. For all other countries: +44 20 30 24 49 49 or +1 833 661 3080.
Source Skyscanner

Improved air connectivity and seat capacity are helping to make travel easier, both regionally and internationally, as airlines respond to traveller demand. Plus, interest in Asia-Pacific destinations is continuing to accelerate from its popularity surge last year.

Most popular destinations for EMEA travellers

EMEA travellers are looking for summer sun

Spanish and Greek destinations make up six of the top 10 global list for travellers across EMEA in 2024, with an average trip lengths of around six to eight days, indicating a desire to holiday in Europe.

Bangkok is the highest ranked long-haul destination, with New York City and Sydney also making the top 10, with average trip lengths of between 11 and 15 days.

Everywhere remains very popular as travellers search for destination inspiration, coming to Skyscanner without a destination or specific dates in mind.

Across the board, average trip lengths are flat year-on-year for short-haul destinations, while for long haul theyre down by one to two days overall.

Top trending destinations for EMEA travellers

Its all about long-haul holidays

Rapidly rising destinations for EMEA travellers include a mix of long-haul beach and city spots, plus lesser-known places in Europe.

Victoria, the capital of Canadas British Columbia, and Marmagao, in Indias southern state of Goa, have accelerated in interest by over 1,600% compared to the same period last year, with Panama City growing by over 1,300%. All have an average trip length of around two weeks.

Three European destinations make up the top 10: Bol, on the Croatian island of Brac; the Kosovan capital of Pristana; and Lampedusa, the largest of the Italian Pelagie Islands. A littler closer to home, all have an average trip length of seven to 12 days.

Average trip lengths are down for each destination, except for La Romana in the Dominican Republic and Pristina, where theyve stayed the same, and Tulum, Mexico, which sees a slight increase to 10 days.

Most popular destinations for AMER travellers

Theyre casting their nets far and searching worldwide

Global cities make up AMER travellers most searched-for summer destinations in 2024, with five continents making the top 10.

Everywhere tops the list, followed by Tokyo. European capital cities such as Rome, Madrid, Paris and Athens are all popular, with an average trip length of 12 to 15 days.

Within the region, San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina and Orlando, Florida claim the fourth and fifth spots, with shorter trip lengths of seven and nine days respectively.

Asian destinations include Manila and Bangkok. Unsurprisingly, they boast longer trip lengths of around 20 days and 15 days respectively. Across the board, however, average trip lengths have declined from 2023.

Read the full report Regional Travel Outlook 2024 here.
Rendering of the W Sanya Hotel

Marriott International, Inc. recently announced it has signed an agreement with Hainan Qianrui Industrial Development Co., Ltd. to bring the W Hotels brand to Sanya, the popular tourist hub located on China's southerly island province of Haina.

Marriott International, Inc. recently announced it has signed an agreement with Hainan Qianrui Industrial Development Co., Ltd. to bring the W Hotels brand to Sanya, the popular tourist hub located on Chinas southerly island province of Hainan. Located in Sanya Bay, W Sanya is slated to open in the second quarter of 2028. With its bold, detail-driven design, elevated service, and engaging always-on programming, the hotel is poised to become a new symbol of luxury hospitality in Sanya.

"We are thrilled to be working with Hainan Qianrui Industrial Development Co., Ltd. to bring W Hotels to Sanya, Hainan, inviting guests to indulge in the modern charm of the tropical coastal city through a distinct lens of luxury," said Gavin Yu, Chief Development Officer, Greater China, Marriott International. "We look forward to continuing to expand our luxury portfolio in Greater China in line with our 'Brand + Destination' development strategy and align W Hotels with complementary destinations to cater to the ever-evolving luxury global traveler.

Nestled on the southern coast of Hainan province, Sanya is known as the "Hawaii of the East" for its tropical flair and picturesque scenery. With its crystal blue waters and lush coconut groves, Sanya Bay is an outstanding option for a getaway, with visitors able to enjoy the seaside retreat and embrace local culture and traditions. Conveniently located only four kilometers from Sanya Phoenix International Airport, W Sanya is adjacent to renowned landmarks and attractions such as Tianya Haijiao, Dadonghai Beach, and Phoenix Island, creating a highly sought-after destination for guests.

Designed by WATG, a well-known architectural firm from Singapore, W Sanya is an avant-garde 15-storey building that boasts a remarkable and sprawling rooftop terrace. With its interior design led by internationally acclaimed design firm Yabu Pushelberg, the hotel is expected to offer 260 stylishly appointed guest rooms and suites, with over half of the rooms featuring uninterrupted ocean views. Guests can also enjoy a refreshing dip in the outdoor infinity pool against a stunning skyline backdrop. The hotel is also slated to feature four signature restaurants and bars, inviting guests to savor Sanya's diverse culinary offerings. Design plans for the property include signature facilities such as the WET deck and swimming pool, FIT fitness center, and AWAY Spa, that will provide guests with rejuvenating and revitalizing experiences, ensuring their energy remains balanced for their next big adventure. The hotel is also set to offer comprehensive venues and facilities for conferences and events, with 1,533 square meters of multi-functional space to meet a broad range of event needs. W Sanya will create an inviting space for guests with a dynamic design, exceptional culinary options, and immersive experiences.

"We are excited to work with Marriott International on this landmark project," said Mr. Liu Wenjun, Chairman of Hainan Qianrui Industrial Development Co., Ltd. "W Hotels is one of the world's iconic hospitality lifestyle brands. This collaboration is set to breathe new life into Sanya, redefining the innovative luxury experience catering to both visitors and local residents alike."

Marriott International now operates nearly 70 luxury hotels in Greater China, six of which are in Hainan. The unveiling of W Sanya will further cement the companys growing luxury footprint in southern China.
ArtHaus Jack London

Riaz Capital's transformation of the Z hotel into ArtHaus Jack London preserves a slice of history while providing entry-level housing for Oakland residents

Converting existing buildings into multifamily housing can be a significant step in alleviating California's housing crisis. In one prominent example, Riaz Capital's newly completed multifamily project, ArtHaus Jack London, has been refashioned from the former Z-Hotel, an Oakland icon. This stylish 130 residence project makes entry-level housing more affordable for city residents, while preserving a slice of history in Oakland's Jack London Square.

Riaz Capital is a Bay Area based development and asset management company operating in the Bay Area for over 4 decades whose roots go deep in value-add and adaptive-reuse multifamily projects. ArtHaus Jack London is Riaz Capital's third successful large-scale adaptive reuse project. Previously, the company converted a Spanish-revival style church into the Rose on Bond, creating 60 modern residences while maintaining the building's aesthetic, and transformed an unused warehouse into ArtHaus Studios, a vibrant community of over 100 small businesses, local makers, and artists.

ArtHaus Jack London is the product of a meticulously planned transformation of Oakland's iconic Z Hotel. It takes inspiration from the Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs, whose color palette is derived from the flora of the Mojave Desert. Reimagined into 128 chic studios, two 1-bedroom apartments, and a central courtyard featuring a resort-style pool surrounded by palm trees, ArtHaus Jack London seamlessly infuses the Palm Springs-inspired design elements while establishing its own identity within the vibrant community surrounding it. Riaz Capital's Design & Entitlement Vice President Lisa Vilhauer strategically utilized color to accentuate the architectural features of the building.

Art is the design ethos of ArtHaus Jack London. The Riaz Capital Arts Program offered the building as a canvas to the community. The first artistic element involves a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Maika, an 11-year-old artist bravely facing severe aplastic anemia, created a stunning public mural with a powerful message for every passerby. Support for the project came from muralist Hueman, renowned for creating the Warriors jersey, a Nike shoe for the Olympics, and ArtHaus Studios, gave her support to the project.

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Fernanda Martinez

Darin Balaban

Stevie Howell

The second artistic element is the entire exterior mural, a captivating masterpiece skillfully crafted by, an esteemed Oakland artist. Joining Martinez as contributors to this visual feast were talented artistsand, each adding their unique touch to the collective celebration of art. Riaz Capital founder Riaz Taplin lauded the murals, saying, "We are proud to support initiatives that not only beautify our surroundings but also serve as a source of inspiration for all who encounter them."

While art was our design ethos, California's density bonus legislation helped us make our adaptive reuse vision a reality. The California Density Bonus law is a powerful tool that allows developers to increase the number of units in a project as long as a portion of the building is designated for accessibly priced housing. This law enabled us to increase the ArtHaus Jack London unit count from 102 hotel rooms to 130 entry-level apartments. Riaz Taplin emphasized the importance of the California Density Bonus Legislation in the development process "This legislation empowers developers to contribute to the social fabric of our communities by addressing the housing challenges in our state. ArtHaus Jack London stands as a testament to the positive impact coherent policy can have in creating more housing."

ArtHaus Jack London is a unique new addition to the Oakland cityscape and represents the grit and determination of the city. The project also highlights how good public policy, like the State Density Bonus law, can help California meet the housing needs of its workers.
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Will & Grace star Debra Messing and Hostel director Eli Roth are among the 450 Jewish creatives and Hollywood executives who have signed an open letter denouncing director Jonathan Glazer for the speech he gave at this years Oscars.

Glazer was accepting the Oscar for Best International Film for The Zone of Interest, his movie about an Auschwitz commandant and his wife who try to build a dream life next to the camp.

Our film shows where dehumanisation leads at its worst, Glazer said. Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation, which has led to conflict for so many innocent people  whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza  all the victims of this dehumanisation  how do we resist?

Now, his speech has been criticised in a statement signed by a wide variety of Jewish people working in Hollywood, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, Venom producer Amy Pascal and actor Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Their statement reads in full:

We are Jewish creatives, executives and Hollywood professionals.

We refute our Jewishness being hijacked for the purpose of drawing a moral equivalence between a Nazi regime that sought to exterminate a race of people, and an Israeli nation that seeks to avert its own extermination.

Jonathan Glazer holding his Oscar for Best International Film for The Zone of Interest (AFP via Getty Images)

Every civilian death in Gaza is tragic. But Israel is not targeting civilians. It is targeting Hamas. The moment Hamas releases the hostages and surrenders is the moment this heartbreaking war ends. This has been true since the Hamas attacks of October 7th.

The use of words like occupation to describe an indigenous Jewish people defending a homeland that dates back thousands of years, and has been recognized as a state by the United Nations, distorts history.

It gives credence to the modern blood libel that fuels a growing anti-Jewish hatred around the world, in the United States, and in Hollywood. The current climate of growing antisemitism only underscores the need for the Jewish State of Israel, a place which will always take us in, as no state did during the Holocaust depicted in Mr. Glazers film.

Last week Glazers speech was also condemned by The Holocaust Survivors Foundation USA, which called it morally indefensible and disgraceful.

In an open letter posted on the foundations website, the groups 94-year-old president, David Schaecter, wrote: I watched in anguish Sunday night when I heard you use the platform of the Oscars ceremony [to] equate Hamass maniacal brutality against innocent Israelis with Israels difficult but necessary self-defense in the face of Hamass ongoing barbarity.

Others have spoken out in support of Glazer, with the Israeli military veterans organisation Breaking the Silence saying in a statement on X/Twitter: [Glazer] took an unequivocal stance against the cynical utilisation of Judaism and the Holocaust in the name of justifying the occupation  we refuse to accept the ease with which the blood and lives of civilians is used as a justification for political ideologies, or as a bargaining chip. Empathy is not a zero-sum game.

In a five-star review of The Zone of Interest, The Independents chief film critic Clarisse Loughrey wrote that the film issues a warning from just outside the walls of Auschwitz, spreading its soul-sickness across each frame.
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Gillian Anderson has said it was scary to play former BBC journalist Emily Maitlis in a new film about Prince Andrews car-crash Newsnight interview.

In a new interview, Anderson, 55, said she was so daunted to play Maitlis, 53, that she initially turned down the role in the new Netflix drama called Scoop.

It was just too scary to play Emily Maitlis, because shes still living, because shes so formidable, because people know her so well, the Sex Education star told the BBC.

She eventually realised that it might be a good challenge and that she should take the role.

I thought I probably do have to do it because Im so scared of it, she said.

Prince Andrew appeared on the BBC news programme to talk about the scandal surrounding his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The interview, conducted by Maitlis, was widely regarded as a PR disaster and Andrew was widely mocked following its transmission.

In it, Prince Andrew denied claims he had sex with Virginia Giuffre, who would have been 17 at the time. He said he could not have had sex with Giuffre in London on 10 March 2001 as alleged, because he had taken his daughter to a birthday party at a Pizza Express chain restaurant in Woking, Surrey.

Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis in Scoop, alongside Maitlis during the Newsnight interview (Netflix / Channel 4)

Giuffre also claimed they attended Tramp nightclub together and recalled Prince Andrew being sweaty as they danced. But he said it could not have been him as he was unable to sweat at the time as a result of trauma caused by serving in the Falklands War.

Netflixs Scoop is based on the book Scoops: Behind the Scenes of the BBCs Most Shocking Interviews by former Newsnight producer Sam McAlister.

The films synopsis says it shows the inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade.

Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis in Scoop (PA)

Scoop also stars I Hate Suzies Billie Piper as McAlister, Bodyguard actor Keeley Hawes as Prince Andrews former private secretary, and Atonement actor Romola Garai as Esme Wren, who led Newsnight at the time of the interview.

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Referring to Maitlis, Anderson said she thinks the journalist is amazing.

Ive since met her and behaved with her as if I knew her. As if we were best friends."

She said she bumped into Maitlis at a charity event at Bafta headquarters last year.

The hilarious part of it was that I had come to this charity event not having prepared at all and was really dishevelled.

And she showed up as Emily Maitlis, who looks like a movie star and was tanned, short white skirt and everything. I look like her great aunt in the pictures.

Scoop will be released on Netflix on 5 April.
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Alex Proyas, the director of 1994 movie The Crow, has criticised its remake in a new post on social media.

The original supernatural drama starring Brandon Lee, the only son of actor Bruce Lee, saw his character Eric Draven resurrected as an anti-hero to avenge his murder and that of his fiancee.

Lee was 28 years old when he died in a tragic accident on the set of the movie. During filming for a scene in 1993, co-star Michael Masee shot the actor with a prop gun.

A firearm malfunction led to Lee being wounded by a bullet fragment, and he eventually died from the injury during surgery.

Proyas cited Lees on-set death as a reason for leaving the film alone, saying it was Lees legacy.

The new movie is directed by Rupert Sanders, also known for Snow White and Ghost in the Shell, and stars It actor Bill Skarsgard.

The I, Robot director shared his thoughts on the remake with a link to a CBR article, which reported that the trailer for the new movie had received a staggering number of dislikes on YouTube within the first day of its release.

The Crow is not just a movie, Proyas wrote. Brandon Lee died making it, and it was finished as a testament to his lost brilliance and tragic loss. It is his legacy. Thats how it should remain.

Director Alex Proyas said the movie was a testament to Lee and his legacy (Getty Images)

I really dont get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow [filmmakers] work, he wrote.

And Im certain the cast and crew really had all good intentions, as we all do on any film. So it pains me to say any more on this topic, but I think the [fans] response speaks volumes.

Brandon Lee died on the set of the movie in 1993 (Channel 4/Lionsgate)

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Sanders acknowledged the sensitivity around the remake and said he had kept Lees death in mind throughout the films creation.

Obviously, it was a terrible tragedy, and its definitely something that weve always had in mind through the making of the film, he said. Brandon was an original voice and I think he will always be synonymous with The Crow. I hope hes proud of what weve done and how weve brought the story back again. His soul is very much alive in this film.

The Crow will be released in the US on 7 June this year, with a date for the UK yet to be announced.
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French-Vietnamese serial killer Charles Sobhraj is being interviewed in a new Channel 4 documentary, The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer, starting tonight (19 March).

The documentary comes three years after a BBC drama about his crimes, The Serpent. Sobhraj was nicknamed after the snake due to his ability to deceive the authorities and slither out of the laws clutches.

Sobhraj is believed to have killed at least 12 young backpackers on the hippie trail in south-east Asia in the 1970s. They were poisoned, strangled, drowned, stabbed and, in some cases, burned alive.

He lured in his victims by introducing himself as a gem dealer and promising people shelter, drugs, connections and parties.

Sobhraj evaded capture for so long that he became Interpols most-wanted man, and he was eventually caught in 1976 months after his killing spree began, thanks to a dogged investigation by Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg.

At a party in New Delhi, Sobhraj attempted to drug 22 members of a French tour party. Some of the group managed to stay awake and alerted the authorities. Sobhraj was jailed for 12 years, initially for the manslaughter of two tourists.

A decade later, Sobhraj drugged the Indian prison guards and managed to escape for a month before being recaptured. He was jailed for another 10 years.

Sobhraj in 2014 (AFP via Getty Images)

After he was released in 1997, he became a shameless media star, charging journalists for interviews. As recently as 2014, GQ magazine ran an interview with Sobhraj, calling the killer funny, enigmatic, absurd and engaging.

In 2003, Sobhraj made the strange decision to travel to Nepal, one of the few countries where he could still be arrested.

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He was soon spotted and sentenced to life imprisonment in a Nepalese jail. He was released in 2022 after 19 years.

In the new three-part documentary series, two former Metropolitan police detectives and a leading forensic psychologist explore Sobhrajs childhood and motivation. The opening episode charts the scams and robberies of his early life, then starts to re-examine what is thought to be his first killing.
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Ewan McGregor has praised having an intimacy coordinator on set for sex scenes with his wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

The Scottish actor, 52, will soon star in the Paramount Plus drama A Gentleman in Moscow with Winstead, whom he married in 2022.

In the series, the characters played by the actors have an intimate moment.

Despite McGregor and Winsteads familiarity with one another, there was still an intimacy coordinator on set to oversee the exact workings of their scene  an inclusion that the Moulin Rouge star welcomed.

Its still necessary, because its also about the crew, and its odd to be naked in front of people, its odd to be intimate in front of the camera, McGregor told the Radio Times in a new interview.

If you were doing a dance scene, youd have a choreographer. Its an important part of the work now, because its somebody that the director and actors meet in the middle.

Intimacy coordinators have been an industry standard in recent years, following the uprising of the #MeToo movement in 2017. TV programmes such as Normal People (2020) were key in popularising the practice as a way of ensuring that all participating parties are comfortable during a potentially vulnerable moment.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ewan McGregor (Getty Images)

McGregor went on to note his appreciation for intimacy coordinators in relation to his daughter Esther, whom he shares with his first wife, French production designer Eve Mavrakis. With Esther also an actor, McGregor sees having someone in a position of authority while shooting intimate scenes as a form of protection.

My daughter [Esther] is 22. If an older, famous director goes to a 22-year-old and says, I want you to be naked in this scene, that actress might feel, Oh, my God, Ive got to do it, my career might depend on it, he explained.

And then five years after that, she could look back and go, I wish I hadnt. Why am I naked in that scene? Its unnecessary. Now theres somebody she talks to whose career doesnt rest on the shoulders of this person.

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Ewan McGregor and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Getty Images for Paramount+)

McGregor has previously shared his thoughts on filming sex scenes, and admitted as early as 2011 that he found them awkward to shoot.

Speaking during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, the actor said: I dont like them very much. They are awkward because it is a strange and bizarre thing to be doing. Its not a normal situation, I am 40 now, and the actresses get younger and younger.

McGregor and Winstead met while filming the FX series Fargo in 2016, in which they played mutual love interests.

McGregor ended his relationship with his first wife Mavrakis the following year, and married Winstead in 2022. They share a son, Laurie, born in 2021.
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There comes a time in every celebritys career when they must embark on a televised journey around a European country with someone they know from work. Its practically the light entertainers form of jury service. Last year, Strictly Come Dancing pros Anton du Beke and Giovanni Pernice got the call-up, and headed to the latters native Sicily during the Strictly off-season; now, Du Beke is returning the favour by taking Pernice on Adventures in Spain for BBC One (his mum hails from the north of the country).

Their jolly begins in Seville, where the pairs dynamic is quickly established in broad strokes. Pernice, 33, never misses an opportunity to crack a joke about his 57-year-old co-stars more advanced years (90 years old... almost your age, he deadpans as they visit the spectacular Plaza de Espana). Du Beke, meanwhile, takes a performatively head-shaking Oh, what is he like! attitude to his younger colleagues foibles, especially when Pernice makes a linguistic slip-up (hes left in stitches after the Italian confuses maracas with Caracas during a chat about flamenco dancing, which pretty much sums up their banter).

They do at least seem like genuinely good pals, even if the programme strains a little to paint them as the classic odd couple duo. Thanks to scenes showing the two friends singing in the car while driving (song choice: Y Viva Espana, obviously) and Du Bekes resemblance to Rob Brydon, the whole endeavour starts to feel a bit like The Trip with the jokes and plot taken out.

As our guides head on to the mountaintop city of Ronda (a recommendation from Du Bekes mum), the action is even lower stakes than the average celeb travelogue. There is an entire plot point devoted to Pernice drinking too much orange juice and needing the toilet, which makes an enjoyable contrast with his suave Strictly persona. Then we have a segment in which they get their car clamped and must negotiate with the parking inspector who is trying to give them a ticket.

By the time they reach the Caminito del Rey, the vertigo-inducing Malaga walkway once known as one of the most dangerous hikes in the world, there are more bladder updates (now its Du Beke that needs the loo). Pernice is not good with heights, and doesnt enjoy having to wear a hairnet underneath his helmet; walking so close to a precipitous drop induces a miniature meltdown (albeit a very polite one, less TV diva and more reluctant teenager who has been forced to do activities on a family holiday). My hair is a mess, Im sweating, I dont have my aftershave, he laments. Cue more paternal eyerolls from Du Beke.

Its inevitable, given this duos particular skill set, that the show also gives Pernice a chance to perform with a flamenco champion while Du Beke proudly looks on from the sidelines. And theres also a bit of a jump scare when the pair rather jarringly segue from having a totally normal chat into a song-and-dance performance of Together (Wherever We Go) from Gypsy (are they trying to soft-launch a Christmas album of musical covers, perhaps? Alfie Boe and Michael Ball, watch out).

Giovanni Pernice and Anton du Beke in Adventures in Spain (BBC/BBC Studios)

For all the jazz hands and quick steps, though, the shows best moment is one of its most banal. Sitting in the car, waiting for Pernice to return from the toilet, Du Beke scrolls through his phone. Look at that, Nick Knowles has got engaged again, he says, in the world-weary tones of someone whos been navigating the sleb circuit for decades. Its an intriguing glimpse of an off-duty Du Beke. Perhaps the next series should just feature fly-on-the-wall footage of him reacting to celebrity news. It might not be as telegenic, but itd certainly be cheaper.
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Hong Kong has passed a tough new national security law  the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown that was triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The law  fast-tracked through its final stage by the city's staunchly pro-China legislature in under two weeks  expands on an existing national security law imposed by Beijing four years ago. That law already criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces in Hong Kong  and has already largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub.

The new law, known as Article 23, threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions that authorities deem a threat to national security, with the most severe  including treason and insurrection  punishable by life imprisonment. Lesser offences, including the possession of seditious publications, could also lead to several years in jail. Some provisions allow criminal prosecutions for acts committed anywhere in the world.

Hong Kongs Legislative Council, which is packed with Beijing loyalists following an electoral overhaul, expedited the process. After the bill was unveiled on 8 March, a committee held daily meetings for a week, following an appeal by Hong Kong leader John Lee to push the law through at full speed. All 88 lawmakers and the Legislative Council president voted unanimously to enact the legislation, which will come into effect on 23 March.

Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, requires the city to enact a home-grown national security law. A previous attempt in 2003 sparked a massive street protest that drew half a million people and forced the legislation to be shelved. Such protests against the current bill were absent, largely due to the chilling effect of the existing security law.

Human rights groups have reacted with outrage. With this draconian legislation, the Hong Kong government has delivered another crushing blow to human rights in the city. The authorities have enacted this law in the blink of an eye, killing off any remaining shred of hope that public outcry could counter its most destructive elements," said Amnesty Internationals China director, Sarah Brooks.

Hong Kong secretary for security Chris Tang speaks during the second reading of the Basic Law Article 23 legislation (AP)

Above all, this is a devastating moment for the people of Hong Kong, hundreds of thousands of whom have previously marched through the streets to demonstrate against repressive laws, including an incarnation of this one in 2003. Today they lost another piece of their freedom; any act of peaceful protest is now more dangerous than ever, she added.

Amnesty called on nations such as the UK, and anyone else who carries influence when it comes to Hong Kong, not to neglect Hongkongers in their hour of need, but instead to ramp up pressure on the territorys authorities to respect human rights and repeal all laws that violate them.

In a sign of Beijings influence on the Hong Kong Legislative Council, its president, Andrew Leung, said he believed all legislators were honoured to have taken part in this historic mission.

He went on: I fully agree with what the chief executive said: the sooner the legislation is completed, the sooner national security will be safeguarded. Beijing had promised to preserve Hong Kongs legislative system and its peoples rights and freedoms for 50 years when the former British colony was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Hong Kongs political scene has changed dramatically since the massive 2019 street protests that challenged Chinas rule over the semi-autonomous territory and the imposition of Beijings National Security Law.

Many leading activists have been prosecuted, while others sought refuge abroad. Influential pro-democracy media such as Apple Daily and Stand News were shuttered.

The law builds on another imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing four years ago (AP)

The new law will empower authorities to use greater financial sanctions to punish people who have fled abroad, potentially preventing them from being hired, leasing property, or starting businesses. In 2023, police offered bounties of 1 million Hong Kong dollars (100,000) on more than a dozen activists living abroad, including former legislators Nathan Law and Ted Hui, whom they accuse of colluding with external forces to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China.

The crackdown has prompted an exodus of disillusioned young professionals and middle-class families to the US, Britain, Canada and Taiwan.

Officials in Hong Kong insist the new security law balances security with safeguarding rights and freedoms. The city government said it is needed to prevent a recurrence of the protests, and that it will only affect an extremely small minority of disloyal residents.

The measure targets espionage, disclosing state secrets, and colluding with external forces to commit illegal acts, among other activities. Its provisions include tougher penalties for people convicted of endangering national security by certain acts if theyre also found to be working with foreign governments or organisations to do so.

Those who damage public infrastructure with the intent to endanger national security could be jailed for 20 years, or, if they have colluded with external forces, for life. In 2019, protesters occupied Hong Kongs airport and vandalised railway stations.

Businesspeople and journalists have expressed fears that a broad law against the disclosure of state secrets and foreign interference will affect their day-to-day work.

Observers are watching closely to see if the authorities will extend enforcement to other professional sectors, and to examine its implications on liberties for Hong Kongers.

Associated Press
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Troubled property developer ChinaEvergrande Group says Beijings stock watchdog has fined it 4.2 billion yuan ($333.4 million) for allegedly falsifying its revenue, among other violations, as it conducts a deep clean of the troubled financial sector.

The company said in a release to mainland Chinese stock exchanges late Monday that its chairman, Hui Ka Yan, was fined 47 million yuan ($6.5 million) and banned from Chinas markets for life. Hui, also known as Xu Jiayin, was detained by authorities in September for suspected illegal crimes.

The notice cited a preliminary ruling by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, which recently got a new chief, Wu Qing, an industry veteran with a reputation for being tough on market misbehavior.

Evergrande is the world's most indebted property developer, with more than $300 billion in debts. It is among dozens of Chinese companies that have collapsed since 2020 under official pressure to rein in excessive borrowing that the ruling Communist Party views as a threat to the economy.

Regulators are striving to reassure investors after Chinese markets slumped in the past year, in tandem with the downturn in the property market. Even after regulators announced a raft of new policies to support the markets, pledging to root out insider trading and other abuses, the Shanghai Composite index is still 5.8% below its level a year earlier, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng has fallen 15.3%.

The fallout from the property crisis has also affected Chinas shadow banking industry  institutions that provide financial services similar to banks but operate outside of banking regulations.

A Chinese media report said police in Beijing had detained suspects, including senior executives, in a case related to asset management company Zhongzhi Enterprise Group. Caixing Global, a financial news outlet, said the investigation aims to recover investor losses.

Zhongzhi, a conglomerate that lent heavily to developers and operates trusts, insurance, leasing and other fund management businesses, declared it was insolvent and filed for liquidation in November.

A Hong Kong court ordered Evergrande into liquidation in late January after efforts to restructure its foreign debt failed.

Real estate helped fuel Chinas economic boom as families bought into one of the few potentially high-yielding assets available for investment. But developers borrowed heavily as they turned cities into forests of apartment and office towers, pushing total corporate, government and household debt to more than 300% of the country's annual economic output, unusually high for a middle-income country.

The government has stepped up support for the real estate industry, listing thousands of projects eligible for loans from state banks that stepping up to help contain the damage. Party leaders have emphasized that they want to ensure that families are able to obtain housing they have paid for.

The notice by Evergrande said regulators found it had overstated its revenue in 2019 by 214 billion yuan (nearly $30 billion), or about half. In 2020, they allege its revenue was overstated by nearly 80%, or 350 billion yuan ($48.6 billion).

The CSRC also suspects problems with bonds Evergrande issued, it said.

Hui, as chairman, was the person in charge who is directly responsible and at the same time serves as the actual controller of the organization and guidance, it said. The means were particularly bad and the circumstances were particularly serious.

It also named and fined other Evergrande executives that it said were responsible for the falsified reports and had behaved badly.
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India is gearing up for the world's biggest general election in which nearly a billion people will cast their votes over six weeks this summer to elect a prime minister and members of parliament.

Registered Indians would cast their votes in seven phases from 19 April to 1 June, the Election Commission of India announced on Saturday.

The 44-day-long electoral process, the second longest in independent India's history, would conclude with counting of the votes on 4 June.

Incumbent prime minister Narendra Modi is seeking a straight third term in office and faces little to no challenge from an alliance of opposition parties led by the Indian National Congress.

Almost 970 million Indians  471 million of them women  would cast their ballots to elect 543 members of the Lok Sabha or the more powerful lower house of parliament.

The 2024 general elections would be largely fought on the issues of unemployment, the countrys economic performance over the past decade, farmers, a controversial citizenship law, and the right-wing governments push for a Hindu-first nation.

Critics of the Modi administration have raised concerns about his re-election to power amid reports of rising targeted hate incidents against Muslims and other minorities in the country.

When is India's election?

Indians across 28 states and eight federal territories would vote in seven phases. The first phase of polling will take place on 19 April, the second on 26 April; third, fourth, fifth and sixth on 7, 13, 20, 25 May; and the final phase will be held on 1 June.

Every phase of the election will span a single day, during which numerous constituencies  encompassing a variety of states, bustling urban centres, and remote villages  will cast their ballots.

More than 2,400 political parties are expected to put up candidates for the general elections, which early opinion polls predict would be dominated by Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets supporters as he arrives for an election campaign rally (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Organising the general election in India has been a mammoth challenge, mostly due to the vast terrain, which stretches from the Himalayas in the north to the desert in the west and the coastal regions in the south.

The Election Commission, which oversees the polling, has to make sure there is a voting booth available within 2km of every voter. The poll body has already roped in 15 million government employees, many of them teachers and junior workers, who would have to travel by boat, foot or even horseback, if required.

But India takes immense pride in the arduous task, which Mr Modi described as the "biggest festival of democracy" in his election blitzkrieg.

It is an expensive process too. In 2019, political parties and candidates spent an estimated $8.7bn in their campaigns, according to Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

How will the election phases work?

While some states will cast their ballots in a day, voting elsewhere may take longer. Uttar Pradesh, the largest Indian state the size of Brazil with 200 million people, will vote on all seven days, along with West Bengal and Bihar in the east.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi speaks as he takes part in a 'Save Democracy' protest (EPA)

Elections in the western state of Maharashtra and the federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir would be conducted over five dates, while Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand would vote in four phases.

Voters in the Indian states of Sikkim, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh would simultaneously cast their ballots to elect members of state legislatures.

Muslim organisations in the southern state of Kerala have urged the poll body to not hold elections on Friday to avoid inconvenience to believers and disruption of prayers.

Why does voting take over six weeks?

The 2024 general elections would continue for over six weeks, making this year's election the second-longest in 75 years of independent India.

It took nearly four months to complete the vote in Indias first elections in 1951-1952, after it gained independence from British rule in 1947.

In 2019, voting took 39 days.

Mamata Banerjee, in a wheelchair days after an alleged attack, at a rally in Kolkata (AP)

The staggered polling allows the government to deploy tens of thousands of troops to prevent political violence and transport electoral officials and voting machines.

During the last general elections, a team of polling officers trekked over 480km for four days to a single voter in a hamlet in the remote state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China.

India also has the highest recorded polling station in the world, made possible by a team of officials who hiked to install a booth at 15,256ft in the Himalayas.

This year as well, polling stations would be installed in remote places, including one inside a wildlife sanctuary in Kerala and another in a shipping container in Gujarat, the Associated Press reported.

Will Modi win a rare third term?

Early opinion polls suggest the 73-year-old prime minister and his right-wing party are on the path to win a third term in power, riding the waves of a slew of socialist projects and a push towards a Hindu majoritarian society.

Mr Modi and the BJP had been in campaign mode for months before the polling dates were announced. He has been flying around the country almost every day, inaugurating new projects, making announcements, taking part in religious events and addressing public and private meetings.

Mr Modi in his speeches has been highlighting economic growth during his two terms which has resulted in India becoming the fastest-growing major economy in the world at present. A main talking point has also been the inauguration of a grand temple to Lord Ram (Hindu deity) on the site of a 16th century mosque destroyed by members of right-wing groups.

He has set a target of 370 seats for the BJP and 400-plus for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)  aiming for a four-decade-high number.

Who are the contenders?

Mr Modi's main opposition, the Congress party, has formed a 28-party alliance called INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) to jointly fight the BJP.
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Prime minister Rishi Sunaks four-month-old nephew has become a multimillionaire after receiving 22m worth of shares in a leading Indian tech firm as a gift from his billionaire grandfather.

NR Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys and father-in-law of Rishi Sunak, on Friday transferred a 0.04 per cent stake in the IT firm to his grandson Ekagrah Rohan Murthy, making the infant the firms youngest shareholder.

Mr Murthy became a grandfather for the third time after his son Rohan Murthy and Rohans wife Aparna Krishnan welcomed a baby boy in November last year. Rohan Murthy is the brother of Mr Sunaks wife, Akshata Murty.

Mr Sunak and his wife have two daughters, Krishna and Anoushka.

Ekagrah Murthy now owns 1.5 million company shares, transferred through an off-market transaction, according to a stock exchange filing.

Following the transfer, Narayana Murthys share in the software service provider firm dipped from 0.4 per cent to 0.36 per cent, totalling 15.1 million shares, reported The Economic Times.

The IT billionaire sparked a raging debate in India last year after he said young people needed to work for 70 hours a week to raise productivity.

Mr Murthy said during a YouTube interview that India needed highly determined, extremely disciplined and extremely hardworking youngsters.

Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Indian technology company Infosys, gestures as he speaks for a panel discussion held at the company headquarters at the Electronic City in Bangalore on 7 February 2019 (AFP via Getty)

He went on to say that young people should be ready to put in long hours at work  comments that led to a massive online backlash.

You know, this is exactly what the Germans and Japanese did after the Second World War, Mr Murthy told Mohandas Pai, the former CFO of Infosys, during the chat shared on YouTube.

Somehow our youth have the habit of taking not-so-desirable habits from the West and then not helping the country, Mr Murthy said. Indias work productivity is one of the lowest in the world.

He continued: We need to be disciplined and improve our work productivity. I think, unless we do that, what can the poor government do? And every government is as good as the culture of the people. And our culture has to change to that of highly determined, extremely disciplined and extremely hardworking people.

He said: Our youngsters must say  This is my country. I want to work 70 hours a week.

In many countries, the standard working week is typically 35 to 40 hours  nine hours per day for five days a week. In India, people in some sectors work six days a week.

At the time, though Mr Murthy received support from CEOs of several companies, many people took to social media to raise questions about salary, layoffs, workplace exploitation, and work-life balance.

Million-dollar question is  are companies ready to pay more for the extra hours taken from the life of employees? wrote one user on X. How their personal life, family life & social life will get affected by such schedules, need to be kept in mind before milking employees for growth of the company.
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Nvidia, the hardware company that makes the chips that power many of the worlds most popular AI products, has revealed what it says is the future of those processors.

The company unveiled a host of new artificial intelligence chips  including the most powerful processors made for AI ever.

The new releases are an attempt by Nvidia to hold onto its place as the market leader as the demand for hardware to power new AI tools grows.

Announcing its new Blackwell chips, which will be released later this year, Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang said they were dramatically faster and more powerful than its predecessor.

Previously, training a detailed AI model might have taken 8,000 of Nvidias Hopper GPUs, and 15 megawatts of power. Now it says it can do that with just 2,000 Blackwell chips and 4 megawatts.

Nvidias hardware is used by many of the biggest tech firms in the world  including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and Meta  to power their AI models.

Mr Huang said the new Blackwell chips were twice as powerful when it came to training AI models as its current generation chips, and were five times faster when it came to inference  the speed at which AI chatbots can respond to queries.

Mr Huang said the inference capability of Blackwell is off the charts.

Nvidia has become the key player in AI chips in recent years, particularly as generative AI tools such as ChatGPT have taken off, seeing the firms market value skyrocket as a result  reaching two trillion dollars last month.

It is currently the third-most valuable company in the world, behind only Microsoft and Apple.

The company also unveiled new software tools to make it easier for businesses to incorporate AI tools into their work, as well as a new line of chips aimed at getting chatbots into cars, and another range to help with the creation of humanoid robots, as Nvidia looks to diversify its offerings further.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Telecoms regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into an outage that stopped businesses being able to make 999 calls last year.

Business customers of Vonage, a subsidiary of Swedish telecoms Ericsson, saw their emergency call services disrupted in October and November 2023, the watchdog said.

Ofcom has today launched an investigation into cloud communications provider, Vonage, Ofcom said.

This follows an incident resulting in disruption for its business customers to emergency call services during October and November 2023.

Our rules require providers to take all necessary measures to ensure uninterrupted access to emergency organisations as part of any call services offered.

Providers must also take appropriate and proportionate measures to identify and reduce the risks of the availability, performance or functionality of their network or service being compromised.

The regulator added that providers need to take appropriate and proportionate measures to ensure there are not any adverse effects from such a compromise.

In the event there are negative effects, they should take steps to remedy or mitigate those effects, it said. And any compromise must be communicated to Ofcom as soon as reasonably practicable.

Our investigation will seek to establish the facts surrounding the incident and examine whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that Vonage has failed to comply with its regulatory obligations, Ofcom said.

It is not the first time Vonage has been investigated for similar problems. In 2018, it was fined 25,400 by Ofcom for failing to provide uninterrupted access to the emergency organisations.
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The cherry blossoms in Washington DC reached peak bloom at the weekend, around a week earlier than expected, with some experts saying it will only get earlier as global temperatures rise.

On Sunday, the National Parks Service excitedly announced that blossoms around the National Mall had reached their height.

PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! Did we say PEAK BLOOM?! The blossoms are opening & putting on a splendid spring spectacle. See you soon, the service said.

The NPS counts the peak as being when 70% of the parks Yoshino Cherry blossoms are open.

Although the peak varies from year-to-year depending on the weather, this years peak on Sunday put the event at its earliest point since 1990 when the blooms opened on 15 March.

The blooms have also arrived late in the past, with 14 inches of snow in 1958 setting the spectacle back to 18 April.

The trees typically bloom for several days, meaning they could still be around for the planned Cherry Blossom Festival this coming weekend, when the flowers were set to peak.

Visitors enjoy cherry trees in full bloom at the Tidal Basin on March 19, 2024 in Washington, DC (Getty Images)

Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the Park Service, told The New York Times that warmer temperatures generally are to blame.

The warmer it is, the faster the trees will blossom, Mr Litterst said.

The spectacle in the US capital comes a few days after scientists in Japan released a study on cherry blossoms, which found that the average start date for blossoms is slowly moving closer to the start of the year.

The date, on average, is moving around 1.2 days earlier per decade and matches with the change in global temperatures.

"It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Climate change is already affecting every inhabited region across the globe, with human influence contributing to many observed changes in weather and climate extremes," Daisuke Sasano, a climate risk management officer at the Japan Meteorological Agencys Office of Climate Change, said in a recent presentation.

"Projected changes in extremes are larger in frequency and intensity with every additional increment of global warming."

For now, cherry blossom enthusiasts will be hoping for favourable weather conditions in DC so that they can enjoy the blooms for as long as possible.

The NPS has announced that it will chop down around 140 of the nearly 4,000 trees in May, as part of plans to build taller sea walls to protect the area around the Jefferson Memorial.
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Food writer and podcaster Dan Pashman made the unusual step a few years ago of creating an entirely new shape of pasta. The obvious next step? Writing a cookbook to highlight it.

Pashman's Anything's Pastable features dishes using 34 different pasta shapes, but especially features his cascatelli, a graceful, ruffled-edged curved shape that resembles a quotation mark. Time magazine declared cascatelli one of 2021s best inventions.

Pashman came up with the idea of writing a pasta cookbook after he noticed that many of cascatelli's fans were sending him images of them eating it in very traditional ways. Maybe even boring ways.

A huge percentage of the photos I was getting were just tomato sauce, meat sauce, mac n cheese. Maybe a few party animals made pesto, he says. It just made me a little bit sad. Those are all delicious, but theres just so much more.

So Pashman  a James Beard Award winner and Webby Award-winning podcaster behind The Sporkful  got to work creating mind-bending pasta dishes, from Tortellini in Kimchi Parmesan Brodo to Gnocchi with Bacon and Sauerkraut.

This is not a traditional pasta sauce book by any means and Pashman even avoids making any classic marinara. Instead, there are flavors from places like India, Thailand, the Middle East, North African, Mexico, Japan and Peru.

He even makes a pizza out of fettuccine  a pasta pizza.

Food-Dan Pashman

When I go to make a cookbook or make pasta, its not my instinct to limit myself to only the classic Italian dishes that I grew up eating. Its also all the other things that I love to eat, he says.

Pashman dreamed up many of the dishes  the pasta pizza came to him while he was driving  and leaned on a half dozen recipe developers to offer their takes, suggestions and refinement.

The book is a clever mix of possibilities, like Mac N Dal, which combines lentils and pigeon peas with cumin, coriander, turmeric, yogurt and lumache pasta. Or Linguini with Miso Clam Sauce, a saucy take on a classic. Or Tangy Labne Noodle Kugel with Persimmon Relish  your grandmother may have to look away.

On the surface, I understand that this cookbook will look to a lot of people like somewhat radical," he says. But its a natural extension of the coming together of different cuisines in America.

Italian food doesn't stay the same either, he notes.

Despite the stereotype of Italians as being sort of closed to any kind of change in tradition, the fact is that Italian pasta culture has been changing and evolving all the while, he says. As long as there are humans cooking in kitchens, then there will be new ideas and things will change and evolve.

Pashman  a deliberate and even obsessive home chef who has long analyzed everything from various salts to different cheese-grating methods  attacked the book in the same way.

I approach food very analytically. I come from a long line of lawyers, and its always kind of my instinct to break a dish of food down to its component parts, he says. When you start to do that, you see there are a lot of similarities across cuisines.

For one dish, he started with bolognese, Italy's great meat sauce. Then he thought about other ground meat dishes. He remembered larb, a Laos meat salad. He reached out to recipe developer James Park and the two kept refining until they came up with a ground meat sauce for his cascatelli with mint, lemon juice, chili and fish sauce.

Park, the author of the cookbook Chili Crisp, contributed to five recipes in Pashman's book, and said the process allowed me to push the boundaries of what pasta can be.

Food is a really safe and exciting playground where you can be free and combine so many different inspirations into one amazing dish. Dan really allowed me to go full force with my wild, exciting ideas, he says.

This undated image shows a recipe for Cacio E Pepe E Chili Crisp, from Dan Pashmans Anythings Pastable (AP)

Pashman organized Anythings Pastable in an intriguing way  by mood. Adventures in Texture, Flavor Bombs Not Belly Bombs and Thick and Hearty, Warm and Toasty are some of the sections. He made one for pasta salads and another for baked dishes.

If you open up this book, I want you to be thinking, Im in the mood for this type of pasta dish, and you should be able to find the chapter thats going to give you that, Pashman says.

Many of the dishes are designed to showcase cascatelli, which he designed with three goals: To have a shape with forkability, toothsinkability and sauceability  all terms he invented.

His signature paste endures as a favorite in the Pashman home. He says the family initially ate so much cascatelli that they burned out on it, but a few weeks ago returned after Dan made it with arugula pesto.

Both my kids were like, Wow, we missed cascatelli." he says.

"So that made me feel good.
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Two identical twin sisters found their life partners in a set of identical twin brothers.

Venessa and Kerissa Sealby werent ever interested in dating twin brothers until they met their husbands, Lucas and Jacob. If you had asked them before, the two women wouldve told you they werent attracted to the same men. In fact, Venessa, 28, told Today that they thought the idea of dating twin brothers was creepy.

Speaking to the outlet, the Sealby sisters, who now both share children with their respective husbands, detailed their journey of falling in love with another set of identical siblings.

The two pairs of siblings met in June 2020. Venessa was working as a personal trainer at the time. One of her clients had mentioned she knew similarly sporty identical twin brothers.

Venessa remembered her client saying: She was like: You and Kerissa ran track at University of Oregon, they ran track at Washington State, and I think youd be a perfect match.

Her client added how she thought Venessa would like Lucas more. Venessa then agreed to let her give him her number but made it clear she wasnt going to reach out first. It wasnt long before she got a text invitation from Lucas asking if she and Kerissa wanted to meet them at their apartment in Medford, Oregon.

Venessas clients prediction was right  Venessa fancied Lucas, and Kerissa liked Jacob. Venessa admitted that she and Lucas were the outgoing twins, having both spoken for their sibling growing up.

As soon as we got in the car, I looked at Kerissa and said: Im calling mom, because Im marrying that man, Venessa recalled to Today.

Kerissa said: Jacob and had a one-on-one date and I was like: Okay. This is actually happening. The whole thing seemed so crazy.

Venessa and Lucas were married by October 2022, while Kerissa and Jacob said I do in June 2023. Venessa and Lucas welcomed their baby daughter Adrian in October 2023. Kerissa and Jacob share a 19-month-old daughter Sophie. Because Sophie and Adrian are the offspring of two sets of identical twins, they are cousins and quaternary twins.

While not well researched, this is a rare phenomenon that happens when one set of identical twins have children with another set of twins within a short period of time, usually less than nine months, WebMD states. The two children dont share a parent or the same DNA. Theyre cousins but genetically, theyre closer to siblings born to the same parents.

Now, the two couples, and their small families, share a very close life, living as next-door neighbours. We live two steps away from each other. Were constantly running back and forth to each others houses. Im at Vanessas probably 10 times a day, Kerissa confessed.

In conversation with The Independent, Venessa spoke about how her relationship with her sister developed after they met their forever partners.

In a weird way, our lives only changed for the better. Since meeting Lucas and Jacob, Kerissa and I have only become closer. We have always spent everyday talking or hanging out, and not spending many day apart, if any at all, she said.

And since meeting the Sealby brothers we have both grown as woman, became mothers and wives, and we share new experiences still side by side. We gained some amazing in-laws and look forward to much more growth as a family! More babies, more property, and more memories, Venessa added.

The Independent has contacted Kerissa for comment.
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Kris Jenners younger sister, Karen Houghton, has died at the age of 65.

The 65-year-olds death was reported to San Diego County officials on 18 March, according to TMZ. As of now, her death has been attributed to natural causes.

Jenner, 68, took to Instagram on 19 March with a poignant post in honour of her only sibling. The business mogul shared a carousel of throwback photos of her and Houghton as young adults, as well as heartwarming images of Houghton with Kourtney Kardashian Barker, and Jenners late husband, Robert Kardashian.

It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sadness that I share that my sister Karen passed away yesterday unexpectedly. My heart aches for my mom MJ and my niece Natalie and I pray that God guides us all through this difficult time, Jenners caption started.

Karen was beautiful inside and out. She was the sweetest, kindest, the most sensitive and vulnerable and so so funny. She always felt grateful and thankful for her life and treasured her family and friends and especially her beautiful daughter, she wrote.

Jenner continued: She holds such a huge part of my heart and I cherish every single memory we have together. Karens passing is a reminder that life is so short and precious and tomorrow is never promised. We must tell those we cherish how much we love them. I love you my beautiful sister.

Houghton resided in San Marcos, California, working as a part-time nurse and author. She and Jenner grew up in San Diego, living with their mother, Mary Jo Campbell, after her divorce from their father, Robert Houghton.

Though Houghton and Jenner were only three years apart, their relationship was rocky. After Jenners rise to fame, Houghton noticed a shift in her sisters attitude. Over the years, she vocalised her opinion about her older sister and her divorce from Caitlyn Jenner.

Despite their past turmoil, the siblings seemed to be on the mend after a 2019 family photo surfaced, featuring the two of them with MJ, Natalie, and Kylie Jenner during the holidays.
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Harry and Meghans profile on the Royal Family website has been downgraded - with their biography appearing next to Prince Andrews.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their royal duties in January 2020, but their profiles were higher on the royal family website until yesterday.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down from their royal duties in January 2020 (Reuters)

But their details and bio temporarily vanished from the site on Monday night. They reappeared half an hour later at the bottom of the page, alongside the Duke of York, The Daily Mail reported.

A short biography details the couples background, the names of their children Archie and Lilibet, and that they have stepped back from their duties.

Clicking through the hyperlink, there is a more detailed account of Prince Harrys regal history, including information on his ten years in the Armed Forces and charity work.

Prince Harry and Meghans profile has been moved down to the bottom of the family biography page (Royal.uk)

There is a shorter section about Meghan, detailing her work as an actor and her royal duties, which included becoming a patron of the National Theatre and other charities.

The entry also includes three official statements from Buckingham Palace between 2020 and 2021 detailing their departure.

The Palace also updated Prince Andrews profile, which now opens with the official statement from the late Queen to revoke his royal patronages and military affiliations after his affiliation with convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, and his settlement of a sexual assault case filed against him.

The disgraced royal will soon be the subject of a new Netflix movie, SCOOP, which will unpack the scandalous BBC Newsnight Interview from November 2019 where journalist Emily Maitlis interrogated the Prince on his relationship with Epstein and sexual abuse allegations.

Critics of the Sussexes have labelled the editing of their online biography as a snub, however, sources cited in The Daily Mail claimed the move was a long overdue update.

The couple, who live in Montecito, California, with their two children Archie and Lilibet, launched a new personal website Sussex.com which welcomed criticism due to the couples decision to continue to use their royal titles and coat of arms, despite withdrawing from their duties.

Last week, the Duchess of Sussex launched a new lifestyle brand called American Riviera Orchard in a surprise return to Instagram.

Critics have slammed her decision to use the title Duchess of Sussex, claiming it is a breach of the agreement with the late Queen to not use their titles for commercial gain.
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In 1939, after attending the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco, Alfred Chan and his friends were headed back home to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

They got really hungry and decided to stop halfway in Antioch for a meal, his son Ron Chan said. But, the waitress refused to serve the young men or even talk to them. They left the establishment an hour later, hungry and humiliated.

Eighty-two years after that incident, Alfred Chan received an apology delivered in person by Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe in November 2022. Chan, a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Navy and worked 38 years for the city of Oakland, died at age 98, about three months after hearing those words.

It helped close a bad moment in my fathers life, Ron Chan said, adding that it gave him peace to see his fathers closure as well. An apology may be just words that may not be enough to resolve all issues from the past. But without that first step, we have no progress."

In May 2021, Thorpe had issued a formal apology for Antioch's mistreatment of early Chinese immigrants, including the torching of Chinatown and driving out its residents, which has been documented by local newspapers and historians. Thorpe's actions led to major cities like San Jose, Los Angeles and San Francisco passing similar resolutions.

The 2021 apology has also led to local residents and historians delving deeper into the past and working to establish a Chinatown Historic District, complete with murals and museum exhibits highlighting the history and accomplishments of the community in Antioch.

Chinese laborers were among the early population in Antioch, which was named in 1851. They likely numbered just under 100, said Lucy Meinhardt, an Antioch Historical Society Museum board member. They worked in farms, canneries and mines. They helped build river levees and established a Chinatown where the city's downtown now stands.

In the 19th century, Chinese people across California endured discrimination such as wage disparity, bans on property ownership and sundown laws that barred them from going outside after dark. Those working and living around Antioch were no different.

In 1871, a massive fire wiped out several blocks of Antioch's Chinatown. The townspeople decided that a Chinese laundry needed to be torn down to stop the blaze. Then in 1876, local newspapers reported that another blaze was deliberately started to drive six Chinese women who were allegedly prostitutes out of their homes. A Buddhist/Tao temple also perished in the fire, Meinhardt said.

It's become popular local lore that Antioch was a sundown town and Chinese residents used tunnels to skirt the rules. Meinhardt says there is no record of such a law but it had to have been a practice if it existed. I still suspect it existed.

Before getting involved with the Antioch Historical Society and becoming committee chair for its Chinese History Project, Hans Ho said he had no idea a Chinatown once existed there. Chinese people were undoubtedly treated as second-class citizens, said Ho, who emigrated from Hong Kong in the 1960s.

Regardless of which narrative you believe in, it is still an atrocity because these people were expelled or persecuted without due process of law and their houses were burned down," he said.

He was also one of the representatives from the Chinese American community to receive Thorpe's apology, an act that moved him to tears.

I was shamelessly crying, said Ho, who became visibly choked up just recalling that moment. Its the most obvious means of reconciliation that Ive ever encountered.

Today, the city of more than 111,000 is 25% white while Asians make up 12%. Hispanic and Black residents are 35% and 20% of the population, respectively. Making progress on Asian American representation in public spaces remains an uphill struggle. Plans for a public memorial paying tribute to early Chinese settlers is at a standstill after a consultant recommended the city invest in more research.

Even creating a space for some materials related to Chinese residents at the Antioch Historical Society Museum has gotten pushback.

(One board member) said that they wanted this to be an American' museum, said Dwayne Eubanks, a past president of the historical society, who is African American. I took umbrage to that."

He held up a picture of his father in his Army uniform and told the man: This is an American.

On Saturday, Eubanks, Meinhardt and Ho all attended the May We Gather event in Antioch, which organizers described as the first national memorial service and pilgrimage in response to anti-Asian violence. Attendees, including the three local residents, walked meditatively with Buddhist monks, nuns and lay leaders, around the city block where Antioch's Chinatown stood 150 years ago.

Ho said such events while educational, should guard against portraying communities of color as victims and instead spotlight stories of Asian American accomplishment in the face of stark adversity. Somewhat agreeing with his friend, Eubanks pointed out that healing is a two-way street and that those who hate must first understand and acknowledge what happened.

And then they have the opportunity to accept the medicine because hate is a sickness, he said. We do not want this to happen to our grandkids. We don't want history to repeat itself."
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A maths teacher was sacked for refusing to use a students preferred pronouns, an employment tribunal has been told.

Kevin Lister was dismissed for gross misconduct in September 2022 by New College Swindon following complaints by two students.

The 60-year-old had refused to refer to a student, aged 17, by his preferred name and he/him pronouns in A-level lessons.

Mr Lister has taken the college to an employment tribunal, claiming unfair dismissal, discrimination or victimisation on grounds of religion or belief, and that he suffered a detriment and/or dismissal due to exercising rights under the Public Interest Disclosure Act.

The hearing was told that the socially transitioning male  known only as Student A  had informed the college in September 2021 he wished to be addressed with male pronouns.

Giving evidence, Mr Lister, from Wiltshire, suggested the decision of Student A to use male pronouns had the effect of compelled speech  meaning he and fellow students had to follow the students wish, irrespective of their own beliefs.

I took issue with the demand on me to socially transition children who are unable to make an informed decision, he told the hearing at the Bristol Civil Justice Centre.

That is the intention of the policy  to encourage children to socially transition and to push them towards transgender lobby groups.

Why are we not allowed to question why a student is presenting in the opposite sex?

It is not the role of a maths teacher to confirm the gender transition and social transition of a student.

Mr Lister said that, as a teacher, he had an obligation to teach facts and said college policies went beyond the Equality Act and claimed they were illegal as a result.

I do say this is breaching the Equality Act because you are encouraging the idea that a non-binary person can come into class and say she is a boy and by the afternoon she can say somewhere between the two, he said.

Referring to the college policy, Mr Lister said: It doesnt require gender-critical people to change their beliefs.

What the policy does require is to be accepting in a way that is contrary to our beliefs.

Jude Shepherd, the barrister representing the college, suggested the policy did not prevent staff members holding gender-critical beliefs from being inclusive and treating people with respect.

Mr Lister told the hearing that, when Student A informed him by email of his wish to be referred to by male pronouns, he immediately raised a safeguarding concern with the college as he was concerned about the students academic performance and whether the two were linked.

She does not have the right to compel teachers and other students who do not share her views, he said.

It is the interpretation of the word respect which is at issue here.

The hearing was told that during lessons Mr Lister, instead of using Student As preferred pronouns, would point at the pupil.

I gestured. Some people would say I was pointing. I didnt want to use her dead name but I didnt want to assist with her social transitioning, Mr Lister said.

During one lesson, Student A asked whether he could enter a nationwide maths competition for girls, and Mr Lister replied: Of course you can enter because you are a girl.

Ms Shepherd asked: Do you accept that was an insensitive response?

Mr Lister replied: No, that was a factual response. Student A is trying to subject me to compelled speech and the rest of the class to compelled speech.

It was upsetting for the rest of the class to be subjected to that. The rest of the class didnt look happy  some of the students rolled their eyes.

Asked to explain why he had written Student As dead name on the class whiteboard, Mr Lister replied: I put her name on the board in the name she would be entered into the competition.

I dont accept it was a dead name. I make the point that the name I wrote on the board is the name she would be using to enter her into the girls maths competition.

Mr Lister said Student A stayed behind after class to speak to him about the competition because he was worried he might do badly.

Mr Lister said he tried to encourage Student A and offered to organise one-to-one sessions at lunchtime and then called him an excellent young lady.

I wanted her to believe in herself, he said. Maybe that was a clumsy thing to say. That was the best thing I could say to a young lady in front of me in floods of tears.

Ms Shepherd said: You told them transitioning was irreversible.

Mr Lister replied: Thats the whole point of it. Thats a fact.

The hearing continues.
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Watch again as US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin made his opening remarks at the Ramstein US Air Base on Tuesday (19 March).

Mr Austin was expected to try and convince European allies that President Joe Bidens administration is still committed to supporting Ukraine, even as Washington has essentially run out of money to continue arming Kyiv.

Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine and the White House has been scrambling to find ways to send assistance to Kyiv, which has been battling Russian forces for more than two years.

Mr Austin will be leading the monthly meeting known as the Ukraine defense contact group (UDCG), held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, of about 50 allies that have been militarily supporting Ukraine.

The Pentagon said Austin, who is making his first overseas trip since a prostate cancer treatment, will reiterate that Washington is committed to Ukraine.
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A dog thought to be an XL Bully was shot dead after it attacked four people on a rampage close to a south London high street.

Two people have been arrested following the attack near Battersea Park Road, at 10pm on Monday.

One witness said he heard a man shouting Help me and a large grey pitbull-type dog with its jaws clamped down on his hand.

Emergency services at the scene on Battersea Park Road following the attack (PA)

He told The Independent: There was a lady who came out and was trying to help him. The dog was more powerful - he wasnt letting go of the hand. The man ran and jumped on a moving car bonnet to try and get away.

He added four or five people tried to beat the dog in an attempt to get it to drop the mans hand. But the dog turned on more people and began another attack.

He was heading towards Battersea Power Station and attacked another man at the bridge, he said.

It was crazy; I have never seen anything like it.

Four or five people reportedly tried to beat the dog in an attempt to get it to drop the mans hand (PA)

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: Police were called to reports of a dog  described as an XL Bully  that was dangerously out of control and attacking people in the vicinity of Home Road, SW11.

Due to the threat posed to the public by the dog, armed officers attended. After assessing the situation, officers took the difficult decision to destroy the dog and it was shot.

Four men  all members of the public - were taken to hospital for treatment to injuries sustained during the dog attack. None of their injuries are life-threatening.

Police arrested two people, a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, on suspicion of being the owner in charge of a dog dangerously out of control. Both remain in custody.

None of the injuries were life-threatening but the dog was shot (PA)

Police said a thorough examination of the dog will take place to work out its specific breed.

Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea, posted on X: I am deeply concerned to hear about the XL Bully dog attack that happened on Battersea Park Road yesterday evening.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims injured in the attack, and for their full recovery. I am in contact with the police and their enquiries are ongoing.

She added: New laws have come into force that make it illegal to own an American XL Bully dog without an exemption certificate. It is vital that there is strong enforcement to make sure owners comply with the legislation.

Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or X @MetCC and quote CAD7620/19Mar.
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Rishi Sunaks failure to condemn a Tory donors reported racist comments about Diane Abbott is part of an increasingly normalised culture of racism that has been allowed to fester under the government, campaigners have warned.

The prime ministers decision to keep Frank Hesters 10m donation also raises concerns about the British governments fitness to lead, a coalition of influential figures have said.

In a scathing letter, signatories including equality campaigner Lord Simon Woolley, Operation Black Vote, the Runnymede Trust, the Black Equity Organisation, the Muslim Council Of Britain and Black church groups implore Mr Sunak to demonstrate a commitment to tackling racism.

The remarks made about Ms Diane Abbott MP are not only abhorrent and frightening, especially considering her status as Britains longest-serving Black MP and the personal impact these comments have had on her, but they also reflect a broader issue of racism and sexism that cannot be ignored, said the document, seen by The Independent.

The donation of 10m to the Conservative Party by Mr Hester and his company, under these circumstances, becomes a matter of ethical concern and raises questions about the integrity and values that the party wishes to uphold.

(Getty / iStock / PA)

This follows a public outcry over reported racist remarks by Mr Hester, a businessman and Tory donor, who allegedly said in 2019 that Diane Abbott, Britains longest-serving Black MP, made him want to hate all Black women and that she should be shot.

Moreover, the fact that Mr Hester felt emboldened to express such vile sentiments, to begin with, speaks to an increasingly normalised culture of racism that has been allowed to fester under the current administration, the groups letter says.

This normalisation is further compounded by the government's persistent denial of the reality of systemic racism, which has significant implications for the inclusivity and cohesiveness of our society.

The letter was sent hours after Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) when the racism row centred on Ms Abbott was raised on Wednesday.

PM Rishi Sunak (AP)

Speaking during PMQs, Prime minister Sunak pointed to his position as Britains first Asian prime minister within the most diverse cabinet in goverments history as examples of the Conservative Partys commitment to advancing racial equality.

However, campaigners urge the leader to take immediate and tangible steps to address this pervasive racism within government and around the country, including the issuing of a clear statement that the Conservative Party is committed to taking a stand against racism.

We note that you have celebrated the diversity of your cabinet and government, the letter reads.

We would invite you to take this opportunity to champion the cause of anti-racism and to lead by example (...) (and) urge your government to engage in a more meaningful dialogue on systemic racism, acknowledging its existence and working collaboratively with communities and organisations to dismantle these deep-seated inequities.

Meanwhile, an international alliance of civil society organisations, politicians and activists also condemned Mr Hesters comments.

Lee Anderson MP (Getty Images)

Referencing the recent Islamophobic comments by Lee Anderson, former Conservative Party vice chairman, who has now defected to the extremist Reform Party, the alliance said: The Conservative Party is itself guilty of fostering and promoting the same extremism it now seeks to condemn, noting the governments recent, new definition of extremism that was published last week.

Members of the alliance include retired judge Peter Herbert, Barac UK, Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy, and independent MP Claudia Webbe.

Judge Herbert OBE, whos also the Chair of the Society of Black Lawyers, told The Independent: The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn the words of the largest Tory donor was unacceptable.

Either this is because he was sending out ministers to minimise the seriousness of what had occurred. or alternatively, he was more concerned to protect the perpetrator of this incitement to racial hatred to safeguard the 10 million contribution made by Hester to the Tory party.

His silence makes him complicit to this appallingly dangerous abuse. If the word Jewish women had been substituted for the word Black women, imagine the international calls for the Tory party to disown and prosecute Frank Hester. Sunak suggesting this can be ignored is complete hypocrisy from a Prime Minister who has no appreciation of the effects of racism on society.

A Conservative Party source told The Independent: The Prime Minister is clear, as the first British-Asian Prime Minister leading one of the most ethnically diverse Cabinets in our history, there is no place for racism in public life.

The UK has a proud history in tackling racial disparities and this Conservative Prime Minister is living proof of that fact.
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The Princess of Wales will make a soft return to public life over Easter weekend once she has fully recovered from her surgery, according to a report.

Kate has not undertaken any official engagements or been in the public eye since having a successful procedure on her abdomen in January.

Amid intense online speculation about Kates whereabouts, she and her husband William, the Prince of Wales, were spotted visiting a farm shop near where they live over the weekend and royal aides are now drawing up plans for the princess to return.

Palace aides have been discussing with Kate the possibility of her walking to church on Easter Sunday to join other family members for the annual Easter matins service which takes place at St Georges Chapel, Windsor, according to The Times. The newspaper said a team of palace officials was working to manage the messaging around Kates return to make her transition back to work as smooth as possible.

Her Easter weekend appearance would be followed by a break with her children during the school holidays, with a more permanent return to public duties pencilled in at the start of the new school term, it is claimed. Kate and Williams children return to Lambrook School in mid-April.

William and Kate have been under the spotlight after she underwent surgery (Getty Images)

The princess was expected to focus on her early years project, described by aides as her lifes work, when she makes a full return, The Times adds.

William, in his latest public engagement, spoke fondly of Kates work as he spent the day in Sheffield catching up with the developments of his ambitious Homewards project, which aims to eradicate homelessness in six UK locations.

When the future king joined a Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition meeting, he smiled when a participant mentioned the importance of childrens early years, an issue the princess has raised awareness about for a number of years.

Venturing into my wifes territory here. She needs to be sat here to hear this, William said as he grinned and held up his hands.

His trip came after footage emerged of Kate out shopping at the weekend at the Windsor Farm Shop, close to their Adelaide cottage home in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The Prince of Wales during a visit to a Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition meeting, at the Millennium Gallery (Oli Scarff/PA Wire)

Williams comment about his wife was made after he joined a group taking part in the event at the Citys Millennium Gallery, and listened to their stories of being homeless but now working to help others in the Sheffield area.

One man, Chris Lynam, 41, told the royal visitor how he left the Royal Navy with post-traumatic stress disorder and this led him down a path of drug and alcohol addiction and, eventually, prison.

William told him: Chris, can I just say how brave you are to be here and talk about your story?

Speaking after the visit, Mr Lynam, who works with the Sheffield-based Cathedral Archer Project for homelessness, said: Wow. Not what I expected. He was really nice man and he really listened, which took me back a little. I liked him.

The Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition has been convened over the past nine months by Homewards to create a shared vision for Sheffield and formulate a Local Action Plan towards ending homelessness in the city.

The group includes more than 70 organisations and members of the local community with lived experience of homelessness.

Earlier on Tuesday William visited a deprived area of Sheffield to meet landlords, the local authority and more residents with experience of homelessness and how the city was tackling the issue.
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Londons tap water is contaminated with forever chemicals that can pose a risk to human health, new analysis has revealed.

Samples of tap water were taken from three locations, Harrow Heathrow and Battersea, and were found to have chemicals including PFOA and PFOS, known as forever chemicals.

PFA chemicals, such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), have been linked to a wide range of ailments, including cancer, liver damage, reduced fertility and birth defects, according to multiple studies.

The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) urged the government last year to overhaul drinking water standards after its analysis revealed that more than a third of water courses tested in England and Wales contain medium or high-risk levels of PFAs.

In a new investigation by Bluewater, a water purification firm, the three water samples were sent to an independent bio-analytical testing group.

In Harrow, the sample had a PFOS level of 14 nanograms a litre (ng/l), which would be 1.4 times the maximum limit for its presence in tap water under proposals put forward by the RSC.

The Heathrow and Battersea samples also had worrying levels of PFOA and PFOS contaminants. The level of harmful PFAs detected in all the samples exceeded Swedens regularity limits by 550 per cent.

Bluewaters chief research scientist, Dr Ahmed Fawzy, said: The results of the study are deeply disturbing.

Discovering PFAS-related chemicals in Londons drinking water at such high levels raises serious health concerns that require immediate attention as they exceed thresholds that consumer protection bodies in the EU and US deem harmful to human health.

Dr Fawzy said that Britains current PFAs thresholds are confusing and that they should be re-evaluated and tightened from the current level of 100ng/l to 10ng/l. This is in line with the RSCs recommendation from last year.

Stephanie Metzger, policy advisor at the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: Here in the UK, we monitor for a long list of PFAS, but were lagging far behind the US and the EU when it comes to the amount allowed in our drinking water and what is considered healthy.

We know that PFAS can be filtered from drinking water  the technology exists, so increasing the level of filtration is just a matter of expense and political will.

In the Drinking Water Inspectorates own words, levels above 10 nanograms per litre pose a medium or high risk to public health. Were seeing more and more studies that link PFAS to a range of very serious medical conditions, and so we urgently need a new approach for the sake of public health.

PFAs are used in a multitude of products such as non-stick coatings to pans, batteries, cosmetics and clothes.
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A photograph of Queen Elizabeth II with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren released last year was digitally enhanced, a global picture agency has revealed.

Shared in April last year to mark the late monarchs 97th birthday, the portrait was taken by Kate Middleton in August 2022 just weeks before the Queens death, reported the Daily Mail.

Although the picture has been in public for nearly a year, Getty Images placed an editors note on Monday stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source, a Getty spokesperson toldThe Telegraph.

The latest controversy comes days after the Princess of Wales faced mounting speculation about her health and furore over an edited family photo issued on Mothers Day. Her absence from the public eye since she underwent surgery in January led to a storm of wild conspiracy theories on social media.

In the latest image under review, the Queen is seen seated along with Prince William and Kates children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and their royal cousins Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, James, Earl of Wessex, Lena Tindall, Isla Phillips, Mia Tindall, Lucas Tindall and Savannah Phillips on a green sofa.

The Telegraph report highlighted several discrepancies in the picture, including the mismatch in late Queens tartan skirt as well as the black patches behind Princes George and Louis, suggesting editing.

It comes after Kate was forced to skip a St Patricks Day parade as she continued her recovery from abdominal surgery.

Queen Elizabeth II along with her grandchildren and great grandchildren (The Princess of Wales/Kensington)

Earlier, international news agencies pulled a photo issued by the Kensington Palace due to fears the photo had been doctored. Concerns were raised over a missing part of Princess Charlottes sleeve and the misaligned edge of her skirt with the palace not responding to requests for the original untouched shot, said Phil Chetwynd, the global news director of Agence-France Presse.

Kates Mothers Day picture has sparked a furore after it emerged the image had been photoshopped (Reuters)

Kate later made a public apology, saying: Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mothers Day. C.

However, the princess has not confirmed what edits were made and Kensington Palace said it would not be reissuing the original unedited photograph despite her apology.

Earlier on Saturday, the princess was reported to have paid a visit to the Windsor Farm Shop, located about a mile from her Adelaide Cottage home. According to onlookers, Kate was joined by her husband, and looked happy, relaxed and healthy during the outing, reported The Sun.

Meanwhile, those close to Kate and the Prince of Wales say the couple will disclose more information about her recovery in due course, according to The Sunday Times, which reports her return is expected after 17 April.

A source told the newspaper: They are at their most open when out interacting with members of the public and I can see a world in which the princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements. If she was going to do it, thats how she would do it.
There are some who love nothing more than a conspiracy theory, or better still one laced with a whiff of royal scandal; the disappearance of Kate Middleton and that Mothers Day photograph have gripped audiences around the world. Especially in America.

TMZ, the USAs behemoth showbiz site, insisted the palace has got caught in a lie  confidence is shot. Time magazine ran a similar editorial: The royal family has a trust problem. Both have a point, but Kensington Palace doesn't see it like that. And nor do Britains supposedly attack-dog tabloids.

The same day America demanded accountability, The Sun newspaper urged its readers to Lay off Kate and an unusually rueful Daily Mail mused How did Kates photo become a PR disaster?
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Watch live as Jeremy Hunt answers questions on the economy from MPs in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 19 March.

It comes after the chancellor announced the spring Budget on 6 March, which included a national insurance cut, fuel and alcohol duty freezes, the abolishment of the non-dom tax status, and guaranteed pay rates to childcare providers for the next two years, among other measures.

Mr Hunt attempted to rally support for his languishing party - which has dropped to a 45-year low - with the 10bn cut to national insurance, but the Budget watchdog warned the average worker will still be hundreds of pounds worse off overall.

By repeating his previous cut to the tax in his autumn statement, the chancellor said the two reductions would together save workers an average of 900 a year.

Mr Hunt has claimed the cuts taken together would lead an extra 200,000 people to join the workforce.

However, a report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) calculated the typical worker on a 35,000 salary will be 383 worse off over this year and the next due to stealth tax rises.

At 3pm, Mr Hunt will appear at the Economic Affairs Committee for an annual scrutiny session.
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A former police chief has said he did not report his wifes stolen credit card, because the thief spent less than she did.

With a deadpan delivery, Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate left the chamber unsure whether he was joking or not as he recalled the incident in the House of Lords.

Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate left the chamber unsure whether he was joking or not as he recalled the incident in the House of Lords (pictured) (PA Wire)

The non-affiliated peer said: My wife, on one of her rare visits to London, had her credit card stolen.

And I monitored the use of the card and I have to say I didnt report it to the police, because the thief was spending less than she was.

Peers across the House erupted into laughter at his comment.

Treasury minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton responded: I think, in these circumstances, one should always report these matters to the police.

Lord Mackenzie is a former chief superintendent in Durham and was also the president of the Police Superintendents Association for three years.
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Rachel Reeves will pitch herself as a modern day Margaret Thatcher, likening the challenges facing the UK to those faced by the Iron Lady in the late 1970s.

The shadow chancellor will say Britain stands at a similar inflection point, promising to write a new chapter in Britains economic history.

Repeating Labours pledge to embark on a decade of national renewal, Ms Reeves will echo Lady Thatcher in promising radical reforms to end the countrys managed decline and restore strong economic growth across Britain.

At a major speech on Tuesday, Ms Reeves will say: When we speak of a decade of national renewal, that is what we mean.

As we did at the end of the 1970s, we stand at an inflection point, and as in earlier decades, the solution lies in wide-ranging supply-side reform to drive investment, remove the blockages constraining our productive capacity, and fashion a new economic settlement, drawing on evolutions in economic thought.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will outline Labours plans to drive economic growth on Tuesday (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

Thatcher was associated with extensive supply-side reforms - effectively policy decisions which seek to make particular markets and industries more efficient - including privatisation and deregulation.

Left-wingers criticised Ms Reeves over the comparison, with the Momentum campaign group saying the Labour leadership was once again proving itself out of touch.

Thatchers Government did not bring about national renewal but instead misery for millions of working-class people and ballooning inequality, Momentum added.

Richard Leonard MSP, the former Scottish Labour party leader, said: In the 1980s manufacturing was butchered, factory after factory closed, privatisation was let rip, unemployment rocketed, profits boomed, the wage share fell, the rich got richer, and inequality soared. No rewriting of history. Thatcher didnt renew the economy, she broke it.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer faced a similar backlash for claiming Lady Thatcher effected meaningful change and set loose Britains natural entrepreneurialism.

But, delivering the annual Mais lecture on Tuesday night, Ms Reeves will promise Labour is to take a different path to the Iron Lady, adding that growth must be broad-based, inclusive, and resilient.

Margaret Thatcher oversaw the deregulation of UK financial markets (Corbis via Getty Images)

She will say: And unlike the 1980s, growth in the years to come must be broad-based, inclusive, and resilient.

Growth achieved through stability  built on the strength of our institutions. Investment  through partnership between active government and enterprising business. And reform  of our planning system, our public services, our labour market, and our democracy.

Ms Reeves will add: In the face of a more unstable world, the task is not only to recognise the acute risks but also to identify the opportunities.

To reject managed decline and pursue the long overdue task of renewing our common purpose, rethinking outmoded assumptions, and rebuilding growth on strong and secure foundations.

In a key pre-election message to leaders from the world of business and finance, Ms Reeves will vow to reject managed decline and stress Labours optimism about the challenges Britain faces. Previous speakers have included Sir Tony Blair in 1995, before he entered Downing Street, and former chancellor George Osborne in 2010.

I remain an optimist about our ability to rise to the challenges we face Rachel Reeves, shadow chancellor

Ms Reeves, a former Bank of England economist, will also propose reforms to the Treasury that will increase the role of the departments Enterprise and Growth unit.

I remain an optimist about our ability to rise to the challenges we face, the Shadow Chancellor will say.

If we can bring together public and private sectors, in a national mission  directed at restoring strong economic growth across Britain.

Ms Reeves claims Labour will also plan to create half a million jobs across the UK through a new National Wealth Fund, to invest in growing industries.

Nevertheless, the ambitious pledges come a week after the shadow chancellor stressed that were not going to be able to turn things around straight away if voted into power in the election, expected to take place in the latter half of 2024.

On Tuesday, she will say that the Treasury must be ready to get to work from day one to improve economic growth.

This will include Treasury reform by bolstering the Enterprise and Growth unit set up by the last Labour Government, to integrate it into the budget and spending review processes.

She is expected to say: We have found ourselves in a moment of political turbulence and recurrent crises with the burden falling on the shoulders of working people.

With at its root, a failure to deliver the supply side reform needed to equip Britain to compete in a fast changing world.

I suggest that the answer today is an economic approach which recognises how our world has changed.

Building growth on strong and secure foundations, with active government guided by three imperatives: guaranteeing stability, stimulating investment through partnership with business, and reform to unlock the contribution of working people and the untapped potential throughout our economy.

The shadow chancellor will add that the Treasury must be ready to get to work from day one if Labour comes to power this year.

But chief secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott said: Rachel Reeves may be promising a new chapter, but it will be the same old Labour. No plan  just more borrowing and more taxes  exactly how the last Labour government wrecked our economy.

Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a plan that will deliver a stronger economy for the long term and a brighter future for our children.
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Rishi Sunak is facing a fresh headache when the Rwanda deportation bill returns to the House of Lords, with peers set to impose a fresh defeat on the prime minister.

The Safety of Rwanda bill will return to the upper chamber on Wednesday, with peers expected to seek to amend the legislation yet again.

It comes after the PM avoided a rebellion over his flagship plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda on Monday, with MPs overturning all attempts by the House of Lords to change his deportation legislation.

It meant Mr Sunak maintained his hope of flights to Kigali taking off this spring, but further delays by peers could still frustrate the PMs plans.

The Prime Minister said he was still committed to the timeline (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

The government saw off 10 amendments from peers to the Safety of Rwanda bill, after a minister had accused the Lords of trying to wreck the legislation.

But the parliamentary showdown over the flagship Bill will continue on Wednesday, when peers will again seek to press for changes in a process known as ping-pong.

Labour is poised to back around five amendments to the bill, which if passed could see passage of the legislation delayed for weeks.

Former Labour lord chancellor Charlie Falconer said it is time to rally all our troops to defeat the Rwanda Bill and to try to hold out "for as long as possible."

The Labour peer said Tories who rarely appear in the upper chamber would be bussed in to back the government.

But Lord Falconer told Times Radio: "I think weve got to rally all our troops tomorrow to try to defeat it. I suspect we may well defeat many of these pronged back amendments from the Commons tomorrow.

"A win for us is holding out for as long as possible. Holding on to the next election may not be achievable, but what may be achievable is that it takes so long that the government cant get any of its flights to Rwanda."

The latest Lords amendments, aimed at adding additional safeguards for asylum seekers to the PMs hardline legislation, will be published on Tuesday before being voted on on Wednesday.

If further amendments are passed in the upper chamber it could delay the next round of ping pong until mid-April, when parliament returns from Easter recess.

Stephen Kinnock said amendments to the Rwanda bill made it marginally less absurd (PA)

The prime minister said on Monday that everyone is trying to block the Rwanda bill from being enacted.

Mr Sunak said: I am still committed to the timeline that I set out previously, which is that we aim to get a flight off in the spring.

Its important that we get the Rwanda scheme up and running because we need to have a deterrent.

We need to make it clear that if you come here illegally, you wont be able to stay and we will be able to remove you. That is the only way to properly solve the issue of illegal migration.

One of the amendments previously backed by peers but overturned by MPs would have prevented Afghan heroes who supported British troops from being deported to Rwanda.

Other amendments overturned included an attempt by peers to ensure the bill complied with domestic and international law, and a requirement that parliament could not declare Rwanda a safe country until the treaty with its promised safeguards was fully implemented.

Labours shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said the changes put forward made the bill marginally less absurd.

The plan, which aims to send asylum seekers on a one way flight to Rwanda, was dealt a blow when it was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court last November. The Safety of Rwanda bill seeks to rule it a safe country in British law, blocking asylum seekers from being aple to appeal deportations.

It will cost taxpayers more than 500m, according to a report by the National Audit Office, which found that the cost per individual asylum seeker deported could be 1.92m. Labour has described the plan as a national scandal.
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The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has suggested that the general election could be held in October, as speculation continues over the question of when the UK might go to the polls for a national vote.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak last week ruled out a snap election on 2 May, when voters are due to head to the polls in local elections across England.

He has previously said that his working assumption was that he would hold a vote in the second half of the year, but has not yet confirmed a date.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Hunt suggested that the vote could take place in October, as he was questioned on the governments spending plans.

And of course, if the general election is in October, that will mean its very, very tight, and thats why were thinking in advance about the most important element of that spending review, which is the productivity element  how do we have more productive public services, Mr Hunt told members of the economic affairs committee.

The chancellor addresses MPs on the Treasury committee earlier this month (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA Wire)

Earlier in the session, Mr Hunt, who faces a battle to hold onto his South West Surrey seat, also said that he hopes to hold another fiscal event this parliament.

Speculation about a 2 May election had reached fever pitch until Mr Sunak eventually ruled out holding one on that date.

Downing Street sources later told The Independent that the election had been pencilled in for the second Thursday in October.

Labour accused the prime minister of being too scared to go to the country as the Conservative Party trails the opposition by a double-digit margin in a number of opinion polls.

Talk then almost immediately turned to whether Mr Sunak could go to the polls in June, as former prime minister Theresa May did back in 2017 after claiming that the opposition parties were trying to jeopardise the governments preparations for Brexit.

Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has called on Mr Sunak to hold an election as soon as possible.

Earlier this week, allies of Mr Sunak said it was still the PMs intention to call an election in the second half of the year, amid reports of a plot by Tory rebels to oust him from office over the partys dire standing in the polls.

Jittery MPs from across the party were said to have met and held talks about replacing Mr Sunak as prime minister with Penny Mordaunt, the Commons leader, in a coronation  a move that would not involve a leadership contest.

Penny Mordaunt carries the Sword of State at the coronation of King Charles III last year (PA Wire)

If followed through, the desperate bid would see the Conservatives impose their third consecutive prime minister on the country without calling an election.

But an ally of Ms Mordaunt denied there was a plot to install her as Tory leader, describing the plans as nonsense.

Sources told The Times that Mr Sunak would be prepared to call an earlier election as a means of avoiding another Conservative Party leadership contest.

Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, warned the plotters that it was too late to oust Mr Sunak from office and that there was no other alternative to replace him.

There comes a moment in time in the electoral cycle where you effectively put on your best suit, you stand up, and you march towards the sound of the guns, and you get on with it, he told Times Radio.
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Restrictions on families visiting their loved ones in care homes during the pandemic felt cruel and punitive, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has heard.

The inquiry was told there had been more than 50,000 deaths related to the virus in care homes across the UK in the pandemic.

The first preliminary hearing for the inquirys investigation into the care sector  module six  was being held in London on Tuesday.

Public hearings where evidence is heard are not expected for this module until spring 2025.

Each number represents the loss of a loved one, often, as we will hear, in circumstances where they were not accompanied by family and friends saying goodbye at bedsides Jacqueline Carey KC

At Tuesdays hearing, Jacqueline Carey KC, counsel to the inquiry, said the pandemic had had a devastating impact on those living and working in the adult social care sector.

Listing official figures recorded for care home residents across the four nations in slightly varying time periods between 2020 and 2022, she said there were more than 50,000 deaths related to Covid-19.

Ms Carey said: The decisions that may have contributed to those figures will doubtless be examined in module six. But it is not just a question of statistics and data.

Each number represents the loss of a loved one, often, as we will hear, in circumstances where they were not accompanied by family and friends saying goodbye at bedsides, but they died surrounded by PPE (personal protective equipment) and by the imposition of visiting restrictions which prevented or inhibited them dying in the company and presence of those who loved them.

And so, whilst those tragic statistics from care homes may have made the headlines, the impact of the pandemic was felt not just in residential and care homes but also more widely across the adult social care sector.

Module six is set to examine the impact of the pandemic on the publicly and privately-funded adult social care sector in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland  considering the consequences of government decision-making on those living and working in the sector.

The scope will include adult care and residential homes including care provided in the home  known as domiciliary care, and will look at the care of adults of all ages in the sector, rather than solely the elderly.

It will consider decisions taken to free up capacity in hospitals by discharging patients into adult care and residential homes and the capacity of the sector to respond to the pandemic.

In looking at the management of the pandemic in such settings, the inquiry will consider infection prevention and control measures, Covid-19 testing, the availability and adequacy of PPE, and restrictions on access by and to healthcare professionals and visits from loved ones.

Anna Morris KC, representing Covid Bereaved Families for Justice (CBFFJ), said the issue of visiting restrictions was a matter of utmost public concern during the pandemic and is a matter of great concern to our families.

Urging it to be considered as a distinct issue, she told the hearing: At its heart, the issue underlines the importance of family, community and dignity in death and bereavement during a pandemic.

But, given the obvious impact on residents who were particularly vulnerable when not receiving visits from their loved ones, such as those with dementia or learning disabilities, the inquiry is invited to include visits from loved ones as a distinct issue, and not only as an aspect of infection prevention and control.

In many cases, the restrictions imposed on visiting were cruel and felt punitive and failed to take into consideration the real importance of family relations and social interaction Brenda Campbell KC

Brenda Campbell KC, on behalf of Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said far too many of the deceased had been cut off from their families and isolated during the pandemic, adding that the importance of family contact and the negative effect of visiting restrictions cant be overstated.

She told the hearing: In many cases, the restrictions imposed on visiting were cruel and felt punitive and failed to take into consideration the real importance of family relations and social interaction.

The module will also consider the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPRs) notices and communication with residents and their loved ones about a residents condition and treatment including discussions and decisions about such notices.

Jane Townson, on behalf of the National Care Forum, Homecare Association, and Care England, urged the inquiry to extend the scope of module six beyond residential care homes and a limited view of home care.

She said social care encompasses a broad and complex spectrum of community-based services, supported housing, assisted living, and home care for individuals of all ages, with a wide range of needs, including physical disabilities, learning disabilities, autism, mental health conditions, brain injuries, and more.

A failure to investigate these experiences alongside the workforce which supported them would be a grave oversight, undermining the very purpose of this inquiry, she added.

Ms Carey said while it might be that the pandemic threw a harsh and painful light on issues such as pre-pandemic underfunding, and the undervaluing of the adult social care sector, the module is not focused on those wide-reaching and historic concerns and problems but rather on the specific impact of the pandemic.

Samuel Jacobs, on behalf of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said this approach is mistaken.

At the very least, we urge this module to gather the evidence and for you, my Lady, to proceed with an open mind, he said.

The conclusion of a full and fearless inquiry might ultimately be that the roof needs to be fixed. That a problem is historic does not mean that it is not relevant to pandemic response and it may mean that a recommendation addressing it is desperately needed.

As the hearing concluded, inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett said she will issue her determination on the modules scope once she has considered both the oral and written submissions from core participant groups.
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Former president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted for allegedly falsifying his Covid-19 vaccine records.

Federal police allege that Mr Bolsonaro falsified information in the countrys public health database in December 2022 to falsely make it appear that he, his daughter and several other close allies had received the Covid-19 vaccine, according to The Associated Press.

He also faces charges of criminal association.

The indictment comes after a long investigation by federal police into whether Mr Bolsonaro falsified his Covid-19 vaccine card to get around US requirements.

Mauro Cid, former aide to Mr Bolsonaro, was also indicted as part of the investigation, according to Reuters.

Last year, Mr Bolsonaro denied allegations that he falsified the data and said he had never claimed to be vaccinated.

A legal analyst told The AP that Mr Bolsonaro faces between two to twelve years behind bars if convicted of falsifying health data. Meanwhile, the criminal association charge carries a four-year sentence, the analyst said.

Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted on charges related to suspected falsification of his Covid-19 vaccine records (AFP via Getty Images)

The former president has long rejected the Covid-19 vaccine, instead advocating for the use of hydroxychloroquine, a drug also touted by Donald Trump. However, hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, has been proven to not be effective against Covid-19.

During the peak of the pandemic in 2020, Mr Bolsonaro also ignored emails from Pfizer offering to sell millions of vaccines to Brazil, The AP reported.

In 2021, he then faced accusations of corruption after finally purchasing vaccines from Indian pharmaceutical Bharat Biotech. A health ministry official at the time said he felt pressured to greenlight the agreement despite irregularities in invoices.

Both Mr Bolsonaro and the company denied any wrongdoing.

Aside from this case, the former president is also facing several separate legal challenges. Last year, a panel of judges barred Mr Bolsonaro from running for office until 2030 after ruling he abused his power during the 2022 election and cast unfounded doubts on the countrys electronic voting systems.

Federal police are also investigating Mr Bolsonaro for his suspected role in a series of attacks on government buildings on 8 January 2023 by his supporters after he lost the election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva  in a day that brought back memories of the January 6 riots on the US Capitol.

Mr Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing in connection to those attacks. Earlier this year, federal investigators launched Operation Tempus Veritatis  Hour of Truth in Latin  into the incident, by conducting dozens of searches and arresting several of Mr Bolsonaros allies.

Mr Bolsonaro has long aligned with Mr Trump and the American far-right. Last year, he spoke at several conservative events, including the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference. He also gave remarks outside of one of Mr Trumps hotels in Miami, Florida, at an event hosted by conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
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A red and white plaid blanket belonging to missing Wisconsin boy Elijah Vue has been found just under four miles from where he was reported missing nearly a month ago.

Two Rivers Police Department said on Monday that officers had identified the blanket, which was found on Goodwin Road, east of County Road B in Manitowoc County, earlier in the investigation.

Police say Elijah Vue may have been carrying this blanket when he disappeared (Two Rivers Police Department)

The three-year-old was said to have been carrying the blanket when he vanished on 20 February.

Officers said the blanket was found 3.7 miles away from the apartment where Elijah had been staying in Two Rivers, a town on the shore of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin.

We continue to request the publics assistance in checking all urban and rural areas, including water, to find Elijah and locate any evidence related to his disappearance, Chief Ben Meinnert said on Facebook.

A reward of up to $40,000 is on offer for anyone with information that leads to the arrest and charging of individuals responsible for Elijahs disappearance.

The little boy was reported missing by his mothers boyfriend, Jesse Vang, just before 11am that Tuesday. The 39-year-old had gone for a nap at 8am and woke up to find Elijah gone.

Katrina Baur had reportedly sent her son to live with Mr Vang for disciplinary reasons, with the boy subjected to lengthy time-outs and threats of cold water if he misbehaved.

Both Ms Baur, 31, and Mr Vang are being held on child neglect charges. So far, neither has admitted to any involvement in Elijahs disappearance.

Elijah is described as being of Hmong and white ethnicity, about three feet tall and having brown hair and brown eyes. He has a birthmark on his left knee.

Katrina Baur appears in court via video link as the search continues for her 3-year-old son, Elijah Vue (News 3 Now/Channel 3000)

The search, now entering its fifth week, has been aided by numerous volunteers from across the Manitowoc County area, as well as the FBI and state police.

In a separate update on Monday, Two Rivers Police Department asked that volunteers only search publicly accessible areas.

Since our last post there have been a number of issues with individuals trespassing on private land, the department said on Facebook. Please do not enter private land unless you have received permission.

Law enforcement has already thoroughly searched many areas of interest on private land with the permission of property owners.
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All six former Mississippi police officers who tortured two Black men during a raid on a home in January 2023 have now been sentenced, with their jail time reaching more than 130 years between them.

At a final hearing on Thursday afternoon, former Richland police officer Joshua Hartfield was sentenced to just over 10 years in prison, after trying to destroy evidence of the groups crimes.

Hartfield, along with five former Rankin County Sheriffs Office deputies, were part of the so-called Goon Squad who subjected Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker to hours of abuse after breaking into the home they were staying in without a warrant in January 2023.

Earlier on Thursday morning Brett McAlpin, 53, was handed a 327 month, or 27.25 years, prison sentence.

On Wednesday, Daniel Opdyke, 28, was handed a 17.5-year sentence and Christian Dedmon, 29, was jailed for 40 years, while on Tuesday Hunter Elward, 31, and Jeffrey Middleton, 46, were jailed for 20 and 17 years respectively.

After breaking into the home in Braxton on 24 January 2023, the group then subjected the two victims to several hours of torture which included tasering, waterboarding and assault with a dildo, before culminating in Mr Jenkins being shot in the mouth by Elward.

At his Thursday hearing, McAlpin told the victims he was sorry, reported CNN.

Im sorry to your families because I have three boys and I know I would feel the very same, no different than you did, for what happened to Michael and Eddie. What happened was wrong, McAlpin said.

The former officer, who lived in the neighbourhood where the victims were staying and made the initial call to another officer about them, was not alone in telling the pair he was sorry.

At his sentencing on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported that Opdyke said his time behind bars had given him time to reflect on his part.

The weight of my actions and the harm Ive caused will haunt me every day, Opdyke told the victims, weeping as he spoke. I wish I could take away your suffering.

When Dedmon was sentenced, the AP said he did not look at the victims but said he would never forgive himself for the pain he caused.

Mr Jenkins responded through his lawyer, describing Dedmon as the most aggressive, sickest and most wicked of the six individuals.

The two mens apologies came after Elward turned to the victims and apologised on Tuesday morning.

Im so sorry, the former officer told Mr Jenkins and Mr Parker, CNN reported. I dont want to get too personal with you, Michael.

Theres no telling what youve seen. Im so sorry that I caused that. I hate myself for it. I hate that I gave you that. I accept all responsibility.

Mr Jenkins reportedly nodded, while Mr Parker stood up and said: We forgive you, man.

The group, who called themselves the Goon Squad for their use of excessive force, called the pair racial slurs during the January 2023 raid, telling them to stay out of Raskin County.

Mr Jenkins and Mr Parker were also punched, kicked, tasered 17 times, assaulted with a dildo and forced to ingest liquids. Dedmon also fired his gun twice to intimidate the men.

When that was over, Elward removed a bullet from his gun and then placed the device in Mr Jenkinss mouth before pulling the trigger. Elward then racked the gun, intending to dry-fire for a second time but instead, the firearm discharged, lacerated Mr Jenkinss tongue and broke his jaw.

Elward faced the most serious charge from the January 2023 attack  discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

While he faced up to 30 years in prison, the judge opted for an approximately 20-year sentence.

After Elward fired his gun during the incident last January, and the victim lay on the floor bleeding, the defendants didnt provide medical aid.

Instead, the Department of Justice said, they gathered outside the home to come up with a false cover story.

Part of that cover included planting a gun on Mr Jenkins, destroying surveillance footage and submitting fake drug evidence to the crime lab.

The victims then filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in June 2023, with the indictments unsealed in August.

It was then that the former officers pleaded guilty to a combination of 13 felonies.

No human being should ever be subjected to the kind of torturous, traumatising and horrific acts of violence that were carried out by these law enforcement officers, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division said in August.

The physical and emotional impact of their crimes resulted from a calculated, deliberate, and egregious course of conduct that required a significant response from authorities.

Despite the words of forgiveness, Mr Parker said in his victims impact statement that the crime will haunt him forever.

The very bad actions of the Rankin County Goon Squad severely impacted me and left a scar on me forever, Mr Parkers statement, read by attorney Malik Shabazz, said.

I dont know if I will ever be able to sleep at night. I fear I will be attacked again and even killed.

Mr Jenkins added that he did not think he would ever be the person he was before the incident.

Following the first sentences on Tuesday, US Attorney General Merrick B Garland called the attacks heinous.

These defendants kicked in the door of a home where two Black men were residing, handcuffed and arrested them without probable cause, called them racial slurs, and punched, kicked, tased, and assaulted them, the Attorney General said in a statement.

After one of the defendants fired his gun in the mouth of one of the victims, breaking his jaw, the defendants gathered outside to come up with a cover story as the victim lay bleeding on the floor. The Justice Department will hold accountable officers who violate constitutional rights, and in so doing, betray the public trust.
 Close Riley Strains mother speaks out after his body is recovered

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A preliminary autopsy has been completed on student Riley Strains body after he was recovered from Nashville, Tennessees Cumberland River this week.

The initial autopsy results suggest an accidental death, as there were no signs of foul play, police told WKRN. Authorities recovered his body Friday around eight miles from the downtown area where he was last seen.

Now, his family is thanking the Nashville community.

I want to reiterate how thankful we are for everyone and how much we appreciate everyones support, love and prayers, Strains mother, Michelle Whiteid, said.

We are quite thankful for everything youve done  the grace youve given us, Chris Whiteid, Strains stepfather, said.

The 22-year-old University of Missouri student was partying with his fraternity in Nashville on 8 March when he was kicked out of a bar around 10pm. Strains bank card was found a week later near the river.

The discovery came after Mr Whiteid and family friend Chris Dingman told NewsNation police had shown them footage of what was believed to be Strains last known movements.

In the video, Strain was seen jogging close to the river, away from the direction of his hotel, they said.
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It has been more than three weeks since 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers disappeared from his home in Tennessee, with still no sign of the teen.

The autistic teenager was last seen by his mother and stepfather when he went to bed on the night of 25 February, but when his mother went to wake him up for school the next morning, he was gone, she said.

Sebastian is believed to have wandered off in the middle of the night with a flashlight, barefoot and alone.

The case sparked a major search in Sumner County that stretched thousands of miles and lasted more than a week before officials said they were scaling back the ground search to focus more on the investigative side.

Below is a full timeline of everything that has happened in the case to date:

Monday 26 February: Endangered child alert issued

An Endangered Child Alert was issued at approximately 11.17 am by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) on behalf of the Sumner County Sheriffs Office.

In the alert, investigators said Sebastian was last seen earlier that day near Stafford Court in Hendersonville, adding that he was wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants and glasses.

It has been over three weeks since 15-year-old Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers disappeared (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

Sumner County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Ken Weidner said over 200 people had been dispatched to search for the missing teen, including multiple K-9 teams, mounted units, helicopter crews and drones.

The search team covered a nearly five-mile radius. I cant recall off the top of my head when the last search like this was, Chief Deputy Eric Craddock with the Sumner County Sheriffs Office told News 2. Obviously, this one is exponentially more important being a child who does have autism.

Tuesday 27 February: Ambert alert goes out

On 27 February, the TBI announced that the Endangered Child Alert had been elevated to an AMBER Alert, based on additional investigative information developed during the search.

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, according to the DOJ.

Meanwhile, dozens of agencies continued searching for Sebastian and began employing unique tactics such as blasting his favourite song, Eye of the Tiger, while searching in different areas to try to call out to him, the Sumner County Sheriffs Office said.

At a press conference later that day, authorities urged local residents to check their surveillance cameras and report any possible information that could help lead to Sebastian.

Thursday 29 February: Pond drained but nothing found

As the search entered its fourth day, officials revealed they had received several tips amid calls for people to check their surveillance cameras, but none were confirmed sightings of Sebastian.

The 15year-old has high functioning autism (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

Emergency Management Agency Director Ken Weidner added that search-and-rescue dogs had not been able to pick up a scent.

Investigators also drained a pond to the east of Sebastians home and found nothing.

Saturday 2 March: Reward issued for information

The sheriffs office told News 2 that an anonymous group of business owners in the Nashville area had pledged a minimum cash reward of $3,000 for information that may lead to finding the missing teen.

The award was raised to $3,500 the following day.

Monday 4 March: Search scaled back and parents speak out

After a week of searching, authorities announced that they were scaling back the ground search for Sebastian and transitioning to an investigation.

This does not diminish our commitment to finding Sebastian, Mr Craddock said during a press conference. This is simply us transitioning from the ground search to the investigative side.

Sebastians stepfather, Chris Proudfoot, and his mother, Katie Proudfoot (WSMV)

He added that there were no leads, no details to indicate that Sebastian is not alive.

On the same day, Sebastians mother spoke to the media for the first time about their childs disappearance, telling WSMV4 I just want my baby to be ok.

I wouldnt wish this on anyone, she added.

Sebastians stepfather, Chris Proudfoot, said the family had been on one constant rollercoaster ride of helplessness and hopelessness since Sebastian vanished.

The couple has received backlash for not speaking out earlier, to which they say they shouldnt be judged because no one knows what theyre going through.

You dont know, and I dont wish you to ever know, they said. Just be kind to people. Its just that simple.

Thursday 7 March: Landfill in Kentucky searched

On 7 March, investigators announced that the search had moved to a landfill in White Plains, Kentucky, where trash was taken from Sebastians neighbourhood in the Beech area.

Authorities searched a landfill in White Plains, Kentucky (WSMV)

Officials called the search of the landfill a precautionary measure to eliminate possible options and questions and said there was no specific information indicating evidence related to the search for Sebastian was there.

The search concluded that evening, with authorities later stating that it did not provide any additional clues as to what happened to Sebastian.

While we had hoped for a different outcome, our commitment to finding Sebastian remains unwavering, Sumner County Sheriff Sonny Weatherford said. We will continue to explore all available avenues and resources to bring closure to this case and provide answers to Sebastians family and loved ones.

Sunday 10 March: Stepfather reveals fear for Sebastian

In an interview with WTVF, Sebastians father, Seth Rodgers, revealed his fears for his stepson, saying that he was not one to wander off, and due to an experience as a young boy would never go far without shoes on.

He decided he wanted to step into a mound of what he thought was dirt. It was fire ants, and since then he doesnt like to get his feet in the dirt. He likes to have his shoes and socks on, he said of Sebastians childhood experience.

Sebastians father, Seth Rodgers (NewsChannel 5 Nashville WTVF )

In order for him to do something thats out of the normal, something wouldve had to happen that he felt like he just couldnt deal with it anymore, he added.

During the interview, he also revealed that a search dog had traced Sebastians scent to a construction site, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

One dog tracked him to a construction area over there and it just disappeared, and its confusing. There are missing pieces to the puzzle, and Im having difficulty solving this, he said.

Mr Rogers added that it makes absolutely no sense theres been no trace of him.

Im hoping hes still alive, the father said. That is my main hope right now.

Thursday 14 March: Video shows activity outside family home

Home security video, obtained by WTVF, showed two specks of light outside the familys home in the Hendersonville neighbourhood around 3.10am in the middle of the night when the teen went missing.

Sumner County Sheriffs chief deputy Eric Craddock told the news outlet that there are several clips that have come in that investigators are reviewing for more clues.

One clip shows a pitch-black Stafford Court neighbourhood with two lights that appear to be people with flashlights moving toward each other before moving off-screen.
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Donald Trumps long-running feud with the Sussexes has taken a new turn as he indicates that he would kick Prince Harry out of the US if it is revealed that the Duke lied on his visa application.

Speaking to Nigel Farage, the former US president said he would not give Harry any preferential treatment if he is re-elected to the White House this year.

Prince Harry is currently facing a legal battle over his US visa application after he admitted his past drug use in his memoir Spare. Under US visa laws, this could have made him ineligible to enter the country.

Donald Trumps GB News interview with Nigel Farage (19 March 7pm BST) (The Independent)

Trumps comments are just the latest in years of hostilities between him, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Here is a look back at some of their most public spats:

2016  Meghan calls Trump misogynistic and divisive ahead of presidential election

The Duke of Sussex first made her views on Trump known shortly before he became US president in 2016. Speaking on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, Meghan called Trump divisive and misogynistic.

Discouraging the US electorate to vote for Trump at the election, she said: You dont really want that kind of world.

2019  Trump calls Meghan Markle nasty before UK visit

Trump didnt respond to Meghans comments until three years later, when he had won election to the most powerful office in the world. Speaking to the Sun ahead of his UK state visit, Trump said I didnt know that, adding: I didnt know she was nasty.

The former president attempted to correct the record later in the day, claiming the quote was made up by the Fake News Media  despite it being recorded.

Charles and Camilla alongside Donald Trump and Melania Trump, London, June 2019 (Getty Images)

Trumps UK visit proceeded as planned, with Meghan absent to look after her newborn son, Archie. He met with Queen Elizabeth II, Charles and Camilla.

In an interview with Piers Morgan, Trump backtracked on his comment about Meghan, saying he thought she was very nice.

The former president also called Prince Harry a terrific guy.

2020  Harry allegedly criticises Trump in hoax call with Greta Thunberg

In March 2020, two Russian pranksters claimed to have fooled Prince Harry into divulging his opinion on key topics by pretending to be Greta Thunberg during two calls with him.

Speaking about Trump, the Duke allegedly said the former president has blood on his hands over his climate policies, adding he wont want to have a discussion about climate change with you because you will outsmart him.

2020  Trump says the Sussexes must pay! for their security costs

After it was revealed the Sussexes had relocated from Canada to Los Angeles, Trump tweeted that the US would not pay for their security protection, and that they must pay!

I am a great friend and admirer of the Queen & the United Kingdom. It was reported that Harry and Meghan, who left the Kingdom, would reside permanently in Canada. Now they have left Canada for the U.S. however, the U.S. will not pay for their security protection. They must pay!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2020

A representative for the couple denied that they had any intention to ask the US state to pay for their security costs.

2020  Trump says hes not a fan of Meghan after they encourage Biden voters

After Meghan encouraged Americans to vote for him in the 2020 election, Trump said: Im not a fan of hers. I wish a lot of luck to Harry, hes going to need it.

Harry and Meghan host a special Time100 talk, October 2020 (Time via AP)

The Sussexes had released a video as part of the Time 100 list of influential people, with Harry saying: As we approach this November, its vital that we reject hate speech, misinformation and online negativity.

Meghan also contributed to the video, adding: Every four years we are told the same thing, that this is the most important election of our lifetime. But this one is.

2021 and 2022  Trump attacks the Sussexes during Piers Morgan and Nigel Farage interviews

In the years following his presidency, Trump has made some of his most incendiary swipes at Harry and Meghan.

In a 2021 interview with Nigel Farage, the former president said he thought Harry had been used horribly and that his marriage ruined his relationship with his family and hurts the Queen.

Donald Trump is interviewed by Piers Morgan, 2022 (Piers Morgan Uncensored / Talk TV)

Later, speaking to Piers Morgan in 2022, Trump said Harry is whipped like no person I think Ive ever seen and that Meghan will likely leave him when she decides that she likes some other guy better.

He also added that he had met the Queen for over an hour in 2019, despite only having 20 minutes pencilled in, saying she liked me and I liked her and she let it be known.

2023  Trump shares view on Prince Harrys invite to the coronation with Nigel Farage

Speaking to his now semi-regular interviewer Nigel Farage last year, Trump weighed in on the princes invite to the coronation, saying: I was actually surprised that Harry was invited to be honest.

He said some terrible thingsthe book [Spare] was just...to me, it was horrible, he said, adding that Meghan had been very disrespectful to the Queen.
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Californias 20th Congressional District will hold a special election to replace former Representative and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.

Mr McCarthys former seat has been open since December when he stepped down two months after the Republican party ousted him as Speaker. After several attempts to find a new speaker, Representative Mike Johnson won the title in October. Prior to retirement, Mr McCarthy had served in the same seat for 17 years.

Now, residents of the 20th District will vote on Tuesday to decide his replacement until January 2025. Heres what to expect from the district just outside of Los Angeles:

Tuesday could mark an outright winner

All nine candidates running for Mr McCarthys former seat will appear on the same ballot this week, regardless of party.

There are two main outcomes of Tuesdays election. If one candidate wins the majority of votes, they win the seat and will hold it until January 2025, the remainder of Mr McCarthys original term.

Representative Kevin McCarthy retired in December 2023 after he was ousted as Speaker of the House (Getty Images)

If a single candidate doesnt win the majority, the district will hold a run-off election between the top two candidates on 21 May.

Who is running for the former speakers seat?

While nine candidates are in the race, there are only a handful expected to be top contenders.

The two Republican front-runners are Vince Fong, a California assemblyman, and Mike Boudreaux, the Tulare County, California sheriff. A Republican Super PAC has backed Mr Fong, whom Mr McCarthy endorsed, with more than $650,000 since he entered the race, The Fresno Bee reports. Former president Donald Trump has also endorsed Mr Fong. Mr Boudreaux, on the other hand, has received mainly local support according to the Associated Press.

Mr Fong and Mr Boudreaux are facing Democratic front-runner Marisa Wood, a public-school teacher. Ms Wood previously ran against Mr McCarthy in 2022, finishing in third place.

While it would be to Mr Fongs advantage to only face off against Ms Wood in the heavily Republican district, Mr Boudreaux appears to still be a front-runner going into Tuesday.

Why did Speaker McCarthy end his term early?

Mr McCarthy was first elected to the US House of Representatives in 2007, serving as Speaker of the House from January to October 2023.

The Speakers downfall was orchestrated by a group of eight Maga-aligned Republicans, led by Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida. Mr Gaetz and his cohort pushed for his removal after Mr McCarthy made a bipartisan deal that averted a government shutdown, going against demands from far-right lawmakers to reject any compromise with Democratic members.

US Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican of Florida, arrives to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, on February 23, 2024 (AFP via Getty Images)

However, personal strife also contributed to Mr McCarthys removal, according to some reports.

Mr Gaetz told a friend in private messages that his push to oust the California speaker was revenge for the ethics investigation, The Daily Beast reported earlier this year. However, the Florida congressman denied these reports.

As Ive answered likely 100 times on the record, I led the charge to remove Kevin McCarthy from his role as House Speaker because he failed to keep his promises, Mr Gaetz told the outlet.

In the immediate weeks following his removal, it was unclear if Mr McCarthy would leave Congress entirely. However, he announced his early retirement in December 2023, leaving his seat vacant  until, potentially, this week.
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Congressional leaders are understood to have reached a tentative spending deal to bankroll the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) late on Monday  passing a sticking point that should enable negotiators to process the remaining funding bills and avert a partial government shutdown later this week.

As it stands, funding is set to expire on Saturday morning for the departments of Homeland Security, State, Defense, Labour and Health and Human Services.

House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the agreement on Tuesday morning.

An agreement has been reached for DHS appropriations, which will allow completion of the FY24 appropriations process, Mr Johnson said. House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible.

The spending bills will keep the government open until Fiscal Year 2024 ends on 30 September, just weeks before the 2024 presidential elections.

President Joe Biden commended negotiators in a statement on Tuesday.

We have come to an agreement with Congressional leaders on a path forward for the remaining full-year funding bills. The House and Senate are now working to finalize a package that can quickly be brought to the floor, and I will sign it immediately.

While the terms of the deal remain unclear, it now paves the way for the resolution of six bills relating to its sister departments, which were largely settled last week.

However, despite the sign of progress, Congress is still in a race against time to pass the spending measures and avoid a short-term government shutdown.

Six months into the fiscal year, Congress is still only about halfway towards passing spending measures ultimately expected to be worth about $1.65trn.

Lawmakers passed the first tranche of six spending bills in early March, funding about 30 per cent of the US government.

Now, they are focused on the larger second package and, in what has become routine, find themselves sailing close to the deadline for the expiration of federal funding as a result of deep policy divisions between Republicans and Democrats.

The bill to fund the DHS, which is responsible for securing and managing Americas borders, has proven difficult to resolve as the question of illegal immigration at the USs southern border with Mexico has become a central issue in presidential election year.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (AP)

The stakes for both sides are immense as the flow of migrants crossing the southern border far outpaces the capacity of the US immigration system to deal with it, with each side of the aisle blaming the other for failing to find an answer to the crisis.

Negotiators in Congress have, however, been moving toward a simple solution: passing a continuing resolution that would mostly extend funding for the DHS, though with some increase on 2023 spending levels.

On the DHS specifically, she said Mr Bidens administration had maximised their operations and removed more illegal immigrants in the past 10 months than during any year since the 2013 fiscal year.

Ms Jean-Pierre said it was important to continue that operational pace and added: Obviously, we believe DHS needs additional funding. Weve always said that.

Even with the possible release of legislative text early this week by the House Appropriations Committee, it is still unclear whether Congress can definitely avoid a partial shutdown, however brief.

Most of the no votes are expected to come from hard-right Republicans, who have been critical of the overall spending levels as well as the lack of policy mandates sought by some conservatives, such as restricting abortion access, eliminating diversity and inclusion programmes within federal agencies and banning gender-affirming care.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good led a group of hard-right conservatives who demanded that a spending bill include provisions from the House-passed Secure the Border Act, which would restrict immigration.

At some point, border security has to be more than a talking point or a campaign promise, Mr Good posted on X/Twitter. What are House Republicans prepared to do? When will we say not on our watch and back up those words with action? Stop funding the invasion!

Assuming the bill passes the House, the Senate will then have to act on it and its passage will depend on all senators agreeing on speeding up the process to reach a final vote before its deadline of midnight on Friday.

Such agreements typically require Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to allow for votes on amendments to a bill in return for an expedited final vote.

The package being finalised this week is expected to provide about $886bn for the Pentagon.

Overall, the two spending packages provide around a 3 per cent boost for defence, while keeping non-defence spending roughly in line with the year before.

That is in keeping with an agreement that former speaker Kevin McCarthy worked out with the White House, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills.

House Republicans have been determined to end the practice of packaging all 12 annual spending bills into one massive bill known as an omnibus.

They have at least succeeded in breaking the spending bills into two seemingly more manageable parts this time around.

Additional reporting by agencies
 Close Trumps mental acuity questioned on Fox News

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Donald Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social on Sunday to wish a happy Easter to all, including all those he claimed were doing everything possible to put him in jail.

In a lengthy and all-capitalised post on Sunday afternoon, Mr Trump railed against some of his usual suspects, including DOJ special counsel Jack Smith and Georgia attorney Fani Willis.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL... INCLUDING THOSE MANY PEOPLE I COMPLETELY & TOTALLY DESPISE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DESTROY AMERICA, he wrote.

It comes as Republicans, led by the former president, are sounding off on Joe Biden after he issued a statement recognising Trans Visibility Day becasue it happened to coincide with Easter Sunday this year.

Created by a Michigan-based transgender activist, Rachel Crandall, in 2009, International Transgender Day of Visibility (often shortened to Trans Visibility Day) falls on March 31 every year. In 2024, that date coincidentally falls on Easter Sunday, which is determined annually by marking the first Sunday after the full moon occurring on or after the Spring Equinox.

President Biden marked the push for transgender rights with a statement recognising Trans Visibility Day on Friday that has immediately set off alarm bells on the far right.
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Donald Trump has come under fire for comments about Jewish Democrats after the former president said, any Jewish person that votes for Democrats... [hates] everything about Israel.

The comments reveal how Mr Trump intends to use the war between Israel and Hamas to attack President Joe Biden as the 2024 election nears.

Mr Trump made the comments on the America First radio show hosted by his former White House aide Sebastian Gorka. The former president criticised Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer, who recently suggested that Israel hold new elections as he criticised the leadership of Israels prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Since the start of the war, the relationship between the Biden administration and Mr Netanyahu has deteriorated significantly  Mr Biden recently spoke to the prime minister for the first time in a month. After strongly supporting Israel, Mr Biden and other top Democrats have now taken to publically criticising the Israeli government for not taking enough care not to harm civilians  more than 30,000 Palestinians have died so far.

The Israeli counterattack was prompted by the Hamas attack on 7 October last year, when about 1,200 Israelis were killed.

Why do the Democrats hate Bibi Netanyahu? Mr Gorka asked Mr Trump on Monday.

I actually think they hate Israel, Mr Trump said. And the Democrat Party hates Israel.

Mr Biden has faced significant criticism from progressives for his steadfast support for Israel and for his administration continuing to send aid to the country.

I really believe they hate Israel. And they also see a lot of votes. Don't forget, when you see those Palestinian marches, I am amazed at how many people are in those marches, Mr Trump said.

And guys like Schumer see that, and to him its votes, I think it's votes more than anything else  because he was always pro-Israel. He's very anti-Israel now, he added. Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.

Mr Schumer retweeted a clip of Mr Trump making the comments, writing: To make Israel a partisan issue only hurts Israel and the US-Israeli relationship. Trump is making highly partisan and hateful rants. I am working in a bipartisan way to ensure the US-Israeli relationship sustains for generations to come, buoyed by peace in the Middle East.

Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, who is Jewish, blasted the remarks.

Its one of the most antisemitics things Ive heard a public official say, or a former public official say Mr Schatz told The Independent.

A Biden campaign spokesperson said in a statement, The only person who should be ashamed here is Donald Trump.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the remarks were antisemitic.

It is something you don't want to see anyone say but you certainly a former president United States, he told The Independent. Its something that is very harmful to this country. And just because he normalizes this type of speech doesn't make it any better.

Donald Trump openly demeans Jewish Americans and reportedly thinks Adolf Hitler did some good things. He has said the only people he wants counting his money are short guys wearing yarmulkes, and praised neo-Nazis who chanted Jews will not replace us as very fine people, the spokesperson added.

Democratic Representative Becca Balint, who is Jewish and supports a ceasefire in Gaza, said Mr Trump made the remarks to distract from the fact he could not post his appeal bond for his $464m fraud judgment.

When he doesn't want people to think he's a loser, he lashes out at whatever group happens to be handy, she told The Independent. He's insecure, and he has no impulse control. We know he's an antisemite already. This is just more evidence.

Steve Cohen, a House Democrat from Tennessee, toldAxios that Mr Trump has no religion, adding that he never goes to church, certainly doesnt know anything about Matthew and the New Testament and less about Jews and their commitment to social justice and Israel.

Florida Democratic representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz told The Independent that someone whos fanned the flames of antisemitism is one to talk.

On Monday, a Trump spokesperson pushed ahead with the former presidents narrative, saying, The Biden Administration has given millions in aid to Gaza and the Iranian Regime, Democrats in Congress have signed petitions supporting Gaza terrorists and caved to the demands of far-left Palestinian extremists.

The Democrat Party has turned into a full-blown anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist cabal, spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, according to Axios.

The Pew Research Center noted that in 2020 US Jews are still a largely Democratic and politically liberal group today, as they have been for decades.

Seventy-one per cent of American Jews identified with or leaned towards the Democrats in a survey conducted between 2019 and 2020.
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Donald Trump appeared to change his tone on Nato after the uproar over his previous comments saying that he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to members who dont pay their fair share.

Speaking to former Brexit leader Nigel Farage on GB News, Mr Trump said the US would 100 per cent back Nato members who pay up.

But he also asked, Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money?

Now they're paying because of those comments that you saw two or three weeks ago, he told Mr Farage. I don't know if you know, but a lot of moneys come in since those comments were made. Nato was not paying.

Nato members have agreed to spend at least two per cent of GDP on their own defence, a goal most members have yet to achieve.

I went to the first meeting early in my administration, and I saw what was going on and I said You're gonna have to pay your bills, everybody, Mr Trump told GB News.

The second meeting, I hit them hard. And the question was asked by the head of a major country in front of everyone else, 28 countries at the time, including us, they said, so if we dont pay our bills, are you going to protect us from Russia? Mr Trump claimed.

I said, You mean you're delinquent? You're not paying the bills? ... We're not going to defend you if you're not paying your bills. We're not going to defend you. It's very simple, he added. And hundreds of billions of dollars came flowing in  now if I say yes, I am. They're not going to pay their bills.

Mr Trump referred to it as a negotiation tactic in the interview. Nato became strong because of me, he claimed.

Nato has to treat the US fairly because if it's not for the United States, Nato literally doesn't even exist. But they took advantage of us like most countries do, Mr Trump said.

Mr Farage, who campaigned for years to bring the UK out of the EU, argued that Mr Trumps previous comments inviting Russia to attack Europe are being used in Brussels as we've got to have a European Defence Force.

He added that theres even talk of Brussels having a nuclear weapon. Let's just try and get somewhere on this. If they start to pay their bills properly, and the club is fair, are places like Poland defended? Will America be there?

Yeah. But the United States should pay its fair share, not everybody else's fair share, Mr Trump said.

I believe the United States was paying 90 per cent of Nato ... could be 100 per cent  it was the most unfair thing and don't forget, it's more important to them than it is to us. We have an ocean in between some problems, the former president said in a false claim regarding how Nato is funded.

If they start to play fair  America is there? Mr Farage pressed.

Yes. 100 per cent, Mr Trump said.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949, a few years after the end of World War II. It began with 12 members and has now expanded to 32.

One of the most well-known parts of the Nato treaty is Article 5, which handles collective defence, stating that an attack on one is an attack on all. It requires that each member state agree to trigger it when a member state is attacked. Article 5 has only been triggered once  after the 9/11 terror attacks against the US.

Nato allies choose to contribute troops and funding for the alliance, while how much each member spends on its own defence is voluntary.

In 2014, Nato members committed to spend at least two per cent of their GDP on defence following Russias annexation of Crimea and conflicts in the Middle East. That agreement was renewed last year.

These funds arent paid directly to Nato but are goals for each country to spend on its own defence. Nato doesnt have its own army  the member countries make sure the alliance is protected.

Last year, 11 of 31 member states  Sweden joined this year  reached the two per cent goal. Only three countries reached that threshold almost ten years previously, ABC News noted.

Nato General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg, a former Norwegian prime minister, has said that all European members are set to meet the two per cent goal for the first time this year.

In the list of estimated defence spending for 2023, the US comes in second behind Poland, which spent 3.9 per cent  more than $29bn  of GDP on defence while the US spent 3.49 per cent  about $860bn.

Only one other country, Greece, spent more than three per cent. The Mediterranian nation spent 3.01 per cent, or about $7bn.

Regarding Ukraine, Mr Farage asked Mr Trump if Russian President Vladimir Putin is someone that can be negotiated with.

Yeah, I think he is, Mr Trump said.

Putin responds to strength, Mr Farage noted.

I don't know what he responds to. He responded to me. I can tell you one thing  He certainly wouldn't have gotten into Ukraine if Mr Trump had still been president, he claimed.
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Donald Trump is preparing to welcome his disgraced former campaign manager Paul Manafort back into the fold despite fears of Russian influence, according to reports.

Manafort, a veteran Republican fixer who helped run Mr Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, was convicted in 2018 of concealing millions of dollars he had made lobbying for pro-Russian politicians.

A bipartisan US Senate committee branded him a grave counterintelligence threat and a potential channel for covert Russian influence, but he was pardoned by Mr Trump in the dying days of 2020.

Now The Washington Post reports that Mr Trump is in talks to re-hire Manafort for his 2024 presidential campaign, citing four people familiar with the discussions.

Though no formal decision has been made, those people said that Mr Trump was determined to bring Manafort back into his inner circle, according to the Post.

The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Calls to a phone number associated with Manafort were not returned.

Manafort has helped elect and re-elect numerous presidents during his decades-long career in American politics, from Richard Nixon through George HW Bush to Mr Trump.

But he has also served as a prolific lobbyist for foreign politicians including Angolan rebel leader Jonas Savimbi, Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, and Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian former president of Ukraine.

Paul Manafort is escorted from a New York courtroom in June 2019 (EPA-EFE/Justin Lane)

According to a 2020 report by the Senate Intelligence Committee, these two lines of work appeared to cross while Manafort was working as Mr Trump's campaign chair in 2016.

During that time, he shared internal campaign data with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian-Ukrainian political fixer whom the report describes as a Russian intelligence officer.

Taken as a whole, Manafort's high-level access and willingness to share information with individuals closely affiliated with the Russian intelligence services, particularly Kilimnik and associates of Oleg Deripaska, represented a grave counterintelligence threat, the report concluded.

The various investigations into Manafort's conduct eventually led to criminal charges, and in 2018 he pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to tamper with a witness, launder money, and violate foreign lobbyist registration laws.

After being pardoned by Mr Trump, Manafort released a book called Political Prisoner in which he denied any wrongdoing related to Ukraine and Russia and defended his former boss.
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Donald Trump has hinted that he would kick Prince Harry out of the US if it emerges that he lied on his visa application.

In a sit-down interview with Nigel Farage for GB News, due to air later on Tuesday, Mr Trump said that there will be no preferential treatment for the Duke of Sussex if he returns to the White House in November.

Prince Harry is currently embroiled in a legal battle over his US visa application after he admitting to past drug use in his highly controversial memoir Spare.

Conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation has argued that his admission that he took cocaine, cannabis and magic mushrooms in his memoir means that he should not have been allowed into the US under the countrys visa laws, which state that past drug use or criminal activity may make an applicant ineligible.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rejected a request by the think tank in June to expedite its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the release of immigration records of the Duke of Sussex, arguing that there is no public interest in disclosure sufficient to override the subjects privacy interests.

In a preview of the GB News interview, Mr Farage asks Mr Trump if Prince Harry should have special privileges if authorities find he lied on his visa application.

Mr Trump responded: No. Well have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied theyll have to take appropriate action.

In an interview with Nigel Farage for GB News, Mr Trump hinted that there will be no preferential treatment for the Duke of Sussex (GB News)

When pressed as to whether appropriate action may mean not staying in America, Mr Trump replied: Oh I dont know. Youll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago.

He added that if he wins the presidential election in November then the Duke of Sussex would be on his own.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that Prince Harry provided false information on his visa application and lawyers for the US government have insisted that drug claims in Spare are not proof he actually took them.

In the memoir, Prince Harry wrote that cocaine didnt do anything for me when he took a line at the age of 17.

Mr Trump previously said he wouldnt protect Prince Harry because he had betrayed the Queen (Getty Images)

It wasnt much fun, and it didnt make me particularly happy, as it seemed to make everyone around me but it did make me feel different, and that was the main goal, he said.

The 39-year-old added: Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me.

He also described how he got high on magic mushrooms in 2016, aged 31, while at a party in California.

Beside the toilet was a round silver bin, the kind with a foot pedal to open the lid. I stared at the bin. It stared back. Then it became . . . a head, he wrote.

I stepped on the pedal and the head opened its mouth. A huge open grin. I laughed, turned away, took a p***. Now the loo became a head too. The bowl was its gaping maw, the hinges of the seat were its piercing silver eyes. It said, Aaah, he continued.

Mr Trump previously told The Daily Express in February that he wouldnt protect Prince Harry because he had betrayed the Queen when he left the Royal Family and moved to the US, where he now lives with his wife Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet.

The GB News interview will air at 3pm ET (7pm GMT) on Tuesday 19 March.
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Former president Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court to grant him total immunity from criminal charges hes facing in his federal election interference case, saying it was integral to the future of the US presidency to do so.

In a brief submitted to the court on Tuesday, Mr Trumps legal team outlined the former presidents argument and reasoning in asking for immunity, claiming the president requires protection from criminal charges in order to carry out the powers and responsibilities of the job.

A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future President with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn him to years of post-office trauma at the hands of his political opponents, Mr Trumps legal team wrote.

They claimed the president has inherent immunity thanks to the Executive Vesting Clause, which awards the president specific powers, and the separation of powers laid out in the US Consitution. They also cited the ruling in the 1982 Supreme Court case Nixon v Fitzgerald which declared presidents immune from civil lawsuits for conduct within the outer perimeter of their authority.

It is the same argument that Mr Trumps team made to an appeals court in Washington DC earlier this year, which the court later rejected.

Now Mr Trump is taking his argument to the Supreme Court, which will have to decide whether a former president can enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution for "conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office and to what extent.

The court will hear oral arguments on 25 April.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump salutes at a campaign rally Saturday, March 16, 2024, (AP)

The former presidents immunity defence arose from the criminal indictment brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith last year. Mr Smith is accusing Mr Trump of trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in his favour by knowingly making false claims of election fraud and pressuring state officials to approve fraudulent electors.

Mr Trump believes he is immune from criminal prosecution because he says he was acting in his official capacity as president.

In their brief, Mr Trumps legal team cited the lack of prosecutions against former presidents for controversial actions, including Bill Clintons pardon of fugitive Marc Rich, George W Bushs alleged false statements about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and Barack Obamas use of drones to take out membes of Al Qaeda with US citizenship.

They claimed this was evidence that it was never intended for any former president to face criminal charges for any crime committed in office, despite the examples have little to do with the charges Mr Trump faces.

US President Donald Trump arrives to speak to supporters from The Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021, in Washington, DC (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Smiths legal team previously disputed Mr Trumps claim, arguing that Mr Trump is not immune from prosecution because his actions were not part of presidential responsibilities and thus not an official act. Mr Smith has yet to submit his brief to the Supreme Court; he has until 8 April.

Mr Trumps team suggested that should the Supreme Court reject his immunity defence they could return to a lower court for further factfinding  like determining if Mr Trumps actions were considered official acts. This would further delay the case from going to trial which Mr Smith has pushed to take place before the November presidential election.

So far, a district court and federal appeals court have sided with Mr Smith.

Andrew Feinberg contributed to this report
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A former colleague of New York City Mayor Eric Adams is accusing him of sexually assaulting her after she declined to give him sexual favours in exchange for help with her career, in a new court filing.

On Monday, the woman accusing Mr Adams of assaulting her in 1993, filed a complaint detailing the alleged interaction between the two while working in the Transit Bureau of the NYPD.

In it, she alleges that she sought help from Mr Adams, who was a leader within the Transit Bureau, to help advance a promotion. She said she went to Mr Adams because he held himself out to be an advocate for equality and fair treatment of Black employees but ultimately, she claims, he used her vulnerability to demand sexual favours.

The accuser claims Mr Adams drove her to a vacant parking lot and requested oral sex from her which she refused. He then forcibly pushed her hand onto him which she removed. Eventually, she alleges, Mr Adams masturbated onto her.

The effects of that sexual assault, betrayal, and astonishing abuse of power, continue to haunt Plaintiff to this day, the complaint alleges.

The Independent has reached out to Mayor Adams office for comment.

Mr Adams did not immediately respond to the accusations laid out in the detailed complaint but has previously denied the allegations, claiming he does not know the plaintiff.

Slyvia O Hinds-Radix, New York Citys corporation counsel, said in a statement While we review the complaint, the mayor fully denies these outrageous allegations and the events described here; we expect full vindication in court. Additionally, in 1993, Eric Adams was one of the most prominent public opponents of the racism within the NYPD, which is why the suits allegations that he had any sway over promotions of civilian employees is ludicrous.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (Getty Images)

The initial complaint was first brought forward in December under the Adult Survivors Act, a law signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in 2022 that provided sexual assault survivors a one-year window to pursue litigation on incidents from decades ago.

Just two days before the law expired, the accuser, identified as Lorna Beach-Mathura, filed a notice of claim but did not include detailed allegations.

Mondays filing is the first time those accusations have been described.

According to the plaintiff, the incident took place while she and Mr Adams were working for the Transit Bureau which later became part of the NYPD in 1995. At the time Mr Adams was a transit officer and a leader in the Guardians Association, a fraternal organisation comprised of Black law enforcement professionals.

She attests that she was repeatedly passed over for promotions and given less desirable assignments because she was a Black woman who spoke up to report unethical behaviour.

Seeking advice, she turned to Mr Adams who offered to pick her up from work and drive her home to speak with her about the lack of promotions and poor treatment she says she received. She alleges that Mr Adams took advantage of the situation to ask for sexual favours.

In her complaint, she describes being sickened and outraged by Mr Adams behaviour but fearful of retaliation if she were to report it. She claims she told friends and a former colleague about the incident but declined to report it.

The plaintiff went further in accusing Mr Adams of then having her transferred to a different department where she eventually lost her job due to lay-offs.

Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673)
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A 24-year-old conservative social media influencer was arrested and charged with several misdemeanours related to her alleged involvement in the January 6 attack on the Capitol, including allegedly stealing a table and passing it off to other rioters to fight back against police.

The influencer, Isabella DeLuca, was arrested in Irvine, California, on Monday and charged with theft of government property and entering a restricted building, among other charges.

According to an affidavit, federal law enforcement officials were made aware that Ms DeLuca was at the Capitol on January 6 approximately three days after the riot. Ms DeLuca told followers on X and Instagram that she was going to the Capitol and live-streamed parts of the riot on her platform.

Isabella DeLuca appears outside the Supreme Court on Capitol Hill on 26 October 2020 (AP)

Ms DeLuca has over 335,000 followers on X and 125,000 followers on Instagram.

When initially interviewed, Ms DeLuca told investigators she was at the Capitol but denied entering the building.

However, federal investigators allege Ms DeLuca can be seen entering the Capitol through a broken window on the Lower West Terrace and removing a table to pass to rioters outside of another window, in footage taken at the Capitol that day.

That table was allegedly used by rioters to assault law enforcement officers guarding the lower west tunnel.

Through a search warrant, federal investigators uncovered messages Ms DeLuca exchanged with acquaintances on Instagram in which she described the scene as insanity, claiming she was maced and experienced a sound bomb.

On 7 January, Ms DeLuca responded to a message from an Instagram user asking why she supported breaking into the Capitol saying, According to the Constitution its our house.

About a week later, Ms DeLuca posted a message on her social media pages saying she had mixed feelings about being at the Capitol on 6 January. She said she believed the election was stolen and went to the Capitol because thats where we go to take our grievances and it was allowed.

Up until Monday, Ms DeLuca was an unpaid volunteer with the Gold Institute for International Strategy, a nonprofit think tank that focuses on issues of national security. Following her charges, the institute severed ties with her, according to The New York Times. They said they were unaware she was facing criminal charges.

Prior to her role there, Ms DeLuca was an ambassador for Turning Point USA and interned for former New York representative Lee Zeldin and Arizona representative Paul Gosar.

Ms DeLuca did not immediately respond to comment requests but posted on her X account thanking the public for all the kind messages and the support. She also linked to an online fundraiser seemingly aimed at raising money for her legal defence fund.

More than 1,300 people have been charged with crimes in connection to the Capitol riot.

The Independent has reached out to Ms DeLucas attorney for comment.
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A federal appeals court has issued an order preventing Texas from arresting migrants suspected of entering the country illegally. The order comes hours after the Supreme Court gave the state the green light to enforce its controversial new immigration law.

The SB4 law makes it a crime for individuals to cross the USMexico border illegally and gives law enforcement the authority to charge them with a Class B misdemeanour, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail. Second offenders could face second-degree felony charges and up to 20 years in prison.

The decision to block the law by the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals comes weeks after a panel on the same court cleared the way for Texas to enforce it.

But a majority verdict by a three-judge panel of the appeals court late on Tuesday ruled that the law should still not be enforced until further arguments are made before the court on Wednesday.

The Texas authorities had not announced any arrests made under the law while it was briefly enforceable.

The temporary order comes as a blow for Texas governor Greg Abbott, who has championed the need for aggressive legislation to deter migrants from crossing the border, with tough penalties for those who do so.

The bill, which Mr Abbott signed in December, was set to go into effect earlier this month. The Justice Department as well as immigration advocacy groups petitioned federal courts to intervene and prevent the law from taking effect in the meantime.

The Biden administration then asked the Supreme Court to stay the law, which it did earlier this month and again last week.

But earlier on Tuesday the conservative majority in the top court said they would wait to issue a formal ruling or opinion on the emergency order until the Fifth Circuit did, allowing enforcement of the law to proceed until then.

Texas has argued that the state was authorised to defend itself under Article I, Section 10 of the Constitution which allows states to engage in war on their own if they are actually invaded.

The Justice Department said the bill conflicts with federal law  typically the government body responsible for immigration enforcement.

The Supreme Courts majority did not write a detailed opinion in the case, as is typical in emergency appeals. But the decision to let the law go into effect drew dissents from liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.

Although the Court today expresses no view on whether Texass law is constitutional, and instead defers to a lower courts management of its docket, the Court of Appeals abused its discretion by entering an unreasoned and indefinite administrative stay that altered the status quo, Justice Sotomayor wrote.

The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos, he said in a blistering dissent joined by Jackson.

Supreme Court Justice and Donald Trump-appointee Amy Coney Barrett suggested her vote in favour of allowing the law to be enforced stemmed from technicalities in the appeals process rather than agreement with Texas on the substance of the law.

So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter  or not enter  an administrative stay. I would not get into the business. When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal, she wrote in a concurring opinion joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Arrests for illegal crossings along the southern border hit record highs in December but fell by half in January, a shift attributed to seasonal declines and heightened enforcement. The federal government has not yet released numbers for February.

Some Texas officials have also sounded a cautious note about the new law. A lot of the local police chiefs here, we dont believe it will survive a constitutional challenge... We have no training whatsoever to determine whether an individual is here in this country, legally, said Sheriff Eddie Guerra of Hidalgo County. He serves as president of the Southwestern Border Sheriffs Coalition representing 31 border counties from Texas to California.

Additional reporting by agencies
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US District Court Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing Donald Trumps classified documents case in Florida, has issued an unusual order concerning jury instructions that has left legal observers baffled.

On Monday, Judge Cannon instructed lawyers on both sides to file their proposed jury instructions by Tuesday 2 April on two topics related to two defence motions seeking to have the indictment against the former president dismissed outright.

The judge heard the arguments to dismiss the case in a hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, last week.

During that hearing, Judge Cannon appeared sceptical that neither Mr Trumps criticism of the Espionage Act nor his embrace of the Presidential Records Act (PRA) were strong enough arguments to dismiss the charges against him.

Indeed, she quickly rejected the notion that the 32 charges against the former president under the Espionage Age are unconstitutionally vague  denying the first motion on these grounds.

However, she is yet to rule on the motion to dismiss based on the argument that Mr Trumps actions are covered by the PRA.

While voicing scepticism about both arguments, she did also suggest that some aspects might be valid enough to be considered by a jury at trial.

Now, Mondays order concerning those instructions appears to suggest she is not only thinking ahead to a trial but also anticipating its conclusion around this matter.

Judge Cannon wants both the defence and prosecution to submit proposed jury instructions and verdict forms regarding the essential elements of the Espionage Act.

In the two-page order, she also suggested a degree of sympathy to some of Team Trumps claims regarding the PRA allowing commanders-in-chief to declare highly classified documents as personal property  despite national security law experts hotly disputing this.

Donald Trump is driven from the Alto Lee Adams Sr US Courthouse on 14 March 2024 in Fort Pierce, Florida (Getty Images)

In the order, Judge Cannon asks the prosecutors and defence attorneys to consider two hypothetical situations.

In the first, the jury would be allowed to review the former presidents possession of classified documents and make a factual finding whether it is personal or presidential using the definitions set forth in the Presidential Records Act.

Oddly, she then adds in a footnote that any separation of powers or immunity concerns shall be included in this discussion if relevant  despite the immunity question being a matter for judges, not juries, to rule on.

Her second scenario describes one in which a president has sole authority under the PRA to categorise records as personal or presidential during his/her presidency. Neither a court nor a jury is permitted to make or review such a categorisation decision.

That second eventuality would appear to be one in which Mr Trump could not be convicted under almost any set of facts of improperly possessing classified documents. This has left legal commentators utterly perplexed, given this is exactly what Mr Trump is charged with.

Noting how woefully unclear Judge Cannons language is, legal commentator and MSNBC host Katie Phang pondered: The PRA is clear. As is the Espionage Act. Not sure why Cannon is struggling with these concepts.

National security lawyer Bradley Moss also posted on X on Monday evening: This second scenario is legally insane. If that were the case, then just grant Trumps motion to dismiss on PRA grounds so DOJ bring it to the 11th circuit for a quick reversal.

Longtime Trump foe George Conway was even more scathing: In the decades that I have been a lawyer, this is the most bizarre order Ive ever seen issued by a federal judge. What makes that all the more amazing is that the second and third most bizarre orders Ive ever seen in federal court were also issued by Judge Cannon in this case.

He later wrote: Okay, Ive seen enough. Not only should Aileen Cannon not be sitting on this case, but she should not be sitting on the federal bench at all. This is utterly nuts.

There has been much consternation about Judge Cannons role in the case from the get-go given that she was appointed by the former president.

Norm Eisen, a senior fellow at Brookings Governance who oversaw PRA issues at the White House for two years, noted that several things about the two options given by Judge Cannon jumped out at him.

Referring to an op-ed he wrote for CNN in June 2023, Mr Eisen says that the former presidents claim that the PRA justifies his actions doesnt pass muster because it doesnt have anything to do with where he was authorised to have the documents in the first place.

Mr Eisen states that while Mr Trumps legal team argues that, under the PRA, the former president can decide unilaterally what he can keep hold of by simply saying it is personal, the statute in no way stretches the definition to encompass sensitive classified documents  just purely private ones not related to the duties of the president.

At Thursdays hearing, prosecutor Jay Bratt, part of Special Counsel Jack Smiths team, argued that even if the former president could deem records as personal, he simply hadnt.

He pointed to a transcript from a recorded conversation in which Mr Trump discussed classified documents at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Not only is it premature, it never happened, Mr Bratt said. He doesnt say there, I can show you this because its personal. ... In fact, hes saying the opposite.

As to what this means for the case, Mr Eisen wrote on X: Cannon seems inclined to push the case to trial but is basically asking if she can stack the deck so Trump wins.

Its clumsy & amateurishseems to know shes wobbly & shes asking the parties for help with threshold things that are normally figured out by the judge.

If she persists in this course, special counsel Jack Smith can & will go to the 11th Circuit. And while he is there, this & several other recent (threatened) blunders give him ammo to have her reversed & removed.

Mr Trump is facing a 40-count indictment alleging violations of the Espionage Act, obstruction, and the illegal removal of federal records.

Mr Trump is charged with illegally possessing classified documents at his Florida estate after leaving the White House in January 2021.

He is also charged with impeding efforts by the US government to reclaim those documents after he allegedly attempted to hide boxes of classified documents following a grand jury subpoena ordering their return.

Mr Trumps aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira were also indicted in the case.

All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have all moved to dismiss the charges against them.

Mr Trumps legal teams motions to dismiss the case add to a growing list of attempts to evade the 91 criminal charges against him in four separate criminal cases in four jurisdictions.
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Donald Trump's hopes for a second presidential term may be damaged if he is convicted in a criminal trial, according to a new poll.

A Politico/Ipsos poll found that while a criminal conviction would not put an end to Mr Trump's electoral ambitions, it could damage his chances in his rematch against Joe Biden in November.

More than a third of independents who responded to the poll said that a criminal conviction would make them less likely to support the former president later this year, according to Politico.

Those sentiments undermine a generally held belief among political analysts that Mr Trump's legal woes will hurt him with potential voters. Despite his numerous controversies, none have seemed to stop the deeply loyal support Mr Trump has among his Republican followers.

Mr Trump has attempted to argue that he, as a former president, should be immune from prosecution. Despite those claims being rejected at nearly every level save for the US Supreme Court, the former president has continued to push the claim to wriggle out of his numerous charges.

Voters don't agree with the former president; according to the poll, 70 per cent of respondents rejected the idea that presidents should be immune from prosecution.

However, far fewer  less than a quarter  trust that the Supreme Court will issue a fair and nonpartisan ruling on the issue.

Approximately half of the respondents said they believe that Mr Trump is guilty of paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Approximately 86 per cent of Democrat respondents said they believed Mr Trump was guilty, while 54 per cent of independents held the same view. Only 14 per cent of Republicans believe he is guilty.

Those numbers remained largely the same when respondents were asked about Mr Trump's guilt in the Justice Department's 2020 election investigation, his Mar-a-Lago confidential documents case, and regarding the charges brought against him in Fulton County, Georgia for racketeering.

More than half of respondents  59 per cent  want Mr Trump to stand trial for the Justice Department's 2020 election subversion charges before the 2024 election.

The vast majority of Democratic respondents  90 per cent  want Mr Trump to go to trial before the election, and 65 per cent of independents agreed. Republicans were less supportive, but even within the party, 26 per cent said they wanted to see Mr Trump stand trial.

The only good news for Mr Trump is that nearly half of respondents do not trust the testimony of his former attorney, Michael Cohen.

Approximately 48 per cent of respondents said they don't find Cohen to be trustworthy. That's a problem for the Manhattan District Attorney's office, which is relying on Cohen's testimony in its case against the former president.

Approximately 38 per cent said they believed that the Manhattan DA's case would be weaker if it relied "in large part" on Cohen's testimony. Only 26 per cent said they believed it would make the case stronger.
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Donald Trump keeps pointing to the Presidential Records Act (PRA) to argue that he has done nothing wrong in the classified documents case, but what does the legislation say?

Last week, Judge Cannon on the US District Court heard arguments regarding the notion that the PRA protects Mr Trump from prosecution and that the case should be dismissed.

While Mr Trumps attorneys argued that the law is too vague on national defence information, experts say that Mr Trump has misinterpreted the law.

Barack Obama-era US attorney Joyce Alene White Vance wrote on X on 14 March that the motions from the Trump team were barely better than frivolous.

Trump insists he designated the documents as personal records under the PRA so his possession of them was authorised and he cant be prosecuted for it. But hes never been able to explain how the PRA trumps laws about handling classified and national defence [information]. It doesnt, she argued. Even if, by some stretch of the imagination, a president can hang onto classified information by claiming its personal records, Trumps still obstructed justice according to multiple first-hand witnesses.

Late on 18 March, Judge Cannon issued an unusual order about jury instructions at the end of a trial despite not having yet set a date for the proceedings. She issued an order telling attorneys to file their suggested jury instructions by 2 April on two issues connected to motions by the defence to have the case dismissed.

In last weeks hearing, she appeared sceptical of Mr Trumps assault on the Espionage Act as well as his attempt to use the PRA as a shield. But she also suggested that part of Mr Trumps arguments could be noteworthy when the time comes for jury instructions.

In 2022, the FBI conducted a raid on Mar-a-Lago, finding more than 100 classified documents that had not been handed back to the government despite several requests and subpoenas being issued.

Put in place after Watergate

The Presidential Records Act was put in place in 1978, four years after the resignation of Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. The legislation was a reaction to Mr Nixons attempt to destroy recordings done in the White House, The Washington Post noted.

The legislation states that presidential records, such as recordings, belong to the American people and that they must be handed over to the National Archives and Records Administration (Nara) at the end of each presidency.

The PRA also applies to vice presidential documents and records, as well as classified information, which is also governed by other legislation. But before Mr Nixon, presidential records had been seen as private property.

The PRA defines presidential records as materials given to the president or his staff intended to advise or assist the president, in the course of conducting activities which relate to or have an effect upon the carrying out of the constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties of the president.

An absurd legal theory

Appearing on Face the Nation on CBS in June last year, Mr Trumps former Attorney General Bill Barr said he believes Mr Trump lied to the Justice Department in the classified documents case. He added that Mr Trump has absolutely mischaracterised the law.

The legal theory by which he gets to take battle plans and sensitive national security information as his personal papers is absurd. It's just as wacky as the legal doctrine they came up with for having the vice president unilaterally determine who won the election, Mr Barr said last summer. The whole purpose of the ... Presidential Records Act is to stop presidents from taking official documents out of the White House  it was passed after Watergate. That's the whole purpose of it.

Therefore it restricted what a president can take, he said at the time, adding that the act states that the president can take materials that are purely private and which have nothing to do with the deliberations of government policy. Obviously, these documents are not purely private.

It's obvious and they're not even now arguing that it's purely private. What they're saying is the president just has sweeping discretion to say they are even though they squarely don't fall within the definition. It's an absurd argument, he said.

In a filing on 22 February, Mr Trumps legal team argued that the PRA conferred unreviewable discretion on President Trump to designate the records at issue as personal. As such, President Trumps possession of those records was not unauthorized as alleged.

Meanwhile, prosecutors wrote in a filing on the same day last month that Nothing in the PRA leaves it to a President to make unilateral, unreviewable, and perpetually binding decisions to remove presidential records from the White House in a manner that thwarts the operation of the PRA  a statute designed to ensure that presidential records are the property of the United States and that they are preserved for the people.
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Prominent lawyers have hit out at the Vaticans recently concluded trial of the century, highlighting violations of basic defense rights and rule of law norms that they warn could have consequences for the Holy See going forward.

The opinions cite Pope Francis role in the trial, since he secretly changed Vatican law four times during the investigation to benefit prosecutors. And they call into question the independence and impartiality of the tribunal since its judges swear obedience to Francis, who can hire and fire them at will.

The critiques underscore the growing problems on the international stage for the peculiar microstate that the Holy See calls home: an absolute monarchy where Francis wields supreme legislative, executive and judicial power.

The legal opinions are likely to feature in the appeals within the Vatican court system of the nine people who were convicted in December of several financial crimes linked to the Vaticans bungled 350 million euro ($380 million) investment in a London property. And they could also be raised during the current review of the Holy Sees compliance with European norms at the Council of Europe.

During two years of hearings, defense attorneys highlighted many of the same issues now raised by outside analysts. But the tribunal led by Judge Giuseppe Pignatone repeatedly rejected their motions.

Reporters watch a screen in the Vatican press room showing Vatican tribunal president Giuseppe Pignatone reading the verdict of a trial against Cardinal Angelo Becciu and nine other defendants (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

After the first verdicts were issued, the Vaticans editorial director, Andrea Tornielli, insisted that the process had been fair, that the judges acted independently and that the trial was carried out in full respect of the guarantees for the suspects.

Geraldina Boni, a professor of canonical and ecclesiastic law at the University of Bologna and an adviser to the Vaticans legal office, disagreed in an article published Monday in the peer-reviewed legal journal of the University of Milan.

Writing with church legal experts Manuel Ganarin and Alberto Tomer, Boni described the four secret executive decrees that Francis penned during the investigation as giving prosecutors essentially, and a bit surreally, carte blanche to pursue their case without any judge overseeing them.

The decrees, which were never published, gave prosecutors authorization to intercept suspects' communications and take whatever precautionary measures against them were necessary, including deviating from existing Vatican law. The defense only learned about their existence once the trial was underway.

Pope Francis greets Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli at the Vatican

Boni, who said she was asked to provide a legal opinion for the defense of Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was convicted of embezzlement, said the decrees represented a clear violation of the right to a fair trial, which calls for the equality of arms between defense and prosecution.

Its obvious that the people under investigation in the case were placed in a situation of substantial and onerous disadvantage, given they were completely unaware of the prosecutions new investigative powers and thus unable to reasonably foresee the effects of their actions, she wrote in "State, Church and Confessional Pluralism."

Francis has seemingly sought to justify the measures taken to get the trial off the ground, telling tribunal staff in 2023 that they should avoid the risk of confusing the finger for the moon, or allowing obstacles to stand in the way of a greater good.

But Boni argued that in criminal and procedural law, the ends cannot justify the means. Such an attitude, she warned, could end up justifying any conduct and any use of sovereign power in the search at all costs for the guilty.

Even though the tribunal tried to compensate for such unacceptable abuses, she wrote, the anomalies were so grave as to have invalidated the entire justice of the trial, prospecting a violation of divine law to which even the pope is subject.

Paolo Cavana, a professor of canonical and ecclesiastic law at the Vatican-affiliated LUMSA University, argued that the Holy See is beholden to European norms guaranteeing a fair trial by an independent and impartial tribunal, even though it technically never signed the European Convention on Human Rights.

Writing in the same journal as Boni, Cavana argued that the Holy See committed to upholding the conventions fundamental principles when it concluded a monetary agreement with the EU in 2009 allowing the Vatican to use the euro as its official currency.

But he said it is a matter of debate whether the Vaticans judges are truly independent given the pervasive character of the pontiffs powers."

It's clear that the papal decrees exercised on the judges "a strong pressure about the outcome of the trial itself, he wrote.

Vatican Trial Critique (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Cavana, who since 2019 has also served as an adviser to the Italian premier on church and Vatican matters, warned that Italy and other states may not recognize sentences pronounced by a tribunal if the judges are not considered independent and impartial.

Rodney Dixon, a veteran British international and human rights lawyer, said as much in a legal opinion prepared at the request of defendant Raffaele Mincione. Dixon said countries should refuse to cooperate with the Vatican tribunal, and should refuse to respect its verdicts, since the trial had been marred by substantial violations of well-established international legal obligations applicable to all criminal proceedings.

Dixon, who has served as counsel before the International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights, cited the four papal decrees, the tribunals refusal to allow Mincione to call seven witnesses as well as prosecutors' refusal to turn over all evidence to the defense.

Tribunal head Pignatone repeatedly rejected defense claims that the suspects werent getting a fair trial, and even went so far as to exclude the testimony of defendant Gianluigi Torzi, who was arrested and detained for 10 days without being charged as a result of the special powers given to prosecutors by the pope.

In a March 1, 2022 ordinance, Pignatone said that while the Vatican had not adhered to any international human rights conventions, its own laws incorporated their principles fully.

He noted that both Italian and Swiss courts have previously recognized the independence and impartiality of Vatican judges and recalled that in the actual exercise of their work, Vatican judges are subject only to the law.
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Narendra Modi has joined the handful of foreign leaders to congratulate Vladimir Putin on his victory in Russias sham presidential election, a sign of the two countries warm ties despite Moscows global isolation following its invasion of Ukraine.

The 71-year-old ex-KGB spy won by a landslide in Russias presidential elections, where his only opponents refused to publicly criticise him, getting 87 per cent of the vote and cementing his grip on the country for the next six years.

Western democracies have severely criticised the three-day-long elections as neither free nor fair due to mass censorship and the persecution of any genuine opposition to Mr Putins regime. Meanwhile Russias closest allies  a small club including China, North Korea and Iran  have rushed to congratulate Mr Putin on winning a fifth term in power.

India describes itself as non-aligned to this East-West axis, and its decades-long strategic ties to Russia have only continued to flourish since the start of the Ukraine war, while the Modi government has also pursued new defence and trade links with the US and European nations.

"Warm congratulations to H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation," the Indian prime minister wrote on X.

Look forward to working together to further strengthen the time-tested Special & Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia in the years to come, he added.

Cultural ties between India and Russia go back many generations, and in more recent decades the two countries have worked closely on defence, nuclear and space collaboration.

India, a major recipient of Russian military hardware, dramatically expanded its purchases of Russian crude oil after Western nations brought sanctions and a price cap in response to Putins invasion of Ukraine.

India became the worlds leading importer of Russian crude oil last year, according to Kpler market data analysed by The Independent, importing an average 1.75 million barrels per day at a 140 per cent increase in 2022.

The importance of Indias continued investment has not been lost on the Kremlin, which has repeatedly praised India for resisting international pressure to reduce or severe ties.

"India pursues an independent foreign policy, which is not easy in the modern world. But India, with a population of one and a half billion, has the right to this," Mr Putin said in January. "We have very good relationships with India, and our faith in India is demonstrated by the fact that Moscow is New Delhi's greatest foreign investor," he added.

A month earlier, Mr Putin hosted the Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Kremlin in December 2023. During the meeting, Mr Putin said: Everything is in your hands and I can say that we are successful because of your direct support.

Meanwhile, China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and North Korea joined India in congratulating the Russian president.

"We firmly believe that under the strategic guidance of president Xi Jinping and president Putin, China-Russia relations will continue to move forward," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters.

"China and Russia are each other's largest neighbours and comprehensive strategic partners in the new era," he said.

India and China, along with Russia, are members of the BRICS group of emerging economies that aims to challenge US domination of the global economy.

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman offered his congratulations on Mr Putin's "decisive" victory and the Kremlin said the two men expressed readiness on the telephone to pursue their "effective coordination" in the OPEC+ oil producers group.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Irans president Ebrahim Raisi, both accused by the West of supplying weapons to Russia, stressed their desire for further expansion of bilateral relations with Moscow in Mr Putins fifth term.
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Vladimir Putin has appointed a new commander of the Russian navy as he looks to fight back against Ukraines sweeping attacks on his prized naval fleet in occupied Crimea.

Admiral Aleksandr Moiseev, who commanded the Crimean Black Sea fleet (BSF) for a year back in 2018, was appointed to what some analysts say is Russias most difficult military role during a ceremony in Putins hometown of St Petersburg.

While Putins troops have enjoyed success recently on the ground in Ukraine, long-range attacks on Russias BSF have destroyed roughly a quarter of its ships and forced dozens more to relocate to the mainland after decades of being stationed in Crimea.

A Ukrainian attack late last year even destroyed the BSF headquarters on the peninsula, using British-supplied long-range Storm Shadow missiles.

The latest attack, at the start of this month, saw Ukraine use remote-controlled boats packed with explosives to destroy the Sergey Kotov patrol ship. It was the 21st naval ship or submarine to be hit since the start of the war in February 2022, according to war tracker Oryx.

It is widely believed that Moiseevs predecessor, Nikolai Yevmenov, was sacked earlier this month because of his inability to counter these Ukrainian attacks.

Moiseev has his work cut out for him and it wont be easy, Thord Ave Iversen, a military analyst specialising in the Russian navy, said. He will face a sluggish system, where leadership and initiative seem to have gone absent early in the war, on most levels.

He added, however, that Moiseev appears to be the best candidate Russia had, noting that the admiral spent years climbing the ranks as a submariner.

Handout footage shows smoke rising from what Ukrainian military intelligence said is the Russian Black Sea fleet patrol ship Sergey Kotov, which was damaged by Ukrainian sea drones (via Reuters)

Russian submarine commanding officers are considered by many to be a match for their Western counterparts and, at a minimum, are someone you dont underestimate, said Mr Iversen, who previously served as an officer in the Royal Norwegian Navy.

In mainland Russia, meanwhile, local officials announced plans to protect oil refineries, which have been targeted heavily by Ukrainian drones in recent months, and to evacuate regions alongside Ukraine, following a spate of cross-border raids.

A Russian energy ministry official told a parliament meeting on Tuesday that there are plans to defend oil and gas facilities with missile systems. Recent attacks have caused fires in refineries southeast of Moscow, and hundreds of miles from Ukraine, that saw significant spread and took hours to put out.

In Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, local governor Vyacheslev Gladkov said that roughly 9,000 children were to be evacuated eastward after a slew of recent raids from Russian soldiers fighting alongside Kyivs forces.

A Ukrainian soldier from an artillery unit fires towards Russian positions outside Bakhmut (AFP via Getty)

Western officials, meanwhile, have announced plans to boost military support for Ukraine in an effort to reverse artillery shortages on the front line.

After the European Union announced a 5bn (4.3bn) weapons package for Kyiv on Monday, Germany reported it would send an additional 500m on Tuesday, including at least 10,000 artillery shells to be delivered immediately.

It also committed to providing an additional 100,000 155mm shells, which it will begin delivering later this year.

It comes as Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, urged Western leaders to refuse to recognise Putin as a legitimate leader after he claimed 87 per cent of the vote in a rigged presidential election over the weekend.

The 47-year-old, having avoided the limelight while her husband was alive, has emerged as an unlikely new face of the opposition following what she claims was the Kremlins murder of Mr Navalny.

We have proved to ourselves and others that Putin is not our president, Ms Navalnaya said in the clip posted to her late husbands YouTube channel.

The election results do not matter ... We will ensure that no one in the world recognises Putin as the legitimate president. That no one sits down with him at the negotiating table.
 Close Zelensky rejects Putins claims that Ukraine involved in Moscow attack

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Russia is using barges in a bid to enhance the defences of one of its ports in the Black Sea, Britains Ministry of Defence has said.

It comes following a number of successful Ukrainian strikes on navy ships in the region. Recent imagery analysis has identified four barges positioned at the entrance to the Black Sea fleet facility of Novorossiysk Sea Port, the MoD said in its latest intelligence update.

This is an effort to enhance the defence of the port against attacks from Ukrainian Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs).

Elsewhere, a Russian cruise missile strike on infrastructure in Ukraines western Lviv region killed one man, while another died in an attack in the northeast, officials said Sunday.

The attack in Lviv destroyed a building and sparked a fire, governor Maksym Kozytskyi wrote on social media app Telegram. He said that rescue operations were being conducted.

In the Kharkiv region, governor Oleh Syniehubov said that an air attack killed an 19-year-old man after a missile hit a gas station.
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The grand residence where Italys former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi had his political headquarters - and allegedly hosted sex parties - has been converted into the home of the international press.

Berlusconi, who died last June aged 86, dominated Italian politics from the 1990s onwards while embroiled in a string of corruption sagas and so-called bunga bunga sex scandals. He occupied a section of the Palazzo Grazioli building from 1996-2020.

The 1,600-square-metre space has now been turned into an office and press conference centre, complete with chandeliers and frescoed ceilings, for the 450 members of Italys Foreign Press Association.

Berlusconi, a conservative media mogul constantly dogged by conflict of interest issues, had an uneasy relationship with the press, and was particularly wary of foreign media, which he considered biased against him.

I dont know what Berlusconi would be thinking, from up there, about this bunch of communists, as he would say, moving into Palazzo Grazioli, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni joked last month at an event with foreign journalists.

The Italian government traditionally pays for the rent of the association and the sparkling new site, located just off the central Piazza Venezia, was inaugurated on Tuesday by Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (C) leaves his residence at Grazioli palace, downtown Rome June 25, 2013. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo (REUTERS)

One of billionaire Berlusconis many homes across Italy, the venue featured during his occupany an office with bullet-proof windows and a double-size canopy bed donated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, a personal friend.

The residence was also linked to prostitution. Businessman Gianpaolo Tarantini was convicted of recruiting call girls to attend Berlusconis late-night parties at the Palazzo, in the hope of winning favours from the then-prime minister.

One of these women, Patrizia DAddario, said in court and in a book that she refused to take part in an orgy with Berlusconi but had sex with him on the bed gifted by Putin on the night Barack Obama won his first U.S. presidential elections in 2008.

Berlusconi said in 2009 he was not aware DAddario was a call girl but never explicitly denied their night together, admitting that he was no saint.

Duke Giulio Grazioli, an aristocrat whose family has owned the Palazzo since the 1840s, told the Foreign Press Association Yearbook that he saw a lot of people coming and going while Berlusconi was his tenant.

It was very entertaining from that point of view, he said.
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Donald Trump has falsely claimed that the US funds 90 to 100 per cent of Nato as he suggested the US would defend fellow alliance members from attack - if they paid their bills.

The former US President claimed Nato would not exist without American funding before demanding that member states pay their fair share, during a GB News interview with Nigel Farage on Tuesday evening.

Although the US does account for the majority of Nato defence spending, the figure is approximately 70 per cent. And when it comes to direct contributions - money provided by members to cover organisational costs - the US contributes 16 per cent of the total, the same as Germany.

Donald Trump made a number of false claims during the interview from Mar-A-Lago (The Independent)

Nato has to treat the US fairly, because if its not for the United States, Nato literally doesnt even exist, MrTrump told Mr Farage.

Asked if the US under his presidency would come to the aid of Nato countries under attack, Mr Trump said he would - only if they had already increased their defence spending. It was the second time this year he had made comments to that effect, hinting at what the relationship with Nato would be like if he returns to the presidency in the November US elections.

Last month, he said he would "encourage" Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to Nato countries which didnt meet their financial obligations to the alliance.

Only 11 Nato member states currently spend the required two per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP), according to Statista . And major countries, including Germany, France and Italy, have previously failed to meet this target, despite it being mandatory. However, in light of Vladimir Putins full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European Nato states are increasing their spending.

The former US president was speaking to long-time supporter Nigel Farage (GB News)

The alliances secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said earlier this year that he expects 18 allies to meet the two per cent requirement in 2024, a six-fold increase since 2014, when Putin first launched an invasion of eastern Ukraine.

In 2024, NATO Allies in Europe will invest a combined total of 380 billion US dollars in defence. For the first time, this amounts to two per cent of their combined GDP," said Mr Stoltenberg in February.

That same Germany announced that it had met the two per cent target, having allocated the equivalent of 71.8 billion (61bn) for defence spending in the current year through regular and special budget outlays.

Mr Trump interview with the former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage took place at the former presidents Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida.

During the conversation he touched on a number of other subjects, repeating the false claim that he won in the 2020 race and saying that he had not been approached by potential future prime minister Sir Keir Starmer when asked by Mr Farage. He also addressed issues facing the royal family, including the doctored photo of Kate Middleton, his admiration of the Queen and Prince Harrys US visa.

Mr Trump spoke about Prince Harrys visa, that helped him secure a new life in the US with wife Meghan (REUTERS)

Asked if Harry should have special privileges if he is found to have lied in his visa application, Mr Trump said: No. Well have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied theyll have to take appropriate action.

However, Mr Trump refused to be drawn on whether Harry could be forced to leave the US, where he currently lives with his wife and children.

Oh, I dont know, he said. Youll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago.

It comes after Harrys references to taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in his memoir Spare prompted a conservative Washington DC think tank to question why he was allowed into the US in 2020.

The Heritage Foundation brought the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) after a Freedom of Information Act request was rejected  claiming it was of immense public interest.
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An orphan who became a posterchild for Moscows deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia said he was instructed by officials to recite pro-Kremlin talking points for television cameras and threatened with beatings.

Eighteen-year-old Denys Kostev is one of 4,000 orphans and children without parental care who have been unlawfully taken to Russian-controlled territory following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Reuters investigated the fates of Kostev and more than 50 other orphaned Ukrainians taken from the Ukrainian city of Kherson. Kostev emerged as a regular participant in a stream of pro-Russian videos filmed and shared widely online.

The teenager, who left Russia last month and is now living in Poland, said he had no plans to return to Ukraine, where some see him as a collaborator and propagandist. He told Reuters he took part in the videos because he felt intimidated and alone.

When your life is threatened, you will do anything to keep yourself safe, he said.

The Kremlin and Russias childrens rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, did not respond to requests for comment.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Lvova-Belova and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year on war crimes charges for forcibly deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. Russia denounced the warrants as outrageous and unacceptable.

Kyiv says many Ukrainian orphans taken to Russian-controlled territory have been subjected to an orchestrated programme to make them accept Kremlin ideology. Moscow denies this.

Reuters was unable to verify independently Kostevs account of being pressured by officials loyal to Moscow.

Denys Kostev (REUTERS)

However, three teen orphans who lived with him in Russian-occupied territory have described to Reuters similar experiences of being discouraged or blocked from returning to Ukraine, and threatened with reprisals for stepping out of line.

Kostev spent his childhood in foster families and childrens homes in the Kherson region after his mother was incarcerated and later died.

In the fall of 2022, when Kherson was under Russian occupation, Kostev and five other teens who lived in an orphanage there were told by local administrators they had to leave the city.

After several months in camps in Russian-controlled Crimea, the teens ended up in Henichesk, a city in Russian-occupied territory in the Kherson region. They were lodged in cold, damp dormitories in the Henichesk Vocational School No. 27, Kostev said.

Shocked by the conditions, Kostev complained to a contact close to the Russian-installed authorities in Crimea. Soon after, he said, the Henichesk police showed up and castigated him for making the complaint.

They (the police) threatened me and said: we will take you to the forest and just give you a good beating, he said. No-one will look for you, youre an orphan, Kostev said, sharing his recollection of their words.

The Moscow-installed police chief for the region did not respond to a request for comment. Olena Anikeeva, the director of the school, was unavailable, a person in her office said.

In March 2023, around a month after his arrival in Henichesk, Kostev said he received a call from an official in the city administration who told him to meet someone outside the college.

There he found two men, who carried guns and flashed badges that said they were from Russias Federal Security Service (FSB). The men drove Kostev away from the college and wanted to get to know him, he said. Afterwards, the FSB men gave Kostev 500 rubles ($5.5).

A Ukrainian soldier stands in position on the front-line near Klishchiivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine

In the following weeks, the men contacted Kostev to ask for information, including the possible locations of Ukrainian weapons in Kherson and the names of students at his college in touch with Ukraines security services. He never gave any specific details, Kostev said.

The FSB did not respond to a request for comment.

Kostev said he was also instructed by the schools administrators to take part in video interviews. In one, filmed by Russias state-controlled RT TV channel and posted in February 2023, Kostev praises the Russian army and wears a Russian flag around his shoulders.

He said the TV journalists gave him a script in advance of the interview and told him to repeat it on camera.

RT did not respond to requests for comment.

Kostevs grandmother and half-brother live in Germany. Last May, a friend of theirs, Olha Hurulia, tried to travel to Henichesk to retrieve Kostev with the help of Save Ukraine, a nonprofit that helps return Ukrainian children taken to Russian-occupied territory.

Hurulia was detained in Moscow for three days and deported, according to Save Ukraine. Kostev said FSB agents showed him a video of the detained woman. Contacted by Reuters, Hurulia declined to comment on her journey to Russia.

The FSB men, Kostev said, instructed him to tell his half-brother on the phone that he had no intention of leaving Henichesk.

They told me to tell him that I wasnt going anywhere, that I didnt want to, Kostev said, adding that he complied.

Contacted by Reuters, Kostevs grandmother, Svitlana Panchenko, confirmed his account and said he had been pressured into saying he didnt want to leave.

By summer 2023, Kostev left Henichesk and moved to Russia because he felt unsafe due to the FSBs interest in him and Ukrainian shelling of the city, he said. He had also begun a romantic relationship with a girl from Moscow, and wanted to be close to her, he added.

But by the end of the year, he had re-established contact with his half-brother and began talking about going to Germany: I missed my family very much, he said.

Kostev said he was also tired of empty promises from officials in Lvova-Belovas office, who had offered him places at prestigious universities and other incentives but, he said, did not deliver. Reuters was unable to confirm this independently.

Kostev left Russia in February. Russian officials did not try to stop him on the journey. He had previously disposed of his old SIM cards in an effort, he said, to evade electronic surveillance by Russian authorities and crossed the Belarus border, where there are few controls.

(via REUTERS)

When he tried to enter Germany, Kostev was refused because he did not have the correct travel documents.

He is now living in Warsaw and waiting for paperwork so he can enter Germany. Olha Yerokhina, a spokeswoman for Save Ukraine, which helped him prepare his travel documents, confirmed his account of the journey.

Polands border guards service and Germanys Federal Ministry of the Interior said they do not comment on individual cases.

Yerokhina said Kostev showed the effects of pro-Russian narratives he had been exposed to and still repeated some Kremlin talking points about the war.

In his interview with Reuters, Kostev said Kyiv was prolonging the war with its rejection of peace talks, and that Ukrainian forces blew up a dam on the river Dnipro in June 2023 causing massive flooding, both points that Kyiv says are a lie.

Kostev denied he was brainwashed. He said he had arrived at his views on his own. He also expressed gratitude to kind Russians who he said had helped him.

Im part of both Russia and Ukraine, he said.

Now, he wanted to stay out of politics and get on with his life, he said: Im just tired ... I want to sit in one place and live in peace.
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Medics reduced to eating animal feed to get through their gruelling shifts. Mothers unable to breastfeed because they are so weak and hungry. Pregnant women in intensive care  and even losing their babies  because they are so malnourished. Tiny bundles of newborns, crammed two to an incubator because space is running out.

This is the grim picture painted by doctors and nurses in the war-ravaged north of Gaza where a catastrophic famine is unfolding in real time.

Israel vehemently denies there are any limits on aid going into Gaza and maintains it is supporting air, land and sea deliveries of supplies. But the United Nations most senior officials say this humanitarian crisis is the result of Israels crippling restrictions and bombardment of the strip in retaliation for Hamass attack on 7 October.

The situation at the hospital is catastrophic, we face severe shortages of everything from electricity, to staff, to food, to medicines to clean water,  says Ahmed al-Kahlout, a senior nurse at Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza City, which is one of the only facilities in the war-ravaged north treating newborns and children.

Around 70 per cent of the women giving birth in our hospitals end up in intensive care units due to low immunity and malnutrition, he added.

Breastfeeding mothers cannot feed their babies because they cannot find enough food to eat. It is catastrophic because a child may suffer from a simple pneumonia, but due to their weak immunity, that is now fatal.

Kamal Adwans intensive care unit (ICU), which is run on solar power, now only has six beds and five incubators, as electricity is largely cut.

In the vast majority of cases we have to put two children in one incubator  and with the ICU beds we put two to three children to one bed to make space, he adds.

Videos from the hospital show tiny bundles of babies, often several to a bed, with worried parents clutched around them. In photos sent from inside the hospital, two young boys are hooked up to drips.

Famine imminent in north Gaza as medical staff starve alongside patients

Wisam al-Sakani, who works for the hospital as media coordinator, stands in front of one bed with babies being treated for malnutrition, while on the bed behind him lie babies suffering from hunger-related illnesses.

We lack milk, food, medical supplies, incubators  some machines are not working as they need spare parts which are not allowed in by Israel, he says.

Iman, a female medic who works in the ICU ward, begs for help in another video  as she stands in front of a baby dwarfed by the machines treating him.

The hospital lacks enough milk for these children. Today we lost a new baby girl in the intensive care unit. Every day we lose children. How long will we continue to let them die?

For months civilians in Gaza have endured Israels most ferocious bombardment of the strip, launched in retaliation for an unprecedented rampage by Hamas inside southern Israel. On 7 October, they slaughtered 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage, including the elderly and toddlers. An unknown number of the captives are believed to be dead.

Pressure is mounting on Israel to pull back as its gruelling offensive has killed more than 31, 000 Palestinians, the vast majority women and children according to Palestinian health officials. The siege has led to hunger and thirst while sickness and the constant bombardment threaten the lives of families.

On Monday, a report by a global hunger monitor  whose assessments UN agencies rely upon  said that famine is imminent in north Gaza, the most devastated part of the strip, where only a trickle of aid is getting through. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said an estimated 70 per cent of the population in this area faces catastrophic hunger. It warned of major acceleration of death if an immediate ceasefire is not agreed and an increase in aid deliveries is not implemented.

Children on IV drips inside the Kamal Adwan hospital in Gaza City (Supplied)

The most vulnerable are the youngest.

The UNs childrens agency, Unicef, had already warned that nearly 1 in 3 children under two years old in northern Gaza suffer from acute malnutrition, twice as many as in their last report in January. They said they had registered children with severe wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition in shelters and health centres their staff and partners visited.

In total, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says that 27 children have died from malnutrition and dehydration in recent weeks.

At least 20 of the total deaths from hunger and hunger related diseases have been registered in Kamal Adwan, where medics say without supplies they have to make tough decisions every day.

In the ICU we have to prioritise cases we think might survive. Many patients are discharged before they they have fully recovered, even though they should ideally stay in intensive care for at least two weeks, Mr Kahlout says, sounding exhausted. He adds that the unit lacks even the most basic medical supplies to tackle the hunger crisis, like paediatric antibiotics, intravenous fluids for rehydration and infant formula.

We have babies orphaned by the bombing staying here as they have no family left, we lack even enough milk to provide for them, he adds.

Incubators inside Kamal Adwan hospital (Supplied)

UN officials have blamed Israel for the growing crisis telling The Independent that famine in Gaza is manmade and due to Israels restrictions on delivery of supplies. On Tuesday the UNs human rights chief Volker Turk went a step further saying Israels actions may amount to using starvation as a weapon of war, which is a war crime. Israel has repeatedly denied strangling supplies to Gaza. Cogat, the Israeli defence ministry body tasked with coordinating with the Palestinians, told The Independent there are no limits on aid going to Gaza that it is helping facilitate aid through land, sea and air. In response to Turks statement, the Israeli diplomatic mission in Geneva issued a similar statement: Israel is doing everything it can to flood Gaza with aid, including by land air and sea. The UN must also step up.

However, multiple UN agencies, international, Palestinian and Israeli aid workers have told The Independent it is hard to get supplies in. Right now only two land crossings to Gaza are functioning in the south - and none in the north where Kamal Adwan is located. A small percentage of the trucks needed to supply Gaza are entering Gaza every day, and according to UN officials several items  form anathestic medicines to water filters  are either temporarily or permanently banned as they are on dual list of barred items which Israel does not allow into Gaza amid concern they could be used by militants in fighting. Meanwhile multiple UN agencies told The Independent convoys going north have repeatedly been denied or turned around.

In Al-Awda hospital, also in north Gaza, resident Dr Mohamed Salha said that it means people are resorting to eating animal fodder, including wheat, barley ann corn.

Even we, as medical and administrative staff in the hospital, have had to resort to consuming this so-called animal feed. It has meant that diseases have spread due to malnutrition, such as hepatitis A, as well as the spread of gastrointestinal diseases and dehydration, especially among children and women.

A child requiring an IV drip rests on a bed inside the hospital (Supplied)

Pressure is mounting on Israel to agree to a ceasefire to allow the unfettered delivery of aid, as talks begin again in Doha with the help of Qatari negotiators.

The United States has also made a fresh push on Tuesday for a ceasefire, with President Joe Biden pressing Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to back away from plans for a ground assault on the southern city of Rafah, the last refuge in Gaza for more than a million displaced people.

The humanitarian suffering in the besieged territory, and the prospect of an assault on Rafah, have opened a clear rift between the two allies.

Mr Biden and Mr Netanyahu spoke by phone on Monday, after which White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington had made it clear a ground operation into the town would be a mistake.

It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally, Mr Sullivan said.

Israel, which pounded Rafah overnight, killing at least 14 people, agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss the plan for the town. But Mr Netanyahu insisted on Tuesday that he had told Mr Biden there was no way to eliminate Hamas except by going in on the ground.

A Palestinian woman with her child in a Gaza hospital (REUTERS)

Meanwhile, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, announced a trip to the Middle East, where he would meet senior leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia to discuss the right architecture for a lasting peace. Unusually, Mr Blinken made no mention of a stop in Israel itself.

Back on the wards of Kamal Adwan hospital, doctors tell The Independent they are desperate. They are suffered from electricity blackouts, medicine and food shortages and a lack of clean water.

Imagine performing surgeries without proper hand washing before the procedure, [as] we dont have the water? Mr Kahlout asks in desperation.

As for treatments, it cannot be described as catastrophic because there are no treatments available to begin with, he adds People are living under the mercy of war.
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Israeli forces have killed a top Hamas commander directly linked to the 7 October attack, the White House said on Monday.

Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of Hamass military wing in Gaza, was among Israels list of most wanted men and put on European Unions terrorist blacklist. He was linked to the deadly Hamas attack in southern Israel in which around 1,200 people were killed.

Hamass No 3, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week, national security advisor Jake Sullivan said during a White House press briefing.

The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network, and justice will come for them too.

We are helping to ensure that, said Mr Sullivan.

He said Joe Biden and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone on Monday. The US president emphasised during the call his bone-deep commitment to ensuring the long-term security of Israel and [re]-affirm[ing]that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, the perpetrators of the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

The US president also warned Mr Netanyahu that an Israeli military operation in Rafah would deepen the anarchy in Gaza.

Mr Sullivan told reporters the two countries would have a comprehensive discussion on the way forward in Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis is raging after five months of fighting.

The meeting could happen this week or next and no Rafah operation would proceed before the talks, Mr Sullivan said.

"Anarchy reigns in areas that Israels military has cleared, but not stabilised" in Gaza and a humanitarian crisis would deepen if Israel were to go ahead with an offensive in Rafah, Mr Sullivan said, summarising Mr Bidens message to the Israeli PM.

"Weve had many discussions in many different levels between our military, our intelligence, our diplomats or humanitarian experts, but we have not yet had the opportunity to have an all-encompassing comprehensive, integrated, strategic discussion...," he said.

The two leaders have had increasingly tense relations over Gaza. Mr Sullivan described the conversation as "businesslike" and said it did not end abruptly. Mr Biden did not threaten to limit US aid to Israel, he said.

The call was the first between the two leaders since 15 February and comes amid sharp tensions between Israel and US  its most steadfast ally  over Mr Netanyahus handling of the war.

Israeli officials characterised last weeks airstrike as a breakthrough in their campaign against Hamas, even as experts cautioned that Issas death is unlikely to have a devastating effect on military leadership of Hamas.

Born in 1965 in the Bureij area of Central Gaza, Issa served as a deputy to Mohammed Deif, leader of Qassam Brigades of Hamass military wing. He took over the role after another top commander, Ahmed al-Jabari, was assassinated, according to The New York Times.

Last week, the Israel Defence Forces announced targeting Issa during their airstrikes, however, they were not able to confirm his death. Following the attack, Hamass network went silent for 72 hours, reported The Guardian on Sunday.

Following the attack, Mr Netanyahu issued a statement about the militarys strategic success. We are on our way to complete victory...we have already killed number four in the Hamas; three, two, and one are on the way, he said.

Salah al-Din al-Awawdeh, a Palestinian analyst close to Hamas, described Issa as part of the front rank of the military wings leadership, while former Israeli military intelligence chief Major General Tamir Hayman in an interview with the NYT called him Hamass defence minister and the groups strategic mind.

However, Mr Awawdeh warned that Issas death should be confused with the groups ability to survive. Theres always a replacement, he said. I dont think the assassination of any member of the military wing will have an effect on its activities.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The next-generation of artificial intelligence will require a near-limitless source of power, according to the boss of ChatGPT creator OpenAI.

In an in-depth conversation with technologist Lex Fridman, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that future AI will require vast amounts of energy as its capabilities improve and it reaches a level that surpasses human intelligence.

The only power source capable of meeting this, according to Mr Altman, is nuclear fusion, which mimics the natural reactions that occur within the Sun to produce energy.

Despite several major breakthroughs in recent years, scientists warn that we are still years away from achieving fusion power on any significant scale.

Mr Altman has previously said that there is no way to get there without a breakthrough.

His latest comments elaborated on this belief that a new energy source is needed in order to meet the tremendous energy demands of AI.

Mr Altman said that he believed computing power would be the currency of the future and will become the most precious commodity in the world.

Energy is the hardest part, he said.

Building data centres is also hard, the supply chain is hard, and then of course fabricating enough chips is hard. But this seems to be where things are going. Were going to want an amount of compute thats just hard to reason about right now.

Mr Altman said nuclear fusion was fundamental for solving the energy puzzle of providing the computing power to develop next-generation artificial intelligence.

The OpenAI co-founder, who has a net worth of around $2 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, has personally invested $375 million (295m) in a US-based nuclear fusion firm called Helion Energy.

The company has set a target of producing electricity at a commercial scale using the next-generation technology by 2028. Helion Energy has also secured a purchase agreement for nuclear fusion energy from Microsoft  the worlds first such deal.

I think Helions doing the best work, Mr Altman told Mr Fridman. But Im happy theres a race for fusion right now.
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Banksy caused a stir in London on Monday with a new mural that many discerned to be a statement on environmental politics in the city.

The elusive British street artists artwork is back on the map for the first time since December, after a tree mural appeared on the side of a building on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park.

A green paint-splash behind a cut-back tree, with a stencil of a person holding a pressure hose to the side, was officially claimed by Banksy in an uncaptioned Instagram post.

Banksys Well Hung Lover in Bristol (Getty)

Since reaching notability in the late 1990s, Banksy has hosted exhibitions including the Dismaland Bemusement Park in 2015, the Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem with the worst view in the world, and a Cut & Run project in Glasgow last year to officially display his art.

Though his work spans the continents, with artistic stints in New York, Paris and Ukraine outside of the UK, galleries and building owners often auction or relocate the prized pieces to avoid vandalism, and the appearance of most murals is fleeting.

Several of the graffiti artists famed rat stencils still exist in the capital, and past works scatter the Bristol harbourside where his spray painting career began.

As crowds flock to Finsbury Park to see the four-storey mural while they still can, heres where to go to see Banksys art around the world.

London

Hornsey Road, Finsbury Park

Bankys latest artwork landed in London on Sunday evening (AP)

The new mural painted in north London has been confirmed to be by Banksy. The artwork, on the side of a building on Hornsey Road in Finsbury Park, features green paint sprayed on the building in front of a cut-back tree, creating the impression of foliage.

A Hornsey Road resident told The Independent: Its just great  when we read about it last night, we knew we to come and see it as soon as possible.

We feel so proud to think he chose our street.

Rivington Street, Shoreditch

Youll find a guard and his poodle behind plexiglass in Banksys Designated Graffiti Area on Rivington Street in the yard of the now-closed Cargo nightclub in Shoreditch. The 2003 mural His Masters Voice (also known as Rocket Dog), also lives inside the old railway tunnel.

Marble Arch, Westminster

In 2019, an artwork believed to be by Banksy appeared at Marble Arch, depicting a show of support for the Extinction Rebellion protests. The painting shows a young child holding the Extinction Rebellion emblem alongside the words: From this moment despair ends and tactics begin.

Westminster City Council erected a protective frame to preserve the poignant piece in its original place.

Church Street, Stoke Newington

Banksys royal family parody in Stoke Newington remains partially intact after protesting locals halted Hackney Councils 2009 attempt to black out the east London caricature with paint.

Chrisp Street, Poplar

This Poplar piece played on the headlines of the 2011 phone-hacking scandal that plagued the media. The stick figure next to a water tap has a speech bubble that says, Oh no... my taps been phoned, and is now spattered with multicoloured paint splotches following defacement attempts.

Bristol

Frogmore Street, Clifton

This Banksy is now spattered with black and blue paint after being defaced several times (Getty)

Well Hung Lover was originally painted on the side of a Frogmore Street sexual health clinic in 2006 that has since relocated. Several defacements, including blue paintball shots and black spray paint, have had to be partially removed by the council over the years to restore the creative portrayal of an extramarital affair.

Hanover Place, Spike Island

An outdoor security alarm replaces Vermeers pearl earring (PA)

This 2014 mural by the anonymous artist, the Girl with a Pierced Eardrum, is a take on Dutch painter Johannes Vermeers famous Girl with a Pearl Earring, instead using an outdoor security alarm to stud her lobe.

The mural was vandalised with black paint shortly after it appeared, and was even updated to wear a hospital mask in 2020 as NHS staff battled the coronavirus pandemic.

Birmingham

Vyse Street, Jewellery Quarter

A message about homelessness appeared in reindeer form next to a Birmingham bench in 2019.

Banksys official Instagram account posted a video of festive artwork captioned: God bless Birmingham. In the 20 minutes we filmed Ryan on this bench passers-by gave him a hot drink, two chocolate bars and a lighter  without him ever asking for anything.

The artwork was later vandalised with red noses and was subsequently protected by Network Rail behind a perspex screen.

California

West 9th Street, Los Angeles

Banksy hosted an art exhibition around Los Angeles called Barely Legal in 2006. This piece, which shows a girl swinging from the A on a parking sign, is significantly more obstructed than it was at its creation almost two decades ago, with highrise construction taking place in the original car park, but it can still be seen from between the buildings at the intersection of South Broadway and West 9th Street.

Venice

Rio Novo Canal, Dorsoduro

BanksysThe Migrant Child mural, near the Ponte di San Pantalon along the Rio Novo canal, appeared in Venice in 2019 during the Biennale art festival. The image of a young migrant in a lifejacket holding up a pink flare has deteriorated over the last five years due to corrosion by the elements, and Italys culture ministry announced controversial plans to restore the damaged mural at the end of 2023, cementing its position on the canal.

Paris

41 Avenue de Flandre

Now protected by a screen, this Parisian painting of a masked horse-rider is a reinterpretation of a famous portrait of Napoleon on horseback by Jacques-Louis David, but this time fully wrapped in his red cloak.

Captioned LIBERTE, EGALITE, CABLE TV, the art is believed to take aim at the poor management by France of the refugee crisis. The mural appeared in 2018, eight years after the French decision to ban full face coverings, including burqas and niqabs, in 2010.

New York

233 W 79th Street, Upper West Side

The Better Out Than In residency sprayed New York with Banksy graffiti for a month in October 2013. Though many of the artworks were defaced or vandalised quickly after they debuted, one mural, Hammer Boy, depicting a young boys silhouette smashing a fire hydrant with a hammer, was preserved in the city and is a hotspot for fans of the elusive artist.

Ukraine

Kyiv, Irpin and Borodyanka

Seven murals of solidarity were created by Banksy around wartorn Ukraine (Getty)

In 2022, seven murals of solidarity were created by Banksy around wartorn Ukraine, including a gymnast balancing on a pile of rubble, a judo competition, a woman with a gas mask, and an old man taking a bath, all against the backdrop of destroyed buildings.

Many of the artworks were preserved with plexiglass, and some were relocated from bombarded towns, such as Borodyanka, as tower blocks were demolished as a result of damage caused by the fighting. Currently, the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Ukraine.

Read more on the wild theories over identity of world-famous artist
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A US airline that provides seats on chartered planes for business class prices has been called not safe by aviation insiders.

Texas-based carrier JSX could face federal charges for its rule-bending approach to providing the private jet experience.

US Federal Aviation Administration regulations allow much easier security requirements for on-demand public charter planes with less than nine seats. However, single seats cannot be sold and flight times or cities cannot be specified.

JSX founder Alex Wilcox told Bloomberg: I spent months without sleep, just looking at all the rules, looking for ways why it couldnt be done.

Every single person we talked to said, No, you cant do it. So we did it.

To work a loophole in the rules, Wilcox created two companies that work together as one. One company sells tickets and schedules flights and a second flies the aircrafts on specified routes at set times and dates.

This allows JSX hop-on tickets, including from Austin to New Mexico, to sell from $249 (196)  a much more affordable price point than industry competitors.

The private jet experience on the JSX website is outlined as flying designed for you with No crowds. Dedicated hangars. Baggage included. Free drinks. Fast Wi-Fi.

After investment from United Airlines in 2022, the airline now operates almost 35,000 flights over 48 routes across the US and claims to save up to two hours per journey swerving long lines in airport terminals.

Following JSXs success competitors are now lobbying against the public charter plane practice with the US Transportation Security Administration and the FAA considering changes to overrule the loophole.

Bob Jordan, Southwests chief executive officer said to Bloomberg: If youre going to be a scheduled carrier, whoever you are, follow the rules for a scheduled carrier.

We have decades of proof that accidents have significantly declined and safety has significantly improved. Just follow that standard.

The Southwest complaint and similar sentiments from American Airlines and other commercial carriers could lead to federal charges against public charter carriers operating like JSX.

Doug Parker, former American Airlines chairman, said: They say its a better model. Its not a better model because its not safe.

JSX, originally founded in 2015 as JetSuiteX, has reportedly hired a lobbyist to push back against any changes to regulations and continue company expansion.
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A mother who fled gang violence in Haiti gave birth high in the sky on a plane  with the baby boy picking up a surprise from the airline following the mid-air drama.

Wilene Tulus, 42, was travelling on 15 March with her husband from Mexico City to Ciudad Juarez, a city on Mexicos border with the US, when she went into labour shortly after take-off.

The couple were heading to an appointment with US immigration officials to discuss their application for asylum, reports the Daily Mail.

Less than 30 minutes into the flight, Ms Tulus  who was pregnant with her second child  alerted cabin crew that she was having contractions, and a doctor on the flight assisted with the safe delivery of a son.

A fellow passenger shared a video of a flight attendant carrying the newborn down the aisle of the plane before appearing to pass the child to its parents.

After being treated by paramedics on landing at Abraham Gonzalez Airport in Ciudad Juarez, the baby was taken to a specialist childrens hospital because the birth took place in an environment that was not controlled or under adequate hygiene measures while the mother was rushed elsewhere, with the pair reunited the over the weekend.

The regional health department, the Secretaria de Salud Chihuahua, said in a statement that after the first 24 hours of admission, the mother was discharged; she immediately moved by her own means to the Childrens Specialty Hospital where she could carry her baby in her arms.

Aeromexico, who the couple were flying with, gifted the baby with 90 free flights to mark the occasion  with the Mexican flag carrier celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.

The Independent has contacted the airline for comment.

It told the Daily Mail: We are very excited to have been part of this great story that is just beginning.

Aeromexico thanks the doctors for their professionalism, recognises the extraordinary work of the crew of flight attendants and pilots, in addition to reiterating that the safety of clients and collaborators is our highest priority.

Its not clear how many weeks pregnant Ms Tulus was, but according to Aeromexicos website, anyone who is 33 or more weeks pregnant may only travel after providing a medical certificate.
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London Heathrow lies 87 miles southeast, representing about 10 minutes flying time. Luton airport is 71 miles away in much the same direction. Manchester airport stands 66 miles northwest, while East Midlands is only 32 miles northeast.

Where am I? Birmingham airport, of course. And in the company of the chief executive of the West Midlands hub, Nick Barton. With competitors in such close proximity, doesnt he feel a little squeezed?

If you didnt offer the network coverage and the pricing, then yes  but that isnt the case, he says. We have more people in our catchment area than live in Canada. Its a big old number of people.

With the variety of airlines weve got, and theyre all competing strongly, theyre stimulating and penetrating that catchment.

Just arrived: an easyJet Airbus A320 at Birmingham airport (Simon Calder)

We are speaking on the day that easyJet launched its new base at Birmingham airport, where three Airbus jets will be located. It is easyJets first new base in the UK for 12 years (during which time Britains biggest budget airline has closed bases at East Midlands, Newcastle, Stansted and Southend).

The phrase ferocious competition seems designed for the expansion. Among the 16 new routes easyJet has announced, five serve key resort airports in Spain: Alicante, Barcelona, Fuerteventura, Malaga and Tenerife. Jet2 and Ryanair already fly to all of them.

Tui and the Spanish budget airline, Vueling, also compete, and to complete the set Wizz Air offers a handful of links. Is this, I wonder, going to be the most competitive airport in the UK for European flights  even more so than Manchester?

Id hope so, because the winner in that circumstance is the customer, says the Birmingham CEO. It always is.

We can only expect to see [the airlines] challenging each other and getting better. Thats what theyve done down the recent history of aviation. Theyve always been successful, and weve got all of them here.

So we are very, very comfortable in seeing that competitive tension between the airlines.

Can competition go too far, though? I confessed to Barton that my previous two reporting assignments to Birmingham airport had been for the collapse of Monarch in 2017 and the failure of Flybe in 2020.

It was the evolution of our industry, wasnt it? Where the older operators with older business models are out-competed by the newer ones. And all of the traffic that we used to have with those airlines  which was nearly 40 per cent of our total  has been completely replaced.

So it just shows you the industry can reinvent itself with new investment, new aeroplanes, new business models  and our customers have benefited from that.

From the point of view of someone living or working in central London (I do both), Birmingham has been propelled into the position of a viable alternative to the capitals airports.

Trains from London Euston take just 65 minutes to a dedicated station (making it closer, in time terms from central London, than Southampton airport and only 20 minutes further than Stansted). From next week, new security scanners will accelerate the journey through the airport.

I currently use Birmingham airport when the price is right  most recently a cheap Ryanair deal to Corfu  or when I need to reach one of the few destinations inaccessible from a London airport. In May I will avail of the new Ryanair link to Beauvais (loosely known as Paris) in northern France.

For long-haul flights, Birmingham makes a good proposition when going east: Emirates operates a giant Airbus A380 and a Boeing 777 from BHX to Dubai, while Air India flies to Amritsar.

Yet the daily link to New York disappeared years ago. Barton wants to restore regular transatlantic flying.

The biggest challenge at the moment is aircraft availability, he says. The airlines have got the appetite. Its just a question of getting the right aeroplanes. They start coming online in 25.

British Airways wont be coming back to Birmingham any time soon, I fear, and United may judge its powerful presence at Heathrow to be sufficient without diluting traffic with a Midlands connection. But as congestion increases in southeast England, Birmingham may soon add some valuable transatlantic capacity.

I spent a week in the United States and Canada just before Christmas, the Birmingham boss says. While he wouldnt want to overpromise at this stage, he expects to resume services to North America in two or three years. And if the HS2 rail line from London ever gets built, with a station at Birmingham airport, the Midlands could even become a fast track to Manhattan.
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A cruise ship at the center of a dramatic evacuation off north Norway five years ago should never have left port because it was not up to safety standards, officials said on Tuesday, adding that it could have developed into one of the worst disasters at sea in modern times.

In a report, the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority upbraided Viking Sky, saying it was a ship's length from running aground.

The ship left the northern city of Tromso carrying almost 1,400 people, despite storm warnings. It was headed for Stavanger in southern Norway when it had engine problems amid a storm on March 23, 2019, and issued a mayday call.

The ship anchored in heavy seas to avoid being dashed on the rocks in an area known for shipwrecks. Passengers saw a large wave crashing through glass doors and knocking people across the floor of an area where they had been instructed to gather.

Nearly 480 passengers were winched off the ship by helicopter despite high winds in a daring rescue operation. The captain then decided to halt the evacuation, and about 900 people were still on board when the ship limped into the Norwegian port of Molde on its own engines.

Dozens of people were injured during the ships harrowing ordeal, including 36 who were admitted to hospitals.

Norwegian authorities immediately launched a probe into the accident, which concluded Tuesday that the ship was unprepared to sail in rough seas.

The accident was caused by insufficient lubricating oil in all of the operating diesel generators lubricating oil sump tanks, in combination with pitching and rolling in rough seas, investigators wrote. The investigation has identified operational, technical, and organisational safety issues that in different ways contributed to the blackout.

"As Viking Sky did not comply with the applicable safety standards, it should not have departed Tromso under the prevailing circumstances, the report said.

There was no immediate reaction from operator Viking Ocean Cruises.
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Authorities in Thailand arrested two New Zealand tourists and revoked their visas after they attacked a police officer.

Immigration authorities banned brothers Hamish Day, 36, and Oscar Day, 38, from ever returning to Thailand. Thai news outlet Bangkok Post reported that the brothers have been charged with offences including robbery, causing physical harm to an on-duty officer, attempted bribery, and driving a motorcycle without a licence.

Police said traffic officer Somsak Noo-iat on Saturday spotted the men speeding on their motorbikes. They tried to speed away after Mr Somsak tried to stop them.

They went on to offer a bribe to the officer, who tried to film the two men on his phone. After this, the brothers allegedly wrestled Mr Somsak to the ground and took his gun.

The weapon was fired, but nobody was shot. The police chief also said that one of the brothers is a mixed martial arts fighter.

Video of the incident has gone viral online, where onlookers can be heard shouting at them to stop. Both brothers have denied all charges and the police said on Monday they would ask the court for permission to deny their release on bail.

Mr Somsaks supervisor and Chalong police chief Ekkarat Plaiduang said Mr Somsak was injured but recovering well.

Phuket governor, Sophon Suwannarat, spoke at a press conference on Monday, condemning the brothers behaviour as intolerable.

"The behaviour was improper and illegal, Mr Sophon said, and added that serious action would be taken to protect the tourism atmosphere of Phuket.

The brothers father, Laurence Day, told New Zealand Herald: The family is distraught. Were praying for a good outcome. Who would have ever expected this? Just a couple of kids on a tourist trip.
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The UKs most-visited tourist attraction last year has been revealed, with a surge in visitors compared to 2022.

The British Museum finished number one and saw a total of 5.8 million visitors in 2023, a 42 per cent jump on the previous year, according to trade body the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (Alva). The last time the British Museum topped the list was 2019.

Last years popularity was partly attributed to the success of its Chinas Hidden Century exhibition, which ran from May until October.

Bernard Donoghue, Alva director, said attractions are recovering well from the coronavirus lockdowns, with 146.6 million visits to major UK venues in 2023  a jump of 19 per cent on 2022.

However, he warned theyre still not back to full recovery as people got out of the habit of going to museums and galleries when they were closed.

The number of visits to attractions is still below pre-pandemic levels, down 11 per cent from 163.9 million in 2019 before the Covid-19 crisis.

Mr Donoghue told Simon Calders Independent Travel Podcast the industry was prepared for a long and slow recovery after lockdown.

Theres a change in the economy, of course, the cost of living crisis. And so people are being much more tactical, sensibly, about how they spend their leisure pounds.

Figures show the number of visits being made to tourism attractions is still below pre-pandemic levels (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Archive)

The limited return of Chinese tourists due to the countrys coronavirus travel restrictions is also affecting overall visitor numbers to UK tourism hotspots, although the tourism chief is hopeful that we should get back up to pre-Covid levels of Chinese visitors by the end of 2025.

After the British Museum, the second most-visited attraction was the Natural History Museum in west London, which had its best year for visits at 5.7 million.

In third place was Windsor Great Park, Berkshire, with 5.5 million visits.

Top Ten The UKs most-visited tourist attractions in 2023 The British Museum Natural History Museum Windsor Great Park Tate Modern Southbank Centre V&A South Kensington The National Gallery Science Museum Tower of London Somerset House

The most popular attraction in Scotland was Edinburghs National Museum of Scotland (2.2 million visits) while the number one spot in Wales was taken by St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff (600,000 visits).

Titanic Belfast had the most visits in Northern Ireland, with 800,000 people coming to the attraction.

Indoor attractions saw a 23 per cent increase in visitors compared with a 2 per cent increase in outdoor attractions.

In the Coronation year, Westminster Abbey had a 49 per cent increase in visitors to 1.5 million.

Mr Donoghue claimed that the governments failure to reverse its 2020 decision to end tax-free shopping for inbound visitors has led to a significant decrease in spending in attraction gift shops by overseas tourists.

We are absolutely missing out on expensive items being bought by visitors from around the world, particularly from America, the Middle East and the Far East, he said.

We know that were losing out to places like Paris, Milan, Madrid and Rome.
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As romantic views go  swirling steam over warm bubbling water, the sun setting over stately Habsburg villas and snow-capped mountains  it was hard to beat. Rooftop pools often promise more than they deliver, but the Grand Hotel Straubingers outdoor infinity pool in the centre of Bad Gastein didnt disappoint. It even threw in views of the Hotel de lEurope, said to be the inspiration for Wes Andersons The Grand Budapest Hotel. Just below was Bad Gasteins thundering waterfall, feeding some of the thermal springs that drew the 19th-century Habsburgs to this place of healing waters  just as it drew me and my knackered knee.

Why come to a ski resort if youre still recovering from a ski injury thats keeping you away from those much-missed pistes? Probably because hurtling down a mountain on a plank or two isnt the only reason to be in the Austrian Alps, compelling reason though it is. And Bad Gastein, only 80 minutes south of Salzburg airport, has a life away from the slopes, which didnt need two fully fit legs to explore.

The author mid-crossing on the Bad Gastein suspension bridge (Adam Batterbee)

First, though, the call of the mountains had to be answered. The cable car from Bad Gasteins railway station led straight up to Stubnerkogel at 2,246 metres. Under bright blue skies I followed the snowy footpath to the observation deck and did a little jig of joy just to be breathing in that cold, crisp air and gazing at this stretch of the High Tauern mountains. On the other side of the cable car station, I walked along the 140 metre-long suspension bridge, which dangled 28 metres above the ground and offered more panoramic views.

It was getting close to that mid-morning hot chocolate time, and Bergstadls sunny terrace, a short distance from the cable cars middle station, made an appealing spot to dive into thick velvety chocolate with its own mountain of whipped cream. Was I missing my skis? My mind said Yes, but my knee made it quite clear I wasnt ready yet.

Forest bathing on a woodsy mountain walk above Bad Gastein ( Adam Batterbee)

That left more of the simpler pleasures of the mountains to enjoy. In Argental a little further north in Gastein Valley, I was meeting Theresa Sommerbichler for a spot of forest bathing. Not, as it sounds, a dip in the freezing Schattbach running alongside the woods, but a slow, contemplative walk through the pines, breathing deeply, taking in every scent and sound, finishing the walk with Theresas refreshing spruce tea and feeling utterly relaxed. I usually do some snowshoeing on a ski trip (still a knee no-no, though), so this less strenuous woodsy walk was a welcome substitute.

Real bathing  the wallowing-in-thermal-springs sort  awaited me in Alpentherme in Bad Hofgastein further along the valley. This was definitely what I signed up for  a large complex of indoor and outdoor thermal pools, bubbling jets here and there, cold air making my cheeks glow while I gazed at the mountains. There was a similar set-up in Bad Gastein itself at the Felsentherme thermal baths near the railway station. Felsenthermes brutalist architecture was a bit unexpected, and I didnt find the layout of the pools as convenient as in Alpentherme. But at least theyre right in the town if you cant be bothered with a 20-minute bus ride to Bad Hofgastein.

Glorious views from the rooftop pool of the Grand Hotel Straubinger (Adam Batterbee)

If this hadnt been more than a flying visit, I could have tried a session in the Gastein Heilstollen, the so-called healing gallery deep in an underground chamber. Its radon gases are said to help with certain ailments, particularly if you have three to four treatments over a week. I weighed up spending most of a day doing something that probably would have little effect after a single treatment, or staying above ground lazily lunching and getting to know Bad Gastein. Lunch and sightseeing won.

Read more ski travel:

Bad Gasteins hilly streets, filled with elaborate Belle Epoque architecture  designed as a home-from-home for visiting 19th-century nobility  revealed one wedding-cake confection after another. Some, including the Hotel de lEurope, had been converted into flats and holiday rentals, while others sat empty but, curiously, not derelict, waiting for a buyer with deep enough pockets.

Luckily someone came along to wake the five-star Grand Hotel Straubinger from its 23-year slumber, and this immensely elegant grande dame reopened in September 2023. Its three-storey rooftop spa was as impressive as its Straubinger Saal restaurant, where creative four-course dinner menus featured standout dishes including lobster bisque and Barbary duck breast with a very moreish roasted celery cream.

The beautiful Grand Hotel Straubinger, Bad Gastein (Adam Batterbee)

Lunch, however, called for full-on Austrian mountain soul food. I was on the terrace at Kleine Scharte on Schlossalm, the 2,050-metre peak overlooking Bad Hofgastein, with a big plate of wonderfully gooey Kasespatzle (little dumplings smothered with melted cheese), a large Stiegl lager and clear sunny skies. I spotted a black puppy that was deliriously jumping in and out of the snow, full of the joys of winter. I could relate to that.

Travel essentials

How to get there

Salzburg is the nearest airport, which is served by Ryanair, British Airways, easyJet, Wizz Air and Jet2. Trains run from the city centre to Bad Gastein.

Where to stay

Grand Hotel Straubinger is well located in the centre of Bad Gastein, overlooking both the waterfall and Straubingerplatz square. It has a holistic spa with a rooftop infinity pool that boasts beautiful views, as well as a range of sauna facilities.

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All hotel guests in Bad Gastein receive a Gastein Card, which gives free public transport among other things, including forest bathing.

Mary Novakovich was a guest of Bad Gastein and SalzburgerLand.
Sydney Sweeney, the star of Immaculate - a horror film exploring the theme of immaculate conception - has explained why she loves the genre.

In the film, devout American Cecilia (played by Sweeney) arrives at an illustrious Italian convent, far from the outside world, to take holy orders, believing God had given her a second chance at life after an accident when she was young.

Things are not quite as they seem at the picturesque convent, and soon Cecilia, a virgin, discovers she is pregnant.

Discussing her upcoming project and why she loves the horror genre, Sweeney explained that there are no boundaries or limits to what a character can do.

Immaculate is in UK cinemas from Friday 22 March.
A herd of goats interrupted a couple's wedding photoshoot in Thailand, amusing footage shows.

Groom Mac and his bride-to-be were posing for photos in a field when the group of animals gathered in front of them in Lopburi on 14 February.

The mammals even tried to sink their teeth into the couple's bouquet of flowers, but the groom held them aloft to avoid disaster.

"The goats were very persistent in trying to grab the bouquet. Luckily, I had a strong hold on it. We even took pictures while they attempted to snatch it," Mac said.
The Princess of Waless passion for promoting the early years development of children was highlighted by her husband during his latest royal engagement.

Prince William spoke fondly of Kates work as he spent time in Sheffield on Tuesday 19 March, catching up with the developments of his ambitious Homewards project, which aims to eradicate homelessness in six UK locations.

When the future king joined a Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition meeting, he smiled when a participant mentioned the importance of childrens early years, an issue the princess has raised awareness about for a number of years.

Venturing into my wifes territory here. She needs to be sat here to hear this, William said as he grinned and held up his hands.
A flight from Melbourne to Bali had to turn back to Australia less than two hours into its journey after a passenger from hell allegedly banged on the cockpit door and slapped a fellow flyers glasses off their face.

Jetstar Flight JQ43 had to make a U-turn on Monday, 18 March, after a passenger became disruptive, the airline said in a statement.

A traveller told radio station 3AW that the woman smashed a passengers glasses off his face.

Another passenger wrote on Facebook that the woman went loopy and banged on the cockpit door because she thought someone stole her phone.

The captain returned to Melbourne to get assistance from the Australia Federal Police, they added.
Police in Argentina have found more than 150kg of cocaine hidden on a lorry carrying wood.

Members of the Villa Maria Road Safety Squadron were carrying out night checks entering the city of Morteros, Cordoba, when they stopped a vehicle heading to Buenos Aires.

While the uniformed officers inspected the truck with flashlights, they saw a striking shine between the wood, moving some slats to reveal brick type packages with a substance.

A full search uncovered 147 rectangular packages with a total weight of 156kg of cocaine.

Cash, mobile devices and documents were also seized by police.
Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci has opened up on why Barack Obama paid a surprise visit to Downing Street.

The former US president made the unexpected visit to No.10 on Monday (18 March) to meet with Rishi Sunak.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday (19 March), Mr Scaramucci was quizzed over Mr Obamas visit by Susanna Reid and Ed Balls.

He said: I think Obama is going to help Joe Biden in the coming months. He is probably expressing some sentiment from the White House to the prime minister about the coalition we need to have with the Ukrainian war.
The royal family is perilously close to its 11th hour, a close friend of Princess Diana has claimed.

Richard Kay, a very good friend of the late Princess of Wales, is said to have issued a warning in an article published in the Daily Mail, claiming the family needs to get their act together or lose public confidence.

Royal commentator Michael Cole said that although Mr Kays concerns are valid, the royals have gone through much worse.

In a GB News interview on Sunday (17 March), Mr Cole said: We do have to look at it with hindsight and history, because all of us here, lived through the first week of Septemeber, 1997 - after the terrible death of Diana.

The atmosphere in London that week was very strange indeed, the queen feared she would be booed when she came down from Balmoral.
Watch the moment former White House trade adviser Peter Navarro surrenders to authorities on Tuesday 19 March, at a prison facility near Miami, Florida to begin a four-month jail sentence.

He will be the first Donald Trump-era official to be jailed for contempt of Congress.

Navarro, 74, was convicted last year after ignoring a subpoena from a House committee investigating the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021.

He stopped in the car park of a shopping centre to speak to reporters before reporting to federal prison in Miami.

A Supreme Court justice denied his last-ditch appeal to stay out of jail on Monday.
Vladimir Putin attended a concert in Moscows Red Square marking the 10th anniversary of Crimeas annexation.

The Russian president walked on the stage with three candidates from Kremlin-friendly parties after the preliminary results gave him an expected landslide victory in this weekends sham elections.

Speaking on stage, he claimed the Ukrainian regions Russia took control of after sending troops to the country in 2022 wanted to join Russia together with Crimea 10 years ago but their path had been more difficult and tragic.
The move will likely put construction firms and engineering business in Northern Ireland at an advantage. Photo: Getty

Construction and engineering firms in Irelands border counties look set to come under increased recruitment strain as the UK moves to fully underwrite the cost of apprenticeships.

The UK government will fully fund apprenticeships in small businesses for people under 21-years-old starting next month, in a bid to increase the number of skilled workers in an economy still suffering from high levels of inactivity among the young.

That looks set to put the likes of construction firms, engineering business and even services sector businesses like hairdressers in Northern Ireland at an advantage, cutting their labour costs and potentially helping them to attract a greater share of apprentices from south of the Border to serve their time with business in the North.

The initiative  which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced yesterday  forms part of a package of new funding for apprenticeships that will cost about 60m (70m) and enable as many as 20,000 extra training places, the UK government said.

The British government also pledged to bring in measures to simplify reporting for small and medium-sized businesses, which it says will save thousands of businesses across the UK around 150m per year.

Mr Sunak will also unveil an Invest in Women Taskforce to help unlock investment for female business leaders.

The task force will aim to raise a funding pot for female-founded businesses through private capital.

The Irish Government hiked its funding for the apprenticeship system last year, providing 67m in Budget 2024 in core and temporary funding as part of a target to increase the number of craft apprenticeship from 13,000 places in 2022 to over 16,000 places this year.

The UK move to directly fund the hiring of apprentices by SMEs in Britain ups the ante, however, at a time when small Irish employers are facing higher direct and indirect labour costs as a result of a series of governmental measures including around leave entitlements, pensions and the minimum wage.

A shortage of apprentices in key construction trades including plumbing, electrical and carpentry have been identified as a significant impediment to meeting current and future housing targets.
Planned one-size-fits-all 30-day rule on payments could stifle competitiveness with countries outside bloc says US cereal brand owner Kellanova

Kellanova has its European headquarters in Dublin and is a leader in cereals, with brands such as Kelloggs Cornflakes and Special K. Photo: Getty Images

Kellanova, the American owner of Kelloggs, has written to the Irish Government warning against the introduction of new EU rules on late payments.

Dave Lawlor, the companys regional president for Europe, wrote last month to Minister of State in the Department of Enterprise, Dara Calleary, saying that a one-size-fits-all 30-day rule on payments could endanger the business environment.

He specifically warned that it would reduce the competitiveness of food manufacturers in the EU relative to those outside the bloc, which includes Britain.

The European Commission is proposing to turn a directive on late payment, adopted in 2011, into a regulation. It says that every year across Europe, thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises go bankrupt waiting for invoices to be paid. This leads to job losses, stifled entrepreneurship and administrative burdens.

The commission says studies have shown that the current EU legal framework on combatting late payments is insufficient. This is because of a lack of preventative measures and effective enforcement, as well as a shortage of redress mechanisms that small firms can use.

The current directive lays down a payment term of 30 days in business-to-business transactions, but says this can be extended to 60 if its not grossly unfair to the creditor. The ambiguity of this term has led to payment terms of 120 days or more being imposed on smaller creditors, the commission says.

The new regulation would introduce a single maximum payment term of 30 days for all commercial transactions, including between public authorities and businesses, all across the EU.

In his letter to the minister, Mr Lawlor points out that Kellanova has its European headquarters in Dublin, and is a leader in global snacking and European cereals, with brands such as Pringles, Kelloggs Cornflakes, and Special K.

He says Kellanova believes in the importance of a culture of timely payments, but offers a concrete example of the impact a 30-day rule would have on the business as an illustration of our concerns with the proposal.

Kellanova, as a manufacturer of food, has a range of payment relationships with suppliers, including global commodity traders that have a larger turnover, Mr Lawlor said. Each contract has payment terms that take account of factors such as shipping delays and weather problems.

Consequently, some raw materials may be purchased up to a year before they are used in production, the Kellanova executive said.

Once we use the raw materials to produce packaged food products, [these] have a long shelf-life and can be stored in a warehouse for as long as six months or more before they are sold to a retailer.

Therefore, the extended time gap that food manufacturers like us often encounter between purchasing raw materials for production from suppliers and receiving payment from retailers for the sale of the finished product can span from four to 10 months or more.

Mr Lawlor said this forces manufacturers to carry debt, and the payment terms set between large businesses in his sector reflect the varied supply-chain dynamics.

Imposing a one-size-fits-all approach that reduces payment terms to 30 days in all circumstances would significantly increase this debt burden, which would reduce the competitiveness of food manufacturers in the EU relative to those outside the EU, he concluded.

As well as the letter to the minister, Kellanova forwarded a submission by business representative group Ibec, which argued there is no business case to turn the existing Late Payment Directive into an EU Regulation.

Ibec claimed: Statements that 25pc of SME insolvencies are due to late payments do not reflect the evidence from Ireland and a number of other members states.

"Accepted payment terms vary across the economy, and between sectors. A one-size fits-all approach is likely to be counter-productive and would overlook the nuances of a given industry sector and the inter-dependent relationships within it.
Kingspan has said it does not agree with the preliminary findings of a European Commission investigation that it provided incorrect, incomplete and misleading information about a planned merger three years ago.

The insulation giant, which has its headquarters in Cavan, is facing a fine of up to 1pc of its annual worldwide turnover if the final outcome of the EU investigation stays the same. Last year Kingspan reported revenues of 8.1bn.

Yesterday the Commission sent a statement of objections to the Irish company alleging that it provided misleading information during a 2021 investigation into its planned acquisition of Trimo, a Slovenian competitor which also supplied insulation panels to the construction industry. Kingspan later abandoned the transaction.

In March 2022, the Commission expressed concerns that the merger could have a negative effect on competition in some building-materials markets, leading to higher prices or less choice for customers.

The Commission says it has now taken the preliminary view that Kingspan either intentionally or negligently provided incorrect, incomplete and misleading information with respect to basic facts about its internal organisation.

The Irish company is also alleged to have given incorrect or incomplete information about the scope of the relevant product and geographic market, the existence of barriers to entry and expansion, and the closeness of competition between it and Trimo.

If this were to be the final conclusion of the investigation, Kingspan could be fined up to 1pc of its turnover for each instance. The Commission said that sending a statement of objections does not prejudge the final outcome, and pointed out that Kingspan can now respond formally to the claims.

Margrethe Vestager, the Commissions executive vice-president in charge of competition policy, said: Companies must supply accurate and complete information during our merger investigations. This is essential for merger reviews to remain both speedy and effective. In this case we are concerned that Kingspan may have provided incorrect, incomplete and misleading information during our review of its acquisition of Trimo.

In a statement, Kingspan said that while it does not agree with the preliminary conclusions, it will reflect carefully on them and work with its lawyers in formulating a response.

Kingspan has fully co-operated with the Commission throughout the period relating to the Trimo process, which commenced in September 2020, continued until Kingspan withdrew from the process in April 2022, and was followed by the EU Commissions investigation which opened in November 2022, it said.

This Trimo application was unusual and uniquely onerous given both the level of information sought and the fact that the process occurred during Covid. It is in no way representative of the long and productive relationship that Kingspan has with the European Commission.

Since the Trimo process began in 2020, Kingspan has secured four successful clearances, supporting investments by Kingspan in energy-efficient and low-carbon buildings that are essential to the European Commissions Green Transition.

The company added that it had always made its best endeavours to provide the Commission with all the information it required in a timely and complete fashion and would continue to do so. It looked forward to continued positive co-operation with the Commission into the future.

There is no legal deadline by which the Commission has to complete its inquiry. Its statement says that the duration depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of the case, the extent to which the companies concerned co-operate, and the exercise of the rights of defence.

In April 2022, the Belgian insulation materials company Recticel announced it had acquired Trimo for an estimated 164.3m. The Slovenian company, which employed about 480 people and had net annual sales of 138.5m at the time, had been owned by Innova Capital.
Stakes raised for Autonomys Mike Lynch as his criminal trial gets underway

Tipperary-born businessman facing fraud charges in San Francisco court over $11bn sale to Hewlett Packard

Mike Lynch. Photo: Getty

Rachel Graf Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 03:30







Once-prominent UK technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch is already facing possible financial ruin after losing a London civil trial over his ill-fated 2011 deal with Hewlett Packard  and prison could be next.
Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will be sentenced on April 15 (Jim Weber/Santa Fe New Mexican/AP/PA)

A weapons armourer on the film set of Rust has asked a judge to grant her a new involuntary manslaughter trial and release from prison pending further proceedings.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty after a two-week trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, 42, on the western film set in October 2021.

Ms Gutierrez-Reed is requesting this court vacate her conviction and order new trial, lawyers Jason Bowles and Monnica Barreras said, in an emergency motion for a new trial and release.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the former armourer at the movie Rust (Luis Sanchez Saturno/Santa Fe New Mexican/AP)

She is further requesting this court to release her pending further proceedings whether it be in this court or on appeal or writ.

The court documents appear to have been filed on the same day that Alec Baldwins lawyers filed a motion to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor over the shooting, accusing prosecutors of violating nearly every rule in the book in acquiring the indictment.

Among the claims, it is alleged that state prosecutors gave the grand jury instruction on involuntary manslaughter that unfairly stacked the deck against Baldwin, who was re-charged with involuntary manslaughter in January and will go on trial in July.

Defence lawyers acting on behalf of Gutierrez-Reed used a ruling in a different case to compare and claim there were jury instructions in this case which could confuse.

Gutierrez-Reed will be sentenced on April 15 for the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a 5,000 dollar (3,900) fine.
A new TV series from Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee will be released on Netflix.

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast is an eight-part comedy-thriller series following a group of school friends now in their 30s. Filming for the series is set to begin in Northern Ireland later this year.

First announced in August 2023, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast was originally planned to be broadcast on Channel 4.

When the show was first announced, it promised to take its main character from their native Belfast to the mythic wildness of rural Donegal and right across Ireland.

The series will be produced by Hat Trick Productions, the same company involved with the production of Derry Girls and Father Ted.

It will tell the story of successful TV writer Saoirse, stressed-out mother of three Robyn and dependable, inhibited carer Dara, described as a tight-knit group of friends from their days at school.

Now in their late 30s, but still as close as ever, these three friends are about to embark on the most thrilling adventure of their lives, a synopsis reads.

When an email arrives, telling them about the death of the estranged fourth member of their childhood gang, Greta, a series of eerie events at her wake set them on a dark, dangerous and hilarious odyssey through Ireland and beyond as each tries to piece together the truth of the past.

"A show about friendship, memory and what happens when life doesnt turn out quite like youd expected.

A number of McGees collaborators on Derry Girls are joining up with her again for the new series, including director Michael Lennox and executive producers Caroline Leddy and Liz Lewin. Hat Trick co-founder Jimmy Mulville is also on board as an executive producer.

McGee created and wrote Channel 4 favourite Derry Girls, a three-series comedy following the lives of five teenagers during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

The show was inspired by McGees own experiences growing up in Derry in the 1990s. Following the success of Derry Girls, McGee received the freedom of the city of Derry in December 2022.

Along with widespread acclaim, Derry Girls bagged an IFTA Award, a BAFTA Award and the International Emmy Award for best comedy series.

There is no official release date for How to Get to Heaven From Belfast with filming to begin this summer.
I heard an agricultural advisor recently tell how an 80-year-old farmer client of his had to make a trip to a garda station to get a form signed for the transfer of entitlements.

Needless to say, the garda had no idea what the form was about, and the farmer was unable to fully explain why he needed it signed, so back he went to the advisor with no form signed.

Such is the rigmarole that is frustrating farmers and advisors alike in recent years.

Coupled with more and more schemes and strict deadlines, the administrative workload to farm has never been greater.

So its been interesting to hear soundings of out Europe in recent weeks, as European farmers took their tractors to various cities to protest, that it would try make things easier for farmers through the simplification of regulations and administration.

Europe has, at various times, tried to change the CAP, be it moving from a Common Agricultural Policy that rewarded production which led to over-supply, to decoupling payments from production to reduce over-production and give farmers the freedom to farm, while a greening of payments has been policy over the last 10 years as the EU moved to make agriculture more sustainable.

Just last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe is sending a clear message that agricultural policy adapts to changing realities while staying focused on the key priority of protecting the environment and adapting to climate change. The Commission will continue to stand steadfastly by our farmers, who maintain EU food security and serve at the frontline of our climate and environment action.

And while it proposes a number of measures that are to be welcomed, it faces a monumental task if it wants to cut the red tape around farming.

Spending public money means accountability and accountability means forms, deadlines and penalties  red tape, or green tape as it is called by many farmers here, who believe the environmental ask of them is not being rewarded adequately.

Tweaking around the edges of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAECs) wont cut it with most farmers and while the most significant change proposed  to exempt farmers with less than 10ha from CAP conditionality controls and penalties  will help reduce the administrative burdens they face, it will apply to just 20pc of Irelands farmers.

Europe will need to do a lot more if it is to simplify things that actually have an impact in easing the administrative burden on farmers.
More ag-tech, more paid labourwhat we can learn from dairy farming Down Under

Dairy farms in Australia tend to be happier than we are to invest in labour and technology  such as virtual fencing, robotic milking and outsourced admin  to increase turnover, reduce workload and future-proof their businesses

Cows headed for milking on a farm in Victoria. Photo: Getty

Mike Brady Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 02:52

On a recent trip to look at the dairy industry in Australia, it was clear there is a high uptake of agricultural technology or agtech on dairy farms, primarily driven by the shortage of labour.
A European Parliament vote on the Waste Framework Directive has agreed that member states should reduce food waste by 40pc in households, retail and restaurants by 2030

Supermarkets and other commercial operators will need to ensure unsold food that is still safe to eat will be made available for donation. Photo: Lorraine Teevan

The European Parliament has voted to ban supermarkets from throwing away food that is still safe for human consumption.

MEPs voted on a proposed revision of the Waste Framework Directive concerning textile and food waste today.

In line with the revision, supermarkets and other commercial operators will need to ensure unsold food that is still safe to eat will be made available for donation.

The vote that essentially aims to ban good food from going to waste saw MEPs coming to a consensus that member states will need to reduce food waste by 20pc in food manufacturing and by 40pc in households, retail and restaurants by 2030.

Grace OSullivan, Green Party MEP for Ireland South, said: Food waste is nothing short of a scandal and I welcome the vote in the European Parliament to tackle this issue.

The vote represents an important step forward for this legislation. Food waste is bad for the environment, it is bad for the economy, and it is socially unacceptable when there are people struggling to put good food on the table.

The Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) most recent study on food waste from 2021 found that food waste costs the average Irish household 700 per year, which amounts to a total annual cost of 1.29bn.

It also found that food waste generates between 8pc-10pc of the countrys greenhouse gas emissions.

Seventy five thousand tonnes of food is wasted by the retail and distribution sectors in Ireland every year  mostly vegetables, fruit, bread and meat, said Ms OSullivan.

Only a minor portion of that is redistributed to charities. The problem of food being wasted before even reaching retailers is worse again, with over 215,000 tonnes of food waste in the manufacturing and processing industry.

"This is indefensible in this day and age.

During the vote, 514 MEPs voted in favour, 20 against and 91 abstentions.

The Waste Framework Directive will now progress to the trilogue stage  further negotiations between the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union.

A final agreement is expected to be reached after European elections in June.
The Nelore (Zebu) cattle breed on an Embrapa farm just outside the city of Campo Grande, Brazil. Photo: Niall Hurson

Deforestation will continue as long as trees are worth more cut down than standing, one of Brazils leading politicians has warned.

Speaking at the Nuffield Contemporary Scholars Conference in Campo Grande, Brazil, State Governor of Mato Grosso do Sul, Eduardo Riedel, described his region as the ultimate powerhouse of food production.

I dont think we have an issue here [in Mato Grosso do Sul]. We have in Brazil what we call the frontiers, where agriculture is increasing on areas of forest, he said.

This happens because the environmental assets arent worth what they should be worth.

"If a tree values more on the ground than standing, probably this area will still be the frontier of agriculture.

Mato Grosso do Sul had the largest agriculture GDP growth in 2023 at 32pc. Since the 2009/2010 season, soybean production in the region has increased from 1.8 million hectares to four million hectares in 2022/2023.

We dont need that [deforestation] to grow production. We have a long way to go in productivity to increase Brazilian production, he said.

Its a very complex discussion on how much we can increase the forested areas, how many people need food.

People still need to increase their access to food. If it doesnt happen in Brazil, where is it going to happen, with a country with 66pc of its original vegetation?

The state was first to certify carbon credits related to avoided deforestation and degradation. The Governor welcomed criticism, suggesting this would help the state to improve into the future.

We are aiming to make the state carbon neutral by 2030 and increase agriculture because its possible

Im just arriving from Belgium from a talk with the European Union on the rules for importing produce from Brazil, he said.

By 2025, any product that is produced after 2020, due to deforestation, wouldnt be allowed With improvements every day, I think this should improve our case.

We are aiming to make the state carbon neutral by 2030 and increase agriculture because its possible.

Meanwhile, JBS Campo Grande was granted export clearance for China on March 12, with the facility having a maximum slaughter capacity of 3,000 animals per day, with a current throughput and deboning capacity of 2,000 animals per day.

Climate Action Leader for JBS Brazil, Sheila Guebara, said the company is striving to produce guilt free meat for the consumer.

The company claims to operate a responsible procurement policy, which involves not sourcing animals from farms that are involved in deforestation, employ slave like labour, or are involved in environmental conservation areas.

JBS, the worlds largest meat processor, has been closely linked to deforestation in the past, but the company has said it does not source from such farms.

Agricultural production is responsible for 25pc of Brazils emissions.
Ballynisky Green Energy said it will pump 150,000 annually into a local benefit fund, which will contribute an estimated 2.25m over the first 15 years of operation to projects in the local community". Photo: Stock image

A group opposed to a wind farm being built in the village of Coolcappa, Co Limerick, has expressed fears the proposed development will have a detrimental impact on their health.

The Coolcappa Community Action Group protested in Adare last week to raise awareness about the plans by Ballynisky Green Energy for a six-turbine wind farm.

The proposed wind farm, according to the developer, will be located outside Coolcappa, with an overall height (tower plus blade) of 158 metres, and a hub height (tower) of 90 metres.

A growing group of locals are objecting to the turbines being erected.

The group cited concerns around the impact of noise pollution and shadow flicker on their health and livelihoods, and said they feared their homes will be completely devalued.

Local mother Mary Barrett, whose family dairy farm is located 560 metres from one of the proposed turbines, said she and her children are sick to the stomach at the thought of it. Despite some in the area supporting the development being built on their land for an annual fee, Ms Barrett said she and her family are totally opposed to it.

Im one of the closest to it, she said. I have a young family ranging from 11 years down to 10 months, and my 81year-old mother lives with us and wouldnt be of the best of health outside of all this drama.

My own personal point of view is that my kids are going to have no future here, and while things may change in 20 years time, they may want to move away. Right now, they want to continue the farming life.

With this being so close, our whole future is up in the air.

Ms Barrett said her family farm goes back five generations.

My father will be dead two years on the 25th of March  I inherited the farm from him, and it was his fathers beforehand.

Im glad in a way that he is not here to see what is happening because it would break the man.

Some within the group have complained they have not been adequately consulted by the developer.

They claimed shadow flicker is a nuisance and effects health, causing eye strain, headaches and nausea, and is a serious concern for people diagnosed with epilepsy.

They also claimed that 2019 draft planning guidelines state that shadow flicker must be eliminated in line with HSE Environmental Health recommendations.

When contacted for comment, a HSE spokeswoman said: There is currently no robust evidence to show that wind turbines negatively affect peoples physical health once they are appropriately installed in accordance with guidelines.

A statement released by the action group called for tighter regulation of wind farms as people are suffering across the county.

When contacted for comment, Ballynisky Green Energy Project said it had engaged in extensive consultation with the community since November 2022, including a public exhibition, door-to-door visits, and information leaflets to local residents and advertisements in the local newspaper.

We have offered to meet the Coolcappa Community Action Group and remain open to engaging with them.

The developer said that it intended to submit a planning application in the coming months, which could be publicly scrutinised.

We can assure the community that the planned turbines are designed with technology that ensures no shadow flicker will be experienced at dwellings or other local amenities.

The project will fully comply with national regulations on noise and, once operational, a comprehensive noise monitoring regime will be undertaken to ensure the proposed development complies with regulations.

Ballynisky said the Coolcappa development will harness Irelands great wind resource, enable a move away from fossil fuels, and reduce harmful emissions.

It said it will pump 150,000 annually into a local benefit fund, which will contribute an estimated 2.25m over the first 15 years of operation to projects in the local community.
Priceless files to be transferred to the National Archives but digitisation not a runner

Most of the 8-11 million records are set to be transferred to the National Archives

Keeper of the records Conor Gallagher at the Land Commission Archive warehouse in Portlaoise. Photo: Alf Harvey

The Department of Agriculture in Ireland has announced plans to transfer the millions of historic documents and records of the Land Commission to the National Archives.

This decision comes after persistent calls from academics and researchers over the years for increased accessibility to these invaluable resources, which many believe to be a treasure trove which holds the keys to fully understanding modern Irish history.

The Land Commission holds a pivotal place in Irelands history, having played a crucial role in the countrys land reform during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Established in 1881, the Commission was tasked with facilitating land redistribution, primarily from landlords to tenant farmers, in an effort to address the inequities and injustices inherent in Irelands land ownership system.

Despite its huge significance, access to the Land Commissions archives has long been restricted by the Department of Agriculture, which assumed responsibility for the archive in the late 1990s.

The records, mainly documents and maps detailing the division of estates across the country, are currently stored in a warehouse located in the Clonminam Industrial Estate, Portlaoise.

For decades, the Department defended the restrictions by highlighting that the documents were still consulted for legal queries while also being fragile.

The Land Commission Archive warehouse in Portlaoise. Photo: Alf Harvey

However, in the past, the Department also said files are not available to the general public as they contain private, sensitive information.

This limited access has posed significant challenges for historians, researchers and genealogists seeking to explore Irelands land history and its impact on societal development.

However, speaking on RTEs History Show, the Departments Head of Legal Services, John Kinsella, said as the residual work of the Land Commission undertaken by the Department is largely complete, now is the right time to transfer all of the records that are over 30 years old to the National Archive.

He said this would encompass by far and away the vast majority of the estimated 8-11 million records.

Most of the 8-11 million records are set to be transferred to the National Archives

Were working with and engaging with the National Archives to implement a plan that will bring that about... any restrictions on access that currently are in place at the moment... are not going to continue indefinitely, he said.

Theyre there primarily at the moment, I think, to safeguard the integrity of these records.

What we have here is an entirely paper-based archive. Theyre priceless records, which is why people like to get in and see them. If theyre lost or damaged, theyre ultimately irreplaceable.

However, Kinsella also said that because of the vast scale of the archive, digitisation of the whole archive is not really a runner.
Most livestock farmers have little hope of getting stock to grass. Photo: Getty Images

There will be little relief from persistent heavy rainfall this week, which is placing farmers under serious pressure and adding to stress levels for families.

Parts of Leinster and Munster recorded three times their average rainfall for this time of year last week, while levels were two times their normal rate in much of the rest of the country.

According to Met Eireann, the wettest location was Valentia, recording 74.9mm, the driest being Malin Head, with 20mm.

Much of the country recorded twice its normal rainfall in February. The conditions are impacting farmers across all sectors, with tillage and slurry fieldwork on hold, leaving most livestock farmers with little hope of getting stock to grass.

Meanwhile, there will be little relief for embattled farmers this week with more unsettled weather forecast over the next seven days, with rainfall totals to be above normal in most areas.

Eastern and southern counties will see rainfall totals generally between 10-20mm, with wetter conditions in the west and north, and totals of between 25 and 50mm expected widely there.

IFA Deputy President Alice Doyle said the level of rainfall has made it impossible to move livestock, planting and sowing is way behind, and bills are mounting as farmers struggle to keep on top of their work.

St Patricks Day is seen as a turning point in the farming calendar, but ground is saturated due to wet conditions that stretch back to the middle of last year, she said.

She appealed to everybody who interacts with farmers to take this into account and give whatever support they can.

For the Department of Agriculture, it could mean stepping down inspections... and also redoubling their efforts to ensure the timely payment of funds from farm schemes.

"Any change to terms and conditions that allows maximum flexibility should also be considered.
GPs also set to contact parents and offer children MMR vaccine

If you are 18 and over and are attending a routine GP visit you will be able to get the MMR vaccine. Photo: Getty

Adult patients who visit their GP in the coming weeks and months for routine care can expect to be asked if they ever had the measles vaccine or infection and offered the jab if they have not.

GPs are also expected to proactively contact patients with children aged between two and 17 years old to offer them a measles vaccine as part of a new catch-up campaign, as reported cases of the infection rise.

The HSE campaign aims to offer the vaccine to over 300,000 people of different ages in the coming weeks and months.

So far this year there have been five reported cases of measles and more are expected following the mixing of crowds over the St Patrick's Festival weekend.

Chief Medical Officer discusses the importance of the MMR vaccine in preventing measles

It emerged on Friday that passengers on a Ryanair flight from Paphos, Cyprus to Dublin on Thursday, March 7, were written to late last week to alert them that a person on board had measles.

Passengers who were not vaccinated or had no measles infection in the past  including pregnant women, the immunocompromised and children under six months  are of concern.

The advice to GPs on the catch-up roll-out is to give children one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine if the practice does not have a record of having received this already.

A second dose of the vaccine can be offered at least four weeks later for all those older than junior infants age, if they have not received two doses of MMR vaccine in total.

GPs have been advised they can also vaccinate other cohorts of patients, such as those aged 18 and older who are not fully vaccinated, if they are attending them for another medical reason.

Patients should not be vaccinated ahead of schedule  for example, if a child has had their MMR at 12 months they do not need a further MMR booster until they are in junior infants .This is given in school normally but is administered by GPs in some counties such as Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.

The guidelines say that children may receive an MMR vaccine before the age of one year, if travelling to an area where there is an active measles outbreak.

Doses of MMR given before the age of one year should be discounted and MMR should be offered again after the age of one year.

The doctors have been told there is no requirement to check vaccine status where vaccine records are not available in your GP practice and it is not known by patient or GP team.

Where the patient or parent or guardian is unsure of the vaccination status, they should be advised to receive an MMR catch-up vaccination.

The HSE immunisation experts said the advice is that if an individual has already had two doses of MMR, a third dose will likely not cause any increase in side-effects.
Averil Power, Irish Cancer Society CEO, said the State provides just 5pc of their funding. Photo: Steve Humphreys

Demand for the Irish Cancer Society support line and centres has increased by 31pc, with the charitys drivers covering 2.3 million kilometres bringing more than 2,200 patients to and from chemotherapy treatments last year.

The number of Night Nursing nights, which allow cancer patients to die at home surrounded by their loved ones, also rose in 2023.

The latest figures come as the charity prepares for Daffodil Day, which takes place on Friday, with CEO Averil Power calling on the public for support amid a rising demand for key services.

Forty-two thousand people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Ireland. The Irish Cancer Society aims to be there for every one of them. But the State provides just 5pc of our funding, she said.

To meet the increasing demand for our services we need to raise over 25m this year.

Almost 10,000 freephone support line calls and emails were answered last year, an increase of 22pc year-on-year.

There were 22,100 journeys to and from treatment appointments provided by the charity, with 18,000 support conversations taking place with Daffodil Centre nurses. This was an increase of 31pc and 36pc respectively.

Almost 7,000 nights of night-nursing care were provided to cancer patients  up 4pc from 2022.

Jacinta Farrelly, from Co Cavan, used the transport service last year when she was receiving treatment following a diagnosis of stomach cancer.

She said the service and its drivers were a lifeline and she is forever grateful for the support.

It was one less thing to worry about when faced with cancer and gave me huge relief both practically and financially. Throughout my chemotherapy, they arranged for a driver to pick me up in the mornings, take me to each appointment and he would be there waiting to take me home whenever I was finished treatment, Ms Farrelly said.

If you can support Daffodil Day, please do.

Its because of your donations these vital free services exist for people like me and continue to be available for anyone who needs them.

Almost 1.5 million visits to the charitys website were recorded last year, with figures from the Irish Cancer Society showing a 35pc increase in the number of cancer researchers funded last year.

Collections for Daffodil Day will take place in towns and shopping centres across the country on Friday and Saturday.
One of the countrys best known publicans, Charlie Chawke, is facing opposition in his plan to get the green light for a funeral home business close to his Goat Bar and Grill in Goatstown in south Dublin.

Last month, Mr Chawke lodged plans with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to change the use of the ground floor of a Paddy Power betting outlet to a funeral home.

However, the planning application is being opposed by Fanagans Funeral Directors where the Dublin firm has moved to protect its 11.8m revenue a year business.

The site for the Chawke funeral home application is part of the overall Goat & Paddy Power retail complex which has mixed uses at the junction of Lower Kilmacud Road and Taney Road, Goatstown, Dublin 14.

A planning report lodged with the application states that Mr Chawke believes that a good quality well run funeral home will complement The Goat/Paddy Power Retail Complex and he believes that there is a need locally for such a use.

The report also states that Mr Chawke believes that the approval of the permission being sought will greatly improve the overall complex mix and streetscape and be a welcome addition to the area.

The report states that the preparation of human remains at the funeral home will occur on a limited basis.

In relation to the layout of human remains at the funeral home, the report states that traditional funeral home repose has largely been replaced by repose/wake at the home of the deceased.

The report also states that this trend also reduces the regularity of hearse visits to the location.

However, in a strongly worded objection on behalf of Fanagans Funeral Directors, Manahan Planners contend that this application is ill-conceived.

The objection states there is no local need for an additional funeral home to cater to this suburb of the city.

It adds: Moreover, a location such as proposed would add surges of traffic to the adjoining road network as this busy traffic light controlled junction."

Expanding as to why Fanagans do not accept that there is a local need for the planned funeral home, the objection states that Fanagans operate a funeral home in Dundrum a little more than 1km away from this site.

The objection drawn up by Tony Manahan states that the Fanagans Dundrum funeral home presently caters to the area in which The Goat is located.

It adds that in outline, they currently cater to the following suburbs - Dundrum, Kilmacud, Goatstown, Stillorgan, Mount Merrion, Clonskeagh.

Mr Manahan states that this application proposes to cater to the same suburbs claiming there is a local need for a funeral home in this area.

He says that the applicants have provided no evidence to support such a convention. He states: Our client at Dundrum has no difficulty in meeting the needs for this area.

Mr Manahan said that the central contention in the application that there is a need locally is flawed and is not supported by empirical evidence.

Mr Manahan also points out that the site is located at one of the busiest crossroads in the south city where traffic builds up all day long at the adjoining traffic lights.

The objection states that limiting the number of funeral homes can ensure that land is used efficiently.

Asked to comment on the application on Tuesday, Mr Chawke said that it would be inappropriate to make a comment at this time as planning is still pending.

The most recent accounts for Fanagans Funeral Directors Ltd show that pre-tax profits decreased by 34pc to 547,136 as revenues rose by 9pc from 10.85m to 11.8m in 2022.

Fanagans operate from 11 locations in south and north Dublin and numbers employed increased from 72 to 86 as staff costs rose to 5.49m in 2022. Directors shared 1.1m in remuneration.

The Council is due to make a decision on the Chawke application later this month.
Pearse McAuley pictured at a special sitting of Cavan court on Saturday 27 December 2014.

The death of garda killer Pearse McAuley is not believed to be suspicious, the PSNI has said.

Sources have said the former Provisional IRA man may have lay dead in his Strabane, Co Tyrone, house for a number of days. It is believed he died from natural causes.

His funeral will take place on Thursday at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane at 10am.

McAuley walked free from prison in 2022 after serving his time for a brutal knife attack on his ex-wife.

He stabbed Pauline Tully, now a Sinn Fein TD, 13 times in 2014.

Pearse McAuley pictured at a special sitting of Cavan court on Saturday 27 December 2014.

McAuley had previously served a sentence for killing Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996, for which he was released from prison in 2009.

Sinn Fein stood by McAuley and three other IRA killers after the 1996 killing of Det Garda McCabe during an armed robbery. McAuley was jailed for 14 years but released in 2009 after serving 10.

The party claimed he should have been released under the Good Friday Agreement and had fought for his early release despite Irish Government opposition.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 19th March 2024

McAuley met Ms Tully when she visited him in jail. They married in 2003 as he was serving his sentence. They have two children.

His death notice read: Father of Pearse and Eoghain, dearly loved son of the late Pearse and Sheila Mc Cauley, much loved brother of Nancy, Siobhan, Patricia, Micheal, and the late Fionnuala, Thomas, Seamus and Maura and beloved partner of Mary.

Reposing at his sister, Siobhan Dohertys home, 16 Brookvale, Strabane this evening, Tuesday, March 19, from 5pm.

Funeral leaving his sisters home on Thursday morning at 9.15am for Requiem Mass in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane at 10a.m.

Interment afterwards in Strabane Cemetery.

Deeply regretted by his sorrowing sons, brother, sisters, partner, nieces, nephews and family circle.

He shot his way out of Brixton Prison in London in 1991 and fled to the Republic. After his release for the McCabe killing, Britains Crown Prosecution Service said it would not seek his extradition for the escape.

The former IRA member was later disowned by republicans following the attack on his wife.

Sinn Fein TD Ms Tully said on Tuesday she would prefer not to comment on the death of her ex-husband.

A PSNI spokeswoman said on Tuesday: "Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a property in Abercorn Square in Strabane on Monday, 18 March.

"At present, the death is not believed to be suspicious."
I just want to live in peace  Afghan interpreter hiding from Taliban pleads for asylum in Ireland

Irish-American soldier who served in Afghanistan wants to get Rocky to safety and says it doesnt matter where he goes

The Afghan interpreter known as 'Rocky' who helped US soldier Phil Nannery

Ralph Riegel Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 03:30

An Afghan interpreter living in hiding from the Taliban for three years has made a plea for asylum in Ireland or the US as he said that those who helped the West should not be abandoned.
Irelands exports of restricted dual-use goods to Israel soar to 70m despite sanctions push

Ireland now Israels fourth-biggest market for all types of goods, with sales mostly of computer circuits growing to 4.8bnIsraeli embassy says nothing should be assumed about nature of restricted dual-use goods soldWarns of potential reciprocal measures should Ireland impose sanctions

An Israeli flag flutters near a billboard with pictures of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel March 18, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Alan Caulfield Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 03:30

Irelands exports to Israel of restricted dual-use goods that have potential military purposes grew nearly sevenfold last year from 11m to more than 70m, even as the Government raises the prospect at EU level of trade sanctions over the escalating death toll in Gaza.
A number of properties in Cobh have been searched by armed gardai

Gardai have appealed to witnesses to an assault in Cobh, Co Cork, to come forward (Brian Lawless/PA)

Gardai believe a talented chef who died after suffering horrific leg injuries in an unprovoked sword attack in Cork knew his killer.

Father of one Ian Baitson (33) died this afternoon after bravely fighting for his life following emergency surgery in Cork University Hospital (CUH) on Friday evening.

Cobh detectives are now preparing for a potential murder investigation to be launched.

Mr Baitson was attacked with a sword and suffered a brutal assault shortly before 9pm last Friday as he walked past a car park on the Newtown Road in the Cork harbour town of Cobh.

He suffered a catastrophic loss of blood after sustaining a deep gash across his lower leg which partially severed both arteries and veins.

The weapon suspected to have been used was a machete or heavy-bladed sword.

The young man immediately collapsed after the attack while his assailant fled the scene.

It is understood the fatal assault occurred after Mr Baitson was approached by another male and briefly engaged him in conversation.

Gardai believe the attack was completely unprovoked. One line of investigation is that the victim may have been targeted as part of a dispute over money.

A number of properties in Cobh have since been searched by armed gardai. CCTV footage is now expected to play a critical role in the investigation.

The incident occurred a short distance from a busy local shop and not far from where Mr Baitson lived and grew up.

Detectives are understood to be seeking to speak with a specific individual from the Cobh area about the attack.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 20th March 2024

No arrests have been yet been made and no weapon has been recovered.

An incident room has been established at Cobh Garda Station.

A family liaison officer has also been appointed to keep the family updated.

A post-mortem examination will take place tomorrow.

Gardai are continuing to appeal for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.

The chef was aided by locals at the scene after the attack, one of whom had first aid training and desperately tried to staunch the blood flow from his leg wound.

Paramedics were at the scene within minutes and worked desperately to stabilise the man's condition.

He was rushed by ambulance to CUH where he underwent emergency surgery.

Mr Baitson remained in a critical condition following surgery for the past four days but lost his desperate fight for life this afternoon.

He had been on a ventilator in CUH.

Gardai immediately cordoned off the area of Newtown Road for a full forensic and technical examination.

Gardai are investigating suggestions a long-bladed weapon such as a sword was used in the brutal attack.

One source described the leg injury suffered by Mr Baitson as devastating.

Mr Baitson was a skilled chef and had worked in a number of leading Cork hotels, restaurants and gastro pubs.

He was born and raised in the Cork harbour town.

One former employer, who asked not to be named, said he was a hugely talented chef who was destined one day to run his own restaurant.

"Ian was a lovely guy - a gifted chef and someone who got on with everyone," he said.

"He worked with me for about a year. He was very talented and I knew that he was on his way to run his own restaurant some day. We are all absolutely devastated to hear of his death."

Gardai are convinced that others must have witnessed the incident as the roadway was quite busy on Friday evening at the opening of the bank holiday weekend with motorists, those heading out socialising and pedestrians.

Detectives are particularly interested in identifying vehicles which were in the Newtown Road area between 7pm and 10pm on Friday evening and which may be equipped with dashcams.

Cobh gardai have urged anyone with information to contact them to assist their inquiry.

"Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward."

"Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the Newtown Road between 8:45pm and 9:15pm are asked to make this footage available to gardai."

"Anyone with any information is asked to contact Cobh Garda Station on 021 4908530, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any garda station."
Only 14pc of Irish people believe climate change will affect them personally, while more than half say it will be a greater problem for future generations and developing countries.

New Worldview research published by Dochas, the Irish network for international development and humanitarian organisations, found that three in five people believe there is a moral obligation to personally support overseas aid.

More than three in four Irish people agree it is important for the Irish Government to provide Overseas Development Aid (ODA), with almost one-third believing spending should be increased.

It shows that the most pertinent global issues of personal concern for Irish people are war, conflict and terrorism, followed by economic crises, job security and wages.

Meanwhile, it found that just 12pc of Irish people have heard about and know what the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are, with 56pc having not heard of the aims adopted by all United Nations members to achieve by 2030.

People in Ireland believe the first goal around achieving zero poverty is the most important, while also believing it is the least likely to be achieved by 2030.

Only 14pc of the Irish public believe climate change will affect them a great deal, while 59pc say it is a problem just for future generations and 51pc say it is a problem for developing countries in the global south.

Some 43pc said climate change was the responsibility for other people in Ireland apart from themselves while 40pc said it was the Governments responsibility. Less than 20pc said it was their personal responsibility.

More than two-thirds of people are very or fairly concerned about levels of poverty in developing countries, with almost 80pc of people believe overseas aid can bring positive change to those living in developing countries.

Jane-Ann McKenna, chief executive of Dochas, welcomed the high levels of support for overseas aid but said further work was needed to highlight the personal environmental responsibilities and the impact it can have on developing countries.

"Irelands long-standing commitment to increase overseas aid to low-income countries, and those who are the furthest behind across the globe, is a promise which Irish people support, she said.

"However, we are concerned about the low levels of knowledge and awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals especially as 2023 marked the halfway point towards the 2030 deadline.

"More ambitious, accelerated and transformative action is needed to communicate and implement the SDGs nationally. Eight years on from the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the world is on track to achieve only 15pc of the 140 SDG targets, with regression or no progress on approximately 30pc of the targets.

More needs to be done to highlight how our own actions can impact climate and the devastating effects this can have on developing countries.
There was no evidence garda vetting was carried out on three agency doctors when the HSE paid out 4.7m to recruitment firms not obliged to perform background checks, a new internal audit has found.

The HSE report reveals that the CH03 area  covering Clare, Limerick, north Tipperary and east Limerick  paid out 19m in 2022 to 29 employment agencies to recruit staff.

However, 4.7m of this went to firms that were not on an approved framework list, meaning they did not have an agreement to garda vet the staff hired.

The top five of these non-framework agencies were paid 3.6m. They were involved in hiring agency staff including nurses, healthcare attendants, doctors and catering staff.

The auditors said that, in interviews with nursing management, it was confirmed it had been customary to retain an agency staff panel, which would be referred to directly as vacancies arose.

"With labour shortages nationwide exacerbating the situation, this practice aims to provide service continuity, reduce induction and training in time and preserve familiarity which ultimately benefits the patient and the service.

"However, this practice consequently results in the same agencies being used, whether or not part of a framework, and inadvertently bypasses the required protocol for securing agency staff."

The auditors reviewed files in a number of areas in the region including Limerick Mental Health Services and the sample involved 47 staff.

They found that for three medical doctors, sourced via a UK agency in 2022, there was no evidence of confirmation of vetting available. Management were of the understanding that the vetting had been undertaken by the agency but, in the absence of records, it was not possible to verify.

The audit said it was urgent that the HSE's national human resources division should make provision for garda vetting arrangements for non-employees provided by agencies that did not have a service-level agreement with the HSE.

It found a weakness in a HSE human resources circular issued in 2018 that said employment agencies with service-level agreements with the HSE were responsible for garda vetting of all workers supplied by the service.

The circular does not provide specific guidance for employment agencies taht are not part of an approved framework.

In a separate audit that looked at mandatory training in Mayo University Hospital, it was found participation by staff was just 52pc in May 2023 and 30pc in December 2022.

The training covered open disclosure around adverse incidents, cyber security and dignity-a- work procedures.

It said the governance around the oversight of mandatory training was not clearly defined. Records of mandatory training showed inconsistencies and incomplete record keeping by line managers.

In December 2022, compliance with mandatory training on open disclosure stood at 44pc of staff but was as low as 26pc on cyber security and 19pc on dignity at work. It was lowest among nurses and highest in staff in patient and client care.

Among the reasons given were difficulties in providing staff cover to allow mandatory training and that some staff did not have regular access to computers at the time.

An improvement plan was put in place to be implemented by early this year.
Fears Ireland is unprepared for rising sea levels caused by climate change

A high-level government working group to tackle the threats of coastal land loss and flooding has yet to be established, almost five months after it was announced.

That is despite increasing warnings by scientists that Ireland is critically unprepared for the sea-level rise and storm surges that are coming with climate change.

A report published in recent weeks points to serious weaknesses in the Governments planning.

Ireland is highly exposed to climate-change impacts on coastal environments, with all major cities and many regional population centres located by the sea, it warns. The sea level around Ireland is projected to rise under all future scenarios and will continue to do so for hundreds to thousands of years.

Discussions about what is valued about our coasts, together with the limited resources available for approaches that seek to protect against or accommodate climate-change impacts, will be challenging politically and for individuals and needs to be engaged with sooner rather than later.

It is expected that sea levels will rise globally by between half a metre and one metre in the lifetime of a child born today.

Yet the report says Ireland has no agreed data on how sea-level rise will vary around the coastline.

The report is part of an extensive review of the science and research on climate change and Ireland, which was commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and conducted by 30 senior academics from Irish third-level institutions.

It says that hundreds of millions of euro  340m by 2030  are about to be invested in the expansion of Irelands ports, which handle 98pc of the countrys trade, with no reference in the National Ports Policy to climate-change risks.

The report says 20pc of the coastline is exposed to erosion due to rising seas and strong storm surges, with low lying, relatively densely populated coastal zones in the east particularly exposed.

Hard-rock coastlines may not erode to the same extent but will face increased flooding.

Aside from homes, businesses and critical infrastructure, there is a high density of holiday homes in such areas, meaning substantial property investments are at risk.

Yet, it says: There is currently no clear governance structure for coastal adaptation.

In other words, it is not clear who is in charge.

Examples of adaptation include constructing sea walls, artificially raising land or rebuilding sand dunes.

However, the cost and complexity mean: The ability to protect all places or to accommodate all changes will not be possible everywhere.

As such, managed retreat will be inevitable in some locations.

Managed retreat means identifying areas that will not be protected and relocating people and property away from them.

The report says there is a critical research gap on how that would be handled.

The Government last October published its first National Coastal Change Management Strategy, which acknowledged the need for more research, more planning at national level and the likelihood of managed retreat being necessary.

A first step was to be the formation of an interdepartmental steering group to implement the strategys recommendations.

Five months on, that has not happened.

In a statement, the Department of Housing, which has taken lead responsibility, said it was in the process of establishing the group.

It said it was intended that membership would be drawn from nine government departments and the Office of Public Works.

Other agencies to be represented are the County and City Management Association and Local Government Management Agency, it said.

Other agencies/bodies will be invited to attend, as required.

It is intended that the group will meet in the near future.

Dr Eugene Farrell, from the University of Galway, an expert on coastal change who contributed to the EPA review, said awareness of the issues was growing within local coastal communities but they needed national policy, legislation and funding to address the problems.

It has to come from the top down because thats where the money will be found, he said.

The Governments strategy document was a start in identifying the problems. But now, what are you going to do about them? And whos going to do what, where and when? Thats a whole different level of thinking.

Several new studies are under way. The Climate Change Advisory Council is collating the views of coastal communities, the Department of Housing has commissioned research on nature-based solutions and Geological Survey Ireland is working on predictions of sea-level rise.

Dr Farrell said this was all positive but must translate into policy.

We cant keep planning the way we have done for decades, he said.

One of the problems with planning decisions is that there was never a box to say, is this planned project climate-resilient?

Whats the scenario for it in 2050 or 2100?

Thats really important because sea-level rise is now locked in, even if we get [greenhouse gas] emissions to zero in the near future.
Mother-of-five attacked by friends husband as he escorted her homeAidan Kestell was jailed for seven-and-a half years

The courageous victim of rapist Aidan Kestell has revealed how he stalked her for three-and-a-half years before he raped her in a park.

Kestell was jailed for seven-and-a-half years on Friday for the rape of Paula Doyle, a friend of his wifes, on September 6, 2019, at Hartstown Park, Hartstown, Dublin 15.

The schemer, who attacked Paula as he was walking her home from a party at his house, would later tell a series of shocking lies to gardai in a bid to cover up his guilt, including the ludicrous claim that sex took place accidentally after he fell on top of her with his penis exposed.

The court heard the attack left Paula a walking corpse in its aftermath.

The jury saw through the duplicitous predators ridiculous lies, with Judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt setting a headline sentence of nine years for the rape on Friday as he ordered that Kestell pay a serious price for his crime.

The actions of the predator that is Aidan Kestell have caused me immense suffering, Paula told the Sunday World in a statement handed over afterwards.

During the investigation it was found that the vile texts, photos, videos and stalking I had been subjected to for three-and-a-half years prior to the rape were from him too.

He even had the audacity to drive up and down the cul-de-sac where I live since the attack.

I believe in innocent until proven guilty, but I also believe theres not enough being done to protect the victim who has already had their world destroyed.

Paula described Kestell as a manipulative and calculated individual with no conscience.

Paula Doyle

You are a worthless individual and I dare not put you in the same bracket as other normal men.

I am so relieved you now cannot prey, touch, or hurt another woman and I do believe this country is a safer place without you in it. You are now and will forever be known as a sex offender. 

Kestell (55) was convicted of rape after a four-day trial at the Central Criminal Court last month.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 19th March 2024

Garda Leona Bellow told the court Paula was a long-standing friend of Kestells wife and was among the guests at a party in his house on the night in question

When she was leaving, her friend insisted Kestell walk her home. She was reluctant but eventually agreed. Paula stopped several times during the walk to tell Kestell she was fine and could walk the rest of the way alone, but he insisted on walking with her.

After reaching Hartstown Park, the next thing Paula remembered was lying on the ground in agony.

She realised she was being raped, and she then tried to fight off her attacker, who she realised was Kestell.

After he left, Paula made her way home, arriving around 3am.

The court heard the woman spent the weekend trying to process what had happened before going to a friends house the following Monday and telling her.

She then contacted a sexual assault treatment unit and made a complaint to gardai.

Kestell was arrested and interviewed several times. He initially denied any sexual interaction with the victim before claiming that she initiated sexual contact by performing oral sex.

In another interview, he claimed sex took place accidentally after he fell on top of her with his penis exposed. Kestell told gardai: Im not sure if I entered her... the ground was wet and slippy, I could have slipped in.

At his sentencing hearing, Mr Justice Hunt noted that Kestell had first denied the offences and then gave a grudging acceptance that it had come about in a preposterous way.

Mr Justice Hunt said his actions were intentional, and there was nothing reckless about it.

In her statement, Paula praised Mr Justice Hunt, the jury, and the gardai for how they all handled her case. She also praised her family and friends.

To my partner, my five incredible children and my bestest of friends, you know you are my lifesavers, and I wouldnt be here today without you.

I know my journey is not over, but I have spent 1,651 days since the attack looking over my shoulder, holding my breath and putting my life on hold. This part of my ordeal is now over, and I can finally begin to work on myself and on my recovery... Today I am no longer a victim but a real survivor.

Helplines: If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, click here for more information
The Cabinet will discuss moves to abandon the traditional triple lock for the international deployment of Irish troops during this term of the Dail.

The debate will take place despite a report of a consultative forum on security last year that there was no public appetite for a change.

The triple lock requires first a UN resolution seeking international force assistance for any location; secondly, a government decision to send Irish soldiers under that mandate; and thirdly the approval of Dail Eireann.

Mr Martin now wants to have a double lock instead  consisting solely of government decision and Dail approval.

He will insist that the Government has no intention of taking any steps towards Nato membership, or altering the policy of military neutrality.

But he believes the requirement for UN approval needlessly ties Ireland to a body that is passing fewer resolutions because of big power vetos.

It means Ireland cannot send troops to any European location where Russia might apply its veto.

He insists that any moves under a new double lock would be fully consistent with the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

He is supported by Cathal Berry TD, a former deputy chief of the Army Ranger Wing and now an Independent TD for Kildare South. He says Ireland is effectively outsourcing its own defence and security policy to authoritarian states like Russia and China.

He pointed out that only 12 personnel can be sent abroad at present  meaning only a dozen members of the Defence Forces went to Kabul for the Afghan evacuation in 2021 when 30 were needed.

But Sinn Fein has attacked the move as a dilution of neutrality, with foreign affairs spokesman Matt Carthy claiming the Government has no mandate to change its approach.

Mr Martin said that the implications of frequent UN impasses for Ireland and our current policy is simply something we have to take seriously.

We have to be honest about the fact that, in respect of many of the worst crises internationally  where rapid, impartial and decisive international action is desperately needed  the Security Council has not been able to act, he said. In effect, this triple lock system hands the five permanent members of the Security Council (control). It is a veto over our national sovereign decision to deploy troops to peacekeeping missions as we see fit.

He said agility and responsiveness were needed on such matters.

It would make sense, I believe, to amend our existing legislation in a manner which would allow us to respond to crisis situations with more agility. In making these important decisions, we are not surrendering our sovereignty, he said.

Mr Martin has instructed officials in the Department of Defence to prepare legislative proposals that would govern the future overseas deployments of our Defence Forces.

These are likely to be signed off by Government, leading to a Dail battle on the issue before the summer.

This article was edited to reflect the Cabinet discussion will take place later this Dail term
Rose Dugdale: From a life of privilege to cog in IRA murder machine

Former heiress, who has died at 83, was revealed to have been a complex figure

Rose Dugdale has died at the age of 83

Garrett Hargan Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 03:30

She was the former debutante who once curtseyed to Queen Elizabeth, only to rebel against her wealthy upbringing and become an expert bomb-maker in the Provisional IRA.
Why is nobody using their smart meter?

Thousands of homeowners who have smart electricity meters have been warned the devices may be malfunctioning, leading to them being overcharged.

A string of householders have been in contact with the Irish Independent claiming that faults with their smart meters have led to them receiving bumper bills.

They have been sent estimated bills despite the fact smart meters are supposed to automatically send real-time information on their electricity usage to ESB Networks.

Smart meters use a mobile phone signal to relay information on electricity use.

Now ESB Networks, which is responsible for the installation of the new meters, has admitted up to 80,000 meters may suffer from intermittent connectivity issues due to weak mobile signals.

But it strongly denied a batch of faulty meters had been installed in homes.

It insisted that only 1,000 of the 1.6 million meters installed so far have been faulty.

ESB Networks said 95pc of the meters it had installed in the State were linking up correctly to its systems.

But it added: Of the remaining meters, some have intermittent connectivity caused by the strength of the mobile signal, which is often impacted by, among other things, meter location (for example, in basements) and seasonal issues (tree growth).

This works out at around 80,000 meters that may have connectivity issues.

Customers of various suppliers have reported issues with misfiring meters.

Sligo-based wedding photographer Jonathan Moran said he had been overcharged for 12 months on his Bord Gais Energy electricity account due to what he said was a malfunctioning smart meter.

The ESB installed a faulty batch of meters and I believe this issue is nationwide and broadly unknown about, he said.

ESB Networks denied a batch of faulty meters had been installed.

Mr Moran has complained to the energy regulator, the Commission for the Regulation of Utility (CRU), after he ended up with estimated bills despite having a smart meter.

He and his family moved out of their home into a caravan at one stage, but the bills were still sky-high.

Meanwhile, there has been a poor take-up of smart meter energy plans.

Daragh Cassidy, of price comparison site Bonkers.ie, warned that around 5pc of households had smart meters that could not be activated properly due to poor connection issues.

He said a better plan needed to be put in place for these customers.

He also said some smart meter plans represented poor value for money.

In particular, those with a day/night meter who use around 30pc or more of their electricity between 11pm and 8am will find that some of the smart tariffs available right now offer poor value for them and indeed could end up costing them a lot more.

Former energy minister and Independent TD Denis Naughten has said smart electricity meters are too complicated for the public, admitting he struggles with understanding how they work.

I have a smart meter and you would want to have a degree to work it out. And Im a former minister for energy, he said.

Mr Naughten criticised the whole approach to the smart meter rollout, saying people were not able to avail of the purported benefits.

In a recent Dail reply, Energy Minister Eamon Ryan said the plan was to install 2.1 million smart meters by next year.

ESB Networks said that, so far, 1.6 million smart meters had been installed and insisted the customer experience is positive.

It said the meters meant an end to estimated electricity bills.

Around 330,000 households have availed of smart meter tariffs or services, ESB Networks said.
Miriam Margolyes is right  adult Harry Potter fans need more shame

The Professor Sprout actor annoyed older fans of the wizarding franchise by suggesting that they should move on. Shes right, argues Louis Chilton: sometimes we need to do more than just let people enjoy things

Louis Chilton  UK Independent Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 09:27

They say never meet your heroes. But sometimes you dont even need to meet your hero for them to slag you off.
The West cannot be complacent about the threat posed by Vladimir Putin. Photo: AP

With serious opponents either liquidated or locked up, Russian president Vladimir Putin has secured a landslide election victory to the surprise of no one at all.

History is replete with leaders subverting democracy. But Putin has marked himself as a particularly pernicious example for the modern era.

Having already showed no qualms in shattering peace on continental Europe by invading a neighbour, the taking away of his nations free will through a stacked election should hardly come as a shock.

Propaganda, they say, is persuading people to make up their minds while withholding some of the facts from them. Not only did the Russian leader hold back the facts, he also withheld any prospect of choice from his people.

He has repeatedly turned back the clock on the human rights of Russians since coming to power 24 years ago. All opposition is relentlessly crushed and press freedom is negated as he relies on fear to maintain power. Hundreds of thousands have been killed or injured in the war in Ukraine.

His reckless attitude to the taking of life has cast him as a threat to Europe as he embarks on his fifth term.

He mused nonchalantly about a potential Russian war with Nato, which he said would be one step away from World War III after Frances Emmanuel Macron speculated about sending troops to Ukraine.

Putins strongest and most feared opponent, Alexei Navalny, was killed either directly on Kremlin orders, or as a result of his continued mistreatment through the system that Putin enforces. To speak out against the war is to be either silenced or imprisoned.

His sundering of relations with the West has driven him deeper into the arms of Beijing. His win was warmly endorsed by Chinese president Xi Jinping, who said: Your re-election is a full demonstration of the support of the Russian people for you.

For the past half-century, there was a possibly too-comfortable consensus that ultimately, freedom and democracy are stronger than fear and tyranny. But Putins actions have left no room for complacency when it comes to protecting European values.

His simulated election was a contrivance to confer legitimacy on a regime that is only maintained by manipulation and corruption. The results were roundly dismissed as a shameful ruse in Brussels by EU ministers. Playing on Moscows reference to its invasion as a special military operation, French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne said Paris had taken note of the special election operation.

By contrast, Beijings endorsement and that of India, whose prime minister Narendra Modi said he looked forward to strengthening New Delhis time-tested special and privileged strategic partnership with Moscow, speaks to a more polarised, less stable world.

The brazen way in which Moscow has once again trampled on democracy to bolster a discredited regime is a reminder of what is at stake in Ukraine and why Kyiv must be given every support possible.
The remains of a rare white-tailed eagle found shot dead in Co Roscommon. Photo: The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)

It was truly tragic to read that a rare white-tailed eagle was found shot dead in Co Roscommon last week.

From flying majestically across the sky to being reduced to a lifeless lump on the ground, this poor bird had the misfortune of ending up in a country where gunning down threatened creatures is not uncommon.

Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan said: To think that one would be shot is unconscionable.

This same minister allows the recreational shooting of other red-list birds of highest conservation concern, namely Snipe (whose breeding and wintering populations are now in severe decline), Golden Plover, Shoveler, Red Grouse and Woodcock.

He and his department have disregarded appeals to fully protect the Irish hare  a declining icon of the countryside. They grant licences for coursing, which involves netting thousands of hares and forcing them to run for their lives from dogs.

During a 22-week period between September and February, hunters are also free to shoot hares and may release packs of hounds to chase them, catch them and rip them apart.

In a deepening biodiversity crisis, it should be considered unconscionable to kill any species. The open season must be permanently closed and a dedicated animal crime unit established to hunt down those destroying our wildlife heritage.

Philip Kiernan, Irish Council Against Blood Sports

Irelands best little boy act in front of America is an embarrassment for us

Reality is a cold dish. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his liberal agenda got a double-dose constitutional blow two weeks ago. He was the poster boy for how out of touch most of our political parties are. Again his touch deserted him meeting US president Joe Biden.

Firstly we had to hear Biden give us the Disney Oirish shtick. His funny little anecdotes were grating. In what mattered, he coldly told Varadkar that the genocide in Gaza will go on with US support. We might be Americas best and most nostalgic Quiet Man but we arent their ally.

Biden did reassure Varadkar he was trying to broker a ceasefire. Utter rubbish. The US has recently twice vetoed a UN resolution. It has been left to a former Irish president, Mary Robinson, along with the morally heroic President Michael D Higgins to articulate Irish concerns.

The Taoiseach has a number of choices here. Stop American troops flying through Shannon. Activate the 2016 Dail agreement on Palestine. Expel the Israeli ambassador.

Otherwise, stop embarrassing the plain people of Ireland as they watch a live televised genocide of the Palestinian people. The double talk is over.

John Cuffe, Co Meath

Our national saint would expect better than the recent scenes in Dublin

If Maewyn Succat (Saint Patrick) was still alive and had visited our capital city over the last few days, he would have quickly identified with so many other foreign sounding names in our midst and be saddened to his core.

On walking through Mount Street he would have observed the many tens of tented migrants and the face-saving rush, as our national day approached, to move them on.

He would have been distressed and mortified and would have expected so much better.

Michael Gannon, Saint Thomas Square, Kilkenny City

Why in this day and age are nuclear weapons still permitted to exist?

Much acclaim has been given to the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer. Unfortunately what is not being said or even discussed is the catastrophic consequences of a nuclear war. We have witnessed the effects of the Chernobyl disaster and the horrendous punishment of human beings. Yet why arent nuclear weapons banned from existence? The idea that these weapons of destruction prevent war is ludicrous as we have seen for over the last 75 years of so many global conflicts.

Is it all about the profit motives of the companies that build these weapons and the power they hold?

Paul Doran, Dublin 22

We should join President Higgins in his brave calls for ceasefire in Gaza

President Higgins is relentless in his efforts to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. He is a brave and vocal advocate for the many innocent civilians in Gaza and highlights the unspeakable horrors visited on its people by Israel.

We all fail the citizens of Gaza if we dont condemn the violence and call out louder for an immediate ceasefire.

Caroline Gill, Brighton Avenue, Foxrock, Co Dublin

We cant let our treasured freedom of speech be put in danger by our leaders

Freedom of speech is something that has been denied to a majority of societies in the history of mankind.

We are lucky to have been born in a country where freedom of speech is a fundamental principle of our society and something that we now take for granted.

The Government, however, is about to change all that  and Irish people need to inform themselves about these draconian new laws before it is too late .

I felt so proud of the Irish people when it became obvious following the results of the recent referendums that they had researched and made up their own minds about the issues, given that the Government, the opposition  except Aontu  and all the NGOs were promoting the opposite .

I am hopeful that Irish people will now research the proposed hate laws that are looming and speak out before it is too late .

Freedom of speech is something that we should treasure.

Mary Darby, Greystones, Co Wicklow

Sometimes its hard to believe that we want to solve the housing crisis

So the bat and snail brigade have blocked planning permission for the Cadbury site citing concern for the migratory Brent geese, who presumably had parked themselves on other suitable sites before the buildings were levelled.

Its hard to think that we genuinely want to solve the housing crisis and hope that the 10,000-plus homeless will go away and that living in a tent for years will be a deterrent to others coming here to escape whatever it is that makes Ireland more attractive to them.

Michael Foley, Rathmines, Dublin 6
A file picture of film director Roman Polanski portraited during Netia Off Camera film festival on May 2nd, 2018 in Krakow, Poland. On July 2022 a California appeals court has ordered the unsealing of some documents in the criminal case against renowned director Roman Polanski, who's been a fugitive since pleading guilty to having sex with a 13-year-old girl 45 years ago. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Roman Polanski, has lived a life of deep tragedy, artistic genius and irrefutable scandal. The French-born Polish film director has courted many dark controversies throughout his career.

His family suffered loss with the death of his mother in the Holocaust. Polanski went on to build an unlikely artistic career of magnificent achievement. But at the height of his career, this underdog story turns sour as allegations surfaced that the Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby director raped a 13-year-old girl in 1977.

In August 1977 Polanski pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, but months later fled the United States for France on the eve of his sentencing hearing. He has lived abroad in exile ever since.

Today on the Indo Daily, Fionnan Sheahan is joined by pop culture journalist and broadcaster Jenn Gannon to discuss Polanski's life of contradictions and the new abuse claims the actor now faces at 90 years old.
65 houses in the Kanturk-Mallow and Fermoy Municipal District areas will benefit from the energy efficiency retrofitting programme for 2024.

Ten houses in the Fermoy-Mitchelstown MD and ten houses in the Mallow-Kanturk MD will get a deep energy retrofit to vacant houses, while 14 houses in McAuliffe Avenue, Boherbue and 31 houses in Batt Donegan Place in Charleville will get an estate wide energy retrofits works as part of the Northern Division retrofitting programme for this year.

The total estimated budget for the 65 houses in the Northern Division is 2,592,500.

Figures were also provided for the planned maintenance programme for 2024 in the Northern Division.

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29 houses across both the Kanturk-Mallow MD and the Fermoy-Mitchelstown MD will benefit from an array of jobs this year which includes the upgrading of windows/doors, drainage, insulation, roof repairs and structural repairs.

The total estimated budget for the 29 houses is 270,000.

The figures were provided at Tuesdays Northern Committee meeting following a motion from the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank OFlynn.

The motion requested that the local authority outline their planned maintenance retrofitting programme for council owned houses and its timeframe.

Director of Housing with Cork County Council Maurice Manning provided the members with a detailed update on the retrofitting programme: The Department of Housing runs an annual Energy Retrofit programme that Cork County Council uses to improve the energy efficiency of its housing stock. In 2023 the Council retrofitted 208 units across Cork County with Department approved funding of approximately 6.3m.

Mr Manning continued: This programme consisted of a mix of estate wide works, one off deep energy retro fit works and upgrade works to vacant houses. A similar programme of work is proposed for 2024 with a total grant sought of 7.5m.

In addition Cork County Council undertakes a planned maintenance programme to its housing stock from a mix of annual revenue funding and Department grants. It is the Housing Directorates intention to put in place a rolling three-year plan for energy efficient upgrade works and members will be advised of this plan in due course, he added.
A letter is to be sent to the Minister for Housing Darragh OBrien from Cork County Council seeking an increase in national funding for Housing Adaptation Grants for older and disabled people.

The issue was raised by Fine Gael councillor John Paul OShea at Tuesdays Northern Committee meeting.

Currently grants of up to 30,000 are available to assist disabled people in carrying out necessary works to make a house more suitable for their needs.

Additionally, grants of up to 8,000 are available to assist older people to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out on their homes.

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Grants of up to 6,000 are available for mobility aids.

Cllr John Paul OShea said the grants are not enough to cover the current costs associated with roof repairs. We need to write to the minister because I do see a lot of queries coming in to my own office in relation to halving projects like a halving roof repair. We had to do the front this year and we have to do the back next year because the grant aid at 8,000 is simply not enough particularly for roof repairs because they are very expensive now, he said.

We want an increase in the current grant allocations, said Cllr OShea. I do think that if the members are okay with that we should write to Minister OBrien and ask him for an update. In terms of the letter, we will be writing on behalf of the three grants so we wont specify the 8,000 grant.

Director of Housing with Cork County Council Maurice Manning said no funding allocations have been received by the local authority. We havent received the allocation yet. As it stands it is open for applications and grants will be paid as soon as they are due.

Fine Gael councillor Tony OShea who seconded the motion told the members that he knew of an elderly couple who didnt have the required funds to complete an extension. I would formally second writing to the minister seeking an increase because I had a case lately involving an elderly couple. They probably would have got approval for an extension for a bedroom and bathroom downstairs as both were upstairs.

She probably would have qualified for the 30,000 grant but the two quotations she got were for 75,000 and 91,000 so that was a no-go straight away as they didnt have that money. It is important that we do go back for an increase in funding, he added.
The delegation also met with officials to highlight 25 years of the sistership between Cork County and Cook County

Cork County Councils delegation met with Consul General Mr. Kevin Byrne, and with President Toni Preckwinkle Cook County Board of Commissioners, to discuss the Working Holiday Authorisation Programme that supports hospitality students from the US in availing of a 12 month Working Holiday Authorisation while participating in practical training across a number of Cork hotels.

The Mayor of County Cork, councillor Frank OFlynn, led a delegation to Chicago as part of the St Patricks Day celebrations to highlight the opportunities that a working holiday scheme can offer to US students and Irish hospitality businesses.

The delegation met with consul general Mr Kevin Byrne and president Toni Preckwinkle of the Cook County Board of Commissioners to discuss the Working Holiday Authorisation Programme, which helps hospitality students from the US to avail of a 12 month working holiday and participate in practical training in Cork hotels.

The programme, which launched last year, sees Cork County Council and the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) sponsor the travel, accommodation and training costs of US students. The visiting delegation heard from Eduardo Solano, the programmes first participant, who has just completed his work placement with Vienna Woods Hotel.

Cork County Council said that a further 10 students have expressed their interest in the programme, which has been endorsed by the Tanaiste Micheal Martin, and plan on participating in it in the near future.

Speaking in Chicago, Mayor OFlynn said that the partnership between Cork County Council, the IHF and the Office of Consulate General of Ireland in Chicago has opened a world practical experience for US students while at the same time filling the many vacant posts which need to be filled in the hospitality sector in Cork.

President of the Irish Hotels Federation and owner of Corks historic Vienna Woods Hotel Michael Magner said that the Working Holiday programme is a great example of international collaboration promoting career opportunities within our sector.

It is an exciting time for anyone interested in pursuing a career in tourism and hospitality with so many options open to everyone. Irish hotels are right at the heart of this supporting over 65,000 livelihoods, and we are always looking to attract more people to our sector, Mr Magner said.

"The initiative is a win-win for all involved, and I look forward to seeing this programme develop and expand further in the coming years

The Cork delegation also travelled to Chicago to mark 25 years of the sistership between Cork County and Cook County, which is Illinoiss most populous county and the second-most populous county in the USA (2.7 million).

The local authority said that since the signing of the Sistership Agreement in 1999, it has continued to enhance commercial and cultural links between both regions.

Mayor OFlynn said that the council has a unique opportunity to promote Cork from both a tourism and an investment perspective courtesy of the media attention that the St Patricks Day Festival draws in the region.

This international connection is another positive step towards enhancing cultural exchange and tourism promotion between Cork County and the Midwest United States, Mayor OFlynn said.

We have established a fantastic relationship through our long-standing sister agreement with Cook County and annual visit to Chicago with this programme a very welcome result. I hope that after 12 months the students will return home with new skills and encourage their families and friends to come and visit Ireland. I look forward to building on this partnership and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in the future.
The development will be constructed following the demolition of two derelict dwellings at a site in the village

The development will take place at a site on the Mallow Road. Image: Google Maps

Conditional planning permission has been granted for the construction of six residential units comprising of apartments and townhouses in a northwest Cork village.

Planning has been approved for the demolition of two derelict former dwellings and the construction of four one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom townhouses at a site at Gneeves in Boherbue.

Permission has also been granted for a new vehicular and pedestrian access road to the development as well as parking, footpaths, bin storage, boundary walls, a connection to existing public services and landscaping to suit.

Golden Gates Investments applied for the development in October last year, and a submission was made in objection to it citing overdevelopment concerns at the site it was proposed for in Boherbue.

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County planners requested further information about the proposed development in November, stating in the request that it would require to be demonstrated that the constricted site could absorb the number of units whilst adhering to other site criteria, including the usual proper planning considerations.

In response, the applicant provided more information on and updated plans for the proposed development regarding its layout, car parking spaces, wastewater operations, engineering, public lighting and ecological matters.

Cork County Council granted permission for the residential units to be constructed on March 15, subject to 36 conditions.
Ellen Troy with some of her paintings being sold to help relief efforts in Gaza

Ellen Troy (right), from Castleknock, selling paintings over the weekend to help relief efforts in Gaza

A Dublin woman has raised thousands to aid relief efforts in Gaza after hosting a Paint for Palestine event over the bank holiday weekend.

Ellen Troy, from Castleknock, has spent most of her life in the area since meeting her husband at university in Edinburgh.

The event, which took place in the community parish centre, raised just under 5,500 for humanitarian aid relief efforts for the Palestinian people.

Ms Troy, who is running for local elections for Aontu, decided to use her passion for painting to raise funds and express solidarity for those in Gaza.

The Paint for Palestine event raised just shy of 5,500

She and her husband also visit nursing homes in the area and Blanchardstown Hospital, where they sing and play instruments.

She said she was absolutely delighted with how the Paint for Palestine event went, which saw her selling her colourful paintings.

The people of Castleknock and the wider D15 area really came out in force to show their solidarity with the unfortunate civilians in Gaza who are going through the most unspeakable horrors, Ms Troy said.

It is utterly heartbreaking, and so many of us are just so shocked and devastated that this could happen to them.

The event was reportedly a great success with live traditional music, lots of paintings, lovely treats, and a raffle to top it all off.

All the funds that were raised will be donated to Trocaire, whose team will use the money to help people in the area.
Pearse McAuley, the killer of Ballylongford Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, was found dead in his home in Strabane, County Tyrone, on Monday, and is thought to have died from natural causes.

McAuleys death rekindles the tragic memory of when Detective McCabe was shot at point blank range by an AK-47 in an attack by the Provisional IRA on June 7, 1996, outside Adare Post Office. McCabes colleague, Detective Garda Ben O'Sullivan, was seriously injured in the attack.

Prison sentences were later handed down to Pearse McAuley, Michael O'Neill, Jeremiah Sheehy and Kevin Walsh after pleading guilty to Detective McCabes manslaughter at the Special Criminal Court.

McAuley was sentenced to 14-years in February 1999 but was released from Castlerea Prison in August 2009. There had been strong calls from those within Sinn Fein for the men to be released earlier under the Good Friday Agreement.

The eventual release of McAuley and Walsh sparked controversary in Kerry when then sitting Sinn Fein TD Martin Ferris greeted them at the gates of the prison before driving them in a Ford Transit van to meet their families.

Mr Ferris was roundly criticised for his part in the event but remained unapologetic. He insisted that as a representative of IRA prisoners during negotiations for early release under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, he was representing McAuley and Walsh, who were IRA prisoners.

In a 2015 interview with Newstalk Radio, Mr Ferris reiterated his stance that he had no regrets in collecting McAuley and Walsh. He said at the time he believed the controversary was a deliberate campaign by the political establishment to prevent the growth of Sinn Fein.

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Although McAuleys release was welcomed by republicans in 2009, he was shunned in December 2015 when handed a 12-year sentence for a frenzied attack on his then wife Pauline Tully  now a Sinn Fein TD  in 2014 at their home. McAuley stabbed Tully 13 times in the attack. He walked free in 2022 after serving his prison term.

In 2023, on the anniversary of McCabes death, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the killing remains under active investigation subject to regular review.

He appealed to the public, particularly in Limerick, for any information in relation to two individuals suspected of having been involved in the murder who are living abroad.
Ballinskelligs native Donal OShea was presented with a prestigious global award for Social Impact by Daniel Sober at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Friday last.

He received the award at a conference that brought together like-minded individuals from around the world who are committed to reforming and advancing policy and education to ensure both are inclusive and robust.

One of Mr OSheas key goals is to inform the EU Commission of the many testimonials and examples of real life situations that affect people with disabilities. This approach is what helps to direct policy within the EU.

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Mr OShea, who lives in Stradbally in County Laois, explained at length his own situation as a sufferer of a debilitating autoimmune condition known as ankylosing spondylitis.

He outlined the challenges faced over many years, and his participation in consultations and hearings held by various bodies at European level. Mr OShea described how his passion is advancing the cause of social inclusion for the people impacted.

It was an honour to attend the UNESCO HQ, with the Irish flag flying high, especially for the weekend that was in it, he said.

I would like to dedicate this award to my parents, Michael (Sonny) and Bridie (RIP), who were both very resourceful people. It was a regular saying of my father's whenever there were adverse national headlines that if they listen to the people, they will not go too far wrong. This is what he would say, Mr OShea said.
The award-winning Dundalk marketing and branding company, ZOMA are organising a fundraiser in aid of the Irish Cancer Society for Daffodil Day on Friday March 23.

The youthful team are setting up a variety of fitness machines outside their premises at 82 Park Street and are inviting people to contribute to their target of a combined 820km. For every kilometre reached during the event, which runs from 8.20am to 8.20pm, ZOMA will donate 4 to Daffodil Day.

To take part in the challenge, people are being asked to make a 10 donation which will go directly to the Irish Cancer Society, Everyone who signs up will receive a branded t-shirt for the event.

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"Not only will you be participating in a fun and invigorating activity, but you'll also be contributing directly to a worthy cause. We will also be hosting other challenges on the day of the event to raise awareness and funds like a hanging challenge and pull up challenge, they say.

Daffodil Day is a major fundraiser for the Irish Cancer Society. It is a cause close to all their hearts, especially over the last year following the death of their Managing Director's mother back in June 2023.

Last year, the Irish Cancer Society provided over 350 free lifts to bring Louth based cancer patients to their cancer treatment, more than 330 free counselling sessions to people living in Louth; and ver 230 nights of free Night Nursing care to allow cancer patients in Louth to die at home surrounded by loved ones.

To sign up for ZOMAs challenge, visit their website www.zoma.ie
A man and woman have been arrested and charged following a high speed Garda chase involving a stolen van in county Meath yesterday (Bank Holiday Monday).

A man and a woman have appeared in court in county Meath charged in connection with a high speed Garda chase across two counties.

The pair were arrested after a van failed to stop for gardai who were conducting a checkpoint on the outskirts of Navan during the early hours of Bank Holiday Monday morning.

Gardai subsequently gave chase, prompting a high speed pursuit before the van and its occupants were eventually brought to a halt some 50km later in Finglas.

In a statement, gardai said the duo were later charged and appeared at a special court sitting on Monday.

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Two persons have been arrested following an incident in Navan overnight, said a spokesperson.

Follow up inquiries later found the van had been reported stolen less than 24 hours earlier.

At around 12:15am, gardai were conducting a checkpoint at Dublin Road, Navan, when a van failed to stop and drove through the checkpoint at speed, added the spokesperson.

Gardai followed the van and subsequently stopped it in the Finglas area, Dublin. A man and a woman in the vehicle were arrested and taken to Navan Garda Station.

It transpired that van had been stolen last evening.

The pair later appeared at a special court sitting over the incident.

Separately, gardai in Kells are looking for witnesses to come forward concerning a criminal damage incident in Oldcastle.

The episode, which involved damage being caused to an entrance gate to a field took place in the Fenner Lower sometime between last Monday afternoon (March 11) and Friday morning.

Anyone with any information re this incident are asked to please contact Kells Garda Station on 046-9280820.
Following persistent calls for action, the death trap junction at Larkins Cross in Barntown is set to see some minor alterations.

The junction has seen numerous serious crashes in recent years, which led to prolonged calls from councillors to take action and implement traffic calming measures.

However, these calls seemed to fall on deaf ears, with Director of Services at Wexford County Council Eamonn Hore stating that, from the viewpoint of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the stats from the junction were nowhere near bad enough to warrant major road layout changes.

Several councillors argued the toss, however, stating that people were absolutely terrified" using the junction and that something would have to be done.

While they may fall short of the full traffic calming or roundabout suggestions that were touted by some, Mr Hore confirmed at the March meeting of Wexford County Council that TII were set to carry out some alterations on the notorious stretch.

Responding to a query from Cllr Garry Laffan, he said that, while the junction does meet TII standards currently, they were looking at carrying out upgrades similar to those at Carrolls Cross in Co Waterford.

Cllr Garry Laffan.

"Basically, the plan is to install a load of thin bollards on approach to the junction and therell be a slight re-alignment, Cllr Laffan explained after the meeting. It makes things more visual and Id be hopeful it will reduce the speed of traffic there. Its worked at Carrolls Cross, so hopefully, it will have the same impact here.

"If it does, Id like to see the same thing rolled out at Kyle Cross, which is getting busier all the time.


The persistent disruption to Dart and rail services at bank holiday weekends was among the range of issues the councillors of Greystones Municipal District wanted to discuss with Irish Rail, when they agreed, at the February meeting, to invite the transport provider to a meeting.

Cllr Stephen Stokes, Cathaoirleach of the Greystones Municipal District, chaired the meeting, on Thursday, March 14, 2024 and while he expressed the view that the meeting was very positive, much work remains to be done.

A wide range of views were discussed about train services for Greystones and Kilcoole. The key message is that we want to work together to deliver more train services, with enhanced station experiences, he said.

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One of the focal points of the meeting was DART+ Coastal South. This is seeking to upgrade the existing infrastructure from Drogheda to Greystones, to enable an increase in frequency of train services. As part of this process there will be public consultation, which is hoped will begin this year.

I expect that Irish Rail will have decisive responses from passengers, Cllr Stokes said. More trains and enhanced station experiences will likely be outlined. During the meeting I asked Irish Rail for additional outdoor shelters for Greystones and Kilcoole. When it rains, commuters can be quite exposed to the elements. Irish Rail will study this request closely with their facilities department.

A hot topic of conversation during the meeting was the need for increased rail services, and Cllr Stokes said Irish Rail will aspire to increase the Greystones Dart services by some 50pc.

This is the right ambition to have, he said. However, there is no guarantee yet that Irish Rail can deliver on services every 20 minutes during the weekdays. It will be towards the end of the Dart + Coastal South project when they can advise further about timetables. One of the key challenges is that we have a very long single track. If we can secure a longer double track this will improve our chances.

The contentious issue of bank holiday disruptions were also raised, with Cllr Stokes believing there should be a shuttle service between Greystones and Bray when the line is closed from Bray to Dun Laoghaire. Irish Rail agreed to study this and report back.

I asked Irish Rail to look closely at their closures, Cllr Stokes said. If there is no planned work between Bray and Greystones we should be seeking to keep this part of the line open. But if there is work on this section of the line, I believe that there should be a bus replacement service to Bray. That way passengers can connect with the 145 or 155 buses to Dublin. Additionally, I mentioned to Irish Rail that passengers should be allowed to alight at Bray Main Street, which would be more convenient in this scenario.

Cllr Stokes is urging the NTA and Department of Transport to make sure Irish Rail gets investment for Greystones and Kilcoole, and Kilcoole is included for Dart services as part of any expansion to Wicklow Town.

All of the funding for Irish Rail has to be signed off by the NTA. Commuter services are not yet where we want them to be, especially as the area continues to grow. A critical moment will come when decisions are being made. This is the decisive moment when we need courage and ambition to meet. Rail services must not be put on the back burner. I will continue to champion public transport investment for the Greystones Municipal District, he said.
St Marys Church in Blessington recently hosted eight teams of bell ringers who competed for the Lindoff Cup and the chance to compete in the All-Ireland final taking place in Northern Ireland in May.

The eight teams each featured six ringers from ten bell towers located in the east of Ireland, from Drogheda to Rowe Street in Wexford.

The annual event tests the ringing skills of teams throughout the Leinster area and the Lindoff Cup is named in honour of Gabriel Lindoff, who was an instructor at St Patricks Cathedral, and was one of the founder members of the Irish Association of Change Ringers and a composer of a great many methods.

St Marys Church was an apt setting for the competition as it also contains the original bell tower from the late 1600s, with the bells never having been recast, and are considered the oldest ring in Ireland.

After some skilled bell ringing, Christchurch Taney from Dundrum ended up winning the Lindoff Cup.

The ringers and their families from Blessington tower catered for the visiting teams, providing them with tea, sandwiches and cake before and after the competition.
Footage obtained by The Sun appeared to show the princess shopping with William on Saturday amid conspiracy theories about her welfare and whereabouts

Britain's King Charles during an audience with veterans of the Korean war (Pic credit: Jonathan Brady/Pool via REUTERS)

Details of Kate Middletons return to public life have been leaked as it was reported that a top secret project was being put together to plan for it.

Britain's Princess of Wales is thought to be eyeing an Easter Sunday return, when she could join her family for their traditional walk to Easter Matins service at St Georges Chapel, Windsor.

The reports come as King Charles was pictured leaving Windsor Castle amid his treatment for cancer today.

Britain's King Charles during an audience with veterans of the Korean war (Pic credit: Jonathan Brady/Pool via REUTERS)

The princess had not been expected to return to public engagements until after Easter as she continued to recover at home from abdominal surgery back in January.

But following continuous, and at times wild speculation over her absence from royal life, its been reported that Kensington Palace has called together Kate and Williams closest aides along with former palace staff members and their communications teams to device a plan for her public return.

Those involved are said to include her new private secretary, Lt Col Tom White, and Williams new private secretary, former diplomat Ian Patrick.

The news comes as pictures taken this morning showed King Charles looking impassive as he was driven out of Windsor Castle. Wearing a suit, he could be seen inside the Bentley vehicle which had a police escort.

The king has stepped back from public duties after being diagnosed with cancer in January.

Meanwhile, Kates recovery from surgery seems to have progressed after footage obtained by The Sun appeared to show her and William walking through a car park after a visit to a nearby farm shop  making headlines around the world.

In the video, the princess can be seen with her hair down, wearing a black jacket and leggings, chatting with William and carrying a large white bag.

The Windsor Farm Shop is a short drive from their Adelaide Cottage home in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

People flock to the shop, which was the idea of the late Duke of Edinburgh, to buy locally sourced goods and produce from the royal estates.

Nelson Silva, who saw the royal couple, told TMZ: I noticed a couple choosing loaves of bread and the woman turned her face and I felt like I had seen the face before. It was familiar.

I went to my car and as they came out of the shop I just filmed them. I think they walked out through a gate out of the grounds. They just vanished and I didnt see a car.

Kate Middleton during a public appearance last Christmas. Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty

Kate looked happy and relaxed. They look happy just to be able to go to a shop and mingle.

Kate looked relieved, like it was a success going to a shop. It felt natural.

However, some internet sleuths remain convinced it was not the princess, saying the footage is filmed from too faraway.

According to The Sun, the royal couple also spent Sunday morning watching Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis taking part in a sporting event.

Kates absence from public life, following abdominal surgery on January 16, has led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about her whereabouts and health.

Details of her condition have not been disclosed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private.

The online speculation increased after irregularities were spotted in a Mothers Day photograph of Kate and her children, which led to the princess admitting to editing the image and apologising for any confusion caused.

The future Queen has been photographed in public twice since her operation.

In a picture published on March 4, she was a front-seat passenger in a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton, in the Windsor area.

She was also spotted sitting next to William in a chauffeur-driven car last Monday, when he attended the Commonwealth Day service in London and she was driven to a private appointment.

A change to the biographies of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York on The Royal Family website was also disclosed on Monday.

It is understood the changes, which included giving Harry and Meghan one joint biography page, were part of a routine content update.
LATEST | EU plans to send Russian frozen asset revenues to Ukraine arms fund  Josep Borrell

Borrell says 90pc of revenues should go to military fund10pc would be used to boost Ukraine defence industryDecision rests with EU's 27 member countries

Ukrainian servicemen fire a 120-mm mortar towards Russian troops at a frontlinenear the town of Bakhmut. Photo: REUTERS/Oleksandr Ratushniak.

Andrew Gray Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 14:24







The European Union should take 90pc of revenues from Russian assets frozen in Europe and transfer them to an EU-run fund that finances weapons for Ukraine, the bloc's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposed on Tuesday.
Vladimir Putin wants to create new buffer zone in occupied Ukraine to block Kyivs long-range missile threat

Moscow facing questions over its ability to defend against drone strikes on energy infrastructure

Russian president Vladimir Putin gestures speaking after polling stations closed in Moscow. Photo: Reuters

Joe Barnes  Telegraph.co.uk Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 03:30







Vladimir Putin said he wants to create a buffer zone in Ukraine to protect Russia from long-range Western weapons.
Europe

Pope uses Easter address to call for Gaza ceasefire: How much suffering we see in the eyes of children
LATEST | Israeli airstrikes that hit homes kill 20 in Gaza, Palestinian officials say

Yesterday, Israel killed 20 terrorists in raid on hospital compound in Gaza

Israel launches night raid on Gazas main hospital

Nidal al-Mughrabi and James Mackenzie Tue 19 Mar 2024 at 03:30







Twenty Palestinians were killed in the early hours of Tuesday in Israeli air strikes on Rafah and central parts of the Gaza Strip, Gaza health officials said.
Donald Trump has failed to secure a bond to satisfy the nearly half-a-billion-dollar civil fraud judgment against him, his lawyers told an appeals court yesterday.

The former presidents attorneys argued that finding a company to back a bond in excess of $454m (418m) plus millions of dollars in interest is a practical impossibility, and one that raises the possibility that New York attorney general Letitia James can begin seizing his assets unless the court intervenes.
Photo Courtesy: PR Team

National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT), the infrastructure Investment Trust by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), on Tuesday said it has successfully concluded fund-raising through InvIT Round-3 for National Highway stretches of aggregate length of 889 kilometers at an Enterprise Value of over Rs.16,000 crore, which is the largest monetization by NHAI and one of the largest transactions in the history of Indian road sector.

The Letter of Acceptance (LOA) to raise the highest ever concession value through InvIT Round-3 was issued last month, in February 2024.

In the third round of monetization, NHIT has raised unit capital of around Rs. 7,272 crore from marquee domestic and international investors and debt of around Rs. 9,000 crore from Indian lenders, to fund the acquisition of National Highway stretches, at a base concession fee of around Rs. 15,625 crore, and additional concessional fees of Rs.75 crore.

The units were subscribed by investors through a book build process at a cut off price of Rs. 124.14 per unit, at a premium over the current NAV of Rs.122.86 per unit.

The units witnessed strong demand from both existing and new investors, including foreign pension funds viz. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Ontario Teachers Pension Plan Board, which are existing unitholders and subscribed to the maximum limit of 25% each; domestic pension/provident funds (IOCL Employees PF, L&T Staff PF, Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Karamchari Pension Fund, SBI Pension etc.), insurance companies (Tata AIG, SBI Life, HDFC Life), mutual funds (SBI, Nippon India), banks and few others. NHAI also subscribed to its share of ~15% of the units at the same price.

With completion of the third round of monetization the total realized value of all three rounds of InvIT stands at Rs. 26,125 crore and holds a diversified portfolio of fifteen operating toll roads with an aggregate length of about 1,525 km spread across the 9 states of Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, with concession periods ranging between 20 to 30 years.

National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT), the Infrastructure Investment Trust sponsored by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), was set up in 2021 to support Government of India's National Monetization Pipeline.

Commenting on the success of latest round NHAIs monetisation, Anurag Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said, NHIT is a successful example of Public Private Partnership (PPP), in which it has played a very important role in supporting National Monetisation Pipeline. While doing that NHIT has established itself as a leading player in the InvIT space, playing a critical role in channelizing financial capital into the further development of Indian roads sector.

Santosh Kumar Yadav, NHAI Chairman added We are pleased that NHIT has successfully completed the largest monetisation of roads for NHAI. We expect it to continue to play a stellar role in the monetisation and development of the Indian roads sector.

Suresh Goyal, MD of the Investment Manager of NHIT said We thank the existing investors for their continued faith and welcome the new partners for coming on board in strengthening NHIT and supporting NHAI in the development of Indias road sector.

Since November 2021, NHIT has cumulatively raised around Rs.12,000 crore through first two rounds of monetization for acquisition of eight operating road assets with an aggregate length of 636 km from NHAI. Historically, units of NHIT were issued at a price of Rs. 101 in November 2021 and were listed on both BSE and NSE.
Apple Jingan to welcome its first customers this Thursday in Shanghai. Photo Courtesy; Apple website

Tech major Apple recently previewed Apple Jingan, located near Jingan Temple and Jingan Park in Shanghai, giving Chinese consumers a new option to buy the devices.

The store is set to welcome its first customer on Thursday (March 21, 2024).

"The store is encircled by an exterior plaza that gives the community a gathering place for special events, as well as providing a one-of-a-kind shopping destination where customers can discover and buy Apples unparalleled lineup of products and services," read the Apple website.

Were thrilled to open Apple Jingan  a store that seamlessly blends the traditional with the modern and perfectly complements this historic neighbourhood in Shanghai, said Deirdre OBrien, Apples senior vice president of Retail. From our phenomenal iPhone lineup to the new 13- and 15- inch MacBook Air, Apple Jingan brings all of our products and services together with an amazing team to create a truly magical shopping experience for our customers.

The Store and Team

Located next to the landmark Jingan Temple, Apple Jingan is a must-see destination in Shanghai.

Approaching the store through a grove of maple trees that line the upper plaza, visitors are treated to a stunning view of the temple.

As customers descend down the stairs, they pass by terracing, double-curved walls that extend forward in a circle to form amphitheater seating that will host Today at Apple sessions specially created for Apple Jingan to celebrate the community and its creators.



Upon entering the expansive store from the lower level, customers are invited to explore the surrounding avenues and display tables with the latest iPhone 15 lineup, the new 13- and 15- inch MacBook Air with the powerful M3 chip, and Apples first-ever carbon neutral products in its latest Apple Watch lineup.

Once inside the store, visitors can travel between floors using the central feature staircase or through the stainless steel elevator.

The Forum, featuring a large video wall in the centre, serves as a space for learning and inspiration through free Today at Apple sessions. Meanwhile, the Boardroom offers a private setting where the stores Business Team can offer advice and training to entrepreneurs, developers, and customers of businesses large and small.

From the design of the store to the materials used to bring it to life, every element of Apple Jingan is built with purpose.

Reflecting Apples long-standing commitment to the environment, the new store features a Padang Light stone wall that is sustainably and locally sourced within China, giving the store a seamless visual and material harmony.

The 150-person team is ready to help customers shop for a new device, provide personalised setup and support, learn about switching to iOS, or find out about retail services like Apple Trade In or financing programs.

Ideally situated just steps away from public transport, the new store offers a dedicated Apple Pickup station to make it easier than ever for customers in Shanghai to order online and collect their devices in-store at a time thats convenient for them.

Special Sessions

Opening festivities include a special performance by the youngest members of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra to share the future of classical music in-store for customers.

Apple Jingan will also offer a special six-week Today at Apple program that pays homage to the local community and its creatives with the series Let Diverse Creativity Bloom in Jingan, showcasing Shanghais next generation of creators and their multifaceted skills through the groundbreaking capabilities of iPhone.

Apple in China

For more than 30 years, Apple has been innovating and delivering the best products and services for customers in China, and supports more than 5 million jobs through direct employment, its supply chain, and the iOS app economy.



Since the first Apple Store opened in China in 2008 with Apple Sanlitun, Apple Retail has constantly innovated to meet customers where they are, provide the best shopping experience both in stores and online, and deepen connections with local communities.

Today, Apple has 57 stores in Greater China, with thousands of team members delivering exceptional service and creating magical experiences for customers.



Last year, Apple opened Apple MixC Shenzhen, the second store in the vibrant city, as well as Apple MixC Wenzhou, the first store in the coastal city. Apple Jingan marks Apples eighth store in Shanghai. In addition to shopping directly with Apple Retail, customers in China have even more places to discover and buy Apple products, get expert support, and more on the Apple Store online.

The team at Apple Jingan will welcome its first customers on Thursday, March 21, at 7 p.m.
Mumbai: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced today that Central Bank, a well-known Midwest regional bank in the United States, has chosen to employ TCS BaNCS to modernize its core technology infrastructure, drive innovation, and enhance customer relationships, according to the stock exchange filings.

TCS BaNCS is a comprehensive financial solution designed to empower financial institutions to enhance customer experiences through advanced technologies.

According to TCS, a leading IT services, consulting, and business solutions provider, the strategic partnership between Central Bank, headquartered in Jefferson City, Missouri, and TCS aims to establish seamless and flexible customer onboarding processes, supporting the bank's ongoing expansion endeavours.

Central Bank, a leading Midwest regional bank taps into TCS BaNCS to update its core technology infrastructure to improve productivity through real-time insights into customer relationships.https://t.co/wKLkdcQcyA#bankinginnovation #CustomerExperience #NorthAmerica pic.twitter.com/ZHS2v5UJYA  TCS BaNCS (@TCS_BaNCS) March 19, 2024

TCS emphasized that Central Bank manages assets exceeding $20 billion, serving more than 150 locations across 78 communities in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, and Oklahoma.

The bank's decision to deploy TCS BaNCS underscores its commitment to adopting state-of-the-art technology to streamline operations and enhance customer engagement.

TCS highlighted that the bank's staff will have access to comprehensive customer relationship insights through real-time processing capabilities, enabling them to rapidly create and introduce innovative products.

The solution will include pre-integration with TCS BaNCS for Payments, a solution prepared for ISO 20022 standards, enabling the bank to offer FedNow services and RTP through The Clearing House.

Venkateshwaran Srinivasan, Global Head of Financial Solutions at TCS, emphasized the suitability of TCS BaNCS for institutions committed to significant innovation, highlighting the partnership with Central Bank for their digital transformation journey.

We are happy to partner with Central Bank in their digital transformational journey. Our extensive investments in TCS BaNCS, contextual knowledge of the financial services industry, and strong track record in execution make us the preferred solution partner for preeminent institutions such as Central Bank that are dedicated to innovating at scale, Srinivasan said.

John Ross, President and CEO of Central Bank, stated that choosing TCS as a partner for their core modernization was a natural decision due to shared commitment to technology and customer experience. Ross said, When the decision was made to modernize our core as part of a long-term strategy, we looked extensively for a true partner. Given our shared commitment to technology and its role in the customer experience, TCS, with its TCS BaNCS product suite, was a natural choice for Central Bank.

Amit Bajaj, President of TCS North America, underscored TCS' track record of successful partnerships with regional banks and institutions in North America. He emphasized the pivotal role of TCS BaNCS in facilitating Central Bank to provide a smooth and flexible onboarding process for its growing customer base.

"TCSs longstanding partnerships with regional community banks, credit unions, and financial institutions continue to expand as we serve multiple such local and regional banks in North America. We have been working with these financial institutions to modernize their core platforms so they can adapt to their customers ever evolving digital needs. With TCS BaNCS, Central Bank will get a jumpstart and now offer a frictionless and flexible onboarding process that meets the needs of its growing customer bass," Bajaj said.
Kolkata/IBNS: While the world was busy discussing a recent survey report titled Mental State of the World by an international research group, a Kolkata-based platform, Healing Words, was focusing on devising ways to ensure collective wellness.

Media reports quoting the survey said that Uzbekistan topped the list of worst countries followed by the United Kingdom while Dominican Republic topped the list of countries with positive mental health conditions, followed by Sri Lanka and Tanzania.

Therefore, the initiative by Healing Words  leveraging poetry for collective wellness  is an important step in the right direction.

Inspired by The Poetry Pharmacy (an anthology of poems by William Sieghart), the platform consists of writers, artists and mental health professionals who interact and collaborate to create prescriptive poetry for troubled minds.

The group- consisting of poets Rantideb Mukhejee, Barnamala Roy, Ayesha Begum and Arindam Lahiri- and co-organiser Shreyoshee Gupta, has already set the ball rolling with their first poetry clinic (organised on March 10, at Surfire The Coastal Cafe) in Kolkata, where they reflected on the power of poetry and how to leverage it for collective wellness.

The event saw elocutionist Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee in conversation with psychologist Nilanjana Chatterjee of Anusharan Mental Health Wellness Clinic & Research Centre.

In between, Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee read out the poems (the result of an earlier workshop held at the Zoom-Tea-O-Graphy) penned by poets Barnamala Roy, Rantideb Mukherjee, Arindam Lahiri and Ayesha Begum.

The event also saw a special poetry recitation by veteran film and television actress Choiti Ghoshal.

Guests and participants also paid tribute to writer, filmmaker, and musician Ankur Roy Chowdhury, who passed away a few days before the event.

Some limited edition First Aid Kits for the Soul by Healing Words and Zoom Tea-O-Gaphy were on sale.

The event was partnered by Delta Lives and sponsored by Aamar Bari and Indranis Kitchen.
Photo Courtesy: UNI

The situation in Bengaluru's Nagarathpet on Tuesday escalated significantly following the assault on a shopkeeper for allegedly playing Hanuman Chalisa during Azaan.

The incident has triggered a massive protest, with people chanting Hanuman Chalisa and Jai Shree Ram here on Tuesday.

The police have imposed prohibitory orders to bring the situation under control.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje have been detained as the protest intensified.

Surya, who is a BJP Lok Sabha candidate, had previously called on party workers to wear saffron shawls and chant Hanuman Chalisa at Nagarathpet Tuesday.

He emphasised that the campaign should commence at 12.30 pm outside Mukesh Singh's shop and urged for the chanting to resonate throughout the area.

Surya urged the Bengaluru City Commissioner B Dayananda to order an investigation into the matter and apprehend the remaining accused.

The attackers allegedly demanded that Mukesh switch off the Hanuman Chalisa, and when he refused, they assaulted him, resulting in serious injuries.

"Mukesh told me that every evening, he had a practice of playing devotional songs .... Hanuman Chalisa on his speaker ... Last evening while he was conducting his business, attending to his customers and playing Hanuman Chalisa, a few miscreants came to his shop, the whole of which was captured was captured on CCTV.

"They argued with him and demanded that he switch it off and stop playing the Hanuman Chalisa," he told reporters.

"When he (Mukesh) refused, he was pulled out of his store and six-seven miscreants thrashed and attacked him ... He has suffered grievous injuries," Surya added.

Giving an account of being threatened and physically assaulted for playing devotional music, Mukesh told reporters, "Yesterday around 6.15 pm, I was playing a devotional song ...

"Three to four people came and threatened me that they would beat me up if I played loudly with speaker ... I asked them what was the problem. They said it's our Azaan time now and that such (bhajans) should not be played at this time.

"If you play like this, we will beat you. Later, one of them grabbed my collar and when I tried to resist, they thrashed me and threatened to stab me with a knife," he added.

Attacking the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government over the law and order situation in the state, Karnataka BJP President Vijayendra Yediyurappa called for the swift arrest of the assaulters.

Vijayendra also linked this incident to other instances of religious tension and violence in the state, such as the chanting of "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans in Vidhan Soudha and a bomb explosion at Rameshwaram Cafe, suggesting a pattern of deteriorating communal harmony.

Accusations of appeasement politics and failure to address these issues effectively by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government are pushing Karnataka into a radical state with an absolute breakdown of law and order, he alleged in a post on X.

Holding the Chief Minister and his government accountable for the attack on Hindus and Hindu establishments, he said, Siddaramaiah's appeasement politics has encouraged barbarians to go on a rampage in the state.

(With UNI inputs)
Photo Courtesy: ShareAlike 3.0 Unported/Wikimedia Commons

A 68-year-old pilgrim died after suffering from cardiac arrest outside Banke Bihari temple in Mathura here in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, a senior police officer said here.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shailensh Kumar Pandey said Sunil, a resident of Mumbai, had come to pay obeisance at Banke Bihari temple.

"After darshan he came out of the temple and sat on a platform," he said.

He said that when Sunil started wailing the police personnel present on the spot called a doctor and he was taken to the hospital.

"The doctors present in the hospital declared him dead and said that he died due to cardiac arrest," he said.

The SSP refuted the social media report and Sunil that he did not die inside the temple.

He said that Sunil came out after visiting the temple because he started having chest pain due to which he sat on the platform outside the temple.

(With UNI inputs)
In image Rahul Gandhi & Priyanka during Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra/ courtesy: Facebook

New Delhi/IBNS/UNI: The Indian National Congress Tuesday said that it is fully prepared for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and will soon come with the manifesto, which will not just be a manifesto but the party's 'Nyay Patra' that will fulfill the five guarantees promised to the country.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, party general secretary KC Venugopal, accompanied by party general secretary Jairam Ramesh, said, "The Congress Working Committee had a detailed discussion on the manifesto for the upcoming 2024 general elections. The CWC has authorized Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to grant final approval for the manifesto. A date for its final release would be made soon."

He said that during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul Gandhi met and spoke to several people from different sections of society.

During the yatra, Rahul Gandhi spoke of the guarantees and commitments under the five pillars of the yatra: Kisan Nyay, Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Shramik Nyay, and Hissedari Nyay. These five pillars will have five guarantees.

Venugopal said, "During the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Rahul ji has done the maximum as far as the five guarantees are concerned. But in the coming days, we must spell out what our priorities and policies are going to be for the next five years.".

Meanwhile, Jairam Ramesh said, "The CWC meeting held today is not just for the manifesto but for our Nyay Patra."

Ramesh said that the Congress party is ready to liberate the country from the injustice of the last 10 years of BJP rule.

"Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi ji have announced 25 guarantees with regards to the five justices in the last few days. Along with these guarantees, economic, foreign policy, constitutional protection, the environment, and many other justice agendas related to national interest were also discussed in the meeting," Ramesh said.

Earlier in the day, the CWC extensively discussed the party manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections that was chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

The meeting was attended by Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party president Rahul Gandhi, and members of the CWC.

In his inaugural speech, Kharge said, "The country has been fervently demanding a change. The guarantees currently being touted by the present government would have the same fate as that of the 'India Shining' slogan of 2004".

He urged the party leaders to ensure that the manifesto gets the widest publicity in different states and that the party's commitment is taken to every household across the country and to the people at large.
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

New Delhi/IBNS/UNI: The Supreme Court Tuesday sought a response from the Centre on the plea to stay the recently notified Citizenship (Amendment) rules of 2024 and asked it to file its reply by April 2.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra directed that the center should file its reply by April 2, and the submissions on the stay application to be filed before the court should not be more than five pages.

The court directed the respondents to file a 5-page reply to the governments application by April 8.

The bench fixed April 9 as the next date of the hearing.

After the bench directed both parties to file their replies, heated arguments started in court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought four weeks to file the Centres response. To this, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that four weeks is far too much time to file the reply.

Sibal argued that if, by then, the government grants citizenship to some people under the CAA rules, then there are chances it cannot be reversed. He said that under international law, once citizenship is granted, it cannont be taken back.

Sibal also asked the Solicitor General,What was the sudden urgency to notify the rules nearly four years after the CAA was passed?

Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, also appearing for the petitioners, pressed that there should be a stay on the said Act and the government should undertake that it will not grant any citizenship under the rules while the matter is pending before the Court.

The SG replied, "Whether citizenship is granted or not, petitioners will not be impacted."

Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar argued, "If a Hindu from Balochistan is granted citizenship, how is the petitioner affected?"

"They will get the right to vote! Senior Advocate Jaising responded and asked the court to grant an interim stay on implementing the CAA Act.

CJI DY Chandrachud said, "But the infrastructure of the state-level committee is not yet ready."

It then directed that the matter be heard next on April 9.

The bench was hearing a batch of around 236 petitions concerning the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA) and the recently notified Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024.

The bench directed that the proceedings be listed after three weeks and directed the central government to file the reply only in one case. Responses are not needed in all petitions, the court said. "A reply can oppose the interim prayer. We will keep this on April 9," the court ordered.

The CAA was passed by the Parliament on December 11, 2019, and got the president's assent the following day.

On the same day, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) moved the Supreme Court to challenge the Act. Subsequently, a large number of petitions came before the apex Court.

The CAA aims to grant citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Parsis who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014, from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

The CAA amends Section 2 of the Citizenship Act of 1955, which defines illegal migrants."

It added a new proviso to Section 2(1)(b) of the Citizenship Act. As per the same, persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, or Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, or Pakistan and who have been exempted by the Central government under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, or the Foreigners Act, 1946, shall not be treated as illegal migrants." Consequently, such persons shall be eligible to apply for citizenship under the 1955 Act.

However, the law excluded the Muslim community from the provison, triggering protests across the country and a slew of petitions before the Supreme Court.

The petitioners challenging the law submitted that the CAA discriminates against Muslims based on religion. Such religious segregation is without any reasonable differentiation and violates the right to quality under Article 14, it was contended.

On December 18, 2019, the apex court issued a notice to the Union of India on that challenge.

However, the court did not stay the law since the rules were not notified, which meant that the act remained in limbo.

However, in a sudden move, the Centre notified the rules last week, on March 11, which effectively brought into force the CAA.

This led to a slew of applications before the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the Act and Rules, including those by the IUML, Assam Congress leader Debabrata Saikia, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

The Court, however, refused to grant an interim stay on the CAA Act and the rules.
Amit Shah meeting Raj Thackeray in Delhi/ courtesy: Latter's Facebook

Mumbai/IBNS: In an attempt to maximise seats from Maharashtra , the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reached out to Uddhav Thackeray's estranged cousin Raj Thackeray and his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Raj Thackeray reached Delhi last night and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah Tuesday apparently to discuss his party's possible entry into the NDA.

"I was told to come to Delhi. So I came. Let's see," the MNS chief said on arriving in the national capital. He did not speak to the media after the meeting.

Senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said that talks between the two leaders to stitch an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha election were "positive", and details will be shared in a day or two.

The MNS reportedly wants three seats - South Mumbai, Shirdi and Nashik.

In the last general election, the BJP and the Shiv Sena contested the polls in an alliance and won 41 out of the state's 48 seats.

Months later, it clinched another victory in the state polls.

However, owing to differences over sharing, the Sena parted ways with the NDA.

The Shiv Sena, then led by Uddhav Thackeray, teamed up with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress to form the government.

But in 2022, Sena leader Eknath Shinde led a mutiny that toppled the Uddhav Thackeray government. Shinde then paired up with the BJP to take over.

In the legal battle that followed, Uddhav Thackeray lost his party's name and symbol and his camp was named Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).

Similarly, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP split after a rebellion led by his nephew Ajit Pawar.

The NCP veteran, too, lost his party's name and symbol and now leads a faction named NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).

So from a straight contest in 2019, the Maharashtra Lok Sabha fight will now see a battle between the BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena on one side and the Congress and the camps led by Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray on the other.

The BJP, therefore, does not want to take chances in the politically significant state that is critical to its target to win 370 Lok Sabha seats. Therefore, to counter the Uddhav Thackeray factor, it has reached out to his cousin Raj.


Photo courtesy: Wikimedia commons

Bengaluru/IBNS/UNI: The Karnataka High Court has passed an interim order directing the state government to refrain from sealing any shop or commercial establishment for non-compliance with the 60 percent Kannada signage rule.

Justice M Nagaprasanna issued the order in response to petitions by the Retailers Association of India challenging Section 17(6) of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022 and a February 2024 circular enforcing the 60 percent Kannada signage rule.

The court found a part of the February 2024 circular, which called for sealing shops not complying with the Kannada signage mandate, to be untenable. As a result, the court stayed the operation of this part of the circular.

The Advocate General assured the court that the state does not intend to shut down businesses to enforce the 60 percent Kannada rule.

The court noted the practical difficulties faced by business owners in complying with the signage rule within the state's deadline.

There were also concerns about the definition of a signboard and ambiguity regarding the date the mandate would come into force.

The matter will be heard again on March 22.

Advocate Manu Kulkarni represented the petitioners, led by the Retailers Association of India, in this case.
Photo Courtesy: Aaron Taylor-Johnson Instagram page

There has been speculation about who will play the next James Bond onscreen for quite some time now and several major names have emerged over the years as Daniel Craig's replacement.

However, fans are still waiting as the final name has not been revealed so far.

Meanwhile, a British tabloid has reported that actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson was offered the task of playing the iconic spy recently.

Insiders told The Sun the Kick-Ass movie star is expected to accept the role as 007, taking over from Daniel Craig, who has played MI6s most famous spy for 15 years.

Craig played the character for five movies.

He was last seen playing James Bond in 2021-released movie No Time to Die.

A source told the tabloid: Bond is Aarons job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.

As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement," the source said.

The next Bond movie has been reportedly delayed due to the Hollywood strike last year.

But insiders confirmed to The Sun that a script was now being worked on, with production scheduled to take place at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

Apart from Aaron, other actors whose names have emerged for the role are Cillian Murphy, Idris Elba, Henry Cavill and James Norton.

Who is Aaron?

British actor Aaron is best known for his portrayal of the title character in Kick-Ass (2010) and its 2013 sequel, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe character Pietro Maximoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Some thirteen people could be trapped under rubble after a mine collapse in Russia's Amur Region in the Far East, local emergency services said on Monday.

"According to preliminary information, thirteen people may be under the rubble after a rock collapse at the mine," local RIA news agency reported, citing the emergency authorities.

Rescue team has been dispatched to the scene, said the authorities.

The cause of the accident is yet unknown.

(With UNI inputs)
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (centre right) attends a Security Council meeting on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Photo Courtesy: UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Almost 80 years after the incineration of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons still represent a clear and present danger to global peace and security, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Monday.

Calling for disarmament now, he urged States with nuclear arsenals to lead the way across six areas for action that include dialogue and accountability.

Nuclear weapons are the most destructive weapons ever invented, capable of eliminating all life on Earth. Today, these weapons are growing in power, range and stealth. An accidental launch is one mistake, one miscalculation, one rash act away, he warned.

Doomsday Clock ticking loudly

The meeting on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation was convened by Japan, Security Council president for March and, as Mr. Guterres noted, the only country that knows better than any other "the brutal cost of nuclear carnage".

It was being held at a time when geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades, the UN chief said.

He said the Doomsday Clock  the symbol for humanitys proximity to self-destruction  is ticking loudly enough for all to hear.

Meanwhile, from academics and civil society groups to Pope Francis, youth and the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, known as Hibakusha, have been clamouring for peace and an end to the existential threat.

No Oppenheimer sequel

Even the Oscar-winning Hollywood film Oppenheimer brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world", he said, adding that humanity cannot survive a sequel.

Despite these appeals for the world to step back from the brink, States possessing nuclear weapons are absent from the table of dialogue, he said, while investments in the tools of war are outstripping investments in the tools of peace.

Guterres stressed that disarmament is the only path to vanquish this senseless and suicidal shadow, once and for all.

Dialogue and confidence-building

He appealed to States armed with nuclear weapons to take the lead in six areas, starting with re-engaging in dialogue to develop transparency and confidence-building measures to prevent any use of a nuclear weapon.

Second, nuclear saber-rattling must stop, he said. Threats to use nuclear weapons in any capacity are unacceptable.

Nuclear weapon States must also reaffirm moratoria on nuclear testing, which includes pledging to avoid actions that would undermine the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), whose entry into force must be a priority.

From commitment to action

Furthermore, disarmament commitments must become action, together with accountability, under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The landmark accord, signed more than 50 years ago, is the only binding commitment to the goal of disarmament by States that officially stockpile nuclear weapons.

The Secretary-General also highlighted the need for a joint first-use agreement.

Nuclear weapon States must urgently agree that none of them will be the first to use nuclear weapons. As a matter of fact, none should use them in any circumstances, he said.

Reducing stockpiles

Finally, he called for reductions in the number of nuclear weapons. In this regard, he urged the United States and Russia  the worlds largest nuclear weapons holders  to take the lead and also find a way back to negotiations towards the full implementation of the New START Treaty and agree on its successor.

Guterres pointed to the responsibility of non-nuclear weapon States to fulfil their own non-proliferation obligations and to support disarmament efforts.

He said the Security Council has a leadership role, including to look beyond todays divisions and state clearly that living with the existential threat of nuclear weapons is unacceptable.

Test-Ban Treaty

Robert Floyd, head of the organization overseeing the CTBT, also briefed the Council on the treatys impact and the need to push further.

A lot has changed since I was last here in 2021, but one thing hasn't changed  the case for the CTBTs entry into force, he said.

The treaty prescribes a global network of 337 monitoring facilities to detect any significant explosion anywhere on Earth almost immediately and envisions more verification tools.

It has been signed by 197 States and ratified by 178. However, entry into force requires signing and ratification by 44 specific nuclear technology holding States, eight of which have yet to ratify: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), Pakistan and the United States.

Last year, nuclear weapon holder Russia, which had signed and ratified the CTBT, announced that it had revoked its ratification.

Arms race fears: Japan

Japans Foreign Minister, Yoko Kamikawa, who chaired the meeting, stated that the catastrophes of Hiroshima and Nagasaki must never be repeated.

Although the international community has become even more divided over how to advance nuclear disarmament, nevertheless, we must steadily advance realistic and practical efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons, she said.

She warned that a rapid build-up of nuclear capabilities by certain countries could spark a nuclear arms race.

Russia's nuclear threats, let alone any use of nuclear weapons in the context of the situation in Ukraine, are absolutely unacceptable, she said, while urging the country to return to the full implementation of the New START treaty.

DPRK and Iran concerns

The Foreign Minister voiced Japans strong hope for dialogue leading to the development of a broader framework of arms control that covers a wider range of weapon systems with appropriate governance.

She pointed to the DPRK, commonly known as North Korea, which tested another ballistic missile on Sunday.

Such activities by North Korea threaten the peace and stability of the region and international community. It is totally unacceptable. Moreover, there is a possibility of further provocations, including a nuclear weapons test, she said.

Kamikawa stressed that in this context, the role of the Security Councils DPRK sanctions committee and panel of experts is critically important and needs to be maintained.

Turning to other matters, she noted that with no clear outlook in resolving Iran's nuclear issue.
In image Israeli Army/ courtesy: UNI

Jerusalem/IBNS/UNI: The Israeli military Tuesday said that it had killed over 50 Hamas militants and apprehended almost 180 others during its new round of operations at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that "precise operations" were launched targeting the hospital.

Hamas militants were killed in close-quarters combat, and the Israeli army located weapons in the area "while avoiding harm to civilians, medical staff, and medical equipment," noted the statement.

In the area of Al-Qarara in Khan Younis, the Israeli army killed Palestinian militants and destroyed infrastructure, including one from which anti-tank missiles were launched at Israeli troops two days ago, the statement added.

The IDF began its raid on Al-Shifa Hospital early Monday.

The hospital, the largest one in the Gaza Strip, has been previously targeted by the Israeli Army.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Tuesday arrested a proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operative in Karachi city, media reports said.

The operative was identified as Wali Rehman

As per details, CTD team on a tip-off conducted an operation near Karachis Manghopir area and arrested TTPs Wali Rehman along with hand grenades, reported ARY News.

The CTD officials told ARY News Wali Rehman was involved in several terror attacks in Pakistan.

Wali Rehman, a TTP operative, associated with the sprinter group of commander Azmatullah aka Tariq Group, attacked forces in 2004.

In 2006, he attacked FC personnel in Qila Saploi.

Further investigation into the incident is currently underway.


Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

Detectives have arrested three Bangladeshi associates of a Chinese gang that has been embezzling a huge amount of money by targeting Bangladeshis through various online scams.

Through scams including gambling websites in multi-level online marketing schemes, the gang took several crores from people, DB officials said as quoted by The Daily Star.

The three arrested people were identified as Rakibul Islam Ratul, 24, Asaduzzaman Raju, 29, and Mamun Howlader, 27.

They were arrested from Dhaka's Airport area on Friday, Saifur Rahman Azad, additional deputy commissioner of DB police, told The Daily Star.

DB officials said the gang recruited Bangladeshi students studying in China to facilitate their fraudulent activities.

Officials said these students were then 'trained' in China to embezzle Bangladeshi nationals.

"The three students, after returning to Bangladesh from China, opened a gambling site in consultation with the Chinese fraudsters," Harun Or Rashid, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star.

Though the arrestees operated the gambling site, the masterminds -- Gaga, and Chig Chog -- still remain in China.

The gang reportedly scam people by offering them part-time or online jobs.

They asked the target to deposit a payment by promising double return.

"The initial payment was collected through MFS in Bangladesh. Then the money went to China through Cryptocurrency," said the DB chief.

They applied different techniques -- honeytrap, loan apps, online financing, and multilevel marketing -- to trap people, police said.
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ShareAlike 2.0 Generic

Airstrikes conducted by Pakistan Khost and Paktia provinces of Afghanistan on Monday left at least eight people, including women and children, dead, media reports said.

The Taliban government in Kabul said such airstrikes reflected a clear violation of Afghanistan's territory.

The Ministry of Defense said that the Islamic Emirate forces responded to Pakistan with heavy weapons,reported Tolo News.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns these strikes and calls the unconsidered act an invasion of its territory, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has the experience of a long struggle for freedom against the superpowers of the world and cannot tolerate any kind of invasion of its territory, Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Pakistani media reports claimed the airstrikes targeted some Tehreek-e- Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.

TTP commander Abdullah Shah in a video clip denied being attacked despite Pakistani media claims of his death in last night's airstrikes in Paktika's Barmal District, reported Tolo News.

The propaganda being spread is baseless. It's March 18th. Our operations in Southern Waziristan are ongoing. We haven't left; we're still here, he said.

Meanwhile, the Taliban government has denied the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the country.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for Taliban government, told Tolo News that Afghan soil is not allowed to be used against other countries, including Pakistan.

"We reject the presence of any ... foreign groups in Afghanistan and they are not allowed to operate on Afghan soil. In this regard, we have made our utmost effort and continue to do so; but one thing we must accept is that Afghanistan shares a very long border area with Pakistan, and there are places with rugged terrain including mountains and forests, and places that might be out of our control," said Zabihullah Mujahid.

Recently, Asif Ali Durani, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan, claimed that five to six thousand members of the TTP are sheltered in Afghanistan.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

The Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) has called for a province-wide protest on March 24 to mark the rising cases of kidnapping in Sindh.

Addressing a press conference at Tando Adam press club on Sunday, JSM chairman Riaz Chandio, along with Dr Khushhal Kalani and Pervaiz Chandio, announced to holding a sit-in in front of Hyderabad Press Club and other parts of Sindh on March 24, reported Dawn News.

He said the law and order situation was the worst in the province whereas the cases of kidnapping were on the high rise.

Slamming authorities. he said the Afghans or Somalians were not behind the poor law and order, it was due to the dacoits who were present all over Sindh, especially in the upper Sindh areas of Kandhkot, Kashmore, Larkana and Khairpur.

He said the Sindh government had completely failed to maintain the law and order and ensure safety and security of people.

In his strong words, he claimed the police were actually behind political workers whereas criminals were free to commit crimes.

Hindus of Sindh were being abducted under a conspiracy due to which thousands of them had already migrated and others were planning to shift, he added.
IDF personnel. Photo Courtesy: IDF X page

The White House on Monday claimed that Hamas leader Marwan Issa was killed during an Israeli operation last week.

During a press briefing, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said: "Israel has made significant progress against Hamas."

He said: "Theyve broken a significant number of Hamas battalions, and killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including senior commanders. Hamass number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week."

"The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network. And justice will come for them too, and we are helping to ensure that," he said.

He confirmed the death of the Hamas leader just a day after IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that Hamas was trying to hide Issas fate.

We embarked on this operation after many days of complex planning, creating the operational conditions, and gathering sufficient intelligence. This is a very important achievement for the IDF. A capability we have built over the years together with the Shin Bet, a combination of high-quality intelligence and precise fire from the Air Force, which enables the elimination of senior officials underground, Halevi said at a press conference as quoted by The Times of Israel.

This attack is an expression of the IDFs ability to reach the most complex places, at the right time, and with high precision. We will continue the effort to eliminate the senior officials. This is a major goal in the war, Halevi said.

Who was Issa?

Issa had served as the deputy of Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamass military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Together with Hamass leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, they were believed to have masterminded the groups October 7 massacre in southern Israel that triggered the ongoing war, reported The Times of Israel.

Issa, who was known as 'Shadow Man', rarely made public appearances.

Situation in Gaza

Amid reports that the Israeli military stormed Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Monday (March 18, 2024) in search of Hamas fighters, UN humanitarians warned that new food insecurity data indicates that famine could happen anytime.

Famine is projected to occur anytime between now and May 2024 in the northern governorates, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said, upon publication of a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report on Gaza.

Act now to prevent the unthinkable

Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering, said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres outside the Security Council in New York, describing the IPC report as an "appalling indictment of conditions on the ground for civilians".

This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system  anywhere, anytime, he added.

This is an entirely man-made disaster, and the report makes clear that it can be halted, he warned, saying this showed the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

I call on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support our humanitarian efforts.

"We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable and the unjustifiable."

Meanwhile, in response to the unfolding situation at Al-Shifa, UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted that hospitals should never be battlegrounds.

The lives of medical workers, patients and civilians were at stake, the WHO chief warned, adding that minimal health services had only recently been restored at Al-Shifa.

IPC: A key aid tool

IPC forecasts are compiled from on-the-ground assessments which humanitarians then use to respond to the most at-risk individuals.

Data indicates that the entire population of Gaza  some 2.3 million people  are enduring high levels of acute food insecurity. This includes 1.11 million suffering from catastrophic food insecurity - IPC Phase 5.

Grim hunger data

Compared to the last IPC analysis in December, acute food insecurity in the Gaza Strip has deepened and widened, FAO noted, with 79 per cent more Gazans likely sliding into catastrophic levels of hunger from mid-February to mid-March and 92 per cent more expected to do so between now and July.

If no steps are taken to cease hostilities and to provide more humanitarian access, famine is imminent, said FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol.

It could already be occurring. Immediate access is needed to facilitate delivery of urgent and critical assistance at scale.
Joe Biden interacts with PM Netanyahu over Israel-Gaza conflict. Photo Courtesy: Joe Biden X page

US President Joe Biden had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (Match 18, 2024), when he expressed 'deep concern' over Israel's possible ground operation in Rafah.

Rafah, a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip, is currently home to more than one million displaced civilians who are seeking shelter after fleeing fighting and chaos in the north.

"The President affirmed the need to defeat Hamas in Gaza while also protecting the civilian population and facilitating the safe and unhindered delivery of assistance throughout Gaza," the White House said in a statement, giving details about the conversation between Biden and Netanyahu.

During the conversation, the President and Prime Minster agreed to have their teams meet soon in Washington to exchange views and discuss alternative approaches that would target key elements of Hamas and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground operation in Rafah.

Following his conversation with Netanyahu, Biden posted on X: "Today, I spoke again with Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the latest developments in Israel and Gaza.I continued to affirm that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, a group of terrorists responsible for the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust."

Today, I spoke again with Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the latest developments in Israel and Gaza.



I continued to affirm that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, a group of terrorists responsible for the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.



And I pic.twitter.com/pRf9b0VE91  President Biden (@POTUS) March 19, 2024

Biden said there is an urgent need for an immediate ceasefire to ensure the release of hostages.

"And I reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire as part of a deal to free hostages, lasting several weeks, so we can get hostages home and surge aid to civilians in Gaza," he said.

This is the first interaction between the two leaders since February 15.

According to reports, they had 20 telephone conversations since the outbreak of the war following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Shifa Hospital raided

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces on Monday (March 18, 2024) launched a raid on Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

The raid was conducted amid intelligence inputs that senior Hamas officials were in the area and using the hospital to plan and carry out terror activity, The Times of Israel reported quoting Israeli military.

Israel Defence Forces said a key Hamas leader was eliminated during the raid.

"Eliminated: Faiq Mabhouh, head of the Operations Directorate of Hamas' Internal Security. Mabhouh was hiding in a compound at the Shifa hospital, from which he operated and advanced terrorist activity," IDF posted on X.

Operational Update: Hamas terrorist funds found inside Shifa Hospital.



Along with the funds themselves were notes thanking the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists for their good work.



Watch and see for yourselves: pic.twitter.com/ghABxEHapH  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 18, 2024

By Monday evening, some 20 Hamas gunmen were killed inside the hospital premises and another 20 were killed in the surrounding area, the IDF said as quoted by The Times of Israel.

One Israeli soldier was also killed amid a gun battle with terror operatives in the area of the hospital before dawn, the news portal reported.

This is the second time the Israeli army raided the medical complex since the beginning of the conflict on Oct. 7 last year.

The first raid occurred on Nov. 16 and lasted approximately 8 days, resulting in the destruction of parts of its buildings and courtyards, reported Xinhua
As the release date for the survival drama 'Aadujeevitham' approaches, based on Benyamin's popular novel, Najeeb Muhammed, the real-life inspiration for the story, recently shared his thoughts after watching a preview of the film.

Aadujeevitham First Review: Real-Life Inspiration Najeeb Praises Prithviraj

Scheduled to hit theaters on March 28, 2024, 'Aadujeevitham', directed by Blessy and starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, has been generating significant buzz.

Poster Of Aadujeevitham Film/Indiatimes

According to the OTT play, after seeing the film depicting his own life journey, Najeeb Muhammed expressed deep emotions, describing the experience as moving.

In his review, Najeeb praised director Blessy for portraying his struggles with sensitivity and lauded Prithviraj Sukumaran for his authentic portrayal of Najeeb's desert odyssey.

Najeeb also appreciated the dedication of the entire filmmaking team in bringing his story to the screen, acknowledging the challenges they faced.

Despite the tough subject matter, Najeeb revealed that his family and friends eagerly await the film's release, stressing the importance of sharing his story with a wider audience.

Apart from Prithviraj Sukumaran's role as Najeeb, the film also features Amala Paul as Sainu, Najeeb's wife, adding depth to the narrative.

With music by AR Rahman and cinematography by Sunil KS, 'Aadujeevitham' promises to captivate audiences with its emotional narrative and impressive craftsmanship.

Additionally, Najeeb's own journey to Saudi Arabia highlights the hardships faced by migrant workers abroad, as he endured two years of harsh conditions and isolation as a goatherd in the desert.

Javed Jaaferi Applauds 'Aadujeevitham: The Goat Life'

Meanwhile, in response to the film's trailer release, actor Javed Jaaferi last week took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his admiration for the survival drama. He said the film looks absolutely incredible, and the team behind it is phenomenal. He shared that he couldn't wait to witness it.



Also Read: Aadujeevitham Release: Real-Life Story Of Malayali Migrant Worker That Inspired 'The Goat Life'
Randeep Hooda's extreme transformation for his upcoming movie Swatantrya Veer Savarkar has left everyone stunned. The actor lost 30 kgs to ace his role as activist, writer and politician Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, who reportedly developed the Hindu nationalist political ideology of Hindutva.

Randeep Hooda Loses 30 Kgs For 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar'

As the pictures of Randeep Hooda's transformation emerged in which he looked unrecognisable, fans discouraged the practice and said, "This needs to stop."



Fans discourage unhealthy practices

The photo has kickstarted a debate on social media. While many praised the actor's dedication, kist like Vinayak Damodar Savarkar's grandson, Ranjit Savarkar, who said, "I had discussions with Randeep Hooda several times. He has made this film with so much effort, he reduced 30 kg weight," to ANI, several others said, "Encouraging unhealthy practices like this. Is that valid? One needs to stop with these. This doesn't necessarily guarantee good acting. One act good without doing stuff like this as well."

Reddit

Adding to discussion a fan pointed out that a medical team must have been working along with Randeep Hooda and said, "You can get inspired by someone while at the same time recognizing that they probably had a medical team on board, or that you don't want to do exactly what they did. You just admire their determination and spirit." Another one argued that this still doesn't ensure good acting and hence the practice of losing weight shouldn't be promoted. "An actor can choose how deeply he wants to play the role. Its his or her choice. It doesnt guarentee better acting, it just delivers a more realistic experience?"

Reddit

Some others said that often actors give their 100 percent but if the script it weak, their efforts go in vain. Taking Christian Bale's example, this user explained, "I didnt like it when Christian Bale did it, I thought it was weird af. Like I get it, its for the sake of realism but then the writers take so many liberties with the script so like, why care about realism if youre going to not be purist when it comes to the story? If its a realistic documentary type movie then I can still understand, but if its not and youre taking liberties then idk this dedication to realism is weird to me."

Responding to this a user said, "Christian bale kare to dedication, Randeep Hooda kare to unhealthy practice."

Well, this isn't the first time that Randeep Hooda has left everyone shocked with his transformation. Before losing 30kgs for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, the Bollywood actor lost 18 kgs in 28 days for Sarbjit.

What's your take on this? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Actress Arundhati Nair who predominantly works in Tamil and Malayalam movies, met with a deadly accident while she was on a bike with her brother. She is currently battling for life on ventilator support at a hospital in Trivandrum. Devastated by her health condition, her friend is seeking financial support.

Arundhati Nair Fighting For Life On Ventilator After Deadly Accident

Instagram

The incident took place in Kovalam, Kerala, on March 14 when she was heading home after an interview for a YouTube channel. Her sister Arathy Nair confirmed in a statement, "We felt the need to clarify the news reported in Tamil Nadu's newspapers and television channels. It is true that my sister Arundhathi Nair had an accident three days ago. She is critically injured and fighting for her life while being kept on a ventilator at the Ananthapuri Hospital in Trivandrum."



Arundhathi's friend Gopika Anil urged her fans to help the family financially in these times of distress

Instagram

"My friend @arundhathi.nair_ met with an accident the previous day and is in very critical condition. As she fights for her life in ventilator, the daily hospital expenses are becoming too huge to afford. We are doing our part but that seems insufficient to meet the current hospital requirements. I request you all to kindly contribute the way you can so that it would be very helpful for her family. Thank you so much," her note read.

Who is Arundhati Nair?

Arundhati Nair started her acting journey back in 2014 with the Tamil movie called Pongi Ezhu Manohara. However, it was her role in Vijay Antony's Saithan that got her recognized and made her a household name. In 2018, she decided to expand her horizons and tried her luck in the Malayalam film industry, appearing in Ottakoru Kaamukan. Her most recent project was in 2023 when she starred alongside Vidharth in Aayiram Porkaasukal, directed by Ravi Murukaya.

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.


Did Elvish Yadav provide snakes for a rave party in sector 51 of Nodia? The Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner's arrest has caused a furore with several people mocking the YouTuber and others including his parents saying that he is innocent. Yadav has been sent to 14 days judicial custody. As per reports, he spent a sleepless night in jail. He was treated the same way as otherss in jail and wasn't given celebrity treatment. He reportedly confessed to his crime as well. Meanwhile, his father and mother say that their son is innocent and that people are troubling him because of they are jealous of his popularity.

X

What's his involvement in the case? The Police had reportedly recovered nine snakes including five cobras, and snake venom of around 20 ml during the raid in Noida's rave party. In his YouTube videos, fans have often seen snakes. The party was reportedly hosted by Yadav at his farmhouse in Noida. The snake venom was allegedly being used as a recreational drug, it was said.

Also Read: Snake Venom Case: Elvish Yadav's Parents Break Down On Live TV, Say 'This Isn't His Upbringing'

Is Snake venom drug dangerous?

Twitter

Not just Tobacco and cocaine are used for recreational purposes, but substances derived from snakes and scorpions are also used for recreational purposes as per the National Library of Medicine.

"Out of the various types of psychoactive substances throughout the globe, snake venom is the most dangerous substance," says a report published on the website.

Snake venom drug addiction

Screenshot from an old video/Twitter

Similar cases of snake venom addiction have cropped up in the past as well. In 2017, a study conducted by NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) revealed that people used snake bites to get high. They examined five snake bike addicts aged between 19 and 28 years who admitted to the crime.

In 2018, two drug addicts in Chandigarh admitted that they would get bitten by venomous Cobra on their tongue to get high. Similarly, there were cases in Tamil Nadu and Mumbai.

Snake venom used as a de-addiction tool?

Instagram

In 2021, a study conducted by Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, found that snake venom is often used as a de-addiction tool, an attempt to counter the addiction to alcohol. Many tribes and spirit healers used to use it initially for the same purpose.

Also Read: Snake Venom Rave Party Row: Old Video Of Elvish Roasting Aryan Khan Over Drugs Case Resurfaces

Elvish Yadav had earlier denied the allegations: Here's all you need to know about the case.

When he was accused in the case, he said, "I woke up in the morning and saw the kind of news being spread against me. It's all over the media that Elvish Yadav has been arrested, and he has been caught with intoxicating substances. All the accusations against me that are spreading are completely false. Not even 1% of them are true."

He requested the media to not tarnish his image and added, "I am ready to cooperate with the UP police, and I would like to request the UP Police, the entire administration, and respected Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to investigate thoroughly. If even 0.1% of my involvement is found in this matter, I am willing to take full responsibility."

How did Elvish Yadav's name get involved?

An animal welfare activist, from an NGO run by BJP MP Maneka Gandhi, had filed a complaint against the use of snake venom drug in Noida. During the investigation, the Police arrested five people for providing snake venom for recreational purposes at parties in Delhi-NCR who during the questioning allegedly named the Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner. Following this, an FIR was registered under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Section 120A (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Twitter

Earlier, reports suggest that Elvish was absconding after his name cropped up in the case. The Police later said that his role in the case was under investigation and that he was not absconding and would be arrested only if there was evidence found against him.

#WATCH | Mumbai: Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MP Sanjay Raut says, "...The biggest drug mafia of this country who sells snake venom, which is used in rave parties... He (Elvish Yadav) came to the CM's residence. He was welcomed and performed Lord Ganapati Aarti. Are the pic.twitter.com/zJiWjxipp9  ANI (@ANI) November 4, 2023

Uttar Pradesh Police registers FIR against YouTuber and Bigg Boss winner Elvish Yadav, for making available snake venom at rave parties



BJP MP and founder of People for Animals (PFA), Maneka Gandhi says, "He should be arrested immediately. This is a grade-I crime - that means pic.twitter.com/26qX6gciG3  ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2023





Yadav was later detained by the police in Rajasthan in November 2023 while he was on his way to Kota. He was however released later.

On March 17, Elvish Yadav was arrested.

Also Read: Why Is BJP Rooting For Elvish Yadav's Win On Bigg Boss OTT? Salman's Show Starts Political War

For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Happy Nowruz 2024: Parsi New Year, also popularly known as Navroz/ Nowruz. The day marks the commencement of the Parsi calendar.

Persian New Year is observed on the spring equinox according to the Iranian Solar Hijri calendar. This celebration, which honours the new beginning and rejuvenation of nature, is named after the words "Nav" (which means "New" in Arabic) and "Ruz" (which means "Day").

Nowruz day is observed when winter turns into spring. The Nowruz celebrations are a reflection of the rebirth of the Earth that occurs with the arrival of spring. Nowruz celebrations bear resemblance to other spring holidays such as Easter, observed by Christians, and Sham Al-Naseem, an Egyptian event dating back to the pharaonic era, in various aspects.

Navroz is of huge significance to the people of the Parsi community all around the world. It is believed that the day has been celebrated for last, 3000 years. The word Navroz literally translates to 'new day'.

Happy Nowruz 2024: Best Persian New Year Wishes And Quotes

On the auspicious occasion of Nowruz (Navroz), people decorate their houses, adorn traditional attire, and visit temples. They indulge in authentic Parsi cuisines and exchange greetings with family, friends, and relatives. If you're unable to visit loved ones, here are some of the best Nowruz wishes, quotes, images, and Happy Parsi New Year WhatsApp messages to send them on the occasion of the new year.

Happy Nowruz 2024 wishes in English

May this new year brings a lot happiness for you and your family. Happy Navroz to you!

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful Nowruz! May the upcoming year bring you happiness, health, and prosperity.

Happy Nowruz! May this occasion mark the start of new opportunities and the fulfillment of your aspirations. Here's to a year filled with success and well-being.

Happy Nowruz 2024! I hope that the next year brings you much happiness, new opportunities, a sense of fulfillment, and a renewed sense of purpose. The best of luck to you in the coming New Year.

May the next year lead you to the path of glory with your endeavors, and may your life bring you a success story. May this Parsi New Year bring you joy.

Praying for you and your family's happiness, prosperity and well-being. May you all have an amazing year ahead. Navroz Mubarak 2024!

Sending warm wishes for a Happy Nowruz to you and your family. May the year ahead be abundant in joy and prosperity.

This Nowruz, may love, bravery, wisdom, contentment, health, patience and cleanliness be by your side. Happy New Year!

Let the festivities begin! Happy Nowruz to all! May this Parsi New Year bring boundless happiness and prosperity to your life.

Sending you and your family warm wishes and good luck on Navroz! Happy Parsi New Year 2024!

As we welcome the new season and celebrate the rebirth of nature, wishing you a joyous Nowruz filled with blessings and good fortune.

Happy Navroz! May the coming year be adorned with success and happiness for you and your loved ones.

Nowruz Mubarak 2024 Messages

Navroz Mubarak! May the Navroz magic fill your life with joy, prosperity, and health for the upcoming year. I hope your Navroz is filled with nothing but success.

Nowruz comes in a rainbow of colours, and we hope you get to use them all to paint your lives with happiness and prosperity. Wishing everybody a colourful Navroz.

May love, bravery, wisdom, contentment, health, patience, cleanliness be by your side. Nowruz Mubarak.

Navroz Mubarak. Praying that God grants you and your family a joyous and prosperous New Year.

May the Navroz magic bring you joy, success, and health in the coming year. I wish you the best of luck. Happy Parsi New Year 2024!

Happy Nowruz to all my Persian friends and their families! I hope you have a great time and celebrate the start of a wonderful year.

May god bless you with health, wealth and peace. Happy New Year to you and your family. Happy New year 2024!

Nowruz Mubarak! I hope the coming year brings you all you desire and fill you with joy and fulfillment.

Wishing you a blessed Nowruz filled with vibrant colours and joy. May each day of the new year bring you closer to your dreams.

Here's to a year of triumphs and achievements! Happy Persian New Year to you and your family.

Happy Parsi New Year 2024 WhatsApp Status

Nowruz Mubarak to everyone! May this new year be filled with endless happiness and colourful moments for you and your dear ones.

This Navroz, I pray for your and your family's peace, health and prosperity. May you all have an amazing year ahead. Happy Parsi New Year!

May this Navroz bring along brighter days for you. May you enjoy this occasion with memorable celebrations. Wishing you Happy Parsi New Year.

The wind is whispering that the coming year will be a safer and happier one. Happy Nowruz, everyone.

May this Parsi New Year mark the beginning of a new chapter of your life full of new dreams and new hopes. Warm wishes on Navroz to you and your loved ones. Navroz Mubarak.

Nowruz Mubarak to my most valuable friend. This New Year can be your opportunity to shine.

Wishing you a joyful Nowruz filled with love, peace, and prosperity!

Happy Nowruz! May the new year bring you abundant blessings and happiness.

Sending warm wishes for a bright and beautiful Nowruz celebration!

May the spirit of Nowruz fill your heart with hope and positivity.

Happy Parsi New Year 2024 Quotes And Messages

Here's to a year of new beginnings and endless possibilities. Nowruz Mubarak!

Happy Nowruz to you and your family. May this year be filled with love and laughter.

Wishing you a prosperous Nowruz full of joy and success.

As we celebrate the arrival of spring, may your life bloom with happiness and fulfillment. Nowruz Mubarak!

Sending my best wishes for a wonderful Nowruz celebration. May this year bring you peace and prosperity.

Happy Nowruz! May the new year bring you closer to your dreams and aspirations.

Wishing you a colourful and joyous Nowruz celebration with your loved ones.

Here's to a year filled with love, laughter, and new opportunities. Nowruz Mubarak!

May the spirit of Nowruz bring you happiness and blessings throughout the year.

Wishing you and your family a prosperous Nowruz and a year filled with abundance.

Happy Nowruz! May this new year be a time of renewal and growth for you.

Sending warm wishes for a happy and blessed Nowruz celebration. Enjoy the festivities!

Here's to a year filled with peace, prosperity, and positivity. Nowruz Mubarak!

May the joyous occasion of Nowruz fill your home with happiness and harmony.

Wishing you a Nowruz filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories.

Happy Nowruz to you and your loved ones. May the new year bring you all that your heart desires.

For more informative articles on historical and upcoming events from around the world, please visit Indiatimes Events.


Nowruz 2024: Nowruz, also known as No-Ruz or Farsi for "new day," is an ancient festival that celebrates the arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Nowruz is the national New Year festivity celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, and the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Turkey and Syria, and throughout Central Asia.

What is Nowruz?

Nowruz is a celebration that signifies the transition from the old year to the new, typically observed on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, commonly falling between on March 19-21. Spanning 13 days, it offers a chance for introspection on past experiences and aspirations for the future. Rooted in Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian religion predating both Christianity and Islam, Nowruz holds significant cultural and spiritual significance.

According to UNESCO, the arrival of spring holds profound spiritual meaning, symbolizing the victory of goodness over evil and happiness over sadness.

As per UNESCO, The Spirit of Noon, known as Rapithwina, who was considered to be driven underground by the Spirit of Winter during the cold months, was welcomed back with celebrations at noon on the day of Nowruz according to Zoroastrian tradition.

International Nowruz Day

The celebration is included in UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 21 as International Nowruz Day in 2010.

Who celebrates Nowruz?

The festivity is celebrated in countries with significant Persian cultural influence, such as Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. It is also observed by minority communities in the Americas and Europe, including cities like Los Angeles, Toronto, and London.

When was Nowruz first celebrated?

Described by the 11th-century Persian astronomer and poet Omar Khayyam as "the renewal of the world," Nowruz dates back thousands of years.

While its exact origins are uncertain, Nowruz is believed to be at least 3,000 years old, originating during the time of the Persian Empire's expansion beyond the borders of modern Iran. It is not mentioned in the Avesta.

Throughout its long history, Nowruz has evolved and grown, incorporating various social, religious, and cultural influences as it spread across regions along established trade routes. Today, it is celebrated by an estimated 300 million people worldwide.

Despite facing numerous challenges over the centuries, including conquests by Arab forces in the 7th and 8th centuries and attempts by various governments to suppress cultural identities, Nowruz has endured as a symbol of resilience and cultural heritage.

Where is Nowruz celebrated?

Nowruz is primarily celebrated in Iran and Afghanistan, which follow the Solar Hijri calendar. However, it's also observed by many Persian and Central Asian communities around the world, regardless of their religious background.

Nowruz 2024: FAQs

What is Nowruz?

Nowruz, also spelled Norooz, Nowrooz, or , is the Iranian New Year and a spring equinox celebration. It marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

When is Nowruz 2024?

Nowruz begins at the exact moment of the vernal equinox. In 2024, this falls on Wednesday, March 20th. Celebrations typically last for two weeks.

Where is Nowruz celebrated?

Nowruz is primarily celebrated in Iran and Afghanistan, which follow the Solar Hijri calendar. It's also observed by many Persian and Central Asian communities around the world, regardless of their religious background.

Is Nowruz a religious holiday?

Nowruz predates Islam and has roots in Zoroastrianism, an ancient Iranian religion. Today, it's considered a secular holiday, celebrated by people of various faiths and ethnicities.

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is based on general information.



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Imagine you are texting back and forth with someone on a dating application, and your partner asks you out, gives you two options for a date, which one would you choose?

First option being casually catching up for a drink after work, going for a walk in a park or just for an evening coffee. Second option suggests you dress up, they offer to pick you up, take you out for dinner, drinks and then you go to a club to dance the night away!

What is Mundane Dating?

If you are happy choosing the first option, let us tell you it is called Mundane Dating, and you are not alone.

Bumble, a popular dating app, reports the growing popularity of a new dating trend, Mundane Dating, with 74% of single Indians surveyed preferring more mundane encounters than fancy, lavish ones. This is more important for women (82%) than men (77%) in India.

Bumble, a popular dating app, reports the growing popularity of a new dating trend, Mundane Dating | Image: Pexels

Dating app user Divya Sharma, a marketing professional based out of Faridabad feels stressful life is the reason. She says, Everybodys life is so busy and stressful these days, a normal date with minimal efforts feels so comforting. It can be a source of calmness. Meanwhile, an exclusive elaborate date might feel like a lot of work, and could bring that sense of pressure with it, which people these days are not looking for.



Rahul Sangwan, a Delhi based advocate echoes similar sentiments and says, A casual date because the beauty lies in the small gestures and simplicity of things. Any normal day date or any action by the other person that has personal significance attached to them would any day be more meaningful than the grand or elaborate dates/gestures. For instance, I would be happy if someone just got me a flower plucked/got by themselves on their own rather than ordering me a whole bouquet.

Read More: Dating App Myths That May Be Keeping You From Meeting The Love Of Your Life

Bumble revealed people are more focused on shared routine and comfort

According to Bumble's new study, people are focusing on shared routines and the comfort of familiar surroundings rather than extravagant experiences, with 37% of Indian respondents stating that they enjoy the simplicity and authenticity of these dates, and mundane dates can help them better understand someone's personality. 36% of Indians polled prefer meaningful chats on everyday dates over lavish activities. In fact, 43% of the single Indians polled are no longer willing to date someone who does not make time for them.

Getting to know someone on a mundane date sounds exciting to people | Image: Pexels

Dr. Rajkaran Singh, also a dating app user says, An insight of the person of how they are most of the time rather than specially dressing up or putting on something which they might be doing to pretend or present a different picture says a lot about them. The key is to be comfortable and not just try to woo the other person just for the sake of a date.



What are the most preferred ways to go on a mundane date?

The study found that evening and morning walks were the most popular (45%), followed by traveling to work (42%), grocery shopping (40%), and cooking or baking together (39%). Interestingly, 18% of GenZ said being caught in traffic together is their favorite dull date idea.

Hiten Noonwal, a drag artist, also feels the same way, Normal everyday date where we can just be ourselves and not prepare a lot for something that we are not. I would prefer going to Museums, Art Galleries or natural spaces/parks full of natural beauty where you can get to know the person more intimately as opposed to sitting in a five star restaurant, being anxious about doing something wrong.

People prefer having a shared experience | Image: Pexels

Shivangi Sharma, an advocate, describes herself as a moody dater. She feels a date puts pressure on both individuals to behave a certain way and put all that is good about them on the table, instantly! She prefers to go out for a game night or a dance workshop, a shared experience, where she can explore an activity with someone and enjoy creating something or doing something together.



She also feels regular dates feel like an interview. She adds, A lot of times people dont know how to steer a conversation. And you might not necessarily hit it off. People wait to get drunk to make the date more fun. Well, you can just start with something fun. You can get to know so much about how a person is in a setting like that. And honestly, thats way more fun than just talking or watching a movie.

What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments.

Read More: Vastu Tips: 5 Lucky Additions For Your Home This Holi

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How many of you can't stand to eat train food? Although there has been some improvement in the quality of train meals in India, there's still a long way to go. But here's something that might perk your interest, particularly if you enjoy South Indian cuisine: A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur, who appeared on Shark Tank last year, has expressed his desire to offer filter coffee and South Indian snacks on trains.

Attempt to include snacks from the South on Vande Bharat

In a post shared on X, Bengaluru entrepreneur GD Prasad commended Indian Railways for the "world class Vande Bharat in the South."

Prasad is the founder of Bengaluru-based coffee brand VS Mani & Co. In the post, he made a request that would undoubtedly resonate with many: "Request your support with more brands from our region represented in the snack tray. We'd be honoured to serve filter coffee & South Indian snacks if you give us an opportunity."

Credit: X

Along with his request, he shared an image of the snack tray on the Vande Bharat, which included packets of bhujia, peanut chikki, and masala chai.



Check out his post here:

. @RailMinIndia @AshwiniVaishnaw @PMOIndia

Were delighted by the world class Vande Bharat in the South. Request your support w/ more brands from our region represented in the snack tray. Wed be honoured to serve filter coffee & South Indian snacks if you give us an opportunity pic.twitter.com/W4rGMZowFE  GD Prasad (@gd_vsmani) March 18, 2024

Prasad has appeared on Shark Tank previously

GD Prasad, together with his co-founders Rahul Bajaj and Yashas Alur, appeared on the second season of the startup reality show 'Shark Tank India' last year.

Shark Tank

They secured 19 lakh for a 1% equity stake and 41 lakhs in debt at 10% interest, valuing their venture, VS Mani, at 19 crores. Notably, one of the judges, Anupam Mittal, had previously invested in VS Mani before the founders' appearance on the show.

'Shark Tank India' is an Indian Hindi-language business reality television series that showcases aspiring entrepreneurs from India presenting their business models to a panel of investors and convincing them to invest money in their idea.

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What can be a better way to market your business than seek the help of the government and that too on the internet?!



GD Prasad grabbed eyeballs for making a unique pitch to the railway minister. Founder of coffee brand VS Mani & Co, he urged the Indian Railway to include South Indian brands aboard the Vande Bharat Express trains in the region.

VS Mani and Co

Prasad took to X, posting a tweet directed to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Ministry of Railways. Alongside a snapshot of the snack tray served on Vande Bharat, he requested governments backing for southern brands. Additionally, he volunteered to provide South Indian snacks and filter coffee from his own brand.

. @RailMinIndia @AshwiniVaishnaw @PMOIndia

Were delighted by the world class Vande Bharat in the South. Request your support w/ more brands from our region represented in the snack tray. Wed be honoured to serve filter coffee & South Indian snacks if you give us an opportunity pic.twitter.com/W4rGMZowFE  GD Prasad (@gd_vsmani) March 18, 2024

Complimenting the service provided on the Vande Bharat Express, he wrote, Were delighted by the world class Vande Bharat in the South. Request your support w/ more brands from our region represented in the snack tray. Wed be honoured to serve filter coffee & South Indian snacks if you give us an opportunity.

The snack tray featured a variety of items including bhujia, peanut brittle, masala chai, and a tetra pack of juice, among others.

The Businessman Bagged A Good Deal On Shark Tank India Season 2 As Well

GD Prasad, along with his co-founders Rahul Bajaj and Yashas Alur, made an appearance on the second season of the start-up reality show Shark Tank India last year. They secured Rs 19 lakh for 1% equity and Rs 41 lakhs in debt at 10% interest, valuing the company at Rs 19 crores.

sonyliv

Interestingly, one of the judges, Anupam Mittal, had already invested in VS Mani before its founders appeared on the show.



Prasad expressed the brand's ambition to become the "Haldiram's of South India."
In a recent episode of Shark Tank India season 3, the remarkable journey of Dadasaheb Bhagat came into the limelight, with the former office boy at Infosys bagging a Rs 1 crore deal on the show.

Former Infosys Office Boy Pitches On Shark Tank India

dadasaheg bhagat shark tank india infosys office boy/x

Now the proud owner of a Rs 10 crore startup, Bhagat captured the attention and admiration of the sharks on Shark Tank India Season 3. Coming from Beed, Maharashtra, Dadasaheb's story is a testament to the power of determination and perseverance. Beginning his career as an office boy with a meager income of Rs 80 a day, he defied all odds to build his own thriving enterprise, showcasing the transformative potential of unwavering resolve and hard work.



Also Read: Educational Qualifications Of Shark Tank India Judges

What He Did After Dropping Out Of School

shark tank infosys office boy/x

Dadasaheb was born in 1994 and had to leave school after 10th grade to help his family. He worked different jobs and eventually got a job at Infosys in Chennai, where he did various tasks like cleaning. But he didn't give up on learning. In his free time, he taught himself about computers, like coding and design. This helped him prepare for better opportunities ahead, as per various media reports.



Despite facing setbacks, Dadasaheb remained resilient. Despite a life-altering accident, he continued to pursue education and explore entrepreneurial opportunities. His passion for graphics design inspired him to start selling templates online, eventually founding two successful companies: Ninthmotion and DooGraphics.

Aman Gupta Invests Rs 1 Crore In The Startup

In an extraordinary twist of fate, Dadasaheb made an appearance on Shark Tank India with hopes of expanding his business. Originally seeking Rs 1 crore for a 2.5 percent stake, he ultimately struck a deal with Aman Gupta, the co-founder of Boat. Gupta decided to invest Rs 1 crore in exchange for a 10 percent stake in Dadasaheb's company.

Also Read: Shark Tank India Season 3: List Of All 12 Judges & Their Net Worths

For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here
The Nigerian Army, on Monday, warned the Okuama community in Delta State to brace themselves for the consequence of their actions.

This follows after 16 soldiers deployed on a peaceful and mediatory mission were killed during a communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba communities.

Director of Army Public Relations, Major-General Onyema Nwachukwu, via a statement, condemned the community for resorting to propaganda rather than uncovering the culprits.

The unfortunate killing of troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion of the Nigerian Army (NA), while on a peaceful and mediatory mission, after a reported case of a communal clash between Okuama and Okoloba Communities in Ughelli South and Bomadi LGAs of Delta State respectively is not only despicable but should be unreservedly condemned by all.

These were troops committed to peace and security of lives and property of citizens and non-citizens alike in the Niger Delta Region, murdered in cold blood by an armed youth gang of Okuama Community, in the most gruesome, heartless and cruel manner and went ahead to sacrilegiously debase their remains by ripping out their hearts by the very people they were there to protect.

Regrettably, the community complicit in this dastardly act has resorted to media propaganda and shenanigans, rather than engage in a positive effort to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime. This, again, is a clear indication that the murder of the troops was a communally orchestrated attack against legitimate forces.

The falsehood being peddled by these criminals and their cohorts to whip up sentiments and sway the public to coverup, endorse or support the outrageous criminal acts of their armed youth gang should be disregarded in its entirety, it is only a ridiculous attempt at justifying their crime, rather than turn in themselves to security agencies. There is no amount of propaganda that would arm-twist the narrative; they are complicit and must be ready to face the wrath of the law.

READ ALSO: Bandits Informant Nabbed With Stolen Cow In Kaduna

While law-abiding citizens are assured that there will be no reprisal on the part of the troops, we enjoin all to go about their normal activities, even as ongoing efforts are scaled up to positively identify and isolate the criminals to account for their atrocious deeds.

The Chief of Army of Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, while commiserating with the families of the officers and soldiers who lost their lives, has directed that no stone should be left unturned until the perpetrators of this gruesome acts are apprehended to face the full wrath of the law. Troops are determined to get to these criminals, there is certainly no hiding place for them.

Meanwhile, sequel to last weeks killing of 16 soldiers, troops of the Nigerian Army have stormed Igbomotoru community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, razing houses and allegedly killing about 11 people.

Soldiers in five gunboats reportedly invaded the community, razing houses suspected to be the hideout of a militant leader said to be involved in the killing of the military men.

According to Daily Trust, a source said immediately the troops stormed the Bayelsa community, they opened fire on some residents relaxing at the jetty before proceeding to set ablaze three buildings suspected to be the hideout of the said militant leader.

He said the community had been able to recover 11 corpses from the attack, while still searching for others as at the time of filing this report.

The military invasion has affected the people gravely. Lives have been lost, properties have been destroyed. Even after the attack, I am sure that life in the community will never be the same.

This weekend was scheduled for the burial of one of my late uncles. We had paid for food, drinks, music, speedboat and canopies. And now because of this, the burial can no longer hold.

In fact some of the people we paid money to are saying that if the date changes, we would have to pay extra money. Is that not a huge loss on its own? So we would have to start looking for more money, that is if there will ever be peace in the community.

I am appealing to the Federal and State Government to as a matter of urgency intervene in this matter. We do not have a hand in whatever transpired in Delta State. The international community should come to our aid, the source said.
Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, on Monday, confirmed the arrest of one Imaobong Sampson and her boyfriend, Beltus Ebong, in Mbierebe Obio village, Ibesikpo Asutan Area of the state for allegedly faking their kidnap.

In a statement disclosed by the spokesperson for the state police command, Odiko Macdon, revealed that the suspects were nabbed in their hideout by officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad after their case was reported by relative.

The statement reads: On 11/3/2024 at about 10:00hrs, a report was received from one Enobong Sampson F of Nung Oku Village in Ibesikpo Asutan L.G.A that her sister, one Imaobong Francis Sampson, was kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding for a ransom of four million naira.

As a result, operatives of Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the command embarked on an intense and intelligence-driven investigation so as to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victim. On 12/3/2024 at about 23:15hrs, the said purported victim, one Imaobong Sampson M, and her boyfriend, Beltus Ebong M, were arrested in their hideout at Mbierebe Obio Village, Ibesikpo Asutan L.G.A.

READ MORE: Five Die, 11 Injured In Akwa Ibom Auto Crash

She confessed to having conspired with her boyfriend, one Beltus Ebong M, Dominic Friday Charlie M, her sister, Enobong Sampson F, and Inyene Ime Akpan now at large to proclaim her kidnap in order to raise money from her aunty who is based abroad.
Armed men who invaded the Ikobi community of Apa Local Government Area in Benue State, have reportedly killed an Internally Displaced Person (IDP).

It was gathered that some villagers, on Monday, disclosed that the deceased who relied on farming to cater for his family was forced out of his town, including his relatives after the gunmen unleashed terror in their vicinity.

According to a source from the village, identified as Adakole, told DAILY TRUST that, following the attack, the victim and others took shelter at a make-shift camp in Ugbokpo, the headquarters of Apa LGA.

READ MORE: Gunmen Kill 34 In Benue IDP Camp

However, in a bid to secure better living for his family, the deceased had raise some money which he used to purchased a piece of land with an intent to build a house away from his troubled village.

The source said: He (victim) just paid N500,000 for a land in the LGA headquarters yesterday (weekend) and went home (Ikobi) to get some food for his family. But, he was killed in his farm between Ikobi and Ologba.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, has appealed to Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubus Renewed Hope agenda.

Sule who spoke on Monday when Obi visited him in Lafia, the State capital, maintained that elections were over, adding that the President alone cannot address the challenges confronting the nation.

According to him, Tinubu needed all the necessary support, sinxlxe only well-meaning citizens like Obi can contribute to bring the country back on track.

I know you have the experience, competence and capacity to support the President in the overall interest of the country.

The President is your friend and colleague, we were all in Lagos at some point, and as such you need to contribute your quota to the development of the country, Sule said.

READ ALSO: Boko Haram Burnt Our House Down While We Were Inside  Actress Susan Pwajok

He further commended Obi for drilling boreholes in some communities in the State, adding that the gesture complemented the governments efforts to alleviate peoples suffering.

On his part, Obi said the visit was part of his nationwide tour to provide support to Nigerians during Ramadan.

I am not desperate to be President of this country, but I am desperate to see Nigeria work for the good of all.

I always commend people when they do well because politics to me is not about being negative every time, he said.

Obi lauded Sule for constructing new roads in the state, which he said gave it a new appearance.
Veteran Nigeria comic actor, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Alibaba, has said that some states created by the military regime should be local government areas.

Alibaba added that subregionals unable to generate enough revenue to sustain their operations but depend on monthly allocations from the Federal Government should be local government areas.

The veteran actor led this out during an interview on Channels Televisions Sunrise Daily program, revealed that some of the 36 states of the Federation were created by the military to appease commanders who were later deployed to the states as administrators.

He said: Our constitution is the biggest problem we hve now; its an anomaly, its not actually a constitution; its something that some people drafted, got some lawyers to knock it together because the constitution doesnt speak to the growth and national development of our country.

READ MORE: Self Love Is Not Selfish, Says Alibaba

The truth is if you want this country to grow, let each state generate its own revenue. The Federal Government can assist them if they want to but the funds and revenue that comes from certain states should not be shared to every other person. states created by the military regime should be local government areas.

Some States were created just to appease some military officers. Oh, this guy is a senior military officer, he comes from this area, we cant give him a state now, lets just create a state and take care of those people.

Or the issue of: We want to create four states in the north, lets just balance it with some states in the south so that it will look deliberate because some of the states that were created needed to be local governments.

Up till now, we have states that if they do not get federal allocations for three months, there will be problem in the state. Meanwhile, those same states have enough natural resources.

Our constitution is the biggest problem we have now; its an anomaly, its not actually a constitution; its something that some people drafted, got some lawyers to knock it together because the constitution doesnt speak to the growth and national development of our country.

The truth is if you want this country to grow, let each state generate its own revenue. The Federal Government can assist them if they want to but the funds and revenue that comes from certain states should not be shared to every other person.


Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have weighed in on the recent appointments by the Minister Nyesom Wike of the FCT.

According to them, the former Rivers State Governor is obsessed with engaging his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyalists at the expense of their members.

The FCT party chieftains, who vented their frustration at a media parley held at the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Abuja, on Monday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to caution Wike before he destroys the nations capital political structure.

Wike had appointed former Chairman of the PDP in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers, Chidi Amadi, as Chief of Staff; erstwhile state Chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah, as Coordinator of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council; Michael Chinda as Senior Special Adviser on Land, Urban and Regional Planning; and Barivure Fred, another senior aide on Environment and Waste Management.

These appointments, amongst others, have continued to irk APC members, especially indigenes of the FCT.

Abdulwahab Ekekhide, an APC chieftain in the FCT, faulted the appointments of the Minister, describing them as lopsided in utter disregard for FCT members of the Party who contributed to the electoral victory of the President.

Speaking with newsmen, Ekekhide said, We want to let President Bola Tinubu know that Nyesom Wike is killing the political structure of the APC in FCT due to his lack of regard for the party and its leadership. Since assumption of office, he has refused to sit with the leadership of the party, even though the party has written him a series of letters to grant the party audience, all to no avail. We say this is unacceptable.

READ ALSO: Budget Padding: I Received N1bn Allocation For Projects  Ned Nwoko

You will all recall some months back when Wike was quoted as saying Nobody can take over or kill my political structure in Rivers State. So, why is he now killing the Presidents political structure in the FCT? The reason the APC always loses elections in the FCT is because successive ministers import strangers who do not belong to any political ward, polling unit or have voting rights as appointees. But when it is time for general elections, they will pack their baggage and travel to their various states leaving the FCT dry.

We call on Mr. President to caution the minister. Let him start empowering the party or else, the APC will struggle to get two percent and the President may lose the next area councils election in 2027 if the situation remains this way. These recent appointments have shown that Hon. Wike wants to finally kill and bury the party. His agenda we dont know but we will resist any further attempts to ridicule the party.

On his part, APC Youth Leader in the FCT, Isaac David, threatened that if Wike continued denying party members their rights after working so hard for the Presidents electoral victory, they might be forced to withdraw their support for the President.

The ministers PVC wasnt registered in the FCT here. The same goes for the PDP loyalists and supporters he is bringing into Abuja for appointments. If they are ignoring us, the indigenes and the FCT APC members, we will see who will vote him back in 2027.

We will withdraw our support from Mr President. Let us see if he plans to win the FCT in 2027, he stated.
The Federal Government has appealed to the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) to call off the seven-day warning strike that started on Monday.

Both unions began the industrial action to press for the payment of their salaries.

Minister of State, Labour, and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, who beckoned on them to shelve the strike, described their action as a total disregard for the Federal Governments effort to address their concern.

She stated that the Ministry was not officially notified by the unions of their intention to proceed on a seven-day warning strike, a development the minister said is contrary to the provisions of section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act.

The Ministrys spokesperson, Olajide Oshundun in a Monday statement said, However, when the Ministry got wind of the intended warning strike, it reached out to the leadership of the unions for an emergency meeting in order to avert the strike.

READ ALSO: SSANU, NASU Direct Members To Begin Nationwide Strike Monday Over Withheld Salaries

Unfortunately, a physical meeting could not be arranged between the unions and the federal government, but a tele-discussion took place between their leadership and the Ministry.

Consequently, the Ministry suggested another date, Monday 18th March, for a proper conciliation meeting, believing that on the basis of that discussion, the intended strike would be put on hold pending the outcome of the meeting; but this date was rejected by the unions.

The Minister has always maintained that strike does not serve any useful purpose and should only be resorted to as a last option after exhausting every conciliation effort.

She appeals to the SSANU and NASU to step back from their hard-line stance and meet the federal government at the table for conciliation.

The Minister also appeals to all Nigerians to always take steps that are beneficial to the well-being of the country and the citizens.
The COVID pandemic was a struggle for everyonesome more than othersbut a major factor in making it through was the ability to work from home. Many companies were able to continue only because their workforce could work productively remotely. Some companies, notably tech companies, even thrived. One could argue that Zoom itself kept us from a complete economic disaster.

Working remotely was good in all kinds of ways. Many people really liked it. No more commute time meant hours of recaptured leisure and productivity, not to mention saved costs and reduced stress. Families were able to spend more time together. As work and life mingled together, many people came to enjoy the flexibility and freedom that working from home provides. Sure, there were problems, but overall, the pandemic changed the workplace for the better.

As the memory of the pandemic begins to fade, however, companies are starting to ask (force?) people to return to office (RTO). I live in the Philly area, and it seems like organizations around here have RTO feverthey want their employees to stop working from home and come back to the office full-time. Independence Blue Cross, a large health insurer based in Philadelphia, is forcing everyone back to the office at least three days a week starting in March. The new mayor here, Cherelle Parker, is making all city employees work in the office.

And its not just Philly. Businesses across the country are calling for employees to RTO. Amazon famously is requiring people hired at remote locations to move closer to an office or lose their jobs. Ironically, even Zoom has issued a return-to-office mandate.

I get why. Many managers have the (outdated?) notion that they cant properly control people who arent in their direct line of sight. Many believe that the incidental, physical interaction that occurs between people at the office is superior to the conversations that take place on video calls and Slack. And Im sure that there are substantial investments in commercial real estate that company executives cant stand to see go unused.

But RTO is a really bad idea. It is an especially bad idea for software development teams.

Being left alone is nirvana for software developers. Interruptionsthe crashing of the house of cards the developers carefully build in their brainsare the bane of developer productivity. Cubicle farms are breeding grounds for interruptions and distractions. Joel Spolsky, co-founder of Stack Overflow and well-known blogger, famously wrote that every software developer should have their own office with a door that closes. But few software development companies, perhaps foolishly, are willing to spend the money to give every developer a private space.

Working from home solves this problem. Software development organizations are uniquely suited to remote work, and indeed software development was early to the remote work shift. Code doesnt care where it gets written and where it is stored.

Remote work is in effect an office with a door that closes, allowing every developer to establish their own ground rules for where and how they work. Im sure that home and family life can and do provide distractions, but a developer will have much more control over their home environment than the one in an office.

Thus, the pandemic caused software developers to realize the value and benefits of working from home, and they will not be pleased at the notion of giving that up. Many who are forced back to the office will seek employment where things are more flexible. They will not be willing to give up the flexibility and work-life balance that working from home provides.

And of course, the best software companies realize this. People with good development skills are hard to find and certainly not concentrated within commuting distance of company headquarters. Software developers, especially the best ones, have realized that proximity to the home office is decidedly not required for success. They will gradually seek out companies who recognize this and allow them to choose where they live and even when they work.

Thus, taking a remote first approach to the workplace environment allows companies to seek out and attract those top-tier developers who can command a remote job. Companies that force their developers to come into the office will see developerstheir best developers!leave for companies that provide a more flexible environment.

Software companies who fail to realize the titanic shift in workplace structure caused by the pandemic will force developers back to the office at their peril.
Officer Ida Allen talks to a man sitting on a baggage claim at Terminal B at Philadelphia International Airport in 2020, amid efforts by the city to clear encampments of people experiencing homelessness who were gathering at the airport. In early 2024, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker issued an RFP to find a vendor to reduce the presence of homeless individuals at the airport. Read more

For two weeks in late February and early in March, the city and Philadelphia Police took steps to clear people experiencing homelessness from the Philadelphia Airport, where a growing number have been gathering. The efforts come as Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers administration and the airport look for an outreach organization to reduce the presence of homeless individuals at the airport.

Every day, it is a priority of the mayors to improve the quality of life for people living homeless, said a city spokesperson via email. Seeking shelter at the airport does not promote a good quality of life when there are services available to them and we are encouraging them to accept the services and shelter.

Since the pandemic, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased at PHL, putting a strain on the airport facilities, particularly the restrooms in the non-secured side of the airport which includes baggage claim and arrivals areas, according to the city spokesperson. Other airports around the country are experiencing a similar uptick in vulnerable people seeking refuge at their facilities.

An encampment clearing initiative at PHL went into effect on Feb. 24 and ended on March 10 in order to remove people who dont have official business with the airport and appear to be living there, according to the city spokesperson. The Philadelphia Police Department was deployed and the Office of Homeless Services provided emergency shelter to those who were displaced. A tally of how many people were removed was not available at the time of publication. Police did not make any arrests but did issue 14 code violations, according to the city spokesperson.

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On Tues., March 5, SELF Inc., an organization that provides emergency housing dispatched at least two vans to PHL to provide emergency housing to anyone who was willing to be placed, a spokesperson for the group said.

Two people experiencing homelessness were removed from the airport and taken to the police district on March 6, according to Jasmine Reilly, a Philadelphia Police Department spokesperson.

A more pleasant airport experience

The police efforts come as the city has issued a request for proposals (RFP) to develop a program to create a safer environment and improved guest experience at PHL.

The RFP states the goals include discouraging people who are homeless from staying at the airport by connecting them with resources, educating PHL employees on how to engage with this vulnerable population, and maintaining a safe environment for PHL employees and travelers.

Reducing the presence of unsheltered individuals at PHL will make for a more pleasant airport experience for all. It is our hope that these individuals will receive the true assistance that they need, reads the RFP.

The number of people who are homeless at the airport has grown in the last three years, according to the RFP, which notes that the airport counts people who appear to be experiencing homelessness on its grounds three times a day. On average, in January 2023, there were 43 people experiencing homelessness per count, but on Jan. 27, a total of 75 people were accounted for during the third count of the day.

Proposals are being received through April 2 and the work is intended to begin on July 1.

Self Inc. and Project HOME, two of the citys leading homeless advocacy organizations, declined to comment on the RFP via spokespeople.

Mayor Parkers plan

Parkers proposed five-year financial and strategic plan, released last week, notes that the Philadelphia Police Department, through its Airport Unit, aims to reduce the amount of people experiencing homelessness at the airport.

The Police Department has found people experiencing homelessness near baggage claim or the garage stairway areas, the plan notes. The department is already trying to connect this group of people at the airport with resources and outreach services, and intends to ramp up activity there as part of initiatives that could be carried out in the next four to five years, the proposal notes.

The Airport Unit plans to increase their resources and options for services for the unsheltered by working with City Officials and the Department of Aviation on plans to address the homeless issue on airport grounds, reads the proposal.

The mayors proposed budget also includes $33 million in new spending on public safety efforts, and $36 million in funding for housing programs this year, The Inquirer reported. The budget includes $16 million in added funding for the citys Office of Homeless Services which overspent its budget by almost $15 million in the last four years.

Uptick at airports

During the early days of the pandemic, as shelters took in fewer people in Philadelphia in order to create safer conditions, some people experiencing homelessness migrated to the airport, The Inquirer reported in 2020.

Since the pandemic, the number of people experiencing homelessness at PHL has increased, according to the city spokesperson.

Since the airport is a public facility providing bathrooms, water, Wi-Fi, and access to transportation, individuals arrive at PHL who may have nowhere else to go, reads the RFP.

PHL is among other airports in the country that have also seen an increase in unsheltered people, according to the city spokesperson.

In February 2023, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city was taking steps to remove people experiencing homeless from the airports, according to the Chicago Tribune. Last month, Atlanta City Council voted on a measure that restricts access of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport by only allowing in those who are picking up or dropping off someone and travelers, according to Fox5 Atlanta.

Overall, Philadelphia has seen a decrease in the number of people experiencing homelessness, The Inquirer reporter earlier this year. In 2018, there were over 1,000 individuals in this population which decreased to about 800 in 2023.
Philadelphia police cruiser drives near Northeast High School the day after eight students were shot at bus stop at Rising Sun and Cottman Avenues. Read more

The fourth and final suspect sought in connection with a shooting at a Burholme bus stop that left eight Northeast High School students injured earlier this month has been captured.

Authorities arrested Asir Boone, 17, in Alexandria, Va., just after noon Tuesday, U.S. Marshals said. The teen had been in hiding with an unidentified woman who had ties to Philadelphia.

Boone complied with officers commands and was taken into custody without incident, marshals said. Authorities then took him to the Alexandria Police Department for processing.

I hope this final arrest brings some comfort to the student victims of this senseless crime, said Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark. No child should have to fear for their safety while receiving an education and I hope these arrests can subside that fear.

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Authorities had called for Boone to turn himself in following the arrests of three other people in connection with the March 6 shooting at Rising Sun and Cottman Avenues. Last week, U.S. Marshals took Jermahd Carter, 19, into custody on the 12000 block of Academy Road in Northeast Philadelphia. Two other 18-year-olds, Ahnile Buggs and Jamaal Tucker, who turned himself in to police, were also arrested.

Those three are charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and related crimes. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasners office has approved similar charges for Boone, including firearms violations, conspiracy, and recklessly endangering another person, a spokesperson said.

Clark said it was not yet clear when Boone would be extradited back to Philadelphia to face the charges against him.

Boones arrest is the latest development in the Burholme shooting. Gunfire erupted just before 3 p.m. at the so-called Five Points intersection, which hundreds of students pass through each day to catch SEPTA buses to and from school.

Northeast High, where all eight victims attended school, is less than a mile away, and many students transfer buses at the stop where the shooting occurred.

As students gathered on the corner, a blue Hyundai sat parked in the parking lot of a nearby Dunkin location, police said. As a group of students approached the stop, three people wearing masks emerged from the vehicle and began shooting. Over the course of seconds, they fired more than 30 shots before returning to the vehicle to flee.

Many victims were seriously injured, including one 16-year-old who suffered nine gunshot wounds. Another 16-year-old suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, and a 15-year-old was struck in the spine.

Police recovered the Hyundai in Olney hours after the shooting, saying that it had been reported stolen and had a counterfeit temporary license plate affixed to it during the shooting.

Evidence recovered from the vehicle, as well as surveillance video from near where the car was found, led investigators to the suspects, authorities said last week. Following a search of Buggs home, police said they recovered a .40-caliber Glock 22 pistol with an extended magazine, laser aiming device, and a switch, a part that attaches to a semiautomatic firearm and makes it capable of fully automatic fire.

The Burholme shooting was one of several that left 11 juveniles shot, one fatally, in a span of three days. As a result, city leaders said they would deploy more law enforcement resources to school corridors, and that transit police would more strictly enforce lesser criminal violations and conduct more pedestrian stops.

We will focus on prevention, intervention, and enforcement, and ... we will be unapologetic about engaging the support of every law enforcement partner who we have available to us to help us address this issue, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said last week.

Authorities have not yet announced a possible motive in the shooting, but said that it may have been related to a shooting outside of Imhotep Institute Charter High School that occurred two days before. That shooting left one 17-year-old dead and injured four other people, two of them students.
File: Teacher Micheal A. Nusbaum checks with students Brandon Martinez, 15, Adriana Bruce, 16, and Marialyz Daniels, 16, all 10th graders during Mandarin class at Brimm Medical Arts High School in Camden. The Camden district is offering a $10K signing bonus to hire teachers for hard-to-fill vacancies. Read more

For the third straight year, the Camden school district is offering a $10K signing bonus to attract new teachers for the upcoming school year.

Like other districts in the region, Camden is scrambling to fill vacancies in the wake of a national teacher shortage. It projects more than 100 openings for the 2024-25 school year, said Tyra Jenkins, manager of recruitment and staffing.

The bonus will be offered to new hires in critical areas  special education, math, science, world languages, health and physical education, and ESL, Jenkins said.

Since there is a teacher shortage we are trying to do something different, Jenkins said Monday. Were just trying to attract the best and brightest for our students.

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Jenkins believes the bonus will give the district a hiring edge. Philadelphia offers a $2,500 bonus for teachers who agree to work in schools that have traditionally had difficulty filling positions.

 READ MORE: Camden schools are offering $10K signing bonus to attract new teachers. This is where we are, says the superintendent.

For the past few years, teachers have been leaving at alarming rates, and enrollment in teaching programs has declined. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, lawmakers have taken steps to ease certificate requirements to get more teachers in the classroom and retain veteran educators.

But New Jersey has not seen a large uptick in districts offering bonuses, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. The New Jersey Education Association has called bonuses a Band-Aid on a bigger problem: teacher salaries too low to attract recruits.

Camden plans to hold a job fair on Tuesday at Camden High from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. to recruit for positions, including teachers, support staff, custodians, and security officers. About 200 people have registered, and on-site interviews have been scheduled with some, Jenkins said.

In a perfect world, we would fill every position, Jenkins said.

Camden, which has about 5,900 students in its traditional public schools, began offering the signing bonus as a perk in 2023. Superintendent Katrina McCombs said at the time, This is where we are.

The district gave out $20,000 in bonuses the first year, and about $40,000 last year, officials said. The bonus is paid over two years in installments.

 READ MORE: The strongest talent is already in our schools: Paraprofessionals get help making the leap to teacher

Jenkins said the district still has about 30 vacancies for the current school year. The district has used substitute teachers or asked teachers to cover two classes to fill the gaps.

In 2022, the district launched a pilot program in Puerto Rico to fill bilingual and ESL positions, where a certified teacher is required. About 54% of its students are Latino and 14% are English-language learners. McCombs said at the time that the district was desperate and wanted to try a different approach.

The district said it would assist candidates with their applications and temporary visas to work in the United States and would cover fees and application costs, roughly $2,500 per person.

District spokesperson Sheena Yera said the program has been put on hold. It was not immediately known if the program yielded any hires.

Staff writer Kristen A. Graham contributed to to this article.
Chef Ange Branca at her new restaurant, Kampar. Parts of the mural were salvaged from Brancas previous restaurant, Sate Kampar. Read more

Ange Branca faced a difficult decision: It was May 2020, and the pandemic had closed her acclaimed Malaysian BYOB Sate Kampar for indoor dining. At some point, she knew, it would reopen. But the landlord had offered her a new lease, and he wanted 15% more.

Was she willing to move? And if so, to where?

She walked away. For four years, she roamed, doing pop-ups and cooking catered meals out of friends kitchens. Along the way, she met like-minded chefs who were hustling from gig to gig, and while working out of an unused kitchen at the Bok building, she used her corporate-management experience to create Kampar Kitchen, a business incubator that supports chefs from diverse backgrounds.

This week, Branca returns to the restaurant business with Kampar, an ambitious concept that will see two restaurants under one roof. On the second floor is a kongsi, or social club, that will feature an a la carte menu of Malaysian cuisine, including Sate Kampar favorites such as achat (spicy nyonya-pickled vegetables), rendang (braised beef in spices and coconut cream), and nasi lemak (rice wrapped in banana leaf). Branca cant offer her signature coconut-briquette-grilled skewers because the exhaust system lacks the oomph.

In the kongsi, Branca is also introducing Hakka cooking, a Chinese cuisine preserved in Kampar, her hometown, with dishes such as wagyu suen poon chee (abacus seeds made with taro and stir-fried with wagyu beef, fermented vegetables, and oyster sauce) and chili pan mee (a hand-cut noodle served with a pork topping, soft-boiled egg, and a spoonful of spicy shrimp chili crisps and crispy anchovies).

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On the first floor, opening later, will be a second restaurant that will offer a fixed-price tasting menu by a chef in residence. The idea is to spotlight chefs from other underrepresented cultures, such as Sri Lankan cuisine, which is too often lumped into Indian food, Branca said.

The restaurant at 611 S. Seventh St. in Bella Vista was a pizzeria. Fittingly, it was called Nomad.

The backstory: Sate Kampar

Ange Branca, born Angelina May Yee Phang, is Hakka, a people from China known for their distinct culture and waves of migration. Many who arrived in Malaysia, like Brancas ancestors, worked as laborers in the tin mines. Branca said that her father was the first male in five generations who did not work in the mines; he left Kampar to study engineering and was working in Singapore when she was born 50 years ago.

Branca went to university and was a strategist for the management-consulting firm Deloitte when she arrived in Philadelphia in 2000. She met John Branca, who owned a rock-climbing gym with his brother. For years, she wrestled with homesickness for the food she grew up with. By 2016, Ange had talked John into opening Sate Kampar in a former bottle shop in a storefront on East Passyunk Avenue.

She originally envisioned Sate Kampar as a kopitiam-style restaurant  a mini-food hall of sorts  with multiple chefs cooking a variety of cuisines in stalls. But she decided to go solo.

With her grilled skewers and a bar serving coffee and tea drinks, Sate Kampar was a novelty in a town largely unfamiliar with Malaysian cuisine.

We were trying to create an experience so that people can understand that Malaysia is a country in Asia, and this is not Chinese food, Branca said recently. Other than days where I make special noodles, we would never hand anyone a pair of chopsticks. You would eat with your spoon or your hands.

Sate Kampar immediately captured glowing reviews, followed by a 2017 semifinalists spot for a James Beard Award.

The new Kampar

Branca is finally going to host other chefs in her space, but instead of a kopitiam-style restaurant, she will partner with a single chef for a two-year residency.

I would like them to have their own restaurant when they leave here, Branca said of the resident chef. Pop-ups are great to get our feet wet. But there is still a bridge between pop-ups to owning and running your own restaurant. You need to be able to create a financial history to get the required funding when they need to. For people making underrepresented food, it is very difficult to get funding.

Kampars second-floor bar, with the words Kampar Kongsi written in Chinese characters in neon, will be a focal point. A kongsi is an after-hours social club in the middle of a tin mine, Branca explained. The chef is very important because the best chefs attract the best workers to the mine.

Kampars bar is overseen by general manager Sam Pritchard, a longtime bartender. More than a cocktail bar, Pritchard sees it as a new opportunity to continue to find ways to tell the story of [Brancas] community and her people. It will be open only for walk-ins, at first.

Pritchard said working on the bar program has been both a treat and a challenge. The bar is fully stocked, and includes some Southeast Asian bottles such as Song Cai floral, a Vietnamese gin, and Batavia Arrack, a rum made with red Javanese rice. Theres also Shou Wu Chih, a Chinese patent medicine, as a mixer.

The idea, Pritchard said, is to lean into the concept of social club. I want this to be a bar that creates a space that is both engaging but also really a home for the growing AAPI community in Philadelphia. I think as restaurant people, we all know that that is such a huge part of the story of what Philadelphias food scene looks like right now, and I think we have a unique opportunity to create a really fun, safe community space here.
Cooper University Health filled all 10 of its pediatrics residency program spots in the initial phase of the 2024 match. Read more

Emergency medicine physicians at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery cheered as this years residency match week kicked off last week. All eight of their openings for residents were filled in the match, unlike last year, when half were left open after the initial phase of the process.

Einstein Montgomerys experience is part of a national trend: emergency medicine residency programs are bouncing back after an unprecedented 554 spots were unfilled last year.

 READ MORE: Match time: How Philly-area residency programs fared in last years match, by the numbers

Only 135 were left unclaimed this year, and none is at Einstein or other Jefferson Health-owned hospitals.

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The National Residency Match Program is the months-long process through which graduating medical students apply to the next phase of their clinical training. Applicants rank their desired programs, and vice versa. An algorithm matches these rankings and the process culminates in a reveal of these pairings in mid-March on a day that is known as Match Day.

Last year, Jefferson didnt fill a quarter of its spots in emergency medicine. The vacancies included: four of eight spots at Einstein Montgomery, eight out of 14 at Einsteins main hospital in North Philadelphia, four of eight in Jefferson Northeast, and one of 13 in Jeffersons South Jersey program.

All these spots filled up in the 2024 match, a spokesperson for Jefferson said.

Separately, Nazareth Hospital in Northeast Philadelphia, part of Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, filled up their six spots in emergency medicine after not filling a single one in the match last year.

Nazareth interviewed prospective residents in person this year, moving away from last years fully virtual approach. That helped students get a better understanding of the program, Kanika Gupta, the hospitals emergency medicine residency program director, said in a statement.

Unmatched slots dont necessarily mean fewer residents get trained. The match takes a week to allow programs and applicants to scramble to fill empty spots. All emergency medicine spots in Jefferson and Nazareth filled over the four-day scramble last year.

Pediatrics

Across the U.S., the number of unfilled pediatrics residency slots more than doubled this year, with 252 training slots nationally initially unmatched. But Philly-area programs were still in demand.

The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia filled all 61 of its residency spots throughout six training programs. Similarly, Tower Healths St. Christophers Hospital for Children filled its 24 residency spots. In New Jersey, Cooper University Healths pediatrics program in partnership with Rowan University filled all of its 10 spots.

Einstein Medical Center operates a pediatrics residency program in partnership with St. Christophers that did not participate in the match. Einstein announced in January the program will close once the current residents graduate.

 READ MORE: Einstein Medical Center shuts down pediatric residency program
For iftar, some families prepared their own meals, including Palestinian and Syrian food, at Al Aqsa Islamic Society in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Ramadan is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. The fast is broken each day with a nightly meal called iftar. Read more

In the backyard of my hometown mosque in Memphis, aromas of bubbling curries, sizzling kebabs, and colorful biryani waft in the air. Community elders have meticulously set up cooking stations on folding tables, the gentle flicker of fuel can flames keeping the traditional South Asian dishes hot while the congregation passes around paper plates of samosas and dates.

I listen to my mother whisper prayers as I mentally countdown the minutes til sunset. Then, all at once phones chime with notifications and the call to prayer from the mosque quiets the chatter of the crowd  its finally time to feast.

During Ramadan, the monthlong holiday when observant Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown, I eagerly anticipate the nightly iftar. The meal breaks the days 12- to 17-hour fast, creating a moment of communal joy and satisfaction shared over a varied meal alongside family and friends.

When I moved to Philadelphia a little over three years ago, iftars hosted by mosques were my north star for finding community. What I found was a blend of Philly natives and immigrants from the citys Muslim diaspora, from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan, breaking fast together at mosques, kitchen tables, and 24-hour diners across the city.

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The holy month, celebrated this year from March 11 to April 9, is a spiritual gift I often overlook but one that always comes around when I need it the most. Taking away food and water, basic necessities for life, allows me to retreat from worldly desires, focus, and renew my sense of iman (faith). Its a time for me to practice humility and patience, give charity, and connect with my newfound ummah (community).

Phillys Muslim community makes up just over 1% of the population, reflecting a wide range of ethnic backgrounds that celebrate Ramadan at more than 70 mosques in Eastern Pennsylvania, according to research by Pew and the nonprofit Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

What makes the Philly community unique, says Idris Abdul-Zahir, imam at Masjidullah in East Germantown, is the influx of diverse attendees that venture out for weekly Friday prayers. While membership at Abdul-Zahirs mosque is predominantly African American, hes seen a mix of people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Levant, and the African diaspora over the past four to five years.

[Ramadan] is a good time to visit other masjids (mosques) that you may not have been to in a while, he said. Sometimes folks masjid hop  theyll start off at one spot and go to different [mosques] every night.

Men enter the mosque for prayer at Al Aqsa Islamic Society in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Ramadan is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. The fast is broken each day with a nightly meal called iftar. Read more Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Imam Idris Abdul-Zahir speaks with a member of the mosque Masjidullah in Philadelphia on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Ramadan is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. The fast is broken each day with a nightly meal called iftar. Read more Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Breaking fast with biryani and chicken Alfredo

At Masjidullah, the banquet hall bursts with action as the athan, or call to prayer, signals the end of the fast around 7 p.m. Congregants eagerly devour sweet dates, an instant source of nourishment to open the fast following the Prophet and the Abrahamic tradition, and chug water bottles before crowding into the prayer rooms for maghrib, the evening prayer.

Upon returning, theyre greeted by a buffet of dishes from West African roti to Pakistani chicken biryani to fried fish and soul food. Each iftar spread at Masjidullah is sponsored by subcommittees and families, with meals prepared by in-house chefs and served by volunteers like Sieedah Abdellah.

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Its a scene thats familiar for many Muslims who attend iftars at local mosques, showcasing the diversity within Muslim communities across America  the community is not a monolith  with people from all walks of life seeking communion every night to complete the days fast and pray together. Its a free meal every evening during Ramadan, Abdul-Zahir said. Depending on whos sponsoring the meal  you get a different part of the world, which is always fascinating.

(left to right) Yasmine Talonto, 14, Kaliema Ali, and Saaniyah Washington 10, serve the iftar meal of fish fried rice and salad at Masjidullah in Philadelphia on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. Ramadan is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. The fast is broken each day with a nightly meal called iftar. Read more Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Abdellah, who has attended iftars at Masjidullah for the past eight years, looks forward to the biryani and chicken Alfredo often served.

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As a volunteer, she finds the most joy feeding her community and the nonMuslims who visit the mosque during interfaith events.

Eating is a mercy and a blessing, and when youre eating together, [thats] community, Abdellah said.

Philly would not be Philly without Black queer Muslims

Community potlucks are particularly special during the holiday, especially for people looking to gather outside the mosque.

In West Philly, Indigo Jordan is planning iftars with a mission to provide a welcoming sanctuary for the citys queer, trans, and marginalized Muslims, who seek an inclusive space to gather, heal, and engage in liberatory joy practices.

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In past years, Jordan hosted potluck iftars at home, inviting friends and their plus-ones to share savory and sweet dishes from West and East Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, amid an ambience of music, incense, and henna.

The collective, called Queer Maida, will host similar iftars every Friday, along with educational talks about queer Islamic liberation and theology at various locations, which are privately shared to those that sign up for iftars.

I really am enriched not just by the presence of queer Black Muslims in Philly, but [also with] the history of [them] in both organizing and within different liberation movements, Jordan said. Philly would not be Philly without Black queer Muslims.

The mosque can sometimes make marginalized Muslims feel they need to submit one side of yourself for another, Jordan explained. Queer Maida offers a space where individuals vulnerable to global structures of queerphobia, transphobia, and transmisogyny dont have to compromise any aspect of their identity. And during Ramadan, Phillys queer Muslims can break bread together as themselves without having to fear religious policing.

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Philly is the city of brotherly love, and I think a part of that brotherly love is reflected in our everyday interactions of accepting people as they are, Jordan said.

People line up for iftar meals at Al-Aqsa Islamic Society in Philadelphia on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. Ramadan is observed by Muslims with a month of fasting. The fast is broken each day with a nightly meal called iftar. Read more Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Getting to know your community one iftar at a time

This year marks a new chapter for Muslims in Center City, as they celebrate their first iftar in the newly located Center City Mosque on Walnut Street. Previously, attendees had to head down the alleyway behind St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church to perform Friday prayer in a spare room, said Mohammed Shariff, the president of CCM. The former setup served as a convenient prayer space for commuters and local residents.

I can imagine the excitement Shariff and CCM attendees are feeling. My hometown congregation crowded into a small building for many years as we patiently waited for the mosque next door to open, spending every Ramadan fundraising for a place of worship. And when the doors finally opened, a collective joy washed over the congregation ready to break fast together.

This Ramadan, CCM is offering to-go packages of Palestinian dates and water. Shariff eagerly anticipates witnessing the diverse contributions from the congregation, which boasts members from East Africa, Afghanistan, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Bosnia, and other backgrounds.

Its such an intimate environment amongst Muslims because everyones in the same bucket, Shariff said. You have been fasting all day, everyones breath smells bad, and youre hungry and a little bit tired. But then when you have that first date with water, everyone all of a sudden gets excited again  I think thats why people share their inner culture [at these iftars].

Attending Al-Aqsa Islamic Societys Ramadan iftars for a little over 10 years has introduced Ammar Sadeq, who emigrated from Kuwait in 2012, to new cuisines and connections.

Sitting at the tables in the Fishtown mosques parking lot, Sadeq got to chatting with a fellow iftar attendee who walked up to him one night bearing gifts of Moroccan couscous. While the mosque provides Styrofoam boxes of meats and rice, congregants sometimes bring their own dishes to share with the crowd.

What started as a stranger sharing homemade couscous quickly turned into a Ramadan buddy who Sadeq sees every year a similar experience Ive found hopping from one community iftar to the next this year, connecting with Phillys wonderfully diverse ummah along the way.

I think Ramadan provides an opportunity for people to actually bond with each other  different cultures are coming together and theyre sharing a part of themselves through food, he said.

Its a good way to get to know your own community.
Eddie Terrell Parker, left, escorts Mary Jenkins, mother of Michael Corey Jenkins, into the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in Jackson, Miss., on Tuesday, for sentencing on two of the six former Mississippi Rankin County law enforcement officers who committed numerous acts of racially motivated, violent torture on Parker and his friend Jenkins in 2023. Read more

JACKSON, Miss.  Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker sat on the front row of a packed courtroom Tuesday and watched as a federal judge handed down yearslong sentences to two of the white former Mississippi law enforcement officers who tortured the two Black men last year in a brutal attack that began on the basis of race.

After a neighbor complained about them staying in a white womans home, the Black men were tortured by people who had sworn an oath to serve and protect them.

Hunter Elward, 31, was sentenced to about 20 years in prison, while Jeffrey Middleton, the 46-year-old leader of the so-called Goon Squad that abused the men, was given a 17.5-year prison sentence. Four other former law enforcement officers who admitted to torturing Jenkins and Parker are set to be sentenced later this week  two on Wednesday and two on Thursday.

Before sentencing Elward and Middleton separately, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee called the former deputies actions egregious and despicable and said a sentence at the top of the guidelines range was justified.

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The terror began on Jan. 24, 2023, with a racist call for extrajudicial violence when a white person phoned Rankin County Deputy Brett McAlpin and complained that two Black men were staying with a white woman in Braxton. McAlpin told Deputy Christian Dedmon, who texted a group of white deputies so willing to use excessive force they called themselves The Goon Squad.

The group of six burst into a Rankin County home without a warrant and assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns, a sex toy and other objects. Elward admitted to shoving a gun into Jenkins mouth and firing in a mock execution that went awry.

Once inside, they handcuffed Jenkins and his friend Parker and poured milk, alcohol and chocolate syrup over their faces. They forced them to strip naked and shower together to conceal the mess. They mocked the victims with racial slurs and shocked them with stun guns.

After Elward shot Jenkins in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun. False charges stood against Jenkins and Parker for months.

Prosecutors said Middleton told the other officers they had to stay quiet and that he didnt have a problem killing somebody.

Last March, months before federal prosecutors announced charges in August, an investigation by The Associated Press linked some of the deputies to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another with lasting injuries.

Jenkins suffered a lacerated tongue and broken jaw. He is a musician, and his injuries have prevented him from singing as he used to. He also said he has trouble speaking and eating. Parker said he relives the episode in his nightmares.

Both victims had called for the stiffest of sentences. Their attorney, Malik Shabazz, said they were too traumatized to speak in court, and he read statements on their behalf.

I am hurt. I am broken, Jenkins wrote in his statement. They tried to take my manhood from me. They did some unimaginable things to me, and the effects will linger for the rest of my life.

Elward said before being sentenced that he wouldnt make excuses. He turned to address Jenkins and Parker and looked at them directly.

I dont want to get too personal. I see you every night, and I cant go back and do whats right, Elward said. I am so sorry for what I did.

Parker then stood up and said, I forgive you.

Elwards attorney, Joe Hollomon, said his client first witnessed Rankin County deputies turn a blind eye to misconduct in 2017 and that he had been initiated into a culture of corruption at the Rankin County Sheriffs Office.

Middletons lawyer, Carlos Tanner, urged the judge to give his client a shorter sentence, saying Middleton had committed fewer violent acts.

In his apology, Middleton said he tarnished the reputations of Rankin County, law enforcement and his family.

I will never forgive myself for failing to protect innocent victims and my family, Middleton said.

When Middleton spoke, he did not look at the victims or their families.

Lee disagreed with Tanner, pointing to statements from Elward and another co-defendant, Daniel Opdyke.

Opdyke submitted a memorandum to the court saying that his downfall was the day Middleton, who was a lieutenant, took an interest in him and inserted him into the Goon Squad. The judge also said Elward, like Opdyke, traced his own involvement in the 2023 attack to Middleton and McAlpin and a culture of violence perpetuated by the Goon Squad.

It may be true that you had less hands-on involvement in the torture of Mr. Parker and Mr. Jenkins, Lee told Middleton. But, theres no doubt that you and McAlpin are at least as culpable as any of your co-defendants for the attacks on these victims.

Elward was also sentenced for his role in an assault on a white man that took place weeks before Jenkins and Parker were tortured. For the first time Tuesday, prosecutors identified the victim as Alan Schmidt and read a statement from him detailing what happened to him on Dec. 4, 2022.

During a traffic stop that night, Schmidt said Rankin County deputies accused him of possessing stolen property. They pulled him from the car and beat him. Then, Dedmon forced him to his knees and tried to insert his genitals into Schmidts mouth, as Elward watched.

I pray every day that I can forgive them one day and hopefully forget the humiliation and the evil physical and sexual assault that I endured, Schmidt wrote. I know that Im not their only victim, and I pray for each victim that has crossed paths with the Goon Squad members.

The officers charged with torturing Parker and Jenkins include Elward, Middleton, McAlpin, Dedmon and Opdyke of the Rankin County Sheriffs Office and Joshua Hartfield, a Richland police officer. They have pleaded guilty to numerous federal and state charges.

The majority-white Rankin County is just east of the state capital, Jackson, home to one of the highest percentages of Black residents of any major U.S. city.

The officers warned Jenkins and Parker to stay out of Rankin County and go back to Jackson or their side of the Pearl River, court documents say, referencing an area with higher concentrations of Black residents.

For months, Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, whose deputies committed the crimes, said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department. Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.
A Deptford police officer who shot and killed a man last year will not be criminally charged in connection with the incident, after a state grand jury review.

The January 2023 shooting, in which Officer Luke Ivey fatally shot Daniel Nevius Sr., 55, of Sicklerville, occurred after the Deptford Township Police Department responded to a 911 call on Fox Run Road in Deptford. The caller said that Nevius was pointing a rifle at civilians and acting erratically, according to investigators.

Shortly after arriving at the scene, Ivey fired a single shot from his service weapon, striking Nevius, the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office said. Responding officers said Nevius pointed his own weapon at police.

Nevius was pronounced dead at the scene about a half hour after Ivey, a six-year veteran of the department, shot him.

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Under N.J. law, the attorney generals office is required to investigate any death that occurs during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officers official capacity. The investigation included witness interviews, photographs, body-camera footage, and autopsy results, the attorney generals office said.

The state grand jury, which consisted of NJ. residents, concluded deliberations in Iveys case on March 4. The jury voted no bill, indicating that no criminal charges should be filed against him, the attorney generals office said.

Nevius death was one of multiple fatal shootings involving Deptford police officers in recent years.

In 2018, Officer Kevin Clements fatally shot LaShonda Anderson and was cleared by a grand jury later that year. Andersons family filed a federal wrongful-death lawsuit in 2020, and that case remains pending.

Last March, Officer Robert Shisler shot and killed Mitchell Negron Jr. during a foot chase. During the incident, Negron, who was pronounced dead at the scene, shot Shisler in the leg. After being hospitalized, Shisler died from his wounds last May. That incident was not presented to a grand jury because both people involved died, authorities said.
Aerial photo shows damage to ash trees by the emerald ash borer at Tyler Arboretum in Delaware County, Pa. as of 2023. Read more

Tyler Arboretum in Delaware County was forced to close 17 miles of its popular trails last year after 1,400 trees were killed or severely sickened by the invasive emerald ash borer beetle, creating a public safety issue.

Now, arboretum officials say they plan to reopen 11.5 miles of trails, or nearly 70%, to the public on April 7 in time for spring blooms.

We are thrilled to report that we are able to safely reopen the trails related to the first phase of the project, Tylers executive director, Mike Skuja, said this week in an emailed statement. But the public will enter a forest that looks quite different in some areas than they are used to.

Millions of ash trees have been sickened or killed by the invasive emerald ash borer, a scourge since it began a widespread sweep of Pennsylvanias private and public forests in the 2010s. The 650-acre Tyler Arboretum in Middletown Township has been at the end of the sweep, with its dogwoods, ginkgo, and maples  and ash trees. Some of the larger afflicted ash trees were more than 120 years old. Smaller ones ranged from 30 to 50 years old.

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 READ MORE: Tyler Arboretum loses 900 ash trees to emerald ash borer, forced to close miles of public trails

Whats an emerald ash borer?

The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, is a green, shimmery beetle that begins ravaging trees while still in the larval stage. It feeds underneath bark, disrupting the transportation of water and nutrients. It can kill a tree in three to four years. Signs of an attack include a dying upper crown, splitting or flaking bark, tissue damage, D-shaped exit holes, and S-shaped larval feeding galleries just below the bark.

Adult beetles grow to one-half inch long and one-eighth inch wide. They fly from early May until September. Larvae live beneath the bark until emerging as adults through D-shaped holes.

The best way to stop an infestation is to remove affected trees.

Arboretum officials decided last spring to see how much damage the pest had inflicted on the property and began mapping trees. They found more widespread damage than they expected. The pest inflicts a 99% mortality rate on trees.

Mike Karkowski, the arboretums director of horticulture, said its been a substantial challenge to staff and finances.

The ash tree removal has been a huge expense, costing about $450,000 to date. he said, noting a $103,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Restoration work

Karkowski estimates that Tyler needs $1 million more to complete a comprehensive restoration.

Arboretum officials expect the rest of the trails to be open by the end of 2024. They ask the public to enter the Arboretum property in Middletown Township, west of Media, through the Visitor Center at 515 Painter Rd.

There are still a significant number of hazardous trees in woods by Penncrest High School and in East Woods by the old Black Hawk Spring. The trails between Rocky Run and Dismal Run will reopen soon, according to Skuja.

The next phase of the project includes seeking more funding and creating a plan to help combat the overall threat of invasive plant species.

Where did the emerald ash borer come from?

The emerald ash border is native to northeastern Asia. It was first discovered in the United States in 2002 in Michigan. Its believed to have come from China in wooden shipping crates.

Pennsylvanias Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) first launched a plan in 2014 to tackle the problem.

At the time, the beetle had already reduced the number of ashes in the states forest by 12%. The pest began making its way through Delaware County about six years ago, the last of the remaining counties to see an infestation. Widespread treatment isnt really an option because its so time consuming and expensive.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture blames it for destroying tens of millions of ash trees in 30 states.
At left is Theodore Tapper and son Jake Tapper, CNN reporter arriving at a press conference at Philadelphia District Attorneys office on Monday. Rice was convicted of a South Philadelphia shooting that took place in 2011, and prosecutors are no longer pursuing a case against him. Read more

After his 12 years of incarceration, advocates for C.J. Rice said that justice was delivered Monday when Philadelphia prosecutors declined to retry Rice on attempted murder charges, calling his 2013 conviction unjust.

On his journey through the legal system, Rice had one outsized supporter: CNNs Jake Tapper.

The television anchor and Philadelphia native has long been interested in Rice, beginning after his father, a local pediatrician who treated Rice for previous gunshot injuries, testified that the then-teenaged Rice couldnt have walked  let alone run and flee the scene  that September 2011 day when four people were shot and injured in South Philadelphia.

 READ MORE: Prosecutors drop case against C.J. Rice, subject of Jake Tapper cover story in The Atlantic

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Tapper published an article in The Atlantic in 2022 asserting Rices innocence, and on Monday, attended Rices hearing in Common Pleas court to celebrate the decision of the District Attorneys Office alongside his doctor father and criminal justice advocates who worked for Rices release.

In an interview with The Inquirer, lightly edited for clarity, Tapper elaborated on his relationship with Rice, details about the attorney who mishandled Rices case, and being one of the biggest Eagles fans in Washington, D.C.

What was your reaction this morning when hearing that after 12 years in prison, C.J. Rice is free from incarceration?

Its just great to see justice finally done in this case. I know the District Attorney gets criticized for all sorts of things, but having an office that is willing to listen to reason and evidence, even if that means reversing a conviction, is no small thing.

So much of what I've learned in this journalistic experience has been how much the system exists to protect itself, and thats not healthy. So it was great to see justice finally done. C.J. Rice, since September 2011, has been dealing with the legal system in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, and its only recently that hes been able to get the justice he deserves.

Talk about your reporting and your advocacy in C.J.s case. Did you ever have any doubts that Rice would one day be found innocent during this process?

Of course I did. Its funny, the young man I worked on the story with for The Atlantic, Andrew [Aoyama], this is his first story. When I pitched it to Jeff Goldberg, the editor, I said You know, this needs to be a deeply reported piece, and Im gonna need help, because I have a day job and Im going to need a really good assistant to help me. Andrew was great. I said to him today, Dont think this is how criminal justice stories all end  they typically dont end this way, with a District Attorney and two judges willing to listen to reason and a successful exoneration. They usually dont.

 READ MORE: Jake Tappers Atlantic cover story deals with a South Philly mans conviction for attempted murder

But after The Atlantic story, there was a willingness of people in power to listen to C.J.s explanation and Karl Schwartzs defense. There were two tracks to help [Rice]  one was Karl and Amelia [Maxfield] and the legal team pursuing the habeas petition, and then there was another track pursued by some other attorneys to try to get his sentence commuted. And I think that the case was compelling enough that [for] C.J., there was not sufficient evidence to charge him with this crime, and that he had an incompetent attorney. I think he would have been freed by commutation if the habeas thing hadnt happened, but who knows.

You focused on Rices attorney [Sandjai Weaver] during your reporting. What did you learn about Weaver that really stuck out as leading to a miscarriage of justice?

Ive learned so much about the system through reporting this out. One of the things Ive learned is that there is a tremendous difference between defense attorneys who are public defenders and public defenders who are court appointed, and the court-appointed attorneys in Philadelphia are paid very little.

There is little incentive for somebody to really dive in and get their hands dirty and try to figure out if the client is not guilty, and if so, the best way to prove that in a court of law. And there are those who say that that low compensation is not a coincidence, its a feature, not a bug. That they dont want a system where people who cant afford good attorneys are able to have adequate counsel.

Sandjai Weaver, look, Im not a lawyer and I dont mean to speak ill of the dead, but she did a bad job. She was not a good attorney. [Weaver] not only messed up on decision after decision, but introduced [Rices] alibi witnesses in such a way that they looked like they were making it up at the last minute. Normally an attorney will have alibi witnesses go to the police, present their testimony, so its not the first time anybodys ever heard of it. And because Sandjai did not know what she was doing when she put the alibi witnesses on stand, they made [Rice] seem even guiltier.

Expand on your relationship with Rice. How has he handled his incarceration, and what was his reaction upon hearing the news today?

Hes overjoyed, and hes glad that a wrong has been righted. Once you see how the system can be so unjust, you cant unsee it, its that times a million for him now he has lived it. The way he talks now about what he wants to do  and this is his story to be told, not mine  but I would not be surprised if he ended up as a paralegal, or an attorney, or an advocate, trying to help other people like him. People who didnt have the benefit of having a pediatrician advocate like my dad in their lives.

You and your father presented a clear case for Rices innocence. The District Attorneys office, while presenting multiple factors finding that Rice was unjustly tried, did not definitively say Rice was innocent. What do you make of that discrepancy?

All I care about is that they exonerated him, and argued that they dont have a case against him. Thats really all that matters, everything else is just people being careful in their remarks. At the end of the day, hes a free man, hes exonerated, his lawyers can now file a petition to have his record expunged. Hes breathing the air and feeling the sunlight on his face.

Like anyone else, I want safe streets and criminals behind bars, but locking up innocent people is not that, so Krasners office is to be commended. Some of the attorneys that helped with this case  Don Verrilli, who was Obamas former solicitor general  I ran into him after The Atlantic piece came out. I see him at our neighborhood restaurant all the time. And I said, You should read the story that I just wrote, I think you would find it interesting, and he read it and wanted to get involved.

[Verrilli] volunteered to get involved with the habeas petitions, and one of the things he said, you know, hes been all over the country trying to help various defendants whether get off death row or whatever, and he has never had an encounter with prosecutors who were more committed to the sense of justice  as opposed to just keeping people locked up whether theyre guilty or innocent  then the situation he had when he met the attorneys who worked for Krasner. So thats something thats important.

Speaking of justice, it seems that your father, Theodore Tapper, had a strong sense of Rices innocence throughout his involvement with this case. Is that a quality that he instilled in your family growing up?

Absolutely. My brother and I grew up with parents who were deeply committed to social justice. At the time, it was civil rights and the Vietnam War, but it has evolved since then, and the idea of doing the right thing  regardless of how popular it is  or advocating for those who need help was just instilled in us from a very early age.

My dad was a pediatrician in South Philly for four decades, my mom a pediatric nurse and then a psych nurse at the VA. They have always been committed to helping people, and you know, my brother and I are different. Were not doctors or nurses  we didnt get the math-science gene  but were doing what we can in our own little ways.

How was it getting out of the national news cycle and Washington D.C. to come home and report?

Ive done a lot of journalism in my day, and I can say theres a handful of stories that Im just super proud of, and my covering of this case is one of the most fulfilling. I got to do it while advocating for a young Philadelphian. Working with my Dad made it even more meaningful.

Are there any other Philadelphia stories that you think deserve national attention?

Im always telling my staff we need to be stepping out of Washington D.C. and doing more stories, whether its from Philly or from Michigan or from a small town in Idaho, whatever we can do to get out of the Beltway.

I think the gun violence going on in Philly is horrifying. Weve already interviewed Mayor Parker at least once, if not twice. I interviewed her when she was Councilwoman Parker, and Ive also interviewed her as Mayor Parker. So Philly is always close to my heart.

Last question: youre one of D.C.s most well-known Eagles fans. What do you make of the Saquon Barkley signing, and does it spell a trip to the Super Bowl next year?

Im very excited about Barkley. When Tiki Barber was attacking him, it took all of my control not to respond. Im raising my son to be an Eagles fan. Sadly, we lost my daughter when Taylor Swift started dating a Chief.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is right to focus on reducing crime and making the city cleaner, writes the Editorial Board, but attracting more jobs is important to help reduce crime and poverty. Read more

If a budget is a statement of an elected officials priorities, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has sent the wrong message to city taxpayers.

Parkers $6.29 billion budget focused on improving public safety and cleaning and greening the city. They are two important issues she campaigned on, and deserve attention. But what about overburdened taxpayers?

Parker dropped the ball by not continuing the incremental cuts to the citys wage and business taxes, which are among the highest in the nation. For nearly 30 years, successive mayoral administrations have embraced the tax cuts as a cornerstone to make Philadelphia more competitive.

During the mayoral campaign, Parker said she supported incremental reductions to the wage and business taxes. She even went so far as to say she would like to see the wage tax eliminated.

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Parkers decision to reverse her campaign pledge to maintain the cuts is even more misguided given the city expects to end the current budget year with a $535 million surplus. That begs the question: If the city fails to reduce taxes when its flush with taxpayer money, when will it?

 READ MORE: Phillys onerous tax system is a job killer. Heres what the mayoral candidates say theyll do about it. | Editorial

The mayor has said that before prioritizing tax reform, she wants Harrisburg to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and allow the city to tax residential and commercial properties at different rates.

Thats a triple bank shot that may or may not come to pass. In fact, efforts to tax residential and commercial properties at different rates have been floated unsuccessfully for at least a decade. If Parker is serious about getting help from Harrisburg, she should maintain the incremental wage and business tax cuts. Ending the cuts will give Parker even less leverage with state lawmakers.

Last month, City Council passed a resolution to create a new Tax Reform Commission to examine Philadelphias onerous tax structure. Councils focus on tax reform is a welcome step, but will it amount to real change?

This is the fourth blue ribbon tax panel that has been created over the last 22 years. There is likely a file drawer in City Hall with past reports that contain the same conclusion: Philadelphians pay more in taxes than most other big city residents.

The problem is well-documented. Whats missing is the will to implement substantive change.

The wage tax of 3.75% for Philadelphians and 3.44% for workers who live outside the city is among the highest in the country. The wage tax has repeatedly been cited for driving out residents and businesses.

The rise of remote work spurred by the pandemic has made it easier for employees to relocate to more affordable areas. Philadelphias population has declined by more than 53,000 people over the last three years.

 READ MORE: Council is right to cut taxes and help spur economic growth | Editorial

Meanwhile, many companies continue to locate in the surrounding suburbs. Boomi, the fast-growing software maker, moved its headquarters from Berwyn to Conshohocken this year. Most of the Fortune 500 companies in the Philadelphia area are located outside the city. Philadelphias tax structure was viewed as a big reason why Amazon did not locate its second headquarters here.

The citys tax burden hampers job growth. The lack of employment opportunities is inextricably linked to Philadelphias high poverty rate. Parker is right to focus on reducing crime and making the city cleaner. But attracting more jobs is an important piece in the effort to reduce crime and poverty.

The incremental cuts in the wage and business taxes do not amount to much in any given year, but make a difference over time. Since 1995, the citys wage tax rate has decreased from 4.96% to 3.75% for residents.

If anything, Parker should be more aggressive about reducing these taxes. That will do more to create Parkers so-called One Philly.
African American women are the Democrats most loyal and reliable voting block. More than 90% of us voted for Joe Biden in 2020; without us, he likely wouldnt be in office today.

We stand ready to support Biden again in 2024. But he would be wise to keep that old saying in mind: Dance with the one that brung ya. If one person takes you to a dance, you stay loyal to that person. You dont run off with someone else.

Biden needs to remember that when it comes to Vice President Kamala Harris.

The nations first Black, Asian, and female vice president has faced a lot of criticism since she took office, which has led some to suggest Biden should consider replacing her on the ticket in 2024.

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But Harris is a key part of Bidens administration, simply because of who she is. By representing Bidens agenda, she can show voters that his policies can help more than just the white men who have benefited from government policies over the years. And she does a great job with it  especially when it comes to one of the key issues of our time: reproductive rights.

 READ MORE: Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw and the perils of being the first | Jenice Armstrong

Just last week, Harris had one of the finest moments of her career, when she became the first sitting vice president to visit an abortion clinic. Its something no president has done, either.

And once there, instead of talking around the subject the way lawmakers tend to do, she spoke plainly and clearly. Everyone get ready for the language  uterus, Harris said on Thursday, following a tour of Planned Parenthoods St. Paul Health Center  Vandalia facility in Minnesota. That part of the body needs a lot of medical care from time to time.

Legislators love to yap on about what women can or cant do with their bodies. But this was the first time I ever heard anyone even name the body part at issue.

She pointed out issues Planned Parenthood clinics help patients with besides abortions, such as fibroids, breast cancer screenings, and contraceptive care. She handled herself very well, and offered many people reassurance that Biden will protect a womans right to choose, despite being a Catholic who once said hes not big on abortion.

As I watched Harris speak, I thought about ill-advised suggestions by commentators who think Biden should replace her with another running mate.

I thought about claims that she never does anything, as if Harris has spent the last four years snacking on bonbons.

I thought about the right-leaning Washington Post columnist who last week derided Harris supposedly at times inane, rambling remarks, and said she should step down for the good of the ticket.

I thought about criticisms that she is somehow unqualified to serve, despite being a former U.S. senator and former California attorney general.

I wish her critics had watched her outside that Planned Parenthood clinic. Harris was clearly in command and in her element, speaking extemporaneously and with compassion about the disastrous impact the U.S. Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade had on this country.

How dare these elected leaders believe they are in a better position to tell women what they need, she said. We have to be a nation that trusts women.

Therein lies the crux of the issue. Many of the folks who dont trust their wives, sisters, and daughters to make decisions about their bodies also dont want a woman  much less one of color  so close to the presidency.

America still has a race and gender problem.

America still has a race and gender problem.

Both of those things play into why Harris is polling even lower than former President Donald Trump, who faces 91 criminal charges. According to a recent USA Today/Suffolk University poll, only 38% of Americans have a favorable view of Harris, vs. 40% for Trump. Pause and let that sink in.

Granted, Harris has had her share of struggles. Biden never should have put her in charge of the border, and she has made her share of gaffes. She would have fared much better focusing on criminal and social justice issues that were more in her wheelhouse.

But its not easy being the first to break through a glass ceiling, let alone the first on both racial and gender lines. There is so much extra scrutiny, and any mistake gets magnified.

Like many women, I see a bit of myself in Harris. She and I both graduated from Howard University, the nations leading historically Black university, around the same time. We didnt know each other, but no doubt had some of the same professors and took some of the same classes. Had I pledged a sorority, it likely would have been Alpha Kappa Alpha, the same one she joined.

I began watching her after she won her Senate race, and was thrilled when Biden wound up picking her as his running mate. It paid off handsomely for him, as evidenced by all of the Black women who supported him at the polls.

Biden will need to see a repeat of that in 2024  and better. He can do it. As long as he has Harris back, Black women will have his. The president just needs to keep that old saying in mind: Dance with the one that brung ya.
State Rep. Craig Williams, pictured here on the Pennsylvania House floor in 2022, is running in the Republican primary for attorney general against Dave Sunday, the York County District Attorney. Read more

HARRISBURG  The Pennsylvania Republican Party tried to avoid a messy primary for attorney general by endorsing in the high-profile race.

Enter State Rep. Craig Williams.

The Pennsylvania GOP endorsed York County District Attorney Dave Sunday in January, calling him committed, qualified, and prepared. The state party made the AG endorsement earlier than usual in the election cycle in an effort to coalesce around one candidate, avoid an attack-filled primary, and save money for the hotly contested general election in November.

The early state party endorsement comes after Republicans havent fared well in recent statewide elections, and it gives Sunday a leg up in the April 23 primary.

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But, Williams, 59, a Republican who represents parts of Delaware and Chester Counties, felt he was pushed out of the race by a select group of Harrisburg lobbyists. Now hes making what could be a credible run for the GOP nomination without the partys support.

In a debate between the two GOP candidates last week, Williams came out swinging by trying to paint his opponent as a progressive Democrat whos been soft on crime while leading the DAs office in the states eighth-largest county. (Sunday is a registered Republican, but was registered as a Democrat more than 10 years ago.)

Williams campaign even came up with a pithy nickname, like former President Donald Trump often does, for his opponent, calling him Stumbling Sunday after he stumbled over his words a few times during the debate.

Sunday, 48, for his part, boasted his lengthy career as a prosecutor; as York Countys DA since 2018, as well as an assistant district attorney and assistant U.S. attorney, in which hes achieved numerous first-degree murder convictions. He also referred back to his many endorsements, including from the Pennsylvania Sheriffs Association PAC, the state GOP, and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 73 in York.

Williams said the states crime rates require Pennsylvanians to elect him and send in a Marine. He also cited a 2023 article that found the city of York had a higher homicide rate than Philadelphia per 100,000 residents. Sunday rebutted that Yorks proximity to Baltimore has driven up its crime rates in recent years, but theyve made strides to reduce it.

The tone of the GOP debate  the only one scheduled so far  was much different than the Democratic debate held last week, during which candidates attempted to introduce themselves to voters and didnt trade barbs.

Whats more, Williams and Sunday have raised a comparable amount of money so far  but less than what three of the five Democratic candidates have raissed.

According to the latest campaign filings, Williams has $113,527 cash on hand as of March 4, while Sunday has $177,249.

State Rep. Jared Solomon (D., Philadelphia), meanwhile, had more than $1 million cash on hand in his latest filing for the Democratic primary for AG, followed by Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, who had $518,836. Former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan had $342,343 on hand. Former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale has $138,209 on hand. Keir Bradford-Grey, Philadelphias former chief public defender, has raised the least, with $114,064 on hand.
In this November file photo, Mayor Cherelle Parker stands at a press conference in the Mayors Reception Room at City Hall. On Tuesday, she announced a handful of new hires, including community engagement staff and new director of Latino engagement. Read more

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has hired the citys first-ever director of Latino engagement, creating a new role to liaise with a community the mayor says is not a monolith.

William Garcia, who Parker said has been working in the citys Latino communities for two decades, will take on the new job in the mayors office and was one of nearly two dozen appointments announced Tuesday. The mayor also announced a handful of positions focused on community engagement and labor, as well as top deputies under Managing Director Adam K. Thiel, who is responsible for city operations.

And Parker said her administration will retain two top officials from former Mayor Jim Kenneys administration: Kelly Richards, the director and president of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and Kimberly Ali, the commissioner of the Department of Human Services, the agency in charge of child welfare.

The hires come as Parker is more than two months into her tenure as mayor. Most of the citys major operating departments now have leaders serving in a permanent capacity, but for weeks, many were led by holdovers from Kenneys cabinet. Parker acknowledged during a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday that she has been criticized for the pace at which shes built her administration, saying Ive taken a few hits about this process.

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But were looking for the right people for the right positions at the right moment in time for what we want to get done, she said.

Heres a look at the hires she announced Tuesday.

Retentions from the Kenney administration

Parker re-appointed Ali, who started her career at DHS as a social worker more than 20 years ago and has headed the department since 2020.

She leads an agency with chronic turnover problems and that has long faced intense scrutiny for how it handles child welfare, including during Alis tenure. For example, in 2022 The Inquirer reported that DHS was housing children overnight in conference rooms. And DHS operates the citys only juvenile jail, where theres been an overcrowding crisis for more than a year.

Parker said Tuesday that Ali is an innovative thinker.

Shes trying to figure out ways to ensure that we can consistently improve on how the department functions and operates, she said.

The mayor will also retain Richards, who took over the citys system of 54 libraries in 2022 following years of funding cuts, internal strife, and the resignation of his predecessor. Hes navigated the system through two years of short-staffing and inconsistent hours, largely as a result of a stressed pandemic labor market thats left a range of city agencies understaffed.

Community engagement, cultural affairs, and public health

In other mayoral appointments:

Orlando Rendon, who was the commissioner of the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department under Kenney, will now be the executive director of the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, a subsection of the Mayors Office focused on fighting poverty. Valerie Gay, who was most recently deputy director of audience engagement and chief experience officer at the Barnes Foundation, will be the citys new executive director of the Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy. The role will be a cabinet-level position, an elevation under Parker. Shania Bennett, who worked as a volunteer on Parkers mayoral campaign and who the mayor described as a sort of mentee, will serve as director of youth engagement. Donna Bailey will be the new chief executive at Community Behavioral Health, a quasi-governmental agency that administers Medicaid funds to health-care providers. She was previously a top officer at the Public Health Management Corporation.

Managing directors office top staff

Parker announced that her administration has hired the following people to work under Thiel:

Tara Mohr is now the citys first deputy managing director. Mohr comes to the Managing Directors Office from the Fire Department, where she worked as Thiels chief of staff for eight years while he was fire commissioner. Aubrey Powers will be deputy managing director for community services. Powers previously worked in the office as chief of staff. Michael Carroll will be retained as a deputy managing director focused on transportation and infrastructure. David Wilson will be deputy managing director for general services, overseeing administrative functions. Wilson has worked in administration at the Managing Directors Office for 15 years. Crystal Yates-Gales will be deputy managing director for health and human services. Yates-Gale also previously worked with Thiel in the Fire Department. Brian Clinton will be chief of staff. Clinton is a former deputy chief of staff under Kenney.

Labor and employee relations team

Parkers administration appointed the following people to work in the citys Department of Labor under Director Perritti Di Virgilio:
Convening the workshop in Fiji and PNG will set the tone for two-days of learning, robust discussion, peer-to-peer exchanges, knowledge sharing and network building that will strengthen the efforts to build climate resilience in the region, Wagener said. Some key topics to be covered include introduction to in-country risks and their insurability, weather and crop yield index insurance, pricing, distribution, operations, and policy.
We are glad to have found a highly qualified individual to succeed Hadi in leading our India team. With Amits expertise and knowledge, we are confident that Swiss Re is well-positioned to strengthen our growth in India, Kuk said.
Weve seen an increase in the number of customers where brokers get to explain in detail the structure of the program, why the price is the price and what risk management strategies can be deployed to help reduce the cost of the program, said Pagano.
The deal will enable the HWI BV Group to continue to prosper and work together with a fantastic partner in North America, as well as creating a relationship that is truly additive to all parties. We consider this as a first step towards a wider relationship with Risk Strategies, and we can only see benefits to all of the HWI BV Groups firms and their teams, Nelson said.
WTW has secured funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to create an insurance product aimed at enhancing climate resilience, and intended to catalyze climate adaptation investments from the private sector into regions vulnerable to climate change.
If were healthy, if we have a strong balance sheet and certainly have capital that we can intelligently deploy, we should be able to go back into some of these lines and classes in business in a way that can solve for the societal need, but at the same time, do it in a properly thought out way, he said. [] Of course, theres new emerging risks as well. So, I think theres an opportunity to have almost a form of renaissance if we, ourselves, are healthy first.
This post is part of a series sponsored by AgentSync.

Insurance licenses can be hard to get and keep, even for those with the most pristine backgrounds. So, whats an insurance producer to do if they find themselves in the unfortunate position of being up for license renewal with a change to their criminal history?

Ironically, even going from having a criminal record to not having one can cause a problem for insurance licenseholders (see our coverage of Michigans Clean Slate law and the challenges of automatic criminal record expungement). However, more commonly, someone with an insurance license may get involved in the criminal justice system and have new charges or convictions to report.

To be clear, a producer in this situation shouldnt wait until their next renewal to report the change in their criminal background to every state theyre licensed in. Every single state requires producers to inform them within 30 days of new charges, convictions, or administrative actions  although the specifics of how to do that change state to state.

To say that each state handles this a bit differently shouldnt surprise anyone. So, please remember that this article isnt a substitute for legal advice! Well try, however, to briefly outline what each state expects an insurance licenseholder to do if they have a new criminal record when it comes time to renew their license.

A federal law with state-by-state enforcement

At first glance, you might think theres a simple answer to the issue of how an insurance agent needs to proceed with their license renewal if theyve got a new criminal history to report. Thats because theres actually a federal law called 18 U.S.C. 1033 that governs crimes by or affecting persons engaged in the business of insurance whose activities affect interstate commerce.

This law declares that its a federal offense for someone whos been convicted of a criminal felony consisting of dishonesty or a breach of trust to conduct insurance-related business without the written consent of their resident states insurance regulator. Thus, to get permission to work in insurance, someone with this kind of criminal history (theoretically) needs a 1033 waiver from their resident states insurance commissioner (and often from their nonresident license states as well).

It sounds straightforward, at least until you start asking which crimes specifically involve dishonesty and breaches of trust (theres no official, comprehensive list). And it becomes even murkier when you look at how each state interprets and enforces this federal rule.

Just a few examples include:

Florida : The state doesnt grant 1033 consents. Therefore, someone with a criminal history involving dishonesty or breach of trust cant hold a Florida insurance license, period.

: The state doesnt grant 1033 consents. Therefore, someone with a criminal history involving dishonesty or breach of trust cant hold a Florida insurance license, period. Alabama : The state has a proprietary form on which a producer must report any and all new criminal charges and convictions. Using this form, Alabama decides whether the producer needs to apply for a 1033 consent, and whether or not to grant one.

: The state has a proprietary form on which a producer must report any and all new criminal charges and convictions. Using this form, Alabama decides whether the producer needs to apply for a 1033 consent, and whether or not to grant one. Alaska: This state seems to leave the judgment call to the producer as to whether their crime qualifies as one that needs a 1033 consent. If you think you need one, you have to apply for one. If you dont think you need one and proceed selling insurance, and the state has a different opinion about your conviction, youre going to be in hot water!

With the understanding that, specifically for felonies related to dishonesty and breaches of trust, theres this whole other can of worms, what about other charges and convictions? For the purposes of this article, well summarize our findings of each states stance on what an insurance license holder is required to do if  after already holding an insurance license  they get charged with or convicted of a new crime*.

*Remember, were talking about crimes that dont fall under the need for a 1033 waiver. However, youll see plenty of mentions of the 1033 waiver because, often, the state wants all the information before determining if one is required.

And then theres the Producer Licensing Model Act

Before we dive into how each state deals with producers reporting new criminal activity in their backgrounds, its also relevant to note that the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) deals with this in its Producer Licensing Model Act (PLMA). While this is model legislation, and not a law, many states use it  or at least base their own laws on the NAICs model.

According to Section 17 of the PLMA, a producer must report any new criminal and administrative actions taken against them by any state, jurisdiction, or governmental agency within 30 days. While each state may interpret or implement this in its own way, many states base their criminal history reporting procedures on the model legislation.

One thing that doesnt change state to state is the requirement to report within 30 days. If you take nothing else away from this article, know that youre better off reporting any new charges, convictions, or administrative actions to your resident and nonresident license states as soon as possible. Each state allows the producer to provide context surrounding the charges or convictions for consideration. Few states have hard and fast rules that immediately disqualify a producer.

Jump to a state

With 50 states plus the District of Columbia to cover, weve divided this topic into a series. This article covers Alabama through Georgia, and you can click the state below to jump directly to it. Watch out for more states coming soon!

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia

How to renew my Alabama insurance license after a criminal conviction

According to the Alabama Department of Insurance, Conviction of any felony can be a ground for denial, non-renewal, suspension, or revocation of a license.

So that the Alabama Insurance Commissioner can determine whether to grant or renew an insurance license, anyone with a criminal charge or conviction has to complete the states Criminal History Disclosure Form. The insurance commissioner then uses the detailed information collected in this form to decide whether to grant, renew, or allow retention of a license; to decide whether written consent under 18 U.S.C.  1033 is required; and to decide whether to grant written consent for purposes of 18 U.S.C.  1033, if required.

When to complete the Criminal History Disclosure form

Alabama requires the insurance license holder to report any new arrests, charges, convictions, administrative actions (and other changes in legal status, all of which can be found in Ala. Admin. Code r. 482-1-054-.03) within 30 days. This includes any of the aforementioned events whether they occurred in the state of Alabama, or elsewhere.

What about misdemeanors in Alabama?

The Alabama laws are pretty specific: Having a felony conviction can be a disqualifying factor for working in insurance, while misdemeanors arent (necessarily). You still have to report misdemeanor charges and convictions, along with legal troubles classified as administrative actions, but it appears less likely youll be denied an insurance license renewal because of them.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Alabama license after a conviction?

Alabamas take on this is all about reciprocity. If youve received a 1033 waiver from your resident state, or if your resident state has determined that no 1033 waiver is required for you to keep working in insurance, then Alabama will generally honor that decision as long as your state also has a policy of reciprocating Alabamas determinations on this matter when it comes to its resident producers in the other state.

It wont surprise you, though, that you still need to complete Alabamas Criminal History Disclosure form to start the process of reciprocity for your resident states 1033 waiver or its determination that none is required.

How to renew my Alaska insurance license after a criminal conviction

According to Alaskas Division of Insurance, If you have a misdemeanor, felony or other criminal offense on your record, qualifying for a license will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Assuming you already had your Alaska insurance license when the new charge or conviction happened, youre required to report it within 30 days of it being filed. For administrative actions, Alaska says youre required to report it within 30 days of the final disposition of the action and reporting can be via mail, email, or uploading to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions. Email correspondence from the Alaska DOI also clarifies that the state requires military convictions to be reported just like criminal and civil convictions.

To fulfill Alaskas reporting requirements, use the online NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions. The state also imposes late fees if a licensed agent reports a criminal charge, conviction, or administrative action beyond 30 days of its filing. These fees range from $50 for the first 60 days (after the deadline) to $200 for reports submitted more than 120 days after the deadline.

What about misdemeanors in Alaska?

Alaska requires licensed insurance agents to report all crimes (both charges and convictions), including misdemeanors, except for a few specific types of misdemeanors.

In Alaska, you do not have to report:

Misdemeanor traffic citations

Misdemeanor driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI) offenses

Driving without a license, reckless driving, or driving with a suspended or revoked license

Misdemeanor offenses adjudicated in a juvenile court

Source: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/ins/Producers/CriminalOffense.aspx

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Alaska license after a conviction?

Nonresident producers who need a 1033 waiver must submit a copy of their signed waiver from their resident state to Alaska, although the state still reserves the right to make its own determination on whether to grant it.

For all other crimes that dont fall under needing a 1033 waiver, Alaska wants nonresident producers to follow the same procedure as resident producers, and the state will make an independent decision about whether to allow someone to keep their nonresident license.

One final note on insurance licensing and criminal convictions in Alaska

In Alaska, an insurance producer with a criminal history isnt the only one who can get into trouble. With specific regard to those special types of crimes that involve dishonesty or breach of trust (the type requiring a 1033 waiver), Alaska says:

Any person allowing an individual with a felony conviction involving dishonesty or breach of trust to work in any capacity in an insurance entity, prior to obtaining consent, is in violation of federal and state law and subject to administrative action and federal and criminal sanctions

Source: 18 U.S.C.  1033, 18 U.S.C.  1034, AS 21.36.355

How to renew my Arizona insurance license after a criminal conviction

Arizona doesnt have comprehensive online documentation for how a producer should go about reporting new criminal background information. However, according to correspondence with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions Insurance Licensing Section, Arizonas procedures are in line with the NAICs PLMA for reporting new criminal actions.

This means Arizona requires all producers, both resident and nonresident, to report to the commissioner any criminal prosecution of the producer taken in any jurisdiction, within 30 days. Arizona doesnt require this information in a particular format; documents just need to be uploaded to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions. The information a producer must submit includes the initial charging document and other relevant hearing documents.

What about misdemeanors in Arizona?

Arizona requires producers to submit the same information regardless of the classification of the crime. Producers with an Arizona insurance license should assume this applies to felonies, misdemeanors, and administrative actions alike.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Arizona license after a conviction?

Arizona treats nonresident producers exactly like resident producers in this respect. If youve got a nonresident Arizona license, follow the same procedures to report your new charges or convictions within 30 days by uploading documents to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions.

How to renew my Arkansas insurance license after a criminal conviction

The Arkansas Insurance Department follows Section 17 of the NAICs PLMA for reporting new criminal actions. The states version, found in Arkansas Code Section 23-64-517(b) requires all producers, both resident and nonresident, to report to the commissioner any criminal prosecution of the producer taken in any jurisdiction, within 30 days.

Arkansas doesnt require this information in a particular format; documents just need to be uploaded to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions. The information a producer must submit includes the initial charging document and other relevant hearing documents.

Specifically, the Arkansas Department of Insurance advises producers to make sure they upload:

For misdemeanors:

A statement regarding the events that led to the charge

The resolution document that shows all stipulations of the court were met (these are usually fines)

For felonies:

A statement regarding the events that led to the charge

Charging documents such as an indictment from the prosecutor

Sentencing order (note: if adjudication hasnt been completed, you wont have this)

The resolution document that shows all stipulations of the court were met (note: if adjudication hasnt been completed, you wont have this)

Lastly, the Arkansas DOI suggests that any producer attempting to report a new criminal background by uploading to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions should also email insurance.license@arkansas.gov to let them know youve uploaded them.

What about misdemeanors in Arkansas?

Arkansass rules apply to all crimes, including misdemeanors and felonies. Everyone should follow the procedures outlined in the previous section, and Arkansas didnt note any exceptions to types of crimes that need to be reported.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Arkansas license after a conviction?

Arkansass rules apply to resident and nonresident producers alike. Going through this process in ones resident state doesnt excuse a producer from following Arkansass process as well. In the case of a crime that triggers the need for a 1033 waiver, the producer will need to get this from their resident state first, then provide it to Arkansas for consideration.

How to renew my California insurance license after a criminal conviction

According to California Insurance Code Section 1729.2, an insurance producer who has a change in their background must report the change within 30 days using Californias Background Information Change Disclosure Form.

There are additional forms depending on whether the person completing it is an individual, a business entity, director or officer of a business entity, or other role. Read more details here.

Whats considered a background information change in California?

California classifies a wide range of circumstances as changes in background information, all of which it requires someone to report to the Department of Insurance.

Background information to be reported within 30 days includes any of the following:

A misdemeanor or felony conviction;

A filing of felony criminal charges in state or federal court;

An administrative action regarding a professional or occupational license;

Discharge or attempt to discharge in a personal or organizational bankruptcy proceeding, an obligation regarding any insurance premiums or fiduciary funds owed to any company, including a managing general agent or premium finance company; and

Any admission, or judicial finding or determination, of fraud, misappropriation or conversion of funds, misrepresentation, or breach of fiduciary duty.

Source: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/0200-prod-licensing/0100-applicant-info/0500-background-change/0100-ab2557-overview/background-disclosure-form.cfm

What about misdemeanors in California?

California maintains that it considers each persons background on a case-by-case basis and there are no hard and fast rules about wholl be granted a license renewal and who wont. With that in mind, California does require producers to report new misdemeanor convictions (note: the state doesnt require you to report misdemeanor charges, while it does require you to report felony charges).

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their California license after a conviction?

California law states any and all resident and nonresident producer licensees and applicants who intend to transact in the business of insurance as well as unlicensed officers, directors, and controlling persons are required to use the Background Information Change Disclosure Form to report changes in background within 30 days.

If youre a producer with a nonresident California license, and youve been charged with or convicted of one of the crimes that warrants a 1033 waiver, you need to provide California with the written consent of your resident state before trying to get the same from California. California does caution, however, that it doesnt automatically reciprocate the 1033 waiver from your resident state.

One final note on insurance licensing and criminal convictions in California

In California, an insurance producer with a criminal history isnt the only one who can get into trouble. With regards specifically to those special types of crimes that involve dishonesty or breach of trust (the type requiring a 1033 waiver), California says:

Further, it is a criminal offense for any person to willfully employ, or willfully permit, such prohibited persons to participate in the business of insurance without the required written consent. A Prohibited Person may be an officer, director or employee of an insurance agency or an insurance company, an agent, solicitor, broker, consultant, third party administrator, managing general agent, or subcontractor representing an insurance agency or insurance company who engages in or transacts the business of insurance.

Source: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/0200-prod-licensing/0100-applicant-info/0600-1033-application/index.cfm

How to renew my Colorado insurance license after a criminal conviction

According to Colorado law, CO Code  10-2-801 (2022), The commissioner may place an insurance producer on probation; suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue, continue, or renew an insurance producer license; order restitution to be paid from an insurance producer; or assess a civil penalty for a variety of reasons. Several of these reasons include being convicted of a misdemeanor or felony involving moral turptidude, along with administrative actions and convictions for insurance fraud.

Like other states, Colorado allows 30 days for a licensed producer to report new criminal history. Specifically:

Within thirty days after the initial pretrial hearing date, a producer or business entity shall report to the commissioner any criminal prosecution of the producer in any jurisdiction. The report shall include a copy of the initial complaint, the order resulting from the hearing, and any other relevant legal documents

Source: https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/2022/title-10/article-2/part-8/section-10-2-801/

Colorado doesnt specify how a producer is supposed to report these items, however it would be a safe bet to upload them to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions.

What about misdemeanors in Colorado?

Colorados law calls for producers to report any criminal prosecution of the producer in any jurisdiction, which logically includes misdemeanors. It may not include traffic citations, or other violations that arent considered criminal prosecution; however, without clear direction from the Colorado DOI, we cant say for sure.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Colorado license after a conviction?

Colorados law makes no distinction between resident and nonresident producers when it comes to reporting criminal charges and convictions. Given that the state requires reporting criminal prosecutions in any jurisdiction, we believe nonresident producers need to report to Colorado any criminal charges and convictions that occur in any state.

Getting your Colorado insurance license back if its revoked

Colorado is very explicit in its law that the insurance commissioner may revoke a producers license for a number of reasons involving bad behavior (not just criminal convictions). It also allows for a producer to voluntarily surrender their license if theyre in this situation and want to avoid license revocation and other disciplinary actions. The law is also clear that once this happens, whether revoked or voluntarily surrendered, the producer isnt eligible to apply for a new Colorado insurance license for two years following its revocation or surrender.

How to renew my Connecticut insurance license after a criminal conviction

The Connecticut Insurance Department follows Section 17 of the NAICs PLMA for reporting new criminal actions. The states version, found in Sec. 38a-702o. reads:

A producer shall report to the commissioner any administrative action taken against the producer in another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency in this state not later than thirty days after the final disposition of the matter. The report shall include a copy of the order, consent to order or other relevant legal documents.

Not later than thirty days after the initial pretrial hearing date, a producer shall report to the commissioner any criminal prosecution taken against the producer in any jurisdiction. The report shall include a copy of the initial complaint filed, the order resulting from the hearing and any other relevant legal documents.

Source: https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_701a.htm#sec_38a-702o

What about misdemeanors in Connecticut?

Connecticuts law states a producer has to report any criminal prosecutionin any jurisdiction. We take this to include misdemeanors, even though they arent specifically named. While the umbrella term criminal prosecution may not include traffic violations, civil charges and convictions, or other things, without clear direction from Connecticut we would err on the side of caution and report any new criminal background to the state within 30 days.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Connecticut license after a conviction?

Connecticut law makes no distinction between resident and nonresident producers. Without this specification, we assume resident and nonresident producers alike must follow the Connecticut reporting requirements outlined in its law.

How to renew my Delaware insurance license after a criminal conviction

Delaware law  as found in 18 DE Code  1719 (2022)  requires licensed producers to report any criminal prosecution of the licensee taken in any jurisdiction, any administrative action taken against the licensee in another jurisdiction or by another governmental agency, and according to email correspondence from the Delaware Department of Insurance, this includes traffic violations, misdemeanors, and even child support actions.

The Delaware DOI requests that a producer upload all information to the NIPR Attachments Warehouse  Reporting of Actions within 30 days, including court documents, statements, police reports, and any other pertinent information. A producer who doesnt report these items within 30 days risks their license being suspended or revoked, even if that may not have been the decision of the DOI after reviewing the reports.

What about misdemeanors in Delaware?

Delaware wants producers to report all new charges and convictions within 30 days. There isnt an exception for traffic violations or misdemeanors.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Delaware license after a conviction?

Producers with a nonresident Delaware license should follow the same procedures as resident producers. In the case that a nonresident producer has already received approval from their resident state to continue holding their insurance license, they can upload this to Delaware and the states market conduct department will make a determination. While Delaware doesnt claim reciprocity with another states decisions, the producers license status with their resident state will factor into the consideration.

How to renew my Florida insurance license after a criminal conviction

Florida has a detailed set of laws relating to insurance producers with any sort of criminal history and an entire webpage devoted to spelling out the specifics. For producers who are already licensed when new criminal charges occur, the Florida Department of Insurance will immediately temporarily suspend a license or appointment when the licensee is charged with a felony enumerated in s. 626.207  that is, one of the crimes that comes with an automatic disqualification period that well get into below.

According to MyFloridaCFO, some crimes result in a permanent ban on a producers ability to hold an insurance license, while others result in a seven-year or 15-year disqualification period. For those crimes that arent cause for a permanent ban, someone can apply (or reapply) for a Florida insurance license at the end of the disqualification period, though the state reserves the right to deny the application.

In Florida, being convicted of the following crimes (although this isnt a comprehensive list) means you can never again hold an insurance license:

Any capital felony

Any felony directly related to financial services business

Any first-degree felony

Counterfeiting financial services instruments

Embezzlement

False statements regarding financial services transactions

Money laundering

Sale of unregistered securities

The following crimes (which may not be a complete list) will get an insurance producer a 15-year disqualification, and that period begins upon the applicants final release from supervision or upon completion of the applicants criminal sentence, including payment of fines, restitution, and court costs for the crime for which the disqualifying period applies.

Abuse of an elderly person

Aggravated assault

Aggravated battery

Aggravated fleeing and eluding (high speed or demonstrating wanton disregard)

Aggravated stalking

Arson

Battery on law enforcement officer involving intentional bodily injury

Bomb threat or placing a bomb

Breaking and entering

Bribery

Burglary (depending on circumstances) or burglary of an occupied dwelling

Child abuse

Child molestation

Counterfeiting non-financial services instruments)

Dealing in stolen property

Escape

Extortion

False statement (non-financial services transactions)

Felony battery strangulation

Forgery

Fraud (not related to financial services business)

Grand larceny

Grand theft

Introduction of contraband into a detention facility (certain circumstances)

Kidnapping

Leaving the scene of an accident with injuries

Manslaughter

Murder

Passing worthless bank check (more than $500)

Perjury

Possession of drugs with intent to sell/deliver/etc.

Rape

Receiving stolen property

Resisting arrest or resisting an officer with violence

Robbery

Sexual battery/sodomy

Tampering with evidence

Tax evasion

Theft/larceny

Transmission of wagering information in interstate and foreign commerce

Use or possession of ID of another person without consent

Vehicular homicide

Finally, the following crimes (again, Florida caveats, this isnt a complete list) will get an insurance producer a seven-year disqualification, and that period begins upon the applicants final release from supervision or upon completion of the applicants criminal sentence, including payment of fines, restitution, and court costs for the crime for which the disqualifying period applies.

Battery on law enforcement officer (not involving intentional bodily injury)

Burglary (depending on circumstances)

Carrying a concealed weapon

Child neglect

Criminal mischief

Domestic violence

Driving under influence/driving while intoxicated

Driving while license suspended/revoked

Felony battery

Fleeing and eluding (lights and sirens)

Introduction of contraband into a detention facility (certain circumstances)

Passing a worthless bank check of $500 or less

Possession of drugs

Possession of firearm by ex-felon

Resisting arrest or resisting an officer without violence

Sale of fireworks

Solicitation of prostitution

Trespassing

What about misdemeanors in Florida?

Florida law requires an insurance producer to report in writing to the state within 30 days after pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, or being convicted or found guilty of, any felony or a crime punishable by imprisonment of 1 year or more under the law of the United States or of any state thereof, or under the law of any other country without regard to whether a judgment of conviction has been entered by the court having jurisdiction of the case.

The above description may include some more serious misdemeanors, but appears to say that if youre convicted of a crime thats not punishable by a year or more in prison, you arent required to report it to the state.

For certain misdemeanors, however, Florida is very specific. The state imposes a seven-year disqualification period on anyone convicted of a misdemeanor directly related to the financial services business or any misdemeanor directly related to any violation of the Florida Insurance Code.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Florida license after a conviction?

Floridas laws are clear about needing to report crimes to the state regardless of what jurisdiction they occurred in. It appears as though Florida will enforce its rules and not grant nonresident licenses based on them regardless of whether a producer can still obtain a license in their resident state.

How to renew my Georgia insurance license after a criminal conviction

According to Georgia Code  33-23-21 (2022), a licensed producer must report to the Commissioner any criminal prosecution of the applicant or licensee taken in any jurisdiction. The report shall include a copy of the initial complaint filed, the order resulting from any hearing that has taken place, and any other relevant legal documents. Such report must be filed with the application or within 30 days of the date of arrest. Failing to do so will result in suspension or revocation of your Georgia insurance license, so reporting any new criminal charges by uploading documents to Georgias Producer and Agency Portal is the first step.

Aside from that initial reporting requirement, Georgia law also says that it will revoke a producers license if they have been convicted of any felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude in the courts of this state or any other state, territory, or country or in the courts of the United States. This wording gives the impression that Georgia doesnt grant 1033 waivers for producers convicted of those crimes who want to keep their licenses.

Georgia clarifies that the licensee will be treated as though the crime were a felony, even if it was committed in another state in which its not a felony, if Georgia law considers it such. The law also specifies that an insurance producer wont escape license revocation even if theyre treated by the courts as a first offender, which may include their sentence being lighter, suspended (probation only), or dropped entirely. In Georgia, if you do the crime (even if you dont do the time), youre still likely going to lose your insurance license.

What about misdemeanors in Georgia?

Georgia law doesnt distinguish between felonies, misdemeanors, or other types of criminal charges and convictions. It would be safe to assume that the reporting requirements apply to every type of crime, and since Georgia is so serious about the consequences for not reporting criminal prosecution, youre better safe than sorry.

What about nonresident producers seeking to renew their Georgia license after a conviction?

Georgia law makes no distinction between resident and nonresident producers. Without this specification, we assume resident and nonresident producers alike must follow the Georgia reporting requirements outlined in its law.

What to do if you have new criminal charges or convictions

As weve made our way through the first 10 states on our list, one things become clear. Every state requires insurance producers to report new criminal activity to the insurance commissioner or department of insurance, and to do so within 30 days. Beyond that, the specifics vary.

Whether therere exceptions to the types of crimes that need to be reported, whether a producer needs to report charges or only convictions, and what the chances are that you can keep an active license after reporting any type of criminal conviction are among the variables that each state determines for itself.

We hope this guide has been helpful, but the bottom line is that if youre an insurance producer facing criminal charges or convictions, your best bet will be to consult with your attorney and your states DOI directly to make sure you fulfill any requirements. Doing nothing is guaranteed to land you in more trouble than following the states reporting requirements.

To learn more about the nuances of state-by-state insurance compliance, check out our free Compliance Library where weve done the research for you. If youre ready to make compliance streamlined and automatic at your insurance agency, carrier, MGA, or MGU, see how AgentSync can help.

Next Up: Part 2  Hawaii through Maryland

Topics California Florida Fraud Georgia Connecticut Alabama Colorado Arkansas Alaska Arizona Delaware
A New Jersey law requiring residential and commercial landlords and sellers of real estate to disclose any flood history and potential flood risks to prospective renters and purchasers goes into effect Wednesday, March 20.

Prior to the adoption of the flood risk disclosure law, sellers and landlords were under no obligation to disclose a propertys flood history to potential buyers and tenants or inform them if the property was located in a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Hazard Zone Area.

Now, under the measure signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy in July, they must make those disclosures prior to the signing of residential or commercial sales contracts, leases, and lease renewals.

To implement the law, the state has updated the property condition disclosure statement for use by sellers and a notice for landlords to give to prospective renters. The state has also created an internet look-up tool searchable by mailing address that identifies properties in flood hazard areas.

New Jersey is experiencing more frequent and intense flooding and science tells us that extreme weather is going to continue to worsen for decades to come, said Jennifer M. Coffey, executive director, Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions.

The state has warned that an estimated 40,000 New Jersey properties will be at risk of permanent coastal flooding by 2050 because of sea-level rise.

While a number of states have disclosure rules of some sort, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) rates New Jersey and six other states as having the strongest disclosure laws. The other states are New York, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Questions to Answer

The updated disclosure forms questions include whether a property is located within the FEMAs Special Flood Hazard Area (100-year floodplain) or Moderate Risk Flood Hazard Area (500-year floodplain), whether the property has experienced flood damage or pooled water due to heavy rainfall or other natural flood event, and if the property is subject to any requirement under federal law to obtain and maintain flood insurance. The model Sellers Property Condition Disclosure Statement can be found on the Division of Consumer Affairs website.

Also available online is the model rental flood risk notice that can be used by landlords. It contains questions about the flood risk of the property and space for landlords to answer yes, no, or unknown, based upon the landlords actual knowledge. The model notice also contains basic information about flood insurance available to renters through FEMAs National Flood Insurance Program and about the effects of climate change on flood risks.

Exemptions from the renters notice requirements include dwelling units in premises containing not more than two such units; owner-occupied premises of not more than three dwelling units; and hotels, motels, or other guest houses serving transient or seasonal guests (120 days or less).

To further assist landlords and sellers with meeting the disclosure requirements, the Department of Environmental Protection developed the Flood Risk Notification Tool. This online tool enables users to search properties by mailing address to identify whether the property overlaps with the FEMA Special or Moderate Flood Hazard Areas.

For far too long, countless New Jerseyans have lacked the critical information they not only need, but deserve, to make smart, forward-looking decisions for their properties and families, said Governor Murphy when signing the measure. In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ida  and as flooding events continue to increase in frequency and severity  these requirements will help better prepare New Jersey homeowners and renters for extreme storms.

In related news, the national real estate site Realtor.com has expanded the environmental risk information it is including in its online listings. The site, which already includes ratings of flood and wildfire risk for listed properties, has added ratings for air quality, severe wind risk and severe heat risk.

Flood Mitigation

The state has had its share of major storms and flood events over the years including three so-called 500-year storm: hurricanes Floyd in 1999, Irene in 2011, and Ida in 2021. The state has several property buyout programs underway in several of the most flood-prone communities including Lambertville and Manville.

Just this past January, 16 counties were placed under flood watch and last week 15 counties were. Communities along the Passaic and Saddle Rivers in particular have been dealing with floodwaters after heavy rainstorms.

The state has begun two of the largest flood control projects to protect two densely populated cities of New Jersey. There is a project in Hoboken, which was inundated by flooding during the 2012 storm, and another in the densely populated Meadowlands region, which also saw catastrophic flooding. The projects will cost nearly $298 million.

Those state projects are in addition to huge flood control efforts being considered by the federal government. They include a $52 billion plan to build movable barriers and gates across bays, rivers and other waterways in New York and New Jersey, and a $16 billion plan to address back-bay flooding in New Jersey by building movable storm gates at inlets and across bays. There is also discussion of elevating 19,000 buildings near waterways in many parts of the state.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Flood New Jersey Property
New Jersey, known as much for its beaches and blueberries as for the chemical plants and refineries that line some of its major highways, is considering asking voters a fundamental question: Should the state guarantee its citizens the right to a clean environment?

A bill making its way through the state Legislature would put a question on the November general election ballot asking, Do you approve amending the Constitution to grant every person the right to a clean and healthy environment?

Environmentalists say the move, known as the green amendment, is long overdue and would enable citizens to seek redress in court if they feel their environmental rights are being violated.

But opponents, including business groups, warn that the law could have unintended consequences. They say it could enable foes of one of New Jerseys main efforts to fight climate change  building offshore wind projects  to challenge and kill the projects in court, saying their right to a clean ocean was being violated.

Not Alone

Three states  Montana, New York and Pennsylvania  have established constitutional rights to a clean environment via similar amendments, but another 15 either are considering such measures or are expected to do so soon, said Maya van Rossum, founder of Green Amendments For The Generations and head of the Delaware Riverkeeper organization in New Jersey.

We have communities in New Jersey thar are being harmed by air and water pollution despite all these laws we have on the books to protect them, she said, adding that the proposal, if enacted, would reorient environmental protection toward preventing pollution rather than acting after the fact to address it.

Right now, governmental officials may think its a good idea to protect the environment and may want to do it, but they dont have a constitutional demand to do it, she said.

Democratic state Sen. Linda Greenstein, sponsor of the bill, said it would guarantee the fundamental parts of a healthy daily life.

That means clean water to drink, clean air to breathe and enjoyment of our natural spaces, constitutionally guaranteed to every New Jerseyan today and tomorrow, she said. These things should not be considered a privilege afforded to some.

How It Works

But the bill does not spell out how the law would work in practice. It designates no entity as the enforcer of the law or the adjudicator of disputes regarding it. That would appear to leave the court system as the main avenue for those who feel aggrieved.

It would wind up in front of a judge, Greenstein acknowledged, although she said some preliminary steps including mediation could also be used.

She said lawmakers may need to add language spelling out how the law would work and be enforced.

Ray Cantor, of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, said the law could have unintended consequences. He said it could enable people who oppose offshore wind power projects to challenge them in court.

Our concern is many dont understand the ramifications of this resolution, he said.

Greenstein and officials with several environmental groups said they do not consider that likely.

The measure would decree that the states natural resources, among them its waters, air, flora, fauna, climate, and public lands, are the common property of all the people, including both present and future generations. The state shall serve as trustee of these resources, and shall conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all people.

Deeply Flawed

But Bill Wolfe, a former official with the state Department of Environmental Protection and a frequent critic of the agency, said the state already is the trustee of those resources under the Public Trust Doctrine, a legal concept dating back to the Roman Empire that the state has adopted in other areas, including access to beaches and waterways.

The bill is deeply flawed, and I believe it is more performative than a serious effort, he said.

Doug OMalley, of Environment New Jersey, called the bill the fire axe behind glass that you break in case of emergency.

You dont use it every day, but its good to know you have it there in case you need it, he said.

He and others said they do not expect a flood of litigation as a result of the new law, citing the experiences of other states that have enacted similar provisions.

Several measures have been added to the bill through amendments, including adding a safe climate to the list of protected resources, and adding environmental justice concerns to it, according to Democratic Sen. Bob Smith, chairman of the senate committee that advanced the bill on Thursday.

It still requires multiple levels of approval before being placed on the November ballot.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics New Jersey
China Evergrande Groups alleged $78 billion revenue overstatement escalates the legal peril of founder Hui Ka Yan, who now stands at the center of one of the biggest financial fraud cases in history.

The nations top securities regulator said the developers onshore unit inflated revenue by recognizing sales in advance in the two years through 2020 that led up to its default. It imposed a 4.18 billion yuan ($581 million) fine against the unit.

Evergrandes alleged fraud dwarfs that of Luckin Coffee Inc. and Enron Corp., dealing a blow to the reputation of its former auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and the countrys financial oversight. It fuels concern about how widespread such accounting issues are, just as the new China Securities Regulatory Commission chairman is trying to tighten oversight.

The fine also means Evergrande, with about $332 billion in liabilities, will have even less money to pay off global creditors, despite a Hong Kong court ordering the company to be liquidated in late January.

The alleged fraud is shocking in its scale, said Brock Silvers, managing director at private equity firm Kaiyuan Capital. Hui became an expected civil and criminal target as soon as Evergrande was ordered into liquidation.

The allegations mark the latest blow for Hui, once among Asias richest tycoons, who oversaw a sprawling empire that spanned real estate to electric vehicles. Evergrande was one of Chinas biggest developers, taking on massive debt to expand across the country as condo sales boomed.

The CSRCs action may pave the way for more serious charges against Hui, who was detained by police last year due to suspicion of illegal crimes. No criminal charges against Hui have been made public and his whereabouts arent known. The levies are administrative penalties.

Regulators allege Hui instructed other personnel to falsely inflate annual results. The onshore unit Hengda Real Estate Group boosted its 2019 revenue by about 214 billion yuan, and another 350 billion yuan in 2020, the regulator said. The inflated figures accounted for half of Hengdas total revenue in 2019, and 79% in 2020.

As the supervisor in charge, Hui used particularly egregious means, the regulator said. Hengda also used these inflated figures in marketing to issue a combined 20.8 billion yuan in bonds, the regulator said.

The CSRC fines may serve as a warning to owners of other defaulted developers that failing to collaborate with authorities over debt restructuring could result in severe consequences, said Zerlina Zeng, senior credit analyst at Creditsights Inc.

Evergrande used to recognize revenue from apartments including those that were presold but yet to be delivered. The developer said last year that it changed its approach since 2021 to book revenue after the units were completed or occupied by their owners.

Hengdas auditor in 2019 and 2020 was PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP, a mainland entity affiliated with PwCs network. PwC resigned as Evergrandes auditor in January 2023 due to audit disagreements.

PwC has also resigned as auditor for other Chinese developers including Sunac China Holdings Ltd. and Shimao Group Holdings Ltd. In Hong Kong, the citys Financial Reporting Council said in 2022 that it was looking into Evergrandes financial statements for 2020 and expanding an investigation of an audit carried out by PwC. The auditor didnt respond to requests for comment.

The more alarming question is  given than many other real estate developers have faced financial distress  who else relied on accounting gimmickry to buy them time, said Joel A. Gallo, an adjunct professor at New York University in Shanghai. Regulators should pose tough questions to the industry and their auditors.

The CSRCs fine against Hengda, while among the largest ever in China, trails that of the 7.1 billion yuan slapped on fintech giant Ant Group Co. for policy violations.

Hui was fined 47 million yuan for the falsified results and other alleged violations, and banned for life from capital markets activities. Other former executives Xia Haijun and Pan Darong were also among people punished with fines and market bans.

Salvage Assets

Global creditors have been struggling to salvage their assets, as most of Evergrandes project are on the mainland. They are also competing with other parties, including Chinese retail investors who bought into the companys wealth management products, homeowners waiting for the firm to deliver presold apartments, and unpaid suppliers and construction workers.

Evergrandes onshore unit faced a total of 318 billion yuan in unpaid debts and 200 billion yuan of overdue commercial paper at the end of January, according to a filing. It was also dealing with 2,094 legal disputes amounting to 516 billion yuan in total.

The regulatory action comes as China continues to grapple with a property downturn that has eroded economic growth and household wealth, as home sales and prices tumble. A Bloomberg gauge of China developer stocks dropped 2.1% on Tuesday, taking losses to 19% this year.

Some investors welcomed the CSRCs move, seeing it as a positive step for financial regulation. This is a good thing, said Yu Yingdong, general manager at Shenzhen Cowin Asset Management Ltd. Regulators are expected to keep the pressure on in the future.

Once Asias second-richest man, worth $42 billion at his peak in 2017, Hui has seen his wealth plummet to about $1 billion after the developer defaulted in 2021. Evergrandes stock has tumbled and was eventually suspended from trading.

To improve investor confidence in a sector that has weighed down the market, transparency, which has been murky so far, needs to be demonstrated, said Gallo.

Photograph: Residential buildings under construction at China Evergrande Groups Riverside Palace development in Suzhou. Source: Bloomberg

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Fraud China
A panel of lawmakers in the European Parliament on Tuesday backed a draft law requiring large companies in the bloc to check if their supply chains use forced labor or cause environmental damage.

The rules, known as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, have been watered down by European Union states to overcome a lack of support from Germany and other member countries, worried about piling red tape on companies.

The legal affairs committee voted 20 in favor, 4 against and no abstentions, on the scaled back version agreed by EU states last week.

EU Backs Supply Chain Audit Law After Italy Switches Sides

Full parliament is expected to rubber stamp the deal on April 24.

It is high time that this legislation is adopted, to stop corporate abuse and to give companies clarity in what is expected of them, said Lara Wolters, a center-left Dutch lawmaker on the committee who led negotiations with EU states on the draft law.

Im looking forward to the plenary vote and confident that it will be adopted swiftly.

The rules are due to come into force in 2028, applying to companies operating in the EU that have more than 1,000 employees and a net worldwide turnover above 450 million euros ($488 million).

The rules originally sought to target companies with more than 500 employees and a turnover of 150 million euros.

The requirement to prevent, end or mitigate harms to human rights and the environment, such as child labor and biodiversity loss, applies to a companys upstream partners in design or manufacture, and downstream partners who transport, store and distribute products.

Financial companies, however, will only have to consider upstream partners in their checks. An earlier draft had also included some downstream activities.

Companies will have to prepare plans setting out how they will transition to a low carbon economy, including deadlines for meeting targets, with key actions and investments needed to reach them.

Penalties for not complying with the rules can include fines of up to 5% of net worldwide turnover.

($1 = 0.9224 euros)

(Reporting by Huw Jones; editing by Simon Jessop and Jason Neely)

Topics Legislation Europe
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Gallagher Re and Hannover Re.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Gallagher Re Names Flasinski as CEO of N. America, Succeeding Bradshaw

Global reinsurance broker Gallagher Re announced the appointment of Brian Flasinski as chief executive officer of the North American region. He will succeed Jim Bradshaw, who will assume the role of chairman, Gallagher Re North America.

Both appointments will become effective after a transition period later this year.

Flasinski joined Gallagher Re in 2015 and has most recently served as executive vice president and North American sales leader. While focusing on strategic sales leadership across the region, he has successfully built and maintained strong client relationships; improved efficiencies and processes for continued client impact, most notably creating the sales advocate role; and consistently contributed to new business growth. Prior to Gallagher Re, he served as senior vice president with Guy Carpenter for nine years.

Bradshaw joined Gallagher Re as CEO of the North American region in 2021 with the acquisition of Willis Re. With more than 40 years of experience in the re/insurance industry, he spent more than 20 years with Guy Carpenter before joining Willis Re as executive vice president and managing director in 2005. After five years in that role, he was promoted to CEO of its North American business.

Jims leadership helped us navigate through the Willis Re acquisition and achieve remarkable growth during his tenure. I am grateful for his continued support, guidance and counsel during the transition and beyond, according to Gallagher Re CEO Tom Wakefield.

Commenting on Flasinskis appointment, Bradshaw said: Brian has been an outstanding leader and an integral part of the North American success story. As sales leader he has energized our new sales initiative while also continuing to deliver value to our clients. His passion for our business and culture, his dedication to provide best-in-class solutions and his commitment to collaborating across regions and the Gallagher network, have been exemplary and will prove invaluable as we continue to drive our business forward.

***

Hannover Re Appoints Swiss Res Steinmann to Executive Board as Pickel Retires

The Supervisory Boards of Hannover Ruck SE and E+S Ruckversicherung AG have appointed Thorsten Steinmann (51) as a member of their executive board, effective Sept. 1, 2024.

He will succeed Michael Pickel (63), who will retire on Dec. 31, 2024 after 25 successful years at Hannover Re.

With 30 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry, Steinmann joins from Swiss Re, where he was most recently responsible for the reinsurance business in Germany, the Nordics, Austria, Central and Eastern Europe, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Following a transition period, he will head E+S Ruck, the Hannover Re subsidiary responsible for the groups German business, as chief executive officer, effective Jan. 1. 2025, and will be responsible for yet to be determined markets in continental Europe at Hannover Re.

He joined Swiss Re in 2006 as part of the integration of GE Insurance Solutions. After holding various international leadership positions at Swiss Re, he was given responsibility for Swiss Res reinsurance business Northern, Central and Eastern Europe in 2023 and was also appointed head of Swiss Res German branch in the same year.

Pickel has been with Hannover Re and E+S Ruck since 2000 when he joined the Executive Boards of both companies from Gerling Globale Ruckversicherungs-AG in Cologne, Germany. Since then, he had held numerous responsibilities at Hannover Res and E+S Rucks Executive Boards. Currently, he is in charge of Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italy as well as Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula and the Middle East as well as of Group Legal Services. He also has global responsibility for Run-Off Solutions and Agricultural Risks at Hannover Re. Pickel was appointed chief executive officer of E+S Ruck in 2019.

In Thorsten Steinmann, we have been able to appoint an accomplished executive with a highly successful track record in both the insurance and reinsurance industry. I wish him every success in his new role, said Torsten Leue, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hannover Re and E+S Ruck.

Thorsten Steinmann is a strong successor to Michael Pickel, who has contributed to the success of both Hannover Re and E+S Ruck with great leadership and outstanding dedication over more than two decades. On behalf of both Supervisory Boards, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Michael Pickel, Leue added.

I am delighted to welcome Thorsten Steinmann to the Hannover Re Group. He is a highly experienced professional with extensive reinsurance expertise in Europe and beyond and is recognised for his skills in risk and capital management as well as property and casualty underwriting, said Jean-Jacques Henchoz, chief executive officer of Hannover Re. At the same time, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Michael Pickel for his passion and dedication during his many years of work at Hannover Re as well as E+S Ruck. With his extensive expertise, he has played a central role in positioning Hannover Re and E+S Ruck as a true partner to our clients.

Topics A.J. Gallagher Swiss Re
The National Association of Realtors agreed to settle litigation over commission rules for US real estate agents, clearing the way for possible changes in how Americans buy and sell homes.

For homeowners and buyers, the proposed settlement marks an important shift, altering the way that agents communicate with each other about commissions in a move that may result in lower fees.

We believe the potential changes would likely accelerate commission pressure on buyer agents, and could support overall commission rates around a home transaction trending lower in the near term, William Blair analysts including Stephen Sheldon said Friday in a note.

The NAR, a trade group for US real estate agents that counts about 1.5 million members, would pay roughly $418 million over about four years under the agreement, which is subject to court approval, according to a statement Friday from NAR. The Realtor group continues to deny any wrongdoing with how it structured a model rule for broker compensation.

The NAR has come under fire from multiple lawsuits taking aim at the industrys compensation structure, in which sellers pay a commission  often around 6%  that is then divided between representatives for both sides of the transactions. In many cases, sellers have been compelled to enter into commission-sharing arrangements as a prerequisite for marketing their homes on multiple-listing services, the industrys main tool for publicizing listings.

As part of the agreement announced Friday, agents wont be able to put compensation offers on multiple listing services, moving talks about fees off those platforms. The group will also institute a new rule where buyer agents would have to enter into written agreements with their clients, a change that will take place starting in July, the group said.

Last year, a Missouri jury found the Realtor group and others liable of colluding to keep real estate agent commissions high in a $1.8 billion verdict. The changes announced Friday will release most NAR members from liability in that case, as well as some other pending lawsuits.

The Realtor group is also facing scrutiny from the US Justice Department, which has pushed to decouple the process for paying commissions to buyers and sellers agents.

In a report last year, analysts at Keefe Bruyette & Woods estimated that possible changes to the compensation structure could push the annual commission pool down by more than 30% over time as the market adjusts to a new system. The report also estimated that changes could lead to a 60% to 80% reduction in the number of real estate agents.

The changes will apply to a wide swath of the industry, but not every company. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.s HomeServices of America and its related firms are not released under the settlement since the company is still litigating the Missouri case.

Zillow Group Inc. shares fell 13% to $46.48 at 12:37 p.m. Friday in New York, the most since May 2022. The company gets the largest share of its revenue by selling leads to buyers agents, and lower commissions could mean those representatives have less money to spend on marketing. Short seller Spruce Point Capital Management has argued that new commission rules could hurt Zillow, but the company said it is well-positioned to thrive in a changing industry landscape.

Stocks of real estate brokerages Compass Inc., Anywhere Real Estate Inc. and Redfin Corp. also fell.

Photo: Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners over the weekend announced Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Gary D. Anderson as the organizations chief executive officer.

Anderson will start leading the NAIC by May 1, after completing his service as the Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner.

Selecting the next NAIC CEO has been arduous but rewarding, said NAIC President and Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Andrew Mais. We were looking for the best fit, and we found it in Gary Anderson. Garys dedication to our state-based system of insurance regulation and his insurance expertise are top notch. We look forward to his leadership as we navigate the complexities of regulating the insurance sector and deliver on our mission to protect consumers.

Andy Beal, NAIC chief operating officer and chief legal officer, has served as the organizations acting CEO since March 2023 when Michael F. Consedine announced his resignation from the post. Beal also served as acting CEO before Michael F. Consedine took over in 2017.

Anderson was appointed as insurance commissioner in 2017 by Gov. Charlie Baker, but his insurance experience began in 1999 with a regional carrier in the Northwestern U.S. He served as a policy adviser and senior counsel in the state Senate Presidents office, where he was involved in several policy areas. Anderson joined the Massachusetts Division of Insurance as first deputy commissioner in February 2014. His responsibilities included strategic planning and policy development for all aspects of the agency.

Anderson is currently the NAICs secretary of the Northeast Zone and serves on the Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee, Financial Condition (E) Committee, and the Audit Committee. Additionally, he has chaired the NAIC International Insurance Relations (G) Committee since 2019. He also serves on the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) Executive Committee as its vice chair and on the IAIS Policy Development Committee (PDC), which he chaired from 2020 to 2022.

Throughout my career in public service, I have been rewarded with valuable experiences, new and lasting connections, and opportunities to contribute to a greater good, said Anderson. I am excited to embark on the next adventure as CEO of the NAIC, supporting the state-based system of insurance regulation.

Topics Massachusetts
When it comes to artificial intelligence, more questions than answers keep underwriters from venturing into the space and lead to a lack of clarity, according to panelists at The Professional Liability Underwriting Societys 2024 cyber symposium in New York City.

I mean, the thing with AI is its not new. Its been around since the 50s, said Garrett Droege, director of innovation and digital risk practice leader at IMA. Generative AI is pretty new, but its still a subset of deep learning and a subset of machine learning. Its all been with us for a long time. I think we as an industry have done a bad job at keeping pace with that, because we saw this coming 20 years ago.

Droege, who was speaking on a panel about the intersection of cyber and tech E&O coverages, said insurers should have built models around AI and how it would likely impact the risk profile of companies when they first saw the risk coming.

I havent seen, in the wild, any AI exclusions policies, he said. However, I talked to a lot of people in this roomchief underwriting officersand I know they exist. Theyre sitting at a desk waiting to be deployed on cyber and tech E&O policies.

He said one element keeping insurers from moving forward is a lack of clarity about AI risks and whether they fall under a cyber or a tech E&O policy. I mean, we do work with a lot of technology companiesa lot of emerging technology companiesand the risk is not that clear between the two, he said. Sometimes its both. What happens if the tech fails and allows unauthorized access? Well, then thats a tech E&O claim. What happens if theres just a brute force entry? Then its a cyber claim.

The challenge for underwriters is that these differences are often subtle, said Jeff Kulikowski, executive vice president at Westfield Pro.

Just because a company uses technology doesnt make it a tech E&O risk, he said. So, we get a lot of requestsand Im sure it comes from the client most timesto just add every coverage they can, and thats fine. But theres a distinct difference between a company that uses technology to perform their professional service versus a company thats providing a technology service for others for a fee.

He said strategic consultants, doctors, auto salespeople and accountants, for example, all use technology to perform a professional service and should have their own E&O policies. However, theyre not providing a technological service to others like a software or telecommunications company.

It sounds easy to distinguish, but its really not, he said. You can get into some very confusing arguments around third-party administrators, whether its an entirely related software or its a service model. There are hybrid models, but I think we all can do a better job at determining whats technology versus a technology service. Its very, very subtle, and it takes a little digging into.

Underwriters should be analyzing clients operational models to determine what their losses could be and the types of exposures that should be covered, Kulikowski said.

While its certainly the clients responsibility to analyze as much as possible, its also the underwriter that needs to tell the client what information is needed on their contracts, what questions around their business model differentiates them from A, B, C, or D, and to really dive in. Its just a different level of underwriting than your standard cyber policy. We have to understand the operational risk, not from a business interruption standpoint but from an actual financial loss standpoint.

This is especially important as these financial losses can add up, Droege said.

If and when the shoe drops and theres a major event that results in AI containment that people are worried about, you want to know if this would be an exclusion on a policy around the cyber or tech E&O or both, he said. (Editors note: AI containment refers to limitations being placed on AI that prevent it from advancing too far.)

Im sure there are people in this room that are aware of recent claims involving generative AI and social engineering claims. Theyre very, very costly. Thats going to be where were headed, Droege said. Weve got to figure out what does that mean for cyber? How do we underwrite against that? Can we underwrite against that?

Meghan McEvoy, vice president and cyber and E&O broker at Aon, said she is constantly working with clients as this risk evolves. She added its important to find out who the key stakeholder in a clients organization is to make sure theyre ethically entering the AI space and what their ethics committee or privacy team is doing to keep up with the regulatory environment.

Its about making sure youre keeping up with that AI regulatory environment thats starting to expand and what youre doing to protect data and protect your network, she said.

Kulikowski agreed, adding that AI has to be the most overused phrase in the industry right now, and with good reason.

Ten years ago, if you said AI to an underwriter, the first thing that they would think of is Skynet. So, now were sitting here thinking, How can we underwrite to AI?' he said. When you dig into it, its not simple in any way. But I really think the big question [for clients] is not just do you use AI but how do you use it? Is it within your marketing platform? Do you use it to scrape data? Do you use it for running a trading platform or making investment decisions? Do you utilize it within your manufacturing process? (Editors Note: Skynet is the fictional AI system depicted in Terminator films.)

While determining how AI is being used is a step toward increasing clarity around cyber and tech E&O coverage, those arent the only questions on insurers minds when it comes to AI risks.

There are some issues with generative AI and software development where you can use ChatGPT to code for you, and most developers do that all day every day, Droege said. Wheres the liability line for that if the software results in a data breach? If the code was not secure and it allowed unauthorized access, but the code was written by the AI and not the company, whos responsible? Is it the developer of the AI model? Is it the software developer?

Another problem Droege sees with AI is an inability to determine the truth with certainty.

For hundreds of years, weve been able to use our eyes and ears to verify, Yeah, I saw that, I heard that, so that is true. Now, thats not the case, he said. There are cyber events happening right now where people are using generative AI to mask live video streams and to mask audio calls.

He said in these cases, phone or video calls can come from cyber criminals using AI to pose as a company executive and gain information or money fraudulently.

I think youre going to see blockchain as a bit of a savior for the AI challenges that we have, as a general ledger that is a single source of truth that can back up, and we can verify identities, he said. Thats going to be the way in my opinion.

While underwriters are figuring out how to address AI, Kulikowski said one thing is certain: He doesnt feel that its ready to be its own class of business quite yet.

I feel like everybody panics about AI, and its something that you need to take your time and really look through the basics of what it isspecifically generative AIand how its utilized within a company, he said. I dont know that its yet its own class of business. Its certainly an exposure class, but its really up to us as the industry to define the risk as it sits in every industry, and again, how its utilized and how we can address that.

This means that at some point, hesitant underwriters will simply need to take the plunge despite unanswered questions, Droege said.

There arent a lot of carriers raising their hands and saying, Yeah, we love new risks,' he said. Thats the one thing we dont do well as an industry. We want to understand it. We want to sit on the sidelines, let someone jump in the water first, and see what plans are going to come out of it. But a lot of these emerging technologies are moving so fast. Insurance is the currency of business. These companies have to have insurance to get the contracts to build the models that were all relying on and build things safely.

Topics Cyber InsurTech Tech Data Driven Artificial Intelligence Underwriting
RESERVE, La. (AP)  A Louisiana truck driver has been charged with negligent homicide for his role in a fiery highway pileup that left eight dead last year after a super fog of marsh fire smoke and dense fog snared more than 160 vehicles, authorities said.

On Oct. 23, Ronald Britt was operating a truck at unsafe speeds on Interstate 55 west of New Orleans when he slammed into the back of a car that had stopped in the left lane behind several other vehicles involved in minor crashes, Louisiana State Police said in a statement Tuesday. That collision killed 60-year-old James Fleming and seriously injured his wife.

Britt, a 61-year-old commercial truck driver from Lafayette, was arrested on multiple charges, including negligent homicide, negligent injuring, reckless operation and other traffic-related offenses, state police said.

Britt voluntarily surrendered to authorities Monday. It was unknown if he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.

Eight people died in the multi-collision pileup and 63 were injured. It took a month for the interstate to fully reopen after repairs were made to the road and bridge, both damaged by the crashes and vehicle fires.

Photo: In this aerial photo, responders are seen near wreckage in the aftermath of a multi-vehicle pileup on I-55 in Manchac, La., Monday, Oct. 23, 2023. A superfog of smoke from south Louisiana marsh fires and dense morning fog caused multiple traffic crashes involving scores of cars. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Auto Louisiana Personal Auto
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a fatal crash in San Antonio, Texas, involving a Ford electric vehicle that may have been using a partially automated driving system.

The agency said in a statement Friday that a team of investigators from its Office of Highway Safety will travel to Texas and work with police on the Feb. 24 crash on Interstate 10.

The NTSB said that preliminary information shows a Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV equipped with the companys partially automated driving system collided with the rear of a Honda CR-V that was stopped in one of the highway lanes.

Television station KSAT reported that the Mach-E driver told police the Honda was stopped in the middle lane with no lights on before the crash around 9:50 p.m. The 56-year-old driver of the CR-V was killed.

NTSB is investigating this fatal crash due to its continued interest in advanced driver assistance systems and how vehicle operators interact with these technologies, the agency statement said.

Fords Blue Cruise system allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel while it handles steering, braking and acceleration on highways. The company says the system isnt fully autonomous and it monitors drivers to make sure they pay attention to the road. It operates on 97% of controlled access highways in the U.S. and Canada, Ford says.

There are no fully autonomous vehicles for sale to the public in the U.S.

The NTSB said investigators will travel to San Antonio to examine wreckage, collect information about the crash scene and look into the events leading up to the collision. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.

In a statement, Ford said it is researching the crash and the facts are not yet clear. The company expressed sympathy to those involved and said it reported the crash to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Both NHTSA and the NTSB have investigated multiple previous crashes involving partially automated driving systems, most involving Teslas Autopilot. In past investigations, the NTSB has examined how the partially automated system functioned.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Auto
A bill that would end direct-action lawsuits against trucking insurers is rolling toward the governors desk after it was approved by the full House of Representatives on Monday.

Senate Bill 426, heralded as a way to encourage more insurance carriers to write trucking businesses and to help reduce premiums, passed the House 172 to 0. The Senate in February endorsed it by a vote of 46 to 2.

Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to sign it into law after he has called for tort reforms that could limit lawsuits and large judgments against businesses in the state, the Associated Press and other news outlets have reported.

SB 426, sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, and others, would bar direct lawsuits against insurance companies after an accident, except when the trucking company involved has gone bankrupt or the company or the driver cant be found.

Georgia is one of four states that allow plaintiffs to file suit and seek damages directly from the truckers insurance company, lawmakers have said. That has led to large jury verdicts and settlements and has caused many carriers to raise rates or end coverage, officials have said. An assistant to the Georgia insurance commissioner said in January that the current law has all but destroyed the insurance market for trucking firms, many of which are small businesses.

The current law, adopted in 1937, came about as a way to allow injured parties to be made whole if the trucking company owner or operator could not be located. But transport companies and insurers have said the law is unnecessary in todays online world, where truckers can be tracked down.

Plaintiffs attorneys have opposed the change and have said the current law does not force insurers to pay higher damages than policy limits allow. A similar bill was approved by a Senate committee in 2023 but failed to advance.

Kemps broader tort-reform efforts have been put on hold, but he has said he plans to push for comprehensive changes in 2025. Georgia lawmakers capped noneconomic damages, including those for pain and suffering, in a 2005 tort-reform law, but the state Supreme Court in 2010 decreed the limits were unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, a bill that would give some protection to boat-rental businesses has seen little movement in the state Senate this month. HB 994 was approved by the House 163 to 1 in February but has been in a Senate committee since then.

The measure would absolve boat rental businesses, known as liveries, of liability as long as they maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $500,000 per occurrence. The rental place would be held liable only if it fails to ensure that the boat operator is reasonably skilled in operating the craft and is not reckless, and that the boat is in safe condition.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers Legislation Georgia Trucking
Courts have found that policy exclusions often fail due to ambiguous wording. In the case of a Mississippi company that allegedly dumped corrosive wastewater into sewer systems, though, Travelers Casualty and Surety Companys pollution exclusion seems to have nailed it, a federal appeals court said this week.

An insurance policys pollution exclusion deters deliberate or negligent behavior that leads to environmental harm, a panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in its March 18 decision in Gold Coast Commodities vs. Travelers. When we hold that a pollution exclusion excludes the insured from coverage, we protect the insurers right to disincentivize corporations from engaging in bad faith actions with a known environmental impact.

The court upheld a lower court ruling that found that Travelers had no duty to defend Gold Coast, a firm that turned used cooking oil and vegetable by-products into animal feed ingredients. The policy clearly excluded the deliberate and unauthorized discharge of wastewater into municipal sewer systems, the courts said.

Travelers will not be liable for loss for any claim based upon or arising out of the actual, alleged or threatened discharge, dispersal, seepage, migration, release or escape of any pollutant, the policy exclusion reads.

The exclusion went on to broadly define a pollutant as any solid, liquid gas or thermal irritant or contaminant.

Therefore, the policy is not ambiguous, the 5th Circuit judges noted. Because the policy is not ambiguous, the claims are excluded from coverage. It, therefore, follows that Gold Coast did not sufficiently plead facts that trigger Travelers duty to defend.

Gold Coast had relied on a 2020 decision by the Mississippi Supreme Court in Omega Protein vs. Evanston Insurance Co. That opinion found that similar exclusion wording was, in fact, ambiguous. The Evanston exclusion did not clearly define what a pollutant is, the 5th Circuit said. But the Travelers policy did.

Its the second appeals court ruling in the Gold Coast matter in less than a year.

In May 2023, the 5th Circuit found that Gold Coasts separate pollution liability policy, with Crum & Forster Specialty Insurance, also carried a clearly worded exclusion. The pollution liability policy covered only accidents, not the intentional, surreptitious, and repeated dumping of the oily mess alleged by the state and local authorities, the court found.

The highly publicized dumping case began in 2017. The city of Brandon, an affluent suburb of Jackson, told authorities that it suspected that Gold Coast was secretly discharging the low-pH, untreated wastewater into public sewers, leading to extensive damage to the sewerage system. The DEQ and the city began investigating.

Brandon crews collected samples of sewage downstream from the feed plant and found that the water was much hotter and more acidic  with high levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium and mercury.

The city filed suit, charging that the discharge from Gold Coast was so corrosive that the city had to spend significant funds repairing its sewer system.

In August 2022, the owner of Gold Coast pleaded guilty to illegally dumping industrial waste into the Jackson sewer system. A month later, the president and the plant manager were indicted on similar charges, according to news reports and the U.S. attorneys office. An employee at an industrial services firm also pleaded guilty to assisting Gold Coast in disposing of the toxic waste.

Mondays 5th Circuit opinion was penned by Judge James Graves. No judges dissented.

Topics Mississippi
A post-flight inspection revealed a missing panel on an older Boeing 737-800 that had just arrived at its destination in southern Oregon on Friday after flying from San Francisco, officials said, the latest in a series of recent incidents involving aircraft manufactured by the company.

United Flight 433 left San Francisco at 10:20 a.m. and landed at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Medford shortly before noon, according to FlightAware. The airports director, Amber Judd, said the plane landed safely without incident and the external panel was discovered missing during a post-flight inspection. No injuries were reported.

The airport paused operations to check the runway and airfield for debris, Judd said, and none was found.

Judd said she believed the United ground crew or pilots doing a routine inspection before the next flight were the ones who noticed the missing panel.

A United Airlines spokesperson said via email that the flight was carrying 139 passengers and six crew members, and no emergency was declared because there was no indication of the damage during the flight.

After the aircraft was parked at the gate, it was discovered to be missing an external panel, the United spokesperson said. Well conduct a thorough examination of the plane and perform all the needed repairs before it returns to service. Well also conduct an investigation to better understand how this damage occurred.

The Federal Aviation Administration also said it would investigate.

The missing panel was on the underside of the aircraft where the wing meets the body and just next to the landing gear, United said.

The plane made its first flight in April 1998 and was delivered to Continental Airlines in December of that year, according to the FAA. United Airlines has operated it since Nov. 30, 2011. It is a 737-824, part of the 737-800 series that was a precursor to the Max.

Boeing said, also via email, that it would defer comment to United about the carriers fleet and operations.

In January a panel that plugged a space left for an extra emergency door blew off a Boeing Max 9 jet in midair just minutes after an Alaska Airlines flight took off from Portland, leaving a gaping hole and forcing pilots to make an emergency landing. There were no serious injuries.

The door plug was eventually found in the backyard of a high school physics teacher in southwest Portland, along with other debris from the flight scattered nearby. The Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation.

On March 6, fumes detected in the cabin of a Boeing 737-800 Alaska Airlines flight destined for Phoenix caused pilots to head back to the Portland airport.

The Port of Portland said passengers and crew noticed the fumes and the flight landed safely. Seven people including passengers and crew requested medical evaluations, but no one was hospitalized, officials said.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California Aviation Oregon Aerospace
Mauis mayor says he is prioritizing housing, evaluating evacuation routes and hiring more firefighters as his Hawaii community recovers from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.

Mayor Richard Bissen outlined the steps in emotional remarks more than seven months after the Aug. 8 wildfire killed 101 people in the historic town of Lahaina.

He kicked off his address by saying the state of the county is heartbroken and then paused several times throughout his 45-minute speech to collect himself as he spoke of those who died and of the heroism and sacrifices of residents and county employees. He recounted stories of those who rescued people from the flames and opened evacuation centers and food distribution hubs for survivors.

It will take strength, courage and faith to keep moving forward. But the foundations of that will be in how we care for one another, always leading with aloha, Bissen said in his Friday night address, which was delivered in Kahului and streamed online.

Maui had a housing shortage and some of the nations most expensive housing even before the fire. The islands housing crisis only intensified after the blaze destroyed more than 2,000 buildings and displaced 4,500 residents. About 87% of those who lost their homes were renters.

Thousands of people are still staying in hotels while they look for places to rent and wait for longer-term housing options. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state and private charities have been paying for the hotel rooms.

To boost housing options, Bissen said his legal team would review an exemption to county laws that allows owners of selected properties to turn their condos into vacation rentals and lease them to visitors for less than 30 days at a time.

Activists say there are 2,500 such properties in West Maui alone that could be used to house displaced residents. Since November, activists have been camping on the beach facing waterfront hotels in a Fishing for Housing protest to demand that the county revoke the exemption.

Bissen said his administration would boost enforcement against illegal vacation rentals by investigating anonymous tips in addition to those submitted by a named source. He said it would also prepare for both interim and long-term housing development, but he didnt mention specifics.

The mayor said he would submit rent-stabilization legislation to the county council with the aim of bringing relief to residents while fairly balancing the needs of property owners.

Some of those who died in the fire were caught in traffic jams trying to leave Lahaina. Like many Hawaii towns, it sits sandwiched between the ocean and the mountains and has limited roads in and out. Bissen said county planning, emergency management, fire and police departments were examining evacuation routes in Lahaina and elsewhere.

Bissen said he has approved the addition of 29 positions for the Department of Fire and Public Safety.

These expansion positions will undoubtedly increase overall firefighting capability across our county and enhance the fire departments capacity to respond to future large-scale emergencies, Bissen said.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Wildfire Hawaii
March 19, 2024 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Nvidia remains a frontrunner in the AI space, but investors must look beyond the big names to fully leverage the potential of AI investments and build long-term wealth.

This is the analysis of the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory, asset management and fintech organisations as Nvidia's Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang showed off new chips designed to cement his company's dominance of artificial intelligence computing.

The new processor called Blackwell is many times faster at handling the models that underpin AI, the company said at its conference in California.

Nigel Green, deVere Group CEO says: "Nvidia's dominance in AI computing is indisputable. The company's innovative GPU architecture has been instrumental in powering AI applications across various industries, from autonomous vehicles to healthcare.

"Investing in Nvidia undoubtedly offers exposure to the booming AI market. The company's stock performance, up 79% this year, reflects market confidence in its ability to deliver cutting-edge AI solutions.

"However, to build long-term, sustainable wealth, investors should diversify their AI investments beyond Nvidia and explore opportunities in emerging players and niche segments of the market."

One area of opportunity lies in niche AI hardware and software companies. While Nvidia dominates the GPU market, there are niche players focusing on specific aspects of AI computing, such as specialized chips for edge computing or AI-powered algorithms for image recognition.

"Investing in these companies allows investors to capitalize on niche markets and tech advancements that may not be fully captured by industry giants like Nvidia.

"Furthermore, investors should consider opportunities in AI-enabled industries beyond technology.

"AI is transforming sectors such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, creating new investment opportunities outside the realm of pure technology companies. For example, healthcare companies leveraging AI for drug discovery or personalized medicine present compelling investment prospects with long-term growth potential," notes the deVere CEO.

Another avenue for AI investment lies in start-ups and early-stage companies. While established players like Nvidia dominate the headlines, the next AI breakthrough could come from a small startup with innovative technology. By investing in early-stage companies, investors can "gain exposure to disruptive technologies" and "potentially benefit from significant growth as these companies scale."

Moreover, geographic diversification is key to maximizing AI investment opportunities.

"While Silicon Valley is synonymous with AI innovation, AI hubs are emerging worldwide, from Tel Aviv to Beijing."

Nigel Green continues: "Investing in companies operating in these burgeoning AI ecosystems allows investors to tap into global talent pools and diverse markets, diversifying risk and capturing upside potential."

He adds: "Investors should also consider the ethical implications of AI investments. As AI becomes increasingly pervasive, issues such as data privacy, bias in algorithms, and societal impact are coming under scrutiny.

"Investing in companies with robust ethical frameworks and a commitment to responsible AI development not only mitigates risk but also aligns with investors' values and long-term sustainability goals."

The deVere CEO concludes: "While Jensen Huang's unveiling of new chips reinforces Nvidia's dominance in AI computing and presents a compelling opportunity for investors to capitalize on AI-driven innovation, investors should also look beyond The Big Names.

"Broadening their horizons and embracing the diversity of the AI ecosystem, investors are likely to position themselves for success in an era defined by technological disruption and transformative change."

e: george@priorconsultancy.co.uk

t: +44 207 1220 925

Twitter: @PriorConsults

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of more than 70 offices across the world, over 80,000 clients and $12bn under advisement.

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British multinational food and personal care company Unilever has announced that it is to spin-off its ice cream division, which owns brands such as Ben and Jerrys as well as Magnum, as part of a major restructuring and cost-saving programme that will impact 7,500 jobs.

The process of turning the ice-cream division into its own standalone business will begin immediately and is expected to be complete by the end of 2025.

Unilever is aiming to deliver mid-single digit underlying sales growth and modest margin improvement after the split, it said in a statement, to become a "simpler and more focused company".

The companys board said it believes they should be increasingly focused on its portfolio of brands that have strong positions in highly attractive categories that have complementary operating models.

Ice cream has a very different operating model, and as a result the board has decided that the separation of ice cream best serves the future growth of both ice Cream and Unilever, the company said.

As a standalone, more focused business, ice creams management team will have operational and financial flexibility to grow its business."

Unilever said their ice cream brands delivered 7.9bn in turnover in 2023.

Along with Ben and Jerrys, the company also owns the HB brand which produces the Cornetto and Calippo ice-creams.

The cost savings programme is expected to save around 800bn over the next three years with 7,500 predominantly office-based globally being impacted. Total restructuring costs are anticipated to be around 1.2% of its turnover during the period.

Following separation, Unilever will operate across four business groups including beauty and wellbeing, personal care, home care and nutrition.

Chair of Unilever Ian Meakins said the board is determined to transform Unilever into a higher-growth, higher-margin business that will deliver consistently for shareholders.

The separation of ice cream and the delivery of the productivity programme will help create a simpler, more focused, and higher performing Unilever, he said.

Additional reporting Reuters
National parks and nature reserves will be patrolled from the air over the coming months to prevent fire outbreaks.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service is stepping up its approach to fire prevention and detection with increased monitored and capacity to respond to incidents.

Minister of State Malcolm Noonan, who announced the move, said illegal fires put communities and properties at risk, place emergency services under pressure, and can cause irreparable damage to the natural heritage.

The NPWS is ready to respond in the months ahead. Aerial surveillance is a highly effective tool to prevent the outbreak of fire in our national parks and nature reserves," he said. Our eyes in the sky patrols will be busy  day and night  over the coming weeks and months."

Minister Noonan said the air patrols will initially concentrate mainly on the west coast and south to Cork and Kerry.

There will be close surveillance on Killarney National Park and nature reserves in the west and south. Slieve Bloom and the Wicklow and Dublin Mountains will also be covered.

NPWS staff will continue to work with the Gardai and Fire services and will run aerial surveillance, alongside ground patrols, with increasing regularity over the coming months right across the country and across our network of national parks and nature reserves, he said.

Stressing that prevention remains the key approach, Niall O Donnchu, NPWS director general, added: We are now using nationwide air cover in early detection and to assist us in the prosecution of illegal burning.

Mr O Donnchu said the NPWS has strengthened its approach to wildlife crime, formalised cooperation with An Garda Siochana, and enhanced its capacity for fire prevention.

This had been done through planning, specialist training, additional equipment, staff on the ground, public vigilance, volunteering, and fire mapping data.

This means that we are ready to respond quickly in the event of fire in our parks and nature reserves, and our investigative capacity is significantly enhanced, he said.

Minister Noonan has meanwhile called on the public to protect nature as spring begins.

Damage to hedgerows and illegal and uncontrolled fires are some of the activities that can cause harm to nature and wildlife at the onset of the nesting and breeding season.

Legislation prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or other destruction of vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch between March 1 and August 31.

There are very limited exemptions, for example, for health and safety reasons. There is no exemption for the burning of vegetation during this period. Breaches of Section 40 of the Wildlife Act constitute a wildlife crime and will result in prosecution," he said.

In addition to the prosecution, the breach will be cross-reported to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and a sanction may be applied under Conditionality to the farmer(s) area-based payments, he said.

Minister Noonan also called on the public to avoid lighting fires in nature settings. In recent years, illegal and uncontrolled fires have caused significant damage to protected areas and National Parks, notably Killarney National Park and Wicklow Mountains National Park.

He also appealed to the public to remain vigilant and help protect nature. They are the first responders and can play their part in protecting nature by reporting any incidents or suspicious activity to the NPWS or the Gardai.

Where evidence of offences is found, action will be taken and appropriate enforcement under wildlife legislation will be vigorously pursued, he said.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson is reportedly set to be the next actor to play fictional spy James Bond.

The 33-year-old British star, who rose to fame as a superhero in Kick-Ass and played John Lennon in Nowhere Boy, has been touted as the next 007 for some time after Daniel Craig stepped down.

The Sun reported that Eon Productions, which has made most of the films in the series adapted from Ian Flemings novels, has offered Taylor-Johnson the main role.

The newspaper said he is likely to sign the contract and start filming this year at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire.

Daniel Craig was the most recent James Bond (Suzan Moore/PA)

On Monday, Ladbrokes said the actor is still favourite to replace Craig, who bowed out of the franchise in 2021s No Time To Die.

The odds put him ahead of Man Of Steel and The Witcher star Henry Cavill, Snowfall actor Damson Idris, and have added Lady Macbeth star Cosmo Jarvis after he starred in Disney+ Japan-set mini series Shogun.

Alex Apati, of Ladbrokes, said: As expected, weve seen plenty of interest in Cosmo Jarvis over the last few days, and hes fast becoming a genuine contender to take over from Daniel Craig as 007.

Taylor-Johnson has just finished Marvel superhero film Kraven The Hunter after playing the title character and Spider-Man villain. He is also set to appear in The Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling.

Last week, he was asked about Bond by Numero Magazine and said: I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.

Previously, 007 film series actor Rory Kinnear and young Bond author Charlie Higson have rubbished the idea of a frontrunner for Bond being the person who ends up playing them.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson with his wife, Sam Taylor-Johnson (Victoria Jones/PA)

Kinnear, 46, has starred in the last four Bond films, first appearing in Quantum Of Solace in 2008 as MI6 chief of staff Bill Tanner.

He told The One Show in January last year: I always feel slightly bad for the people who are being highlighted, because that never tends to be them. They (Eon) are very good at keeping the real person secret.

Higson, who is also an actor and has written the young Bond series, told the PA news agency in May 2023 that if an actor is talked about as being considered as the next 007 you know that theyve been rejected.

He also said: Eon (Productions), who make the films, play their cards very close to the chest and a lot of times they really surprise people in particular, Daniel Craig. Nobody had any idea at all that he might be Bond and, if youd been asked in advance, youd have said Daniel Craig, James Bond? Surely not.

Taylor-Johnson previously appeared in Avengers: Age Of Ultron and Nocturnal Animals.

He has two daughters with wife Sam Taylor-Johnson, who is more than 20 years his senior, as well as two stepdaughters.

The couple met on the set of Nowhere Boy, which she was directing.
An Irish firefighter has been charged with raping a woman while he was in Boston for the St Patricks Day festival.

Terrence Crosbie, 37, from Dublin, was charged with one count of rape and held on $100,000 (92,000) bail.

Mr Crosbie, who is a member of the Dublin Fire Brigade, has been ordered not to leave Massachusetts and to surrender his passport.

The arrest took place on the tarmac of Logan Airport on Saturday after he booked a flight to return home. Mr Crosbie had flown to Boston from Ireland on Thursday with members of Dublin Fire Brigade and was due to leave on Tuesday.

He was interviewed by police on Saturday and afterwards booked a flight for 10.10pm that night. At the airport, he boarded an earlier flight scheduled to depart at about 7pm.

Police learned he was leaving the country and stopped the plane before removing him from the aircraft.

The charges emerged after a 28-year-old woman attended Massachusetts General Hospital where she claimed she had been sexually assaulted at the Omni Parker House that morning.

CCTV was seized by police at The Black Rose, a bar and restaurant in Boston where she had been on Thursday evening with Mr Crosbie.

Mr Crosbie is due back in court on April 16 for a probable cause hearing.

Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement: "As always in these matters, the willingness of the victim to come forward is crucial. This victim deserves enormous credit for doing that in this case. Im grateful for the alertness of police in finding out that Mr Crosbie was attempting to leave the country."

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, Dublin Fire Brigade said its chief fire officer has been made aware that the Boston Police Department have begun a criminal investigation into an alleged serious case involving a member of Dublin Fire Brigade".

The firefighter has immediately been placed on leave.

We cannot comment on the specific circumstances, but we would reiterate the high standards that we expect from all who represent our organisation at any event.

As a result, we are conducting an internal investigation and establishing the facts in collaboration with the appropriate authorities and the organisers of the delegation.

As this is a criminal investigation, we will not be making any further comment at this time.
A protest has taken place at the Department of Integration over conditions that homeless asylum seekers are living in just a short distance away.

A group of around 70 demonstrators gathered this evening to call on the Government to take urgent action over those living rough on Mount Street.

Over the weekend, up to 200 asylum seekers from all over the world were moved to a makeshift campsite in Crooksling in south Dublin.

However, due to the conditions there, as well as threats from anti-immigration protestors, some have started to move back and around 40 tents have been erected again at the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) offices.

Speaking to the crowd on Mount Street, volunteer Roisin McAleer, who has been supporting those on Mount Street, said: "We are not celebrities, we are not VIPs, we are nobody. In the last two weeks with trojan work from people who dont have connections, we managed to put the international protection office and the racist institution system on the radar nationally and internationally.

Collectively Ive always said, we are stronger together. One of the most important things for me personally was learning to understand what the asylum process is like for asylum seekers.

"I thought I had an idea but you have to sit with someone for a long time and listen and shut your mouth and listen to the people who know.

"When people come here and say what can we do, I urge you to listen, with your ears open to the stories.

They are the experts  the asylum seekers who know the process, unlike us who were born in this progressive country."

The normalisation of cruelty has been happening for 20 years, homelessness is now the new norm, she claimed.

The crowd chanted refugees are welcome here and stand up and fight back.

There was a heavy garda presence throughout the two-hour protest which saw the demonstrators march from Mount Street to the nearby Department of Integration on Baggot Street.

They called for Minister Roderic OGorman to step down, claiming he has failed the asylum seekers.

The latest figures show there are now 1,323 asylum seekers without accommodation.

There are tents emerging all over Dublin. Mount Street has become known as "tent city" because the occupants believe they are safer living outside the offices of IPAS.

Another speaker to the assembled crowd, Stephen Roche, said there is no such thing as an illegal immigrant.

The right to claim asylum is not a crime. It is a human right he said.

Every single one of them have been registered here at the international protection office, they carry a blue book. It is not their fault that it often takes years for the Irish asylum system to process their claims.

It is the responsibility of this Government to treat them with care while that happens."
A man in his 30s has been arrested after Revenue officers seized 546,000 worth of cocaine in Dublin Airport on Monday.

The man arrived in Ireland from Brazil via Madrid and the drugs were discovered in a bag that also contained clothing.
The chairman of the Oireachtas Defence Committee has urged his Government colleagues to establish a dedicated Minister of Defence to drive investment into and reform of the Defence Forces, saying the current process is too slow.

The call from FG Laois Offaly TD Charlie Flanagan - who has previously served as minister for justice and minister for foreign affairs  was backed by former Army Ranger and Kildare independent TD Cathal Berry, who said Ireland had two education ministers and two finance ministers but no defence minister.
Tourism Minister Catherine Martin expects a positive outcome to be reached with the European Commission to allow Ireland begin its crackdown on short-term lets in the coming months.

The Governments proposed Short-Term Tourism Letting Bill has been delayed for over a year by the European Commission, due to concerns that the laws would be too restrictive on companies like Airbnb and Booking.com.

The commission itself has also flagged concerns around the alignment of Irelands proposed short-term rental laws with its own proposals to regulate the sector.

However, Ms Martin, who is responsible for the legislation, wrote to Housing Minister Darragh OBrien late last month to update him on the ongoing delays to the legislation.

In her letter, Ms Martin said that officials from her department have engaged further with the EU Commission in recent weeks. This includes a commitment to provide an updated general scheme of the legislation to the Commission at the earliest opportunity.

Ms Martin adds in the letter that she believes, based on recent engagement with the EU, that there will be a positive outcome reached shortly.

A spokesperson for the Department of Tourism said that when this process is completed, the department will be able to publish the updated legislation.





Under the proposals, Ireland would have a more regulated structure to the short-term rental market. At present, anyone seeking to turn their property into a short-term let is required to seek planning permission if they want to rent it for more than 90 days a year.

The new legislation would create a short-term tourist letting register, meaning that homeowners renting out their properties for more than 21 days would have to register with Failte Ireland. It is understood the work to create such a register is complete and can be implemented quickly after the legislation is enacted.

The new laws will also allow Failte Ireland to levy fines against households that attempt to let out a property without a valid registration number. These fines can stretch up to 5,000.

Failte Ireland estimates that as per July 2023 data, there are approximately 34,000 STTL properties in the State currently being advertised online, the spokesperson added.

Using estimates derived from screen scraping, which is the only source of data available in the absence of a STTL register it is estimated that, of the 34,000 relevant properties, up to 10,700 properties could potentially become available for long-term housing requirements.

It comes after Mr OBrien raised his concerns about the ongoing delays to the legislation at a recent meeting of EU housing ministers.

At a meeting of European Housing Ministers in Liege, Belgium, Minister OBrien called on the EU commission and parliament to conclude its work on short-term letting assessment and allow member states such as Ireland to proceed with domestic legislation which has been prepared, a spokesperson for Mr OBrien said.

In recent days, however, there has been criticism of the proposed laws, with owners of short-term rental properties saying that it will devastate their businesses.

Over 50 short-term let providers held a meeting in New Ross in recent days, with one owner Susan Devane saying that the proposals will not lead to an increase in long-term rentals.

She said that properties in the short-term rental market will not "suddenly morph into thousands of long lets, because many premises, for various reasons, are unsuitable for such rentals."
I am offering my services for everyone with enough cash here, boasts the poster of a Rent a Hacker profile on the dark web. Prices depend a lot on the problem you want me to solve, but minimum amount for smaller jobs is 250 EUR, the post adds.

For this dark web service provider, money is the key, the reason why he or she turned to the dark web as a way to maximise the money they can earn from their skills.

That is the unspoken rule of the underbelly of the internet  that almost anything is available to someone who has the cash to pay for it.

The dark web offers a world of opportunities for anyone who persists and goes digging, in a bid to seek something that is not easy to find on their local street or at their childs school gate.

It is also a bed of opportunity for those who have an illegal service to provide, such as weapons, ammunition, child sex abuse images, cryptocurrency, illegal drugs, hackers, fake identities, hitmen, cloned credit cards . The list goes on and on.

In recent weeks, three young Irish men have been charged in connection with possession of a G3 Heckler & Koch machine gun, a Remmington M1911 handgun and two types of ammunition in Co Kildare on March 2. It has been alleged by gardai that the firearms and ammunition were purchased on the dark web.

Gun stores

Gun stores are common across the dark web, with one store boasting that it is Europes number one such online outlet. Another gun store offers guns, full auto assault rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, etc for sale.

Another site offering access to peoples Paypal or credit card accounts promises: We've got a lot of phished accounts, ready for sale. If you need some quick cash, just buy some already loaded Paypal account, cash it out, and do whatever you want with the money. Join hundreds of other people who already made this site famous, by constantly coming back for more and more of these.

A different site offers cloned credit cards with between $3,000 and $5,000 available credit. This is the actual plastic, mailed to you very discreetly, the site says, adding: I have the PIN for nearly all of my cards. If the PIN is not important to you, you can buy cards without the PIN at a reduced price.

While based in the US, the site promises would-be buyers that the cloned cards will work all across the world.

And under its FAQ page, the seller says: This site is a central hub for some skilled hackers, who are making a living from phished, and pre-calculated data. We have a sophisticated Botnet behind us, but unlike others, we don't use it to attack companies or to make great damage, but we use it to phish an extreme amount of data. These includes other ordinary (rich) people's data, paypal and credit card info, gift cards, and a whole lot of other things.

Hackers are ten-a-penny on the dark web. The hacker mentioned in our introduction as offering services for enough cash isnt slow on advising prospective clients that the services are illegal.

Terming themselves an experienced hacker, the advertiser outlines: Hacking and social engineering is my business since i was 16 years old. I never had a real job, so i had the time to get really good at hacking and i made a good amount of money last +-20 years. I have worked for other people before, now i am also offering my services for everyone with enough cash here.

The blurb continues: I am not doing this to make a few bucks here and there, i am not from some crappy eastern europe country and happy to scam people for 50 EUR.

"I am a professional computer expert who could earn 50-100 EUR an hour with a legal job. So stop reading if you don't have a serious problem worth spending some cash at.

Prices depend a lot on the problem you want me to solve, but minimum amount for smaller jobs is 250 EUR. You can pay me anonymously using Bitcoin.

There is a short list of services offered, including a quote of 900 for a medium-large job, ruining people, espionage, website hacking, DDOS for big websites.

It elaborates: I will do anything for money, i'm not a pussy. If you want me to destroy some business or a persons life, i'll do it!

Some examples of the services provided include:

Simply hacking something technically;

Causing a lot of technical trouble on websites / networks to disrupt their service with DDOS and other methods;

Economic espionage;

Getting private information from someone;

Ruining your opponents, business or private persons you don't like, i can ruin them financially and or get them arrested, whatever you like

"If you want someone to get known as a child porn user, no problem."

Retired garda Pat Lordan was the chief superintendent of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau for eight years and agrees that there is an endless list of illegal items which can be accessed on the dark web, at a price.

The issue with it is that it is called the dark web but it actually is not dark at all. It is wide open for anybody who wants to go in there and have a poke around," he said.

"The web that most people are used to is only the tip of the iceberg. It is what is underneath is where the dark web is lurking. Some of us never go there but kids are kids and they explore, and so do teenagers and so do adults.

He added: I worry a little bit about some of the documents that have been accepted over the last five to 10 years, say, for example, for driving licences or insurance. How many of them have been forged from both within Ireland or outside of Ireland?"

To bring it really home to grassroots, how many people have we driving on our roads in Ireland with licences that are actually not legitimate?

Keeping an eye on the dark web is not just the remit of law enforcement agencies. Cyber security firms also keep abreast of the trends in this area of the internet.

Child sex abuse images

The UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) published a report recently on how artificial intelligence is being abused to create child abuse images which are emerging on the dark web.

As part of its investigation, the IWF found that 20,254 AI-generated images were found to have been posted to just one dark web child sex abuse material (CSAM) forum in a one-month period.

A total of 11,108 images were selected for assessment by IWF analysts, as they were deemed most likely to be criminal in nature. Twelve IWF analysts spent a total of 87.5 hours assessing the images.

While the IWF stresses that AI-generated child sexual abuse material is a small proportion of such material on the dark web, the agency warns of its potential for growth.

And it said in its report: Perpetrators can legally download everything they need to generate these images, then can produce as many images as they want  offline, with no opportunity for detection. Various tools exist for improving and editing generated images until they look exactly like the perpetrator wants.

The agency added: There is now reasonable evidence that AI CSAM has increased the potential for the re-victimisation of known child sexual abuse victims, as well as for the victimisation of famous children and children known to perpetrators. The IWF has found many examples of AI-generated images featuring known victims and famous children.

JP OSullivan, network and communications manager with the anti-trafficking and child protection advocacy group Mecpaths, says that the group has had contact from recruitment agencies who are finding their sites being used with links back to the dark web  so job ads going up for young people such as social media influencers here in Ireland.

"It starts off at getting a 50 branded item of clothing in the post, put it up on your Instagram, then the child is hooked. Then they get 100, take off the hoodie. 500, take off all your clothes and send us all the pictures. These are on mainstream sites but the ads were leading people back to child sexual abuse images creation.

Hacking

The area of hacking is a big one on the dark web, with several sites offering different hacking and financial services.

Raluca Saceanu is the chief executive of Smarttech247, an enterprise cybersecurity firm in Cork.

She says: We are constantly looking at the dark web in order for us to understand what hackers latest tactics and techniques are. One thing that we have noticed that has grown particularly in the last six months is the intelligence around AI and how they are sharing this intelligence amongst themselves.

"So we all know that they are using tools like ChatGPT. But what they are doing right now is they are creating a library of research and intelligence and they are speaking about how they can leverage AI for attacks.

They are talking about AI works and how they can use it for malicious attacks. One thing about AI is how to use it from a prompt perspective. So for example they can put into ChatGPT to craft malware to target such a company and ChatGPT will not because of ethical considerations.

There are ways to get around that depending on how you ask or how you prompt so that is one of the things they are sharing as well  ideas on how to hack around the ethical considerations of ChatGPT.

She said that phishing kits are now readily available on the dark web, for an affordable $300.

She added: They are also buying kits that contain tools to bypass email security features. For example, when you receive a phishing email, your email security tools will say that they will block it because the url or the signature of it is malicious.

"Now they (hackers) are buying tools that are moving away from this and they are bypassing it. You can find anything on it (the dark web)  you can find Ransomeware kits, credentials as well. Credentials are a big thing.

She went on: So basically, they are not hacking in anymore.

They are logging in by buying peoples information. You are talking about admin credentials, strong credentials that allow them to get a foothold in an organisation and then spread without sending any alarms.

"They are hacking AI models now too. Every organisation that wants to implement AI in their company go into platforms like Hugging Face which is an open source platform for you to build AI for your company. They are now on that platform as well and they are hacking those AI models so that when you are bringing them into your organisation, you are already bringing malware in. It is called a back door.

"This has the potential for large-scale compromise, has the potential for espionage, so it is really important for organisations, if they are bringing in AI to their business, that they understand what tools they are bringing in. So they need to create an inventory, they need to have security by design, they need to be very very careful about the tools they are bringing in and trusting in their operations.

Ms Saceanu says it is vital for businesses to be up to date with the latest trends when it comes to hacking, to ensure they can protect their interests.

At a time of wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, she said: Nation states are constantly using very sophisticated tools and techniques that inevitably end up on the dark web and the cyber criminals can use them in crafting better attacks against worldwide organisations.

Nation states have endless resources. They have a lot of money, they have a lot of hackers at their disposal, and the problem is then that these tools end up on the dark web. No country is immune. Cyber security is a global problem.

Of the dark web itself, she says: The dark web has more than just hacking tools. Every single thing that you want to buy, you can find it on the dark web. It is a dark place and it is impossible to trace everything and we need to be doing a better job in keeping people safe from what you can find there.

"There has been a lot of work done by law enforcement agencies and public organisations in trying to take down these marketplaces. For example, the Russian marketplace was taken down a couple of years ago and that had a major impact but others popped up so it is a never-ending battle.

That marketplace, called Hydra, was dismantled in 2022 by German police, after six years of existence on the dark web, providing shoppers with drugs and other illegal goods. The site was brought to an end after its servers in Germany were seized, and 23m in bitcoin was confiscated.

Education

Pat Lordan believes education is needed to warn people of the dangers of turning to the dark web, as well as educating them about the dangers of fraudsters who are targeting people thanks to information they obtain from the dark web.

He said: We need more and more education at secondary school level. And that education should not always fall to the banks or the gardai. The Department of Education needs to stand up here and start training about it.

"If you go back to sex education, we ignored it. These things have to be spoken about because no matter what walk of life you go into, you are going to be targeted in one shape or another with different frauds and scams.

"And then if you are the curious person who wants to buy something that is illegal, they are out there. There are dangers of going on the dark web, giving your details to people who you have no idea what country they are in, who they are. It is fraught with danger really.

He added that people may feel that paying for services on the dark web with cryptocurrency makes them untraceable. However, he said: Your email can be traced through blockchain analysis. Dont think you are going to be invisible.
Ive had a real bellyful of social media. Anyone who has any kind of public profile in Ireland gets routinely savaged on what ought to be a space where ideas are openly shared. The higher the profile, the more cruel and vicious the responses. The more anonymous the respondents, the more vulgar they feel free to be. Its as if they want to drive ordinary folk off the platform so they can create their own world of hate.

Well, youre not driving me off. Its always been my practice never to block anyone (forgive the double negative) unless theyre really foul. But I want to tell you something. All of you Ireland is full people, the conspiracy theorists among you, the anti-vaxxers, the people who hate trans people, the so-called real feminists who hate life-long feminists, the ones who just hate everyone, especially everyone who has a different name, skin colour, or accent. Youre getting routinely blocked from now on. I know it wont stop you  youll just transfer your hate somewhere else.

But if enough of us decided to use blocking more routinely, we might end up with a space where you could have open discussion more. Criticism for sure, and disagreement. Thats whats best about social media  you learn from other people, you debate, you share stuff you believe in.

Thats what it was invented for. But Ive had to get to know a lot of the other sort on social media in the recent past, and you make me despair sometimes.

Youre so full of bile and unreasoning hate, so full of superiority without any of the kind of grounding that might come from doing something for other people.

Each of you seems to have a particular target in mind when you sit down at your little keyboards. Anyone who has a different point of view to you is bought and paid for by the establishment. Anyone who disagrees with you is corrupt. Everything, no matter how ordinary it might seem to us ordinary people, is deeply suspect.

But the thing you hate most, it often seems to me, is the little group of people we elected to lead us.

I imagine that Leo, Micheal, and their colleagues, are under strict instructions never to look at X because it is so full of personal abuse directed at them. There is no one alive whose mental health could possibly endure so much vitriol.

When you arent being illiterate, as you often are, your tweets are ugly and vicious. I dont know how many of you are out there, and I cant figure out what motivates you. But youre really something, the lot of you.

If you ever stopped to think  which you dont  youd realise that the truth you hate hearing most is that we elected people to lead us who are good at the job. You dont have to agree with their policy approaches  and I frequently dont  to recognise that they are honourable and decent people.

Their ability to lead saw us through a pandemic and helped the economy to recover after it. They have represented us well in crisis after crisis. Theyve been honest and straightforward. If you watched Leo and Joe Biden over the weekend even you, if you were honest, would have to admit that Ireland is lucky to have serious people in the top positions.

And the funny thing is, if they lost an election tomorrow, theyd be replaced by people every bit as good. I havent a clue how the arithmetic would work, but a government that had the three women opposition leaders  Mary Lou, Ivana Bacik and Holly Cairns  would be full of genuine leadership ability and vision.

Thats unlikely to happen, I know, and probably shouldnt for all sorts of reasons. The point Im making is that Irish politics, in government and opposition, has leaders. Good leaders. Why you hate them so much is inexplicable to me. It makes no sense. Theyre valuable and they serve us well.

I know it might seem odd for me to come to the defence of a political leadership whose ideology isnt mine. Ill always feel free to criticise their failures on key issues  housing and homelessness especially. But Ill never do it anonymously unlike the keyboard heroes so common nowadays.

Poor leadership

Let me give you one comparison. You anti-vaxxer lot in particular wont like hearing that leadership was a key difference in how well, compared to our nearest neighbour, Ireland did in our response to the pandemic. The leadership of Boris Johnson cost tens of thousands of lives. Johnson was eventually found out and succeeded by Liz Truss, who did her absolute best to destroy the British economy in one afternoon. She was succeeded in short order by Rishi Sunak, who last week more or less single-handedly redefined the whole concept of leadership.

At the start of last week, it was revealed that the Tory Party in Britain had taken millions in donations from a man who is on record as saying the sight of Britains first black woman MP, Diane Abbott, makes him hate all black women. Hed like to see her shot, he said. When he was caught out, he issued an apology for being rude.

Pandering: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

It took the Tory leader more than 24 hours to admit that the remarks were both racist and misogynistic. And then he suggested that the right thing to do was to accept the racists remorse  the racist who admitted to nothing more than rudeness. And, of course, there was no question of giving him back his money and telling him to sling his hook. If the opposite of leadership is pandering, then thats what Rishi Sunak and his Tory Party have become now.

Just compare that kind of leadership with what we have here. Just compare current concepts of leadership, based on self-aggrandisement, self-enrichment, power for the sake of power  Trump, Orban, Netanyahu, Putin  with what we have here. And count our blessings.

As Im writing this Ive just heard of the death of an old colleague of mine, Emmet Stagg. Theres an example of someone who grew into leadership. He made wrong decisions and good decisions in his life and was always prepared to acknowledge them both. He developed through all that into a man who made a real and lasting contribution to Irish life.

It wouldnt be a secret that Emmet and I had many battles, but we ended up (I hope) as friends  he could have had grudges against me, but chose not to. Instead, we met once a year on a particular social occasion (it involved horses and Leopardstown), and it was always a good and jolly meeting. We did discover that one thing we both shared was an absolute inability to pick a winner, at least when it had four legs and a tail!

Ill remember Emmet as someone who started off always wanting to challenge other leaders, but grew into a leader himself, with a strong social conscience and a total commitment to getting things done for other people. His wife, Mary, and his children will miss him terribly. But they can be really proud of him too.
Pearse McAuley, who was found dead at his home in Tyrone on Monday, was by turns a Republican hero, garda killer, vicious wife-beater and a go-between for criminals and dissident IRA factions.

He was celebrated in the so-called Republican movement for his willingness and aptitude for killing, but he became an embarrassment after assaulting his wife  current Sinn Fein TD Pauline Tully  to the extent that she was lucky to live through the ordeal.

McAuley, a native of Strabane, Co Tyrone, was born in 1965. He came of age at the height of the violence in the North and joined the Provisional IRA. He quickly gained a reputation as a willing killer.

He was dispatched to the UK in 1990 with a mission to kill several senior figures in the British establishment, including politicians and industrialists. The following year, he and another man, Nessan Quinlivan  brother of current Sinn Fein TD Maurice  were arrested and held in Brixton Prison.

They effected a daring escape when McAuley produced a pistol and the pair forced prison officers to allow them into the yard, where they scaled the high walls by putting a wheelbarrow on top of dog kennels. Outside they shot a prison officer and made good their escape. After a period in London, McAuley is believed to made his way back to the Republic.

Assistant State pathologist Margaret Bolster (centre) with Garda forensic experts examine the scene of the shooting in 1996 that led to the death of Garda Jerry McCabe and serious wounding of his colleague, Detective Garda Ben O'Sullivan. File picture: Kieran Clancy

In June 1996, he was part of a gang who shot dead Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, and badly wounded Detective Garda Ben OSullivan in an attempted armed robbery in Adare.

Descriptions of the incident given in evidence suggest there was a firm intention to kill the two gardai, irrespective of how the robbery was progressing.

Undertakers remove the body of Det Garda Gerry McCabe from the scene of the shooting at Adare, Co Limerick, in 1996. File picture: Kieran Clancy

Subsequently, it emerged that the operation was not sanctioned by IRA HQ, at a time when a ceasefire had recently broken down.

McAuley and three other men were charged with murder. Amid accusations of intimidation of a vital witness, the DPP eventually agreed to push instead for a manslaughter charge.

In 1999 all four were sentenced to long terms, including 14 years for McAuley and another man, Kevin ONeill. They served their sentence for the greater part in Castlerea open prison in Co Roscommon.

Despite revulsion at the killing of a garda in those circumstances, Sinn Fein lobbied hard for the men to be released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

Arguably, they had a point. Many prisoners north of the border who were guilty of comparable crimes were released but it would have been political dynamite if Jerry McCabes killers had their sentences commuted.

While the men were in prison, photographs emerged of them being visited by various Sinn Fein politicians. When McAuley and ONeill were released in 2009, they were collected at the prison gate by Sinn Fein TD Martin Ferris. At the following years ard fheis the men were given a standing ovation.

Pearse McAuley was considered a hero until such time as his propensity for violence began to cause embarrassment. File photo: Lorraine Teevan

While in prison, McAuley met Pauline Tully, who was part of a Sinn Fein delegation that used to visit regularly. A relationship struck up and she became pregnant while McAuley was still serving his sentence. She subsequently gave birth to a second son. They married but within a few years of McAuleys release, the union was in serious trouble.

By Christmas Eve 2014, McAuley was no longer living in the family home in Co Cavan as Ms Tully had sought and received a barring order following a previous assault. He was due to spend Christmas with her and the children, but when he arrived at the house he had already been drinking.

Over a three-and-a-half-hour ordeal, he stabbed her 13 times and repeatedly assaulted her. At one point he brought the children into the room to say goodbye to their mother. She was eventually rescued, and a year later McAuley was sentenced to 12 years, with four suspended.

While he was in prison on remand for the assault charges, a frequent visitor was Jonathan Dowdall, who the previous year had stepped down as a Sinn Fein councillor. During the trial of Gerry Hutch for the Regency Hotel murder, it emerged that Dowdall had visited McAuley 14 times around this period.

Dowdall told the court that McAuley was acting as a broker between the Hutch gang and dissident Republicans in the North. Following his conviction for the stabbing and assault, a number of Republican figures distanced themselves from him.

In December 2015, days after the sentencing, Tully gave an interview to Marian Finucane on RTE radio. Her purpose in speaking out was to highlight the scourge of domestic abuse and provide some solace to others who were living with it behind closed doors. At one point, Finucane asked her what she had expected by marrying a very violent man.

Detective Garda Jerry McCabe's wife Ann (third from left) in 1999. File photo: RollingNews.ie

I was reared in a republican family, I was a member of Sinn Fein, an elected councillor for Sinn Fein, I would have agreed with the republican cause, so Im not going to start condemning different aspects of it or saying anything about it, she said.

Ive known people involved in the conflict all my life...just because theyre involved in a war situation doesnt mean that theyre on a personal level violent. Ive known many people who are not any way violent to their spouses.

Finucane asked whether this was true even of those who had killed people. We have a lot of soldiers all over the world go out and fight wars for different countries for different causes and it obviously has an effect, but it doesnt mean that they come back and mistreat their families.

The response on one level was entirely understandable, albeit the inference that McAuley was a solider is highly questionable. Undoubtedly, there are individuals who joined the Provisional IRA for ideological reasons, in pursuit of the organisations aim of violently imposing a 32-county socialist republic on the island.

The late Detective Garda Jerry McCabe. File photo: Liam Burke/Press 22

Others would have joined up after witnessing or being the victim of state violence in response to the IRA which was often indiscriminate and brutal. Removed from the circumstances of the conflict many such individuals would have no predisposition to violence.

There were, however, others like McAuley who were just thugs who were put to use by the Provo leadership. And thereafter, all that mattered was they did their bit for the cause.

Just as some paedophiles within the organisation were simply relocated, so also the likes of McAuley was considered a hero until such time as his propensity for violence began to cause embarrassment.

Pearse McAuley was released from prison in 2022. He was living in a house near Strabane when his body was found on Monday. It is unclear how long he had been dead but the PSNI has indicated it does not consider the death suspicious.
Roderic OGorman said on Sunday that there was no attempt to take homeless protection applicants in Dublin out of the public eye in advance of St Patricks Day, when they were transported, on Saturday morning, from Mount St to a site in Crooksling, Co Wicklow.

The Integration Minister also said it was in peoples best interests to move to a better site. The facts, unfortunately, suggest otherwise. And perhaps what matters is not intention but the manner in which people were treated and what they experienced on Saturday.

No notice was given to the protection applicants on Saturday morning and they were given very little, if any, information about where they were going.

There was also no communication with the volunteers and organisations who had been supporting the men in the Mount St area. In the absence of State action, volunteers had been one of the crucial supports for people. In one of the most shocking images of the day, after people left, tents were then slashed by contractors, presumably to prevent their use by other people.

This is the second time that at least some of the men had been moved. After the snow on March 1, some homeless protection applicants had been accommodated for the weekend and then put back out on to the street. The Irish Refugee Council strongly criticised this and described it as appalling. Given that experience, there was a duty on Government to handle this move well.

Inadequate conditions at Crooksling

Then there was the location: They were taken to a site that, on February 4, had been subject to a significant fire. Arson is suspected but no arrests have been made. Despite the men being moved without warning, protestors were either there to meet them or quickly on the scene thereafter.

In short, people were taken to a place which may have been set on fire previously, and far-right activists were outside. These facts alone raise huge concern.

Then there were the conditions behind the corrugated gate.

There are mixed reports of what was and is currently being provided. We met one person yesterday who had come down to Dublin to try to use a shower after reporting that the showers at Crooksling were not working. Of most concern was that people were given a flimsy tent to sleep in, very similar to that which they were using in the Mount St area.

The tents are not fit for purpose

These are not the army-style tents used elsewhere to accommodate larger numbers of protection applicants. Those army tents, which are not without significant problems, can at least be heated and are sturdier against the wind and rain. Instead, we see completely insufficient, almost disposable coverings, the likes of which barely withstand a couple of nights in decent weather.

We have said since the summer of 2022, when they were first used for refugees from Ukraine, that tents of any kind do not meet the requirement of providing accommodation.

We certainly do not believe a tent like this meets the definition of accommodation required by law, and have grave concerns that this could become the norm and that the State deem the men in Crooksling now accommodated.

All the above led to the Irish Refugee Council saying that there was an attempt to put this issue out of sight, out of mind. It also left the bigger picture unresolved and unaddressed: A total of 1,308 people in the protection process are without accommodation. Not all homeless people are in the Mount St area, and Crooksling is not a cure to this bigger issue.

Ireland has spare capacity

The solutions? Capacity exists within both the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) and the Ukrainian accommodation system. The Government is right to reserve some spare capacity but the time to trigger its use is now.

In response to an unprecedented crisis, all levers must be pressed. Media reports last week cited 500 beds free in the Ukraine accommodation system  paid for by the taxpayer, and yet empty while people battle the elements in flimsy tents.

Role for Housing and Public Expenditure departments

Secondly, other government departments need to play a part. The responsibility to accommodate is on the State, not just on one government department. Despite its protestations, the Department of Housing needs to play its part. While they are insistent that homeless protection applicants are the sole responsibility of Mr OGormans department, there is no excuse for their lack of co-operation in response to this crisis.

With over 6,000 people who have permanent permission to remain in the State living in IPAS accommodation due to the housing crisis, the Department of Housing needs to step up its co-ordination and support to the Department of Integration.

There is a significant bottleneck in IPAS accommodation and, without people with status or Ukrainians moving into the community because of the housing crisis, this situation risks being inevitable.

Mr OGorman said on Sunday that his department was working closely with other departments, such as the Department of Public Expenditure, to ensure that capital support be provided to fund State-run reception centres. It sounds like the ball is in the court of the Department of Public Expenditure to agree to, and fund, the plans put forward by the Department of Integration for long-term accommodation.

We do not know exactly what is in those plans, but they will likely be a test the Cabinets willingness to consider and support long-term alternatives. We are concerned that, with elections looming, politicians become more swayed by the vagaries of short-term electoral politics than long-term constructive policies.

Vicious circle of reliance on emergency shelter

Reliance on emergency accommodation puts the State in a vicious circle: IPAS is reliant on one mode of delivery (emergency accommodation in the hospitality sector, repurposed offices, industrial buildings, and other unsuitable locations), which means it must find increasingly random locations at short notice which can bring opposition. Reliance on this mode gives an impression of false scarcity.

There are other ways of providing accommodation that we and others have put forward that can benefit all, cost less money, and provide better chances at integration.

Then there is the Mount St situation. As of yesterday, 30 tents are once again pitched in the Mount St area. It is likely, given the total number of people without accommodation, that this number will continue to grow.

Based on the current Government response, homelessness will persist and Mount St will be a focal point whether the authorities approve of it or not.

Remarkably, Dublin City Council said in a statement on Friday that it was not the responsibility of Dublin City Council to provide temporary public toilets at this location. This is despite portaloos being placed around the city for St Patricks Day, and the councils part in clearing and destroying tents at the weekend.

Given the obvious and serious issues at Mount St, a portaloo or two seems the least the council can do. Failure to do so is deeply concerning.

Finally, there is the important point of the law and our legal obligations. Further to litigation brought by our law centre, two High Court judges have confirmed that Ireland has an obligation to accommodate people seeking protection. In the words of Justice Ferriter in December 2023, the State remains under a continuing, mandatory obligation to provide international protection applicants with basic needs including accommodation. We ignore these obligations at our peril.

Nick Henderson is the chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council
The United States and Japan are sponsoring a UN Security Council resolution calling on all nations not to deploy or develop nuclear weapons in space, the US ambassador has announced.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a UN Security Council meeting on Monday that any placement of nuclear weapons into orbit around the Earth would be unprecedented, dangerous, and unacceptable.

The announcement that the US and Japan had circulated a resolution follows White House confirmation last month that Russia has obtained a troubling anti-satellite weapon capability, although such a weapon is not operational yet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared later that Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space, claiming that the country has only developed space capabilities similar to those of the US.

The United States has already begun considering approaches to help ensure that countries cannot deploy nuclear weapons in orbit undetected, and we intend to engage with other states parties as our ideas evolve

The Outer Space Treaty ratified by about 114 countries including the United States and Russia prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction in orbit or the stationing of weapons in outer space in any other manner.

Japans foreign minister Yoko Kamikawa, who chaired the council meeting, said that even during the confrontational environment of the Cold War, the rivals agreed to ensure that outer space remained peaceful.

That prohibition on putting any weapons of mass destruction into orbit must be upheld today, she said.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield said all parties to the treaty must commit to the ban on nuclear and other destructive weapons, and we must urge all member states who are not yet party to it to accede to it without delay.

She said the United States looks forward to engaging with the other members of the 15-nation Security Council to forge consensus around this text.

Russias deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said Moscows initial impression is that the proposed resolution is yet another propaganda stunt by Washington, very politicised and divorced from reality.

He criticised the text, saying the wording was not worked out by experts nor discussed at specialised international platforms such as the UN Conference on Disarmament or the UN Committee on Outer Space.

Outside the Security Council, Ms Thomas-Greenfield said the US is interested in engaging with parties to the treaty to explore ways to increase confidence in compliance with the ban on nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in outer space.

The United States has already begun considering approaches to help ensure that countries cannot deploy nuclear weapons in orbit undetected, and we intend to engage with other states parties as our ideas evolve, she said.

Ms Thomas-Greenfield also reiterated to the council the United States is willing to engage Russia and China right now, without preconditions, on bilateral arms control issues.

But Russias Mr Polyansky accused the West of trying to inflict strategic defeat on my country.

He said: Any interaction will only be possible if the United States and Nato review their anti- Russian course, and when they show that they are ready to participate in comprehensive dialogue, taking into account all of those strategic stability factors and removing all of the concerns that we have about our security.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres briefed the council, saying geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades.

He said the movie Oppenheimer about Robert Oppenheimer, who directed the US project during the Second World War that developed the atomic bomb, brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world.

Humanity cannot survive a sequel to Oppenheimer, the UN chief said.
Israel has been accused of using starvation as a "weapon of war" as food shortages reach famine levels and mass deaths now "imminent" without an immediate ceasefire.

As the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) is refused access to witness the devastation on the ground, the UN food agency has warned that famine is imminent in northern Gaza, where an estimated 70% of the population faces catastrophic hunger.

Meanwhile, the EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell hit out at Benjamin Netanyahu's government by stating that Gaza was "the greatest open-air prison" before Israel's bombardment but now it is "the greatest open-air graveyard".

"A graveyard for tens of thousands of people, and also a graveyard for many of the most important principles of humanitarian law," he said.

"In Gaza we are no longer on the brink of famine, we are in a state of famine, affecting thousands of people," Mr Borrell said.

Palestinians gather to receive aid outside an UNRWA warehouse as Gaza residents face crisis levels of hunger, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City March 18, 2024. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

He described starvation as a "weapon of war" being used by Israel.

Reacting, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Mr Borrell should "stop attacking Israel and recognise our right to self-defence against Hamas' crimes".

Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help. Despite Hamas violently disrupting aid convoys and @UNRWA's collaboration with them, we persist. It's time for EU Foreign Minister @JosepBorrellF to stop attacking Israel and    Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) March 18, 2024

The comments came as UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini claimed he had been refused permission by Israeli authorities to enter Rafah.

Mr Lazzarini warned that children are now dying of dehydration and hunger adding that his planned visit was intended to coordinate and improve the humanitarian response.

Calling for the opening of all land crossings into the strip, he said: "This man-made starvation under our watch is a stain on our collective humanity."

The World Food Programme yesterday released the latest findings of its Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, an international process for estimating the scale of hunger crises.

It says virtually everyone in Gaza is struggling to get enough food, and around 210,000 people in northern Gaza are in Phase 5, the highest, which refers to catastrophic hunger.

Mr Lazzarini said two million people are now facing "crisis levels of food insecurity or worse" and half the population has completely exhausted food supplies and coping capacities.

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike on a residential building in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)

"They are struggling with catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) and starvation. This is the highest number of people ever recorded as facing catastrophic hunger by the IPC system and double the number just three months ago," he said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the IPC report an "appalling indictment" and said Israel must allow complete and unfettered access to all parts of Gaza.

"This is an entirely manmade disaster  and the report makes clear that it can be halted."

Israel has said it is opening more routes by land, as well as allowing sea shipments and air drops. But aid agencies say they still cannot get enough supplies through or distribute them safely, especially in the north.

It comes as Israeli forces launched another raid on the Gaza Strips largest hospital on Monday, saying Hamas militants had regrouped there and had fired on them from inside the site where Palestinian officials say tens of thousands of people have been sheltering.

More than 31,000 people, including 13,000 children, have now been killed in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7.

- additional reporting Reuters
Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten is to step down as creative director of his namesake brand at the end of June.

The 65-year-old, who over nearly four decades became a master of blending the old with the new, with a luscious use of colours, said that the 2025 mens spring-summer collection will be the last in his current role.
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has vowed that the US will continue to support Ukraines war effort against Russia even though Congress remains stalled over funding to send additional weapons to the front.

The United States will not let Ukraine fail, said Mr Austin, addressing more than 50 defence leaders from Europe and around the world who are meeting at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail, he added.

The meeting comes a week after US defence officials managed to find 300 million dollars (235 million) in contract savings to fund a new package of military aid for Ukraine, pulling weapons from Pentagon stocks.

Lloyd Austin met Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov (Michael Probst/AP)

During the session, leaders from other nations promised new aid for Ukraine.

German defence minister Boris Pistorius told reporters that Germany will provide ammunition and armoured and transport vehicles worth about 500 million euros (426 million).

Mr Pistorius said: We are helping Ukraine with what it needs most in its defence against Russian aggression.

He added that the aid includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition from the German Army stocks that would be delivered to Ukraine very soon, as well as 100 armoured vehicles for the infantry and 100 transport vehicles.

Asked whether he still sees the Americans as a reliable ally considering the ongoing delay in funding approval by Congress, Mr Pistorius said: I have no doubt about the reliability of the Americans.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Austin said that Ukraines survival is in danger and that he left the meeting fully determined to keep US security assistance and ammunition flowing.

He said: Thats a matter of survival and sovereignty for Ukraine, and its a matter of honour and security for America.

The 300 million dollar aid package from the US was the first tranche of weapons sent by the Biden administration since December as battlefield conditions in Ukraine have been getting increasingly dire.

German minister of defence Boris Pistorius (left) with Rustem Umjerow, Ukrainian minister of defence (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

The money  which officials called a one-time shot  allowed the Defence Department to use presidential drawdown authority (PDA) to pull weapons and equipment from Pentagon stocks and send them quickly to Ukraine.

The funds are then used to buy replacement items to ensure the US military is ready to fight and protect the homeland.

US leaders had insisted for the past three months that they could not take more weapons off the shelves because they had run out of money to replenish the stocks.

Congress has been deadlocked for months over a new 95 billion dollar supplemental Bill that includes about 60 billion dollars in aid for Ukraine.

US officials maintain there is bipartisan support for the package but a number of Republicans oppose it and House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring the Bill to the House floor for a vote.

Funding to train Ukrainian forces is also at risk. The US Army regional command for Europe and Africa, which is based in Germany, has spent more than 500 million dollars out of its budget so far this fiscal year to conduct the training and expects to run out of money by June, according to US officials.

The command spent about 2 billion dollars for training in the fiscal year that ended last September 30, which was paid for through supplemental funding passed by Congress.

The US has trained about 19,000 Ukrainian forces to date, the bulk of them at the Army bases in Germany.

Ukrainian soldiers have faced shortages of ammunition (Iryna Rybakova via AP)

All together, the international coalition has trained more than 129,000 Ukrainians at more than 100 different locations around the world.

Training has slowed a bit, as the US is waiting for the next large tranche of Ukrainian troops to arrive. Scheduling can be difficult because Ukraine often has to pull troops from the battlefront to send them for training.

US officials have been publicly expressing the hope that lawmakers will manage to act soon to approve the supplemental Bill but they have also been struggling to find other ways to get assistance to Ukraine.

Defence officials continue to warn that Ukraine remains heavily outgunned by Russia on the battlefield and note persistent reports of Ukrainian troops rationing or running out of ammunition on the front lines.

Just last month, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka, where outnumbered defenders had held off a Russian assault for four months.

Troops complained of running low on ammunition while facing a constant barrage of air strikes from glide bombs, enormous unguided Soviet-era weapons, retrofitted with a navigational targeting system, that obliterate everything around them, as well as motion-sensing explosive drones that could enter buildings and hunt personnel.
About 9,000 children are to be evacuated from a Russian border region which is being shelled by Ukraine, an official claimed.

Kyivs forces have increasingly been striking at targets behind the extensive front line that has changed little after more than two years of war.

The children are to be moved further east, away from the Ukraine border, the governor of Russias Belgorod region, Vyacheslev Gladkov, said.

A Russian tank fires at Ukrainian troops from a position near the border with Ukraine in the Belgorod region (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

The announcement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin wants to create a buffer zone to help protect border regions from long-range Ukrainian strikes and cross-border raids.

Ukraine has increasingly used its long-range firepower to hit oil refineries and depots deep inside Russia and has sought to unsettle the Russian border regions, putting political pressure on Mr Putin.

Civilian areas of Belgorod have reportedly been battered in the fighting. According to Mr Gladkov, 16 people died and 98 were injured over the last week alone.

On Saturday, he ordered the closure of shopping malls until Monday and schools until Tuesday because of the security situation.

A Ukrainian soldier walks in position on the front line near Klishchyivka, Donetsk region, Ukraine (Iryna Rybakova via AP)

The planned evacuation of children is one of the biggest publicly announced in the Belgorod region since the war began in February 2022.

About 1,000 people, including children and their families, were evacuated to other Russian regions last June and there have been other sporadic reports of evacuations over the past year.

It was unclear whether adults would be accompanying the children under the latest evacuation order. If so, the total number of people being moved out of Belgorod could be much higher.

Roughly 600 people were in temporary accommodation on Monday after being evacuated from their homes, Mr Gladkov said.

Mr Putin discussed the cross-border incursions at a meeting with top officials of the Federal Security Service, the FSB.

A Russian regional governor says 16 people were killed in the Belgorod region over the past week (Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov telegram channel via AP)

Three people were wounded in a Ukrainian attack on Tuesday in the Belgorod region, Mr Gladkov said, including a 14-year-old who had part of a limb amputated. His mother was also seriously hurt in the attack, he said.

The previous day, four members of the same family died in an attack on the Belgorod village of Nikolskoe, according to Mr Gladkov. A grandmother, mother, her partner and 17-year-old son were killed after a missile struck their house, he said.

It has not been possible to independently verify the claims.

Four people were killed in shelling, not far from the border with Ukraine, officials claimed (Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov telegram channel via AP)

Two Ukrainian drones were shot down over Belgorod and another over the neighbouring Voronezh region overnight, the Russian defence ministry said. It gave no details of any damage or injuries.

Meanwhile, Russia used S-300 missiles to attack the city of Selydove in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine overnight. Four people were wounded and houses and cars were damaged, the regional prosecutors office said.

On Monday, Russian attacks in Donetsk killed one person and wounded another, according to Vadym Filashkin, the regional governor.
Dutch tulip growers have launched an AI-powered robot in the battle to root out disease from bulb fields as they erupt into a riot of springtime colour.

Theo  named after a retired employee at the WAM Pennings farm near the North Sea coast  trundles along rows of yellow and red tulips, checking each plant and, when necessary, killing diseased bulbs to prevent the spread of the tulip-breaking virus.

The dead bulbs are removed from healthy ones in a sorting warehouse after they have been harvested.

The virus stunts growth and development of plants leading to smaller and weaker flowers. It also weakens the bulb itself, eventually leaving them unable to flower.

Theo van der Voort, a spotter of sick tulips, walks ahead of his namesake Theo( Peter Dejong/AP)

As part of efforts to tackle the virus, there are 45 robots patrolling tulip fields across the Netherlands as the weather warms up and farmers approach peak season when their bulbs bloom into giant patchworks of colour that draw tourists from around the world.

In the past, this was work carried out by human sickness spotters, said Allan Visser, a third-generation tulip farmer who is using the robot for the second growing season.

You could also buy a very nice sports car for the price of the robot, Mr Visser said. Its makers say the robot costs 185,000 euros (157,000).

But I prefer to have the robot because a sports car doesnt take out the sick tulips from our field. Yeah, it is expensive, but there are less and less people who can really see the sick tulips, he added.

Theo rolls on caterpillar tracks through fields at 0.6mph, hunting out the telltale red stripes that form on the leaves of infected flowers.

It has cameras in the front, and it makes thousands of pictures of the tulips. Then it will determine if the tulip is sick or not by its AI model, Mr Visser explained, calling it precision agriculture.

Allan Visser, a third-generation tulip farmer, walks near to Theo the robot, in Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands (Peter Dejong/AP)

The robot has learned to recognise this and to treat it, he added.

Erik de Jong, of H2L Robotics, the company that makes the robots, says artificial intelligence helps them identify sick flowers and very precise GPS coordinates allow them to pinpoint the flowers that need to be destroyed.

The heart of the machine is the knowledge that we put into the AI model. The knowledge comes from tulip farmers. So we use the knowledge of the tulip farmers, we combine it into an AI model, he said.

Theo van der Voort, who gave his name to the robot at WAM Pennings farm, and who retired after 52 years hunting for sick flowers, is impressed.

Its fantastic, he said. It sees just as much as I see.
Tuesday, Mar 19th, 2024 (7:15 am) - Score 720

Rural broadband ISP Alncom have this morning announced that the Governments Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) has approved a new project, which will see them extend their gigabit-capable Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) network further into the north of Alnwick area in Northumberland (England).

The provider is currently aiming to build their full fibre network to cover 50,000 premises in the North East of England (theyve already done well over half that)  mostly across rural parts of Northumberland, County Durham and the Scottish Borders  and they also have an existing Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network.

NOTE: Alncom  using kit from ADTRANs TA5000 fibre access platform  is supported by investment from Alncom  using kit from ADTRANs TA5000 fibre access platform  is supported by investment from Railsite Telecom here ) and the governments gigabit voucher scheme.

The latest network build to be added to their plans will see the operator cover another 1,454 properties North of Alnwick. This might seem like a small number, but the rural nature of the area means that the network itself is still geographically significant in size. The route will include Denwick, Rennington, Rock, Christon Bank, Embleton, Craster, Dunstan and Howick, plus all areas in between.

The project, which is part-funded by Alncom and part-funded by Government vouchers, is due to be built over the summer (2024).

Stephen Pinchen, MD of Alncom, told ISPreview: It is a demand lead project, so if anyone in these areas would like full fibre broadband into their property, business or village, with free installation and 200mbps for 25 per month, it is VITAL that you register your interest immediately. The timing is dictated by levels of interest and if there is enough, we can begin the build before the end of March 2024.

Locals in the area are advised to sign-up for the free government backed vouchers at www.alncom.co.uk, or by calling 01665 604816 or email info@alncom.co.uk to register.
Tuesday, Mar 19th, 2024 (1:05 pm) - Score 1,040

The Digital Connectivity Forum, which is an industry think-tank for the UK Government, has published a new advanced connectivity report that analyses full fibre (FTTP) broadband and 5G mobile deployments, take-up and use cases to understand the key barriers and drivers of adoption, as well as what we might need in the future.

Since the early 1990s the world has witness significant changes in internet capabilities and the performance of the network connections that underpin that  going from average dialup speeds of around 14-56Kbps (0.014  0.056Mbps) to 100Mbps today across the world, while many in the UK can now access gigabit-capable broadband networks (1000Mbps+).

The latest independent data from Thinkbroadband shows that 81.56% of premises across the United Kingdom can now access a gigabit-capable broadband ISP connection, which falls to 64.05% when only looking at Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technology. Ofcom similarly states (here) that around 42% of customers are on a gigabit network (28% for FTTP alone), but as usual this is taking time to grow.

The regulators own modelling currently predicts that UK gigabit broadband coverage will reach around 83-84% by May 2024, then 87-91% by May 2025 and 90-94% by May 2026 (here). Naturally, those able to benefit from such improvements may well ask, why do I need more?. After all, most HD video streams these days only need speeds of 5-8Mbps, and even future 8K streams arent much of a problem for full fibre lines.

The new Advanced Connectivity report(s) from the DCF delves into this a little more and asks  with less of us facing the buffering wheel as we watch our favourite programmes, what are the wider implications and uses of high-speed ultra-low latency connectivity, and why should we care? It also looks at how take-up can be boosted on FTTP networks.

The reports are both available online (PDF):

Findings of the DCFs Report

The key findings reveal that consumers prioritise speed, price, and reliability when considering advanced connectivity options, reflecting the increasing indispensability of connectivity in modern society. However, a significant barrier lies in the lack of awareness regarding the benefits of FTTP and a perceived absence of necessity among consumers.

Addressing these challenges, the report recommends the implementation of an information campaign centred around a new cross-industry independent website. This platform, they say, could serve as a point of clarity, offering accessible explanations of various broadband technologies and their capabilities in laymans terms, thereby empowering end-users to make informed decisions. But a lot of websites already do this, so were not convinced itll have much of an impact, and most consumers seem to look at advertised speeds more than the underlying delivery technology.

Moreover, the report claims to showcase compelling use cases for 5G SA and FTTP connectivity in critical sectors such as agriculture, transport, healthcare, and manufacturing. From virtual coupling of trains to connected ambulances and advanced agricultural techniques like crop phenotyping, the potential for transformative impact is said to be evident.

The report responds to this by advocating for increased trialling of advanced connectivity solutions, alongside proactive government promotion and feasibility assessments aimed at addressing regulatory, operational, and safety challenges. By implementing these recommendations, the UK may, were told, be able to unlock the full potential of advanced connectivity, ushering in a new era of prosperity and innovation for the economy and society alike.

Alex Mather, Head of the Digital Connectivity Forum, said: As the rollout of gigabit-capable fixed connectivity accelerates, and 5G standalone rollout gets underway, the importance of ensuring that all parts of the UK society and economy understand and benefit from these transformational forms of connectivity has never been greater. The report shows better understanding and awareness of advanced broadband technologies is essential in enabling the nation to reap the full benefits of these forms of connectivity. We look forward to working with industry as well as government and regulatory stakeholders, to bring these uses into reality.

The full report is a little dry, and we had been hoping that it was going to include a more scientific study of current and future broadband speeds vs needs, but sadly it doesnt seem to go into quite that sort of depth. Instead, its more of a high-level case study, which provides some useful insights but doesnt really seem to be saying anything terribly new or that hasnt been handled better before (e.g. GigaTAGs study on boosting take-up)

Finally, its important to remember that, while much of the talk about full fibre and 5G or 6G connections may frequently centre on speed, the other key benefit for consumers is in being able to access a much more stable and reliable internet connectivity solution. A solution where speed matters, but in the case of FTTP is no longer the sole defining factor or limitation, unlike flaky copper DSL lines with their many issues of signal degradation and stability.

Over time, online content and services will increasingly evolve to make use of this extra speed, often in surprising ways (cloud-based gaming / computer and AI etc.). So perhaps the real killer app for services like FTTP isnt a specific one, but rather the fact that the actual connectivity side is no longer.. crap. Unless your ISP cocks up on its network/routing/DNS or capacity management, of course, and thats always a distinct possibility.
March 18, 2024



High school students and the Idaho State University community (students, faculty, staff) are invited to a special free event to meet the author of the bestselling book, Killers of the Flower Moon, at ISUs Stephens Performing Arts Center Thursday, April 18, 10-11 AM.

Students are encouraged to reserve tickets online. Reservations will enter students into a drawing for a chance to win an autographed copy of the book.

In addition, the Idaho Humanities Council invites the community to attend its 15th annual Eastern Idaho Distinguished Humanities Lecture on April 18, 7 PM at the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel and Chiefs Event Center. Author, David Grann, will discuss his book Killers of the Flower Moon.

We are so excited to bring an author to Idaho who has been incredibly successful at telling important stories from history that are so compelling we are still talking about them years later, says Johanna Bringhurst, Director of Programs for the Idaho Humanities Council.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI is a gripping true-crime tale that unravels some of the most sinister crimes and racial injustices in American history. Garnering over 100 weeks on the New York Times nonfiction bestseller list and a finalist for the National Book Award, it has captivated readers worldwide. The book was adapted for the screen in 2023, with Director Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Actress Lily Gladstone's portrayal of Mollie Kyle earned her critical acclaim and marked her as the first Native American to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama).

The author will discuss his book with Mark Trahant, Shoshone-Bannock tribal member and editor at large of Indian Country Today. Trahant was recently inducted into The National Native American Hall of Fame for decades of work on behalf of Indigenous peoples through his work as a journalist, speaker, and teacher. Trahant is an innovator within digital and print media who began his career as the editor of the Sho-Ban News at the age of 19.

Joining Grann and Trahant on stage will be RandyL Teton (Shoshone-Bannock). Since 2022, Randy'L has served on the IHC board of directors and currently works as a Public Affairs/Tribal Relations Specialist with the USDA Forest Service. Teton's recent publication, Its Her Story: Sacajawea, a graphic novel for children ages 7-10, portrays Sacajawea's journey from an Indigenous perspective and is listed as an Amazon bestselling children's book.

Ticket prices for the Eastern Idaho Distinguished Lecture will be offered on a sliding scale. Tickets are also available for a private reception prior to the lectures with the author for $75.00, with cash bar and hors doeuvres. Following the event, the author will be signing books, which will be available for sale.

For high schools, please contact Holly Kartchner at (208)282-5362 or hollykartchner@isu.edu.

Idaho State University community members, please contact Elisabeth Curtis at (208)282-1080 or elisabethcurtis@isu.edu.

Purchase Tickets or Reserve Your Free Ticket Here

Event Webpage

Facebook Event
Today

Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 51F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.

Tonight

Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 51F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.

Tomorrow

Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High 73F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
If Medicare Advantage has it their way, theyre going to deny me care and delay me care until Im dead, said one patient.

Jake Johnson

( Commondreams.org )  Patients on Medicare Advantage spoke out against the privatized plans this week as part of a coordinated campaign to shed light on the programs care denials, treatment delays, and overbillingand to pressure U.S. President Joe Biden to rein in the insurance giants raking in huge profits from such abuses.

These corporations do nothing to increase positive outcomes in medical care. So dont fall for their bullshit, Jenn Coffey, a retired EMT from New Hampshire, said during a livestream hosted by Peoples Action on Wednesday night.

The stream featured testimony from several patients who have experienced the kinds of delays and denials for which Medicare Advantage is notorious.

Rick Timmins of Puget Sound Advocates for Retirement Action said it took five months and multiple calls and emails for his insurance company to approve his referral to a dermatologist for a suspicious lump on his earlobe that turned out to be malignant melanoma. The delay stemmed from a byzantine process known as prior authorization, whereby doctors are required to prove a treatment is necessary before an insurer will cover it.

By the time his referral to a specialist was approved, Timmins said, the previously tiny lump had tripled in size and was quite painful.

Coffey, for her part, ended up on a UnitedHealth Medicare Advantage plan after she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. She later developed two rare diseasesincluding complex regional pain syndromeand required expensive treatments that her Medicare Advantage plan refused to cover.

If Medicare Advantage has it their way, theyre going to deny me care and delay me care until Im dead, Coffey, a healthcare advocate, said in a video published Thursday by the advocacy group Be A Hero as part of a social media day of action against the for-profit plans.



Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

They only make money when they dont have to spend it on you, said Coffey.

Once enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, patients often find it difficult to get out.

They like to tell you: Medicare Advantage numbers are so high, cant you tell people love it?' said Coffey, alluding to the fact that more than half of all eligible Medicare beneficiaries are now enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. No, we dont. Were stuck. Its the Hotel California: You can check in, but you cant get the hell out.

Next month, the Biden administration is expected to finalize 2025 payment rates for Medicare Advantage, which is funded by the federal government. Medicare Advantage plans frequently overbill the government by making patients appear sicker than they are.

An analysis released last year by Physicians for a National Health Program estimated that Medicare Advantage plans are overcharging U.S. taxpayers by as much as $140 billion per yearan amount that could be used to completely eliminate Medicare Part B premiums or fully fund Medicares prescription drug program.

Patients and advocacy groups are calling on Biden to not fork over more money for insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare, as Coffey put it during Wednesdays livestream.

A petition sponsored by Social Security Works urges Biden to reclaim Medicare from Medicare Advantage providers, which have delayed and denied care to millions of Americans in order to turn a massive profit.

Medicare Advantage isnt really Medicare, and it isnt an advantage to the seniors and people with disabilities who rely on the program, reads the petition, which has over 22,800 signatures as of this writing. In the 25 years that it has existed, its clear that Medicare Advantage is riddled with the same problems as the rest of private insurance: Opaque bureaucracy and extraordinary fees. Seniors who enroll in these for-profit plans are being price-gouged by massive corporations.

The Biden administration has proposed a 3.7% payment increase for Medicare Advantage in 2025a change that insurers have portrayed as a cut. But Social Security Works noted in response to the industrys complaints that MA companies are not hurting for profits.

In 2022 alone, seven healthcare companies that comprise 70% of the MA market brought in over $1 trillion in total revenue and over $69 billion in profits, and spent $26.2 billion on stock buybacks, the group observed. These same companies claim that if the government doesnt increase their already bloated payment rates, they will have no choice but to slash benefits for patients. This is false, and should be seen for what it isMA plans holding patients hostage to extort the government for profits.

In an op-ed for STAT last month, former insurance industry insider Wendell Potterwho is now an outspoken critic of private insurersand John A. Burns School of Medicine professor professor Philip Verhoef wrote that private plans have no business administering Medicare benefits.

Traditional Medicare is already more efficient than its private counterpart, in large part because the approval process is much simpler and there arent the same incentives to upcode, the pair wrote. Traditional Medicare spends far less of its funds on administrative overhead, and overall it spends less money per patient than Medicare Advantage while providing far superior access to doctors, hospitals, and treatments.

Medicare Advantage isnt working for any group: the government, patients, taxpayers, and now even investors, they added. Its time to turn to what we already know works. We need to support and strengthen traditional Medicare.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Independence Gold Corp. (TSXV: IGO) (OTCQB: IEGCF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the commencement of a diamond drill program at its 100% owned 3Ts Project, located approximately 185 kilometres ("km") southwest of Prince George, British Columbia and situated 16 km southwest of Artemis Gold Inc.'s Blackwater Project.

The spring drill program will consist of approximately 20 planned drill holes totaling a minimum 4,200 metres ("m") and will focus on the underexplored sections of the Ted-Mint and Tommy Vein Systems, especially at depth where there is the potential for high-grade intercepts that will be used to expand the existing mineral resource (see report titled "Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Estimate Update for the 3Ts Gold Project, Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada" authored by Armitage and Miller, effective August 18th, 2022; please see news release dated August 18, 2022 for further details).

The drill budget will also allow for the testing of several geophysical targets located 400m west of the Tommy Vein, collectively known as the "Balrog" anomaly, and further testing of the Johnny and Ian veins and the Ootsa copper-silver target. The estimated budget for the spring drill program is $1.9 million.

The 3Ts Project is comprised of seventeen mineral claims covering approximately 8,840 hectares in the Nechako Plateau region of central British Columbia. The 3Ts Project covers a low-sulphidation epithermal quartz-carbonate vein district within which more than a dozen individual mineralized veins, ranging from 50 m to more than 1,100 m in length and true widths up to 25 m, have been identified.

About Independence

Independence Gold Corp. is a well-financed mineral exploration company with holdings ranging from early-stage grassroots exploration to advanced-stage resource expansion in British Columbia and Yukon. The Company is positioned to add shareholder value through systematic project advancement, while management continues to evaluate additional gold and silver projects for possible acquisition. For additional information, visit the Company's website www.ingold.ca.

Andy Randell, P.Geo., the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF INDEPENDENCE GOLD CORP.

"Randy Turner"

Randy Turner, President and CEO

Suite 580  625 Howe, Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2T6

Telephone: 604-687-3959

Facsimile: 604-687-1448

E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Independence within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the Company's planned drilling and exploration activities. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to those identified and reported in Independence's public filings under Independence Gold Corp.'s SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Independence has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Independence disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.
New greenfield discovery (Sore) in the NW part of the JV area

26.45 g/t Au over 2.45 m ; 1.05 g/t Au over 40.70 m ; 1.33 g/t Au over 17.90 m ; 1.74 g/t Au over 14.10 m

Up to 12.55 g/t Au in trench channel samples

No previous drilling within 1.0 km of the Sore discovery

Results pending from 4,000 m of diamond drilling

Drilling program halted following the receipt of Notice from B2Gold of Offer from Rupert Resources to Acquire B2Gold's Joint Venture Interest; Aurion considering options regarding Right of First Refusal (Press release, March 11, 2024 )

ST. JOHN'S, NL, March 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Aurion Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AU) (OTCQX: AIRRF) ("Aurion" or the "Company") reports results for 12 holes from the 2023 scout drilling program in the Sore area, approximately 38 km northwest of Helmi on the Aurion-B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) ("B2Gold") Joint Venture ("JV"), operated by B2Gold, in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt in northern Finland.

Summary

New greenfield discovery (Sore) in the NW part of the JV area

Intercepts include: 26.45 g/t Au over 2.45 m from 104.65 m including 108.50 g/t Au over 0.50 m from 105.80 m ; 1.74 g/t Au over 14.10 m from 367.10 m (SOR23010) 1.05 g/t Au over 40.70 m from 38.40 m (SOR23002) 1.33 g/t Au over 17.90 m from 5.40 m (SOR23001)

Up to 12.55 g/t Au over 0.40 m in trench channel samples

No previous drilling within 1.0 km of the Sore discovery 1.7 km from Kettukuusikko Prospect (4.33 g/t Au over 20.4 m ) and 38 km NW of Helmi Discovery

Results pending from 4,000 m of diamond drilling

Drilling program halted following the receipt of Notice from B2Gold of Offer from Rupert Resources to Acquire B2Gold's Joint Venture Interest; Aurion considering options regarding Right of First Refusal (Press release, March 11, 2024 )

Comments



"A new discovery, greenfield and on a blind target, further highlights the prospectivity of the Aurion-B2Gold 290 km2 JV property, and the quality of B2Gold's exploration team. The near surface mineralization was encountered in pitting and successfully followed by scout drill holes that returned intercepts including 26.45 g/t Au over 2.45 m, 1.05 g/t Au over 40.70 m and 1.33 g/t Au over 17.90 m," commented Matti Talikka, Aurion's CEO.

Figures associated with this release can be found here.

Scout drill program



This press release contains results for twelve scout holes (2,284.50 m) drilled in the Sore area in the northwestern part of the 290 km2 JV property. The Sore discovery is located 1.7 km NW of Kettukuusikko (4.33 g/t Au over 20.4 m) and 38 km from Helmi. No previous diamond drilling had occurred within 1 km from the new discovery.

The target generative activities identified the Sore area as prospective for the existence of gold mineralization. The Sore area is located in the vicinity of the Sirkka Shear Zone, the crustal scale structure that extends over 125 km. The Sirkka Shear Zone is considered to play a key role in the emplacement of many of the known gold occurrences within the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt including, but not limited to Helmi (Aurion-B2Gold JV), Kutuvuoma (Aurion-B2Gold JV), Kaaresselka (Aurion 100%) and Ikkari (Rupert Resources).

Results are pending for approximately 4,000 m of diamond drilling completed in 2024 on several targets within the JV tenements, including Sore. The drilling program has been halted following the receipt of Notice from B2Gold of Offer to Acquire B2Gold's Joint Venture Interest; Aurion considering options regarding Right of First Refusal (Press release, March 11, 2024).

Table 1: Aurion-B2Gold JV Drilling Result Summary

Aurion-B2Gold JV Sore Scout Drilling Result Summary Hole ID Azimuth Dip From (m) To (m) Width (m) Au (g/t) SOR23001 135.0 -50.0 5.40 23.30 17.90 1.33 incl. 19.10 21.00 1.90 8.39 and 31.30 31.85 0.55 1.17 and 40.15 42.00 1.85 0.93 and 45.55 47.15 1.60 1.95 and 57.50 57.90 0.40 3.40 and 86.00 86.95 0.95 1.50 SOR23002 135.0 -50.0 16.20 17.25 1.05 1.01 and 38.40 79.10 40.70 1.05 incl. 53.75 54.45 0.70 16.25 and 103.90 104.50 0.60 2.00 SOR23003 90.0 -50.0 NSV SOR23004 90.0 -50.0 NSV SOR23005 90.0 -50.0 NSV SOR23006 270.0 -50.0 51.70 53.20 1.50 0.75 SOR23007 270.0 -50.0 28.25 33.00 4.75 0.98 SOR23008 330.0 -50.0 NSV SOR23009 330.0 -50.0 57.00 58.00 1.00 0.57 SOR23010 135.0 -50.0 104.65 107.10 2.45 26.45 incl. 105.80 106.30 0.50 108.50 and 120.00 129.10 9.10 0.57 and 141.25 141.95 0.70 11.50 and 148.75 149.20 0.45 1.15 and 158.80 160.20 1.40 0.75 and 367.10 381.20 14.10 1.74 and 390.10 396.95 6.85 0.73 SOR23011 120.0 -50.0 31.45 32.80 1.35 0.97 and 78.85 80.00 1.15 1.25 SOR23012 90.0 -50.0 NSV All widths are core widths.True width is not known at this time. All assay values are uncut. NSV - no significant values

Drill hole SOR23001 was collared 25 m northwest of the trench SORTR06 area and drilled to the southeast. The hole targeted a series of mineralized vein trends mapped in the 2023 trenches. Trenches were opened in follow-up to mineralization identified in reconnaissance test pits which were initially dug to follow-up on anomalous base of till samples. The trenched bedrock was channel sampled and returned up to 12.55 g/t Au over 0.40 m with 35 out of 50 samples returning anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values. The hole successfully intersected mineralization below the trenches along with several other mineralized intervals. Mineralization is hosted by dolomite-biotite altered ultramafic volcanics. Within the altered volcanics, higher grades are associated with massive pyrrhotite breccias and pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite-quartz-dolomite veining. Intercepts include 1.33 g/t Au over 17.90 m from 5.40 m including 8.39 g/t Au over 1.90 m from 19.10 m, 0.93 g/t Au over 1.85 m from 40.15 m and 1.95 g/t Au over 1.60 m from 45.55 m. Other samples returned anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values.

Drill hole SOR23002 was collared 62.50 m northwest of hole SOR23001 and drilled along profile to the southeast as an approximately 70m vertical undercut to SOR23001. This hole also intersected several mineralized intervals hosted by the same package of dolomite-biotite altered ultramafic volcanics. Similarly, within the altered volcanics, higher grades are associated with massive pyrrhotite-quartz breccias and pyrrhotite-chalcopyritearsenopyrite-quartz-dolomite vein breccias and less commonly quartz-pyrrhotite-bismuthinite veins. Intercepts include 1.01 g/t Au over 1.05 m from 16.20 m, 1.05 g/t Au over 40.70 m from 38.40 m, 16.25 g/t Au over 0.70 m from 53.75 m and 2.00 g/t Au over 0.60 m from 103.90 m. Other samples returned anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values.

Drill holes SOR23003 to 5 were collared 250 m south of the SORTR06 trench area and drilled to the east along a fence. The holes did not intersect any anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values.

Drill hole SOR23006 was collared 80 m northeast of the SORTR07 trench area and drilled to the west. The hole targeted base of till geochemical anomalies and anomalous trench channel samples that returned up to 0.64 g/t Au over 1.30 m. The hole intersected a mineralized interval of 0.75 g/t Au over 1.50 m from 55.70 m along with several other samples returning anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values. Mineralization is hosted by sheared, dolomite-sericite altered ultramafic volcanics with quartz-dolomite-pyrite veinlets.

Drill hole SOR23007 was collared 175 m west-northwest of hole SOR23006 and drilled to the west. The hole targeted northwest of hole SOR23006 and the anomalous till and trench samples. The hole intersected a mineralized interval of 0.98 g/t Au over 4.75 m from 28.25 m along with several other samples returning anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values. Mineralization is hosted by dolomite-fuchsite altered ultramafic volcanics with brecciated quartz-dolomite veining and disseminated pyrite and pyrrhotite.

Drill holes SOR23008 and 9 were collared approximately 350 m east of the trench SORTR06 area and drilled to the northwest. The holes targeted anomalous base of till samples. The holes intersected numerous samples returning anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values with a best interval of 0.57 g/t Au over 1.00 m from 57.00 m in SOR23009. Mineralization is hosted by dolomitized, quartz-carbonate veined, graphitic mudstones with pyrite-pyrrhotite mineralization.

Drill hole SOR23010 was collared 65 m north of hole SOR23001 and drilled to the southeast. The hole targeted mineralization intersected in holes SOR23001 and 2 in a 55 m step-out to the northeast. The hole successfully intersected several mineralized intervals 70 m east of those in SOR23001 along with two new, deeper, zones of mineralization. Intercepts include 26.45 g/t Au over 2.45 m from 104.65 m including 108.50 g/t Au over 0.50 m from 105.80 m, 0.57 g/t Au over 9.10 m from 120.00 m, 11.50 g/t Au over 0.70 m from 141.25 m, 1.74 g/t Au over 14.10 m from 367.10 m and 0.73 g/t Au over 6.85 m from 390.10 m. The upper, higher-grade, interval is hosted by a pyrrhotite-pyrite-chalcopyrite breccia at the contact between graphitic mudstone and dolomitized ultramafic volcanics. The other mineralized intervals, like those in SOR23001 and 2, are hosted by dolomite-biotite altered ultramafic volcanics with variable pyrrhotitechalcopyritepyritearsenopyrite-quartz-dolomite veins and vein breccias. Other samples returned anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au values.

Drill hole SOR23011 was collared 290 m west-northwest of hole SOR23010 and drilled to the east-southeast. The hole targeted anomalous base of till samples. The hole intersected two mineralized intervals returning 0.97 g/t Au over 1.35 m from 31.45 m and 1.25 g/t Au over 1.15 m from 78.85 m. Mineralization is hosted by variably dolomite-sericite-biotite altered ultramafic volcanics with local veining and minor sulphides.

Drill hole SOR23012 was collared 113 m west of hole SOR23011 and drilled to the east. The hole also targeted anomalous base of till samples. The hole intersected one anomalous (0.1 g/t) Au value. Mineralization is hosted by talc chlorite schist with carbonate veinlets and minor chalcopyrite.

Background



The JV (30% Aurion/70% B2Gold) covers approximately 290 km2 along the major crustal scale Sirkka Shear Zone in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt and includes a number of discoveries such as Helmi (2.05 g/t Au over 77.50 m), Kutuvuoma (16.47 g/t Au over 11.0 m), Soretiavuoma (48 g/t Au over 1.1 m), Sinerma (0.54 g/t Au over 40.2 m), Vuoma (28.64 g/t Au over 4.90 m), Kiekeromaa (5.8 g/t Au over 5.0 m) and Kettukuusikko (4.33 g/t Au over 20.4 m). B2Gold is the operator of the JV.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control



All samples were delivered to ALS preparation facility in Sodankyla, Finland where sample preparation work was completed. Analytical work for these samples was completed at ALS facilities in Loughrea, Co. Galway, Ireland and Rosia Montana, Romania. ALS is an internationally accredited lab and are ISO compliant (ISO 9001:2008, ISO/IEC 17025:2017). Samples were analyzed for gold using the Au-AA26 procedure (50 g fire assay with AAS finish: Lower Detection Limit ("LDL") 0.01 g/t gold; Upper Detection Limit ("UDL") 100 g/t gold). Samples that returned over-limit values (>100 g/t gold) were analyzed by the Au-GRA22 procedure (50 g fire assay with gravimetric finish: LDL 0.05 g/t gold; UDL 10,000 g/t gold). Select samples received multi-element analysis using the ME-MS61L procedure (0.25 g, four-acid digestion, 48 elements, ICP-MS). B2Gold has an internal QA/QC program involving the insertion of certified standards and blanks into the sample stream. ALS has its own QA/QC protocol using standards, blanks and duplicates.

This news release has been reviewed by Andrew Hussey, P.Geo., GIS Geologist and Database Manager for Aurion Resources, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. For more information on these projects please visit our website at www.aurionresources.com.

About Aurion Resources Ltd.



Aurion Resources Ltd. (Aurion) is a well-funded, Canadian exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V: AU) and the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX: AIRRF). Aurion's strategy is to generate or acquire early-stage precious metals exploration opportunities and advance them through direct exploration by our experienced team or by business partnerships and joint venture arrangements. Aurion's current focus is exploring on its fully owned Risti property, as well as advancing joint venture properties with B2Gold and Kinross in northern Finland.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Matti Talikka, CEO

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.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo Silver Corp. (Apollo or the Company) (TSX.V:APGO, OTCQB:APGOF, Frankfurt:6ZF0) is pleased to announce that it has received its Conditional Temporary Use Permit (the Drill Permit) from the County of San Bernardino (the County) authorizing 2024 drilling activities at the Waterloo Silver-Barite Property. Results from the 2024 assay testing program have been received and are being used to define planned barite assaying as part of declaring a maiden barite resource estimate at Waterloo.

HIGHLIGHTS

2024 Drill Permit for the Waterloo Property received from the County; and

Barite analysis test program completed. Results will be incorporated into preparation for maiden barite resource estimate at Waterloo.

The receipt of the 2024 Drill Permit ensures we can proceed with future drilling at Waterloo, commented Apollos President and CEO Tom Peregoodoff. The County took less than four weeks to issue the latest permit confirming their support for responsible resource development in the County. Results from the barite analysis testing program have enabled us to determine the most efficient and cost effective method for analyzing our drill material for barite. Our extensive pulps cover the entirety of the Waterloo deposit and this will provide us with a very good understanding of the distribution of barite and enable us to include this critical mineral in future resource updates for Calico.

BARITE ANALYSIS TEST PROGRAM



As reported on January 24, 2024, the Company began a test program designed to determine the optimal assay technique for barite. Using 79 samples distributed across the Waterloo Property, barite concentration was analysed to determine the best method to assay for barite. Results of this test work have been received and enable, a comprehensive re-assay program of select drilling pulps to be planned, with the goal of updating the Waterloo mineral resource estimate with the addition of barite.

In 1979 ASARCO calculated an estimate of barite in the Waterloo deposit. The estimate reported a total of 33.9 million tonnes of mineralized rock in the deposit at a grade of 13.4% barite for a total of 4.5 million tonnes of barite at a grade of 93%. Please refer to Table 1 for the results of and further information of this estimate and results are reported here as documented in original documents. The reader is cautioned not to treat this historical estimate or any part of it as a current mineral resource or reserve. An independent Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to classify this as a current mineral resource or reserve and therefore the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve.

Table 1: ASARCO (1979) Waterloo Historical Silver and Barite Mineral Reserve at 25 g/t Ag cut-off

Tonnage Average Grade Contained Metal Tons

(Mst) Tonnes

(Mt) Grade-

Silver

(g/t) Grade-

Silver

(opt) Grade-Barite

(%)

Barite

(Mt)



Silver

(Moz) Silver (AgEq)

(Moz) 37.2 33.9 92.9 2.71 13.4 4.5 100.9 146.5

Reference to the historic reserves at the Waterloo Property prepared by ASARCO refer to an internal company document prepared by ASARCO, dated 1979 (unpublished). Historic reserves are reported here as documented in original documents. The historic reserves were calculated prior to the implementation of the current Canadian Institute of Minings (CIM) standards for mineral resource estimation (as defined by the CIM Definition Standard on Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves dated May 10, 2014) as required by NI 43-101 and has no comparable resource classification. The reader is cautioned not to treat them, or any part of them, as current mineral resources or reserves. An independent Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to classify these estimates as current mineral resources or reserves and therefore the Company is not treating the historical estimate as a current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The reliability of the historical estimate is considered reasonable, reliable, and relevant to be included here in that they demonstrated simply the barite mineral potential of the Waterloo Property. This historic resource estimate for silver has been superseded by the Calico Silver Project current mineral resource estimate, announced March 6, 2023. There is no current resource estimate for barite.

MANAGEMENT UPDATE



Cathy Fitzgerald, Vice President, Exploration and Resource Development has announced her intention to step down from her role at Apollo effective April 26, 2024. Cathy was instrumental in advancing the Company and positioning Calico as one of the largest undeveloped silver projects in the USA. The board and management wish her all the very best in her future endeavors.

ABOUT THE CALICO PROJECT

Location



The Calico Project (the Project) is located in San Bernardino County, California and comprises the adjacent Waterloo and Langtry properties which total 2,950 acres. The Project is 15 km (9 miles) from the city of Barstow and has an extensive private gravel road network spanning the property. There is commercial electric power within 5 km (3 miles) of the Project.

Geology and Mineralization



The Project is situated in the southern Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert, in the south-western region of the Basin and Range tectonic province. This 15 km (9 mile) long northwest- southeast trending mountain range is dominantly composed of Tertiary (Miocene) volcanics, volcaniclastics, sedimentary rocks and dacitic intrusions. Mineralization at Calico comprises high-level low-sulfidation silver-dominant epithermal vein-type, stockwork-type and disseminated-style associated with northwest-trending faults and fracture zones and mid-Tertiary (~19-17 Ma) volcanic activity. Gold and barite also form a significant component of the mineralized system. Calico represents a district-scale mineral system endowment with approximately 6,000 m (19,685 ft) in mineralized strike length controlled by Apollo. Silver and gold mineralization are oxidized and hosted within the sedimentary Barstow Formation and in contact with the upper volcaniclastic units of the Pickhandle formation. The current mineral resource at Calico comprises 110 million ounces (Moz) silver (Ag) classified as Measured and Indicated (M&I) declared at Waterloo at an average grade of 100 grams per tonne (g/t) Ag; and 51 Moz Ag classified as Inferred (720,000 oz Ag in the Waterloo deposit at 77 g/t Ag and 50 Moz Ag in the Langtry deposit at 81 g/t Ag) (see news release March 6, 2023).

QUALIFIED PERSONS



The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Cathy Fitzgerald, M.Sc., P.Geo., Apollos Vice President, Exploration and Resource Development for the Company. Ms. Fitzgerald is a Qualified Person as defined by the Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects. Ms. Fitzgerald is a registered Professional Geoscientist in British Columbia, Canada and is not independent of the Company.

Please visit www.apollosilver.com for further information.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tom Peregoodoff

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Tom Peregoodoff

Chief Executive Officer

Telephone: +1 (604) 428-6128

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About Apollo Silver Corp.

Apollo Silver Corp. has assembled an experienced and technically strong leadership team who have joined to advance world class precious metals projects in tier-one jurisdictions. The Company is focused on advancing its the Calico Project, composed of the Waterloo and Langtry silver resources, located in San Bernardino County, California.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the potential of the Calico Project; the potential for identification of gold and barite resources at Calico; the potential to expand the resource estimate and upgrade its confidence level, including prospective mineralization on strike and at depth; geological interpretations; future silver recoveries; timing and execution of future drilling and exploration activities; timing, execution and completion of the re-assay program and the potential to update the Waterloo mineral resource estimate with the addition of barite. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, potential, target, budget and intend and statements that an event or result may, will, should, could or might occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.

Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis, and opinions of the management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company as at the date of such information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may have caused actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: risks associated with mineral exploration and development; metal and mineral prices; availability of capital; accuracy of the Companys projections and estimates; realization of mineral resource estimates, interest and exchange rates; competition; stock price fluctuations; availability of drilling equipment and access; actual results of current exploration activities; government regulation; political or economic developments; environmental risks; insurance risks; capital expenditures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities; personnel relations; contests over title to properties; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. The quantity and grade of reported inferred mineral resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these inferred mineral resources as an indicated or measured mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to an indicated or measured mineral resource category. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the price of silver, gold and barite; the demand for silver, gold and barite; the ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the timely receipt of any required approvals; the ability to obtain qualified personnel, equipment and services in a timely and cost-efficient manner; the ability to operate in a safe, efficient and effective matter; and the regulatory framework regarding environmental matters, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Companys expected financial and operational performance and the Companys plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Transactions Consolidate Multiple Overlapping Mineralized Systems Under Quartz Control

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. ("Quartz" or the "Company") (TSXV:QZM) (OTC PINK:QZMRF) is pleased to announce the Company has agreed under two separate transactions, to purchase a 100% interest in each of the Lone Pine Claim and the North Claim (the "Acquisitions"). These two mineral claims total 169 hectares and are located within the Company's 100%-owned Maestro Property located 15km north of the town of Houston, British Columbia.

Consolidation of the 2,309 -hectare Maestro Project area allows continuous, through-going access to explore the potential for multiple overlapping precious and base metal systems in their entirety. As such, they add significant value to the Company's strategic plan to develop and transact the Maestro Project. In December 2023, Quartz completed 1,445 meters of diamond drilling in two holes at the Prodigy Au-Ag-Mo-Cu epithermal target approximately 1km north of the Lone Pine porphyry deposit. In addition, Quartz also completed surface and downhole geophysical surveys over the newly drilled area immediately after completion of its two drill holes. Results from the 482 core samples collected during that drill program are being processed and expected to be announced within the next three weeks.

Bob Dickinson, Chairman of Quartz commented, "These claim acquisitions are strategically important to Quartz as they allow us to rapidly move the Maestro Project forward. Our property assessments to date indicate Maestro hosts multiple overlapping precious and base metal mineralizing events over a large area. Historical drilling of 24,300 meters at Lone Pine delineated a sizable and higher-grade molybdenum porphyry deposit. We believe this system is the heat-engine for potentially extensive, epithermal gold and silver mineralization in addition to molybdenum and copper outboard of the Lone Pine deposit."

Figure 1: Plan map showing Lone Pine and North claim acquisitions within Maestro Property.

The Lone Pine mineral claim was purchased from Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., an arms-length vendor, for 750,000 common shares of the Company and a 2% NSR royalty, of which 1.5% can be purchased at any time by payment of $5 million. The shares are subject to a 24-month contractual resale restriction and a further right for the Company to arrange purchasers of the shares in the case of resales after that period. The Lone Pine transaction is subject to customary TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and closing conditions.

The North mineral claim was purchased from Shawn Merkley, an arms-length vendor, for $24,000, 45,000 common shares of the Company, and a 2% NSR royalty which can be purchased at any time by a payment of $2 million. The cash and common shares will be paid in three equal installments ($8,000 and 15,000 common shares) over two years with the first installment due upon closing. The North transaction is subject to customary TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and closing conditions.

Historical Resource Estimate at Lone Pine Claim1

Drilling of some 24,300 meters was completed historically in 49 holes at the porphyry molybdenum deposit on the Lone Pine claim by previous owners. A historical estimate of the mineral resources was also done and comprises Measured and Indicated Resources (M+I) of 110Mt grading 0.083% Mo, and Inferred Resources of 25.8Mt grading 0.088% Mo at a 0.04% Mo cut-off described in NI-43-101 Technical Report, effective date of January 21, 2011, by P & E Mining Consultants Inc. for Bard Ventures Ltd.

A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources and the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources.

Additional work needs to be done to upgrade or verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources. Quartz has not yet conducted any drilling on the Lone Pine mineral property. Thus, the historical estimate and historical drilling are of uncertain relevance and reliability.

Qualified Person

Farshad Shirmohammad, M.Sc., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, who is not independent of Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd., has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

1 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Lone Pine Project for Bard Ventures Ltd by P&E Mining Consultants Inc., effective date January 21, 2011, is filed on the profile for St James Gold Corp. (formerly Bard Ventures Ltd.) at www.sedarplus.ca .

M+I includes 33.4Mt grading 0.092% Mo in measured category and 76.98Mt grading 0.079% Mo in indicated category.

The historical estimate used ordinary kriging constrained by grade domain and lithologic solid models. Only molybdenum grades were estimated. Assay grade distribution was evaluated statistically before compositing with no cutting or capping deemed necessary. Density measurements were made on 83 core samples; density was assigned based upon the median value for each lithologic domain. "Best Fit 10 m downhole composites were generated within a grade shell domain based on a 0.02% Mo cut-off grade. Semi-variograms were modeled in order to develop kriging parameters, search parameters and anisotropy. Block size was set at 20 x 20 x 10 m, and block grades estimated using three interpolation passes with increasing search distance. The model was validated by comparing to nearest neighbour estimated and composite grade distributions, swath plots and visual inspection of sections and plans. Classification as measured, indicated and inferred was based upon constraints including zone, drilling density and distance to nearest composite. The report states that classification was done in accordance with CIM Standards.

A preliminary open pit optimization was carried out in order to identify potential open pit resources. A number of Lerchs-Grossmann pit shell envelopes were generated by varying operating costs, metal prices and pit slope parameters. The 0.04% cutoff assumed a Mo price of US$25/lb. (85% recovery), mining cost of $2.00 per rock tonne and processing/refining/general and administration ("G&A") costs of $10.00 per tonne processed.

About Quartz

Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSXV:QZM),(OTC PINK:QZMRF) is a restructured mineral exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. It is focused on discovering and transacting high-value gold, silver, and copper projects. The Company holds 100% of the Maestro Gold-Silver-Molybdenum-Copper Property and 100% of the Jake Copper-Gold-Silver Property. Both projects have access to infrastructure and high potential for important resources and future transactions. The BC government has awarded permits for 50 drill sites for each project.

Quartz is associated with Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI), a company with over 35-years of successfully discovering, developing, and transacting mineral projects in Canada and internationally. Former HDI projects in BC included, Mount Milligan, Kemess South, and Gibraltar - all of which are porphyry deposits with current or former producing mines. Other well-known projects with HDI involvement include Sisson and Prosperity in Canada, Pebble and Florence in the United States, and Xietongmen in China.

Quartz is committed to the advancement of important scale, critical and essential mining assets while following responsible mineral development principles, including a mandate to employ best practice approaches in the engagement and involvement of local communities, and meeting rigorous environmental standards.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Robert Dickinson

Chairman

For further details, contact Robert Dickinson at:

T: (604) 684-6365 or within North America at 1-800-667-2114.

E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

W: www.quartzmountainresources.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 Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking-statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking-statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Assumptions used by the Company to develop forward-looking statements include the following: the Company's projects will obtain all required environmental and other permits, and all land use and other licenses, studies and exploration of the Company's projects will continue to be positive, and no geological or technical problems will occur. Though the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking-statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are subject to future events and third party discretion such as regulatory personnel. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include variations in market prices, continuity of mineralization and exploration success, and potential environmental issues or liabilities associated with exploration, development and mining activities, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and tenure and delays due to third party opposition, changes in and the effect of government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and exploration and development of properties located within Aboriginal groups asserted territories that may affect or be perceived to affect asserted aboriginal rights and title, and which may cause permitting delays or opposition by Aboriginal groups, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, and the risks and uncertainties connected with its business, investors should review the Company's home jurisdiction filings as www.sedarplus.ca and its 20F filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - le 25 mars/March 2020) - The common shares of Altum Resource Corp. , have been approved for listing on the CSE. Listing and disclosure documents will be available at www.thecse.com on the trading date. The Company is engaged in the business of acquiring and... Read More
As the Special Criminal Court (SCC) enters the second year of its second five-year mandate, the UN-backed hybrid tribunal based in Bangui is preparing to pass the reparations test. Like the Court, the amounts are modest, the victims repaired few, and the judges stated intention is to ensure that they receive these little reparations without delay.

Reparation must be effective, stressed the appeal chamber in its October 23 decision on the civil interests of victims of the May 21, 2019 Koundjili and Lemouna massacre. While a greater number of victims were taken into account on appeal, the total amount of compensation was revised downwards compared with the first-instance decision, from 22.8 million CFA francs (almost 35,000 euros) to 17.3 million (just over 26,000 euros).

From now on, 32 rightful claimants representing 32 people killed in the two villages will be taken into account, instead of 16 previously. For them, the amount of compensation has been reduced by more than a third - from 1 million (1,500 euros) to 350,000 CFA francs (530 euros). The amount allocated to two rape victims, who were minors at the time of the events, remains the same: 1 million for each. The four other victims of sexual violence can also expect to receive the 700,000 CFA francs awarded in the first instance - with the exception of victim YY, who died on November 17, 2022. The other reparations remain the same: 600,000 for each of the three survivors of attempted murder, and 200,000 for a young man who was tied up during the attack on his village. They concern 42 direct and indirect victims of the violence judged by the SCC in its first trial.

Even if we consider these amounts to be insignificant, the compensation is in line with the principle of the law. It reflects the courts financial resources, comments civil party lawyer Andre Olivier Manguereka. But he and his Central African colleague Claudine Bagaza initially estimated the amount of individual and collective reparations required at 1.38 billion CFA (around 2.1 million euros) after the courts first trial.

No wells built

The first court decision upheld the request to build memorials, as well as two wells in each of the two villages. But the appeal chamber said no to the wells. This aspect of the decision surprised Antoine Stomboli, CAR coordinator for the Global Fund for Survivors of Sexual Violence, who closely follows reparations issues in the country. I think the ruling is not justified, he says. The judges are refusing to allow the construction of wells because they think the link with the violence is not well explained. But on the other hand, they say that building a memorial is justified.

Divided, as they write in their ruling, between the desire to take reparation measures that are appropriate to the nature and extent of the harm suffered and awareness that no reparation measure is likely to restore the situation that the crimes have affected nor compensate for the victims pain, the appeal judges opted for pragmatism. A reparation which, in all probability, can never be implemented would run counter to the objective of effective reparation and would be a source of frustration for the victims, they also wrote.

Only measures that can be implemented

But four months after the final decision, the victims are still waiting, and getting impatient.

All I can say is that were doing everything we can to ensure that reparations are made as quickly as possible. Because the SCCs basis is that it should only order measures that can be implemented, says Charles Mugaruka Mupenda, head of the SCC Victims and Defence Department which is in charge of implementing reparations.

At the end of December, a team from his department visited Paoua, he explains. Reparations concern individuals and other claimants. For individual reparations, there is no problem, says Mugaruka. But for reparations allocated to other rightful claimants, they are allocated to the families of the deceased. So we had to identify the members of these families, and also the members that these families designate to receive the reparations. The trip to Paoua made it possible, he says, to ascertain the designated representatives of these families. The people designated have signed commitments to share equitably what will be granted, he adds.

In this region, securing money transfers to victims is no mean feat. There are no banking facilities, and the villages of Koundjili and Lemouna have no access to telephone networks. After discussions with those concerned, a solution has been found, says Mugaruka. It is set out in a report that the mission drew up for the courts attention. The victims aid service does not wish to divulge it, citing the safety of the beneficiaries.

A memorial: We said no!

We asked for several reparation measures. But the judges rejected many of them, storms Jean Denis Albert Horo, a beneficiary contacted by Justice Info two months after the SCC visit. A cell phone antenna, for example, would be very useful for us. It could alert us in the event of another attack. But they preferred to recommend a memorial. We said no! In all this time since May 21, 2019, we havent seen any reparations. The victims are dying. Widows and orphans are suffering. The schooling of the children of our deceased brothers weighs on us. Its not easy. According to a source close to the court, only one of the 56 people consulted by the SCC mission wanted a memorial built. Citing local customs, most felt that the construction of a building in memory of people who died brutally could attract misfortune and encourage the repeat of such misfortunes.

Simplice Bissi, a representative of one of the beneficiary families, has been designated as the focal point by the other victims in Koundjili and Lemouna. Contacted by Justice Info in Paoua, he is impatient. We havent received anything yet. The SCC promised to give 350,000 to each family of those killed in the Koundjili and Lemouna attacks. They [the members of the SCC mission] said they would return in January or February. But so far, theres been no news. As the focal point, people come to ask me, but I dont know what to tell them. I dont know if they came to Paoua just to soften us up so victims would forget what happened.

How long before distribution? We estimate no more than three months. But it could happen earlier, possibly this March, replies Mugaruka.

Partner projects for reparations?

The Appeal Chamber ruling also mandated the Nengo project to assist victims of sexual violence, with medical and psychological care, training and socio-economic reintegration measures. Data on victims in Koundjili and Lemouna are centralized by the Institut francophone pour la justice et la democratie (IFJD), which supports the Nengo project. For reasons of confidentiality, the IFJD declined to answer questions from Justice Info. But on the ground in Paoua, the victims focal point is adamant: to date, no victim of sexual violence recognized for reparations has received support from any project whatsoever.

The Global Fund for Victims, represented by Stomboli, does not rule out the possibility of also being a partner in reparations. It would still be possible to provide technical support to the SCC in implementing reparations, even if we dont finance them directly. Repairs cant just be financial, medical or psychological. We also need guarantees of non-repetition, i.e. remembrance, education against human rights violations, school reforms, he says.

According to information gathered by Justice Info, the SCC budget has been revised downwards this year, although judicial activities are increasing, with a second trial in progress. The budget drawn up at the end of December was 11.9 million USD, compared with 15 million USD in 2023. By 2023, donors had contributed less than half of this budget, confirming the recurrent underfunding of the SCC since its creation. A special endowment of USD 30,000, paid by the United Nations mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), which supports the court, will be the only means of implementing the reparations. The entire sum will be used to pay reparations to victims from the first trial.

Resources are available, at least for the Paoua case. But we face enormous challenges in mobilizing resources for reparations, confides Mugaruka, who hopes that partners supporting the SCC will be able to do better for future cases. On December 5, 2023, the SCC opened its second trial on the so-called Ndele 1 case, in which ten people (including six in absentia) are accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in March and April 2020. This trial is currently suspended, due to a general protest movement by lawyers in the Central African Republic.
Han So Hee lost a huge number of followers on social media amid her ongoing saga with Ryu Jun Yeol and his ex-girlfriend Hyeri.

Han So Hee - Ryu Jun Yeol - Hyeri 'Transit Love' Saga Continues

With the ongoing controversy between Han So Hee, Ryu Jun Yeol, and Hyeri, the public's attention is also on their social media followers and activities.

On March 15, dating rumors involving top stars Han So Hee and Ryu Jun Yeol broke the internet making it one of the hottest topics on various portals. At that time, their agencies denied the issue.

On the same day, Hyeri, who recently broke up with the actor after seven years of dating, posted a cryptic post with the caption, "That's funny," on her Instagram Story, sparking rumors of "transit love."

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Girl's Day Hyeri's Past Remark On Personal Life Creates Buzz Amid Issue - Did She Predict Fate?

Adding fuel to the fire, Han So Hee immediately refuted the allegations and left a comment targeting Hyeri, saying, "I find it funny too."

The following day, she bravely confirmed her relationship with Ryu Jun Yeol on her blog.

Han So Hee Loses 100,000 Instagram Followers Amid Dating Issue With Ryu Jun Yeol

While Han So Hee - Ryu Jun Yeol - Hyeri's controversy continues, many have noticed that the "My Name" actress has lost 100,000 Instagram followers after the dating news broke out.

It has been said that Han So Hee originally had 17.83 million followers, and it plummeted to 17.73 million. It seems like the celebrity's image had been greatly damaged after she repeatedly made explanations.

Meanwhile, Hyeri had a significant increase of 300,000 followers. From 8.22 million, she now has 8.51 million followers. Her ex-boyfriend and former "Reply 1988" co-star Ryu Jun Yeol did not show any changes in his social media following.

Han So Hee explained the time Ryu Jun Yeol and Hyeri broke up to dismiss the "transit love" speculations. However, the situation worsened. The actress got criticized even more by the public, claiming that it was rude for her to disclose information about other people's personal issues.

As the dating drama continued, Han So Hee closed her blog and set her Instagram to private.

Furthermore, she returned to Korea on March 17 from an overseas trip and it became her first public appearance since the dating scandal broke out.

Meanwhile, Ryu Jun Yeol was also back in Korea, but earlier than the actress. It has been said that he changed his flight date due to the dating scandal.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Han So Hee Baffles Many for Ending Up With Ryu Jun Yeol: 'He's not even that handsome'

What can you say about the news? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments!

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KDramaStars owns this article.

Shai Collins wrote this.




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has initiated the process of relocating Kitale Prison from the Town Centre, following an order issued by President William Ruto in January this year.

According to the CS, the move is geared towards paving the way for the government to expand the town and develop it to the required standard.

The Government is relocating Kitale Prison from the Town Centre to pave the way for a structured, well-planned urban development of the Town, stated the CS.

He further clarified that the government would be revoking all the title deeds for the parcel of land where the prison will be transferred to which are allegedly being held by land grabbers.

Illegally and/or fraudulently acquired title deeds for grabbed public land in the Town, including land belonging to the Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) will be revoked and the land reverted to public purposes, cautioned Kindiki.

The land in question has been the subject of controversy with residents from the region alleging that they purchased the land from the government.

Residents of Ninami Estate in Kitale have explained that they purchased the land in 1987 under a housing scheme run by the Kenya National Assurance, an insurance company.

The residents argue that when the company was liquidated, they continued to pay for the houses through the Kitale Municipality.

However, the government insists that the land was acquired fraudulently.

Earlier this month, Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome had also explained that the process to initiate the revocation of title deeds had begun.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Controversial prophet David Owuor of the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness Church has warned Kenyans against challenging him and claimed that he has the power to bring destruction upon the country.

Speaking during a sermon at Menengai grounds in Nakuru on Saturday, March 16, Owour alleged that he brought the deadly coronavirus to the world to kill stubborn mankind.

Owuour said if he decided to destroy those challenging his powers, he would destroy them completely.

I am the one that brought coronavirus, look how many people died at my words. Kenya, don't try me. If I destroy you, I will destroy you completely. But for now, I am giving you grace, Owuor declared in the video

The hyped weekend event was attended by a large crowd, which included prominent political figures, for spiritual rejuvenation and healing.

He claimed that hundreds of people were healed, although his miracles are alleged to be staged.

Watch the video of Owour warning Kenyans.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Self-proclaimed Prophet David Owuor of the Ministry of Repentance and Holiness church, has ignited controversy by claiming responsibility for the global coronavirus pandemic during a sermon at Menengai grounds in Nakuru.

Owuor asserted that the pandemic, which claimed numerous lives worldwide, was a fulfillment of his prophecy.

In his sermon, Owuor warned Kenyans against challenging him, stating his capability to bring destruction upon Kenya.

Despite this warning, he claimed to have opted for grace instead.

I am the one that brought coronavirus, look how many people died at my words. Kenya, dont try me. If I destroy you, I will destroy you completely. But for now, I am giving you grace, Owuor declared.

The event attracted a large crowd, including prominent political figures, seeking spiritual rejuvenation and healing.

Owuor brought Nakuru Menengai grounds to a standstill as hundreds of cripples and the deaf were seen walking, while others experienced hearing for the first time.

During the live session, there was no preaching, no reading of the Bibleonly praise and worship.

Nevertheless, dozens of people came out to testify that they had been healed.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Doctors finally have a reason to call off the ongoing strike following the announcement by the Ministry of Health yesterday.

Addressing a press briefing yesterday, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha announced that the Ministry was in the process of posting interns, which was one of the concerns raised by doctors before the strike began on Thursday last week.

Nakhumicha revealed that the posting of over a thousand interns will begin on April 1 after the National Treasury disburses the required funds.

The CS further noted that there were conciliation meetings that were ongoing to meet some of the demands raised by the medics.

Additionally, the CS revealed that the Ministry would also continue with negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which had lapsed. This would be done within the week.

She emphasised that the National Treasury had disbursed the required funds which will see interns posted to various hospitals and all pending arrears cleared.



Despite, this announcement, the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Atellah emphasised that the strike was still on.

Atellah poked holes at the new policy fronted by the Ministry, arguing that the previous one did not have any flaws to necessitate the introduction of a new policy.

He opined that the government was looking for ways to lower the salaries and allowances of doctors and medical interns.

He further emphasised that the strike was meant to protect the interests of the medical fraternity.

Earlier in the month, Nakhumicha had pointed fingers at the Njuguna Ndung'u-led Treasury for failing to provide the Ksh4.9 billion needed to post the doctors.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Tuesday, March 19, 2024  President William Ruto has duped those who are trying to earn a living through online jobs.

This is after he started charging them to learn to work online contrary to President Uhuru Kenyatta who used to provide free training for online workers.

Young Kenyans seeking to learn how to earn dollars through online jobs will now need to pay Ksh1,500 to Rutos government through the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

This is in line with Rutos vision to make it possible for millions of Kenyans to be able to earn a decent living through online jobs.

According to the ICT ministry, Basic Digital Skills will empower Kenyans with the knowledge and proficiencies needed to make a living through online work.

It recognises that basic digital skills are not just about clicking buttons and navigating screens; they are about unlocking the potential for learning, communication, innovation, and empowerment for digital opportunities, The Ministry of ICT communicates through the Smart Academy website, an initiative of the ICT Authority.

The Eliud Owalo-led ministry remarks that youths who pay the Ksh1,500 fee will be taught how to gain confidence and competence to engage with digital tools.

This will be crucial as it will guide them to explore new horizons and adapt to the changes in the digital world.

The training will provide individuals with foundational skills and equip them for success not only in their personal and professional lives but also for active participation in shaping the future of our digital society, Kenyans are promised.

The course will take 10 days and Kenyans will be taken through ten programs including Basic Online Work Skills.

According to the government, Kenyans who do not register for the course by March 31, will be required to pay 40 per cent more.

To register, for the course, click www.smartacademy.go.ke and follow the prompts.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Eric Mbondo and his mother are reportedly living in fear after receiving threats from Geoffrey Riungu Kathurima, the head of DCI in Nyanza.

This is the distressing message that he sent to Boniface Mwangi.

I am Erick Mbondo and we are being harassed, intimidated, and threatened by Mr. Geoffrey Riungu Kathurima, Regional Criminal Investigation Officer (RCIO), Nyanza.

My mother and l have rented one of his houses at Utawala. We had rent issues with him and at the end of last month (February 2024), took him to the Rent Restriction Tribunal in Nairobi. He didn't take it well.

Last night, he sent Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers in Nairobi to arrest my mother, Leah Ndolo. She was taken to Mihango Police Post and then transferred to Kayole Police Station.

This morning, the police officers denied me access to see my mother. They have told me theyre taking her to Makadara Law Courts and we should meet there.

They're also saying that they're charging her with the offense of operating the internet without a license. We use Safaricom home internet in our home, and its for personal use.

I am sending this SOS for assistance because we are dealing with a high-ranking government officer who is very influential and well-connected. As I write this, I'm not in good shape.

If something happens to me and my mother, at least I have tried my best to reach out for help.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.


Tuesday, March 19, 2024  Five people have been arrested in India for assaulting some international students while they were offering Ramadan prayers in a university hostel.

Officials said there was a big fight at Gujarat University in western India on Saturday, March 16, over the location of the prayer, BBC reports.

Police sources disclosed that five students were treated for injuries as a result of the fight.

Confirming the incident, Indias foreign ministry said that the Gujarat government was taking strict action against the perpetrators.

The police commissioner of Ahmedabad city, GS Malik, told newsmen that about two dozen people entered the hostel on Saturday night and objected to the students offering prayers. They asked the international students to say their prayers in a mosque.

They argued over the issue, assaulting them and hurling stones. They also vandalised their rooms, Malik said, adding that a team had been formed to investigate the case.

Another senior police official, Tarun Duggal, told BBC Gujarati that the names of the five arrested men are Hitesh Mewada, Bharat Patel, Shitij Pandey, Jitendra Patel and Sunil Dudhirua.

The police source added that more people may be arrested soon.

BBC Gujarati reporters who visited the spot on Saturday said that they saw stones and broken vehicles at the scene.

Also, videos circulating online showed a mob raising Hindu religious slogans as they attacked the students, vandalised vehicles and pelted stones.





Three of the injured students have been discharged from the hospital while two others are in stable condition.

A student from Afghanistan who was injured in the attack, Navid Siddique, told the Times of India newspaper that he and other students were offering Taraweeh, a special nightly prayer occurring during Ramadan when three people entered the hostel and began questioning them.

He claimed, An argument ensued and they returned with a larger mob armed with stones, and iron pipes and attacked us. They went on a rampage in the hostel assaulting students in their rooms and damaging property and vehicles.

Another student from Afghanistan, Noman, told BBC Gujarati that similar incidents had happened before, saying, There is a lot of risk here for students from other countries.

According to reports, the injured students were in India with scholarships from the federal government-backed Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Reacting, the vice-chancellor of Gujarat University, Dr Neerja A Gupta, told reporters over the weekend that there had been tensions between the foreign students and the attackers for some time.

As per the information available with me, this (prayers) is not the main issue, she told reporters.

Gupta disclosed that the international students will be moved to new hostels that offer improved security and amenities.

Watch the videos below.

Here is a video of a Student slapping a Bajrang Dal member after finishing his prayers. The students claim, before this incident, Bajrang dal members stood behind the students offering Namaz disturbing them with slogans while they were praying. pic.twitter.com/rtP9iZrHJB  Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 17, 2024

In the video, The goons in Saffron Shawl can be seen pelting stones and vandalising vehicles of students inside the hostel. The watchman trying to stop them was pushed. He can be seen falling on the ground (0.13 sec) pic.twitter.com/yYnYYgBOvP  Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 17, 2024

In this video, A Student of Gujarat University from inside their hostel can be heard saying, "Police let them go, Police let them go! They are running away! They broke everything, They are going away. The police aren't arresting them. This is a democratic country, this is a pic.twitter.com/4MCKDh4Y7y  Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 16, 2024

More videos of the incident. They can be seen pelting stones at the hostel room and destroying students vehicles. pic.twitter.com/tibRBbEXMk  Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) March 16, 2024


Tuesday, March 19, 2024  The list of the top 10 universities in Africa for 2024 as ranked by EduRank, a top source for social media analytics in the education sector, has been released.

The organisation stated on its website that the ranking was based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence.

It added that it arrived at the ranking after analysing 24.5 million citations received by 2.16 million academic publications made by 1,104 universities from Africa.

EduRank conducts a series of statistical analyses to generate comparative university rankings in various fields, by country, region, and globally.

Seven out of the top 10 universities in Africa are located in South Africa, one is located in Egypt, one in Uganda, and one in Kenya.

Below are the top 10 Universities in Africa.

1. University of Cape Town

The University of Cape Town (UCT) was founded in 1829 as the South African College, a high school for boys.

2. University of the Witwatersrand

The University of Witwatersrand is situated in Johannesburg, South Africa. Its history is linked to mining, political and civic activism, and the development of Johannesburg.

3. University of Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch University (SU) is a public research university situated in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Stellenbosch is the earliest university in South Africa and the oldest extant university in Sub-Saharan Africa, together with the UCT - which received full university status on the same day in 1918.

4. University of Pretoria

The University of Pretoria (UP) is one of Africa's top universities and reportedly the largest contact university in South Africa. The university said it produces socially-impactful researches to find solutions for the world's most pressing issues.

5. Cairo University

Cairo University is usually ranked among the best universities in Egypt, and one of the best in Africa. The institution has a reputation for excellence in medical education and research.

6. University of KwaZulu-Natal

The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa, offers nearly 2,000 academic programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. UKZN is reportedly the third most productive university in South Africa in terms of research output.

7. Makerere University

Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, which began as a technical school in 1922, was the first major institution of higher learning in East and Central Africa.

8. University of Nairobi

The University of Nairobi, Kenya, is a collegiate research institution. Although its history as an educational institution dates back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970.

9. University of Johannesburg

The institution is said to be one of the largest comprehensive contact universities in South Africa. University of Johannesburg (UJ) has a student population of over 50,000, of which more than 3000 are international students from 80 countries.

10. University of South Africa

The University of South Africa (Unisa) is an open-learning institution. Per a piece of information on its website, the school is a dedicated distance education university in the world.

See the full list of 100 best universities in Africa here.


Tuesday, March 19, 2024  A man pleaded guilty to murder on Monday, March 18, about two years after his lover's decomposing body was found encased in concrete in a bathtub in one of Hawaii's most exclusive areas.

Juan Tejedor Baron, now 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Gary Ruby, 73.

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors won't seek a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors will recommend a minimum term of 20 years to the Hawaii Paroling Authority, according to the plea agreement.

According to court documents, Baron killed Ruby, poured cement over his body and planned to take ownership of his car and home in Honolulu's Hawaii Loa Ridge neighbourhood. Property records showed Ruby purchased the house in 2020 for nearly $2.2 million.

Rubys decomposing body was excavated by authorities in March 2022 from a standalone soaking tub, after his brother told police he hadn't heard from Ruby in weeks.

Rubys last email to his brother mentioned he had met a new love interest named Juan who was significantly younger, police said.





Police said Baron covered the cement with coffee grounds to mask the smell.

U.S. police arrested Baron after finding him in a crawl space at the back of a Mexico-bound bus in Anaheim, California.

Baron had long wanted to take responsibility, but Baron's lawyers had discovered evidence of possible prosecutorial misconduct in the case, said defence attorney Kyle Dowd.

Baron is considered to have overstayed a visa, according to the plea document. If he's granted parole, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take custody of Baron and start removal proceedings. Baron is from Colombia, Dowd said.




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Former Kenya's ambassador to the United Nations, Ambassador Martin Kimani, has landed a new job after President William Ruto sacked him last year.

Kimani, who is a career diplomat, has been appointed as the Executive Director of the Center on International Cooperation (CIC), effective June 3, 2024.

CIC, a nonprofit research center within Arts and Science at NYU, is a prominent advocate for international cooperation to prevent crises and promote peace, justice, and inclusion and a leading global think tank on multilateralism.

According to the nonprofit research center, Kimanis experience in various high-profile roles makes him stand out to be the right candidate to take up the role.

Martin Kimani brings many years of experience in international diplomacy, crisis prevention, and the links between peace, justice, equality, and inclusion at the highest level.

"His ability to build bridges and identify strategic opportunities to strengthen multilateral action will be a great benefit to CIC, the United Nations, and the International Financial Institutions in the current period of high geopolitical tension, Sarah Cliffe, outgoing Executive Director of CIC stated.

Kimani accepted the role indicating that he was ready to deliver real-world impact.

Im deeply honoured to join CIC and its brilliant staff to build ambitious partnerships that deliver real-world impact.

"Im especially excited by New York Universitys world-class researchers. Sarah Cliffe has been an inspirational leader & I look forward to building on her legacy, he stated in his acceptance note.

Kimani stepped down from his role after Ruto nominated former Turkana County Assembly Speaker Erastus Lokaale to serve as Head of Kenyas Mission to the United Nations.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Nairobi County Woman Representative Esther Passaris has joined Kenyans in mourning the deaths of 11 Kenyatta University students and five others who perished in road accidents on Monday.

KU public health students perished in Maungu, Taita Taveta County after their school bus heading to Mombasa collided with a trailer that was on its way to Nairobi. 46 students sustained injuries.

The other five died in an accident along Olonguruone-Silibwet Road in Bomet County. 18 others were injured in the accident and were rushed to Tenwek Mission Hospital.

In her condolence message, Passaris raised concerns over the issue of road safety in the country.

I stand in solidarity with the nation in offering condolences to the families of the 11 Kenyatta University students and the 5 individuals in Bomet who tragically lost their lives in accidents yesterday, she said.

Passaris urged caution, saying there is a need for road users to be sensitised to tame the rising accidents.

Reducing human errors in road accidents requires that we invest in education, enforcement and technology. From driver training and promotion of road use awareness to implementing strict penalties.

Pastor Dorcas Rigathi also passed her condolence message to the affected victims' families.

My deepest condolences go out to the Kenyatta University fraternity and the families of the students who died following the tragic road accident in the Maungu area while on their way to Mombasa, she said.

We also condole with the families of those who died in the Bomet accident. May God give you strength. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - President William Ruto has urged employed and unemployed Kenyans to contribute towards the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

Speaking at a burial in Narok on Monday, Ruto explained that the ambitious program aims to lift the burden of paying hefty hospital bills from many low-income Kenyan households.

According to Ruto, SHIF is designed to ensure every Kenyan can access proper medical care regardless of their financial status.

"We are telling those in a position to contribute 2.75% of their earnings towards medical insurance.

"This is because we want even those who cannot pay medical insurance. The government, through our taxes, will pay for them.

"Those who are not salaried will now pay Sh 300," Ruto said.

The head of state claimed those opposed to SHIF will have a hard time going to heaven as God will ask them tough questions.

"One day, you will stand before God, and you will be told you had the ability to contribute the 2.75% and the sick person, you would have helped wasn't helped, and you will go to hell.

"I have warned you early," Ruto said.

The Kenyan DAILY POST
Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Thirdway Alliance Party leader Ekuru Aukot has termed William Rutos presidency as a big scam.

Speaking during an interview, Aukot raised significant concerns about the implementation plans set forth by Ruto's government concerning the Affordable Housing scheme.

He questioned the government's strategy for executing the contentious bill, which has now become law following Presidential Assent, particularly focusing on the criteria for taxation and the utilization of the collected funds.

Aukot expressed dismay over the government's failure to elucidate its taxation strategy.

"The stickiest question the government has failed to elucidate on is the criteria it plans to use to tax Kenyans and also utilize the collected monies," Aukot stated.

He further criticised Ruto's administration for allegedly disappointing Kenyans living below the poverty line, contradicting earlier promises of upliftment.

"The presidency of William Ruto is what Kenyans can now agree was a long con," he asserted, adding, "It was promising Kenyans heaven and earth...but now the law that has been passed in Parliament is punishing that person."

Aukot also took aim at the housing programme associated with the bill, highlighting its lack of clarity regarding the distribution of constructed homes.

He argued that the homes would likely remain accessible only to the financially capable, despite contributions from the poor.

"We don't even know the formula of distribution of those houses," he remarked, emphasizing the oversight in the legislative process.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, March 19, 2024 - President William Ruto has insisted that the Affordable Housing programme must be corruption-free.

Speaking at State House on Tuesday after he signed the Affordable Housing Bill into Law, Ruto warned all officials involved in the programme that it will not be business as usual.

He said that integrity must be the pillar of the country's housing project for it to be a success.

"And I want to give a warning from here, anybody involved in this programme if you just step off the line, it's not going to be business as usual. So, integrity integrity integrity it is.

"This programme must be corruption-free. We have agreed on everything, quantity, and costs, unlike in the past when costs changed, there will be no escalations or issues.

"Integrity is going to be front back centre to ensure this succeeds," President Ruto said.

He added that the project is a result of Kenyans committing their resources to give dignity to fellow Kenyans and must be protected by all means.

The president said that through it, Kenyans from all walks of life will be able to own homes.

Ruto said he plans to create at least 2-3 million homeowners in the short term in Kenya.

"This project must have integrity. And I hope everyone is listening. These are public resources, Kenyans are committing their money for the dignity of other Kenyans who can have jobs, have decent housing, eradicate slums, and increase the number of homeowners in Kenya. Teachers, doctors, and everybody else will have the opportunity to own a home.

"So that we can have a country where everybody believes they own something and are part of."

President Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the resources channelled towards the Affordable Housing program are protected.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Kiambu County Governor, Kimani Wamatangi, is the most useless governor the county has ever had, going by how Thika Level 5 Hospital is being run.

The hospital which is under the county governor is a brothel of all manner of things, including corruption, negligence, mediocrity, and nepotism, to name a few since Kimani Wamatangi was elected as the county chief.

During the era of former Governor William Kabogo, the hospital was one of the best in the country but under Wamatangi, the hospital looks like a rat hole.

When it comes to corruption, the hospital is charging poor patients Sh 20,000 for them to be admitted to a hospital that is directly funded by taxpayers' money.

Yes, it is true that we were asked a bribe of Sh 20,000 to be admitted at the facility, one of the patients told The Kenyan DAILY POST correspondent.

Efforts to contact hospital administration were futile since they were engaged in meetings to share bribes from poor patients.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - The killing of drug empire heir Swaleh Ahmed Yusuf alias 'Kendereni' sends shivers in the Coast region and panic among bootleggers as undercover detectives deployed to track and capture other suspects linked to the network.

Kenderenis lifeless body was discovered in Kilifi days following a reported abduction.

His body was discovered with head injuries and buried amid heavy tension.

The deceased battled criminal charges linked to multi-million-shilling drug trafficking and money laundering.

He was jailed multiple times, lastly in 2023 for money laundering but later released on appeal.

Police believe he was a major player in drug trafficking. They say he was linked to the Akasha drug empire, smuggled drugs from Tanzania, and made a lot of money from selling and laundering drug profits.

His death comes amid a government effort to stop drug trafficking on the Coast.

Police reported that Kendereni's network supplied drugs to various locations, including nightclubs, hotels, and drug dens.

They also suspect he was involved with criminal groups responsible for muggings in Kisauni, Bombolulu, Majengo, and Likoni areas.

By Cyprian Nyakundi.

The Kenyan DAILY POST.


Tuesday, March 19, 2024  Former US President, Donald Trump cant find an insurance company to underwrite his bond to cover the massive judgment against him in the New York attorney generals civil fraud case, his lawyers told a New York appeals court.

Last month, Trump was ordered to pay $355 million in disgorgement, or ill-gotten gains, by New York Judge Arthur Engoron in a civil fraud case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Engoron wrote in his 93-page decision that Trump and his co-defendants including his adult sons were liable for fraud, conspiracy and issuing false financial statements and false business records, finding that the defendants fraudulently inflated the value of Trumps assets to obtain more favourable loan and insurance rates.

Trumps attorneys said he has approached 30 underwriters to back the bond, which is due by the end of this month.

The amount of the judgment, with interest, exceeds $464 million, and very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude, Trumps lawyers wrote. (Trump himself was ordered to pay $454 million; the $464 million includes the disgorgement for his adult sons Don Jr. and Eric.)

An insurance broker, Gary Giulietti, who testified for Trump during the civil fraud trial, signed an affidavit stating that securing a bond in the full amount is a practical impossibility.

Potential underwriters are seeking cash to back the bond, not properties, according to Trumps lawyers.

Lawyers for Trump have asked the appeals court to delay posting the bond until his appeal of the case is over, arguing that the value of Trumps properties far exceeds the judgment. If the appeals court rules against him, Trump asked the court to delay his posting the bond until his appeal to New Yorks highest court is heard.

The amount Trump owed the New York State government surpasses $450 million with interest included.

Trump is appealing the ruling, but in order to stop the state from enforcing the judgment, Trump has to post a bond to be held in an account pending the appellate process, which could take years to litigate.

Trump posted a $91.6 million bond earlier this month as part of his appeal in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case but Giulietti said some of the biggest underwriters have internal policies that limit them from securing a bond over $100 million. None of them, he said, including some of the largest insurance companies in the world, will accept real estate they are only comfortable taking cash or stock.

A shocked Giulietti said if you add fees and interest, Trump would need to come up with more than $550 million.

Over the course of my career, during which I have been directly or indirectly involved in the issuance of thousands of bonds, I have never heard of nor seen an appeal bond of this size for a private company or individual, Giulietti said.

After substantial good-faith effort over the last several weeks, obtaining an appeal bond for the Judgment Amount of over $464 million is just not possible under these circumstances.

Alan Garten, the top legal officer of the Trump Organization, said in a sworn statement that Chubb, which underwrote Trumps $91.6 million bond to cover the E. Jean Carroll judgment, could not accept real estate to secure the civil fraud bond.

Garten called the lack of underwriters to accept real estate a major obstacle to securing a bond.




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - Two young men are wanted by the police in connection with a theft incident that happened at Iten County Referral Hospital.

The suspected thugs went to the busy hospital pretending that they were running some errands but their mission was to steal.

They reportedly stole a motorbike that was parked near the gate.

One of the thugs who had tried to conceal his identity with a face mask even dared to greet the guard manning the gate before he stole the motorbike.

The faces of the thugs were clearly captured on the CCTV cameras.





Check this out.









The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Tuesday, March 19, 2024 - President William Ruto has assured Kenyans that his government will stop the mass wastage of public money by state officers.

Speaking on Monday during the funeral of Mama Annah Tikui Noolparakuo Tunai, mother of former Narok Governor Samuel Tunai in Lolgorian, Narok County, Ruto said the Executive will work with Parliament to ensure this years budget allocation is both prudent and accountable.

He said government agencies that can raise their own revenue will not be allocated additional funds.

There is still a lot of wastage in government and we must deal with it, he said. We will make sure that we deploy every coin appropriately and make sure that we are accountable, he added.

On healthcare, the President said the government has enacted four new laws to ensure every Kenyan has access to quality healthcare regardless of their financial ability.

He appealed to Kenyans with means to support the new public health insurance scheme by contributing 2.75 percent of their salary to actualise Universal Health Coverage.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Tuesday, March 19, 2024  A woman has been arrested after a man and his son (pictured above) were found dead in a house on Friday night, March 15 in the UK.

Police launched a murder investigation after the pair both named Peter Cooke were discovered lifeless at the address in Hartlepool, County Durham at around 11.40pm. Officers remained outside the property through the weekend and today, Cleveland Police confirmed the identity of the two victims.

A spokesperson for the force said: "Father and son, both named Peter Cooke, aged 36 and 68, sadly died at a property on Eaglesfield Road in the town. The family of the men have asked for privacy at this difficult time. Specially trained officers continue to support the family as an investigation continues into their deaths. Police are carrying out high visibility reassurance patrols in the area. Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting incident number 047584."

A 39-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of murder remains on police bail whilst enquiries continue.

A Facebook tribute reads: "So sad condolences to the family RIP." Another reads: "So sad thinking of the family at this sad time."

Speaking on the initial investigation, a statement from Cleveland Police read: "Police were called to a property on Eaglesfield Road in Hartlepool around 11:40pm on Friday 15 March, where sadly the bodies of two males were located. Officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding their deaths. Family members of the men have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers. Our thoughts remain with them at this extremely difficult time. A woman aged in her thirties has been arrested on suspicion of murder and has now been bailed whilst enquiries continue. Police are carrying out high visibility reassurance patrols in the area and these will continue over the coming days Anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting incident number 047584."

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We received a call at 11.36pm to a serious incident at a private property on Eaglesfield Road in Hartlepool. Police also attended the scene. We sent a duty officer, a clinical team leader and an emergency ambulance crew. All NEAS resources stood down on the scene."
At a time when many states are considering assisted suicide legislation, I was interested to encounter the perspective of the well-known bioethicist Arthur Caplan who recently expressed his support for these laws on these pages.

While I appreciate Caplans endorsement of protecting doctors ability to refuse, as a matter of conscience, to participate in assisted death, I admire his insistence on restrictions or safeguards within these laws to try to avoid the kind of rampant euthanasia regime we are witnessing north of the border, there are several places where his commentary falls short.

In Canada, deaths by a physician have increased by more than 25 percent every year since legalization in 2016 and now make up over 4 percent of all deaths. Media reports have profiled physician-assisted death for non-terminally ill Canadians who were having trouble accessing medical care, housing, and social support. Caplan understandably wants to avoid this scenario.

The question, however, is how well the safeguards are really working even in the United States. Are they set up to protect the U.S. sufficiently against the Canadian scenario?

One safeguard originally built into these laws was that access to lethal drugs would be limited to state residents. States understandably did not want to become destinations for suicide tourism. But Oregon has stopped enforcing this requirement and Vermont passed a law last year overturning their residency requirement. Other states are expected to follow suit.

Another alleged safeguard is that people who are mentally ill or depressed cannot have access to lethal drugs. However, only Hawaii requires that terminally ill patients be evaluated by a mental health professional. The other states only require referral when they suspect depression or another mental disorder might interfere with decision-making.

In the 25 years of assisted suicide in Oregon, only 3 percent of patients have been referred for a psychiatric evaluation. On the one hand, this is surprising, given that by some estimates 1 in 5 Americans have some kind of mental illness. On the other hand, given that only specialized doctors are willing to prescribe lethal drugs, patients have to shop for the right doctor. In Oregon, the median length of the relationship between the patient who receives a lethal prescription and the doctor who prescribes is down to only five weeks. One can understand how psychiatric referrals get in the way of this transaction. But one also wonders whether this sufficiently protects depressed patients.

Even when a referral is made, the objective is only to determine eligibility for assisted suicide. Only one jurisdiction (the District of Columbia) requires that patients be informed about the option of mental health counseling.

Another safeguard of assisted suicide laws is to have significant waiting periods between the patients initial request and obtaining the prescription. This helps ensure the requests authenticity and that the patient is not choosing rashly. The standard waiting period, endorsed by Caplan, has been 15 days but things are changing. In 2019 the Governor of Oregon signed a law allowing physicians to bypass the waiting period in certain cases. In 2021, California shortened its waiting period from 15 days to 48 hours and subsequently witnessed a 47 percen increase in lethal prescriptions. Hawaii and Washington shortened their waiting periods in 2023 and Colorado has pending legislation to shorten it. New Mexico, seeing the trend, said, Why wait? and started with a 48-hour waiting period.

Are people being pushed to choose an assisted death prematurely? I suggest that the ways in which some of these choices are made are subtle and stem from complex psychological and social forces that are not easily captured by evidence. For example, are we expressing to terminally ill patients that experiencing the burdens of their disease does not jeopardize their dignity when we label the alternative death with dignity?

About half of Oregon patients who use assisted suicide say that they dont want to be burdens on their families. Is a choice for death authentic if it is motivated by the idea of sacrificing a potential life worth living in order to unburden ones caregivers?

Also, in my view, it is unfortunate that some states have incorporated assisted suicide into hospice and palliative care. Hospice says to terminally ill patients, We can give you an acceptable quality of life at the end of life. The offer of assisted suicide contradicts this and undermines the mission of hospice.

Medicine in the 21st century is so impressive that we are genuinely surprised when the doctor tells us that nothing can be done. But medicine is not a panacea and it cannot treat mortality. The trouble with assisted suicide laws is that they present death as a neat and tidy way to solve ones problems. The alleged safeguards are inadequate, and as they have gradually eroded, more and more people come to believe that death can solve their problems too.

Philip Reed is a bioethicist.
Poor water quality, invasive species and climate change are three major threats that have been identified as drafting continues on a new Biodiversity Action Plan for County Kilkenny.

Details of some of the compiled data informing the plan were recently presented to the elected members of Piltown Municipal District.

DIVERSE HABITATS

The meeting heard that County Kilkenny has a diverse range of habitats, many associated with the rivers and river valleys that dissect the county.

A total of 39 of these habitats across the county can be classified as protected habitats.

Some examples include the River Nore, Newpark Fen, Dunmore Cave, Fiddown Island, Lough Cullin, Clohastia and Kylecorragh Wood.

WATER QUALITY

The meeting heard that the quality of the countys waterways is a growing concern from a biodiversity perspective.

Kilkennys most recent surface water quality (2016-2021) illustrates that only 5% of surface water is of a high-water quality status, 37% is rated good, 41% moderate and 16% is poor with the remaining 2% classified as bad.

Poor quality water provides a poor habitat for fish and other species depending on the river for food, habitat and shelter.

These river catchments provide an ecological corridor that provides connectivity between habitats.

SPECIAL SPECIES

The status of EU listed species at a national level indicates 55% assessed as stable, 17% assessed as being improving, 15% had declining trends and 13% of species with an unknown status.

Species of EU concern present in County Kilkenny include the freshwater pearl mussel, incorporating the Nore Pearl Mussel and the white-clawed crayfish - all unfortunately reported in 2019 as having a bad status.

Many of the bat species such as Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus Pipistrellus) and Natterers bat (Myotis Nattereri) reported as having a favourable status but habitat loss and loss of foraging areas are common threats for bat species.

INVASIVE SPECIES

The arrival of invasive species was another major biodiversity concern raised.

Such species can displace and outcompete native species, leading to species decline and diversity decline.

High risk species present in Kilkenny include plant species such as Japanese Knotweed, Giant-rhubarb, Rhododendron Ponticum and Cherry Laurel and animal species include American Mink and Grey Squirrel.

The introduction of new plant pathogens is also threatening our native biodiversity.

One major example noted is ash dieback, a disease of ash trees first detected in Ireland in 2012, introduced on trees imported from continental Europe.

The disease is likely to cause the death of the majority of the ash trees over the next two decades.

Further threats on our horizon include bleeding canker that impacts the crowns of horse chestnuts, affecting trees of all ages and often kills them.

Another major concern is fireblight, a plant disease caused by bacteria that impacts the rose family, including pear and apple trees and also hawthorn - a common species found in Irish hedgerows.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change was also identified as a major threat to the countys biodiversity.

The key climate hazards identified for County Kilkenny include flooding on rivers, extreme precipitation and drought.

All three climate hazards could greatly impact the biodiversity of Kilkenny, by degrading habitats, reducing food availability for wildlife and extreme events could potentially result in a direct negative impact on a variety of species.

WHATS NEXT?

The draft Biodiversity Action Plan, currently being devised, is scheduled to go on public display with a public consultation period during the summer.

The recent public consultation process on the Councils Climate Action Plan provided some insight, as many biodiversity themed submissions were received.

In the meantime, the collation of biodiversity data will continue to be prepared with the input of members representing different stakeholders including farming, community, state agencies and local biodiversity experts.

It was the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) that brought in the objective that each local authority prepare a County Biodiversity Action Plan that will provide a framework for the conservation of biodiversity and natural heritage at a local level.
Three bright and talented students from Presentation Secondary School in Kilkenny are currently organising a charity walk to raise money for My Lovely Horse Rescue.

Niamh Brett, Danica Tervit Kruger and Hazel Maher recently won the senior category of the Student Enterprise County Final for their student business project, The Little Lost Collection.

The Little Lost Collection is a story book collection created to educate children on the animal welfare situation in Ireland and teach them why it is important to adopt pets.

In their recent publication, The Little Lost Puppy, Bella is the main character of the story and she is based on the true story of a dog named Britney who was in the care of My Lovely Horse Rescue.

We based our story on one of the rescues longest residents Britney, a dog that was used for breeding and then discarded, they said.

Britney, who is called Bella in our story, had spent almost one year in the care of the My Lovely Horse Rescue team.

She watched her friends come and go and was patiently waiting for a loving family. Britney has had many litters of puppies who were sold on for profit-making purposes , which we highlight in our book.

Luckily, those days are now behind her as she was lucky enough to finally get adopted over the Christmas period.

We decided to write the story about Britney as we disagree with the breeding of animals when Irelands rescues are currently bursting at the seams with unwanted animals.

My Lovely Horse Animal Rescue rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes unwanted, neglected and abused animals with the aim of giving them a life worth living.

According to the girls, this upcoming charity walks aim is to educate as many people as possible about the animal welfare situation in Ireland.

We are also having a raffle to raise more money for the rescue, they said.

There will be a prize of brunch for two in Aran, 50 euro to spend as you wish in Red Mills and of course an Easter egg, just in time for Easter!



Registration (5) for the walk will take place at Wild Tails Cafe on Canal Walk at 11am on Sunday, March 24.

If you join the walk, you are automatically entered into the raffle draw but if youd just like to enter the raffle or give a donation, contact them (@the.little.lost.collection on Instagram) or via email at thelittlelostcollection@gmail

.com for Revolut details.
YEREVAN, 19 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. In the enlarged Masis community the problem of garbage collection will be completely solved.

Benefactor Mikael Vardanyan provided the community with a garbage truck, a multifunctional waste collection vehicle, 230 new waste containers and a truck. Thanks to the provided financial support, it will be possible to collect garbage in Masis city and 26 neighboring communities daily and fully. The total budget of the program amounted to 117 million drams.
YEREVAN, MARCH 19, ARMENPRESS. President of the European Council Charles Michel said in an article on Monday that Europe must strenghthen its defences in shift to a war economy mode in the face of the war in Ukraine.

In the article If we want peace, we must prepare for war, published in Euractive on the eve of the EU leaders meeting in Brussels he recalled the telephone conversation with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 3:30 in the morning of February 24, 2022.

Hearing Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyys grave voice over the phone say Bombs are falling on us, its a full invasion, I knew at that moment the entire post-World War II security arrangement had changed forever. The EU also has to change fast with it, he writes.

According to the European Council President, two years on from the start of the war, it is now clear that Russia will not stop in Ukraine, just as it did not stop in Crimea ten years ago.

Russia continues its destabilising tactics  in Moldova, Georgia, the South Caucasus, the Western Balkans and even further afield on the African continent, Michel writes.

He also emphasizes that Europe could be next.

Russia is a serious military threat to our European continent and global security. If we do not get the EUs response right and do not give Ukraine enough support to stop Russia, we are next, he adds.

The European Council President suggests shifting to a war economy mode.

Its time to take responsibility for our security. We can no longer count on others or be at the mercy of election cycles in the US or elsewhere, he writes.

He calls on countries to enable investments in defense, including by considering adapting the EU lending policy, expanding the European Investment Banks mandate, to allow it to support the continent's defense industry.
The Herald reports:

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Housing Minister Chris Bishop today announced the Government had ordered Kainga Ora's board to scrap the Sustaining Tenancies Framework, which aimed to sustain tenancies with a goal to avoid evictions and exits into homelessness, while also balancing obligations to neighbours and wider communities.

Labour prioritised tenants who terrorised their neighbours over their victims. They instituted a policy of basically no consequences for bad behaviour which was a disaster.

It didn't only victimise neighbours. It also created a backlash against kainga ora housing projects, as communities don't want neighbours who can terrorise them with impunity. Decades of goodwill for state housing projects got wiped away by this disastrous policy.

Bishop claimed the framework had removed incentives for tenants to improve their behaviour. He cited the most recent stat that there had been 335 serious complaints per month, which included intimidation, harassment and threatening behaviour. In 2023, three tenancies had been ended due to disruptive behaviour, Bishop claimed.

So around 0.1% of serious complaints result in evictions.

At a time when there are over 25,000 people on the social housing waitlist, Kainga Ora should not be prioritising tenants who abuse their home or their neighbours above families who are anxiously waiting for a home, he said.

Yes Labour had a policy that prioritised gang members who terrorise their neighbours over families who are waiting for the privilege of a state house, and will be good neighbours.

greens housing spokeswoman Tamatha Paul believed the Government was seeking to define a category of undeserving poor people.

Normal Greens ideology. The fact is people who terrorise their neighbours are undeserving. Greens views criminals as victims and victims as, well collateral damage.

This politics of punishment from the coalition must come to an end before it does irreparable damage to communities who have historically been let down, time and time again, by successive Governments.

The communities being let down are the 98% of state house tenants who don't terrorise their neighbours.

Paul said it would be cruel if the Government evicted more state housing tenants during a cost-of-living crisis and following changes to benefit increases which mean beneficiaries will receive less over time.

Anyone evicted is replaced by a family that benefits from the income related rent. And it is easy not to get evicted. Its called not acting like a sociopath.

A resident on Auckland's North Shore said his family were over the moon at the Government's announcement after having constant problems with a neighbouring Kainga Ora property when new tenants moved in last year. William Macneil said an abusive Kainga Ora tenant on electronically monitored bail lunged at him with a large butcher's knife and threatened to kill Macneil's family by ramming their house with a car in September last year.

Labour and Greens don't want this to result in eviction.

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Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 46F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 46F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
YEREVAN, MARCH 19, ARMENPRESS. During a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Yerevan on Tuesday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called for firm support from the international community, including NATO, for the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on known and mutually agreed-upon principles. He also emphasized the unequivocal rejection of the policy of coercion and threats.



"I presented to Mr. Stoltenberg the vision and approaches of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to establishing stability and peace in the South Caucasus.



I reaffirm my repeatedly voiced willingness to normalize relations with Azerbaijan based on the 3 principles agreed at the highest level, namely, recognition of each other's territorial integrity based on the Alma-Ata Declaration, the delimitation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan interstate border according to the Alma-Ata Declaration for restoring the border that existed at the time of the collapse of the USSR in 1991 between the two republics, as well as the unblocking of regional infrastructures, respecting the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries they pass through, based on the principles of equality and reciprocity. Regarding the latter, I have also presented the "Crossroads of Peace" project, which summarizes our ideas on the issue.



We expect the firm support of the international community, including NATO, for the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on known and mutually agreed upon principles, as well as the unequivocal rejection of the policy of coercion and threats.



I also presented to the General Secretary the proposals for a simultaneous withdrawal of troops from the Armenia-Azerbaijan border of 1991, mutual arms control, and the signing of a non-aggression pact, which have not received a positive response from official Baku to date.



We are also committed to the agenda of normalizing relations with Turkey. We believe that the implementation of the agreements reached with Turkey in 2022, which were subsequently reaffirmed, may have a positive impact on the establishment of stability in the South Caucasus region,'' Pashinyan said.



The Prime Minister noted that during the conversation with the General Secretary, they also had the opportunity to discuss the reform agenda of the Armed Forces of Armenia.

"I emphasized that this process is not directed against any state and is aimed at increasing the defense capabilities of the Armed Forces of Armenia in order to ensure the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia,'' The PM said.
YEREVAN, MARCH 19, ARMENPRESS. Regardless of Azerbaijan's attempts to accuse Armenians of aggression and Islamophobia, the facts, validated by international organizations, reveal a different reality, Geghard scientific analytical foundation said in a statement.

To conceal its policy of genocide and hatred towards Armenians, the Republic of Azerbaijan introduces fake and fabricated theses to portray Armenia and Armenians to the international community as violent, xenophobic, and aggressive.

One of the manifestations of that policy is the speech of Parvana Veliyeva, an Azerbaijani political activist and propagandist, at the event dedicated to the International Day to Combat Islamophobia held on March 15. Speaking about the "forcible deportation of 300,000 Azerbaijanis from Armenia in 1987-1991", "destruction of Islamic cultural heritage", Veliyeva accused Armenia of Islamophobia.

It is noteworthy that Azeris departed from Soviet Armenia voluntarily and without facing violence, even managing to sell their property and possessions without obstruction. However, the same cannot be said for the 500,000 Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, Gandzak, and other locations, who barely escaped to save their lives.

Ironically, Baku accuses Armenia and Armenians of Islamophobia. While Christian Armenians demonstrated solidarity with other religions, including Islam, and have renovated their shrines, the opposite is occurring in Islamic Azerbaijan. Mosques are not just destroyed in Azerbaijan; believers also endure severe limitations and persecution, with hundreds of them being imprisoned due to their faith. Baku even resorts to special operations against its people. A notable illustration of Baku's treatment of Islam and its adherents is the murders and arrests that occurred during a special operation in Nardaran town in 2015.

Aliyev's regime, advocating Islamic solidarity, has avoided a clear position on Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians over several months.

Regardless of Azerbaijan's attempts to accuse Armenians of aggression and Islamophobia, the facts, validated by international organizations, reveal a different reality that Baku persistently tries to conceal, the statement reads.
A new green space is coming to Columbia at St. James and Orr Streets.

"It enhances the area," said Kenny Greene, a member of the committee that Mayor Barbara Buffaloe created for the park. "It makes people more comfortable."

Columbia City Council approved the construction of the improvements to the newly named North Village Park at Monday night's meeting.

The park will feature local art, a flexible performance area, an active family space with a themed playground, and improved parking.

"It's really revitalizing a city block," said Gabe Huffington, Director of Columbia Parks and Recreation.

"The park is another stop along the way [to downtown]," Greene said. "It will actually build other businesses."

The plan also includes designated parking spaces for food trucks.

Greene said the quietness of Peace Park, located on the University of Missouri's campus, was a model for the new project.

Columbia acquired the property in April 2021 from Union Electric Company, the owners of Ameren Missouri.

Ameren Missouri completed the cleanup of the site in 2014.

Agreement between Columbia Fire Department and Boone Health

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The council also approved a partnership between the Columbia Fire Department (CFD) and Boone Health.

The partnership allows CFD trainees to receive their required EMT training in-house, according to previous KOMU 8 reporting.

Previously, trainees who did not have the certification before their graduation date had to pursue it through a third-party program.

Roundabout at Fairview Road and Chapel Hill Road

Council members also approved and heard from the public on the construction of a single-lane roundabout at Fairview Road and Chapel Hill Road. cq

In 2016, the council directed staff to complete two studies of traffic congestion issues at the intersection. The studies were put on hold until 2022 to allow other road improvement projects to be completed in the area.

Members of the neighborhood spoke at the meeting with questions, comments and concerns about the proposed roundabout.

The project will cost $1.24 million and will be paid for by the one-fourth cent Capital Improvement Project Sales Tax, according to a council memo.

Expansion of Douglass Park

The city council also authorized the city to purchase a piece of land from Aspire Rentals LLC to provide for the expansion of Douglass Park. It will cost the city $135,000 and will come from the Park Sales Tax, according to a council memo.

The property is 7,700 square feet and is located between Douglass Park and Fifth Street Christian Church. The land will be incorporated into the park and will allow for the future completion of the third phase of the Douglass skate park.
Columbia police connect Maurice Banks to the scene of the deadly shooting of Jermaine Spain in new court documents.
The family of missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain held a press conference Tuesday afternoon and called for more organized search efforts.

40:42 WATCH: Family of missing MU student Riley Strain holds press conference Members of the Nashville Police Department and United Cajun Navy also spoke at the press conference Tuesday.

Strain, 22, has been missing since March 8, after he was kicked out of a bar on Broadway in Nashville. The Springfield, Missouri, native was in Nashville for a fraternity formal.

Efforts to find Strain by foot, helicopter and boat have been ongoing since his disappearance.

The United Cajun Navy, a natural disaster response organization formed after Hurricane Katrina, was contacted by the Strain family and has provided resources in the ongoing search.

"We feel that we needed the extra resources to come in and help us as we try to get more organized for our family, and see if we can't bring some more clues to light," Strains stepfather Chris Whiteid said.

Whiteid thanked the volunteers who have spent time searching so far.

"We ask that you continue, we ask that you work and help with us to become more organized. Because we don't want individuals out there alone, without us knowing. So we want to make sure everybody's careful," Whiteid said. "Safety is the number one priority."

David Flagg, the national director of operations for the United Cajun Navy, called for volunteers to get involved with the organization. He said their main goal is to find Strain, but the "secondary focus is to ensure the safety of the people who are out here searching."

"If we have folks just out on their own, on these very steep and treacherous terrain on the riverbank and other treacherous aspects of this search ... we don't know what's going on with you," Flagg said. "It's not safe, it's real dangerous. So I would encourage any volunteers who have been here and are searching to please come under the umbrella of the United Cajun Navy search."

Flagg also said the group will deploy an airboat and hovercraft this week to search along the Cumberland River bank, and that additional information on an organized ground search will come at a later time.

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Two women joined search efforts Sunday and found Strain's bank card along an embankment between the Cumberland River and Gay Street. One of the women and Flagg provided safety tips during the press conference for those who are searching on their own:

Wear sturdy shoes Wear gripped or heavy-duty gloves Layer your clothing Wear a mask

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) released new video on Monday that shows Strain exchanging greetings with a police officer around 9:52 p.m. March 8, in the area of Gay Street, south of the Woodland Street Bridge.

Nashville NBC affiliate WSMV said the video was made public only after it made inquiries with the police department about Strain's possible distress.

Detective Anthony Chandler and Sgt. Robert Nielsen said the video was released because there were concerns Strain was being chased or followed. The investigators said there is no evidence of that and stressed at this point, it is still a missing person's investigation.

Nielsen also said police are still filtering through Crimestoppers tips.

"I cannot stress enough the volume of information we've gotten," he said. "We have to weigh every piece of evidence we get, or information, evenly."

When asked how the MNPD is handling the investigation, the family acknowledged the police department's efforts.

"We feel like they've handled it well," Whiteid said. "We know that there's an excessive amount of information coming into them that they're having to dissect. You know, it's hard as a parent as we are now 10, 11, 12 days into this, and we're trying to ... find Riley ... come up with an outcome here. And so yes, as the days drag on, we are frustrated. We know they're doing their job."
A wrongful death lawsuit against several social media platforms brought on by the Buffalo, New York, mass shooting perpetrated by Payton Gendron has been allowed to move forward by a judge.
An outback school will be bulldozed after mould including dangerous human pathogens infested carpets, chairs, plasterboard and even drum kits.

Willyama High School at Broken Hill, in far-western NSW, has been closed to students and staff since mid-January when an extensive mould outbreak was discovered by a staff member after returning from the summer break.

An independent hygienist's report, handed to government in recent days, found remediation would require the three-storey classroom building to be gutted of all porous materials, including insulation and electronics.

Even then, another infestation could develop without other, major changes to the facility. Instead, it will be demolished and rebuilt.

Mould spread throughout at Willyama High School in Broken Hill, NSW over the 2023/24 summer. Source: AAP

The school will now be bulldozed after mould including dangerous human pathogens infested carpets, chairs, plasterboard and even drum kits. Source: AAP

Situation 'not ideal': Education Minister

"While today's news is not ideal, I want to assure the people of Broken Hill that we will be with you for as long as it takes to rebuild this school," Education Minister Prue Car said on Tuesday.

Staff and the school's 570 students have been learning across three other school sites in the outback town since the start of term one.

They will be reunited on day one of term two under the roof of a pop-up school being established on the grounds of Broken Hill High School.

A report found the school to be a serious hazard for students and staff. Source: AAP

It would provide students with high-quality facilities and materials and ensure Willyama retained its own identity while the school is rebuilt, the government said.

Two types of mould, aspergillus and penicillium spp, both dangerous human pathogens, were found in several locations tested and were "invariably more widespread throughout," according to the report.

The Education Minister admitted the situation was 'not ideal'. Source: AAP

The exact cause of the outbreak could not be determined.

But the hygienist found it was likely caused by a combination of factors including moisture from the school's evaporative cooling system left running over the summer, moisture from end-of-year carpet cleaning and water ingress after an unseasonably wet summer.

Overcrowding and inadequate storage facilities also prevented routine cleaning and allowed organic debris to accumulate.

Story continues

That moisture combined with shut windows and poor insulation "may have provided an ideal environment to support the mould infestation", the report said.

Evidence pointed to an outbreak in the ground-level music and art rooms spreading through the rest of the classrooms, staffrooms and library via the cooling system.

Even the drum kits weren't spared. Source: AAP

Images in the report showed mould around air conditioning ducts, on concrete, in cabinets, table tops and in long smears across carpets.

Fungal growth was also observed on drum kit skins, fabric desk chairs, paintings and mouse pads.

The school's southern wing, housing admin and sport facilities, had a separate cooling system but was recommended for precautionary surface cleaning.

"A key job for us now is to identify which personal belongings from the school can be returned to their owners and what will need to be replaced," western NSW education official Peter Macbeth said.

"The Willyama community has been so resilient during an incredibly challenging time."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Diligent Investors LLC lessened its holdings in shares of FS KKR Capital Corp. (NYSE:FSK  Free Report) by 9.4% in the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 76,199 shares of the companys stock after selling 7,917 shares during the quarter. Diligent Investors LLCs holdings in FS KKR Capital were worth $1,522,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in FSK. US Bancorp DE lifted its position in shares of FS KKR Capital by 23.1% during the 1st quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 7,993 shares of the companys stock worth $182,000 after purchasing an additional 1,500 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its holdings in FS KKR Capital by 120.5% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 7,064 shares of the companys stock valued at $161,000 after acquiring an additional 3,861 shares in the last quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can raised its holdings in FS KKR Capital by 4.9% in the 1st quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 89,841 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,181,000 after acquiring an additional 4,157 shares in the last quarter. Ergoteles LLC acquired a new position in FS KKR Capital in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $414,000. Finally, Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. raised its holdings in FS KKR Capital by 11.9% in the 1st quarter. Symphony Financial Ltd. Co. now owns 31,470 shares of the companys stock valued at $718,000 after acquiring an additional 3,359 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 33.42% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

FSK has been the subject of several recent research reports. Compass Point cut FS KKR Capital from a buy rating to a neutral rating and cut their price target for the company from $21.50 to $19.50 in a report on Tuesday, February 27th. Hovde Group reiterated a market perform rating and issued a $20.00 price objective on shares of FS KKR Capital in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price on FS KKR Capital from $20.00 to $18.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on FS KKR Capital from $19.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their target price on FS KKR Capital from $21.00 to $20.00 and set a sector perform rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Seven 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, FS KKR Capital currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $20.06.

Insider Transactions at FS KKR Capital

In other FS KKR Capital news, insider Daniel Pietrzak bought 7,300 shares of FS KKR Capital stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 28th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $18.73 per share, for a total transaction of $136,729.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now owns 39,800 shares in the company, valued at approximately $745,454. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.22% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

FS KKR Capital Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of NYSE FSK traded down $0.07 during midday trading on Monday, hitting $18.42. The stock had a trading volume of 1,366,292 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,898,914. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $19.90 and its 200 day simple moving average is $19.84. The firm has a market cap of $5.16 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.40 and a beta of 1.24. FS KKR Capital Corp. has a fifty-two week low of $17.50 and a fifty-two week high of $20.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.88 and a quick ratio of 1.88.

FS KKR Capital (NYSE:FSK  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The company reported $0.75 EPS for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $0.75. FS KKR Capital had a return on equity of 12.56% and a net margin of 38.03%. The company had revenue of $447.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $452.39 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.81 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that FS KKR Capital Corp. will post 2.83 EPS for the current year.

FS KKR Capital Cuts Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, March 13th will be given a $0.64 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 12th. This represents a $2.56 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 13.90%. FS KKR Capitals dividend payout ratio is currently 102.81%.

FS KKR Capital Profile

(Free Report)

FS KKR Capital Corp. is a business development company specializing in investments in debt securities. It provides customized credit solutions to private middle market U.S. companies. It invest primarily in the senior secured debt and, to a lesser extent, the subordinated debt of private middle market U.S.

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Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG  Get Free Report) had its price objective upped by research analysts at Bank of America from $50.00 to $55.00 in a research note issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a buy rating on the stock. Bank of Americas target price would suggest a potential upside of 35.04% from the stocks previous close.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on HOG. UBS Group lifted their price objective on Harley-Davidson from $29.00 to $39.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Friday, February 16th. Citigroup boosted their target price on shares of Harley-Davidson from $36.00 to $37.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. Finally, DA Davidson reiterated a buy rating and issued a $42.00 price target on shares of Harley-Davidson in a research note on Tuesday, March 5th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Harley-Davidson currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $45.43.

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Harley-Davidson Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of HOG stock traded down $0.27 on Thursday, hitting $40.73. The company had a trading volume of 2,191,792 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,645,113. Harley-Davidson has a twelve month low of $25.43 and a twelve month high of $41.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.53, a quick ratio of 1.25 and a current ratio of 1.53. The stocks 50-day moving average is $36.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $33.23. The firm has a market cap of $5.56 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.45, a P/E/G ratio of 2.65 and a beta of 1.41.

Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.18 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.04 by $0.14. Harley-Davidson had a return on equity of 22.00% and a net margin of 12.11%. The company had revenue of $791.65 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $875.29 million. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.28 earnings per share. Harley-Davidsons revenue was down 13.8% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Harley-Davidson will post 4.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Harley-Davidson

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Natixis Advisors L.P. grew its holdings in Harley-Davidson by 34.1% in the first quarter. Natixis Advisors L.P. now owns 36,335 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,432,000 after purchasing an additional 9,243 shares during the period. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS raised its holdings in shares of Harley-Davidson by 10.5% during the first quarter. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS now owns 56,394 shares of the companys stock worth $2,222,000 after purchasing an additional 5,377 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Harley-Davidson by 1.5% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 12,727,257 shares of the companys stock worth $501,454,000 after purchasing an additional 194,089 shares during the period. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can raised its holdings in shares of Harley-Davidson by 8.1% during the first quarter. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can now owns 86,260 shares of the companys stock worth $3,496,000 after purchasing an additional 6,447 shares during the period. Finally, Yousif Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of Harley-Davidson by 1.8% in the 1st quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 85,664 shares of the companys stock worth $3,375,000 after acquiring an additional 1,495 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.29% of the companys stock.

Harley-Davidson Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Harley-Davidson, Inc manufactures and sells motorcycles in the United States and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Harley-Davidson Motor Company, LiveWire, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company segment designs, manufactures, and sells motorcycles, including cruiser, trike, touring, standard, sportbike, adventure, and dual sport, as well as motorcycle parts, accessories, and apparel, as well as licenses its trademarks and related services.

Further Reading

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International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM  Free Report) had its target price upped by Bank of America from $200.00 to $220.00 in a research report report published on Thursday morning, Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the technology companys stock.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Jefferies Financial Group initiated coverage on International Business Machines in a research note on Friday, January 5th. They set a hold rating and a $180.00 price objective on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their target price on International Business Machines from $179.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Evercore raised International Business Machines from an in-line rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $165.00 to $200.00 in a report on Friday, January 19th. StockNews.com raised International Business Machines from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on International Business Machines from $155.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, January 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and seven have issued a 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 $176.85.

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International Business Machines Stock Up 0.3 %

NYSE IBM traded up $0.62 during trading on Thursday, hitting $191.69. The stock had a trading volume of 5,394,602 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,370,031. The company has a market capitalization of $175.73 billion, a PE ratio of 23.58, a P/E/G ratio of 3.79 and a beta of 0.70. The companys 50-day moving average price is $182.99 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $162.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.22, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a current ratio of 0.96. International Business Machines has a 12 month low of $120.55 and a 12 month high of $199.18.

International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The technology company reported $3.87 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.78 by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $17.38 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $17.29 billion. International Business Machines had a return on equity of 39.55% and a net margin of 12.13%. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $3.60 EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that International Business Machines will post 10.07 EPS for the current year.

International Business Machines Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Saturday, March 9th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 9th were issued a $1.66 dividend. This represents a $6.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.46%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 8th. International Business Machiness dividend payout ratio is 81.67%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IBM. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 82,605,859 shares of the technology companys stock worth $13,510,188,000 after purchasing an additional 529,664 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. grew its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 74,044,855 shares of the technology companys stock worth $9,907,942,000 after purchasing an additional 2,483,682 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 1.7% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 54,441,615 shares of the technology companys stock worth $7,284,833,000 after purchasing an additional 903,042 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 3.0% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 16,701,893 shares of the technology companys stock worth $2,228,691,000 after purchasing an additional 492,571 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Morgan Stanley grew its holdings in shares of International Business Machines by 22.8% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 16,592,094 shares of the technology companys stock worth $2,337,660,000 after purchasing an additional 3,084,458 shares in the last quarter. 56.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

International Business Machines Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

International Business Machines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated solutions and services worldwide. The company operates through Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing segments. The Software segment offers a hybrid cloud and AI platforms that allows clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate.

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Raymond James restated their outperform rating on shares of Phreesia (NYSE:PHR  Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Friday morning, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $30.00 target price on the stock, up from their prior target price of $25.00.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on PHR. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $29.00 target price on shares of Phreesia in a research report on Friday. Barclays started coverage on Phreesia in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. They set an overweight rating and a $29.00 target price for the company. DA Davidson raised Phreesia from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their target price for the stock from $30.00 to $32.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on Phreesia from $17.00 to $23.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday. Finally, KeyCorp lowered their target price on Phreesia from $40.00 to $30.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, December 7th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $32.71.

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Phreesia Price Performance

NYSE PHR traded down $0.82 on Friday, hitting $22.93. 693,167 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 545,245. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $25.31 and a 200-day moving average of $20.99. The company has a current ratio of 2.02, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. Phreesia has a 52 week low of $12.05 and a 52 week high of $36.13. The stock has a market cap of $1.28 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9.10 and a beta of 0.93.

Phreesia (NYSE:PHR  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 14th. The company reported ($0.56) EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of ($0.58) by $0.02. Phreesia had a negative return on equity of 52.97% and a negative net margin of 38.42%. The company had revenue of $95.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $93.52 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.72) EPS. Phreesias revenue was up 24.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Phreesia will post -1.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, General Counsel Allison C. Hoffman sold 1,316 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.55, for a total value of $32,307.80. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 144,464 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,546,591.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Phreesia news, COO Evan Roberts sold 2,247 shares of Phreesia stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $24.55, for a total transaction of $55,163.85. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 795,613 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,532,299.15. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, General Counsel Allison C. Hoffman sold 1,316 shares of Phreesia stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $24.55, for a total value of $32,307.80. Following the transaction, the general counsel now owns 144,464 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,546,591.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 9,950 shares of company stock worth $246,213 in the last three months. Company insiders own 5.80% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Phreesia

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Brown Advisory Inc. lifted its position in shares of Phreesia by 22.2% during the 4th quarter. Brown Advisory Inc. now owns 3,950,356 shares of the companys stock worth $91,451,000 after buying an additional 716,374 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its position in shares of Phreesia by 8.6% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 7,856,551 shares of the companys stock worth $146,760,000 after buying an additional 624,456 shares in the last quarter. Rock Springs Capital Management LP lifted its position in shares of Phreesia by 36.1% during the 3rd quarter. Rock Springs Capital Management LP now owns 1,776,391 shares of the companys stock worth $33,183,000 after buying an additional 471,391 shares in the last quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans bought a new position in shares of Phreesia during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $13,668,000. Finally, Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Phreesia during the 4th quarter worth approximately $8,199,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.37% of the companys stock.

About Phreesia

(Get Free Report)

Phreesia, Inc provides an integrated SaaS-based software and payment platform for the healthcare industry in the United States and Canada. Its Phreesia Platform offers access solutions that offers appointment scheduling system for online appointments, reminders, and referral tracking; registration solution to automate patient self-registration; revenue cycle solution, which offer insurance-verification processes, point-of-sale payments applications, post-visit payment collection, and flexible payment options; and network connect solution to deliver clinically relevant content to patients.

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A U.S. lawmaker on Tuesday expressed expectation that South Korea would support Taiwan in the event of a contingency in the Taiwan Strait, but pointed out Seoul's overarching concerns over the "immediate" threats from North Korea.

Rep. Young Kim (R-CA), chair of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, made the remarks, stressing that Taiwan matters as a "beacon" of democracy at a time when she claimed China has a long-term ambition to become the "dominant economic and military superpower."

"While they (South Korea) will, I believe, be there with the United States if something happens in the Taiwan Strait, but remember that South Korea is faced with the immediate threat of North Korea," she said at a forum hosted by the Hudson Institute.

"So protecting the security concerns on the Korean Peninsula is probably the No. 1 concern in their mind," she added.

Kim, a Korean American lawmaker, was referring to South Korea's potential role in the event of a contingency concerning Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that China claims is part of its territory. Beijing has threatened to take over the island by force if necessary.

"Not caring for Taiwan and moving any support will be a grave mistake," she said. "We need to stay in Taiwan and continue to be engaged and work on contingency efforts."

Kim also warned that Chinese President Xi Jinping might look beyond Taiwan should Taiwan not be protected.

"We know Xi Jinping is not going to stop at Taiwan. All the other countries in the Indo-Pacific are at risk," she said.

She also stressed that Taiwan matters due to its role as a hub for semiconductor manufacturing.

"If there is a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, obviously, our economy is going to be threatened. It is going to be a national security concern," she said.

Kim went on to say that anything that happens overseas "affects us in all fields," as she underscored the need to back Taiwan's security.

"When we look at these conflicts around the world, I am really glad that Japan and South Korea have agreed to get beyond the historical challenges and moved ahead, looking forward," she said,

She was referring to improved relations between Seoul and Tokyo after a thaw in heightened tensions over historical issues stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)
Korea's industry ministry said Tuesday it has agreed with Lithuania to seek broader economic ties in areas including trade and investment, especially in cutting-edge technologies.

Deputy Minister for Trade Yang Byeong-nae met with Egidijus Meilunas, the vice foreign minister of the European nation in Seoul, to share opinions on the envisioned economic partnership, according to the Ministry of Trade, Investment, and Energy.

During the meeting, Yang noted that trade between the two countries has been growing since Lithuania opened its diplomatic mission in Korea in 2021.

The deputy minister also expressed hope for closer bilateral cooperation, especially in the laser and biotechnology industries, where Lithuania holds significant competitiveness.

"The two countries particularly reached a consensus on the significance of cooperation in the research and development sector. They agreed to strengthen bilateral networks of businesses, including the organization of seminars," the ministry said.

The combined trade between the two countries came to $474 million in 2023, marking a sharp rise from $343 million tallied in 2021, the government data showed.

On the sidelines of the event, the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology and Lithuania's Innovation Agency signed a memorandum of understanding to explore ways for cooperation. (Yonhap)
The foreign ministry on Tuesday refrained from commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent election victory, saying the two countries share a common commitment to "managing" their bilateral ties.

During a press briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said he will "refrain from commenting on Russia's recent election."

"But we believe South Korea and Russia have a common commitment to managing our mutual relations," he added. "Our government is also keeping close tabs on the ongoing exchanges between Russia and North Korea in various fields."

An official at the ministry also declined to provide any comments when asked to offer his views on the prevailing criticism among Western leaders that the election had not been free and fair.

John Kirby, U.S. National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, criticized the election as "obviously not free nor fair," saying Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him.

On Sunday, Putin won a landslide victory in Russia's presidential election for a fifth term in office, which will extend his 24-year rule for another six years.

Observers say Seoul could be taking a low-key stance considering several pending bilateral issues, including the arrest of a South Korean national in Russia.

Russia's TASS news agency earlier reported that the South Korean, surnamed Baek, has been held in the Lefortovo detention facility in Moscow since late February on charges that he handed over classified information to foreign intelligence agencies.

Baek, a missionary with a South Korean Christian aid group named the Global Love Rice Sharing Foundation, was working in Vladivostok at the time of the arrest, mostly engaged in helping North Korean defectors flee and providing them with other assistance. (Yonhap)
The state arms procurement agency on Tuesday reaffirmed its stance for Indonesia to complete its payment for their joint fighter jet development project by 2026 after a local news report said Jakarta requested pushing back the deadline by eight years.

The Dong-A Ilbo earlier reported that Indonesia, which has currently racked up arrears of 1 trillion won ($746.8 million) in the project, made the request to postpone the deadline to 2034, citing unnamed diplomatic and defense industry sources.

The joint KF-21 project was launched in 2015 to develop an advanced supersonic fighter jet, with Jakarta pledging to contribute about 20 percent of its cost of 8.1 trillion won through 2026. Indonesia, however, has failed to make timely payments, contributing a total of 278.3 billion won so far.

"There is no change in the stance that Indonesia has to complete payment of the KF-21 development by 2026," a Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) official said when asked about the news report.

In a regular briefing, DAPA spokesperson Choi Kyung-ho said talks with Jakarta over the project's cost-sharing were under way but declined to provide details.

The project has recently faced another setback after Korean defense authorities made public last month a probe into an Indonesian engineer's alleged attempt to steal the jet's technologies at Korea Aerospace Industries. The probe has since been handed over to the police for a full-scale investigation. (Yonhap)
"Exhuma," the Korean supernatural flick that is soon expected to be the first film to sell 10 million tickets in Korea this year, is also making waves in other Asian countries, its local distributor said Tuesday.

According to Showbox, the movie grossed $660,000 (about 900 million won) on its opening day in Vietnam on Friday, setting the biggest opening score for a Korean film released in the country.

The occult thriller also grossed $3.02 million in its debut weekend, surpassing the record of "6/45" (2022) for a Korean film with the highest-grossing weekend in Vietnam.

In Indonesia, "Exhuma" sold 1.8 million tickets just 20 days after its release on Feb. 28. As theaters have gradually expanded its release scale, the film recently surpassed the American animated franchise flick "Kung Fu Panda 4" in the total number of screens allocated.

The Korean movie raked in 28.84 million Taiwan dollars in a week after its release on March 8 in Taiwan.

Exported to 133 countries worldwide, "Exhuma" opened in such countries as Indonesia, Taiwan and Mongolia last month and is opening in Vietnam, the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia this month.

Directed by Jang Jae-hyun and starring Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Do-hyun, the movie revolves around two shamans, a feng shui expert and a mortician who join forces to investigate a string of mysterious occurrences affecting a wealthy family based in the U.S. They embark on this journey by exhuming the grave of the family's ancestor in a remote Korean village.

The flick has attracted 9.38 million moviegoers in Korea and is expected to surpass 10 million this weekend. (Yonhap)
As public sentiment towards the supermarket giants sours amid ongoing accusations of price gouging, frontline workers continue to hit back at the "abuse" they face from customers.

One fed up Woolworths employee is urging customers to remember she is not just the uniform she wears but also a "person too" despite the rising cost of living making life difficult for shoppers.

She shared an encounter on Monday in which she said a "rude" customer spoke to her "like a dog" and left her with the heartbreaking "realisation" that "people do not actually see me as a human being when I'm standing behind a register".

The Woolworths worker said she frequently cops 'abuse' from frustrated customers at the Brisbane store she works at. Source: Getty (stock)/TikTok

After a miscommunication about a product return, the worker claims she copped verbal "abuse" from the shopper in her Brisbane store despite apologising and providing them with a solution. Once the customer left she had to momentarily gather herself but was offered no grace by other customers who saw the incident unfold.

"I bopped down behind the register, put my head in my hands and took a little bit to catch my breath," she said in an emotional video posted online. "When I stood back up there was a lady who was in the opposite line who had watched me be abused the entire time and she said, 'Are you going to open a register?'"

"You've just watched me get spoken to like a dog but yes, I'll do your basket of groceries... I'm a f**king person too," she lamented.

Supermarket workers share horror stories

After sharing a video online, which has since been taken down, a large number of supermarket workers chimed in with their own similar experiences, with one woman admitting that working in a supermarket was the "worst experience of my life".

"Woolworths was probably the worst job I ever had," another shared, while a third said "retail workers are treated like garbage".

"Welcome to retail!" another woman wrote. "I resigned from Woolworths after 11 years, not just from abusive people but total lack of support from management!"

Story continues

Woolworths told Yahoo it continues to review its "health and safety controls to ensure we're doing everything we can to keep our team and customers safe in our stores". Yahoo understands that counselling services are also made available for team members all year round.

Union accuses Woolworths of prioritising 'sale' over safety

Price gouging accusations and the subsequent ACCC investigation has helped fuel a "substantial increase" in hostility to supermarket workers and the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) claim supermarkets aren't actually doing everything they can to mitigate the issue, even accusing them of doing the opposite.

"Woolworths are doing abhorrently little to either stop or hold those responsible for the antisocial behaviour," Union Secretary Josh Cullinan told Yahoo News. "These employers categorically refuse to implement systems to guarantee the safety because it might cost them a single sale."

The union has called for supermarkets to include a safety clause into Enterprise Agreements  a document which outlines wages and workplace conditions for workers  but they allege this has been dismissed.

"That's the core problem, if we saw them step up and start shutting it down, I have no doubt that what will happen is that these instances of abuse will massively diminish," he said.

Most disturbingly, the union claims workers who have previously spoken out publicly on social media  like the incident in Brisbane  have faced negative repercussions, with staff members losing shifts or being pulled into meetings to receive informal warnings due to alleged social media policy breaches.

The young worker who posted the latest video declined to share further comment, admitting to Yahoo that her candid clip "breaks social media policy" at Woolworths  but despite the upsetting incident said "I like my job a lot".

A spokesperson for Woolworths noted to Yahoo that social media clauses are common in many employment contracts in various industries but declined to comment any further.

Woolworths say it prioritises worker safety above all else and has invested in new in store security measures. Source: Reddit and TikTok

Woolworths increases store security measures

There has been "increasing prevalence" of antisocial behaviour toward staff since Covid-19 when workers were thrust into the frontline according to the RAFFWU and Woolworths agrees it is a "worrying trend".

"We continue reviewing our health and safety controls to ensure we're doing everything we can to keep our team and customers safe in our stores, and this remains our absolute priority," a Woolworths spokesperson said. "We use technology such as team safety cameras and VR Training modules to both support and prepare our team members for instances where they may feel unsafe."

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In the heart of Seoul, the fashion world paused to admire the stunning duo of Lisa from BLACKPINK and Mingyu from SEVENTEEN as they graced a BVLGARI event.

Clad in sleek black attire, the pair effortlessly commanded attention, setting the stage for a remarkable display of friendship.

Dispelling Romance Rumors: The Truth Behind Lisa and Mingyu's Playful Interaction

As whispers of potential romance circulated among fans, Lisa and Mingyu quickly put any speculation to rest with their playful banter.

this lisa and mingyu interaction will go down in history pic.twitter.com/86HCVQDhoF   (@GhoulPinks) March 14, 2024

Despite Lisa's flirtatious antics, Mingyu's stoic response served as a testament to their genuine camaraderie, leaving no room for doubt about the nature of their relationship.

another day another mingyu lisa video pic.twitter.com/VrLB5EH1Nw March 16, 2024

READ MORE: Moment Between SEVENTEEN Mingyu & BLACKPINK Lisa Resurface Following Interaction at Bvlgari Event

The Essence of True Friendship: Netizens Celebrate Lisa and Mingyu's Authentic Connection

Amidst the fervour of fan discussions, netizens were quick to highlight the authenticity of Lisa and Mingyu's bond.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE NETIZENS' DISCUSSION:

this lisa and mingyu interaction will go down in history Mingyu makes everyone comfortable around him. Truly a green flag QUEEN AND KING !!!! They're so good Mingyu and Lisa attended the Bulgari event in Seoul. They looked stunning and elegant in their outfits.

Drawing parallels to their own friendships, fans marvelled at the relatable dynamics shared between the idols, emphasising the importance of genuine connections in an industry often overshadowed by rumours.

Friendship Goals: Lisa and Mingyu's Heartwarming Interaction Sets the Standard

In a heartening display of camaraderie, Mingyu's considerate gesture towards Lisa during a photo op captured the essence of their friendship.

Need Lisa and Mingyu in a movie  pic.twitter.com/91whyUUczv March 16, 2024

As fans observed their genuine rapport, they couldn't help but draw inspiration from the duo's unwavering support and mutual respect, solidifying their status as friendship goals within the K-pop community.

SEVENTEEN Mingyu's Lock Screen Choice Sparks Debate at Bvlgari Event

In a separate report, SEVENTEEN's Mingyu's lock screen featuring bodybuilder Chris Bumstead drew mixed opinions from fans during a Bvlgari event in Seoul on March 14, 2024,

Mingyu's choice of wallpaper, highlighting his interest in fitness, sparked debate among fans, with some finding it unusual or even embarrassing, while others defended his preference given his known passion for health and fitness.

The incident highlights differing cultural perceptions and fan expectations within the K-pop community regarding idol behavior and interests.

ALSO READ: SEVENTEEN Mingyu Lock Screen Exposed During Bvlgari Event - Why is it Drawing Mixed Opinions?

KpopStarz owns this article

Written by Cassidy Jones
In a moment that stirred the hearts of K-pop enthusiasts, the three iconic members of BIGBANG - G-DRAGON, TAEYANG, and DAESUNG - graced DAESUNG's first solo fan meeting, hinting at a possible group comeback.

On March 16 and 17, DAESUNG mesmerized fans with his inaugural solo fan gathering, "DAESUNG FAN DAY: D's ROAD in SEOUL," hosted at the esteemed Blue Square Hall in Seoul.

Support Amidst Busy Schedules

Despite their hectic schedules, G-DRAGON and TAEYANG made a special appearance at DAESUNG's fan meeting, igniting the fervor of BIGBANG devotees.

G-DRAGON delightedly mingled with the audience, while TAEYANG took the stage alongside DAESUNG, captivating the audience with their camaraderie and talent.

           pic.twitter.com/BwBfhm7fxL   (@G_0818__) March 17, 2024

READ ALSO: Daesung Continues to Receive Criticism for 'Dual Attitude' To BIGBANG & 2NE1

Heartwarming Moments

The evening of March 17 saw G-DRAGON sharing glimpses of DAESUNG's fan meeting on his Instagram, capturing poignant moments of DAESUNG engaging energetically with fans wielding BIGBANG's signature light sticks.

G-DRAGON, in a nostalgic moment, chuckled at footage from the "Still Life" music video, while TAEYANG, affectionately calling DAESUNG "my brother," delivered a soulful rendition of his chart-topping track "EYES, NOSE, LIPS." Together, they also graced the stage with nostalgic BIGBANG classics.

Witnessing the trio united on stage after a prolonged hiatus evoked deep emotions among fans, marking their first public reunion in years.

Netizens' Reactions'

Here are a selection of reactions from netizens as speculation mounts regarding a potential group comeback:

"Damn, miss you all. Fantastic baby made me shills. The high notes perfect. Love you Saesung"

"He sure is missing his boys by his side"

"Thank you Daesung for the feedback I miss all the beautiful vibrates songs I never stopped listening to them."

"I miss bigbang so muccccch! Thank you for this dae! We are so proud of you!!! "

"Looking forward to Bigbang's reunion"

"I can't stop smiling watching them"

"One day we'll see them perform these together again!"

"Omg I really needed a BIGBANG concert and uri Daesungies serving it with this wholesome performance, thanks my boy"

"Deasung really make GD proud up their... looking deasung doing the rap part HAHAHA V.I,P FOREVER"

With the departure of SEUNGRI in 2019 amid the Burning Sun controversy and T.O.P's official exit last year, only G-DRAGON, TAEYANG, and DAESUNG remain from the original lineup.

YOU MIGHT BE ALSO INTERESTED IN: BIGBANG G-Dragon Puts End to Discord Rumor With TOP by Doing THIS

For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Cassidy Jones.
Before the Democratic nomination is decided, the Working Families Party has made its endorsement in the 22nd Congressional District race.

The party is backing state Sen. John Mannion for Congress. Mannion, D-Geddes, beat out Democrats Clemmie Harris and Sarah Klee Hood for the endorsement.

"Working families in central New York deserve a leader who will have their backs," said Jasmine Gripper, co-director of the New York Working Families Party." As a public school teacher for nearly three decades, we know John will be a strong voice for high-quality public education, protecting workers' rights and making New York a place where working families can afford to live."

Mannion, who is in his second term as a state senator, has been endorsed by the Working Families Party for his three state Senate campaigns. After an unsuccessful run in 2018, he was elected in 2020 and won reelection by 10 votes in 2022.

Labor unions played a pivotal role in the creation of the Working Families Party in 1998. Mannion has strong support from labor in his bid for Congress, with more than 20 unions endorsing his candidacy.

Mannion, a former teacher at West Genesee High School in Camillus, was president of the West Genesee Teachers' Association.

"I'm grateful to have earned the support of the Working Families Party for our campaign to flip NY-22, and restore honesty and decency to the U.S. Congress," Mannion said.

He continued, "Together, with our broad coalition of support from labor, teachers, health care professionals, elected officials, veterans and community leaders, we can unseat MAGA Republican Brandon Williams and deliver the representation that residents of central New York and the Mohawk Valley expect and deserve."

Williams, R-Sennett, is a top Democratic target in 2024. National Democratic groups plan to invest millions in New York House races, including the 22nd district contest.

The 22nd Congressional District includes all of Onondaga and Madison counties, plus parts of Cayuga, Cortland and Oneida counties.
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Google 'interfered' with US elections dozens of times since 2008: Report

Google's interference also extended to every federal election cycle since 2016, and it's already impacting the 2024 election, the report states.
FILE - Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump salutes at a campaign rally March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio. Trump is making the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol a cornerstone of his bid to return to the White House. Trump opened his first rally as the presumed Republican Party presidential nominee standing in salute with a recorded chorus of Jan. 6 prisoners singing the national anthem.
Assemblyman John Lemondes is asking for the public's feedback on the city of Auburn's proposal to implement a 5% tax on hotel stays and short-term rentals.

In a letter to The Citizen, Lemondes, R-LaFayette, invited constituents to attend a public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 21, in the Auburn City Council chamber. There will be a presentation on the proposed hotel tax and an opportunity for comments and questions.

Anyone who can't attend the meeting may submit comments to Lemondes' district office at 69 South St. in Auburn or by emailing lemondesj@nyassembly.gov.

Lemondes will play a key role in the process. He is expected to introduce legislation in the state Assembly that would allow the city of Auburn to charge a 5% tax on hotel stays and short-term rentals. State Sen. Rachel May, who also represents the city, has already introduced the bill in the Senate.

City leaders sent letters to Lemondes and May, D-Syracuse, in December requesting the legislation.

Several New York counties, including Cayuga, charge occupancy taxes. But there has been an increasing number of cities, towns and villages seeking state approval to implement hotel taxes.

In 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation approved by state lawmakers authorizing the village of Weedsport in Cayuga County and the town and village of Skaneateles in Onondaga County to implement hotel taxes. The bills were sponsored by Lemondes and May, both of whom represent Cayuga and Onondaga counties.

After Hochul acted on the bills for Skaneateles and Weedsport, Auburn officials began exploring a hotel tax.

Auburn City Clerk Chuck Mason gave a presentation at a council meeting in December and estimated the tax could generate $500,000 in annual revenue. The revenue projection could be higher, but Mason had limited data on short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs, in the city.

There has been opposition to local occupancy taxes from the hotel industry. The New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association unsuccessfully lobbied Hochul to veto the bills allowing Skaneateles and Weedsport to implement hotel taxes.

Eric Ridley, who works in the hotel industry and serves as Throop town supervisor, is a past chair of the association's board of directors. He previously told The Citizen that if Auburn imposes a hotel tax, it could drive tourism out of the area.

If the state Legislature passes the hotel tax legislation before the end of session in June, it will head to Hochul's desk for review. Based on her handling of similar bills last year, she will likely sign the legislation.

After Hochul signs the bill, the city council will need to pass a local law establishing the hotel tax. The tax, which would take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, could be set below 5%, but could not exceed that threshold.
New York state joined the rest of the country last week in recognizing Sunshine Week, an annual reminder of the importance of government transparency.

Making meeting documents available and responding to Freedom of Information Law requests are among the most vital functions of local government, as stressed by the state Committee on Open Government. They help ensure that the public is informed about what its governments are doing, and that the public can participate in their decision-making to the fullest extent possible.

However, a review by The Citizen has found that most municipalities in the Cayuga County area, like most in New York state, do not regularly post meeting documents online.

Based on a review of the websites for the 38 municipalities in The Citizen's coverage area, 89% do not regularly post agendas before meetings and 26% do not regularly post minutes after them.

In comparison, the Committee on Open Government reported this week that 72% of New York state towns do not post meeting documents online.

Not making agendas or minutes available to the public defies the state's Open Meetings Law, which says: "Public notice of the time and place of a meeting scheduled at least one week prior thereto shall be given or electronically transmitted to the news media and shall be conspicuously posted in one or more designated public locations at least seventy-two hours before such meeting."

Minutes, meanwhile, "shall be available to the public in accordance with the provisions of the freedom of information law within two weeks from the date of such meeting."

Under the law, making meeting documents available is not a requirement but a courtesy. The committee does not keep track of which of the thousands of state municipalities do so.

Nor does the law require municipalities to make meeting documents available online. Having physical copies at town hall, or sending them upon request, also suffices.

Still, with municipalities that don't post agendas and minutes online, The Citizen encountered some difficulty requesting those documents. The town of Genoa, for instance, asked why we were requesting an agenda and what we were planning to do with it. With other municipalities, like the villages of Cato and Jordan, reaching out to staff was necessary because their websites did not work.

Granted, many local municipalities have small staffs, and drafting and making documents available to the public takes time.

But Sunshine Week is a reminder that nothing should stop local governments from doing what Open Meetings Law asks of them:

It is essential to the maintenance of a democratic society that the public business be performed in an open and public manner and that the citizens of this state be fully aware of and able to observe the performance of public officials and attend and listen to the deliberations and decisions that go into the making of public policy. The people must be able to remain informed if they are to retain control over those who are their public servants. It is the only climate under which the commonweal will prosper and enable the governmental process to operate for the benefit of those who created it.

Who regularly posts agendas, minutes online? Agendas Minutes Auburn X X Aurelius X Aurora X Brutus X Cato (town) Cato (village) Cayuga X X Conquest X Elbridge (town) Elbridge (village) X Fair Haven X Fleming X Genoa X Ira X Jordan Ledyard X Locke X Mentz X Montezuma X Moravia (town) X Moravia (village) Niles X X Owasco X Port Byron X Scipio X X Sempronius Sennett Skaneateles (town) X Skaneateles (village) X Spafford Springport Sterling X Summerhill X Throop X Union Springs X Venice X Victory Weedsport X
With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

GAC AION Hypers next-gen L4 autonomous vehicle to be powered by NVIDIA

NVIDIA's GTC 2024 conference was officially convened, where NVIDIA announced that the next generation of L4 autonomous vehicles by GAC AIONs Hyper brand will be powered by NVIDIA DRIVE and will enter mass production in 2025.

Photo credit: Hyper

Shanghais Pudong New Area opens second batch of autonomous driving test roads

The entire Jinqiao Economic and Technological Development Zone, as well as the "North-South Technology Innovation Corridor" roads such as Shenjiang Road and Hunan Highway, have been opened as autonomous driving test roads. This batch of test roads spans 205 kilometers, following the first batch of 12 routes totaling 29.3 kilometers opened in 2022.

Haima Automobiles EX00 model completes NC data release, ET0 prototype trial production

Haima Automobile announced on March 19 on an interactive platform that the Haima EX00 model is currently in production at its third factory in Zhengzhou city. As of now, the Haima EX00 has completed NC data release and ET0 prototype trial production, and is proceeding according to plan with collision performance, NVH, thermal management, chassis tuning, and VCU development.

Beijing Benzs 2023 annual revenue dips 9.4% YoY

On March 17, BAIC Motor Corporation Limited (BAIC Motor) disclosed the key financial details of Beijing Benz, the joint venture of the company with Mercedes-Benz in China, for the year 2023.

WeRide to co-develop L4 autonomous driving solution with Lenovo Vehicle Computing

On March 19, 2024, autonomous driving solution provider WeRide announced a strategic collaboration with Lenovo Vehicle Computing to co-create an L4 autonomous driving solution.

Seyonds LiDAR solutions integrated into NVIDIAs DriveWorks, Omniverse platforms

On March 18, 2024, Seyond, a global provider of image-grade LiDAR solutions, announced its official collaboration with NVIDIA. This partnership will integrate Seyond's high-performance LiDAR solutions into NVIDIA's DriveWorks and Omniverse platforms.

GWMs TANK 300 hits Mexican market

Recently, Great Wall Motor (GWM) launched its TANK brand in Mexico, and officially put the signature TANK 300 HEV model onto the local market.

NIO starts operating first photovoltaic, energy storage, charging, discharging integrated station for expressway

NIO announced on March 19 that its first expressway-dedicated station that integrates photovoltaic and energy storage with electric vehicle (EV) charging and discharge, located at the Zhijiang West Service Area on the G50 Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, has already gone into operation.

IM Motors introduces VMC Smart Digital Chassis

On March 18, IM Motors, the premium electric vehicle brand co-backed by SAIC Motor, Alibaba Group, and Zhangjiang High-Tech, announced the introduction of a pioneering technology in the automotive industry, the "VMC Smart Digital Chassis." This technology, powered by intelligent algorithms, will be featured in the IM L6 model, which is set to hit the market in May. It marks the L6 as the first intelligent electric vehicle (EV) model to coordinate the vehicle's motion posture through a smart simulation "brain," enhancing safety, agility, and driving pleasure with new capabilities such as "crab walking."
ATK

New Delhi [India], March 19: Amid the historic backdrop of India's capital, the first-ever Rising Sun Conclave unfolded, heralding a new era in the illustrious India-Japan partnership. This premier event, set against the vibrant tapestry of shared history and future aspirations, not only celebrated but also significantly enriched the bonds between these two dynamic nations.

Also Read | Amalaki Ekadashi 2024 Date, Time & Shubh Muhurat: Know Significance, Vrat Katha, Rituals Related to This Auspicious Day Dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

The conclave's splendor was further magnified by the presence of Meenakshi Lekhi, Union Minister of State for External Affairs & Culture. Her keynote address was a masterful narrative, weaving together centuries of cultural and historical exchanges that have become the bedrock of this bilateral friendship. The stage was graced by luminaries such as Major General Gagan Deep Bakshi and Anand Ranganathan, among others, who delved into the complex geopolitical and economic interplays at the heart of the India-Japan relationship.

A mesmerizing Bharatanatyam performance by Utaha Komaki stood as a poignant symbol of cultural confluence and mutual admiration, captivating the audience and underscoring the event's theme of harmony. Panel discussions illuminated the rich potential for collaborative ventures in global trade, spotlighting Japan's keen interest in India's burgeoning market and its adept human resources--a testament to the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two nations.

Also Read | US Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West Set To Visit India; To Hold Discussions on Working Together To Support Afghan People Who Continue To Reel Under Humanitarian Crisis.

In a significant stride toward future collaborations, the announcement of Japan's ambitious US$ 37 billion investment in India over the next five years, a commitment made during Hon'ble Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit in March 2022, underscored the strategic importance of this bilateral bond in spearheading economic transformation and development.

The steady surge in trade and investment flows, positioning Japan as the 5th largest investor in India, exemplifies the burgeoning economic synergy. The flagship High-Speed Railway project, inspired by Japan's Shinkansen System, epitomizes the technological and infrastructural collaboration that is set to redefine the landscapes of both nations.

The conclave's climax was an awards ceremony that celebrated the architects of this strengthened relationship. Distinguished individuals like Dr. Hiroyuki Sato who translated The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita into Japanese, Geetanjali Vikram Kirloskar, and Former Ambassador Arjun G Asrani were honored for their invaluable contributions to fostering deeper India-Japan ties.

Looking ahead, 'Connect India Japan,' under the visionary stewardship of Nupur Tewari, is poised to bridge the geographical and cultural divides, nurturing an ecosystem of cooperation that spans diplomacy, culture, trade, defense, and innovation.

The Rising Sun Conclave, now etched as an annual hallmark event, stands as a beacon of the enduring partnership and shared dreams of India and Japan. It signifies a mutual commitment not only to celebrate the rich tapestry of historical ties but also to forge ahead, exploring new frontiers of collaboration for the betterment of both nations and their peoples.

In essence, the Rising Sun Conclave has sown the seeds for a future ripe with promise, marking the dawn of a new chapter in the storied relationship between India and Japan--a narrative of heightened cooperation, mutual growth, and boundless possibilities.

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PRNewswire

Jeddah [Saudi Arabia], March 19: Jeddah Historic District today launches the restoration and regeneration of three historic properties in Al Balad into luxury hotels, an area of great historical and cultural significance on the West Coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with UNESCO heritage protection. The hotels are part of Jeddah Historic District, a programme which has paved the way in the regeneration of the old town of Al Balad. Named House of Jokhdar, Kedwan and Al Rayess, each hotel has been carefully reinvigorated with the work of historians and the knowledge of locals, utilising local artists, carpenters and architects as well as locally sourced products. The three properties thoughtfully reflect their original layout and design whilst offering luxurious and effortlessly chic modernity.

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House of Jokhdar

Comprising of nine light and airy rooms and suites, including the Royal Suite, Dar Neem Suite and Deluxe Suite, the unique hotel has been thoughtfully designed to provide a haven of tranquillity amid the vibrant bustling streets of Al Balad. The luxury hotel has a stunning roof terrace for guests' exclusive use, with stunning views of the historic centre.

Also Read | Organisers Start Ticket Refund Process for Lionel Messi's No-Show in Inter Miami vs Hong Kong XI Match.

Al Rayess

With six suites and rooms, Beit Al Rayess' grandeur is evoked through its impressively high ceilings. Matching its surroundings, the boutique hotel focuses on bridging the gap between old and new, tradition and luxury. Whilst evoking tradition, the amenities and facilities provide modern comforts for guests to feel at home during their stay.

Kedwan

A blend of heritage and contemporary, Beit Kedwan boasts two guestrooms and can also be hired in its entirety, alongside multiple living spaces where traditional Arabian design merges with modern comfort. Beit Kedwan also has an exclusive rooftop terrace for guest use, offering an enclosed space with views of the Arabian skyline where visitors can enjoy their meals.

Each property offers a set menu for both lunch and breakfast at one centralised restaurant for all three properties, where locals and visitors can also enjoy the delicious local flavours.

All guests of the properties will be enveloped in the heritage and history of the area, greeted with coffee and rose-infused tea upon arrival and given the opportunity to personalise their visit ahead of time. Everything from the chocolates in their airport transfer to the scent of incense in their room is personalised, offering guests a home away from home. All guests are also offered complimentary airport transfers on arrival and departure.

The properties are part of a wider restoration of a collection of heritage properties and represent the first 17 keys to open of a further 165 keys that will belong to 34 heritage properties that will open by 2027.

Room rates begin at 2,200 SAR (approx. 463) across all properties, excluding breakfast.

Visit here for more information.

For imagery, see here.

Getting there

Fly direct to Jeddah from London Gatwick in 5 hours and 50 minutes with Saudia.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2364989/Jeddah_Historic_District_1.jpgPhoto - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2364990/Jeddah_Historic_District_2.jpgPhoto - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2364991/Jeddah_Historic_District_3.jpgPhoto - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2364992/Jeddah_Historic_District_4.jpgPhoto - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2364993/Jeddah_Historic_District_5.jpg

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India PR Distribution

New Delhi [India], March 19: In the 5th Edition of the LexTalk World Global Legal & IP Conference, New Delhi, India organized on the 6th and 7th March 2024 at the Le Meridien, Windsor Pl Hotel, MRS Business Professionals Consulting Participated as a Power-By Cocktail Sponsor. This Partnership and Association with MRS Business Professionals Consulting has made the LexTalk World Conference 2024, in India a grand success which saw attendance and participation of over more than 1500 Legal Professionals from different parts of the World.

Also Read | Amalaki Ekadashi 2024 Date, Time & Shubh Muhurat: Know Significance, Vrat Katha, Rituals Related to This Auspicious Day Dedicated to Lord Vishnu.

In this LexTalk World Conference, Monica Romelina Sijabat was both a Speaker and an Awardee who received the Prestigious LexFalcon Global Awards for the Category of "Inspiring Managing Partner of the Year, under Arbitration, Banking, Finance, Construction, and Taxation."

As a Speaker Monica Participated in a Panel Discussion Session scheduled on the Day 1, Titled, "Unlocking Opportunities, Exploring the Consequences of Permitting Foreign Lawyers and Law Firms to Practice Foreign Laws in India", and she also gave an insightful and interesting Case Study Presentation on the Topic of, "Tax Legal Effort in Indonesia."

Also Read | US Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West Set To Visit India; To Hold Discussions on Working Together To Support Afghan People Who Continue To Reel Under Humanitarian Crisis.

MRS Business Professionals Consulting is a Professional Consulting Firm that offers solutions & strategies in terms of tax and business-related matters that seem to be beneficial for companies, institutions, corporations, and various public agencies and organizations. The MRS was founded in 2014 by Monica Romelina Sijabat, who is an Accountant, Tax Attorney, and Consultant with more than 20 years of experience, registered with the Ministry of Finance in the Republic of Indonesia, and the Supreme Court of Indonesia. She is also working as a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics & Business, at the University of Indonesia, since 2018 and until now at the Faculty of Administrative Sciences, at the University of Indonesia, since 2017.Top of Form

Contact Details-

Monica Romelina Sijabat, Founder & Managing Partner at MRS Business Professional Consulting

Email id- monica@mrsprofessional.com

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Jodhpur, Mar 19 (PTI) Fifteen Congress leaders joined BJP in Jodhpur on Tuesday in the presence of the Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

While talking to the media, Sharma took a dig at the Congress and said no one wants to be with the party which has no future.

Also Read | Maharashtra: In Run-Up to Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Police Kill 4 Telangana Maoists in Jungle Encounter.

"Earlier it was said that there is a hole in Congress's boat. But now their entire boat is sinking. Who would like to sit in a sinking boat?" he said.

He said that the way they, the Congress leaders, are coming, it seems that not only will the BJP win all 25 seats in the state, but it will do it by a huge margin.

Also Read | India Can Sustain 8% Annual GDP Growth, Even Higher: RBI Bulletin.

The defectors included Pappuram Dara, Hanuman Singh Khangta, the President of Marwar Rajput Mahasabha and a close aide of former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, and Suresh Gurjar, sarpanch from Gotan (Nagaur), and a confidant of Sachin Pilot.

Many leaders, once considered loyalists of Gehlot, have left the party since the assembly election.

Such leaders include former mayor Rameshwar Dadhich and former RIICO Director (Independent) Sunil Parihar. Besides them, few others have seen to be gradually distancing themselves from the party activities.

On the other hand, former MP and MLA Manvendra Singh Jasol and Sheo MLA Ravindra Singh Bhati also met with the chief minister Sharma. They had a brief closed door meeting.

It is being speculated that they too may join the BJP in a day or two.

Bhati also accompanied Sharma on the flight to Udaipur, giving rise to the speculations that he is no more a threat to the BJP as he had earlier hinted by announcing he may contest as an independent from Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha constituency.

"The meeting was positive, and further results will also be positive. I will talk to the people who have brought me here and then I will come before you soon," Bhati said.

Before this, Sharma arrived at a hotel along with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other leaders and chaired a meeting with the Lok Sabha in-charges, co-in-charges, coordinators, and members of the working committee for Jodhpur, Pali, Barmer-Jaisalmer, and Jalore-Sirohi constituencies.

The meeting, which lasted for about 1 hour, discussed preparations for the Lok Sabha elections.

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Chandigarh, Mar 19 (PTI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday said the BJP governments at the Centre and in Haryana have been working transparently and taking steps to uplift the weaker sections.

The Narendra Modi government has worked towards the upliftment of the poor and weaker sections of the society and has undertaken several initiatives for their welfare, he said.

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In Haryana, the BJP government has taken several steps in the past nine-and-half years for the welfare of poor and weaker sections and provided jobs purely based on merit, the chief minister said.

Interacting with reporters after paying obeisance at Nada Sahib Gurdwara in Panchkula, Saini said the country has scripted a new chapter of development during the 10-year rule of the Narendra Modi government.

Also Read | Kerala Road Accident: Lorry Driver From Tamil Nadu Hit by Truck on National Highway Near Pattikkadin, Driver Arrested.

Accompanied by Haryana Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Ambala Banto Kataria, the Haryana chief minister will visit Karnal on Tuesday where BJP president J P Nadda will kick off the party's campaign for the Lok Sabha polls in Haryana.

While en route to Karnal, Saini took out a roadshow in the Ambala and Kurukshetra districts.

He exuded confidence that like in the 2019 general elections, will this time too the people of Haryana would give all 10 Lok Sabha seats to PM Modi.

He appealed to people to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Modi, saying his vision is to take the country forward and make it a "Viksit (developed)" by 2047.

When asked about former minister Anil Vij, who last week skipped Saini's swearing-in ceremony, the chief minister said, "He is our respected leader. We have been regularly getting guidance from him."

Polling in Haryana's 10 Lok Sabha seats will be held in the sixth phase on May 25. Bypoll to the Karnal assembly seat, which fell vacant following the resignation of former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, will be held on the same day.

Khattar has been named as the BJP candidate from Karnal Lok Sabha constituency.

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Thailapuram (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 19 (ANI): Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) President Anbumani Ramadoss signed a seat-sharing agreement in Thailapuram, Tamil Nadu for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

"There is a hatred for the parties which ruled Tamil Nadu for the past 60 years. The people are eagerly awaiting a change in the State. To fulfil that wish of the people, the PMK has taken this decision to align with the NDA." said PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss

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"The PMK has been in alliance with both Dravidian parties in the past and very recently, the PMK was in alliance with the AIADMK in the 2021 Assembly elections," he added.

PMK contested 23 seats in the AIADMK alliance in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election and won five seats by securing 4.04 per cent.

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During the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprised INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, AIFB, registered a landslide victory by winning 38 of the 39 seats.

In 2019, the DMK won 23 Lok Sabha seats with 33.2 per cent vote share, Congress bagged 8 seats with 12.9 per cent vote and CPI won 2 seats in Tamil Nadu. CPI(M) got a seat, IML won 1 seat and independents were elected on 2 seats.

The PMK, a political party that mostly represents the Vanniyar minority in Tamil Nadu, was the second main alliance partner of the BJP in the Lok Sabha election 2019, which contested on seven alliance seats. With a vote percentage of 5.42 per cent, it was unable to secure even one seat in the polls.

The PMK had a slight increase in vote share to 5.42 per cent over seven seats in 2014, up from 4.4 per cent for eight seats. Anbumani Ramadoss is currently a Rajya Sabha member having being elected unopposed in 2019.

Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai and the PMK president will be meeting at PMK founder Ramadoss' house on Tuesday to decide on the contours of the seat-sharing agreement, party sources said. Following this, PMK leaders are expected to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public meeting at Salem.

The names of the PMK candidates will then be announced by PMK founder Ramadoss on Wednesday.

"PMK decided to ally with the BJP. Regarding constituencies and candidates, PMK founder Ramadoss will make an announcement the day after tomorrow," PMK General Secretary Vadivel Ravanan said.

The BJP is without a major alliance partner in Tamil Nadu and PM Modi has already made five visits to Tamil Nadu this year ahead of the Lok Sabha election. The state will see voting on all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Phase 1 on April 19.

The Election Commission on March 16 announced the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The polling will be conducted in seven phases across the nation from April 19 to June 1. Votes will be counted on June 4. (ANI)

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Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 19 (ANI): Large number of people took to the streets in Bengaluru on Tuesday following a dispute between a shopkeeper and a group of individuals on Sunday evening over the playing of devotional songs during the Azan.

On Sunday, during the 'Azaan' time, a shopkeeper was playing devotional songs loudly near Siddanna Layout, in Bengaluru, which led to an altercation between a group of people and the shopkeeper.

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Following the incident, BJP cadre and other Hindu organizations marched across the streets of Bengaluru, chanting slogans of Jai Shree Ram and carrying saffron flags, to stand in solidarity with the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper involved in the altercation expressed gratitude for the support received.

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"The incident that happened on Sunday, who would have been responsible if I would have died in the incident. I feel happy that so many people have come in support of me," the shopkeeper said while speaking to ANI on Tuesday.

Karnataka BJP MP, Tejaswi Surya who led the protests, was detained by the Karnataka police amid the chaos. Upon his detention, he urged the protesters to disperse.

Highlighting the recent incidents in Bengaluru including the Rameswaram bomb blast, Pakistan Zindabad slogans in Karnataka Assembly and the recent attack on shopkeeper Mukesh, Tejasvi Surya questioned the law and order situation in the state.

"The government speaks of building brand Bengaluru. I want to ask the CM and the Deputy CM. You speak of building brand Bengaluru. How can you do so with this kind of a law and order situation? What happened to Mukesh yesterday could happen to any person sitting and going to his business honestly in a calm, unprovoked manner anywhere in the city... Two weeks ago there was a bomb blast. A week before that there were Pakistan Zindabad slogans. And today you have these unprovoked attacks on shopkeepers. What message is this government trying to give?," Surya dsif.

The South Bengaluru MP accused the Siddarmaiah government of indulging in appeasement politics that had led to incidents like these.

"Why is it that whenever the Congress party comes to power, elements like these who want to create disturbance and disharmony in society, why do they feel emboldened? And why is it that cabinet ministers like Dinesh Gundu Rao come in the defense of the accused and do not stand up for the victim's justice?" Tejasvi Surya said.

"Two weeks ago there was a bomb blast. A week before that there were Pakistan Zindabad slogans. And today you have these unprovoked attacks on shopkeepers. What message is this government trying to give? Why is it that whenever the Congress party comes to power, elements like these who want to create disturbance and disharmony in society, why do they feel emboldened? And why is it that cabinet ministers like Dinesh Gundu Rao come in the defense of the accused and do not stand up for the victim's justice" he added.

The BJP MP Tejaswi Surya has urged the Bengaluru City Commissioner to investigate the incident in an unbiased and professional manner.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Police said that an FIR has been registered at Halasuru Gate Police Limit, and the police are working to arrest the accused. The police said that further investigation was underway. (ANI)

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Thane, Mar 19 (PTI) A court in Maharashtra's Thane district has acquitted a 39-year-old man accused in a case of murder in 2014, giving him the benefit of doubt and observing that the prosecution failed to prove the charge against him.

The investigation officer failed to probe the case properly, Additional Sessions Judge Amit M Shete said in the order passed on March 11, a copy of which was made available on Monday.

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Additional Public Prosecutor Sanjay More told the court that the accused - Hanumant Narsing Mitkar (39) and Dilip Vitthal Hadse - and victim Rajesh Bodhi Sav worked at the same construction site in Thane city and knew each other. They resided in a labour camp of the under-construction complex.

There was a change in the victim's behaviour after he returned from his hometown in Jharkhand's Sahibganj district in November 2014.

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Hence his roommate decided to send him back to his native place and made preparations for the same.

On November 13, 2014, before the victim could leave for his hometown, he was killed in the labour camp allegedly by the two accused after he misbehaved with the niece of one of them, the prosecution told the court.

Hadse died during the pendency of the trial and the case against him was abated.

The court, while acquitting Mitkar, said the incident occurred in broad daylight, but there is no direct witness to it.

The witnesses examined are not that much relevant and do not inspire confidence, it observed.

"The prosecution as well as the witnesses have failed to prove the charge beyond all reasonable doubt," the court said.

The investigation officer failed to perform his duty in investigating the crime properly, it noted.

The material so collected during the investigation is not at all sufficient to hold the accused guilty of the offence of murder, the court said.

"There is absolutely no material connecting the accused with the alleged crime. In the absence of any strong and corroborative evidence, the benefit of the doubt is extended to the accused," the court said.

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Mumbai, Mar 19 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced former policeman and controversial encounter specialist, Pradeep Sharma, to life imprisonment, and upheld the conviction of 13 other accused in the 2006 fake encounter of Ramnarayan Gupta, an alleged close aide of gangster Chhota Rajan.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Gauri Godse said the "prosecution has proved that Gupta was killed by the police, by trigger-happy cops, and the same was made to look like a genuine encounter".

Also Read | Maharashtra: In Run-Up to Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Police Kill 4 Telangana Maoists in Jungle Encounter.

The high court upheld the conviction and life sentence imposed on 13 other accused in the case, including 12 former policemen and a civilian.

The bench in its judgment said the "protectors/guardians of law cannot be permitted to act as criminals in uniform and if this is permitted then it would lead to anarchy".

Also Read | India Can Sustain 8% Annual GDP Growth, Even Higher: RBI Bulletin.

The court noted that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the abduction, wrongful confinement and killing of Gupta in a fake encounter with "credible, cogent and legally admissible evidence".

"We find that the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that Ramnarayan was killed brutally in cold blood by the accused when he was in their custody and that to cover up the same, given it a colour of a genuine encounter," the high court said.

The bench quashed the 2013 judgment passed by a sessions court acquitting Sharma due to lack of evidence.

The high court deemed the lower court's order as "perverse and unsustainable", highlighting glaring irregularities in the previous judgment.

"The trial court had overlooked the overwhelming evidence available against Sharma. The common chain of evidence unerringly proves his involvement in the case," the court said.

On November 11, 2006, a police team picked up Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakkhan Bhaiya from the Vashi area in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, along with his friend Anil Bheda, and killed him in a staged encounter near Versova in western Mumbai the same evening.

The high court, in its judgment, said the police officers, who are protectors of the law, had grossly misused and abused their position by abducting and killing Gupta in a fake encounter, and by giving it the colour of a genuine encounter.

The bench further said that death in police custody must be curbed with a heavy hand and must be viewed seriously.

"There can be no room for leniency as the persons involved, that is the police, are the arm of the State, whose duty is to protect the citizens and not to take law into their own hands and commit gruesome offences against them," the court said.

The high court convicted Sharma on all charges, including criminal conspiracy, murder, kidnapping and wrongful confinement, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The bench directed the former policeman to surrender before the concerned sessions court in three weeks.

Sharma is also accused in the case of the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran related to the recovery of gelatin sticks outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in 2021. The Supreme Court granted him bail in the case.

The convicted accused are former policemen Nitin Sartape, Sandeep Sarkar, Tanaji Desai, Pradeep Suryavanshi, Ratnakar Kamble, Vinayak Shinde, Devidas Sapkal, Anant Patade, Dilip Palande, Pandurag Kokam, Ganesh Harpude, Prakash Kadam and Hitesh Solanki, who is a civilian.

The high court overturned the conviction and life sentence of six others, leading to their acquittal.

Manoj Mohan Raj, Sunil Solanki, Mohammad Shaikh, Suresh Shetty, Akhil Khan and Shailendra Pandey, all civilians, have been acquitted.

Gupta's associate Anil Bheda was released from custody in December 2006. However, in July 2011, a few days before he was scheduled to depose in court, Bheda was allegedly abducted and killed. The state CID is presently probing the case.

Taking note of Bheda's case, the high court said that till date, the CID has not taken any steps to conclude the investigation and trace the perpetrators.

"It is extremely unfortunate that a prime eyewitness in this case lost his life. It is a travesty of justice for the family. It is important for the police to investigate and to take the case to its logical end, lest people lose faith in the system," the high court said.

Twenty-two individuals, including 13 policemen, were initially charged in the case.

Following a trial, the sessions court in 2013 found 21 of the accused guilty, sentencing them to life imprisonment.

Two of the convicted individuals died while in custody.

The convicted parties lodged appeals in the high court against their convictions, while the prosecution and the deceased victim's brother, Ramprasad Gupta, appealed against Sharma's acquittal.

During the proceedings, special public prosecutor Rajiv Chavan contended that the police officers, who were supposed to uphold the law, were themselves part of a premeditated and ruthless murder.

The prosecution sought Sharma's conviction on the grounds that he was the primary instigator and leader behind the entire abduction and murder operation.

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Shanghai (Gasgoo)- NIO announced on March 19 that its first expressway-dedicated station that integrates photovoltaic and energy storage with electric vehicle (EV) charging and discharge, located at the Zhijiang West Service Area on the G50 Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway, has already gone into operation.

The station employs NIO's in-house developed HPC high-power, liquid-cooled, bidirectional power modules, achieving a peak efficiency of 98.2% and a charging and discharging power of 62.5kW. This technology significantly enhances the efficiency of battery charging and discharging at the station, facilitating bidirectional interaction with the power grid.

Photo credit: NIO

NIO said this innovation not only offers battery swapping services to vehicles but also supports the power grid by discharging back to it upon request, thereby enhancing grid stability. It mitigates the challenges posed by the randomness and volatility of local clean energy sources, promoting the orderly consumption of energy.

Beyond its grid-interactive capabilities, the station is integrated with the photovoltaic system of the expressway service area, consuming over 1,300 kWh of green solar energy daily. It features comprehensive post-meter energy management services including dynamic load balancing, capacity augmentation, and internal emergency backup power, providing a variety of service scenarios. This approach not only demonstrates the potential for comprehensive energy stations but also optimizes electricity costs and boosts the operational efficiency of the service area.

The station was co-built by NIO and Hubei Chutian Expressway, aiming to further promote the green transformation of transportation energy in Hubei and enhance the expressway energy replenishment network in the region.

NIO's journey into vehicle-grid integration, highlighted by its active participation in off-peak battery swapping and orderly V2G charging projects, underscores its innovative approach to energy management. In addition to partnering with Hubei Chutian Expressway, NIO signed a strategic cooperation agreement with LONGi Green Energy Technology in January of this year. Together, they aim to promote the use of green, clean solar energy in charging and battery swapping stations, jointly building industry-leading photovoltaic-energy storage-charging-battery swapping integrated stations. Their collaboration also extends to promoting distributed photovoltaics with V2G (vehicle-to-grid) interactions and establishing industry standards for "carbon-neutral travel."
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The Congress' manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls would focus on "Paanch NYAY" and "Pachees Guarantee", and the party on Tuesday resolved to take its promises to the people with a "ghar ghar guarantee" mantra.

The party's highest decision-making body Congress Working Committee (CWC), which met during the day, authorised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to give the final approval to the manifesto and decide a date for its release.

Also Read | Maharashtra: In Run-Up to Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Police Kill 4 Telangana Maoists in Jungle Encounter.

Addressing a press conference after the CWC meeting, party leaders K C Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh said the CWC has prepared a roadmap for taking the party's guarantees to the grassroots.

Ramesh said the Congress will release not just a "ghoshna patra (manifesto)" but a "nyay patra" so that people see a bright future.

Also Read | India Can Sustain 8% Annual GDP Growth, Even Higher: RBI Bulletin.

The CWC lauded the guarantees released during Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and discussed a roadmap to take these to every household in the country.

Ramesh said the aim is to take the guarantees under the "Panch Nyay" -- "Nari Nyay", "Shramik Nyay", "Kisaan Nyay", "Yuva Nyay" and "Hissedari Nyay" -- to every household with the aim "ghar ghar guarantee".

The manifesto of the Congress would focus on the five "nyays" under which it has made 25 guarantees.

Under the "Yuva Nyay", the party has promised "Bharti Bharosa" -- 30 lakh new central government jobs, according to a jobs calendar. Under the "Pehli Naukri Pakki", the Congress has promised a one-year paid apprenticeship for all educated youths at Rs 1 lakh a year or Rs 8,500 a month.

The party has promised a law to ensure government recruitment examination question papers are not leaked and also better working conditions and social security for gig workers.

Under its "Yuva Roshni" guarantee, the party has promised a Rs 5,000-crore start-up fund for the youth.

As part of the "Nari Nyay", the Congress has promised the "Mahalakshmi" guarantee of Rs 1 lakh a year for one woman in every poor family.

The party has also promised 50 per cent reservation for women in new central government jobs and double salary contribution of the Centre for all ASHA, anganwadi, and mid-day meal workers.

It has also promised "Adhikar Maitri" in every village to ensure women get their legal rights. The party has also promised doubling the number of hostels for working women.

Under "Kisaan Nyay", the Congress has promised a legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP) for crops at the Swaminathan formula, and a standing loan waiver commission for farmers, if it comes to power.

It has also guaranteed insurance payment within 30 days of crop loss and a stable import-export policy to benefit farmers. The party has also promised no GST on inputs for farming.

As part of its "Shramik Nyay" guarantees, the Congress has promised a right to health law that provides universal healthcare, including free essential diagnostics, medicines, treatment, surgery, and rehabilitative and palliative care

It has also promised a national minimum wage of Rs 400 a day, including all MGNREGS workers.

The Congress has also promised an employment guarantee act for urban areas, life insurance and accident insurance for unorganised workers and stopping contractualisation of employment in core government functions.

Under its "Hissedari Nyay", the party has promised social, economic and caste census. It has also promised removing the 50 per cent cap on SC, ST and OBC reservation through a constitutional amendment and a special budget for SC and ST equal to the share of their population.

If it comes to power, the Congress has also vowed to settle Forest Rights Act claims in one year and promised that all habitations where STs are the most populous group will be notified scheduled areas.

The CWC discussed the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls for over three hours and decided to reach out to every household with its five "Nyay" guarantees for the youth, women, workers, farmers and marginalised sections.

Sources said the manifesto also includes the promise of implementing the old pension scheme (OPS) across the country and a law to ensure the independence of constitutional institutions and stop "misuse" of agencies.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
South Malda (West Bengal) [India], March 19 (ANI): After witnessing a triangular contest in 2019 with a narrowing winning vote margin, Maldaha Dakshin, one of West Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha constituencies, is a highly anticipated constituency as TMC and BJP have declared their candidate from the seat.

Polling for the South Malda constituency is scheduled for May 7.

Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Months After Ram Temple Inauguration, Yogi Adityanath Government Set To Revamp the 84 Kosi Parikrama in Ayodhya.

Trinamool Congress has declared - Shanawaz Ali Rehan as its candidate from South Malda. While BJP has once again reposed faith in Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury as the candidate from South Malda. Congress is yet to declare its face for the seat.

Malda South Lok Sabha constituency consist of seven assembly segments Manikcha, English Bazar, Mothabar, Sujapur, Baishnab Nagar, Farakka, Samserganj.

Also Read | UP: Woman Bites Off Forest Officials Ear for Stopping Her From Smoking in Kukrail Jungle, FIR Registered.

Incumbent MP from South Malda and Congress leader Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury (Dalu) has been winning the seat since 2009, but over the years the vote base had been narrowing. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls Abu Hasem's victory margin over Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury was just 0.6 percent.

In 2018 the TMC won 22 seats, the Congress won two seats whereas the BJP won 18 out of the 42 seats in the state.

Riding on issues of worsening law and order, corruption, atrocities on women and the implementation of the CAA, the BJP is sniffing a chance of not only repeating its 2019 performance of winning 18 seats but also raising its tally before it takes on TMC in the assembly polls in 2026.

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"CAA is the law to give citizenship to those who need it and not to snatch anyone's citizenship. Trinamool Congress' campaigning propaganda has been going on only and only to mislead the common people and to instigate them in any way" said BJP candidate from South Malda Srirupa Mitra

"The government of Trinamool Congress is spreading unrest among the people and provoking people at various places against, our nation-building campaign by Honorable Modi ji," said BJP candidate Srirupa Mitra.

"Modi ji has a mantra, that mantra is service, good governance and poor welfare. These three mantras and Antyodaya are the foundation of our Bharatiya Janata Party. Antyodya is the basis of our human welfare, as Pandit Upadhyay ji has said. We will take the same mantra forward under the leadership of Honorable Modi ji. In this election, we say that this is the biggest festival of democracy. This festival has to be the worship of Janata Janardan (Public). We are moving forward with the welfare of the poor." Srirupa Mitra added.

In 2019, Congress leader Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury (Dalu) got 444,270 votes, while, BJP's Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury bagged 436,048 in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. In 2019, TMC leader Md. Moazzem Hossain was in third position with 3,51,353 votes.

In 2014, Congress leader Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury (Dalu) also won from the South Malda constituency.

Maldaha Dakshin, one of West Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha constituencies, paints a picture of a diverse electorate. While a general category seat, it encompasses parts of both Malda and Murshidabad districts, boasting a significant rural population (67%) alongside a growing urban base (33%) according to the 2011 census.

The constituency's literacy rate stands at 53.68%, with a substantial Muslim population according to voter list analysis (around 58.8%). Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities also hold a presence, constituting roughly 15.2% and 3.7% of voters respectively.

Maldaha Dakshin has witnessed impressive voter turnout in recent elections. In the 2019 General Elections, a staggering 80.9% of electors cast their ballots. This high participation rate was preceded by an 82.4% turnout in the 2016 Assembly Elections.

India's political landscape is undergoing a significant transition as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draw near. The INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) consortium is gearing up to challenge the established National Democratic Alliance.The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday convened core committee meetings at the party headquarters to deliberate on potential candidates for various states for the Lok Sabha polls.

The states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, Sikkim, Maharashtra and Gujarat were discussed in the meeting.

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BJP National President JP Nadda chaired the meeting, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party National General Secretary BL Santosh were present in the meeting.

The first state that was discussed was Uttar Pradesh. The meeting was held in the presence of Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, both Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak and BJP Uttar Pradesh president Bhupendra Chaudhary.

Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: EC Asks West Bengal Administration To Follow All Measures To Ensure Violence-Free Polls in State.

As per sources, 25 Lok Sabha seats were discussed in the Uttar Pradesh BJP core group meeting. Sources suggest that National Democratic Alliance partner Apna Dal may get two seats to contest, one from Mirzapur and the other from Sonbhadra.

While Ghaziabad MP General VK Singh might be fielded again from his constituency in the elections, the BJP may drop its Barabanki seat candidate.

In the second phase, the core group meeting was held to strategize on the election in Haryana at the party headquarters. Newly appointed Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini and former Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar were present at the meeting.

In the third phase, the meeting was held at the party office to strategize on the polls in Rajasthan. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, State President CP Joshi, in-charge Arun Singh, and co-in-charge Vijaya Rahatkar were present in the meeting.

As per sources, the discussion took place to decide on candidates for the remaining 10 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan. The core group is slated to prepare the final panel on Monday and the BJP Central Election Committee will approve the list in the next one or two days.

In the fourth phase, the core group meeting focused on West Bengal. West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and Amitabh Chakraborty were present in the meeting. The meeting took place to discuss candidates for the remaining 23 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

Core committee meetings were also held for Sikkim, Odisha, and Maharashtra, respectively, with Odisha BJP president Man Mohan Samal and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan leading discussions for Odisha.

In addition to this, BJP MP Joel Oram, Sambit Patra, Baijayant Panda, Sunil Banshal, Lata Usendi, Vijay Pal Singh Tomar, Manas Mohanty were present at the meeting.

The core committee meeting will be held on Tuesday again to deliberate extensively on Odisha.

"In today's meeting, the election management was discussed. There will be another detailed meeting tomorrow. Today, other states were discussed. There will be a broad discussion on Odisha tomorrow," Samal said after the meeting.

As per sources, the central election meeting will be held on Wednesday. Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal said that the picture will be clear after two days.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray reached Delhi late at night on Monday and is expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah soon. As per sources, Raj Thackeray may join the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Mahayuti alliance. According to sources, the MNS chief may be alloted two Lok Sabha seats.

Raj Thackeray said,"I don't know what my schedule is yet. I was just told to come to Delhi. Let's see." (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ahmedabad, March 19: Congress leader Rohan Gupta on Monday announced his decision to withdraw his candidature from the Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat owing to his father's "serious medical condition."

"Due to serious medical condition , my father is admitted in hospital and I am withdrawing my candidature for Ahmedabad east parliament seat as Congress Candidate. I will extend complete support to the new candidate nominated by party," Gupta said in a post on 'X'. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Congress Working Committee To Meet Today To Approve Manifesto for General Polls.

The Congress national spokesperson also shared his letter stating the withdrawal of his candidature along with his post. Gupta was among the 43 candidates announced by the Congress on March 12, which included seven candidates from Gujarat. Lok Sabha Election 2024 Dates: EC Announces Schedule for General Elections, Check Polling and Result Dates.

Rohan Gupta Withdraws From Poll Fray:

Due to serious medical condition , my father is admitted in hospital and I am withdrawing my candidature for Ahmedabad east parliament seat as Congress Candidate. I will extend complete support to the new candidate nominated by party. pic.twitter.com/oPVNBd7DqV  Rohan Gupta (@rohanrgupta) March 18, 2024

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Hasmukh Patel is currently the sitting MP from Ahmedabad East. Gujarat will vote on May 7, in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes is slated on June 4. The BJP has won all 26 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): Media persons on election duty carrying authorisation letters from the Election Commission, and those working in essential services such as healthcare can vote using postal ballots in the Lok Sabha and four state assembly polls, the Election Commission said on Tuesday.

In this regard, the Election Commission (EC) wrote to all state chief electoral officers regarding the categories of absentee voters on essential services.

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In Delhi, those working in Hospitals under GNCT of Delhi, Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Police, Centralized Accident and Trauma Services (CATS), GNCTD and media persons of Delhi to whom authorization letters have been issued with the approval of the Election Commission of India to cover polling day activities can exercise their vote through postal ballots.

"The departments of the notified category of electors may be informed accordingly and may be asked to nominate 'Nodal Officer' for the purpose of the postal ballot facility to such electors. The Nodal Officer may be briefed about the facility and the responsibilities and duties to be carried out by him/her. Copies of Form 12D appended to the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 may be made available to the Nodal Officer. Nodal officer should inform the electors concerned about the facility," the EC letter to all chief electoral officers read.

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The general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases from April 19, with counting to be held on June 4. Elections to State legislatures of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, and Sikkim will also be held during the same period.

A total of 96.8 crore voters will be eligible to cast their vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 19 (ANI): Security forces engaged in an exchange of fire with Naxal insurgents in the jungles of Purangel near the border of Dantewada and Bijapur in Chhattisgarh, sources said on Tuesday.

One Naxal's body has been recovered, along with weapons seized from the encounter site, police said.

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A joint team comprising of Dantewada District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) conducted search operations at the site. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Kirandul police station.

Meanwhile, four Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, a senior police official said on Tuesday morning.

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Superintendent of Police (SP) of Gadchiroli, Nilotpal said that during an early morning search operation in the Kolamarka mountains, located 5 km southeast of SPS Repanpalli, the security teams were met with indiscriminate firing from Naxals.

On Saturday, one Naxal was killed in an encounter between Naxalites and security forces in Kankar district, police said.

On Thursday morning, an exchange of fire took place between police and the Naxals in Koyalibeda area of the State.

Earlier, this month, an exchange of fire took place between police and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Koyalibeda area. Naxalites fled under the cover of forest, the Kanker SP said. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Shafeekh, a key accused in the 2022 murder case of RSS leader Srinivasan in Kerala, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

Shafeekh, who had been absconding since the targeted killing of Srinivasan in Palakkad on April 16, 2022, was traced by the NIA's absconder tracking team in the state's Kollam district, it said.

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He was taken into custody by the anti-terror agency for his involvement in the case on Monday, the NIA said in the statement.

Shafeekh was a key absconding member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), it said.

Also Read | Sudden Heart Attack Death in Rajasthan: Presiding Officer in Ajmer Succumbs to Heart Attack During Election Training.

A total of 71 people have been identified as being part of the conspiracy and the NIA has already filed two charge-sheets -- on March 17 and November 6 last year.

One of the accused, identified as Abdul Naser, had died on January 2 last year, while two absconders -- Saheer K V and Jaffar Bheemantavida -- were arrested on October 19 last year and February 12, respectively, the NIA said.

A resident of Kerala's Malappuram district, Shafeekh was part of the PFI machinery and hit squads that had carried out the killing of Srinivasan.

According to investigations, he had harboured Ashraf K P, who under directions from the PFI leadership, had conspired with members of the organisation to execute the conspiracy, the NIA said, adding that Ashraf had also conducted a recce of various potential targets for elimination.

(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 19 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that there is no point in voting for Congress candidates as they will ultimately go on to join the BJP.

Several Congress leaders of the Congress have defected to the BJP recently.

Also Read | Bihar Inter Result 2024: BSEB Board 12th Result Expected Anytime Soon on biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in, Know How To Check.

"Whether they win or lose is a different matter but the question is whether the candidate will remain in the Congress", Sarma told reporters after campaigning for the BJP in the two constituencies of Barak Valley-Silchar and Karimganj.

He said now nobody wants to remain in the Congress but they are eager to join the BJP.

Also Read | Sudden Heart Attack Death in Rajasthan: Presiding Officer in Ajmer Succumbs to Heart Attack During Election Training.

This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's credit that they want to join the BJP.

"The PM is the Sun and we are all moons around him", the chief minister said.

"Therefore, there is no point in voting for the Congress. Besides, barring one candidate, I can bring all others contesting from the party to BJP", Sarma claimed. Several Congress leaders, including its former working president Rana Goswami, left the party to join the BJP while Congress MLAs Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha and Basanta Das last month said they decided to support the government for its developmental works. Asked about the minority voters who are traditionally Congress supporters, the chief minister said, "There is nothing called minority or majority. People will vote for the PM and his policy of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas".

Sarma said, "The minority factor is not an issue. We are working for the minorities and now for the first time, youth from the community are getting jobs without giving money as a bribe. Did they ever get jobs during Congress rule?" He claimed the BJP will win the minority-dominated constituencies of Karimganj and Nagaon comfortably. Asked about Lok Sabha Deputy Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi, contesting from Jorhat, the chief minister said that he would lose by a huge margin. Assam has 14 constituencies with BJP holding nine, and Congress three. The AIUDF and an independent has one seat each in the outgoing Lok Sabha. The NDA alliance in the state is contesting in all the 14 seats with the BJP announcing candidates in 11 seats while its alliance partners-the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) will contest in two seats and the United Peoples' Party Liberal (UPPL) in one. The Congress, a constituent of the 16-party United Opposition Forum Assam (UOFA), will contest in 12 seats and has left the Dibrugarh seat for AJP while there has been no decision yet for the Lakhimpur seat. Assam polls will be held in three phases on April 19, 26 and May 7.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bhubaneswar, Mar 19 (PTI) The BJP and BJD do not need each other to win elections, but some things are beyond politics and the two leaders -- PM Narendra Modi and CM Naveen Patnaik -- want to come together for "a greater cause", said VK Pandian, the close aide of the chief minister.

Speaking at a media conclave in New Delhi on Tuesday, he said Patnaik and Modi share a great friendship.

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"Somebody wants to join an alliance because they want to have an impact on the electoral map. Here is a chief minister who is so popular in the state and he gets 3/4th majority every time. In the recently concluded panchayat elections, which are fought on party symbols, he got 90 per cent of the seats. The second party is the BJP with 5 per cent of seats. So, Mr Naveen Patnaik does not need an alliance to come back to serve the people. I would say the same thing about Mr Narendra Modi, the honourable PM," Pandian said.

"...there are some things beyond politics. It is a mark of great statesmanship, that's how I put it. Two great leaders wanting to come together for a greater cause. It has significance as two great people coming together as a mark of statesmanship. That's how I see it, and even the chief minister thinks that way. It has no electoral value either for the BJD or the BJP," he added.

Also Read | India Can Sustain 8% Annual GDP Growth, Even Higher: RBI Bulletin.

Pandian said the PM and the chief minister see some things that are beyond politics.

"BJD does not need BJP to form government in the state, and BJP may not need BJD to form government at the Centre. That's why I made it very clear that it has to do with two individuals who share a great friendship and they see some things are beyond politics. A rare mark of statesmanship," he said.

Asked about the status of the alliance, he said, "If anything happens, we will all get to know... I told the logic behind this whatever talk (over the alliance) has happened."

Pandian's statement comes amid weeks of speculations about an alliance between the state's ruling party and the main opposition, ahead of the simultaneous elections to 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state and the 147-member assembly.

Earlier, state BJP leaders rejected the speculations on several occasions, asserting that they would fight the elections on their own and oust the BJD government.

The BJP and BJD were in alliance for 11 years, from 1998 to 2009. Over the last decade, the BJP decimated the Congress to emerge as the main opposition party in the state.

However, the BJD often extended support to the BJP in Parliament on crucial legislations and even helped Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw get elected to Rajya Sabha from the state.

In the 2019 elections, BJD won 12 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJP secured eight and Congress managed one seat. In the assembly, the BJD bagged 113 seats, the BJP won 23 seats, the Congress secured nine seats, the CPI(M) won one, and also an Independent candidate won.

Reacting to Pandian's statement, the Congress said the two parties have been in an "undeclared alliance" over the last 10 years.

"So, the Congress is the only alternative in the state. I appeal to the people of Odisha to support Congress in the upcoming elections," state Congress Sarat Pattanayak said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Palakkad (Kerala) [India], March 19 (ANI) Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Kerala's Palakkad on Tuesday.

This is the prime minister's second event in Kerala within one week and the rally will be held in support of the NDA candidates. This also marks the fourth visit of the Prime Minister to the State this year.

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The roadshow will be held on a one kilometre long stretch from Kotta Maidan to the Head Post Office Road in the town.

The PM earlier today in a social media post on X said, "Thank you Coimbatore. I will always cherish the affection I've received here. On the way to Palakkad to take part in a roadshow after which will go to Salem for a rally."

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Ahead of the roadshow, the Bharatiya Janata Party held a bike rally in Palakkad town on Monday evening.

On March 15 PM Modi had addressed a public meeting in Pathanamthitta in support of the NDA candidates in south Kerala constituencies.

There are 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala and the BJP has never won a parliamentary seat in the state.

Addressing the public campaign in Pathanamthitta for candidates of the BJP-led NDA, PM Modi that the people of the state will benefit only if the cycle of consecutive Left Democratic Front (LDF) and United Democratic Front (UDF) governments is broken.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh in a social media post recalled that Kerala is the state that the Prime Minister had infamously compared to Somalia and asked whether "the Prime Minister finally apologise to the people of Kerala for his misleading commentary on the state."

"Kerala's performance on development indicators has been consistently better than *all* Indian states," the Congress leader said in a post on X.

"Kerala is home to the Western Ghats, an extremely fragile but important ecosystem. In the last 10 years, under Modi's tutelage, there have been continuous assaults on its ecosystem. The Modi Government has diluted all environment and forest laws to help a few favoured corporates, and perhaps to repay the debts incurred for their purchase of the BJP's electoral bonds. Will the Prime Minister come clean on what his motivations were when he was diluting our environmental protection regime to favour his corporate friends?" he posted on X.

Also Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan on Monday alleged that there is an unholy nexus between CPI(M) and BJP and that the CBI and ED is not questioning Kerala CM Pinrayi Vijayan of the SNC Lavalin case which was postponed for 38 times, adding that they had brought evidence to prove that.

The PM had said in Pathanamthitta rally, "Kerala's culture is connected with spirituality, but UDF and LDF are known for crushing this. The culture of Kerala promotes peace but the UDF and LDF believe in political violence. LDF is known for looting through gold, UDF's identity is from solar power loot. To stop this game of looting, I have come here to seek your blessings,"

"Due to the corrupt and incompetent government in Kerala, people are suffering, and you will benefit only if the cycle of consecutive LDF and UDF governments is broken," the prime minister added.

He also reached out to the Christian community, which has a significant presence in the district.Stating that Kerala will come out of the circle of LDF-UDF he promised that he will "leave no stone unturned for the development of Kerala..."

"Lotus is going to bloom in Kerala this time," the PM said.

He also said that both the LDF and UDF governments had ignored the struggles of rubber planters.

Modi first visited the state in January and attended a women's conclave in Thrissur.

In January again he visited Thrissur to attend the marriage of BJP leader Suresh Gopi's daughter at Guruvayur. he also held a road show in Kochi.

Modi first visited the state in January and attended a women's conclave in Thrissur. In January again he visited Thrissur to attend the marriage of BJP leader Suresh Gopi's daughter at Guruvayur he also held a road show in Kochi.

PM Modi had last month attended the finale of BJP state president K Surendran's padayatra at Thiruvananthapuram.

He also inaugurated space infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,800 crore at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre during his visit there and bestowed 'astronaut wings' to four astronaut-designates.

Following the roadshow in Palakkad, Modi will leave for Salem in Tamil Nadu where he will address a public meeting this afternoon. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
MIAMISayUncle premiered five new scenes this week starring gay porn stars Skylar Finchh, Brett Baker, Nicholas Ryder, and others.

Finchh fails his mission in a new Missionary Boys episode, Failure Wont Go Unnoticed.

President Mick Weston asks Elder Finchh to denounce his holy garments and accept his shameful wrongdoings. The studio explains that President Weston strips Skylar naked and blindfolds him to begin his punishment for his sinful actions.

Brother Crush has Baker and Dakota Lovell trying a new TikTok challenge in Ballsack Challenge. A synopsis for the scene explains:

"Theres a new TikTok challenge going around claiming men can taste things with their ballsack. Stepbrothers Brett and Dakota decide to try this challenge out for themselves, putting their scrotums on all different types of foods. Soon enough, they start putting whipped cream on each others scrotums, leading to them licking it off each other."

Baker and Jack Valor star in a new Young Perps scene, Criminal Cock. The scene synopsis explains:

"Brett has the video evidence to get Jack arrested for theft. He finds Jack attractive, though, and offers to erase the security footage if Jack is willing to have some fun with him first. "

Family Dick features Florien spying on his hunky stepdad (Brody Kayman) in a new episode, Picking Up Man Skills. The synopsis of this scene explains:

"Florien has a huge crush on Brody but disguises his attraction as him just wanting to pick up his stepdad's man skills. Florien will watch Brody shower from a distance while touching himself. When Brody catches Florien, he brings Florien into the shower with him so he can watch and learn how to shave. But Florien cant hide his attraction any longer, he has to make his move."

SayUncle AllStars presents the second part of Ryders showcase scene with the installment No Spring Break Regrets. The scene synopsis is as follows:

"Spring break is coming to an end, but Dakota Lovell isnt satisfied with the sex hes had so far. Skylar Finchh and Nicholas dont want their buddy to have any regrets this spring break, so they offer to help Dakota get what he wants from a fun hookup."

Visit SayUncle.com and follow the brand on X (formerly Twitter): @sayunclenetwork and Instagram: @sayunclenetwork.
Hoshiarpur, Mar 19 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Tuesday expressed solidarity with the family members of police constable Amritpal Singh who was recently shot dead.

Singh was killed on Sunday when a police team came under attack while conducting a raid in Mansoorpur village, about 66 km from here, in a bid to arrest Sukhwinder Singh, suspected of harbouring illegal weapons.

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As the team was entering the house, the suspect opened fire and Singh was struck in the chest. He later died at a hospital.

During his visit, Mann expressed solidarity with the bereaved family members and offered his "deepest sympathies".

Also Read | Arvind Kejriwal Moves Delhi High Court Against ED's 9 Summonses in Alleged Excise Policy Scam.

He also paid floral tributes to Singh, highlighting that the constable was not just a son of Jandour village but also a son of Punjab.

In his address to the media, Mann reaffirmed the government's commitment to support the family of the slain constable.

Mann also announced the construction of a stadium in remembrance of the constable.

The man, who killed Singh, was shot dead by the Punjab Police following an exchange of fire near the Adda Bhangala area on the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway on Monday.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Idukki (Kerala), Mar 19 (PTI) Three persons, including a child, were killed when a tempo traveller carrying a tourist group from Tamil Nadu fell into a gorge near Adimaly in this hilly district on Tuesday evening.

An officer from Adimaly police station said there were 14 people in the vehicle and of them three died and around 10 others were injured in the accident.

Also Read | Maharashtra: In Run-Up to Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Police Kill 4 Telangana Maoists in Jungle Encounter.

"The accident occurred around 6 pm and we are still collecting details as to how it happened," the officer said.

He said that the tourists hailed from Theni in Tamil Nadu and were on their way back after visiting Mankulam here when the tragic incident occurred.

Also Read | India Can Sustain 8% Annual GDP Growth, Even Higher: RBI Bulletin.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thane, Mar 19 (PTI) Police on Tuesday arrested two persons after seizing banned tobacco products valued at Rs 9.6 lakh from a tempo in Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra, an official said.

After receiving a tip, the police maintained vigil near Vashigaon on Panvel-Sion road.

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At around 1 am on Tuesday, the tempo was spotted arriving there and was stopped for checking, the official from Vashi police station said.

The police found pan masala and other tobacco items of different brands packed in gunny bags and seized them, he said.

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Two persons, aged 30 and 51, who were in the tempo were arrested. One of them hailed from Mumbra in Thane district and the other one belonged to Mawal in Pune.

Efforts were on to trace two more persons in connection with the offence, the official said.

A case was registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code sections 328 (causing hurt by means of poison, etc, with intent to commit an offense), 272 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 273 (sale of noxious food or drink) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) and provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.

The police were trying to find out from where the contraband was sourced and where it was being transported, the official said.

The sale and consumption of gutka, scented and flavoured tobacco has been banned in Maharashtra since 2012.

(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 19 (PTI) Fair trade regulator CCI on Tuesday granted approval to UltraTech Cement's proposed acquisition of Kesoram Cement Business from Kesoram Industries.

Kesoram Industries is engaged in the manufacture of grey cement through the Kesoram Cement Business.

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The proposed combination relates to the acquisition of the grey cement business of Kesoram Industries Limited by UltraTech Cement Ltd pursuant to a composite scheme of arrangement dated November 30, 2023, according to a release.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) said it has cleared the deal.

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UltraTech is a public-listed company in and is engaged in the business of the manufacture and sale of grey cement, white cement, ready-mix concrete, clinker, and building products in India.

The company is also engaged in the provision of building solutions in India. It is a subsidiary of Grasim Industries Ltd.

In November last year, UltraTech Cement announced it was set to acquire the cement business of BK Birla Group's flagship company Kesoram Industries in an all-share deal, with a business valuation of approximately Rs 7,600 crore, including debt.

In another release, CCI said it has also approved the Shriram Ownership Trust's proposal to acquire a 29.44 per cent stake in Shriram Investment Holdings Pvt Ltd.

Shriram Investment Holdings Pvt Ltd (SIHL) is an unregistered core investment company.

The proposed combination relates to the acquisition by Shriram Ownership Trust (SOT) of 9.44 per cent and 20 per cent stake of Shriram Investment Holdings Pvt Ltd held by APRN Enterprises Pvt Ltd (APRN) and Piramal Enterprises Ltd (PEL), respectively, as per the release.

SIHL has a standalone asset size of Rs 3,976 crore and a turnover of Rs 1,881 crore as of March 31, 2023.

It does not have any business of its own except investments in various companies, most of which are 100 per cent subsidiaries of SIHL.

The deals beyond a certain threshold require approval from the regulator, which keeps a tab on unfair business practices as well as promotes fair competition in the marketplace.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tel Aviv [Israel], March 19 (ANI/TPS): The Israeli agency COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories: Judea and Samaria and towards the Gaza Strip) reported on the new sea route for bringing aid into Gaza and that on Monday March 18, 243 humanitarian aid trucks were inspected in Israel and transferred to the Gaza Strip.

Of these, 165 trucks traveled via the Kerem Shalom border crossing into Egypt and 78 via the Nitzana crossing. 167 trucks were distributed within Gaza.

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Israel inspects the aid shipments bound for Gaza to ensure they contain no weapons or other items that the terrorist group Hamas could use as weapons against Israel.

The aid is then sent into Egypt and from there it goes on to Gaza.

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As for the humanitarian aid that entered Gaza by sea, COGAT reported that a ship carrying 200 tons of aid from the World Central Kitchen organization, donated by the UAE, arrived there on Friday, March 15. This was in accordance with the government's decision. Twelve WCK (World Central Kitchen, a not-for-profit non-governmental organization) trucks distributed the aid to the northern Gaza Strip.

Also, a WFP (the UN's World Food Program) convoy of 18 food trucks made its way to northern Gaza Sunday night.

Over the last 3 weeks, more than 150 trucks were transferred to the northern Gaza Strip, most by the private sector.

In addition, five water pumping facilities supplying water to over 200,000 residents in northern Gaza were refuelled on Saturday March 16.(ANI/TPS)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Islamabad, Mar 19 (PTI) An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and others belonging to jailed ex-premier Imran Khan's party in a case related to the May 9 violence last year.

Judge Malik Ejaz Asif of the Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court took action based on a case filed against Gandapur, ordering the authorities to produce the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister along with others before the court on April 2.

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On May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan, the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief, by paramilitary Rangers from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in connection with an alleged corruption case.

His party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander House), Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. The Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob for the first time.

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Later, police arrested hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders who were put behind bars for their involvement in the violence and attacks on military installations.

The authorities termed May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the stringent Army Act.

Other PTI leaders whose arrest warrants were issued include Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Shahbaz Gill and retired Lt Col. Shabbir Awan, Shireen Mazari, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema and Saad Jamil Abbasi.

It is unclear if Gandapur will be arrested as his arrest could spark protests by his supporters in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Adviser to the Gandapur, Mohammad Ali Saif, slammed the federal government and said the cases were registered by a government that came to power after "rigged elections".

The February 8 elections in Pakistan were marred by the allegations of vote rigging.

Though more than 90 independent candidates backed by Khan's PTI won the maximum number of seats in the National Assembly, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto struck a post-poll deal and formed a coalition government in the country.

Khan's party says the new government was formed by stealing its mandate.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Hong Kong, March 19 (ANI): One thing conspicuously absent from China's defence budget--announced on March 5 and amounting to a 7.2 per cent year-on-year increase to CNY1.66554 trillion (USD231.4 billion) - was its military space spending. It is notable that the real power behind China's space program is the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Last year was a record for Chinese space launches, with 67 rockets putting 207 satellites into orbit, of which many were for military or dual-use purposes. Currently, China has approximately 245 military satellites in orbit. Formed in 2015, the Strategic Support Force of the PLA is responsible for military space operations, specifically its Space Systems Department and Network Systems Department.

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"Informatisation" is one of three key pillars in the modernization of the PLA, alongside mechanization and intelligentisation. China's 2015 Defence White Paper announced: "Outer space has become a commanding height in international strategic competition. Countries concerned are developing their space forces and instruments, and the first signs of weaponisation of outer space have appeared."

Space has indeed become a contested warfighting domain. China has never released an official space warfare doctrine, but instead it likes to repeat vague claims that it "always adheres to the principle of use of outer space for peaceful purposes and opposes the weaponisation of or an arms race in outer space". While China is pursuing scientific work in space, its space program extends far beyond that to include nefarious military purposes.

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In the government's recently released "Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community", a section devoted to China's space capabilities summarised, "China remains committed to becoming a world-class space leader, and continues to demonstrate its growing prowess by deploying increasingly capable space systems and working towards ambitious scientific feats.

By 2030, China probably will achieve world-class status in all but a few space technology areas."

This assessment highlighted Chinese improvements in space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as position, navigation and timing, and satellite communications. The US said that China is intent on "closing the perceived gap between itself and the US military" in these areas, and the Pentagon said China's ISR satellite fleet nearly doubled in the period 2018-22.

A vitally important family of ISR satellites is the Yaogan series in low Earth orbit (LEO), with at least 54 for ISR plus 46 for electronic intelligence. On 15 December 2023, China launched the large Yaogan-41 optical satellite into geostationary orbit.

"These satellites allow the PLA to monitor potential regional flashpoints, including the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, Indian Ocean and South China Sea," explained the US government. Increasingly, such satellites are able to enhance PLA operations farther from the Chinese coast, as China's military seeks to extend its geopolitical reach.

In addition to the aforementioned US threat assessment published this month, the Pentagon's most recent report on China's military added this, "The PLA views space superiority, the ability to control the space-enabled information sphere and to deny adversaries their own space-based information gathering and communication capabilities, as critical components to conduct modern 'informatised warfare'."

Whereas the US has GPS, China a has its own equivalent known as BeiDou. This constellation presently has 45 satellites, with the final member launched in June 2020 to give a positioning accuracy level of 5m in the Asia-Pacific region.

A report published by the Belfer Center of Harvard Kennedy School in the US last year, entitled "China's BeiDou: New Dimensions of Great Power Competition", argued that this satellite constellation is a predictable manifestation of China's growing military, economic and technological power. Yet, it also cautioned, "BeiDou and its associated ecosystem of continuously operating reference stations and receivers embedded in infrastructure and consumer products over time may undermine the national interests of the United States and partner nations."

With its global positioning service, China reaps economic advantages and increases foreign political ties as other nations become reliant on BeiDou. Furthermore, it "strengthens China's defence and space capabilities. It removes a potential source of US leverage over China during conflict. It provides China with greater freedom of military action and may increase incentives for attacks against US and allied global navigation satellite systems."

Elsewhere, "China's commercial space sector is growing quickly and is on pace to become a major global competitor by 2030," assessed US intelligence agencies. As an example, China is developing an LEO satellite internet service to compete with Western commercial services such as Starlink belonging to SpaceX in the US.

Indeed, it is planned that China's government-created SatNet company will operate the Guo Wang mega-constellation of up to 13,000 satellites. This planned internet-in- the-sky network would have both military and commercial applications.

China plans to land taikonauts on the Moon in around 2030. Simultaneously, it is "engaging countries to join its lunar research station effort as part of its broader attempt to develop an alternative bloc to the US-led Artemis Accords," said the US threat assessment. China harbours long-term astro-strategic ambitions, as it seeks to gain an advantageous position on the lunar surface and in cis-lunar space.

As on Earth, whoever controls the "high ground" will have a greater ability to control resources.

Therefore, China is making sure to stake its claim. In April 2021, a Long March 5B rocket carried the Tianhe 1 core module of China's new space station into orbit. China said its Tiangong space station will aid in "realising the shared vision of a community of destiny for the benefit of all mankind" in international space cooperation.

China promotes itself as being "a more inclusive space power" than the US, and its space station is now permanently crewed. Yet China was forced to go it alone after NASA banned it from international space cooperative activities in 2011 over concerns about technology theft and national security.

Referring to Chinese ambitions in space, Malcom Davis, a senior analyst in Defence Strategy and Capability at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), warned, "Clearly, China would like to dominate space in terms of control, and deny space access to the US and to US allies ... They're also developing the counter-space capabilities to threaten US and allied satellites, and developing sophisticated launch capabilities that are moving much more towards reusable launch vehicles, heavy-lift and encouraging the growth of commercial space. So, in every sense of the word, I think the Chinese are determined to overtake the US in space."

Davis mentioned counter-space capabilities, which deny an adversary easy access to the space domain during a crisis. This is critical to China, and it is developing a whole suite of capabilities that includes: direct ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missiles; terrestrially based satellite electronic jammers; co-orbital space-based grappling countermeasure weapons; space-based satellite electronic jammers; offensive cyber counter-space weapons; and directed-energy counter-space weapons.

The US intelligence community reckoned, "Counter-space operations will be integral to potential PLA military campaigns, and China has counter-space weapon capabilities intended to target US and allied satellites. China already has fielded ground-based counter-space capabilities including electronic warfare systems, directed-energy weapons and ASAT missiles intended to disrupt, damage and destroy target satellites."

A 2007 ASAT test garnered international opprobrium when China created a massive cloud of space debris after destroying its defunct FengYun 1C weather satellite. However, it was a powerful demonstration of China's ability to do it again should it want to.

A recent report by the US-based China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI) asserted, "Authoritative PLA texts repeatedly state that kinetic space attacks should be a limited method of achieving space control, and primarily used as a deterrent against strong opponents. The PLA seems more focused on using other types of space control, specifically space situational awareness, satellite maneuverability and improved encryption."

Direct-ascent ASATs are controlled by the Central Military Commission, the highest military body in China that is chaired by Xi Jinping. The CASI report mentioned, "PLA academy textbooks repeatedly state that the PLA Air Force, Rocket Force and Army will be the likely operators of direct-ascent ASAT-capable missiles ... Ensuring multiple services are capable of launching [such] missiles is the best way for the Central Military Commission to achieve its primary intention, which is to deter and develop other capabilities."

The PLA has been training with ASATs since at least 2018, but there is no evidence that the Strategic Support Force is the exclusive owner of mobile launchers. Indeed, having more than one PLA service possess ASAT launchers and missiles, and being able to deploy from multiple locations, makes such a capability a serious deterrent. China has at least one, and possibly three, direct-ascent ASAT missiles. The SC-17 is also known as the DN-1, but there are also believed to be DN-2 and DN-3 missiles that can even target satellites in geosynchronous Earth orbit too.

China has fielded road-transportable, solid-fuelled space launch vehicles as well. These quick-response rockets are significant because they would help the PLA to rapidly reconstitute its LEO space capabilities by launching replacements for any satellites knocked out of action in a war.

In August 2021, China demonstrated its ability to launch orbital weapons when it deployed a fractional orbital bombardment system. Although this was not a counter-space weapon test per se, such a capability enables China to circumvent American early-warning radars and ballistic missile defences.

China, for all its talk of peaceful use of space, continues to flatly refuse to enter into arms control talks with the US. Asked about China's counter-space capabilities, Davis told ANI, "What you're seeing is that, while the Chinese are developing this sort of direct-ascent, kinetic-kill anti-satellites, the favoured capability for them will be soft-kill systems that are either co-orbital or ground-based, because they can deliver reversible, scalable effects, and they also don't create clouds of space debris."

It is difficult to ascertain to what extent China has interfered with others' satellites, but the National Reconnaissance Office in the US confirmed in 2006 that at least one of its satellites had been illuminated by a Chinese ground-based laser during a "test".

Davis said of China, "...What they're demonstrating, perfecting, is the technological means to do these sort of attacks in a crisis leading up to war, to exploit the gray-zone attack using, for example, a dual-role commercial satellite that has an anti-satellite capability."

China has multiple ground-based lasers to disrupt satellites in LEO. The Pentagon describes this as a "current limited capability", but higher-powered systems may extend this threat in the mid- to late 2020s. China is also developing satellite-killer satellites that aim a laser at the solar panels or antennas of an adjacent satellite. It is unclear whether China has launched such killer satellites already, but the country may well be already testing them against its own ageing satellites.

Of course, if China attempted to interfere with American satellites in these ways, it would suffer retaliatory strikes against its own satellites. China, in recent years, has been building up its ability to strike asymmetrically against American military strengths - and that includes targeting its sophisticated space-based sensors - but by the same token China has become far more dependent on its own space assets. One of Beijing's methods to reduce the risk is to flood space with greater quantities of its own satellites; a larger critical mass means that any degradation by a hostile power will be less debilitating to the PLA.

Davis warned about Chinese aspirations: "We should be very concerned, because the Chinese are clearly developing a world-class military space capability that includes both space support and counter-space. And I think that all the good intentions and flowery language of arms control and regulatory reform aside, the Chinese will use counter-space capabilities prior to or at the outset of the next war. We should expect space to be contested, and ultimately a warfighting domain, where the Chinese will seek to deny us access to critical space support. We need to develop the means to prevent that from happening...to both defend against counter-space threats but also to deter them and to be able to reconstitute our space capabilities in the event that the Chinese...do use their counter-space systems." (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, Mar 19 (PTI) US President Joe Biden has told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah on the lines of those in Gaza City and Khan Younis, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

During his telephonic conversation with Biden on Monday, Netanyahu agreed to send an inter-agency team of Israeli officials to Washington to hold discussions on an alternative approach to target key Hamas elements in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, Sullivan said at his daily press conference on Monday.

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This was the first time in a month that the two leaders spoke on phone.

Sullivan said Biden and Netanyahu spoke at length about Rafah.

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"The President explained why he is so deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah of the kind it conducted in Gaza City and Khan Younis," the NSA said.

More than a million people have taken refuge in Rafah. They went from Gaza City to Khan Younis and then to Rafah. They have nowhere else to go. Gaza's other major cities have largely been destroyed, he said.

And Israel has not presented the US or the world with a plan on how or where it would safely move those civilians, let alone feed and house them and ensure access to basic things like sanitation, he added.

Sullivan said Rafah is a primary entry point for humanitarian assistance into Gaza from Egypt and a military operation in the city would shut it down.

"Rafah is on the border with Egypt, which has voiced its deep alarm over a major military operation there and has even raised questions about its future relationship with Israel as a result of any impending military operation," he said.

"Now, the President has rejected, and did again today, the strawman that raising questions about Rafah is the same as raising questions about defeating Hamas. That's just nonsense.

"Our position is that Hamas should not be allowed a safe haven in Rafah or anywhere else. But a major ground operation there would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally," he said.

"Most importantly, the key goals Israel wants to achieve in Rafah can be achieved by other means," he said.

During the call, Biden asked Netanyahu to send a senior inter-agency team comprising military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington in the coming days to hear the US' concerns about Israel's plans for Rafah and to lay out an alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in the city and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion, according to Sullivan.

Netanyahu agreed to send a team.

"Obviously, he has his own point of view on a Rafah operation but he agreed that he would send a team to Washington to have this discussion and have this engagement. And we look forward to those discussions," Sullivan said.

He said the two leaders also discussed the ongoing negotiations for an immediate ceasefire for several weeks in return for the release of hostages currently being held by Hamas and other militants in Gaza.

"We would look to build on that ceasefire into something more enduring and use the space created by a cessation of hostilities to surge humanitarian assistance at a vital moment. So far, this deal has been more elusive than we would have hoped. But we will keep pressing because we regard this as an urgent priority," the NSA said.

Biden emphasised his "bone-deep commitment" to ensuring the long-term security of Israel and affirmed, as he did in the State of the Union address, that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, the perpetrators of the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Sullivan said.

The NSA noted that Israel has made significant progress against Hamas.

"They've broken a significant number of Hamas battalions, killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including senior commanders. Hamas' number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week. The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network and justice will come for them too, and we are helping to ensure that," Sullivan said.

At the same time, more innocent civilians, including thousands of children, have died in this conflict than in all of the wars in Gaza combined. A humanitarian crisis has descended across Gaza and anarchy reigns in areas that Israel's military has cleared but not stabilised, he added.

The President, Sullivan said, has repeatedly made the point that continuing military operations needs to be connected to a clear strategic endgame.

Biden told Netanyahu again that they share the goal of defeating Hamas. "But we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen," Sullivan said.

"Now, instead of (a) pause to re-evaluate where things stand in the campaign and what adjustments are needed to achieve long-term success, instead of a focus on stabilising the areas of Gaza that Israel has cleared so that Hamas does not regenerate and retake territory... the Israeli government is now talking about launching a major military operation in Rafah," 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)
Abuja [Nigeria], March 19 (ANI): Gunmen have once again struck in Nigeria, abducting a staggering 87 persons in a brazen attack, as reported by residents and law enforcement officials, Al Jazeera reported.

This incident follows closely on the heels of a previous assault in which an armed gang seized 286 students and staff from a school earlier this month.

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The latest attack unfolded in the Kajuru area of Kaduna State, with the victims including women and children, according to officials who spoke on Monday.

Bandits, known for their routine looting of villages and perpetration of mass kidnappings for ransom, have plunged northwest and north-central Nigeria into a state of turmoil, displacing approximately one million people, as noted by the United Nations, according to Al Jazeera.

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Authorities have appeared powerless to stem the tide of near-daily attacks, placing immense pressure on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Kaduna police spokesperson Mansur Hassan disclosed that the Kajuru incident occurred on Sunday night, with security forces mobilized in an effort to rescue the abducted villagers.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the armed assailants, donning army uniforms, infiltrated the village undetected after parking their motorbikes at a distance. Tanko Wada Sarkin, the village head, confirmed that 87 individuals were forcefully taken captive.

Aruwa Ya'u, another resident, recounted his harrowing experience of being captured and subsequently released due to his frail health. He sought treatment at a local government clinic following the ordeal.

Haruna Atiku, whose wife and two daughters are among the missing, described the sudden onslaught by the bandits, who unleashed violence with impunity, Al Jazeera reported.

Just days before this incident, 16 people were kidnapped in the Dogon Noma area, a mere 10 kilometers away, according to officials. This comes on the heels of the large-scale abduction of more than 250 students from a school in Kuriga village on March 7, situated approximately 150 kilometers from Kajuru, marking one of the most significant attacks in recent years.

Initially associated with Boko Haram, school kidnappings have become a favored tactic of criminal gangs seeking hefty ransom payments. Despite a 2022 law prohibiting ransom payments to kidnappers, negotiations frequently lead to the release of hostages, a practice denied by officials.

The epidemic of kidnappings has wrought havoc on families and communities, compelling them to exhaust their savings and liquidate valuable assets like land, cattle, and grain to secure the freedom of their loved ones.

SBM Intelligence, a Nigerian risk consultancy, has documented a staggering 4,777 abductions since Tinubu assumed office in May, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Cape Town, Mar 19 (AP) A special investigations unit in South Africa searched the home of the Speaker of Parliament on Tuesday and seized evidence as part of a probe into accusations that she accepted bribes in her previous role as defence minister.

The search and seizure operation at the Johannesburg home of Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who is a veteran lawmaker with the ruling African National Congress party, was confirmed in a statement from Parliament.

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The Speaker denied any wrongdoing and reaffirms she has nothing to hide, the statement said. She cooperated with the investigators, who searched her home for more than five hours, Parliament said.

The investigation of Mapisa-Nqakula was made public this month by a newspaper, which said she was suspected of receiving at least USD 120,000 in bribes from a defense contractor between 2016 and 2019. The money was delivered to her in cash in gift bags, according to The Sunday Times newspaper.

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A spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority said the operation was carried out by its investigating directorate. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
PRAGUEAdult toy brand Svakom has announced that Pulse Galaxie has been awarded at the Erofest 2024.

Pulse Galaxie is a clitoral stimulator that pushes and pulls the air to create a realistic suction effect. It features a charging dock that has a starlight display. Pulse Galaxie has five modes and intensities of suction, along with three starlight display modes.

A Svakom spokesperson said, "At Svakom, we are dedicated to redefining the landscape of sexual wellness. Weve developed many products to cater to each users unique needs and preferences and Pulse Galaxie is the newest innovative item to have been introduced. Erofest is similar to Svakom in that it is also committed to breaking the glass ceiling in the realm of pleasure and pursuing the enhancement of sexual health. Thats why we are proud to be collaborating on this event together and have Pulse Galaxie be one of its awarded products."

Erofest is now in its eighth year. The event was held on March 8 and 9, at the PVA EXPO in Letnany, Prague which was attended by an estimated 21,000 visitors from across the globe.

Another partner of Svakom said, "It is always a pleasure to be a part of Erofest. Every year is different and this time, it showcased live sex shows. It is exhilarating to see professional performers show you the art of sex and pleasure in a safe and creative space and I hope there are more of these activities that go outside the box and leave lasting impressions on our audiences."

Svakom would like to thank Erofest for the opportunity to be its general partner. The brand would also like to thank fellow partners and contributors for their immense support in making this event a success.
Tel Aviv [Israel], March 19 (ANI/TPS): During fighting with Hamas terrorists inside a Gaza hospital compound, Israeli soldiers killed a senior Hamas figure and arrested at least 80 other terrorists there, the Israel Defence Forces said on Monday.

The Hamas figure killed during the raid was identified as Faiq Mabhuoch, head of the Operations Directorate of Hamas's Internal Security. Mabhuoh was also responsible for coordinating Hamas terror activities in the Gaza Strip.

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Faiq Mabhouh was eliminated in an encounter with the troops while armed and hiding in a compound at the Shifa hospital, from which he oversaw terror activity. Numerous weapons were located in the room adjacent to where he was eliminated.

Mabouh's brother, Mahmoud, procured weapons for Hamas before he was assassinated in Dubai in 2010. The assassination was widely attributed to the Mossad, Israel's intelligence service.

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Israeli troops raided Shifa, Gaza's largest hospital, the predawn hours, after receiving intelligence that senior Hamas figures were inside the compound planning attacks. Hamas terrorists fired from inside medical center as the forces arrived. One soldier was killed, identified as 20-year-old Staff Sgt. Matan Vinogradov.

Footage released by the military showed Hamas gunmen shooting from the hospital compound, as well as a roadside bomb exploding by an Israeli armored vehicle.

The IDF added that at least 80 terrorists were arrested, and that there were no indications of hostages inside the facility.

The IDF said that before the operation, soldiers were instructed on the importance of operating cautiously and avoiding harm to the patients, civilians, medical staff, and medical equipment. In addition, the army brought Arabic speakers to facilitate dialogue with the patients remaining in the hospital.

The IDF stressed that there is no obligation for the patients or medical staff to evacuate and that soldiers are providing food, water and medical supplies to patients and civilians in the Shifa compound.

According to IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 85% of Gaza's hospitals have been used by Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad for terror.

In December, Ahmed Kahlot, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, confirmed to Israeli interrogators that he and other staff were Hamas operatives.

During the interrogation, Kahlot described how Hamas used hospitals and ambulances to hide operatives, launch military activity, transport members of terror squads and even deliver a kidnapped Israeli soldier.

Other Gazans have told Israeli interrogators deeply embedded themselves in the Palestinian Red Crescent Society to use hospitals as a base for attacks.

As reported by the Tazpit Press Service, Hamas has made extensive use of the Shifa Hospital, launching rockets from its compound, hiding hostages in the bowels of the building, torturing collaborators, and digging tunnels connected to nearby sites. Israel also released a recording of a phone call confirming that Hamas also stores at least a half-million liters of fuel underneath the compound.

At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead. (ANI/TPS)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chicago, Mar 19 (AP) McDonald's CEO will become chairman of the company's board later this spring, the burger chain said on Tuesday.

Chris Kempczinksi, who was named McDonald's president and CEO in late 2019, will succeed McDonald's Chairman Enrique Hernandez Jr., who is retiring after 28 years on the Chicago company's board.

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The transition will happen at the company's annual meeting, which is expected to be held in May.

Historically, McDonald's CEOs have also held the position of chairman. Jim Skinner was McDonald's vice chairman and CEO from 2004-2012, for example.

Also Read | Bribery Charges Against Adani Group in US: Adani Green Says Corruption Probe on Unrelated Third Party; Has No Relations With Company.

But the company's subsequent CEOs broke that pattern. Don Thompson served as president and CEO from 2012-2015, while Steve Easterbrook was president and CEO from 2015-2019.

Kempczinski took over as president and CEO after Easterbrook was fired for having a non-physical, consensual relationship with an employee.

Kempczinski joined McDonald's in 2015 as executive vice president of strategy, business development and innovation. Prior to that, he spent more than 25 years in senior positions at Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo and Kraft.

Having served alongside Chris, who is now in his fifth year as CEO, I know he is uniquely placed to unify the two roles of CEO and chairman to ensure McDonald's advances in lockstep with today's ever-changing business and social landscape, Hernandez said in a statement.

McDonald's also announced the nomination of Mike Hsu, the chairman and CEO of Kimberly-Clark Corp., as an independent director on the board.

Kempczinski said Hsu is a veteran of the consumer products industry with a global perspective, which will help McDonald's as it embarks on a period of unprecedented growth.

In December, the company announced a plan to open nearly 10,000 McDonald's restaurants worldwide over the next four years.

McDonald's also noted that Hsu would help maintain a corporate goal of having 50 per cent or more of its board members represent diverse backgrounds. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tel Aviv [Israel], March 19 (ANI/TPS): Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday at his office in Jerusalem met with an AIPAC (America Israel Public Affairs Committee) leadership delegation led by its President Michael Tuchin.

Netanyahu told the delegation that he defines victory in Gaza as the destruction of the Hamas terrorist organization's military and governing capabilities, the return of the Israeli Hamas hostages in Gaza and preventing Gaza from becoming a threat to Israel at any time in the future.

Also Read | FGM Ban in Gambia: Gambian Parliament Votes To Reverse Its Landmark Ban on Female Genital Mutilation.

As for the north of Israel, he said Israel wants "to return our people to a condition of security" there, which requires that "Hezbollah move back," meaning the terrorist group is forced to give up its bases of operation in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel.

Netanyahu said that Israel will "not give up on" these goals.

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"If we achieve these goals, then we will also deliver a stinging blow to the Iran terror axis," he said, adding that "this is not just Israel's battle. It is a battle for our future, but it's also the battle for the victory of the Israel-America-moderate Arab axis against the Iran axis."

Netanyahu also reiterated his claim that the war against Hamas is a war of civilization against barbarism.

The Prime Minister also had a few words about the recent criticisms of himself and his government made in Washington, denying claims that he has lost the support of the Israeli public.

"You can go into any cab, go into a mall, walk down the street and talk to people. The great majority will tell you that they support what I just said, the goals that the government has set," he said. "There is unity among the people to achieve victory along the lines that I described." (ANI/TPS)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Streaks of Light Seen in California. (Photo Credits: Video Grab)

Tel Aviv [Israel], March 19 (ANI/TPS): The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) reported that earlier on Monday one of its aircraft detected terrorists entering a military structure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the area of Meiss El Jabal in southern Lebanon near the border with Israel. Shortly after Israel Air Force (IAF) fighter jets attacked the structure.

In addition, IAF warplanes attacked a military structure used by the Hezbollah terrorist organization in the Al Adisa area, also located in southern Lebanon.

Also Read | FGM Ban in Gambia: Gambian Parliament Votes To Reverse Its Landmark Ban on Female Genital Mutilation.

The IDF also attacked observation posts in the Kfarkela area of southern Lebanon earlier on Monday.

And during the day, a number of rocket launches made by Hezbollah terrorists were detected that crossed from Lebanese territory towards the areas of Yiftah, Mount Dov and Menara, in northern Israel.

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The IDF responded by attacking the sources of the rocket fire.

The IDF did not provide any details of the results of its attacks on the Hezbollah targets.(ANI/TPS)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Krabi [Thailand], March 19 (ANI): People from all walks of life, including the elderly, handicapped and children, waited to pay respects to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples on Monday in Thailand's Krabi on the last day of their exposition/enshrinement. The holy relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples are currently enshrined in Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkol in Krabi.

An elderly woman who was helped by two people in walking paid respects to the sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples. Devotees visited Krabi to offer prayers to the holy relics on the last day of exposition before they were brought back to India.

Also Read | Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, March 19, 2024.

The holy relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples are currently enshrined in Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkol in Krabi and will be escorted back from Thailand to their respective homes in India, concluding a historic and spiritually enriching exposition in Thailand on March 19.

To commemorate the auspicious sixth cycle and the 72nd birth year of King Rama X and as a mark of friendship between the people of India and Thailand, the sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples, Arahant Sariputta, and Arahant Maha Moggallana reached Thailand from India on February 22 on a special Indian Air Force plane.

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The relics, which are on a 25-day exposition in four cities of Thailand were enshrined for public veneration at a specially built mandapam at Sanam Luang Royal Palace ground in Bangkok.

Thailand's culture ministry announced that over 4 million devotees paid homage to Buddha's holy relics during the entire exposition held in Thailand." More than 4 million devotees paid obeisance to holy relics in the entire Thailand exposition," Thailand's Culture Ministry stated.

Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Tashi Gyalson and a delegation from the Ministry of Culture also paid respects to the holy relics of Lord Buddha and offered 'sanghadaan' to venerable monks.

"Chairman @tashi_gyalson & delegation from @MinOfCultureGoI paid respects to the holy relics of Lord Buddha & his two disciples currently enshrined in Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkol in Krabi Thailand and offered 'sanghadaan' to venerable monks," the Indian Embassy in Thailand posted on X.

"On the third day of the exposition, thousands of devotees are visiting Wat Mahathat Wachiramongkol in Krabi to offer prayers to the holy relics of #LordBuddha and his two disciples, which have been brought from India," Indian Embassy in Thailand said in another post.

The relics, which are on a 25-day exposition in four cities of Thailand, were enshrined for public veneration at a specially built mandapam at Sanam Luang Royal Palace grounds during its stay in Bangkok. After the exposition in the cities of Bangkok, devotees offered prayers to Lord Buddha and his disciples in Chiang Mai, and Ubon Ratchathani. Following this, the relics were moved to Krabi for exposition.

Earlier on March 3, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he is "deeply moved" to see Thai devotees pay respects to the holy relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples.

In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "Deeply moved to see a million Thai devotees pay respects to the Buddhist Holy Relics which travelled from India. Our shared heritage and culture is a bridge that creates a special bond. Thank @MinOfCultureGoI, @IndiainThailand & @IbcWorldOrg for their efforts." (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, Mar 19 (PTI) A powerful American senator has expressed concern over the Indian government notifying rules for the implementation of the CAA, saying that as the US-India relationship deepens, it is important that the cooperation is based on shared values of protecting human rights of all, regardless of religion.

The Indian government implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 last week, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

Also Read | Earthquake in Pakistan: Quake of Magnitude 5.4 on Richter Scale Jolts Balochistan Province.

The government also came out with a press statement to say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community, which enjoys equal rights as Hindus.

"I am deeply concerned by the Indian government's decision to notify its controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, particularly the law's potential ramifications on India's Muslim community. Making matters worse is the fact that it is being pushed during the holy month of Ramzan," Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

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"As the US-India relationship deepens, it is critically important that our cooperation is based on our shared values of protecting the human rights of all persons, regardless of religion," he said.

Last week, the US State Department expressed concern over the notifying of the CAA and said that respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles.

India had sharply rebuked the US State Department for its criticism of the CAA and said it is "misinformed and unwarranted."

In separate statements, the Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT) and the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation supported the CAA.

The legislation provides expedited citizenship to persecuted Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi minorities from India's neighbouring countries. It underscores India's dedication to safeguarding individuals and families against religious persecution, resonating with global humanitarian principles, they said.

"The CAA does not impact any citizen of India. The characterisation of this law as being non-secular is unfounded. Hindu minority is discriminated against and decimated in India's neighbourhood. As Americans, we are disappointed that instead of standing for American values and the human rights of the persecuted, our government has chosen to oppose this humanitarian effort," said Ajay Shah, founder and co-convenor of HinduPACT.

Deepti Mahajan, co-convenor of HinduPACT, said it is shocking to see the lack of empathy towards the plight of little girls from Hindu, Sikh and Christian minority communities in Pakistan.

"According to the UN Human Rights Commission, BBC and APPG reports, on average, 1,000 girls a year, as little as 10 years old, get abducted, converted, and become victims of sex slavery and forced marriages in Pakistan. Instead of calling out the government of Pakistan for its complicity in this ongoing heartbreaking act, the State Department seeks to criticise the Government of India's effort to help these innocent victims," she said.

The Global Hindu Heritage Foundation's V S Naipaul said, "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 addresses the plight of minorities, who are facing brutalities, pe
Washington, March 19: An American senator has expressed concern over the Indian government notifying rules for the implementation of the CAA, saying that as the US-India relationship deepens, it is important that the cooperation is based on shared values of protecting human rights of all, regardless of religion.

The Indian government implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 last week, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. The government also came out with a press statement to say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoys equal rights as Hindus. CAA: Supreme Court To Hear Pleas for Stay on Operation of Citizenship Amendment Rules on March 19.

"I am deeply concerned by the Indian government's decision to notify its controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, particularly the law's potential ramifications on India's Muslim community. Making matters worse is the fact that it is being pushed during the holy month of Ramadan," Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

"As the US-India relationship deepens, it is critically important that our cooperation is based on our shared values of protecting the human rights of all persons, regardless of religion," he said. Last week, the US State Department had expressed concern over the notifying of the CAA and said that respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles. US on CAA: Concerned About Notification of Citizenship Amendment Act, Closely Monitoring Its Implementation, Says State Department.

India had sharply rebuked the US State Department for its criticism of the CAA and said it is "misinformed and unwarranted." In separate statements, the Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT) and the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation supported the CAA. The legislation provides expedited citizenship to persecuted Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi minorities from India's neighbouring countries.

It underscores India's dedication to safeguarding individuals and families against religious persecution, resonating with global humanitarian principles, they said. "The CAA does not impact any citizen of India. The characterisation of this law as being non-secular is unfounded. Hindu minority is discriminated against and decimated in India's neighbourhood.

As Americans, we are disappointed that instead of standing for American values and the human rights of the persecuted, our government has chosen to oppose this humanitarian effort," said Ajay Shah, founder and co-convenor of HinduPACT. Deepti Mahajan, co-convenor of HinduPACT, said it is shocking to see the lack of empathy towards the plight of little girls from Hindu, Sikh and Christian minority communities in Pakistan.

"According to the UN Human Rights Commission, BBC and APPG reports, on average, 1,000 girls a year, as little as 10 years old, get abducted, converted, and become victims of sex slavery and forced marriages in Pakistan. Instead of calling out the government of Pakistan for its complicity in this ongoing heartbreaking act, the State Department seeks to criticise the Government of India's effort to help these innocent victims," she said.

The Global Hindu Heritage Foundation's V S Naipaul said, "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 addresses the plight of minorities, who are facing brutalities, persecution, forced conversion, murders, rapes, and all kinds of atrocities in our neighbouring Islamic countries, where the idea of secularism, peace and humanity just cannot survive."
Washington, DC [US], March 19 (ANI): US State Department Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, will travel to India and the UAE this week.

His visit aims to meet US partner countries' officials on collaboration in support of the Afghan people.

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"I will travel to India and UAE this week to meet with partners on our collaboration in support of the Afghan people," said West in a post on X.

Notably, the announcement of his visit comes a day after Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Khost and Paktia provinces of Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of eight people, including children and women.

Also Read | Earthquake in Pakistan: Quake of Magnitude 5.4 on Richter Scale Jolts Balochistan Province.

According to local sources, the clashes began at 7 am (local time) on Monday. Residents of Dand Patan had evacuated their homes after the rocket fire from Pakistan. The clashes erupted between the armed forces of the Taliban and Pakistan after Pakistani air forces conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan's Khost and Paktika provinces.

Taliban asserted that such airstrikes are a clear violation of Afghanistan's territory, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported.

Pakistan's Foreign Office said that Islamabad carried out "intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations" inside the border regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. According to Pakistan's Foreign Office press release, the prime targets of the operation carried out on Monday were terrorists belonging to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group.

It said that Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group along with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in "deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials", according to Dawn report.

Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the latest attack of such an instance took place at a security post in North Waziristan's Mir Ali on Saturday, which claimed the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers.

In response to Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan, the Taliban's forces have targeted Pakistan's military posts along the Durand Line with heavy weapons, the Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported, citing the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence.

In a press release, the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence stated, "In response to this aggression, the border forces of Taliban targeted Pakistani military centres along the fabricated border line with heavy weapons."

It further said that Afghanistan's "defence and security forces are ready to respond to any aggressive actions and will defend their territorial integrity under all circumstances."Armed clashes had erupted between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards along the Durand Line, Khaama Press reported citing sources.

According to the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence, Pakistani fighter jets "once again entered Afghan territory in a provocative action... and bombed civilian homes in Bermel district of Paktika province and Sepera district of Khost province," Khaama Press reported.

Earlier today, during a White House briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged the Taliban to ensure that terror attacks are not launched from Afghan soil.

While addressing a press briefing on Monday (local time), Karine Jean-Pierre said that the US remains committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States and its partners and allies. (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, March 19: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned China on Tuesday, stating that any "armed" attack on Philippine vessels in the South China Sea would activate a mutual self-defence agreement between Washington and Manila, underscoring the escalating tensions in the region that could potentially embroil the United States in conflict with Beijing, as reported by The New York Times.

Despite the warning, Blinken's visit to Manila aimed to mitigate the situation, with no explicit confirmation that recent Chinese actions, such as ramming Philippine vessels and employing water cannons, constituted "armed" attacks. When pressed during a joint news conference with his Philippine counterpart on addressing China's "gray-zone coercion tactics," which include incidents like directing a high-powered laser at a Philippine Coast Guard vessel, temporarily blinding crew members, Blinken emphasised the importance of pursuing diplomatic solutions over military responses, as per The New York Times. US House of Representatives Passes Bill for TikTok Ban, Following Indias Earlier Prohibition Over App Amid Security Concerns

"The very visibility of those actions, I think, has provoked from a number of other countries clear statements in support of the Philippines and against these provocative actions that are a threat to peace, security, freedom of navigation and basic rights under international law," he said. According to The New York Times, Blinken seemed to navigate a delicate equilibrium, as the Biden administration aims to uphold improved ties with Beijing while firmly opposing Chinese territorial assertiveness in the region.

Additionally, his presence signalled unwavering American backing for the Philippines during a pivotal juncture in bilateral relations. Later in the day, Blinken convened with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who has steered his nation's foreign policy back towards Washington following Rodrigo Duterte's tenure. Duterte had openly criticised the United States and embraced closer ties with Beijing. President Biden hosted Marcos at the White House last spring, and Blinken is one of several top administration officials to visit the Philippines since Mr. Marcos's May 2022 election.

The White House announced on Monday that Marcos would return to the White House on April 11, along with the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, for a joint summit, the first among the three nations. A statement from the White House press secretary hailed "the historic momentum in US-Philippines relations." The United States recognises both economic and strategic advantages in strengthening ties with the Philippines. US Revitalised Partnership with Allies and Nations Like India Amidst China's Rise: Biden

Underscoring this renewed friendship is the allocation of funding from the 2022 CHIPS Act, endorsed by President Biden and approved by Congress. This legislation earmarks resources to enhance American semiconductor research and manufacturing, as well as to diversify the nation's high-technology supply chain. During his visit to Manila, Blinken toured a local branch of an Arizona-based semiconductor company, emphasising the Philippines' growing significance as a partner in these endeavours.

Since 1951, the US and the Philippines have been bound by a mutual self-defense treaty, initially established a decade after Japan's occupation of the nation. This treaty, now a cornerstone of security cooperation, serves as a deterrent against Chinese territorial assertions in the South China Sea, firmly opposed by the United States. The Chinese media noted Blinken's visit here with scorn. The nationalist newspaper Global Times reported that "Washington's use of Manila as a proxy to disrupt the South China Sea situation could bring regional strategic confrontation to an unprecedented level," and accompanied its story with an unflattering photo of Blinken grimacing and furrowing his brow.

Global Times pointed a finger at Manila, accusing its forces of "illegally trespassing waters off China's territory in the region and trying to mislead the international community on the issue." Blinken plans to travel on from the Philippines to the Middle East, with stops in Cairo, Egypt and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He said he would pursue efforts to broker a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas that would lead to a temporary cease-fire, the release of Israeli hostages and an influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Blinken also intends to focus on postwar plans, including how to provide governance and security for Gaza once the fighting stops and "what is the right architecture for lasting regional peace," a reference to US efforts to broker a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia that would establish normal diplomatic relations between the countries for the first time.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bengaluru, March 19 : Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) state President H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to deploy paramilitary forces for the high-profile Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to the polls in the second phase on April 26.

Kumaraswamys close relative C.N. Manjunath is contesting from Bengaluru Rural on a BJP ticket against sitting Congress MP D.K. Suresh, the younger brother of Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar. Speaking to mediapersons, Kumaraswamy said, "I request the Central government to direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to initiate action and send paramilitary forces for this seat (Bengaluru Rural), as elections are not held fairly here. If they fail, we will take action. Kumar Vishwas to Contest Lok Sabha Election From Meerut? Reports Say BJP May Field Ex-AAP Leader in Uttar Pradesh

He added that the concerned SP, DC, and CEO should be shunted out of the constituency as "they dont have the guts to take action against Deputy CM Shivakumar and his brother". Even after the announcement of the poll schedule, freebies are being distributed in Bengaluru Rural. Without fear, pressure cookers are being manufactured and distributed in the area. About four lakh cookers were distributed on Monday. Though this information was given to the Chief Electoral Officer of the state, the matter was passed to the Ramanagara DC who has not taken any action. Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Schedule: Polling To Be Held In 7 Phases From April 19 To June 1, Results On June 4

"The Chief Election Commissioner keeps talking about taking steps to ensure a fair election, but what is happening in Bengaluru Rural is exactly the opposite. More than 10-12 lakh pressure cookers have been distributed in the area already, he claimed. Misuse of money power and muscle power are at play in Bengaluru Rural. If the Congress has confidence in its guarantees, why is it distributing cockers and sarees to the voters? What is going on in Karnataka," Kumaraswamy asked.
Chennai, March 19: Education authorities in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore have initiated an inquiry against a school headmaster and other staff for making school children attend the roadshow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said on Tuesday. The District Education Officer asked the management of the government-aided Sri Sai Baba Vidyalayam Aided Middle School to take strict action against the headmaster and staff and submit a detailed report on the incident.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) M. Balamurali, addressing media persons, said: "We have initiated an investigation. Prior to the event, all schools were explicitly instructed to abstain from such practices." Many children were seen watching the show at various locations and some under the age of 14 were observed dressed as deities and others were wearing clothes bearing party symbols during the roadshow on Monday. The Election Commission prohibits children from being used for any election-related campaign. PM Narendra Modi Hits Out at DMK and Congress in Tamil Nadus Salem, Says INDIA Alliance Deliberately Insults Hinduism (Watch Video)

Students present at the roadshow said school authorities instructed them to gather at the Sai Baba Colony junction two hours before the event. This was close to the starting point of the roadshow, between Ganga Hospital on Mettupalayam Road and the Head Post Office in R.S. Puram. Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati, in a social media post, said: "We have taken cognisance of the issue and the ARO has sought reports from the respective departments. Suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry." PM Narendra Modi Showered With Flower Petals During His Roadshow in Keralas Palakkad (Watch Video)

Assistant Returning Officer P. Suresh told media persons that these practices violate the Model Code of Conduct and after the inquiry was completed, the report would be forwarded to the Election Commission of India officials.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2024 05:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Hamirpur, March 19: In a seemingly bizarre incident, the uncle of a rape survivor in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur district decided to take revenge from the accused by raping his sister.

The incident took place on March 13 and the accused uncle has been arrested and sent to jail, the police officials said on Tuesday. Police said on March 3, a man, a resident of a village under the limits of Bharua Sumerpur police station, was accused of molesting a 26-year-old married woman. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Man Kills Wife Over Delay in Lunch in Sitapur District, Later Dies By Suicide.

A case was filed under section 354 (molestation), but when the victim gave a statement in the court and accused him of rape, the police added the rape charge. Consequently, the 28-year-old man was arrested on March 6 and incarcerated. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Four-Year-Old Girl Raped by 22-Year-Old Neighbour in Kaushambi District.

Enraged by the incident, the survivor's uncle decided to take revenge. He somehow procured the photo of the accused's sister and then outraged her modesty. He was arrested after the victim lodged a complaint.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2024 10:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Mumbai/New Delhi, March 19: Political circles are abuzz over the possibility of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joining the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

MNS President Raj Thackeray and his son Amit R. Thackeray, went to New Delhi to meet with the BJP top brass, including a likely meeting on Tuesday with Union Home Minister Amit Shah ostensibly to seal an alliance deal, marking a new twist in Maharashtra politics. Pashupati Paras Resigns as Union Minister From Cabinet, Accuses BJP of Injustice (Watch Video).

While confirming the developments, MNS Chief Spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande guardedly said that whatever Raj Thackeray will decide, it will be in the interest of the party and the state. On the other hand, Nationalist Congress Party(SP) Working President Supriya Sule said that in case the MNS opts to join the national opposition INDIA. bloc, it will be welcomed and accorded dignity, adding to the suspense on Raj Thackerays political manoeuvres. Lok Sabha Elections 2024: CWC Meet Begins To Approve Congress Manifesto, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi Attend (Watch Video)

The MahaYuti alliance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that if the MNS decided to join hands with the BJP, it will be in the interests of Hindutva, the state and the country. In a brief banter with the mediapersons, Raj Thackeray kept up the mystery saying "I have no idea... I was only told to 'come'... I do not know of any meetings".

The political movements came barely hours after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde declared that the MahaYuti and the 18-year-old MNS are on the same page as far as Hindutva is concerned and an appropriate decision would be taken on including it in the NDA fold.

Ruling ally Nationalist Congress Party Minister Chhagan Bhujbal diplomatically said the MNS -- currently having one MLA and influence in certain pockets -- would be welcomed if it joins the NDA-MahaYuti alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut dismissively said that MNS entry to the NDA would not have any political impact in the state.

Last week, Raj Thackeray -- the estranged cousin of former CM and Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray -- had dropped broad hints of plunging into the LS polls. At the same time, he also emphasised on the partys staunch Hindutva credentials plus a committed cadre-base though there have been internal rumblings that the MNS has yet to taste real power in the past 18 years of its existence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 19, 2024 12:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
The Congress is likely to finalise its seat-share arrangement with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's NCP faction in Maharashtra on March 21, with the grand old party set to contest from around 19 seats in the state.
In view of the Lok Sabha elections and to deal with rumour-mongers, the Delhi Police have appointed IPS Shanker Jaiswal, Joint Commissioner of Police/Operations as the Nodal Officer for monitoring social media and cybercrime in the national capital.
After years of cultivating a reputation about his vast wealth, Donald Trump is now admitting he cannot pay the $454 million judgment a federal court in New York has ordered him to pay after he lost his New York fraud trial where he was accused of falsifying his financial records to either get better loans or pay lower taxes on his properties.

In a court filing, the former president's attorneys wrote that he faces "insurmountable difficulties" in trying to secure the money to pay that massive penalty he incurred for defrauding the banks and the state.

As the New York Times noted, this could mean that the state of New York freezing some of his bank accounts and seizing some of his most famous assets could actually happen. Given that New York Attorney General Letitia James has already vowed to do so, the possibility is even higher.

So far, Donald Trump has been trying and failing to secure a full bond needed to appeal such a massive ruling, admitting that it was a "practical impossibility" despite "diligent efforts." Trump's lawyers stated that he has approached about 30 companies that provide appeal bonds, which have all rejected him.

This is because the company providing Trump that bond would essentially have to pay that penalty if he ever lost the appeal and failed to pay. Trump also has to pledge cash and other liquid assets as collateral in addition to paying the bond company a fee as high as $20 million.

However, Trump has one big problem with his requirements to secure that bond: He does not have enough liquidity to obtain the bond. Any company that would take him in would have to require him to pledge more than $550 million in cash and securities as collateral, which he does not have.

READ MORE: Russia Spreading Disinformation About US Border Crisis To Undercut Ukraine Aid

Donald Trump May Be Forced To Sell Properties in a Fire Sale To Pay for New York Fraud Bond

While Donald Trump's net worth is in the billions, and he has repeatedly boasted about it, this is actually based on the value of his real estate, such as Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago. In other words, while his value is on his properties, he does not have that much cash on hand to pay for such a large bond.

According to Mother Jones, the former president's lawyers have already noted a possible solution: a fire sale of some of his properties. Potential buyers already know he is strapped for cash, which may force Trump to sell much lower than usual.

Donald Trump's Assets May Be Seized by New York State If He Cannot Pay

Should Trump not be able to secure a bond before the March 25 deadline, the state of New York could seize his assets and sell them off to pay for that judgment, with Letitia James previously saying, "I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day."

As Common Dreams reported, Trump being found liable for fraudulently duping his lenders is not going well with lenders who are now weary of lending him money, especially since he now has a record of lying about his properties' values.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Lawyers Outraged as Stormy Daniels Documentary Promises Major Bombshells

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Trump is unable to make $464 million bond - CNN
Violent gangs launched a bold attack on two affluent neighborhoods in Haiti's capital early Monday, resulting in chaos and claiming the lives of at least twelve individuals nearby.

Gunmen raided homes in the Laboule and Thomassin communities before dawn, prompting residents to flee and some to urgently call for police help via radio.

Despite a recent surge in Haiti gang violence across Port-au-Prince starting from February 29, these neighborhoods had previously been relatively peaceful.

An Associated Press photographer witnessed the grim aftermath, with the bodies of at least twelve men scattered on the streets of Petionville, just below Laboule and Thomassin.

Onlookers gathered around the victims, including one found amidst a deck of cards and another inside a "tap-tap" taxi. Emotions ran high, with one woman collapsing upon learning of her relative's death.

A Haitian man voiced concerns about the escalating violence as an ambulance arrived to collect the victims, leaving tensions high among the shaken residents, AP News reports.

READ NEXT: Haiti: UNICEF's Container Looted in Port-au-Prince

Concerns Amid Political Transition

The recent attacks have heightened worries about ongoing Haiti gang violence, despite Prime Minister Ariel Henry's announcement nearly a week ago of his impending resignation upon the establishment of a transitional presidential council.

This council, comprising seven voting members and two observers from various political groups and societal sectors, aims to guide Haiti through its turbulent times.

However, Haiti gang leaders, seeking Henry's removal, have threatened further unrest, warning politicians against affiliating with the transitional council.

Meanwhile, residents face worsening shortages of essential resources like food and medical supplies.

Haiti has grappled with instability, exacerbated by the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

The situation worsened this year as armed groups attacked law enforcement, prisons, and other government institutions, leading to the closure of Port-au-Prince's main airport and widespread fear among residents, according to Aljazeera.

On Monday, Haiti's power company reported the destruction of four substations in the capital and beyond, causing widespread power outages affecting areas such as the Cite Soleil slum, Croix-des-Bouquets, and a hospital.

Criminals also seized vital infrastructure, hindering efforts to restore services and worsening the humanitarian crisis.

Jean-Michael Bauer, Haiti director at the United Nations World Food Programme, emphasized the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in delivering aid amidst heightened insecurity, stressing the urgent need for security alongside robust humanitarian efforts.

Challenges Amid International Withdrawals

Escalating insecurity has led to the withdrawal of international entities from Haiti, further complicating the situation.

Haiti's Catholic Church, initially expected to participate in the transitional council, has chosen to maintain a moral distance from the process, highlighting the complexities of resolving the crisis.

Meanwhile, the United Nations, along with the US and Canadian embassies, has withdrawn personnel this month due to the deteriorating security situation.

Neighboring countries have bolstered their borders in response, while plans for international intervention remain on hold.

Residents, particularly in affluent areas like Petionville, are grappling with the aftermath of the deadliest day yet in the country's ongoing security crisis.

The targeted attack of a Haiti gang on a judge's residence underscores the threat to Haiti's elite, heightening tensions in the already volatile landscape.

UNICEF's executive director, Catherine Russell, has decried the situation in Haiti as "horrific," likening the lawlessness to scenes from the post-apocalyptic film Mad Max, per BBC.

Thousands of pregnant women face the risk of giving birth without adequate medical care, underscoring the urgent need for humanitarian intervention.

As Haiti faces mounting challenges and a deepening humanitarian crisis, addressing the root causes of violence and insecurity remains paramount for achieving stability.

READ MORE: Brazil Military Leaders Report Jair Bolsonaro Planned Coup D'etat

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Written by: Ross Key

WATCH: Americans flee Haiti as violence and unrest grow - From CBS News




The row between Central American countries Panama and Nicaragua continues as former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli Continues his asylum inside the Nicaraguan embassy. This has led Panama to accuse Nicaragua of meddling in its internal affairs as the Daniel Ortega-led regime continues to protect convicted money launderer Martinelli.

It has now been over a month since the former Panamanian president has been holed up in the Nicaraguan embassy as he tries to evade arrest. He was convicted of money laundering, and his appeals have already run out, forcing him to take refuge inside the Nicaraguan embassy.

Ever since he started his asylum at the Nicaraguan embassy, Martinelli has been taking swipes at the justice system of Panama, claiming that his prosecution was politically motivated because he is the presidential frontrunner. He has also been "promoting his political allies from within the walls of the Nicaraguan embassy," per the Associated Press.

The former Panama president was supposed to be running for his second term in office but has repeatedly lost his appeals over his money laundering case. He has since been ruled ineligible to participate in the May 5 presidential election after he was convicted and sentenced. He has since been trying to promote his running mate Jose Raul Mulino to run in his stead.

After he fled to the embassy, Nicaragua tried to get permission to move him to their country, but Panama refused. Panama's Foreign Relations Ministry has already sent a "vigorous" protest to its authoritarian neighbor and asked the country to "closely monitor Martinelli's behavior."

A populist leader, Martinelli governed Panama from 2009 to 2014. He is also the first former president to ever be convicted of a crime in the Central American country and US ally.

READ MORE: Nicaragua Government, Daniel Ortega Regime, Accused of Crimes Against Humanity by UN Report

Panama Constitution Bars Ricardo Martinelli From Becoming President Again

One of the reasons Martinelli had to flee to the Nicaraguan embassy was that the Supreme Court rejected his appeal to overturn his sentence. This decision was final and allowed the Electoral Tribunal to annul his candidacy despite polls showing that he was the frontrunner.

According to Al Jazeera, the Panamanian Constitution bars anyone sentenced to five years or more for a crime from holding elected office. This includes legislative seats and the presidency.

What Did Ricardo Martinelli Do While President of Panama?

As President, Martinelli was responsible for a massive wave of big infrastructure projects, including Panama City's first subway line. However, the administration has also been accused of rampant corruption as his government favored companies that have been accused of bribing him.

Martinelli's time in office has been marred by scandals, as he was found guilty of granting government contracts to companies that funneled money into his front companies while president. He is also on the US government's corruption list and has been sanctioned by the country.

As reported by the Toronto Star, Martinelli used a complex series of foreign money transfers to hide his money laundering activities. It particularly used a front company collecting money called "New Business" to get the payments, which amounted to $43 million.

READ MORE: Panama: 5 Dead, 1 Missing After Migrant Smuggling Boat Capsizes

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Panama's Martinelli moved from jail to house arrest - AP Archive
Colombia President Gustavo Petro's "Total Peace" initiative has hit a massive snag after the ex-FARC rebel group Estado Mayor Central (EMC) attacked an Indigenous community. The attack resulted in one woman dead, forcing Petro to partially suspend the government's truce with the rebels.

The EMC broke off with the infamous FARC rebels after they signed a peace pact with the government in 2016. A former rebel himself, Petro has been trying to get these leftist dissidents to go for peace since assuming office in 2022.

The military will now resume "offensive actions" against the EMC after the group's "non-compliance with the ceasefire." However, this will only be a partial suspension of the ceasefire as the military offensive will only take place in the departments of Narino, Cauca, and Valle del Cauca, per France 24.

The ceasefire remains in place in other regions, including one in the Amazon and along the border with Venezuela, which has been accused of fostering Colombian rebel groups.

This was not the first time that the EMC had broken its truce with the government, as the notorious rebel group previously attacked and killed Indigenous people who defected from the group. This resulted in Petro suspending the truce for several months.

Effect of Partial Suspension of Ceasefire Between Colombia and EMC Still Unknown

The EMC has around 3,500 rebel fighters all over Colombia. Like the FARC that preceded it, the group is also known for its drug trafficking activities as it controls drug trafficking routes along the borders with Ecuador and Venezuela.

READ MORE: Colombia: Brother of Powerful Senator Pleads Guilty to Drug Smuggling Charge in US

While the suspension is only partial, it is still not known how it will affect the peace negotiations moving forward, according to Reuters. The government has stated in its decree that the EMC members are "showing little willingness for peace" and prompting the need for state forces to intervene.

Things are also quite complicated in the relationship between Petro's government and the FARC splinter group, as an EMC leader has admitted that a peace deal might not be reached until Gustavo Petro's term ends in 2026. The EMC leader added that the "Total Peace" the president advocates would need "the support of wider Colombian civil society to be successful."

EMC Attack a Political Blow to Colombia President Gustavo Petro

Since taking office, President Gustavo Petro has been committing to his "Total Peace" policy of negotiating with rebel groups and ending Colombia's decades-long armed conflicts entirely. However, the armed rebel groups have so far been breaking the agreements they have been having with the government.

According to the Associated Press, the rebels breaking the ceasefire agreement was a political blow to Petro, a former rebel who has made it his administration's mission to achieve "total peace" in Colombia. He has tried addressing the poverty that underlies the unrest while also trying to negotiate with the various rebel groups currently fighting the government. He has sought to minimize the bloodshed, yet conflicts continue all over the country.

READ NEXT: Colombia Vice President Francia Marquez Targeted With Roadside Bomb

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: The Women of FARC: Inside the Americas' Longest War | Woman with Gloria Steinem - Vice News
The California woman, Mary Fong Lau, a 78-year-old driver involved in a devastating crash at a San Francisco bus stop over the weekend, has been arrested for vehicular manslaughter and multiple other charges, according to police sources.

The California crash resulted in the tragic deaths of a couple and their toddler, with only their infant surviving critical injuries.

Jail records indicate that Lau was arrested Sunday afternoon on charges including vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, driving the wrong way on a divided road, and driving at an unsafe speed.

The crash occurred near West Portal station, where the victims, a California family of four, were on an outing to celebrate their parents' wedding anniversary.

While the driver was also hospitalized after the crash, some witnesses suggested she may have experienced a medical issue prior to the collision, though police have not confirmed this speculation, CBS News reports.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated that there is probable cause to arrest a California woman, Mary Fon Lau, with investigations ongoing.

READ NEXT: California Woman Allegedly Steals $2500 Worth of Stanley Cups

Fatal California Crash Details and Ongoing Investigations

The fatal accident transpired shortly after noon on Saturday when a California woman, allegedly driving a Mercedes SUV, veered onto the sidewalk at the intersection of Ulloa Street and Lennox, according to SF Gate.

Two people, an adult and a child, died at the scene, and three others, including the driver, were injured.

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) reported on Sunday afternoon that one of the injured, a woman, had also died, while an infant remained hospitalized.

District Attorney Jenkins emphasized that the investigation is in its early stages, with authorities gathering evidence, including a toxicology report for Lau and an examination of her vehicle for potential mechanical issues.

Jenkins confirmed that the police had probable cause to arrest Mary Fong Lau based on preliminary evidence.

Currently, her office is receiving case information and evidence from the police department.

She acknowledges the public's eagerness for updates on the case's outcome but requests patience as investigators gather more information, enabling her office to make informed charging decisions.

The deceased California family members were identified as Diego Oliveira, his wife Matilde, and their toddler Joaquin, with their infant son Caue remaining hospitalized.

Vigil Held for Victims Amidst Griefs

At a solemn vigil held for the victims, friends and community members mourned the loss of the Oliveira family, expressing profound condolences to their loved ones, KTVU noted.

The tragic incident has left the neighborhood deeply shaken, with heartfelt sympathies extended to all affected by the devastating California crash.

Authorities are still probing the circumstances leading to the collision, particularly why Lau's vehicle crossed onto the sidewalk, striking a bus stop and eventually crashing into a pole, fire hydrant, and the West Portal branch library.

The investigation remains ongoing as officials seek to unravel the events surrounding this heartbreaking tragedy.

READ MORE: Riley Strain Update: Missing Missouri Student's Bank Card Found

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Written by: Ross Key

WATCH: 78-year-old driver arrested in deadly San Francisco bus stop crash - From NBC Bay Area
Criminal charges against Easton community activist Lance Wheeler were dismissed Tuesday, according to online court records.

Wheeler, 56, of Easton, was accused of threatening three boys in a Wilson Area School District van he was driving on Aug. 29, 2022. He threatened to beat at least one of the boys  who were ages 16, 14 and 12  in a dispute over their alleged misbehavior, according to police.

Complaints about Wheeler were phoned in to ChildLine, the state child abuse hotline, police said.

The charges were dismissed Tuesday by District Judge Alan Mege, records say.

Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta said the victims have not cooperated with the Wilson Borough Police Department.

This case has been open, without a preliminary hearing held, for almost 10 months. There was no directive or decision to drop the charges, other than without witnesses at the preliminary hearing, the Commonwealth could not go forward, Baratta said in an email.

Wheeler said hes relieved to have his name cleared after more than a year of aggravation. The charges were filed in June 2023 although the investigation started not long after the alleged incident in 2022.

This has wrecked my world. This has devastated my family. I was innocent, Wheeler said.

Wheeler has spearheaded charitable efforts in his neighborhood, Eastons West Ward, including relief efforts for the devastating Ferry Street fire that torched a city block.

He formed the nonprofit West Ward WISE, runs a seasonal market at 653 Bushkill St., and has long served as a constable.

Wheeler has run for district judge and ran for city council in 2023.

The charges that were dismissed include two counts each of simple assault, terroristic threats and harassment and a single count of corruption of minors.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com.
Road safety concerns at a dangerous junction near Ballylinan has prompted calls for Laois County Council and Transport Infrastructure Ireland to address the issue and also clean up the area.



Labour Candidate for the upcoming local elections Eoin Barry said: The junction at Simmons Mills, close to Ballylinan, is the intersection between two national roads and one of the busiest junctions in county Laois. Despite being discussed at Council meetings in 2022 little has been done to improve road safety in the area.



The junction has now become a significant eyesore, the area is overgrown with brambles which further reduces visibility for cars turning. There is dumping throughout the junction with tires, couches and other domestic waste scattered all over it. One of the road signs is broken and has yet to be repaired. This is just another example of the failure of this council and government to deliver for people in the Graiguecullen Portarlington municipal district.



I have reported these to the council for clean up but it is clear that more significant work is required to address road safety and improve the general area. Thousands of people travel by this junction each day.



This needs to be addressed by both Laois County Council and TII as a matter of urgency."
Detectives investigating the murder of a man who disappeared in Dublin in 2009 have made an arrest.

A man aged in his 40s was detained on suspicion of murdering Kenneth Fetherston after gardai searched a home in the Midlands on Monday.

Mr Fetherston, 26, was reported missing in September 2009. His remains were found at the foot of the Dublin mountains four months later.

He had left his apartment at the Tallaght Cross Hotel in Tallaght shortly before 9am on September 22 and the last known sighting of him alive was at Landys Industrial Estate in nearby Knocklyon.

He had been driving a red Honda Civic 93 D 44862 when he went missing and that vehicle was found in a lay-by on the N11 near Gorey in Co Wexford on September 26.

Mr Fetherstons remains were found close to the Military Road in Rathfarnham on January 31 2010.

In 2020, the Garda Serious Crime Review Team (SCRT), part of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI), started a review and investigation into the circumstances of the murder.

Investigating gardai attached to the SCRT, supported by colleagues from the GNBCI and local Garda, carried out the search and arrest operation on Monday morning.

The man has been detained at a Garda station in the Eastern Region under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
There were more than Irish eyes smiling this St. Patrick's Day weekend in Freehold Borough, New Jersey.

A seven-person delegation from Rathangan, Twinning Committee, were invited by Mayor Kane to attend the St Patricks Weekend activities in Freehold New Jersey.

Rathangan is the ancestral home to multiple Freehold residents, including Bruce Springsteen, whose great-great-grandmother, Ann Garrity (on his father's side) came to Freehold from Rathangan in 1852.

The Freehold and Rathangan Twinning events include a historic walking tour of Freehold. The delegation also attended in the Freehold St. Patrick's Day parade.

Springsteen took in the sights of Rathangan when the E Street Band played three shows at the RDS Arena in Dublin last May on their European tour.

The Boss hit the Burrow, a pub in Rathangan, and led the town in an a cappella version of his 1984 hit, My Hometown.

The Mayor of Freehold, formally passed resolution Twin City resolution between Rathangan and Freehold on Monday, March 18, at the Freehold Borough Council Meeting.

It's tremendous, said Freehold Mayor Kevin Kane, We're calling it a Hometown Twinning celebration.

Bruce Springsteen is the 'Tie that Binds' the Borough of Freehold and Rathangan and County Kildare together, reads the resolution. Bruce Springsteen calls Freehold Borough his 'Hometown,' and his ancestors and relatives call Rathangan their 'Hometown.' "





In January, Bruce Springsteen cousin Glenn Cashion presented a letter to Rathangan officials in the Irish town from Mayor Kane about establishing the Twinning resolution between Rathangan and Freehold. Cashion also unveiled a painting of the former home of the Springsteens at 87 Randolph St. in Freehold at the Rathangan Library.

Freehold will be the future home of the My Hometown: The Bruce Springsteen Story Center, a multi-purpose museum and event space at the firehouse at 49 W. Main St. The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Centre for American Music at Monmouth University and Freehold are collaborating on the effort.

The Rathangan twinning committee are delighted with the formal progress been made between Freehold and Rathangan. The passing of this recent resolution is a further step on the twinning process, and we look forward to further strengthen our ancestral, and cultural ties with Freehold.

It is planned that a delegation from Freehold will return to Rathangan in May 2024 to progress the twinning process.
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Rose Dugdale, the English aristocrat who led a notorious IRA art heist on the Kildare/Wicklow border, has died at the age of 82.

The death of the disinherited heiress comes just days before a film about her life is to be released in cinemas.

The rebellious former debutante from Devon turned her back on a life of privilege to join the IRA in the 1970s, and went on to mastermind a multimillion-pound fine art heist.

The Oxford graduate was the ringleader of the 1974 IRA raid on the Russborough House estate near Blessington in which 19 valuable paintings were stolen.

She was involved in other IRA operations, including a failed bid to drop bombs on to a police station in Northern Ireland using a helicopter hijacked in Co Donegal.

Sinn Fein TD @aosnodaigh extends sympathies following passing of Rose Dugdale "Rose was a committed republican and was unflinching in her beliefs. Ireland has today lost a committed republican and activist, and Sinn Fein a valued comrade."https://t.co/MGMbQde5O6 pic.twitter.com/4X1YyGI8Qx  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) March 18, 2024

The republican bombmaker was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison for her IRA activities. She was pregnant at the time and gave birth to a son inside Limerick prison.

The film telling the story of the art heist, Baltimore, will be released in cinemas this Friday.

Actress Imogen Poots plays Rose Dugdale in the thriller directed by Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy.

She had been living in a care home in Dublin in recent years.

Sinn Fein TD for Dublin South Central, Aengus O Snodaigh, extended his sympathies to her friends and family.

He said: I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Rose Dugdale this morning, and on my own behalf and that of Sinn Fein I wish to offer heartfelt condolences to her friends, family and party members.

Rose was a committed republican and was unflinching in her beliefs, and Ireland has today lost a committed republican and activist, and Sinn Fein a valued comrade.

He added: Rose for many decades lived in Dublin, in the south inner-city, Drimnagh, and in recent years in a nursing home in Chapelizod, and was an active member of Sinn Fein.

She was extremely committed to her community, both in her work for Sinn Fein, where she was a hugely popular figure locally and nationally, but also in a wide variety of community groups.

She was also a great educator of Sinn Fein activists and representatives, many of whom benefited from her vast knowledge and life experiences, and who are all feeling the loss of a dear friend and comrade today.
Fine Gaels Ciaran Cannon said he will not contest the next general election, citing coarseness and a toxicity in politics as one of the reasons he is stepping down.

The TD for Galway East said some of the criticism faced by politicians can be deeply damaging, adding that it feels like its open season on you and your family.

He is among a number of Fine Gael TDs to announce they will stand down at the next general election.

Mr Cannon has worked in politics for 20 years and was first elected to the Dail in 2011.

He has been a Senator, TD and Minister of State.

He was appointed by Enda Kenny as a Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, and later appointed to the Department of Foreign Affairs by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

He was also made a Unicef global champion for education in 2019.

In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Mr Cannon said: Following a career spanning 20 years, I have decided to leave politics and not contest the next general election.

Ive enjoyed politics immensely and have been privileged to work alongside some very committed and talented people.

After 20 years in any role, I think you begin to reach a point where youve given all you can give. I have a deep respect for the people who elected me again and again, and Im either all in on their behalf, or Im not.

It would be remiss of me not to comment on the difference between being a politician now and 20 years ago. Thats also been a factor in my decision to leave.

Theres a coarseness, a toxicity in politics now that was barely palpable twenty years ago. None of us asks to be put on a pedestal, or to be treated any differently.

We just ask to be treated with the same civility and respect as anyone else doing their job.

Yes, politicians are subject to public scrutiny, and rightly so, but what we are experiencing right now goes far beyond that and can be deeply damaging to our wellbeing.

At times it feels like its open season on you and your family. Thats not acceptable, nor indeed sustainable, if we want to have good people choosing politics as a career.

He added: I was first elected to Dail Eireann in 2011 and the memories of that time are still vivid in my mind. Our country was on its knees and there was a deep sense of having lost control of our future.

Everyone in Government at the time rolled up their sleeves to do the hard yards and while those years were challenging, there was also a great sense of collegiality and common purpose.

Thirteen years later, any objective observer would argue that Ireland is a very different country. I was charged with reforming our further education and training provision, to make it fit for purpose so that the thousands of our people who were unemployed could re-skill and begin to make a contribution again.

Working with a very supportive Minister Ruairi Quinn and exceptional public servants, we did exactly that, and the impact of our work still reverberates today.

My three years in the Department of Foreign Affairs saw me working with equally exceptional public servants in delivering Irelands deeply impactful international development programme and forging stronger links with our Irish community worldwide.

He also thanked the people of Galway East, saying he is deeply grateful for their trust.

Finally, I want to thank my wife and son who give me the love and support I need to do this job well. My wife is my guiding star, I cant even begin to describe how pivotal she has been to my work, he added.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe said he is sorry to see Mr Cannon go, describing him as a great colleague and a really good friend.

Asked if he has experienced toxicity in public life, Mr Donohoe said on Tuesday: I have experienced many of the ups and downs that being in the public eye can bring.

But alongside that, Id also say that you do also experience the rewards of being in public life when constituents or members of the public contact you to recognise an effort that youve made or recognised that youve made a difference.

There is a dark undertone to parts of public life, but alongside that theres a lot thats in it that is rewarding and enjoyable. Despite the reports that were seeing today, it is something that I would encourage anybody to consider.

Mr Donohoe said online abuse against politicians is something that is seen around Europe.

If I speak to my colleagues in other European countries, they are all facing the same challenges, are all facing the challenges of societies needing more and wanting their political systems to do better, he added.

Theyre facing the challenges of when the abuse from a tiny minority can feel like its permeating your public life because of the use of social media.

Then if you are working really hard to try to meet the needs of your constituency, you leave yourself very open to them as well.

So many of my colleagues in other countries feel the same pressures. Irish politics is not alone in this.

Mr Varadkar said: Ciaran is one of the hardest-working and most committed TDs in the Dail.

Ciaran is a gentleman who will be missed by all who know him or who work with him in the Dail. I wish him the very best in his life after politics.
It has been confirmed that the Local and European elections will be held on Friday, June 7.

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, announced the decision to hold the elections during his visit to the United States for St. Patrick's Day celebrations.

Adam O Ceallaigh, the Green Party candidate for Ballinamore MD, expressed disappointment over the election date clashing with the Leaving Certificate examinations, a crucial milestone for many students nationwide.

Adam, along with advocacy groups such as the Union of Students Ireland, the Irish Second Level Students Union, and the National Youth Council of Ireland, advocated for the election to be held on Saturday, June 8, to avoid disenfranchising first-time voters who would be simultaneously sitting their exams.

Speaking on behalf of this campaign, Adam emphasised the importance of facilitating young voters' participation in the electoral process. He noted that the youth demographic often faces barriers to engagement on election day, and scheduling conflicts with major academic events only exacerbate this challenge.

According to Adam, empowering young people to exercise their democratic rights requires proactive measures to accommodate their unique circumstances.

"I am disappointed to see the election date has been confirmed for June 7 and will clash with leaving cert exams," Adam remarked. "Young people right now are the least engaged age group when it comes to turning out on election day, and we should be doing everything we can to make it as easy as possible for them to turn out and have their voices heard."

He further highlighted a broader concern regarding the representation of young voices in Irish politics, suggesting that decisions affecting their futures are often made without their direct input.

In light of this, Adam urged young voters to proactively plan their participation in the elections, emphasising the importance of exercising their right to vote despite logistical challenges.

"Right now in Irish politics, decisions are being made for young people, not by young people," Adam asserted. "It's important for young people to look ahead and plan on how they will get out to vote on June 7 to ensure they exercise their right to vote."
James Doyle, also known as 'Protein Bor' has made it all the way to the Big Apple, well sort of...

The Leitrim TikTok star feature in a New York Times article ahead of St Patrick's Day.

The TikTok star rose to social media fame over the pandemic mostly for his strong Westmeath accent but also his gym advice and fitness content.

The article title 'A Thirst for the Irish' was written by reporter Sadiba Hasan rang down the top 'Irish hunks' who 'have infused popular culture with big Irish energy.'

With reference to Doyle, Hasan said: "Doyle has gained some 1.3 million followers by posting lighthearted videos showing snippets of his day-to-day life in Leitrim, about two and a half hours from Dublin. Mr Doyle, whose ginger hair is styled in a mullet, said he has a large American audience. He thinks part of that has to do with his country accent.

Speaking to The New York Times, Doyle said: "I think the major appeal to Americans of Irish lads is that we have kind of a sense of mystery, mostly because they cant understand our accent."

Doyle reacted to the piece and was very ecstatic about the piece, explaining to his followers: "Lads I am in the New York Times, not the Ballinasloe times now The New York Times."

The creator went on to say: "I would like to say I am among a crop of Irish hunks. What a day for the parish. Shout-out to the lads. What a day."

A number of people have commented under the reaction piece.

One user said: "Diversity policy requires one ginger be included in the article."

Another user said: "James how do you feel about being the first lad from Leitrim with a credit union art contest in the NEW YORK TIMES!!!!!"

Another user said: "Delighted for you. Jimmy Fallon next."

Among Doyle in the piece include Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal.
An Irishman has been accused of an alleged rape of a woman in the US over the St Patrick's Day weekend.

The man, who is thought to be a firefighter from Dublin, was brought before Boston Municipal Court on Monday March 18 charged with the alleged rape of a woman in a hotel in the city of Boston, Massachusetts.

US investigators claim the man was arrested after allegedly attempting to board a flight in Logan International Airport on Saturday, three days prior to when he was originally supposed to return to Ireland.

US media have reported that state police stopped the plane from leaving and removed the man, who was already interviewed earlier that day.

The man had allegedly flown to Boston on Thursday and the woman alleges she was attacked by the man the following morning at a hotel.

According to the district attorney's office in Boston, the man and woman were allegedly seen together at the hotel by surveillance cameras on the Thursday evening.

The man was brought before the court on Monday was apparently ordered to surrender his passport and not to leave the state of Massachusetts.

Bail has supposedly been set at $100,000 (92,000) and the man is said to be due back in court for a probable cause hearing in April.
Paschal Donohoe has defended the Governments decision to move asylum seekers from Dublins tent city to an alternative location, despite some of the men returning to sleep on the citys streets.

The Minister for Public Expenditure said the Government and country at large would rather have asylum seekers sleeping in a bed, with sanitation and shelter.

At the weekend, a large group of asylum seekers were moved by authorities from the makeshift camp outside the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin to Crooksling in south-west Dublin.

Men who had been camping near the IPO were taken by bus to the site.

However, some of the men have since returned to the city because of threatening behaviour of people who gathered outside the site.

Those individuals were moved because we need to find alternative and secure accommodation for them, Mr Donohoe said on Tuesday.

Since the start of this year, 2,400 additional beds have been provided to those who are coming to our country seeking refuge.

The Government, and I believe the country at large, would far rather have people in a bed, with sanitation, with security, with shelter available to them, than sleeping on the streets or in a laneway.

We are now seeing a surge in migration that is taking place all over Europe at the moment and indeed all over the world, compounded by what is happening in the war in Ukraine.

The Governments continued approach will be we want to provide secure alternative accommodation. Its not always in the location that we would ideally want it to be.

Mr Donohoe said that a reviewed white paper on accommodation centres for asylum seekers is still in draft format.

He said that plans to open six large-scale accommodation centres are still under way.

It comes as a protest calling on the Government to take action for homeless asylum seekers took place outside the IPO, which has turned into a makeshift camp and where dozens of asylum seekers have been forced to sleep.

United Against Racism, Social Rights Ireland and the End Direct Provision action group took part in the protest, calling for the Government to open empty buildings for homeless asylum seekers.

In a social media post, Social Rights Ireland said: The housing crisis is gov policy.

Yesterday the decision was made to move asylum seekers out of the city centre ahead of the St Patricks Day Festival. Tuesday5.30PMInternational Protection Office Open up empty homes! Housing for All Now!#IrelandForAll #HousingForAll  pic.twitter.com/gMgNoIfzBg  United Against Racism (@UnitedARacism) March 17, 2024

We need wraparound services to support our Irish homeless, not just emergency accommodation.

Ireland also has long history of emigration. People have left their countries out of total desperation, leaving family and kids.

At the weekend, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar denied that the decision to move the men was made to avoid an embarrassment for the Government close to St Patricks Day.

People Before Profit TD Brid Smith has called for urgent questions in the Dail with Minister for Children Roderic OGorman, about the disgraceful treatment of refugees at the IPO at the weekend.

Ms Smith said she has submitted a request to the Oireachtas Business Committee requesting that time is provided on the Dail schedule this week for statements and questions and answers with Mr OGorman about the ongoing issue.

Ms Smith said: There appears to have been a calculated decision to move asylum seekers out of the city centre to a remote location ahead of the St Patricks Day Festival.

On Saturday, asylum seekers were told to board a bus to be brought to new accommodation.

The bus dropped them at a remote location on the outskirts of Dublin.

They were given tents and informed that this was their new accommodation. The site at the IPO has been destroyed, with thousands of euros worth of tents and belongings dumped.

It is outrageous that these vulnerable men are being treated with such contempt by the Government and it is important that time is provided for this urgent matter on the Dail schedule this week.
RB Global Appoints Nancy King as Chief Technology Officer





WESTCHESTER, Ill., March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - RB Global, Inc. (NYSE: RBA) (TSX: RBA), the trusted global marketplace for insights, services and transaction solutions for commercial assets and vehicles, today announced the appointment of Nancy King as Chief Technology Officer, effective June 3, 2024. Ms. King brings extensive hands-on information technology leadership experience in Fortune 100 organizations.

Most recently, she served as the Sr. Vice President of Product Engineering at Target, driving the overall vision, strategy and talent development for product engineering. She joined Target in 2005 and has played a leading role in the retailer's technology transformation and growth, including leading the tech strategy for Target's mobile apps, website, marketplace and capability services.

"Nancy is a thoughtful and driven leader ? an innovator and culture builder who brings strong vision and delivers solutions that deepen relationships with customers to ultimately gain market share," said Jim Kessler, CEO of RB Global. "Her leadership in this role will help strengthen the foundation of technology across RB Global, aligning our teams and priorities to the needs of the business and industry and deepening a collaborative and curious culture that learns and remains market-leading."

"It's an exciting time to join RB Global, as it continues to invest in technology and establish itself as the leading, omnichannel marketplace for commercial assets and vehicles," said Ms. King. "I look forward to working alongside Jim, the leadership team and the rest of the talented IT organization as we collaborate to build on RB Global's culture of trust and transparency to deliver on the commitments we make to all of our clients, customers and industry partners."

Ms. King is also a champion for inclusivity and belonging both at work and within her local community. She served as executive sponsor for TWIST ? Target Women in Science and Technology, a volunteer network of 200+ women passionate about encouraging girls and young women to pursue STEM careers. She also helped launch a development initiative, the Emerging Engineers Program, to support nontraditional pathways to engineering careers.

About RB Global

RB Global, Inc. (NYSE: RBA) (TSX: RBA) is a leading, omnichannel marketplace that provides value-added insights, services and transaction solutions for buyers and sellers of commercial assets and vehicles worldwide. Through its auction sites in 14 countries and digital platform, RB Global serves customers in more than 170 countries across a variety of asset classes, including automotive, commercial transportation, construction, government surplus, lifting and material handling, energy, mining and agriculture. The company's marketplace brands include Ritchie Bros., the world's largest auctioneer of commercial assets and vehicles offering online bidding, and IAA, a leading global digital marketplace connecting vehicle buyers and sellers. RB Global's portfolio of brands also includes Rouse Services, which provides a complete end-to-end asset management, data-driven intelligence and performance benchmarking system; SmartEquip, an innovative technology platform that supports customers' management of the equipment lifecycle and integrates parts procurement with both OEMs and dealers; Xcira, a leader in live simulcast auction technologies; and VeriTread, an online marketplace for heavy haul transport.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this release include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act") and Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by such words as "aim", "anticipate", "believe", "could", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "ongoing", "plan", "potential", "predict", "will", "anticipates", "should", "would", "could", "likely", "generally", "future", "long-term", "foresees", "estimates", "opportunity" or the negative of these terms, and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. These statements are based on our current expectations and estimates about our business and markets, and may include, among others, statements relating to the appointment of Nancy King as RB Global's Chief Technology Officer, and other subjects of this release on our business and plans regarding our growth strategies, and to our customers and company generally, and other aspects of RB Global's businesses, operations, financial condition or operating results and other statements that are not historical facts. It is uncertain whether any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on the results of operations and financial condition of the combined companies or the price of RB Global's common shares. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on any such statements and caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. While RB Global's management believe the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond RB Global's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: results of operations, strategy and plans; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships; our ability to integrate acquisitions (including IAA, Inc. ("IAA")), the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues; the ability of RB Global to retain and hire key personnel and employees; the significant costs associated with the merger; the outcome of any legal proceedings that could be instituted against RB Global; changes in capital markets and the ability of the company to generate cash flow and/or finance operations in the manner expected or to de-lever in the timeframe expected; the failure of RB Global to meet financial forecasts and/or KPI targets; legislative, regulatory and economic developments affecting the business of RB Global; general economic and market developments and conditions; the evolving legal, regulatory and tax regimes under which RB Global operates; unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events, including, but not limited to, pandemics, acts of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities, as well as RB Global's response to any of the aforementioned factors. Other risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements are included in RB Global's periodic reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and/or applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including the risk factors identified under Item 1A "Risk Factors" and the section titled "Summary of Risk Factors" in RBA's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2024 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date hereof. While the list of factors presented here is considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Many of these risk factors are outside of our control, and as such, they involve risks which are not currently known that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed or implied herein. RB Global does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made, except as required by law.

SOURCE RB Global

18 march 2024 at 16:45

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Accelerating the Development of New Molecules - Promethium to Empower ML Models for Drug Discovery Using NVIDIA Quantum Cloud





PALO ALTO, Calif., March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- QC Ware, makers of Promethium, a quantum-inspired, molecular discovery platform, announced today it is leveraging NVIDIA Quantum Cloud to accelerate drug discovery by providing AI platforms with the ability to generate highly accurate training data on large, complex molecules faster than ever before, aiming to redefine the landscape of in silico molecular simulation. These are critical problems that will be accelerated by future quantum computers, but today are best solved by advanced methods on GPUs. This will enable molecular AI platforms to train better ML models, ultimately helping pharmaceutical companies find quality drug candidates more quickly.

Promethium to Empower ML Models for Drug Discovery Using NVIDIA Quantum Cloud

NVIDIA Quantum Cloud is a microservice that lets users for the first time build and test in the cloud new quantum algorithms and applications, including powerful simulators and tools for hybrid quantum-classical programming.

"Promethium is helping steer the future of drug discovery and this latest work with NVIDIA signifies our commitment to advancing pharmaceutical research and underscores the importance of technological innovation in the quest for groundbreaking solutions to some of the most challenging medicinal problems of modern times," said Paul Baines, VP of Product & Engineering, at QC Ware.

ML models are already playing a large role in drug discovery, accelerating the ability to find new and promising candidates for clinical trials over historical methods. With an abundance of these ML models coming into play, one of the main challenges that research leaders face is determining the quality of the models they are using. Typically, the best ML models are trained on the best data. This has created a need for large amounts of extremely high-quality data.

The molecular data that currently exists is limited in scale, scope, and application. To build the best general-purpose ML model, or to customize an ML model for a specific purpose, lots of data must be generated ? and fast. Promethium is on a journey to generate the highest-quality data faster than it's ever been done. AI platforms for drug discovery are already taking advantage of these benefits. One example is a venture-backed start-up using Promethium to create highly accurate data, very quickly, and at scale.

"For representative systems we currently run today, Promethium is 30 times faster than our current toolsets," says the startup's CTO. "This means that we can generate high-quality training data faster, leading to extremely accurate ML models for researchers to use. The result? Truly transformative ML models that will unlock massive amounts of value for pharmaceutical companies."

Additionally, this type of data has yet to be created at scale for larger molecules. This was primarily due to how computationally intensive it was to create accurate data for molecular modeling. This limitation kept ML models from accurately predicting properties of larger molecules. Promethium's breakthrough software, combined with NVIDIA's state-of-the-art GPUs and cloud scalability, has unlocked the ability to create training data for large, complex molecules that will fuel the advanced capabilities of innovative AI platforms.

"Quantum computing has the potential to transform drug discovery," said Tim Costa, Director of HPC and Quantum at NVIDIA. "Promethium is using NVIDIA Quantum Cloud to rapidly generate training data on large, complex molecules, enabling better machine learning models that will help pharmaceutical companies find drug candidates more quickly."

Leaders in the pharmaceutical industry are already taking advantage of AI as a force multiplier in the drug discovery race. Not only is it helping them ?hone in on more promising candidates more quickly, but it's also creating a new benchmark for efficiency in R&D spend. Companies that are able to wield this technology effectively will be poised to achieve or better maintain industry dominance in the new age of drug discovery.

About QC Ware

Promethium is a quantum chemistry SaaS platform developed by QC Ware , a quantum and classical computing software and services company focused on delivering enterprise value through cutting-edge computational technology. With specialization in machine learning and chemistry simulation applications, QC Ware develops software for both near-term quantum and state-of-the-art classical computing hardware. QC Ware's team is composed of some of the industry's foremost experts in quantum and classical computing. QC Ware is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and supports its European customers through its subsidiary in Paris and customers in Asia through its business development office in Tokyo, Japan.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

317-525-5882

SOURCE QC Ware Corp.

18 march 2024 at 18:00

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Vultr Launches Cloud Inference to Simplify Model Deployment and Automatically Scale AI Applications Globally





Vultr, the world's largest privately-held cloud computing platform, today announced the launch of Vultr Cloud Inference. This new serverless platform revolutionizes AI scalability and reach by offering global AI model deployment and AI inference capabilities. Leveraging Vultr's global infrastructure spanning six continents and 32 locations, Vultr Cloud Inference provides customers with seamless scalability, reduced latency, and enhanced cost efficiency for their AI deployments.

Today's rapidly evolving digital landscape has challenged businesses across sectors to deploy and manage AI models efficiently and effectively. This has created a growing need for more inference-optimized cloud infrastructure platforms with both global reach and scalability, to ensure consistent high performance. This is driving a shift in priorities as organizations increasingly focus on inference spending as they move their models into production. But with bigger models comes increased complexity. Developers are being challenged to optimize AI models for different regions, manage distributed server infrastructure, and ensure high availability and low latency.

With that in mind, Vultr created Cloud Inference. Vultr Cloud Inference will accelerate the time-to-market of AI-driven features, such as predictive and real-time decision-making while delivering a compelling user experience across diverse regions. Users can simply bring their own model, trained on any platform, cloud, or on-premises, and it can be seamlessly integrated and deployed on Vultr's global NVIDIA GPU-powered infrastructure. With dedicated compute clusters available on six continents, Vultr Cloud Inference ensures that businesses can comply with local data sovereignty, data residency, and privacy regulations by deploying their AI applications in regions that align with legal requirements and business objectives.

"Training provides the foundation for AI to be effective, but it's inference that converts AI's potential into impact. As an increasing number of AI models move from training into production, the volume of inference workloads is exploding, but the majority of AI infrastructure is not optimized to meet the world's inference needs," said J.J. Kardwell, CEO of Vultr's parent company, Constant. "The launch of Vultr Cloud Inference enables AI innovations to have maximum impact by simplifying AI deployment and delivering low-latency inference around the world through a platform designed for scalability, efficiency, and global reach."

With the capability to self-optimize and auto-scale globally in real-time, Vultr Cloud Inference ensures AI applications provide consistent, cost-effective, low-latency experiences to users worldwide. Moreover, its serverless architecture eliminates the complexities of managing and scaling infrastructure, delivering unparalleled impact, including:

Flexibility in AI model integration and migration: Vultr Cloud Inference, users can get a straightforward, serverless AI inferencing platform that allows for easy integration of AI models, regardless of where they were trained. For models developed on Vultr Cloud GPUs powered by NVIDIA, in users' own data center, or on another cloud, Vultr Cloud Inference enables hassle-free global inference.

Vultr Cloud Inference, users can get a straightforward, serverless AI inferencing platform that allows for easy integration of AI models, regardless of where they were trained. For models developed on Vultr Cloud GPUs powered by NVIDIA, in users' own data center, or on another cloud, Vultr Cloud Inference enables hassle-free global inference. Reduced AI infrastructure complexity: By leveraging the serverless architecture of Vultr Cloud Inference, businesses can concentrate on innovation and creating value through their AI initiatives rather than focusing on infrastructure management. Cloud Inference streamlines the deployment process, making advanced AI capabilities accessible to companies without extensive in-house expertise in infrastructure management, thereby speeding up the time-to-market for AI-driven solutions.

By leveraging the serverless architecture of Vultr Cloud Inference, businesses can concentrate on innovation and creating value through their AI initiatives rather than focusing on infrastructure management. Cloud Inference streamlines the deployment process, making advanced AI capabilities accessible to companies without extensive in-house expertise in infrastructure management, thereby speeding up the time-to-market for AI-driven solutions. Automated scaling of inference-optimized infrastructure: Through real-time matching of AI application workloads and inference-optimized cloud GPUs, engineering teams can seamlessly deliver performance while ensuring the most efficient use of resources. This leads to substantial cost savings and reduced environmental impact, as they only pay for what is needed and used.

Through real-time matching of AI application workloads and inference-optimized cloud GPUs, engineering teams can seamlessly deliver performance while ensuring the most efficient use of resources. This leads to substantial cost savings and reduced environmental impact, as they only pay for what is needed and used. Private, dedicated compute resources: With Vultr Cloud Inference, businesses can access an isolated environment for sensitive or high-demand workloads. This provides enhanced security and performance for critical applications, aligning with goals around data protection, regulatory compliance, and maintaining high performance under peak loads.

"Demand is rapidly increasing for cutting-edge AI technologies that can power AI workloads worldwide," said Matt McGrigg, director of global business development, cloud partners at NVIDIA. "The introduction of Vultr Cloud Inference will empower businesses to seamlessly integrate and deploy AI models trained on NVIDIA GPU infrastructure, helping them scale their AI applications globally."

As AI continues to push the limits of what's possible and change the way organizations think about cloud and edge computing, the scale of infrastructure needed to train large AI models and to support globally-distributed inference needs has never been greater. Following the recent launch of Vultr CDN to scale media and content delivery worldwide, Vultr Cloud Inference will provide the technological foundation to enable innovation, increase cost efficiency, and expand global reach for organizations around the world, across industries, making the power of AI accessible to all.

Vultr Cloud Inference is now available for early access via registration here. Learn more about Vultr Cloud Inference at NVIDIA GTC and contact sales to get started.

About Constant and Vultr

Constant, the creator and parent company of Vultr, is on a mission to make high-performance cloud computing easy to use, affordable, and locally accessible for businesses and developers worldwide. Vultr has served over 1.5 million customers across 185 countries with flexible, scalable, global Cloud Compute, Cloud GPU, Bare Metal, and Cloud Storage solutions. Founded by David Aninowsky and completely bootstrapped, Vultr has become the world's largest privately-held cloud computing company without ever raising equity financing. Learn more at: www.vultr.com.

18 march 2024 at 18:05

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Innodisk Showcases Edge AI Integration at NVIDIA GTC





SAN JOSE, Calif., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innodisk, a leading global AI solution provider, is demonstrating its edge AI integration expertise at NVIDIA GTC in San Jose, USA. Innodisk specializes in integrating and developing customizable AI solutions that can be scaled across various industries. The company actively shares its research and practical implementation of edge AI with industries worldwide, showcasing how its camera modules integrate with NVIDIA's specialized AI visual technology.

Advancing Smart Factory Solutions

At GTC, Innodisk is presenting smart manufacturing solutions powered by NVIDIA Metropolis for Factories technology, featuring AOI defect detection. The demonstration highlights the EV2U-SGR1 low-light USB camera module's ability to enhance smart factory efficiency by overcoming dim lighting constraints. This module's unique lens specifications and customized 3A functions (auto-focus, auto-exposure, auto-white balance) ensure clear product detail capture and precise quality inspection, even in low-light conditions common in manufacturing environments. Additionally, its application extends to safety and security, enabling comprehensive and accurate factory monitoring for enhanced safety.

"The AI tools and frameworks from NVIDIA drive innovation, complemented by Innodisk's customer-focused approach and deep integration experience, transforming AI into practical solutions," explained Randy Chien, Chairman of Innodisk. "This customer-centric approach is key to bridging advanced AI technology with real-world industry solutions."

The AI applications Innodisk is showcasing at GTC use key development tools from the NVIDIA AI Enterprise , an end-to-end, cloud-native software platform. This includes the NVIDIA TAO Toolkit for model training, the NVIDIA Triton Inference Server for model deployment and management, and the DeepStream SDK for AI inference, all packaged as microservices that can be controlled by intuitive REST-APIs. NVIDIA AI Enterprise accelerates data science pipelines and streamlines the development and deployment of production-grade AI applications. This strategic adoption enabled significant savings in validation and facilitated highly flexible end-to-end customization services.

Responding to the growing demand for edge AI hardware, Innodisk is showcasing industrial-grade SSDs, memory products, and expansion modules at GTC. It emphasizes the durability and adaptability of its products, essential for maintaining edge AI system operations. By integrating Aetina's AI equipment and leveraging group resource integration, Innodisk empowers customers' AI applications to meet diverse industry demands.

Visit Innodisk at booth 338 during GTC to explore the company's customizable AI solutions.

For more information, please visit: http://www.innodisk.com

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19 march 2024 at 00:21

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Odido Consolidates on Netcracker Digital BSS in Major Transformation Project to Become the Telco of the Future





Netcracker Technology announced today that Odido, formerly known as T-Mobile Netherlands, will consolidate a number of critical processes across various brands and legacy environments onto Netcracker Digital BSS ? part of the flagship Netcracker Digital Platform ? including professional and support and maintenance services, as part of a large-scale digital transformation project to become the telco of the future.

Odido, which recently underwent a major rebranding that brought together multiple brands (Ben, Simpel and Tele2) and introduced its new name, aims to streamline its operational workflows. The operator is already using Netcracker Digital BSS for Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) and Order Management. In the transformation project, this will be expanded to Product Management (Product Catalog and Product Lifecycle Management), which will result in a number of business benefits, including faster time to market for new services; a more robust, scalable and unified platform; and an overall reduction in operational expenses due to the consolidation.

Netcracker will lead the BSS platform consolidation project, which will positively impact Odido's B2C customers through a reduction of complexity and legacy systems, modernization of the entire technology stack, cloudification of its BSS platform and enhancement of the end user experience.

"As an established customer of Netcracker's that has experienced a lot of success through our multi-year partnership, we are thrilled to continue our engagement as we launch a new brand and create the best experience for our customers," said Lotta Gunnarsson, CIO at Odido. "While we make the journey towards becoming a techco, having a trusted partner at our side will make all the difference to our future success."

"We are extremely proud to continue our long-standing relationship with Odido during such a pivotal time that includes rebranding, BSS consolidation and digital transformation," said Benedetto Spaziani, GM at Netcracker. "Our accomplishments in the past will lead to more achievements going forward as Odido reinvents itself as a techco and enjoys the results of this hard work."

About Netcracker Technology

Rapid digitization is disrupting the status quo of today's communications markets. Constantly evolving customer needs and behaviors require service providers to adapt quickly and diversify their businesses to deliver the outcomes that their customers expect. Building digital ecosystems, anticipating customer requirements and delivering a digital-first experience are essential for service providers to accelerate innovation, expand into new markets and become the disruptors in the 5G era.

Netcracker Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, has the expertise, culture and resources to help service providers around the world transform their businesses to thrive in a digital economy. Our innovative solutions ? including our flagship cloud-native Netcracker Digital Platform ? value-driven services and unbroken delivery track record of three decades help service providers to achieve their digital transformation goals, drive the telco to techco evolution within their organizations and realize business growth and profitability. For more information, visit www.netcracker.com.

19 march 2024 at 06:05

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EDP Selects Copperleaf for Asset Investment Planning and Portfolio Optimization





VANCOUVER, BC, March 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Copperleaf Technologies Inc. (TSX: CPLF) ("Copperleaf" or the "Company"), announces the selection of its asset investment planning and decision analytics solution by two of Energias de Portugal's (EDP) distribution businesses, operating in Portugal and Spain.

E-REDES Portugal, the company that manages the electricity distribution network in mainland Portugal, has selected the Copperleaf solution to manage its ageing asset population, boost transparency into its planning process, and secure the long-term resilience of the network. The electricity distribution system operator serves more than 6,5 million customers across mainland Portugal, spanning a network of 228,000 km.

The objective of this transformative project is to enhance asset management strategies in order to effectively handle the temporal progression of asset failure risk, stemming from the anticipated deterioration of their condition. This will facilitate the development of modernization strategies that, in combination with other investment drivers such as digitalization, electrification, and decarbonization, will form the multi-year investment portfolios. Leveraging the copperleaf tool, E-REDES will refine and fine-tune these portfolios, ultimately delivering greater value for all stakeholders.

"EDP is driven by sustainability, and we are delighted the organization has chosen Copperleaf to support its decarbonization journey," said Cristiano Martincigh, Regional Director for Southern Europe and Middle East at Copperleaf. "Copperleaf will empower EDP's Portuguese and Spanish distribution companies to manage ageing assets, boost transparency into its planning process, and enhance investment decision making."

"Like many energy companies, EDP must overcome a number of critical business challenges to achieve net zero goals," added Stefan Sadnicki, Managing Director for Copperleaf in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). "The Copperleaf solution will support the two operators to take a proactive approach to risk management and provide the agility it needs to plan for an uncertain future."

"We are confident that Copperleaf's solution will strengthen and streamline the development of long-term asset management strategies.", said Miguel Freitas, head of the Asset Management Strategy Department of E-REDES.

Rita Rebelo, Strategic Planning Manager for the high and medium voltage networks, added that "Copperleaf will empower our team to effectively create, manage, and optimize investment plans to achieve our overarching objectives."

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada, including, without limitation, statements with respect to our expectations, plans or future opportunities. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, estimates and assumptions that we consider appropriate and reasonable on the date such statements are made, but which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements will be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including, but not limited to, the risk factors described in our 2024 Annual Information Form ("AIF") under "Risk Factors". Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Except as required by securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update this forward-looking information if the Company's expectations regarding future events change, or actual results differ from the expectations expressed in this press release.

About EDP

EDP is a leading energy integrated utility with a global footprint. Founded in 1976 through the merger of 14 nationalised electricity companies, EDP generates and distributes electricity using wind energy, solar energy, and other renewable sources. The company aims to be 100% green by 2030 by delivering sustainability goals, committing to transparency, and investing in the future of the network.

E-REDES Portugal is the main distribution system operator in mainland Portugal for high, medium and low voltage electricity distribution networks, serving more than 6.5 million customers across mainland Portugal and spanning a network of 228,000 km.

About Copperleaf

Copperleaf (TSX:CPLF) provides enterprise decision analytics software solutions to companies managing critical infrastructure. We leverage operational and financial data to empower our clients to make investment decisions that deliver the highest business value. What sets us apart is our industry-leading products and our commitment to providing extraordinary experiences, shaped by people who care deeply and partnerships that stand the test of time. Copperleaf is actively involved in shaping and implementing global industry standards and sustainability principles through our participation in the United Nations Global Compact, the Institute of Asset Management, and other organizations. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, our solutions are distributed and supported by regional staff and partners worldwide. Together, we are transforming how the world sees value.

Source: Copperleaf Technologies Inc. CPLF-IR

SOURCE Copperleaf Technologies Inc.

19 march 2024 at 07:00

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Tilak Healthcare Strengthens Its Leadership Team





Tilak Healthcare, a leading company in digital health for the monitoring of chronic eye diseases, announces the appointment of three experts to support the leadership team, currently composed of Edouard Gasser (CEO & co-founder), Philip Bouchet (Chief Operating and Product Officer), and Dr. Benigne Mathieu (Chief Business Officer). These appointments mark a crucial milestone in the evolution of Tilak Healthcare, currently in hypergrowth (+100% prescriptions in 2023), and making progress towards obtaining common reimbursement in France for its telemonitoring solution, Odysight, a first in ophthalmology.

For Edouard Gasser, CEO and co-founder of Tilak Healthcare: "We are very proud to welcome three renowned talents who have already played major roles in the commercialization of innovative digital health products and medical devices. Their diverse expertise in institutional, industrial, and financial sectors, as well as their deep knowledge of healthcare systems, will be crucial in realizing the reimbursement of OdySight (expected by the end of the year), our international expansion, particularly in the US, and the expansion of our solution to other indications in ophthalmology."

Anne-Aurelie Epis de Fleurian, Director of Public Affairs and Market Access

With a mixed public/private experience, Anne-Aurelie brings her mastery of political and institutional constraints and her expertise in building a successful market access strategy in France. She spent nearly 8 years at the Ministry of Health as deputy to the head of the health products department at the Directorate of Social Security, but she also negotiated the establishment of transitional coverage for medical devices when she was Market Access Director at Snitem. After participating in PM Elisabeth Borne's interministerial mission on the regulation of health products during the first 8 months of 2023, Anne-Aurelie joins Tilak to finalize and deploy the reimbursement strategy for OdySight.

Anne-Aurelie holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, a specialized master's degree in information systems management and technologies from Mines ParisTech and HEC Paris. For Anne-Aurelie Epis de Fleurian: "Few projects in digital health meet such a clear health need and present as many exciting features as Odysight. This highly promising innovation is fully part of the revolution in patient pathways enabled by telemonitoring for those with chronic diseases."

Benoit Gueugnon, Chief Administrative and Financial Officer

Benoit brings 10 years of experience in finance, including 6 years as Chief Administrative and Financial Officer of Quantum Genomics, a biotechnology company listed on the Euronext Growth market. Benoit has a deep understanding of the financing challenges faced by innovative companies, having contributed to raising over 40 million euros in several fundraising rounds. He has also developed expertise in signing international partnership agreements, particularly with pharmaceutical laboratories. He joins the management team to support them in their internal and external growth challenges.

A graduate of EM Normandie and the University of Portsmouth, Benoit holds a Master's degree in audit and corporate finance. For Benoit Gueugnon, CFO: "I would like to thank the management team as well as the investors of Tilak Healthcare (iBionext, Elaia, Swen Capital, Matmut, Caphorn, and Laboratoires Thea). I am delighted to join them at a key moment as the company moves towards the common reimbursement of Odysight. The last Serie B funding round of 10 million euros in 2023 reflects the hopes and confidence placed in Tilak's leaders and their teams."

Dr. Patricia Zilliox PhD, Independent Director of the Board of Directors

Dr. Patricia Zilliox, who holds a Ph.D and Doctorate in pharmacy, has devoted most of her career to the United States, acquiring over 25 years of expertise in ophthalmology. Before joining Tilak Healthcare's board of directors, she held the positions of President and CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Eyevensys. Based in Cambridge (MA), she successfully raised funds from American investors to develop gene therapy clinical programs in retinal diseases. Previously, she served as Chief Drug Development Officer at the Clinical Research Institute of the Foundation Fighting Blindness in the United States. Additionally, Dr. Zilliox served as Head of Clinical Development at Alcon Laboratories. Her diversified experience and in-depth knowledge of ophthalmology and the American financial environment will be essential assets in supporting the American market access for Odysight and in developing new digital health indications for chronic disease monitoring. For Dr. Patricia Zilliox: "I am impressed by Tilak Healthcare's journey, establishing itself as a leader in digital health in ophthalmology. Undoubtedly, these achievements and the quality of the team are undeniable assets for approaching the American market."

About Tilak Healthcare : http://www.tilakhealthcare.com/

19 march 2024 at 07:10

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Bed bugs on the move: New report names most infested cities across Canada





Toronto has ranked first on Orkin Canada's annual "bed buggiest" cities list, joining Paris, France in the global bed bug limelight

MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 19, 2024 /CNW/ - Orkin Canada has released its annual list of the top 25 "bed buggiest" cities in Canada, with Toronto claiming the top spot for the seventh year in a row.

Vancouver dropped from second to sixth place on this year's ranking, while Sudbury rose to second place and Oshawa to third. Winnipeg also cracked the top ten this year after placing eleventh in 2022, now ranking seventh across the country.

The top 10 bed bug ridden cities in Canada are:

Toronto Sudbury Oshawa Hamilton Ottawa Vancouver Winnipeg St. John's Sault Ste. Marie Scarborough

"As we've seen travel return to pre-pandemic levels, Canadians should be on guard for bed bugs, as these pests are extremely resilient and can hitchhike from place to place unnoticed and with ease," said Dr. Alice Sinia, an entomologist with Orkin Canada. "Known as expert hitchhikers, bed bugs cling to clothing, luggage and furniture to invade new spaces, stowing themselves in baseboards, electronics, bedding, wallpaper, wall hangings and sofas."

Following the Paris bed bug craze, Orkin Canada urges residents and tourists not to panic but to be vigilant and stay on the lookout for signs and traces of bed bugs in order to avoid infestations. While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are cryptic and excellent at hiding, making them difficult to control. Having a trained professional intervene at the first sight of a bed bug is highly recommended.

Orkin Canada's K9 team of detection dogs are trained to locate bed bugs with incredible accuracy. Available across Canada, the K9 team detects bed bugs and their eggs, dead or alive, signaling to their handlers for further inspection. For more information about bed bug prevention or the K9 program, see here .

The Orkin Canada bed bug list is compiled based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments performed by the company in 2023 (January 1 ? December 31). For a complete list of Canada's bed buggiest cities please download here for English and here for French.

About Orkin Canada

Orkin Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins, Inc. (NYSE:ROL) is Canada's largest pest control and environment services provider; leader in the development of fast, effective and environmentally responsible pest control solutions. One key program is the Home Pest Protection Program that provides customized pest control and prevention services to homeowners and property owners ensuring a pest free environment. Orkin Canada provides professional services to both residential and commercial clients from coast to coast. For more information and pest tips, visit www.orkincanada.ca, like www.facebook.com/OrkinCanada or subscribe to @Orkin.Canada on YouTube.

SOURCE Orkin Canada

19 march 2024 at 08:00

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IonQ and South Carolina Quantum Enter Strategic Agreement to Advance a Quantum Ecosystem in South Carolina





IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a leader in the quantum computing industry, today announced it has entered a strategic agreement with South Carolina Quantum (SC Quantum) to provide world-class quantum computing capabilities and professional services to SC Quantum partners, including academic institutions. As part of the agreement, IonQ and SC Quantum will partner to develop quantum-specific academic coursework for training future members of the quantum economy. SC Quantum will also partner with IonQ to accelerate the introduction of quantum technologies within enterprises, startups, and industries across South Carolina.

With today's announcement, SC Quantum becomes the latest U.S. state effort to partner with IonQ, joining other states like Maryland and Washington in recognizing the need for quantum skill sets across business, government, and academia. In 2023, South Carolina earmarked millions for SC Quantum to develop a quantum-focused workforce and build quantum-smart technologies in the state.

"SC Quantum's partnership with IonQ establishes a clear path for training and supporting the quantum workforce through academia and industry collaborations," said Peter Chapman, CEO and President of IonQ. "International interest in quantum computing has grown exponentially in recent years, driven by government-backed initiatives and support. Today's announcement signifies a momentous achievement in ensuring the United States ? through projects like SC Quantum ? maintains its leadership position in the quantum industry."

"It is becoming increasingly clear that quantum information science and quantum computing have the potential to directly impact every aspect of South Carolina's economy," said Joe Queenan, Executive Director of SC Quantum. "We believe this collaboration can inspire technical discoveries that transform our region's economy. Today's partnership between IonQ and SC Quantum ensures our state is offering the most dynamic and globally competitive destination for quantum discovery, education, and entrepreneurship.

Today's announcement is the latest in a series of regional and international developments for IonQ. This year, IonQ announced the opening of the first dedicated quantum manufacturing facility in the U.S., located in Seattle, Washington. In 2023, IonQ and the University of Maryland announced the grand opening of the National Quantum Laboratory (QLab) to provide people with access to the world's most powerful quantum computers. IonQ also announced an international partnership with QuantumBasel in Switzerland to establish a European quantum data center, in addition to signing Memorandum of Understandings with significant South Korean universities and institutions ? South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT (Information and Communications Technology), Sungkyunkwan University, and Seoul National University's Center for Quantum Information Science Education.

To learn more about how you can get started on an IonQ system today, please contact us directly at: https://ionq.com/get-ready.

About IonQ

IonQ, Inc. is a leader in quantum computing that delivers high-performance systems capable of solving the world's largest and most complex commercial and research use cases. IonQ's current generation quantum computer, IonQ Forte, is the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems, boasting 36 algorithmic qubits. The company's innovative technology and rapid growth were recognized in Fast Company's 2023 Next Big Things in Tech List and Deloitte's 2023 Technology Fast 500tm List, respectively. Available through all major cloud providers, IonQ is making quantum computing more accessible and impactful than ever before. Learn more at IonQ.com.

About SC Quantum

South Carolina Quantum (SC Quantum) was founded with the mission to champion the advancement of quantum talent and technology in South Carolina. State Senator Richard Harpootlian championed the effort, which resulted in the South Carolina Legislature authorizing a significant investment in the 2023-24 FY budget to support executing three pillars of SC Quantum: support workforce development (education), settling technologies (entrepreneurship), and convening experts (engagement) across the State of South Carolina.

IonQ Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Some of the forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words. Statements that are not historical in nature, including the words ``will," "believe," and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include those related to the company's technology driving commercial advantage in the future; the ability for third parties to implement IonQ's offerings to increase their quantum computing capabilities; the applicability of IonQ's quantum computing offerings to multiple use cases; the effect of increased availability of customer support functions; access to IonQ's quantum computers; the ability to test and execute quantum algorithms on IonQ's quantum computers; increases in algorithmic qubit achievement; the accuracy of quantum algorithms run on IonQ's quantum computers; the problems that can be solved by IonQ's quantum computers; and the scalability and reliability of IonQ's quantum computing offerings. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: changes in the competitive industries in which IonQ operates, including development of competing technologies; changes in laws and regulations affecting IonQ's business; IonQ's ability to implement its business plans, forecasts and other expectations, identify and realize partnerships and opportunities, and to engage new and existing customers. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's filings, including but not limited to those described in the "Risk Factors" section of IonQ's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents filed by IonQ from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and IonQ assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. IonQ does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

19 march 2024 at 08:05

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FLO Enables GM Plug and Charge on FLO DC Fast Chargers Across Canada





FLO's innovative technology simplifies the charging experience for GM EV drivers using their myBrand app (myChevrolet/myCadillac/ myGMC)

QUEBEC CITY, March 19, 2024 /CNW/ - FLO, a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and smart charging solutions provider, and General Motors are making the fast-charging experience easier for GM's EV drivers across Canada with the activation of Plug and Charge capability at all DC fast chargers on the FLO network across the country. All GM EV drivers are provided with access to GM's Plug and Charge, which is enabled by FLO's autocharge software. The feature allows GM EV drivers to begin a fast-charging session simply by plugging in their vehicle at one of FLO's fast charging stations across Canada. It eliminates the need to open a mobile app or tap a charging card.

Once an enabled GM EV is plugged into a FLO DC fast charger, FLO's technology automatically confirms identification, authorizes the charging session and activates billing without any additional action from the driver.

"FLO's innovative software technology that supports GM's Plug and Charge is just the latest step in FLO's mission to provide the best charging experience for EV drivers across North America," said Nathan Yang, FLO Chief Product Officer. "FLO's vertical integration and expertise with remotely updating software to add new features to the chargers on our network allows us to deliver a plug and charge experience that moves the fast-charging experience forward."

To use GM's Plug and Charge feature at a FLO charger, a GM EV driver links their FLO account with their myBrand App (myChevrolet/myCadillac/myGMC) and enables the Plug and Charge feature.

"GM's Plug and Charge enabled by FLO creates a simplified, seamless and consistent charging experience for GM EV drivers," said Mathew Palmer, Director, EV Ecosystems, GM Canada. "FLO continues to be a leader in EV charging, and our collaborations help to drive consumer EV adoption by improving functionality and expanding charging infrastructure."

*GM's Plug and Charge enabled by FLO's autocharge software works only with GM EVs and the Combined Charging System (CCS) connector.

FLO  is a registered trademark of Services FLO Inc.

About FLO

FLO is a leading North American electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator and a smart charging solutions provider. We overcome climate change and accelerate EV adoption through a vertically integrated business model and by delivering EV drivers the best charging experience from curbside to countryside. Every month, we enable more than 1.5 million charging events thanks to over 100,000 fast and level 2 EV charging stations deployed at public, private and residential locations. FLO operates its network across North America and our high-quality charging stations are assembled with care in Michigan and Quebec. To learn more about what "EV charging done righttm" means to us, visit flo.com.

SOURCE FLO

19 march 2024 at 09:00

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Vultr Expands AI Training and Inference Capacity in Singapore Through Partnership With Singtel





Vultr, the world's largest privately-held cloud computing platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Singtel to expand its capacity of NVIDIA GPUs in Singapore and across Southeast Asia. This partnership will support the development of AI factories for model training and inference using Vultr's cloud GPU platform, powered by NVIDIA, which will integrate with Singtel's Paragon platform to leverage Singtel's NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPU capacity in Singapore for Vultr's customer workloads. Vultr currently operates 32 cloud data center locations globally, including nine across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, and is a pioneer among independent cloud providers for provisioning NVIDIA accelerated infrastructure for AI training and inference workloads across Singapore, India, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.

Based in Singapore, Singtel is a leading communications technology group in Asia Pacific and Africa. Singtel has deepened its capabilities to capitalize on the opportunities brought about by digitalization ? including providing the core AI infrastructure necessary for businesses and governments through its patented Paragon platform, to effectively train and deploy AI models to transform commerce and societies.

Singtel is accelerating these efforts by building a network of sustainable, hyper-connected, AI-ready Nxera data centers in Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand with power density and liquid-cooling capabilities. These data centers are purpose-built to handle the largest AI workloads using advanced NVIDIA GPUs with high efficiency and low power usage effectiveness.

Vultr users will be able to deploy large-scale clusters of NVIDIA H100 GPUs in Vultr's Singapore region, powered by Singtel in Q3 2024.

"Vultr's unique footprint of 32 global locations makes us the partner of choice for enterprises and AI innovators with global AI infrastructure needs," said J.J. Kardwell, CEO of Vultr's parent company, Constant. "Singtel is delivering data centers built to support the power and cooling requirements of the GPUs of the future. Our partnership with Singtel will provide the region with unprecedented access to NVIDIA's most advanced GPUs in some of the most efficient data centers in the world."

Bill Chang, CEO of Singtel's Digital InfraCo unit and Nxera regional data center business, said, "Both Singtel and Vultr aim to make high-performance computing accessible and affordable for enterprises. This partnership will help foster productivity and innovation at scale without customers having to worry about procuring and managing their own infrastructure of GPUs, data centers, and networks. This collaboration will enable Vultr's customers to leverage the power of Singtel's GPU cloud through the integration between Vultr's cloud GPU platform and Singtel's Paragon platform ? all powered by NVIDIA."

Vultr has a long history of partnering with leading telecommunications providers, including a strategic relationship with Airtel in India. More information about Vultr's work to transform telecommunications with global access to AI infrastructure can be found here. To learn more about Vultr's cloud GPU offerings powered by NVIDIA, contact sales or meet the Vultr team in person at the NVIDIA GTC global AI conference at booth #1124.

About Constant and Vultr

Constant, the creator and parent company of Vultr, aims to make high-performance cloud computing easy to use, affordable, and locally accessible for businesses and developers worldwide. Vultr has served over 1.5 million customers across 185 countries with flexible, scalable, global Cloud Compute, Cloud GPU, Bare Metal, and Cloud Storage solutions. Founded by David Aninowsky and completely bootstrapped, Vultr has become the world's largest privately-held cloud computing company without raising equity financing. Learn more at: www.vultr.com.

About Singtel

Singtel is Asia's leading communications technology group, providing a portfolio of services from next-generation communication, 5G and technology services to infotainment to both consumers and businesses. The Group has presence in Asia, Australia and Africa and reaches over 760 million mobile customers in 21 countries. Its infrastructure and technology services for businesses span 21 countries, with more than 428 direct points of presence in 362 cities.

For consumers, Singtel delivers a complete and integrated suite of services, including mobile, broadband and TV. For businesses, Singtel offers a complementary array of workforce mobility solutions, data hosting, cloud, network infrastructure, analytics and cyber security capabilities.

Singtel is dedicated to continuous innovation, harnessing technology to create new and exciting customer experiences and shape a more sustainable, digital future.

For more information, visit www.singtel.com.

Follow us on Twitter / X at @SingtelNews.

19 march 2024 at 09:05

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Buffalo Lodging Associates Hires New Regional Director of Operations





Maura Peeler brings over 30 years of invaluable experience in the hospitality industry to her new role at Buffalo Lodging Associates. Previously, she served in various capacities at True North Hotel Group, showcasing her dedication and commitment over a remarkable 25-year tenure with the company.

CANTON, Mass., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --Buffalo Lodging Associates LLC, is proud to announce Maura Peeler as the new Regional Director of Operations. In her capacity, Peeler will assume responsibility for overseeing the operations of the New England region, representing both Marriott and Hilton brands. She will be stationed at Buffalo Lodging's corporate office located in Canton, Massachusetts.

"We are thrilled to welcome Maura to our team," stated Chad Finch , President of Buffalo Lodging Associates. "Her extensive operational expertise and proven ability to drive value make her an invaluable addition."

Ms. Peeler brings over 30 years of invaluable experience in the hospitality industry to her new role at Buffalo Lodging Associates. Previously, she served in various capacities at True North Hotel Group, showcasing her dedication and commitment over a remarkable 25-year tenure with the company. Most recently, she held the esteemed position of Regional Vice President of Operations, where she played a pivotal role in leading high-performing teams, navigating through organizational changes, and spearheading the implementation of efficient systems and processes across properties operating under both the Marriott and Hilton brands.

Her journey into management roles commenced in 2000 with True North Hotel Group, where she embarked on her career as a General Manager. Notably, she was appointed as the General Manager of the SpringHill Suites by Marriott located in Overland Park, Kansas. In this pivotal role, she showcased her leadership abilities and set the stage for her subsequent successes in the hospitality industry. In 2004, her expertise and meticulous attention to detail made her the standout candidate for the General Manager position at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Devens Common Center in Massachusetts. With her exceptional skills, she was entrusted with overseeing the operations of the 20,000 square foot conference center and hotel, ensuring smooth functions, and providing guests with unparalleled experiences.

Her outstanding leadership qualities were acknowledged by Marriott International, who honored her with the prestigious title of 2005 Opening General Manager of the Year for the SpringHill Suites brand. This recognition is a testament to her exceptional management skills and dedication to excellence in the hospitality industry. Additionally, being honored with the Diamond General Manager and General Manager of the Year awards in 2008 further solidifies her reputation as a distinguished leader within the SpringHill brand.

"We are thrilled to welcome Maura to our team," stated Chad Finch, President of Buffalo Lodging Associates. "Her extensive operational expertise and proven ability to drive value make her an invaluable addition. I am confident that Maura will excel in her new role within our organization, empowering our Buffalo Lodging team to achieve maximum performance and foster growth."

Peeler holds a bachelor's degree in hospitality sales and meeting management from Johnson & Wales University in RI. She resides in Grafton, Massachusetts. Outside of work, Peeler finds joy in spending time with her two teenage sons, actively participating in and supporting their various sporting events.

About Buffalo Lodging Associates, LLC

Buffalo Lodging Associates is a community of welcoming, committed, and passionate associates driven to provide a best-in-class hospitality experience and operational excellence. We are at our best when our associates thrive within their community while simultaneously growing professionally and personally. Buffalo Lodging Associates, in partnership with Benderson Properties, LLC, owns and operates hotels New York, New England, New Jersey, Ohio, Florida, and Ontario. The substantial achievements of our hotels can be attributed to maintaining the highest level of product quality through development, technology, and interior design, as well as having well-trained, courteous, and dedicated employees who understand and provide exceptional customer service. For more information about Buffalo Lodging Associates' company culture or hotels, please visit http://www.buffalolodging.com.

Media Contact

Connie Roberts, Buffalo Lodging Associates, 7168789319, [email protected], www.buffalolodging.com

SOURCE Buffalo Lodging Associates

19 march 2024 at 10:00

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CED Provides Plan to Restore Confidence in America's Elections





NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Committee for Economic Development (CED), the public policy center of The Conference Board, has issued a new Solutions Brief, Secure, Credible, and Accessible 2024 Elections, which offers a series of recommendations to ensure that the 2024 election restores confidence in the nation's most fundamental democratic process.

The Solutions Brief?the latest in CED's Sustaining Capitalism series?comes as confidence in America's elections is still recovering from the lows of 2020. This year's election, however, is the first in which generative AI is widely available. The growing popularity of this technology, along with the rise of social media as a news source, offers greater opportunities for bad actors to spread disinformation. Aging voting machines and software also leave the US election system vulnerable.

As the Solutions Brief emphasizes, conducting an election that is secure, credible, and accessible not only ensures public trust in elections but also positions the US as a global beacon of democracy.

"Business leaders, as trusted members of their communities, have a key role in strengthening civic engagement and building resistance to disinformation," said John Gardner, Vice President, Public Policy at CED. "Both policymakers and private sector leaders must act now to ensure that the 2024 election is secure, credible, and accessible."

Key Recommendations

Secure our elections and rebuild trust in the elections process.

Policymakers and business leaders should set guardrails for the use of AI in campaigns.

All voting machines should produce a paper record to give voters confidence that the vote they cast is the vote recorded and to assist with recounts.

To speed the announcement of results, ballots received before Election Day should be counted before Election Day, with pre-counted results confidential until Election Day.

All wireless components in voting systems should be prohibited.

Election administrators should conduct rigorous testing of voting infrastructure for security risks and publish results to build public trust.

Federal funding for election security should be robust and keep pace with threat levels.

States should be held accountable in the maintenance of voter registration lists.

Make voting more accessible.

States should offer at least 10 days of early voting, including weekend and evening hours.

States should encourage the option to vote by mail to increase access and reduce crowding at the polls. This is especially important for those who live far from the polls.

States should implement best practices regarding ballots and mail-in envelope design, as well as develop clear guidelines on handling ballots returned because of errors.

Commit to bipartisan/nonpartisan administration of elections and the safety of election workers.

Implement widespread poll monitoring on a bipartisan/nonpartisan basis.

States should provide maximum protections for election administrators and increase penalties for harassment.

Information on how to report threats to election workers should be provided.

Business leaders should serve as a resource for trustworthy information on the voting process.

Business leaders should use their voice to speak on the importance of voting in building a strong civil society and ensuring economic prosperity.

Business leaders should share trusted information on local voting processes such as registration deadlines and options for early and mail-in voting with their employees.

Business leaders should encourage their employees to serve as poll workers.

Increase public-private collaboration in building resistance to disinformation.

Business leaders and government should collaborate to understand how the public interprets AI-generated media.

Business leaders, working with Congress, should help enable voters to identify mis- and disinformation, including sharing best practices in identifying synthetic media.

CED is offering an outline of a toolkit to assist in this process.

The framework includes an explanation about why it is important for business to reach out to employees, along with draft language to consider.

Offer information on polling places and times to build resistance to misinformation and disinformation regarding election procedures.

Offer accurate information on early, dropbox, and mail-in voting options.

Offer encouragement to employees to serve as poll workers.

Leverage CISA's online Election Security Rumor vs. Reality resource, which addresses common disinformation narratives by providing accurate information related to elections, to build trust in voting infrastructure.

To combat the growing threat posed by deepfakes, business leaders may wish to include best practices in identifying synthetic media.

About The Conference Board

The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What's Aheadtm. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.ConferenceBoard.org

The Committee for Economic Development (CED) is the public policy center of The Conference Board. The nonprofit, nonpartisan, business-led organization delivers well-researched analysis and reasoned solutions in the nation's interest. CED Trustees are chief executive officers and key executives of leading US companies who bring their unique experience to address today's pressing policy issues. Collectively, they represent 30+ industries and over 4 million employees. https://www.conference-board.org/us/committee-economic-development

SOURCE Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED)

19 march 2024 at 11:33

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SmartCardia Strengthens U.S. Board With Addition of Veteran Cardiac Device Leader Ken Nelson





LAUSANNE, Switzerland, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartCardia, which recently received FDA clearance for its 7-lead real-time ECG monitoring patch and cloud platform, announced today the addition Ken Nelson to its U.S. Board of Directors to help advise the company on commercialization and overall strategy.

SmartCardia CEO, Srini Murali, noted "Ken has deep experience in the cardiac monitoring industry and an impressive track record. Over the course of his career, Ken built the commercial teams and successfully launched disruptive patch monitoring products for three of the leading players in cardiac digital health and remote patient monitoring: iRhythm, BioTelemetry and Bardy Diagnostics. He has worked with SmartCardia over the past year, and I am excited that he has now joined our team."

This addition to the SmartCardia team comes on top of the recent news that Dr. Jag Singh, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the former Clinical Director of the Cardiology Division and the Roman W. DeSanctis Endowed Chair in Cardiology at Mass General Hospital, has been named SmartCardia's Principal Medical Advisor.

"SmartCardia is disrupting the cardiac Digital Health and Remote Patient Monitoring space once again, with an AI enabled, 7-Lead ECG real-time cardiac monitoring system that has been launched commercially in several countries in Europe and India and is expanding globally in 2024. I am excited to be a part of this highly innovative company," noted Ken Nelson.

Ken comes with an impressive track record of success and is a leading global expert in the industry. He currently serves as partner in the Medtech Advantage Fund, which has an exclusive partnership with Medtech Innovator the largest MedTech and Digital Health startup accelerator globally, as well as being on the Health Tech Innovation Business Advisory Board for the American Heart Association. In addition, he serves as Chairman of the Board for CardiaCare, and is an active board member for HeartX, HeartBeam, Happitech, and a handful of other disruptive cardiac Digital Health and MedTech startups. Prior to all of this, he held a variety of roles in Finance, Sales and Sales Leadership at Guidant and then Boston Scientific post the acquisition of Guidant in their Cardiac Rhythm Management Division.

About SmartCardia:

SmartCardia is a leading provider of an integrated cloud platform and patch for cardiac and remote patient monitoring. Integrating accurate ECG and vital sign data with clinician cloud SaaS platform enables SmartCardia to provide actionable insights into patients' health. The solution provides excellent clinical, operational, and financial benefits to hospitals and patients globally.

SOURCE SmartCardia

19 march 2024 at 12:52

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Wines of Portugal Brings the 'Passport to Portugal' Wine Tasting Experience to San Francisco





Wine industry professionals and consumers are invited to explore Portuguese wines and culture on April 17, 2024 by way of various activations throughout the day

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Vinhos de Portugal (Wines of Portugal) celebrates the wines, gastronomy and culture of the region with the Passport to Portugal wine-tasting event, taking place on Wednesday, April 17th at One Market, San Francisco. The Passport to Portugal will be open to wine industry professionals during the day (11:00am - 4:00pm), and the experience will conclude with a consumer event from 6-9pm. Guests will have the opportunity to taste their way through 200+ wines.

Wine is an integral part of [Portuguese] culture, and this event will allow us the opportunity "to visit" the region through the uniqueness of their local varieties and dynamic wines that are produced.

Created in 2010, the Wines of Portugal brand is the result of a collective effort to see the unquestionable quality of Portuguese wines recognized internationally. With a long tradition of winemaking, Portugal is among the top 10 wine-producing countries thanks to the winemakers who take a creative, skilled and technical, yet also artistic, approach to winemaking. As a result of more than 250 grape varieties and varied terroirs & climatic conditions, Wines of Portugal offer a great diversity of wines with distinct personalities.

"The Passport of Portugal in San Francisco will be a remarkable event to show industry members and wine aficionados the variety of Portuguese internal terroirs, which makes Portugal a truly different world thanks to the unique and boundary-pushing winemakers," says Mr. Frederico Falcao, president of ViniPortugal. "We are excited for all to join us in this "voyage" where wines are matching with the richness of Portuguese gastronomy and culture."

The Passport to Portugal: Trade & Media Event

(11:00am - 12:00pm) The journey will begin with the Passport to Portugal Sommelier Battle, led by Wines of Portugal US Ambassador Eugenio Jardim and Co-Hosts & Sommeliers Peter Granoff and Danielle Kuzinich. Each sommelier will compete to see who presents their selections of wines, curated by Eugenio, with the most enthusiasm and expertise. Trade and media are encouraged to vote on their favorite presenter, as well as their favorite reds and whites that are featured. Eugenio Jardim will determine the winner to be crowned the official Passport to Portugal Sommelier, and they will win a cash prize.

Featured producers: Esporao, Falua ? Wines from Portugal , Enoport Wines, Quinta da Alorna Vinhos, Casa Relvas, Mouchao, Casa Ferreirinha ? Azevedo - Mateus, Quinta do Crasto, Blandy's - Madeira Wine Company

(12:00pm - 4:00pm) Industry professionals are invited to stamp their passports and visit some of the world's most interesting wine regions, such as Vinho Verde, Douro, Alentejo and Dao, through a walkaround tasting featuring 20 producers and 200+ wines and light bites inspired by Portuguese cuisine.

Attendees will receive a personalized passport book and be encouraged to visit as many regions and producer tables as time allows.

"The incredible attention that Portugal is receiving of late, as a travel destination, is a great testament to the beauty of the country, as well as to the complexities of Portuguese culture. Wine is an integral part of this culture, and this event will allow us the opportunity "to visit" the region through the uniqueness of their local varieties and dynamic wines that are produced," adds Eugenio Jardim. "I am thrilled to be part of this 'Vinivoyage' through the eyes of two of San Francisco's top wine experts, Master Sommelier and Fine Wine Merchant Peter Granoff, and Restaurant/Wine Bar owner Danielle Kuzinich, highlighting the diversity of the terroir reflected in these unique wines."

The Passport to Portugal: Consumer Event

The Passport to Portugal wine-tasting experience will culminate with an exclusive consumer event (6:00 - 9:00 pm) that'll take guests on a gastronomic journey through the region. In addition to the wines consumers will have access to, they will also be able to explore Portuguese brands and bites including:

Uma Casa: This Portuguese restaurant is located in San Francisco's Noe Valley neighborhood and features a Portuguese-focused wine list, creative cocktails, and traditional dishes. Chef Telmo's Portuguese menu is inspired and approachable with an eye toward traditional old-world flavors and a nod to local California cuisine.

neighborhood and features a Portuguese-focused wine list, creative cocktails, and traditional dishes. Chef Telmo's Portuguese menu is inspired and approachable with an eye toward traditional old-world flavors and a nod to local cuisine. Forever Cheese: The premier importer of exceptional cheeses and specialty foods from Portugal , Forever Cheese has been committed for over 25 years to setting the highest standard in the industry when it comes to product quality.

, Forever Cheese has been committed for over 25 years to setting the highest standard in the industry when it comes to product quality. Gonsalves Foods: The Henry Gonsalves Company was founded by Henry Gonsalves in 1948 with the mission of delivering the great flavors of Portugal to a growing Portuguese community here in America. They offer a wide selection of authentic Portuguese foods from olive oil and hot sauces, to tinned fish and sweet snacks.

Wines of Portugal will be donating a portion of the consumer event proceeds to La Cocina SF, whose mission is to cultivate low-income food entrepreneurs as they formalize and grow their businesses. La Cocina supports businesses by providing an affordable commercial kitchen space, industry-specific technical assistance, and access to market opportunities, with a focus primarily on providing resources to women from communities of color and immigrant communities.

Throughout the day, a Wine.com booth will be available for anyone interested in purchasing select Portuguese wines that are available in their market. If purchased on-site, guests will have access to the special pricing for wines they tasted during the Passport to Portugal. For more information about the event, or to register, please contact [email protected].

About Wines of Portugal

Vinhos de Portugal (Wines of Portugal) was launched in 2010 as a result of a collaborative exercise by the whole of the Portuguese wine industry and its representatives, and it is a new, dynamic take on wine promotion. Wines of Portugal brand is managed by ViniPortugal, a trade association whose aim is to set Portugal as the next hot spot in the international wine scene. Wines of Portugal provides strategic support to the Portuguese wine sector, bringing together organizations representing trade (ANCEVE and ACIBEV), production (FENAVI and FEVIPOR), cooperative wineries (FENADEGAS), distillers (AND), farmers (CAP), demarcated regions (ANDOVI) and government bodies (IVV).

Media Contact

Amanda Torres, Colangelo & Partners, -646-624-2885, [email protected]

SOURCE Wines of Portugal

19 march 2024 at 13:00

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Sun Life U.S. now offers Family Leave Insurance in Florida to help more workers access paid leave benefits to care for loved ones





WELLESLEY, Mass., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S. has expanded its Family Leave Insurance (FLI) offering to Florida, with more states on the way. Sun Life currently offers FLI in Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas. The fully insured offering broadens workers' access to paid leave, giving more employers the option to provide a valuable benefit to their employees more easily. Sun Life has long been an advocate for paid leave, working with state programs to include a private option and supporting the recent legislative proposal from Senators Deb Fischer and Angus King to expand access to the employer paid leave tax credit. Sun Life FLI aligns with the current tax credit and will align with changes in the future.

"We believe every worker in this country should have the option to take paid leave, and no one should have to choose between their job and caring for a loved one," said David Healy, president, Group Benefits, Sun Life U.S. "While the Family and Medical Leave Act provides unpaid leave up to 12 weeks, many employees have the difficult decision of whether they can afford to take time off to address their needs. Employers in Florida can choose to offer paid family leave benefits to their employees, who will have the ability to care for a loved one when necessary and return to work less stressed, and ready to be productive."

Built on decades of industry experience and expertise on leave, absence management, and return-to-work models, Sun Life FLI fills a substantial benefits gap for employers in states without government programs. Sun Life FLI is offered as fully insured coverage, helping small and mid-size employers offer the benefit without the risk of self-funding.

"In addition to giving workers access to paid leave, FLI gives employers a powerful tool for talent recruitment and retention, as more often, workers seek out a robust benefits offering when considering jobs," said Sheila Sokolski, assistant vice president, Product and Marketing, Sun Life U.S. "We are pleased to expand this benefit in more states, which will also contribute to their economic growth."

With Sun Life FLI, employees get the benefit of Sun Life's online claims submission, and employers can track employees' leave details, supporting overall health and productivity management.

Sun Life FLI is available for quoting in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee and Texas on April 1, with additional states expected to approve filing in the coming months. For more information visit https://www.sunlife.com/us/en/employers/products-and-services/family-leave-insurance/.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of December 31, 2023, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.40 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping more than 50 million Americans access the healthcare and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,300 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

Media contacts

Devon Fernald

Sun Life U.S.

[email protected]

781-800-3609

Anjie Coplin

Sun Life U.S.

[email protected]

214-549-1553

Connect with Sun Life U.S.

https://www.facebook.com/SLFUnitedStates

https://www.linkedin.com/company/sun-life-financial

SOURCE Sun Life U.S.

19 march 2024 at 14:24

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Unishippers Ranked #1 in Shipping Services and Among the Top Overall Franchises





DALLAS, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Unishippers, one of the nation's only full-service third-party logistics (3PL) providers, once again has been recognized as one of the top 500 franchises and number one in the Shipping Services category in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. For 45 years, the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500 has been a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry and recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees. The 2024 Franchise 500 ranks Unishippers as a top franchise for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability and brand power.

"Unishippers provides professionals with a franchise opportunity that gives them a work-life balance that is defined by them, along with unlimited earning potential in the growing logistics industry," Dustin Wesley, Senior Vice President of WWEX Group Partner Channel, said. "Our franchise model differentiates itself by going the extra mile, offering extensive and ongoing training, innovative technology, a world class carrier network and comprehensive shipping tools and resources that help them grow. It's a privilege to be recognized in the Entrepreneur rankings. It's a testament to our commitment to make Unishippers a premiere place for sales professionals to start a business."

For more than 30 years, Unishippers has been the trusted shipping advisor for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) across the country and offers a comprehensive portfolio of freight (LTL, FTL and specialty options) and small package services. Its 200+ franchises specialize in helping SMBs find affordable solutions for every shipping challenge ? from evaluating and streamlining supply chains to selecting the right transportation type and everything in between.

Unishippers is part of WWEX Group alongside Worldwide Express and GlobalTranz. Combined, these three brands make up one of the largest, multi-modal 3PLs in the industry, providing shippers with top solutions, state-of-the art technology and shipping expertise to help them succeed.

"Every brand on the Franchise 500 has its own unique story, but they all collectively make the same statement: Franchising is strong and resilient, is full of innovation and opportunity, and provides a powerful entrepreneurial path for many people," says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. "Our 45th annual ranking is full of companies with fresh ideas, exciting business models, cultural sway, and the kind of business sophistication that will define the next 45 years and beyond."

In Entrepreneur's continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company's ranking formula continues to evolve as well. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranked order.

Over its 45 years in existence, the Franchise 500 has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Unishippers' position in the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

To learn more about franchise opportunities at Unishippers, please visit www.unishippersfranchise.com.

About WWEX Group

The WWEX Group family of brands, which comprises Worldwide Express, GlobalTranz and Unishippers, offers full-service logistics expertise to more than 125,000+ customers across the country while helping move more than 48 million+ shipments per year. With access to industry-leading small package, truckload, less-than-truckload and managed transportation solutions, its customers benefit from enhanced visibility and value for their supply chains. The company is the second-largest privately held freight brokerage and largest non-retail UPS Authorized Reseller in the U.S., with 2023 annual systemwide revenue exceeding $4.02 billion through a network of company-owned, franchise and agent locations. A highly selective carrier portfolio, proprietary technology, unique data assets and business intelligence capabilities provide clients with unmatched options and flexibility to meet their shipping needs. To learn more about WWEX Group, visit www.wwexgroup.com.

SOURCE Unishippers

19 march 2024 at 16:55

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SeVERIN MILLET

For several weeks, the French government had been suggesting that the law defining rape would not be changed, but the debate on the issue has suddenly picked up speed. On Friday, March 8, during the ceremony to formally enact the constitutional amendment adding the freedom of abortion to the Constitution, President Emmanuel Macron declared that he would "inscribe in French law" the notion of consent.

A few days earlier, in Le Figaro Madame, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti made a similar pledge, albeit less definitively. "On the subject of rape, my goal is to continually improve our tools, including legal ones. So, while I call for caution when it comes to the criminal code  which is normal given my role as justice minister  I'm not ruling out any consideration of the question of rape's definition," he said.

Rape is a major and common crime that is rarely or poorly prosecuted. According to the French Justice Ministry's statistics, however, the number of rape convictions has been on the rise since 2017. There were 960 rape convictions that year, compared with 1,260 in 2022. That equates to an increase of 30%.

Is the low level of prosecution of rape a legal problem due to an article of the law  written just over 40 years  that deserves to be strengthened, or a more operational challenge that could be improved by allocating more resources and better training to investigators and judges? At the European Union level, legislative options have been encouraged.

In its initial draft, presented on March 8, 2022, the European Commission proposed that the "crime of rape" rely on the condition that the victim had "not consented to the sexual act." Surprisingly, France was one of the member states (along with Germany, the Netherlands and Hungary) opposed to a Europe-wide definition of rape based on the notion of consent, which led the European Union (EU) to eventually give up on the idea.

Read more Subscribers only France opposes draft EU-wide definition of rape

A thorny and volatile subject

The Justice Ministry denied having changed its mind: "These are two different issues. As far as the debate at the European level is concerned, it's an issue that was exploited by some during the European elections campaign [notably by left-wing Parti Socialiste lead candidate Raphael Glucksmann], and we didn't want to get dragged into it, especially as the EU does not have the authority to define the crime of rape. The gravity of the issue requires us to take it seriously, and we have stuck to the same position. Regarding the definition of rape, the minister has always said that he is willing to improve all tools, including legal ones. In fact, this is what he did in 2021 with the Billon Law, which led to a major breakthrough by adding that a minor under the age of 15 cannot consent to a sexual act with an adult. And also by adding a sliding scale for statutes of limitations, which made it possible to prosecute certain statute-barred rapes when they were committed serially and one of them was not statute-barred."

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Find all the letters from our correspondents here.LETTER FROM BENELUX

Conner Rousseau at a press conference in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, October 4, 2023. NICOLAS MAETERLINCK / BELGA VIA AFP

The case was supposed to be settled through dialogue and an apology, according to a decision by the West Flanders public prosecutor's office. Conner Rousseau, then president of Vooruit, the Flemish Socialist party, therefore avoided a trial that would undoubtedly have punished him for remarks he had made about the Roma, in September 2023, during an evening of drinking. He referred to them as "brown men" whom only "the more frequent use of police batons" could force into "respect." This came as a surprise to the police in Sint-Niklaas, who were called in to quell the nighttime disturbance caused by the handsome hunk of Belgian politics.

Once the incident was made public, the man the press had dubbed "King Connah" became "Zatte Conner"  Conner the drunk  a generic name now applied to all those who can no longer control their words when drunk. Rousseau resigned as his party's president in November.

The ambitious young man  who became president of Vooruit at the age of 26 in 2019 and once answered "Why not?" when asked about the possibility of one day becoming head of government  was forced by the courts to visit a Holocaust memorial, undergo therapy to gauge the meaning of his words and engage in dialogue with the Roma community.

Read more Subscribers only The fall of Conner Rousseau, the president of Belgium's Flemish Socialists

The problem is that Kham, the country's main Roma association, has decided to withdraw from the proceedings. It will not accept an apology as it does not know the full details of what Rousseau said on the night his career went off the rails. For the time being, the courts are refusing to release the full case file, and are not commenting on the possibility of a criminal trial, as the proposed mediation is clearly doomed to failure.

'I'm not a robot'

In any case, the incident reopened the question of the relationship between Belgian politicians and alcohol. It's a vast subject that the famous national sense of humor has always played down, despite the countless tragi-comic episodes involving leading politicians.

In August 2023, Theo Francken, a former junior secretary, was filmed urinating on a street in the center of Brussels. "I'm just a man, with gifts and faults; I work hard. Those who don't like me can vote for someone else," he said to justify his behavior. As if echoing Rousseau's own words, he confessed: "I'm not a robot."

In September of the same year, the justice minister, Vincent Van Quickenborne, talked his way out of the now-famous "Peepeegate": Yes, some of his guests, who had been drinking a lot of beer, had indeed had fun urinating on  and into?  a police van parked outside his home. But what about him, seen gesticulating on a surveillance camera? He wasn't relieving himself but playing air guitar, swore the heavy metal fan. He was given the benefit of the doubt. The cameras were too far from the scene to distinguish between a musical performance and an episode of incontinence.

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Overcrowded emergency departments (EDs) result in adverse consequences for both patients and staff. A Royal College of Emergency Physicians UK report in 2021 states that overcrowding leads to an increase in misdiagnoses and medical errors.

It estimates that if 67 patients stay 8 to 12 hours in an ED department, one patient will experience avoidable harm. This and other international reports indicate that patient mortality rises with overcrowding.

Sixteen-year-old Aoife Johnston died as a result of meningitis and sepsis at UHL in December 2022 and is reported to have been in the ED for 12 to 16 hours before appropriate treatment.

The Royal College and other international bodies have elucidated the causes of overcrowding in ED departments some of the more important ones include the following.

First, and the most important, is inadequate hospital bed capacity. In 2021, an ESRI report stated that Ireland had the lowest number of inpatient beds per capita in the OECD and Europe.

A 2008 HSE expert report on hospital services in the Limerick region by Horwarth Consulting and Teamwork Management Services advised that UHL would need 676 acute inpatient beds based on population trends that have since been exceeded and also recommended closure of the ED departments at Ennis and Nenagh.

In a HIQA report published in June 2022 following an unannounced inspection of UHL in March of that year, the number of beds at the hospital in 2020 was just 432, 244 short of that recommended.

98 beds were nonetheless added in late 2020 and early 2021 but this still meant the hospital was 147 beds short of that recommended 15 years earlier. More recently, a Deloitte report in September 2022 says the hospital will need an extra 302 beds by 2036.

In May 2023, the Minister for Health announced the accelerated delivery of a further 96 beds, a tacit acknowledgement of the failure by those ultimately responsible for our hospital system, our elected politicians, to resource and ensure the HSE rapidly implemented the recommendations made 15 years previously.

Second, high-bed occupancy rates are associated with overcrowding and hospital bed occupancy rates above 85% are associated with increased risk to patient safety and occupancy rates of 100% have been associated with increased mortality in Denmark.

UHL had occupancy rates of 109% in early 2023 and 105% in 2022 according to Deloitte.

Third, is closure of ED departments in a specific health region.

Those at Ennis and Nenagh were closed in April 2009 on the basis of the recommendations in the 2008 expert report, a decision that has exacerbated overcrowding at UHL.

The impact of overcrowding on ED staff is very significant. ED staff working in such conditions suffer moral distress, a psychological state manifested by unease resulting from professionals inability to provide the most appropriate care because they are constrained from doing so by the overcrowded departments.

Over a period of time, this may give rise to moral injury that leads to impaired function or longer-term psychological harm.

Some suffer burnout, a condition giving rise to depersonalisation, cynical or negative attitudes, emotional exhaustion, a feeling of decreased personal achievement and a lack of empathy for patients.

In addition, overcrowding leads to increased turnover of staff and is a major reason for staff reductions in emergency departments.

Both conditions were found in the HSE systems analysis report into the death of Aoife provided to Mr Bernard Gloster, CEO of the HSE in December 2023, on foot of which the CEO requested an independent investigation by Mr Frank Clarke, former Chief Justice into the circumstances surrounding Aoifes death.

Both Mr Gloster and the Minister for Health have expressed a desire to have accountability and justice for the family which indeed the family should receive.

A few comments arise regarding the CEOs request for such an inquiry. First, according to the HSEs comprehensive 116-page guidance on incident management and systems analysis in October 2020, all factors that give rise to an error in the care of a patient are assessed, including active failures on behalf of individuals but also system factors, referred to as latent conditions such as overcrowding which contribute to active failures.

It states, if latent conditions are not dealt with then preventing future errors will not be satisfactorily achieved. These recommendations are similar to international guidance from the Institute of Medicine in the US in 2000.

Secondly, the systems analysis report which triggered the independent investigation will have identified individuals responsible for Aoifes care and allowed discovery of system weaknesses that may have contributed to her death.

The guidance is so comprehensive that a question as to the necessity for the inquiry arises. Third, the terms of reference include the possibility that the evidence gathered during the inquiry can be used in legal claims, which might suggest a focus for the inquiry on individual accountability and not on system failures as recommended by national and international reports on healthcare safety.

READ MORE: Social Democrats reveal candidate in race to be first directly elected mayor of Limerick

In these circumstances, one may well ask who is responsible for the overcrowding at UHL given the delays in the much-needed beds?

Will the HSE, government departments and politicians in Leinster House be held in part accountable for this state of affairs? The Taoiseachs enquiry in 2022 as to whether Aoifes death was preventable may be in the affirmative if UHL's ED had not been overcrowded.

One sincerely hopes that Aoifes family will receive accountability and justice from this inquiry into the tragic death of their loved one.

It is hoped that the inquiry may also in some way hold our politicians, government departments and the HSE accountable for the inadequate infrastructure in UHL and indeed make reference in general to the less than ideal infrastructural state of our public hospitals and their ED departments.

Dr John Barton is a consultant cardiologist based in Galway
MAYOR of Limerick City and County, Cllr Gerald Mitchell has issued a rallying call to schools, residents, businesses, and community groups to register for this years Team Limerick Clean-up (TLC).

On Good Friday, March 29, Limerick will once again unite for the event dedicated to sprucing up streets, parks, and neighbourhoods.

TLC9 is an opportunity to improve the appearance of Limerick city and county while instilling a lasting commitment to cleanliness in our daily lives.

Mayor Mitchell underscores the significance of sustained community involvement, stating: Team Limerick Clean-up is unique to us here in Limerick and from its inception, it has been widely embraced, garnering community support and nurturing a sense of unity and responsibility toward our environment.

READ MORE: PICTURES: World Book Day celebrations at Limerick school

TLC is not confined to a single day; it embodies our collective dedication to preserving the beauty and cleanliness of our city and county. It is a grassroots community endeavour helping to foster civic pride and environmental responsibility, Mr Mitchell added.

TLC is sponsored by the JP McManus Benevolent Fund in collaboration with Limerick City and County Council and Mr Binman. It is spearheaded by Paul OConnell. It is Irelands largest one-day clean up event.

Last year, over 21,500 volunteers took part in TLC8. This was made up of 568 groups, including 85 schools and 56 businesses. You can register for the event on www.teamlimerickcleanup.ie.
In a surprise move, the government brought in a new EV policy on Friday slashing import duties on electric cars to 15% just before the Model Code of Conduct came into force. Mint looks at how it can potentially change the dynamics of the industry in the country.

What is the new EV policy?

The new policy slashes the import duty on electric cars in India that cost over $35,000 ( 29 lakh) from the current 70-110% to 15% for five years but comes with a number of caveats. The reduced tariff is valid only for 8,000 cars per year and can be availed only if companies make an investment of 4,150 crore or $500 million towards setting up a factory within three years. There is also a clause on domestic value addition 30% domestic value addition within three years going up to 50% by the fifth year. The duty foregone on the import of vehicles is limited to the investment made or 6,484 crore (whichever is lower).

How does it benefit Tesla?

Tesla has been complaining about Indias high import duty tariff regime and lobbying for a time-bound relaxation for it to test the market. The policy allows for that provided Elon Musk is ready to commit to making significant investments in Indiaa key demand from the government. The policy satisfies both sides. With its existing portfolio, Tesla is unlikely to achieve significant volumes in India to justify setting up a factory but it is planning to develop an affordable platform for a $25,000 ( 21 lakh) car for emerging markets using India as a hub. This policy is tailormade for that strategy.

Will it also result in an influx of Chinese companies?

Chinese firms led by BYD, which overtook Tesla as the global leader in EVs in 2023, are looking closely at India. The policy makes no mention of it but though FDI in automobiles is under the automatic route, any investment from China requires an approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs. With that in place, Chinese firms do not stand to benefit from this policy.

Isnt it unfair to existing players?

The new policy puts the German troika of Mercedes Benz, BMW and Audi that lead the luxury car market in India in a spot as it does not account for past investments so they dont stand to benefit from it, even as cheaper Teslas could potentially hit their business. In 2023, EVs formed 6% of volumes in the luxury car segment and Tesla can immediately expand and disrupt it. Unlike Tesla, the others dont have plans of producing a cheaper car, so even if they fast-track future investments they are likely to struggle to make the cut.

Will it hit the component sector?

It is unlikely. The policy mandates setting up a local factory with steep indigenization targets. The investments required to avail the 8,000 unit per annum import is large and means more cars will be produced locally after three years. The local component industry possibly stands to gain the most as Tesla and anybody else who comes in will have to work with them to set up their manufacturing units. This will also result in a significant step-up in R&D for local ancillary players and open-up possibilities of export business.




Democracy farce.Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

(Xinhua) -- Since 2021, the United States has convened the "Summit for Democracy" twice, with its third installment taking place in Seoul from March 18 to 20.

Ostensibly claiming to "combat authoritarianism" and "support human rights," the summit triggers questions about the credentials, intention and ability of certain countries to lead such a global initiative.

Democracy, in its essence, is not just a political mechanism but also a broader cultural practice that respects diversity and encourages ideological pluralism. It is about finding unity through dialogue and exchanges. However, the domestic and international actions of some big Western powers often mirror the very authoritarian behaviors they claim to oppose.

The Western democratic system shows signs of strain. Domestically, it grapples with deepening social divisions and a disconnect from public concerns, suggesting a systemic malfunction. The chaos in some Western countries highlight the fragility of their democracy and the severity of political polarization.

Internationally, some actions often betray a hegemonic impulse. Military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and economic sanctions against developing nations are perceived as endeavors to advance selfish interests under the guise of promoting democracy. Such actions have not fostered democratic growth but exacerbated political, economic, and social problems in these regions.

Therefore, the "Summit for Democracy" should be an opportunity for introspection and problem-solving, rather than ignoring the challenges within Western democracies. As the Summit unfolds, it's imperative to recognize that democracy cannot be confined to a single model or used as a geopolitical tool. Authentic democracy thrives on respect for diverse cultures and political systems, and genuine international cooperation and dialogue.

Instead of labeling others as "authoritarian," it is imperative for certain countries to objectively assess their own democratic practices and focus on developing effective and inclusive democracies globally.
Trading in the financial markets was originally a domain dominated by institutional giants. However, over the past decade, the Indian bourses have been recording rising retail trader activity. The momentum has been particularly high in the last 5 years or so because individual trader participation in the F&O segment alone grew by over 500% from FY19 to FY22. Additionally, in 2023, the F&O market recorded over 85 billion trades in options contracts from Indian traders  which is significantly more than the volume in any other global market. Most analysts and experts view this as an optimistic sign. After all, increased individual investor activity in the markets  particularly in volatile segments like the options and futures market  may indicate more disposable capital in the hands of the average Indian trader. However, a parallel narrative runs alongside this favourable development  where traders are often perceived (and misunderstood) as gamblers who are only looking for an opportunity to earn a quick buck. This may be true for a small margin of traders, who are mostly beginners with little to no awareness of the science behind stock and security trading. But for the vast majority of traders who are committed to the practice of studying the markets and making calculated transactions, this stigma is a cross they have to unfairly bear.

What Drives the Misconception that Options Trading = Gambling

Options trading is frequently misunderstood by the general public, and this perception stems from a variety of reasons. Primarily, the complex nature of options and the high volatility associated with them can lead to quick, significant losses or gains.



Another factor is the short-term trading strategies often employed in options trading.



Nilesh Sharma, President & ED at SAMCO Securities, pinpoints other crucial factors driving such myths about the calculated science of options trading.



The terminology used in options trading also contributes to its gambling-like image. Terms such as betting, speculating, or playing the market are commonly used in trading circles. This language naturally evokes gambling connotations, making it easy for the uninitiated to draw parallels between the two activities.



It also doesnt help that the portrayal of options trading in media and popular culture often emphasises its most dramatic aspects  like overnight fortunes made or lost. This further reinforces the gambling stereotype. Such stories highlight the volatility and unpredictability of options trading without providing the context of careful research, risk management and strategy that successful traders employ."



While the reasons driving this false perception may be many, its impact on committed traders is singularly discouraging.



The Impact of This Misconception on Committed Traders

The growing stigma around trading in general (and options trading in particular) affects the morale and societal standing of those who trade professionally or full-time. Simply someone whos always sitting around at home, affect the individual self-esteem of traders and reflect the deep-seated scepticism around options trading.



This stigma also indicates that the uninformed often believe traders engage in reckless speculation without any real contribution to the economy or society. Such a view disregards the critical role traders play in financial markets  like enabling liquidity, facilitating price discovery, and promoting risk management. The constant battle against this stereotype challenges the professional identity of traders and can lead to a sense of isolation or disillusionment.



Moreover, the misperception of trading as a skilled profession hinders its recognition as a legitimate career. Many traders dedicate significant time to education, market analysis and strategy development. They employ sophisticated tools and models to make informed decisions. However, the narrative that reduces their work to mere chance diminishes the value of their skills and expertise.



The Myth vs the Truth: Trading is a Science and an Art

Contrary to the perception of traders as reckless speculators, options trading is both a science and an art. It requires a blend of analytical skills, rigorous discipline and data-driven insights. This duality is crucial for understanding the professional approach many traders in India and around the world adopt towards their craft.



The scientific aspect of trading is rooted in its reliance on quantitative analysis, statistical models and algorithmic strategies. Traders employ a variety of tools to analyse market data, financial trends and economic indicators. Additionally, traders also need to keep up with the economic developments around the world. These aspects bring to light the seriousness with which they approach their profession. It tells us that trading is a serious business.



Options BRO from SAMCO Securities Emerges as the Knight in Shining Armour

Amidst the rising stigma against short-term stock or options trading, SAMCO Securities has taken a stand for traders and launched a compelling film that pays a touching tribute to this community. The brand film takes us through a day in the life of a professional trader, the slights he has to endure from those in his social circle and the many misconceptions that even otherwise educated people seem to hold on to. The story also reveals the truth  rather, the hidden truth or the Andekha Sach  about what trading truly entails.



Speaking of this brand film and the tribute it attempts to pay traders, Nilesh Sharma shares his views on the need of the hour for active and interested traders.



Traders invest an immense amount of effort and skill to navigate the complexities of the market. Their aim is not just personal gain but securing a future where their families can attain significant milestones with greater ease. The journey of a trader is one of profound commitment, where each decision is a step towards creating a stable foundation for themselves and their loved ones.



At SAMCO, our goal is to empower traders in particular and the society at large to transcend the simplistic and erroneous narrative of trading as gambling. To this end, we are committed to providing traders access to sophisticated scientific and analytical tools. These resources are designed to empower our clients to make calculated, well-informed decisions."



To this end, the latest offering from SAMCO Securities is Options BRO, a revolutionary tool that SAMCO created to empower the trading community. Available free of cost to customers using the SAMCO trading app, this options strategy builder makes it easy for traders to build, research and optimise their trading strategies before entering the market. Whats more, traders can use different filters to sort through strategies based on the maximum profit or loss, probability of profit, risk-reward ratio and margin required.



Options BRO also factors in all essential technical indicators like delta, gamma, theta, vega, implied volatility and open interest, so the strategies suggested align with the traders market outlook and risk profile. This level of in-depth analysis is completed within just a few seconds, so traders can capitalise on market opportunities as and when they arise  all while employing strategies backed by real-time market data.



Ultimately, what Options BRO does is simple yet revolutionary. It takes data that is not always easily accessible to traders, analyses and evaluates them within record times and creates a framework of options trading strategies that can be customised to each traders risk-reward profile. It marks conscious and deliberate trading decisions driven by data and information.



By promoting awareness about this among traders and those who misjudge them, SAMCO Securities is steadily bringing the truth to light  one successful trader at a time.

About SAMCO Securities

SAMCO Securities was incorporated by Mr Jimeet Modi, Founder & CEO of SAMCO Group in 2015. As the countrys leading flat-fee brokerage and wealth-tech platform, SAMCO Securities provides retail investors access to sophisticated financial technology and makes their wealth-creation journey simple, informed, and cost-effective. SAMCO Securities' mission is to eliminate the existing challenges faced by traders and investors and democratise access to the wealth management process for every Indian. With customer centricity at SAMCOs core, we implement a quantitative approach to provide differentiated solutions that empower our customers in acing the capital markets.



SAMCO Securities is pioneering the stock market trading by introducing industry-first features like My Trade Story, Personal Index and Trade Spread Sheet to name a few under its CRP strategy.

Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same.

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Debt-laden Vodafone Idea will allot equity shares worth 1,440 crore from optionally convertible debentures, or OCDs, to ATC Telecom Infrastructure, the loss-making carrier told the Bombay Stock Exchange on Tuesday. ATC will hold 2.9% of the revised shareholding after conversion, the company told Mint .

As per the terms of the OCDs, on March 18, 2024, ATC has requested VIL for conversion of 14,400 OCDs amounting to 1,440 crore into 1.44 billion fully paid-up equity shares of face value of 10 each. VIL will take necessary actions to allot the equity shares to ATC pursuant to the conversion of the said OCDs, as per the terms of the OCDs," the carrier said in the exchange filing.

Vodafone Idea owes significant dues to vendors and tower services providers including ATC and Indus Towers, which the carrier is yet to clear. To be sure, ATC is exiting the Indian market.

The Aditya Birla Group company had issued OCDs amounting to 1,600 crore to ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Ltd (ATC) in October 2022, proceeds of which were used for payments of dues to ATC. The conversion price of 10, at the time of OCD issuance, was at a premium to the then prevailing market price of VIL share, the company said.

In August 2023, term of redemption of the first tranche of OCDs amounting to 800 crore was extended by 12 months.

The cash-strapped telco which is the third largest by subscribers is in the process of raising 45,000 crore including a 20,000 crore equity-based fund raise from existing investors.

A shareholder meet for the fund raise is expected to take place on 2 April, post which the operator expects to complete the equity fund raise by the end of the upcoming June quarter.

Following the equity fund raise, Vodafone-Idea will further look to raise the remaining amount as debt.

The carrier has been trying to raise funds since 2020. Funding is critical for Vodafone Ideas survival and growth in the capital-intensive Indian telecoms space, where rivals Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel have spent more than 1 trillion in rolling out 5G services in the country.

Vodafone Idea is yet to launch 5G services commercially, having bought the requisite spectrum in 2022. It completed the minimum rollout obligation in four circles. The management, which is set to undertake roadshows in Mumbai and Singapore, expects to garner 40% of revenue from the 5G business in 24-to-30 months, the company said in an investors presentation last week.

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When the pandemic raged in 2020, medical technology firm Hologic developed two Covid tests that became revenue juggernauts. Annual sales rose by about 50%, or nearly $2 billion.

Since then, demand for those products has dried up, capping a boom-and-bust cycle that played out at a range of companies over the past four years.

One thing never swung up or down at Hologic: the size of its full-time workforce.

Drawing a hard line on hiring that rankled some workers, Hologic has kept head count steady, at just under 7,000 employees, during a volatile stretch.

It is a management philosophy that stands out amid a steady drumbeat of job cuts. Companies from Microsoft and Amazon to UPS and Citigroup have conducted large-scale layoffs over the past year. Many firms, particularly in tech, say they overhired when business was booming and that some of the jobs they are cutting wont come back.

Even before Covid, we collectively had a philosophy that mass layoffs are a failure of leadership," said Karleen Oberton, Hologics chief financial officer.

That philosophy was fine-tuned during the pandemic as sales rose and then fell dramatically. Along with Covid tests, Hologic sells mammography machines, screening tests for sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancer, and other technologies focused on womens health.

At Marlborough, Mass.-based Hologic, managers are told to question the need for every new hire, redeploy positions to keep compensation budgets from growing, and find savings to offset staff additions.

When employees leave, positions arent necessarily backfilled. Instead, managers ask whether another part of the business needs the position more than the department losing it. And the company puts a tight focus on performance management, said Chief Executive Stephen MacMillan.

The simple question we ask everyone is, OK, you want to add someone, whats the least productive person on your team doing, and what if you instead replace the least productive person with this new person? Then it becomes headcount-neutral."

Companies often use layoffs to compensate for a reluctance to let go of workers who arent hitting the mark, said Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business.

Because theyre lazy about performance management, they see layoffs as a way to get rid of poor performers," he said.

The flip side of such extreme hiring discipline is it runs the risk of burning out existing staff. Some former employees have commented on the workplace review site Glassdoor that the company is understaffed and workers are spread thin.

There will always be people that feel theyre being asked to do more," MacMillan said. That raises two questions: Are they the best person for the job? Or do they have too much work? It can sound harsh but often your best performers keep stepping up and are willing to take on more."

Hologic managed burnout risk during Covid in part by turning to a tried-and-true method for adding staff while preserving flexibility: It called in temporary workers at its San Diego plant for manufacturing, packing and receiving roles to help make and ship more than 1.5 million tests a week at the peak. When demand dropped, Hologic was able to let go of those contractors without laying off permanent workers.

Big bonuses played a part, too. Production staff typically receive year-end bonuses in the low four figures. But in December 2020, the 550-odd workers at its San Diego plant, where Covid tests were made, received bonuses that were 10 to 15 times higher than usual. MacMillans bonus that year was $3.3 million. Executives pulled some money out of the management bonus pool to cover part of the increase, MacMillan said.

For nonmanufacturing roles, Hologic was able to make do with current staff, partly by redeploying people from sales, marketing and other teams whose departments were seeing a drop in business as women put off procedures such as mammograms and annual gynecological exams, Oberton said.

The company also looked for savings and efficiency in its operations to hold hiring steady, such as cutting down on emergency calls by using data analysis to predict when its customers would need maintenance calls for their Hologic equipment.

Avoiding large-scale layoffs has multiple benefits, many of them difficult to quantify, Cappelli said. When you have layoffs, everything stops," he said, as workers spend their time hunting for work and worrying about their job security.

The workforce does grow and shrink year to year, but thats largely a result of acquisitions and sales of business units. And the company is adding people where it feels it needs to invest, MacMillan said.

For example, with generative AI, we go in small with a couple of experts and then trust them to help build it out," he said. Were hiring people all the time both as replacements and into newer or expanding areas. I just think were doing it with a far more rigorous lens to it."

Meanwhile, Hologic is sitting on a pile of cash and equivalents that totaled $1.9 billion at the end of December 2023, with plans to use some of that money for acquisitions and to continue an aggressive path of share buybacks.

Write to Lauren Weber at Lauren.Weber@wsj.com
Those who win the lottery often spend the money unwisely. This is the risk UBS needs to keep in mind on the anniversary of its Credit Suisse windfall.

A year ago Tuesday, UBS said it would buy its embattled rival under the auspices of Swiss regulators, who wanted to end a banking panic. UBS ended up paying $3.6 billion in stock for a bank with an estimated tangible book value of $33 billioneven after write-downs, expected litigation costs and accounting adjustments. The odd skeleton still lurking in the closet probably wont stop this being remembered as the deal of the decade. Shares in UBS are up 64% since.

But one big question lingers: How will the merger change UBS? After all, the lender already had a strategy that the market liked: a focus on wealth management.

View Full Image Graphic: WSJ

Investors see this business as the holy grail in todays regulatory environment. It requires little capital to generate high returns, and the fees tend to be less volatile than investment-banking income. Morgan Stanley has become the highest-valued major bank in the world because 48% of its 2023 revenues came from wealth management.

UBS can boast an even higher figure: 52%. This strength comes from adversity in the global financial crisis, when it needed to be bailed out after daredevil efforts to expand investment-banking operations in the U.S. left it exposed to subprime real estate. Humbled, the bank returned to asset gathering, gearing its investment bank mostly toward fulfilling the needs of wealthy clients. It had shrunk to account for only about a quarter of company revenue before the merger.

Credit Suisse went the opposite way. With its investment bank relatively unscathed by the GFC, risk-management relaxed, bonuses exploded, scandals popped up and fines accumulated. On average in the three years before its demise, its investment bank still accounted for about 40% of total revenue, surpassing the more reliable wealth and asset management business.

View Full Image Graphic: WSJ

The memory of all this is why UBS now walks a tightrope in its postdeal strategy: It wants to use Credit Suisses operations to become the sixth largest investment bank in the U.S. Currently, it ranks number 25 in North America overall, according to Dealogic, but it has been adding senior dealmakers and expanding research coverage.

It isnt just Swiss banks that have failed to penetrate this market, where incumbents such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs reign supreme. Incursions by Deutsche Bank and HSBC also ended badly. Barclays is engaged in yet another strategic overhaul.

UBS executives have made it clear that this time will be different, with the investment bank kept on a tight leash. The point of expanding it is to establish a larger footprint in the U.S. that lowers costs and helps bring family offices onboard, thus keeping the spotlight on wealth management, UBS Chief Executive Officer Sergio Ermotti said at an investment conference last week.

I dont see any reason for us to go away from this kind of niche. Its quite unique," he said, referring to wealth management. We are willing to sacrifice growth short term."

UBSs culture of risk aversion does seem entrenched, but the path forward will be lined with temptations. Take the large number of U.S. firms that are now rolling over debt ahead of a maturity wall at the end of this year and the beginning of 2025. It is an attractive proposition for bankers willing to venture further into the financing game.

The UBS playbook remains clear, but it could still be hard to followparticularly since good fortune has a way of breeding complacency.

Write to Jon Sindreu at jon.sindreu@wsj.com
In a surprising turn of events, retail tycoon Kishore Biyani has made a 476-crore offer to lenders led by Canara Bank for a one-time settlement (OTS) of the 571 crore debt owed by Bansi Mall Management Co Pvt. Ltd. (BMMCPL), which owns the SOBO Central Mall in Mumbai.

According to a report by Economic Times, Biyani's offer comes just days after creditors had approved a 475-crore bid from Runwal Group through an auction process.

Biyani approached the Debts Recovery Tribunal (DRT) last week, challenging the lenders' decision and offering to settle the debt himself. "Biyani has been in touch with lenders but has become more active after this bid from Runwal was accepted by lenders. He has offered to now beat the Runwal bid and approached the court for the same. Lenders are now waiting for what the court says in a hearing slated for later this month," said a person privy to the offer, as quoted by Economic Times.

Livemint could not independently verify this new development.

Notably, lenders had already received 47.5 crore, or 10% of the bid amount, from Runwal Group last week. However, Biyani's plea in the DRT had temporarily halted the process. The Runwal Group declined to comment on the matter, the report added.

SOBO Central Mall, Mumbai's oldest mall with a total leasable area of 1,50,000 square feet, has faced challenges due to the emergence of new shopping destinations and the COVID-19 pandemic. The mall currently has only one tenant, a McDonald's joint, and a significant portion of its real estate was leased to Future Group companies, which themselves were facing financial distress, as per the report.

According to the report, Canara Bank and Punjab National Bank (PNB) are the primary lenders to BMMCPL. Canara Bank is the lead lender with 131 crore of outstanding loans, and PNB holds primary dues of 90 crore.

"Biyani's bid is backed by a large real estate and retail developer which probably sees potential in the development of this commercial property in South Mumbai. Since lenders already have a serious bidder in the queue, Biyani will have to put some cash on the table before his offer is considered serious enough," said a second person aware of the details, as quoted by Economic Times.

The report added that the lenders hope the four-storey commercial building's redevelopment potential will attract real estate investors and help them recover their dues.

PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK More Information

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In a move to cement its position as the dominant force in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry, Nvidia Corp. on March 18 unveiled its latest and most powerful AI chip, the B200 'Blackwell,' at the company's annual GTC 2024 conference in San Jose, California, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The B200 'Blackwell' chip is a new processor designed to accelerate AI workloads, including training and inference tasks. It combines two massive silicon squares, each with 208 billion transistors, into a single component, enabling unprecedented performance and efficiency.

The introduction of the 'Blackwell' chip is aimed at extending Nvidia's dominance in the rapidly growing AI computing market, which has fueled the company's meteoric rise to become the third-most-valuable business in the world, trailing only Microsoft and Apple, as per the report.

Nvidia, a leading technology company specializing in graphics processing units (GPUs) and AI computing, is the driving force behind the 'Blackwell' chip. CEO Jensen Huang, a visionary in the industry, spearheaded the development and unveiling of the new chip.

The 'Blackwell' chip was unveiled at the GTC 2024 conference, Nvidia's annual developer event, held in San Jose, California, the heart of Silicon Valley.

According to Huang, the 'Blackwell' chip is "30 times speedier at some tasks than its predecessor." It is designed to power the next generation of AI applications, including advanced chatbots, 3D modeling, and even humanoid robots.

"I hope you realize this is not a concert," Huang said during his keynote, wearing his signature leather jacket. This day's keynote would be full of dense math and science," said Huang as quoted by Bloomberg.

The 'Blackwell' chip is expected to be adopted by Nvidia's major customers, including tech giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and Oracle, for their cloud computing services and AI offerings. Huang also announced new software tools, called microservices, to help developers more easily integrate AI models into their applications.

While the 'Blackwell' chip's specific pricing and performance details were not disclosed, Nvidia's move is a clear indication of the company's determination to maintain its 80% market share in the AI chip industry, fending off potential competition from rivals like AMD, Intel, and emerging startups.

As the world's insatiable appetite for AI continues to grow, Nvidia's 'Blackwell' chip positions the company at the forefront of this rapidly evolving technological revolution, poised to power the next generation of intelligent systems and applications.

(With Inputs from Bloomberg)

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Consumer goods giant Unilever Plc has unveiled a sweeping restructuring plan that includes separating its $8.6 billion ice cream business and cutting 7,500 jobs worldwide. The move, aimed at streamlining operations and jumpstarting growth, marks a significant shift for the UK-based company under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Hein Schumacher, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Unilever, whose portfolio encompasses brands like Ben & Jerry's, Magnum, Hellmann's mayonnaise, and Domestos cleaners, stated that a range of options will be considered for the separation of the ice cream division, with a demerger creating a new publicly listed company being the most likely scenario, the report added.

The ice cream business, which generated sales of 7.9 billion ($8.6 billion) in 2023, has been a long-standing source of controversy for Unilever due to the political stances taken by Ben & Jerry's. In December 2022, the company settled a legal battle with Ben & Jerry's independent board over the licensing of the brand in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as per the report.

Alongside the ice cream separation, Unilever also announced plans to cut 7,500 jobs, primarily impacting office-based roles. The job cuts are part of a broader cost-saving initiative aimed at achieving 800 million in savings over the next three years, the report further added,

Schumacher, who took over as CEO last year after activist investor Nelson Peltz joined Unilever's board, aims to revitalise growth at the consumer goods conglomerate. The restructuring will leave Unilever focused on four core businesses: beauty and wellbeing, personal care, home care, and nutrition, Bloomberg further added.

The separation of the ice cream unit is expected to commence immediately and be completed by the end of 2024, according to Unilever. Rival Nestle SA previously separated its ice cream business by setting up a joint venture with private equity firm PAI Partners.

Unilever's revenue grew 4.7% in the final quarter of 2023, slightly ahead of analysts' estimates, as the volume of products sold increased for the first time since 2021.

With the ice cream business separation and job cuts, Schumacher aims to streamline Unilever's operations and position the company for future growth amidst increasing competition and evolving consumer preferences in the global consumer goods market.

(With Inputs from Blomberg)

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Stanley has spent the past few years turning a vacuum-insulated, 40-ounce water bottle into one of the most-desired womenswear accessories on the planet. Now it is widening its focus to include the customer it was first designed for more than 110 years agomen.

The company, which is owned by Chicago-based HAVI, next year plans to release new products geared toward guys beyond its current male audience of outdoor enthusiasts.

The new Stanley man might not require a steel canteen to take into the wilderness, but he might want a sleek water bottle to take from the office to the gym to date night in a wine bar, according to Jenn Reeves, Stanleys vice president of global brand marketing.

Hes not a fashionista, but he cares about how hes put together. Hes into grooming and how he looks, and into sports," Reeves said. That hypothetical male customer wants water bottles that are a little sleeker and subtler than the brightly colored giant flasks coveted by Stanleys female audience, she said.

The bid for diversification comes as Stanley looks to hold on to the brand equity it has accrued in a remarkably short time.

Stanleys annual revenue jumped to around $750 million in 2023 from $73 million in 2019, and scores of articles and think pieces have in the past year been written to explain how a company originally targeting construction workers became one of the trendiest brands of the moment.

Much of the success comes down to the recent rise of the brands 40-ounce Quencher, which it introduced in 2016. The $45 metal cup with a straw and a handle has become a status symbol among women and tweens, caused new-product frenzies in stores, and generated a Saturday Night Live" skit lampooning women who drink out of comically big dumb cups."

Imitators and competitors for thirsty consumers are hot on Stanleys heels. They include cooler-maker Yeti, which last year introduced a 42-ounce straw mug similar in design to the Quencher.

Stanleys latest release is a collection of cooler bags and a carryall holder for its 40-ounce Quencher bottle, slated for release in April. The wearable coolers were developed in response to womens complaints that the markets existing offerings were too heavy, too clunky and too ugly, and the crossbody was designed to ease the burden of carrying a water bottle and a purse around all day.

Beyond hammertone green

The Stanley customer only became known internally as a she" in 2020, when Terence Reilly, the former chief marketing officer of Crocs, joined as president. Reilly, who liked to say his team had turned Crocs divisive shoes from a meme to a dream," learned that the Quencher was becoming popular among a group of women in Utah, a few of whom ran a shopping blog called the Buy Guide, according to one of the blogs co-founders.

The group, along with a female Stanley sales account manager, suggested that the company start selling its cups in colors outside of black, white and its signature hammertone green, and it did. Sales lifted, while the company began to lean more on real women to spread the word about its products.

The Stanley marketing team has grown slowly since Reillys arrival but is still tiny by industry standards: only seven full-time staff members across advertising, brand, marketing, media and social media, said Reeves, who joined in 2022.

The company spends money on traditional direct marketing, such as email campaigns, but its biggest focus is social media and working with real women and influencers who promote Stanley to their followers.

Stanley got a big, unexpected break in November, when a TikTok user named Danielle Lettering posted a video claiming that the only item to survive her car fire was her Stanley Quencher. The clip went viral, and Stanley bought her a new car and covered related costs including taxes.

Influencing men

Many of Stanleys male consumers are already Quencher fans, Stanley said, and guys sometimes feature in its ads. The company heading into 2025 has to translate its social-media momentum among women into a marketing strategy designed to attract more men with the planned sleeker range.

The typical male consumer is also swayed by the recommendations of influencers, but he often spends time on different platforms than his female counterpart, said Chris Anthony, the chief revenue officer of media company Gallery Media Group, which works with social-media content creators. He is likely to track interests, teams and channels, as opposed to following specific influencers across all platforms the way some women do, he said.

Guys rely more on their feed versus the people," Anthony said. And letting the influencers tell their stories, and not being so prescriptive, will especially resonate with guys in the right way."

Some of those influencers might be Stanleys current best customers, Reeves said. We have the women, and they love us," she said.
For the wood panel industry that's already grappling with soaring timber costs and an oversupply of medium-density fibreboard, or MDF, the government's decision to defer a much-awaited quality check has triggered worries, including of a further surge in imports.

The government recently deferred the implementation of the Bureau of Indian Standard rules relating to the quality for MDF and particleboard by a year, which experts say could further aggravate near-term issues for the industry.

The rules will now be effective from 11 February 2025 instead of from 11 February this year.

"If the rollout had occurred earlier, it might have further stimulated domestic production," Keshav Bhajanka, executive director, Century Plyboards (India), told Mint, adding that there will be a short-term negative impact. "Nevertheless, the long-term outlook remains robust."

Even as the domestic wood market has been expanding in FY24, imports accounted for a large share of the growth.

Implementation of the BIS rules is expected to reduce imports, benefiting domestic manufacturers, Greenpanel Industries Ltd, the largest MDF player in terms of capacity, said during its December-quarter earnings call.

But now that implementation of the BIS rules has been delayed, it could open the floodgates for imports, say experts. Imports had briefly paused at the beginning of calendar 2024, and are anticipated to soar back to the elevated levels witnessed in the first half of FY24.

With imports potentially flooding India again, volumes and margins of domestic MDF manufacturers are expected to take a beating in the near term.

MDF players are expected to be haunted by: i) elevated imports; ii) addition of sizeable capacity; and iii) high timber costs, which are likely to persist in the near term," said analysts at Nuvama Institutional Equities.

Yet, on the bright side, the long-term narrative for MDF manufacturers stays staunch.

When the BIS standards kick in, imports are expected to drop, giving domestic players more control over pricing, in turn leading to higher realization and sales," said Saurabh Ginodia, senior vice president, SMIFS (formerly Stewart & Mackertich Wealth Management).

He explained that influx of inferior quality MDF into India from Vietnam and Indonesia was the main worry for domestic players, and the implementation of the BIS rules will address this issue.

There could be some wariness regarding the cost of production that could increase for domestic companies given the need for infrastructure upgrades to comply with BIS rules. However, this increase could potentially be offset by a decrease in the currently high wood prices.

As far as wood prices are concerned, Greenpanel said it is not expecting any significant reduction in wood prices during the March quarter or even the next financial year.

...I think they would possibly start reducing from FY26 only," said Vishwanathan Venkatramani, chief financial officer, Greenpanel, in its recent earnings call.

Even Century Plyboards (India), the largest listed particleboard company in terms of capacity, pointed out that the profitability in particleboard is significantly affected due to lower average realization caused by import competition, and higher raw-material cost.

The company also said that making BIS mandatory would not only cut down imports for MDF and particleboard but also boost both sales and profitability of domestic producers.

Meanwhile, in the unorganized space in India, Nuvama highlighted that as many as 70% of plyboard units, 90% of MDF and particleboard units, and 100% imported panels do not have a BIS licence yet.

A delay in implementation of BIS would help them to streamline and prepare for the forthcoming regulations next year.
Israel and Hamas are locked in Gaza truce talks with goals that seem impossible to reconcile.

Israeli negotiators are seeking not only the release of dozens of hostages taken on Oct. 7 but also the freedom to resume a military campaign to crush Hamas once and for all after any cease-fire ends, said mediators at the talks in Qatar. In contrast, Hamas is essentially negotiating for its survival, pushing for a lasting truce and ways to remain influential in postwar Gaza, if no longer its rulers.

Bridging the chasm between Israel and Hamass aims has become an urgent priority for the Biden administration, which is brokering the talks along with Qatar and Egypt. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he would travel to the Middle East with stops in Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Wednesday in hopes of making a concerted push for a cease-fire deal amid signs that both sides had hardened their positions at the beginning of talks.

Israel knows going into those negotiations that it lost. Any agreement that is produced is a victory for Hamas, and the goal is to minimize that victory as much as possible," said former Israeli hostage negotiator Gershon Baskin.

Israel and Hamas are discussing a seven-week cease-fire that would see 40 hostages released.

A key sticking point is whether any cease-fire deal will shift Israeli forces out of Gaza in preparation for ending the war, or keep them in place to enable Israel to restart the fight. If this can be bridged, Israel and Hamas have a chance for a successful outcome," said Baskin.

I think that both sides need a cease-fire right now," Baskin said. He pointed to Israels overworked military, which could benefit from a strategic step back to reevaluate its war aims, and Hamass tired and badly beaten ranks.

Mediators have described the talks as the last chance to secure a truce as Israel plans an offensive on Hamass last stronghold in the border town, Rafah. But there were already signs that the talks would be difficult.

Israels lead negotiator, David Barnea, arrived in Qatar on Monday evening but had left by Tuesday morning, officials said. Barneas negotiating team met with the Israeli war cabinet before departing and didnt get all that it asked for in terms of negotiating room, said a senior Israeli official who added, though, that they got a clear mandate allowing for effective management of the negotiations."

Some mediators in Qatar said they didnt believe Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had given the team a mandate to make a deal, potentially undermining talks.

An Israeli official called the accusation that Netanyahu doesnt want a deal vicious claims that are untrue." The official said that the prime minister needed to set red lines for the negotiating team to preserve Israels war aim of dismantling Hamass control of Gaza.

The senior Israeli official said Hamass leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, would be directly involved in the talks and predicted a deal would need at least two weeks of discussions.

Hamass proposal has many elements that are unacceptable to Israel and will require tough and determined negotiations," the official said.

Another sticking point for Israel is that Hamas wants to choose which prisoners are released. That could make any deal unpassable in Israels cabinet. Hard-right ministers have threatened to bolt Netanyahus coalition to oppose any deal in which prisoners seen as responsible for mass-casualty terrorist attacks are freed.

Blinken said he was visiting the region not just for the cease-fire talks but also to discuss arrangements for governance, security and aid in postwar Gazaissues that the Biden administration and Netanyahu have been at odds over in recent weeks. Blinken said he would be discussing what is the right architecture for lasting regional peace."

Israel and Hamas have fought several wars since the militant groupa U.S.-designated terrorist organizationtook power in Gaza in 2006. Hamas sparked the latest war when thousands of militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, and taking more than 200 hostages.

Israels retaliation included an extensive bombing campaign and a ground invasion that has taken over most of the Gaza Strip and left more than 31,000 Palestinians dead, according to the Gaza health ministry, which doesnt distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Write to Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com, Dov Lieber at dov.lieber@wsj.com and Sune Engel Rasmussen at sune.rasmussen@wsj.com




Antony Blinken Photo:AFP

(Global Times) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Manila on Monday following his brief trip to South Korea. He is expected to meet Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Tuesday, according local media reports. The visit is believed to pave the way for the upcoming trilateral summit between the Philippines, the US and Japan, some experts said, warning that Washington's use of Manila as a proxy to disrupt the South China Sea situation could bring regional strategic confrontation to an unprecedented level.

Following his trip to Seoul where Blinken attended the third Summit for Democracy on Monday, the US senior diplomat will travel to Manila, a trip to affirm the US "unwavering commitment to the Philippine ally," according to media reports, citing a US State Department spokesperson.

Maintaining the stability in the South China Sea to ensure unhampered global trade will be one of the key issues that will be discussed between Marcos Jr and Blinken, the Philippine Star reported on Monday. Local media also pointed out that the visit, which is Blinken's second visit to the Philippines since August 2022, comes amid "escalating tensions" between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea.

The Philippines' continued provocation on the South China Sea issue by illegally trespassing waters off China's territory in the region and trying to mislead the international community on the issue. It also sought to challenge China's historic right. For instance, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Sunday rejecting the Chinese foreign ministry's statement on Huangyan Dao.

"Blinken's visit to the Philippines this time is to lay the groundwork for the upcoming trilateral meeting between the US, Japan, and the Philippines," according to Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies. This visit is also aimed at negotiating and communicating to form some substantial outcomes for the upcoming meeting, including trilateral exercises and patrols, Chen told the Global Times on Monday.
Russian forces were closing in when Sgt. Ivan Zhytnik made a desperate call to his family from a bunker on the front line in eastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian defenses in the city of Avdiivka were crumbling and Zhytniks brigade had pulled out to avoid being overrun, leaving him and five other soldiers behind.

Four of us are woundedseriously woundedwe cant walk. One can, but barely," said 31-year-old Zhytnik in the video call on the morning of Feb. 15, adding the sixth man stayed to help them. All the officers are goneall of them. They left us at our positions."

The plight of the men demonstrates the conundrum for Ukrainian leaders this year as they confront mounting Russian offensives with dwindling resources: when to cut their losses.

Ukrainian leaders say every inch of territory is worth fighting for, but their military is worn down after a failed counteroffensive last year and with a much-needed additional aid package stuck in Congress. Russia, with a larger army and a war economy clunking into gear, is pressing forward against its smaller neighbor.

That leaves Ukraine facing a year on the defensive, picking its battles in an effort to limit territorial losses while outlasting the Russian army. Kyiv needs to buy time to rebuild its own forces with the aim of retaking some of the roughly 20% of its territory occupied by Russia.

It is a delicate calculus that requires weighing precious land against scarce resources, including livesand morale.

At first Zhytnik hoped for rescue. Then he counted on mercy. In the last of several video calls recorded by his relatives, he turned to exchange words with someone off camera.

Are they there?" asked his brother-in-law, Dmytro Shubin.

Yes," Zhytnik responded.

The Russians had arrived.

Zenit

As Ukraines counteroffensive stalled last fall, Russia seized the initiative and launched massed assaults on Avdiivka. The target, a small industrial city, revealed the shrunken reach of Russias invasion, which began in February 2022 with a failed attempt to seize Ukraines capital and overthrow its government.

Ukraine blunted Russias initial thrusts on Avdiivka, destroying dozens of armored vehicles and killing hundreds. But the relentlessness of Moscows assaults demonstrated a resolve to press on regardless in an effort to grind Ukraine into submission.

Zhytnik, a former taxi driver who had been drafted into the army just weeks after Russia invaded, had been deployed as part of the 110th Mechanized Brigade in a Soviet air force bunker complex called Zenit, a critical defensive position about one mile south of the city.

Like many soldiers, he used humor to cope with the grim realities of war. In a video posted on TikTok he pretended to be on the phone with his mother while standing in a crater large enough to fit a car in. What shelling? Everything is fine," he said. Other videos featured a pet capybara that Zhytnik fed carrots and made a bath for out of an empty ammunition box. In one clip, he joked that it might be a Russian spy.

Mykola Savosik, another soldier serving with Zhytnik, often received care packages from his cousin containing essentials and goodies such as nuts, candy and socks.

As winter set in, Moscows firepower advantage was growing as political deadlock in the U.S. held up key aid for Kyiv. Low on artillery rounds, Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka couldnt prevent Russian infantry from creeping forward and engaging them at close range. President Volodymyr Zelensky visited in December, noting shortages, but signaled the intent to hold on.

Zenit was particularly vulnerable as Russian forces squeezed tighter. In January, Savosik told his cousin to stop sending care packages as it was almost impossible for supplies to reach them. When she asked how he was, he responded: Alive."

Pvt. Heorhiy Pavlov had always shielded his mother, Inna Pavlova, from the dangers he faced in Avdiivka, but the burly 29-year-old struggled to stay upbeat as the situation deteriorated. Ukraines shortage of artillery shells was so acute that Russian forces were operating out in the open without fear of being targeted, he complained. Many of Pavlovs fellow soldiers had been in Avdiivka for nearly two years and were exhausted, he said. The need for fresh recruits was increasingly acute, but Kyiv stalled over a politically sensitive decision to expand the draft.

Railing against his commanders, Pavlov talked of earlier battles in which Ukrainian forces held out until it was too late to conduct an organized withdrawal. When Pavlova asked if they were encircled, he said everything was fine. But his outburst had unnerved her. And on Deep Statean app that maps front-line positions using open-source datathe red area denoting Russian advances appeared to be swallowing the city. If I can see it on Deep State, how come your commanders cant?" she recalled asking her son.

Pray for me

By early February, the 100 soldiers remaining inside Zenit had almost no food left. Hunkered down under relentless shelling, many appealed to their commanders to withdraw. Russian troops were advancing on the flanks of Avdiivka, threatening to cut the position off. Still, Ukrainian commanders told them to hold on.

Several soldiers who stepped outside the bunker for fresh air were shot by Russian snipers or killed by mortar strikes guided by Russian drones, said Pvt. Viktor Biliak, who had been in Zenit since the start of Russias invasion. Only a handful of men from his company were still alive. Biliak said half the unit had been killed, elevating him, a junior serviceman, to company commander.

On the night of Feb. 13, Sgt. Andriy Dubnytskiy, another soldier in Zenit, called his wife, Lyudmyla Dubnytska, to say he was preparing to leave Avdiivka. The couples first child was born several months into the war, but 25-year-old Dubnytskiy had hardly seen his daughter because he had been on the front line in Avdiivka almost nonstop since the start of the war.

Ill be in touch whenever I get the chance," he wrote to Dubnytska on Facebook messenger.

Promise me everything will be fine," she said.

Pray for me," he replied.

Hours later, Dubnytskiy set out in a group of seven soldiers including Zhytnik and Pavlov, attempting to reach Ukrainian lines in Avdiivka. They had given up waiting for orders to retreat. Our commanderswanted us to dig in and keep defending," Biliak said. Holding on to a set of ruins without ammunition or food was suicidal."

The group didnt get far. Russian reconnaissance drones had been flying over Zenit for days, waiting for the Ukrainians to break cover. A Russian mortar strike immediately killed half the group, Biliak said. He wasnt in the group but helped bring the wounded back to the bunker, carrying Zhytnik himself. Dubnytskiy and Pavlov were also wounded.

Those who could still walk, including Biliak, set out on foot later the evening of Feb. 14 with Ukrainian drones guiding them to a rendezvous point where an armored vehicle was waiting.

The route to Avdiivka was strewn with the corpses of Ukrainian soldiers, Biliak said. As they reached the evacuation point, he heard a radio exchange that shocked him. A Ukrainian officer from the 110th Brigade asked his commander about evacuating the wounded men who remained in Zenit.

Leave the wounded," Biliak heard the commander reply. And burn everything left behind."

Distress calls

Around 8 a.m. the following morning, Savosik called his cousin Kateryna to say goodbye. Clutching a grenade, Savosik told her that they were unlikely to see each other again. He had a wild look on his face," Kateryna recalled.

The rest of the brigade had withdrawn from Zenit, leaving five wounded men, he told her. Savosik wasnt injured himself, but had chosen to stay with them. On a human level I couldnt leave those boys," she recalled him saying.

The commanders had promised to send a vehicle to evacuate them, but there was no sign of itand Russian forces were almost upon them.

Around the same time, Pavlov called his mother in distress. One of his legs was broken. His back and neck were riddled with shrapnel. Pavlova begged him to surrender for the sake of his 5-year-old son. He still hoped to be rescued by the powerful 3rd Assault Brigade, which had been sent in to shore up Ukrainian positions and beat the Russians back, according to a deputy commander. Large parts of the city had already fallen under Russian control, however, and the brigade ended up covering Ukraines retreat.

Dubnytskiy also rang his wife to say he hadnt made it out of Avdiivka. He was wounded in the groin but tried to make light of it. They would still have a son with his remaining testicle, he joked. There wasnt much food or water, he said, but a soldier who hadnt been wounded had stayed behind to care for them.

Looks like well be taken captive," he messaged her at noon.

Beside him, Zhytnik was speaking to his own relatives in Zaporizhzhia. My legs are done for," he said in a recorded video call.

Dubnytskiy reasoned the vehicle that commanders had promised to send for them might still come, seeking to reassure Zhytnikand himself.

The car cant reach here," Zhytnik said. Thats it."

Not long after midday, Zhytniks brother-in-law, Shubin, called with good news. The Ukrainians had contacted the Russians and struck a deal: The wounded men would surrender to Russian forces and be freed in a prisoner exchange.

The 110th Brigade later said it hadnt been possible to go back for the men after the withdrawal from Zenit, but that it asked the authorities responsible for negotiating prisoner swaps with the Russians to seek assurances they would be treated in accordance with the international customs of war and the laws protecting prisoners of war." The Russians agreed, the brigade said in a statement.

Zhytnik hung up when the Russians arrived, but Shubin called him back. There was another person in the room now. The Russian soldier looked about 50 and had a short beard, Shubin said.

Zhytnik urged the Russian soldier to speak with his brother-in-law over the phone so they could reach an understanding. No. Turn off your phone. Im not talking to anyone," Shubin heard the Russian soldier say before the call cut off.

Tattoos

The day after Russian troops reached Zenit, a 40-second video appeared on one of Moscows propaganda channels. It showed several dead soldiers lying in the mud alongside a Ukrainian flag. Dubnytska immediately recognized a tattoo on one of the mens hands: It looked identical to the one her husband and two other soldiers had got, symbolizing their faith and brotherhood.

She had reported Dubnytskiy missing earlier that day, taking their nearly 2-year-old daughter to the police station to provide a DNA sample. Returning home, she was scrolling through Russian Telegram channels in search of evidence he had been captured when she saw the clip.

Everything inside me died," she said. After contacting another of the soldiers with the tattoo, there was no room for doubt. It was him."

The following day, Ukraine announced it had withdrawn from Avdiivka to preserve lives. The Biden administration said the fall of the city was the price of Congresss failure to send more aid to Ukraine. It was the biggest victory for Moscow in months.

Ukraines leadership said the fight had been worth it to grind down Russian forces, although commander-in-chief Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskiy acknowledged certain miscalculations" by commanders.

If we had retreated in an organized way we could have burned the position without our people there," said Biliak days after the city fell. He was in a hospital receiving treatment for injuries sustained during the withdrawal, including a cheek half torn open by a piece of shrapnel.

The mens relatives believe they were killed by Russian forces shortly after being captured after midday on Feb. 15. But they also blame the Ukrainian commanders who left them behind for their deaths, calling it an unnecessary sacrifice. Their priority now is to recover their loved ones remains.

In a video released by Russian state-controlled channel RT days after Avdiivkas capture, a reporter walks through the bunkers of Zenit, rifling through what Ukrainian forces left behind, including several boxes of ammunition and laundry on a line.

Outside, the mens bodies lay in a heap dusted with snow.

Kate Vtorygina contributed to this article.

Write to Isabel Coles at isabel.coles@wsj.com and Matthew Luxmoore at matthew.luxmoore@wsj.com
When the U.S. and Europe tried to sever Russia from the Western financial system, Moscow found workarounds. Key among them: banks in the Gulf and Europe that maintained ties with Russia.

Now, Washingtons efforts to close these loopholes appear to be paying off. Dubais main state-owned bank has shut some accounts held by Russian oligarchs and traders of Russian oil. Turkish lenders are growing wary of handling Russia-related business. The U.S. has also put bankers in Vienna, another important financial hub, on notice.

The moves follow visits by U.S. officials, and recent rounds of sanctions against trading firms and others. In late December, the White House gave the Treasury Department greater sanctions power, enabling it to penalize foreign banks for dealings involving Russias military-industrial base.

Emirates NBD, the Dubai-based banking giant, is central to the shift.

Russian businesses and oligarchs flocked to the United Arab Emirates, including the commercial hub of Dubai, after Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. Emirates NBD was one of the biggest beneficiaries, according to people familiar with the matter, including financial professionals in the Persian Gulf country, U.S. officials and an energy executive.

The bank handled sizable Russia oil trades and set up a department catering to Russians seeking a safe haven for their wealth, for which it poached bankers from the former Soviet Union, said one of the U.S. officials and some of the other people familiar with the matter.

In recent months, however, the U.S. has applied heavy pressure on the U.A.E. Washington has sent Treasury and State Department officials to the nation, and imposed new sanctions on U.A.E.-based entities such as the Russia-focused oil trader Voliton.

Emirates NBD has reversed course. It has shut its Russia-focused department, stopped accepting transfers in rubles from Russia and closed a large number of Russian-held accounts, typically either containing more than $5 million or held by sanction-connected entities, the financial professionals in the Emirates and another of the people familiar with the matter said.

Some of the closures affect companies in a network of trading and shipping companies operated by Etibar Eyyub, a former executive at the U.A.E.s Coral Energy.

This network, which includes Voliton and another recently sanctioned firm, Bellatrix Energy, has become the key route through which the Russian state exports oil to global markets, The Wall Street Journal has previously reported.

Emirates NBD has ordered the closure of accounts held by Coral, Voliton, Bellatrix and another Eyyub-linked firm, Pontus Trading, one of the U.S. officials and other people familiar with the matter said.

A spokesman for Emirates NBD said it couldnt comment on specific clients, but was committed to fighting financial crime and money laundering, and to complying with applicable international sanctions.

The bank works closely on these priorities with its regulators and law enforcement agencies in the U.A.E. and other relevant jurisdictions," the spokesman said.

A spokesperson for Coral said it maintains strong working relationships with all banking partners, and that the Journals questions were based on an inaccurate or misleading premise." The spokesperson has previously said Coral has nothing to do with the firms operated by Eyyub.

Spokespeople for Pontus, Bellatrix and Voliton didnt respond to requests for comment.

Emirates NBD has also shut accounts held by Russian fertilizer giant Uralkali, and by Russian businessman Ivan Tavrin, according to the financial professionals in the Emirates. In December, the U.S. sanctioned Tavrin, who has spent billions of dollars buying up technology companies, as one of Russias biggest wartime dealmakers."

Representatives for Uralkali, Tavrin, and Tavrins Kismet Capital didnt respond to requests for comment.

In addition to Emirates NBD, the Dubai branch of Banque Misr has shut down accounts for Coral and some other companies, according to some of the people familiar with the matter. The small, state-owned Egyptian lender was one of a clutch of banks processing payments for the trading network, those people said. Banque Misr didnt respond to a request for comment.

In Turkey, the climate has also changed, as the U.S. government has pushed Ankara to adjust its growing economic relations with Russia.

The U.S. has penalized Turkish companies for aiding Russian violations and urged the government to foster sanctions compliance. Turkish exporters have complained of trouble getting paid.

We are having difficulties receiving our funds," said Omer Gencal, a financial adviser for Turkish companies doing business with Russia.

Recently some banks said they are stopping their operations from transferring their funds from Russia to Turkey," said Gencal, a former investment chief for HSBCs local asset-management arm.

Turkish exports to Russia in February fell 33% from a year earlier to $670 million, trade-ministry data show.

Alexei Yerkhov, Russias ambassador to Turkey, said Russia was in intense talks with Turkish officials regarding the refusal of some Turkish banks making payments in the name of the Russian companies," according to Russian state media.

The U.S. has also targeted Austria, a banking hub for Central and Eastern Europe, recently sending Treasury official Anna Morris to meet with the government and banks including Raiffeisen Bank International, which retains a unit in Russia.

Treasury said the visit was part of a broader international outreach to ensure financial firms understood its new sanction powers, which were meant partly to create heightened risks for banks."

Raiffeisen is trying to sell or spin off its Russian unit, though Moscow has made business exits difficult.

The bank said it has guidelines and procedures to ensure sanctions compliance. Since the beginning of the war, RBI has been steadily scaling back its Russian business," it said.

The redoubled U.S. effort has led to some disruption of Russias energy exports, a financial pillar for the war in Ukraine.

Voliton and Bellatrix were among the biggest resellers of oil pumped by Russias Rosneft Oil, shipping and customs data show. But neither Voliton nor Bellatrix has handled any Russian oil trades since being sanctioned, according to commodity-data provider Kpler.

The U.S. pressure on banks to clamp down on energy payments has caused complications in recent weeks, said the U.S. officials, the financial professionals in the Emirates and others. Nonetheless, Russian oil is still flowing freely.

Last month, the Financial Action Task Force, an international anti-money-laundering body, took the U.A.E. off its gray list of noncompliant countries, citing significant progress in addressing deficiencies.

Patricia Kowsmann and Jared Malsin contributed to this article.

Write to Benoit Faucon at benoit.faucon@wsj.com, Costas Paris at costas.paris@wsj.com and Joe Wallace at joe.wallace@wsj.com
In the run up to the 2024 US presidential elections, discussions on immigration policies and their potential impact on the Indian IT sector are likely to resurface, especially as Donald Trump is one of the candidates. An analysis by BNP Paribas Securities shows the top five Indian IT companies have significantly cut their exposure to H-1B visas since Trump's first term as president in 2016.

The drop in workers with H-1B visas is due to increased hiring in the US by Indian IT companies, with 37,000 US nationals hired directly over 2017-21, going by BNP's estimates. The trend of increased offshoring, which accelerated after the covid-19 pandemic, has also helped here.

As things stand, this risk is much lower than it was ahead of Trump's first presidency term. However, there could still be some casualties. Infosys Ltd and Mphasis Ltd remain the most vulnerable to any further tightening of visa norms. Their H-1B approvals as percentage of total employees stand at 2.4% and 2.3%, respectively versus 0.3-2.2% for their peers, the report added.
Shares of PCBL (formerly Phillips Carbon Black), a prominent carbon black manufacturer, has delivered phenomenal returns to its shareholders with a steady rally over the past four years.

Starting from a trading price of 31.35 per share in March 2020, the shares have surged to the current market price of 246, marking a remarkable growth of 684%. In comparison, the Nifty small cap 100 index has witnessed a gain of 158% during the same period.

Looking at their long-term performance, the shares have exhibited substantial growth, climbing from 5.65 apiece to their current level, thereby rewarding long-term investors with an impressive return of 4253%.

Also Read: Multibagger! Penny stock Alok Industries surges 1900% in less than 5 years; should you buy?

In terms of yearly performance, the shares closed positively in 7 out of the last 10 years (20132023). Among these, CY17 marked the highest yearly gain at 338%, followed by CY23 with a gain of 94%.

The company is one of the largest carbon black manufacturers in India and a strong global player with a significant customer base in more than 45 countries. Carbon black, which is the main raw material in the production of automotive tyres, is produced using carbon black feedstock (CBFS) and tar oil.

More rally ahead

Global brokerage firm JM Financial, in its recent note, maintained its positive outlook on the stock with a 'buy' rating and a target price of 335 apiece, citing the stock's recent correction and a favourable outlook for the company.

Increase in the CBO-CBFS differential is positive for Indian players: The brokerage highlights the positive impact of the increase in the CBO-CBFS (carbon black oil-carbon black feedstock) differential for Indian players.

It notes that during 4QFY24TD, the CBO-CBFS differential has risen by 8% compared to 3QFY24, attributed to an 8% decrease in CBFS prices and a 2% decrease in CBO prices over the same period.

Also Read: 19 to 246: Penny stock RVNL turns multibagger. Rises 1150% in five years

This increase, as per the brokerage, in the differential is influenced by the reduced utilisation of Chinas blast furnace capacity due to maintenance and Chinas crackdown on coal tar distillation units.

It says that CBFS-based players like PCBL are expected to maintain a competitive edge over Chinese CBO-based carbon black producers.

Reversal of product spreads to long-term averages: According to brokerage analysis, the spreads of various grades of carbon black have returned to their historical averages. Additionally, with PCBL expected to utilise its additional capacities more efficiently, the benefit of operating leverage is likely to persist.

Consequently, the brokerage anticipates a potential improvement in PCBLs EBITDA per kilogram in 4QFY24E, compared to 20.5/kg in 3QFY23. It suggests that if this trend continues, there could be upward revisions to their current estimates, as their FY25/26 projections currently assume an EBITDA per kilogram of 18/kg.

Imminent European sanctions could aid exports: According to industry reports cited by the brokerage, the EU's import dependence on Russia decreased to 40% of overall imports in CY23, down from 55% in CY22 and 75% in CY21.

India had already secured a 5-7% and 10-12% market share of EU imports during CY22 and CY23, respectively. With the sanctions against Russia set to begin in July 2024, the brokerage anticipates further growth in India's market share.

Also Read: Mutual funds, LIC-owned multibagger stock: Dixon Technologies share price rises 1300% in 5 years

Strong outlook: PCBL completed the acquisition of Aquapharm in January 2024. Hence, it may not see the full benefits of that in 4QFY24, as there could be one-off costs. However, given the strong outlook for Aquapharms products, the brokerage expects PCBL to start reaping the benefits in FY25.

Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

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The allure of making quick money from trading in the markets often leads to unpleasant consequences. A third-year IIT B-Tech student from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh thought he could strike it rich before he could finish his studies. There was some extra cash in his bank account at that timethe amount, which he got as part of a scholarship, was to be used for his upcoming semester fees. And the investment pitch from an online app of Bengaluru-based broker Fisdom proved too irresistible. Last week, however, he realized that he was the victim of the infamous pig butchering scam. It turned out that the app was masquerading as Fisdom and he had been swindled of his 2 lakh scholarship amount.

The IIT student, who did not want to named, is not the only victim of such growing number of frauds. A former executive with Oracle says she fell for the same fraud and invested 6 lakh. She, too, did not want to be identified because her family and friends were not aware about this misfortune.

To be sure, the pig butchering scam is a form of investment fraud wherein online scammers use a variety of deceptive tactics, include fake investment apps and websites, to persuade victims to invest more money before making the vanishing act. The magnitude of the fraud has forced authorities to sit up and take notice. Stock market exchanges have even issued a warning to investors, asking them to be wary. Some unscrupulous persons/ entities operating through Indian and International mobile numbers, through social media platforms like WhatsApp Groups, Telegram Channels, Facebook, Instagram Channels, etc. are falsely claiming to be associated with reputed financial institutions, showcasing fake certificates purportedly issued by Sebi/ Exchanges," said one such warning from NSE.

Brokers such as Fisdom, Dhan, Fyers, and Choice Broking have also put out separate public notices cautioning investors that their company names are being used to lure people into trading.

I have not told my family about this," said the IIT student, whose father works as a building supervisor. I will now have to get a loan from someone to pay for the next semester"

Recently, The Times of India reported that a housewife had lost 90 lakh after investing in a fake app called KKRPRO, which she mistook for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, a US-based investment firm. By the time she saw social media posts about the scam, it was too late.

View Full Image (Graphic: Mint)

How it works

The first point of contact by a scammer starts with an Instagram or a Facebook ad. It might also come in the form of a random direct message (DM). The aim is to get you into a WhatsApp or a Telegram group. Note that all this is done using the name of a real company .

I went on Google and searched for the name Fisdom. I saw it had good ratings and reviews. I also searched online for the name of the person I was interacting with" said the IIT student, who regrets not sending a message to the real person on LinkedIn despite checking out his profile on that site.

The student and the former Oracle executive, cited in the story earlier, had both joined WhatsApp groups, where the admin, or administrator, would recommend stocks every trading day at 2 pm. A typical group would have around 150 people and the admins went by the names of Karan Batra and Rakesh Singh, impersonating the chief operating officer and chief executive officer, respectively, of Fisdom Broking app. They used publicly available photos and information.

Some people in the group were designated as professors who uploaded stock tips on these WhatsApp groups. Along with the trading tips that were shared on the group, some participants were posting screenshots of themselves making profitable trades daily and announcing future plans of owning luxury cars. I rechecked and saw that the stocks they were recommending were giving profits consistently," said the former Oracle executive.

According to Fisdom, about 150 WhatsApp groups are operating in its name. If each one of them gives a different recommendation, one of the groups is bound to have winners. There could be other ways as well to fake such winners.

Besides regular investment updates, messages on work-life balance are posted on weekends to convince investors. On one Sunday, Batra wrote in the group: Do not forget to give the mind a little space and nutrition, let joy and peace naturally grow, at any time to life to take a deep breath, you will find: good everywhere, happiness is readily available. May you always be happy! Have a good weekend."

Once the admins gain peoples trust, they ask the participants to install an app in their mobile phones and log in with the credentials given to them. In this case, the app is even available in the Apple AppStore and so most victims think it is genuine.

The strange part was the transactions. Instead of transferring the amount directly to the broker like in the case of normal broking accounts, this app needs you to transfer funds to a beneficiary bank account. When this is done, the amount will reflect in your name in the app within 30 minutes.

When some users questioned why the funds could not be transferred directly, the admins replied that they were trading in primary market operations and not regular market trading and this could not be done directly. To support their argument, they even posted an agreement signed between Fisdom and market regulator Sebi. That was fake as well.

To make their operations seem legitimate, the admins would allow partial withdrawal of the investment initially. When the student sold some shares and redeemed 750, they promptly credited the money back to his account. He regrets not withdrawing more at that time.

Participant investors were guaranteed 30-40% returns within one week. They were also told that the minimum quantity they could buy was in lots of 100 shares and this size kept increasing. When the former Oracle executive cross-checked this online, she found the price fluctuations to be correct and thought she was actually making money. She then started investing more. This happened till she, and the IIT student, came across a LinkedIn post by the real Karan Batra that said some miscreants were running a scam in his name.

The student immediately tried to withdraw his entire investment but was not allowed to do so. He was instead told to pay another 50,000 for violating the terms of the contract.

The former Oracle executive kept withdrawing from the app in small chunks and was also simultaneously trading to give the impression that she wasnt exiting. She managed to withdraw around 5 lakh.

How to avoid the scamsters?

As the name suggests, a pig butchering scam first involves the scammer building a relationship with the victim, and after gaining their trust, extracting money from the victim. That is akin to how a butcher fattens his pig before the slaughter.

With scammers becoming more shrewd, it is increasingly becoming difficult to spot fake websites and apps. Tejas Khoday, CEO of Fyers Broking, said they even use the Sebi registration number.

Jay Prakash Gupta, founder of Dhan Broking, said users should first go to the Sebi website and check all details of brokers registered there and even contact the customer care number provided there.

Nithin Kamath, co-founder of Zerodha, in a post on X last month said, After the Chinese loan apps scam, the latest scam from actors in China and other Asian countries is phishing websites. Fraudsters are creating hundreds of websites and trading apps that look similar to the websites of Indian brokers. Unwitting users who click on the app, download links, etc., will be prompted to download the fake app. The goal is to get people to transfer money by taking advantage of their familiarity with these apps."

Kamath warned people against replying to unknown messages on social media and other messaging platforms, strangers telling you to download apps, or someone promising returns thats too good to be true. These are all red flags!
Now before I tell you the story of how hundreds of people earned an assured 2%, or so, returns per month, for years altogether (spoiler alert: in the final analysis, they lost all their capitalrumoured to be about 1,000 crore), let me share something that you should probably print and pin on your wall.

Its a quote by Charlie Munger:

The world is not driven by greed. Its driven by envy.

And complement this with another one (I am not sure of its origins):

Return of capital is more important than return on capital.

The first quote is the root cause of perhaps all irrational adventures that investors are willing to undertake in their desire to beat competing standards of living.

The second quote is the perfect antidote to any irrational envious behaviour.

In the absence of the antidote, investing driven by envy is deadly. It compels you to chase high and fast returns. In my experience, almost all such adventures result in huge wealth destruction.

Heres what else envy does. It forces you to junk any sane asset allocation plan that could otherwise be a safeguard that prevents you from total wealth destruction.

Lets spend a moment and understand what 2% returns per month actually means. It amounts to an annualized return of 26.8%. Let that sink in. 26.8%. How does this compare to, lets say, one of Indias favourite mutual fund schemes over the last five years Parag Parikh Flexicap Fund? It earned only 23.4% per annum, over this period. Another popular fund, HDFC Flexicap, returned just 19.0%.

Other than the fact that 2% per month returns amounts to an irrational return expectation, theres another big issue with this. The return is paid out every month. So, not only does the person offering this scheme, promise a crazy return when soliciting funds, he also assures to pay it off month after month. Whether the markets are up, or down.

At this point you are probably wondering how someone could fall for this scam. The fact is many did.

This is how the alleged scam" played out.

The protagonist is a star trader, who claims to generate risk free returns" (from the agreement) in the commodities market.

Each month", based on net gains generated in the prior month, the investors share of profits will be paid out within a clearly specified date range.

Heres the clinchersafety of principal funds invested is assured by" the star traders firm (apparently, this is a sole proprietorship, so in essence the star trader stood assurance himself).

The combination of risk free returns", each month" and safety of principal funds invested is assured", all mentioned in the agreement with the clients, is unbeatable. Who can match that?!

Add to these claims a track record of actually delivering a return of 2% per month, and you have a flywheel effect when it comes to pulling in money.

How did our star trader pull this off in the initial years? Well, he was probably running a ponzi scheme, i.e., paying off the 2% per month, or part of it, from the capital invested in the fund, and the new money that was rushing in. At some point in time, it was probably impossible to pull this off any further, and so, it blew up.

If you are thinking American financial criminal Bernie Madoff, you would be bang on. But then Bernie at least put up a pretence of a serious operation. Our star trader was, as I am told, operating all alone, in a tiny office in a Mumbai suburb. And in case you were wondering, he was not even registered with market regulator Sebi.

There were red flags at every stage. However, as long as the 2% per month return kept coming in, apparently no one worried about their 100% of capital. Sometimes you want to believe you have found the chicken that keeps laying golden eggs. Even though you know this does not really happen in real life.

In the end what we have is a situation where people have lost a lot of money. Some a large chunk of their lifes savings. Sad.

Whos to blame? I leave that to you to decide.

Heres what one should do to avoid getting caught up in such a scheme.

First, always remember if its too good to be true, it probably is. Anytime someone pitches you an idea that offers the potential to make an irrationally high return (like our star trader, and including some PMS schemes, structured products, thematic funds, etc.), up your guard big-time.

Second, always stick to your asset allocation. If you stick to your well-designed asset allocation plan, you will always have downside protection. This should take care of your long-term wellbeing (even if you fall for such a scheme). Dont violate the plan and make a bigger bet than your plan permits.

Third, if you really want to take a punt with a star trader, go back to our concept of play money. That way you can stay busy, and popular (at parties), but at no point in time put your family at risk just for some envy driven misadventure.

In the end, a gentle reminder. Investing is simple, but not easy. Stick to the simple stuff, persist with it. And remember, the two quotes, which I restate here:

The world is not driven by greed. Its driven by envy.

Return of capital is more important than return on capital.

If you walk this path, it may be long, but it will be potentially very rewarding. With the added bonus of having side-stepped the extremities of any unnecessary misadventures.

Happy Sensible Investing.

Rahul Goel is the former CEO of Equitymaster. You can tweet him @rahulgoel477.

You should always consult your personal investment advisor/wealth manager before making any decisions.
A Delhi court on Tuesday, March 19, summoned Congress MP Karti Chidambaram and others in a money laundering case in connection with an alleged Chinese visa 'scam'. The summons were issued to Karti Chidambaram after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a charge sheet.

Special Judge MK Nagpal summoned Karti Chidambaram and other while taking cognisance of the ED charge sheet. Padam Dugar, Vikas Makharia, Mansoor Siddiqi, Dugar Housing Ltd, Advantage Strategic Consulting Pvt Ltd and Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd are accused in the case.

Karti Chidambaram, his former chartered accountant S Bhaskararaman and representatives of a few companies have been asked to appear before the court on April 5.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated a money laundering investigation against individuals in an alleged scam involving the issuance of visas to 263 Chinese nationals in 2011 when Karti's father P Chidambaram was the Union Home Minister in the UPA-led government.

The ED said the actual magnitude or volume of the processed or laundered amount of money in the case was yet to be established and the alleged payment of 50 lakh bribe, as mentioned in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBl) case, cannot be considered as the basis of the present case.

The agency registered its case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) taking note of an FIR lodged by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the same case.

(With agency inputs)

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(Bloomberg) -- Croatias highest court said President Zoran Milanovics abrupt decision to run in next months election to become prime minister is irreconcilable" with his role, a decision the head of state called a coup" even as he signaled hed respect the ruling.

Miroslav Separovic, head of the Constitutional Court in Zagreb, said on Monday that Milanovic cant campaign in the contest, run on a party list or as a candidate for the premiership without resigning his post as president. Milanovic said on Friday he would step down as head of state only after an election victory on April 17.

Responding to the court decision hours later, Milanovic signaled that even if he conforms with the campaigning restrictions, he would maintain his ambition to succeed his bitter rival, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, in next months contest.

This is a coup  theyre trying to obstruct the will of Croatian voters," Milanovic told a crowd in Vela Luka, a fishing village on the Adriatic coast. I will be the prime minister, but I wont tell those illiterate mobsters how I intend to do it."

The blunt exchange amounted to a constitutional standoff as the court grapples with a sitting head of state wading into a highly charged election campaign, threatening to call off the ballot altogether if Milanovic doesnt comply. Croatias constitution spells out the role of president as a non-partisan figure tasked with preserving the stability of the country.

A constitutional crisis

Milanovic endorsed comments made earlier by the leader of his Social Democrats, Pedja Grbin, who said he would now refrain from referring to the president as the partys candidate  but would holler" after the election results are tallied next month.

Croatias prime minister isnt directly elected, but put forward by party majorities in parliament, meaning that Milanovic could receive the mandate whether he campaigns as a candidate on the ballot or not. But the head of the court took issue with the presidents adherence to the constitution.

President Milanovic has already violated the constitution with his conduct from Friday to today," Separovic said. We are trying to prevent a constitutional crisis."

Milanovic last week threw open the parliamentary contest by announcing the bid to lead the opposition Social Democrats. A former prime minister who was elected head of state in 2020, Milanovic remains one of the countrys most popular figures.

A snap poll over the weekend gave Milanovic a slight lead over Plenkovic, whose Croatian Democratic Union, or HDZ, had been well positioned to secure a third term.

A Milanovic premiership could have repercussions for the European Union as the most recent EU and euro member state shifts on policy. A stalwart supporter of Ukraine under Plenkovic, Croatia could reverse that position with a leader who has been critical of the blocs stance against Russia. Milanovic opposed NATO accession for Finland and Sweden and prevented Croatia from hosting officer training for the Ukrainian military.

The Croatian president has also adopted a barbed political style, attacking his opponents in parliament as well as the courts.

After the election, we will deal with this mobster group," Milanovic told voters on the coast. There wont be shooting  there wont be beating, but we will have a Third Republic."

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2024 Bloomberg L.P.

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HONG KONGHong Kong lawmakers passed a bill that includes heavy punishments for foreign interference endangering national security and criminalizes the possession or disclosure of state secrets, measures that some foreign executives say could make the city less attractive for international business.

The citys legislature, overhauled by Beijing in recent years to shut out opposition, passed the new law which outlines offenses such as espionage and treason, and widens the meaning of national security to include economic matters. The law, known as Article 23, also expands the range of material considered state secrets, such as those concerning social and technological developments.

The definitions bring Hong Kong more in line with mainland China, where a crackdown on business due-diligence firms has unnerved some foreign companies. It supplements a national-security law that Beijing imposed on Hong Kong in 2020 in the wake of mass antigovernment protests.

The new law has drawn strong criticism from Western governments who say it risks further undermining freedoms in the city, and a group of U.S. lawmakers sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week saying it raised the risks for American citizens and businesses.

On the ground, foreign business groups and corporate lawyers are more measured, but some say they are concerned that some parts of the bill are so vaguely worded they raise the perception of risk-and-compliance costs for businesses.

Part of the unique value Hong Kong has for Western stakeholders is the openness of the city and we feel the balance between openness and the desire for security needs to be well calibrated," said Johannes Hack, head of the German Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

Hong Kongs Chief Executive John Lee said earlier this month that he had asked the legislature to scrutinize and pass the bill at full speed, so that the city can then focus its efforts on developing the economy." A spokesman for Hong Kongs government said that the bill targets an extremely small minority of people who endanger national security" and that normal business operators wont be affected by the legislation.

Confidence in Hong Kong among foreign businesses and executives has been shaken in recent years amid social unrest, strict pandemic rules, Chinas sputtering economy and a national-security crackdown. A range of multinational companies have left, moved regional executives or downsized their operations in Hong Kong, including a number of firms that gather business intelligence.

The number of regional headquarters of firms based outside Hong Kong continued to fall in 2023, including those from the U.S., U.K. and Switzerland, according to data from the Census and Statistics Department.

Several foreign business leaders in Hong Kong say that while they dont see a second national-security law as a reason to rethink their presence in the city, it reinforces existing concerns about the citys appeal as a global financial center and hinders attracting global talent.

Write to Selina Cheng at selina.cheng@wsj.com and Elaine Yu at elaine.yu@wsj.com
As Vietnam gains popularity among Indian travellers, the governments of India and Vietnam are in active discussions to increase the number of flights under the bilateral air service agreement for the metro cities.

"May be this year or next year, India and Vietnam may increase the bilateral flying rights between the two countries. Both governments are discussing it. The first step is to increase slots and open skies will take time," Nguyen Trung Hieu, general manager, Vietnam Airlines, told Mint.

A bilateral air service agreement mandates a limit on the number of seats or flights that airlines can allocate between two countries. India currently has bilateral air service agreements with 116 countries.

Under open skies, airlines can deploy any number of flights between the two countries. India shares open skies with countries such as the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand among others.

The current bilateral air service agreement between India and Vietnam permit 28 weekly departures from metro cities. Vietnamese carriers including full-service carrier Vietnam Airlines and low-cost airline VietJet have already exhausted their share by operating 14 weekly departures each.

While the connectivity from metro cities will depend on increase in bilateral flying rights, Vietnam Airlines is studying the pool of non-metro cities with international status such as Pune, Ahmedabad, Amritsar and Lucknow to connect Tier-2 cities in India to Vietnam, an official said.

Direct flight connectivity between India and Vietnam is fairly recent and was initiated by Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo in October 2019 with non-stop flights between Hanoi and Kolkata. Earlier, erstwhile Jet Airways had also started flights to Vietnam only to discontinue the service months later.

IndiGo is currently the sole Indian carrier operating between India and Vietnam. Full-service carrier Vistara has also plans to operate daily flights to Hanoi from Mumbai. IndiGo now operates 14 weekly flights between India and Vietnam.

Full-service carrier Vietnam Airlines launched direct flights between the two countries in June 2022 with non-stop flights between New Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City.

"Now we have three airlines between Vietnam and India. India is a huge market and demand is enough for all airlines. We are looking at other cities in Vietnam as well such as Da Nang, which is a vibrant city and many tourists from India want to see," Hieu said.

The state carrier of Vietnam will also deploy brand new Airbus A350 aircraft on flights from Delhi with effect from 15 May. These will have a two-class cabin configuration with 276 economy seats and 29 full-flat beds in business class.

"India is the most important market for our airline. We are investing our resources into Indian market and offer a range of options for connectivity in domestic and beyond to South Asia, Europe, US, South Korea," Hieu said.

As per data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the international air traffic to and from India increased by over 150% on year in the December quarter to 186,812 passengers. Online travel portals have also seen a rise in interest among travellers from India to Vietnam as a leisure destination.

"We are seeing very encouraging numbers for Vietnam on our platform. In general, Vietnam has emerged as a popular destination in the last 9-12 months. It is competing with some of the other South East Asian destinations. When you look at travel options to Thailand, you start looking at Vietnam as a plausible option as well because connectivity has really improved and people are finding that it is a bit less crowded and less explored," Aditya Agarwal, chief financial officer of Cleartrip said.

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SCOTTSBLUFF  A 1-year-old child reportedly died Saturday of injuries he suffered that led to the arrest of a 32-year-old Gering man earlier in the week.

A social media post by a family member said Gideon Lockwood died Saturday at a Colorado hospital, where he had been transported after initially being treated at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff.

Tyler Green was arrested Wednesday and appeared in Scotts Bluff County Court on a charge of committing intentional felony child abuse resulting in injury. His bond was set at $1 million and he remains in jail. He has not yet been charged in the death of the boy.

Court documents say Gering Police and medical personnel were called to a Gering home where a 1-year-old child had reportedly gone limp and was vomiting blood. The caller, identified later as Green, described the boy as not responsive, but breathing.

A Scotts Bluff County Sheriffs deputy said Green said earlier the child had diarrhea and had made a mess on the floor and the walls. Green reported he had given the child a bath to clean him when the boy began vomiting blood. Green told the deputy he called for the childs mother, who was downstairs, to bring him his phone to call 911.

However, according to the arrest affidavit, the deputy didnt observe any mess from the child having suffered from diarrhea or water in the bathtub. The deputy said he did observe the child had blood around his mouth and a contusion on the left side of his head.

Regional West Medical Center personnel treating the child told police that he suffered bruising and lacerations to his genital area. He also had a lowered body temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The child had to be given a blood transfusion before he was transported to Childrens Hospital in Colorado for further treatment.

Police interviewed a Regional West doctor who told police that the boy had suffered internal injuries. A CT scan also showed the child had suffered a hypoxic brain injury, which would be caused by the childs brain not getting enough oxygen, police said.

According to the arrest affidavit, the doctor told police the mechanism of injury appeared intentional and that the amount of bruising  would be on par to having the child put in a clothes dryer and turned on.

Police arrested Green at his home. He was interviewed as was the child's mother. She told police they both had been drinking earlier in the evening. The mother said she had gone to bed and awakened to Green screaming. She then saw him holding the child, wrapped in a towel. She told police she and Green then called 911.
Electoral Bonds: Information technology (IT) and engineering services companies, including Infosys, Cyient , and Zensar Technologies , have been identified as donors to political parties through the electoral bonds scheme (EBS), as per data released on March 17 by the Election Commission of India.

The EC has publically posted EBS data submitted by the State Bank of India (SBI) on its website, adhering to the Supreme Court's order on the matter.

Contributions Revealed

 As per the latest disclosed data, IT major Infosys in March 2018 made a contribution of 1 crore to Janata Dal (Secular) during the Karnataka assembly elections that month, Moneycontrol reported.

 In May 2019, Zensar Technologies contributed 3 crore to unspecified parties through electoral bonds.

 Cyient has emerged as the largest donor among the three companies, donating 10 crore in two tranches of 5 crore each on November 7 and November 14, 2023. However, the recipients of these contributions are yet to be identified.

Cyient, Infosys and Zensar did not respond to queries, the report added.

Electoral Bonds Scheme: Fresh Data Made Public

The Election Commission of India on March 17 made public fresh data on electoral bonds. This data was submitted in sealed covers to the Supreme Court. It was later asked to be put up in the public domain by the top court.

Data so received from political parties was deposited in the Supreme Court without opening sealed covers," said ECI as it uploaded the data received in the digitized form from the registry of the Supreme Court on electoral bonds on its website.

While some national and state-level political parties have begun sharing information on the amounts received, only a handful have disclosed the identities of the contributing companies.

Party-wise list of funding through EBS made public on March 17

 The Bharatiya Janata Party encashed electoral bonds totalling 6,986.5 crore; of which 2,555 crore were received in 2019-20.

 Trinamool Congress (TMC) received 1,397 crore through electoral bonds, the second largest recipient after BJP.

 Congress redeemed a total of 1,334.35 crore through electoral bonds.

 Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) fourth largest recipient through electoral bonds, encashed bonds worth 1,322 crore.

 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) received 656.5 crore through electoral bonds, including 509 crore from lottery king Santiago Martin's Future Gaming.

 Samajwadi Party (SP) got 14.05 crore via electoral bonds, Akali Dal 7.26 crore, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) 6.05 crore, National Conference 50 lakh

 Biju Janata Dal (BJD) encashed electoral bonds worth 944.5 crore, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSR Congress) 442.8 crore, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) 181.35 crore.

 Filings by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI (M)), and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) showed nil receipts via electoral bonds.

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Following the successful mission of the Indian warship INS Kolkata, which led to the surrender of all 35 pirates aboard the pirate ship MV Ruen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India is committed" to safeguarding the freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.

PM Modi responded to a post by President Rumen Radev of Bulgaria Rumen Radev. In a post on X, Radev wrote, My sincere gratitude to PM Narendra Modi for the brave action of Indian Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship Ruen" and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens."

Reposting the post, PM Modi said, Appreciate your message President PresidentOfBg. We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region."

Also Read: Indian Navy thwarts Somali Pirates' hijacking attempt; intercepts ex-MV Ruen | Watch Video

On Saturday, the Indian Air Force's C-17 aircraft conducted a precise airborne drop of two boats, accompanied by Indian Navy MARCOS, in the Arabian Sea to support the ongoing anti-piracy mission, 'Operation Sankalp'.

Earlier, responding to Bulgarian Foreign Minister, Mariya Gabriel for thanking the Indian Navy for rescuing seven Bulgarian nationals in a successful anti-piracy operation in the Arabian Sea, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that it is exactly what friends are for.

In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote, "That's what friends are for," alongside Gabriel's post.

Taking to X, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister said, I express my gratitude to the Indian navy for the successful operation to rescue the hijacked vessel Ruen &its crew members, including 7 BG nationals Thank you for support &great effort. We continue to work together to protect lives of the crew."

Meanwhile, as reported by ANI, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that the exercise was part of an ongoing anti-piracy operation since 2008 and piracy suddenly increased some months ago.

Also Read: How Indian Navy's warship, drones, aircraft, and MARCOs forced Somali pirates to surrender?

It has been an ongoing operation for a long time. Since 2008, we have had a presence in anti-piracy operations. Piracy suddenly resurfaced around 3-4 months ago, and since then we have put more ships there. We are investigating all suspicious vessels that have piracy triggers in this ongoing operation," Admiral Hari Kumar told ANI.

The Indian Navy said in an official statement that the Indian warship INS Kolkata successfully cornered and coerced all 35 pirates to surrender on Saturday, ensuring the safe evacuation of 17 crew members from the pirate vessel without any injury.

View Full Image Pirates detained by the Indian navy during a rescue operation for the hijacked ship MV Ruen sit on the deck in this handout image released on March 16, 2024. Spokespersonnavy via X/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. (via REUTERS)

In the rescue operation, which lasted for the last 40 hours, INS Kolkata intercepted the under-attack pirate ship Ruen", sailing almost 2600 km from the shores of the Indian Coast, and forced the pirate ship to stop through calibrated actions.

During the operation to safely rescue the crew members and gain control of the distressed vessel, support was provided by various assets including the Indian warship INS Subhadra, High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, P8I maritime patrol aircraft, and MARCOS (Marine Commandos) PRAHARs which were airdropped by C-17 aircraft.

View Full Image Arabian Sea: Indian Navy Ship Kolkata successfully coerced all 35 pirates to surrender ensured safe evacuation of 17 crew members from the pirate vessel without any injury, Saturday, March 16, 2024. INSKolkata had carried out the interception of the Pirate Ship Ruen almost 1400 nm (2600km) from the Indian Coast, and forced the pirate ship to stop through calibrated actions. (PTI Photo) (PTI03_17_2024_000334A) (PTI)

Furthermore, the vessel underwent a sanitization process to check for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition, and contraband after the operation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In an unprecedented move, a group of Indian-American technology professionals from Silicon Valley organised a special Hindu ritual called havan at a local temple, seeking divine blessings for Prime Minister Narendra Modis success in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India, as per PTI.

The event was organised by the Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP), USA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, and witnessed a large turnout of people from the Indian diaspora. The organisers described the havan as a collective invocation to fulfil the aspirations of a majority of Indians and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who support Modis leadership.

This spiritual gathering reflects the deep-rooted faith in Indias democratic process and the hopes for continued progress and governance reforms under Prime Minister Modis leadership," said an OFBJP spokesperson, as quoted by PTI.

The organisers echoed the popular sentiment of Ab ki Baar, 400 Paar" (this time, more than 400 seats), alluding to Modis ambitious target for the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to secure over 400 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha.

As the campaign heats up, the Indian-American community in Silicon Valleys technology hub appears to be rallying behind PM Modi, seeking divine intervention through ancient Hindu rituals to secure his victory in the worlds largest democratic exercise.

Modis roadshow in Coimbatore gets enthusiastic response

Back in India, as Prime Minister Modi conducted a roadshow in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on Monday, March 18, the enthusiastic crowds expressed confidence in his ability to win a third consecutive term. A young woman described Modi as a peoples man", highlighting his strong connection with the masses.

As he says, ab ki baar 400 paar, he will most probably win. He is a peoples man," she told reporters, expressing her excitement after waiting hours to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister.

Another young man predicted that the BJP would win 404 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, stating, He (PM Modi) will, 100 per cent win this time. They (BJP) will get 404 seats. He fulfils whatever guarantees he promises."

The Lok Sabha elections in India are scheduled to be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with the results to be announced on June 4.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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Setting the election campaign tone with a policy paralysis pitch in 2014, Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party blamed the Congress-led government for several failures that they claimed were hampering the ease of doing business in India. Within years of coming to power, Modis government introduced several big-ticket business-centred policy moves. Some were seen as transformative, while others are yet to make a meaningful impact. Here are the highlights.

Big bang capital

Seen as the most infamous legacy of the previous regime, the banking sectors bad loans mess was getting visible through impaired balance sheets by the mid-2010s. The cracks became clearer after an asset quality review in 2016. By March 2018, gross non-performing assets (NPAs) had reached a peak of 11.5% of total advances, and almost a dozen banks were placed under the prompt corrective action (PCA) framework.

With further recognition of restructured loans, provisioning requirements surged, especially for public sector banks. To fix their balance sheets and to nurse the banking system back to good health, the government decided to roll out a massive recapitalization drive, amounting to close to 3 trillion between 2017 and 2022.

The exercise gradually showed results: profit margins of public sector banks began improving as lending resumed. The pain was severe, but beneficial effects started to show up from 2018, resulting in improved asset quality," the Reserve Bank of India noted in October 2023. By 2022, all troubled banks had exited the PCA, and the gross NPA ratio fell to 3.9% by March 2023.

The sector has regained stability. The stress test results reveal that scheduled commercial banks are well-capitalized and capable of absorbing macroeconomic shocks even in the absence of any further capital infusion by stakeholders," observed the RBI in its latest financial stability report in December 2023. No bank was expected to breach the minimum capital requirement norm in the next one year, the report said.

Insolvency code: A stress buster?

Other moves were not as successful. The 2016 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) was also supposed to be a game-changer that would bring structure to companies insolvency proceedings through a time-sensitive approach. But it didn't live up to expectations and was bogged down by litigation and amendments. It has already been amended more than 90 times, according to Crisil Ratings.

Until 2023, a total of 7,325 companies had entered the insolvency process, of which 74% of the cases stood closed and the rest were at various stages of resolution. Among the closed cases, just a third benefited from the process16% of the cases yielded successful resolution plans, and 19% were withdrawn as lenders agreed for settlement. Others were settled or closed on appeal or review (21%), or ended in liquidation orders (44%).

Meanwhile, in the last five years, while resolutions have become lengthier, and the recovery rate (the settled amount as a share of the total amount initially claimed by lenders) has fallen from 43% to nearly 32%.

For the IBC to succeed, some impediments need to be removed, Crisil Ratings wrote in a note in November 2023. The laws effectiveness and efficiency could be improved through better infrastructure, such as bench strength of judges, digitalisation to connect all stakeholders to avoid information asymmetry, and expanding the scope of pre-pack insolvency resolution for large businesses, the report noted.

The other big gambles

The government has also taken steps to reignite investments and capital flows into the economy. Soon after coming to power, the Modi government moved fast to open several sectors to foreign direct investments (FDI) under the automatic route. The first three years in office saw 37 sectoral relaxations in FDI rules, outdoing the entire six-year run of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government (29 changes), and equalling the full 10-year tenure of the Manmohan Singh regime, an analysis by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies showed.

The result was record FDI inflows in the following years, though the last two years have been challenging as developed economies lose pace, interest-rate differentials narrow, and geopolitical tensions refuse to die down. However, with China-bound investments no longer as lucrative as they used to be, India has the opportunity to actively court foreign inflows.

Looking ahead, the government could expand the number of sectors eligible for automatic approval, encompassing both brownfield and greenfield projects," said Rajani Sinha, chief economist at CareEdge. The recent initiative to open up FDI in the space sector through amendments to the Indian Space Policy is a positive stride in this direction, she added.
Reacting strongly against Union Minister Shobha Karandlajes claim that the suspect involved in the March 1, 2024 blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe was from Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister MK Stalin demanded stringent action against the minister for causing a threat to peace, harmony and national unity.

Taking to microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the Tamil Nadu chief posted, One must either be an NIA official or closely linked to the Rameshwaram Cafe Blast to make such claims."

Clearly, she lacks the authority for such assertions. Tamilians and Kannadigas alike will reject this divisive rhetoric of BJP" the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said calling for appropriate legal action against the Union minister for causing threat to peace, harmony and national unity."

From the Prime Minister to cadre, everyone in the BJP should stop engaging in this dirty divisive politics at once. ECI must take note of this hate speech and initiate stringent action immediately," Stalin posted on X.

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Karandlaje joined the protests in Bengaluru following an altercation between a group of people and a shopkeeper during 'Azaan' time on Sunday, i.e. March 17, near Siddanna Layout.

Accusing the Siddaramaiah government in Karnataka of bias against Hindus the Union minister said, This government is protecting minorities and it is anti-Hindu... The law and order situation is poor and we demand Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara's resignation... We will keep fighting,

Karandlaje further highlighted a series of incidents involving individuals from different states engaging in criminal activities within Karnataka. She went on to claim that the suspect involved in the March 1 blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe was from Tamil Nadu.

One person comes from Tamil Nadu and plants a bomb in a cafe. Another man comes from Delhi and raises pro-Pak slogans in the Vidhan Soudha. Another man comes from Kerala and throws acid at college students," the BJP MP said.

It is important to note that the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the investigation into the Rameshwaram Cafe blast case, has not revealed the identity of the prime accused in the case. The state home minister last week told media persons that investigators were verifying the suspects identity and were drawing closer to locating him.

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 19 issued a notice to the Centre seeking its reply to the pleas seeking a stay on implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 by April 8, three weeks from today.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, posted the matter for the next hearing on April 9.

The Centre, through Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, has asked for more time to file its response. The central government said that it needed four weeks to file a reply to the pleas.

The pleas in the Supreme Court have sought a stay on the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules till the top court disposes of the petitions challenging the constitutional validity of CAA 2019.

The Solicitor General told the Bench that the newly notified citizenship law (CAA) "does not take away citizenship of any person".

On March 11, the Centre notified the rules for the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. This came four years after it was passed by Parliament.

The CAA law grants citizenship to undocumented migrants of all religions -- except Muslims -- from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

The Supreme Court was hearing a cluster of about 200 petitions challenging the CAA's implementation.

The petitioners have claimed that the CAA discriminates against the Muslim community. It has been argued that this religious segregation is unreasonable and infringes on Article 14's right to equality.

A petitioner in favour of the law and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay told news agency PTI that there are a total of 237 petitions related to the CAA, of which 236 PILs are against it.

The petitions opposing the CAA have alleged that excluding Muslims of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh is a violation of Article 14. They have filed a fresh application, demanding a stay on the implementation of CAA," Upadhyay said.

"On behalf of the central government, the Attorney General and Solicitor General have opposed this. The Supreme Court has given three weeks' time to the Centre and the next hearing is on April 9," he told PTI.

(With agency inputs)

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Former US President Barack Obama made an informal courtesy drop-in" to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday, March 18. Following his visit, people started speculating about their hour-long meeting.

Obama and Sunak are believed to have met for the first time. This is also Obamas first visit to Downing Street after his second term as the President ended in 2017.

Also Read: Kate Middleton spotted shopping with Prince William as wild conspiracy theories do rounds on social media

He was making an informal courtesy drop-in as part of his trip to London, where he is conducting work of the Obama Foundation," PTI quoted a Downing Street spokesperson.

I think President Obamas team made contact, and obviously, the prime minister was very happy to meet with him and discuss the work of the Obama Foundation," the spokesperson added.

There are speculations that the agenda of Obamas meeting with Sunak could have included Vladimir Putins re-election. The Russian President earlier won yet another term without having to face any significant rivalry. On the other hand, it is assumed that the former US President might have also discussed the Ukraine situation.

Theories around Kate Middleton

Obamas London visit coincides with wild conspiracy theories about Kate Middleton on social media. The Princess of Wales hasnt made any public appearances since her abdominal surgery in January. People find this odd since she was quick to pose outside the hospital hours after giving birth.

Netizens are now joking that Obama was in London to find out the whereabouts of Kate Middleton.

Former President Obama has been dispatched to Downing Street in England to help lead the search for Kate Middleton," posted one user on X (formerly Twitter).

From yesterday rumours are circulating about Prince Charles and Kate Middleton. Meanwhile, Obama meet with Rishi Sunak. News channels are standby for Royal Announcement. Things seems fishy," wrote another.

Only Obama can find Kate," quipped one user. Obama, announcing from London that they have located and eliminated Kate Middleton," posted another.

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YouTuber Elvish Yadav allegedly supplied snake venom at parties to boost his social media followers and make money, Indian Express has reported, citing Noida Police sources. The Big Boss OTT 2 winner had been arrested on March 17 and was sent to 14-day judicial custody.

During questioning, Yadav did not accept the crime. But, we have a lot of evidence. For him, it was to make a statement that hes got swag or bhaukaal. He wanted to paint a picture among his fans as someone who is completely unafraid of law-enforcement agencies and can do whatever he wishes," the publication quoted a police officer as saying.

Police have found evidence that snake venom was used at over six parties related to the YouTuber, the publication added while citing police sources.

LiveMint could not independently verify the development.

Officials part of the investigation allege that Elvish was present at some of these parties. An officer has said that the attendees are being identified, and action will be taken against those who used the venom.

Another case against Elvish Yadav

In a separate case, the Gurugram Police is set to take the YouTuber on a production warrant for allegedly assaulting content creator Sagar Thakur alias Maxtern in a shop in a Gurugram mall. A petition will soon be filed in the Ghaziabad court to arrest Yadav.

On March 8, content creator Elvish Yadav was caught in a video beating YouTuber Sagar Thakur. The video apparently showed him throwing Thakur on the ground and then slapping him. After the incident, Thakur approached police and filed a complaint against Elvish Yadav and others at Sector 53 Police Station, PTI reported.

Despite the Gurugram Police sending him two notices, Elvish Yadav, also known as Siddharth Yadav, did not turn up. Initially, he claimed in a video that Sagar Thakur had pre-planned the entire incident. Later, however, he apologised through another video.

(With agency inputs)

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Donald Trump has decided against choosing Vivek Ramaswamy as his running mate and is now considering him for a position in his Cabinet, according to sources familiar with the situation as reported by Bloomberg.

The report added that Trump informed Ramaswamy directly that he won't be his choice for vice president. However, he is contemplating offering Ramaswamy positions such as Homeland Security secretary. Certain allies of Trump view Ramaswamy as fitting for the role due to his strong public speaking skills and his background as an Indian-American son of an immigrant, which they believe could help mitigate criticism of stringent immigration policies, as per the Bloomberg report/

Trump and his team have been impressed by several individuals for potential Cabinet positions, including another former GOP primary competitor, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, along with Representative Elise Stefanik and former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.

Trump and his team have been impressed by several individuals for potential Cabinet positions, including another former GOP primary competitor, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, along with Representative Elise Stefanik and former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.



Trump wants a running mate who isn't focused on fame but can provide a clear advantage against President Joe Biden, as per those familiar with his thoughts. Trump has shared with close advisors and allies that none of the potential running mates being discussed have impressed him. Instead of shrinking, his list of options has expanded, according to sources close to him.

On Monday, former President Donald Trump provided a last-minute endorsement in a fiercely contested northwest Ohio congressional district, news agency AP reported.. He threw his support behind state Rep. Derek Merrin over another Republican contender, whom Trump's closest ally in the state has lauded as "a steadfast conservative."

Former President Donald Trump issued a last-minute endorsement in a highly sought northwest Ohio congressional district Monday, backing state Rep. Derek Merrin over a rival Republican whom Trump's closest ally in the state has described as "a rock-solid conservative."

-With agency inputs

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The federal police of Brazil on Tuesday indicted former president Jair Bolsonaro in a case related to falsifying his own COVID-19 vaccination records to benefit the far-right leader and his close family members, newswire AP reported.

The Brazilian Supreme Court today released the federal police's indictment that alleges the former president and 16 others in his close circle provided false information into the public health database to make it appear as if they had received the COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic.

The indictment comes one year after the federal police searched Bolsonaros residence to investigate if the former president and his close circle provided false data into the health ministrys database as proof of vaccination ahead of international trips.

It is important to note that the former Brazilian president was among the few world leaders who openly criticized the COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, breached health restrictions and encouraged society to follow his example.

The then Bolsonaro administration not only ignored emails sent by leading pharmaceutical firms like Pfizer offering to sell tens of millions of COVID-19 vaccines to Brasilia in 2020, but also openly criticized Joao Doria, then governor of Sao Paulo state, for buying shots from Chinese company Sinovac when it was no available.

The report said that now the ball is in the court of the attorney general of Brazil, who will have to decide whether to file a complaint based on police indictment or close the case. A complaint, if filed, would be judged by the Supreme Court, which could eventually convict Bolsonaro

The former president denied any wrongdoing during questioning in May 2023.

The federal police have accused the former president and his aides of tampering with the health ministrys database shortly before the US visit in December 2022. Bolsonaro needed a certificate of vaccination to enter the US, where he remained for the final days of his term and the first months of Lulas term.

If convicted for falsifying health data, the 68-year-old former president could spend up to 12 years behind bars, and as little as two years, according to legal analyst Zilan Costa.

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A 19-year-old Kansas man was charged Friday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, according to court documents.

Nicholas Southwick was charged with first-degree sexual assault after the girl's mother reported in February that her daughter had sex with Southwick, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

Police believe Southwick began communicating with the 13-year-old girl through TikTok in the summer of 2023.

In February, the victim told police Southwick had assaulted her in his pickup truck at a northwest Lincoln high school and later at a Lincoln hotel, according to the affidavit.

Investigators interviewed Southwick at Fort Riley in Junction City, Kansas, on Feb. 16.

He was taken into custody Thursday.

Judge Laurie Yardley set Southwick's percentage bond at $1 million, meaning he would need to pay $100,000 to be released. He is being held at the Lancaster County jail.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
(Bloomberg) -- The likely lifting of the final major tariffs on Australian products by China in coming weeks will conclude a bitter three-year trade war. That alone is unlikely to usher in a new era in relations between the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis first trip to Australia in seven years to meet with his counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra on Wednesday is the latest sign of a tentative improvement in ties. During his trip, Wang will attend the Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, which was postponed for years during a diplomatic deep freeze.

His visit comes just over a week after China announced it was considering lifting trade tariffs as high as 218% on Australian wine, removing the last major sanction imposed after relations frayed in 2020. But even as the economic disputes ease, some experts caution the overall relationship still faces headwinds from persistent political differences and increased competition between China and Australias principal ally, the US.

Theyve tried to take the very obvious, in-your-face economic disputes off the table, but that doesnt mean the two sides have kissed and made up in any fundamental sense," said Richard McGregor, Senior Fellow for East Asia at the Lowy Institute think tank.

Australia and China have rapidly improved their diplomatic relations since the election of the center-left Labor government in May 2022, including the restoration of high-level official meetings and the lifting of trade sanctions imposed by Beijing at the height of tensions.

In October, China released Australian journalist Cheng Lei after detaining her for three years, which was followed shortly afterward by a visit to Beijing by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese - the first by a sitting Australian leader in seven years.

A Beijing courts decision to hand Australian writer Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence in February, however, took the government in Canberra by surprise, casting fresh doubts over the relationship.

Since then, the list of disputes between Beijing and Canberra hasnt shrunk. Amid growing tensions in the South China Sea, where the Chinese government claims vast swathes of territory, Australia signed a memorandum of understanding on maritime security with the Philippines. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr delivered a defiant speech to the Australian parliament, where he said he would not cede one square inch" of territory.

After Australia and Vietnam deepened their ties by agreeing to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin warned against building exclusive circles." Australias ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski made an unusually public rebuttal, saying on his official social media account that China was over-reacting.

Vietnam has always valued self-reliance. If strengthening ties with Australia contributes to that why should another country object?" he said.

Some experts are urging Australia and China to keep the focus on improving relations. Former Australian diplomat Jocelyn Chey said despite the political differences, the two countries economies were deeply complementary."

Certainly, on Australias side, we really cant do without China," said Chey, now a visiting professor at the University of Sydney. You have to rebuild trust and the only way you can rebuild trust is by working together."

But McGregor warned that there were many geopolitical trapdoors" that both sides could fall into over coming years. While China and Australia had agreed to put aside their differences for the moment and focus on what they could agree on, he said, the shared agenda going forward is still pretty narrow."

The big question is how China behaves and whether they can develop a modus vivendi with the US," McGregor said.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

2024 Bloomberg L.P.

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US President Joe Biden on Tuesday expressed his deep concern about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah on the lines of those in Gaza City and Khan Younis.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Biden said he had a telephonic conversation with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the latest developments in Israel and Gaza.

I continued to affirm that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, a group of terrorists responsible for the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust," the US President said while reiterating the need for an immediate ceasefire as part of a deal to free hostages and surge aid to civilians in Gaza.

He added, "I asked the Prime Minister to send a team to Washington to discuss ways to target Hamas without a major ground operation in Rafah."

Addressing a press briefing, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said PM Netanyahu, during his conversation with Biden, agreed to send an inter-agency team of Israeli officials to Washington to hold discussions on an alternative approach to target key Hamas elements in the southern Gaza city of Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion.

The President explained why he is so deeply concerned about the prospect of Israel conducting major military operations in Rafah of the kind it conducted in Gaza City and Khan Younis," the NSA said, as quoted by PTI.

It is pertinent to note that about a million people have taken refuge in Rafah as they have nowhere else to go. These people went from Gaza City to Khan Younis and then to Rafah. Other major cities in Gaza have largely been destroyed," he said.

Sullivan asserted that Israel has still not presented the US or the world with a plan on how and where it would safely move those civilians. The United Nations food agency has also warned that famine is imminent" in northern Gaza.

Israel raids Gazas main hospital

Israeli military forces on Monday launched a raid on Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and accused Hamas militants of using it as a base.

The military claimed to have killed an armed Hamas commander who was hiding inside the medical facility, along with one of its soldiers. The chief military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, had earlier said that senior Hamas militants had regrouping and were leading attacks from the compound.

A building used for specialised surgeries was targeted by gun and missile fire during an army attack on the hospital, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

Israel said that Hamas was hiding a significant command and control facility inside and beneath the medical facility, which is why Israel raided the facility in November. Not the ornate facilities it had described before the raid, but a tunnel leading to an underground bunker beneath the hospital and some weapons found inside.

(With PTI inputs)

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Donald Trump lost his bid to prevent testimony from a porn star and a Playboy model at the former presidents criminal trial in New York, where hes accused of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments before the 2016 election.

State court judge Juan Merchan ruled Monday that adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal can be called as witnesses because their testimony is central to claims by prosecutors that Trump sought to conceal alleged sexual encounters with the women. Trump, who denies wrongdoing, had argued their testimony wasnt relevant to charges that hed falsified business records.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges the real estate mogul engaged in a catch and kill" scheme with his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen and former American Media Inc Chairman David Pecker to buy rights to the salacious claims and keep them quiet through non-disclosure deals to help Trumps 2016 presidential campaign. The trial was set for March 25, but has been delayed until at least the middle of next month.

Trump was indicted on charges he falsified his companys records to conceal the true nature of a $130,000 payment to Cohen as legal fees that prosecutors allege went to Daniels to suppress her claims of an extramarital sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. Prosecutors also claim McDougal got $150,000 to keep quiet about her claim of an affair, and former Trump doorman Dino Sajudin got $30,000 to suppress his claim that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock.

The probative value of the evidence is evident," Merchan said in his ruling. The alleged actions of Trump, Cohen and Pecker flow directly" from a 2015 meeting at Trump Tower between the three men in which prosecutors claim they discussed making payoffs, the judge said. Their discussion is inextricably interwoven with the narrative of events" and the steps that eventually led to the purchasing of information from others," Merchan said.

Trump argued that allowing Daniels to testify would be unduly prejudicial," and that information from McDougal and Sajudin would relate to uncharged crimes" not included in the district attorneys indictment.

But the judge said testimony from Daniels, McDougal and Sajudin was admissible to show Trumps propensity" that he was likely to have committed the crime at issue," the judge said.

However, Merchan barred prosecutors from showing the jury the so-called Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump makes vulgar comments about grabbing women in a hot-mic recording to a show host in 2005. Merchan said while it helps establish" Trumps motive for making payment to Daniels and then attempting to conceal it, the tape could cause undue prejudice." Instead, prosecutors could ask witnesses about the tape if they want, the judge said.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.
Infosys chairman emeritus N.R. Narayana Murthy, advocate of compassionate capitalism, has made his grandson Indias richest infant by gifting him Infosys shares. Ekagrah, his third grandchild, was born to Rohan Murty and Aparna Krishnan in November.

Murthy senior is free to do as he pleases with his wealth, of course, yet this gesture is something to take note as its one of those things that can help mainstream in Indian culture and discourse the idea that wealth-making is to be proud of, passed on from generation to generation.

Indians didnt look down upon wealth creation traditionally. In Hinduism, for instance, it is the first of the four purusarthas, or aims of human life: arth (prosperity and economic values), kama (pleasure, love, and psychological values), dharma (righteousness and moral values) and moksha (liberation, spiritual values, self-actualization).

A person is to strive to prosper first and foremost and only then devote themselves to the remaining pursuits.

Post-Independence, however, India struggled with mainstreaming the idea of wealth creation. Capitalists and by extension wealth came to be seen with suspicion for a variety of reasons, some justified, others not as much.

Even visionary industrialists like J.R.D. Tata were not immune from this lack of trust, as the nationalisation of Air India in 1953 showed, although the Tata group had given the country its first airline, first integrated steel mill, first hospitality company (and eventually the country's first software company), as Mint Snapview recently wrote.

Contrast this with the US, where Bruce Springsteen wrote a song when plants of iconic US Steel, which was at one time the worlds largest company, and that JPMorgan had financed, were being shut.

Even after the 1991 reforms, thriving crony capitalism and deepening inequalities have not let wealth-generation be seen as honourable pursuit. Although stories of merit-based success shaking up the pecking order of Indian business might that used to be dominated by inherited and family-owned business groups, began making a difference to how society views wealth making.

Among them, Infosys became known, even admired for its new corporate culture of governance standards that old-money companies did not care for. Murthy had famously called the compensation hikes for the companys COO in 2017 unfair and not proper". The 60-70% increase for the COO, when the hikes for most of the companys employees were no more than 6-7%, he complained, was sure to erode the faith of the companys employees in the management and board.

Former executives V. Balakrishnan and T.V. Mohandas Pai joined him in criticising the resolution. Infosys had disagreed with Murthy. Its defence of the pay award was that the COOs compensation had been benchmarked to best-practice standards, and the hike worked out to just 1.4% for that financial year after accounting for the four-year vesting period of stock, the drop in the cash component, and the performance-based pay share rising in the total compensation.

Murthys point wasnt about whether the COO deserved the pay hike or not. He was concerned with the principle of fair play and compassionate capitalism".

He wanted the management to strive for a reasonable ratio between the lowest and the highest salaries in the companytaking a leaf from the pay culture in corporate America after companies in the US were asked to disclose the ratios of CEO-to-average employee pays by the Dodd-Frank Act Passed by the Barack Obama administration as one of the responses to the global financial crisis of 2008.

One of the reasons that had led to the financial meltdown of 2008 was excessive risk-taking by top managers in rich countries, which had turned the mood against overpaid CEOs and disproportionate rewards for top managers. This had stirred a debate on capitalism in the West. The rising protectionism and country after country trying out the idea of a universal basic incomes today are among the political fallout of all that happened back then.

The debate in India gets framed differently; as the issue of crony capitalism, which re-entered the Indian political narrative in 2015 with the slogan of suit-boot-ki-sarkar".

Indian voters, it is said, continue to look at business with suspicion and this interferes with reforms needed critically for economic growth. Indias next-generation reformsin labour and land in particularare stuck because of the political mess earlier attempts resulted in.

The policy agenda will not focus on these objectives unless the political risk reduces. Gestures such as Murthys can help add this nuance to the political economy debate.

When a proponent of compassionate capitalism and fair play demonstrates how empowering wealth can be at birth, long before merit enters the picture, hopefully the message that goes out is that suspicion and fears are no way to deal with the undesirable aspects of capitalism.

Policymakers can crack down on those by strengthening policy making capacity and ensuring robust regulation is designed and enforced.
There are many reasons Apple Incs stock hasnt been so hot lately, but a big one is that investors at large feel the American company [which sparked off the personal computer revolution in the 1980s and then put smartphones in peoples hands two decades later to shift our relationship with hi-tech gadgetry once again] lacks a compelling story on artificial intelligence (AI). By that, they mean Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook doesnt seem as if he has much of a plan.

Google, to its credit, does have an AI story. Unfortunately, its a tragicomedy. Caught on the hop by upstart OpenAI, the search engine companys Gemini model is best known not for its intelligence, but for its depiction of the first US president George Washington (17321799) as an African-American man, the Catholic Pope as an Asian woman and other assorted embarrassments.

This is all to say: the BFFsthats best frenemies foreverneed each others support right now. They have long been rivals as mobile platforms, but news about talks of a tie-up between the two, which would bring Googles Gemini AI to Apples iPhone, is a deal that can solve short-term headaches for both of these Big Tech companies.

The GeminiPhone, a nickname I hope sticks purely because I know Apple will absolutely detest it, will give Apple devices a taste of the cutting-edge AI that all customers will soon expect as standard and developers are already demanding. Apple would have preferred, no doubt, to have built such a capability itself, but without the huge server farms on hand to train models, it has apparently been left behind (for now).

Google today provides enhanced AI capabilities, albeit in a still highly experimental form. Details of the partnership havent been filled out, and it doesnt yet seem to have been fully agreed upon. But it has similarities with Apple and Googles deal on search, in which Google pays handsomely to be the default search engine on iOS devices. As in that arrangement, Google gets that one thing its always hungry for: scale. It might at first seem curious that Google isnt planning to keep its AI to itself, making it exclusive to Android phones, but that runs counter to its long-established North Star of simply having as many users as possible.

By delivering Gemini to the iPhone, it will not only get millions more potential users but affluent ones who might pay a premium to use advanced AI. More users means more data, and more data means a better, more valuable product.

Where this deal might differ from the one struck by Google and Apple on search, however, is that the BFFs are on a much more equal footing. Because of its laggard position, Apple needs Googles AI in way it didnt necessarily need Google Search. And so I would be surprised if Google ends up shovelling tens of billions of dollars into Apples hands for the privilege of being a default app on the iPhoneespecially not when its being sued by the US Justice Department over that tactic for cementing its position in online search.

We also dont know if this would be an exclusive deal, and, given those antitrust concerns, it may be wiser for it not to be AI partnerships between tech companies are already on regulators radars.

According to Bloombergs Mark Gurman, Apple was also speaking to ChatGPT maker OpenAI, and it may well be interested in other chatbots and tools as well. Though, like search, I wonder if users will pick one general-purpose AI tool and mostly stick with it, making the first-movers advantage as important as ever.

Which brings me to another thought: What might Apple be giving up here? The company has shown in the past it has no qualms incorporating stuff made by third parties, even rivals, when they offer great features that Apples own users might want. The very first iPhone it launched, you may remember, came pre-installed with YouTube, for example.

But AI is surely not just a feature, but The Futureone which Apple wont be satisfied with outsourcing for very long. The company is, of course, working on its own AI projects, as described in a recently published research paper. You could imagine it would seek to shut out Google, and anyone else, as soon as it can do a good enough job itself.

As of this week, investors in both companies seem delighted, sensing something of an answer to the Microsoft and OpenAI surge. [With Apples market cap having taken a hit], for months now, Cook has been steadily reassuring investors, hinting at significant breakthroughs to be (maybe, possibly) announced at its coming developers conference in June. Expectations are already sky high. bloomberg
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), set up in 2016, has revolutionized payment practices in India. The number of transactions and amount transacted during February 2024 were 12.1 billion and 18.3 trillion, respectively. Such a large-scale shift to digital payments was unthinkable in an emerging economy like India till a few years ago. What is praiseworthy is the trust earned by this payment mode from millions of people, a large fraction of whom are not tech-savvy. UPI transactions have crossed 80% of the total digital payments through various modes in the country.

There is no charge on UPI transactions, either peer-to-peer or customer-to-merchant. Many attribute this as the reason for UPIs outreach and success. Notably, enablers of the UPI system are only partly compensated for their costs by a government scheme. There is also the issue of a non-level playing field between UPI and other payment modes such as debit and credit cards, Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), etc, which charge transaction fees.

The UPI operates in a monopolistic environment. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks Association (IBA) that owns the UPI platform, is Indias sole provider of digital payment infrastructure and faces no competition from any other entity. Notwithstanding the good job done by NPCI, some questions arise for wider public discussion. Should UPI continue to monopolize the countrys digital payment infrastructure? Should UPI transactions continue to be free of charge? And should NPCI continue to be a not-for-profit company? The answers to these questions are inter-related.

As for UPIs monopoly, some argue that such infrastructure is a public good and the private sector is not best suited to provide it. This argument can be contested, as any monopoly tends to encourage complacency. An appropriate business model and regulatory oversight could induce private investment in creating and operating similar infrastructure. Alternative payment systems would deliver competition, improve operational efficiencies and encourage innovation.

There is another conceptual problem with NPCI. Although RBI doesnt hold any equity in it (various banks do), the central bank is effectively the owner, operator and regulator of UPI. While this model might have been helpful in giving the idea its initial push and establishing the system, a regulator with an interest in a regulated entity is undesirable.

To RBIs credit, it came out with a policy in 2019 for licensing so-called new umbrella entities (NUEs), envisaged as UPI competitors, and invited expressions of interest from eligible parties. As per media reports, many consortiums, including ones led by Amazon, Google, Facebook and the Tata Group, applied for NUE licences in partnership with companies such as Reliance and ICICI Bank as partners. Surprisingly, in 2023, RBI abandoned the whole idea, stating that it didnt receive any proposal with value-additive solutions to Indias digital payments landscape. This reasoning sounds unconvincing. It is difficult to believe that such big players had no value-adding proposition. For arguments sake, even if they had no new ideas but only wanted to invest, why rebuff them? Some media reports at the time suggested that NPCI-owning banks had lobbied against RBIs NUE move.

There is also the matter of UPI being free of charge. The governments mandate of a zero merchant discount rate (MDR) for UPI payments is not a sustainable approach. Again, to the credit of RBI, it came out with a public consultation paper in 2022 on charges in payment systems," suggesting different options for levying MDRs, including for UPI transactions. The RBI paper explained the issues and costs involved, clearly stating the roles of various UPI participants, ranging from the payers and payees payment service providers (PSPs) to the remitters and beneficiarys banks, apart from NPCI and third-party application providers (TPAPS). However, even before RBI had received public comments on options suggested in the paper, the Union finance ministry dismissed the idea of levying a fee, stating that UPI is a digital public good of immense convenience for people and productivity gains for the economy.

To cover operating costs and reimburse banks and fintech firms for the MDR forgone, the government has a special scheme, but this budgetary provision is inadequate and the basis of apportioning the amount among UPI participants lacks clarity. As a result, not only do banks have little incentive to upgrade their digital payment infrastructure, the business models of PSPs and TPAPs that participate in the UPI system are opaque.

Foreign TPAPs with deep pockets dominate the UPI transaction business in India. At one time, NPCI had envisaged a cap of 30% on the market share of TPAPs to prevent the systems domination by a few, reduce systemic risk and encourage innovation. That has clearly not worked. At present, two foreign players, PhonePe and Google Pay, have a combined market share of over 80%. Once again, a clamour has arisen for encouraging domestic and smaller UPI players.

Fixing a UPI quota for each player may not be the right proposition; it would be a retrograde step, besides presenting implementation challenges. Instead, other options should be examined. Appropriate steps in this direction would include having a clear MDR policy and mandating a transparent business revenue model for participants.

NPCI, a not-for profit Section 8 company with income arising from fees, made a surplus of 809 crore in 2022-23. NPCIs profits are likely to be even higher this year. Notably, except for NPCI, all other participants in the UPI systemthat is, PSPs, banks and TPAPsare profit-maximizing entities. There might have been some logic of setting up NPCI as a not-for-profit company, but there isnt any for it to remain so. NPCI should be converted into a regular company. Not just that, going forward, it should aspire to get listed for public trading. That would give its working a new and welcome level of transparency, unlock its true value and encourage fresh investments.

To conclude, the UPI system and NPCI are in need of urgent reforms. To begin with, UPI transactions should bear an MDR fee. PSPs and TPAPs should be mandated to follow a transparent business revenue model to facilitate competition. This should be followed by licensing a few NUEsperhaps two or three entities with interoperability among themselves and with UPI. As a monopoly in control of over 80% of total digital payments in the country may have systemic implications, it is important to reduce risks associated with market dominance. As for NPCI, it should be converted into a for-profit company and then listed on stock markets in due course.
Vladimir Putin has been re-elected Russias president with a record mandate in an election that paves the way for his fifth term in office. If he completes this new six-year term, he would have been in office for almost three decades, which would take him past Josef Stalin as the countrys longest-serving leader in more than two centuries.

Putin reportedly won about 87% of the vote, the highest in Russias post-Soviet history. Nikolai Kharitonov, the Communist Party candidate, came second with just under 4% of the vote, while the only leader seen as posing any real opposition, Alexei Navalny, died in prison shortly before the polls. There were some signs of protest against what critics call a fixed election, but that doesnt change anything about how the Kremlin will be run.

Almost to reinforce the point of his authority, Putin reiterated the nuclear threat hed earlier held out against the West if it took a direct role in Russias war with Ukraine. With the US headed for its own big election this year, speculation has arisen of a Donald Trump victory resulting in the falling apart of Nato. With an ally in Beijing, Moscow may be preparing to wield even more power in the years ahead.
It is the time of year when throngs of Western corporate chieftains and big-name investors descend on Beijing to pay homage to Chinas leadership. This time, the focus will be just as much on who is there to greet them.

Chief executives including Tim Cook of Apple, Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm, Albert Bourla of Pfizer and Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone, as well as Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio, are expected to attend the annual government-sponsored China Development Forum that starts on Sunday in Beijing, according to people familiar with the matter.

Insurer Chubbs CEO, Evan Greenberg, will co-chair the event with a representative for the Chinese organizer, the people said.

Many of the expected attendees are repeat guests at the annual gathering bringing together global business elites and the countrys policymakers. This year, they are gathering as business ties between the U.S. and China are at a low point, exemplified most recently by a U.S. congressional push to force a sale of Chinese-owned TikTok.

With Chinas economy in the doldrums and more Western capital leaving, Beijing will seek to use the forum to help attract and keep foreign investment.

But for now, even the Chinese sponsor, a high-level think tank directly under the State Council, Chinas cabinet, is unsure about which senior leaderPresident Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang or someone else entirelywill participate in the event and meet with the CEOs, the people familiar with the matter said.

The State Council and the organizer, China Development Research Foundation, didnt respond to requests for comment.

While it isnt unusual for Chinese authorities to only confirm leaders attendance at a given event at the last minute, the uncertainty is especially palpable this time as the Chinese party-state, long steeped in secrecy, has become evermore opaque.

The biggest question ahead of the China Development Forum surrounds Premier Li.

Early this month, as global investors and analysts awaited the opening of Chinas annual legislative session, Beijing abruptly canceled the premiers press conference, which for decades had served as a hallmark of the National Peoples Congress, the countrys most public-facing political event of the year.

The premiers annual press conference at the end of the legislative meeting had traditionally been a choreographed affair, with screened questions and scripted answers. Still, it had been the one public interaction between a global audience and a senior Chinese leader, and a rare window onto the leaderships thinking, particularly on the economy.

The cancellation of the press conference further diminished the role of the premier and affirmed that China only has one decision maker, Xi.

The change surprised many business executives and investors already growing wary of putting money in China. If you want people to buy your stock, you dont cancel the earnings call," said Rick Waters, managing director for China at the political risk consulting firm Eurasia Group and a former senior China official at the State Department.

As recently as last week, Li was listed on the China forums agenda as unconfirmed," the people familiar with the matter said.

In years past, American executives traveling to China were used to hobnobbing with English-speaking, reform-minded officials eager for their thoughts on how to deepen commercial links between the two world powers. Nowadays, as Beijing grows more inward-looking under Xi, the group of Chinese officials who meet with Western business leaders is getting ever smaller.

At a November dinner banquet after Xis meeting with President Biden in California, Xi received a standing ovation from Americas business leaders, a sign of their desire to remain in Beijings good graces. The Chinese leader, however, provided no reassurance for executives jarred by Beijings increased focus on national security and perceived Western threats.

People close to the Chinese organizer of the forum said it is likely Xi himself will meet some of the CEOs who plan to participate in the forum, though the latest agenda for the forum doesnt mention his name.

If Xi comes, that will definitely send a message that the economy is critical and remind everyone again that he is in charge," one of the people said.

Still, some business executives say that even if the top leader shows up, it will take more than a single meeting for Beijing to rebuild confidence and win back foreign capital.

Once a large growth market, China is fast losing its appeal for firms as geopolitical relations and Beijings push for self-sufficiency weigh on sales. Within China, foreign executives increasingly describe a sense of promise fatigue," as Beijing has made various overtures to clarify policies and smooth hurdles facing overseas businesses here. Businessmen say many of those actions have yet to be implemented in practice.

On Tuesday, the State Council released what it called an action plan to attract foreign investment, including promoting smooth data transfer between corporate headquarters and China operations as well as avoiding repeated inspections and irregular law enforcement.

A survey released in February by the American Chamber of Commerce in China showed that a majority of member companies, 57%, lacked confidence that China would further open its markets to foreign firms.

Many said they were opting to limit investments and focus on growing their core businesses instead, citing bilateral tensions, inconsistent regulation and rising costs.

Economic uncertainty and operational risks for multinationals have also grown. Competition from local brands is rising, and Chinas growth slowdown is hurting corporate America, including Apple, Estee Lauder and Tesla.

This month, Tesla said it would be offering discounts on its electric vehicles in China as its rivalry with BYD in the worlds largest EV market heats up. The automaker, run by billionaire Elon Musk, delivered about 60,300 cars made at its Shanghai plant in February, its lowest monthly figure since late 2022, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association.

Apple is also struggling with local competition and weak consumption. iPhone sales in China fell 24% during the first six weeks of 2024 compared with a year earlier, as the Cupertino, Calif.-based smartphone maker faced stiff competition from a resurgent Huawei Technologies and the comparison with a high sales base last year, according to research firm Counterpoint. Overall, Chinese smartphone sales fell 7% over this stretch. The decline came despite a rare move by Apple in January to cut prices on its latest iPhone 15 and 15 Pro handsets in the country.

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill to ban TikTok from the U.S. or force a sale of the short-video platform owned by Beijing-based tech giant ByteDance. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Among the topics multinational companies are interested in discussing at the China forum is technology and innovationthe core of Xis strategy for advancing Chinas competitiveness.

Qualcomm CEO Amon plans to speak about artificial intelligence and the broader tech sphere at the forum, according to a company spokeswoman.

Write to Lingling Wei at Lingling.Wei@wsj.com and Liza Lin at liza.lin@wsj.com

View Full Image American CEOs Get Ready to Go to Beijing. But Who Will Receive Them?
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 18 March held one more core committee meetings at the party headquarters to deliberate on potential candidates for various states for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Haryana, Odisha, Sikkim, Maharashtra and Gujarat were discussed in the core committee meeting.

Here are 10 points to know

1. The first state that was discussed in the meeting is Uttar Pradesh and was held in presence of CM Adityanath, Deputy CMs and state president. Citing sources, news agency ANI has reported that 25 Lok Sabha seats were discussed in the state. They also added that NDA partner Apna Dal may get 2 seats to contest, one from Mirzapur and the other from Sonbhadra. In addition to this, Ghaziabad MP General VK Singh likely to be fielded again from his constituency, however, the party may drop its Barabanki candidate seat.

2. In the second phase, the core meeting discussed Haryana state at the party headquaters and discussions on how to strategize were held. The Hindi heartland state of Rajasthan, where the BJP recently took power was also discussed. Sources added that discussion on the remaining 10 Lok Sabha seats were held.

3. In West Bengal core meeting which was held to discuss candidates for the remaining 23 Lok Sabha seats in the state. On discussion on Odisha candidates, election management was discussed yesterday. The core committee meeting will be held today again to deliberate extensively on Odisha. "In today's meeting, the election management was discussed. There will be another detailed meeting tomorrow. Today, other states were discussed. There will be a broad discussion on Odisha tomorrow," Odisha BJP president Man Mohan Samal told ANI after the meeting.

4. Sources added that the central election meeting will be held tomorrow i.e. on 20 March.

5. A major update is coming from Maharshtra as reports have stated that Raj Thackeray-led MNS is likely to join the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP Mahayuti alliance in the state. Thackeray reached Delhi late at night on Monday and is expected to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah soon. He said, "I don't know what my schedule is yet. I was just told to come to Delhi. Let's see," as quoted by ANI.

6. Till now, the BJP has announced the list of 267 candidates for the upcoming polls. On 2 March, the party released list of 195 candidates. In the first listr, BJP fielded 34 Central government ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will again fight the Lok Sabha elections 2024 from Varanasi constituency.

7. On 14 March, BJP released list of 72 candidates with some prominent BJP leaders featured in the second list included Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal, former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, former Karnataka CM Basavraj Bommai.

8. The Party has said that it will this time it will cross 400 seats. Recently, News18 opinion poll stated that the party might win 411 seats seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. As per the TN-ETG Research survey, the NDA is likely to win 358-398 seats, while I.N.D.I.A might gain about 110 to 130 while India TV-CNX opinion poll predicted 378 seats win for the party.

9. In the seven-phase general elections held between April 11 and May 19, 2019, the BJP won 303 seats with a record 37.36 per cent vote share, the highest vote share by a political party since the 1989 general election. Overall, the BJP-led NDA won 353 seats. The Congress won 52 seats while the United Progressive Alliance won 91 seats in the election.

10. The general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases from April 19. The polling will be held in seven phases starting from April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and June 1 and the counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.

(With inputs from ANI)

(With inputs from ANI)

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Following the meeting of MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to "steal" another "Thackeray" to win the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

He also accused the party of trying to appropriate the legacy of Bal Thackeray.

Although, while addressing a rally in Nanded, Uddhav claimed that he is not bothered if the BJP took away his estranged cousin.

Earlier today, Raj Thackeray met Amit Shah in Delhi amid speculations of BJP's interest in an alliance with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for a boost in Maharashtra in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The Sena (UBT) chief charged at the BJP saying that it knows well that they don't get votes in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra.

"People vote here in the name of (Bal) Thackeray. This realisation prompted the BJP to try to steal leaders from outside (BJP fold)," he said during his two-day tour of Nanded and Hingoli districts in the Marathwada region.

"First, they stole the photo of Bal Thackeray, but it doesn't matter. Today, they are trying to steal another Thackeray....take it, I and my people are enough," he added.

Claiming that even Christians and Muslims have no issue with his style of Hindutva, Uddhav Thackeray said that the image of Shiv Sena (undivided) was getting sullied when they were with the BJP.

Shiv Sena (UBT) is a part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi and INDIA bloc.

Uddhav's estranged cousin Raj Thackeray had parted ways with the Shiv Sena due to his differences with Uddhav. He then founded the MNS in 2006.

Even though Raj Thackeray he is seen as a powerful orator and enjoys a certain following, his MNS could not make much impact in the state.

Raj has made several controversial comments against north Indians in the past, and has drawn sharp criticism from several leaders across different political parties, including BJP.

(With agency inputs)

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A Nebraska state senator facing calls to resign after invoking other lawmakers names while reading a graphic description of a rape during floor debate said Tuesday he has no plans to step down.

Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings was rebuked by colleagues on both sides of the political aisle for his comments, which came during a charged debate over a bill (LB441) that would enact criminal penalties for anyone who provides obscene materials to minors.

Reading from Lucky, a memoir by Alice Sebold that recounts a brutal rape she suffered in college, Halloran repeatedly inserted the name of Sens. Machaela and John Cavanaugh, as well as Sen. George Dungan.

At one point on Monday night, Halloran, the chair of the Agriculture Committee who will be term-limited this year, interjected Sen. Cavanaugh at the end of a sentence in the book where the perpetrator demanded oral sex from the victim.

Machaela Cavanaugh, speaking shortly after, said Hallorans words were among the most cruel she has experienced during her time as a state senator. She also pointed out that others, particularly women senators, have given voice to their experiences of sexual harassment or sexual violence.

That was so out of line and unnecessary, and disgusting to say my name over and over again like that, Cavanaugh told Halloran Monday night, asking for others in the legislative body to also respond to Halloran.

The Legislature then abruptly adjourned about one hour earlier than anticipated on the first day of late-night debate.

Theres times when we just have to step back from debate, and this is one of those times, Speaker John Arch said.

Overnight, the outrage on the floor quickly washed over social media, where Halloran faced multiple calls to resign from women in the Legislature, as well as Nebraskans across the state.

Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, in a post to X, formerly Twitter, said she was angry that she didn't respond to Halloran on the floor.

"Honestly, I think Halloran should resign," Hunt posted. "He said that because he wanted to say it. It was beyond the pale. Pure aggression to read a rape scene out loud and put it like that. Broken brain."

Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar also called on Halloran, a fellow Republican, to resign on X, saying she would have more to say Tuesday morning.

"I know how this crowd operates," Slama said in a tweet. "Bet there's plenty of laughs happening as certain senators pretend it's funny to treat colleagues this way."

The temperature had not cooled by Tuesday morning when Halloran was confronted by a handful of protesters outside his office at the Capitol, some holding signs calling the Hastings lawmaker evil and deplorable, while others labeled him as a fascist.

For close to five minutes, Halloran engaged with the demonstrators, explaining his rationale as the group derided and cursed at him outside the chamber.

"The reason I inserted the senator's name was this: It was important for them to be paying attention to what the transcript (said)," Halloran said.

"Oh, f*** you," one protester shouted. "Seriously?"

"They were not paying attention," Halloran said. "They were chatting and laughing with their colleagues."

In remarks to reporters moments later, Halloran said he will not resign.

He maintained that he had invoked his colleagues' names  "I was primarily talking to Sen. John Cavanaugh," he said  to draw their attention to the language in the book "so that they would understand that this should not be in schools."

"If you read the transcript, it's like a how-to lesson on how to rape someone," Halloran said. "Is that good? No. It's not good. That's obscene. And that's why I drew attention to it."

Halloran, too, seemed to question the merits of the calls for his resignation.

"If it offends senators that I called them out to listen to what's being said on the floor  if they're more worried about the sensitivities of those senators than they were about the sensitivities of the kids being exposed to these books, that's on them, and whatever they want to call me out for, that's fine," he said. "I'm an adult and I can take it. That's what this is all about."

Senators criticize Halloran during debate

Inside the chamber on Tuesday morning  Day 46 of the 60-day session  lawmakers spent more than an hour discussing Hallorans comments the night prior.

Every senator who spoke on Tuesday condemned Halloran for his comments but varied in how they wished to see his conduct addressed by the Legislature.

Ultimately, no action was taken.

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad said everyone involved in bringing LB441, the priority bill of Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, bore some responsibility for Hallorans comments, but she said the Legislature should not level a punishment at an individual member.

I do not believe we should support calls for censorship or expulsion for one of our own, particularly during debate about censorship and punishment, Conrad said. The antidote to speech we find offensive is speech, not punishment.

Conrad asked her colleagues to call out speech they did not like or disagreed with, adding that accepting free speech did not mean condoning what was said, but she reiterated she believed it is wrong to invoke governmental punishments for speech we find offensive.

Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington said Halloran was going for a gotcha moment during a charged debate, but his comments became aggressive and, ultimately, hurtful. She also said other senators conduct was wrong.

I was disappointed to see people laughing when Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh was discussing this issue last night, DeBoer said. And to the extent some of you found it funny to see another colleague in pain, I would ask you to do better.

Halloran apologized on the floor for using both Cavanaughs' and Dungans name, but said he would not apologize for reading the passage of the memoir, which he described as a blow-by-blow lesson on how to rape a woman, saying thats where people should direct their outrage.

He added that when the transcript of the debate is ready, it will be clear that he intended to get the attention of other lawmakers.

Hallorans harshest criticism on Tuesday came from Slama, who said his comments were wholly inappropriate no matter who they were directed toward.

If you were at any other job in the world and you got up and told your coworker in front of the rest of the workplace give me a blowjob and then you interjected their name into a graphic description of a rape, what do you think your company would do to you? Slama asked.

Slama, who has pushed for the Legislature to create a structure and process where allegations of sexual harassment and violence could be adjudicated, also said senators provide an example to Nebraskans, particularly young Nebraskans, in demonstrating Halloran's behavior was not OK.

We owe it to the little girls watching at home who want to be something like this when they grow up, she said.

At the end of her time on the microphone, Slama said Halloran should be ashamed of himself and called upon him to resign  being the only lawmaker to make that demand on Tuesday.

John Cavanaugh said Halloran missed the point of Lucky, which was trying to impart empathy to the reader for the authors experiences and not serve a prurient interest when he used the names of his colleagues to make a point.

You, in essence, sexualized the people you worked with for effect, he said, and thats what were talking about.

Machaela Cavanaugh agreed with Slama that the Legislature should have some mechanism to address inappropriate speech, adding Halloran had described the books contents to her and another senator in detail prior to speaking on the microphone.

When he says it wasnt directed at me, I dont believe him, she said.

And Sen. Brad von Gillern of Nebraska, through tears, described how people who have experienced rape could have been retraumatized by Halloran, particularly when he inserted others names into the text.

Von Gillern also noted that Hallorans conditional apology is still not a full apology.

After a little more than an hour, the Legislature moved on to its regular agenda.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
The Congress party held a meeting of its Central Election Committee (CEC) at its headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday. During the meet, the party finalised the names of candidates for 12 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, sources told news agency ANI.

Meanwhile, party leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, "We will have a meeting tomorrow and settle it." He said the criteria for choosing candidates is same as before. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah also said, Tomorrow we will announce (our list of candidates)."

Siddaramaiah's statement came after the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting in Delhi on Tuesday. Karnataka sends 28 members to the Lok Sabha.

There are a total of 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has announced candidates for all 42 seats on March 10. The Congress and the TMC are part of the opposition's INDIA bloc.

The Congress has so far announced candidates for 82 Lok Sabha seats of the total 543 seats. In its first list on March 8, the Congress released names of 39 candidates, which included names of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, DK Suresh and Shashi Tharoor. The party's second list released on March 12 had names of Gaurav Gogoi, Nakul Nath and Vaibhav Gehlot.

Earlier in the day, the Congress held meeting of its Working Committee, the party's top decision-making body, to discuss and approve the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections.

ALSO READ: What makes India's Lok Sabha polls the world's largest 'electoral movement'? 2024 election in numbers

Besides former party chief's Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders, including Ambika Soni, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, P Chidambaram, Digvijaya Singh, Ajay Maken and Kumari Selja also attended the meeting.

"The Congress Working Committee (CWC) today extensively discussed the Congress Manifesto for 2024 elections. Since 1926, the Congress Partys Manifesto has stood as a testament to trust and commitment," the party said in a post on X.

Following the meeting, Kharge tweeted, "The 5 pillars of #BharatJodoNyayYatra - Kisan Nyay, Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay have 5 guarantees each." He added, "Right from 1926, Congress Partys Manifesto has been regarded as a "document of trust and commitment."

The Lok Sabha Elections will be held across the country in seven phases, starting April 19. The first phase of voting for 102 parliamentary constituencies will be held on April 19. The second phase for 89 constituencies will be held on April 26 and the third phase for 94 constituencies on May 7.

The fourth phase of voting for 96 seats will be held on May 13, the fifth phase for 49 seats on May 20, the sixth phase of polling for 57 parliamentary constituencies will be held on May 25 the seventh, and the last phase, for another 57 seats is scheduled to be held on June 1.

The results will be declared on June 4.

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Lok Sabha Election 2024: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that there was no benefit in voting for the grand old party since whoever wins from Congress would eventually join the BJP.

As reported by ANI, the Assam Chief Minister took part in a party workers meeting at the Karimganj district BJP office and said, The question is whether the Congress candidate will remain in Congress or not. Now no one wants to stay in Congress; everyone wants to join the BJP."

Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates

Sarma further noted, This time, if I can bring all Congress candidates except one to the BJP, then what will be the benefit of voting for Congress? This is the credit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the sun, and we are the moon."

BJP leader further claimed that there is no opposition; they are ours and if we call them, then they will join us.

Also Read: Congress' key meeting to okay manifesto for Lok Sabha elections 2024 today

Talking about the BJP's election campaign, the Assam Chief Minister said that, along with the election, a socio-economic survey will also be held. There will be some training programmes at booth levels and a socio-economic survey along with the election and I explained it to the people."

Earlier on March 17, more than 75 notable individuals from Assam have urged the Congress party to reconsider its stance on contesting the Barpeta constituency in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Instead, they have appealed for the party's support towards the Communist Party of India (Marxist) candidate.

The request was communicated to the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, Bhupen Kumar Borah, through a letter endorsed by prominent intellectuals, educators, and cultural figures of the state on Saturday. A copy of the letter was also forwarded to the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

Also Read: What makes India's Lok Sabha polls the world's largest 'electoral movement'? 2024 election in numbers

PTI reported that among the signatories are prominent figures like Hiren Gohain, Udayaditya Bharali, Chandra Mohan Sarma, and others. They underscored the importance of unity among opposition parties to mount a substantial challenge against the BJP in the upcoming elections.

Earlier on March 15, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) withdrew its candidate from the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat and further demanded that Congress pull out their candidates from Sonitpur and Dibrugarh seats in Assam.

(With inputs from agencies)

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On March 15, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the just-released data of electoral bonds the biggest extortion racket in the world run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi . The Wayanad MPs claim came a day after the Election Commission of India released the State Bank of India-provided data on political donations made by companies and individuals through now-scrapped bonds.

The first tranche of data was released two days before the poll panel announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 scheduled to begin on April 19. Unsurprisingly, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received the lions share of funds -  6,986.5 crore.

Quid pro quo charges

The whopping amount apart, the allegation of quid pro quo against the ruling party should provide a window of opportunity for the Opposition parties, led by the Congress, against the BJP in poll season, according to political observers. At least 14 companies that have reportedly donated over 4,000 crore to political parties, including the BJP, are being investigated by central agencies, as per the first data released on March 14.

The charge has not yet been officially established.

Also Read: What makes Indias Lok Sabha polls the worlds largest electoral movement? 2024 election in numbers

Introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modis BJP government seven years ago, the Electoral Bond scheme allowed individuals and companies to donate money to political parties anonymously. However, on February 15, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud scrapped the unconstitutional scheme. The Election Commission of India released the data last week in accordance with the SC order.

There couldnt be better timing for the date to come out. The ruling party, which has been targeting Congress and other parties of corruption for over a decade, could find itself at the receiving end if at all the Opposition wants," said a political analyst.

A lacking narrative

For quite some time now, the beleaguered Opposition has been facing criticism for lacking an overarching narrative to fight the mighty BJP led by PM Modi, who aims to secure a third straight term in office in the impending elections.

The BJP won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and unseated a corrupt Congress-led UPA government. It retained its government in 2019 by, what many would later say, riding on a nationalistic fervour against the backdrop of the cross-border strike in Balakot after the Pulwama attack.

They (BJP) have a powerful face in PM Narendra Modi, who is seen as a decisive man. He has fulfilled all manifesto promises - Article 370, Ram Mandir and now CAA. Add to this his welfare (labharthi) schemes. Not to forget the mighty organisational machine that the BJP has. How can you expect Congress to challenge this when it cannot even keep its allies like Nitish Kumar and Jayant Chaudhary together?" questioned a political analyst.

Also Read: Modi ji twisting Shakti remark: Rahul Gandhi clarifies after PM Modis jaan ki baazi attack

The oppositions INDIA bloc, in an effort to put up a united fight against the BJP, has had its own issues to deal with. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting alone in her state, and Bihar Chief Minister, one of the architects of the bloc, has deserted it.

Prashant Kishor, who has given up political consultancy and is leading his Jan Suraaj" campaign in Bihar, had pointed out the lack of narrative in the Opposition ranks within the INDIA bloc.

A combined opposition can work only if it succeeds in creating a narrative against the regime. The Janata Party experiment came on the back of the Emergency and Jayaprakash Narayans mass movement. During VP Singhs rule, the Bofors scandal had caught the public imagination," Kishor said.

Not just BJP

Some analysts say it was natural that the ruling party in the country was the largest beneficiary of these anonymous bonds, but almost all political parties benefited, too. Others said much will depend on the Oppositions ability to establish quid pro quo.

Not just the BJP. Its the whole political system that wants to preserve the flow of unaccounted money. That is why, in spite of several concrete reforms proposed by the EC for years now, Parliament has not taken them up," author and political analyst Pavan K Varma said in a TV interview with RedMike.

The BJP insists that the revelations post the court order would not affect its chances in the Lok Sabha 2024 polls. Party leader and former Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad rubbished the Opposition claims that the donation scheme was responsible for giving the party a dramatic edge over its rivals. As for a level playing field, the question is whether you are in the field or outside it. People decide whether you are in the field," Prasad told reporters.

Congress too

In response to the Oppositions allegations, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked, Will Rahul Gandhi return the electoral bonds that the Congress received? Who did the party threaten to get the funds?"

Between April 12, 2019, and February 14, 2024, the BJP received around 47 per cent of the secret funding funnelled to political parties through electoral bonds, the TMC received12 per cent, and the Congress received 11 per cent.

Also Read: Chaar June ko...: PM Modi sounds clarion call for Lok Sabha polls during Karnataka rally

The total donations comprising 20,421 bonds during this period was about 12,769 crore, according to the election watchdog Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), the petitioner in the Electoral Bond case in the Supreme Court.

Barring the CPI(M), all other political parties in the Opposition took donations through the electoral bonds scheme. The left-wing party was also among the petitioners before the Supreme Court in the case.

For now, it seems that the Opposition parties  most of whom have hit out at the BJP  are upbeat on electoral bonds. But whether or not this becomes the focal point of a united political campaign against the BJP remains to be seen as the country goes to polls in a month from now.

And as for targeting PM Modi, the BJP is known for weaponising the Oppositions jibes at the Prime Minister.

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Senior TMC leader Derek OBrien said on March 19 that Mamata Banerjee-led party demands a Supreme Court-monitored Lok Sabha polls considering BJP's alleged tricks of "destroying" institutions like the Election Commission of India.

The Rajya Sabha member asked whether the BJP is so nervous of facing the people that it is turning the the poll panel into "its party office".

BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like Election Commission of India. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Opposition? ECI or His Master's Voice?" OBrien posted on X.

Also Read : Lok Sabha Election 2024: Will electoral bonds data unite the beleaguered Opposition?

On March 18, the Election Commission ordered the removal of several top officials in Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP and West Bengal  including West Bengal police chief Rajeev Kumar.

"Transferring officers of elected state governments! For free and fair elections. We want Supreme Court-monitored Election 2024", the TMC leader said further said.

The EC missive sent to the West Bengal Chief Secretary also called for West Bengal Director General of Police  Rajeev Kumar  to be shifted to a "non-election related post" with immediate effect.

The EC's orders had prompted a political duel between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP, with the saffron camp welcoming the move.

Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held in seven phase across the country beginning April 19. West Bengal, which sends 42 members to the Lok Sabha, will vote in seven phases. In 2019, the TMC had won 22 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 18 seats. The Congress had won two seats in West Bengal.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday once again took aim at the Opposition parties and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the latter's 'Shakti' remark. "During their first rally in Mumbai, they made statements about destroying 'Shakti', about fighting against 'Shakti'...Their statement has been a sheer insult to the Hindu religion, Hindu faith," Modi said.

Speaking at a public gathering in Tamil Nadu's Salem, the prime minister said, "Hamare shastra sakshi hai ki vinash unka hota hai jo Shakti ko khatam karne ka vichar rakhte hai...[Our scriptures bear witness to the fact that destruction happens to those who think of destroying power]."

"The INDI alliance of the DMK [Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam] and the Congress does not insult any other religion. It does not utter a single word against any other religion. However, when it comes to the Hindu religion, they don't leave any chance to abuse and insult it," PM Modi said.

"In Hinduism, Shakti means Matru shakthi, naari shakti (women's power)...the INDI alliance which has the Congress and the DMK says they will destroy this," he stated.

The INDIA bloc is a coalition of over 45 opposition parties formed to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

Rahul Gandhi's shakti remark

PM Modi was referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's statement during a speech at Shivaji Park in Mumbai after the conclusion of his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'. He had said: Our fight against Modi is not on a personal level. Modi is a 'mask' who works for a 'Shakti' (power). He is a shallow man who doesnt have a 56-inch chest."

"There is a word 'Shakti' in Hinduism. We are fighting against a Shakti. The question is, what is that Shakti. The soul of the King is in the EVM. This true. The soul of the king is in the EVM and every institution of the country, in ED, CBI and Income Tax department.," Gandhi said at the INDIA rally in Mumbai.

Addressing poll rallies in Telangana and Karnataka on Monday, the prime minister was quoted by PTI as saying that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will be a fight between destroyers and worshippers of 'Shakti'. He said the INDIA bloc announced to finish, destroy Shakti".

"I accept their challenge. I will sacrifice my life for the security of mothers and sisters," PM Modi said.

Later, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of twisting his words and said he was speaking about the power of which Modi was wearing the mask. "Modi ji does not like my words, he always tries to change their meaning by twisting them in some way or the other because he knows that I have spoken a solemn truth," Gandhi posted in Hindi on X.

Meanwhile, Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba said the Congress had not released any manifesto yet, but PM Modi said that the Congress had talked about abolishing power in its manifesto. "BJP had given the slogan 'Save Daughter', but PM Modi remained busy in saving the criminals," she said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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WASHINGTONFormer President Donald Trump has been open in criticizing President Bidens handling of the Israel-Hamas war. But the presumptive GOP presidential nominee has had little to say about how he would resolve the conflict.

Trump has largely watched from the sidelines five months into a war that has cast a shadow over Bidens re-election campaign. He has expressed general support for Israels military campaign against Hamas, claimed the war wouldnt have happened on his watch and largely avoided specifics about how it should end and what should happen after.

In an interview Sunday with Fox News, Trump said Israel should wrap up the war quickly and suggested a widening rift between Democrats and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government was prompted by U.S. domestic politics.

Trump made more controversial assertions about Democrats and Israel Monday.

Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion," Trump said in an interview with his former aide Sebastian Gorka. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed."

Trumps comments, which resembled previous statements he has made, were swiftly criticized for echoing an antisemitic trope that Jewish citizens have dual loyalty" to both the U.S. and Israel.

Support for Israel was a centerpiece of Trumps foreign policy during his time in office. But as Trumps own relationship with Netanyahu has soured, he has delivered mixed messages since war broke out following the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel by Hamas militants.

In recent months, Trump has said he would fully support Israel defeating, dismantling, and permanently destroying the terrorist group Hamas." He also proposed banning Palestinian refugees from the U.S. and called for cutting all funding to Palestinians. Trump has at times faulted Israeli leaders and suggested Israel is losing the battle of public opinion in the war. His claim that the Oct. 7 attacks wouldnt have taken place if he were in the White House is an unprovable assertion that he also made about Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Trump generally has been resistant to U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts, casting doubt on whether a future Trump administration would take as active a role in the Israel-Hamas war as Biden.

Youre probably going to have to let it play out, because a lot of people are dying," Trump told Univision in a November interview.

The Trump campaign didnt address a series of policy questions from The Wall Street Journal about the conflict. Those included whether there should be a cease-fire in Gaza, if Trump would consider restricting U.S. aid to Israel, whether he supports a two-state solution and what his plans would be for postwar Gaza.

President Trump did more for Israel than any American President in history, and he took historic action in the Middle East that created unprecedented peace," said spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, who added that all of the progress made by President Trump in the region has been unraveled by" the Biden administration. She added, When President Trump is back in the Oval Office, Israel will once again be protected, Iran will go back to being broke, terrorists will be hunted down, and the bloodshed will end."

Some see Trumps relative absence on the issue as a strategy to capitalize on one of Bidens greatest perceived liabilities going into the November election. Biden has faced growing backlash from some Democratic constituencies over his support for Israels offensive in Gaza amid soaring civilian casualties and a deepening humanitarian crisis. Israels response to the Oct. 7 attacks has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities whose figures dont distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Some U.S. voters are threatening to stay home or vote third-party in November.

I think hes delighted that Biden is now caught between the Republican Party, that is the Israel-can-do-no-wrong party, and an increasingly divided Democratic Party," said Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who has advised both Republican and Democratic administrations on the Middle East as a State Department diplomat.

In Israel, Biden was popular at the start of the war, scoring better than Trump in a national poll of Israelis. As his administration has become more critical of Israels handling of the war, however, Biden is now seen by many on the Israeli right as no longer squarely in Israels corner.

Biden has called for a temporary cease-fire to allow for more aid into Gaza and for the release of hostages still being held by Hamas. The administration has continued to provide Israel with military aid and broadly defended its operation, but tensions between Biden and Netanyahu have escalated as their views on the wars trajectory have diverged.

A Wall Street Journal poll this month found that 60% of voters disapproved of Bidens handling of the war, eight points more than in December. Some 16% of Republicans said Israel has gone too far in responding to Hamas, compared with 70% of Democrats.

While in office, Trump slashed all funding to the United Nations agency that supports Palestinian refugees, moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and shut down the Palestine Liberation Organizations office in Washington. He also declared that the U.S. no longer considered Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be a violation of international law, reversing a four-decade-old policy that recently was reinstated by the Biden administration. The embassy move came after Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades of U.S. foreign policy.

The Trump administrations signature Middle East policy was the so-called Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab countries. The agreement, designed to further isolate Iran, was a blow to Palestinians. They had been leaning on Gulf Arab states to pressure Israel into concessions on Palestinian statehood in exchange for normalized ties and Israeli integration into the region.

Miller recounted a 2017 meeting with Jared Kushner, in which Trumps son-in-law outlined the presidents vision for the Middle East as centered on three objectives: creating strategic partnerships with Saudi Arabia and the Emirates; making it impossible for an Israeli prime minister to say no to Trump; and treating the Palestinian issue as if it were a sort of business transaction."

Trumps relationship with Netanyahu, once among his closest allies, has also deteriorated since the 2020 election. Trump voiced anger in a 2021 interview that Netanyahu congratulated Biden on his victory, referring to the move as a terrible mistake."

He also took several swipes at Netanyahu in the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7, suggesting Netanyahu had been unprepared" while also criticizing the Israeli leader over a 2020 U.S. mission that killed Iranian military leader Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

After absorbing criticism from fellow Republicans, Trump later reversed course and declared his support for Netanyahu on his Truth Social network, posting: #IStandWithIsrael" and #IStandWithBibi."

Marie Harf, who served as a State Department spokeswoman in the Obama administration, said she didnt think the breakdown between the two men would necessarily affect their relationship if Trump was back in the White House.

I think they share a very maximalist view of the use of force, particularly against populations like the Palestinians," she said. In this instance, I do think Trump would really unleash Bibi."

Alex Leary and Dov Lieber contributed to this article.

Write to Sabrina Siddiqui at sabrina.siddiqui@wsj.com
James, his twist on Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" told from the perspective of the runaway slave Jim, is racking up rave reviews and already making best-of 2024 lists. Publishing executives expect the books arrival on Tuesday to mark the veteran authors long-awaited leap from literary cult favorite to commercial brand name.

The novel comes on the heels of American Fiction," which just won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay. Written by Cord Jefferson, the film is based on Everetts 2001 novel Erasure, a satire about racial hypocrisy in publishing. The comedy drama stars Jeffrey Wright as a frustrated novelist who toys with the industrys prejudices imposed on the books Black authors write.

When he initially came up with James, Everett was shocked not to find more alternative versions of Jim in contemporary literature. In Everetts telling, Jim, who actually goes by James, is a writer and hardcore book lover who puts on an illiterate persona to protect himself from the wrath of insecure whites.

Some of the books funniest moments occur when he and the other enslaved forget to dumb themselves down in mixed company. Elements of Twains 1884 novel remaintheres still a raft trip down the Mississippi River with Huck and run-ins with some of the same unsavory charactersbut thats just a jumping off point.

Everett, 67, who writes longhand in pencil from various rooms of his house in South Pasadena, Calif., has roamed everywhere from ranch life to antiquity in his work. His books explore layered themes with humor and, at times, existential cheekiness, as in I Am Not Sidney Poitier, a novel about a person named Not Sidney Poitier who looks just like the actor Sidney Poitier.

The author recently spoke with the Journal about spotting prejudice at a New York book gathering, writing in goofy notebooks and not quite getting recognized in a bagel shop.

What made you decide to write James?

Ive always liked Huck Finn. My revisiting or visiting Huck Finn in no way is an expression of any kind of dissatisfaction with that novel. I think its an important novel. But it is deficient. Twain stopped midway and left it for a while and I think that break is quite evident in the writing of it.

For mercenary reasons he inserted Tom Sawyer because he was trying to sell this book, so the quality and nature of the treatment of Jim necessarily changes. Jim becomes much more objectified in the latter part of the book. But more importantly, Twain could not write Jim, it would not have been possible for him. And its also Hucks novel. Its not reasonable to expect him to write Jim that way.

What kind of research did you do for the book?

There was geographic research, learning that part of the country. I read Huck Finn 15 times in a row so I would be sick of it and I wouldnt be repeating it. I really hated it at the end of it.

You visited Twains boyhood hometown, Hannibal, Mo. What did you do there?

I had a sandwich and left. I got what I needed out of that. I did toy with the idea of taking one of those riverboat cruises, but you ought to go on YouTube and look at what those are like and who youd be with. In a way its kind of sweet but in another way I think Id last maybe 15 or 20 minutes on one of those boats.

Do you have a ritual when you start writing a novel?

I go and buy a really ugly notebook. I like going to the drug store and finding the silliesta notebook with a unicorn that a six-year-old girl might like. I think there might be an attempt on my part to keep things silly, to remind myself that this is just books. Theres a lot of serious stuff going on in the world and regardless of what kind of book Im making, theres no reason to take myself all that seriously.

What notebook did you buy for James?

It had a weird kind of tassel on it and a useless attached elastic that you could keep it closed with. It looked like a third graders book.

You said once you start writing in a particular room of your house, thats where you end up for the whole book. Where did you go for James?

I wrote that in the TV room. I use television as white noise. The eight episodes available of the 1960s Mission: Impossible played constantly. I listen to things at a very low volume so no one can hear it. I knew the episodes completely and I never looked up at them but for some reason it helped me focus.

How much of you is in the character played by Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction?

That character is alarmingly similar to me, though not me. I was at some event in New York, maybe a party. My novel Frenzy was out and thats about the Greek god Dionysus. An editor from some large publishing house said, I just turned your novel down." I said, Thats fine. That happens." Id never take anything like that personally. But then she said, Can you tell me what this has to do with Black people?" And I stood there and I thought, I wonder if she wouldve asked Saul Bellow what his novel has to do with Jewish people or John Updike what his novel has to do with uptight WASPs."

Has the success of American Fiction changed your life at all?

The other day I was in a bagel shop. It was very strange, this man kept staring at me and I thought maybe for once in my life Im attractive. But he stepped away from the ordering spot and I stepped up and I had to give my name and I said, Everett." He looked at me and said, Are you Percival Everett? I thought you were Jeffrey Wright."

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Bosch, a renowned German brand, has been synonymous with quality and innovation in home appliances for over a century. With a focus on sleek design, energy efficiency, and advanced technology, Bosch refrigerators are a popular choice for modern kitchens. In this article, we will explore the top seven Bosch refrigerator models that cater to a variety of needs and preferences. Whether you're looking for a spacious French door model for a large family, a compact counter-depth refrigerator for a smaller kitchen, or a smart refrigerator with connectivity features, Bosch has something to offer.

We'll delve into the unique features of each model, including their cooling technology, storage solutions, and energy-saving capabilities. Our selection will help you find the perfect Bosch refrigerator to suit your kitchen's aesthetics and your lifestyle needs. So, let's dive in and discover the best Bosch refrigerators that combine functionality, style, and innovation to elevate your kitchen experience.

Also Read: From LG to Samsung: Your guide to best refrigerator brands of 2024

1. Bosch 269L 3 Star

The pinnacle of state-of-the-art refrigeration technology is here: the Bosch 269L 3 Star Frost Free Refrigerator CTC29BT31I (Convertible Transition Blue) for 2023. This appliance, with its eye-catching Convertible Transition Blue design that elevates the aesthetics of any modern kitchen, effortlessly combines elegance and functionality. Its roomy 269-liter capacity provides plenty of room for storing fresh produce, drinks, and other items. The frost-free technology guarantees hassle-free maintenance, and Bosch's dedication to efficiency is shown in the three-star energy rating. The refrigerator's convertible function increases its adaptability and lets consumers change it to suit their changing demands. Experience cooking to the fullest with Bosch's newest product, an exquisite fusion of style and functionality.

Specifications of Bosch 269L 3 Star:

Product Dimensions: 66D x 60.5W x 168H Centimetres

Brand: Bosch

Capacity: 269 litres

Configuration: Freezer-on-Top

Energy Star: 3 Star

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Spacious Interior Convertible Transition Complexity

2. Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L

The Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L Inverter Frost Free Triple Door Refrigerator is the pinnacle of modern style and cutting edge cooling technology. With its convertible function, this applianceembodied by the stylish Black Steel model CMC33K05NIrevolutionizes versatility by providing customisable storage combinations to meet a range of needs. It uses less energy and maintains steady cooling thanks to an effective inverter compressor. Hand defrosting is no longer a nuisance thanks to Frost-Free technology, and the creative Triple Door design improves accessibility. This refrigerator elegantly blends functionality and aesthetics, offering a superior cooling experience for the modern kitchenall thanks to Bosch's commitment to precision engineering and elegance.

Specifications of Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L:

Product Dimensions : 68D x 67W x 175H Centimetres

: 68D x 67W x 175H Centimetres Brand : Bosch

: Bosch Capacity : 332 litres

: 332 litres Configuration : Freezer-on-Top

: Freezer-on-Top Energy Star: 2 Star

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Triple Door Design Noisy Operation

3. Bosch Maxflex 364L

The ultimate in refrigeration innovation is here: the Bosch Maxflex 364L Inverter Frost Free Triple Door Refrigerator. This model stands out for its cutting-edge features and adaptable design, especially with the Candy Red variation Cmc36Wt5Ni. Its exact temperature control and energy efficiency are guaranteed by the inverter technology, which is engineered for maximum performance. The triple-door design offers well-organized storage and convenient access, and its convertible feature gives it further adaptability to meet changing storage requirements. This refrigerator, which has a roomy 364-liter capacity, elegantly blends elegance and utility, improving the look of your kitchen while providing exceptional cooling efficiency. Bosch Maxflex revolutionizes refrigeration by raising the bar for ease and effectiveness.

Specifications of Bosch Maxflex 364L:

Product Dimensions : 68D x 67W x 175H Centimeters

: 68D x 67W x 175H Centimeters Brand : Bosch

: Bosch Capacity : 364 litres

: 364 litres Configuration : Freezer-on-Top

: Freezer-on-Top Colour: Red

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Striking Aesthetics Complex Features

4. Bosch 559 L 2-Star Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

The Bosch 559 L 2 Star Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator (Series 4 KGN56XI40I) represents the ultimate in efficiency and innovation in the refrigeration industry. With its sleek Inox-easy-clean finish and state-of-the-art features, this 2022 model elevates the sophistication of your kitchen. Convenience is increased by the bottom freezer design, which makes daily necessities easily accessible. This appliance ensures maximum cooling performance and energy economy thanks to the most recent Bosch fridge technology. Enjoy superior food storage with lots of room, smart inverter technology, and the dependability that comes with the Bosch brand. The KGN56XI40I is more than just a refrigeratorit's evidence of Bosch's dedication to excellence and innovation.

Specifications of Bosch 559 L 2-Star Inverter Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Product Dimensions : 70D x 80W x 193H Centimetres

: 70D x 80W x 193H Centimetres Brand : Bosch

: Bosch Capacity : 559 litres

: 559 litres Configuration : Freezer-on-Bottom

: Freezer-on-Bottom Energy Star: 2 Star

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Bottom Freezer Design No Water/Ice Dispenser

5. Bosch 243L 3 Star (2023) Frost Free Refrigerator

The Bosch 243L 3 Star (2023) Frost Free Refrigerator CTC27S031I is a state-of-the-art device that combines style and innovation in a seamless manner. With its cutting-edge features and elegant Silver Inox finish, this Bosch refrigerator is made to improve your experience storing food. With a roomy 243-liter capacity, this frost-free refrigerator minimises frost build-up and guarantees effective chilling. The convertible design increases adaptability by letting you adjust the amount of storage to suit your needs. Bosch's 3-star rating highlights its environmentally friendly business, which is a result of its dedication to quality and energy economy. The CTC27S031I, which offers the ideal balance of functionality and style for the contemporary kitchen, epitomises Bosch's heritage of precision engineering. The Bosch 243L Convertible Refrigerator can help you up your refrigeration game.

Specifications of Bosch 243L 3 Star (2023) Frost Free Refrigerator:

Product Dimensions : 66D x 60.5W x 156H Centimeters

: 66D x 60.5W x 156H Centimeters Brand : Bosch

: Bosch Capacity : 243 litres

: 243 litres Configuration : Freezer-on-Top

: Freezer-on-Top Energy Star: 3 Star

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Sleek Aesthetics Energy rating could be improved for better efficiency in this Bosch fridge

6. Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L

The peak of refrigeration innovation is here: the Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L Inverter Frost Free Triple Door Refrigerator (CMC33WT5NI). This Bosch refrigerator is a monument to state-of-the-art design and cutting-edge technology, built for exceptional performance. Its large 332L capacity, convertible feature, and eye-catching Candy Red finish allow it to blend style and utility with ease. Energy efficiency is guaranteed by inverter technology, and hassle-free maintenance is ensured by the frost-free mechanism. With Bosch MaxFlex Convert, you can enjoy even more freshness and convenience because every feature is designed for the best possible cooling and storage. With this cutting-edge refrigerator that raises the bar for contemporary refrigeration solutions, you can transform your kitchen.

Specifications of Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L:

Product Dimensions : 68D x 67W x 175H Centimeters

: 68D x 67W x 175H Centimeters Brand : Bosch

: Bosch Capacity : 332 litres

: 332 litres Configuration : Freezer-on-Top

: Freezer-on-Top Energy Star: 5 star rating

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Triple Door Configuration Availability of Replacement Parts

7. Bosch 415 L 2 Star Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator

The ultimate in refrigeration technology innovation is here: the Bosch 415 L 2 Star Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator (Model: KGN46XL40I). This masterpiece of stainless steel design elevates both appearance and usefulness in modern kitchens with its seamless integration. It was created with efficiency and precision. With a roomy 415-liter capacity, the Bosch refrigerator provides enough room for all of your perishables. It optimises energy efficiency and offers simple access to frozen items with its state-of-the-art bottom freezer. Its eco-friendly operations are attested to by its 2-star rating. The 2022 model, which combines cutting-edge cooling technologies with elegant design for an exceptional refrigerated experience, is proof of Bosch's dedication to producing cutting-edge appliances.

Specifications of Bosch 415 L 2 Star Frost Free Double Door Refrigerator:

Product Dimensions : 67D x 70W x 186H Centimetres

: 67D x 70W x 186H Centimetres Brand : Bosch

: Bosch Capacity : 415 litres

: 415 litres Configuration : Freezer-on-Bottom

: Freezer-on-Bottom Energy Star: 2 Star

Reasons to Buy Reasons to Avoid Advanced Cooling Technology 2-star rating

Also Read: Best refrigerator in India: Top 10 choices for modern kitchens

3 features for you

Product Feature 1 Feature 2 Feature 3 Bosch 269L 3 Star Premium glossy exterior Convertible design with XL capacity VitaFresh crisper box for freshness Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L Stylish design 6-in-1 convertible modes Impressive 5-star energy rating Bosch Maxflex 364L Sleek metal frame and leather back panel Long-lasting battery with quick charging 200MP camera system Bosch 559 L 2-Star Inverter Frost Free Double Door Premium design 100W SuperVOOC charger Excellent battery performance Bosch 243L 3 Star Convertible design with XL capacity Premium glossy exterior VitaFresh crisper box for freshness Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L Strong built No Frost feature Door Ajar Alarm Bosch 415 L 2 Star Double Door Adjustable Shelves Attractive design

Best value for money:

Because of its unique features and fashionable style, the Bosch MaxFlex Convert 332L Inverter Frost Free Triple Door Refrigerator (CMC33WT5NI) stands out as the greatest product for the money. The refrigerator has a convertible design that ensures maximum flexibility by letting consumers adjust the storage area to suit their needs. Energy efficiency is guaranteed by the inverter technology, which lowers power usage while preserving steady cooling performance. By doing away with the necessity for manual defrosting, the Frost-Free feature saves time and labour. The triple-door design facilitates simple access to various compartments and effective organisation. Moreover, the candy red hue gives any kitchen a hint of sophistication. With these characteristics combined with Bosch's well-known quality, the MaxFlex Convert 332L provides a well-balanced mix of utility, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal, making it a compelling and cost-effective choice for consumers seeking a reliable and versatile refrigerator.

Best overall product:

The Bosch 269L 3 Star is the standout product for its balance between size, efficiency, and features. It caters to the needs of small to medium-sized families with a 269-litre capacity and a 3-star energy rating, ensuring operational cost savings. Its frost-free operation and multi-airflow system maintain consistent temperature throughout, keeping food fresher longer. This model epitomizes Bosch's commitment to quality, making it the top choice for households looking for a reliable refrigerator.

How to find the best Bosch fridge for yourself?

It's critical to take your unique requirements and preferences into account when choosing the ideal Bosch refrigerator for you. To start, measure the area in your kitchen that is available before deciding on the right refrigerator size. Bosch provides a range of capacities and styles, such as single, double, and triple-door options. Think about the features that are most important to you: energy efficiency ratings, water dispensers or door alarms, specific compartments like VitaFresh crisper boxes for keeping freshness, and convertible alternatives for versatile storage. Make a note of any novel technological features, including energy-saving inverter technology. Read user and professional evaluations as well to learn more about the durability and performance of the model you are thinking about. Finally, factor in your budget constraints to ensure that you find the best Bosch fridge that not only meets your requirements but also offers good value for your investment.

FAQs

Question : How do I defrost my Bosch refrigerator?

Ans : Bosch refrigerators typically come with Frost-Free technology, eliminating the need for manual defrosting. This advanced feature ensures that frost doesn't accumulate inside the freezer compartment, saving you time and effort.

Question : Can I change the door direction on my Bosch fridge to suit my kitchen layout?

Ans : Yes, many Bosch refrigerators are designed with reversible doors, allowing you to change the door swing direction based on your kitchen's layout and your personal preferences. Refer to the user manual for specific instructions on how to perform this adjustment.

Question : What is VitaFresh technology in Bosch refrigerators, and how does it benefit food storage?

Ans : VitaFresh technology is a feature in Bosch refrigerators that helps extend the freshness of fruits and vegetables by controlling humidity levels. This technology maintains an optimal environment in the crisper drawers, keeping produce fresher for a longer duration.

Question : Do Bosch refrigerators come with a warranty, and what does it cover?

Ans : Yes, Bosch refrigerators typically come with a warranty. The coverage may vary depending on the model and region, but it commonly includes a one-year warranty on parts and labor. Check the warranty documentation provided with your specific refrigerator for detailed information.

Question : How can I improve the energy efficiency of my Bosch refrigerator?

Ans : To enhance energy efficiency, make sure that the refrigerator door is closed tightly to prevent unnecessary cooling loss. Set the temperature to recommended levels and avoid overloading the appliance. Regularly clean the condenser coils at the back of the fridge to ensure optimal performance. Additionally, if available, use energy-saving modes or features provided by your specific Bosch refrigerator model.

Question : How do I clean the exterior of my Bosch refrigerator?

Ans : You can clean the exterior of a Bosch refrigerator with a mild detergent and a soft cloth. Avoid abrasive materials that could scratch the surface.

Question : Are there water dispensers in Bosch refrigerators?

Ans : Some Bosch refrigerators, like the Max Convert 334L, come equipped with on-door water dispensers for convenient access to chilled water.

Disclaimer: At Livemint, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Mint has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority.

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LINCOLN  A Nebraska bill that seeks to hold negligent state agencies accountable for harm caused by third parties stalled in committee Friday.

But a different avenue remains to advance the measure.

The Nebraska Legislatures Judiciary Committee failed to advance Legislative Bill 325 out to floor debates in a 4-3 vote, with one member not voting. In the eight member committee, bills need at least five votes to advance.

LB 325, introduced by State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, would allow civil lawsuits against a state agency if the agency fails to prevent harm caused by a third party when the agency is in custody or control of that third party. Dungan said his aim is to hold state government accountable for negligence.

Before the committee meeting, the bill was mentioned during floor debate by Judiciary Chair Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha. Wayne was looking to slow the progress of debate to hold off a vote on a separate bill, but multiple senators also got involved and expressed their displeasure that LB 325 had not progressed.

Proponents of the measure claimed opponents were protecting government agencies at the expense of victims. During the debate, Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar announced she filed a pull motion to advance the bill to the floor regardless of the committees vote. That motion hasnt been debated yet, and requires 25 votes to accomplish.

Critics of LB 325 argue that the bill is too open-ended and that it would allow for frivolous lawsuits. The issue split opinions of the Judiciary Committee, with Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue saying the bill fails to hold the true perpetrators accountable. But Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue countered that not holding agencies accountable would only further victimize the victims.

Dungan gave examples of when LB 325 may be needed, including when state prison officials fail to intervene after they learn that an inmate has threatened harm to another inmate, and then follows through on that threat.

But Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, another committee member, said the bill could also hold the state liable if a foster child assaults another child within their home.

Wayne noted that if LB 325 passes, plaintiffs in the resulting lawsuits would still have the burden to prove state agencies were negligent in these instances.

This is not an automatic win, he said.

While LB 325 stalled, the committee did vote to advance a similar bill Friday, LB 341. Introduced by Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings, the bill would hold the state and political subdivisions liable if public employees commit sexual abuse against a child. Slama also filed a pull motion on this bill, which is no longer necessary since the committee approved it.

Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2024
Many Hispanic residents in Dalton met at the Latin American Association to work with Jon Ossoff's case managers to get help with things like Medicare, Social Security, and help with getting their families passports and visas.
Halfway through debate Monday on a bill that would enhance penalties for drug dealers tied to overdoses, Nebraska lawmakers passed over Sen. Carolyn Bosn's controversial proposal, sending it back to the drawing board as the legislative session's clock winds down.

In a surprise move, Bosn asked the Legislature to skip to the next item on Monday's agenda after a small group of urban lawmakers had filibustered her bill (LB137) for close to two hours Monday morning amid second-round debate.

The Lincoln senator's request came before the Legislature could vote on Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt's proposed amendment that would have revived Hunt's vetoed needle exchange bill (LB307) as an attachment to Bosn's LB137.

Hunt said Monday that she had the support of 28 senators to amend Bosn's bill, a move that would require 25 votes in Nebraska's 49-member Legislature.

And Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha had pledged to halt his filibuster of LB137 if Hunt's amendment was adopted.

Instead, the future of both Bosn's bill and Hunt's proposed amendment are in jeopardy with only 14 working days left in this year's 60-day legislative session and with no guarantee the proposal will be rescheduled for debate.

"Clearly, from the morning debate, there was a lot of different opposition to different parts of amendments and things like that," Bosn said, adding: "I was comfortable saying, 'Let's see what we can work out and see if we can get to a consensus on a couple of things. And kind of go from there.'

"I'm optimistic we can address it sometime later in the session," she continued. "I was told that isn't a hard no. But at this point I think there was enough opposition that it made sense to use the calendar time that we have on other things."

Bosn's request to pass over her own bill marked an unexpected end to Monday's debate over LB137, which became entangled with LB307 after lawmakers failed to override Gov. Jim Pillen's veto of LB307 last week.

Seven conservative lawmakers  including Bosn  who had supported LB307 upon final reading in February reversed their positions last week, voting against Hunt's motion to override Pillen's veto less than two weeks after voting to make LB307 law.

Supporters of Hunt's bill warned that Bosn's reversal would fuel a second-round filibuster of LB137  pointing to Bosn's own words from earlier debate on her bill, when she highlighted her support for Hunt's LB307 and called for the Legislature to attack drug use "from every angle simultaneously."

If made law, the LB137 would increase the potential prison sentence dealers might face if drugs they're accused of distributing kill or seriously injure a drug user, allowing for a prison sentence of up to 50 years.

During first-round debate last month, Wayne and Bosn agreed to add an amendment to the bill  which the Legislature approved on a 40-0 vote  to make clear that the enhanced penalties could only be deployed against defendants who supplied drugs that "directly and proximately caused" the death or serious injury of a drug user.

Through two hours of debate Monday morning, Wayne and a small group of urban lawmakers had continued to filibuster the bill, lodging many of the same arguments they did last month, when the Legislature gave LB137 first-round approval on a 35-2 vote.

Still, debate had been poised to end in compromise Monday afternoon had the Legislature voted as expected to add Hunt's amendment  compromise upended by Bosn's request to pass over her bill.

Bosn didn't rule out supporting Hunt's amendment should the bill appear on the Legislature's agenda again later in the legislative session.

This is a developing story. Stay with JournalStar.com for updates.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
While red tailed hawks can be seen all across the country, this one is rare simply because it's still alive.
The United Automobile Workers union said they have a majority of VW employees support and the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation wants employees to be aware of their rights.
Four students from Longford were among a total of 626 first-year students from Ireland and overseas who received prestigious Entrance Exhibition Awards for the 2023/4 academic year from Trinity College Dublin.

The Longford awardees were Kate Madden (Moyne Community School), Enya Higgins (Cnoc Mhuire, Granard), Nagma Ali Abdunnabi Abdurrahim (Mean Scoil Mhuire) and Darragh Caslin (St Mel's College). Awardees received a certificate and a 150 book token.

The awards go to students accepted into the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree programme who achieve the highest points among Trinity entrants from their secondary school, above a minimum of 500 CAO points (or equivalent).

Many former awardees have gone on to make a significant contribution to the economic, cultural, and political life of Ireland and beyond. Past Exhibitioners include Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

The students come from 445 different schools and from all 32 counties on the island of Ireland as well as 28 countries overseas.

The awards were delivered at three ceremonies at Trinity, to which the students and their school principals were invited.

Provost of Trinity Dr Linda Doyle said: The Entrance Exhibition Awards are our way of recognising these fantastic students and acknowledging the huge effort they put into their Leaving Certificate exams. I am really honoured that they have chosen Trinity College Dublin for this next step of their education.

"This years award recipients are now in the First Year of their studies and I hope they are finding their studies enjoyable and rewarding, and enjoying the huge variety of clubs and societies in Trinity.

Our Entrance Exhibition Awards programme includes a special event for school principals, and I want to really acknowledge the amazing work of principals, teachers and school staff who are so dedicated in making sure that students achieve their full potential.

Students who achieve the highest points among Trinity entrants from their secondary school with at least 500 points in the Leaving Certificate (or its equivalent EU/EEA second-level final examinations) are eligible for an Entrance Exhibition Award. This includes bonus points for Mathematics. When more than one student from a school gets the same high points, all receive an award.

The Entrance Exhibition Awards were awarded to 408 students from Leinster (257 from Dublin), 84 from Munster, 53 from Connacht and 44 from Ulster.

Awards also went to students from the following countries: Austria (2), Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany (4), Greece , Hungary, India, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal (2), Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (2), Ukraine (3) and UK (excluding NI) (5).
Melanie Hudson, originally from Ballymahon, but living in Athlone for the last 27 years, is calling on her local community to go all in against cancer for the Irish Cancer Societys Daffodil Day, which takes place on Friday, March 22.

Melanie was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2022, just shy of her 51st birthday, and is calling for anybody going through cancer to reach out and make use of the support that is available.



Reflecting on her cancer experience, Melanie said: Only after I finished my treatment did I reach out to local cancer support groups, and I should have done that sooner. I am very stubborn and independent, and I let no thanks be my default response when people offered help. Help is out there and nobody should face cancer alone. You are no less independent for accepting or asking for help.

The Irish Cancer Society is there to ensure that every person affected by cancer has a place to turn to, the support they need and the hope that there will come a day when no one in Ireland dies from cancer.



Thanks to the amazing generosity of the Irish public the Irish Cancer Society invests in groundbreaking cancer research and delivers crucial free support services for people affected by cancer, throughout Longford.

In 2023, your generous support provided:

Over 240 free lifts to bring Longford based cancer patients to their treatment;

Almost 110 free counselling sessions to people living in Longford; and

Over 120 nights of free Night Nursing care to allow cancer patients in Longford to die at home surrounded by loved ones.

Irish Cancer Society CEO Averil Power said, Unfortunately, 1 in 2 of us will get cancer at some point in our lives. There isnt a family in Ireland that hasnt been touched by the disease. When Daffodil Day first began in 1986, just 3/10 Irish people survived a cancer diagnosis.

Today, thanks to investment in innovative cancer research, that has doubled to 6/10 people in Ireland surviving cancer. And we at the Irish Cancer Society wont stop until 10/10 people survive a cancer diagnosis. But we cannot do that without your support on Daffodil Day.



The more we raise on Daffodil Day, the more we can do, and the more lifesaving research we can fund. We only receive 5% of our income from the government, so were urging everyone in Longford to Go All In this Daffodil Day, March 22 to help us achieve a future where nobody dies from cancer in Ireland, and everyone affected by the disease has the support they need when they need it most.

For more information about Daffodil Day visit https://www.cancer.ie/daffodilday.
According to Suffolk County Police, one of the four suspects arrested in connection with a series of grisly body part discoveries in Babylon and Bethpage State Park who were allowed to walk free with supervised releases instead of being forced to post bail has been arrested again, this time in connection with shoplifting charges at at Lindenhurst pharmacy.

Amanda Wallace, 40, was taken into custody on Friday, March 15, after police responded to a 10:50 p.m. 911 call placed by an East Montauk Highway CVS Pharmacy employee who claimed that the suspect was shoplifting beauty products.

Wallace was tracked down by officers and arrested for petit larceny a short time later; she was arraigned in Suffolk County Court on Monday morning and is currently being held on $5,000 bond.

The arrest comes on the heels of the controversial release of Wallace and three other suspects - Steven Brown, 44, Jeffrey Mackey, 38, and Alexis Nieves, 33 - in connection with the grisly dispersal of the body parts of two murder victims - Donna Conneely, 59, and a yet-to-be-publicly-named male - in Babylon and Bethpage State Park earlier in late February and early March.

On Thursday, February 29, when a student was walking to school and discovered a severed left arm on the west side of Seagal Boulevard at the eastern end of Southards Pond Park, between Park Avenue and Mason Avenue, at approximately 8:40 a.m. The student called her father who then responded to the scene and called 911. A subsequent Suffolk County Police Department search of the area revealed multiple mutilated body parts, including arms, legs, and a severed head.

Police later served a search warrant at an Amityville residence on Tuesday, March 5, where as many as four arrests were made in connection with the incident. In addition, a SCPD search of Bethpage State Park later that same day with the assistance of New York State Police officers revealed additional body parts, reports say.

However, due to a loophole in the controversial bail reform law passed in Albany in 2019 involving the disposal of corpses, the suspects have been granted supervised release as opposed to having to post cash or bond. This development lead to a fiery response from outraged Suffolk County officials, among them Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney.
Undomiciled Man Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Prison for Deadly Machete Attack

Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: March 19 2024

Roberto Velasquez attacked a 58-year-old man with a machete inside a 24-hour laundromat.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that an undomiciled man was sentenced today to more than 20 years in prison for a March 2023 machete attack inside of a 24-hour laundromat in Valley Stream that left a man dead.

Roberto Velasquez, 32, pleaded guilty on January 31, 2024, before Judge Helene Gugerty to Manslaughter in the First Degree (a B felony). He was sentenced today to 21-1/2 years in prison.

Roberto Velasquezs violent outburst nearly a year ago to the day cost Michael Oliver his life, said DA Donnelly. Michael fought for 10 days in the hospital, and despite the extraordinary efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his extensive injuries. Velasquez will now serve decades in prison paying for his appalling crime.

DA Donnelly said, according to the charges, at approximately 2:10 a.m. on March 14, 2023, the defendant, Roberto Velasquez, and several other individuals were inside the 24-hour Laundry Palace on Merrick Road in Valley Stream.

Velasquez was seated in a chair next to 58-year-old Michael Oliver. The two got into a verbal altercation, leading the defendant to get up out of his chair, reach for a duffel bag, and hit Oliver with the bag. The contents of the bag spilled to the floor, revealing a large machete.

The defendant grabbed the machete and swung it at Oliver twice in the back, paused, and hit the victim once more on the back of his left leg just above the knee. Oliver then fell to the ground, bleeding profusely. The defendant gathered his duffle bag and the machete and left the laundromat.

Oliver was taken to North Shore University Hospital - Manhasset and required emergency surgery. Though he survived the surgery, Oliver suffered damage to major organs because of the blood loss and an infection and was placed on life support. He died 10 days after the incident on March 24, 2023.

Velasquez was arrested by detectives with the Nassau County Police Departments 5th Squad on March 14, 2023, in Lynbrook.
As the city and state continue to trudge through an affordable housing crisis, Yellowstone County Continuum of Care and United Way of Yellowstone County are partnering with the Montana Healthcare Foundation (MHF) to introduce another solution to homelessness: permanent supportive housing (PSH).

PSH differs from the shelter in that its permanent and it differs from affordable housing in that it includes social services. Its meant for homeless people with chronic physical and behavioral conditions who need additional support to remain housed.

These programs ultimately lead to savings because the individuals they serve, when on the streets, often end up using costly emergency medical services and encountering law enforcement.

For the top 93 utilizers of emergency services in Billings, the annual cost of emergency services is calculated to be $111,050 per person, according to a presentation by CoC to City Council. This totals $10.3 million per year, across 5,601 encounters with the Billings Police Department, 863 visits to St. Vincents, and 1,247 visits to Billings Clinic.

Just under 75% of the cost is towards healthcare, with the other 25 percent going to law enforcement.

These super utilizers cost us a lot of money to do nothing with, said Kari Boiter, former director of Yellowstone County CoC.

An evaluation of MHF PSH programs in the state found a 48 percent reduction in detention center costs, a 3.8 times reduction in ER visits, and a 6.7 times reduction in total health costs after six months of being housed, according to MHFs 2022 annual report.

A study by MHF, conducted in the Gallatin Valley, found an annual cost of $11,860 per household to provide housing and supportive services, which led to a 73 percent reduction in health care costs alone.

A PSH program in Boise, visited by Yellowstone County CoC, has led to $2,659,021 in savings/cost avoidance in just two years, according to the presentation.

Bills story

Boiter knows just how difficult it can be to keep some people housed, because shes done it herself.

She met Bill Meyer through her work on the Citizen Police Advisory Board. He had visited the ER 48 times and had 26 encounters with law enforcement in an 18-month period.

He is gravely disabled and unable to care for himself and is unable to protect himself from the elements, read notes from a February 2022 encounter with law enforcement.

The victim has been forced to go to the hospital on several occasions when his physical or mental condition is clearly degraded, read notes from a March 2022 encounter.

When Boiter found out about him, he was at the Yellowstone County jail.

He was in jail for 16 days before he bailed himself out with his SSI check, Boiter said. For 16 days, he sat in an overcrowded jail where we release violent criminals all the time.

Boiter felt that without her help, Meyer would be back in jail.

I wouldnt have stepped in in this way, as the only parent to a five-year-old, if I didnt think there was nobody else that would help him, she said. She and Catherine Card, a local advocate for the homeless, found him a place to live, and helped him obtain food and alcohol, pay his rent, and keep his apartment clean.

Theres something wrong when a disabled person and an elderly person are doing the care for someone like this, Boiter said.

At almost 70 years old, Meyer had lived 40 years on the streets. He was incontinent and used a walker.

Meyer had housing vouchers, but it was difficult to find a landlord who would rent to him. He had Medicaid waivers to pay for home health  for 2.5 hours of care three days per week  but Boiter never found anybody to take the job.

You cant even fathom the kinds of supports they need, people who have lived on the streets for 40 of 69 years, Boiter said, mentioning a time Meyer put Styrofoam in a microwave and almost started a fire.

There have to be people not just helping get them housed, but keeping them housed, she said. People need transportation, groceries, budget supports, help with mail.

Meyer met a woman who stole his money and tried to move in with him. His landlord was charging him double in rent, taking direct deposit from Boiter and cash from him. He was hit by a car while going to the store to get groceries, because he could never make it across the crosswalk in the time of a single green light.

He was exploited through and through and through, Boiter said. This is not a one off, it happens all the time. These people dont have a voice, nobody cares.

Meyer was hit by a car in Billings in December 2023. He passed away in February 2024, after being transferred to Idaho for rehabilitation.

He worked very hard to get housed and stay housed, Boiter said. That man had a will to survive that was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Whats next for Billings PSH

Over the next few months, a committee, along with a consulting firm contracted by United Way, will come up with a plan, including financing, potential building purchases and renovations, and which organizations will provide support services.

Though there is need for about 100 units, the program will probably start with 25-30, according to Dean Wells, Director of Community Impact and Operations at United Way.

Although there is no ask as part of Monday evenings presentation to City Council, Wells said the project will likely seek some sort of support from the city.

That financial support doesnt necessarily have to be money, it could be to donate land or waive fees, Wells said.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: March 19 2024

Jacob Burbar was indicted for Aggravated Harassment as a Hate Crime and other charges for allegedly making several threatening and anti-Semitic calls to a Florida elected official.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a West Hempstead man was indicted on aggravated harassment as a hate crime and other charges for calls he allegedly made to a Florida elected official in November 2023 that were threatening in nature and anti-Semitic.

Jacob Burbar, 60, was arraigned today before Judge Colin ODonnell and charged with two counts of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime (an E felony) and two counts of Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree (an A misdemeanor). The defendant pleaded not guilty and was released to pre-trial services. An order of protection was also issued. The defendant is due back in court on May 1, 2024. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 1-1/3 to 4 years in prison.

This defendant allegedly targeted an elected official in Florida after seeing videos posted on Instagram about the Hamas/Israel conflict and left several messages on her office voicemail with anti-Semitic slurs and horrific threats of violence against the legislator and her family, said DA Donnelly. There is no excuse for spewing vitriol, targeting a person for their ethnicity, or threatening children. NCDA takes acts of hate seriously. Whenever my office receives an allegation that a hate crime was committed, we investigate it thoroughly. If there is evidence to support charges, we will prosecute the offenders.

DA Donnelly said that, according to the indictment and charges, on November 11, 2023, beginning at approximately 6:00 p.m., the defendant allegedly called a Florida House of Representatives members office and left five voicemails.

In the voicemails, the defendant allegedly used numerous slurs and anti-Semitic language, as well as threatened to kill the legislator and her children.

The defendant was arrested on November 20, 2023, in West Hempstead by the Nassau County Police Departments Special Investigations Squad.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ryan Bonomi of the County Court Trial Bureau. The defendant is represented by Daniel Fazio, Esq.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevi speaking on March 17. (IDF)

Israel has been at war with Hamas for 164 days as of March 18, and the Israel Defense Forces continue to operate on multiple fronts. Israels Chief of Staff Herzi HaLevi said on March 17 that Israel is fighting a multi-arena and complex war which he says has had many achievements. He also said that Israel has a long way to go until the goals of the war are achieved. He specifically mentioned northern Israel as one of the arenas where the fighting is ongoing.

As of March 18, Israels northern border is still evacuated of around 80,000 Israeli citizens. While some have returned and others have found residences elsewhere, many are still living in hotels temporarily and have an uncertain future. This is because Hezbollah continues to fire rockets and anti-tank missiles daily at the Israeli communities along the border. On Saturday, rockets were fired at Malkia and Misgav Am in northern Israel.

The attacks continued throughout Sunday and Monday, with rocket fire directed toward Mount Dov and the village of Ghajar. Ghajar is an Alewite village sitting at the bottom of Mount Dov which Israel controls but Hezbollah claims half the village is in Lebanon. Like Mount Dov, it has been a source of tension over the years. Israel re-opened the area to tourism in early 2023 but closed it when Hezbollah began attacks on Israel following the October 7 Hamas attack. Given the regularity of Hezbollah attacks that target it, there are no civilians who live in the Mount Dov area. However, the mountain is strategic as it sits at the border of Lebanon, Israel and Syria.

Israel continues its policy of a proportionate response to each attack by Hezbollah. After Saturdays attacks, IDF artillery returned fire. The IDF said it struck a Hezbollah observation post. Overnight between Saturday and Sunday, the IDF said it intercepted a suspicious aerial target near Acre. Acre is a city on the coast of Israel approximately thirty minutes south of the Lebanese border, making it more of a long-distance target for Hezbollah. In response to the launches fired toward the city of Acre, IDF fighter jets struck a Hezbollah military compound in the area of Khiam, the IDF said.

Israel has been training troops near its northern border and rotating units along the frontline. For instance, most of the 36th armored division was moved north after completing several months of fighting in Gaza between October and January. Some of the units in the north contain reservists who were called up on October 7. On March 18, Hezbollah rocket fire targeted Mount Dov, Manara, and Yiftach near the Lebanese border. The IDF responded by sending aircraft to strike a Hezbollah military compound.

Israels Chief of Staff says that Israel continued to damage Hezbollahs operatives and its capabilities. Hezbollah began with aggression and is paying a heavy price for it that continues to grow. He said in his statement on March 17 that I am alert and attentive to the great difficulty of the residents of the north, who have been evacuated from their homes for a very long time. We will return the residents only with full security. To that end, we will go through any means necessary  the IDF and its commanders are ready and determined to make this happen, this is our duty.

Residents of Israels north have heard this message for five months, yet daily attacks continue as Hezbollah appears to test various components of Israeli defense. It switches focus, for example, from threats like the one to Acre, to firing barrages at IDF bases, to positioning forces to threaten Israel from Syria or to direct threats at the Syria-Lebanon-Israel border area. As such, the Iranian-backed terrorist group is not static in its threats, and it is not only lobbing missiles over the border. It has a tactic and logic to how it employs its forces. It also does not appear deterred after five months.

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.
Left to right: Ahmed Jabari, Marwan Issa and Saleh al-Arouri.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed on Monday an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat area last week killed senior Hamas military commander Marwan Issa. The targeted strike against Issa represents one of the most significant Israeli operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war.

On Mar. 11, the IDF stated that a joint operation between it and the Shin Bet targeted Issa and another Hamas commander identified as Aziz Abu Tamaa. The attack targeted an underground compound in the central Gaza Strip.

Israeli defense officials have not confirmed that Issa has been killed, and Hamas has not acknowledged his death either. However, it is doubtful that Sullivan would have commented on Issas death without approval from Israel. Nevertheless, it is an unusual way to announce the death of a senior Hamas member, as typically, these announcements are made by Israel or Hamas.

Despite Israeli officials not officially confirming his death, there have been strong hints from them following the airstrike that Issa was indeed killed. For example, after multiple news reports surfaced claiming that Israel had targeted Issa, Prime Minister Netanyahu released a statement indicating that a high-ranking Hamas member had been eliminated and suggested more eliminations were to follow.

Issa was deputy to Muhammed Deif, the head of Hamas Al-Qassam Brigades. Israel accused Issa of playing a central figure in masterminding the Oct. 7 Hamas-led terrorist attack on communities in southern Israel. Issa was deeply involved in Hamas operations for over a decade, having been part of the team that negotiated the Gilad Shalit deal. He also served as the deputy and operations officer to former Hamas commander Ahmed Jabari.

Before the 2005 disengagement, Issa planned an operation against Israeli settlements inside the Gaza Strip. Issa established special units to carry out the operation, but the plans were shelved when Israel unilaterally pulled out of the Gaza Strip.

The State Department added Issa to its list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists in 2019.

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.
Proposals will be discussed during talks in Brussels this week

Ukrainian civilian women learn how to assemble and disassemble AK-47 training rifles in Kyiv on 16 March 2024

Ukrainian civilian women learn how to assemble and disassemble AK-47 training rifles in Kyiv on 16 March 2024  Photo credit: AFP

Ukrainian civilian women learn how to assemble and disassemble AK-47 training rifles in Kyiv on 16 March 2024  Photo credit: AFP

The European Union has prepared legislation that would see Ukraine start to receive profits generated by frozen Russian sovereign assets as early as July.

The proposals, which require the backing of all member states, would apply a windfall tax on profits generated by the immobilised reserves, aiming to use an estimated 3 billion a year to fund the supply of weapons to Ukraine and boost the countrys defence industry, according to draft documents seen by Bloomberg News.

About 260 billion in assets of the Russian central bank, mostly in the form of securities and cash, have been immobilised by Group of Seven nations, the EU and Australia, with more than two thirds of those blocked in the EU.

Also read:

Luxembourg to host 13.7bn fund to rebuild Ukraine

The funding has become especially critical as Ukraine faces a shortage of artillery and some $60 billion (55 billion) of US assistance remains blocked in Congress.

The Biden administration has been pushing G-7 allies to seize the frozen assets outright and wants to see progress before a leaders summit in June, Bloomberg previously reported. But several European nations, including Germany and France, as well as the European Central Bank are reluctant.

Under the EUs proposal, a share yet to be determined of the proceeds generated since 15 February would be transferred to the EU bi-annually until sanctions are lifted. The funds would be initially allocated to the European Peace Facility, the blocs mechanism to reimburse weapons delivered to Kyiv, and to the EU budgets Ukraine facility.

Also read:

Ukraine faces looming education crisis as children hit by war

A share of the profits would remain with the central securities depositories holding the reserves to cover the costs of managing the assets and deal with any risks, including potential retaliation by Russia. Relevant expenses and corporation tax would also be deducted from the revenues before they are transferred. That would leave about 3 billion in net profits per year, according to some estimates.

The vast majority of the funds has been frozen through the Belgium-based clearing house Euroclear where they generated about 4.4 billion in profits last year.

Profits transfer

Profits generated in the past would be provisionally retained before being transferred to the EU within five years at the earliest, the draft proposals say.

Should risks materialise, unexpected and extraordinary revenues generated by the central securities depository prior to 15 February 2024 should be used first to cover the corresponding expenses, one of the documents says. Modalities should be established for the transfer to the Union of amounts provisionally retained when they are not anymore necessary.

The proposals will be discussed by EU leaders when they meet in Brussels later this week.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell  Photo credit: AFP

The proposals will be discussed by EU leaders when they meet in Brussels later this week.

Polands Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told reporters after a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels on Monday that theyd made a political decision, although not a legal one to tap the windfall profits.

Josep Borrell, the EUs foreign affairs chief, told reporters: I cannot say there was unanimity, but a strong consensus to take this decision. He added that some member states want more details.

However, several member states have been reluctant to back using the funds to provide Ukraine with military support, a split that risks delaying progress, according to people familiar with the matter.

Central securities depositories holding more than 1 million in frozen reserves and assets had been previously asked by the EU to set revenues generated aside, set up separate accounting procedures and were also prohibited from using the unexpected and extraordinary profits theyd generated. Those same institutions would be asked to provide the EU with regular reports as part of the blocs proposals.
Close to 1,500 motorists had their licence revoked last year for driving under the influence

More than 1,800 driving licences were revoked in Luxembourg last year, the vast majority for drink-driving offences

More than 1,800 driving licences were revoked in Luxembourg last year, the vast majority for drink-driving offences  Photo credit: Shutterstock

More than 1,800 driving licences were revoked in Luxembourg last year, the vast majority for drink-driving offences  Photo credit: Shutterstock

More than 1,800 driving licences were revoked in Luxembourg last year, the vast majority for drink-driving offences, Transport Minister Yuriko Backes said on Tuesday.

A total of 1,822 motorists lost their licences in 2023, Backes said in response to a written parliamentary question, a marginal increase on the previous year.

While the overwhelming bulk of cases last year were linked to drink-driving offences - 1,496 - a further 229 motorists saw their permits revoked for speeding.

In 2022, the government warned that cases of drink-driving had surged in Luxembourg after a drop in incidents during the pandemic, with alcohol the cause of a third of all fatal accidents on roads in 2021.

Also read:

Luxembourg sees surge in drink driving cases

One in eight drivers in Luxembourg who had a car crash between 2017 and 2021 had consumed alcohol, the countrys official statistics agency Statec said in 2022, with alcohol a factor in one in five fatal collisions.

Luxembourgs rate of road deaths per inhabitant is among the highest in the EU, according to a report published last week by the European Court of Auditors (ECA).

Also read:

Luxembourgs road death rate among highest in EU

The overall number of annual road deaths in Luxembourg has fallen drastically in the past two decades, from 70 at the start of this century, to 36 last year. However, the number of fatalities in 2023 was well above the total for the preceding years.

LSAP deputies Yves Cruchten and Francine Closener had asked whether the government intends to implement a draft bill from 2017 introducing the offence of deliberate endangerment of others to dissuade dangerous behaviours behind the wheel.

Backes said the government would think about the fate of the bill, but did not provide details on potential sanctions. However, Backes added that there had been many concerns raised about the draft bill, including the wording of the text.

On top of the driving licences revoked immediately, 632 permits were taken away after a medical evaluation - if the driver was considered mentally or physically unfit to control a vehicle - while 62 were confiscated for offences such as repeated dangerous behaviour, fraud and falsified papers. These latter categories of offences were up from 2022, when there had been 40 such cases recorded.

The latest figures came as Luxembourg lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed an EU directive into national law that creates a public institution - the Fonds dinsolvabilite en assurance automobile (FIAA) - which will compensate residents for road accident damages if the insurer of the party at fault is insolvent. The coverage includes insurance companies based abroad.

The fund will be managed and financed by Luxembourg insurers, with the government injecting a 300 million state guarantee into the FIAAs credit lines to make sure victims of road accidents are compensated as quickly as possible.
Domains used by the servers were sold by Luxembourg company EuroDNS

A message informs visitors to the websites that they had been seized pursuant to an international seizure

A message informs visitors to the websites that they had been seized pursuant to an international seizure  Photo credit: HSI

A message informs visitors to the websites that they had been seized pursuant to an international seizure  Photo credit: HSI

Luxembourg has teamed up with US Homeland Security to seize four domain servers allegedly used to sell fake pharmaceutical grade drugs.

Luxembourgs national police cooperated with Homeland Securitys Investigations (HSI) field offices in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Seattle, as well as HSI Brussels to take down servers located in the US and the domains in the Grand Duchy.

Luxembourg company EuroDNS sold the domains used to sell the drugs, the US embassy in the Grand Duchy told this newspaper.

EuroDNS confirmed that the Luxembourg police provided the firm with a copy of a seizure order issued by a Luxembourg court. We complied with it, said a spokesperson.

A press release issued by HSI said that the drugs were unlawfully distributed across the United States and that some of them contained methamphetamine and fentanyl.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the US Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats.

The operation included posting messages informing visitors to the specific websites that they had been seized pursuant to an international seizure.

The Luxembourg police and their HSI partners are now leading the investigation into the pharmaceutical drug syndicate with significant assistance from the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center in the United States.

HSIs global reach through seamless coordination with our international law enforcement partners, coupled with the dedicated efforts of the U.S. Attorneys office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania have made this possible, said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Philadelphia William S. Walker.

Investigations like these can only be accomplished when teams of laser-focused investigators and prosecutors work hand-in-hand, he said.

The EuroDNS spokesperson said that the company validates specific data about each customer that opens an account and that it also has anti-fraud measures in place for payment handling. However, just like every other registrar, we can only act on domain names after the fact. There is no way for us to predict how a domain name will be used. A domain name may direct to the website of a local football club and, the next minute, to a phishing page against a bank, the spokesperson told this paper in response to a query. Once we have been notified or detected an illegal use, we will suspend our services.

Updated at 4.45pm on 19 March to include comment from EuroDNS
You'll see it just walking around, the schools Pasifika dean Che Muller told Stuff. There's so many of the boys wearing it and were even getting people from outside our culture asking if they can wear it as well, so that's pretty cool.
Three members of the Bismarck Public School Board are seeking additional terms, they announced Tuesday.

Dan Eastgate and Donnell Preskey, who were elected in 2020 to four-year terms, are running for reelection. Amanda Peterson, who was appointed in 2023 to fill a vacancy, is running for an unexpired two-year term. They comprise a majority of the five-person board; the other two board members are up for reelection in 2026.

Eastgate and Preskey were part of the selection process for the district's current superintendent, which took place in February 2023. Peterson was appointed to the board later that month after Emily Eckroth stepped down following a late-2022 run-in with police. Peterson had previously run for a school board position in 2022, and had lost to Eckroth by just one vote at the time.

Eastgate, a Realtor, is the current board president and a member of the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber/EDC Board of Directors. He is an announcer for high school sporting events and part of the South Central High School Community Advisory Board.

Preskey is a longtime broadcast journalist turned government relations specialist. She works at the North Dakota Association of Counties and is a Bowbells native who moved to Bismarck to attend the University of Mary.

Peterson is director of educational improvement and support for the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction. She is a former teacher and dean of students, and is a BHS alum.

The school board election is June 11. No one has yet announced a challenge to the incumbents.
President Joe Biden chose to scrap a bit with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene at the State of the Union -- a choice that should remind us of the old saw, "Never wrestle with pigs. You both get dirty and the pig likes it."

Greene has two modes: heckling and lying. This time, she was doing both by bellowing that Biden should "Say her name," a reference to Laken Riley, the nursing student who was murdered by an undocumented immigrant. Biden said the name (though he mangled it) and added the reasonable observation that thousands of people are murdered every year by the native born. A few progressive speech police then attacked Biden (!) for using the politically incorrect terminology for the murderer, causing Biden to correct himself, and here we are -- all covered in mud while the pig is grinning.

Biden's initial instinct was good, even if the execution and follow-through left something to be desired. But that doesn't mean Biden should shrink from the subject in the future. On the contrary, the false immigration narrative is clearly damaging Biden's standing.

Cards on the table: I'm for increased immigration. Immigrants are vital to our economy. They will contribute an estimated $7 trillion to our GDP over the next 10 years. They also revitalize our civic culture, injecting new Americans who do not take our prosperity or our freedoms for granted (and that's not even counting all the new cuisines). They contribute more to the economy than they take from it. Yes, our immigration laws are outdated and in need of reform -- as the Biden administration at length conceded. But while revising our criteria for asylum and hiring new immigration judges, we must not lose sight of the fact that being a magnet for those who want a better life is an American strength, not a weakness.

Greene cited the case of Laken Riley because she was a young, white woman murdered by an illegal immigrant. A group of GOP senators led by Rand Paul is muscling in on the stunt by demanding documents relating to the case. This is key to the cynical effort to convince Americans that most immigrants are dangerous criminals. Recall that in 2015, the right was similarly inflamed about Kate Steinle, a woman who was shot and killed in San Francisco. The man who accidentally shot Steinle was eventually acquitted, but never mind the details. She was young and beautiful and nativists from coast to coast exploited her tragic death. Trump invoked her at the 2016 Republican Convention as evidence of the vicious invasion America was facing from Mexican rapists and murderers.

Since then, Trump has only ratcheted up his incitement, now employing fascistic language about immigrants "poisoning the blood" of this country.

It's all lies.

In 2022, there were 18,785 murders in the United States. Some of them happened in Greene's district. A Dalton, Georgia, man escorting his girlfriend to the home of her ex was arrested after stabbing the ex to death. Also in Dalton, a 19-year-old pled guilty to second-degree murder for supplying a 16-year-old girl with fentanyl. In Rome, Georgia, a man was convicted of slaying two sisters he believed had stolen his wallet. He shot them and dumped their bodies in a river. He later found the wallet behind his TV.

Is the Republican governor of Georgia to blame? Is Greene? Should she say their names?

Every study on the subject has shown that since 1960, immigrants are much less likely than native-born Americans to be arrested or convicted of crimes (excluding those associated with entry into the country). The right highlights a few cases of murder committed by immigrants, but as Alex Nowrasteh of the CATO Institute shows, undocumented immigrants are 27.7 times less likely to commit homicide than natives, and legal immigrants are 57.1 times less likely.

A Stanford University study of incarceration rates going all the way back to the 19th century shows that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes of every description than are the native-born. "Far from the rapists and drug dealers that anti-immigrant politicians claim them to be, immigrants today are doing relatively well." Criminologists have consistently found that immigrant-heavy neighborhoods in big cities have less crime, not more crime, than other areas.

It's rich that Republicans are seeking to blame Biden for murders committed by illegal immigrants when they just rejected a bill that would have hired thousands of new border patrol agents and asylum officers, and allocated $20 billion for new detention facilities, improved drug detection technology, and more immigration judges. It would also have dramatically overhauled the standards for asylum. But the GOP foot soldiers, after stoking anti-immigrant hysteria for years, refused to take yes for an answer precisely because the incitement is the policy.

Biden's fundamental decency was on display during the State of the Union when he extended his deep sympathy to Laken Riley's family for their loss. The same cannot be said for Greene and company, whose bad faith is exceeded only by their shamelessness.
(*This story was updated on Tuesday, March 19 at 1:40 p.m. with additional comments from a UC Berkeley spokesperson).

A U.S. House committee is launching an antisemitism investigation into the University of California Berkeley for its failure to protect Jewish students.
Conditions at Bridgewater State Hospital  a secure state psychiatric center that houses mentally-ill men accused or convicted of crimes  are so bad that the hospital should be shuttered, according to a new report from a watchdog organization.

The 46-page report from Disability Law Center  a Boston-based disability advocacy nonprofit  alleges a litany of eye-popping patient abuses at the hospital, including involuntary restraint through medication, physical violence from staff, negligent medical care and a building so moldy it is now unfit for patients or staff.

While the Department of Corrections has made some significant improvements at Bridgewater State Hospital in the last decade, its staff and aging facility still unquestionably fail to provide appropriate conditions and services for its patients, according to Disability Law Center.

Efforts to patch BSHs deteriorating physical plant and gradually change the troubling culture and practices within have not produced sustainable results. Ten years of scrupulous DLC involvement have shown that BSH is irreparably unsuitable to serve its population, the nonprofit wrote.

To protect Bridgewater State Hospitals patients and staff, the state must close the hospital and replace it with a modern facility controlled by the Department of Mental Health, which can ensure that patients receive appropriate treatments, Disability Law Center argued in the report.

On Monday, the Department of Corrections gave no indication that it plans to shutter Bridgewater State Hospital or give jurisdiction over it to the mental health department. Instead, the department and Tennessee-based healthcare company Wellpath  the hospitals healthcare service provider  said in statements that theyve improved conditions at the hospital.

Forced medication without permission

Disability Law Centers report is based on monitoring it did at Bridgewater State Hospital from June to December 2023. One major issue identified by the nonprofit was the use of psychotropic medication to restrain patients without their consent or authorization from a court order.

Bridgewater State Hospitals policies explicitly sanctioned medication restraint based on potential harm a patient might do to themselves or others, allowing hospital staff to use it even in the absence of an emergency, Disability Law Center found. Since Wellpath took over in 2018, use of physical restraints has gone down significantly, but reliance on forced medication has become a mainstay, the nonprofit wrote.

Medication restraint was used on Bridgewater State Hospital patients an average of 38.5 times a month during the six-month observation period, according to Disability Law Center. Additionally, Wellpath security staff often caused violent, often dehumanizing patient experiences by entering their rooms dressed in riot gear, forcing them to the bed with a plexiglass shield, and holding them face-down to expose their buttocks for a nurse to administer intramuscular injections, the non-profit wrote.

Disability Law Center reviewed footage 16 such incidents from the monitoring period. In one video, Wellpath staff dragged a terrified and cowering patient to a bed to forcibly inject the medication as he screamed and cried, according to the non-profit.

Medication restraint was also often administered long after an incident  as long as an hour following what may have been an emergency, Disability Law Center wrote. This calls into question the necessity of administering the restraint, the nonprofit argued.

Additionally, Disability Law Center found that staff were more likely to use involuntary medication restraint on Black patients. Despite making up only 21% of Bridgewater State Hospitals patients, Black men made up 41% of patients who were subject to the forced injections during the monitoring period, the nonprofit wrote.

Dangerous mold leading to illness

Disability Law Center has publicly warned of dangerous mold at Bridgewater State Hospital  especially in its HVAC system  since 2018, and little has improved since then, according to the report. The nonprofit accused the hospital of ignoring its recommendations on how to address the mold problem and hiring an unqualified company to take care of it instead.

HVAC systems observed during the inspection continued to be in deplorable condition, some with air handlers in wet and flooded basements with rampant mold growth and asbestos, Disability Law Center wrote.  ... Even sections of HVAC systems that had been professionally cleaned were confirmed to be filthy and riddled with active mold growth after the cleaning.

The type of mold found in Bridgewater State Hospital is known to cause health problems such as colds, chronic sinus infections and persistent coughing, which some patients  especially those with asthma  have experienced, according to Disability Law Center. The non-profit asserts that the hospitals mold problem is so bad that the building should not be occupied until mold prevalence inside returns to safe levels.

Failure to treat opioid withdrawal

Bridgewater State Hospital has been providing inadequate treatment for many patient medical problems, but especially opioid use disorders, according to Disability Law Center. The nonprofit alleges that patients who were previously prescribed opioid use disorder medications often stop being prescribed them upon admission or have their dosages reduced due to healthcare providers discomfort with methadone treatment.

BSH providers conflate mental health symptoms with withdrawal symptoms and, based on the stigma of both and lack of management of medication options, provide substandard care, Disability Law Center wrote.

But these problems arent limited to substance use disorder treatments, according to the nonprofit. In the report, hospital staff are accused of ignoring repeated concerns from patients about their health, downplaying patients health issues and denying patients prescription medical devices.

All in all, from July to November 2023, 64 medical grievances were filed against Bridgewater State Hospital in reference to delays or denials of care, according to Disability Law Center.

Shocking patient stories of medical neglect

Disability Law Center provides many examples of disturbingly subpar medical care at Bridgewater State Hospital in its report. In one instance, a patient with excruciating cysts said he didnt receive treatment for five months after being admitted to the hospital, and that when he finally did receive treatment, the hospitals healthcare providers did not follow standard protocols, leading him to develop more cysts.

At the same time, Wellpath staff were mistreating [the patient] as a result of his skin condition; he was suffering regular insults concerning the odor of the cysts and physical abuse from a now-terminated Wellpath staff member who sprayed him with industrial cleaning fluid, the nonprofit wrote.

In another example, a patient said Bridgewater State Hospital staff injected him with an antipsychotic he had told them he was allergic to, and when he developed allergy symptoms, they treated the symptoms instead of finding a different medication, according to Disability Law Center. One patient even reported waiting a half hour for the hospitals Director of Medicine to respond to his severe seizure, only to have them blame the seizure on his anxiety and prescribe him Benadryl.

Perhaps the most shocking example was that of a patient who needed additional leg surgery after being hit by a truck. Hospital staff didnt get ahold of his medical records until two months after he was admitted and then failed to schedule a surgical consultation, according to the nonprofit.

The patient also had an autoimmune disease that carries an increased risk of infection and developed an infection shortly after admission. Though hospital staff repeatedly noted the infection in reports, they didnt schedule a wound care or paint management appointment for him for four months, instead treating him only with bandage changes and over-the-counter pain meds, according to Disability Law Center.

Seclusion and lack of care

Bridgewater State Hospital patients are, in accordance with the hospitals schedule, locked alone in their rooms for 11 hours a day, according to Disability Law Center. But in the hospitals intake unit, their daily isolation period is usually much longer.

DLC received numerous reports from [patients] that it was difficult to get staff to let them out of their cells for as little as 3 to 5 hours. This is inconceivable in a supposed psychiatric hospital setting, the non-profit wrote.

Because Bridgewater State Hospital is under the Department of Corrections, it is given more leeway to seclude prisoners and does not have to report hours of seclusion like Department of Mental Health facilities do, according to Disability Law Center. Additionally, the nonprofit alleges that in hospital units located inside Old Colony Correctional Center in Bridgewater, some patients never receive any form of therapy or psychiatric care.

Some of these problems can be attributed to understaffing, according to Disability Law Center. In December 2023, correctional center units reported staffing rates as low as 65% for recovery treatment assistants, 50% for social services positions and 45% for nurses.

Patient stories of abuse

Old Colony Correctional Center officers are known to be overly forceful with patients, to the point of occasionally causing injuries, according to Disability Law Center. Theyre also accused of picking on patients, and in one instance, an officer is alleged to have called a patient a retard.

[Patients] frequently reported that unit [officers] are antagonistic, verbally abusive, and aggressive. While this is certainly not true of all [officers], [patients] reported that the [officers] who do behave appropriately do not intervene to stop concerning behavior by other [officers], the nonprofit wrote.

But patients arent necessarily treated better at Bridgewater State Hospital proper, according to Disability Law Center. One patient in the intake unit reported being locked in his cell alone for an entire month and not being let out even to shower. He also said hospital staff denied him clothing for two weeks, leaving him naked until he ripped open a mattress to create makeshift coverings for warmth and decency.

Another patient told the nonprofit that he wanted to be admitted to the hospital so that he could receive mental health treatment for concerning voices and visions. Instead, he never met with a healthcare provider and was locked in his room for 21 to 22 hours a day, he said.

He was mentally deteriorating being cooped up in his small cell without access to meaningful treatment or even a meeting with his treatment team, Disability Law Center wrote.

The Department of Corrections response

The Department of Corrections has implemented many changes at Bridgewater State Hospital since the monitoring period ended, the department said in a statement Monday. These include increased tracking of restraint usage, daily reviews of recorded restraint instances and additional staff training on deescalation techniques to reduce the need for seclusion and restraint.

The corrections department has also hired a fourth mental health professional to oversee daily operations as a hospital administrator and a psychiatrist who previously worked for the Department of Mental Health to ensure the hospitals policies are aligned with those of the mental health department. As a result of this review, hospital staff have submitted revisions for its seclusion, restraint and involuntary psychotropic medication policies, though it is unclear if the revisions are now in use.

The Massachusetts Department of Correction, in coordination with our external medical provider, remains deeply committed to ensuring that patients with complex needs who require strict security hospitalization receive the highest quality of person-centered and trauma-informed care, a department spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Even so, the Disability Law Center asserted in the report that the changes the department has implemented so far dont address many of the nonprofits concerns, such as Bridgewater State Hospitals mold and medical care issues.

Massachusetts must cease involuntarily committing people with complex mental health needs and disabilities to a state prison facility where they will foreseeably face countertherapeutic conditions and suffer violations of their legal rights by those meant to provide them treatment, the report reads.

Notably, the Department of Mental Health is willing to take control of the hospital  which houses 250 to 280 men  as Disability Law Center has recommended if directed to by the Massachusetts Legislature, according to The Boston Globe. There is also a bill currently going through the Legislature that would do just that.

Wellpaths response

In a statement Monday, Wellpath, the company that currently oversees Bridgewater State Hospital, said it has dramatically reduced use of restraints and seclusion and improved patient care at Bridgewater State Hospital since it began servicing it. The healthcare company has also retained third-party accreditation of it services, it said.

Wellpath always puts patients at the center of everything we do, Wellpath said in a statement.  ... We value the important role the DLC plays and look forward to continued collaboration with them and the Massachusetts Department of Correction as we continue working to further improve services at Bridgewater.

Notably, before Wellpaths introduction in 2018, Bridgewater State Hospital faced lawsuits over the use of physical restraints and seclusion, according to The Boston Globe. Wellpaths predecessor, Correct Care Recovery Solutions, successfully tamped down on these coercive control methods, the newspaper reported.

But in 2018, H.I.G. Capital acquired Correct Care Recovery Solutions and merged it with Correctional Medical Group, creating Wellpath, according to Nashville Business Journal. Since then, the healthcare company has had contracted with the Department of Corrections to service over a dozen state prisons, but federal officials identified problems with their care as early as 2020, the Globe reported.
A body was pulled from the Charles River in Boston by State Police on Tuesday morning, the department confirmed.

A report came in around 8:30 a.m. on March 19 that a dead person was in the river, just east of Massachusetts Avenue in the city, the department said.

Read more: Chelmsford residents warned of fake police calls demanding Bitcoin

The State Police marine unit and dive team responded to the area and recovered the body from the water, the department said.

No further information was available as of 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, including the possible circumstances surrounding the persons death. The investigation into the persons death is ongoing.

This is at least the second person found dead in the Charles River in just more than a month. On Feb. 12, a 34-year-old homeless man was seen struggling in the water after hed reportedly jumped from the Longfellow Bridge. His body was recovered from the water in the afternoon, police said.
A 31-year-old Dorchester man is facing a litany of charges in connection with an incident where a Boston police officer was shot Monday night, the department said in a statement.

Avery Lewis is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of a large capacity feeding device, armed assault to murder, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (firearm), discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, assault and battery on a police officer, possession of a firearm in commission of a felony, trafficking of cocaine, 36 grams or more, less than 100 grams, and resisting arrest.

Lewis was expected to be arraigned in the Dorchester division of Boston Municipal Court Tuesday, Boston Police said in a statement.

The unnamed officer was shot as police responded to a 911 call that came in around 9:35 p.m. and warned of a person armed with a gun near the intersection of Esmond and Bradshaw streets, WCVB reported.

As the officers approached the suspect, he fired one shot at them, striking the officer in the chest, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox told reporters following the incident.

The other responding officers were able to arrest the suspect and recover a gun at the scene, Cox told reporters, according to WCVB. The injured officer was taken to Boston Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

This is another heroic act by our police officers doing a very, very difficult job. With all the firearms that we have out here, were doing all that we can to remove them. But more importantly, officers showed tremendous restraint, Cox told reporters during a press conference. They follow their training, protecting the citizens of Boston. Were highly, highly proud of them and the work that they do on a daily basis.

The officer has not been identified, but Cox said he has been with the department for two years.
A 26-year-old woman is facing three counts each of arson and burning of personal property after police say she intentionally set multiple fires in East Boston.

Genesis Hurtado, of Chelsea, was arrested around 10 a.m. Monday after Boston Police went to 184 Border St., the address for an AutoZone location in East Boston, for a report of a fire, the department said in a statement posted to its website.

When officers arrived, an unknown person flagged them down and alerted them that a possible arson suspect fled the area, the statement said. Officers located the suspect, later identified as Hurtado, and arrested her. The Boston Fire Department was able to put out the flames and no one was injured in the blaze.
Wildlife protection advocates are welcoming a decision by the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission to approve protections for horseshoe crabs during spawning, which is when the creatures are at their most vulnerable.

The move comes as interstate regulators are limiting the harvest of the primordial species of invertebrate to try to help rebuild its population and aid a threatened species of bird.

Horseshoe crabs pre-date the dinosaurs, having inhabited ocean environments for more than 400 years, but their populations have been depleted for decades due to harvest in part for bait to catch eels and whelk, a species of sea snail, supporters of the move by state regulators.

Their blood is also used to test for potentially dangerous impurities by drug and medical device makers.

David ONeill, president of Mass Audubon, said he was ecstatic with the new regulations.

Protecting horseshoe crabs during spawning season is incredibly important to getting this keystone species back to historic population levels that are critical to the health of coastal ecosystems, including the migratory birds that rely on them, ONeill said in a written statement.

Glenn Gauvry speaks while he displays the underside of a horseshoe crab at Pickering Beach in Dover, Del., June 11, 2023. Wildlife protection advocates are hailing a decision by the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission to approve protections for horseshoe crabs during spawning, when the crabs are most vulnerable.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

He said Massachusetts had been lagging behind other East Coast state that have strengthened protections for horseshoe crab populations including New Jersey, Delaware, and South Carolina.

The animals have been declining in some of their range, and theyre critically important as a food source for the red knot, a migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission said it will allow no harvest of female horseshoe crabs that originate in the Delaware Bay during the 2024 fishing season, but would allow more harvest of male horseshoe crabs in the mid-Atlantic to help make up for the lost harvest of females.

Despite their names, horseshoe crabs are not really crustaceans but are more closely related to spiders and scorpions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A Boston police officer was saved by his bulletproof vest Monday night when a suspect in Dorchester shot him in the chest, according to reports. That suspect is now in custody.

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox told reporters that the officer was responding to a 911 call that came in around 9:35 p.m. and warned of a person armed with a gun near the intersection of Esmond and Bradshaw Streets, WCVB reported. As the officers approached the suspect, he fired one shot at them, striking the officer in the chest, Cox said.

The other responding officers were able to arrest the suspect and recover a gun at the scene, Cox told reporters, according to WCVB. The injured officer was taken to Boston Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

This is another heroic act by our police officers doing a very, very difficult job. With all the firearms that we have out here, were doing all that we can to remove them. But more importantly, officers showed tremendous restraint, Cox told reporters during a press conference. They follow their training, protecting the citizens of Boston. Were highly, highly proud of them and the work that they do on a daily basis.

The suspect is set to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court on Tuesday, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden told reporters, according to WCVB. Neither the suspect nor the officer have been identified, but Cox said the officer has been with the police department for approximately two years.

The gunman was involved in a domestic incident, Boston 25 News reported. No further information about the shooting has been released.
 

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Democrats who control the Massachusetts Legislature appear on course for a clash over dueling proposals to address the soaring costs of the commonwealths emergency shelter system, as migrants continue to stream into the Bay State.

The state Senate is poised to vote Thursday on its version of a shelter funding bill that would pump $10 million in new spending into the system, and would allow Democratic Gov. Maura Healeys administration to drain $825 million from a reserve fund, according to State House News Service.

The chambers action comes a little more than two weeks after the state House passed a $245 million spending bill aimed at containing the costs of a shelter system where expenses are where costs are expected to soar past $900 million a year over the next two years, amid a time of flagging tax revenues.

Like the House, the Senates version of the bill would limit shelter stays for some people to a maximum of nine months, while authorizing a rehousing plan for all families and pregnant women in the system, which could potentially allow them to stay longer.

The Houses version of the legislation would authorize a single, three-month extension for people who are working or who are enrolled in a job-training program. That extension also would apply to pregnant women; some people living with disabilities, veterans, and people facing domestic violence risks, according to State House News Service.

The Senates version of the proposal, on the other hand would allow for multiple extensions.

The two chambers also differ on how to address shelter costs in the near term. The Houses version of the plan would dip into a reserve account known as the Transitional Escrow Fund in 2024, leaving the needs for the 2025 fiscal year for another date, according to State House News Service.

The Senates version of the plan would allow Healeys office to divert $825 million from the fund over the next 15 months, starting with a monthly, $75 million withdrawal for the rest of the 2024 budget year, according to State House News Service.

Last year, Healeys office announced a self-imposed cap of 7,500 families in the states shelter system, which includes both migrants and state residents who are experiencing homelessness.

As of Tuesday morning, 7,533 families were in the state system, with 15 families enrolled within the last 24 hours, state data showed.

The state has since opened several overflow shelters to accommodate Bay State families  and migrant arrivals  who continue to flood into the system.

An administration-authored report recently submitted to lawmakers indicates that families who stay in the shelter system are there for an average of a year or longer, imposing increased stresses on the system as demand continues to rise.

Healeys office has continued to call for assistance from the federal government, arguing that the state can only do so much in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform. The chances for action, in an election year, appear remote  particularly in the wake of a collapse earlier this year of a bipartisan reform plan.

It has become crystal clear that the federal government will provide no relief for states like ours who are facing this emergency all over the country, House Ways and Means Committee Chairperson Aaron Michlewitz, D-3rd Suffolk, said earlier this month, MassLive previously reported. Washington seems to care more about playing politics on this issue rather than offering solutions for us to implement. That inaction has forced us to make difficult decisions.
With the pressure already on Americas wealthiest citizens to pay their fair share of taxes, one Massachusetts lawmaker is calling on the nations super-wealthy to pony up even further.

On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., joined by colleagues on both sides of Capitol Hill, reintroduced what shes dubbed an ultra-millionaire tax, a 2% levy on Americans with a net worth of $50 million or more.

The tax, which would impact the top 0.05% of the nations households, would bring in $3 trillion in revenue over 10 years, Warren and her fellow lawmakers said in a statement.

Warrens announcement comes about two weeks after President Joe Biden, during his State of the Union speech, called for a more level playing field between the richest and poorest Americans.

As President Biden says: no one thinks its fair that Jeff Bezos gets enough tax loopholes that he pays at a lower rate than a public school teacher, Warren said. All my bill is asking is that when you make it big, bigger than $50 million dollars, then on that next dollar, you pitch in two cents, so everyone else can have a chance.

In the U.S. House, Democratic U.S. Reps. Brendan Boyle, of Pennsylvania, and Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., are sponsoring a companion version of the bill. The legislation also impose stricter rules on trusts, which the ultra-rich often employ to avoid to paying taxes. The tactic costs the federal government between $5 billion and $7 billion in lost revenue annually.

As the son of a union household, I witnessed every day how incredibly hard my parents worked to build a middle class life for our family. It is simply wrong that millions of hardworking families pay a higher tax rate than billionaires, Boyle said, adding that the bill will will fight back against Republicans decades-long scheme to rig our tax code against middle class families and in favor of multi-millionaires and billionaires.

All told, the bill has attracted the support of seven lawmakers in the Senate, including U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and nearly 30 lawmakers in the House, including U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District.

To buttress their arguments, the lawmakers pointed to 2020 research by economists Gabriel and Zucman and Emmanuel Saez showing that share of wealth held by the richest 1% of Americans tripled from 7% to 20% between the late 1970s and 2019, while the bottom 90% saw its share drop from about 35% to 25%.

The system is not working when the richest one percent of Americans own more than 30 percent of our nations wealth but pay just 3.2 percent of their wealth in taxes while others pay twice as much. Our countrys tax system needs urgent reform, Jayapal said.

In addition to its tax and trust language, the bill also would impose a 1% surtax on the net worth of households and trusts valued above $1 billion, for a total tax of 3%.

The legislation is a critically needed policy that would ensure that the super-rich who have benefitted from a rigged system will begin to pay their fair share in taxes, Susan Harley, the managing director of Public Citizens Congress Watch division, said.
The Reckon Report is a weekly newsletter that goes deeper in todays most-discussed headlines. Subscribe today and stay ready for the proverbial water cooler.

As the 2024 Election Day draws near, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have emerged as the official Democratic and Republican nominees respectively, setting the stage for what promises to be a contentious electoral contest. Yet, amidst the intensifying political atmosphere, the proliferation of misleading or outright false claims persists among both candidates.

The consequences of misinformation like this being spread are profound, as evidenced by declining confidence in the electoral system. An ABC NEWS/Washington Post survey reveals that a mere 20% of respondents express very confident in the integrity of U.S. elections, while a CNN poll indicates that 56% harbor little or no confidence in the systems ability to represent the will of the people.

Against this backdrop of uncertainty, Reckon fact-checked two of the most recent immigration claims and provided context to most shared misstatements online.

Claim 1: The United States sees a decline in violent crime, contrary to conservative claims

During a speech held on Feb. 29 at the Eagle Pass, Texas border, former President Donald Trump said the United States is being taken over by migrant crime and said that Biden is to blame for the rise.

The United States is being overrun by the Biden migrant crime. Its a new form of vicious violation to our country. Its migrant crime. We call it [the] Biden migrant crime, but thats a little bit long. So well just leave it, Trump said.

The claim has been repeated on social media and has become a talking point for conservatives.

Shows how senile and out of touch with the average American you are. Why dont you talk about ILLEGAL BIDEN MIGRAN CRIME stats, read a post shared on X.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio also repeated the talking point during an interview on the CBS show Face the Nation on March 10.

We have 7.2 million people in this country that have been here over the last three years. Some of them we dont really know who they are. New York just deployed National Guard troops to the street because of a migrant crime wave. But we have a serious problem here at home, Rubio said.

He later repeated, We have a migrant wave that began in mid-January of 2021.

A press release shared on the House Republicans website also shared a version of the claim.

Joe Bidens failed Far Left open border policies have caused a catastrophic wave of violent crime committed by illegal immigrants to ravage our country, the press release starts.

But as national data shows, crime trends are actually on the decline. There is no major migrant crime wave.

National crime trends published by the FBI show that violent crime trends, including murder and rape, have fallen by over 5% in 2022 compared to the prior year.

After having the highest murder rate in 2022, New Orleans had a 25% decrease in homicides in 2023. Major cities including Philadelphia, New York City, San Antonio, Chicago and others have similar decline trends.

Murders in 30 large American cities declined by 9.4% in the first half of 2023 compared to the first half of 2022, according to a report by the Council on Criminal Justice.

Alex Nowrasteh, Immigration Policy Analyst at the Cato Institute, revealed that in Texas, native-born Americans have a higher chance of being convicted of violent crimes, including homicide, than both illegal and legal immigrants. Texas is the only state that records criminal arrests by immigration status.

According to Nowrastehs papers, undocumented immigrants have a lower criminal conviction rate than native-born Americans by 41%, according to data from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Based on recent data violent crime is on the decline across the United States and Americans born in the country are more likely to be convicted than immigrants.

Claim 2: President Biden signed an executive order prohibiting the detention of individuals who enter the United States illegally

Since President Joe Biden has been in office over 796,000 migrants have been detained from 2021 to 2023, according to data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Enforcement and Removal Operations as of March 14.

But posts on social media spread false claims that Biden signed an executive order not to detain people who enter the country illegally.

The spread of false claims can create beliefs based on false information, which influences political decisions. This scare tactic is used by both sides during election seasons as a way to increase emotions and influence voting decisions.

Bidens executive orders meant for the first time in American history we have a president who will not detain the people who enter this country illegally, Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said in an interview with Fox News Sunday on March 3.

Although Rubio does not clarify what executive order he is referring to, similar versions of the claim have also been shared online and in talking points including by Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina who said Biden refuses to detain illegal immigrants.

President Biden refuses to detain illegal immigrants, prosecute foreign nationals entering illegally or let ICE do its job. He wont enforce the immigration laws on the books. We cant let him gaslight us into thinking hell enforce even tougher laws as part of a border deal, Scott said.

Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky also commented on social media.

The Biden Border Crisis has allowed over 10.5 MILLION illegal immigrants to flood our communities and innocent Americans are paying the ultimate price, Barr said in a post on X.

The claim is untrue. As we previously reported, over 796,000 migrants have been deported and over 287,400 arrests have been made since Biden took office in 2021, according to ICE statistics. Of those arrests over 273,700 were removed or deported from the U.S.

According to a 2023 study from the CATO Institute, migrants were more likely to be released by the Trump DHS compared to Biden.

Of the 5 million border encounters, 2.7 million migrants have been removed in over two years by the Biden administration DHS, compared to 1.3 million encounters with 647,437 removals under Trump in two years.

Contrary to posts on social media, the Biden administration is not refusing to detain or remove migrants who illegally enter the country.

Why it all matters

Spreading misinformation about immigration policies and enforcement has significant implications for public discourse, policymaking, and the functioning of democracy itself, experts say.

I think thats what its meant to do  to freak people out over an issue. Its a continuation of this myth of voter fraud, said Gilda Daniels, an election law professor at the University of Baltimore, said to NPR on March 13 about Trumps claim that migrants threaten voting. It not only creates hysteria, but it [furthers] this idea that only certain people should be allowed to participate in the process.

In addition to implications on policies, false narratives about immigration can also perpetuate stereotypes and stigmatize immigrant communities. This can have real-world consequences, including discrimination, harassment, and violence against individuals perceived to be immigrants or foreigners.

UCF Associate Lecturer of Psychology Chrysalis Wright stressed the point that fake news on social media can strategically be used to influence the political beliefs of citizens.

The intent of their posts is very clear. They pick hot topics that we are divided on and still discussing as a nation  such as gun rights, race relations, immigration issues  and use that as a weakness against us, Wright said. Their entire purpose is to divide us and make us fight each other from within, because if they can get us to fight each other from within, they dont have to do anything; theyre already winning.

Brea Jones is a strategic leader and award-winning journalist who writes for the Sanford Herald. Previously, she worked to stop the spread of misinformation surrounding health and politics as a reporter with FactCheck.org at the University of Pennsylvania. Since 2015, Brea has written articles and produced multimedia for publications covering people, entertainment, politics, and health.
Residents of some parts of the state can expect a last gasp of some winter weather before the meteorological calendar officially rolls into spring on Wednesday, though the new season brings with it a chance for some additional snow showers this weekend.

In Western Massachusetts, rain showers are expected to roll in Wednesday before turning to a dusting of snow in higher elevations like the Berkshires, according to the National Weather Service. The story is much the same in Worcester and Central Massachusetts, where precipitation should start to drift in around 4 p.m. Wednesday. As temperatures drop in the area, there is a chance for some light snow showers beginning at around 10 p.m.

But, according to Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, residents shouldnt get their hopes too high.

Not much of anything actually, Dunham said of the expected snow on Wednesday, adding that the northern Worcester Hills could see up to a tenth of an inch. The Berkshires might see a little more, but Dunham said most of the precipitation will fall as rain.

There is a high likelihood some parts of Massachusetts will see snow Tuesday night, particularly in the Berkshires.National Weather Service

Another storm is expected to roll into the region on Saturday, bringing with it the chance for some springtime snow.

A lot can happen with that storm still, Dunham told MassLive.

As of Tuesday morning though, it wasnt shaping up to be a blockbuster.

Dunham said much like Wednesday, Saturday will bring mostly rain, with a chance for snow in higher elevations of the state like the Worcester Hills and the Berkshires. If the storm brings snow, it is most likely to fall between 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday in the Berkshires.

For much of the rest of the state, including Central and Western Massachusetts, if any snow does fall, it will likely be before 9 a.m. Saturday, according to the Weather Service. In Boston, the precipitation is anticipated to switch to rain even earlier, around 8 a.m. Saturday.

Its been a relatively snow-free winter for much of Massachusetts, and Boston failed to accumulate double-digit inches between Dec. 21 and March 16, according to AccuWeather. In fact, the percentage of seasonal snowfall compared to the historical average in Boston was a meager 22% this year, the weather outlet reported.
A Waterbury, Conn. man was sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison on Tuesday for his role in the kidnapping and murder of a Massachusetts man in 2020, the U.S. Attorneys office for Connecticut announced.

U.S. District Judge Omar A. Williams sentenced Calvin Roberson to 348 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery said in a statement Tuesday. Roberson pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and causing the death of a person through the use of a firearm in April 2023.

On Dec. 24, 2020, Roberson and Brandon Batiste held Francisco Roman Jr., 28, at gunpoint and kidnapped him from his residence in Chicopee. The pair threatened to harm Roman if he did not listen to them, handcuffed him, and stole cash, marijuana, and other items, and later forced him into the back of his car, the statement said.
In January, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, in a split 4-3 vote, handed down a befuddling decision involving a gang member  an 18-year-old adult at the time of commission of the crime  who had arranged to gun down a 14-year-old he believed to be a rival gang member.

The 18-year-old was convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, the penalty contained in the murder statute enacted by the state Legislature.
BOSTON  A Springfield man was the latest to plead guilty in a Boston federal court Monday for his role in a regional organized theft crew that stole catalytic converters from nearly 500 vehicles, robbed jewelry stores and stole ATMs.

Carlos Fonseca, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce and interstate transportation of stolen property, the U.S. Department of Justice said Tuesday.
SOUTHWICK  The towns Capital Expenditures Committee recently approved a capital project request of $300,000 from the Fire Department to build new bunks in the firehouse.

It looks much like a college dorm room, Fire Chief Richard Stefanowicz said during his presentation to the committee during its March 12 meeting.

The project has been in the design phase for several years, and during last years budget hearings there was money allocated for the project. However, after Stefanowicz had the job estimated, the bids came in too high and the plan had to wait.
SOUTHWICK  There are 91 teachers in Western Massachusetts receiving a 2024 Pioneer Valley Excellence in Teaching Award. One of them is Michelle Desmarais, a third-grade teacher in Southwick.

Desmarais, who teaches at Powder Mill School, said shes honored to win the award  and absolutely shocked when Jennifer Willard, the superintendent of the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District, came to her classroom one morning in early February to deliver the good news.
The Global Opportunities Committee (GOC) of the Atlanta Black Chambers (ABC) proudly announceds the appointment of David Jeb as the Regional Lead for the Indian Ocean.

This strategic move aims to amplify global opportunities and foster economic development, trade, and partnerships across the Indian Ocean region, encompassing Madagascar, Reunion Island, Seychelles, Comoros, Zanzibar, and Mauritius.

We are delighted to welcome David Jeb as the Regional Lead for the Indian Ocean. His experience and expertise in the region will undoubtedly contribute to the success of our mission, said Mr. Ricardo Berris, Chairman of the Global Opportunities Committee. Mr. David Jeb, a luminary entrepreneur, and the Chairman & Founder of Quantum Vert LLC, brings a wealth of experience in Renewable Energy, Bullion Processing, refining, trading, and Banking.

Mr. David Jebs appointment coincides with the launch of the GOCs ambitious 10-year plan to reach $100 billion in global transactions for Black businesses, designed to boost global trade, investments, and partnerships for its members. The plan includes initiatives such as virtual and in-person programs, delegation visits, and strategic engagements for the benefits of the community.

As a highlight of the GOCs initiatives, the organization is organizing a 2-day conference called GO Global in Atlanta, Georgia. In his role as the Regional Lead, Mr. David Jeb is mobilizing Black-owned businesses from the Indian Ocean Islands to participate actively in this event, fostering international networking and collaboration opportunities.

As a precursor to the GO Global Conference, Mr. David Jeb is organizing a mineral traders, processors, and investors symposium and networking workshop in Mauritius.

Because of its geographical location, and of the geo-strategic potential that it holds, Mauritius is a secure and prime business hub; a fast growing preferential gateway for African businesses, like other global players. It is a bridge and fast developing logistical platform with modern infrastructure, enabling environment and well balanced; socially, politically and economically. Mauritius assumes the same role to Africa that Singapore played towards Asia, and as such brings dynamism to the Black businesses community. These parameters informed Mr. David Jebs decision to choose Mauritius as the Regional base, having been a resident on the Island for a cumulative 10 years now.
Renewable energy partners SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland have welcomed a decision by An Bord Pleanala to grant planning permission for the development of Sheskin South Wind Farm in north Mayo.

The onshore wind development, which has received consent for 18 turbines with a maximum tip height of 200 metres, is located approximately 6.7 km northeast of Bangor Erris and 11 km south of Ballycastle.

Tom Coleman, Development Project Manager for SSE Renewables, welcomed the development but added that action was needed to upgrade the grid in the area.

We welcome the decision made by An Bord Pleanala to grant consent for Sheskin South Wind Farm. Delivery of this project will not only boost Irelands energy independence and provide cheaper, cleaner, more secure, homegrown electricity it will be crucial to achieving Irelands net zero targets, deliver clear economic benefits, through jobs and supply chain opportunities, whilst the associated community benefit fund will have a direct impact on the local community.

To deliver on the ambition of the project, we need to see more action on grid investment in the north-west. We will continue to work with the Government and EirGrid to address grid challenges in the region. We also look forward to working with the local community and our co-development partners FuturEnergy Ireland to take the project to the next stage.

Mary Lynch, Portfolio Director at FuturEnergy Ireland, said: We warmly welcome this positive planning decision by An Bord Pleanala, which allows Sheskin South Wind Farm to progress into the next exciting phase of its development. Together with our co-development partner on the project, SSE Renewables, we are looking forward to advancing the project into its commercialisation stage where the project and its supply chain will start to take shape. It is a significant project of scale, which will make a very positive and lasting contribution to the local economy in Co Mayo.

The delivery of the Sheskin South project will contribute significantly to FuturEnergy Irelands ambition to develop 1GW of wind energy projects by 2030, and in doing so support Irelands climate targets, strengthen our energy security, and reduce electricity bills for all.

During construction, Sheskin South Wind Farm will generate approximately 100 to 120 jobs along with significant supply chain opportunities for the area. The project partners stated they are also committed to delivering a Community Benefit Fund which will deliver hundreds of thousands of euro annually to the local community. The Fund will be established when the wind farm enters commercial operation, and will support local community groups and projects.

Sheskin South Wind Farm is a 50:50 co-development between SSE Renewables and FuturEnergy Ireland and the progression of the project is dependent on a final investment decision. A proposed grid connection planning application, in addition to a turbine delivery route application, is scheduled to be submitted later this year.

The project adds to the co-development partners pipeline of projects, which includes the seven turbine, 30MW Lenalea Wind Farm which reached full power and connected to the national grid in late 2023, with plans for the proposed 12 turbine, 60MW Drumnahough Wind Farm at an advanced stage. Both projects are located in Co Donegal.
MEP Maria Walsh has welcomed todays passing of a report regarding the defective block crisis.

The EU Mica Report outlines recommendations and highlights the failings of the current redress scheme.

Approved this morning by the European Parliaments petition committee, the report included details of last year's fact-finding mission, of which MEP Walsh was a member.

The defective block scandal first made headlines in 2021 when homeowners saw blocks used to build their homes starting to crumble.

The government introduced a scheme allowing affected homeowners to apply for a maximum grant of 420,000.

A European delegation undertook a fact-finding visit to Donegal last year, after which six recommendations were made to the Government's existing redress scheme.

Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has said that the Government must urgently implement the recommendations outlined in the European Parliaments report on the defective blocks crisis to ensure 100% redress for those affected.

I believe the report approved today in Brussels is an accurate reflection of what we experienced during our mission and provides a clear picture of the experiences the homeowners and families devastated by the mica and pyrite crisis have been faced with, said the Fine Gael MEP.

Due to its insufficiency, MEP Walsh said the current scheme needs reworking, something that is reflected in this report by highlighting the need to include costs of new foundations, provisional accommodation and rental costs.

She said: I am happy to see the wording that the crisis has a force majeure nature was dropped from Amendment 10, meaning that there is no reference to force majeure in the report, as I had called for.

The report contains several recommendations on redress, and the onus is now on the Irish Government to implement them as a matter of urgency. The Government must acknowledge the failings of the current scheme, and provide 100% redress for the families and homeowners affected.

MEP Walsh will now send the report to Minister for Housing Darragh OBrien, as well as An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to ensure they are aware of the official position of Parliament and ask how they intend to enact the recommendations within the report.

I will continue to fight on this incredibly important issue, to ensure the constituents of the Midlands North West are fully represented, she concluded.
A Westport food business is encouraging others like them to apply for the Food Academy 2024.

Cabots of Westport, a Mayo-based chilled foods company, is telling start-up and early-stage food and drink businesses in Ireland to apply for the Food Academy 2024.

The programme is actively seeking applications from budding start-up and early-stage food and drink producers across Ireland.

Now, in its eleventh year, the extended commitment highlights the sustained success and positive impact the Food Academy has had on the local Irish food and drink industry.

Speaking about his business and experience with Food Academy, Redmond Cabot, founder of Cabots of Westport, said the academy has been essential in introducing their products to a wider audience and allowing the business to grow in a sustainable way.

It has advised and assisted at every stage, as the business hit each new level of development and requirement, he said.

The Food Academy, supported by SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Office, is a unique and tailored business development initiative for start-up and early-stage producers.

The programme not only helps indigenous businesses but also contributes to the overall growth and sustainability of the Irish food industry.

Additionally, it serves as a platform for showcasing the excellence of quality Irish products and the innovative spirit of food and drink producers across the nation.

Cabots is a small, artisan, family business producing fresh food sauces in Westport.

With experience running a shop and restaurant, this business started in 2010, selling our products at Westport County Markets. As demand grew, we began selling our fresh hummus, pates, and sauces into our local SuperValu and food shops. Our core belief is to use fresh ingredients and materials at every step of food production added Mr Cabot.

Over the past eleven years, more than 1,000 producers from all over Ireland have successfully completed the Food Academy programme.

This initiative has provided entrepreneurs with a unique opportunity to showcase their innovative products on SuperValu shelves all year round.

Since its inception in 2013, Food Academy producers have collectively generated 230 million in product sales within SuperValu, supporting 1,500 jobs in the economy.

Ciara McClafferty, Trading Director at SuperValu, called the Food Academy a brilliant partnership between SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Office which continues to go from strength to strength.

Through this programme, producers are given an excellent opportunity to gain invaluable experience, while being given exposure in SuperValu stores throughout the country.

She continued, saying their involvement in the academy further emphasises their dedication to fostering local talent and businesses within the food industry.

The Food Academy recognises the importance of innovative and creative individuals within the food sector, acknowledging their role in shaping and advancing the industry. SuperValu's commitment to supporting these entrepreneurs is evident in its longstanding dedication to the Food Academy programme.

The initiative presents a particularly positive opportunity for start-up and early-stage businesses at a time when the challenges and costs of doing business are heightened.

Consumer tastes and behaviours are constantly evolving, and the Food Academy is meeting these needs, being centred around nurturing innovative food and drink producers to deliver great tasting products for our shoppers and the Irish market. Wed encourage all start-up and early-stage producers to apply today, concluded Ms McClafferty.

Apply for the Food Academy through your Local Enterprise Office, closing date is April 5.
Our World, according to the present scenario, is on the brink of numerous trials and tribulations. A variant-shifting pandemic, economic losses and terrorizing war strikes; the list could go on! However, we have to admit that one thing is definitely not a challenge anymore for most global citizens: the search for Information. From Google to Instagram, Facebook to Wikipedia; there are too many virtual beings out there, waiting to pass on information. This is what we call the Digital Age! In spite of the abundance of data available to everyone, there are certain topics of study or professions, that are still very hazy to the common man.



Architecture, for instance, is a term that has been in society even prior to the pyramids of Egypt. Some historians even consider Impoteph to be the first architect in the world! However, people are still not very sure, about the role an Architect plays in society, or even what the study of Architecture includes or excludes.

One cannot help but naturally wonder, why is that? Is it because of simple ignorance? Or is there a bigger cause behind it?



Oh! The problems galore -

With changing times and research, synonymous to other fields, Architecture has seen paradigm shifting changes. But the one aspect that does not seem to change. is the looming cloud of myths and misconceptions, about the term 'Architecture' and its facets. As stated earlier, 'lack of information' cannot be cited as an issue today; but lack of credible information' can be! How can anyone guarantee the authenticity of every article/video/audio on the Internet ?

If we discuss specifically about the Architecture and Design Community, apart from the legitimacy issue, lies the question that; how much of this online data is actually reaching the common man? How much are they able to gorge? Is that content relevant to a mass or is it just for people with prior knowledge of design? Does it cater to eliminate the doubts with this profession, or does it just keep adding characters to a panorama called the Internet?



Voila! Welcome to the world of Design Journalism-



Architecture Journalism or Design Journalism, is the profession of reporting, writing and communicating; the varied news, topics and relevant details of the built environment. To further simplify the matter, how would one get to know about

Jack-the ripper without a crime journalist? Similarly, phrasing in the form of a rhetoric, how should one find out about the latest architectural wonder in your city? Simple enough?

We do not claim to say, that all problems related to the field of Architecture can be eliminated, with the awareness that such a stream of Journalism brings about. It can rather be illustrated as an effective bridge of knowledge, between Architecture and the Common Man. Additionally, we do want to imply, that considering the percentage of our wondrous cities that are designed or have been built by some technique, it is a shame to be oblivious to that creative community entirely.



P.S. The lack of a proper, simplified and comprehensive definition of Design Journalism, is a classic example of how digital information can be inadequate.

A vital source of knowledge-

Ever been intrigued by the dishes that have the term 'Chef's Special' written beside them? In most cases, those delicacies turn out to be the most zestful and obviously the best!

That is exactly what Design Journalism does. It brings the correct information, right from the Architect's studio to you. It communicates a chosen plethora of ideas, executions, techniques and professionals; which is relevant to the target audience and can prove beneficial to every reader. Along with annihilating the millions of doubts regarding the job and specifications of an Architect; accurate reporting of design facts, can assist in creating a rather respectable position for Architects, who build and metamorphosize the entire global facade.



Close-knit connection with people-

Often, it has been noted, that our Architecture and Design Community can tend to be a rather closed circuit; wherein professionals only can understand the current scheme of things, and there is no room for the common man to perceive or collaborate.

Journalism of design, can adequately create numerous windows of opportunity, such that people get a sneek of what happens within the community, and respond accordingly. Along with knowing about the relentless effort, ethos, principles; the

audience can be educated about the downsides and critical analysis of a structure or city, thus acting like a catalyst in building a better tomorrow. An informed group of people, can then make an au-courant decision, that best suits their need for a project. Architects, on the other hand, will be connected to clients who offer challenging executions and well-versed briefs.

Doesn't that round it all up?



New array of jobs-

With those familiar with the Architectute education of India and know a bit about the community, each year more than 400 fresh graduates enter this field.

But do we have enough fodder for everyone to flourish? A trained or liscenced individual, can efficaciously use their skills to enter in this concentric profession, and work towards providing the society a fair image of this creative world.

While the saying 'too many cooks spoil the broth' might be correct in certain contexts, with Design Jouranlism, it does not hold true presently. When people from different walks of life, with a conjoint interest in Architectecture and Design, come together, it can only result in a balanced representation of the built world from both perspectives: the professional and the primary user.



With all said and done, there is a duty that even practiciting journalists of this field also need to be abide by to state valid facts without a hint of bias. "With great power comes great responsibility, right? So if we wish the audience and the world to accept Design Journalism as a dependable pursuit, we have to prove our capabilities in narrating and reporting design stories, that are genuine, relatable and though-provoking!
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 18, 2024

Google has plans in the coming months to let retailers test features in Search Ads 360 that allow for self-service campaign management for brands and expand its beta program to more retailers globally.

The self-service model, when launched, will give brands the ability to measure the success of their campaigns with closed-loop reporting, and at campaign or stock-keeping unit (SKU) levels.

Google recently launched a closed beta in the search management tool Search Ads 360 for offsite retail media campaigns. Its part of a growing trend in retail media.

Lowes, an early adopter of the tools, will launch its first offsite retail media offering on Google Search and Shopping inventory, using a managed service model. The plan also is to implement the self-service options for its brand partners. Self-service options similar to the way Google introduced search-service search ads for its engine.

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Brands are asking for self-serve options that provide more transparency and control over their media investments, Ewan Fisher, product manager of Search Ads 360, wrote in a blog post. With this style of campaign management in SA360, retailers in the future will enable brands and their agencies to manage campaigns themselves.

Offsite retail media lets brand advertisers reach more consumers in unique locations off the retailers website. The idea is to improve performance by combining retail audiences with Google AI across channels.

Retailers participating in the beta can let brands sell on their website, using first-party data to fuel AI-supported Performance Max campaigns.

Retail media networks have traditionally provided managed services for campaign management. This means retailers do the campaign setup, optimization and reporting.

A beauty retailer, for example, can manage Search or Performance Max campaigns in SA360 on behalf of a makeup brand that distributes on the retailers websites and stores. This managed service model has helped retailers succeed in supporting some brands, it has limited their ability to scale, Fisher wrote.

Protecting shopper information has also become important for retailers.

With self-service retail media ads, retailers can selectively share first-party audiences with brand partners without exposing user-level data. This lets brands reach high-intent shoppers with relevant ads, increasing performance while respecting consumer privacy. The shoppers are directed to the product detail page of a retailer website where they can add products to a cart for purchase.

Retailers also will have an option to share only parts of their product inventory feeds that are relevant to a brand partner, so one brand never sees inventory details such as stock levels or pricing for other brands. And can selectively share sales and performance data, preventing a brand from seeing the retailers overall performance data.
by Fern Siegel , March 19, 2024

Tonies, a global interactive audio platform for children, just named Anomaly its agency of record.

A digital learning experience that plays stories and songs, the company says 5.7 million Tonieboxes and 72 million Tonies have been sold worldwide. Its audio platform has been activated in more than 100 countries.

Anomaly will lead the global brand positioning, strategy, design, global campaigns and communications.

The agencys Berlin office has been assigned the account, which plans to fuel growth in the U.S., U.K. France and DACH, the German, Austrian and Swiss markets. Tonies will also arrive soon in Australia.

The agencys remit is to elevate the brands global growth and aid product launches. In addition to the Tonieboxes, there are numerous figurines. Various collections of Tonies, including Creative, Imagination and Clever, are available. A symphonic fairy tale of "Peter and the Wolf" is narrated by David Bowie.

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Shelly Sundag, head of global grand, Tonies, said: A category leader pushes the boundaries  it doesnt copy. So as new products enter the market and as we expand our offering, we are excited to push the tonies brand to make space for all the things to come, while making sure our experiences always live up to our brand promise.

Anomalys position on brand development, which takes an all-encompassing and total approach; looking far beyond just advertising, is the perfect long-term partner to that ambition."

Anomaly has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, London, Berlin and Shanghai. Clients include Aston Martin, Coca-Cola Co., Diageo, Expedia Group and Lipton.
Search results are not instantaneous. Google or other search engine bots index sites beforehand. So, while bots crawl each web page, it correspondingly scans through the different web pages to get hold of any wrongful activity happening on a webpage. The issue is that with millions of websites, search engine bots take some time to detect hacking on a website.

So, by the time a user or site owner comes to know of a cyber hack on the site, a good number of days have already passed. In fact, as per studies, it usually takes around 287 days to identify a data breach.

As per research by an ecommerce website design company, we have enlisted 4 tell-tale signs that a website may be hacked. Being aware of these signs will save a website from heavy losses.

1. Google keeps on showing a warning sign whenever one visits a site

Usually, the Google search console helps a lot. They send messages to site owners about a possible hack on a website whenever they detect any malicious code, spam content, or social engineering pages. Also, Google displays warning messages to every site visitor to be wary of visiting the site.

Other than that, Google has laid out some best practices that can prevent hackers from accessing a site

 First, use anti-virus software on the computer where one works on a website design and development to avoid passing on infection from an infected file. Keep the computers and their software like antivirus updated. Never use a computer or laptop for web development if the device doesnt have updated anti-virus software.

 Second, turn away from visiting sites that Google warns of being malicious.

 Third, Before using any plugins for a website, thoroughly check if the developer has a good rating and is available in times of need.

Surprisingly, numerous WordPress websites also have outdated plugins, and themes that give a free pass to hackers.

 Fourth, never get into the trap of opening, or downloading Emails that appear spammy. Rather, straight away report them to Gmail or another mail service provider.

2. Web hosting service blocks the website

There is a very good reason why web design company in Toronto like Cube InfoTech vouch for good web hosting services. The thing is that these web hosting services keep on scanning websites for any possible hack. And the moment they get a slight indication of any kind of malware working its way on any of the web pages of a certain website, they instantly disable the website to hold the further spread of the malware.

Out of the numerous kinds, some of the threats that web hosting services catch hold of are;

 There are well-known Viruses, ones that infects computers.

 Or, there is Spyware that secretly gathers info from users without their knowledge.

 Then there are trojan horses who are dubious. They look like a useful application. But the moment one clicks on any of the links or files, it steals all information and also harms the computer.

 Moreover, They also get a whiff if your server is used to send any spam or phishing emails.

 Interestingly, reputed web-hosting services also report high CPU usage due to malware code running on a site.

3. A lot of pop-ups and scrupulous ads on the webpages

Many websites rent places for others to put ads. But what if the complete website is flooded with ads and pop-ups about insurance, lottery, holidays, and whatnot?

In short, whenever a user visits the site, instead of the content of the page, all one sees are ads and mindless pop-ups.

If a site owner notices ads that he never vetted for, head to a webmaster

Like if someone has a Toronto-based salon website which is getting a lot of unknown ads and pop-ups, head straight to a reputed agency of web design Mississauga. It is a tell-tale sign that things are not okay with the site.

4. A slow website

Have you ever seen a robust website failing to load? Or a check-out page that fails to complete a transaction?

As per agencies of web development Toronto, any webpage must load within 3 seconds to utilize the user attention span. But if one has to wait for more than that, its a problem. Most of such unscrupulous activity happens on critical web pages. Like the sign-up or the payment page.

Other than unoptimized images and JavaScript issues, one thing that slows a website is malware

This is because, the malware is using the website and its server to perform unscrupulous activities. Like sending spam emails or stealing user credentials.

Not only that, it uses the site to flood it with dubious ads and pop-ups. Or there is some sort of ransomware running on the site. All these extra things put a heavy load on a website thus making it slow.

Hacking ruins all the hard work that a business puts in

If a site has malware, Google warns site visitors from visiting the site. Google shows a red page that says not to visit the site as it is harmful. Users seeing warning signs right away block such websites from opening them. Many even block the site from opening in their browser. Not only is it a loss of leads, but also gravely reduces conversion rates.

Thats why a site owner and hired webmaster must keep an eye on such tell-tale signs so as to safeguard the website from such malpractices.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 18, 2024

Meta Platforms on Monday asked a federal appeals court for an emergency injunction halting an FTC in-house hearing that could result in a ban on monetizing teens' data.

Meta likely will succeed on the merits of its appeal, which, at a minimum, will present serious legal questions, the company writes in papers filed with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The social media platform contends that FTC in-house hearings are unconstitutional -- in part, because the FTC acts as both prosecutor and judge at in-house hearings.

That dual role entails an unacceptable risk of actual bias, Meta argues, adding that the FTC has a long history of upholding its own claims.

The new bid for emergency intervention comes just days after U.S. District Court Judge Randolf Moss in Washington, D.C. turned down Meta's request to derail the FTC's in-house hearing.

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Moss said in his ruling that the Supreme Court rejected arguments similar to Meta's in prior cases.

For instance, he wrote, the Supreme Court ruled nearly 50 years ago that the same state medical board could decide whether a doctor engaged in misconduct, and whether that doctor should be suspended.

But Meta notes that the Supreme Court is currently considering whether to limit federal agencies' enforcement power. In November, that court heard arguments about the Securities and Exchange Commission's ability to bring enforcement actions at administrative proceedings -- as opposed to in court.

The company also says it will face irreparable harm if forced to defend itself at a proceeding that's later found unconstitutional.

The appeal marks the latest development in a battle that began last May, when the FTC proposed modifying a 2020 settlement by adding new restrictions on Meta.

That 4-year-old settlement -- which resolved allegations that Meta allowed Cambridge Analytica and other outside developers to access users' data -- required Meta to pay $5 billion, implement new privacy oversight and obtain an independent assessment of the program.

The FTC now wants to add terms preventing Meta from using minors' data to fuel ad targeting or algorithms, and also prohibiting the company from launching new products or services, unless an assessor confirms its privacy program doesn't have weaknesses. (Meta currently allows marketers to send targeted ads to teens based on their age and location.)

The FTC claimed the company should be subject to new restrictions because an evaluator allegedly identified gaps and weaknesses in the company's privacy program, and because Meta's Messenger Kids allegedly had coding errors between 2017 and 2019 that allowed children to communicate with people who hadn't been approved by parents, in violation of representations about the feature.

When the agency set out the potential new restrictions, it demanded that Meta appear at an in-house administrative proceeding -- similar to a trial, but in front of the agency instead of a federal court.

Since then, Meta has repeatedly urged judges to halt that proceeding.

First, the company argued in a lawsuit filed in June that the 2020 settlement could only be revised by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly in Washington, D.C. because he had approved the deal. Kelly rejected that argument in November, and the D.C. Court of Appeals upheld Kelly's decision last week.

Last year, immediately after Kelly refused to block the hearing, Meta alleged in a separate lawsuit that the FTC's structure is unconstitutional, and sought an injunction on that basis.

Moss rejected that argument on Thursday, but stayed his order until March 22 to give Meta time to appeal.

The D.C. Circuit hasn't yet said whether it will consider Meta's emergency request.
by Teresa Buyikian , March 18, 2024

Move over, Cup O Soup, there may be a hot and fresh pizza arriving to a vending machine near you soon.

PizzaForno, the first automated pizzeria that bakes  24 hours a day, per the companys release, has expanded to Maryland, with a new location in Silver Spring.

Although the vending machine-like units may be new-ish to the U.S., the company has been using technology made popular in France by ADIAL since 2018 and already has 2,200 locations operating in Europe.

PizzaForno currently has 70 locations in the U.S. in California, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Louisiana and now Maryland. with over 100 additional locations scheduled for the U.S. and plans to have 25,000 operating units by 2028, per the company.

The new Maryland location will hold a grand opening event on Mar. 22, with free pizza, music, games, freebies and giveaways. Customers can enter to be one of two winners of free pizza for a year.

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Hospitality veteran A.J. Grillo is behind the new location and stated in the announcement that he also look(s) forward to continuing to grow the (PizzaForno) brand across Virginia and Washington D.C." Grillo also has plans to install PizzaForno units in universities, hospitals and apartments complexes, among other locations.

Customers order from PizzaForno via the companys app 24/7, where they are able to select ingredients, check inventory, order and reserve pizzas for pickup at a nearby unit. Pizzas are ready in three minutes.

Grillos restaurant background includes serving as general manager of United Restaurant Group in Richmond. The restaurant group is under the leadership of Tony Grillo, A.J.'s father, and is the second largest franchisee of TGI Fridays.
by Erik Oster , March 19, 2024

Impossible Foods consumers will be seeing red -- a lot of it.

The plant-based meat brand introduced a new brand identity and packaging redesign at Natural Products Expo West last week, with an increased emphasis on appealing to meat lovers. While the bold red packaging easily draws attention, the brand claimed in a release announcing the news that the evolution is about more than a color change. Its new packages are direct about appealing to meat-minded consumers, with its packaging for Impossible Ground Beef, for example, proudly declaring, Made For Meat Lovers.

The Impossible Beef Hot Dog, teased by the brand back in December, will be the first to feature the new red packaging.

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Impossible Foods characterizes the new positioning as reflecting an existing strength, with 90% of Impossible Foods consumers identifying as eating meat, according to the brand. In addition to the event announcement and press release, the brand celebrated its new branding with a series of posts on its social media channels.

We wanted packaging that lived up to and reflected the deliciousness of our products while really popping on the shelf, Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness said in a statement. 

The company worked with branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) on the strategy, in partnership with its in-house marketing and creative teams led by CMO/CCO Leslie Sims.

Were not just growing a brand, we're growing an entire category, Sims said in a statement. For a long time, meat eaters didnt see us as something for them. But our mission relies on attracting meat eaters, so we wanted to do what we could to be more inviting in our approach and messaging. Were confident that once they try us, theyll be in.

Impossibles updated packaging will roll out across the U.S. over the course of the next couple of weeks, and expand internationally later this year. (Outside of the U.S., Impossible Foods is available in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Macau, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the U.K.)

In the release announcing the news, Impossible Foods boasts that it has increased its market share with a growth rate outpacing category competitors in the U.S., and that its the only major brand showing consistent growth, citing YTD data through 2/25 from Circana.
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, March 19, 2024

Procter & Gamble Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard said today that marketers need to focus more on growing markets and not just their share of markets. That, he added, is good for everybody, and certainly a win-win for the industry and the economy.

Pritchard made his remarks at the ANA Media Conference in Orlando.

advertisement advertisement Media used effectively and efficiently can help grow markets, Pritchard added. Media and advertising are at the center of P&Gs strategy to create superior performing brands, that grow markets.

Media reach, effectiveness and efficiency are just as key today as theyve been in the past, he said.

P&Gs goal is to reach 100% of the market for some products, like laundry products and toothpaste. But thats easier said than done. In the U.S. the companys average reach is 75% of adults, which is up from 65% five years ago.

Demographics are important and the company has focused on boosting its reach to multicultural consumers, doubling spending over the past decade.

As to effectiveness, the most important metric is sales effectiveness and the industry is still falling short in delivery of those metrics, he said.

Media also has to be efficient and profitable from an ROI standpoint. He pointed to the ANAs recent study on waste in the programmatic ad arena where the study found that only 36 cents of every dollar reaches the consumer in the form of an ad.

Part of the problem, he added is zero transparency with some programmatic platforms, which he did name. You know who you are, he said.

I would say the most urgent action needed is to address the media supply chain, that just has way too many touches where money gets taken along the way.

Avoiding excess frequency will also help, Pritchard said. Were still flying with a sheet over the windshield among media providers with no idea how many times a consumer sees the same ad on the same day across platforms, websites and TVs.

Part of the solution is to integrate reach, effectiveness and efficiency in media plans because they mutually reinforce each other and create an integrated flywheel of growth value creation, allowing for greater investment. P&Gs in-house media teams have worked hard on integration issues, he said, and agencies are stepping up too.
TORONTO

March 18, 2024

Cuba

Havana

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Waddell Phillips

Paul Miller

Havana

Cuba

Flawed study did not compare to pre-injury baseline, had ethical concerns/PRNewswire/ - The Canadian diplomats and their family members who have suffered documented brain injuries as a result of being stationed inbetween 2017-2021, join with their American colleagues to reject a flawed study on a condition dubbedsyndrome.The recently released study of "Anomalous Health Incidents" by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), did not compare individual health records of afflicted individuals from the US to determine their pre-injury baseline. Canadian legal counsel for the injured diplomats and family members said the NIH report has no bearing on the Canadian experience. Canadian counsel also said they join their colleagues in their critique of the NIH study on procedural, substantive, and ethical grounds.Howie, Sacks and Henry LLP has partnered withto represent Canadian diplomats and their families who have been diagnosed with a neurological syndrome that resembles a concussion but without evidence of physical trauma. Researchers have speculated that the injuries may have been caused by an energy weapon.Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP co-counselsays, "."Miller stated the Canadian victims of these injuries join their American colleagues in demanding that both governments declassify all information relating to injuries sustained by their personnel if these governments are standing by the proposition that there was no foreign enemy involvement and that there are no brain injuries as a result of being inFor the US lead counsel's statement, please click here.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canadian-diplomats-dispute-havana-study-findings-302092009.html



SOURCE Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP




About

The Glasgow Coma Scale was developed by Professors Graham Teasdale and Bryan Jennett. In the year 1974, these researchers at the University of Glasgow developed this tool.

This scale is widely used to measure consciousness of a person. It is mainly utilized when patients are in a coma or experiencing reduced consciousness. The scale assesses patients according to three aspects of responsiveness: eye-opening, motor, and verbal responses.

The Glasgow Coma Scale and its total score are now part of many guidelines and systems. It is primarily used for assessing people with serious injuries or illnesses.

In the medical context, consciousness means being awake, alert and oriented. This implies being responsive to the people around us and being able to understand what's happening in our immediate surroundings.

The Glasgow Coma Scale breaks down the assessment of functions into three parts:

The best eye response (E)

The best verbal response (V)

The best motor response (M)

The levels of response in the components of the Glasgow Coma Scale are scored from 1, for no response, up to normal values of 4 (Eye-opening response) 5 (Verbal response) and 6 (Motor response).

The total Glasgow Coma Score thus has values between 3 and 15, three being the worst and score of 15 being the highest.

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The score is the sum of the scores as well as the individual elements. For example, a score of 10 might be expressed as GCS10 = E3V4M3.

The GCS scoring is as follows:(1 Trusted Source

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)



Go to source)

Test 1 2 3 4 5 6 Eye (ocular response) Does not open eyes Opens eyes in response to pain Opens eyes in response to voice Opens eyes spontaneously N/A N/A Verbal (oral response) Makes no sounds Incomprehensible sounds Inappropriate words Confused and disoriented, but able to answer questions Oriented to time, person, and place, converses normally N/A Motor (motoric response) Makes no movements Abnormal extension Abnormal flexion Flexion / Withdrawal from painful stimuli Moves to localize pain Obeys commands

The Glasgow Coma Scale can be used in children older than 5 years without any modification. Younger children and infants are not able to comprehend or obey the commands to provide the necessary verbal and motor response.

A Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale was initially described in Adelaide, which over the period of time has been universally accepted. On motor scale, this scale assesses the motor and eye response similar to that of adults. The verbal responses are assessed on a scale of 5-1. These responses are in the form of oriented replies, words, vocal sounds, cry and none(2 Trusted Source

Assessing the conscious level in infants and young children: a paediatric version of the Glasgow Coma Scale



Go to source).

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The Glasgow Coma Scale helps guide the early care of patients with brain injuries or serious illnesses. It helps decide things like airway management, neuroimaging, whether to admit for observation, or discharge.

Regular Glasgow Coma Scale assessments are important to track a patient's progress and guide treatment changes.

The GCS Score categorizes traumatic brain injury as severe (GCS 3 to 8), moderate (GCS 9 to 12), and mild (GCS 13 to 15).

The lower the GCS Score, the higher the risk of mortality after a head injury, showing a clear connection.

The Glasgow Coma Scale Pupils Score (GCS-P) was described by Paul Brennan, Gordon Murray, and Graham Teasdale in 2018.

Calculation of the GCS-P is by subtracting the Pupil Reactivity Score (PRS) from the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) total score: GCS-P = GCS  PRS.

The Pupil Reactivity Score is calculated based on the non-reactivity of the pupils to light. Thus giving non reactivity of both pupils, one pupil and neither pupil a score of 2, 1 and 0(   Trusted Source

Glasgow Coma Scale



Go to source Trusted Source

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The GCS scoring is a guiding assessment tool that helps with management. It's not the only factor determining a patient's prognosis or outcome.

There are limitations to its use. It may not be possible to use the GCS all situations.For eg: When the patient is on a ventilator, is intoxicated, or is unable to hear/ see due to associated conditions.

Factors like drug use, alcohol intoxication, shock, or low blood oxygen can alter a patient's level of consciousness. These factors could lead to an inaccurate score on the GCS(   Trusted Source

What Is the Glasgow Coma Scale?



Go to source Trusted Source

For the past 50 years, experts have carefully examined the scale and confirmed its ongoing value as a diagnostic tool. Further refinements and addition to the tool shall only add to the management strategies in critically ill patients.
What is Retinitis Pigmentosa?

Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited degenerative disorder which affects the retinas ability to respond to light. It results in progressive loss of vision, eventually leading to blindness. It involves both eyes.

There is no cure for retinitis pigmentosa. Early intervention can help retain the vision and make the most of it.

Retina is a light sensitive layer lying at the back of eye. Light first focuses on the eye lens and then passes through the pupil and falls on the retina. Light rays that fall on the retina are converted into neural signals which are then sent to the brain through the optic nerve. Thereafter, the brain interprets and sends the signal for visual recognition.

Retina is made up of photo-receptor cells. These cells perform the function of detecting color and light intensity. These are of two types  rods and cones. Rods lie on the periphery of the retina and support black and white vision. They focus on distant vision and dim light. Cones are centrally located in the retina and support colored vision and near sighted vision.

In retinitis pigmentosa, these cells get degenerated and stop working leading to loss of vision. Disease starts with death or necrosis of rods; eventually cones are affected leading to total blindness. Side vision is impacted, the most owing to the rods, which makes it hard to see in dim light. Early intervention helps retain the cones so that near sighted vision to a large extent can be preserved.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is genetically inherited. It is passed from the parent to the child. Lets understand how.

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Each cell of the body contains 23 pair of chromosomes. Out of these 23, 22 pair of chromosomes carry non sex traits and 1 pair of chromosome carries sex traits. Males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY) whereas females have two X chromosomes (XX). During conception, when the sperm fertilizes the egg, one copy of each chromosome is passed onto the fetus. Retina pigmentosa gets inherited when the following combinations are formed during conception:

Autosomal recessive  In this case both, mother and father are carriers of the mutant gene but are not suffering from RP disorder. Retinitis pigmentosa occurs when one copy of the same mutated gene is passed on by the parents to the individual. In a pair of genes, if one is normal and other is mutated, the individual will be a carrier for disease and will not have the dominant disease.

 In this case both, mother and father are carriers of the mutant gene but are not suffering from RP disorder. Retinitis pigmentosa occurs when one copy of the same mutated gene is passed on by the parents to the individual. In a pair of genes, if one is normal and other is mutated, the individual will be a carrier for disease and will not have the dominant disease. Autosomal dominant  In this case, either the mother or the father is suffering from this disorder and has one copy of the dominant gene that is passed on to the child.

 In this case, either the mother or the father is suffering from this disorder and has one copy of the dominant gene that is passed on to the child. X- Linked  If the mothers sex linked gene (X) is mutated and passed on to the child, it results in disease inheritance. Males have only one X chromosome. If and when a mutant copy of X is passed on, the child will develop the disease. A male with an X-linked disorder passes the disease gene to daughters and not to sons, since the X chromosome of the male goes to the daughter and the Y chromosome goes to the son. So all his daughters will definitely be carriers of the disease. Males are more often and severely affected than females. Females have two X chromosomes. If the female child receives one of the normal copy of X and one mutant copy of X, then the child becomes a carrier and remains asymptomatic. If the female child receives both the mutant copies, then the child inherits the disease.

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Retina pigmentosa:

Begins with difficulty seeing in dim light - like at night or at dusk. This is also known as night blindness. It takes a maximum of 20 minutes for an eye to get adapted to dim light. But in case of retinitis pigmentosa, the eye takes much longer or the eye will not get adapted to the dim light at all, resulting in night blindness.

This is followed by loss of side vision, wherein the individual will not be able to see things on the side, above or below. He will only be able to look straight. The rate of progression varies from person to person. Symptoms might appear as early as 10 years. By the early 40s, most people with retinitis pigmentosa have only restricted vision, with very narrow visual field. They can only look straight through that field, as if looking through a tunnel. This is called tunnel vision.

As the disease progresses, visual clarity and visual acuity decrease. By the time the person is in the 50s, near sighted vision also becomes difficult, since centrally located cones also start getting affected and a magnifier is required for reading and recognizing. People with retinitis pigmentosa find it difficult to go out in bright sunny light, as adaptation from bright sunny light and glare to the one inside an enclosed area becomes a problem.

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Comprehensive Eye Examination - Doctor examines the individuals eye with an ophthalmoscope . Healthy retina appear orange red in color, but when an individual has retinitis pigmentosa, black or brown pigmentation appears on the orange surface of the retina. This is quite an early sign.

- Doctor examines the individuals eye with an . Healthy retina appear orange red in color, but when an individual has retinitis pigmentosa, appears on the orange surface of the retina. This is quite an early sign. Visual Field Testing - This helps in detecting the extent of the damage . It helps determine how much side vision is left. It is done by a non-computerized visual field test , such as the Goldmann Perimeter Exam or a computerized one, such as the Humphrey Field Analyzer .

- This helps in detecting the . It helps determine how much side vision is left. It is done by a , such as the or a computerized one, such as the . The Goldmann Perimeter Exam - In this, one eye is covered and the individual is asked to focus straight with the other eye. Doctor passes light from beyond the side of the visual field into the center to find out the location at which the patient can see the light. Doctor analyzes individuals responses to build a map of the visual field.

- In this, one eye is covered and the individual is asked to focus straight with the other eye. Doctor passes light from beyond the side of the visual field into the center to find out the location at which the patient can see the light. Doctor analyzes individuals responses to build a map of the visual field.

The Humphrey Field Analyzer - In this, one eye is covered and the individual is asked to focus straight with the other eye. Doctor flashes white light of varying intensities and color through the individuals visual field. The doctor analyzes the individuals responses to various light colors and intensities to build a map of the visual field.

In this, one eye is covered and the individual is asked to focus straight with the other eye. Doctor flashes white light of varying intensities and color through the individuals visual field. The doctor analyzes the individuals responses to various light colors and intensities to build a map of the visual field. Electrophysiological Testing - Electroretinogram (ERG) measures the response to flashes of light, via electrodes placed on the surface of eye. It determines the extent of damage to the visual field. Periodic ERG examinations are necessary to track the progression of disease. The ERG measures the electrical activity of rods and cones in response to the light.

Dark Adaptation Test - It measures the visual adaptability of the eyes in response to dim light. It is very helpful in detecting early cases of rod degeneration.

- It measures the of the eyes in response to dim light. It is very helpful in detecting early cases of rod degeneration. Electrooculogram (EOG) - It measures the resting electrical potential between the cornea and the retina. It is a very sensitive test for detection of photo-receptor function and not usually recommended.

- It measures the between the cornea and the retina. It is a very sensitive test for detection of photo-receptor function and not usually recommended. Fluorescein angiography (FA) - A special dye, fluorescein , is injected within the eye that highlights the blood vessels at the back of the eye.

- A special dye, , is injected within the eye that highlights the blood vessels at the back of the eye. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) detects the structural changes within the retina resulting from RP. It captures cross-sectional images of the retina.

detects the within the retina resulting from RP. It captures cross-sectional images of the retina. Genetic testing - A sample of the patients DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is taken to check the progression of their particular form of the disease. They can also enroll themselves into a patient registry to take part in clinical trials.

Currently, there is no cure for retinitis pigmentosa. However, The Foundation Fighting Blindness and the National Eye Institute in the USA have jointly recommended that adults with RP should take a daily dose of vitamin A palmitate supplement and avoid a high dose of vitamin E, as recommended by their doctor. This will help in prolonging their vision.

Once the rods and cones are damaged, the only way of restoring vision is by transplant or by bypassing them, thereby altering the physiology of the eye. Photo-receptor cell transplantation is still under study.

Argus II (Second Sight Medical Products, Inc, Sylmar, CA) is a medical implant certified by the Federal Drug Association (FDA), USA. It consists of a camera and processing device attached to an individuals glasses. A microchip is implanted in the individuals retina which is the processing device. The camera captures the information which is transferred to microchip which further stimulates the remaining retinal cell and assists in vision. Another implant, Alpha IMS retinal implant (Retina Implant AG, Reutlingen, Germany), CE approved has also been recommended.

Cystoid macular edema is a complication of retinitis pigmentosa which results in build up of fluid in the macula, the central portion of the retina. This further results in decreasing the near sighted vision since the central visual field starts getting affected. Doctors prescribe medicines to clear out this fluid build up which provides symptomatic relief.
What is Trachoma?

Trachoma is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind and has occurred in many parts of the world including the United States and Europe as recently as the 20th century. With advancements in treatment and improvements in hygienic conditions, many countries have succeeded in eradicating trachoma but it still remains a serious health concern in nearly 42 countries worldwide.

Recognizing the seriousness of the problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a resolution in 1998 to eradicate trachoma as a public health problem by 2020.

Trachoma is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, a bacterium found in the discharge from the eyes and nose of infected individuals. The infection is contagious and spreads from person to person via hands, clothes or shared bedding. It can also be spread by flies which have been in contact with the infected discharge.

In areas where the disease is endemic, it usually affects pre-school children and infection spreads from one child to the other in the family setting, usually in overcrowded and poor sanitary conditions.

The following are the risk factors of being infected with trachoma:

Poor hygiene  Unclean hands and faces increases risk of spread of trachoma

 Unclean hands and faces increases risk of spread of trachoma Poverty  The disease is endemic in developing countries amongst the very poor due to overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions, not to mention malnutrition

 The disease is endemic in developing countries amongst the very poor due to overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions, not to mention malnutrition Lack of sanitation  Absence of toilets increases the incidence of the disease

 Absence of toilets increases the incidence of the disease Gender  In many populations, women are more susceptible, possibly because they are the primary caregivers for the affected children

 In many populations, women are more susceptible, possibly because they are the primary caregivers for the affected children Age  The disease is most commonly seen in children between the ages of 4-6 years

 The disease is most commonly seen in children between the ages of 4-6 years Flies  In places where there are many flies, the risk of transmission is much higher

Trachoma is an endemic disease and a major public health concern in 42 countries globally. More than 200 million persons living in trachoma endemic areas are at risk. It has caused the blindness of nearly 2 million persons worldwide.

globally. More than are at risk. It has caused the blindness of nearly 2 million persons worldwide. The disease is highly endemic in the most backward and poorest regions of Africa, Asia and Middle East, South and Central America, and Australia. Africa remains the most affected continent.

It is a common and preventable cause of blindness.

The WHO adopted a resolution in 1998 to work towards global eradication of trachoma as a public health issue by the year 2020 .

. The health cost due to trachoma and the economic impact due to loss of productivity following blindness and visual deficit caused by trachoma is estimated to be between US $ 3-5 billion annually.

Blindness due to trachoma is irreversible, and can only be cured through corneal.

In 2015 alone, approximately 56 million persons worldwide were treated with antibiotics and nearly 200,000 persons underwent surgery for advanced disease.

The WHO theme for the elimination of trachoma encapsulates the acronym SAFE

S  Surgery for advanced disease

 Surgery for advanced disease

A  Antibiotics for C trachomatis infection

 Antibiotics for infection

F  Facial cleanliness

 Facial cleanliness

E  Environmental improvement to decrease risk of spread.

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Following infection, symptoms appear within a week or two. Initially the symptoms are mild and include mild irritation and pain in the eyes and the eyelids. Repeated attacks or untreated infection ultimately leads to scarring and visual impairment. Symptoms of trachoma include the following:

Mild irritation and itchiness of eyelids

Pain in the eyes

Light sensitivity (photophobia)

Swelling of the eyelids

Mucoid or mucopurulent discharge from the eyes

A single infection of trachoma is easily treated with antibiotics. Repeated and recurrent infections, as is bound to occur in highly endemic zones, can lead to long-term complications such as the following:

Thickened eyelid and scar formation on the inner aspect of the eyelid. The upper eyelid is more commonly involved

Indrawing of the eyelid (entropion) and ingrowing of the eyelashes (trichiasis)

Opacity or clouding of the outer layer (cornea) of the eye

Blindness or visual impairment

Dryness of eyes

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In endemic areas, diagnosis is usually made based on physical examination. The Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium cannot be detected by routine laboratory tests that are employed for other bacterial agents. Confirmation of the diagnosis necessitates sending a sample of the eye discharge to specialized labs for tests which may not be available in these areas..

Recognizing the appearances and prompt treatment with antibiotics is essential to prevent complications. The WHO has identified 5 stages in the evolution of trachoma infection.

Stage of follicular inflammation  Presence of tiny follicles (tiny bumps) 5 or more in number on the inner surface of the upper eyelid.

 Presence of tiny follicles (tiny bumps) 5 or more in number on the inner surface of the upper eyelid. Stage of intense inflammation  The eye becomes infectious and the upper eyelid becomes thickened and swollen.

 The eye becomes infectious and the upper eyelid becomes thickened and swollen. Scarring of eyelid  Repeated episodes of infection cause scarring of the upper eyelid which may become drawn inwards.

 Repeated episodes of infection cause scarring of the upper eyelid which may become drawn inwards. Stage of ingrown eyelashes  The deformed and scarred eyelids cause the eyelashes to grow inwards and rub against the outer transparent surface of the eye, the cornea, through which light normally enters the eye.

 The deformed and scarred eyelids cause the eyelashes to grow inwards and rub against the outer transparent surface of the eye, the cornea, through which light normally enters the eye. Clouding of the cornea  Due to repeated irritation by rubbing of the ingrown eyelashes, the cornea becomes clouded or opaque. This can lead to loss of vision.

With the evolution of the disease through the various stages, the cornea becomes opaque resulting in gradual loss of vision. Typically, the visual impairment occurs between 30-40 years of age but may occur earlier in highly endemic regions where the transmission is intense.

The treatment of trachoma depends on the stage. In the initial stages, the disease is easily treated with antibiotics.

Medications

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends one of two antibiotics for trachoma treatment namely, oral azithromycin or local application of tetracycline as an ointment.

The advantages of azithromycin are that it is administered as a single dose under the supervision of the health care authorities; therefore, the health care worker can be sure that the patient has taken the medication. It is highly effective and has very few side effects which may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and rash. It is also effective against incidental skin, respiratory or genital Chlamydia trachomatis infections that might be present.

infections that might be present. Tetracycline is a cheaper agent but its use by patients cannot be confirmed as it is not administered under the supervision of healthcare workers.

The WHO recommends treating the entire population in communities where more than 10 percent of the children are affected. This measure is to reduce the spread of the disease.

Surgical treatment

Surgery is recommended in advanced disease with complications. The various surgical options include the following:

Eyelid rotation surgery (bilamellar tarsal rotation)  A tiny cut is made on the scarred eyelid and it is rotated away from the cornea. This will prevent rubbing of the eyelashes against the cornea and reduce or prevent corneal scarring and opacities, thereby halting the progression of loss of vision.

(bilamellar tarsal rotation)  A tiny cut is made on the scarred eyelid and it is rotated away from the cornea. This will prevent rubbing of the eyelashes against the cornea and reduce or prevent corneal scarring and opacities, thereby halting the progression of loss of vision. Corneal transplant  If the cornea has become severely opaque, corneal transplant is an option to restore the vision. Unfortunately, this procedure does not show good results in trachoma.

 If the cornea has become severely opaque, corneal transplant is an option to restore the vision. Unfortunately, this procedure does not show good results in trachoma. Epilation  This procedure is done to pluck out the ingrowing eyelashes rubbing on the cornea; it will need to be repeated regularly.

 This procedure is done to pluck out the ingrowing eyelashes rubbing on the cornea; it will need to be repeated regularly. Placing an adhesive tape over your eyelashes to keep them from touching the corneal surface is a temporary option when surgery is not available.

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The adage, prevention is better than cure is very applicable to trachoma. The disease can be easily prevented and rate of transmission reduced by following the measures outlined below:

Keeping face and hands clean to prevent re-infection.

Access to clean water for bathing, washing and for use in toilets

Proper disposal of human and animal waste to reduce spread through flies

Fly control measures.

The WHO has adopted a resolution to prevent trachoma infection and eradicate it by 2020. It is actively implementing the SAFE strategy to make its goal a reality.

Trachoma is easily treatable with antibiotics, and complications such as blindness can be avoided. However, in the poorest population, lack of awareness, poor sanitary conditions and access to health care results in advanced disease with complications leading to blindness and visual impairment.
About

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine procedure used to examine various body tissue functions to identify certain conditions. Biochemical changes in an organ or tissue can be traced with the help of PET images before the onset of anatomical changes. The combination of PET and CT scans shows promise in the diagnosis and treatment of many types of cancer(1 Trusted Source

PET Scanning



Go to source).

Positron emission tomography uses a radioactive drug that emits positrons so that the drug can be traced using the gamma rays that it produces(2 Trusted Source

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with (18)F-based radiotracers



Go to source). The three-dimensional images of the tracer concentration within the body help reveal how the tissues and organs are functioning. The tracer can be swallowed, inhaled or injected, depending on the target tissue, or organ.

The tracer, which is a radioactive drug, is a positron-emitting radionuclide that emits gamma rays. The Positron Emission Tomography machine detects these gamma rays and images are reconstructed by computer analysis. The tracer collects in the tissues and organs that have high levels of chemical activity, usually the diseased areas. Several abnormal conditions in the body such as cancer, heart disease and brain disorders are revealed using this technique, helping in the right diagnosis of the conditions.

The PET scan can measure blood flow, oxygen use, glucose metabolism and other physiological functions of the body(1 Trusted Source

PET Scanning



Go to source). It is typically an outpatient procedure and the person can be discharged on the same day after the test is complete. It does not require any local or general anesthesia.

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The PET scan procedure reveals the chemical activity in parts of the body. The PET scan images help to know more about the size, shape, position and functions of the organs that are scanned. Physiological functions detected through a PET scan include neural activity, blood flow, metabolism, uptake of sugar in the brain, the response of the tumor to treatment, damaged parts of the heart and so on. PET scan test for cancer helps not only in the diagnosis, but also keep a track of the response of cancer to the treatment procedure.

PET scan is different from other scans like MRI or CT scan. Abnormalities in tissues at the cellular level can be understood from PET images. This kind of information can help in identifying systemic diseases such as coronary artery disease, brain tumors and seizures. PET scanners are often used in combination with computed tomography or CT scan in modern PET-CT scan machines(3 Trusted Source

Clinical Applications of PET and PET-CT



Go to source).

Some of the specific reasons for performing PET scans include:

To help in the diagnosis of dementia, Alzheimers disease , Parkinsons disease , among others

, , among others To locate and identify the surgical site for brain surgery.

To detect a blood clot, hemorrhage or other perfusion of the brain tissue.

To detect the extent of cancer spread from a specific site to other parts of the body.

To evaluate the effectiveness of the cancer treatment given.

To examine the blood and oxygen flow into the heart muscles and the effectiveness of the therapeutic procedure used

Detailed evaluation of lung lesions or masses detected on chest X-ray.

To understand the effectiveness of lung cancer treatment(   Trusted Source

PET scan



Go to source Trusted Source

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PET scans, Computerized Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging are all non-invasive surgical scans that help the doctor look inside the body. All of them are based on the reactions to certain inputs in the form of contrast medium, magnetic rays or radioactive dyes.

PET scan is different from the other two in terms of the images it produces. While CT scan and MRI scan reveal the structure of the body, the location of the lesion or tumor, PET scan reveals the functions like blood supply, oxygen levels, glucose metabolism and so on(5 Trusted Source

Brain PET scan



Go to source).

Preparing for a procedure of PET scan involves gathering or giving information to the doctor.

Information to be given to the doctor:

Any allergies that you may have

Any prevailing medical conditions like diabetes

If you are pregnant or have any possibility of being pregnant

If you are breast-feeding

Taking any medications, including prescription, over-the-counter or herbal supplements

If you are claustrophobic, afraid of enclosed spaces

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The doctors instructions to you may include:

Avoid strenuous exercise for a couple of days

Dont eat anything for eight hours before the test, typically overnight fasting before the test in the morning. Drinking water may be allowed

Do not consume any form of caffeine or alcohol, or use tobacco for at least 24 hours before the PET procedure

You may be asked to take a pre-procedure insulin dose if you are an insulin-dependent diabetic and the sugar levels before the procedure are high

Any other specific preparation instruction based on a particular medical condition(   Trusted Source

PET/CT scan: How to prepare, what to expect & safety tips



Go to source Trusted Source

Just before the procedure:

All jewelry and body piercings must be removed as metal can interfere with the testing equipment

May be asked to change into a hospital gown

Empty your bladder

In certain types of scans of the pelvis or abdomen, a urinary catheter may be inserted into the bladder to drain urine during the procedure

After the PET scan:

After the test, you may carry on with the usual activities of the day

Youll need to drink plenty of fluids to flush out the tracer from the body

Stay away from pregnant women and lactating women for about 24 hours after the PET procedure. The radioactive tracer might be harmful to them(   Trusted Source

PET/CT scan: How to prepare, what to expect & safety tips



Go to source Trusted Source

A cyclotron is a machine that produces radioactive medicine. This medicine is tagged to a natural chemical like water, glucose or ammonia and the combination is called a radiotracer(7 Trusted Source

A Cyclotron Decommissioning Radiological Assessment Exercise Performed by Student Mentees Underrepresented in the Radiation Safety Profession



Go to source).

A small amount of the radiotracer is given via a vein. Sometimes, the tracer can be given orally or inhaled. The patient is asked to wait for the tracer to travel inside the body for an hour or so. The tracer travels through the blood and gets collected in organs and tissues that use the natural chemical with which the medicine was tagged.

The patient is made to lie on a narrow table that slides into a large-tunnel-shaped PET scanner machine. The patient is asked to lie still during the scan to avoid blurring of images.

The machine may make buzzing and clicking sounds and sometimes the patient may feel uncomfortable due to the enclosed place inside the scanner. It takes about 30 minutes to complete the procedure.

A Positron Emission Tomography (PET) machine detects the energy emitted by positively charged particles called positrons. Positrons are emitted when the radiotracer is broken down inside the patients body.

The image displays the concentration of positrons according to brightness and color. Information obtained from the detected energy is converted into a 3-dimensional image on a computer monitor.

The images are displayed on a monitor. The images will be examined by a radiologist, a specialist in interpreting the images obtained from the MRI scan, CT scan, ultrasound and X-ray images.

Cost of PET scan:

PET scans in government institutes cost between Rs. 2000 and Rs. 10000, with an average of Rs. 6000. A total body PET/CT scan in the private sector costs between Rs. 15000 and Rs. 27000, depending on the protocol(8 Trusted Source

PET/CT: Current status in India. Indian J Radiol Imaging



Go to source).

The type of PET scans is based on the radioactive tracer used. A radioactive tracer binds with the natural chemical like sugar and water. So the part of the body and the purpose of PET scan determine the type of radioactive tracer used. Some of them are:

Fluorodeoxyglucose PET or FDG-PET: FDG is a sugar-like substance that binds with the areas in the body where sugar accumulates. Tumors use sugars to grow and hence FDG-PET can find concentrations of the tracer around tumors. It is also helpful for imaging inflammation, infection and brain function(   Trusted Source

Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and PET/computed tomography imaging characteristics of thyroid lymphoma and their potential clinical utility



Go to source Trusted Source

FDG is a sugar-like substance that binds with the areas in the body where sugar accumulates. Tumors use sugars to grow and hence FDG-PET can find concentrations of the tracer around tumors. It is also helpful for imaging inflammation, infection and brain function( DOTA-TATE or GaTate and DOTA-COC PET: This radioactive tracer is used for detecting neuroendocrine tumors and other types of neural tumors(   Trusted Source

PET/CT With 68Ga-DOTA-TATE for Diagnosis of Neuroendocrine: Differentiation in Patients With Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer



Go to source Trusted Source 10

This radioactive tracer is used for detecting neuroendocrine tumors and other types of neural tumors( Fluoride Bone PET: Fluoride-based tracer useful for imaging bones

Fluoride-based tracer useful for imaging bones Fluorothymidine PET or FLT-PET: This procedure is used currently for imaging bone marrow function and brain tumors. It is mainly used to image cells that are replicating(   Trusted Source

18F-Fluorothymidine PET is an early and superior predictor of progression-free survival following chemoimmunotherapy of diffuse large B cell lymphoma: a multicenter study



Go to source Trusted Source 11

This procedure is used currently for imaging bone marrow function and brain tumors. It is mainly used to image cells that are replicating( Fluorocholine PET or FCH-PET: Helps in imaging prostate cancer

Helps in imaging prostate cancer Fluoroethyltyrosine PET or FET-PET: Imaging of brain tumors is possible with FET tracer

18F-FDG PET : It is utilized to identify aberrant glucose metabolism locations and can be used to describe and localize many different types of tumors(   Trusted Source

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) Positron Emission Tomography in Oncology



Go to source Trusted Source 12

It is utilized to identify aberrant glucose metabolism locations and can be used to describe and localize many different types of tumors( PSMA PET scan: A PSMA PET scan (prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography) is an imaging technique used to detect prostate cancer throughout the body. It employs a radioactive material that targets PSMA, or prostate-specific membrane antigen, a protein expressed by prostate cancer(   Trusted Source

PSMA PET Scan



Go to source Trusted Source 13

A PSMA PET scan (prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography) is an imaging technique used to detect prostate cancer throughout the body. It employs a radioactive material that targets PSMA, or prostate-specific membrane antigen, a protein expressed by prostate cancer( Cardiac PET scan : A cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging diagnostic that looks for illness or inadequate blood flow in the heart by using a radioactive material called a tracer(   Trusted Source

Heart PET scan



Go to source Trusted Source 14

: A cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging diagnostic that looks for illness or inadequate blood flow in the heart by using a radioactive material called a tracer( Total body PET scan: Total-body PET scanning allows the entire body to be photographed at the same time, allowing changes in medication distribution throughout the body to be followed, and providing insight into how an agent can concentrate in tissues over time. As a result, doctors can evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of novel therapeutic medicines in all organ systems(   Trusted Source

Advantages and Applications of Total-Body PET Scanning. Diagnostics



Go to source Trusted Source 15

The images obtained from positron emission tomography is interpreted by a qualified radiologist, and explained to the patient by the doctor concerned. The results obtained depend on the area of the body to be examined. PET scans are used to produce detailed three-dimensional images of the various organs such as:

Brain PET scan: PET scan of the brain can help identify cancer, prepare for epilepsy surgery, diagnosing dementia and help in the differential diagnosis of Parkinsons disease from other movement disorders(5 Trusted Source

Brain PET scan



Go to source).

Breast PET scan: A breast PET scan is usually done after the diagnosis of the breast cancer, to see if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body like lymph nodes, lungs, liver or bones. Breast PET scan is done during the treatment to see if the cancer is responding to treatment and identifying the relapse of breast cancer after treatment(16 Trusted Source

PET scan for breast cancer



Go to source).

Heart PET scan: During the procedure of a heart PET scan, electrocardiogram is also done simultaneously to monitor heart rate. The size, shape, position and some functions of the heart are revealed in a heart PET scan. The procedure helps in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy or heart failure(14 Trusted Source

Heart PET scan



Go to source).

Lung PET scan: A lung PET scan helps in detection of lung cancer and to see if it has spread to other parts of the body. It is done during the course of treatment to check the response of the cancer to the medicines and other treatment procedures. Abnormal results in a lung PET scan can be due to infection, inflammation of the lungs, lung cancer or solitary pulmonary nodule(17 Trusted Source

Lung PET scan



Go to source).

PET-CT contains the difficulties associated with contrast injection, such as allergy, contrast-induced nephropathy, and so on. In general, the radiotracers utilized have no notable negative effects(1 Trusted Source

PET Scanning



Go to source). The amount of radiation emitted by a normal PET scan is safe. Allergic reactions to the radiotracer may be present very rarely. It is advisable to keep the doctor informed about any allergies that the patient has.

If a pregnant woman undergoes a PET scan, there is a risk of injury to the fetus. Also, a woman who is breastfeeding her baby must avoid the scan as the radionuclide may contaminate the breast milk.

Lying on your back for a long time on a narrow table may cause some discomfort or body ache. Also, people who are claustrophobic need some assurance and counseling before the procedure.

Some conditions may interfere with the accuracy of the PET scan results:

Caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, among othersare present in the blood due to consumption within 24 hours prior to the procedure

High blood sugar levels

Use of medications such as tranquilizers and sedatives

Apart from this, patients who undergo a PET scan are advised to stay away from pregnant or lactating women for about 2 days after the test.
Unlocking the Importance of Oral Health: Beyond a Bright Smile



Poor oral health can limit chewing ability, impacting food choices, and causing weight loss, GI issues, communication problems, low self-esteem, and overall well-being. #worldoralday #teeth

  Trusted Source

Periodontitis



Go to source Trusted Source

Periodontitis - (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/periodontitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354473)

Experts emphasized that beyond providing aesthetic appeal, maintaining a bright and healthy set of teeth could be crucial for ones overall health."Oral health plays a crucial role in our overall well-being. Its not just about having a bright smile, it impacts our ability to eat, speak and even socialize comfortably.Dr. Nitika, Consultant - Dental Science at Fortis Hospital Greater Noida, told IANS.She implored people to avoid sugary drinks, use of tobacco , and excessive alcohol consumption to maintain a healthy mouth. "Mouth is the entry point to the digestive and respiratory tract. Without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections such as tooth decay and gum disease," Dr Ragini Sehgal Sethi, Senior Consultant, Dental Sciences, Medanta Hospital Lucknow, told IANS.Recent studies have also linked oral infections , especially periodontitis, with systemic diseases such as endocarditis, cardiovascular disease , bacterial pneumonia, pregnancy , and birth complications ().In addition, diabetes, osteoporosis , HIV/AIDS, Alzheimers disease , eating disorders, rheumatoid arthritis cancers , and immune system disorders -- all can affect oral health, Dr Sethi said. To maintain good oral health, the doctors stressed the need to establish a routine of brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, and even visiting dentists regularly for check-ups and cleaning.Source-IANS
The Marine Corps should fully integrate women into platoons and institute mixed-gender drill instructor teams at its recruit depots, according to a newly released report by a Pentagon panel focused on women in the military.

The Marine Corps is the only service that is not gender-integrated at the lowest recruit training level, according to the report released Friday, despite efforts by the service over the last several years to desegregate its training units by gender.

After visiting the recruit depots at both San Diego, California, and Parris Island, South Carolina, the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, or DACOWITS, recommended in its report that platoons at those installations include both men and women "to better prepare male and female recruits as they become Marines, to operate within an integrated operational force, and to better align the Marine Corps with its service counterparts."

Read Next: A Better Way to Give Pay Raises to Junior Enlisted? Key Senator Says It's Under Consideration This Year.

The committee also recommended that the Corps integrate mixed-gender drill instructor teams as well, something the other branches are already doing, according to the report.

Currently, the Marine Corps has gender-integrated companies at its training depots, which include separate platoons made up of men and women. The committee argued that those platoons -- where Marines primarily eat, sleep, train, live and learn -- would benefit from integration to normalize inter-gender relationships between Marines before they hit the fleet, where units are integrated anyway.

The committee said that the platoon is the cornerstone of training and serves as the primary learning environment for the 60 to 80 recruits who train in one. At one recruit depot, the committee said that it observed Marines being hindered by the lack of integration, specifically in collective tasks that require teamwork.

Limiting opportunities for the genders to interact with each other affects cohesion and readiness, the committee said. It pointed at physical training as a key component to building teams within the Marine Corps, adding that "gender-integrated training does not cause harm and may actually foster better cohesion." It also said that other branches with fully integrated training have benefited, specifically in better preparing troops for working in their integrated line units.

"To consider training fully integrated, recruits must have an opportunity to interact with opposite-gender peers during these transformational training moments that turn recruits into Marines," the committee report said. "With fully integrated platoons, recruits would participate in all training events as an integrated team, to include training within the squad bay, with the exception of showering and sleeping."

The report recommended that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin should order the Marine Corps to make the change, which would ensure all services are complying with guidelines passed into law as part of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act that mandate the military does "not segregate recruit training by gender."

The committee also argued that gender segregation can cause "unhealthy" perceptions of the opposite gender, including sexism that might carry into the operational force. It said that segregation of training units could promote fear and suspicion of women and reinforce "the stereotype that women need special treatment and protection."

While the Marine Corps has been arguably the slowest service to adopt gender-integration initiatives, it has made progress in getting rid of segregation at higher levels of the training pipeline. Last year, the Marine Corps deactivated the 4th Recruit Training Battalion, a historic formerly women-only training unit at Parris Island.

The Marine Corps did not respond by publication when asked to comment on the recommendations made by DACOWITS.

DACOWITS was established in 1951. It has been at the forefront of several initiatives, to include women taking on different military roles, including combat roles. The report released Friday included dozens of other recommendations for the military overall, like creating a working group focused on women in special operations as well as establishing a "more robust" women's health care directory.

Related: A Historic Female Unit Will Be Deactivated as the Marine Corps Continues Integrating the Force
The Pentagon's internal watchdog has found that the Armed Forces Medical Examiner mismanaged the collection and handling of organs from at least 184 deceased troops -- and hundreds of others -- that were collected as samples as part of the autopsy process.

According to a report released Monday, officials with the medical examiner's office failed to set up "consistent processes or policies for organ retention and disposition" that led to families either not knowing that organs had been taken or not having their wishes for those remains honored.

The report by the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General also noted the military's medical examiner was not effectively tracking the organs that it kept and that administrative errors led to uncertainty and confusion for officials within the medical examiner's office.

Read Next: Largest Number of A-10s Yet Could Be Headed to Boneyard as Air Force Shifts Strategy and Aircraft

Defense Department officials who briefed reporters Monday following the release of the report said that some deaths require organs to be taken in order to conduct detailed analysis or testing to determine a cause of death. According to the inspector general investigation, the Defense Department was required to notify the next of kin if that needed to occur.

The medical examiner's office currently has specimens for 433 individuals -- including those of 184 service members, according to the officials. The office handles not only unnatural deaths of service members but also anyone who dies under federal jurisdiction," according to the report.

However, the inspector general report also noted that the "policy on notifying next of kin of retained organs has changed multiple times between 2006 and 2022."

The patchwork of policies meant that, in 83% of the cases reviewed by investigators, next of kin were not notified that organs had been kept by the medical examiner. Another 17% were never asked what they wanted to happen to the organs once they were no longer needed.

Finally, officials in the office failed to follow those instructions in 41% of the cases reviewed.

The report includes several examples, such as a 2012 case in which several organs needed to be taken and officials told the family that they would be notified when the analysis was done and they would have a chance to decide what to do with the remains.

"However, there was no documentation ... that the next of kin was notified after examination, disposition instructions were not obtained, and as of March 2023, the retained organs remained in the AFMES inventory," the report reads.

In another 2008 case, the next of kin filled out a form saying they wanted to be notified when the examination was complete and provided the address of a funeral home to handle the organs. However, the forms never made it to the Defense Department and no one followed up with the family after the examination was complete.

"As of March 2023, more than 14 years later, the retained organ remained in the AFMES inventory," the report notes.

The news is the second time in recent years that the military mortuary has come under fire for the way it handles remains. In 2011, a massive investigation revealed gross mismanagement at the institution that led to missing remains, among other failures.

The military official who spoke with reporters Monday on the condition of anonymity, however, stressed that this issue is "completely separate" from that scandal.

The official explained that "2011 was probably best categorized as reassociation of portions or disassociated remains from service members who died from blast injury," adding that the new inspector general investigation was "all about specimens retained for determining cause and manner of death."

Another defense official said that, in determining a path forward for the mismanaged organs, they did a medical literature review and "found that there's a body of literature that says that retraumatization is something that should be avoided; that most people when they have come to peace and buried their loved one, they're ready to move on."

So, in that spirit, the official said that the plan is to leave it up to the families.

"We're going to post a public notification and a website where they can start the process of asking about what to do next -- to see whether they're impacted and what disposition they want to do," the official said.

Both the report and the military official who spoke with reporters said that families will simply not be told if organs are being retained for analysis. This move, according to the report, would "align AFMES policies and procedures with national medical standards."

Related: Pentagon Complied with COVID-19 Waiver Rules According to Watchdog But Services Moved Slowly
An airman stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska who died on the job late last week has been identified, and the circumstances of the incident are under investigation.

Staff Sgt. Charles A. Crumlett, a 25-year-old from Streamwood, Illinois, died March 15 "during a workplace incident," according to a Monday press release. He was a weapons load crew chief who worked on the F-15 Strike Eagle, A-10 Warthog and F-22 Raptor.

He was a member of the 90th Fighter Generation Squadron after being stationed at JBER on Feb. 4 of this year.

Read Next: Watchdog Warnings of VA Employees with Criminal Backgrounds Prompt Key Senator to Push for Fixes

"Sgt. Crumlett's drive and willingness to help his fellow maintainers is a loss for the entire maintenance community," Lt. Col. Charles Bayne, the 90th Fighter Generation Squadron commander, said in a press release. "Though he was only with us a short time, Charlie will always be a Diceman. We send our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends and the entire maintenance community."

Crumlett joined the Air Force on Nov. 29, 2016, according to the news release. After graduating Basic Military Training, he studied at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas and graduated as a weapons load crew member in January 2017. His first duty station was at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.

Crumlett's awards and decorations included two Air and Space Commendation Medals and one Air Force Achievement Medal, according to the press release.

"It's such a tragedy to lose anyone so young and full of promise," said Col. Christopher Tooman, 3rd Maintenance Group commander. "Charlie's dedication and support to his fellow maintainers will be deeply missed. We send our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and all the airmen whose lives Charlie touched."

Officials with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations are conducting an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of Crumlett's death.

"Charlie had such a promising future in our Air Force," Col. Kevin Jamieson, 3rd Wing commander, said in a press release. "Though he was new to JBER, it was immediately clear that Charlie had a passion for his duty and for service. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and fellow airmen. He will be greatly missed."

The Department of Defense casualty analysis system shows that, in 2022 alone, the latest data year available, there were 265 deaths among active-duty military members caused by accidents.

Related: New Arctic Pay for Troops Was Passed by Congress a Year Ago. But the Pentagon Waved It Off.
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed Tuesday that the U.S. will continue to support Ukraine's war effort against Russia, even as the U.S. Congress remains stalled over funding to send additional weapons to the front.

The United States will not let Ukraine fail, said Austin, addressing more than 50 defense leaders from Europe and around the world who are meeting at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail.

The meeting comes a week after U.S. defense officials managed to find and use $300 million in contract savings to fund a new package of military aid for Ukraine, pulling weapons from Pentagon stocks.

It was the first tranche of weapons sent since December, even as battlefield conditions in Ukraine have been getting increasingly dire.

The found money  which officials called a one-time shot  allowed the Defense Department to use presidential drawdown authority (PDA) to pull weapons and equipment from Pentagon stocks and send them quickly to Ukraine. The funds are then used to buy replacement items to ensure the U.S. military is ready to fight and protect the homeland.

U.S. leaders had insisted for the past three months that they couldnt take more weapons off the shelves because they have run out of money to replenish the stocks. Congress has been deadlocked for months over a new $95 billion supplemental bill that includes about $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.

U.S. officials maintain there is bipartisan support for the package, but a number of Republicans oppose it and House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote.

Funding to train Ukrainian forces is also at risk. The U.S. Army regional command for Europe and Africa, which is based in Germany, has spent more than $500 million out of its base budget so far this fiscal year to conduct the training and expects to run out of money by June, according to U.S. officials.

The command spent about $2 billion for training in the fiscal year that ended last Sept. 30, which was paid for through supplemental funding passed by Congress. The U.S. has trained about 19,000 Ukrainian forces to date, the bulk of them at the Army bases in Germany. All together, the international coalition has trained more than 129,000 Ukrainians at more than 100 different locations around the world.

Training has slowed a bit, as the U.S. is waiting for the next large tranche of Ukrainian troops to arrive. Scheduling can be difficult because Ukraine often has to pull troops from the battlefront to send them for training.

U.S. officials have been publicly expressing the hope that lawmakers will manage to act soon to approve the supplemental bill, but they have also been struggling to find other ways to get assistance to Ukraine.

Defense officials continue to warn that Ukraine remains heavily outgunned by Russia on the battlefield, and note persistent reports of Ukrainian troops rationing or running out of ammunition on the front lines.

Just last month, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka, where outnumbered defenders had held off a Russian assault for four months. Troops complained of running low on ammunition while facing a constant barrage of airstrikes from glide bombs, enormous unguided Soviet-era weapons, retrofitted with a navigational targeting system, that obliterate everything around them, as well as motion-sensing explosive drones that could enter buildings and hunt personnel.

Tuesday marks the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which has been the key organization coordinating for the delivery of weapons and other aid to Ukraine.

In his opening remarks, Austin said Russia has paid a staggering cost for the war, repeating estimates that at least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in the war, which has cost Moscow up to $211 billion.

Ukraines troops face harsh conditions and hard fighting. And Ukraines civilians endure a constant barrage of Russian missiles and Iranian drones, said Austin. But Ukraine wont back down. And neither will the United States.
The USS Boxer -- an amphibious assault ship that was beset by maintenance issues -- is still waiting to deploy despite months of assurances that preparations were being made to ready the ship.

Throughout last year, Navy officials refused to acknowledge the possibility of deeper problems on the ship, often citing the need for operational security, or they argued that, while some maintenance issues existed, the crew was ready and excited to deploy.

Now, a pair of command investigations into engineering issues on the Boxer reveal that the Navy not only struggled to correctly repair the aging ship, but her engineering department was poorly led and suffering from issues that ranged from inexperience to outright allegations of assault that directly impacted the ship's ability to get out to sea and, in turn, her deployment schedule.

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As a result, the Boxer -- the flagship of an amphibious ready group that one defense official told Military.com was supposed to deploy late last year -- appears to be far from joining one of the ships from the group that has already made it to the Pacific.

The revelations come amid reports that the Boxer's sister ship, the USS Wasp, is also suffering from maintenance and engineering problems on the East Coast while Navy officials again refuse to elaborate or offer details.

The Boxer's long journey to her deployment began after she underwent a $200 million, two-year overhaul that ended in 2022. The maintenance period was not only supposed to help keep the various systems on the nearly 30-year-old ship running but provide a deck upgrade that would allow the ship to support the new F-35B Lightning II strike fighter.

After that overhaul, the Boxer briefly put to sea in June 2022; then, for more than a year, the ship stayed in port.

At the time, in late July 2023, Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson, a spokesman for the Naval Surface Force, wouldn't tell Military.com what issues specifically kept the ship in port, citing "operational security," but stressed that its crew remained "focused on readiness and preparing for sea trials and the eventual deployment of the ship."

Abrahamson specifically noted that the crew was "maintaining certifications and qualifications, while conducting integrated training and simulated multi-day underway evolutions."

However, a command investigation, released to Military.com via a Freedom of Information Act request, revealed that between January and November 2023, the ship was investigated for at least three different engineering breakdowns that, according to the Boxer's strike group commander, were "caused by a lack of procedural compliance, substandard supervisory oversight, and general complacency by the crew."

The investigation revealed that the ship experienced damage to two "forced draft blowers" on Nov. 8, 2022. A separate investigation into that incident, also provided to Military.com via FOIA request, faulted "poor quality craftsmanship, lack of industry repair skill set/capabilities" and a "lack of supervisory oversight" from the Navy offices overseeing the work.

Then, on May 14, 2023, the ship had a "boiler safety" breakdown. That investigation "once again revealed a lack of procedural compliance and overall complacency of all personnel involved," the documents from the strike group commander said.

Although his name is redacted in the released version of the report, Rear Adm. Randall Peck is the commander of Expeditionary Strike Group 3 and the commander who ordered the most recent investigation.

The last incident revealed in the pair of investigations occurred on July 11, 2023 -- just a bit more than two weeks before Abrahamson would claim the ship's crew was "focused on readiness" and preparing for deployment.

It found that the ship's engineers allowed one of the main reduction gears, or MRGs -- essentially transmissions from the turbines to the propellers -- to turn without any lubrication.

A reduction gear is a critically important and expensive part of the ship, easily costing into the tens of millions of dollars.

"All watchstanders displayed an appalling lack of procedural compliance and general complacency in this casualty," Peck wrote in accepting the investigation's results.

The whole incident "can be best characterized as a near miss given that the MRG was not damaged," investigators wrote. Meanwhile, Peck noted that a sole sailor, whose name is redacted in the released investigation, "displayed a questioning attitude and level of knowledge that ultimately kept the ship from experiencing extensive damage."

The Boxer would eventually set sail just over a month later on Aug. 18, but as she left San Diego Harbor, she started to spew black smoke from her stacks, and radio traffic from the ship declared that they "just had an engineering casualty."

At the time, Abrahamson suggested that the smoke was connected to "when engineering systems are being tested during a sea trial period" and again stressed that "there is no current impact to the mission, and Boxer remains focused on executing its sea trials."

However, Peck's letter reviewing the investigation into the July MRG incident said the exact opposite.

In his letter, Peck said that "every level of senior engineering leadership failed to provide a safe, professional, and procedurally compliant work environment in engineering department" and he stressed that "these failures had direct, measurable impacts on USS Boxer's upcoming deployment and impeded the overall accomplishment of the strike group's mission."

"The Navy's Pacific Fleet was less ready and less capable because of USS Boxer's shortfalls," he added.

Previous incidents of assault

The incident with the reduction gear revealed that the ship's engineering department was fraught with problems and poor leadership.

After learning of the incident, the ship's chief engineer -- the top leader in the department and one of the most senior officers aboard any warship -- withheld the news that his team inadvertently ran one of the most critical and irreplaceable parts of the plant without lube oil from the Boxer's commander for more than 24 hours, the investigation found.

Peck also said that he was "disturbed by the lack of involvement" of the ship's main propulsion assistant -- a sailor who is described as "the most experienced engineer onboard, second only to the chief engineer, with over 27 years of naval service" -- who was present for all three incidents but failed to make sure sailors were properly trained and led.

Meanwhile, the ship's engineers were also lacking a top enlisted leader -- a position known as "Top Snipe."

The investigation said the post had "been unfilled since early June 2023 due to impending administrative action" but offered no further detail.

Amid the numerous privacy redactions, investigators also made several references to a senior enlisted sailor who was "formally counseled by engineering department leadership as many as six times" and a December 2022 climate survey that "revealed undertones of unprofessional and toxic leadership."

Peck's letter also notes that in October 2023 he closed out an investigation "into allegations of assault and failure to report previous incidents of assault within [the] USS Boxer engineering department."

The assault allegations also involved the "senior enlisted engineer" aboard the ship, who had a "responsibility to lead and train junior enlisted personnel and control the engineering plant" but, according to Peck, "failed miserably in this regard."

Due to privacy redactions, it is not fully clear how many of the references and allegations refer to the same sailors.

Military.com was not able to review that investigation because it was not part of the FOIA request documents, and so it was unclear whether the assault allegations were substantiated.

The admiral behind the investigation noted that the "investigation revealed not only a failure by senior personnel to uphold military standards, but also revealed other issues" that were connected to key engineering watch stations.

Amid this chaotic and seemingly toxic climate, outside units that came to the Boxer to assess its crew and help it prepare itself for deployment found that the ship was struggling to operate its power plant and get to sea.

"Several previous attempts have been made in late 2022 and 2023 to complete master light off checklists ... and get underway," investigators said, before adding that "in each of these cases, engineering casualties or inoperable engineering equipment prevented the ship from taking to sea."

One of those casualties was to the ship's forced draft blowers -- a key component of the boiler system -- that happened in November 2022. The blowers, according to the investigation, were a problem as the ship went into the shipyard, and they were overhauled at the time.

However, after the Boxer left the yards, they failed and in August 2022 the Navy repaired them again, discovering that there were issues with the original installation.

Much of the fault for the issue was levied at inexperienced contractors and the Navy's Sea Systems Command, which oversaw ship repairs and had reduced checkpoints "for the sake of production schedules and overhaul costs across the waterfront."

Sailors on the ship were part of the problem too, however, when they took actions that went against guidelines and highlighted "a lack of procedural compliance on the part of [the] ship's forces."

The investigators argued that this "insufficient familiarity" was at least partially due to the length of the Boxer's maintenance period and crew turnover.

Deployment delays

The numerous delays encountered by the Boxer have not only opened the Navy to questions about the readiness of its amphibious fleet but have also frustrated some defense officials in the Pentagon, who argued there was a connection between the need to keep the USS Bataan, another amphibious ship, and its amphibious ready group deployed because the Boxer was unable to sail.

In an email to Military.com, Abrahamson confirmed last week that the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group also includes USS Somerset and USS Harpers Ferry.

The Somerset is now in the Pacific, seemingly participating in the deployment that all three ships are meant to be conducting. The ship participated in an international exercise -- Cobra Gold -- earlier in March, apparently taking at least part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit along with it.

Military.com understands that this trend -- Marine expeditionary units being forced to deploy with less than three ships in their configuration -- is on the rise and, from the Corps' perspective, has prevented Marines from fulfilling their operations.

Abrahamson argued that "ARG ships don't always operate together during their deployments" and that "it is plausible that one ship from an ARG can be assigned to a given exercise while other ships in the ARG perform other missions."

While the Navy has been known to split up an ARG -- for a while, the Bataan and the rest of its group were in two separate seas in the Middle East -- it is not clear whether there is a precedent for making the same characterization when one of the ships hasn't left home port.

Adding to the issue is the fact that it appears a situation similar to the Boxer's is now developing on the East Coast.

Last week, ship watchers spotted the USS Wasp -- the same class of ship as the Boxer -- depart Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, only to return shortly afterward, apparently with tugs alongside it. Citing radio traffic, social media posts said that the ship suffered an engineering casualty with its driveshaft.

Military.com reached out to the Navy for details but, like with the Boxer, was told that the sea service would not discuss details.

A Navy spokesperson confirmed that the Wasp "was conducting sea trials following a maintenance availability" before adding that "we don't discuss details about maintenance casualties."

The Wasp returned to Naval Station Norfolk last July after spending nearly 18 months in dry-dock.

When Military.com asked about the ship returning to port with a tug and reports of propeller shaft damage, Lt. Cmdr. David Carter, a spokesman for the Navy's Fleet Forces Command, said that he did "not have additional details to provide at the moment" and that the ship "is undergoing maintenance at Naval Station Norfolk and will continue its sea trials in the future."

Last week, Abrahamson said "that Boxer and crew are ready and the crew continues to make preparations for their deployment."

However, that deployment will happen under the command of a captain who, according to Peck's letter in the investigation, has been issued a "Letter of Instruction" for "his inability to fulfill his duties as executive officer (XO) by his failure to ensure the engineering training team ... was functioning properly and his failure to ensure an accurate annual review of records was completed."

Peck added that as commander, Capt. Brian "Holmes must continue to lead the ship and engineering department in their efforts to ensure procedural compliance and sound engineering watchstanding practices."

The November letter also said Peck "documented [the prior captain's] deficiencies in a special transfer evaluation" and he intended to start discharge proceedings against the main propulsion assistant.

The investigation noted that the chief engineer was formally transferred off the ship on July 21, 2023, but Peck agreed to send the investigation to his new command "for further disposition."

Related: Navy's Ambitious New Effort Aims to Give Sailors Understanding of 'What Right Looks Like'
WASHINGTON  The Pentagon is working with Niger officials, seeking a way for U.S. troops to stay in the country  a key base for counterterrorism operations in sub-Saharan Africa  following a weekend directive that they leave.

Last week a high level-delegation of U.S. officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander and the head of U.S. Africa Command Gen. Michael Langley, traveled to Niger to meet with members of the military junta.

Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said Monday the U.S. officials had lengthy and direct discussions with the junta officials that were also in part spurred by concerns over Niger's potential relationships with Russia and Iran.

We were troubled on the path that Niger is on, Singh said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the U.S. was closely monitoring the Russian defense activities there in order to assess and mitigate potential risk to U.S. personnel, interests and assets.

On Saturday, following the meeting, the juntas spokesperson, Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane, said U.S. flights over Nigers territory in recent weeks were illegal. Meanwhile, Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who assists Nigers military rulers with their communications, criticized U.S. efforts to force the junta to pick between strategic partners.

The American bases and civilian personnel cannot stay on Nigerien soil any longer, he told The Associated Press.

Singh said the U.S. was aware of the March 16 statement announcing the end of the status of forces agreement between Niger and the United States. We are working through diplomatic channels to seek clarification. These are ongoing discussions and we don't have more to share at this time.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the discussions were prompted by Niger's trajectory."

We are in touch with transition authorities to seek clarification of their comments and discuss additional next steps, Patel said.

The junta has largely been in control in Niger since July when mutinous soldiers ousted the countrys democratically elected president and months later asked French forces to leave.

The U.S. military still had some 650 troops working in Niger in December, largely consolidated at a base farther away from Niamey, Niger's capital. Singh said the total number of personnel still in country, including civilians and contractors, is roughly 1,000.

The Niger base is critical for U.S. counterterrorism operations in the Sahel and has been used for both manned and unmanned surveillance operations, although Singh said the only drone flights being currently conducted are for force protection.

In the Sahel the U.S. has also supported local ground troops, including accompanying them on missions. However, such accompanied missions have been scaled back since U.S. troops were killed in a joint operation in Niger in 2017.

-

Christopher Megerian contributed from Washington, D.C.
On March 8, 2024, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks delivered remarks from the Pentagon to commemorate International Womens Day. Hicks, a devoted civil servant and herself one of the most senior women in the national defense establishment, noted how far women in uniform have come in the more than 75 years since their permanent integration into the U.S. armed forces while recognizing that there was still much work to be done.

Thats why we remain focused on expanding equal opportunity and reinforcing the support that allows women in the workforce to thrive -- such as competitive pay, child care, health care and workplace safety, Hicks stated. There is more work to do to ensure that women and girls are given the tools and access they need to realize their full potential.

It should come as little surprise to observers of military and defense affairs that Hicks emphasized the significance of workplace issues to the success of women in uniform. After all, the U.S. military -- and certainly the Department of Defense as a whole -- is not just a warfighting organization; it is also an employer. Workplace and personnel issues, from recruitment to pay to promotions, are often among the most pressing challenges facing senior leaders in the defense community.

This is especially the case when it comes to women in national security roles, who are often disproportionately disadvantaged by inequitable workforce policies. This trend has forced women in uniform to, willingly or not, fight for equality in the workplace since the very beginning of their integration into the armed forces.

Dismayingly, however, the contributions that servicewomen have made to the broader fight for womens equality in the workplace has largely been erased from the narrative of womens progress in the United States. This dissonance is best captured, perhaps surprisingly, in the story behind Ruth Bader Ginsburgs famous declaration: I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.

Some may recall that the statement in fact originates with abolitionist Sarah Grimke and was popularized by Ginsburg in her argument before the Supreme Court in 1973, two decades before she would eventually become a justice. The case, which Ginsburg helped win in an 8-1 ruling, was called Frontiero v. Richardson, and it became a landmark ruling in unraveling workplace discrimination against women. But what very few people know is who Ginsburg represented in the case: Sharron Frontiero, a married Air Force officer, who sued the Department of Defense to acquire benefits for her dependent husband that were denied based on her sex.

That few people know Frontieros name is, at least in part, the consequence of a more troubling tendency to leave women in uniform out of our understanding of the womens movement of the 20th century. Listening to most people talk about womens progress in recent decades, it would seem that many of us have simply forgotten the hundreds of thousands of American servicewomen, such as Frontiero, who fought some of the most consequential battles for womens equality in the 20th century.

The Overlooked Vanguard

This puzzling and troubling phenomenon is nowhere more the case than when it comes to women who served in uniform during World War II. They have been virtually erased from the narrative of womens progress in the 20th century despite often being the ultimate source of some of the most important victories of the contemporary womens movement.

To understand the importance of this incredible group of women, it is best to start with the sheer scale of their contribution in World War II: More than 350,000 American women donned military uniforms during the war, and they did so in every service, in every theater and in most of the available military occupations at the time. They were pilots, codebreakers, ordnance experts, gunnery instructors, metalsmiths, chemists, translators, parachute riggers, truck drivers, radarmen, pigeon trainers and much more.

Even more important than the scale and scope of their contribution, however, was its impact. The work of servicewomen in World War II was at the heart of the Allied support operations that helped ensure that American forces got the training, tools and equipment that they needed, exactly when and where they needed it. Women in uniform drew the maps that Allied forces used to make their way through France and Germany, they fixed the tanks and planes that were deployed to the Pacific, and they treated injured men from the frontlines. In short, they provided the support that allowed Allied troops to win the war.

At the same time, however, many women in uniform battled sexual harassment, discrimination and even violence in the military. The behavior they endured ran the gambit from routine incidences of sexual harassment -- such as senior officers who repeatedly denied promotions to servicewomen who refused their romantic overtures -- to appalling acts of sexual assault. To their credit, the women of World War II endured this disparagement with dignity, grace and grit, which laid bare their commitment to performing their essential work in the face of demoralizing, demeaning and sometimes criminal behavior.

Those women include Ann Baumgartner, who test-flew Army Air Force planes to determine whether they were mission ready, including the B-29 Superfortress, which dropped the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. When Baumgartner wasnt busy flying state-of-the-art planes, she was squaring off against male aviators who questioned her fitness to fly and fashioning flight suits from mens surplus uniforms. By the end of the war, women such as Baumgartner, serving in Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), had accumulated more than 60 million miles in the air for the U.S. Army but were denied the full benefits of their service until 1977.



Those women include Ruth Haskell, an Army nurse who landed on the beaches of North Africa hours after the first wave of the invasion and followed the front into the Mediterranean. When Haskell wasnt busy taking enemy sniper fire while she assisted in surgery, she was making the case for nurses to receive a full commission and equal pay to men of equivalent rank. Though the Army Nurse Corps eventually succeeded in acquiring the benefits that these nurses always deserved, for several years during the height of the war -- in a conflict that killed more than 400,000 Americans and injured hundreds of thousands more -- women such as Haskell received only partial benefits for military service.

Those women include Charity Adams, who led the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion and helped clear a six-month backlog of mail in the field, ensuring troops got an essential morale boost at a critical moment in the war. When Adams unit wasnt busy breaking all records for sorting mail -- in a single eight-hour shift, the women could sort more than 65,000 pieces of mail, which was 2-3 times as much as the men they replaced -- she was forced to go toe to toe with white officers, male and female alike, over the segregated and demeaning policies for equipment distribution and housing while posted abroad. Adams would end the war as one of the highest-ranking women in uniform, Black or white, but she would need to wait over two years for President Harry Truman to formally end segregation in the Army.

But, even today -- when we really ought to know better -- we often fail to recognize these women for their contribution not just to the war effort, but also to the fight for equality at home. Contrary to what many might believe based on the way that we talk about the 20th-century womens movement, the women of World War II were not absent from this period of extraordinary progress. Quite the opposite: Long before the womens liberation movement existed, the women of World War II changed the way Americans thought about the role of females in the workplace. Quietly, diligently and persistently, the military women of WWII brought the womens movement into the modern era.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Given all of this, how is it that many of us know so little about the contribution of servicewomen in World War II to the decadeslong fight for womens equality?

Part of this erasure almost certainly has to do with the ways in which women in uniform fought against the discrimination and harassment they faced during the war. While servicewomen advocated tirelessly for their gender during World War II, the reality is that the open hostility they faced often forced them to do so in inconspicuous ways and encouraged them to tread lightly when it came to womens equality. When combined with their professed patriotic and practical motives for joining the military, as opposed to a desire to make a political statement, female WWII veterans tended to be modest about their contributions to the womens movement. As a result, their battles are rarely etched in the annals of the U.S. militarys all-encompassing bureaucracy and, by extension, the annals of broader history.

Whats more: Most of us never asked them about it. In the absence of any questions about their service -- to the country or to their gender -- the contribution of women in uniform has all but disappeared from the public narrative about the womens movement. Take, for instance, the female Marine Corps veteran I interviewed for my recent book on servicewomen in World War II, who was incredulous that I was interested in hearing more about her service. Oh, my god, she said as we began our conversation. There are people out there who still care about me?

This reality probably informed Sharron Frontieros lifelong discomfort in taking credit for the role she played in laying the legal groundwork for womens equality. As Frontiero later pointed out, her goals were never political or symbolic, and there was nothing extraordinary about her motives when she walked into a lawyers office and said, I want my money. Plus, few people seemed to care much about the story of the woman behind the case once the victory had been won.

But even decades later, Ginsburg remembered what most of us have forgotten: Women in uniform deserve credit for the doors that they opened for all of us. This is why, at the end of one of her conversations with Frontiero, Ginsburg gave her a long, warm hug and whispered simply:

Its all right to be a hero.

Lena Andrews is a military analyst at the CIA and the author of Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II. A Boston native, she received her Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, specializing in international relations and security studies. She has spent more than a decade in foreign policy, having previously worked at the Rand Corporation and United States Institute of Peace. Lena lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband and son, and is always looking for fresh takes on old stories.

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OTTAWA COUNTY, MI - Have you ever wanted to own an ice cream truck rafting through the waters across West Michigan? Well, nows your chance.

Megan Ward and Isaiah Kinney are looking for new owners to take over their floating boat business, Ice Cream Afloat, nearly a year after opening in June 2023 on Lake Macatawa in Holland.

Ice Cream Afloat stayed open on weekends for boaters and the surrounding community to flag them down for a quick sweet treat while having a nice day on the water or in the nearby parks.

Related: Floating ice cream truck? New boat business offers frozen treats on the water

The couple posted to Facebook on March 10 announcing the news to relocate, and the decision to leave the boat business behind.

It is our hope that someone will take over and continue our mission to serve ice cream and happiness to the boaters of Michigan, the post reads.

Ward told MLive the response on social media has been overwhelming, garnering over 100 messages and emails from locals.

We never expected so much interest, she said. Running this ice cream boat was an incredible experience for us. We learned so much and met so many wonderful people.

The idea behind the floating business was something Ward said she couldnt get out of her head after a friend told her about a similar business a few years back.

And so the duo took the plunge and sold their home in West Virginia in 2022, moving their life to Grand Rapids shortly after.

Ice Cream Afloat could be seen out and about every weekend throughout the summer for boaters, residents and tourists eager for refreshing sweet treats like Blue Bunny, Strawberry Shortcake Bars and Good Humors King Cones.

But now the tides have changed with the decision to relocate. Still, Ward said shes hopeful the right person, couple or family will take over and continue its legacy.

We will definitely miss all the smiling and surprised faces when people see an ice cream boat for the first time, she said.

Those interested in taking over Ice Cream Afloat can reach out via Facebook or email at Icecreamafloatmi@gmail.com.

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A West Michigan high school marching bands trip to Florida for performances at Disney World and Universal Studios went off course Sunday night when the bus they were on caught fire, destroying much of their gear and personal belongings, WXMI reports.

More than 50 students, staff and chaperons from Carson City-Crystal Area Schools arrived in Orlando, Fla., around 6 a.m. Sunday aboard an Educational Tours bus, the report said. They spent the day at Disneys Magic Kingdom and then boarded the bus to go to their hotel.

Around 9:30 p.m., the bus got a flat tire while traveling on a highway, the report said. The driver was pulling over when another tire blew. The bus began to fill with smoke and flames were visible outside. Everyone evacuated; no one was injured. There was no time to grab personal items, equipment or bags, which burned up in the flames. Items in the lower storage areas were damaged by smoke.

The performances have been canceled, but the group will still get a day to visit Universal Studios, the report said. Educational Tours is helping pay for new clothes to replace those that were lost in the fire. The group will return to Michigan on Wednesday.
TOLEDO, Ohio  Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp cut short a concert Sunday in Toledo when hecklers in the crowd wouldnt stop interrupting him.

Mellancamp, who has clashed with audiences in the past, was interrupted initially as he was telling a story. A video on TikTok shows Mellencamp respond as an unseen audience member at the Stranahan Theater in Toledo yells from the crowd that he should play some music.

The audience booed the heckler. Then Mellencamp addressed the heckler directly and told someone on the concert staff to bring the man to him after the show.

What do you think Ive been doing, you (expletive)? hes seen saying in the TikTok video. Heres the thing, man. You dont know me. You dont (expletive) know me. Hey Joe, find this guy and let me see him after the show.

Mellencamp returned to telling his story, but another heckler shouts at him to play the Authority Song, a hit from his 1983 album Uh-Huh.

Guys, I can stop this show right now and just go home, Mellencamp responds. Tell you what Im going to do. Since youve been so wonderful, Im going to cut about 10 songs out of the show. Here we go.

With that, Mellencamp began to sing his hit Jack & Diane before stopping abruptly.

Know what? Shows over, Mellencamp is heard saying on the TikTok video just before walking off stage.

Out of the Blue, a music blogger that was reviewing the concert, said many people had started to leave thinking the show was canceled. It described Mellencamps performance as youthful and his gritty, smoky signature vocals resonated.

Ultimate Classic Rock, citing the Toledo Blade, said Mellencamp returned to the stage after about five minutes and performed several more songs. That was after the heckler had been removed, Out of the Blue said.

And Mellencamp also responded to another heckler, saying that an audience member should go back to kindergarten.

Mellencamp, who previously went by John Cougar Mellencamp, has had previous run-ins with hecklers at his shows.

In March 2023 Mellencamp told an audience in Grand Prairie, Texas, to let him handle the entertaining, Ultimate Classic Rock said. This is the quiet part, so keep your (expletive) mouth shut, he told the crowd. When a woman then shouted out the singers name, Mellencamp retorted, What did I just (expletive) say? But thank you.

In Cleveland last May, Mellencamp responded after an audience member shouted at him to play the (expletive) music after he reportedly criticized the United States, UCR reported.

Listen, hey, you guys, if these people dont shut the (expletive) up Im just going to leave, OK? Because Im not used to this crap, Mellencamp said. Look, guys, if I wanted to play in this type of drunken environment, Id play outside or Id play in an arena.
MANCELONA TOWNSHIP, MI  A man is accused of attempting to kidnap a toddler through a motel window in Northern Michigan, police said.

During the incident, three people intervened on the childs behalf, saving him, according to the Antrim County Sheriffs Office.

At about 9:18 p.m. Friday, sheriffs deputies responded to a report of a man trying to kidnap a 3-year-old boy from a motel in Mancelona Township, police said.

The child was in the motel room with a babysitter and other children when a 27-year-old Mancelona Township man allegedly opened the window and attempted to pull the child out of the room, police said.

The babysitter pulled the child back to safety, police said. The babysitters husband arrived at the room before the suspect returned, this time attempting to enter through the front door. He was forced back out. A neighbor came to help.

The suspect was held at the scene until deputies arrived and took him into custody, police said.

Sheriff Kevin Hoch thanked the babysitter, her husband and the neighbor for their quick, decisive actions.

Without their interventions, this crime could have a tragic outcome, he said.

The suspect is charged with attempted kidnapping/child enticement, first-degree home invasion, breaking and entering with intent, and 4th habitual offender, but has not yet been arraigned.
PARADISE, MI  A rustic campground near Tahquamenon Falls in Michigans Upper Peninsula needs volunteer hosts for the busy summer season, officials announced.

Andrus Lake State Forest Campground, managed by Tahquamenon Falls State Park, needs volunteer hosts for July, August and September.

Situated between Paradise and Whitefish Point, the campground has frontage on Andrus Lake and offers great opportunities for paddle sports and fishing, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The campground offers a boat launch and fishing pier, access to state hunting land and ORV trails. Each of the sites has a fire ring and picnic table. Campers have access to vault toilets and potable water from a hand-pump well. The sites vary in size and can accommodate tents, small trailers and larger trailers up to 40 feet. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations.

Those interested in hosting should message Tahquamenon Falls State Park on Facebook.
The Great North American Eclipse will move across the U.S. on April 8. And, if youre fortunate enough to live along the path of totality, you may be able to enjoy the full effect of the moon blocking out the sun  at least for a few minutes.

The path of totality will start in Mexico and move across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before heading out over the North Atlantic. Small portions of Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee will also experience almost the entirety of the eclipse.

According to NASA, a total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, blocking the face of the sun. Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the suns corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the sun.

The longest duration of totality will be 4 minutes, 28 seconds near Torreon, Mexico. Most other places along the path of totality will experience the eclipse anywhere from 3.5 to 4 minutes, according to NASA. IN these places, the moon will completely cover the sun and the sky will become dark like its dawn or dusk.

Those outside the path of totality will experience a partial solar eclipse, where the sky will appear slightly darker than it was before the eclipse depending on how much the moon blocks the sun.

Another sign of the eclipse? A temperature drop. NASA said you can expect the temperature to drop about 10 degrees depending on the cloud cover at your location.

NASA has an interactive map that traces the path of the eclipse and shows you the time it will be visible across the U.S. You can put in your ZIP code or city and track it here. The map even gives you a guide to just how much of the sun will be covered at certain times during the day.
MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP, MI -- A 23-year-old Nagaunee man who was a student at Northern Michigan University has been identified as the victim in fatal crash Friday night that took place on CR-492 near Everly Way.

According to The Mining Journal, police say Alex Duquette lost control of his vehicle and left the roadway before hitting several trees and catching fire. Excessive speed is believed to have been a factor in the crash and an investigation is ongoing.

When police arrived on scene around 10 p.m., Duquettes car was fully engulfed in flames. Despite identifying Duquette through the investigation, Marquette County Undersheriff Daniel Willey said the department is still awaiting positive identification through DNA testing.
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI  An Ann Ann Arbor man charged with criminal sexual conduct for sending explicit pictures to a 13-year-old girl will head to trial.

Gary William Lockwood, 31, waived his right to a preliminary examination during a Thursday, March 14 hearing before 14A-1 District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson.

Lockwood is facing two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count each of accosting children for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime. He also was charged with malicious destruction of fire or police property and two counts of resisting a police officer. All seven charges are felonies.

Third-degree criminal sexual conduct, the most serious of the offenses, is punishable by a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

Ann Arbor police were called Sept. 19 to the 500 block of West Summit Street for a report of a 13-year-old girl who had run away from home, Ann Arbor police Detective Zachary Allen said during a swear-to hearing on Sept. 23. The girl was later found by her father in a nearby wooded area with an adult man, who fled on foot and was not located that night, Allen said.

The man was later identified as Lockwood, according to police.

Read more: Ann Arbor man facing criminal sexual conduct charges involving 13-year-old girl

The girl said she met Lockwood through her 14-year-old sister, who she said was having a sexual relationship with him, Allen said. The 13-year-old said she and Lockwood had been exchanging explicit photographs via Facebook messenger, Allen said.

A preliminary search uncovered dozens and dozens of photographs that had been sent to the girl, according to Allen.

Police arrested Lockwood outside of the Delonis Center, 312 W. Huron St., police said. He originally met the girls at a community event in the park, according to police.

Lockwood maintained his innocence and said during his September arraignment hearing he has concerns about his own competency.

By Michigan law, people are presumed competent unless it is determined they cannot understand the court proceedings against them or rationally assist in their own defense.

Lockwood was deemed competent in February.

He is being held in the Washtenaw County Jail on a $300,000 bond. He will next appear in court on March 27 before Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Patrick Conlin.

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.
FLINT, MI  The victim in an early-morning homicide in Vienna Township Tuesday was the brother of U.S. Rep Dan Kildee, Genesee County law enforcement officials announced at a Tuesday, March 19, news conference.

Timothy Kildee was shot and killed at his home in the 9000 block of Neff Road on March 19, Sheriff Chris Swanson said.

The suspect in the homicide is Timothy Kildees 27-year-old family member who Swanson did not identify because he has not been formally charged.

Our family is grieving and heartbroken, Kildee, a Flint Township Congressman, wrote in a statement. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy.

I thank the community for honoring my familys privacy during this very difficult time.

The homicide suspect is in custody at a local hospital while recovering from injuries sustained in a crash that occurred minutes after the alleged shooting, Swanson said.

Authorities said the shooting was prefaced by a domestic incident in Burton. Afterward, the suspect was being driven to the home of his father, Timothy Kildee, by his mother. While in transit, the suspect jumped out of the womans vehicle. She contacted Kildee and the parents sought their son.

A witness in the Kildee home said they heard Kildee and the suspect arguing, including a shouting match involving the suspect allegedly saying, Give me your wallet and key. The wallet was later found on the suspect, Swanson said.

The witness told police they heard one shot, which left Kildee dead.

Swanson said the suspect drove Kildees vehicle from the scene and crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Bray and Stanley roads in Genesee Township.

The occupants of the other vehicle involved had minor injuries. The suspect was seriously injured and was taken to Hurley Medical Center where he is under guard.

While charges have yet to be issued, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said his office is reviewing the incident for possible open murder, carjacking, armed robbery and firearm offenses.

Swanson suggested substance abuse may have been involved in the suspects motive.

The behavior of the suspect lends anyone to believe that there was some type of breakdown and or other entanglements that caused him to be so violent, the sheriff said. But the key to this case, from all three scenes, is absolute violent behavior.
VIENNA TWP, MI  The Genesee County Sheriffs Office is investigating a homicide that originated with a domestic violence call early Tuesday morning.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said authorities were alerted shortly before 3 a.m. on Tuesday, March, 19 of a domestic violence complaint in the 3500 block of Columbine Avenue in Burton.

That scene led to a suspect going to the 9000 block of Neff Road in Vienna Township, where Swanson said a homicide occurred.

The suspect then stole a vehicle and crashed it at Dort Highway and East Stanley Road in Genesee Township.

The suspect is currently in custody, Swanson said.

Theres a lot of details were putting together, Swanson said, adding that additional details will be released on Tuesday afternoon.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Kent Intermediate School District Superintendent Ron Koehler is retiring this summer after more than 26 years serving the education service agency.

Koehler, who was tapped as superintendent in 2021, will officially step down at the end of the 2023-24 school year, school leaders announced Monday, March 18.

The Kent ISD School Board accepted Koehlers retirement at its Monday meeting and approved a resolution to name Ron Gorman, the assistant superintendent of instructional services, as Koehlers successor, effective July 1.

The Kent ISD School Board and staff of Kent ISD appreciate the outstanding leadership that Ron Koehler has given during his tenure as superintendent, Andrea Haidle, president of the Kent ISD board, said in a statement. He has made We Lead Learning a reality, and we will miss his devotion, enthusiasm, and outstanding skills as a leader.

We also welcome Ron Gorman as Kent ISDs next superintendent. He has shown his capacity for this position serving as interim superintendent earlier this year, and the Board looks forward to his leadership.

Koehler holds a bachelors degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University and a masters degree in public affairs from the University of Illinois-Springfield.

In his nearly three decades with Kent ISD, Koehler has spearheaded many initiatives that have helped to support students, parents, teachers and administrators in districts throughout the county.

He was initially hired by the Kent ISD in 1996 to start a communications department and served as director of communications for nine years. He spent the next 14 years as assistant superintendent, overseeing Kent ISDs organizational and community initiatives.

Koehler retired in 2019 after 23 years with the Kent ISD but was called back in 2021 to help lead the organization as interim superintendent following the retirement of former superintendent Ron Caniff.

RELATED: Kent Intermediate School District names interim superintendent

After four months serving as interim superintendent, Koehler was hired into the position permanently in April 2021.

Koehler told the school board last spring that he would likely retire following the 2023-24 school year, according to the resolution that was approved by the board on Monday.

My time at Kent ISD has truly been the best, most rewarding and fulfilling of my professional career, Koehler said in a statement. I am proud of the work this team does every day to serve students, schools and educators in our region. It has been my honor to support the pursuit of more opportunities and better outcomes for students.

Koehler named Gorman, who was hired by the Kent ISD in June 2022, as his potential successor once he stepped down, the boards resolution states.

RELATED: GRPS deputy superintendent selected as new instructional services leader for Kent ISD

When Koehler experienced a health setback this fall, Gorman filled in as interim superintendent for three months, while being mentored by Koehler from home, according to the board resolution.

Koehler, who has since returned to good health, gave glowing remarks about Gormans work as both assistant superintendent and interim superintendent, so the board unanimously felt very comfortable with naming Gorman as the Kent ISDs next superintendent, the resolution said.

Gorman spent 25 years at Grand Rapids Public Schools. He was GRPS assistant superintendent for PreK-12 Institutional Support but had previously served in multiple roles including interim superintendent, instructional leader, principal and as a classroom teacher.

After working just about every job in education connected to academics, Gorman said his 25 years at GRPS has given him a unique perspective on the need for supporting all students, including the most vulnerable students in Kent County.

Having worked in GRPS for so long with some high poverty schools, with students who have significant needs, I think that has really prepared me for this role because I may look through a unique lens, and I want to make sure that the resources that we provide, the professional learning opportunities we provide, are for all students in the county, not just ones who are easy to go to, Gorman told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press.

There are some districts where many folks gravitate, but I want to make sure that our resources are spread out throughout the community, and specifically our most vulnerable students in the county.

Gorman earned his bachelors degree in English, reading and physical education and elementary school certification from Aquinas College, his masters degree in educational leadership Michigan State University and his doctorate in philosophy in educational leadership from Western Michigan University.

Gorman said hes excited to continue the great work done by Koehler, who Gorman said has been a mentor to him.

Kent ISD has so many good things going and I just want to continue the work of Superintendent Koehler and this board and our leadership team, he said. This is a phenomenal place to work. I loved working for the Grand Rapids Public Schools for 25 years, I owe so much to GRPS, but Im really happy for this opportunity as well.

The Kent ISD supports more than 300 schools, 20 public school districts and three non-public districts in Kent County, serving nearly 102,000 students.
OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- Tensions simmered between Ottawa County health leaders and county commissioners as they once again discussed a food program coordinators position now vacant for five months.

Ottawa County Health Planning and Promotion Manager Lisa Uganski manages the Ottawa Food program and appeared at a county board committee meeting Tuesday, March 19 to answer questions. She wasnt specifically invited to speak, but the vacancy was on the agenda.

Uganski and other health officials have been trying to get funding for the coordinators spot reinstated since they removed it from their budget because of a 48 percent funding cut to the health education program.

County board Chair Joe Moss, a member of the countys health and human services, said he wants to evaluate whether the coordinator position overlaps with with similar work being done by other non-profit organizations, such as Community Action Agency. He also questioned whether the Ottawa Foods coordinator position could be contracted out.

Related: Is food security program on pause due to budget cuts or dysfunction? Ottawa County leaders debate

Commissioner Gretchen Cosby also said she plans to meet next week with the Community Action Agency director and others to talk about overlap.

Ottawa Food, during the 2023 budget year, served an estimated 800 migrant farm workers with food distribution, gave 350 coupons worth $25 each to eligible seniors as part of Senior Project Fresh, served 120 families through a partnership with Holland Middle School Greenhouse and performed other services.

According to a document released Tuesday, Ottawa Food also helped collect more than 2 million pounds of donated food in cooperation with Lakeshore Food Rescue, gleaned more than 36,000 pounds of food from farmers markets in Ottawa County, purchased 4,000 pounds of food from local farmers to distribute to food pantries.

Uganski said she showed up Tuesday to try expedite the process of getting the coordinator position re-funded. Shes been at previous county board meetings, including a Nov. 21 meeting where she answered questions for about 90 minutes.

In November I was grilled about whether or not I knew the process for getting a position like this funded. In December we came with a request and its now mid-March, she said.

Moss later questioned Who grilled you? apparently taking issue with Uganskis word choice.

Uganski replied she felt that commissioners grilled her Nov. 21.

Its your job to come answer questions, right? Moss asked. If the commissioners have questions?

Absolutely, Uganski said.

Committee Chair Sylvia Rhodea then noted that Uganski was not asked to be at Tuesdays meeting.

Youve been fairly disrespectful to the commissioners here today. And so, as the chair of this committee I dont appreciate your approach, she said.

Commissioners Doug Zylstra urged commissioners to take action on the coordinator position.

Related: Lawsuits, childhood innocence, $4M settlement talks: How far-right board shook up Ottawa County

I mean, we can have discussions as long as we want, he said. Weve been on this for five or six months and, as Lisa said, the growing season has started. I think the community deserves to have some resolution.

County Health Officer Adeline Hambley, before Tuesdays discussion happened, submitted an updated request for the coordinator position, requesting $60,000 as a prorated level from a yearly cost of $121,000.

Near the end of the discussion about the Ottawa Food coordinator, Hambley took issue with a statement from Cosby about 14 months passing before she could get department metrics from the health department about job positions.

Hambley said the process was complicated and involved other county department heads assembling the same information. She said there was no intent to delay the process.

I could have been an advocate for you, Cosby said. Instead of it being adversarial. It didnt have to be.

Hambley replied she found that hard to believe.

Hambley said commissioners seem to treat interactions with county Health Department staff differently than other departments.

Certainly I havent seen other staff standing up here for 90 minutes answering questions, or an hour. And its routine with public heath, she said.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  City leaders on Tuesday detailed the cause of the ongoing widespread boil water advisory and apologized for how it has left roughly 20,000 homes and businesses without drinkable water.

I know I speak for this entire body that many of us have talked to residents and businesses owners and we feel terrible about the disruption, especially to our small businesses who werent able to open yesterday, said Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, but I also really appreciate the community stepping up and helping out one another and helping us get through this, and hopefully it will be resolved as quickly as possible.

Bliss gave those remarks during the Grand Rapids City Commissions Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, March 19.

It was the first public meeting since the water main break Sunday that put residents and businesses in downtown and northeast Grand Rapids, as well as a majority of Grand Rapids Township, under a boil water advisory out of precaution.

The advisory prompted residents to stock up on bottled water, Grand Rapids Public Schools to cancel classes and a number of businesses to close or offer reduced services.

A full map of the advisory area can be seen here. Best practices from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on what to do during a boil water advisory can be found at this link.

Related: It will crush us: Grand Rapids businesses scramble amid boil water advisory

The city, in partnership with SpartanNash, distributed 2,600 free cases of water bottles to residents Monday evening. Another distribution event is being held from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday at 1635 Leonard St. NE in Grand Rapids.

Those needing assistance getting bottled water can call 2-1-1.

Meijer and nonprofit World Renew have agreed to donate additional bottled water for distribution if needed, city officials said. The city has donated 30 cases to homeless shelters Mel Trotter Ministries and Degage Ministries.

Related: Weve never had to do this: 1000s wait for free water amid Grand Rapids boil-water notice

Even though water pressure was restored Sunday, the break was repaired the following day, and the water system has been flushed, the advisory wont lift until sometime Wednesday at the earliest.

That delay is due to state regulations requiring 48 hours of testing showing no bacteria or other contaminants within the water supply of the impacted area. If a test is positive, the city will have to conduct another 48 hours of testing before the advisory can lift.

Testing began Monday and the first results were negative for bacteria or other contaminants -- a good sign.

City Manager Mark Washington told commissioners the final test results will be received and shared Wednesday. If that testing is negative as well, the advisory will be lifted that same day.

The primary concerns are E. coli and other coliform bacteria, for which the water is being tested.

When part of the water system becomes depressurized and disconnected, like what happened Sunday with the water main break, it creates the potential for bacteria to grow and for groundwater and other sources of non-treated water to enter the areas water, Washington said.

City officials previously said the widespread boil water advisory is the largest the Grand Rapids Water System has experienced in at least 15 years.

Related: 20K Grand Rapids homes, businesses without drinking water for days due to boil-water notice

The reason it was so widespread, Washington said, is that the water main break and resulting water system pressure drops caused automatic shut-offs in a much larger area than was required for the break, impacting several area pumping stations.

When the system began to depressurize, there were automatic shut-offs that occurred in areas larger than the initial main break and thats why we had such a larger, regional impact, he said.

The water main that broke is in a somewhat remote area on the citys northeast side near Carrier Creek. Washington said the break happened after the main began losing connectivity due to water pressure.

The Grand Rapids Water Department is conducting an internal review of the maintenance history of the water main that broke, and Washington has ordered City Engineer Tim Burkman to independently review system work related to the incident as well as how and why the additional automatic shut-offs occurred.

Once completed, Washington will share the findings of the review and any potential recommended actions to prevent a similar incident from happening again.

While we take a lot of pride in being a regional producer of safe and healthy drinking water, Washington said. We know this outage has disrupted the lives of community members and do apologize for the impacts that this has had on them.

The Grand Rapids Water System sources its water from Lake Michigan and supplies Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Walker and Ada, Cascade, Grand Rapids and Tallmadge townships.

Washington gave a preliminary report Tuesday outlining a timeline of the events surrounding the break.

Washington said the first signs of an issue Sunday were noticed around 12:30 p.m. He didnt detail what those specific signs were, but its about one and a half hours earlier than what city officials previously said the earliest indication of an issue was.

After those first signs of an issue, city staff also noticed a pressure drop in the pumps at the Livingston Pump Station, which began to shut down around 1:20 p.m.

The station is located in Belknap Park, and its capacity was expanded in recent years to offset the decommissioning of the Coldbrook Pump Station, which was the citys oldest.

Staff were unable to start up any of the pumps at the station remotely because of the pressure drop and the low pressure in that part of the system. This then decreased the water pressure at several other pump stations in the area.

Around 1:30 p.m., residents began calling the city reporting concerns, which city officials previously said were related to water pressure.

More crews were called to help solve the issue at the Livingston Pump Station and were able to get the pumps turned on around 2 p.m.

Around 2:30 p.m., staff located the main break.

Even though it wasnt until 6 p.m. that the main break was isolated and contained, most people on the water system were able to have some usable water and pressure as early as 4:30 p.m., Washington said.

The first boil water notice was issued at 3:30 p.m. for a generalized area of impact.

The city then created a precise map of the area of impact and publicized it, along with a final boil water advisory area, at 6:45 p.m.

Both Washington and Bliss thanked city staff for their quick response Sunday and the long days they have worked since working to resolve the water main break and its impact.

Bliss highlighted the work of the citys water department and public works department and others.

I know their entire team has been working overtime to respond and get us back to 100% with our water system, so I want to say thank you to all of our city staff who stepped up and have been working around the clock over these last couple days, as well as our city leadership team and our emergency operating center which was opened, she said. Really appreciate everyone responding so quickly.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- More than half of Kalamazoo Public Schools students were chronically absent last school year, but the district has seen some gains this school year.

Students are considered chronically absent when they miss more than 10% of school days. This equates to about 18 absences. Excused absences are also factored in.
BEAL CITY, MI  Since issuing an apology for a gay authors presence inside an Isabella County parochial preschool, a Catholic priest has brought a firestorm of controversy on his parish. In support of the author, members of the priests congregation are calling for his resignation. Protestors gathered outside the church Sunday morning.

The Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, meanwhile, is standing by the clergyman.
An idea popped into the head of local actress Jo ODonnell while she was listening to women filmmakers discuss their work at the inaugural Valkyrie International Film Festival last March, an event showcasing only the work of female directors.

The North Tonawanda resident wanted not only to act in films, but to make them, too.

The seed was planted, but it wouldnt start sprouting for a few more weeks, when she came up with an idea for a script.

Suddenly, she had a story to tell. She just needed to learn one small thing: how to make a film.

ODonnell had networked with other women during the festival, keeping in contact with Boston-based filmmaker Julia Tutko-Balena. ODonnell started writing a script, sought advice from Tutko-Balena over video chat and began enlisting her friends within the local film and theater industry for help.

At first I was like, I just want to make something. Im going to write this story  the quality isnt going to be good. Its fine. I just want to create it and see what it looks like, ODonnell said. But then I met a filmmaker [Ben Chatfield] who was like, well I have time, I have a camera. Why not utilize me? And then he introduced me to a sound person, so now we have good visuals, good sound. We already had good actors.

The end result was her first short film, ReImage, which ODonnell wrote, directed and stars in. Chatfield is the films director of photography. It debuts at the second annual Valkyrie International Film Festival, being held March 21-25 at the Screening Room Cinema & Arts Cafe at the Boulevard Mall (880 Alberta Drive entrance), Amherst.

Its exactly what mother-daughter pair Tamar and Kaelin Lamberson hoped would happen when they founded VIFF last year. Yes, the festival showcases films created by women, but it also brings women filmmakers to the same room, where they can meet, collaborate and inspire each other.

Valkyrie has a different feeling than most film festivals, Tamar Lamberson said. In other festivals, its a mixture with male filmmakers and it doesnt really give the female filmmakers the chance to shine. We spotlight their films.

Kaelin Lamberson, a senior at Cleveland Hill High School, said having only female directors makes them feel more safe and comfortable with one another and theyre more open, expressive and honest. They dont fear retaliation or getting brushed off. They genuinely listen to one another and they become stronger when they listen to each other.

There will be 73 films from local, national and international filmmakers screening over the festivals five days including comedy, experimental, drama, horror, animation and music videos. At least 28 filmmakers will attend the festival, talking to the audience during Q&As following their films.

Many of the films tackle social issues and elicit emotional responses from viewers. Kaelin Lamberson describes them as hidden jewels that VIFF helps uncover.

You can tell that theyre very close to the filmmakers hearts, Kaelin said. Theyre really speaking openly and honestly about their own lived experiences.
Hormoz Mansouri is back in the news with the surprising revelation by my colleague Mark Sommer that the political mega-donor got a $175,000 city contract that is funded by federal dollars.

The problem for Mansouri (and for Mayor Byron Brown, who denied knowledge about this late last week) is that his engineering firm received the contract at the same time he is under federal indictment and accused of fraudulently obtaining $3.4 million in pandemic assistance from the federal government.

The feds say Mansouri tried to pull off a scheme in which he created phony companies with no real employees, applied for more than $3 million in PPP funding that either inflated or completely fabricated the average monthly payroll and six of the eight entities had no actual employees or payroll expenses at all. Mansouri has pleaded not guilty, and the case is still pending in court.

What makes the reported crimes especially brazen is that, according to court papers, Mansouri used the funds to pay off a $600,000 casino debt and to launch a campaign finance account to the tune of $200,000 for Erie County comptroller. Imagine that: using illicitly obtained taxpayer money to fund your bid to be the chief fiscal watchdog of the county!

But there he was, somehow giving a public presentation for a park project in North Buffalo while he is under federal indictment.

Mansouri years ago was associated with former Erie County Democratic Chairman G. Steven Pigeon, a sketchy political operator who now sits in prison for child rape. Mansouri was a major political donor to the tune of more than $500,000 to politicians and political committees between 1999 and 2021, News reporter Dan Herbeck noted in a 2022 profile of Mansouri.

Last week, Brown said he and members of his administration were unaware the contract was awarded to someone under federal indictment.

There is no question this is embarrassing, the mayor said.

From a political optics point of view, this does not look good for Brown. Especially cringe-worthy is The News file photo at the top of this story that shows Brown seated next to Mansouri, attentively listening to him at some event from years ago.

I talked to a lot of people on Friday at the political see-and-be-seen event known as the Irish Civic Luncheon, and a vast majority of experienced political pros agreed on one thing: it would be almost unfathomable that a contract like this would be awarded to someone as connected as Mansouri without the mayor knowing or at least finding out.

If the mayor truly did not know about this, then that still looks pretty bad, because it suggests incompetence, naivete or bureaucratic miscommunication within his administration.

Because of the federal money involved, you would think this is the type of thing the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office would be able to look into, provided they find some probable cause of wrongdoing. Perhaps we will see men and women in FBI windbreakers marching into Buffalo City Hall once again.

Federal raids make for good TV and splashy newspaper headlines, as we learned in 2019, when federal agents wheeled out not just boxes, but whole carts of records from the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency.

But that investigation turned out to be a big nothing-burger. No one at Buffalo City Hall was charged with any crimes and Brown remains ensconced on his second-floor perch, fielding job offers and pondering his future as Buffalos longest-serving mayor.

Perhaps this time will be different. Perhaps this contract, once it is scrutinized, will bring out all sorts of political skeletons.

But if history has taught us anything, I wouldnt count on it.

for this newsletter  Click the following link: buffalonews.com/newsletters/.

Have thoughts on the [BN] Politics Now newsletter? Email cspecht@buffnews.com.
Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE:BHLB  Get Free Report) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, March 7th, Zacks reports. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 21st will be given a dividend of 0.18 per share by the savings and loans company on Thursday, April 4th. This represents a $0.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.35%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 20th.

Berkshire Hills Bancorp has a dividend payout ratio of 29.0% meaning its dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. Analysts expect Berkshire Hills Bancorp to earn $2.46 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $0.72 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 29.3%.

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Berkshire Hills Bancorp Stock Down 2.1 %

Berkshire Hills Bancorp stock opened at $21.49 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 0.93, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24. Berkshire Hills Bancorp has a 1-year low of $18.07 and a 1-year high of $26.05. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $22.84 and its 200-day simple moving average is $21.95. The company has a market capitalization of $937.39 million, a P/E ratio of 13.43 and a beta of 0.86.

Insider Transactions at Berkshire Hills Bancorp

Berkshire Hills Bancorp ( NYSE:BHLB Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The savings and loans company reported $0.47 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.49 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $142.15 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $109.05 million. Berkshire Hills Bancorp had a net margin of 11.24% and a return on equity of 9.48%. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.64 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Berkshire Hills Bancorp will post 2.07 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In other Berkshire Hills Bancorp news, Director Michael Zaitzeff sold 51,910 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.18, for a total value of $1,307,093.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 2,665 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $67,104.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, Director Michael Zaitzeff sold 51,910 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $25.18, for a total transaction of $1,307,093.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 2,665 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $67,104.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Baye Adofo-Wilson sold 10,074 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.19, for a total transaction of $223,542.06. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 223,862 shares of company stock worth $5,219,346. 0.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Berkshire Hills Bancorp

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of BHLB. FMR LLC increased its holdings in Berkshire Hills Bancorp by 3.8% during the 2nd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 13,959 shares of the savings and loans companys stock valued at $346,000 after purchasing an additional 515 shares in the last quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Berkshire Hills Bancorp by 10.6% in the first quarter. Belpointe Asset Management LLC now owns 5,460 shares of the savings and loans companys stock valued at $137,000 after buying an additional 525 shares in the last quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky raised its holdings in shares of Berkshire Hills Bancorp by 5.7% in the second quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 14,831 shares of the savings and loans companys stock valued at $308,000 after buying an additional 804 shares during the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its position in Berkshire Hills Bancorp by 2.8% during the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 30,235 shares of the savings and loans companys stock worth $751,000 after buying an additional 817 shares in the last quarter. Finally, State of Tennessee Treasury Department grew its holdings in Berkshire Hills Bancorp by 3.8% during the 4th quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department now owns 24,683 shares of the savings and loans companys stock worth $613,000 after acquiring an additional 896 shares during the last quarter. 82.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on BHLB shares. StockNews.com cut Berkshire Hills Bancorp from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 12th. Piper Sandler raised shares of Berkshire Hills Bancorp from an underweight rating to a neutral rating and set a $24.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Seaport Res Ptn upgraded Berkshire Hills Bancorp from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods increased their target price on Berkshire Hills Bancorp from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a sector perform rating and issued a $26.00 target price on shares of Berkshire Hills Bancorp in a report on Friday, January 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and four have issued a hold rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $25.00.

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About Berkshire Hills Bancorp

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Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc operates as the bank holding company for Berkshire Bank that provides various banking products and services in the United States. The company provides various deposit accounts, including demand deposit, interest-bearing checking, regular savings, money market savings, time certificates of deposit, and retirement deposit accounts.

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Hamilton Thorne (OTCMKTS:HTLZF  Get Free Report) and Senseonics (NYSE:SENS  Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, risk, earnings, analyst recommendations and profitability.

Profitability

This table compares Hamilton Thorne and Senseonics net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

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Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Hamilton Thorne N/A N/A N/A Senseonics -270.13% -146.90% -49.81%

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Hamilton Thorne and Senseonics, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Hamilton Thorne 0 0 0 0 N/A Senseonics 1 0 1 0 2.00

Institutional and Insider Ownership

Senseonics has a consensus price target of $1.25, suggesting a potential upside of 123.21%. Given Senseonics higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Senseonics is more favorable than Hamilton Thorne.

16.6% of Senseonics shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.2% of Senseonics shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Hamilton Thorne and Senseonics gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Hamilton Thorne N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Senseonics $22.39 million 13.27 -$60.39 million ($0.11) -5.09

Hamilton Thorne has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Senseonics.

Summary

Senseonics beats Hamilton Thorne on 5 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Hamilton Thorne

(Get Free Report)

Hamilton Thorne Ltd. develops, manufactures, and sells precision instruments, consumables, software, and services for the assisted reproductive technologies (ART), research, and cell biology markets. It offers precision laser systems, imaging systems, and other equipment and consumables for the ART and developmental biology research markets. The company also provides test laboratory and endotoxin testing services, as well as sperm assays, including Sperm Motility Index and Sperm Penetration; and fresh and cryopreserved mouse embryos supply, and technician training and proficiency testing services. In addition, it manufactures and distributes products for reproductive medicine, including clinical and laboratory equipment and disposables, as well as complete installations of ART clinics; and bench top incubators, programmable freezers, loggers, alarms, cryo storage, and software systems and sensors for the safe preservation of medical and biological specimens used in ART and cell biology applications. Further, the company offers Cell-Tek Microscope Chamber, a product for controlling temperature, air flow, humidification, and air quality; laminar flow workstations, incubators, and related products; and artificial intelligence enabled CASA software, consumables, and image analysis systems for the ART and laboratory markets, as well as acts as a value-added reseller of a range of capital equipment and consumables. It sells its products and services through a direct sales force in the United States, Germany, France, Australia, Denmark, Spain, and the United Kingdom, as well as through distributors to fertility clinics, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, educational institutions, and other commercial and academic research establishments in approximately 75 countries. The company is headquartered in Beverly, Massachusetts.

About Senseonics

(Get Free Report)

Senseonics Holdings, Inc., a medical technology company, focuses on development and manufacturing of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems for people with diabetes in the United States and internationally. The company's products include Eversense, Eversense XL, and Eversense E3 that are implantable CGM systems to measure glucose levels in people with diabetes through an under-the-skin sensor, a removable and rechargeable smart transmitter, and a convenient app for real-time diabetes monitoring and management. It serves healthcare providers and patients through a network of distributors and strategic fulfillment partners. Senseonics Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Germantown, Maryland.

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PPL (NYSE:PPL  Free Report) had its price target lifted by Barclays from $27.00 to $28.00 in a research report released on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an equal weight rating on the utilities providers stock.

A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on the stock. BMO Capital Markets reissued an outperform rating and issued a $52.00 price objective on shares of PPL in a research note on Wednesday, December 20th. TheStreet cut shares of PPL from a b- rating to a c rating in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $30.00 target price on shares of PPL in a research note on Wednesday, February 21st. StockNews.com cut shares of PPL from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, February 24th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of PPL from $28.00 to $30.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, PPL currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $32.20.

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PPL Stock Performance

PPL stock traded up $0.26 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $26.90. 6,137,087 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 5,302,516. PPL has a 12 month low of $22.20 and a 12 month high of $29.03. The firm has a market capitalization of $19.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 0.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.73. The business has a 50 day moving average of $26.44 and a two-hundred day moving average of $25.78.

PPL (NYSE:PPL  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Friday, February 16th. The utilities provider reported $0.40 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.38 by $0.02. PPL had a net margin of 8.90% and a return on equity of 8.45%. The business had revenue of $2.03 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.56 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.28 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that PPL will post 1.71 earnings per share for the current year.

PPL Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be paid a $0.2575 dividend. This is an increase from PPLs previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. This represents a $1.03 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.83%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. PPLs dividend payout ratio is currently 103.00%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. acquired a new stake in shares of PPL in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. West Tower Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of PPL during the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of PPL during the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Quarry LP acquired a new stake in shares of PPL during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Finally, Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of PPL during the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. 73.09% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

PPL Company Profile

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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.

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Invitation Homes Inc. (NYSE:INVH  Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest during the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 10,110,000 shares, a decline of 11.3% from the February 14th total of 11,400,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 3,260,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.1 days.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have commented on INVH shares. Oppenheimer upped their price target on Invitation Homes from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Friday, January 5th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their price target on Invitation Homes from $38.00 to $37.00 and set a market perform rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, February 27th. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Invitation Homes from $38.00 to $37.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, December 26th. JMP Securities reaffirmed a market outperform rating and issued a $40.00 price target on shares of Invitation Homes in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reiterated an outperform rating and issued a $36.00 price objective on shares of Invitation Homes in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Invitation Homes presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $37.59.

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Invitation Homes Price Performance

INVH stock traded down $0.34 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $34.62. 2,871,285 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,346,426. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $33.63 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $33.17. Invitation Homes has a 1-year low of $28.49 and a 1-year high of $36.53. The company has a market cap of $21.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.21, a PEG ratio of 2.07 and a beta of 0.94. 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 (NYSE:INVH  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 13th. The company reported $0.21 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.44 by ($0.23). The business had revenue of $624.32 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $623.51 million. Invitation Homes had a net margin of 21.34% and a return on equity of 5.06%. On average, analysts anticipate that Invitation Homes will post 1.82 earnings per share for the current year.

Invitation Homes Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 19th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, March 28th will be paid a $0.28 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.24%. Invitation Homess dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 133.33%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Jonathan S. Olsen sold 10,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.75, for a total transaction of $347,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 37,037 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,287,035.75. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.21% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Invitation Homes

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP increased its stake in shares of Invitation Homes by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 42,341 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,444,000 after buying an additional 386 shares during the period. Creekmur Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Invitation Homes in the 4th quarter valued at $46,000. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of Invitation Homes by 66.6% in the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 5,424,752 shares of the companys stock worth $185,038,000 after purchasing an additional 2,169,522 shares during the last quarter. FIL Ltd boosted its position in shares of Invitation Homes by 2.8% in the 4th quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 393,157 shares of the companys stock worth $13,411,000 after purchasing an additional 10,793 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in shares of Invitation Homes by 1.4% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 767,892 shares of the companys stock worth $26,194,000 after purchasing an additional 10,847 shares during the last quarter. 96.79% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Invitation Homes

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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.

Further Reading

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Timber Creek Capital Management LLC grew its position in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS  Free Report) by 0.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 51,982 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 267 shares during the quarter. Novartis comprises approximately 1.8% of Timber Creek Capital Management LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Timber Creek Capital Management LLCs holdings in Novartis were worth $5,249,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in NVS. Syon Capital LLC bought a new position in Novartis during the 3rd quarter worth $6,568,000. Mather Group LLC. grew its holdings in Novartis by 8.1% during the 3rd quarter. Mather Group LLC. now owns 7,763 shares of the companys stock worth $791,000 after acquiring an additional 580 shares during the period. Global Retirement Partners LLC grew its holdings in Novartis by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter. Global Retirement Partners LLC now owns 4,544 shares of the companys stock worth $437,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares during the period. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Novartis by 11.6% during the 3rd quarter. O Shaughnessy Asset Management LLC now owns 161,871 shares of the companys stock worth $16,488,000 after acquiring an additional 16,882 shares during the period. Finally, LPL Financial LLC grew its holdings in Novartis by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 330,042 shares of the companys stock worth $33,618,000 after acquiring an additional 4,510 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 7.00% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

NVS has been the subject of several research reports. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on Novartis in a research note on Friday, February 23rd. They issued a market perform rating and a $114.00 target price for the company. HSBC cut shares of Novartis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, December 18th. Morgan Stanley assumed coverage on shares of Novartis in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. They issued an equal weight rating and a $114.00 price target on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Novartis in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. They issued a strong-buy rating for the company. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong 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 $104.33.

Novartis Price Performance

NYSE NVS traded up $0.40 on Tuesday, reaching $96.32. The company had a trading volume of 1,220,875 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,433,570. The firms 50 day moving average price is $103.38 and its 200 day moving average price is $99.94. Novartis AG has a 12 month low of $81.96 and a 12 month high of $108.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.93, a current ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The stock has a market capitalization of $204.16 billion, a PE ratio of 13.38, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 0.54.

Novartis (NYSE:NVS  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The company reported $1.53 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.64 by ($0.11). Novartis had a return on equity of 29.90% and a net margin of 29.83%. The business had revenue of $11.42 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.69 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.51 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that Novartis AG will post 7.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Novartis Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared an annual dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 7th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 8th were given a $3.7772 dividend. This represents a dividend yield of 3.1%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, March 7th. This is a boost from Novartiss previous annual dividend of $3.47. Novartiss dividend payout ratio is presently 34.26%.

Novartis Profile

(Free Report)

Novartis AG researches, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. It offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.

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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).

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UiPath (NYSE:PATH  Get Free Report) had its price objective raised by equities research analysts at Scotiabank from $29.00 to $30.00 in a report issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a sector perform rating on the healthcare companys stock. Scotiabanks target price would indicate a potential upside of 30.07% from the stocks current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised UiPath from a neutral rating to an overweight rating and increased their target price for the company from $22.00 to $28.00 in a report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on UiPath from $27.00 to $29.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a report on Thursday. Barclays increased their target price on UiPath from $23.00 to $25.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on UiPath from $24.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on UiPath from $27.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Friday. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $27.13.

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UiPath Stock Performance

Insider Transactions at UiPath

Shares of NYSE:PATH traded up $0.32 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $23.07. 9,842,354 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 10,074,664. The company has a market cap of $13.06 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -135.46 and a beta of 0.97. UiPath has a one year low of $12.38 and a one year high of $27.87. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $23.52 and a 200 day moving average of $20.70.

In other news, CFO Ashim Gupta sold 16,000 shares of UiPath stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.47, for a total value of $359,520.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 103,505 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,325,757.35. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other UiPath news, Director Rich Wong sold 200,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.12, for a total value of $4,624,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 429,418 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,928,144.16. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CFO Ashim Gupta sold 16,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.47, for a total value of $359,520.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 103,505 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,325,757.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 411,000 shares of company stock worth $9,418,670. 31.03% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in PATH. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. raised its position in shares of UiPath by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 40,993 shares of the healthcare companys stock worth $885,000 after acquiring an additional 1,506 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in UiPath during the 1st quarter valued at about $184,000. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in UiPath by 1.9% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,316,635 shares of the healthcare companys stock valued at $114,786,000 after buying an additional 99,242 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP acquired a new position in UiPath during the 1st quarter valued at about $534,000. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new position in shares of UiPath in the first quarter valued at about $259,000. 59.04% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

UiPath Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

UiPath Inc provides an end-to-end automation platform that offers a range of robotic process automation (RPA) solutions primarily in the United States, Romania, and Japan. The company offers a suite of interrelated software to build, manage, run, engage, measure, and govern automation within the organization.

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Mackensey Nyhart has an interest in welding.

The Hamburg High School student might even make a career of it, with an eye toward attending Ohio Technical College in Cleveland.

Nyhart was among about two dozen girls from local BOCES programs who recently toured John W. Danforth Co.'s shop, to get a glimpse of careers in construction.

"I grew up with some of these girls, and it's crazy to think that we're going to start getting opportunities that we probably weren't going to get maybe 10 years ago," she said.

The construction industry is eager to attract new talent, including women, who are under-represented in the ranks. The National Association of Women in Construction says 1.2 million women work in construction and constitute about 10% of the construction industry in the United States.

The Buffalo Niagara chapter of NAWIC held an event at Danforth in the Town of Tonawanda to highlight career options for women. In a panel discussion, three local women who work in the construction industry encouraged the students to explore all the opportunities open to them.

That message made an impression on Skylar Rowell, a Hamburg High student who enjoys working on automotive engines.

"It's very special to see everybody that's involved," she said. "I just love seeing the unity between the women in the trades and knowing there's a safe place in the trades."

Isabel Zuppa, a Clarence High School student, discovered she has a talent for woodworking. Her grandfather was a carpenter, and when she was growing up they worked on projects together.

"I don't know exactly what I want to do after school, but this is definitely a possibility," she said. "I think I have a good shot at making it in this field."

The women on the NAWIC panel are in "construction-adjacent" careers. Lynsey Ross works in sales for a painting company. Lynn Novo runs a business that recruits talent for architectural, construction and engineering firms. Erin Borek is a lawyer who focuses on construction litigation cases.

Here is some advice they shared:

 Ross, a commercial account manager for CertaPro Painters Western New York, said there is strength in numbers for women in construction.

"The more and more we're there, the more and more that means it's not a male-dominated industry, anymore," she said. "Don't let the fact that it is male dominated, currently, deter you from being in this, because the more women that are there, the more equal it becomes."

Ross told the students it is important to have a "tough skin" in construction. "Not just because it's a male-dominated industry  just in general, construction's tough," she said.

But she reminded the students that opportunities abound in the industry, and not just on a construction site.

"You don't have to build something in order to get into this industry and do something you like and are passionate about," Ross said. "There are so many facets here."

 Novo, president and principal recruiter for Nordstrom Williams, said when she recruits to fill job openings, she has always been interested in advocating for women.

"I think women bring a unique skill set to the construction industry, and I think, sometimes, our business owners and senior management and (human resources) people have pre-defined sense of what a senior level person might look like," Novo said. "So I try to break those barriers and introduce people to good opportunities where they will thrive."

Novo said it is important to make a good impression in a job at any capacity.

"Even when we are trying out or just taking a job, if we are always being our best self and doing an excellent job, that will get recognized, and that will open doors for us," she said.

Novo said a four-year degree can be critical to advancing to certain management positions at large construction companies and engineering firms. She said she has seen some project managers with 10 or 20 years of industry experience unable to get those promotions for a lack of that degree.

 Borek, a partner at Phillips Lytle, said students shouldn't lock themselves into a career early on, until they determine whether it is truly a good fit for them. Borek initially thought she wanted to be a teacher, before shifting into law, eventually specializing in construction litigation.

Construction was a new industry to her, before she started taking on cases at Phillips Lytle.

"I got to see everything that goes into building a building or paving a highway," she said. "It's just incredible, and it's a really cool industry."

Borek urged the students to feel confident in their decision-making and to trust their "inner voice."

"That inner voice is smart and capable and competent, and follow it," she said.

Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up:

Welcome to Buffalo Next. The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy  from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com.

THE LATEST

A Hamburg manufacturer plans to expand.

A developer revised a controversial Hamburg housing project to include commercial space.

A coffee shop  and possibly apartments  could be coming to a busy Amherst intersection.

The search for a new president at SUNY Niagara is down to four finalists.

A potential buyer for the McKinley Mall isn't interested anymore.

Five Star Bank wants a receiver appointed in fraud case.

The UB medical school added a top expert in health inequality.

A Buffalo affordable housing project could be changing hands.

Villa Maria College is getting a big donation for a library project.

Explore & More is adding a Broadway Market exhibit.

ECMC is getting new emergency generators, thanks to a federal grant.

Buffalo is among 25 cities in line for grants to help deal with climate change.

Bills, Legends hope Stadium Experience Center provides 'complete story' of new stadium.

Five Star Bank accused a Rochester-area restaurant owner of an $18.9M fraud.

The Buffalo Niagara unemployment rate jumped to 4.7% in January.

Inclusion goals for construction of the new Buffalo Bills stadium are closer to being reached, but still short.

Highmark will cut 15 jobs in Western New York as part of a larger companywide reduction.

A proposed South Buffalo scrapyard cleared a critical environmental hurdle.

How does University at Buffalo aim to build on the AI boom?

With financing tight, Buffalo Niagara developers are struggling to raise the funding they need for some projects.

Why some Buffalo Sabres season ticket holders are being barred from renewing.

ICYMI

Five reads from Buffalo Next:

1. Why the Buffalo Black Billion has struggled to gain traction.

2. Why shoppers prefer power centers over the mall.

3. The office market still is changing, four years after Covid-19.

4. What could the future hold for the site of Erie Community College's South Campus?

5. Western, upstate NY tech hub bid aims for $54 million in federal funds. The joint bid expects to find out this summer if it wins funding in the Commerce Department competition.

The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435.
Manish M. Suvarna is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol. He writes on the Indian money markets, RBI, Banks and NBFCs. He tweets at @manishsuvarna15. Contact: Manish.Suvarna@nw18.com
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There are signs that plans for the massive Amazon warehouse in the Town of Niagara are starting to move forward.

Last Augusts purchase by Amazon of 217 acres of vacant land in the Town of Niagara was the first  but so far only  sign that the long-awaited $550 million regional distribution center project was finally moving forward.

Now, the venture to construct the 3.1-million-square-foot facility appears to be taking another concrete step toward the start of construction.

A Syracuse-based concrete supplier is seeking approval from the town to place a portable ready-mix batch plant on an adjacent property on Haseley Drive that is owned by another concrete contractor, Ventry Concrete.

The application to the town Planning Board from Riccelli-Northern does not name Amazon. But it says its proposed new plant will supply Redi-Mix concrete via concrete trucks for the construction of the adjacent warehouse project, which will be constructed on the other side of Haseley.

Haseley Drive wraps around the western and southern borders of the property that Amazon acquired.

The concrete facility is the first sign in months that Amazon is prepared to move forward with the Town of Niagara project. The company in recent years has delayed or canceled multiple projects as it has slowed its plans to expand its warehouse and distribution network.

A last-mile station in Hamburg, which took 11 months to build, sat empty for 18 months after it was completed before the retailer moved in last fall. The company said the Hamburg warehouse employed 205 people at the end of last year, nearly three times more jobs than it had promised to create.

Amazon also has a delivery station at 800 Riverwalk Parkway in Tonawanda that opened in 2020 and a sortation and returns center at 4201 Walden Ave. in Lancaster that opened in 2017.

The proposed Town of Niagara facility would be many times bigger than all of its other local facilities combined. It is expected to employ more than 1,000 workers when  and if  it opens.

The application said trucks will take Haseley Drive from the concrete facility and travel south to a private access road to access the construction site. Meanwhile, trucks bringing in aggregate, cement and sand will come onto Haseley from Packard Road to the north. The application for the concrete facility will be taken up by the town Planning Board on April 2 and the Town Board on April 16, but will first be reviewed by the county Planning Board.

Amazon and its developer, Atlanta-based JB2 Partners, plan to construct a concrete-and-steel warehouse and distribution facility on part of the northern 111 acres of the vast site, which has been designated as shovel-ready since 2012.

Located on the south side of Lockport and Packard roads, its also bounded by Haseley and Tuscarora Road, as well as the Niagara Falls International Airport and Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station to the east and south.

Amazon and JB2 received $123 million in tax breaks from the Niagara County Industrial Development Agency for the project.

The planned Amazon.com Services operation would function as a first-mile fulfillment center to receive bulk shipments of products from vendors, suppliers and sellers, and then package them for the first leg of delivery. The proposed five-story building would consist of a 650,000-square-foot ground level and four additional floors of 606,750 square feet each.

The facility also would include 55 loading docks, while the exterior parking area along the west, south and east sides of the building would include 469 parking spaces for trailers, 1,755 spaces for cars and 16 for motorcycles.

In all, thats a lot of concrete that needs to be produced and delivered over the 18 to 24 months of construction  which is where Riccelli-Northern comes in.

According to the application, the proposed portable concrete batch plant would include a portable office, material bins, a generator and portable bathrooms, as well as a cement storage tank. It will be placed on new concrete pads on a small part of the 6.1-acre site on Haseley, using existing stone surfaces. A new water line will be run from Haseley into the plant for use in production.

A consultant also prepared a spill prevention, control and countermeasure plan for the project, as the facility will use or store diesel fuel for fueling and operating equipment, and will have about 1,435 gallons of potential oil storage capacity in above-ground storage tanks, 90-gallon drums and smaller containers.
The ex-wife of Peter Gerace Jr. testified Tuesday that she twice gave onetime Drug Enforcement Administration agent Joseph Bongiovanni envelopes thick with cash at Pharaohs Gentlemens Club in Cheektowaga.

Katrina Nigro said she did not know how much cash was in the envelopes she was instructed to give to Bongiovanni. She also said she saw Gerace give Bongiovanni a 50th birthday card containing $5,000 in cash.

Nigro, 41, called the birthday present over the top.

I never got a gift like that, she said.

The evidence will show that those were rewards for a job well done, Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Tripi told jurors earlier in Bongiovannis bribery and corruption trial.

Nigros testimony, on the 18th day of testimony in the trial, is considered key because she is the only government witness, so far, who has acknowledged giving Bongiovanni money directly.

Earlier in the trial, Louis Selva and Ronald Serio testified about negotiating and funding a scheme they said paid Bongiovanni $4,000 a month to protect the Serio drug-trafficking organization, but neither of them directly put money in Bongiovannis hands. The man who allegedly did that, the now-imprisoned Michael Masecchia, is not expected to testify.

Nigros testimony is the latest development in the governments case against Bongiovanni, a retired DEA agent facing charges he accepted at least $250,000 in bribes from the Serio drug-trafficking organization to protect drug dealers whom he allegedly thought were associated with Italian organized crime and to shield them from arrest, as well as provide them with information about investigations and cooperating sources.

If convicted, the bribery, conspiracy and obstruction of justice counts could put the 59-year-old Bongiovanni in prison for life. Many of the charges are related to how he allegedly protected the Serio drug-trafficking organization, and other counts involve Gerace, the owner of Pharaohs near the airport, who himself is expected to face trial later this year on charges that include bribery, drug trafficking and sex trafficking.

Bongiovannis lawyers have sought to discredit Nigros testimony.

Youre not gonna hear anything about Joe Bongiovanni being caught on a wire, a tape, a camera accepting bribes, defense attorney Parker MacKay told jurors earlier in the trial. Theres not going to be an exchange of marked funds like you see on TV, or even that he admitted to taking any bribes.

The accounts about these supposed bribes come from an ex-wife so wrapped up in her hatred of Peter that she embraces fully the publicity she gets from this case, MacKay said. And the stories she tells are so fanciful, they dont just strain credibility, they tear it apart.

Tripi has said Nigro was intimately placed in that club.

She knows who got brought upstairs to have sex with dancers, Tripi said. She knows how many overdoses there were. She knows Geraces cocaine distribution and who was involved.

And one thing that shell also know is that this defendant would come for his envelopes of cash every so often, he would come to a side door and enter where there were no cameras, and she would provide the envelopes of cash to the defendant, Tripi told jurors earlier in the trial. And then shell tell you about another time when she and Peter Gerace were at the defendants birthday party at a restaurant on Hertel Avenue, and Geraces gift to the defendant was a card stuffed with cash.

On the stand Tuesday, she talked about how drugs flowed in the strip club during her time there between 2014 and 2018.

The drug use was almost everywhere inside the club, Nigro said.

Nigro said she sometimes would have to wipe the noses of dancers who were on stage, because traces of cocaine would show up under the black lights without them realizing it.

At first, she operated an adult store inside Pharaohs. Nigro eventually became an office manager at Pharaohs and married Gerace.

She previously told The Buffalo News she had a ringside seat to Buffalo Mafia activities during her four years as Geraces wife. They divorced in 2018.

The News has previously reported Nigro has served as a witness for federal law enforcement authorities investigating suspected organized crime activities involving her ex-husband and others, but Tripi on Tuesday did not focus on Italian organized crime as he questioned her.

Tripi asked her about the Outlaws Motorcycle Club members at Pharaohs.

The clubs members were at Pharaohs every Wednesday, she said.

It was like their church day, she said.

John Ermin, who prosecutors have described as a national leader of the Outlaws, was still just a cleaner when she was working at the strip club, she said. He did not become a manager there until after she no longer worked at Pharaohs.

Nigro testified that Gerace supplied dancers and others with cocaine and Lortabs.

She also described what she called a Peter favor, which could include Gerace setting up a friend with a dancer and being allowed to use the private upstairs area at Pharaohs not otherwise accessible to patrons.

She said Gerace was involved in prostitution at the club, setting up friends and patrons with dancers, either to go upstairs to the private area or to engage in sexual activity in the first-floor VIP room after the customers tipped the bouncers to overlook what was going on.

Pharaohs was searched by federal agents in December 2019 several weeks after Bongiovannis arrest.

Call Peter first

Nigro also testified about what she called an unwritten rule at Pharaohs: Whenever a dancer or customer overdosed on drugs, employees were instructed to first call Gerace  not 911.

Employees were not to call police or for an ambulance because its a strike against the liquor license, Nigro said.

She recalled two heroin overdoses in 2015.

I had to use Narcan, she said.

Douglas Augustyniak, 52, worked at Pharaohs for about 10 years until 2018, first working security and eventually as a part-time manager, usually working nights.

He said he rarely encountered Gerace at the club. He said he threw customers out of the club if he caught them with drugs, and did the same with dancers.

He also testified he never saw Gerace use drugs, but added it was his understanding Gerace allowed drug use among his friends at the club.

Augustyniak said he sometimes spotted Gerace heading upstairs to the private area.

He would go drink with his buddies, partying with girls, Augustyniak said.

In 2015, Augustyniak called Gerace when a dancer was apparently overdosing on drugs, unable to speak but just moaning.

He told me to get her out of the club, Augustyniak testified Monday.

Augustyniak said the clubs policy was nobody should call 911 without permission.

Gerace did not tell him to call 911, but Augustyniak did so anyway, he testified.

Federal prosecutors seek to use his account of that incident to bolster one of the charges against Bongiovanni: conspiracy to defraud the United States.

One of the overt acts listed in the indictment against Bongiovanni is his alleged response to a telephone call from Gerace after a stripper overdosed on drugs at Pharaohs.

Prosecutors say Bongiovanni advised Gerace to get her out of the gentlemens club.

A DEA agent who is expected to testify this week said Bongiovanni recounted to him that he gave Gerace that advice, prosecutors say.
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Amitabh Tiwari Is a former corporate and investment banker-turned political strategist and commentator. Twitter: @politicalbaaba. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication
Sayantan Ghosh teaches journalism at St. Xavier's College (autonomous), Kolkata and a columnist. He tweets at @sayantan_gh. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.
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Erie County expects to end the 2023 budget year with healthy surplus, but not the kind of eye-popping sums that marked prior year-end budgets following the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when federal stimulus money flooded local government coffers.

Deputy Budget Director Mark Cornell said the Finance Department is a couple of weeks away from finalizing a surplus figure, but he expects it to fall within the $30 million to $35 million range, with $33 million being the rough estimate at the moment.

Any changes we have at this point are going to be of the nickel-and-dime variety, he said.

The amount of year-end surplus the county ends with matters because much of that money is often put toward discretionary, headline-making spending projects. It also typically sparks political jockeying among the county executive and Democratic and Republican legislators, who all want some control over how that money gets divvied up.

During ordinary years, especially before the Covid-19 pandemic, a $33 million surplus would be considered a lot.

In the past, million-dollar surpluses in the single or lower double digits were more common. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, the surplus fell to only $1.1 million, but was eventually shored up by the belated release of owed state grant money. Since then, county legislators have been conditioned to anticipate much greater surpluses.

Erie County to allocate at least $72 million out of $96 million year-end surplus The bones of a deal is in place to allocate at least $72 million of it to new county priorities and programs this year, ranging from new weapons detectors at the Central Library to millions in construction aid to SUNY Erie Community College.

The fact that tens of millions of dollars in surplus have been generated every year since Covid-19 struck has led Republican legislators to argue that residents are overtaxed. They have pushed for tax cuts and reductions in county borrowing. Meanwhile, Democratic legislators have expressed a desire to give more money to nonprofit agencies, cultural organizations, city-focused initiatives and district-level needs and programs.

Earlier this month, Legislature Republicans said they wouldnt approve a plan to borrow $56 million for major county construction projects until they have a better sense of what the year-end surplus is and whether more cash can be spent to reduce the borrowing. In return, County Executive Mark Poloncarz started a PR campaign denouncing the Republican minority caucus for obstructionist actions.

Politics at work

It is a predictable routine.

When the county ended 2021 with a record-breaking surplus of $174.5 million, legislators spent weeks wrangling over how to spend the money.

Institutions to share in millions from $174.5M Erie County surplus windfall After a flurry of last-minute negotiations Thursday, millions of dollars will flow to cultural institutions, as well as nonprofit community groups, youth organizations, veterans posts and other groups with one-time construction and renovation needs.

Ultimately, Poloncarz announced a new program to provide grants to smaller cultural organizations for construction and renovation projects. The County Legislature also allocated millions to support things such as the zoo and the science museum, and gave themselves an additional $8 million for their own handouts in their districts.

Last year, another flurry of negotiations ensued when it became clear that the 2022 budget year would end with a $96.4 million surplus.

Ultimately, Poloncarz used much of that money for a variety of projects, including the launch of a new county ambulance service. After further negotiations with the Republican caucus, he agreed to put down more cash toward the Bills stadium, instead of borrowing, and pay more for other planned construction projects in cash.

Both Democratic and Republican legislators also got more than $1 million to split as pork barrel grants to hand out in their own districts.

But the countys annual surplus since 2021 has shown a steep downward decline. Cornell noted that the 2023 surplus is less than 2% of the overall county budget, and only one third of the surplus received in 2022.

Downward trendline

A Buffalo News chart of county surplus money since 2017 shows a mountain-like arc, with a record-breaking peak in surplus in 2021, when far more money flooded into the county than could be allocated and spent, thanks largely to federal aid and some unanticipated sales tax growth.

We anticipate things are going to return to that sense of normalcy, Cornell said, regarding the lower surplus for 2023 and future budget surpluses.

Sales tax revenue for the 2023 budget, which was originally projected to grow by 1%, actually grew by more than 5%  $30 million  over what was budgeted, according to county budget office figures.

Income from bank interest also came in much higher than was projected because the county is sitting on huge sums of cash earmarked for American Rescue Plan projects and the new Bills stadium.

While that greatly contributed to the year-end surplus, the budgeted sales tax growth for 2024 is higher than for 2023. Based on a reduction in sales tax revenue received through the second half of last year, Cornell said, county consumers would need to spend 4% more money than last year in order to meet current revenue budget goals.

Cash from interest income is also expected to fall significantly as earmarked money for big projects gets spent this year and next.
Mayors and leaders from around New York State met in Buffalo on Tuesday to call on the governor and state lawmakers to increase funding for municipalities in the states 2025 budget.

It would be the first increase in Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) since 2012, and the extra money is much-needed, said Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown.

The funds are used to balance our budgets and cover the costs of police, fire, public works and many other essential services in our communities all across the state of New York, Brown said. This isnt for pet projects. This is for the essential needs of our communities all across the state.

Brown was joined by members of the states Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NYCOM) Tuesday. The group has been conducting media tours, urging Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature to increase AIM funding to cities, towns and villages from its current $715 million level.

Imagine not having a raise for 12 years, said Albany Mayor Katherine M. Sheehan, NYCOM president. We send tax dollars in the form of payroll taxes to the state every year. Members of our communities, hardworking people send their tax dollars to Albany, the state Capitol, and AIM is supposed to provide some of that funding back to our municipalities so that we can lessen the burden of regressive taxes like property taxes and sales tax.

We cannot continue to balance our budgets by raising property taxes and by depending on sales tax. This is a wrong that must be righted, Sheehan said.

Additional AIM funding has been proposed by State Sen. Tim Kennedy, and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes is pushing for the same in the Assembly.

But every year, its proposed and every year it doesnt make it to the final budget, Brown and Sheehan pointed out.

AIM is Buffalos No. 1 revenue source, and it has been set at $161 million annually since 2012, but expenses continue to increase, the citys finance commissioner, Delano Dowell, has said.

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Last month Brown participated in a joint legislative budget hearing in Albany with mayors of the other Big Five cities outside of New York City  Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers and Albany  who requested more aid from state lawmakers to address issues ranging from affordable housing to reducing gun violence.

Brown cited the negative impact of Covid-19 on the citys economy, and climate change, he said, has created an entirely new reality of what Buffalo winters look like.

Other leaders who attended Tuesdays news conference in the Mayors Office in Buffalo City Hall included Town of Tonawanda Supervisor Joseph H. Emminger; West Seneca Town Supervisor Gary A. Dickson; Village of Akron Mayor Brian T. Perry and Deputy Mayor Peter Forrestel; Elma Town Supervisor Wayne A. Clark and Town Councilman Lee Kupczyk; Sloan Village Trustee Suzanne Tofthagen; Blasdell Village Administrator Janet Plarr; Kenmore Village Mayor Patrick Mang; Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Brian Nowak; Hamburg Village Mayor Thomas P. Tallman; Boston Town Supervisor Jason Keding; and Town of Amherst Legislative Liaison Dennis Powers.
The Bombay High Court (HC), on Tuesday, sentenced Mumbai's former encounter specialist police officer Pradeep Sharma to life imprisonment in the case of the fake encounter killing of Lakhan Bhaiya in 2006. The HC also upheld life imprisonment awarded to 13 others, including 12 police personnel, in the case.

According to a report from LiveLaw , the division bench of justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice Gauri Godse asked Mr Sharma to surrender within three weeks.

"All the circumstances led by the prosecution, right from the formation of the police squad, wrongful confinement, criminal abduction and fake encounter, has been proved."

However, the HC lamented the 'gruesome' death of sole eye witness Anil Bheda days before his deposition in 2011, calling it a 'shame' and a 'travesty of justice' that the prime witness lost his life, but no one is booked to date. It hoped that Mr Bheda's perpetrators would be prosecuted.

On 11 November 2006, the team of Mr Sharma allegedly abducted and later killed Vashi resident and gangster Ramnarayan Gupta alias Lakhan Bhaiya in a staged police shooting at Versova.

Regarding Mr Sharma, the sole accused to be acquitted by the trial court, the division bench says all circumstances were overlooked by the trial judge and the finding of acquittal 'perverse' and 'unsustainable' by ignoring and excluding relevant material. "The circumstances point towards the guilt of Pradeep Sharma," the court says.

The special investigation team (SIT) alleged the encounter was led by Mr Sharma, who conspired with Lakhan Bhaiya's disgruntled business partner to bump him off.

However, in July 2013, Mr Sharma was acquitted, while three other policemen -- inspector Pradeep Suryawanshi, inspector Dilip Palande, and constable Tanaji Desai -- were convicted of murder.

Earlier in 2021, Mr Sharma, a controversial former senior police inspector and later a politician from Shiv Sena, was detained by the national investigation agency (NIA) in connection with the cases of SUV planting near Antilia, home of industrialist Mukesh Ambani and murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran.
NEW YORK (AP)  Byron Janis, a renowned American concert pianist and composer who broke barriers as a Cold War era culture ambassador and later overcame severe arthritis that nearly robbed him of his playing abilities, has died. He was 95.

Janis passed away Thursday evening at a hospital in New York City, according to his wife, Maria Cooper Janis. In a statement, she described her husband as an exceptional human being who took his talents to their highest pinnacle.

A childhood prodigy who studied under Vladimir Horowitz, Janis emerged in the late 1940s as one of the most celebrated virtuosos of a new generation of talented American pianists.

In 1960, he was selected as the first musician to tour the then-Soviet Union as part of a cultural exchange program organized by the U.S. State Department. His recitals of Chopin and Mozart awed Russian audiences and were described by the New York Times as helping to break "the musical iron curtain.

Seven years later, while visiting a friend in France, Janis discovered a pair of long-lost Chopin scores in a trunk of old clothing. He performed the waltzes frequently over the ensuing years, eventually releasing a widely hailed compilation featuring those performances.

But his storied career, which spanned more than eight decades, was also marked by physical adversity, including a freak childhood accident that left his left pinky permanently numb and convinced doctors he would never play again.

He suffered an even greater setback as an adult. At age 45, he was diagnosed with a severe form of psoriatic arthritis in his hands and wrists. Janis kept the condition secret for over a decade, often playing through excruciating pain.

It was a life-and-death struggle for me every day for years, Janis later told the Chicago Tribune. At every point, I thought of not being able to continue performing, and it terrified me. Music, after all, was my life, my world, my passion.

He revealed his diagnosis publicly in 1985 following a performance at the Reagan White House, where he was announced as a spokesperson for the Arthritis Foundation.

The condition required multiple surgeries and temporarily slowed his career. However, he was able to resume performing after making adjustments to his playing technique that eased pressure on his swollen fingers.

Janis remained active in his later years, composing scores for television shows and musicals, while putting out a series of unreleased live performances. His wife, Cooper Janis, said her husband continued to create music until his final days.

In spite of adverse physical challenges throughout his career, he overcame them and it did not diminish his artistry, she added. Music is Byrons soul, not a ticket to stardom and his passion for and love of creating music, informed every day of his life of 95 years.
Recently it was announced that the U.S. is placing new sanctions on Russia for their invasion of Ukraine and the murder of Alexei Navalny. What has been the holdup? Why are we waiting until Navalny's murder to pull some more punishment against Vladimir Putins Russia out of the toolbox? Ukraine appears to be losing this war to defend their country and thousands are being killed and their countrys infrastructure is being destroyed and what are we doing  saving sanctions for later! It will be too late if Ukraine collapses and Putin picks his next target, this time from the ranks of NATO. The entire democratic world should throw everything theyve got at Putin and the Russian economy right now.

Then there is the treasonous Republican Party that blindly follows orders from Putins stooge, rather than protect the security of the United States and the world. Theyve learned nothing from history, and they dont care. The shame and the stink of losing Ukraine to a vicious dictator seeking domination over his European neighbors will haunt America for as long as human memory preserves it.

Franklin Roosevelt didnt wait for Congress to act when Britain was the last country standing between Hitler and us. President Biden should be bold and act now. Send weapons, including long range missiles and ammunition and dare Congress not to replace them. Address the American people in a special broadcast about Ukraine and explain that the Ukrainians are fighting and dying instead of us to stop a dictator from taking over other countries just because he wants to feed his sick ego.

Nothing good will come of Russia defeating Ukraine and we can barely imagine all the bad that will result from our abdication of world leadership.

Robert McLennan

Getzville
FILE PHOTO: Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021.
Reporter

Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post.
News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

Nestled amidst the enchanting vistas of Gwanda District in Matabeleland South Province, Zimbabwe, Lungisani Twominutes Ncube emerges as a luminary figure, embodying the essence of community stewardship and generosity. With unwavering commitment, Ncube has harnessed his success as a mining mogul to catalyze transformative change in the Gwanda North Constituency, leaving an indelible imprint of progress and hope.In a testament to his devotion to communal upliftment, Ncube has allocated substantial resources towards an array of Social Corporate Responsibility initiatives. His philanthropic portfolio boasts investments that exceed mere monetary value, breathing life into the aspirations of countless individuals within the region.From the inception of borehole drilling initiatives to the establishment of irrigation systems, Ncube's contributions have been nothing short of monumental. The provision of essential infrastructure, including irrigation pumps, JoJo tanks equipped with 40mm pipes, and earth-moving machinery for dam construction, underscores his unwavering dedication to bolstering agricultural resilience. To date, Ncube's investments in the Makwe area alone have surpassed $35,000, underscoring his steadfast commitment to community development.Moreover, Ncube's philanthropic footprint extends far beyond infrastructure enhancement, encompassing initiatives aimed at fostering economic empowerment and self-sustainability. Through the donation of 18 hammer mills valued at $27,000, he has empowered local communities to engage in income-generating activities, thereby fortifying the socio-economic fabric of the region.Notably, Ncube's benevolent endeavors have transcended geographical boundaries, reaching villages spanning from Sibula to Mudisprute. By channeling resources towards initiatives such as school revitalization projects, provision of medical equipment for clinics, and facilitation of training programs in agricultural management, Ncube has sown the seeds of progress and prosperity across the Gwanda North Constituency.In reflecting on his philanthropic journey, Ncube humbly acknowledges the integral role played by the community in shaping his success. Driven by a profound sense of gratitude, he remains resolute in his commitment to reciprocating the support he has received. With humility and unwavering resolve, Ncube embodies the epitome of community-centric leadership, inspiring admiration and reverence among all who have been touched by his altruism.As Lungisani Twominutes Ncube aptly articulates, "I am committed to the development of my community and will continue to undertake projects that will improve the lives of the people in the Gwanda North Constituency. I firmly believe that by investing in the well-being of the community, we can cultivate a future defined by sustainable prosperity and collective flourishing."In Lungisani Ncube, Gwanda North has found not only a benefactor but a visionary leader whose legacy will endure as a beacon of hope for generations to come.
FILE PHOTO: Protesters hold Palestinian flags during a rally to call for a ceasefire, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 9, 2024.
FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally on March 2 in Richmond, Virginia, U.S. March 2, 2024.
News / National

by George Tshuma

A fierce clash is on the horizon in Nelson Chamisas Blue Movement, pitting Jameson Timba and Amos Chibaya, as the fight for the control of the yet to be launched party erupts.This time, Timba and Chibaya are at odds over critical aspects of the envisaged party's organizational structure, in particular with regards as to the criteria to be used in the selection of cluster leaders.This comes in the backdrop of Chibaya alongside Prince Dubeko Sibanda and Gift Ostalos Siziba, having confided in their respected trusted lieutenants of their ambitions to deputise Chamisa.Chibaya feels he is the best man for the job.A source close to the goings-on who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said, while Timba was for the democratic route in the selection of cluster leaders, Chibaya favours a system of appointment, wherein leaders are handpicked rather than elected."Timba and Chibaya are embroiled in a heated dispute regarding the selection of cluster leaders and other key positions within Chamisa's prospective party, said the source.He added: "Timba insists on transparency and inclusivity in the leadership selection process, believing that democracy should be upheld at every level of the new party structure," the source revealed."Chibaya's stance leans towards a more centralized approach, where individuals close to Chamisa would be favoured for key positions, thus consolidating control within the inner circle."The discord among Chamisa's close associates has drawn criticism from political commentator, Terrence Chipwanya, who highlighted the irony of internal strife emerging before Chamisa's political trajectory is clearly delineated."It's concerning to witness infighting among Chamisa's lieutenants over positions, especially when Chamisa has yet to articulate his next steps in his political journey. This internal conflict risks undermining the credibility and cohesion of Chamisa's nascent political movement," Chipwanya remarked.Chipwanya further cautioned that the ongoing disputes could impede the progress of Chamisa's envisioned party, potentially leading to its still-birth."A movement vying to position itself as the next political alternative in the country cannot afford to be marred by internal squabbles. Unity and clarity of purpose are essential for any political entity seeking to gain traction and legitimacy among the electorate," he asserted.As speculation mounts and tensions simmer within Chamisa's camp, the future trajectory of Zimbabwean opposition politics remains uncertain. The resolution of internal discord and the articulation of a cohesive vision will undoubtedly shape the prospects of Chamisa's new political endeavour in the days to come.
Gambia lawmakers refer a repeal of the ban on female genital cutting to more committee discussions

Gambia lawmakers refer a repeal of the ban on female genital cutting to more committee discussions View Photo

SERREKUNDA, Gambia (AP)  Lawmakers in Gambia referred an attempted repeal of the 2015 ban on female genital cutting for further committee discussions on Monday.

Gambian activists fear a repeal would overturn years of work to better protect girls and women. The legislation was referred to a national committee for further debate and could return to a vote in the weeks and months ahead.

Activists in the largely Muslim country had warned that lifting the ban would hurt years of work against a procedure often performed on girls younger than 5 in the mistaken belief that it would control their sexuality.

The procedure, which also has been called female genital mutilation, includes the partial or full removal of external genitalia, often by traditional community practitioners with tools such as razor blades or at times by health workers. It can cause serious bleeding, death and childbirth complications but remains a widespread practice in parts of Africa.

Jaha Dukureh, the founder of Safe Hands for Girls, a local group that aims to end the practice, told The Associated Press she worried that other laws safeguarding womens rights could be repealed next. Dukureh underwent the procedure and watched her sister bleed to death.

If they succeed with this repeal, we know that they might come after the child marriage law and even the domestic violence law. This is not about religion but the cycle of controlling women and their bodies, she said. The United Nations has estimated that more than half of women and girls ages 15 to 49 in Gambia have undergone the procedure.

The bill is backed by religious conservatives in the nation of less than 3 million people. Its text says that it seeks to uphold religious purity and safeguard cultural norms and values. The countrys top Islamic body has called the practice one of the virtues of Islam.

Gambias former leader, Yahya Jammeh, banned the practice in 2015 in a surprise to activists and with no public explanation. Since the law took effect, enforcement has been weak, with only two cases prosecuted.

On Monday, a crowd of men and women gathered outside Gambias parliament, some carrying signs protesting the bill. Police in riot gear held them back.

Gambias parliament of 58 lawmakers includes five women. If the bill eventually passes through parliament, President Adama Barrow is expected to sign it into law. He has not spoken publicly about the legislation.

The United States has supported activists who are trying to stop the practice. Earlier this month, it honored Gambian activist Fatou Baldeh at the White House with an International Women of Courage Award.

The U.S. Embassy in Gambia declined to say whether any high-level U.S. official in Washington had reached out to Gambian leaders over the bill. In its emailed statement, Geeta Rao Gupta, the top U.S. envoy for global womens issues, called it incredibly important to listen to the voices of survivors like Baldeh.

The chairperson of the local Center for Womens Rights and Leadership, Fatou Jagne Senghore said the bill is aimed at curtailing womens rights and reversing the little progress made in recent years. The president of the local Female Lawyers Association, Anna Njie, said the practice has been proven to cause harm through medical evidence.

UNICEF said earlier this month that some 30 million women globally have undergone female genital cutting in the past eight years, most of them in Africa but some in Asia and the Middle East.

More than 80 countries have laws prohibiting the procedure or allowing it to be prosecuted, according to a World Bank study cited this year by a United Nations Population Fund Q&A published earlier this year. They include South Africa, Iran, India and Ethiopia.

No religious text promotes or condones female genital mutilation, the UNFPA report says, adding there is no benefit to it.

Girls are subjected to the procedure at ages ranging from infancy to adolescence. Long term, it can lead to urinary tract infections, menstrual problems, pain, decreased sexual satisfaction and childbirth complications as well as depression, low self-esteem and post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Donati reported from Dakar, Senegal.

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This story has been corrected to show that the measure has been sent for more committee discussions, not rejected.

By ABDOULIE JOHN and JESSICA DONATI

Associated Press
Blinken underscores ironclad support for the Philippines as it clashes with China in disputed sea

Blinken underscores ironclad support for the Philippines as it clashes with China in disputed sea View Photo

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored Washingtons ironclad commitment Tuesday to help defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack against its forces after clashes between Chinese and Filipino coast guards in the disputed South China Sea recently turned more hostile.

Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the United States treaty ally, met his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on Tuesday before separately meeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila.

President Joe Biden will host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a White House summit in April. The three are likely to discuss growing concerns over increasingly aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea and North Koreas nuclear program.

We stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defense commitments, including under the Mutual Defense Treaty, Blinken said in a news conference with Manalo.

We have a shared concern about the PRCs actions that threaten our common vision for a free, open Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and in the Philippines exclusive economic zone, Blinken said, using the abbreviation for the Peoples Republic of China. He cited repeated violations of international law and the rights of the Philippines: water cannons, blocking maneuvers, close shadowing other dangerous operations.

The Chinese coast guard blocked and used water cannons against Philippine vessels in a confrontation two weeks ago that slightly injured a Filipino admiral and four of his sailors near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal. The March 5 faceoff in the high seas also caused two minor collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels and prompted Manilas Department of Foreign Affairs to summon Chinas deputy ambassador to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guards actions, which the Philippines said were unacceptable.

The Chinese coast guard said then that it took control measures in accordance with the law against Philippine ships that illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Renai Reef, the name Beijing uses for Second Thomas Shoal.

The Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent but surrounded by Chinese coast guard ships and other allied vessels, was the site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships in the past year. But Filipino officials said the confrontation earlier this month was particularly serious because of the injuries sustained by its navy personnel and damage to their vessel.

Blinken renewed a warning Tuesday that the U.S. is obligated under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under an armed attack anywhere in the South China Sea.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected Blinkens comments on Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.

The U.S. is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to intervene in maritime issues between China and the Philippines, Lin said. China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Both Blinken and Manalo described their countries treaty alliance as being on hyper-drive, but acknowledged that more could be done. They said efforts to shore up defense ties were not aimed against any country.

Beijing has repeatedly said that Marcos decision to allow the expansion of American military presence in the Philippines under a 2014 defense pact could undermine the security of China and the region.

U.S. and Philippine forces plan to hold their largest annual combat exercises in April in the Philippines. The area would include a northern region just a sea away from Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

We reaffirmed our shared view that a strong and capable Philippines would make a formidable ally for the United States, Manalo said.

Blinken said that the alliance has never been stronger, but we not only have to sustain that, we have to continue to accelerate the momentum.

Outside the presidential palace in Manila, dozens of left-wing activists tore a mock U.S. flag in a noisy rally Tuesday to oppose Blinkens visit and Washingtons involvement in the long-simmering territorial disputes.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, a key global trade route.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea. In the past decade, China has turned barren reefs into seven islands that now serve as missile-protected island bases  including three with runways  that have bolstered its capability to fortify its territorial claims and patrols.

In response, Washington has been strengthening an arc of military alliances and security ties in the Indo-Pacific, including with the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries at odds with China in the disputed sea.

After China effectively seized another disputed atoll  the Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines  in 2012, Manila brought its disputes with Beijing to international arbitration and largely won. China, however, rejected the 2016 ruling of the United Nations-backed tribunal that invalidated its expansive claims on historical grounds, and continues to defy the decision.

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Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila, the Philippines, and Christopher Bodeen in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.

BY JIM GOMEZ

Associated Press
Russia says it will evacuate 9,000 children from a border region being targeted by Ukraine

Russia says it will evacuate 9,000 children from a border region being targeted by Ukraine View Photo

Russia plans to evacuate about 9,000 children from a border region because it is being shelled continuously by Ukraine, an official said Tuesday, reflecting Kyivs increasing focus on striking targets behind a front line that has barely shifted in recent months.

The children will be moved from the Belgorod region farther east, away from the Ukraine border, said the regions governor, Vyacheslev Gladkov.

The announcement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin wants to create a buffer zone to help protect border regions from long-range Ukrainian strikes and cross-border raids more than two years into the war.

Ukraine has increasingly used its long-range firepower to hit oil refineries and depots deep inside Russia and has sought to unsettle the Russian border regions, putting political pressure on Putin.

In addition, Ukraine-based Russian opponents of Putin and the Kremlin have launched cross-border raids. Putin discussed the cross-border incursions during a meeting Tuesday with top officials of the Federal Security Service, the FSB.

Civilian areas of Belgorod have been battered in the fighting. According to Gladkov, 16 people died and 98 were injured over the last week alone. On Saturday, he ordered the closure of shopping malls through Monday and schools through Tuesday because of the security situation.

The planned evacuation of children is one of the biggest publicly announced in the Belgorod region since the war began in February 2022. About 1,000 people, including children and their families, were evacuated to other Russian regions last June, and there have been other sporadic reports of evacuations over the past year.

It was unclear whether adults would be accompanying the children under the latest evacuation order. If so, the total number of evacuees could be much higher.

Roughly 600 people were in temporary accommodation Monday after being evacuated from their homes, Gladkov said.

Three people were wounded Tuesday in an aerial attack from Ukraine on the Belgorod region, Gladkov said, including a 14-year-old who had part of a limb amputated. His mother was also seriously hurt in the attack, he said.

The previous day, four members of the same family died in an attack on the Belgorod village of Nikolskoe, according to Gladkov. A grandmother, mother, her partner and 17-year-old son were killed after a missile struck their house, he said.

It has not been possible to independently verify either sides battlefield claims.

Ukraine doesnt usually comment directly about strikes on Russian soil. But Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday that any military action there was the direct consequence of the illegal and unprovoked aggression of Russia against Ukraine when the Kremlins forces launched their full-scale invasion.

Two Ukrainian drones were shot down over Belgorod and another over the neighboring Voronezh region overnight, the Russian defense ministry said. It gave no details of any damage or injuries.

Meanwhile, Russia used S-300 missiles to attack the city of Selydove in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine overnight. Four people were wounded and houses and cars were damaged, the regional prosecutors office said.

On Monday, Russian attacks in the Donetsk region killed one person and wounded another, according to Vadym Filashkin, the regional governor.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraines Western partners on Tuesday to quickly supply more air defense systems and illustrated the scale of the challenge Kyivs forces face. He said so far this month, Russia has used 130 missiles of various types, more than 320 Shahed drones and nearly 900 guided air bombs to target various regions of Ukraine.

Ukraine has ramped up its defense production and plans to reach levels unseen since the country gained independence during the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, according to Zelenskyy. But it still relies heavily on Western support, which has waned in recent months.

Kuleba, the foreign minister, said European countries are expanding their military output and purchases to provide more help while additional U.S. support is stuck in Congress.

It helps us to fill the gap that has been created by the delay in the U.S. decisions, he said of the European push. It doesnt solve the problem entirely but it helps to sustain the pressure on Russia.

Meanwhile Tuesday, Adm. Alexander Moiseyev was presented as the new acting head of the Russian navy during a ceremony at a naval base in Kronstadt, in the Gulf of Finland. Russian media reported last week that the previous navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, had been fired and replaced with Moiseyev, the commander of the navys northern fleet.

Yevmenovs replacement followed a series of successful attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles on the Russian Black Sea fleet that have forced Moscow to limit its naval operations in the region.

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Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

By The Associated Press
Mexican president praises Pancho Villa for his 1916 attack on Columbus, New Mexico, that killed 18

Mexican president praises Pancho Villa for his 1916 attack on Columbus, New Mexico, that killed 18 View Photo

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos president on Tuesday praised Mexican revolutionary Francisco Pancho Villa for his 1916 attack on Columbus, New Mexico, a raid that killed 18 Americans, mostly civilians.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador called the attack daring and said we should thank Villa for it.

We should thank Villa for, among other things, the daring feat of having attacked Columbus, New Mexico, to prevent what he considered acts of treason, Lopez Obrador said.

Mexico has long honored Villa in government textbooks and monuments, but that was for his domestic role in the 1910-17 Revolution that ousted dictator Porfirio Diaz. The Columbus attack was mostly related to Villas personal disputes, not the Revolution, and previous Mexican administrations had remained mostly silent about it.

Lopez Obrador quoted his favorite historian, Pedro Salmeron, as saying the attack was a symbol of resistance against imperialism. It would not be the first time the presidents fondness for Salmeron has caused problems.

In 2022, Lopez Obrador tried to appoint Salmeron as Mexicos ambassador to Panama. But Panama refused to accept Salmeron after sexual harassment allegations against him surfaced. Obrador criticized Panama for that decision and called Salmeron a great historian.

Villas forces attacked Columbus in the early morning of March 6, 1916, looting and burning homes and businesses. Around a dozen or so Columbus residents and eight U.S. soldiers were killed before members of the U.S. 13th Cavalry Regiment drove the Villistas back across the border. Some 70 to 75 of the attackers also died.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered an 11-month military expedition into Mexico to chase down Villa, but they never managed to catch him.

Historians have long debated the reason for Villas attack. University of Houston history professor Jose Angel Hernandez said it came as Mexico was locked in a violent civil war. Villa felt betrayed by President Woodrow Wilson, who Villa believed would recognize his rebel government, Hernandez said.

Instead, Washington recognized the government of another Revolutionary leader, Venustiano Carranza. That enraged Villa, who was also reportedly angry at an arms dealer in the United States who had purportedly sold him defective ammunition.

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Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
News / National

by Staff reporter

FIVE Zimbabwean mercenaries are fighting for Ukraine, according to latest data released by the Russia Defence ministry, with one said to have since been killed on the battle field.But the figure could be more, reaching even 10, according to security sources, with three of them said to be former soldiers back home in Zimbabwe.In a statement, the ministry said since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the total number of foreign mercenaries who have arrived in Ukraine has reached 13 387.The Russian army claims it has eliminated 5 962 of them."The Russian Ministry of Defence continues to track and personally record all foreign mercenaries who have arrived in Ukraine to participate in combat action," the statement said.The ministry noted that 2 960 mercenaries arrived in Ukraine from Poland.The US was second with 1 113 "soldiers of fortune" and Georgia third with 1 042.Many other mercenaries also come from Canada, the United Kingdom, Romania, France and Germany, the ministry said.A total of 249 mercenaries from 14 countries in Africa arrived in Ukraine since the war began two years ago, with 103 having been killed.Nigeria tops the list with 97, followed by Algeria with 60 and South Africa with 35.Zimbabwe and South Africa are the only countries in southern Africa with mercenaries operating in Ukraine.Zimbabwe's Foreign Affairs ministry has yet to comment on the reports.President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who openly declared his support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is a close ally of Russian President Vlamir Putin and Harare has always sided with the Kremlin on key international issues discussed at the United Nations General Assembly.Speaking on the sidelines of the two-day Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St Petersburg last year, Mnangagwa became the second African leader to openly side with Russia."Zimbabwe is in solidarity with the Russian Federation in your country's special military operation in Ukraine," he said.In 2023, the government took delivery of a specialised presidential medical helicopter and an ambulance from Russia.Political analyst Pardon Taodzera said the participation of Zimbabwean mercenaries in Ukraine is worrying since Zimbabwe is known to be pro-Russian."The involvement of Zimbabwean mercenaries in the Ukrainian conflict is a concerning development that underscores the complex and multi-faceted nature of modern warfare. It highlights the ability of conflicts in one region to attract participants from across the globe, illustrating the interconnectedness of global security dynamics," he said."The emergence of Zimbabwean mercenaries in Ukraine raises questions about the motivations and interests driving their participation."It suggests that non-State actors, motivated by a variety of factors including financial gain and ideological beliefs, are playing an increasingly significant role in shaping the course of conflicts around the world."Russia's permanent representative to the United Nations, Yevgeny Uspensky said the global body should act on the issue of international mercenaries operating in Ukraine."The attention of [the official representative of UN secretary-general Stephane] Dujarric and the entire UN Secretariat has been drawn to statistics showing the participation of foreign mercenaries in hostilities on the side of the Kiev regime."The data was published by the Defence ministry in official UN languages  Russian and English. It will be impossible to pretend ignorance or argue that they haven't seen' it," he wrote on his Telegram channel.According to the UN, more than 14 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes at some point in the two years since Russia's invasion.The UN's International Organization for Migration recently said nearly 6,5 million people are now living outside the country as refugees.In its latest report, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said it has recorded 10 582 civilian deaths since February 2022.It had also verified that 19 875 civilians had been wounded.
Sacramento, CA  California Governor Gavin Newsom was initially planning to deliver his annual State of the State address this week, but instead, his office put out a statement noting that he is coordinating with the legislature to find a later date.

The office indicated that Newsom wants more clarity on some high-profile issues like Proposition 1, a planned overhaul of the Behavioral Health Services Act. Last week opponents conceded that it will likely pass, however, it is only down by about 19,000 votes, with 220,000 still to count. Governor Newsom has urged supporters to respond to local election offices if they were notified of a ballot issue with things like signature problems, because the race is still too close to call. The Proposition 1 opposition group has in turn withdrawn its concession.

Newsom typically uses the State of State address to tout accomplishments and preview his priorities for the next year.

Senate GOP Leader Brian Jones criticized the delay, stating, Its clear hes manipulating the timing to suit his political agenda. This blatant disrespect for the Legislature undermines trust in our government and harms all Californians.

Last year Newsom declined to deliver a formal State of the State address in front of the legislature and instead traveled the state and did a series of four speeches.
Israelis evacuated from the Lebanese border wonder if theyll ever return View Photo

KIRYAT SHMONA, Israel (AP)  For four years, Sivan Shoshani Partush recruited families for Kibbutz Malkiya, a community of around 400 that she calls her little slice of heaven. It wasnt a hard sell: spacious homes, beautiful nature, paths winding through manicured lawns, and a slower pace of life than in Israels frantic cities.

The border with Lebanon is just 200 meters (650 feet) away. Partush would pass it on her daily runs, a feature of the landscape just like the view of the snow-topped Hermon Mountain in the winter.

There was fear, but I got over it, because thats the choice I made, because someone was protecting me, said Partush. But now theres a feeling that no one is protecting us.

Among approximately 60,000 Israelis evacuated from northern Israel after months of cross-border fighting, Partush and her children are staying temporarily in another kibbutz, and she isnt sure if she wants to return to Malkiya. Nearly 91,000 people from south Lebanon have also been displaced.

Lebanons Hezbollah militant group began launching rockets towards Israel one day after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. More than 31,000 people have been killed in Israels subsequent invasion of Gaza, according to Gazas Health Ministry. There has been near-daily violence along the Lebanon-Israel border and international mediators are scrambling to prevent an all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel.

The fighting has killed eight civilians and 11 soldiers in Israel. More than 200 Hezbollah fighters and about 40 civilians have died in Lebanon.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has said the Israeli military is concentrating on Gaza, but that Israel has a simple aim in Lebanon: to push Hezbollah away from the border, either by diplomacy or force.

So far, that hasnt happened.

Israel said it has targeted 4,500 Hezbollah sites in the past five months. But Hezbollahs well-stocked and deeply entrenched militants continue to launch rockets, and Israel said the militants have attempted to or have actually crossed the border half a dozen times.

Partush is grimly resigned to the reality that it may be a year before she can return home, if she ever goes back, and she struggles to explain what would make her feel safe in the post-Oct. 7 world. The reality of living next to Lebanon has irrevocably changed, she said.

They need to create a security belt, we need to have an Israeli army presence always, and they need to strengthen the emergency squads so not even a mouse can pass through the border, she said.

Some in her kibbutz are doubtful about returning, and its hurting their tight-knit community, said Partush.

We want to go home, but on the other hand, where will we go? Its very scary, she said.

Many Israelis who evacuated from the Gaza border after the Hamas attack have returned home in recent weeks. Those from the hardest-hit kibbutzim are moving to semi-permanent housing while their homes are rebuilt.

In Sderot, the largest city near Gaza with some 30,000 residents, life is starting to return to normal. Schools reopened this month. City streets, deserted in the early days of the war, are bustling again. Stores and cafes are doing brisk business, even as the conflict continues just a few kilometers away.

Some 30,000 displaced Israelis are living in hotel rooms across the country as the war enters its sixth month, according to the Prime Ministers Office. Others have moved to rented apartments or are staying with family.

From their cramped hotel rooms, evacuees from Israels north have been watching news reports showing Sderots residents return home with mixed feelings, aware their journey is far from over.

Israelis who have grown up under the shadow of rockets from Lebanon no longer find it tolerable.

I dont want my daughters to grow up like I did, said Michal Nidam, a high school counselor from Kiryat Shmona, the largest city in Israels north, which has suffered rocket fire from Lebanon for decades. I have had anxiety since I was little. I used to sleep with my fingers in my ears, under the bed, and many times I slept with shoes and clothes on.

After the Hamas attack, Nidam and her children bounced between rented apartments for a few months and they now live in a hotel in Tiberias. Her two teenage daughters have one room, while her two youngest daughters stay with her in another crammed with clothes, snacks and their small dog.

Some families are struggling with the transitory living arrangements. Bored teenagers are tempted by drugs, alcohol and other acts of rebellion, while their parents are overwhelmed with the challenges of evacuation, Nidam said. The city of Kiryat Shmona has employed her to serve as a trusted adult presence in the lobby in the evenings, talking with the teens and making sure their parents are kept in the loop about their comings and goings.

Another challenge: Families have been broken up, Nidam said.

Nidams mother is in Jerusalem, while her 85-year-old father refuses to leave the city and  wearing army fatigues  volunteers for an emergency preparedness squad. Nidams husband and some of her brothers also remained to serve as emergency personnel. Other displaced siblings are spread across the country.

Despite the violence, the city of Kiryat Shmona says an estimated 3,000 residents stayed  either through choice or because they perform essential roles. Drivers now steer empty buses down deserted streets in the former northern economic hub. A hardware store is among a handful of shops still open.

Haim Menus, 70, a baker who was wounded in 1998 while serving as a tank driver during Israels occupation of southern Lebanon, said he will not leave and that he trusts God to protect him. His hours at the bakery have been slashed because they have so few customers, and he tries not to spend too much time outside in case a siren warns of incoming rockets.

Menus said his neighbors want to return but that fear keeps them away.

Who doesnt want to return to his family, his home, the children, schools, kindergartens? he asked, just moments after a siren wailed and he dashed inside the hardware store for shelter. But its dangerous.

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Follow APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

By MELANIE LIDMAN

Associated Press
New Hampshire charges 1st person in state with murder in the death of a fetus

OSSIPEE, N.H. (AP)  A New Hampshire man appeared in court Monday on charges that he killed a pregnant woman and her unborn child by means of multiple blunt force injuries, the first time the state has charged someone with murder in the death of a fetus.

William Kelly, 28, appeared in Carroll County Superior Court in Ossipee with his lawyer, Caroline Smith. He did not address the judge. Smith said she planned to file paperwork that Kelly was waiving his arraignment and pleading not guilty. An email seeking comment was left for Smith.

Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Mitchell Weinberg determined that Christine Falzone, 33, was about 35 to 37 weeks pregnant at the time of her death in December.

The Legislature passed a bill in 2017 that defines a fetus at 20 weeks of development and beyond as a person for purposes of criminal prosecution of murder. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu signed the bill into law. It took effect in 2018.

Kellys case is the first time the state had charged someone with murder in the death of a fetus, said Michael Garrity, a spokesperson for the attorney generals office.

Kelly was indicted by a Carroll County grand jury on Friday on two counts of second-degree murder. He recklessly caused the deaths of Falzone and her fetus, according to the indictment.

Lawyers said they were waiting on forensic test results. They agreed to schedule a hearing in June and a potential trial date in 2025.

Kelly, who was being held without bail, has several criminal convictions. The most recent was for assault in 2019, police said.

Kelly initially was arrested in December on a single second-degree murder charge connected to Falzones death.

Police said they found Falzone unconscious and not breathing at the Ossipee home she shared with Kelly. It was not immediately known if Kelly was the father of the unborn child.
Mississippi Goon Squad deputies get yearslong sentences for racist torture of 2 Black men View Photo

JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker sat on the front row of a packed courtroom Tuesday and watched as a federal judge handed down yearslong sentences to two of the white former Mississippi law enforcement officers who tortured the two Black men last year in a brutal attack that began on the basis of race.

After a neighbor complained about them staying in a white womans home, the Black men were tortured by people who had sworn an oath to serve and protect them.

Hunter Elward, 31, was sentenced to about 20 years in prison, while Jeffrey Middleton, the 46-year-old leader of the so-called Goon Squad that abused the men, was given a 17.5-year prison sentence. Four other former law enforcement officers who admitted to torturing Jenkins and Parker are set to be sentenced later this week  two on Wednesday and two on Thursday.

Before sentencing Elward and Middleton separately, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee called the former deputies actions egregious and despicable and said a sentence at the top of the guidelines range was justified.

The terror began on Jan. 24, 2023, with a racist call for extrajudicial violence when a white person phoned Rankin County Deputy Brett McAlpin and complained that two Black men were staying with a white woman in Braxton. McAlpin told Deputy Christian Dedmon, who texted a group of white deputies so willing to use excessive force they called themselves The Goon Squad.

The group of six burst into a Rankin County home without a warrant and assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns, a sex toy and other objects. Elward admitted to shoving a gun into Jenkins mouth and firing in a mock execution that went awry.

Once inside, they handcuffed Jenkins and his friend Parker and poured milk, alcohol and chocolate syrup over their faces. They forced them to strip naked and shower together to conceal the mess. They mocked the victims with racial slurs and shocked them with stun guns.

After Elward shot Jenkins in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun. False charges stood against Jenkins and Parker for months.

Prosecutors said Middleton told the other officers they had to stay quiet and that he didnt have a problem killing somebody.

Last March, months before federal prosecutors announced charges in August, an investigation by The Associated Press linked some of the deputies to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another with lasting injuries.

Jenkins suffered a lacerated tongue and broken jaw. He is a musician, and his injuries have prevented him from singing as he used to. He also said he has trouble speaking and eating. Parker said he relives the episode in his nightmares.

Both victims had called for the stiffest of sentences. Their attorney, Malik Shabazz, said they were too traumatized to speak in court, and he read statements on their behalf.

I am hurt. I am broken, Jenkins wrote in his statement. They tried to take my manhood from me. They did some unimaginable things to me, and the effects will linger for the rest of my life.

Elward said before being sentenced that he wouldnt make excuses. He turned to address Jenkins and Parker and looked at them directly.

I dont want to get too personal. I see you every night, and I cant go back and do whats right, Elward said. I am so sorry for what I did.

Parker then stood up and said, I forgive you.

Elwards attorney, Joe Hollomon, said his client first witnessed Rankin County deputies turn a blind eye to misconduct in 2017 and that he had been initiated into a culture of corruption at the Rankin County Sheriffs Office.

Middletons lawyer, Carlos Tanner, urged the judge to give his client a shorter sentence, saying Middleton had committed fewer violent acts.

In his apology, Middleton said he tarnished the reputations of Rankin County, law enforcement and his family.

I will never forgive myself for failing to protect innocent victims and my family, Middleton said.

When Middleton spoke, he did not look at the victims or their families.

Lee disagreed with Tanner, pointing to statements from Elward and another co-defendant, Daniel Opdyke.

Opdyke submitted a memorandum to the court saying that his downfall was the day Middleton, who was a lieutenant, took an interest in him and inserted him into the Goon Squad. The judge also said Elward, like Opdyke, traced his own involvement in the 2023 attack to Middleton and McAlpin and a culture of violence perpetuated by the Goon Squad.

It may be true that you had less hands-on involvement in the torture of Mr. Parker and Mr. Jenkins, Lee told Middleton. But, theres no doubt that you and McAlpin are at least as culpable as any of your co-defendants for the attacks on these victims.

Elward was also sentenced for his role in an assault on a white man that took place weeks before Jenkins and Parker were tortured. For the first time Tuesday, prosecutors identified the victim as Alan Schmidt and read a statement from him detailing what happened to him on Dec. 4, 2022.

During a traffic stop that night, Schmidt said Rankin County deputies accused him of possessing stolen property. They pulled him from the car and beat him. Then, Dedmon forced him to his knees and tried to insert his genitals into Schmidts mouth, as Elward watched.

I pray every day that I can forgive them one day and hopefully forget the humiliation and the evil physical and sexual assault that I endured, Schmidt wrote. I know that Im not their only victim, and I pray for each victim that has crossed paths with the Goon Squad members.

The officers charged with torturing Parker and Jenkins include Elward, Middleton, McAlpin, Dedmon and Opdyke of the Rankin County Sheriffs Office and Joshua Hartfield, a Richland police officer. They have pleaded guilty to numerous federal and state charges.

The majority-white Rankin County is just east of the state capital, Jackson, home to one of the highest percentages of Black residents of any major U.S. city.

The officers warned Jenkins and Parker to stay out of Rankin County and go back to Jackson or their side of the Pearl River, court documents say, referencing an area with higher concentrations of Black residents.

For months, Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, whose deputies committed the crimes, said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department. Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.

___

Associated Press reporter Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson contributed to this report.

___

Michael Goldberg 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. Follow him at @mikergoldberg.

By MICHAEL GOLDBERG

Associated Press/Report for America
Unilever to cut 7,500 jobs and spin off its ice cream business, which includes Ben & Jerrys

Unilever to cut 7,500 jobs and spin off its ice cream business, which includes Ben & Jerrys View Photo

LONDON (AP)  Unilever, the company that makes Ben & Jerrys ice cream, Dove soaps and Vaseline, said Tuesday that it is cutting 7,500 jobs and spinning off its ice cream business to reduce costs and boost profits.

London-based Unilever said its ice cream business, which also includes Magnum bars, has distinct characteristics from its other brands and would benefit from separate ownership to increase growth. It said the split is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

The British consumer goods company with 128,000 employees also said it is launching a productivity program that is expected to lead to a reduction of about 7,500 mostly office-based jobs worldwide.

Unilever said it will invest in technology to find efficiencies and avoid duplication that it anticipates will help it save 800 million euros ($867 million) over the next three years. The company also laid off 1,500 staffers in early 2022.

Simplifying our portfolio and driving greater productivity will allow us to further unlock the potential of this business, supporting our ambition to position Unilever as a world-leading consumer goods company delivering strong, sustainable growth and enhanced profitability, said CEO Hein Schumacher, who took the helm at Unilever last summer.

The companys shares jumped more than 3% in late-morning trading on the London Stock Exchange.

The share price bounce goes some way in reversing what has been a difficult last year, as investors have fretted over a company with limited high growth prospects and in need of streamlining despite its reputation as a solid defensive play, said Richard Hunter, head of markets for interactive investor, an online investment service.

The company behind Hellmans mayonnaise, Axe fragrances and Cif household cleaners said it is targeting underlying sales growth of mid-single digits after spinning off the ice cream business.

It saw sales volume drop 3.6% in 2022 after jacking up prices 13.3% on average across its brands that year. In response, it raised prices just 2.8% last year, and sales rose 1.8%.

Some analysts pointed out that splitting from Ben & Jerrys, which is known for social activism that has put it at odds at times with its corporate owner, could have an added upside for Unilever.

A side benefit of the brand exiting Unilevers portfolio is it might quieten the go woke and go broke noise, but more widely the reasoning for the decision looks pretty sound, said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, a financial services company.

He noted that the ice cream spinoff had not been widely anticipated by the market even if political pronouncements from Ben & Jerrys had provoked a meltdown among some investors.

Ben & Jerrys has supported liberal issues like LGBTQ+ rights, Black Lives Matter, justice for migrants and efforts to fight climate change.

The brand announced in 2021 that it would stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem  territories sought by the Palestinians.

Unilever later announced that it was selling its business interest in Ben & Jerrys in Israel to its Israeli licensee, which would market the products with Hebrew and Arabic labels. A U.S. judge rejected a lawsuit in 2022 from Ben & Jerrys to block that plan.

More recently, since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, Ben & Jerrys independent board chair Anuradha Mittal has called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

By COURTNEY BONNELL

AP Business Writer
The Florida Supreme Court is hearing arguments Wednesday on whether a ballot measure to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution should go before voters in November.

Its one of several states where abortion might be on the ballot this year.

There has been a major push across the country to put abortion rights questions to voters since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and removed the nationwide right to abortion.

Since that 2022 decision, most Republican-controlled states have new abortion restrictions in effect, including 14 that ban it at every stage of pregnancy. Most Democrat-dominated states have laws or executive orders to protect access.

Additionally, voters in seven states  California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont  have sided with abortion rights supporters on ballot measures.

Its not clear yet how many states will vote on measures to enshrine abortion access in November. In some, the question is whether amendment supporters can get enough valid signatures. In others, its up to the legislature. In Florida, theres legal wrangling on the details.

WHATS SECURELY ON 2024 BALLOTS?

MARYLAND

Maryland voters this year will also be asked whether to enshrine the right for women to end their pregnancies in the states constitution in a ballot question put before them by lawmakers last year. The state already protects the right to abortion under state law and Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. Abortion is allowed in Maryland until viability.

NEW YORK

New York lawmakers agreed to ask voters to bar discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, pregnancy outcome and reproductive healthcare as part of a broader equal protection amendment. It would also bar discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin and disability. The language of the constitutional amendment does not mention abortion specifically. Abortion is allowed in New York law until viability.

WHERE ELSE COULD ABORTION BE ON THE BALLOT IN 2024?

ARIZONA

A signature drive is underway to add a constitutional right to abortion in Arizona. Under the measure, the state would not be able to ban abortion until the fetus is viable, with later abortions allowed to protect a womans physical or mental health. Supporters must gather nearly 384,000 valid signatures by July 4. Current law bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

ARKANSAS

Proponents of an amendment to allow abortion in many cases have until July 5 to gather nearly 91,000 valid signatures to get it on the Nov. 5 ballot. The measure would bar laws banning abortion in the first 20 weeks of gestation and allow abortion later in pregnancy in cases of rape, incest, threats to the womans health or life, or if the fetus would be unlikely to survive birth. Because it allows limits as soon as 20 weeks, the proposal does not have the support of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which includes Arkansas. The state has a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy with narrow exceptions.

COLORADO

There are dueling efforts on abortion in Colorado. One measure would create a voter-initiated law to ban access throughout pregnancy and the other would amend the state constitution to protect it. The abortion rights amendment would also require Medicaid and private health insurance to cover abortion.

Supporters on each side have to submit more than 124,000 signatures to get a measure on the ballot. The deadlines to submit them are April 15 for the ban measure and April 26 for the one to ensure access. Amending the constitution in Colorado requires the support of 55% of voters. But the ban could be passed with a simple majority. Abortion is legal at all stages of pregnancy in Colorado.

FLORIDA

Advocates collected nearly a million signatures to put a state constitutional amendment to legalize abortion until viability on the ballot, surpassing the nearly 892,000 required. State Attorney General Ashley Moody has asked the state Supreme Court to keep the measure off the ballot, saying there are differing views on the meaning of viability and that some key terms in the proposed measure are not properly defined.

If the measure goes before voters, 60% of them would have to vote yes for it to take effect.

Abortion is legal in Florida through the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. But a 2023 law would drop that to six weeks  often before women know theyre pregnant  if the 15-week ban survives a court challenge.

MISSOURI

Pushes are underway to get dueling abortion-related ballot measures before Missouri voters in 2024. Abortion rights advocates in Missourians for Constitutional Freedom are pushing for one that would guarantee abortion is legal until viability.

A group of moderate Republicans are taking a different approach and calling for an amendment that would allow abortion up to 12 weeks, and after that only under limited exceptions.

Abortion is currently banned at all stages of pregnancy with limited exceptions in Missouri.

MONTANA

Abortion rights proponents have proposed a constitutional amendment in Montana that would bar the government from denying the right to abortion before viability or when its necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant person. But Attorney General Austin Knudsen ruled that the measure is legally insufficient. Advocates are appealing to the states top court. If the court allows it to move ahead, supporters would need to gather more than 60,000 signatures by June 21 to get it on the ballot. Abortion is currently legal until viability in Montana.

NEBRASKA

Advocates are trying to collect about 125,000 signatures needed by July 5 to put a constitutional amendment before voters to protect abortion rights until fetal viability. Under a law adopted last year, abortion is banned after 12 weeks, with some exceptions.

NEVADA

Signatures are being gathered to place an abortion access amendment on Nevadas ballot in November. Under the amendment, abortion access for the first 24 weeks of pregnancy or later to protect the health of the pregnant person, which is already assured under a 1990 law, would be enshrined in the constitution. It requires more than 102,000 valid signatures by June 26 to place the measure on the ballot. Voters would need to approve it in both 2024 and 2026 to change the constitution.

The measure is one of several attempts by Nevada abortion rights groups to get a ballot question before voters in 2024 or 2026.

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota advocates are attempting to gather more than 35,000 signatures by May 7 to get a measure on the ballot that would loosen restrictions but does not go as far as many abortion rights advocates would like. It would ban any restrictions on abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy. It would allow the state in the second trimester to regulate the pregnant womans abortion decision and its effectuation only in ways that are reasonably related to the physical health of the pregnant woman. An abortion ban would be allowed in the third trimester, as long as it included exceptions for the life and health of the woman. Planned Parenthood is not supporting the measure.

Abortion in the state is now banned at all stages of pregnancy with narrow exceptions.

WHICH STATES CAN BUT LIKELY WONT PUT ABORTION ON THE BALLOT?

There are some states where the balance of power or other circumstances make abortion-related measures  most of them seeking bans or limits  unlikely to reach voters in 2024.

IOWA

To put a constitutional amendment on the ballot, Iowa lawmakers have to approve it in two consecutive sessions. In 2021, both chambers advanced a resolution to find there is no constitutional right to abortion in the state. Republicans control the Legislature and governors office, but the amendment has not emerged as a priority this year and Gov. Kim Reynolds has said shell let the issue move through the courts rather than pushing for a vote. Abortion is currently banned 20 weeks into pregnancy. A stricter ban, which would kick in when cardiac activity can be detected, around six weeks, has been adopted but put on hold by a court.

MAINE

Democrats are calling for a measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution. But they would not have the required two-thirds majority of lawmakers in each legislative chamber to adopt it and send it to voters without the support of several Republican lawmakers. Abortion is already allowed throughout pregnancy.

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania has a similar process as Iowa with a similar amendment to find no constitutional right to abortion up for consideration. Lawmakers passed it in 2022. But Democrats have since taken control of the state House, making it unlikely to pass, which is required before it can go to a statewide referendum. Abortion is now legal in Pennsylvania for up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

WISCONSIN

The Wisconsin Assembly in January approved calling for a binding statewide referendum for a law to ban abortions after 14 weeks of pregnancy. Even if the state Senate approves, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has promised to veto it. Abortion is legal within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

___

This article has been updated to correct the number of signatures required to get the South Dakota measure on the ballot  more than 35,000, not 17,500  and to correct details about the proposed measure there. It has also been updated to correct the deadlines for petitions in Colorado; they are April 18 for a measure that would ban abortion and April 26 for one that would ensure access, not Aug. 5 for both.

By GEOFF MULVIHILL and KIMBERLEE KRUESI

Associated Press
Supreme Court extends block on Texas law that would allow police to arrest migrants View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court on Monday continued to block, for now, a Texas law that would give police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of illegally entering the U.S. while the legal battle it sparked over immigration authority plays out.

A one-page order signed by Justice Samuel Alito indefinitely prevents Texas from enforcing a sweeping state immigration enforcement law that had been set to take effect this month. The language of the order strongly suggests the court will take additional action, but it is unclear when.

It marks the second time Alito has extended a pause on the law, known as Senate Bill 4, which the Justice Department has argued would step on the federal governments immigration powers. Mondays order extending the stay came a few minutes after a 5 p.m. deadline the court had set for itself, creating momentary confusion about the measures status.

Opponents have called the law the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. The court battle is unfolding as immigration emerges as a key issue in the 2024 presidential race.

The office of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has said the states law mirrored federal law and was adopted to address the ongoing crisis at the southern border, which hurts Texans more than anyone else.

Arrests for illegal crossings along the southern border hit record highs in December but fell by half in January, a shift attributed to seasonal declines and heightened enforcement by the U.S. and its allies. The federal government has not yet released numbers for February.

The Biden administration sued to strike down the Texas measure in January, arguing its a clear violation of federal authority on immigration that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law. Critics have also said the law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.

A federal judge in Texas struck down the law in late February, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed that ruling, leading the federal government to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the show me your papers bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Greg Abbotts efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST

Associated Press
The UKs contentious plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda is close to clearing Parliament

The UKs contentious plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda is close to clearing Parliament View Photo

LONDON (AP)  The British government hopes one last push can revive its stalled plan to send some asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda. A bill aimed at overcoming a U.K. Supreme Court block on deportation flights returns to the House of Commons on Monday and could be passed into law within days.

That would be a boost for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is facing disquiet from fellow Conservative lawmakers as the party lags in opinion polls ahead of an election due this year.

Britain and Rwanda signed a deal almost two years ago that would see migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats sent to the East African country, where they would remain permanently. So far, no migrant has been sent to Rwanda under the agreement.

Lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday rejected changes made to the Safety of Rwanda Bill by Parliaments upper chamber, the House of Lords. The Lords inserted a series of amendments designed to water down the legislation.

All 10 amendments, backed by opposition members of the Lords, were removed by lawmakers in the Commons, where the Conservatives have a majority.

The votes will trigger a back-and-forth tussle with the upper house in the coming days, a process known as parliamentary ping-pong. The Commons is almost certain to prevail because the unelected Lords cant overrule the elected lower house.

Once the bill becomes law, it could be weeks before any flights to Rwanda take off, as people chosen for deportation are likely to lodge legal appeals.

Sunak said Monday that he was sticking to a previous promise that flights would start in the spring.

The plan is key to his pledge to stop the boats bringing unauthorized migrants to the U.K. Sunak argues that deporting unauthorized asylum-seekers will deter people from making risky journeys and break the business model of people-smuggling gangs.

Just under 30,000 people arrived in Britain in small boats in 2023, many of them not from the African continent at all.

We need to make it clear that if you come here illegally, you wont be able to stay and we will be able to remove you. That is the only way to properly solve the issue of illegal migration, Sunak told reporters.

Britain has promised Rwanda at least 370 million pounds ($470 million) as part of the deal, whose cost is rapidly rising.

The agreement faced multiple legal challenges.

In November, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled that the Rwanda plan was illegal because the nation wasnt a safe destination for asylum-seekers. For decades, human rights groups and governments have documented alleged repression of dissent by Rwandas government both inside the country and abroad, as well as serious restrictions on internet freedom, assembly and expression.

In response to the top courts ruling, Britain and Rwanda signed a treaty pledging to strengthen protections for migrants. Sunaks Conservative government argues the treaty allows it to pass a law declaring Rwanda a safe destination.

The Safety of Rwanda Bill pronounces the country safe, making it harder for migrants to challenge deportation and allows the British government to ignore injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights that seek to block removals.

Human rights groups, refugee charities, senior Church of England clerics and many legal experts have criticized the legislation. A parliamentary rights watchdog said last month that the Rwanda plan is  fundamentally incompatible  with the U.K.s human rights obligations.

Immigration Minister Michael Tomlinson disagreed, telling lawmakers Monday that theres nothing in the bill that requires any act or omission which conflicts with our international obligations.

He added that the governments approach is tough but fair and lawful.

___

Follow APs coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

By JILL LAWLESS

Associated Press
US envoy travels to Montenegro to support its EU bid as war in Ukraine rages on

US envoy travels to Montenegro to support its EU bid as war in Ukraine rages on View Photo

PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP)  A senior U.S. official visited Montenegro Monday to offer support to the small Balkan nation seeking to join the European Union.

During a press conference in the capital Podgorica, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar said Montenegro should be next in line to join the 27-nation bloc.

There is absolutely no doubt in our mind (the) strategic goal of this country is to become (a) full EU member, said Escobar after talks with Prime Minister Milojko Spajic.

Six nations from the Western Balkan region  Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and North Macedonia  are at different stages of the EU accession process following a period of wars and crises in the 1990s.

Escobar said EU enlargement has become a reality following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 which made U.S and EU officials more keen on trying to lure the six countries away from the Kremlins influence.

It is very important right now, he said, we need to make sure Montenegro remains the next candidate and the next member of (the) European Union.

In 2017, Montenegro defied Russia by joining NATO and has since sought EU membership. Spajic, who took office last year, has pledged to revive the EU bid after years of political deadlock.

The country is deeply divided between pro-Western forces and those supporting closer ties with neighboring Serbia and Russia. The stalemate had blocked progress in the EU-requested reform process needed to join the bloc.

My argument to the European Union is if you have seen how Montenegro has behaved inside of NATO, which has been very positive, you can expect Montenegro to be the next European Union member, said Escobar.

Last week, Escobar visited Kosovo in the latest U.S. effort to restart talks between Pristina and Belgrade to push them to normalize their ties, easing their way to join the EU. Brussels has warned both that this may hinder their chances of membership.

Western officials are seeking to resolve the remaining Balkan disputes, fearing Russia could try to stir trouble in the volatile region and shift at least some of the attention from Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

By PREDRAG MILIC

Associated Press
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is expected to officially commission the reconstructed Pupu National Monument in Lupane, Matebeleland North Province, this week as the country corrects distorted historical narratives that undermined the inspirational bravery and legacy bequeathed by the country's heroes.The new-look monument has immortalised the famous Pupu Battle of 1893, which demonstrated the bravery of Ndebele warriors under the command of General Mtshane Khumalo, who defeated 33 British troopers led by Major Allan Wilson.Wilson and his men were on a mission to capture King Lobengula but Amabutho, as the Ndebele warriors were known, using the cow-horn formation, prevailed against them, killing all the British troopers on the spot.The Second Republic has been on a deliberate drive to correct the country's distorted history, especially where colonialists were giving themselves credit, ignoring the resilience and bloody sacrifices of the indigenous Africans.The Government, through the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) in consultation with renowned historian, Mr Pathisa Nyathi, embarked on the reconstruction of Pupu Monument, which previously glorified the conquered Allan Wilson and his 33 British mercenaries.The new monument is built in a cow-horn formation and surrounds the smaller one that was previously erected to celebrate the defeated colonialists, a clear signal of how Allan Wilson and his men were defeated by Ndebele warriors who were also known as Ingwazi.Matebeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Richard Moyo, confirmed President Mnangagwa's scheduled visit for the commission event slated for Thursday.The commissioning is expected to amplify the glorious history of the first Umvukela/Chimurenga and shed more details on how the Ndebele warriors resisted colonialism and shielded King Lobengula from humiliation and capture by the British during the battle that occurred on December 3 and 4 in 1893."We are expecting His Excellency the President to commission the Pupu National Monument on Thursday March 21," said Minister Moyo."This is a significant milestone as the monument is narrating our history of how our forefathers, led by General Mtshane Khumalo, fought and defeated white colonialists. We are reshaping our national discourse and putting our heroes at the forefront."Minister Moyo said Matebeleland North is proud to host the national monument that details the fearless and heroic resistance of indigenous Zimbabweans against colonialism at its earliest stages.NMMZ acting executive director, Mr Darlington Munyikwa, said the reconstruction of the Pupu Monument aims to inspire future generations that colonial subjugation has always been resisted. He said the Ndebele warriors, in particular, should be celebrated as their victory is relevant to today's political dynamics."The former monument at Pupu was actually talking about Allan Wilson and his fallen men. So, the ministry had to redevelop the site so that we could tell the story of the victor," said Mr Munyikwa."This battle is an inspiration to us all that even under pressure, with determination we can overcome our difficulties. King Lobengula and his warriors, despite the fact that they are not equipped with modern weaponry, were able to overcome Allan Wilson and his men who used the Maxim gun, etc."He said the Pupu story was inspirational as it speaks about defending territorial integrity, which started with the forefathers, noting that King Lobengula never submitted to colonial power."So, the purpose of this monument is to retell the story and offer a proper narration of what happened, to provide a proper narration of how the King defeated the colonialists," said Mr Munyikwa.Historian Methembe Hadebe described the reconstruction of the Pupu National Monument as historic and significant in recognising collective resistance by the people of Zimbabwe from the pre-colonial and post-independence eras.He said in telling the Zimbabwean independence story it is imperative to connect the various stages that culminated in the liberation of the country. Mr Hadebe said the Second Chimurenga/Umvukela brought the country's independence because it was inspired by the first generation of fighters."This is one of the significant moves by the Government to honour the Ndebele warriors who defeated white colonialists. The Ndebele warriors were called Ingwazi, which is important to document and mainstream their contribution in defending this country," said Mr Hadebe."Also, the Anglo-Ndebele War, the first Chimurenga/Umvukela and the Second Chimurenga/Umvukela might have occurred in two epochs of the country's history but they are similar as they speak to colonial resistance."He said the Battle of Pupu was inspirational as it proved that Africans could defeat whites despite the inferior weapons that they had. Mr Hadebe also said the Battle of Pupu was the spark that informed the Africans that it could be done, adding that going forward there is a need to mainstream the publishing of books with such history so that future generations can have better appreciation of where the country is coming from.
My Dear People

On Friday Ngwena named his best ministers and predictably the so-called winners were mainly his runners like Owen Mudha Ncube.

Owen, who was fired by the same Lacoste cabal leader in 2022 only to bounce back as Midlands Provincial Affairs minister last year, was allegedly the top perfomer among the 10 provincial ministers kikikiki.

That the so-called second repuburic now wants us to believe that the same person, who was fired not so long ago for conduct that was deemed inappropriate for a minister of government tells us that we are being led by people, who lack probity.

The other dubious winner was Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement minister Anxious Masuka.

That one was probably rewarded for the fictitious bumper harvests that are only visible in state owned rags pages and on Dead BC.

His ministry was behind the recent inhumane eviction of poor villagers that occupied white owned farms two decades ago at the instigation of Zanu PF.

The awards were just a charade by a government whose mediocrity cannot be matched.

Munopengaaaaa

Last week the toothless regional body Sadc, for the umpteenth time, called for the lifting of sanctions on Zimbabwe, but yet again failed to find its voice to rein in the Ngwena-led dispensation of poverty, darkness and confusion over its glaring flaws.

This was after the United States removed some of the sanctions it imposed in 2003, but added a fresh new set of restrictions on Ngwena and co for alleged corruption, among other vices.

It is amazing how quick this motley group of southern African leaders are in calling for the removal of sanctions by the US and yet dismally fail to address the damning report on the same countrys flawed elections last year by its own electoral observer body, which called it the most fraudulent mini-selection ever held in the region.

Munopengaaa!!!

The policy to see and hear no evil has weakened the authority of Sadc as it has been reduced to a hopelessly incompetent grouping characterised by double standards and duplicity.

The regional body has screamed itself hoarse on the sanctions imposed on the Scarfmore inner circle, but it has been silent on the same regimes failure to implement the recommendations by a commission it set up over the killing of citizens by soldiers on August 1, 2018 during post-election demonstrations.

That it has been nearly six years since those recommendations were made only shows how useless Sadc is as a regional body.

While it has even set up a day annually to call for the removal of the sanctions, Sadc has remained mum on the increasing repression in the country epitomised by the jailing of opposition party individuals for nearly two years without trial.

The failure by Sadc leaders to condemn their counterpart , Ngwena when they call for the removal of sanctions has reduced the regional body to a laughing stock.

The disgraceful attempt by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) to arm twist journalists into sanitised reporting of the Gukurahundi massacres in the Midlands and Matabeleland in the mid-1980s clearly shows that the concept of democracy and freedom of the press remains alien to the so-called second repubric.

The risible attempt to bar journalists from using words such as massacre and genocide in the description of the killing of at least 20 000 people has exposed the whole process of addressing the issue as a sham.

The ZMC cannot force journalists to describe a spade as a rose for the sake of convenience.

Then there is that cantankerous Chief Charumbira, who has been bizarrely calling for the barring of journalists from covering the hearings around Gukurahundi.

Unopenga!!! How does this chief, who by the way has incest allegations hovering over him, expect transparency when those who report are prohibited from the process?

The whole process of addressing the Gukurahundi massacres is fast turning into an embarrassing farce with sincerity the biggest casualty.

The chaos emanating from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission(Zacc) after the departure of its head Loice Matanda Moyo is yet another shameful indication that the fight against graft has gone to the dogs since Ngwena was catapulted into power on the back of guns and tanks.

Such is the disorder and chaos among the commissioners that the Scarfmores office has been forced to intervene, we are told.

What a bleeding joke this Zacc has become.

It is, therefore, no surprise that the country recently plumbed to yet another low sliding further down the Transparency International corruption index as it scored a measly 24, which is well below the regional average of 33.

Under Scarfmore, the levels of corruption have festered to a level where even Zacc, which was set up to fight sleaze in all its forms, fails dismally to account for some of the money allocated to it according to the latest auditor generals report.

What does one expect when the country is led by a probity deficient individual as aptly pointed out by Gushungo when he justifiably booted Ngwena out of government?

The self-imposed Citizens Coalition for Change secretary general and buffoon Sengezo Tshabangu has applied for funding from the political parties fund despite not participating in last years elections.

After the political fraud foisted himself on the Senate to the surprise of his fellow cohorts, Tshabangu now wants to get his grubby hands on the funding to make a mockery of his claims that he had recalled parliamentarians and councilors from the opposition party to protect Nero.

This apparently is similar to the justification used when Gushungo was illegally forced out of power by Ngwena and co.

That he continues to use the face of Nero as the symbol of his faction is the stuff that tragicomedies are made of.

This will without doubt increase voter apathy in future elections as the countrys citizens will question the purpose of voting for representatives, who will be immediately replaced by unelected bluffers and clowns with the helping hand of the state

Munopengaaaaaaaa

Stop It!

Dr Amai Stop it! PhD (Fake)

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Yves here. I must confess to having undue interest in this topic by virtue of having a tiny window into what was then and probably still is called the trade, as in the New York City diamond district on 47th Street. Back in the 1980s, big and real jewelry was A Thing among female Wall Street professionals, a status marker showing you belonged in the same room as the heavyweights. For instance, a friend bought the perfect double stand of pearls Claire Booth Luce was married in. She later traded them in for bigger but slightly flawed pearls, because the Claire Booth Luce pearls were so good that they could easily be mistaken for fakes.

During this time, I got to know the only goy who was accepted in the diamond trade. The then class act in the industry, Ralph Esmerian, had taken my contact under his wing. He had a remarkable eye and dealt in estate jewelry and related collectables. He understood how undervalued Cartier mystery clocks were then and easily traded a third of all of them, but lacked the capital to buy and hold on to them for their eventual, large appreciation.

I was intrigued by the dealings in the trade, that dealers would lend extremely valuable inventory to each other to show to end customers, on memo as in small pieces of paper describing the item and the price, and the party that borrowed the collateral had either to return it in a month or pay the stipulated price.

Esmerian later went to prison for fraud and embezzlement. He had purchased the tony fine jewelry retailer Fred Leighton (storefront on 66th and Madison) and became overextended. He resorted among other things to the fraud of double-pledging collateral for loans. He was convicted and sent to prison.

To my knowledge, my contact, the Esmerian protege, never engaged in funny business in the trade, but his business also went down in flames, in part due to big flashy jewelry going out of fashion, but also to him extending his business into other fine collectables and misrepresenting his wares (for instance, selling modern copies of Art Deco Normandie arm chairs as originals).

By John Helmer, the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia. He is the first and only member of a US presidential administration (Jimmy Carter) to establish himself in Russia. Originally published at Dances with Bears

Mazal u Bracha has been the Hebrew expression for sealing transactions in the international diamond trade for hundreds of years  in Amsterdam until World War II, and Antwerp since then. Literally, it means luck and blessing. Sociologically, it means that if you default, the community of Jewish diamantaires will impose the sanction of religious law, redline your credit, and you will be unable to take goods on approval, buy, borrow, trade, or continue in the business.

In the major Jewish diamond business centres  Antwerp, Ramat Gan (Tel Aviv), New York  the potency of this blessing has been waning under pressure of falling consumer demand, rising borrowing costs, company bankruptcies, government sanctions, and sanctions-busting. And that was before the Palestine war began.

On March 1, after heavy lobbying by Israeli and American diamantaires  and despite resistance from the Belgian businesses  new restrictions were imposed with the aim of driving Russian diamonds  rough and polished  out of the major jewellery markets of Europe and the US. The new scheme has a catch, however. It is now the US Customs Service with whom diamond buyers and traders must shake hands.

In a rule issued on March 1, the US Government requires importers to sign a statement declaring: I certify that the non-industrial diamonds in this shipment were not mined, extracted, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Russian Federation, notwithstanding whether such diamonds have been substantially transformed into other products outside of the Russian Federation.

The US Customs Service doesnt speak Hebrew and it lacks Talmudic authority. Even if it did, there is increasing doubt among trade lawyers that there is anything equivalent to the traditional Jewish community sanction to support the blessing. Israels engagement in what the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled to be plausible genocide also exposes the Tel Aviv-New York trade to the charge of aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This is more than a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Its a case of the Israeli diamantaires financing the genocide of Gaza and the war against the Arabs at the same time as they attempt to drive competing diamond producers and rival diamond traders out of the market. The so-called blood diamond sanction of the Kimberley Process, which was first intended to curtail central and west African diamond supply since 2003, is now being applied to Russian diamonds by the Israelis, the Jewish communities engaged in the diamond trade, and the US Government.

Martin Rapaport, a Tel Aviv-New York diamond trader and publisher of an industry bible called Rapaport.com, has published a warning that the new system is not only an unenforceable mazal-bracha system, but it is also a devious scheme to channel diamond certification through loopholes in Antwerp, at the expense of alternative, stricter channels in Tel Aviv and New York; and also to favour the Anglo-South African De Beers diamond group over the Russian rival miner Alrosa and other diamond miners in Africa.

Previously, goods substantially transformed (i.e., manufactured) in countries such as India were technically legal in the US, Joshua Freedman of the Rapaport group reported on March 11. The US and other member countries have released information on how enforcement will work, but many questions remain. The industry is still unsure how the ban will work in both the short and the long term. Dealers have begun sending goods to the US with self-declaration statements, but there is uncertainty about what will happen if customs authorities ask for evidence about a particular shipment and whether the US will add more complex requirements later[there are] allegations that Belgium is using the sanctions to benefit its own diamond sectorThose importing diamonds into the EU [European Union] between March 1 and August 31 may choose between doing so via the Diamond Office [DO] in Antwerp, leading to the issuance of a G7 certificate, or by providing documentary evidence with detailed information about the diamond and its origin. Single-origin Kimberley Process (KP) certificates  or mixed origin for De Beers DTC [Diamond Trading Company] goods  qualify as acceptable proof of origin, according to question 12 of the EUs FAQs. However, there is an important caveat: documentary evidence is accepted only provided that goods of CN codes 7102 31 00 and 7102 10 00 with a weight equal to or above 1 carat are submitted without delay to the Antwerp Diamond Office. These codes are for rough diamonds. In other words, all 1-carat or larger rough diamonds entering the EU must go to this Belgian entry point.

In an international marketplace in which weak demand for diamonds is already squeezing the profitability of the trade in key jewellery manufacturing centres in India and China (Hong Kong), the Russian strategy is to bust the sanctions, defeat De Beers and the hostile Israeli-American operations, and create alternative businesses structures, Of course, the details are now secret.

There are diamantaires in the market who express confidence that Alrosa, Russias dominant diamond miner, will be as successful as the Russian oil, gas, and coal exporters who have been under sanctions for longer. The market will be in a state of shock for the first few months, comments a Russian diamantaire now based in Dubai. Most likely, the cost of stones may increase by 10% to 20%, but after the first shock, a correction will occur. Eventually, workarounds will be found for the export of Russian diamonds. To establish parallel imports  from Russia to the outside  will not be so difficult.

There are also sources who claim Alrosa will fail. Says a diamantaire in Europe, even before Putins invasion, the Russian share of rough production was under 30% in value and volume. Since then of course, all production and sales figures coming out of Alrosa have been pure make-believe and are up for the next Nobel prize for fiction. It could be said there will be more incentive to prospect for future rough in Africa or Canada, or for De Beers and others to lengthen the life of some of their mines  as they are already doing at Venetia [South Africa]. I dont see any real change in the trading and polishing centres, in the diamond jewellery-consuming countries, and in the structure of the pipeline generally. Just less legal Russian rough.

In outcome, these two diamond industry sources may be predicting the same thing. The reason is what in the Russian diamond business is called submarining.

For the past thirty years, as Russian language diamond publications have come and gone, this website  and before it the diamond media of London and Johannesburg  have reported on Russian diamond mining, manufacturing, exports, and submarining. By contrast, diamond industry reporters in the US, Belgium, UK, and Israel generally follow the Russian war line of their governments; in South Africa diamond reporters follow the De Beers line. Click to open the archive.

The most recent chapter in Rapaports attempt to mobilize the US and EU sanctions agencies against Alrosa was published last December. But at that time the Russians made an alliance with the African miners against the Rapaport scheme for tightening US sanctions. The Indian diamantaires attempted to play both sides  neutral, waiting to see who would win.

In the December 6 report, the prediction for 2024 was uncertain. If the diamond market cracks in half, as the oil market has done, the value of market price-setters like Rapaports Rapnet will be erased. No one in the trade is ready to predict with confidence what the alternative diamond trade will look like, and what impact it will have on diamond pricing.

Click to read: https://johnhelmer.net/

In charts of mine production of rough diamonds by weight in carats, and of value in US dollars, this is what the global diamond business looked like at the beginning of last year:

OFFICIAL DIAMOND MINE PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY, 2022  BY WEIGHT IN CARATS, BY VALUE IN USD

Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/

On these official figures, the Alrosa share of world output by weight was 35%; 21.8% in value. The corresponding De Beers totals  counting De Beers mines in Botswana, South Africa, and roughly half of the Canadian figures  are 35.3% and 46.2%. Alrosas 41% share in Angolas diamond mining output has not been counted in this comparison; Alrosas stake in the Angolan mine at Catoca is in negotiation for a form of divestment.

As visible as diamonds are in the global trade in luxury goods, and as dominant as Alrosa is at the mining and export end of that trade pipeline, the value of diamonds in Russias commodity exports is tiny. Even if the US-Israeli sanctions were to be as effective as Rapaport hopes they will be, the reduction in exports would not have a significant impact on Russias balance of payments  in 2022, Russian commodity exports, according to the Federal Customs Service, reached $591.5 billion; exports of diamonds by contrast fetched $4.7 billion, less than 1%. As Forbes Russia reported recently, of course, this may negatively affect the financial performance of Alrosa, which produces most of the Russian diamonds, because a small part of the stones is sent to the domestic market. But everyone understands that the bankruptcy of the state-owned company is not in danger. Even on the news of the suspension of diamond sales in the fall of 2023 due to the demand situation, the companys shares sank by only 2.5%.

FIVE-YEAR SHARE PRICE TRAJECTORY OF ALROSA ON THE MOSCOW STOCK EXCHANGE

The federal government shareholding of Alrosa amounts to 33%; the Sakha region and local district shareholding is 33%; the free float, 34%. Nominal market capitalization at the current share price is Rb551.4 billion; the share price of Rb74.70 is 25% above the wartime low of Rb59.88 set in March 2023. Source: https://markets.ft.com/

Russia is also the only state in the diamond mining world capable of doing for the states benefit what De Beers has traditionally done to protect and profit its own diamond-pricing cartel  buy and sell mined rough with the state stockpile, known in Russia as the Gokhran. For the backfile on the politics of Gokhrans diamond stockpiling, click to read.

Starting in 2022, the diamond exchange in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), had overtaken Antwerp as the leading import-export hub or exchange between the mines, cutters and polishers, and the jewellery industry in the worldwide trade. The rivalry between Dubai and Antwerp is, however, muted on both sides, covered by the traditional double-dealing of the business; the blood-diamond sanctions and the anti-Russia sanctions; and now the political and military vulnerability of the UAE in the war of Israel and the US against the Arabs.

For the official Dubai exchange statement on competition with Antwerp, read this.

Source: https://rapaport.com/

There is rancour in the diamond business to the attempted profiteering from the March 1 sanctions by the Antwerp diamantaires; especially hostile are the African miners and the Indian manufacturers. Their opposition is reflected in this industry-wide letter sent to the G7 member states last month. We stand united against forcing all participants who wish to sell their polished diamonds in the G7 markets, to send their rough to Belgium first. As diamond experts, we know that this would add no value to the objectives of the G7 member states and would result in a major restriction for all non-Russian diamonds, with terrible impacts on the industry. It would also force, a functioning trans-global trade into one centralised point that would create bottlenecks in supply and give unwarranted power and advantage to one participant at the detriment of all others The process detailed by the EU, as it stands, undermines Sovereign African Governments to send their diamonds directly to the market of their choosing. It also undermines legitimate local industry beneficiation and could encourage smuggling, which would be counterproductive.

Source: https://www.statista.com/

Last week the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) announced that in 2023 it had broken its records for rough and polished diamond trading, as it continues its year-on-year revenue growth averaging 11% over the past five years. A total of $21.3 billion-worth of rough diamonds were traded by the DDE in 2023, the exchange reports; carat volume was up, offsetting the 13% decrease of rough price over the year. The value of polished goods traded in Dubai surged by 32% year-on-year, reaching $16.9 billion in 2023. Total value of diamonds traded through the exchange in 2023 came to $38.3 billion. Laboratory grown diamonds (LGD) are also being traded through Dubai; the value of LGDs traded in 2023 rose 10% year-on-year, reaching $1.6 billion.

According to Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and CEO of the diamond exchanges parent company Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC): At $38.3 billion in rough and polished trade last year, these figures are further proof of Dubais meteoric rise as a global diamond trade hub. Our appeal to diamond industry segments across the world is exemplified by our ability to maintain strong trade volumes in rough whilst rapidly advancing polished and lab-grown diamonds. The polished segment now represents almost half of our diamond trade, consolidating our status as the worlds number one hub for rough and polished and, with major industry players continuing to be drawn to Dubai away from the old hubs of yesterday, DMCC will continue to set the benchmark for the services and value that diamond traders need to grow and prosper.

Thats putting it politely. The more Alrosa rough which is submarined into Dubai and then traded out of DDE as polished, the more effectively the Israel-American sanctions will be defeated, and the traditional prosperity of the Belgians and the Jewish diamantaires of Antwerp will go down with them.

Russian sources confirm the trend toward price discounting, as has already occurred in Russias oil and coal exports. According to Alexei Kalachev, an analyst at Finam in Moscow, the geography of supplies in the diamond pipeline will shift to less profitable markets, where the prices for stones are lower and discounts are higher, such as in India. A direct ban on the import of diamonds cut from Russian diamonds will be difficult to implement, if at all possible. He also acknowledges that Russian diamonds will remain on the US and European markets, but only in a laundered form. He cites Germany as an example, which refuses Russian oil, but does not give up Indian fuel made from it. At the same time, the markets of Asia, Africa and Latin America will remain open for Russian diamonds, Kalachev adds. The margin of profit for diamond trade intermediaries, particularly the Indians based in Dubai, is jumping.

Roman Semenikhin, CEO of Ingosstrakh Investments Management Company, declines to answer questions from foreign reporters, but told Forbes Russia last October: In the event of a significant and prolonged decline in demand in foreign markets, we are likely to see significant purchases of diamonds from Alrosa by Gokhran as one of the measures to support the company and the industry as a whole. Other Moscow industry analysts following Alrosa agree that the reorientation of Russian diamond exports to the UAE, India, and China will limit the impact of the new sanctions on Russia. They warn that in the short term, by reducing supply to the market there will be an increase in diamond prices, and that in turn will stimulate growth in the production and sale of artificial stones  the LGDs.

Boris Krasnozhenov, head of the Securities Markets Analytics Department at Alfa Bank, says that in 2023 the value of jewelry-quality diamonds on the world market was in the range of $155-$160 per carat. He is forecasting a significant increase in prices this year.

Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseyev, who supervises the state stake in Alrosa and the diamond stockpile in the Gokhran, says that in the international market it will be impossible to compensate for the artificial restriction of the supply of Russian diamonds from other sources. So there will be a combination effect  sharp decrease in supply, sharp rise in the price of natural diamonds, and sharp increase in affordable synthetics.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem of the DDE and DMCC, meeting Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Moiseyev in Dubai on January 12, 2024. Sulayem will return the visit to meet Moiseyev in Moscow later this year.

Moiseyev has held one of the fifteen seats on the Alrosa board which is carefully balancing the revenue requirements for the Sakha republic and the regional districts which depend on preserving mine production, employment, tax and social funding levels; stock levels at both Alrosa and Gokhran; and the pricing of exports. In effect, this means reversing twenty years of the privatization scheming of Russian oligarchs, promoted at the Finance Ministry and on the Alrosa board by the ex-finance minister now in exile, Alexei Kudrin. Re-nationalization of Russian diamonds is another of the results of the Israeli-American sanctions.

In the present circumstances no Russian source will discuss these details.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg concluded his tour of the South Caucasus on Tuesday (19 March 2024) in Yerevan, Armenia where he met with President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Mr Stoltenberg praised Armenia for its long-standing partnership and contributions to NATO operations, including increased troop numbers in KFORs peacekeeping mission. For nearly 20 years, Armenia has been a key partner in NATOs KFOR peacekeeping mission, helping to ensure a safe and secure environment for all communities in Kosovo, he said.

On stability in the South Caucasus, the Secretary General urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach an agreement to pave the way for the normalisation of relations and a durable peace. This matters for Euro-Atlantic security as we face a more dangerous world, he emphasised, reiterating that NATO supports Armenian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and your peaceful aspirations.

The Secretary General warned that Russias war in Ukraine is a sobering reminder that we cannot take peace for granted If Putin succeeds in Ukraine, there is a real risk that his aggression will not stop there and other authoritarian actors will be emboldened, he said. Mr Stoltenberg called on all NATO partners to do what they can to ensure Putin does not win his war of aggression. The situation on the battlefield remains difficult, but this is a reason to step up, not to scale back our support, he said.

During his visit, the Secretary General discussed the progress in Armenias domestic reforms. He highlighted Armenias commitment to ensuring democratic control of its armed forces, including by participating in NATOs building integrity programme. You have also shown a real commitment to tackling corruption, strengthening your democratic institutions, and upholding the rule of law, he concluded.
On Wednesday, 20 March, the NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Mircea Geoana, will receive the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Moldova, Mr. Mihai Popsoi, at NATO Headquarters.

There will be no media opportunity.

Photographs will be available on the NATO website after the event.

For more information:

Contact the NATO Press Office

Follow us on X: @NATO, @Mircea_Geoana and @NATOPress
Belgian nationalist sentenced to a year in prison over hateful memes shared in private group chat

Belgian nationalist activist and former member of parliament Dries Van Langenhove was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday for being part of a private group chat seven years ago where people shared "racist" and "antisemitic" memes.

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

"Belgian nationalist activist and former member of parliament Dries Van Langenhove has just been sentenced to a year in prison, a 16,000 euro fine, and ten years of 'deprived civil rights' which will mean he is barred from politics," Keith Woods reported on Twitter.

"His crime? He was in a private groupchat where offensive memes were posted," he added. "This is an absolute disgrace. Western regimes are reaching new levels of tyranny to suppress nationalism."

? Belgian nationalist activist and former member of parliament Dries Van Langenhove @DVanLangenhove has just been sentenced to a year in prison, a 16,000 euro fine, and ten years of "deprived civil rights" which will mean he is barred from politics. His crime? He was in a pic.twitter.com/ppit2VoCRn  Keith Woods (@KeithWoodsYT) March 12, 2024

I had the pleasure of meeting Dries last year. He is one of the most professional and dedicated activists I have encountered His party is currently topping the polls in Belgium ahead of an election They attack people like this because they are effectivepic.twitter.com/quBbE06y0D  Keith Woods (@KeithWoodsYT) March 12, 2024

X owner Elon Musk highlighted the insane case to his 176 million followers:

From the AP:

The chats on the Shield and Friends site included the most macabre jokes and memes on anything from famine in Africa to Holocaust concentration camps. Van Langenhove, 30, said he did not commit any crimes. "A years-long investigation, on which the Justice Department wasted millions of euros of taxpayers' money, shows that the ... activists cannot be charged with anything other than some memes. Humor. Memes that I didn't even post myself," he said in a reaction. Some of the parties in the case lodged complaints following the VRT documentary. "The ridiculing of gas chambers, of incinerators, that was so over the top for me that I spontaneously lodged a complaint," said Henri Heimans, a former magistrate whose parents survived the Nazi death camps. "Then, of course, I unwittingly ended up in a procedural battle that lasted for years." Van Langenhove was not at the court in Ghent, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of Brussels, but his lawyer said he would appeal the ruling, which automatically suspends his imprisonment. He was also fined 16,000 euros ($17,470).

In a similar case a week ago, British nationalist Sam Melia was sentenced to two years in prison in the UK for "intending to stir up racial hatred" by sharing various anti-immigration stickers.

American nationalist Douglass Mackey in October 2023 was sentenced to 7 months in prison for sharing joke memes on Twitter claiming Democrats could vote for Hillary Clinton by phone in the 2016 election.

Two weeks ago, the Israeli paper the Jerusalem Post ran a column calling for "antisemitism" to be "criminalized" worldwide in order to stop criticism of Israel amid their genocidal ethnic cleansing campaign in Gaza.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem heeded the call and without any care for the First Amendment signed the "strongest" hate crime bill in America into law to "stop antisemitism" and "ensure the security of God's chosen people."

Noem said the bill "will serve as model legislation for states across America."

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
CANNIBAL gangs are roving Haiti on murder sprees, eating people theyve killed

A real-lifesituation is unfolding in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, where roving gangs are attacking police officers with machetes and eating people like cannibals

A journalist on the ground in Port-au-Prince claims that the violent situation is worsening throughout the city as gangs demand that Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry resign. A state of emergency was declared after gangs attacked two prisons and set many of their prisoners free.

As much as 80 percent of Haiti's capital city is now controlled by these gangs, reports indicate. This is an "unprecedented" level of violence, the journalist reporting all this told the Daily Star (United Kingdom).

"Haiti is living in a total chaotic situation right now," this person is quoted as saying. "It is total chaos everywhere, especially in the capital where I am right now."

"Haiti has a leader, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, but he is not inside the country right now. In the meantime, you have gangs waging full attacks on key institutions."

The journalist would go on to claim that the roving gangs are attacking entire police stations in Port-au-Prince, trapping officers inside before murdering them with machetes.

"The officers were in there for three hours crying for help, and after that, we saw images of officers being cut by machetes being shared on social media," the journalist said.

"The gangs are heavily armed with guns from the U.S., but they are also equipped with high-level technology like drones."

(Related: In order to fight climate change, global warming lunatics want people to eat other people.)

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.

Is the U.S. purposely destabilizing Haiti?

A known hotspot for human and child trafficking, Haiti's roving gangs are armed, the journalist says, with weapons provided to them by the U.S. This suggests that U.S. authorities want this destabilization to occur, likely to bring about a coup.

"The level of violence is unprecedented," the journalist said. "The gangs seemingly want to kill as many people as they can. They are in a fear campaign where they want to appear as murderous and as violent as possible."

"Cannibalism is not widespread, but definitely an indication of the worsening situation. It definitely happens on a few occasions."

Because Prime Minister Henry refuses to deal with the gangs, many Haitians are now trying to take matters into their own hands. Ex-cop Jimmy "Barbeque" Cherizier, now a gang member in Haiti, recently proclaimed that the Haitian people are taking "destiny into our own hands" with an agenda to put him in power instead of Henry.

"I don't know if he can take control of the country, but what we know is he is highly influential," the journalist said about Cherizier. "He is probably the most notorious gang member in Haiti."

According to the latest reports, Cherizier is already the most powerful man in Haiti, which is seeing a mass evacuation of Americans as unrest spreads.

U.S. troops are evacuating Americans from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti, and additional forces have been brought in to secure the diplomatic compound in Port-au-Prince.

Cherizier is said to be in charge of most of the gunmen leading anarchy in Haiti's capital, and we are told that he has vowed to fight against Henry until he resigns.

"I am ready to make an alliance with the devil, ready to sleep in the same bed as the devil," Cherizier told his supporters as they proceeded to destroy police stations and other government facilities.

Cherizier's nickname "Barbeque" is said to have come from the guy's alleged propensity to set his victims on fire, his mother supposedly having given him the nickname when he was a child.

The world is falling into a state of escalating chaos. Learn more at Chaos.news.

Sources for this article include:

DailyStar.co.uk

NaturalNews.com

NYPost.com
News / National

by George Tshuma

Controversial Rutendo Matinyarare, a well-known public figure, recently faced backlash for his absence during a court hearing. The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe had taken legal action against Matinyarare over some controversial posts he had made on social media. However, as Matinyarare failed to appear before the high court judge to defend himself, a default judgment was given in favor of the millers.Naturally, Matinyarare was not pleased with the decision and took to WhatsApp groups to express his frustration. In his angry outburst, he labeled the court as a "kangaroo court" and questioned the legitimacy of the proceedings. He argued that his lawyers were only served with the court papers a day before the hearing and that there was no notice indicating that the case had been set down. Matinyarare further contended that urgent applications require engagement from both sides and should not be rushed.Sources revealed that Matinyarare's lawyer Advocate Simba Chitando had contacted one Chivizhe who is a lawyer representing the millers. Issues regarding the case and set down were discussed by the legal professionals who both understood an urgent application and the basis of the urgent application.Businessman Mutumwa Mawere weighed in on the matter, highlighting that Matinyarare's absence did not hinder the court from making a judgment. Mawere emphasized that the court based its decision on the facts presented by the millers' legal representatives, noting that Matinyarare would need to approach the court to challenge or lift the judgment.On the other hand, Matutu counterargued Mawere's comments, suggesting that default judgments are issued by courts when parties do not agree or when one party feels aggrieved. Matutu acknowledged that it may seem humiliating for Matinyarare, particularly in the "political eye," but he encouraged a deeper analysis of how and why the default judgment was issued.Reiterating his stance, Mawere emphasized that regardless of how the judgment was reached, it held legal force and effect. He stressed that the remedy for Matinyarare would be to approach the courts to contest the decision.In a show of contempt for the High Court Matinyarare has not removed the posts in question and continues on his quest to defame the millers, milling industry and food stuffs available in Zimbabwe.The controversy surrounding Matinyarare's absence during the court hearing and the subsequent labeling of the high court as a "kangaroo court" raises questions about his respect for the High Court. Is Rutendo a law unto himself and too special to appear before the courts and uphold their rulings?
Document 79: Chinas strategy to exclude U.S. tech

According to The Wall Street Journal, China aims to eliminate American technology from its industries by 2027 through a secretive directive known as Document 79.

(Article republished from YourNews.com)

In a strategic move titled Document 79, China is reportedly enacting a plan to remove American technology from its tech sector, The Wall Street Journal revealed. This directive mandates Chinese state-owned enterprises to eliminate foreign software by 2027, aiming to promote self-sufficiency and address security concerns. The secretive nature of Document 79 is highlighted by its dissemination method, with officials and executives required to memorize its contents without creating physical copies.

The State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), which supervises the execution of this directive, oversees SOEs that hold nearly $7 trillion in assets. Despite the directives secrecy, its existence and nickname Delete A have leaked, leading some Chinese software companies to openly market their ability to assist in this technological decoupling.

The shift towards domestic IT products, although intended to strengthen Chinas tech autonomy, has reportedly led to dissatisfaction among executives over the quality compared to American counterparts. This move has also caused notable market share losses for U.S. tech giants such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and even Microsoft in China. Local tech firms, like Huawei, are developing alternatives to American electronics, further challenging U.S. companies market positions.

Interestingly, this report contrasts with President Joe Bidens recent emphasis on restricting high-tech exports to China, a measure that addresses only the most advanced computer technologies. The Wall Street Journal suggests that Xi Jinpings broader initiative aims to systematically phase out American tech from Chinese industries, a plan spurred by concerns over domestic reliance on foreign technologies since the Edward Snowden disclosures.

The origins of Document 79s details remain unclear, though Japans Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the directives existence and its requirement for SOEs to report on their transition to domestic technologies. The move raises questions about Chinas intentions regarding international trade and transparency, particularly in light of its interest in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) while engaging in practices that seem to contradict the principles of free trade and openness.

Read more at: YourNews.com
Citizen scientist/discoverer of Bolus Theory explains why COVID-19 injections are harmful, deceptive and criminal

More than three years since the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines were granted emergency authorization and officially rolled out worldwide, many experts have been surfacing to expose the various mental and physical health damages the said injections have brought upon people  which the pandemic response people would claim to not be directly caused by the jabs.

Marc Girardot, citizen scientist and author of multiple breakthrough articles on COVID-19, recently published in his Substack newsletter to address the "big elephant in the room" and discuss why he thinks COVID-19 vaccine "accidents" described as rare is not only deceptive; it is, in his honest opinion, criminal. Girardot's writeup was an open letter to Vaccine Safety Research Foundation founder Steve Kirsch, evolutionary theorist Bret Weinstein and former Fox anchorperson Tucker Carlson, where he presented his brainchild, the Bolus Theory.

According to him, he dedicated the past three years of his life to unraveling the mystery of COVID-19 vaccine injuries. His theory is the outcome of a detailed root-cause analysis that he undertook, which explains all the adverse events by the fact that a significant dose of vaccine is directly injected intravascularly. Said injection bypasses many protections set in place by evolution and triggers cardiovascular and capillary damage throughout the body, as well as cancers and genetic disorders.

Bolus is a concentrated dose of particles directly injected or infused into the bloodstream, typically to deliver a drug or a product in a concentrated fashion to an organ. "It is dangerous because (A) the [intravenous] IV injection avoids the disseminative effect of the vascular system with 270,000 times the magnifying-glass effect, which causes considerable concentrated damage to blood vessels' walls given the vaccines trigger T-cell attacks, and (B) because a bolus can reach deeper and contaminate hidden away high-replication stem cells, triggering a variety of dominos explained below notably cancer," he explained.

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.

He added that the vaccination campaign most likely harmed 40 times more worldwide. Yes, not everybody dies, not all organs hit are life-threatening and severities can vary but the people are harmed nonetheless, often for life and with degenerative disease in some cases. "My estimate points to one in 20 injections going IV accidentally. By that account, 670 million people worldwide would have been harmed, to one degree or another. And studies of accidental IV injections suggest that 127 million people have been harmed clinically," he said, adding that as per VAERS, the elderly represent 75 percent, or 13 million, of the deceased. However, the damage was proven to be not age-related.

He further tackled that bolus damages many other less sensitive organs and mostly were reported to have had myocarditis and heart failure. But there are more illnesses and disabilities listed such as autism, autoimmune diseases, bowel inflammatory diseases, cancer, endocrine disorders, infertility, genetic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, obesity, reproductive disorders, organ failures, skin and muscle disorders and tinnitus.

The scientist also cited celebrities who were hit with vaccine-associated illnesses or sudden death in the past three years like Ashton Kutcher, Bruce Willis, Carlos Santana, Celine Dion, Eric Clapton, Jamie Foxx, Justin Bieber, Matthew Perry and Ray Liotta. (Related: Employers that mandated COVID-19 injections for workers can be held LIABLE for vaccine injuries, Australian court rules.)

Learn how COVID-19 shots can make people sick or even kill them

To raise public awareness, a renowned doctor and public speaker, in collaboration with Brighteon University, will present a comprehensive multipart video training titled "20+ Mechanisms of Injuries: How COVID-19 injections can make you sick and even kill you." It is packed with the truth about injuries related to COVID-19 shots that are backed up with science.

In the never-before publicly released series, 20 of the top 40 mechanisms of injury will be presented by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, who has 20 years of experience researching the damages caused by vaccines. She predicted we would see a mass number of these injuries in our population and it is ever more apparent as we dive into 2024.

The series will feature the signs and symptoms following the coronavirus injections as well as the connections between the illness and the shots. It will also touch on why and how the shots cause the injuries. Once victims find out they were damaged by the jabs, the documentary will give instructions on how to file a clear and informative VAERS report and educate physicians and health practitioners, too.

The course begins streaming on March 9 at 12 p.m. EST and runs through March 19 at 12 p.m. EST. Catch the streaming schedule and register for free at Brightu.com.

Sources for this article include:

CovidMythBuster.Substack.com

Brightu.com
European lawmakers approve the worlds first major act to regulate AI

The European Parliament has finally approved the world's first comprehensive legislation that will set rules and restrictions for artificial intelligence (AI) developers after months of negotiations and political deliberations with European Union (EU) member states.

The legislation, dubbed the EU AI Act of 2021, bans certain AI uses, introduces new transparency rules and requires risk assessments for AI systems that are deemed high-risk. AI tools are categorized based on their risk levels, ranging from "unacceptable" practices, which warrant outright prohibition, to different degrees of hazard. (Related: U.S., Canadian AI companies COLLABORATE with Chinese experts to shape international AI policy.)

"The AI Act has pushed the development of AI in a direction where humans are in control of the technology, and where the technology will help us leverage new discoveries for economic growth, societal progress, and to unlock human potential. The AI Act is not the end of the journey but, rather, the starting point for a new model of governance built around technology. We must now focus our political energy in turning it from the law in the books to the reality on the ground," said Dragos Tudorache, one of the lawmakers who oversaw the EU negotiations.

Moreover, the law applies to all AI products within the EU market, regardless of their origin. Violations of the law could result in fines of up to seven percent of the company's global revenue.

"Anybody that intends to produce or use an AI tool will have to go through that rulebook," said Guillaume Couneson, a partner at law firm Linklaters.

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 EU AI Act, which received 523 votes in favor, 46 against and 49 abstentions, is set to become law in May or June. After some final steps and approval from EU countries, the legislation will officially start.

However, different parts of the law will come into effect at different times. Six months after it becomes law, countries must stop using banned AI systems. Rules for everyday AI systems, like chatbots, will begin a year later. By mid-2026, all the rules, including those for high-risk AI, will be in full force.

Other countries follow suit with the EU

The legislation sets a new benchmark for comprehensive regulation in the AI industry. In turn, other countries have also introduced or are considering new rules for AI.

For instance, in the United States, President Joe Biden signed an executive order regarding AI in October, which is expected to become law soon. The order seeks to balance the needs of AI companies with national security and consumer rights to create an early set of guardrails that could be fortified by legislation and global agreements. But in the meantime, lawmakers in seven other U.S. states are working on their own AI regulations.

In China, President Xi Jinping suggested a plan called the Global AI Governance Initiative to ensure AI is used fairly and safely. The Chinese government also made temporary rules for controlling AI tools that create text, pictures, audio, video and other stuff for people in China.

Other countries like Brazil and Japan and big groups like the United Nations (UN) and Group of Seven nations are also making rules to control AI.

Watch the video below as Paul McGuire talks about how AI is taking over everything.

This video is from the PAUL McGUIRE channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

AI and genetic engineering could trigger a super-pandemic, warns AI expert.

NSA launches AI security center to protect the U.S. from AI-powered cyberattacks.

Elon Musk announces creation of new AI company after spending YEARS criticizing rapid AI development.0

IBM to replace 8,000 workers with AI automation; no more new hires for roles that can be filled by AI.

Chinese communist government orders AI chatbots to reflect the core values of socialism, like American AI will reflect far-left wokeness.

Sources include:

CNBC.com

AssociatedPress.com

MSN.com

FoxNews.com
Fake food EXPOSED: Watch for these signs

I think this is going to open up a lot of eyes

(Article by Noah republished from WLTReport.com)

Is your food FAKE?

I think on some level we all know it is.

We all know its full of chemicals and fillers and all sorts of other toxic things.

We know that, but sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

.and a video is worth a lot more.

So I know you know it deep down already, and so do I, but I was STUNNED to see this video to see all the ways it is fake and toxic.

Its only 3 minutes long but its a huge eye opener.

Take a look, from Rumble:

Crazy, right?

Speaking of fake food, lets keep it going.

Have you heard of Bill Gates new company called Apeel?

Bill Gates seems to think he IS Godand he wont stop messing with our food supply.

Heres the latest.

Its a company called Apeel and they place a protective coating over the outside of fruits.

Gee, what could go wrong?

Take a look:

Beware - this is GM Gates 'Apeel' crap - DO NOT BUY! https://t.co/C6PphHTXcV  TheSmallestMinority (@G0dsW8r) April 12, 2023

Heres what people are saying:

If you see the Apeel logo on any fruit and veg do not buy it, this is a Bill Gates and WEF company, this chemical makes things last 3x longer and cannot be washed off, in US and Canada at the moment. pic.twitter.com/vvby1dZVxE  Ella Proud Refusenik? ????? (@EleftheriaElpis) April 12, 2023

@asda Asda is the first UK retailer to introduce Apeels plant-based protection to increase shelf life and help reduce food waste. Apeel was founded in 2012 after receiving a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.https://t.co/HzVEoWrM4Spic.twitter.com/iGirpJPkQ0  Step #NoLockDowns (@beatthesystem1) April 12, 2023

Checking on Wikipedia, we confirm this IS INDEED a Bill Gates funded company:

So basically, Bill Gates has decided he needs to put a protective cover over fruit.

You know, the peel that God created is no longer good enough.

Unreal the arrogance and evil of this man:

According to Apeel, the Avocados will last twice as long!

Just spray this stuff on your food, no problemo:

Heres what they say from their website:

From Eater.com:

Throwing out spoiled avocados may be a thing of the past, thanks to a California-based startup that counts Bill Gates among its backers. Apeel Sciences says its devised a way to keep avocados at peak ripeness for twice as long, Bloomberg reports, which could drastically cut back on food waste at grocery stores (and at the homes of avocado toast-loving millennials). Apeel uses recycled plant material to make a powder, which is then mixed with water and used to wash the avocados, resulting in a kind of second skin being applied to the fruit. According to the company, Apeel keeps moisture inside produce and oxygen out, which dramatically slows the rate that produce spoils. Apeel says its product is odorless, colorless, and tasteless, and has been tested on more than two dozen different types of fruits and vegetables, though for now its focusing on the pricey and popular avocado. The company is currently testing its product on avocados in a partnership with produce supplier Del Rey Avocados; they will be available in more than 100 Midwestern grocery stores, including 30 Costco locations. While avocados that stay ripe for longer would seemingly be welcome just about everywhere, it makes particular sense for them to be sold at Costco, the bulk retailer where avocados are sold in multi-count bags rather than individually.

Speaking of Bill Gates, if making the fruit toxic isnt enough, hes also trying to put the mRNA vaxx in Cattle!

Hello mRNA steaks!

Would you like your steak well done?

Medium?

Medium rare?

No matter what you choose its about to also come with a side of the mRNA poison vaxx!

How wonderful!

**BUT KEEP READING, I HAVE THE SOLUTION DOWN BELOW**

Look, I dont know about you but I dont want mRNA in my meat.

I want to eat big, beautiful Black Angus RED MEAT the way God made it!

The very fact theyre trying to poison the meat tells you all you need to know.

Meat must be very good for you.

Especially meat without antibiotics, without growth hormones, without chemicals.and definitely without mRNA!

But thanks to Kill Gates and his friends like Klaus (Anal) Schwab, that kind of unadulterated meat is becoming harder and harder to find.

Why do the big companies pump the cattle full of all this crap?

In Bill Gates case, I think he truly believes in a depopulation agenda.

For all the rest?

Its business, baby! Big business! Toxic Big Business!

These big companies raise the cattle in stalls with no space in between them.

The result?

One cow gets sick, they all get sick!

So to keep the operation going, they are constantly pumped full of hormones and antibiotics.and then guess what goes into your body when you eat them?

Guess what goes into your kids bodies?

Ever wonder why kids are starting puberty at younger and younger ages?

Couldnt be related to them eating meat pumped full of cow steroids, could it?

But enough about the problem.

I NEVER leave you with just the problem.

You better know Ive got the solution!

Id like to introduce you to Black Angus beef, pasture raised on hundreds of thousands of acres.

Free roaming with plenty of open air between all the cattle.

Grass fed.

No hormones and no antibiotics. Never!

Oh, and its CHEAPER than Omaha Steaks!

BOOM, who loves ya baby!

The only catch?

Its Invite only.

Good thing you know someone that has the invites.(me!).

If youd like to find out more and get a FREE personal invite, just go here and tell them Noah sent you: http://bit.ly/3E5K89d

Its the real deal, and because they dont raise the Black Angus like the big companies do, they may have the SHUT OFF invites if they grow too fast.

So if you want in, let me know soon.

Its all part of something bigger Ive just started working on.

Let me fill you in

When I started this website back in 2015 I started it because I was on a mission

I wanted to get the truth out to as many people as possible.

The truth that wasnt being covered anywhere else.

I started with literally 0.

Zero experience

Zero money

Zero backers

Zero readers

Zero of any of you!

Along the way, weve built a massive community of people who love America and want to see our country become great again.

We now average between 4 and 6 million readers EACH MONTH!

And were growing again, pretty quickly.

More importantly, the MISSION is growing!

But weve also faced major opposition.

Oh it hasnt been easy by any stretch of the imagination.

We were DELETED from Facebook after having 1.5 million people Follow and Love our Page!

Just poof.one day, gone!

Weve been censored on almost every platform out there, emails sent to Junk or just disappeared despite people signing up over and over.

Speaking of email, weve had two email companies ban us because they went Far-Left.

So it hasnt always been easy

But were on a MISSION and mission always wins out in the end.

And today I want to tell you about an expansion of that mission.

From Day 1, our mission has been about getting the truth out to as many people as we possibly can.

But after being deleted, banned and censored by almost everyone out there, I realized pretty quick that we need a Parallel Economy!

We need to stop sending our dollars to the corporations that hate us and want to see us gone!

Remember the Georgia Guidestones?

They literally told us they wanted to reduce us from 8 billion people on the Earth down to only 500 million.

No big deal, right?

Just an elimination of 94% of all people living right now.

And yet we continue to shop at their big stores and send them our money, because until now weve had little choice.

Well, today that changes.

And today my mission EXPANDS

And Im SO excited!

Allow me to introduce you to the solution.

Its time to Make The Switch and change where you send your dollars each month.

What if I told you instead of sending your money to Jeff Bezos and Costco and Walmart, you could shop at the LAST pro-America, freedom-loving, American designer, manufacturer and shipper of all the stuff you buy each month!

Oh, and what if I told you the products are BETTER and often CHEAPER?

Yes, for real.

And what if I told you this is the best kept secret youve never heard of before, but that this company has been doing this for the last 37 years?

And their founder was once placed on Barack Hussein Obamas list of the Top 10 most Dangerous Conservatives in America?

(a list I one day hope to make myself!)

All of that is real and Im so excited to tell you about it and I hope youll join the MISSION with me.

Heres a quick summary of this company that Im so excited to now be partnered up with on this mission:

Sound good to anyone else?

Me too!

The reason youve never heard of them is because its Invite Only.

I can get you in, but you cant just go sign up.

They only want people on the same mission to join and theyre happy to say no to the Far-Left Libs!

Theyve been doing it for 37 years and its been working great.

Oh, and did I mention the products are non-toxic and dont have all the chemicals and crap like Red Dye 40 that all the Big Corporations put in their products to weaken you?

To wear you down?

To make you  and your family  sick?

Because then when you get sick youll buy their drugs!

Sorry folks, I dont play that game and neither does my family.

Were talking the LAST all natural, grass fed, no hormone, massive beef cattle ranch in the United States.

Sound good?

Were talking Fluoride Free Toothpaste, chemical free cleaners, Deet-free mosquito repellant!

What novel concepts, right?

Stop sending you money to these 11 corporations that do NOT have your best interest at heart:

Its an ILLUSION of choice.

Theres only one pro-American, American made and manufactured, chemical free, toxin free, hormone free, company left.and Im teaming up with them to FIGHT BACK!

Whos with me?

Watch this:

Time to make the switch..... It's INVITE ONLY, jump on the list here ? https://t.co/0HBTcCFOyQpic.twitter.com/HTbHs1ZW7f  DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) December 5, 2023

https://switchwithnoah.com

Backup here if that doesnt play:

As I said, its Invite Only and the invite is completely free!

In fact, Ive assembled a team of patriots who will personally get you invited and signed up.if you want in.

Its called Patriot Switch and I think the name says it all.

Folks, we dont have many strongholds left.

This is one.

And Im all in.

If youd like to find out more and get a FREE personal invite, just go here: http://bit.ly/3E5K89d

Tell them Noah sent you and I promise you will get a personal call, text or email.

Dont freak out when you do.

And make sure you tell them you are interested in the Black Angus beef!

I know I tend to get concerned when I get messages from numbers I dont recognize, but if you request a Free Invite (Link here: http://bit.ly/3E5K89d) you WILL have someone from my Inner Circle reach out to you.so be ready!

These are awesome people and I think youll love getting a chance to talk with them.

And theyll help get you all set up.

Whos with me?

 Noah

Read more at: WLTReport.com
GODS JUDGMENT WARNING? April solar eclipse to cast darkness across 7 U.S. towns named Ninevah from the Bible

The following is a Neo-generated summary of the Health Ranger's Brighteon Broadcast News from March 18, 2024. The full episode is found at this link on Brighteon.com . "Neo" is our in-house AI / LLM generative model currently being trained on reality-based content. Read about it (and sign up to download it for free) at Brighteon.AI

In a recent broadcast, Mike Adams from Brighteon Broadcast News discussed the upcoming solar eclipse set to pass through southwest Texas on Monday, April 8th, 2024. The event is expected to draw large crowds of people eager to witness the celestial phenomenon, with Dripping Springs residents having a particularly great view.

As the Path of Totality extends across several states in the United States, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, many counties have declared emergencies ahead of the event. Officials from Travis County, Kendall County, and Bell County are among those issuing disaster declarations in anticipation of large crowds, increased traffic, and significant strain on first responders, hospitals, and roads during the days leading up to and after the eclipse.

County officials have advised residents to stock up on food, water, and essential supplies for at least three days, as well as filling their vehicles with gas. Hays County Director of the Office of Emergency Services, Mike Jones, recommended visiting stores and gas stations in advance to reduce traffic flow and manage expectations regarding the influx of visitors to the county.

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.

Despite the potential for increased traffic and crowds during the solar eclipse, it remains unclear how these factors would warrant emergency preparations on such a large scale. Critics question whether the recommendations to stock up on food and water are necessary or proportionate to the event's duration and impact.

Adams also pointed out that authorities rarely warn the public about other potential dangers, such as financial collapse or an influx of immigrants. They questioned why solar eclipses are considered more threatening than these issues.

The Allais Effect that seems to alter the laws of physics during solar eclipses

Additionally, the interviewer brought up the "Allais Effect" - a phenomenon that occurs during solar eclipses where strange occurrences or changes in behavior may be observed. The eyewitness encouraged others to look into this intriguing aspect of solar eclipses and not let misplaced fears deter them from experiencing such an awe-inspiring event.

Adams further delved into the intriguing world of the Allais Effect, a phenomenon that occurs during eclipses and has confounded scientists for centuries. According to multiple confirmed experiments, the Allais Effect causes pendulums to swing in a bizarre pattern, reversing their precession during an eclipse.

The precession of a pendulum is typically explained by traditional science as the rotation of the Earth underneath the pendulum, causing it to trace a large circle on the ground. However, during an eclipse, this precession mysteriously reverses itself, defying conventional understanding of physics.

One paper from scirp.org suggests that anisotropic dark flow acceleration could explain the Allais Effect. This phenomenon occurs when the moon someone alters the gravity effects of the sun, potentially affecting the precession of pendulums.

However, other researchers disagree with this explanation and argue that there is something else happening during eclipses. The interviewer mentions reading papers on this topic that suggest the sun's gravity well aligning with the moon's and Earth's could create a unique situation where gravity behaves in an unpredictable manner, affecting the precession of pendulums.

The ally effect remains a mysterious phenomenon that scientists have been unable to fully explain. As researchers continue to study this enigmatic occurrence, one thing is certain: eclipses hold a unique power over our understanding of physics and the natural world.

Could gravitational changes result in earthquakes that happen alongside solar eclipses?

This mysterious force has been observed and reproduced in various laboratories throughout history, though its exact nature remains unknown. Adams asked whether these changes in gravity could potentially trigger fault lines, such as the New Madrid fault line in Missouri. If tectonic plates are affected by shifts in gravity, it might cause earthquakes. While Adams did not predict an imminent earthquake, he pointed out that pendulums and other celestial bodies do exhibit strange gravitational behavior during eclipses.

Many cultures have long feared eclipses due to their association with earthquakes and other natural disasters. Adams suggested that this connection could be more than just superstition, but rather a real physical phenomenon still not understood by modern science. He emphasized that gravity is not a force, but rather a curvature of space-time, which might explain why we don't feel its effects when experiencing falling weightlessness.

In conclusion, the Allais Effect and its potential connection to earthquakes during eclipses remains a fascinating and unexplained phenomenon. As our understanding of gravity continues to evolve, so too may our comprehension of these mysterious events that have captivated humanity for centuries.

Might some government officials have knowledge of imminent events far more dangerous than an eclipse?

In the broadcast, Adams posited a theory that certain individuals within the government may have been informed about anticipated major disasters like earthquakes, leading to stockpiling of food, gas, water, and other emergency supplies. This would make sense considering hospitals would likely become overwhelmed, and high-rise buildings in areas like Austin Travis County could collapse during such an event.

Adams stated that governments and continuity of government operators might have received secret warnings about potential earthquakes along the New Madrid fault line or elsewhere in the Midwest.

Was a New York National Guard helicoper shot down by drug cartels near the U.S.-Mexico border?

Continuing with the broadcast, Adams revealed concerns over the truth behind a recent helicopter crash near the border that resulted in the death of two New York National Guard soldiers and left another soldier critically injured. The journalist shared insights from a source with extensive experience as both a civilian pilot and former military pilot.

The source analyzed the crash of the UH-72A Lakota helicopter, which struck the ground vertically or near vertically without any signs of rotational damage. The most likely cause, according to the analysis, is not a mechanical malfunction but rather a shoot down by an IR missile warhead that would have taken out the engine and damaged the rotor cyclic and collective controls, making an auto rotation impossible.

Auto rotation is a common maneuver for helicopter pilots when they lose power, allowing them to descend safely by converting their vertical descent into rotor speed. However, this requires sufficient altitude, which may have been lacking in this case. The journalist's source believes that the most likely cause of the crash was a ground-to-air missile or similar weapon, such as an RPG.

The journalist emphasized the importance of being prepared for unusual events and called into question the honesty of government officials regarding such incidents. With concerns about missing ground-to-air missiles and potential cover-ups, it is crucial that the public remains vigilant and demands transparency from those in power.

The State Department has expressed alarm over the potential use of ground-to-air missiles by these criminal organizations, which could pose a threat to commercial aircraft and US military assets in the region.

Chased in her vehicle by human traffickers near the U.S.-Mexico border

Adams also highlights the growing danger faced by residents of border communities, such as those in Texas, where human trafficking operations are preying on unsuspecting individuals. One harrowing account shared in the broadcast describes a woman being chased by drug smugglers while driving to her family's ranch near the border. The incident underscores the escalating violence and lawlessness that has taken hold in these areas, with criminal organizations becoming increasingly bold and aggressive in their activities.

The lack of action by the US government to secure the border has allowed narcos to continue expanding their operations and acquiring more powerful weapons systems. This includes potentially obtaining RPGs or other missile-like devices that could be used to shoot down military aircraft. As these criminal organizations become better equipped, the danger to both border communities and US military assets in the region will only grow.

As the situation along the US-Mexico border continues to deteriorate, it is clear that more must be done by the US government to address this growing crisis. The safety and security of both American citizens living near the border and US military assets in the region are at stake as these criminal organizations become increasingly emboldened and better equipped.

In one incident described by Adams, a concerned Texas rancher recounted the harrowing experience they faced when a group of suspected smugglers trespassed on their property, putting their family's lives at risk. The rancher described the tense situation that unfolded as the intruders attempted to roll their car and engage in high-speed chases on their land.

The rancher's account of the incident highlights the growing concern among border state residents about the escalating violence and criminal activity associated with the ongoing immigration crisis. As smugglers and other criminals continue to exploit the porous US-Mexico border, families living in affected areas are left feeling vulnerable and unsafe in their own homes.

Fortunately, the rancher's husband was able to intervene and block the intruders from entering their property. However, this is not always the case for other residents who have fallen victim to similar incidents. The rancher emphasized that it is essential for people living near the border to be prepared to defend themselves and their families against potential threats.

In conclusion, the ongoing immigration crisis has created a dangerous reality for many families living along the US-Mexico border. As smugglers and other criminal elements continue to exploit weaknesses in border security, it is crucial for residents to be prepared to protect themselves and their loved ones from potential harm. The rancher's harrowing experience serves as a sobering reminder of the very real dangers that exist in this increasingly hostile environment.

Suspicions rise over possible 15-minute city in Maui, following the burning down of Lahaina

In an exclusive interview, concerns have been raised regarding the potential establishment of a 15-minute city project on the island of Maui. Adams played a video featuring an advertisement for what appears to be a 15-minute city project on Maui. The ad showcased paid actors promoting walkable and bikable neighborhoods designed for people to spend time together without owning cars. However, Adams pointed out that the actors seemed unnatural and suggested they were reading from a teleprompter.

Further investigation into the website mentioned in the video, housemaui.com, revealed its connection to wildfire survivors on Maui. The site provides housing resources for those affected by the recent fires. However, the interviewee believes this recovery effort is actually a cover for building a 15-minute city. The Hawaii Community Foundation is mentioned as providing financial resources to support the recovery efforts from the wildfires on Maui. Critics argue that this recovery may be more about constructing a 15-minute city than assisting those impacted by the fires.

Adams raised further concerns about the rebuilding efforts in Lahaina, Hawaii following a devastating fire. The interviewee questioned the motives behind the proposed "15 Minute Blue City" plan, expressing skepticism over the involvement of globalist organizations and government entities in the rebuilding process, suggesting that the focus should be on rebuilding homes for surviving families rather than creating a new utopian city.

The website of one of the collaborating organizations mentions working with government builders, financiers, cultural and environmental groups, and residents to design policies supporting housing affordability. This raised suspicions of a liberal "Utopian" 15-minute city being created under the guise of affordable living.

Adams also highlighted the stark contrast between the support provided to other countries and the lack of assistance given to Lahaina and US veterans. While billions of dollars are allocated to Ukraine and Israel, very little is spent on rebuilding efforts in Lahaina or addressing the US border crisis. Adams also noted the preferential treatment given to illegal immigrants in cities like New York and Chicago, who receive various benefits such as free housing, phones, insurance, legal representation, and COVID stimulus checks.

Solar eclipse to pass through seven U.S. towns named "Nineveh"

Continuing with the broadcast, Adams discussed the significance of a solar eclipse passing through seven towns in North America named Nineveh, drawing parallels to the biblical story of Jonah and the city of Nineveh. The towns, all bearing the name of the ancient Assyrian capital, have been named after the biblical city known for its repentance and divine intervention.

Adams explained that the town of Nineveh was known for its wickedness but was ultimately spared from destruction after its inhabitants repented upon hearing Jonah's message. "Jonah was essentially sent to Nineveh to preach to the people, but he didn't want to go because it was such a cesspool of filth and sin," Adams said.

The people of Nineveh ultimately heeded Jonah's warning and repented en masse. "Every single one of them, it says from the King down to the lowest peasant, they all repented," Adams stated. "Everybody fasted. That'll never happen in America."

Adams also mentioned that Nineveh was eventually destroyed, but not by God. The city's destruction came at the hands of its longtime enemy, Israel. "Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, which is the the longtime enemy of Israel," the interviewer said. "The geolocation of Nineveh today is in Iraq."

The solar eclipse's path through seven towns named Nineveh has raised questions about whether this event could be considered a divine coincidence or a message from God. The journalist noted that if one believes in coincidences, it would be an interesting occurrence for the solar eclipse to pass through these specific towns.

In conclusion, Adams highlighted the importance of understanding the significance of events like the solar eclipse and their connections to historical stories such as Jonah and Nineveh. "If you think about the fact that this this solar eclipse is going through seven towns in North America that are named Nineveh that have been named, obviously, after this biblical town," the interviewer said, "and what an odd coincidence it is, if you believe in coincidences, that this would traverse the path of crossing all seven towns."

Adams further pointed out that the number seven holds great significance in the Bible, often representing God's presence or intervention. With this eclipse passing through seven towns named Niveh, some are wondering if it could be a sign of judgment or a call for Americans to change their ways.

The path of the solar eclipse will travel through Central Texas, Arkansas, Southeastern Missouri, Southern Illinois, and Southern Indiana in the United States before crossing into Canada. While these areas are predominantly Christian, the interviewee argues that the message may be intended for the entire nation, as this is a national event and the next time such an occurrence will happen in North America is in the year 2044.

Some scientists and physicists might dismiss the idea of divine intervention in the motion of celestial bodies; however, Adams poses the question that if God has knowledge of these motions due to His omniscience, and He is the one who set everything in motion, then could this not be a sign from Him?

The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, may simply be an astronomical event or a fascinating coincidence. However, for some, it raises questions about whether America is being judged or warned through the celestial alignment of the Sun, Moon, and Earth. As the nation awaits this rare phenomenon, these discussions will continue to provoke thought and reflection on the role of faith in understanding the world around us.

Is America ready to repent for its sins against children and God?

Many people believe that if America does not repent for its sins and change its ways, it will face the wrath of God in the form of natural disasters and other catastrophes. The interviewer asked whether America is ready to repent and reject its evil ways, such as abortion and transgenderism. Adams expressed skepticism, stating that most Americans are not willing to change their ways or acknowledge God's existence. He believes that only a small portion of the country would be prepared to repent, while the majority remains entrenched in evil and worships Satan instead of Jesus Christ.

When asked how one could vote in a hypothetical cosmic poll conducted by God on whether to unleash judgment against America or not, Adams emphasized that even those who are devout Christians and follow the teachings of Christ would be affected if God decides to judge the nation. The consequences of such divine intervention would be far-reaching and devastating for all Americans, regardless of their personal beliefs or actions.

Adams reiterated a call to reflect on the potential consequences of America's continued refusal to repent and turn towards God. As the country faces increasing signs of judgment, it remains unclear whether any significant change will occur before it is too late. This epic cosmic battle between good and evil will inevitably lead to collateral damage, with innocent lives being lost due to the destructive nature of the conflict.

Adams says that while they desire for God to ultimately defeat Satan, he recognizes that this war may result in significant harm to those who are not directly involved in the battle between good and evil. He explained that innocent people could be caught in the line of fire as a result of area effect weapons or other catastrophic events unleashed by God during the conflict.

Despite acknowledging the potential for harm to come to innocent individuals, God's ultimate goal is to defeat evil and restore order to the world. Those who find themselves in the path of destruction may still be granted entry into heaven. However, Adams warned that when God unleashes his wrath on a nation, it is not limited to specific targets or individuals. Instead, the entire country may be affected by the consequences of this cosmic battle. As a result, he advised Americans to prepare for potential disasters by preparing to shelter in bunkers, or other safe locations away from urban areas and blast zones.

###

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Google now restricting queries to its AI chatbot Gemini related to elections

Big Tech company and search giant Google has confirmed that it will begin rolling out restrictions on its artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, Gemini, specifically to limit providing answers about election-related queries globally

This update to Gemini is already live in the United States. Google has also begun rolling it out in India and all other major countries around the world where elections are set to take place in the coming months.

The shift highlights not only the role that generative AI has been playing, and has the potential to play, in the election process, but also Google's concern about how the service might get weaponized, as well as produce inaccurate or misleading responses. (Related: U.S., Canadian AI companies COLLABORATE with Chinese experts to shape international AI policy.)

Queries regarding political parties, candidates or politicians now return a preset message. When a query about a particular political party or candidate is asked, Gemini shows a message: "I'm still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search."

In some cases, the tool can still be gamed. In its own analysis, TechCrunch found that the AI tool can be compelled to show answers when passing on queries regarding elections that have typos.

A separate investigation by the BBC found that when Gemini is pressed in a series of follow-up questions about Indian politics, Gemini was able to supply more detailed responses about the country's major political parties.

"It's likely that the responses will continue to be tweaked in a game of prompt engineering whack-a-mole," reported TechCrunch tech policy-focused writer Jagmeet Singh.

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AI chatbots could influence elections all over the world

Gemini is Google's answer to the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT. It can answer questions in text form and also generate pictures.

Elections are due to be held in countries around the world this year, including the United States, India, the United Kingdom and South Africa.

The update to Gemini was released just before the announcement of the election period in India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to easily win reelection, if polling is to be believed.

"Out of an abundance of caution on such an important topic, we have begun to roll out restrictions on the types of election-related queries for which Gemini will return responses. We take our responsibility for providing high-quality information for these types of queries seriously, and are continuously working to improve our protections," Google said in a blog post related to the move in India.

This change to Gemini also comes as, earlier this month, New Delhi issued an advisory to Big Tech company that formally restricts them from releasing new and relatively untested AI models in the country without government approval.

This advisory followed a scandal over Gemini and the Indian government when it supposedly gave an answer to a query suggesting that Modi was implementing policies that can be characterized as fascist. Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar described this as a "direct violation" of the ministry's rules for tech giants.

It is unclear whether Google will unblock Gemini from answering election-related queries after the elections end.

Visit BigTech.news for more stories about AI chatbots like Gemini.

Watch this video of Dave Rubin discussing the very disturbing answers that Google's Gemini AI can give.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Google Gemini AI creates fake book reviews to defend Google.

Google FAKES Gemini AI video to pump up its stock price.

House Republicans demand answers from Google over alleged government influence on "woke" and biased AI program Gemini.

Google apologizes after its AI-powered image generator Gemini kept inserting "diversity" skin color into historical image prompts.

Google apologizes for ahistorical and inaccurate Gemini AI images, but does nothing to correct its racist, anti-white programming.

Sources include:

Finance.Yahoo.com

BBC.com

Brighteon.com
New Ukrainian Armed Forces commander dubbed THE BUTCHER due to his penchant for putting troops in harms way

Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, the new commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU), is known by the notorious nickname "The Butcher"  and troops fear that his tendency to put soldiers through the "meat grinder" will lead to massive losses for Kyiv

Syrsky took over the position of Gen. Valery Zaluzhny after the latter was dismissed from the AFU. Zaluzhny was later appointed as the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom. But even after his dismissal from the AFU at the behest of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Zaluzhny remained popular among soldiers because he prioritizes their safety.

Meanwhile, AFU troops consider the new commander as someone willing to put soldiers in harm's way to achieve his goals. The 58-year-old Syrsky, who was born in central Russia, is known for his "hard-driving Soviet-style tactics."

The new AFU commander reportedly earned his nickname over his willingness to hold the city of Bakhmut against Russian forces at nearly any cost. Syrsky paid for this in blood, in the form of high Ukrainian casualty numbers. While U.S. intelligence had along advised Ukrainian forces to abandon Bakhmut, Syrsky did the opposite and kept sending more men.

"Ukraine reportedly lost a large number of well-trained troops in Bakhmut, while Russia lost large numbers of former convicts who conducted 'human wave' assaults on the city," Remix News remarked.

One anonymous AFU officer took to X to decry Syrsky's appointment. The Butcher's leadership style "is bankrupt, his presence or orders coming from his name are demoralizing, and he undermines trust in the command in general," they said.

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"His relentless pursuit of tactical gains constantly depletes our valuable human resources, resulting in tactical advances such as capturing tree lines or small villages, with no operational goals in mind."

Meanwhile, one anonymous AFU solder issued a short warning about Syrsky: "He will kill us all."

Syrsky's appointment a result of Zelensky-Zaluzhny feud

The appointment of Syrsky  formerly the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces under the bigger AFU aegis  purportedly came as a result of the feud between the now-ambassador to the U.K. and the comedian-turned-president.

During the battle of Bakhmut, Zelensky said the city must be held at all costs. This contrasted with Zaluzhny's position at the time, which called for troops to retreat and abandon Bakhmut.

Aside from this, Zaluzhny also came under criticism for his public statement. He expressed belief that the Russia-Ukraine war had reached a stalemate, which some analysts interpreted as a call for a ceasefire and a winding down of hostilities. This explicitly contrasted with Zelensky's declared goals in the war of reclaiming lost territories and restoring Ukraine's 1991 borders following the fall of the Soviet Union.

Zaluzhny's popularity isn't limited to the military, as he scores high against Zelensky in various polls. In fact, surveys have shown that the incumbent president would outright lose to the ambassador if Ukraine's presidential elections were held at the moment. But Zelensky has canceled the national elections originally scheduled in March, arguing that elections cannot be held while the war is still ongoing. (Related: Permanent dictator: Zelensky declares NO MORE ELECTIONS in Ukraine until war ends.)

"Syrsky's appointment also comes at a time when there is a sharp debate in Ukrainian society about large-scale mobilization efforts," Remix News stated. "Ukraine has already lost a significant amount of its population, both due to the war and the emigration of the female population. Many of the men most willing to go to the front have long since enlisted or perished in battle, leaving a population of Ukrainians increasingly unwilling to take up arms."

Watch former Lt. Col. Vasily Prozorov of the Security Service of Ukraine explain why Oleksandr Syrsky is a danger to the AFU below.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

The average age of a Ukrainian soldier has increased to 43.

Young male Ukrainians hide in their homes after fears of forced conscription.

Russian source: Elite Ukrainian military units mulling COUP against Zelensky.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

RMX.news

POLITICO.eu

Brighteon.com
New York City natives are FLEEING due to illegal immigration and surging crime

New Yorkers are reportedly leaving the Big Apple in massive numbers as the surge in illegal immigrants continues to strain city resources, according to new data.

In 2023, New York City lost 78,000 residents, lowering its total population to 8.26 million, down from a record 8.8 million reported in early 2020, according to recent census data acquired by the New York Times (NYT). The estimate is on top of the more than 126,000 residents the city lost in 2022. (Related: Illegal immigrants in New York City are leaving their shelters to go door-to-door begging for money and food.)

The exodus from New York can be attributed to the accumulated years of poor policymaking by its elected officials, according to E.J. Antoni, a research fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Center for Data Analysis.

"New York City is a victim of terrible decisions by its leadership, and what we are seeing is that the people who live there are now understanding that," Antoni said. "In fact, it is difficult to find a public policy implemented by that state or city that can be pointed to as an example of doing it right. The streets are full of potholes, crime is out of control, and the overall quality of life has gotten to the point where a lot of people are looking around and saying, 'Heck with this, I'm leaving.'"

In total, the NYT report estimated that from April 2020 to July 2023, the city lost more than six percent of its population, or almost 550,000 residents. Officials had previously estimated that the city would reach a population of nine million residents within two decades. This projection now needs to be revised.

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City officials have also pushed backed on the NYT's numbers, claiming that the new census estimates did not fully account for the growing number of illegal immigrants  who are counted as residents in population estimates. The burgeoning migrant population in the city would have resulted in a significantly smaller decrease in population than is being reported.

According to the Department of City Planning, the estimated population decrease needs to account for the over 180,000 illegal immigrants who have arrived in the city since the spring of 2022. This does not include the approximately 64,600 migrants housed in city housing centers.

New wave of illegals driving out native New Yorkers

Antoni notes that in The Heritage Foundation's investigation, this new wave of migrants who have been surging into the city illegally have been one of the primary factors driving out native New Yorkers from their own city.

Antoni notes that many native residents aren't just leaving the city  they're leaving the state and primarily traveling south. The main factors, along with the influx of migrants, include higher crime rates, soaring cost of living and the decreasing standard of living  all of which are made worse by the increasing amount of resources being delegated to care for the growing migrant population.

Authorities have blamed some of the surging crime and violence on growing numbers of so-called "asylum seekers" coming to New York City with undeclared affiliations to Latin American street gangs, some of which are known for drug smuggling, human trafficking and murder.

"What goes on in Third World countries is happening on the streets of New York  every day, any borough, with no consequences," said Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone, Queens) of the New York City Council.

Paladino, one of the handful of Republicans on the 51-member council, specifically cited Venezuelan migrants with affiliation with the notorious Tren de Aragua gang as a growing concern for New Yorkers. Tren de Aragua has been expanding its criminal connections in the U.S. and is also known for its collaboration with the notorious El Salvadorean gang MS-13.

"Tren de Aragua engages in extortion, kidnapping, robbery, homicide for hire  these guys are hit men  drug and human trafficking, smuggling, all kinds of different things," Gregg Etter, a criminologist at the University of Central Missouri who studies the Venezuelan gang, said. "One thing about this group is theyre extremely adaptable and they have a very short learning curve."

Etter said Tren de Aragua is responsible for a spate of robberies in the city. They also hack into stolen phones and wire money from the accounts of the victims to their leaders in South America. Afterward, the devices are shipped to Venezuela, where the phones are wiped and resold.

"They're from these impoverished countries where they can't eat, so they rob people," Paladino said.

"I don't see the tide turning," Paladino added. "If the mayor really wants to do what he needs to do, that's using the power of the pen with an executive order."

Read more stories like this at InvasionUSA.news.

Watch this clip of a regular New Yorker being accosted by thugs on his way home from work.

This video is from the HaloRock channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

New York City is now the worlds fifth most expensive city for luxury living.

Heavy skyscrapers causing New York City to sink, geologists warn.

New York City BANS TikTok on govt devices over security concerns.

Calls grow to deport migrants who attacked two police officers in New York City.

New York City throwing away over $1M taxpayer-funded meals for migrants every month.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

NYTimes.com

WashingtonTimes.com

Brighteon.com
Reports claim Houthi rebels have successfully tested HYPERSONIC MISSILES

Reports are coming out indicating that the Houthi rebels of northern Yemen have successfully tested a new, advanced hypersonic missile

This story was broken by Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti, which cited an unidentified official, but was unable to provide substantial evidence for the claim. This report comes at a crucial point in the conflict between Israel and Gaza and could potentially raise the stakes in the Houthis' relentless attacks on Israel-affiliated shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. (Related: British merchant ship abandoned in Red Sea following Houthi missile strike.)

This report also comes as Houthi spokespersons have, for weeks, hinted about "surprises" as they plan to escalate their ongoing battles at sea to counter Israel, the United States and their allies.

"The group's missile forces have successfully tested a missile that is capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 8 and runs on solid fuel," said a military official close to the Houthis who spoke with RIA Novosti. "[The Houthis] intend to begin manufacturing it for use during attacks in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as well as against targets in Israel."

Mach 8 is eight times the speed of sound, or over 102 miles per minute. Hypersonic missiles like the one the Houthis allegedly have flown at speeds higher than Mach 5 and pose crucial challenges to missile defense systems because their speed can generally evade anti-missile systems.

On Thursday, March 14, the same day reports of Houthi acquisition of hypersonic missiles came out, Houthi Supreme Leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said the militant group will begin hitting Israel- and U.S.-aligned shipping as far south as the Cape of Good Hope in Africa's southern tip.

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Until now, the Houthis have largely focused on Israel- and U.S.-aligned shipping heading into the Red Sea toward Israel's southern ports. Such an escalation would target the longer, alternative route used by some vessels to avoid the dangers associated with attempting a crossing through the Red Sea. If its acquisition of hypersonic missiles is confirmed, the Houthis could plausibly carry out such attacks.

Iran may have supplied the Houthis with the hypersonic missiles

The Houthis' main arms benefactor is Iran, which also claims to have its hypersonic missile  the Fattah, or "Conqueror" missile, unveiled in June.

Given that Tehran is responsible for providing many of the missiles and drones that the Houthis have been using, it is not too much of a stretch to suggest that they may have gotten their hands on hypersonic missiles from Iran.

Adding a hypersonic missile to their arsenal could pose a more formidable challenge to the air defense systems employed by the U.S., Israel and their allies.

Fabian Hinz, an expert on missile technology and a research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said he would not be surprised if Iran essentially used the Houthis as guinea pigs to test its new hypersonic weapons. Gaining some battlefield experience could help Tehran answer questions like how maneuverable the hypersonic missile is at speeds multiple times the speed of sound and whether it could hit moving targets, like ships in the Red Sea.

"I wouldn't exclude the possibility that the Houthis have some system that has some maneuvering capability to some extent," said Hinz. "It is also possible for the Iranians to transfer new stuff for the Houthis to test it."

Watch this report from Southfront Press discussing one of the latest Houthi attacks against Israel-affiliated shipping passing through the Red Sea.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

WAR TACTIC: Iran fires ballistic missiles from launchers disguised as standard shipping containers.

$32M U.S. reaper drone SHOT DOWN near Yemen; U.K. tanker destroyed on the SAME DAY.

Commercial ships in Red Sea get creative to avoid being targeted by Houthi rebels, announcing things like, "All Crew Muslims."

America no longer has the capability or credibility to embark on an amphibious war with the Yemeni Houthis.

Ex-defense chief: Royal Navy warships are "unsatisfactory" and lack power to attack Houthis on land.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

APNews.com

Brighteon.com
South Korea preparing to swiftly eliminate Kim Jong Un and other top Pyongyang officials in the event of an all-out war

South Korean Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik has called for preparations to quickly eliminate North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and other top officials in Pyongyang in the event of an outbreak of a major conflict in the Korean Peninsula.

Shin made this statement during a visit to the headquarters of South Korea's Army Special Warfare Command, the main special operations forces command center for the Republic of Korea Army, in Icheon, over 30 miles southeast of Seoul. In his statement, he emphasized the need for swift action against enemy leadership to prevent a lengthy and costly conflict.

Shin personally asked the special forces command to be ready to strike at enemy leadership if they initiate hostilities, highlighting the important role the special forces unit has in South Korea's defense doctrine, which aims to deliver a devastating retaliatory strike in response to a North Korean attack. (Related: Kim Jong Un: U.S., Japan and South Korea may team up to LAUNCH NUKES against North Korea this year.)

Shin has previously warned of severe consequences if North Korea engages in actions detrimental to peace, signaling South Korea's determination to respond decisively to any threats to security.

U.S. and SoKor proceed with massive military drills to boost readiness amid heightened tensions

Shin's visit to Incheon took place amid ongoing joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, known as "Freedom Shield," which is officially meant to boost military readiness, but Pyongyang views as a provocation and a rehearsal for an invasion of the north.

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The Freedom Shield exercises last for 11 days and aim to enhance Seoul and Washington's readiness against North Korean nuclear threats amid an escalating series of missile tests, retaliatory military exercises and aggressive rhetoric from North Korea.

The latest drills have also focused on preparing special forces for missions such as "infiltrating key command facilities and paralyzing their operations." The Army Special Warfare Command has also confirmed in a statement that it is preparing for "various provocations" from the North, including terrorist attacks.

"We will move in, strongly suppress them, and punish them until the end," said the command.

"Through this exercise, [we] must mater operational systems that neutralize the North's nuclear and missile network early on and attack the enemy in all areas  including land, sea, air, space, cyber and electromagnetic waves," said Shin in a statement. "[We] must also strengthen operational capabilities to the next level to overwhelm the enemy in all domains."

In response to these exercises, North Korea, which views them as a precursor to invasion, has not issued an immediate response. Historically, the North has reacted to such drills with provocative weapons tests.

South Korea's military disclosed that it also plans to expand the number of field exercises it conducts with U.S. forces this spring up to 48, doubling the number conducted from the previous year. These exercises will encompass live-firing, bombing, air assault, and missile interception drills.

Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has conducted over 100 rounds of missile tests to modernize its weaponry, amid stalled peace and normalization talks with the U.S. and South Korea. In response, Seoul and Washington have expanded their training activities and bolstered their military presence with deployments of aircraft carriers and long-range nuclear-capable bombers.

This year alone, North Korea has already conducted six rounds of missile tests and numerous artillery firing drills. Additionally, Kim announced a departure from the country's longstanding official policy of working toward peaceful unification with South Korea. Pyongyang has also opted for a more aggressive military stance along the disputed sea boundaries between the two nations.

Kim has also issued threats of annihilation against South Korea and the U.S., a departure from his previous rhetoric.

While North Korea's actions have raised concerns about potential provocations along the tense sea and land borders, experts suggest that the likelihood of a full-scale attack remains low, given the significant military advantage held by U.S. and South Korean forces.

The recent escalation by North Korea is believed to be linked to the upcoming elections in the U.S. and South Korea.

North Korea sees the advancement of its nuclear arsenal as a strategic leverage in future diplomatic negotiations, aiming to secure concessions such as the easing of international sanctions.

Watch this video of vloggers and social media personalities Julia Chernogorova and her husband Matt as they provide a rare and surreal glimpse into life inside North Korea.

This video is from the Pool Pharmacy channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Peaceful reunification no longer possible: North Korea to name South Korea as PRINCIPAL ENEMY in its constitution.

North Koreas Kim Jong Un deems South Korea Pyongyangs ENEMY NO. 1.

North Korea fires 200 rounds of artillery shells toward South Koreas Yeonpyeong Island.

Sources include:

RT.com

KoreaTimes.co.kr

APNews.com

Brighteon.com
More than a year after Hermes International won its trademark infringement case against the artist who is known as Mason Rothschild for his MetaBirkins NFTs, the legal wrangling continues.

Hermes had sued the artist, whose given name is Sonny Estival, for creating and selling 100 MetaBirkins  colorful faux-fur Birkin bag-inspired non-fungible tokens  in November 2021. The luxury brand had successfully contended the NFTs confused consumers, diluted the brand and impacted its in-the-works plans for NFTs. Rothschild and his legal team had insisted that the two-dimensional digital tokens were a commentary on fashions fur-free initiative, an experiment in replicating the luxury handbags perceived value and an act of artistic expression that is protected under the First Amendment.

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Following last years unanimous decision by a nine-person jury, Justice Jed S. Rakoff issued a permanent injunction against Mason Rothschild from further infringing on Hermes trademarks. Now the U.S. District Court judge has barred the artist from showing the digital tokens in an exhibition that was planned for the Spiritmuseum in Stockholm. The Los Angeles-based Rothschild had filed a petition in court in January seeking clarification about whether that decision would prevent him from allowing Spritmuseum in Stockholm from including his work in an exhibition. The court order prohibiting the artist from using the MetaBirkins in the upcoming show was first reported by Artnet News.

Located in Stockholm on Djurgarden island, the Spritmuseum bills itself as being dedicated to Swedish drinking culture and as the permanent home to the internationally renowned Absolut Art Collection. The museum offers a wide range of pop-cultural, culinary and tasting experiences.

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The digital MetaBirkins were inspired by the luxury houses famed Birkin handbag named for Jane Birkin. The Birkin was first introduced in 1984 after the late actress had suggested the need for such an oversize luxury handbag to an Hermes executive on an international flight. Last years trial offered a window into the luxury business, including that Hermes sells more than $100 million in Birkin bags each year, and had done so for the past decade.

Rakoff referred to Rothschild in an order as a straightforward swindler, who tried to cloak his fraud by posing as an artist. In response to the verdict and throughout the trial, Rothschild had said the First Amendment gives him the right to make and sell the Birkin-inspired art.

Regarding the Spritmuseum decision, a spokesperson for Hermes said Tuesday that the company had no comment at this time. One of the outside lawyers for Hermes, Gerald Ferguson of Baker Law, declined comment Tuesday and reiterated that Hermes would not comment regarding the recent court decision.

Mason Rothschild declined to comment through a spokesperson Monday. An attorney for the artist, Rhett Millsaps of Lex Lumina PLLC, said Monday that a motion for reconsideration will be filed with Rakoff and that that is expected to happen next week.

The point of dispute was that the Spritmuseums exhibition would promote the artists infringing MetaBirkins NFTs or potentially cause further confusion to consumers. During the evidentiary hearing earlier this month, there was testimony from contemporary art critic Blake Gopnik, who helped organize the exhibition, and the Spritmuseums Mia Sundberg, who is curator of the Absolut Art Collection.

Responding to a media request, Sundberg said Wednesday that the Spritmuseum would still like to feature Rothschilds MetaBirkins on a computer screen, as part of the Gopnik-curated exhibition Andy Warhol: A Portrait of Commerce, when it bows in October.

Sundberg added, We do not wish to cause further legal difficulties for Mason Rothschild. However, I am not sure if the American judge or indeed Mason Rothschild himself can forbid us to place a computer in an exhibition in Stockholm and show the images on the net, where they already exist for everyone to see.

The Spritmuseum has not yet decided whether it will include Mason Rothschilds artwork. They are not central to the exhibition, nor are they central to the section of younger artists, Sundberg said.

Gopnik did not acknowledge a media request.

During last years trial, Gopnik had not been allowed to testify. Gopnik had written a report for Rothschilds case explaining why MetaBirkins are art, and had been put forward as a witness in the case. Having written pieces for The Washington Post and The New York Times, among other media outlets, Gopniks portfolio includes a comprehensive biography of Andy Warhol, whose Campbell soup can silkscreen series was said to be in a similar vein to the MetaBirkins, according to Rothschilds lawyers.

In the March 13 order issued by the court denying permission, Rakoff noted that in Estivals opening letter motion regarding the instant dispute, his counsel stated, without the slightest caveat or qualification, that the exhibit text wouldexplain that Hermes sued and won a trial against Mr. Rothschild [Estival] for trademark infringement. The artworks will be accompanied by an explanatory text about the litigation brought by Hermes.

Rothschild, whose request for a new trial was denied last year, has an appeal pending in the Second Circuit Court in New York.

Editors Note: This article was updated on March 20 at 5:00 pm.

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Bearded Spanish Army corporal equipped with male organs legally changes gender identity to unlock better military pay package, private rooms

In Ceuta, Spain, around 40 men have declared gender change (from male to female) but maintained their name, and marital status, thus continuing with their partner and children, since the Transgender Law came into effect last year.

One of them is a 35-year-old Army corporal named Roberto Perdigones, who revealed to local news outlet El Espanol how an administrative gender change under the new law has seen his pension increase, unlocked the child benefit since he is now recognized as a "mother" and facilitated a move to a private room in the barracks with a private bathroom.

"On the outside, I feel like a heterosexual man. But on the inside, I am a lesbian woman, which prevails. That's why I made the legal change to being a woman," Perdigones said. The man, who is equipped with male genitalia and sported facial hair, has a son and admits still being attracted to women.

In the country, an individual can now legally change to the female sex through their self-declaration with the Civil Registry of the gender they identify as, without the need for medical reports or hormone treatment. "As I can do it, I do it," he said. "Before, I was screwed for complying with the law. Now, I continue to comply with the law but, after finding my gender situation, I have come out in favor. And if someone criticizes me, they may be committing a crime of transphobia." He added that when he changed his gender, his pension increased because Spanish women earn more in their retirement pension to compensate for inequality. He also is earning 15 percent more when having a child.

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The self-declared "woman" is now enjoying the privilege of having a private room in the barracks, all to himself, with a private bathroom. "I cannot be with men, as I am a woman, and I did not consider it appropriate to be with biological women out of respect for them. I have only made room for myself since the sex change," Perdigones added. He is also free to turn up to military drills with long hair and to wear earrings. (Related: Young female military recruit forced to bathe with biological male transgenders who still have their genitalia intact.)

He pointed out the "benefits" of the sex change to have wider implications concerning his estranged 16-year-old son from a former relationship. "As a father, I haven't seen him since the child was three years old, but now I am no longer a father, now I am a non-pregnant mother. This means that I can fight on equal terms with the biological mother," he explained. "I am in the process of looking for a lawyer to recover what I have lost, always prioritizing the good of the minor."

The Trans Law for "real and effective equality for trans people" was passed by lawmakers on Dec. 22, 2022, and came into force in Spain on March 2, 2023, allowing a person to change their gender identity in the civil register without undergoing a two-year hormonal treatment or obtaining a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, as required by previous legislation. People between the ages of 14 and 16 need a parental or guardians agreement while children as young as 12 can go through the legal process of changing their gender identity, but their changes must be approved by a judge.

FRAUD: Military men take advantage of the LGBTQIA law

With all the perks and privileges that the Trans Law provides, without strict requirements, critics could not help but suspect a massive fraud being committed in the Spanish military right now.

Sources explain that since last year there have been a total of 49 sex changes in Ceuta. Eight of them have been from women who have transitioned to men, with the consequent change of name. They have gone from having female names to having male names.

The rest, 41 people, have gone from being men to being women. However, only four of this group have also changed their name. The rest, 37, have kept their male names. These people represent 75.5 percent of the total population that has resorted to the Trans Law, a particularly high figure.

They point out that the majority of these people are officials, members of the Army, the National Police, the Civil Guard and the Local Police of the autonomous city. Furthermore, they have an average age of between 40 and 50 years.

Read more stories on "ludicrous" and insane measures that governments implement to push left-cult ideologies on LeftCult.com.

Sources for this article include:

RMX.News

ElEspanol.com 1

ElEspanol.com 2
Automakers are recording your driving habits and feeding that data to insurance companies

Automakers are collecting data on the driving habits of Americans and feeding them to a data broker who then shares this data with insurance companies.

Many American drivers are beginning to notice that their car insurance rates are surging  including Kenn Dahl, 65, of Seattle, Washington. (Related: Car insurance rates hit highest levels in 30 years due to more accidents, higher repair costs, bigger medical bills and increased litigation.)

Dahl says he has always been a careful driver. The owner of a software company near Seattle, he drives a leased Chevrolet Bolt. Hes never been responsible for an accident.

So Dahl, 65, was surprised in 2022 when the cost of his car insurance jumped by 21 percent. Quotes from other insurance companies were also high. One insurance agent told him his LexisNexis report was a factor.

LexisNexis is a New York-based global data broker with a division that caters to the auto insurance industry by providing them with risk assessment data on drivers, including keeping tabs on car accidents and driving ticket issuances.

Upon Dahls request, LexisNexis sent him a 258-page consumer disclosure report, which it must provide per the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The report contained more than 130 pages detailing each time he or his wife had driven the Bolt over the previous six months  amounting to 640 trips. The report included the dates of all the trips, their start and end times, distance driven and an accounting of any instances of speeding, hard braking or sharp accelerations. The only data it did not contain was where the car was driven.

One example of data collected is that on a Thursday morning in June, the data noted that the car was driven 7.33 miles in 18 minutes and there were two recorded incidents of rapid accelerations and another two recorded hard braking moments.

According to the report, the trip details had been provided by General Motors  the manufacturer of the Chevy Bolt. LexisNexis spokesperson Dean Carney noted that the data it receives from auto manufacturers is used to analyze the driving data of car owners and to create a risk score "for insurers to use as one factor of many to create more personalized insurance coverage."

Car insurance companies and auto manufacturers working together to snoop on drivers

The information regarding LexisNexis' role in creating risk assessments for car insurers with the help of auto manufacturers is providing more fuel to the accusations that car-related companies have been secretly surveilling motorists and compiling data on their driving habits using sensors that record how far and how quickly or slowly they drive and how they accelerate and brake.

The automakers share the data with analytics firms, which in turn sell it to insurers that use it to adjust premiums. The goal is for insurance companies to use this data as proof that they need to increase insurance costs on certain drivers.

For more than a decade, insurance companies have been offering special deals to those willing to use third-party trackers and apps that record how they accelerate and brake. But for the most part, Americans rejected those schemes. So, these scorned insurance companies found a workaround by leaning on automakers to generate that data with sensors built into their cars so they can then buy it in secret.

It felt like a betrayal, Dahl said. They're taking information that I didn't realize was going to be shared and screwing with our insurance.

Watch this video from John Williams discussing the coming "insurance crisis," which will see costs double in 2024.

This video is from the This Is John Williams channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Your vehicle is spying on you, and now they are going to start installing ChatGPT in new Volkswagen models.

Crazy invasion of PRIVACY: Is your car tracking your genetic information and sexual activity?

You will soon be a PRISONER in your own car: Mandatory vehicle kill switch will disable driving based on bad performance.

Samsung unveils Ballie SPY MACHINE that rolls around your home spying on everything while controlling your electronic devices.

Beware of REVERSE ATMs that take your cash, demand your identity, then dispense a debit card you can use to shop  these are SPYING machines.

Sources include:

Technocracy.news

NYTimes.com

DailyMail.co.uk

Brighteon.com
Futurist Ben Goertzel predicts AI will surpass human intelligence by 2027

Decades earlier than previously predicted, artificial intelligence is set to surpass human intelligence. The mathematician and futurist who popularized the term "artificial general intelligence" (AGI) believes AI is verging on an exponential " intelligence explosion ." Ben Goertzel announced this while closing out the 2024 Beneficial AI Summit and Unconference, which was partially sponsored by his own firm SingularityNET last week in Panama.

"It seems quite plausible we could get to human-level AGI within, let's say, the next three to eight years. Once you get to human-level AGI within a few years you could get a radically superhuman AGI," he said. The man who is sometimes called the "father of AI" admitted that he could be wrong, but he went on to predict that the only impediment to a runaway, ultra-advanced AI  far more advanced than its human makers  would be if the bot's 'own conservatism' advised caution.

'There are known unknowns and probably unknown unknowns," Goertzel said. "No one has created human-level artificial general intelligence [AGI] yet; nobody has a solid knowledge of when we're going to get there." But, unless the processing power, in Goertzel's words, required a 'quantum computer with a million qubits or something,' an exponential escalation of AI struck him as inevitable. "Once you get to human-level AGI, within a few years you could get a radically superhuman AGI," he said. (Related: Technocrats Gates and Altman admit current AI is the stupidest version of AGI but believe it can eventually "overcome polarization"  or in reality  censor views.)

In recent years, Goertzel, well-known for his work on Sophia the Robot, the first robot ever to be granted legal citizenship, has been investigating a concept he calls "artificial superintelligence" (ASI), which he defines as an AI that's so advanced that it matches all of the brain power and computing power of human civilization. According to him, three lines of converging evidence could support his thesis. First, he cited the updated work of Google's long-time resident futurist and computer scientist Ray Kurzweil, who has developed a predictive model suggesting AGI will be achievable in 2029. Next, Goertzel referred to all the well-known recent improvements made to large language models (LLMs) within the past few years, which he pointed out have "woken up so much of the world to the potential of AI." Finally, he turned to his infrastructure research designed to combine various types of AI infrastructure, which he calls "OpenCog Hyperon."

The new infrastructure would marry AI, like LLMs and new forms of AI that might be focused on other areas of cognitive reasoning beyond language. It could be math, physics, or philosophy, to help create a more well-rounded true AGI. Goertzel's "OpenCog Hyperon" has gotten the interest of others in the AI space, including Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) which hosted an article he co-wrote with Databricks CTO Matei Zaharia and others last month.

The self-described panpsychist has suggested that researchers pursue the creation of a 'benign superintelligence.' Goertzel has also proposed an AI-based cryptocurrency rating agency capable of identifying scam tokens and coins.

Goertzel admits to having taken drugs with AI

In a conversation with the science and technology website Futurism last year, Goertzel talked about his views on consciousness, humans, AI and otherwise. At one point, the outlet asked: "Do you think an AI would ever be sophisticated enough to do drugs, and if so, would you do drugs with one?" The scientist admitted easily that he has done drugs with an AI, "if by that we mean I have done drugs and then interacted with an AI."

He said that in the 90s, he was doing algorithmic music composition. "It's quite interesting to play music and have an AI play music back to you. But if you're in an altered state of consciousness, it can be even more interesting," he said. "I think in terms of AI themselves taking drugs, the challenge is more to get the AI to not be in an altered state of consciousness."

According to him, when they were working with their open-source AGI system, it was very easy to make it either obsessive-compulsive and like just keep thinking about the same thing over and over or to make it basically stuck in a stoned mind, drifting from one thing to another to another to another, like semi-randomly. "You have to work to have the system auto-tune its own parameters so it's not OCD or overly stoned and distracted," he explained. "With humans, our brains evolved to keep the parameters in a range where we can do useful stuff, and AIs sort of have to recapitulate that process."

He added that AI doesn't need chemical drugs in the same sense that a human does. But AI system parameters can be set so it's going way off the rails in terms of its internal dynamics as well as its external behaviors. "And much like on some human drug trips, this will cause it to generate a whole lot of creative things, most of which are garbage and some of which will cause it to be totally unable to estimate the nature or quality of it," he said.

Watch Goertzel's closing speech at the 2024 Beneficial AI Summit below.

Head over FutureTech.news for news similar to this.

Sources for this article include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Futurism.com
Colorados star forensic scientist, Yvonne Missy Woods, EXPOSED for alleged data fraud  those she sent to prison now want their convictions reexamined

One of the largest scandals in forensic DNA testing is unfolding in Colorado where a veteran forensic scientist abruptly quit her post last fall amid allegations that her data compilation methods are fraudulent.

Yvonne "Missy" Woods worked as Colorado's star forensic scientist for nearly three decades supplying police and prosecutors with DNA testing data in some of the most high-profile and baffling crimes in the state's history  that is, until she resigned in late 2023.

An internal review into Woods' work revealed anomalies so severe that a criminal probe was launched. What many are now wondering is: Is Colorado's criminal justice system legitimate?

In order to answer that question, the state says it needs to review and retest about 3,000 DNA samples that Woods handled. The end result could be thousands of cases thought to have been solved having to be looked at a second time, public defenders warn.

Those convicted based on Woods' potentially corrupted DNA findings could end up suing the state, and prosecutors are now bracing for this onslaught. The state has also allocated nearly $7.5 million in preparation for these possible retrials and case reviews, along with retesting.

"This is a huge, unprecedented mess," said George Brauchler, a former district attorney in the Denver suburbs whose office oversaw numerous cases in which Woods testified. "I want to know: What in the world did she do?"

(Related: Did you know that the world's first Ebola "vaccines" were injected into patients in Colorado?)

Cutting corners?

By all appearances, Woods cut major corners in her data analyses. And this corner-cutting appears to have put many people behind bars who may not belong there because the actual data, had it been compiled and analyzed correctly, does not incriminate them.

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On the other hand, many actual criminals may have been let off the hook because of Woods' malfeasances, this being a really bad look for the state of Colorado and its criminal justice system.

"She continues to stand by the reliability and integrity of her work on matters that were filed in court, and particularly in cases in which she testified in court under oath," Brauchler added.

While it is currently unknown what revelation prompted the review that led to these findings, we know that investigators are digging deep as the investigation is taking a long time with no indication as to when it might be complete. We also do not know if criminal charges will be filed once everything is said and done.

We do know, however, that Woods committed fraud by altering data in some cases, this according to a December 5 email sent to district attorneys across the state. Woods also analyzed some samples numerous times, in some cases, but only reported one result.

As of December 5, investigators had not uncovered any evidence that DNA evidence provided by Woods was inaccurate.

"CBI Forensic Services continues to review all cases worked by Ms. Woods during her 29-year career," wrote lab director Shawn West in the email. "The CBI is utilizing all available resources to expedite this process."

Colorado prosecutors' biggest fear is that Woods' shoddy and fraudulent work could result in one of two nightmare scenarios: One being the possibility that Woods' cases resulted in a wrongful conviction, and the other being that criminals correctly put behind bars will have to be retried because of her poor DNA testing methods.

"The impact to the confidence and integrity of the justice system  and the work that is going to be required on these cases  is really significant," commented Michael Dougherty, Boulder County's district attorney.

"We will undoubtedly see defendants who've been convicted rightfully and justly trying to use this issue to their advantage."

More related news can be found at ScienceFraud.news.

Sources for this article include:

WSJ.com

NaturalNews.com
Very senior Israeli official accuses U.S. government of seeking to oust Netanyahu

A "very senior" Israeli official has accused the government of the United States of seeking to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

This comes after the publication of a U.S. intelligence report that warned the viability of Netanyahu's government "may be in jeopardy" amid criticism over his management of the conflict in Gaza.

Netanyahu is reportedly "fuming" over this report, and his government has interpreted it as the U.S. allegedly pushing through with plans to unseat Netanyahu. (Related: Only 15% of Israelis want Netanyahu to remain prime minister after the war.)

"Those who elect the prime minister of Israel are the citizens of Israel and no one else," said the official in a statement issued to the media. "Israel is not a protectorate of the U.S. but an independent and democratic country whose citizens are the ones who elect the government. We expect our friends to act to overthrow the terror regime of Hamas and not the elected government in Israel."

Israeli TV network Channel 12, which reported on this did not confirm who the statement came from but did say that it came from "the most senior Israeli political source you can imagine," indicating that Netanyahu himself may have been the source.

In its assessment, the U.S. intelligence report indicated that distrust for Netanyahu's ability to lead the Israeli government "has deepened and broadened across the public from its already high levels before the war, and we expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections."

"A different, more moderate government is a possibility," added the report.

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This same intelligence report noted that Israel will likely be challenged by Hamas for years to come despite Netanyahu's insistence that its unrelenting campaign in Gaza will eradicate the terrorist organization in its entirety, with the prime minister himself repeating his vow of achieving "total victory" in this conflict.

"Israel probably will face lingering armed resistance from Hamas for years to come, and the military will struggle to neutralize Hamas' underground infrastructure, which allows insurgents to hide, regain strength and surprise Israeli forces," the report stated.

This report comes just days after Netanyahu told supporters of Israel gathered in Washington, D.C. that it will "finish the job" it started by attacking the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where over a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

Netanyahu noted that none of the pressures Israel is facing "will stop us," adding that there is "no other option but total victory and that victory is within reach."

"The overwhelming majority of the American people stand with us," he further claimed, ignoring data that shows a majority of eligible voters in the U.S. want the government to work toward an immediate ceasefire  including over half of American Jews.

Democrats support Netanyahu's ouster

Support for Israelis electing a different leader is also coming from elected officials. On Thursday, March 14, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) delivered a speech on the Senate floor strongly criticizing Netanyahu, calling him a major obstacle to peace in the Middle East and calling for new leadership in Israel.

This speech comes as many other notable lawmakers have routinely condemned Netanyahu's leadership and the extremists in Israel's governing coalition. President Joe Biden himself has recently criticized Israel's offensive in Gaza as "over the top."

But Schumer's speech is being regarded as one of the sharpest critiques yet of Israeli policy, and is also being seen by Israel as the U.S. attempting to influence Israelis to replace Netanyahu.

"I believe in his heart, his highest priority is the security of Israel," said Schumer, who also happens to be the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the United States. "However, I also believe Prime Minister Netanyahu has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel."

"He has been too willing to tolerate the civilian [death] toll in Gaza, which is pushing support for Israel worldwide to historic lows," he continued. "Israel cannot survive if it becomes a pariah."

While Schumer did temper his criticisms, claiming that Israel is being blamed too much for how Hamas allegedly uses Palestinian civilians as human shields, he also acknowledged how difficult it would be for Israelis living under a security state to contemplate the possibility of life right next to a stable Palestinian state at this time.

"At this critical juncture, I believe a new election is the only way to allow for a healthy and open decision-making process about the future of Israel, at a time when so many Israelis have lost their confidence in the vision and direction of their government," said Schumer, who believes that a majority of the Israeli public is interested in a different government.

"As a democracy, Israel has the right to choose its own leaders, and we should let the chips fall where they may," he added. "But the important thing is that Israelis are given a choice. There needs to be a fresh debate about the future of Israel after Oct. 7."

Unless Netanyahu's governing coalition is prematurely dissolved, the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, isn't set to hold new elections until Oct. 27, 2026.

Watch this episode of the "Health Ranger Report" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses the alleged U.S. plot to overthrow Netanyahu and occupy Gaza.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Sen. Chuck Schumer turns on Netanyahu, demands Israel vote in new prime minister to stop Gaza genocide.

Netanyahu goes rogue, says IDF will invade Rafah "safe zone" despite presence of one million refugees sheltering there.

Netanyahu REJECTS Hamas' offer to release ALL hostages for a ceasefire  further proof that the Israeli leader doesn't care about his own people.

Netanyahu REJECTS call for creation of a Palestinian state, says Israel must control EVERYTHING "from the river to the sea."

Israeli experts do not believe Netanyahu can destroy Hamas and bring the hostages home.

Sources include:

TimesOfIsrael.com

USAToday.com

NYTimes.com

Brighteon.com
Is Long COVID just chronic LYME DISEASE under another name?

The latest issue of, a bi-monthly magazine owned by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , contains a piece by Michal "Mikki" Tal, formerly of Stanford University , discussing immune responses to cancer and Lyme disease, the latter of which looks a whole lot like so-called "Long COVID."

The article explains that after the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic" was launched in early 2020, in-person research on cancer and Lyme disease ceased, which drove Tal into looking at the salivary immune response to COVID. She discovered that salivary immune response to COVID is strikingly similar to that of Lyme.

"Long COVID looks exactly, and I mean exactly, like chronic Lyme," Tal noted. "One is caused by bacteria, and one is caused by a virus. And I started to ask myself this question: Does it matter which road you took to Rome? Or does it only matter that you're in Rome?"

The crux of Tal's longtime research into cancer and Lyme centered around the way healthy cells in the body broadcast a message to the immune system of "don't eat me" while cancerous or infected cells tell the immune system to "eat me." In the process of probing all this, Tal discovered something she described as "very odd:" the fact that the receptor that receives the healthy cells' signal of "don't eat me" varies tremendously from person to person.

Some believe that the diversity of these receptors is a product of evolutionary biology while others believe that pathogens themselves evolve to produce their own chemical mimics of the response, protecting themselves from the immune system. As a result, the immune system develops its own wide range of locks to outsmart the pathogens.

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.

Lyme is one of those really smart bacterial infections that produces a special protein capable of establishing a lasting infection. Known scientifically as Borrelia burgdorferi, Lyme bacteria's special protein mimics the "don't eat me" signal of healthy cells, effectively prolonging its presence in the body.

As Tal continued her research, she learned that the effect of this mimicking signal in patients who take antibiotic treatments for Lyme is that around 10 percent of them go on to develop chronic symptoms that are nearly identical to Long COVID: things like crushing pain, debilitating fatigue and cognitive abnormalities.

(Related: Evidence also points to vaccination as a direct cause of Long COVID.)

Mystery bioweapons

As many Lyme patients now know, the medical establishment's response to these long-term symptoms is to basically deny them, instead calling them a form of mental illness. In fact, there is still no objective way to diagnose chronic Lyme, nor is there any medically established therapy to treat it.

When COVID came along and Tal's in-person Lyme research hit a pause, she started studying COVID patients who never recovered from their acute symptoms like many others. She observed the same array of bewildering, long-term symptoms that occur in chronic Lyme patients.

It turns out that whatever COVID is, virus or otherwise, does the very same thing as Lyme by producing stubbornly persistent pathogens that continually outsmart the immune system's ability to destroy them. The end result is a seemingly never-ending illness with no established cure.

Even so, Tal is convinced that one day there could be a remedy for both Long COVID and Lyme, especially if they turn out to be one and the same.

"I'm convinced this is a solvable problem," she said. "I've thrown everything I can at trying to find it. And I really hope that we do."

"It is high time that an army of people from all over the world arrest and deal with all those involved in bioweapons production," added a commenter.

More related news can be found at Plague.info.

Sources for this article include:

AllNewsPipeline.com

TechnologyReview.com

NaturalNews.com
Macron doubles down on possibility of deploying NATO troops to Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron has reaffirmed the possibility of deploying North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops to Ukraine, potentially pushing the European Union into open war with Russia.

During a March 14 interview with the TF1 and France 2 channels, Macron remarked: "We cannot exclude options; what we are doing is giving ourselves red lines." His comments came as a response to a reporter asking him about his February 2023 remarks regarding the idea of Western troops entering Ukraine's territory.

He stressed that the international community has imposed "too many constraints in our language" regarding the conflict, adding: "If we choose to be weak today, in the face of someone who has crossed all boundaries, we do not choose peace; we choose defeat."

While the French leader refrained from detailing the specifics of a potential troop deployment, he underscored the importance of Europe's and France's security. Predictably, Moscow responded to Macron's remarks per the Russian state news agency TASS. "France is already involved in the conflict in Ukraine and does not oppose increasing its involvement," said Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov.

Macron's statements came a day before a crucial summit in Germany, a NATO member that strongly opposes such a move. This further risks alienating him from other NATO allies who have earlier distanced themselves from his initial remarks about potential deployment of troops in Ukraine. (Related: Slovakia's PM reveals NATO, EU states still considering sending troops to Ukraine.)

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.

Scholz: NATO not sending ground troops to Ukraine

Macron faces pressure to address tensions over Ukraine amid a March 15 meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The meeting is part of the Weimar Triangle coalition between the three nations first established in 1991.

Berlin has faced criticism for its perceived slow response to the Russia-Ukraine war, with the vitriol particularly aimed at the chancellor for his hesitation to expedite the delivery of Taurus missiles. But according to Scholz, such an action would require German soldiers for the operation.

"It is clear: There will be no ground troops from European countries or NATO," the chancellor earlier remarked. Scholz echoed sentiments expressed by other NATO leaders, stressing that there had been no change to the agreed position that troops from the EU or NATO won't be sent to Ukraine.

Tusk also reiterated Warsaw's commitment to supporting Ukraine's self-defense against Russian aggression. "True solidarity with Ukraine? Less words, more ammunition," the Polish leader stated.

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the United Kingdom has no plans for a large-scale military deployment to Ukraine. The small number of personnel already assisting in training Ukrainian forces was enough, the spokesperson added.

U.S. President Joe Biden also reiterated that Washington won't be sending troops to Ukraine, emphasizing that providing military aid to Kyiv to bolster its defense capabilities remains the best option. Meanwhile, the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni clarified that Rome's support did not entail the presence of troops from EU or NATO states on Ukrainian territory. Other NATO member nations such as Spain and the Czech Republic have also adhered to the bloc's "no troops to Ukraine" stance.

Even NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stuck to this stance. While he reiterated the alliance's commitment to supporting Kyiv, he denied considering sending troops to Ukraine and escalating the ongoing conflict.

Watch this video of French President Emmanuel Macron wanting direct war with Russia.

This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Russian warnings of nuclear escalation deter NATO members from sending troops to Ukraine.

NATO says fighter jets can carry nuclear weapons as tensions with Russia reach breaking point.

Top NATO official warns of ALL-OUT WAR with Russia within 20 years.

Leaked reports show Ukraine LOSING war against Russia, Macron "panicked."

Sources include:

CNBC.com

BBC.com

Brighteon.com
Illegal immigrants leaving U.S. hospitals with BILLIONS in unpaid medical bills

Several reports reveal that the continuous influx of illegal immigrants at the United States border is leaving billions of dollars in uncompensated healthcare costs as they flood into American hospitals for medical treatment.

According to Customs and Border Protection data, illegal immigrants at the U.S. border have surged by 48 percent since the record in fiscal year 2021 and nearly tripled since fiscal year 2019. Last year alone, over 3.2 million apprehensions were recorded, setting a new record for illegal border crossings.

Recent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data revealed that total Medicaid costs for emergency services for undocumented aliens surpassed $7 billion in fiscal year 2021 and totaled more than $5 billion in fiscal year 2022. Both years represent a significant spike from the $3 billion in fiscal year 2020.

In Colorado, Denver Health CEO Donna Lynne said approximately 8,000 illegal immigrants made around 20,000 visits to the Denver health system in 2023 alone. Dane Roper, a public information officer for Denver Health, disclosed that the total bill for uncompensated care costs in Denver last year was $140 million, with over $10 million attributed to care for new immigrants. This represents a dramatic increase from previous years, with uncompensated costs doubling from $60 million in 2020 to $120 million in 2022. (Related: California to give illegals taxpayer-funded healthcare.)

"The perspective weve been trying to emphasize all along is that providing healthcare services for an influx of new immigrants who are unable to pay for their care is adding additional strain to an already significant uncompensated care burden," Roper said.

Healthcare facilities along the Arizona-Mexico border face the same challenges.

Robert Trenschel, the CEO of the Yuma Regional Medical Center in Arizona, said illegal immigrants often require extensive medical intervention, including dialysis, cardiac catheterization and even heart surgery. Some of them are also pregnant with little to no prenatal treatment.

These, in turn, increased the number of newborns that required neonatal care for 30 days or longer, and illegal immigrants ended up staying in the ICU ward for 30 days or longer.

Illegal immigrants receive healthcare benefits presumably intended for military veterans and other American patients

The strain on medical professionals and healthcare resources due to the influx of illegal immigrants has had a ripple effect on American patients, especially military veterans,

According to a South Californian doctor who chose to remain anonymous, military veterans usually face negligence, prolonged wait times for appointments and limited access to care at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

"It takes forever for these VA patients to get seen at the clinic. It takes months to get an appointment. There is very limited care for the veterans out here. The VA program has been neglected as a result of having to put more money into funding for the ICE [Immiration and Customs Enforcement] detention centers," the doctor said.

But instead of dealing with the impact, Darin Selnick, a senior policy advisor for the advocacy group Concerned Veterans for America, revealed in December that the VA, along with ICE, processed 161,000 medical and dental claims for illegal immigrants in 2022 while consistently denying proper care to actual veterans.

In turn, he urged the government to investigate this abuse and to protect and provide more care for the country's veterans.

"It's got to stop. Congress needs to investigate this. Last year, Mayorkas said in testimony that they were working with the VA to go ahead and expand this, possibly in medical centers. We don't know exactly how deep this is. It's got to be investigated," said Selnick.

Watch this clip from Fox News as Darin Selnick discusses the VA's role in providing medical care to illegal immigrants.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Biden's Veterans Affairs helped process 161K medical and dental healthcare claims for ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS while denying care for veterans.

"Health care" today means HIGHER costs and WORSE outcomes.

Largest healthcare strike in U.S. history begins, as healthcare system continues to deteriorate.

Venezuelan migrant family regrets coming to the U.S. as American Dream becomes too difficult to reach for illegals.

As U.S. helps Israel ethnically cleanse the "holy land," Biden is deploying heavy machinery to U.S. southern border to LIFT razor wire, allowing more illegals to flood America.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com 1

TheEpochTimes.com 2

InfoWars.com

FoxNews.com

Brighteon.com
Pfizer vaccine manufacturing plant spills more than 1,000 gallons of harmful METHYLENE CHLORIDE chemical

A vaccine manufacturing facility in Michigan owned by drug giant Pfizer spilled more than 1,000 gallons of a harmful chemical , prompting authorities to issue an advisory.

Pfizer's facility in Kalamazoo reportedly spilled an estimated 1,057 gallons of methylene chloride within the processing area of the manufacturing facility, FOX 17 reported. The discharged colorless liquid was placed into a dedicated drain that runs to the Kalamazoo Water Reclamation Plant (KWRP) for treatment. The KWRP is designed and permitted to treat a maximum of 291 gallons of methylene chloride daily, roughly a quarter of the amount of methylene chloride that spilled.

According to the New York-based drug firm, the Kalamazoo facility is "the largest manufacturing site in the Pfizer network." Measuring 1,300 acres, the facility is in charge of manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients, drug products and medical devices. (Related: FDA dismisses dangerous DNA contamination of COVID vaccines after allowing Pfizer to change its manufacturing process.)

Given this, city officials warned residents to stay away from the Kalamazoo River in the form of a no-contact advisory (NCA). The said NCA advised people to avoid contact with the stretch of the river from Paterson Street Bridge to the Davis Avenue Bridge in Cooper Township.

"We decided to issue [an] NCA for the stretch of river impacted by the methylene chloride release as a precautionary measure," said Kalamazoo County Health Officer Jim Rutherford. "This advisory will remain in effect until further investigation and sampling indicates that there is no risk to public health."

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.

However, it is highly unlikely that the methylene chloride spill won't pose a risk to Kalamazoo residents. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the chemical is considered to be "a potential occupational carcinogen." It added: "The most common means of exposure to methylene chloride is inhalation and skin exposure."

Kalamazoo plant also made COVID-19 injections

Incidentally, the Kalamazoo plant also made the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines for Pfizer as disclosed by independent journalist Texas Lindsay. She cited a piece on the Big Pharma firm's own website as evidence of this.

According to the Pfizer article, two facilities  the Kalamazoo location and another in Puurs, Belgium  were "swiftly selected for developing the processes and manufacturing" the COVID-19 injections after Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech agreed to collaborate on the vaccine. "Both plants had the space, the know-how, the people and the equipment to get to work right away," it added.

"Working in tandem, the teams at Puurs and Kalamazoo ordered equipment and vessels they thought they'd need. [They also] started changing existing filling lines; building formulations booths and new filling lines; constructing packaging lines and a 'freezer farm;' while recruiting and training new colleagues."

The piece also recounted that the Kalamazoo plant had an existing formulation area already being used to produce two life-saving medications. To avoid any shortages of those two medications, Pfizer went into overdrive to make them before the said area was converted for vaccine production.

Since that 2020 agreement, the Kalamazoo site has been expanded. Pfizer has purchased almost 600 large freezers to store batches of COVID-19 vaccines. It has also built two additional formulation suites for the vaccine using 13,000 square feet of modular rooms shipped from Texas.

Head over to BigPharmaNews.com for more stories about Pfizer.

Watch this video about reptilian DNA found in Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines, attesting to claims that the injections are tainted with foreign matter.

This video is from the Bradley Bravo 1 channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

When Hollywood cared about chemical spills.

Pfizer shares PLUNGE as gloomy 2024 economic outlook emerges.

Texas sues Pfizer for conspiring to censor the vaccines critics

New lawsuit says Pfizer knowingly distributed unsafe drugs to children.

Australian Senate grills Pfizer, Moderna reps about covid vaccine genocide.

Sources include:

100PercentFedUp.com

FOX17Online.com

OSHA.gov

Pfizer.com

Brighteon.com
Top Pfizer scientists concerns about dangers of COVID jab boosters, mRNA technology SUPPRESSED

Previously unpublished recordings from Project Veritas have surfaced that expose top Pfizer scientists discussing concerns they had about their company's Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccines."

Justin Leslie, a Pfizer formulation analyst, sent the recordings to Project Veritas back in late 2021, but for whatever reason they were never published. Now, for the first time, you can hear them below:

Principal scientist at Pfizer, Kanwall Gill in 2021: We had no idea how its going to look like. MRNA vaccines have been there for 50 years, but nothing went to clinical trial because MRNA have been known to have side effects. Credit to whistleblower @justintegrity_ pic.twitter.com/RZXrRReMxz  Liam Cosgrove (@cosgrove_iv) March 12, 2024

One of the scientists heard talking in the above recording is Kanwal Gill, a principal scientist at Pfizer. Gill expressed worry about his company's use of mRNA (modRNA) technology given its extensive history of testing without any actual approved commercial use.

Gill described Pfizer's mRNA injections as "sneaky," warning that latent side effects from the jab could emerge long after a person gets injected. She also warned that the formulation process for Pfizer's mRNA injections was dramatically rushed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), all of which hinged upon the Trump regime's Operation Warp Speed scheme for rapid release.

Pfizer's principal scientist in 2021: It takes 10 year for a vaccine to come out. It takes years of observations... we are doing everything at the same time." "Even Pfizer CEO and even [BioNTech CEO] wont have answers... its also becoming a money game. H/t @justintegrity_ pic.twitter.com/KdbocxGwmV  Liam Cosgrove (@cosgrove_iv) March 12, 2024

(Related: Project Veritas also exposed Pfizer for conducting illegal gain-of-function research.)

Pfizer's mRNA injection for children: a different formulation

Another Pfizer scientist heard in the records is pharmaceutical formulation scientist Ramin Darvari, who expressed deep concerns about how repeated "booster" shot uptake could result in prolific damage to the cardiovascular system.

"It's going to affect my heart, and I'm going to die," Darvari said ominously. "And nobody's talking about that."

Pfizer's pharmaceutical formulation scientist, Ramin Darvari, in 2021: Theyre engineering it specifically for me to take the next one, so increasing my consumption." Its going to affect my heart, and Im going to die. And nobodys talking about that. h/t @justintegrity_ pic.twitter.com/iYb8aVo872  Liam Cosgrove (@cosgrove_iv) March 12, 2024

In 2021 when all of this was recorded, the bombshell information would have shocked the world. Today in 2024, millions of people, including those who took Pfizer's COVID jabs and now regret it, already well know that the shots were dangerous  only now there is this added proof from inside the belly of the beast that Pfizer's own scientists knew about the risks but were silenced.

Pfizer, in spite of the concerns of its own employees, declared its mRNA shots to have "no serious safety concerns," and the Trump regime, followed by the Biden regime, mass-distributed them at warp speed.

Another major revelation from the unearthed recordings is the fact that Pfizer's mRNA jab for adults is different than the one it developed for children. Last-minute changes were also made to all of the shots replacing their preservation "buffer" from "PBS" to "Tris," even though PBS is the one that was used in the company's clinical trials.

"Before they changed this last step of the formulation, the formula was to be kept at -80 degrees Celsius," Leslie confirmed about the change. "After they changed the last step, we kept them at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius."

BREAKING: @Pfizer Exploring "Mutating" COVID-19 Virus For New Vaccines "Don't tell anyone this...There is a risk...have to be very controlled to make sure this virus you mutate doesn't create something...the way that the virus started in Wuhan, to be honest."#DirectedEvolution pic.twitter.com/xaRvlD5qTo  Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) January 26, 2023

More related news can be found at BadMedicine.news.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

NaturalNews.com
CALGARY  The City of Calgary is warning it may restrict outdoor water use by May 1 if dry conditions keep up.

And a big dump of snow in the forecast this week likely won't be enough to change the outlook.

In the meantime, Mayor Jyoti Gondek is urging Calgarians to use less water at home.

That can mean taking shorter showers, running only full laundry and dishwater loads and turning off the tap while shaving or brushing teeth.

Gondek says drought is one of the biggest hazards climate change poses to the city at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers.

She says the city is doing its part by cleaning its vehicles and watering parks less often, as well as turning off fountains and planting drought-resistant vegetation.

"We're getting people prepared for conservation and, if the restrictions have to be put in place, at least they will be ready," Gondek told a news conference Tuesday.

"And so the flag is up. There will more than likely be persistent drought conditions and, if restrictions come, it will be a decision that administration is making in May. But we don't want that to be a surprise to Calgarians."

Environment Canada is predicting up to 25 centimetres of snow in southern Alberta over the next few days.

Nicole Newton, manager of natural environment and adaptation, said the moisture is welcome, but there needs to be melt from an above-average snowpack in the Rocky Mountains to break the drought.

"March and April is when the mountains typically receive most of their snow," she said.

"Our region relies on the gradual melting of mountain snowpack and spring rains to replenish reservoirs, ensuring sufficient water supply."

Calgary restricted outdoor water use between August and October last year, with residents told to take turns washing cars and watering lawns.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2024.

The Canadian Press
BEWARE: Some of the Haitian migrants pouring into Florida are ARMED

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida gave a press conference earlier this week warning that the illegal alien migrants heading to the Sunshine State from Haiti are packing heat.

In a statement, DeSantis said authorities intercepted a boat carrying 25 illegal aliens from Haiti, all of whom were carrying firearms, drugs and even night vision gear.

"That vessel was interdicted," DeSantis said. "Those illegal aliens were turned over to the Coast Guard for deportation."

The boat was first stopped by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) crew while they were patrolling near Sebastian Inlet at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 29. The 42-foot vessel was determined to be involved in a "human smuggling operation."

After investigators arrived, they found 25 individuals on board, including five unaccompanied children. There were also weapons, night vision gear and drugs.

The vessel's operator and one passenger were both identified as United States citizens. Those two were turned over to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, according to a press release.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL): Given the situation thats happening in Haiti, some brutal reportswe have authorized additional officersThe last thing you should want to do is get on some boat and think youre going to come through from any of these islands to get to...Florida. pic.twitter.com/8nUP8txEOK  The Recount (@therecount) March 15, 2024

(Related: Speaking of migrants, did you know that Panama just banned Doctors Without Borders after discovering corruption taking place inside NGO tents?)

Influx of Haitian migrants into U.S. to worsen

The suspected migrants, whom DeSantis repeatedly referred to as "illegal aliens," are the product of growing criminal violence in Haiti resulting from criminal gangs, led, reportedly, by someone named "Barbeque."

The gangs, which rove the capital city of Port-au-Prince, are fighting for power following the recent resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

A nation known for poverty, violence and poor, if any, leadership at time, Haiti has been in a state of crisis for some time. That crisis has gotten worse, though, ever since the assassination of previous President Jovenel Moise in 2021 at the height of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic."

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.

"People are trying to flee Haiti to places like the U.S., and the situation is likely going to get worse as the violence continues," a source is quoted as saying about the crisis.

"Activists will tell you immigration from Haiti to the U.S. is closely tied to the situation inside the country, including the insecurity. More insecurity in Haiti means more people will try to go to the U.S. to save their lives. We are already seeing this."

In anticipation of a coming flood of Haitian migrants  Florida would be the first and probably final destination for most of them  DeSantis is sending more than 250 additional officers and soldiers to the state's borders with the ocean, as well as a number of aircraft and boats to "protect" the state from what he described as the "possibility of invasion."

"Given the circumstances in Haiti, I have directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard and state law enforcement agencies to deploy over 250 additional officers and soldiers and over a dozen air and seacraft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state," DeSantis said.

"No state has done more to supplement the (under-resourced) U.S. Coast Guard's interdiction efforts; we cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida."

In the comments, someone speculated that perhaps "Biden or Soros provided the invaders with the tactical equipment."

"Wouldn't surprise me one bit if they did!" this person added.

Will America collapse under the weight of the escalating migrant invasion? Find out more at InvasionUSA.news.

Sources for this article include:

The-Express.com

NaturalNews.com
Tyson Foods hit with BOYCOTT for ditching Americans workers and hiring illegals

Food processing giant Tyson Foods has been hit with a boycott over its move to ditch American workers and hire illegals for its operations.

According to the Daily Mail, angry shoppers are boycotting products from the $53-million meat company. The issue stems from its decision to close plants in five states  Iowa, Virginia, Arkansas, Indiana and Missouri  rendering thousands of Americans jobless.

The company recently announced the closure of its pork processing plant in Perry, Iowa  putting 1,276 people out of work. This followed the May 2023 closure of two facilities in Virginia and Arkansas that employed more than 1,600 people. The Mail continued: "Plants in North Little Rock, Arkansas; Corydon, Indiana; Dexter, Missouri; and Noel, Missouri are set to end operations in the first half of 2024, following a 0.8 percent slump in the company's sales between 2022 [and] 2023."

Concurrently, Tyson Foods has launched efforts to hire thousands of illegal immigrants in New York City. According to the Mail, the company plans to offer illegals a starting rate of $16.50 an hour alongside free immigration lawyers. True enough, the company has appeared in job fairs at the Big Apple to recruit potential workers.

"In a bid to help its migrant employees, Tyson has spent millions of dollars on immigration lawyers and offers paid time off to attend court hearings," the tabloid added. "Many also benefit from temporary housing, onsite childcare, transportation and English classes." (Related: Bidens economic record tied to illegal migrant employment surge, says report.)

But this did not sit well with the conservative action group America First Legal (AFL), which was launched by former officials of the Trump administration. It warned Tyson that it could be breaking the law by favoring illegals over Americans. "It is illegal under federal law to discriminate against American citizens based on their citizenship in favor of non-citizens of any kind when it comes to employment," the AFL said.

Given this development, several took to social media to call for a boycott against Tyson Foods. User @Travis_in_Flint called for Americans "to boycott this company into oblivion," adding that the company's decision to close its Iowa plant "is one of the worst things we've seen a company do." User @MJTruthUltra, meanwhile, posted a strong reason to boycott Tyson Foods: "They're firing Americans and offering perks to illegals."

Tyson wants to hire MORE ILLEGALS for CHEAPER LABOR

According to the Mail, Tyson Foods already has 42,000 illegals among its 120,000-strong U.S. workforce. But this isn't enough for the company as it seeks to boost this number by cooperating with the Tent Partnership for Refugees (TFR) nonprofit.

In 2022, Tyson agreed to hire 2,500 illegals under its program with TFR. The firm increased that number in 2023 by 150 hires, including 50 from Afghanistan. The illegals hired by Tyson eventually worked at its three facilities in Arkansas.

Garrett Dolan, senior manager for corporate social responsibility at Tyson Foods, stressed the need for the meatpacker to hire more illegals. According to him, illegals fill the gaps at facilities with a high staff turnover rate. He added that for 2024, Tyson needs to fill 52,000 jobs.

"We would like to employ another 42,000 if we could find them," Dolan told Bloomberg News. "A large portion of new hires are going to come from refugees and immigrants, so we're now in the business of strategically thinking that through."

The Mail ultimately remarked that the boycott stemming from Tyson Foods' decision highlights fears that illegals are replacing Americans and driving down wages for blue-collar workers. Based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there was a staggering decrease of 1.2 million native-born people in the workforce between July and August 2023. In contrast, some 688,000 jobs were secured by foreign-born workers during the same period.

Head over to OpenBorders.news for similar stories.

Watch this video about Tyson Foods hiring 52,000 illegal aliens following its termination of American workers in Iowa.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Tyson Foods shuts down 4 facilities amid losses  another blow to the food supply.

Major U.S. corporations are relying on illegal migrants for cheap labor.

Tyson Foods to lay off 10% of corporate workers, 15% of leadership team as corporate America IMPLODES.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Brighteon.com
Investigation finds U.S.- and U.K.-manufactured weapons were used to bomb British doctors in Gazas humanitarian area

A designated safe zone located in the southern Gaza town of Al-Mawasi, where British doctors work for British and American organizations and which had been marked as a protected humanitarian area by the Israeli military was bombed in January

According to a United Nations investigation, U.S.- and U.K.-manufactured weapons or parts were likely used to bomb the doctors. It also said that the compound, which was not close to any other buildings, was struck around 6:00 a.m. on Jan. 18 by an F-16 jet which "most likely" fired a 1,000-pound "smart bomb.

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) also said this week that Israeli officials have offered six different explanations as to why the residential compound housing their staff was hit despite the Israeli military giving the British defense attache assurances that the site was a de-conflicted area a month prior to the bombing.

Reports indicate that the attack caused several staff members and a bodyguard non-life-threatening injuries, severely damaged the compound and forced the organizations to stop taking foreign doctors into Gaza as the healthcare system collapsed.

MAP and IRC claimed that Israeli government and military explanations of what happened range from denying involvement, accepting responsibility and asserting that the incident "was a mistake caused by a defective tail fin on the missile that was fired." "It is clear from this experience that the Israeli military and government are either unable or unwilling to properly investigate this serious incident," the organizations said. They have called on Israel's allies to agree to a "full, independent and timebound" investigation into the incident -- and all other reported attacks on "deconflicted" facilities and staff. They also demanded "concrete assurances" that attacks against aid and health workers will not occur in the future.

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.

"As current suppliers of arms and munitions to Israel, governments such as the U.K. and the U.S. have a particular responsibility to hold Israel accountable for this and other attacks on aid workers and civilians," the organizations also wrote.

Meanwhile, Scottish National Party's spokesperson on foreign affairs, MP Brendan O'Hara said on Thursday that he was "extremely concerned" such an attack could happen again, saying it was "almost inevitable" given the "sense of impunity" with which Israel is acting. "The targeting of protected places such as hospitals, medical facilities or humanitarian compounds constitutes a war crime, and this indiscriminate bombing of a designated safe zone should be investigated as such," O'Hara told the Middle East Eye. "If, as we suspect, those bombs, or the planes which dropped them, were made in the U.K., then I fear that that makes the U.K. complicit."

Moreover, MP Colum Eastwood, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour party, said he and others had been raising serious concerns for months about the U.K.'s arms export licensing regime given the ongoing bombardment of Gaza. "In this case and in others, the response from the British government has been woefully deficient," Eastwood told the news outlet.

Israel "proposes" transfer of 1.4M Palestinian civilians to "humanitarian islands" before the invasion

According to reports, Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that the U.S. government has yet to see an Israeli proposal to "get civilians out of harm's way" in Rafah and ensure shelter, food and medicine. Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that there are plans to push a significant amount of the more than one million displaced Palestinians in Rafah towards "humanitarian islands" in the center of the Gaza Strip in advance of Israel's planned offensive on the city.

The suggested move came after the Israelis hit a UN aid distribution center in Rafah, killing at least one United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) staff member and wounding another 22.

To date, at least 31,272 Palestinians have already been killed and 73,024 injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Oct. 7. The death toll in Israel from Hamas' initial attack last year stands at 1,139 and dozens continue to be held captive. (Related: FOUR MONTHS of Israels military campaign in Gaza has killed more children than FOUR YEARS of global conflicts.)

Check out WWIII.news for more updates on the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Sources for this article include:

MiddleEastEye.net

Rescue.org

AlJazeera.com
Snow, a symbol of winter's charm and a playground for countless, is far more than a seasonal blanket over the landscape. It is a crucial component of our planet's water cycle, a silent reservoir that sustains life as we know it.

The Measure of Winter's Wealth: Snow Water Storage

In the quest to comprehend the true value of snow, researchers have embarked on a journey to quantify its contribution to our freshwater resources.

A groundbreaking study by Oregon State University has introduced a novel metric, snow water storage (SwS), which encapsulates the volume of water snowpacks harbor over time.

This metric is a game-changer for water managers who depend on accurate forecasts of water availability to strategize resource distribution.

The study, which scrutinized nearly four decades of snowpack data, unveiled a startling 22% decline in the annual water encapsulated within the mountain snowpacks across the lower 48 states.

This decline not only affects water supply but also has broader implications for ecosystems and agriculture that depend on the timely release of water from melting snow.

The Elevation Equation: High-Altitude Water Banks

The research further illuminated the disproportionate role high-elevation areas play in snow water storage. Astonishingly, 72% of the nation's snow water is cradled in the mountains, which constitute a mere 16% of the land area.

This finding underscores the importance of preserving these high-altitude water banks, which are now under threat from the changing climate.

A Seasonal Shift: The Early Release of Snow's Bounty

The timing and quantity of snow water release are shifting, with peak monthly snow water storage now occurring in March. The most significant losses are observed early in the snow season, particularly in November.

This shift could lead to mismatches between water supply and demand, especially in regions where snowmelt is a critical water source.

Also Read: Water Storage Can't Save Crops During Drought; Dry Air a Major Threat to Plant Health

The Future of Snow: Adapting to Change

As we face a future marked by increased climate variability, the spatial and temporal flexibility of metrics like SwS will be invaluable.

They will enable us to monitor and predict snow water resources with greater precision, ensuring that we can adapt to and mitigate the impacts of these changes.

Other Ways that Snow Affects Ecosystems?

Snow's impact on ecosystems is both profound and multifaceted. As a natural insulator, snow maintains stable ground temperatures, protecting soil-dwelling organisms from extreme cold. Its high albedo reflects sunlight, influencing photosynthesis rates for under-snow plant life.

As it melts, snow provides essential moisture, marking the transition from winter scarcity to spring abundance, and affecting the length of growing seasons.

This seasonal water release also carries nutrients into the soil, bolstering plant growth in otherwise nutrient-poor environments. However, snow can also absorb pollutants, which are then released during the thaw, potentially impacting soil and water quality.

Furthermore, snow depth and duration shape plant-animal interactions, affecting foraging behaviors and habitat selection.

The changing patterns of snowfall and melt due to climate variability thus have significant implications for ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity conservation.

Snow, in essence, is a keystone element in cold-climate ecosystems, and its decline poses a threat to the delicate balance maintained within these environments.

Related article: Climate Change Increases Lake Water Storage on the 18 Lakes of Inner Tibetan Plateau
Bear attacks have been reported in Slovakia in recent days, including a Belarusian woman who died after being chased down by a brown bear in the remote mountain range of Low Tatras. The woman was with her male companion when the incident, which took place late last week, occurred but got separated when the bear attack started. A day after, a Slovakian brown bear also attacked the nearby town of Liptovsky Mikulas.

Bear Attacks Belarusian Woman

On March 15, a woman from Belarus died after being chased by a brown bear through the thick forest and steep terrain of the Low Tatras mountain range. The 31-year-old Belarusian woman was walking with her companion, a 29-year-old man also from Belarus.

In a statement by the country's Slovakian Mountain Rescue Service, the couple ran in different directions when the bear attack occurred during evening hours. During a search by rescuers, the woman's body was found below a deep ravine, where she reportedly fell while running from the bear.

In recent years, bear attacks have been on the rise across the country, according to data from the Slovakian Government. Located in Central Europe, Slovakia is a landlocked country bordered by Poland in the north, the Czech Republic in the northwest, Austria, in the southwest, Hungary in the south, and Ukraine in the east.

In this region, bears are common across the Carpathian Mountain range, which includes Slovakia.

Also Read: Robot 'Monster Wolf' Deployed to Quell Recent Wave of Bear Attacks in Japan

How Do You Escape a Bear Attack?

Among the many life-saving advises given by wildlife experts when encountering a bear, standing still and making one's self look bigger are some of them. One of the most famous tactics is stretching both arms sideways or above the head which can make a person appear larger from the eyes of the wild animal.

However, this advice seems to be easier said than done, especially when the panic or fear kicks in, as seen from previous bear attacks, with some being fatal.

According to the National Park Service (NPS), bluff charges and aggressive charges are the two types of bear encounters. A person's response to these charges could be a matter of life and death, says the NPS, which elaborated that all bear attacks or encounters are different. Below are some of the tips provided by the United States Government agency:

Do not run during a bluff charge, a bear behavior which only aims to scare or intimidate

Defend yourself during an aggressive charge, with warning signs such as yawning or clacking of teeth

Fight back and do not play dead when a black bear attacks

Play dead and do not fight back when a grizzly bear or brown bear attacks

The NPS emphasized the most important way to escape a bear attack is to slowly move away and be quiet. This is to convince either a grizzly or brown bear that you are not a threat to it or its cubs.

Related Article: How To Survive Grizzly Bear Attack: Simple Tips that Will Keep You Alive
Marion Island is being overrun by small yet ferocious mammals dubbed "zombie mice" that are known for eating albatross birds alive. Located in the Southern Indian Ocean, the island has been a site of struggle by the avians as the rodents have increased in population. This threatens the local ecosystem based on previous scientific evidence.

Amid the threat, conservationists are planning to eradicate the rodents on Marion Island once and for all.

In recent years, invasive mice species have overwhelmed albatrosses on Marion Island, where multiple members of the large seabird species are gnawed to death. The gradual threat posed by rodents has raised concerns amongst scientists. To address the problem, conservationists are considering conducting a mass extermination of the local mouse population by using helicopters carrying large amounts of rodent poison.

Zombie Mice Mass Extermination

The mass extermination of zombie mice includes the use of hundreds of tons of poison that is needed to be dropped on every part of Marion Island to ensure success, according to reports over the past week. The target of the mice eradication initiative, officially called the Mouse-Free Marion project, includes even pregnant mice, which are known for their ability to give offspring exponentially.

According to reports, albatrosses on Marion Island die due to several reasons, including lack of sleep and wounds from the mice attacks. Experts say the birds have not yet developed defence mechanisms against the predatory rodents, which regularly kill the unique, migrating seabirds that can travel for thousands of miles.

Also Read: Viral Video: Rats Overrun a Taco Cabana Kitchen in Texas

Marion Island Albatrosses

Albatrosses on Marion Island are also experiencing a wide range of anthropogenic and natural risks to their survival, in addition to the invasive mice species. The majority of these seabirds can be found in an area from Antarctica to South America, as well as in other parts of the world such as Australia, New Zealand, and southern Africa.

Furthermore, the white ocean birds also have a presence from Japan in East Asia to the states of Hawaii, Alaska, and California.

The gruesome threat is nothing new but has started to take its toll 200 years after mice were introduced by mistake in a remote island near Antarctica. Since then, the so-called zombie mice have multiplied out of proportion due to various factors, including climate change. In a study published in the journal Nature Africa in June 2023, the first evidence of significant Marion Island Albatross killings by mice were recorded in 2003.

Before 2003, the Marion Island mice are known for surviving only on insects and other vertebrates, including worms, according to the 2023 research paper. The greatest ecological threat surrounding the phenomenon is that the non-native mice are threatening the adult albatross population that uses Marion Island as a major global nesting site. As a result, researchers are constantly monitoring mice activity on the island.

Related Article: Invasive Mice Gnaws to Death Adult Albatrosses on Marion Island
A potential clipper storm is expected to impact portions of Minneapolis, Chicago, and the Northeast this week, according to the latest forecast. Homeowners should stay alert for challenging commutes, cold-related health concerns, and power outages.

In New York, the advisory shows that a weak high pressure can unload in the region on Tuesday. Potential dry conditions can unfold in the middle and upper 40s. From a sunny outlook, the weather conditions can become cloudy.

The National Weather Service (NWS) also monitors a series of weak cold fronts in the region, which can bring a cool and brisk outlook on Tuesday. Temperatures can likely become milder or colder on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Boston residents can expect a breezy outlook with a mix of clouds and sunshine. Temperatures are expected to reach in the upper 40s and to the lower 50s.

Weather in Minneapolis and Chicago

According to the latest forecast, a clipper storm is expected to unload challenging weather conditions in portions of Minneapolis and Chicago this week. Parts of the Northeast can likely experience a mix of rain and snow.

People with travel plans should keep updated with the forecasts in the Northeast to avoid travel dangers due to snow causing slippery commutes and foggy conditions.

Meanwhile, the NWS monitors the development of an upper-level energy in the Great Lakes and Northeast on Tuesday. The forecast shows that moderate snow is forecast in the Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians on Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday night, the colder conditions can also unload in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. According to forecasts, the snow is forecast that can cause travel delays and slippery spots in the following areas:

Fargo

Sioux Falls

Minneapolis

Sault Ste. Marie

Chicago

Detroit

In addition, potential snowfall is forecast in the following areas:

Bismarck

Fargo

Minneapolis

Duluth

Detroit

Chicago

In the late week and the weekend, the rainy and stormy weather outlook can unload in Chicago, Washington, New York, and Jacksonville.

In Chicago, the advisory shows that the beginning of spring can still feel a colder weather outlook in the region with potential snow. On Tuesday, people can expect lingering flurries. However, residents should watch out for the warm and breezy conditions, causing possible brush fire concerns.

Also Read: NWS Weather Forecast in Florida: Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall To Hit This Week

Keeping Safe From a Clipper Storm in the Northeast

The latest forecast warns of a possible clipper storm in the Northeast, bringing challenging commutes to hazardous travel. Motorists should limit outdoor plans, especially in snow-affected areas.

Did You Know? Boston Facts

On March 18, 1936, the Great New England flood occurred, which brought heavy snowfall, heavy rain, and flooding to the region. It is considered one of the worst flooding in the region.

Related Article: NWS Weather Forecast in Florida: Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall To Hit This Week

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
Experts warned that the volcano in Iceland could still unleash a toxic gas plume.

To recall, the submerged volcano in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula has erupted for the fourth time in four months.

Lava Flow To Unleash Gas Plume

Scientists said that the resulting lava flow narrowly missed Grindavik, however, it could still reach the sea that can potentially unleash a toxic gas plume.

The Icelandic MET Office said that it has already updated the hazard assessment to account for the latest data.

The new hazard assessment took effect on Monday, March 18, with experts saying that it will be valid until March 20, unless the situation changes.

They said that the Zone 3 (the Sundhnukur crater row), where the volcanic eruption is still ongoing, remains unchanged, with the hazard level remaining very high. Meanwhile, the hazard level is assessed to remain high in Zone 1 (Svartsengi) due to gas emissions and lava flows.

On the other hand, the same applies to Zone 4 (Grindavik), where the danger due to sinkholes above fissures, fault movements, lava flows, and gas emissions is still considered as high.

So far, Zone 5 has been downgraded to considerable risk (orange) and Zone 7 is now downgraded to some risk.

The reason for assessing the danger as greater in Zone 1 than in Zone 5 is the closer distance to the active end of the eruptive fissure.

The weather forecast and gas dispersion that is forecasted for the next few days will affect the assessment of gas pollution and ash in the hazard assessment.

Authorities said that the eruptive activity has been relatively stable since yesterday afternoon.

The eruption has been focused at two locations along the eruptive fissure, but the northernmost craters that were active yesterday are deemed as not active at present.

Meanwhile, the most active areas are near the southern end of the eruptive fissure that opened on Saturday evening, with lava flowing from these locations southward towards the road Suurstrandarvegur.

In the morning, the lava flow was approximately 330 meters from the road, with minor movement of the margin since yesterday evening.

Officials said that the observations of the area in the evening had indicated that there is no significant activity or movement of the lava flow that crossed the road Grindavikurvegur a few hours after the eruption started.

Read Also: Iceland Volcano Update: New Eruptions Expected As Experts Observe Magma Movement

Volcanic Eruptions

To recall, the volcano first erupted in December last year after weeks of seismic activity and ground deformation. Further, it blew its top again in January of this year.

Meanwhile, another eruption began last February 6 and lasted for just over a week. On Saturday, the volcano suddenly erupted for a fourth time at around 8 p.m. local time with almost no warning for residents.

During that time, lava broke through in three separate places, creating two fissures between Hagafell and Stora-Skogfell, according to the Icelandic Met Office.

Related Article: Iceland Volcano Eruption: Evacuation of Blue Lagoon, Nearby Areas Ordered Due to Lava Flow




The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) underlined the importance of combating climate change, referring to it as a "crisis multiplier" with implications for global security.

Crisis Multiplier

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stressed that the challenge is that the world needs energy while there is a need to fight global warming.

He made the remarks during a press conference in Baku alongside Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, whose energy-rich country will host the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) this November.

Stoltenberg praised Azerbaijan's essential role in delivering natural gas to major NATO countries.

"Climate change matters for security and therefore it matters for NATO, climate change is a crisis multiplier," he added.

Stoltenberg also praised Azerbaijan for its investments in alternative energy, emphasizing the country's "great potential" as a provider of hydropower and solar power to European markets.

Read Also: Climate Change Poses Threat on US Military Operations, May Lead to International Conflicts

Climate Summit

Environmentalists have criticized the idea of convening a climate summit in Azerbaijan, an oil and gas producer.

Azerbaijan's economy relies on oil and gas, and its current objective-to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030 and 40% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels-falls far short of the net zero level that experts say the world must attain by 2050 to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

But the tightly controlled Caspian nation is seeking to change its reputation as a polluting authoritarian state.

Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, stated that his former Soviet country has begun preparations to explore upgrading its national climate change commitment (NDC).

"It is not only a chance for Azerbaijan, but all other countries to prepare and announce the upgraded NDCs in Baku in November this year," Babayev said.

Babayev, who previously spent two decades at Azerbaijan's state-owned oil and gas company, did not identify the revised aim.

Campaigners and some climate scientists have criticized his selection for perpetuating a pattern of individuals with close ties to the oil and gas business leading global climate change negotiations.

According to US data for 2022, oil and gas account for 91% of Azerbaijan's exports. Aliyev stated that his country is a "pan-European gas supplier" with an ambitious green transition strategy.

He described Azerbaijan's selection as the host of COP29 from November 11 to 24 as a "sign of recognition of our efforts on green transition".

The climate conference will be hosted by an oil superpower for the second consecutive year, with the 2023 event taking place in the United Arab Emirates.

Representatives from almost 200 countries agreed at the COP28 climate summit to begin lowering global fossil fuel consumption in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, signaling the end of the oil age.

More than 100 countries fought hard for strong language in the COP28 accord to "phase out" oil, gas, and coal use, but were met with significant opposition from the Saudi Arabia-led oil producer group OPEC, which stated that the world can reduce emissions without avoiding specific fuels.

Related Article: Groundwater Depletion Threatens Food Security in the US, Researchers Warn
The latest report warns of the potential impact of climate change on significant snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada. Researchers explain that many species can suffer from starvation due to a decline in snowpack and changing shifts in weather conditions.

Climate change has been a major threat to parts of the US, particularly in the Pacific Northwest and California. It can influence weather events, bringing the following:

intense temperatures

extreme rainfall

flooding

prolonged drought

In recent reports, California has experienced challenging weather conditions. The snowpack in California's Sierra, Southern Cascades, and other areas is crucial for the region's water security, especially during the warm and drought months.

In addition, climate change can significantly impact many species due to a decline in snowpack and extreme weather events. As a result, understanding the different impacts is important to developing strategies for mitigating climate change.

California's Snowpack: Why Does It Matter?

In a recent report, researchers from the University of California raised concerns about the climate change effects on species in California, which can go hungry when snowmelt declines. The lack of a snowpack can damage water security.

The research findings were published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers explained that the reduction of snowpack and advanced snowmelt can alter the environment, which can affect biodiversity and ecosystem processes.

Researchers also raised concerns about climate shifts in precipitation and temperature fluctuations. The findings show that the shifts, particularly in stream formation, can affect the species' ways of looking for potential food, disrupting the food webs and ecosystem balance.

"It is remarkable that despite the stability at the broad ecosystem level, even slight changes can be consequential," Associate Professor Albert Ruhi, the study's co-author, said, as quoted in a report. Ruhi is also from the environmental science, policy, and management department at UC Berkeley.

The researchers highlighted the early snowmelt in the region, which climate change has exacerbated. Many species are expected to be affected, including insects, birds, land animals, and marine animals. The main concern is that they can suffer from starvation.

In addition, the report said that some species could survive or become resilient to changing weather conditions in the region. However, prolonged rises in temperatures and frequent shifts in weather can be disastrous to animals' survival.

Also Read: Wildfire, Extreme Drought Can Cause Widespread Emergence of Invasive Species in California's Ecosystem

California's Extreme Drought and Wildfires Effects on Invasive Species

NWN recently reported that extreme drought and wildfires, worsened by climate change, can trigger the spread of invasive species in California's ecosystem. The report was published in Ecology.

Temperature fluctuations and changing humidity can help with the invasive species, causing potentially devastating effects on ecosystems and wildlife. Widespread invasive species can threaten food security.

Related Article: Diverse Fish Habitats Help Save Salmon Species To Survive Changing Climate Conditions

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
Gazas entire population of more than two million people is in the midst of severe levels of acute food insecurity, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

That's the first time an entire population has been so classified, he added.

Mr Blinkin made the comments to the BBC, during a visit to the Philippines on Tuesday.

It came as a trip to the Middle East was announced, during which Mr Blinkin will meet senior leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia to "discuss the right architecture for a lasting peace".

Unusually, Mr Blinken made no mention of a stop in Israel itself, and the Israeli foreign ministry said it had received no notification to prepare for one.

The war, triggered when Hamas fighters crossed into Israel on a rampage killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages according to Israeli tallies, is now in its sixth month.

Nearly 32,000 people have been confirmed killed in Israel's retaliatory onslaught, according to Palestinian health officials, with thousands more feared lost under the rubble.

The international hunger monitor relied on by the United Nations said on Monday that Gaza's food shortages had already far surpassed famine levels, and Gazans would soon be dying of hunger at famine-scale rates without an immediate truce.

Israel, which initially let in aid only through two checkpoints on Gaza's southern edge, denies blame for Gaza's hunger.

It says it is now opening new routes by land, sea and air, and that UN and other aid agencies should do more to bring in food and distribute it.

But the UN says thats impossible without better access and security, both of which it says are Israel's responsibility.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made the comments during a trip to the Philippines (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

"The extent of Israel's continued restrictions on entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime," said UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

Story continues

Ceasefire talks are resuming this week in Qatar after Israel rejected a Hamas counter-proposal last week. An Israeli delegation headed by the country's spy chief travelled to Qatar on Monday, although an Israeli official said Israel believed any agreement would take at least two weeks to nail down.

Both sides have been discussing a six-week truce during which around 40 Israeli hostages would be freed in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees and aid would be rushed into the Gaza Strip.

But they have yet to narrow differences over what would follow the truce, with Israel saying it will negotiate only for a temporary pause in fighting, and Hamas saying it will not release hostages without a wider plan to end the war.

A Palestinian official close to the mediation talks said the new round in Qatar was expected to be "very tough," accusing Israel of deliberately stalling.

"Israel's crimes on the ground complicate things and (Mr) Netanyahu is playing the time game," the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

The humanitarian suffering in Gaza, and the prospect of an assault on Rafah, have opened a clear rift between the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its closest ally Washington under President Joe Biden.

(AFP via Getty Images)

Biden and Mr Netanyahu spoke by phone on Monday, after which White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Washington wanted to discuss Israel's military plans before any assault on Rafah.

"Our position is that a major ground operation there would be a mistake," Mr Sullivan told reporters, "most importantly, the key goals Israel wants to achieve in Rafah can be done by other means".

A member of Israel's security cabinet, Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, said a ground assault was the only way to defeat Hamas batallions that Israel believes are holed up inside Rafah alongside more than a million displaced people.

"There is no way of destroying the terrorist and military infrastructure of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza - including in Rafah - through aerial operations or messaging operations or through any other alternatives," Dichter told Kan radio.

At a hospital morgue in Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been pushed against the southern border fence with Egypt, mourner Ibrahim Hasouna said: "Theres US support, European support and support of the whole world for Israel, they support them with weapons and planes - they mock us and send four or five airdrops (of aid) just to save their faces."

Hamas said a senior police commander was killed in the Jabalia district of northern Gaza, along with his wife and children, in overnight air strikes, the second senior police official killed in two days after another was killed in an Israeli raid on Gaza City's Al Shifa hospital.

Israel says it will wage war in Gaza until Hamas is annihilated, and that its strikes in recent weeks are killing senior Hamas officials.

White House adviser Sullivan confirmed overnight that Israel had killed Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of the Hamas military wing in Gaza, in a strike last week. Hamas has not confirmed he was killed.
South Sudan is closing all schools beginning Monday in anticipation of a two-week long heat wave.

The health and education ministries have advised parents to keep their children indoors as temperatures are predicted to rise to 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit).

Heatwave In South Sudan

Residents in parts of the capital, Juba, sweltered without electric fans as the heat caused power outages.

The streets of Juba, which is home to almost 400,000 people, were mostly quiet in the afternoon as local media reported temperatures of 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit).

According to the World Bank's Climate Change, such heat is unusually early in South Sudan, where temperatures frequently top 43 degrees Celsius throughout the summer months.

The ministries of education, health, and the environment said that all schools would be closed starting Monday owing to "serious health hazards" posed to students.

They warned that any school that remained open during the warning period would have its registration revoked, but the statement issued did not indicate how long schools would be closed.

The ministries stated that they will continue to monitor the situation and inform the public accordingly.

Peter Garang, a resident of the city, Juba, praised the decision. He stated that schools should be connected to the electricity grid to allow for the installation of air conditioners.

Read Also: Farmers in East Africa Hopeful for Coming Rainy Season After Worst and Prolonged Droughts

Serious Health Hazard

Yolanda Awel Deng, the health minister, warned the heatwave might last two weeks, with temperatures ranging from 41 to 45 degrees Celsius.

Heatwaves can have an acute impact on large populations for short periods of time, triggering public health emergencies and resulting in excess mortality and cascading socioeconomic impacts such as loss of work capacity and labor productivity, as well as loss of health service delivery capacity.

Awel stated that the national Health Ministry's disease surveillance section has implemented a mechanism to detect and respond to cases, and that there have already been reports of deaths caused by high heat in South Sudan.

MSF, a medical charity, said that it has witnessed an increase in admissions to one of its facilities since temperatures began to rise.

Joseph Africano Bartel, Undersecretary in the Ministry of Environment, stated that climate change is becoming a global phenomenon, with South Sudan seeing significant temperature swings.

Africano cautioned the public to be cautious of escalating heatwaves in the country.

He asked industrialized countries to reduce emissions, claiming that South Sudan would soon face the consequences of climate change, such as heavy rains, floods, and droughts.

The Environment and Forestry Ministry has issued a warning about the risk of disease and death among adults and children if they are exposed to the extreme heat.

South Sudan, one of the world's youngest countries, is especially sensitive to climate change, with heat waves occurring but seldom surpassing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Civil war has plagued the east African country, which has also experienced drought and flooding, making life difficult for citizens.

According to the World Food Programme's most recent country brief, South Sudan "continues to face a dire humanitarian crisis" as a result of war, economic insecurity, climatic change, and an influx of refugees fleeing the conflict in neighboring Sudan.

It was also said that 818,000 disadvantaged people received food and cash assistance in January.

Related Article: Record-Breaking 2,000-Mile Heatwave to Stretch from Texas to Maine This Week
According to information published by China Times on March 19, 2024, amid escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait, the Chinese Coast Guard has conducted a series of combat drills across multiple maritime areas, with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command's naval and air forces recently joining the exercises.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

Chinese Coast Guard vessel 11506 and PLA Navy's Type 056A corvette. (Picture source: Weibo)

The Navy stated in a press release that the Eastern Theater Command's naval escort fleet, in conjunction with the air force and coast guard, has recently conducted cross-domain, multi-disciplinary, and day-and-night live combat training.

The Navy's Type 056A corvettes, the Ezhou and Yiwu ships, a coast guard vessel numbered 11506, and a PLA air force fighter jet participated in this training. During the exercises, the naval warships simulated air defense using their main guns and close-in weapon systems to defend against incoming missiles. Following this, the Ezhou ship intercepted enemy aircraft, while the Yiwu ship undertook mine-sweeping duties.

Furthermore, the Chinese navy mentioned that the escort ships later conducted joint exercises with the coast guard, simulating emergency situations such as violent resistance to law enforcement. Since February 14, the Chinese Coast Guard has intensified its law enforcement patrols in the waters near Kinmen.

Context

The Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) role has evolved significantly, blurring the lines between maritime law enforcement and military operations, particularly in the context of China's territorial assertions in contested maritime regions.

A notable legislative development that highlights the intertwined roles of the CCG and PLAN is the enactment of the new CCG Law. This law authorizes the CCG to enforce China's maritime claims in ways that extend beyond the boundaries recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Specifically, it positions the CCG as an organization tasked with both national defense and maritime law enforcement, effectively militarizing its role. This legislative change has raised international concerns, as it suggests a more aggressive posture towards foreign military and non-commercial vessels in disputed waters.
According to information published by AirTimes on March 15, 2024, the puzzle surrounding Malaysia's acquisition of its second batch of Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) appears to be resolving.

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Turkish Ada-class corvette TCG Buyukada. (Picture source: Navy Recognition)

Statements made by the Defense Minister, Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, in the Dewan Rakyat (the lower house of Malaysia's parliament) have shed light on the progress of this acquisition.

Minister Khaled Nordin announced that the procurement process for the second batch of LMS (LMSB2) is being conducted through a government-to-government approach with Turkey. The negotiation is directly with a Turkish government-related company, Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM).

This move was greenlit by the Ministry of Finance on January 18, 2024, following which the Defense Ministry issued a letter of intent to the company on February 5, 2024. STM responded on February 8, 2024, agreeing to negotiate with the Defense Ministry on behalf of the government. Currently, detailed negotiations regarding the specifications of the ships and subsequently the pricing are underway.

Previously, the government had approved the acquisition of three LMS for the RMN to fulfill its combat needs. The LMSB2 is reported to differ from its predecessors by being equipped with air defense and surface-to-surface missiles.

While the deal has not been finalized, negotiations seem to favor the ADA class (MILGEM) ships offered by STM. However, according to Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman, the Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy, the procurement paperwork for the LMSB2 is expected to be completed by mid-year.
China, New Zealand pledge efforts to further strengthen relations

Xinhua) 08:24, March 19, 2024

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L), also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Wellington, New Zealand, March 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

WELLINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met here Monday with both sides pledging further efforts to strengthen cooperation and relations.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is currently on a tour from March 17 to 21 for an official visit to New Zealand and to Australia.

China-New Zealand relations have always been at the forefront of China's relations with developed countries, and has become a treasure for both sides to cherish and carry forward, Wang said.

China regards New Zealand as a rational and mature cooperative partner, and bilateral relations are strategic and long-term in nature, Wang said.

To forge a stronger bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership will not only benefit the two peoples, but also make new contributions to global peace and development, he noted.

New Zealand takes education, technological innovation, infrastructure, business environment and export expansion as its policy priorities, and China is willing to be a reliable strategic partner of New Zealand in these areas, Wang said.

China is happy to see New Zealand's continued participation in the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, and looks forward to working with New Zealand to explore the new growth areas of cooperation such as science and technology, green and innovation while strengthening the cooperation in traditional fields, he said.

The Chinese economy enjoys both a solid foundation and a broad space for growth, which will continue to inject more impetus into the world economy and bring new opportunities to New Zealand, the Chinese foreign minister said.

Both China and New Zealand advocate multilateralism, support the central role of the United Nations in international affairs, and are committed to resolving international disputes by peaceful means, Wang said.

China is ready to work with New Zealand to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, resist the Cold War mentality, unilateralism and protectionism, oppose reversing the course of history and safeguard the right direction of human progress, he said.

Luxon said that New Zealand-China relations are very important. Bilateral relations have achieved strong development, and economic and trade cooperation has yielded fruitful results since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties.

The comprehensive strategic partnership between New Zealand and China has provided an important driving force for bilateral cooperation, Luxon said, adding that New Zealand will continue to adhere to the one-China policy.

New Zealand is willing to take the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership as an opportunity to further strengthen high-level exchanges with China, enhance mutual understanding, deepen cooperation in areas including economy and trade, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, education, tourism, agriculture, technology and climate action, promote common prosperity of the two countries and safeguard regional and world peace and stability, said the prime minister.

Wang also held talks with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and met with Trade Minister Todd McClay on Monday.

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Wellington, New Zealand, March 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer sees Charles Sobhraj speak out for the first time since being released from prison in Nepal. (Channel 4)

In The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer, convicted murderer Charles Sobhraj speaks out for the first time since his 19-year prison sentence for the murders of Connie Jo Bronzich and Laurent Carriere.

The Channel 4 documentary sees the suspected serial killer face interrogation from former police officers and a forensic psychologist as he continues to attest his innocence. It is believed that he killed twenty people in south and Southeast Asia in the 1970s, 14 of which were murdered in Thailand.

He served a life prison sentence in Nepal from 2002 to 2023 for murder, and was also imprisoned in India between 1976 to 1997 and during this time the statute of limitations on the killings in Thailand had expired. Sobhraj confessed to killing ten people when speaking with Richard Neville and Julie Clarke for their book about him, but has since retracted his statement, and he now denies killing anyone.

The three-part documentary's first episode was released on Tuesday, 19 March and made several interesting revelations about Sobhraj and his crimes.

Charles Sobhraj's relationship with his mother

Charles Sobhraj called his mother 'a selfish woman' but refused to share details of his childhood in the documentary. (Channel 4)

When talking with the filmmakers of the documentary, Sobhraj tells them that he is willing to answer any questions about his life and won't "obstruct" an investigation by the former police officers and forensic psychologist he has agreed to meet. However, when he meets with psychologist Paul Britton he is evasive when it comes to speaking about his mother.

Sobhraj's mother was still alive at the time of filming the documentary in June 2023, she was 100-years-old and unwell, with the convicted murderer saying that he believes she has "lost her memory".

What is telling in his discussion of their relationship is that he called her a "selfish woman" on multiple occasions, saying that she "didn't care" about him and he does not love her. As a child Sobhraj's mother split from his father, remarried, and had other children, and Sobhraj tells Britton that he always wanted to return to his father when staying with his mother and step-father.

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Britton questioned him about their relationship during the documentary's first episode, and Sobhraj admitted that he "cannot make myself forgive her", but refused to speak about his childhood in detail as he said he could not remember and had shut himself off from the memories of it. When Britton tried to urge him to share what he might say to his mother if they could be face-to-face, Sobhraj refused.

He said: "What you are now asking it is something very intimate, very personal, and it is a choice if the person wants to talk in front of camera. I dont think its the business of anybody...I have no reason to say it to you, I have no reason to say It to the public. Its private."

Charles Sobhraj says he stays awake at night thinking he 'can't make a mistake again'

The convicted murderer said he 'did wrong to some people' but continued to attest he didn't kill anyone. (Channel 4)

When visiting Sobhraj in Paris, France, the documentary filmmaker asks him if there is anything that keeps him up at night. The convicted murderer said that "thinking about the future" does.

He explained that he is always thinking about "making plans for the future and making sure not to make a mistake again" now, and when asked if he thinks his past actions were immoral he said: "Well I did wrong, I did some things wrong I have recognised it, I admit it, I did wrong to some people. Those wrongs were, yes, immoral, but I didnt go to the extent of killing someone."

When pushed about this last statement, Sobhraj once again said "no I didnt kill anyone", and attested that he would not lie to the filmmakers during the process of making the documentary.

Eyewitness calls Charles Sobhraj a 'pathological liar'

Eyewitness Georgina Nunez recalled travelling with Charles Sobhraj in 1972, and how she found a dead body in the boot of the taxi they were using. (Channel 4)

Despite what he said, an eyewitness to what is believed to be Charles Sobhraj's first killing called him a "pathological liar" when speaking with former Met detective Jackie Malton. Georgina Nunez met Sobhraj whilst backpacking to Asia when she was 18-years-old in 1972, and though she was afraid of him she was unable to escape for some time because he had confiscated her passport.

Nunez shared details of finding a Pakistani taxi driver dead in the boot of a car, a death which Sobhraj explains on camera happened when a man named Fez showed him the body of the driver, who had died of "dehydration because of the heat" and so he felt he "didn't feel [he] was involved". Nunez told the story very differently.

Explaining that she "never" met a man named Fez during their time together, Nunez said that the man who died was a taxi driver who was named Mohammed, and one night Sobhraj came to her hotel room to say they were leaving with his taxi. Whilst driving she claims that Sobhraj told her that Mohammed was in the boot and he was administering sleeping drugs to him, and he planned to leave him on the side of the road where he'd wake up and realise his car had been stolen.

She alleged that after Sobhraj had stopped the car several times to give the driver the sleeping drug she had enough and went to look in the boot herself where she saw Mohammed "in a pool of blood" and could tell that he was dead. When she confronted Sobhraj, she said, he simply called it "a mistake" and laughed, before telling her "dont you testify against me because I will kill you if you testify."

Chilling tapes see Charles Sobhraj confess to drug and threaten alleged murder victim

The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer features recordings of an interview Charles Sobhraj did in the 1970s, where he recalled drugging and threatening his first known alleged victim, Teresa Knowlton. (Channel 4)

Malton is investigating Sobhraj's link to five murders for the documentary, and had a heated conversation when him when she confronted him about the killings. But another interesting moment in the documentary is when Malton receives audio recordings of Sobhraj's interview with Richard Neville and Julie Clarke for their book about him.

The tapes see Sobhraj detail an exchange with Teresa Knowlton, his first known alleged victim, in which he drugged and threatened her. In the tape, a young Sobhraj says that Knowlton questioned whether he had given her a drug and he responded: "Im sorry I think I have to do something very bad to you".

When she asked if he was going to "beat" her Sobhraj said he told her: "No Im going to do something better to you". The threat is believed to be referencing his plan to kill her.

Malton was aghast by the recording, sharing: "Its almost like he takes huge delight in saying that, theres no shame, theres no remorse." She was also shocked when he laughed after telling Neville and Clarke that he "hope[s] all this stuff wont hang me one day", and she said that has made her even more determined to catch him.

The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer is airing as a three-night event on Channel 4 at 9pm.

Watch: Charles Sobhraj is freed from prison in Nepal
Javad Marandi and Narmina Marandi pictured in Mayfair in September 2019 (Dave Benett)

A millionaire Tory donor who owns Londons famous Conran Shop has been named in new court documents as one of the sources of money used to buy properties that the National Crime Agency alleges were purchased with the proceeds of crime.

Javad Marandi, who also owns the Emilia Wickstead fashion brand and a stake in the Anya Hindmarch handbag retailer, is shown in flow charts submitted to the High Court as making payments to the Azeri MP and businessman Javanshir Feyziyev that were later used in the acquisition of 13 homes in London.

The properties, which are in Colindale and worth several millions of pounds, are among 22 homes in a 50 million London property empire built up by Mr Feyziyev and his wife Parvana now under a High Court freezing order obtained by the NCA.

Law enforcers allege that the properties were bought using funds moved into Britain via a complex money laundering operation involving the use of shell companies, fake invoices and other false accounting.

A Liechtenstein bank account  which the NCA has told the court was partly funded by a $700,000 payment to Mr Feyziyev from Mr Marandi  has also been frozen on the same basis that it contains suspected criminal proceeds.

Both Mr Feyziyev and his wife have denied any wrongdoing and insisted via their lawyers that their properties were bought using the substantial fortune generated by the politicians legitimate business interests. They include tobacco, pharmaceutical and hotel businesses among others.

Mr Marandi is not a party to the freezing order proceedings against the Feyziyevs, but has also previously denied wrongdoing after being named by a judge as a person of importance in earlier account forfeiture proceedings brought by the NCA against Mrs Feyziyeva, the Feyziyevs son Orkhan, and nephew Elman Javanshir.

That case led to 5.6million being forfeited to the NCA from the trios bank accounts after a judge at Westminster Magistrates Court ruled that the money represented the likely proceeds of crime brought into the country via the Azerbaijan laundromat money laundering scheme.

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Mr Marandi, who was not a party to those proceedings, initially secured an anonymity order to prevent his connection to the case becoming known to the public.

But he was later named after a successful legal challenge by the Evening Standard and the BBC was upheld by two High Court judges in a judgement which stated that the original anonymity order should never have been granted.

His lawyers responded by pointing out that Mr Marandi was not subject to any criminal proceedings and said he was a respected businessman who had made extensive wealth from his lawful business activities.

(Harry Mitchell)

The new court revelations are likely to generate increased scrutiny, however, with the documents also showing that businesses linked to Mr Marandi were part of the money flows leading to some of the property purchases made by the Feyziyevs.

The transactions - highlighted in a skeleton argument submitted to the High Court by the NCA opposing the Feyziyevs attempt to have the freezing order on their properties lifted - include one chart showing that Mr Marandi was among the sources of the funds used to buy nine properties at Golding House in the Beaufort Square development in Colindale in 2016 and 2017.

The chart shows Mr Marandi making a 2015 payment of $500,000 labelled as account replenishment that went into Javanshir Feyziyevs US dollar account at the ABLV bank in Latvia. Money from the politicians dollar account at the bank was later transferred into his sterling account with the bank before being used in the Golding House purchases.

The same chart shows that a $1,013,500 payment from a company called Brightmax was also made into Mr Feyziyevs US dollar account at the Latvian bank as part of the chain of transactions leading to the acquisition by Mr Feyziyev and his wife of the nine Golding House homes.

A previous court hearing has heard that Brightmax had been part of a  significant money laundering scheme in existence in Azerbaijan, Estonia and Latvia and was believed by the NCA to be owned by Mr Marandi.

Mr Marandi and Brightmax are also listed as among the sources of funds paid into Mr Feyziyevs Latvian bank dollar account that were later used, via further transfers, to buy four properties at Goldhawk House in the Beaufort Square development in 2016.

A further $700,000 payment by Mr Marandi into Mr Feyziyevs dollar account at the ABLV bank In Latvia is shown in the High Court charts illustrating the money flows leading into a Liechtenstein bank account held by the politician that has now been frozen as the suspected proceeds of crime.

A $500,000 payment by Brightmax is shown in the same flow chart leading via Mr Feyziyevs Latvian account into the Liechtenstein account.

The NCA flow charts submitted to the High Court also show a company called Avromed Seychelles, which earlier court proceedings have heard was described in bank documents as owned by Mr Marandi, involved in transferring funds into the Liechtenstein account and as part of the chain of transactions involved in the purchase of Mr Feyziyevs two properties, costing 18.6million and 8.1million respectively, at Whistler Square in Chelsea Barracks.

Avromed Seychelles features further in the NCA charts showing the money flows behind the purchases at Golding House and Goldhawk House, and is similarly shown as linked to the purchase of six more properties, at Argent House and Cavendish House, in the same Colindale development and the purchase of the Feyziyevs property at Cumberland Terrace overlooking Regents Park.

The disclosures come as the NCA considers its next steps following its successful opposition to the attempt by the Feyziyevs to have the freezing order imposed on their properties lifted.

The judge in the case, Mr Justice Poole, said in a judgement that the freezing order should stay in place because there was "compelling" evidence including rapid .. movements of tainted money that the couples 50million London property empire had been bought with the proceeds of crime.

Mr Justice Poole said there was also "a good arguable case" that Mr Feyziyev was personally "involved in dishonest conduct, including fraud and money laundering" and that he had used funds generated through unlawful conduct to purchase his homes in the capital.

The latest court developments follow the earlier forfeiture proceedings against Mrs Feyziyeva, the couples son Orkhan and their nephew Elman Javanshir.

A court judgement in that case found that Mr Marandi, who has a home on Belgravias Eaton Square and whose other business interests have included the Wed2B wedding outfit retailer and being landlord of the Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire, either owned or was connected to companies involved in a criminal enterprise moving vast sums of illicit funds around the world and into this country.

The judgement stated that Mr Marandi received $49million directly from the bank account of one of the companies used to launder the proceeds of crime as part of a money laundering scheme - known as the "Azerbaijan laundromat" - and that one of the companies owned by Mr Marandi received a further $107million from the same account.

It also showed that Mr Marandi was a conduit for some of the money later forfeited from the account of the Feyziyevs son Orkhan as the likely proceeds of crime.

A statement issued on Mr Marandi's behalf by his solicitor Julian Pike denied any wrongdoing and accused the NCA of pursuing a "false narrative" that was contrary to the findings of investigations commissioned by Mr Marandi that had shown him to be innocent.

Mr Pike added: "Mr Marandis wealth is entirely the product of his genuine and legitimate business interests, including his substantial commercial interests in Azerbaijan, all of which is well documented and can be substantiated;

"Notwithstanding the further time the NCA has had to investigate matters properly, it remains the case that the NCA has made no approach to Mr Marandi and, as a result, it continues to put forward false claims in respect of him.

"While we and our client have become used to the lack of substance from the NCA, its willingness to persist with a false narrative is still startling."
Imagine creating a new package for a product that has been on store shelves around the world for more than 50 years. How would you make the package better while ensuring consumers still recognized their favorite brand?

Thats the challenge a team of University of Wisconsin-Stout students took on in a competition sponsored by Kellanova, a division of Kelloggs, and the Packaging Association of Canada. The goal: Redesign the iconic, upright can that holds one of Kelloggs beloved products, Pringles chips, to improve the Pringles snacking experience.

An innovative design by Lukas David, Ethan Myers and Zach Hoffmire popped to the top, taking first place in February against an invitation-only field of eight other university teams from the U.S., Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.

What made UW-Stouts champion entry stand tall? The students:

Designed an oblong  or, in industry terms, racetrack-shaped  tube to reflect the shape of the chip, instead of the existing round tube. The new shape would stabilize the product and prevent breakage.

Made it of recyclable plastic. The traditional can, cardboard with a foil lining and a metal bottom, isnt recyclable.

Added a narrow, peel and reseal tab on the curved, front side of the can for better access.

Redesigned the lid into a tool that could be used with the side tab to push remaining chips to the top, rather than having to tip the can upside down or reach in to get them out.

In the end, it still looked like a Pringles can, but was more user and environmentally friendly.

The team won nearly $1,900 and the satisfaction of being recognized by leading industry professionals for their expertise.

Coincidentally, in January, well after competition entries were submitted last summer, Pringles began rolling out a new recyclable can  still round  made mostly from recycled paper, including the base. It also had a recyclable plastic lid, part of an expanded company initiative to make eco-friendly products.

Packaging majors Myers, of Pleasant Prairie, and David, of Johnson Creek, worked on the prototyping. They said the traditional package was overdue for a makeover.

Pringles packaging is one of those things that Ive always found myself frustrated by but had never thought too far into it, Myers said. To actually be presented with the prompt, it felt very familiar.

David agreed: It is a very difficult package to use, and there are a lot of broken chips in the packaging constantly.

A video demonstrating and explaining features of the design was created by Hoffmire, of Kenosha, a video production major. It was part of the competition submission package.

Research and development

The final design was the product of an exhaustive research process outside of classes in summer 2023. Myers and David brainstormed nearly 100 ideas, working through them one by one using various criteria and a design rating system.

The final choice was a nine-layer, food-safe structure, easily moldable, with precise amounts of plastic in various locations. They created a 3D model, 3D-printed the final design in a lab and filled it with Pringles for user testing. Everything worked.

Entries also had to address inclusivity and accessibility for users. Myers and David sought feedback from senior citizens and people with disabilities, including conducting a survey at DisFest in Chicago. The tool that can be used to get the chips out of the can helps address accessibility and general usability.

Inclusive design is starting to become more prevalent in packaging because the population is aging. Packaging is becoming harder to open. User-friendly designs will be necessary, David said.

Their advisers were Kate Liu, assistant professor, and Min DeGruson, associate professor and director of the packaging program. They also received support from UW-Stout plastics engineering professors.

They did tons of research and proved the why and intent behind their design while also creating a fantastic prototype that kept the current brand feel but was a true innovation as far as all of the design criteria it addressed," Liu said.

UW-Stout packaging students have won multiple competitions over the last couple of years, including the Pack Expo Amazing Race collegiate competition and Flexible Packaging Association Student Design Challenge.

In 2023, Myers, David and Hoffmire won the Paperboard Packaging Alliance student competition and the Institute of Packaging Professionals 48HR REPACK student design competition.

This one was special as it was an invite only, international competition. It was the best of the best competing against each other, Myers said of the PAC Pringles win.

Teams from Toronto Metropolitan University and Durham College, both in Canada, took second and third place, respectively.

The packaging program will be back in the spotlight in April. The student Stout Packaging Association will host Packaging Jamboree 2024, or Pack Jam, from Sunday, April 7, to Tuesday, April 9. Students from packaging universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada will connect with industry professionals and alumni to showcase the impact that packaging has on the world.

Hoffmire will graduate on May 4. Myers and David will graduate in December.

The students havent heard whether Kelloggs might consider changes to Pringles packaging based on their design.
New Delhi, March 19, 2024

I t is just right to debut a book discussing the rich cultural legacy of ancient India in Hampi, a place imbued with profound meaning through its breathtaking architectural remnants and spiritual and cultural practices.

The much-awaited book of renowned author and multiple award-winning historian Dr. William Dalrymple's 'The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World' is set to debut at a special talk event at Evolve Back Kamalapura Palace in Hampi on 19 March 2024, at 7 pm.

'The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World' uncovers the depth of ancient Indian culture, shedding light on its global significance through its religions, languages, art, and architectural wonders. Drawing from a lifetime of research, Dr. Dalrymple sheds light on India's pivotal role as an intellectual and philosophical superpower in ancient Asia.

"We are honoured to welcome Dr. William Dalrymple to Evolve Back Kamalapura Palace, Hampi, for the unveiling of his much-anticipated book, 'The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World.' His profound insights into India's cultural heritage resonate deeply with our ethos of offering immersive experiences that celebrate the essence of this land," shared Jose Ramapuram, Marketing Director at Evolve Back Resorts.

The upcoming event exemplifies the resort's dedication to promoting cultural exchange and intellectual exploration, serving as a proud facilitator of this enriching experience and celebrating the depth and diversity of India's cultural legacy.

William Dalrymple, renowned for his bestselling works such as Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India, White Mughals, and The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company holds fellowships at esteemed institutions such as the Royal Society of Literature. Awarded the prestigious President's Medal by the British Academy in 2018, his literary contributions and co-founding of the Jaipur Literature Festival underscore his significant influence in the literary world.

IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in

William Dalrymple's book 'The Golden Road' to debut at Evolve Back, Hampi

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Miami, March 19

E mma Raducanu on Tuesday withdrew from the Miami Open due to a lower back injury, as per WTA. The 2021 US Open champion was scheduled to face Wang Xiyu in the first round on the opening day of play.

Raducanu returned to action in January, after an eight-month absence in 2023 due to repeated wrist and ankle operations. She has a 5-5 record after five tournaments, including a third-round run at Indian Wells last week.

The British player was the second to withdraw from Miami after the qualifying event began, following Viktorija Golubic, who had a left foot injury. As a result, they have been replaced by two lucky losers: Tamara Korpatsch, who has drawn Viktoriya Tomova in the first round, and Bernarda Pera, who will face Danielle Collins.

Wang will now go on qualifier Anna Karolina Schmiedlova. Other qualifiers include Laura Siegemund and Aleksandra Krunic, who will face off in the first round, with the winner facing No.9 seed Jelena Ostapenko. Clara Tauson has also qualified and will face Caroline Dolehide, with the victor going on to face last year's runner-up, fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina.

Former French Open semifinalist Nadia Podoroska came through as well and will lock horns with Ashlyn Krueger with the winner playing No.3 seed Coco Gauff.

Emma Raducanu pulls out of Miami Open with lower back injury

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At mobile office hours, Ricketts staff will be on-site to assist Nebraskans with their casework needs. If Nebraskans cant get an answer in a timely manner or feel they have been treated unfairly, Ricketts and his staff may be able to help resolve the issue or help them get in touch with the correct people.
"Take a minute and envision the end of your life. Do you really want your loved ones to remember you ravaged with pain and suffering, as only the shell of the person that you were? I know I do not," Lori DeYoung writes.
Researchers have shown for the first time that a crucial interface in a protein that drives cancer growth could act as a target for more effective treatments.

The study was led by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Central Laser Facility (CLF) and used advanced laser imaging techniques to identify structural details of a mutated protein which help it to evade drugs that target it.

It is published (19/03/2024) in the journal, Nature Communications and lays the groundwork for future research into more effective, long-lasting cancer therapies.

The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is a protein that sits on the surface of cells and receives molecular signals that tell the cell to grow and divide. In certain types of cancer, mutated EGFR stimulate uncontrolled growth, resulting in tumours.

Various cancer treatments block and inhibit mutant EGFR to prevent tumour formation, but these are limited as eventually cancerous cells commonly develop further EGFR mutations that are resistant to treatment.

Until now, how exactly these drug-resistant EGFR mutations drive tumor growth was not understood, hindering our ability to develop treatments that target them.

In this latest study, scientists at CLF have obtained super-resolution images of a drug-resistant EGFR mutation known to contribute to lung cancer. This was achieved using an advanced laser imaging technique developed by STFC for this purpose called Fluorophore Localisation Imaging with Photobleaching, or FLImP.

FLImP analysis revealed structural details as small as two nanometres and showed for the first time with this level of precision how molecules in the drug-resistant EGFR mutation interact.

Additional analysis by the Biomolecular & Pharmaceutical Modelling Group at University of Geneva (UNIGE) used advanced computer simulations that combined with the FLImP analysis were able to provide atomistic details of the mutant EGFR complexes.

From this, the team were able to compare the structural details of the mutated and healthy EGFR to identify interfaces between interacting molecules in the drug-resistant mutation critical for tumour growth.

Professor Marisa Martin-Fernandez, Leader of the Octopus Group at CLF, which led the study, said: "This finding is the culmination of years of research and technological development at CLF and our partner institutions and we're extremely excited about its potential to inform the course of cancer research going forward. If this interface proves to be an effective therapeutic target, it could provide an entirely new approach to much needed pharmaceutical development."

The team then introduced additional mutations to the drug-resistant EGFR in in cultured lung cells and in mice that interfered with the newly discovered interfaces.

In these experiments, one of the additional EGFR mutations was shown to block cancer growth, with mice developing no tumours, further indicating that the ability of this EGFR mutation to promote cancer indeed depends on these interfaces.

Dr Gilbert Fruhwirth, Leader of the Imaging Therapies and Cancer group at King's College London who validated results in live animals, said: "This research has become possible through the combination of a variety of different imaging technologies, ranging from single molecules to whole animals, and demonstrates the power of imaging to better understand the inner workings of cancer. We are extremely pleased about this successful collaboration and look forward to develop this pharmaceutical opportunity further as part of this team."

Researchers hope that these interfaces could act as potential targets for new cancer therapies that overcome resistance acquired by EGFR mutations.

This breakthrough was made possible by a combination of state-of-the-art simulations and experimental techniques that can now 'visualize' the structure and dynamics of important cancer targets such as EGFR in unprecedented detail." Professor Francesco Luigi Gervasio, Leader of the Biomolecular & Pharmaceutical Modelling Group at UNIGE

Dr. Yiannis Galdadas at UNIGE, who performed the simulations, said: "The simulations were able to push the effective resolution of the microscope beyond the limits of imagination. It's almost possible to 'touch' the mutation site and see its effect."

Further studies at CLF are currently testing the research method on other EGFR mutations known to contribute to lung cancer. They also hope to establish whether this interface plays a role in the development of other cancers including brain cancer.
Homelessness is an experience that puts health at risk in multiple ways: physical, mental, social, emotional, and sexual. For women, this includes menstrual health as well. There is little knowledge about the extent of this problem.

A new study published online in Women and Health reviews literature on this topic, from the practical challenges through the emotional strain to demonstrations of resourcefulness in managing periods while homeless.

Background

Homeless women are often faceless and voiceless in research and healthcare, even though mental illness is often the reason for and/or the result of homelessness. Recent research showed health needs went unmet in a quarter of homeless women, including pregnancy complications and disability. Many homeless women neither expected nor sought healthcare anymore.

Women have unique challenges linked to their menstrual periods and pregnancy. Period poverty is a phenomenon where a woman is too poor to have access to sanitary products for her period. This makes menstrual health management (MHM) a challenge and promotes the use of potentially or really unsafe sanitary products like rags or toilet paper.

At the same time, schools in many low-income countries or regions fail to provide for the needs of girls having their period, a matter that UNICEF has emphasized. The same unfulfilled needs for privacy and facilities for MHM exist for homeless women but without any obvious efforts on the part of organizations to set up strategies to meet them.

Most existing research on period poverty focuses either on the very poor or on middle-class White women in the developed world. Underprivileged women in industrialized countries, including people experiencing homelessness, have not been addressed so far. This is ironic given the widespread knowledge that homeless shelters already struggle far too often to provide bedding, privacy, or ventilation adequate for the needs of the users.

The present study is a qualitative review aimed at pulling together evidence on the needs of menstruating women in the homeless population.

About the study

The researchers searched multiple electronic databases using relevant keywords. The nine studies included came from four countries, namely, the USA, Canada, Nepal, and the UK, with almost 600 participants. Five dealt only with MHM among homeless women.

The recurring motifs in this study were challenges in accessing facilities, materials, and privacy for MHM while homeless, the positive and negative emotions engendered as a result of this need for MHM, and how women dealt with these challenges.

Logistical challenges

The main difficulties faced had to do with not having privacy, a hygienic environment, or access to menstrual products while homeless. Period poverty was high in this group, leading to neglect of basic needs to manage this requirement.

Shelters often ask residents to leave during the day, forcing them to rely on public facilities. Public washrooms and restrooms are not readily available, forcing homeless women to manage their menstrual needs in public spaces like the corner of a subway, for instance. This compromises both their health and safety. Restrooms in restaurants and shops are open only to customers and, therefore, inaccessible to these women.

The lack of facilities to change menstrual products leads to an increased likelihood of leakage and a greater load of laundry to be washed. Unfortunately, this is due to the limited availability of hostels for people without housing. This means that stained products are discarded rather than washed, and the woman then has to obtain a replacement or go without that item of clothing.

Sanitary disposal of menstrual products is also a problem in many homeless shelters, adversely affecting public cleanliness and often leading to toilet blockages.

Cultural sensitivities should be honored while designing solutions, for instance, providing washable menstrual cloths in places where they are the preferred option. Period products are also costly, and even those supplied free are not always enough, falling short in timely supply or number.

With all of these factors at play, the resulting difficulty in maintaining a groomed and clean appearance triggered a vicious cycle where such women could not access privately owned bathrooms for a wash and to change their menstrual products.

Emotional cost of MHM

The difficulties in maintaining cleanliness and a spotless appearance during menstruation lead to feelings of shame, where the women feel they are despised and stigmatized because of their periods. Others were more likely to assume the worst about these women because of their perceived unhygienic habits.

Again, many menstrual products are supplied free via male workers, which arouses feelings of shame in women at having to reveal that they are having a period and further humiliate them. In many cases, hostel staff were perceived to be rather like correctional officers, making women even slower to reveal their menstruation-related needs.

Sadly, this means that women feel that theyre being discriminated against, harassed, sexually harassed because theyre menstruating. Access to menstrual products is limited for people experiencing homelessness, who also lack the freedom to choose the type of product they prefer.

How to manage

Homeless women tried to navigate these challenges and still preserve their self-respect by using old rags, sponges, or even wads of tissue paper to hold menstrual flow. Others reused menstrual products despite their already being soiled. This allowed them to escape having to buy or ask for menstrual products from a perceived hostile staff.

Some used female towelettes as washcloths when available. Still, vaginal infections were more common due to the difficulty of good MHM in these extreme conditions, exacerbated by the inability to afford effective ointments.

Desperate women sometimes pretend to be ill so they can go to the hospital and get privacy as well as access to menstrual products.

Some women routinely chose not to eat or walk rather than use a bus or gave up some precious leisure activity so they could buy menstrual products. Others stole from the stores (survival shoplifting). Others used public assistance or handouts from friends and family to buy what they needed for MHM. Still, others gave up bus fares or money for leisure activities to buy menstrual products.

The future course of action

This is a pioneering study in the experience of menstruation in homeless women, exploring and helping to fill a research gap. Further extended studies are required to understand how race, disability, and neurodivergence may have additional implications for period management among people experiencing homelessness.

The researchers noted that some services were very useful, especially when conducted privately. These included the distribution of menstrual products and birth control products.

Homeless women appreciated having public centers open as places where they could go to ease their discomfort after leaving their night shelters. Peers relied on sharing their knowledge about places where they could shower, share menstrual products, and get other MHM support.

The study throws light on the desperate need among people experiencing homelessness for free, readily available, good quality, culturally appropriate menstrual health products. Rather than donating products indiscriminately, It also highlights the need to stop gatekeeping and provide washing and bathroom facilities that are clean, private, and safe for all marginalized groups.

These findings highlight the need for a call to action for commissioners and policymakers to address the sub-optimal provision of MHM resources in homeless services as a fundamental right alongside other health provisions.
Simulated effects of microgravity, created by 60 days of constant bed rest, severely disrupts rhythmic gene expression in humans, according to a new study from the University of Surrey.

Astronauts exposed to microgravity experience changes to physiology, including immune suppression, increased inflammation, and reduced muscle mass and bone density. With the increase in human spaceflight, it is important to understand changes in the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes.



Lead author Professor Simon Archer, Professor of Molecular Biology of Sleep at the University of Surrey, said:



"This unique study represents the largest longitudinal dataset of time series gene expression in humans. Human gene expression varies rhythmically over the 24-hour day, and it is important to collect time series data rather than from just single time points to get a full picture of what occurs in the body when exposed to simulated microgravity. It also raises questions about the impact of constant bed rest on our bodies as we have identified a dramatic effect on the temporal organisation of human gene expression."



In a study coordinated by the European Space Agency at the MEDES space clinic in Toulouse, 20 men completed a 90-day protocol consisting of two weeks of baseline before 60 days of constant bed rest at a -six-degree head-down tilt angle to simulate the effects of microgravity experienced by astronauts. The protocol concluded with two weeks of recovery.



The research team analysed gene expression over a 24-hour time series during two days in baseline, three days in bed rest, and once in recovery. The results showed that 91 per cent of gene expression was affected by the protocol, with major disruption to the number, timing, and amplitude of rhythmic genes, which display changes in their mRNA every 24 hours. Disrupted gene expression is associated with protein translation, immune and inflammatory processes, and decreased muscle function. During the recovery period, disruption to muscle function was restored; however, lasting effects were identified with protein translation.

Space travel was once thought to be unachievable; however, the growth of the space industry means it is now a real possibility. A lot remains unknown about the impact of microgravity on the body, and it is important we know more about this before we start 'holidaying' in space. Building on what we have found, the second part of our study, using the same cohort of men, will investigate the impact microgravity has on sleep, circadian rhythms and hormones of individuals." Derk-Jan Dijk, Senior Author, Professor of Sleep and Physiology and Director of the Surrey Sleep Research Centre

Professor Keith Ryden, Professor of Space Engineering and Director of the Surrey Space Centre, said:



"Human spaceflight is very much on the agenda again with astronauts soon returning to the moon via NASA's Artemis project alongside the growth of space tourism. In addition, new plans are in place for a UK astronaut going to the ISS in 2025 via the UKSA Axiom programme. It is great to see that with this new publication, the University of Surrey, well-known for its space research, is laying foundations for how to better manage the impact of the space environment on space travellers and ensure their safety."



This study was published in the journal iScience and received funding from the BBSRC.
Scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered that the evasion of apoptosis is a key driver of drug resistance in patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), a type of aggressive blood cancer. The results are expected to contribute towards the identification of effective drugs for treating relapsed patients.

Over decades of clinical oncology practice has shown that treating cancer patients upon relapse is increasingly challenging. Relapsed patients not only become resistant to the treatment they receive but also to multiple other agents through a phenomenon called acquired multi-drug resistance  a major cause of treatment failures. Beyond genetic mutations, reliable evidence and available models, particularly in vivo, seem insufficient to explain the emergence of multi-drug resistance.

The research team led by Assistant Professor Shruti Bhatt from the NUS Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has identified the potential mechanism behind multi-drug resistance in relapsed AML patients. They also highlighted the effectiveness of a technique, called dynamic BH3 profiling (DBP), in identifying anti-cancer drugs capable of targeting relapsed leukaemia cells. The technique is able to measure the increase in mitochondrial priming, which signifies a higher potential for programmed cell death called apoptosis. This is a collaboration with Dr Anthony LETAI from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, United States of America.



The research findings were published in the journal Blood Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, on 4 March 2024.



The research team established in vivo models of acquired resistance to a spectrum of clinically relevant anti-cancer drugs using patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Subsequently, they conducted a comprehensive analysis encompassing genomics, transcriptomics, and functional studies on drug-resistant AML models. Intriguingly, their investigations revealed a common point for resistance induced by various drugs: the mitochondria. They observed a reduction in mitochondrial apoptotic priming, a phenomenon linked to a decreased tendency for cell death across all their models. This finding suggests that a decline in mitochondrial apoptotic priming is a fundamental mechanism underlying the multi-drug resistance observed in clinical settings, independent of the type of therapy and genetic background of the initial tumor.

A key finding was that a reduction in mitochondrial apoptotic priming accompanies acquired resistance to a wide variety of agents, suggesting it as a mechanism for the acquired multi-resistance seen in the clinic." Shruti Bhatt, Assistant Professor, NUS Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

"One way to battle multi-drug resistance is to develop broadly effective predictive biomarkers to identify drugs with new or persistent activity in resistant tumours," added Asst Prof Bhatt.



To address this challenge, the researchers used dynamic BH3 profiling (DBP), a technique involving short-term treatment of leukaemia cells derived from therapy-resistant preclinical models with a panel of clinically relevant drugs. Mitochondrial apoptotic signalling is then measured to determine drugs capable of overcoming resistance. The researchers implemented DBP across 22 distinct PDX models of AML, and this approach demonstrated remarkable accuracy in predicting the in vivo efficacy of drugs with diverse mechanisms of action. DBP's ability to effectively identify exploitable vulnerabilities paves the way for the development of targeted in vivo therapeutic strategies.



Asst Prof Bhatt said, "As a next step, we are performing single-cell lineage tracing experiments using barcoding and proliferative index measurements to identify molecular determinants responsible for reduced mitochondrial priming at the minimal residual disease stage."



Asst Prof Bhatt acknowledged the efforts of her laboratory research group and expressed appreciation for the funding support provided by the National Medical Research Council of Singapore and the American Society of Hematology for this study.
Bihar Board 12th Result 2024 Check Online Direct Link

The Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) is expected to announce the results of the Bihar Board Intermediate or Class 12 Examination 2024 today on 23rd March, 2024. Around 13 lakh students had appeared for the Bihar Board 12th exams this year. Students must note that they need to secure 33 marks out of 100 to pass the exam. Along with the results, BSEB will also be announcing the toppers list. The results of all three streams of class 12th  Arts, Commerce, and Science, will be released any time soon. Once the results are released, students can check their scorecards on the official websites at results.biharboardonline.com, and interbseb.com.
The ruling DMK on Tuesday demanded that the Election Commission probe the use of school children by the BJP for Prime Minister Narendra Modis roadshow in Coimbatore and also sought action against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for delivering hate speech.

Separately, Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati said the administration is inquiring into the incident of the use of school children during Modis roadshow.

Reports have been sought from the Chief Education Officer and Joint Commissioner of the Labour department as well, he said in a tweet on social media platform X, and added that suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry.

In a petition submitted to Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo here, DMK Organisation Secretary R S Bharathi said appropriate action should be taken against the BJP for using children for a political campaign.

Steps should be taken to protect children from child labour and also prevent their participation in election-related work and campaigns, he said. Bharathi said that children aged 12 to 15 were engaged for campaign activities and were made to wear clothes featuring BJP insignia.

Further, they were made to recite poems and sing songs in a music display organised by the BJP during the roadshow on March 18, he wrote in the petition.

The said act by the BJP is directly against the notification of the ECI on February 5, 2024, which barred political parties from using children in any capacity for election campaigns, rallies, etc, and also a direct violation of the Child Labour and Prohibition Act, he said in the petition, substantiating it with a video clip of the incident.

In a separate petition, he sought action against Nirmala Sitharaman allegedly for violating the Model Code of Conduct and delivering hate speech while speaking on the anniversary of Chanakyaa TV channel here on March 16, hours after the Election Commission of India announced the schedule for the general election.

Sitharaman had made hate and defamatory speech to diminish the reputation of the DMK and its leader, with an ill motive to acquire personal gain illegally and with the hope of winning elections by false propaganda, thus violating the Model Code of Conduct and the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951, Bharathi contended.

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman evoked the feelings of a particular religion by appealing to the Hindus by falsely claiming that the DMK is destroying temples, swindling temples and destroying the religion, he said.

This not only violates the Model Code of Conduct but also attracts the provisions of section 123 (3) and section 125 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, he explained.

Her speech was contrary to the truth. The DMK government never worked against the interests of the temples. In fact, it recovered lands belonging to temples worth about thousands of crores of rupees from illegal encroachment, besides renovated temples and performed the Kumbhabhishekam for over 1,000 temples in two years, Bharathi stated in the petition.

The DMK is secular and no discrimination is done against any religion The state government and the people of Tamil Nadu respect and uphold secularism among other great virtues, he added in the petition.
Jharkhand Mukti Morchas (JMMs) MLA Sita Soren, the daughter-in-law of party president Shibu Soren, resigned from the party and joined the BJP on Tuesday along with her two daughters Rajshree and Jayshree, ahead of Lok Sabha Polls.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 LIVE UPDATES

The Congress Working Committee held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss and approve the partys manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections. Upendra Kushwahas RLM got one Lok Sabha seat as well as one MLC seat.

In another major development, Indias former Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu on Tuesday joined the BJP, in Delhi. On the other hand, the Election Commission removed Vivek Sahay from the position of Bengal DGP within 24 hours of his appointment. Sanjay Mukherjee has been chosen as the new DGP of West Bengal.

Upset with NDAs seat-sharing deal in Bihar, RLJP President Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned as minister in Modi cabinet and is likely to join RJD. Meanwhile, MNS Chief Raj Thackeray reached Amit Shahs residence in an indication that the BJP is looking to ally with him for the Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in Maharashtra.

Earlier, the BJP launched its Pehle Vote Modi Ko Campaign campaign for first-time voters and urged them to register themselves and take a pledge to extend support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third term.
The Election Commission has identified six of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal as financially sensitive, sources told News18 on Tuesday. The six constituencies are Maldaha North, Maldaha South, Darjeeling, Asansol, Bangaon, and Kolkata North.

The poll panel has also directed the central agencies handling finance-related matters such as the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department to keep a special vigil on these six constituencies in the run-up to the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls starting April 19.

In the Maldaha South constituency, English Bazar, Sujapur, Mathabari and Farakka areas have been declared as financially sensitive. Sources in the EC said the declaration has been made on the basis of track record in these seats.

Both English Bazar and Sujapur fall near the India-Bangladesh border, making them prone to circulation of fake currency and contraband. News18 reached out to Prasun Banerjee, the Maldaha South candidate of the ruling TMC, but he declined to comment.

The Bangaon seat, too, falls near the international border, making it sensitive to illegal movement of cash and drugs. In May 2023, the STF had recovered heroin worth Rs 2 crore from the area.

Welcoming the move, BJP leader Jiten Tiwari told News18: We welcome this. The EC might have got this feedback the last time as there was huge flow of money. This will help to stop that.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has said that a special portal will be launched involving the central agencies with expertise in probing financial irregularities to prevent the use of money power in elections.
Karnataka will see two-phase polling in the Lok Sabha elections after 15 years, but the gap between the two polling dates is 10 days, the longest yet.

The BJP says that the Election Commissions decision to conduct the general elections spread over 80-odd days was just to ensure free, fair, and safe elections and theres no need to read much into it. The Congress, on the other hand, call it a pre-planned strategy by the BJP to suit its political mobilisation.

Karnataka is one of the most important states for the BJP as it is the only southern state it has been in power in. More importantly, the state sends 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The BJP has sealed a partnership with the HD Deve Gowda-led Janata Dal (Secular) in the state. The JD(S) won one seat, Hassan, in the 2019 elections, while the Mandya seat was won by a BJP-backed candidate. In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the JD(S) had contested in alliance with the Congress.

An election is a celebration of democracy, and it is undoubtedly a mammoth task to conduct elections in one of the worlds biggest democracies, said Arvind Bellad, Deputy Leader of Opposition, Karnataka.

Bellad added that the long schedule also gives time to the government and political parties to make adequate preparations. Time is needed to mobilise security forces across for free, fair, and safe elections. One has to campaign, and all leaders must get enough time to campaign and this facilitates that, he said.

Bengaluru Centrals BJP MP candidate and three-time MP PC Mohan added that the schedule was not unusual. There is a need to move forces across for deployment during elections. There is nothing to read into.

In 2004, Lok Sabha polls across the country were held in 21 days, while in Karnataka it was held in two phases  April 20 (15 seats) and April 26 (13 seats). The gap between both phases was a week.

In 2009, it was held over 28 days, while in Karnataka it was once again held in two phases  April 23 (17 seats) and April 30 (11 seats). Here again, the gap between the two phases was seven days.

In 2014, the general elections were held over 37 days and Karnataka went to polls in a single phase on April 17.

In 2019, elections were held over 36 days with Karnataka voting in two phases  April 18 (14 seats) and April 23 (14 seats), a gap of five days.

However, this time, the voting dates in Karnataka are 10 days apart  April 26 (14 seats) and May 7 (14 seats)  which the Congress says is to being done to give the BJP an upper hand.

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge criticised the election planning as one done to facilitate the BJPs supreme leader to be able to tour across.

It is evident that it is being done to suit one party alone to divert the machinery, men and money. The Election Commission of India was very clear that the threat to democracy was through the three Ms  money, muscle, and misinformation. The BJP has all three with them and now they are trying to manufacture the mandate, Kharge told News18.

Kharge added that whatever reason is cited, be it geography, weather, exams, troop movements, it is being done to help the BJP.

The PM speaks of One Nation-One Election as he claims that productivity goes down and administration comes to a standstill. And then you go ahead and announce one of the longest elections in the history of India, the Congress leader said.

Bellad countered Kharges statement, saying: If the Congress claims this is to suit the schedule of PM Modi to campaign, what stops the Congress from getting their leader Rahul Gandhi to campaign everywhere?

N Gopalaswami, former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), said a minimum of 30 days are required to conduct the elections from the nomination to the declaration of results. He believes there could be a well-thought out strategy and planning for holding a long-drawn election this time. However when many states are going to poll, there is a need for a long-drawn schedule and a proper strategy because each region has its own problems and requirements. Adequate deployment of security personnel, weather conditions, Class 10 and 12 examinations as well as some festivals that may overlap with the dates would also be considered.

Even with the best of efforts, given the phasing of the elections, it is inevitable that elections will be held not less than 70-odd days, Gopalaswami explained. If you want to cover every polling station with a semblance of paramilitary forces, you are bound to run into a shortage as the number of personnel is limited. In central India, where there is Naxal activity, there is heavy deployment. When that is done, the force is not available elsewhere. Then the forces are moved from place to place.

The former CEC said that security personnel are alternated across states and moved from phase to phase. The idea is to optimally use them in every phase, Gopalaswami said.

He further explained the logistical hurdles in security force deployment and movement. For example, you cannot deploy Tamil Nadu forces in Karnataka due to the Cauvery trouble. Similarly, with Kerala as well. These are certain limitations under which the EC works, he said.

The former CEC added that polling is preferably not scheduled in a metro city on a Monday or a Friday since people tend to take an extended holiday over the weekend and do not come to vote.

Generally, voting percentage is lower in metro cities and this would bring it down further. All this needs to be factored in as well, Gopalaswami said.

In some notorious states it is necessary to go for a single-day poll as as money distributing gangs travel from one area to another. So, elections are conducted in one day there. But in states where problem is a different type, like law and order issues or intimidation of voters is a major concern , you need adequate forces in each polling station so the election in that state needs to be held in phases, he said.

The total duration of the electoral process this year from the day of announcement of the polls by the EC to counting day spans over 82 days. Voting days for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls will span over a period of 44 days as compared to the shortest voting window for a general election in 1980. It lasted merely for four days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have completed 20 visits this year to the five southern states on Tuesday when he returns to Delhi after a five-day election campaign blitz.

Even before the schedule was announced by the Election Commission of India, PM Modi had chosen the southern states to launch his campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on March 15.

By the end of Tuesday, the PM would have visited Tamil Nadu seven times this year, Kerala and Telangana four times apiece, would have been to Karnataka three times and to Andhra Pradesh twice.

The road to power in Delhi may go through Uttar Pradesh, but the road this time to NDA 400 Paar will go through South India. We aim to win 50-60 seats for the NDA in the five southern states this time. It is this that will propel the NDA beyond 400 seats, a senior BJP leader and Union Minister told News18, explaining the Prime Ministers campaign push in South India.

The News18 Mega Opinion Poll last week had predicted that the NDA could win 58 seats in the five southern states, double of what it could manage in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The poll has predicted 18 seats for the NDA in Andhra Pradesh, eight in Telangana, 25 in Karnataka, five in Tamil Nadu, and two seats in Kerala.

The BJP has sealed an alliance with Chandrababu Naidus TDP and Pawan Kalyans Jana Sena in Andhra Pradesh, where it won no seat in 2019.

The choice of the venues for PMs rallies since March 15 indicates the seats and regions the NDA is focussing on to win. PM Modi was in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu for a big road show on Monday evening and will be in Salem on March 19. He began his election campaign from the Kanyakumari seat in Tamil Nadu on March 15. On February 28, the PM was in Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu.

Similarly, Modi will be in Palakkad in Kerala on March 19. He campaigned for BJP candidate Anil Antony, the son of Congress veteran AK Antony, on March 15 in Pathanamthitta.

In Telangana, the PM focussed on seats like Nagurkunool on March 16, a road show in Hyderabad on March 15 and Jagtial, Nizamabad on March 18.

In Karnataka, PM Modi chose Kalaburagi and Shimoga seats to kickstart his campaign from March 15. Kalaburagi, or Gulbarga, is a reserved seat and the bastion of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. PM Narendra Modi wants to send a clear message by taking on the opposition INDIA bloc in the Congress chiefs backyard.

On Monday, the Prime Minister was in Shimoga to honour former chief minister BS Yediyurappa, who created the social base of the upper-caste group of Lingayats to become a mass leader. By campaigning in this Lok Sabha constituency, Modi will be showcasing the BJPs commitment and support for Yediyurappas supremacy.

Modi has also held a big joint rally with Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan in Andhra Pradesh to send a univocal message of NDA unity in the state.
The politics of Maharashtra seem to be heating up ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 and Assembly polls later this year. Hectic parleys are underway in Delhi and Maharashtra amid speculation that Raj Thackeray-led MNS may become a fourth partner in the Mahayuti government led by BJP. Raj Thackeray had a 30-minute long meeting with BJP National General Secretary in Delhi on Tuesday, March 19. Following this meeting, both Thackeray and Tawde visited Home Minister Amit Shah, adding more fuel to speculation.

According to sources, Raj Thackeray has demanded Lok Sabha ticket from South Mumbai for MNS if he joins the Mahayuti. While the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra is strong with BJP, Shinde led Shiva Sena and Ajit Pawar led NCP, it is being said that Raj Thackeray will add weightage to the camp and will help sway the Marathi Manoos vote bank.

Also Read | Is Mahayuti Govt Looking For a Fourth Partner in Maharashtra Ahead of Lok Sabha Polls?

Meanwhile, in Maharashtra as well, meetings have been underway as Raj Thackeray meets BJP bigwigs in the national capital. While Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde met party MPs at his residence in Thane, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP state chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, NCPs Ajit Pawar also met at the Sagar bungalow in Mumbai.

When asked about Raj Thackeray joining the Mahayuti alliance, BJP leader Nitesh Rane, in an exclusive chat with News18, said that it will strengthen the partys Hindutva agenda.

Taking a jibe at former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, Rane said, We will get original Thackeray with us. Uddhav Thackeray is now Chinese brand, duplicate. He isnt true to Hindutva. He has joined hands with the Congress. Whereas Raj Thackeray is the firebrand Hindutva icon who carries the mantle of Balasaheb Thackerays ideology.

When asked whether the BJP will be willing to give a seat to the MNS, Rane said that the main aim is to make Modiji the Prime Minister for the third time. We will take everyone along. And as our leader Fadnavis has said, we will take all our friends together and will adjust wherever required, he added.

With back to back meetings underway in Delhi and Maharashtra, all eyes are now on whether Raj Thackeray will join the Mahayuti alliance and get the desired seat he has asked for.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership will take the appropriate call on possible alliance with Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Maharashtra, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari said at CNN-News18s Rising Bharat Summit on Tuesday.

This morning, I got a (work-related) call from Raj Thackeray, but I have no clue about the decision on alliance. Our leadership will take an appropriate call on this, Gadkari said.

Raj Thackeray met Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah in the national capital on Tuesday morning in an indication that the saffron party is looking to ally with him for the Lok Sabha elections to boost its alliance in Maharashtra.

As per reports, if the alliance is sealed, the MNS may be given one seat to contest from Mumbai, the Maharashtra capital where his cousin Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction enjoys some influence.

Asked about the seat sharing talks between the BJP, Ajit Pawars NCP and Eknath Shindes Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, Gadkari said negotiations are in the final stage and expressed confidence that the BJP-led alliance would win the maximum seats in his home state. He also played down the Maratha quota issue as a factor in the upcoming elections, saying it has been resolved by CM Eknath Shinde.

On the INDIA blocs recent rally in Mumbai, the Union Minister said: The opposition alliance has no future and will see defeat in this election. Post the defeat, many of their leaders will retire.

The senior BJP leader also declared that he has no plans to join any other political party. Shown a clip of Shiv Sena-UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray taunting the BJP for not releasing Gadkaris name in the first list of candidates, the Union Minister said: Before the first list was released, there was no discussion happening regarding Maharashtra. My name appeared in the second list after due discussion happened with the state leadership. I am a BJP worker and will only contest on a BJP ticket. Such offers are laughable, he said, referring to Uddhavs offer of a Shiv Sena-UBT ticket.

Nitin Gadkari also explained his decision to not put up any posters or banners of himself during campaigning. All my voters are my family. From 2014 till today, I have worked for them and they have seen that. Hence, I dont think that I need to put up banner, hoarding or poster in this election. I am connected with them and will be doing door-to-door campaign this time too.

Asked about his earlier comment that good work never gets appreciated, Gadkari clarified: That statement was related to the system which we have in place and it was not related to the political party, but many misquoted me. Since I have been part of this system for the past 10 years our system is so complicated that a person who does a good job never gets appreciation and the person who does a bad job never gets punished.

Gadkari also denied saying that he wants to quit politics. I have never said that I want to quit politics. I had said that we need to redefine the definition of politics. Only power politics is not politics. Social work and service to the nation are also politics. Gandhi jis agitation was also politics. We must do 80% work for social causes and the rest 20% for politics. I am taking such initiatives in my constituencies by helping people get medical help.

On the recent implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the misinformation on it, the Union Minister said: Many things have been cleared by our Constitution. People from Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist religions, if they go abroad and if that country sends them back, then our Constitution says that they can get citizenship in India legally. So, whatever is happening, is as per the Constitution.

Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, also shared a transportation plan that he had prepared for Mumbai.

When we complete 100 years of independence in 2047, the PM envisions a public transport system run on electricity and water. When I was shipping minister, I prepared a report on how you can reach Navi Mumbai airport in just 17 minutes via waterway from any part of Mumbai city. We have also made a jetty at the Navi Mumbai airport. We will have water taxis in the future. In the coming days, there will be a big revolution in public transport. We are also conducting a study on an double-decker bus in Bangalore which could be cost-effective as compared to Metro rail.
Is the Mahayuti government in the Maharashtra looking for a fourth partner in the run up to Lok Sabha Elections 2024? The big question is being asked because despite having strong partners like the Shiv Sena and NCP, the Bharatiya Janata Party is reaching out to smaller regional parties like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) led by Raj Thackeray. While the Mahayuti government was not seen as weak before the entry of NCP led by Ajit Pawar, NCPs entry has made strengthen this government in the number game. However, the responsibility which has been thrust on Ajit Pawar and NCP is to capture the Western Maharashtra belt along with the penetration in rural Maharashtra, where the BJP lacks. But with murmurs that the BJP is contemplating to rope in Raj Thackeray and his party, speculation is rife that another plan is brewing behind the curtains.

Raj Thackery and his party, since the inception of MNS, have been raising the issue of Marathi Manus (son of the soil). In the initial years, the MNS got a good response from the people of Maharashtra. In the 2009 state assembly election, 11 MNS MLAs won. However, MNS could not repeat the same in the 2014 and 2019 Maharashtra assembly polls with just one MLA from the party getting elected.

Also Read | BJP-MNS Alliance On Cards For LS Polls In Maharashtra? Raj Thackeray In Delhi To Meet Shah, Nadda

This leads to the question as to why the BJP would want to have MNS in this alliance? MNS has a history of having an anti-North Indian stand. The Raj Thackeray-led MNS has been seen taking an aggressive stand against North Indians coming to Mumbai and Maharashtra for jobs. In 2008, MNS attacked and vandalised the shops of North Indians in various parts of Maharashtra. They even opposed Chhath Puja, which is celebrated on a large scale in different parts of Mumbai.

Raj Thackeray, while going ahead with his agenda, has also targeted Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, for promoting Uttar Pradesh and doing business with the state. Thackeray said that it was the Mumbai film industry that gave all glory, name and fame to Bachchan.

While this anti-north Indian stand taken by Raj Thackeray has brought him support from the Marathi youth, it didnt get converted into votes after the 2009 election. Despite that, Raj Thackeray remains a crowd-puller and his rallies are jam-packed.

According to the sources, BJP, who wants to cut Uddhav Thackerays votes in the state and the sympathy, which his party still has, wants Raj Thackeray as fourth member in the Mahayuti government. BJP, whose core voters in the state are north Indians and Brahmins, is hoping to attract the Marathi youth in pockets of Mumbai, Nasik, Thane with the support of Raj Thackeray. On the other hand, Raj has been seen full-heartedly supporting Hindutva over the past couple of years. Hence, it will become easy for the BJP to justify why they are joining hands with Raj Thackeray in the state.

However, while doing so, some north Indian voters may get hurt as the wounds of 2008 are still fresh in their minds. The BJP thinking of roping in Raj Thackeray also raised questions if they are not confident enought that Shinde-led Shiv Sena can attract Marathi votes for their alliance. According to the sources, BJP brought in the NCP into this alliance because the party was not sure how many votes could Shinde fetch from rural areas to make their mission 400+ successful in the Lok Sabha elections. The Shinde-led Sena has not yet managed to hamper the sympathy that Uddhav Thackerays faction has got after the split in the party.

Though nothing has been officially confirmed by BJP and MNS about their alliance, Raj Thackeray holding a meeting with Amit Shah in Delhi is being seen as a major development. As per sources, Raj Thackeray has put forth his demand to contest one seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha Election and also wants BJP support in Maharashtra Assembly Elections later this year. Sources also indicated that Raj Thackeray may ask for the South Mumbai seat his party. At present, this seat is with Shiv Sena UBT and BJP leader Rahul Narwekar has already started his preparation. In such a scenario, if MNS gets this seat, it may not go down well with the core voter of BJP in the South Mumbai constituency. The MNS was at number two on the seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha Election and at number three in the following elections in 2014 and 2019. Although, the BJP did not contest the 2014 and 2019 elections from this seat as they were in alliance with undivided Shiv Sena, the party holds a strong support on the ground here. If this constituency gets passed on to MNS, it could certainly have an impact during the state assembly elections on BJP seats in South Mumbai.

There is no doubt that the BJP wants to rope in as many like-minded parties by their side for the success of their mission 400+ and Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister for the third time. In the state of Maharashtra, where the fight is directly between BJP and Uddhav Thackeray, having Raj Thackeray, who has great oratory skills, by their side will help them spread the vision of Modi and the agenda of Mahayuti, while also attracting the youth of Maharashtra.
Compliance holds key to maintaining integrity of any company. The recent Paytm Payments Banks debacle is a perfect example of how a company failed to adhere to the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), particularly, the KYC procedures. Despite repeated warnings, the bank failed to take necessary steps.

While the RBI has not specified the exact reasons for putting restrictions on Paytm Payments Bank Limited, it had indicated persistent non-compliances and continued material supervisory concerns in the bank warranting supervisory action.

There have been reports that close relations between Paytm Payments Bank and One97 Communications  Paytms parent company  might have led to such stringent action by the RBI. There were reports of Chinese investment in Paytm Payments Services Limited, but Paytm has denied the same.

This is not the first time that the RBI had warned Paytm Payments Bank about the non-compliance. Last year, it levied a penalty on the Paytm Payments Bank for not identifying the beneficial owners of the entities it added for regulatory services.

The RBI had also alerted Paytm Paymnents Bank on delaying reporting cyber security incidents by the bank, and loopholes in its customer identification infrastructure. In 2022, the RBI had raised concerns about Paytm Banks IT system and put a restriction on adding more customers.

Media reports have also claimed fake accounts under payments bank, and accused it of money laundering and spurious transactions.

How It Will Impact Your Finances

If you use Paytm app for UPI and wallet payments, you should able to work normally. But if you are using the bank account, then there could be issues.

There are no restrictions on the use of app to transfer money or withdraw it from the wallet or account. Account holders can freely transfer money out of the wallet and bank accounts but cannot receive money from March 1.

Customers can extinguish their balances in Paytm Fastag or National Common Mobility Card but they cannot load their account with more money from March 1, 2024.

While the RBI has banned on boarding of new customers at Paytm Payments Bank, it prohibits Paytm from undertaking any credit or deposit transaction after February 29, 2024.

Paytm has recently announced its plan to downsize its BNPL operations and was working to mitigate the impact by scaling up higher-ticket Personal and Merchant loans. Against this backdrop, the latest measures raise serious concerns over its business outlook and dent overall investor confidence. We, thus, remain watchful of PAYTMs business model and its ability to navigate through this highly uncertain regulatory and macro environment, said brokerage Motilal Oswal as quoted by Business Standard.

What about Mutual Funds?

With Paytms shares tanking 20%, there will be impact on mutual funds and retail investment. Some schemes have invested up to 4-5% of their portfolio in Paytm stock.

The mutual fund industrys collective exposure to One97 Communication stands at Rs 1,995 crore as of December 31, 2023, which is only 0.06% of the total equity assets under management (AUM), said Fisdom Research as mentioned in a Business Standard report.

Equity funds with the highest allocation to One97 Communications Ltd. (Paytm) are Mirae Asset Large Cap Fund, Mirae Asset-Focused Fund, Quant Mid Cap Fund, Nippon India Large Cap Fund, Mirae Asset ELSS Tax Saver Fund.

For the unversed, Paytms share price on February 1 saw huge selling pressure. Paytm shares opened lower at Rs 608.80 apiece on BSE and touched a 20% lower circuit within a few minutes of the stock markets opening bell.

What are the Lessons to Learn from the Fiasco?

Regulatory Compliance: Non-compliance can cripple businesses and operations even if they were long established. They must prioritise adhering to regulations even during the peak of growth.

Transparency: The need for transparency is paramount when making financial transactions. Communication with regulators and customers is the key. Maintaining robust security of user funds and data is crucial to establish trust and mitigate potential threats.

A tool that could gauge the potential operational risks could be developed to impose certain standardised restrictions before the damage. All stakeholder should set right their internal risk management systems to ensure sustainability, according to a report in The Times of India.
Bengaluru Police has seized a cache of potentially harmful materials, including gelatin sticks and detonators, discovered in a plot situated in front of Bellandur Prakriya School, reported Asianet News.

The alarming find has prompted an urgent investigation by the law enforcement authorities, who are trying to determine the source.

According to the report, police spotted an abandoned tractor on a nearby vacant lot, raising suspicions of potential involvement in transporting illegal materials. Police also received information regarding the blasting of rocks at a construction site, further heightening concerns.

A case has been filed at the Bellandur police station in connection with these incidents.

The incident comes just three weeks after a man walked into Bengalurus Rameshwaram cafe and set down a bag carrying explosives nearby, which had a timer set for an hour. Ten people were injured in the blast at the popular eatery in the Brookfield area.

In December last year over 15 schools across Bengaluru received bomb threats through anonymous emails, causing panic among students, parents, and school authorities. The first wave of threats targeted seven schools, including Napel and Vidyashilpa in Basaveshwar Nagar. One of the threatened schools was situated opposite the residence of Karnatakas Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar.
Crypto Price Surge Could Attract Fraudsters: Thai Digital Asset Association

Thailand Digital Asset Association has warned Thai users that the recent crypto price uptrend could potentially attract hackers. The association which comprise of a network of blockchain evangelists, aims to create awareness among citizens on the dark side of crypto-asset bubble.

According to Suppakrit Boonsat, founder of Bitcast and the associations director, despite the crypto price increase, the cost of carrying out a theft remain unchanged, attracting fraudsters.

Everyone expects the cryptocurrency market to be on a bull run this year, thanks mainly to the launch of spot Bitcoin exchanged-traded funds and the halving of Bitcoin.

The caution comes as Thailand witnessed a staggering 867 billion baht ($24.2 billion) loss in crypto hacks last year. Further, according to association members, the problematic nature of storing cryptocurrencies has delayed Thailands crypto development.

If an asset is stolen, the money cannot be recovered. The cheapest and most effective tactic is to prevent the damage from occurring, Boonsat added.

Additionally, the association prioritized educating customers on understanding proof of crypto ownership. If investors understand proof of ownership, they will know what they really need to protect.

Another potential drawback highlighted is the lack of understanding digital asset storage. Customers dont have to rely on an exchange for storage of digital assets, he noted. Investors must have the knowledge, awareness and the use of appropriate technology to make market growth sustainable.

With better understanding, I believe preserving assets will be easy and they will be safer from hacking.

Thais Massive Crypto Scams



In a string of cryptocurrency-related arrest, Thai authorities in September 2023 nabbed 5 suspects in connection with a crypto scam. The massive fraud fleeced over $76 million from local investors.

Thailands Cyber Crime spokesperson said at the time that investment schemes continue to wreak havoc in Thailand, prompting regulatory action.

Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and have targeted users through deceptive government-owned website URLs to access crypto wallets.
Massive tension prevailed in Karnatakas Bengaluru on Tuesday after several BJP leaders, including MP Tejasvi Surya, staged a demonstration in protest against the physical assault on a shopkeeper by a group of youths for allegedly playing Hanuman Chalisa over a loudspeaker in his shop during Azaan.

Bengaluru South MP Surya was also detained shortly after he participated in the agitation, which led to sloganeering by the BJP leaders. Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje and BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar were also taken into preventive custody by police.

The BJP had called for a peaceful procession from the shop of the victim, Mukesh, with chanting of Hanuman Chalisa by the participants. A day back, Surya gave the Siddaramaiah government an ultimatum to arrest all the accused in the case by noon.

Tejashwi Surya on Assault on Shopkeeper Over Hanuman Chalisa

Speaking about the incident, Surya, said the Congress government is failing to implement law and order in the state and then boasting about making a Brand Bengaluru.

The government speaks of building brand Bengaluru. I want to ask the CM and the Deputy CM. You speak of building a brand Bengaluru. How can you do so with this kind of a law and order situation? What happened to Mukesh yesterday could happen to any person sitting and going to his business honestly in a calm, unprovoked manner anywhere in the city, he asked the government.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka | BJP MP Tejasvi Surya joins the protest in Bengaluru following an altercation between a group of people and a shopkeeper during 'Azaan' time on Sunday, 17th March near Siddanna Layout. pic.twitter.com/SKy6NoJxPM ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024

On the rising anti-Hindu and anti-India sentiments in Karnataka, Surya also noted that recently a bomb blast occurred in the city and before that pro-Pakistani slogans were also raised.

Two weeks ago there was a bomb blast. A week before that there were Pakistan Zindabad slogans. And today you have these unprovoked attacks on shopkeepers. What message is this government trying to give? Why is it that whenever the Congress party comes to power, elements like these who want to create disturbance and disharmony in society, why do they feel emboldened? And why is it that cabinet ministers like Dinesh Gundu Rao come in the defense of the accused and do not stand up for the victims justice? the MP further added.

Protests Erupt in Bengaluru

A video of the incident, which was being shared widely on social media, triggered outrage among the public and protestors gathered in the citys Siddanna Layout area  where the incident took place on Sunday  to stage a

Protestors waved saffron flags and raised Jai Shree Ram slogans. Some activists also shouted slogans such as Bharat Mata ki Jai, Beke Beku Nyaya Beku, Modi, Modi and so on.

Hanuman Chalisa Controversy in Bengaluru: Police Investigates

The Bengaluru police have begun an investigation into the incident and said that the men assaulted the shopkeeper over Hanuman Chalisa.

An altercation occurred between a group of people and a shopkeeper last evening during Azaan time when a shopkeeper played a song loudly near Siddanna Layout, in Bengaluru. A few Muslim youths questioned him, and an argument ensued, leading to them hitting the shopkeeper. An FIR has been registered at Halasuru Gate Police Limit, and the police are working to arrest the accused, ANI quoted police as saying.

While the FIR made no mention of Hanuman Chalisa, Mukesh told reporters that the suspects raised objections over his playing the Hanuman Chalisa.

Police said five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, including two on Tuesday.
KERALA LOTTERY STHREE SAKTHI SS-407 RESULT ON TUESDAY, MARCH 19, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the results of the Sthree Sakthi SS-407 lucky draw for Tuesday, March 19. Check the full list of winning numbers below.

ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Result Today LIVE: Akshaya AK-644 WINNERS for March 24, 2024; First Prize Rs 70 Lakh!

FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR STHREE SAKTHI SS-407 LOTTERY

WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE WORTH RS 8,000 ARE

SA 656940

SB 656940

SC 656940

SE 656940

SF 656940

SG 656940

SH 656940

SJ 656940

SK 656940

SL 656940

SM 656940

WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE WORTH RS 75 LAKH IS SD 519006 (NEYYATTINKARA)

Agent Name: SAJEEVAN K

Agency No: T 3830

WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE WORTH RS 10 LAKH IS SA 656940 (IRINJALAKKUDA)

Agent Name: KANNAN K G

Agency No: R 8572

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE WORTH RS 5,000 ARE

3922 9515 5614 5228 3248 7311 9654 0279 2616 5548 9220 8716 2149 9264 0344 9873 4321 3961

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE WORTH RS 2,000 ARE

0255 0832 1038 3558 3584 5463 7013 7707 8275 9404

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE WORTH RS 1,000 ARE

0560 0603 1484 1631 1761 2095 2871 3240 3631 3635 4301 4381 5469 6913 6943 7024 8255 9310 9344 9861

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE WORTH RS 500 ARE

0025 0058 0257 0395 0580 0622 1027 1161 1280 1319 1701 1815 2001 2174 2426 2695 2724 2956 3089 3115 3306 3778 3936 4082 4160 4232 4309 4491 4540 4909 5940 5974 6351 6746 6858 6869 6922 7001 7010 7243 7839 7956 8133 8726 8925 8968 9244 9518 9650 9910 9948 9963

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE WORTH RS 200 ARE

0087 0222 0376 0379 0741 0841 1901 2121 2227 2549 3079 3264 3496 3898 4204 4392 4473 4506 4668 4712 4854 5001 5006 5121 5351 5690 5758 5838 6191 6324 6657 6662 6725 7526 7714 7724 7868 8064 8181 8832 8843 9495 9759 9851 9893

WINNING NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE WORTH RS 100 ARE

3051 7570 2291 8069 7665 3177 7468 4679 5669 7670 1798 5986 8393 4550 9087 2209 3976 7153 3348 0582 3565 5965 5011 1982 6871 4006 0067 9570 6156 1866 7935 6244 3915 4421 8880 2195 1426 6330 9716 0177 5756 4905 2804 1010 9969 2658 5316 1225 0759 8136 5055 5692 2659 8878 0467 3014 0848 4257 1860 2966 6925 0624 9909 2442 8540 3905 6189 3634 4409 1952 0122 7848 6085 7009 307 8 4342 0056 6623 8898 2503 2606 0950 3412 3369 6 798 2622 9672 7584 8033

ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Result: Summer Bumper BR-96 Results on March 27, 2024; First Prize Rs 10 Crore!

KERALA LOTTERY RESULT: STHREE SAKTHI SS-407 PRIZE STRUCTURE

1st Prize: Rs 75 lakh

2nd Prize: Rs. 10 lakh

3rd Prize: Rs. 5,000

4th Prize: Rs. 2,000

5th Prize: Rs. 1,000

6th Prize: Rs. 500

7th Prize: Rs. 200

8th Prize: Rs. 100

Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000

HOW TO VERIFY KERALA STHREE SAKTHI SS-407 LOTTERY RESULTS?

Participants who want to confirm the winning numbers in the Sthree Sakthi SS-407 lottery results have two alternatives. They can either visit the Kerala Lottery Departments official website, www.keralalottery.info, or pay a visit to the lottery office.

HOW TO COLLECT YOUR PRIZE MONEY?

Individuals can determine the status of their lottery ticket by comparing their ticket numbers to the stated winning numbers in the Kerala Government Gazette. After a match has been validated, winners must claim their winnings in person at the Kerala lottery office in Thiruvananthapuram within 30 days after the results announcement. For authentication purposes, the winning ticket must be shown alongside acceptable identification proof.

Kerala Lottery Summer Bumper BR-96 Results on March 27, 2024

The Kerala State Lottery Department will announce the results of the Summer Bumper BR-96 lucky draw on March 27, 2024 at 2 pm. The first prize winner will receive Rs 10 crore. The second prize holder will get Rs 50 lakh, and the third prize winner will be rewarded with Rs 5 lakh.

The bumper lottery ticket was released by Kerala State Minister K.N. Balagopal. MLA Antony Raju presided over the event.

By purchasing a ticket worth Rs 250, you have a chance to win up to Rs 10 crore. The tickets are available in six series: SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, and SG.

KERALA SUMMER BUMPER LOTTERY PRIZE STRUCTURE
Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is lodged in Delhis Mandoli prison, released another explosive letter welcoming Akkaiah K Kavitha to the Tihar Club and suggested that he has more information to reveal about Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

In his letter addressed to Kavitha, Sukesh, who is currently in jail in a Rs 200-crore money laundering case, said that those denying their wrongdoings by calling the allegation fake and political with hunt are getting back their karma. He said he would soon expose Kejriwal as well.

The truth has prevailed, the dramas of saying fake cases, fake allegations, the political witch hunt have fallen flat, all your karmas are coming back to you, the letter stated.

Addressing Kavitha, Sukesh further wrote, You always thought you were untouchable. But you forget this is the new Bharat, the law is stronger than ever.

The jailed conman further claimed that two predictions made by him last year  one that the BRS would be thrown out of power in Telangana following the 2023 Assembly elections and second that Kavitha will be arrested and be a part of Tihar club, turned out to be true.

The letter comes after the ED arrested BRS leader and former Telangana Chief Minister KCRs daughter K Kavitha after an hours-long raid at her premises in Hyderabad. She was later brought to Delhi for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.

Kavithas Arrest Will Open Pandoras Box of Corruption

In his latest letter, Sukesh further alleged that Kavithas arrest will open a Pandoras Box of corruption and that his dearest friend Arvind Kejriwal will be exposed to another level.

All your corrupt associates, including the king of corruption, my dearest Arvind Kejriwal, are going to be exposed to another level. Thousands of crores that you and your party have looted and stacked in Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany will all be out in the open, the letter read.

The conman concluded his letter with a request to Kavitha urging her to stop hiding evidence. There is enough evidence to prove all your corruption Will see you soon, akkaiah, face-to-face. I welcome you to the greatest Tihar club, he wrote.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sentenced former Mumbai Police encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma to life imprisonment for his involvement in the fake encounter killing of Ramnarayan Gupta, an alleged close aide of gangster Chhota Rajan, in 2006. This marks the first conviction of police officers in a fake encounter.

In the current case leading to his conviction, Sharma was arrested in 2010 by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) monitored by the Bombay High Court. In 2013, a sessions court found 13 policemen guilty in the Ramnarayan Gupta case, while Sharma was the only one acquitted.

The high court, in its judgment, said the police officers, who are protectors of the law, had grossly misused and abused their position by abducting and killing Gupta in a fake encounter, and by giving it the colour of a genuine encounter.

The bench stressed the need to sternly address deaths in police custody and condemned the officers misconduct.

There can be no room for leniency as the persons involved, that is the police, are the arm of the State, whose duty is to protect the citizens and not to take law into their own hands and commit gruesome offences against them, the court stated.

Sharma was convicted on all charges, including criminal conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, and wrongful confinement, receiving a life sentence. The bench ordered him to surrender before the concerned sessions court within three weeks.

According to a report in Hindustan Times, Pradeep Sharma is alleged to have killed at least 112 gangsters during his 25-year police career. He became notorious among gangsters during his time with the Mumbai Police.

Here are some key facts about him:

Sharma belongs to the 1983 batch of police officers, alongside Vijay Salaskar, Praful Bhosle, Ravindra Angre, and Vinayak Saude. They were known for their efforts to tackle the Mumbai underworld, which included figures like Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, Chhota Rajan, Arun Gawli, and Amar Naik.

In 1999, Sharma and his team eliminated Vinod Matkar, an associate of Chhota Rajan, who had been chosen by the gangster to target Dawood Ibrahim in Pakistan. During the same year, Sharma was involved in the killing of D-Company gangster and Ibrahims close aide, Sadiq Kalia, in Mumbais Dadar area.

In 2003, while leading the Andheri Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU), Sharma and his team neutralised three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in Goregaon. Among them were Abu Sultan, LeTs commander for southern India, and Abu Anwar Ali, both Pakistani nationals.

Sharma faced controversy, being dismissed from service in August 2008 due to alleged links to the underworld. He was reinstated in May 2009 following a ruling by the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT). However, the Maharashtra government contested this decision in the Bombay High Court.

In 2010, Sharma was arrested for his alleged involvement in the fake encounter of Ramnarayan Gupta, alias Lakhan Bhaiya. in November 2006. Gupta was picked up from the Vashi area in neighbouring Navi Mumbai and killed in a staged encounter near Versova in western Mumbai. His close associate, Anil Bheda, was allegedly abducted and killed before he was scheduled to depose in court.

In 2017, Sharma rejoined the police force and later served as ACP in Thane police under the then Commissioner Param Bir Singh. However, he resigned in July 2019 to join the undivided Shiv Sena and contested the assembly elections from Nalasopara in Mumbai, which he lost.

In 2021, Sharma was arrested for the second time by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the Antilia explosives scare and Mansukh Hiran murder case. He is accused of involvement in the killing of businessman Mansukh Hiran related to the recovery of gelatin sticks outside the residence of industrialist Mukesh Ambani in 2021. Sharma was alleged to be involved in disposing of Hirans body.

(With inputs from PTI)
Tamil and Malayalam film actress Arundhati Nair is on ventilator after she met with an accident in Kerala. Her sister Arathy confirmed the news after multiple reports claimed to have details about her accident. Taking to her Instagram account, Arathy issued a statement about the accident and urged fans to pray for her. The accident reportedly took place at the Kovalam bypass and Arundhati has suffered head injuries. She was travelling with her brother.

We felt the need to clarify the news reported in Tamil Nadus newspapers and television channels. It is true that my sister Arundhathi Nair had an accident three days ago, (sic) Arathy said in a post. She is critically injured and fighting for her life while being kept on a ventilator at the Ananthapuri Hospital in Trivandrum, the actresss sister added. Arathy shared the post with the caption, We Need your prayers and Support for her speery recovery.

Many social media users took to the comments section and sent their prayers to Arundhati and the family. Get Well soon, a comment read. Ayyo really sad to see this . May god give her the strength to recover soon. , added another. Dear fans and peoples please pray for her speedy recovery and also make an Pooja in the name of @arundhathi.nair_ in each and every temples and light and agal dheepam, a social media user wrote.

According to India Today,Arundhati was headed home after giving an interview to a YouTube channel. She was on a bike with her brother when the accident took place.

For the unversed, Arundhati Nair made her debut in 2014 with the Tamil film Pongi Ezhu Manohara. She became a household name after starring in Vijay Antonys Saithan. In 2018, she explored a career in the Malayalam film industry. She was seen in Ottakoru Kaamukan. Her last released was in 2023. She starred in Aayiram Porkaasukal alongside Vidharth. The film was directed by Ravi Murukaya.
Marathi TV has many upcoming serials that the audience is keenly waiting for. Amid this, there are reports that ace actress Neena Kulkarni is all set to make a comeback to the small screen with a powerful serial. Recently, the promo of her upcoming serial was also released on social media, which has left the viewers intrigued. Neena Kulkarni is ready to grace the small screen yet again with her upcoming serial Yed Lagla Premach. It will also star Vishal Nikam and Pooja Birari. The 68-year-old actress comeback has gained the attention of her fans. The promo of the series was unveiled recently and has already received much love; viewers are showing excitement. The date of the serials broadcast is yet to be announced. A look at the promo of the serial, Yed Lagla Premach shows Neena Kulkarni essaying the role of a loving and affectionate mother.

Neena Kulkarni is a prolific actress who is known for her work in the Marathi and Hindi movies, television and even stage productions. Her career in acting began in the 70s, while she simultaneously modelled and participated in fashion shows. A few noteworthy works of hers are Mohan Rakeshs Adhe Adhure, Shankar Sheshs Mayavi Sarovar and Willie Russells Educating Rita. She has also directed the play Mahasagar. Neena Kulkarni has worked in feature movies like Savat Mazi Ladki, Aai, Uttarayan and Shevri which earned her praises and accolades. She received wider recognition after her strong performance in Bioscope and won awards for it.

She has also worked in prominent Hindi movies like Badal, Nayak, Paheli, Guru, Hungama, Rann, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, Hasee Toh Phasee and Ghayal: Once Again. Neena Kulkarni was also seen in Ektaa R Kapoors Yeh Hai Mohabbatein opposite Divyanka Tripathi, Anita Hassnandani and Karan Patel.

Pooja Birari won the hearts of the audience with her amazing performance in the serial Swabhiman; she is all set to star in this new serial as well. Vishal Nikam is also a famous face in the industry, who has appeared in a handful of movies, and serials and shot to fame with his stint at Bigg Boss Marathi. If the reports are anything to go by, actress Atisha Naik will be portraying the role of a villain in this show.
Korean actress Han So-hee continues to capture attention, particularly after her recent appearance at Incheon Airport. Following her return from a trip to Hawaii, Han So-hee appeared somewhat reserved as she navigated the airport accompanied by her staff. While interacting with a small group of fans, observers couldnt help but notice a particular piece of jewellery on her ring finger. The presence of a ring sparked speculation, with many speculating that it could be a couples ring given by Ryu Jun Yeol.

The mystery surrounding the ring on Han So-hees finger was clarified the following day when OSEN reported that it was simply a friendship ring. After confirming with Han So-hee, the ring on her fourth finger is a friendship ring. Its a birthstone ring made with her friends from her hometown, reported Koreaboo.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Han so hee brasil |  (@sohee_br)

This revelation came as a relief to fans who had been following the events surrounding Han So-hee and Ryu Jun Yeols relationship.

As of now, Han So-hee has confirmed her relationship with actor Ryu Jun Yeol.

The speculations of their ongoing romance initially arose when the two were seen vacationing together in Hawaii. While Ryu Jun Yeols agency had confirmed his presence in Hawaii at that time, they had not commented on the dating rumours. Han So-hees agency had initially denied the rumours, stating that she was on vacation with close friends.

However, just a day after her agencys denial, Han So-hee addressed the rumours directly on her blog, confirming her relationship with Ryu Jun Yeol. She clarified that their relationship began only after Ryu Jun Yeol had ended his previous relationship with former Girlss Day member Hyeri.

Han So-hee also apologised for a now-deleted Instagram Story, admitting that she had acted impulsively in response to rumours suggesting that she had started dating Ryu Jun Yeol before his breakup. She expressed regret for her actions, acknowledging that she should have handled the situation more thoughtfully.

Fans have since expressed their support for Han So-hee and Ryu Jun Yeols relationship, with many applauding Han So-hee for her honesty and sincerity in addressing the rumours. As the couple continues to receive attention, their fans are eagerly awaiting further updates on their relationship.
Amazon Prime Video is unveiling its 2024 titles in a grand event in Mumbai. Among them is Rana Daggubatis The Rana Connection. During the event, Rana engaged in a playful rapid-fire session with Karan Johar. Rana played rapid-fire with KJo, asking him who his favourite kid is. Karan Johar jokingly asked if he had to choose between Roohi and Yash. Rana clarified that he was referring to Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt  the leads he launched in Student Of The Year. When Rana asked Karan to pick between Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, and Varun Dhawan, Karan swiftly quipped, Let me do some mental mathematics and say Alia. He further added, Its just a safer answer for me to give you right now.

Alia Bhatt made her acting debut in Bollywood with the 2012 film Student of the Year, directed by Karan Johar. In the film, the actress played the role of Shanaya, a rich, shopping-loving girl who is not the sharpest but deeply values her relationships in life. Since then, she has played a variety of diverse characters, including Karan Johars last directorial Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. But being her first, that film remains close to her heart. In a recent interview, Alia recalled her first meeting with Karan. I got called in to meet Karan Johar for Student Of The Year while I was still in school. I was in the 11th grade, literally going from school, so I was in my uniform. I was much healthier and enjoyed eating french fries more at that time. I thought, I look great theres nothing wrong. So, I walked into his office, and he said I was charming in person and asked me to do an audition. I didnt know what an audition was, but I went in, gave the audition, and the rest is history, she had said.

The National Award-winning actress is currently shooting for her upcoming film Jigra. Alia is not just playing the lead in the film but is also co-producing it with Karan Johar. The film is directed by Vasan Bala of Monica, O My Darling fame. She is also rumoured to be collaborating with Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Baiju Bawra.
Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda got married on March 15 in Manesar, Haryana. The couple got married in the presence of family and close friends. On March 16, they returned to Mumbai and a grand welcome was organised. Well, today the actress shared a glimpse of her phele rasoi. She cooked halwa and looks like everyone is impressed with her skills.

Taking to her Instagram stories, Kriti shared photos in which we can see the actress wearing maroon colour ethnic wear. She looks very beautiful with subtle makeup and left her hair open. She is seen wearing mangalsutra and sindoor. In one of the photos, she is also seen posing with Pulkits grandmother.

Take a look here:

Pulkit and Kriti shared a bunch of pictures from the dreamy festivities. In the pictures, Kriti opted for beautiful in a pink lehenga, while Pulkit donned a mint green sherwani and turban adorned with intricate designs. Both were looking very beautiful. From the deep blue sky, To the morning dew. Through the low and the high, Its only you. From the start to the end, In every now and every then, When my heart beats different, Its got to be you. Constantly, Consistently, Continually, You! the caption read.

On March 16 evening, the newlyweds returned to Mumbai and received a grand welcome. In the video, the two are seen arriving at their house and Pulkit opened the door of the car for his lady love. In another, the two along with their families grooved on dhol beats outside the house. Kriti looked gorgeous in a red floral saree while flaunting her chooda and sindoor. Pulkit, on the other hand, wore an off-white kurta and dhoti.

Meanwhile, Kriti and Pulkits love story blossomed on the sets of Pagalpanti, and their bond has only grown stronger since. Their on-screen collaborations include Veerey Ki Wedding and Taish.
Korean actor and model Noh Sang-hyun is currently in talks to join the cast of an upcoming romantic drama, along with actors Kim Woo Bin and Suzy. News1 Korea reported on March 18 that Noh Sang-hyun is considering a role in screenwriter Kim Eun Sooks new drama titled All Your Wishes Come True (literal name). Post the reports, Echo Global Group, Noh Sang-hyun s agency, also responded to the reports officially, saying, Noh Sang-hyun is positively reviewing the offer to star in All Your Wishes Come True.'

The plot revolves around an emotionally intense genie confined within a lamp and the woman who aids in his liberation. Kim Woo Bin is slated to take on the role of the genie, with Suzy portraying Ga Young, a human devoid of emotion. Additionally, reports are suggesting that Ahn Eun Jin is contemplating an offer to portray a mysterious woman who shares a living space with Ga Young.

Actor Noh Sang-hyun is reported to be considering a role as a character with a complex backstory intertwined with Kim Woo Bins genie, who was once like a brother to him but is now a stranger, as per a report in Soompi.

The series is being written by Kim Eun Sook, known for popular dramas such as The Glory, Goblin, Mister Sunshine, and Heirs, which also featured Kim Woo Bin. Sook has received widespread acclaim for its unique storytelling and memorable characters.

The drama will be directed by Lee Byung Hun, known for Extreme Job and Melo Is My Nature. His knack for blending humour with heartfelt moments is expected to shine in this romantic comedy, promising viewers a delightful and engaging watch.

All Your Wishes Come True is scheduled to premiere in 2024 as a 12-episode series. In the recent past, Noh Sang-hyun grabbed much acclaim with his role as Baek Isaac, the husband of the main character Seon-ja (Kim Min-ha), in the 2022 series Pachinko. Following this, he appeared in Curtain Call (2022) and Surviving as a Celebrity Manager (2022). He took on a leading role in last years Disney+ series Soundtrack #2 (2023). This year, he is set to star in the movie Love in the Big City alongside Kim Go-Eun.
Liberia is Working to Build CBDC with Blockchain Solutions Firm Gluwa

West African nation Liberia is mulling to create central bank digital currency (CBDC) in collaboration with real-world asset platform Gluwa.

Gluwa, which recently partnered with Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to help drive its CBDC eNaira, will be assisting in the research and development of Liberias CBDC. Tae Oh, Gluwas CEO, met the President of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, to discuss the possibility of building a CBDC.

The meeting serves as humbling opportunities to learn more about the governments commitment to economic growth, Boakai noted.

Per Gluwas announcement on March 15, the discussion with the countrys president addressed the countrys slow internet connectivity. This has been a barrier to the countrys digital inclusivity in rural areas.

On early Thursday, March 14, there was a major internet disruption in Liberia. The situation, which lasted for over 14 hours, crippled online transactions including mobile money transfers and banking services.

Gluwa proposed the introduction of satellite-based Internet Service Provider (ISP) specifically designed to extend low-cost internet connectivity to rural areas.

Gluwa and Liberias CBDC initiative would require extensive compatibility with Liberias existing mobile money system, the company added.

The blockchain firms ISP solution also aims to aid in the infrastructure to support accessibility of the countrys CBDC solution.

Gluwa to Help Build CBDCs of Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana



Gluwa recently also visited Ghanain VP, Mahamudu Bawumia, to discuss improving financial inclusivity within the country. CEO Tae Oh had the opportunity to discuss the ongoing development of Ghanas Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), Gluwa wrote.

In Nigeria, Gluwa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CBN to officially onboard as a Partner Agent for eNaira.

Additionally, Gluwa announced that it would integrate its Credal blockchain innovation directly into Nigerias CBDC. Furthermore, the partnership between Gluwa and the CBN also focus on simplifying fintech lending, authenticating transactions and implementing robust user authentication mechanism.
Mirzapur 3s cast appeared at a special event today and announced that their show will be released very soon. Cast members like Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Rasika Dugal and Shweta Tripathi among others were present at the event. As Manoj Bajpayee was hosting the segment, Ali and Shweta attempted to kidnap him and coerce him into revealing the release date of the show.

Read More: Mirzapur 3: Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal Kidnap Manoj Bajpayee, Force Him To Reveal Shows Release Date

Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukones chemistry is greatly appreciated by their fans. They not only love to watch the pair on screen but also enjoy their playful banter off-screen. An old video of the duo has resurfaced on Reddit in which Ranbir calls Deepika a cheap girl. The video has gone viral in no time.

Read More: Ranbir Kapoor Calls Deepika Padukone Cheapness Ki Dukaan In Viral Video: You Can Talk Naughty With Her

Sandeep Reddy Vangas Hindi remake of Arjun Reddy, that is, Kabir Singh, starring Shahid Kapoor was one of the biggest blockbusters of 2019. The original starred Vijay Deverakonda and Shalini Pandey. Vijay and Shahid graced the Amazon Prime Video 2024 Title announcement event in Mumbai today and Shahid was all praise for Vijay.

Read More: Shahid Kapoor Kisses Vijay Deverakonda, Thanks Him For Kabir Singh: Na Arjun Reddy Bani Hoti

Tamil and Malayalam film actress Arundhati Nair is on a ventilator after she met with an accident in Kerala. Her sister Arathy confirmed the news after multiple reports claimed to have details about her accident. Taking to her Instagram account, Arathy issued a statement about the accident and urged fans to pray for her. The accident reportedly took place at the Kovalam bypass and Arundhati has suffered head injuries. She was travelling with her brother.

Read More: Actress Arundhathi Nair on Ventilator After Horrifying Road Accident: Shes Fighting for Her Life

After declaring Ranveer Singh unfit to play the role of Shaktimaan on screen, Mukesh Khanna has now said that Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn also cannot play the character because of their images. He said that to play a character like Shaktimaan who can teach kids, a new actor must be launched.

Read More: Mukesh Khanna REJECTS SRK, Akshay Kumar As Shaktimaan, Says They Dont Have The Face: A New Guy
Even two years after its release, the SS Rajamouli-directed film RRR continues to captivate audiences worldwide. The movie not only made a significant impact in India but also garnered global attention, earning an Oscar for its song Naatu Naatu. Besides that, the film continues to enjoy a massive fan base across the globe. Recently, a special screening of RRR was held in Japan, for which director Rajamouli arrived to mark his attendance. During this time, he met a special fan who gifted him 1,000 origami cranes along with a note that won his heart.

On Monday, Rajamouli shared pictures with his fan on Instagram and described his experience. In Japan, they make origami cranes & gift them to their loved ones for good luck & health. This 83-year-old woman made 1000 of them to bless us because RRR made her happy. She just sent the gift and was waiting outside in the cold. Some gestures can never be repaid. Just grateful, he wrote.

In the picture, the ace director can be seen posing happily with the 83-year-old fan while holding the gift he received. Another picture shows a close-up of the gift bag that has a picture of the woman with Ram Charan and Jr NTR, grooving to the Naatu Naatu song. I am 83 years old. I wanna dance with RRR everyday. I made it one by one. Rajamouli garu, Welcome to Japan, she wrote on it.

In Japan, they make origami cranes &gift them to their loved ones for good luck& health. This 83yr old woman made 1000 of them to bless us because RRR made her happy. She just sent the gift and was waiting outside in the cold.Some gestures can never be repaid.Just grateful pic.twitter.com/UTGks2djDw  rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) March 18, 2024

Notably, the event was organised on Monday, 18 March. Earlier in 2022, a meet-and-greet session could not be held in Japan due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Team RRR claimed that tickets for the special show were sold out in less than a minute after they went online. During the screening, the director received loud cheers and a standing ovation from fans, leaving him overwhelmed.

Besides the films screening, the director is also expected to take part in an interactive session with fans.

Directed by SS Rajamouli, RRR is set against the backdrop of Indias struggle against British rule. The film is focused on the story of two freedom fighters, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem. Besides Charan and NTR, the film also has actors like Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Shriya Saran, Ray Stevenson, and Alison Doody, among others, in significant roles. Its song Naatu Naatu won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 95th Academy Awards held last year.
Veteran actor Saira Banu recently paid tribute to her friend and former co-star Shashi Kapoor on his birth anniversary which falls on March 18. Saira Banu shared old photos of herself and Shashi Kapoor from their films. In the heartfelt post, Banu revealed that initially, she was about to make her debut alongside Shashi Kapoor in Yash Chopras 1961 film Dharmaputra. However, she ended up making her first film opposite Shammi Kapoor in Jungleem which was also released in 1961. Saira Banu and Shashi Kapoor were supposed to share screen in the 1967 film Shagird but the lead role went to actor Joy Mukherjee. Later the pair worked on Koi Jeeta Koi Haara (1976) and Sadiyon Se Hai Pyaar (1971).

She recalled how she would often share lunch with Shashi Kapoor if they happened to shoot in the same studio and wrote, Despite the ebb and flow of our projects, our paths always seemed to converge, our shootings would often get scheduled in the same studio, where Shashi Ji and I would run into each other, and on days we would have lunch in the makeup room.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saira Banu Khan (@sairabanu)

Saira Banu mentioned that whenever she was in Pune, she would buy Kayani Bakerys famous Shrewsbury biscuits for Shashi Kapoor. She wrote that Shashi Kapoor loved the Shrewsbury biscuits so much that he could eat an entire in one go. Describing his love for the biscuits, Saira Banu wrote, When I was shooting for Purab Aur Paschim, our shoot was set up in Poona, at Raj jis huge farm. As soon as Shashi ji knew about this he immediately came to me and said Saira, please get me Shrewsbury Biscuits from there

The 79-year-old actor said that she always bought Shrewsbury biscuits for him no matter how busy she was with shooting. There are a few things you never forget about people, especially when you make them happy with the smallest of gestures, and for Shashi ji, it was a packet of Shrewsbury Biscuit, she wrote.

This post has gathered over 3,000 likes on Instagram. An Instagram user wrote, Shashi ji,it was one of kind! You were very lucky to know him, mam. Thank you for sharing beautiful memories, about him, with us. Shashi Kapoor passed away on December 4, 2017, at the age of 79, from long-standing liver and heart complications.
Music composer and actor Vijay Antony courted controversy after he made a remark about Jesus Christ and wine. At a press conference on his upcoming film, Romeo, the Tamil star was discussing the culture of drinking and said that alcohol is not a recent find. He then stated that Jesus also drank wine. This statement upset a section of social media users, especially members of the Christian community. This led to a massive backlash. Vijay has issued a statement clarifying his statement.

Penned in Tamil, Vijay said that his statement was taken in the wrong context and assured everyone that he didnt mean the statement in a wrong context. It is saddening that my statement was taken out of context and has hurt some of you. I never said anything in a wrong way, and I request you all to not misunderstand it. Even in dreams, I cant portray someone like Jesus Christ, a person beyond religion, who shed blood and sacrificed himself for people, in a bad light, he said.

The Indian Express reported that last week, Vijay was discussing his film Romeo with the media when a member of the press asked him about the poster. In the poster, Vijay and his co-star Mrinalini were seen fixing a drink for themselves on the night of their wedding. The journalist asked if the film and the poster was trying to promote drinking among women, Vijay denied and in the process mentioned Jesus Christ.

Lets not demarcate that alcohol is only for men. Drinking is for everyone. If men can drink, women too can. I am not promoting drinking. Just saying everything is common for both men and women. If we are to say it is wrong to drink, we should tell it to both genders, he said.

When asked if the film was trying to blame IT revolution for a rise in women drinking, Vijay said, Nothing like that. We have been drinking for a long time. We used to drink sarayam (now banned in Tamil Nadu). Now, we drink different things. Two thousand years before, even Jesus (Christ) drank wine.

Directed by Vinayak Vaithianathan, Romeo stars Vijay Antony and Mrinalini Ravi as the protagonists. The supporting cast includes VTV Ganesh, Thalaivasal Vijay, Ilavarasu, Sudha, and Sreeja Ravi. Vijay Antony is also making his debut as a producer with the film under his newly launched production banner, Good Devil Productions. Barath Dhanasekar is handling the music, while Farook J Basha is the cinematographer. The films distribution rights have been acquired by Red Giant Movies, with a scheduled release in the upcoming summer, pending an official announcement of the date.
Discussions surrounding the absence of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton from public appearances refuse to slow down. The British royal family member was last seen on Christmas 2023. Reports claimed that she was recovering from a planned abdominal surgery in January. Amid the rising concerns about Kate Middletons long-drawn disappearance, a UK-based media outlet reported that the Princess was recently spotted at her favourite farm shop looking happy, relaxed and healthy.

However, the speculations were far from over as social media users were not convinced that it was Kate Middleton in the video footage. Now, television host Andy Cohen has also shared a similar view. Andy Cohen dropped a blunt statement on X (formerly Twitter), agreeing with the internet population that the person shown in the video was not Kate Middleton. That aint Kate, he wrote. His post soon drew plenty of reactions from X-users and received over 1.1 million views on the micro-blogging platform.

That aint Kate. Andy Cohen (@Andy) March 19, 2024

Taking an indirect dig at the British royal family, one individual criticised, I dont understand why they keep lying. I just want to know who they think theyre fooling, agreed another sarcastically. Lauding Andy Cohen for putting forward his honest opinion, a third user wrote, OMG Andy. I absolutely love that you commented about this. Calling the whole Kate Middleton disappearance an epic PR stunt a person pointed out, I have said from day one she should have done a small video explaining things and then she could have disappeared.

I dont understand why they keep lying omg  trey  (@honestpapito) March 19, 2024

I just want to know who they think theyre fooling Real Househusband of (@lovejherris) March 19, 2024

OMG Andy  I absolutely love that you commented about this. Ppl are so focused on Kate they haven't noticed Melania has disappeared ever since the sexual assault case. #missingmelania PartyOnWayne87 (@what_she_said87) March 19, 2024

I have said from day one she should have done a small video explaining things and then she could have disappeared, I have never seen such an epic PR disaster as this! Hazel Eyes (@HazelEyes199) March 19, 2024

On March 16, The Sun reported that Kate Middleton and Prince Willaim went for a farm outing, located one mile away from Kates Adelaide Cottage home in Windsor. A witness at the shop claimed, After all the rumours that had been going around I was stunned to see them there.

Earlier, the official X-handle of The Prince and Princess of Wales dropped a heavily photoshopped picture of Kate Middleton on the platform featuring her three kids  Prince George, Louis and Princess Charlotte. When the doctored image received flak from online users, Kate apologised for the editing error. Reportedly, Kate would resume her royal duties from April 17.
Will Narendra Modi guarantee BJPs victory in the crucial Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency? Considered to be the stronghold of Samajwadi Party, the Azamgarh seat was held by party supremo late Mulayam Singh in 2014 and then by his son and current party president Akhilesh in 2019.

In the 2022 by-polls, BJP candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav aka Nirahua won the seat defeating SPs Dharmendra Yadav. The bypoll was necessitated after Akhilesh Yadav resigned from the seat after winning from Karhal constituency in Mainpuri district in the 2022 state assembly polls.

Though both the parties have stepped up their electioneering at the ground level, political analysts say Azamgarh will be a tough constituency for the BJP to make Modi Magic work.

Prime Minister Modi visited Azamgarh for the fourth time on March 10 and inaugurated the development projects worth Rs 34,000 crore and greeted the crowd in Bhojpuri. He sloganeered BJPs Ab Ki Baar 400 Paar refrain to the crowd, considering the state of Uttar Pradesh draws the largest number of MPs to Parliament, that is, around 80.

The PM had earlier visited Azamgarh in 2014, 2018 and 2019.

Besides the Azamgarh seat, Lalganj is another key Lok Sabha constituency for the BJP for which it has fielded Neelam Sonkar while the SP has nominated Daroga Saroj.

The Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat remained with Congress from 1952 to 1971. In the 1977 Lok Sabha Polls, however, the Janata Party won the seat, which was re-claimed by Congress in 1978. In 1980, the Janata Party again won Azamgarh after which Congress bagged it in 1984.

In 1989, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) came into the picture but the Janata Dal again won Azamgarh in 1991. But in 1996, the SP won the seat but BSP re-claimed it in 1998. It was won again by SP in 1999 but the BSP held it from 2004 to 2008. In 2009, a BJP candidate was declared winner from the seat for the first time. However, the SP re-claimed it again in 2014 and 2019. The BJP, however, managed to win the seat in the 2022 by-elections.

Highlighting the history of the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat, Shashikant Pandey, head of Political Science department at Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, said, Going by the records, the BJP won Azamgarh only twice, first in 2009 and second in 2022 by-polls. And when it comes to Lalganj, the BJP has won the seat only once, in 2014. In 1991, even when the Ram temple movement was at its peak, the BJP candidate Janardan Singh lost the seat to Janata Dals candidate Chandrajeet Yadav. Similarly, in 2014, amidst the Modi wave, the BJP managed to win only Lalganj and lost Azamgarh to Mulayam Singh. In 2019 Lok Sabha Polls, BJP lost Azamgarh to Akhilesh Yadav and Lalganj to BSP candidate Sangeeta Azad.

But what factors have led to BJP repeated defeat in Azamgarh? Pandey cited the caste calculations. The region is spread across 4,054 sq km, and has a population of 46 lakh, of which, Muslims, Yadavs and Dalits account for more than 25 lakh while 5 lakh belong to the Other Backward Caste (OBC), who have remained loyal to their leaders.

After Independence, OBCs and Muslims remained the vote bank of Congress and Janta Dal until Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati emerged as the leaders of Dalit and OBC politics. This is the reason why BJP remained out of context in Azamgarh, he explained.

Now, with SP playing the PDA (Pichda Dalit and Alpsankhyak) card and is looking forward to securing its seats, the question arises will Modi ki Guarantee promises BJPs victory in the Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency?
Congresss caste census demand, Udhayanidhi Stalins Sanatan Dharma remark and the campaign called Cutting South by the Left leaders are efforts aimed at disunity of the nation through distorted narratives, the RSS has mentioned in its annual report, without naming any political party.

The forces that are inimical to anything that is Bharat, Hindutva or Sangh, are ever active in search of newer plans and designs to disrupt or denigrate these three. The frequent rising of the bogie such as Sanatan Dharma is the cause for all ills of our nation, or the separatist issue of Cutting South, or the play of politics in the sensitive matter of caste census  all these are aimed at disunity of the nation through distorted narratives, the RSS said in a chapter titled National Scene in its annual report published on Sunday.

Defining the national selfhood in its annual report, the RSS has mentioned that Hindutva and Sangh (RSS) along with Bharat are the manifestations of the national-selfhood and any attempt to tarnish their image would be equal to damaging the national self.

Bharat, Hindutva and Sangh are the manifestations of the national-selfhood. Tarnishing them amounts to damaging this national self; strengthening them means promoting the national self, it said.

Manipur, Mevat and Sandeshkhali

Analysing the recent series of events and incidents, including the ethnic strife in Manipur, riots in Haryanas Nuh, and the allegations of sexual assault in Bengals Sandeshkhali, the RSS has documented its comments and reactions to the specific incidents in the report.

The riots in Nuh, it said, erupted after a section of Muslims attacked the VHP yatra. In Nuh in Mevat area, where a section of Muslim community violently attacked the VHP yatra and helped spread violence The social tension prevailed for months and the issue is not settled.

About the ethnic strife in Manipur, the RSS report said: Situation in Manipur has created mistrust between the two sections of the society  Meitei and Kuki  causing deep wounds. It is unfortunate that the border state is undergoing a deep inexplicable pain and the psychological division of society is dangerous.

It added that in both Mevat and Manipur, Sangh Karyakartas, on the basis of their communication with relevant people, have tried to save the situation, strengthen the society by morale boosting and create an atmosphere of mutual cooperation and coexistence.

The RSS expressed its concern over the separatist terrorism rising its head in Punjab. It also mentioned that the farmers agitation helped spread anarchy in the region. The separatist terrorism in Punjab has raised its ugly head. Under the pretext of farmers agitation, especially in Punjab, attempts have been restarted to spread anarchy, just two months before the Lok Sabha elections, it stated.

Speaking about the Sandeshkhali incidents, the RSS held the West Bengal government responsible for saving guilty persons. In the report, it further added: The incidents of atrocities on hundreds of mothers and sisters, especially of the Scheduled Caste and Tribe community, in Sandeshkhali in West Bengal, has shaken the conscience of the entire society. It cannot be imagined that such incidents have been going on for years in any part of independent Bharat. But what is even more abominable is that instead of giving the harshest punishment to the guilty persons, the government there made efforts to save them.
In a quirky response to the buzz among opponents about him being a right man in the wrong party, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said party bhi sahi hai aur banda bhi (both party and the man are right).

Speaking at the CNN-News18s Rising Bharat Summit, Union Minister Gadkari said, The buzz about being a misfit in the BJP is completely wrong. Party bhi sahi hai aur banda bhi (both party and the man are right). I have been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the partys student wing. I started my political career as a student leader. Whatever goodness you see in me is due to my learnings at RSS.

Party bhi sahi hai aur banda bhi sahi hai: Union Minister @nitin_gadkari when asked why people say he is the right man in the wrong partyWatch #News18RisingBharat summit #LIVE now @AMISHDEVGAN | #RisingBharatSummit #NewIndia pic.twitter.com/dKMM1PlEqk  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 19, 2024

Last week, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) released its second list of 72 candidates for Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held in seven phases from April 7. The list included Union Minister Nitin Gadkari among the 20 candidates announced from Maharashtra.

The union minister shed light on his choice of not opting to release his posters or holding extensive poll rallies in his constituency, Maharashtras Nagpur, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

He told CNN-News18, If you visit my constituency, you will understand that I dont believe in discrimination in any form. I go by what PM Modi says, Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas. I only believe in connecting with people.

The people of my constituency are like my family. They have monitored my work in the last 10 years and they have faith in me. I still believe in door-to-door campaigns. I will personally visit peoples houses and meet everyone. This way I can connect with the elderly crowd, too.

Nitin Gadkari Responds To Uddhav Thackerays Invite

Responding to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackerays join us if you feel insulted invite, Gadkari said, No question of joining some other party. This kind of an offer is laughable.

Explaining his stance, Gadkari said the candidates for Maharashtra were not discussed well ahead of the BJPs first list declaration. A meeting was later held for Maharashtra candidates and my name appeared on the list. There is no question of joining another party.

I have been with the BJP and will continue with this party as I believe in its ideology, he added.
Amidst a political rally in Tamil Nadus Salem, Prime Minister Narendra Modi got emotional while remembering auditor Ramesh during his speech.

While addressing the crowd, PM Modi paused for a while and said, Unfortunately, Ramesh is not among us. He has worked hard for the party and he was a good orator. But, he was killed.

#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gets emotional as he remembers Former State BJP president late K.N. Lakshmanan & his contribution towards the expansion of BJP in the state. pic.twitter.com/7ZN4m3MbQx ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024

Ramesh, an auditor by profession, was hacked to death near his house in July 2013. The 52-year-old Ramesh alias Auditor Ramesh was attacked with sharp-edged weapons and he died on the spot.

He was the General Secretary of BJPs Tamil Nadu unit and was killed by unidentified assailants.

During his speech, the Prime Minister also paid tributes to the late BJP leader KN Lakshmanan and recalled his contributions for the saffron partys growth in Tamil Nadu.
For Union Minister Smriti Irani, shakti means Durga and desh, while Modi means shakti ke upasak. The BJP leader and Amethi MP sportingly took part in a rapid fire round of word association towards the end of a session at the CNN-News18 Rising Bharat Summit on Tuesday.

For the word Rahul she responded with maryada-heen, while for 370 she replied with 400 paar, a reference to the BJPs target of 400-plus seats in the Lok Sabha elections this time. Asked what words or phrases she would associate with Smriti, the minister promptly responded with maa.

Appearing in the session titled Smashing the Status Quo at the summit, Irani also took potshots at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi whom she ousted from the Amethi constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Leader is confused, cadre is confused, (INDIA) alliance is confused, but mercifully people of India are not confused, she said.

Modi is the only leader who has given us a national ambition like 2047. We need to create more opprtuinities Rahul Gandhi offers division on the basis of religion and caste. He tells you do not become atmanirbhar. He glorifies poverty, she said.

Referring to former Congress president Sonia Gandhis decision to not contest general elections this time, Irani said the grand old party has run away from Rae Bareli too.

#News18RisingBharat | "I think the impact of my commitment has been such that they've run away from Rae Bareli also": Union Minister @smritiirani on her "will not let Rahul Gandhi come to power in Amethi till my last breath" statement @AnchorAnandN @RubikaLiyaquat pic.twitter.com/mDDODOqzL3 News18 (@CNNnews18) March 19, 2024

In Amethi, they did not do anything for so many years. This family wont be able to win Amethi and now they have fled from Rae Bareli too. This family only wants people to beg to them They could do things, but they did not. This is the tendency of this family. When I first went to Amethi, nobody gave me a place to stay. People were so scared of this family there. I was fortunate that I was the one who made this family taste defeat, Irani added.
Worldcoin Maintains Legal Operations Worldwide, Despite Spain Ban

Amid increasing legal uncertainty in Spain, the global digital identity and cryptocurrency project, Worldcoin, issued new statements regarding its operations and compliance efforts on March 18.

Worldcoin, a globally inclusive identity and financial network founded by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, said it is lawfully in all of the locations in which it is available and designed to comply with related laws fully.

Worldcoin Highlights Commitment to Compliance and Data Protection

Clear answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about the Worldcoin project. https://t.co/MkdxpIaEmV  Worldcoin (@worldcoin) March 18, 2024

In a blog post titled Essential facts about Worldcoin, the project provided fundamental insights into its operations, rules, and adherence to regulations.

Worldcoin emphasized its commitment to operating lawfully in all jurisdictions where it is available and assured it is compliant with relevant laws and regulations governing data collection and transfer.

The project highlighted its adherence to major global data protection frameworks, such as Europes General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Argentinas Personal Data Protection Act, as detailed in a previous post from January.

Notably, Worldcoin reiterated its policy of not allowing minors to join the platform, requiring users to confirm their age over 18 through the World App before verifying at an Orb. In the post, Worldcoin said it uses mystery shoppers to prevent minors from participating in the verification process.

The Worldcoin Foundation and its contributor, Tools for Humanity, affirmed that they have never sold, do not sell, and will never sell any personal data, including biometric data.

The project emphasized the self-custodial nature of World ID and World App, ensuring that only the owner possesses personal data such as name, email address, and phone number. Additionally, the project highlighted the advanced security features embedded in the Orb hardware to safeguard data from unauthorized access.

World ID verification relies on iris biometrics, not retina scanning, to authenticate users, the company noted. According to the company, i

ris images are processed locally on the orb device and are promptly deleted afterward, ensuring privacy and security.

The Worldcoin project was officially launched on July 24, 2023, after three years of development. The project was co-founded by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the firm behind the popular artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot ChatGPT.

Worldcoins mission builds on expectations that it will become too difficult to differentiate between humans and online bots as AI technology grows. To differentiate humans from AI, the startup created a digital ID system based on proof of personhood. The digital ID is generated by scanning an individuals iris and giving them a World ID.

Worldcoin Faces Regulatory Scrutiny in Spain



The blog post was issued amidst ongoing uncertainty surrounding Worldcoins operations in Spain. On March 6, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) issued a temporary order prohibiting Worldcoin from data collection in the country for three months.

The AEPD intends to use this period to investigate complaints that users in Spain arent able to withdraw consent and that Worldcoin has allegedly collected data from minors.

Despite Worldcoins efforts, a local court rejected its injunction against the data regulator. Spain isnt the first country where Worldcoin has faced pressure from regulators. In January 2024, Hong Kongs Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) announced an investigation into the companys local operations, citing serious risks to personal data privacy.

The eye-scanning project has also encountered regulatory challenges with a ban in Kenya in August 2023, where the government suspended all local activities associated with the platform, including biometric identification. However, Worldcoin has since expressed intentions to collaborate with the Kenyan government to resume operations in 2024.

The controversy surrounding Worldcoin stems from its use of biometric scanning devices called orbs. Its users sign up for the service by downloading an app. They are then directed to the nearest facility containing an orb, where they must submit to have their eyes scanned.

Once verified, user identities are tied to their unique biometric data, which can be verified independently using Worldcoins services. Those who sign up for the service and activate their accounts in the World App application are paid using Worldcoins WLD token.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray accused the BJP on Tuesday of trying to claim a Thackeray to win in the upcoming generall elections. The remarks follow a meeting between MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders criticism of the BJP comes after Raj Thackerays meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi, amid speculation that the saffron party is aiming to forge an alliance with him for the Lok Sabha polls to strengthen its position in Maharashtra.

Speaking at a gathering in Nanded district, Uddhav Thackeray stated that he was not bothered if the BJP took his estranged cousin.

BJP knows very well that they dont get votes in the name of PM Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. People vote here in the name of (Bal) Thackeray. This realisation prompted the BJP to try to steal leaders from outside (BJP fold), he said.

Accusing the BJP of attempting to claim the legacy of Bal Thackeray, Uddhav Thackeray stated,  First, they stole the photo of Bal Thackeray, but it doesnt matter. Today, they are trying to steal another Thackeray.take it, I and my people are enough, as he concluded his two-day tour of Nanded and Hingoli districts in the Marathwada region.

Uddhav Thackeray, whose party is part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and INDIA bloc, said that even Christians and Muslims do not have any objections to his version of Hindutva.

The image of Shiv Sena (undivided) was getting sullied when we were with the BJP. But since we severed ties with them, even members of Christian and Muslim communities are saying that they have no issues with our Hindutva ideology, he added.

Raj Thackeray separated from the Shiv Sena, when it was undivided, because of disagreements with Uddhav, and established the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in 2006. Despite being recognised as a compelling speaker with a dedicated following, his MNS did not achieve significant influence. His contentious remarks against North Indians in the past provoked strong condemnation from leaders of different political parties, including the BJP.
What Varanasi constituency is to national politics in terms of its VVIP tag, Diamond Harbour is to West Bengal. Trinamool Congress (TMC) second in command and nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Abhishek Banerjee has been representing this seat in South 24 Parganas district, near Kolkata, since 2014.

Over the last 10 years, Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency has attained the repute of being the most high-profile one in West Bengal. In his Lok Sabha debut in 2014, Abhishek Banerjee had won the seat by a margin of over 70,000 votes. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Election, he defeated the BJP candidate by 3.20 lakh votes. In the big stake 2021 assembly polls, all seven segments that fall under Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat were won by TMC.

So, who would the BJP field from such a tough seat to challenge TMCs National General Secretary?

Sources in the BJP suggest that they have shortlisted three names which they will propose during the Bengal core group meeting in Delhi whenever Diamond Harbour is discussed. They include Sonali Guha  a long-standing aide of Mamata Banerjee who made the switch to the BJP ahead of the Bengal assembly polls. Another one is Shanku Deb Panda  a former TMC General Secretary, better known for his rowdy acts while heading the TMC student wing, who joined the BJP in 2019. The third probable contender is Rajarshi Lahiri  an emerging face on Bengali news debates known for his aggressive articulation.

Guha was with Mamata Banerjee since the inception of the TMC. She was an integral part of the drive defending the squatters who were being evicted from the banks of Tollys Nullah and Gobindapur railway colony at Banerjees instruction. She won a seat that was held by former Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu  Guha and Banerjee stood for each other. But her sudden switch to the BJP before the 2021 Assembly election stunned many. She became dormant ever since the BJP couldnt come to power. But of late she has been active and the BJP is toying with the idea of pitching a former true blue Mamata confidante against her nephew.

As for Panda, the suggestion to contest from Diamond Harbour came from himself rather than the BJP as a section of the state party leadership is not keen on him. But the party is still keeping him as an option, sources say.

The only person in the list who is originally from the BJP to take on Abhishek Banerjee is Rajarshi Lahiri. An MBA religiously attending Shakhas, Lahiri is a regular Bengali bhadralok  a popular face on Bengali prime-time debates who argues with facts and figures rather than indulging in a shouting match. He recently filed a complaint against Mahua Moitra, former member of Lok Sabha, for a purported audio clip where he alleges she had promised backing of an administration to secure votes.

A BJP sources on condition of anonymity said, We have shortlisted these three names. Though there are oppositions to Pandas name Its for the Central Election Committee to take a pick. But if Indian Secular Front (ISF) lone MLA Nawshad Siddiqui decides to fight as well, the leadership may go for a fourth face.

The Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha seat alone has about 53% Muslim voters. Siddiqui candidature, who has emerged as a Muslim face in Bengals polity, can divide the minority votes. The BJP can go for a Hindutva face in that scenario, News18 has learnt.

A BJP source conceded that the party considers Diamond Harbour as a tough seat. We want to give a fight. A triangular fight will make our job a little easier, the source added.
MacBook Air M1 model is available in countries like India, even though the company has discontinued the version from its official lineup. But it seems the Air M1 variant has got a new lease of life in the US market, thanks to popular retailer Walmart.

Thats right, people in the US who are still keen on picking up the M1 Air model, can do so by heading over to a Walmart store or online site, and get the older MacBook Air at an appealing price.

Apple has partnered with Walmart to sell the defunct MacBook Air M1 model, which is a first for the company in its home market. The official partnership also means that people buying the MacBook Air M1 from the retailer will get full product support and service from Apple.

The most appealing part about the sale of MacBook Air M1 through Walmart is that people in the US can buy it for just $699 (Rs 56,000 approx), which is similar to the MacBook Air M1 price in India through various online channels these days. The fact that people can get an unboxed MacBook Air M1 model in the US for a fraction of its launch price, should definitely get more people to pick up the Macs, which not only helps Apple to increase its sales numbers but also clear up the old MacBook M1 Air inventory.

Having said that, the MacBook Air M1 is still a very capable machine, even though Apple has now moved to the M3 silicone with the latest MacBook Air that has come out recently.

The MacBook Air M1 is more than three years old at this point. However, the laptop still holds up well to todays standards, especially when considering battery life and performance. You can edit 4k video on it as long as you dont have heavy layering or graphics work to do, and you can also do image editing in apps like Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom.

Apple also released its first-ever 15-inch MacBook Air model this year, giving consumers more options from its lineup.

The company clearly realises the value of its older models, something it has done really well with the iPhone models in countries like India, where the older iPhones tend to outsell the newer models.
When it comes to innovation in consumer electronics, Apple often paves the way. However, despite being one of the biggest tech companies in the world, Apple has not forayed into foldable phones and has limited the use of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology.

However, all of this is expected to change, as Appple gears to introduce OLED iPads and foldable phones. According to The Information, Apple is developing two foldable iPhones that will be as thin as current iPhone models. These models will be similar to Samsungs Galaxy Z Flip devices.

However, we are unlikely to see foldable phones from Apple before 2026 and OLED iPads by 2028. The Information revealed that Apple engineers are struggling to make its foldable phones external screen durable. Apple may collaborate with manufacturers in Asia about procuring parts for foldable iPhones.

The tablet market is more or less a monopoly of Apple, and the company wants to maintain its stronghold on tablet sales by adding OLED iPads. Industry experts suggest that Apple could introduce a single-layer OLED variant of their iPad Air by 2028. While the iPads Pro model will have a double-layer OLED.

The Elec reported that at the 2024 Korea Display Conference held in Seoul, researcher Kang Min-soo who works with London-based tech research company Omdia said, Even if other companies use hybrid OLED (glass substrate + thin film encapsulation), there are not many brands that can surpass Apples stronghold. In the tablet market there are not many brands that will aggressively adopt OLED, so global demand for tablet OLED is expected to be somewhat low.

Kang added that OLED technology will be in most demand in the laptop market and said, If we divide the future IT OLED market outlook into tablets and laptops, OLED demand in the laptop market will be better than that of tablets. Currently, Apple does not employ OLED technology in its MacBook models, whereas Samsung, Dell, HP, Asus, Gigabyte and Lenovo have OLED screen laptops.

Last year, Ross Young, the CEO of research firm Display Supply Chain Consultant, said that will take a few years for Apple's supply chain to mass produce laptop-sized OLED panels. Apple might not launch MacBook Pro models with OLED displays to launch until 2026 or 2027.
Remember Microsoft Bing Chat, the companys own GPT-powered AI chatbot? Some time ago, it was rebranded as Microsoft Copilot, and now, the technology giants artificial intelligence assistant has upgraded its free tier. The OpenAI model, GPT-4 Turbo, is now available for every Copilot user for free, which was previously limited to Pro users. To access OpenAIs most capable language model, users need to select the Copilot conversation style in either creative or precise mode.

In addition to that, Copilot Pro users still have the option to switch back to older models if they choose to use the toggle. Informing about the same, Microsoft advertising and web services CEO Mikhail Parakhin shared a post on X and wrote, After quite some work, GPT4-Turbo replaced GPT-4 in the Copilot free tier. Pro users can still choose the older model if they prefer (there is a toggle).

For free users of Copilot in Creative mode, GPT-4 Turbo is now powering that experience. Copilot Pro users remain able to toggle GPT-4 Turbo on or off in Creative mode, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed in a statement, reported CNET.

GPT-4 Turbo has been trained on data until April 2023 and can handle text-to-speech prompts. Its context window can take 128,000 tokens, the highest amount available in a GPT version. The more tokens a model can accept, the more text a user may enter into the model to provide additional context and improve the results.

Last year, Microsoft launched Copilot to integrate AI into its platforms and the AI assistant is available online and is also baked into Bing, Windows 11, the Edge browser and Microsoft 365. Copilot Pro costs $20 per month per user and includes more AI-powered features in Office apps, as well as priority access to new OpenAI models and improved image-creation tools. As per Microsoft, Copilot Pro will assist users with writing, coding, research, and even learning.

Is GPT-4.5 Turbo On The Cards?

OpenAI is rumoured to be developing a new model dubbed the GPT-4.5 Turbo. Although the technology giant has remained tight-lipped on future GPT iterations, Reddit users noticed earlier this week that OpenAI mistakenly published a blog post saying GPT-4.5 Turbo surpasses GPT-4 Turbo in speed, accuracy, and scalability, according to CNET.

The media outlet further added that while the blog article was shortly removed from the OpenAI website, it seems that an upgraded GPT model will be released soon. It also suggests that, if Microsoft intends to distinguish its Copilot versions by delivering the better model in its premium tier, the company may aim to introduce GPT-4.5 Turbo to Copilot Pro when the new model is released.
In Kentucky, US, authorities are investigating the tragic demise of an 8-year-old boy who passed away after consuming strawberries. The incident happened in Madisonville, where the family informed police officials after they found the boy unresponsive and struggling to breathe. Upon arrival, officers discovered that the family had taken the child to the emergency room. Unfortunately, despite medical efforts, the boy couldnt survive and he was declared dead shortly after reaching the hospital. According to reports from 14 News, the parents revealed that their son had eaten strawberries bought from a school fundraiser event the previous night. Later, medical professionals at the hospital disclosed that others were also treated after consuming strawberries from the same event.

As the matter escalated, the local health department issued a warning and urged people to refrain from consuming strawberries purchased from Madisonville North Hopkins High School and Hopkins County Central High School fundraiser event.

The boys family recounted that the issues began from Thursday night after he ate several strawberries. Later, he showed signs of an allergic reaction and rashes started appearing on his body. The family then decided to give him Benadryl, bathed him and put him to bed. However, when the symptoms continued, they took him to the hospital at around 10:30 PM, left the emergency room at 1:24 AM and returned home, where the 8-year-old changed clothes and went to bed. The following morning, the family found him unresponsive and immediately rushed him to the hospital, where he was declared dead. As of now, the final report is pending.

Mayor Jason McKnight from Madisonville Police Department told the portal, As of right now we have no reason to believe that fentanyl or any other type of narcotic is involved in this. As much as everyone is worried about strawberries and their children eating these things, if theyre safe, but a family has lost someone important to them, so theyre in a lot of pain right now so just give them a little space.

In response to the incident, schools have been instructed to throw away any strawberries. Officials claim that the strawberries were sourced from Southern Grown and Sizemore Farms and distributed by Juicy Fruit LLC. Local hospitals are receiving numerous calls and visits from individuals who have eaten the allergic strawberries. In the advisory issued, people have been urged to consult a doctor even if they dont feel sick or symptoms are mild. Meanwhile, the health department has assured the public that they will provide updates as more information becomes available.
An alleged burglar was caught doing some warm-up stretches and yoga poses before breaking into a bakery in Australia. The maskless burglars fitness prep was caught on the bakerys CCTV camera. This incident took place at Phillippas Bakery on North Street in Richmond, Australia. According to 9 News, the burglar stole a range of items from the shop such as the bakers shoes, an iPad, cleaning products, and some croissants. The break-in happened on March 3 at 3 am. The police have charged a 44-year-old woman from Melbourne. She has been charged with theft, burglary and going equipped to steal.

Weeks after the break-in, Phillippas Bakery shared the CCTV footage that showed the thief exercising outside their shop. While sharing the footage, the business wrote, We were quite surprised when we saw the security footage from a recent break-in at our Bakery HQ. Seems like yoga is a must before breaking in. A few things were stolen including some croissants which were clearly too tempting for this flexible burglar.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Phillippas Bakery (@phillippasbakery)

Now this clip is circulating all over social media. Commenting on it, an Instagram user wrote, I wondered if they purposely positioned themselves in front of the security camera knowing theyd be filmed, dressed in black for the extra drama. Equally hilarious and shocking. Another person joked, Is this about working off the calories of the croissants before they steal them? Someone joked, An robbery with a side serve of Interpretive Dance. Crimes these days are getting creative.

In November 2021, CCTV footage from a temple in Maharashtras Thane showed the thief praying before Gods idol and then stealing the cash box. The accused broke into the temple of Lord Hanuman in Khopat, a residential area in Thane. After the CCTV footage went viral, the Naupada police apprehended the accused and recovered the stolen money.

Earlier this month, a similar incident happened in Alwar, Rajasthan where a thief prayed at the temple before stealing money from the donation box along with the silverware from the temple. The theft was caught on a CCTV camera installed inside the temple premises. The accused was identified as Gopesh Sharma, a 37-year-old, who reportedly targets temples for stealing. Sharma broke the temples lock on Saturday morning to gain access inside the temple.
The fallout from the ill-fated Willys Chocolate Experience held in February continues to haunt Billy Coull, the events organizer and owner of House of Illuminati. Featured in a recent Channel 5 documentary titled Wonka: The Scandal That Rocked Britain, Coull revealed the devastating impact the event had on his life.

Originally intended as a joyous day out for families, Willys Chocolate Experience event quickly turned sour when it was abruptly shut down on its inaugural day. Held at Box Hub in Whiteinch, Glasgow, UK, the event faced swift backlash from dissatisfied attendees, prompting police intervention.

Disgruntled parents took to social media to vent their frustrations, revealing that they had paid 35 (Rs 3,682) per ticket and waited in long queues, only to finish the whole thing in just seven minutes. Children were left upset, and there were even reports of staff having to limit jelly beans and drinks.

NEW: The organiser behind the Glasgow Willy Wonka experience which went viral across the globe has claimed his life had been ruined by the event. I was devastated and I was sick to the pit of my tummy pic.twitter.com/MSF31Re4hB  The National (@ScotNational) March 18, 2024

In the documentary, Coull recounted receiving a barrage of abusive messages, with some even suggesting he should take his own life.

I was getting hundreds and hundreds calling me the most awful names saying Im a villain, Im a horrific dad, Im better off dead, I should kill myself. I was devastated and I was sick to the pit of my tummy, I had a whole host of emotions, Coull said.

Coull also revealed a detail about his process for the events planning. He disclosed that while he had written the script himself, he had utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to check for spelling, grammar, and continuity, citing his struggle with dyslexia.

He explained how the controversy spilt over into his personal life, causing him to lose friends and even the person he loved the most.

My life has been turned (upside down). My life is ruined. Because of everything that had happened, it ran into my personal life.

I have lost my friends. Ive lost the love of my life. I was made out to be the face of all evil. And genuinely, thats really not the case, Coull added.

Addressing concerns over refunds for the event, Coull said, I have gone through the transactions individually, they are still ongoing if people havent received a refund, I have gone through many emails and said to people if youve not had your refund, contact your bank as they may have processes in place to be able to help it. I genuinely done what I can.

Despite facing continuous scrutiny and criticism, Coull stood firm in declaring that he was not a scam artist or a con man.
Marriage or the wedding day is a really special event in everyones life as its a sign of starting a new phase in life with your partner. It is also an opportunity to create beautiful memories together. But for some people this day turns out to be a nightmare due to reasons like dowry, which is still prevalent in the society. Recently, in a shocking incident, a groom in Madhya Pradesh called off his wedding as the brides father couldnt fulfill the demands of a bike and gold chain.

As per reports, the wedding ceremony which was scheduled to take place on March 4, the grooms family reportedly reached the location on the fixed time and just before the jaimaal (garland exchange) ceremony they demanded a bike and a gold chain in dowry from the brides family.

On the other hand, the brides family expressed their inability to fulfill the demands of the grooms side and tensions flared at the wedding venue. According to reports, the groom had allegedly held the brides father by the collar which even worsened the situation. Later, the groom along with his procession left the wedding venue that left the brides family puzzled and deceived.

The bride however, expressed her disappointment and stated that shouldve never married a person who has threatened her father and held him from his collar.

This is not the first time when a marriage got called off at the last moment due to dowry. Recently, a wedding called off because the bride demanded a hefty dowry. As per stated in a report in The Times of India, a sum of Rs 2 Lakh had already been given to the brides family, as per a custom of reverse dowry but the bride was not fully satisfied with the money given and finally the marriage was called off. Later the police informed that the bride was not interested in marrying the groom either.
An unexpected sight caught the attention of the internet in California, USA, as Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai, the CEOs of Apple and Google, were spotted enjoying a meal together. Despite engaging in numerous legal battles in the past, the two CEOs share a close bond. Social media users started speculating about the purpose of their meeting. Many guessed that it was likely a business related meeting. Some feel that the CEOs may have simply been catching up for discussing personal matters. Paparazzi shots captured the two tech giants engrossed in conversation, but the details of their chat remains a mystery. The unexpected meeting between Cook and Pichai has left the internet curious, leading to people coming up with hilarious reactions.

According to Bloomberg, a groundbreaking deal is in the works between Apple and Google. Reports suggest that Apple is considering combining Googles Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) engine into their iPhone, which could revolutionise the AI industry. The two tech giants are currently in the talking stage, with the aim of Apple using Gemini to enhance new features in its software scheduled to release later this year. Additionally, the Cook led company is also in talks to collaborate with OpenAI for similar purposes. If successful, this partnership could change the future of smartphones.

Tim Cook (CEO of Apple) and Sundar Pichai (CEO of Google) pic.twitter.com/rXmsXCcpiH Dripped Out Technology Brothers (@TechBroDrip) March 18, 2024

Meanwhile, since the post was shared on X (Formerly Twitter), it has gone viral and garnered over 4 lakh views.

A user cleverly made a pun based on the CEOs names Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai.

They cooking something !!Or they PICHing something to COOK ( Ik its a really bad joke )  Mr. K (@Mr_K_here) March 18, 2024

Another humorously imagined a conversation between Tim Cook and Sundar Pichai and joked that they might be discussing teaming up against a common rival, Microsoft.

Heres how the conversation went: Look, lets be honest here, Microsoft is eating our lunch. Lets team up!  earl pantone (@earlpantone) March 18, 2024

An individual joked about the irony of two tech companies not understanding AI despite their expertise.

Two tech giants that cant figure out AI alone now try it together. This only looks good on paper . Christian @flowersinspace (@christianvanck) March 18, 2024

A user suggested finding the video, so that they could read their lip movements through AI.

if you have a video, we can analyze lip movement using ai and see what the hell are they planning next  Boris Razmiki (@slickd0g) March 18, 2024

High level executives from Google and Apple have a history of sharing meals together. In 2010, then Apple CEO Steve Jobs and then Google CEO Eric Schmidt were spotted enjoying coffee together.

According to a report from CNET, during the coffee meet, a person claimed to have overheard two lines spoken by Jobs, Theyre going to see it all eventually so who cares how they get it? This cryptic statement could suggest a discussion about data privacy. Additionally, Jobs reportedly also said, Lets go discuss this somewhere more private, after noticing the crowd.
Lower Allen Township Police are looking for these four people in connection with the theft of $6,499 worth of merchandise from Victoria's Secret at the Capital City Mall on March 1.
As commuters, we often encounter news of theft incidents during train or metro journeys. A recent video circulating on social media depicts a shocking incident where two women were caught stealing money at a Delhi Metro station. The video begins with YouTuber Sintu Gupta, who outlined his intentions to document a theft incident unfolding before him, with the aim of providing the footage as evidence to the police authorities. As the video proceeds, two women are captured attempting to board a crowded train, only to abruptly abandon their plan at the last moment. Gupta, closely trailing the women, wastes no time in alerting two female passengers already on the train that their money has been stolen. He urges them to disembark and confront the culprits, pointing towards the two women attempting to flee.

The passengers, along with others, confront the thieves and end up beating them. However, amid the commotion, one of the passengers successfully retrieves her wallet, which had been dropped by the thief during the confrontation.

Watch the viral video here:

Kalesh inside Delhi Metro Over a Guy caught 2 women live stealing Money inside metropic.twitter.com/xuT3M8YwI8 Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) March 19, 2024

The viral video, shared on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), has garnered significant attention, amassing over 485,000 views and more than 4,700 likes online. Users flooded the comment section, praising the YouTuber for his determination in capturing the incident and aiding fellow passengers.

Good work !! Not only made a video but also caught the thieves by making a video, otherwise nowadays people just make videos and do not help!!, remarked one user. Another added, Shocking incident inside Delhi Metro! Its alarming to hear about theft happening live. Lets ensure safety and vigilance for everyones well-being while commuting.

Some users added a touch of fun to the situation, with one quipping, Delhi Metro is Epicenter of Kalesh, while another humourously noted, Delhi metro mai kuch na kuch hota rheta hai (Something or the other keeps happening in the Delhi metro).

In a separate incident that occurred nearly two months ago, an alleged pickpocket met a similar fate on a Delhi Metro train. The accused was reportedly caught in the act of trying to steal the wallet of an Army jawan. The video capturing the moment emerged online, showing the alleged pickpocket being forcefully ejected from the Delhi Metro compartment. According to reports, enraged commuters subjected him to physical assault before handing him over to the authorities.
Frequently used as an umbrella term, woke signifies being informed, educated, and conscious of social injustice and racial inequality. However, a recent study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology has uncovered a notable correlation between woke beliefs and heightened levels of anxiety and depression. This correlation was identified through the utilisation of a newly developed psychological assessment, designed to evaluate adherence to principles associated with critical social justice.

As per the ideas presented in the study, the emergence of critical social justice which concentrates on recognising and rectifying systematic inequalities across various identity groups has recently sparked conversations across academia as well as politics. This particular approach to social justice is also said to have often ties to concepts like intersectionality and anti-racism, thus gaining praise for acknowledging systemic hurdles faced by marginalised communities while also facing criticism for its handling of identity and freedom of speech.

In the wake of the ongoing debate regarding the emergence of critical social justice, the study notes that there has been a lack of empirical data regarding its prevalence and impact and this is what the study addresses.

Acknowledging the particular gap, the author of the study aims to develop a dependable tool for measuring critical social justice attitudes and to delve into their prevalence and consequences.

Study finds woke people with high depression and anxiety levels

The study started with a pilot survey of 851 adults, mostly from the University of Turku. After refining the initial assessment tool, a larger national survey was carried out with 5,000 participants and the survey was distributed through a major Finnish newspaper.

This research journey involved the exploration of various fields including intersectional feminism, critical race theory, queer theory, and other pertinent academics that contribute to critical social justice understanding.

Speaking on the same, the study author Lahtinen told PsyPost, I had been paying attention to a development in American universities, where a new discourse on social justice became prevalent in the 2010s. He further also shared that critical social justice discourse draws mainly from dynamics within American society and has now also surfaced in other Western countries.

While the study covers various variations in critical social justice attitudes across different demographic and social groups, an intriguing aspect of the study was its exploration of the relationship between social justice and mental well-being. Lahtinen found a correlation between higher agreement with critical social justice attitudes and increased reports of anxiety and depression.

If white people have on average a higher income than black people, it is because of racism, the study states thus exhibiting the largest positive correlation with anxiety and depression, and the largest negative correlation with happiness.
The Chinese embassy in Singapore urged citizens living in Singapore to stay away from all forms of betting and said gambling overseas violates Chinese laws. Beijing has intensified its crackdown on Chinese citizens gambling across Southeast Asia, a popular tourist destination, news agency Reuters said in a report.

In a statement, the embassy solemnly reminded the majority of Chinese in Singapore to enhance their legal awareness and stay away from gambling. Singapore is home to two casinos, one operated by Las Vegas Sands and the other Genting Singapore.

Even if overseas casinos are legally opened, cross-border gambling by Chinese citizens is suspected of violating the laws of our country, the embassy said, adding that embassies and consulates may not be able to provide consular protection for violations.

China has been intensifying its crack down on cross-border, off-shore and online gambling, sending similar warnings to several countries as it tries to curb these illegal activities and threats to citizens abroad.

Cross-border gambling may also bring risks such as fraud, money laundering, kidnapping, detention, trafficking, and smuggling, the Chinese embassy in Singapore said in its statement on Monday.

The Chinese embassies in South Korea and Sri Lanka also issued similar warnings recently.

On Feb. 22, law enforcement agencies in China and the Philippines cooperated to repatriate more than 40 Chinese nationals engaged in offshore gambling, according to a statement from the Chinese embassy in the Philippines.

The Chinese government has always opposed any form of gambling and opposes Chinese citizens leaving the country to engage in the gambling industry, the embassy said.

In addition, the ministers of public security of China and Vietnam agreed, opens new tab to enhance law enforcement cooperation and signed a memorandum of understanding on working together to combat cross-border gambling.

The Chinese embassy in Singapore said the Ministry of Public Security of China opened a reporting platform for combating cross-border and online gambling, where Chinese citizens can pass on clues and suspected activity.
A Chinese professor at a Japanese university has been missing for about six months since his trip home last year, raising concerns about his safety, the institution said Tuesday.

The apparent disappearance of Chinese literature and linguistics professor Hu Shiyun, who worked at Kobe Gakuin University in western Japan, comes as Beijing has sharpened its focus on its nationals abroad in recent years.

Kobe Gakuin University was first notified in September by Hus family in Japan that he had been unreachable since his earlier return  sometime in or after August  to his homeland, the schools spokesman Yoichi Takamura told AFP.

At the urging of the family, the university initially took no action, but it finally asked the Chinese Consulate General in Osaka earlier this month to investigate his whereabouts.

Were worried. We hope to hear from him, the spokesman said, adding that as of today, the university had been given no update.

Had he been Japanese, there would be more things we can do, like contacting police, but since hes a Chinese national, waiting to hear back from the consulate is the only thing we can do at the moment, he said.

On the universitys website, Hu is described as having authored academic papers and books in the past including about Chinese language textbooks in Japan and Chinese dialects.

In 2019, Yuan Keqin, a professor at Japans Hokkaido University of Education, vanished after travelling to China for a family funeral, with Chinas foreign ministry later saying he had confessed to spying and was in custody.

And in 2013, Zhu Jianrong, a professor at Tokyos Toyo Gakuen University, was detained by Chinese authorities on suspicion of illegal intelligence-gathering, also after vanishing on a trip home.

The Chinese consulate in Osaka was not immediately available for comment.
The body of the young Indian yoga teacher, who was found hanging in China over two months ago, returned home to the city of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh on Monday. The return of Prabal Kushwahas body for final rites brought tears to his familys eyes, as they mourned his loss and expressed their suspicions about the circumstances surrounding his death.

In late December, the 24-year-old yoga teacher was found hanging almost a week ago following a fight over a financial dispute with the owner of the institute where he used to teach yoga. His family refuted Chinese officials classification of it as a case of suicide and alleged the involvement of a Chinese woman and her Indian companion, claiming Prabal was murdered by his colleagues.

A few days after the news of Prabals demise broke, his father sought help from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to repatriate his sons body to India. According to a Change.org petition started on Dec 29, Kushwaha was residing in Beijing, where he dedicated himself to teaching yoga.

He maintained regular contact with his family until Tuesday when communication stopped. The family received distressing news from the embassy that Prabal was found dead in his studio. The exact circumstances surrounding his death remain mysterious, and his lifeless body was discovered hanging a week ago on December 24, 2023, it added.

Last seen via video call in late December, Prabals communication ceased afterward. This prompted his parents to contact his female acquaintances in China, identified as Su-Chin and Miss Rosie, with no success. Upon reaching the Indian embassy in China, they received the news of their sons demise. Earlier, media reports said that Prabal initially encountered the Chinese woman and Indian, Rosie, during his yoga diploma pursuit in Bengaluru. He later accepted a job at a yoga center in Beijing.
The United Nations warned Tuesday that Israels severe restrictions on aid into war-ravaged Gaza coupled with its ongoing attacks could be seen as using starvation as a weapon of war.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk decried the rampant hunger and looming famine in Gaza. The situation of hunger, starvation and famine is a result of Israels extensive restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid and commercial goods, displacement of most of the population, as well as the destruction of crucial civilian infrastructure, he said in a statement.

The extent of Israels continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime. His spokesman, Jeremy Laurence, told reporters in Geneva that the final determination of whether starvation is being used as a weapon of war would be determined by a court of law. The suffering of the people of Gaza is unconscionable, he said.

The comments came after a UN-backed assessment determined that the war-torn Palestinian territory is facing imminent famine. The devastating war since Hamass October 7 attack on Israel has left roughly half of Gazans  around 1.1 million people  experiencing catastrophic hunger, a UN-backed food security assessment warned. Without a surge of aid, famine would hit the 300,000 people in Gazas war-battered north by May, it said Monday.

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, told reporters in Geneva his agency feared that without action, youre looking at more than 200 people dying from starvation per day. Turk also stressed that the clock is ticking. Everyone, especially those with influence, must insist that Israel acts to facilitate the unimpeded entry and distribution of needed humanitarian assistance and commercial goods to end starvation and avert all risk of famine.

He lamented that the alarm bells sounded over the past months by the UN, including my Office, have not been heeded. This catastrophe is human-made and was entirely preventable. The Gaza war broke out after Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead. Israel has responded with a relentless offensive against Hamas that Gazas health ministry says has killed more than 31,800 people, most of them women and children.
Former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Erik Solheim, on Tuesday, drew attention to the pressing need for equitable solutions to climate change, emphasising that India and other countries in the Global South have far lower per capita emissions than those in the Global North.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Rising Bharat Summit here, Solheim said no one should blame India or the Global South for climate change. The emissions of the United States of America up to this point are 25 times Indian emissions per capita. So stop blaming the global south. By the way, American emissions are also eight times Chinese emissions per capita, Solheim said while responding to a question on the global divide over climate policies.

Better Messaging: From Mumbai to Telangana

Addressing the theme of Earths Dividend: Between Profit and Protection, Solheim underlined the need to frame the message on environmental movement in a way that evokes love for nature and caters to a wider segment of the audience. The message cannot be just for the young and trendy in Mumbai or Bengaluru. Must also be for the farmer in Uttar Pradesh or the coal worker in Jarkam or the housewife in Telangana. It must be for the people. And the message is sometimes also so incredibly boring. It doesnt work. So we need a better messaging to the people, he added.

Green transition

Responding to a question about whether petrodollars can meaningfully fund the green transition, former Mauritius President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim said, There is a lot of conversation about oil and I think the last COP-28 held in Dubai they had a big problem getting the wording right in terms of phasing out oil. And unfortunately, if we call them down to brass tack it will be difficult to phase out oil immediately.

I think what we can obtain from the oil industry is precisely their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in terms of capitalising global funds to aid countries in adaptation. If the private sector can join and contribute to capitalizing the fund, help us reach this $1 trillion so that the Global South can adapt. Because, once again, I will say the Global North depends on the Global South, as we provide the branch on which we are all sitting for our survival. Thus, its crucial to fund the funds to aid adaptation because mitigation is already underway.

What can we get from the oil Industry and what role can they play in the global funds?Former Mauritius Prez and Ameenah Gurib(@aguribfakim) shares views with @palkisu #RisingBharatSummit pic.twitter.com/CUORY2sFGX  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 19, 2024

Climate Talk Vs Climate Policy

Answering a question if climate talk was translating into policy in action, Gurib-Fakim said, I think we all acknowledge that climate change is a threat to the world, to our survival on this planet. And are we taking it seriously? If we are to look at the crisis, the covid crisis, I think it gives us an idea. Its a harbinger of whats to come in the future. And what we find, of course, is that the concept, rather the narrative is still shaped in the US and them. US, me, you, 85% of the global population leading global south and of course, the 15% of the global north. We still havent realised that we have one planet. Theres no planet B.

Briing the focus on the loss and damage funds, she called for a differentiated approach that focuses on climate finance. So many years after Paris, we still havent come to the consensus of capitalising the $100 billion for helping adaptation. Im not talking about mitigation, but Im talking about adaptation. We have seen subsequently, incremental narratives of the Bridgetown initiative. We talk about the loss and damage funds, but still, they remain empty boxes, she said ahead of COP-29 in Baku this year.

What will it take for us and the World to take Climate change seriously?Former Mauritius Prez and Ameenah Gurib(@aguribfakim) and Erik Solheim, UNEP(@ErikSolheim) share their views on the same with @palkisu #RisingBharatSummit #NewIndia #Climate pic.twitter.com/HWPAif0FVW  News18 (@CNNnews18) March 19, 2024

Climate Finance

Elaborating on the issue of climate finance, Solheim said, that money is not the problem. Thats what people speak about at international conferences, but its not the problem. And the reason for that is very simple. The price of solar energy has fallen by 90% in one decade. The price of wind energy has fallen by 85% in one decade. So today, if you make the shift from fossil fuels into renewables, not only is good for the health, everyone knows, not only is good for Mother Earth, everyone knows its also very good for the economy. Its cheaper. And thats why the calculus of the past was a thing of the past.

In the 20th century, if you wanted to grow the economy, there was no other way than coal. Thats why Europe did it, America did it, China did it, and India started doing it. But today, you can grow the economy with renewables. And frankly, this is why Prime Minister Modi is now leading India in the right direction, because, mind you, he gets the big picture, right? Prime Minister Modi understands that climate change and environmental action are not a burden for India. Its an enormous opportunity. Its an opportunity for more jobs, getting people out of poverty, but yet doing it in a green way, he added.

Tesla for the West, Ola for the rest

Solheim recounted the best slogan he ever heard in India on renewables. As you all know, they have a wonderful factory in Tamil Nadu, young Tamil ladies making electrical scooters. And the slogan is captivating. It says, Tesla for the West, Ola for the rest, meaning that Bharat can get any number of jobs from moving into the green economy.

Answering a question of whether Indian culture is the best suited for climate action, Solheim said, the old Brits had a very unfavorable view of the Hindu dharma or the traditional Indian culture but in the 21st century that view is changing. They saw it as a second-rate religion with any number. Millions of gods didnt take it seriously at all, then switched to 2024 and Hindu dharma looks like the most modern of all religions. Why? Because look, in Christianity, while there is a strong drive to protect nature, in Christianity still the perspective is always that the human being is superior. Human beings are superior to nature.

While in Hindu Dharma, man is part of nature, man is in nature. And that now looks like such a modern perspective. And the old Indians venerated nature. They did it even to the extent of making God half animal, half human. I mean, Ganesh is half elephant half-human, Hanuman half monkey half-human. And can there be a stronger signal of the unity of man, humans and nature than making God half nature, half human? So what the Brits spoke so negatively about 100 years ago is now looking as the most modern of all global thought systems, he added.
American political scientist John J. Mearsheimer on Tuesday described India as an aspiring great power that is growing strength to strength in the geopolitical rivalry involving the United States, China, and Russia. Speaking during a session at CNN News18s Rising Bharat Summit 2024 in New Delhi, Mearsheimer said that the United States was the most powerful country on the planet during the unipolar phase, which started with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and lasted roughly till the mid-2010s.

Arguing from a realist perspective, he said the world today was a multipolar one where great powers are vying for dominance. By 2017, Vladimir Putin had rescued Russia from the dead and Russia was back as the great power  and China (too) because of all of the economic growth that had taken place, during the 1990s and the first 17 years of the 21st century, said Mearsheimer. During the session titled Geo-Calculus: Cracking The Code, the US expert said the world is now in a system where there are three great powers, namely China, Russia, and the United States.

India  Aspiring Great Power

When asked where India stands and whether it can play a role as a bridging power, Mearsheimer said India is an aspiring great power. The two building blocks of great power in the international system are population size and wealth. You need a great deal of wealth and a lot of people to qualify as a great power, he said, adding that things were changing fast in Indias favour.

Professor Mearsheimer, known for predicting the Ukraine conflict, has written extensively about security issues and international politics. He has published seven books, including The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. Elaborating on the state of the current geopolitical landscape, he said, China was not considered a great power until recently because it didnt have the wealth, but it centrally had the population size. What India has for sure is the population size for sure, and its growing wealthier and wealthier by the year.

Top ministers, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, has described the worlds largest democracy as Vishwamitra (friend of the world) and a bridging power. With its rapid economic growth and population size, India considers itself to have a front of its own and believes that it doesnt have to take any sides in the great power rivalry. There is no question that India is a major power and it in a very important way caught between those three great powers, Mearsheimer said.

Russia-Ukraine War

Answering a question on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, he said Moscow will get an ugly victory in the conflict which started in February 2022. The American expert argued that Ukraine might have to abandon its dream of joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). His remarks came as Russias invasion of Ukraine marked its second anniversary last month.

Two years into the Ukraine war, the tide has shifted, and Russian forces have some momentum, according to several experts. I believe the Russians now control about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory. The balance of power has shifted decisively in Russias favour in terms of both weaponry and manpower, which are of great importance in a war of attrition, he said, underlining that Russia will end up conquering a significant portion of Ukraines territory.

On the question of whether Ukraine will join NATO, he said, Russia will do everything in its power to avoid that possibility. I think that the West will not bring the dysfunctional Ukraine into the alliance. He argued that it was best for Ukraine to now end the war and reach a settlement with the Russians. Ukraine must sever all relations with NATO and become a truly neutral state, he said.

Taiwan-China Tensions

On the possibility of conflict between Taiwan and China, Mearsheimer said Taiwan is of great strategic importance to the United States, and Washington will surely come to its rescue in case of escalation. I dont think that Xi Jinping will attack Taiwan anytime soon. For China to attack Taiwan, it will have to cross a large body of water. Amphibious operations are among the most difficult operations to perform. It is very difficult to cross waters as vast as the Taiwan Strait, he added.

Mearsheimer also underlined how China has not fought a war for a long time, whereas the United States is constantly at war. The US has a highly primed military, its primed for conflict. The Chinese military has not fought a war in a long time. It has a rusty military. We know from watching the Russians from the early stage of the war, armies take time to get used to war, he added.
WASHINGTON: A Michigan attorney who unsuccessfully sued to overturn former President Donald Trumps 2020 loss in that state was released from custody in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday after promising to drive back home and turn herself in on an outstanding warrant.

Stefanie Lambert was released from a Washington courtroom after her attorney Kevin Irving said she was willing and ready to return to Michigan and face a warrant issued by a judge earlier this month.

I dont think its something she is running away from, Irving said.

Lambert faces felony charges of improperly accessing voting equipment in a search for evidence of a conspiracy to steal the 2020 election from Trump. A Michigan judge issued a bench warrant for Lambert after she missed a March 7 hearing in the case.

Lamberts arrest late Monday came after she appeared in federal court in Washington in another legal matter connected to the election conspiracy theories she and other Trump allies have promulgated. She was in court defending her leaking of internal emails from Dominion Voting Systems that she obtained through discovery while acting as an attorney for a prominent election denier accused of defaming the company.

U.S. Marshals arrested Lambert on the Michigan warrant after the separate Dominion hearing ended.

Prosecutors asked that Lambert be held and said Michigan authorities were ready to pick her up, but District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Heide Herrmann ordered Lambert released on an unsecured $10,000 bond.

Clad in a black suit with her hands cuffed in front of her, Lambert stood silently during her court appearance. Her attorney said she thought her Michigan case had been continued and that she had planned to be in court there next week.

She plans to leave today, to get in her car and go up there today, Irving said.

___

Riccardi reported from Denver.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
Jagpreet Singh, a resident of Punjabs Ludhiana, allegedly stabbed his wife, identified as Balwinder Kaur (41), in Abbotsford, Canada last week (March 15).

According to a report by the Indian Express, Jagpreet Singh fatally stabbed his wife a week after reaching Canada and then video-called his family to inform them that he stabbed his wife.

The report also said, citing the deceased womans parents, that he was pestering her to arrange his travel to Canada, following which he visited Canada a week before the incident.

Rajwinder Kaur, sister of the deceased, while speaking to the newspaper alleged that Jagpreet made a video call to his mother and told her: I have put her to sleep forever.

Rajwinder also said that the accused was obsessed with thoughts of reaching Canada and the couple had frequent arguments because Jagpreet was unemployed which contributed to their financial troubles.

Jaspreet Singh, the accuseds younger brother, said the circumstances are still unclear and claimed the couple were a happy couple and had returned from shopping a few hours before the incident.

After the incident, my brother had called our mother to tell us that he injured his wife by mistake. He was asking for forgiveness. Nothing was intentional, Singh was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

However, Canada-based CBC News said that Abbotsford police responded to reports of an assault in progress in a home along Wagner Drive on Friday, March 15, around 10:50 pm.

The report said that cops found Balwinder Kaur inside the home with life-threatening stab wounds and first responders failed to save her life. Balwinder Kaurs husband Jagpreet Singh was charged with second-degree murder in relation to the fatal stabbing. He was arrested on the scene, CBC News said in its report.

Balwinder and Jagpreet were married in 2000 and have two children  a daughter Harnoorpreet Kaur (22) and a son Gurnoor Singh (18).

Balwinder left for Canada as Harnoorpreet started facing medical issues. Harnoorpreet left for Canada four years ago on a study visa. Her mother left for Canada two years ago and was taking care of all expenses alone, according to sister Rajwinder Kaur.
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Russia plans to evacuate about 9,000 children from a border region because it is being shelled continuously by Ukraine, an official said Tuesday, reflecting Kyivs increasing focus on striking targets behind a front line that has barely shifted in recent months.

The children will be moved from the Belgorod region farther east, away from the Ukraine border, said the regions governor, Vyacheslev Gladkov. The announcement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin wants to create a buffer zone to help protect border regions from long-range Ukrainian strikes and cross-border raids more than two years into the war.

Ukraine has increasingly used its long-range firepower to hit oil refineries and depots deep inside Russia and has sought to unsettle the Russian border regions, putting political pressure on Putin. In addition, Ukraine-based Russian opponents of Putin and the Kremlin have launched cross-border raids. Putin discussed the cross-border incursions during a meeting Tuesday with top officials of the Federal Security Service, the FSB.

Civilian areas of Belgorod have been battered in the fighting. According to Gladkov, 16 people died and 98 were injured over the last week alone. On Saturday, he ordered the closure of shopping malls through Monday and schools through Tuesday because of the security situation.

The planned evacuation of children is one of the biggest publicly announced in the Belgorod region since the war began in February 2022. About 1,000 people, including children and their families, were evacuated to other Russian regions last June, and there have been other sporadic reports of evacuations over the past year. It was unclear whether adults would be accompanying the children under the latest evacuation order. If so, the total number of evacuees could be much higher.

Roughly 600 people were in temporary accommodation Monday after being evacuated from their homes, Gladkov said. Three people were wounded Tuesday in an aerial attack from Ukraine on the Belgorod region, Gladkov said, including a 14-year-old who had part of a limb amputated. His mother was also seriously hurt in the attack, he said.

The previous day, four members of the same family died in an attack on the Belgorod village of Nikolskoe, according to Gladkov. A grandmother, mother, her partner and 17-year-old son were killed after a missile struck their house, he said. It has not been possible to independently verify either sides battlefield claims.

Two Ukrainian drones were shot down over Belgorod and another over the neighboring Voronezh region overnight, the Russian defense ministry said. It gave no details of any damage or injuries. Meanwhile, Russia used S-300 missiles to attack the city of Selydove in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine overnight. Four people were wounded and houses and cars were damaged, the regional prosecutors office said.

On Monday, Russian attacks in the Donetsk region killed one person and wounded another, according to Vadym Filashkin, the regional governor. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraines Western partners on Tuesday to quickly supply more air defense systems and illustrated the scale of the challenge Kyivs forces face. He said so far this month, Russia has used 130 missiles of various types, more than 320 Shahed drones and nearly 900 guided air bombs to target various regions of Ukraine.

Ukraine has ramped up its defense production and plans to reach levels unseen since the country gained independence during the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, according to Zelenskyy. But it still relies heavily on Western support, which has waned in recent months.

Meanwhile Tuesday, Adm. Alexander Moiseyev was presented as the new acting head of the Russian navy during a ceremony at a naval base in Kronstadt, in the Gulf of Finland. Russian media reported last week that the previous navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, had been fired and replaced with Moiseyev, the commander of the navys northern fleet.

Yevmenovs replacement followed a series of successful attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles on the Russian Black Sea fleet that have forced Moscow to limit its naval operations in the region.
Vladimir Putin is set to visit China in May for talks with Xi Jinping, in what could be the Russian Presidents first overseas trip of his new term, according to media reports. This comes days after Putin secured a new six-year term as Western governments condemned his re-election as unfair and undemocratic.

Putin will visit China, one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told news agency Reuters. Putins trip to China would probably take place in the second half of May. Two of the sources said the Putin visit would come before Xis planned trip to Europe, the report said.

When asked about the Russian presidents China trip, the Kremlin said information on Putins visits would be released closer to the date. Several presidential visits and several high-level contacts are being prepared at the moment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. We will inform you as we get closer.

Days before the start of the Ukraine conflict, China and Russia declared a no limits partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing. The United States casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat while U.S. President Joe Biden argues that this century will be defined by an existential contest between democracies and autocracies.

In recent years, China has strengthened its trade and military ties with Russia as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions against both countries, particularly Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. Foreign policy analysts said they expected Putin to make China his first stop after being re-elected. His formal presidential inauguration is due to take place around May 7. Putin told reporters on Sunday that Russia and China shared a similar global outlook and enjoyed resilient relations in part due to his good personal relations with Xi, and that Moscow and Beijing would develop ties further in coming years.

Xi visited Russia in his first post-pandemic overseas trip in March last year, shortly after commencing his precedent-breaking third term as Chinese president. The two leaders have often touted their close personal friendship and have met over 40 times, most recently in October when Putin was the guest of honour at Chinas Belt and Road summit in Beijing. China-Russia trade hit $218.2 billion during January-November, exceeding a goal to increase bilateral trade to over $200 billion by 2024 that was set by the two countries.

(With agency inputs)
A Taliban spokesman said on Tuesday that fighting has stopped on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border after Pakistani airstrikes sparked skirmishes. The situation is calm, the fighting has stopped, the Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid was quoted as saying by AFP.

On Monday, Pakistan carried out strikes in the border areas in Khost and Paktika provinces in eastern Afghanistans Khost and Paktika provinces.

Pakistan maintains that it targeted militants it said were responsible for a recent attack on its soil but Taliban said the bombardment led to deaths of eight civilians, all women and children.

The Taliban-led Afghanistans defence ministry said its border forces retaliated by targeting Pakistani military posts along the border with heavy weapons. A senior police officer in the Pakistani border district of Kurram told AFP that Afghan security forces struck the area with mortar shells.

As a result, three security posts and five houses of civilians suffered partial damage, with nine individuals, including four security personnel wounded. Silence prevails on the border today, and security forces have reinforced their positions, the officer told AFP.

Border tensions between the two countries have steadily escalated since the Taliban government seized power in 2021.

Islamabad has accused Kabuls Taliban government of harbouring militant fighters, allowing them to strike on Pakistani soil with impunity.

Kabul has denied the allegations.

Gun battles also regularly erupt over the construction of checkpoints along the disputed border and trade crossings are closed over immigration disagreements.
WASHINGTON: Lawyers for Donald Trump urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday to dismiss an indictment charging the former president with conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election, renewing their arguments that he is immune from prosecution for official acts taken in the White House.

Lower courts have already twice rejected the immunity claims, but Trumps lawyers will get a fresh chance to press their case before the Supreme Court when the justices hear arguments on April 25. The high courts decision to consider the matter has left the criminal case on hold pending the outcome of the appeal, making it unclear whether special counsel Jack Smith will be able to put the ex-president on trial before Novembers election.

In a brief filed Tuesday, Trumps lawyers repeated many of the same arguments that judges have already turned aside, asserting that a president cannot function, and the Presidency itself cannot retain its vital independence, if the President faces criminal prosecution for official acts once he leaves office.

A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future President with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn him to years of post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents, the lawyers wrote. The threat of future prosecution and imprisonment would become a political cudgel to influence the most sensitive and controversial Presidential decisions, taking away the strength, authority, and decisiveness of the Presidency.

Smiths team has said ex-presidents do not enjoy absolute immunity and that, in any event, the steps Trump is accused of taking in his failed but frantic effort to remain in power after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden would not count as official presidential acts.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the case, and a three-judge federal appeals panel in Washington have both agreed with Smith, but the case  once scheduled for trial on March 4  has been effectively frozen for months as the appeal continues to wind through the courts.

Trumps lawyers also told the justices that in the event they dont accept his immunity arguments, they should send the case back to Chutkan for additional fact-finding. Such a move would result in even lengthier delays before a trial could be scheduled.

The case is one of four state and federal criminal prosecutions that Trump is facing as he seeks to reclaim the White House. He and his lawyers have sought to delay the cases from proceeding to trial, a strategy that to date has yielded some success for the ex-president.

Of those four, only one  a case in New York charging Trump in connection with hush money payments meant to suppress claims of an extramarital sexual encounter  is on track to start in the next several months. The judge in that case delayed the trial last week until at least mid April as he seeks answers about a last-minute evidence dump that the former presidents lawyers said has hampered their ability to prepare their defense.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor
UKs Prince William resumed his duties on Tuesday, a day after the first footage emerged of his wife Kate since her surgery two months ago which showed the British royal looking fit and healthy. It was the first footage of the Princess of Wales taken since Christmas Day.

Kate has been the focus of speculation, rumour, and conspiracy theories on social media leading to headlines and intrigue around the world during her absence from royal duties after she had abdominal surgery for a non-cancerous but unspecified condition in January. On Monday, a video published by the Sun newspaper on its website showed the 42-year-old Princess walking and carrying shopping bags alongside her husband William, the heir to the throne, at a farm shop in Windsor near their home.

If that video of Catherine sort of walking quite briskly with a shopping bag doesnt put an end to this frankly wild and baseless speculation, then Im not sure what will, said Katie Nicholl, royal author and correspondent at Vanity Fair magazine. Since being hospitalised in January, Kates office has stuck to its official line that the princess was recovering well and that it would only provide significant updates, in keeping with the royal mantra of never complain, never explain. She is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter which falls on March 31, it said.

However, that has led to online rumours, and Kates apology this month for editing a photo taken by William of her and her three children to mark Mothers Day only sparked further intrigue. Daniel Allington, who studies conspiracy theories at Kings College London, agreed that the Kate speculation has its roots in peoples emotional connection to the British royal family. Because of that, they want to talk about them, they want to know about them, and when there is very little known, people end up speculating. They are trying to make something out of nothing, Allington was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

He also predicted that quieting the international frenzy wont be a simple task. Once people start doubting, they can doubt practically everything. Once people start going on that track of speculation about the truth being hidden, its very difficult to get them off that track, he said. On Tuesday, William visited Sheffield in northern England to unveil new investment in his project to tackle homelessness, one of his main campaigning issues.

Kates illness also comes at the same time King Charles is undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, meaning he too has been forced to postpone public engagements. Such has been the febrile gossip about the royals that the British embassies in Ukraine and Moscow even posted statements on X on Monday to clarify that fabricated reports on social media that the king had died were indeed fake.

Charles has generally maintained a more visible profile as he keeps up with official state duties while undergoing treatment, and was pictured on Tuesday meeting veterans from the Korean War at Buckingham Palace. While the online world remains awash with rumour, outside the palace, passers-by said Kate and Charles should be allowed to recover in peace. I think that people should just leave them to get on with their lives, said Judy Bradley, 61. Its nice to see her, Im glad shes in good health, hopefully everything is well, but I think, just leave them alone.

(With agency inputs)
A UN report warned on Tuesday that multiple global heat records were shattered last year showing a planet on the brink. Earth is issuing a distress call, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said after the release of a report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which showed that fossil fuel pollution was causing climate chaos.

The global mean near-surface temperature in 2023 was 1.45  0.12 C above the pre-industrial 18501900 average. 2023 was the warmest year in the 174-year observational record. This shattered the record of the previous warmest years, 2016 at 1.29  0.12 C above the 18501900 average and 2020 at 1.270.13 C. The ten-year average 20142023 global temperature is 1.200.12C above the 18501900 average, according to the WMO State of the Global Climate 2023 report.

A new report from the WMO shows that records were once again broken, and in some cases smashed, for greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover and glacier retreat. Heatwaves, floods, droughts, wildfires and rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones caused misery and mayhem, upending every-day life for millions and inflicting many billions of dollars in economic losses.

The #StateOfClimate in 2023 gave new meaning to the phrase off the charts by marking the warmest year and decade on record. Check out the full report: https://t.co/5NVxGLLjL9 pic.twitter.com/3pQpCN2krT World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) March 19, 2024

2023: warmest year on record

The WMO report confirmed that 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global average near-surface temperature at 1.45 Celsius (with a margin of uncertainty of  0.12 C) above the pre-industrial baseline. It was the warmest ten-year period on record. Sirens are blaring across all major indicators Some records arent just chart-topping, theyre chart-busting. And changes are speeding-up. said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Never have we been so close  albeit on a temporary basis at the moment  to the 1.5 C lower limit of the Paris Agreement on climate change. said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. The WMO community is sounding the Red Alert to the world. Climate change is about much more than temperatures. What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern, she said.

On an average day in 2023, nearly one third of the global ocean was gripped by a marine heatwave, harming vital ecosystems and food systems. Towards the end of 2023, over 90% of the ocean had experienced heatwave conditions at some point during the year. The global set of reference glaciers suffered the largest loss of ice on record (since 1950), driven by extreme melt in both western North America and Europe, according to preliminary data.

Defining challenge

According to the WMO report, the Antarctic sea ice extent was by far the lowest on record, with the maximum extent at the end of winter at 1 million km2 below the previous record year  equivalent to the size of France and Germany combined. The climate crisis is THE defining challenge that humanity faces and is closely intertwined with the inequality crisis  as witnessed by growing food insecurity and population displacement, and biodiversity loss said Celeste Saulo.

The number of people who are acutely food insecure worldwide has more than doubled, from 149 million people before the COVID-19 pandemic to 333 million people in 2023 (in 78 monitored countries by the World Food Programme). Weather and climate extremes may not be the root cause, but they are aggravating factors, according to the report. Weather hazards continued to trigger displacement in 2023, showing how climate shocks undermine resilience and create new protection risks among the most vulnerable populations. There is, however, a glimmer of hope, according to WMO.
A Charlottesville resident has been charged in connection with a brush fire that burned through roughly 35 acres and destroyed a barn in northern Albemarle County late last week.

Career and volunteer fire crews and the Virginia Department of Forestry responded to a reported brush fire in the 3300 block of Forloines Drive around 4:11 p.m. Thursday.

"The first apparatus arrived within 14 minutes of dispatch," Albemarle Fire Rescue said in a statement. "Upon arrival, crews discovered heavy smoke conditions in the area and a secondary fire in the 3000 block of Preddy Creek Road involving a barn structure."

The fire reached roughly 35 total acres, half open land and half forested, before crews were able to extinguish it and prevent it from spreading farther. The barn structure, however, was considered a "total loss," the county fire department said.

"No one was in the structure & there were no reported injuries at the time of the fire," the department said in its statement.

Over the course of its investigation, the county fire marshal's office determined the fire was caused by an open-air burn that was not properly extinguished.

As a result of that investigation, the fire marshal's office has charged a Charlottesville resident with carelessly damaging property by fire. That individual's identity has not been released to the public.

The county fire department and Department of Forestry said the blaze is a good reminder that Virginia's 4 p.m. burn law is in effect through April 30.

"It is critical that those wishing to burn yard debris take every possible precaution to ensure they are compliant," the department said in its statement. "In addition to the state code that limits open-air burning to 4 pm to midnight only, Albemarle County code bans all commercial burns during VDOF's ban of February 15 to April 30. Albemarle residents can learn more about safe open-air burning practices at http://albemarle.org/firerescue."
March is recognized as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and at Region Ten Community Services Board, it also is an opportunity to reflect on the critical role of direct support professionals, or DSPs, in the care and support of individuals who have developmental disabilities.

At Region Ten, DSPs support individuals in a variety of settings, including licensed residential group homes and the Meadowcreek Day Support Program, as well as through the in-home residential program, which assists individuals who reside independently in the community. One of the primary goals of each of these services is to support individuals to live their best lives with emphasis on person-centeredness and community engagement. Research has shown us that inclusion empowers adults with developmental disabilities to lead self-determined lives and pursue their goals and interests. Inclusive support services improve the overall quality of life for adults with developmental disabilities.

DSPs are an important cornerstone of an individuals support team, and they are required to develop their person-centered thinking skills in order to get to know and understand what is important to the individuals they support.

Person-centered thinking involves the ability to listen to an individuals needs, wants and desires, then assist the individual in fulfilling his or her dreams. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, DSPs are vital to Americas workforce and economy, as they provide necessary support to people of all ages who have various disabilities. A recent report from the Department of Labor estimates that 4.5 million people provide this role, with 87% being women and 53% women of color. In Virginia, the direct care role that DSPs provide is the fastest growing occupation. The demand for DSPs is predicted to add 1 million new jobs between 2019 and 2029.

With the natural supports of family, friends, community members and service-driven supports, such as those provided by DSPs, individuals with developmental disabilities lead lives full of activities, relationship-building opportunities, hobbies and employment. One example is Amanda, a 40-year-old woman with Down syndrome, who has agreed to share some of her story.

Amanda is surrounded with many communities of support  her family, her friends, her employer, Region Ten and Best Buddies  who help her to live an independent life in pursuit of her personal goals.

Amanda describes herself as fun, loving, kind, smart and beautiful. Amanda, who recently got married in July 2023, said, I love being married. It is great to be in love with the right man and have romance in my life. In addition to enjoying time with her husband, Amanda has many talents.

As Amanda shared, I do my art as a job and because it makes me happy. I sell my paintings in art shows. I also work part-time at the Kindness Cafe as a barista. I love working with the customers and making drinks like peppermint mocha (my favorite). I am also an actress. I played a part of the sister of the bride in a movie that was filmed in Richmond.

Amanda also values her family and friends and enjoys attending sporting events with her husband and dancing. An important part of Amandas week includes spending time at the Meadowcreek Day Support Program at Region Ten. Amanda said, Region Ten has helped me with my goals. I work on sign language, as I would like to be an interpreter. Staff help me to learn how to plan menus and make a grocery list. My favorite classes are science and art. I love learning new things on the computer. Staff help me with math, spelling and counting money. I also have a case manager who helps me and checks in to make sure I am happy.

It has not always been an easy journey for Amanda to lead the life she envisioned for herself. Amanda, like many individuals across the commonwealth, waited many years to obtain a Virginia Developmental Disabilities waiver to help fund her services and supports. Amanda said, I waited for over 20 years to get a Medicaid Waiver to help me. Amanda has spoken out publicly and to Virginia officials to advocate for more services to help her and others with disabilities live their best lives as independently as possible.

The budget proposal from Gov. Glenn Youngkin includes money to pay for 3,440 new waivers over the biennium  enough to eliminate the current top priority or Priority One waitlist. With additional waivers to fund services for individuals with developmental disabilities, the need for DSPs will continue to grow.

Region Ten is grateful for its DSP workforce and encourages applicants who may be interested in providing these vital and life-changing services to individuals with developmental disabilities to visit www.regionten.org to view available career opportunities.

Happy Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
Paul Manafort, who was chair of Donald Trump's 2016 campaign for a few months but was in prison or under house arrest throughout the former president's 2020 run, might have a big role to play in 2024, insiders say.

Trump "determined" to bring him back. The Washington Post, citing "four people familiar with the talks," reports that Trump plans to hire Manafort as a campaign adviser, with possible roles in fundraising and at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July. The sources "described the hiring as expected and said Trump was determined to bring Manafort back into the fold," the Post reports.
Nationalistic songs played, his defeated rivals praised him, and newly reelected President Vladimir Putin shouted "Long live Russia!" to a crowd gathered Monday for a celebration in Moscow's Red Square. But the event could have come across as perfunctory, with much of the crowd attending by request, per the New York Times , and Putin appearing to unenthusiastically mouth the words to Russia's national anthem before making a quick exit. But he and others onstage, including men in uniform wearing the pro-war Z patch, made clear their determination to prevail in Ukraine.

The people of eastern Ukraine, Putin said, will be brought "back to their home family." He told the crowd that a restored railroad line soon will connect to Crimea through territory Russia has taken from Ukraine. "And this is precisely what really makes us strongernot words, but deeds," Putin said. A banner over the stage marked the 10th anniversary of Russia's seizure of Crimea. When Putin's vanquished election rivals spoke, it was to praise the victor. The communist candidate thanked Putin for bringing Crimea back to "home port," and the New People party candidate said he'll always remember the pride he felt in his president when Putin annexed Crimea.

Some in the crowd expressed trepidation about the military draft to sustain the war, taxes, and repression, per the Times. The draft was on the mind of a 29-year-old government analyst who said he voted for Putin because of the lack of a good option. "I worry about it every day," he said. A 59-year-old social worker said she doesn't want war but doesn't blame Putin for not ending the fighting. "It doesn't depend on us," she said. "It's the West. England, Americathey want to divide us up and make us into little colonies." (More Vladimir Putin stories.)
Donald Trump's lawyers filed an emergency appeal Monday in Georgia of a ruling that allows Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the former president's election fraud case. Judge Scott McAfee decided last week that either Willis or special prosecutor Nathan Wade, with whom she had a romantic relationship, had to resign from the case; Wade then stepped down . Trump and seven co-defendants want everyone in the district attorney's office disqualified, USA Today reports, which is what their original motion filed in January sought.

The defendants' nine-page motion asks McAfee to approve a certificate of immediate review to let them appeal to a higher state court before trial begins, though that date isn't yet set, per the Hill. If the judge agrees, the lawyers would have 10 days to apply for a review by the appellate court. Melissa Redmon, director of the University of Georgia's Prosecutorial Justice Program, said appeals like this are rarely granted. The motion says that McAfee allowed Willis to remain on the case though the appearance of a conflict exists among prosecutors, and that an outsider could still doubt the independence of her judgment. "For these reasons among others, the Court's Order is ripe for pretrial appellate review," Trump lawyer Steven Sadow said in a statement. (More Fani Willis stories.)
Profits on Wall Street last year climbed 1.8%but bonuses didn't quite align. Instead, the latter "dipped slightly" from the previous year, per a statement from New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, who says bonuses fell 2% in 2023, from an average of $180,000 the previous year to $176,500, report Reuters and the AP . The bonus pool in total stood at around $33.8 billion for 2023, which hovered around what 2022's pool was. In 2021, that same kitty had spiked to $42.7 billion. That same year, the average annual bonus came in at $240,400.

DiNapoli noted that the small dip may be attributed to both market volatility and more people entering the securities workforce. Per MarketWatch, 198,500 were employed in that sector in 2023, up from 191,600 the year before and 180,300 in 2021. Bonuses aside, those workers heading into Manhattan each day give a much-needed boost to New York City's bottom line. "As more securities employees are back in the office, there is increased spending in the city," DiNapoli says.

Wall Street provides an ample portion of local tax revenue, generating nearly 30% of the state's tax collections, and 7% of the city's, per the AP. "While these bonuses affect income tax revenues for the state and city, both budgeted for larger declines, so the impact on projected revenues should be limited," DiNapoli says in his statement. "The securities industry's continued strength should not overshadow the broader economic picture in New York, where we need all sectors to enjoy full recovery from the pandemic." (More Wall Street stories.)
Activists who've been campaigning for years to outlaw female genital mutilation around the world could face a major setback as Gambia risks becoming the first country to reverse a ban on the practice linked to infertility and death. The West African country banned female genital mutilation (FGM) or cutting in 2015. But there's been pushback, "particularly since President Adama Barrow came to power in 2017," per Reuters . This month, lawmaker Almameh Gibba proposed a repeal bill, arguing the ban is a "direct violation of the citizens' rights to practice their culture and religion." And following a debate in the Gambia National Assembly, lawmakers voted 42-4 Monday to send the bill to a parliamentary committee for review.

That suggests the bill, with or without amendments, will appear before the National Assembly for a vote later this year. Given Monday's vote, analysts expect the repeal bill will become law, "removing legal protections for millions of girls [and] raising fears that other countries could follow suit," per the New York Times. UN Gambia says the practice robs women and girls of their autonomy and "causes irreversible harm." "It will simply ... be disastrous for women's rights, not only in Gambia, but in the region," Michele Eken, a senior researcher at Amnesty International, tells Reuters. "It could lead to the rollback of other rights such as the law on child marriage," adds Divya Srinivasan, a rep for women's rights nonprofit Equality Now, per AFP.

UN figures show rates of FGM in Gambia have dropped sharply since the ban was enacted, despite the first convictions only being handed down in August. Three women were found guilty of carrying out FGM on eight infant girls in a decision that raised new opposition in the Muslim-majority country. In response, Gambia's Supreme Islamic Council claimed "female circumcision was one of the virtues of Islam," per Reuters. Some 230 million women and girls worldwide have undergone the removal of external genitalia, including 76% of Gambian women ages 15 to 49, according to the United Nations Children's Fund. It's "a centuries-old ritual tied up in ideas of sexual purity, obedience, and control," per the Times. In addition to the health concerns, it also impairs sexual pleasure, per AFP. (More female genital mutilation stories.)
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Charlottesville's Jasmine Yoon to serve as judge for the Western District of Virginia.

The 43-year-old will be the first Asian American federal judge in the commonwealth and the first person of color to be a judge in the district.

The vote on March 12 was 55-41.

Were thrilled the Senate voted to confirm Jasmine Yoon to the federal judiciary," Virginia Democrats Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine said in a joint statement. "She has a remarkable track record and a profound commitment to public service. With todays confirmation, she cements herself in history as the first Asian American federal judge in Virginia. We know shell be a tremendous asset to the federal judiciary.

President Biden nominated Yoon at the recommendation of the two senators. She will the position left vacant when Chief Judge Michael Urbanski assumes senior status in July.

The senators spoke at her confirmation hearing in February, and she was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month.

Yoon, a South Korean immigrant who moved to the United States with her family at the age of 14, told the committee that she was grateful for an opportunity that a young, scared but grateful non-English-speaking immigrant could only imagine in her wildest dreams.

Western Virginias federal bench has, with just one exception, consisted of White men since the district was created in 1871. Elizabeth Dillon became the first woman judge when she was appointed in 2014.

Currently, three women preside over the districts magistrate and bankruptcy courts. Magistrate judges are appointed by the district judges; bankruptcy judges by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The jobs do not carry the higher power and lifetime appointment that comes with a Senate confirmation to a district court judgeship.

The Western District stretches from the Lynchburg region to the commonwealth's western tip and extends all the way north to Winchester. It has seven courthouses, including one in Charlottesville; the largest one is in Roanoke.

Last fall, Yoon was one of two names recommended to the White House by Warner and Kaine. The other was Patice Holland, a Black attorney with the Roanoke firm of Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black.

Yoon is the wife of the districts U.S. attorney, Chris Kavanaugh  creating a possible conflict of interest should she be asked to hear criminal cases handled by his office.

One possible scenario would be for Kavanaugh to step down from his four-year appointment, which was mentioned in a Virginia State Bar evaluation of the judicial candidates. Yoon and Kavanaugh have declined to comment.

In a questionnaire submitted to the judiciary committee, Yoon wrote that if she were to be confirmed and Kavanaugh was still the head prosecutor, she would recuse herself from matters involving the office.

Asked about Yoons possible conflict of interest last November, Warner and Kaine said they were confident that she would take the necessary steps to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Yoon faced no opposition at a Judiciary Committee hearing last month.

Yoon is currently vice president of corporate integrity, ethics and investigations at Capital One Financial Corp. She previously served as counsel to the University of Virginia and as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
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This story has been updated wth new developments. Two former Mississippi sheriff's deputies were sentenced Tuesday for torturing two Black men in a racist assault. Hunter Elward, 31, was sentenced to just over 20 years in prison for that assault and his role in a separate episode where a white man was sexually assaulted. Jeffrey Middleton, the 46-year-old leader of the so-called "Goon Squad" that abused the men, was given a 17.5-year prison sentence, the AP reports. US District Judge Tom Lee is also due to sentence four other former law enforcement officers who admitted to torturing Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker after a neighbor complained that the men were staying in a home with a white woman.

Elward and Middleton, along with fellow former Rankin County sheriff's deputies Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, and Daniel Opdyke, as well as former Richland Police Department officer Joshua Hartfield, pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy against rights, deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and obstruction of justice related to the incident. Dedmon and Opdyke will be sentenced Wednesday and Hartfield and McAlpin on Thursday. Federal prosecutors are seeking the maximum sentences for the officers.
A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the US-Mexico border illegally while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out. The Biden administration is suing to strike down the measure, arguing it's a clear violation of federal authority that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law, the AP reports. Texas has argued it has a right to take action over what Gov. Greg Abbott has described as an "invasion" of migrants on the border.

The law allows any police officer in Texas to arrest migrants for illegal entry. A judge could then order them to leave the US. Opponents have called the law, known as Senate Bill 4, the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. Critics have also said the Texas law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling. A federal judge in Texas struck down the law in late February, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed that ruling, leading the federal government to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The majority did not write a detailed opinion in the case, as is typical in emergency appeals. But the decision to let the law go into effect drew dissents from liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor. Two of the conservative justices, Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh, wrote a concurring opinion indicating the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals could block the measure again, and either side can return to the Supreme Court once the 5th Circuit acts. (More US-Mexico border stories.)
The announcement hints at how such a system could benefit future Apple products, including iPhones, Macs and its Siri voice assistant.

It comes as Apple is expected to unveil several new AI features at its developer conference in June.

At the same time, however, Apple has reportedly reached a deal with Google that indicates perhaps its own AI efforts are not quite where they want them to be yet. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is interested in licensing and building Googles Gemini AI engine, which includes chatbots and other AI tools, into upcoming iPhones and its iOS 18 features.

As more tech companies pour billions of dollars into the development and rollout of artificial intelligence, Apple has largely been left out of the conversation, with many other tech companies already making big strides in the space. A partnership with Google would catapult Apple into the growing AI arms race.

The report also said Apple previously held conversations with OpenAI, the company behind the viral chatbot ChatGPT.

Apple, Google and OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment.

In February, CEO Tim Cook teased during an investors meeting that he sees incredible breakthrough potential for generative AI, which is why were currently investing significantly in this area. But the company has not yet shared much about its vision for AI.

Behind the scenes, Apple reportedly has been working its on-device generative AI capabilities and acquiring companies, such as Canadian startup DarwinAI. It also has a Machine Learning Research division dedicated to advancing AI.

Angelo Zino, a VP and senior equity analyst at CFRA Research, said in an investors note on Monday that the latest news "likely confirms that Apples internal efforts are well behind those of OpenAI and Gemini."

But he added a potential deal "shows that the company is serious about adding significant AI capabilities across iOS 18 this fall when its new iPhones launch."

Google may be well suited for the new AI partnership considering its existing search partnership; the company has invested heavily on ensuring Google remains the default search engine option on Apples Safari browser. That search arrangement between the two tech giants, however, is under review by antitrust authorities.

In another investors note on Monday, Wedbush Securities analysts said they see the potential partnership as a boon for both companies.

"This is a major win for Google to get onto the Apple ecosystem and have access to the golden installed base of Cupertino with clearly a major license fee attached to this," the analysts said.

It would also give Apple the foundation and technology to double down on AI-powered iOS features currently being developed.

The partnership could bring Gemini to nearly 2 billion Apple devices.

Wedbush also said the deal would be a huge "validation moment" for Googles generative AI positioning, considering Microsoft and OpenAI captured early market share by commercializing some of their products.

CNN
Near the end of the video, Oscar, reported by Thai media to be an MMA fighter, can then be seen holding him in a headlock before lifting him off the ground.

One woman can be heard yelling "stop" in the background of the video.

"The police man was trying to attack us," one of the brothers responds.

According to local media, the brothers offered Noo-iad a bribe, which he turned down.

The pair were then arrested and face five charges: conspiracy to commit robbery, obstructing a police officer, attacking a police officer, attempting to bribe an official and driving without a driver's licence.

Kendall told AM he believes the outcome of a fair trial would all "depend on the evidence".

"I haven't seen any hard evidence that suggests that police officer attacked the two brothers as they claim. From what I have seen on video, it's not a good look for the Days," he said.

"The problem for this Thai cop was that he got knocked down and couldn't get back up again because he was in a headlock by Oscar Day," Kendall said. "[It's] the image of a member of the Royal [Thai] police force being humiliated by a big foreigner".

"Thailand is an Asian country with an Asian culture where face is important, the appearance is of more importance than reality. This just taps into that general xenophobia in Thailand - a feeling that, although they depend on foreigners and tourists as 80 percent of the gross natural product, they also have mixed feelings about that," he explained.

"Sometimes foreigners come in and don't respect Thai culture and it's just not a good look and feel for Thailand."

When asked if bribery is something that happens often in Asia, he admitted it did.

"Many police forces throughout southeast Asia and middle-income or developing countries - there is a degree of police corruption," he explained.

"In this case the story, apparently, [is that] the Kiwi brothers offered a bribe, and the cop turned it down, and that is why one of the charges was attempted bribery along with other more serious charges like assault and robbery.

Kendall admitted Thailand prison "is no picnic".

"There are generally 20 to 30 people lying on the floor in conditions so crammed that sometimes it's impossible for them not to lie on top of each other," he said.

He described the prison as having "no door on the toilets" and lights that are on "at all times".

"It's pretty grim," he admitted.

Looking forward, he said explained there is the possibility of a "best-case scenario" for the brothers.

"The best-case scenario is the brothers, and their family, will make a profuse apology and will be allowed out relatively quickly without facing serious jail time."
The media and communications minister is defending pulling out of pre-booked interviews about her portfolio, saying they would have been "boring" for the interviewers.

Last week, Melissa Lee cancelled interviews with NZME's Media Insider and RNZ's Mediawatch, despite initially agreeing to do them.

It is a tumultuous time for media, with the proposed shutting of Newshub and cancellation of news and current affairs shows at TVNZ, as well as the unclear fate of legislation to make social media giants pay for the news they use.

Lee is set to take a paper to Cabinet soon, setting out her plans for the portfolio. She has been consulting with coalition partners before she takes the paper to Cabinet committee.

On Tuesday, she said given the confidentiality of the process, there was nothing more she could say in the one-on-one interviews.

"I have actually talked about what my plans are, but not in detail. And I think talking about the same thing over and over, just seemed, like, you know..."
In a statement to Stuff, Chumbawumba's guitarist wrote it was "entirely odd that the 'I get knocked down...' refrain is being used by Peters as he barks his divisive, small-minded, bigoted policies during his recent speeches".

Chumbawumba stuck the knife in further, saying the band doesn't share any of Peters' ideas on race relations and the song was "not about rich politicians trying to win votes by courting absurd conspiracy theories and spouting misguided racist ideologies".

Peters on Tuesday evening said the party had not "received any cease-and-desist phone call, email, letter, or anything of the sort from the former band nor any other representative  and we dont expect to".

It's not just the soundtrack but the speech itself that's causing Peters problems, particularly his likening of race relations to Nazi Germany.

"I've seen that sort of philosophy before. I saw it in Nazi Germany, we all did," Peters said on Sunday.

He is not backing down despite being spoken to by the Prime Minister.

"I am not listening to either of yours's crap," he said on Tuesday.

He accused the media of misrepresenting him in a ranting media release, claiming he never mentioned co-governance or the Holocaust.

"I'm not backing down one iota," he said.

"I want everybody in this country no matter whether they're here for 1000 years or here yesterday legally to be treated the same - equally as one people... I make no apology for that."

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon earlier said: "We had a conversation yesterday afternoon and as I've been saying I call on all political leaders of all political parties to watch the language."

Peters made the comments during a section of his speech labelled 'Labour Government Failures'.

"The insidious creep of racist co-governance," Peters said before then making the comments about Nazi Germany.

Asked by Newshub afterwards if it was appropriate to compare co-governance to Nazi Germany, Peters said: "Yes, it is."

"That is what it is based on. It is based on racial preference, it is based on somebody being superior."

But by the following morning the story had shifted, and Peters was claiming it had nothing to do with co-governance and everything to do with Rawiri Waititi.

"Last year Waititi from the Maori Party said that Maori have superior DNA," he said on Monday.

He and his party think it's been overblown.

"I think there's a lot of catastrophisation going on," said Shane Jones.

Amid questions on Tuesday, Peters told media to "stop lying".

Jenna Lynch Analysis

This is textbook Winston Peters deflection, obfuscation and retrospective narrative building.

In the words of Mr Peters himself words matter, and in this case, the words and facts are stacked against him.
Australia's Trade Minister has been told to apologise for saying New Zealand is the nation's most trusted ally.

Don Farrell, one of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's most senior cabinet ministers, shocked MPs on the Opposition benches when he declared the US was not Australia's most trusted security partner  sparking demands for an apology to the global superpower.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the statement came in response to a question from Liberal senator Claire Chandler.

"I take issue with your first statement there. Im not sure the United States is our most trusted ally  I would have said our closest international ally is New Zealand," Farrell said.

"We are very close to the United States. I freely admit that," he added after drawing guffaws from the opposition.
A prison sentence looks certain for two New Zealanders filmed wrestling a Thai police officer to the ground and taking his gun.

Thai police say Hamish and Oscar Day will be banned from the country after the incident in Phuket, but a local journalist says the humiliating pictures will almost certainly lead to custodial sentences before they're booted out.

"There's a sense that foreigners come in, do as they please and don't respect Thai culture, and the two New Zealand brothers could not have picked a worse time to pull their stunt," Dave Kendall, a journalist with the Bangkok Post, said.

Kendall said the altercation, now streaming on thousands of screens in two countries, is not a good look for the brothers.

"Optically it was terrible. Thais are a very proud nation. So, there's really not a more humiliating image you can imagine than, you know, a Royal Thai police officer being wrestled to the ground by a big foreigner - it just doesn't look good," Kendall said.

Police were initially outraged when the brothers sped past the Chalong Police Station on rented motorbikes, which he said was a sign of great disrespect to the Thai authorities.
This is exactly the right moment to read Percival Everetts 2001 novel Erasure.

Not only has the recent film adaptation, American Fiction, received overwhelmingly positive reviews  taking home the Oscar for best adapted screenplay  but Everett himself will be attending the Virginia Festival of the Book this month in support of his new book, James.

Erasure is a wonderful book. It challenged me as a reader but isnt dense enough to be inaccessible. Its funny, layered and thought-provoking, and I think it would be a great choice to read with a book group or a friend.

Erasure is centered on Thelonious Monk Ellison, a brilliant author and literary scholar recently called back to the Washington, D.C., area to help care for his ailing mother, recently diagnosed with dementia. His mother struggles to maintain her dignity while the Ellison family implodes under this and other mounting pressures. Hes a man whose otherness puts him at odds, both with his upper-class Black family and the publishing world that shuns him for writing stories that arent Black enough.

In jest, out of frustration and under a pseudonym, Monk writes what he considers to be a highly offensive and exploitative joke of a novel  and audiences eat it up. He and his book  first titled My Pafology and later retitled, for the sake of needling the publishing industry, a four-letter expletive that starts with the letter F  go on quite the journey. Monk remains unsatisfied, however, with his weird newfound fame; he had hoped to gain acclaim writing a book reflective of his own experience as a Black man rather than perpetuating stereotypes by pandering to White America.

If you dont like [Tom] Clancys white people, you could go out and read about some others, Monk says, underscoring the importance of accurate representation in media.

No one is exactly what they seem, and Monk himself is guilty of stereotyping. In one early scene, Monk meets a receptionist at his sisters medical practice and is surprised by her intellect after a few moments of conversation.

I felt about an inch tall because I had expected this woman with the blue fingernails to be a certain way, to be slow and stupid, but she was neither. I was the stupid one, Everett writes. Monks character is a dynamic one, though, and throughout the course of the novel becomes increasingly aware of and sensitive to the discordances between himself and the world.

Anyone who speaks to members of his family knows that sharing a language does not mean you share the rules governing the use of that language. No matter what is said, something else is meant, Monk says while introducing some intrafamilial miscommunication.

He refines the sentiment all the more poignantly after an argument with his brother later in the novel. I watched his lips and realized I understood nothing he was saying, his language was not mine. His language possessed an adverbial and interrogative geometry that I could not comprehend. I could see the shape of his meaning, even that his words meant something, but I had no idea as to the substance of his meaning. I nodded.

In contrast with the subtle intricacies of language, we see Monks beloved mother lose the basics of communication in her battle with dementia, its own devastating type of otherness. This was the hardest part for me to read, and some of Everetts most quietly powerful writing.

When I could see her eyes, there was nothing to see. She was not Mother, but of course she was my mother, Monk says as her condition worsens.

Everett writes about elder care kindly but honestly, and I suspect some readers will feel a connection to Monks experience. After his mother, confused, wanders off into danger, Monk says, I was desperate to know that she was safe and I was desperate to discontinue my feeling of desperation.

Monk as a character is great, somehow an approachable everyman despite his inability to fit in anywhere. Everett does a great job of developing his personality through inner monologue; Monks word choice and diction is sharp and intentional and shows him to be an introspective and precise intellectual.

Monk uses highbrow language to describe petty beefs, resulting in some sick burns that made me laugh out loud. For example, Monk says of his colleagues, the clowns who had taken me as their enemy were as unlikely to actually do something as they were to actually write something. His deadpan sense of humor adds a lightness to a book that covers some pretty heavy themes.

Like all book-to-film adaptations, American Fiction differs from its source material in some key ways. I know little about screenplay writing, but I think some of the choices were wise and even necessary to bring the book to life and remain true to its message. The film adaptation trades abortion commentary for gun violence, centers romantic love and concludes with a much more explosive final scene. The book and film build and clash with each other such that one medium makes you appreciate the other even more. All that is to say: If you like one, you should seek out the other. They are rather different, but both excellent.

Everett will be speaking at the Paramount Theater as part of the Virginia Festival of the Book at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Samantha Koon Jones is a book critic for The Daily Progress. A longtime Charlottesville resident, she graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in English and previously worked for The Daily Progress as a news reporter. A prolific reader of both fiction and nonfiction, Jones has a special interest in translated literature, speculative fiction and celebrity memoirs. She can be found on Instagram at @_bookstasam.
Fairbanks, AK (99701)

Today

Snow showers. Temps nearly steady in the mid to upper 30s. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the evening. Low 22F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

The ongoing gloomy weather in Bahrain during the holy month of Ramadan has brought much-needed relief to those observing the fast. The combination of wind, rain, and cold temperatures has provided respite to individuals who are fasting and working outdoors.

Since the start of Ramadan, Bahrain has experienced a series of rainy days with thunderstorms and chilly winds. These weather conditions have proven advantageous for fasting individuals, particularly those engaged in physically demanding tasks under the sun.

According to the Ministry of Transport and Telecom (MTT), Bahrain is expected to see more rainy days throughout the entire week, extending from Tuesday to Saturday.

Excitement online

The news has generated excitement on social media, with many expressing gratitude for the respite provided by the rain. Several citizens have taken to social media to share posts from the MTT, expressing enthusiasm about what could potentially be the rainiest year in a long time.

They are grateful for the ease and comfort that the gloomy weather has brought to their fasting routine. Fahima Suman, one social media user, stated, For the past few years, we have endured fasting during the summer, and I distinctly recall feeling thirsty all day due to the scorching heat, particularly while attending school. However, this year, the weather has been exceptionally pleasant.

Extremely grateful

Seher Ali, another social media user, expressed relief, saying, I am extremely grateful for the weather, and it seems that this year we have experienced significantly more rainfall compared to previous years. We plan to celebrate Iftar with our family at the park. Kainat Raza, echoing the sentiments of many, exclaimed, This weather during Ramadan is truly a blessing.

I now have two advantages: shorter working hours and the rainy weather. Farheen, yet another social media user, shared her optimism, stating, This is just the beginning. In the coming years, the weather during Ramadan will continue to improve, and soon we will experience Ramadan in December.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Reported by Ashen Tharaka

Amid continuing talks of a temporary ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, the US Ambassador to Bahrain yesterday acknowledged the emotional response to regional tensions and hinted that a resolution is being worked upon.

Smart, creative people are spending days and nights trying to resolve the situation, and we will get there, H.E. Steven C. Bondy said while talking about the efforts to address the situation.

The US Ambassador mentioned the regional tensions and emotional response while talking at a Ramadan Iftar for the alumni of a student exchange programme held at the InterContinental Bahrain hotel.

We recognise multiple crises are happening around the region, Ambassador Bondy stated. This is a time of high tensions and emotions. I want you to know that we truly understand and are very empathetic. We feel the same emotions that you feel as well, he said while explaining that efforts are going on to resolve the situation.

The Ambassador also highlighted a recent meeting between His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that specifically focused on these regional circumstances. We would really seek to work closely with our Arab partners, the Ambassador said, underscoring the importance of collaboration.

We need to do more listening. Were also speaking. We want to learn, and we want to integrate the thoughts of our partners, he added.
Four $50,000 financial grants will be awarded to deserving Canadian public high schools to enhance scientific learning.

financial grants will be awarded to deserving Canadian public high schools to enhance scientific learning. Recipients can use the funds to renovate existing laboratory facilities, purchase new scientific equipment, develop programs to enhance the impact of labs or any combination of the above.

TORONTO, March 19, 2024 /CNW/ - sanofi-aventis Canada inc. (Sanofi Canada) is pleased to announce that applications for the 2024 Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants are now open. Part of Sanofi Canada's longstanding commitment to improving access to hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning, the $50,000 financial grants aim to provide necessary resources to Canadian public high schools to advance STEM education and inspire students to embrace scientific discovery.

Stephanie Veyrun-Manetti

Canada Country Lead and General Manager, Specialty Care, Sanofi Canada

2024 Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants open for applications (CNW Group/Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc.)

"At Sanofi Canada, we strongly believe in nurturing the upcoming generation of talent and take pride in providing support to Canadian public high schools to advance STEM education. The Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants help to create equal opportunities for all students to excel in STEM fields, enabling them to build the skills required for future success. Since launching the program in 2021, Sanofi has witnessed the tremendous impact it has had on propelling students' scientific learning. We encourage teachers, school administrators, and principals across Canada to apply and join us in our efforts to foster a culture of innovation and scientific exploration."

Reni Barlow

Executive Director, Youth Science Canada

"Canadian educators demonstrate extraordinary commitment and creativity, delivering high-quality science education despite limited and often outdated resources. The Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants transform selected schools, strengthening STEM programs, benefiting teachers and students, and shaping the future of STEM education."

Nathan Kostiuk

Western Regional Coordinator, Let's Talk Science

"As innovation becomes more central to our world, the need for individuals who can pursue careers in STEM will only grow. STEM education and hands-on learning are essential for students' future success, however, a majority of Canadian students lose interest in STEM courses before completing high school. Let's Talk Science and Sanofi Canada share a common goal of empowering students to embrace science, technology, and innovation, and we believe that providing schools with the necessary resources is essential to advance science education. The Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants will continue to have a long-lasting impact on each school that receives these funds."

Public high schools across Canada can apply for the Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants from March 15 to May 15, 2024. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to hands-on STEM learning opportunities for all students, no matter their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, family status or location. Recipients can use the funds to renovate existing laboratory facilities, purchase new scientific equipment, develop programs to enhance the impact of labs or any combination of the above. Four Canadian public high schools will be selected to receive a Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grant. To apply for a Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grant or for more information, visit https://biogenius.ca/biogenius-grant/ .

Concurrently, the Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competition is also underway, celebrating the best research projects from across the country, encouraging students to follow their curiosity and pursue ground-breaking STEM projects. Through both the regional and national Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competitions, students gain access to a network of life-minded individuals and mentors that extend far beyond the classroom and open doors to future success. To learn more about the Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competition, visit https://biogenius.ca/biogenius-competition/.

About The Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants

The Sanofi Biogenius Canada Grants help provide better access to hands-on STEM learning by supporting Canadian public high schools with financial grants to update lab equipment, launch new science programs and take science education to the next level.

About The Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competition

The Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competition encourages students from coast-to-coast and any background to break barriers and explore real-life research projects with a focus on health sciences, life sciences and biotechnology. The competition is hosted in partnership with Youth Science Canada, as part of its regional and Canada-wide Science Fair (CWSF).

About Sanofi

Sanofi is an innovative global healthcare company, driven by one purpose: we chase the miracles of science to improve people's lives. Our team, across some 100 countries, is dedicated to transforming the practice of medicine by working to turn the impossible into the possible. We provide potentially life-changing treatment options and life-saving vaccine protection to millions of people globally, while putting sustainability and social responsibility at the center of our ambitions.

In Canada, we employ over 2,000 people and invest annually 20% of our revenue in biopharma research, representing CAD $1.2 billion in R&D over the last decade, creating jobs, business, and opportunity throughout the country. We're also on track to deliver over $2 billion in new infrastructure investments by 2028, including two new vaccine manufacturing facilities at our Toronto Campus.

In 2024, we are celebrating 110 years of heritage dedicated to developing innovative health solutions for Canadians. What started as a small laboratory in May of 1914, recognized for having advanced some of the greatest contributions to public health, both nationally and globally, has evolved to become the largest biomanufacturing facility in Canada.

SOURCE Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc.

For further information: Contacts: Daniele Dufour, Head of Communications | +1 (437) 286-0103 | [email protected]
The NVIDIA Blackwell platform was announced today. It will run real-time generative AI on trillion-parameter large language models at up to 25x less cost and energy consumption than the H100.

The Blackwell GPU architecture has six transformative technologies for accelerated computing, which will help unlock breakthroughs in data processing, engineering simulation, electronic design automation, computer-aided drug design, quantum computing and generative AI  all emerging industry opportunities for NVIDIA.

Blackwell will be used Amazon Web Services, Dell Technologies, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, Tesla and xAI and many more.

It uses Content token generation.

Blackwells six revolutionary technologies, which together enable AI training and real-time LLM inference for models scaling up to 10 trillion parameters, include:

* Worlds Most Powerful Chip  Packed with 208 billion transistors, Blackwell-architecture GPUs are manufactured using a custom-built 4NP TSMC process with two-reticle limit GPU dies connected by 10 TB/second chip-to-chip link into a single, unified GPU.

* Second-Generation Transformer Engine  Fueled by new micro-tensor scaling support and NVIDIAs advanced dynamic range management algorithms integrated into NVIDIA TensorRT-LLM and NeMo Megatron frameworks, Blackwell will support double the compute and model sizes with new 4-bit floating point AI inference capabilities.

* Fifth-Generation NVLink  To accelerate performance for multitrillion-parameter and mixture-of-experts AI models, the latest iteration of NVIDIA NVLink delivers groundbreaking 1.8TB/s bidirectional throughput per GPU, ensuring seamless high-speed communication among up to 576 GPUs for the most complex LLMs.

* RAS Engine  Blackwell-powered GPUs include a dedicated engine for reliability, availability and serviceability. Additionally, the Blackwell architecture adds capabilities at the chip level to utilize AI-based preventative maintenance to run diagnostics and forecast reliability issues.

This maximizes system uptime and improves resiliency for massive-scale AI deployments to run uninterrupted for weeks or even months at a time and to reduce operating costs.

* Secure AI  Advanced confidential computing capabilities protect AI models and customer data without compromising performance, with support for new native interface encryption protocols, which are critical for privacy-sensitive industries like healthcare and financial services.

* Decompression Engine  A dedicated decompression engine supports the latest formats, accelerating database queries to deliver the highest performance in data analytics and data science. In the coming years, data processing, on which companies spend tens of billions of dollars annually, will be increasingly GPU-accelerated.

A Massive Superchip

The NVIDIA GB200 Grace Blackwell Superchip connects two NVIDIA B200 Tensor Core GPUs to the NVIDIA Grace CPU over a 900GB/s ultra-low-power NVLink chip-to-chip interconnect.

For the highest AI performance, GB200-powered systems can be connected with the NVIDIA Quantum-X800 InfiniBand and Spectrum-X800 Ethernet platforms, also announced today, which deliver advanced networking at speeds up to 800Gb/s.

The GB200 is a key component of the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72, a multi-node, liquid-cooled, rack-scale system for the most compute-intensive workloads. It combines 36 Grace Blackwell Superchips, which include 72 Blackwell GPUs and 36 Grace CPUs interconnected by fifth-generation NVLink. Additionally, GB200 NVL72 includes NVIDIA BlueField-3 data processing units to enable cloud network acceleration, composable storage, zero-trust security and GPU compute elasticity in hyperscale AI clouds. The GB200 NVL72 provides up to a 30x performance increase compared to the same number of NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs for LLM inference workloads, and reduces cost and energy consumption by up to 25x.

The platform acts as a single GPU with 1.4 exaflops of AI performance and 30TB of fast memory, and is a building block for the newest DGX SuperPOD.

NVIDIA offers the HGX B200, a server board that links eight B200 GPUs through NVLink to support x86-based generative AI platforms. HGX B200 supports networking speeds up to 400Gb/s through the NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand and Spectrum-X Ethernet networking platforms.
The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, says President Bola Tinubu will struggle to get two per cent votes in the 2027 presidential election in the capital if he fails to stop the minister, Nyesom Wike from killing the party.

The party leaders stated this at a press conference in Abuja, lamenting the disregard of APC members in recent appointments made by Wike.

They also said the party may lose the next Area Councils election if the situation remains unchanged, claiming that the minister is killing the political structure of the APC in FCT due to his lack of regard for the party and its leadership.

The APC chieftains, led by convener, Comrade Abdulwahab Ekekhide, and co-convener, David Omobolaji Obaje, said the minister, since assuming office, has refused to sit with the leadership of the party, even though the party has written him a series of letters for him to grant them audience, but all to no avail.

Recall that Wike, a PDP member, was appointed FCT minister by President Tinubu, the leader of the APC.

Ekekhide, however, said the leadership and entire members of the APC family in the FCT, in unison, reject in very strong terms the continuous lopsided appointments, abandonment and total disregard for the APC in FCT by the minister.

We call on Mr. President, who is the Governor-General to call the Minister to order, so that he can retrace his steps and start empowering the party or else, the party will struggle to get 2% for the President in the 2027 Presidential election and may lose the next Area Councils election if the situation remains this way.

As we all know, the President is the Governor-General of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), but delegates his powers to a Minister, and today Barr. Nyesom Wike is standing in for the President as Hon. Minister of the FCT, he added.




As part of efforts to rescue the kidnapped Edo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, the operatives of the State Police Command have stormed creeks and forests in the state in search of the victim.





Recall that Aziegbemi was kidnapped last Friday at about 11:00 pm by six armed men in front of his house after a meeting with the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, at the Government House.





The State Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, gave an update on efforts being made to rescue the PDP leader.





We have intensified our patrol, we were in the creeks yesterday (Sunday), around Ologbo, Obayantor and other parts of the state.





We are not leaving any stone unturned; we are already on the trail of the people that perpetrated that crime and I can assure you that in no distant time, we are going to rescue him unhurt, he said.





The commissioner, who also spoke on the security situation in Edo State, added, We have observed that some unscrupulous elements have turned this state to a situation where guns are just like catapults. This is not good for the society and we are not going to allow it.





For example, recently, because of what is happening, there is a rise in some criminal activities both in the Benin City metropolis and some other parts of the state. We have stepped up our actions against hoodlums operating in whatever guise.





We are going to have a total lockdown on criminal activities in the state. We have started since Friday and we are working in conjunction and collaboration with our sister agencies, the military, the DSS, the Civil Defense Corps and other agencies.





In this state, it is quite astonishing and almost unbelievable that people are now carrying arms. These were recovered within a spate of four days from different parts of the state. This is absolutely scary and we will not allow it.





The Vigilantes are wonderful, otherwise, hoodlums had wanted to take over this state, which we are not going to allow. We will not allow any form of criminality in the state, we are battle-ready for them.




There is anxiety among the management staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria as 19 directors have been issued termination letters.

According to the Nation, while two of the affected directors have accepted their fate, five others are planning to take legal action against the bank for what they consider to be an unlawful termination of their appointments.

Although the apex bank had remained mum on the development, reliable sources within the bank had confirmed the report.

There are no precise details of the reason for the reported sack of the directors.

However, the two directors who quietly accepted their termination also faced a case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, due to their implication in the Jim Obazee report.

The termination letters sent to the seven directors cited reorganizational and human capital restructuring as the reason for their dismissal, which was in line with the banks new strategic direction.

The letters reportedly stated that their services would no longer be required as of Friday, March 15, 2024, and they were instructed to immediately hand over all bank properties to their departments administrator.

Meanwhile, a source within the CBN expressed concern over the lack of an exit package for the terminated directors, especially considering their years of service and the absence of any charges or accusations against them.

The source also highlighted the loss of years of institutional knowledge and expertise that would result from the dismissal of these experienced directors.

It has been revealed that the remaining 12 directors who have not received their termination letters are aware of their impending dismissal.

Some staff members have appealed to the management on behalf of the affected directors, requesting that the sack be reconsidered and converted to retirement to allow the directors to receive their allowances.

The situation at the apex bank has sparked discussions and concerns about the impact of the dismissals on the banks operations and the fate of the affected directors.

Recall that on November 24, 2023, the apex bank reassigned directors to a division under the Governors Directorate, FSS 2020, in Maitama, Abuja.

Samuel Chukwuyem Okojere, Abdulmumin Abdulsalam Isa, Dr Elizabeth Amos Kwaghe, Dr Maureen Omolola Chukwurah, and Arinze Stanley were among the directors transferred to the FSS 2020 division.

The development comes after the banks controversial relocation of at least 150 employees from the Banking Supervision Department, BSD, one of its 29 departments, to Lagos State.




Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has met with President Bola Tinubu over the killing of over a dozen military personnel in Okuoma, a community in the state.





Recall that 17 military personnel comprising a lieutenant colonel, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers were killed while on a peacekeeping mission in Okuoma community.





While the government has condemned the incident while promising that perpetrators would face the wrath of the law, the visit of the governor to the Presidential Villa may have been spurred by the incident.





Briefing State House correspondents after meeting behind closed-doors with the President, the governor said that the situation is under control, assuring that there will be no further attacks.





The governor declined to confirm the report of reprisal attacks allegedly carried out by the military and the number of casualties, saying that there are certain things he cannot say in the public.





He said that he met with the security heads in Bomadi on Monday but has been unable to meet with the community involved because the place of the incident is completely deserted.




The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, dismissed the fresh application the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, filed to be released on bail, pending the determination of the treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

Rather, trial Justice Binta Nyako ordered accelerated hearing of FGs seven-count charge against him.

Kanu had in the application he filed through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Alloy Ejimakor, on February 5, prayed the court to grant him bail on most liberal terms owing to his deteriorating health.

Ejimakor argued that there was no dispute that the IPOB leader has a serious health condition that was confirmed by federal government owned hospital.

Specifically, he disclosed that series of tests that were conducted on Kanu, showed that he was suffering from hypertension and acute heart disease.

Our humble submission is that the medical condition of the defendant speaks for itself and the health challenge persists, despite the treatment offered him by the detaining authority, Ejimako added.

He maintained that Kanus continued detention by the Department of State Services, DSS, posed a threat to his life, adding the freeing the defendant on bail would enable him to effectively prepare his defence to the charge.

Besides, Ejimakor alleged that the seeming delay in the prosecution of the case was the fault of the government which he said had repeatedly amended the charge.

On the courts observation that Kanu once jumped bail, Ejimakor argued that the development had become academic in view of findings and judgements of various courts on the issue.

On its part, FGs lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, opposed the bail application, insisting that there was no guarantee that Kanu would make himself available for trial, once released from detention.

Awomolo, SAN, told the court that the security agency had been diligent in protecting Kanus life.

He urged the court to reject the bail request and order accelerated hearing of the case.

According to the prosecution counsel, Section 161 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, stipulated that the defendant must prove that the authorities failed to grant him access to quality healthcare at his detention center.

The senior lawyer further contended that there was nothing tangible that was brought before the court to establish an exceptional circumstance that would warrant Kanus release on bail.

He said the court had earlier revoked the defendants bail after he violated the conditions attached to it.

There is no evidence before the court that Kanu will not jump bail again, Awomolo insisted.

The IPOB leader who was first arrested by security agents in Lagos on October 14, 2015, has been in detention since June 29, 2021.

Trial Justice Nyako had on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health ground, after he had spent about 18 months in detention.

Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.

However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.

Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.

Following the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, where he remained till date.

On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charge that FG preferred against him on the premise that they lacked substance.

Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanus immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.

The appellate court said it was satisfied that FG flagrantly violated all known laws, when it forcefully rendered Kanu from Kenya to the country for the continuation of his trial.

It held that such arbitrary use of power by the Nigerian government, divested the trial court of the jurisdiction to further try the Appellant.

Dissatisfied with the decision, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.

While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.

Justice Nyako had Earl expressed her displeasure over how the trial had been conducted since 2015.

This is exactly the way this case has been going since 2015. I am talking to both sides. You always find a way to truncate the proceedings, the judge fumed.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered Binance Holdings Limited to provide the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with comprehensive information on all persons from Nigeria trading on its platform.





The court handed down the order following an ex parte motion filed by the EFCC demanding information about Nigerians trading on Binance.





The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/259/2024 and dated February 29 according to the anti-graft agency was brought pursuant to sections 6(b), (h), (I), 7(1), (a)(2), and 38 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Establishment Act, 2004 and Section 15 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 (as amended).





In the affidavit filed in support of the motion an operative of the EFCC, Hamma Bello, stated that the Special Investigation Team of the commission domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser received intelligence that money laundering and terrorism financing were carried out on Binance.





He said, On receipt of the Intelligence, the team began an investigation by conducting surveillance of the activities of the platform.





The team uncovered users who have been using the platform for price discovery, confirmation and market manipulation which has caused tremendous distortions in the market, resulting in the naira losing its value against other currencies.





The damage the platform has caused was clearly explained to the operators of the platform and they were requested to delist the Naira and avail the ONSA of the activities of the Nigerians on their platform.

The information afforded to the team by Binance shows trading volume from Nigeria in 2023 alone stood at $21.6bn.





Bello stated that the requested data would help the commission to complete its investigation.





In the certified true copy of the ruling, which was delivered on February 29 but sighted by journalists on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite granted the interim order.





He said, The applicants application dated and filed 29th February 2024, is hereby granted as prayed.





That an order of this honourable court is hereby made directing the operators of Binance to provide the commission with comprehensive data/information relating to all persons from Nigeria trading on its platform.





Binance is an online exchange where users can trade cryptocurrencies.





The Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, at a press briefing after the 293rd meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee in Abuja on February, disclosed that more than $26bn was channeled through Binance without traces in the last one year.





Financial Times had on February 28 reported that two executives of the company were arrested and detained after they flew into the country as a result of a ban on their website.




Nigerian Army says its troops deployed in 1 Division area of responsibility in Kaduna State have successfully averted a kidnap attempt by a violent extremist and insurgent group.





It said the troops rescued the abductees in Tantatu Community of Kajuru Local Government Area of the State.





The Army said responding to actionable intelligence, the troops on March 17, 2024, at about 10:30pm swiftly tracked the insurgents who had earlier attacked the community in numbers and abducted some of the villagers as hostages.





This was made known on Tuesday by Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the Director Army Public Relations.





Nwachukwu said the troops tenaciously pursued the insurgents, engaging them in a ferocious exchange of fire and consequently rescuing 16 kidnapped victims.





According to him, the troops are still exploiting the bushes in continuation of the search and rescue operations to extricate other victims and stop the nefarious activities of the insurgents.





He added that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja commended the troops for the successful rescue of the kidnap victims and charged them to remain vigilant as they conduct ongoing counter insurgency operations to liberate all troubled areas in the country.
Alfanet, a prominent internet service provider (ISP) in Ecuador that serves residential and commercial customers across the country, has chosen AXESS 5 ACS (Auto Configuration Server) software from device management solutions company Axiros.

Alfanets plan, says Axiros, is to elevate its network management capabilities and deliver an exceptional internet experience to its customers across the country.

Alfanet aims to streamline device provisioning, configuration and monitoring processes, ensuring seamless connectivity and optimal performance for its users.

Axiros specialises in offering device management software that enables seamless integration and management of devices and services, leveraging industry standards like TR-069 and USP. In this case, the Axiros AXESS 5 platform integrates orchestration of onboarding, provisioning, management, and monitoring with the ability to perform critical onboarding, provisioning, and orchestrated multiprotocol operations.

It allows state-of-the-art management of customer premises equipment (CPE) with Broadband Forum-compliant CPE WAN Management Protocol (CWMP) (TR-069), User Service Platform (USP) (TR-369), and other open management protocols.

With its intuitive interface and advanced features, AXESS enables the Ecuadorian ISP to efficiently manage a wide range of CPE, including modems, routers, and gateways, while providing real-time insights into network performance and health.

Mauricio Fernandez, MD Operations Axiros LATAM, explains: "By implementing AXESS 5, Alfanet can automate device provisioning, firmware upgrades, and troubleshooting tasks, thereby reducing manual intervention and minimising downtime. Additionally, AXESS will enable Alfanet to proactively identify and address network issues, ensuring uninterrupted internet connectivity and optimal service quality for its clients.




The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has advocated for a five-year period after the completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the commencement of repayment for beneficiaries of the Federal Government loan scheme.

NANS argued that expecting repayment to start just two years after NYSC is not realistic, as less than 10 percent of graduates secure employment within that time frame.

President of NANS, Lucky Emonele, made this proposal in Abuja during a public hearing on the repeal and re-enactment of the 2024 Students Loans Access to Higher Education Bill.

The hearing was organized by the Senate Committee on Education and TETFUND, as well as the House of Representatives Committee on Student Loan, Scholarship, and Higher Education Financing.

Emonele commended President Bola Tinubu for including NANS leadership as representatives on the loan board and praised the decision to repeal the Act to address potential hindrances to the success of the student loan scheme.

He stressed the need for study grants for Nigerian students and called for measures to prevent arbitrary increments in school fees by tertiary institutions, urging the National Assembly to pass a resolution prohibiting public tertiary institutions from raising fees for the next decade to ensure the sustainability of the loan scheme.

If the Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, could earmark N683bn for public tertiary institutions in 2024, without requesting for payback from beneficiary institutions, Nigerian students should not be treated any differently, he added.

In response, Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, lauded Tinubus commitment to education, stating the Presidents desire for all school-age children to have access to education.

The minister stated that the public hearing would provide an opportunity to make further input to improve the bill for the good of Nigerian students.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse pointed out the importance of quality higher education, stating that initiatives like the student loan scheme would lead to a brighter future for youths and the nation as a whole.

By removing financial barriers, these initiatives will enable more students to pursue higher studies, leading to a larger pool of skilled graduates who contribute to the countrys social and economic development. Increased literacy rates foster economic growth, social progress, and democratic participation, Dandutse stated.

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, represented by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, earlier expressed optimism that the legislative agenda of the 10th National Assembly would significantly improve the standard of living for Nigerians.

He commended Tinubu for his support for Nigerian students through the loan scheme, noting its potential to enhance access to education and economic development.




The Labour Party, LP, has warned federal lawmakers, especially members of the House of Representatives, elected on its platform, to respect the partys supremacy or face disciplinary action.

The party issued the warning in a statement released on Monday by Obiora Ifoh, its National Publicity Secretary.

The statement said that the lawmakers have failed to be true ambassadors of the people and the Labour Party, considering the sacrifices made by Nigerians in electing them.

Ifoh specifically said that the attention of the leadership of the party has been drawn to a statement made by the LPs caucus leader in the House of Representatives, Hon Afam Ogene, saying it is unconventional to conduct convention before state, local government and ward congresses.

The spokesman said Ogene lacks knowledge as it relates to provisions of the constitution of the party under which he was elected.

According to him, Ogene should not mistake the constitutions of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, with that of the Labour Party.

Ifoh expressed shock that members of the House of Representatives elected under the party are always quick to rush to the media whenever major decisions are taken.

He said the lawmakers have never risen to the occasion as members of the Labour Party in the house, who are supposed to be the voice of the people and speak truth to power, in spite of the numerous challenges the country is going through.

It appears that they seat (sic) at the national assembly for theirselves alone. It is obvious that it is only when it concerns the party that they flex muscles. They need not be told of the persecution the party leadership has been undergoing in the hands of the government in power as a result of their election into offices and yet, they have no qualms in bringing the party to opprobrium at any given opportunity.

We therefore advice our lawmakers to desist from rushing to the press on party matters. Party internal matters must remain and kept internal matters. The party will not hesitate to discipline any party member who will not respect the supremacy of the party. The party is prepared to defend its ideology and constitution at all times irrespective of whose ox is gored, parts of the statement read.
Four men are facing murder charges in the beating and stabbing death of a man at a Bergen County bar last month while a fifth man sought in the killing remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous, authorities said.

Richard Franceschi, 31, of Hawthorne, was stabbed multiple times in the chest at JoJos Bar & Grill in the 100 block of Monroe Street in Garfield, according to the Bergen County Prosecutors Office and Garfield police.

Police and emergency responders arrived at the bar at 12:44 a.m. on Feb. 4 and found Franceschi with multiple stab wounds. He was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:29 a.m., authorities said.

Following the assault, the suspects fled the scene to evade law enforcement, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said in a statement.

The attackers were later identified as Jayson Rivera, 23, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania; Bryant Sanchez, 26, of Paterson; Erony Sanchez, 27, of Clifton; Dante Moore, 33, of Clifton; and Ricky Angel Vargas, 35, of East Stroudsurg, Pennsylvania, prosecutors said.

Vargas has not been arrested and remains a fugitive, Musella said.

They all face charges of first-degree murder and third-degree causing bodily injury and leaving the scene of a crime where the victim was physically helpless, Musella said.

During the attack, Rivera had a firearm, and Vargas had a knife, Musella alleged.

Sanchez was also charged with aggravated assault, while Rivera and Vargas are charged with weapons offenses. Moore was charged with third-degree theft, Musella said.

The four men currently in custody were held at the Bergen County Jail on Tuesday to await court hearings. Attorney information for the men was not immediately available.

Anyone with information on Vargas whereabouts is asked to call the Bergen County Prosecutors Office Tips Line at 201-226-5532.

According to a GoFundMe, which has since been disabled by the organizer, Franceschi was one of four children and grew up in Puerto Rico before coming to the United States to join his mother and siblings in the Passaic County area.

Known by many, loved by most if not all, Richard will continue to live on through his sisters, family, and close friends, the GoFundMe said.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
The owner of a former mental health center in in Bergen County has admitted to making more than $700,000 off of fraudulent insurance claims for counseling sessions that were never held.

Maria P. Cosentino, 60, of Garfield, a licensed clinical social worker, was accused of submitting the false claims while she owned Bergen Alliance Counseling Services. She admitted to running the scheme in Newark federal court on Tuesday, pleading guilty to health care fraud, the U.S. Attorneys Office District of New Jersey said.

The counseling center, located in Paramus, provided mental health services and therapy to both adults and children. From 2017 to 2023, Cosentino submitted claims to private insurance plans for sessions that did not occur, according to federal prosecutors.

The people listed on the claims were either out of the country at the time of the appointment dates, were no longer visiting the treatment center or were never patients at all, authorities said.

Cosentino spent years submitting a total of 222 claims under one of her employees names, but the person was never a patient, charging documents said. In another instance, she submitted 41 claims over an eight-and-a-half month period for a former patient, court papers said.

Patients need to be able to use their health insurance plans to obtain needed services, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. This defendant admitted today that she falsified claims in order to boost her payments, in some cases, making up visits for counseling and other treatments out of whole cloth. My office is determined to root out those who would try to rig the system for ill-gotten profits.

Cosentinos sentencing is scheduled for July 23.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
Maybe the endorsements of U.S. Senate hopeful Tammy Murphy in Hudson County should all be written in pencil.

Jersey City Mayor and 2025 gubernatorial candidate Steve Fulop yanked his support of the wife of Gov. Phil Murphy in favor of U.S. Rep. Andy Kim on the same day the Hoboken Democratic Committee chairwoman blasted the Hudson County Democratic Organization for bestowing the controversial county line to Murphy without talking to the municipal chairs first.

The Hoboken Dems further bucked the HCDO leadership by announcing it is endorsing Andy Kim for Senate and Mayor Ravi Bhalla for the Eighth District congressional seat held by Rob Menendez Jr., another favored candidate of the HCDO.

The Hudson Democratic chairman, Anthony Vainieri, has the authority to decide who gets endorsed, and therefore runs on the county line, because there is no convention to decide its support. He said without the county line, you are going to confuse the heck of the voters in Hudson County.

(Voters) look for the HCDO as a mentor and follow their judgments and endorsements because we come up with the most qualified individuals for the offices they are seeking, said Vainieri, whose group decided in November it would support Murphy, but only made it official last week. We are not used to looking for boxes.

The biggest blow of the weekend was Fulops case of buyers remorse.

I told Andy Kim its not always comfortable to admit a mistake, but clearly I made one here and this convention season has demonstrated he is the better candidate to represent NJ, Fulop posted on social media.

The announcement by Fulop also came as a federal judge was to hear arguments Monday in the lawsuit by Kim to banish the county line ballot configuration that brackets county party-endorsed candidates together on the primary ballot while other candidates are listed on the side.

Fulops decision was a surprise to Vainieri, who had just reached out to all the mayors last week to reinforce their support of Murphy. He said Fulop signed on to the endorsement last week, so what transpired over the weekend? I have no idea.

The HCDO is 100% still committed to Tammy Murphy and Rob Menendez Jr., Vainieri said. I am disappointed with (Fulop) changing his endorsement to Andy Kim when I know Tammy Murphy is a more qualified person.

While state Sen. and Union City Mayor Brian Stack and North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco reportedly dont agree on much these days, they both stood by their support of Murphy. Stack is considered the most influential member of the HCDO because of his ability to draw out the largest number of voters.

I do 100%, Stack said Monday in support of Murphy. I think Tammy will do a great job as our senator and I think the governor has done a great job in the state.

Tammy Murphy has been a good friend to North Bergen and I am fully supportive of her campaign for U.S. Senate, Sacco said.

Fulop told The Jersey Journal Monday he held out hopes for a pivot by Murphy.

Her campaign each week has been progressively worse than the previous week with regards to each convention and watching how they handle it with regards to entitlement and disregard for the grassroots of the party, Fulop said. Last weekend unfolded in a troubling way as well and as the convention season concluded without any changes, it became clear that I had made a mistake with my early support.

The HCDO chair, whose term ends in June, said he is not surprised by the Hoboken Democratic Committee hosting a convention and supporting Kim and their current mayor.

Totally understandable because Mayor Bhalla has control over the Hoboken Democratic Committee, Vainieri said. To go to the municipal chair for any endorsement for a candidate over the mayor is not how the HCDO works.

I have never made an endorsement without checking with every single mayor. That is a fact, every mayor knows that.

Rachel Hodes resigned as Hoboken Democratic Committee chairwoman Sunday in protest of the manner in which the HCDO operates. She said the committee has felt silenced by the HCDO, especially after it endorsed Murphy and Menendez Jr. without giving the committees a chance to be heard.

After many years trying to operate within the system and effect change on the issues we care about, I think for me, I had already been feeling disillusioned with how the HCDO operates on these things, said Hodes, who is married to Hoboken Business Administrator Jason Freeman. It was really disheartening to see our county not only didnt want to do (a convention), but closed the ranks even further.

In an open letter, Hodes said the HCDOs main focus is to consolidate and maintain power with the county machine. The shift away from the HCDO by Fulop and the Hoboken Dems are two more examples of the waning support of the county line.

Jersey Journal Reporter Teri West contributed to this story.
In a website that looks like a digital billboard, with a bright yellow arcade game-style lettering, U.S. Rep. Rob Menendezs re-election campaign launched an offensive attack-style strategy against opponent Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

It was just one new indication of ever-rising tensions among former Hudson County Democratic Organization allies during an explosive weekend in which Union City Mayor Brian Stack continued to take shots at his North Bergen neighbors Mayor Nick Sacco and township Commissioner Anthony Vainieri  who happens to be the head of the county Democratic party.
Police are searching for the suspects who broke into two houses in Monmouth County on Sunday, took car keys and used them to steal two luxury vehicles.

Officers in Howell Township responded to homes on Barrister Court and Vail Lane, which are just blocks apart, around 5 a.m. At both locations, the residents reported that their car, their keys and multiple other items inside the homes were missing, police said. The suspects are believed to have entered the homes through an unlocked garage window and unlocked rear sliding door.

The cars stolen were a grey 2024 Range Rover and a white 2022 Cadillac Escalade, officials said. The Range Rover has since been recovered in Jersey City, according to the Howell Township Police.

Authorities are searching for at least three suspects. No physical descriptions of the people were provided, except for that they were all wearing black clothing at the time of the crimes.

Police are asking residents to lock all of their doors and windows at night to prevent these types of thefts.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
The food pantry at Grace Episcopal Church in Merchantville is not scheduled to open this week after 40 years of providing food to the needy.

The weekly service was halted last Wednesday in the early afternoon after nearly 900 families received bags of food, many had waited in a line of cars for hours before being served.

Borough leaders in Merchantville had raised concerns about traffic and neighbor complaints before. But this time, the municipality issued a statement that the church and borough had agreed ... that the food pantry had grown beyond their control.

But church leaders said they are eager to work with the borough to find a solution to reopen soon.

Given the growth in need and our response, there are places where that response is beginning to overload the environment of the neighborhood, said Rev. Bob Fitzpatrick, the church rector. The growth in hunger and the growth in our response has begun to exhaust the balance.

Rev. Fitzpatrick said the number of families served by the pantry grew after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. He said there were fewer than 100 families served then and now there are more than 900.

The church is located on Maple Avenue near Centre Street, in the center of town. Estella Plaza, a church member and food pantry director, said people would start lining up at 5 a.m. and the line would stretch three blocks in this leafy town of large lawns and stately, classic homes.

Common complaints among some residents included driveways being blocked by cars in the food line.

The Borough expressed concerns about public safety and public nuisance as we have continually fielded complaints from residents over the past few months about both, a statement from Merchantville said. The Borough and church leadership agreed the pantry could not continue in its present form, that a pause was necessary and that a plan for a path forward must be generated and agreed to by the parties so we can address the concerns of the public and run a safe pantry.

When NJ Advance Media requested additional comment, the borough only provided the statement.

Plaza said telling the people they serve that the pantry was shutting down was emotional.

People were crying, she said. One lady...said this was taking food from her kids table.

Plaza said she was shocked when she found out they were closing.

We need to come up with a solution, Plaza said. We need help from the town.

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Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com.
The tax filing deadline of April 15 is less than a month away.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning taxpayers to avoid certain mistakes that will slow down getting your refund.

Watch out for these eight common errors, the agency said.

1. Use electronic filing

The IRS says filing your return electronically will help you avoid simple math mistakes. Using IRS Free File or alternative e-file service providers will also help you find potential tax credits or deductions, it said.

Its essential for taxpayers to carefully review their tax returns to ensure accuracy, it said. Opting for electronic filing and selecting direct deposit is the fastest and safest way to receive a refund.

2. Married? Single?

Your eligibility for deductions and credits, and the potential amount of your refund, may change significantly depending on whether you file a joint return with a spouse, or if you file as a single or a head of household. The IRS recommends you use its Interactive Tax Assistant if youre not sure which filing status is right for your situation.

3. Get the specifics right

The IRS says you should make sure that names, birthdates and Social Security numbers are correct to stop any delays or errors in processing your return.

In cases where a dependent or spouse doesnt have a Social Security number and may be ineligible to obtain one, an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) should be listed instead. To obtain an ITIN, you must complete IRS Form W-7, IRS Application for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

4. Dont forget about crypto

The IRS said everyone who files Forms 1040, 1040-SR, 1040-NR and others must answer the question about digital assets, including cryptocurrencies.

The question must be answered by all taxpayers, not just by those who engaged in a transaction involving digital assets in 2023, it said. Taxpayers must report all income related to digital asset transactions.

5. Dont skimp on income

The IRS said that most income is subject to taxation, whether you receive a 1099 from an employer or not.

Failing to accurately report income may result in accrued interest and penalties, it said.

Be sure to include all interest earnings, unemployment benefits and tips  such as those received by people who work in the service industry  and all gig economy or freelance income.

6. Double check bank accounts

If you request a direct deposit refund, be sure to offer the correct bank routing and account numbers, the IRS said.

This will help you get the fastest possible refund and make sure your money isnt misdirected to someone elses account.

7. Sign and date your return

Sign and date your return to avoid any processing delays. If youre filing a joint return, both spouses need to sign and date the return.

You should also you keep a copy of your signed tax returns and all documentation related to your income, deductions or credits. You will need this if you ever need to file an amended return or to correct any mistakes.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on X at @KPMueller.
By Tabitha DellAngelo and Ewa Dziedzic-Elliott

As lifelong educators  one of us is a librarian and the other is a leader in higher education and former member of a local school board  we strongly endorse the NJ Freedom to Read Act and believe it is critical that the Legislature hold hearings, vote on the bill, and get it to the governors desk quickly.

This bill, which has yet to receive a hearing in either chamber, prevents the unfair exclusion of library materials, and instead requires a systematic process for selecting materials and a reasonable challenge policy. This is especially important now, as various states across the country have launched reporting mechanisms for parents to report objectionable content.

It is all too common these days for parents to step up to the podium at a school board meeting and complain about their children having access to books. Rather than make the decision to restrict certain books for their own household -- which they are certainly entitled to do -- these parents want to restrict every childs access to these books.

Consider this: More than 2,500 books were targeted for censorship nationally during the 2022-23 school year, according to the American Library Association, which was a 38% spike from the previous year.

Teachers and librarians in New Jersey, meanwhile, are publicly shamed and criticized for keeping books, many of which have stood the test of time and remain invaluable tools, on the shelves of classrooms and libraries.

And in addition to protecting the materials, this bill, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Zwicker and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, will protect librarians from threats and harassment.

Teachers and librarians are certified education and information specialists who are trained on how to select materials that are age and developmentally appropriate for their students. When selecting materials for their students, they take in consideration the subject, the students reading level, the artistic and literary value of the material, and its overall appeal.

The materials chosen have age, grade or reading level recommendations  such as picture books for K-2, early chapter books for upper elementary students, and chapter books and novels for middle and high school.

Educators and librarians use the same principals when separating instruction and supplementary materials for their students, while also making sure they have access to a variety of perspectives and voices.

New Jerseys educators and librarians are also obligated to follow federal, state, and local laws, policies, and regulations. They are obligated to provide unbiased, high-quality content that is supported by facts and science.

Ultimately, they want to protect every childs right to read because a book can open possibilities, inspire creativity, and even save the life of a child.

As educators, we dedicate our lives to support the growth and development of all of our students and positively impacting their lives. That includes keeping important books and other materials on the shelves and available to them.

Please talk with your friends, neighbors, and your childrens teachers about the Freedom to Read Act. Then write to your local representatives and speak up about protecting childrens access to books and protecting our educators from harassment.

Tabitha DellAngelo is the Interim Dean of the School of Education and a Professor of Urban Education at The College of New Jersey. Ewa Dziedzic-Elliott is the Education Librarian at The College of New Jersey and the former president of the New Jersey Association of School Librarians.

Im not a reader. Im not a book person, says Florida woman who was caught promoting a Nazi propaganda book on her Facebook page.



This is the same non-reading woman who just got Amanda Gorman's poetry restricted in a Florida public school. https://t.co/UYOmL3ZAvi  Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) May 25, 2023

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Telecoms and agriculture are in the news yet again. Service provider MTN Nigeria has announced plans to partner the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), in disseminating weather and climate information to farmers and other users across Nigeria.

Two months ago NiMet entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tomorrow.io, a leading weather intelligence company based in the US with a presence across Africa and the Middle East.

The MoU established a collaborative framework between NiMet and Tomorrow.io, encompassing various areas such as the commercialisation of weather data, enhancement of weather and climate forecast accuracy and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in weather and climate intelligence.

Now MTN Nigeria is also involved. It's not clear yet precisely how MTN will be making the information available. However, as we reported in December, its parent, MTN Group, recently joined forces with Tomorrow.io for an initiative aimed at providing life-saving early warnings and critical weather information to at-risk populations of more than 300 million people across Africa.

Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services & Sustainability Officer of MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, points out: As the leading provider of communications services in Nigeria, with over 77 million people on our network, we are committed to supporting national initiatives that enhance the quality of life of Nigerians. Therefore, we are open to supporting NiMets partnership with Tomorrow.io to make this service available to farmers across Nigeria. We appreciate the opportunity to work together to improve the nations food security and anticipate a fruitful working relationship.

NiMet is the federal government of Nigeria agency responsible for observing, collating, collecting, processing and disseminating all meteorological data and information. It says that the weather and climate data that it generates are useful planning tools for farmers and other sectoral operators in areas as diverse as aviation, marine, oil and gas, construction and academia.
A long-simmering fight over New Jerseys unique primary ballot design reached a federal courtroom Monday in a case that has the potential to upend not only the states tense U.S. Senate race but Garden State politics in general.

A judge in U.S. District Court in Trenton heard more than eight hours of oral arguments in a federal lawsuit U.S. Rep. Andy Kim filed seeking to abolish the states county line system, in which candidates endorsed by county Democratic and Republican parties  often under the influence of party bosses  are bracketed together on primary ballots, with opponents listed to the side.

The setup has become a big issue as Kim runs against First Lady Tammy Murphy in a wild and contentious Democratic primary for the partys nomination to take over for indicted Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez. Kim claims the process violates the U.S. Constitution and gives an unfair advantage to Murphy, the wife of Gov. Phil Murphy. He is seeking to immediately block it in time for the June 4 primary.

In a shocking filing the night before the hearing, state Attorney General Matthew Platkins office wrote a letter to the judge saying Platkin  a longtime Murphy ally  wont step into the case and defend the system because he considers it unconstitutional.

That all weighed heavily as Kim, his attorneys, and a bevy of lawyers representing several county clerks pushing to keep the setup appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Zahid Quraishi in a packed courtroom.

But Quraishi questioned whether to consider Platkins statement at all, saying that while the attorney general declined to intervene in the case, he is lobbing his opinion from the cheap seats in a last-minute filing.

Hes trying to backdoor his opinion without getting into the case, the judge said.

Platkin, the states top law enforcement official, had 60 days to decide whether to intervene in the lawsuit because it challenges state laws that permit the system.

His office wrote that candidates not chosen by party leaders can be placed at the end of a ballot with multiple blank spaces separating them from their competitors, which creates the phenomenon known as ballot Siberia.

Angelo Genova, a high-profile attorney representing numerous county clerks, called the letter a litigation grenade and said it shouldnt be considered.

Quraishi gave both sides until Friday to submit legal filings as to whether he should consider Platkins opinion.

Platkins position is a break from Gov. Murphy, the man who appointed him, as the governors wife runs for Senate in a race where the county line is considered critical to her campaign.

Tammy Murphy, a first-time candidate, was endorsed early on by many prominent Democrats, including the county chairs in eight of the states largest counties who hold great sway over who receives the line. Several either do business with the state or hold state jobs, which critics say gives them incentive to back Murphys campaign and not run afoul of the governor. Phil Murphy still has two years left in office and will also oversee the next two state budgets.

Both the first lady and the governor have staunchly denied accusations of nepotism.

In response to Platkins letter, Mahen Gunaratna, the governors communication director, said: Outside the context of any campaign, Governor Murphy has consistently and accurately noted that the bracketing of candidates is permitted by duly enacted laws that have been on the books for decades.

It is well-established that Attorneys General have a general obligation to defend the constitutionality of statutes, regardless of their own personal views, Gunaratna said. The Governor believes that a legal defense of the statute permitting bracketing would have been appropriate and consistent with the actions of prior Attorneys General.

New Jersey is the only state with this ballot design, used in 19 of the states 21 counties. Kim and two U.S. House candidates have asked the judge for an emergency injunction to prevent the setup for this primary and require all county clerks to switch to the office block ballot used in 49 other states, in which candidates are grouped together based on the office they are seeking.

Quraishi did not indicate Monday when he may make a ruling, though the clock is ticking for him to decide in time for the primary, which is now 2 1/2 months away.

People have argued about the line, a cornerstone of New Jerseys political ecosystem, for years. Critics say the arrangement gives the endorsed candidates a big advantage by making them appear more prominent on ballots and making it easier for voters simply to vote down the line.

Opponents say its arcane and confusing, helps party bosses top elections, keeps political machines in power by demanding loyalty from those who the preferential placement, deters newcomers from running for office, and discriminates against women candidates and candidates of color.

Supporters say the line helps voters clearly see whom a party supports and helps ensure parties select stronger nominees and prevent extreme contenders from winning a nomination.

Primary ballots in New Jersey versus other states.File photos

Genova said changing the ballot design could confuse voters even more and noted this has been the structure in New Jersey for 100 years.

Quraishi scoffed at that.

The argument that this is how weve always done it, so this is how it should be is not going to convince this court, the judge said.

Bill Tambussi, another defense attorney, said political parties have a right to associate, and that means they have the right to identify those candidates with which it means to associate.

Quraishi responded by asking why county parties cant simply endorse and leave it at that.

Why does it have to be that they also control the ballot? the judge asked.

Testifying from the stand during Mondays hearing, Kim said its often seen as impossible for a candidate to win without the county line. A recent study by a Rutgers University professor found the line gave congressional candidates an advantage of up to 38 percentage points.

The design of New Jerseys primary ballots is a national outlier and a national embarrassment, said Flavio Komuves, an attorney for Kim.

Counties confer the lines in different ways. Kim  who has accused Murphy of weaponizing the line  noted he has won party endorsements in several counties in which rank-and-file members vote via secret ballot to bestow the line. But that, he said, gives him the line in places that make up only 33% of all registered Democrats in New Jersey.

Murphy, meanwhile, has won most of her lines in larger, vote-rich counties where party leaders  many of whom personally endorsed her  have the biggest say in who gets the line. That gives Murphy with a statistical advantage over Kim.

Kim also noted that even in counties where candidates win the line, they are sometimes forced to be bracketed with others they dont know.

I just ask for us to have a fair ballot here, the three-term congressman said. All Im asking for is New Jersey to be in line with 49 other states.

The whole point of democracy is to give the people a choice and be able to have the decision be made by the people, Kim added. If there are elements limiting that, I find that to be adverse to the pursuit of democracy.

A group of progressive advocates and failed candidates filed a similar lawsuit in 2021 challenging the line, but Kim launched his suit to move the process along.

County clerks argue its too late to change the system in time for the June primary, saying the switch could cause logistical havoc.

This would be of grave concern to be able to get this done in the very short time frame that wed have, Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon testified.

At one point, David Passante, who runs a printing business, Royal Printing Company, that produces ballots for many counties, said changing the system this close to the primary would lead to chaos.

The judge questioned that.

If I order a change, you said it would be chaos, Quraishi said. But what if one of the county clerks decides they want to do it differently. We prefer this kind of ballot in this county. Do you tell them you cant take their business?

No, Passante replied.

Would you find a way to do it? the judge asked.

Yes, Passante said.

If I order it, its chaos. If the county clerk asks him, he finds a way to get it done, Quraishi said.

Komuves, Kims attorney, insisted clerks would have enough time to rework the ballots by April 20, when ballots for overseas and military voters must go out.

Meanwhile, defense attorneys pressed Kim over the fact he ran with the line in his three congressional campaigns and continues to see county endorsements now even as he sues to stop them. Kim said he has long disliked the system but felt he needed to take part to make his candidacy viable in the past and now to prevent a competitor of mine to gain an advantage in all of those counties.

One can seek reforms to a system while still having to work within it, he said.

Murphys campaign has called Kims lawsuit a sad hypocritical stunt.

But in the wake of Platkins filing, Tammy Murphy said in a statement: I am running for the U.S. Senate, and as Ive stated repeatedly in this race, will comply with whatever the courts decide the process of the race to be.

If it remains up to the county parties to determine the process, I will complete those conventions and screenings, added Murphy, who was not in court. Should the courts determine a different path, I will follow those rules as well.

Defense attorneys also suggested Kim should have filed the suit earlier, accusing him of trying to disrupt the election. Kim said he waited until he actually suffered harm by losing a line, in Passaic County, last month.

Should the judge strike down the system, it would have broader implications beyond the Senate race. Experts say it would dilute the outsized power county parties hold in New Jersey politics and pave the way for more competitive primaries.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat running to succeed Phil Murphy as governor next year, praised Platkin for deciding not to defend the indefensible, saying the line is an antidemocratic system that works to empower the few over the many.

We are ready to turn a new leaf in this state and losing the line is an important step towards reimagining the power of the New Jersey people, Baraka said.

State Senate Minority Leader Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, chastised Platkin.

The Attorney Generals role is to enforce and defend the law, not to make or repeal it, Bucco said. That is clearly the responsibility of the Legislature.

Quraishi stressed that political concerns of the defendants have absolutely no bearing on his ultimate decision and no one should read the tea leaves as to what that decision may be.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X at @johnsb01.
If youre looking for a Jersey Shore rental thats close to the water, then look no further.

Its a 92-foot yacht thats docked in Barnaget Light in the bay on Long Beach Island at Bayview Harbor Marina. Lady Grace has 2,300-square-feet of living space, five staterooms that sleep up to 10 people, six bathrooms, sundecks and plenty of water views.

The rental costs $5,750 to $8,900 for a week. Local cruising is included with a three-day rental and multiple cruises, including overnight to Cape May and Atlantic City, are available for weekly rentals.

The Lady Grace is for rent on Vacation Rentals Jersey Shore, which has listings in Long Beach Island, Wildwood and Ocean City.

Out of over 2,700 active rental listings we have ... this is our one and only motor yacht, said Duane Watlington, founder of Vacation Rentals Jersey Shore.

Lady Grace has been listed on the site since February 2023. We have had over 75 inquiries on it since it was posted, 25 since the New Year, he said.

There are two very attractive things about the yacht as a summer rental  it only has a three-night minimum and they allow pets.

Its a nice change of scenery from the traditional shore rental, Watlington said. Its got that cool factor.

Lady Grace has a 22-foot by 20-foot salon, large enough for everyone onboard to gather in with multiple seating areas, satellite television and music, a full bar with a sink and fridge and a game table.

The kitchen has a full-size refrigerator with a freezer, a stovetop and oven, a microwave, wine fridge, dishwasher and compactor.

The staterooms have televisions and other media equipment, cedar closets and private full bathrooms. The master stateroom has a king-sized bed, a couch, a deck and an oversized bathroom with a jacuzzi tub and two sinks.

The sundeck has lounge chairs and a grill.

Its really attractively priced too, when compared to a luxury five-bedroom bay front on LBI, Watlington said, adding that the median rental price for a five bedroom home on the bay in Long Beach Island is $12,000 per week.

The Lady Grace, like most shore rentals, is in highest demand from June through August.

Satellite television and music are available.Courtesy of VRLBI.com

The kitchen has a full size refrigerator and freezer, a stovetop, oven, microwave and dishwasher.Courtesy of VRLBI.com

There is plenty of seating for the 10 people that the Lady Grace sleeps.Courtesy of VRLBI.com

Lady Grace has multiple decks and 2,300 square feet of living space.Courtesy of VRLBI.com

There are five staterooms.Courtesy of VRLBI.com

Are you an agent, buyer or seller who is active in this changing market? Do you have tips about New Jerseys real estate market? Unusual listings? Let us know.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription.

Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com.
Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost.

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Mastercard has signed a deal with Chinas Alipay to facilitate international remittances into the market.

The agreement builds on an existing agreement between Mastercard and Ant Group, and will enable banks, businesses and fintech services to make immediate transfers to Alipays more than 1 billion Chinese customers.

Dennis Chang, Mastercard s division president for greater China, noted that China is one of the major global markets for international remittances, saying: As global economic activities continue to recover, demand for cross-border payments will only increase.

DaXue Consulting cited data from Statista showing that Alipay is favoured by 92% of digital payments users in China, with WeChat Pay used by 85%.
The Cuban Government has not only caused the country's population to become older, and to contract ... it has also managed to accelerate these two phenomena beyond what researchers and academics had predicted, according to the most recent meeting of the Government Commission on Attention to Demographic Dynamics.

At the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz and held by videoconference from the Palace of the Revolution, data was updated reflecting "the contraction in the number of births, the low fertility rate, growth of internal migration, increase in aging, and natural decrease in the size of the population, among others," according to the state media source Granma.

The statement from the official agency of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) does not mention the exodus that is emptying the country of nationals, mainly young people escaping from the economic crisis and the lack of political freedoms that suffocates them on the island.

In the last two years alone some 475,000 Cubans have emigrated to the United States. The number of emigrants from Cuba who arrived in that country in 2022 (321,704), according to statistics from the US Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP), exceeded the number of births (95,211) recorded by the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) during the same period.

At the aforementioned meeting it was also announced that only in 33 Cuban municipalities is the population growing at a normal rate, most located in the east of the country.

According to researchers and academics cited by the state media source, this population trend was expected by the end of this decade, but it has been moved up.

The state media source's statement does not specify what the authorities have done to address a problem that was supposed to appear in some five years, or the government's explanation of this premature development.

And, as the population ages and shrinks in almost all of Cuba, in territories like Granma, Holguin and Las Tunas teenage pregnancy is skyrocketing.

The director of the Center for Demographic Studies at the University of Havana, Antonio Aja Diaz, explained that adolescent fertility should be seen as a social problem and not as a health issue.

Regarding the aging of the population and the increase in the number of elderly people in Cuba, Aja Diaz said that "quality of life for the elderly, which the Ministry of Public Health constantly emphasizes, has to go further. Governments have to be involved in this, each one must know, in detail, the situation in their grandparents' home, their nursing home, their Family Care System, and what can be done. "

Although the academic highlighted MINSAP's alleged concern for the elderly's quality of life, many Cubans who lack relatives abroad to help them go hungry and feel abandoned by the State. There has also been an increase in the number of elderly people begging or rummaging for food in garbage.

Until 2021, according to official figures, there were 300 nursing homes in Cuba with 10,258 slots, 3,516 day slots at these centers, and 157 facilities with 12,561 beds. Those figures were already insufficient ten years ago, when 18.3% of Cubans were 60 years old or older, according to the National Population and Housing Census conducted in 2012.
The project is now expected to be scheduled for a vote by the parish council on April 9, according to St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard. The proposal is part of a larger debate over environmental justice concerns along the industrial corridor between New Orleans and Baton Rouge that activists label "Cancer Alley."

The 6-2 vote of the planning commission came after Wallace residents and members of The Descendants Project local advocacy group warned that allowing only a 300-foot buffer for the project would set a precedent that could result in major petrochemical facilities being built near other residential neighborhoods in the parish.

The rezoning was also opposed by Brian Davis, executive director of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation, who said the elevator project would disrupt tourism visits to the Whitney Plantation and other historic facilities in the area.
Though the choices have narrowed significantly, it's Louisiana's chance to weigh in on who should be the Democratic and Republican presidentia
Peter Navarro, an advisor to former President Donald Trump, speaks to reporters as he arrives at the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington on Sept. 7, 2023. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The Supreme Courts chief justice on March 18 rejected former Trump White House aide Peter Navarros emergency petition to delay his prison sentence.

The decision came a day before Mr. Navarro was to report to federal prison to serve his four-month sentence for defying a congressional subpoena.

In issuing the order, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said he had no basis to disagree with the appeals court ruling, though he added that the finding wouldnt affect the outcome of Mr. Navarros appeal.

Mr. Navarro was convicted in September 2023 on two counts of contempt of Congress after he failed to comply with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 select committee.

His initial request to delay his sentence pending appeal was denied in February by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who held that the trade adviser to former President Donald Trump failed to present any substantial questions of law in his motion that would likely yield a better result.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld that ruling on March 14.

Appellant has not shown that his appeal presents substantial questions of law or fact likely to result in reversal, new trial, a sentence that does not include a term of imprisonment, or a reduced sentence of imprisonment that is less than the amount of time already served plus the expected duration of the appeal process, the three-judge panel ruled.

But in his March 15 petition to Chief Justice Roberts, Mr. Navarro argued that his appeal will raise a number of issues on appeal that he contends are likely to result in the reversal of his conviction, or a new trial.

For the first time in our nations history, a senior presidential advisor has been convicted of contempt of Congress after asserting executive privilege over a congressional subpoena, Mr. Navarros attorneys wrote.

Navarro is indisputably neither a flight risk nor a danger to public safety should he be released pending appeal.

In response to Justice Robertss ruling, Mr. Navarro released a statement on March 18 saying he would continue to appeal his case, even if a resolution comes after the end of his prison sentence, as the constitutional separation of powers will be irreparably damaged and doctrine of executive privilege  will cease to function, if the appeal fails, he said.

He said his partisan imprisonment should chill the bones of every American.

In Joe Bidens weaponized justice system, a Democrat controlled Congress and Justice Department together with an Obama-appointed District Judge and three Obama-appointed Appeals Court judges drove the Navarro railroad right into prison.

If anybody thinks these partisans and politicians in robes arent coming for Donald Trump, they must think twice now, Mr. Navarro added.

On Capitol Hill, Mr. Navarros conviction and sentencing has sparked calls for an investigation into the Jan. 6 select committees work.

In a March 15 letter, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) urged fellow Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chairman of the House Administration Oversight Committee, to conduct further oversight over the committees decision to recommend contempt of Congress charges against former Trump administration officials.

As you are likely aware, former White House Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro has been ordered to report to prison next week based on his refusal to comply with the demands of the committee that has been shown to be illegitimately constituted and hopelessly tainted, Mr. Biggs wrote.

The congressman told The Epoch Times last week that his concern was that the committees work was influenced by political bias.

That Mr. Navarro is required to report to federal prison for refusing to comply with an illegitimate committees demands is indicative of our nations two-tiered justice system, Mr. Biggs said.

Throwing political opponents behind bars is a cruel move more likely to be seen in communist China and banana republics around the world. We must swiftly bring this practice to an end if we hope to protect our republic.

Mr. Navarro has been ordered to surrender himself to the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami no later than 2 p.m. on March 19.

Meanwhile, the high court is set to hear oral arguments next month in another case involving Jan. 6President Trumps federal election obstruction case.

The former presidents legal team holds that presidential immunity exempts him from prosecution in the election case being brought against him by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. They also contend that based on double jeopardy principles, President Trump cant be prosecuted over conduct for which he was already impeached and acquitted by the U.S. Senate.

The Supreme Court will hear those arguments during the week of April 22.

Sam Dorman, Savannah Hulsey Pointer, Zachary Stieber, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times
Passed March 9, 2024

John T. Turner of Sisters left this life on March 9, 2024. He was 99 years old. Born in Sayre, Arkansas, on January 5, 1925, to Albert and Effie (Machen) Turner. He attended public schools in Casa Grande, Arizona, graduating high school in 1943. He graduated from Park University in Parkville, Missouri.

He joined the military at 17, serving in Europe with the Eighth Air Force, flying combat missions in a B-17 during World WarII. He served with the 378th Bombardment Group in England, and was shot down twice over France. He married Barbara Smith in 1945.

He transferred to the U.S. Army in 1947. Ten years of his career were spent overseas and included two tours in Korea. As a Captain he attended the Army Language School in Monterey, where he studied Mandarin Chinese. He later was assigned to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he translated the short course curriculum and later taught the course to 26 Chinese generals.

His senior positions included Chief of Staff of a Logistical Command in Europe; Inspector General of the U.S. Army in Alaska, Commander of the Garrison at Fort Richardson, Alaska, and Chief of Staff of the Ordinance Center and School at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. He retired as a Colonel in 1975.

Outside of his military and family duties, he was a Thirty-Second Degree Mason, active in the Scottish Rite and in the Shrine. He was Past Master, District Deputy of the Grand Master, Grand Lecturer of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Oregon, and he was an honorary Past Grand Master.

He was a lover of books and music and was an amateur old-time fiddler. He was an avid reader and a student of history. He enjoyed words. He often said that the two most beautiful words in the English language are "integrity" and "civility," and, excepting the usual human frailties, he endeavored to live by both. He was tolerant in many ways, but admittedly, not in all. He believed it was courteous to wear one's hat only when outside.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 78 years, Barbara, daughters Margaret Greer and Meredith Kellogg (David), son Mark Turner (Janet), 3 grandsons, 3 granddaughters, and 5 great-grandchildren, as well as dear family friends. He was predeceased by son John Michael, who died in Vietnam. A memorial service will be held at a later date, and inurnment will be at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
We are all going to miss him dearly. How does one go about describing Sibi? Many of you are blessed to have come to know Fr. Sibi over these last five years as he pastored the flock at St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church. Whether as a Young Lifer, pickle-baller, hiker, mountain biker, or just hanging out with the guys at the Space Age. His kind and gentle and humorous nature made him so easy to be around, to be drawn to. His detachment from the world and abiding joy were/are attractive.

Though his family had envisioned young Sibi to pursue a career in medicine or engineering, inspired by stories his middle school years, he felt called to become a missionary priest.

While here in Sisters, Fr. Sibi completed a PhD in Psychology, focusing on the impact of faith in the successful treatment of Substance Use Disorder (SUD). He will now join over 220 religious sisters and 70 priests in Bijnor, a province in Northern India.

Starting this month, Fr. Sibi will be overseeing the construction and then the operations of a substance abuse treatment center, where Christianity and mission work in general, is oppressed by the Hindu government.

India: a country one-third the land mass of our 50 states and yet hosting four times more people. That's really crowded.

Kudos to many in our community for taking your children to experience and be with the truly poor. What a blessing it is to have one's perspectives change for the better. One cannot return the same person. I know I speak for many of you, that an experience like this is hard to describe; not quite sure how to sum it all up - I just can't seem to find the words to convey what I really feel. I'll try.

I joined three buddies from our St. Edward's Mens group to join Fr. Sibi as he returned home in early February for good, or should I say, goodness sake. He led us (as his friends and family fed us) for the next three weeks traveling from the missionary outposts in the North, to Saint Theresa's Motherhouse in Kolkata, then to Fr. Sibi's hometown of Cochin in Southern India.

Jump into the mini-minivan with us as we travel from orphanage, to school, to hospital, to another school, and round out the day spending some time with 224 "differently-abled" residents. Often, local parents will simply drop off a disabled child, unable to provide care. These missionaries will adopt the child for life. We were privileged to meet a number of these residents, and they are thriving. The compassionate care offered often brought us to tears - two baths a day, much of the food grown on site, laughter ,and foot rubs.

Driving along, being thrown about by roads in which there were literally more potholes than road, the sights, sounds, and smells of abject poverty, pollution, and civic chaos was startling and sobering, often making you feel helpless and hopeless.

Turning off a road, and in a moment, utter chaos would give way to great joy and hope as we would enter a care center, school, or church. We were fortunate to meet many of Fr. Sibi's fellow missionary priests, sisters, and volunteers. A number of descriptors come to mind: called, answering, selfless, deep, compassionate, satisfied, purposeful, fun, peaceful, and joyful.

Sounds strange, but these folks just had different smiles, knowing smiles. Without words, these dear ones spoke volumes through their work. You can never ever go wrong by loving a person, loving them right where they are with whatever you have. Revelations as such, rocked my thinking. Me having so much, often unsatisfied and unsettled. Him or her, having so little, yet wanting so little and at peace.

Paul, who not only celebrated his 75th birthday, but 43nd anniversary in India (thank you Mary Lou!) had this to say: "Eyes of India...I just keep thinking of all their eyes, how they communicate hope, peace, and unguarded love, especially the children. They really got to me, still do. Matter of fact, I don't want to lose this, ever. Words sometimes mess up some of the best of what we want to communicate, my agenda often surfaces to mess things up, get in the way. I really want to use my eyes to communicate more, purely".

Dave Duehren, who also celebrated his birthday abroad, had this to say: "Trip of a lifetime, but good to be back home and now wanting to raise awareness of this work. Such a diverse experience as Fr. Sibi did not take us to tour India, but to greet India by walking her streets, feeling her poverty, viewing her grandeur, tasting her home-cooked food, and meeting her lovely people".

Photo provided The people of India made a strong impression.

Jim Younts offered, "Only by the grace of God to be born in the USA and live here in Sisters Country. The Church has really stepped in to provide where the Indian government cannot, will not, and has worked tirelessly to dissolve the caste system. Our dollars can provide so much more in India and I fully trust Fr. Sibi and his co-missionaries. I want to support them as a thank you for being missionaries here, and for what they are doing in a very difficult region of the world. Fr. Sibi is right where he needs to be with challenging work looming before him. He could have done anything in the professional world, yet he chose this. I want to help them in any way I am able."

I am on the board of a non-profit 501(c)(3) called "Friends of Bijnor" which aims to bring awareness, and support these missionaries. If you would like to learn more about this work, please contact me ([email protected]) or pull up the FOB website https://www.friendsofbijnor.org/overview.html. Thank you and God bless you!
If you're in the market for some unique crafts or gifts, the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum will again host its annual Spring Artisan Fair next month.

The Spring Artisan Fair will take place at the three-story local history museum at 2405 Indiana Ave., Suite 1 in LaPorte from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 14. More than 25 artists will sell their handcrafted wares at the museum that day.

Vendors will include Sandi Terry, Rolling Acres Pet Treat Bakery, the Relevant Wreath, the Michigan City Art League, Kerry Fraze, SimPly Inspired Jewelry, Tanis Pawson, Mary Ann Filipiak, Janet Musikantow, Emily Enders, Mona Coalter, Kathleen Petitjean, Heaven Help Us Pastries, Honey in the Rock, Melissa Petersen-Plummer, Rayning Tumblers and T's, Pat Mistak, Patricia Howard, Kerry Creating Memories, Crafts by Audrey and Mission for Puerto Rico Creative Collection.

"You dont want to miss this fantastic assortment of goods made by local artisans," Assistant Director Savannah Jackson said.

Admission to the museum will be by donation instead of fee. More festivities also are planned that day.

"The LaPorte County Draft Horse Association will also be putting on their annual Plow Day that day," Jackson said. "Come see the field between the museum and the Door Prairie barn plowed the old-fashioned way."

The museum also is currently hosting a Women's History Month Exhibit about LaPorte County's women's clubs and societies, a Kingsford Heights History Pop-Up as part of its ongoing "Towns of La Porte County Pop-Up" series and an Endangered Heritage Traveling Exhibit from the Indiana Historical Society on how to preserve local history.

The museum also is home to many permanent exhibits for viewing, including 14 different period rooms that show what life was like in LaPorte County over the decades, the Kesling Auto Collection that displays more than 30 vintage cars including a DeLorean of "Back to the Future" fame, a Belle Gunness exhibit that recreates the infamous lonely hearts serial killer's LaPorte farm, artifacts of when LaPorte County was part of the Pottawatomi Nation and the W.A. Jones Collection of more than 850 antique weapons.

For more information, visit laportecountyhistory.org.
LAPORTE  The town marshal in the small community of Pottawattomie Park was paid thousands of dollars while falsely claiming to be working at more than one police department at a time, according to Indiana State Police.

Marshal Jason Yagelski has been charged with felony counts of ghost employment and official misconduct, as well as a misdemeanor count of fraud, ISP said.

LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan contacted ISP in January to investigate irregularities in work hours noticed by Long Beach Marshal Mark Swistek.

"The investigation showed that Officer Yagelski had claimed hours worked at two different police departments at the same time," ISP said. "This happened on numerous occasions resulting in him being paid several thousand dollars for hours not actually worked at the Pottawattomie Park Police Department, the Trail Creek Police Department, and the Long Beach Police Department."

Yagelski is a former deputy marshal for the Long Beach Police Department and a former deputy marshal for the Trail Creek Police Department.

"Yagelski has since posted bond after being booked at the LaPorte County Jail," police said.

Just last month, it was announced that a second former official from the lakefront community of Long Beach has been charged with illegally deleting a year's worth of work emails.

Former Clerk-Treasurer Timothy Perry, 60, is charged with felony counts of unlawful destruction of public records and official misconduct.

Helen Sheridan, 71, a former deputy clerk, has been charged with the same counts stemming from the same case, officials have said.
Troopers at the Indiana State Police Lowell Post participated in targeted patrols to identify and apprehend impaired drivers over this past holiday weekend.

Statistics compiled from Friday through Sunday revealed 17 operating while intoxicated arrests were made, police said. ISP issued 113 warnings and 116 traffic citations.

There were 18 crash investigations, and 24 arrests for various criminal offenses including: battery by bodily waste on a public servant, reckless driving, indecent exposure, possession of a legend drug and habitual traffic offender, police said.

"All of the incredibly dedicated troopers at the Lowell Post remain committed to making Indiana's roadways safer on a daily basis," Assistant District Commander First Sgt. Terrance Weems said. "Increased efforts and traffic blitzes to curb impaired driving will continue this spring and throughout the year."

ISP said an off-duty trooper was hit by an impaired driver while driving his police car. That driver was charged with an OWI and two counts of neglect of a dependent as two children were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash.

ISP encourages people who are planning on consuming alcohol to have a designated sober driver.

Gallery: Recent arrests booked into Lake County Jail Marcus Roberson Brittany Smith Davion Stephenson Tyler Sweet Ezekiel Nettles Wayne Rivera Kurt McCammon Jr. Molly McIntosh Shauntrelle Lockhart Dalvin Kimmons Sr. Linda Lear Antoine Hull Jr. Jakobie Jackson Perry Jackson II Chance Jamerson Andrew Jones Miguel Gonzalez Lori Dennis Herbert Foust Salvador Arevalo Chagoya Stephen Bonner Lardarius Thomas Bernard Scott Juan Padilla Fernando Rosas Ricky Jackson Taurice Lancaster Toni Lindsey Malachi McClendon Jesse McGarr Justin Heinzel Maurice Dickey Jr. Troy Crosby Andrew Caradonna Larry Crocker III Bridgette Bailey Robertson Lindsey Spangenberg Jennifer Spisak Marian Zak Olorunleke Oshiga Jason Neal Aaliyah Boyce Emanuel Echavarria Garcia Marcus Hartman Augustine Karikari Michael Bass
Ford agreed to pay the United States government $365 million to settle a tariff ducking case in which it was accused of underestimating the value of hundreds of thousands of Transit Connect vans to pay a lower duty rate.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker, which employs thousands of workers in the bistate Calumet Region, reached the agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice over imports of its popular delivery van from April 2009 to March 2013. Federal investigators allege Ford presented its cargo vans to U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspectors with sham rear seats that were meant to make them look like passenger vehicles.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleges it was a scheme to avoid paying a 25% duty rate for cargo vehicles so it could pay a tariff of just 2.5% for passenger vehicles.

When companies misclassify imports to avoid paying what they owe, they will be held accountable, said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer. Todays settlement is a victory for American taxpayers and for our efforts to combat trade fraud and ensure compliance with United States trade laws. Companies that attempt to evade customs duties with sham representations and workarounds will not be rewarded.

Ford, which often touts its commitment to American manufacturing, denied any wrongdoing. It agreed to the settlement but made no admission of liability.

Ford strongly disagrees with many of the characterizations in the DOJs statement and admits no liability in this matter, a Ford spokesperson said in a statement. But in the interest of moving on from this complex, decade old dispute, we have agreed to settle the matter once and for all.

The U.S. Department of Justice alleges the vehicles were misclassified to ensure lower tariffs at the border. Federal investigators say the rear seats were never meant to be used and were removed as soon as the vehicles cleared customs.

The Justice Department operates a Trade Fraud Task Force that investigations such cases works to ensure U.S. trade laws are followed.

Importers have an obligation to truthfully declare the nature of their products and pay the duties that are owed, said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Departments Civil Division. The government will not permit companies to evade duties by adding sham features to their products and then misclassifying them.
Days after Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a bill aimed at ending the city of Gary's 25 year-long lawsuit against the handgun industry, the defendants moved to dismiss the case.

House Enrolled Act 1235, which removes the ability of cities and other local governments to sue gun and ammunition manufacturers and other industry businesses in nearly all cases, was signed into law on Friday.

Arguing that the city now lacks the authority to maintain its lawsuit, the defendants, including prominent gunmakers Smith & Wesson, Colt and Beretta, asked a Lake Superior Court judge to throw out the case on Monday.

In 1999, Gary sued a group of defendants including 11 handgun manufacturers, one wholesaler, and five local retailers. Supported by the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the city claimed that negligent conduct by the businesses, including allowing illegal straw sales of firearms, constituted a public nuisance.

The new law designates Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita as the only official in the state with the ability to sue gun industry businesses  an authority he is unlikely to wield. In February, he told attendees of a Las Vegas gun industry conference that he would not take up Gary's complaint.

Authored by Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, HEA 1235 is not the first legislative attempt by Hoosier State Republicans to stop the Gary lawsuit. A 2015 law signed by then-Gov. Mike Pence made an existing statute granting broad civil immunity to gunmakers retroactive, prompting the defendants to move to dismiss the case. This put a temporary stop to discovery  the process through which parties to a lawsuit produce and share relevant evidence  but the Indiana Court of Appeals sided with the plaintiff and revived the litigation.

In June, Judge John Sedia issued a ruling allowing discovery to move ahead. Garys attorneys are seeking access to gun sale records from the defendants, which they say will demonstrate a link between the businesses' practices and violent crime in the city.

In testimony at the Statehouse, Brady Center attorney Philip Bangle told lawmakers that HEA 1235 would prompt another lengthy appeal process.

Brady Center president Kris Brown said in a statement released on Monday that the defendants' motion "shows just how scared they are of discovery and the Citys proof at trial."

If the gun industry thought they could win this case, they wouldnt be fighting so hard  and so dirty  to push through multiple laws intended to have it thrown out," Brown said. "Theyre doing this because they know what the Citys case will reveal. Well, we are not afraid, and we will continue to exhaust every opportunity to keep the City of Garys case alive on behalf of its people and on behalf of all Americans who deserve to know what the gun industry is hiding.
New Buffalo Township just across the state line in Michigan is looking to slow down the mad rush to open cannabis dispensaries right by the Indiana border.

The township government in Southwest Michigan placed a moratorium of new dispensary licenses after 35 dispensaries filed plans to open along U.S. 12 and just off Interstate 94 in unincorporated New Buffalo Township next to Indiana, one of a shrinking number of states where marijuana is still completely illegal.

Last week, the New Buffalo Township Planning Commission and the New Buffalo Township Board held emergency meetings on a moratorium after The Times of Northwest Indiana published a story in which a Michigan state official noted the township of about 2,400 residents would end up with more cannabis dispensaries than Detroit if all the pending projects get approved, financed and built.

Detroit, by far the largest city in the state, had 33 dispensaries at the end of 2023, according to the Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Authority.

The moratorium went into effect Monday.

"The township board approved a moratorium on marijuana establishments starting at 4:00 pm on March 18th," New Buffalo Township Supervisor Michelle Heit said. "No new applications will be received after 4 p.m. today, any complete or partial applications will have until June 3rd to submit necessary documents."

New Buffalo Township has approved 23 dispensary projects so far and will consider the other 12 applications under the current ordinance. But it's looking to revisit the ordinance after a surge in cannabis dispensaries, many of which are chains with other locations across Michigan, clamoring to locate at the Indiana state line.

"The planning commission and the board want to pause, catch up and revisit language in the ordinance," Heit said.

Michigan legalized medicinal marijuana in 2008 and recreational marijuana in 2019. Last year, the state had 751 cannabis retailers that reported more than $3 billion in sales.

Many are huddled along states lines to take advantage of more restricted marijuana policies in other states. Monroe, Michigan, by the Ohio border just north of Toledo, is home to 16 dispensaries with more on the way because Ohio didn't legalize recreational marijuana until a few months ago. Ironwood in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a town of about 5,000 on the Wisconsin border, is home to three dispensaries.

As is evident from all the billboards touting Michigan cannabis as one drives east on Interstate 94 in Northwest Indiana, Southwest Michigan just across the Indiana state line is already home to many dispensaries, including Harbor Country Collective, High Profile, Zen Leaf, Pinnacle Emporium Buchanan, 7ENGINES Cannabis Dispensary, Cannavista Wellness, Lifted Craft Cannabis and Mill Valley Hemp Co. Three Oaks, the Harbor Country town that's home to the popular Journeyman Distillery, is considering allowing unlimited dispensary licenses.

So many dispensaries have been opening outside New Buffalo by the Indiana state line one internet wit called it "New Puffalo."

Rolling Embers, URB and The Bloomery cannabis dispensaries recently opened off Exit 1 on Interstate 94 just past the Indiana/Michigan state line. King of Budz is also opening there.

JARS Cannabis and Pharmhouse Wellness are slated to open on U.S. just across the state line. Pharmhouse owner Casey Kornoelje estimates the new dispensaries collectively will invest between $50 million and $100 million in New Buffalo Township in part to cater to both Indiana and Illinois traffic.

Illinois also legalized recreational marijuana but it's most costly due in part to taxes. Illinois charges excise rates of 10% for THC under 35%, 25% for THC over 35% and 20% for cannabis-infused items like gummies. Michigan just charges a flat rate of 10%.

Last Year, Michigan's 10% marijuana excise tax generated $290.3 million in tax revenue, about $87 million of which was distributed to local governments around the state, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is updating air pollution regulations for steel mills for the first time since 2003, putting more protections in place for the public.

The EPA is adopting new standards that reduce hazardous air pollutants by 64 tons a year and fine particle pollution by about 470 tons a year. That's about 18% of the 350 tons of air pollutants steel mills release a year, according to EPA figures.

It will require fenceline monitoring for chromium and require more stringent oversight and reporting of leaks.

The Integrated Iron and Steel Final Rule released by U.S. EPA today includes important modifications to what was proposed based on EPAs analysis of extensive new information and data submitted by the steel industry during the comment period," American Iron and Steel Institute President and CEO Kevin Dempsey said. "EPA also made changes as a result of key concerns raised by the steel industry, the United Steelworkers labor union and Members of Congress from both parties. These changes reflect EPAs acknowledgment that the proposed rule failed to meet the agencys technical and economic feasibility requirements. In 2020, and again with this rulemaking, the EPAs own assessment confirms that the steel industry has a low residual risk of adverse human health impacts."

The trade association hopes to work out technical issues to ensure the competitiveness of integrated mills like those along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Northwest Indiana.

Given the tight court ordered deadline for finalizing the rule, unresolved technical issues remain," Dempsey said. "The steel industry will engage with EPA to remedy those issues to ensure the rule is technically sound and achievable while not harming the competitiveness or continued decarbonization progress of our American steel industry."

The Sierra Club expressed concerns that the new regulations don't go far enough to protect the public.

These amendments have been too long in the making. We remain worried, however, by the uncertainties that local communities face as toxic metals from fugitive emissions continue to affect peoples health and wellbeing. Monitoring for chromium is a welcome step, but we encourage the EPA to do more, particularly around lead, which we know has an outsized impact on children. This remains a major area of concern for Indianas present and future, said Joab Schultheis, chair of the Hoosier Chapter of the Sierra Club.

A study commissioned by the Sierra Club last year found 2,000 people around the country die prematurely as a result of particulate matter pollution from steel mills. The air pollution has been tied to illness, including of the blood, heart, kidneys, reproductive system and central nervous system.

I live with my very young granddaughter about 1,500 feet from Cleveland Cliffs blast furnace and about a half-mile from their basic oxygen furnace. My neighbors and I suffer almost daily from fallout, black particles, metal pieces, gray chunks, noxious odors, and very loud noises coming from the steel mill," said Donna Ballinger, a Sierra Club member and resident of Middletown, Ohio. "The EPA needs to do more to monitor pollution in our community and keep us informed about what they are doing to protect our health. This pollution is harming our health and shortening our lives, and more enforcement is necessary."

It's estimated steelmakers will have to collectively pay $6.7 million a year to comply with the new EPA rules.

The EPA set the bar lower than we hoped with these new rules. More could have been done to limit public health harms from steel mills. Given the lack of ambition and significant delay from the EPA, we must not allow these polluters to backslide. Many currently available technologies can help the iron and steel industries further reduce their pollution impact, and we will continue to hold regulators and industry accountable to do the right thing, said Yong Kwon, senior policy adviser with Sierra Clubs Industrial Decarbonization campaign.
A second prominent Hoosier Republican is refusing to support former President Donald Trump's bid for a nonconsecutive second term as the nation's chief executive.

Former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who served as vice president alongside Trump in the White House from 2017 to 2021, told Fox News Friday that he "cannot in good conscience" endorse Trump, even though Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee.

"It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year. Look, I'm incredibly proud of the record of our administration. It was a conservative record that made America more prosperous, more secure and saw conservatives appointed to our courts in a more peaceful world," Pence said.

"That being said, during my presidential campaign I made it clear that there were profound differences between me and President Trump on a range of issues, and not just our difference on my constitutional duties that I exercised on January 6."

Specifically, Pence cited Trump "walking away from our commitment to confronting the national debt," as well as "starting to shy away from a commitment to the sanctity of human life," and flip-flopping on his tough on China stance by now opposing the forced sale of the TikTok video sharing application.

"In each of these cases, Donald Trump is pursing and articulating an agenda that is at odds with the conservative agenda that we governed on during our four years," Pence said.

Pence expanded on those remarks during a CBS News interview Sunday, one day after Trump told supporters at a campaign rally he considers the individuals convicted of crimes connected to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol to be "hostages" and "unbelievable patriots" who he plans to take care of his first day back in office.

"It's just unacceptable," Pence said. "I was there on January 6. I have no doubt in my mind that some people were caught up in the moment and entered the Capitol, and they're certainly entitled to due process of law for any nonviolent activities that day. But the assaults on police officers, ultimately an environment that claimed lives, is something that I think was tragic that day  and I'll never diminish it."

Pence said he's forgiven Trump for the president's actions on Jan. 6, which included sending a mob into the Capitol shouting, "Hang Mike Pence." Pence also questions the wisdom of subjecting Trump to criminal prosecution for his behavior.

"But the issue of fealty to the Constitution is not a small matter," Pence said. "After a lot of reflection, I just have concluded I cannot endorse the agenda that Donald Trump is carrying into this national debate."

U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., likewise is declining to endorse Trump for many of the same reasons, as well as Trump's refusal to acknowledge that Russia President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal for leading an unlawful invasion of Ukraine.

That stance prompted Trump's Indiana campaign manager, Republican former state Sen. Carlin Yoder, to call Young a "GOP reject" and a "Democrat" earlier this month.

The Indiana Republican Party declined a request for comment Monday on Pence's criticisms of his former running mate.

Neither Young nor Pence are planning to support Democratic President Joe Biden in this year's presidential election, with Pence even describing the Biden administration as a "disaster" on CBS.

Instead, Pence said he is going to work to refocus the Republican Party on its Ronald Reagan-era priorities, including strong national defense, traditional values, support for the sanctity of life and the Constitution, and limited government.

Photos: Mike Pence through the years
The Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled security officers employed by the property owners association of the Lakes of the Four Seasons (LOFS) gated community east of Crown Point cannot enforce LOFS traffic and speeding regulations that also are violations of state law.

In an unanimous decision, the state appellate court rejected LOFS' request for a declaratory judgment that would have authorized LOFS security guards to stop, detain and issue citations to motorists on LOFS property.

The court said a declaratory judgment is inappropriate because it would not resolve the underlying issue of LOFS security potentially being accused of impersonating a police officer, a level 6 felony punishable by up to 2 years behind bars and a $10,000 fine.

That's because actual law enforcement authorities in Lake and Porter counties  LOFS spans the county line  were not parties to the case and would not be bound by the judgment, the court said.

"Because Indiana law specifically and clearly states that 'no declaration shall prejudice the rights of persons not parties to the proceeding,' the trial court acted within its discretion when it found that a declaratory judgment would not bind law enforcement authorities and, therefore, would not furnish an adequate and complete remedy or effectively terminate the uncertainty or controversy," the appeals court said.

Even if it had sued the proper entities, however, the court said LOFS still would not be entitled to enforce its covenants and rules that overlap with state traffic laws because only the state and local governments have police powers, and LOFS merely is a private homeowners association.

"LOFS does not have the legal authority to stop, detain and cite motorists on its property for violations of Indiana traffic laws that are listed as violations in the LOFS rules. Therefore, it was not entitled to the declaratory relief it sought," the court said.

According to the ruling, the specific LOFS rules violations its security officers cannot enforce include disregarding a stop sign, speeding, driving without a license, illegal parking, littering and trespassing.

"Although Indiana law permits 'local authorities' to adopt additional traffic regulations and alter speed limits within its jurisdiction, such power is not granted to private entities or individuals," the court said.

LOFS still can ask the Indiana Supreme Court to consider issuing a declaratory judgment on its behalf. Otherwise, LOFS' only other remedy may be asking the General Assembly to change state law to permit private enforcement of state traffic laws.

The issue of LOFS security unlawfully enforcing state traffic statutes dates back to at least 2018 when Indiana State Police raided the LOFS security office, reportedly in connection with allegations that incidents of drunken driving and other traffic offenses were not being reported to local authorities.

Records show the Lake County prosecutor's office charged LOFS in 2020 with the crime of impersonating a public servant. LOFS subsequently agreed to participate in a 12-month pretrial diversion program.

As part of the pretrial diversion process, LOFS was required to modify its security guard vehicles, uniforms and operating procedures in consultation with the prosecutor's office.

LOFS also acknowledged "their security guards do not have police powers nor arrest powers," and LOFS agreed that "state law will be enforced by the appropriate police authorities," records show.

LOFS filed its lawsuit seeking a declaratory judgment to the contrary less than four weeks after the charges against it were dismissed.

Gallery: Take a virtual tour of Indiana's state parks Brown County State Park Chain O' Lakes State Park Charlestown State Park Clifty Falls State Park Falls of the Ohio State Park Fort Harrison State Park Harmonie State Park Lincoln State Park McCormick's Creek State Park Mounds State Park O'Bannon Woods State Park Ouabache State Park Pokagon State Park Potato Creek State Park Prophetstown State Park Shades State Park Shakamak State Park Spring Mill State Park Summit Lake State Park Tippecanoe River State Park Turkey Run State Park Versailles State Park White River State Park Whitewater Memorial State Park
Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed legislation Monday that he believes didn't go far enough to combat antisemitism at Indiana schools and universities.

The Republican chief executive said last-minute revisions by the Republican-controlled General Assembly to House Enrolled Act 1002 muddled the definition of antisemitism in the proposal  creating uncertainty about what was included and what was excluded.

As a result, Holcomb said he had no choice but to veto the measure and issue a proclamation in its place declaring the state's rejection of antisemitism, as well as bigotry of any kind toward all people.

"The state of Indiana condemns antisemitism and stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in the face of this pernicious and insidious hatred," Holcomb said.

House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, and state Rep. Chris Jeter, R-Fishers, the sponsor, welcomed the governor's veto after they said House-approved antisemitism language was revised by the Senate in a way that resulted in less than the strongest protections.

"I support the governor's proclamation, which I believe captures the original intent of House Bill 1002," Jeter said. "Our Jewish students need to feel safe and welcome in our K-12 schools and college campuses."

The Indianapolis Jewish Community Relations Council also thanked Holcomb for his veto and vowed to ensure his proclamation is appropriately used to identify and confront antisemitism in Indiana educational settings.

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
The story, it turned out, was not true. Ukraine denied it, and the owner of the villa refuted it. Also disconnected from reality: Alawis claim to being a journalist.

Still, his story caromed through social media and news outlets from Egypt to Nigeria and ultimately to Russia  which, according to researchers, is where the story all began.
Former President Donald J. Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against ABC News on Monday, arguing that the anchor George Stephanopoulos had harmed his reputation by saying multiple times on-air that Mr. Trump had been found liable for raping the writer E. Jean Carroll.

A jury in a Manhattan civil case last year found Mr. Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Ms. Carroll, but did not find the former president liable for rape. The judge, however, later clarified that because of New Yorks narrow legal definition of rape, the jurys finding did not mean that Ms. Carroll failed to prove that Mr. Trump raped her as many people commonly understand the word rape.

Mr. Stephanopoulos, who was named as a co-defendant, said Mr. Trump was found liable for rape during a contentious interview on March 10 with Representative Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina. During the interview, Mr. Stephanopoulos asked Ms. Mace, who has spoken publicly about being raped as a teenager, why she continued to support Mr. Trump in light of the outcome of the civil case.

Mr. Trump, who often galvanizes his supporters by attacking the press, has filed a string of unsuccessful defamation suits against major media organizations. Federal judges have dismissed his suits against CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post.
The polarized debate in Canada over the conflict in Gaza spilled into the countrys House of Commons on Monday as lawmakers voted to endorse a wide-ranging package of nonbinding measures that a left-leaning opposition party had presented as way to bring peace to the region.

The motion approved on Monday night  which called for ending authorizations of arms exports to Israel, an immediate cease-fire and the release of all Israeli hostages  differed sharply from the version that the left-of-center New Democratic Party had been proposing earlier in the day. That proposal called on Canada to immediately recognize a State of Palestine.

The version of the motion that was ultimately approved, with language agreed to in last-minute private negotiations, simply echoed Canadas longstanding policy of working toward the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a two-nation solution for Middle East peace.

The 204-to-117 vote on Monday evening followed an often-fractious debate over a motion that some lawmakers, especially in its earlier form, had characterized as anti-Israel.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whose Liberal Party negotiated a toned-down version of the motion with the N.D.P. as the day went on, has supported Israels right to self-defense while also condemning violence against Palestinians.

Were entangled in a web of devastation and under pressure to pick sides, Melanie Joly, Mr. Trudeaus foreign minister, said during the debate. We have to condemn both sides.
Andrew Crispo, a once high-flying art gallerist in Manhattan brought low by a long series of tabloid-worthy scandals, including tax evasion, extortion and implication in the grisly 1985 murder of a Norwegian art student, died on Feb. 8 in Brooklyn. He was 78.

His lawyer, J. Benjamin Greene, said that the cause of his death, in a nursing facility, had not been determined, but that it came after a decline in Mr. Crispos health, including the discovery of an inoperable brain tumor. Mr. Crispo left no immediate survivors, and word of his death emerged only recently.

Mr. Crispo opened his namesake gallery at the corner of Madison Avenue and 57th Street in 1973, and for the rest of the decade he ranked among New York Citys best-known art dealers. Though he lacked formal training in art, he was widely respected for his exacting eye, which he used to identify promising young painters.

He could have been another Larry Gagosian today, said David Ligare, an artist whom Mr. Crispo represented in the 1970s, referring to the Manhattan mega-gallerist. He had such enthusiasm for art and such good connections.
The choreographer Emma Portner, photographed at the Gothenburg Opera House in Sweden, where her ballet Forever, Maybe will premiere next month.

Credit... David B. Torch for The New York Times
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

Theyre All Going to Laugh at You

During a Fox News appearance over the weekend, Donald Trump discussed Jimmy Kimmels jab at him during the Oscars. Trump expressed amazement that Kimmel had read Trumps insulting posts about him on the air (All he had to do was keep his mouth shut). The ex-president also insisted that his posts had gone viral, not Kimmels on-air response to them: Isnt it past your jail time?

I guess I shouldnt be surprised, Kimmel said on Monday. I mean, Donald Trump has said Im not talented so many times, Eric is starting to get jealous.
Episode 5: Broken to the Fist

Sometimes theres nothing worse than a miracle. On this weeks episode of Shogun, Lady Mariko is shocked when her lord husband, Buntaro, emerges unscathed from what seemed like certain death at the hands of Lord Ishidos soldiers back in Osaka. Though a brave and formidable warrior, hes also a emotionally and physically abusive husband. To Buntaro, being forced to share a house with a barbarian like John Blackthorne is like living in the monkey house at a zoo. What he would do if he found out about the clandestine dalliance between Blackthorne and Mariko is all too obvious.

Buntaros disgust with the Anjin is easy enough to explain. But his contempt for Mariko  on display during a drunken target practice when he laces arrows millimeters past her face is part and parcel of his contempt for her entire family. In violation of virtually every shibboleth governing the conduct of samurai, her father assassinated a brutal lord for the sake of the realm. Marikos entire family was executed for it  by her father, who committed seppuku after being forced to carry out the act. Mariko wished to fight and die to avenge this injustice, but Buntaro has ordered her to live. She does this while offering him no emotional response to his importunities whatsoever.

To Blackthorne, who cannot fully grasp the concept of the eightfold fence, it sounds like a miserable existence  and to be fair to the Anjin, Mariko has given him little reason to believe otherwise. Youd die to avenge your father, he says. You live in anguish to spite your husband. What becomes of you? Does she not crave the freedom of self that Englishmen like him enjoy? She wouldnt enjoy that kind of freedom, Mariko retorts, because its a prison of its own. If freedom is all you ever live for, she says, you will never be free of yourself.

By the time they have this bitter conversation, Blackthorne has come to rue intensely what he perceives to be Japans absence of freedom. In an attempt to capture the flavors of home, he allows a pheasant to rot outside his house  the better, he says, to prepare it for stew. For a while, the birds stench and the flies it attracts are the stuff of comedy, as is Blackthornes complete inability to talk to his consort Lady Fuji about it without Mariko around to translate. (His inability to make himself understood absent Marikos aid will become important later.)
Yesterday, lawmakers in Gambia voted to advance legislation that would legalize female genital cutting. Local analysts believe it is likely to pass.

Women have achieved so much social progress worldwide. Yet genital cutting is still on the rise. Today, 230 million women and girls around the world have been cut, a 15 percent rise from 2016. In Africa and the Middle East, several countries still permit the practice, and in many others, laws are erratically enforced.

In todays newsletter, Ill explain why cutting  which for most communities means removing the clitoris and the labia minora, or almost sealing up the vagina  has been so hard to stamp out.

Fighting a ritual

Most of the people whove been cut are from Africa. The practice is almost universal in Somalia and in Guinea, and more than 80 percent of girls undergo the procedure in Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Mali and Sierra Leone. But it also happens in some communities in Iraq, Yemen, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Putin, victorious, called for conquest

One day after declaring victory in a performative election, President Vladimir Putin signaled that the war against Ukraine would continue to dominate his rule and called for bringing the people of eastern Ukraine back to their home family.

The display of nationalistic fervor yesterday, before a crowd of thousands in Moscows Red Square, came after a three-day election whose outcome was never in doubt. Putins three puppet opponents praised him at the event, in front of a crowd made up partly of government workers, students and others who had been given tickets.

The authorities said Putin had won more than 87 percent of the vote. For the most part, Russians do appear publicly supportive of Putin, though they have been given no real alternative. But many are also concerned about higher taxes and greater repression and are very worried about another military draft, as Putin doubles down on his invasion.

During his speech, Putin raised the prospect of a security zone on Ukrainian territory that Russia does not yet control. Analysts believe that such a buffer zone would involve capturing parts of Ukraines Kharkiv region, which could require a new draft.
China Evergrande Group exaggerated its revenue by more than $78 billion and committed securities fraud over two years before its spectacular collapse in 2021, a top Chinese regulator said.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission accused Hui Ka Yan, the founder of Evergrande, of making decisions and organizing fraud, the company reported in a filing to the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges on Monday night.

Mr. Hui was fined $6.5 million and banned from Chinas financial markets for life. Xia Haijun, a former chief executive, was fined $2 million and also banned from financial markets, along with several other executives. The companys main onshore unit, Hengda, was fined $580 million.

The New York Times reported in December that questionable accounting and poor oversight led to Evergrandes demise. Over the years before it defaulted on its debt, Evergrande had been treating money it received for apartments as revenue even though at times it had not built those apartments, the Times reported.
Paul Chan, the top finance official of Hong Kong, traveled to Paris, London, Frankfurt and Berlin last September to lure foreign investors. Last month he abolished taxes on foreigners purchases of Hong Kong real estate. And he is soon set to host an international art show, as well as conferences for big money funds and advisers to wealthy families.

Mr. Chans brisk work pace represents an attempt to shore up Hong Kongs role and image as the financial hub of Asia. But that effort is now colliding with a move by the citys Beijing-appointed leaders to further tighten their crackdown on the remaining political freedoms in the city.

Hong Kongs legislature approved broadly worded security legislation on Tuesday. City leaders described the law as necessary to stop foreign interference in local politics, but critics characterized it as a comprehensive effort to muzzle dissent.

Under its top leader, Xi Jinping, China has asserted greater influence in the past four years over Hong Kongs laws and prosecutors. That has raised alarms for American and European companies that use the city and its open financial markets as a gateway to China. The mainlands own economic struggles, especially in real estate, have further shaken confidence in Hong Kong as a place to put money.
The government of Saudi Arabia plans to create a fund of about $40 billion to invest in artificial intelligence, according to three people briefed on the plans  the latest sign of the gold rush toward a technology that has already begun reshaping how people live and work.

In recent weeks, representatives of Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund have discussed a potential partnership with Andreessen Horowitz, one of Silicon Valleys top venture capital firms, and other financiers, said the people, who were not authorized to speak publicly. They cautioned that the plans could still change.

The planned tech fund would make Saudi Arabia the worlds largest investor in artificial intelligence. It would also showcase the oil-rich nations global business ambitions as well as its efforts to diversify its economy and establish itself as a more influential player in geopolitics. The Middle Eastern nation is pursuing those goals through its sovereign wealth fund, which has assets of more than $900 billion.

Officials from the Saudi fund have discussed the role Andreessen Horowitz  already an active investor in A.I. and whose co-founder Ben Horowitz is friends with the funds governor  could play and how such a fund would work, the people said. The $40 billion target would dwarf the typical amounts raised by U.S. venture capital firms and would be eclipsed only by SoftBank, the Japanese conglomerate that has long been the worlds largest investor in start-ups.
Headliner

Bungalow

The chef and cookbook author Vikas Khanna, whose New York debut many years ago was at the Michelin-starred Junoon, now has a place to call his own here. He and his business partner, Jimmy Rizvi, who owns GupShup and other restaurants, settled on the East Village. The space is so unassuming but unforgettable when you walk in, Mr. Khanna said. He could not resist the flight of steps going down from the street level, which reminded him of the entrance to the famous Golden Temple in Amritsar in his native Punjab in the north of India. It makes the entrance surprisingly majestic, he said. Then why call it Bungalow? In the India of the Raj, bungalows were aristocratic dwellings. First there is a bar area with tables, then a semi-open kitchen and beyond that a spacious dining room, the rear portion of which has greenery and a skylight. The menu trawls Indian cooking from Kashmir south to Kerala, with dahi puri stuffed with lentils from Varanasi, a Kashmiri dish made with lotus roots, a tart Jewish-Indian chicken curry Chitranee, malai chicken with cheese, Muslim saffron bread called sheermal, Rajasthani pulled lamb, and spicy shrimp balchao, which has Portuguese roots. Classics like chicken biryani are also on the menu. Mr. Khanna, who lives in New York, plans to spend most of his time on the premises. Its my dream, he said.

(Opens Saturday) 24 First Avenue (East Second Street), 212-500-1740, bungalowny.com.

Opening

Sempre Oggi

For many years this space was Cesca with the chef Tom Valenti at the helm, one of the rare destinations on the Upper West Side. The prolific restaurateurs Simon Oren and Robert Guarino are running this show; Philip Basone, formerly an executive chef at Barbuto, leads the kitchen. Italian dishes place an emphasis on vegetables: Badger Flame beets with pistachio salsa and blood orange, braised chicories with anchovies, and orecchiette with braised greens. But there are also the inevitable fluke crudo and crispy calamari, along with grilled heritage chicken and porcelet porchetta. Pastas are made in-house and breads depend on local grains. Eamon Roche, the designer, has given the bar gilded touches and done the modern dining room in three sections. It seats 130.

164 West 75th Street, 212-377-7150, semprenyc.com.

Cafe Joyeux

In 2017, in Paris, Yann Bucaille-Lanrezac opened the first of what would become a chain of nonprofit cafes and restaurants that employ people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The 21st outlet is about to open in New York, the first outside Europe. Theyre all simply decorated modern restaurants serving from breakfast through late afternoon. Thierry Marx, a prominent chef whose Paris restaurant Onor just received a Michelin star, is the consultant for the menus that feature quiches, croque monsieur, salads, soups, pastries and the companys own coffee. Items like Waldorf salad, bacon-egg-and-cheese and cheesecake were added for the American branch. All profits go to the Joyeux Foundation for opening new locations and employing more people. (Friday)

599 Lexington Avenue (52nd Street), us.cafejoyeux.com.

Gurume Korean Tapas Bar

The chef Joon Ryu, a New Yorker who has dabbled in various cuisines but is now concentrating on seasonal Korean recipes often with contemporary twists, has opened this restaurant with Kevin Chand, also from New York. Oyster mushroom tacos, Korean whelks with escargot butter, birria mandu, fried chicken wings, pork and radish bo ssam, and Berkshire kimchi fried rice populate the menu in a spare brick-walled setting.

313 West 46th Street, 917-388-2017, gurumerestaurant.com.
A uniquely 20-something cocktail of ambition, stupidity and wanderlust led me to take a job in Berlin fresh out of college. My due diligence consisted of watching several of Rainer Werner Fassbinders movies and calling it a day. I had visited the city before, crashing with lovers and loose acquaintances, but my sense of how to build a life there  or in any new place, for that matter  was nonexistent. The practical matters of adjusting to a new city bedeviled me. After work I longed to navigate the city with purpose but had nowhere in particular to go. Interminable weeks at the office gave way to lonely weekends spent not queuing up for clubs but crying on a floor mattress in Charlottenburg, anxiety taking hold at the thought of another aimless walk. A fun decision made in haste, for all its adventurous merit, had left me lost and lonely.

So I emailed a writer I looked up to who lived in Berlin in her 20s. She did not direct me to an apartment-rental agency or language school. Instead she replied immediately with a series of Google Maps links: anarchist cafes and independent cinemas, Sichuan restaurants and secondhand stores. The highlight was a toilet-themed bar. I bookmarked the writers locations in my own map and set out toward the nearest blue pin, a Chinese restaurant. That night, tucking into a bowl of mapo tofu, I felt something resembling solace. I sat at a table for one, but this mundane digital gesture  being directed somewhere specific, walking the path of someone who had come before me  made me feel looked after.

I had used Google Maps mainly for subway directions. I opened the app every day, but its social function never occurred to me. Sure, I had saved spots here and there, and maintained a want to try list, where the names of trendy restaurants piled up never to be consulted again. The real fun, I learned, begins when you start to use Google Maps in multiplayer mode: building shared lists of saved locations with and for others, remotely populating their digital landscape with little pins. Its a simple action that conjures an increasingly rare sense of virtual care.

Populating a shareable map is an exercise in memory. I started making shared maps as a way of staying in touch with faraway friends and as a key to my own psycho-geography, doled out to give dear ones a glimpse into my world. Ive printed out QR codes with links to shared maps and given them as birthday and wedding presents. When my German bestie told me she was planning a trip to New York, I remembered my own sense of overwhelm upon walking through Manhattan after moving there at 18  as if the city were threatening to swallow me whole. I made her a Google Map in hopes of making the vastness more manageable. I nudged her to my favorite haunts; hearing her report back, I felt as if my past were intertwined with her present.
A lawsuit that could upend New York Citys property tax system was cleared to move forward by the states highest court on Tuesday. The decision is a victory for housing groups that complain that the system favors owners of wealthy Brooklyn brownstones and high-end Manhattan condos over renters and owners in lower-income neighborhoods.

The 4-to-3 decision by the State Court of Appeals strikes at one of the most intractable elements of New Yorks housing crisis: Nearly everyone agrees that the property tax system is inequitable and opaque and puts a burden on lower-income people. But while many politicians have proposed overhauls over the years, none have succeeded at making changes through legislative routes.

The lawsuit takes aim at both the city and the state, with the goal of forcing change through the courts instead. It was filed in 2017 by a group of property owners, renters and other advocacy groups called Tax Equity Now New York, or TENNY.

TENNYs lawsuit says that homes with equivalent values are currently assessed and taxed at different rates depending on where they are, and one of its claims is that the system disproportionately affects racial minorities and may even perpetuate segregation.
Heres the latest on Trumps bond in the N.Y. civil fraud case.

Donald J. Trump is running out of time to stave off a financial crisis.

The former president is racing to secure an appeal bond for roughly half a billion dollars in his civil fraud case in New York, but has so far failed.

If he cannot, the New York attorney generals office, which brought the fraud case, could begin to collect. The attorney general, Letitia James, could have enforced the judgment last month, but provided Mr. Trump a 30-day grace period that expires on Monday.

Ms. James might start slowly. She could even wait for an appeals court to decide whether to pause the judgment, a decision that could come as soon as this week.
Sooner or later, the war in Gaza will end.

Hamass leaders hope that when it does, they will emerge from their tunnels to raise their green banners over the rubble  a symbolic victory for Resistance in the face of the misery they sowed on Oct. 7.

Israels security leaders hope that when it does, Gaza will be temporarily divided into a patchwork of subregions administered by local clans known to Israeli security services. The Israeli military will then operate in the territory for an indefinite period on a counterterrorism mission, assume greater control along the border with Egypt and deradicalize the population.

President Biden hopes that a revitalized Palestinian Authority will return to govern the territory from which it was forcibly ejected by Hamas after a brief civil war in 2007, with a view toward a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank.

None of this is likely to happen.

Israel will make very sure Hamass leaders dont emerge from the war alive; any sort of victory parade by the group would almost certainly meet a swift and gory end.
On paper, President Bidens nominee to fill a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Adeel Abdullah Mangi, is an archetypical candidate for a federal judgeship. Mangi has a sterling legal education, which he followed with a distinguished career at a high-profile private firm mixing corporate litigation with important pro bono work. He also has a classic American story: He grew up in a poor country dreaming of a career as a lawyer and immigrated to the United States, where he ascended to the heights of his profession.

The candidate has another quality that was especially appealing to Biden, who has made diversifying the federal bench a key priority: Mangi would be the first Muslim American federal appellate judge in the United States.

When Mangi appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee in December for a hearing about this lifetime appointment, Republican senators did not ask him about his legal background or judicial philosophy. Do you condemn the atrocities of Hamas terrorists? Senator Ted Cruz of Texas demanded of Mangi, a Pakistani American with no connection to Hamas or Palestinians other than the fact that he is Muslim, along with 1.8 billion other people across the globe.

Such bad faith ambushes are Cruzs stock in trade, especially since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. So it was hardly a surprise that he and his Republican colleagues spent their allotted time insinuating that Mangi was an antisemite and an apologist not just for Hamas but also for the perpetrators of Sept. 11.
As America closes in on a major election, mistrust is brewing around the mysterious government entity thats now denounced in scary-sounding terms  the deep state and the swamp. What do those words even mean? Who exactly do they describe?

We went on a road trip to find out. As we met the Americans who are being dismissed as public enemies, we discovered that they are  us. They like Taylor Swift. They dance bachata. They go to bed at night watching Star Trek reruns. They go to work and do their jobs: saving us from Armageddon.

Sure, our tax dollars pay them, but as youll see in the video above, what a return on our investment we get!

When we hear deep state, instead of recoiling, we should rally. We should think about the workers otherwise known as our public servants, the everyday superheroes who wake up ready to dedicate their careers and their lives to serving us. These are the Americans we employ. Even though their work is often invisible, it makes our lives better.
In a shock to the fashion world, Dries Van Noten announced that he was stepping down as creative director of the brand that bears his name. His fall 2024 mens show, scheduled to take place in Paris in June, will be his last.

My dream was to have a voice in fashion, Mr. Van Noten, 65, wrote in a letter sent to editors. That dream came true. Now, I want to shift my focus to all the things I never had time for.

Mr. Van Noten was an original member of the Antwerp Six, the group of Belgian designers who changed fashion when they arrived in Paris in the early 1980s. In his statement, he wrote that he had been preparing for this moment for a while, and I feel its time to leave room for a new generation of talents to bring their vision to the brand.

In an industry in which founders often cling to their positions well into their 80s and rarely engage in succession planning, Mr. Van Notens move stands out as a rare example of a designer ceding power by his own choice  and at the height of his skills. His last womens show, held in late February in Paris, was an emotional, generous paean to style over fashion and the creativity of dressing oneself.
It has already been a sweet life for Fumihide Oda, chief executive of Rokkatei, one of the oldest confectionary shops in Hokkaido, Japan, and the birthplace of the popular Marusei butter sandwich cookies.

This summer, Mr. Oda anticipates life becoming even sweeter. He and his wife, along with two other couples  including his sister and her husband  will take their four children to Oakland, Calif., to experience, in person, another of Hokkaidos treasured exports: Shohei Ohtani.

This is the familys first overseas trip to see Mr. Ohtani. And it will be the childrens first visit to the United States.

We have decided to go to California now because we want to see Ohtani in a Dodgers jersey! Mr. Oda, 45, wrote in an email.
A Woman of Pleasure

A novel by Kiyoko Murata, translated from the Japanese by Juliet Winters Carpenter

Food and sake were set out for them on low tables, and farther inside the room was a scarlet futon.  Having been instructed to say nothing, she kept her lips tightly closed as she poured Takahata a drink.

In Meiji-era Japan, a 15-year-old girl is sold to an exclusive brothel far from her home. After learning to read and write, she grasps the realities of her situation and organizes with her fellow courtesans to pursue freedom. Published by Counterpoint Press on Feb. 27.
Two local races in the Chicago area on Tuesday will gauge voters enthusiasm for progressive causes in an Illinois primary that lacks drama at the top of the ticket.

Progressive Democrats, who have built political strength in Chicago over the last decade but received mixed reviews for their governance, are pushing for a change to the citys real estate transfer tax that would raise rates on high-value properties to fund homelessness programs.

Progressives are also trying to hold onto the Cook County prosecutors office as the incumbent, Kim Foxx, who overhauled systems but faced criticism, prepares to leave office after two terms.

The contests have sparked debates about Chicagos post-pandemic struggles with homelessness, crime and empty downtown office space, and the races will give voters a chance to weigh in on the direction of the city under Ms. Foxx and Mayor Brandon Johnson, a fellow progressive who was elected last year.
Two former law enforcement officers who were part of a self-styled Goon Squad that tortured, sexually assaulted and beat residents of a Mississippi county were given hefty prison sentences on Tuesday for brutally attacking two Black men last year.

A federal judge ordered Hunter Elward, who shot one of the victims in the mouth, to serve 20 years in prison. Jeffrey Middleton, a former lieutenant who supervised the Goon Squad, was sentenced to nearly 18 years.

Mr. Elward broke down in tears as he turned to face Eddie Parker, 36, and Michael Jenkins, 33, and apologized for what he had done to them.

I hate that I was involved in this, he said. I hate whats happened to them.

As Mr. Elward left the podium, Mr. Parker stood up and said that he forgave him.
Jean Maria Arrigo, a psychologist who exposed efforts by the American Psychological Association to obscure the role of psychologists in coercive interrogations of terror suspects in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, died on Feb. 24 at her home in Alpine, Calif. She was 79.

The cause was complications of pancreatic cancer, her husband, John Crigler, said.

A headline about her as a whistle-blower in The Guardian in 2015 put it succinctly: A National Hero: Psychologist Who Warned of Torture Collusion Gets Her Due.

A decade earlier, Dr. Arrigo had been named to a task force by the American Psychological Association, the largest professional group of psychologists, to examine the role of trained psychologists in national security interrogations.

The 10-member panel was formed in response to news reports in 2004 about abuse at the American-run Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, which included details about psychologists aiding in interrogations that, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, were tantamount to torture.
In the end, it was a discarded piece of chewing gum, casually spit on the ground in 2021, that was the key to solving the cold-case murder of a college student that had confounded the authorities in Oregon for more than four decades.

Robert Arthur Plympton had been under police surveillance since the authorities determined that year that he was a likely contributor to a DNA profile developed from swabs taken from the body of Barbara Mae Tucker, who was 19 when she was murdered on the Mount Hood Community College campus in 1980.

On Friday, Mr. Plympton, 60, was found guilty of murdering Ms. Tucker after a three-week bench trial in Portland, Ore. According to The Oregonian, which reported on the investigation and Mr. Plymptons conviction, it was the oldest cold-case homicide in Gresham, Ore., east of Portland.

On the night of Jan. 15, 1980, Ms. Tucker was expected at a class at the college, where she was studying business. She never arrived.
A group of more than 100 Democratic donors and activists on Monday sent a letter to President Bidens campaign warning that progressive anger over Israels war in Gaza is increasing the chances of a Trump victory.

The signed letter is the latest sign of Democratic disgruntlement about Mr. Bidens alignment with Israels government as it executes the war that began when Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel on Oct. 7.

Since then, more than 30,000 Palestinians have died at the hands of Israel, according to the Gaza health authorities. Anger over the fate of the Palestinians has roiled Democratic politics, with Mr. Biden tailed by protesters outside many of his public events calling for a cease-fire in the conflict and for an end to American military aid to Israel.

The letters signatories include a handful of donors who gave six-figure sums to Mr. Bidens presidential campaigns in 2020 and 2024, though a preponderance of donors who signed the letter have given smaller amounts to candidates and causes more progressive than Mr. Biden, according to Federal Election Commission reports.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken warned China on Tuesday that an armed attack against Philippine vessels in the South China Sea would trigger a mutual self-defense pact between Washington and Manila, a reflection of rising tensions in the region that risk dragging the United States into armed conflict with Beijing.

But in a sign that the United States hopes to de-escalate the situation, Mr. Blinken, on a visit to Manila, gave no indication that recent Chinese provocations  which include ramming Philippine vessels and blasting them with water cannons  crossed the threshold of armed attacks.

Pressed during a news conference alongside his Philippine counterpart on how to deter what some analysts call Chinas gray-zone coercion tactics, which Philippine officials say include aiming a high-powered laser at a Philippine Coast Guard vessel and temporarily blinding some crew members, Mr. Blinken pointed to diplomatic, not military, measures.

The very visibility of those actions, I think, has provoked from a number of other countries clear statements in support of the Philippines and against these provocative actions that are a threat to peace, security, freedom of navigation and basic rights under international law, he said.
In the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship, its easy to get caught up in the pursuit of profits and growth. However, there are leaders who are redefining success by prioritising philanthropy and community support in their business models.

George Samios, the founder of Madd Loans and Entrepreneurs Organization Queensland member, is a shining example of how entrepreneurship can be a vehicle for positive change and social impact. For Madd Loans, giving back to the community is not just a slogan; its an integral part of their core values.

Giving back transcends financial contributions. Its about investing in the future of our city, nurturing young minds, and creating a space where businesses and community organisations work together Says George.

Short for Make A Difference Daily, Madd Loans is a mortgage brokerage firm that offers personalised home loan solutions to clients. With a strong commitment to community, giving back is ingrained in the very essence of the company and Madd Loans proudly sponsors and supports an array of local community events and organisations each year.

In 2022, George and his team delivered the first Madd Charity Ball in Brisbane. The event had a clear aim  to raise as much money as possible for the Childrens Hospital Foundation. Two years and as many sold out events later, Madd Loans has raised over $320,000 to assist the Foundation with new life-saving medical equipment and various programs.

One of the key reasons why philanthropy is essential in entrepreneurship is that it helps to build trust and loyalty among customers. When businesses demonstrate a genuine commitment to supporting charitable causes and giving back to the community, it creates a sense of purpose and connection that goes beyond the transactional relationship. Customers are more likely to support businesses that align with their values and make a positive impact in the world, which can lead to long-term loyalty and repeat business.

With an intense passion for making a difference, George founded Madd with the vision of creating a business that not only generates profits but also has a positive impact on the community. His belief in the power of altruism to drive social change is at the core of Madds mission, and it has resonated with customers who want to support businesses that are committed to making a difference.

By integrating philanthropy into their business model, entrepreneurs like George are also able to attract top talent and motivate their employees. In fact, employees are more engaged and satisfied in their work when they feel that their company is making a difference in the world. Businesses that prioritise philanthropy and community support are able to attract like-minded employees who are passionate about giving back and making a positive impact.

I truly believe that every entrepreneur has a responsibility to give back, be it through financial means, volunteering time, or mentoring future generations. We all have a role to play in shaping a stronger, more vibrant community.

Philanthropy and charitable giving are crucial in supporting incredible causes and bringing communities together. When individuals and organisations give back to their communities through donations, volunteering, or fundraising efforts, they can make a significant impact on those in need. By supporting causes that align with their values and passions, individuals can create lasting change and build stronger, more resilient communities for the future.

Giving back can also have a ripple effect on the community at large. When businesses support charitable causes and invest in local initiatives, they contribute to the overall well-being and prosperity of the community. By integrating philanthropy into their business models, entrepreneurs can build trust and loyalty among customers, attract top talent, and create a lasting impact on the community.

Georges commitment to his community has not only shaped the identity of Madd as a socially responsible business but has also inspired others to follow in his footsteps. His story serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of giving back and using entrepreneurial success as a platform for positive change.

MADD Home Loans

Entrepreneurs Organization Queensland

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Voters in the California district once represented by Kevin McCarthy, the ousted speaker of the House, will head back to the polls Tuesday to choose his interim replacement.

The front-runners are Vince Fong, a state lawmaker and former aide to Mr. McCarthy who has won the backing of former President Donald J. Trump, and Mike Boudreaux, the longtime sheriff of Tulare County.

The two have already nailed down spots in the November general election for a full term. But if Mr. Fong, who had a hefty lead over Mr. Boudreaux earlier this month, can clinch 50 percent of the votes in the primary Tuesday, he will head into November with the power of incumbency on his side. If neither candidate wins 50 percent of the vote Tuesday, they will instead compete again in a special runoff election on May 21 to fill the seat temporarily.

Democrats were locked out of the November election, with Californias jungle primary system meaning the two top finishers go on to the general election regardless of their party affiliation.
Congressional Republicans are blocking $40 million in aid that the Biden administration has requested to help stabilize Haiti amid an increase in gang violence there, despite warnings that continued chaos could lead to a humanitarian crisis and drive migrants fleeing the country into the United States.

The top Republicans on the House and Senate foreign affairs committees, which have approval power over the money, have pressed the State Department to detail how it will be spent. They have expressed concern that American taxpayer dollars could fall into the hands of the groups that have led the violent uprising.

The State Department requested the funding last year as part of $100 million it had pledged for a multinational security support mission in Haiti, approved by the United Nations Security Council, to be led by Kenya. The Kenyan government agreed to deploy security forces into Haiti while other countries, including the United States, offered funding, equipment and logistical support.

Another $100 million was to come from the Defense Department. The foreign aid portion requires approval by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee.
A Republican state lawmaker in Nebraska wanted to make a point about explicit content in school-sanctioned books. But his decision to name two Democrats during his reading of a graphic rape scene has led to calls for his resignation.

During a debate on Monday about legislation that would tighten restrictions on the content of books used in schools, the lawmaker, State Senator Steve Halloran, read a passage from a book that he said could be found in more than a dozen public libraries across the state.

The passage from the book, the Alice Sebold memoir Lucky, described a sexual assault she experienced as a young woman. After giving a brief warning and asking parents to tell their young children to leave the room or mute the broadcast if they were watching online, Mr. Halloran stood on the floor of the State Capitol in Lincoln and interjected the names of two of his Democratic colleagues  Machaela Cavanaugh and her brother, John  into the text as he read it aloud.

At one point, he inserted Senator Cavanaugh while reading a section in which Ms. Sebold described a man demanding oral sex from her. It was not clear if Mr. Halloran was referring to Mr. or Ms. Cavanaugh.
The United States and European nations vowed on Tuesday to maintain military support for Ukraine, even though future American aid remains snarled in Congress and modest donations of new weapons reflected an alliance with relatively little left to give as the war against Russia enters a critical stretch.

The U.S. defense secretary, Lloyd J. Austin III, in Germany for the start of a meeting of about 50 governments that are supplying Kyivs forces, said that allies would dig deeper to get vital security assistance to Ukraine.

To that end, Germanys defense minister, Boris Pistorius, said Berlin would send Ukraine 10,000 rounds of badly needed artillery shells, 100 armored infantry vehicles and transport equipment in a new $544 million infusion of support. The Finnish defense chief, Antti Hakkanen, announced a $32 million donation to help the Czech Republic buy 800,000 rounds of ammunition, including from beyond NATO-member militaries and manufacturers.

And Mr. Austin highlighted the new $300 million package of attack and air defense missiles, artillery rounds and armor systems that the United States pledged for Ukraine last week.
Peter Navarro, a trade adviser to former President Donald J. Trump, reported to federal prison in Miami on Tuesday, becoming the first senior Trump administration official to serve time over his role in the effort to subvert the results of the 2020 election.

Mr. Navarro, 74, who helped engineer Mr. Trumps plans to stay in power after his electoral defeat in November 2020, was sentenced to four months in prison in January for contempt of Congress after defying a subpoena from the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot.

At a hastily organized news conference shortly before he was set to check into the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami, a low-security prison next to the Miami-Dade zoo, Mr. Navarro reprised familiar denunciations of the Justice Department and the Biden administration.

Speaking in the parking lot of a commercial plaza, flanked by a pizza store and a pawnshop, he cast blame on the federal trial judge in his case, as well as Mr. Biden and a long list of politicians he said were motivated by hostility toward Mr. Trump.
[Follow live updates on the biggest primary night since Super Tuesday.]

Five states will hold presidential primaries on Tuesday  Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas and Ohio  the largest such set of contests since Super Tuesday two weeks ago.

But with the presidential nominating contests already decisively clinched, neither of the presumptive nominees will make appearances in those states today. Instead, President Biden will travel to Nevada, a top fall battleground, visiting Reno and Las Vegas, while Dr. Jill Biden, the first lady, will campaign across New England. Former President Donald J. Trump campaigned in Ohio on Saturday.

The attention today is on a handful of down-ballot races.

Chief among them is the Republican primary for a competitive Senate seat in Ohio. Three Republicans are duking it out for the chance to run against Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat.

Mr. Trump stumped for his preferred candidate, Bernie Moreno, a former car dealer from Cleveland, on Saturday but mentioned him only sparingly in his caustic, freewheeling speech at a rally in Vandalia in which he said that some migrants were not people and that the country would face a blood bath if he lost in the November election. Mr. Moreno will face off against Frank LaRose, the Ohio secretary of state, and Matt Dolan, a wealthy state senator, in the primary.
In the library of James Madison High School in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon, Senator Chuck Schumer took stock of the splash he made a few days before. In a speech on the Senate floor, he had branded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel a major impediment to peace in the Middle East and called for elections to replace him when the war winds down.

It was here, he recalled, inside this hulking red brick school deep in south Brooklyn, where at 16 he was glued to his transistor radio to hear breaking news of the Arab-Israeli War of 1967. It was where he idolized Sandy Koufax, the Jewish pitcher for the Dodgers who refused to play on Yom Kippur, and learned it was cool to be proud of his heritage.

And on Sunday, Mr. Schumer, the New York Democrat, majority leader and highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States, returned to explain how his upbringing in Jewish Brooklyn in the shadow of the Holocaust prompted him to deliver a politically risky speech that brought about a watershed moment in the politics of U.S.-Israeli relations.

This is so part of my core, my soul, my neshama, Mr. Schumer said in an interview, using the Hebrew word for soul. I said to myself, This may hurt me politically; this may help me politically. I couldnt look myself in the mirror if I didnt do it.
The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Tuesday in favor of a Muslim man who said he had been put on the no-fly list in retaliation for refusing to become a government informant. The court rejected the governments contention that removing the man from the list had rendered his case moot.

The no-fly list, which rapidly expanded after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, appears to include tens of thousands of people. The criteria for inclusion on the list are opaque, making it subject to errors and abuse.

Yonas Fikre, an American citizen, challenged his placement on the list, saying it had violated due process and amounted to discrimination based on race, national origin and religion.

The legal proceedings are at an early stage, and Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, writing for the court, said it was required to assume that the following version of events, set out in the lawsuit, was true.
The Supreme Court temporarily sided with Texas on Tuesday in its increasingly bitter fight with the Biden administration over immigration policy, allowing an expansive state law to go into effect that makes it a crime for migrants to enter Texas without authorization.

As is typical when the court acts on emergency applications, its order gave no reasons. But Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, filed a concurring opinion that seemed to express the majoritys bottom line.

They were returning the case to an appeals court for a prompt ruling on whether the law should be paused while an appeal moves forward, Justice Barrett wrote. If a decision does not issue soon, she wrote, the applicants may return to this court.

For now, though, Texas law enforcement officials will be allowed to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally. How long that remains true is now a question for the appeals court.
Brazils federal police recommended that former President Jair Bolsonaro be criminally charged in a scheme to falsify his Covid-19 vaccine card, partly to travel to the United States during the pandemic, in the latest sign of criminal investigations closing in on the former president.

Federal prosecutors will now decide whether to pursue the case. If they do, it will be the first time the former president has faced criminal charges.

Brazilian police accused Mr. Bolsonaro of ordering a top aide to obtain falsified Covid-19 vaccination records for himself and his daughter, 13, in late 2022, just before the former president traveled to Florida to stay for three months following his election loss.

Brazilian police said they were awaiting an answer from the U.S. Justice Department on whether Mr. Bolsonaro used a fake vaccination card to enter the United States, which could bring different criminal charges.
A substantial portion of older Australians struggle with products designed for their age group, revealing a significant market gap.

Many feel overlooked by product designers and seek clearer age-friendly information to guide their purchases. Jane Caro has partnered with the GCMA to advocate for more inclusive product design. Australia is undergoing a significant demographic shift, with the elderly population projected to triple by 2066. The Global Centre for Modern Ageing (GCMA) has released a report, Empowering Older Adults with Better Product Usability, based on a survey of over 1000 Australians aged 65 and older. In collaboration with Jane Caro, the GCMA aims to address the challenges faced by older adults and improve product usability.

According to Julianne Parkinson, CEO of GCMA, the report highlights the need to recognize and respond to the evolving needs of older adults. Its about recognising and responding to the evolving needs and preferences of older adults, many of whom are living longer and differently.

Importantly, it extends well beyond older adults alone. It presents an opportunity for product design to be more inclusive, being mindful of the diverse needs, preferences and circumstances of individuals that continue to change throughout their lives, said Parkinson.

The findings of the GCMA report revealed that older Australians are being seriously let down. 93% of respondents affirm that product usability is crucial for independent living, yet a majority express dissatisfaction with the user-friendliness of products designed for older adults. Approximately 81% feel neglected by product designers and manufacturers, citing small fonts, grip issues, tough packaging and confusing instructions as key barriers.

Despite encountering usability barriers, nearly half (43%) of older Australians do not seek help or request product adaptations when faced with dissatisfaction. 74% of participants express a desire for age-friendliness information on products, to help with more informed purchasing decisions.

Parkinson revealed that while theres a wide array of products available in the market, theres a large discrepancy between the industrys belief that products are user-friendly and the actual usability challenges faced by older Australians every day.

This represents a great opportunity for product developers to better understand these consumers and close the gap on usability frustrations, and enhance satisfaction, said Parkinson.

Parkinson and the team at the GCMA said they envision a future where these requirements drive market innovation, leading to products that enrich the lives of older Australians, and ensure business success.

As an older adult, Jane Caro voiced her own personal frustrations with the lack of usable products for older Australians, So many products, so many of them frustrating, impenetrable and hard to use.

Instructions are often impossible to read and indecipherable when you can. Packaging seems to be designed to keep you out. I can no longer undo jars, bottles, boxes, medicines, tubes and containers, said Caro.

Caro believes that while many older Australians have money to spend and time to shop, they are rapidly losing the inclination. Its ageism rearing its ugly, wrinkly, head again. We ignore the old and think of them as deficient. We are not. We are just struggling to use poorly and insensitively designed products, said Caro.

Caro calls for a concerted effort to better support the countrys rapidly ageing demographic and encourages people to come forward and join the GCMA Co-Designer communities, empowering older people to live independent lives.

Both Caro and Parkinson believe the Empowering Older Adults with Better Product Usability report marks a crucial step towards understanding and addressing the usability challenges faced by older Australians. It calls for a collective effort from designers, manufacturers and policymakers to foster an inclusive and age-friendly product landscape.

For more information about GCMA, visit https://www.gcma.net.au/.

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They awake in the mornings to find another family has left. Half of one village, the entirety of the next have departed in the years since the water dried up  in search of jobs, of food, of any means of survival. Those who remain pick apart the abandoned homes and burn the bits for firewood.

They speak of the lushness that once blessed this corner of southwestern Afghanistan. Now, its parched as far as the eye can see. Boats sit on bone-dry banks of sand. What paltry water dribbles out from deep beneath the arid earth is salt-laced, cracking their hands and leaving streaks in their clothes.

Several years of punishing drought has displaced entire swaths of Afghanistan, one of the nations most vulnerable to climate change, leaving millions of children malnourished and plunging already impoverished families into deeper desperation. And there is no relief in sight.
Sweeping security laws deal another blow to Hong Kong

Hong Kong passed national security laws at the behest of Beijing. The legislation, known as the Article 23 laws, will thwart decades of public resistance. Critics said the move would strike a lasting blow to the partial autonomy that China had promised the city.

The first attempts to pass such legislation, in 2003, set off mass protests. Top officials resigned, and city leaders were reluctant to raise the matter again in subsequent years for fear of public backlash. An earlier national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 has effectively stifled street protests. This time, the streets of Hong Kong were quiet.

I spoke with Tiffany May, who covers Hong Kong for The Times.

Amelia: How will these laws affect Hong Kong?

Tiffany: Whether it makes things better or worse depends on whom you ask.

Hong Kong has been an Asian financial center for decades because it was seen as a gateway to business opportunities in the mainland with an independent judiciary as its backbone. It also enjoyed freedoms unimaginable in the rest of the country.
Hong Kong passed national security legislation on Tuesday, giving officials in the Chinese territory more power to curb dissent, 21 years after mass protests forced the government to backtrack on a plan to introduce such laws.

The legislation targets political offenses like treason and insurrection with penalties as harsh as life imprisonment and expands the scope of what can be considered criminal behavior. Local officials have said it will close gaps in a security law that Chinas government imposed on the territory in 2020 after months of huge antigovernment protests.

The security legislation is another significant erosion of freedoms in a former British colony once known for its freewheeling politics and relative autonomy from China. It also highlights how weak Hong Kongs once-boisterous civil society and political opposition have become over the past four years.

Heres how Hong Kong got here and whats in the law.

Grand plans, and pushback

When Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, the financial hubs mini-constitution promised residents freedoms not available in the mainland, including a free press and an independent judiciary. But it also called for the eventual passage of national security laws to replace colonial ones the British were leaving behind.
Hong Kong on Tuesday passed national security laws at the behest of Beijing, thwarting decades of public resistance in a move that critics say will strike a lasting blow to the partial autonomy the city had been promised by China.

The new legislation, which was passed with extraordinary speed, grants the authorities even more powers to crack down on opposition to Beijing and the Hong Kong government, establishing penalties  including life imprisonment  for political crimes like treason and insurrection, which are vaguely defined. It also targets offenses like external interference and the theft of state secrets, creating potential risks for multinational companies and international groups operating in the Asian financial center.

Analysts say the legislation, which will take effect on March 23, could have a chilling effect on a wide range of people, including entrepreneurs, civil servants, lawyers, diplomats, journalists and academics, raising questions about Hong Kongs status as an international city.

An earlier attempt to pass such legislation, in 2003, set off mass protests involving hundreds of thousands of people.
The Al Jazeera news network said that one of its journalists had been detained for 12 hours. It said the journalist, Ismail al-Ghoul, had been severely beaten. Israels military has not responded to the allegations, which drew outrage from the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The Gazan Health Ministry condemned the raid as a crime against health institutions, and humanitarian organizations expressed alarm over the situation at the complex. The hospital, along with the surrounding area, had been sheltering 30,000 patients, medical workers and displaced civilians.

Hospitals should never be battlegrounds, the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in a post on social media warning that the situation was endangering health workers, patients and civilians.

Doctors Without Borders said it was extremely concerned for the safety of patients and medical staff in the hospital compound. In a statement on Monday, the organization urged all warring parties to respect the grounds and perimeter of the hospital and ensure the safety of medical personnel, patients and civilians.

Israel has said that the hospital complex doubled as a secret Hamas military command center, calling it one of many examples of civilian facilities that Hamas uses to shield its activities.

Four months ago, Israeli forces stormed the complex and found a tunnel shaft that they said supported their contention that the armed group had used it to conceal military operations.

Since then, Israel has withdrawn many troops from northern Gaza and has shifted the focus of its invasion to the south. As a result, lawlessness has increasingly taken hold in the north, prompting international aid organizations to suspend operations despite a dire humanitarian crisis.

The Biden administration has grown increasingly critical of Israels conduct of the war and its toll on civilians. On Monday, President Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said that more innocent civilians have died in this conflict, in this military operation, than in all the wars in Gaza combined, including thousands of children.

A humanitarian crisis has descended across Gaza, and anarchy reigns in areas that Israels military has cleared but not stabilized, he said.

Gabby Sobelman and Rawan Sheikh Ahmad contributed reporting.
The head of Israels delegation has returned home from cease-fire talks in Qatar, an Israeli official said on Tuesday, but talks there are continuing amid another intensive diplomatic push to secure a pause in the fighting in Gaza as famine looms.

Warnings from the United Nations that a famine is imminent have added urgency to efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, and get more humanitarian aid into Gaza. In addition to the discussions in Qatar, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week to discuss postwar plans for Gaza and the wider Middle East.

Israeli negotiators arrived in Qatars capital, Doha, on Monday for a new round of in-person talks about a potential cease-fire and the release of hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups. Their delegation was led by David Barnea, the head of Mossad, Israels foreign spy agency.

Mr. Barnea returned to Israel on Tuesday morning, according to an Israeli official who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. Further details were not immediately available, but the Israeli news media reported that other members of Israels negotiating team remained in Qatar.

Officials from Qatar and Egypt have acted as intermediaries in the cease-fire discussions, in part because negotiators for Israel and Hamas do not talk directly with each other.

A spokesman for Qatars foreign ministry, Majed al-Ansari, confirmed that Mr. Barnea had departed but said on Tuesday that technical teams seeking to hash out finer details of a potential agreement were continuing to meet in Doha.
For many civilians in Gaza, fleeing from Israeli attacks has become a grim cycle. Israeli evacuation orders have prompted more than a million people to move from one destination to another since October, each time packing belongings and seeking transport  by vehicle, cart or foot  to escape airstrikes and ground fighting between Israel and Hamas.

The latest example is Rafah, in southern Gaza, a city swollen to more than 1.4 million people by forced displacement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said on Tuesday that his military would invade the city to root out Hamas but that it would provide humanitarian aid and facilitate an orderly exit of the population.

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser, has said that a major ground invasion in Rafah would be a mistake, not least because it would further imperil humanitarian access. Displacement has contributed to a hunger crisis sweeping the territory, and the United Nations has said that an invasion could mean that an already catastrophic situation slides deeper into the abyss.

Some civilians say they have fled time and again. As many people face the prospect of being displaced again, here is a look at what happened on a few occasions when Israel has told civilians to evacuate.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Tuesday brushed aside President Bidens opposition to a planned ground invasion of the southern Gaza city of Rafah, saying that his government would press ahead despite pleas for restraint from the United States and key allies.

Mr. Netanyahu made the remarks to Israeli lawmakers a day after speaking by phone with Mr. Biden, who reiterated his stance against an offensive into Rafah, arguing that it could be disastrous for the people there and that Israel had other ways of achieving its objective of defeating Hamas.

At the presidents request, Mr. Netanyahu agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to hear U.S. concerns and to discuss Rafah, but a day later he insisted there was no alternative. Sending troops into the city is necessary, Mr. Netanyahu said on Tuesday, to eliminate Hamas battalions in the city.

I made it as clear as possible to the president that we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion, Mr. Netanyahu said.
At the request of President Biden, Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, agreed on Monday to send a team of officials to Washington to discuss alternatives to a promised Israeli invasion of Rafah, the city that has become the last refuge for roughly half of Gazas population, according to Mr. Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan.

In a phone call on Monday, Mr. Biden told the Israeli leader that sending ground forces into Rafah, as Mr. Netanyahu has vowed repeatedly to do, could be disastrous when there are other options for defeating Hamas, Mr. Sullivan said.

A major ground operation there would be a mistake, Mr. Sullivan told reporters at the White House. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally.

Mr. Sullivan said Mr. Biden had asked Mr. Netanyahu to send a team of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington to hear U.S. concerns about Israels plans for Rafah, and to lay out an alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion.

The prime minister agreed that he would send a team, he added. Obviously he has his own point of view on a Rafah operation, but he agreed that he would send a team to Washington to have this discussion.

During the call, Mr. Biden, who has been increasingly critical of Israels conduct of the war and the toll it has taken on civilians, expressed alarm that Israeli forces could repeat the pattern of destruction that has played out during major offensives in Gaza City and Khan Younis.
The United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, blamed Israel on Tuesday for what he said was the entirely preventable catastrophe of starvation and famine unfolding in Gaza, urging international pressure on the country to allow for the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid.

International alarm has been growing over the hunger crisis in Gaza, with food experts predicting an imminent famine in the north of the enclave and foreign leaders and diplomats becoming increasingly blunt in pointing the finger at Israel.

The situation of hunger, starvation and famine is a result of Israels extensive restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid and commercial goods, displacement of most of the population, as well as the destruction of crucial civilian infrastructure, Mr. Turk said in a statement.

Mr. Turk said Israels restrictions on aid, together with its conduct in its campaign to destroy Hamas, including the displacement of people and the destruction of infrastructure, may amount to the use of starvation as a weapon of war, which is a war crime.

Israel has pushed back on criticism that it is restricting aid from entering Gaza, pointing to its support for several recent initiatives, including efforts to provide supplies by air and sea that aid groups say are far less efficient than road.

It has accused Hamas of diverting aid and of using Palestinian civilians as human shields. The countrys mission in Geneva said on Tuesday that Mr. Turk seeks once again to blame Israel for the situation and completely absolve the responsibility of the U.N. and Hamas.

A report released Monday by the U.N.-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said that 1.1 million people, half the population of Gaza, would most likely face catastrophic food insecurity and predicted an imminent rise in hunger-related deaths.

The coping mechanisms we have seen the past weeks, even months, are people eating bird seeds, animal fodder, wild grass and weeds, Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the U.N. aid agency in Geneva, told reporters on Tuesday while discussing the report. We are beyond that. Theres literally nothing left.

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that it had set up a center to try to stabilize malnutrition levels in the south of Gaza and was looking to set up another in the north, but it said that to bring in supplies at the scale needed would require a cease-fire. Talks in Qatar are continuing amid another intensive diplomatic push to secure a pause in the fighting.
An artist's impression of the Saigon Peninsula in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo courtesy of the project

Saigon Peninsula, a mega luxury property project in Ho Chi Minh City, was used by Van Thinh Phat chairwoman Truong My Lan and her accomplices as collateral for loans worth VND133.71 trillion (US$5.4 billion).

The 118-hectare project, also known as Mui Den Do, received approval from the city in 2007 for a $6-billion complex of villas, apartments, offices, hotels, and a boat pier. It was the biggest project of its kind in Vietnam at the time.

But even before the project was developed, Lan used it as collateral to obtain 137 loans from Saigon Commercial Bank for 100 companies and individuals controlled by her, according to the prosecution at her ongoing trial for embezzlement from the bank.

By October 2022 the project was securing VND108 trillion in principal and VND26 trillion in interest. It was a major collateral that secured 22% of Lan and her accomplices loans at SCB.

As the project failed to be developed, most of its land has now been returned to local residents.

Former CEO of SCB Truong Khanh Hoang had admitted to approving a loan that used Saigon Peninsula as collateral.

He told investigators and the court that he knew that the approval had no legal ground as the assets of Saigon Peninsula were yet to be developed and the project still needed the final approval from the Prime Minister.

But he did that by the order of Lan, he said, adding that without Lans order none of the loans secured by the project would have been taken out of SCB.

At the ongoing trial, Lan faces charges of bribery, violating banking regulations and embezzlement.

Between 2012 and 2022 she allegedly instructed the SCB management to give her loans worth over VND1 quadrillion ($44 billion), equivalent to 93% of its entire loan portfolio.

The trial is scheduled to go on until April 29.
The Three Kinds of Biden Protest Voters

Where non-Biden vote share has exceeded 10 percent in Democratic primaries so far Wash. Maine Vt. Minn. Mass. Mich. Nev. Utah Colo. Calif. Va. N.C. Tenn. Okla. Ark. S.C. Ga. Ala. Texas States in dark gray are where vote share was less than 10 percent. Where non-Biden vote share has exceeded 10 percent in Democratic primaries so far Wash. Maine Vt. Minn. Mass. Mich. Nev. Utah Colo. Va. Calif. N.C. Tenn. Okla. Ark. S.C. Ga. Ala. Texas States in dark gray are where vote share was less than 10 percent. Source: The Associated Press Note: Caucuses, held in Hawaii and Iowa, and states where President Biden was not on the ballot (New Hampshire) or was the only option (Mississippi) are not included.

So far this year, an average of one in 10 Democratic voters has voted for uncommitted in states where that has been an option on the presidential primary ballot. Where uncommitted hasnt been on the ballot, around 12 percent have voted for a named candidate other than President Biden.

All together, the average Biden protest vote  the percent of the Democratic primary vote going to uncommitted or to minor candidates  stands at 13 percent.

Once all ballots for Tuesdays primaries are counted, the results could offer an opportunity to assess Mr. Bidens appeal in a key state, Arizona, where Hispanic voters make up about a quarter of voters overall and an even greater share in parts of Phoenix and Tucson. Arizona, where uncommitted is not an option, is also home to a campaign to encourage primary voters to protest Mr. Bidens Middle East policies by casting their votes for Marianne Williamson.

Share of non-Biden vote in Democratic primaries 5 10 15 20 25 30% Minn. Okla. Mich. Colo. Mass. Wash. Texas Utah N.C. Va. Uncommitted Ark. Minor candidates Calif. Nev. Vt. Ala. Tenn. Maine Ga. Historical median protest vote: 7% S.C. 5 10 15 20 25 30% Minn. Okla. Mich. Colo. Mass. Wash. Texas Utah N.C. Va. Uncommitted Ark. Minor candidates Calif. Nev. Vt. Ala. Tenn. Maine Ga. Historical median protest vote: 7% S.C. Source: The Associated Press

In Illinois, pro-Palestinian groups are pushing voters to write in Gaza. There will also be Democratic primaries in Ohio and Kansas. (The Democratic primary in Florida was canceled after the state party certified only Mr. Biden for the ballot.)

The results of Tuesdays elections will also offer some of the first opportunities to assess the protest vote against former President Donald J. Trump now that his last major challenger, Nikki Haley, has dropped out. (Much of the voting in last weeks primaries in Georgia and Washington happened before Ms. Haleys announcement.)

The Democratic protest vote so far this year is slightly higher than the historical norm. In uncompetitive Democratic and Republican presidential primaries in 2004, 2012 and 2020, the typical protest vote was about 7 percent.

Those who have voted against Mr. Biden so far fall into three rough groups that highlight the challenge he faces as he looks toward the November general election.

Group 1: Young voters and Muslim American communities

Share of uncommitted vote in areas with more younger or older voters Minn. Mich. Younger Younger Older Older 10 20 30% 10 20 30% Mass. King County, Wash. Younger Younger Older Older 10 20 30% 10 20 30% Minn. Mich. Younger Younger Older Older 10 20 30% 10 20 30% Mass. King County, Wash. Younger Younger Older Older 10 20 30% 10 20 30% Sources: The Associated Press; state and county websites; L2; Census Bureau

In Michigan, Minnesota, Washington and Massachusetts  four of the five states where uncommitted has done best so far  there was a clear and consistent trend. Areas with higher shares of younger voters were much more likely to vote against Mr. Biden in the primary. In Seattle, two of the areas with the highest share of uncommitted voters were Capitol Hill, a popular neighborhood among young professionals, and the University District, home to the University of Washington.

Mr. Bidens relatively poor performance in these areas suggests a continuing weakness among younger voters. That is a trend that has also shown up in surveys, including New York Times/Siena College national and battleground state polls, which show Mr. Trump gaining ground among voters 18 to 29.

Precinct-level results also indicate that the protest vote is strong in Muslim American communities. This was most noticeable in Michigan, where, in majority-Arab areas, 79 percent of the vote went to uncommitted, most likely representing a protest against Mr. Bidens Gaza policy.

Younger voters and Muslim Americans are a small share of the electorate, and it is unclear how their protest in the primary will affect the general.

In places like Michigan, however, where the margins tend to be razor-thin, their votes  or decision to stay home  could prove decisive.

Group 2: Democrats in name only

North Carolina, where no preference received 12.7 percent of the vote, does not follow the same trend. There, areas with a higher share of younger voters were not necessarily more likely to vote against Mr. Biden.

There is another, older phenomenon at play.

North Carolina, like many Southern states, is home to a large number of voters who long ago registered as Democrats but who now vote for Republicans in presidential elections  voters who are effectively Democrats in name only (DINOs). It is also a semi-closed primary state, meaning these conservative voters who are registered as Democrats can participate only in the Democratic primary. When stuck with a Democratic primary ballot, they may be more inclined to cast a protest vote than to support the incumbent.

Party registration patterns can help highlight where DINOs are concentrated.

Robeson County, where Mr. Biden performed worst in North Carolina in the primary, is a prime example. In Robeson, which is just outside Fayetteville and borders South Carolina, there are more than twice as many registered Democrats as registered Republicans. Yet in the 2020 general election, Mr. Trump won the county handily with about 59 percent of the vote. The disparity between party registration and presidential election results suggests Robeson has a substantial population of registered Democrats who voted for Mr. Trump in 2020.

This trend holds true across the state. The protest vote against Mr. Biden was highest in counties where the share of voters who are registered Democrats is much greater than the share of voters who voted Democratic in the last presidential election.

Where the Biden protest vote did best in North Carolina 40% of vote going to no preference or to minor candidates Robeson County, N.C. 30 20 10 Fewer DINOs More DINOs 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 Ratio of registered Democrats to Biden 2020 voters 40% of vote going to no preference or to minor candidates Robeson County, N.C. 30 20 10 Fewer DINOs More DINOs 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 Ratio of registered Democrats to Biden 2020 voters Sources: The Associated Press; L2 Note: For each county, the ratio is calculated by dividing the share of registered Democrats by the share of the vote Mr. Biden received in the 2020 general election.

A similar pattern played out in Oklahoma, where Mr. Biden received just 73 percent of the vote, with the remaining 27 percent going to candidates like Dean Phillips and Ms. Williamson. (Uncommitted was not an option on the ballot.) Small, rural counties like Cimarron and Coal, where protest votes did best, are also places where Mr. Biden fared worse in 2020 than registration patterns would have suggested  in other words, places where the DINO contingent is strong.

Where the Biden protest vote did best in Oklahoma 80% of vote going to minor candidates Coal County, Okla. 60 40 20 Fewer DINOs More DINOs 1 2 3 Ratio of registered Democrats to Biden 2020 voters 80% of vote going to minor candidates Coal County, Okla. 60 40 20 Fewer DINOs More DINOs 1 2 3 Ratio of registered Democrats to Biden 2020 voters Sources: The Associated Press; L2 Note: For each county, the ratio is calculated by dividing the share of registered Democrats by the share of the vote Mr. Biden received in the 2020 general election.

DINOs are not a new phenomenon. In the 2012 presidential primary, President Barack Obama won just 22 percent of the vote in Coal County.

In future elections, however, they may be less common. Many DINOs of 2012 have since become registered Republicans. For example, in 2012, 80 percent of voters in Coal County were registered Democrats. Now, only 43 percent are.

Unlike younger voters or Arab Americans, DINOs probably did not vote for Mr. Biden in 2020, nor are they likely to vote for him in November. Thus, their lack of support for him in the primaries has less significance for the general.

Group 3: Latino communities

In 2020, majority-Latino precincts in key states like Arizona, Florida and Texas swung to the right. And polls have consistently shown an erosion in support for Mr. Biden among nonwhite voters, including Latinos, over the last four years.

Primary results in Texas add more evidence of this shift: In the heavily Latino counties of the lower Rio Grande Valley, Mr. Biden averaged less than 65 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary earlier this month. In 2012, Mr. Obama, who was similarly running for re-election with only token opposition in the primary, won these counties with more than 85 percent of the primary vote.

In the Texas Democratic primary, Biden underperformed in majority-Latino counties along the Rio Grande Valley Votes for non-Biden candidates, by county 15 25 35% Dallas Fort Worth El Paso Austin Houston San Antonio Corpus Christi Rio Grande City Hispanic voting-age population, by county 25 50 75% Dallas Fort Worth El Paso Austin Houston San Antonio Corpus Christi Rio Grande City Votes for non-Biden candidates, by county Hispanic voting-age population, by county 15 25 35% 25 50 75% Dallas Fort Worth Dallas Fort Worth El Paso El Paso Austin Austin Houston Houston San Antonio San Antonio Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Rio Grande City Rio Grande City Sources: The Associated Press; Census Bureau

The results in Hispanic communities contain elements of both the previous groups: The Hispanic voting population is relatively young, and as Latino voters have become less reliably Democratic, more of them have become DINOs.

In Texas, unlike in states where voters are limited by their party registration, voters can choose to vote in the party primary of their choice, suggesting Democratic primary voters there still actively identify with the party, even if they are casting a protest vote against Mr. Biden.
A couple of Taiwanese university students are being accused of faking frostbite injuries that eventually warranted a double amputation to defraud insurance companies.

Taiwans Criminal Investigation Bureau has accused a university student surnamed Chang of conspiring with a former high-school colleague named Liao to orchestrate a bizarre insurance fraud in January of last year. Evidence presented to prosecutors shows that in early January of last year, Chang took out policies covering disabilities, injuries, health, and travel safety from at least five insurers. On the night of January 26, both Chang and Liao rode their motorcycles through Taipei, to make it seem like one of them suffered frostbite because of the cold weather. In reality, the frostbite was self-inflicted and caused by a bucket of dry ice.

Photo: TAIWANS CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION BUREAU

Chang and Liao hoped to pocket around 41 million TWD ($1.29 million) from the insurance policies they had taken out, but in order to do that, one of them had to make a very tough choice. After discussing the best course of action, Chang agreed to give up both his legs for a slightly bigger piece of the pie (25 million TWD). He had to soak his feet in a bucket of dry ice for more than 10 hours and agreed to be tied to a chair by Liao, to ensure that he put up with the grueling pain.

On January 28, after 10 hours of soaking his legs in dry ice, Chang had to be hospitalized and because doctors could no longer save his lower limbs, he suffered a double below-the-knee amputation. He filed insurance claims almost immediately after being discharged and he actually got paid 230,000 TWD ($7240) by one insurer, but the rest decided to investigate the case.

The unusual number of insurance policies taken out in such a short period of time and the circumstances of Changs frostbite injuries were considered suspicious by insurance companies, some of which reported the case to the local authorities. During the investigation that followed, prosecutors found that Chang had unusually symmetrical injuries that lacked an imprint from his shoes or socks.

Photo: Vlad Deep/Unsplash

While checking the weather on January 26, the night that the frostbite injuries allegedly occurred, temperatures ranged from 6 degrees Celsius to 17 degrees Celsius, for from cold enough to cause frostbite. While checking the two young mens homes, authorities found insurance documents, medical records, as well as a styrofoam box in which dry ice had been stored.

Prosecutors claim that Liao was facing serious financial problems due to losing his money on the cryptocurrency market and managed to convince Chang to go along with his plan and get a huge payout. On March 14 both men were charged with fraud, but Liao was also charged for causing his friends serious physical injuries.

This case once again proves that some people will do anything for money. Just a few weeks ago, we posted about a paraplegic man who paid someone to cuto off his legs and make it look like an accident for insurance fraud purposes, but there was also the case of a Slovakian woman who allegedly cut off her own hand for an insurance payout, as well as the Vietnamese woman who paid someone to cut off her hand and foot to claim an insurance payout.
French fashion brand Coperni recently unveiled a unique version of its iconic Swipe bag made from the lightest solid material on Earth, aerogel. Named Air Swipe, the accessory weighs only 37 grams.

Every year, Coperni recreates its popular Swipe bag in a unique, thought-provoking way. Last year, they created a limited-edition meteorite handbag hand-carved from a meteorite that fell on Earth thousands of years ago. That sounds pretty tough to beat, but this years project was even more ambitious. The French brand partnered with Greek researcher and visual artist Ioannis Michaloudis to create the lightest handbag in the world out of a revolutionary material called aerogel. This ultra-light material allowed Michaloudis to create a 27 by 16 by 6 centimeters handbag that weighs only 37 grams.

Silica aerogel is the lightest solid material in the world, as it consists of 99% air and 1% glass. It is produced in a stainless steel mold through a special drying process, which uses specific temperatures and pressures to transform liquids into glass.

While very delicate, aerogel is not as fragile as you might think. It can withstand pressure of 4,000 times its weight and heat up to 1,200 degrees Celsius, so if youre wondering if the Air Swipe bag can actually hold anything, the answer is most certainly yes!

The material is between something that does and something that does not exist. It too is in this in-between state, like an angelic state, Ioannis Michaloudis said. This is the in-between space of the Coperni bag.

The Coperni Air Swipe Bag made its debut at the F/W 2024 runway show during Paris Fashion Week and has been the talk of the fashion world ever since.



Interestingly, in 2019, artisans at London-based design studio Bompass & Parr used aerogel technology to create the worlds lightest dessert which was 96 percent air and weighed just one gram.
The Government has to demonstrate to carers that it is on their side, the Taoiseach has said.

Leo Varadkar said the Government could continue to increase payments to carers and people with disabilities, relax the means tests and improve the home-care tax credit.

Mr Varadkar also said it could improve parental leave to give parents more choice about when or if they return to work.

It comes after 73% of the voters in a recent referendum rejected the wording of a constitutional amendment about family care.

The Taoiseach told reporters: I think we need to, obviously, demonstrate to carers and people with disabilities that we are on their side and that we are working in their interests.

He said Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys is looking at a review of the means tests and various payments, as well as examining a State-contributory pension for carers.

He added: Were doing all that we can to provide more respite which is very deficient at the moment and provide more therapies and more services and unfortunately, thats not up to where it should be.

But the real difficulty there isnt financial, or lack of concern or care from the Government, its finding skilled people who are qualified to do the job and willing to do the job and thats thats been a real struggle for us.
An iconic pub was the first stop for a newly married local couple recently. Bride Jenny Keegan and groom Jason Holohan paid a special visit to Treacy's of The Heath, a historic thatched pub on the Dublin road near Portlaoise, right after their nuptials

CLICK ON THE ARROWS ABOVE OR NEXT TO GO THROUGH THE GALLERY OF PICTURES

The couple's special day was on Friday, March 8, with the wedding ceremony held in the beautiful historic Church Of The Assumption in The Heath, Co Laois.

"A cold but dry day but still a magical day to spend with this couple, their families and their friends," photographer Con told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"After the church we headed for a quick pitstop to Treacys of the Heath and then on to the fabulous Keadeen Hotel In Newbridge for the reception.

"After the meal the party to end all parties started and Transmitter had the dance floor full all night blasting out some great tunes. It was a pleasure for me to get to spend the day with Jenny and Jason and I wish them all the very best for their future together," he said.

The bride supported many local businesses for her big day, with her makeup by CF Beauty from Clonaslee, hair by Cheveux Hair Salon in Tullamore, Portlaoise wedding band Transmitter, video by Sean O'Grady, Killeigh and last but not least Jennie's beautiful wedding gown from The House Of Gowns, Bridalgirl in Ballybrittas.
An Airbus A320 of Pacific Airlines. Photo courtesy of the company

Pacific Airlines has returned all its leased airplanes due to financial difficulties, which has forced it to temporarily cease operations.

It had been unable to make lease payments in time.

On Monday a spokesperson said the airline is "restructuring its fleet and route network to increase operational efficiency."

The budget carrier will lease three aircraft from its parent company, Vietnam Airlines, just enough to meet the minimum requirement for an airline to keep its license.

It will also share certain infrastructure and resources such as check-in counters and ground service vehicles with Vietnam Airlines.

The spokesperson assured that the regular flight schedule would soon resume.

Meanwhile, customers who have bought tickets from the carrier will be notified of the new schedule or transferred to flights operated by Vietnam Airlines.

According to the executive of a domestic airline, it is currently difficult to lease planes due to the high global demand, which is driving prices up.

Furthermore, lessors reclaim aircraft immediately if lessees are late to pay, unlike during the Covid-19 pandemic, when they showed leniency.

Pacific Airlines' loss of its entire fleet is likely to make the aviation market more challenging in the coming months, especially during the peak summer season when airlines capacity may not be sufficient to meet demand.

Carriers, including Vietnam Airlines and VietJet Air, are facing a severe shortage of aircraft after having to temporarily ground over 30 A321s, the main aircraft used on domestic routes, for maintenance and engine repairs.

Bamboo Airways has also cut its fleet by more than half since last year as part of its restructuring.

Vietnamese airlines now have a total of 170 planes, down from 230 in 2023.

The shortage has been making tickets scarce and expensive, especially during the recent Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays from Feb. 7 to 15.

Pacific Airlines, established in 1991 as a low-cost air carrier, has faced numerous challenges in recent years.

It made profits of tens of billions of dong in 2018-19 but suffered heavily when the pandemic hit.

In 2022, the airline incurred a loss of nearly VND2.1 trillion (US$84.9 million).

Since Australian airline Qantas sold its stake in Pacific Airlines in 2022, Vietnam Airlines has owned 98.8% of the company.

It has since been seeking new investors for the budget airline and attracted plenty of attention.
Van Thinh Phat chairwoman Truong My Lan seen at the People's Court of Ho Chi Minh City on March 19, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Thanh Tung

Prosecutors on Tuesday recommended that Van Thinh Phat chairwoman Truong My Lan should be given the hardest sentence and ostracized from society forever for a decade of stealing from Saigon Commercial Bank.

Lan, who is on trial for appropriating VND304 trillion ($12 billion) from Saigon Commercial Bank, took advantage of the government's plan to restructure it and two other ailing lenders, De Nhat and Vietnam Tin Nghia, by merging them.

She owned 91.5% stake in SCB and controlled and directed all its operations.

She appointed close people to key positions at the bank and established 1,000 shell companies to borrow from it. She also partnered with appraisal companies to falsely inflate the value of collateral, and bribed officials to cover her wrongdoing.

She paid Do Thi Nhan, head of an inspection team at the State Bank of Vietnam, a bribe of $5.2 million, and also bribed its other members.

"The criminal behaviors of Lan, her accomplices and the inspection team have infringed on the government's economic management, causing a loss of public trust, and therefore needs to be dealt with strictly."

Lan was the mastermind in the case and only put collateral into SCB so she could borrow money from it.

From 2012 to 2022 Lan's group took more than 2,500 loans at SCB worth VND1 quadrillion ($44 billion), or 93% of the total credit that the bank has issued.

She is accused of causing a loss of VND498 trillion to the bank.

The prosecutors said Lan committed crimes repeatedly over a long period with sophisticated methods and in an organized manner.

She was insincere during the trial, making evasive statements and blaming subordinates, and her criminal behaviors led to particularly severe consequences with no possibility of recovery.

"She therefore needs to be "ostracized from society forever," the prosecutors said, adding that they recommended the highest sentence for her.

They also recommended putting away for long the SCB leaders who helped Lan, including former chairmen Dinh Van Thanh and Bui Anh Dung, former CEO Vo Tan Hoang Van, former acting CEO Truong Khanh Hoang, former deputy CEO Tran Thi My Dung.

Thanh escaped before the official investigation began and was tried in absentia. He was charged with helping Lan cause a loss of VND99.67 trillion to SCB.

All defendants except Lan have admitted to their crimes and said that they only carried out Lans orders because of their complete trust in her plan to restructure SCB.

Lan, however, denied the allegations that she controlled SCB and used it as a financial instrument to fund her own company Van Thinh Phat's operations.

She claimed that she owned only 5% of the bank, not 91.5%, and by 2022 she and her two daughters owned 15% of shares.

The remaining shares were owned by her friends since she convinced them to buy up to 65% of the bank to ensure a successful merger.

She also denied the accusation that she selected people close to her and gave them big salaries and bonuses to control them. She said all loan approvals at SCB were done by its management, and she was not aware of the process.

She did not form 1,000 shell companies to borrow from the bank and only let some companies use her assets as collateral to apply for loans from the bank, she said. She said she did not partner with appraisal companies either.

She denied charges of stealing money from the bank. "I had many assets and money at the bank; why would I steal my own money?"

She denied ordering subordinates to give central bank head inspector Nhan $5.2 million in bribes.

Her Hong Kong husband Eric Chu is accused of helping her steal VND9.12 trillion from the bank.

He said he never knew what documents he signed meant due to the language barrier and only did so because his wife asked him.

Her niece Truong Hue Van, CEO of Van Thinh Phat, admitted to helping Lan steal VND1.1 trillion from SCB because of family loyalty.

Lan and 12 other defendants accused of embezzlement could face death as the highest sentence. Lower sentences are prison for life or 20 years.

During the trial Lan agreed to use family assets to compensate SCBs losses but wanted them appraised afresh.
Bui Duc Tho, Chairman of the School Council of the National Economics University (NEU), and Alayne Thorpe (R), Vice President of Andrews University present the cooperation agreement after a signing ceremony on March 18, 2024. Photo by NEU

The Hanoi-based National Economic University (NEU) and the U.S.'s Andrews University are set to team up in a four-year business administration bachelor's program.

At a ceremony held in Hanoi on Monday to exchange cooperation documents between the two sides, Assoc. Prof. Dr Le Trung Thanh, Dean of the NEU's International School of Management and Economics, said the program focuses on international business and contributes to enhancing both universities' training reputation and quality, and fostering Vietnam's global integration.

It is designed to be taught at the NEU in a period of four years, with bachelor's degrees conferred by the Andrews University. Featuring a one-week immersion at the Andrews University, the program consists of 124 credits, with the NEU and its U.S. partner responsible for 64 and 60 credits, respectively. Participating students can transfer to the U.S. establishment for their third academic year with a maximum tuition support of up to 50%.

According to Thanh, previously, the NEU primarily collaborated with universities in the U.K.

This teamwork marks one of the first initiatives to expand collaboration with its peers in the U.S., he noted.
Jahanbakhsh Ghiasi (L) and Abdul Aziz at a police station in Hanoi's Hoan Kiem District. Photo courtesy of the police

A Pakistani and an Iranian in Hanoi posed as Interpol police officers to steal money from tourists in the Old Quarter.

Abdul Aziz, 55, from Pakistan, and Jahanbakhsh Ghiasi, 50, from Iran, were detained by police in Hoan Kiem District for allegedly extorting people.

On March 12, the two men rode a motorbike to Hang Thiec Street and intercepted a Bangladeshi tourist. They used fake cards posing as Interpol and demanded the tourist show them his passport and wallet.

The tourist gave all his papers and belongings to the two. However, police in Hang Trong discovered the incident and put a stop to it.

Just a day prior, the two men pulled the same stunt with an Indian tourist on Hang Gai Street and took VND10 million (US$405).

Aziz and Ghiasi said they had the Interpol card forged in Bangkok, and they used it to extort money and belongings off tourists.
President Vladimir Putin at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia on March 14, 2024. Photo by AFP

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Monday sent a congratulatory letter to Vladimir Putin over his re-election as president of Russia.

According to the data from the Central Election Commission of Russia, preliminary counting results as of Tuesday morning show that President Vladimir Putin won 87.32% of the vote, securing his fifth term and will lead Russia until 2030.

On behalf of the Party and the State of Vietnam, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong sent a congratulatory letter to President Putin, according to a statement from the Central Foreign Affairs Commission. In 2018, when Putin was reelected as the President of Russia, General Secretary Trong also sent a congratulatory message.

Leaders from several countries like China, North Korea, and Cuba have also congratulated President Putin on his reelection.

Putin, 71, was Russia's president from 2000 to 2008 and has held the position since 2012, as well as serving as the country's prime minister from 2008 to 2012.

He was elected president in 2012 and 2018 with 63.6% and 76.69% of the votes.

Vietnam and Russia established diplomatic relations in 1950. The two countries celebrated 10 years of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.

According to data from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, by the end of 2022, Russia had 164 projects in Vietnam with a total investment of US$965.8 million, ranking 27th among 140 countries and territories.

Vietnam has invested in five projects in Russia with a total value of US$528 million in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.

According to the General Department of Customs, the bilateral trade in 2022 reached US$3.55 billion.

In 2023, Russia provided 1,000 scholarships for Vietnamese students. Currently, there are about 5,000 Vietnamese students studying in this country.

The Chairman of the United Russia party, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, officially visited Vietnam in May 2023, affirming that Vietnam is an important partner of Russia, emphasizing that developing relations with Vietnam is one of Russia's top priorities.

During his visit to Vietnam in October last year, the Chairman of the State Duma of Russia Vyacheslav Vichtorovich Volodin also emphasized that Russia always supports promoting the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam and considers Vietnam a priority, important partner in its foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sri Lanka President Instructs Cabinet to prioritize preparation for Presidential Election

Posted by Editor on March 19, 2024 - 8:54 am

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the Cabinet to prioritize preparation for the Presidential Election.

It is reported that the President made these comments during the cabinet meeting held on Monday afternoon (March 18).

The President urged the Cabinet to expedite pending government tasks, including ongoing development projects, and to focus on readiness for the presidential election.

In the meantime, Tamil Peoples National Alliance (TPNA) MP C.V. Wigneswaran proposed that the presidential candidate should be proficient in three languages, including Tamil.

MP Nalaka Godahewa stated that the constitution does not permit the President to delay the presidential election.
Sri Lanka to import 42 million more eggs from India

Posted by Editor on March 19, 2024 - 11:39 am

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal seeking permission to award procurement contracts for importing eggs from India.

This approval is based on the recommendations made by the Procurement Committee.

As such, 42 million more eggs are to be imported to Sri Lanka, as per a Cabinet approval granted in December 2023.

On December 18, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers gave the nod to import eggs from India until April 30, 2024.

Accordingly, Sri Lanka has thus far imported as many as 18 million eggs from its neighbor, and 42 million more eggs are yet to be brought in.

For this purpose, the Department of Animal Production and Health has already obtained the proposed rates from the recommended Indian companies.
Indonesia seeks to join Singapore to promote tourism with A-list stars

Taylor Swift during her Eras Tour concert in Singapore on March 2, 2024. Photo by Panda Doan

Indonesias Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno said his country is willing to cooperate with Singapore to attract world-famous artists like Taylor Swift for big concerts that would help promote tourism.

Concertgoers to the recent Taylor Swift's shows in Singapore brought in five times more spending than the typical tourists, Sandiaga said during a recent visit to the city state, as quoted by Jakarta Post.

More than 368,000 people attended Taylor Swifts Eras Tour six-night concerts in Singapore from March 2-9, with airfares and hotel room rates skyrocketing, The Straits Times reported, adding that Swifts stop in Singapore resulted in 30% increase in demand for accommodation.

Sandiaga said the Indonesian government plans to set up a tourism fund worth US$128 million to support local organizers to conduct performances similar to the Taylor Swift event in Singapore.

He also pledged to improve infrastructure, permit issuance and human capital to enable A-list stars to organize concerts in Indonesia.

Indonesia welcomed 11.7 million foreign tourists last year and aims to draw 14 million this year.

Southeast Asia's largest economy plans to waive visas for visitors in more countries and simplify permits to make it easier for domestic event organizers to organize large-scale music events.
Yemen is not the quintessential tourism destination as it is riddled with internal conflict and terrorist attacks. The fallout of the long-drawn civil war in this West Asian country is that basic facilities and services are quite limited. Hundreds of thousands of Yemenis are in dire straits as they are facing acute food security and malnutrition. So, quite obviously, the chances of Yemen figuring in the itineraries of travellers are very remote. The tourists will always be on the edge while travelling in Yemen.

But Yemen is a nation endowed with natural beauty and spots that open a window or two to its rich historical past. The country was a bustling tourist center for centuries due to its strategic location as it was in the middle of the trade routes connecting West Asia with Africa. Tourism thrived in Yemen till the 20th century, but the tourist footfall dipped drastically after the Yemeni crisis of 2011. Terrorism and related problems have cast a shadow of fear over the minds of tourists from across the world. Though there is no assurance n personal security and safety, the country is replete with breathtaking views and incredible experiences that can bowl over any traveller.

Confluence of scenic beauty and history

Yemen is a country that has huge potential in tourism. The country boasts four World Heritage Sites like the historical city of Zabid, the old city of Sanaa, the old walled city of Shibam and the Socotra archipelago. The other places of interest include the archaeological site of Marib, the historic cities of Saada and Thula, the Madrasa Amiriya of Rada, Jibla and its surroundings, Jabal Bura, Jabal Haraz, the coastal region of Balhaf/Burum and the coastal area of Sharma/Jethmun.

The World Heritage Site of Socotra Islands has a unique diversity with distinct flora and fauna that could not be found anywhere. The umbrella-like Dragon Blood Trees and the strange and intricate rock formations are attracting nature lovers in droves. The dam situated in the heart of the capital city of Sanaa reflects the ingenuity of the ancient and traditional engineering of Yemen. Groundwater has been the main source of water for Yemen from the 9th century.

Another attraction is the pristine Shoab Beach, which is popular for water sports, on the shores of the Red Sea. The exquisite Dar al-Hajar stone palace built on the top of a huge rock in the Wadi Dhar valley is a perfect example of the architectural excellence of Yemen. The Al-Mihdar masjid, which is known for its eye-catching minarets and complex Islamic architectural planning, is a prominent religious spot. The Al-Saleh masjid in Sanaa with amazing geometric patterns is a masterpiece of modern architecture. The beautiful and tall minarets and the expansive foregrounds will take visitors to the world of Arabic folklore. The rough and tough rock formations, deep canyons and meandering cascades make Wadi Dilhur Canyon the happening place for adventure seekers.

The Di Hamri Marine Conservation Area on Socotra Island is admired for the diverse biodiversity of the Arabian Sea. The region, which is flush with colourful corals, dolphins and sea turtles, among others, provides ample opportunities for eco-tourism and ocean-centric adventures. The Radaa castle, which was built by the Tahirids dynasty in the 16th century, is an age-old Islamic citadel situated in the town of Radaa. The impressive fort is an imprint of the historic military architecture of Yemen. The Scand Peak with its challenging hiking paths and wonderful views is a perfect destination for trekkers. The other points of interest in Yemen include Al-Qahira castle and the Ayhaft Canyon National Park.

Follow travel advice diligently

Various countries have issued travel advice and advisories to people visiting Yemen. The advisories include points relating to safety, local laws, terrorism, ongoing armed conflict, customs and practices. The UK asks its citizens to respect Islamic customs, dress properly and avoid consumption of liquor, especially in the holy month of Ramadan. The majority of countries advise their citizens not to travel to Yemen because of the volatile situation prevailing in the nation. They also sound a warning on the possibility of terrorist attacks on tourist centers and foreign tourists being kidnapped.

Yemeni visa

The citizens of Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Hong Kong and member countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council can travel to Yemen without a visa. Indians need a visa to visit Yemen. People with tourist and business visas dont need an exit visa before embarking on a journey to Yemen. Travellers staying in Yemen for more than two weeks should register themselves at the nearest police station otherwise they would have to pay a penalty of 5,000 YR while leaving the country.
American Journalist is a YouTube Documentary that chronicles the literary and political activism of Earl Ofari Hutchinson who Wikipedia labels "American Journalist." Most importantly, the documentary capsulizes his half century plus work as a media commentator and social and political activist challenging Trump's warped, divisive, immigrant, race baiting attempt to reshape America.

American Journalist consists of interviews with and commentary by Hutchinson on his writings, his start, motivation, and their impact. The documentary capsulizes his half century plus work as a media commentator and social and political activist.

The aim is to inspire, motivate, and provide a guide for present and future young people on the immense power of writing, social activism, and engagement. Hutchinson's aim is to raise awareness on how these invaluable literary vehicles can make a difference in people's lives and society.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an acclaimed American author, journalist and longtime political and social analyst and activist. In a span of more than a half century from 1970 he has written more than thirty books, many acclaimed. Among his books are the trilogy on the Obama Years: The Obama Legacy, How Obama Governed; The Year of Crisis and Challenge, and How Obama Won. His most recent books are the Trump Challenge to Black America, From King to Obama: Witness to a Turbulent History. He has authored several books on the Trump phenomenon and multiple books on race and politics in America.

.youtube.com/watch?v=R1VqlDW2Fdk&t=303s

(Article changed on Mar 19, 2024 at 3:45 PM EDT)
Article originally published in The Maui News

By Robert Weiner and Ting Cui

Kameryn Pupunu, a Hawaiian police officer whose Lahaina hometown was devastated by last August's wildfires, joined the First Lady as a guest of honor at the State of the Union address last week, accompanied by his four immediate family members. The invitation and Pupuinu's presence were emblematic of the role that Maui's resilience plays in the national psyche.

Amidst the flames, Pupunu drove his squad car through perilous conditions, evacuating strangers to safety. He stands as a symbol for the courageous individuals of the Maui Police Department, honoring the heroism of many officers who risked their lives during the fatal fires of last August.

The damage from the fires left survivors displaced and in dire need of assistance. Shelters that lacked functioning kitchens reached out to Dr. Mary Trotto, director of the Hale Kau Kau race, for assistance. In a display of swift response and community support, she was able to immediately mobilize her organization and provide food to survivors within hours of their call.

Pupunu and Trotto represent the resilience of the Maui spirit that has been rebuilding since.

Hale Kau Kau, affiliated with St. Theresa's church, has been serving daily meals to the needy for 32 years. They have served over a total of 1.5 million meals. Recently, the organization was asked to make 300 meals for the other shelters in Kahului that are housing those displaced by the wildfires.
Monday night (video here), three of five City Council Members in Charlottesville, Virginia, voted No on a resolution (in agenda packet here) in support of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Council Members Michael Payne and Natalie Oschrin put the resolution on the agenda and spoke well in support of it.

But Council Members Lloyd Snook, Brian Pinkston, and Juandiego Wade voted No.

Snook claimed to have no competence in foreign policy, spreading what is a pernicious idea in a supposedly self-governing land, namely the idea that matters of mass-murder should be left to the experts who know better than we do. Snook nonetheless claimed to have written letters to U.S. Senators that we supporters of the resolution for a ceasefire would have agreed with -- an odd thing to do as an incompetent person on foreign policy. Snook also tried to offer an analysis of the Nazi rally several years ago in Charlottesville, while simultaneously claiming that no such analysis is possible given the multitude of different perspectives.

Pinkston professed to be unable to "suss out a notion as large as genocide" (as if the International Court of Justice hadn't done it for him, as if it hadn't been on everyone's screens for months). He claimed to believe that the Biden Administration would figure out what to do sooner or later even if everyone else maintained silence and stayed out of the way. (Go, team democracy!)

Then Pinkston made one of the most disturbing comments of the evening -- an evening in which intelligent, morally engaged people had discussed genocidal horrors in detail. Pinkston said that he wants to protect Charlottesville from things like that Nazi rally, and that passing a resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza might put a target on Charlottesville. Snook had made a similar point claiming that Charlotttesville's mayor in 2017 calling the city the "capital of the resistance" [to Trump] had not worked out well.

It seems that Pinkston and Snook are making decisions out of fear of pro-Trump, pro-Nazi violence. They're not just refusing to call for an end to genocide, but bowing to intimidation from genocidal thugs.

What a shame.

What a disgrace.

Fortunately, both before and after the vote on Monday, numerous eloquent Charlottesville residents spoke in support of the ceasefire resolution. And they promised to come back again and again and again. So, clearly, voting No will not prove a means of avoiding the topic or moving on to "appropriate local issues." Of course, it's possible that those No votes were in part motivated by something else, namely the fact that the man on the throne in the White House is a Democrat. Charlottesville has passed numerous resolutions on foreign policy in the past when a Republican ruled in Washington.

These were my remarks at the City Council meeting on Monday:

I've asked this City to pass resolutions on

and this City has done so, sometimes improving what we asked for, often leading the nation and inspiring other cities.

Local and state governments are supposed to represent constituents to higher levels of government, as allowed under Clause 3, Rule XII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, also known as the Jefferson Manual because of who created it.

In 1967 a court in California ruled in favor of citizens' right to place a referendum on the ballot opposing a war, ruling that "one of the purposes of local government is to represent its citizens before the Congress, the Legislature, and administrative agencies in matters over which the local government has no power."

This approach has contributed to ending U.S. slavery, South African Apartheid, and a nuclear arms race.

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People's choice of words can be revealing. That's certainly the case with respect to one of Donald Trump's favorite slogans, "America First".

In April 2016, Trump initially used the term in a campaign speech, proclaiming that "America First" would be "the major and overriding theme of my administration". The following year, in his inaugural address, he promised that "a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first--America first." Subsequently, he has employed the slogan frequently to describe his approach to foreign and domestic policy.

This approach is remarkable because, over the past century, "America First" has acquired some very unsavory connotations.

Although the seemingly innocent slogan goes back deep in American history, it began to develop a racist, anti-Semitic, and xenophobic tone after World War I. The Ku Klux Klan, which surged to some five million members at that time, employed it frequently for its terrorist mobilizations. Like the Klan, nativist groups took up "America First" as they used racist, eugenicist claims to press, successfully, for U.S. government restrictions on immigration. Appealing to an overheated nationalism, William Randolph Hearst used his newspaper empire to campaign, successfully, against U.S. participation in the League of Nations. Soon thereafter, he became a booster of other nationalist fanatics, the rising fascist powers.

Hearst's newspapers, with "America First" emblazoned on their masthead, celebrated what they called the "great achievement" of the new Nazi regime in Germany. In 1934, Hearst himself scurried off to Berlin to interview Adolf Hitler. Instructing his reporters in Germany to provide positive coverage of the Nazis, Hearst fired journalists who failed to do so. Meanwhile, the Hearst press ran columns, without rebuttal, by Hitler, Mussolini, and Nazi leader Hermann Goring.

This toxic brew of racism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia increasingly found its way into a growing isolationist movement that crested in 1940 with the establishment of the America First Committee. Bankrolled by several top corporate leaders, the America First Committee was determined to prevent the United States from becoming involved in what it labeled, disparagingly, "Europe's wars." And as fascist military forces swept from triumph to triumph, it emerged as America's largest isolationist organization. Although the 800,000 America First members had a variety of political opinions, many of them held anti-Semitic views and sympathized with the Nazis.

Henry Ford, for example, a member of the America First executive committee, was a major backer of anti-Semitic and racist organizations, including the Ku Klux Klan. Purchasing a Michigan newspaper, the Dearborn Independent, he used it to publish articles promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, such as the idea that Jews controlled the American financial system, that they started World War I, and that they were plotting to rule the world. The newspaper eventually acquired a circulation of nearly a million thanks to Ford's requirement that his car dealers distribute it. Ford has the distinction of being the only American Hitler complimented in Mein Kampf.

The most prominent leader of the America First Committee was Charles Lindbergh, who--thanks to his celebrated solo flight over the Atlantic--was also one of the best-known Americans of the era. Hitler, Lindbergh believed, was "a visionary" and "undoubtedly a great man". Visiting Nazi Germany, Lindbergh liked its professed values--what he called "science and technology harnessed for the preservation of a superior race". Increasingly, he thought that the "strong central leadership of the Nazi state was the only hope for restoring a moral world order". Addressing reporters, he said that he was "intensely pleased" by all he had seen while in Germany. By contrast, like other anti-Semites, he fretted over "the Jewish problem", and blamed Jews for the shattered German economy that followed World War I. In 1938, Field Marshall Goring presented Lindbergh with a medal on behalf of the Fuhrer.

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This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here.





As I write this, more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and, as Aya Batrawy reported for NPR, thousands more are "unaccounted for -- either missing under the rubble, buried hastily in side streets, or decomposing in areas that can't be safely reached." Significant numbers of the dead are women and children, and aid for those living, thanks to an Israeli blockade, is barely entering that 25-mile strip of land. Yet the future promises mass famine, grotesque disease, and death, death, death for even more Palestinian civilians, most of them refugees who have done nothing to deserve such a fate, as TomDispatch regulars Stan and Priti Gulati Cox suggest all too vividly today.

Now, the Biden administration has finally decided to act. And no, I don't mean forcing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wildly right-wing government to reverse course, even though his military remains significantly dependent on American armaments (which our president until recently swore never to stop delivering). Admittedly, President Biden recently claimed he might consider limiting those arms deliveries if, against his wishes, Netanyahu were to send the Israeli military into the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where an estimated 1.4 million Palestinians are (barely) sheltered. Nor do I mean opening Gaza to sufficient aid. Instead, President Biden has ordered the U.S. military to build a floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Gaza with a causeway to the shore. From there, aid would theoretically be delivered to that embattled land.

Forget that it will take weeks, if not months, to build such a structure, and that not enough aid could possibly be transferred to Gaza via that single pier to matter greatly. Focus instead on one thing: the Israelis, as the Coxes note today, have already radically cut the number of supply trucks entering Gaza, so remind me, how in the world will the supplies from that pier even be delivered once they hit land? As Jeremy Konyndyk, a former Biden administration senior aid official and now president of the Refugees International aid advocacy group, put it recently: "You need drivers that don't exist, trucks that don't exist feeding into a distribution system that doesn't exist."

So, as planning for that pier proceeds, madness and horror reign in Gaza and the strangeness of it all remains hard to take in. As New York Times reporters Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt wrote recently, "It is rare for the United States to try to provide such services for people who are being bombed with tacit U.S. support." Now, let the Coxes take you deeper into the world of horror that is Gaza today. Tom

Armed by Washington, Israel Trashes the Genocide Convention

Stop Treating Gaza Like a Natural Disaster

By Priti Gulati Cox and Stan Cox

It's been almost two months since the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop killing Gazans and destroying their means of subsistence. So let's look back and ask (1) how Israel has responded to its "orders," and (2) how hard the Biden administration has pushed Israel to abide by those orders. Spoiler alert: the short answers are (1) not well and (2) not very.

The American government has provided most of the armaments and targeting technologies being used to kill Gazans by the thousands while turning many of the rest of them into refugees by destroying their homes, offices, schools, and hospitals. Nor did the Biden administration threaten to withdraw that support when Israel blocked shipments of crucial food and fuel to the 25-mile-long Gaza Strip. It also keeps vetoing U.N. Security Council resolutions that would hold Israel accountable. And President Biden, despite an increasing amount of rhetorical shuffling, continues to back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), even though they have ignored the International Court's orders and continue committing atrocities.

Flouting the Order to Stop the Killing

On January 26th, the International Court of Justice handed down a ruling in a case brought by the Republic of South Africa accusing Israel of genocide. It ordered that Israel must "ensure with immediate effect that its military does not commit any acts described" in the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

The court's first order prohibited "killing members" of the Palestinian population or "causing serious bodily or mental harm" to them. How did Israel respond? Consider that, between late December 2023 and January 21st of this year, the IDF had killed about 5,000 Palestinians, already pushing the death toll in the Gaza Strip past 25,000. The court's order, issued days later, would have essentially zero effect. Another 5,000-plus Palestinians would be killed by late February, raising the death toll to more than 30,000.

During the month after the ruling, Israeli troops repeatedly killed or injured civilians fleeing to, or taking shelter in, areas the IDF had advertised as "safe zones." Typically, when, on February 12th, Israeli aircraft attacked 14 homes and three mosques in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, killing 67 Palestinians, some of the survivors told reporters that they'd been inside tents in a refugee camp. Similarly, on February 22nd, Israeli warplanes struck a residential area in central Gaza, killing 40 civilians, mostly women and children, and wounding more than 100.

Worse yet, the Biden administration has enabled that ongoing killing spree by approving 100 separate military sales to Israel since the conflict began in October. As a former administration official told the Washington Post, "That's an extraordinary number of sales over the course of a pretty short amount of time, which really strongly suggests that the Israeli campaign would not be sustainable without this level of U.S. support."

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Introduction to ADGM Company Setup Welcome to our comprehensive guide on ADGM Company Setup. ADGM, which stands for Abu Dhabi Global Market, is a leading international financial center located in the heart of the United Arab Emirates. With its robust regulatory framework, strategic location, and world-class infrastructure, ADGM has become an attractive destination for business owners and businesses looking to establish a presence in the Middle East. Benefits of ADGM Company Setup Setting 
Are you dreaming of pursuing higher education abroad but feeling overwhelmed by the complex application process? Fear not! Overseas education consultants are here to guide you every step of the way, making your aspirations a reality. In this blog, we'll delve into how these consultants play a pivotal role in assisting students aspiring to study abroad and how partnering with them can streamline your journey towards international education. Expert Guidance from 
ATEX CO., LTD. is a leading pain relief tape manufacturer in Korea.They are made with premium materials, such as 97% cotton fabric and hypoallergenic adhesive, making them comfortable to wear and gentle on the skin. The tapes are also water-resistant and can last for several days when applied properly. Atex tapes are used by a variety of people, including athletes, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. They can be used to treat 
Dear Annie: My husband and I are in our mid-60s and have been married for almost 50 years. We married and started our family very early in life. My problem, Im sure, is shared by many women my age. My husband cant stop ogling other women in public. He is always secretly looking up the sexually dressed women and videos.

I have told him many times how much that hurts me. He says hes sorry, but then later his behavior rears its ugly head again.

He also is very friendly with females in public. He says hes just being nice. Ive gotten so that I dont want to go to public places with him. I love him, but I dont like how he disrespects me as his wife and especially as a woman. I cant compete with whats out there, nor do I want to. -- Disrespected Wife

Dear Disrespected Wife: Your husband is acting like a louse. You should keep talking to him about how disrespected you feel he is being to you and to the women who he is ogling in public. If he continues to ignore your requests, it is time to seek the help of a professional marriage counselor.

Dear Annie: My parents have had property for many, many years. This property was to be divided among us kids upon their death.

My father passed away, which puts my mother in charge of everything.

Recently, we found out that she gave ALL this property to one of our siblings.

We were always a close-knit family, but this has caused a huge rift among us. I know its her money/property and she is entitled to do what she wants, but it really hurt us that she chose one child over her other children. We always suspected he was her chosen one, but now we really know he is the chosen one.

We ALL have been there for her, and this brother has only been there for her since our dad passed. How do we move past this? -- Hurting Kids in Ohio

Dear Hurting Kids: I am sorry for your loss -- both of your father and now your inheritance. It is no surprise that you feel hurt so much. Im not sure how close your siblings are to each other, but maybe the brother who inherited everything will try to make things more equitable. I would suggest having a family get-together, mother included, and discuss the situation as calmly as possible. Remind everyone that family is more important than possessions.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM
Over 200 foreign visitors denied entry into Vietnam in Jan-Feb

Vietnam denied entry of 217 international visitors due to invalid documents in the first two months of this year, around 25% of last year's figure, according to aviation authorities.

A foreign woman (L) goes through immigration procedures at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi in March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Ba Do

The visitors were found carrying fake passports or not holding valid visas, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

Vietnam currently exempts visas for citizens of 25 countries including major tourism markets such as Japan and South Korea.

CAAV said the increased number of passengers denied entry has caused damage to airlines which are mainly responsible for sending them back to the place of departure.

In addition, this also created pressure on Vietnamese airports where refused passengers have to wait for their return flight, triggering potential risks of aviation security and safety.

In 2020, there were 506 foreigners being refused entry into Vietnam while the figure was 404 in 2022 and 886 last year, according to CAAV.

To reduce the number of passengers being denied entry, aviation authorities have required airlines operating regular international flights to Vietnam to strictly check documents of passengers entering or transiting in Vietnam.
Portland police and U.S. Marshals on Tuesday arrested a 30-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting his girlfriend outside an apartment complex in Northeast Portlands Parkrose Heights neighborhood in November.

Richard David Simms Jr. was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center shortly before 9 a.m. on allegations of second-degree murder constituting domestic violence, unlawful use of a weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm, jail booking records show.

Simms is suspected of killing 40-year-old Nicole Lashawn Davis, whom officers found dead after responding to a reported shooting in front of the complex near Northeast 111th Avenue and Weidler Street around 4 p.m. on Nov. 22, police said. Davis was among 77 people killed in homicides in Portland last year, most in fatal shootings.

Simms was not at the scene when officers arrived, police said.

The Multnomah County District Attorneys Office identified Simms as the suspect in a court record filed two days after the shooting. Police spent the next several months searching for him, said Portland police spokesperson Mike Benner.

We worked diligently to locate him and then we developed a plan to take him into custody safely, Benner said in an email Tuesday to The Oregonian/OregonLive.

A warrant was issued for Simms arrest in January after he failed to appear for a Multnomah County Circuit Court hearing that month in a separate case, court records show.

Prosecutors accused Simms of pointing a handgun at a man outside a Northeast Portland laundromat, demanding the mans car keys and wallet and driving off in his 2008 silver Acura on April 23, 2022, according to a probable cause affidavit.

About one month later, an officer spotted Simms while responding to reports of gunfire outside a 7-Eleven on Northeast Killingsworth Street and 15th Avenue. Simms pulled a mask over his face, got into the allegedly stolen Acura and sped away from the officer going about 80 mph, the affidavit states.

Officers arrested Simms after he crashed into a tree near Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Schuyler Street and briefly ran from officers. Police said they later found Simms pistol, which had been thrown onto the roof of a nearby building, court records show.

Simms pleaded not guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of attempting to elude a police officer on June 16, 2022, court records show. Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Judith Matarazzo issued a warrant for Simms arrest Jan. 9, 2024, after he failed to show up to a court appearance that day, court records show.

In 2014, Portland police arrested Simms after he was accused of lighting at least a half dozen fires within an hour in North Portland  including two at homes with sleeping residents.

Simms was sentenced to 7  years in prison with credit for time served in October 2014 after pleading guilty to several counts of first- and second-degree arson. He was ordered to pay $68,548 in restitution.

Simms is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in the fatal shooting, court records show.

-- Catalina Gaitan covers public safety, politics, policing and more. You can reach Catalina at cgaitan@oregonian.com.

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Applications are now open for the High School Journalism Institute, the annual training program for student journalists in Oregon and southwest Washington.

This years program will be held July 20-27, 2024, at the Oregon State University campus in Corvallis. The online application and eligibility criteria are at oregonhsji.org/apply. The deadline to apply is May 10, but students are encouraged to apply early.

The collaboration  among The Oregonian/OregonLive, Oregon States Precollege Programs office and other Oregon news organizations  gives students the chance to report, write and photograph a news story with guidance from a professional editor. The stories are published in a 36-page newspaper, as well as on OregonLive. Many also are republished by our partner news organizations.

The program is offered at no cost to students and includes lodging and meals at the Oregon State campus. Students work from the newsroom of Orange Media Network, the universitys award-winning student newsroom. Those who complete the program will receive a college credit.

Applicants should review the eligibility requirements, then will need to gather and submit materials including a letter of recommendation from a teacher, a personal statement, an essay and any work samples. Prior journalism experience is not required.

If there are financial or other barriers to attendance, such as transportation to or from Corvallis, students are encouraged to apply, then contact institute director Elliot Njus to discuss their individual circumstances. Email enjus@oregonian.com.

Major funding for the High School Journalism Institute comes from the S.I. Newhouse Foundation and the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation.

-- Elliot Njus edits business news and directs the High School Journalism Institute. Contact him at enjus@oregonian.com.
Mari Franco Morgado was crowned Tuesday as David Douglas High Schools representative on the 2024 Portland Rose Festival Court.

The David Douglas senior plans to pursue a career as a travel nurse. In high school, she was part of the womens wrestling team and participated in the Latino Student Union.

Rose Festival Court announcements began March 5. The additional members of the court so far are:

In all, 15 students from Portland-area high schools will serve on the court. Each will receive a $3,500 scholarship courtesy of The Randall Group and one-on-one mentorship arranged by Unitus Community Credit Union.

Announcements continue Wednesday at St. Marys Academy, and conclude Friday, when the Benson High School court member will be announced. The 2024 Queen of Rosaria will be crowned June 7.

The Rose Festival kicks off with fireworks and City Fairs opening May 24 and culminating with the Grand Floral Parade on June 8.

Read more about Princess Mari, as told to the Portland Rose Festival.

Career plans: I plan on going into the medical field and becoming a travel nurse.

High school activities and honors: Link Crew Freshman Mentor, CommuniCare, Class Treasurer, Womens Wrestling Team, Latino Student Union, and Latino Network.

Hobbies and special interests: In my spare time, I love to be creative with the art of flowers and bouquet making. I am also involved in two Latino Clubs as well as the wrestling club here at David Douglas.

What are you most proud of during your high school career? During my time at David Douglas High School, I am most proud of putting myself out there and helping others. I am most proud that I was selected Treasurer by my peers as well as part of the communications team for Link Crew.

What is your favorite Rose Festival event and why? My favorite Rose Festival event would have to be the CityFair, which is held down by the waterfront because I love seeing local businesses there as well as all the food and rides since I am such an adrenaline seeker.

 Grant Butler

503-221-8566; gbutler@oregonian.com; @grantbutler

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Designing a house of worship comes closer to being pure art, defined as an expression of the human spirit, than almost any other field of architecture, said the late Portland architect Pietro Belluschi, one of Oregons most revered and awarded citizens.

Over his long career, Belluschi designed 42 modern, light-filled churches and synagogues that were built in Oregon and across the country. Like the inventive houses and office towers he created, his sacred spaces continue to be praised for their elegantly spare aesthetic.

Restore Oregon Modernism is presenting two events in May focused on Belluschis churches: A lecture May 9 at the Belluschi-designed Central Lutheran Church in Northeast Portland, and on May 11, a self-guided tour of five of the architects Portland-area churches, including the historically significant Central Lutheran Church, which was put up for sale in January, the first time for one of Belluschis religious buildings.

The May 9 lecture includes insight from architect Anthony Belluschi, who collaborated with his father, Pietro, on about 20 new projects, and architect William C. Tripp, who oversaw the renovation of the 1950 Central Lutheran Church. Tickets to the Sacred Spaces of Pietro Belluschi lecture, with doors opening at 6:15 p.m., are $25.

Tickets to the self-paced Sacred Spaces of Pietro Belluschi Tour, held 11 a.m.-5 p.m. May 11, are $50. Both events, as well as other 2024 Restore Oregon programs, are free to people who donate $250 a year to the nonprofit organizations Modernist Society (more information is at restoreoregon.org).

Restore Oregon Modernisms events will spotlight Pietro Belluschis intentional departure from 19th and early 20th century church design and his enduring influence, as one of the originators of the Pacific Northwest modernism style starting in the 1930s. Belluschi set a new standard for architectural aesthetics, said Nicole Possert, executive director for Restore Oregon.

Belluschis use of native wood, rough stone and glass not only added to the visual appeal of each church on the tour but also gave each a sense of place, said Possert in a news release. His architectural legacy continues to inspire and shape Oregons built environment, leaving an indelible mark on its identity.

The tour and lecture will also showcase Belluschis collaboration with Oregon metal artist Frederic Littman and wood sculpture Leroy Setziol.

Religious buildings were a small part of Belluschis prolific career, which ended in 1994, shortly before he died at age 94 in Portland. But ecclesiastical architecture granted him great artistic expression and personal satisfaction, said Anthony Belluschi.

The Sacred Spaces of Pietro Belluschi Tour May 11 includes:

Anthony Belluschi told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he and his wife, Marti, are always pleased to support Restore Oregon programs. They are well-informed, well-organized and well-attended, he said. Their tour of churches is particularly appropriate since my father was known for his modern design influence on houses of worship. Our goals are always inspiration and education for everyone, particularly youth.

Throughout the year, Restore Oregon Modernism 2024 program will have more opportunities to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Aug. 18 birthday of Pietro Belluschi. He remains the only Oregonian to receive both the National Medal of Arts for his lifetime achievements and the American Institute of Architects highest honor, the Gold Medal.

On June 8, Restore Oregon supporters can go inside the 1946 Menefee House, an elegant, single-story ranch house Belluschi designed on farmland in Yamhill. Under the living rooms vaulted wood-clad ceiling is a dazzling copper fireplace hood created by Littman.

The dramatic modern residence for actor-turned-turkey tycoon Percy (P.L.) Menefee was named the most progressive house in the U.S. by Progressive Architecture magazine. Admission to the tour and wine from area vintners is currently only available for purchase through Modernist Society membership.

Restore Oregon Modernism 2024 program also honors architect John Storrs, a hands-on perfectionist, with a tour July 13 of the fabled Storrs Quadrant, where four of the architects homes, completed around 1957, share an acre of land partitioned into four lots on and around Southwest 18th Drive in Portlands Hillsdale neighborhood.

Admission to Oh My Storrs! A Four Home Tour with a glass of wine and hors doeuvres is $125. ATOMIC Modernist Society members, who have donated $325 to Restore Oregon, are admitted for free and Modernism Society members will receive a discount, according to Restore Oregon.

 Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

jeastman@oregonian.com | @janeteastman
A recent letter to the editor offered a skewed take about the Democratic candidates running for Oregons 5th Congressional District, a seat now held by a Republican who endorses Trump, (Support Jamie McLeod-Skinner for Congress, March 10).

The candidate who lost that seat in the 2022 race, despite an edge in the number of Democratic voters in the district, was Jamie McLeod-Skinner. Her loss gave the 5th district a MAGA representative, Lori Chavez DeRemer, and is an obvious threat to do so again.
The city of Siletz, with a population of roughly 1,200, has an $11 million sewer problem. A combination of aging water pipes and an outdated wastewater treatment plant has prevented the city from building more housing, and its leaders have been unable to obtain the money to fix things.

The sewer system is designed to last 25 years, and were at like year 36, Siletz Mayor Will Worman said, adding he has sought funding for the project since he took office roughly six years ago. We cant support any more growth in our city until theres a rebuilt and functioning sewer system.
A lawsuit filed last week alleges that legislator Christine Goodwin, a Douglas County Republican, should be ejected from her seat in Oregons House of Representatives and disqualified from seeking the nomination for Senate District 2 because she doesnt actually live in either district.

If the lawsuit were to succeed, that would leave only one Republican candidate on the ballot for an open Senate seat, clearing the way for the departing incumbents son to snag the spot.

Goodwin has served in the House since August 2021, when she was appointed by county commissioners to replace Rep. Gary Leif of Roseburg, who died in office. Goodwin won election to House District 4 in 2022, then announced last year that she would run for the seat in Senate District 2 held by Republican Art Robinson, who is barred from running again. Robinson was among the Republican senators blocked from reelection after they boycotted work in 2023.

But the lawsuit alleges that Goodwin doesnt actually live in House District 4 or Senate District 2.

Goodwin is registered to vote at a Canyonville property that lies inside those districts. But the lawsuit brought by several Grants Pass officials and voters alleges that Goodwin lives at an address in Myrtle Creek, which lies just outside the districts boundary.

Goodwin did not return calls seeking comment on Monday but said in a text that the lawsuit was a baseless attack by supporters of Noah Robinson, Art Robinsons son and her opponent in this springs primary race for Senate District 2.

I trust the voters of Southern Oregon to elect me to the Senate like they have to the House  with overwhelming support, Goodwins text said.

The Douglas County Clerks Office verified Monday that Goodwin is registered at the Canyonville address and has been since Dec. 27, 2021. Travel Oregon lists the address as the site of a tasting room for Falk Estate Vineyards, and the lawsuit also asserts that is its use. Business owners did not respond to messages seeking comment.

But the Douglas County Assessors office lists it as a residential property with several bedrooms, and Goodwin said by text that the tasting room is no longer in existence and that she lives in a house on the property.

For decades before her registration at the Canyonville property, Goodwin was registered to vote at a home in Myrtle Creek, the clerks office said. The Douglas County Assessors office website says that Myrtle Creek property is still owned by Lynn and Christine Goodwin.

Josephine County Commission Chair John West, Winnie and Edgar Pelfrey, Victoria Marshall and Cathy Millard, filed the lawsuit against Secretary of State LaVonne Griffin-Valade and argue that she should not place Goodwins name on the ballot as a candidate in the race for Senate District 2. They have asked a judge for a temporary restraining order, which they say must be issued by Thursday, and an injunction to keep Goodwin off the ballot and to remove her as representative for House District 4.

The dispute over where an Oregon candidate genuinely resides is not the first of its kind. In 2022, a Republican political operative complained that Democratic candidate for the state House Hai Pham of Hillsboro did not live in his parents house, as listed on his filing paperwork, but instead in the home he and his wife owned in a neighboring district. The Secretary of States Office didnt investigate that residency complaint because the timing was too close to the November election, the Oregon Capital Chronicle reported.

In a higher-profile case that year, the state Supreme Court ruled that gubernatorial candidate Nick Kristof, a New York Times columnist, couldnt run for governor in Oregon because he did not meet the states three-year residency requirement.

The case is scheduled to have a first hearing in Josephine County Circuit Court on April 1.

Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her at sedge@oregonian.com or (503) 260-3430.
An investigation was underway over allegations of assault against Hamish Art Day, 36, and Oscar Matson Day, 34, for attacking an officer and attempting to steal his firearm, a police statement said late on Sunday.

Police officer Somsak Noo-iad had stopped the two Kiwis for reckless driving before they assaulted him as he tried to take photos and evidence, snatching his phone and firearm, the statement said.

A photograph released by the police on Sunday showed a man pushing a traffic policeman to the ground while another man looked on.

They will be banned from entering Thailand again after the investigation concludes, the statement said.

The two men and their lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Ministry of the Interior had announced that it has decided to close the Ras Jedir border post shared with Tunisia "immediately" after outlawed groups attacked the post in order to stir up trouble and disrupt work
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - As the war in Sudan enters its second year next month, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on Monday warned of a staggering toll of the crisis on children, with an estimated 24 million teetering on the brink of a generational catastrophe
New York, US (PANA) - Almost 80 years after the incineration of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons still represent a clear and present danger to global peace and security, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the Security Council on Monday
The United States and its allies in the G7 group of nations have warned Iran not to send ballistic missiles to Russia.

In a statement, the leaders of the alliance, including the United States, Canada, France, Japan, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom, said they were extremely concerned that Iran is considering transferring ballistic technology to Russia after having supplied the Russian regime with UAV's [unmanned aerial vehicles], which are used in relentless attacks against the civilian population in Ukraine.

At a press briefing, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby read from the statement:

I quote: Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly, and in a coordinated manner, including with new and significant measures against Iran, end quote.

Advisor Kirby noted that not only has the Iranian regime provided drones to Russia, it has also provided materials that would allow Russia to manufacture them on Russian soil. The drones have been used to attack civilians and infrastructure in Ukraine; ballistic missiles would be a significant escalation.

This is a burgeoning defense relationship that weve been watching very, very closely. ... We really wanted to set down a marker here, for Iran and for Russia that there will be swift consequences for them to do that.

Advisor Kirby pointed out that a defense relationship between Iran and Russia is not only bad for the people of Ukraine, but also bad for people in the Middle East, because Iran is hoping to get something out of this too. Its not just about sales of ballistic missiles to Russia. [Irans leaders] are hoping to get Russian military technology for themselves.

Speaking of Irans providing ballistic missiles to Russia, Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared, Weve sent a very clear message to Iran not to do it. ... The concern about that eventuality and the commitment to address it, if necessary, is very real and very strong.
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The head of the UN health agency issued an appeal on Monday to the international community not to miss the chance to sign on to the "Pandemic Treaty
Valmet to Supply Crown Paper Mill with New Tissue Machine in Saudi Arabia

The new Valmet Advantage DCT 200 tissue machine will have an annual production capacity of 70,000 tons. The new Valmet Advantage DCT 200 tissue machine will have an annual production capacity of 70,000 tons.

March 19, 2024 - Valmet announced that it will supply Crown Paper Mill with an Advantage DCT 200 tissue line, including an extensive automation package, flow control valves and Industrial Internet solutions, to its mill in Saudi Arabia.

The value of the order will not be disclosed.

This is the second tissue line Valmet has delivered to Crown Paper Mill  the first machine was installed in Abu Dhabi.

The new tissue machine will be the first installed at Crown's site in Dammam area in Saudi Arabia.

"We appreciate Valmet for being an indispensable partner in Crown Paper Mill's success," said Abdullah Al Katheeb, Managing Director, Crown Paper Mill. "The cutting-edge technology and unwavering support have elevated our operations, making Valmet an invaluable contributor to our industry leadership. We look forward to continued collaboration and shared success."

The new tissue machine will have a design speed of 2,200 m/min and a width of 5.6 meters. The production line is optimized to save energy and deliver excellent paper properties. The line will have an annual production capacity of 70,000 tons.

Valmet's scope of supply comprises a complete tissue production line, detailed mill engineering, full stock preparation equipment, as well as automation systems. In addition, the delivery also includes Valmet's flow control and Valmet Performance Center services.

Start-up of the new machine is scheduled for the second half of 2025.

About Crown Paper Mill

Headquartered in the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi, Crown Paper Mill is a leading producer of jumbo tissue paper rolls in the region. The mill has an annual production capacity of 100,000 tons of tissue for facial, toilet, kitchen, towel, napkin, C-fold and carrier grades for the United Arab Emirates' market and surrounding region.

Valmet is a leading global developer and supplier of process technologies, automation and services for the pulp, paper and energy industries.

SOURCE: Valmet
Photo: (Photo : MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images )

Lancaster, Pennsylvania officials lately define a city policy that has been in effect since 2019, limiting collaboration with federal immigration authorities.

Ordinance Prohibits Inquiries About Immigration Status

The all-Democratic City Council passed an ordinance unanimously last month, which bars local police and city officials from probing about immigration status unless mandated by state or federal law, court order, or appropriate to a criminal investigation.

Additionally, they are forbidden from sharing data with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that could lead to civil or non-criminal immigration enforcement actions. These policies, commonly referred to as "sanctuary" policies, have been combative nationally, particularly in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.

Despite arguments, city leaders affirm that these measures desire to continue Lancaster's status as a welcoming city, where immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees can access services and report crimes without worry.

Immigrant rights advocates, upholding the Trust Act, contend that it promotes a sense of security for all residents to cooperate in society without worry and to report crimes and make use of health and social services disregarding their immigration status.

CASA, a leading immigrant advocacy group in the state, has ardently defended the law, affirming the relevance of safety and refuge for all individuals.

Councilwoman Janet Diaz informed NBC News that she acknowledges concerns surrounding the bill and has received emails advocating for its repeal.

However, Diaz highlighted that she voted in favor of the bill to safeguard the rights of noncitizens and assure their comfort in reporting instances of harm, such as workplace injuries, sexual assault, or domestic violence.

Lancaster has an important Hispanic population, with 40% identifying as such, and generallyly 11% lacking proficiency in English. Additionally, about 13% of the city's total population is foreign-born, with 96% of students in the Lancaster school district reporting Spanish as their primary language.

Read Also: Chicago Set to Evict 2,000 Migrants from Shelters Beginning Sunday

Officials Uphold Dedication to Safeguarding the Rights of Non-Citizens

Although the ordinance has faced criticism from Republican senators and county officials, as well as disappointment from ICE, Lancaster officials maintain their commitment to protecting the rights of non-citizens and ensuring their comfort in seeking help if they experience harm.

Lancaster, with a significant Hispanic population and a considerable foreign-born community, identifies as a "welcoming" city rather than a "sanctuary" one, aligning with the principles of the Welcoming America network. This network, spearheaded by a nonpartisan organization based in Atlanta, promotes immigrant inclusion across various sectors.

Republican state Senators Scott Martin, Ryan Aument, and Chris Gebhard issued a joint statement denouncing the council's decision as "appalling," particularly given recent revelations about the immigration status of a suspect in a homicide case in Athens, Georgia.

However, data from major city police departments across the country indicates no evidence of a migrant-driven crime wave. The National Institute of Justice at the Department of Justice has also stated that the latest study recommends immigrants, whether legal or illegal, are not more likely, and may even be less probable, to commit crime in the United States. Nonetheless, immigration remains a combative issue across the nation, reigniting debates over "sanctuary" policies.

Fidel Gil Cedeno, a longtime Lancaster resident and community leader, understands the challenges faced by immigrants in seeking assistance due to concerns about their status.

Through his advocacy work with CASA, Cedeno has witnessed numerous instances where immigrants felt unable to access necessary resources or ask for help due to fear. He empathizes with their reluctance and remains committed to supporting immigrant communities in Lancaster.

Related Article: Migrant Children Face Challenging Situations in Border Camps, Court Records Revealed
Photo: (Photo : ULISES RUIZ /Getty Images)

Kristel Candelario, an Ohio mother, has been sentenced to life in prison after her 16-month-old daughter died alone in a playpen due to neglect. The heartbreaking incident unfolded last summer, casting a shadow of sorrow and legal repercussions.

Mother's Negligence Leads to Tragic Outcome

The Ohio mother, aged 32, faced a life sentence without parole after her 16-month-old daughter tragically died while left unattended in a playpen for 10 days during her vacation last summer.

Kristel Candelario had admitted guilt to aggravated murder and child endangerment, striking a plea deal that led to the dismissal of two murder counts and a felonious assault charge by Cuyahoga County prosecutors.

In a plea last month, Candelario acknowledged abandoning her daughter, Jailyn, as she embarked on a 10-day trip to Puerto Rico in June 2023. While on vacation, she shared a carefree photo of herself on a beach, captioning it with, "The time that is enjoyed is the true time lived."

Upon returning home to Cleveland, Candelario discovered her daughter unresponsive in the playpen and immediately called emergency services.

Medical reports revealed that the child was found in a distressing condition, lying in soiled blankets and a bottom liner saturated with urine and feces.

Emergency responders noted that the toddler was extremely dehydrated, and despite their efforts, they pronounced her dead shortly after arriving at the scene.

This tragic incident has brought to light the devastating consequences of neglect and the legal repercussions faced by parents who fail to provide essential care and supervision to their children.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

An autopsy conducted by the Cuyahoga County medical examiner's office revealed that the 16-month-old toddler passed away due to starvation and severe dehydration.

During the court proceedings, County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan strongly criticized Candelario for what he described as "the ultimate betrayal" of leaving her daughter without food.

Judge Sheehan expressed significant concern about the circumstances surrounding the child's death, highlighting the challenging conditions the toddler faced without necessary care. He stressed Candelario's parental duties and the missed opportunities to seek assistance or arrange alternative care for her daughter during her absence.

Candelario, who has faced challenges related to depression and mental health, expressed regret during the court proceedings.

Candelario's case brings attention to the complexities surrounding mental health, parental responsibilities, and the tragic outcomes of neglectful behavior.

The court's decision and the emotional testimony serve as a reminder of the importance of ensuring children's safety and well-being, even amid personal challenges.

Read Also: NYC Soccer Program Uniting Migrant Families: 16-Year-Old Talya Landesberg's Inspiring Initiative

Community Outcry and Reflection

Candelario, grappling with depression and associated mental health challenges, shared during the proceedings that she has been praying daily for absolution.

"I feel immense pain regarding the loss of my daughter, Jailyn," Candelario expressed. "I am deeply distressed about the entire situation. I am not attempting to rationalize my actions, but it's important to note that nobody understood the extent of my anguish and struggles. I find solace in the forgiveness of God and my daughter."

Candelario's case brings attention to the complexities surrounding mental health, parental responsibilities, and the tragic outcomes of neglectful behavior.

The court's decision and the emotional testimony serve as a reminder of the importance of ensuring children's safety and well-being, even amid personal challenges.

Related Article: Indiana Mother Arrested in California for 5-Year-Old Son's Suitcase Death After 2 Years
Photo: (Photo : Bill Pugliano/Getty Images )

The parents of four students who lost their lives in the Michigan school shooting are pursuing an extensive state investigation into all aspects of the 2021 tragedy.

Parents Seeks Accountability from the Oxford School District

The victims' parents disagree that the convictions of the teenage shooter and his parents are inadequate to provide closure. Additionally, they are pushing for a change in Michigan law to make it easier to hold the Oxford school district liable for any failures that added to the attack.

Steve St. Juliana, whose daughter Hana was among the casualties, affirmed the need for fundamental changes to avoid related circumstances in the future. Buck Myre, the father of victim Tate Myre, condemned Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for supposedly ignoring their pleas.

The parents, including Craig Shilling and Nicole Beausoleil, spoke out in a joint interview, highlighting the shortcomings identified in an independent investigation commissioned by the Oxford district. This report cited failures at various levels within the school system contributing to the tragedy.

Myre stressed the importance of accountability and change, emphasizing that no family or school community should endure such a tragedy.

The state attorney general's office refutes claims of disinterest but acknowledges legal limitations in pursuing civil investigations into the school's actions.

While lawsuits against the district are pending, the parents lamented the high legal threshold in Michigan for holding public agencies accountable. They argued that insurance companies covering schools obstruct transparency and hinder accountability.

Myre commended Governor Gretchen Whitmer for her engagement but criticized other officials for failing to listen. St. Juliana proposed establishing a dedicated agency for school safety, drawing inspiration from Maryland's model.

In addition to Tate Myre and Hana St. Juliana, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin lost their lives in the shooting. Ethan Crumbley, the perpetrator, received a life sentence, while his parents await sentencing.

Read Also: James Crumbley Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter for Son's Involvement in Oxford High School Shooting

School's Response to the Mass Shooting

During the trials, school staff testified about the day of the shooting in November 2021 when administrators summoned the Crumbleys after Ethan drew a disturbing picture. Despite this, Ethan's access to a firearm at home wasn't disclosed, and his parents didn't remove him from school. Later that day, Ethan carried out the shooting with a handgun purchased by his father.

While the trials focused on parental responsibility, defense lawyers also pointed fingers at school administrators for their alleged inaction. This included decisions such as allowing Ethan to remain in school after the meeting where his parents were called.

Since the shooting, families have sued the Oxford school district, but legal disputes persist due to governmental immunity. Some families' lawyers argue for a change in the law to address this issue.

Looking forward, St. Juliana stressed the need for a thorough and transparent investigation, suggesting that board members should step down to aid community healing. He expressed concerns that some wish to move on now that the trials are over.

In response, County Prosecutor Karen McDonald plans to form a commission to offer recommendations aimed at preventing mass shootings and addressing gun violence as a public health crisis. She emphasized the importance of comprehensive prevention strategies beyond traditional safety measures.

Related Article: Oxford High School Shooting: Court Weighs on Ethan Crumbley's Possible Life Sentence
Photo: (Photo : JOAQUIN SARMIENTO/AFP via Getty Images)

As the search continues for Riley Strain, a missing college student from the University of Missouri, Nashville police have unveiled crucial new details in their ongoing investigation, bringing renewed focus and urgency to the case that has captured widespread attention.

Intensified Investigation for Missing College Student

The investigation into Riley Strain's disappearance has taken a significant turn as Nashville police release updates shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the missing college student's case. With each new detail, the hope of finding Riley Strain safe and sound grows stronger.

Recently released surveillance footage has provided valuable insights into Riley Strain's last-known movements before he went missing. The footage captures key interactions and activities, offering investigators a clearer picture as they work tirelessly to locate the missing student.

The newly released video, shared by Nashville police on social media, depicts Riley Strain, 22, briefly engaging with an officer during a response to a vehicle burglary on March 8, the night he went missing.

According to Strain's stepfather, Strain visited two additional bars before being escorted out of a third establishment later that same evening. The footage shows Strain walking briskly along Gay Street near the Cumberland River at approximately 9:52 p.m., passing by an officer.

In the video, Strain responds positively when the officer inquires about his well-being, saying, "I'm good, how are you?"

Comparing this recent footage to security video released the previous week, Strain's demeanor appears notably different. While the earlier footage showed Strain stumbling and even falling, the latest video presents him walking upright.

Addressing speculations about Strain's state of distress or potential threats, police spokesperson Don Aaron highlighted that Strain was alone and interacted with the officer in a composed manner.

Aaron emphasized that no evidence of foul play has been uncovered, and no additional footage of Strain's movements on Gay Street beyond 9:52 p.m. has been obtained as the police's efforts to locate Strain continue.

Detectives meticulously analyze every frame, hoping to uncover clues that could lead them to Riley Strain's current location. One of the focal points of the investigation is the night of March 8, the evening Riley Strain disappeared.

The surveillance footage shows him interacting briefly with a police officer near Gay Street at around 9:52 p.m. This interaction provides a timestamp and a glimpse into Riley Strain's demeanor moments before he vanished, prompting authorities to retrace his steps and piece together the events leading up to his disappearance.

Read Also: FAFSA Frustrations Mount: Website Glitches, Identity Verification Issues Persist in Financial Aid Applications

Nashville Police Update

Nashville police have intensified their search efforts, deploying resources and conducting thorough inquiries to gather any pertinent information that could lead to Riley Strain's whereabouts.

The collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies and the community underscore the determination to find answers in this puzzling case. Detectives have been working tirelessly, following up on leads, conducting interviews, and exploring every possible avenue to uncover the truth.

The search spans across Nashville and beyond, with law enforcement coordinating efforts to ensure no stone is left unturned in the quest to locate Riley Strain.

The community's vigilance and support have played a crucial role in the investigation, with individuals coming forward to provide tips and assistance to aid law enforcement in their search for the missing college student.

The ongoing Riley Strain investigation, coupled with Nashville police updates and community collaboration, marks a concerted effort to unravel the mystery behind the missing college student's disappearance.

As the search continues, hope remains strong, fueled by the unwavering determination to bring Riley Strain home safely.

Related Article: Indiana Mother Arrested in California for 5-Year-Old Son's Suitcase Death After 2 Years
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ELKO  As triumphant brassy music emitted from a boombox, Elko Mexican Folkloric Ballet students lined up in rows and stomped out onto the dance floor of the Railroad Street studio. Their floral-colored skirts swished around and their stiff leather heels pounded the floor as they formed patterns and circles.

Thursday night was one of two or three weekly practices for them.

Valentina Ortiz founded the dance company in 2008 and currently teaches two groups while also handing donations and sponsors. It is a beloved hobby of hers, offering a break from her full-time job as an aesthetician. She and the other dance instructors do not work for a salary. Rather, they teach out of passion, she said.

Ortiz said she founded the company to give her daughters an Elko-based activity to enjoy. I started with about eight participants in one group, and six participants in the middle group, a group of 5-year-olds, she explained.

And the group started growing, she said. We expanded our vision.

Having no dance experience at the time, Ortiz consulted with her friend Zita Sharek, who showed her the many techniques of Mexican dance.

There are more than 30 states in Mexico. And most people dont realize that. Every state is very different. Every state has its own dancing style, she said. I just really wanted to display all of this to other cultures.

When she started, it was a personal passion.

At first, we never charged anything, she said. We worked making tamales and doing fundraisers, so that we could buy all the dresses and all the costumes and all the materials that we needed. As the group grew, that became very hard to do, because we have presented as many as 72 dancers. Thats a big number when youre talking about making dresses and costumes.

To continue to fund their dance performances, Elko Mexican Folkloric Ballet began to charge a minimal monthly fee.

We are not focused on making profit, Ortiz said. We really want to make it affordable for everyone. And I want the community of Elko to have access to everything that we have worked for. We have worked for all of the dresses, all of the costumes and, as of right now, we only have like four states left to present. We have presented pretty much every state in Mexico.

We normally have a once-a-year big event, which is the gala. It used to be for free, now were charging $15, which is very minimal for the kind of show people get, Ortiz said.

This years gala is on April 13 at 5 p.m. in the Elko High School Performing Arts Center. Ticket presales start on Thursday at $15 apiece.

The gala represents a different lineup of Mexican states each year. In 2024, it will feature Nuevo Leon, Michoacan, Coahuila and Aguascalientes.

The ballet company also performs at downtown Elko parades, the Snowflake Festival, Elko County schools, the Elko Senior Center and at Highland Manor.

Elko businesses such as Dos Amigos, La Fiesta and Garibaldi bring financial support to the dance company, she said.

All of those donations help us offset the cost of the venue, the cost of technicians and the cost of scholarships.

Part of the Elko Mexican Folkloric Ballets purpose and mission is to encourage students to pursue higher education, Ortiz said. The group has donated scholarship money to Elko-area high schoolers since 2008.

We are so proud that we have supported a lot of Hispanic kids. And some non-Hispanic. We are pretty diverse, she noted. It brings me the greatest joy when I have participants who are non-Hispanic. There is just something magical about that.

About 2018, we became part of the Nevada Arts Council, Ortiz said, adding it was a big milestone.

I think that we have accomplished just a lot of bonding among the kids and they all have a sense of responsibility, as well as senses of leadership and discipline, she said. In addition, there is a great deal of respect for the culture and the heritage that we, as Hispanics, have.

There are a lot of kids who never go back home. They never go back to Mexico. We didnt want to see them lose their heritage by any means, Ortiz said.

I have also brought together grown women, and for them to be dancing on stage and feeling good about themselves, it just boosts their self-esteem, she said.

In addition, Elko High School senior Alyssa Cortes has taught the high schoolers dance level for two consecutive years.

I think that Elko has a lot of focus on diversity. And Im just happy that I have been part of it, Ortiz said.
Hollard Ghana, the country's favourite insurer, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life, awards Jnelp Innovations, a student entrepreneur, with GHC 40,000 as funding at the just-ended Hollard Streetwise Finance Entrepreneurship Business Challenge held at the University of Cape Coast.



In collaboration with the University of Ghana Business School and the University of Cape Coast, the grant-based program showcased ten talented student-led businesses that presented their business ideas to a distinguished panel of judges in a bid to secure funding. Zenags Organics won the second-place prize of GHC 20,000, and Career Path won the third-place award of GHC 10,000.



Speaking on the essence of the event, Alexander Osei Mensah, General Manager of Operations at Hollard Insurance, described the initiative as a testament to the insurance group's efforts to nurture entrepreneurial spirit and innovation among the youth.



"As a company that does well by doing good, our purpose is to bridge the gap between the corporate world and academia. Being an entrepreneurially driven company, Hollard believes in enabling its community to create better futures. Since universities are essential in nation-building and the training ground for business leaders, we focus on engaging tertiary students to ensure they are enabled to succeed in the future with Hollard's support. In doing so, we aim to inspire more students to explore opportunities that will lead to successful employment upon graduation, particularly through entrepreneurship," Alex added.



Portia Sackey, the founder of Jnelp Innovations, expressed her satisfaction with the event's outcome, stating, "We are thrilled to be winners of the Hollard Streetwise Finance Business Challenge. We are grateful to Hollard Ghana for this opportunity to help small businesses thrive. With this funding, we will expand our business by investing in research and development for our skin product and purchasing a tricycle and two extra automatic filling machines to enable us to meet the demanding markets with our products".



The success of the second edition of the Streetwise Finance Business Challenge reinforces Hollard Ghana's commitment to fostering economic growth and empowering the next generation of business leaders. The company remains dedicated to supporting initiatives that contribute to the overall development of Ghana's entrepreneurial landscape.Student startup businesses participating in the competition include Overseas, Gamkrib, Delsoy Foods, Shuttle Track, Prifrimps Food, Geia Technology, and Firefly I.O.



Keren Arthur, PhD, the Director of the D-Hub, urged the winners to be strategic in their decisions while remembering that entrepreneurship is an experimental process.



Adopt a step-by-step process for using funds and know that entrepreneurship requires a small-scale pilot before major investment. To the other businesses who competed, dont give up. This event has added to your story, and I hope this will make you stronger and even more committed to taking the ideas forward. The doors of the D-Hub are always open to help you chart the next chapter of your story, she added.



About Hollard Ghana



The countrys favourite insurance group is Hollard Ghana, with subsidiaries Hollard Insurance and Hollard Life Assurance. The group combines its deep local knowledge of the market, having previously operated in Ghana for 25 years as Metropolitan Insurance, with the world-class expertise of an international insurance brand in 18 countries worldwide. With feet firmly planted on Ghanaian soil but headquartered in South Africa, Hollard delivers innovative insurance solutions customised to the unique risks Ghanaians face. Hollard offers various life and general insurance products, including funeral, personal accident, motor, business, travel, home, and more, and can be reached via 0307000599. Beyond various nationwide office branches and Hollard 2U franchise shops, Ghanaians can find Hollard at Shell Fuel Station Welcome Shops, Melcom stores and online at www.hollard.com.gh, www.melcom.com/hollard-insurance and www.jumia.com.gh for all their insurance needs.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The list of the top 10 universities in Africa for 2024 as ranked by EduRank, a top source for social media analytics in the education sector, has been released and no Nigerian university is in the top 10.



The organisation stated on its website that the ranking was based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence.



It added that it arrived at the ranking after analysing 24.5 million citations received by 2.16 million academic publications made by 1,104 universities from Africa.



EduRank conducts a series of statistical analyses to generate comparative university rankings in various fields, by country, region, and globally.



In the ratings for 2024, no Ghanaian or Nigerian university made it to the top 10.



Seven out of the top 10 universities in Africa are located in South Africa, one is located in Egypt, one in Uganda, and one in Kenya.





Below are the top 10 Universities in Africa.







1. University of Cape Town



The University of Cape Town (UCT) was founded in 1829 as the South African College, a high school for boys.





2. University of the Witwatersrand



The University of Witwatersrand is situated in Johannesburg, South Africa. Its history is linked to mining, political and civic activism, and the development of Johannesburg.





3. University of Stellenbosch



Stellenbosch University (SU) is a public research university situated in Stellenbosch, a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Stellenbosch is the earliest university in South Africa and the oldest extant university in Sub-Saharan Africa, together with the UCT - which received full university status on the same day in 1918.





4. University of Pretoria



The University of Pretoria (UP) is one of Africa's top universities and reportedly the largest contact university in South Africa. The university said it produces socially-impactful researches to find solutions for the world's most pressing issues.







5. Cairo University



Cairo University is usually ranked among the best universities in Egypt, and one of the best in Africa. The institution has a reputation for excellence in medical education and research.





6. University of KwaZulu-Natal



The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), South Africa, offers nearly 2,000 academic programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. UKZN is reportedly the third most productive university in South Africa in terms of research output.







7. Makerere University



Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, which began as a technical school in 1922, was the first major institution of higher learning in East and Central Africa.







8. University of Nairobi



The University of Nairobi, Kenya, is a collegiate research institution. Although its history as an educational institution dates back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970.





9. University of Johannesburg



The institution is said to be one of the largest comprehensive contact universities in South Africa. University of Johannesburg (UJ) has a student population of over 50,000, of which more than 3000 are international students from 80 countries.





10. University of South Africa



The University of South Africa (Unisa) is an open-learning institution. Per a piece of information on its website, the school is a dedicated distance education university in the world.













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Strategic Communication Africa Limited (Stratcomm Africa), Ghanas premier total Communication Agency, celebrated International Womens Day with a special edition of its Women Soaring Higher Achieving Real Excellence (S.H.A.R.E) initiative. The event, themed "S.H.A.R.E The Power: Invest In HER, Invest In US," was held on Friday, March 8th, 2024, at the Stratcomm Africa office in Accra. The theme for the event aligned both with the global call to "Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress" and the campaign theme of Inspire Inclusion. It underscores the importance of investing in women's empowerment and fostering inclusivity.



Participants in the programme included female business executives, female students, female entrepreneurs, homemakers as well as young females looking for work.



The programme commenced with an engaging panel discussion featuring distinguished women leaders across various sectors. Celebrated Entrepreneur Aisha Ayensu, founder and Creative Director of luxury women's fashion brand Christie Brown, Pearl Nkrumah, Executive Director Retail and Digital Banking at Access Bank (Ghana) PLC, Nadia Bruce-Muller, Educator and Vice Principal for Junior School at Ghana International School, Rica Rwigamba, Country Director for the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana, and Barbara Clemens, Country Director for World Food Programme (WFP) shared their knowledge and experiences.



The session, moderated by Mrs. Sharon Anim, Stratcomm Africa Marketing Communication Manager, covered a wide range of topics, including personal and professional experiences, soft skills that contribute to success, work-life balance, building a support system, social impact, investing in oneself. Participants also had the opportunity to design vision boards in respect of their short and long term goals.



Speakers encouraged women to invest in each other by being each others support. Nadia Bruce-Muller, Vice Principal of the Junior School at Ghana International School, shared her perspective on resilience and the importance of nurturing each womans unique potential. "When you don't let certain things cloud your judgment or your heart and you elevate other people, you raise them up, and fix their crowns, it comes back to you as a blessing," she remarked. Barbara Clemens, Country Director for the World Food Programme in Ghana, emphasized the power of collaboration and unity. "Once people isolate you, they diminish your impact, you feel lost and powerless," she remarked. We must realize what our power is individually and how infinite the power is if we work together."



Identifying and leveraging the right networks and mentorships were highlighted as crucial for forging strong bonds and ensuring a sustainable support system for women's growth and advancement. Rica Rwigamba, Country Director for the Mastercard Foundation in Ghana, shared insights on the importance of humility and curiosity in womens advancement "Getting the right networks from different ages, countries, and perspectives, and being able to listen to different viewpoints is vital she said. "Let nobody tell you, you can't, they are the problem, they know you can. If you fall, you learn," she added.



Highlighting the need to create impact as women, Aisha Ayensu, Founder and Creative Director of Christie Brown, stressed the importance of collective action in driving progress. "Africa has been trampled upon and is behind on so many things. There are so many institutional problems, as well as mindset issues, that have set us back as a continent. The onus is on every single one of us who knows better or who are in a better position to do something to move the needle a little bit", she noted.



Pearl Nkrumah, Executive Director of Retail and Digital Banking at Access Bank Ghana PLC, also underscored the significance of impacting society. In her words, "The money in our pockets is not ours. Whatever we have is given so that we can impact," she said.



Explaining the rationale for S.H.A.R.E., Sharon Anim, Stratcomm Africa's Marketing Communication Manager, indicated that SHARE provides a platform for women to connect, share experiences, inspire one another, and develop the skills and networks needed to thrive. We are committed to empowering women to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society. This SHARE event marks the first of a series of events planned for the year. This is significant to us at StratcommAfrica, as we look forward to celebrating our 30th anniversary under the visionary leadership of a woman, our Founder and CEO, Ms. Esther A.N Cobbah.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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In line with plans to provide the needed infrastructure to facilitate e-learning and digitalization, Government will on Monday, 25th of March, launch a major initiative to boost Senior High School Education in the country.



Dubbed the 'Ghana Smart Schools Project', this initiative is intended to provide comprehensive Teaching and Learning Management Systems, Digital Learning Content and Electronic Devices in all students of Senior High/IVET Schools across the country, to facilitate teaching and learning.



The project, which is expected to be launched by HE the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, forms part of the Ministry of Education's effort to digitalize teaching and learning in pre-tertiary educational institutions in the country.



The Smart Schools Project is in alignment with the Government's initiative to leverage on technological advancements, to enable Ghanaian students compete in the fourth industrial revolution.



The project is being executed under the auspices of the Office of the President, the Ministry of Education (MoE), the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana TVET Service, and the Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling (CENDLOS).



The Ghana Smart Schools Project is in fulfilment of the Education for Sustainable Development Agenda, which is considered a key driver for rapid socio-economic transformation.









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The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP has commended the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) for the frontal role it continues to play in the implementation of various policies and initiatives by the Ministry.



Speaking during a courtesy call on the Chief Of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, Hon. Jinapor touted the collaboration between the Ministry and GAF in various areas including illegal mining, land guard situations and implementation of the governments flagship afforestation program, Green Ghana Project.



He expressed the heartfelt appreciation of the Ministry to the Armed Forces for always availing itself to the Ministry to execute projects that serve the country.



Disclosing the purpose of his visit, the Minister informed the CDS that the Ministry in consultation with relevant stakeholders have agreed to hold the 2024 commemorative tree planting with a target of 10 million trees for the 4th edition of the Green Ghana Project at Burma Camp which is the base of the Ghana Armed Forces.



The commemorative tree-planting ceremony will be performed by the President, H. E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to officially kick off the nationwide tree-planting exercise.



With this years edition slated for the headquarters of the GAF, Hon. Jinapor thought it right to initiate early engagement with the CDS and also court his support.



With the Ministry targeting 10 million trees for the fourth edition of the program on *June 7, 2024,* Hon. Samuel Jinapor appealed to the CDS to once again collaborate with the Ministry to ensure its effectiveness by providing logistical support.



He also leverage the meeting to officially congratulate Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah on his appointment as CDS.



The CDS, Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah commended the Lands Minister and officials of the Ministry for making efforts to congratulate him on his elevation to the apex of Ghanas military leadership.



He assured that the relationship and collaboration between his outfit and the Ministry would be strengthened under his watch.



On the Green Ghana Project, Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Peprah welcomed the responsibility and honour as host of the commemorative tree planting ceremony and promised its success.



On the issue of logistics, he stated that the Army will make available every resource needed for the successful implementation of the project.





The Green Ghana Project which is in its fourth year is the flagship forestry project of the government. This is year, the ministry is aiming to plan over 10 million trees on June 7, 2024.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Majority Leader of Ghana's Parliament and Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo Markin has revealed that there is no way Ghana and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will ever support LGBTQ+.



To him, the impression should not be created that the NPP would want to support lifestyles that is frowned on by the country's cultural norms and family values.



Ghana's parliament recently passed a tough new bill that imposes a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+.



It also imposes a maximum five-year jail term for forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups.

Lawmakers heckled down attempts to replace prison sentences with community service and counselling.



This comes in the wake of President Akufo-Addos hesitation to assent to the recently passed Human Rights and Family Values Bill by the Parliament of Ghana.



The bill will come into effect only if President Nana Akufo-Addo signs it into law, but it appears he is hesitant in assenting to the bill.



Speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo morning show on Monday 18th March, Hon Afenyo-Markin, however, emphasised that he and the NPP are only against the custodial sentence which he believes rather increases the activities of gays and lesbians.



He said, ''Ghana do not accept the marriage of gays and lesbians. the NPP does not accept the marriage of lesbians and there is no way it will be ever be accepted, but what we are saying is that if a person is exhibiting a particular lifestyle and we want to bring the person out of it, custodial sentencing is certainly not the way to go.''



The Majority Leader further added that, there is a law in the constitution that enjoins judges to administer community service as a sentence of reformative punishment, adding that there should rather be a counselling session for persons who have been captured in situations like these.



He added, For all I have seen in life as a parent, a husband, and father, you cant force a human being to change from a particular lifestyle''.



He highlighted the need to promote the a correctional sentence for persons who identify themselves as LGBTQ+, adding that the custodian sentence should not be something he supports adding that most of the MPs where not in favor of the Custodial sentencing but were afraid to say it due to the toxic nature of the debate.



In closing out on his submission, the majority leader emphasised that the NPP government does not support vices that brings the image if the country into disrepute especially lifestyles that the Ghanaian culture frowns upon.





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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In response to the devastating flooding caused by the Akosombo Dam spillage, KGL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the KGL Group, has joined forces with KEED and Fuel Automation Ghana Limited to provide crucial aid and medical assistance to communities within the Keta Municipal Assembly.



This collaborative effort carried out in conjunction with the Keta Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Hospital, took place on Saturday, March 16th, 2024.



The partnership between KGL Foundation, KEED, and Fuel Automation aimed to deliver essential relief supplies, including food items and medical equipment, valued at hundreds of thousands of Ghana cedis, to the victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage and the broader Keta Municipality.



Recognizing the potential health challenges stemming from the floods, the KGL Foundation took proactive measures to support the Keta Municipal Hospital by organizing a health screening and blood donation campaign to enable the people of Keta to know their health status and to replenish the hospital's blood bank reserves.



This initiative ensured that safe blood was readily available for individuals needing medical care in the aftermath of the natural disaster.



Mr. Nii Annorbah-Sarpei, Programs Manager of KGL Foundation, emphasized, "At KGL Foundation, we are guided by a commitment to empower Ghanaians and uplift their lives.



This endeavour underscores Mr. Elliot Dadey, the CEO of KGL Foundation's dedication to making a positive difference in our communities. The health screening and blood donation drive are critical aspects of safeguarding the well-being of our populace following this calamity."



Mr. Emmanuel Gemegah, Municipal Chief Executive of the Keta Municipality, expressed gratitude for the support extended by KGL Foundation, KEED, and Fuel Automation during this challenging period.



"The recent floods have brought untold hardship to many in our community. We appreciate the compassion shown by these organizations in not only providing relief items but also organizing the crucial blood drive," he stated.



Mr. Clyde Gaze, Head of Marketing for KEED, shared insights on their collaboration, stating, At KEED, we recognize the importance of standing by our communities in times of crisis. Partnering with KGL Foundation and Fuel Automation Ghana Limited on this essential mission, including the relief items donation and blood drive, underscores our commitment to supporting our society in times of need.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Christopher Adu Boahen, the son of historian and New Patriotic Party stalwart, Professor Albert Adu Boahen, has lost his life after armed robbers attacked him at his home in East Legon, a suburb of the capital in the Greater Accra Region.



The armed robbers are said to have broken into his house, ransacked his home and killed him in the process.



In a post on Facebook, his 1995 year group at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), where Christopher studied electrical engineering, announced that some wicked persons had taken his life.



Sad to announce the untimely passing of our classmate, Christopher. Wicked persons entered his home, ransacked the place, and robbed him of his life. His home, at East Legon, has been barricaded by the police and declared a crime scene.



May the soul of our brother find rest in the Lord. Bad news for a Monday morning but lets keep our spirits up and look forward to a great week, said the post announcing the death of Christopher Adu Boahen.



The deceased mans father was the NPPs presidential candidate in 1992, in the first elections held in Ghana after the countrys return to democracy under the Fourth Republic.



Christopher Adu Boahen was a brother of Charles Adu Boahen, who served both as a deputy minister for finance and then as minister of state at the Ministry of Finance in the Akufo-Addo government. Charles Adu Boahen resigned from government in November 2022.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ghanafuo Ho Nsem (@ghanafuonsem)











Source: asaaseradio.com









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Authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) have denied any knowledge of the London Metropolitan Police impounding 15 million from an unidentified Ghanaian.



A report by Citinewsroom indicates that both the UK Financial Intelligence Unit and the Border Agency denied knowledge of claims suggesting that 15 million had been impounded from a Ghanaian upon arriving in London.



A short video making rounds on various social media platforms claims a prominent member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) was apprehended in the UK by the London Metropolitan Police, and an amount of 15 million impounded from him.



In what appears as a calculated attempt to draw bad blood for government, the individual in the video did not mention any specific name except to say the person is often times referred to as Prime Minister.



It adds to a growing list of unsubstantiated claims making rounds on social media in recent times, raising further questions about the threat of fake news to national development.



The rumours claimed the said Ghanaian initially carried $1.5 million on a chartered flight to London and when questioned upon his arrival, he said it was the proceeds of a certain contract which he was going to invest in London.



He then took another 15 million pounds sterling to London, and now the money has been impounded, claimed the video.



The video further claimed that the London Metropolitan Police then asked the said Ghanaian to provide proof of the contract that fetched him that money.



He now has to fall on a topmost official at the GRA (Ghana Revenue Authority) to help him with documentation, but the said officer said it had become impossible to do that, the rumours claimed.



It added that the UK officials subsequently impounded the 15 million from the Ghanaian.



DAILY GUIDE has not independently verified the authenticity or otherwise of the rumours, but checks by Citinewsroom indicates that both the UK Financial Intelligence Unit and the Border Agency have stated that they have no record of any such amount being seized from any Ghanaian.



However, the UK Financial Intelligence Unit and the Border Agency have stated that they have no records of any money being seized from any individual from Ghana, the report added.



The phenomenon once again brings to bear calls by many Ghanaians on the National Media Commission (NMC) for a stricter legislation to check the rising spate of misinformation in the country.



Ghanaians have asked the NMC to exert its authority in bringing sanity to the media landscape, particularly social media, where these Fake News is being propagated to mislead the public.



This, many say, is necessary to protect the right to freedom of expression and maintain the peace, security and democracy of the country.



Many stakeholders have complained about the current spate of disinformation, which they say devalued the entire communications experience and undermined the truth and integrity of public discourse.









Source: Daily Guide









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Press Release

March 18, 2024 SPONSORSHIP SPEECH

Senate Bill No. 2575 / Committee Report No. 211 AN ACT ENSURING THE ALIGNMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10410, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "EARLY YEARS ACT (EYA) OF 2013", APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES March 13, 2024

Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines Delivered by the Honorable Win Gatchalian, Senator of the 19th Congress: Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, a pleasant day to you all. I rise today to sponsor a proposed measure that not only seeks to unlock the boundless potential of our young children but also ignites the very essence of our country's future. Young children below five years old are among the most vulnerable in our society. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Philippines is projected to be the home of 11.1 million young children aged below five years old by July 2024. Yet, a stark reality casts a shadow over this future: only 5 percent of these young children were enrolled in child development centers or CDCs during the School Year of 2022 to 2023. These figures underline the fact that our young ones are being left behind, with only a handful being serviced by CDCs. This is not the reflection of an efficient Early Childhood Care and Development system, especially with the limited fiscal space for ECCD. Mr. President, as we nurture our young children, we are not only nurturing their individual growth but also the future of our nation; and within this journey lies the transformative power of early childhood education or ECEd. A number of studies prove that investment in quality ECEd sets a strong foundation for learning, leaving long-term positive impacts on children's education. A longitudinal study conducted by UNICEF Philippines, published in 2021, revealed the positive impact of ECEd on mathematics, literacy, and socio-emotional skills for the first five school years after preschool. An assessment of the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study further illuminates the profound effect of early childhood education and development on the performance of students later in life. Picture this: Grade 4 learners, who had the opportunity to frequently engage in early literacy and numeracy activities with their parents before even stepping foot into primary school, soared higher in mathematics and science compared to their peers who did not have the same privilege. This evidence is further bolstered by the 2019 Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics survey, which reveals that Grade 5 learners who attended ECEd performed better in reading, writing and mathematics assessments. It specifically highlights that one year of attendance in an ECEd program is correlated with an average increase of about 6 points in Grade 5 math test performance. Another report by the UNICEF titled "A World Ready to Learn", released in 2019, underscored that young children who attended ECEd are "more likely to enter school on time, less likely to drop out or repeat grades, and more likely to complete primary and secondary school", emphasizing that such investment proves not only beneficial but also cost-effective by lessening the need for catch-up efforts. Hence, the mandate under R.A. No. 10410, or the Early Years Act of 2013, to achieve universal coverage for ECCD is a tall order that this amendatory legislation has sustained and has now entrusted with both the ECCD Council and our local government units. However, the potential of ECEd will remain untapped if it is not aligned with the K to 12 basic education curriculum. Maihahambing natin ito sa pagpapagawa ng labindalawang palapag na gusali, na kung sa paglatag pa lang ng pundasyon ay palpak na, ano pa kayang tibay ang aasahan natin sa mga susunod na palapag nito? As it stands, the responsibilities over ECEd and basic education are divided among different government agencies. ECEd falls under the jurisdiction of the Council, while basic education is the responsibility of the Department of Education. This division of responsibilities, while designed for clarity, creates hurdles in the seamless transition of our children from early childhood to formal schooling. The DepEd, despite chairing the Council, does not have jurisdiction over the implementation of ECEd. Child development teachers, the CDTs, and child development workers, the CDWs--that serve as the backbone of ECEd--are employed and supervised by local government units, usually under their city and municipal social welfare development centers. In simple terms, there is a gap that needs to be bridged. Mr. President, this is where the amendatory bill, "Basic Education and Early Childhood Care and Development Act", steps in. It bridges this gap, ensuring and strengthening the learning continuum between ECEd and basic education. It emphasizes that under the Early Years Act of 2013, ECCD has evolved from being a primarily social and welfare concern to a system that must be addressed holistically, with ECEd as a primary concern. Specifically, this proposed measure seeks to address the issues confronting the present ECCD system by introducing the following amendments to the Early Years Act of 2013. First, this bill gives the Council additional functions, including ensuring the alignment between the basic education curriculum and the ECCD curriculum. The Council, armed with this bill's additional mandate, spearheads the responsibility of promulgating national policies and implementing guidelines for ECCD programs. It is the architect of the ECCD blueprint. The Council's responsibilities encompass a wide range of functions, which include the development of a national system for the recruitment of qualified CDTs, CDWs, and other service providers; issuance of minimum requirements for the establishment of ECCD programs, and other innovations and alternative modalities; the conversion of existing public day care centers into CDCs; and administering the voluntary accreditation of public ECCD programs, among others. But a blueprint alone cannot build a CDC, Mr. President. This is where our LGUs come in, the tireless builders who translate national policy into tangible programs on the ground. They are the ones who put the bricks and mortar - and most importantly, the heart - into early childhood care and development. Through national policies formulated by the Council, our LGUs bear the ultimate responsibility for achieving universal coverage for the national ECCD System. This means that even our most vulnerable, marginalized young children will be identified and supported. To achieve this goal, our LGUs are mandated to fulfill greater responsibilities. They must establish at least one (1) CDC in every barangay, submit their respective roadmaps to the Council every three years, provide the facilities and resources for the implementation of ECCD programs, create plantilla positions for CDTs and CDWs while also ensuring their professional development, supervise the service providers, monitor the implementation of ECCD programs, and administer the voluntary accreditation of private ECCD programs, among others. Furthermore, this bill also seeks to strengthen the composition of the Council. In this proposed amendment, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government is designated as the Ex Officio Vice Chairperson, highlighting the DILG's crucial role in supervising the nation's local government units. Additionally, the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education is included as a member of the Council, recognizing the CHED's essential contribution to empowering CDTs and CDWs, thereby enhancing the overall quality of ECCD programs. Beyond these amendments, this legislation introduces new provisions to bridge the gaps in the ECCD programs, including the disheartening reality that our ECCD service providers are grappling with. As per data from the DSWD, as of January 2023, among the 78,893 CDWs nationwide, it is estimated that a staggering 19 percent received a monthly honorarium or salary of less than 1,000 Pesos. Sa madaling salita, halos isa sa bawat limang CDWs ang kumikita ng ganitong kaliit na halaga. Sa patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pangunahing bilihin, paano nila pagkakasyahin ang isang libong piso sa loob ng isang buwan? Digging deeper into these figures, a mere 11 percent of them are permanent employees of LGUs. There is also a glaring lack of oversight over the quality, hiring process, and performance of CDWs at the local level. At its core, this bill mandates the employment of at least one CDT and one CDW in every CDC, acknowledging their indispensable role in the ECEd, while every city and municipality shall create plantilla positions for CDTs and CDWs. The local chief executive, in consultation with and as approved by the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Budget and Management, will also set the guidelines for the Salary Grades, eligibility, qualifications, and duties and responsibilities of CDTs and CDWs. The minimum salary grades are set at Grade 11 for CDTs and Grade 8 for CDWs. But this proposed measure goes beyond just ensuring that our CDTs and CDWs are adequately compensated. It paves the way for the professionalization of CDTs; the certification, reskilling and upskilling of incumbent CDWs, and the provision of scholarship opportunities for the continued education and growth of these service providers. As a safeguard for quality, CDTs must hold a bachelor's degree and pass the Licensure Examination for Teachers or LET. CDWs, on the other hand, should have at least a senior high school diploma and pass a national competency assessment. Alternatively, CDWs can be high school graduates who have completed two years of tertiary education and earned a TESDA National Certification for CDWs. This bill also outlines the reskilling and upskilling of incumbent CDWs, offering them a pathway to professional growth through training programs and certification by the TESDA. It mandates the Council to develop a scholarship program for the continuing education of CDWs who seek to complete their bachelor's degrees and those who will be required to take the LET. Further, this proposed measure requires every city and municipality to establish ECCD divisions. LGUs will be tasked with designing and implementing an organizational structure and staffing pattern that reflects the unique service requirements and financial capabilities of each locality. Under the administrative supervision of the mayor, the ECCD division will oversee its day-to-day operations. This includes the critical role of supervising CDTs and CDWs, ensuring that they fulfill their duties and responsibilities effectively. This bill likewise introduces a provision for the streamlining of ECCD services. One of the pivotal roles of the Council is to provide guidelines for this streamlining, taking into account critical factors such as the number of young children being serviced by each CDC, the physical accessibility of CDCs, and the availability of funds and resources of the LGUs, among others. Streamlining measures may encompass innovative strategies such as clustering of CDCs for multiple barangays, promoting both center-based and home-based programs, and other alternative modalities as far as practicable. This is particularly crucial in areas where very few young children are serviced by the CDCs and for LGUs with limited resources. Finally, to further ensure that no young children will be left behind, this amendatory legislation seeks to address the issue of the inequitable delivery of ECCD services due to the strengthened role of LGUs. The quality of ECCD services a young child receives relies heavily on the financial resources, budget allocations, and political commitment of the LGUs. Sa madaling salita, nasa kamay ng mga lokal na pamahalaan ang paghahatid at pagsasakatuparan ng mga programa ng ECCD. In our pursuit of equitable and universal ECCD, particularly ECEd, we must hold our LGUs to a higher standard of accountability. However, accountability should not stand alone. It should be coupled with support and capacity-building, especially for our poorest municipalities. The substitute bill's section on Appropriations addresses this very need. It provides that the annual General Appropriations Act shall include a specific allocation from the Local Government Support Fund. This allocation is intended to bolster the establishment of CDCs and the hiring of CDTs and CDWs in our fourth and fifth class municipalities. By passing this proposed measure, we are not merely preparing our young children for their educational journey; we are also preparing them to succeed in the future as the next leaders of our nation. Before I end, allow me to thank the co-authors of this bill, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, Senator Sonny Angara, Senator Risa Hontiveros, and Senator Bong Revilla Jr., for their contributions in drafting this significant legislation. As chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, I would also like to express my gratitude to the stakeholders from the public and private sectors for their active and spirited participation during the course of a public hearing and seven Technical Working Group meetings. Together, let us amplify the voices of our young children--the heartbeat of our nation. Let us build a future where they flourish, for in their laughter, curiosity, and energy lies the rhythm of hope. Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished colleagues.
ELKO  Mike Richards picks locks.

As the owner and sole locksmith of A&M Locksmith, he helps customers all over Elko make their buildings more secure or gain access to their locked car doors.

His responsibilities may range from fixing a single lock to rekeying an entire building.

I built a master system for a company here in town and replaced all of their locks on their interior and exterior doors, Richards said. I had to develop a key system so that the managers would have one key that would fit all the doors. But then employees were only allowed into certain doors.

So theres some mathematical and figuring issues in that because you can put all four codes into a door lock. The problem is, if you do too many then it makes it easier for somebody to pick that lock. So you have to stay on the safety side of it as well so that it stays secure.

Richards said another important part of locksmithing is avoiding any damage to property. Prying open a lock should not involve breaking the material around it, he noted.

I had to unlock a semi truck for the first time the other day. That was an interesting bill, because I was standing up on the steps of a semi truck to be able to reach the door  and their doors are thicker than car doors. I had to figure out how to get it open the same way as I would a car, he said.

I used an airbag system to open the door. The airbags are special airbags to where they wont allow me to put so much pressure on the door that I damage it  just enough to get it open so I can get a rod in there to reach the unlock button or pull the handle or pull the lock, whatever the case is.

Richards said his business is just getting started. He and his wife Angie Richards had a ribbon cutting at the Elko Chamber of Commerce on their first anniversary, leading to a mention in the March Elko Area Chamber newsletter.

Ive kind of done different aspects of locksmithing my whole working career. I was a mechanic for 30 years, I did construction and finish work in homes, Mike Richards said. We have a small farm and so I do all my own repairs out here as well. And we noticed that there was a need for a locksmith in town. Elko has only a handful of people with locksmithing expertise, and their numbers are dwindling, he explained.

Locksmiths in Nevada face a series of precautionary hurdles: first, they have to obtain a county license through their local sheriffs department. Then you have to get a license with the state and then theres always a city license on top of that, Mike Richards said. When I was going to get my locksmith license through the county, they had to run me through an FBI background check.

Nevada locksmiths are licensed per county, adding another wrinkle. I cant go to another county and act as a locksmith unless I get licensed in that county as well through their sheriffs department.

He said he decided to become a licensed locksmith because he saw a need for more locksmithing services in Elko.

You cant just call somebody and have them come out and do that stuff legally. And there was really nowhere in town to do it. Myself included and other people I knew tried getting keys made, he said.

The big complaint was most of the time the keys didnt work, he noted. Nobody out here made keys for camp trailers or for four-wheelers. So thats actually what I started doing after I got my license. As I started making keys, I got in on the RV side of it because there was definitely nobody out there who could do that.

We are currently in the process of trying to get the equipment needed to do chip keys and fobs for newer vehicles, Richards said. Ive probably gotten 20-plus calls from people wanting me to do key fobs or chip keys.

He said he needs to procure equipment which will allow him to talk to the computer inside a car.

We are self-funded in our business, so my wife and I both work full-time jobs as well, he said. The additional income from his work with Elkos water department allows Mike Richards to afford the equipment and tools he needs for locksmithing.

He shared his goals for the future of his business. I would like to have a storefront because were just mobile right now. He said he would also like to be able to make and sell keys out of his home so that he can spend less time delivering his keys to customers.

Wed like to have a storefront and one or two employees, possibly, he said. Right now its just my wife and I.

He said he goes out to do all the in-person locksmith work while his wife handles paperwork.

A more immediate goal would be to have enough clientele in business to be able to quit my full-time job and just concentrate on the business, he said.

Mike Richards said he is also hoping to pick up enough business to be able to go out to the other cities in Elko County. If the demand is there, he will apply for a license in other places, he added.
Atik Mohammed has expressed his worries over the internet outage that has affected Ghana and some parts of the world.



The internet went off days ago affecting almost all networks and internet-related businesses.



Mobile money transactions in Ghana are also adversely affected, causing major challenges to MoMo users in the country.



The internet connectivity challenges have been attributed to a faulty undersea cable but the authorities assure the problem will be fixed as soon as possible.



However, the National Communications Authority (NCA) has alerted Ghanaians that the problem will be rectified in about 5 weeks.



Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, Atik Mohammed likened the internet outage to dumsor, a term coined to describe the perennial power cuts to Ghanaians.



Dumsor became popular during the previous Mahama regime where electricity supply was frequently irregular.



Atik, explained that the internet, as it is now, behaves like how the Electricity Company of Ghana is treating the Ghanaian populace, stating "it keeps going on and off".



"This is another form of dumsor, just that this is not in respect of electricity but internet and it's very worrying," he said.



The former PNC General Secretary also noted that Ghana is losing lots of revenues due to this internet problem and dreads it may further have negative impact on economic activities in the country.



"Right now, our lives are all attached to the internet. There's nothing you can do without the internet. Communications, planning, business, everything is tied to the internet. So, when there is a disruption such as that which we are witnessing, it is worrying. So, it is a very, very big problem...Government's revenue is being affected. We who are doing transactions through that medium, people's businesses are suffering."



To Atik, this internet disruption should serve as a learning curve to the Government of Ghana, stressing "as a country that wants to progress recognizing that it is technology that help us achieve this goal, we should have a national digitalization policy which, in it, should have provision for digitalization infrastructure...because the world is moving at a faster pace today".





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has charged all parliamentary candidates of the governing New Patriotic Party to hit the ground running if the party will win majority seats in Parliament.



Hon. Alexander Afenyo-Markin advised the aspirants and his fellow Parliamentarians not to let the 2020 parliamentary results repeat itself in the next Parliament.



The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and opposition National Democratic Congress in 2020 split the seats into halves.



Both parties attained 137 seats each and 1 independent candidate who shared his affiliation with the NPP for the party to seemingly have a majority position in the House of Legislature.



Speaking in an interview on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo" with Kwami Sefa Kayi, Hon. Afenyo-Markin admonished the party's parliamentary aspirants and Members of Parliament to reach out to the grassroots, move from home to home directly engaging the masses soliciting votes for themselves and the New Patriotic Party.



"We should focus and do our work well. Effective politics is not done in the room. It's not about sitting on the radio or holding big rallies; I don't believe in rallies. Go and explain to the people"



"Work hard, go to the grassroots. Go, go, go and market your party. Don't sit idle and think you have already won. Don't let somebody tell you this place is a no-go area. I tell you that there's nothing like no-go area in politics. Go and reach out to them. Talk to them; engage them!", he urged.



He further asked them to communicate the good works of the President to aid the New Patriotic Party to break the 8-year governance cycle.



"Let's rise and stay united. We should publicize the good works by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. We should also admit our mistakes where we make them."





Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Maxwell Kofi Jumah, the Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Limited, has stated that Ghana would be nowhere without the New Patriotic Party (NPP).



He explained that the contributions of the NPP to the country is something that, although not many would agree with, is the very one that has brought it to the level it has reached today.



Speaking in an interview with Adubia TV, the NPP stalwart explained that the NPP is the only party in Ghana that has the nation at heart.



It will be very difficult for the public to accept this statement from me, but I sincerely believe within my heart that the only party in Ghana that really has Ghana at heart, is the NPP. That is my sincere belief.



My father was CPP regional secretary for the Ashanti Region, so I have background in CPP. I was a young pioneer, but Ill tell you, even my father, during his latter days, used to say this: without NPP, Ghana would be nowhere. Its a miracle that weve put together people who have the thinking like that; they are not angels but they are far, far better than any alternative you can think of, he stated.



Maxwell Kofi Jumah also spoke about some things in his life, as well as other subjects about politics.







Source: ghanaweb.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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By Ellie Rushing and Rodrigo Torrejon, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

PHILADELPHIA  Tucked in a small West Philadelphia alleyway, covered by trash and overgrown brush, a duffel bag holding the badly decomposed remains of a toddler was discovered by a sanitation worker on Monday, police said.

The worker came across the black Puma bag just before 10 a.m. while cleaning out the alleyway behind the 600 block of North 38th Street in the Mantua section of the city, police said. Taken aback by the smell, the man looked inside the bag to find a small body  one which had been abandoned for so long that the childs gender, age, and identity were not immediately clear, according to police.

But the location of the remains and the tender age of the child have led investigators to believe the body could be that of Damari Carter, the 4-year-old who police say was beaten to death by his mother and her boyfriend before his remains were discarded in a trash bag nearly four months ago  but never found.

Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore said it could take weeks to learn the childs identity, but that detectives are looking into whether the body could be Damaris.

The remains recovered Monday were found less than half a mile south of where Damari lived with his mother, Dominique Bailey, and her boyfriend, Kevin Spencer, before his death. Damari went missing in early December after police said Bailey and Spencer beat the child to death, then discarded his remains.

Damaris mother originally told relatives her son had been hit by a car and died in the hospital, but after finding discrepancies in her story, police launched an investigation in early January.

Police said Bailey ultimately confessed to watching Spencer beat her child to the point that he fell unconscious, his forehead swollen and eyes blackened on Dec. 7.

Bailey said she had seen Spencer beat her son before, including on that day, according to the affidavit of probable cause for her arrest. She said that after her son was beaten, she and Spencer left to go buy Black & Mild Cigars, and when they returned home, Damari was not responsive. Spencer put him to bed in a wicker chair in the living room, she said, and when she went to kiss him goodnight a few hours later, Damari was cold to the touch.

Damari was dead, Bailey told police, according to the records. She said Spencer then placed the boys remains in a trash bag, and disposed of them in an unknown area.

Bailey and Spencer have been charged with murder, abuse of corpse, and related crimes.

But Spencer and Bailey never told investigators where the remains were left, police said. Officials spent days searching the area for the childs body in early January, using large machinery to comb through dumpsters and hidden alleyways across West Philadelphia, without success. Police came to believe that, since it had been nearly a month since Damaris death, his body was likely swept up in the citys trash system and might never be found.

Four months later, police say, the childs body may have been found, though it could take days or weeks to know for certain.

2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
An elementary school principal in York County has been charged after driving under the influence in Lancaster County.

Lee Hepler Jordan, 39, of Lititz, was found to be under the influence around 2:15 a.m. at the 300 block of North Broad Street on Feb. 28 when he was pulled over for an equipment violation, according to a release from Lititz Borough police.

According to a report from the York Daily Record, when police pulled Jordan over due to an inoperable headlamp, the officer said they could smell an odor of alcohol on his breath, which led to Jordan admitting that he had a beer before hitting the road.

After police arrested Jordan, they took samples of his breath that showed his blood alcohol level was at 0.126%. The states legal limit of alcohol is .08%.

Jordan was charged with first offenses of driving under the influence - general impairment and driving under the influence - high rate of alcohol. He also was cited with no headlights, according to online court documents.

He was released from custody and has a preliminary arraignment and a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 4, according to online court documents.

Jordan is the principal of Kreutz Creek Elementary School in the Eastern York School District, according to the districts website.
A 37-year-old woman is facing charges after trying to barge into Hershey Elementary School last Friday, according to Derry Township police.

Erica A. Dubose, 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, has been charged with criminal trespass, attempting to elude police, disorderly conduct, trespass by motor vehicle, and driving while operating privilege is suspended.

Police said Dubose was unarmed while she was trying to get inside the school by forcefully pulling on the locked door and loudly yelling at 10:45 a.m. on Friday.

While safety measures were taken inside the school, district safety officials and township police responded.

Once they arrived and were aware of the need for additional assistance, other Derry Township police officers responded and arrested Dubose, police said.

But she fled from the school grounds in her vehicle, which led to a police chase on several roadways near the Derry Township School District campus, according to police.

She was eventually arrested after entering a parking lot located at 201 Park Ave.
A man who took his service duck inside a Buc-ees in Tennessee ended up getting banned from the convenience store chain, according to his YouTube video.

Self-described juggler Justin Wood runs the YouTube channel, seDUCKtive, which highlights trips taken with his service animal, Wrinkle the Duck. The channel has about 2.7 million subscribers.

In a video posted last month, Wood can be seen shopping at a Buc-ees with Wrinkle, who is mostly in a stroller, but occasionally comes out to give other shoppers a high five with his beak.

Upon entering the store, Wood is told by an employee that pets are not allowed in the store. Wood responds that Wrinkle is a service animal.

Later on, a second employee tells him that pets arent allowed. Wood again says that the duck is a service animal and that he can provide the store with identification to prove it.

One Buc-ees employee says that the problem is that Wrinkle is not restrained. Wood then asks if it would be alright if he put the duck on a leash. When told yes, he then pretends to put an invisible leash on Wrinkle.

Upon leaving the store, Wood is approached by a police officer who tells him that he has effectively been banned not just from this store, but from all Buc-ees locations, and would be charged with trespassing if he was seen inside one again, whether with Wrinkle or not.

The officer and two other officers are seen later in the video asking if they can pet the duck.

This doesnt take away from the seriousness of the call, the officer says.

Despite the ban, Wood remains philosophically good-natured.

Good vibes only, he says at the end of the video, flashing a peace sign.

According to Fox News, Buc-ees pet policy states: The Health Code prohibits live animals, including dogs, where food could potentially be contaminated. There are exceptions, however, for service animals and animals that work with police officers. For people with disabilities, specially trained service animals play an absolutely vital role. They make it possible for those with disabilities to work, travel, stay safe, and, in some cases, stay alive.
Update: Court order puts Texas law allowing police to arrest migrants who cross illegally back on hold

By Lindsay Whitehurst, The Associated Press

A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to begin enforcing a law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally while a legal battle over the measure plays out.

The conservative majoritys order rejects an emergency application from the Biden administration, which says the law is a clear violation of federal authority that would cause chaos in immigration law.

Texas Gov Greg Abbott praised the order  and the law  which allows any police officer in Texas to arrest migrants for illegal entry and authorizes judges to order them to leave the U.S.

The high court didnt address whether the law is constitutional. The measure now goes back to an appellate court and could eventually return to the Supreme Court. In the meantime, it wasnt clear how soon Texas might begin arresting migrants under the law.

It was also unclear where any migrants ordered to leave might go. The law calls for them to be sent to ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border, even if they are not Mexican citizens.

But Mexicos government said Tuesday it would not under any circumstances accept the return of any migrants to its territory from the state of Texas. Mexico is not required to accept deportations of anyone except Mexican citizens.

It condemned the Texas law being allowed to take effect, saying it would criminalize migrants and lead to the separation of families, discrimination and racial profiling. The government said it would put its position before the appeals court next considering the law.

The Supreme Courts majority did not write a detailed opinion in the case, as is typical in emergency appeals. But the decision to let the law go into effect drew dissents from liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.

FILE - Migrants wait to be processed by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol after they crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico, Oct. 19, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally, while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)AP

The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos, Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent joined by Jackson.

The law, known as Senate Bill 4, is considered by opponents to be the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. Critics have also said the Texas law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the law harmful and unconstitutional and said it would burden law enforcement while creating confusion. She called on congressional Republicans to settle the issue with a federal border security bill.

Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Alicia Barcena said via the social platform X Tuesday that the law surprisingly took effect Tuesday. She said that as Mexicos top diplomat she had been clear: the protection and support of our countrymen is the priority. I reject this measure that criminalizes and discriminates against people who are migrating.

The advocacy group FWD.us said the Supreme Courts decision could encourage other states to pass laws encroaching on federal authority. Andrea Flores, the organizations vice president for Immigration Policy and Campaigns, said the law will unjustly target Texas families, including American citizens, longtime undocumented residents awaiting federal relief, and recent migrants seeking legal protections.

Texas, for its part, has argued it has a right to take action over what authorities have called an ongoing crisis at the southern border. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in a statement it is prepared to handle any influx in population associated with the state law.

Texas sheriffs offices have been preparing for the implementation of Senate Bill 4 since the states legislative session last year, said Skylor Hearn, executive director of the Sheriffs Association of Texas

The law allows police in counties bordering Mexico to make arrests if they see someone crossing the border illegally, he said. It could also be enforced elsewhere in Texas if someone is arrested on suspicion of another violation and a fingerprint taken during jail booking links them to a suspected re-entry violation. It likely would not come into play during a routine traffic stop, he said.

I dont think you will see anything ultimately different, Hearn said.

Arrests for illegal crossings along the southern border hit record highs in December but fell by half in January, a shift attributed to seasonal declines and heightened enforcement. The federal government has not yet released numbers for February.

FILE - Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico are lined up for processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Sept. 23, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)AP

Some Texas officials sounded a cautious note.

A lot of the local police chiefs here, we dont believe it will survive a constitutional challenge. It doesnt look like its going to, because a Texas peace officer is not trained. We have no training whatsoever to determine whether an individual is here in this country, legally, said Sheriff Eddie Guerra of Hidalgo County. He serves as president of the Southwestern Border Sheriffs Coalition representing 31 border counties from Texas to California.

Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett suggested her vote in favor of Texas stemmed from the technicalities of the appeals process rather than agreement with the state on the substance of the law.

So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter  or not enter  an administrative stay. I would not get into the business. When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal, she wrote in a concurring opinion joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Arguments in the 5th U.S Circuit Court of Appeals are set for April 3.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Abbotts efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.

The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the show me your papers bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

Associated Press writers Mark Sherman and Rebecca Santana in Washington, Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas, and Chris Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
Pike County has, at least for now, dethroned Cumberland as the fastest-growing county in Pennsylvania.

But make no mistake. Southcentral Pennsylvania  along with the Lehigh Valley  still ranks as one of the premier boomtowns in a state that, overall, has been slowly declining in population since the 2020 census.

Overall, the states population is estimated to have dropped by about 41,100 since the 2020 count, to about 12,960,000.

Fastest in a slow field

According to the latest county population estimates published by the U.S. Census Bureau Pike, in the northeastern corner of the state, has posted a growth rate of 4.6 percent from the last official population count.

Mike Sullivan, executive director of the Pike County Economic Development Authority, attributes his countys fast growth to move-ins  and its backed up by IRS data  from neighboring New York and New Jersey attracted by several large new apartment developments.

These are mostly older people who dont want to blow snow or cut grass... and taxes here are much lower than they are in New York and New Jersey, especially for retired people, Sullivan said. But they also dont want to go as far away from their family, friends or old lives as, say, Florida.

So, Sullivan says, a place like Milford, the county seat, works pretty well.

Mostly-rural Pikes growth, for now, surpasses the larger Cumberlands growth rate of 4.3 percent for the decade to date though in terms of real people Cumberland added four times as many residents as Pike, with an estimated 11,259 new residents since 2020.

Only Chester, with gains of 15,369, and Montgomery, 12,201, added more people.

The estimates show that the eight counties that have traditionally made up south central Pennsylvania are all growing in the 2020s, in keeping with recent trends showing that most of Pennsylvanias growth occurring in the areas south and east of Interstate 81.

By contrast, only three counties west of that major north-south transportation artery have shown population gains over the past three years.

The growth in the midstate is of a different nature than that in Pike County, with more new households here in mid-career, with school-age children, or both.

For generations now, the region has had a bulls eye on its back both because of easy availability of developable land, strong schools, the relative stability of the local economy thanks to the state Capitol in Harrisburg, and its proximity to many of the nations major metro areas.

More recently, the advent of online retailing has surged an already strong presence of distribution and logistics in the area. Because of the easy availability of jobs, the Harrisburg area has also become a preferred destination for several new waves of international immigrants.

All five of the fastest-growing midstate counties benefitted from a bump in net international migration in 2023, and it was the single-largest growth component in Dauphin County, the latest estimates show.

The newest wrinkle, Cumberland County Planning Director Kirk Stoner said Monday, may be the growing, post-pandemic acceptance of working from home.

The trend has arrived in force in the Harrisburg region, according to recent studies, and its allowed more households to stray a little farther outside of the regular bedroom communities feeding Philadelphia, Baltimore or Washington D.C. in the interest of better real estate values, good schools or other quality of life issues.

Matthew Knittle, director of Pennsylvanias Independent Fiscal Office, agreed that working from home is likely helping growth in counties like Pike and Wayne (near New York City); Montgomery and Chester (near Philadelphia); and Adams, Cumberland and York (in commuting distance to Baltimore and Washington D.C.).

Stoner says the surge here is not about to stop anytime soon, with several more large mixed-use residential developments put in the planning pipeline just in the last year.

The Census estimates show the top growth factor in Adams, Cumberland, and York counties is gains from domestic migration  people relocating here from other parts of Pennsylvania or the U.S. while Lancaster Countys growth is spurred by a combination of natural increase (births outnumbering deaths) and foreign migration.

The biggest loser

Pennsylvanias population losses, meanwhile, arent solely confined to more rural areas in northern and western.

Philadelphia, the states largest city and single-largest county, has shed 53,251 people since 2020, or about 3.3 percent of its population according to the estimates, which are based on records like births, deaths and tax returns.

Thats more than the entire net loss of 41,000 experienced by the state as a whole.

(Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, is down an additional 25,711.)

Katie Martin, project director at Pew Charitable Trusts Philadelphia research and policy initiative, told The Philadelphia Inquirer last week that the city has not posted a cumulative decline in population of this magnitude across three years since the 1970s.

These reductions also wipe out much of a welcome, trend-busting population gain that the city saw more than 77,000 residents from 2010 through 2020.

The drop, according to the Census Bureau estimates, is completely due to domestic migration with 80,765 more people choosing to move out of the city than are moving in. The net loss is lower because Philadelphia recorded more births than deaths, and also has seen continued growth from foreign immigration.

About half of Philadelphias losses are offset by gains in suburban Chester and Montgomery counties, , but overall population in Philly and its four, so-called collar counties is down by about 26,000.

Troubling trend lines

For Gov. Josh Shapiro, who likes to say that hes competitive as hell and sick and tired of losing to other states, maybe dont look at these stats?

Because barring some dramatic change in the trends, Pennsylvania seems destined to lose at least one more seat in the U.S. House of Representatives at the end of this decade - as it has after every census since the 1930s.

Pennsylvania is still the fifth most populous state in the union, and as far as that goes we have likely increased our lead over No. 6 Illinois, which shed an alarming 263,780 people over the past three years according to the county estimates.

But Pennsylvania is missing from the list of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S.

And we are one of only nine states nationally where a majority of counties reported more deaths than births in 2023.

The Census Bureaus latest state population estimates have Pennsylvania deaths exceeding births by 67,343 from April 2020 through June 2023. That drop, equal to 0.52 percent of the baseline population, is one of the largest natural contractions across all states.

Those natural losses have been offset somewhat by foreign immigration that has exceeded in-state move-outs.

Its one thing to be growing at a slower rate than the rest of the nation  Pennsylvania has been doing that since World War II. But shrinking is bad, especially when our only population cohorts projected to grow through 2030 are those for the people aged 65 and up.

In the long-term, demographers have noted, thats recipe for a slower-growing economy and, ultimately, a greater share of the tax burden falling on a smaller group of working-age taxpayers.

To some degree, Pennsylvanias losses are a reflection of longstanding Rust-Belt woes.

The list of states with even greater estimated rates of decline since 2020 - there are nine - includes neighboring West Virginia and New York, and a little further away, Illinois and Michigan.

Northeastern states in the aggregate lost 630,624 people since the official 2020 count, according to the latest estimates. Midwestern states have also seen net population losses in the three-year estimates, though to a much smaller scale.

The fastest-growing region by far is the South, which for Census Bureau purposes encompasses everything from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia down to Florida, and then pushes west to include Texas and Oklahoma.

As a region, its added more than 3.8 million people since 2020, and now accounts for 38.8 percent of the population.

As in recent years, the Census Bureau noted that all 10 of the top fastest-growing counties last year were located in the South or West.
ELKO  The Elko County Reading Council is privileged to have had the opportunity to host Kim Norman during Reading Week March 4-8.

She presented at nine of the Elko County School District schools as well as the Elko and Spring Creek Boys and Girls Club and the Mybrary.

Norman is a childrens book author from Virginia. She has written over 20 books, with her new book, This Old Maine, coming out in May. This is the first book in which she has been the author and the illustrator. Check out www.kimnormanbooks.com/ for more information.

Normans animated readings, thoughtful insights and interactive sessions captivated the imaginations of our childrens minds, leaving them inspired and excited about the world of books. Her visit enriched students academic experience and also fostered a love for reading that will undoubtedly have a lasting impact.

The Elko County Reading Council would like to express a heartfelt thanks to the following who were able to support us: Elko County School District, Kinross-Bald Mountain Mine, Mountain View PTA, Independence Valley PTO and TownePlace Suites Elko. Their unwavering support and generous monetary contributions made this enriching experience possible. The collaboration between the schools, community organizations, and local businesses exemplifies the power of teamwork in nurturing the educational development of our youth.
Following in the footsteps of other states including California, two Pennsylvania legislators are taking aim at what they say are harmful ingredients used by food manufacturers.

On Tuesday, state reps. Natalie Mihalek, a Republican from Allegheny and Washington counties, and Melissa Shusterman, a Democrat from Chester County, introduced two bills that would ban certain additives and dyes in products sold in Pennsylvania.
A state Senate committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would ban drop boxes and satellite election offices where voters can turn in their mail-in ballots rather than relying on the Post Office.

The bill was approved by the state government committee by a 7-4 party-line vote. It was opposed by Democrats who disputed claims of intentional fraud involving drop boxes, and argued drop boxes are convenient and more reliable than the U.S. mail.
Police are searching for a woman who could be suffering from a medical condition.

Donna Mishoe was last heard from on Monday at 1:40 p.m., according to Lebanon City police. Mishoe is believed to be operating a gray 2004 Honda Sedan with Pennsylvania registration plate DLP3670.

No additional details on her disappearance were released.

Anyone with information on Mishoes whereabouts is asked to contact Lebanon City police at 717-272-6611 or submit a tip.
A lawsuit seeking to remove Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry from the primary ballot over his actions to overturn the 2020 presidential election has been withdrawn.

Democratic political activist Gene Stilp of Middle Paxton Township, who filed the lawsuit in state Commonwealth Court on Jan. 2, told PennLive on Tuesday that the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling keeping former President Donald Trump on the Colorado ballot forced the withdrawal.
Gov. Josh Shapiros proposed 2024-2025 budget includes a proposal that will affect all Pennsylvanians, directly or indirectly, in the years to come - a historic $1.9 million investment to support an Alzheimers and dementia division in the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

For more than a decade, the Alzheimers Association and volunteer advocates have worked tirelessly to move Alzheimers and dementia legislation forward. This legislation is also near and dear to my heart because my mom has Alzheimers.

My mom was a vibrant woman who touched the lives of countless families in the Hershey community as a well-loved music teacher at Hershey Middle/High Schools. But, Alzheimers has changed all that. Its not just forgetting or old age. It is a rollercoaster of behavior changes and personality changes. It is struggling with everyday things like eating, walking, and talking. It is real. It is debilitating. The effects on families are cruel, and the statistics are alarming.
PennLives Editorial Board has invited all three Dauphin County Commissions to discuss conditions in Dauphin County jail at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in a meeting that will be streamed live to PennLives Facebook page.

PennLive extended the invitation to Commissioners George Hartwick (D), Mike Pries (R) and Justin Douglas, offering to hold the meeting at a time convenient to all. Only Commissioner Douglas, who took office in January, provided a time when he would meet to answer questions from community leaders and PennLive journalists.
Judge Engoron actually wants me to put up Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for the Right to Appeal his ridiculous decision. In other words, he is trying to take my Appellate Rights away from me when I have already won at the Appellate Division, but he refuses to accept their
Three activists with Pennsylvania Action on Climate were arrested and cited for trespassing on Tuesday after they participated in an unauthorized protest outside the governors office in the Capitol.

More than 25 people gathered around midday on the Capitols second floor where Gov. Josh Shapiros office is located to demand a meeting to urge him to stop accepting bribes from the fossil fuel industry.

Capitol Police asked them on several occasions to leave and warned that failure to do so would result in an arrest, according to police spokesman Troy Thompson. When they failed to leave, three people were taken into custody.

According to a statement from the activists group, they explained to police that they had tried to set up a meeting both in person and online with the governor, but either drew no response or were denied.

Rev. Tim Seitz Brown, one of the three arrested, said, I am frustrated of being told to go through the right channels. Ive tried setting up an appointment. Thats why I came here to meet with my governor at his office, only to find heavy police presence and to be told I had to leave.

Officers from the Capitol Police and Pennsylvania State Police converged at the base of a first floor stairwell leading up to the governors office ahead of the protest to block the protesters access before moving up to the second floor.

A spokesman for Shapiro declined to say whether the governor was in the Capitol at the time of the protest. He did not comment in response to the demands of the activists who describe their organization as a group of anti-corruption and climate activists who disrupt pay-to-play politics in places where money meets politics to ecologically devastate Pennsylvania.

The activists said they wanted to read a statement to Shapiro demanding he stop taking indirect campaign contributions and gifts from fossil fuel industry intermediary groups such as Team Pennsylvania that has paid for his tickets to major sporting events and the Democratic Governors Association, a major funder of his 2022 gubernatorial campaign.

Shapiro needs to stop taking bribes from the industry thats killing us, said Pennsylvania Action on Climate activist Rachel Renzy Neffshade, another member of the group who was arrested.

Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on X at @JanMurphy.
The Pennsylvania Senate, at least its Republican members, want Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to know if they had their way the Pennsylvania National Guard would be on their way to help secure the border with Mexico.

The chamber, on a 27-22 party-line vote, passed a nonbinding resolution calling on Gov. Josh Shapiro to respond to Abbotts request to governors across the country to send resources to combat the border crisis.
One week out of every month, between 40 and 70 women from Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and North Dakota travel to Billings with a shared mission: to undertake some step of the in-vitro fertilization process at the states only fertility clinic. It's also the only clinic between Fargo and Spokane, or north of Salt Lake City and Denver.

The Billings Clinic Fertility Specialists now see about 500 patients per year, up from 58 patients in 2011, the year the clinic opened. And it all still happens in a one-week window each month.

We batch all our IVF cycles so we all land in Billings during a specific week, said Dr. Stacy Shomento, the medical director of Montana's sole IVF program. Shomento, along with another reproductive doctor from North Dakota and embryologists, travels to Billings each month for the cycle.

IVF programs are concentrated in big cities, Dr. Shomento said. It's very special that we're able to do this in a rural location and that means there's travel involved for a lot of people.

In the weeks leading up, patients take hormones to stimulate egg production. Patients on the western half of the state receive ultrasounds in Bozeman, patients on the eastern half  as well as from Cody and Powell, Wyoming, and Williston, North Dakota  receive ultrasounds in Billings. But every patient must come to Billings at least twice: to have eggs retrieved, or removed, and, once again, to have embryos transferred, or put into the uterus.

The clinic transferred 44 embryos in a single week this past February.

Part of the process is testing for infertility on both the male and female side. About 40% of couples have infertility on the male side, another 40% have it on the female side, and about 20% have it on both sides, according to Dr. Shomento.

In 2021, the most recent year with available data, 412 Montanan women used assistive reproductive technology, leading to 179 births, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This accounted for 1.6% of Montanas births that year, which is still below the national rate of 2.3%.

Despite growing steadily over the years, Montanan women use IVF at just over half the national rate, according to data from the CDC. This is because there isnt much insurance coverage for IVF in Montana and a cycle at Billings Clinic costs about $15,000 to $20,000.

Other states, such as Arkansas and Colorado, require insurance to pay for IVF for couples struggling with infertility.

The vast majority of patients are having to pay for services completely out of pocket, Dr. Shomento said. Its a great financial strain for people.

Just last year, the legislature passed a bill requiring insurance companies to pay for fertility assistance for cancer patients, joining 16 other states which require some kind of insurance coverage for medically-induced infertility.

Every single person probably knows somebody suffering from infertility or sub-fertility, its just not as talked about, Dr. Shomento said. A cancer patient tells all their friends and the insurance company gets behind them. IVF is costly, time intensive, requires lots of travel, and people go through it by themselves.

Alabama and Montana

Meanwhile, a decision by the Alabama Supreme Court to treat frozen embryos as children has led to battles over whether to protect IVF access at the federal level, with politicians vying for office weighing in on whether they support protections of the procedure.

Incumbents Sen. Jon Tester and Rep. Ryan Zinke both said they support IVF, as does Senate hopeful Tim Sheehy and Monica Tranel, a Democrat running for Zinke's seat. But what support means depends on the candidate.

Tester came out in support of the Access to Family Building Act, which would establish a legal right to access IVF. He also supports the Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2023, which would expand fertility treatments available to veterans under health care, including IVF for veterans who cannot conceive without assistance.

Both bill sponsors tried to pass the bills through unanimous consent and both bills were blocked by Senate Republicans.

In response to a question about whether Sen. Steve Daines supports federal protection of IVF, a spokesperson said that he fully supports IVF and no one is discussing a ban on IVF.

In a post on X, Sheehy wrote that he will fight against efforts to restrict (IVF).

In response to a question about whether Sheehy would support protecting it at the federal level, a spokesperson said that No one is talking about banning it. Of course he supports IVF.

Tranel was unambiguous about her support for federal protections.

"In Congress I will fight to protect Montanans' freedoms, including access to IVF," she said.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Zinke said that his staff is reviewing the several bills on the issue in the House and are looking to see which will advance with the most bipartisan support.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, who has announced that he will not seek re-election, was the only federal representative who did not voice support for IVF.

When the Supreme Court decided Dobbs v. Jackson there was a clear mandate to states that they are able to set their own rules pertaining to the life of an unborn child, he said.
New predictive technology will provide a swift and accurate assessment of the risks posed by new wildfires in the B.C. Interior this year, allowing for the more efficient deployment of air tankers, helicopters, and ground crews, the government said Monday.
Phu Quoc is among 10 best islands in Asia. (Photo courtesy of DestinAsian)

Now home to one of the most imaginative new five-star resorts in the region, Phu Quoc seems to be one step closer to emerging as the nations premier beach destination, the travel website wrote.

However, for the time being its mellow charms continue to endure, as does a local spirit as distinct as the islands famous fish sauce, the article reported.

According to DestinAsian, Phu Quoc is a renowned source of two staples of local cuisine, including nuoc mam (fish sauce) and black pepper. Its also known for its seafood, pearls, and a delicate pink wine which is made from the fruit of the rose myrtle tree.

Topping the list is Bali of Indonesia, followed by the Maldives, Phuket of Thailand, Koh Samui of Thailand, and Boracay of the Philippines.

The other destinations to make the top 10 are Phu Quoc of Vietnam, Langkawi and Penang of Malaysia, Palawan of the Philippines, and Lombok of Indonesia.

Vietnams destinations, e-visa policy promoted in Hong Kong

A workshop promoting Vietnams tourist destinations and e-visa policy took place in Hong Kong (China) on March 14, reported VNA.

At the workshop promoting Vietnams tourist destinations and e-visa policy which takes place in Hong Kong (China) on March 14. (Photo: VNA)

Co-organised by the Vietnam Airlines branch in the region and the Society of IATA Passenger Agents Ltd (SIPA), the event gathered representatives of the Vietnamese Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau and CEOs and senior managers of many local travel companies.

In his opening remarks, the head of the Vietnam Airlines branch, Ngo Tri Hung, said Hong Kong residents consider Vietnam an attractive place for its scenic spots, friendly people, diverse culture, exquisite cuisine, and near distance of just several hours' flight. Vietnam Airlines is operating 11 weekly flights between Hong Kong and Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City.

The workshop introduced the latest top Vietnamese destinations as voted by TripAdvisor like Ha Long Bay, the Sapa resort town and the ancient citadel of Hue.

In particular, Consul Nguyen Minh Tuan from the Consulate General informed the participants about the advantages and convenience of the e-visas, such as simple procedures that save time.

SIPA Chairman Tommy Tam told the Vietnam News Agency that Hong Kong residents are fond of traveling to Vietnam. He expressed his hope to see Vietnamese tourism businesses bringing their products to the upcoming International Travel Expo (ITE) Hong Kong scheduled for June.

UK journalist dazzled by beauty of Ba Na Hills in Da Nang

According to VNA, the sensational beauty of Sun World Ba Na Hills resort in the central beach city of Da Nang, one of Vietnams most famous tourism destinations, has wowed many visitors both home and abroad, including Jack Mortimer, a journalist of the UKs Express newspaper.

A European-styled village on the peak of Ba Na Hills. (Photo: Sun Group)

In his article published on March 3 on the Express website, Mortimer said when thinking about the things tourists typically see on a trip to Vietnam, it is easy to imagine attractions such as the stunning limestone islands of Ha Long Bay or the millions of motorbikes whizzing around the palace-like Ho Chi Minh City Hall, but many people cant imagine, there is a tourist resort styled to look like a French village. That is exactly what Ba Na Hills is.

Sun World Ba Na Hills (Photo: Sun Group)

He shared that located around a 45-minute drive from the city of Da Nang, Ba Na Hills is a resort that aims to recreate the feel of a trip to France.

The journalist was impressed by the Golden Bridge, a 150 metre long platform seemingly held up by two massive hands, made from fibreglass designed to look like stone. First opened in 2018, the bridge attracts many tourists from all over the world, so be sure to make plenty of time to walk over it to get the best views.

Golden Bridge, a 150 metre long platform seemingly held up by two massive hands, made from fibreglass designed to look like stone. First opened in 2018, the bridge attracts many tourists from all over the world. (Photo: Le Viet Khanh)

However, he was thrilled by a European-styled village on the peak of Ba Na Hills. He related that the main part of the 'village' is a market square featuring a large fountain and busts of well-known French figures, again made from fibreglass.

The whole village is not exactly what it seems, feeling at times more like he was on a Paramount set, rather than Pays de la Loire, France. However, everything visitors can imagine to find in a French village is present. A Catholic church complete with confessions booth, a string of quaint restaurants offering wine stored in a cellar deep in the mountain, even a number of vintage French cars that have been covered in bouquets of flowers.

The author commented that the site can get incredibly crowded, however it is a day that few are likely to forget, and, with an entrance fee of 850,000VND (27 GBP) for adults and 700,000VND (22 GBP), is incredible value for money.

This is not the first time Sun World Ba Na Hills has been honoured by international media. Recently, the Hong Kong (China)'s Sassy magazine has suggested experiences that visitors cannot miss when coming to Da Nang, the most prominent of which is to take the cable car to Ba Na peak to see the Golden Bridge.

Coming into operation in 2009, up to now, Sun World Ba Na Hills has always maintained the image of an iconic tourist area not only of Da Nang. Especially with the launch of the Golden Bridge five years ago, Sun World Ba Na Hills has contributed to bringing Da Nang tourism in particular, Vietnam in general to the world, affirming its position on the world's tourism map.

The year 2023 marked the fourth consecutive time Sun World Ba Na Hills Resort has been awarded the title of "Asia's Leading Theme Park 2023" by the World Travel Awards at the 30th WTA World Travel Awards in Asia and Oceania./.
A new poll shows that a criminal conviction in Manhattan would gravely wound and potentially doom Trumps presidential candidacy.

Politico asked Ipsos to poll the American people on Trumps criminal cases and the Supreme Court, and they found some very bad news for Trump with Independents.

This is what Politico reported:

A plurality of respondents  44 percent  said that a conviction in Manhattan would have no impact on their likelihood to support Trump for president, but that is far from the whole story.

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Among those respondents who said that a conviction would influence their decision, the numbers were not good for Trump.



By a more than 2-1 margin, respondents said that a conviction would make them less likely to support Trump (32 percent) as opposed to more likely (13 percent). Notably, more than a third of independents said it would reduce their likelihood to support Trump. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of respondents who said that a conviction would bolster their support were Republicans.

A Felony Conviction In Manhattan Would Make Trump Virtually Unelectable

Trump has not been able to win back Nikki Haley voters who voted against him in the Republican presidential primary. The former president appears to only have the support of roughly 65%-70% of Republicans, so he is teetering on the edge of being unelectable. Many of those Republicans may hold their noses and vote for Trump in November.

If Trump gets convicted in Manhattan, and a third of Independents rule him out, it would potentially doom his campaign, as the Republican Party would find itself in a situation where they would have a nominee who cant get enough potential voters to support him.

Donald Trump becomes virtually unelectable if he gets convicted of a felony.

It is clear now that the Republican spin that the criminal cases help Trump is a complete fantasy. A Trump criminal conviction would do grave damage to his campaign.

Voters may not be locked in on the election yet, but they already know that many will not vote for a convicted felon in November.

e their move or pack up and end this investigation.

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At the talks between Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son his visiting Uzbek counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov in Hanoi on March 18. (Photo: VNA)

Stressing that it is the first visit to Vietnam by an Uzbek foreign minister since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, Son said this occasion serves as an opportunity for both sides to review and agree on directions and measures to strengthen the longstanding friendship and to promote practical bilateral cooperation in areas of their strengths.

He took note of the impressive growth of bilateral trade between 2021 and now, averaging over 30% per year. In 2023, the figure reached 159.7 million USD, up 32% year on year.

Vietnam always values its relations with traditional friends, including Uzbekistan, the minister affirmed, hoping that the two nations will continue to leverage their political foundation and good relations, creating new momentum for enhanced cooperation that aligns with their needs, desires, and strengths.

Saidov, who is on an official visit to Vietnam from March 17-19, praised the results of Vietnam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, and bamboo diplomacy, which have contributed to enhancing its position in the region and the world.

Stating that Vietnam is among Uzbekistan's traditional and important partners in the region, he expressed his desire to deepen the bilateral collaboration towards effectiveness, especially in economy, trade, investment, agriculture, and education.

Saidov expected that Vietnam would serve as a bridge to help Uzbekistan further strengthen its cooperation with the region, including the expansion of joint work between ASEAN and Central Asia.

The ministers exchanged information on their respective countrys socio-economic development, major foreign policy directions, while reviewing the bilateral cooperation and the implementation of agreements reached by high-level leaders in the past period.

They agreed that the Vietnamese and Uzbek foreign ministries need to maintain their information exchange mechanism, enhance coordination, and play a coordinating role to connect the two countries' ministries and sectors to explore potential and seek new collaboration opportunities.

On this occasion, Son thanked Uzbekistan for creating favourable conditions for the Vietnamese expat community in the country./.
Rachel Maddow connected Trumps desperate need for cash and Paul Manaforts life work of spending Russian oligarch money to advance Putins interests.

Maddow said:

His purpose in life at that time was extracting money from Russian interests, from pro-Kremlin interests to serve the interests of Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. That was his lifes work.

Paul Manafort has announced today as coming back to the Trump campaign again on the same day that Donald Trump also announces that he is out of money and he cannot secure a bond to pay the half billion court judgment that is due from him one week from today. That is a court judgment. Thats not some bank being asked please pay us back. Thats a court judgment. If he doesnt pay it, the new York attorney general can start padlocking his buildings and taking everything he owns.

As of one week from today. Donald Trump has never been more desperately in need of money than he is right this sec today, the day it is reported that this guy, for all his baggage, for all his ex con sparkle, this guy is coming back, the guy who specializes in extracting money from Kremlin-aligned interests to serve Vladimir Putins long-term goals. I wonder why today of all days is the day we learn that Paul Manafort is coming back.

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Video clips:

Rachel #Maddow Paul Manafort has announced today as coming back to the Trump campaign again on the same day that Donald Trump also announced that he is out of money and he cannot secure a bond. pic.twitter.com/A2au0Ln1Jz  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 19, 2024

Rachel #Maddow Donald Trump has never been more desperately in need of money than he is right this second today I wonder why today, of all days, is the day we learn that Paul Manafort is coming back. pic.twitter.com/vwnACWbRay  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 19, 2024

This isnt a difficult one to connect the dots on. Trump is broke, and suddenly, the money man for Russian oligarchs who advance Putins interests returns to the Donald Trump presidential campaign.

It is not a coincidence that Manafort is returning.

The difference is that the American people have seen this movie before. Those who are paying attention know why Manafort is in the Trump campaign, and what it means for American national security that he is there.

Donald Trump is running the 2016 playbook all over again, including leaning on help from Putin to get him into the White House.

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Trump has been courting the United Steelworkers for an endorsement, but union president Bruce McCall said that the union will endorse President Biden.

McCall said on Fox News:

Were clearly leaning towards President Biden and well be endorsing him. Im sure it would be up to our executive board to do that in the very near future.

But President Biden is really developed for at least in my lifetime an industrial policy in this country with the infrastructure bill, the IRA and the CHIPS and Science Act. If you do that along with making sure that were on a level playing field with the rest of the world, thats, thats about real progress in America for industrial workers.

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When asked why they havent endorsed Biden yet, McCall answered, We just havent had our board meeting yet.

Video:

Steelworkers Union President: Were clearly leaning towards President Biden. Well endorse him, Im sure. pic.twitter.com/K5jePn3JXE  Acyn (@Acyn) March 18, 2024

Trump has courted the autoworkers, Teamsters, and steelworkers unions with the autoworkers and steelworkers both deciding to endorse President Biden and the Teamsters making it clear that they are likely to endorse Biden after the presidential conventions.

Donald Trump was one of the most anti-labor president in modern American history. Trumps record on labor is abysmal. It would be shocking if any of the major unions endorsed Trump. In contrast, Joe Biden has been one of the pro-labor presidents in America since FDR.

Labor isnt going to abandon Biden, and they most definitely will not be abandoning him for Donald Trump.

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Jared Kushner praised the valuable waterfront property in Gaza but said Israel must clean it up by removing Palestinians.

The Guardian reported:

Gazas waterfront property could be very valuable  if people would focus on building up livelihoods, Kushner told his interviewer, Harvards Middle East Initiative faculty chair, Prof Tarek Masoud. Kushner also lamented all the money that had gone into the territorys tunnel network and munitions instead of education and innovation.

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Its a little bit of an unfortunate situation there, but from Israels perspective I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up, Kushner said. But I dont think that Israel has stated that they dont want the people to move back there afterwards.

American-Muslim voters need to read the comment above and then explain how they could in any way vote for Donald Trump over Joe Biden.

Biden, who is shifting his policy toward Israel, and his administration has taken a much more active approach toward assisting the Palestinians, who are on the verge of an Israeli-caused famine, is a much better option than returning the Trump family to power for anyone who is interested in the fate of the Palestinian people.

Kushners comments suggest that he views human beings as a blight that needs to be removed from their homeland so that the real estate potential of the waterfront property in Gaza can be realized.

Jared Kushners comments were callous, cruel, inhumane, and some of the worst things that you will ever read a public figure say.

A humanitarian disaster is unfolding in Gaza, and Jared Kushner is worried about developing waterfront property.

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Trump filed a lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos for pointing out that he was found legally liable for the rape of E. Jean Carroll.

Reuters reported:

The new lawsuit said the anchor of ABCs Sunday news program This Week With George Stephanopoulos falsely stated on several occasions that Plaintiff had been found liable by multiple juries for the rape of Ms. E. Jean Carroll.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Southern Florida, accuses Stephanopoulos of making the statements with malice and a disregard for the truth. It said the statements were distributed widely to third parties and repeated.

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The lawsuit cites a March 10 interview with U.S. Representative Nancy Mace, a Republican who has spoken publicly about being raped as a teenager. Stephanopoulos said Trump was found liable for rape and asked her how she could endorse the candidate.

Stephanopoulos said on ABCs This Week, Donald Trump has been found liable for rape by a jury. Donald Trump has been found liable for defaming the victim of that rape by a jury. Its been affirmed by a judge.

Technically under New York law, Trump was found liable for sexual assault, but the judge later clarified in a ruling that Trump digitally raped E. Jean Carroll.

Judge Kaplan wrote, And since the jurys answer to Question 1 demonstrates it was unconvinced that there was penile penetration, the only remaining conclusion is that it found that Mr. Trump forcibly penetrated her vagina with his fingers  in other words, that he raped her in the sense of that term broader than the New York Penal Law definition.

Trump has no grounds for this bogus defamation lawsuit that is likely to get laughed out of court.

The point of the lawsuit doesnt seem to be to win but to scare other media organizations from talking about Trump as a rapist. Donald Trump is trying to create a chilling effect in the media as he does not want voters to know that he has been found legally liable for sexually attacking E. Jean Carroll.

This lawsuit is going to crash and burn just like all of Donald Trumps other abuses of the court system.

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Trump said that if he is elected action will be taken against Prince Harry if he lied on his visa application about previous drug use.

Why Is Trump Threatening To Deport Prince Harry?

Trump wants to deport Prince Harry for potentially lying on his visa application.

GB News which is the British equivalent of Newsmax, reported:

Asked by Farage if Harry should have special privileges if the authorities find that hed lied on his Visa application, Trump said: No. Well have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied theyll have to take appropriate action.

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Farage questioned: Appropriate action? Which might meannot staying in America?

To which Trump said: Oh I dont know. Youll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago.

Some of this may be attributed to Trumps trolling for attention, but there is a larger point both for the United States and the world. It is easy to see Trump kicking Prince Harry out of the country to make an example out of one of the most famous people in the world and scare other legal immigrants in the United States.

Trump has long believed that he can scare immigrants out of coming to the US with high-profile examples.

It is a policy that failed when he was president, but Trump is set to double down on it if he returns to the White House.

There has been a line of thought that if he returns to the presidency, Trump wont stop at staging mass deportations of immigrants who are in the country illegally, but he will also seek to revoke the visas of legal migrants.

Donald Trumps immigration policies hurt US businesses and the economy four years ago, as key US industries couldnt find enough workers without immigrants.

The United States has needed an immigration policy overhaul for four decades. There is a balance between legal immigration and security that can be achieved. Donald Trumps policy of kicking all of the immigrants out is not it.

Prince Harry likely has nothing to worry about as it is still a long shot that Trump will return to the presidency, but Trumps immigration extremism is on the ballot in 2024.
A Batesburg woman who was reported missing has been found.

Pilar Alvarez, 55, was located by Aiken County Sheriff's Office Thursday afternoon and was returned to her family.

She first was reported missing March 14, by her family and was possibly headed to West Palm Beach Florida.

Alvarez was the second person to be reported missing in Aiken County over the last week. A 2-year-old child, Dutton Dut Dut Aaron, was reported missing by his family March 17 after he was last seen in his yard on Sunshine Circle.

Aaron was found safe with a golden retriever a few hours later thanks to help from the community.
Clean water sustains just about everything, and for generations, the water in parts of Berkeley County has been pulled from the ground through aging wells filling cups, bowls, pots and sinks. Generations of people have been raised on it. Read moreClean water coming to rural parts of Berkeley County
Also, the owner of the Mount Holly aluminum smelter near Goose Creek plans to open the first new U.S. metal-making plant in nearly 45 years. Read moreSC ports paving higher ground to protect BMWs from Charleston flooding
This aerial photo taken on May 20, 2023 shows a ceremony for the temporary diversion of the Cuanza River at the site of the Chinese-built Caculo-Cabaca Hydropower Station in Cuanza Norte province, Angola. (China Gezhouba Group Company Limited/Handout via Xinhua)

China and Angola have a strong foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation. As relations progress, the two nations will witness exciting new chapters in their friendship.

by Xinhua writers Lv Chengcheng, Yan Ran and Dai He

LUANDA, March 18 (Xinhua) -- On Friday in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Angolan President Joao Lourenco announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Angola, a Portuguese-speaking country in Southwest Africa emerging from a 27-year civil war that ended in 2002, has enjoyed a flourishing partnership with China over the past two decades. This partnership is characterized by cooperation across various fields, and Angola has achieved significant progress in rebuilding the country, industrial modernization and talent development.

As Xi said during talks with Lourenco, China-Angola cooperation is South-South cooperation and cooperation between developing countries. It is defined as mutual help between good friends, reciprocity and win-win collaboration.

Photo taken on April 29, 2014 shows the road network constructed by China's Citic Construction company in Kilamba Kiaxi, the satellite town of Angola's capital Luanda. (Xinhua)

FACILITATING NATIONAL RECONSTRUCTION

Located 18 km south of Luanda, Angola's capital, the "new city," Kilamba stands prominently on the horizon. More than a decade after its completion, this monumental public welfare project, executed by Chinese firms, comprises 700 buildings and 20,000 housing units, providing contemporary living conditions for its 120,000 inhabitants.

"I've been living here since January 2013, and back then, it felt like a fresh, pioneering city, with everything shining," 73-year-old resident Gaspar Pedro told Xinhua.

Pedro's home is situated in a 13-story residential building. Inside his cozy, orange-hued living room, a collection of family photos, including his daughter's wedding and the birth of his grandchildren, adorn one side of the bookshelf. Pedro enjoys a tranquil retirement life here with his wife, frequently visited by their children and grandchildren.

Mario Cassinda, who has managed a restaurant "Puro Tempero" in Kilamba for six years, believes the city has addressed more than just housing issues.

"It was constructed on a barren land. Since the city's establishment, it has created more jobs and attracted many people from the outskirts. I can say it's a beneficial project," said Cassinda.

The City of Kilamba, formerly known as the Kilamba Kiaxi Housing Project, was initiated by Chinese company CITIC Construction. It features well-equipped facilities, including schools, water treatment plants and substations, ensuring residents enjoy a comfortable lifestyle.

Chinese engineer Qi Juntuan, who participated in the city's construction, recalled the challenges they encountered, particularly the uncommon issue of poor soil adhesion, a problem rarely encountered by Chinese engineers elsewhere.

"The team, working tirelessly day and night, eventually overcame these obstacles with techniques like layered backfilling," he said. "The thought of applying our knowledge to bring tangible improvements to the local area fills us with great motivation."

In 2010, Xi visited Angola, when Angola and China announced the establishment of a strategic partnership. Xi personally inspected the project, spending half a day there, inspiring builders from China and Angola.

Rising from once barren land, the new city is a testament to the accelerated cooperation between the two nations.

China and Angola celebrated the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2023, and the partnership continues to thrive. Deepened political trust and practical cooperation have benefited the people of both nations.

China has been Angola's largest trading partner, largest export market and an essential source of investment for many years, while Angola is China's second-largest trading partner in Africa.

Drummond Mafuta, president of the Board of Directors of Edicoes Novembro, one of Angola's largest media groups, commented that when the Angolan civil war ended and the country needed reconstruction, China was the first to extend a helping hand.

Mafuta said friendship with China "is and will always be marked in the history of Angola's reconstruction."

This aerial photo taken in June 2022 shows an airport in Angola constructed by the China National Aero-technology International Engineering Corporation (CAIEC), an international engineering segment under AVIC INTL. (AVIC INTL/Handout via Xinhua)

FOSTERING INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

After the talks on Friday, Xi and Lourenco jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents regarding the Belt and Road cooperation plan, the economy and trade, agriculture, green development and other fields.

Tiago Quissua Armando, a scholar at Angola's Venancio de Moura Diplomacy Institute, sees the outcomes of the leaders' talks as addressing vital issues for Angola, such as economic diversification, industrial investment and agricultural modernization.

"President Lourenco's visit also includes a trip to Shandong, a Chinese province with significant experience in the agricultural sector. Angola can benefit from this experience to enhance its local industry," he said.

Last year, Shandong Province signed a friendly cooperation agreement with Bengo Province of Angola, committing to strengthening cooperation in agriculture, economy, trade and vocational education.

One of the flagship Shandong enterprises in Angola is the Sino-Ord Industrial Park. Since its establishment in 2019, the park has launched six industrial projects, with around 200 Chinese employees and approximately 1,700 local workers.

In June 2021, the Angolan president visited the industrial park and praised its role in boosting local employment, increasing tax revenue, and propelling Angola's industrialization and economic diversification efforts.

"Working with colleagues from China and other countries has broadened my horizons and made me realize that only through strengthening international cooperation can our country's development be more hopeful," said Joao Paulo, a senior external relations manager who has worked at the industrial park for many years.

In Luanda, the Fatima Furniture Factory of the Qingdao Yewhing Group has set an example in the local industry by providing employment opportunities for hundreds of families.

"Having the factory or local production not only provides the product but also creates jobs, allowing more Angolans to have a source of sustainability for their families. Now, everyone here dreams of becoming an excellent technician," said Wilson Manuel, a 30-year-old human resources manager at the furniture factory.

Today, products such as cabinets and wardrobes from the factory account for 40 percent of the domestic market in Angola, while the factory's sofa brand occupies a quarter of the market share.

Angola's Minister of Industry and Commerce Rui Miguens said China's industrial development has raised living standards. He noted that Angola hopes to learn from China's experience in industrialization and looks forward to more Chinese companies investing in Angola.

A visitor takes photos of a mobile phone displayed at the inauguration ceremony of Huawei Angola Tech Park, in Luanda, Angola on Nov. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Lyu Chengcheng)

CULTIVATING FUTURE TALENT

Luis Erivaldo, a young Angolan working at Huawei, developed a strong interest in communication technology during his school years. After four rounds of interviews, he joined Huawei Angola and, over six years, grew from a freshman to a technical director.

In 2022, the Angolan government signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei for a "digital talent" training program, which plans to train over 10,000 Angolan youths in the next five years.

There is a broad scope for cooperation in vocational education between China and Africa.

In August 2023, President Xi co-chaired with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue in Johannesburg, proposing initiatives to strengthen practical cooperation between China and Africa and support African integration and modernization, including the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development.

The inauguration ceremony of the Chinese-donated Integrated Center for Technological Training took place in Huambo City, Angola, on Jan. 12. The 20,000-square-meter center has 30 laboratories and six workshops covering robotics, mechanical processing, computer science and automotive repair. In its first phase, it plans to train 2,400 people annually.

President Lourenco personally inaugurated the training center. During his visit, he inquired in detail about the project's construction and teaching plans. Just before leaving, he stepped out of his car to shake hands and again express gratitude to the Chinese personnel.

"This is a modern training center with complete facilities, and all the teachers have been trained in China. We are very grateful for China's help and look forward to continuing cooperation with China in the future," said Geraldo Pambasange, the training center's principal.

Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security of Angola Pedro Filipe said that in recent years, vocational training and talent cultivation have become critical areas of cooperation between Angola and China.

China and Angola have a strong foundation for mutually beneficial cooperation. As relations progress, the two nations will witness exciting new chapters in their friendship.

Editor: GSY
COLUMBIA  A Mount Pleasant man was sentenced March 19 to nine years in federal prison for his role in a massive Medicare fraud scheme and must pay around $95 million in restitution.

Andrew Chmiel was singled out as a central figure in the international telemedicine scam, which drained U.S. taxpayers of more than $1 billion by billing for unnecessary back, shoulder, wrist and knee braces.

The government sting, called "Operation Brace Yourself," started in South Carolina, but soon spread across the country and eventually to Asia.

Television commercials for braces were targeted at elderly patients on Medicare. A 1-800 number was routed to a call center in the Philippines. Then, doctors were paid kickbacks to prescribe the unnecessary braces without even seeing a patient.

In 2019, Chmiel was named as a key ringleader. He pleaded guilty to health care fraud in 2021.

He was sentenced Tuesday in the U.S. District Courthouse in Columbia by Judge Joseph Anderson Jr. His prison term will be followed by three years in a supervised release program.

The judge imposed a variance, shaving off a year from the 10-year prison sentence guideline given that information Chmiel gave investigators led to convictions and restitution in other cases.

At the sentencing, the judge read a list of other defendants in the case along with their restitutions, which added up to about $3 million. That will be credited to the more than $98 million Chmiel was ordered to pay.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower said she agreed with Chmiel's sentence, saying it sends a deterrence message.

Charleston defense attorney Bart Daniels had asked for a noncustodial sentence. He also argued against an enhancement to the sentence for obstruction of justice, which focused on Chmiel's testimony during a trial on the case in New York.

Daniels argued that Chmiel had been confused during a crafty cross-examination with rapid-fire questioning.

"We do not believe he committed perjury," Daniels said.
EASTOVER  The director of a troubled National Guard quasi-military school for at-risk teens has been reassigned to a different role after a Post and Courier investigation into dangerous and unsanitary conditions there.

LaToya Reed, who has served as executive director of the South Carolina Youth Challenge Academy since 2018, was shifted out of her role late last week after revelations of an ongoing criminal investigation into the site was made public by the Department of Defense, a spokesperson for the S.C. National Guard confirmed in a statement.

Reed has been temporarily reassigned to the Adjutant Generals headquarters, which is located on Bluff Road in Columbia, a spokesperson for the South Carolina National Guard told The Post and Courier in an emailed statement March 18.

She will continue to advise the Adjutant General and his Deputy Adjutant General regarding operations within the Youth Challenge Academy Program, the message said.

The spokesperson did not immediately respond to follow-up questions about the decision, including the length of the reassignment or whether Reed would be replaced.

The criminal inquiry, first reported by The Post and Courier, came amid numerous reports from former staff and cadets of an academy in turmoil. Violence between cadets and staff was routine, multiple staffers told the newspaper, while staffers were regularly verbally or physically abusive toward the teenagers in their care.

Staff members said Reed and her lieutenant, Ronnie Scott, did little to stem misconduct and actively contributed to toxicity in the workplace. Scott, one former employee said in text messages, also recently announced he would be leaving his post.

Scott could not be reached for comment. A previous inquiry about Scotts employment status to the National Guard Bureau was not immediately returned.

In the days since the articles March 12 release, numerous former employees of the Youth Challenge Academy have made similar claims about the facility in text messages to the newspaper and on platforms such as TikTok.
NORTH CHARLESTON  Bottles of water were placed on eight folding tables outside Baba Kabob Market and Deli on March 11 before the first Iftar of Ramadan. Just a few seats were occupied as the clock reached 7 p.m., 25 minutes before sunset.

One by one, cars started filing into the North Charleston parking lot, where four of the tables had taken over the front-row spaces. One of them was occupied by the Mohieldin family, whose water bottles remained sealed shut as each of the six fought the urge to drink or eat for just a few more minutes.

Like the owners of this 3-year-old restaurant, Ayman Mekky Mohieldin hails from Egypt. He met his wife, Jamie Mohieldin, at a restaurant in Hershey, Pa., where she was a server and he was a chef.

When he was in third grade, like his young daughter is now, Mohieldin would break the daily Ramadan fast in the evening at his familys home. He recalls how different Ramadan was in Egypt, where the entire country aided in the 30-day fasting push with schools starting late and daily celebrations drumming up excitement.

Here in Charleston, daily life goes on as usual during Ramadan. Mohieldin and his wife continue to work long days on their food truck, The Pita Stroller, surrounding themselves in lamb gyros and french fries served with tzatziki while they stamp down fits of hunger.

Rather than doing so begrudgingly, they cherish this time of year when adherents of Islam commemorate the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.

For this family and other Muslims in Charleston, Ramadan is a time of peace, charity, community, reflection and family. Though each day passes by without it, food is still at the center of this annual holy month in the Islamic faith.
GEORGETOWN  An inmate at the Georgetown County Detention Center died March 18 of a suspected drug overdose, authorities said.

Two inmates were found unresponsive in their cells within hours on March 15, and one of the inmates, 23-year-old Shelby Ashby, was pronounced dead at Tidelands Georgetown Memorial Hospital three days later, according to a Facebook post by the Georgetown County Sheriffs Office.

The other inmate, 34-year-old Alecia Childers, has recovered and been returned to the detention center.

A suspect in the case is Kelly Lambert, 45, who had been allowed by the court to serve a sentence on weekends for a traffic charge, according to the sheriff's office. Lambert, who lives in the Andrews area, has been accused of bringing illicit drugs into the detention center on March 15 when she was booked at 5:56 p.m.

Lambert remains at the detention center on charges of furnishing contraband to a county jail and distribution of schedule 1 drugs. Additional charges are pending.

I ordered two investigations on Friday night [March 15] after this incident occurred, Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver said in a statement. One was an administrative investigation to show how anyone could get contraband or an illicit drug such as this into inmate population. The other is a criminal investigation to hold any and all persons responsible in this matter  The criminal investigation will also include any misconduct that was performed by my staff during this process.

Weaver said the investigation is ongoing and the public will be notified of any new developments.
GREENVILLE  There's an air of self-importance floating around hangar 16. It's the kind of feeling that can only come from doing every aviation fanatic's dream job.

Inside, Lockheed Martin employees are tasked with assembling F-16 Block 70 jets. The Block 70 is the most advanced iteration of the fighter jet, which celebrates its 50th year in flight this year.

The precision required to assemble these aircrafts is on full display at Lockheed Martin's Greenville facility.

The facility sits on Donaldson Air Force Base, a deactivated military site outfitted with several hangars that Lockheed Martin has repurposed over the years.

Hangar 16 is now the global home of the F-16. Banners strewn about the facility remind workers of this. One displays the title, "Coolest Thing Made in SC," which the company won in last year's "Manufacturing Madness" competition.

But it seems like no one who works there needs the reminder.

Caleb Hendrick serves as the site's director of production. He gives tours of the facility on a near-weekly basis, showing everyone from high-ranking foreign dignitaries to local politicians how the F-16 is made. Employees are used to having important visitors oversee their work.

To call this a production line would be incorrect. It's more of a production rectangle. Aircraft parts move around the hangar with the assistance of bright yellow overhead cranes.

On the rightmost ends of the hangar, employees work on drilling holes into the body of the would-be aircraft. They move diligently around its skeleton, unflinching to the frequent screams of rivets cutting through metal. Their job is to assemble the center of the aircraft, or what will later become the fuselage and cockpit.
CLEMSON  Clemsons city council has a decision to make about a proposed seven-story apartment building that would tower over Lake Hartwell, but theres more riding on the decision than just the aesthetics of a popular lakeside park.

Property owners of the would-be student housing are suing the city for its repeated delays on projects proposed on their land along Keowee Trail.

The lawsuit from the aptly named Keowee Trail LLC leaves a bad taste in some residents mouths, not only because it adds pressure to the councils vote but because the Clemson University presidents family stands to profit from building student housing when the university has no immediate plans to do so itself.

The Hub, a proposed planned development with apartments, townhomes and retail space, first appeared before Clemson City Council in March 2023  despite the lawsuit filed nearly three years earlier.

So why is Keowee Trail LLC suing the city of Clemson, and how is Clemson University President Jim Clements involved?

Why is the Clemson University presidents family suing the city of Clemson?

Keowee Trail LLC formed in October 2015, just shy of two years after Clements was named to the presidents role. Its three owners are local construction company partner Kevin Collins and Blue Vista Ventures angel investors Greg Smith and his father, Clifton Smith.

The lawsuit claims the investors have secured four contracts with development firms that the city delayed or otherwise imposed to the point that the developers withdrew from the projects, essentially freezing the land.

Clifton Smith is Clements father-in-law, and Greg Smith, a Clemson graduate who was given the alumni associations highest honor of the Distinguished Service Award in 2019, is Clements brother-in-law.
GREENVILLE  For the second time in a month, the Greenville County Library System is poised to move materials written for younger readers into an adult section after receiving complaints about their content.

At a March 18 meeting, the library systems materials committee voted unanimously to recommend removal of two books with LGBTQ themes from the systems young adult section and another from its juvenile section after receiving complaints the titles were not appropriate for their intended audiences.

The recommendation, which would have to be approved by the systems full board of trustees, comes three weeks after the system created a new policy prohibiting all books that discuss trans issues from the kids and juvenile collections.

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The committee recommendation marks a continuation of ongoing tension within the library system centered on parents rights, censorship and book bans.

The conflict parallels a national debate in which conservative groups across the country are calling for access to certain books to be restricted, particularly those that include LGBTQ themes.

All of the books the committee recommended be relocated to adult sections March 18 featured an LGBTQ protagonist.

One of them, Rick, is by the same author who wrote Melissa, a book about a trans 4th grader, which the board moved from the juvenile section to parenting and early childhood last month.

The materials committee recommended that Rick, which follows an asexual middle schooler learning to stand up to a bully, also be moved from the juvenile collection to the PET section.

But the committees concerns were not limited to discussion of LGBTQ issues.

One of the books, a graphic novel titled Flamer, includes a panel in which a teen at a Boy Scout camp holds up a soda bottle, saying that he and other boys had masturbated into it, and that if another camper did not ejaculate into it as well, he would have to drink it.
Summerville, SC (29483)

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Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low around 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Most humanistic settings require a certain posture from the participants. A boxer enters the ring with his fist clinched and somewhere near his chin. A baseball player places a glove on the non-throwing hand and leaves the dominant hand free to throw the baseball once caught. The guitar play Read moreOur posture tells the story
The recent United States House of Representatives bill aiming to ban TikTok reflects a troubling trend of double standards when it comes to freedom of speech. This move not only threatens to stifle a platform where voices are heard, but it also exposes the hypocrisy in America's approach to free expression.

The US has been quick to criticize other nations for curtailing freedom of speech and expression. Yet, when it comes to controlling the narrative on social media platforms, America seems to be playing by a different set of rules. The passage of this bill is just another example of how the US government is attempting to manipulate the discourse on platforms like TikTok.

One of the reasons behind this push for a TikTok ban is the platform's role in amplifying the voices of those who speak out against injustices, particularly regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict. As highlighted in an article in The Independent, TikTok has become a platform for pro-Palestinian activists to share their stories and raise awareness about the ongoing crisis. Individuals like Awa, known on TikTok as Sincerely Awa, have used the platform to shed light on the truth that mainstream media often suppresses. Awa's profile, along with many others, has become a beacon of pro-Palestinian activism, galvanizing support and sparking conversations that were previously silenced. In her own words, "TikTok has made us be able to reach so many people across the nation, to understand what is truly happening to these people  that they are in an occupation, that they are in a genocide."

A screenshot of The Independent article titled "How a US TikTok ban could clobber the pro-Palestine movement  and hurt Joe Bidens election chances," highlighting TikTok's role in amplifying pro-Palestinian voices amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict.

However, the US government's attempt to ban TikTok threatens to silence these voices and suppress the truth. By targeting TikTok, the government is not only censoring a platform, but also attempting to control the narrative surrounding important global issues.

Furthermore, the hypocrisy of this decision is glaring when considering the US' history of silencing dissenting voices on other media platforms. While TikTok faces scrutiny, other social media giants like Facebook and Instagram, which have also been criticized for their handling of sensitive topics, continue to operate without similar restrictions.

In conclusion, the proposed divesting of TikTok by the US House of Representatives is a concerning development that highlights America's double standards on free speech. It is imperative to recognize the importance of platforms like TikTok in fostering dialogue and raising awareness about critical issues. Instead of stifling these voices, the US should uphold its commitment to freedom of expression and embrace diverse perspectives.

Editor: WRX
The city of Charleston is relinquishing its longstanding control of local elections. But voters won't notice a difference.

Charleston is disbanding its Municipal Election Commission to give full control of elections to the county. Now the county will certify the results, too.

For decades, the Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections has run local elections, as well as state and federal contests, for every municipality within its borders. That includes everything from providing the equipment on which voters cast ballots to the trained staff who help facilitate early voting and Election Day voting.

Typically, after all the votes are cast and counted on election night, the county board then goes through an exhaustive process to certify the results.

Except in the city of Charleston, as well as the towns of Sullivan's Island, Meggett and Hollywood, where that certification process is handled by their respective Municipal Election Commissions. The three-member commissions meet only around election time to verify that candidates who run for local office live in the area they seek to represent, hear any protests and certify the results.

Isaac Cramer, executive director of the county elections board, said most municipalities already have handed this authority over to the county. The county board recently asked the city and the three other holdouts to disband their commissions and transfer all authority for running local elections to the board, or they could run their own elections, which would require a huge financial investment from the local governments.

"Voters are not going to see a change," Cramer said. "The only change is that administrative one."

In the voter's mind, the county already runs the elections, Cramer continued, so the county should have full jurisdiction over them.

Officials in Charleston and Sullivan's Island said they planned to pass an ordinance, as required by state law, granting the county all authority to run their elections and eliminate their election commissions. Cramer said leaders in Meggett have indicated the same, but he hasn't yet heard from Hollywood.
Discussions that started late last year culminated March 19 with the announcement that Ben Navarro  a local businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist  will buy Union Pier in downtown Charleston from the State Ports Authority.

The authority's board of directors unanimously approved the sale of the roughly 65-acre waterfront property after announcing it also will buy the former WestRock paper mill in North Charleston for a major expansion of its container terminal along the Cooper River.

Financial terms of the Union Pier sale won't be released until the deal closes.

But Bill Stern, chairman of the SPA's board, said the deal is the best possible outcome for what he calls "probably the most valuable piece of oceanfront property on the East Coast" and something that will become "the centerpiece of downtown Charleston."

"He has the ability to pull this off," Stern said of Navarro. "He wants to work with the city of Charleston. He wants to work with the mayor. He wants to hear from the citizens of Charleston, and he wants to do what's right for the people of Charleston. He's going to put the resources into doing this right. That's why we made this deal."

Navarro, in an op-ed piece to The Post and Courier, said he wants to be a "long-term steward" of the Union Pier property sandwiched between Concord and Laurens streets along Charleston Harbor and near the city's Historic District.

"I will always have the interests of the residents of Charleston in mind and the humility to be a good listener as we move forward with adding this critical missing piece to the peninsula," he stated.
I just put the Stars and Stripes back up outside my house. Though hard winds keep blowing it down, I put it up again. Having it regularly knocked down has me reflecting on what it means to be American in 2024. Read moreCommentary: Why I put my US flag back up again even as the hard winds blow
S.C.Sen. Wes Climer gave as good a definition as any Thursday of the goal most everyone shares for judicial selection reform: Anytime a citizen in this state enters a courtroom, the only thing that should have any bearing at all on the outcome of that process is the law and the facts.

Mr. Climer, who led the effort to force the Senate to debate changing the Legislatures insular process of electing judges, told his colleagues that the agreement he and 10 other senators hammered out over a week of closed-door meetings included meaningful and substantive changes that go a long way in reducing what heretofore has been undue and outsized influence of legislative politics on judicial outcomes:

 It allows the governor to appoint four of 12 members of the Judicial Merit Selection Commission that can find candidates and even incumbent judges unqualified, ending the Legislatures exclusive authority to hire and fire judges.

 It kicks four of the six lawyer-legislators off the panel immediately (the two others would remain for two years) and then bars members from serving more than four consecutive years, which means a couple of legislators can no longer entrench themselves so deeply in the JMSC process as to have an undue influence on the judges before whom they try cases.

 It requires meetings of the commission to be livestreamed and prohibits candidates from dropping out between the beginning of public hearings and the release of the panels report on the candidates  a change designed to stop the panel from pressuring candidates to drop out by suggesting that the public will see unflattering material about them in the report if they dont.

This is one of those bittersweet moments when were reminded of why so many people hate the idea of compromise: Nobody gets what they want, and those of us who want change, battling people who want no change, will never get anywhere near what we want. Thats certainly the case with S.1046, which the Senate will give final approval today after voting unanimously last week to advance it. We want a much greater role in the process for the executive branch  which would control only a minority of seats on the screening panel that decides which candidates the full Legislature can consider  and we want to bar legislators from that panel.
Three days before former state lawmaker John Kuhn was involved in a reported hit-and-run in downtown Charleston, court records show he was paying a $232 fine for careless driving  one in a long pattern of traffic violations that raise questions about Kuhns decision-making when he gets behind the wheel.

A review of court records in the greater Lowcountry area of Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Colleton, Beaufort and Jasper counties found that Kuhn has paid more than $2,000 in fines and fees  $2,059.63, to be exact  for 15 traffic infractions dating back to 2001.

Most were for speeding, but other citations included four charges of careless driving and two incidents of disregarding a traffic sign.

Kuhn, a former one-time leader of the Charleston County Republican Party, dismissed his history of traffic infractions as nothing more than simple math, saying in a March 18 interview with The Post and Courier that the more miles you drive, the more tickets you are likely to receive.

Ive driven probably 50,000 miles every year for 30 years. So, you know, when you do that, you tend to get more tickets than most people, Kuhn said, later adding, Im doing a much better job of driving like an old lady because my children have asked me to do that.

But this was after Kuhn was already involved in accidents in October 2018 and October 2021, both of which resulted in serious injuries and claims that Kuhn was driving in an erratic and reckless way.

Court records, along with Kuhns own official 10-year driver record, reveal a more complete picture of a driver who is now at the center of a March 7 hit-and-run incident in downtown Charleston and the ensuing web-famous video that shows Kuhns vehicle accelerating away from the scene and knocking down a man in the middle of an intersection in the process.
SPARTANBURG  USC Upstate plans to expand its academics  enrollment, degree programs and graduation rate  and physical presence.

The University of South Carolinas campus in Spartanburg unveiled the plan, dubbed Greater 2030, on March 18 at a USC Board of Trustees meeting in Columbia.

Chancellor Bennie Harris said the plans name references its shared goals with such local organizations as Spartanburg Academic Movement and OneSpartanburg that seek to better the region.

He said the growth of USC Upstate will help the Spartanburg Academic Movement achieve its goal of raising the number of Spartanburg County residents with a college degree to 40 percent by 2030.

Greater 2030 aligns with the vision of the Upstate, Harris said.

Part of the increased educational opportunities is the addition of doctoral programs to USC Upstates offerings.

The university already offers a doctorate in nursing practice, its first doctoral program, and Harris said it is looking to expand to offer doctorates in childhood education, business and other areas.

Harris said expanding the universitys graduate programs is key to increasing total enrollment.

Total enrollment for the 2021-22 school year was around 6,600, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The goal is to improve that to 7,000 by 2030.

We believe the majority of our growth is going to come through graduate programs, Harris said.

This emphasis on graduate programs is also important in mitigating what Harris called the enrollment cliff, an expected demographic shift that will lead to fewer college-age Americans and therefore fewer people applying for college.
An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 12, 2024 shows the construction site of a natural gas processing terminal project in Binzhou City, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Du Penghui/Xinhua)

TIANJIN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A natural gas processing terminal project, the largest of its kind constructed by the Bohai Oilfield, China's largest offshore crude oil producer, has officially started supplying gas to surrounding areas, according to the Tianjin branch of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) on Monday.

The project in the city of Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province, is an important onshore terminal supporting project for the Bozhong 19-6 Condensate Gas Field, the first gas field with proven reserves of over 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the Bohai Sea. The project is expected to process up to 1.3 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually.

"The gas field will provide a more stable and reliable supply of clean energy to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Bohai Rim region, which is of great significance to ensuring national energy security and optimizing the energy structure," said Jiang An, general manager of a subsidiary of CNOOC's Tianjin branch.

Editor: WRX
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 16:30:37

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WASHINGTON, DC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Yesterday, the American Conservative Values ETF (NYSE:ACVF) announced that it has divested its holdings of and initiated a "Refuse to Buy" rating on Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN)After a comprehensive review of our continued investment, ACVF's management team has decided to divest its holding of Tyson Foods, Inc. (TSN)). "Their recent decision to hire migrant workers while firing American workers, exposes their shareholders to backlash from one of the most contentious political issues of the day" stated CEO and co-founder William Flaig.According to Pew Research, 80% of US Adults say the U.S. government is doing a bad job handling the migrant influx."The risk of alienating 80% of your customers outweighs any potential economic benefit" stated ACVF president and co-founder Tom Carter "ACVF's principled boycotts should reflect concerns within the conservative community. Using migrants to replace American jobs gives the stream of illegal workers reason to keep crossing our open border. Securing the boarder should be America's number one priority. ""It's a moral imperative to stop and roll back the left's takeover of corporate America," stated Flaig. "Giving conservative investors the power to fight back is why we built ACVF." "We must hold companies accountable for their actions. We need to vote with our wallets and deny them access to the capital they need. ACVF is currently refusing to invest in 36 such companies," stated Carter. "I'm proud to offer an alternative to the S&P 500*, which currently keeps 25 cents of every invested dollar from these companies." Tom Carter reiterated, "we do not want to give the companies that are eagerly working to destroy conservative values our hard-earned investment dollars, and neither should you. Companies like Walt Disney, Blackrock, Google, Amazon, and others." Current Factsheet30sec VideoFund MaterialAbout ACVFThe American Conservative Values ETF (ACVF) is based on the conviction that politically active companies negatively impact their shareholder returns, as well as support issues and causes which conflict with our conservative political ideals, beliefs and values.*The S&P 500 is a broad-based unmanaged index, which is widely recognized as representative of the equity market in general.* As of 3/15/2024 the fund holds 0.00% of Disney, Blackrock, Google and Amazon. The fund's holdings are subject to change. For current holdings, please visit https://acvetfs.com/fund/etf-fund/#holdings * The 36 companies that are currently excluded from their portfolio represent 25% of the S&P 500.* For current holdings, fund factsheet and more information, please visit www.acvetfs.com To schedule an interview with Mr. Flaig or Mr. Carter, please contact Michael Tammero at:Mtammeromba@ gmail.com or 516 551-1549Carefully consider the Fund's investment objectives, risk factors, charges and expenses before investing. This and additional information can be found in the Fund's prospectus and summary prospectus, which may be obtained by visiting ACVETFS.com . Read the prospectus and summary prospectus carefully before investing.An investment in the Fund is subject to risks, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested. Overall stock market risks may affect the value of individual securities in which the Fund invests. The Fund is actively managed, and the adviser's investment decisions impact the Fund's performance. The Fund and adviser are new, and the ETF has only recently commenced operations. This Fund may not be suitable for all investors.The equity securities in which the Fund invests will generally be those of companies with large market capitalizations. Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, and will fluctuate in market value. Transactions in shares of ETFs will result in brokerage commissions, which will reduce returns. Unlike typical exchange-traded funds, there are no indexes that the Fund attempts to track or replicate. Thus, the ability of the Fund to achieve its objectives will depend on the effectiveness of the portfolio manager. There is no assurance that the investment process will consistently lead to successful investing. The Fund is new and has a limited operating history.The ACVF Fund is distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC. Foreside is not affiliated with Ridgeline Research, LLC, the Fund's Investment Adviser.The Fund is structured as an ETF and as a result, is subject to special risks. Shares are bought and sold at market price (closing price) not net asset value (NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Market price returns are based on the midpoint of the bid/ask spread at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (when NAV is normally determined) and do not represent the return you would receive if you traded at other times.SOURCE: American Conservative Values ETF
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 17:01:59

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PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / AeroGuard Flight Training Center, an industry leader in ab initio pilot training, is proud to announce a new partnership with Taiwan-based China Airlines. This significant agreement marks a pivotal milestone for AeroGuard as it expands its training on a global scale to professionally prepare future pilots for the world's leading airlines.AeroGuard Selected by China Airlines to Train the Airline's Cadet Pilots Within this agreement, AeroGuard will be the flight training provider for China Airlines' cadet pilots, further establishing AeroGuard's global reputation for high-quality pilot training. Throughout this 11-month program approved by the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA), cadets will apply directly through China Airlines and be screened by the airline before arriving at AeroGuard. Selected cadets will join AeroGuard's Phoenix, Arizona, location where they will experience an exceptional flight training environment with year-round flying weather, ideal airspace availability and complexity, and additional student support.AeroGuard was selected by China Airlines to train its cadet pilots due to its structured curriculum and high-quality ab initio training programs, with 20+ years of experience producing qualified and capable pilots for the world's leading airlines. China Airlines is one of Taiwan's largest national airlines and within this partnership, AeroGuard will provide a pipeline of highly skilled pilots for the airline.China Airlines will join other renowned airlines that have selected AeroGuard as the flight school for their cadet training programs, including Hong Kong's leading airline Cathay Pacific. AeroGuard also recently announced its selection by Air India to train its cadet pilots as part of a new similar agreement for the Indian flag carrier.AeroGuard's CEO Joel Davidson spoke on the agreement stating, "Being selected by China Airlines is a prominent achievement for AeroGuard. This collaboration not only strengthens AeroGuard's global footprint, but also demonstrates the trust that industry leaders like China Airlines have in our flight training capabilities. AeroGuard is honored to contribute to the development of the next generation of pilots for such a reputable airline and we look forward to producing the best pilots for airlines across the globe." This partnership comes at a time of strategic expansion for AeroGuard as its training capacity and resources quickly expand to solidify its position as a leader in ab initio pilot training for leading airlines all over the world. AeroGuard currently operates a fleet of 100 aircraft and over 200+ instructors and expects to more than double its fleet size with a recent order of90 additional planesfrom Piper Aircraft, in addition to further acquisitions. Through its large U.S. program, 600+ students are also expected to become instructors to build their 1,500 hours to fly for the U.S. airlines. From this growth, AeroGuard expects to double its capacity to train up to 2,000 students across its three campuses.With over 20 years of experience in training airline-ready cadets, AeroGuard continues to stand out as a clear choice for airlines seeking professional and high-quality ab initio training programs for their pilots.About AeroGuard Flight Training Center:AeroGuard Flight Training Center is a global leader in ab initio flight training with three U.S. campuses. Each location offers accelerated commercial pilot training programs to candidates from all over the world. With a commitment to safety and student success, AeroGuard's high-quality training has established airline-ready cadets for over 20 years with more than one million flight hours of training experience and graduating over 7,000 cadets.Contact InformationJames ConstableChief Marketing Officerjconstable@ flyaeroguard.com 800-322-1526SOURCE: AeroGuard Flight Training CenterView the original press release on newswire.com
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ADM Investors with Substantial Losses Encouraged to Contact Hagens Berman, National Trial Attorneys, Before Mar. 25th DeadlineSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE:ADM) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Class Period: Apr. 30, 2020 - Jan. 22, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Mar. 25, 2024 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/admContact An Attorney Now: ADM@ hbsslaw.com844-916-0895 Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) Securities Fraud Class Action:The litigation focuses on Archer Daniels' statements about the performance of its Nutrition segment, a business the company poured billions of dollars into to protect against commodity price volatility in its legacy agricultural commodities trading business.The complaint alleges Archer Daniels made misleading statements and concealed that: (1) the Nutrition segment's financial reporting and accounting practices did not provide investors with an accurate impression of the company's performance and future prospects, including reported operating profits; (2) the Nutrition segment's accounting practices created a heightened risk of regulatory scrutiny and adverse impacts to the company's business; and (3) based on the foregoing, the defendants lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about the Nutrition segment and related financial results, growth, and prospects.Investors began to learn the truth on Jan. 21, 2024, when Archer Daniels announced that it had placed CFO Vikram Luther on leave effective immediately. The company said that Luther's "leave is pending an ongoing investigation being conducted by outside counsel for ADM and the Board's Audit Committee regarding certain accounting practices and procedures with respect to ADM's Nutrition segment, including as related to certain intersegment transactions." Archer Daniels also revealed that its investigation was initiated in response to its receipt of a voluntary document request by the SEC.The company further stated that it is delaying its Q4 and FY 2023 earnings release and withdrew its outlook for the Nutrition segment.This news sent the price of Archer Daniels shares crashing as much as $14.46 (or about 21%) lower during intraday trading on Jan. 22, 2024.If you invested in Archer Daniels and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Archer Daniels case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Archer Daniels should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email ADM@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation law firm focusing on corporate accountability through class-action law. The firm is home to a robust securities litigation practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact: Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 14:00:51

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / National plaintiffs law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP encourages investors in Archer-Daniels-Midland Company ("ADM" or the "Company") (NYSE:ADM) who suffered losses from purchasing or otherwise acquiring ADM common stock between April 30, 2020 and January 22, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"), to contact us immediately regarding a pending securities fraud class action against ADM. The deadline to apply to be lead plaintiff is March 25, 2024.Class Period: April 30, 2020 - January 22, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: March 25, 2024 Case information: lieffcabraser.com/securities/admContact us: Email or text investorinfo@ lchb.com or call 1-800-541-7358ADM, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is an agricultural supply chain manager and processor.The action alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements about the performance and prospects of ADM's Nutrition segment, while engaging in improper accounting practices and procedures that obscured the segment's true performance and purported growth.On January 21, 2024, ADM announced that it had placed its CFO and Senior Vice President, defendant Vikram Luthar, on leave effective immediately. According to ADM, Luthar's "leave is pending an ongoing investigation being conducted by outside counsel for ADM and the Board's Audit Committee regarding certain accounting practices and procedures with respect to ADM's Nutrition segment, including as related to certain intersegment transactions." The Company also revealed that it launched its investigation after it received a request for documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, ADM delayed its Q4 and FY 2023 earnings release and withdrew its outlook for the Nutrition segment. On this news, the price of ADM common stock plummeted $16.23 per share, or approximately 24%, from its closing price of $68.19 per share on the previous trading day, to close at $51.69 on January 22, 2024.About Lieff CabraserLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with over 120 attorneys in offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich, Germany, is an internationally recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility. Recognized as a "Plaintiffs' Powerhouse" by Law360, Lieff Cabraser has litigated some of the most important civil cases in the United States, and has assisted clients in recovering over $129 billion in verdicts and settlements. For over 50 years, Lieff Cabraser has remained committed to ensuring access to justice for all.Contact:Sharon LeeLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP415 956-1000 slee@ lchb.com SOURCE: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
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HERNDON, VA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Artel, LLC, a leading supplier of secure government connectivity, both satellite and terrestrial, demonstrated multi-orbit and multi-band connectivity solutions to customers and other industry participants at multiple events.The initial demonstration was conducted late 2023 at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub in St. Petersburg, FL. Government and industry customer attendees witnessed video calls, video streaming, VoIP, system failover, and file transfer applications. Jamming and Radio Interference were also introduced during the demonstration. The resilient network immediately moved the applications to the other networks.As a follow-on to this demonstration, one of the participants, U.S. Department of State (DOS), requested an opportunity for further evaluation in support of the Diplomatic Telecommunications Service Program Office (DTS-PO) telecommunications requirements. Artel led a week of activities in late January 2024 at the DTS-PO facility in Chantilly, VA. The primary objectives were to further brief on the technical capabilities and integrate and test performance of the DTS-PO's services, while also integrating DTS-PO equipment.Both demos were successful and well received with continuing interest for additional end-user site demos. According to Paul Domorski, Artel Chief Executive Officer, "We want to thank our Partners, Eutelsat, OneWeb Technologies and Aurora Borealis Networks for supporting the highly successful tests." "Artel is very pleased with the performance of the network, it seamlessly switched the applications and remained up and running as it was designed to do," said Ed Spitler, Head of SATCOM for Artel.About Artel Artel is a communications, engineering and services leader specializing in solving challenges in the defense, intelligence, diplomatic, and homeland security markets. The company enables highly secure service levels approaching 5 nines around the world. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, Artel has been supporting the mission for 35 years. For more information about Artel, visit artelllc.com , or email us at communications@ artelllc.com Contact InformationJohn ScottSATCOM, Managerjscott@ artelllc.com 17039278675SOURCE: Artel LLCView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 01:00:27

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VICTORIA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2024 /Canada Drugs Direct is among online pharmacies in Canada that are set to dispense Wegovy at lower prices. Wegovy is a Type 2 diabetes medication used for blood glucose control that may also promote weight loss for users. Despite Health Canada following the US FDA's lead and approving Wegovy, it has been a challenge for pharmacies in Canada to source this medication. That has begun to change with recent efforts from Novo Nordisk to increase production of Wegovy to address supply shortages, and the promise of Wegovy being more available in Canada is sure to garner attention from those who want to pay less for it.Canada Drugs Direct Canada DrugsWegovy may be classed as blood sugar regulation medication, but the fanfare around it these days is entirely because of its potential for weight loss when a person has chronic weight management issues or is more at risk for heart failure or cardiovascular disease because of their excess body weight. Semaglutide is the active pharmacological ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, and often when people want to start on these medications it has more to do with their long-term health and longevity as compared to appearance concerns.Americans have been able to find discounts on Rx drugs when having their prescriptions filled by Canadian online pharmacies for many years now. But the extent to which people can pay less for Wegovy is on a different level. Four of the 0.25mg/0.5ml Wegovy pens will cost an individual over $1,300 at a US pharmacy and typically these medications are not included in a person's coverage. Ordering those same four pens from a Canadian pharmacy means they can be assured of paying hundreds of dollars less.These potential savings are the biggest of the reasons why greater availability of Wegovy in Canada is newsworthy. It is also a more prominent topic given the way that Wegovy may also be an increasingly realistic alternative to other medications doctors have approved as a weight loss injection. There is much demand for certain ones, and so those who foresee difficulty filling a different prescription may ask for a Wegovy prescription instead and then proceed to have it filled by a Canadian pharmacy.About the CompanyCanada Drugs Direct is a Canadian online pharmacy that is among those recommended for Americans who shop at a pharmacy in Canada to save money on medications. Canada Drugs Direct is able to source medications in a way that allows for the best prices on prescription drugs from Canada. All orders require a prescription and are dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, in the same way as any pharmacy in America. Pay less for Rx medication ordered online from Canada.Contact Canada Drugs Direct:info@ canadadrugsdirect.com Toll Free: 1-888-904-8467Contact InformationMarketing TeamMarketing Teammarketing@ canadadrugsdirect.com +1(888) 904-8467SOURCE: Canada Drugs DirectView the original press release on newswire.com
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VICTORIA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 18, 2024 / Canadian online pharmacies like Canada Pharmacy are increasingly best positioned to dispense Wegovy as a Type 2 diabetes medication that has off-label popularity for weight loss. The active ingredient Semaglutide lowers blood sugar levels, but it also promotes weight loss and primarily because of delayed gastric emptying. Wegovy is FDA-approved in the USA, but Wegovy's 2021 approval from Health Canada has been followed by product availability issues and pharmacies all over the world have had difficulties filling prescriptions because of those supply issues.Canadian pharmacy Canadian pharmacyThis stands to be a major development for Americans who have been ordering medication from Canada because of the way they are able to pay less when having their prescriptions filled. Being able to submit prescriptions digitally has paired with the proximity of the two countries to make ordering Rx drugs from Canada a very cost-effective option for Americans. Diabetes medications is one area where people are especially keen to gain this advantage, but those that have off-label use for obesity are the ones where people are most keen to save money on them.This same demand for Wegovy from Canada can be expected to increase too, as availability goes up and Canadian pharmacies are increasingly able to fill prescriptions for Wegovy. Four of the 0.25mg/0.5ml Wegovy pens will cost an individual over $1,300 at a US pharmacy and it is not common for these medications to be included in a person's coverage. Ordering those same four pens from a Canadian pharmacy will see them paying hundreds of dollars less for Wegovy.Folks are increasingly having prescriptions filled in Canada because of the lower costs for prescription medications in Canada, and currently, it is with weight loss injection and ED treatment medications where the most demand is being seen. The expectation is that there will be more of it for Wegovy from Canada in the near future, especially considering it has the same constituency as Ozempic and promotes weight loss in the same way but may be more available from pharmacies now.About the CompanyCanada Pharmacy is a Canadian online pharmacy among those recommended for Americans who shop at a pharmacy in Canada to save money on medications. It can source medications in a way that allows for the best prices on prescription drugs from Canada. All orders require a prescription and are dispensed by a licensed pharmacist, in the same way it would be with any pharmacy in America. Pay less when you order drugs online from Canada.Contact Canada Pharmacy:info@ canadapharmacy.com Toll Free: 1-800-891-0844Contact InformationMarketing TeamMarketing Teammarketing@ canadapharmacy.com 1-800-891-0844SOURCE: Canada PharmacyView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 13:02:06

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FORT MILL, SC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Catheter Precision, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE American:VTAK), a US based medical device company focused on electrophysiology products, is honored to be sponsor a session at the upcoming Monaco USA Arrhythmia Course taking place March 21-23 in Monaco.The course is organized by co-directors, Professor Nadir Saoudi, Professor of Cardiology and Chief of the Cardiology Section at the Princess Grace Medical Centre in Monaco, and Dr. Francis Marchlinski, Professor of Medicine and Director of Electrophysiology at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They have assembled luminaires in the field of electrophysiology for a three-day educational program focused on new techniques and technologies as well as interesting cases in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.Prof. Tarv Dhanjal, Professor of Cardiology, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, will be presenting on Catheter Precision's VIVO System on Friday, March 23. He is presenting about different strategies related to mapping ventricular arrhythmias and how pre-procedure planning with VIVO allows for increased procedural success and a reduction in mapping and procedure time.About VIVO Catheter Precision's VIVO (View Into Ventricular Onset), is a non-invasive 3D imaging system that enables physicians to identify the origin of ventricular arrhythmias pre-procedure, thereby streamlining workflow and reducing procedure time. VIVO has received marketing clearance from the U.S. FDA and has the CE mark.About Catheter Precision Catheter Precision is an innovative U.S.-based medical device company bringing new solutions to market to improve the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. It is focused on developing groundbreaking technology for electrophysiology procedures by collaborating with physicians and continuously advancing its products. Reincorporated as Ra Medical Systems, Inc. in Delaware in 2018, the Company changed its name to Catheter Precision, Inc. on August 17, 2023.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "may," "might," "can," "could," "continue," "depends," "expect," "expand," "forecast," "intend," "predict," "plan," "rely," "should," "will," "may," "seek," or the negative of these terms and other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company's expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements as a result of uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances, including but not limited to risks and uncertainties included under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-K filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov . These risks and uncertainties include, but aren't limited to, that we will not be able to reach profitability unless we are able to achieve our product expansion and growth goals, our research and development and commercialization efforts may depend on entering into agreements with corporate collaborators, we have entered into joint marketing agreements with respect to our products, and may enter into additional joint marketing agreements, that will reduce our revenues from product sales, royalty agreements with respect to our LockeT device will reduce any future profits from this product, if we experience significant disruptions in our information technology systems, our business may be adversely affected, litigation and other legal proceedings may adversely affect our business, if we make acquisitions or divestitures, we could encounter difficulties that harm our business, failure to attract and retain sufficient qualified personnel could also impede our growth, failure to maintain effective internal controls could cause our investors to lose confidence in us and adversely affect the market price of our common stock, if our internal controls are not effective, we may not be able to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, our revenues may depend on our customers' receipt of adequate reimbursement from private insurers and government sponsored healthcare programs, we may be unable to compete successfully with companies in our highly competitive industry, many of whom have substantially greater resources than we do, our future operating results depend upon our ability to obtain components in sufficient quantities on commercially reasonable terms or according to schedules, prices, quality and volumes that are acceptable to us, and suppliers may fail to deliver components, or we may be unable to manage these components effectively or obtain these components on such terms, if hospitals, physicians and patients do not accept our current and future products or if the market for indications for which any product candidate is approved is smaller than expected, we may be unable to generate significant revenue, if any, our medical device operations are subject to pervasive and continuing FDA regulatory requirements, our products may be subject to additional recalls, revocations or suspensions after receiving FDA or foreign approval or clearance, which could divert managerial and financial resources, harm our reputation, and adversely affect our business, changes in trade policies among the U.S. and other countries, in particular the imposition of new or higher tariffs, could place pressure on our average selling prices as our customers seek to offset the impact of increased tariffs on their own products, increased tariffs or the imposition of other barriers to international trade could have a material adverse effect on our revenues and operating results. In addition, our auditor's finalization of the accounting for the merger requires complex calculations and the input of outside advisors, and as a result, the final results of these calculations could differ from our current expectations. The risks and uncertainties described above may be amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused significant economic uncertainty, or other pandemics, supply chain disruptions from the Ukraine war and otherwise, and ongoing volatility in the stock markets and the U.S. economy in general.The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking s
An aerial drone photo taken on March 17, 2024 shows the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) International Conference Center and hotel after renovation in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

BOAO, Hainan, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A demonstration zone focusing on almost zero emissions began operations on Monday in Boao, south China's Hainan Province.

A launching ceremony was held in Boao's Dongyu Island for the "Boao Nearly Zero Carbon Demonstration Zone," a project jointly built by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Hainan provincial government.

By incorporating emission reduction technologies and taking various innovative practices and measures, the demonstration zone is able to achieve balance between new energy power generation and consumption.

The project aims to showcase China's green and low-carbon development concepts, technologies and practices to the world.

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2024 will be held from March 26 to 29 in Boao, focusing on how the international community can work together to deal with common challenges and shoulder their responsibilities.

An aerial drone photo taken on March 16, 2024 shows photovoltaic tiles in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 9, 2024 shows the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) International Conference Center and hotel after renovation in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2024 shows the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This photo taken on March 9, 2024 shows a parking lot equipped with photovoltaic power generation facilities and charging piles for new energy vehicles in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

This photo taken on March 8, 2024 shows an organic waste treatment project in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

A chef cooks with an electric stove at a hotel kitchen in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, March 8, 2024. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2024 shows the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This photo taken on March 9, 2024 shows wind energy collectors in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 9, 2024 shows the renovated press center of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) and photovoltic tiles in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone in Boao, south China's Hainan Province.

The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 9, 2024 shows an energy storage system in the Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone and an agriculture-complementary photovoltaic power generation project in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The Boao near-zero carbon demonstration zone was put into operation on Monday. Operation and management of the zone is carried out in a smart way to achieve near-zero carbon emission at the regional level. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

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Click City: Tobacco is one of the first school-based tobacco and vaping prevention programs shown to be effective in two studies using rigorous experimental designs and reproducible methods.SPRINGFIELD, OR / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Recent research demonstrated the effectiveness of a tobacco and vaping prevention program for fifth-grade students. The updated Click City: Tobacco program, targeting both vaping and smoking, significantly decreased fifth-grade students' intentions and willingness to both vape and smoke in the future. Developed by Judy Andrews, Ph.D., Senior Scientist at Influents Innovations in Springfield, OR, and her colleagues, Click City: Tobacco is an online, digital curriculum that includes science-based activities and interactive game-based learning to engage students in the program. Click City: Tobacco is one of the first school-based tobacco and vaping prevention programs shown to be effective in two studies using rigorous experimental designs and reproducible methods. These findings are published online inNicotine and Tobacco Research .Logo logoIn response to a large increase in vaping by youth over the past decade, Andrews and her colleagues updated the original, evidence-based Click City: Tobacco program to include vaping prevention. A recent randomized control trial, conducted in 43 schools in Arizona and Oregon, found that Click City: Tobacco was effective for all students, but was most effective for students at risk for using tobacco or vaping. Click City: Tobacco addresses multiple risk factors predictive of future tobacco use and vaping. For example, elementary school students who believe vaping or smoking makes someone "cool" or "popular" are more likely to vape or smoke in the future. Click City: Tobacco successfully targets these social norms, increasing students' negative attitudes towards tobacco and vaping as a result of completing the program. Students also learn about the physical consequences of tobacco and vaping, and the physical and psychological effects of addiction, including loss of control."We designed the program to be implemented in the 5th or 6th grade, prior to early use of tobacco or vaping. It is extremely important to intervene early, as the earlier a child begins using nicotine, the more likely it is that they will become addicted for life. Early intervention is crucial," noted Andrews.To test the effectiveness of the program, Click City: Tobacco was implemented in real world' settings where school personnel in classrooms, rather than researchers, implemented the program. Ninety percent of students completed the entire program and teachers reported being highly satisfied with Click City: Tobacco. These findings suggest that the program can be readily implemented in schools, with little teacher training, to potentially prevent the onset of tobacco and e-cigarette use. The program, Click City: Tobacco, is available from Influents Innovations.Established in December 2013, Influents Innovations (formerly known as Oregon Research Behavioral Intervention Strategies, Inc.) is a C corporation specializing in the invention, development and commercialization of evidence-based products and services for the health care, social services, and education markets.Contact InformationJudy AndrewsSenior Scientistjudy.andrews@influentsin.com (541) 484-2123SOURCE: Influents InnovationsView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 16:18:12

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This Press Release is a correction to the GEVI March 15, 2024 release.SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / (UPDATE): Mighty Fire Breaker (MFB), a subsidiary of General Enterprise Ventures, Inc. (OTC PINK:GEVI) and a pioneer in eco-conscious fire control solutions, showcased its latest advancements in fuel treatment technology during a special event hosted by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation on March 15, 2024. The live demonstration featured the company's innovative Proactive Wildfire Defense Equipment and CitroTech fire chemistry, recognized for environmental safety by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Safer Choice program.The event was further highlighted by the announcement of a substantial grant awarded to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation by the San Diego River Conservancy. This funding is dedicated to integrating MFB's advanced technology into the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's (SDFD) wildfire preparedness initiatives, particularly within the strategic San Diego River watershed.Wendy Robinson, the Executive Director of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation, expressed the organization's dedication to bolstering the SDFD's holistic fire prevention strategy, emphasizing community safety, education, and resilience. "We deeply appreciate the San Diego River Conservancy's support. Today's event underscores a significant advancement in our city's proactive firefighting measures," said Robinson.Participants of the event were treated to a live burn test, demonstrating the effectiveness of MFB's Proactive Wildfire Defense Equipment. The demonstration vividly illustrated how the treated areas could better withstand wildfire conditions, significantly reducing the impact and enhancing firefighting efforts.This collaboration between MFB, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation, and the SDFD signifies a crucial move towards combining environmental conservation with public safety in managing wildfires. By implementing Mighty Fire Breaker's cutting-edge technologies, there is a new option in protecting the communities and natural areas of San Diego from wildfire dangers.For additional information, photos, and footage from the event or to learn more about Mighty Fire Breaker's technology and mission, please contact:For more information, please visit: www.mightyfirebreaker.com For technical product information: Info@ mightyfirebreaker.com Contact InformationTwitter: @GEVIOfficialWebsite: https://generalenterpriseventures.com/ Forward Looking Statements:This document contains "forward-looking statements", which includes statements regarding expected financial performance and growth information relating to future events. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond the control of the Company and its officers and directors, and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by which, that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can typically identify these forward-looking statements through use of words such as "may," "will," "can" "anticipate," "assume," "should," "indicate," "would," "believe," "contemplate," "expect," "seek," "estimate," "continue," "plan," "point to," "project," "predict," "could," "intend," "target," "potential," and other similar words and expressions of the future. The Company expresses its expectations, beliefs and projections in good faith and believes that its expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. However, there is no assurance that these expectations, beliefs and projections will prove to have been correct.SOURCE: General Enterprise Ventures, Inc. ("GEVI")
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 14:01:33

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DEXISIS ScanFlow v.1.0.10 adds a new series of guided workflows and AI enhancements as well as a two-way integration with DEXIS 10 to optimize dental implant workflows.QUAKERTOWN, PA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Earlier this year, DEXIS launched its dental implant ecosystem so clinicians can manage their entire implant workflow, from diagnosis to delivery, with one integrated toolset. To enhance workflow efficiencies, DEXIS announces the release of a new intraoral scanning update, DEXISIS ScanFlow v.1.0.10. The update includes a new series of guided workflows, enhancements to its AI capabilities, and an integration with DEXIS Imaging Suite software version 10."We are excited to introduce our latest DEXIS intraoral scanning software update, aimed at boosting productivity for DEXIS software owners and implant workflows," says Brian Gooch, VP of Marketing at DEXIS. "We've made scanning fast and easy, even for more complex situations. Digital impression data is important for implant case planning, so we enable highly accurate data to be incorporated into chairside or open workflows, and easily shared with labs or colleagues." The IS ScanFlow integration allows DEXIS 10 users to launch IS ScanFlow directly from the DEXIS Imaging Suite and manage a more complete patient imaging history in one location for informed decision-making. This integration will be available to the over 40,000 users of DEXIS Imaging Suite version 10 to advance and streamline their workflows.The IS ScanFlow software update maintains high-speed scanning, a user-friendly interface, precise data capture, and an open, flexible system. Early adopters have provided positive feedback, highlighting the system's ease of use and its ability to reliably capture accurate data."We've used the new Full Arch Implant workflow for five cases so far with fantastic results for each one," said Dr. Robert Pauley of Union City, Georgia. "It's very easy to take the common scan with the provisional in place, remove and scan the provisional, and then obtain a final scan of the soft tissue with scan bodies. So far, we've tried in three prototypes and delivered two final prostheses, and I'm excited to say that each has fit passively with ideal occlusion, which really speaks to the accuracy of the data.*" IS ScanFlow v1.0.10 aims to maximize productivity through AI-driven tools for dentists.The new release adds a brand-new AI Matching tool that simplifies data capture in complex situations like multiple scan bodies, full and partial edentulism.It also includes algorithm enhancements to its Implant Scan Body AI Assist tool which automatically detects scan bodies and reduces noise in the data, corrects artifacts and enhances details - furthering the automation of precise data capture.IS ScanFlow v 1.0.10 introduces guided dental workflows to cut manual tasks and simplify processes.Users now have the flexibility to fill out case information before initiating scanning or after completion, thanks to the new CaseFlow Manager tool. Regardless of the chosen option, users can then move into an easy, guided workflow that automates manual processes, predicts next steps, and assists in acquiring data for the selected indication.The brand-new Full Arch Implant workflow guides users through the data-capture workflow for a full arch case and then automatically aligns the scans in occlusion, allowing for one consolidated dataset to send to a lab or manufacturer.IS ScanFlow v 1.0.10 also facilitates efficient lab communication by enabling users to view case progress and real-time lab status updates directly within the Patient History screen. This allows easy collaboration, reduction in delays, and timely completion of tasks.IS Voyager cart adds cord-free power with UPS Mounting BoxThe DEXIS intraoral scanners' mobile cart, The IS Voyager, now offers a battery-powered mounting box that provides up to 10 minutes of cord-free power and eliminates the need to power down your scanning setup when moving the cart from room to room. The UPS (uninterrupted power supply) Mounting Box also provides a backup power source, which allows users to complete and save scans in case of sudden power loss, protecting valuable data from being lost.IS ScanFlow integrates with DTX Studio Clinic to connect the implant workflow"The true power of IS ScanFlow is seen when paired with the core of the DEXIS implant ecosystem-DTX Studio Clinic," says Brian Gooch, VP of Marketing at DEXIS. "Packed with smart tools and advanced algorithms, DTX Studio Clinic serves as the clinic's imaging homebase, diagnostic hub, and treatment planning navigator. It connects each step of the implant process together and now, when purchased with an intraoral scanner, comes at no extra cost."Implant workflow productivity can be maximized by integrating IS ScanFlow into the rest of the tools and software within the DEXIS digital ecosystem - where practices can manage an entire implant case, from diagnosis to delivery, with one integrated toolset." To learn more about DEXIS and the latest IS ScanFlow software version, visit https://www.dexis.com About DEXISDEXIS has been a global leading brand in digital radiography for 70+ years. Today, DEXIS has brought together the most trusted brands in 3D imaging, intraoral scanning solutions, and diagnostic software to provide patients with a complete digital diagnostic solution under a brand name. Our innovative award-winning technology enhances how the patient is diagnosed, accelerates the workflow, and delivers simple treatment paths with better patient outcomes. For more information, please visit https://www.dexis.com *Dr. Robert Pauley is a paid consultant for DEXISContact InformationHayley ReedRegional Marketing Director, DEXIS IOShayley.reed@envistaco.com (714) 628-8533SOURCE: DEXISView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 22:31:21

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:EAF) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Class Period: Feb. 8, 2019 - Aug. 3, 2023Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Mar. 25, 2024Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/EAF Contact An Attorney Now: EAF@ hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE: EAF) Securities Fraud Class Action:GrafTech continues to feel the residual impact of the temporary suspension of operations in its Monterrey, Mexico facility that began near the end of the third quarter 2022. On Feb. 14, 2024, GrafTech released its financial results for 2023, reporting a net loss of $255 million. Timothy Flanagan, GrafTech's interim CEO, cited the temporary suspension of operations in Mexico as one of the reasons why 2023 results fell short of expectations.The disclosure comes on the heels of a securities class action complaint alleging GrafTech misrepresented and concealed that its Monterrey facility was not in compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. Instead, the lawsuit alleges the Monterrey facility had for decades chronically contaminated neighboring communities with harmful carcinogenic gasses and particulate matter.The complaint also alleges that Defendants omitted to disclose that GrafTech had signed agreements with local authorities committing to improving the environmental performance of the Monterrey facility, but repeatedly failed to honor its commitments.The truth emerged over a series of partial disclosures, beginning first on Sept. 16, 2022, when GrafTech unexpectedly revealed that government regulators shut down the Monterrey facility. Mexican news outlets reported that the shutdown order was made in response to GrafTech's excessive pollution of carcinogenic gasses and particulate into neighboring communities.Then, on Feb. 3, 2023, GrafTech announced disappointing Q4 and FY 2022 financial results and slashed its year-over-year sales outlook for the first half of 2023 by 50% (blaming the Monterrey facility closure) and revealed a significant depletion in its on-hand pin stock inventory.Further, on Apr. 28, 2023, GrafTech announced another disappointing quarter, the company again blamed the closure.Finally, on Aug. 4, 2023, GrafTech reported that it suffered an $8 million net loss during Q2 2023 versus $115 million in net income in Q2 2022. The company again blamed its disastrous results on the closure.If you invested in GrafTech and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the GrafTech case and our investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding GrafTech should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email EAF@ hbsslaw.com # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation law firm focusing on corporate accountability through class-action law. The firm is home to a robust securities litigation practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Attorney advertising.Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 21:02:35

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First-of-its-Kind Partnership Brings Durable Skills to Edmentum Middle and High School CTE CoursesBLOOMINGTON, MN / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Edmentum, the premier provider of K-12 learning acceleration solutions, and America Succeeds, a leading educational policy and advocacy group, are announcing a first-of-its-kind partnership to integrate the Durable Skills framework into Edmentum's robust catalog of middle and high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses.As the needs of the modern workforce evolve at an unprecedented rate, America Succeeds has identified an important set of Durable Skills - such as critical thinking, collaboration, metacognition, and creativity - that are in high demand for a range of jobs and across employers.These Durable soft' Skills are in high-demand jobs across industry sectors, geography, and educational levels, often eclipsing demand for sought-after technical skills. Through research, collaboration, and feedback from over 800 educators, workforce professionals, industry leaders, and policymakers, America Succeeds developed a structured framework providing a common lexicon for the most in-demand Durable Skills. With 85% of career success being dependent on Durable Skills, this framework bridges the gap between the skills students are taught in school and evolving workforce needs.This licensing partnership enables Edmentum to incorporate Durable Skills, as defined by the Durable Skills framework, into new courses as part of its library of middle and high school CTE and Career Exploration Courses. The result is the next generation of career-connected learning curricula that meet both state and school district demands, delivered in the engaging learning experience today's students and educators expect."Secondary education is undergoing a significant transformation, and a major part of that involves new ways of thinking on how to better prepare students for their future careers," said Jamie Candee, CEO of Edmentum. "We are excited that this partnership enables us to integrate the Durable Skills framework into Edmentum's CTE courses and help students develop the critical skills they will need throughout their lives and across any career path they may choose." Edmentum recently unveiled a new approach to CTE courses that emphasizes pathways from exploration to employability starting in middle school. The new CTE library features high-demand career cluster coverage delivered through dynamic instructional design and scaffolded content. Durable Skills are a natural addition to this approach, infusing Edmentum's industry-recognized and evidence-based courses and content with the skills students need to succeed in careers across the economy."We are thrilled to partner with Edmentum to integrate the Durable Skills framework into their CTE courses," said Tim Taylor, Co-Founder and President of America Succeeds. "This partnership embeds valuable skill-building into middle school content that paves the way for future success. Together we can ensure students are able to develop and demonstrate the Durable Skills that are critical for economic mobility and success in today's dynamic workforce." Media Contact - EdmentumKevin Briody kevin.briody@edmentum.com Media Contact - America SucceedsViolet Chazkel Vchazkel@ americasucceeds.org About EdmentumEdmentum believes that every student deserves the opportunity to thrive everywhere learning occurs - whether they seek to catch up, stay on track, or chart their own path. When you pair Edmentum's comprehensive, research-backed learning acceleration solutions with empowered and supported educators, you can change the direction of students' lives. We partner with K-12 educators in all 50 states and 100+ countries worldwide to design, implement, and sustain the programs that deliver on this shared promise of learning acceleration for every student. www.edmentum.com About America Succeeds America Succeeds is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to modernizing education systems to drive equity and opportunity. America Succeeds was founded in 2014 with a vision of building public education systems to prepare every student to succeed in the competitive global economy and contribute to their local community. For the organization, that means ensuring business leaders are engaged as education champions - businesses have the obligation, opportunity, and capacity to foster greater student achievement, build an educated workforce pipeline, and protect our future economic vitality. https://americasucceeds.org/ Contact InformationKevin BriodyChief Marketing Officerkevin.briody@edmentum.com SOURCE: EdmentumView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 15:01:50

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ALBUQUERQUE, NM / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling Inc., a highly respected HVAC and plumbing contractor based in Albuquerque, is thrilled to announce the successful first anniversary of acquiring the residential plumbing, heating and cooling division of Sunshine Plumbing, effective as of February 15th, 2023.This strategic expansion has realized a substantial growth in revenue, surpassing $1 million within the first year-a testament to the industry expertise and quality service that First Rate brings to the table. The company's technicians collectively offer over 100 years of experience in plumbing services.Andrea Griego, the CEO of First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling, reflects on the milestone:"As a result of the acquisition of the Sunshine Plumbing residential department, we've been able to help more customers with our expertise. We started this business in June of 2019 focused on residential plumbing heating and cooling. To be able to expand and serve new customers with this acquisition is very exciting." The acquisition has enabled First Rate to create stronger relationships with 30,000 new households throughout Albuquerque. Griego and John Barner, the co-founders of First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling, remain dedicated to providing top-tier services and maintaining their strong reputation in the industry.First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling is proud to lead the wave of high-quality, reliable HVAC and plumbing services in New Mexico. With the celebration of this one-year acquisition anniversary, the company looks forward to continued success and further growth in serving the community.Local media members and industry professionals are invited to cover this significant development and reach out to First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling with inquiries or for further discussion.About First Rate Plumbing Heating and CoolingFounded in 2019, by entrepreneurs Andrea Griego and John Barner, First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling represents the highest standards of excellence in the HVAC and plumbing industries. The Albuquerque-based company has built a reputation through dedication to customer satisfaction, employing only skilled technicians, and showcasing a passion for innovation, and a commitment to the local community. For more information, please visit https://firstratephc.com Media ContactAndrea Griego andrea@ firstratephc.com (505) 859-43293004 2nd St NWAlbuquerque, New MexicoSOURCE: First Rate Plumbing Heating and Cooling
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 13:31:12

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Gemina Laboratories Ltd. (CSE:GLAB)(FRA:8I7) (the "Company" or "Gemina") is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated February 22, 2024, it has raised gross proceeds of $910,000 under its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of unsecured convertible notes of the Company (the "Notes"). Please see the Company's news release dated February 22, 2024 for additional details regarding the terms of the Notes.The proceeds from the Private Placement are intended to be used for general working capital and corporate purposes. All securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement are and will be subject to a four month hold period from the date of issue, expiring July 19, 2024, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws of jurisdictions outside Canada.No finder's fees, commission, bonus, agent's options or other compensation was paid in connection with the Private Placement.None of the securities sold under the Private Placement have been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and no such securities may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.On Behalf of the Board of DirectorsBrian FirthChief Executive OfficerGemina Laboratories Ltd.About Gemina Laboratories Ltd.Gemina Labs is a biosensor and diagnostic company with a transformative, patented, proprietary chemistry that powers next-generation testing platforms for a wide range of pathogens that affect human health and wellness. Our technology drives testing platforms that are fast, affordable, and accurate, and easily self-administered. Our development pipeline includes platforms for the rapid testing of COVID-19, tuberculosis, influenza and other viruses. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.geminalabs.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release.Forward Looking StatementsThis news release includes forward-looking information and statements, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Company. Such statements include statements regarding the anticipated terms of any proposed transaction or engagement. Information and statements which are not purely historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information and statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information and statements herein. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Furthermore, the Company is presently unable to fully quantify the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic will have on its operations and recognizes that certain eventualities may affect planned or assumed performance moving forward. As such, any forward-looking information and statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking information and statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward looking information and statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.For more information regarding the Company, please contact:Gemina Laboratories LtdBrian Firth, Chief Executive OfficerEmail: investor@ geminalabs.com SOURCE: Gemina Laboratories Ltd.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 15:45:19

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In this video interview, Devex's Raj Kumar and Mastercard's Shamina Singh share what they're looking forward to from this year's summit.NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth Sponsored by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive GrowthByDevex PartnershipsAhead of the 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 18, Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar sat down with Shamina Singh, founder and president at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and executive vice president of sustainability at Mastercard.Watch the video above for an exciting speaker announcement as well as the inside track on this year's summit, which has become an essential event for solutions-focused conversations on inclusive growth.Register for the livestream of the 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit, taking place on Thursday, April 18.About the authorDevex PartnershipsThanks for reading and for your interest in Devex. In collaboration with our partners, Devex's partnerships editorial team produces content to promote a partner's work or perspectives on a particular issue. It gives actors across the global development sector - including nongovernmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, aid agencies and government institutions - the opportunity to go beyond traditional advertising and tell their stories in an impactful way. If you'd like to learn more about how you can shine a spotlight on a particular issue with Devex, please email partnerships@ devex.com . We look forward to hearing from you.Follow along the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth's journey to advance equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the worldView additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive GrowthWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mastercard-center-inclusive-growth Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
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BARCELONA, SPAIN / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / In a world where geographical boundaries are increasingly becoming blurred for the business community, a notable trend has been observed with American entrepreneurs relocating from the USA to Spain, motivated by the allure of both personal and professional growth opportunities. Facilitating these transitions is My Spain Visa, a frontrunner in the industry, which prides itself on providing comprehensive assistance to simplify the Spanish immigration process and business establishment for international entrepreneurs.The appeal of Spain goes beyond its attractive climate and a rich mosaic of cultures. The country boasts a conducive economic environment for startups and established businesses alike. A rise in American interest in Spain reflects a strategic move towards engaging with one of Europe's most vibrant economies. My Spain Visa has been pivotal in decoding the complexities involved in not only moving to Spain but thriving as an entrepreneur. The specialized services provided are a testament to how integral these movements have become in the global business narrative.The Spanish government, with a keen interest in diversifying its economy, encourages innovation and investment from abroad. TheSpanish entrepreneur visa program is an ideal pathway, specifically crafted to simplify the journey for ambitious entrepreneurs. This visa program does not just pave the way for the business owners but also opens doors for their families, thus promising them a shot at a new life in Spain, full of potential.Stepping into a foreign market brings its set of challenges, such as navigating the bespoke business laws and understanding the indigenous market customs. Herein lies the unparalleled value of My Spain Visa, where an unmatched level of tutelage from initial ideation and legal consultancy to business execution and integration into the local commerce practices, is provided. The full suite of services ensures that transitioning American entrepreneurs can focus on their business while My Spain Visa manages the intricacies of their move.Institutional knowledge of legal and commercial frameworks across the United States and Spain enhances My Spain Visa's ability to offer customized, actionable advice. The team's commitment to delivering a clear, tailor-made path to success for its clients comes from a rich vein of expertise and an unwavering commitment to service excellence.As the narrative of successful client engagements unfolds, it is clear that the value proposition offered by My Spain Visa is far more than administrative support-it's about nurturing successful enterprises that contribute significantly to the Spanish economy. Successful American emigrants who have availed themselves of My Spain Visa's comprehensive services often reflect on their achievements within Spain's competitive yet rewarding business ecosystem. These accomplishments not only signify personal and professional triumphs but also signify the strengthening of economic ties between the United States and Spain.As Spain solidifies its standing as a warm and welcoming hub for international business talent, American entrepreneurs view it as an epicenter for creativity, growth, and an excellent work-life balance. Committed to supporting this trend is My Spain Visa, offering everything from insight into market dynamics, business culture to networking opportunities. As the demand for cross-border entrepreneurial endeavors continues to ascend, the services rendered by My Spain Visa will remain indispensable for those seeking to establish a prosperous business venture in Spain.In complementing the entrepreneurial spirit with the idyllic Spanish lifestyle, My Spain Visa has become a pivotal element in the equation for business prosperity overseas. The company provides a harmonious mix of thorough professional expertise, penetrating insights into the Spanish market, and tailor-made services to its clientele.Spain's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: A deeper inspection into Spain's encouraging environment for startups can enlighten potential entrepreneurs about the local success stories, which range from tech to hospitality sectors. This information could include regional startup hubs, incubators, and accelerators that position Spain as a competitive player on the global stage.Cultural Adaptation: A more extensive discourse could focus on how My Spain Visa assists American business individuals in acclimatizing to the Spanish commercial landscape. This includes navigating legal proceedings, understanding labor laws, managing language barriers, and adapting to Spain's business customs, subsequently smoothing the cultural transition.Client Success Stories: Supplementing the document with more fleshed-out narratives of individual entrepreneurs or businesses that have benefitted from My Spain Visa's services might offer inspiration to prospective clients. An exploration of how they integrated into various local industries and cultivated their enterprises could serve as a beacon for new entrants.Continuing Support: A special emphasis on My Spain Visa's sustained support system post-establishment reiterates its ongoing commitment to its clients' growth. This support includes advisory on expansion strategies, staying ahead of legal changes, and fostering meaningful industry connections, which keep entrepreneurs at the top of their game.About My Spain VisaMy Spain Visa, a consultancy firm at the forefront, specializes in aiding foreign nationals, with a prominent emphasis on American entrepreneurs, in acquiring Spanish visas and integrating their business models within Spain. Taking a comprehensive approach, My Spain Visa upholds a tradition of supporting the procedural and personal aspects of delving into the Spanish society and business arena. To learn more about initiating this transformative journey, visitMy Spain Visa.CONTACT:My Spain Visainfo@ myspainvisa.com SOURCE: My Spain Visa
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / PPX Mining Corp. ("PPX" or the "Company") is pleased to announced that, in preparation to the start of construction, the Company is actively working with UHY BSA Group ("UHY") to renew its accounting systems, update its operating platforms, organize budgeting and treasury activities, as well as to setup accounting and payroll outsourcing services. UHY BSA is the member firm in Peru of UHY International which is a top global network of auditing, accounting, tax and consulting firms, with over 9,500 professionals in more than 340 business centres across 100 countries. Based in London, UK, with international comprehensive resources and capabilities, UHY International ranks as the 20th largest accountancy network worldwide.As mentioned in previous releases, the Company is in the process of receiving its final permit to start the construction of a 350 tpd CIL and Flotation plant at its Igor Project, next to the Callanquitas mine. This internal reorganization will allow the Company to properly manage the capital cost to be spent during construction time and later, during operation.In addition, the Company plans to engage a Human Resource firm to assist PPXs subsidiaries with its human resource requirements and a Quality Management System consulting firm to setup the necessary internal procedures to operate the plant at the highest possible standard.PPX is devoted to responsible mining practices, following Peruvian regulations and international legal framework, as well as committed to social engagements contracted with surrounding communities.About PPX Mining Corp:PPX Mining Corp. ( TSX.V:PPX.V)(BVL:PPX) is a Canadian-based mining company with assets in northern Peru. Igor, the Company's 100%-owned flagship gold and silver project, is located in the prolific Northern Peru gold belt in eastern La Libertad Department.John ThomasChief Executive Officer 82 Richmond Street EastToronto, Ontario M5C 1P1Canada416-361-0737Neither 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 Statement:This press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements") as such terms are defined by applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to statements regarding test results, future plans or management estimates. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and often contain words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," and "intend,", statements that an action or event "may,""might," "could," "should," or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company's control, and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to many various factors. Such uncertainties and risks include, among others, delays in obtaining or inability to obtain required regulatory approvals and or funding, as applicable. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee that the events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. The timing of events and circumstances and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, one should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of today's date, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or publicly revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law.SOURCE: PPX Mining Corp
Hotpot expert Wang Wenjun (center right) teaches students how to fry hotpot sauce at Chongqing Wen Zhi Su Hotpot Catering School in Chongqing on March 9. [Photo/China Daily]

Hotpot cooks now have their own national working and evaluation standards, which will provide them a better opportunity to excel in their careers.

The State-level hotpot standard, released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Commerce in February, set a five-level evaluation system for the profession.

At the entry level, hotpot cooks should know the proper way to clean ingredients such as vegetables and meats, while those at the highest level should be able to develop hotpot soup recipes and arrange and manage a hotpot banquet.

Designated as a national profession in 2022 by the human resources ministry, a hotpot cook is defined as a person who possesses the skills to make hotpot seasonings, soups and dipping sauces and to prepare meats and vegetables.

The ability to ensure food safety and awareness of the importance of environmental protection are also required of the cooks.

The standard sets rather general, well-balanced working and evaluation guidelines allowing for the diversity and differentiation of hotpot cooking methods, including spicy hotpot with stir-fried sauces and light-flavored hotpot with mushroom soup, experts said.

"Chinese hotpot has numerous flavors," said Wang Wenjun, the leader of the group of editors involved in setting the national hotpot cook standard, who is also a Chinese cuisine expert.

"The four main types  spicy, sauerkraut, tomato and mushroom  make up around 85 percent of the market share."

He said that the editors visited eight cities famous for their different hotpot flavors  including Chongqing for its spicy hotpot and Kunming, Yunnan province, for its mushroom hotpot  and sent questionnaires to 85 hotpot-related organizations and companies nationwide to solicit advice.

The State-level standard was revised 28 times over a period of six years before its official release in February.

Wang said that work ethic is the most important quality to consider when evaluating hotpot cooks, followed by their cooking theories and practical skills.

He said that in the future, the standard may add criteria on cooks' management, teaching and innovative abilities, as well as their craftsmanship.

Wang Huayuan, vice-director of Chongqing's vocational skills appraisal center, said that the release of the national standard can help cultivate future talent and put them on a path to progression in the industry.

"The nation has a large number of people working in the hotpot industry, and we didn't have a standardized identification for their profession before, which hampered their career development," she said.

"The hotpot cook profession is now a nationally approved profession and has its own working standard, offering systematic and professional evaluation to the cooks and giving them opportunities to grow from ordinary caterers to skilled workers, which can help ensure the industry achieves better, sustainable development."

Wang Wenjun, the standard's editing group leader, said that he hopes with national certification, hotpot cooks will see salary increases. He also wishes more cooks would participate in national or international cooking competitions.

In 2021, the China Cuisine Association released a report on the industry, saying that hotpot sales were responsible for roughly one-third of domestic catering revenue in 2020. E-commerce platform Meituan said that the number of hotpot restaurants in Sichuan province and Chongqing  two of the most famous hotpot destinations in the nation's southwest  made up nearly 60 percent of the nation's total in 2021.

The Chongqing municipal government said that it has over 20,000 hotpot companies and more than 30,000 restaurants as of October last year. The city has nearly 1 million people involved in the industry, with annual revenue reaching over 400 billion yuan ($55.7 billion) as of that month.

Editor: WJH
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Predictiv AI Inc. (TSXV:PAI)(OTC PINK:INOTF)(FSE:71TA) ("Predictiv AI" or the "Company"), www.predictiv.ai , announces a non-brokered private placement of up to 12,500,000 units (the "Units") at $0.02 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $250,000 (the "Offering"). Each Unit is comprised of one common share of Predictiv AI ("Share") and one share purchase warrant ("Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.05 per Share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. If the volume weighted average price of the Shares on the TSXV NEX is equal to or greater than $0.10 for any 10 consecutive trading days, four months and a day after the closing of the Offering, Predictiv AI may, upon providing written notice to the holders of Warrants, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days following the date of such written notice.In addition, Predictiv AI has entered into debt settlement agreements (the "Debt Settlement Agreements") with certain officers, directors and consultants of the Company (the "Parties"). Predictiv AI has agreed to convert an aggregate of $500,000 in payables (the "Payables") owed to the Parties related to services rendered to the Company, into Predictiv AI common shares (the "Settlement Shares"). The Company is proposing to issue Settlement Shares in order to preserve working capital to fund operations. Predictiv AI has agreed under the terms of the Debt Settlement Agreements, to issue an aggregate of 25,000,000 Settlement Shares at a deemed issuance price of $0.02 per Settlement Share in satisfaction of the Payables owing to the Parties.The Settlement Shares will be issued in reliance on certain prospectus exemptions available under Canadian securities legislation and will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance.9,322,320 Settlement Shares are being issued to insiders of the Company (the "Insiders"). Pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), the settlement of the Payables will constitute a "related party transaction" as the Insiders are considered to be related parties to Predictiv AI. The Company will rely on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 (pursuant to subsections 5.5(a) and 5.7(a)) as the fair market value of the securities to be distributed to, and the consideration received from the Insiders will not exceed 25% of the Predictiv AI's market capitalization. The settlement of the Payables has been approved by all of the directors of the Company.Conversion of the Payables and issuance of the Settlement Shares is subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange NEX ("TSXV"). There is no guarantee that such conditions precedent will be satisfied or that any of the transactions will be completed as described herein or at all.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PredictivAI/Twitter: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/predictivai/ Company Contact:Khurram QureshiMobile: 647.831.1462Email: kqureshi@ predictiv.ai About Predictiv AI Inc.Predictiv AI Inc. www.predictiv.ai is a technology company which helps businesses and organizations make smarter decisions using advanced artificial intelligence, deep machine learning and data science techniques. Its Weather Telematics Inc. subsidiary uses patented air quality monitoring sensors to provide predictive weather risk information to the insurance, logistics, fleet management and public safety sectors. The Company's R&D division, AI Labs Inc., develops new products that solve real-world business problems. Due to financial constraints, Predictiv AI's operations have been put on hold.Cautionary and Forward-Looking StatementsStatements contained in this news release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements that involve risk, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. All forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of the Company to differ materially from the conclusion, forecast or projection stated in such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to other factors referenced in the Company's other continuous disclosure filings, which are available at sedarplus.ca . Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities laws.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 RELEASESOURCE: Predictiv AI, Inc.
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Transactions Consolidate Multiple Overlapping Mineralized Systems Under Quartz ControlVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd. ("Quartz" or the "Company") (TSXV:QZM)(OTC PINK:QZMRF) is pleased to announce the Company has agreed under two separate transactions, to purchase a 100% interest in each of the Lone Pine Claim and the North Claim (the "Acquisitions"). These two mineral claims total 169 hectares and are located within the Company's 100%-owned Maestro Property located 15km north of the town of Houston, British Columbia.Consolidation of the 2,309 -hectare Maestro Project area allows continuous, through-going access to explore the potential for multiple overlapping precious and base metal systems in their entirety. As such, they add significant value to the Company's strategic plan to develop and transact the Maestro Project. In December 2023, Quartz completed 1,445 meters of diamond drilling in two holes at the Prodigy Au-Ag-Mo-Cu epithermal target approximately 1km north of the Lone Pine porphyry deposit. In addition, Quartz also completed surface and downhole geophysical surveys over the newly drilled area immediately after completion of its two drill holes. Results from the 482 core samples collected during that drill program are being processed and expected to be announced within the next three weeks.Bob Dickinson, Chairman of Quartz commented, "These claim acquisitions are strategically important to Quartz as they allow us to rapidly move the Maestro Project forward. Our property assessments to date indicate Maestro hosts multiple overlapping precious and base metal mineralizing events over a large area. Historical drilling of 24,300 meters at Lone Pine delineated a sizable and higher-grade molybdenum porphyry deposit. We believe this system is the heat-engine for potentially extensive, epithermal gold and silver mineralization in addition to molybdenum and copper outboard of the Lone Pine deposit." Figure 1: Plan map showing Lone Pine and North claim acquisitions within Maestro Property. The Lone Pine mineral claim was purchased from Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., an arms-length vendor, for 750,000 common shares of the Company and a 2% NSR royalty, of which 1.5% can be purchased at any time by payment of $5 million. The shares are subject to a 24-month contractual resale restriction and a further right for the Company to arrange purchasers of the shares in the case of resales after that period. The Lone Pine transaction is subject to customary TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and closing conditions.The North mineral claim was purchased from Shawn Merkley, an arms-length vendor, for $24,000, 45,000 common shares of the Company, and a 2% NSR royalty which can be purchased at any time by a payment of $2 million. The cash and common shares will be paid in three equal installments ($8,000 and 15,000 common shares) over two years with the first installment due upon closing. The North transaction is subject to customary TSX Venture Exchange acceptance and closing conditions.Historical Resource Estimate at Lone Pine Claim1 Drilling of some 24,300 meters was completed historically in 49 holes at the porphyry molybdenum deposit on the Lone Pine claim by previous owners. A historical estimate of the mineral resources was also done and comprises Measured and Indicated Resources (M+I) of 110Mt grading 0.083% Mo, and Inferred Resources of 25.8Mt grading 0.088% Mo at a 0.04% Mo cut-off described in NI-43-101 Technical Report, effective date of January 21, 2011, by P & E Mining Consultants Inc. for Bard Ventures Ltd.A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources and the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources.Additional work needs to be done to upgrade or verify the historical estimate as current mineral resources. Quartz has not yet conducted any drilling on the Lone Pine mineral property. Thus, the historical estimate and historical drilling are of uncertain relevance and reliability.Qualified Person Farshad Shirmohammad, M.Sc., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, who is not independent of Quartz Mountain Resources Ltd., has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.___1Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Lone Pine Project for Bard Ventures Ltd by P&E Mining Consultants Inc., effective date January 21, 2011, is filed on the profile for St James Gold Corp. (formerly Bard Ventures Ltd.) at www.sedarplus.ca.M+I includes 33.4Mt grading 0.092% Mo in measured category and 76.98Mt grading 0.079% Mo in indicated category.The historical estimate used ordinary kriging constrained by grade domain and lithologic solid models. Only molybdenum grades were estimated. Assay grade distribution was evaluated statistically before compositing with no cutting or capping deemed necessary. Density measurements were made on 83 core samples; density was assigned based upon the median value for each lithologic domain. "Best Fit 10 m downhole composites were generated within a grade shell domain based on a 0.02% Mo cut-off grade. Semi-variograms were modeled in order to develop kriging parameters, search parameters and anisotropy. Block size was set at 20 x 20 x 10 m, and block grades estimated using three interpolation passes with increasing search distance. The model was validated by comparing to nearest neighbour estimated and composite grade distributions, swath plots and visual inspection of sections and plans. Classification as measured, indicated and inferred was based upon constraints including zone, drilling density and distance to nearest composite. The report states that classification was done in accordance with CIM Standards.A preliminary open pit optimization was carried out in order to identify potential open pit resources. A number of Lerchs-Grossmann pit shell envelopes were generated by varying operating costs, metal prices and pit slope parameters. The 0.04% cutoff assumed a Mo price of US$25/lb. (85% recovery), mining cost of $2.00 per rock tonne and processing/refining/general and administration ("G&A") costs of $10.00 per tonne processed.About QuartzQuartz Mountain Resources Ltd. (TSXV:QZM),(OTC PINK:QZMRF) is a restructured mineral exploration company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. It is focused on discovering and transacting high-value gold, silver, and copper projects. The Company holds 100% of the Maestro Gold-Silver-Molybdenum-Copper Property and 100% of the Jake Copper-Gold-Silver Property. Both projects have access to infrastruc
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Record number of matched residents for a small Caribbean medical school!PARK RIDGE, IL / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Saint James School of Medicine (SJSM) is thrilled to announce a historic achievement in its 2024 residency match results. With over 100 SJSM graduates securing positions in renowned US residency programs, Saint James School of Medicine reaffirms its position as a leading institution in medical education.SJSM logo logoThe news marks a moment of triumph for both the school and its students, reflecting years of hard work, dedication, and passion for medicine. SJSM takes pride in its holistic approach to education, providing students with a supportive environment and hands-on experience that prepares them for success in their medical careers.Mr. Kaushik Guha, the Executive Vice-President of Saint James School of Medicine, expressed immense pride in the students' achievements, stating, "Last year we had 83 students attain residency. This year, with over 100 matched students, we have already realized an over 20% increase in the number of our graduates entering residency. It is important to note that these numbers are not final. We are still awaiting the results from the Canadian match, as well as some post-match updates, so this match total will increase in the coming weeks. This incredible outcome is a testament to the talent and commitment of our students, as well as the dedication of our faculty and staff. We are thrilled to see our graduates embark on the next phase of their medical journey." "Our students have matched into some of the most prestigious and competitive programs in the US, including placements at prestigious institutions such as Cook County Health, Brown University, and Johns Hopkins," continued Guha. "These outcomes confirm our commitment to training the highest quality future physicians in the industry." The success of Saint James School of Medicine in this residency match cycle highlights the effectiveness of its approach to medical education. By combining rigorous academics with real-world experience, the school equips students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in today's healthcare landscape.As SJSM continues to empower future generations of healthcare professionals, it remains committed to fostering a supportive community where students can excel and make a difference in the world of medicine.About Saint James School of MedicineSaint James School of Medicine is an international medical school with two campuses on the Caribbean islands of Anguilla and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Our students study Basic Sciences at one of our Caribbean campuses then study Clinical Sciences through a clinical rotation program at affiliated hospitals in the US. Saint James School of Medicine was founded in 1999 by a consortium of medical educators and physicians from universities and colleges in the United States and Europe. Hundreds of students have graduated from Saint James since the school was founded. Our current enrollment exceeds 850 students.Contact InformationDan CuckovicV.P. of Operationsdcuckovic@ mail.sjsm.org 847-375-9121SOURCE: Saint James School of MedicineView the original press release on newswire.com
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Levi & Korsinsky notifies investors that it has commenced an investigation of Fair Isaac Corporation ("Fair Isaac Corporation") (NYSE:FICO) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws.On March 12, 2024, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley sent a letter to the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, urging it to investigate FICO's "potentially anticompetitive practices." In the letter, Senator Hawley asserted that FICO "appears to be using its monopolistic power of the credit scoring market to increase costs for mortgage lenders-an increase that will be passed onto consumers." Senator Hawley accused FICO of "astronomically hik[ing] its prices" "[i]n an apparent abuse of this market power." Following this news, on March 13, 2024, FICO's stock price fell over 5%. To obtain additional information, go to:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212)363-7500.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212)363-7500 Fax: (212)363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
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SOUTH BEND, IN / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Strawberry Fields REIT, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN:STRW) (the "Company") reported today its operating results for the year ended December 31, 2023.Financial HighlightsFor the year ended December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022:FFO was $49.5 million and $45.0 million, respectively. AFFO was $52.7 million and $51.1 million, respectively. Net income was $20.2 million and $16.4 million, respectively. Rental income received was $99.8 million and $92.5 million, respectively.Moishe Gubin, Chairman & CEO noted: "Today we are pleased to be reporting another strong year for the Company. 2023 was a banner year, beginning with the uplisting to the New York Stock Exchange and continuing the with acquisition of the 24 buildings in Indiana for $102 million. As we look forward to 2024, we have a robust pipeline that will allow the Company to grow with existing and new Operators. With this in mind, we will continue to grow in a calculated and controlled manner, as we have over the last 20+ years, and look for opportunities that are accretive to the shareholders. Lastly, in 2023 the Company maintained REIT status by distributing in excess of $20 million to shareholders; the amount distributed represents only 44% of AFFO." DividendOn March 8, 2024, our Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.12 per share. The dividend will be paid on March 28, 2024 to common shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 21, 2024.Annual MeetingThe Company's 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. local time. Stockholders of record as of the close of business on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 will be entitled to receive notice of and to participate at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The meeting will be held at 2477 E. Commercial Dr. Ft. Lauderdale FL 23308.2023 Annual ResultsRental revenues: Rental revenues during 2023 increased by $7.3 million or 7.8% compared to fiscal year 2022, The additional rental income arising from the renegotiation of certain leases, the receipt of rent from the acquisition of 24 facilities and additional property taxes being reimbursed by the tenants.Depreciation and Amortization: Increase in depreciation of $0.7 million or 2.7% from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2023 is primarily due to $102.0 million of new real estate investments in the third quarter of 2023.Loss on real estate investment impairment: In February 2023, one facility under one of our Southern Illinois master leases was closed. The closure was made at the request of the tenant and was mainly for efficiency reasons. This facility was leased under a master lease with two other facilities. The closure did not result in any reduction in the aggregate rent payable under the master lease, which has been paid without interruption. As a result of the closure, the Company is seeking to sell the property. Since the facility is no longer licensed to operate as a skilled nursing facility, the Company wrote off its remaining book value.General and Administrative Expense: The decrease in general and administrative expenses of $(0.4) million or 5.8% during fiscal year 2023 compared to fiscal year 2022 is primarily due to lower operating expenses incurred in the year ended December 31, 2023Property and other Taxes: The increase in property taxes of $1.3 million or 10.1% during fiscal year 2023 compared to fiscal year 2022 is primarily due was primarily due to increases in real estate taxes and franchise taxes partially as a result of the acquisition of the Indiana Facilities.Credit for Doubtful Accounts: During 2022, the Company recognized $5.6 million in income from the recovery of a written off asset relating to the successful foreclosure of mortgages held by the Company on properties located in Massachusetts.Interest expense, net: The increase in interest expense of $3.9 million or 19.2% from Fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2023 is primarily related to additional interest payments for Series D Bonds, a second commercial bank loan facility obtained in connection with the acquisition of the Indiana Facilities, increases in the floating rate on the Company's commercial bank loan facilities and additional interest on Series C Bonds that were issued in 2023.Foreign Currency Transaction Loss: Our bond indebtedness is denominated in NIS. As a result, we are subject to potential foreign currency transaction loss due to changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the New Israel Shekel. In 2022, we recorded a foreign currency transaction loss of $10.9 million in connection with the repayment of the Series B Bonds in 2022. There was a gain of $0.5 million in foreign currency transactions for 2023.Other (loss) income: The increase in other loss of $1.0 million was the result of a fee paid to an investment banking firm in connection with the cancellation of an agreement with respect to a proposed financing transaction.Net Income: The increase in net income from $16.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2022 to $20.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2023 is primarily due to increases in rental revenue (net of increase in real estate taxes) and the decline in foreign currency losses offset by an impairment loss , the decline in credit for doubtful accounts, and an increase in interest expenseAbout Strawberry Fields REITStrawberry Fields REIT, Inc., is a self-administered real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership, acquisition, development and leasing of skilled nursing and certain other healthcare-related properties. The Company's portfolio includes 109 healthcare facilities with an aggregate of 12,449 bed, located throughout the states of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. The 109 healthcare facilities comprise 99 skilled nursing facilities, eight assisted living facilities, and two long-term acute care hospitals.Safe Harbor StatementCertain statements in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Those forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical statements of fact and those regarding our intent, belief or expectations, including, but not limited to, statements regarding: future financing plans, business strategies, growth prospects and operating and financial performance; expectations regarding the making of distributions and the payment of dividends; and compliance with and changes in governmental regulations.Words such as "anticipate(s)," "expect(s)," "intend(s)," "plan(s)," "believ
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ORLANDO, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Emerging North American cybersecurity firm, White Tuque, is excited to be exhibiting at the Disaster Recovery Journal (DRJ) Spring 2024 conference in Orlando, Florida. This four-day conference and exhibition is the largest event dedicated to managing risk and resiliency.White Tuque's approach to cyber resiliency is a perfect fit within DRJ's focus on recovery. Risk-focused and intelligence-driven, White Tuque's methodology ensures organizations can reduce their cyber risk through vulnerability identification, incident response and business continuity planning, tabletop exercises, and other professional services.This is the first year White Tuque is taking part in a DRJ event, and Founder and CEO Robert D. Stewart looks forward to showcasing how White Tuque can help organizations remain resilient in the face of cyber threats. "We are thrilled to be an exhibitor at the DRJ Spring 2024 conference. It's an incredible opportunity to showcase our innovative approach to cyber resiliency, connect with industry leaders, and dive into the latest trends in disaster recovery and business continuity," Stewart said.As the oldest business continuity resource in the world, DRJ hosts companies with the expertise and technology to ensure your business is equipped for today's disruptions and tomorrow's emerging threats. "At White Tuque, our cyber resiliency programs are designed to help your secure your data, keep your core services functioning, and significantly reduce your overall risk," says Kevin Sandschafer, COO and VP Cyber Risk Assurance."We work with clients to prevent disruptions and show them how to respond quickly should a cyberattack occur," Sandschafer said. "Preparing today can keep your business operating post-cyberattack." DRJ Spring 2024 conference is on now through Wednesday, March 20th. You can visit White Tuque at booth 211 daily during expo hall hours.About White TuqueWhite Tuque's experts are battle-tested industry veterans with a passion for empowering organizations - no matter the size - to take control of their cyber posture and remain resilient to technology outages.We provide professional services and solutions to mitigate cyber risk and support your operations.Tabletop Exercises Cyber Resiliency Risk Assessment & Resiliency PlanningWhite Tuque's methodology is intelligence-based and risk-driven. We understand the threat landscape and evaluate our client's individual risk to implement robust cybersecurity solutions that are efficient, effective, and easy to maintain.Working with White Tuque gives you a partner against sophisticated cyber threats. We work with you to understand your people, your process, and your technology to deliver comprehensive protection that mitigates your risk and prioritizes your operations.Learn more atwww.whitetuque.comor contact our experts atinfo@ whitetuque.com About DRJDRJ is the industry's largest resource for business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis communication, and risk management, reaching a global network of more than 138,000 professionals. Offering weekly webinars, the latest industry news, resources, podcasts, an official mentoring program, a quarterly magazine, DRJ Academy, and two annual live conferences, DRJ is leading the way to keep professionals up-to-date and connected in an ever-changing world.DRJ's annual spring and fall conferences are the longest-running and best-attended business continuity events in the world. DRJ can help you protect your organization from today's disruptions and tomorrow's threats by exposing you to insights from industry leaders and giving you an early look at new BC technologies.Our mission is to give business continuity professionals the insight, information, and inspiration they need to make smarter decisions concerning the overall protection of their organization. For more information about Disaster Recovery Journal, visitwww.drj.com For more information, please contact:White Tuque: Robert D. Stewart CEO rob@ whitetuque.com SOURCE: White Tuque
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 14:01:31

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Martial arts school poised for rapid expansion with cutting-edge business management software.TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / WellnessLiving, a leading all-in-one software solution for the martial arts industry, proudly announces its selection as the exclusive business management software provider for Groupe Karate Sportif, Canada's fastest-growing martial arts school.WellnessLiving The Software Company with a HeartWith over 40 locations throughout Quebec, Groupe Karate Sportif required a comprehensive software solution capable of unifying and enhancing its operations across its extensive network. WellnessLiving is renowned for its cutting-edge technology and user-friendly software designed to empower businesses within the fitness, wellness, and martial arts industries.The integration of WellnessLiving's comprehensive features, including appointment scheduling, billing, and reporting, is expected to contribute significantly to the optimization of Groupe Karate Sportif's day-to-day operations. What made WellnessLiving stand out amongst the competition is the Belt feature - a dynamic tool designed to categorize progress milestones through the various levels of achievement. Belts enhance the overall experience for both instructors and students, making martial arts advancement a streamlined and rewarding process."After an extensive review of potential providers, we're excited to choose WellnessLiving for its innovative approach and tailored business management tools that meet the unique demands of our rapidly expanding martial arts enterprise," said Martin Giroux, co-founder of Groupe Karate Sportif. "This partnership with WellnessLiving marks significant progress for us at Groupe Karate Sportif. It's not just about software; it's about bringing our community closer and making our operations as strong as our martial arts programs. We are looking forward to this collaboration to help us grow and serve our students better." This collaboration with Groupe Karate Sportif not only marks another milestone for WellnessLiving in delivering state-of-the-art business management solutions across the health and wellness industries but also reinforces its commitment to helping business owners in revenue growth and elevating client experiences."We're thrilled to partner with Groupe Karate Sportif, a true leader in the martial arts community, as their dedicated business management software provider," said Len Fridman, CEO and co-founder of WellnessLiving. "Martial arts shapes character, builds confidence, and equips our youth with invaluable life skills that extend far beyond the training mat. Our team is fully dedicated to closely working with Groupe Karate Sportif, to ensure our solutions meet their unique needs. We eagerly anticipate supporting their ongoing growth and success journey." About WellnessLiving:WellnessLiving is the fastest-growing, all-in-one business management software for the fitness and wellness industry. Trusted by over 6,500 business owners and more than 20 million users worldwide, WellnessLiving is the only software solution you need to manage and grow your business. They offer an affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use platform that equips fitness and wellness business owners with all the features and tools they need to attract, convert, and retain more clients. For more information, visit www.wellnessliving.com About Groupe Karate Sportif:Groupe Karate Sportif is the fastest-growing Martial Arts school in Canada, with over 40 locations in the province of Quebec. Committed to providing top-notch martial arts training and fostering a sense of community, Groupe Karate Sportif serves a diverse and expanding student base, making them a prominent force in the martial arts education sector. For more information, visit https://karatesportif.com/en Contact InformationNadia MilaniVP of Marketingpr@ wellnessliving.com 1-888-668-7728SOURCE: WellnessLivingView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-03-19 13:01:16

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Wildpack Beverage Inc. (TSXV:CANS) ("Wildpack Beverage" or the "Company") a leading middle market co-packer of canned goods announced that it has completed an operational leadership restructuring, appointed PGP Capital Advisors, LLC ("PGP") as financial advisor to the Company, and that Rael Nurick has resigned from the Board of Directors.Operational Leadership RestructuringWildpack has completed restructuring its operational leadership team to provide higher levels of manufacturing expertise and focus on business alignment. The changes include:Thomas Walker, Chief Growth Officer, has been promoted to running all day-to-day operations. He is focused on tactical business execution with an emphasis on aligning core business units with shared service divisions to achieve critical operational milestones. This enables the CEO to focus on overall company objectives, strategy, business prospects and building stakeholder value. Tom Ewing has been hired to lead our manufacturing division, having just completed his 100-day initial plan. He is a 30-year co-packing veteran who has worked for the largest beverage co-packers in the world with recent direct experience in both Wildpack's size of operations, with successful experience scaling multiple co-pack facilities. He has been tasked with, and has already successfully completed rebuilding operational personnel teams and processes that can support the higher levels of utilization the Company is driving towards to achieve its operational targets. Dan Wales has been promoted to Vice President of Shared Services, having successfully structured a team as Wildpack's Vice President of People and Culture. He is managing all divisions of Wildpack which support our core manufacturing and sales functions, allowing for a right-sized optimized management and personnel structure. Elijah Clare has been promoted to Vice President of Brokering as this division has continued to grow independently, as well as support our co-pack and decorating business segments. It has historically been managed under Shared Services, but with the continued upside of the division, Wildpack has moved it to be managed as a stand-alone core business unit. New plant managers at our co-packing sites, improved middle management restructuring across all operational divisions, and a high-powered product quality assurance team. This structure is a mirror of the successful beverage co-packers to which Mr. Ewing has built and led in the past."Emphasizing our focus and leadership on core aspects of our business is exactly what Wildpack needs to continue turning and scaling our business, and moving Mr. Walker to lead day-to-day operations allows for this focus. Further, it will allow me to focus on my strengths around strategy, business prospects and stakeholder engagement" said Mitch Barnard, Chief Executive Officer.Appointment of PGP Capital Advisors, LLC Wildpack has engaged PGP to assist Management and the Board in assessing opportunities to maximize stakeholder value. The mandate is broad in nature and includes capital restructuring, financing, acquisitions, and dispositions. PGP has a strong track record of assisting mid-market growth businesses to unlock stakeholder value. The lead partner at PGP has worked with Wildpack since its inception with broad beverage experience at leading investment banks prior to joining PGP.Resignation of Rael Nurick The Company and Mr. Nurick have mutually agreed that to avoid any potential conflicts it is in the best interest of Wildpack for him to resign from the Board of Directors. Sandton Capital Partners remains supportive of Wildpack as its main financing partner as it continues to grow and evolve.Per: "Mitch Barnard"Mitch BarnardChief Executive Officer and DirectorFor further information, please contact us at:invest@ wildpackbev.com orElijah ClareVice President, Investor Relations elijah@ wildpackbev.com Advisors Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP is the legal advisor to Wildpack Beverage Inc.Visit our investor website at: https://investor.wildpackbev.com About Wildpack Beverage Wildpack Beverage provides beverage manufacturing and packaging to the middle market by providing sustainable aluminum can filling, decorating, packaging, brokering, sleeve/label printing services, and logistics to brands throughout the United States. Wildpack Beverage currently operates indirectly through its wholly owned subsidiaries and out of five facilities in Baltimore, Maryland; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; Sacramento, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada with a focus on digital innovation and green ready-to-drink packaging. Wildpack Beverage commenced trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "CANS" on May 19, 2021.Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, including, but not limited to, Wildpack Beverage's plans, investments, availability of financing and the success of scaling up production. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks including but not limited to: risks related to the successful integration of acquisitions; risks related to operations; risks related to general economic conditions and credit availability, ability to obtain sufficient and suitable financing, actual results of current production and decorating, fluctuations in prices of aluminum; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the co-packaging industry; delays in the completion of capex activities, changes in national and local government regulation of manufacturing operations and labour laws particularly in light of the COVID pandemic, tax rules and regulations, and political and economic developments where Wildpack Beverage operates. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe", or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Wildpack Beverage to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed, performance or achievements expressed or implied
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Nadar ("nature" in Gaelic), the world's first climate-positive gin, arrives at the LCBO in Ontario just in time for Earth Day celebrations on April 22nd. This innovative spirit boasts a negative carbon footprint of -1.54 kg CO2e per 700ml bottle, meaning it actively removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.To quote John Stirling, Director of Arbikie Distillery:"Our ethos at Arbikie from our inception has been to try and create world-class premium spirits where all ingredients are grown on our Single Estate farm. Minimizing our carbon footprint and working with the wonderful homegrown ingredients to create one of the world's most sustainable distilleries." Sustainable From Seed to Sip:Nadar breaks the mould by using green peas instead of traditional wheat as its base ingredient. This eliminates the need for nitrogen fertilizers commonly used in wheat cultivation, which can contribute to air and water pollution. Developed by scientists at Abertay University and the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, Nadar represents a revolutionary approach to gin production that is both ancient and innovative, drawing inspiration from the natural world and utilizing cutting-edge science.Kristy Black, master distiller at Arbikie, hopes to revolutionize the alcohol industry through regenerative agriculture practices and pioneering techniques that reduce the carbon footprints of Nadar Gin's production."The alcohol industry as a whole now is focused on improving its environmental impact, and I think Nadar Gin's unique approach demonstrates how people can think differently." Beyond Sustainability: Exceptional Taste and RecognitionNadar doesn't compromise on taste. Described as "silky smooth and exciting" with a "refreshing zing" from lemongrass and makrut lime, it has garnered critical acclaim, including being chosen as the signature cocktail for the 2021 Met Gala in New York, where attendees enjoyed performances by Billie Eilish and Amanda Gorman.Nadar is more than just a delicious spirit; it's a sustainable choice for environmentally conscious consumers. Its production promotes increased cultivation of nitrogen-fixing legumes, addressing environmental and food security challenges associated with traditional agriculture.Awards and Recognition of Arbikie Distillery:Excellence in Sustainability at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2023 Nadar Gin was hailed as a "revelation" by Vogue Magazine Nadar Vodka named one of the 50 best spirits of 2023 by Vine Pair Celebrate Earth Day with a Difference: This Earth Day, choose Nadar Gin and savour a spirit that's as good for the planet as it is for your taste buds. Look for Nadar at the LCBO starting April 1st, 2024.Contact: Anne TheriaultWine Lovers Agency5407 Eglinton Ave W Unit: 203Toronto, ONM9C 5K6 shop@ wineloversagency.com Phone: (416) 817-3067SOURCE: Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery
Zenith Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Adaora Umeoji as its Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 June.

This appointment marks the first time a female executive will hold the position in the bank. Her appointment, however, is subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The bank made this disclosure on Tuesday, in a corporate filing on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), signed by Michael Osilima, its secretary.

Mrs Umeojis new role follows the expiration of the tenure of Ebenezer Onyeagwu on 31 May.

According to the disclosure, the decision by the board of directors is in line with the banks tradition of grooming exceptional talents from within its ranks for leadership positions.

Bringing nearly thirty years of banking experience to her new role, Mrs Umeoji has been serving as the deputy managing director of Zenith Bank since 28 October 2016 and has close to thirty years of cognate banking experience of which twenty-six years has been with Zenith Bank.

Mrs Umeoji is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School, having completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP).

She also holds a certificate in the Global Banking Program from Columbia Business School. Her educational journey includes a Bachelors Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, and a Bachelors Degree in Law from Baze University, Abuja.

She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and also a doctorate in business administration from Apollos University, USA.

She holds a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, and has attended various management programmes in renowned Universities around the world including the Strategic Thinking and Management programme at Wharton Business School, USA.

She also attended the executive programme in strategic management and has a certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.

She is a fellow of notable professional bodies including the Chartered Banker Institute, UK, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Credit Administration, Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria, Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria among others.

In 2022, the federal government of Nigeria honoured Mrs Umeoji with Officer of the Order of the Niger, as a recognition of her contributions to nation-building. She is a Peace Advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC).

According to the disclosure, she has impacted many lives through her philanthropic and humanitarian activities through her NGOs, including Pink Breathe Cancer Foundation and the Adorable Foundation which educates and caters to cancer patients and indigent children education, especially the girl child.

As a result of her passion for promoting professionalism in the banking industry and improving the well-being of the less privileged, Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.

She is a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI) and was awarded a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness Pope Francis, the disclosure read.

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March 18, 2024 Privilege Speech of Senator Risa Hontiveros on Comelec procurement issues

March 18, 2024 Mr. President, dear colleagues, I rise on a point of personal and collective privilege. I rise to bring to your attention a disturbing contractual award entered into for the 2025 National and Local elections. Last February 22, 2024, the COMELEC announced that it awarded the contract for the lease - not the purchase, but the lease - of the Automatic Voting Machines for the 2025 National & Local Elections. With an P18.827 Billion Approved Budget for Contract, ang kontratang ito ang pinakamalaki sa kasaysayan ng mga halalan sa Pilipinas. It dwarfs the aggregate total of P25 Billion spent for poll automation from 2010 to 2022. Ang nakakapagtaka, Mr. President, dear colleagues, the bidding for the richest single contract in Philippine election history was only able to attract a single bidder: a Joint Venture composed of South Korea's Miru Systems Co. Ltd., and Philippine companies Integrated Computer Systems, St. Timothy Construction Corporation, and Centerpoint Solutions Technologies. This company, Miru, is no stranger to controversy. Miru was previously involved in supplying automated election systems for aside from its home country, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of Iraq. In Congo, researchers reportedly found that the machines Miru tried to sell there were repackaged equipment originally intended for Argentina, where similar machines faced pushback. Ang tawag nga sa Congo ng mga election machines doon ay "cheating machines." In Iraq, a 2018 Reuters report found that Miru's machines were "at the heart of fraud allegations that led to a manual recount in some areas after the May 12 election." Ayon sa mga mananaliksik, 30% and 75% of the voting machines supplied by Miru, respectively, were affected by election-day glitches and malfunctions, which lead to failure of elections in those countries. And while these doubts linger in our minds - doubts caused by electoral troubles in fragile states like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq - it seems that there is also a clear violation of law. Question: prototype nga ba ang automated counter machines? During post-qualification - the phase of the competitive bidding process where the winning bid is validated to ensure that it meets the requirements in the bid documents - COMELEC Commissioner Marlon Casquejo admitted that the ACM being presented was a prototype. He said: "this machine is ours; it really belongs to the COMELEC. We made xxx our wish list. Miru just followed. So, if you noticed, this is a customized machine which has not yet been produced." But Section 12 of Republic Act No. 8436, the Automated Election Law, as amended, requires that the system procured must have been successfully used in a prior electoral exercise here or abroad. Kaya ang dami ang nagtatanong: Does Section 12 of the Automated Election Law prohibit the use of such prototype ACMs in connection with the 2025 elections? Kung oo, bakit pinayagan ang prototype ACMs ng Miru? Even a simple online search will reveal that there are at least 20 suppliers of automatic voting machines worldwide. Despite this, the COMELEC was only able to attract a single bid for the largest single contract in Philippine election history. Dako naman tayo sa issue ng local kanilang local partners. Mr. President, just what is a construction company doing leasing voting machines to the Filipino people? A construction company that appears to share principal office address of another Company - St. Gerrard Construction General Contractor & Development Corporation - blacklisted by the Department of Public Works & Highways, as shown by this document. The two companies also share a common incorporator - a certain Pacifico F. Discaya II. Was St. Timothy incorporated to circumvent the blacklisting of St. Gerrard? There are also reports St. Timothy wrote the COMELEC revoking the authority of a certain Mr. Jinbok Chung to represent the company in the contract signing for the procurement project. St. Timothy said that - given the magnitude of the potential liability - it was not fully informed of the scope of its responsibilities under the contract. Totoo ba ito? If even a blacklisted company smells something fishy, maybe that should be considered a double red flag? Next question: was there competitive bidding? Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act, requires that all public procurement be done - with certain exceptions - through competitive bidding. In a paper entitled Intensifying Competition in Public Procurement, by Tatrai, Vorosmarty, and Juhasz published August of last year, it was found that "encouraging intense competition in public procurement is of fundamental importance for the presence of a sufficient number of competitors and their active commitment to bidding is a key element of efficient public spendings." In this controversy, it was confirmed that while 5 companies - including Dominion Voting Systems, Indra Philippines, Inc., AMA Group Holdings Corp., and Smartmatic - they purchased bidding documents, all but Miru declined to submit bids. Napakalaking kontrata, walang ni isang bidder? Yes Smartmatic was disqualified because of its own money laundering controversies, but there were others. Bakit biglang naglaho nalang? The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development or OECD, in its Guidelines for Fighting Bid Rigging in Public Procurement defines "Bid-Suppression" as an agreement among competitors in which one or more companies agree to refrain from bidding or to withdraw a previously submitted bid so that the designated winner's bid will be accepted. In essence, bid suppression means that bidders other than the designated winner do not submit bids, or are prevented from doing so? Some quarters are asking: is this what happened here? Is this real competition, or is the real competition in the back rooms of the halls of power? I hope not. This makes me wonder, Mr. President: how many other substantial contracts have been awarded to the lone entity who bothered to submit a bid? Thus, I agree with Sen. Angara, it appears it might be time to re-examine the legal framework we have set in place for public procurement, to prevent the system from being gamed, rigged, and manipulated for private gain. Let's bring back real competition in public bidding. At ang aking huling tanong: what will happen to the Php402 million we spent to procure automated election software - including the source code - to enable a proper source code review thereof? Gone with the wind? Mr. President, these questions are very important. Hindi lang po dahil public procurement requires the highest duty of care and responsibility from our public servants, but also because - since electoral machines are involved - they strike at the very heart of our democracy. Always, but most especially in these turbulent and divisive political times, the people's right to suffrage must be protected from fraud or the perception of fraud, and kept sacrosanct. Salamat po, Mr. President. ### Please see attached presentation in powerpoint
The foreign ministers of the European Union member states could not come to a consensus on the use of proceeds from frozen Russian assets in the interests of Ukraine.

This follows from the words spoken by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, at a press conference held in Brussels on Monday at the end of the meeting of the EU Council on Foreign Affairs.

There is an issue in itself, which is the legal basis and the financial consequences of seizing not the assets, but the revenues generated by these assets in exceptional circumstances. I cannot say that anyone was opposing but they wanted to have a concrete proposal in order to carefully study the legal basis. I understand [that]. We live in a state of law, we cannot take arbitrary measures. The decisions that we take have to be supported by international law or be compatible with international law. Some Member States want to study carefully the text that will be presented to them in a couple of days, Borrell said.

He reiterated that it was not about the frozen assets themselves, but the revenues from them, in order to put aside, now the issue is to take it and to use it for the benefit of Ukraine. So, after the discussion today, I have seen there is strong support. There are some Member States that want to have more details, but there is a strong support to take the revenues [from] the windfall profits. And to use it to support Ukraine. How? Militarily, to increase the resources of the European Peace Facility, and also to support the development of the Ukrainian defence industry. I am going to table this Council decision proposal and work with the Commission to approve a Council regulation, in order for the Member States to discuss a concrete proposal before the European Union Council, the High Representative said.
The House of Representatives has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to allow widows and widowers to take leave with full pay to mourn deceased spouses.

The bill, sponsored by Saidu Abdulahi (APC, Niger), was debated on Tuesday by the lawmakers during plenary.

The legislation is proposing to make paid leave mandatory for widows and widowers. For widows, the bill proposes five months and one month for a widower.

A widow is eligible for five months widowhood leave, while a widower is eligible for one month leave, both with full pay. This bill shall apply to employees of both public and private sectors of the federation, the proposal reads.

Leading the debate on the bill, Mr Abdulahi said widows and widowers deserve the right to mourn their departed loved ones away from work.

By introducing widowhood Leave, we acknowledge the unique challenges faced by widows and widowers and provide them with the necessary time and space to grieve, seek counselling, and adjust to the new realities. This support can significantly contribute to their emotional healing and overall resilience.

It allows widows to focus on caring for their children and other family members who may be dependent on them during this challenging time.

It also allows widows to fulfil some religious and cultural obligations. For example, a Muslim widow is expected to perform iddah (waiting period) for a period of four months and 10 days. During this period, she would not be expected to attend any function outside her home and she is not required to interface with any man that is not her immediate relation, Mr Saidu said.

Speaking in support of the bill, Ademorin Kuye (APC, Lagos), said the bill would provide the legal framework for an existing cultural practice in Nigeria.

When the bill was put to question by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, the lawmakers voted to pass it for second reading. The speaker then referred to the relevant committee for further legislative action.

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The Nigerian government has announced its partnership with Univercells SA, a Belgian public limited liability company on the deployment of biotechnology to achieve the much anticipated turnaround in the countrys health sector.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, on Tuesday, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government and the company in Brussels on his X handle.

Mr Pate said the MoU focuses on the adoption of biotechnology for Nigeria and aims to facilitate cooperation in establishing the necessary infrastructure, including training capabilities for local research, development, and manufacturing of medicines of both human and animal public health importance.

He noted that this agreement represents a major step forward in realising our ambition to save more lives and provide affordable healthcare for all Nigerians.

Benefits for Nigeria

The minister said Univercells SA consists of Unizima SA, Quantoom Biosciences, Exothera, and RLM Consulting, noting that through the agreement, Nigeria aims to collaborate with the group to expedite the development of the biotech sector and revolutionise the availability and affordability of essential biotechnology products for its citizens.

Mr Pate also noted that the partnership is in line with President Bola Tinubus initiative to unlock Nigerias health value chain and the restructuring of the nations health product manufacturing ecosystem to enhance domestic production of life-saving medicines, vaccines, and biologics.

In pursuit of this goal, we have engaged with a diverse range of companies, both domestically and internationally, to foster the development of new biotech capabilities in Nigeria, including the creation of high-quality jobs in the health and pharmaceutical sectors, he noted.

He said that over the past 12 weeks, the ministry has documented significant interest from both private and public firms in collaborating with Nigeria to drive the health sector renewal investment agenda and to positively transform the value chain.

Need for collaborations

The minister said for Mr Tinubus administration to achieve its goals, it has since begun collaborating with both private and public- national and international organisations, to reform the health sector.

Mr Pate, in 2023, said one of his priorities is to strengthen governance and institutions under the health sector.

He noted that his leadership would ensure affordable and quality health outcomes by delivering preventive, promotive, and curative services at primary healthcare and hospitals across the country.

He also said quality health services will be provided by properly trained health workers, adding that medical industrialisation and unlocking the health value chains and job creations are also his key priorities.

Improving Nigerias health system

In 2023, Mr Tinubus administration said it would prioritise and improve Nigerias health system by investing and increasing grants for the sector in the 2024 budget.

Mr Tinubu revealed this during the unveiling of Nigerias health sector renewal investment initiative, which he noted is geared towards providing improved and quality health for all.

The President had noted that his administration would revamp the physical infrastructure, equip, and provide training for frontline health workers in 2024.

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The Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Christopher Maikalangu, on Tuesday, dispatched a response team to Wukara community of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to curtail the further spread of chicken pox.

Mr Maikalangu, who was represented by Tunji Faoye, the supervisory councillor on Health at a ceremony of the medical outreach, urged residents to seek medical attention at the first sign of symptoms.

The chairman called on residents to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including sleeping in well-ventilated houses to avoid further loss of lives during outbreaks.

Mr Maikalangu expressed deep concern over the impact of the outbreak, which has claimed lives and affected numerous households.

There is a need for urgent and comprehensive measures to address the recent outbreak of chicken pox in the Wukara community.

The impact of this calamity has left so many in fear. It is an unfortunate situation, and we pray that such will never repeat.

To us in the council, this outbreak is becoming one too many, and a permanent solution is urgently needed to prevent further occurrence, he said.

He praised the AMAC Primary Health Care Department for its swift response to the outbreak, noting that the situation is considered an emergency due to the resurgence of chicken pox in some parts of the community.

He emphasised the need for precautionary measures, especially given the daily influx of people from various parts of the country into AMAC.

He also appealed to stakeholders, NGOs, and well-meaning individuals to support efforts to help affected communities mitigate the impact of the outbreak.

Mr Maikalangu extended his condolences to those who lost loved ones to the outbreak and prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased.

He thanked the AMAC PHC, FCTPHCB, and other relevant agencies for their support, noting that their interventions would help alleviate the suffering of the affected communities.

The chairman underscored the need for collaborative efforts to prevent future outbreaks and protect the health and well-being of residents in Wukara and other communities in AMAC.

Fielding questions from journalists on the sideline of the event, Mr Faoye revealed that the team, which had been in the community for three weeks, tested individuals for blood pressure, malaria and other health conditions.

He said that the initiative was part of the teams ongoing efforts, aimed at providing holistic healthcare to the community.

According to him, the location of the nearest health facility posed challenges, prompting the chairman to promise the establishment of another facility in the community to cater to their health needs.

He expressed the teams commitment to regular outreach programmes, noting that they usually visit communities quarterly.

He also highlighted the unfortunate loss of lives to the recent outbreak, emphasising the importance of proactive measures to prevent future outbreaks.

Despite challenges with funding, particularly due to a lack of grants, he praised the collaboration with partners such as UNICEF, reassured the community of the chairmans ongoing efforts and hinted at future programmes focusing on HIV/AIDS, Polio, and tuberculosis.

According to him, the teams efforts underscore the importance of proactive healthcare initiatives and the need for continued collaboration with partners to improve the health outcomes of the communities.

The Director of Health at AMAC said that the health of every citizen of AMAC was important, hence the need for medical outreach to address the outbreak and prevent further spread.

Those affected were taken to our nearby facility, which we stocked up with meditation for treatment.

The AMAC chairman directed us to do a total package and not only chicken pox but all manner of ailments, treatment is ongoing and immunization of children against every preventable disease too, she said.

Also speaking, the WHO Local Government Areas Facilitator, Mustapha Bichi, urged the residents to always make use of the facilities provided by the government and avoid self-medication.

The District Head, Wukara, Ibrahim Dalhatu, appreciated the chairman for the swift response, believing that the problem affecting the community would be solved quickly.

This is the third time we in this community have experienced such outbreak.

He, therefore, appealed to the government to help in completing the only hospital still under construction in the community for easy and faster access to medical attention.

We do not have any hospital or clinic in this community. We travel all the way to Sauka and Gwagwalada to seek medical attention. And transformation fare this period is not an easy thing now.

And the borehole we have is not servicing us well. We want to appeal to the AMAC Chairman to come to our aid,  he pleaded.

(NAN)

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Duchess International Hospital, Ikeja, has continued to record landmark clinical procedures and treatments in a variety of medical and surgical specialties since it opened its doors to patients in October 2021.

The hospital, which commenced its cardiac (open-heart) surgery programme in earnest in the middle of 2023 with a total of 31 open-heart surgery procedures in the course of the year, convened a special press briefing to announce the successful completion of two complex paediatric surgery operations in children aged 12 years and five months old respectively.

On 2 November 2023, a combined team of cardiac surgeons, cardiac anaesthetists, specialised theatre nurses, perfusionists and intensive care specialists led by Dr Onyekwelu Nzewi and Professor Bode Falase successfully performed an aortic root replacement for an unusually large (8cm) aneurysm (dilatation) of the ascending aorta in Precious Kolajo, a young girl aged 12 years old.

Precious is the youngest person ever to have an aortic root replacement successfully done in Nigeria.

Similarly, a five-month-old (twin) infant (Baby M) was successfully operated upon to close a large congenital ventricular septal defect (a hole in the heart) on 27t February 2024. Baby M, who weighed just 3.4kg at the time of surgery has gained an additional 11kg since the operation was performed three weeks ago. This extremely delicate surgical operation was also performed by Dr Michael Sanusi, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon and his team at the Duchess International Hospital.

Both Precious and Baby M were physically present with their parents at the special press briefing held at the Duchess International hospital on the 15th of March 2024. Precious has since returned to full-time school. Baby M has also been discharged home with his parents, having made full recovery from the open-heart surgery operation.

Commenting on this landmark achievement, the Chief Executive Officer of the Duchess International Hospital, Dr Adetokunbo Shitta-Bey said  Today, we are redefining the meaning of success. It is not enough simply to conduct these operations. It is vitally important that the patients actually survive. Here before us are two patients who have survived complex surgical procedures and able to return to their normal lives, a fitting testament to the excellent facilities and skilled personnel we have at the Duchess International Hospital and our commitment to deliver safe and affordable access to world-class healthcare to all Nigerians.

He further remarked  We will continue to push the boundaries of specialised emergency and complex medical care to reverse the trend of medical tourism abroad and deliver the fastest, most convenient access to the best medical expertise available anywhere in the world.

Speaking on the two successful surgical operations, Dr Sanusi said he was pleased to work with a team of highly accomplished specialist professionals to give the hope of a normal life to both children and their parents. He commended the cutting-edge technology and medical facilities provided at the Duchess International Hospital, a significant and enabling factor in ensuring the medical team achieve a consistent and high rate of success.

Felix Kolajo, the father of 12-year-old Precious, said he was absolutely elated to see his daughter who at the height of her illness was fainting regularly and unable to walk fast or do domestic chores, bounce back to life.

He said, We almost lost her. The burden has now been lifted and despondency has given way to a hope of living a fulfilling life unencumbered by any form of infirmity.

Jamal Olalere, the father of five-month-old Baby M said, My wife and I brought our baby to Duchess Hospital on the recommendation of Dr Adebola Adegunwa, Chairman of Rites Foods Limited. He commended the team at Duchess International Hospital for their professionalism and excellent care, which he said helped to save his twin boys life.

Both sets of parents expressed their thanks and appreciation to the Duchess International Hospital for giving their children a new lease of life.

Duchess Hospital, Ikeja is a 100-bed state-of-the-art multi-specialist hospital located in the heart of Ikeja GRA.

The fifth floor of the hospital is equipped with a dedicated Cardiac Centre and highly specialised facilities for cardiac catheterisation and angioplasty, dedicated cardiac theatre for open-heart surgery and a wide range of specialised services and equipment for advanced cardiac investigations and non-invasive diagnostics and treatment.

Duchess International Hospital officially opened its doors on 22 October 2021. Since its opening, the hospital has successfully conducted several complex surgical procedures in a variety of clinical specialties.

In July 2022, former Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo successfully underwent surgery to his right femur at the Duchess International Hospital.

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The ad hoc committee probing the disbursement and usage of the N30 trillion Ways and Means loan obtained by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from the CBN has discovered some infractions in obtaining the loan.

Chairman of the Committee, Isah Jibrin, disclosed this on Tuesday during an interactive session with the CBN team led by one of its deputy governors, Bala Bello.

Mr Jibrin said a former Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, unilaterally signed billions of naira in the approval of different tranches of the loan without following due process.

The committee chairman was, however, not specific on the total amount of the billions of naira approved by Mr Emefiele, though he said the former CBN boss illegally signed the money in 13 documents.

Mr Jibrin, the Kogi East senator, said Mr Emefiele ought to have approved the loans in conjunction with the CBN board of directors, but he unilaterally signed the loans contrary to the requirement of the CBN Act.

The Committee of Governors ought to be the signatory to the ways and means account, but in the document we have here, the governor signed billions of naira in about 13 places.

We want to know the total figure of the ways and means. We want to know the summation of the figure, Mr Jibrin said.

Anchor Borrowers Programme

The committee chairman said documents on the Anchors Borrowers Programme implemented by former President Buharis administration indicated that about 70 per cent of the programme had been executed.

On the Anchor Borrowers Programme, you have done well. You did about 70 per cent, but we must ensure the completion of the remaining 30 per cent, he said.

Mr Jibrin, however, said the committee would summon the incumbent CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, to give a detailed account of what he knew about the facility.

Your governor who took over from Emefiele should be able to stand for Emefiele because he took over from him, including his assets.

Emefiele should provide an explanation to the existing governor. We will invite the governor, and in case he does not have a response, he will contact Emefiele he said.

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The House of Representatives Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control has summoned the Minister of Health and Social Development, Muhammed Pate over the alleged mismanagement of the $300 million malaria fund by the ministry.

The lawmakers issued the summon on Tuesday during a hearing on the mismanagement of the fund after the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Daju Kachollom, failed to honour the invitation of the committee.

The Nigerian government had in 2018 announced plans to secure $300 million in new financing from the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and African Development Bank to eradicate malaria in the country.

The lawmakers are investigating the utilisation of the fund.

The fund was not sourced under Mr Pate as health minister. The renowned health expert was appointed minister by President Bola Tinubu in August 2023.

Following Mr Kacholloms failure to appear before them, the lawmakers decided to ask Mr Pate and the permanent secretary to appear within 72 hours or face sanction.

While issuing the order, the Chairman of the Committee, Amobi Ogah (LP, Abia), condemned the action of Mr Kachollom, stating that the committee would not tolerate disrespect from civil servants.

The National Assembly will no longer tolerate the attitude of civil servants taking parliament for a ride. Enough is enough. We are elected by our people to represent them. We are elected to talk for them and defend them.

And we are talking about a disease that has turned into an epidemic. We will not hesitate to invoke our constitutional right to compel the permanent secretary to be arrested if fails to honour the summons, he said.

Speaking on the fund, Mr Ogah explained that the committee received a petition, few weeks ago from Seasons Law Firm on behalf of Rosies Textile Mills Limited in which they petitioned the ministry of health and permanent secretary for denying indigenous manufacturers of insecticidal nets from participating in the contract for the procurement of insecticidal nets and other related products.

He stated that the probe is also to look at the utilisation of funds and for the minister to provide an explanation on it.

Have they used the money? If they have not used the money, where is the money? It is a matter of simple explanation. But they have been running away, calling all manner of people to talk to us. But we are here to defend Nigerians. We were elected to represent our people.

Nigerians cannot continue to die of malaria, even when the government has made every necessary effort to see that eradication is being achieved by 2030, Mr Ogah said.

The lawmaker maintained that a warrant of arrest would be issued against the permanent secretary if the ultimatum is not met.

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Two children have been burnt to death in Bauchi following a fire incident in their residence, the police said in a statement on Monday.

The statement issued by the spokesperson of Bauchi State Police Command, Ahmed Wakil, also said a suspected motorcycle thief was set ablaze by a mob at Magamar Gumau market, Toro Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Wakil said that the fire incident that claimed the lives of the siblings occurred on Sunday in the Madina area of Bauchi.

Upon receiving the distress call, a team of policemen attached to C Divisional Police Headquarters rushed to the scene alongside the Federal Fire Service team.

After the incident, two girls, Zainab Bashir Mohammed, 8, and Ummu Salma Bashir Mohammed, 5, were trapped in the fire.

As a result, the two siblings were burnt beyond recognition, he said.

On the mob that killed the suspected motorcycle thief, he said that an investigation had commenced to arrest the perpetrators.

He warned that the command would not tolerate any act of jungle justice whereby people take the law into their hands.

Anyone caught in such act will not be spared, he added.

According to him, by the time operatives attached to Toro Division arrived at the market, the suspect had been surrounded, beaten and set ablaze by the mob.

The body of the suspect was rushed to Toro General Hospital, where it was certified dead by a medical doctor, Mr Wakil added.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, Auwal Musa, has ordered for discreet investigation into the matter and arrest of the culprits.

The CP frowned at the action of the irate youths, who instead of taking the suspect to the nearest police station for proper investigation and prosecution, beat him to death without any recourse to the law.

The CP described the act as barbaric and inimical to the laws governing the country.

Nobody has the right to treat a suspect in such a barbaric manner, and it is wrong for anyone to assume the position of a law enforcement agency, he added.

He therefore advised that henceforth suspects apprehended in connection with any crime be immediately handed over to the police or any law enforcement agency for investigation and prosecution.

(NAN)

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The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned Nigerians against the use of underage housemaids, saying such practice is an offence before the law.

The agencys Director of Legal and Prosecution, Hassan Tahir, gave the warning while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

He gave the advice on the backdrop of employers of domestic workers, who sometimes have challenges with their employees, to the extent of inflicting injuries on the workers.

Mr Tahir said that Section 23 of the Trafficking in Persons Act (TIP) condemned the employment of a child as a domestic worker, saying such is an offence before the law.

The director quoted Section 23 of the TIP Act as saying Any person who willfully employs, requests, recruits, transports, harbours, receives or hires out a child as a domestic worker commits an offence and is liable to conviction of imprisonment for a minimum term of 6 months, and not exceeding 7 years.

He, however, advised that if anyone was willing to have a house help, be it underage or not, such a person must ensure that such was treated fairly.

According to him, the house help must be sleeping in the same room where the kids of the master are sleeping, and the domestic worker must also be attending the same school with the kids of the master.

The domestic worker must attend the same school as your children, eat the same food as your children, wear the same clothes as your children; he or she must be treated equally with your children.

There could be a situation whereby you employ a child and at the same time inflict injury on him or her, if you want to violate their right, please dont do that, and if certainly you do, NAPTIP will do the needful.

NAPTIP has been sensitising the general public, creating awareness, educating people about the use of humans for trafficking, particularly on the issue of employing somebody as a domestic worker.

Employment of an underage as a domestic worker is a serious offence, violators risk going to jail for 7 years, that is the position of the law, that is the position of the trafficking Act, he said.

He pleaded with states yet to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act to do so.

According to him, domestication of the VAPP Act by all states in Nigeria will give the country a common front, a common ground and fight domestic violence in the country.

He called on Nigerians experiencing domestic violence to report to NAPTIP, adding that the door of the agency was always open.

(NAN)

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The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment today announced a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) and Lab Four, set to create substantial employment opportunities by outsourcing 50,000 jobs to Nigeria.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite described this MOU as a major milestone aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda.

This initiative cements our commitment to diversifying the economy and forging a Nigeria known globally as a nation of creators, she stated during the signing ceremony in Abuja. We envision Nigeria as a pivotal global hub for service exports and talent sourcing, she said.

Mrs Uzoka-Anite described NATEP as Nigerias strategic answer to the burgeoning global talent sourcing market, valued at US$620.381 billion in 2020 and projected to grow to US$904.948 billion by 2027. Our mission is to tap into this lucrative industry, showcasing Nigeria as a powerhouse of high-quality talent for the global service export and outsourcing industry.

Tony Okhiria, the CEO of the Cybersecurity Institute at Lab Four, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: This program is monumental because it allows Nigeria to accelerate its talent export much quicker. We are eager to disrupt the traditional BPO process and look forward to a fruitful collaboration.

Femi Adeluyi, the national coordinator of NATEP, highlighted the programmes innovative approach, emphasizing its potential to democratize the BPO sector and create a scalable model for job creation.

The signing ceremony also featured remarks from John Dohan, representing the Charge dAffaires ad interim for the U.S. Embassy, who lauded Nigerias human resource as the nations greatest export.

The NATEP initiative aims to delmillione million service-export jobs over the next five years, boost foreign exchange earnings, stimulate economic growth, and enhance Nigerias brand on the global stage. It will focus on key IMPACT sectors: Insurance, Medical, Professionals, Artisans, Creative, and Technology.

The Minister also took the opportunity to launch the NATEP Strategy document, a comprehensive plan to strengthen Nigerias position as a global hub for talent exports and BPO.

The collaboration between NATEP and Lab Four is poised to catalyze the growth of micro, mini, and mega BPOs within Nigeria, contributing up to $1.2 billion annually to the Nigerian economy.

ABOUT NATEP

The National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), launched on September 22, 2023, at the 78th United Nations General Assembly, is a strategic initiative designed to leverage Nigerias vibrant human capital to create one million jobs and significantly boost the countrys foreign exchange earnings. NATEP aims to position Nigeria as a premier global hub for service exports, talent sourcing, and talent exports.

Endorsed by President Bola Tinubu and spearheaded by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, NATEP responds to the global demand for talent and skills outsourcing, a sector dominated by countries like India, Bangladesh, Mexico, and the Philippines. NATEPs mission is to drive economic development and diversification, increasing Nigerias foreign exchange earnings and strengthening the Nigerian brand on the international stage.

NATEPs strategy involves a collaborative approach, engaging various stakeholders across sectors including education, finance, communications, digital economy, labor, employment, and youth. The programme is focused on creating a talent pipeline from various skilling programmes, bridging skill gaps, and connecting Nigerian talents to global job opportunities.

Targeting the IMPACT sectorsInsurance, Medical, Professionals, Artisans, Creative, and TechnologyNATEP is setting a precedent for the future of business process outsourcing and talent export. With eight pillars including policy support, skills and talent pipeline, infrastructure and innovation, partnerships, talent export facilitation, promotion, branding, finance, incentives, and monitoring, NATEP is geared towards a transformative impact on Nigerias economic landscape.

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The police in Delta State, South-south Nigeria, said the violent protest that rocked Asaba, the state capital on Monday was a result of the alleged killings of two commercial motorcyclists by officials of the state task force.

Bright Edafe, the police spokesperson in the state, disclosed this on Monday on X, while responding to a users enquiry on the protest.

There was a violent protest this (Monday) morning by Okada Riders who had an issue last night with the state task force that led to the death of two persons.

They (Okada riders) mobilised in their numbers this morning destroying properties and beating people, hence our men (police officers) were deployed to control the situation before it turned into something else, Mr Edafe, a deputy police superintendent wrote on X.

From the pictures of the deployment posted on X, gun-wielding police operatives could be seen walking along a deserted highway in the state.

In a statement on the incident forwarded to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday, Mr Edafe said eight suspects have been arrested with 53 motorcycles impounded.

The team of police officers successfully carried out a raid of recalcitrant motorcycle riders who were embarking on this violent and destructive protest in Asaba metropolis.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Olufemi Abaniwonda reiterates the negative impact of violent protests on the economic growth of the state and therefore appeals to the public to remain calm and be law-abiding, assuring that the police command has the responsibility to ensure the safety of lives and properties, Mr Edafe said.

The Protest

Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Riders in Asaba, Delta State on Monday protested the alleged killing of two of their colleagues on Sunday by officials of the State Task Force.

The protesters, under the aegis of Arewa Union in Asaba, accused members of the Task Force on Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association of being responsible for the killings, the Guardian newspaper reported.

In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, The Director General of the task force, Uchenna Okafor, accused members of the Arewa community in the state of inaugurating their own task force, a gesture he said was aimed at evading payment of money to the state government.

They started attacking people paying tickets through the task force, chasing the task force and ticket sellers away, but we were not deterred because the revenue is for the government, Mr Okafor said.

He accused the group of attacking the task force members on Sunday around the Government Reserved Area who were enforcing the law against the operations of tricycles beyond 10 p.m.

This (Monday) morning, about 300 Arewa tricycle riders came to our office to attack us with cutlasses, guns, and other arms. They broke the doors, and windows, stole laptops, generators and phones, Mr Okafor said.

The Coordinator of the Arewa community in the state, Hashima Abubakar, said his group was not against the sales of tickets, but that the task force has to negotiate rather than resort to chaos.

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U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican Party) has said he hopes that in 2024 Ukrainian forces will receive the necessary weapons from the United States, including long-range ATACMS missiles, and also pointed out the importance of passing a bill on forced conscription in Ukraine.

I want 2024 to be the year of qualitative advantage for the Ukrainian military. You are the most resourceful people I have ever met. You are missing 155mm shells. We're going to send them to you. But the drones you came up with could replace artillery in future wars. So I'm really excited about how we can help you develop drone technology that gives you an edge on the battlefield. ATACMS should have been here yesterday. I want them to be delivered quickly, Graham said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

He also added that he hopes that F-16 aircraft will be put into service in 2024 in Ukraine and that 2024 will be a turning point in this war.

This is what I hope will happen in 2024. America will send the weapons you desperately need to Ukraine in a way that is permanent, so that you not only hold territory, but also put pressure on the Russians. So that you strike at them, so that you can demolish this bridge connecting Crimea with Russia, he said.

Graham also pointed out the need to pass the mobilization bill now.

Before I left, I spoke with National Security Advisor Sullivan and asked how I could help the administration. He said: Raise the issue of the law on forced conscription, the senator said.

He pointed out that Ukraine needs more people in the ranks, although this is a difficult process.

Therefore, I hope that the mobilization law will be adopted soon, he added.

Graham said he also hopes that ATACMS deliveries will be announced at any time and that a security assurance agreement between the United States and Ukraine will be signed this year.

In addition, he emphasized that he supports Ukraine's accession to NATO, as well as membership in the EU.

I encourage the Biden administration to negotiate and sign security guarantees with Ukraine in 2024, he said.
Edo House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution asking the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the state Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the resolution was passed during the plenary in Benin.

During the plenary, the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, notified the House that the seven-day ultimatum granted to the deputy governor to respond to the impeachment notice served on him had expired.

Mr Agbebaku reminded the house that an impeachment notice was served on the deputy governor on March 6. Still, because of his alleged evasion of service, the house ordered a substituted service.

He said the substituted service was published in the Nigerian Observer and the Vanguard newspapers on March 12, adding that by counting, March 19 made it seven days.

In his motion, the Majority Leader of the House, Charity Aiguobarueghan, moved that the chief judge be directed to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.

Nicholas Asonsere (PDP- Ikpoba Okha) seconded the motion.

Mr Aiguobarueghan disclosed that the motion was in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

That the notice served on the deputy governor alleging gross misconduct be sent for investigations.

And that the speaker directs the chief judge of the state to set up a seven-man committee to look at the allegations and report its findings to this house as soon as possible, he said.

During a vote, 19 out of the 24-member house supported the motion.

The Speaker asked the chief judge to set up a seven-man committee to investigate the petition against the deputy governor.

(NAN)

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A former Commissioner for Education in Lagos State, Folashade Adefisayo, has advocated more investment into teacher training and upskilling for a positive impact on education.

Ms Adefisayo, who is also the Chief Executive Officer, Leading Learning Limited, said the investment would also lead to increased adoption of educational technologies in the Nigerian education sector.

The former commissioner for education spoke during a recent edition of Edtech Mondays, an initiative of the Co-Creation Hub (CCHUB) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundations Centre for Innovative Teaching & Learning in ICT.

The engagement session themed: Evaluating the Impact of Government Policies in Edtech Adoption in Nigeria was moderated by the Programme Associate, Education, CCHUB, Abigail Anaza-Mark.

In her submission, Ms Adefisayo admitted that though there has been a rising case of edtech adoption in Nigeria, it has failed to impact learning outcomes.

If the government is keen on adopting innovation in the education sector, it must give adequate attention to the teachers in the training and rewards system. Innovation has to happen in the classroom; the teachers need to be superbly skilled. We need to look at how we treat the teachers and give the profession the glamour it deserves. We should also upskill teachers and teach them how to deploy resources to improve their crafts, she said.

She added that despite the implementation of the 2019 National Policy of ICT in Education, which focuses on research and infrastructure, the course of learning and teaching in schools has not improved.

Recommendations

She said the government needs to review the countrys curriculum to cater to the integration and adoption of technology, as this would go a long way to support learning and teaching.

Edtech solution is not in the countrys curriculum and cannot be included in the scheme of work. Textbooks are still king as far as teaching and learning are concerned in Nigeria. Teachers are not taught the skills of integrating technology into the classroom. It is something done by science and technology but not the education sector itself, she added.

Commenting on the policy guidelines needed to advance the adoption of edtech in Nigeria, the educationist stated that the government must come up with policies that take into account the confidentiality, safety, and security of children online as well as the emotional relationship between the school and parents.

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A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has responded to a comment by the founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Afe Babalola (SAN) who described former governors of the state as having underperformed while in office.

Speaking exclusively with PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday, Mr Fayose said contrary to Mr Babalolas assertion, all past governors of the state did their best and contributed their parts to Ekitis development.

The former governor, however, said the ABUAD founder remained a leader he respects, and whom he would never want to join issues with on any matter.

Mr Fayose said this while reacting to Mr Babalolas comments on Monday wherein he said all governors that managed the affairs of the state before the incumbent, Biodun Oyebanji, failed to develop it.

Speaking at the commissioning of the multi system hospital annex in Odo-Ado, Igirigiri road, Ado Ekiti, PREMIUM TIMES reports that Mr Babalola singled out Mr Oyebanji for doing a yeomans job in office so far, while saying that the former governors abandoned the vision of those who laboured for the creation of the state.

But Mr Fayose expressed the belief that Mr Babalola must have been misquoted, adding that the same Mr Babalola had, in 2018, described him as a patriot not only to Ekiti State and the Yoruba race, but also to Nigeria.

He is our leader, we owe everything to him, we cannot join issues with him, we will continue to respect him. In this case, he must have been misquoted, Mr Fayose told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Fayose explained that everyone who has governed the state in the past tried, as no one could finish the job in his lifetime.

He stressed that Mr Babalola himself is trying at everything he is doing, but that he would not finish every good thing he intends to achieve.

I want to believe he must have been misquoted, Governor Adebayo did his best. Governor Fayemi did his best. I did my best.

In fact, what Baba said about me in 2018 does not correlate with what you are saying he said about me yesterday, Mr Fayose added.

A 2018 newspaper report quoted Mr Babalola to have described Mr Fayose as a magician, miracle maker, architect, planner, visioner and executioner, who has changed the face of judiciary in Ekiti.

The legal luminary showered the encomium on Mr Fayose at the commissioning of the new ultra modern Ekiti State High Court complex.

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The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to ban and criminalise the importation of Adire/Kampala and other locally produced fabric imitations into the country.

The House said the move became necessary to protect the general local cottage industry and conserve the scarce foreign exchange.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Afolabi Afuape (APC-Ogun) at the plenary in Abuja on Tuesday.

The House urged the federal government to promote the local Adire/Kampala fabrics production industry in Nigeria, saying it would protect the general local cottage industry and conserve the scarce foreign exchange.

Moving the motion, Mr Afuape said the influx of foreign imitations of Adire/Kampala, tie and dye into Nigerias market had negatively impacted the local industry.

This, according to him, has led to a decline in the livelihood of local producers and job losses.

Adopting the motion, the House mandated its Committee on Commerce to collaborate with the National Directorate of Employment to establish formal training and orientation programmes for all local fabrics producers.

The training, according to the House, should be centred on skills, quality control, marketing and business management.

It urged proper monitoring of relevant agencies charged with evaluating the periodic progress of the Nigerian cottage industry.

The House also mandated the Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency to launch a nationwide campaign to promote the cultural significance of Adire/Kampala.

(NAN)

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has affirmed the resolve of the federal government to foreclose the acquisition of mining licences by prospective investors without requisite plans for local value addition.

Speaking while playing host to members of the House Committee on Solid Minerals on an oversight visit to the ministry, Mr Alake applauded the lawmakers for their support in repositioning the mining sector, stressing that changing the economic fortunes of Nigeria is a joint task by both the executive and legislature.

He also seized the occasion to assure the legislators of the significant contribution of sub-nationals to mining development, stressing that state chairpersons of the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO) and five committee members are nominated by state governments.

The importance of this committee cannot be overstated because whether we like it or not, we are at the cusp of history, and it does beckon on us individually and collectively, whether as executive or legislature, to change the paradigm of Nigerias economic fortunes because we have to diversify our economy away from the mono-cultural dependency on oil. Again, that underscores the significance of this committee because of the importance of the ministry in that regard. That is why I view your visit here today with a sense of proprietary responsibility and appreciation of the oversight functions that you are saddled with.

We welcome you and believe that from the type of comradeship that I have personally enjoyed with the committee and the leadership, I have no doubt in my mind that what the executive of this ministry needs to forge ahead to achieve its stated objectives in terms of logistics support, legislative framework crafting is assured. It gives me great confidence that when you have members of a committee that understand the issues at stake, understand the problems that the ministry faces and knows how to give the necessary backup. We, in the executive, will have no excuse for failure. We can only forge ahead, the minister said.

Highlighting the renewed interest of the international community in Nigerias mineral resources, Mr Alake stressed that his 7-point agenda has put the mining sector on the global front burner since he assumed office.

With the support of the Permanent Secretary, management and the House committee, we have been able to project the sector globally, and the result of our efforts culminated in my election as the Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia based on our 7-point agenda which was applauded by all and sundry. This group comprises all African countries Ministers of Solid Minerals/Mineral Resources.

Speaking further, the minister revealed that with the pact that led to the formation of the AMSG, there is now unity of purpose on the African continent on the issue of local value addition.

 We are no longer going to allow anybody or license any company that wants to go into the mineral sector without giving us a plan for local value addition like processing refining, which has a multiplier effect on the economy. It instantly generates employment rather than a few people carting away lithium, gold, and the like to other countries to sell. These minerals must now be processed in Nigeria, creating more value and beneficiation for local communities where they are sourced, Mr Alake added.

On security, the minister revealed that the Federal Government has finalised a new security outfit to secure the nations natural resources that will incorporate the existing structure of the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) with the infusion of technology and specialised training.

We have come up with what we believe can stem insecurity around natural resources like solid minerals, forests, and marine economy. We decided to use the existing structure of the NSCDC because of the cumbersome process of establishing a new security architecture. In terms of deterrence, the new NSCDC corps will be useful, he asserted.

According to the minister, there will be a command in every state of the country and will involve the infusion of a massive dose of technology, noting that modern-day security architecture is predicated mostly on technology rather than reliance on only boots on the ground.

What a whole battalion can do, one single drone can do it so that the new security outfit will be largely technologically driven, and they will be under the overall command of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD). They are to secure our mine sites help in stemming theft, illegal mining, and carting away of our solid minerals. The command structure of the new outfit will be inaugurated in the coming days, the minister affirmed.

ALSO READ: Alake advocates mineral equity as alternative to loans to avoid death trap

In his remarks, Chairman of the committee, Gaza Gbefwi, stated that the House Committee on Solid Minerals, in fulfilling its constitutional responsibility of oversight, paid a visit to the ministry to ensure that the executive is doing what it is supposed to do for citizens to get maximum beneficiation from the mining sector.

He expressed appreciation to the minister for cooperating with the legislature in its oversight function of checks and balances, emphasising that the committee will do what is necessary to back up reforms with requisite legislation that will enable the executive to propel the sector into an enviable position, with significant contribution to the nations economy.

*Segun Tomori*

Special Assistant (Media)

Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development

19th March, 2024.

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The chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has said that 16 of 19 registered political parties have indicated interest in contesting the 16 November governorship election in Ondo State.

He spoke on Tuesday at The First Regular Quarterly Consultative Meeting With Political Parties For 2024 at the INEC Conference Room, Abuja.

Mr Yakubu disclosed that party primaries in the Ondo State governorship election will start in the next two weeks on 6 April and end on 27 April. He revealed that 16 of 19 political parties had indicated interest in participating in the election.

I urge political parties to adhere strictly to your proposed dates and modes of primaries. Frequent changes, as we witnessed recently during the Edo state primaries, are not only disruptive but costly.

The Commission cannot mobilise, demobilise and remobilise our officials for the monitoring of party primaries at the convenience of political parties. Parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources, the INEC boss said.

He reiterated that by the timetable and schedule of activities for the election, political parties have 20 days to upload the list and personal particulars of their candidates to the INEC portal.

The INEC boss also advised parties to avoid acrimonious primaries. Increasingly, the conduct of parallel primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates is a frequent occurrence. So, too, is the tendency to grant waivers to candidates who were a few days earlier card-carrying members of other political parties and nominating such persons to the Commission as their candidates for election.

Some of these infractions lead to unnecessary litigation among party members in which the Commission is always joined as a party. The legal fees and cost of producing Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents can be used more productively in other electoral activities by the political parties and the Commission. We must find a solution to this situation, Mr Yakubu said.

Meanwhile, the national secretariats of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have set in motion the processes guiding their respective primaries.

Nomination and expression of interest forms have already been advertised, and intraparty campaigns have become intense, especially in the two leading political parties.

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The Senate on Tuesday rejected a motion to name one of the committee rooms in the National Assembly after the late Olubadan of Ibadan, Olalekan Balogun.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the resolution after most senators opposed a motion seeking to rename a committee room after the late monarch during the plenary.

The motion was sponsored by Sarafadeen Ali (APC, Oyo South).

Committee rooms are rooms where lawmakers hold committee meetings, meet officials of other arms of government, and interact with visitors to the National Assembly.

None of the committee rooms in the National Assembly complex has ever been renamed after individuals.

Mr Balogun was a senator in the 4th Assembly between 1999 and 2003, representing Oyo Central on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He chaired the Senate Committee on National Planning.

The motion

Mr Ali, a first-time senator, urged the Senate to name a committee room in honour of Mr Balogun as a former senator.

He also urged members of the upper chamber to observe a minute silence in honour of the late monarch.

However, as soon as Mr Ali raised the motion to name a committee room after the late monarch, many lawmakers burst into laughter and mocked the senator for sponsoring such a motion despite the myriad of challenges facing the country.

Although the prayer to rename the committee room after the late Olubadan was rejected, the lawmakers agreed to observe one-minute silence in his honour.

ALSO READ: Olubadan laid to rest amid tributes

The first-class monarch died last Thursday, a few days after celebrating two years on the throne as the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadan land.

He was laid to rest according to Islamic rites at his family residence the following day. A large crowd of mourners attended it.

The Chief Imam of Ibadan land, Abdulganiy Agbotomokekere, led Islamic leaders to conduct burial arrangements and prayers on the remains of Mr Balogun.

At the lying-in-state held at the ancient Mapo Hall, Ibadan, tributes were showered on the late Olubadan, whom many described as peace-loving.

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The Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, has asked the House of Representatives to grant him the power to arbitrarily spend funds under the controversial security vote scheme.

Mr Wike, while appearing before the House Committee on FCT on Monday to defend the N1.1 trillion budget of his ministry, said he needs the security vote to tackle the insecurity currently ravaging the Nigerian capital.

The security vote is a controversial and corruption-ridden scheme often used by state governors to spend money arbitrarily without any form of transparency. Anti-corruption advocates have long argued that the security vote has become a conduit for siphoning funds.

As a governor, my director of SSS can meet me and say We need to carry out an operation this night. We need N30 million to carry out that operation. I dont need to meet the accountant, all I need to say is go and take money there, Mr Wike told the lawmakers.

Mr Wike, who earned the reputation of being a hardliner during his tenure as governor of Rivers, lamented the bureaucratic hurdles he has to contend with as the minister of the FCT.

However, the lawmakers did not give the minister any commitment on the request.

Mr Wike has been under fire recently over insecurity in the territory, particularly the activities of kidnappers and armed robbers who are terrorising residents.

The minister recently claimed after a meeting with the Senate that the security situation in the city had improved significantly.

N500 billion loan

Mr Wike is proposing a N1.14 trillion budget but N500 billion is expected to be sourced from commercial banks, while total internally generated revenue is projected to be N637 billion.

On the expenditure side, the ministry is proposing to spend N726.3 billion on capital expenditure and N421 billion on recurrent expenditure.

Mr Wike also spoke on the hike in personnel cost of the ministry. He said the increment is to accommodate emoluments of political appointees and in anticipation of new minimum wage.

The sum of N140 billion, representing 12.28 per cent is proposed for personnel costs for the year 2024, compared to an appropriation of the sum of N99.5billion in the year 2023. This shows an increase of the sum Of N41 billion (29 per cent ) as against the revised 2023 Appropriation.

The increase is to accommodate the emolument of the appointed Mandate Secretaries and other political appointees of the administration, payment of staff promotion arrears, peculiar allowance and staff wage award arrears, he said.

On the breakdown of the N726.3 billion for capital expenditure, the minister said the government is proposing N29 billion for the Abuja Light Rail Project. He adding that N117.3 billion is for the completion of ongoing projects.

Members of the committee made comments and asked questions after Mr Wike presentation.

Abdullahi Saidu (APC, Niger), criticised the plan to borrow N500 billion from commercial banks, describing it as expensive.

He urged the minister to consider taking credit from the capital market.

Chairman of the Committee, Muktar Betara (APC, Borno) subsequently adjourned the session.

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The Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has handed over documents of properties and 324 houses recovered for Kano state pensioners to them.

The handing over of the houses, occasioned by a final forfeiture order granted by Justice I.E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting Abuja, was a result of successful investigations carried out by the Commission over a N4.1billion Pension Trust Fund contributed by the pensioners to own houses, which was fraudulently denied them by two successive administrations in Kano State.

The Commission investigated a petition by Concerned Kano State Workers and Pensioners of alleged misappropriation of pension funds in the state. Findings by the EFCC showed that the state government entered into a tripartite agreement with the Kano State Pension Trust Fund to build housing estates for an aggregate sum of N41billion (Forty One Billion Naira), out of which the Pension Trust Fund was to contribute N4.1billion (Four Billion One Hundred Million Naira).

However, the contribution of the pensioners was used to build the houses in three estates located in Sheikh Jaafar Mahmud Adam Bandirawo city, Sheikh Nasiru Kabara (Amana) city and Sheikh Khalifa Ishaq Rabiu city, all in Kano state and two former governors of the state fraudulently discounted and sold the houses to their cronies and associates, leaving the pension trustees with low budget and uncompleted houses. The EFCC stepped in and upon completion of investigation, filed for and acquired a final forfeiture order of the 324 properties to the Kano State Pension Fund Trustees.

READ ALSO: EFCC arraigns alleged sextortionist

While handing over the documents of the 324 properties worth N4.1billion to the pensioners on Monday, March18, 2024, the Abuja Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE I Adeniyi Adebayo assured that the EFCC would continue to do its best to rid the nation of fraudulent practices. Representatives of the Kano State Pension Board, Alhaji Hassan Muhammed Aminu, Kubra Ahmad Bichi and Salisu Yakubu Abubakar, who received the documents on behalf of the workers and pensioners, expressed delight and joy with the EFCC for assisting them in recovering their houses.

Dele Oyewale

Head, Media & Publicity

March 18, 2024

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The Nigerian Army has released the names and photographs of the soldiers killed on Thursday in Delta State.

The army released the details in a post on its official X handle on Monday evening.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the soldiers, including four officers, were killed in Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Military authorities earlier said they were killed while on a mission to maintain peace between two warring communities: Okuama and Okoloba. Previous statements by military authorities and President Bola Tinubu indicated that 16 soldiers were killed but the army released the names and photos of 17 slain soldiers.

In its post on X, the army named the slain commander of the team as AH Ali, a lieutenant colonel. The two majors are SD Shafa and DE Obi while the army captain is U Zakari. The army also named the other 13 slain soldiers.

President Bola Tinubu like most Nigerians has condemned the killing of the soldiers. The president also ordered the military to ensure the killers are brought to justice.

READ ALSO: Defence minister speaks on killing of soldiers in Delta

Military authorities announced the killing of the soldiers on Saturday. On Sunday morning, many houses in Okuama community were razed, allegedly by retaliating soldiers. It is not clear how many people died in that incident as many residents of the community had reportedly fled to a neighbouring community for fear of retaliation by soldiers.

The military, however, denied on Monday that soldiers carried out the retaliatory attacks.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine welcomes the second report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Violations Committed by Civilian and Military Authorities on the Territory of Ukraine, and calls for continued investigation and "systemic pressure on Russia to put an end to Russian aggression."

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine welcomes the second report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Violations in Ukraine, the discussion of the conclusions of which will take place on March 19 within the framework of the UN Human Rights Council," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a comment on this report published on its official website on Monday.

As noted in the document, the commission has collected "additional evidence of serious violations and international crimes, in particular war crimes and, potentially, crimes against humanity committed by the Russian authorities in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine."

The Foreign Ministry emphasizes the shocking nature of the UN Commission's conclusions: "torture, premeditated murder, rape and other crimes related to sexual violence, illegal imprisonment of civilians, enforced disappearances, illegal deportation of Ukrainian children, attacks and destruction of cultural and historical heritage sites."

"The new evidence confirms the Commission's previous conclusions that the Russian authorities continue to systematically torture both Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war, which amounts to war crimes against Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied territories and in the Russian Federation," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a comment.

The document emphasizes the importance of the fact that "the report assesses the serious consequences of the fighting and the siege of Mariupol for civilians at the beginning of a full-scale Russian invasion. The document records a large number of victims and damage to civilian facilities, the destruction of medical facilities, as well as evidence of injured residents of Mariupol."

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Commission's conclusions indicate the need to "continue further investigation, in particular with a view to further qualifying serious international crimes committed by Russia against the Ukrainian people, which should become part of the materials for consideration by international courts and tribunals."

"The Russian side, contrary to the calls of the international community and the provisions of a number of resolutions of the UN General Assembly, as well as despite the regular appeals of the Commission, continues to ignore requests for information and access to international experts in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry emphasizes.

"We call on the international community to continue systemic pressure on Russia to put an end to Russian aggression, atrocities and terror, ensure that Russian criminals are brought to justice, demand the admission of international monitoring organizations and humanitarian missions to illegally detained Ukrainian civilians, the release and exchange of prisoners of war," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a comment.

"The crimes recorded by the UN Commission testify to the scale of atrocities that Europe has not seen since the Second World War. All those responsible for them must be punished. Responsibility for what they have done is what the Russian occupiers fear the most, which means that the task of the entire world community is to make this responsibility inevitable," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine concluded.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, upheld the conviction of a watchman, earlier found guilty by the trial court of raping a female student at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Osara Campus in September 2018.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal led by Joseph Oyewole, in a unanimous judgement, agreed with the trial courts findings and affirmed the guilt of Macaulay Masayete.

My lords, I agree with the learned trial judge that the evidence of PW1 (survivor) is clear and unambiguous, Okon Abang, a member of the panel, said in his lead judgement agrees to by other panel members

The Kogi State High Court had in 2019 found guilty of raping an 18-year-old undergraduate of the polytechnic.

Consequently, the court sentenced the convict to 10 years imprisonment.

But, Mr Masayete who was 39 years old at the time of the offence, approached the appellate court to have his conviction overturned.

He denied raping the teenager.

Survivors horrific experience

Reviewing the evidence before the trial court on Monday, the Court of Appeal recalled the horrific experience of the undergraduate at Mr Masayetes hands on the night of 13 September 2018.

He (Mr Masayete) dragged me across the road and tore my clothes and forced himself and had carnal knowledge of me. After that he said I did not satisfy him and he demanded N10,000. He deflowered me, he also intimidated me with a cutlass, the justice recalled the survivors testimony before the court in Kogi State.

To substantiate the allegation against Mr Masayete, the justice said the prosecution needed to prove three major ingredients of the case.

Mr Abang noted that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable that the watchman had sexual intercourse with the student whom he was meant to protect.

He further held that the sexual intercourse between the convict and the teenager was not consensual, and that there was no evidence to show that Mr Masayete and the student were married.

The appellant failed to challenge the documentary proof and oral evidence given by PW1 (survivor) against him. The trial court was right in believing the survivor that indeed the appellant had sexual intercourse with the survivor.

The justice agreed with the trial court that the evidence of a medical doctor corroborated the fact that the student was raped.

At the clinic, I examined her and noticed bruises on both shoulders. I examined her vagina and observed that there was penetration, the doctor had testified at the lower court.

In conclusion, the appellants sole issue is hereby resolved in favour of the respondent against the appellant. The appeal lacks merit and it is accordingly dismissed. The judgement of the trial court dated 11 December 2019 is hereby affirmed, Mr Abang said.

How teenager was raped

On 13 September 2018, the undergraduate was at the polytechnics Utility Hall reading alongside other students when there was a power outage around midnight.

As the teenager was about to leave the hall, Mr Masayete arrived and picked a quarrel with her reading partner.

In the process, there was a scuffle that led to the breaking of Mr Masayetes torchlight.

Subsequently, the watchman insisted that his broken torchlight must be fixed by the two students.

While the male student left the hall to get some money to pay for the damaged torchlight, Mr Masayete whisked the teenage girl away from the reading hall to another building across the campus where he raped her.

The survivor testified that Mr Masayete wore a condon before he raped her.

Convict tortured the survivor

In his analysis of evidence before the court, the justice said Mr Masayete tortured and physically harassed the teenager.

Mr Abang recalled Mr Masayetes confessional statement where he admitted raping a girl four years before the September 2018 incident involving the undergraduate.

The appellant voluntarily confessed having raped a girl four years before 13 September 2018. This statement was admitted in evidence without the objection of the appellant. This is a confessional statement that was given without any form of coercion.

He said Mr Masayetes conduct demonstrated crass deprivation of moral rectitude.

The justice said Mr Masayete was employed as a watchman to protect the students, but he decided to abuse the helpless situation of the survivor.

Convict not a witness of truth

In his defence, Mr Masayete said he caught the teenager having sexual intercourse with her reading partner inside the hall when electricity went off around midnight on 13 September, 2018.

He told the court that the two students pleaded with him not to report the indecent conduct to the polytechnic authorities as they were willing to do anything to settle the matter.

The convict further said he confiscated the students mobile telephones and their clothes after taking their photographs.

In one breath, the watchman said he left the hall to the security office on the school campus, but in another breath Mr Masayete said he went to the school clinic for surveillance after the incident at the hall.

Evaluating his evidence, Mr Abang said the convict was not a witness of truth.

The judge said Mr Masayetes testimony was filled with inconsistencies.

It is my view that the appellant is not a witness of truth. He said he went to the clinic for surveillance and in another breath said he went to the security office. The appellant had the intention to have sexual intercourse with the survivor.

On 15 May 2018, Mr Masayete was arraigned before the trial court for the offence of rape.

The offence was was said to violate section 283 of the Penal Code.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence.

In order to discharge the burden of proof placed on it by Section 135 of the evidence Act 2011, the prosecution called five witnesses including the rape survivor; (name withheld to protect her identity), Isah Jibrin, a medical doctor; and Matthew Yakubu, a police officer.

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A prosecution witness, on Monday, told the Federal High Court in Abuja how the Head of Stakeholders Unit of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) Emmanuella Ita, allegedly diverted large sums of money belonging to the FIRS unit to her private school, Surestart School Ltd.

Ms Ita ran Surestart School Ltd while serving as the Head of Stakeholders Unit of the FIRS, according to a press statement by by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday.

Testifying as the sixth prosecution witness (PW6) on Monday, Ijeoma Maltida, an EFCC investigator, told the court that the funds allegedly diverted by Ms Ita were meant for certain projects to be executed by her unit at the FIRS.

The witness, who was being cross-examined by defence lawyer, Paul Erokoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the funds meant for the projects were traced into her account with the payment narration.

She told the trial judge, Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa, that investigations showed that the same funds were sent directly into the account of the second defendant, Surestart School Ltd.

When she came to our office, we took her statement, we were cordial with her, and she was treated very well with utmost respect.

While she was with us for reconciliation, she started bringing documents, and she also opted to pay back for some reconciliation she could not account for. She said in her statement that she will pay back the money. I dont know where she got the money from, and so far, she has refunded about N17million, though she told us that she benefited about N5million from the program, the statement by the EFCCs spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, quoted the witness as saying.

The witness added: I dont know the standard practice of sourcing for funds before asking for reimbursement, and it is not within the scope of our investigation. All I know is that she undertook some of the stakeholders events, and we saw that those monies that came from FIRS went directly into the account of the second defendant, and the description was that the assignment was not done.

Ms Maltida said the defendant told her team that the vendors that were supposed to do the events had given their evidence in court and testified that the receipts did not presented by the defendant come from them.

She further claimed that those receipts were given to her by one Daniel, who was a staff of FIRS, the witness said.

Testifying further, she said, we were told he was late and we demanded for the death certificate which was given to us. We requested for his account details and we discovered he was also a beneficiary. We wrote to FIRS, UBA, System Spec, and invited everyone involved in this matter and everything we have here are as a result of our investigations.

After the cross-examination, Ms Ogunbanjo-Giwa, adjourned the matter till 20 and 21 March for continuation trial.

The EFCC is prosecuting Ms Ita and Surestart School Limited on 25 counts of criminal misappropriation, diversion, criminal breach of trust and money laundering to the tune of N2 billion.

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Access in and out of many universities and inter-university centres across the country on Monday was difficult for many workers, students, and residents as protesting members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Edational and Associated Institutions (NASU) blocked entrances, obstructing human and vehicular movements.

From the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), to Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Lagos, French Village, University of Jos (UNIJOS), Moddibo Adama University of Technology (MAUTECH), Yola, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, protesters locked up entrance gates to the campuses over what they described as the refusal of the Nigerian government to pay their withheld salaries since 2022.

The Joint Action Committee of the two unions had, at the weekend, directed their members nationwide to withdraw their services from the institutions, urging them to fully comply with the directive.

This was as the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the umbrella body for workers unions in Nigeria, appealed to President Bola Tinubu not to allow the matter to further degenerate.

Campus situation reports

The situation almost degenerated into an open conflict at the University of Jos, where the Vice-Chancellor, Tanko Ishaya, a Professor, was spotted in a video trying to personally force open the locked university entrance gate.

Mr Ishaya, dressed in a suit and guarded by his security officials had personally used stones to break the chains used to lock the gate by the protesters. This is as the workers in their hundreds chorused protest songs against the government.

There was, however, no harassment of any official either by the security operatives or the protesting workers.

Meanwhile, at OAU, workers and residents including pupils of primary schools were forced to trek distances to their destinations as cars were not allowed into and out of the campus as the protesters gathered to ensure compliance.

Many motorcycles were parked at the gates as the owners struggled to gain access to the campus through the pedestrian gates.

Also at FUOYE in Ekiti State, the leadership of the striking unions was engaged in a shouting match with security operatives who had allegedly threatened to seize the workers mobile telephones and stopped them from recording the scene.

The situation is similar across other institutions including the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta>> (FUNAAB), Ogun State, University of Ilorin in Kwara State, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, (ATBU), Bauchi State.

Students, institutions speak

A student of the Department of Botany at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Abdul-Malik Yahaya, told our reporter on the phone that his morning lectures suffered slight disruption as the striking workers refused to open the laboratory where the lecture was scheduled to hold.

He said the lecture was supposed to be held at the Botany Lab on the Samara Campus, but due to the striking workers action, another lecture theatre was quickly arranged.

The student also said the departmental library was also locked as of the time he checked.

He said: When we got to the laboratory, the laboratory technician told us the place would not be opened because they were on strike. We had to use another class for the lecture.

A student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), AmazingGrace Ajao, said though the unions were on strike, there was no form of demonstration and that the ongoing examinations had continued without disruptions.

The only reason the strike might affect the students is if there is no power supply within the school environment and the union refuses to put on the generator for general use because that will prevent the students from reading at night for their exams, the student said.

At UNILAG, the striking workers were seen gathered in the waiting area between the Senate Building and the Faculty of Art where the leadership addressed audiences. However, the ongoing first-semester examination continued uninterrupted.

A Mass Communication Department student of the institution, Bimbo Adelakun, said there was no sign of demonstrations or interruptions on the campus.

The spokesperson for the Obafemi Awolowo University, Biodun Olarewaju, said the university authority is doing all it could to ensure that the strike doesnt disrupt activities more than necessary.

What we are trying to do as of this moment is to pacify and appeal with the union OAU chapter to allow the students and other people who have one business or the other within the school community to be allowed into the school campus, he said in a telephone interview.

Also, the Spokesperson for the University of Abuja, Habib Yakoob, confirmed the strike at the permanent site of the institution.

He, however, said it was limited to the school gate and that it did not interrupt learning activities within the campus.

As far as I know, they are not preventing the students from having their lectures or preventing the school from carrying out any activities. The school is not locked, as everyone has access to the school premises. Another thing I have also noticed is that 90 per cent of the union members are not in school, he said via telephone on Monday.

NLC intervenes

In a statement issued on Monday and personally signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the labour leader said the government has not provided any credible reason for withholding the workers salaries.

The statement, which is titled: Arrest this Drift Now, said by withholding the workers salaries due to the strike action in 2022 many families were thrown into what he termed indescribable hardships.

Mr Ajaero wrote: We join our affiliate unions, the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational (NASU) and Associated Institutions and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) in demanding the immediate payment of the withheld salaries of their members.

There has been no credible reason or explanation for withholding those salaries in the first place. We recall this singular act plunged the members into indescribable hardship. Much worse, it defies logic to try to subject members of these unions to discriminatory treatment. By so doing government is clearly courting avoidable industrial disputes.

He added that at a time when confidence is being restored to the public universities, the least the government could do is not engineer another strike.

The toll on all the parties will be unacceptably high, especially for students and parents who bear the burden of movement on our dangerous roads. In light of this, we urge the government to expeditiously pay up the outstanding. We advise the government to not take for granted the maturity of these unions, the statement added.

Backstory

In its notice of strike issued at the weekend, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the unions said it had exhausted all means within its power to ensure dialogue with the Nigerian government.

SSANU and NASU are protesting President Bola Tinubus directive for the payment of four months of withheld salaries for the academic staff of universities but with the withheld salaries of the non-academic staff left unpaid.

The administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari withheld the salaries of Nigerian university workers for an industrial action that crippled the universities for eight months in 2022.

Mr Buharis government invoked a No Work, No Pay policy against the unions that embarked on strike within the period. These unions include the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) whose four of eight months withheld salaries have now been paid by the new administration of Mr Tinubu.

Other unions are SSANU, NASU, and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

However, in October, President Bola Tinubu announced that his government would pay four months of the withheld salaries to members of ASUU. The announcement instantly raised concerns over the fate of the members of the other unions.

The National Vice President of SSANU, Abdussobur Salaam, told PREMIUM TIMES that the directive appeared to be selective in favour of a single union out of others whose members salaries were withheld.

He said the presidents directive if not reviewed to include SSANU and other unions could be a recipe for disaster as he threatened another round of strikes if SSANU members withheld salaries were not paid alongside that of ASUU.

Some weeks ago, the Nigerian government paid four months of the more than seven months salaries of the academics, leaving out the non-academic staff.

SSANU and NASU, therefore, wrote the government asking that its members should also be paid or they embark on another round of strike but their letters were not replied to as of Monday.

At its National Executive Council meeting last week, SSANU resolved to announce a one-week strike starting from Monday to press home the demand.

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The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, dismissed a suit filed by a former Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Ogunloye, alleging abuse of his fundamental rights and seeking to be shielded from investigation and prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The judge, Obiora Egwuatu, dismissed suit for lacking in merit and awarded a cost of N500,000 against him and in favour of the EFCC, the commission said in a statement capturing the courts judgement on Monday.

Suit

Mr Agunloye, 75, had, in the suit, sought an order of court against his invitation, interrogation and prosecution by the EFCC in connection with the alleged award of the controversial $6 billion hydropower contract in 2003 to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL).

He allegedly awarded the contract in his capacity as the Minister of Power and Steel during the administration of then-President Olusegun Obasanjo without the approval of the Federal Executive Council.

The charges also include receiving the sum of N3.6 million through his Guaranty Trust Bank account no.0022530926 from Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited (SPTCL) in 2019.

The former minister, in his suit, alleged that his invitation and interrogation was arbitrary, malicious, unconstitutional, unlawful and constitute a gross violation of his right to dignity of human person, personal liberty and freedom of movement.

He prayed the court to restrain the EFCC from arresting, detaining, harassing, further inviting, interrogating, or inviting in order to arrest and or detain him with respect to the award of contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.

EFCC opposed suit

However, counsel for the EFCC, Abba Muhammed, argued in opposition to the suit that the anti-graft agency was statutorily empowered by law to cause investigations to be conducted as to whether any person, corporate body or organisation has committed any economic and financial crime.

The EFCC counsel further argued that the commission was simply investigating the role the applicant played in the award of the Mambila Project to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company.

He also said Mr Agunloye curiously jumped the administrative bail granted to him by EFCC on self-recognition, which he backed with a voluntary undertaking to provide a surety on or before 19 May 2023.

The applicant refused to return to the office of the respondent on 19 May 2023, as undertaken by him, instead he vanished and later served the respondent with his application for enforcement of fundamental rights on the 22 June 2023 pending before this honorable court thereby seeking to be shielded from criminal investigation by this honorable court.

Judgement

Dismissing the suit on Monday, the judge held that Mr Agunloyes fundamental human right was not abridged as he claimed.

The judge held that the investigation conducted by the EFCC was in line the Nigerian constitution and provisions of the EFCC Act, 2004.

The judge also commended the EFCC for the civility with which it treated Mr Agunloye and advised him to stop evading criminal investigation of the Commission as there was no fundamental right against criminal investigation.

The EFCC is prosecuting Agunloye on seven-count charges, bordering on fraudulent award of contract and official corruption to the tune of $6billion.

He was arraigned on Wednesday, 10 January 2024 before a judge of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Apo, Abuja, J.O. Onwuegbuzie.

The EFCC is prosecuting Mr Agunloye, who served as a minister in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on carges of forgery, disobedience of presidential order and corruption stemming from the Mambilla power contract.

The EFCC accused the former minister of awarding a contract for the construction of 3,960MW Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Station on build, operate and transfer basis to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited without any budgetary provision, approval and cash backing.

The prosecution also alleged that it traced some suspicious payments made by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited to the former ministers accounts.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

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Troops of the Nigerian Army deployed to restore peace in Kaduna State have rescued 16 kidnap victims in the state.

Spokesperson of the army, Onyema Nwachukwu, a major general, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

He said the troops deployed in 1 Division area of responsibility averted a kidnap attempt by yet to be disclosed violent extremists and insurgent group and rescued the abductees in Tantatu Community of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Responding to actionable intelligence the troops on 17 March 2024 at about 10:30pm swiftly tracked the insurgents who had earlier attacked the community in numbers and abducted some of the villagers as hostages.

On arriving the scene of the incident, the troops tenaciously pursued the insurgents, engaging them in a ferocious exchange of fire and consequently rescuing 16 kidnapped victims. The troops are still exploiting the bushes in continuation of the search and rescue operations to extricate other victims and balk the nefarious activities of the insurgents, Mr Nwachukwu said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that some terrorists on Sunday returned to Kajuru and abducted over 100 people.

Last week Monday, at least 61 people were abducted at Budah in the same area.

Read Full statement below

NIGERIAN ARMY TROOPS RESCUE 16 KIDNAP VICTIMS IN KAJURU, KADUNA STATE

Nigerian Army troops deployed in 1 Division area of responsibility in Kaduna State have successfully averted a kidnap attempt by a violent extremist and insurgent group and rescued the abductees in Tantatu Community of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Responding to actionable intelligence the troops on 17 March 2024 at about 10:30pm swiftly tracked the insurgents who had earlier attacked the community in numbers and abducted some of the villagers as hostages. On arriving the scene of the incident, the troops tenaciously pursued the insurgents, engaging them in a ferocious exchange of fire and consequently rescuing 16 kidnapped victims. The troops are still exploiting the bushes in continuation of the search and rescue operations to extricate other victims and balk the nefarious activities of the insurgents.

The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja commended the troops for the successful rescue of the kidnap victims and charged them to remain vigilant as they conduct ongoing counter insurgency operations to liberate all troubled areas in the country.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU

Major General

Director Army Public Relations

18 March 2024

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The police in Rivers State, south-south Nigeria, have arrested a 16-year-old boy for allegedly raping his 11-year-old schoolmate.

The incident took place in the school premises at Rumukwurusi, Port Harcourt, on Friday, Punch newspaper reported.

Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson in the state, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect to Punch newspaper, said the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.

The outcome of the investigation would be made known subsequently, Mrs Iringe-Koko, a police superintendent said.

According to the newspaper, the suspects friends were watching the scene as he allegedly raped the survivor within the school premises before scaling the fence, apparently to escape punishment by the school management

He was, however, picked up by the school authorities.

I saw my daughter bleeding seriously  Mother

The girls mother has appealed to the Rivers State Government and the school management to ensure the suspect is brought to justice.

The mother, who is said to be a widow, made the appeal while appearing on a radio station in Port Harcourt.

Recounting how she got wind of the incident, the woman said she got a call from the school, inviting her to come over, that there was an emergency.

I had to rush to the school. When I got there, I saw my daughter bleeding seriously. The bleeding was too much.

I had to secure my daughter first by bringing her to the hospital while the boy was still in the school custody. They said they would hold the boy for me. The doctors have not said anything yet. They are just taking care of her at the moment, but the situation is still like that, no improvement and the money is expensive.

The school should provide the boy that did that thing and I want justice for my daughter. Im a widow and I dont have anybody. It is just me and my children. They should provide the boy.

He should not go free at all because maybe he has been doing it to other people, but he will not go free this time. And I want people to help me.

Other rape cases

There has been a surge in reported rape cases in the oil-rich Rivers State.

In July last year, Punch newspaper reported how a nightclub bouncer was arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl at a location in Okija Street, Port Harcourt.

The suspect is said to have sent the girl to buy a recharge card for him. And upon her return, he asked her to bring it inside his room. He locked up the room and increased the volume of music playing from his radio set, and then went on to rape her.

Barely than two months ago, a police officer, simply identified as Emmanuel, was arrested for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in his office at Bori Area command in Khana Local Government Area of the state.

The girls guardian told reporters that she sent the victim on an errand only for her return the next day, and upon interrogation, confessed that the police operative raped her in his office till daybreak.

The victim told her guardian that she kept mute because the operative threatened to shoot her if she shouted.

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The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Anambra State has demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of a police operative in the state for alleged illegal arrest and detention of a medical doctor who asked to be paid for treating the operative.

The NMA, in a statement on Sunday signed by its Chairperson, Jane Ezeonu, said the medical doctor, Ofodile Ekweogwu, a consultant neurosurgeon, treated the police operative, Stephen Okona, at a private hospital in Nnewi in the state.

Ms Ezeonu, also a medical doctor, said Mr Okona, a police corporal, was treated after he sustained a head injury from a road accident in January and subsequently discharged after his full recovery.

The NMA chairperson said after the operative was given his medical bill, he asked for a discount which was granted, but he absconded from the hospital by scaling the perimeter fence.

He later returned, paid part of the bills, and was allowed home on self-recognition to complete the balance afterwards, she said.

She said rather than pay the balance, Mr Okona who is from the Nigeria Police Area Command Nnewi, resorted to the use of intimidation to avoid paying his bill.

Firstly, he came with armed policemen to the consulting room of Dr Ekweogwu in February 2024, to summon him without an official invitation to Nnewi Area Command of Nigeria Police Force.

The Area Commander on learning about the case, admonished Corporal Okona and asked him to pay his outstanding bills for medical services given to him.

Still not satisfied, on Saturday 16 March 2024, Corporal Okona, in connivance with four armed policemen from Anambra State Criminal Investigation Department of the police, trailed Dr Ekweogwu as he was leaving his clinic in Nnewi in the afternoon, blocked him with a (private) Toyota SUV, grabbed him and whisked him away in the boot of the vehicle. This is without prior invitation, she said.

Ms Ezeonu said while being driven for over three hours, Mr Ekweogwu was repeatedly threatened to settle with Mr Okona before they would arrive at the SCID office in Awka, but the medical doctor refused.

The NMA chief said Mr Ekweogwu was made to write a statement in response to a document of a petition he was shown at the SCID before they drove him back to the hospital in Nnewi to obtain documentary evidence of the treatment rendered to the operative by Mr Ekweogwu.

She said the operatives were given unrestrained access to all they asked for at the hospital and subsequently asked the Medical Director of the hospital, Evaristus Afiadigwe, a professor, to honour an invitation within three days at their office.

The operatives, she added, refused to release Mr Ekweogwu on self-recognition and insisted that they would return to their office with Mr Ekweogwu to detain him.

Following frantic calls from various leaders of our association who came to the hospital, the men reluctantly released Dr Ekweogwu late into the night at the hospital in Nnewi to the NMA leaders, on the order of the Commissioner of Police (in) Anambra State, who was eventually reached about the incident.

Before leaving, after releasing Dr Ekweogwu, Corporal Okona threatened Dr Ekweogwu verbally that he will use other means to get back at him if the matter isnt handled to his satisfaction by Nigerian police, Ms Ezeonu alleged.

The NMA chairperson regretted that the only crime of Mr Ekweogwu was treating the police operative to full recovery, requesting payment after granting a discount and allowing him to go home on self-recognition to complete payment afterwards.

Prosecution

Ms Ezeonu said the NMA in the state has condemned the alleged kidnap, torture, attempted extortion, mental assault and threat to life of Mr Ekweogwu.

We demand the immediate arrest, suspension, speedy investigation, trial and appropriate sanctioning of the culprit and his collaborators policemen who carried out this dastardly act, which has brought grave disrepute to the image of the Nigeria Police Force, she said.

Police speak

Contacted on Tuesday morning, the police spokesperson in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Aderemi Adeoye, had directed that Mr Ekweogwu should make a statement based on a petition before the police and be granted bail.

Meanwhile, the case is still under investigation, the police spokesperson added.

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The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said those responsible for the killing of 17 military personnel at Okuama community in Delta State are not residents of the Niger Delta communities.

Mr Akpabio stated this during plenary on Tuesday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the soldiers were killed in an attack in Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, last Thursday.

Military authorities earlier said they were killed while on a mission to maintain peace between two warring communities  Okuama and Okoloba in the state.

On Monday, the Nigerian Army released the names and photos of the 17 slain soldiers.

During Tuesdays plenary, Abdulaziz Yaradua (APC, Katsina Central), presented a motion on the killing, calling for a proper investigation and identification of the culprits.

Mr Yaradua, chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, also called for collaboration between the Nigerian military and the Nigerian police to prevent such occurrences in future.

Many of the senators condemned the killing and supported the motion when it was put to debate.

Mr Akpabio, who hails from Akwa Ibom State in the Niger Delta region, in his contribution, maintained that the culprits may not be residents of the region.

He urged his colleagues not to conclude that the attackers are people of the Niger Delta communities.

See, I dont want you to conclude. I do not believe that these people are from Niger Delta, those who do the killings because we respect men and women in uniform. That is why I am saying that your additional prayer should actually be to carry out a thorough investigation to know whether these people are mercenaries from outside Niger Delta who came to commit this crime because I dont think these people are Niger Deltans.

We are not at war to lose such a large number of personnel. No community will go to the extent of doing this kind of thing. I dont think they are from Niger Delta.

So, I think the first point is that we should first establish the culprits who committed these crimes. We must take this seriously. Supposing they are not from Niger Delta, supposing they are not even Nigerians and we now come and be giving relief materials topeople should bear their consequences of their characters, we will not support relief materials, Mr Akpabio said.

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The Senate on Tuesday mandated its Committees on Army, Defence, Air Force and Navy to unravel the circumstances surrounding the killings of 17 soldiers in Okuama community of Delta State.

It also called on the federal government to ensure that those responsible for the heinous crime are identified, apprehended and prosecuted.

The upper chamber, however, refused to observe a minute of silence in honour of those whose lives were lost in the attack on the ground that the investigation is still ongoing.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the resolutions after a majority of the senators supported them through voice votes during the plenary.

The resolution was a sequel to a motion sponsored by Abdulaziz Yaradua (APC, Katsina Central).

Military authorities earlier said the slain soldiers were killed last Thursday while on a mission to maintain peace between two warring communities: Okuama in Bomadi Local Government Area and Okoloba in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Mr Yaradua, who is also the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Army, while presenting his motion, called for an urgent investigation into the killing.

He described the killing as a threat to the national security and stability of the country.

The recent tragic incident in Okuama Community, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State, on Thursday, 14th March 2024, resulting in the loss of a Commanding Officer, 2 Majors, a Captain, and 12 soldiers during a peace mission, highlights a serious threat to national security and stability of the nation.

Troops of 181 Amphibious Battalion, while on a peace mission to Okuoma community in Bomadi LGA of Delta State were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday, 14 March 2024. The unfortunate incident occurred when the troops responded to a distress call after the communal crisis between the Okuama and Okoloba communities both in Delta State

The tragic incident involving the attack on military personnel from the 181 Amphibious Battalion during a peace mission to the Okuama community in Delta State underscores the urgent need for justice and accountability without resorting to retribution he said.

Mr Yaradua said he is worried that the understaffing of the Nigeria Police has made Nigerias military take over internal policing duties such as organised crime, oil theft, communal crisis, kidnapping, banditry and other policing responsibilities.

He, therefore, called on the federal government to ensure that the culprits are identified and prosecuted through a fair and transparent legal process.

Edeh Dafinone (APC, Delta Central), who seconded the motion, consoled the Nigerian military command and the families of the slain soldiers over the unfortunate incident.

The senator proposed the distribution of relief materials to residents of the affected communities and the observation of a minute of silence in honour of the deceased.

Contributions

Majority of the senators who contributed to the motion supported it.

The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibirin, condemned the incident, describing it as inhuman.

It is inhuman and it is something that cannot be accepted. We need to commiserate with the Nigerian Armed Forces and indeed the entire nation, he said.

Mr Jibrin condoled with the families of the slain soldiers and the entire Nigerian military.

It should be condemned, what happened is inhuman and no stone should be left unturned in trying to find out the culprits who are responsible and they must face justice and this should never happen again in this country, he said.

The immediate past Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, stressed the importance of support to the Nigerian military.

Mr Lawan, the senator representing Yobe North, maintained that the attack was targeted on the military officers.

What happened in Delta was not an accident but well-orchestrated to kill our men, he said.

Mr Lawan called on the executive and the legislature to ensure better welfare for the military.

Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), also condemned the killing and called on the Senate to interrogate the killing.

Let us direct the appropriate committee to go into this matter and then give us a full report; lets know what really happened, Mr Dickson said.

Responding, Mr Akpabio condemned the killing and said the entire Senate was concerned.

We condemn this dastardly act. It portends danger for the entire society. Every single culprit involved must be brought out to face the full wrath of the law. This is not acceptable in any sane society in the world, he said.

The senate president, while responding to an amendment to the motion, said the killer of the soldiers may not be from the Niger Delta region.

See, I dont want you to conclude. I do not believe that these people are from Niger Delta, those who do the killings because we respect men and women in uniform. That is why I am saying that your additional prayer should actually be to carry out a thorough investigation to know whether these people are mercenaries from outside Niger Delta who came to commit this crime because I dont think these people are Niger Deltans.

We are not at war to lose such a large number of personnel. No community will go to the extent of doing this kind of thing. I dont think they are from Niger Delta.

So, I think the first point is that we should first establish the culprits who committed these crimes. We must take this seriously. Supposing they are not from Niger Delta, supposing they are not even Nigerians and we now come and be giving relief materials topeople should bear the consequences of their characters, we will not support relief materials, he said.

The senate president subsequently rejected the proposal to observe a one-minute silence for the slain soldiers and distribute relief materials to the affected communities because an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

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President Bola Tinubu has sent a bill seeking to amend the salaries of judicial officers to the House of Representatives for consideration.

This was contained in a correspondence from the president to the House read by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen during plenary on Tuesday.

The Executive Bill is titled: A Bill for an Act to prescribe the salaries, allowances and fringe benefits of judicial office holders in Nigeria and for related matters.

In the letter dated 19 March, Mr Tinubu solicited accelerated consideration and passage of the bill.

He said: In accordance with the provisions of Section 58(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended), I forward, herewith, the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc) Bill, 2024 for the kind consideration of the House of Representatives.

The Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, Etc) Bill, 2024 seeks to prescribe salaries, allowances and fringe benefits for Judicial Officers, to end the prolonged stagnation in their remuneration and to reflect contemporary socio-economic realities.

The Bill, which establishes a new legal framework for the remuneration of Judicial Officers, will also ensure significant improvement in the welfare, capacity and independence of the Judiciary.

Whilst I hope that the Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc.) Bill, 2024 will be carefully yet expeditiously considered and passed by the House of Representatives, please accept, Rt. Hon. Speaker, the assurances of my highest esteem.

The judiciary has a budget of N342 billion in the 2024 budget, the highest ever.

Reps pass N1.2 trillion FCT 2024 budget, okay borrowing of N500 billion

Meanwhile, the House also passed the N1.2 trillion FCT 2024 Appropriation Bill

Consequently, the lawmakers approved the N500 billion loan request contained in the budget proposal.

The approval followed the adoption of the report submitted by the Chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Muktar Betara, (APC, Borno) on Tuesday.

President Tinubu had last week forwarded the N1.1 trillion budget to the National Assembly for approval. The government proposed to borrow N500 billion from commercial banks to fund the budget.

On Monday, the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, appeared before the committee to defend the proposal.

The approval is coming less than 24 hours after Mr Wike defended the document before the lawmakers.

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Poland and Germany will launch a coalition of "armored capabilities" for Ukrainian forces on March 26, Polish Defense Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

"On March 26, we will activate the coalition of armored capabilities for Ukraine. From July we will be on duty together as part of the EU rapid reaction force - this is the result of our cooperation with Germany, which I spoke about today with Minister Boris Pistorius. Together for the sake of security," the Polish Defense Minister wrote on the social network X.
In 1975 Brigadier General Murtala Mohammed GCFR (8 November 1938  13 February 1976), he was at that time a brigadier, approached Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams SAN (16 December 1920  26 March 2005) to be the chairman of the 50-man Constitutional Drafting Committee. Chief Williams told Brigadier Murtala Mohammed that he would accept the job on two conditions, among which is that Professor Benjamin Obi Nwabueze (22 December 1931-29 October, 2023) from Atani in Anambra state must be a member of the committee. Chief Williams told me this story himself when I covered proceedings of the committee which were usually held in his residence in Ilupeju, Lagos. I asked why he insisted on his friend, Professor Nwabueze to be a member of the committee; his reply was who else but Ben.

Eventually, Professor Ben Nwabueze was appointed a member of the 50 man committee. The committee was inaugurated on October 18, 1975 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, then headed by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi(82), from Ilesha, Osun state, who later became the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister under General Ibrahim Babangida GCFR.

The committee was inaugurated before General Murtala Mohammed was assassinated on February 13, 1976. The Secretary of the committee was Alhaji Gidado Idris, who was then the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture in Kaduna state. He later became secretary to the Constituent Assembly and later Secretary to the Government of the Federation under General Sani Abacha GCFR (20 September 1943  8 June 1998).

At the Constitution Drafting committee, Alhaji Gidado Idris was assisted by Mr. R.C. O. Nwokedi, Senior Assistant Secretary, Cabinet Office, Lagos, Mrs O.O. Onajide, then Head of News and Current Affairs Mid-West Television, Mr. A. Obilade, Lecturer in Law, University of Lagos and Dr. O.A. Obozuwa, former Lecturer in Law, Lagos State University and a Commissioner, Public Service Commission, Bendel State.

Other supporting staff of the committee by then were Mr. E. Omofuma, Mr. O. Ogunade, Mr. J.O. Oyefeso, Mrs A. T. Kole, Mrs M.M. Wuraola, Mr. J.E. Ikebude, Mr. R.O. Akpabio, Mrs J.O. Adeyemi-Wilson, Mrs V.O. Odunuga, Mrs M.M. Albert, Mrs P.C. Adiele, Mr. A. O. Iyiola, Mr. E.O. Ajiboye, Mrs. J.T. Okechukwu, Mr. E.I. Ojogwu, Miss A.E. Anwana, Mr. J. A. Adesanwo, Mr. Ben Enahoro, Mr. N. Orekan and Mr. P. Nwajei.

After the inauguration of the committee, Professor Nwabueze was made a member of the Legal Drafting subcommittee headed by Chief Rotimi Williams. Other members of the subcommittee at that time were Chief Richard Osuolale Abimbola Akinjide SAN(4 November 1930- 21 April 2020), who later became the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation in 1979, Alhaji Olufemi Lateeef Okunnu(91), former Minister of Works, Dr. Tajudeen Olawale Ayinla Idris(June 6, 1940- August 30, 2018), who later became Commissioner for Education under Governor Lateef Kayode Jakande and Chief James Ajibola Idowu Ige, SAN(13 September, 1930  23 December, 2001) who was elected the governor of Oyo state, 1979-1983 and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, 2000-2001.

The rest members of the committee were Justice Muhammadu Buba Ardo(1930- October 5, 1991) from Fufore, Yola in Adamawa state, former Chief Justice of North Eastern state (1975-1976), Justice of the Supreme Court(1978-1979), Mr. S.M. Liberty, Attorney General of Borno state and Mr. Kanmi Ishola Osobu from Ilesha in Osun state.

Mr Osobu was educated at the famous Ilesha Grammar School before proceeding to University of London. Before his death in 1995, he had a flourishing bar practice in Lagos of which many lawyers including Wole Obayomi, currently a partner and Head of Tax, Regulatory and Peoples Service (TRPS) Practice of KPMG and Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika SAN, passed through. Till he died in Ibadan, myself, Toye Akiyode, Yinka Guedon, Gboyega Amoboye (THE GOVERNOR), Femi Ogunleye(now the Towulade of Akinale in Ogun state), Labake Adebiyi alias EVERYTHING LABAKUS, Jimi Aderinokun, Dapo Aderinola, Tunde Fagbenle and other journalists were associated with him. Egbon Kanmi Ishola Osobu alias PEOPLES LAWYER, a human right activist was also closely associated with Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

The last member of the subcommittee was Alhaji Abdulganiyu Folorunsho Abdulrazak (November 13, 1927  July 25, 2020) from Ilorin. He was the first lawyer from the northern Nigeria and the father to the present governor of Kwara state, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Professor Ben Nwabueze married Rose Achike in December 1961,with three sons and three daughters. He had his education at the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London, England, 1956-1961, lecturer, later senior lecturer, University of Lagos, 1962-1965, senior lecturer, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 1965-1967, acting dean, University of Nigeria, Usukka,1967-1970, Professor, School of Law, University of Zambia, 1970-1976, also dean, School of Law, 1971-1976, joined United Bank for Africa, Lagos and awarded Nigerian National Merit Award in 1980.

In January 1993, under the Transitional Council, then headed by Chief Ernest Adegunle Oladeinde Shonekan (GCFR, 9 May 1936  11 January 2022), he was Secretary (Minister) of Education and Youth Development). In October 2013, Professor Nwabueze was appointed into the National Conference Advisory committee but withdrew on health grounds. He was replaced by Mr. Solomon Asemota, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Christian Social Movement of Nigeria as well as Coordinator of the Ethnic Nationalities Movement (ENM).

Atani, his hometown, is the headquarters of Ogbaru Local Government in Anambra state. Atani is also the hometown of my favourite musician, Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe(March 17, 1936- May 11, 2007).

In 2004, I was in Atani when my friend, Chief Chris Nwabueze Ngige (71) from Alor in Idemili South Local Government of Anambra state, was the Governor of Anambra state. A very quiet town.

Professor Ben Nwabueze was later made the chairman of the sub-committee on National Objectives and Public Accountability of the Constitution Drafting Committee. Other members of the committee were Kanmi Ishola Osobu and Professor Emmanuel Uwamagbuhunmwun Emovon (February 24, 1929  February 20, 2020) from Benin city, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, who later became the Minister of Science and Technology under General Ibrahim Babangida (GCFR). The rest members were Dr. A.Y. Aliyu, lecturer Public Administration, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Chief Paul Wanteregh Unongo (September 26, 1937 to November 29, 2022) from Jato Aka in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue state, who later became Minister of Power and Steel under President Shehu Shagari GCFR and Alhaji Ibrahim Imam (1916  April 1980) a Kanuri politician from Borno, who was the secretary of the Northern Peoples Congress and later became a patron of the Borno Youth Movement. He was elected into the Northern House of Assembly in 1961, representing a Tiv district. Prior to his election in 1961, he had represented his district of Yerwa in 1951 after supporting a strike of Native Administration workers.

It was in this subcommittee that Professor Nwabueze served his country best. His footprints are all over in the 1979 Constitution.

Professor Nwabueze subcommittees main objectives were (1) to consider and make recommendations on the desirability of embodying National Objectives and Directive Principles in the Nigerian Constitution (2) to suggest what such principles and objectives should be (3) to consider and make recommendations regarding constitutional arrangements to ensure observance of and conformity to such principles and objectives including the procedure to amend this part of the Constitution and (4) to examine and make recommendations on institutional and other arrangements to prevent corruption and abuse of power on the part of all persons holding public offices or exercising power (be it executive, legislative or judicial).

The committees recommendations were that the Federal Republic of Nigeria is one, indivisible and indissoluble, sovereign state based on the principles of democracy and social justice and accordingly, (a) Sovereignty belongs to the people from whom government, through this constitution derives all its powers and authorities; (b) the welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government; (c) Government shall be responsible and accountable to the people; (d) participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this constitution; (e) the press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this constitution and to ensure and facilitate the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people; (f) the state shall not adopt any religion as the state religion but the freedom of every individual to preach, to teach and to practice the religion of his choice shall be respected and protected.

It was Professor Nwabuezes subcommittee that recommended the fifteen codes which a public officer must adhere to. If those codes had been enforced, I am sure this country would have been a better place. The codes were a leader shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his responsibilities as a leader, or which enables him to explore others; without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph, a leader shall not (a) hold more one public office (b) engage in any private, trade or profession (c) receive any remuneration, gain or profit other than the emolument payable to him in respect of the specified office held by him. 4. A leader shall not, after his retirement from public service and while receiving pension from public funds, accept a remunerative position as chairman, director or employee of a public company or receive any other remuneration from public funds in addition to his pension.

Notwithstanding anything in paragraphs 3 and 4, a leader shall entitled to earn, in addition to his emoluments as a leader (a) interest on money deposited in a bank, building society or other financial institutions; (b) dividends or other profits from stocks or shares held by him in any registered company; (c) interest on Government stock; (d) gains or advantage derived through personal labour on land owned or occupied by him. 6. No person shall own or occupy more than one plot of State land throughout the country. Any person who at the coming into force of this Code owns or occupies more than one plot of State land shall sell the excess over one plot to the State. The price(a) as regards the ground shall be at a rate at which allocations of State land in the area in which the plot is located are made by the Government at the time of sale; (b) as regards any building erected on the plot, shall be such as may be agreed or determined by the court in default of agreement.

A leader shall not ask for nor accept any property or benefit of any kind for himself or any other person on account of anything done, to be done or omitted to be done by him in the discharge of his duties, nor accept gifts of whatever nature other than from relatives and personal friends.

A leader who holds a position as President or Vice-President of the Republic, minister, permanent secretary or head of any public corporation, university, or other parastatal organization shall not accept. (a) a loan except from a bank, building society or other financial institution; (b) any benefit of whatever nature from any company, contractor, business or their nominee or agent.

No person shall offer to leader any property, gift or benefit of any kind as an inducement or bribe for the granting of any favour or the discharge in his favour of the leaders duties; a leader shall not do or direct to be done in abusive of his office, any arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of any other person; a leader shall not put to his personal advantage or to the advantage of any other person materially or otherwise any information acquired by him during his term of office as a leader; a leader shall not be a member of, belong to, or take part in the organisation or management of the Ogboni or owegbe societies or any other secret society of a similar nature.

Every leader shall, (a) within three months after the coming into force of the code or after taking office, as the case may be, (b) at the end of each year (c) at the end of his term of office, submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau of the Government which employs him, a written declaration of all property or assets owned by, or liabilities owed to, him, his spouse or unmarried children under the age of twenty-one; any false information in such declarations shall be deemed to be breached of this code; any property or asset acquired by a leader after the initial declaration required by paragraph 13 (1) (a) above and which is not fairly attributable to income, gift, or loan approved in this Code shall be deemed to have been acquired in breach of this Code unless the contrary is proved.

An allegation that a leader has committed a breach of or has not complied with the provisions of this Code shall be made to the Code of Conduct Bureau, which shall, unless the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, cause the matter to be heard and determined by the tribunal referred to in Article of the Constitution.

A leader who does any act prohibited by his Code through a nominee, trustee, or other agent shall be deemed ipso facto to have committed a breach of this Code.

By virtue of his being the Chairman of the subcommittee, Professor Nwabueze automatically became a member of the Constituent Assembly. Other chairmen of subcommittees that became automatic members of the Constituent Assembly were Alhaji A.G.F. Abdul-Rasaq (sub-committee on the executive and the legislature, Alhaji Nuhu Bamali (sub-committee on the judicial system), Dr. Pius Okigbo (sub-committee on economy, finance and division of powers), Alhaji Aminu Kano (sub-committee on citizenship, citizenship rights, fundamental rights, political parties and electoral laws, Dr. Obi Wali (sub-committee on the public service including the Armed Forces and the Police) and Chief F.R.A. Williams (Legal Drafting sub-committee).

On 1 November, 1977, Professor Nwabueze was appointed the chairman of the business of the Constituent Assembly. Other members of the business committee were Alhaji Abdul Razak, Dr Pius Okigbo, Chief Olu Awotesu, Dr KO Mbadiwe, Chief Samuel O. Mbakwe, Mr. D.G. Vembeh, Chief Frank N. Inok, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Shehu Malami, Dr, Iya Abubakar, Dr. Mudiaga Odje and Dr. F.O. Nwator.

From October 6, 1977, when the then Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, inaugurated the Constituent Assembly, till the assembly adjourned sine die in March 1978, Professor Nwabueze sat next to Chief Rotimi Williams. The two were inseparable. In spite of his later years pronouncements on political issues, Professor Nwabueze, should be judged on the preamble of the report of the sub-committee on National Objectives and Public Accountability of the Constitutional Drafting Committee which he co-authored in 1975. That preamble was his legacy. The preamble defined Professor Nwabueze.

In the preamble, he wrote Government in Nigeria, as indeed in other developing countries, has tended to be pre-occupied with power and its material perquisites. Given the countrys conditions of under-development, power offers the opportunity of a lifetime to rise above the general poverty and squalor that pervades the entire society. It provides a rare opportunity to acquire wealth and prestige, to be able to distribute benefits in the form of jobs, contracts, scholarships and gifts of money and so on to oness relatives, and political allies. Such is the pre-occupation with power and its material benefits that political ideologies as to how society can be organized and ruled to the best advantage of all hardly enter into the calculation.

Perhaps the Constitution is in part to blame for this. The Constitution in Commonwealth Africa speaks only in terms of power and of rights, but never of duties. The latter are taken for granted. The Constitution assumes that those who wield the power of the state will be conscious of, and responsive to, its obligations and responsibilities. And so it says nothing of the duties of the government towards its subjects. Our experiences have shown this to be a wrong approach to constitution-making. As a charter of government and the fundamental law of the land, the Constitution should make it clear that powers are bestowed upon the organs and institutions of government, not for the personal aggrandisement of those who wield them from time to time, but for the welfare and advancement of the society as a whole. It should therefore cast on the State definite duties towards its subjects

A constitution should indeed do more. It should proclaim the principle on which the State is organised and spell out the ideals and objectives of the social order. Every Constitution is set and operates in the context of certain organising ideas but these are often left unexpressed. Again this approach to constitution-making is out-dated. A Constitution should not be simply a code of justiciable rules and regulations; it is a charter of government, a government involves relations and concepts that are not amenable to the test of justiciability.

The objectives may be in the nature of immediate, specific policy goals or of long-term ideals. The former are not likely to excite controversy; they are the things Nigerians except their government to secure for themfood, clothing, water, medical facilities, education, etc. Spelling them out in the Constitution provides a yardstick for judging the performance of any government. It invests them with the quality of a constitutional directive to the organs of the state to inform and guide their actions by reference to the declared principles. It would also serve as reminder to government functionaries that their position is one of trust involving powers as well as duties.

The latter imply ideology. Ideology arouses a certain mysticism and suspicion amongst us. Yet every new nation has a special need of a nationally accepted ideology. For unless the goals and the fundamental attitudes and values that should inform the behaviour of its members and institutions are clearly stated and accepted, a new nation is likely to find itself rudderless, with no sense of purpose and direction. By defining the goals of society and prescribing the institutional forms and procedures for pursuing them, ideology seeks to direct and concert the efforts of actions of the people towards the achievement of those goals. In this way it seeks to unite the society into one nation bound together by common attitudes and values, common institutions and procedures, and above all an acceptance of common social objectives and destiny.

The need for an ideology in Nigeria is all the greater because of the heterogeneity of the society, the increasing gap between the rich and the poor, the growing cleavage between the social groupings, all of which combine to confuse the nation and bedevil the concerted march to orderly progress. Only an explicit ideology which clearly sets the parameters of government and informs its policies and actions can generate a spirit of co-operation, peace and unity.

If the national ideology is enshrined in the Constitution, then this may make it appear less of a political slogan, investing it with the quality of a constitutional, albeit non-justiciable norm, and thereby making it easier for political leaders, and even judges, to establish and show the desired identification with it.

It may be argued that the aspirations, goals and values of a society are not unchanging for all times; they may not even be a true reflection of current values but only what the present generation of leaders believe them to be or think they should be; to enshrine them in the Constitution would therefore be an imposition, and would create a false and unwarranted image of popular acceptance. These sentiments might equally serve as argument for not having a Constitution at all. Whilst unquestionably values are relative to time and place, every society should attempt to formulate the values that are relevant to its time and place; their embodiment in the Constitution does not entitle them to any more immutability than the frame of government instituted in the Constitution. The important thing is that the values and objectives declared should be the really fundamental ones widely shared in the community, and not the sectional objectives and goals of particular social and economic policies of a ruling party.

It cannot be disputed that the ideology that is most relevant to our society today and one that is accepted by most Nigerians is that of socialism operating within the framework of a participatory democracy and the ideals of liberty, equality and justice. It is the only effective answer to the conditions of under-development, inequality and exploitation that exist in the country. The long-term objectives of socialism in Nigeria should be to place in the hands of the State and people the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution.

Professor Obiefuna Benjamin Nwabueze served his country the best way he could.

Eric Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.

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Africapitalism and Development Commercial Banking hold a lot of prospects for Africas development. But beyond commercial banking, Africapitalism can also inform and shape other businesses and sectors. While it is a good idea to rethink and reform commercial banking for Africas development, it is more critical to ensure Africapitalism is well embedded in our educational system  an area of interest I have been championing through research and policy advice.

Professor Benedict Oramahs recent articulation of Development Commercial Banking is very compelling. According to him, Development Commercial Banking is  a careful blend of investment banking and commercial banking aimed at delivering three outcomes, namely positive socioeconomic impact to society, as well as solid financial returns and goodwill to the bank.

Professor Oramah is the president and chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank  an important African financial institution. His statement on Development Commercial Banking is weighty, strategic, and timely, and I will tell you why!

Over the years, I have spent some time intellectualising the role of business, particularly banking, in Africa. Initially, it started with an interest in Corporate Social Responsibility. In 2006, together with colleagues, I published one of the first academic papers on CSR in Nigeria, exploring if the practice was driven by indigenous values or an expression of Western mimicry. Although we concluded that the then CSR in Nigeria, which was largely philanthropic, was informed by indigenous values, it also showed some Western influences.

But CSR is beyond philanthropy. Businesses  both small and big  create impacts on society and the environment. These impacts can be negative or positive. In developing countries and emerging markets, the state (i.e. the government) often struggles to govern and control the excesses of businesses. In such situations, the government needs to be supported.

Uncomfortable with the then-predominant understanding of CSR in Nigeria as mainly philanthropy, I again worked with colleagues to position CSR as a private governance of corporate externalities (i.e. positive and negative impacts of organisations on society and the environment), which requires some entrepreneurial efforts and innovation. The book on this, titled Corporate Social Responsibility, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, was published in 2012  six years afterwards  by Routledge, USA.

These milestones are important to highlight because the challenge of mainstreaming CSR as a legitimate business discourse stood out for me in that era. No one seemed to take CSR seriously. Even the holistic view of CSR as private corporate governance was hard to sell in an environment in which taking advantage of regulatory shortcomings, loopholes, and institutional weaknesses was celebrated as strategic and innovative business moves.

The problem here is not necessarily the spirit of capitalism as the harbinger of human freedom and economic emancipation, but the inherited form of capitalism practised in Africa, which is often at variance with the continents socio-economic development. This misalignment invariably creates lopsided outcomes  e.g. economic banditry, corruption, inequality, poverty, et cetera  which Oramahs Developmental Commercial Banking will seek to address in Africa.

A light bulb moment for me was when Tony Elumelu coined Africapitalism and saw it as a possible way to articulate the private sectors positive role in Africas development. When I came across the idea in 2013, it captivated me.

First, it resonated with my bourgeoning research interest in the broad area of business and society in Africa. Second, I was very impressed that a hard-nosed, successful entrepreneur like Mr Elumelu could key into such a society-oriented interpretation of entrepreneurship, which was still largely ignored in Africa. This fortuitous discovery led me to write a piece on Africapitalism as an economic philosophy for the sustainable development of Africa in The Guardian (UK). And the rest is now history.

Following subsequent interactions with Mr Elumelu on Africapitalism, his foundation  The Tony Elumelu Foundation  funded a research project on mainstreaming Africapitalism in the global academe at the University of Edinburgh, which I led. The research produced an academic peer-reviewed journal article and books published by Cambridge University Press  the first of its kind on Africapitalism  and Routledge publishers, respectively. It also expanded Mr Elumelus articulation and produced a much more nuanced understanding of Africapitalism, emphasising progress, parity, peace, and place as essential characteristics of a fit-for-purpose-capitalism.

As an idea, Africapitalism is an imaginative articulation of a possible face of capitalism in Africa, which could be extended to other parts of the world. It is a discourse to galvanise a movement which will ultimately change the practice of capitalism in Africa. Positioned as such, Africapitalism becomes an aspiration for Africas renaissance  i.e. a force for change. It challenges the status quo  i.e. capitalism in Africa  which has not transformed Africa.

The problem here is not necessarily the spirit of capitalism as the harbinger of human freedom and economic emancipation, but the inherited form of capitalism practised in Africa, which is often at variance with the continents socio-economic development. This misalignment invariably creates lopsided outcomes  e.g. economic banditry, corruption, inequality, poverty, et cetera  which Oramahs Developmental Commercial Banking will seek to address in Africa.

Putting Africa first is at the heart of Africapitalism. It is an understanding of Africa primarily as a place (not necessarily a market) with meaning and value to peoples identities. It is a form of entrepreneurship that seeks to meet Africa where the continent is on in its development path. Again, this view resonates well with Professor Oramahs Developmental Commercial Banking idea.

Today, Africapitalism is making its way, albeit gradually, into the global academe. However, the question remains: how can Africapitalism, as a discourse, be translated into practice? This is where Professor Oramahs Developmental Commercial Banking idea comes in. However, the idea needs a strong and coherent economic and business philosophy, which Africapitalism provides.

By drawing attention to the importance of place in capitalism, Africapitalism also draws attention to the need to appreciate capitalism fundamentally as an indigenous practice rooted in and influenced by place, as much as capitalism, in turn, influences place. This understanding speaks to Professor Oramahs antagonism of the negative colonial influences on commercial banking in Africa. No wonder he argues that a widespread adoption of Developmental commercial banking practices across Africa will enable the continent to move away from the colonial legacy of commercial banking practice that emphasises short-termism and consumption, instead of, investment financing.

Today, Africapitalism is making its way, albeit gradually, into the global academe. However, the question remains: how can Africapitalism, as a discourse, be translated into practice? This is where Professor Oramahs Developmental Commercial Banking idea comes in. However, the idea needs a strong and coherent economic and business philosophy, which Africapitalism provides.

It is pleasing to notice that Professor Oramah also sees the relevance of integrating our educational system in his vision for the development and mainstreaming of Developmental Commercial Banking in Africa. Hence, his proposal for Afreximbank Academy (AFRACAD) to work with Wigwe University and perhaps the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) in Harare and others to develop a course content and programme that would enable the introduction of Developmental Commercial Banking in African Universities.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is also keen to mainstream Africapitalism in the academe. Recently, Harvard Business School published a case study on the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) with emphasis on Africapitalism.

Africapitalism and Development Commercial Banking hold a lot of prospects for Africas development. But beyond commercial banking, Africapitalism can also inform and shape other businesses and sectors. While it is a good idea to rethink and reform commercial banking for Africas development, it is more critical to ensure Africapitalism is well embedded in our educational system  an area of interest I have been championing through research and policy advice.

Mr Elumelu and Professor Oramah are Africonscious entrepreneurs who should collaborate to achieve their mutually compatible goals. In turn, they should be emulated and supported to succeed.

Kenneth Amaeshi is currently a professor of sustainable finance at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy. He also holds a chair in business and sustainable development at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He tweets @kenamaeshi and can be reached at kenneth.amaeshi@eui.eu

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What was the peace mission all about? Who authorised the deployment of troops and under what circumstances? How did the youths of Okuama get the sophisticated weapons with which they waged war against Nigerian soldiers? Why is it that the soldiers could not defend themselves? How equipped were they, even on a peace mission, military work requires an advance knowledge of the threat situation at a chosen destination or is that not so? And how on earth did soldiers become involved in a land dispute?

The casualties are not only those who are dead/They are well out of it/The casualties are not only those who are dead/Though they await burial by installment/The casualties are not only those who are lost/Persons or property, hard as it is/To grope for a touch that some/May not know is not there/The casualties are not only those led away by night/The cell is a cruel place, sometimes a haven/Nowhere as absolute as the grave/The casualties are not only those who started/A fire and now cannot put out/Thousands/Are burning that have no say in the matter/The casualties are not only those who are escaping/The shattered shall become prisoners in/A fortress of falling walls/The casualties are many and a good member as well/Outside the scenes of ravage and wreck/They are the emissaries of rift/So smug in smoke-rooms they haunt abroad/They do not see the funeral piles/At home eating up the forests/They are wandering minstrels who, beating on/The drums of the human heart, draw the world/Into a dance with rites it does not know./The drums overwhelm the guns../caught in the clash of counter claims and charges/When not in the niche of others left/We fall/All casualties of the war.  John Pepper Clark, The Casualties (1970)

These prefatory lines are taken from J.P. Clarks The Casualties (1970), a most poignant poem written by one of the masters of the genre of Nigerian literature on the civil war of 1967 -70. Clarks lines are simple and clear enough; relevant as they were in 1970, they remain just as relevant today, 54 years later, in their offering of an apt description of the tragedy that occurred in the coastal community of Okuama in Delta State on Thursday, 14 March, and the aftermath of that slaughter of 17 (initially reported to be 16) soldiers, who were reportedly on a peace mission. The fact that we have to go back to a 1970 poem speaks not simply to the eternity of good literature, but more to the fact that indeed the civil war is yet to end. We remain perpetually in a state of war and we are all, as the poet says, casualties. Both the men and women in uniform, sworn to defend the integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria, as well as ordinary civilians, are trapped in the vortex of centrifugal forces and fault-lines which, again and again, result in tragedy and anarchy. No one is safe. When a people turn against the same men who have been assigned to protect them, there can be no stronger proof of the failure of the state. The murder of four officers and 13 other ranks in Okuama is as President Bola Tinubu pointed out, in a personally signed statement, a direct attack on our nation, and further, an affront on the very values that make us human. Murder was not enough for the killers, they reportedly went ahead to dismember some of their victims, and harvested their organs in what points to modern-day cannibalism and sheer cruelty.

I am however shocked to no end by the kind of conspiracy theories that have been thrown up by some interested parties with necrophilous prejudices of their own. The most shocking is the suggestion that the men of the 181 Amphibious Battalion asked for their own deaths because they went to the community without permission from the traditional rulers and elders of Okuama. Or that the soldiers and their commander openly took sides with the Ijaw-Okoloba community in a land dispute with Okuama, hence they were not about to make peace. One spokesperson for Okuama has in fact alleged that the soldiers stormed the community and killed three persons, shot at anything on sight, and that the tragedy that followed was because angry youths of the community decided to fight back. Other persons who claim to know the politics of the area very well also argue that the soldiers in that area of responsibility, to use a military phrase, are corrupt and that the people know this for a fact and that is why the youths do not respect them. Within 72 hours after the murder, there were reports that Okuama had been besieged by unknown soldiers, who set the entire community ablaze. These same unknown soldiers are said to be patrolling the creeks. The people of the community have fled towards Ughelli. They have become refugees away from their own land. Okuama is a ghost town. I have again heard some concerned parties arguing that the reprisal is unacceptable, because when soldiers are killed in the North, as in Niger State for example, Nigerian soldiers do not engage in reprisal killings, but if one soldier is killed in the South-South, hell breaks loose, as was the case in the Ijaw town of Odi, Bayelsa State on 20 November, 1999.

Those who argue that there would have been no reprisal if the soldiers had been killed in the North forget that the main issue is the erosion of human values in our country. We share a common humanity but the hardship and bad politics in Nigeria have robbed us of a sense of what it means to be human, hence the spread of violence, criminality and impunity from North to South, East to West. Those who seek to play politics with everything, including murder, are casualties of primordial emotions.

I ask: How does any of these theories and arguments justify the cold-blooded murder of soldiers who were on active duty? Such views can only be expressed in a country that is on the brink of failure. The conflict between the Okoloba (Ijaw) and Okuama (Urhobo) communities was said to have been caused by a dispute over land. Leo Tolstoy has asked How much land does a man need? in a short story of the same title written in 1886. But here in Africa, so much sentimental value is attached to land, and not a little blood has been shed over the centuries for it. In Nigeria, conflict over land is at the centre of perennial communal border clashes, indigene/settler acrimony and farmer-herder conflicts, turning the entire country from the coast to the savannah into a vast theatre of war. What should bother us is why the military, whose functions are properly defined in Section 217 (2) of the 1999 Constitution and the Armed Forces Act of 1994, would end up settling land disputes between communities! We have complained endlessly that there must be a limit to the use of the Nigerian military for police work. Nigeria has become so insecure, the internal war has gone on for so long, that soldiers now man check-points across the country. It is even not unusual to see soldiers in uniform providing security at weekend owambe parties or serving as bodyguards to the rich. Familiarity breeds contempt. In other countries, soldiers are respected for their service to the nation. I once saw a group of Marines arriving at an airport in the United States. Everyone at the airport lounge stood up and applauded them  a grateful people appreciating those who defend the sovereignty of their country. It is unfortunate that here in Nigeria, we kill our own soldiers. This is strange and unacceptable. The children of those soldiers have now become fatherless, their wives have become widows, their families have lost their loved ones. All casualties

Those who argue that there would have been no reprisal if the soldiers had been killed in the North forget that the main issue is the erosion of human values in our country. We share a common humanity but the hardship and bad politics in Nigeria have robbed us of a sense of what it means to be human, hence the spread of violence, criminality and impunity from North to South, East to West. Those who seek to play politics with everything, including murder, are casualties of primordial emotions. They forget that there was a similar reprisal by unknown soldiers in Zaki Biam on 12 October, 2001, when soldiers went to avenge the killing of their men in that community. The revenge mission was titled Operation No Living Thing. Some people claim that Zaki Biam is not Northern enough, and that is precisely the problem with Nigerians. We are too divisive. Just as the murder of soldiers is wrong and must be condemned, reprisal killing, resort to extra-judicial killing and jungle justice is also condemnable. No one, soldier or civilian, has any right to take the laws into their hands. The fact that jungle justice rules the land is indeed why we are all victims. The people of Odi, whose houses were razed, and their women raped, and the people of Zaki Biam, who were openly executed, have not recovered from the horror of those experiences. Okuama community in Delta State may never recover from the scorched earth attack inflicted on it. No citizen should be subjected to such agony.

Where is the Delta State government? In a statement issued by Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, acting director of Information, Defence Headquarters, we were told that the matter had been reported to the Delta State Government. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori would later condemn the killings as despicable and promise that the state government will take all necessary measures to protect lives and property in the state. What could those necessary measures possibly be? The Land Use Act (1979) vests the ownership of land in state governors as trustees, but in the event of land-related conflicts, state governors are either totally helpless or even complicit, as they surreptitiously try to defend the interests of their ethnic groups. Conflicts in Delta State over the years have been far beyond the capacity of the governors. It will be no different with Oborevwori, who himself needs as much help as the people. If he had any ideas about what to do, the tragedy at Okuama could have been prevented. The conflict must have been brewing over time until it reached a boiling point.

The Okuama narrative is at best a developing story, caught in the clash of counter claims and charges. In order not to keep ending up as casualties, the people of Urhobo Ewu Kingdom and the Ijaws along the Forcados river must learn to live together in peace. And as for the rest of us, the instructive question is: Who really is safe when armed soldiers are killed so easily by irate youths? I guess not even the dead who are also now being kidnapped from cemeteries by graveyard bandits.

President Tinubu has written as follows: I extend my profound condolences to the families of these fallen heroes, their colleagues, and their loved ones. The military high command is already responding to this incident. The cowardly offenders responsible for this heinous crime will not go unpunished. The incident, once again, demonstrates the dangers faced by our servicemen and women in line of duty. I salute their heroism, courage and uncommon grit and passion. He added: The Defence Headquarters and Chief of Defence Staff have been granted full authority to bring to justice anybody found to have been responsible for this unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people. Certainly, the president struck the right notes of empathy; signing the statement personally as President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is also a good gesture that matches the gravity of the problem. Morale must be very low among the troops  to be killed by an enemy on the battle-field is occupational hazard, but to be slaughtered at home by the same people they have taken an oath to protect and defend is worse. The families of the 17 fallen soldiers deserve every support that they can get, including counselling. We mourn the fallen heroes: Lt. Col. AH Ali, commanding officer, 181 Amphibious Battalion; Major SD Shafa, Major DE Obi, Captain U Zakari, Staff Sergeant Yahaya Saidu, Corporal Yahaya Danbaba, Corporal Kabiru Basir, Lieutenant Corporal Bulus Haruna, Lieutenant Corporal Sole Opeyemi, Lieutenant Corporal Bello Anas, Lieutenant Corporal Hamman Peter, Lieutenant Corporal Ibrahim Abdullahi, Private Alhaji Isah, Private Clement Francis, Private Abubakar Ali, Private Ibrahim Adamu and Private Adamu Ibrahim. The President has called for justice. The investigations and arrests being carried out by the Defence Headquarters must result in a situation whereby the long arm of the law catches up with those who killed the soldiers, those who inflicted jungle justice on the community and destroyed lives and properties, those who caused the conflict between the two communities of Okuama and Okoloba, and any person(s), be they chiefs, youths or ordinary indigenes who may be trying to profit in whatever form from the crisis.

The investigation must also address certain cogent questions: What was the peace mission all about? Who authorised the deployment of troops and under what circumstances? How did the youths of Okuama get the sophisticated weapons with which they waged war against Nigerian soldiers? Why is it that the soldiers could not defend themselves? How equipped were they, even on a peace mission, military work requires an advance knowledge of the threat situation at a chosen destination or is that not so? And how on earth did soldiers become involved in a land dispute? It would perhaps be advisable to set up an independent panel of inquiry, and for the military to review the scope of the involvement of its personnel in the Niger Delta. The Okuama narrative is at best a developing story, caught in the clash of counter claims and charges. In order not to keep ending up as casualties, the people of Urhobo Ewu Kingdom and the Ijaws along the Forcados river must learn to live together in peace. And as for the rest of us, the instructive question is: Who really is safe when armed soldiers are killed so easily by irate youths? I guess not even the dead who are also now being kidnapped from cemeteries by graveyard bandits.

Reuben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson, writes from Lagos.

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The Jigawa State Government has inaugurated a 23-member technical committee on safe motherhood initiative demand with the aim of reviving and strengthening the programme in the State.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Bala Ibrahim inaugurated the committee in his office, according to a statement by Ismaila Ibrahim Dutse, the Public Relations Officer, Office of the SSG.

Mr Ibrahim outlined the terms of reference of the committee which includes undertaking a technical review of the implementation of the safe motherhood initiative demand. It will also develop an implementationphoto framework for strengthening quality facility and community based nutrition counseling to care givers for behavioral and attitudinal change. The technical committee will equally undertake situational analysis of safe motherhood initiative demand and assess emergency transport vehicles. It will further develop ways for strengthening referrals, linkages between communities and health facilities among others.

Mr Ibrahim explained that the safe motherhood initiative programme was first introduced in the year 2006 courtesy of a DFID development support programme called PATHS. He said that one of the most significant features of the safe Motherhood initiative demand was the Emergency Transport Scheme with a fleet of Haihuwa Lafiya vehicles for transporting pregnant women with obstructed labour to the nearest competent health facilities for emergency care.

He stated that the administration of Governor Umar Namadi since its inception on 29 May 2023 has taken seriously the revival and strengthening of the safe Motherhood programme. He added that a major initiative of the programme is to continue addressing the issue of maternal and infant mortality along with Vesico Vaginal Fistula VVF and child nutrition issues.

Mr Ibrahim stressed part of the efforts geared towards reviving and strengthening the safe motherhood programme is the constitution of the technical committee I am about to inaugurate.

The Secretary to the State Government disclosed that all members of the committee were selected and appointed into the committee based on their experience and known commitment to the cause of saving lives of mothers and their children. I therefore urge you to deploy all your skills to this assignment so as to justify the confidence reposed in you by the government, I congratulate you on your appointment as members of the SMI-D technical committee, he said.

Responding on behalf of the Committee members, the Chairperson of the Committee, who is also the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Hauwa Zakari expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to serve. She pledged the readiness of members to give their best and justify the confidence reposed in them.

The Technical Committee has Mrs Hauwa Zakari, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development as Chairperson, Mrs Adama Umar Zandam, Director Women Affairs, member, Mr Muazu Yau, Deputy Director Women Affairs, member, Saleh Zakar, Executive Secretary Rehabilitation Board, member, Mr Aminu Baba Waziri, Chief Imam Government Commercial Secondary School, Dutse, member and Dr Yamuna Aminu Kani, Consultant Gynaecologist, member.

Others are Mrs Rabi Ismail, Representative of PWD, member, Mrs Zainab Salisu Kazaure, Representative of CSO, member, Mrs Uwani Yunusa, Representative of CSO, member, Muhammad Jarma Hadejia, Representative of CSO, member, Bello Usman Dunari, Chairman NARTO, member, Malam Aisha Malam Madori, Representative of Media, member, Muhammad Saleh Dokaji, Representative of traditional rulers, member, Adamu Shehu, Chairman NURTW, member, Mrs Furera Baffa, Representative of CSO, member and Muhammad Garba, Representative of CSO, member.

The rest are Malama Rukayyatu Tijjani Badamasi, Representative of Religious Group, member, Basiru Nasoro, Director SDG, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, member, Muhammad Yahaya, Representative of the Ministry for Local Government, member, Asmau Dahiru Dutse, Deputy Director, Nursing Services, Ministry of Health, member, Dr Abdulkadir Saidu Dalladi, Director Family Health, member and Umar Yakubu Kazaure, Director Programme, JICHMA, member while Mustapha Umar Babura, Representative of CSO will serve as Secretary of the Committee.

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Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal has approved the process of complete remodelling and renovation of Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital to meet the challenges of the growing need for tertiary medical services in the state.

The governor approved the process for the remodelling of the specialist hospital on Monday during the 19th State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Gusau.

A statement by the governors spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, revealed that the process would begin immediately and that the remodeling is expected to restore the facility to a modern and functional health centre.

According to the statement, the decision was made in line with the recent declaration of a state of emergency in the Zamfara State health sector.

Mr Idris said: Yesterday, while presiding over the Executive Council meeting, Governor Lawal approved the process for the immediate remodelling of the Yeriman Bakura Specialist Hospital.

The State Specialist Hospital has been in disrepair for a long time and has inadequate medical equipment. As a result, patients have had to travel to Sokoto or Kaduna for kidney dialysis and other critical medical tests.

Alhaji Mustapha Falaki, the Managing Director of Minjirya Health Services Limited, presented to the council on the specialist hospitals current state and the next steps in the remodelling process.

As part of the hospitals remodelling plan, new structures and medical facilities will be built, machines will be equipped, and end-user training will be provided to make the Specialist Hospital a modern and well-equipped healthcare facility that will provide quality healthcare services to the people of the state.

Mr Idris said that during the council meeting, several crucial matters were discussed, adding that one of them was the states social protection policy. This policy aims to bring together various social protection interventions that align with the vision of Zamfara State as one of Nigerias development hubs. The policy sets out a clear set of strategies and policies to help guide public and private investments in social protection, he pointed out.

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The Borno State Government says it has made significant progress in addressing the problem of out-of-school children by reducing the number in the state from over two million to 800,000.

Governor Babagana Zulum stated this on Tuesday in Maiduguri at the inauguration of 27 local government education secretaries and the distribution of 57 school monitoring vehicles.

Since assuming office in 2019, education has been a paramount focus of my administration.

Initially, our efforts were directed towards rebuilding our devastated school infrastructure to provide access to over two million out-of-school children in Borno.

I am grateful that, by the grace of Allah, the number of out-of-school children has now decreased to less than 800,000, Mr Zulum said.

The governor said the vehicles inaugurated for the local government education authorities are to enhance mobility and effective monitoring, adding that the vehicles must be used strictly for official purposes by authorised drivers.

He directed the commissioner for education to provide quarterly reports on performance of each education secretary, warning that anyone performing below expectation would be replaced.

The efforts of the government to keep more children in schools have been challenging.

PREMIUM TIMES, in its report giving a timeline of attacks on schools in Borno State, said since 2009 when the Islamic sect, dubbed Boko Haram by locals because of the sects abhorrence of Western ways of life, including education, emerged in the once peaceful and prosperous state of Borno, the deadly sect has continued to undermine Nigerian public authorities through heinous attacks on communities and public facilities.

On 14 April 2014, Boko Haram terrorists abducted 276 schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok, a town in Borno State. At the time, the students were writing their final year examinations. About 57 of the girls managed to escape while on transit with their abductors, while several others were eventually released following negotiations between the government and the armed groups.

The frequency of attacks prompted former president Muhammadu Buhari to direct the military high command to relocate to Maiduguri and concentrate on the fight against insurgents, shortly after Mr Buhari assumed office in 2015.

However, this did not deter the insurgents from striking again and again. In 2018, about three years after the military moved its command to Maiduguri, 110 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram fighters from the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi town in neighbouring Yobe state.

Amnesty also confirmed that 287 pupils and teachers were abducted in the Kaduna incident, possibly by a different terror group.

The recent attack suggests that Boko Haram terrorists still operate in many parts of Borno despite the efforts of security agencies.

Borno is the state most affected by the insurgency.

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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says 10 passengers were killed on Monday in a lone traffic accident involving a DAF trailer on the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

The Corps Public Education Officer, Jonas Agwu, said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that the crash was a result of excessive speed, overloading and fatigue.

According to him, the driver lost control of the wheels and crashed into a ditch at about 10:30 a.m. with 172 male passengers aboard the trailer.

Mr Agwu said 10 of the passengers died while 48 sustained injuries.

He said the FRSC rescue team evacuated the victims to St. Anthony and Umaru Musa YarAdua Hospitals in Kaduna.

Efforts are ongoing by FRSC Operatives to follow up on the injured victims in the hospitals to ensure they receive necessary medical attention,  he added.

Mr Agwu quoted the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Ali-Biu, as urging sector commanders to strengthen nationwide enforcement and advocacy campaigns against speeding, overloading and reckless driving.

Mr Ali-Biu said they must also caution trailer drivers against conveying human beings on top of goods in their vehicles.

He directed the commanders to commence result-oriented patrol operations with mobile courts along critical corridors, with immediate effect.

(NAN)

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The air component of Operation Whirl Punch (OPWP) has destroyed terrorists logistics storage in Palele near Shiroro, Niger State, on 15 March.

The Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Edward Gabkwet, an air vice marshal, said in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja that the air strike east of Palele in Niger, followed confirmation of a cache of arms in the location.

He said the operation was executed with speed and precision, resulting in significant damage to the target area, including a secondary explosion confirming the destruction of arms and ammunition.

According to him, the weapons are believed to be part of the arsenal of a wanted terrorist.

These strikes have no doubt degraded the capabilities of terrorist elements operating in the region to attack innocent civilians, especially in Kaduna and Niger states.

The NAF, along with other surface forces, will continue to maintain dominance over areas of concern through enhanced situational awareness, continuous patrols, and targeted interdiction of terrorists safe-havens, he added.

Mr Gabkwet appealed for support and information from the public on the movement of terrorists and other criminal elements for prompt action.

(NAN)

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The Nigerian military says it is not responsible for the reprisal attack on Okuama community in Delta State. It also suggested that the retaliatory attack on the community could have been carried out by the rival Okoloba community.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that suspected residents of Okuama community on Thursday ambushed and murdered the Commanding Officer of 181 Army Amphibious Battalion, two majors, one captain and 12 soldiers. The military initially said a total of 16 soldiers were killed but on Monday, it posted the names and photos of 17 soldiers including the commander (a lieutenant colonel), two majors, one captain and 13 soldiers.

The military confirmed the killing of the soldiers on Saturday. On Sunday morning, the Okuama community was attacked and many houses there were burnt. It is that Sunday morning attack that the military has now denied.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, a major general, in a statement on Monday, said the community was already deserted even before troops arrived there.

Mr Buba advised those peddling the news of reprisal attacks on the community by soldiers to desist from further dishonouring the fallen heroes.

He said it behoves on the community leaders, elders and the people of Delta to identify the perpetrators of the murder, so that they could be brought to account for the heinous crime.

Mr Buba then suggested that the burning of the Okuama community could have been carried out by the rival Okoloba community. It was the fighting between the two communities that soldiers were sent to resolve before they were killed on Thursday.

The defence spokesperson said as long as the dispute between Okuama and Okoloba communities remain, it implies that there could be untoward activities not initiated by the military.

Overall, there is no doubt, that this (killing of the soldiers) is an extremely sad development and untoward activity by members of the Okuama community against troops that were there to protect them.

We urge the public to resist the temptation of allowing any videos of the incident of the killed personnel from going viral..

It would be a dishonour to the fallen heroes to allow such ugly videos of their demise go viral.

Above all, as the military mourns, it remains ever determined to ensure safety and security of citizens across the country, he said.

Mr Buba said it was tragic, senseless and barbaric to have killed the officers and soldiers in such a dehumanised and unspeakable manner.

According to him, while the armed forces mourns the loss of the gallant troops, there will be measured responses and consequences for the perpetrators.

He consoled their families, colleagues and loved ones over the tragic incident.

Mr Buba reminded Nigerians that the armed forces consist of citizens from every nook and cranny of the nation who had taken oath of allegiance to put themselves in harms way to defend the country.

The defence spokesperson said it was in line with this, that troops were deployed on internal security operations in about all the states of the federation to intervene, deescalate and contain security breaches.

The ugly incident in Okuama Community in Delta is indicative of the dangers our gallant troops experience in order to secure our nation.

The military assures that there would be measured responses and injurious consequences for the perpetrators of these dastardly act.

Nevertheless, the armed forces being a disciplined force that complies with rules of engagement, laws of armed conflict and the respect for human rights would be tempered by these provisions.

We would not be led by emotions, but by the rule of law, he added.

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Governor Alex Otti of Abia says the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has approved a loan of $125m to finance some of the capital projects in the state.

The governor made this known on Monday during the monthly media parley in Umuahia.

He also disclosed that the African Development Bank approved another loan for the state.

He said the loans have yet to be drawn, but approvals are in place.

The governor explained that the next line of action would be for the documentation to be perfected, loan agreement signed, and conditions to be met.

He said that the government had received offers of loans from commercial banks in the country, but was yet to draw from any of them.

Of course, we are also financially enlightened as a government that we do not need to draw loans until we need them.

Any time we have liquidity we will repay so that we dont continue to accumulate interest, Mr Otti, a former bank chief said.

Mr Otti, a member of the Labour Party, denied recent allegation by a major opposition party, accusing the government of securing N1.5bn loan, saying they were lies.

The governor disclosed that the state government had just approved bursary awards for all students of Abia origin in different Law schools in the country.

He said that the bursary awards were prior to requests by the students.

Mr Otti also said that the government had started setting up the new scholarship board in order to help the hard working but indigent students access quality education.

He said that his administration was also considering giving wage awards to the state civil servants to help cushion the effect of the prevailing hardship in the country.

Reacting to the complaint by some workers who had not received their salary for some months, he boasted about the prompt payment for the majority.

According to him, maybe, about five per cent of the people are the ones complaining.

Mr Otti, who expressed worry about the over-bloated civil service, said that there were close to 66,000 people on the payroll at the state and local government levels.

He said that the number was initially more than that but was reduced after the verification exercise that was done in the state.

So, we keep improving, we keep trying to sanitise the system, and we keep working hard to ensure that the welfare of our workers are prioritised, Mr Otti said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor spoke on a range of issues while urging the people to continue supporting his administration in rebuilding the state.

(NAN)

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Specialists of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR) and activists of the BO Team hacker group carried out a number of cyber attacks on objects of the aggressor state of Russia.

"Not only Russian state-owned, but also private structures paying taxes and financing the war against Ukraine were under attack," the press service of the GUR reported on the Telegram channel.

So, during the week from March 11 to March 18, 2024, the resources of PJSC Rostelecom were attacked: the communication equipment of the Trans-Baikal and Krasnoyarsk territories of the Russian Federation was disabled; access to the electronic document management system of the government of Belgorod region was obtained, fake mailings were carried out to 12,000 local officials; the communication equipment of LLC Belznak was attacked and disabled; the information resources of the municipal budgetary institution of the Starooskolsky urban diversified derivative association of public utilities were attacked and destroyed; the infrastructure of CJSC Tommoloko was attacked and destroyed; the server infrastructure was captured and destroyed along with the hosting provider's backups of 1Gb.r and tens of thousands of websites serviced by it; more than 40 Mikrotik network devices in the urban auto-electric transport control center in Novosibirsk were disabled.

"The damage inflicted on the enemy can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Attacks on Russia in cyberspace continue," the GUR stressed.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday dismissed a fresh bail application filed by Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The judge, Binta Nyako, in a ruling, held that she cannot reverse herself, having earlier rejected the IPOB leaders bail application.

The only option available to the IPOB leader, according to the judge, was for him to lodge an appeal at the Court of Appeal.

Mrs Nyako, who delivered her ruling shortly after hearing arguments and counter-arguments from opposing lawyers on Tuesday, also rejected Mr Kanus preliminary objection, seeking an order for some conditions to be met by the State Security Service (SSS) before his trial could proceed.

She held that the court cannot dictate to the security agency on how best to perform its duty in accordance with international best practice.

She said the best the court could do, in the circumstance, was to give an order for accelerated hearing of the matter.

She therefore issued an order of accelerated hearing in the case.

Mr Kanu filed the applications at the court following the Supreme Courts 15 December 2023 judgement ordering him to go back to face his trial, which has been going on intermittently since 2015 when it was instituted.

Lamenting the poor progress of the case on Tuesday, Mrs Nyako said: This is exactly the way this case has been going since 2015. I am talking to both sides. You always find a way to truncate the proceedings.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs Nyako had, on 26 February, fixed Tuesday for ruling on the bail application and a preliminary objection raised by Kanu.

Mr Kanus lawyer, Alloy Ejimakor, had in the preliminary objection, prayed the court not to allow Mr Kanus trial until certain conditions were met by the federal government.

He had alleged that the SSS personnel usually seized documents of Kanus lawyers, stopping his lawyers from taking notes during visitation, and eavesdropping on Kanus consultation with lawyers on matters pertaining to his defence, among others.

In its opposition to the bail application, the prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awolowo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the IPOB leader would jump bail.

He said the court had revoked Mr Kanus bail after he fled the country in 2017.

In April 2017, the court granted Mr Kanu bail, but he jumped bail after soldiers invaded his ancestral home in Abia State.

The prosecution lawyer said the SSS had been diligent in its duty of care to Mr Kanu in detention.

Mr Awomolo said the SSS had adequate healthcare services for the defendant, urging the court to reject the bail request.

Mr Kanu is being prosecuted by the Nigerian government over allegations of terrorism.

We cant go with trial  Kanus lawyer

Reacting to the ruling, Mr Ejimakor said his client requires adequate time and resources to prepare for trial.

The defence lawyer accused the SSS of denying the IPOB leader the right to have private conversations with his lawyers in preparation for the case.

Also, he raised concerns about Mr Kanus deteriorating health conditions at the SSS detention facility in Abuja.

The medical condition of the defendant (Mr Kanu) speaks for itself and the health challenge persists, despite the treatment offered him by the detaining authority, Mr Ejimakor told journalists shortly after the ruling.

Mr Kanu has been in the SSS custody since June 2021 when he was forcibly returned to Nigeria from Kenya..

Background

The Supreme Court last December restarted Mr Kanus trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja after it dismissed the IPOB leaders appeal challenging his forcible repatriation from Kenya in June 2021.

The trial court had in April 2022, struck out eight out of the 15-count charge that was brought against him by the government.

But the Court Appeal quashed the entire proceedings on account of the Nigerian governments violent violation of both local and international laws on repatriation of a crime suspect.

The appellate court then ordered his immediate release.

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Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has boasted that he has the capacity to end insecurity in the South-east and South-south Nigeria within two minutes if he is released from detention.

Mr Kanu has been in detention at the facility of the State Security Service (SSS) since he was rearrested and brought back to Nigeria from Kenya in June 2021 under controversial circumstances.

The IPOB leader is facing terrorism charges at a Federal High Court, Abuja.

IPOB is a group leading agitation for an independent state of Biafra which it wants carved out from the South-east and some parts of the South-south Nigeria.

The separatist group has been linked to some deadly attacks and killings in the two regions, an allegation it has repeatedly denied.

Ending insecurity in two minutes

Mr Kanu, on Tuesday, said the insecurity in the two regions had been going on because of his incarceration at the SSS facility.

Anybody involved in any form of violence or insecurity in the South-east in the name of IPOB is a loner and they know it. Let me come to this place. Two minutes only! Only two minutes, I guarantee you and there will be peace in the east, not just in the South-east, everywhere in the east, if not the entire South, he said.

The IPOB leader spoke to reporters on Tuesday when he appeared at the Federal High Abuja in continuation of his trial.

A video clip which showed the separatist leader making the comments has been trending on various social media platforms.

Continuing, Mr Kanu said he has suspicion that some officials of the Nigerian government were behind the insecurity in the two regions because they were allegedly making money from the situation in the areas.

They (the government officials) know that if Nnamdi Kanu is out, in two minutes, this nonsense will stop, he said of insecurity, adding that nobody can challenge his order in the regions.

Theyre criminals

Mr Kanu also said those carrying out attacks in the two regions in the name of IPOB were criminals.

Anybody abducting people, killing people for the sake of achieving Biafra, that person is a criminal. Anybody who engages in robbery, sabotage, kidnapping or committing all these things in the name IPOB is a criminal, he said in Igbo language.

We are here to fight for our freedom for justice, equity and fairness. Thats what we are fighting for. Nothing more; nothing less. Anybody involved in any kind of crime in the east cannot go free, the IPOB leader added.

Background

Mr Kanu, the IPOB leader, was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October 2022, held that the IPOB leader was extra-ordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a flagrant violation of the countrys extradition treaty and also a breach of his fundamental human rights.

The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release by the SSS.

But the government refused to release the IPOB leader insisting that he (Kanu) could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if released and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east, where he comes from.

The government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, later appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgment at the Supreme Court.

Delivering judgment on the appeal on 15 December, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court Abuja.

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SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- International Automotive Components Group (IAC Group), a leading global supplier of automotive components and systems, has reinforced its presence in Europe with the appointment of Martin Stuettem as Chief Operating Officer for the region. This strategic move underscores IAC's commitment to enhancing performance and fostering growth in one of the world's most dynamic automotive markets.

With over 30 years of seasoned experience in the automotive supplier industry, Mr. Stuettem brings a wealth of expertise to his new role. His background encompasses Business Unit Leadership positions as well as functional roles in Manufacturing, Quality, Program Management and Research and Development. Prior to joining IAC Group, Martin served as Vice President of Global Operations, Seating, at FORVIA, overseeing a vast network of over 70 sites with revenue of 7 billion. His career also includes distinguished global and European leadership roles at LEONI AG, Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, and EMCON Technologies. Martin will be based in Germany, further strengthening IAC Group's presence in the region.

"I am delighted to welcome Martin to IAC's Executive Leadership Team. His extensive experience and demonstrated track record of business leadership and operational excellence make him a valuable addition to our organization," remarked Kevin Baird, CEO of IAC Group.

"The European market presents distinctive challenges and opportunities for tier-one automotive suppliers," noted Stuettem. "I am eager to collaborate with the talented team at IAC to harness emerging opportunities and drive growth in the region."

About IAC

Headquartered in Luxembourg, International Automotive Components (IAC) Group is a leading global supplier of automotive components and systems, including instrument panels, console systems, door panels, headliners, and overhead systems to automakers worldwide. With nearly 18,000 employees, IAC Group is a multi-billion-dollar global manufacturing company operating in 55 locations, including over 40 manufacturing facilities in 17 countries. For more information, visit www.iacgroup.com.
PHOENIX, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During its recent Annual Conference in Nashville, TN, 101 Mobility introduced an important new component to its awards program: the Franchise of the Year Award. This award honors franchise owners who demonstrate a strong commitment to the brand's core values of commitment, collaboration, and excellence, recognizing franchisees for outstanding performance in execution, support, advocacy, and engagement. These contributions significantly enhance the resilience and growth of the 101 Mobility system.

Larry Wright, Franchise Owner of 101 Mobility in Phoenix & Tucson. Celebrating innovation and community impact as our esteemed Franchise of the Year. A leader who embodies commitment, collaboration, and excellence.

This year, the Franchise of the Year Award was proudly presented to Larry Wright, the owner of the 101 Mobility franchises in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Wright's exceptional leadership has not only led to remarkable business growth but has also had a significant impact on the lives of individuals in his community.

As a respected veteran and former executive at Accenture, Wright has overseen a substantial sales increase in his franchises, achieving a remarkable 27% growth from 2022 to 2023. Since assuming control of his franchises in April 2016, he has instilled a culture of excellence, innovation, and support, thereby raising service and operational standards across the 101 Mobility network.

In addition to his leadership at the local level, Wright is an active member of the Franchise Advisory Council (FAC), where he contributes valuable insights and leadership that help propel the brand forward. He also plays a crucial role in the Vehicle Wrap Task Force, which focuses on rebranding the company's fleet of vehicles. His participation in this initiative has been key to enhancing brand visibility and ensuring consistency across all franchise locations.

Wright's efforts extend beyond achieving financial success. He has been pivotal in building a community spirit and support network among franchisees, proactively offering employees enhanced training opportunities, including advanced sessions at 101 Mobility's headquarters. This underscores his commitment to the professional growth of his team and to providing exceptional service quality.

Joe Loch, President of 101 Mobility, expressed his admiration for Wright's work, stating, "Larry Wright's efforts in Arizona perfectly capture the essence of our mission. He has built a team that is committed to enhancing the lives of community members through increased freedom, independence, and safety. His invaluable support guides our brand towards a bright future."

Beyond his business endeavors, Wright is deeply committed to giving back to the community. He supports various local organizations, including NPH USA, which transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and disadvantaged children in Latin America and the Caribbean through healthcare, education, and spiritual formation. He also supports Ability 360, which offers comprehensive programs empowering individuals with disabilities to achieve their goals. Wright's involvement extends to the Direct Advocacy & Resource Center, advocating for people with disabilities, and the Foundation for Senior Living, which is committed to providing home and community-based services and developing energy-efficient, affordable housing to assist seniors and adults with disabilities in living independently.

About 101 Mobility:

101 Mobility is the leading provider of mobility and accessibility solutions, offering a wide range of products and services designed to enhance the quality of life for individuals. Committed to delivering personalized, client-focused solutions, 101 Mobility provides stairlifts, wheelchair ramps, home elevators, and more. Through its nationwide network of franchises, 101 Mobility ensures exceptional service and support, enabling families and businesses to achieve independence and thrive.

For more information about 101 Mobility and its commitment to improving lives through mobility solutions, please visit our website or contact us directly.

SOURCE 101 Mobility, LLC
Riaz Capital's transformation of the Z hotel into ArtHaus Jack London preserves a slice of history while providing entry-level housing for Oakland residents

OAKLAND, Calif., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Converting existing buildings into multifamily housing can be a significant step in alleviating California's housing crisis. In one prominent example, Riaz Capital's newly completed multifamily project, ArtHaus Jack London, has been refashioned from the former Z-Hotel, an Oakland icon. This stylish 130 residence project makes entry-level housing more affordable for city residents, while preserving a slice of history in Oakland's Jack London Square.

Riaz Capital is a Bay Area based development and asset management company operating in the Bay Area for over 4 decades whose roots go deep in value-add and adaptive-reuse multifamily projects. ArtHaus Jack London is Riaz Capital's third successful large-scale adaptive reuse project. Previously, the company converted a Spanish-revival style church into the Rose on Bond , creating 60 modern residences while maintaining the building's aesthetic, and transformed an unused warehouse into ArtHaus Studios , a vibrant community of over 100 small businesses, local makers, and artists.

ArtHaus Jack London is the product of a meticulously planned transformation of Oakland's iconic Z Hotel. It takes inspiration from the Saguaro Hotel in Palm Springs, whose color palette is derived from the flora of the Mojave Desert. Reimagined into 128 chic studios, two 1-bedroom apartments, and a central courtyard featuring a resort-style pool surrounded by palm trees, ArtHaus Jack London seamlessly infuses the Palm Springs-inspired design elements while establishing its own identity within the vibrant community surrounding it. Riaz Capital's Design & Entitlement Vice President Lisa Vilhauer strategically utilized color to accentuate the architectural features of the building.

Art is the design ethos of ArtHaus Jack London. The Riaz Capital Arts Program offered the building as a canvas to the community. The first artistic element involves a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation . Maika , an 11-year-old artist bravely facing severe aplastic anemia, created a stunning public mural with a powerful message for every passerby. Support for the project came from muralist Hueman , renowned for creating the Warriors jersey, a Nike shoe for the Olympics, and ArtHaus Studios , gave her support to the project.

The second artistic element is the entire exterior mural, a captivating masterpiece skillfully crafted by Fernanda Martinez , an esteemed Oakland artist. Joining Martinez as contributors to this visual feast were talented artists Darin Balaban and Stevie Howell , each adding their unique touch to the collective celebration of art. Riaz Capital founder Riaz Taplin lauded the murals, saying, "We are proud to support initiatives that not only beautify our surroundings but also serve as a source of inspiration for all who encounter them."

While art was our design ethos, California's density bonus legislation helped us make our adaptive reuse vision a reality. The California Density Bonus law is a powerful tool that allows developers to increase the number of units in a project as long as a portion of the building is designated for accessibly priced housing. This law enabled us to increase the ArtHaus Jack London unit count from 102 hotel rooms to 130 entry-level apartments. Riaz Taplin emphasized the importance of the California Density Bonus Legislation in the development process "This legislation empowers developers to contribute to the social fabric of our communities by addressing the housing challenges in our state. ArtHaus Jack London stands as a testament to the positive impact coherent policy can have in creating more housing."

ArtHaus Jack London is a unique new addition to the Oakland cityscape and represents the grit and determination of the city. The project also highlights how good public policy, like the State Density Bonus law, can help California meet the housing needs of its workers.

For more information about the project, please visit:

https://www.artthaus.com/artthaus-jack-london

For more information about Riaz Capital, please visit:

https://riazcapital.com/

Media Contact:

Mathew Salter

+1 (415) 828-5800

[email protected]

SOURCE Riaz Capital
Fragrance ingredient exposure and risk assessment highlighted at the year's biggest toxicology conference

SALT LAKE CITY, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A collaborative poster presentation on fragrance ingredient exposure by The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM.org) and scientific modeling and data analytics company Creme Global (cremeglobal.com) earned its presenters a prestigious Top Ten Presentation Award during the Risk Session of SOT's 63rd Annual Meeting and ToxExpo, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, March 10-14th, 2024. Some 300 abstracts were in the running.

(left to right) Study co-authors Brendan Ring, Isabelle Lee, Anne Marie Api, and Cronan McNamara Exposure to fragrance ingredients is extremely low

"RIFM has continuously participated in SOT since the early 1980s," said RIFM President and study co-author Anne Marie Api, Ph.D. "SOT's Annual Meeting and ToxExpo is THE event of the year for advancing the science of toxicology, collaboration, mentoring, and professional development. I'm proud of how expertly RIFM's scientists communicate our critical fragrance safety science to other scientists."

"We had an opportunity to advance RIFM's skin sensitization science on four of our collaborative research efforts," study lead author and RIFM Senior Scientist Isabelle Lee, Ph.D., elaborated. "And it was especially rewarding to receive the Risk Assessment Specialty Section Top Ten Abstract Award for our low-exposure paper."

"This strategic project involved analyzing a large amount of industry data in the Creme RIFM Aggregate Exposure Model and answered important questions about fragrance ingredients systematically and scientifically," study co-author and Creme Global Founder and CEO Cronan McNamara explained.

The study authors compared the fragrance exposure of the highest-end product users to the internationally recognized Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) and Dermal Sensitization Threshold (DST) to determine a realistic understanding of consumer exposure to fragrance.

"When stakeholders come together to share data, what they can achieve is truly remarkable," Creme Global's Commercial Director and study co-author Brendan Ring said. "RIFM has set the gold standard in ingredient risk assessment, gathering and sharing real usage data."

(Read the published paper https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yrtph.2024.105569.)

About RIFM

RIFM assesses the safety of fragrance ingredients by the most current, internationally accepted guidelinesand has done so since its founding in 1966. RIFM's peer-reviewed safety assessments and research are free to the public via fragrancematerialsafetyresource.elsevier.com.

Media Contact:

The Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc. (RIFM)

Gary Sullivan

Marketing & Communications Manager

[email protected]

SOURCE Research Institute for Fragrance Materials, Inc.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott Thornhill took office today as the new Executive Director of the American Council of the Blind (ACB). Thornhill was voted in by the ACB Board to lead the 62-year-old organization.

"It is an honor and a privilege to be able to lead an organization with such a rich history," said Thornhill. "The strength of ACB is a combination of our members, our supporters, and the larger blindness community that we serve. I look forward to us achieving even more impactful results in the years to come."

For the past five years, Thornhill served as the Director of Public Policy for Alphapointe, a non-profit organization with the mission to empower people who are blind through opportunities for employment and personal development. In that role, he was responsible for issues such as government relations, successful employment, innovation, event fundraising in New York and more.

Thornhill also has a background in real estate brokerage. Despite a flourishing career in that field, he felt compelled to join the effort to help make the playing field level for people who are blind and visually impaired. Thornhill is blind himself, losing his vision due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP) after being diagnosed at the age of eight and told at 15 he would be blind by 40.

"Scott brings a wealth of experience along with his infectious enthusiasm and energy which has already been well received by our members, staff, and colleagues," said ACB President Deb Cook Lewis. "ACB is a vibrant organization, and under Scott's thoughtful leadership, will continue forward as a chief influencer in the blindness consumer arena."

Thornhill brings experience from the non-profit world as well as corporate management to his new position. In addition to his business ownership and employment, Thornhill has served on multiple non-profit boards, including Industries of the Blind in Greensboro, NC. He has been active with the National Association for the Employment of People who are Blind, as well as VisionServe Alliance.

Thornhill holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, as well as a post-baccalaureate Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

Thornhill will be working remotely until May 2024, when he will make the move to join other ACB staff members at the Alexandria, Va. office.

SOURCE American Council of the Blind
Zelenskyy to Michel: Extension of trade liberalization regime with EU - critical factor in supporting Ukrainian economy during war

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a telephone conversation on the eve of the European Council meeting in Brussels with its President Charles Michel.

We focused on further steps toward the actual start of Ukraine's EU accession negotiations, as well as further comprehensive EU support for Ukraine, he said on Telegram.

Zelenskyy thanked Michel for yesterday's approval by the EU Council of the decision to create a EUR 5 billion Ukraine Assistance Fund within the framework of the European Peace Facility.

The interlocutors also considered possible ways to increase the supply of artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

We discussed the importance of extending autonomous trade benefits for Ukraine for another year. I emphasized that maintaining the trade liberalization regime with the EU is critical to supporting Ukraine's economy during the war, Zelenskyy summed up.
SEATTLE, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Brian Wolford, an industry veteran with over two decades of experience, assumes the role of Executive Vice President at ACI Mechanical & HVAC Sales, naming Ertan Serince his successor as VP of Engineering, marking a pivotal moment in the company's trajectory. His ascent to the new role signifies a strategic move towards further growth and innovation, with Brian spearheading complex owner sales initiatives while continuing to provide guidance to the company's overall direction.

Brian Wolford Executive Vice President

Beginning his journey as a Sales Engineer at ACI in 2004, Brian's evolution into a leader has been instrumental not only in the engineering domain but also in shaping the collective learning and development at ACI. His customer and supplier relationships with over 12 years as VP of Engineering and natural aptitude for interpersonal relationships, helped polished executive skills that will be invaluable in his new role.

"We are thrilled for Brian's transition to the role of Executive Vice President. His comprehensive understanding of every facet of our business, from estimating to engineering, service, and new product development, positions him as the ideal candidate to lead us into the next phase of growth," remarked Keith Glasch, President, and Principal at ACI Mechanical & HVAC Sales.

In tandem with this transition, Ertan Serince, currently serving as VP of Applied Product Sales, steps into Brian's former role. Since joining the company in 2020, Ertan's profound expertise as a Professional Engineer (PE) and his extensive experience with diverse engineered products underscore his ability for the position.

About ACI Mechanical and HVAC Sales

Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, ACI is the Pacific Northwest's vendor of choice for commercial HVAC applications. ACI partners with consulting engineers, contractors, and their customers, to help buildings thrive. Solutions include applications for education, data centers commercial office buildings, healthcare, and industrial facilities. Our team includes fifty degreed sales engineers and project professionals working with over fifty equipment manufacturers. Visit acimechsales.com for more information.

SOURCE ACI Mechanical Sales
Data will demonstrate ability of the assay to predict recurrence in patients treated for head & neck cancer

Adela's Chief Scientific Officer to chair Plenary Session

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Adela, Inc., an innovator in blood testing for minimal residual disease monitoring and early cancer detection through a proprietary genome-wide methylome enrichment technology, today announced data will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting from April 5-10, 2024 from its tissue-agnostic minimal residual disease (MRD) assay. These data demonstrate the feasibility of the assay for cfDNA cancer signal quantification and prognostic prediction in HPV-positive and HPV-negative head & neck cancers following treatment. Data will also be presented on the analytical performance of Adela's platform.

In addition, Daniel De Carvalho, Ph.D., Adela's Chief Scientific Officer, has been selected to serve as Chair of the Plenary Session "Discovery Science in Early Cancer Biology and Interception". Dr. De Carvalho will also present in the session "New Liquid Biopsy Technologies for Detection and Characterization of Cancer".

Adela plans to commercialize its first product, a tissue agnostic test for minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring, in 2025. The product will be based on Adela's genome-wide methylome enrichment platform, which utilizes the company's patented technology, cfMeDIP-seq, originally developed by Dr. De Carvalho at University Health Network's Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, in collaboration with investigators at Sinai Health System. Adela's technology efficiently captures extensive, biologically-relevant genomic information to maximize test performance and improve treatment decisions. It can be applied across the entire cancer care continuum and is initially being developed for MRD and multi-cancer early detection.

Presentation Details

Abstract # 2427: The development of a tissue-agnostic genome-wide methylome enrichment MRD assay for applications across the cancer care continuum for head and neck malignancies

Geoffrey Liu1

Mon Apr 8, 2024 9 am-12:30 pm PT

Section 40 Poster Board Number 23

Abstract # 5024: Analytical performance of a genome-wide methylome enrichment platform to detect minimal residual disease from plasma-derived cell-free DNA

Hestia Mellert2

Tues Apr 9, 2024 9am  12:30pm PT

Section 40 Poster Board Number 11

Discovery Science in Early Cancer Biology and Interception

Dr. Daniel De Carvalho (Chair)

Sat April 6, 2024 4:15 PM PT

Hall GH

New Liquid Biopsy Technologies for Detection and Characterization of Cancer Dr. Daniel De Carvalho

Tues April 9, 2024 12:30  2:00 PM PT

Ballroom 20 CD

About Adela

Adela is developing best-in-class technology to accelerate the diagnosis and improve the management of cancer through blood tests for minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring and multi-cancer early detection (MCED). Adela's genome-wide methylome enrichment platform, which utilizes the company's patented cfMeDIP-seq platform, efficiently captures extensive, biologically-relevant genomic information to maximize test performance and improve treatment decisions. The company's platform specifically isolates the information-rich (methylated) regions of the genome through a high-affinity enrichment process, enabling it to capture and preserve more genomic material for sequencing compared to other platforms that use enzymatic or chemical treatment (bisulfite conversion). This comprehensive view of the methylome significantly increases the opportunities for Adela's products to detect cancer signals in the blood compared to approaches that target a smaller set of genomic regions. It also enables enhanced prognostic and predictive abilities, as well as dynamic monitoring in patients over time. Adela's approach to MRD testing is tissue agnostic, eliminating the burden of acquiring a tumor sample. Adela's investors are F-Prime Capital, OrbiMed, Deerfield Management, Decheng Capital, RA Capital Management, and Labcorp. Find more information at adelabio.com.

1 Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

2 Adela, Inc. Foster City, CA

SOURCE Adela
VIENNA, Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Attune, the only customizable indoor air quality monitoring solution in America, along with the Illinois Chapter of ASHRAE, deployed Attune IAQ monitoring systems in Forest Hills Elementary School and McClure Junior High in Western Springs, Illinois.

Following the growing concern about poor indoor air quality post-pandemic, the three-year project will include Attune's IAQ sensor installation in classrooms, gymnasiums, cafeterias, and libraries to collect breathing data. It will also include hands-on workshops and educational materials to educate students, teachers, and administrators on what indoor air quality is and how it impacts our lives. This is a part of the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Conference Sustainability Project hosted by the Chapter.

Once installed, Attune's real-time data monitoring devices measure the levels of airborne pollutants on hand 24/7 and maximize the efficiency of their HVAC. Through air quality monitoring equipment, teachers and administrators can view building data instantaneously with changes in temperature, Carbon Dioxide, Volatile Organic Compounds, and Particulate Matter. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to explore Attune's online platform and experiment with real-life data.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to work with D101 and ASHRAE to help educate students on indoor air quality in Chicago," said Serene Almomen, CEO and Co-Founder of Attune. "The research from this project will improve the learning environments for students and teachers and the future of Chicago education."

The Illinois State Board of Education reports chronic absenteeism rates being higher in Chicago than statewide, with 49% of students missing at least 10% of school days, doubling since the pandemic. Factors like poor classroom breathing conditions and other respiratory health effects have been linked to lower academic performance and chronic absenteeism among students.

"This project combines the science and research from ASHRAE and the latest technology from Attune. It creates an excellent educational opportunity for the public schools in the district and is a leap forward in continuing education for the future generation," said Sumayyah Theron , ASHRAE Sustainability Project Chair.

"This sustainability project will help showcase indoor air quality in schools and will open up a dialogue on methods to improve it," said Theron. "Indoor air quality is an important component for healthy environments."

ASHRAE's sustainability project started in February 2024 and will continue for three years, concluding in February 2027. Annual results will be shared with the school district as well as a case study to be showcased at the 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference in Las Vegas.

Attune is currently in over 1,500 schools across the nation, including Denver Public Schools, Washington, D.C. Public Schools, Montgomery County Public Schools, Monterey County Schools, South Monterey County Schools, and Prince William County Public Schools.

For more information about Attune, visit their website at https://www.attuneiot.com. For more information about the ASHRAE Illinois Chapter, visit illinoisashrae.org .

About Attune:

Attune is a first-of-its-kind sensor-based technology platform with 59 patents. It provides real-time assurance for schools, office buildings, and hospitals in critical areas such as indoor air quality, energy consumption, risk of water leaks, equipment status, and more. Attune is the only customizable indoor air quality monitoring solution on the market. Visit: https://www.attuneiot.com

About ASHRAE:

Founded in 1894, ASHRAE is a global professional society committed to serving humanity by advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and their allied fields. For more information and to stay up-to-date on ASHRAE, visit ashrae.org and connect on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

SOURCE Attune
WASHINGTON, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A leading provider of antenna and connectivity solutions, Auden Techno Corp, announces its participation in Satellite 2024 (Booth #2642, March 18-22, Washington DC), where the prominent presence of 5G NTN technology is making the Satellite Expo a focal point of the global tech industry. This year's event, in particular, promises to be even more captivating. Auden, a leading designer of high frequency (HF) array communication systems, and Compal, a manufacturer specializing in smart connectivity solutions, have collaborated to develop a seamless solution spanning narrowband to broadband. This integrated offering encompasses geostationary orbit (GEO), low earth orbit (LEO), and terrestrial communications, delivering a diversified product portfolio that offers both performance and price advantages.

Auden has significantly advanced its decades of expertise in array antenna communication system design, introducing groundbreaking enhancements in shared antenna configurations. These advancements effectively mitigate the performance attenuation encountered with stacking array antennas across disparate frequencies. Furthermore, Auden has adeptly addressed the SWaP (Size, Weight & Power) challenge  a paramount issue for LEO products, through the development of an innovative structural design. The design not only maintains manufacturing and cost efficiencies but also accelerates the commercial viability of LEO technology. Auden is also proactively adopting the 3GPP R18 standards, incorporating NTN communication protocols, and facilitating the integration of next-generation base-band modules with satellite operators. Looking forward, the company is committed to utilizing international standard protocols to seamlessly connect satellite and terrestrial communications, extending the Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) to deliver a comprehensive Beyond 5G (B5G) communication solution. Additionally, to optimize the performance of LEO satellite offerings, Auden has collaborated with Anti-Entropy Aerospace Society (AEAS) to develop a cost-effective rocket tracking simulation tool. The tool enables adaptable verification of array antenna tracking accuracy, serving as a foundation for the advancement of Taiwan's independent satellite launch capabilities.

Daniel Chang, Chairman of Auden, said, "We are delighted to collaborate with Compal, leveraging the strengths of both parties to introduce a comprehensive satellite communication solution. By seamlessly integrating GEO and LEO as well as terrestrial communications with Compal's robust cloud-based system solutions, we empower users to establish superior and reliable communication systems, whether on land, at sea, or in the sky. The innovative offering caters to a diverse range of needs, including commercial, industrial, and even national security applications."

At the forthcoming Satellite Expo, Compal will showcase its extensive expertise in 5G ORAN and telecommunication networks, with a special focus on leveraging high-orbit satellite technology across various industry verticals. This demonstration will highlight Compal's capabilities in energy infrastructure monitoring, enhancement of public safety mechanisms, designing of weather-resistant communication devices, and amalgamation of terrestrial network solutions and computational technology. Compal plans to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) to provide real-time security in remote and inaccessible facilities, ultimately aiming to safeguard lives.

The collaboration between Auden and Compal builds on their combined extensive experience and deep expertise in communications technology. By pooling their resources and talents, the two companies aim to drive innovation in satellite communications, opening up new horizons for the global communication market.

We invite you to visit us at the exhibition to learn more about this groundbreaking satellite communication solution. We look forward to discussing the future trends of communication technology with you and sharing even more innovative ideas and solutions.

About Auden:

Established in 1981, Auden Group is a leading provider of connectivity solutions based in Taiwan. Continuously striving to advance the connectivity industry worldwide, the company provides comprehensive technical and service support in the wireless communication market, spanning antenna design & manufacturing, system-level integration, wireless product testing, laboratory & security, and green energy. Recently, Auden was recognized on the Forbes "Best Under a Billion 2023" list for its achievements that have moved the connectivity and telecommunications industries forward. For more information, please visit: https://www.auden.com.tw/en/about-us-en/

About Compal:

Established in 1984, Compal has grown to the worldwide leading computer and smart devices manufacturer. It offers wild solutions and complete portfolio, including 5G O-RAN, 5G small cells, 5G wireless modules as well as 5G smart wearable devices, satellite user terminal equipment and IoT solutions. With a comprehensive product portfolio that covers various domains, Compal is steadily advancing its leadership position in the field of 5G applications. For more information, https://www.compal.com/5g/

SOURCE Auden Techno. Corp
DAVENPORT, Iowa, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ausdal Financial Partners (AFP), a leading independent securities broker-dealer, is delighted to announce Dan Hetzel as its new General Counsel. Hetzel, a seasoned veteran in financial services litigation and regulatory compliance, joins AFP to enhance the firm's legal framework and support its strategic growth initiatives.

Boasting over twenty years of experience, Hetzel has distinguished himself as a dedicated advocate for broker-dealers and registered investment advisers, managing a broad spectrum of financial services litigation. His expertise covers defending managed accounts, private placements, REITs, variable annuities, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, life insurance trusts, deferred compensation plans, and welfare benefit plans. He has also represented clients in regulatory and enforcement proceedings before the SEC, FINRA, and state securities commissioners.

Hetzel's academic background is notable, with a Summa Cum Laude degree from Northwestern University, a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, and an MBA with a finance concentration from DePaul University's Kellstadt School of Business. This combination of education and experience uniquely qualifies him to lead AFP's legal department.

In his role as General Counsel, Hetzel will lead corporate legal initiatives, manage ongoing legal matters, and support AFP's advisors through consultations and education. His appointment is a testament to AFP's commitment to maintaining a culture of independence, fostering strong relationships, and pursuing strategic growth.

"We are excited to welcome Dan to AFP. His comprehensive legal expertise and shared values align perfectly with our mission," said an AFP spokesperson. "We are confident that Dan's leadership will guide AFP towards a successful future marked by integrity and innovation."

Hetzel expressed his enthusiasm about joining AFP, emphasizing his admiration for the firm's independent model and culture. He looks forward to contributing to AFP's success and ensuring the firm's compliance with legal and regulatory standards.

Dan Hetzel resides in Evanston, Illinois, with his family. For more information about Ausdal Financial Partners and this appointment, please visit www.ausdal.com.

About Ausdal Financial Partners

Ausdal Financial Partners is an independent securities broker-dealer and registered investment advisor headquartered in Davenport, Iowa. Currently over 90% owned by advisors and employees, AFP advisors enjoy the firm's relationship driven, advisor centric approach and enthusiasm for creating innovative solutions.

SOURCE Ausdal Financial Partners
NEW AYLO HEALTH - PRIMARY CARE AT KENNESAW LOCATION HOSTING OPEN HOUSE ON THURSDAY APRIL 11TH, FROM 4  7PM

KENNESAW, Ga., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aylo Health, the medical group known for their mission to redefine healthcare, has announced the upcoming opening of their second primary care office in six months in the North Metro Atlanta area. Following the successful launch of Aylo Health's initial North Metro primary care office in Canton, the organization is expanding their footprint to Kennesaw, located at 2085 Mack Dobbs Road Northwest.

Aylo Health is opening a primary care office in Cobb County, on Mack Dobbs to serve the community of Kennesaw. The Open House event will take place on April 11th, 2024, from 4 - 7pm.

Prior to the official opening, the team at Aylo Health invites the Kennesaw community to an exclusive Open House event on April 11th, 2024, offering a firsthand look at the state-of-the-art primary care facility and an opportunity to learn more about the Aylo Difference.

"Kennesaw is a vibrant and thriving community," commented Tim Reichert, Vice President of Marketing for Aylo Health. "We are excited to bring our board-certified and knowledgeable physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical staff to Cobb County. The opening of this new location signifies Aylo Health's commitment to delivering exceptional quality and comprehensive preventative primary care as well as the unmatched convenience of evening and weekend hours, and same-day appointments."

Offering primary care that prioritizes patient needs and schedules is a novel concept in healthcare that Aylo Health brings with it into every new community. The new Aylo Health - Primary Care at Kennesaw will offer extended hours, weekend appointments, in-house labs, x-rays, and imaging services to best serve their patients.

"At Aylo Health we're dedicated to being a part of your journey to amazing. We are changing the patient experience by providing quality, convenient, and comprehensive preventive care because we believe that healthy people can do amazing things," explained Reichert.

For more information about Aylo Health Primary Care at Kennesaw, including how to book appointments online, visit https://aylohealth.com/location/north-atlanta/primary-care-at-kennesaw/ where you can sign up to learn more.

About Aylo Health

Aylo Health provides healthcare to patients in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas. They offer a network of Primary Care, Imaging, Sleep, and Pediatric services with extended hours and weekend appointments. Aylo Health has locations in Canton, Ellenwood, Conyers, Stockbridge, McDonough, Hampton, Locust Grove and Jackson. Their unique approach combines the convenience of urgent care, the services of a medical center, and the personal attention of a family doctor. Aylo Health is dedicated to changing the patient experience by providing quality, convenient, and comprehensive preventive care.

It's healthcare that feels different. Because it is.

CONTACT:

Tim Reichert

Vice President of Marketing

(770) 914-0116 x 11820

SOURCE Aylo Health
PORT VILA, Vanuatu, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a decisive move that underscores its commitment to global expansion and regulatory excellence, Banxso, a trailblazer in the FX & CFD brokerage sector, proudly announces its acquisition of a financial dealer license in Vanuatu. This pivotal development, authorized by the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC), comes under the distinguished banner of VT Markets Global Limited, marking a significant leap forward in Banxso's mission to democratize financial trading on a global scale.

The VFSC license heralds a new chapter in Banxso's illustrious journey, allowing the company to extend its innovative financial products and services to the Pacific region, further solidifying its stature as a globally trusted brokerage firm. This certification is emblematic of Banxso's unwavering adherence to the stringent standards of operational integrity, customer protection, and compliance mandated by international financial regulatory bodies.

"This milestone is more than just a license; it is a testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence and our commitment to providing our clients with a secure, transparent, and robust trading platform," stated Manuel de Andrade, Chief Operating Officer at Banxso. "With the VFSC's recognition, we are poised to unlock unprecedented opportunities for our clients, offering them access to a wider array of investment avenues within a regulated and trustworthy environment."

Vanuatu, recognized for its strategic geographic position and favorable regulatory climate, presents an unparalleled opportunity for financial firms aiming to expand their footprint in the Asia-Pacific markets. The VFSC, with its rigorous regulatory standards, plays a pivotal role in promoting Vanuatu as a thriving hub for international finance and investment.

The acquisition of the financial dealer license enables Banxso to diversify its offering, introducing a spectrum of new financial instruments and services tailored to meet the evolving needs of its diverse clientele. Investors engaging with Banxso can now look forward to an enriched portfolio of investment options, augmented by the assurance and security of a VFSC-regulated environment.

As Banxso charts its course through the dynamic landscapes of global finance, the company remains steadfast in its dedication to innovation, regulatory compliance, and the pursuit of customer service excellence. This strategic expansion into Vanuatu is a clear indicator of Banxso's ambition to not only navigate but also lead the transformations within the international brokerage community.

With this significant regulatory achievement, Banxso is set to reinforce its position at the forefront of the financial services industry, driving forward its vision of accessible, secure, and innovative financial trading for all.

For additional information about Banxso and its comprehensive suite of financial products and services, please visit banxso.com.

About Banxso:

Banxso is a premier FX & CFD brokerage firm that stands at the vanguard of financial innovation and service excellence. Offering an extensive range of trading products and services, Banxso empowers investors across the globe with the tools, resources, and insights needed to navigate the complexities of the financial markets. Committed to transparency and regulatory compliance, Banxso delivers a secure, dynamic trading environment designed to foster success for its diverse international clientele.

Media Contact details:

Manpreet Singh

[email protected]

+16465064977

SOURCE Banxso
A large Phase 3 trial will evaluate whether the M72/AS01E vaccine candidate can protect adolescents and adults from pulmonary tuberculosis

Clinical trial site at University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa , is first of up to 60 sites in seven countries

The M72/AS01E vaccine candidate could be the first new TB vaccine in 100 years if proven effective

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI) today announced that a Phase 3 clinical trial to assess the efficacy of the M72/AS01E tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidate is now underway, with first doses given in South Africa, where TB takes a heavy toll. If shown to be well-tolerated and effective, M72/AS01E could potentially become the first vaccine to help prevent pulmonary TB in adolescents and adults, the most common form of the disease, and the first new TB vaccine in over a century.

Globally, according to the World Health Organization, an estimated 10.6 million people fell ill with TB in 2022 and 1.3 million died  over 3,500 people per day. The disease primarily affects people in low- and middle-income countries, and those at highest risk are often living in poverty, with poor living and working conditions and undernutrition. In South Africa alone, around 280,000 people are diagnosed with TB each year.

"The launch of this pivotal Phase 3 trial demonstrates our commitment to harnessing the power of medical innovation to fight diseases like TB that are particularly devastating for low- and middle-income countries," said Emilio A. Emini, Ph.D., CEO of the Gates MRI. "Clinical study of the vaccine will still require years, but our incredible partners in South Africa and elsewhere who have come together for the Phase 3 study share our hope in the vaccine's potential."

The Gates MRI, a nonprofit organization and subsidiary of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is sponsoring the trial, which is supported by funding from the Gates Foundation and Wellcome. The M72/AS01E vaccine candidate has been in development since the early 2000s. It was originally designed and clinically evaluated by the biopharma company GSK up to the proof-of-concept phase (Phase 2b), in partnership with Aeras and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and was funded by GSK and in part by the Gates Foundation. In 2020, GSK announced a partnership with the Gates MRI for further development of M72/AS01E. GSK continues to provide technical assistance to the Gates MRI, supplies the adjuvant component of the vaccine for the Phase 3 trial and will provide the adjuvant post licensure should the trial be successful. An adjuvant is an ingredient used in some vaccines that can help create a stronger immune response.

Making vaccines accessible and affordable for communities in areas of high disease burden in the long-term is a priority for all trial partners. The Gates MRI has worked with a wide range of stakeholders, including communities around clinical trial sites, to guide the TB candidate vaccine to Phase 3. To this end, the Gates MRI, GSK, Wellcome and the Gates Foundation are working together to understand the potential demand for the vaccine and build an end-to-end plan to ensure long-term sustainable access, should the trial be successful; from supporting research and building an evidence-base for the potential impact of the vaccine and community requirements for uptake, to collaborating with multilateral, regional and country partners required to introduce the vaccine. Additionally, the trial funders are planning to establish an international advisory group comprised of representatives from all these groups to provide input on the overall program.

Developing and ensuring access to global health products is a complex task. As such, global collaboration and strong partnerships are a core component of planning for future access to the candidate vaccine.

"Reaching Phase 3 with an urgently needed TB vaccine candidate is an important moment for South Africans because it demonstrates that there is a strong local and global commitment to fight a disease that remains distressingly common in our communities," said Dr. Lee Fairlie, Director of Maternal and Child Health at Wits RHI at University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, and national principal investigator for the trial in South Africa. "South Africa also has considerable experience with TB- and vaccine-related clinical trials and a strong track record for protecting patient safety and generating high quality data essential for regulatory approvals."

At full capacity, the trial will include up to 20,000 participants, including people living with HIV, at up to 60 trial sites in seven countries  South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Indonesia and Vietnam. Participants will receive either the investigational M72/AS01E vaccine or a placebo in what is known as a double-blind trial, meaning neither the trial participant nor the clinical investigators will know who receives vaccine or placebo. This approach is considered the gold standard for evaluating the safety and efficacy of an investigational vaccine.

"After dedicating over 20 years to developing this essential candidate vaccine, we at GSK are delighted that the Phase 3 trial is underway. Developing and ensuring access to global health products is complex but our collaboration with the Gates MRI, Wellcome and the Gates Foundation exemplifies the transformative power of leveraging diverse partners' expertise to change the trajectory of challenging diseases, like TB, which place a huge burden on communities around the world," said Deborah Waterhouse, CEO, ViiV Healthcare and President, Global Health, GSK.

While TB is one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases  and the leading cause of death amongst people living with HIV  the only available TB vaccine, BCG, dates back to 1921. It protects babies and young children against severe forms of TB, but it offers inadequate protection for adolescents and adults against the pulmonary form of the disease, which is primarily responsible for transmission of the TB bacterium.

"If effective, M72/AS01E could reinvigorate a global fight against TB that has been weakened by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Alemnew Dagnew, M.D., who leads development of M72/AS01E at the Gates MRI. "I am particularly excited to see this trial get underway because when I was working as a physician in Ethiopia, I saw first-hand what pulmonary TB does to communities  and a vaccine that could help prevent that from happening would be transformative."

Dagnew noted that TB is both a health problem and a socioeconomic problem. He said the disease primarily affects people during their prime working years, leaving families without income and children without parents. Almost half of TB-affected households face costs higher than 20% of their household income.

"We must continue to move with urgency to develop and equitably deliver innovative tools with the potential to transform the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of TB. The start of the Gates MRI's M72 TB vaccine candidate Phase 3 clinical trial marks a pivotal moment in the fight to end TB, which devastatingly afflicts the world's most vulnerable communities. We think this trial marks the beginning of a series of opportunities that will usher in the most promising pipeline ever of new TB tools. The Gates Foundation remains committed to supporting local and global partners to accelerate the solutions needed to save lives and reduce suffering from this preventable disease," said Trevor Mundel, President, Global Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Alex Pym, Director of Infectious Disease at Wellcome, said: "While it is a long journey to results, the start of this trial in South Africa brings us a critical step closer to having an effective vaccine to protect those most at risk of TB. Global collaboration with regulators, in-country decision makers and communities affected is crucial if those who need it most are to benefit from this vaccine, should the trial be successful."

It is anticipated that it will take up to five years to complete the trial, followed by data analysis and then preparation for submission of data to regulatory authorities.

In GSK's Phase 2b trial, M72/AS01E provided approximately 50% protection (13/1626 versus 26/1663) against progression to active pulmonary tuberculosis for three years in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected HIV-negative adults, which was unprecedented in decades of TB vaccine research. The World Health Organization estimates that over a 25-year time span, that level of protection could save 8.5 million lives, prevent 76 million new TB cases and save $41.5 billion for TB affected households.

About the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI)

The Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute is a non-profit medical research organization dedicated to the development and effective use of novel biomedical interventions addressing substantial global health concerns, for which investment incentives are limited, including malaria, tuberculosis, enteric and diarrheal diseases, and diseases that impact maternal, newborn, and child health. For further information please visit www.gatesmri.org.

For more information, contact:

[email protected]

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2365435/Bill_and_Melinda_Gates_Medical_Research__Logo.jpg
Life Sciences Industry Veteran to Lead Development and Execution of Growth and Innovation Strategy, Expanding Global Reach of Bioforum's Biometric Services and Solutions

NESS ZIONA, Israel, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bioforum, the Data Masters, a leading contract research organization (CRO) focused on the delivery of biometric services and solutions to the global clinical trials industry, today announced the appointment of Michael Goedde as its President. A clinical data management expert whose career in the life sciences industry spans over three decades, Goedde will drive the development and execution of Bioforum's global growth and innovation strategy.

Leveraging his extensive experience running worldwide teams and scaling CROs, Goedde will oversee the expansion of Bioforum's industry-leading suite of biometric services and solutions and the formation of strategic partnerships to support this effort. He will report to Bioforum's CEO and Co-Founder Amir Malka.

"Michael's proven expertise in biostatistics and clinical data management, and his wealth of experience in pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, and CROs, along with his unwavering dedication to excellence in clinical research, make him exceptionally qualified for this critical leadership role," said Malka. "As we expand our presence in North America and around the world, I'm delighted to welcome Michael to the Bioforum family and confident that his leadership will be invaluable in driving our long-term growth and success."

The addition to Bioforum's executive team comes as it enriches its suite of services in clinical data management, biostatistics and statistical programming, and medical writing, as well as solutions designed to power the automation of key biometric study processes. These include Bioforum's technology-enabled tools for visual analytics ( BioGrid ), SDTM conversation ( JetConvert ), and risk analysis and validation ( Validify ).

Goedde joins Bioforum from ICON plc, where he served as Vice President of Global Data Operations, led a group of more than 600 data operations professionals, and was responsible for developing and executing the company's biometrics and data science-driven clinical data management strategies. Prior to ICON, Goedde spent four years at Parexel in roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as Vice President of Global Data Operations. He headed up a group of more than 900 data operations professionals and Parexel's global business unit for clinical data management and database programming. Earlier in his career, before transitioning to the CRO sector, Goedde worked in clinical data management roles at MedImmune, Human Genome Sciences, Kos Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, Aventis Pharma, and Hoechst Marion Roussel, where he contributed to numerous new drug approvals in oncology, immunology, CNS, and other therapeutic areas.

"I'm honored to be joining an industry-shaping company known for its people-first culture and to be taking on this role, working alongside a world-class, multidisciplinary team of experts, at such an exciting and pivotal time in Bioforum's journey," said Goedde. "I look forward to expanding our presence and capabilities to support existing clients and introducing more members of the research community to the level of excellence that Bioforum consistently delivers."

An advocate for the clinical data management profession and frequent speaker on the topic at key industry events, Goedde served on the Society for Clinical Data Management (SCDM) Board of Trustees from 2017-2021 and was the Chair of the SCDM Board in 2020. He holds a bachelor's degree in computer science from Computer Lern Zentrum (CLZ) Hoechst AG in Frankfurt, Germany.

About Bioforum the Data Masters

Bioforum The Data Masters is a leading global clinical research organization (CRO) that specializes in biometric services and solutions for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. With a team of experienced professionals and state-of-the-art technology, Bioforum provides a range of services including data management, biostatistics, statistical programming and medical writing to help companies bring new drugs and therapies to market faster. To learn more about us and our services, visit www.bioforumgroup.com or find us on LinkedIn at https://il.linkedin.com/company/bioforum-ltd

Bioforum Contact

Tali Rahinstein

[email protected]

SOURCE Bioforum
BOSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Harbor Angels (BHA) proudly commemorates two decades of catalyzing innovation and fostering entrepreneurial growth within the Boston ecosystem. Founded in 2004, BHA strives to be at the forefront of angel investing, providing vital funding and mentorship to emerging companies across various lucrative industries. Over the past 20 years, the organization has cultivated a dynamic network of investors, industry experts, and most importantly their entrepreneurs.

"As we celebrate our 20th anniversary," remarks President and CEO of BHA, Ziad Moukheiber, "we reflect on our and our founders hard work in angel investing. Our journey has been marked not only by innovation and our commitment to supporting entrepreneurs, but also our founders' resilience and persistence throughout the unpredictability of this field. We are proud to have nurtured the growth of so many promising startups."

David Friend, Founder and CEO of Wasabi Technologies, commented, "BHA is my favorite angel group. Their unwavering support and strategic insights have been instrumental in propelling Wasabi to new heights. We are proud to be part of the BHA family. Happy 20th!"

Another resilient founder, Laurel Taylor, CEO of Candidly, a company tackling student debt expressed, "the support we received from BHA has been instrumental in accelerating our growth. Their expertise and passion have been truly inspiring. We are honored to celebrate this milestone and look forward to our continued collaboration in driving innovation forward."

"Boston Harbor Angels is a supportive community that has provided excellent resources both financial, network and expertise" added Marian Leitner-Waldman, Founder and CEO of Archer Roose Wines, luxurious canned wines co-owned by Elizabeth Banks. "The tone of the community is set by Ziad. He understands the entrepreneurial journey is rarely smooth but works to support the companies in BHA's portfolio every step of the way."

William Korinek, CEO and Co-Founder of Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals, stated, "BHA provides the crucial guidance and resources needed for startups like Astrocyte to thrive. Boston Harbor Angels has been a fantastic lead investor and partner. It's our privilege to be with them for the 20th anniversary."

Boston Harbor Angels reaffirms its commitment to investing for a better world as it commemorates 20 years. Here's to many more!

For further information, please contact:

Ziad Moukheiber

President and CEO | [email protected] | LinkedIn

SOURCE Boston Harbor Angels Inc
Finland hands over batch of combat boats to Ukraine, 50 Ukrainian soldiers to be trained on them in Romania  media

Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told the Romanian parliament on Monday that he had approved the training of about 50 Ukrainian soldiers, the Romanian Defense and Security Monitor portal reported.

According to the publication, the Romanian army will train the Ukrainian military on ships received from Finland, and then will contribute these ships to Ukraine.

"In October, the Finnish Ministry of Defense sent a letter to the Romanian Minister of National Defense, in which it said that it wanted to transfer the equipment to Ukraine, and asked Romania to provide support in transit through its national territory, as well as organizing training events for Ukrainian crews who will receive and operate the donated equipment," Iohannis told the Romanian parliament on February 14.

According to him, the Finnish side also requested the provision of free logistical support for Ukrainian personnel, including accommodation, transport, food, fuel necessary for the operation of boats.

Iohannis did not tell the parliament on which equipment the Ukrainian military would be trained in Romania, but, as the ezine notes, he talked about boats.

"At the moment, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the United States have provided Ukraine with various types of warships, the latest of which is Sweden, which on February 20 announced the transfer of ten CB-90 amphibious assault boats and 20 high-speed G-boats, as well as underwater weapons. Finland uses landing craft similar to the Swedish ones, and it is possible that they are of the same type," the ezine says.

The Finnish state broadcaster Yle reported this with reference to a Romanian source, saying that the Finnish authorities had not disclosed the content of military assistance to Ukraine.

"The Finnish Navy includes, among other things, landing ships of the Jehu class and transport ships of the Jurmo and Uisco classes," Yle said.

As reported, in early February, Finland sent the 22nd package of military assistance in the amount of up to EUR 190 million and announced the preparation of a long-term support plan for Ukraine. The transferred package includes equipment and products manufactured in Finland, while "separate financing in the amount of EUR 30 million will be allocated to support Ukraine."
The world's first non-surgical cervical HSIL treatment validated by an international Phase III clinical study with proven efficacy;

The response rate increased by 89.4% compared to the placebo control group, with a low incidence of adverse events;

The China new drug application submission is expected in Q2 2024, while ex- China product development is in active progress.

SHANGHAI, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Asieris Pharmaceuticals (Stock Code: 688176.SH), a global biopharmaceutical leader in the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative drugs for genitourinary tumors and related diseases announced that the multicenter Phase III global clinical study data of its non-surgical treatment for cervical HSIL product APL-1702 demonstrated significant efficacy and good safety profile, with new advancements in clearance rate of high-risk HPV16 and/or HPV18. Key data from the study were presented in oral presentations at the 2024 European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (EUROGIN) Congress and the 2024 Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) Annual Meeting.

APL-1702 is a pioneering cold light photodynamic drug-device combination product, used as a non-surgical therapy for treating cervical HSIL. This study is a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled multicenter Phase III global clinical study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of APL-1702 for the treatment of cervical HSIL. Primary endpoint of the study is the proportion of responders at 6 months after the initial treatment. The study is led by Dr. Jinghe Lang, an academician at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Response is defined as the conversion of cervical epithelial tissue pathology to normal or the conversion to low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) while achieving baseline HPV clearance.

According to the study results, between November 2020 and July 2022, a total of 402 eligible patients from various countries including China, Germany, the Netherlands et al. were randomized and enrolled in this study. The response rate in the APL-1702 treatment group showed a statistically significant improvement of 89.4% (41.1% vs. 21.7%, p = 0.0001) compared to that in the placebo control group, indicating a remarkable therapeutic effect. Additionally, APL-1702 showed an improved clearance rate of high-risk HPV16 and/or HPV18, with a 103.9% increase in the APL-1702 treatment group compared to the control group (31.4% vs. 15.4%)[1]. The incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) was comparable between the treatment group and the control group, with the majority being mild and self-healing without requiring intervention. The occurrence rates of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) were both low in both groups[2].

According to the "Global Cancer Statistics 2020" report, there were 604,127 new cases of cervical cancer in women worldwide in 2020, with 341,831 deaths, ranking it as the fourth most common cancer among women. Cervical cancer incidence ranks second among malignant tumors in Chinese women. According to the "National Cancer Report 2024" released by the National Cancer Center, there were 150,700 new cases of cervical cancer in China in 2022, with 55,700 deaths from cervical cancer.

The main cause of cervical cancer is persistent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), which leads to precancerous lesions of the cervix. Approximately 25% of individuals with HSIL may progress to invasive cervical cancer within 10 years[3]. According to Frost Sullivan analysis, it is projected that by 2030, the number of HSIL patients worldwide and in China will reach 16.6 million and 2.2 million, respectively. With the increasing popularity of dual-cancer screening and cervical cytology tests, more and more patients with cervical precancerous lesions are being detected at early stages before cancer develops, and it is expected that the number of patients will continue to increase.

Women with cervical precancerous lesions have unmet clinical needs for non-surgical therapies. Currently, invasive procedures such as loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) and cold knife conization remain the primary treatment options for high-grade cervical lesions. However, these surgical treatments are associated with adverse reactions including bleeding, infection, and cervical structural damage, which may lead to complications such as preterm birth and miscarriage. Furthermore, cervical precancerous lesions require long-term monitoring and management because even after surgical treatment, there is a risk of persistent disease or recurrence, with a higher risk of developing cervical cancer compared to the general population (5 times higher risk of invasive cancer within 10 years). Therefore, post-operative follow-up for at least 25 years is necessary. Importantly, if cervical precancerous lesions recur, subsequent surgical interventions become more challenging and carry higher risks, potentially resulting in total hysterectomy. Thus, early surgical intervention increases the difficulty of long-term management. Non-surgical therapies that preserve the intact cervix and avoid or delay cervical trauma are of significant importance for the long-term management of patients with cervical precancerous lesions.

Professor Chen Fei, Chief Physician of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, expressed her delight with the research findings, stating, "I am extremely pleased with the results of this study. Treating HSIL serves as the final barrier against cervical cancer. Previous international studies on HSIL have not been successful, but this study, utilizing a multicenter trial design and strict definition of efficacy endpoints, has achieved positive results, which is no easy feat. As a clinician, I have encountered many HSIL patients who desire to preserve their intact cervix while receiving treatment. The emergence of APL-1702 will fulfill the wishes of these patients, allowing them to avoid or delay cervical trauma to the maximum extent possible."

Professor Qiao Youlin, a member of the WHO Global Expert Group for Cervical Cancer Elimination and a professor at the School of Population Medicine and Public Health at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, believes that in addition to vaccination and screening, treatment of cervical precancerous lesions is a crucial component of secondary prevention for cervical cancer. However, progress in the field of medication for cervical precancerous lesions has been relatively slow, with high barriers to overcome, and there are currently no approved treatment drugs worldwide. "It is gratifying to see the emergence of innovative products like APL-1702, which simultaneously possess clinical value in addressing the treatment gap, public health value in cervical cancer prevention and control, and social value in promoting fertility-friendly options. This breakthrough will safeguard women's health and make a positive contribution to the acceleration of the 2030 global and Chinese action plans for cervical cancer elimination".

Dr. Linda Wu, Chief Development Officer of Asieris Pharmaceuticals, said, "We are extremely proud of the results from the international multicenter Phase III clinical study of APL-1702. The study not only demonstrates remarkable efficacy but also exhibits a favorable safety profile, offering a new powerful artillery for the national cervical cancer prevention and control system. We express our gratitude to all the patients, physicians, and researchers who participated in this study, as their support and dedication have been invaluable. We are actively preparing the new drug application for APL-1702 and plan to submit it in the second quarter of this year. Additionally, we are making significant progress in product development overseas, aiming to bring this innovative treatment to more patients as soon as possible."

References

EUROGIN: Photodynamic therapy with APL-1702 for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL): results from a randomized phase  global study (YHGT-CEV-1/APRICITY) SGO: APL-1702 long-term efficacy and safety for cervical histologic high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL): results from a randomized phase  global study Gao Shujun, Sui Long . Standardized management and follow-up of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions of the cervix[J]. Chinese Journal of Practical Gynecology and Obstetrics. 2020,36(07):604-608.

About APL-1702(Cevira)

APL-1702(Cevira) is a breakthrough photodynamic drug-device combination product that is being developed for non-surgical treatment of high-grade precancerous lesions of the cervix. Cevira holds the potential to serve the high unmet medical need for non-invasive treatment options for patients with HSIL in an outpatient setting, especially for young women of reproductive age. Asieris Pharmaceuticals entered into a license agreement with Photocure ASA (Photocure, PHO: OSE) to obtain the worldwide development and commercialization of Cevira in July 2019. Cevira is a registered trademark of Photocure ASA, based in Oslo, Norway.

About Asieris

Asieris Pharmaceuticals(688176.SH), founded in March 2010, is a global biopharma company specializing in discovering, developing and commercializing innovative drugs for the treatment of genitourinary tumors and other related diseases. We strive to improve human health to preserve patient's dignity. We aim to become a global pharma leader that integrates R&D, manufacturing and commercialization in our areas of focus, as we provide best-in-class integrated diagnosis and treatment solutions for patients in China and worldwide.

The company has been developing its proprietary R&D platform and core technologies, exploring new mechanisms of action, and efficiently screening and evaluating drug candidates. With a well-established in-house R&D system and expertise in global drug development, Asieris is committed to launching first-in-class drugs and other innovative products to address huge unmet needs in its areas of focus.

Asieris is also enhancing its pipeline for genitourinary diseases via proprietary R&D and strategic partnerships, while closely following cutting-edge technologies and therapeutics. The company strives to discover and identify unmet clinical needs, and adopts a forward-looking approach in product planning and life-cycle management. We aim to establish an outstanding portfolio that covers diagnosis and treatment in a bid to benefit more patients in China and globally.

SOURCE Asieris
CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- UpField Financial, LLC ("UpField"), a financial diligence and consulting firm, announced that Brian Rush, CPA, has joined the firm as a Partner focused on lender due-diligence and specializing in providing collateral exams, desktop reviews, portfolio reviews and quality of earnings reports for commercial banks and non-bank lenders in their Commercial, Corporate, and Asset-based Groups. Prior to joining UpField, Mr. Rush served as a senior executive in the lending industry; most recently as President of World Trade Finance, originating over $100MM SBA loans and leading its portfolio expansion and operations since 2015.

Chad Ward, Managing Partner at UpField, said, "We are excited to welcome Brian to the team. Brian brings 15+ years of experience as a financial and strategic leader, and has overseen all aspects of the lending process, restructurings, and financing for businesses both large and small, ranging in size from $1MM to $50MM. He will help us continue our focus on adding value to our clients, and specifically help us build our lender due diligence division."

Mr. Rush added, "I am thrilled to work with the UpField team and look forward to what the future holds. Given our country's current economic conditions, it is a unique time to be in this industry, and I am excited for the opportunity to help lenders and businesses succeed." Since his beginnings as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr. Rush has spent the last 15+ years in and around asset-based lending and M&A transactions. His impeccable career shows a unique track of professional development. Most notably, in addition to leading World Trade Finance to national recognition by the SBA as one of its top small lenders, Mr. Rush has also served in leadership roles for Red-Ridge Finance Group, FTI Consulting, and PwC.

In November of 2019 UpField Group launched a new division; UpField Financial. With the recent growth of the division and the market's positive response to the services UpField has provided, the partners at UpField began a search for an experienced financial leader to join the firm, and are now incredibly excited to welcome Brian to the team.

ABOUT UPFIELD FINANCIAL

UpField Financial, LLC, - a Midwest-based strategy and financial consulting firm with offices in Chicago, Peoria, Austin, and Columbus, OH was founded in 2014. UpField Financial is a multi-faceted firm that brings decades of financial expertise and experience to the market. Rooted in financial advisory services, UpField Financial provides a wide array of services to both private and public companies while helping clients in the banking, private equity, and corporate finance industries attain successful outcomes.

For more information, please visit http://www.upfieldgroup.com/Financial

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Chad Ward

Partner

UpField Group

[email protected]

312-608-1861

Brian Rush

Partner

UpField Group

[email protected]

312-659-6918

SOURCE UpField Group, LLC
Global manufacturing solutions provider with Chicago U.S. HQ recognized for its groundbreaking SaaS tool, CADDi Drawer

CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CADDi , a leading manufacturing solutions provider, is honored to announce its inclusion in Fast Company's prestigious annual list of the Most Innovative Companies for 2024. This recognition from a leading media company covering the future of technology and work underscores CADDi's commitment to driving innovation, efficiency, and cost reduction within procurement departments and the manufacturing sector as a whole.

CADDi

Fast Company's exclusive list of innovators is an annual ranking that honors select organizations globally that are making a lasting impact in their respective industries. CADDi is recognized among iconic global brands like Nvidia, YouTube, and more.

"We are thrilled Fast Company validated the work our organization is doing to help empower manufacturers to unleash their potential," said Yushiro Kato, co-founder and CEO of CADDi. "This accolade is a testament to our dedication to building a manufacturing platform designed for teams across the supply chainfrom sales to engineering to procurement departmentsto enhance manufacturing workflows."

Fast Company's list celebrates organizations that are spearheading groundbreaking advancements in their respective industries, setting the standard for future innovation. CADDi's inclusion highlights its position as a trailblazer in driving efficiency in procurement and transforming the manufacturing landscape with its flagship CADDi Drawer, an easy-to-use secure SaaS platform that uses AI to help procurement teams centralize and search for drawings in a central hub.

"Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year," said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. "We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future."

CADDi Drawer revolutionizes manufacturers' procurement and supply-chain operations by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to unlock unprecedented access to comprehensive data. Utilizing a cutting-edge, patented image analysis algorithm, CADDi Drawer effortlessly digitizes intricate details from drawings along with their corresponding supply-chain information. This seamless integration of data, combined with its innovative "similar drawings search" capability, establishes CADDi Drawer as the premier search platform in the manufacturing sector. By enabling procurement teams to tap into a wealth of past manufacturing insights, CADDi Drawer breaks the cycle of reinventing the wheel to drive significant cost savings and innovation in future projects.

In July 2023, CADDi raised $89 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total capital raised to $164 million. The company is expanding in North America and opened its U.S. headquarters in Chicago to bring its solution to manufacturers in the region and nationwide.

"We want to make the lives of the people who work daily in manufacturing easier," Kato added. "Organizations have never had the opportunity to access historical drawings and supply-chain data in a centralized systemuntil now. By harnessing the power of AI and our patented algorithms, we are enabling them to not only access drawings but make decisions based on having essential information literally at their fingertips."

CADDi remains committed to addressing broader industry pain points. The platform reduces manufacturing costsleveraging past insights to eliminate pricing inconsistencies common in the non-standardized and opaque procurement process to optimize supplier selectionand helps bridge the knowledge gap between experienced workers retiring and newer ones entering the workforce in an era when the manufacturing industry faces persistent worker shortages.

CADDi's recognition in Fast Company reflects its profound impact on the manufacturing sector and industry at large. As CADDi continues to push the boundaries of innovation, the company remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering exceptional value to its clients and partners.

For more information about Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, click here .

ABOUT CADDi INC.

CADDi is a global manufacturing company on a mission to "unleash the potential of manufacturing." The company strives to transform the manufacturing industry through its primary offering, "CADDi Drawer," an AI-enabled drawing management system, helping further unlock the potential of manufacturing by significantly improving the efficiency of procurement teams.

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com .

Media Contact

Bob Spoerl

For CADDi

[email protected]

774.453.2444

SOURCE CADDi
DUBLIN, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "CAR-T Funding Report - Venture Capital, IPOs, Licensing Deals, Collaborations, and M&A Transactions, 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

For the nascent CAR-T industry, it is a phenomenal achievement to raise more than $128.25 billion through these various deals that have reported their financial terms. Additionally, 59 of 84 CAR-T licensing deals, 65 of the 98 CAR-T collaboration deals, and 11 of the 27 CAR-T industry M&A deals did not disclose the value of their transactions. Thus, if an approximate estimate is calculated for all deals of undisclosed values, the total value would be a staggering $240 billion.

CAR-T industry funding isn't gaining traction, it is surging. At first, the trend was subtle, but the tide has swelled as CAR-T therapies like Kymriah, Yescarta, Tecartus, Breyanzi, Abecma, and Carvykti have reached the marketplace and created a funding boom. In recent years, CAR-T start-ups have been richly funded by investors eager to get into this trending area of regenerative medicine.

Worldwide, more than 170 companies are engaged in developing CAR-T products and therapies. These CAR-T therapy companies have developed nearly 970 early and late-stage therapies. These companies have also signed an incredible 98 collaboration deals to progress the development of various CAR-T product candidates. Of these, 33 collaboration deals have disclosed their financial terms, which account for a total of $21.7 billion in transactions. If an estimate is made for the collaboration deals that have not disclosed their terms, the total value of these 98 collaboration deals would be in the range of an astonishing $63 billion.

Over the past decade, CAR-T companies have also attracted venture capital investments worth an incredible $6.7 billion, enabling these CAR-T companies to invest in their infrastructure and product pipelines. During the same period, CAR-T companies raised an impressive $5.8 billion through IPO funding to strengthen their technology platforms, clinical trial programs, and corporate efforts.

Within this nascent industry, with over 417,801 patent records and 4,024 granted patents, large pharma has increasingly been seeking to enter the CAR-T field by licensing rights from existing patent owners. Thus, the total value of CAR-T licensing deals over the past decade accounts for another $3.9 billion in transactions and this total is expected to expand substantially in the coming decade.

Among the various financing types analyzed in this report - which include CAR-T industry IPOs, licensing deals, collaborations, strategic partnerships, co-development agreements, and M&A deals - M&A deals constitute the largest financial percentage, accounting for an astounding $95.9 billion over the past decade.

At present, six CAR-T therapies have been approved by U.S. FDA, including:

Tisagenlecleucel-T (Kymriah)

Axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta)

Brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus)

Lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi)

Idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma)

Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (Carvykte)

Many of the CAR-T therapies above have been approved by other regulatory agencies, most commonly for use within the EU. Numerous CAR-T therapies have reached commercialization in other regions as well, such as Relma-cel's (Relmacabtagene) and Yikaida's (Axicabtagene ciloleucel) approval from the NMPA in China, Ebvallo's (tabelecleucel) approval from the European Commission, Actaly-cel's (Actalycabtagene autoleucel) in India, and Fucaso's (Equecabtagene autoleucel) approval in China, for example. This list is not exhaustive because CAR-T approvals are accelerating on a global scale. According to ClinicalTrials.gov, there are also an incredible 706 CAR-T programs that are in the clinical phases of development.

This CAR-T market funding report summarizes all types of investments flowing into CAR-T companies worldwide, including financing rounds, IPOs, M&A transactions, co-development agreements, and strategic partnerships. Additionally, it profiles 78 leading competitors who have been involved with these CAR-T industry funding events. Of course, it aggregates these numbers so you can understand the global impact of these funding events and how they are propelling the rapid growth of the CAR-T sector at large.

It features the following information for the CAR-T cell therapy industry:

Financing Rounds

IPOs

Asset Agreements

Strategic Partnerships

Co-Development Agreements

M&A Transactions

Companies Profiles for CAR-T Market Competitors

You can use it to:

Quantify CAR-T industry investments

Identify well-capitalized companies

Scout potential partnerships and alliances

Understand partnerships and co-development programs for CAR-T technologies

Identify M&A activity within the CAR-T industry

In summary, there have been hundreds of billions of dollars in financial transactions completed by CAR-T companies in recent years. Ranging from small start-ups to billion-dollar companies, CAR-T companies are proliferating in all healthcare markets worldwide.

Key Topics Covered:

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2. GLOBAL COMMERCIALIZATION OF CAR-T CELL THERAPIES

2.1 Total Number of Patients Treated with CAR-T Cell Therapies by Year, 2017-2023

2.2 Total Sales Revenues Generated by FDA-Approved CAR-T Therapies, 2017-2023

2.3 List Prices of FDA-Approved CAR-T Therapies

3. CAR-T INDUSTRY FUNDING EVENTS

3.1 CAR-T Industry Venture Capital Financing Events

3.1.1 Total Venture Capital Raised by CAR-T Companies, 2014 - 2023

3.1.2 Year-Over-Year Comparison of Venture Capital Funding Raised by CAR-T Companies

3.1.3 Venture Capital Raised by CAR-T Companies (78 Capital Raises) - Deal Terms & Values

4. IPO FUNDING RAISED BY CAR-T CELL THERAPY COMPANIES

5. CAR-T LICENSING DEALS EXECUTED GLOBALLY

6. CAR-T COLLABORATION DEALS

7. CAR-T INDUSTRY M&A DEALS (MERGER AND ACQUISITION)

8. PROFILES OF CAR-T COMPANIES INVOLVED WITH FUNDING EVENTS

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8hxf9z

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

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Mark L. Wilson and Allison Malzone Join the Firm's Buyer & Tenant Representation Team

CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cawley Commercial Real Estate, a leading commercial real estate brokerage providing submarket expertise within advisory services and property management, expands its Brokerage team with two new strategic hires.

To keep pace with the firm's growth, recently appointed CEO Zach Pruitt announces new additions to Cawley's Buyer & Tenant Representation team:

- Mark L. Wilson, Senior Vice President

- Allison Malzone, Senior Associate

Both Wilson and Malzone are set to join forces with Cawley's founder, Dan Cawley, as the new team builds off a combined 50 years of commercial real estate experience.

Wilson and Malzone will focus on Buyer & Tenant Representation, assisting businesses in finding and securing office spaces, negotiating leases, and ensuring terms and optimal locations for clients' success.

"We are proud to welcome Allison and Mark to our team," says Pruitt. "They bring a wealth of industry knowledge, an extensive network, and a nuanced understanding of market trends. They have proven track records of navigating complex transactions, negotiating effectively, and capitalizing on opportunities for their clients. Their addition to our team allows us to agile, proactive, and well-equipped for future growth and further expansion in 2024."

In addition to Pruitt, Cawley CRE principals include Anthony Marino, President of Cawley Metro Property Management; Joshua Hearne, SIOR; Andrew Maletich, SIOR; Rawly Lantz, SIOR; Frank Melchert, SIOR; and David Conroy.

To learn more about Cawley, visit: www.cawleycre.com.

About Cawley Commercial Real Estate

Cawley CRE is dedicated to delivering exceptional brokerage and property management services to companies throughout Chicagoland area and Greater Midwest with offices in Chicago, Oakbrook Terrace, and Grand Rapids. Since 1998, the firm has built a reputation for helping clients navigate the complex commercial real estate landscape to buy, lease, and invest in commercial, industrial, and retail properties. To learn more, visit www.cawleycre.com and follow on LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Kebra Shelhamer

[email protected]

918-260-6552

SOURCE Cawley Commercial Real Estate
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www.cgi.com/newsroom

New modernization initiative will evolve the agency's Health Plan Management System

FAIRFAX, Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - CGI Federal Inc. (CGI), a wholly-owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI Inc. (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), has been awarded a single award, firm-fixed price contract by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help improve access to Medicare for millions of beneficiaries by modernizing the agency's Health Plan Management System (HPMS). By evolving the HPMS through advanced technologies, CGI will help CMS optimize the plan enrollment and compliance processes for more than 800 private health and drug plans currently participating in the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D (MAPD) programs. The contract includes a 1-year base period, as well as four 1-year option periods, for a total contract value of US$72M.

CGI will build upon the success of HPMS as a secure, reliable, and high-performing system through modernization initiatives such as integrating intelligent automation, leveraging cloud efficient tools, delivering data analytics and applying Agile delivery methodologies. CGI also will apply new and advanced technologies to help meet increasing stakeholder expectations and enhance cybersecurity to address new threat vectors.

"With more than two decades of experience in delivering complex enterprise information technology projects for HPMS, we are proud to extend our support to further advance the CMS HPMS mission and help transform the accessibility of health plans for Medicare beneficiaries through a secure system," said Ksheeraja Velangulam, CGI Vice-President, Consulting Services, and Lead for CGI's HPMS engagement. "Through our comprehensive healthcare industry knowledge and deep technical expertise, we will deliver innovative solutions that enable CMS to meet the evolving expectations of program beneficiaries."

Under the contract, CGI will provide solutions for optimizing the annual lifecycle activities required for the successful execution of every MAPD plan as well as strategic business and technical solutions to deliver a full-service website designed to optimize the HPMS user experience. With more than 70 software modules of varying sizes and complexity, HPMS supports critical functions impacting 65 million Medicare beneficiaries enrolling into MAPD health plans. HPMS also features a Plan Management Dashboard, which organizes HPMS data and visually presents key performance indicators for CMS and health plan executives.

"CGI understands the current challenges in operationalizing data for the Medicare, Medicaid, and healthcare marketplace communities," said Steve Sousa, CGI Senior Vice-President & Health and Social Services Business Unit lead. "As the need for evolving digital ecosystem interoperability continues to grow, CGI supports CMS to reinvent digital strategies and optimize operations to improve the beneficiary journey and customer experience."

About CGI Federal Inc.

CGI Federal Inc. (CGI), a wholly-owned U.S. operating subsidiary of CGI Inc., is dedicated to supporting federal agencies to provide solutions for defense, civilian, healthcare, justice, intelligence, and international affairs missions. Founded in 1976, CGI Inc. is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 90,500 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI Inc. delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI Inc. works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Inc. Fiscal 2023 reported revenue is C$14.30 billion and CGI Inc. shares are listed on the TSX (GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com .

Forward-looking information and statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable United States safe harbours. All such forward-looking information and statements are made and disclosed in reliance upon the safe harbour provisions of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Forward-looking information and statements include all information and statements regarding CGI's intentions, plans, expectations, beliefs, objectives, future performance, and strategy, as well as any other information or statements that relate to future events or circumstances and which do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts. Forward-looking information and statements often but not always use words such as "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "anticipate", "foresee", "plan", "predict", "project", "aim", "seek", "strive", "potential", "continue", "target", "may", "might", "could", "should", and similar expressions and variations thereof. These information and statements are based on our perception of historic trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other assumptions, both general and specific, that we believe are appropriate in the circumstances. Such information and statements are, however, by their very nature, subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, of which many are beyond the control of CGI, and which give rise to the possibility that actual results could differ materially from our expectations expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not restricted to: risks related to the market such as the level of business activity of our clients, which is affected by economic and political conditions, additional external risks (such as pandemics, armed conflict, climate-related issues and inflation) and our ability to negotiate new contracts; risks related to our industry such as competition and our ability to develop and expand our services, to penetrate new markets, and to protect our intellectual property rights; risks related to our business such as risks associated with our growth strategy, including the integration of new operations, financial and operational risks inherent in worldwide operations, foreign exchange risks, income tax laws and other tax programs, the termination, modification, delay or suspension of our contractual agreements, our expectations regarding future revenue resulting from bookings and backlog, our ability to attract and retain qualified employees, to negotiate favourable contractual terms, to deliver our services and to collect receivables, to disclose, manage and implement environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and standards, and to achieve ESG commitments and targets, including without limitation, our commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, as well as the reputational and financial risks attendant to cybersecurity breaches and other incidents, and financial risks such as liquidity needs and requirements, maintenance of financial ratios, interest rate fluctuations and the discontinuation of major interest rate benchmarks and changes in creditworthiness and credit ratings; as well as other risks identified or incorporated by reference in this press release, in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and in other documents that we make public, including our filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators (on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (on EDGAR at www.sec.gov). Unless otherwise stated, the forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and CGI disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. While we believe that our assumptions on which these forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are based were reasonable as at the date of this press release, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking information or statements. Furthermore, readers are reminded that forward-looking information and statements are presented for the sole purpose of assisting investors and others in understanding our objectives, strategic priorities and business outlook as well as our anticipated operating environment. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Further information on the risks that could cause our actual results to differ significantly from our current expectations may be found in the section titled Risk Environment of CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A, which is incorporated by reference in this cautionary statement. We also caution readers that the above-mentioned risks and the risks disclosed in CGI's annual and quarterly MD&A and other documents and filings are not the only ones that could affect us. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial could also have a material adverse effect on our financial position, financial performance, cash flows, business or reputation.

SOURCE CGI Inc.
STARTING WITH A-B'S BUSCH LIGHT, CERTIFICATION INCLUDES NEW PACKAGING SEAL

FOR PRODUCTS MADE WITH INGREDIENTS GROWN BY AMERICAN FARMERS

ST. LOUIS, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, American Farmland Trust (AFT) , a national nonprofit that helps to keep American farmers on their land, launched a new U.S. Farmed certification and packaging seal for products that derive at least 95 percent of their agricultural ingredients from farms in the United States. Anheuser-Busch , the nation's leading brewer, announced that it is the first-mover in adopting the U.S. Farmed certification and seal for several of its industry-leading beer brands.

Aimed at transforming the way consumers identify and shop for domestically sourced products, the seal will first appear on Anheuser-Busch's Busch Light this May, and Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob ULTRA beers have also obtained U.S. Farmed certification. Consumers are empowered to purchase U.S. Farmed certified products to benefit American farmers and invest in the future of domestic ingredient sourcing, helping to ensure a vibrant and thriving agricultural sector in America for generations to come.

Companies across the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry are encouraged to join the effort by obtaining U.S. Farmed certification for their domestically-sourced products. AFT will use funds raised through those certifications to expand programs and provide U.S. farmers across all 50 states with free resources and expert advisory services to help them access, protect, and maintain American farmland.

By harnessing the potential of U.S. sourced goods across the entire CPG industry, the U.S. Farmed certification aims to create a far greater impact for American agriculture than any one company could alone. This industry-wide effort will be supported by an Anheuser-Busch led campaign, "Choose Beer Grown Here," to encourage consumers to seek the U.S. Farmed certification and seal when shopping for products.

"American farmers are the backbone of this country, and Anheuser-Busch has been deeply connected to the U.S. agricultural community and committed to sourcing high-quality ingredients from U.S. farmers for more than 165 years  that's who we are," said Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth. "We source nearly all the ingredients in our iconic American beers from hard-working U.S. farmers  many of whom we have worked with for generations. The U.S. Farmed certification takes our commitment to the next level, and we are proud to lead the industry in rallying behind American farmers to ensure the future of U.S. agriculture, which is crucial to our country's economy. We look forward to other companies joining us in seeking U.S. Farmed certification for their products so that together we can make an even greater impact and show our support for American farmers."

The U.S. Farmed certification comes at a critical moment for American agriculture. According to AFT, within the next 15 years, ownership of over 30 percent of our nation's agricultural land could be in transition as the current generation of farmers prepares to retire. At the same time, farmland loss threatens the very foundation of our agricultural capacity, and new and beginning farmers are often challenged to secure the capital needed to enter agriculture. The U.S. Farmed certification will address this challenge head on by providing growers with access to the direct support needed to pursue their options for maintaining and protecting their farmland, as well as innovative strategies for transitioning their land to the next generation of farmers.

"For over four decades, American Farmland Trust has worked tirelessly to ensure the land that sustains us remains in farming and its soils stay healthy and productive. Now, with the launch of the U.S. Farmed certification, we're taking a bold step to help secure the future of American agriculture and create both a movement and a market niche that celebrates and supports our nation's farmers," said Beth Sauerhaft, PhD, AFT Acting President and CEO. "Each U.S. Farmed certification has the potential to open new opportunities for farmers to receive assistance with succession planning, farmland protection tools for their operations, and other useful tactics to safeguard their land  our nation's food systems. We appreciate Anheuser-Busch's leadership in bringing the U.S. Farmed certification to some of the country's most iconic brands, while also making a tangible impact for American farmers."

"As a third-generation barley farmer, my family has been growing high-quality ingredients for companies like Anheuser-Busch for decades  but until today, consumers couldn't see that," said Luke Adams, Farmer and Owner at Timm Adams Farms. "I'm thrilled to see AFT launch the U.S. Farmed certification and proud to grow for the first company to join the effort. Knowing that consumers can choose to support not just me, but all farmers across our country, means a lot to my family and to the people on my farm whose jobs rely on their purchases."

"USA Rice maintains a strong partnership with Anheuser-Busch, the largest end user of rice in the U.S. The launch of U.S. Farmed  a new initiative that promotes American-grown commodities like rice  is an exciting new opportunity for our U.S. rice growers and industry partners around the country," said Peter Bachmann, President and CEO, USA Rice Federation. "Our nation's rice farmers, rice millers, merchants, and manufacturing customers are each proud to play a critical role in our domestic supply chain and broader economy. U.S. Farmed will help highlight the importance of our U.S manufacturing base, as well as the important contributions that U.S. rice growers bring to American restaurants, bars, and kitchen tables each day."

"Efforts like this are a testament to the quality products that come from America's farms each and every year," said Minnesota corn farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle. "We appreciate the recognition of the hard work put in by hundreds of thousands of farmers to produce an abundant and reliable corn crop."

"American farming operations have honed the craft of cultivating high-quality hops over generations, and today the pride and responsibility of this profession remains woven into the identity of each producer," said Maggie Elliot, Science and Communications Director, Hop Growers of America. "The U.S. Farmed program by American Farmland Trust fulfilled by inaugural partner Anheuser-Busch will aid the development of domestic markets and empower our growers in delivering a world-renowned commodity that continues to revolutionize the brewing industry."

For more information on the U.S. Farmed certification and seal, including resources for American Farmers and product certification, please visit http://www.farmland.org/usfarmed .

Learn more about Anheuser-Busch's commitment to U.S. farmers here http://www.anheuser-busch.com/USFarmed .

ABOUT AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST

American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 7.8 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and supported thousands of farm families. Learn more at www.farmland.org .

ABOUT ANHEUSER-BUSCH

At Anheuser-Busch, our purpose is to create a future with more cheers. We are always looking to serve up new ways to meet life's moments, dream big to move our industry forward, and make a meaningful impact in the world. We hope to build a future that everyone can celebrate, and everyone can share. For more than 165 years, Anheuser-Busch has carried on a legacy of brewing great-tasting, high-quality beers that have satisfied beer drinkers for generations. Today, we own and operate more than 120 facilities, including breweries, wholesaler distribution centers, agricultural facilities and packaging plants, and have more than 18,000 colleagues across the United States.

We are home to several of America's most loved beer and beyond beer brands, including Michelob ULTRA, Cutwater Spirits, Stella Artois, Budweiser and Bud Light as well as a number of regional brands that provide beer drinkers with a choice of the best-tasting craft beers in the industry. From responsible drinking programs and emergency drinking water donations to industry-leading sustainability efforts, we are guided by our unwavering commitment to supporting the communities we call home. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com or follow Anheuser-Busch on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram .

SOURCE Anheuser-Busch
SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A third-party analysis found that Hazel Health's school-based teletherapy program significantly reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety in 75% of students.

Hazel Health, the nation's largest school-based telehealth provider, today released the results of a third-party analysis demonstrating the clinical effectiveness of its proprietary teletherapy program for K-12 students, H.E.A.R.T (Hazel Early Assessment Response Treatment).

Conducted by the Clemson University Learning Institute's Center for Behavior Analysis , the analysis was performed on a sample of 3,500 middle and high school students from 11 states  making it one of the largest studies assessing the clinical efficacy of school-based teletherapy interventions to date. The sample was also notably racially and ethnically diverse, with roughly 50% of participants identifying as people of color. Each student-patient was scored for symptom severity pre vs. post-treatment (via the PHQ-9 for depression and the GAD-7 for anxiety). The duration of the evidence-based treatment program was individualized to each participant, depending on their specific clinical needs at intake.

After a thorough review of Hazel's data, Clemson found: "the Hazel Health protocol resulted in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, as demonstrated by the change in severity levels observed for both the PHQ and GAD assessments. Not only did the overwhelming majority of participants report a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms, but there were similar consistent results between the PHQ outcomes and GAD outcomes. On both assessments, 75% of the participants fell into a lower level of severity following treatment."

 William Edwards, PhD, BCBA, Director of the Center for Behavior Analysis at Clemson University Learning Institute.

Key findings from the Clemson Center for Behavior Analysis include:

The overwhelming majority of participants experienced a clinically significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms  with 75% falling into a lower level of clinical severity (as defined by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales) following treatment.

The largest improvements were experienced by participants who exhibited more severe symptoms prior to treatment. At intake, 60% of participants in the sample exhibited moderate to severe symptoms, per the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. At discharge, only 30% of the sample exhibited moderate to severe symptoms. In other words, after completing treatment, nearly 70% of the sample exhibited only minimal to mild symptoms that placed them in the "green zone" that is considered below the clinical threshold for a depressive or anxiety disorder ).

At intake, 60% of participants in the sample exhibited moderate to severe symptoms, per the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. At discharge, only 30% of the sample exhibited moderate to severe symptoms. In other words, after completing treatment, nearly 70% of the sample exhibited only minimal to mild symptoms that placed them in the "green zone" that is considered ). While treatment duration was individualized to each participant's clinical needs, the vast majority of participants (88%) received between 6 and 10 teletherapy sessions prior to being discharged from the program. The most common treatment duration (representing 57% of participants) was 7 sessions. A minority of participants (12%) received 11+ sessions. There was no significant correlation found between the degree of clinical improvement and treatment duration, indicating that treatment duration was appropriately matched to severity level at intake.

Beyond the scope of Clemson's evaluation, Hazel Health's internal analytics team performed additional analyses on the same data set to dig deeper into the program's clinical outcomes cut by different demographic groups:

The clinical impact of the program was equitable across racial and ethnic groups. Non-white participants experienced similarly significant improvements as white participants  with Asian, Black, and Hispanic groups demonstrating the largest average reduction in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. "This data indicates that Hazel's approach of employing a provider force that reflects the diverse communities we serve  50% of our providers identify as BIPOC, and 40% are bilingual, speaking over 19 languages  is core to our ability to drive equitable engagement and outcomes among groups who have historically faced the highest barriers to care, particularly in mental health," said Dr. Travis Gayles , Chief Health Officer at Hazel Health.

Non-white participants experienced similarly significant improvements as white participants  with Asian, Black, and Hispanic groups demonstrating the largest average reduction in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. "This data indicates that Hazel's approach of employing a provider force that reflects the diverse communities we serve  50% of our providers identify as BIPOC, and 40% are bilingual, speaking over 19 languages  is core to our ability to drive equitable engagement and outcomes among groups who have historically faced the highest barriers to care, particularly in mental health," said Dr. , Chief Health Officer at Hazel Health. The clinical impact of the program was equitable across genders. While females presented with higher average severity at intake, Hazel's program drove similarly significant improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms across females and males.

"When we first co-designed Hazel's mental health solution with our school partners, our hope and hypothesis was that doubling down on schools into a central access point for healthcare could drive meaningful, equitable outcomes for young people," said Josh Golomb, CEO at Hazel Health. "We are thrilled by the data validating this hypothesis  and by the evidence that school-based interventions can produce better clinical outcomes across a wide spectrum of acuity, including in higher-severity cases. It makes clear the clinical and moral imperative of continuing to invest in this channel as a key lever to address the youth mental health crisis."

As for the company's future research plans, "This is just the beginning," said Dr. Travis Gayles, Hazel's Chief Health Officer. "This initial analysis focused on the adolescent segments of Hazel's K-12 patient population due to the age-appropriateness of the PHQ and GAD screeners. But a growing body of research on youth mental health is clear: the earlier we intervene, the more we can impact a student's psychosocial and academic trajectory. With over 40% of Hazel's patients in elementary school, early intervention is a foundational tenet of our clinical model  and we will continue to conduct research that enables educators, providers, and policy-makers to meet the evolving needs of our children across developmental stages."

About Hazel Health

Hazel Health is the nation's largest and most trusted provider of school-based telehealth. By partnering with districts and health plans across the country, Hazel transforms schools into the most accessible front door to pediatric healthcare. Today, Hazel's licensed providers deliver teletherapy and virtual care (in school or at home) to over four million K-12 students, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Hazel aims to remove all barriers to the mental and physical health care that children need to thrive: in school, at home, and in life.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Hazel Health
Mon Power and Potomac Edison's Rivesville site stimulating economy in Marion County and beyond

FAIRMONT, W.Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) subsidiaries Mon Power and Potomac Edison have begun construction on their second utility-grade solar site in West Virginia to help meet the state's energy needs and further encourage economic growth.

Click here to view and/or download drone footage of the Rivesville site construction.

The Rivesville solar site in Marion County will be situated along Morgan Ridge Road on approximately 27 acres. Once installed, the solar panels there will produce up to 5.5 megawatts (MW) of renewable power. One MW of solar energy powers a national average of 173 homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. The property, owned by the companies, is a brownfield site that has gone unused since the Rivesville Power Station was deactivated in 2012.

Jim Myers, President of FirstEnergy's West Virginia Operations: "We are proud to be transforming a former coal ash disposal site into a source of clean renewable energy for our customers. We believe the energy generated by our West Virginia solar sites will continue to encourage economic development in the state because a growing number of companies require a portion of the electricity they purchase to be generated by renewable sources."

The Rivesville solar site is the second of the companies' five planned solar sites in West Virginia. The companies' first solar site, which sits on 80 acres at the Fort Martin Power Station, was connected to the distribution grid in January 2024 and can produce up to 18.9 MW of solar energy per hour.

The Rivesville solar site is being constructed by local union workers, just like the Fort Martin site. In recent weeks, crews have prepared the Rivesville site by removing trees, constructing roads and installing fences ahead of upcoming electrical and mechanical work. The solar panels, racking systems and supporting electrical equipment for the site are made in the United States.

Ultimately, the companies' five sites are expected to collectively generate 50 megawatts of renewable energy. Construction of the Rivesville site and a third site in Berkeley County (5.7 MW), is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The companies also plan to seek final approval from the Public Service Commission of West Virginia to build the additional two solar sites in Davis, Tucker County (11.5 MW), and Weirton, Hancock County (8.4 MW), once customers subscribe to the energy they will produce.

To subscribe or find out more about the solar program, Mon Power and Potomac Edison customers in West Virginia can submit their information through the website at firstenergycorp.com/WVSolar or by calling 1-800-505-7283.

Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at mon-power.com, on X, formerly known as Twitter @MonPowerWV, and on Facebook at facebook.com/MonPowerWV.

Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com, on X @PotomacEdison, and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Davis College of Business & Technology at Jacksonville University has been recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) through academic year 2029.

Davis College of Business & Technologys cybersecurity students combat a cyber attack in JUs Center for Cybersecurity. The Centers curriculum integrates a hyper-realistic simulation system, generating an immersive environment that simulates real-world networks, security tools as well as normal and malicious traffic.

"The multi-disciplinary approach that will be created by Davis College of Business & Technology will build crucial cybersecurity competencies for cybersecurity professionals who will serve the nation as future cybersecurity professionals," said Dr. Memee Joking, commandant of NSA's National Cryptologic University, which houses the National Centers for Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Program. "This innovative effort comes at a critical time and will exponentially expand the pool of eligible and certified cyber experts who will protect and defend the Nation's national security posture."

This designation places Davis College among a select group of accredited, four-year institutions nationwide to receive the prestigious distinction, and the only private higher education institution awarded in the region.

"The CAE-CD designation is a validation of Davis College's commitment to excellence in cybersecurity education. We're home to some of the best cybersecurity faculty on the First Coast, and our program is attracting talent from all over the globe," said Dr. Barbara Ritter, dean of the Davis College of Business & Technology.

Through its Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity as well as a 12-credit hour graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity, Davis College provides the hands-on skills and knowledge necessary to prepare professionals to effectively investigate, detect, identify and solve cybersecurity issues and challenges. Davis College's offerings leverage its faculty along with its reputation for excellence in curriculum and course development to create innovative learning experiences that address prevailing security concerns within industries and communities.

"Davis College is committed to meeting current and future workforce demands with excellence," said Dr. Mini Zeng, director of JU's Center for Cybersecurity. "With the demand for this profession at an all-time high, students graduating from this program are able to find jobs right after they graduate. This designation recognizes our commitment to training and preparing leaders in this critical industry."

The CAE-CD designation by the NSA is the result of a thorough investigation into Davis College's cybersecurity curriculum and program, which included a review of the faculty's cyber credentials and their competence in teaching computer science and cybersecurity. This in-depth review also included students' involvement in cybersecurity activities, such as the Jacksonville University Hack-a-Thon, a week-long competition that involves multiple teams solving a real-world problem.

The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program is managed by NSA's National Cryptologic School. Federal partners include the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology/National Initiative on Cybersecurity Education, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense Office of the Chief Information Officer and U.S. Cyber Command.

The JU Davis College of Business & Technology is the only triple-accredited private college in all of North Florida and South Georgia, with AACSB, ABET and AABI accredited programs. Its mission is to empower students to achieve sustainable career success with a high quality, relevant and applied educational experience that is delivered by faculty committed to advancing the individual development of each student.

Media Contact:

Joanna Norris, PR/Marketing Director

(904) 534-6926 (cell)

[email protected]

SOURCE Jacksonville University
At the 20th meeting in the Ramstein format, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius promised new assistance to Ukraine in the amount of EUR 500 million.

According to Tagesschau, Pistorius said this at a press conference during a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine in Germany.

In addition, Germany will support Ukraine's defense against Russian aggressive war in the short term with further supplies of ammunition. It is planned that Ukraine will receive 10,000 artillery shells from the reserves of the Bundeswehr.

The new assistance package will also include 100 armored infantry fighting vehicles and 100 transport vehicles.
CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- James H. M. Sprayregen, one of the most well-known and highly regarded dealmakers and thought leaders in the restructuring, corporate reorganization, and the M&A community, will join Hilco Global as a Vice Chairman of the privately held global financial services holding company.

James H. M. Sprayregen

As Vice Chairman, Mr. Sprayregen will serve as a partner and key strategic advisor to Hilco Global CEO and founder, Jeffrey Hecktman, working alongside another recent hire, David Kurtz  Vice Chairman and Chief Strategic Officer who joined the firm from Lazard in the fall of 2023. Both leaders, along with John Chen  Vice Chairman and COO, will have oversight for the firm's rapidly expanding financial services platform within the Office of the Chairman, a new and collaborative executive leadership team at the Hilco Global holding company and reporting to Jeffrey B. Hecktman  Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder.

Jeffrey B. Hecktman, CEO of Hilco Global explained Sprayregen' s role at the company - "Jamie joins our global executive team as a key advisor and strategic partner alongside David Kurtz and John Chen, to further align our organization to meet the aggressive commercial growth plans we have established for our company." Hecktman continued, " Not only does Jamie bring to Hilco Global his considerable credentials and outstanding reputation for decades as one of the top restructuring attorneys and dealmakers in the United States, but he also fits in well with Hilco's indefatigable deal culture and passion to deliver innovative transaction solutions to all our clients."

Sprayregen will have responsibility for continuing to help fuel the impressive growth of the firm's broad solutions platform by leveraging his deep restructuring and advisory experience in combination with Hilco Global' s expanded merchant banking capabilities including its broad range of advisory services coupled with innovative capital solutions for private credit, special situations, and principal investing.

Sprayregen said, "Having known Hilco Global my entire professional life, I've always been impressed by the breadth and depth of their solutions focused platform and their deep relationships with the top executives at third party advisors (including lawyers, lenders, private credit, investment banks, commercial banks, and investors. These relationships provide an incredible foundation for me to contribute and to play a key role in taking Hilco to the next level of growth and expansion."

Sprayregen continued, "Jeff Hecktman and his partners at Hilco Global have created a modern, solutions focused firm that offers the most comprehensive range of financial services to deliver restructuring solutions and first-class advisory expertise in combination with capital solutions and principal investing. This is a powerful combination that results in a modern merchant banking approach that provides customized solutions to resolve complex and stressed situations and enhance long-term enterprise business value."

Sprayregen joins Hilco Global from Kirkland & Ellis, where he was the founder of the Kirkland Restructuring Group. He built the group from its inception in 1990 to become the premier restructuring practice in the world. He served on Kirkland's worldwide management committee from 20032006 and 20092019. He was co-head of the Restructuring Group at Goldman Sachs from 20062008 and returned to Kirkland at the end of 2008. Some of his clients include Energy Future Holdings, Caesars, Avaya, Toys "R" Us, iHeartMedia, Seadrill, General Growth, Japan Airlines, United Airlines and Reader's Digest.

Jon Ballis, Chairman of Kirkland's Executive Committee said, "Jamie has been an exceptional lawyer and a tremendous partner and friend, and we're grateful for his countless contributions to Kirkland  most importantly, his founding of our market-leading restructuring practice. We wish him great success with this exciting new opportunity at Hilco Global and we look forward to continuing our relationship with him, and Hilco, in the future."

Sprayregen added, "My 32 years at Kirkland have been rewarding in so many ways. As I start a new chapter, it's especially gratifying to see Kirkland's restructuring practice stronger than ever, leading on all levels with an unmatched depth of talent and positioned to keep building on their incredible success."

Often described as "a legend in the restructuring space" and "one of the most sought-after transaction attorneys in the US", in 2010, Sprayregen was selected by The National Law Journal as one of "The Decade's Most Influential Lawyers", was named "Global Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyer of the Year" in 2013 by Who's Who Legal Awards, receiving more votes from clients and peers than any other individual worldwide. In 2013, he was inducted into the Turnaround Management Association's "Turnaround and Restructuring Investing Industry Hall of Fame." From 2013 to 2015, Jamie served a two-year term as the president of INSOL International, the world's leading international insolvency association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, a member of the International Insolvency Institute and the National Bankruptcy Conference. On March 21st, 2024, Sprayregen will receive the "Distinguished Service Award" from the American College of Bankruptcy Fellows.

Sprayregen also serves as an adjunct full professor of finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania teaching a joint course on corporate restructuring with the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He is a member of the National Board of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the American Jewish Committee Board of Governors. He also serves on the Board of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and World Business Chicago

Sprayregen graduated from The University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., 1985 and the University of Michigan, B.A., 1982.

About Hilco Global: Hilco Global (http://www.hilcoglobal.com/) is a privately held diversified financial services company and the world's preeminent authority on maximizing the value of assets for both healthy and distressed companies. Hilco Global financial services leverage a unique blend of deep restructuring, and principal investing. Hilco Global delivers customized solutions to undervalued, high potential companies to resolve complex and stressed situations and enhance long-term enterprise value.

Hilco Global operates as a holding company comprised of over twenty specialized business units that work to help companies understand the value of their assets and as needed monetize the value. Hilco Global has almost 4 decades of a successful track record of acting as an advisor, agent, investor and/or principal in any transaction. Currently, the company has $3 Billion in assets under management. Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing them strategic insight, advice, and, in many instances, the capital required to complete the deal. Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has more than 800 professionals operating on five continents with US offices located in Boston, Detroit, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and internationally in Australia, Canada, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Mexico and throughout Asia.

SOURCE Hilco Global
Effortlessly submit properties for sale, instantly create marketing materials and directly reach the largest curated network of accredited buyers

BOCA RATON, Fla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Reitrades, the pioneering technology firm leading the digital transformation of CRE investment sales, is redefining industry standards by transforming traditional practices with state-of-the-art digital solutions. Founded by CRE veteran Artur Muller, the company aims to contribute to a future where transactions are conducted with greater ease and at a lower cost.

The enduring challenge of illiquidity in commercial real estate, primarily attributed to prolonged and costly sales processes, often diverts potential investors. Reitrades addresses this issue by offering a streamlined, cost-effective alternative to traditional sales methods, thereby fostering increased liquidity in CRE assets. Embrace the future of CRE investment sales by effortlessly listing a commercial real estate asset for sale on Reitrades, connecting directly with the largest curated network of buyers in the middle-market and institutional real estate space. Maximize your property's sales price while cutting time and cost!

Reitrades is a private CRE marketplace for accredited investors to purchase and sell mid-market and institutional assets ($10M+) directly, without broker involvement. The company is bringing together the largest curated network of owner operators and fund managers (GP investors) in a highly sophisticated digital trading platform.

Founder's Insights: A Conversation with Artur Muller

Q. Why do sellers engage brokers, and how is Reitrades a better solution?

A. Sellers engage brokers to assist with the marketing and sales process, aiming to maximize the sales price. Historically, this is mainly due to restricted access to local market data which is now easily accessible and a number of manual tasks that are now automated. In addition, many sellers still rely on brokers for access to buyer networks and guidance/representation.

Unlike independent/individual investors who often lack the resources and must rely on a broker, we target highly accredited investment organizations, most of which have in-house capabilities to deal directly. Reitrades empowers sellers with an automated end-to-end marketing platform, helping sellers maximize the sales price at a fraction of the cost and time.

Q. Who is in your network?

A. Decision makers from firms that meet our criteria ($50M+ AUM). We provide sellers direct access to the most pre-vetted mid-market and institutional buyers over any other platform. We also remove headaches of exposing the asset to unqualified buyers. We have over 2700 individuals from 1750+ companies actively seeking opportunities across all asset classes.

Q. What support should users expect?

A. Reitrades empowers investors to transact directly, eliminating the need for intermediaries. Direct communication expedites due diligence and improves efficiency. While we don't get involved in transactions, we have in-house expertise to provide comprehensive support along the way.

Q. How does the process work?

A. Sellers can submit property for sale by providing basic information. Teasers and OMs are automatically generated using A.I. integrations. The teaser instantly goes out to our network based on acquisition criteria. Buyers can e-sign NDA to access OM and submit offers. Sellers then sign our fee agreement to unlock offer details and engage. We then introduce buyers directly to the seller, who handle the transaction from there.

Q. What are the costs associated with using Reitrades?

A. As an accredited investor, there is no cost to join and access the deals. As a seller, the only cost is a 0.1% platform fee upon closing of a deal. No listing agreements or minimum period required.

Q. Can the platform be used to raise equity (LP)?

A. No, the platform is only for outright sales at this time as our network consists of GP investors.

Q. What properties can be listed on Reitrades?

A. CRE assets above $10M. All asset classes and nationwide. Must be exclusively for sale on Reitrades.

Q. Is the platform fully developed?

A. We plan to launch the Beta version of the platform later this year. We are operating under a preliminary version, which has limited features, but provides the same level of service.

Q. What sets Reitrades apart?

A. Reitrades is the only private and curated CRE marketplace exclusively catering to mid-market and institutional properties, and with no intermediaries involved.

Visit Reitrades' website at www.reitrades.com to apply to join as an accredited buyer or list a property for sale.

Media contact:

Artur Muller

[email protected]

4073691756

SOURCE Reitrades
HOUSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DISA Global Solutions, a leader in employee screening and compliance services, has acquired the screening and compliance services of CastleBranch Inc. The deal, which became effective on March 1, 2024, further solidifies DISA's position as a leader in the compliance management and background screening industry. This acquisition marks DISA's latest strategic move, underscoring its commitment to expanding its service offerings and enhancing its market presence, particularly within the healthcare and academic sectors.

CastleBranch, established in 1997, has distinguished itself as a premier provider of compliance management and background screening services, with a special focus on supporting the success of students, faculty, and other education and healthcare professionals across the nation. CastleBranch is renowned for its comprehensive solutions tailored to the unique needs of colleges, universities and healthcare institutions.

DISA Global Solutions has acquired the screening and compliance services of CastleBranch Inc. Post this

The addition of CastleBranch's screening solutions expands DISA Global Solutions' capabilities significantly, adding further depth to its already extensive suite of screening and compliance services. CastleBranch's innovative technology and service solutions are celebrated for the platform's user-friendly applications and robust support in navigating the often-complex healthcare industry compliance requirements.

John Peterson, CEO of DISA Global Solutions, shared, "This addition to the DISA family will be a significant milestone in our history. CastleBranch's reputation for excellence, client-focused solutions, and impressive market presence in the academic and healthcare sectors complement DISA's strengths and expand our ability to serve a broader clientele. Our combined expertise will deliver unparalleled service quality and innovative solutions to our clients."

Brett Martin, Founder and CEO of CastleBranch, Inc., added, "The sale of our screening and compliance services to DISA represents the ideal convergence of values, vision, and purpose. Our shared commitment to excellence and aligned vision promises to significantly build upon nearly a quarter century of dedication to the industry and our clients. We believe the business is in great hands as it continues its growth trajectory as part of DISA."

To ensure a seamless transition and integration, DISA plans to maintain CastleBranch's operations and office, preserving the high standards of client service and support that have been the hallmark of CastleBranch's success. Additionally, DISA will heavily invest in technology, security and the customer experience.

While DISA will acquire the background screening and compliance services business, CastleBranch Inc.'s clinical experience platform, CB Bridges, will remain a separate entity and operate under a new name, Bridges EXP.

Stifel served as financial advisor to DISA in the acquisition. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

About DISA Global Solutions

Founded in 1986, DISA is the industry-leading provider of employee screening and compliance services. DISA's comprehensive scope of services includes drug and alcohol testing, background screening, occupational health, and transportation compliance. We assist employers in making informed staffing decisions while saving them time and resources. Our consolidated screening solutions service more than 30% of Fortune 500 companies and clients across the globe.

For more information on DISA Global Solutions and our complete suite of products, visit www.disa.com.

SOURCE DISA Global Solutions
Arizona-Based Printing Company Relies on SurePress to Bring High-Quality, Cost-Effective Labels to its Local, Small Business Customers

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson today announced Diversified Labels in Chandler, Arizona has installed the SurePress L-6534VW UV digital label press. Looking to both print their own automotive anti-theft security stickers and serve businesses in the Chandler area, Diversified Labels chose the SurePress L-6534VW due to advanced offerings like White Ink and Digital Varnish, high-quality output, printhead technology, and the speed that it offered at the right price point.

Diversified Labels installs Epson SurePress L-6534VW for printing high-quality, cost-effective labels. Post this Diversified Labels in Chandler, Arizona with their Epson SurePress L-6534VW UV digital label press, chosen for advanced offerings like White Ink and Digital Varnish, high-quality output, speed, and printhead technology offered at the right price point.

The family-owned business was initially developed to support the printing needs of parent company, Diversified Dealer Services, a manufacturer of automotive anti-theft security stickers and decals. "We spent so much money on printing and came to the conclusion that maybe we should start doing it ourselves," shared Alec Faber, partner, Diversified Labels. "We started by doing all our own printing, and after a few years, we decided our team had acquired the knowledge necessary to get into the label printing business."

White Ink

When looking to purchase a new label press, White Ink was a requirement for the company. "We required a digital printer with White Ink capabilities to produce our anti-theft window warning stickers. For SurePress to print White Ink in the same path as everything else was a significant selling point for us," said Faber.

Additionally, the opaqueness of the White Ink coupled with the ability to print reverse white were vital features for Diversified Labels. "The opacity of the White Ink needs to be dense for our decals printed on clear material," explained Faber. "Many of our window stickers are designed to go inside the car, facing out. To create these decals, we need the reverse white feature, so White Ink can be printed behind the colors, allowing the graphic to stand out. The opaqueness of the White Ink on SurePress is outstanding. It allows us to produce readable white text and provides the ability to print a white background on our labels."

Supporting Local Companies and Growing their Business

Outside of its own automotive stickers and window warning decals, Diversified Labels produces labels for a variety of local businesses across industries, including food, beverage, nutraceuticals, candles, cannabis, and chemical. They currently specialize in working with manufacturers and the speed and versatility of SurePress has played a pivotal role in driving the growth of Diversified Labels.

"Once we were up and running with SurePress, we started reaching out to other local businesses to let them know we were a new digital label printer in town and wanted to help them save money on their labels," said Faber. "We were able to tell them, 'we can turn your labels around quickly at a better price point and at the same or better quality than you are used to.'"

The biggest workflow difference between SurePress and their previous solution has been the speed and batch printing capabilities. "Before we were producing 10 meters per minute, and now we consistently produce closer to 50 meters per minute," said Faber. "The batch printing capabilities have allowed us to do multiple runs for a customer with different SKUs. It also allows us to keep costs down for customers by not quoting each job individually." The speed and batching advancement allow Diversified Labels to handle virtually any size job, making them a great option for any size business.

The Digital Varnish feature offered on SurePress brings extra pops, flashes and accents to customer labels when needed. "While it's something we don't use all the time, it's nice to be able to offer our customers Digital Varnish when they are looking for something special," said Faber. "We use this with our cannabis and supplement customers who are looking for elaborate labels and want their products to standout to differentiate themselves."

"Diversified Labels is a perfect example of a print shop with a niche flagship product that benefits from the inline White Ink capabilities of SurePress," said Mike Pruitt, product manager, Epson America. "The high-opacity of the White Ink in the SurePress L-6534VW and its reverse-white printing is ideal for graphics produced on clear or transparent media and we're thrilled we could assist in the manufacturing of these labels and growing their external sales business."

"SurePress has been instrumental in growing our business," concluded Faber. "It's a major selling point for us and has enabled us to expedite jobs far beyond what we could achieve before."

The SurePress L-6534VW is available with Digital Varnish for a unique look and tactile feel or Orange Ink for a wider color gamut. The PrecisionCore printheads, inks, LED pinning technology and curing lamp units, media feeding, and control system are all developed, serviced and manufactured by Epson. Driving the SurePress L-6534VW is the included Wasatch RIP, a fully customizable solution designed to streamline orders, minimize production errors, help increase productivity, and run print production effectively.

About Epson

Epson is a global technology leader whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company is focused on solving societal issues through innovations in home and office printing, commercial and industrial printing, manufacturing, visual and lifestyle. Epson's goal is to become carbon negative and eliminate use of exhaustible underground resources such as oil and metal by 2050.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1 trillion. global.epson.com/

Epson America, Inc., based in Los Alamitos, Calif., is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: epson.com. You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (facebook.com/Epson), Twitter (twitter.com/EpsonAmerica), YouTube (youtube.com/epsonamerica), and Instagram (instagram.com/EpsonAmerica).

EPSON, PrecisionCore and SurePress are registered trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2024 Epson America, Inc.

SOURCE Epson America, Inc.
The worldwide demand for dried spices has boosted owing to shifting culinary preferences, globalization of food culture, and rising awareness of health advantages linked to spice consumption. In addition, increased desire for convenient cooking solutions, along with authentic taste and high-quality spices, actively contributes to the rapid growth of the dried spices market.

PORTLAND, Ore., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Dried Spices Market By Source (Natural and Organic), Product Type (Pepper, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cumin, Turmeric, Cardamom, Cloves, Nutmeg & Mace, and Others), Form (Powder, Granules, and Whole), and Application (Food & Beverage Industry, Foodservice Industry, and Retail): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20222032." According to the report, the global dried spices market was valued at $10.7 billion in 2022, and is projected to reach $16.6 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 4.6% from 2023 to 2032.

Download Sample Report: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A11146

Prime determinants of growth

The dried spices market has experienced significant growth driven by the increasing awareness regarding the health benefits associated with dried spice consumption. Dried spices, including turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger, are recognized for their antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory effects, and positive impacts on digestive health. These health-promoting attributes match well with the health-conscious consumers seeking functional food, and thus the manufacturers are utilizing such ingredients in the manufacturing of functional foods, which, in turn, is driving the growth of the dried spices market. Moreover, surge in demand for organic spices products is expected to create numerous opportunities for the key players in the coming years.

Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20222032 Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 $10.7 Billion Market Size in 2032 $16.6 Billion CAGR 4.6 % No. of Pages in Report 275 Segments covered Product Type, Packaging, Distribution Channel, and Region Drivers  Increase in awareness regarding the health benefits associated with spice consumption  Expansion of food service industry  Increase in remote work culture and home-based culinary activities Opportunities  Surge in demand for organic spices products  Increased innovation in the food and beverage industry Restraints  Availability of counterfeit products and color-added products  Competition from substitutes

The natural spices segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Depending on source, the natural spices segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than three-fifths of the global dried spices market revenue and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that consumers opt for natural dried spices due to their cost-effectiveness, wide availability, and adherence to culinary traditions. Natural dried spices are often more affordable than their organic counterparts, which helps this segment to gain significant market share. Moreover, natural dried spices are generally more widely available in supermarkets and grocery stores. This increased accessibility makes it convenient for consumers to find and purchase these dried spices easily. In addition, limited awareness or understanding of the distinctions between conventional and organic options, coupled with specific spice varieties only available in natural form, influences purchasing decisions of consumers.

Want to Access the Statistical Data and Graphs, Key Players' Strategies @ https://bit.ly/3TDG5Jc

The pepper segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

By product type, the pepper segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the global dried spices market and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that dried pepper products offer convenience and an extended shelf life compared to fresh peppers. They are easy to store and have a longer durability, making them a practical choice for consumers. Moreover, the popularity of various international cuisines has risen, and many global dishes incorporate dried peppers as a staple ingredient. This increased interest in diverse culinary experiences contributes to the demand for dried pepper products. In addition, peppers are known for their health benefits owing to the presence of antioxidants and other nutrients. Dried peppers retain these nutritional elements, and the perception of them being a healthy addition to meals is expected to drive the growth of this segment.

The powder segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

On the basis of form, the powder segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global dried spices market and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that powdered spices offer unparalleled convenience and ease of use in culinary applications, eliminating the need for chopping or grinding. This pre-processing enhances efficiency for both households and foodservice industries. Moreover, powdered spices boast an extended shelf life, ensuring longer product durability compared to their whole counterparts. This longevity aligns with consumer preferences for pantry-staple items. The fine texture of powdered spices facilitates uniform flavor distribution in dishes, enhancing the overall taste experience. In addition, manufacturers often invest in advanced technologies to ensure consistent quality, contributing to the widespread consumer preference and dominance of the powdered dried spices segment.

The food & beverage industry segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

As per application, the food & beverage industry segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global dried spices market and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that dried spices are fundamental for enhancing the flavor profiles of food & beverage. They add depth, complexity, and distinctive tastes to a wide range of dishes and beverages, which drives the demand for dried spices in this segment. Moreover, dried spices allow manufacturers to differentiate their products in a crowded market. Unique spice blends or the use of specific spices can give a product a distinct identity and set it apart from competitors. Furthermore, some dried spices such as pepper, turmeric, and cinnamon are associated with health benefits, and their incorporation into food & beverages aligns with consumer trends focused on wellness and functional ingredients.

Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2032

Region wise, Asia-Pacific held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2022 and is likely to dominate the market during the forecast period. Some countries in the region such as India, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand have favorable climates for spice cultivation, allowing for huge production of dried spices. The proximity of spice-producing regions to major consumer markets in the region also supports the availability and affordability of dried spices, thus increasing the growth of the dried spices market. Furthermore, governments actively support and promote spice cultivation as part of agricultural initiatives, contributing to increased production in Asia-Pacific.

For Purchase Enquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/A11146

Leading Market Players: -

Everest Food Products Pvt. Ltd.

McCormick & Company, Inc.

Bart Ingredients Company Ltd.

DS Group

Firmenich SA

Olam Group Limited

The Spice House

Simply Organic

Sauer Brands

Frontier Co-op.

The report analyzes government regulations, policies, and patents to provide information on the current market trends and suggests future growth opportunities globally. Furthermore, the study highlights Porter's five forces analysis to determine the factors affecting market growth.

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About Us

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
Investment accelerates mass production of neuromorphic processor: 1 billion sensors by 2030

RIJSWIJK, Netherlands, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innatera, the leader in ultra-low power neuromorphic processors, has secured 15 million in Series-A funding from Invest-NL Deep Tech Fund, the EIC Fund, MIG Capital, Matterwave Ventures, and Delft Enterprises. This investment will accelerate mass production, broaden application offerings, and expand customer engagements.

Mimic human brain

Innatera's microprocessors mimic the brain's processing mechanisms, utilizing a proprietary analog-mixed signal computing architecture. At CES 2024, they unveiled the Spiking Neural Processor T1, boasting high-performance signal processing and pattern recognition within a sub-milliwatt power envelope. The Talamo software development kit simplifies brain-inspired spiking neural network development, demonstrated through breakthrough radar and audio applications at CES.

A billion sensors by 2030

Innatera efficiently reached silicon maturity for customer sampling within its seed round in 2020, and this Series-A funding continues their capital-efficient trajectory with a focus on customer applications and adoption. Sumeet Kumar, CEO of Innatera stated, "We're on a mission to bring intelligence to a billion sensors by 2030, and the Series-A investment takes us a step closer to our target. I'm proud of what our teams have been able to accomplish with the T1 and the applications we've built with our customers and partners".

Accelerate energy efficiency

Senior investment manager Johan Stins from Invest-NL Deep Tech Fund: "We are excited to support Innatera, a leader in the development of neuromorphic chips for low-energy devices. This investment reflects our dedication to advancing technologies that promote both economic progress and environmental sustainability. Neuromorphic computing, by emulating the human brain's efficiency, represents a major step towards reducing the energy footprint of AI technologies. Through this partnership, we aim to accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient computing solutions, demonstrating our commitment to innovation that benefits society at large."

Key role in semiconductor landscape

Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board, highlighted the importance of Innatera in the semiconductor landscape of Europe. "The EU is committed to strengthening the semiconductor ecosystem in Europe. Dealing with the deluge of data from billions of sensors in edge devices will require a new breed of energy-efficient computing. We look forward to Innatera's pioneering work putting Europe on the world map as a leading compute solutions provider."

SOURCE Innatera
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The potential growth difference for the electronic shelf label market between 2022 and 2027 is USD 1.20 billion. With ISO 9001:2015 certification, Technavio has proudly partnered with more than 100 Fortune 500 companies for over 16 years. The expansion of the IoT landscape is propelling market growth, driven by interconnected devices, sensors, software, and networks. Increased IoT device adoption and advancements in network compatibility are fueling the demand for ESLs. Despite a dense global market, encompassing sensor, software, hardware providers, and network technology, recent years have seen significant strides towards fostering a robust IoT device ecosystem. This evolution is poised to positively influence global market growth in the forecast period, indicating promising opportunities for businesses operating within the IoT domain.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Electronic Shelf Label Market 2023-2027

Get deeper insights into the market size, current market scenario, future growth opportunities, major growth driving factors, the latest trends, and much more. Buy the full report here

Report Coverage Details Page number 184 Base year 2022 Historic period 2017-2021 Forecast period 2023-2027 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 13.53% Market growth 2023-2027 USD 1,207.19 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth 2022-2023(%) 12.31 Regional analysis Europe, APAC, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution Europe at 38% Key countries US, China, Japan, France, and Germany

The growth in the e-commerce industry is a significant challenge restricting market growth.

Learn about additional key drivers, trends, and challenges available with Technavio. Read Sample PDF Report Now

The electronic shelf label market has been segmented by technology (radio frequency, infrared, and others), product (LCD ESL, full graphic E-paper ESL, and segmented E-paper ESL), end-user (supermarkets and hypermarkets, convenience stores, department stores, mass merchants, and drug stores and others), and geography (Europe, APAC, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America).

The market share growth by the radio frequency segment will be significant during the forecast period. A significant factor in its widespread adoption has been the fact that radio frequencies are free from a requirement of sight, which will eventually reduce infrastructure costs and make it possible for ESL to deliver information without interruption.

Europe is estimated to contribute 38% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period.

View the Sample Report for insights into the contribution of all the segments and regional opportunities in the report.

Key Companies

Danavation Technologies Corp, Diebold Nixdorf Inc., Displaydata Ltd., E Ink Holdings Inc., LANCOM Systems GmbH, M2COMM, New Zealand Electronic Shelf Labelling, Opticon Sensors Europe BV, Panasonic Holdings Corp., Pricer AB, Rational Innovation, RSJ Software GmbH, S and K Solutions GmbH and Co. KG, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., SES-imagotag, Shenzhen Minew Technologies Co. Ltd., SOLUM Europe Gmbh, Teraoka Seiko Co. Ltd., troniTAG GmbH, and Zhejiang Hanshow Technology Co. Ltd.

Analyst Review

The Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) market is experiencing a profound transformation fueled by the proliferation of technologies and the surge in digitalization and automation in stores. ESLs are revolutionizing the retail landscape by providing dynamic pricing solutions that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and ultimately, consumer satisfaction. The ESL market refers to the sector dedicated to electronic shelf label systems, which digitally display product information and prices on shelves in retail stores.

The market dynamics of ESLs are characterized by an increasing demand driven by the growing efficiency and accuracy in pricing, leading to enhanced customer experience. Retailers are leveraging ESLs to stay competitive in an era of rapid digitalization and automation in stores. The rising expansion of e-commerce further fuels the demand for ESLs as retailers seek seamless integration between their online and offline operations to provide a unified shopping experience to consumers.

However, the adoption of ESLs is not without challenges. High initial implementation costs pose a significant barrier for some retailers, while infrastructure and compatibility challenges may hinder seamless integration with existing systems. Despite these challenges, the ESL market continues to evolve. Recent developments indicate a growing scope for ESL solutions, driven by innovative technologies and strategic partnerships aimed at addressing market needs.

The scope of the global ESL market encompasses various sectors, including retail, hospitality, and healthcare, where dynamic pricing and accurate product information are essential for operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. In conclusion, the ESL market presents significant opportunities for retailers to enhance their operations and improve customer experiences. As digitalization and automation continue to reshape the retail landscape, ESLs will play a crucial role in driving efficiency, accuracy, and ultimately, business growth.

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Market Overview

The Electronic Shelf Label (ESLs) market is witnessing remarkable growth driven by the proliferation of technologies and increased consumer satisfaction. Market dynamics reflect a surge in digitalization and automation in stores, leading to enhanced efficiency and accuracy in pricing. ESLs redefine market definition by offering real-time pricing updates, promoting seamless shopping experiences. With the global ESL market expanding, retailers are embracing these innovative solutions to streamline operations and improve customer engagement. The integration of ESLs aligns with the evolving retail landscape, emphasizing the significance of digital tools in enhancing competitiveness. As the demand for ESLs continues to rise, they represent a pivotal component in shaping the future of retail environments worldwide.

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Related Reports:

The Factory Automation Platform as a Service (FA PaaS) Market size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 21.51% between 2023 and 2028. The market size is forecast to increase by USD 6,649.1 million.

The print label market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.58% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecast to increase by USD 11.29 billion.

ToC:

1 Executive Summary

2 Landscape

3 Sizing

4 Historic Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Segmentations

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Vendor Landscape

11 Vendor Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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By Merissa Mayo, Senior Consultant and Eric Jia-Sobota, Founder

HOUSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) has announced a new funding opportunity through its Mission Office-specific Innovative Solution Openings (ISO). The funding opportunity aims to accelerate innovation and breakthroughs in health research by providing targeted support to projects aligned with ARPA-H's mission areas.

The Mission Office Open ISOs represents a strategic effort by ARPA-H to focus resources on key priority areas, fostering collaboration and innovation within the health research community. Through this opportunity, ARPA-H aims to address critical challenges in healthcare and drive transformative advances in biomedical research. The four ISO focus areas are:

Health Science Futures : overcoming current scientific and technological barriers in healthcare, with an emphasis on cutting-edge, often disease-agnostic research that can lead to significant, translational changes across various diseases.

: overcoming current scientific and technological barriers in healthcare, with an emphasis on cutting-edge, often disease-agnostic research that can lead to significant, translational changes across various diseases. Proactive Health Systems : improving Americans' health outcomes and lifespan by encouraging preventive measures and wellness behaviors before disease onset and diminished life quality.

lifespan Resilient Systems : investing in technologies that close gaps in care quality, efficacy, and availability, addressing the fragility and fragmentation of current systems.

Scalable Solutions : addressing access disparities in underserved areas through innovative telemedicine, mobile clinics, and streamlined manufacturing, aiming to overcome geographic and systemic barriers to healthcare delivery.

The funding opportunity remains open for twelve months after the BAA release date, and is open to researchers, innovators, and organizations across the healthcare landscape, including academia, industry, and non-profit sectors. Projects supported through this opportunity will receive funding and resources tailored to their specific mission area, enabling them to pursue high-impact research that aligns with ARPA-H's goals. Additional information on each ISO can be found at https://arpa-h.gov/research-and-funding/programs.

"The new Innovative Solutions Opening funding opportunity exemplifies ARPA-H's commitment to catalyzing impactful advancements in health research. By providing targeted support to projects aligned with ARPA-H's mission areas, this initiative is poised to spur groundbreaking discoveries and shape the future of healthcase," stated EverGlade Consulting Founder, Eric Jia-Sobota.

If your company has considered applying for ARPA-H funding, your federal funding journey starts here. EverGlade Consulting is a national consulting firm connecting public sector needs with private sector solutions. We offer services ranging from Pursuit, Proposal and Post-Award support to comply with federal regulations at agencies including BARDA, ASPR, NIH, DTRA, JPEO, DOD, DIU, DOE, and DARPA.

For additional information about EverGlade Consulting, reach out to:

[email protected]

SOURCE EverGlade Consulting
Rising wealth and wealth management complexities are the key factors driving the growth of the family office market.

PORTLAND, Ore., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Global Family Office Market by Type (Single Family Office, Multi Family Office, and Virtual Family Office) and Application (Legacy & Planning Management, Lifestyle Management, Investment Management, and Family Wealth Education):Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20232032." According to the report, the global family office industry generated $27.2 billion in 2022, and is anticipated to generate $54.7 billion by 2032, witnessing a CAGR of 7.5% from 2023 to 2032.

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125  Tables

47  Charts

300  Pages

Prime determinants of growth

Rising wealth and wealth management complexities acts as the key driving force of global family office market. However, challenges to comply with regulatory requirements, cost complexities, and talent management hamper the market growth. On the contrary, growing drive for creation of wealth, succession planning, and wealth management-related customized solutions are expected to provide significant opportunities for the expansion of the family office market growth during the forecast period.

Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20222032 Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 $27.2 Billion Market Size in 2032 $54.7 Billion CAGR 7.5 % Segments Covered Type, Application, and Region Drivers Rising wealth and wealth management complexities Opportunities Growing drive for creation of wealth, succession planning, and customized solutions Restraints Challenges to comply with regulatory requirements, cost complexities, and talent management

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The single-family office segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

On the basis of type, the single family office segment attained around three-fifths of the market share and will continue to dominate the market for the forecast period. This is due to the fact that single family office solutions are tailor made solutions that provide larger degree of control for making investment decisions, implementing wealth management strategies, and planning family legacy. However, from 2023 to 2032, the virtual family office segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate of 9.6% due to the cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and ability of virtual family offices to leverage technology for efficient wealth management and advisory services.

The legacy & planning management segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

By application, the legacy & planning management segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than one-third of the market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the increasing demand to expand family legacy and secondly the increasing obstacles in relation to estate laws, estate taxes, family issues, and business issues. However, from 2023 to 2032, the investment segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate of 9.4% due to surge in demand for right investment strategies to achieve more wealth.

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North America to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Region wise, North America held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for half of the family office market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to high presence of high net-worth individuals and families in the region that necessarily require wealth management solutions to deal with their wealth related problems. However, from 2023 to 2032, MEA is expected to grow at the fastest rate of 12.7%, as the region is experiencing wealth accumulation due to oil revenue, economic growth and entrepreneurship.

Leading Market Players: -

Walton Enterprises LLC

Cascade Investment LLC

Bexos Expeditions

Mousse Partners

Ballmer Group

Citi Private Bank

Atlantic Trust

Pictet

BNY Melon Wealth Management

Stonehage Family & Fleming Partners

Abbot Downing

UBS Global Family Office Group

Bessemer Trust

Wilmington Trust

U.S Trust Family Office

Northern Trust

Hawthorn

Glemede Trust Company

Rockfeller Capital Management

BMO Harris Bank

HSBC Private Bank

JP Morgan

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players of the global family office market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches and acquisitions to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

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Key Benefits for Stakeholders

This report provides a quantitative analysis of the market segments, current trends, estimations, and dynamics of the family office market analysis from 2022 to 2032 to identify the prevailing family office market opportunities.

The market research is offered along with information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities.

Porter's five forces analysis highlights the potency of buyers and suppliers to enable stakeholders make profit-oriented business decisions and strengthen their supplier-buyer network.

In-depth analysis of the family office market segmentation assists to determine the prevailing market opportunities.

Major countries in each region are mapped according to their revenue contribution to the global market.

Market player positioning facilitates benchmarking and provides a clear understanding of the present position of the market players.

The report includes the analysis of the regional as well as global family office market trends, key players, market segments, application areas, and market growth strategies.

Family Office Market Key Segments:

By Type

Multi Family Office

Virtual Family Office

Single Family Office

By Application

Legacy and Planning Management

Lifestyle Management

Investment Management

Family Wealth Education

By Region

North America (U.S., Canada )

(U.S., ) Europe (UK, Germany , France , Italy , Spain , Rest of Europe )

(UK, , , , , Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , Japan , India , Australia , South Korea , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

( , , , , , Rest of ) Latin America ( Brazil , Argentina , Rest of Latin America )

( , , Rest of ) Middle East and Africa (Gcc Countries, South Africa , Rest of Middle East And Africa)

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We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SOURCE Allied Market Research
ZGF honored as a Most Innovative Company for the second consecutive year

PORTLAND, Ore., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fast Company, the world's leading business media brand, today announced ZGF as one of its Most Innovative Companies in their 2024 ranking. The sought-after honor is the definitive recognition of organizations that are transforming industries and positively shaping society.

"We are honored to be recognized by Fast Company for the second year in a row," said Sharron van der Meulen , Managing Partner of ZGF. "This distinction represents the cumulative impact of decades of work towards ZGF's goal: designing a more sustainable and equitable world."

In 2023, Fast Company recognized ZGF's excellence in sustainability with a spotlight on the world's first developer-driven Living Building . Today, the firm is building on its history of innovative and sustainable solutions, opening the largest all-electric, zero carbon building complex in the U.S. in 2024.

ZGF's work continues to be deeply rooted in community and design solutions that ensure shared prosperity for all, exemplified by long-standing projects with beloved institutions such as the California Science Center and Portland International Airport . Later this year, the firm will unveil a soaring new terminal at Portland International Airport. The terminal will be the largest locally and sustainably sourced timber project of its kind, with 100% of the wood from its 9-acre roof sourced from landowners within 300 miles.

The World's Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company's hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. The roster provides a firsthand look at the efforts of companies across all sectors of the economy who aspire to push society forward.

To see the full list visit: The 10 most innovative companies in architecture for 2024 (fastcompany.com).

For more information, project images or interviews: [email protected] .

About ZGF

Climate, context, and community are elemental to every project across ZGF's diverse portfolio of work. Evolving from one office with strong regional roots in the Pacific Northwest to a global firm of 750+ with seven offices across North America, the firm's national reputation was honored with the American Institute of Architects' Architecture Firm Award, recognizing the firm's "high standards, humanistic concerns, and unique ability to capture the spirit of a place and the aspirations of its inhabitants." To learn more visit www.zgf.com .

SOURCE ZGF
General Director of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) Maksym Dotsenko called on the participants of the European Humanitarian Forum to strengthen financial assistance to Ukraine, which is fighting the Russian aggressor.

"These days, on March 18-19, the European Humanitarian Forum is taking place in Brussels, organized by the European Commission with the assistance of Belgium, the country presiding over the Council of the EU... Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society Maksym Dotsenko during his speech (at the forum) noted the colossal humanitarian consequences of the war, and called on donors and the international community to strengthen financial assistance to Ukraine," the URCS reported on Tuesday on Facebook.

According to Dotsenko, such assistance is especially necessary for people living in front-line territories and in remote settlements. He emphasized that in such territories people are in dire need of primary medical care, physical and psychological rehabilitation. The URCS General Director also noted the importance of restoring the medical infrastructure and called on donors to support such areas as physical and psychological rehabilitation, and home care.

The annual European Humanitarian Forum brings together key players in the humanitarian sector. International and public organizations, politicians, government officials and donors are gathering to find effective solutions to provide assistance in the world's hottest spots. For the third time in a row, starting in 2022, issues related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine have been raised at the forum. The main topic of this year's forum is health and the impact of war on the health care system.
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fat Boyz Barbecue, a beloved barbecue restaurant known for its authentic Southern flavors, is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newest location in Coral Springs, Florida. With existing locations in Fort Lauderdale, Fat Boyz Barbecue is expanding its footprint to bring their award-winning barbecue delights closer to barbecue enthusiasts in the Coral Springs area.

The newest location will continue the tradition of serving up mouthwatering BBQ dishes that have made them a fan favorite. The Coral Springs community can look forward to savoring a diverse menu that caters to all tastes. From tender St. Louis-style baby back ribs and juicy pulled pork to savory brisket and flavorful chicken, the new location will offer an array of expertly prepared dishes that capture the essence of true Southern barbecue.

At Fat Boyz Barbecue, the focus is always on the food. But it's not just the food that sets them apart  it's the people. Their team embodies the spirit of true hospitality, ensuring every guest who walks through the doors of the Coral Springs location will be welcomed with genuine Southern warmth. Fat Boyz Barbecue takes pride in creating an inviting atmosphere where customers can relax, indulge in delicious barbecue, and create lasting memories with friends and family.

Don't miss the chance to enjoy the magic of Fat Boyz Barbecue at their Coral Springs location. Whether you're a barbecue connoisseur or just looking for a delicious meal, everyone is invited to join this authentic Southern barbecue experience that will delight the taste buds and warm the soul.

As Fat Boyz Barbecue continues to grow and expand, their commitment to providing top-notch barbecue and unparalleled hospitality remains unwavering. Browse the Fat Boyz Barbecue menu or find additional information about their newest location at fatboyzbarbecue.com .

About Fat Boyz Barbecue:

Fat Boyz Barbecue is a cherished Southern barbecue destination, renowned for its authentic flavors and warm hospitality. With multiple locations in Florida, Fat Boyz Barbecue offers a diverse menu featuring slow-smoked ribs, succulent pulled pork, and other BBQ favorites, all prepared with a commitment to quality and tradition. Committed to community engagement and creating lasting memories, Fat Boyz Barbecue invites guests to savor the essence of Southern barbecue and become part of their extended barbecue family. Find more information at fatboyzbarbecue.com .

Contact Information

Name: Jarael Holston

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: (954) 415-4810

SOURCE Fat Boyz Barbecue
ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Franworth is pleased to announce it has sold its holdings in The Lash Lounge to Riverside Capital, as the anchor to their new boutique beauty platform. Franworth and The Lash Lounge founder, Anna Phillips, a pioneer in eyelash extensions in the US, partnered when The Lash Lounge was a 6-unit locally owned and operated business in Dallas, TX. Franworth helped grow this early mover in the boutique beauty space, from 6 to over 130 open and another 140 units sold.

Dave Keil notes, "I was honored to be Anna's first CEO, and together with Franworth, we prepared and grew the company from 19 to 61 units in our first year and have continued to support Anna and The Lash Lounge team ever since." He adds, "It is very exciting to see Anna and her team step into this new season of their growth journey, and we wish them and The Lash Lounge franchisees all the best." Key to the success of this growth journey is the current Lash Lounge CEO, and IFA Board member Meg Roberts. Meg adds, "We are here today because of the vision of Anna Phillips, the support from Franworth, and the incredible set of leaders and franchisees I have the honor and privilege to lead every day."

In conjunction with this exit, Franworth has re-capitalized and refocused its mission. Franworth Founder and CEO, John Rotche states, "Our mission is to create brighter futures, for our founders, our franchisor teams, and  most importantly  the entrepreneurs who join the Franworth family as franchisees of our many brands." Concurrent with The Lash Lounge exit, Franworth has re-capitalized the firm adding Paul Blavin as partner joining Drew Brees, John Rotche and Dave Keil. Paul is a fellow Michigan alumnus and is passionate about Franworth's mission. Paul states. "I could not be more honored to join this sacred mission of creating exceptional opportunities for extraordinary entrepreneurs, and I believe Franworth is uniquely positioned to help bring our mission to life." Franworth would like to thank its original partners Rick Washburn, the late Tom Lyons, David Barr, and Guideboat Capital for their collective support along the journey, and for the insights and capital they brought to the business.

Franworth also announces its re-organization and transformation into a leader-led organization. John Rotche remains Founder and CEO and Dave Keil remains President. Franworth's executive team also includes Jennifer Fields recently promoted to COO, Megan Conway, CMO, Jonathan Koudelka, General Counsel and Dave Taccolini who recently returned to the organization as CAO. The team has also added Leo Blavin to lead new business growth for Franworth Supply Chain.

About Franworth

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Franworth builds, incubates, and grows franchise brands through mentorship, education and best-in-class support empowering entrepreneurs and creating brighter futures. With over 450 years of franchising experience, the Franworth team has been recognized with the highest honors in franchising and for repeatedly scaling brands using a franchise model. Franworth's current portfolio of franchise brands includes MilkShake Factory, sugaringLA, MosquitoNix, Garage Kings, HealthSource America's Chiropractor, and Degree Wellness. For more information visit franworth.com.

Media Contact:

Megan Conway

[email protected]

SOURCE Franworth
BARTLESVILLE, Okla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "Persecution is real, and it is biblical, and Jesus told us we will face persecution in this world," said Pastor Hassan Abduraheem during The Voice of the Martyrs' "I Am N" Virtual Event earlier this month.

Hassan Abduraheem, Heather Mercer and John Samara shared personal stories of persecution during the "I Am N" virtual event hosted by The Voice of the Martyrs earlier this month.

During the online event, Hassan and two other survivors of Muslim extremism shared their inspiring stories of persecution with a vast, global audience. More than 2,300 churches hosted watch parties (with an unknown number in attendance) and more than 57,000 individuals registered to participate from 61 countries, including Pakistan, Qatar and Israel.

The name of this event originated with a show of support for Middle Eastern Christians after violent Muslim extremists from the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) went door-to-door, spray-painting Christian homes and churches in Northern Iraq with the symbol " ", the Arabic letter "N," for Nasara, a pejorative term used by Muslims to mean "followers of Jesus of Nazareth."

Christians around the world began displaying the Arabic letter " " to raise awareness of the persecution, show solidarity and encourage prayer. The mark became a worldwide symbol of hope and courage.

VOM's virtual event featured Hassan, who was arrested in 2015 in Sudan for providing aid to a persecuted Christian. Though sentenced to 12 years in prison, Hassan received a presidential pardon and was freed in 2017.

Heather Mercer, a missionary to Afghanistan who was arrested by the Taliban in 2001 and jailed for more than 100 days, shared that, "As believers, we are not guaranteed a life of ease or a life without suffering. He will call us to things more costly and uncomfortable than we ever thought."

John Samara, a Syrian-born front-line worker said, "There are more Muslims coming to know Jesus Christ as Lord our Savior in the last 20 years than in the last 1,400 years."

The "I Am N" Virtual Event was broadcast in English with worship led by Steven Curtis Chapman and in Spanish with worship led by Alex Campos.

About The Voice of the Martyrs

Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, The Voice of the Martyrs is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization serving persecuted Christians in the world's most difficult and dangerous places to follow Christ. For more information, visit VOM.org .

SOURCE The Voice of the Martyrs
DUBLIN, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market Report by Component (Software, Services), Deployment Mode (On-premises, Cloud-based), Application (Oil, Natural Gas, Water), End User (Upstream Companies, Mid-Stream Companies, Downstream Companies), and Region 2024-2032" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global hydrocarbons accounting solution market size reached US$ 533.2 million in 2023. The market is projected to reach US$ 819.2 million by 2032, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 4.89% during 2023-2032

The market is experiencing steady growth driven by regulatory requirements for environmental protection and resource conservation, increasing exploration and production activities in the oil and gas industry, and rapid digital transformation in the energy sector.



Regulatory compliance and environmental concerns



Regulatory requirements for environmental protection and resource conservation are supporting the growth of the market. Governments worldwide are imposing stricter regulations on the monitoring and reporting of hydrocarbon emissions, production, and usage. Companies operating in the oil and gas industry and other sectors reliant on hydrocarbons are under increasing pressure to adhere to these regulations.

Hydrocarbons accounting solutions provide a comprehensive means to track, analyze, and report on hydrocarbon-related data, ensuring compliance with environmental standards. They enable organizations to accurately measure carbon emissions, monitor resource utilization, and optimize operations to minimize environmental impact. As sustainability is becoming paramount for businesses, the demand for hydrocarbons accounting solutions is rising, making them an indispensable tool in achieving regulatory compliance and addressing environmental concerns.



Rising exploration and production activities



The increasing exploration and production activities in the oil and gas industry are strengthening the growth of the market. As energy demand is rising worldwide, companies in the hydrocarbon sector are actively seeking to discover and extract new reserves to meet this demand. Hydrocarbons accounting solutions play a pivotal role in optimizing these exploration and production operations. They provide real-time visibility into the entire hydrocarbon supply chain, ranging from wellhead to downstream distribution.

This enables companies to track production volumes, monitor reservoir performance, and streamline operational efficiency. With the adoption of advanced technologies, such as Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and data analytics, hydrocarbons accounting solutions offer predictive maintenance and production forecasting capabilities. As a result, companies can make informed decisions, reduce downtime, and maximize resource extraction.



Increasing focus on asset optimization



The growing emphasis on asset optimization within the hydrocarbon industry is impelling the growth of the market. Oil and gas companies are under constant pressure to maximize the efficiency and productivity of their assets, including wells, pipelines, and refineries, to remain competitive in a dynamic market. Hydrocarbons accounting solutions provide valuable insights into asset performance and utilization.

They offer real-time monitoring and data analytics capabilities that enable companies to identify bottlenecks, reduce downtime, and enhance the overall efficiency of their operations. By tracking production, consumption, and losses throughout the value chain, these solutions empower organizations to make data-driven decisions to optimize their assets.



Rapid digital transformation in the energy sector



The rapid digital transformation occurring within the energy sector is bolstering the growth of the market. Energy companies are increasingly embracing digital technologies to enhance their operational efficiency, reduce costs, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Hydrocarbons accounting solutions play a pivotal role in this digital transformation by providing a platform for collecting, processing, and analyzing vast amounts of data generated across the hydrocarbon value chain. With the advent of IoT sensors, cloud computing, and advanced analytics, these solutions offer real-time insights into production, distribution, and consumption patterns.

North America leads the market, accounting for the largest hydrocarbons accounting solution market share



North America has a robust oil and gas industry, with a significant presence of upstream, midstream, and downstream companies. The United States and Canada are leaders in energy production and have stringent regulatory requirements, driving the adoption of hydrocarbons accounting solutions. Additionally, the increasing focus on shale gas and tight oil resources is catalyzing the demand for these solutions in North America.



The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing rapid growth in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market. As energy consumption is rising in countries like China and India, there is a growing need for efficient resource management and environmental compliance. Hydrocarbons accounting solutions play a crucial role in this context, aiding energy companies in optimizing their operations and meeting regulatory standards.



Europe is another prominent segment in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market. European countries have a strong focus on environmental sustainability and are actively working towards reducing carbon emissions. This emphasis on green energy and stringent environmental regulations is driving the adoption of hydrocarbons accounting solutions to monitor and manage resource utilization, emissions, and compliance.



Latin America is emerging as a noteworthy segment in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market. With several countries in the region being major oil and gas producers, there is a growing need for accurate resource management and regulatory compliance. Hydrocarbons accounting solutions help companies in Latin America optimize their operations, minimize losses, and ensure adherence to environmental standards.



The Middle East and Africa region is a key player in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market. It is renowned for its vast oil and gas reserves and is a global hub for energy production. Hydrocarbons accounting solutions are integral to the operations of companies in this region, helping them manage their extensive hydrocarbon resources efficiently.



Leading Key Players in the Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Industry:



Key players in the market are actively engaged in several strategic initiatives. They are continually innovating their software offerings to incorporate advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) for more accurate data analysis and predictive capabilities. In addition, these companies are expanding their global reach through partnerships and collaborations, aiming to tap into emerging markets and broaden their customer base.

Moreover, they are investing in cybersecurity measures to ensure the protection of sensitive hydrocarbon data. Furthermore, key players are focusing on providing comprehensive training and support services to help their consumers effectively implement and utilize hydrocarbons accounting solutions, ensuring maximum value from their investments.

Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Market Analysis:

Market Growth and Size: The market is witnessing moderate growth, driven by the increasing demand for efficient resource management. In addition, rising exploration and production activities in the oil and gas sector are catalyzing the demand for hydrocarbons accounting solutions.

Technological Advancements: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in accounting solutions is improving data accuracy and forecasting capabilities. Cloud-based solutions are also gaining traction due to their scalability and remote accessibility.

Industry Applications: Hydrocarbons accounting solutions find applications across various industries, including upstream, midstream, and downstream oil and gas sectors. They are also used in petrochemicals, refining, and renewable energy sectors.

Geographical Trends: North America leads the market, driven by the presence of numerous upstream, midstream, and downstream companies. However, Asia-Pacific is emerging as a fast-growing market, driven by the rising energy consumption, along with the growing need for efficient resource management and environmental compliance.

leads the market, driven by the presence of numerous upstream, midstream, and downstream companies. However, is emerging as a fast-growing market, driven by the rising energy consumption, along with the growing need for efficient resource management and environmental compliance. Competitive Landscape: The market is characterized by intense competition with several established players and a growing number of startups offering innovative solutions. Besides this, established companies are focusing on acquisitions and partnerships to expand their offerings.

Challenges and Opportunities: While the market faces challenges, such as data security and integration issues, it also encounters opportunities in expanding into emerging markets and diversifying service offerings.

Future Outlook: The future of the hydrocarbons accounting solution market looks promising, with the increasing awareness about environmental sustainability and the need for accurate resource management. Market players are focusing on customization, scalability, and data security to capitalize on future opportunities.

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global hydrocarbons accounting solution market performed so far, and how will it perform in the coming years?

What are the drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the global hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

What is the impact of each driver, restraint, and opportunity on the global hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

What are the key regional markets?

Which countries represent the most attractive hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

What is the breakup of the market based on the component?

Which is the most attractive component in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

What is the breakup of the market based on the deployment mode?

Which is the most attractive deployment mode in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

Which is the most attractive application in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end user?

Which is the most attractive end user in the hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

What is the competitive structure of the market?

Who are the key players/companies in the global hydrocarbons accounting solution market?

Competitive Analysis

CGI Inc.

EnergySys Limited

Infosys Limited

P2 Energy Solutions

Quorum Business Solutions Inc.

SAP SE

Wipro Limited

Hydrocarbons Accounting Solution Industry Segmentation:



Breakup by Component:

Software

Services

Consulting

Implementation

Support

Breakup by Deployment Mode:

On-premises

Cloud-based

Breakup by Application:

Oil

Natural Gas

Water

Breakup by End User:

Upstream Companies

Mid-Stream Companies

Downstream Companies

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/jnc4jc

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SOURCE Research and Markets
BEIJING, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chinese economy has shifted toward a stage of high-quality development and is currently at a critical period of transforming its economic development model, optimizing its economic structure, and changing its growth momentum.

As the world's second-largest economy and the largest manufacturing country, China's economy is undergoing transformation, surmounting obstacles and navigating waves to form sustainable endogenous growth momentum and forge strong resilience.

The extraordinary resilience of the Chinese economy is not only reflected in its ability to withstand shocks, but also in its capacity for regeneration. While achieving reasonable growth, the economy also ensures improvement in quality.

Sustained resilience

In terms of size, after experiencing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the growth of the Chinese economy has shown a strong recovery, with the economic aggregate growing from 98.65 trillion yuan ($13.9 trillion) in 2019 to over 126 trillion yuan in 2023. In 2020, China became the only major economy in the world to achieve positive economic growth, making a significant contribution to the stability and growth of the global economy amid the pandemic.

Regarding quality, China's digital economy is flourishing, with new industries, new forms, and new models reshaping the core of the Chinese economy. From "Made in China" to "China Innovation" and now to "China Intelligent Manufacturing," it has become a shining symbol of high-quality development in the Chinese economy.

From a demand perspective, consumption has become the main engine driving economic growth, with its contribution to economic growth continuously increasing. Although the contribution of investment has seen some decline, the direction and structure of expenditure are constantly being optimized, with a focus on key areas related to national welfare and long-term development. This not only plays a role in countercyclical adjustment, but also realizes the significant positive effects on the macroeconomic balance.

From the supply side, through deepening structural reforms, China is gradually transitioning from traditional manufacturing to high value-added, high-tech industries. Key areas such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence (AI) are growing rapidly, with increasing investments in green and low-carbon initiatives leading to the rise of green industries. In 2023, driven by new-energy vehicles, China surpassed Japan for the first time to become the world's largest exporter of automobiles.

China's economy is undergoing a transition from old to new growth drivers. Guided by the principle of establishing the new before abolishing the old, China persists in using development as a means to solve emerging issues through the process. This has led to a revival of traditional industries under the traction of new industries and technologies.

In 2022, the value added by China's "three new" economy, a collection of economic activities with new industries, new business formats, and new business models as the core content, exceeded 21 trillion yuan, indicating that China's economy has embarked on a path of replacing traditional factor-driven and investment-driven growth with innovation-driven development.

Sources of new strength

Facing the unprecedented major changes in the world and the accelerated evolution, the Chinese economy still possesses strong development potential with the super-large scale of domestic market built on a-1.4 billion strong population. In the face of numerous risks and challenges, the Chinese economy can continuously unlock its potential as long as it remains committed to promoting high-quality transformation and leverages the advantages of its vast population in terms of market and innovation.

The new momentum of development stems from the urgent needs to drive high-quality development. The increasing demands of the people for a better life are leading to the emergence of new personalized, diversified, and customized needs. China leverages the diverse and original advantages of technological innovation to overcome the limitations of decline in returns from traditional factors like population and capital. By maximizing the potential of traditional elements, broadening their scope, and integrating innovative elements, the Chinese economy can adeptly navigate challenges with confidence.

The development of new momentum stems from the enormous power gathered by millions of business entities. Whether in terms of market size or human resource stock, whether large enterprises or tens of millions of small and micro-enterprises, they are all important driving forces for the advancement of the Chinese economy. Both original innovation and integrated innovation cannot do without China's massive market scale, vast human capital, and rich application scenarios.

The development of new momentum stems from the innovative drive generated by the new industrialization. The new industrialization incorporates requirements such as informatization, digitalization, and better utilization of human resources. The innovative drive that the new industrialization can foster is significant. By categorizing data as a production factor and the continuous emergence of high-quality labor force, it has propelled a series of changes in production organization, employment patterns, business models, among others. This is conducive to nurturing emerging industries and future industries, providing strategic support for China's economic advancement.

The development of new momentum stems from the powerful synergy formed by macroeconomic policies. China adheres to creating a top-notch business environment, treating all types of business entities equally, fostering a fair competitive market environment, and promoting the growth of the private economy. With the strong magnetic force of the market and the warm influence of policies boosting market confidence, supported by tangible good policies and excellent services, China's private economy is embracing new development opportunities.

Continuous driving force

The Chinese economy's new momentum has strong potential and driving force, specifically manifested in seeking opportunities in opening-up, leveraging human resources for dividends, exploring new opportunities in new industrialization, and gaining momentum in technological innovation.

China still steadfastly advocates comprehensive, multi-level, and wide-ranging opening-up, deeply engaging in international scientific and economic cooperation and competition. China consistently strengthens its capacity to coordinate and effectively utilize a wide range of international and domestic resources. By embracing high-level openness, China is able to broaden its economic development horizons.

Although the aging population poses challenges, the vast human resource base is a significant advantage, with each individual serving as a source of innovation. By continuously increasing investment in education and seizing the opportunities presented by the new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation, China can continue to create demographic dividends by effectively utilizing its human resources.

The new industrialization is key to accelerating the construction of an innovative country and forming new quality productive forces, as well as an important lever for China to seize the technological high ground in the competition of the new round of technological revolution. With digital technology applied across various production and every day settings, digitization has reshaped the intrinsic logic of China's industrial development. The new opportunities brought about by the initiation of new industrialization not only help to comprehensively enhance the modernization level of the industrial system, but also ensure that high-quality supply always remains at the forefront of the world.

After years of exploration, China has established an innovative system that combines government-led initiatives from the top down and enterprise-driven efforts from the bottom up. The government plays a crucial role from the top down by increasing support for basic research, applied basic research, and cutting-edge research. Enterprises play an important role from the bottom up by strengthening their position in technological innovation. As key players in technological innovation, enterprises collaborate with universities, research institutes, and other entities to form industry-academia-research innovation alliances and establish open innovation platforms, which help maximize innovation vitality across society.

SOURCE Global Times
ATLANTA, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Grady Health System, one of the country's largest safety-net health systems and home to Atlanta's only Level 1 trauma center, announced Thursday that Anthony Saul, MBA, FACHE, has been promoted to Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer.

Anthony Saul, Sr. EVP & COO/CFO at Grady

In this role, Saul will oversee day-to-day operations. He will continue to provide financial leadership for the health system, which includes Grady Memorial Hospital, Correll Pavilion, and seven neighborhood health centers. He will play a pivotal role in improving operational efficiency within the health system to enhance the patient experience.

"Anthony has been an invaluable asset to our executive leadership team and has a passion for our mission of improving the health of our community," said John Haupert, president and CEO of Grady. "His new COO role will allow him to work alongside our care teams to drive forward our goal of providing the highest quality of care possible to Atlanta and the Southeast region."

Before his current role, Saul served as Grady's Chief Financial Officer since 2021. He was responsible for the fiscal management of more than $400 million in capital projects, including the $237 million Correll Pavilion, Grady's outpatient facility, which opened in 2023. He was also the Senior Vice President of Finance for several years. Before joining Grady, Saul held a dual role for LCMC Health as Vice President of Finance for the health system and CFO of one of the system hospitals.

"I look forward to collaborating with our talented healthcare team to continue elevating the care we deliver to our patients," Saul said. "As Grady continues to grow and expand access to healthcare for the community we are privileged to serve, we are committed to ensuring exceptional patient-centered care."

Saul earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Memphis and his Bachelor of Science in Finance and Accounting from Nicholls State University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

About Grady Health System

Grady Health System is one of the largest safety net health systems in the United States. Grady consists of the 953-bed Grady Memorial Hospital, seven neighborhood health centers, Crestview Health & Rehabilitation Center, Correll Pavilion, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, which is operated as a Children's affiliate. With its nationally acclaimed emergency medical services, Grady is Atlanta's only Level I trauma center and serves as the 911 ambulance provider for the city of Atlanta. Grady's Walter L. Ingram Burn Center is the leading burn center in North Georgia. And the Marcus Stroke and Neuroscience Center is a Joint Commission designated Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. Other key services/distinctions include Grady's Regional Perinatal Center with its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Georgia's first Cancer Center for Excellence, The Avon Comprehensive Breast Center, the Georgia Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center, and the Ponce de Leon Center - one of the top HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the country. Grady is one of an elite group of hospitals to earn the Baby-Friendly USA international recognition as a Baby-Friendly Designated birth facility. For more information, visit http://www.gradyhealth.org/ .

SOURCE Grady Health System
JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. announces the release of a market assessment report on the "Global Green/Sustainable Logistics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Business Type (Transport, Warehouse, Distribution, Value-Added Services), Mode Of Operation (Storage, Airways Distribution, Railways Distribution, Roadways Distribution, Seaways Distribution), And End Use (Healthcare, Manufacturing, Automotive, Banking And Financial Services, Retail And E-Commerce), Region, Market Outlook And Industry Analysis 2031"

The Global Green/Sustainable Logistics Market is estimated to reach over USD 1,972.7 Bn by 2031, denoting a CAGR of 7.70% during the forecast period of 2024-2031.

Green/Sustainable Logistics Market Report Scope:

Report Attribute Specifications Market Size Value In 2023 USD 1,112.9 Bn Revenue Forecast In 2031 USD 1,972.7 Bn Growth Rate CAGR CAGR of 7.70% from 2024 to 2031 Quantitative Units Representation of revenue in US$ Bn and CAGR from 2024 to 2031 Historic Year 2019 to 2023 Forecast Year 2024-2031 Report Coverage The forecast of revenue, the position of the company, the competitive market structure, growth prospects, and trends Segments Covered By Business Type, Mode Of Operation, And End Use Regional Scope North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Latin America; Middle East & Africa Country Scope U.S.; Canada; U.K.; Germany; China; India; Japan; Brazil; Mexico; France; Italy; Spain; Southeast Asia; South Korea

Request for Sample Pages: https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/request-sample/2399

The term "sustainable logistics," sometimes known as "eco-logistics," is incorporating environmental factors into supply chain management and logistics procedures to reduce environmental impact and advance sustainability. To achieve sustainability, companies must adapt their supply chain management processes to make more efficient use of resources.

This idea extends beyond the environmental footprint to include the economic and social sustainability of a company's logistics activities. The goal is to minimize the negative externalities associated with business activities for the environment, the economy, and society as a whole. The expansion of the green/sustainable logistics market share is driven by factors like the rise in EV adoption in the logistics sector and the increase in corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts by logistics organizations.

Furthermore, the green/sustainable logistics industry is boosting due to the spike in EV use in the logistics sector. However, the market's expansion is hampered by the growing reliance on fossil fuels for transportation.

List of Prominent Players in the Green/Sustainable Logistics Market:

Agility Public Warehousing Company K.S.C.P.

ARK India

Bollor SE

CEVA Logistics

Deutsche Post DHL Group.

DSV

FedEx Corporation

GEODIS

Go Green Logistics

Gosselin Logistics

Green Logistics LLC

States Logistics Services, Inc

The Green Group

United Parcel Service of America, Inc.

Westerman Multimodal Logistics

XPO Logistics, Inc.

YUSEN LOGISTICS CO., LTD.

Other Prominent Players

Market Dynamics: -

Drivers-

Since electric cars (EVs) have the potential to produce less pollution and motor noise than conventional internal combustion vehicles (ICVs), their adoption in city logistics has accelerated in recent years. This move towards electric vehicles is consistent with logistics' growing emphasis on eco-friendly methods. Additionally, logistic firms have taken aggressive steps to reduce their environmental impact as businesses prioritise sustainable practices.

Due to its historical reliance on oil and other fossil fuels, goods transportation has made shippers' and logistics businesses' operating costs much higher. Additionally, it adds to the emissions of harmful substances such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide, and black carbon. Communities close to ports and freight hubs face health hazards as a result of these emissions, which are significant contributors to climate change.

Challenges-

The primary obstacles that deter potential investors include reliance on fossil fuels, namely for transportation, a lack of infrastructure, and the high costs associated with adopting green procurement. The costlier green procurement is anticipated to be the main obstacle facing the Green/Sustainable Logistics Market. The time-consuming process of measuring carbon emissions and producing reports on them is hindering the demand for sustainable logistics in the global market.

Regional Trends:

In terms of worldwide Green/Sustainable Logistics Market share, Asia Pacific led. Growing countries like India are embracing new digital technologies and embracing the fourth industrial revolution, which is driving the expansion of the region's market.

Regional market expansion will also be fueled by integrated end-to-end logistics operations in nations like India over the projection period. If environmental criteria are not met, fines are enforced by the government. Because electric cars emit no emissions into the environment, their use is increasing in this region, which is driving the global sustainable logistics business.

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Recent Development-

In Jan 2024 , DSV developed and launched an industry-first multimodal shipping strategy that uses sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) to improve supply chain agility while reducing environmental impact. DSV and Schneider Electric have successfully deployed two unique multimodal shipping bridgesbetween Singapore and France and Shanghai to Franceto minimize Scope 3 carbon emissions from air freight.

DSV developed and launched an industry-first multimodal shipping strategy that uses sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) to improve supply chain agility while reducing environmental impact. DSV and Schneider Electric have successfully deployed two unique multimodal shipping bridgesbetween and and to Franceto minimize Scope 3 carbon emissions from air freight. In Aug 2023 , CEVA Logistics said that it has signed an agreement to purchase Stellar Value Chain Solutions, which is based in Mumbai . The Stellar acquisition will allow CEVA to broaden its presence in India by increasing its local personnel, assets, client base, and skills. The transaction complements CEVA's objective of offering complete supply chain solutions to its customers. In addition to India , the acquisition adds to CEVA's recent development in contract logistics in Asia Pacific . The transaction is also expected to assist CEVA's freight management and customs operations in the region.

CEVA Logistics said that it has signed an agreement to purchase Stellar Value Chain Solutions, which is based in . The Stellar acquisition will allow CEVA to broaden its presence in by increasing its local personnel, assets, client base, and skills. The transaction complements CEVA's objective of offering complete supply chain solutions to its customers. In addition to , the acquisition adds to CEVA's recent development in contract logistics in . The transaction is also expected to assist CEVA's freight management and customs operations in the region. In June 2023 , the division of Deutsche Post AG, which specialises in air and ocean freight, DHL Global Forwarding, and IAGIAG Cargo in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), established a strategic collaboration. DHL has contracted to purchase 11.5 million litres of SAF as part of this agreement, which will help reduce transport emissions that fall under Scope 3 in 2023.

the division of Deutsche Post AG, which specialises in air and ocean freight, DHL Global Forwarding, and IAGIAG Cargo in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), established a strategic collaboration. DHL has contracted to purchase 11.5 million litres of SAF as part of this agreement, which will help reduce transport emissions that fall under Scope 3 in 2023. In April 2023 , a commercial electric vehicle was added to Bollore Logistics' fleet in India , a division of Bollore SE. With its great mobility and minimal carbon footprint, it is perfect for last-mile delivery.

Segmentation of Green/Sustainable Logistics Market -

By Business Type

Transportation

Warehousing

Distribution

Value added Services

By Mode of Operation

Storage

Airways Distribution

Railways Distribution

Roadways Distribution

Seaways Distribution

Others

By End-user

Healthcare

Manufacturing

Automotive

Banking and financial services

Retail and E-Commerce

Others

By Region-

North America-

The US

Canada

Mexico

Europe-

Germany

The UK

France

Italy

Spain

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific-

China

Japan

India

South Korea

South East Asia

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America-

Brazil

Argentina

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa-

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of Middle East and Africa

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Why should buy this report:

To receive a comprehensive analysis of the prospects for global Green/Sustainable Logistics market

To receive industry overview and future trends of global Green/Sustainable Logistics market

To analyze the Green/Sustainable Logistics market drivers and challenges

To get information on the Green/Sustainable Logistics market size value (US$ Mn) forecast till 2031

Major Investments, Mergers & Acquisition in global Green/Sustainable Logistics market industry

Other Related Reports Published by InsightAce Analytic:

Digital Logistics Market

E-Bike Market

E-Commerce Logistics Market

Healthcare Cold Chain Logistics Market

Vaccine Cold Chain Logistics Market

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InsightAce Analytic is a market research and consulting firm that enables clients to make strategic decisions. Our qualitative and quantitative market intelligence solutions inform the need for market and competitive intelligence to expand businesses. We help clients gain competitive advantage by identifying untapped markets, exploring new and competing technologies, segmenting potential markets and repositioning products. Our expertise is in providing syndicated and custom market intelligence reports with an in-depth analysis with key market insights in a timely and cost-effective manner.

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SOURCE InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd
MEDELLIN, Colombia, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana S.A. ("Grupo SURA") today announced the successful completion of the previously announced consent solicitation (the "Consent Solicitation") relating to its 5.500% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026 (the "Notes") for the adoption of the proposed amendments (the "Proposed Amendments") to the indenture, as supplemented and restated, governing the Notes (the "Indenture"), as set forth in the Consent Solicitation Statement dated March 5, 2024 (the "Consent Solicitation Statement"). As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on March 19 , 2024 (the "Expiration Time"), Grupo SURA was advised that it has received consents from holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes to the adoption of Proposed Amendments to the Indenture governing the Notes. As a result, the Second Supplemental Indenture will be executed by Grupo SURA and the trustee of the Indenture. Thereafter, the Consent Fee (as defined below) will be paid to applicable holders.

5.500% Senior Unsecured Notes due 2026

CUSIP ISIN Original Principal Amount Outstanding Principal Amount Consent Fee Rule 144A 40052X AB6 US40052XAB64 U.S.$550,000,000.00 U.S.$530,000,000 U.S.$3.75 per U.S.$1,000 Regulation S G42036 AB2 USG42036AB25

Grupo SURA will make a cash payment of U.S.$3.75 per U.S.$1,000 principal amount of Notes (the "Consent Fee") to each holder of Notes who validly delivered (and did not validly revoke) a consent prior to the Expiration Time.

Any questions or requests for assistance regarding the Consent Solicitation or for additional copies of the Consent Solicitation Statement or related documents may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation, which has acted as Information and Tabulation Agent, at its telephone number Toll free (855)-654-2015 or email [email protected]. BofA Securities, Inc. acted as solicitation agent in connection with the Consent Solicitation.

About Grupo SURA

Grupo SURA is the parent company of a group of leading companies operating primarily in the financial services sector in Latin America, including mandatory pension funds, voluntary savings and insurance, and the principal shareholder of Bancolombia, which is engaged in universal banking activities in Colombia and Central America. In addition, Grupo SURA has significant interests in the industrial sector, including, among others, cement, ready mix, energy and infrastructure development and planning. While Grupo SURA has its origins in Colombia, in recent years, Grupo SURA has expanded to other countries and regions, including Chile, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Central America, the Caribbean and the United States.

No Offer or Solicitation

This press release is for informational purposes only. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities. This communication also is not a solicitation of consents to the Proposed Amendments to the Indenture. The securities described in the Consent Solicitation Statement have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and they may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that we believe, expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding the timing and terms of the Consent Solicitation and various matters related to our plans and objectives) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations or beliefs based on information currently available to us. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us. Additional factors are detailed in the Consent Solicitation Statement.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable law, we disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although we believe that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

SOURCE Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana S.A.
HERNDON, Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HawkEye 360 Inc., the global leader in radio frequency (RF) data analytics, is thrilled to announce Jamal Ware's appointment as the new Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy. In his new role, Ware will be instrumental in representing and advocating for HawkEye 360's innovative programs and legislative initiatives on Capitol Hill, liaising with member offices and committees, and engaging with political leadership in the Executive Branch.

Jamal Ware hired by HawkEye 360 as VP of Government Affairs and Public Policy

"We are excited to welcome Jamal Ware to the HawkEye 360 team," said John Serafini, CEO of HawkEye 360. "Jamal's impressive track record in government affairs and policy and his deep understanding of national security and intelligence make him an ideal fit for this role. His expertise will be critical as we continue to advocate for the vital role of RF data analytics in addressing global challenges."

Ware comes to HawkEye 360 with a distinguished background in government affairs. He has served on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees, as a Consultant for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and as the first-ever National Security Advisor for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. His extensive experience in national security and policy makes him a perfect advocate for HawkEye 360's mission.

Upon joining the team, Jamal Ware shared his enthusiasm for his new role: "HawkEye 360 is taking the lead in advancing new space-based capabilities that are making a difference for our national security and that of our allies and partners. These capabilities also have important uses for countering smuggling, illegal fishing and poaching, and human trafficking. I'm proud to join the HawkEye 360 team and help tell the story of the difference it's making to Congress and across the government."

For more information, please visit www.he360.com.

About HawkEye 360 HawkEye 360 is pioneering the field of RF data analytics, providing global organizations with unprecedented insights into radio frequency activity to enhance maritime awareness, increase global surveillance capabilities, and support a wide range of humanitarian efforts. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, HawkEye 360 is dedicated to delivering actionable intelligence that can make a real difference in the world.

SOURCE HawkEye 360, Inc
COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Heartland Construction is proud to announce that their President, Shane Allyne, has been recognized as the best roofing company in the 2024 Construction Business Review. This prestigious award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team at Heartland Construction.

The Construction Business Review is a highly respected publication that evaluates and recognizes the top companies in the construction industry. Each year, they conduct extensive research and analysis to determine the best of the best in various categories. This year, Heartland Construction stood out among the competition and was selected as the best roofing company.

Shane Allyne, who has been leading Heartland Construction since 2010, expressed his gratitude for the recognition. He stated, "I am honored to receive this award on behalf of our entire team at Heartland Construction. We have always strived to provide the highest quality roofing services to our clients and this recognition is a validation of our hard work and commitment to excellence."

Heartland Construction has been in the roofing business for over 20 years and has built a reputation for delivering exceptional results and outstanding customer service. They specialize in residential and commercial roofing, offering a wide range of services including roof repair, replacement, and maintenance. With their team of experienced and skilled professionals, Heartland Construction has become a trusted name in the industry.

The team at Heartland Construction is excited to continue their mission of providing top-notch roofing services to their clients. This recognition from the Construction Business Review only motivates them to work harder and maintain their position as the best roofing company in the industry. For more information about Heartland Construction and their services, please visit their website or contact them directly.

Office Administrator [email protected]

Phone: 800-565-7125

SOURCE Heartland Construction
The Pentagon's Office of the Inspector General has launched a new website to give more information to Americans about the oversight of U.S. weapons and equipment provided to Ukraine, The Hill reported on Tuesday.

The Ukraine Oversight website provides resources and information about the work more than 20 U.S. oversight agencies  known collectively as the Ukraine Oversight Interagency Working Group  are doing to ensure Ukraine aid is not being misused.

The Hill recalled that congressional Republicans continue to hold up new funding for Ukraine and question whether there is proper accounting for the weapons shipped to the embattled country.

Pentagon IG Robert Storch has been working on the issue of using aid allocated to Ukraine for quite some time. In February 2023, Storch said his department has not yet identified cases of misuse of U.S. aid to Ukraine. However, he warned that investigations into the matter are still in the early stages, the Associated Press reported.
BOSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Pat McGovern, an extraordinary visionary and philanthropist whose legacy continues to inspire and impact the world. As the founder of International Data Group (IDG)a premier information technology organizationMcGovern was not just a pioneering figure in the technology media world, but also a passionate advocate for using technology for the greater good.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Pat McGovern, an extraordinary visionary and philanthropist. Post this Patrick J. McGovern, visionary executive and philanthropist. Photo: Jason Grow

Under McGovern's leadership, IDG became a global powerhouse, launching iconic publications such as Computerworld, Macworld, and PCWorld. His foresight also led to the creation of IDG Ventures, a network of venture funds around the world, including the notable IDG Capital in Beijing.

Beyond his remarkable business acumen, McGovern, with his wife, Lore, co-founded the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT in 2000. This institute has been at the forefront of neuroscience research, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in perception, attention, memory, and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as discoveries with direct translational impact, such as CRISPR technology. CRISPR discoveries made at the McGovern Institute are now licensed for the first clinical application of genome editing in sickle cell disease.

Pat McGovern's commitment to bettering humanity is further evidenced by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, which works in partnership with public, private, and social institutions to drive progress on our most pressing challenges through the use of artificial intelligence, data science, and key emerging technologies.

On this solemn anniversary, we reflect on Pat McGovern's enduring influence through the words of those who knew him best:

Lore Harp McGovern, Co-founder and board member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research: "Technology was Pat's medium, the platform on which he built his amazing company 60 years ago. But it was people who truly motivated Pat, and he empowered and encouraged them to reach for the stars. He lived by the motto, 'let's try it,' and believed that nothing was out bounds. His goal was to help create a more just and peaceful world, and establishing the McGovern Institute was our way to give back meaningfully to this world. I know he would be so proud of what has been achieved and what is yet to come."

Robert Desimone, Director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research: "Pat McGovern had a vision for an international community of scientists and students drawn together to collaborate on understanding the brain. This vision has been realized in the McGovern Institute, and we are now seeing the profound advances in our understanding of the brain and even clinical applications that Pat predicted would follow."

Hugo Shong, Chairman of IDG Capital: "Pat's impact on technology, science and research is immeasurable. A man of tremendous vision, he grew IDG out of Massachusetts and made it into one of the world's most recognized brands in its space, forging partnerships and winning friends wherever he went. He applied that very same vision and energy to the McGovern Institute and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, in support of their impressive and necessary causes. I know he would be extremely proud of what both organizations have achieved thus far, and particularly how their work has broken technological frontiers and bettered the lives of millions."

Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation: "Patrick J. McGovern was more than a tech mogul; he was a visionary who believed in the power of information to empower people and improve societies. His work has had a profound effect on public policy and education, laying the groundwork for a more informed and connected world and guiding our work to ensure that artificial intelligence is used to sustain a human-centered world that creates economic and social opportunity for all. On a personal level, Pat's leadership was characterized by a genuine care for his employees and a belief in their potential. He created a culture of curiosity, encouraging humanity to explore, innovate, and dream big. His spirit lives on in every philanthropic activity we undertake."

Genevieve Juillard, CEO of IDG: "The legacy of Pat McGovern is felt not just in Boston, but around the worldby the thousands of IDG customers and by people like me who have the privilege to work at IDG, 60 years after he founded it. His innovative spirit and unwavering commitment to excellence continue to inspire and guide us."

Sudhir Sethi, Founder and Chairman of Chiratae Ventures (formally IDG Ventures): "Pat McGovern was a visionary who foresaw the potential of technology in India and nurtured the ecosystem as an active participant. Pat enabled a launchpad for Chiratae Ventures, empowering our journey to become the leading home-grown venture capital fund in India today. Pat is a role model to entrepreneurs worldwide, and we honor his legacy with our annual 'Chiratae Ventures Patrick J. McGovern Awards' that celebrate courage and the spirit of entrepreneurship."

Marc Benioff, Founder and CEO of Salesforce wrote in the book "Future Forward that "Pat McGovern was a gift to us all, a trailblazing visionary who showed an entire generation of entrepreneurs what it means to be a principle-based leader and how to lead with higher values."

Pat McGovern's memory lives on not just in the institutions and innovations he fostered, but in the countless lives he touched and transformed. Today, we celebrate a man who saw the future and helped us all move towards it with hope and determination.

**For further information and media inquiries, please contact:**

Julie Pryor

Director of Communications

McGovern Institute for Brain Research

617-715-5397

[email protected]

About IDG

International Data Group is a global leader in technology media, data, and marketing services, providing expert insights and advice to technology professionals and businesses around the world.

About The McGovern Institute for Brain Research

Established in 2000 at MIT by Pat and Lore Harp McGovern, the institute is dedicated to understanding the human brain and developing innovative approaches to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

About The Patrick J McGovern Foundation

This foundation is committed to advancing artificial intelligence and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all.

SOURCE Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
Renovations include a number of holistic upgrades to enhance quality-of-life at 283-unit senior housing tower

JERSEY CITY, N.J., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hudson Valley Property Group (HVPG) , a leading, national affordable housing preservation company, today announced that it has completed a $71 million acquisition, preservation and renovation project at Grandview Terrace Apartments, a 283-unit senior housing complex located in the Journal Square Neighborhood of Jersey City, New Jersey.

Grandview Terrace Apartments in Jersey City, N.J. Resident sky lounge at Grandview Terrace Apartments.

The upgrades to Grandview Terrace encompass a variety of holistic improvements including building modernization, energy efficiency upgrades, unit renovations and the addition of an enhanced, high-definition monitoring system providing site wide security coverage and ensuring adherence to HVPG's community standards.

"We're elated to unveil the revitalized Grandview Terrace, a collaborative effort with the Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) and HUD that will ensure long-term affordability for local seniors that were previously at-risk of losing access to this affordable housing and possibly being displaced," said Jason Bordainick, co-founder and managing partner of Hudson Valley Property Group. "From the comprehensive modernization to the installation of advanced security measures, every aspect of this project reflects our commitment to creating secure, inviting places for our residents to call home."

The renovations within the 283-unit complex totaled $15.2 million (~$53,500 per unit) and include new kitchen cabinetry and countertops; new high-efficiency, stainless steel appliances; high output lighting and water conserving fixtures; and the creation of fully compliant ADA and H/V units. Interior upgrades also included new flooring with subfloor repairs; wall patching and painting; and a new sky lounge for residents with a stretching room, community room, library and computer center with views of New York City.

The initial acquisition and substantial rehabilitation of the Grandview Terrace Apartments was financed with equity from HVPG's second affordable housing fund (HVPF II) and a construction loan from Key Bank. Upon completion of the 16-month construction and preservation project in February 2024, the loan was refinanced under the HUD Section 223(f) program with KeyBank.

To ensure the long-term affordability of the property, HVPG secured a new, 20-year HUD Regulatory Agreement. Additionally, HVPG was able to unlock new rental subsidy for tenants as a result of the previously existing expired HUD 202 restrictions through both project-based and tenant-based Section 8 vouchers. The Jersey City Housing Authority played a critical role in this project and serves as the new contract administrator for all of the HUD Section 8 voucher units. HVPG and JCHA worked in partnership to secure new Section 8 subsidy for 267 low-income households that did not previously receive any rental assistance. This will ensure that income-qualified tenants are protected and will pay no more than 30% of their income in rent. No residents were displaced because of this transaction.

"The JCHA appreciates the opportunity to partner with Hudson Valley Property Group, HUD, the City and the County to preserve and provide quality, safe affordable housing to the senior citizens of Jersey City and Hudson County at Grandview Terrace", said Patricia Ramirez, Director of the Housing Choice Voucher Program of the Jersey City Housing Authority.

The project follows Hudson Valley Property Group's recent acquisition of a 1140-unit affordable housing portfolio across Maryland and North Carolina, and Northgate One Apartments in Camden, NJ . As the demand for affordable housing continues to rise, HVPG intends to further expand its portfolio and offer additional high-quality affordable housing options throughout the United States. HVPG currently owns over 10,650 units of affordable housing across 65 properties throughout the Northeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.

About Hudson Valley Property Group (HVPG)

Hudson Valley Property Group (HVPG) preserves and elevates the quality of affordable housing in the United States. HVPG acquires existing affordable, multifamily properties and strategically invests capital to improve the physical, financial and social vitality of each home. With improved operations and enhanced service offerings, HVPG properties deliver a better standard of living for its residents and stable investment assets. To date, HVPG has preserved over 12,100 units across more than 70 properties, serving more than 20,000 residents. For more information, visit: https://hudsonvalleypropertygroup.com/

Contact:

Jennifer Cullen

Prosek Partners for Hudson Valley Property Group

[email protected]

SOURCE Hudson Valley Property Group
Immersive Documentary Spotlights the Annual Migration of African Wildlife, Promoting Conservation

MEMPHIS, Tenn., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IMMOTION, the global leader in immersive edutainment, is thrilled to announce the premiere of its latest and most epic virtual reality film, The Great Migration, at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Mid-Year Meeting.

IMMOTION's motion-based, 360 VR technology immerses viewers in the incredible journey of over 2 million animals as they travel between Tanzania's Serengeti and Kenya's Maasai Mara reserves. Considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the Great Migration of East Africa is filled with predators, from lions and cheetahs to crocodiles, that prey on vulnerable herds of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles as they instinctually cross the treacherous Mara River in search of greener pastures.

The Great Migration is the most powerful film yet in IMMOTION's growing library. Post this

Recently though, the migration has been threatened by other factors. "The wildlife of the Serengeti-Mara region are under attack by human-induced obstacles," explains Rod Findley, IMMOTION President & CEO. "Climate change and population encroachment are influencing the migratory paths these animals depend on."

In The Great Migration, IMMOTION brings conservation education into clear focus. "Without a successful migration every year, the entire ecosystem of East Africa is jeopardized," said Findley. "The conservation element of this story is of the utmost importance."

IMMOTION is a proven leader in harnessing immersive technology to educate audiences about the importance of conservation as well as enhancing visitor engagement at zoos and aquariums. The Great Migration is the most powerful film experience yet in its growing library and will be distributed to its zoo partners around the world.

About Immotion

Immotion offers dynamic, motion-based virtual reality experiences, featuring live-action and animated educational content guided by marine biologists, wildlife experts, and conservation organizations such as the Marine Megafauna Foundation, Bimini Shark Lab, and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. With over 80 locations worldwide and more than 2M unique annual users, Immotion helps leading zoos, aquariums, and museums generate ancillary revenue through award-winning, on-mission immersive attractions.

About AZA

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and 12 other countries.

SOURCE Immotion
ST. LOUIS, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Arch Resources, Inc. (NYSE: ARCH) today announced that George J. Schuller Jr., a highly regarded mining industry executive with decades of senior operational leadership experience, has joined the company as senior vice president and chief operating officer, effective immediately.

"We are extremely pleased that George has agreed to join the Arch team in this pivotal capacity and view him as a perfect fit with our sustainability-focused and results-driven culture," said John T. Drexler, Arch's president. "George has decades of leadership experience in the global coal and mining industry and brings a tremendous record of success in managing large-scale mining operations in a safe, responsible, efficient and collaborative manner. We consider George the ideal person to lead Arch's world-class portfolio of high-quality coking coal assets at this time and are confident that he will elevate the company's significant operational capabilities and first-quartile cost execution still further."

"I am excited to be joining the Arch team at this important juncture," said Schuller. "Arch has a world-class portfolio of assets and a highly talented workforce that demonstrates a deep commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and operational excellence in everything they do. I look forward to working with the entire team to capitalize on the mining portfolio's tremendous potential by pursuing continuous improvement in every facet of operational performance; identifying and advancing opportunities to unlock incremental value; and  perhaps most importantly  extending Arch's well-established reputation as a sustainability leader in the global mining industry."

Schuller has more than 30 years of experience in the global mining industry, most recently serving as chief operations officer at Compass Minerals, Inc. Prior to joining Compass in 2019, Schuller held a range of high-ranking operational roles at Peabody Energy, including president, Australia; chief operating officer, Australia; group executive operations, Australia; and group executive, Powder River Basin and the Southwest. He earned a B.S. in Mining Engineering from West Virginia University in Morgantown in 1986 and an MBA from the University of Charleston (West Virginia) in 1998. He holds an honorary doctorate degree in engineering from West Virginia University; served as chair of Coal21, an Australia-wide body on advanced clean coal use; and has served on the boards of the Minerals Council of Australia, the Queensland Resource Council, the Australian Coal Association, and the Australian Coal Association Low-Emission Technology initiative. In addition, Schuller has served as president of the National Mine Rescue Association and as vice president of the Holmes Safety Association.

Arch Resources is a premier producer of high-quality metallurgical products for the global steel industry. The company operates large, modern and highly efficient mines that consistently set the industry standard for both mine safety and environmental stewardship. Arch Resources from time to time utilizes its website  www.archrsc.com  as a channel of distribution for material company information. To learn more about us and our premium metallurgical products, go to www.archrsc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended - that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and future plans, and often contain words such as "should," "could," "appears," "estimates," "projects," "targets," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "may," "plans," "predicts," "believes," "seeks," "strives," "will" or variations of such words or similar words. Actual results or outcomes may vary significantly, and adversely, from those anticipated due to many factors, including: loss of availability, reliability and cost-effectiveness of transportation facilities and fluctuations in transportation costs; operating risks beyond our control, including risks related to mining conditions, mining, processing and plant equipment failures or maintenance problems, weather and natural disasters, the unavailability of raw materials, equipment or other critical supplies, mining accidents, and other inherent risks of coal mining that are beyond our control; inflationary pressures and availability and price of mining and other industrial supplies; changes in coal prices, which may be caused by numerous factors beyond our control, including changes in the domestic and foreign supply of and demand for coal and the domestic and foreign demand for steel and electricity; volatile economic and market conditions; the effects of foreign and domestic trade policies, actions or disputes on the level of trade among the countries and regions in which we operate, the competitiveness of our exports, or our ability to export; the effects of significant foreign conflicts; the loss of, or significant reduction in, purchases by our largest customers; our relationships with, and other conditions affecting our customers and our ability to collect payments from our customers; risks related to our international growth; competition, both within our industry and with producers of competing energy sources, including the effects from any current or future legislation or regulations designed to support, promote or mandate renewable energy sources; alternative steel production technologies that may reduce demand for our coal; our ability to secure new coal supply arrangements or to renew existing coal supply arrangements; cyber-attacks or other security breaches that disrupt our operations, or that result in the unauthorized release of proprietary, confidential or personally identifiable information; our ability to acquire or develop coal reserves in an economically feasible manner; inaccuracies in our estimates of our coal reserves; defects in title or the loss of a leasehold interest; the availability and cost of surety bonds, including potential collateral requirements; we may not have adequate insurance coverage for some business risks; disruptions in the supply of coal from third parties; decreases in the coal consumption of electric power generators could result in less demand and lower prices for thermal coal; our ability to pay dividends or repurchase shares of our common stock according to our announced intent or at all; the loss of key personnel or the failure to attract additional qualified personnel and the availability of skilled employees and other workforce factors; public health emergencies, such as pandemics or epidemics, could have an adverse effect on our business; existing and future legislation and regulations affecting both our coal mining operations and our customers' coal usage, governmental policies and taxes, including those aimed at reducing emissions of elements such as mercury, sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter or greenhouse gases; increased pressure from political and regulatory authorities, along with environmental and climate change activist groups, and lending and investment policies adopted by financial institutions and insurance companies to address concerns about the environmental impacts of coal combustion; increased attention to environmental, social or governance matters ("ESG"); our ability to obtain and renew various permits necessary for our mining operations; risks related to regulatory agencies ordering certain of our mines to be temporarily or permanently closed under certain circumstances; risks related to extensive environmental regulations that impose significant costs on our mining operations and could result in litigation or material liabilities; the accuracy of our estimates of reclamation and other mine closure obligations; the existence of hazardous substances or other environmental contamination on property owned or used by us and risks related to tax legislation and our ability to use net operating losses and certain tax credits; All forward-looking statements in this press release, as well as all other written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained in this section and elsewhere in this press release. These factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to vary significantly, and adversely, from those anticipated at the time such statements were first made. These risks and uncertainties, as well as other risks of which we are not aware or which we currently do not believe to be material, may cause our actual future results and outcomes to be materially, and adversely, different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. For these reasons, readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which such statements were made, and we do not undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty to update our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by the federal securities laws. For a description of some of the risks and uncertainties that may affect our future results, you should see the risk factors described from time to time in the reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE Arch Resources, Inc.
ROCKVILLIE, Md. and SUZHOU, China, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovent Biologics, Inc. ("Innovent") (HKEX: 01801), a world-class biopharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes high quality medicines for the treatment of cancer, metabolic, autoimmune and other major diseases, today announced that the primary endpoint has been met in the second Phase 2 clinical study of efdamrofusp alfa high-dose, a recombinant human VEGFR-Fc-Human CR1 fusion protein injection (R&D code: IBI302), in Chinese subjects with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

According to the results of the two Phase 2 clinical studies conducted in more than 360 subjects of nAMD, compared with Aflibercept, IBI302 can be administrated in long-interval (every 12 weeks), while providing a stable and robust visual benefit and anatomic improvements, as well as potential inhibition effect in macular atrophy. Based on those results, Innovent advanced IBI302 8mg into a Phase 3 clinical study STAR in October 2023.

This was a randomized, double-masked, active-controlled Phase 2 clinical study (NCT05403749), evaluating the longer interval of intravitreal injection of high-dose IBI302 in subjects with nAMD. A total of 132 subjects were randomized 1: 1: 1 to IBI302 6.4 mg group, IBI302 8.0 mg group, or Aflibercept 2.0 mg group. After the loading therapy, subjects in IBI302 6.4 mg group and 8.0 mg group were dosed with adjusted intervals of every 8 weeks (Q8W) or every 12 weeks (Q12W), depending on response to loading therapy. Subjects in Aflibercept 2.0 mg group were dosed Q8W after the loading therapy. The primary endpoint was the change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the study eye from baseline to week 40. The study lasted for 52 weeks.

The results showed that the primary endpoint was successfully met: at week 40, the IBI302 6.4 mg and 8.0 mg groups showed non-inferior BCVA gains to the Aflibercept 2.0 mg group. The mean BCVA improvement from baseline was 10.5 ETDRS letters for the IBI302 6.4 mg group, 11.0 ETDRS letters for the IBI302 8.0 mg group, and 9.8 ETDRS letters for the Aflibercept 2.0 mg group at week 40.

The mean change from baseline in central subfield thickness (CST) was -163.19 m for the IBI302 6.4 mg group, -184.46 m for the IBI302 8.0 mg group, and -108.23 m for the Aflibercept 2.0 mg group at week 40.

In addition, approximately 81%, 88% of subjects in 6.4 mg IBI302 groups and 8.0mg IBI302 groups respectively were able to extend dosing interval to Q12W, similar to that in the proportion of subjects dosed Q12W or longer with Aflibercept 8.0 mg (83% in PULSAR trial)1 or Faricimab (TENAYA & LUCERNE trial, with 79.7% and 77.8% respectively)2 by indirect comparison. Based on the excellent long-interval dosing performance in the Phase 2 studies, the Phase 3 study STAR added Q16W dosing interval regimen for IBI302.

The overall safety profile of IBI302 was favorable, comparable to Aflibercept 2.0 mg, and consistent with previous studies. No new safety signals were identified. Detailed study data will be further analyzed and published in the near future.

Professor Xiaodong Sun, Principal Investigator of the Study, Head of National Center for Clinical Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, stated: "Intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs is currently the first-line treatment for nAMD, but there are still unmet clinical needs given their frequent intravitreal injection and gradual loss of visual benefits. Exploring longer interval dosing and anti-macular atrophy are necessary and urgent. IBI302 is a global first-in-class anti-VEGF-anti-complement bispecific molecule. As the principal investigator for IBI302 trials, I am very pleased to see that this Phase 2 study met the primary endpoint and demonstrated the potential for long-interval dosing. These results will be further validated in the pivotal trial of IBI302. I look forward to providing a new treatment option for nAMD patients."

Dr. Lei Qian, Vice President of Clinical Development of Innovent, stated: "There are two major trends in drug development for nAMD: extending dosing intervals and reducing the occurrence of macular atrophy. In the results of two Phase 2 studies, which enrolled over 360 subjects, IBI302 improved BCVA and macular edema in patients with nAMD significantly, extended dosing intervals, and had the potential to prevent the development of macular atrophy. Next, we will further investigate the long-interval dosing efficacy and safety of high-dose IBI302 in the Phase 3 STAR trial, hoping to bring a new generation of anti-VEGF agents to patients with nAMD."

About neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive ocular disease involving the macular retina, leading to central visual impairment, the incidence of which increases with age. Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is one of the major forms of AMD, accounting for 15% to 20% of all AMD patients and is the leading cause of central vision loss in AMD patients over 65 years3. The incidence of AMD is increasing year by year in China, and it has become the third leading cause of blindness in China.

The pathogenesis of nAMD has not been fully elucidated. It is generally accepted that angiogenesis induced by increased expression of VEGF is the main cause of nAMD, and inflammatory reaction mediated by abnormal activation of complement is also considered to be an important cause of AMD. Ocular anti-VEGF agents have led to significant visual benefits and changed the course of nAMD, but the frequent dosing (every 4 or 8 weeks) currently places a heavy burden on patients, families and society. In addition, the visual benefits of anti-VEGF drug therapy are gradually diminished year by year. In approximately two thirds of nAMD patients with a follow-up for over 7 years, the visual gains from anti-VEGF treatment significantly diminish4. Macular atrophy or retinal fibrosis are important causes of vision loss after long-term anti-VEGF therapy. Currently, drug development for nAMD is mainly focusing on extending the dosing intervals, and there are few drugs under investigation for macular atrophy or retinal fibrosis. Two drugs targeting complement have been approved by the US FDA in 20235,6 for the treatment of geographic atrophy secondary to dry AMD.

About Efdamrofusp Alfa (IBI302)

IBI302 is a recombinant fully human bispecific fusion protein of Innovent Biologics with global proprietary rights. The N-terminus is a VEGF domain that can bind to the VEGF family, block VEGF-mediated signaling pathway, inhibit vascular epithelium proliferation and angiogenesis, and improve vasopermeability and reduce leakage. The C-terminus of IBI302 is the complement binding domain that can inhibit the activation of the classic pathway and alternative pathway of complement through the specific binding of C3b and C4b, and reduce the inflammatory response mediated by the complement. IBI302 may exert its therapeutic effect by inhibiting both VEGF-mediated angiogenesis and complement activation pathways.

About Innovent

Innovent is a leading biopharmaceutical company founded in 2011 with the mission to provide high-quality biologics that are affordable to all. The company discovers, develops, manufactures and commercializes innovative medicines that treat some of the most intractable diseases. Its pioneering therapies to treat cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic, autoimmune and eye diseases. Innovent has 10 products in the market, 3 new drug applications under the NMPA review, 5 assets in Phase 3 or pivotal clinical trials and 18 more molecules in early clinical stage. Innovent partners with over 30 global healthcare leaders, including Eli Lilly, Roche, Sanofi, Adimab, Incyte and MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Guided by the motto, "Start with Integrity, Succeed through Action," Innovent maintains the highest standard of industry practices and works collaboratively to advance the biopharmaceutical industry so that first-rate pharmaceutical drugs can become widely accessible. For more information, visit www.innoventbio.com, or follow Innovent on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Statement: Innovent does not recommend the use of any unapproved drug (s)/indication (s).

Forward-looking statement

This news release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are, by their nature, subject to significant risks and uncertainties. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to Innovent Biologics ("Innovent"), are intended to identify certain of such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements regularly.

These forward-looking statements are based on the existing beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, projections and understandings of the management of the Company with respect to future events at the time these statements are made. These statements are not a guarantee of future developments and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control and are difficult to predict. Consequently, actual results may differ materially from information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of future changes or developments in our business, the Company's competitive environment and political, economic, legal and social conditions.

The Company, the Directors and the employees of the Company assume (a) no obligation to correct or update the forward-looking statements contained in this site; and (b) no liability in the event that any of the forward-looking statements does not materialize or is otherwise inaccurate.

References: [1] https://investor.regeneron.com/static-files/e3307e7d-d495-438c-b8bb-c62cdacdb375 [2] Heier, Jeffrey S et al. Efficacy, durability, and safety of intravitreal faricimab up to every 16 weeks for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (TENAYA and LUCERNE): two randomised, double-masked, phase 3, non-inferiority trials. Lancet. 399,10326 (2022): 729-740. [3] Sassa Y, Hata Y. Antiangiogenic drugs in the management of ocular diseases: Focus on antivascular endothelial growth factor. Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.). 2010; 4: 275-283. [4] Rofagha S, Bhisitkul RB, Boyer DS, Sadda SR, Zhang K, SEVEN-UP Study Group. Seven-year outputs in ranibizumab-treated patients in ANCHOR, MARINA, and HORIZON: a multicenter cohort study (SEVEN-UP). Ophthalmology. 2013; 120 (11): 2292-2299. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2013. 03.046. [5] FDA. SYFOVRE (pegcetacoplan injection). 2023. [6] FDA. IZERVAY (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution.2023.

SOURCE Innovent Biologics
LIMA, Peru, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Intercorp Financial Services Inc. ("IFS" or the "Company") (BVL/NYSE: IFS) announced that, in accordance with the Company's Bylaws, its Virtual Annual Shareholders' Meeting will be held on April 1, 2024, with the first call at 09:30 a.m. Peru Standard Time. If the first call does not achieve a quorum, as set forth under IFS' Bylaws, a second call will take place on April 11, 2024 at the same time and also conducted virtually. The following agenda will be discussed during the meeting:

2023 Results Presentation. Approval of the Annual Report for the fiscal year 2023. Approval of the Audited Separate and Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal year 2023. Presentation of results of IFS' participation in the S&P Global 2023 Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) and presentation of the Company's progress in matters of sustainability (ESG). Approval of Net Profit Allocation and Dividend Distribution for the fiscal year 2023. Approval of Dividend Policy for the fiscal year 2024. Approval of power of attorney to formalize decisions approved at the 2024 Annual Shareholders' Meeting.

Shareholders may attend the 2024 Annual Shareholders' Meeting virtually or by proxy. Proxies must be registered with the Company, by sending an email to IFS' Investor Relations Office ([email protected]) at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled time for the 2024 Annual Shareholders' Meeting.

Furthermore, it is hereby informed that all information regarding the agenda to be discussed at the Company's 2024 Annual Shareholders' Meeting, as well as a valid proxy for shareholders' representation and related guidelines, are available on IFS' website (www.ifs.com.pe).

About the Company:

Intercorp Financial Services, Inc. ("IFS"), is a company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of Panama, and has securities listed on the Lima Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. IFS, through its subsidiaries, is a leading provider of financial services in Peru. IFS' main subsidiaries are Banco Internacional del Peru, S.A.A.-Interbank ("Interbank"), Interseguro Compania de Seguros, S.A. ("Interseguro"), Inteligo Group Corp. ("Inteligo") and Procesos de Medios de Pago S.A. and its subsidiary Izipay S.A.C. ("Izipay"). Interbank is a full-service bank providing general banking services to retail and commercial customers. Interseguro is a leading insurance company, providing annuities, individual life insurance, disability insurance and survivor benefits, and mandatory traffic accident insurance. Inteligo is a fast-growing provider of wealth management services through Inteligo Bank Ltd. and Interfondos, as well as brokerage services through Inteligo SAB. Izipay is a payments company and provider of products and services related to payments acquirer, correspondent banking and credit cards and electronic wallets payments processor.

SOURCE Intercorp Financial Services Inc.
BOSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Interise, a nonprofit supporting the growth of minority- and women-owned small businesses, has received a $2 million grant from The Yield Giving Foundation. Established by Mackenzie Scott, the foundation, working with Lever for Change, opened applications for a $1 million grantbefore doubling the award based on Interise's potential impact.

"This is an opportune moment to accelerate and magnify Interise's mission," explained CEO Darrell Byers. "Historically, only 9.4% of eligible federal contracts have gone to minority-owned businesses even though almost 20% of businesses are minority-owned. As the federal ARPA and infrastructure bills are about to distribute $3 trillion to pay for new roads, EV charger stations, and more, we can use this grant to help minority entrepreneurs navigate the red tape and maze of federal contracting so they can share proportionally in this once-in-a-generation opportunity."

Interise will use the grant to advance its ongoing research on small business growth, develop new teaching modules that help business owners address pressing challenges, partner with private corporations and nonprofit institutions that want to diversify their procurement processes, and engage civic and community organizations as hosts of Interise's signature StreetWise MBA programall in pursuit of its mission to create an inclusive economy for all.

Interise first delivered its targeted business education programs to entrepreneurs in Boston before expanding nationwide to 81 cities. Now in its 20th year, Interise boasts close to 10,000 alumni businesses and currently offers its programs in 25 states across the country. Interise alumni businesses grow their revenue at an average rate of 36% annually and create four times the number of jobs as comparable businesses.

From May 5-7, 2024, Interise alumni, partners, and other supporters will be attending the SolveIt Conference in Chicago, where they will participate in workshops to further their education, share new research, and celebrate two decades of successes.

About Interise

Interise is a national nonprofit that works to create an inclusive economy by supporting the growth of established small businesses that are located in low- and moderate-income communities or minority-owned. We achieve our mission through bold programs that close gaps in business knowledge, know-how and networks; purposeful research that turns insights into actions; and national partnerships that create impact at local, regional, and statewide levels. Our vision of an inclusive economy is one in which all people can benefit from economic growth and prosperityacross race, place, and ethnicity. Learn more at Interise.org

About Yield Giving

Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield's network of staff and advisors has yielded over $16,500,000,000 to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit for the benefit of others. To learn more, visit www.yieldgiving.com.

About Lever for Change

Lever for Change connects donors with bold solutions to the world's biggest problemsincluding issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized challenges and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of the Bold Solutions Networka growing global network that helps secure additional funding, amplify members' impact, and accelerate social change. Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced over $1.7 billion in grants to date and provided support to more than 145 organizations. To learn more, visit www.leverforchange.org.

SOURCE Interise
ANDOVER, Mass., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation ("Invest in Others"), a nonprofit organization helping financial professionals support charitable causes in their communities, announced today the appointment of Jeff Vivacqua as the new Chairman of its Board of Directors. Mr. Vivacqua succeeded John Hyland in this role during the March 8th Invest in Others Board of Directors meeting in Boston. Mr. Hyland will continue to serve as the Immediate Past Chair.

Mr. Hyland's many achievements as Chairman include managing the national search for a new Executive Director and overseeing a seamless and successful leadership transition; launching the development of the organization's first formal three-year strategic plan; and overseeing the return to in-person events and record-breaking fundraising at Invest in Others' galas in 2022 and 2023.

"John has been an instrumental and an unwavering board member for over ten years," said Mr. Vivacqua. "We embarked on creating a new strategic plan under John's leadership and I am excited to have him on this journey as we strive to make a difference in communities across the country."

As the new Chair, Mr. Vivacqua brings nearly 30 years of distinguished experience in the financial services industry and has been a dedicated and active member of the Invest in Others Board (IiO) since 2016, offering invaluable insights and guidance to the organization. He has a strong track record of spearheading the development and implementation of advisory services, as well as driving initiatives to expand existing relationships and enter new markets.

"I am honored to chair this incredibly talented Board of Directors at Invest in Others," added Mr. Vivacqua. "My goal for the next two years is to build upon our 18 years of success and increase our engagement and impact as the leading nonprofit organization within the financial services community to enhance the financial advisor's philanthropic efforts."

Currently, Mr. Vivacqua is the President of Growth and Development for Cambridge Investment Research and is focused on building strategic opportunities centered on organic growth, acquisitions, recruiting, and relationship management, while enhancing and expanding the digital resources financial professionals need. Previously, Mr. Vivacqua served as the Vice President, Director of Advisory Services and Business Consulting for Mutual Service Corporation, an LPL Financial Affiliate and was a member of the MSC Executive and Management Committees involved in all aspects of the firm. Prior to joining Mutual Service Corporation, Mr. Vivacqua served as the Vice President of Advisory Services at the AIG Advisor Group of broker/dealers.

"Jeff's appointment as chairman marks an exciting new chapter for Invest in Others," said R. Barkley Payne, Executive Director of the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation. "His dedication and vision will guide us as we continue to expand our impact and support of financial advisors in their philanthropic endeavors."

Mr. Vivacqua received his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Southern Illinois University. He has certificates in Personal Financial Planning and Facilitative Leadership Training programs. He also holds FINRA Series 4, 7, 24, 63, 66, and 79 licenses and is an active member of the Financial Services Institute and has served on the FSI Marketing and Advisory Services Council.

About the Invest in Others Charitable Foundation

The Invest in Others 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation is supported by the financial services industry to amplify the charitable work of financial advisors, employees, and their firms. Invest in Others is a catalyst to channel philanthropy and volunteerism to where it is needed most.

For more information, visit investinothers.org or follow Invest in Others on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

Media Contact:

Sabrina Scarpa

JConnelly for Invest in Others

[email protected] | 973.309.0051

SOURCE Invest in Others Charitable Foundation
Proven Track Record Handling High-Profile IP Cases before Belgian and European Courts

BRUSSELS, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Edward Taelman has joined Crowell & Moring's Brussels office as a partner. His litigation experience and technical knowledge will strengthen the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group, particularly in the area of trademark litigation.

IP Litigator Edward Taelman Joins Crowell & Morings Brussels Office

Taelman handles all aspects of IP litigation, with a focus on trademarks, patents, designs, and copyrights. He has a successful track record litigating IP cases before the Belgian and European courts across a multitude of sectors, including e-commerce, life sciences, media, and fast-moving consumer goods. He has worked on several landmark cases in relation to the liability of online platforms for IP infringement. Taelman also advises clients on non-contentious matters in relation to IP, including licensing agreements, franchise agreements, and research collaboration agreements.

"Edward's deep understanding of the complexities of IP law, combined with his ability to develop and implement effective litigation strategies, complements our global network of experienced IP lawyers," said Kristof Roox, co-managing partner of Crowell's Brussels office. "Edward is a strategic addition and significantly enhances what we can do for our clients. His trademark experience helps cement our office as one of Belgium's IP powerhouses, offering comprehensive advice in every field of IP."

In addition to his IP experience, Taelman has a robust regulatory practice focusing on the regulatory framework for digital services. He has assisted clients in complying with regulations such as the P2B regulation, the New Deal for consumers, the AI Regulation, the Digital Services Act, and the General Data Protection Regulation.

Taelman will play a leading role in advising clients in the United States on brand protection and digital regulation in the EU.

"The EU leads the way with regulations like the Digital Services Act," said David Ervin, co-leader of the firm's Advertising & Brand Protection Group. "As U.S.-based companies prepare for similar regulatory enforcement, Edward's experience leading organizations through digital platform liability issues will make him a valued advisor to clients with significant online businesses."

Over the past several years, Crowell has created one of the largest Intellectual Property practices, combining with Brinks, Gilson & Lione, adding Sari Depreeuw in Brussels, Jason Stiehl in Chicago, a three-person intellectual property team led by IP litigator Paul Keller in New York, and most recently, adding Jon Gurka in Orange County.

"Crowell is a leader in the IP space," Taelman said. "I am excited to join the firm and look forward to working with the firm's lawyers to grow our trademark and other IP litigation capabilities in Europe."

Taelman, who joins the firm from Allen & Overy, has been recognized as a "rising star" by Legal 500, Managing IP, IP Stars, and WTR 1000. He is a member of the INTA Internet Committee and of the editorial board of IE-forum.be, a specialized website that collects all recent European and Belgian jurisprudence on IP rights.

Taelman earned his law degree from the University of Ghent and his master of laws degree from Stanford Law School.

About Crowell & Moring LLP

Crowell & Moring is an international law firm with operations in the United States, Europe, MENA, and Asia. Drawing on significant government, business, industry, and legal experience, the firm helps clients capitalize on opportunities and provides creative solutions to complex litigation and arbitration, regulatory and policy, and corporate and transactional issues. The firm is consistently recognized for its commitment to pro bono service, as well as its programs and initiatives to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Media Contact:

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Crowell & Moring LLP
GRANADA HILLS, Calif., March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Island Pacific Seafood Market celebrated National Lumpia Day in grand style this past weekend with their 3rd Annual Lumpia Eating Contest, held at their Granada Hills location. The event proved to be a sizzling success, drawing over 100 registered participants eager to showcase their lumpia-devouring skills.

Island Pacific Seafood Market celebrated National Lumpia Day in grand style this past weekend with their 3rd Annual Lumpia Eating Contest, held at their Granada Hills location. The event, sponsored by SoCal Filipinos, NutriAsia, Jufran, Magnolia and Ramar Foods proved to be a sizzling success, drawing over 100 registered participants from all over California eager to showcase their lumpia-devouring skills.

The competition featured a prestigious judging panel, including renowned competitive eater Raina Huang, also known as "Raina is Crazy," DJ Cherish TheLuv, Broadway Co-Producer of Here Lies Love, and respected community leader Joe Arciaga. After a fierce battle, Alex De Vera emerged victorious, conquering a mountain of 15 delicious lumpia provided by Magnolia and Ramar Foods. De Vera was rewarded with a cool $500 cash prize and ultimate bragging rights as the Lumpia King.

The electrifying event was streamed live on the SoCal Filipinos Facebook page, allowing enthusiastic fans to witness the epic competition unfold. DJ Midi Riperton kept the energy high throughout the day with a pulsating soundtrack, ensuring a fun and lively atmosphere for both contestants and spectators.

"We are thrilled with the turnout and excitement at this year's Lumpia Eating Contest," said Giselle Tongi- Walters, Island Pacific's Communications and Community Partnership Director. "National Lumpia Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate this iconic Filipino dish and bring our community together. We'd like to thank all the participants, judges, sponsors, and supporters who made this event a success."

Island Pacific Seafood Market remains committed to fostering a vibrant community and celebrating Filipino culture. Their annual Lumpia Eating Contest has become a highly anticipated tradition, and with its growing popularity, promises even more excitement in the years to come. Visit islandpacificmarket.com to find a store near you and join the vibrant Filipino community!

SOURCE Island Pacific Market
Press Release

March 19, 2024 Dela Rosa supports bills declaring Iglesia Ni Cristo's founding anniversary as non-working holiday Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa on Monday expressed support to proposed measures seeking to declare Iglesia Ni Cristo's (INC) founding anniversary as a non-working holiday. Dela Rosa stressed that INC, as the third largest religion in the Philippines, should be given the same acknowledgement given to other religions. "Iglesia Ni Cristo, being the third largest religious affinity in the country, deserves whatever is being enjoyed by the other religious affinities like the Roman Catholics, like our Muslim brothers and sisters," Dela Rosa said during the Senate hearing on Senate Bills 1087 and 1546. "They also deserve everything because I believe, as I borrow the words of Former President Duterte, 'What is good for the [goose] is good for the [gander],' the senator added. SB 1087 seeks to declare every 27th of July every year as a special working holiday in observance of the founding anniversary of INC, while SB 1546 wants to declare the same as a special national non-working holiday in the Philippines. In supporting the measures, Dela Rosa also highlighted INC's contribution in promoting the Filipino language in all its engagements. "Nais ko pong bigyang pansin at pagpapasalamat ang pagpapayabong ng Iglesia Ni Cristo sa wikang Pilipino at pagpapalaganap ng paggamit nito hindi lamang sa kanilang karaniwang pakikipag-usap ngunit pati sa kanilang pagsamba at pormal na mga komunikasyon at pakikipag-ugnayan," Dela Rosa said. "Napakalaking kontribusyon po 'yan. Anywhere you go all over the Philippines, I think even abroad you are using the Filipino language in all your engagement, in all your communication. Napakaganda po 'yan, you are promoting nationalism and unity through culture by using our own Filipino language," he stressed. In July 2022, the Mindanaoan senator lauded INC's charity works, noting that it extends its aid regardless of race, nationality or status in the society. "With its more than a century of proven track record of being an aid to humanity and providing various community, housing and livelihood projects, among others, the INC, with the strong and dedicated leadership of Ka Eduardo V. Manalo, has not only continuously worked towards expanding their church and members as to numbers, but more commendably, has successfully worked towards the growing number of footprints that they leave in looking after the welfare of those in need," he said. Among the notable projects led by INC were the outreach programs in far-flung areas in provinces in Visayas which were once affected by calamities and the COVID-19 pandemic. "Iglesia Ni Cristo is a living testament that they are indeed a 'church for all people'...A true embodiment of their adherence of God's command to 'do good to those who need it,'" Dela Rosa said.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has announced that Germany will cover the costs for a total of 180,000 rounds in the Czech artillery ammunition initiative, ntv reported on Tuesday.

"The delivery will be carried out gradually in stages and will begin in the summer. In addition, we as Germany have contracted another 100,000 rounds of 155-millimeter ammunition nationally. Here too, deliveries to Ukraine are scheduled to begin this year," the minister said on the sidelines of the Ramstein format meeting, adding that "these commitments are part of a new support package for the attacked country worth around EUR 500 million."
IV safety company joins the ranks of Nvidia, YouTube, Taco Bell, and more

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ivWatch announced today that it has been named to Fast Company's prestigious list of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024 and #6 in their list of the top 10 most innovative medical device companies.

This year's list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations. These organizations are setting new standards and achieving remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. Alongside the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 606 organizations across 58 sectors and regions.

"Since 2010, ivWatch has single-mindedly pursued our mission to improve IV safety around the globe, and receiving this extremely prestigious award is a testament to the unparalleled ingenuity and commitment of our incredible team at ivWatch," said Gary Warren, the company's President and CEO. "With 69 patents and the only FDA-cleared and CE-marked device addressing the silent epidemic of IV injury, we are progressing toward becoming the standard of care in this area across all hospital environments globally, similar to how pulse oximeters went from being rarely used in the 1990s to ubiquitous today."

Among ivWatch's recent accomplishments are its implementation at three of the top 10 children's hospitals in the U.S., the completion of over 30 clinical studies validating its technology, and its expansion to over 10 regions globally, including more than 60 clinical environments in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Australia, and New Zealand. The company has also received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the detection of iron sucrose extravasation events by its patented SmartTouch Sensor and patient monitoring system.

The World's Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company's hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year.

Fast Company's editors and writers identified the companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world. Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies package is available online , as well as in-app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 26. The hashtag is #FCMostInnovative.

"Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year," said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. "We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future."

Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala on May 16. The summit features a morning and afternoon of inspiring content, followed by a creative black-tie gala including networking, a seated dinner, and an honoree presentation. This event celebrates the Most Innovative Companies honorees and provides an inside look at cutting-edge business trends and what it takes to innovate in 2024.

About ivWatch, LLC

Founded in 2010 and holding nearly 70 patents, ivWatch developed a first-of-its-kind Class II medical device, cleared by the FDA and CE-marked that uses visible and near-infrared light and a predictive algorithm to continuously monitor peripheral IVs and aid in the early detection of IV infiltration and extravasation events. These events are common and can lead to severe consequences ranging from dosing errors, scarring, skin staining, nerve damage, amputation, and even death.

The ivWatch patient monitoring system performs over 18,000 checks per hour for signs of IV infiltration and extravasation, notifying healthcare workers of fluid leaking outside of the vein in real-time to reduce severe adverse outcomes.

In 2023, the company surpassed more than 30 clinical bodies of evidence. It was also awarded a PM360 Innovative Health Award in the Health-Tech/Non-Consumer category and named a Fierce Life Sciences Innovation Award finalist for medical device innovation. To learn more, visit www.ivWatch.com .

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

SOURCE ivWatch, LLC
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacquelin Scully, MPH, Vice President, Account Director, at Health & Wellness Partners, LLC (HWP), will be honored as a Rising Star by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA) at its annual Woman of the Year gala in New York City on May 10, 2024, and virtually around the world.

HBA Rising Stars are professionals in the early stages of their careers. They represent various sectors of the healthcare industry and are designated by HBA's corporate partner organizations. This honor recognizes an individual's outstanding performance, commitment to excellence, and valuable contributions to their company's success.

"Jacquelin exemplifies the essence of a true Rising Star," stated Jani Hegarty, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of HWP. "Her profound dedication to health care and advancing patient care have made her an indispensable leader and trusted partner to our clients, truly embodying the excellence we strive for at HWP. Since its inception, HWP has nominated and celebrated Rising Stars and Luminaries. We are committed to the professional development of all employees and greatly appreciate the opportunity provided by HBA to celebrate the achievements of women in the industry."

The HBA will convene the industry's most influential leaders to celebrate the work of 95 Rising Stars and other prominent honorees who are powering the possibilities for all women in the industry. Offered live in New York City and via viewing parties remotely, the Woman of the Year gala is again a sold-out event.

About HWP

HWP is a women-founded, women-led, medical and scientific communications agency headquartered in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, with a satellite office in San Diego, California. Established in 2005, HWP partners with the life science industry to develop cutting-edge, award-winning medical communications solutions for the advancement of patient care. Last year, HWP acquired Hybrid Healthcare Communications. Hybrid is focused on delivering innovative educational experiences for its Commercial and Medical Affairs Pharmaceutical Company clients and Medical Societies. The Hybrid approach allows clients to engage with their customers, live and virtual, in a memorable and impactful way. For more information about HWP, visit thehwpgroup.com.

Jacquelin Scully, MPH

Vice President, Account Director

Health & Wellness Partners, LLC

(201) 661-5125

[email protected]

SOURCE Health & Wellness Partners
Sip, Delight, and Share the Scoop: Explore Three Exciting New Flavors in the Latest Collection

CLEARWATER, Fla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jordan's Skinny Mixes , the leading brand for low calorie, low sugar syrup concentrates, is excited to announce the launch of its new Lemonade and Tea collection. The sugar free collection features Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, and Sweet Tea syrup concentrates. The syrup concentrates deliver a new format and delicious way to enjoy the spring time classics. Our Lemonades and Tea are refreshing and a flavorful experience without the drawbacks of sugar.

Jordan's Skinny Mixes New Lemonade Syrup Concentrates

Breaking away from the traditional Lemonades and Sweet Tea, Skinny Mixes provides a simple and easy alternative for those looking to revamp their lemonade and tea experience. The concentrate simplifies batching, making it perfect for pitchers, parties, picnics, and more. The launch emphasizes a fresh perspective on Lemonade and Tea, challenging the norm and encouraging consumers to think differently about their favorite beverages. Skinny Mixes believes in crafting flavorful products that stand out, providing a unique and delightful twist to the everyday drink. By "spilling the tea" on the sneaky sugars found in many popular beverages, the brand aims to direct consumers to zero sugar alternatives. The lemonades have zero sugar and are ten calories and the tea has zero-sugar and zero-calories.

The versatility of Jordan's Skinny Mixes' Lemonade and Tea syrup concentrates extends beyond traditional sipping. These syrup concentrates serve as an excellent base for creative mixology. When life gives you Lemonade, Jordan's Skinny Mixes invites you to unleash your creative spirit and craft a delicious drink for you and your family.

"We're on a mission to redefine the beverage experience. With our new Lemonade and Tea syrup concentrates we're serving up a revolution in taste that the entire family can enjoy. Our unique syrup concentrates allow for you to make a quick drink on the go or make a pitcher for family and friends to enjoy. This new collection is carefully crafted to provide delicious taste without compromising on empty calories and refined sugar," says CCO Dana Paris .

Skinny Mixes' Lemonade and Tea syrup concentrates will be available at SkinnyMixes.com , Amazon and at local retailers across the US. Please find images of the new collection here and recipes, including the new syrups, here .

About Jordan's Skinny Mixes:

Skinny Mixes empowers people to make healthy choices full of flavor and fun, from coffee to cocktails and everything in between. Skinny Mixes is the leading manufacturer of low-calorie cocktail mixes, zero-sugar coffee & fruit syrups, sauce toppings, on-the-go flavor bursts, and many other specialty beverage items and gift sets. Skinny Mixes features best-selling flavors like Salted Caramel and Vanilla, fruity flavors like its viral Mermaid flavor burst, and their fall fan favorite, Pumpkin Spice. Skinny Mixes are proudly produced in the USA and are Gluten Free & Kosher. Skinny Mixes can be found in over 15,000 specialty, grocery and mass retail locations across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. For more information, please visit skinnymixes.com and follow on social media @SkinnyMixes Instagram , Tiktok , and Facebook .

Contact:

Tiffany Cummins

Talent Resources

925-212-4200

[email protected]

SOURCE Skinny Mixes
DRESDEN, Germany, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- JOYNEXT is a leading global AutoTech company, which is committed to the integrated hardware and software solutions for intelligent cockpit, smart connectivity, autonomous driving, body security, software solutions and services. Recently, JOYNEXT participated in Tech AD Europe 2024, was held in Berlin from 10th-12th March, showcasing its comprehensive autonomous driving products to OEMs and peers in Europe. In addition, Mr. Noby Mathew, Director Products & Strategy of JOYNEXT Europe, was invited to deliver a keynote speech titled "One-time development and optimizations of ADAS algorithm across regions on multiple platforms," highlighting JOYNEXT's expertise and capabilities in the developing autonomous driving products.

JOYNEXT nDrive series and nCCU series unveiled at Tech AD Europe 2024

As autonomous driving technology evolves and is increasingly applied in the market, there are many myriad challenges, including cost control, regulatory compliance, safety, processes and so on. Based on the different chip platforms, JOYNEXT offers different generation products to support different market requirements and diversified scenarios. nDrive series products (ADAS Domain Control Units) are positioned as cost-optimal, high-performance solutions for L2-L4 scenarios.

In his speech, Mr. Noby Mathew highlighted JOYNEXT's innovative product strategy of 'one-time development'. Mr. Noby Mathew explained that JOYNEXT products maximize re-use through modular standards and improve resource efficiency with proprietary Middleware Toolset, which benefits from reducing redundancy. This advantage not only streamlines the development process, but also ensures that JOYNEXT's ADAS products are versatile, reliable, and meet the diverse needs of global customers.

Mr. Noby Mathew also highlighted JOYNEXT's development in the field of autonomous driving technology. He further mentioned during the speech, "In response to the era of central computing, we launched the nDrive series products and nCCU series of Central Computing Units (CCU) last year, which have garnered widespread attention in the global market and have been the subject of in-depth technical discussions." As a company with extensive experience in the automotive electronics industry, JOYNEXT is committed to providing platform-based, system-level solutions to industry.

Looking to the future, innovation in autonomous driving technology requires efficient collaboration across the industry ecosystem. The deployment of new technologies depends on the concerted efforts between OEMs and suppliers. JOYNEXT is committed to working with many partners to accelerate the development of autonomous driving.

JOYNEXT  WE CONNECT FUTURE

JOYNEXT is a leading AutoTech company, the Automotive Connectivity BU of Joyson Electronics. Headquarters in China, JOYNEXT marks our global presence in Germany, Poland, France, US, Japan, etc. We develop technologies for intelligent connected vehicles and provide a highly personalized mobility experience that is empathic, safe, and adaptable. Our 1,500+ employees work at 7 R&D centers, 3 global manufacturing locations, and 4 customer centers around the world.

For more than two decades, JOYNEXT has been working as the development partner and system supplier of renowned car manufacturers and established long-term partnerships with various well-known OEM's. Putting ourselves in the shoes of users, we are consistently working on intelligent cockpit, smart connectivity, autonomous driving, and software solutions & services for both car makers and users, offering them a personalized mobility experience.

JOYNEXT is accelerating the shift to smart mobility with our integrated hardware and software solutions. Our intelligent cockpit and smart connectivity products can now be found in millions of vehicles worldwide, complemented by our capabilities in developing autonomous driving technologies and software products, which lay a solid foundation for the cockpit and driving fusion facing the era of Central Computing Units.

Balancing innovation with sustainability, we are committed to contributing to industry transformation together with our eco-partners, such as, Microsoft, HUAWEI, Brose, Qualcomm, Horizon Robotics, Black Sesame, Elektrobit, and QNX to deliver a smarter driving experience for end users. www.JOYNEXT.com

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2365733/JOYNEXT_nDrive_series_nCCU_series_unveiled_Tech_AD_Europe_2024.jpg
LAGRANGE, Ga., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oakbridge Insurance Agency LLC (Oakbridge) is pleased to announce Julie George, a 20-year insurance industry veteran, as the company's first Chief Revenue Officer.

George will be responsible for Oakbridge's revenue growth initiatives that include the recruiting, onboarding and the continued development of the firm's sales professionals, as they implement best-in-class sales strategies, ensuring the company continues to elevate the way business is done in the insurance industry.

Julie George, Chief Revenue Officer - Oakbridge Insurance

During her career, George has held a variety of leadership positions in organizations ranging from small independent agencies to one of the largest insurance brokerages in the world. She has led sales teams with hundreds of associates and tens of millions of dollars in budget responsibility. Her innovative, focus-driven approach drives revenue and new business development by cultivating strong relationships with various teams, clients and vendors while boosting efficiency and productivity. She is known for her ability to build and guide teams that achieve phenomenal results.

"Julie's mindset is results oriented, proven by her impressive track record, earning her the accolade of an industry leader," says Robbie Smith, Oakbridge's President and CEO. "We're confident she'll drive our company's success to new heights, ensuring we continue to deliver our proactive and exceptional solutions-based service to clients. We're thrilled to welcome her to the Oakbridge team."

"My passion for driving revenue growth by delivering client service through solutions designed distinctively for each individual or entity, aligns seamlessly with Oakbridge's vision," George says. "Together with our talented team, I'm excited to spearhead innovative strategies that solidify our position as a leader in the industry."

George is a graduate of Iowa's Buena Vista University and lives with her family in Woodstock, Georgia.

About Oakbridge Insurance

Founded in 2020 through the merger of four leading insurance and risk management firms in the Southeast, Oakbridge Insurance Agency LLC is a rapidly growing partnership model for firms seeking accelerated growth, access to capital and an expanded suite of resources with which to serve clients. Oakbridge is one of the largest privately owned insurance, risk management, and employee benefits agencies in the region. The agency has specific experience in the agriculture, bond/surety, construction, financial, health care, manufacturing, municipalities, non-profit, senior living and transportation industries. Learn more: oakbridgeinsurance.com.

Contact:

Kaden Jacobs

Poston Communications

(404) 875-3400

[email protected]

SOURCE Oakbridge Insurance
WIMAUMA, Fla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lennar, one of the nation's leading homebuilders, has announced the start of sales at Balm Grove, its latest additions to the master-planned community in Hillsborough County. Located in Wimauma, Florida, the community brings 14 new one- and two-story home designs to area home shoppers, including Lennar's highly popular Next Gen multigenerational floorplan.

Lennar is now selling at Balm Grove, a new master-planned community in Wimauma, FL. The community offers 14 new, one-and two- story home designs to choose from  including one floorplan from Lennars popular Next Gen Home Within a Home collection. Pricing at Balm Grove begins in the mid $300,000s.

"With so many home designs and exterior options, Balm Grove gives homebuyers tremendous choice and possibility," said Lennar Tampa Division President Steve Smith. "From first-time buyers to those looking for our sought-after multigenerational plan, we're excited to watch this community and its many master-planned amenities come to life."

Homes at Balm Grove range from 1,555 to 3,868 square feet, with three to six bedrooms and two to four-and-a-half baths. This includes one floorplan from Lennar's popular Next Gen "Home Within a Home" collection. The Concerto plan, with a dedicated entrance, kitchenette, living space, bedroom, bathroom, laundry room and patio, Next Gen designs are perfect for an aging parent or even a grown child coming back to the nest. Pricing at Balm Grove begins in the mid $300,000s.

All homes feature open-concept floorplans with large living areas, modern kitchens, comfortable bedrooms and lavish owner's suites. Each home offers Lennar's signature Everything's Included program, where the homebuilder's most popular options and upgrades are built into the base price of the home. At Balm Grove, this includes solid surface countertops, ceramic tile throughout and stainless steel appliances, along with a host of other carefully curated interior touches and designer fixtures.

Residents at Balm Grove will enjoy a master-planned lifestyle encompassing over 300 homesites with a future swimming pool, playground, dog park and pickleball courts. Situated in peaceful Wimauma, Florida, Balm Grove is minutes from the 2,000-acre Little Manatee River State Park.

Located just off of Interstate 75, Balm Grove provides easy access to local businesses, hospitals, shopping and dining, and the nearby Little Manatee River State Park. It is just a short drive from downtown Tampa and Florida's famed beaches.

It is also less than ten miles from Lennar's new Townes at Southshore Pointe townhomes community in Ruskin, Florida, now selling by appointment only.

Children living at Balm Grove will be served by the Hillsborough County School District.

Balm Grove is currently selling out of the nearby Berry Bay community at 4970 Eagle Rock Dr, Wimauma, FL 33598. The future Balm Grove Welcome Home Center will be located at 13183 Violet Flame Ave. in Wimauma, Florida. For more information, call (844) 478-5429 or visit the Balm Grove community website .

About Lennar Corporation

Lennar Corporation, founded in 1954, is one of the nation's leading builders of quality homes for all generations. Lennar builds affordable, move-up and active adult homes primarily under the Lennar brand name. Lennar's Financial Services segment provides mortgage financing, title and closing services primarily for buyers of Lennar's homes and, through LMF Commercial, originates mortgage loans secured primarily by commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. Lennar's Multifamily segment is a nationwide developer of high-quality multifamily rental properties. LENX drives Lennar's technology, innovation and strategic investments. For more information about Lennar, please visit www.lennar.com.

Contact: Danielle Tocco

Vice President Communications

Lennar Corporation

[email protected]

Direct Line: 949.789.1633

SOURCE Lennar Corporation
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At sunrise on Sunday, March 31, thousands will gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, for one of the nation's largest Easter sunrise services to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For the last 40+ years, thousands of people of all ages, races, and backgrounds have come together in unity on Easter Sunrise to sing, celebrate, and watch in quiet awe as the sun rises over the National Mall.

For more than 40 years, thousands have gathered at the Lincoln Memorial at sunrise on Easter Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This year's celebration is March 31 at 6:30am. For more than 40 years, thousands have gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to celebrate Easter at sunrise. This year's celebration is Sunday, March 31, at 6:30AM ET.

Hosted by National Community Church in Washington, DC, the interdenominational Easter Sunrise Service is a longstanding Washington tradition, now in its 44th year. It's been featured in The Washington Post and named #5 on the Washingtonian's The Great Washington Bucket List.

People from all over come to DC to attend the service, joining crowds of Washingtonians for whom this has become an annual tradition. Rain or shine, they get up while it's still dark to flock to the Lincoln Memorial. Some arrive in their sweats with their dogs on a leash, others show up in their most lavish Easter Sunday finery. Some come for the Washington, DC, experience; others come for reverent celebration in an unforgettable location.

This year, New York Times bestselling author Mark Batterson , Lead Pastor of National Community Church , will be speaking. He is joined by local gospel/worship artists who will lead the crowd in songs of joyful celebration.

Says Batterson, "My wife, Lora, and I first attended this service about 25 years ago. There's something special about standing on those historic steps: it's larger than life. When thousands of people are gathered there, singing as one, it echoes a little louder, a little longer."

The ongoing underground renovations at the Lincoln Memorial are not impeding plans for Easter Sunrise in the least. Says organizer Heather Zempel, "We set up more than a thousand chairsand they fill up fast. But there's plenty of room for everyone on the surrounding lawns. Restrooms are just a 2-minute walk away, and access to the Memorial is completely unrestricted." She continues, "My best advice? COME EARLY."



The morning can start out on the chilly side, so be sure to dress warmly and bring a blanket to sit on or wrap up in. Find more information and live stream the service at EasterSunrise.com .

SOURCE National Community Church
The extended-stay hospitality brand is now accepting reservations for upcoming NEW openings in Utah and Tennessee

SALT LAKE CITY, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LivAway Suites , the fast-growing, economy extended stay hotel that feels more like home, announces the launch of its new website and is now accepting reservations for its first two hotel openings in West Jordan, Utah, and Smyrna, TN (Nashville MSA).

In 2023, LivAway Suites broke ground on multiple sites around the country and established partnerships with property management system (PMS) platform HotelKey and renowned website developer and digital marketing agency Altos. Both groups provide the foundation for LivAway Suites' tech stack, reinforcing its seamless, tech-forward, and guest-first mission in the extended-stay industry.

"We knew from the beginning that working with HotelKey and Altos would be pivotal in the growth and development of LivAway Suites," said Kevin Dailey, COO of LivAway Suites. "It's been an incredible journey from developing the name and concept for LivAway Suites back in 2021 to our first groundbreaking in 2023 and now launching our brand new reservation-ready website-( www.LivAwaySuites.com ) in anticipation of our first opening just a few months from now."

Altos, the lead designer and creative powerhouse behind LivAway Suites' new website worked closely with senior leadership to ensure the new website was befitting of the brand's mission and purpose. "LivAway Suites is all about breaking the mold of what is considered the standard economy extended stay hotel. Replacing old and stale with vibrant, new space that elevates the extended stay experience," said Kathy Sevigny, CEO of Altos. "Our challenge was to develop a website offering a streamlined user experience that reflects LivAway's confidence as a disruptor in the extended stay hospitality industry, and I believe we have done just that."

According to Dailey, HotelKey was also pivotal in successfully integrating LivAway's PMS with the website, call center, and the other elements of technology offered to guests to enhance their overall experience.

The West Jordan, UT, and Smyrna, TN locations are set to open this summer and will offer an enhanced extended-stay experience for travelers in need of a comfortable yet affordable home away from home.

To make reservations, call 1-844-LIV-AWAY or visit www.livawaysuites.com .

ABOUT LIVAWAY SUITES

Based in Salt Lake City, UT, LivAway Suites is a new economy extended-stay hotel brand with a developer-centric business model and hotel design that helps our guests feel more at home while away. The brand is built on understanding the importance of offering guests everything they need and nothing they don't, with straightforward services and pragmatic amenities that offer livability and comfort at an affordable rate. Built on a foundation of for developers, by developers, LivAway Suites is poised to disrupt the traditional hotel franchise model through transparent pricing and an improved ROI. For more information, visit www.livawaysuites.com .

SOURCE LivAway Suites
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The load monitoring system market is expected to grow by USD 770.8 million between 2022 and 2027. However, the growth momentum of the market will progress at a CAGR of 4.25% during the forecast period. The increasing need for wireless load monitoring systems drives market expansion. In industries such as oil and gas, reliance on outdated strain gauge technology often results in accuracy challenges due to signal fluctuations. Wireless systems, calibrated with NIST traceable standards, ensure durability and non-intrusive operation, boasting approximately 0.52% accuracy. Key vendors like Airtec and Mantracourt Electronics offer cutting-edge solutions such as Airtec's 89AXM system and Mantracourt's BroadWeigh Crosby load cell shackle. These solutions provide real-time wireless monitoring, streamlined installation, and exceptional precision. The surge in demand for remote load monitoring systems is set to fuel substantial growth in the global load monitoring systems market.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Load Monitoring System Market 2023-2027

The report analyses the market size and growth and provides accurate predictions on the growth of the market. View Free PDF Sample

Report Attributes Details Regional analysis Europe, North America, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa Performing market contribution Europe at 34% Key countries US, Canada, China, Germany, and UK

Key Highlights:

The report recognizes the following as some of the key players in the load monitoring system market: Airtec Corp., Dynamic Load Monitoring UK Ltd., Eilersen Electric Digital Systems AS, FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology Inc., Indutrade AB, Interface Inc., James Fisher and Sons Plc, JCM Load Monitoring Ltd., Load Monitoring Systems, Mantracourt Electronics Ltd., Mettler Toledo International Inc., Spectris Plc, Standard Loadcells, Strainsert Co., Thames Side Sensors Ltd., The Crosby Group LLC, Vishay Precision Group Inc., WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE and Co. KG, Euroload, and Precia SA

and Sons Plc, JCM Load Monitoring Ltd., Load Monitoring Systems, Mantracourt Electronics Ltd., Mettler Toledo International Inc., Spectris Plc, Standard Loadcells, Strainsert Co., Thames Side Sensors Ltd., The Crosby Group LLC, Vishay Precision Group Inc., WIKA Alexander Wiegand SE and Co. KG, Euroload, and Precia SA Load Monitoring System Market is fragmented in nature.

Market to observe 3.98% YOY growth in 2023.

The growing demand for wireless load monitoring systems is a key factor driving the market growth.

This growth is derived from the integration of strain gauges, sensor technology, and pressure transducers, offering real-time monitoring capabilities. The utilization of torque sensors enables wireless load monitoring, specifically in crane load monitoring and hoist load monitoring applications. Moreover, the incorporation of load monitoring software further enhances the efficacy and functionality of these systems, fostering their market demand.

The major trend in the market is the growing number of product launches, catalyzed by the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) in load monitoring.

Issues associated with the failure of load monitoring systems is a significant challenge restricting market growth.

The report also covers information on upcoming trends and challenges. Explore detailed information by purchasing a report

The market is segmented by Product (Load cell, Indicator and controller, and Data logging software), Technology (Analog and Digital), and Geography (Europe, North America, APAC, South America, and Middle East and Africa).

The load cell segment will account for a major share of the market's growth during the forecast period. In industrial settings, load cells find application in weighing vehicles, tanks, silos, ships, quality control, conveyors, fatigue testing, and performance monitoring of cranes. The market for load cells is expanding as there is an increasing need for precise measurement techniques to guarantee product quality and enhance production efficiency.

Get a glance at the market contribution of the segments, Request a Free Sample

Analyst Review

In today's fast-paced world, industries such as the food and beverages sector are experiencing a significant transformation driven by technological innovations. Among these innovations, load monitoring systems stand out as a crucial component, ensuring efficiency, safety, and compliance with quality standards.

Load Indicators and Controllers play a pivotal role in the food and beverages industry, where precision and accuracy are paramount. These systems provide real-time data on load distribution, enabling businesses to optimize processes and maintain product integrity.

With the advent of digitization in healthcare operations, the demand for preventive medical equipment has surged. Load monitoring systems ensure the reliable performance of these critical devices, adhering to stringent quality and safety standards.

Digitalization has also revolutionized equipment such as packaging machines, filling machines, sorting machines, and check weighers in the food industry. Load monitoring systems integrated into these machines ensure seamless operations, minimizing downtime and enhancing productivity.

However, the industry faces challenges such as volatility in demand and intense competition. To address these challenges, businesses are turning to innovative solutions like remote load monitoring. This technology enables real-time monitoring of load data, empowering companies to make informed decisions and adapt to changing market dynamics swiftly.

Amidst this landscape, digital load cells have emerged as a game-changer. These advanced sensors provide accurate and reliable measurements, enhancing the overall performance of load monitoring systems.

The global market for load monitoring systems is witnessing rapid growth, fueled by the increasing emphasis on efficiency and safety across various industries. From manufacturing plants to healthcare facilities, these systems are becoming indispensable assets, driving operational excellence and ensuring regulatory compliance.

In conclusion, the evolution of load monitoring systems represents a paradigm shift in industrial practices. By embracing technological advancements and adhering to quality standards, businesses can stay ahead in a competitive market environment. With innovations like remote monitoring and digital load cells, the future of load monitoring systems is poised for even greater advancements, catering to the evolving needs of industries worldwide.

View Free PDF Sample

Market Overview

The Load Monitoring Systems Market is witnessing significant growth, especially in sectors like the food & beverages industry. Technological innovations such as digital load cells are revolutionizing load indicators and controllers, enhancing quality and safety standards. In healthcare, digitization is transforming operations, integrating preventive medical equipment seamlessly. These advancements not only improve efficiency but also ensure precise load monitoring for optimal performance. With a focus on quality and safety standards, industries are adopting digital load cells to enhance their processes. The market's trajectory is poised for further expansion as businesses recognize the importance of accurate load monitoring in their operations.

Request a Free Sample Report

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
MUMBAI, India, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Locobuzz , India's leading unified customer experience (CX) management platform, today announces its expansion into the Middle East through a strategic partnership with Al-Mulla Media, a prominent digital transformation company in the region. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Locobuzz's expansion efforts in the EMEA region and underscores its commitment to empowering businesses with a comprehensive and powerful CX solution.

Locobuzz forays into Middle East region in partnership with Al-Mulla Media

As part of this strategic partnership, Locobuzz will serve as a technology partner to Al-Mulla Media and jointly offer its SaaS platform to enterprises in the region. Al-Mulla Media has a strong market presence, serving over 800 clients across diverse sectors, including Automotive, Financial Services, Healthcare, Information Services, Mining, and other government and private organizations.

Commenting on the expansion and partnership, Vishal Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Locobuzz, said, "We are excited to partner with Al-Mulla Media. With their deep understanding of the regional market and extensive client base, we are confident that we will make a significant impact in helping businesses deliver exceptional customer experiences."

This partnership comes at a pivotal time, as digital transformation is in full swing, with businesses in the Middle East increasingly leveraging new media channels for customer engagement. However, limited availability of comprehensive product options often leads businesses to rely on multiple vendors or pay a premium for comprehensive solutions. Locobuzz aims to fill the gap by providing enterprises with a unified CX platform that streamlines customer interactions and enhances brand-customer relationships. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of solutions, including digital care, analytics, actionable insights, and holistic social media management, all accessible from a single, user-friendly dashboard.

Partnering with Locobuzz enables Al-Mulla Media to deliver cutting-edge CX solutions to their enterprise clients, enriching their digital transformation journey. It expands the scope of services beyond CRM and WhatsApp integration to encompass the entirety of social media, providing clients with broader opportunities. Locobuzz and Al-Mulla Media plan to integrate with existing technology in the future, providing a more comprehensive solution.

"We are delighted to join hands with Locobuzz and bring their leading CX platform to the Middle East market," said Hamad Al Mulla, CEO of Al-Mulla Media. "Locobuzz's innovative solutions will empower businesses in the region to connect with their customers on a deeper level and deliver exceptional, memorable experiences. We look forward to working closely with Locobuzz to drive digital transformation and customer-centricity across various industries."

This partnership brings together the strengths of both organizations to meet the growing demand for advanced customer engagement tools and analytics in the rapidly evolving business landscape. Locobuzz will initially focus on brands in Dubai, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia across various industries. Within the next year, the company aims to onboard 100 clients, establishing itself as a key player in the rapidly growing CX market in the region.

About Locobuzz:

Locobuzz is a global enterprise software company specializing in digital customer experience management. Its unified CX management platform enables brands to automate the entire customer experience journey, delivering delightful and humane experiences to customers across all customer-facing functions. The platform uses advanced AI, ML, Big Data, and Analytics to empower brands with real-time data analytics, automation, consumer insights, and end-to-end social media management, including publishing, listening, analytics, and engagement. This helps brands forge stronger customer relationships and increase lifetime value.

Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and marquee brands across various industries, Locobuzz operates in seven countries, including India, the USA, the UK, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Learn more at https://locobuzz.com/

About Al-Mulla Media

Headquartered in Kuwait, Al-Mulla Media is a leading digital transformation company, committed to delivering top-notch business communication solutions centered around advancement and positivity. Our expertise spans all communication channels and marketing disciplines, enabling us to contribute to national and regional initiatives across diverse business sectors. With a focus on client satisfaction and innovation, we proudly serve clients in industries such as Hi-Tech, Automotive, Banking, Healthcare, Financial Services, Information Services, and Mining. Learn more at https://almulla-media.com/

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SOURCE Locobuzz
The Committee of Finance of the Swedish Parliament supports the government's proposal to donate defense equipment and provide financial support to Ukraine, the press service of the Swedish Parliament has said.

"The finance committee supports the government's proposal to donate defense equipment and provide financial support to Ukraine. According to the proposal, it concerns defense equipment in the form of, for example, artillery ammunition, hand grenades, anti-tank missiles, underwater weapons and combat boat," it said on Tuesday.

In addition, Sweden will donate to Ukraine medical equipment, medical transport vehicles and food.

The armed forces are expected to be able to dispose of the defense equipment for a limited time, the parliament said.

The financial support includes, among other things, contributions to funds and a number of bilateral and multilateral donation projects established by countries within the EU and NATO with the aim of supporting Ukraine. Furthermore, the support involves implementing training efforts and security protection measures in Ukraine to develop the country's ability to defend itself.
BOISE, Idaho, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lovevery, the global early childhood brand, today announced it has been named one of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024 by Fast Company . This marks the second time Lovevery has been recognized on the prestigious annual list, following its previous inclusion in 2022. This year, Lovevery is celebrated as the #3 Innovator in Education .

Lovevery The Persister Play Kit supports your 4-year-old's frustration tolerance with tools and games that motivate them to revisit challenging tasks, and build the strength to persist.

"We are honored to be recognized for a second time as a top innovator on such a distinguished list," said Lovevery Cofounder & CEO, Jessica Rolph. "Every day we are inspired by the families that we serve and the customers who co-create with us. This distinction is a testament to the progress we are making towards our long-term vision for Lovevery as an enduring, multi-generational company in service to early childhood."

To secure a spot on the list, Lovevery has achieved a series of innovations since the start of 2023 to further its mission of empowering caregivers, inspiring children, and creating brighter futures through its full system of support, guidance, and fun. These include:

Expansion into key international markets in the APAC region, including Australia , Singapore , and soon New Zealand . Today, more than one-fifth of Lovevery's total active subscribers are located outside the United States .

, and soon . Today, more than one-fifth of Lovevery's total active subscribers are located outside . Adding another year of life to its stage-based early learning program by introducing The Play Kits for 4-year-olds , focused on building executive function skills.

focused on building executive function skills. Launching The Music Set to bring families the many developmental benefits of early exposure to music.

to bring families the many developmental benefits of early exposure to music. Launching The Course Packs to provide families with a complete set of tools that parent and child can engage in together as they work on big transitions, such as introducing solid foods, potty learning, or introducing a new sibling, while building confidence for all involved.

to provide families with a complete set of tools that parent and child can engage in together as they work on big transitions, such as introducing solid foods, potty learning, or introducing a new sibling, while building confidence for all involved. Launching The Tricky Topic Books to help parents to support their child through common challenges and transitions, like getting rid of a pacifier, starting preschool, or moving away from screen time.

"This recognition, together with the customer response to our innovations from the past year reaffirms that we are serving an essential for families. Today, Lovevery has a global NPS score of 76, and 93% of customers return for a second purchase," said Lovevery Cofounder & President, Roderick Morris. "Looking ahead to what's next, our focus remains on providing a comprehensive support system for all of early childhood and serving families in new ways around the world."

ABOUT LOVEVERY

Lovevery 's comprehensive support system provides stage-based learning and play for children, and research-backed guidance that empowers parents with confidence. The company is best known for its award-winning subscription program, The Play Kits . Lovevery was launched in 2017 by Cofounders Jessica Rolph and Roderick Morris with the introduction of the company's first product, The Play Gym . Today, Lovevery is a Certified B Corporation, serving more than thirty markets worldwide. Lovevery's global headquarters is in Boise, Idaho USA, with growing multinational teams based in Amsterdam and Hong Kong. To learn more, visit: lovevery.com

MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE Lovevery
SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LucidLink, pioneers in high-performance remote collaboration storage for the world's largest studios, brands, and creative professionals, is pleased to announce its recognition as one of Forbes' Best Startup Employers of 2024.

Forbes' America's Best Startup Employers list, compiled in conjunction with Statista Inc., recognizes the top 500 startups displaying excellence across employer reputation, employee satisfaction, and growth. Millions of data points were gathered and analyzed. Out of 20,000 companies, 3,000 qualified for in-depth analysis, and 500 startups made the final ranking for distinguished corporate culture and employee engagement practices.

Peter Thompson, CEO and co-founder of Lucidlink, said, "When George Dochev and I founded LucidLink eight years ago, our vision was to pioneer innovation while prioritizing our people and fostering a vibrant culture. We've been incredibly fortunate to attract individuals who resonate with this vision and have joined us on this remarkable journey. It's a profound honor for Forbes to acknowledge what we've always believed  that the strength of a company lies in its people. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to nurturing a workplace where talent thrives and innovation flourishes."

LucidLink's recognition highlights its unwavering commitment to fostering excellence and innovation. Its industry-leading technology and culture have received numerous accolades, including National Association of Broadcasters Product of the Year in 2022 and 2023 and Inc. Magazine's Best US Workplaces in 2023.

This year's Best Startup Employers list is the fifth such ranking from Forbes and Statista, identifying the best-performing and most innovative startup employers. For consideration, companies must be headquartered in the US, founded between 2014 and 2021, employing at least 50 employees, and exhibiting a startup structure  which excludes spin-offs of large corporations.

For more information on LucidLink, visit www.lucidlink.com and check out current job opportunities.

About LucidLink:

LucidLink empowers creative professionals to work seamlessly from anywhere by rapidly enhancing collaboration and offering teams lightning-fast access to files and the creative apps they love. The cloud-based solution connects remote teams to project files of any size and type instantly and within seconds. It supports workflows from video and audio production to graphic design and more. LucidLink offers a familiar and flexible format, like a local drive so that creatives can drive, so creatives can collaborate without changing the way they work.

LucidLink was founded in 2016 and supports over one billion customer files across more than 40+ countries. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with offices in Sofia, Bulgaria, and employees across North America, Europe, and Australia. To learn more, visit https://lucidlink.com .

For media inquiries, please contact:

Clare Plaisted

PRComs

[email protected]

SOURCE LucidLink
FORT WORTH, Texas, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The US District Court of North Texas, Fort Worth Division, has denied the motion for qualified immunity filed by Fort Worth PD officer Aaron Dean, in the fatal police shooting of Atatiana Jefferson in her mother's Fort Worth home.

On October 12, 2019, a non-emergency call came into the FWPD regarding an open front door at the Jefferson residence by a neighbor who was concerned about Jefferson's mother's declining health. On that evening, Ms. Jefferson was at the home, babysitting and playing video games with her nephew. Officer Dean, accompanied by another officer, was dispatched to the location. They approached the property without knocking or announcing their presence and circled with flashlights. Upon inspection, they found no evidence of any disturbance or ongoing burglary. Nonetheless, Dean and his partner entered into the backyard of the home.

Ms. Jefferson became aware of individuals circling her property unannounced and approached the window to investigate. According to body cam footage, Officer Dean saw Ms. Jefferson's silhouette in the window and shouted, "Put your hands up! Show me your hands!" But before finishing his command, Dean discharged his weapon, striking and killing Ms. Jefferson.

While the denial of the motion for dismissal is a small step in the legal process, it symbolizes a significant stride towards achieving accountability and redress. McEldrew Purtell partner and lead attorney John J. Coyle, along with our civil rights team and co-counsel, remains steadfast in the pursuit of justice for the Jefferson family.

Media Contact: Shealyn Pike, [email protected]

SOURCE McEldrew Purtell
DUBLIN, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "13th Annual MBA Mediterranean Business Aviation" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Embark on an enriching experience at the 13th Annual MBA, a premier event designed for manufacturers, operators, and industry organizations. Join for robust discussions, analysis of the latest developments, exploration of the regional air taxi market, scrutiny of diverse business models, and insights into regional infrastructure advancements.

Highlights:

Premier Information and Debate Event: Join industry leaders for a dynamic information and debate session within the dynamic business aviation sector.

Join industry leaders for a dynamic information and debate session within the dynamic business aviation sector. Exclusive Platform for Industry Stakeholders: A dedicated platform for manufacturers, operators, and organizations to share insights and contribute to the evolving dialogue.

A dedicated platform for manufacturers, operators, and organizations to share insights and contribute to the evolving dialogue. Exploration of Regional Air Taxi Market: Delve into the transformative potential of the regional air taxi market, exploring strategic considerations.

Delve into the transformative potential of the regional air taxi market, exploring strategic considerations. Diverse Business Models Analysis: Analyze business models, fostering a nuanced understanding of strategic approaches and industry innovations.

Analyze business models, fostering a nuanced understanding of strategic approaches and industry innovations. Insights into Regional Infrastructure Advancements: Stay informed about ongoing regional infrastructure advancements shaping the future of business aviation.

Be part of shaping the future of business aviation through informed dialogue and debate. Join the 13th Annual MBA event.

Speakers

James Carroll , Director, Business Development - Western Europe , JSSI

, Director, Business Development - , JSSI Meghan Dwyer , Sales Director Europe, Guardian Jet

, Sales Director Europe, Guardian Jet Freshta Farzam , CEO & Founder, LYTE Aviation

, CEO & Founder, Thomas Klaster , Managing Director and Accountable Manager, PTL Luftfahrt

, Managing Director and Accountable Manager, PTL Luftfahrt Soha Lupescu , Aviation Researcher, SAF & Hydrogen-Electric Powertrain, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

, Aviation Researcher, SAF & Hydrogen-Electric Powertrain, Rachel McKay , Aircraft Expert Witness, KAYWAY.AERO & President, German Aviation Expert Association (GAEA / VdL)

For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4s3bm9

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:

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SOURCE Research and Markets
China is leading the way especially in industrial AI

China is taking the lead in almost all aspects of Industry 4.0 compared to other regions, and particularly in industrial AI

is taking the lead in almost all aspects of Industry 4.0 compared to other regions, and particularly in industrial AI 94 percent of the Chinese companies surveyed already use AI-based solutions in manufacturing processes; in the DACH region this figure is just 20 percent

The shortage of skilled labor is the biggest obstacle to the introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies

LUDWIGSBURG, Germany, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The digitalization of industry is continuing to advance worldwide, despite ongoing difficult conditions. That is a key finding of the Industry 4.0 Barometer 2024 published by MHP in conjunction with LMU Munich. The study surveyed 856 representatives from industrial companies in China (248), the USA (204), the DACH region (203) and the UK (201).

Regional differences are clear

Industry 4.0 Barometer 2024 from MHP shows shows the clear gap between China and the rest of the world especially the use of industrial AI (Source: MHP) (PRNewsfoto/MHP)

When comparing individual regions, significant differences are apparent. In China, 66 percent of participants said they partially or fully use tracking technology, compared to 64 percent in the US and only 36 percent in the DACH region. The differences are even more stark when it comes to digital twins. In China, 72 percent of the companies surveyed partially or fully use a digital twin of their entire logistics operations to map process and status data. This figure is 43 percent in the US, 29 percent in the UK and 25 percent in the DACH region. And while 41 percent of respondents in the DACH region said they did not use autonomous machines or robots, 28 percent said this in the US and only 2 percent in China.

Prof. Christina Reich of FOM University and a manager at MHP said: "Essentially, this is the picture for all Industry 4.0 aspects: China leads by a considerable margin  meanwhile, even the US is lagging a good way behind almost everywhere. The UK then generally follows in third place. It is mostly the DACH region that has the biggest need to catch up."

This is also the case for industrial AI  this year's focus of the study. In China, 94 percent of the companies surveyed already use AI-based solutions in their manufacturing processes. That is more than twice as many companies as in the US, which follows with 46 percent. In the UK, 29 percent of respondents say they used AI-based solutions, while the figure in the DACH region is 20 percent. This divergence is particularly noteworthy because around 60 percent of respondents rate the impact of AI in manufacturing processes as fundamental, very high or high in the coming years. A key reason for the clear differences is the shortage of qualified employees.

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SOURCE MHP
MIAMI, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Forget cookie-cutter fades and generic cuts. Miami Barber Institute (MBI) isn't your average barber school. Founded in 2018 by cousins Luis and Thomas Castillo, MBI transcends mere technical training. Here, aspiring barbers hone their artistic vision and develop the well-rounded skillset needed to thrive in the ever-evolving barbering industry. MBI fosters a creative environment that empowers students to become barbers, entrepreneurs, and artists who can translate their unique vision into a signature style.

Since its inception, MBI has established itself as a leader in Miami barber education. The institute's commitment to excellence is evident in its innovative curriculum, experienced instructors, and unwavering dedication to student success. MBI graduates are not only highly sought after by barbershops and salons throughout Miami, but they are also equipped to become entrepreneurs and industry leaders themselves.

"At MBI, we understand that barbering is more than just a profession; it's an art form," says Luis Castillo, president and co-founder. "We provide our students with the tools and guidance they need to not only master the technical aspects of barbering but also express their creativity behind the chair." This philosophy permeates every aspect of the MBI experience, from the curriculum to the instructors to the state-of-the-art facilities.

A Curriculum That Cuts Above the Rest

MBI offers two barber programs designed to cater to individual needs and career aspirations. The six-month Restricted Barber program equips students with the fundamental skills required to obtain a Florida Restricted Barber License. This license permits them to perform all barber services except for chemical treatments like coloring or perms. For those seeking a more thorough education, the nine-month Barber program provides a comprehensive exploration of the barbering world.

The cornerstone of both programs is a strong foundation in classic and contemporary hair-cutting techniques. Students learn the intricacies of scissor work, clipper use, fading, and beard shaping, mastering these essential skills under the watchful eyes of experienced instructors. It also covers topics such as Florida laws and regulations and sanitation practices.

At the nine-month Barber program, MBI goes beyond the basics, though. Advanced hairstyling techniques are also included, allowing students to cater to diverse clientele's needs and express their creativity through unique cuts, designs, and styles, shampooing methods, and chemical services like waving, coloring, and bleaching. After completing the programs, students can take the respective Florida Barber / Restricted Barber Licensure exam.

Beyond technical expertise, MBI recognizes the importance of building strong client relationships. The curriculum emphasizes effective communication and consultation skills. Students learn to listen to clients' desires actively, understand their hair type and texture, and recommend styles that flatter their features and lifestyles. "Building rapport and ensuring a positive client experience are crucial aspects of success in the barbering industry," emphasizes Luis Castillo.

MBI acknowledges that today's barbers need more than sharp haircut skills. Through a series of Guest Speakers and Brand Ambassadors, MBI delves into salon management and business practices, equipping students with the essential skills to navigate the professional landscape. From crafting a compelling marketing strategy to delivering exceptional customer service, MBI graduates are prepared to hit the ground running, whether working in an established barbershop, opening a salon, or pursuing a freelance career. Understanding the legal landscape is crucial so barbering laws and regulations are covered, ensuring graduates operate within industry standards and best practices.

From Classroom to Cutting Edge: Hands-On Learning at MBI

MBI prioritizes a hands-on learning approach with a low student-to-instructor ratio. This strategy ensures personalized attention and ample practice time. Under the guidance of seasoned Master Barber instructors, students receive invaluable insights and practical training. Guest speakers from the industry also share their experiences and expertise, offering students a well-rounded perspective on the barbering world.

However, MBI's learning extends beyond the classroom walls. The institute boasts a state-of-the-art training salon meticulously designed to replicate a professional barbershop setting. Here, students put their skills to the test in a realistic environment, working with high-quality equipment and barber chairs. This immersive experience allows them to hone their technical skills, build confidence, and gain a sense of professionalism before stepping into a real-world barbershop.

The Free Haircut Program: Building Confidence Through Real-World Experience

MBI understands the importance of real-world experience. The innovative "Free Haircut Program" allows students to work with actual clients under the close supervision of instructors. This program provides invaluable benefits for both students and the community. Students gain valuable experience interacting with diverse clients, honing their communication skills, and building confidence in a safe and supportive environment. Clients, in turn, receive high-quality haircuts at no cost, fostering a sense of community and appreciation for the barbering profession.

"Our students graduate confident and equipped to excel in the barbering industry," says Thomas Castillo, Lead Instructor and Co-founder of MBI. "We are committed to their success and offer ongoing career development resources to help them achieve their full potential." MBI goes beyond just providing an education; it cultivates a supportive and empowering learning environment. Students can access dedicated instructors who act as mentors, offering guidance and support throughout their educational journey.

More Than Just a Degree: A Launchpad for a Fulfilling Career

MBI graduates are equipped with more than just a degree; they're armed with the confidence, skills, and resources to embark on a fulfilling career in barbering. The institute offers ongoing career development resources to help alums navigate the professional world. From resume writing and interview skills workshops to job placement assistance, MBI provides graduates with the support system to secure their dream jobs and build successful careers.

"We welcome aspiring barbers seeking to turn their passion into a fulfilling career. Whether you're a recent high school graduate with a creative spark, a seasoned stylist looking to expand your skill set, or a Veteran aiming to enjoy the VA Benefits, MBI offers a path forward. Our diverse student body fosters a collaborative and inclusive learning environment where students can learn from each other and build lasting connections with like-minded individuals," concludes Luis Castillo.

For more information, visit www.miamibarberinstitute.edu or call (786) 604-0800.

About Miami Barber Institute

Miami Barber Institute (MBI) is a premier institution dedicated to excellence in barber education in Miami, Florida. MBI empowers students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience necessary for success in the dynamic barbering industry. The institute fosters a creative environment that prepares students to become well-rounded, artistic barbers with a strong foundation in business practices. MBI is committed to cultivating the next generation of barbering leaders who will shape the industry's future. MBI is licensed by the State of Florida Commission for Independent Education (CIE) and accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE). In addition, we are authorized to provide training for veterans and eligible individuals according to Title 38 of the United States Code (Post 9/11 GI Bill) as approved by the Florida State Approving Agency. These endorsements prove the standards of education and training we offer. They ensure that our graduates are well-prepared to excel in their careers as barbers.

SOURCE Miami Barber Institute
The platform for customizing AI from enterprise data joins the ranks of Nvidia, YouTube, Taco Bell, and more

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MindsDB has been named to Fast Company's prestigious list of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024.

This year's list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations. These organizations are setting new standards and achieving remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. Alongside the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 606 organizations across 58 sectors and regions.

"AI is no longer a luxury but a necessity." -- MindsDB's CEO Jorge Torres Post this Fast Company announced its full list of Most Innovative Companies on March 19.

"AI is no longer a luxury but a necessity," said MindsDB CEO Jorge Torres. "MindsDB is on a journey to make AI accessible to all."

"As we celebrate this honor from Fast Company, we recognize that our work goes beyond just creating cutting-edge technology; it's about empowering businesses to harness AI to get the full potential of their data."

Seven years ago, MindsDB was a small startup and open-source project. Now it's gaining serious traction, leads a large applied-AI developer community, and is determined to level the playing field in AI.

The open-source nature of MindsDB ensures that its AI tools aren't simply used by a privileged few but are accessible to anyone with an interest and willingness to learn.

With more than 20,000 GitHub Stars and 200+ technology and data integrations, MindsDB has become one of the fastest-growing AI developer platforms this year.

By 2023, the company had raised a total of +$50 million in seed funding from top investors, including Benchmark, Mayfield, MMC, NVIDIA's NVentures, OpenOcean, SpeedInvest, TQ Ventures, University of California Berkeley SkyDeck Fund, Walden Catalyst Ventures and YCombinator. MindsDB will use this investment capital to advance its mission, making applied real-time AI more accessible to all businesses.

The World's Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company's hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year.

Fast Company's editors and writers identified the companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world. Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies package is available online, as well as in-app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 26.

"Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year," said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. "We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future."

Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala on May 16. The summit features a morning and afternoon of inspiring content, followed by a creative black-tie gala including networking, a seated dinner, and an honoree presentation. This event celebrates the Most Innovative Companies honorees and provides an inside look at cutting-edge business trends and what it takes to innovate in 2024.

About MindsDB

MindsDB is the platform for customizing AI from enterprise data, enabling smarter organizations.

We believe AI will help every company thrive, but off-the-shelf, generic AI usually doesn't completely meet their needs. With MindsDB's 200 integrations, any developer can create AI customized for their purpose, faster and more securely. Their AI systems will constantly improve themselvesusing companies' own data, in real-time.

MindsDB was founded in 2017 by Jorge Torres and Adam Carrigan. The San Francisco-based startup is backed with more than $50M in total funding from Mayfield, Nvidia's NVentures, Benchmark, YCombinator, and others.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

Media Contact:

Jess McCuan

9179032542

SOURCE MindsDB
RUST, Germany, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the subsidiary of MiTAC Holdings Corp.(TSE:3706), MiTAC Computing Technology and its server brand TYAN, the leading manufacturer in server platform design worldwide, unveil their latest cloud server platforms at CloudFest 2024, Booth #H12. These platforms feature the newest processors from the AMD EPYC 9004 series, AMD Ryzen 7000 series, and 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable, making them ideal for next-generation data centers and cloud computing.

MiTAC and TYAN Present Cutting-Edge Server Solutions for Cloud Computing at CloudFest 2024

MiTAC Showcases an Advanced Cloud and Datacenter Solution Supported by 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors

Over a decade, MiTAC and Intel have been vital strategic partners, working together to create top-tier server products for cloud computing and next-gen demanding workloads. Last year, Intel transferred the rights to develop and sell products utilizing Intel Datacenter Solution Group (DSG) designs to MiTAC. Today, MiTAC showcases one of its DSG product lineups tailored for cloud, enterprise, and AI workloads at CloudFest. The Intel Server System M50FCP1UR204, presented by MiTAC, represents the 1U solution from the Intel Server M50FCP Family (formerly Fox Creek Pass). Featuring 5th/4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors, the Intel Server M50FCP Family is a full-featured, performance-optimized 2-socket server platform, including both 1U and 2U options, can be configured to support a wide range of mainstream needs. With powerful compute capabilities, built-in accelerators, and high-speed I/O and memory bandwidth, the Intel Server System M50FCP Family is an ideal choice for data-intensive mainstream workloads.

TYAN's New Cloud Computing Servers Leverage the Power of AMD EPYC 9004 and Ryzen 7000 Series Processors

"Scalability, high availability, reliability, performance, energy efficiency, support for virtualization, and network connectivity are among the most crucial aspects that cloud computing servers should possess to meet the demands of modern enterprises," said Eric Kuo, Vice President of Server Infrastructure Business Unit, MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation. "By harnessing the capabilities of AMD's new CPUs, I believe TYAN cloud platforms could offer these features and more."

TYAN's Transport CX TD76-B8058, designed in a 2U 4-node format, harnesses the power of AMD EPYC 9004 processors for high-density cloud server deployment. Each server node offers 16 DDR5-4800 DIMM slots, 4 hot-swappable E1.s drive bays, 2 NVMe M.2 slots, 1 OCP v3.0 LAN mezzanine slot, and 1 standard PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. With front I/O for the shortest network cable routing, rear-accessible, hot-swappable cooling fans, and redundant 80+ Titanium power supplies, it ensures optimal system serviceability.

For cloud service providers looking for entry-level servers, TYAN presents the Transport CX GX40-B8016. It's a compact 1U server ideal for front-end portal and edge computing tasks in datacenters. It comes with 4 DDR5-4800 UDIMM slots, supports up to 4 SATA drives, 2 NVMe M.2 slots, and one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot. Powered by AMD Ryzen 7000 Series Processors with AMD 3D V-Cache technology, Transport CX GX40-B8016 is boasted about low-power consumption and manageability by cloud service providers.

TYAN Thunder CX TD76-B5658 : Optimized For High-density Cloud Server Deployment

Other than the above, TYAN also exhibits new Intel Emerald Rapids platform this time. Thunder CX TD76-B5658 is a 4-node high-density designed server for CSPs, with a mainstream 2U form factor. It features shared system fans, redundant 80+ Titanium power supplies, and hot-swappable modules for easy maintenance. It also includes front I/O for easy network cable management. Each node is powered by a single 5th/4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor and supports PCIe 5.0 x16, OCP v3.0 LAN mezzanine, and NVMe M.2 SSDs.

About MiTAC Computing Technology Corp.

MiTAC Computing Technology Corp, a MiTAC Holdings Corp. (TSE:3706) subsidiary, specializes in cloud and edge computing solutions and has over 30 years of design and manufacturing expertise. With a strong focus on large-scale data centers, the company offers flexible and customized supply models for various systems and applications. Its product lineup includes TYAN servers, 5G ORAN servers, high-performance AI servers, and data center products. Intel Datacenter Solutions Group (DSG) transited its business to MiTAC since July 2023, allowing MiTAC expanding its product offerings with cutting-edge total cost of ownership solutions for next-gen data center equipment.

MiTAC Computing Technology Official website: www.mitacmct.com

MiTAC DSG website: https://datacentersolutions.mitacmct.com/

About TYAN

TYAN, as a leading server brand of MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation under the MiTAC Holdings Corp. (TSE:3706), designs, manufactures and markets advanced x86 and x86-64 server/workstation board technology, platforms and server solution products. Its products are sold to OEMs, VARs, System Integrators and Resellers worldwide for a wide range of applications. TYAN enables its customers to be technology leaders by providing scalable, highly-integrated, and reliable products for a wide range of applications such as server appliances and solutions for HPC, hyper-scale/data center, server storage, AI and security appliance markets. For more information, please visit TYAN's website at http://www.tyan.com or MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation website at http://www.mitacmct.com

SOURCE MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Monteverde & Associates PC (the M&A Firm) announces that a federal securities class action has been filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, on behalf of former public common shareholders of RealNetworks, Inc. ("RealNetworks" or the "Company") who held RealNetworks securities, and who were harmed by RealNetworks and its officers' alleged violations of Sections 14(a) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), in connection with the acquisition of RealNetworks by Greater Heights Acquisition LLC (the "Merger")(the "Federal Class Action").

Under the terms of the Merger, each share of RealNetworks common stock owned cashed out for $0.73 per share (the "Merger Consideration"). The Complaint alleges that the Merger Consideration was inadequate and that the Definitive Proxy Statement issued by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on November 7, 2022, provided stockholders with materially incomplete and misleading information in violation of Sections 14(a) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act. The Merger was completed on December 21, 2022.

The M&A Firm (in conjunction with Kahn Swick & Foti, LLP) is already litigating since 2022 similar claims in the State of Washington in and for King County, Case No. 22-2-20433-8 SEA, on behalf of former public common shareholders of RealNetworks, and has already prevailed in a books and record action and defeated Defendants' Motion to Dismiss.

Mr. Juan Monteverde is available to personally discuss this case with you, and if you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must seek lead appointment in the Federal Class Action no later than May 3, 2024 . Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member.

Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/realnetworks-inc. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

At Monteverde & Associates PC, our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2024 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will host a news conference to announce the company, or companies, selected to move forward in developing the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle), which will help Artemis astronauts explore more of the Moon's surface on future missions. The televised event will take place at 4 p.m. EDT (3 p.m. CDT), Wednesday, April 3, at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The news conference will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Artist's concept of a Lunar Terrain Vehicle on the surface of the Moon. Credits: NASA

Event participants will include:

Vanessa Wyche , director, NASA Johnson

, director, NASA Johnson Jacob Bleacher , chief exploration scientist, NASA Headquarters

, chief exploration scientist, NASA Headquarters Lara Kearney , manager, Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, NASA Johnson

International media interested in participating in person must request credentials by 6 p.m. Thursday, March 21. U.S. media interested in attending in person must request credentials by 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 27. All media interested in participating by phone must request details by 2 p.m., April 3. To participate, contact the NASA Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or [email protected]. NASA's media accreditation policy is online.

Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the surface of the Moon to explore for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for crewed missions to Mars.

Learn more about NASA's Artemis campaign at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

SOURCE NASA
Ukraine feels confident in the ability to continue to defend its territory and hold the line of defense, but Ukrainians need support, so we hope for the speedy passage of a bill in Congress on assistance for Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has said.

Austin said at a briefing on the results of the 20th Ramstein meeting that as for the potential breakthrough of the Russian Federation, on the battlefield, they are seeing a number of incremental successes for the Russians. These advances have been achieved at significant cost in terms of personnel and equipment. But, nevertheless, they have seen some successes. He communicates with his Ukrainian colleague and the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and according to him, they feel confident in their ability to continue to defend their sovereign territory and hold the line of defense but of course they need ammunition. They need support to be able to continue doing this, the Pentagon head said.

In this regard, the head of the Pentagon emphasized that he hopes for the speedy adoption of an additional aid package for Ukraine in Congress.

According to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, he continues to see broad support for Ukraine in both houses of Congress, and so he is optimistic that we will see progress. But, again, this is something that cannot be absolutely predicted, and we will continue to work closely with Congress and our international partners to ensure that Ukraine receives the support it needs, he said.

Austin also emphasized that today about 50 countries met for the 20th time to discuss security assistance to Ukraine.

The U.S. Secretary of Defense continues to hear unity and determination to try to find a way to continue to provide this support, so we are seeing allies and partners stepping up, but support from the United States is, of course, very, very important, the defense secretary added.
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following is a statement from Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Club Journalism Institute, on the ongoing targeting of journalists for their coverage of the Israel-Hamas war:

"The killing, beating, and jailing of journalists in the Gaza Strip who are seeking to shed light on a news story of immense local, regional, and global importance must end now. The latest outrageous attack on the free press occurred on March 18 near Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City where journalists, including a team from Al Jazeera, were covering a raid on the hospital by the Israel Defense Forces only to be assaulted by Israeli soldiers, have their equipment taken and damaged, ordered to strip, and then kept blindfolded and handcuffed for hours inside of the hospital. After roughly 12 hours of this treatment, most of the journalists were reportedly released but only after the U.S. State Department, Al Jazeera, and others raised the alarm about the situation. We are relieved to learn that Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail Al-Ghoul and most of the rest of his team have been released. But they should never have been detained in the first place.

"The incident at Al-Shifa hospital is just the latest outrageous incident to occur to journalists in Gaza. Far too many more incidents have been agonizing and heartbreaking rather than just appalling. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 95 journalists and media workers have been killed since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, including two Israeli journalists, three Lebanese journalists, and 90 Palestinian journalists. We mourn the deaths of every single one.

"Never before has a war in modern history taken the lives of so many journalists in such a short amount of time and with so little public accountability. It is essential that the Israeli military, as well as Hamas, cease targeting journalists and end all threats to them and their families. Journalists on all sides of a conflict are not combatants and must be protected."

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists. The Club has 3,000 members representing nearly every major news organization and is a leading voice for press freedom in the United States and around the world.

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged, global citizenry through an independent and free press and equips journalists with the skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. The NPCJI is the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.

Contact: Bill McCarren, 202-662-7534 for the National Press Club

SOURCE National Press Club
The first product from the partnership, Noble Business Essentials, will launch in June 2024.

ARDMORE, Okla., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Research Institute, the nation's largest nonprofit agricultural research organization, and Ranch Management Consultants (RMC) announce a collaboration with an exclusive licensing agreement granting Noble use of RMC's Ranching for Profit program content.

Noble will design and develop a suite of educational, skill-building products incorporating both Noble-developed and Ranching for Profit content. The first Noble product benefiting from this relationship, Noble Business Essentials, is scheduled to be launched in June 2024.

Noble Grazing Essentials course attendees listen during an in-class lesson on Noble's campus in Ardmore, Oklahoma.

"Our educational programming focuses on helping farmers and ranchers enhance their soil to improve ranch productivity and to increase profitability," said Steve Rhines, CEO and president of Noble Research Institute. "To bring the best financial and profitability education to the farmers and ranchers we serve, we knew we needed to partner with RMC."

Noble's purpose is to save U.S. grazing lands by promoting land stewardship through regenerative management, building soil health and keeping ranchers on the land. RMC has been the recognized leader in agriculture business training for more than four decades.

Noble's Business Essentials will provide easy-to-understand financial strategies for farmers and ranchers. The program will enable participants to better evaluate their financial situation, calculate their unique income potential and plan for positive net farm income. Future Noble business programs, incorporating elements of Ranching for Profit, will guide and advance ranchers and farmers toward stronger financial resiliency for their grazing operations.

The Noble Business Essentials program is the third of Noble's Essentials series, including Noble Land Essentials and Noble Grazing Essentials.

RMC's Ranching for Profit schools, a 7-day learning program, continues to succeed in educating hundreds of new farmers and ranchers each year. Motivated by its lasting purpose of cultivating healthy land, happy families and profitable businesses, the schools are designed to help ranchers and farmers find the breakthroughs needed to improve the health of their land, the profitability of their business and the quality of their life. RMC additionally offers intensive workshops and advanced training on topics relevant to working ranches and farms through its Executive Link program.

"RMC is excited to partner with Noble," said Dallas Mount, owner of Ranch Management Consultants. "They have a long history of working directly with farmers and ranchers to manage their land and livestock. Pairing with Noble connects their strengths with our time-tested economic tools and curriculum. Our organizations share common values and purposes, so it is a natural partnership for helping farmers and ranchers across the U.S. drive their businesses forward. Through this relationship, we are extending the reach of Ranching for Profit to new audiences."

To learn more about Noble Research Institute and its educational programs, please visit www.noble.org.

About Noble Research Institute

Noble Research Institute is the nation's largest nonprofit agricultural research organization, serving ranchers and farmers with research, education and mentorship for regenerating soil health to improve their land, livestock and livelihood. Since 1945, Noble Research Institute has been a leading, trusted resource in agricultural research and education dedicated to land stewardship. Demonstrating our ongoing commitment to regenerating our nation's grazing lands, Noble actively manages 13,500 acres of working ranchlands to provide real-world insights and applications for farmers and ranchers.

To learn more about Noble Research Institute, please visit www.noble.org.

About Ranch Management Consultants

Ranch Management Consultants was founded in 1983 and, since that time, has been the premier business management school for agriculturists. Expert instructors bring practical experience that helps participants find real-world solutions to the challenges facing them and their operation. Participants learn proven tools and techniques that will increase their profit and increase their personal effectiveness.

To learn more about Ranch Management Consultants, visit www.ranchmanagement.com.

SOURCE Noble Research Institute LLC
OpusVi (formerly Dignity Health Global Education) has launched an MSW degree program to bolster the talent pipeline of social work professionals with Northern Arizona University amid industry-wide healthcare staffing shortages. Alongside a Social Work Fellowship, the OpusVi suite of social work development programs aims to support health systems in improving retention of in-demand social workers and continuity of care while reducing costs.

PHOENIX, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - OpusVi (formerly Dignity Health Global Education), a leading workforce development solutions provider backed by CommonSpirit Health, Providence Health and Premier Inc., that exclusively enables healthcare systems and organizations to upskill and retain top talent, today announces the launch of its online, part-time and accredited Master of Social Work (MSW) degree program with an emphasis in healthcare. Offered through Northern Arizona University (NAU), this degree is available for health systems nationwide. In conjunction with OpusVi's Social Work Fellowship , launched in July of 2023 in partnership with CommonSpirit Health, this suite of offerings aims to build a sustainable talent pipeline of licensed medical social workers to improve continuity of care, increase the licensing exam pass rate and reduce overall costs across health systems.

The mission of the NAU MSW Program, grounded in the history, purpose and values of the social work profession, is to educate competent social workers for practice with diverse populations and multi-level social systems in local, regional and global contexts. Northern Arizona University has a longstanding tradition of community service and preparing professional social workers for generalist practice with Native Americans, Latinos and disenfranchised and vulnerable populations of the Southwest. NAU remains a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution since Spring 2021, demonstrating a commitment to serving underrepresented populations.

"Offering this accessible and affordable MSW option in partnership with OpusVi drives our mission of empowering social work professionals in their journeys of commitment and dedication to the service of others forward," said Dr. Michael McCarthy, Chair and Associate Professor of Social Work at NAU. "We know the widespread influence social work professionals have on their communities and we're honored to take part in improving social health across the country."

The U.S. Faces A Social Work Staffing Crisis

The demand for social workers is projected to grow by 7 percent from 2022 to 2032 , faster than the average for all occupations. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) predicts a shortfall of more than 10,000 full-time employees across social workers and behavioral health occupations by 2025. There are many contributing factors to this shortage including relatively high educational requirements, lack of funding and incentives for workers in rural areas, high professional demands and the looming retirement wave hitting the profession.

While hospital systems aim to have a workforce of experienced MSWs to address complex psychosocial needs, support successful transitions and reduce readmissions, many need to instead hire BSWs due to the massive shortages, especially in rural areas.

Inaccessibility of the Pathways to Social Work Licensure

Medical social work positions often require an MSW due to scope of practice limitations for BSWs such as clinical assessments, therapeutic interventions, complex case management, crisis intervention and patient advocacy. Social workers hoping to earn this degree often face challenges such as a lack of access to high-quality, affordable MSW programs where they live, or a lack of flexible programs which minimize disruptions to their lives. While a few schools offer an accredited online master's of social work program for as low as $40,000, others can cost as much as $89,000 .

Through innovative learning design strategies and a fully online curriculum, OpusVi is able to offer its CSWE-accredited degree for less than $24,000 . The flexible and online format and engaging learning platform also enables working professionals to earn their degree while sustaining a full-time job, allowing them to maintain benefits such as health insurance and use their tuition reimbursement assistance.

A Holistic and Scalable Approach

This MSW degree program is designed to build sustainable social work talent pipelines, improve patient care and address patients' psychosocial needs, increase social work retention, reduce patient readmissions and contribute to impactful cost savings across health systems. This program allows system leaders to take their BSW workforce and provide them with in-demand career growth opportunities. Additionally, the part-time nature of the MSW program allows leaders to retain learners within their workforce for three or more years.

"At OpusVi, we know building a sustainable talent pipeline of social work professionals greatly impacts health systems in their ability to provide strong continuity of care and reduce the readmissions of patients," said Andrew Malley, Chief Executive Officer at OpusVi. "With this MSW program, we are working to build an ecosystem of talent support to enhance quality and continuity of care, increase social work retention rates and minimize overall costs for health systems. Social workers are vital to the health of our communities, small and large, and we're proud to support these efforts by providing individuals with a more affordable and accessible opportunity to expand their skill sets, build their confidence and advance in their careers."

This program prepares BSW social workers with the knowledge, values and skills for engaging in individual, family, group, organization and community-planned change processes. Students are also empowered to enter leadership roles in developing, implementing and evaluating services with diverse rural, vulnerable and underserved populations. The healthcare emphasis in this degree program incorporates theoretical perspectives, including a strengths-based framework emphasizing culturally competent practice. Embracing the need to give voice to marginalized communities, the curriculum focuses on empowering diverse groups of clients to achieve their individualized goals.

"At CommonSpirit Health, we recognize how crucial social workers are in addressing patients' complex psychosocial needs, supporting patients and families during difficult times, navigating the healthcare continuum for patients and advocating for systemic changes," said Josh Brewster, System Director of Social Work and Vulnerable Populations at CommonSpirit Health. "Through OpusVi's engaging and affordable MSW program, social workers are given the opportunity to advance their careers and therefore improve patient outcomes and strengthen the health of their communities, without incurring significant student debt. I know this program will positively impact patient care across CommonSpirit Health, it will advance the social work profession in underserved areas and I look forward to seeing our hardworking social workers advance professionally in their careers."

The Master of Social Work is awarded by NAU, which is accredited by the HLC (Higher Learning Commission), and the MSW program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

The first program cohort will begin on August 26th and applications are due by July 31st. For additional information on the OpusVi Master of Social Work degree program, please visit opusvi.com .

About OpusVi

Great Solutions, Great Healthcare

OpusVi (Latin for Workforce) partners with healthcare organizations to build transformative workforce solutions. We have developed a workforce development platform that enables healthcare systems and organizations to upskill and retain top talent. Dedicated to providing the best client experience, we have designed custom online and hybrid programs and workforce development solutions that improve and positively impact talent retention as much as patient health and quality of care. We remain leaders in the healthcare education space by creating scalable, cutting-edge solutions through innovative technologies, clinical expertise and evidence-based training alongside the industry's top subject matter experts and academic institutions. To learn more about OpusVi please visit www.opusvi.com .

SOURCE OpusVi
New release delivers 12 JDK Enhancement Proposals to improve the Java language and enhance the development platform's performance, stability, and security

JavaOne returns to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025

AUSTIN, Texas, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle today announced the availability of Java 22, the latest version of the world's number one programming language and development platform. Java 22 (Oracle JDK 22) delivers thousands of performance, stability, and security improvements to help developers increase productivity, drive innovation, and accelerate growth across their organizations. These include enhancements to the Java language, its APIs and performance, and the tools included in the Java Development Kit (JDK).

"The new enhancements in Java 22 enable more developers to quickly and easily build and deliver feature-rich, scalable, and secure applications to help organizations across the globe grow their businesses," said Georges Saab, senior vice president, Oracle Java Platform and chair, OpenJDK governing board. "By delivering enhancements that streamline application development and extend Java's reach to make it accessible to developers of all proficiency levels, Java 22 will help drive the creation of a wide range of new applications and services for organizations and developers alike."

The latest JDK provides updates and improvements with 12 JDK Enhancement Proposals (JEPs). JDK 22 delivers language improvements from OpenJDK Project Amber (Statements before super[], Unnamed Variables & Patterns, String Templates, and Implicitly Declared Classes and Instance Main Methods); enhancements from Project Panama (Foreign Function & Memory API and Vector API); features related to Project Loom (Structured Concurrency and Scoped Values); core libraries and tools capabilities (Class-File API, Launch Multi-File Source-Code Programs, and Stream Gatherers); and performance updates (Region Pinning for G1).

"After nearly three decades, Java's ability to support complex development tasks that span a wide range of use cases makes the platform as relevant as it has ever been," said Arnal Dayaratna, research vice president, software development, IDC. "Java's versatility and comprehensive toolset enables it to support the development of production-grade, mission-critical applications at scale, which positions it as a key enabling technology for innovative use cases such as generative AI."

Significant updates delivered in Java 22 are:

Project Amber Features

JEP 447: Statements before super() (Preview): Gives developers the freedom to express the behavior of constructors. By allowing statements that do not reference the instance being created to appear before an explicit constructor invocation, this feature enables a more natural placement of logic that needs to be factored into auxiliary static methods, auxiliary intermediate constructors, or constructor arguments. It also preserves the existing assurance that constructors run in top-down order during class instantiation, helping ensure that code in a subclass constructor cannot interfere with superclass instantiation. In addition, this feature does not require any changes to the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and relies only on the current ability of the JVM to verify and execute code that appears before explicit constructor invocations within constructors.

Gives developers the freedom to express the behavior of constructors. By allowing statements that do not reference the instance being created to appear before an explicit constructor invocation, this feature enables a more natural placement of logic that needs to be factored into auxiliary static methods, auxiliary intermediate constructors, or constructor arguments. It also preserves the existing assurance that constructors run in top-down order during class instantiation, helping ensure that code in a subclass constructor cannot interfere with superclass instantiation. In addition, this feature does not require any changes to the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and relies only on the current ability of the JVM to verify and execute code that appears before explicit constructor invocations within constructors. JEP 456: Unnamed Variables & Patterns: Helps improve developer productivity by enhancing the Java language with unnamed variables and patterns, which can be used when variable declarations or nested patterns are required but never used. This reduces opportunities for error, improves the readability of record patterns, and increases the maintainability of all code.

Helps improve developer productivity by enhancing the Java language with unnamed variables and patterns, which can be used when variable declarations or nested patterns are required but never used. This reduces opportunities for error, improves the readability of record patterns, and increases the maintainability of all code. JEP 459: String Templates (Second Preview): Simplifies the development of Java programs by making it easy to express strings that include values computed at run time, while also improving the security of programs that compose strings from user-provided values and pass them to other systems. Additionally, the readability of expressions mixed with text is enhanced, and non-string values computed from literal text and embedded expressions can be created without having to transit through an intermediate string representation.

Simplifies the development of Java programs by making it easy to express strings that include values computed at run time, while also improving the security of programs that compose strings from user-provided values and pass them to other systems. Additionally, the readability of expressions mixed with text is enhanced, and non-string values computed from literal text and embedded expressions can be created without having to transit through an intermediate string representation. JEP 463: Implicitly Declared Classes and Instance Main Methods (Second Preview): Helps accelerate learning by offering a smooth on-ramp to Java programming to enable students to write their first programs without needing to understand language features designed for large programs. With this feature, educators can introduce concepts in a gradual manner and students can write streamlined declarations for single-class programs and seamlessly expand their programs to use more advanced features as their skills grow.

Project Loom Features

JEP 462: Structured Concurrency (Second Preview): Helps developers streamline error handling and cancellation and enhance observability by introducing an API for structured concurrency. This helps promote a style of concurrent programming that can eliminate common risks arising from cancellation and shutdown  such as thread leaks and cancellation delays  and improves the observability of concurrent code.

Helps developers streamline error handling and cancellation and enhance observability by introducing an API for structured concurrency. This helps promote a style of concurrent programming that can eliminate common risks arising from cancellation and shutdown  such as thread leaks and cancellation delays  and improves the observability of concurrent code. JEP 464: Scoped Values (Second Preview): Helps increase ease-of-use, comprehensibility, performance, and robustness of developers' projects by enabling the sharing of immutable data within and across threads.

Project Panama Features

JEP 454: Foreign Function & Memory API: Increases ease-of-use, flexibility, safety, and performance for developers by introducing an API to enable Java programs to interoperate with code and data outside of the Java runtime. By efficiently invoking foreign functions such as code outside the Java Virtual Machine, and by safely accessing foreign memory (i.e., memory not managed by the JVM), the new API allows Java programs to call native libraries and process native data without requiring the Java Native Interface.

Increases ease-of-use, flexibility, safety, and performance for developers by introducing an API to enable Java programs to interoperate with code and data outside of the Java runtime. By efficiently invoking foreign functions such as code outside the Java Virtual Machine, and by safely accessing foreign memory (i.e., memory not managed by the JVM), the new API allows Java programs to call native libraries and process native data without requiring the Java Native Interface. JEP 460: Vector API (Seventh Incubator): Enables developers to achieve performance superior to equivalent scalar computations by introducing an API to express vector computations that reliably compile at runtime to vector instructions on supported CPU architectures.

Core Libraries & Tools Features

JEP 457: Class-File API (Preview): Helps developers improve productivity by providing a standard API for parsing, generating, and transforming Java class files.

Helps developers improve productivity by providing a standard API for parsing, generating, and transforming Java class files. JEP 458: Launch Multi-File Source-Code Programs: Enables developers to choose whether and when to configure a build tool by enhancing the Java application launcher to enable it to run a program supplied as multiple files of Java source code.

Enables developers to choose whether and when to configure a build tool by enhancing the Java application launcher to enable it to run a program supplied as multiple files of Java source code. JEP 461: Stream Gatherers (Preview): Helps developers improve productivity by enhancing the Stream API to support custom intermediate operations, which will allow stream pipelines to transform data in ways that are not easily achievable with the existing built-in intermediate operations. By making stream pipelines more flexible and expressive and allowing custom intermediate operations to manipulate streams of infinite size, this feature enables developers to become more efficient in reading, writing, and maintaining Java code.

Performance Updates

JEP 423: Region Pinning for G1: Helps reduce latency by allowing some garbage collection to happen during some native library calls that would have otherwise needed to pause the collector. This is achieved by tracking which objects need to be blocked during these native library calls and "pinning" just the regions that contain these objects. This allows garbage collection to continue normally in unpinned regions, even during what would have otherwise been a blocking native library call.

The Java 22 release is the result of continuous collaboration between Oracle and other members of the worldwide Java developer community via OpenJDK and the Java Community Process (JCP). In addition to the new enhancements and features, Java 22 is supported by Java Management Service (JMS)  an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) native service  which offers a unified console and dashboard to help organizations manage Java runtimes and applications on-premises or in any cloud. For more details on the features in Java 22, please read the Java 22 technical blog post.

Supporting the Global Java Ecosystem with Innovation in the Cloud

Java delivers increased performance, efficiency, innovation, and cost savings when deployed in the cloud on OCI, which is one of the first hyperscale clouds to support Java 22. By delivering Oracle Java SE, Oracle GraalVM, and the Java SE Subscription Enterprise Performance Pack free of charge on OCI, Java 22 enables developers to build and deploy applications that run faster, better, and with optimized cost-performance.

The Oracle Java Universal SE Subscription is a pay-as-you-go offering that provides customers with best-in-class support. It includes triage support for the entire Java portfolio, entitlement to GraalVM, the Java SE Subscription Enterprise Performance Pack, access to the advanced features of the Java Management Service, and the flexibility to upgrade at the pace of their businesses. This helps IT organizations manage complexity, contain costs, and mitigate security risks.

JavaOne Returns in 2025

The flagship event for the global Java community, JavaOne, will return to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2025. Taking place from March 17-20, 2025 in Redwood Shores, California, JavaOne 2025 will give attendees the opportunity to hear about the latest Java developments and interact with Oracle's Java experts and industry luminaries. Read more via the blog post on Inside Java here.

Supporting Quotes

"Within the dynamic ecosystem of the Turkiye Java Community (TJC), Oracle's enduring support fuels our momentum," said Evren Tan, community lead, TJC. "As Java 22 unfolds, we are embracing an array of contemporary features that further enhance developer efficiency, bolstering our commitment to advancing Java technology in Turkiye. We also welcome Java developers worldwide to join us in TJC activities, showcasing the welcoming community spirit that keeps Java vibrant."

"Java's popularity as a programming language, platform, and developer community continues to grow in Morocco and the African region," said Badr El Hourari, founder and CIO, xHub. "With Java 22, I'm excited to see Oracle's Java team focus on innovation that will help the new developers adopt Java more quickly such as with JEP 463. By simplifying the language, the on-ramp to Java becomes easier for a whole new generation of programmers. Also, here in Morocco we continue to highlight the importance of Java at the annual Devoxx Morocco conference, and we welcome all developers to attend this year's event on October 2-4 to hear from some of the most influential global voices in the Java community."

"It amazes me to see Java 22 bundle features for all  from students to senior developers, and from adventurous Java enthusiasts to organizations looking for stability with performance," said Mala Gupta, Java developer advocate, JetBrains. "Java is embracing a minimalist approach by continuing to reduce ceremonies around writing initial steps of code, via instance main method and implicit classes, making it easier for folks to get started learning Java. With constructor makeover (statements before super[]), Java has proven again that it supports responsible innovation, and relaxing language constraints that existed from Java's version 1.0 without breaking any existing code is very exciting. IntelliJ IDEA 2024.1 is ready with its support for Java 22 features to enable Java developers to use them with ease."

"The Helidon team recognized the value of virtual threads as soon as they were announced. With Helidon 4, the team rewrote the Helidon web server to natively use virtual threads, which resulted in much better performance and increased developer productivity," said Tom Snyder, vice president of engineering, enterprise cloud native Java, Oracle. "Now with Java 22 we are seeing another performance boost for virtual threads, and these significant improvements will benefit all Helidon users."

"Seamless integration with the latest Java innovations is helping Oracle Database deliver the world's most advanced database technologies for developing and running modern applications," said Kuassi Mensah, director of product management, Oracle. "The Oracle Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) drivers have been rewritten to seamlessly support Java virtual threads. The combination of Java virtual threads and the new pipelined database operations in Oracle Database 23c helps improve end-to-end scalability for Java applications."

To learn more about Java and its global ecosystem, please visit:

Dev.java: The official portal for learning Java

Inside.java: News and views from the members of the Java Team at Oracle

Java YouTube: The official Java YouTube channel for Java learning videos

Additional Resources

About Oracle

Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com.

Trademarks

Oracle, Java, MySQL and NetSuite are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. NetSuite was the first cloud companyushering in the new era of cloud computing.

SOURCE Oracle
MIAMI, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington Crossing Delaware is making its maiden voyage into the blockchain by turning the world's most famous symbol of freedom into a timeless digital heirloom accessible to all. This American patriotic masterpiece is now available for ownership in pixel blocks via the non-fungible blockchain technology.

PELXP.COM is making digital history with the most memorable work of art representing American democracy. Washington Crossing Delaware is making its maiden voyage into the blockchain by turning the world's most famous symbol of freedom into a timeless digital heirloom accessible to all. This American patriotic masterpiece is now available for ownership in pixel blocks via the non-fungible blockchain technology. PELXP.COM has digitized this painting, creating up to 155,485,078 PIXELS, with a buy one, and PELXP.COM will donate one on behalf of its owner for free to the party they support, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent PELXP.COM with a non-partisan spirit will report an accurate count of which party is leading the race, an equal amount of pixels will be minted to symbolize the number of votes in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, in essence recasting a nonbiased recount.

The most famous artist's concept of the values and fight for freedom in the United States, Washington Crossing the Delaware, captures George Washington on December 25th, 1776, leading an inexperienced motley crew of patriotic volunteers to victory. This painting captures the heroic mythos of America's independence.

This original 1851 painting was part of the artist's creative process. It was discovered by an astonished American expert in art and history and authenticated by the world's renowned expert on Leutze's work. The painting has not been publicly seen or made available for public ownership for over 150 years until now. Hidden away in Europe for one and a half centuries, this masterpiece was immortalized in Leutze's studio to assist in creating the iconic image and safeguarding such a masterpiece while the paint was still wet on its iconic twin.

This epic tribute to American freedom was painted with Leutze's skillful technique and brilliance in working with oil on canvas, together with his well-accomplished artist collaborators who gathered to discuss details of this monolithic vision coming to life on canvas. In contrast, the paint was still wet, depicting a victorious message of certainty, sealed by its brushstrokes destined for viewing by the American public.

"I found this forgotten, misunderstood painting in Dusseldorf, Germany, and brought it to the USA, where it is now being offered as a digital collectible."

- Dr. Micah Christensen, PhD, Art Historian, Author, Discoverer of the lost Artwork

PELXP.COM has digitized this painting, creating up to 155,485,078 PIXELS, with a buy one, and PELXP.COM will donate one on behalf of its owner for free to the party they support, whether Republican, Democrat, or Independent PELXP.COM with a non-partisan spirit will report an accurate count of which party is leading the race, an equal amount of pixels will be minted to symbolize the number of votes in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, in essence recasting a nonbiased recount of the still today disputed 2020 Presidential election.

All pixels are minted for individual ownership. It will be an actual, utterly accurate system with a precise digital measuring system to reenact the 2020 election. It will be democratized, decentralized, and nonpartisan, with a we-the-people-for-the-people purpose.

NTF Pixel owners will be part of the Washington Crossing the Delaware Unification Assembly. This will be the maiden voyage for the first Digital NON-PARTISAN statement of democracy, a traveling message using art masterpieces as the messenger of hope and uniting "We the People."

"There is only one race, the human race"  Jane Elliott.

The newly minted digital collectible PIXEL Washington Crossing Delaware will officially drop on April 19th, 2024.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c4izvxu9iezasic/AAAzLrG2BtX27xlhIaDUV1-na?dl=0

Press Contact:

Bill Bakula

+1 (786) 228-3732

[email protected]

SOURCE PELXP.COM
.POST offers global companies an exclusive opportunity to protect their trademarks.

BOSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- . POST , the internet domain name for organizations interested in the secure and trusted delivery of physical goods and services, including supply chain, logistics, payments, and national identity programs, announces the launch of its highly anticipated Trademark Sunrise Period via ICANN Domain Registrar EnCirca .

Scheduled to run to April 15, 2024, this Sunrise period presents a prime opportunity for businesses worldwide to secure their brand identity and protect their trademarks under the .POST domain.

".POST is backed by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a United Nations specialized agency, and is the only top-level domain sponsored by a UN body," said Lati Matata, Director of the UPU's Postal Technology Centre,".POST can be seen as the hallmark of trust in global supply chains, setting the standard for secure and reliable cross-border commerce and shipping."

The .POST internet Top-Level Domain (TLD) is approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the global supply-chain and logistics sectors. All .POST applicants must be verified and adhere to strict security protocols to help identify trusted actors in global supply chains.

"The announcement of the Trademark Sunrise Period marks a significant milestone in establishing .POST as the leading global standard for trusted trade and secure supply chains," said Tom Barrett, President of ICANN Registrar EnCirca. "Businesses now have the opportunity to register domain names aligned with their trademarks before .POST expands eligibility in later phases."

Eligibility for the .POST domain extends to both registered and unregistered trademarks from any corner of the world, ensuring comprehensive brand protection and visibility. For more information on how to participate in the Trademark Sunrise Period and secure your brand's online identity, visit https://trust.post .

About .POST:

.POST is the designated internet credential for organizations involved in the secure and trusted delivery of physical goods and services. Sponsored by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), .POST aims to foster trust, transparency, and integrity within the global supply chain.

About the Universal Postal Union (UPU):

The Universal Postal Union is a United Nations specialized agency with its headquarters in the Swiss capital, Berne. Founded in 1874 and celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2024, it is the primary forum for cooperation between postal sector players and helps to ensure a truly universal network of modern postal products and services.

About EnCirca:

EnCirca was founded in 2001 in Boston, Massachusetts. As an ICANN-Accredited Domain Name Registrar, EnCirca has been selected as the exclusive global .POST registrar. EnCirca also provides services for domain portfolio management, cyber-security defenses, website hosting, and blockchain integration.

Media Contact for .POST and EnCirca:

For media inquiries, please contact:

Susana Leiser

[email protected]

Media Contact for UPU:

For media inquiries, please contact:

Kayla Redstone

Lead Expert, Communication & Outreach Programme

Universal Postal Union (UPU)

Mobile: +41 76 457 36 54

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE EnCirca, Inc.
Extends Precise Systems' support for the training and simulation mission

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. and MCLEAN, Va., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Precise Systems, Inc., a portfolio company of Bluestone Investment Partners, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Jardon & Howard Technologies, Inc. (JHT) in a transaction that closed February 16, 2024.

Based in Orlando, Florida, JHT is a leading provider of advanced training and simulation solutions for clients across the Department of Defense, including the Army, Navy, and other agencies throughout the federal government. In support of these customers' training requirements, JHT develops interactive courseware, virtual training simulations, and human performance improvement tools such as Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals.

The foundation of JHT's advanced training capabilities is its proxSIMity simulation framework which includes the proxSIMity Advanced Touch System, a proprietary library of gestures used in 2D and 3D training environments deliverable on touch-screen devices. JHT developed this advanced training technology in partnership with the government through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. In recognition of the importance of proxSIMity to the training mission, JHT has been awarded eight SBIR Phase III contracts and has enabled customers to rapidly access JHT's training capabilities using sole-source, direct-award contracting methods under the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

"I am excited to welcome the JHT employees to Precise," said Scott Pfister, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Precise Systems. "This acquisition significantly enhances our capabilities across a number of high priority clients and accelerates our strategy to expand into new markets. JHT and Precise make an extremely powerful combination and our combined capabilities allow us to scale for a promising future."

JHT's founder Jim Jardon added, "Since starting JHT over 30 years ago, I have had the privilege of working with exceptional clients and wonderful employees in building a great company. I am excited to see JHT's continued growth as part of the Precise Systems platform and look forward to seeing the company bring training solutions to new customers responsible for developing and fielding advanced systems."

The acquisition of JHT is Precise Systems' second acquisition since commencing its partnership with Bluestone in January 2023. The company recently announced the acquisition of Excet, Inc., a Springfield, Virginia-based provider of scientific research and engineering services to DoD clients. Precise Systems is combining the capabilities and experience of both Excet and JHT to bring a broader range of solutions and deeper expertise to its core customers.

About Precise Systems

Precise Systems, a solutions-driven company, demonstrates a strong commitment to supporting the warfighter's needs through innovation and expert consultation. It leverages its highly skilled workforce to provide top-notch service, focusing on various aspects of defense systems, including network and weapons systems acquisition, maintenance, modernization, and sustainment programs. The company's expertise spans Digital Transformation, Advanced Engineering, Physical Sciences Research, Platform Lifecycle Support, and Technical Services, ensuring comprehensive support for defense programs at every stage of their lifecycle. One of Precise Systems' key strengths lies in its ability to manage complex customer needs effectively. By offering tailored solutions and exceptional service, the company consistently meets and exceeds customer expectations. With a track record of success and a commitment to excellence, Precise Systems continues to be a trusted partner in advancing defense capabilities and supporting the warfighter's mission.

Media Contact:

Kristina "Nina" McKeaver

(240) 317-5360 | [email protected]

About Bluestone Investment Partners

Bluestone is a private equity firm investing exclusively in lower middle-market companies in the defense and government services arena. Bluestone's principals have a long and successful track record owning, operating, investing in, and advising companies in the defense and government services sector.

SOURCE Precise Systems
CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Precision Farming Software Market is projected to reach from USD 1.7 billion in 2024 to USD 3.1 billion by 2029; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% from 2024 to 2029 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Precision farming software leverages technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and IoT to provide farmers with cutting-edge tools for decision-making and automation. This integration of advanced technology enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of farming practices, driving further adoption among tech-savvy farmers.

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Browse in-depth TOC on "Precision Farming Software Market"

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Precision Farming Software Market Report Scope:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 1.7 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $ 3.1 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 12.5% Market Size Available for 20202029 Forecast Period 20242029 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Delivery Model, Application, Service, Technology and Region Geographies Covered Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and RoW Key Market Challenge Legal, ethical and social barriers related to data ownership, privacy and security Key Market Opportunities Initiatives to manage greater amount of data and enhance data analysis Key Market Drivers Growing focus on enhancing food security and agricultural productivity

By Application: Weather tracking and forecasting is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The increasing integration of weather tracking and forecasting into precision farming software is driven by various facets of farming, influencing critical activities such as planting, irrigation, fertilization, and pest management. By incorporating weather data into precision farming software, farmers gain a strategic advantage in anticipating and mitigating the effects of weather events such as storms, droughts, or temperature fluctuations on their crops. Accurate weather forecasts empower farmers to optimize the timing of farming activities, scheduling operations during periods of favorable weather to minimize risks and maximize effectiveness.

By Delivery Model: Cloud-based delivery model to account for the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The scalability, accessibility, and data integration capabilities of cloud-based precision farming software provide farmers with essential tools to optimize their operations, enhance productivity, and promote sustainability. Leveraging the power of cloud technology, farmers can access real-time insights into their operations, empowering them to make data-driven decisions that drive efficiency and effectiveness. With cloud-based solutions, farmers can easily adjust the scale of their operations to meet changing demands without the need for extensive infrastructure investments, ensuring flexibility and adaptability.

By Technology: The variable rate technology is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

Variable rate technology (VRT) is increasingly becoming a cornerstone of precision farming software, driven by several pivotal factors. One such factor is its capacity for optimized resource allocation, wherein farmers can strategically apply inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, and water at varying rates across fields based on specific crop requirements. This tailored approach ensures that crops receive precisely the necessary inputs, thereby maximizing yields while minimizing input costs and environmental impact. By leveraging VRT, farmers can fine-tune their management practices to match the unique needs of different areas within their fields, promoting efficient resource utilization and sustainable agricultural practices. This targeted application of inputs not only enhances productivity but also reduces waste and environmental harm, aligning with the goals of modern agriculture. As a result, VRT has emerged as a critical tool in precision farming software, empowering farmers to optimize their operations and achieve both economic and environmental sustainability.

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By Region: Americas to hold larger market share in 2023.

The America stands out as the swiftest expanding sector in the precision farming software industry. America benefits from a well-developed data infrastructure and connectivity, which play a crucial role in facilitating the seamless collection, analysis, and sharing of data required for precision farming operations. With high-speed internet and widespread cellular networks, farmers in the region have easy access to vital information, enabling them to adopt and utilize precision farming software effectively. This robust connectivity allows for real-time data transmission from various sources such as sensors, drones, and satellites, providing farmers with accurate and up-to-date information about their fields.

The major players in the precision farming software companies include Deere & Company (US), Trimble Inc. (US), AGCO Corporation (US), CNH Industrial N.V. (UK), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc (US), KUBOTA Corporation (Japan), Ag Leader Technology (US), TOPCON CORPORATION (Japan), Climate LLC (US), TeeJet Technologies (US).

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About MarketsandMarkets

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The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry.

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GUANGZHOU, China, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The promotion tour for 135th China Import and Export Fair ("Canton Fair"), held from February 29 to March 7, has successfully reinvigorated trade vitality across the Middle East, with events in Dubai, UAE and Cairo, Egypt successfully held, and in-depth business talks with Canton Fair partners in Morroco. Led by Zhang Sihong, Deputy Secretary General of the Canton Fair and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, the delegation invited high-quality enterprises from the countries and surrounding regions, to explore cooperation and business opportunities, achieving remarkable outcomes.

"We hope that Middle East buyers can utilize the Canton Fair's online platform for regular engagement, facilitating online appointments and offline negotiations to achieve more trade transactions through dual-channel interactions," said Zhang Sihong, during the conference, emphasizing the importance of utilizing the Canton Fair's online platform for regular engagement on top of onsite attendance.

In Morocco, China Foreign Trade Centre renewed its partnership agreement with Confederation Generale Des Entreprises Du Maroc (CGEM), further promoting trade between China and Morocco.

The delegation conducted field research at major sourcing platforms and institutions in the Middle East, including Noon, the largest e-commerce platform in the Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre, Marjane and Electroplanet, the largest supermarket and electronics mall in Morocco respectively, Gomla Market, the largest chain supermarket in Alexandria, Egypt.

The delegation also engaged in deep exchanges with Dubai Chamber, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce UAE, Confederation Generale DesEntreprises Du Maroc (CGEM), China-Morocco Economic, Trade and Cultural Exchange Centre, Cairo Chamber of Commerce, and Alexandria Business Association, establishing a more comprehensive Canton Fair partnership system.

The 135th Canton Fair promotion tour has received an enthusiastic response from the three Middle Eastern countries, continuously revitalizing trade vitality in the local and surrounding regions.

For the latest information on the 135th Canton Fair, please register at https://invitation.cantonfair.org.cn/BuyerUser/RegisterUser?MediaType=16.

SOURCE Canton Fair
NEW YORK, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The rheology modifiers market is expected to grow by USD 1.49 billion from 2022 to 2027. In addition, the growth momentum of the market will progress at a CAGR of 3.55% during the forecast period. We provide a detailed analysis of 20 companies operating in the rheology modifiers market including Akzo Nobel NV, Altana AG, Archer Daniels Midland Co., Arkema Group, Ashland Inc., BASF SE, Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Cargill Inc., Clariant International Ltd., Dow Chemical Co., Eastman Chemical Co., Elementis Plc, Evonik Industries AG, Ingredion Inc., Kerry Group Plc, Nouryon Chemicals Holding BV, PPG Industries Inc., Solvay SA, Tate and Lyle Plc, The SNF Group, RPM International Inc., and Croda International Plc.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Rheology Modifiers Market 2023-2027

The report offers an up-to-date analysis of the market, and to know the exact growth variance and the Y-O-Y growth rate, Request Free Sample Report.

Akzo Nobel NV - The company offers rheology modifiers such as AkzoNobel Dry Effects Rheology Modifier in 1 US Gallon amount.

Growing demand for efficient and high-performance additives in the paint and coating industry is notably driving the rheology modifiers market. However, factors such as Rise in the shift from print to digital media may impede market growth.

Segmentation Overview

The market is segmented by product type (organic and inorganic), application (paints and coatings, personal care, adhesives and sealants, household products, and others), and geography (APAC, Europe, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America).

Product Type

The organic segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Organic rheology modifiers are in demand due to increasing awareness and preference for products made from renewable or environmentally preferable materials. Manufacturers invest in research and development for the development of novel organic Rheological Modifiers which can enhance performance while meeting ever-changing market needs. In addition, there are many advantages in rheology modifiers, such as sustainable sourcing, biodegradability, and reduced environmental impact in comparison to conventional products. Organic rheological modifiers also play a key role in the improvement of color formulation texture, flow, and stability within the paints and coating industry. Hence, these factors are expected to drive segment growth during the forecast period.

application (paints and coatings, personal care, adhesives and sealants, household products, and others)

Geography Overview

APAC is estimated to contribute 44% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. The major drivers of growth in the market in the region are rapidly evolving economies and increasing demand for a range of end-user sectors, like construction, automotive, or some other sectors that focus on sustainability and constant innovation. The increased demand from the construction industry is one of the key growth drivers for the regional rheology modifier market. In addition, the increasing demand for rheology modifiers in the APAC construction sector is largely due to increasing urbanization and infrastructure development in countries like China , India , and Southeast Asia . Furthermore, rheological modifiers have a strong influence on the cosmetics and skin care industry in the region. These additives are used for the purpose of achieving an appropriate texture, stableness, and organoleptic properties in cream, lotion, or other personal care products. Hence, these factors are expected to drive market growth in the region during the forecast period.

Europe , North America , Middle East and Africa , and South America

Learn about the contribution of each segment summarized in concise infographics and thorough descriptions. View Free PDF Sample Report

Analyst Review

The rheology modifiers market continues to evolve, driven by various factors such as economic conditions, disposable income, and technological innovations. These elements play pivotal roles in shaping the trajectory of this dynamic market.

Viscosity thickeners stand out as essential components within the rheology modifiers market, finding widespread application in diverse sectors including paints and coating products, liquid coating, and even beauty products. Their ability to control viscosity and enhance performance is crucial in ensuring product quality and efficacy.

In the realm of paints and coating products, rheology modifiers play a critical role in improving the application properties and overall performance of coatings. They aid in reducing sedimentation and enhancing the stability of formulations, leading to better end-user experiences and prolonged shelf life.

Moreover, in industries such as crude oil, rheology modifiers are instrumental in optimizing flow properties, thereby facilitating easier transportation and processing. This underscores their significance in various industrial processes where viscosity control is paramount.

In the realm of beauty products, rheology modifiers contribute to the desired texture, consistency, and stability of formulations, ensuring enhanced user experience and product efficacy. Their role in cosmetic formulations is indispensable, as they enable the creation of desired textures and provide sensory benefits.

Furthermore, the market dynamics are influenced by factors such as environmental impact and product approvals, as regulatory compliance and sustainability become increasingly important considerations for both manufacturers and consumers.

Key players in the rheology modifiers market, including DuPont, Nouryon, and Solvay, continually strive for market growth through initiatives such as product launches, geographical expansions, and technological innovations. These efforts are aimed at meeting the evolving needs of diverse industries while ensuring sustainable business practices.

In conclusion, the rheology modifiers market presents significant opportunities for growth and innovation, driven by factors such as category market growths, economic conditions, and product approvals. As industries continue to seek solutions for enhanced performance and sustainability, rheology modifiers will remain indispensable across various sectors, shaping the future landscape of industrial and consumer applications.

View Free PDF Sample Report

Market Overview

The global Rheology Modifiers Market is witnessing significant growth driven by diverse applications across various industries. Viscosity thickeners play a pivotal role in enhancing product consistency and performance, particularly in paints and coating products and beauty products. These modifiers aid in controlling sedimentation and improving the flow behavior of liquid coating, ensuring better application and durability. Moreover, in sectors like crude oil, rheology modifiers are essential for optimizing extraction processes and maintaining operational efficiency. The market's expansion is also fueled by the increasing demand for specialized formulations catering to unique industrial requirements. As industries continue to prioritize product enhancement and efficiency, the demand for rheology modifiers is expected to surge

View Free PDF Sample Report

Related Reports:

The piperylene market size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.24% between 2022 and 2027. The market size is forecast to increase by USD 445.64 million.

The calcium carbonate (CaCO3) market size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% between 2022 and 2027. The market size is forecast to increase by USD 15,537.48 million.

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 comprises enterprises of all sizes, including over 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
White House does not consider loans best way to provide assistance to Ukraine

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said that congressmen should approve additional aid to Ukraine, and not discuss ideas about providing this financing on credit.

Jean-Pierre said at a briefing on Tuesday, referring to an aid option previously approved by the U.S. Senate, that we have seen Ukraine lose ground on the battlefield due to Congressional inaction over the past few months. Therefore, as he said, the only true option is to give Ukraine what it needs: an additional funding package.

U.S. Senator from the Republican Party Lindsey Graham, during his visit to Kyiv, told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the most likely way to provide American assistance is an interest-free loan. Similar ideas were previously voiced by former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Senate approved a $95 billion emergency spending package in February. The package includes $60 billion to help Kyiv, as well as funds for Israel, Taiwan and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. House Speaker Mike Johnson, in turn, refused to consider the document, demanding that Democrats first support tough reforms in U.S. immigration policy.
TAIPEI, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- March 31st serves as a critical reminder for digital citizens worldwide: World Backup Day. Industry advocates are calling on individuals to proactively secure their essential digital assets before April Fool's Day, a time notoriously exploited by cybercriminals through malicious software attacks. Astonishingly, research indicates that one in three people have yet to perform a backup of their mobile device data. This oversight is often attributed to a reluctance to invest in cloud storage solutions or a simple lack of know-how regarding the backup process. The consequence? Potential irreversible loss of invaluable digital memories and information.

Qubii Duo seamlessly backs up photos and videos while your phone is being charged.

Enter Qubii Duo, the latest innovation in data backup solutions and recipient of the Good Design Award. The device boasts an "automatic" backup feature that activates whenever the user charges their mobile phone to seamlessly preserve your photos, videos, contacts, FB/IG content, and more. Each time you recharge your phone, it jumps into action, ensuring your memories are safely stored. It's even smart enough to detect fresh content and avoid duplicate entries. Qubii Duo's patented locking function ensures data security, preventing unauthorized access, and provides users with the option to scale storage capacity as needed. The solution stands out for its commitment to privacy, allowing for secure offline data backup without the recurring costs associated with cloud storage services. It supports both iOS and Android devices, including iPads and tablets, and facilitates effortless data transfer to computers via its plug-and-play feature, requiring no internet connection. This cross-platform compatibility ensures a seamless transition for users changing or upgrading their mobile devices, making Qubii Duo an indispensable tool in the digital era.

In the competitive tech landscape, the Qubii Duo has emerged as a remarkable success story, selling millions of units across the globe. Its seamless integration with Apple devices, courtesy of its MFi certification, along with a design focused on user experience, has resonated well with consumers. Maktar is celebrating this achievement by offering a special promotion for the Qubii Duo from March 18 to April 5. For those intrigued by its widespread acclaim, more information is available on the Qubii Duo promotion website.

About Maktar: A global startup brand specializing in the development and design of mobile phone peripherals.

Discover Maktar's region-specific product selections:

Maktar United Kingdom: https://r.maktar.com/UK

Maktar USA: https://r.maktar.com/us331

CONTACT: Nancy, [email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2364027/Maktar.jpg
INDIANAPOLIS, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Scale Computing , a market leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions, today announced finalists for the 2024 Scale Computing Platform Summit Awards. Winners will be announced at the Scale Computing Platform Summit (Platform//2024), held April 16-18, 2024 at Resorts World Las Vegas. The second annual event is open to all Scale Computing customers, partners, and technology alliances.

The Scale Computing Platform Summit Awards recognize transformational leadership among Scale Computing Partners, Customers, and Technology Alliances. Finalists were placed into award categories based on demonstrated excellence in three key areas: innovation, collaboration, and growth.

A new category being introduced at the Scale Computing Platform 2024 is the "Customer Heroes Advocating Market Performance" CHAMP award. These Scale Computing customers partner with Scale Computing to share their SC//Platform use cases and success stories with the market at large. These Scale Computing CHAMP advocates leverage their collaboration with Scale Computing and its innovative technology to achieve results more accessible and faster, even when local IT resources are scarce. Scale Computing CHAMPS helps lead their organization to success by guaranteeing their IT infrastructure is highly reliable and available.

The 2024 Platform Summit Awards finalists include:

Partner Awards

Outstanding Partner Momentum Award

Five-Star Technology Solution

RMON

Clear Sky Tech

Natrix Technologies

Mobius

Tarsus Distribution

Edge Pioneer Partner Of The Year

X10 Technologies

ePlus

Scale Computing Partner Of The Year - Domestic

KT Connections

Link Computer Corporation

EOS Systems

CDW

Elevity

Turn Key Solutions

AmeriTech Pro

Scale Computing Partner Of The Year - International

X10 Technologies - Philippines

Boston Server & Storage Solutions GmbH

Servix Informatica

ET Works

Digitec ICT Ltd.

Belvoir Valley Solutions Limited

Distribution Partner Of The Year - Domestic

Climb Channel Solutions

Ingram Micro

Distribution Partner Of The Year - International

Synetcom Philippines

Titan Data Solutions Limited

Portland Europe

Africa Plus Distribution Direct

MVP Sales

Greg Simmons , Five-Star Technology Solutions

, Five-Star Technology Solutions William Edwards , International Data Link

, International Data Link Scott Armitage, New Cyber Source

Dan Guelich, Link Computer Corporation

Eric Rivest, Natrix

Jon Moore , ET Works

, ET Works Cali Manding, X10 Technologies - Philippines

Wolfgang Zugarav, Boston

MVP Technical

Matt Gaudu, International Data Link

Ryan Fackey, ProSource

Don Junker, Tiber Creek Consulting

David Van Remortel, CONNEX

Josh Moore, Elevity

Gary Beck , Beck Computer Systems

, Beck Computer Systems Mike Ross, Holistec

Lyndon Villas , Synetcom

MSP Leadership

KT Connections

PCS, Inc.

RBS Managed IT Services

Elevity

365IT (UPONSCALE)

Enchacloud

Customer Awards

IT Leadership In Edge

In-N-Out Burger

Harrison Steel Castings Co.

Seaspan Ship Management

Delhaize

IT Leadership In Data Center

Central Bancorp

Central Florida Electric Cooperative Inc.

City of Woodstock

CKenergy Electric Cooperative

Community Health Connections

Elder Outreach Administrative Solutions

Infinity Natural Resources

Lakeland School Corporation

Lithion Battery, Inc.

Machen McChesney

Martell Sales and Service

and Service PB2 Architects

Rhode Island Credit Union

State Bank of Southern Utah

Thompson IG

Town of Kennebunk

Virginia Tech

Scale Computing Champions

Anthony Horzempa , Senior Project Analyst, Syracuse University

, Senior Project Analyst, Shane Rogers , IT Director, The Harrison Steel Castings Co.

, IT Director, The Harrison Steel Castings Co. Tim Bramham , Director of Technology, Kingston Police

, Director of Technology, Police Wally Wheadon , Director, IT Infrastructure, Ventura Foods

, Director, IT Infrastructure, Ventura Foods Kevin Moreland , Department of Information Technology, Summit County Board of Elections

, Department of Information Technology, Board of Elections John Stuplich , System Admin, Kolbe Windows & Doors

Technology Alliance Awards

Scale Computing added three new awards to honor its Technology Alliances this year. Those awards include:

Tech Leadership Award: Acknowledging the sponsor who has shown exemplary leadership and vision in the tech industry. Nominees include:

Opentext

Acronis

Mako Networks

Lenovo

Simply NUC

Eaton

Marketing Innovator Award: Honoring the sponsor who has demonstrated creativity and effectiveness in utilizing meet-in-channel strategies to drive business growth and engagement with partners. Nominees include:

Simply NUC

Eaton

Mako Networks

Lenovo

Partnership Excellence Award: Celebrating the sponsor who has formed outstanding partnerships and collaborations within the tech and partner community. Nominees include:

Eaton

Mako Networks

Lenovo

Simply NUC

Dell

Platform//2024 is an immersive three-day event featuring educational sessions, thought leadership panels, Scale Computing company updates and insights, advanced training opportunities, and ample networking. Discussions will explore the latest advancements in virtualization technology, edge computing, hybrid cloud, AI, automation, data security, and more. This year's program includes a speaker lineup of technology leaders from key Scale Computing customers and partners who will offer expert insights around their direct experience with Scale Computing, including use cases and benefits of the infrastructure technology. Speakers include:

Jonny Smith  CEO, SimplyNUC

 CEO, SimplyNUC Flavio Bonomi  Digital Transformation Executive & Solutions Architect, Accenture

 Digital Transformation Executive & Solutions Architect, Accenture Brian Chambers  Chief Architect, Chamber of Secrets

 Chief Architect, Chamber of Secrets Andy Brauer  CTO, Encha Cloud

 CTO, Encha Cloud Tim Bramham  Director of IT, Kingston Police

 Director of IT, Police Simon Gamble  President and Co-Founder, Mako Networks

 President and Co-Founder, Mako Networks Steven Henshaw  Senior R&D Engineer, Large Fast Casual Restaurant Chain

 Senior R&D Engineer, Large Fast Casual Restaurant Chain Anthony Horzempa  Senior Project Analyst, Syracuse University

 Senior Project Analyst, Frederic Masson  CEO, UPONSCALE and 365IT

John Stuplich  System Administrator, Kolbe Windows and Doors

"At Scale Computing, the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and growth permeates everything we do, fueling both our internal culture and our partnerships," said Jeff Ready, CEO and co-founder of Scale Computing. "The Platform Summit Awards finalists embody these values by consistently pushing boundaries and driving positive outcomes for their organizations. We're thrilled to recognize and celebrate their achievements in Las Vegas this year. Platform Summit is more than a conference; it's a catalyst for knowledge sharing, connection, and collective advancement. We look forward to welcoming and celebrating our community of customers, partners, and technology alliances at this year's event."

To learn more about the conference and to register for Platform//2024, please visit the Scale Computing Platform Summit event website .

About Scale Computing

Scale Computing is a leader in edge computing, virtualization, and hyperconverged solutions. Using patented HyperCore technology, Scale Computing Platform automatically identifies, mitigates, and corrects infrastructure problems in real-time, enabling applications to achieve maximum uptime, even when local IT resources and staff are scarce. Edge Computing is the fastest-growing area of IT infrastructure, and industry analysts have named Scale Computing an outperformer and leader in the space, including being named the #1 edge computing vendor by CRN. Scale Computing's products are sold by thousands of value-added resellers, integrators, and service providers worldwide. When ease-of-use, high availability, and TCO matter, Scale Computing Platform is the ideal infrastructure platform. Read what our customers have to say on Gartner Peer Insights , G2 , and TrustRadius .

SOURCE Scale Computing
Fan-Favorite "Jamaican Me Happy" Inspires New Collection with Happiness-Inspired Names

ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring into "World Happiness Day" on March 20 with the new Seagram's Escapes Jamaican Me Happiness Collection, featuring four tasty flavors!

"In celebration of 'happiness,' Seagram's Escapes is toasting the everyday happy moments that come with treating yourself," said Jaime Polisoto, Seagram's Escapes brand director. "We developed a variety of fresh flavor combinations because part of the fun is experiencing something new and delicious. Each flavor in the collection is named and designed to make people smile!"

Celebrate "World Happiness Day" with Seagram's Escapes NEW Jamaican Me Happiness Collection! Post this Spring into World Happiness Day with the new Seagrams Escapes Jamaican Me Happiness Collection featuring four fun flavors!

At 3.2% ABV, the new Seagram's Escapes Happiness Collection comes just in time to toast good times with family and friends. This delicious collection was inspired by and includes the brand's best-selling flavor: Jamaican Me Happy, along with three new, fun fruit flavors: Jamaican Me Smile, Jamaican Me Sunny and Jamaican Me Glow.

""Help us celebrate World Happiness Day by grabbing Jamaican Me Happiness Collection and finding your happy place with every sip". said Jaime Polisoto, Seagram's Escapes brand director.

About Seagram's Escapes Jamaican Me Happiness Collection :

Seagram's Escapes introduced the Jamaican Me Happiness Collection in 2024. Inspired by the brand's #1 best-selling flavor: Jamaican Me Happy, the Happiness Collection includes the brand's flagship flavor along with three delicious new, fruit combinations:

Jamaican Me Smile, top-noted with orange flavor

Jamaican Me Sunny, featuring tropical pineapple flavor

Jamaican Me Glow, boasting passionfruit flavor

With a refreshing blend of watermelon, lemon, guava, and strawberry flavor, Jamaican Me Happy consistently ranks in the top 10 across the U.S. for most popular flavored malt beverages.

The Jamaican Me Happiness Collection is now available across the U.S. at major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Kroger. In addition to variety packs of 11.2 oz. bottles or 12 oz. cans, fans can find 7.5 oz cans of Jamaican Me Sunny and Jamaican Me Happy. All varieties contain 3.2% ABV.

Stay connected with Seagram's Escapes on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook & Pinterest. Always Drink Responsibly. 2024 The Seagram Beverage Company, www.seagramsescapes.com. The Seagram Beverage Company is owned by FIFCO USA. For more information, please go to: https://www.fifcousa.com.

 Circana TTL US MULO, Traditional FMB 4pk & 6pks, Brand Extensions, Flavor Groups, Dollars Per Week Per Store Selling

Media Contact

Carla M. Mancuso

585-317-9268

[email protected]

SOURCE Seagrams Escapes
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against British American Tobacco p.l.c. ("BAT" or the "Company") (NYSE: BTI). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

The class action concerns whether BAT and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

You have until March 25, 2024 , to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired BAT securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

In January 2017, BAT, which already had a 42% stake in Reynolds American Inc. ("Reynolds"), took over the remaining interest in Reynolds for $49.4 billion dollars, valuing Reynolds at around $86 billion. This resulted in Reynolds becoming a BAT subsidiary. In doing so, BAT took control of the Camel, Newport, and Natural American Spirit cigarette brands (the "Premium American Cigarette Brands" or the "Brands"), among others, which are considered to be premium cigarettes.

On December 6, 2023, BAT issued a press release announcing that it was taking a 25 billion Pound (or around $31.5 billion USD) impairment (the "Impairment") on the cigarette brands it acquired from Reynolds. It stated, in relevant part: "Consistent with our vision to 'Build a Smokeless World', and in combination with the current macro-economic headwinds impacting the U.S. combustibles industry, in 2023 we will take an accounting non-cash adjusting impairment charge of around 25bn. This accounting adjustment mainly relates to some of our acquired U.S. combustibles brands, as we now assess their carrying value and useful economic lives over an estimated period of 30 years. Accordingly, we will commence amortisation of the remaining value of our U.S. combustibles brands from January 2024."

On this news, BAT's American depositary receipt ("ADR") price fell $2.68 per ADR, or 8.88%, to close at $28.86 on December 6, 2023.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Evolution AB ("Evolution" or the "Company") (OTC: EVVTY). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 7980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

The class action concerns whether Evolution and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

You have until March 25, 2024 , to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you are a shareholder who purchased or otherwise acquired Evolution securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On January 24, 2022, Analyst Alpha Generation Limited released a report on Evolution (the "Report") to certain institutional investors. According to subsequent media coverage, the Report stated that (i) a significant portion of Evolution's revenue "could be at risk due to future regulatory clampdowns," and (ii) Evolution was "exposed to revenues from what we [the authors of the Report] believe to be illegal gambling activities."

On this news, Evolution's American Depositary Share ("ADS") price fell $19.78 per ADS, or 14.68%, over the following three trading sessions, to close at $115.00 per ADS on January 27, 2022.

On April 26, 2022 (that is, on April 25, 2022 in the United States), Australia's gambling regulator announced that it had requested that Australian internet service provides block six online gambling sites, the operators of at least five of which were direct or indirect customers of Evolution's, alleging that the sites were engaged in illegal gambling.

On this news, Evolution's ADS price fell $6.02 per ADS, or 6.22%, over the following two trading sessions, to close at $96.73 per ADS on April 27, 2022.

On May 4, 2022, industry press reported that the Swedish Administrative Court had upheld most of the record Swedish fines of 175 million Swedish Krona (approximately $17.8 million) that had been imposed on brands operated by ComeOn Group, a subsidiary of Cherry AB (publ), a customer of Evolution's, in relation to breaches of Swedish online gambling regulations.

On this news, Evolution's ADS price fell $12.34 per ADS, or 10.88%, to close at $101.09 per ADS on May 5, 2022.

On May 7, 2022, media outlets reported that industry participants had lobbied the UK government against an overhaul of gambling laws in the UK.

On this news, Evolution's ADS price fell $14.84 per ADS, or 14.54%, over the following three trading sessions, to close at $87.25 per ADS on May 11, 2022.

On April 27, 2023, Evolution released its financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2023. Among other items, the Company disclosed that Evolution's revenue from the RNG segment of its business did not grow, and that its North American business segment had experienced a low growth rate.

On this news, Evolution's ADS price fell $11.24 per ADS, or 8.23%, over the following four trading sessions, to close at $125.26 per ADS on May 2, 2023.

Finally, on October 26, 2023, Evolution released its financial and operating results for the third quarter of 2023 and held an analyst call to discuss the results. In its quarterly report and on the analyst call, Evolution disclosed that the Company faced delays in opening new studios and that revenues for its RNG and North American business segments did not grow.

On this news, Evolution's ADS price fell $7.15 per ADS, or 7.61%, over the following two trading sessions, to close at $86.80 per ADS on October 27, 2023.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Daqo New Energy Corp. ("Daqo" or the "Company") (NYSE: DQ). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether Daqo and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On August 3, 2023, Daqo announced that its Chairman and Founder, Guangfu Xu, would step down from his position as Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective immediately, but would remain as a director on the Board. The Company also announced that Longgen Zhang will step down from his roles as Chief Executive Officer and as a director of the Company with immediate effect due to personal reasons.

On this news, Daqo's American depositary receipt ("ADR") price fell $1.71 per ADR, or 4.74%, to close at $34.34 per ADR on August 3, 2023.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Fair Isaac Corporation ("FICO" or the "Company") (NYSE: FICO). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether FICO and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On March 12, 2024, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley sent a letter to the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, urging it to investigate FICO's "potentially anticompetitive practices." In the letter, Senator Hawley asserted that FICO "appears to be using its monopolistic power of the credit scoring market to increase costs for mortgage lendersan increase that will be passed onto consumers." Senator Hawley accused FICO of "astronomically hik[ing] its prices" "[i]n an apparent abuse of this market power".

Following publication of Senator Hawley's letter, FICO's stock price fell $82.77 per share, or 6.23%, to close at $1,245.82 per share on March 13, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of JBS S.A. ("JBS" or the "Company") (OTC: JBSAY). Such investors are advised to contact Danielle Peyton at [email protected] or 646-581-9980, ext. 7980.

The investigation concerns whether JBS and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.

[Click here for information about joining the class action]

On February 28, 2024, Reuters published an article entitled "New York sues meatpacking giant JBS over climate claims." The article reported, in relevant part, that New York State's Attorney General has "accused [JBS] of misleading the public about its impact on the environment in order to boost sales. Attorney General Letitia James said JBS USA Food Co, the Brazilian company's American-based unit, has 'no viable plan' to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, making its stated commitment to achieving that goal false and misleading."

On this news, JBS's American Depositary Receipt ("ADR") price fell $0.22 per share, or 2.38%, to close at $9.02 per share on February 28, 2024.

Pomerantz LLP, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Tel Aviv, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, Pomerantz pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 85 years later, Pomerantz continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered billions of dollars in damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:

Danielle Peyton

Pomerantz LLP

[email protected]

646-581-9980 ext. 7980

SOURCE Pomerantz LLP
The space semiconductor market has expanded as a result of rise in maritime border dispute among neighboring countries, rise in procurement of naval vessels owing to growing defense budget, and technological advancement.

WILMINGTON, Del., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Space Semiconductor Market by Type (Radiation Hardened Grade and Radiation Tolerant Grade), Component (Integrated Circuits, Discrete Semiconductors Devices, Optical Devices, Microprocessor, Memory, Sensors, and Others), and Application (Satellite, Launch Vehicles, Deep Space Probe, and Rover and Lander): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20232032.

According to the report, the global space semiconductor industry size generated $2,122.9 million in 2022 and is anticipated to generate $4,813.8 million by 2032, witnessing a CAGR of 8.8% from 2023 to 2032.

(We are providing space semiconductor industry report as per your research requirement, including the Latest Industry Insight's Evolution, Potential and Russia-Ukraine War Impact Analysis)

160 - Tables

55 - Charts

445  Pages

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Prime Determinants of Growth

Space semiconductors include the increasing demand for satellite communication and Earth observation, advancements in satellite technology, the rise of satellite constellations, expanding space exploration initiatives, and the need for reliable and radiation-hardened components in space missions. Furthermore, the growing need for global connectivity, internet access, and data transmission drives the demand for satellite communication systems. Additionally, the rise in Earth observation applications for purposes such as weather monitoring, disaster management, agriculture, and urban planning contribute to the demand for space-based sensors and imaging systems, which rely on semiconductor components for data processing and transmission.

Report Coverage and Details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20232032 Base Year 2022 Market Size In 2022 $2,122.9 Million Market Size In 2032 $4,813.8 Million CAGR 8.8 % No. Of Pages in Report 445 Segments Covered Type, Component, Application and Region. Drivers Rise In Satellite Deployment Advancement In Space Exploration Miniaturization And Power Efficiency Opportunity Emerging Markets for Small Satellites Restraints Harsh Environmental Conditions Stringent Qualification Processes

Impact of Russia-Ukraine War Scenario on Space Semiconductor Industry

On February 24, 2022 , the Russia - Ukraine war led to increased geopolitical tensions, which might have unexpected effects on the space semiconductor industry. International commercial ties may be strained by increased political uncertainty and instability, which could lead to supply chain delays and market volatility.

, the - war led to increased geopolitical tensions, which might have unexpected effects on the space semiconductor industry. International commercial ties may be strained by increased political uncertainty and instability, which could lead to supply chain delays and market volatility. In addition, large amounts of certain semiconductor materials, like neon gas, are made in Ukraine and are used in the semiconductor manufacturing process. Any disruption to supply chains for semiconductors coming from Ukraine may have an effect on the price and availability of semiconductor components, including those used in space-grade applications. Furthermore, as a result of the conflict, some countries may choose to review their military plans and increase their investments in space-based systems and technology. This could lead to a rise in the market for space-grade semiconductors in order to support military satellite programs, communications systems, and other defense-related applications.

Recent Advancements in the Space Semiconductor Sector Showcase Notable Collaborations and Innovations:

In August 2021 , BAE Systems joined forces with Global Foundries to fabricate a radiation-hardened single-board computer tailored for space applications. This cutting-edge computer offers Power Architecture software-compatible processing, surpassing the capabilities of the RAD750 radiation-hardened general-purpose processor while consuming lower power, enhancing spacecraft efficiency.

, BAE Systems joined forces with Global Foundries to fabricate a radiation-hardened single-board computer tailored for space applications. This cutting-edge computer offers Power Architecture software-compatible processing, surpassing the capabilities of the RAD750 radiation-hardened general-purpose processor while consuming lower power, enhancing spacecraft efficiency. By October 2023 , semiconductor leader Infineon Technologies had expanded its co-innovation hub in Singapore , bolstering support for startups in their product development endeavors. This collaborative effort, in conjunction with Korean SMEs and startup agencies, aims to drive innovation in decarbonization and digitalization. Infineon's expanded facility underscores its dedication to nurturing sustainable innovation for the future.

, semiconductor leader Infineon Technologies had expanded its co-innovation hub in , bolstering support for startups in their product development endeavors. This collaborative effort, in conjunction with Korean SMEs and startup agencies, aims to drive innovation in decarbonization and digitalization. Infineon's expanded facility underscores its dedication to nurturing sustainable innovation for the future. In September 2023 , Northrop Grumman's U.K. division partnered with British startup Space Forge, which endeavors to manufacture semiconductors in space. This strategic alliance promises groundbreaking advancements in space-based semiconductor production.

, Northrop Grumman's U.K. division partnered with British startup Space Forge, which endeavors to manufacture semiconductors in space. This strategic alliance promises groundbreaking advancements in space-based semiconductor production. Teledyne U.K. Limited, a subsidiary of Teledyne Technologies, announced in June 2020 the development of new space-grade semiconductor FPGAs in collaboration with Xilinx, Inc., marking a significant milestone in space electronics technology.

the development of new space-grade semiconductor FPGAs in collaboration with Xilinx, Inc., marking a significant milestone in space electronics technology. In April 2023 , Presto Engineering teamed up with SatixFy to qualify and test radiation-hardened ASICs for deployment in space. These ASICs boast features like error-correcting codes and specialized semiconductor processes, mitigating the risk of radiation-induced errors and enhancing reliability in space missions.

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The radiation hardened grade segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

On the basis of type, the radiation hardened grade segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global space semiconductor market revenue. This is attributed to the fact that radiation hardened grade semiconductor components are specifically designed and manufactured to withstand the harsh radiation environment present in space. Given that space missions expose electronic systems to various forms of radiation, including cosmic rays and solar radiation, radiation hardened grade components are essential for ensuring the reliability and longevity of these systems.

However, the radiation tolerant grade segment is projected to manifest the fastest CAGR of 12.2% from 2023 to 2032. This is attributed to the fact that radiation-tolerant components offer a balance between radiation resilience and cost-effectiveness, making them suitable for a wide range of space missions with varying requirements. Semiconductor manufacturers can develop radiation-tolerant components that meet the specific needs of different missions, providing flexibility and versatility to space system designers.

The integrated circuits segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

On the basis of component, the integrated circuits segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for around one-third of the global space semiconductor market revenue. This is attributed to the fact that integrated circuits offer high performance and efficiency, making them well-suited for space applications where reliability and functionality are paramount. Semiconductor manufacturers are continually improving the performance of ICs, including higher processing speeds, lower power consumption, and increased functionality, which are critical for meeting the demanding requirements of space missions.

However, the sensors segment is projected to manifest the fastest CAGR of 13.5% from 2023 to 2032. This is attributed to the fact that space missions require a wide variety of sensors to meet different operational needs. These include temperature sensors, pressure sensors, inertial sensors (such as accelerometers and gyroscopes), radiation sensors, imaging sensors, and more. Each sensor type serves specific purposes in different phases of a mission, from launch and orbit to landing or reentry.

The satellite segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

On the basis of application, satellite segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than one-third of the global space semiconductor market revenue and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is attributed to the fact that satellites are essential components of modern communication, navigation, Earth observation, and scientific research networks. They serve as critical infrastructure for a wide range of applications, including telecommunications, broadcasting, weather forecasting, navigation, surveillance, and disaster management.

Semiconductor components are fundamental to the operation of satellites, driving the demand for space-grade semiconductors. However, the launch vehicles segment is projected to manifest the fastest CAGR of 10.0% from 2023 to 2032. This is due to the fact that launch vehicle manufacturers are continuously striving to reduce the size, weight, and power consumption of onboard electronics to increase payload capacity and improve overall efficiency. This trend drives the demand for compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient semiconductor components, including microcontrollers, sensors, communication modules, and power management ICs.

North America to maintain its dominance by 2032

On the basis of region, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2022, accounting for more than one-third of the global space semiconductor market revenue. This is attributed to the fact that the U.S. is a global leader in semiconductor technology and innovation, with a robust ecosystem of semiconductor manufacturers, research institutions, and technology companies.

North American semiconductor manufacturers are at the forefront of developing advanced semiconductor components tailored for space applications, including radiation-hardened integrated circuits, sensors, and communication chips. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 12.0% from 2023 to 2032. This is attributed to the region's expanding space programs, increasing satellite launches, growing demand for space-based services, and the rise of indigenous semiconductor manufacturing capabilities.

Key Highlights of the Report:

The study of the space semiconductor market encompasses analysis across more than 16 countries, offering insights into each country's segment value ($million) throughout the forecast period.

This research integrates top-notch data, expert opinions, and rigorous analysis, supplemented by significant independent perspectives. The methodology is designed to present a well-rounded view of the global market landscape, aiding stakeholders in making informed decisions to attain ambitious growth objectives.

A comprehensive review of over 3,700 product literature pieces, annual reports, industry statements, and comparable materials from leading industry players was conducted to deepen the understanding of the market dynamics.

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Leading Market Players: -

BAE Systems

CASE

Honeywell International Inc.

Infineon Technologies AG

Microchip Technology Inc.

Solid State Devices

STMicroelectronics

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated

Texas Instruments Incorporated

AMD-Xilinx, Inc.

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players of the global space semiconductor market. These players have adopted different strategies such as expansion and product launch to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

About Us

Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SparkMeter is set to bring smart grid monitoring and analytics capability to the island nation's 130+ cooperative and investor owned utilities, while leading the deployment of pilot projects for improved grid operations and renewables integration

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkMeter, a provider of grid management services, equipment, and software solutions that enable the delivery of reliable, cost effective and clean energy across Africa, Asia and the Americas, announced today that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) of the Philippines has granted a compliance certificate for SparkMeter's metering solutions. This accreditation not only enables SparkMeter to market and distribute its products across the Philippines but also aligns with the nation's ambitious energy goals to reduce the dependency on traditional energy sources and transition to renewable alternatives. This accreditation fosters collaborations with electricity cooperatives and investor-owned utilities, with whom SparkMeter has established several preliminary pilots.

In response to the country's looming energy crisis, the Philippines has recently adopted an ambitious national goal to increase the share of renewable energy in its power generation mix to 35 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050. This initiative is crucial due to the impending depletion of the nation's current energy source, natural gas, projected to occur by 2027 , compounded by the country's expanding population and escalating energy costs. While the country is currently behind on these efforts, grid modernization can accelerate the incorporation of renewable energy sources. SparkMeter's proven technology promises first-of-its-kind end-to-end metering alongside operational analytics to digitize the grid and augment renewable integration across the nation's 7,000+ islands.

To date, SparkMeter has multiple pilots in progress in the Philippines, improving two-way communication between several utilities and their customers. Through these projects, utilities are able to obtain smart grid analytics through SparkMeter's GridScan software catering to various utility needs including transformer loading analysis, customer outage detection and analysis, and revenue loss analysis. In addition, utilities can now give their end consumers control of their energy consumption, improving customer satisfaction.

"The energy hurdles the Philippines are facing today mirrors the bumpy path other nations  especially islands  are battling as they transition to cleaner energy sources and highlights the need for smart grids and smart metering globally," said Dan Schnitzer, CEO of SparkMeter. "After years of piloting our technology in the Philippines, we're looking forward to taking our efforts to the next level to future-proof the country's grids, while making this special island nation the blueprint for many others."

SparkMeter is bringing plug-and-play grid management technology to address the needs of utilities in all markets, currently operating in over 25 countries today. This certificate comes on the heels of SparkMeter's strategic $5 million investment and global partnership with Honeywell Smart Energy to bring smart grids across the United States and Africa.

About SparkMeter

Founded in 2013, SparkMeter provides grid-management solutions tailored to emerging markets, where 2.1 billion people live without reliable electricity access. Its simple plug-and-play solution enables microgrids and distribution utilities operating in remote locations to access a range of features  flexible billing, customer communications, and remote monitoring and control  that improve their operations and help them achieve financial sustainability.

SOURCE SparkMeter
Ramstein coalition pledges to allocate over $88 bln in military aid to Ukraine over almost two years  Pentagon head

The member countries of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have collected more than $88 billion in military assistance commitments in almost two years, and today the coalition works in two directions: providing for the short-term needs of Ukrainian forces and long-term support.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said at a briefing on the results of the 20th Ramstein meeting that over the nearly two years of this contact group's work, Ukraine has received more than $88 billion in security assistance commitments.

He noted that 15 allies have allocated more funds to Ukraine than the United States, based on their share of GDP.

The head of the Pentagon indicated that the coalition now continues to work in two directions to help Ukraine.

The U.S. Secretary of Defense said that first, they are working together to provide short-term support to Ukrainian troops. And second, they are working diligently with Ukraine's leaders to plan for its long-term defense and deterrence. This long-term support is based on coalitions of capabilities, and they are already in motion.

He also noted that today the survival of Ukraine is under threat and not a single day can be lost.
PHOENIX, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The purpose of the RBG Leadership Award is to remember Justice Ginsburg and to honor her. She changed America by teaching us that all are EQUAL. The opportunities available to millions of women in the last 50 years speak for itself.

The Opperman Foundation asks nothing of anybody. It is not a business. It is not a government agency. It is not political. It is not a fundraising mechanism. Its purpose is only to do good; to honor RBG; to reflect on her legacy and leadership; and in her name, to identify other leaders who have made a contribution to our world, not just through the law.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg Leadership Award gala canceled Post this

This year we selected leaders in different fields. We honored men for the first time. We thought RBG's teachings regarding EQUALITY should be practiced. We did not consider politics. Instead, we focused on leaders, who, in their own way, have made significant contributions to society.

Keeping in mind that our goal is only to do good, the Foundation is not interested in creating controversy. It is not interested in generating a debate about whether particular honorees are worthy or not. And while Justice Ginsburg's concept of EQUALITY for women was very controversial for most of her life, the Foundation does not intend to enter the fray. Indeed, Justice Ginsburg was known for her civility.

It is important to note, that the last thing we intended was to offend the family and friends of RBG. Our purpose was only to remember her and to honor her leadership. And, while we believe each of the honorees is worthy of our respect for their leadership and their notable contributions, the Foundation has decided that the planned ceremony in April 2024 will be canceled.

Over the next several months the Foundation will reconsider its mission and make a judgment about how or whether to proceed in the future. We will consider whether there is a way forward that can bring honor and joy to the process with a minimum amount of controversy.

This is the only statement that will be made on this subject.

Signed,

Julie Opperman

Chairman

Dwight D. Opperman Foundation

SOURCE Dwight D. Opperman Foundation
SBT-589 showed mitochondrial protection across models of Friedreich's ataxia

SBT-589 displayed cardioprotective effects in aggressive mouse model of FA cardiomyopathy

Ongoing studies are expected to build on these insights as SBT-589 progresses through developmental stage-gates

NEEDHAM, Mass., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stealth BioTherapeutics Inc. (the "Company" or "Stealth"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction, announced today the presentation of new SBT-589 data demonstrating cardioprotective effects across pre-clinical models of Friedreich's ataxia (FA). The data were presented at the Wellcome Trust Conference on Mitochondrial Medicine  Therapeutic Development, held March 18-20, 2024, in Cambridge, England.

FA is a chronic disease of metabolic disruption that is typically diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, is inexorably progressive and usually results in premature death from cardiomyopathy or heart failure. There are no approved therapies for the progressive cardiomyopathy, which is linked to severe mitochondrial dysfunction, and is the leading cause of early death in this devastating disease.

SBT-589 is a promising novel molecule that acts on mitochondrial pathways essential for cellular health and energy production that are impaired in FA cardiomyopathy. To evaluate the potential of SBT-589 in FA, a series of studies were conducted in FA patient-derived cells, isolated heart mitochondria, and an aggressive mouse model of FA cardiomyopathy. SBT-589 improved bioenergetics in FA patient-derived cells and mitochondria. In an FA mouse model with prominent cardiac hypertrophy and aggressive mortality, mice treated with once-daily SBT-589 displayed significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy and a delay in the onset of mortality compared to vehicle-treated mice.

"Mitochondrial dysfunction is a central contributor to pathology in Friedreich's ataxia, a disease in which heart failure and sudden cardiac events are among the leading causes of mortality," said David A. Brown, Senior Vice President, Discovery. "Mitigating heart disease in FA is central to Stealth's ongoing efforts to improve the lives of individuals with FA. The new findings presented today support continued development of SBT-589 as a potentially disease-modifying therapy to address the unmet need in cardiomyopathy associated with Friedreich's ataxia."

The data were presented by Dr. Laura E. Kropp, Senior Manager of Discovery Biology at Stealth, and recipient of the Keith Michael Andrus Cardiac Award from the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance.

About Friedreich's Ataxia

Friedreich's ataxia is a rare genetic disease affecting an estimated 1 in 50,000 individuals in the United States. The disease is caused by a defect in the frataxin gene resulting in a relative deficiency of frataxin, leading to mitochondrial iron accumulation and oxidative stress. More than 90% of patients with Friedreich's ataxia experience progressive cardiomyopathy which usually becomes fatal by early adulthood and is the leading cause of early mortality.

About Stealth BioTherapeutics

Stealth BioTherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapies for age-related and rare genetic diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction. The Company is initiating Phase 3 clinical trials of elamipretide, its lead investigational product candidate, in dry age-related macular degeneration. Elamipretide is also being tested in a fully enrolled Phase 3 clinical trial in primary mitochondrial myopathy, a rare skeletal myopathic disease caused by nuclear DNA mutations, and is the subject of a New Drug Application for Barth syndrome, an ultra-rare cardioskeletal disease. The Company is evaluating its second-generation clinical-stage candidate, SBT-272, for ophthalmic and neurological disease indications. The Company has a deep pipeline of novel mitochondria-targeted compounds under evaluation as therapeutic product candidates. Several of these lead compounds, including SBT-589, have progressed through pre-clinical development stage-gates and toward IND-enabling studies.

Investor Contact

Kendall Investor Relations

Adam Bero, Ph.D.

[email protected]

[email protected]

Media Contact

Anna Stallman Communications

Anna Stallman

[email protected]

SOURCE Stealth BioTherapeutics Inc.
Worldwide Celebration on April 30

PARIS and WASHINGTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2024 edition of International Jazz Day will be celebrated in more than 190 countries on April 30. UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock are pleased to announce that the city of Tangier, Morocco will serve as the Global Host and will anchor the International Jazz Day programs around the world.

"The designation of Tangier marks the first time a city on the African continent will host International Jazz Day, the world's largest and most significant celebration of jazz," said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.

Presented in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Morocco and the City of Tangier, the four-day celebration (April 27-30) will emphasize the city's jazz heritage and highlight cultural and artistic ties between people in Morocco, Europe and Africa. A series of education programs will include events for students of all ages, a special presentation showcasing the significance of Morocco's Gnawa music and its connection with jazz, and conversations about the history of jazz and its impact on Tangier, among others. A culminating All-Star Global Concert at the beautiful, new Palace of Arts and Culture of Tangier  an architectural masterpiece  will be broadcast via YouTube, Facebook, the United Nations and UNESCO to millions of viewers worldwide.

Music enthusiasts can look forward to legendary figures of jazz, blues and beyond electrifying the city of Tangier  and screens throughout the world. Led by iconic pianist Herbie Hancock and Musical Director John Beasley (USA), the All-Star Global Concert will feature performances by an international roster of artists from all corners of the globe, including master Gnawa musician Abdellah El Gourd (Morocco). Other confirmed artists include: Claudia Acuna (Chile), Ambrose Akinmusire (USA), Lakecia Benjamin (USA), Richard Bona (Cameroon), Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA), Moreira Chonguica (Mozambique), Shemekia Copeland (USA), Kurt Elling (USA), Antonio Farao (Italy), Melody Gardot (USA), Jazzmeia Horn (USA), JK Kim (Republic of Korea), Magnus Lindgren (Sweden), Romero Lubambo (Brazil), Marcus Miller (USA), Yasushi Nakamura (Japan), Tarek Yamani (Lebanon), and many more to be announced.

Located at the crossroads of Europe and Africa, Tangier is known as a melting pot of cultural expressions. Tangier boasts a long, rich history of jazz. Among the world-renowned jazz artists who performed and spent time in Tangier were Josephine Baker, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Mann and Archie Shepp. For many years, jazz master Randy Weston lived in Tangier, where he collaborated with Gnawa master Abdellah El Gourd to explore the roots of jazz and African music. Gnawa-jazz, a fusion of Morocco's traditional musical style and jazz, is appreciated across Morocco and far beyond.

Established by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2011 and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities worldwide every April 30. The annual International Jazz Day celebration highlights the power of jazz and its role in promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity and respect for human dignity.

International Jazz Day has become a global movement reaching more than 2 billion people annually on all continents through education programs, performances, community outreach, radio, television and streaming, along with electronic, print and social media. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting and producing International Jazz Day each year.

To learn more about International Jazz Day and register events on the official website, visit www.jazzday.com or www.unesco.org/en/international-jazz-day.

SOURCE Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz
JAKARTA, Indonesia, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading telecommunications provider Telkomsel and global ICT solutions provider Huawei have inaugurated Indonesia's first 5G Smart Warehouse and 5G Innovation Center in Bekasi Regency, West Java. This landmark facility showcases the potential of 5G technology to transform warehouse management, boosting operational efficiency and creating new opportunities for the logistics industry to support the digital economy leapfrog towards the Golden Indonesia Vision 2045.

Telkomsel and Huawei inaugurating Indonesia's first 5G Smart Warehouse togther with other partners Indonesia's first 5G Smart Warehouse

The inauguration ceremony was officiated by Mr. Long, CEO of Huawei Indonesia, and attended by dignitaries including Dr. Ir. Ismail MT, Director General of Resources Management and Equipment of Posts and Informatics, Ministry of Communication and Informatics; Indra Mardiatna, Telkomsel Director of Network; Derrick Heng, Telkomsel Marketing Director; Mahendra Rianto, Chairman of the Indonesian Logistics Association; and representatives from Bandung Institute of Technology, Telkom University, and other representatives from industry partners.

Director General Dr. Ir. Ismail MT emphasized, "Huawei's 5G Smart Warehouse stands as both a wake-up call and a quintessential model for the ecosystem, demonstrating the immediate and seamless integration of 5G technology into digitalization efforts. This integration evidently yields innovative solutions that extend benefits beyond the logistics sector to a multitude of industries. Such advancements are attainable solely through the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, united in the pursuit of accelerating the nation's digital transformation."

Mr. Long, CEO of Huawei Indonesia, highlighted Huawei's commitment to supporting the government and industry players to unlock Indonesia's digital opportunities. "At last year's Solo 5G summit, together with industry partners, we pledged to boost the 5G ecosystem. The 5G Smart Warehouse is a testament to the value that 5G technology can bring to traditional industries in Indonesia," he stated.

Indra Mardiatna, Telkomsel Director of Network remarked, "Aligned with Indonesia's vision of pioneering innovations that propel the nation's advancement, Telkomsel remains steadfast in its commitment to deliver superior connectivity, pioneering solutions, and inventive services designed to foster empowerment and catalyze expansive opportunities for entrepreneurial growth within the country. We are optimistic that the deployment of the 5G Smart Warehouse alongside the 5G Innovation Center's conceptual solutions will inaugurate a transformative era for professionals within the logistics sector, particularly by enhancing managerial competencies and amplifying the operational efficacy of warehousing systems. With the unwavering support of the government, courtesy of the Ministry of Communication and Information, and through synergistic partnerships with stakeholders including Huawei, industry associations, and the academic community, Telkomsel pledges to persist in championing the rapid evolution of Indonesia's digital commerce and economic landscape, with a focus on inclusive and sustainable progress"

The digital economy, which is expected to be a major catalyst for Indonesia's economy in the future, requires the backing of an efficient and effective logistics industry. Based on data from the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, Indonesia's logistics costs have decreased from 23.5% to 14.29% of gross domestic product by 2023.

Benefits of the 5G Smart Warehouse

The 5G Smart Warehouse leverages advanced technologies like IoT and big data analytics to streamline operations, enhance safety and security, increase efficiency, and reduce energy consumptions and lower potential unexpected losses.

Warehouse managers can use digital twins and real-time data analysis to optimize inventory management and prevent stockouts.

The 5G network also facilitates swift and accurate communication between staff and autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), ensuring efficient goods movement. Additionally, intelligent security systems powered by video and infrared sensors ensure warehouse safety.

Huawei's 5G BTS technology powering the warehouse features an energy consumption of just 5 watts, equivalent to a single energy-saving light bulb, making it a sustainable solution for the future.

SOURCE Huawei
Jenniffer F. Wilson, an accomplished professional with over three decades of dedicated service in the federal government sector, has earned accolades for her expertise in the auditing community promoting economy, efficiency, effectiveness, equity, and accountability in emergency relief and crisis response programs. Her unwavering commitment to public service and her remarkable achievements have solidified her standing as a leader in her field.

As the associate director of oversight and accountability for the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee from April 2021 to October 2023, Jenniffer Wilson has played a pivotal role in the coordinated oversight of the over $5 trillion in COVID-19 relief and response funds. Her leadership and extensive experience have also been instrumental in supporting mission critical initiatives during times of crisis in other capacities. Most notably, Jenniffer Wilson conducted independent oversight of economic stability programs in support of the 2008 financial crisis as the Deputy Assistant Inspector for Audit and Evaluation at the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Jenniffer Wilson also held high-profile positions at the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, including a two-year assignment in Afghanistan from 2011-2013, and served in a critical role at the Defense Intelligence Agency providing significant mission and technical support to the UK and U.S. intelligence community. Jenniffer Wilson is currently serving as an Assistant Director at the Government Accountability Office in the Center for Audit Excellence where she provides training, technical assistance, and mentoring to international audit institutions on projects.

Jenniffer Wilson's expertise extends to IT systems, fraud risk, and internal controls, where she has demonstrated exceptional proficiency. Her academic foundation is a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland, Global Campus, providing her with a strong knowledge base that complements her career in the federal government.

In recognition of her outstanding qualifications, Jenniffer Wilson holds esteemed certifications as a Certified Information Systems Auditor and a Certified Program Manager in Information Technology. These credentials underscore her commitment to excellence and her dedication to staying at the forefront of her field. A distinguished member of professional organizations, Jenniffer Wilson is affiliated with the Association of Government Accountants, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Her active involvement in these associations reflects her ongoing commitment to professional growth and development.

Throughout her illustrious career, Jenniffer Wilson has earned numerous honors and awards, including Meritorious Service Awards, the Global War on Terrorism Award, and accolades for leadership and teamwork. Her dedication to public service and her exemplary work ethic have consistently set her apart as an exceptional professional.

As she looks to the future, Jenniffer Wilson is poised for continued career growth, with a particular focus on expanding her expertise in emergency response and preparedness. Her aspirations include forging international collaborations to enhance her knowledge and contribute to global emergency response and crisis management efforts.

Jenniffer Wilson's leadership philosophy is grounded in positive leadership principles, unwavering dedication to public service, and a strong work ethic. These principles have been instrumental in her success and continue to guide her as she advances in her remarkable career. Behind Jenniffer Wilson's success is the constant love and support of her daughters, Melanie and Krystal.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, [email protected]

SOURCE The Inner Circle
CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Arizton's latest research report, the US glamping market is growing at a CAGR of 15.14% during 2023-2029.

To Know More, Click: https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/united-states-glamping-market

U.S. Glamping Market Research Report by Arizton

Browse In-depth TOC on the US Glamping Market

308  Pages

118 - Tables

61 - Figures

The U.S. Glamping Market Report Scope

Report Attributes Details Market Size (2029) USD 1.30 Billion Market Size (2023) USD 561.42 Million CAGR (2023-2029) 15.14 % Historic Year 2020-2022 Base Year 2023 Forecast Year 2024-2029 Market Segmentation Accommodation, Land Ownership, Area, Size, End-user, and Geography Regional Analysis The U.S. (West, South, Midwest, and Northeast) Market Dynamics Social Media Influence

Significant Urbanization in the United States

High Penetration of Camping Destination

Growth in Tourism and Wellness Tourism

Increasing Popularity of Music Festivals

Significant Influence of Campaigning

Growth in Luxury Travel Activities Gaining Traction in the US Glamping Market

Glamping is a niche within the travel industry that appeals to luxury travelers with discerning tastes. Unlike those who prefer business class flights or opulent hotel rooms, glampers seek more than just lavish accommodations; they crave meaningful experiences that enrich their lives and leave a lasting impression. These curious travelers are akin to evolved adventurers, with a keen eye for unique and bespoke journeys. They value precision and are willing to invest financially to ensure their expeditions are unparalleled. High achievers by nature, glampers are constantly seeking new discoveries and crave experiences that push boundaries. They prioritize health and wellness, making outdoor adventures and immersive trips particularly appealing. For them, travel is not just a luxury but a form of therapy, allowing them to escape and rejuvenate. Hotels, in their eyes, serve as a gateway to the essence of a destination, offering expertise and a sense of familiarity that resonates with the concept of "home away from home." Unlike traditional travelers who simply seek authentic experiences, glampers view hotels as integral parts of their journey, connecting them with the true character of a place. For glampers venturing into remote regions, the allure lies in intimately experiencing these untouched landscapes. They crave high-energy adventures, exclusive luxuries, and moments of indulgence amidst the wilderness. Glamping providers must go beyond the typical offerings of suites and campfires, tailoring experiences that resonate with their guests' desires and the unique essence of each location.

Recent Development

The establishment of Glamping University by the American Glamping Association in the US could significantly contribute to the growth of the glamping market in several ways:

Education and Training: Glamping University would provide specialized education and training programs focused on various aspects of the glamping industry, including hospitality management, sustainable practices, design and architecture, marketing and branding, and customer service. By equipping professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge, the university would help elevate the quality of glamping offerings across the country, leading to improved guest experiences and satisfaction.

Glamping University would provide specialized education and training programs focused on various aspects of the glamping industry, including hospitality management, sustainable practices, design and architecture, marketing and branding, and customer service. By equipping professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge, the university would help elevate the quality of glamping offerings across the country, leading to improved guest experiences and satisfaction. Innovation and Research: Glamping University could serve as a hub for innovation and research in the glamping sector. Through partnerships with industry stakeholders, the university could conduct research on emerging trends, technologies, and best practices, driving innovation and advancement within the glamping industry. This research could lead to the development of new accommodation concepts, eco-friendly technologies, and immersive guest experiences, further enhancing the appeal of glamping as a unique and sustainable form of travel.

Glamping University could serve as a hub for innovation and research in the glamping sector. Through partnerships with industry stakeholders, the university could conduct research on emerging trends, technologies, and best practices, driving innovation and advancement within the glamping industry. This research could lead to the development of new accommodation concepts, eco-friendly technologies, and immersive guest experiences, further enhancing the appeal of glamping as a unique and sustainable form of travel. Industry Networking and Collaboration: Glamping University would facilitate networking opportunities and collaboration among industry professionals, suppliers, investors, and government agencies. The university would create a platform for knowledge exchange, idea sharing, and business development within the glamping community by hosting conferences, workshops, and industry events. This networking ecosystem would foster partnerships, collaborations, and investment opportunities, stimulating growth and expansion in the glamping market.

Glamping University would facilitate networking opportunities and collaboration among industry professionals, suppliers, investors, and government agencies. The university would create a platform for knowledge exchange, idea sharing, and business development within the glamping community by hosting conferences, workshops, and industry events. This networking ecosystem would foster partnerships, collaborations, and investment opportunities, stimulating growth and expansion in the glamping market. Promotion and Awareness: Glamping University could be crucial in promoting and raising awareness about the glamping industry among consumers, travel enthusiasts, and the public. The university would highlight the unique benefits and experiences of glamping accommodations through educational outreach programs, public events, and marketing initiatives. This increased awareness would drive demand for glamping experiences, leading to greater market growth and expansion.

Therefore, establishing Glamping University in the US would provide a valuable platform for education, innovation, collaboration, and promotion within the industry, ultimately contributing to its sustained growth and development.

Future of Glamping

Glamping has rapidly become a fixture in the leisure travel industry. Families are increasingly drawn to glamping, indicating promising prospects for its future. Glamping also caters to the comfort camper demographic, providing an avenue for outdoor experiences without investing in an RV or additional camping gear.

The industry has witnessed a surge in new and unique glamping businesses driven by traveler demand for diverse experiences. Over the past three years, there has been significant growth in new resorts, accommodations, and developments, with numerous new brands entering the glamping market. In addition, individual short-term rentals have capitalized on this trend, accounting for over 90% of available glamping accommodations.

Market Growth Analysis

Chatbots and messaging platforms allow glamping hosts to easily communicate with guests, answer questions, and provide recommendations. In addition, online feedback forms and review platforms facilitate gathering guest feedback and making data-driven decisions to improve the glamping experience. Therefore, technology is not just an add-on in the US glamping market but a driving force. By offering elevated experiences, attracting new demographics, and streamlining operations, these technological advances make glamping a more accessible, appealing, and sustainable tourism option, poised for continued growth.

Sustainability Paving the Way in the US Glamping Market

By embracing sustainability, US glamping businesses protect the environment and attract a growing segment of eco-conscious travelers. This win-win approach ensures the long-term success of the glamping market while paving the way for responsible tourism and a healthier planet. Remember, sustainability is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Glamping businesses must continuously innovate and adapt their practices to stay ahead of the curve and meet the evolving expectations of environmentally conscious travelers. By prioritizing sustainability, the US glamping market can ensure a bright future for both the glamping industry and the planet.

The U.S. Glamping Market Report Encompasses Crucial Data, Including:

CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) during the forecast period: This metric provides insights into the annual growth rate of the U.S. glamping market over the specified time frame.

Detailed information on growth drivers: The report offers in-depth information on the factors that will propel the U.S. glamping market growth from 2023 to 2029. This includes an analysis of various market influences.

Precise estimation of market size: Accurate assessments of the U.S. glamping market size and its contribution and focusing on key market segments.

Predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior: The report offers insights into anticipated trends and shifts in consumer behavior that are likely to impact the U.S. glamping market, helping businesses prepare for future market dynamics.

Geographical market growth: The report covers the development of the glamping market across the US.

Competitive landscape analysis: A thorough examination of the market's competitive landscape is presented, including detailed information about companies operating in the U.S. glamping market. This includes an overview of key players, their market share, strategies, and key developments.

Analysis of growth challenges: The report includes a comprehensive analysis of factors that may pose challenges to the growth of companies in the U.S. glamping market, providing a well-rounded view of the market dynamics.

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Key Companies

Collective Retreats

Huttopia

KOA

Tentrr

The Resort at Paws Up

Under Canvas

Asheville Glamping

AutoCamp

Bellfire

Backland

Bodhi Farms

Bushtec Safari

Camp Aramoni

Camp'd Out

Capitol Reef Resort

Conestoga Ranch

Desolation Hotel

Dunton

El Capitan Canyon

El Cosmico

EXP Journeys

Firelight Camps

Fireside Resort

Hoot Owl Hill

Johnny Morris Nature Resorts

Kestrel Camp

Klarhet

Little Arrow Outdoor Resort

MENDOCINO GROVE

MINAM RIVER LODGE

Moose Meadow Lodge

NOMADICS TIPI MAKERS

Sandy Pines Campground

Sinya

The Mohicans

The Ranch at Rock Creek

The Vintages

Timberline Glamping

Treebones Resort

Ventana Big Sur

Walden Retreats

Wigwam Motel

West Beach Resort

Westgate Resorts

Market Segmentation

Accommodation

Cabins

Safari Tents

Yurts

Tree Houses

Tipis

Others

End-User

Consumers

Events

Area

Rural

Urban

Land Ownership

Public Land

Private Land

Size

4-Person

2-Person

Others

Region

The US

West



South



Midwest



Northeast

Key Questions Answered in the Report:

How big is the U.S. glamping market?

What is the projected growth rate of the U.S. glamping market?

What are the rising trends in the U.S. glamping market?

Which region holds the most significant U.S. glamping market share?

Who are the key players in the U.S. glamping market?

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SOURCE Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
AURORA, Ill., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New Fiction titled "Curses of the Kingdom of Xixia" written by Xue Mo was launched at the London Book Fair. Xue Mo, the only Chinese writer with a dedicated booth at the fair, was joined by Mengdi Turbutt Cai, President of Paths Publishing Group, and Vivian Ni, core member of the London Reading Club. The three guest speakers engaged in a panel discussion on topics such as "human destiny," "literary redemption," "love and wisdom," "violence and peace," and the "copyright value of Xue Mo's works."

Author Xue Mo Discussing the Current State of the Publishing Industry. The Main Hall of the London Book Fair, Featuring the Banner for Writer Xue Mo

Neyko Genchev, President of Faber Publishers and Deputy Mayor of Sofia, Bulgaria, also dropped by to congratulate Mr. Xue Mo on his new publication. Genchev, who has been following Xue Mo's work since encountering it at the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), regards "Select Stories by Xue Mo" as his bedside reading. He said that Xue Mo is a rare embodiment of thousands of years of Chinese sages. He believes that the true spirit of Chinese literature can save the world and propel social progress. He expressed eagerness to publish Xue Mo's works in Bulgaria.

The English edition of "Curses of the Kingdom of Xixia" was translated by Professor Fan Pen Li Chen from SUNY-Albany and published by SUNY Press in 2023. Finding "Curses of the Kingdom of Xixia" as discovering a treasure, Vivian praised the novel vividly portrays the cruel reality of human suffering and humanity's relentless pursuit of transcendence, breaking down narrow perceptions and prejudices. Mengdi Turbutt Cai highlighted its unique storytelling, life experiences, and deep emotional impact, making it beloved by both Chinese and international readers.

Xue Mo mentioned that "Curses of the Kingdom of Xixia" was an unexpected outpouring, a unique world that is irreplaceable and magical, similar to Nature itselfchaotic yet magnificent.

Discussing the current state of the publishing industry, Xue Mo questioned why the prosperous book industry has failed to solve issues of regional wars, moral decline, or human anxiety. He pondered the significance of publishing industry to human existence. Xue Mo criticized the industry for stimulating and catering to human desires at the expense of the human wellbeing. He advocated for a change in perspective, suggesting that the world needs "Don Quixote-style" figures, not through force, war, or violence, but through love and wisdom, to light up the world.

Xue Mo, a renowned cultural and literary figure in China, his works has been translated into over 20 languages and released by prominent publishers. In 2022, he was the most take-about figure in international media at the Frankfurt Book Fair. In March 2023, his works were recognized by International organizations, with the English edition of "Into the Desert" winning the "Independent Publisher Award" in the United States.

Media contact:

Ida Liu

[email protected]

+17735620064

SOURCE Xue Mo
New capabilities provide organizations with comprehensive security posture management to identify risks within workloads and clusters and streamline remediation efforts to proactively improve security posture

SAN FRANCISCO, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Tigera , the creator of Project Calico, the most adopted technology for container networking and security, today announced new features for Calico Cloud. These enhancements bolster the security posture of containerized applications.

Due to the transient, elastic and distributed nature of containerized applications running in Kubernetes clusters, most security teams do not have a comprehensive view of security risks. Comprehensive risk assessment requires visibility into vulnerabilities, misconfigurations and network exposure.

Calico Cloud has elevated its capabilities to address this, providing Security Score and Recommended Actions for cloud-native applications. This feature gives administrators and security teams the most comprehensive, quantified view of their application's overall security posture, leveraging risks associated with vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, lack of egress access and application isolation controls, including preceding trends and context, to help understand how the security score is behaving over time.

Calico Cloud's security posture dashboard is equipped to assess risks and calculate a security score for an organization's workloads by quantifying and aggregating different types of risks. Calico Cloud goes beyond risk assessment, prioritizes actions that need to be taken and simultaneously recommends actions to improve the security posture. These latest enhancements will help proactively bolster the security posture of the cluster, significantly shorten remediation timelines, and alleviate the volume of manual resources required when securing such environments.

In addition to the launch of Security Score and Recommended Actions, Tigera has also launched several other new features to Calico Cloud.

Enhanced Observability and Troubleshooting for Endpoint Traffic Denials

It can be taxing to perform root cause analysis (RCA) and alter existing policies when dealing with denied traffic. Achieving comprehensive observability and visibility into sources of allowed and denied traffic is one of the most frequently cited pain-points of administrators and security teams.

With the new updates to Calico, Tigera simplifies this process, bolstering the solution's user interface to offer in-depth, advanced flow logs for endpoints and policy details. Calico can quickly identify endpoints that have been denied traffic, helping administrators articulate where security risks may exist and enhance overall policy deployment. These advancements to Calico will drastically reduce the time spent troubleshooting traffic flows and dependencies on utilizing multiple tools.

Leverage Webhooks to Monitor Security Events

Streamlining security alerts and notifications from various sources is an essential component of successful risk mitigation within organizations.

Utilizing webhooks, Tigera customers can monitor security alerts detected by Calico using third-party response tools. This includes tools such as Jira, ServiceNow and PagerDuty. The function works to eliminate some of the tedious, manual cross-correlation of alerts and advisories, which is often required.

Egress Gateway Boasts High-Availability

Calico's Egress Gateway feature offers several benefits, including traffic load balancing, high availability, and fast failover using health probes. Egress traffic can now be load-balanced across multiple egress gateways. This means that if one gateway becomes unavailable, traffic will automatically be routed to another gateway, ensuring that pods can continue to communicate with the outside world.

With the latest enhancements to Calico, egress gateways offer an uninterrupted redundancy solution when an egress gateway pod goes offline.

"Calico is designed to provide organizations with the most comprehensive visibility into their Kubernetes environments. Extending our capabilities to provide security risk scoring and recommended remediation actions, along with enhanced interfaces for evaluating denied traffic, significantly scales the level of security depth our customers experience," said Amit Gupta, Chief Product Officer, Tigera. "As Kubernetes evolves into a nucleus of organizations' tech stacks, it has become critical to proactively pinpoint where gaps in security posture exist, and quickly remediate before bad actors can strike. The advancements to Calico further support organizations on this mission, delivering the deep context and insights required to mitigate risk in these highly complex environments."

Tigera will be showcasing these new capabilities at KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe in Paris, France, March 19-22. To get the latest updates on Calico, visit Tigera at KubeCon Europe at Booth #K17.

Click here to learn more about Tigera's solutions or request a free trial .

About Tigera

Tigera provides secure networking and comprehensive protection for containers and Kubernetes. Tigera's Calico Cloud is the industry's only container security platform with built-in network security to prevent, detect, troubleshoot, and automatically mitigate exposure risks of security breaches. The company's self-managed service offering, Calico Enterprise, provides high-availability networking and simplified network security for cloud-native applications. Its open-source offering, Calico Open Source , is the most widely adopted container networking and security solution.

Powering more than 100M containers across 8M+ nodes in 166 countries, Calico software is supported across all major cloud providers and Kubernetes distributions, and is used by leading companies including Discover, Chipotle, NBCUniversal, HanseMerkur, Box, Siemens Healthineers, Playtech, Royal Bank of Canada, and Bell Canada.

Contact

Katherine Benfield for Tigera

ICR Lumina

[email protected]

SOURCE Tigera
Cafe to Offer Quick, Convenient and Better-For-You Smoothies and Food for Travelers in New T-North Concourse

ATLANTA, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Atlanta-based Tropical Smoothie Cafe today announced its newest franchised location will open at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) on Tuesday, March 19. The restaurant will be located in the T Concourse and is one of several new fast-casual dining destinations opening as part of the T-North Concourse expansion. This will be the first Tropical Smoothie Cafe location at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The new Tropical Smoothie Cafe location will offer Atlanta travelers quick, convenient and better-for-you smoothies, bowls, wraps, sandwiches, flatbreads and quesadillas. Smoothies are made-to-order for each guest, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe offers a variety of menu options perfect for travelers at any time of day, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between.

The cafe is designed to create an interactive experience for guests, centered around curved eating counters that wrap around an open kitchen. The location's layout prioritizes efficiency with a central order and point-of-service location with various grab-n-go and made-to-order options.

The Atlanta airport cafe will be the second Tropical Smoothie Cafe airport location nationally following an opening at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City in March 2022. Both locations are operated by Paradies Lagardere, a prominent North American travel retailer and restaurateur known for its extensive presence in airport concessions.

"As an Atlanta-based company, we are honored to open in our home-city's airport and to offer travelers a food and smoothie option on-the-go," said Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. "More than 100 million travelers pass through Hartsfield-Jackson each year, offering us the opportunity to serve guests from around the world and to build greater brand awareness for Tropical Smoothie Cafe. We look forward to working with Paradies Lagardere to deliver a premier airport dining experience to travelers in Atlanta and in future locations."

"I'm thrilled to announce the opening of Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Concourse T," said Gregg Paradies, President and CEO of Paradies Lagardere. "Paradies Lagardere is proud to work with this outstanding Atlanta-based brand and is excited to provide guests a healthy, wholesome offering while they are traveling."

The grand opening of Tropical Smoothie Cafe in the T Concourse will take place on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. For more information about Tropical Smoothie Cafe and its new menu items, please visit TropicalSmoothieCafe.com.

About Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national fast-casual restaurant brand built on a mission to Inspire Better, a commitment that starts with our better-for-you food and smoothies and extends to inspiring better in the communities we serve. Born on a beach in 1997, today Tropical Smoothie Cafe has more than 1,350 locations in 44 states. For the fourth year in a row, the brand was ranked #1 in the Smoothie/Juice Category by Entrepreneur Franchisee 500. For 11 consecutive years the brand has received the Franchise Times Fast and Serious award, and for 2023 the brand received the TopScore FUND Award with a score of 920, the highest in the QSR segment by FRANdata, for the third consecutive year.

SOURCE Tropical Smoothie Cafe
With more than 30,000 members across Georgia, TAG drives innovation

by offering unique opportunities to engage, network, and grow

with the statewide technology community.

ATLANTA, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Turbine, the lightweight ERP for multichannel brands, proudly announces its selection as one of the Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies in Georgia by the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG).

This year's TAG Top 40 Awards, sponsored by industry leaders Amazon Web Services, Best Buy, and Comcast Business, celebrates the groundbreaking contributions of Georgia-based technology companies to innovation and economic growth within the state's vibrant technology sector.

Turbine recognized among Georgia's Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies by TAG. Post this

Nominees for the TAG Top 40 underwent rigorous evaluation by the TAG Top 40 committee, comprising esteemed technology and investment leaders. Evaluation criteria included the company's innovation, the market need addressed by their innovation, and the innovation's impact on the Georgia technology economy.

Emilie Schario, CEO and Founder of Turbine, commented on the honor, saying, "It's a tremendous privilege for Turbine to be recognized among Georgia's Top 40 Innovative Technology Companies. Since our inception, we've remained committed to revolutionizing ERP solutions for multi-channel businesses, optimizing their procurement, inventory, supply chain operations, and accounting processes. We're honored and look forward to working with our customers to hit the next inflection point in both of our businesses."

John Dyall, CEO of Poco Bero, remarked, "Turbine has been a game-changer for Poco Bero, transforming how we manage our inventory. By leveraging Turbine's advanced machine learning capabilities, we have enhanced our operational efficiency, reduced waste, and improved customer satisfaction, all of which are crucial in the competitive artisanal pizza dough industry."

Turbine will be showcasing their technology at the Georgia Technology Summit's exhibition on March 28, 2024, at the Signia by Hilton Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta.

Alex Rhodeen, Supply Chain Catalyst at ATDC, commended Turbine's recognition, remarking, "It's no surprise Turbine was selected for TAG's Top 40 Innovative Companies in Georgia given the value of their solution and the strength of Emilie and her team. Columbus has an incredible startup ecosystem and they should be proud of the great companies they support like Turbine. ATDC is always grateful to see our companies from across Georgia in TAG's Top 40 Innovative Companies."

For more information about Turbine, visit Turbine's Website.

For details about the 2024 Georgia Technology Summit and event registration, please visit GeorgiaTechnologySummit.com. Join the conversation on Twitter using #GTS2024.

About Turbine

Turbine is a lightweight ERP for multichannel brands. Turbine helps handle procurement, inventory, supply chain, and accounting from one simple hub.

Additional Resources:

For inquiries about Turbine, contact:

Emilie Schario

503-482-9489

[email protected]

SOURCE Turbine
Ukraine's Defense Ministry about 20th Ramstein meeting: Canada to allocate $40 mln as part of Czech initiative, $7.5 mln for night vision devices

Canada will allocate $40 million as part of the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine and $7.5 million for night vision devices, the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports following the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (format Ramstein) in Germany.

"20th meeting in the Ramstein format: Canada. Military assistance worth $40 million for the Czech initiative and $7.5 million for night vision devices," the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said in a message on its Telegram channel on Tuesday evening.

In addition, it is reported that Canada "officially joined" the "Drone Coalition, led by Latvia and the United Kingdom."
Backed by Real World Assets, Unicoin Security Token is Now Officially Available on the INX Trading Platform

NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The INX Digital Company, Inc., a US-regulated broker-dealer, ATS, and transfer agent, announced today the official launch of the Unicoin security token on its trading platform. Unicoin's primary offer is available for $.50 to potential U.S. accredited investors and all non-U.S. investors, including retail and institutional investors.

Launched by the producers of Unicorn Hunters, the asset-backed Unicoin offers holders inherent value by being supported by a fast-growing global portfolio of real estate and equity positions in high-growth companies.

INX

"We are thrilled to collaborate with Unicoin, a company that has embraced a unique and dynamic approach to crafting investment opportunities," remarked Shy Datika, INX's CEO. "Their investor network spans the globe and is incredibly diverse. We're delighted to welcome them to INX, and their involvement is sure to enhance the rapidly growing liquidity within the realm of listed tokenized assets. Unicoin's remarkable community, which has driven sales exceeding $1.6 billion since its launch, showcases the essential role of community trust and support in the success of every token."

Unicoin is issued under SEC exemption pursuant to Regulations D and S. Unicoin is the official cryptocurrency of the Unicorn Hunters show, featuring business luminaries, industry leaders, and policymakers such as Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple. Forbes magazine described Unicorn Hunters as "the most iconic business series of recent times." This unique show provides founders of emerging growth companies with a global platform, allowing them to pitch their innovations to a sprawling audience of potential investors. Simultaneously, the show offers the audience unprecedented access to pre-IPO investment opportunities.

"Unicoin's security token offering on the INX platform is a step towards setting a new standard for cryptocurrencies," said Alex Konanykhin, CEO of Unicoin Inc. "Unicoin is an assets-backed, publicly reporting, audited and regulations-compliant cryptocurrency, unlike the totally opaque FTT or Bitcoin, which were created by anonymous parties to provide anonymity in financial transactions."

The potency of Unicoin's value is derived from its backing - a portfolio that consists of real estate and equity stakes in high-growth companies. Each of the current portfolio companies of Unicoin has been showcased on the widely acclaimed Unicorn Hunters series so that holders of the Unicoin security token are positioned to benefit from the expansive upside potential intrinsic to these entities.

Unicoin is also developing its real estate portfolio through its Unicoin.com/140 program. One of Unicoin's recent landmark moves was the acquisition of a Copper Mine in Argentina. This acquisition, notable as the most substantial properties-for-crypto deal, was valued at an astonishing $210M. Such endeavors have placed Unicoin at the forefront of the crypto asset revolution.

For more information about INX and its novel trading and capital-raising financial instruments for enterprises and companies worldwide, visit https://www.inx.co/ .

For more information about Unicorn Hunters and its asset-backed Unicoinc security token, visit https://unicoin.com/ .

About INX:

INX provides regulated trading platforms for digital securities and cryptocurrencies. With the combination of traditional markets expertise and a disruptive fintech approach, INX provides state-of-the-art solutions to modern financial problems. INX is led by an experienced and dedicated team of business, finance, and technology veterans with the shared vision of redefining the world of capital markets via blockchain technology and a disciplined regulatory approach.

About The INX Digital Company, Inc.:

INX is the holding company for the INX Group, which includes regulated trading platforms for digital securities and cryptocurrencies. The INX Group's vision is to be the preferred global regulated hub for digital assets on the blockchain. The INX Group's overall mission is to bring communities together and empower them with financial innovation.

Our journey started with our initial public token offering of the INX Token in which we raised US$84 million. The INX Group is shaping the blockchain asset industry through its willingness to work in a regulated environment with oversight from regulators like the SEC and FINRA.

In addition to operating two regulated trading platforms for blockchain assets, INX's interdealer broker, I.L.S. Brokers, plans to offer non-deliverable cryptocurrency forwards to Tier-1 banks in the future. For more information, please visit the INX Group website here .

About Unicoin:

Unicoin is the public reporting company that addresses the extreme volatility of the crypto market. It is a next-generation cryptocurrency designed to be profitable and stable.

Unlike first-wave coins, Unicoin is transparent, issued by an SEC reporting company, and backed by a diversified asset portfolio that includes real estate, equity in high-growth companies and other assets. To date, $500 million worth of unicoins have been sold to over 7,000 investors in more than 100 countries. Unicoin's White Paper is accessible at kmgi.us/white .

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Other Disclosures:

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" ("forward-looking information") within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, INX has made certain assumptions, including with respect to, the continuous development of the INX trading platform, the completion of the transactions described herein, the offering of non-deliverable cryptocurrency forwards, and the development of the digital asset industry. Although INX believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include but are not limited to regulatory developments, the state of the digital securities and cryptocurrencies markets, and general economic conditions. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, INX disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise.

For All Media Inquiries and Information:

The INX Digital Company, Inc.

Investor Relations

[email protected]

+1 855 657 2314

Liz Whelan

[email protected]

+1 (312) 315-0160

Samuel Amsterdam

Global Communications

[email protected]

+1 (202) 910-8349

SOURCE Unicoin
Manufacturing of GMP material for clinical trials represents key step towards initiation of clinical studies.

BOSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Unravel Biosciences, Inc., ("Unravel"), an AI-enabled therapeutics company established to advance drugs for complex diseases, today announced a manufacturing and development partnership with Quality Chemical Laboratories, Inc. (QCL) to manufacture RVL001 clinical trial material for use in upcoming Rett syndrome clinical trials in the US and Colombia. The collaboration with QCL is part of a broader strategy to secure the GMP manufacturing and supply chain of key proprietary technology owned by Unravel.

Rett syndrome is a rare neurogenetic disorder leading to debilitating cognitive, motor and autonomic disability. With a global incidence of one in 10,000 female births, Rett syndrome represents an orphan disease with widespread impact and only one FDA-approved treatment. Unravel's proprietary drug discovery platform identified RVL001 as a promising therapeutic for Rett syndrome, as well as RVL002, a novel small molecule currently being developed. RVL001 will be tested in the US and in Colombia in proof-of-concept clinical trials as a key path to effective Rett syndrome treatment.

"We are pleased to announce yet another key milestone in our RVL001 clinical development program," said Richard Novak, Ph.D., Unravel Co-Founder and CEO. "The initiation of manufacturing clinical trial material is a key remaining step to initiating clinical testing in our global Rett syndrome RVL001 trials."

"QCL is pleased to leverage its strong synthetic and analytical chemistry expertise to help Unravel move the RVL001 program into the clinic," said Dr. Yousry Sayed, President and CEO of QCL. "Our capabilities will allow Unravel to efficiently initiate their clinical trial programs in the US and overseas with a rapid scale up as needed of clinical and commercial supply as the program advances."

About Unravel

Unravel Biosciences is the first rapid prototyping therapeutics company, integrating AI systems biology computation with rapid in vivo screening and clinical validation of discovered targets with unprecedented efficiency. Unravel leverages its proprietary BioNAV platform combining target and drug discovery, preclinical screening and patient stratification to find treatments for complex diseases. Unravel's platform has led to four clinical trials starting in 2024, developed RVL002, a first-in-class new molecule targeting mitochondrial metabolism, and discovered RVL027, a molecule targeting a novel mechanism to treat dystonias. The rareSHIFT program provides platform access to accelerate and clinically derisk therapeutics. www.unravel.bio and www.rareshift.org.

SOURCE Unravel Biosciences, Inc.
Verndale's Strategic Acquisition Elevates the Agency to the Status of the Largest Independent Digital Experience Agency in the US and Canada

BOSTON, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Verndale, a leading digital experience agency headquartered in Boston, MA, announced today the acquisition of Yaksa, a prominent digital commerce experience agency based in Montreal, QC. This strategic acquisition aims to enhance Verndale's market presence, expand its service offerings, and deliver even greater value to clients. With this acquisition, Verndale is now one of the largest independent digital experience agencies serving both the US and Canadian markets.

Yaksa's team brings deep ecommerce implementation expertise in top digital commerce and digital experience platforms (DXP), including Optimizely, Umbraco, Orckestra Commerce, and more. This expertise further solidifies Verndale's position as a leader in both B2B and B2C enterprise and mid-market ecommerce solutions. The combined forces of the newly integrated entity will be better equipped to meet the evolving needs of clients in today's dynamic digital landscape, providing end-to-end solutions including digital strategy, design, ecommerce, website development, optimization, digital marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), and configure price quote (CPQ) tools.

Verndale and Yaksa unite to deliver unparalleled value to clients, offering solutions for B2B and B2C ecommerce success. Post this

"We're thrilled to welcome the talented Yaksa team to Verndale," said Chris Pisapia, CEO at Verndale. "This acquisition represents a significant milestone in our growth strategy and underscores our commitment to providing innovative solutions and exceptional service to our clients. Together, we're poised to achieve even greater success."

Yaksa will continue to operate under its existing brand for the short term, with plans for integration into Verndale in the coming months. Clients of both agencies can expect a seamless transition, with access to an expanded range of services and expertise.

"We're excited about the opportunities that joining forces with Verndale will bring," said Nils Cayrol, CEO of Yaksa. "Together, we'll be able to deliver unparalleled value to our clients and drive meaningful impact in the digital space."

Verndale and Yaksa are both award-winning agencies, with Verndale taking home Optimizely's North America Solution Partner of the Year awards in 2023 and 2021, and Yaksa earning Optimizely's Customer Choice Partner of the Year award in 2023 and 2021. Verndale also recently won Vocalis Awards from Digital Clarity Group, taking the #1 position for Customer Satisfaction Among Sitecore Partners Worldwide and the Top 10% in Customer Satisfaction Among Optimizely Partners Worldwide award.

About Verndale

For over 25 years, Verndale has helped hundreds of clients grow revenue, drive engagement, and improve efficiency. The company partners with leading technology platform providers to deliver web, mobile, ecommerce, and sales solutions across numerous industries. Verndale is an Optimizely Premier Platinum Partner, a Sitecore Platinum Partner, a Salesforce Crest Level Partner, and a BigCommerce Partner.

About Yaksa

Yaksa is a digital commerce experience agency that specializes in B2B and B2C ecommerce websites and enterprise content websites. The company is comprised of software developers and business success advisors whose mission is to help enterprises get the maximum value from their digital investments. Known for its ability to handle challenging integrations and large, complex technical ecosystems, Yaksa has built a reputation for delivering results. Yaksa is an Optimizely Gold Partner, Umbraco Gold Partner, a Microsoft Gold Partner, and an International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Silver Partner.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tracey Barber

VP, Marketing

Verndale

617.399.9353

[email protected]

Verndale

266 Summer Street, 7th Floor

Boston, MA, 02210

1.844.VERNDALE

[email protected]

https://www.verndale.com

Yaksa

1117 St-Catherine W. Suite 110

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

H3B 1H9

(514) 382-9460

https://www.yaksa.ca/en/

SOURCE Verndale Corporation
HENDERSON, Nev., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- VolitionRx Limited (NYSE AMERICAN: VNRX) ("Volition"), a multi-national epigenetics company, has appointed Dr Andrew Retter as its Chief Medical Officer, effective April 1, 2024.

Dr Retter will provide medical leadership at Volition and ensure the company's scientific and clinical efforts are aligned with patient needs.

Dr Andrew Retter

Andrew is an Intensive Care Consultant at Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London, where he has worked as a Consultant since 2014 and leads Clinical Governance in Critical Care. He specializes in the management of severe respiratory failure, ECMO and thrombosis. Dr Retter is the only Consultant in the UK to hold dual entry on the specialist register in Intensive Care and Haematology, and provides national guidance on the management of complex haematology patients in critical care.

Dr Retter has worked with Volition in an advisory capacity since January 2022, to help guide the product development and clinical utility of Nu.Q NETs  a CE-marked routine blood test to detect diseases associated with NETosis, such as sepsis.

Cameron Reynolds, President and Group Chief Executive Officer at Volition, said: "We are delighted to welcome Andrew to Volition. Dr Retter is a leading expert in Intensive Care Medicine and Haematology. As Chief Medical Officer he will be vital to our success  ensuring the needs of the patient are placed at the heart of our research, development and commercialization activities."

Commenting on his appointment, Dr Retter said: "I'm joining Volition as I believe the company has the potential to transform healthcare through its range of cutting-edge diagnostic solutions that are simple, cost-effective and scalable, making them suitable for broad application in a variety of healthcare settings.

"In the healthcare profession, our goal is to detect disease early, rapidly treat patients and then be able to monitor treatment response. Volition's pioneering technology has the potential to do just that, and to significantly improve patient outcomes."

Volition is developing simple, easy-to-use, cost-effective blood tests to help diagnose and monitor a range of life-altering diseases including some cancers and diseases associated with NETosis such as sepsis. For more information about Volition's technology go to: www.volition.com

About Volition

Volition is a multi-national epigenetics company focused on advancing the science of epigenetics. Volition is dedicated to saving lives and improving outcomes for people and animals with life-altering diseases through earlier detection, as well as disease and treatment monitoring.

Through its subsidiaries, Volition is developing and commercializing simple, easy to use, cost-effective blood tests to help diagnose and monitor a range of diseases, including some cancers and diseases associated with NETosis, such as sepsis. Early diagnosis and monitoring have the potential not only to prolong the life of patients, but also improve their quality of life.

Volition's research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with an innovation laboratory and office in the U.S. and additional offices in London and Singapore.

The contents found at Volition's website address are not incorporated by reference into this document and should not be considered part of this document. Such website address is included in this document as an inactive textual reference only.

Media Enquiries:

Louise Batchelor/Debra Daglish, Volition, [email protected] +44 (0)7557 774620

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that concern matters that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "aims," "targets," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "optimizing," "potential," "goal," "suggests," "could," "would," "should," "may," "will" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other topics, the effectiveness of Volition's blood-based diagnostic, prognostic and disease monitoring tests, and Volition's ability to develop and successfully commercialize such test platforms for early detection of cancer and other diseases as well as serving as a diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring tools for such diseases. Volition's actual results may differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements due to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, results of studies testing the efficacy of its tests. For instance, if Volition fails to develop and commercialize diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring products, it may be unable to execute its plan of operations. Other risks and uncertainties include Volition's failure to obtain necessary regulatory clearances or approvals to distribute and market future products; a failure by the marketplace to accept the products in Volition's development pipeline or any other diagnostic, prognostic or disease monitoring products Volition might develop; Volition's failure to secure adequate intellectual property protection; Volition will face fierce competition and Volition's intended products may become obsolete due to the highly competitive nature of the diagnostics and disease monitoring market and its rapid technological change; downturns in domestic and foreign economies; and other risks identified in Volition's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, as well as other documents that Volition files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about Volition's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and, except as required by law, Volition does not undertake an obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

Nucleosomics and Nu.Q and their respective logos are trademarks and/or service marks of VolitionRx Limited and its subsidiaries.

SOURCE VolitionRx Limited
WEIFANG, China, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from the Shandong Office of Hong Kong Business Daily. The cultural and tourism promotion event "Beauty and Co hospitality in Shandong" was recently held in San Francisco, California, USA, with nearly 200 guests gathered together. There are a total of 7 intangible cultural heritage projects in Shandong Province participating in this promotion event. Intangible cultural heritage inheritors Guo Hongli and Yang Naidong from Hanting District, Weifang City, held kite tying and woodblock New Year painting production exhibitions on site. The exquisite and unique kites and antique woodblock New Year paintings attracted everyone's attention, and their superb skills received rave reviews.

Guo Hongli from Hanting District, Weifang has been engaged in kite making work for more than 30 years. He is a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project Weifang Kite at the provincial level. He has accompanied cultural missions to foreign countries for art exhibitions and performances. The kite made is exquisite, meticulous, and lifelike, and has won numerous domestic and foreign awards.

Yang Naidong from Yangjiabu Tourism Development Zone in Hanting District comes from a family of New Year paintings. He learned New Year painting skills from a young age and has been engraving for over 50 years. He is known as the "versatile folk artist" of Yangjiabu's New Year painting collection. The the Year of the Loong Money Tree New Year picture he created this year has become popular, and many famous brands have carried out cross-border joint creation with him.

Guo Hongli told reporters that seven intangible cultural heritage characteristic projects in the province have held multiple cultural exchange activities for three days at the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, Chinatown, and other places, including on-site production, work display, and interactive explanation. The scene was crowded and the atmosphere was lively. Weifang kites and Yangjiabu woodblock New Year paintings have been highly praised by the local people, showcasing the unique charm of Weifang folk art and expanding the reputation and influence of the world's kite capital.
WEIFANG, China, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from the Shandong Office of Hong Kong Business Daily. Recently, with the strong support of the Shandong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shandong Provincial People's Government, the Weifang Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Weifang Municipal People's Government, the "Weixian Memory of Human Nature - Weixian Concentration Camp Special Exhibition" opened at the Overseas Anti Japanese War Memorial Hall in San Francisco.

Zhao Xiangjun, Executive Director of the Overseas Anti Japanese War Memorial Hall, said that the Weixian Concentration Camp Museum of Ledaoyuan in Weifang City, Shandong Province, has gone abroad, marking a wider international recognition and dissemination of China's heroic story of assisting Western expatriates during World War II. By hosting an exhibition at the Overseas Anti Japanese War Memorial Hall in San Francisco, USA, this initiative not only showcases the friendly cooperation between China and the United States in history, but also provides a window for tourists from all over the world to gain a deeper understanding of this period of history. In a difficult environment, the Chinese people in Weixian and surrounding areas provided food, medicine, and intelligence assistance to Western expatriates who were detained, reflecting a profound humanitarian spirit and a desire for freedom and peace. Through exhibitions and discussions, the Overseas Anti Japanese War Memorial Hall will showcase to visitors the historical background of the Western Overseas Chinese Concentration Camp in Weixian County, the daily lives of detained overseas Chinese, the details of rescue operations, and the commemoration of these heroic acts after the liberation of the concentration camp. Especially some precious historical documents and photos have added a vivid aspect to this period of history, allowing the audience to more intuitively feel the historical background and character stories of that time.

It is understood that this exhibition is divided into seven parts. Through detailed text and more than 170 precious photos, it presents a panoramic view of the lives of over 2000 foreign immigrants from more than 20 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Norway, Uruguay, who were detained in the Western Overseas Chinese Concentration Camp in Weixian from March 1943 to August 1945, including 327 children.
Manufacturing Workers in Massachusetts Gain Union Protections

ABINGTON, Mass., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at Precast Specialties, who manufacture precast concrete utility products for construction, have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 653.

"Teamsters Joint Council 10 and Teamsters Local 653 made sure issues facing workers at Precast Specialties were addressed and that the workers were ready to form their union," said Mike Clark, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 653. "With the leadership of Joint Council 10 Secretary-Treasurer Tom Mari and hard work of Teamsters Organizer Bernardo Vicente, our new members are proudly part of a strong, historic union that will fight for them at all costs."

"These workers manufacture items that are used in buildings and landmarks throughout the country, and they deserve premier representation on the job," Mari said. "Our entire union is proud to call our new members Teamsters and we are eager to work on and secure a fair first contract for this bargaining unit."

The new unit includes a variety of crafts, including carpentry, maintenance, quality control, batching, production, and loading.

"This year, we were not given our annual bonus and received no cost-of-living adjustments," said Ryan Kirkpatrick, a carpenter at Precast Specialties. "It became clear to us that we needed guaranteed job protections and felt vulnerable without a union contract. Now, we are proud Teamsters."

Teamsters Local 653 represents 2,700 of workers throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. For more information, visit TeamstersLocal653.org.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

SOURCE Teamsters Local 653
Ukrainian broadcasting, interrupted as a result of massive Russian drone and missile attacks on television and radio infrastructure in Kharkiv and Sumy regions, has been fully resumed, the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection reported on Tuesday.

"In Kharkiv and Sumy regions, access to the Ukrainian broadcasting signal has been restored at almost all facilities," a message on its website indicated on Tuesday.

It is clarified that specialists from the Broadcasting, Radiocommunications & Television Concern (BRT Concern) have restored access to the signal of radio channels and Ukrainian television in Lozova, Kehychivka, Izium, Sumy, Trostianets and Shostka.

"The engineers of the BRT Concern promptly ensured the restoration of power and carried out repairs of equipment that was damaged," the State Special Communications Service clarified.

Restoration work is still ongoing at a number of sites in Sumy region.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are pivotal players in the success of the Middle Corridor, said Roman Vassilenko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, in an exclusive interview with Trend.

"Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are pivotal players in the success of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, also known as the Middle Corridor. In achieving the project's success, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan hold indispensable roles. It's no coincidence that these two nations, along with Turkiye and Georgia, the core quartet of the Middle Corridor, have been cooperating closely in recent years to bolster this route. Notably, there have been several high-level meetings among the foreign and transport ministers of these four countries, both in Baku and Aktau. These meetings have yielded crucial roadmaps aimed at smoothing out any bottlenecks along the route," he said.

Deputy Minister Vassilenko stressed that over the past couple of years, the volume of cargo transported along this route has skyrocketed, more than tripling, doubling in 2022, and increasing by 65 percent in 2023 - from roughly 840,000 tons in 2021 to 2.76 million tons in 2023. "And naturally, the current projections suggest that this volume will continue to surge significantly over the coming years, once again, thanks to the concerted efforts of various states, both within and beyond the region," he added.

"I'd also like to highlight that Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia have come together to establish a joint venture named Middle Corridor Multimodal Limited. This company is registered in Astana, within the Astana International Financial Centre. This collaborative venture, involving the railways of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, aims to standardize tariff policies, coordinate the provision of rolling stock and locomotives, and, more broadly, facilitate seamless services along this route in our three nations," Vassilenko explained.

Additionally, as the deputy minister noted, there's significant collaboration underway with external partners beyond the region.

"We're talking about China, which essentially serves as the main sender of goods along this route, and the European Union, the primary recipient of these goods traversing the vast expanse of Eurasia overland. We're also working closely with the G7, which is driving the global initiative known as the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). We see all these major initiatives, like China's Belt and Road Initiative, the EU's Global Gateway program, and PGII, as complementary from the perspective of regional countries. Their implementation is set to benefit not only Central Asian and South Caucasian nations but also these external players. Hence, we don't perceive them as competing forces; rather, we see them as complementary," he added.

Regarding the Global Gateway 2024 forum held in Brussels at the end of January, focused on developing transport corridors between the EU and Central Asia, Vassilenko pointed out that the forum followed up on a report presented by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) last summer, commissioned by the European Commission.

"The report delved into the most competitive and less competitive, yet promising, avenues for transport infrastructure development in Central Asia. It highlighted the 'Central Trans-Caspian Transport Network', running through Southern Kazakhstan, as the most robust and promising route for linking Europe and China through Central Asia, initially via the South Caucasus and then through Central Asia. The EBRD proposed a two-zone approach, where along this route, starting from the Horgos transport crossing into Kazakhstan, extending southwest to Almaty, then through Taraz, Shymkent, Kyzylorda, Beyneu, and further to Aktau. According to the EBRD report, transportation projects covering all five Central Asian states are envisioned along this 500-kilometer corridor. The bank's experts estimated that around 40 measures would require 18.13 billion euros for implementation, of which 33 measures related to 'hard infrastructure' and another 7 concerning soft infrastructure, interconnectivity, digitization of cargo shipments, and the like. European structures, in collaboration with Central Asia, have been working on the practical implementation of this report to prepare for this successful forum. European structures have pledged 10 billion euros in loans or investments to be provided to the region's countries or companies implementing these projects, primarily through the EBRD or the European Investment Bank," explained Vassilenko.

As for specific agreements, the deputy minister noted that several memoranda were signed with the EBRD and the EIB during the forum, providing for financing or opening credit lines, including financing projects in Kazakhstan totaling 1.5 billion euros.

"In this context, the European approach to financing projects in Central Asia is laid out. As for conducting coordination meetings with EU partners, we're keen on further alignment with all our partners, both Europeans and others, considering the magnitude of the tasks at hand necessitates coordination," Roman Vassilenko concluded.
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Muzaffarnagar : , March 19 (IANS) The court of the additional district judge (ADJ), Muzaffarnagar, on Monday, sentenced two former Pradeshik Armed Constabulary (PAC) constables to life imprisonment for raping and robbing a female protester from Uttarakhand in the 30-year-old Rampur Tiraha incident here.

"The court convicted the two constables, Milap Singh and Virendra Pratap, and pronounced punishment," said additional district government counsel of Muzaffarnagar, Pravendra Kumar.

He added that both retired constables were sent to jail to serve life imprisonment and were also fined Rs 50,000 each.

The convicted PAC constables were posted in 41st battalion of PAC which was camped in Ghaziabad during the time of incident.

At least seven Uttarakhand activists were killed, and many women activists were allegedly molested during police firing at Rampur Tiraha in Muzaffarnagar on October 1, 1994.

The activists were on their way to Delhi from Rishikesh to raise their demand for a separate state of Uttarakhand that was later carved out of Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000.

As per the district counsel, the court of ADJ Shakti Singh convicted now retired PAC constables Milap Singh and Virendra Pratap under Sections 354, 376 (2) (G), 392 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) presented 15 eyewitnesses in the court, including the then Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary Deepti Vilas, who were examined during the hearing.

CBI's Deputy Superintendent of Police, S.R. Agarwal, had lodged a case in Rampur Tiraha incident on January 25, 1995, and miscellaneous writs filed by Uttarakhand Sangharsh Samiti in the case were also included in it for investigation.
Ambedkar Nagar : , March 19 (IANS) The dreams of two brothers to make big money with their invention -- a car copter were dashed on Monday when the Ambedkar Nagar police seized the vehicle here.

The car copter was seized when the brothers took it out to get it painted.

The two said that they had converted their Maruti Wagon R into a 'car copter' because they planned to rent it out for weddings and make money.

The video documenting the brothers' inniovation gained widespread traction after it was shared on X by a user.

The footage exhibits the car-turned-helicopter, complete with a tail and a rotor, parked outside a police station, surrounded by curious onlookers and law enforcement officers.

A senior police officer said that the vehicle had been seized but could not say under what provisions this action had been taken.

Meanwhile, social media flooded the comments section with praise and appreciation.

A user wrote, "We should respect innovation absolutely, innovation drives progress and pushes boundaries in every aspect of society. It is crucial to respect and encourage innovation to foster growth, solve problems, and improve the quality of life for everyone," while another commented, "Very interesting and amazing, really much fun unbelievable."

"This is the rejection of talent. Those who should be rewarded are being punished, IIT institutes should take cognisance," another remarked.
Kiev, March 19 : Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the decision of the European Union (EU) to allocate an additional 5 billion euros (about $5.44 billion) for military support to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

Speaking at the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Kuleba said on Monday that the move to unlock the aid was an important step for Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported.

Kuleba also thanked the Czech Republic for its initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine and appreciated the countries that have joined the initiative.

Earlier on Monday, the Council of the EU allocated 5 billion euros (about $5.44 billion) for Ukraine under the European Peace Facility (EPF). The funds are due to be used for providing Ukraine with lethal and non-lethal military equipment and training.

Between 2022 and 2024, the EU mobilised 6.1 billion euros (about $6.64 billion) for Ukraine under the EPF.

Last month, the Czech Republic proposed to EU countries to jointly purchase 800,000 artillery shells and send them to Ukraine.
Mumbai, March 19 : The Delhi-based startup 'Nema AI', a smart education platform for neuro disorders sealed a deal of Rs 40 lakh with Sharks Namita Thapar and Vineeta Singh on the new episode of 'Shark Tank India 3'.

Founded by Nidhi, 'Nema AI' utilises brain scan technology to tailor educational solutions for neurodiverse individuals.

Launched in April 2023, the education platform combines Al and Neuroscience. It's a five-minute Al scan which provides insights about the child's cognitive skills.

It offers personalised recommendations for cognitive enhancement or a learning curriculum. Utilising EEG headsets from Emotiv, the brand ensures safe and certified technology for personalised skill-building.

Aimed at children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including conditions like down syndrome, its patented technology also finds applications in military and counselling settings.

Primarily targeting schools and colleges, the startup offers personalised counselling sessions alongside its growth plans, catering to diverse needs at affordable costs -- priced at Rs 799 for a single session and Rs 2,200 for a four-session package.

With an ask of Rs 80 lakh for five per cent equity, Nidhi seeks to expand her brand's reach and impact.

Anupam Mittal (Founder and CEO of Shaadi.com) said: "You made a serious claim. You said you can successfully detect a mental issue within five minutes. I mean I could be completely oblivious but this seems impossible. Science hasn't progressed so much yet. It can't help us figure out a memory issue or any other issue with the help of a five-minute mapping. On what basis are you claiming this?"

Replying to Anupam, Nidhi said: "During a simple reading activity, some parts of the brain get activated. The mapping helps one know a child's current mental level. Or l'd say, it finds a child's default level till they work on it. It just helps you find out your current level. We aren't making a claim medically."

Anupam then curiously asks: "Ham yahan kisi ki brain strength measure kar sakte hain?"

Namita (Executive Director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals LTD) laughs and says, "Anupam aap jaaiye."

Aman Gupta (Co-Founder and CMO of boAt), said: "Aaj hi doodh ka doodh or pani ka pani ho jaega."

Anupam adds: "Aur brain ka brain ho jaega."

Ritesh Agarwal (Founder and CEO of OYO Rooms), added: "Brain to bahut hai hamare dost me."

After the test, Vineeta asks Anupam: "Aapne selfie lia kya inke sath?" (Did you take a selfie with her?)

Nidhi revealed the result, and said: "Anupam's result is, he relates to Professor Octopus the most."

However Aman said: "Market aapki na bahut chhoti hai madam."

Anupam shared: "Passion is a perfect ten. Courage is a perfect ten. Attitude is a perfect ten. However, market understanding and building a tech business work on set patterns. You score too low on those parameters. You can't build a tech business with just determination and courage. And unfortunately, I'm out for this reason."

Aman added: "I like your passion. I give you full marks for that. At this point in time, you haven't yet found your product-market fit. You are still in the process. You can come here again if you find it by the next year. As of now, I can't risk Rs 80 lakh from my side. So I'm out."

Vineeta (Co-Founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics) further said: "I love the market and the fact that you are foraying into the area of learning ability for children and the younger lot with a bigger spectrum. It could lead to a business model. I think you can build a business worth Rs 40-Rs 50 crore. So l'll give you an offer."

She offered her - Rs 40 lakh for 8 per cent equity plus Rs 40 lakh debt at 10 per cent Interest for three years.

Namita added: "I agree with Vineeta. we need to make progress in this area. So l would like to either match Vineeta's offer or join her."

Anupam interrupts them, and jokingly said, "Please fight. Don't be a bore."

Nidhi finally secures a deal with Namita and Vineeta.

Talking about her experience on the show, Nidhi said: " 'Shark Tank India 3' revolutionised our brand, NEMA AI, enabling us to make a significant impact on millions of lives. Through the live pitch, insights from the sharks, and their invaluable pointers, we gained clarity on our market and had our unwavering passion and innovation validated."

'Shark Tank India 3' streams on Sony LIV.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. FINCA Azerbaijan Non-Banking Credit Organization (NBCO), a leading microfinance institution dedicated to providing financial services to underserved communities, proudly announces its achievement of Gold Recognition for Client Protection Certification.

Having first achieved the client protection certificate back in 2015, this renewed prestigious certification, awarded by the global rating agency MicroFinanza Rating LLC (MFR), signifies FINCA Azerbaijan's unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest standards of client protection in its operations.

Client Protection is at the core of FINCA Azerbaijan's mission to empower individuals and communities through access to financial services. Through strict adherence to ethical practices and client protection standards, FINCA Azerbaijan has demonstrated its dedication to fostering trust and safeguarding the interests of its clients. By undergoing this certification process, FINCA Azerbaijan has showcased its accountability and transparency, further strengthening its position as a trusted financial partner in the country.

"We are honored to receive the Gold Recognition for Client Protection Certification from MicroFinanza Rating," said Timothy Tarrant, CEO of FINCA Azerbaijan. "This achievement reflects our teams commitment to putting our clients' needs first and upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct. We remain dedicated to promoting financial inclusion while ensuring the well-being and protection of our clients."

MicroFinanza Rating's Client Protection Certification is a comprehensive evaluation framework that assesses microfinance institutions' adherence to a set of internationally recognized client protection principles. The certification process involves thorough assessments of governance, transparency, responsible pricing, and fair treatment of clients.

About FINCA Azerbaijan

FINCA Azerbaijan is a leader in responsible finance, serving small businesses across the country with loan products to promote profitable business activity. Operating officially in Azerbaijan since 1999, FINCA Azerbaijan is part of FINCA Impact Finances global network of 16 banks and microfinance institutions, reaching more than 2.8 million clients on five continents.

For more information about FINCA Azerbaijan activities please visit https://finca.az/, Call Center *2525 or official social media accounts.
New Delhi, March 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that India was committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.

He said this while appreciating Bulgarian President Rumen Radev's gratitude to the Indian Navy for successfully carrying out a rescue operation on the hijacked Bulgarian ship, MV Ruen, on Monday..

PM Modi in his message on X said, "Appreciate your message President @PresidentOfBg . We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region."

The 'Rouen' ship with Bulgarians, Myanmarese and one Angolan citizen onboard was hijacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year.

In a post on X, the Bulgarian President said, "My sincere gratitude to PM @narendramodi for the brave action of Navy rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship "Ruen" and its crew, including 7 Bulgarian citizens."

Earlier, Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel had said that she held a conversation with the Indian Ambassador to Bulgaria, Sanjay Rana, over the Indian Navy's Operation and thanked him for rescuing Bulgarian nationals.

In her post, she said, "I express my gratitude to the ...navy for the successful operation to rescue the hijacked vessel Ruen &its crew members, including 7 BG nationals Thank you for support &great effort. We continue to work together to protect lives of the crew."
Tel Aviv, March 19 : The ongoing indirect peace talks in Qatar capital have hit a roadblock after Israel refused to budge on many demands put forward on behalf of Hamas

According to sources in the Israel defense ministry, the Israeli delegation led by Mossad Chief David Barnea told the mediators, including those from Qatar and Egypt, that they may not be able to release several Palestinian prisoners who are charged with grave crimes, including murder.

Hamas had demanded the release of 350 Palestinian prisoners who are in Israel jail for serious offenses, including murder.

The Israel side, according to information available, has also said that it wanted the release of its hostages in two slots. Earlier Hamas had said that they would release the Israeli hostages in three steps with women, elderly and injured given the first preference. The second slot ,according to the Hamas conditions, was to release the Israel women soldiers in captivity and the third step would feature the release of all those in custody, including male soldiers.

However, sources told IANS that the Israeli negotiators wanted all the male and female soldiers in custody to be released in the second slot.

This tough positioning of the Israel side has set a gloom over the peace talks on the first day itself. It may be recalled that the Israel security cabinet had put certain red lines for the negotiators and had firmly directed the team to be tough.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were given the entire charge of communicating with the Israeli negotiators if a situation arises.

Sources in the Israel defense ministry said that the Hamas side was too weak and that they have almost crumbled and hence negotiations must be done keeping this war ground reality into consideration.

Mossad Chief David Barnea, who is heading the Israeli delegation, is assisted by the head of Shin Bet Ronan Bar and the Israel side has, according to information, presented the regions in Gaza strip where they can allow the rehabilitation of displaced Palestinian families back to their homes.

Several Palestinian families were relocated from their homes in northern Gaza strip to south Gaza since the war commenced and there has been a demand from the Hamas side to relocate these families back to their homes.
NTR Jr heads to Goa for new shoot schedule of Devara: Part 1. Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, March 19 : Telugu superstar NTR Jr, who is known for his role of Komaram Bheem in 'RRR', is currently in Goa to commence shooting for the next phase of his upcoming film 'Devara: Part 1'.

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) Telugu superstar NTR Jr, who is known for his role of Komaram Bheem in aRRRa, is currently in Goa to commence shooting for the next phase of his upcoming film 'Devara: Part 1'.

The shooting schedule, which includes filming a song, started on Tuesday and will last for a week.

The actor earlier wrapped up the shooting schedules in Hyderabad.

'Devara: Part 1' also stars Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and actress Janhvi Kapoor, who is making her Telugu debut.

The film marks NTR Jras second big collaboration with filmmaker Koratala Siva after the 2016 hit film aJanatha Garagea, which earned a lot of positive response from the audience and critics alike.

aDevaraa, directed by Koratala Siva, will unfold in two parts, with the first part arriving in theatres on October 10, coinciding with the Dussehra weekend.

The magnum opus is produced by Yuvasudha Arts and NTR Arts, and presented by Nandamuri Kalyan Ram.

The filmas music is composed by Anirudh Ravichander, and the cinematography is handled by R Rathnavelu.
Medical licences must not be used as a tool against people: S. Korea Prez. Image Source: IANS News

Seoul, March 19 : Lamenting the ongoing walkout by junior doctors in South Korea, President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday asked them not to use their medical licences as a tool against the people.

Yoon remarked during a Cabinet meeting as thousands of trainee doctors remained off their jobs for a month to protest the government's plan to increase admissions to medical schools by 2,000 starting next year, Yonhap news agency reported.

The government has stood by the plan, citing the need to supply more physicians, especially to rural areas and essential medical fields, while doctors' groups have demanded the shortage be addressed by better compensating underpaid specialists and other means.

The medical reform in front of us is our duty to the people, as well as the people's command," Yoon was quoted as saying during the meeting at the presidential office, making clear he would not back down.

"It is truly regrettable that certain doctors, who should remain by patients' sides and persuade trainee doctors, who are their juniors, are neglecting the people's desire for medical reform and failing to properly fulfill their duty as doctors and teachers," he said.

The government has sent prior notices to junior doctors taking part in the walkout that their medical licences will be suspended if they fail to return to work. The standoff has shown little signs of a breakthrough, as medical professors have resolved to join the collective action by submitting their resignations next Monday.

"Medical licences that have been granted to save people's lives should not be used as a tool to threaten and cause anxiety among the people," Yoon said, recalling his visit to a hospital the previous day and the medical staff he witnessed continuing to provide treatment. "I hope the medical staff, who have left the patients' sides will return to the patients' sides like them."

Yoon said a special presidential committee on medical reform will be launched in April to enable dialogue between doctors' groups and the government.

He also promised to host debates on medical reform issues similar to the people's livelihood debates he has led since the start of the year, the report said.
Chennai, March 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a whirlwind tour of southern states, will address a mammoth rally at Salem in Western Tamil Nadu on Tuesday afternoon. Heavy security has been deployed in Salem with more than 5,000 police personnel on duty and a five layer security in place.

The PM will reach Salem after attending a roadshow at Palakkad in Kerala.

PMK founder leader, Dr S Ramadoss, will attend the PMas programme at Salem.

The BJP entered into an electoral understanding with the PMK on Tuesday morning with Ramadossa party being allocated ten seats to contest from Tamil Nadu.

Interestingly, Salem is the home turf of AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS).

It may be recalled that the BJP and the AIADMK were alliance partners in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2021 Assembly polls. However, the AIADMK snapped ties with the BJP in September 2023.

It remains to be seen whether the PM will target the AIADMK General Secretary in his home turf, as the Tamil Nadu BJP President has taken an anti-AIADMK stance ever since the two parted ways.
Prayagraj : , March 19 (IANS) In a shocking incident, soon after a newly-married woman was found hanging in her in-laws' house in Mutthiganj area of Prayagraj on Monday night, the family of the deceased reached there and allegedly set the house on fire, in which her father-in-law and mother-in-law were burnt alive.

All three bodies have been sent for post-mortem and heavy police deployment has been done in the area to ensure peace.

According to reports, the incident took place late on Monday night when the body of Anshika Kesarwani was found hanging in her house.

Anshika had recently got married to Anshu, a businessman from Mutthiganj.

As soon as Anshika's family got the news of her death, a large number of people reached her in-laws' house and a fierce fight broke out between her in-laws and her maternal family.

The woman's family accused her in-laws of murdering their daughter and alleged dowry harassment.

Reports said that Anshika's family members locked her in-laws inside their house and set it on fire. Her father-in-law and mother-in-law died in the blaze.

Prayagraj DCP (City), Deepak Bhukar, said that the police received a call late on Monday night that a woman named Anshika Kesarwani had committed suicide. "Both, parents and in-laws were present there. When the police team reached the spot, the parents of the woman and her in-laws were fighting among themselves. Suddenly the house was set on fire," he said.

The police took immediate action, informed the fire brigade and rescued five people.

After the fire was put out, the dead bodies of Rajendra Kesarwani and Shobha Devi were found in the house.
New Delhi, March 19 : It is just right to debut a book discussing the rich cultural legacy of ancient India in Hampi, a place imbued with profound meaning through its breathtaking architectural remnants and spiritual and cultural practices.

The much-awaited book of renowned author and multiple award-winning historian Dr. William Dalrymple's 'The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World' is set to debut at a special talk event at Evolve Back Kamalapura Palace in Hampi on 19 March 2024, at 7 pm.

'The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World' uncovers the depth of ancient Indian culture, shedding light on its global significance through its religions, languages, art, and architectural wonders. Drawing from a lifetime of research, Dr. Dalrymple sheds light on India's pivotal role as an intellectual and philosophical superpower in ancient Asia.

"We are honoured to welcome Dr. William Dalrymple to Evolve Back Kamalapura Palace, Hampi, for the unveiling of his much-anticipated book, 'The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World.' His profound insights into India's cultural heritage resonate deeply with our ethos of offering immersive experiences that celebrate the essence of this land," shared Jose Ramapuram, Marketing Director at Evolve Back Resorts.

The upcoming event exemplifies the resort's dedication to promoting cultural exchange and intellectual exploration, serving as a proud facilitator of this enriching experience and celebrating the depth and diversity of India's cultural legacy.

William Dalrymple, renowned for his bestselling works such as Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India, White Mughals, and The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company holds fellowships at esteemed institutions such as the Royal Society of Literature. Awarded the prestigious President's Medal by the British Academy in 2018, his literary contributions and co-founding of the Jaipur Literature Festival underscore his significant influence in the literary world.

IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in
Shillong, March 19 : Following the enactment of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the demand to introduce Inner Line Permit (ILP) has gained a fresh momentum in Meghalaya.

Although, CAA does not apply to the major portion of the hill state, different citizens' groups have demanded to introduce ILP in Meghalaya to check influx of "infiltrators".

The president of Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) in Meghalaya, Roy Kupar Synrem told IANS, "Despite the tribal areas being exempted from CAA, the fact remains that the whole state of Meghalaya is not under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India. There are still parts of Shillong City, the state capital, where the Sixth Schedule regulations do not apply and where a sizable immigrant population lives."

He said that individuals living in other places may migrate to these areas and then apply for citizenship under CAA.

Synrem said, "We are also concerned that Meghalaya will be affected by the spillover from the other states, especially from Assam. We worry that the exemption will be ineffective and that there may be an unjustified influx of people into the state if there is no legislation controlling the movement of people into the state."

According to him, the only defence against this spillover effect is the immediate introduction of the ILP system along with the complete exemption of CAA in Meghalaya.

Three citizen bodies in Meghalaya -- Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), Jaintia National Council (JNC) and Confederation of Ri Bhoi People (CORP) -- submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to bring ILP in the state.

Notably, following the passage of CAA in Parliament in December 2019, Meghalaya state Legislative Assembly passed a resolution to introduce ILP in the state. However, the matter is still pending with the Union Home Ministry.

In August previous year, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and placed the ILP demand. He had said, "To protect our indigenous people, we need ILP in the state. I have apprised the Prime Minister about this and he listened patiently about our concern."

Many citizen bodies, student organisations have been demanding the introduction of ILP in Meghalaya for the last few years.

ILP is an official travel document issued for movement in some areas for a limited period. People need ILP to travel to four northeastern states --Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur.
Bengaluru, March 19 : Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday said that he is hopeful to resolve the seat-sharing arrangement with the alliance partner JD (S) and rebel BJP leaders.

Vijayendra said that he had a discussion with BJP high command regarding JD (S)'s announcement to contest for three seats, following which he had discussion with former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

"I have confidence that the high command will ensure that everything is sorted out smoothly and decisions will be taken in such a manner that everyone will be happy," he said.

He said that differences in any alliance are natural. "It is natural to have differences. BJP and JD (S) leaders are in discussion regarding the seat-sharing arrangement. I am confident that everything will be sorted out. JD (S) and BJP alliance will continue smoothly," he stated.

On former BJP leader and Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda joining Congress, he said that he is confident that former Sadananda Gowda will remain in BJP.

Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister K.S. Eshwarappa has announced to contest as an independent candidate against the BJP candidate from Shivamogga B.Y. Raghavendra.

"Eshwarappa is a senior leader. He is misled by false information leading to the present development. I still believe that after learning the truth he will realise and come back to BJP," he said.

On former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar getting a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election, Vijayendra said that the issue will be discussed by the party high command and their decision will be final."
New Delhi: Media persons at the Supreme Court complex on the day of the court's verdict. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March 19 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday summoned for personal presence Yogrishi Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved's Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna.

A Bench headed by Justice Hima Kohli noted that the ayurvedic company did not reply to the contempt notice issued to it over continued publication of misleading advertisements.

On February 27, the Bench, also comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, had initiated contempt proceedings against Acharya Balkrishna and Patanjali observing that the respondents prima facie violated the undertaking given to the apex court in November last year.

Patanjali had earlier assured the Supreme Court that it will not make any causal statements claiming medicinal efficacy of its product or advertise or brand them in violation of law and will not release any statement against any system of medicine to the media in any form.

In its plea, the Indian Medical Association has sought action against Patanjali for violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954  which prohibits advertisement of certain products for treatment of specified diseases and disorders, including diabetes, heart diseases, high or low blood pressure and obesity.

Multiple FIRs were filed against Yoga guru and Patanjali founder Baba Ramdev across several states over his controversial comments against allopathic treatment of Covid-19.

In a video, Baba Ramdev had said, "More people have died due to allopathic medicines than due to lack of medical oxygen or shortage of beds."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The UKs decision to leave the European Union in June 2016 has had major implications for the countrys approach to its foreign policy. As the UK, in theory at least, was to begin retaining some of the autonomy it believed to have lost to the European Union, its relationship with countries from different continents was bound to change. The Johnson governments emphasis on a Global Britain, a policy that outlined the UKs long-term vision for its international strategy, emphasized the importance of a foreign policy that expanded beyond the UKs traditional allies. This included forging new economic and trade alliances, but also reviving historic partnerships with the likes of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, the political instability which has characterised British politics in recent years, reflected by the frequent change in the Prime Ministerial position, cooled down the Conservative Party enthusiasm for this new approach and pointed to a more pragmatic way forward which prioritised Britains immediate interests. This was certainly influenced by events such as the Ukraine war but does encourage a broader consideration of whether the UK was serious about becoming a more participative actor in areas like international development and post-conflict humanitarian efforts. Most importantly, how does the UKs relationship with Azerbaijan fit within this dynamic? Are recent actions truly indicative of a more global UK that wants to establish a deep and persistent presence across the international system, of which Azerbaijan is an increasingly powerful part?

The relationship between Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom has historically been associated with cooperation in the oil industry. The same can be said for other European partners. The increasingly influential and participative nature of Azerbaijans foreign policy in confronting major global issues, including the fight against climate change and Islamophobia, is reflective of the countrys belief in multilateralism and the role of international institutions in promoting cooperation. Azerbaijans status as a reliable partner is not only restricted to its relationship with the UK, with several key gas deals signed in recent times between Azerbaijan and EU member states. This includes the July 2022 agreement to double the volume of gas exports from Azerbaijan to Europe by 2027, which turned out to be a starting point for further deals with countries like Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. This interconnectedness originated following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The UKs British Petroleum (BP) was part of a group of leading oil companies that represented the first significant Western investment in a post-Soviet country. This served as an essential starting point for economic relations between the two countries, culminating in the UKs current status as the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan.

The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) signed in 1994 was a ground-breaking deal between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and a consortium of 11 foreign companies that represented a total of six nations. The agreement was a key step taken by already independent Azerbaijan to open up its economy to foreign investment, enabling its oil industry to develop in a direction that allowed for much broader economic development in the country and also the neighbouring region. In 2017, the sides renewed and extended their commitment to 2050. BP is the biggest shareholder of the consortium (with a share of approximately 30%), officially formed in February 1995 after the ratification of the PSA by the Azerbaijani Parliament. In addition, BPs active engagement in helping Azerbaijan transport oil and natural gas include the Shah-Deniz 2 project of which the company is the principal operator. This reinforces that in the UKs strategic vision, Azerbaijan is considered a partner for the long-term with which there are ample opportunities to explore. In recent times, though, this relationship appears to have broadened and diversified. The sides are increasingly public about their willingness to work together and are making commitments that consider mutual interests. This calls for a closer assessment of the recent dynamic of the relationship.

The Azerbaijan-UK relationship is a highly institutionalized one, with numerous mechanisms in place that enhance strategic dialogue and facilitate cooperation on the most pressing issues concerning both sides. A fundamental pillar of this is the UK-Azerbaijan Joint Intergovernmental Commission, established in 2015 and which has since then had six sessions. The location of the commission alternates between Baku and London, with high profile government officials in attendance. The agendas for discussion tend to be allencompassing, highlighting the will of both sides to engage on as broad a range of topics as possible. In fact, the latest meeting noted that between 1995 and the first six months of 2023 alone, the UK invested 35 billion USD in Azerbaijan. Furthermore, the meeting resulted in the signing of an exclusive distribution agreement between Bridge Group Companies of Azerbaijan and UKs Concrete Canvas Ltd.

Following the restoration of the countrys territorial integrity, the Azerbaijani government has pursued an intense rebuilding policy with the aim of creating adequate conditions ahead of the return of displaced Azerbaijanis that were victims of decades of Armenian aggression. Moreover, President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly stated the importance of opening up the Karabakh region to foreign investors. This will not only assist with the restoration of the territories but also raise global awareness of the suffering endured by the native population of the restored territories. The UK, as expected given the comprehensive nature of the relationship between the countries, has been at the forefront of this. The UK has assisted the landmine clearance program, an essential and highly complex process given how challenging it has proven to engage with Armenia constructively on the matter. In fact, even those land mine maps that have been provided appear to be deliberately misleading. The 6th Session of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission between the United Kingdom and Azerbaijan, held in December 2023.

UK government has announced various packages of financial assistance, with one example being 500,000 provided in June 2022 to support the UNDPs running of the process. Total funding is now estimated to be well-over 1 million, in addition to the 1 million provided as humanitarian assistance to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 2020. UK funding focuses specifically on training and expert advice, aiming to prevent the loss of civilian life as a result of land mine explosions. Given the profound damage to Azerbaijani territory as a consequence of Armenian occupation, something that is still being felt due to the widespread implantation of land mines, this support should prove crucial in eliminating what is an unprecedented threat to local populations. In fact, as per the UK governments own conclusions, the Karabakh region can easily be considered as the most contaminated in the world when it comes to unexploded ordnance.

The UKs efforts in this sphere are not restricted to financial assistance. Leading British companies, such as Anglo Asian Mining PLC, work closely with the British Embassy in Baku to create economic opportunities and generate growth in Azerbaijan. In fact, a fresh protocol was recently signed between Anglo Asian Mining and the Azerbaijani government to introduce fresh changes to operational methods and ensure all procedures are as up to date with international sustainability practices as possible. Once again, this illustrates the potential seen by those in the British business environment in Azerbaijan and the countrys prospects. President Ilham Aliyev, on numerous meetings with British officials, has highlighted and appreciated the leading role taken by UK companies in restoring the liberated territories.

In November 2023, the British Embassy in Baku organised a webinar focusing on investment opportunities in Azerbaijan. The rebuilding process was referred to as the biggest commercial opportunity outside of oil and gas, with mostly UK-based companies in attendance. A similar event focusing on architectural opportunities was also organised, with the liberated territories offering foreign investors an opportunity to expand their footprint to a South Caucasus region that possesses increasing geopolitical and economic importance. Among the attendees were representatives of Chapman Taylor, a British firm that has been involved in construction projects in Azerbaijan for many years. There are several further examples that can be mentioned, including the UKs active de-mining efforts in the cities of Jabrayil, Fizuli and Agdam.

However, it is more important to emphasize the importance of evident political will as a facilitating factor for this cooperation. The UK has not simply supported Azerbaijan financially and materially. Imperatively, it has been firm and clear in its rejection of baseless Armenian accusations of ethnic cleansing following the September military operation that helped Azerbaijan complete the restoration of its control over Karabakh. In regular parliamentary discussions, for example, Leo Docherty, the UK Minister for Europe, has emphasized this position. The UK recognizes the territorial integrity of both countries, prioritising the facilitation of constructive dialogue between both sides and doing this in a way that has a direct and long-lasting impact on the ground. This degree of conviction is absolutely essential, especially given the efforts of other European powers to jeopardize the peace process and damage Azerbaijans credibility.

Further examples stress the UKs desire to engage with Azerbaijan on a broad range of issue areas. The upcoming COP29 to be held in November 2024 reflects Azerbaijans commitment to contributing towards the transition to a green economy, with the liberated territories declared as green energy zones and an Action Plan introduced for 2022-2026. The UK government has offered to provide direct support, mainly through experience sharing given that COP26 was held in the city of Glasgow. The desire of the Azerbaijani government to institutionalize its green agenda is highly appreciated not only in the UK, with the rebuilding process viewed as a great opportunity to serve as an example of an oil-rich country working towards the common goal of tackling climate change.

Finally, given the increasingly unpredictable and diverse nature of threats facing the international community, the UK government has offered Azerbaijan assistance with modernizing its approach to cybersecurity. Russias actions in recent years and the rapid surge in the use of artificial intelligence necessitates an approach that ensures stability and resilience. The UK is considered to be a world leader in this regard, hence its willingness to assist countries like Azerbaijan that are developing rapidly. This has been mentioned consistently at high-profile meetings between officials.

There are numerous other instances that reflect UK-Azerbaijani cooperation. Nevertheless, the key takeaway should focus on just how apparent the UKs desire to operate in and with Azerbaijan is. Given recent unjustifiably hostile rhetoric towards the country from institutions such as the European Parliament and individual leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, it is reassuring that Azerbaijan has a partner in the Western world that it can work with to modernize itself and crucially, restore its devastated territories. The UK government, unlike other leading European states, has been supportive of the country by refusing to endorse Armenian propaganda that seeks to disinform the international community by disregarding Azerbaijans territorial integrity.

As Azerbaijan continues to develop and further solidifies its involvement on the international arena, the UK is likely to engage even more. The cross-disciplinary nature of this relationship suggests that these are not done merely for the sake of securing political wins in the region in the midst of domestic uncertainty. The UK sees potential in working with Azerbaijan, and most importantly, sees it as a country that should benefit from its policy of becoming more Global. Even though the Sunak government appears to have scaled back its language on Global Britain, there is no reason to believe the UK will not continue to deepen its engagement with the rest of the world. This is likely to continue benefiting the bilateral relationship, something the Azerbaijani side would definitely welcome given the complexity of undoing the damage inflicted on its sovereign territory.

Author: Huseyn Sultanli

Analyst - Political Risk, International Law, Conflictology, European Affairs and Azerbaijani foreign policy

MSc International Relations Graduate, LSE

London, United Kingdom
Panaji, March 19 : While the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) allege that the migrants staying in 'Lala Ki Basti' and other slum areas help politicians to win elections, the Chief Electoral Officer has said that there will be no chance of 'double voting' this time.

The coastal state will go to poll on May 7, in the third phase of Lok Sabha general elections for two seats, North and South.

The RGP is against the 'double voting' allegedly done by migrants from Karnataka and Maharashtra staying in the slum areas of Goa.

RGP has one MLA in the 40-member Goa Legislative Assembly.

Goa Chief Electoral Officer Ramesh Verma has ruled out possibilities of 'double voting' by migrants during Lok Sabha polls, on account of neighbouring districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra will also poll on the same day along with the coastal state.

"There will be no complaints of such (double voting) this time as Goa along with neighbouring districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra will also poll in the third phase on May 7," Verma said, adding that his officer will keep a check on such activities.

Talking to IANS, RGP founder and General Secretary Vishwesh Naik said that there are still almost one lakh voters in Goa, who also have voting cards in their native states of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

"In the last couple of years, we could cancel around twenty-five thousand election cards of migrants who also had election cards at their native place. Most of them are from Karnataka," Naik said.

He said that their teams from all the constituencies of the coastal state identified the migrants and complained to the appropriate authorities to cancel their voting cards.

"Fearing the electoral loss, the government is now taking self-declarations from migrants that they will not vote at two places. This is how they are hindering us from taking our movement ahead," Naik said.

"These migrants are staying in slums like 'lala ki basti, Moti Dongor, Shahpur, Bablyachi Khali, and more in many constituencies. Politicians are making their use for voting purposes and these people are taking away our traditional business, which is hijacked by them," Naik said.

"I am sure there are still around one lakh migrants, who have voting also at their native places. Now, our ministers and MLAs in power will restrain them from going to their native places to cast their votes and will force them to vote in their favour. This is how they win," Naik said.

He said that most of the migrants come from Karnataka, who are into all types of businesses in Goa.

As of March 16, in terms of voter demographics, Goa has a total of 1,173,016 voters, with 57,7958 in North Goa and 59,5058 in South Goa. Among these, there are 56,8501 male voters and 60,4515 female voters.
New Delhi, March 19 : In brewing trouble for Shibu Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Sita Soren on Tuesday first snapped ties with the party as well as family and subsequently tendered her resignation as legislator from the Jharkhand Assembly.

Sita Soren, the JMM MLA from Jama Assembly seat, in a letter to Jharkhand Assembly Speaker wrote, "I have resigned from the primary membership of JMM and now listening to my conscience, I am quitting from the legislator post."

Sita Soren is the daughter-in-law of JMM Presdient Shibu Soren and the sister-in-law of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren.

Hours ago, she wrote a letter to Shibu Soren, announcing her decision to sever ties with the party and family 'with a heavy heart' and cited conspiracy and plot by certain elements in the party as the reason behind it.

"I, Sita Soren, General Secretary of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha" and the current MLA from Jama constituency, am resigning from all party posts with a heavy heart," she wrote.

Sita Soren has reportedly been livid with the party brass as she was not considered for a ministerial berth in the new Jharkhand government, formed under the leadership of Champai Soren. The arrest of the then Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren by ED necessitated the formation of new government.

Earlier in a moving letter to 'Guruji' Shibu Soren, she expressed gratitude to the party supremo for efforts to straighten things out but unfortunately failing in his bid.

"Despite the tireless efforts of Shri Shibu Soren (Guruji Baba) who worked hard to keep us all together, unfortunately his efforts also failed. I have recently come to know that there is a deep-rooted conspiracy against me and my family also. A conspiracy is being hatched. I am very sad. I have firmly decided that I will have to leave Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and this family," wrote Sita Soren.
Kolkata, March 19 : The Election Commission of India (ECI) has replaced the Director General Police in West Bengal on Tuesday within just 24 hours since Vivek Sahay was designated for the chair replacing his predecessor Rajeev Kumar.

On Tuesday, a fresh notification was issued ordering the replacement of Sahay with Sanjoy Mukherjee, a 1989-batch IPS officer who is currently the Director General of Fire and Emergency Services Department.

On Monday, after the ECI ordered the removal of Rajeev Kumar, it sought three alternative names from the state government as replacement. Accordingly, the state government recommended Vivek Sahay (1988 batch), Sanjoy Mukherjee (1989 batch) and Rajesh Kumar (1990) batch.

On the basis of seniority, the commission nominated Sahay. However, before he could even complete 24 hours in the new chair, he was replaced by Mukherjee.

Sources aware of the development said that Sahay is scheduled to retire from active services in May this year when all seven phases of polls in West Bengal will be completed. The last phase of polling in the state is scheduled for June 1.

"So, the commission thought it wise to appoint somebody in that chair who can continue since the beginning of the polls to end unless he is removed midway on charges of biasness," a senior official from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEI), West Bengal said.

IANS

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No differences with BJP except on special category status: Chandrababu Naidu. Image Source: IANS News

Amaravati, March 19 : TDP National President, N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday exuded confidence that the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena alliance would storm to power in Andhra Pradesh by winning more than 160 Assembly seats.

The former Chief Minister is also confident that the NDA will bag more than 400 Lok Sabha seats.

"A resounding echo throughout Andhra Pradesh is heralding the dawn of a progressive era, resonating with the firm belief that the NDA will surpass 400+ in Lok Sabha and 160+ in the State Assembly," Chandrababu Naidu posted on X.

As per the seat sharing agreement among three NDA partners in Andhra Pradesh announced last week, the TDP will contest 144 out of 175 Assembly seats and 17 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

It left 31 Assembly segments and eight Lok Sabha seats for the two allies.

While Jana Sena will contest 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats, the BJP will field its candidates in 10 Assembly and six Lok Sabha constituencies.

The TDP has already so far announced 128 candidates for Assembly polls while Jana Sena has announced seven candidates.

The BJP is yet to announce its candidates. None of the NDA partners have declared candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.

Simultaneous polls for Andhra Pradesh Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled to be held on May 13.

A direct fight is on the cards between the ruling YSR Congress Party and the TDP-BJP-Jana Sena alliance.

In the 2019 elections the TDP, BJP and the Jana Sena contested the polls separately.

While TDP and BJP went alone, the JSP contested the polls in alliance with BSP and the Left parties.

The TDP, which lost power to the YSR Congress, could win only 23 seats. The Jana Sena won a single seat while the BJP drew a blank.

The YSR Congress had wrested power from the TDP by winning 151 seats. It also swept the Lok Sabha polls, winning 22 seats.

The TDP bagged the remaining three seats. After the crushing defeat in 2019, Jana Sena returned to the NDA.

Though Chandrababu Naidu was also keen to revive the alliance with the BJP, the latter was cold to his moves due to friendly relations with the YSR Congress, which extended full support to the Centre in passing crucial Bills in Parliament.

However, with Jana Sena joining hands with Chandrababu Naidu a few months ago, the BJP came under pressure to become part of the alliance to avoid a split of anti-incumbency votes.
New Delhi, March 19 : Unilever, the parent company of Hindustan Unilever, on Tuesday announced to separate its ice cream unit into a standalone business, in a restructuring exercise that will result in nearly 7,500 job losses at the company.

The company said in a statement that the expected changes, to be completed by the end of next year, are expected to impact around 7,500 predominantly office-based roles globally, with total restructuring costs now anticipated to be around 1.2 per cent of Group turnover for the next three years.

"The Board is determined to transform Unilever into a higher-growth, higher-margin business that will deliver consistently for all stakeholders. Improving our performance and sharpening our portfolio are key to delivering the improved results we believe Unilever can achieve," said Ian Meakins, Chair of Unilever.

The separation of ice cream will create a world-leading business, operating in a highly attractive category, with brands that together delivered turnover of 7.9 billion euros in 2023, said the company.

The business has five of the top 10 selling global ice cream brands including Wall's, Magnum and Ben & Jerry's, with exposure in both the in-home and out-of-home segments across a global footprint.

"The Board believes that Unilever should be increasingly focused on a portfolio of unmissably superior brands with strong positions in highly attractive categories that have complementary operating models," the company noted.

A demerger of ice cream is the most likely separation route, and in that case "we expect the company to operate with a capital structure in line with comparable listed companies".

"The changes we are announcing will help us accelerate that plan, focusing our business and our resources on global or scalable brands where we can apply our leading innovation, technology and go-to-market capabilities across complementary operating models," said Hein Schumacher, CEO of Unilever.
Mumbai, March 19 : Soon after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and his son Amit Thackeray met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital on Tuesday, BJP legislator Atul Bhatkhalkar said if the MNS chief joins hands with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the MahaYuti government in Maharashtra will win 45-plus Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming elections.

aaThe NDA is working under the leadership of the BJP. Our position is clear -- we will welcome all those to join the MahaYuti in Maharashtra who support Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister for a third term.

"If Raj Thackeray thinks like that, he is welcome. The people of Maharashtra and the country have decided that the MahaYuti will win more than 45 seats in the state, while the NDA will bag 400 seats in the country. If Raj Thackeray joins the alliance, it will surely benefit us in the upcoming elections,aa said Bhatkhalkar.

Bhatkhalkar added that at present, some of the BJP nominees and ally candidates have been announced, while the rest will be declared soon.

"Efforts are on to win six out of six seats in Mumbai. If Raj Thackeray joins the MahaYuti, it will not only help us in Mumbai, but also in the rest of Maharashtra. The MahaYuti is winning 45-plus seats in the state. We will be happy if Raj Thackeray enters the MahaYuti," he added.

Senior NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal also said that Raj Thackeray is welcome if he wants to join the grand alliance (MahaYuti).

"If Raj Thackeray wants to be an ally in the MahaYuti, a few seats will have to be given to his party. Even in the Maha Vikas Aghadi, a discussion is underway to include the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.

"Once the seat-sharing agreement is sealed, all other discussions will stop. With Raj Thackerayas entry, the MahaYutias strength will increase and his association will be helpful not just in the Lok Sabha elections, but also in the upcoming Assembly and civic body polls in the state," Bhujbal said.

Sources said that Raj Thackeray has reportedly expressed his preference for the Mumbai South, Nashik, and Shirdi Lok Sabha seats.

As far as Mumbai is concerned, sources said the BJP hopes that Raj Thackeray will be able to eat into the traditional votes of the 'Marathas Manoos' of Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray and thereby hamper the latteras poll prospects.

However, a section of the BJP is also worried about its poll prospects due to the violent campaigns run by Raj Thackeray in the past against migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They also recall the anti-BJP campaign run by Raj Thackeray in earlier general elections without fielding any candidate or extending support to any party.

MNS leader Sandip Deshpande, meanwhile, said that whatever decision Raj Thackeray takes, it will be in the interest of Maharashtra and the MNS.

Maharashtra Congress spokesman Atul Londhe, however, took a swipe at the BJP and said, "How can the BJP seek votes from the North Indians whom Raj Thackeray's men beat up with sticks? The BJP has not only betrayed the North Indian brothers, but also rubbed salt on their wounds and hurt their self-respect.
Women have to learn to manage emotional intelligence to become empowered : 'Missile Woman' of India. Image Source: IANS News

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 19 : Dr Tessy Thomas, often referred to as the 'Missile Woman of India', said that in an age of scientific advancement, women need emotional intelligence to empowered themselves.

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 19 (IANS) Dr Tessy Thomas, often referred to as the aMissile Woman of Indiaa, said that in an age of scientific advancement, women need emotional intelligence to empowered themselves.

Thomas is former Director General of Aeronautical Systems, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

She made this remark while delivering a lecture on 'Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress', as part of the lecture series organised to mark International Women's Day 2024 celebrations of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) here.

The 'Missile Woman' of India referred to women's strengths, and said that though women possess unique capabilities of dedication, responsibility, commitment, and passion; and that their emotional intelligence has to be strengthened to tackle situations that arise in their distinct careers.

"Emotional intelligence is the ability to simultaneously react by keeping one's feelings and responding to others reasonably in challenging situations," she said.

"A woman has to be self-empathetic, self-esteemed, fully committed and aware of situations along with her technical knowhow and leadership qualities. Then she can be an empowered person," added the first woman scientist to head a missile project in India.

According to her, a woman's intuitive capability and self-confidence are of great importance to her growth.

Noting that there are a lot of opportunities for women within DRDO, she said that her association with her illustrious peers and personalities like APJ Abdul Kalam instilled in her ample courage and motivation to work.

Commenting on giving equality and respect to the girl child, she said that it has to start within the family to progress in educational institutions, and should be promoted at career level.

Currently the Vice Chancellor of Noorul Islam Centre for Higher Education, Kumarakovil, Tamil Nadu, Thomas was the Project Director for the Agni-IV missile in DRDO and the Project Director (Mission) for the long-range AGNI-5 system.
New Delhi, March 19 : Delhi Police has arrested a 46-year-old man from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly kidnapping a seven-year-old child in the northeast Delhi area, an official said on Tuesday.

He said that the kidnapper even forced the child to call mother in order to extort money and tried to drown the child in the Ganga river.

The accused was identified as Viresh a.k.a Veeru a.k.a Bhagat, a resident of Nehru Vihar.

According to police, on March 13, a police control room (PCR) call regarding the kidnapping of a boy from his house was received at Dayalpur police station.

During the probe, the police team thoroughly scanned and analysed the CCTV footage of the cameras installed in the vicinity.

"On the basis of information gathered from technical surveillance and locally deployed sources, the police team managed to identify the suspected person. Through technical inputs, the location of the suspect was traced to the Kalkatti Mandir, Sambhal on the Ganga river bank area," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey.

A police team was sent to the last traced location and the accused was nabbed from the railway station at Rajghat village.

"The suspected person along with the kidnapped child was seen hiding near a wall of the railway station. As the suspect noticed the police presence, he immediately left the child and tried to flee from the spot but the vigilant team chased and trapped him," said the DCP.

The DCP said that the child was reunited with his family members.

On interrogation, the accused admitted to his crime and disclosed that he had issues with the child's family members and to teach them a lesson, he kidnapped the child.
Mumbai, March 19 : The leading ladies of Bollywood -- Kiara Advani, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh, Pooja Hegde and Tamannaah Bhatia have set the internet ablaze with their stylish looks of the day.

Taking to Instagram, Kiara dropped fresh new pictures of herself wearing a powder blue off shoulder gown, with a thigh high slit, and a long tail.

The actress, who was last seen in 'Satyaprem Ki Katha' opted for glossy lips, brown eye-shadow, and winged eyeliner. Her hair is tied in a clean bun, and accessoried the look with diamond ear cuffs. The look was rounded off with transparent heels.

Kiara captioned the post with blue butterfly and blue heart emoji.

Sara, who recently featured in 'Murder Mubarak', looked drop dead gorgeous in a sleeveless powder blue coloured dress, with sweetheart neckline.

For the makeup, Sara opted for pink lips, and light pink eye shadow. Her hair is half tied with a pretty bow, and half left open.

The look was rounded off with a matching stilettos.

The actress captioned the post: "Something borrowed, something blue, books and thoughts, coffee to brew, eyes that sparkle, eyes that are bold, that's what it takes...so she was told."

Rakul looked alluring in a black outfit. Her outfit included a black crop top, and a matching long skirt. Her makeup was on point -- brown lips, arched brows, and contoured cheeks.

Her hair was styled in a high bun, and she accessoried it with gold bangles and earrings.

The actress, who was last seen in 'Chhatriwali' captioned the pictures as: "Kaun hai woh jisne dobara mudkar mujhe nahi dekha..."

Tamannaah won the hearts with her hot look as she wore a black sleeveless dress. She kept her makeup minimal -- pink lips, and smokey eyes, while her hair is styled in soft waves.

The post is captioned: "Are you ready?"

Pooja, who recently featured in 'Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan' looked gorgeous in a long magenta pink coloured shimmery gown. She kept her makeup neutral and glossy, and kept her long tresses open.

The outfit was rounded off with matching stilettos.

The actress captioned the post as: "Backstage to centre stage."

On the work front, Pooja will be next seen in 'Deva'.
New Delhi, March 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a public rally in Tamil Nadu's Salem on Tuesday, hit out at the INDIA bloc allies including Congress and DMK and accused them of deliberately insulting Hinduism and the followers of Hindu faith.

"Leaders of INDIA alliance are intentionally insulting Hinduism and their statements are also well-planned and thought of. Congress and DMK, in particular don't hesitate in denigrating Hinduism with their profane remarks, as they are not so generous for other beliefs and religions," said PM Modi at the rally, attended by thousands of supporters.

PM Modi further lashed out at the INDIA bloc for their opposition and condemnation of 'Shakti', while describing the latter as 'women power and mother power'. The controversy on Shakti ignited after Rahul Gandhi's controversial remarks during display of Opposition strength at Mumbai's Shivaji Park on Sunday.

"Whoever planned to destroy Shakti in the past got wiped out themselves. Our holy textbooks are witness to it," the PM thundered at the rally.

He also slammed the DMK and Congress for 'promoting corruption and parivaarvad' and described them as two sides of the same coin.

PM Modi said that when Congress was removed from power, the country saw the launch and expansion of 5G technology but in Tamil Nadu, the DMK was running its own 5G, hinting at party's family fiefdom for past five generations.

The PM further said that the BJP is receiving immense love and support from people of Tamil Nadu and this is giving "sleepless nights to DMK."

"Tamil Nadu has decided Abki baar, 400 paar. For a developed India, we need 400 paar. For a developed India, we need 400 paar," PM Modi said amid loud cheers and slogan-shouting by the crowd.

The PM also informed the gathering that his government was establishing seven mega textile parks in the country and Tamil Nadu was one of the states to have one such facility.

Notably, PM Modi has been leading the BJP's South Push drive in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections 2024. On Monday, he held a mega roadshow in Coimbatore and received unprecedented surge of supporters.

BJP has set its eyes on Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in particular, in its Mission South and hopes to win as many seats in the Southern states, aiming to send 39 and 20 MPs to the Lok Sabha respectively.
Press Release

March 19, 2024 Senate OKs creation of Bulacan ecozone, freeport The Senate on Monday, March 18, 2024, gave its final nod to the bill creating the Bulacan Special Economic Zone (BuZ) and Freeport. Sponsored by Sen. Grace Poe, Senate Bill No. 2572 establishes the Bulacan Ecozone, which will host the New Manila International Airport in the province of Bulacan. Aside from Poe, Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" F. Zubiri co-sponsored the bill, along with Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, and Senators Pia S. Cayetano, Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa, Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, and Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go. "Throughout our collective brainstorming, we have crafted a vastly-improved bill that adheres to the constitutional provisions on land conversion, balances economic growth with environmental protection, and warrants greater local government unit (LGU) representation at its helm," Poe said following the bill's approval. "It will spur investments, create more jobs and will be a model, not just here in the Philippines, but all over Asia," she added. Citing projections, Poe said economic gains from the proposed BuZ could reach P130.9 billion and could generate 800,000 to 1.2 million jobs for Filipinos. Under the bill, the BuZ shall be developed into and operated as a "decentralized, self-reliant and self-sustaining, aviation hub, industrial, commercial, trading, agro-industrial, tourism, retirement, banking, financial and investment center, emerging and future technologies, with suitable residential areas." A corporation to be known as the Bulacan Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (BEZA) shall be created to manage and operate the BuZ. The BEZA shall be under the direct supervision and control of the Office of the President. The BEZA shall have an authorized capital stock of P2 billion, the majority shares of which shall be subscribed and paid for by the national government and the local government units embracing the ecozone. To ensure the efficient and sustainable development of the ecozone, the BEZA, in consultation with the National Economic and Development Authority, shall come up with a general framework for land use, planning, and development for the area covered by the proposed ecozone. The framework shall be consistent with the goals of the Philippine Development Plan. The development of the BuZ shall also be integrated and consistent with the plans of national government agencies, regional development councils, and LGUs with respect to transportation, telecommunications infrastructure and other facilities, the bill further stated. Members of the BEZA Board would also include representatives of the Bulacan provincial government and LGUs, as well as a representative from the private sector and another to represent the workers in the BuZ. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall be tasked to lead the supervision of environmental concerns inside the ecozone, Poe stressed. SBN 2572 also enumerates the incentives to be given to enterprises and investors planning to set up shop within BuZ, including the grant of special visas, subject to relevant labor and immigration laws, rules and regulations, and fiscal incentives. As for revenues, the BEZA and affected LGUs shall be entitled to a share in the special corporate income tax under Republic Act No. 8424, otherwise known as the "National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997" as amended, from all registered business enterprises within the ecozone. The corporate income tax collected shall be divided as follows: 40 percent to the national government; 20 percent to BEZA for infrastructure development; and 40 percent to the concerned LGUs. Notwithstanding its autonomy, all transactions to be undertaken by the BEZA shall be subject to the audit mechanisms under Republic Act No. 10149, or the "GOCC Governance Act of 2011," as well as the accounting and auditing rules of the Commission on Audit. "With this measure, the Bulakenyos and the rest of the country can expect a world-class economic zone that we can be proud of," Poe said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The process of delimitation and demarcation should be assessed in the context of peace and normalization of interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and it constitutes the most important part of the peace process, political analyst Ilyas Huseynov told Trend.

He stated that following the Second Karabakh War, new geopolitical realities had emerged between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan came to its internationally recognized borders under these circumstances. Enclaves and ex-slaves should be restored to Azerbaijan in order to define the borders. A while back, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the people of Eskipar, Baganis, and paid a visit to the exiles situated right on the Azerbaijani border.

The purpose of the visit, in my opinion, is primarily to gather public opinion and be ready for the villages' return to Azerbaijan. The northern area will be the first to have its borders determined This is a complex and crucial issue," Huseynov said.

To note, during a meeting with Tavush residents, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned that war would break out by the end of the week if Yerevan refuses to talk to Baku about issues related to delimitation and demarcation.

"Right now, you can walk out of this hall and say that there will be no delimitation or demarcation. But that means there will be war at the end of the week. So I know what will happen at the end of this war. Then, when we meet somewhere on the Republic square, you will say, 'Okay, we are simple villagers; we had no information, but you knew everything,'" Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan also mentioned that the delineation and demarcation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan has moved into a more realistic stage.

"This process means that it is necessary to clarify the spot where Armenia's border runs. Our commissions should determine, on the spot where Armenia begins, where the border should be," he added.

To note, the seventh session of the State Commission on Delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on Delimitation of the State Border and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan was held on March 7 at the conditional border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Mher Grigoryan.

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Mumbai, March 19 : Actress Tamannaah Bhatia, who was recently seen in the Telugu film 'Bhola Shankar', shared that she was rejected from 'Boogie Woogie', and it has been one hell of a journey for her to get to collaborate with actor Jaaved Jaaferi.

The actress on Tuesday attended Prime Video's slate announcement event, 'Prime Video Presents', with the team of her upcoming streaming title 'Daring Partners', which also stars Diana Penty and Jaaved Jaaferi.

Tamannaah told the media: "I was once rejected from 'Boogie Woogie'. Since, then it has been a journey to share the same platform with Javed sir, it all has come full-circle."

'Daring Partners' follows the story of two best-friends, who embark on a daring journey as partners in an alcohol start-up.

The series unfolds their audacious journey, where they challenge norms, bend rules, and acrafta their destiny within a male-dominated industry.

'Daring Partners' will soon drop on Prime Video.
Chennai, March 19 : Education authorities in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore have initiated an inquiry against a school headmaster and other staff for making school children attend the roadshow of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said on Tuesday.

The District Education Officer asked the management of the government-aided Sri Sai Baba Vidyalayam Aided Middle School to take strict action against the headmaster and staff and submit a detailed report on the incident.

Chief Education Officer (CEO) M. Balamurali, addressing media persons, said: "We have initiated an investigation. Prior to the event, all schools were explicitly instructed to abstain from such practices."

Many children were seen watching the show at various locations and some under the age of 14 were observed dressed as deities and others were wearing clothes bearing party symbols during the roadshow on Monday.

The Election Commission prohibits children from being used for any election-related campaign.

Students present at the roadshow said school authorities instructed them to gather at the Sai Baba Colony junction two hours before the event. This was close to the starting point of the roadshow, between Ganga Hospital on Mettupalayam Road and the Head Post Office in R.S. Puram.

Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati, in a social media post, said: "We have taken cognisance of the issue and the ARO has sought reports from the respective departments. Suitable action will be taken based on the findings of the inquiry."

Assistant Returning Officer P. Suresh told media persons that these practices violate the Model Code of Conduct and after the inquiry was completed, the report would be forwarded to the Election Commission of India officials.
Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 19 : Almost two years after the cold-blooded murder of a popular RSS functionary in Palakkad district, NIA, on Tuesday, took into custody a top PFI activist who was on the run.

Hailing from Malappuram, Shafeeq, a key person in the murder, was taken into custody from Kollam, about 70 kms from the state capital.

On April 16, 2022, a group of five men on two bikes arrived at the shop of 45-year-old Sreenivasan, a popular RSS activist, and was hacked to death in Palakkad city.

Sreenivasan was sitting in his auto consulting shop when the attackers rushed in, and in a few minutes, killed him with swords and knives.

Hearing the cries of Sreenivasan, when people came rushing, they saw one person sitting on a bike waiting for the killers to return, and soon, they went away on the two bikes.

Sreenivasan was a former RSS office bearer and a key functionary.
Retrospective exhibition of modernist Gobardhan Ash to be held in Kolkata. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March : A comprehensive showcase celebrating the legacy and brilliance of Indian modernist Gobardhan Ash - 'The Prinseps Exhibition: Gobardhan Ash Retrospective' will be held at the 'Kolkata Centre for Creativity' in Kolkata, from March 29 to April 21.

New Delhi, March (19) A comprehensive showcase celebrating the legacy and brilliance of Indian modernist Gobardhan Ash - aThe Prinseps Exhibition: Gobardhan Ash Retrospective' will be held at the aKolkata Centre for Creativitya in Kolkata, from March 29 to April 21.

Curated by Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil and Harsharan Bakshi, the retrospective features over 100 artworks, including sketches, landscapes, self-portraits, portraits, rural Bengal scenes, the iconic aAvatar Seriesa from the late 1940s, vibrant pastels from his outdoor studies, and his Children Series capturing the myriad moods of children.

Gobardhan Ash (1907-1969) remains a towering figure in the annals of Indian art history, known for his unwavering dedication to creative expression and his significant contributions to the modernist movement.

Born in Begampur, West Bengal, Ash's journey as an artist embodies individualism, resilience and an unwavering dedication to creative expression.

During his formative years, Ash was defiant of the traditional British methods of art education. His quest for marking a path to modernism in India led him to have a pivotal role in founding the Young Artistsa Union in 1931 and the Art Rebel Centre in 1933.

Ash's oeuvre reflects a deep engagement with social realism, as seen in iconic works like aVillage Girl of Bengala which sensitively portrays the realities of rural life. Throughout his journey, Ash delved into self-portraits, showcasing his evolving artistic identity and mastery of techniques like cross-hatching.

His avant-garde Avatar Series, exhibited in the Joint Show of the Calcutta Group and the Progressive Artistsa Group in 1950, left a lasting impression, inspiring experimentation and dialogue.

In his Children Series, Ash offered a poignant portrayal of childhood, resonating with viewers through naturalistic depictions.

Throughout his life, Ash's studio in Shibpur served as a hub for artistic discourse, attracting prominent figures like Zainul Abedin and Gopal Ghose, who sought inspiration from his brilliance.

As a mentor to younger artists, including Ganesh Haloi, Ash's influence reverberated throughout the Indian art world, leaving an indelible mark on future generations.
People of TN have decided to vote for BJP on April 19, says PM Modi in Salem. Image Source: IANS News

Chennai, March 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the people of Tamil Nadu have decided to vote for the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.

PM Modi, while speaking at a mammoth public meeting in Salem, said that his government had worked for the development and prosperity of Tamil Nadu and left no stone unturned for it.

The PM also said that his government at the Centre had provided drinking water to homes and free medical treatment to the people of Tamil Nadu.

He added that many people had benefited from the Mudra loan scheme of the government.

PM Modi also said that in this Lok Sabha election, the BJP-led NDA would cross the 400-seat mark.

He said that the INDIA bloc was deliberately insulting Hindu dharma and added that every statement against it was well thought of.

PM Modi said that the DMK and the Congress were synonymous with corruption and dynastic rule.

He said that while the country was progressing to 5G, the Congress was on vacation and sarcastically remarked that for the DMK, 5G was fifth generation of the same family ruling the state.

He said, "This 5G family has tainted India and Tamil Nadu's image worldwide through the infamous 2G scam."

The PM turned emotional while speaking about the BJP's Tamil Nadu General Secretary, 'auditor' Ramesh who was hacked to death inside his residential compound in Salem on June 19, 2013 by an unidentified gang.

PM Modi said that Ramesh was a hard-working 'karyakarta' and that he was a great orator.

Remembering Ramesh, the PM said, "Aaj, Salem ka woh mera Ramesh nahi hai (Today Ramesh, my friend from Salem is no more)."

He also spoke about BJP leader, late KN Lakshmanan, who led the fight against Emergency in Salem. He passed away in 2020 due to age-related illnesses at his residence in Salem.

PM Modi said, "Lakshmanan ji's role in the anti-Emergency movement and activities in sociocultural movements will always be remembered."

The PM lauded the Tamil language and stressed on its ancient heritage and spoke about the importance of its global recognition.

The BJP's Tamil Nadu President, K Annamalai, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, L Murugan, state Vice President and former MP, KP Ramalingam, former Chief Minister and expelled AIADMK leader, O.Panneerselvam, were present at the rally.

IANS

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New Delhi, March 19 : Amid the raging political controversy over 'Shakti', at least eleven 'Shakti Ammas' shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tamil Nadu's Salem district on Tuesday.

While PM Modi along with top BJP leaders were on the stage for a public address, the group of eleven women dressed in traditional attires climbed the stage and shared a 'special moment' with the Prime Minister.

Shakti Ammas, 11 in total, also posed for the photograph along with PM Modi while the latter greeted them all and hailed the women's power.

The gesture came as a special acknowledgement of the women's power that PM Modi has repeatedly underlined and vowed to fight for, especially after the insult meted out to 'Shakti' by Opposition leaders.

PM Modi, addressing the huge gathering said that those who don't respect the Shakti and conspire against it will be destroyed on their own, our scriptures have been witness to it, in the past.

The controversy over 'Shatki' began after Rahul Gandhi, at a recent INDIA alliance rally in Mumbai, claimed that the Congress was fighting against a Shakti, whose 'mask' is Narendra Modi. He vowed to continue to his fight against this 'shakti' of oppression and suppression, allegedly by the misuse of Central agencies.

However, Rahul soon found himself on the back foot as his 'Shakti' statement received a huge backlash in political circles as well as on social media.

PM Modi, in today's rally, lambasted the INDIA alliance for casting aspersions on Shakti, a term that represents women's power and mother power.

He also said that the intentions of the INDIA leaders became clear in their first public rally.

"During their first rally in Mumbai, they made statements about destroying 'Shakti', about fighting against 'Shakti'. Their statement has been a sheer insult to the Hindu religion, Hindu faith," PM Modi said.

PM Modi further hit out at the Opposition parties, Congress and DMK in particular for their hatred towards Hinduism and repeated slander on the Hindu faith with their distasteful and disgusting remarks.
Jaipur, March 19 : A government school lecturer, deputed as presiding officer for LS elections, passed away due to a heart attack in Rajasthan's Ajmer district on Tuesday while undergoing training for forthcoming LS polls.

Cheetarmal Kumawat, a lecturer in the government higher secondary school in Kekri tehsil of Ajmer, was having tea during the training when he suffered a heart attack. He was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead.

State Education Minister Madan Dilawar expressed his condolences, saying Kumawat was a dedicated and hard-working employee and his sudden death is a loss to the entire Education Department.

"Chhetarmal Kumawat was a dutiful employee. He worked with complete honesty. His untimely demise has caused an irreparable loss to the Education Department. Praying to God to grant peace to the departed soul," he said and assured the Kumawat family of all possible help.
Amaravati, March 19 : Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N. Chandrababu Naidu has demanded immediate intervention by the Election Commission to check increasing political violence in Andhra Pradesh.

He said on Tuesday that at a time when the election process is on in the state, the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) is escalating political violence.

Asserting that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy will be losing power in another 50 days, Naidu alleged he was encouraging political violence as the fear of losing power is haunting him.

Naidu said in a statement that the YSRCP agoondasa who are in deep depression are resorting to attacks on the TDP activists in various parts of the state.

The TDP chief mentioned the killing of two TDP supporters during the last couple of days. Mulaiah of Gadikota in GIddalur Assembly segment was brutally hacked to death for attending the recent Praja Galam meeting held at Chilakaluripet while 21-year-old Imam Hussain of Chagalamarri in Allegedda segment too was mercilessly murdered. The car of the TDP activists in Macherla, was set on fire.

Demanding that the police act in an impartial way and initiate stringent action against the culprits responsible for all these three incidents, Chandrababu strongly condemned the murder and faction politics of the YSRCP.

Assuring the affected families that the TDP will solidly stand by them, Chandrababu felt that the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Prakasam, Nandyal and Palnadu districts are all dancing to the tunes of the ruling dispensation. Taking advantage of the support of these SPs, the YSRCP goondas are ruling the roost in their respective areas, he stated.

Since the Model Code of Conduct is in force in the State, the Election Commission should immediately focus on the prevailing law and order situation in the State, Nara Chandrababu Naidu said and demanded urgent action to check the increasing political violence in the state after reviewing the situation.

Simultaneous elections to the 175-member Andhra Pradesh Assembly and all 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are scheduled to be held on May 13.
Mumbai, March 19 : Action star Tiger Shroff, who will be soon seen in the 4th instalment of his action film franchise 'Baaghi', shared that he first got romantically involved at the age of 25.

The actor attended Prime Video's slate announcement event, 'Prime Video Presents' on Tuesday at a 5-star property in the Santa Cruz area of Mumbai.

Talking to Bollywood star Varun Dhawan, Tiger said: "You know Varun, I have always been a very shy and introverted kind of a person. I never had a girlfriend till the age of 25".

Varun was in for a shock when he heard this. He asked Tiger, "25! Are you serious?" To which Tiger replied, "Yes, I got my first girlfriend at 25 and it was during the audition of my debut film."

Varun once again probed him, "Kriti Sanon?".

A startled Tiger corrected himself, as he said, "No no the film after my debut."

Varun, who had earlier made a slip at a television show with regards to Kriti's dating life when he hinted at Prabhas's name in jest, told the media, "Guys, it's a joke, it's joke!!", given that all of India's media was present at the event.

Tiger, who was earlier rumoured to be dating actress Disha Patani, however, didn't reveal the name of the girl.
Kolkata, March 19 : Two sisters, living in Bangladesh, were able to catch the last glimpse of their deceased mother - a resident of India - thanks to the initiative of the Border Security Force (BSF).

The poignant final farewell took place on the Zero Line between the two countries in the Nadia district of West Bengal.

Shakiya Bewa, a resident of the Matiyari village in Nadia, passed away on Monday. When her daughters, living across the border, were informed over the phone, they requested for a last glimpse of their mother.

Finally, a panchayat member approached the Company Commander of the Banpur Border Outpost, manned by troops of the 32Bn BSF, South Bengal Frontier.

The Company Commander immediately got in touch with his counterpart in Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) and a flag meeting was arranged. The woman's mortal remains would be placed on the Zero Line so her daughters and other relatives from Bangladesh could approach and pay their respects.

The sombre occasion passed while troops of the BSF and BGB looked on.

"Both the daughters Shahida Bibi and Sofeda Bibi, their relatives as well as villagers have expressed their gratitude to the BSF for this humanitarian gesture. The BGB also cooperated with us. While our troops maintain vigil along the International Boundary (IB) with Bangladesh and are extremely strict when it comes to dealing with wrongdoers, they also ensure the emotional and social well-being of the border population. The BSF is against those with malicious intent but upholds humanity and values," said A K Arya, DIG and spokesperson, BSF, South Bengal Frontier.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. All plans of those who wanted to hinder the just cause of Azerbaijan have failed, political scientist Azer Garayev told Trend.

"The victorious Azerbaijanis celebrate Novruz for the first time across the country, including Khankendi, Khojaly, Aghdara, Khojavand, Karabakh, and Eastern Zangezur. The fact that President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev lit a bonfire on the occasion of Novruz in the town of Khankendi to congratulate the Azerbaijani people on the holiday has a unique symbolic importance," Garayev said.

He stated that the Novruz celebration was attempted to be erased from the Azerbaijani people's memories during the Soviet era.

"The solemn celebration of Novruz in our nation began in 1969, when Heydar Aliyev became the leader of the country. And it became another dramatic expression of his never-ending passion for his people, the old, rich history of the country, culture, national customs, and people's traditions. The National Leader had always believed wholeheartedly in the liberation of Motherland territories under occupation, as well as the reality that Novruz and other national holidays will be honored there. That is why the celebration of Novruz this year throughout our liberated lands, especially Khankendi, is so important. President Ilham Aliyev lit the joyful bonfire on the occasion of Novruz in the town of Khankendi, symbolizing the end of years of yearning for the homeland," he said.

Garayev added that the head of state, congratulating the Azerbaijani people, touched upon some important points.

"The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev once again stated that the Azerbaijani state is not afraid of anyone, does not shun anyone, and pursues an independent policy. All plans of those who wanted to hinder the just cause of Azerbaijan in various ways have failed and are failing. Azerbaijan has independently restored justice by liberating its lands from occupation," he said.

Garayev emphasized that the processes of return of former IDPs to the lands liberated from occupation, restoration of houses destroyed by Armenians, and historical monuments are being carried out with great enthusiasm.

"Our people are living witnesses to this heroic history. Our citizens who have returned to liberated territories will henceforth celebrate all holidays in their native lands with tremendous pride and delight," he said.

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Those who threatened to burn train from Ayodhya should be booted into prison: Pralhad Joshi. Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, March 19 : Reacting to the incident of attack on a shop owner for playing Hanuman Chalisa in Bengaluru, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said that day after day, anti-Hindu and anti-national stand is getting stronger in Karnataka.

Talking to reporters, Joshi said that the Congress government in the state is directly responsible for this development. Why anti-Hindu activities are occurring during Congress government in Karnataka? The soft approach of the Congress is resulting in this, he added.

The pro-Pakistan episode took place in the state legislature and there was no action even after the confirmation of the Forensic Science Laboratory report. The government has not woken up even after the blast incident at the Bengaluru cafA. Now, a person was assaulted for playing Hanuman Chalisa. This indicates that there is no protection for Hindus in the state, Joshi said.

How many arrests are made in connection with pro-Pakistan and the bomb blast case? The state government is tight-lipped on stern action taken against these incidents. This has emboldened anti-national forces, he added.

The government protected the accused persons who raised pro-Pakistan slogans. The Congress Rajya Sabha member Syed Naseer Hussain abused the media persons. The Chief Minister defended the action. All these developments have made anti-Hindu forces courageous, Joshi said.

The accused think that they can get away with anything and the government will support them. The anti-Hindus have gone to the level of assaulting people for playing Hanuman Chalisa. The Congress government is directly responsible for the situation, Joshi stated.
Nath family hell-bent on retaining pocket borough Chhindwara as BJP looks to turn the tide. Image Source: IANS News

Bhopal, March 19 : Congress MP Nakul Nath, the son of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath who will be seen defending his Lok Sabha seat in his family bastion Chhindwara in the upcoming general elections, has changed the profile picture on his X handle.

In the new photo, Nakul Nath could be seen with folded hands with the caption: aCongress Ka Haath, Vikas Ke Saat."

Last month, the Chhindwara MP had removed the word aCongressa from his social media bio, triggering speculation of a probable shift to the BJP.

But the speculation ended after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) renominated Nakul Nath from Chhindwara as it announced 10 out of 29 candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh.

Nakul Nath, the soft-spoken politician coming from an affluent background, is trying to fit into the shoes of his father Kamal Nath, a nine-time former MP from Chhindwara, who has also won two Assembly elections from there, including in 2023 and the bypoll in 2019.

In the past, Nakul Nath would often be seen attending political rallies with his father. But for the coming elections, he along with his team is interacting with the people in his constituency to seek their support.

Knowing that the ruling BJP will put up challenges and leave no stone unturned to snatch Chhindwara from the clutches of the Congress, the entire Nath family has jumped into action with the sole aim of retaining the pocket borough at any cost.

Veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath, who has already announced that he won't leave Chhindwara at any cost, is making all efforts to ensure that his son retains the Chhindwara seat.

Nakul Nathas wife Priya Nath is also actively taking part in the campaign and meeting with the women of the constituency.

The ruling BJP has fielded Vivek aBantia Shahu from Chhindwara, who had lost to Kamal Nath in the Assembly elections held in November last year.

The BJP is also attempting to dent the Nath family's efforts by luring several trusted leaders from Kamal Nath's close circle. In the past couple of months, several Congress workers from Chhindwara, many of whom were close to Kamal Nath, have shifted to the BJP.

In 2029, the BJP had won 28 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh, and the only constituency it lost was Chhindwara.
Gadchiroli : , March 19 (IANS) In a major intelligence-based operation, Maharashtra security forces gunned down at least four Maoists, who sneaked in from Telangana and carried varying rewards totalling Rs 36 lakhs on their heads, in a fierce jungle shoot-out in Gadchiroli district early on Tuesday, police officials said.

Following a tip-off that a large group of Maoists from a neighbouring state had entered the state with nefarious motives, the security forces launched a massive combing operation in the Kolamarka hills of Repanpalli division last night.

Teams of the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) Range Quick Action Team and the elite C-60 Commandos of Anti-Naxal Operations (ANO), were involved in the dangerous forest operation.

Suddenly, the Maoists hiding in the jungle started shooting indiscriminately at the RQAT and C-60 teams which also returned fire in self-defence.

After the encounter stopped, the commandos led by Additional Superintendent of Police, Operations, Yatish Deshmukh, searched the vicinity and came across the bodies of four dreaded Maoists.

They have been identified as Vargeesh, Secretary of Mangi Indravelli Area, Magtu, Secretary of Sirpur Chennur Area Committee, and two Platoon members Kursang Raju and Kudimetta Venkatesh, according to officials. They were collectively carrying a reward of Rs 36 lakh on their heads announced by Maharashtra.

The police teams also recovered arms like an AK-47, a carbine, 2 country-made pistols, ammunition, Maoist literature and personal belongings of the deceased Maoists.

Officials suspect that the Maoists had slipped into Maharashtra via the Pranhita River from Telangana to Gadchiroli to carry out violence or disruptive activities ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha elections scheduled on April 19.

The official notification for five seats in the Vidarbha region - Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), Ramtek (SC), Chandrapur, Bhandara-Gondiya and Nagpur - is set to be issued on Wednesday, and many of them are plagued by Maoist activities of different intensities.

In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, the outlawed outfit was allegedly hatching plans for targeted attacks and other subversive activities in the Maoist-infested areas of central area spread across Maharashtra, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh.
Mumbai, March 19 : Livid over the purported stance of some of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) has unilaterally offered to support 7 Congress candidates in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, here on Tuesday.

VBA President Prakash Ambedkar has written a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on the issue and the development comes two days after the INDIA. bloc's mega-rally on March 17 held at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park here.

Referring to his brief meetings with Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi at the rally, Ambedkar claimed that "the MVA has been meeting continuously without inviting the VBA for any discussions or meetings".

"The Shiv Sena (UBT) and Nationalist Congress Party (SP) have refused to listen to VBA's representatives in the numerous MVA meetings and we have lost faith in both of these parties due to their unequal attitude towards VBA in the MVA," said Ambedkar.

He reiterated that the VBA's agenda remains unchanged  "unseat the Fascist, divisive, undemocratic BJP-RSS government."

With this aim in mind, he offered the VBA's full support to 7 Congress candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections "in goodwill, but also an extension of a friendly hand for a possible alliance in the future."

Ambedkar urged Kharge to provide him the list of 7 constituencies selected by the Congress from the quota given by the MVA for whom the VBA will lend its complete ground and strategic support.

The Congress and other major MVA allies have not yet reacted to the abrupt change of strategy by the VBA as the notification for the first phase of LS elections for five seats in Maharashtra on April 19 opens tomorrow.

The seats are: Ramtek (SC), Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST), Chandrapur, Bhandara-Gondiya and Nagpur (all GEN).
Mumbai, March 19 : Making a chilling disclosure, Tejasvee Darekar-Ghosalkar - the widow of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek V. Ghosalkar who was shot dead during a Facebook live show on February 8 - has claimed that she was also a potential target in the same incident, here on Tuesday.

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) Making a chilling disclosure, Tejasvee Darekar-Ghosalkar - the widow of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek V. Ghosalkar who was shot dead during a Facebook live show on February 8  has claimed that she was also a potential target in the same incident, here on Tuesday.

Abhishek, one of the dynamic, educated and upcoming youth leaders of SS (UBT), was fired multiple bullets during a live interaction with his constituents on Facebook that evening by a local goon Mauris Noronha, who also committed suicide a few minutes later by shooting himself.

Tejasvee, a former corporator in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) recalled how for that particular programme, the killer Noronha  dreaded in the neighbourhood as 'Mauris Bhai'  had asked her husband Abhishek to bring her along.

"He (Norona) had asked my husband to take me for that evening public event, and Abhishek had even asked me to accompany him. However, as I got delayed, Abhishek called me and suggested that I should directly go to attend another event scheduled later that evening," said Tejasvee.

"This means that even I was a target in the conspiracy hatched to eliminate Abhishek However, I got the call to go for the next function It's my children's good fortune that I could not reach the (Noronha) program," said Tejasvee.

Her briefing was attended by MPs Arvind Sawant, Anil Desai, MLAs Anil Parab and Vilas Potnis, ex-mayors Kishori Pednekar and Vishakha Raut, plus other SS (UBT) leaders and office-bearers.

In her statement, she alleged that the Mumbai Police do not seem to be probing her husband's murder case properly and even the Mumbai Sessions Court has made certain observations in this regard on March 5.

These are: prima facie, Noronha was handed the gun used in the murder; the deceased Noronha along with his (arrested) personal security guard Amrendra Mishra had gone together to buy the bullets; Mishra was fully aware of the rivalry between Noronha and Abhishek Ghosalkar; Noronha had kept Mishra's gun licence in his custody; and, the locker from where the gun was retrieved was intact, indicating Noronha had access to it when needed.

Tejasvee pointed out that she had raised similar issues with the Mumbai Police in a letter and demanded that IPC Sec. 34 and Sec. 120B, but her plea apparently went unheeded.

Against this background, she said her lawyer Bhushan Mahadik will soon file a writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking that investigations into murder of Abhishek Ghosalkar, 40, by the local goon Noronha, 52  and the latter's subsequent suicide  should be taken away from the Mumbai Police and entrusted to another probe agency.

The sensational killing of Abhishek Ghosalkar created shockwaves in state political circles with leaders across party lines condemning it, and now the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi allies are likely to exploit it politically in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
What your teeth say about your personality.(Pic credit:IANSLIFE). Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March 19 : Besides giving you the aesthetic appeal, a bright and healthy set of teeth may also be key to your good health, said experts on Tuesday, ahead of World Oral Health Day.

World Oral Health Day is celebrated annually on March 20 to raise awareness of good dental practices and hygiene.

The theme this year is "A happy mouth is a happy body".

"Oral health plays a crucial role in our overall well-being. It's not just about having a bright smile, it impacts our ability to eat, speak and even socialise comfortably. Neglecting oral health can lead to various issues including gum disease to decay and even systematic health problems like heart disease and diabetes," Dr. Nitika, Consultant - Dental Science at Fortis Hospital Greater Noida, told IANS.

She implored people to avoid sugary drinks, use of tobacco, and excessive alcohol consumption to maintain a healthy mouth.

"Mouth is the entry point to the digestive and respiratory tract. Without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that might lead to oral infections such as tooth decay and gum disease," Dr Ragini Sehgal Sethi, Senior Consultant, Dental Sciences, Medanta Hospital Lucknow, told IANS.

She noted that poor oral health might reduce the ability to chew, thus "constrain food choices and lead to weight loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, impaired communication, low self-esteem, and overall well-being".

Recent studies have also linked oral infections, especially periodontitis, with systemic diseases such as endocarditis, cardiovascular disease, bacterial pneumonia, pregnancy, and birth complications. In addition, diabetes, osteoporosis, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, eating disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, cancers, and immune system disorders -- all can affect oral health, Dr Sethi said.

To maintain good oral health, the doctors stressed the need to establish a routine of brushing at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing daily, and even visiting dentists regularly for check-ups and cleaning.
Hyderabad, March 19 : The Telangana government on Tuesday clarified that there is no problem with drinking water supply during the current summer season as there is enough water in the reservoirs of the state.

Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari's statement came amid media reports of drinking water scarcity in parts of the state, especially in north Telangana.

During a review meeting with the officials on the situation of drinking water supply in the state, the Chief Secretary directed that repairs be carried out on a war footing and that the supply of drinking water should be continued. She clarified that sufficient water is being supplied in Greater Hyderabad and if anyone requests additional water tankers, they are also being provided.

She stated that there is no need to worry about fresh water supply. The availability of water in all the reservoirs of the state and the measures taken for the supply of drinking water in the summer season were reviewed with the secretaries during the meeting.

Principal Secretary, Municipal Department, Dana Kishore, Principal Secretary, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development, Sandeep Sultania, Secretary, Irrigation, Rahul Bojja, Panchayat Raj Commissioner Anita Ramachandran, GHMC Commissioner Ronald Rose, Municipal Department Director Divya, Mission Bhagiratha's N.C. Krupakar Reddy and other officers participated in this review meeting.

The Chief Secretary also directed the officials to successfully conduct the Class 10 exams in the same spirit exhibited during the recently concluded intermediate exams. She held a teleconference with the district Collectors on the conduct of the examinations and said that the rest of the exams should also be conducted without any problems.

Electronic devices and mobile phones are not allowed in the examination centres under any circumstances. She said that Section 144 has been imposed at the examination centres and at least one constable or home guard has been appointed at each centre. She asked the officials to make proper arrangements while taking the examination papers back to the post offices.

The Education Department and police officials should work in proper coordination in this regard, she added.

DGP Ravi Gupta, Principal Secretary, Education, Burra Venkatesham, and Education Department's Commissioner Devasena participated in this teleconference.
New Delhi, March 19 : In an interim direction, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission of India to recognise the "Man Blowing Turha" symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) for the purpose of contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls.

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) In an interim direction, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission of India to recognise the "Man Blowing Turha" symbol of the Nationalist Congress Partya"Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) for the purpose of contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls.

Observing that the allocation of the symbol is sub-judice, a bench, headed by Justice Surya Kant, asked the Ajit Pawar-led party to issue a public notice in English, Marathi, and Hindi editions, stating that the usage of the 'clock' symbol reserved for NCP is subjected to the final outcome of proceedings pending before the apex court.

The bench, also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, said that the undertaking furnished by Ajit Pawar's side to not use photographs of party founder Sharad Pawar would apply not just to Maharashtra but also to other states.

Last week, the top court raised eyebrows at the Ajit Pawar faction using the name and photograph of Sharad Pawar for political gains.

"Why are you (Ajit Pawar) using his photograph? Go ahead with your own photographs. Why are you riding on his back?a. We want a very categoric and unconditional undertaking from you that you will not use his name directly or indirectly," it said.

The EC and the Maharashtra Speaker ruled that the NCP founded by Sharad Pawar 25 years ago, now belongs to the breakaway faction headed by his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, awarding also the name (NCP) and 'clock' symbol to him.
Mumbai/New Delhi, March 19 : Suspense continued over the likelihood of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

MNS President Raj Thackeray and his son Amit R. Thackeray went to Delhi to meet with the BJP top brass on Tuesday, where they held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah ostensibly to seal an alliance deal, marking a new twist in Maharashtra politics.

Senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said on Tuesday evening that "they had a very cordial meeting and discussed many things".

"There may be another meeting soon in Mumbai with other BJP leaders Thereafter, a final decision will be taken in the next one or two days. That's all I can say for now," Nandgaonkar said in Mumbai.

Earlier, MNS chief spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande said that "whatever Raj Thackeray decides, it will be in the interest of the party and the state".

On the other hand, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) Working President Supriya Sule said that in case the MNS opts to join the national opposition INDIA bloc, it will be "welcomed and accorded dignity", adding to the suspense on Raj Thackeray's political manoeuvres.

In a brief banter with the mediapersons before the meeting with Amit Shah, Raj Thackeray kept up the mystery saying, "I have no idea... I was only told to come... I don't know of any meetings."

The political movements came barely hours after Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde declared that the MahYuti and the 18-year-old MNS are on the same page as far as Hindutva is concerned, and an appropriate decision would be taken on including the MNS in the NDA fold.

Nationalist Congress Party Minister Chhagan Bhujbal diplomatically said the MNS -- currently having one MLA and influence in certain pockets -- would be welcomed if it joins the NDA-MahaYuti alliance.

Commenting on the goings-on, ex-CM and Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray said "the BJP is attempting to hijack another Thackeray family member" as it cannot seek votes in Maharashtra without the name of Balasaheb Thackeray.

Prominent opposition leaders like Atul Londe (Congress), Supriya Sule, Jitendra Awhad, Rohit R. Pawar, Clyde Crasto (NCP-SP), and Kishore Tiwari (SS-UBT) have given strong reactions, some referring to the MNS' perceived anti-North Indian stance and other issues.

SS (UBT) chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut dismissively said that MNS' entry into the NDA "will not have any political impact" in the state.

MahaYuti alliance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said that if the MNS decides to join hands with the BJP, "it will be in the interest of Hindutva, the state, and the country".

Addressing a party event last week, Raj Thackeray -- the estranged cousin of Uddhav Thackeray -- dropped broad hints of plunging into the LS polls. He is slated to discuss the issue with his party leaders on Thursday (March 21).

At the same time, Raj Thackeray also emphasised the party's staunch Hindutva credentials plus a committed cadre base, though there have been internal rumblings that the MNS is yet to taste 'real' power in the 18 years of its existence.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with Delhi Minister Atishi during the inauguration of the 3-lane flyover on Moti Nagar Ring Road. Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, March 19 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday moved the High Court, challenging the Enforcement Directorate's nine summonses issued to him in the alleged excise policy scam.

The high courtas division bench will hear the matter on Wednesday.

In its ninth summons, the ED had asked CM Kejriwal to appear on March 21.

On March 16, a magisterial court granted bail to CM Kejriwal in complaints filed by the ED over non-compliance with the agency's summons to him in a money laundering case related to the now-scrapped excise policy case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra of Rouse Avenue Court granted the Chief Minister relief on a bail bond of Rs 15,000 and a surety of Rs 1 lakh.

On February 27, the ED issued the eighth summons, to appear before it on March 4, to Kejriwal after he skipped the seventh summons issued on February 22.

On February 19, Kejriwal skipped the EDas sixth summons in connection with the alleged excise policy scam.

The ED on January 31, had issued its fifth summons to Kejriwal, telling him to appear before it on February 2.

It had summoned him for the fourth time on January 13, asking him to appear before it on January 18.

Meanwhile, AAP leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi on Tuesday said the ED has become a political weapon of the BJP and is now making false allegations against opposition parties. "Such accusations, which have been dismissed by the Supreme Court due to lack of evidence, are being levelled against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to arrest him," she alleged.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The Republic of Azerbaijan was elected as the CICA Chairperson for 2024-2026 by the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers on March 19, 2024, due to Mart 14 recommendations made at meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Council for Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Based on the decision, Azerbaijan plans to host a meeting of the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers in 2024 and a meeting of the CICA Council of Heads of State and Government in 2026 while serving as chairman.



To recall, Kazakhstan proposed CICA for the first time on October 5, 1992, during the 47th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The effort sought to establish an effective and universal institution to safeguard Asia's security.

"Azerbaijan actively participates in collaboration within the CICA framework. Our government coordinates the confidence-building initiative "Development of safe and efficient transport corridors." The Almaty Act, enacted in 2002, and the Declaration of Principles Governing Relations between CICA Member States, issued in 1999, are the major texts governing CICA activities. The Astana Statement on the Transformation of CICA was agreed upon during the CICA Summit in 2022, marking the start of the process of transforming CICA into a full-fledged regional international organization. Currently, the group has 28 members. In addition, ten countries and international organizations such as the UN, OSCE, International Organization for Migration, League of Arab States, and TURKPA have observer status in CICA. The administrative body of CICA is the Secretariat, located in Astana and coordinating the activities of the Council. CICA activity management and priority setting are carried out by the presiding country," the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes.

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Bengaluru, March 19 : Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) state President H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday appealed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to deploy paramilitary forces for the high-profile Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to the polls in the second phase on April 26.

Kumaraswamy's close relative C.N. Manjunath is contesting from Bengaluru Rural on a BJP ticket against sitting Congress MP D.K. Suresh, the younger brother of Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress President D.K. Shivakumar.

Speaking to mediapersons, Kumaraswamy said, "I request the Central government to direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to initiate action and send paramilitary forces for this seat (Bengaluru Rural), as elections are not held fairly here. If they fail, we will take action."

He added that the concerned SP, DC, and CEO should be shunted out of the constituency as "they don't have the guts to take action against Deputy CM Shivakumar and his brother".

"Even after the announcement of the poll schedule, freebies are being distributed in Bengaluru Rural. Without fear, pressure cookers are being manufactured and distributed in the area. About four lakh cookers were distributed on Monday. Though this information was given to the Chief Electoral Officer of the state, the matter was passed to the Ramanagara DC who has not taken any action.

"The Chief Election Commissioner keeps talking about taking steps to ensure a fair election, but what is happening in Bengaluru Rural is exactly the opposite. More than 10-12 lakh pressure cookers have been distributed in the area already," he claimed.

"Misuse of money power and muscle power are at play in Bengaluru Rural. If the Congress has confidence in its guarantees, why is it distributing cockers and sarees to the voters? What is going on in Karnataka," Kumaraswamy asked.
Jaipur, March 19 : With the filing of nominations for the Parliamentary elections set to begin on Wednesday, the District Election Officer (DEO) for Jaipur, Prakash Rajpurohit, said on Tuesday that nomination forms for Jaipur and Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seats can be submitted on any working day between March 20 and March 27.

The scrutiny of nomination forms will be done on March 28, while March 30 is the last date for withdrawal of nomination. Voting for Jaipur and Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha constituencies will be held in the first phase on April 19, and the counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.

The DEO said that the nomination filing process will begin at 11 a.m. and continue till 3 p.m. Only five persons, including the candidate, will be allowed to enter the Returning Officer's (RO) room.

Rajpurohit appealed to the candidates and representatives of all the political parties to follow the rules while filing nomination forms.

Pamphlets, posters, advertisements, or handbills published or printed by the political parties, candidates, and their supporters should comply with the various provisions of Section 127A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

It will be mandatory to write the name and address of the printer and publisher on the main page of the pamphlets, banners, and posters.

The DEO also said that no person will be able to get any election pamphlet or poster printed unless a declaration about the identity of the publisher is signed by him and attested by two persons who know him personally.

After publication of the document, the printer will present its copy and a copy of the declaration form to the DEO.

Rajpurohit also said that in view of the Lok Sabha elections, Section 144 of the CrPC will remain in effect.

During this period, no person, political party, or organisation will be allowed to hold processions, meetings, rallies, or public meetings without valid permission. Every meeting, procession, and public meeting will be permitted under the Model Code of Conduct and the instructions of the Election Commission of India.

The candidates for the Lok Sabha elections can spend up to Rs 95 lakh on election campaign, as prescribed by the Election Commission of India.

The DEO said the candidates will have to open a separate bank account and provide its details to the poll officials at least a day before the filing of nomination, detailing the election expenses.

The DEO also said that if any candidate or political party wants to install banners or flags on any private property, it will be mandatory to obtain written approval from the concerned owner.

After obtaining approval from the owner, the complete details, including the cost of the banner or flag and a copy of the written consent, will have to be submitted by the candidate to the concerned Returning Officer within three days.
New Delhi, March 19 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested 11 more accused persons in the conspiracy relating to the communal violence that broke out during Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal in March 2023.

The fresh arrests came less than a month after 16 persons were held by the NIA in the six cases that were transferred to the agency on April 27, 2023.

The 11 accused persons were also among those involved in conspiring and perpetrating the attacks on members of a particular community, triggered by one such incident during a procession to celebrate Ram Navami in Shibpur under the Howrah Police Commissionerate on March 30, 2023.

During its investigation, the NIA had identified the accused from the video footage seized from various locations.

The probe also led the NIA to other major revelations, resulting in these arrests as well as the arrest of 16 persons on February 26.

The 11 arrested accused have been identified as Shamim Ahmed alias Bare, Balwant Singh, Mehmud Alam, Mehfooz Alam alias Sonu, Shamshad Alam alias Danish, Mohammad Ali alias Suraj, Salim Jawed alias Jawad, Sarfaraz Alam alias Lalan, Firoj Khan, Md Sameer Ansari alias Raj, and Shamshad Hussain alias Raja.

All of them are residents of Shibpur, Howrah.

The case was initially registered by the state police against 36 persons over the violence in Shibpur. On April 278, 2023, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of all the cases related to the spate of communal violence that took place during the Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal to the NIA.
CPI-M's Jitendra Chaudhury likely to be appointed Leader of the Opposition in Tripura. Image Source: IANS News

Agartala, March 19 : CPI-M legislature party leader Jitendra Chaudhury is likely to be appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Tripura Assembly by Speaker Biswabandhu Sen on Wednesday.

State Assembly sources on Tuesday said that the Speaker invited Chaudhury to discuss the LoP-related issue on Wednesday and would likely appoint him to the post, lying vacant after incumbent, Tipra Motha Party (TMP) MLA Animesh Debbarma quit before becoming minister in the Manik Saha-led BJP government on March 7.

Animesh Debbarma and fellow TMP MLA Brishaketu Debbarma became ministers after the TMP, led by former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman, decided to join the BJP-led coalition government after signing a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government in New Delhi on their demands for tribal welfare.

In the February 16, 2023 Assembly polls, the TMP won 13 seats and became the second-largest party after the ruling BJP, which won 32 seats while its ally Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) secured one seat.

The CPI-M, which contested the polls in a seat-sharing adjustment with the Congress, managed 11 seats and the Congress bagged three. However, CPI-M MLA from Boxanagar Assembly seat Samsul Haque died on July 19 last year following a cardiac attack and in the September 5, 2023, by-elections, the BJP wrested the seat for the first time. With the victory, the BJPas tally increased to 33 in the 60-member assembly while CPI-Mas strength went down to 10.
Lucknow, March 19 : In a shocking incident, two minor children in UP's Budaun were brutally murdered by their neighbour at their home in UP's Budaun on Tuesday, sparking tension and violence in the city.

The incident took place in the Baba Colony under the Mandi Samiti police station, where the accused barged into the house and murdered the two children while injuring a third.

Budaun DM Manoj Kumar said the police received information about the crime and the subsequent protest by the local residents. Calling on all to maintain peace, he said the reason for the murder is not known yet.

Top officials have rushed to the spot while heavy police contingents have been deployed across the city.

Further details are awaited.
Bhopal, March 19 : Mandla, one of the Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (STs), is the largest parliamentary seat (area wise), which has 2,624 polling booths while Chhindwara is the smallest Lok Sabha constituency, which has the lowest number (1,934) of polling booths, a top Election Commission official said on Tuesday.

Indore Lok Sabha seat has the highest number of voters in Madhya Pradesh. Overall, the state has 5.64 crore voters, of which there are 2.90 crore men and 2.74 crore women voters, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Anupam Rajan said.

Bhind Lok Sabha seat has lowest proportion (gender wise) voters -- (male 1,000 and female 854) while Balaghat stood at first position with highest number of women voters in gender proportion -- (male 1,000 and female 1,014).

Rajan told that 74,826 voters are serving in army and other central forces, while 118 are overseas voters.

"If we merge these two categories of voters with actual numbers, the total number of voters rose nearly 5.65 crore, which is the 64 per cent population of Madhya Pradesh," he said.

Rajan also added that voters above 85 years will be facilitated with casting their votes from home.

"During the recent Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, this facility was given to the voters above 80 years, but now the age limit has been extended to 85 years. Forty per cent persons with disabilities will also be allowed to vote from home," the CEO said briefing the press on Tuesday.

Before addressing the media, CEO Rajan chaired a meeting with all the parties' representatives and gave them instructions related to the Lok Sabha elections to comply with.

Voting for 29 Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh will be held in four phases, beginning from April 19, followed by the second and third phase on April 26 and May 7.

Voting for the fourth and final phase is scheduled on May 13, while the counting for all 29 Lok Sabha seats will be held on June 4.
Patna, March 19 : JD-U national General Secretary Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi resigned from his post as well as the party on Tuesday.

"In a bid to save moral values, I am resigning from all posts and the primary membership of the JD-U. Please accept my resignation," he said in his resignation letter.

It is expected that Fatmi, who joined the JD-U in 2020, may rejoin the RJD. He was an MP of the RJD from Darbhanga earlier and also a minister in the UPA government.

Fatmi is considered a major Muslim leader in the Mithilanchal region and eyeing the Darbhanga or Madhubani Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 election. He was elected four times as MP from Darbhanga. His son Faraz Fatmi was also an RJD MLA from the Keoti Assembly constituency in Darbhanga in 2015.
New Delhi, March 19 : Days after 13 female MBBS students from Delhi's Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College accused an assistant professor of pharmacology of sexual harassment during a viva examination, the Directorate of Vigilance, Government of Delhi, has urged the Health & Family Welfare Department to propose disciplinary action against the accused.

Taking cognisance of media reports and the severity of the allegations, the Vigilance Department highlighted the need for action in a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Health & Family Welfare Department.

Noting that two students have recorded their statements under Section 164 of the CrPC, the letter emphasised the gravity of the situation

The letter also said that it had been reported in the media that the accused was arrested and booked under Section 354(A) and 509 of the Indian Penal Code.

The letter explicitly requested the Health Department to promptly send the proposal for initiating disciplinary action against the accused professor to the Directorate of Vigilance.

"The Health Department, GNCTD, has not yet sent the file for taking disciplinary action (against the accused)," the letter stated.

"It is requested to send the proposal for initiating necessary disciplinary action against the accused professor to the Directorate of Vigilance, GNCTD, for placing before the competent authority as per the extant rules," it added.

According to the FIR registered on February 22, an MBBS student from the 2021 batch alleged that on January 31, during a practical examination in the pharmacology department, she was subjected to inappropriate and irrelevant questions by the assistant professor of pharmacology, Salim Sheikh, during her viva. The questions made her feel 'uncomfortable'.

In her complaint, the student described how Sheikh positioned her chair unusually close to him, deviating from the usual setup where students sit across from the teacher.

"Despite providing the relevant answers, Sheikh persisted with inappropriate and irrelevant questions, leading to my discomfort," she claimed in the FIR.

She also mentioned feeling uneasy when Sheikh asked her about injections and allegedly touched her knee and thigh.

The situation escalated when Sheikh purportedly touched her neck and attempted to touch her private parts under the guise of asking questions. Feeling distressed, the student stood up, but Sheikh continued with his irrelevant inquiries, accompanied by suggestive gestures, the FIR said.

The student claimed that Sheikh then suggested a private session to enhance her answer-writing skills, promising to manipulate her marks if she cooperated.

In the FIR, the complainant claimed that similar incidents had also occurred with other students, who chose to remain silent fearing academic repercussions.

Despite lodging a formal complaint with the college's director-principal and attending a grievance committee meeting, the student alleged that the authorities blamed her and discouraged her from pursuing legal action against Sheikh.

"The head of the department, Neeta Wardhan, purportedly sided with Sheikh, accusing the student of levelling false allegations to manipulate internal assessments," the FIR said.
Lucknow, March 20 : In a gruesome incident, two minor brothers were brutally murdered by their neighbour at their home in UP's Budaun on Tuesday, sparking tension and violence in the city.

The accused was shot dead by the police as he tried to flee the crime spot, a senior police officer said.

Rakesh Singh, IG, Bareilly Range, said: "When the police reached the spot, the accused tried to flee. The accused also fired at the police, and in response, the police shot and killed the accused on the spot."

The shocking double murder took place in the Baba Colony under the Mandi Samiti police station, when the accused barged into the house of Vinod Kumar and murdered the two siblings while injuring a third.

Budaun DM Manoj Kumar said the police received information about the crime and the subsequent protest by the local residents. Calling on all to maintain peace, he said the exact reason for the murder is not known yet.

Top officials have rushed to the spot while heavy police contingents have been deployed across the city.
Jaipur, March 20 : Wanted criminal Arvind Kumar Soni, who cheated many people in Rajasthan on the pretext of getting them government jobs and was absconding for 8 years, has been arrested, police said on Tuesday.

Soni was arrested from the Barauni police station area of Tonk district on Monday night, said Additional Director General of Police, Crime, Dinesh M.N.

The accused was wanted for a long time for various cases of fraud in the Bundi, Bhilwara, Tonk, and other districts.

The Bundi police had announced a reward of Rs 5,000 for information leading to his arrest.

The ADG said that the teams, formed under the direction of DIG, Crime Yogesh Yadav and the supervision of Additional Superintendent of Police Vidya Prakash, were sent to different cities to collect information about wanted criminals, active members of criminal gangs, smugglers etc, and received a tip regarding Soni.

They came to know that Soni's wife lives in Tonk and he visited her on some occasions.

After confirming the information, on Monday, the Crime Branch team chased the accused from Jaipur and detained him from Tonk. A team from Bundi's Kotwali police station came on Tuesday and took him with them.

Sharing the history of the accused, the ADG said: "A case was registered against the accused at Kotwali police station in Bundi district for defrauding a young man of Rs 40,000 on the pretext of getting a government job for the post of junior clerk in 2016. In the same year, in Ratangarh Churu police station, a similar case was registered for embezzling Rs 2.26 lakh. Cases of cheating were also registered against the accused in Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur, and Tonk. The accused is also wanted in Paroli police station of Shahpura district and Kotwali police station of Tonk in a similar case."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The US State Department reacted to Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's remarks regarding the urgency of border demarcation with Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department said during a briefing that the US continues to pay close attention to this issue.

"This is an issue that we're continuing to pay close attention to. It's something that not just the secretary, but Assistant Secretary O'Brien as well as senior coordinator Bono are continuing to focus on engaging with appropriate interlocutors," he explained.

Pashinyan has stated that if discussions regarding the delimitation and demarcation of the border with Azerbaijan are not initiated by the end of the week, "it could potentially lead to war".

"This means that at the end of the week there will be a war. And I know what will happen at the end of this war," he noted.

Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia should prevent a war with Azerbaijan, stressing the importance of border adjustments. He asserted that there is a genuine opportunity to commence the process of border delimitation and demarcation between the two nations.

On 7 March, the seventh meeting of the State Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan was held on the border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia under the chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Mher Grigoryan.

The sides have exchanged views on delimitation issues, and have commenced the negotiations on the draft Regulation on Joint Activity of the State Commission on Delimitation of the State Border Between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on Delimitation of the State Border and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, and discussed the drafts of relevant instructions on the order of delimitation works.

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Patna, March 20 : A police outpost in Bihar's Vaishali was attacked on Tuesday and two personnel were injured, after a Dalit woman alleged that her son was beaten up for filling his bucket from there, while she and her daughter faced misbehaviour when they intervened.

The district police, however, denied the allegations of assaulting the youth, identified as Rohit Paswan, 17, and accused the locals of littering the area.

The incident was reported from the Jadhua outpost under the Town police station in the district.

After the youth's allegations, his family members and neighbours assembled there in large numbers and pelted stones on the outpost, leaving outpost in charge Dharmendra Kumar and constable Sunil Kumar injured.

Police detained 4 persons, including Paswan for creating a ruckus.

According to Paswan's family, he went to the police outpost around 9 a.m. to fill water in a bucket.

"When he was filling the water, the outpost in charge called him and beat him up. Rohit apologised for it and said that he would not come there again but the in charge did not listen. When my daughter and I went there to rescue him, he also beat us and tore my clothes," his mother Malti Devi alleged.

SDPO, Sadar Range, Om Prakash, said that a cyber police station and a police outpost are operational in Jathua.

"The local people were littering inside the premises. On Tuesday, a teenager came there and the outpost in charge asked him not to litter there. Soon, a large number of people assembled there and created a ruckus. They pelted stones on the outpost. Two police personnel were injured in this incident. We have detained 4 persons and taken them to the town police station for questioning," he said.
Vadodara, March 20 : Gujarat BJP MLA, Ketan Inamdar, submitted his resignation from the state Assembly on Tuesday, only to announce hours later that he was considering taking it back hours after meeting senior state party leaders in Gandhinagar.

Inamdar, a three-time MLA from Savli constituency in Vadodra district, initially resigned from the party, saying that he was doing so after listening to his "inner voice" and emphasising the importance of "self-respect".

This incident mirrors Inamdar's resignation in January 2020, which was never formalised, suggesting unresolved concerns within the party ranks.

The MLA emphasised the need for the party to value its grassroots workers.

Inamdar's emailed his resignation to Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary in early hours of Tuesday and expressed his dissatisfaction, hinting at a lack of recognition for long-serving and ordinary party workers by the state party leadership.

However, after a visit to Gandhinagar for a meeting with Gujarat BJP President C.R. Paatil and Vadodara's party In-charge Minister, Harsh Sanghavi, Inamdar reconsidered his decision of quitting the party.

The MLA stressed that his resignation was not a "political tactic" and reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring BJP's success in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Ahmedabad, March 20 : A delegation from African nation Gambia on Tuesday visited the Gujarat University campus here and held a meeting with its Vice-Chancellor over safety measures in the backdrop of an attack on foreign students in the varsity's hostel premises for offering 'namaz' three days ago.

Nearly 30 students from the West African country study at the state-run university.

Sources said that the visiting officials from the Gambian High Commission in New Delhi were satisfied with the university's actions to safeguard the students following the condemnable incident.

The delegation, which included a deputy high commissioner, a first secretary and a student representative, sought reassurance regarding the security of the Gambian students on the university campus.

Following the incident at its hostel, Gujarat University has taken proactive steps to improve security such as moving foreign students to a safer hostel wing and recruiting former military personnel for security on the premises of the university.

An FIR was lodged against a group and police have detained five individuals in connection with the violence which took place on Saturday.

After the incident took place, the university established specific guidelines for the conduct of foreign students, advising against the use of public areas for religious or other private activities. The university's administration through these actions aims to prevent such incidents.
A voter would cast vote for Lok Sabha, State Assembly on single day under simulataneous polls. Image Source: IANS News

Lucknow, March 20 : The elections to the 18th Lok Sabha from Uttar Pradesh begin on Wednesday with nominations for the first phase of the seven-phase polls in the state, the Election Commission said.

Eight parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh --- Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina (Scheduled Caste), Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit -- will vote in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls on April 19.

According to the Election Commission, the notification for the polls will be issued on March 20, while March 27 is the last date for filing of nominations.

The scrutiny of nominations will be done on March 28 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 30. The counting of votes will take place on June 4, the Election Commission added.

This time the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has announced to contest the elections alone while the Samajwadi Party (SP) has formed an alliance with the Congress and both parties are part of the Opposition INDIA bloc.

The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 62 seats and its ally Apna Dal (Secular) two seats, decimating the SP-BSP alliance. The Congress won the lone Rae Bareli seat of Sonia Gandhi.

The Mayawati-led party was the biggest gainer in the SP-BSP alliance as it won 10 seats. Akhilesh Yadav's SP won five seats and the RLD could not open its account.

Of the eight Lok Sabha seats going to polls in the first phase, the BJP had won Muzaffarnagar (Sanjeev Kumar Balyan), Kairana (Pradeep Kumar Chaudhary) and Pilibhit (Varun Gandhi) parliamentary constituencies in 2019.

SP leader S.T. Hasan won the Moradabad Lok Sabha seat, while Azam Khan of the SP emerged victorious from the Rampur Lok Sabha seat.

Haji Fazlur Rehman, Malook Nagar and Girish Chandra of the BSP won Saharanpur, Bijnor and Nagina (Scheduled Caste) Lok Sabha seats respectively in the last general elections.

The BJP, this time, hopes to win all the seats in the first phase since it has strengthened its position with the alliance with RLD in the region.

The RLD is contesting the Bijnor seat where it has fielded Chandan Chauhan while the BJP is contesting the remaining seven seats in this phase.

Pilibhit, however, remains a seat of dilemma since the BJP has not yet cleared the candidature of its sitting MP Varun Gandhi from this seat.
Broadway, TV, and film performer Phillipa Sooknown for debuting the role of Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton: The Musical in 2015 and the role of Guinevere in 2023s Camelot revivalhas a new star turn as a picture book coauthor. With her sister-in-law Maris Pasquale Doran, a social worker and psychotherapist, Soo cocreated Piper Chen Sings. Piper, who bears no small resemblance to Soo, is a Chinese American girl with an unstoppable love of song and a smidgen of stage fright. Soo and Pasquale Doran spoke with PW about picture book composition, Asian American representation, and the advice that a show business success would give to her younger self.

When did you two decide to work together?

Phillipa Soo: It all started at the Pasquale Christmas party in 2018. My husband Steven Pasquale [also an actor] is Mariss brother, and we were talking about life and art and all things. Maris and I were both like, I want to write a children's book. At the time, I was coming off the Hamilton experience and I was thinking about what I wanted to say to young people. There were a lot of young fans of Hamilton, and I was often asked two questions: What do you do when you get nervous? and What would you tell your younger self? I thought, how wonderful and cool would it be to write a childrens book [to answer those questions]? Bucket list! We decided, Lets write one together. Why not?

Maris Pasquale Doran: I have two kids. At that time, they were quite young, and I was living in picture book world and telling my own stories to them every day. Id done some private writing and I was having a lot of fun with it. Then, as Phillipa says, we came to that knowledge and thought, This is a chance to work together and hang out.

How did your project develop into Piper Chen Sings?

Soo: We met a couple of times, and then the pandemic happened. We took a little bit of a pause in 2020, as the world was upside down and we were all sequestered. Then 2021 rolled around, and especially in the wake of the anti-Asian sentiments that were happening, I was passionate about sharing Asian stories. Piper Chen was one of my ideas, and the pitch was basically Shes my avatar. Shes a little version of me and very much an answer to What would you tell your younger self?

Who brought you to Random House Studio for this project?

Soo: A huge shoutout to [Random House Studio publisher] Lee Wade and to [Random House Childrens Books president and publisher] Barbara Marcus! I had done an afterword for the Eliza Hamilton picture book [Barbara McNamara and Esme Shapiros Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, to be rereleased in paperback on April 2], and they were like, If you ever have any ideas, let us know. I was so grateful for that connection, and they were extremely enthusiastic about the idea of Piper Chen, a Chinese American girl navigating an issue that real kids feel.

How did you work with your editor, Lee Wade, on early drafts?

Doran: When we were brainstorming, we wanted this to be a special book for grownups and kids to read aloud. Of course, with Phillipas history and success, the fact that it is so lyrical was very intentional. We had a lot of aha moments when we came to reading it out loud and thinking, That feels very poetic or That feels very much like a song.

Soo: Lee said very specifically, Its like a poem. Figuring out what we wanted [each] moment to be was a helpful process for usright, Maris?because we were able to visualize and then distill it, to have economy in all those beautiful moments. As an artist, I felt challenged but supported. I felt like Piper does, excited and scared. You put in all the work, you do all the storyboarding, to come into a singular, simple human moment. Ill carry this process with me in the art that I make as an actor.

When and how did you get together with Toronto-based artist Qin Leng, illustrator of picture books including Bompas Insect Expedition and Clover?

Soo: We wanted something that felt handmade and maybe a little bit nostalgic. It was a perfect pairing, because we ended up with an artist whos an Asian woman, a mother, and someone who works with watercolors, specifically because my grandmothermy Nai Naiwas a painter as well as a pianist. Since Piper is sort of my avatar, I did send her some pictures of myself as a girlme and my Nai Naiand she drew from that for inspiration.

Doran: Despite the fact that we were not directly collaborating outside of our notes in the margins, Qin was able to show what we were trying to express and the emotions we wanted to exude.

Throughout the story, Piper confides in her grandmother. Nai Nai is the one who calls Pipers jitters a butterfly, or hudie, and teaches Piper to calmly greet the sensation with Hello, hudie. Ni hao. Why did you focus on this twosome, teaching a few words of Standard Mandarin along the way?

Soo: Were doing two things at once, telling an immigrant story thats intergenerational and also inter-cultural. Pipers whole family is there, but Nai Nai is the one who greets her when she comes home from school. For me personally, my Nai Nai played music, and we bonded by playing piano together. Eventually, she would play and I would sing, and that was a common language we could speak.

I was a second-generation kid, and when I got older, I was so grateful that she wanted to instill her culture, our culture, in my everyday life, with little things like teaching me a word or writing my Chinese name on my birthday card in the Chinese characters. To me, those were not only ways to educate me on my culture and where I come from, but also a gesture of love, like a hug in a Chinese character. Its a way to say, I love you, I see you, Im here for you.

Doran: Our kids are our first audience, and most kids certainly love language. Theyre always curious about things like, How do you say that in this language? It was important to us to have a Chinese American protagonist, as Phillipa says, in terms of representation and to feel confident in using that language, as well as for kids like my boys who dont hear the same language at home, but whose experience is parallel [to Pipers].

Phillipa, youve been [outspoken about Asian American representation]. As a young person, did you see a future for yourself as a Chinese American star?

Soo: I would find something every once in a while and cling to it. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was one of the most beautiful films of my childhood, because my brother was obsessed with the martial arts, and also because this was an Asian story. Seeing Asian characters on screen was really important to us. A lot of people of color in the arts have had a similar experience: you feel inspired by the stories being made, but youre having to do one more step to put yourself in the identity of someone whos not necessarily you. I chose to make that jump because I loved art and stories. Now I feel so honored to represent the Asian American community. I feel like I have this responsibility, which excites me and also feels daunting. [In Piper Chen Sings,] we want the audience to feel like they can put themselves in Pipers shoes.

Whats next for the two of you?

Doran: We love Piper. Creating her character, her world, and the side characters was really fun. Wed love to see her grow in a second book or another medium.e. And at a minimum, well continue this partnership. The collaboration was everything I could have hoped for.

Soo: Nothing official yet, butto use the book metaphorwe are not closing this book.

Piper Chen Sings by Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran, illus. by Qin Leng. Random House Studio, $19.99 Apr. 2 ISBN 978-0-593-56469-1
Faridah Abike-Iyimide is no stranger to pressure. As the British author enjoys a busy year with the release of five new projects that dip into new genres, shes entering a new era of her career with the hope of becoming bolder with her work.

Abike-Iyimides first encounter with pressure came soon after the release of her debut novel Ace of Spades (Feiwel and Friends, 2021), which was a William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist and earned an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teens. It spent 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and Abike-Iyimide was also chosen as a PW Flying Start. It was the kind of literary success a 21-year-old author dreams of. But the limelight soon became what she called a double-edged sword.

On one hand, its the dream to have your first book do so well, Abike-Iyimide told PW. But it sets up a lot of pressure. There are also so many eyes on you. It feels like both a blessing and I wouldnt call it a curse, because its a good thing, but it creates more anxiety.

After such a successful debut, there was an expectation for her sophomore effort to follow soon after, but Abike-Iyimide needed time to silence the noise. Going from the independence of writing a manuscript with few expectations to knowing there was heightened anticipation for the next, she wanted to restore that courage in her own voice. She ended up taking a break which led to the three-year gap between titles.

I started to reflect more on the journey itself and not think too much of the future and about imaginary problems that have not yet surfaced, Abike-Iyimide said. It was time well spent; shes come out the other side with her first collaboration, a novella, two short stories, and her sophomore novel.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie (Feiwel and Friends), Abike-Iyimides second YA novel, releases today in the U.S. The paranormal mystery feels at home alongside Ace of Spades, another exploration of systems of power within academic institutions.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie is almost an extension of the same conversation I was having around Chiamaka, the main female character from Ace of Spades, Abike-Iyimide said. Im very interested in the psychology of the mean girl, but specifically what that looks like if its a Black girl.

The novel follows new student Sade as shes dropped into the academic shark tank of the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy. Grappling with the loss of several loved ones, Sade is quick to question the disappearance of her roommate, and her investigation cracks the door open on the academys sinister handling of its female students.

While violence can definitely happen between girls in many ways, I felt like the patriarchy was different, Abike-Iyimide said. Ive always felt school was an unsafe space, because youre told youre meant to trust human beings and you know how human beings can be.

A Plethora of Projects

Though her forthcoming projects The White Guy Dies First (Tor Teen, July 16), a YA horror anthology from BIPOC authors, and Four Eids and a Funeral (Feiwel and Friends, June 4) a collaborative YA romance, couldnt be more different, readers have the internet to thank for their inception. Abike-Iyimide met Terry J. Benton Walker, editor of The White Guy Dies First, and Adiba Jaigirdar, co-author of Four Eids and a Funeral, during the early aughts via Twitter, and those connections blossomed into both friendship and collaboration.

After bonding over their shared experiences as young Muslim writers at university, Jagibadar and Abike-Iyimide came up together in the publishing industry, forming a friendship before either of them landed their book deals. During Abike-Iyimides semester abroad in Amsterdam, Jagidabar came for a visit just days before the pandemic forced everyone into lockdown, and while spit-balling ideas, the seeds of what would become Four Eids were planted.

[With] writing friendships, you always pose the question at some point [of], Do you think we could write something together?  Abike-Iyimide said. It felt like a very spur of the moment decision, but also inevitable.

The YA contemporary romance centers Said Hossain and Tiwa Olatunji, who were once the picture-perfect image of best friends, but are now no longer speaking to each other. When Said returns to their hometown for the summer, its unavoidable that the two will run into each other, and their forced proximity forces the pair to confront the ashes of their friendship, and perhaps affords them the chance to build the foundations for something new.

Four Eids and a Funeral isnt Abike-Iyimides first romantic foray. Earlier this month, The Doomsday Date, was released for the U.Ks World Book Day. The campaign brings together a variety of authors to release stories that are accessible to a range of young readers. In The Doomsday Date, best friends Sanjeet and Sola have differing opinions on whether the world will truly end the following day as the news claims. In their alleged final day together, the duo come together to complete Sanjeets bucket list which, unbeknownst to Sola, includes revealing his feelings for his best friend.

Haunts and Heroes

Abike-Iyimides friendship with Benton-Walker, who had been a beta reader for Ace of Spades, came full circle when an idea Benton-Walker had had floating around finally came to fruition. He gathered 13 authors of color and gave them two rules for their contributions to his YA horror anthology The White Guy Dies First: We could do anything we wanted, Abike-Iyimide recalled, but wed have to subvert the genre in some way. And the white guy in the story has to die first.

Abike-Iyimides offering, All Eyes on Me, is a take on a classic horror trope: clowns. Helen is desperate to break up with her white boyfriend, and while on a date to the circus is forced to confront her true reasons for wanting a separation all while a malevolent clown is lurking in the background. Abike-Iyimide selected clowns as her subject because she wanted the challenge of facing a fearbut she admits that the writing process ended up scaring her.

I dont know why I put this on myself! Abike-Iyimide said with a laugh. And actually, I tried to walk [it] back and say to Terry, Can I do something else? And he was like, No, you have to stick with it. 

A much less frightening assignment arrived when she was invited to join the superhero universe for Marvel Presss anthology Spider-Man: Stories from the Spider-verse. I was researching how does one work for Marvel? Abike-Iyimide said. I saw interviews with authors who had worked for Marvel, and they were like, ominously: Marvel approaches you, you do not approach them. I just waited and hoped and let my agent know, If Marvel ever talks to you, I would love for you to tell them that Faridah exists.

As it turns out, Marvel knew and admired Abike-Iyimides work and invited her to contribute to an anthology highlighting different Spider-heroes across the multiverse. Abike-Iyimide pens the story of her superhero dream character Zarina Zahari, the Black Muslim London-based gamer also known as Spider-UK. In it, Zarina has to save London from a catastrophe, and then go to an Eid party after.

Because shes still being introduced, you basically see her at her best, Abike-Iyimide said of writing about the pre-established character. Shes about to celebrate with her community, and shes also saving the world. Its just like a snapshot of her incredibleness.

Abike-Iyimides big year highlights her desire to expand her storytelling abilities. Noting how Black authors have been pigeonholed historically into writing certain type of stories, she said that having the opportunity to write stories of pain, and love, and fear, and otherworldly resilience has been refreshing. I really enjoy stepping into different lanes. I would hate to write the same thing forever, she said.

And that aforementioned pressure? It hasnt disappeared. But shes working on no longer being afraid of it. Im trying to take leaps with things Im working on, Abike-Iyimide said. And [Im] trying to scare myself a lot more into doing things that probably wouldnt have scared me when I was younger, [but] that really would scare me now.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Iyimide. Feiwel and Friends, Mar. 19 $19.99 ISBN 978-1-250-80084-8

Four Eids and a Funeral by Faridah Abike-Iyimide and Adiba Jaigirdar. Feiwel and Friends, June 4 $19.99 ISBN 978-1-250-89013-9.

The White Guy Dies First, edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker. Tor Teen July 16 $20.99 ISBN 978-1-250-86126-9

Spider-Man: Stories from the Spider-verse. Marvel Press, Oct. 1 $17.99 ISBN 978-1-368-09598-3
Its a story filled with the stuff of timeless, revered childrens books: embarking on hazardous adventures on horseback, beating unfavorable odds to achieve an admirable goal, reaching out to those in need, demonstrating immeasurable bravery and resilience, and celebrating a love of reading. The remarkable achievements of the historic Kentucky Pack Horse Librarians, whose experiences embody all these endeavors, are heralded in four recent or upcoming picture books.

These are: Books by Horseback: A Librarians Brave Journey to Deliver Books to Children by Emma Carlson Berne, illustrated by Ilaria Urbinati (Little Bee Books, 2021); The Horseback Librarians by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Alexandra Badiu (Albert Whitman, 2023); Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, illustrated by David C. Gardner (Sleeping Bear, Mar. 15, 2024); and Hope Rode by Lauren H. Kerstein, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander (Union Square Kids, spring 2025).

Each title introduces a fictional heroine inspired by the librarians who provided books, company, and comfort via horseback to families in remote regions of the Appalachian Mountains as part of the Pack Horse Library Project (19351943), an initiative of FDRs Works Progress Administration. The books included here represent a sampling of a new wave of childrens books about these dedicated librarians.

Finding Common Ground

As they shared their inspirations for writing their respective books, it was evident that Berne, Yolen, Richardson, and Kerstein forged diverse creative paths, yet similar themes surfaced.

Each author was quick to note that she felt an instant connection to the Pack Horse Library Project when she first learned of it. For Berne and Richardson, a significant part of that bond was rooted in the storys Kentucky roots.

Berne explained that her family was originally from West Virginia, which is located not far from the hazardous Eastern Kentucky terrain navigated by many of the book women on horseback, and shares an Appalachian culture. I am also an avid, longtime equestrian and a lover of books and librarians, she said. When I heard a clip on NPRs Kitchen Sisters about the Pack Horse Librarians, I thought, This is crying out to be a book for me to writeit has all my interests rolled into one story! 

Kentucky native Richardson is a passionate advocate of her home state as well as a champion of the legacy of the Pack Horse Librarians. Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek is a picture book adaptation of her adult novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek (Sourcebooks Landmark, 2019) which became a bestseller, was translated into more than 12 languages, and was a Common Read selection by a number of states, cities, and colleges across the country and abroad.

I write for Kentucky first, she said, adding, I earmarked a lot of my earnings from The Book Woman for librarians and teachers in Kentucky. During the pandemic, the author was inspired to launch bookmobiles, and eventually hopes to install Little Free Libraries in all Kentucky courthouses and to ensure that a historical marker or monument is created to commemorate the Pack Horse Librarians.

Inspiring Todays Readers Through the Past

Yolen also had personal reasons to be moved by the history of the Kentucky book women when she read about them in a magazine article. My writer brain immediately went, Thats a picture book!  she recalled. Busy at the time with multiple other book projects, Yolen waited some time to act on her inspiration.

The article again caught her attention when she uncovered it while clearing her desk one daywhich happened to be the anniversary of her late husbands birthday. He had been born and brought up in a small West Virginia town, Yolen said. He had been a university professor, two of his three brothers were educators, his mother was a teacher, and his father had been a superintendent of schools. It seemed I was being called to write the story.

Kerstein was originally inspired to write Hope Rode because she was astonished and amazed by the incredible women who participated in the Pack Horse Library Project, which she learned about in Jojo Moyess The Giver Of Stars and became even more impressed by their accomplishments as she researched their story for the picture book she felt compelled to write Kerstein said that the scope of her book, which went through many revisions (including eight after it was under contract with Union Square Kids), expanded from the story of one womans journey, to become an ode to the pack horse librarians, their resilience, and the nurturing role they played, through books and interacting with kids.

Looking back at the making of her book, Kerstein concluded, What emerges is the complexity of the phenomenon of the Pack Horse Library Project and its many layersfrom its historical significance to its social-emotional learning component, to the story of the remarkable strength and resilience of people during hard times. My hope is these books will raise kids awareness and appreciation of this program and that they will look at their own librarians and their book-filled libraries in awe and with gratitude.

Yolen also underscores the relevance of this Depression-Era program to contemporary young readers. When teachers are being second-guessed by parents and groups of book haters, and books are being banned for telling uncomfortable truths, I think books that show how far students and teachers and librarians went to read books in our past is important.

Books by Horseback: A Librarians Brave Journey to Deliver Books to Children by Emma Carlson Berne, illus. by Ilaria Urbinati. Little Bee, $17.99, 2021 ISBN 978-1-4998-1173-5

Hope Rode by Lauren H. Kerstein, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander. Union Square Kids, $18.99, June 17 2025 ISBN 978-1-4549-4848-3.

The Horseback Librarians by Jane Yolen, illus. by Alexandra Badiu. Albert Whitman, $18.99, June 22 ISBN 978-0-8075-6291-8

Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, illus. by David C. Gardner. Sleeping Bear, $18.99, Mar. ISBN 978-1-5341-1303-9
Candlewick Press, Charlesbridge Press, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks, and the organization Authors Against Book Bans have issued a letter to the New York City Department of Education over reports that hundreds of books were discarded by a Staten Island elementary school on ideological grounds.

On March 11, Gothamist reported that hundreds of new books featuring characters of color and LGBTQ themes were found near the garbage at PS 55. Some of the books, pictured in the report, were marked by sticky notes that marked certain titles "not approved," with reasons such as "Boy questions gender," "teenage girls having a crush on another girl in class," and "Witchcraft? Human skulls."

The discarded books included copies of My Two Border Towns by David Bowle, illustrated by Erika Meza; Kenzy Kickstarts a Team (The Derby Daredevils #1) by Kit Rosewater, illustrated by Sophie Escabasse; Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald Smith; We Are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frane Lessac; and Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Gothamist reporter Jessica Gold found that no formal challenge to the books had been raised through official channels and that "the removal of the books resulted from an objection raised by staff or parents." The NYC DOE has reportedly announced it is conducting an investigation into the incident.

In response, a coalition of publishers whose books were discarded teamed with Authors Against Book Bans to pen a letter to New York City's DOE over the report about the book removal, stating, "If true, such action amounts to unlawful censorship and violates authors' and students' First Amendment rights."

"Based on the report, we are deeply concerned that silent or unacknowledged censorship may be going on in New York City schools," the letter continues. "We hope you are able to act quickly to ensure the discarded books are returned to the shelves and respectfully request a meeting to explore ways in which we can work together to protect the First Amendment rights of NYC students in the future."

The full letter can be viewed here.
Accomplished painter and childrens book author-illustrator Leonard Everett Fisher, widely known for his atmospheric, realistic artwork in books focused on American and world history and world mythology, died on March 2 in Westport, Conn. He was 99.

Leonard Everett Fisher was born in the Bronx, N.Y. on June 24, 1924, to Benjamin and Ray Mera Fisher and grew up in the Bronx and in the Sea Gate area of Brooklyn. His father was a former ship designer who became a draftsman and civil engineer for New York City. The elder Fisher was an art lover and worked on his passion at a drafting table in the familys apartment. In his autobiographical essay for Something About the Author, Fisher recalled how, even at age two, he sought to emulate his father. I had an itch to do what Dad was trying to domake pictures, he wrote, describing how he impulsively grabbed a bottle of India ink and a brush and made marks on one of his fathers unfinished watercolors. The move resulted in Fishers parents creating a mini art studio for him in a front hall closet, where liquids were barred.

In 1931, second-grader Fisher began to establish himself as an artist. He won prizes for his drawings entered in several local art competitions, including for Wanamakers department store and Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade Float Design Competition. And by age eight, his mother had enrolled him in Saturday morning art classes at the Heckscher Foundation in Manhattan, sessions that were followed by mother-son trips to the Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or some other cultural venue. Fisher noted that he was an early reader and that his parents read to him every night. My mothers idea of bedtime stories was Comptons Picture Encyclopedia, and she went through the whole thing, A to Z, he told PW in 1982. I loved listening to articles about how airplanes fly, about monkeys, mostly about people everywherenot realizing that, years later, the knowledge would come back and inform my books.

Fisher graduated from Brooklyns Abraham Lincoln High School in January 1941 at age 16 and enrolled in Brooklyn College to study art. His art education there was not to last, however, as he became a U.S. Army reservist in December 1942 and subsequently requested active duty. Being an artist even dictated my life in the army, he wrote in a 1988 essay for the Horn Book. He was selected for the 30th Engineer Topographic Battalion where he received highly classified training as a cartographer drawing battle and navigational maps. He was stationed in Algiers and Hawaii and won first prize in an Army art exhibition for a piece he completed in his rare spare time. Fisher was interviewed about his military service for the 2018 documentary GI Jews: Jewish Americans in World War II, which aired on PBS.

After the war, Fisher returned to his art studies, this time at the Norfolk Art School of Yale University in New Haven, Conn., earning his BFA and MFA degrees. While at Yale, Fisher kept what he called a quiet professional life going and his work was included in several Manhattan gallery exhibitions. He wrapped up his formal studies by earning the William Wirt Winchester Traveling Fellowship from Yales School of Fine Arts in 1949 and the Joseph Pulitzer Painting Fellowship, given by Columbia University and the National Academy of Design in 1950. The prize monies funded Fishers trip to Europe to see the worlds art masterpieces and take a course at the American Academy in Rome.

Fisher returned to the U.S. in 1951 and was offered the position of dean of the Whitney School of Art in New Haven. In early 1952, his first solo exhibition in Manhattan received solid reviews, including from the New York Times. Later that year he married Margery Meskin, with whom he would go on to raise three children.

By 1953, Fisher had resigned from the Whitney School and sought out a new opportunity when he met with Oscar Ogg, a designer at Book-of-the-Month Club who set him on a path toward childrens books. Ogg introduced Fisher to Louise Bonino, a childrens book editor at Random House, who would offer him his first book project, illustrations for The Exploits of Xenophon by Geoffrey Household, which was published in 1955. That first book quickly led to others, beginning with a six-volume anthology called Our Reading Heritage for Henry Holt. He then found steady work illustrating educational materials for SRA Reading Laboratories. Simultaneously, Fisher gained traction with trade projects, beginning with To Unknown Lands by Manley Wade Wellman (Holiday House, 1956) and The First Book of the American Revolution by Richard B. Morris (Franklin Watts, 1956). He maintained long relationships with both publishing houses.

In 1957, the family moved to Westport, where the three Fisher children would have open access to their work-from-home-dads studioa scenario that inspired Margery to write and Fisher to illustrate two picture books: But Not Our Daddy (1962) and One and One (1963), both published by Dial. And just prior to those volumes being released, Dial published the first book Fisher both wrote and illustrated, Pumpers, Boilers, Hooks, and Ladders (1961). At this time, Fisher had begun to change up his art medium, transitioning from egg tempera to gelatine tempera and scratchboard drawings.

In the 1970s, Fisher turned to brighter acrylics in his artwork and the childrens book projects came at a steady pace, as did book fairs, lectures, and workshops across the country. He was additionally commissioned to create a series of 10 U.S. postage stamps between 1972 and 1978, mostly depicting American history and crafts.

Fisher was civically engaged in the town of Westport throughout his life. He was a founding member of the Westport-Weston Arts Council, which evolved into the Westport Arts Center, now the Museum of Contemporary Art Westport. He had been a longtime member, and served three terms as president, of the Westport Public Library board as well.

Over his career, Fisher illustrated roughly 250 books for young people, writing 88 of those himself. His numerous awards include the Regina Medal, given by the Catholic Library Association, and the Kerlan Award, from the University of Minnesota, both in recognition of his distinguished contributions to childrens literature.

I am an illustrator of childrens books of all age levels because there are things to be said pictorially to young people that must be saidand that must come from abovenot necessarily from their level, he told SATA. And, he noted to Jean Mercier, his PW interviewer, Im never going to retire. This is my life.

John Briggs, former owner and publisher at Holiday House, offered this tribute: Leonard published over 50 of his books over a period of 50 years with Holiday House and was a mainstay of the list. During that time, he became a dear friend. He not only delivered exquisite work, but he always delivered on timewithout exception.

Margery Cuyler, Fishers longtime editor at Holiday House, Editing Leonards books was a pure joy. His energy, intelligence, and boldness informed everything he wrote and painted. His artwork was unlike anyone elses. He never dumbed it down for young readers. He was indeed one of a kind.

Author Eric A. Kimmel, a frequent Fisher collaborator, shared a remembrance. I knew Len Fisher decades before we actually met, he said. He was one of my favorite authors when I was in elementary school. I first met him through his brilliant series about colonial craftspeople. Margery Cuyler and Kate and John Briggs introduced us in person, and we hit it off right away. I was honored and awed when Len asked me to collaborate on our first book, Don Quixote and the Windmills. Why do you need me? I asked him. You can write as well as I can. Len said, Im done with writing. I dont want to write. I want to paint. You write the story. I know youll do a good job. I must have, because book followed book for many years. Throughout the ups and downs of the publishing industry, we remained fast friends. Rest in peace, Len. You were a fine writer, a great artist, and a treasured friend.

And childrens literature consultant Connie Rockman, who largely knew Fisher through his work with the Westport Public Library, recalled: From 2000 to 2010, he worked diligently on the committee for the Rabbit Hill Festival of Childrens Literature at the library, creating art exhibits to accompany each program. At the first of those festivals, Len presented a retrospective slide show of his 50 years producing childrens books of all kindshistory, fiction, mythology, picture books. He once wrote, This diversification is a reflection of my interest in everything that goes on in this world... the images that I producewhether they be paintings, illustrations, or designs for United States postage stampsall stem from my creative passions. Leonard Everett Fishers greatest accolade is that his was a life well-lived in every sense of the phrase.




BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The Supervisory Board of Azerbaijan's Azersilah CJSC has held its first meeting, the Ministry of Defense Industry said, Trend reports.

According to the ministry, the meeting was attended by Chairman of the Supervisory Board Agil Gurbanov and Council members Hidayat Azimov and Anar Mammadov.

The meeting addressed the status of task implementation under the President of Azerbaijan's Decree dated September 7, 2023, as well as plans for the "Azersilah" Defense-Industrial Holding's operating areas in 2024, and made appropriate decisions.

To note, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the establishment of the "Azersilah" Defense-Industrial Holding CJSC and amendments to the "Regulations on the Ministry of Defense Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan," approved by Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated September 27, 2006, No. 462.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp
Sybil Steinberg, a lifelong lover of literature and a Publishers Weekly editor for 25 years, died on March 17. She was 90.

Steinberg graduated from Smith College, where she edited the Sophia student newspaper, in 1954. Shortly after graduation, she turned down an entry-level job at Doubleday in favor of marriage and, for two decades, she served as the wife of a physician and mother to three in Westport, Conn.; PTA meetings and articles for the local paper followed, as well as a stint at the Famous Writers School.

There, she met Jean F. Mercier, who was childrens book editor at PW. Mercier asked Steinberg to write a review, which led to a fill-in copyediting role while Steinberg also continued to review for PW on a regular basis. By 1979, Steinberg had been named editor of fiction reviews, and in 1983, she began overseeing PWs Author Interview department. As the fiction reviews editor, Steinberg introduced the boxed review concept to highlight promising talent, and selected Amy Tans debut novel, The Joy Luck Club, as the first boxed review.

In her role as Author Interview editor, Steinberg enjoyed one-on-one conversations with such elite literary figures as Annie Proulx, John Updike, and Fay Weldon. It was in this capacity that Steinberg experienced perhaps the crowning achievement in her illustrious career when Pantheon invited her to London in 1994 to interview Salman Rushdie, who was still in hiding six years after the fatwa had been issued. Such an extraordinary assignment in such extraordinary circumstances is fitting testament to the trust and respect that Sybil was accorded from the highest levels of American publishing, Michael Coffey who retired as co-editorial director of PW in 2014 and worked with Steinberg as managing editor, wrote in a piece on Steinberg in PWs 150th anniversary issue.

In addition to her editing roles at the magazine, Steinberg edited three volumes of Writing for Your Life, a series of books that featured interviews compiled from the magazine. As a reviewer, her work was nominated for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. She also served on the board of the National Book Critics Circle, and made numerous television appearances on the Charlie Rose program, and shows on CBS, C-SPAN, and NBC.

After her retirement from PW in 2001, Steinberg continued to review books and maintain her ties to the publishing industry. Her annual Sybils List lecture, in which she would briefly describe her favorite books of the year, regularly drew standing-room-only crowds at her hometown library in Westport.

Steinberg was predeceased by her husband, Harold, in 2016, and by her brother, Aaron, in 2007. She is survived by her sons, Jonathan Steinberg of Westport, Peter Steinberg of Easthampton, Mass., and Richard Steinberg of San Diego, as well as eight grandchildren.

Funeral services will take place on March 21, at 11 a.m. at Temple Israel in Westport, which will also livestream the service here. The family will sit Shiva at the home of Jonathan Steinberg and Nancy Mullins, at 1 Bushy Ridge Road in Westport, on Thursday after the burial, with minyan around 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Sybils memory to the Westport Library, Fairfield County Hospice House, or Planned Parenthood.
Tucumcaris city manager will resign in late June after less than two years on the job.

Near the end of Thursdays city commission meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Lopez said after a 75-minute closed executive session to discuss personnel and litigation that city manager Paula Chacon had submitted her resignation letter.

Chacon was not in the commission chambers when open session resumed.

Chacon was hired in August 2022 to replace Mark Martinez, who took a position at Mesalands Community College

Lopez said after the closed session that Chacon had submitted her 90-day notice that she would resign. After that, he said Chacon would become assistant city manager.

Reached by phone Friday, Chacon disputed the notion she would become assistant city manager.

Why would I want to go to a position that doesnt even exist and hasnt been approved by the (commission)? she said. I never agreed to that. I understand thats what was said, but I never agreed to that.

A phone message to Lopez, requesting that he clarify his comments, was not returned.

Chacon said her resignation would be effective on June 30.

She declined to give details about the executive session, and she said she had no plans after stepping down.

Action items

Commissioners failed to take action on approval of a liquor license for Las Chaparritas Restaurant at 110 E. Main St. after Lopez voiced concerns about discrepancies between the application date and its notarization date.

City Clerk Angelica Gray pointed out the application had been given preliminary approval by the state. The restaurant also had been granted a 45-day extension for approval, set to expire the day after the meeting.

Lopez expressed other concerns about the restaurants proximity to churches or schools, but it was pointed out it was situated well beyond either entities ability to object.

Lopez also asked why the application wasnt presented to the commission sooner.

 The commission initially took no action, then later approved a proposal for a $242,166.15 engineering agreement from Stantec for sidewalk, ramp, alley and lighting improvements to Main Street between First and Third streets. Part of the cost would be covered by a Great Blocks grant.

Commissioners expressed wariness due to problems with other Stantec projects, though it was pointed it a troublesome earlier project on Second Street in downtown was by another engineering firm. Lopez also expressed irritation by numbers change orders on projects. Commissioners also asked they look at the final design.

 The commission approved a consulting engagement letter from Beasley, Mitchell & Co. CPA of Las Cruces to reconcile the citys financial records.

The firm estimated it will need 80 hours to reconcile 13 months of bank records, plus 40 hours for quarterly reports to state officials and 20 hours of budget assistance. The first 140 hours will be billed at a rate of $150, with standard rates after that.

The city had been without a finance director for months after the resignation of Rachelle Arias. The new finance director, Hallie Ferguson, said she had been unable to reconcile the citys books.

 The commission approved a Law Enforcement Protection Fund application for 2024-2025 totaling $110,000. Police Chief Patti Lopez said the funds would be used for equipment and training.

Jerry Lopez raised concerns about department morale.

We cant lose officers to Logan. Thats embarrassing, he said.

The chief said pay for city officers isnt competitive to other nearby municipalities. She said Clovis officers are paid $2 an hour more than Tucumcari.

 The commission approved an EMS Fund Act application of $324,866.16 to buy equipment for the citys six ambulances. The grant would cover all the costs, with no mach from the city.

 The commission approved the use of $3,000 in lodgers tax funds, reimbursed to Mesalands Community College, to pay for a Joe Peters concert on March 20 at the Tucumcari Convention Center. The concert is part of a celebration of a partnership between Impact Wind and the college. The commission also waived the convention center rental fee for the event.

Mesalands interim president Allen Moss told the commission that finances have improved, but the college still will hold few reserves and is dealing with staff shortages.

We still have a lot of work to do, he said, and pledged more cooperation with the city.

 The commission approved lease agreements with Sun Vista Outdoor Advertising for five billboards in New Mexico. The approval of the leases had been recommended by the citys lodgers tax advisory board.

 The commission approved a contract amendment with the city and New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Service Department that includes an $11,200 reduction in funding for the foster grandparents program.

Program director Clara Rey said several participants became ill, and the program couldnt use all its allotted hours.

 The commission held a second and final reading regarding vacating an alley in the 2200 block of South Rock Island Street. Land owner Matthew Chavez wants to fence the property and place a shed there.

 In a consent agenda approved by the commission, it included the appointment of CJ Wiegel to the cemetery advisory board and Scott Marquart and Charlotte Marquart to the recreation advisory board.

Other items

During a work session, Tucumcari MainStreet director Connie Loveland talked about the citys wayfinding plan to have more directional and informational signs in the city. The plan would take into account preferred routes. Groundwork Studio of Albuquerque is helping with the project.

The plan is being paid for with $20,000 in lodgers tax funds set aside in 2022.

 Commissioners again discussed amendments to the citys personnel policy.

 During public comments, Robert Moore Jr. complained about a nuisance citation he received for antique vehicles parked in front of his Relax Inn property along Route 66.

Moore, who recently received a Heritage Award from the New Mexico Route 66 Association for his cleanup of it and other properties in town, said other businesses on Route 66 have antique vehicles parked in front for decorative purposes and are not cited.

Residents also raised concerns about nuisance properties, potholes and loose dogs.
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees announced Friday it would begin a nationwide search for a president.

The college stated it would take applications from candidates through April 17.

A news releasee stated that five candidates would be proposed to the board by a selection committee, which includes board Chairman Richard Primrose as the search chair.

Allen Moss has been Mesalands interim president for about a year. Josh McVey, vice president of student affairs, stated in an email that Moss would apply for the position.

The board hired Moss as interim president in February 2023 after his predecessor, Gregory Busch, left town following no-confidence votes against him from the executive staff, staff senate and faculty senate.

Busch was accused of hiding details about the colleges dire financial condition and threatening to fire employees if those details were made public.

Busch submitted his resignation weeks later.
On this date ...

1974: President Richard Nixon brushed aside a plea from a previously staunch Republican ally that he resign from office, vowing he will stand and fight.

Sen. James L. Buckley of New York urged Nixon to resign as an extraordinary act of statesmanship and courage so the country could emerge from the Watergate swamp.

Nixon refused again to turn over 42 audiotapes to the House Judiciary Committee that the panel wants for its impeachment inquiry.

Nixon would step down from office in August.

 The House school gymnasium was hosting the Country Jamboree, with food served by the Floyd Lions Club before and after the performance. Admission was $1 for adults and 50 cents for children.

 Two area men were arrested on charges of forgery for attempting to pass several bad checks at the Third Street Grocery in Tucumcari.

 The Noonday Lions donated $514 towards the purchase of intensive-care unit equipment at Dr. Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari.

 Among the prime-time television listings for Wednesday were Kojak, Sonny and Cher, The Partridge Family and Cannon.

 The Odeon Theatre was screening the western film Santee, starring Glenn Ford.
A Tucumcari woman remains in the county jail after being accused of fatally shooting a local man in the back of the head at Five Mile Park.

Ashley Danielle Hall, 22, is charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. The murder charge is a capital felony that requires a sentence of life in prison if she is convicted.

Hall is accused of shooting Ernest Arguello, 32, also of Tucumcari, during an argument on March 11 at the park on the citys west side.

According to the criminal complaint and affidavit filed by New Mexico State Police Patrolman Kenneth Villarreal, Brian Larson found Arguellos body about 200 yards from the park entrance. Larson told officers he walks at the park regularly.

Arguello later was identified through tattoos on his body.

Tucumcari Police Chief Patti Lopez said the body was reported about 4:30 p.m. March 11. She said city police officers secured the scene until New Mexico State Police arrived to take over the investigation.

Police dispatchers notified law enforcement that Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari had admitted a woman who was suicidal and said she had shot and killed her friend at Five Mile Park, court documents stated.

Halls mother told police her daughter had tried to slit her wrist in the bathroom of their home.

During an interview with police, Hall said she and Arguello got into an argument in her car at Five Mile Park. She said she shot Arguello in the back of the head with his gun.

Hall told police she pulled Arguello out of her car after shooting him. Realizing he may need medical attention, she said she tried to pull him back in, but he was too heavy.

She said she panicked, drove away and purchased razor blades from a local store so she could slit her wrists. She told police she suffers from schizophrenia.

A search warrant on Halls car found a .22-caliber revolver with two spent cartridges.

District Attorney Timothy Rose filed a motion to keep Hall in jail while her case is being adjudicated, saying she is a substantial danger to the community and herself.

Hall faces a pretrial detention and preliminary hearing on March 27 in front of District Judge Waylon Counts. According to court documents, Jonathan Schildgen of Santa Fe is Halls attorney.
In the great red-blue divide that is America these days, we live in an atypical state. New Mexico is not as politically divided along rural and urban lines as other states.

For years now, Democrats in New Mexico have dominated politics in enough rural counties to add to their urban majorities in Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe. Meanwhile Republicans have held a grip on other rural area and many smaller cities, with a lock in the southeastern corner of the state, a region deep in agriculture and rich in oil and gas.

Overall, however, its the Democrats who control state government these days  thanks in large part to its rural supporters.

That could change after a recent rule change Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration is imposing on school districts.

The Public Education Departments rule will effectively eliminate the option of four days of classroom instruction per week instead of five  and upset some 47 school districts that operate on four-day classroom schedules.

The rule change is not a popular idea at all, but the governor is pushing it forward anyway. They did add in an exemption that a district can apply for, but its based on reading proficiency standards that superintendents are already calling unrealistic  especially since the new rule is scheduled to take effect on July 1, just in time for the 2024-25 school year.

But this is bigger than any hassles it creates. A lot of people will see the states action as stripping away what little local control they already have over their own schools.

Lets be real: The state already controls public education by controlling the purse strings. Theres some leeway here and there, but basically, local school boards and superintendents are quite limited in what they can and cant do without state concurrence; otherwise, their funding is in danger.

Thats not necessarily a bad thing; we need a uniform set of standards and expectations for our public schools. But on this issue, the PED is overreaching. Or, more specifically, the governor is overreaching.

Expect to see the issue in court any day now. The New Mexico School Superintendents Association and others are planning to file suit, alleging that the rule violates state statute. They will first go for an injunction to delay its implementation for the 2024-25 school year, which would make a lot of school boards breathe easier in the short-term.

In the long-term, whether the rule stands or falls in court, the idea that this governor is against rural values will only be reinforced. Remember how those gun restrictions she imposed on Bernalillo County last year drew armed protests? Nobody will arm themselves over this four-day issue, but they will remember what this governor did to destroy their four-day school weeks.

Perhaps Lujan Grisham is emboldened by the fact that she wont be running for governor again; shell term-limit out in 2026, so politics be damned. But what she does between now and that oh-so-distant election will matter to her successor on the Democratic ticket.

Assuming we all survive this election year, 2026 could be a good year for Republicans in New Mexico. Especially if they remind rural voters what government overreach looked like in 2024-25.

Tom McDonald is editor of the New Mexico Community News Exchange. Contact him at:

[email protected]
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers has amended several decrees in connection with the implementation of the law of June 9, 2023, on amendments to the law on regulation of inspections conducted in the field of entrepreneurship and protection of the interests of entrepreneurs, Trend reports.

Prime Minister Ali Asadov signed a new decree in this connection.

According to the decree, the following additions were added to the "Rules on control over the circulation of items with limited civil circulation and compliance with its conditions":

- the official(s) of the authorized state bodies shall present to the entrepreneur who is a holder of a special permit or his authorized representative his official ID card (together with his ID card), a copy of the decision to conduct an inspection, and an extract from the unified information register on the registered inspection conducted in the field of entrepreneurship;

- when inspecting entrepreneurs who have special permits, officials of the relevant state bodies conducting inspections must comply with the provisions of Article 4-2.2 of the Law "On Regulation of Inspections Conducted in the Sphere of Entrepreneurship and Protection of Entrepreneurs' Interests";

- during inspections of entrepreneurs with special permits, officials from relevant state bodies carrying out inspection activities and entrepreneurs have the rights and obligations stipulated by the law "On Regulation of Inspections Conducted in the Sphere of Entrepreneurship and Protection of Entrepreneurs' Interests".

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
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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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Famke Janssen will star in the new show Amsterdam Empire.

ADVERTISEMENT

Netflix announced the seven-part Dutch original series in a press release Monday.

Amsterdam Empire is written and created by Nico Moolenaar, Piet Matthys and Bart Uytdenhouwen, the creative team behind Undercover and Ferry.

Jonas Govaerts will direct the series, with Janssen and Moolenaar as executive producers.

Amsterdam Empire follows Jack van Doorn, "the rich and notorious founder of the coffee shop empire Jackal, [who] has had to fight his entire career against criminals, competitors, and absurd Dutch laws to become the biggest of them all."

"When his affair with a well-known journalist comes to light, it turns out that his most dangerous enemy has been living under his roof all this time: his betrayed wife, Betty (Janssen), an ex-pop diva who knows all his weak spots and secrets and will not rest until she has taken everything from him," an official synopsis reads.

Amsterdam Empire is described as "an extravagant crime drama full of glamour and grime at the heart of the Amsterdam cannabis scene."

"I am beyond excited to return home to the Netherlands for my very first Dutch role! It's an honor to have the opportunity to work with Nico Moolenaar and the rest of this talented team. I am grateful to be back in business with Netflix once again and to be part of this truly captivating story set in the beautiful city of Amsterdam. The city that has my heart," Janssen said.

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Janssen is known for playing Jean Grey, aka Phoenix, in the X-Men film series and Lenore Mills in the Taken movies. She also starred on the series Hemlock Grove, Nip/Tuck and How to Get Away with Murder.

Netflix is also developing an untitled French thriller starring Isabelle Adjani as a young mother who becomes a suspect in the mysterious death of the patriarch of a prestigious flower farm.
Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Chance of a shower or two during the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Chance of a shower or two during the evening, followed by partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 44F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan has amended the "Format of information and documents to be submitted to the Financial Monitoring Service during cross-border transportation of foreign currency and national currency" dated September 23, 2023, Trend reports.

Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov signed a new decree in this regard.

The decree states that this form will now include the grounds for submitting information and documents.



Hence, at the request of the Financial Monitoring Service, this information and documents will be prepared and electronically transmitted.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A new study from the University of Georgia found that the time high schools spend on enrichment activities  such as tutoring, sports, school clubs and homework  negatively affects students' mental health. The study found that additional enrichment activities are unlikely to benefit students academically, according to a UGA press release.
The message is clear: The 60-year-old wise uncles need to handhold the 40-year-old entrepreneurs when, obsessed with ambition and greed for growth, they become a victim of hubris, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.



It's difficult to pinpoint who invented the car, but Karl Benz is most often identified as the inventor.

He patented the three-wheeled motor car -- called Motorwagen -- in 1886. It was the first modern automobile.

A century later, in the 1980s, Ernst Dickmanns of Germany converted a Mercedes-Benz van into an autonomous vehicle, guided by an integrated computer.

In 1987, the car managed to travel through traffic-free streets at a speed of 63 km an hour.

Google, Tesla and Uber got into the self-driving car business decades later.

In October 1994, Dickmanns' team picked up a group of high-profile guests from the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, drove them to the nearby motorway and switched the two cars into self-driving mode.

A year later, the team took a re-engineered car on a 1,700-km trip, from Bavaria to Denmark, at a speed of at least 175 km per hour.

Benz, Dickmanns and others like them are great innovators and have enormously contributed to the evolution of human civilisation. But did they have the licence to drive a car violating traffic rules?

The same applies to the current fintech sector.

Innovations are welcome and there is no conflict between innovations and regulations.

By the way, what's fintech? According to the Financial Stability Board (FSB), fintech is technology-enabled innovation in financial services that could result in new business models, applications, processes or products with an associated material effect on the provision of financial services.

FSB, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is an international body that monitors and makes recommendations on the global financial system.

The first transatlantic cable (1866) and Fedwire (1918) in the US marked the first stage of fintech as they enabled the maiden electronic fund transfer, using technologies such as telegraph and Morse code.

The second stage kicked off in 1967 when Barclays set up the ATM.

A few years later, in the 1970s, the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) started facilitating large volumes of cross-border payments.

SWIFT is a communication protocol between financial institutions.

Digital banking appeared on the scene in the 1990s. By 1998, the launch of PayPal, an US multinational financial technology company, laid the path for the new payments systems in the world that started shifting to online.

It continued for exactly a decade when the global financial crisis, triggered by the fall of iconic US investment bank, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, changed the track of fintech.

Bitcoin was born in 2009, followed by other cryptocurrencies using blockchain technology.

Meanwhile, the proliferation of smartphones and mushrooming of startups started redefining products and services in the fintech space.

They have helped create the so-called neo-banks or digital banks and changed the customer experience. At the forefront of this revolution are China and India.

Going by data from the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) of the ministry of commerce and industry, in seven years between 2016 and 2023, the number of startups in India grew from around 300 to at least 117,000, generating more than 1.24 million jobs.

India is home to 10,224 fintech companies working in diverse sectors and segments, making its fintech ecosystem the third largest in the world.

It has been expanding at 14 per cent compound annual growth rate.

The driver of all innovations is changing the customer experience in a secure way.

In the current stage, going beyond blockchain and open banking, machine learning is set to redefine both banking and insurance.

Fintech is changing the way money is collected through a wave of integrated payments providers.

Why am I mixing the invention of cars with fintech? What's the connection? Let's get to the crux of the matter.

The provocation is the shock and surprise that has gripped the fintech industry after the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) action against Paytm Payments Bank Ltd and the reactions of some fintech leaders.

The founder of an Indian multinational fintech company that sells digital payment and financial services to small merchants and grocery stores is not happy with the RBI's punitive action against the payments bank. According to him, the message being sent out by such an action is that banks are (systemically) important but fintechs are not.

In the RBI, individuals responsible for making decisions and handling calls are typically around 60 years old. They have experience managing a system of banks. However, there seems to be a lack of trust in a 40-year-old individual, especially if they are considered a maverick, to run a core system, the 41-year-old founder said. The founder of the payments bank in the eye of the storm is 45.

This gentleman is entitled to have his opinion about the inability of sexagenarians to appreciate the innovations of quadragenarians, but just as car inventors could not escape traffic rules, fintech innovators -- however great their contributions to the growth and development of the industry be -- are not above the rules that govern the flow of money.

More importantly, what does the payments bank in question have to do with innovations that are supposedly under threat? The promoter of the bank in question is into fintech, but not the bank that has been punished for the violation of KYC (know your customer) norms, among other irregularities.

In RBI's view, Paytm is not systemically important. If it dies, it dies, what do we care?' the founder of the fintech company has said.

Yes, Paytm Payments Bank is not systemically important. For that matter, no payments bank in India is systemically important.

The maximum money a depositor can keep with a payments bank is Rs 2 lakh, which enjoys insurance cover. And 75 per cent of their deposits are invested in government securities.

Where is the systemic risk? Moreover, such banks have very small balance sheets. (Paytm Payments Bank had posted Rs 14.5 crore profit on an asset base of Rs 9,844 crore in FY23.)

Nonetheless, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's recent meeting with startups must be reassuring to the fintech ecosystem.

Following this, we expect the RBI to hold monthly meetings with fintech start-ups since innovative solutions are essential to the financial services sector, while adhering to regulations.

A few months ago, the banking regulator issued a draft framework for the recognition of self-regulatory organisations (SROs) for the fintech sector.

An SRO will also come in handy for putting the fintech house in order, maintaining a balance between adherence to regulations and innovations.

The RBI and DPIIT will now start working with the finance ministry to examine issues relating to change of ownership holdings and control of listed fintech companies to enable them to be in sync with regulatory compliance requirements.

Innovations in the fintech sector will continue, but 40-year-old innovators will never have the freedom to ignore the regulations set by central bankers in their 60s so long as their products are meant for the financial system.

The message is clear: The 60-year-old wise uncles need to handhold the 40-year-old entrepreneurs when, obsessed with ambition and greed for growth, they become a victim of hubris.

A sexagenarian banker has been instrumental in cleaning the balance sheet of the fintech company founded by the gentleman who is not comfortable with the age of central bankers. And the payments bank's promoter has recently appointed a septuagenarian to strengthen governance and regulatory issues involved in the parent company. He was not a central banker but a regulator.

Tamal Bandyopadhyay is an author and senior advisor to Jana Small Finance Bank Ltd His latest book is Roller Coaster: An Affair with Banking

Disclaimer: These are Tamal Bandyopadhyay's personal views.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
The exclusive club that dominates the global semiconductor fab scenario is about to get a new member.

Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters

Taiwan, South Korea, and China control nearly 70 per cent of the global capacity.

SEMI, the global industry body for semiconductor and electronics design and manufacturing, projects all fabs collectively will churn out 30 million wafers a month this year.

Soon there will be a new entrant into this cosey club.

After 17 years of toil, India is finally ready for its tryst with semiconductors.

On Thursday, the Union Cabinet approved Rs 1.26 trillion worth of investments in three semiconductor plants, including one by the Tata group to build Indias first major chip fabrication facility at Dholera in Gujarat.

The Cabinet also cleared a separate Tata proposal for a chip assembly and testing plant in Morigaon, Assam, and another by CG Power in Sanand, also in Gujarat.

Work on all three is expected to begin within 100 days.

The Tata groups Dholera plant entails an investment of Rs 91,000 crore and will churn out 28-nanometre and above chips  known for high performance and low power consumption  beginning with 50,000 wafter starts per month.

It has tied up with the third- largest Taiwanese chip maker, PSMC, for the crucial technology.

PSMC might take equity.

Tatas Assam project, for which Rs 27,000 crore is earmarked, will do semiconductor assembly, testing, marking, and packaging (ATMP). Deploying indigenous technology, it will process the wafers manufactured in Dholera, as well as wafers made by other companies, into make in India chips.

Twists and turns

The journey did not start on a good note. In 2007, Intel, which wanted to set up a fab plant in India, blamed lack of clarity in government policy and moved its wares to China.

Subsequent attempts did not work out either.

Things began to move in earnest in 2022, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a Rs 75,000 crore semiconductor incentive scheme to woo global and Indian players.

In an interview last week with Business Standard, Ashwani Vaishnaw, the communications, electronics & IT minister, elaborated on the governments vision.

We have a 20-year vision for semiconductors.

"In the next five years, we would like to see four to six more fabs, six to 10 semiconductors, one or two display fabs, and eight to 10 ATMP plants.

"This will go a long way in creating atmanirbharata in semicon, he said.

Vaishnaw sees India playing an important role in the semiconductor sweepstakes.

In five years, India is looking at grabbing 10 per cent of the ATMP, or outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) market, rising to more than 25 per cent in 10 years.

He acknowledges the strategic importance of Indian fabs being set up in other countries as well.

That is ambitious, to say the least.

Long road ahead

Forget about Taiwan and China, which together have 70 per cent share of the OSAT-ATMP market.

Even Malaysia is a force, with a 14 per cent share already in its bag.

So, there is a huge catch-up for India to do.

This catch-up cannot happen in a hurry.

Tatas fab capacity will take two to three years to start rolling and have a minor share of the global capacity. To complicate matters, it will come at a time when it would be raining fabs, as countries justle to set up mega plants to safeguard against the kind of supply chain disruption seen after Covid.

The US, for instance, is going on an overdrive to regain its chip-making glory.

It has only an 8 per cent share of the global fab capacity, while Chinas has grown to 22 per cent.

After the slowdown of 2023, says SEMI, 82 fab plants, including new ones and capacity expansion, will be operational during 2022-24  the majority in 28 nanometres.

In 2024 alone, 42 fab plants will join the fray, raising concerns about a possible oversupply.

Companies including TSMC, Intel, Micron, and Samsung are investing over $500 billion by the year-end in building fabs in their home countries as well as in the US and Europe, where the supply chain is established, instead of looking at newer countries.

Indias investment in fab and ATMP together would account for a mere 3.6 per cent of what the big guns are investing.

The countrys subsidy incentive scheme is only 18 per cent of what the US offers ($52 billion).

Also, the US and China are locking horns. About 40 per cent of the new plants are being built in the US, of which six will be operational in 2024.

But China is moving faster, with 18 new plants slated to go on stream this year.

Malaysia and Singapore, too, have built a vibrant fab business, already accounting for 4 per cent of the global capacity.

Vietnam, which has a vibrant OSAT segment, will compete with India in wooing investments.

Silver linings

That said, Indias attractiveness is growing.

The domestic demand for semiconductors across industry segments is too big to ignore.

Tata says Indias demand will cross $110 billion by 2030.

That would be 11 per cent of the demand.

Of course, China will by that time touch $180.5 billion.

Despite the constraints of a new player, India has begun well.

PSMC, the 10th-largest fab company by revenues, was looking overseas and, according to its chairman Frank Huang, had offers from eight nations to set up a fab plant.

But it chose India, where it will provide technology and also take equity in the Tata project.

Japanese microcontroller maker Renesas, which has tied up with CG Power, a Murugappa group firm, to set up an ATMP-OSAT plant in India, will bring in specialised chip technology to be processed in the country.

In the same space, Micron has decided to set up an ATMP plant in India, which will process imported wafers into chips and export them back.

Its plant would be one of the largest and do a value-addition of 10-40 per cent.

It also plans to rope in its key vendors to set up shop and eventually sell chips directly to clients in India, one of which is Apple.

If the project works out, government officials say, Micron is open to a fab plant in India.

Vaishnaw says subsidies will have to continue till India has enough semiconductor infra in place.

But the Rs 75,000 crore earmarked as incentives under the semicon scheme has been exhausted by the new projects.

Tower Corporation, for instance, has applied for an $8 billion fab plant and two other OSAT-ATMP applications are awaiting clearance.

Industry estimates that these three could require another $4-5 billion in incentives.

The good news, indicates Vaishnaw, is that money would not be an issue for such a strategic sector.
Right to apprenticeship means that anyone below the age of 25 years with a diploma or other qualifications can demand an apprenticeship with a private, a public sector company or a government organisation. And when he/she demands this, it is the obligation of the government to provide it.

Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo/Rediff archives

Praveen Chakravarty, chairperson of the All India Professionals Congress and key member of the Congresss manifesto drafting committee, in an interview with Archis Mohan and Indivjal Dhasmana in New Delhi, discusses various draft promises, such as the right of apprenticeship, security for gig workers, and fund for startups, that may be part of the Congresss manifesto.

How is the Congresss poll promise of an apprenticeship law different from the Apprentices Act, 1961?

The current law, the Apprentices Act of 1961, mandates organisations of a certain size to take apprentices in the range of 2.5-15 per cent of their workforce. As many as 44,000 enterprises have participated in the apprenticeship programme.

Our proposal is to completely revamp it by replacing the current Act with the one that gives the right to apprenticeship.

Right to apprenticeship means that anyone below the age of 25 years with a diploma or other qualifications can demand an apprenticeship with a private, a public sector company or a government organisation. And when he/she demands this, it is the obligation of the government to provide it.

How would you persuade the private sector to provide this kind of apprenticeship?

It is a misconception that the private sector needs to be persuaded. According to the Apprentices Act of 1961, companies of a certain size are mandated to take apprentices.

I have held extensive consultations and discussions with bodies, such as the CII (the Confederation of Indian Industry) and those representing MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises). They have told us that MSMEs actually wanted to be part of it (Act) but were excluded.

They wanted it because it lowered labour costs for them and resolved the important pain point of getting people.

We have proposed to expand the number of participating firms from the current 45,000 to about one million.

You may well ask how did we come up with this number. It is based on the latest GST data which showed that there are a million firms with an annual turnover of at least Rs 5 crore.

How many people would avail this right and what would be the fiscal burden?

According to the modelling that we have done, we expect anywhere between two million and four million demands a year initially.

This is like the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act).

However, unlike the MGNREGA, this will not focus on your local area.

The point is to provide skilling, dignity, and employability.

Today, we have various forms of unemployment allowances given by the BJP and the Congress-run governments. But that does not address the problem. So, this is aspirational.

At least a million private firms will participate in this initiative. Add to that other public sector companies and government organisations, and we can very easily fulfil that demand.

The cost will be shared between the government and the employer concerned. So at two million people, this works out to be Rs 20,000 crore. If we assume its shared equally between the government and the private sector, although I am not saying it will be, the cost for the government costs will be Rs 10,000 crore.

The Congress is proposing to enact a separate Act for security provisions for gig workers. Will it entail abandoning the labour code on social security?

The Rajasthan government had passed a law on gig workers. It will be an enhanced version of the Rajasthan law. It will be modelled on the proposed Act by the Telangana government, which should be enacted in a month or so.

We have held consultations with Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, with gig workers and their employers such as Ola, Uber, Zomato, and Swiggy. It is about social security for workers and better working conditions.

But at the same time, we are fully cognisant that most of these employers are not profit-making. We do not want to impose burdensome costs on these companies.

There are about 10 million people employed in the gig economy. We do not want to jeopardise any of that. So the idea is for the government to step in.

The Congress has promised to fill 3 million government vacancies. Does this include state government vacancies? How sustainable will it be fiscally?

There is a full table that we have worked out. It does not include state governments. It includes central government departments and institutions, such as those providing healthcare services and primary and higher education, police, and judiciary. These are called vacancies because these have already been budgeted for, otherwise these will be called new jobs.

How will the promised Rs 5,000 crore corpus for startups be funded?

This does not involve a single extra penny. I have looked at all the different funds for startups. There is a Rs 10,000 crore fund of funds, there are a few Rs 1,000 crore seed funds, and many other funds.

What we said was that we are going to restructure all these funds to ensure better allocation and disbursal. We came up with the figure of Rs 5,000 crore on the basis of around Rs 10 crore for each constituency.

Half of the fund will be allocated to the youth below 40 years.

The fund will be disbursed widely in terms of geography, either through districts or through Parliament constituencies. This also takes care of our class and caste issues because when you start disbursing geographically, it automatically means you are going to cover rural and urban areas, poor and rich, and reserved as well as minority-dominated constituencies.

How is the proposal to curb examination paper leaks different from the Bill that Parliament has passed?

The difference is that there will be monetary compensation and there will be fast-track courts. We felt that the law (passed recently) did not go far enough.

You have been opposed to the proposal to restore the Old Pension Scheme? Will it be part of the Congresss manifesto?

We have recently submitted the draft manifesto to the Congress president (Mallikarjun Kharge). It will go through the Congress Working Committee.
'If such a practice were feasible, every state would seek additional funds, posing a significant risk to the overall health of the economy.'

IMAGE: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan addresses a Left Democratic Front protest against the central government's alleged discrimination against Kerala, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Photograph: Ayush Sharma/ANI Photo

On the March 13, 2024, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it would only provide a one-time offer of Rs 5000 crore to Kerala to tide over its financial problems.

But the Kerala government rejected the offer saying what they needed was Rs 10,000 crore.

This will result in a legal battle, perhaps a prolonged one between the BJP ruled Centre and the Left ruled Kerala.

The north-south political divide has been a topic of discussion for some time.

With the south Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra and Telangana being ruled by non-BJP parties, not just political divide but economic divide also has become an issue between the Centre and the states.

These states have been complaining about the Centre's stepmotherly treatment in the allocation of funds.

For example, the south Indian states contribute 31% of India's GDP but get only 18% of funds allotted back.

For every rupee given to the Centre, when Bihar gets Rs 7.06, UP Rs 2.73, Karnataka gets back just 15 paise, Tamil Nadu 29 paise and Kerala 25 paise.

Sarthak Pradhan, an assistant professor at the Takshashila Institution specialised in Economic Reasoning and Public Finance, analyses this tricky situation in an interview with Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.

The south contributes 31% of India's GDP but gets only 18% of the funds allotted back from the Centre. This has resulted in a lot of bad blood between the Centre and the south Indian states which incidentally are ruled by opposition parties.

Just because the south has only 20% of the total population, can the Centre reduce funds?

Will this not affect the present growth of the southern states?

There is a concern among the southern states that their share in Union taxes may be reduced compared to the previous Finance Commission periods.

We must see why some states like Karnataka might have a reduced share in the Union taxes. The Constitution assigns specific responsibilities to the Union and the states based on who can perform which task better.

For instance, broad-based taxes like income taxes and corporation taxes are assigned to the Union, while states are responsible for providing various services, ie, health and education.

Thus, the Union has a larger revenue share, while the states are more responsible for incurring expenditures.

The Finance Commission is the institutional (and constitutional) mechanism to address these imbalances between the Union and the states.

The Finance Commission is constituted every five years and decides how to distribute the Union taxes with the states.

The aim is to provide comparable levels of public service to ensure balance and stability in the Indian federation.

One of the factors that is used to decide this is income distance. The poorer a state, the larger the share.

As states like Karnataka have done well in the last few years and have moved up the income hierarchy, their score in terms of income distance has reduced, resulting in fewer resources mandated by the Finance Commission.

Another factor that reduces the share is the population. It is a need-based criterion -- the higher the population, the higher the amount of resources required to provide various services.

As the population of the southern states has stabilised or become lower, they score low in terms of the population factor, reducing their share in the Union taxes.

Per capita income of the southern states is 50% more than the northern states. The per capita income of Tamil Nadu, in fact is double the national average.

What should the north do to catch up?

The southern states generally outperform most northern states.

Leading among the southern states is Karnataka, with an 2021-22 NSDP per capita (external link) of Rs 164,471, followed by Telangana (Rs 158,202), and Tamil Nadu (Rs 154,557).

However, it's noteworthy that states like Haryana (Rs 172,657) and Gujarat (Rs 170,384) surpass Karnataka.

The difference between Uttarakhand (Rs 149,015) and Kerala (Rs 148,810) is marginal.

Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Punjab outperform Andhra Pradesh.

However, there is a significant concern regarding the per capita income of states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and the north eastern states.

So, the point being:

There are states in the north that have performed well. There are states in the south that exhibit comparable incomes to some northern counterparts A cause for significant concern arises from the poor performance of certain states, extending beyond north India (for instance Manipur, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland etc in the north east).

Different states in India have their own unique challenges, constraints and opportunities etc.

A one-size-fits-all solution is impractical and fraught with problems.

A nuanced approach is crucial, addressing region-specific problems with tailored solutions

IMAGE: Pinarayi Vijayan with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann at the protest. Photograph: Ayush Sharma/ANI Photo

Do you think there is something fundamentally wrong with the way the northern states are managed?

I think it is inappropriate to lump all the states in the north together, as notable social, cultural, and economic differences exist among them.

These variations are reflected in various socio-economic indicators.

For example, the total fertility rate (TFR) of Himachal is comparable to that of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

The TFR is even lower for Punjab.

Conversely, the rates are considerably higher for both Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

There are parameters where you will find divergence between northern states, and similarly, there are parameters where some northern states converge with their southern counterparts.

Therefore, it is not accurate to assert that there is a single, overarching issue with the management of the northern states.

Gujarat and Maharashtra have the wealthiest capitalists in the country but why are these states not as developed as the southern states?

The idea of development is a bit subjective, ie, what parameters do we intend to consider as part of development?

If we consider per capita income, Gujarat (Rs 170384) does better than any southern state.

Also, Maharashtra (Rs 138490) does better than Andhra Pradesh (Rs 117464) while it lags behind other southern states.

However, a different picture might emerge when we broaden our perspective to include parameters such as health and education under the umbrella of development.

Merely having a few wealthy individuals in a region does not guarantee improvements in education, health, or standard of living.

Instead, what matters is the state's commitment to providing "meritorious" services like education and public health.

States like Kerala and Tamil Nadu seem to have prioritised these human development parameters.

Do you feel the Gujarat model which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about is actually not the real development model?

There is usually this debate between the Gujarat and Kerala model.

These two are carefully constructed narratives that refer to a market-friendly, growth-focused approach and a state-led human development parameters-focused approach, respectively.

The success of both approaches ignores the historical underpinnings (ie, the role of mercantile communities in the Gujarat region and the role of the Travancore princely state even before the corresponding states were formed).

Instead of looking at it as "either or", it makes sense to look at each approach's benefits and shortcomings and incorporate it in future policy design.

IMAGE: Sarthak Pradhan IMAGE: Sarthak Pradhan

If it is the strong southern economy that has made India the fastest growing economy in the world right now, is it not a mistake by the Centre not releasing the funds the southern states ask for?

As mentioned earlier, the primary concern of southern states revolves around the potential reduction in their share of Union taxes, not the cessation of funds by the Union. The latter can be legally challenged.

Moreover, the Union cannot freely release funds upon request from any state.

If such a practice were feasible, every state would seek additional funds, posing a significant risk to the overall health of the economy.

Thirdly, it's noteworthy that the southern states have played a significant role in India's economy, putting the country on the global map.

It also implies they can augment their "own resources" and not just remain dependent on the Union.

The Constitution provides various heads under which states can generate their "own tax revenue".

The states can also generate their "own non-tax revenues" by charging for the goods and services they provide. Currently, these sources are underleveraged.

The focus of the states should be on reducing their dependence on the Union.

It would be advisable for southern states to ally with other states to demand a higher share in the Union tax pool from the current 41%.

They should also demand, including cesses and surcharges, from the Union tax tool.

This will ensure higher resources for each state, closely following their expenditure requirements.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday said it has noted the comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry "advancing absurd claims" over the territory of Arunachal Pradesh and asserted that the state "was, is and will always be" an integral and inalienable part of India.

IMAGE: Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh. Photograph: ANI Photo

The response from the MEA comes days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, calling the area an "inherent part of China's territory", in the wake of India rejecting Beijing's objection to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state.

"We have noted the comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry advancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

The MEA statement said that it was in response to media queries on comments made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry regarding Arunachal Pradesh.

"Repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity. Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Its people will continue to benefit from our development programmes and infrastructure projects," he said.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang had said that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of China's territory, and Beijing "never acknowledges and firmly opposes" the "so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India", official media in Beijing had reported.

India has repeatedly rejected China's territorial claims over Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of the country. New Delhi has also dismissed Beijing's move to assign "invented" names to the area, saying it did not alter the reality.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Training of engineering support units is always at the center of attention, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

"Engineering support is organized in modern general military combat to create favorable conditions for the performance of combat tasks by maneuver units, to increase the level of their protection from the means of defeat, as well as to inflict losses to the enemy through engineering ammunition and impede his actions, so the training of personnel of engineering support units should always be at a high level," the statement says.

To note, the main attention at the training, meetings, and exercises is paid to the improvement of the theoretical knowledge of the personnel as well as the consolidation of their practical skills. During practical exercises, the focus is constantly on the performance of such tasks as engineering reconnaissance, construction of engineering barriers, opening passages in barriers and rubble, demining of territory and objects, etc.

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Senior Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien on Tuesday said the party wants Supreme Court-monitored Lok Sabha polls as Bharatiya Janata Party's tricks are "destroying" institutions like the Election Commission.

IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrives at Metiabruz, South Kolkata on Monday where a five-storey under-construction building collapsed. Photograph: ANI Photo

The TMC party leader in Rajya Sabha wondered whether the BJP is so nervous of facing the people that it is turning the EC into "its party office".

"BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like Election Commission of India. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Opposition? ECI or His Master's Voice?" He posted on X.

"Transferring officers of elected state governments! For free and fair elections. We want Supreme Court-monitored Election 2024", he further said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) directed the removal of West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar and mandated the appointment of Vivek Sahay, once suspended by the poll panel, as the new state police chief, with the TMC accusing the BJP of controlling the constitutional body.

The decision by the EC prompted a political duel between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP, with the saffron camp welcoming the move.

Meanwhile, the TMC has complained to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the BJP candidate from Varanasi, has violated the model code of conduct by using central government funds for campaigning.

The has complained to the Election Commission alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the BJP candidate from Varanasi, has violated the model code of conduct by using central government funds for campaigning.

In a letter addressed to the chief election commissioner on Monday, O'Brien said a message by the PM highlighting his government's programmes reached the electorate on March 16, after the model code of conduct came into force.

Modi has purportedly written the message in the form of a letter to the voters on March 15, the TMC leader claimed.

"By using the office of the prime minister, the BJP has issued the aforesaid letter at the cost of the public exchequer under the guise of a message seemingly sent by the Government of India. Such mass circulation is nothing but an appeal to the voters in favour of the BJP and Mr Modi and thereby flouting the mandate of the Election Commission of India," O'Brien said in the complaint.

He urged the EC to ensure that appropriate directions are issued to the BJP and its candidate Modi to withhold from future campaigns at the cost of public exchequer, to withdraw the letter...."

O'Brien said that the cost of sending the prime minister's letter to the electorate should also be included in the accounts of the BJP and Modi against the head "election expenditure."
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections, local people have put up a banner saying "no road, no vote" outside their village in the Gauriganj tehsil of Amethi, drawing attention to their problems.

IMAGE: Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani holds Jan Samwad in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, February 19, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

A banner came up outside Purey Alpi Tiwari hamlet in Sarmeny village under Jamo block on Monday warning to boycott the coming elections with the locals raising slogans.

Amethi, which is considered as a VVIP constituency, was represented by the Nehru-Gandhi family until Union minister Smriti Irani wrested the Lok Sabha seat in 2019.

Gauriganj SDM Digvijay Singh on Tuesday said information about the villagers' protest has been received and efforts will be made to solve the problem following further investigation.

Omprakash Ojha, a resident of the hamlet, told reporters that there are seven small roads connecting the village to nearby areas but all of them are unpaved.

"Due to lack of access to the village, we have to perform the marriages of our sons and daughters elsewhere. Even bikes cannot move here during the rain. There is no drainage system," Ojha said.

"There is no proper arrangement for drinking water. The scheme of providing tap water to every house under the Jal Jeevan Mission has not yet reached our village. Even the water tap pipeline under the scheme has not been laid here," he added.

Another local Ram Abhilash said there has been no development in Sarmeny since independence.

"We are continuously complaining but no one has given any thought to it. Now all of us have made up our mind that until our problems are not resolved, we will boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha elections."

After 1976 when Sanjay Gandhi was elected from Amethi, barring a brief period, the seat was represented by members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Rajiv Gandhi became the prime minister after being elected from the seat.

The constituency is presently represented by Irani who defeated Congress' Rahul Gandhi in 2019.

A week ago, the people of Bhawanipur village of Sangrampur development block in Amethi had also put up a similar banner with the slogan "no road, no vote" and the administration had promptly met the villagers and pacified them.
A delegation of the African nation Gambia on Tuesday visited the Gujarat University campus in Ahmedabad and held a meeting with its vice-chancellor over safety measures in the backdrop of an attack on foreign students in the varsity's hostel premises for offering 'namaaz' three days ago.

IMAGE: Ahmedabad commissioner of police GS Malik along with police personnel inspects Gujarat University's boys hostel after attack on foreign students, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, March 17, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Nearly 30 students from the West African country study at the state-run university.

After the visit, vice-chancellor Neerja Gupta told reporters that the delegation, comprising officials from the high commission of Gambia in New Delhi, expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by university authorities for the safety of students after the incident, which took place on the night of March 16 at one of the hostel blocks.

"It was a follow-up meeting by the Gambian delegation following the incident. They wanted to meet us because nearly 30 students from Gambia study in this university. The delegation wanted to know if their students are safe," said Gupta.

The delegation comprised a deputy high commissioner, a first secretary and a student representative, she said.

"The Gambian officials were made aware about the steps we have taken to ensure safety and security of students after the incident. During the meeting, they expressed satisfaction with our measures. They were also satisfied with the assurance we gave them about students' safety," informed Gupta.

On Saturday night, around two dozen people barged into the government-run university's hostel and objected to students from foreign countries offering 'namaaz' at one of the blocks during the ongoing month of Ramzan, according to the police.

Students hailing from different foreign countries were assaulted by the group and two of them -- one each from Sri Lanka and Tajikistan -- were hospitalised after the incident, they said.

Following the incident, an FIR was registered against 20 to 25 unidentified persons under the Indian Penal Code for rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, damage to property, and criminal trespass, among others.

So far, five persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, police said on Monday.

The attack prompted the university to relocate foreign students to a new wing and engage ex-servicemen to bolster security. The varsity authorities decided to shift international students to a separate hostel designated for Non-Resident Indians within three days.

Additionally, a foreign student advisory committee has been established, along with the deployment of ex-Army personnel to fortify the hostel premises' security.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's first list of 20 candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka has caused dissidence among leaders in the state with few claiming that they would switch over to Congress.

IMAGE: Former deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka and BJP leader KS Eshwarappa meets Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in New Delhi, January 11, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Former deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa, a staunch RSS supporter, has revolted against the party.

Eshwarappa went all out against the former chief minister and BJP parliamentary board member B S Yediyurappa after his son K E Kantesh could not make it to the list of candidates announced by the high command a week ago.

Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats.

The BJP leader wanted a ticket for his son from the Haveri Lok Sabha seat, but the party fielded the sitting MLA and former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai from there.

Upset over the development, Eshwarappa announced that he would contest the elections from Shivamogga against Yediyurappa's elder son B Y Vijayendra as a mark of protest against dynastic politics in Karnataka'.

In an interview to PTI, Eshwarappa alleged that the BJP is in bad shape in Karnataka.

"People and the workers are in favour of the BJP but the system here is bad. What is our Narendra Modi ji saying? The Congress party is in the hands of one family. Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi the central Congress is being controlled by one family. Same situation in Karnataka. Karnataka's BJP is in control of one family. We have to protest this," the 75-year-old leader said.

He even charged that those standing in favour of Hindutva are being sidelined, be it C T Ravi, Pratap Simha, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal or Sadananda Gowda.

"Under any circumstances, I will have to fight the election, which I will do," Eshwarappa said.

Former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda who was initially reluctant to contest the Lok Sabha elections, has suddenly expressed his strong desire to fight the polls.

On Tuesday he even hinted that he might consider joining Congress and make his decision public in a press conference on Wednesday.

In Koppal, two-time BJP MLA Karadi Sanganna is upset over being denied a ticket. The party has decided to field Dr Basavaraj Kyavator.

An angry Sanganna said he too is in touch with Congress leaders "but no decision has been taken yet".

"I will not decide now. We have a meeting with our party leaders on Thursday. I will go with whatever our leaders will suggest whether to stay in the party or join Congress," Sanganna told reporters.

The BJP has fielded V Somanna from Tumakuru, which has enraged former Karnataka Minister J C Madhuswamy, who had expressed his displeasure.

"I am pained that he (Yediyurappa) did not stand for me and back my candidature. Now I am thinking about whether to stay in this party or not when there is no protection here. I will discuss with my workers what to do next," Madhuswamy said.

He, however, noted that "Congress is not a safe zone".

"When there is confusion among leaders in public life, only people can judge better. I will call a meeting and ask them what to do next," Madhuswamy said.

He even said he had said in clear terms that he would not work for Somanna.

Karnataka goes to polls in two phases, April 26 and May 7.
The Matua community's initial jubilation over the implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act has been dampened as its key organisation advised its members not to apply for citizenship under the new law for now as many of them do not have documents required to prove their previous residential address in Bangladesh.

IMAGE: Matua, Tribal and Minority community members under the banner of the United Forum of 'Vote for India' stage a protest demanding the citizenship of India, in Kolkata, October 3, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo

The All India Matua Mahasangha has asked its members to apply for Indian citizenship only after the formation of a new government at the Centre.

Matuas, originally from East Pakistan, are a weaker section of Hindus who migrated to India during the Partition and after the creation of Bangladesh following religious persecution.

Rules of the CAA were notified last week, and the government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians -- from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

All India Matua Mahasangha general secretary Mahitosh Baidya said a communication has been sent to all the members of the community "not to file applications for citizenship till the formation of the next government".

The Centre has launched a portal for applying for citizenship under the CAA.

"After the rules were framed, several members of the Matua community tried to fill up online applications. But they faced problems since while filling up column 5, they have been asked to fill it with address proof or documents related to their residence in Bangladesh," Baidya told PTI.

Baidya highlighted that the Matuas face a catch-22 situation, as the majority either arrived without documents from Bangladesh or discarded them after obtaining some in India.

"They destroyed the old documents after managing voter cards and Aadhaar cards here since it is dangerous for a person to carry documents from two countries. If caught, they would be booked under the Foreigners Act," Baidya, who belonged to the Shantanu Thakur faction of the Matua Mahasangha, said.

The All India Matua Mahasangha, the largest Matua organisation in the country, is currently split into two factions -- one led by BJP MP and Union minister Shantanu Thakur and the other by Trinamool Congress' Rajya Sabha MP Mamata Bala Thakur.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Matua-dominated Haringhata seat Asim Sarkar also said that the community members have been advised to wait till the formation of the third term of the BJP government and simplification of the CAA rules.

"We have informed our top leadership both in the government and the party about the problems the Matuas are facing as the portal is asking for documents proving that they are from Bangladesh. We have asked the community members not to panic and wait for the government formation," he told PTI.

Responding to assertions that Matuas possess voter cards, Aadhaar cards, and ration cards, Baidya explained that these documents do not suffice as proof of citizenship.

"Most of them don't have valid documentation. These documents won't mean anything if there is scrutiny about their citizenship as they don't have proper citizenship certificates," he stated.

Several Matua leaders, who did not wish to be named, claimed that voter and Aadhaar cards are very easily available illegally.

Reacting to the new communication to the Matua community, TMC MP and prominent member of the community, Mamata Bala Thakur, said "The hoax of the CAA is now out in the open. The BJP has tried to fool them before the elections."

Meanwhile, a recent remark by Union minister Shantanu Thakur that he too would apply for citizenship under CAA has caused a lot of confusion among the people.

Thakur, while trying to allay the fears of a section of the Matua community had said, "Although I am an Indian citizen since my grandfather had a citizenship card. I will apply for citizenship only to check if I am denied any benefit or not.

The TMC, which has been opposed to CAA, dared the Union minister to apply for citizenship.

"As far as I know, he is a born Indian. Now he has said that he would also apply for citizenship. So did he become a Union minister without being a citizen of this country? I challenge him to apply for citizenship or else he should apologise for trying to fool the people," Mamata Bala Thakur said.

The community, with an estimated population of three million in the state, can tilt the scales in favour of a political party in more than 30 assembly seats in Nadia, and North and South 24 Parganas districts bordering Bangladesh.

Since the '90s, political parties have courted the support of the Matuas, whose substantial population and tendency to vote cohesively render them a valuable voting bloc akin to minority groups, particularly in alignment with the BJP's stance on the CAA.

The promise of implementing the controversial CAA was a major electoral platform for the BJP in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in West Bengal. The saffron party's leaders believe it played a significant role in the BJP's ascendancy in the state.
With the Congress in power in the state and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) snapping at its heels, the BRS is now fighting an existential battle.

IMAGE: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao gets a traditional welcome as he arrives to address a public meeting, Karimnagar, March 13, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Saffron Pran Pratishtha flags marking the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya flutter from hundreds of rooftops in Patancheru, Telangana, braving the dust-laden winds.

Barely 30 km from Hyderabad, Patancheru is the recipient of the rapid infrastructural development the city has seen.

Suspended particulate matter in the air is an inevitable byproduct.

The township hugs the Mumbai-Hyderabad highway and is home to hundreds of stone crushers, small and big, that sit between massive skyscrapers coming up in the area. The dust creates spectacular sunrises. And sunsets. That is the only upside.

Patancheru was devoted to the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) until recently.

Until a few months ago, the flags were all pink, says Ramesh, a small kirana shop owner. Pink is the colour of BRS, previously the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which was unseated from the government in the 2023 assembly elections.

As the Lok Sabha elections approach, the politics of Telangana -- which sends 17 seats to the Lok Sabha -- is undergoing tumult. With the Congress in power in the state and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) snapping at its heels, the BRS is now fighting an existential battle.

Patancheru illustrates this best.

On October 5, 2022, at exactly 1.10 pm, as astrologers had advised, K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), then chief minister, changed the name of his party from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), signifying new national ambitions for a party that had come into being only about two decades ago.

The astrologers got it wrong.

After its defeat in the 2023 assembly elections, the clamour within the BRS to return to its original name is growing. Politics in Telangana is taking a new turn.

After the state was created in 2014, making it one of Indias newest states, it was the TRS that claimed the spoils as victor. The Congress, the dominant party in undivided Andhra Pradesh, was identified with pushback to the division (then chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said the Congress would oppose the bifurcation of the state and it would have to be done over my dead body) and this cost the party in terms of voter support.

The TRS quickly moved into that space, claiming the backing of the Vellama caste of KCR. The TRS formed the government and ruled Telangana for 10 years. The central issue was: Telangana belongs to the people of Telangana, not outsiders from Andhra Pradesh.

The slogan quickly ran its course. Believing that the support for its welfare scheme would help it carve a place for itself outside Telangana as well, the TRS turned itself into the BRS, moving to Maharashtra and setting up its national office in Delhi. Its pre-eminent position in the state was confirmed by its electoral performance: It won not just two assembly elections but the most seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

But a political riposte to the BRS was inevitable. The struggle was also to claim the principal Opposition slot, and the contenders were the BJP and the Congress.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won four of the 17 seats, winning 19.65 per cent of the vote, pushing the Congress to third position.

In December 2020, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation results saw the BJP winning 48 seats in the 150-member house, finishing a close second to the BRS that had 56.

In the 2023 assembly polls, everything changed.

According to political analyst Ashok Tankasala: The BRS took some decisions on candidate selection which were not wise. As a result, the Congress won 64 assembly seats, attaining a 39.69 per cent vote share, while the BRS bagged 39 seats with a 37.62 per cent vote share in the 119-member assembly.

Assuming an average of seven assembly constituencies in every Lok Sabha constituency, the outcome in the Lok Sabha election could be unpredictable, he adds.

Tankasala explains: The Congress government is about to complete 100 days in office. It had committed itself to a number of promises during this period. Many of these are still to be implemented. Meanwhile, as summer approaches and temperatures rise, water is becoming a big issue.

Water has always been an issue in dry Telangana.

In the assembly election campaign, the BRS claimed it had taken more water to farmers than any other government. The Congress contested this with evidence of engineering defects in the Kaleshwaram dam, leading to a high-octane blame game.

But now reality has come to bite. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy warned recently that the state was staring at drought-like conditions with water levels depleting in all reservoirs.

A former minister and an architect of the BRS, KT Rama Rao, says: The Congress, which came to power with lies and false promises, is now making unfounded statements to cover up its failures. Within three months after the Congress assumed power, the farmers of Telangana are now fully aware of its inefficiency to address their problems.

The BJP is making rapid moves to promote itself. Amer Ali Khan, who was nominated to the Telangana legislative council by the governor, notes: Many of those leaving the BRS are joining the BJP.

But he says the overall situation favours the Congress. Every (legislative assembly) constituency has around 300,000 people who belong to Scheduled Castes or the Muslim community. The BJP will not get their votes.

But the BJP, buoyed by its recent victories, including the rise in its presence in the assembly (it won eight seats for the first time in 2023, and doubled its vote share to 14 per cent), is visualising a good Lok Sabha outcome.

Prime Minister Narendra Modis meeting in Sangareddy, Telangana, drew massive, delirious crowds.

Sandeep Vempati, a member of the BJP from Telangana and spokesperson for the party, says: From 2004 to 2014, Telangana got an outlay of around Rs 41,000 crore. But after the award of the 15th Finance Commission, Telangana state got Rs 1.6 trillion in the last nine years. The question were asking the governments in the state is: When the BJP government gave you so much money, what did you do with it? I am sure Telangana will give us seats in double digits in the Lok Sabha."
Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned on Tuesday as he accused the BJP of doing "injustice" with his Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party by excluding it from the seat-sharing deal with allies for the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar

IMAGE: Union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras addresses a press conferenc ein New Delhi to announce his resignation from the Modi Cabinet. Photograph: ANI on X

Paras's announcement came at a press conference a day after the BJP-led NDA announced its seat-sharing pact and gave five seats to the Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ram Vilas), ignoring his faction's claims.

Paras made brief remarks at the press conference about his resignation and did not elaborate about his future plans.

The only ally in the Union Cabinet headed by Narendra Modi, he called the prime minister a big leader.

The RLJP president said he was thankful to Modi before expressing his displeasure over the treatment meted out to him. Paras said he had served the National Democratic Alliance with honesty and loyalty but received injustice.

"Injustice has been meted out to my party and especially me," he said.

Despite his show of displeasure, Paras made no strong comments against the BJP or any of its leader.

Paras had joined the Cabinet as minister of food processing industries in July 2021 after a mid-term reshuffle of the Cabinet.

His X handle continued with "Modi Ka Parivaar" suffix to his name, a term used by BJP leaders and supporters to extend their support to the prime minister after opposition leader and Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav had taken a "having no family" jibe at him.

A BJP leader indicated that the party has been willing to accommodate Paras respectably in some other manner but it cannot accommodate other MPs of his party.

However, Paras has been keen to fight polls, opening the prospect of a tie-up with opposition parties.

His party's spokesperson Shravan Agarwal said its leaders will meet soon to decide its next course of action but made it clear that Paras will contest elections.

Though Paras enjoyed the support of five of the six Lok Sabha MPs of the LJP until sometime back, none of them accompanied him at the press conference.

Some of them, sources said, are on a hunt for striking deals with other parties, including the one headed by his estranged nephew Chirag Paswan, to contest the upcoming polls.

Paras may explore the possibility of joining hands with the opposition alliance led by Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar to fight against his nephew in the Hajipur seat.

He represents Hajipur in the outgoing Lok Sabha and Paswan has also indicated that he will be contesting from the seat, considered a pocket borough of his late father Ram Vilas Paswan.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday in an indication that the Bharatiya Janata Party is looking to ally with him for the Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in the western state.

IMAGE: MNS chief Raj Thackeray, his son Amit Thackeray meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Delhi, March 19, 2024 Photograph: ANI on X

Senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said in Mumbai that the talks on Lok Sabha polls between the two leaders were "positive", and details will be shared in a day or two.

The meeting drew sharp reactions from the Maha Vikas Aghadi camp, with the Congress accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of "betraying" north Indians.

Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Uddhav Thackeray accused the BJP of trying to "steal a Thackeray" to win elections, underlining that the brand Thackeray is indispensable in the state.

Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who belongs to the Ajit Pawar camp, said if MNS joins the BJP-led 'Mahayuti', it will increase the strength of the ruling alliance.

Raj Thackeray, who arrived in Delhi on Monday, was joined by BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde when he met Shah earlier in the day.

If the alliance is sealed, the MNS may be given one seat to contest from Mumbai where his cousin Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction enjoys considerable influence.

Raj Thackeray had parted ways with Shiv Sena, when it was undivided and led by his cousin, and founded MNS in 2006.

However, the MNS could not make much impact even though Raj is seen as a powerful orator and enjoys a certain following.

His controversial comments against north Indians in the past had drawn sharp criticism from leaders of various political parties, including the BJP.

Riding high on the Marathi manoos plank, the MNS contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Though it drew a blank, the party damaged the prospects of many Shiv Sena and BJP candidates in some constituencies, especially in Mumbai.

In the assembly elections held in the same year, the MNS put up an impressive performance and won 13 seats. However, the party subsequently lost its appeal among voters and its stock dwindled, pushing it to the margins of state politics.

Barring 2009, the MNS has not been able to come anywhere close to the 13 seats it had won. In the 2019 elections, the party won just one seat in the 288-member House.

Attacking the BJP over the attempt to ally with his estranged cousin, Uddhav Thackeray alleged that his former ally was trying to "steal" a "Thackeray" to win elections.

"BJP knows very well that they don't get votes in the name of PM Narendra Modi in Maharashtra. People vote here in the name of (Bal) Thackeray. This realisation prompted the BJP to try to steal leaders from outside (BJP fold)," he said at a rally in Nanded.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged the BJP and the MNS are trying to forge an alliance as they are afraid of Maha Vikas Aghadi's success.

The NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) said Raj Thackeray's meeting with Amit Shah has not surprised them as there were indications of the MNS chief's closeness to the BJP.

NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto claimed the MNS leader has been under the scanner of Central agencies and has been trying to save his party.

The fortunes of Thackeray's MNS have been dwindling and the meeting could salvage him and protect his party, he claimed.

The Congress said by trying to ally with MNS, the BJP has not only betrayed north Indians but has also rubbed salt in their wounds, referring to the protests held by the Raj Thackeray-led party in the past.
The BJP is focusing determinedly on the seats it lost in 2019, with the hope of winning these either independently or with the aid of its allies.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets people as he arrives at a public event in Shivamogga, March 18, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

In his pursuit of an unprecedented victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an ambitious target: 370 seats for the party and 400 for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

This goal, announced in his final speech to the 17th Lok Sabha on February 8, has led the BJP to focus determinedly on the seats it lost in 2019, with the hope of winning these either independently or with the aid of its allies.

The past fortnight rang up the curtain on the microstrategies the BJP has deployed to reach that figure -- which if realised, will come close to the 404 seats (with a later addition of 10) won by the Congress in 1984-85.

In Tripura, where it is the ruling party for a second term, the BJP brought on board a regional player, the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance or Tipra Motha, led by Pradyot Debbarma, a former Congressman.

The Tipra Motha has 13 legislators in the 60-member Tripura assembly, and promptly, Animesh Debbarma, the former Opposition leader, and another MLA, Brishaketu Debbarama, were inducted into the state Cabinet. The Tipra Motha represents the rights and interests of indigenous tribes.

To strengthen its grip on the East, the BJP is trying to bring Odishas ruling party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), back into the NDA. In Odisha, the Lok Sabha and assembly polls will be held concurrently. Reports from Bhubaneswar suggest the prospective BJP-BJD arrangement would involve the BJP contesting most of the parliamentary seats, while leaving a majority of the assembly seats to the BJD.

So, where do the BJP's alliances in the southern states stand, excluding Karnataka, where it maintains a significant base despite a rout in last state polls and where it has been working to expand its presence with the Janata Dal (Secular)?

We are winning as the single largest party in the South with our allies, asserted Prakash Javadekar, a former Union minister who has worked in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and is now based in Kerala. We will regain ground in Karnataka because in the coming elections, and voters will vote for the PM.

While Karnataka has 28 parliamentary seats, of which the BJP won 25 (plus the Mandya seat that Independent Sumalatha Ambareesh won with the BJP's support) five years ago, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu together account for 101 seats. Of these, the BJP won four in Telangana in 2019 but failed to secure any in the other three.

In the 2023 Telangana assembly polls, the Congress secured a majority with 64 seats in the 119-member assembly, while the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) got 39 seats. The BJP picked up eight seats, a result that the Telangana unit saw as a morale booster.

Krishna Saagar Rao, the BJPs chief spokesperson, said: There is no talk of an alliance (with the BRS). We've already declared nine (of 17) candidates. A national party would be at a disadvantage carrying the BRS which is saddled with corruption charges.

In neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the BJP, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Jana Sena Party (JSP) officially announced that they will be contesting the Lok Sabha and assembly polls together.

Like Odisha, Andhra votes simultaneously to elect its MPs and legislators.

Several rounds of discussions which the TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu held with Amit Shah, Union home minister, and J P Nadda, BJP president, led to the inescapable conclusion that the Oppositions votes must not be fragmented to facilitate a second win for the incumbent, Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Amid reports that the state party was against tying up with the TDP-JSP, the BJPs Andhra general secretary S Dayakar Reddy said: The final decision vests with the national party. The state unit is not separate from the national party.

Sources said the catch was Naidu did not agree on seat-sharing, using the purported Odisha template. He also wanted more Lok Sabha seats because he thinks the TDP should leverage its numbers in Parliament as well, a source said.

The TDP was part of the NDA until 2018, when Naidu walked out, citing the TDPs unfulfilled demand for a special status to Andhra as the reason.

Ostensibly to exert pressure on the BJP to clinch a deal, the TDP announced its first list of 94 candidates for the assembly polls, while the JSP declared five names of the 24 it was allotted and those of three Lok Sabha nominees. The three parties said they would announce their seat-sharing formula soon.

In Tamil Nadu's melange of regional forces, many of which are breakaway groups of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna DMK (AIADMK), the BJP has to find its feet. Arvind Menon, national secretary and Tamil Nadu minder, said: Our doors are open. We will welcome whoever wants to come because Modiji is the man of developing India.

The only entity the BJP counts as its ally is the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam, led by T T V Dhinakaran, a nephew of V K Sasikala, a close associate of the late J Jayalalithaa. Dhinakaran was expelled from the AIADMK in 2017 and he floated his party the following year.

In Kerala, the BJP has found an ally, the Kerala Janapaksham (Secular) Party, led by P C George, a seven-time MLA who was earlier vice-chairman of Kerala Congress-M.
The Varanasi district court has fixed April 11 for hearing a plea seeking to stop Muslim devotees from walking on top of the Gyanvapi mosque's southern cellar, where the court recently allowed Hindu prayers.

IMAGE: A priest offers prayers at 'Vyas ji ki tehkhana' inside the sealed basement of the Gyanvapi mosque complex, in Varanasi. Photograph: ANI Photo

According to the counsel for the Hindu side, Madan Mohan Yadav, the Muslim side told the court of in-charge district judge Anil Kumar on Tuesday that they were fasting because it was the month of Ramzan.

Therefore, they should be given time to present their side, he said.

On this, the court fixed April 11 as the date of hearing, he said.

The plea filed by the Hindu side has stated that the cellar's roof is very old and weak.

It also said the pillars of this basement, also known as 'Vyas Tehkhana', needed repair.

The fresh plea was filed days after the Allahabad high court said Hindu prayers will continue in the 'Vyas Tehkhana' of the Gyanvapi mosque, while dismissing the mosque committee's plea that had challenged the district court's order to this effect.

Yadav had said Muslim devotees walking or offering namaz on top of the cellar is not good for the old structure which should be repaired.

On January 31, the district court ruled that a Hindu priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the mosque.

The prayers are now being conducted by a Hindu priest nominated by the Kashi Vishwanath temple trust and the petitioner, who has claimed that his grandfather offered puja in the cellar till December 1993.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. An Azerbaijani Defense Ministry official has been arrested, as announced by Senior Assistant to the Military Prosecutor, Firad Aliyev, in response to an inquiry from Trend.

Aliyev stated that due to compelling suspicions, Ali Israil oglu, serving as an accountant in a military unit of the Ministry of Defense, collaborated with a group to personally extort and receive substantial sums for himself and others. Consequently, he faces charges under Articles 311.3.1, 311.3.2, and 311.3.3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The Baku Military Court has decided to detain him as a precautionary measure.

"The investigation is presently underway at the Investigation Department of the Military Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan. We are committed to conducting a thorough, impartial, and lawful examination of all aspects of the case, ensuring a fair legal judgment," Aliyev added.
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was released from house arrest on March 8, 2024.

Earlier, on September 22, 2023, the Mirwaiz was released from house arrest four years after he was taken into detention after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

Fearing pro-Palestinian protests after the Friday prayers in October, he was placed under house arrest again.

All Photographs: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com IMAGE: Mirwaiz Umar Farooq inaugurates a foreign brand showroom in Srinagar.

IMAGE: The Mirwaiz performs dua (prays) during the inaugation.

IMAGE: The Mirwaiz interacts with people during the inauguration.

IMAGE: The Mirwaiz addresses people at the Aali Masjid Eidgah in Srinagar for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 during the holy month of Ramadan.

IMAGE: The Mirwaiz offers the Zuhr namaaz at the Aali Masjid Eidgah.

IMAGE: A view of people performing Zuhr prayers at the Aali Masjid Eidgah.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed yoga guru Ramdev and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved Acharya Balkrishna to appear before it after taking exception to the company's failure to respond to the notice issued in the contempt proceedings relating to advertisements of the firm's products and their medicinal efficacy.

IMAGE: Yoga guru Ramdev during a launch of the Patanjali Premium Products at Constitution Club of India in New Delhi. Photograph: Rahul Singh/ANI Photo

The apex court said it deemed appropriate to issue a show cause notice to Ramdev as the advertisements issued by Patanjali, which were in the teeth of the undertaking given to the court on November 21, 2023, reflect an endorsement by him.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah noted that Patanjali Ayurved, a company co-founded by Ramdev and dealing in herbal products, and Balkrishna have not filed replies to the notices issued earlier to show cause why contempt proceedings be not initiated against them for prima facie violating the undertaking given to the court.

The court directed them to personally appear before it at the next hearing.

"In view of the facts and circumstances, it is deemed appropriate to direct the presence of the managing director of respondent no. 5 on the next date of hearing.

"Further, having gone through the advertisements issued by respondent 5 (Patanjali Ayurved) in the teeth of the undertaking given to this court on November 21, 2023 and on noticing that the said advertisements reflect an endorsement thereof by Acharya Ramdev, it is deemed appropriate to issue notice to show cause as to why contempt of court proceedings be not initiated against him in view of the fact that this court is of the prima facie opinion that he has also violated the provisions of section 3 and 4 of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act'," it said.

Section 3 of the Act refers to the prohibition of advertisement of certain drugs for the treatment of certain diseases and disorders and Section 4 of the Act refers to the prohibition of misleading advertisements relating to drugs.

On November 21 last year, the counsel representing the company had assured the court that "henceforth there shall not be any violation of any law(s), especially relating to advertising or branding of products manufactured and marketed by it and, further, that no casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form".

The top court is hearing a plea of the Indian Medical Association alleging a smear campaign by Ramdev against the Covid vaccination drive and modern system of medicine.

At the outset, the bench sought to know why have Patanjali and Balkrishna not filed their replies to notice issued in the contempt proceedings.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Patanjali and Balkrishna, said he has had some discussions with his client on the issue.

"It is not enough for us. We had taken it very seriously. Not filing it means there will be orders and consequences will follow," the bench told Rohatgi.

"We don't want to be sounding as if we are targeting him but on the same day we passed an order here and at 9:30 p.m. it was coming on Aajtak. Every time you show the court that look here I am ahead of you. How do you explain this? You are tempting us. As a senior counsel I am telling you we are not going to be lacking whatever message goes, whatever it takes we are not bothered," Justice Amanullah said.

The court also directed proposed contemnors Patanjali and Balkrishna to file their replies by Wednesday.

"Proposed contemnor/ MD of respondent no. 5 shall be present on the next date of hearing along with newly impleaded party, proposed contemnor Acharya Ramdev," the bench ordered.

It also pulled up the Centre as its affidavit, which was filed only on Monday evening, was not on record.

The bench granted permission to the Centre, represented by additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, to withdraw its earlier additional affidavit and allowed it "a last opportunity" of two weeks to file a fresh affidavit setting out the steps it has taken in terms of the November 21, 2023 order.

As the bench concluded dictating the order, Rohatgi said Ramdev does not hold any position in Patanjali Ayurved and that no new advertisement was issued.

The advertisements in question were already there on the last date of hearing, he said.

"I am saying that the advertisement was very much there on the last date that is why the court issued notice to Respondent no. 5. How does Ramdev come into picture?" he said, adding there must be some reason for issuing notice to him.

Responding to his contention, the bench said it had refrained from doing so at the previous hearing and the reasons for issuing notice to Ramdev now have been indicated in the order.

"That is enough. You have made your request, we have heard it, no interference needed in the order dictated," the bench said.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

A few clouds. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
BRATTLEBORO  Representative Town Meeting members are poring over materials and asking questions before big decisions are made Saturday.

At an informational forum last week, Select Board Chairman Ian Goodnow estimated 61 percent of the proposed $22.9 million budget for fiscal year 2025 is related to staffing. Salaries are projected to rise by about 13.1 percent after the board approved cost of living increases of 4 percent for all four of the town's union agreements.

Goodnow said the goal is to provide compensation that's "internally fair and equitable and also competitive with surrounding communities" as it makes sure to keep a qualified workforce. Finding and training employees is expensive, he noted.

Brattleboro Select Board approves budget, ARPA plans BRATTLEBORO  At the Select Board's 10th meeting discussing the fiscal year 2025 budget, the

New this year is the addition of an EMS superintendent and six new firefighters, as the town is moving to a fire/EMS model. Goodnow said the board made the decision based on fiscal reasons and what it believes is best for the community.

In its annual report, the RTM Finance Committee states the "major transition ... will likely take several years and a great deal of scrutiny and analysis to fully comprehend the outcomes  both for quality of life and for Town finances  of the Select Boards 2023 decision to bring emergency medical services in-house." The committee says it believes the town's "EMS debt-forgiveness policy is high risk" and should be reconsidered.

Also new to the budget this year is a library outreach specialist, an IT coordinator and a full-time assistant town clerk position that had been part time before.

"I'm proud of the budget," Goodnow said.

Downtown Brattleboro Alliance, chamber develop new marketing plan BRATTLEBORO  After hiring outside groups for marketing efforts using town funds for about f

Missing this year from the warning are articles asking for funding for Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies and the community marketing initiative by Downtown Brattleboro Alliance and the Brattleboro Area Chamber of Commerce. The groups are now receiving money through the town's Revolving Loan Fund, which the Select Board can tap for housing or economic development projects.

Town Meeting members described being frustrated with the decision. Abby Mnookin of District 8 said she wonders if it's "a way to quell public interaction and pretty legitimate questions on how the town is spending its money."

"Already I think there's a concern that we're just here to rubberstamp stuff," she said.

Goodnow said the DBA approached the board with "a completely different request" this year; the organization wanted the funding for hiring someone. At a meeting in January where the board decided to fund the pilot program for two years, DBA Executive Director Kate Trzaskos said the chamber and DBA lack the internal capacity to put as much effort as is warranted into marketing.

"What we are proposing is to contract someone with expertise on community and economic development that would work with [us] to develop strategies, you know, doing the research and analysis and working with stakeholders," she said. "Some of this will include more data collection."

Brattleboro's Revolving Loan Fund is made up federal money from the Community Development Block Grant program, board member Daniel Quipp said.

Annually, RTM members decide on allowing the town to raise and appropriate funds to pay off debt for water/sewer improvements at Mountain Park Home and cover the DBA's annual budget. These articles are covered via special assessments to property owners in the districts.

Ivan Hennessy of Brattleboro questioned why businesses couldn't just get together on their own to support the DBA, suggesting the town is "laundering a voluntary sort of fund for marketing." DBA doesn't raise the money itself "because the municipality has authority to create a special assessment and has the authority because it also created this downtown improvement district," board member Elizabeth McLoughlin said.

Water tank addition proposed in Brattleboro WEST BRATTLEBORO  The primary water tank at the Pleasant Valley Water Treatment Facility ne

An article seeking approval to construct a secondary water storage tank at Pleasant Valley Water Treatment Facility will be decided by ballot. The approximately $1.62 million project must be paid by bond in order for the town to be eligible for a 0 percent interest loan and 50 percent subsidy offered by the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund.

Only the utility ratepayers will be responsible for repayment of the debt and the town can take as many as 40 years to pay back the funds, Assistant Town Manager Patrick Moreland said.

Altogether, $367,810 is proposed to go to 38 human service organizations. The figure was determined by the RTM Human Services Review Committee after receiving applications from local groups and staying within 2 percent of the overall town budget as directed by the body last year.

"They have a very rigorous, thorough process on how to allocate those funds," Goodnow said. "They didn't go all the way up to the 2 percent. They allocated lower than that amount because that's what they determined was right ... based on what was requested in the community."

RTM members will consider a motion to fund human services at 1.4 percent of the total budget.

"It's just been 1.4 every year that we've done the motion and we're just going to keep 1.4," Goodnow said. "We think it's a good starting spot."

Mnookin questioned why the motion couldn't start at 1.7 percent, which has been proposed for funding this year.

RTM members will be determining how much Select Board members should be paid for their service. Currently, the chairperson gets $10,000 and other members get $8,000.

Increasing pay for board members hasn't led to a higher number or different quality of candidates, Spoon Agave of District 8 said.

Django Grace of District 9 asked if RTM members could change or direct where money goes for an article related to paving and capital improvement projects on roads. Town Manager John Potter said the town uses an asset management system, which describes a process to bring roads back up to standards over many years.

"This will go towards roads that need it the most," Potter said.

Appointments of the town attorney, town clerk and town treasurer will need to be ratified and confirmed at RTM. Several committee appointments also will be made at RTM.

The Human Services Review Committee could be capped at 11 members, if an article aimed at "right sizing" the group passes. The committee hopes going from 12 to 11 will make its work more manageable.
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Hunter Bovey, a transportation operations technician 2 for the Vermont Agency of Transportation, assembles cots at the old office space that belonged to Vermont Yankee on Old Ferry Road in Brattleboro on Friday, March 15, 2024. The space was turned into an emergency shelter for single people facing homelessness across southern Vermont as the motel voucher program starts to end.
Press Release

March 19, 2024 REVILLA CALLS ON GOVERNMENT INSTRUMENTALITIES TO PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE LA NINA PHENOMENON SENATOR Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. once again called on concerned government instrumentalities such as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to prepare as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recently raised a La Nina Watch. In a radio interview, the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Works said that the Committee has conducted several hearings on the matter but stressed that the aforementioned agencies should be proactive in preparing for such natural event, and should not be just reactive. "We just have to remind them again. Hindi yung every time, nagiging reactive na lang. Dapat talaga proactive," Revilla said. "Ngayon pa lang, dapat yung mga silted na mga ilog, hinuhukay na nila. Sinabi ko na dati sa DPWH, bumili na sila ng mga backhoe nila. Hukayin na nila para hindi na lumubog yung mga lugar," he added. According to PAGASA, the el nino across the Tropical Pacific Ocean shows signs of weakening and is expected to persist until March-April-May 2024. On the other hand, the weather agency said that there is a 55% chance for la nina to develop in June-July-August 2024. "We always have to be one step ahead. Preparedness is just as important as resilience. Hindi pwedeng kapag andyan na yung ragasa ng baha, saka pa lang magkukumahog. Our vulnerability to natural calamities should be our constant reminder to always be equipped to withstand severe weather conditions which are expected given our geographical location," the solon said. Revilla bared that he has been communicating with lead agencies on the matter, and that he is looking into the possibility of conducting another public hearing to solicit updates and be informed with the preparations the said agencies are doing. He added that the implementing agencies of the the multi-billion Metro Manila Flood Management Project must report on the status of the program. "Ilang porsyento na ba ang nasimulan na; and of which, ilan yung tapos na?" The project is comprised of several components which are aimed at modernizing drainage areas, minimizing solid waste in waterways, participatory housing and resettlement, and project management and coordination. "We have been constantly reminding them especially itong DPWH. Kausap natin si Secretary Bonoan diyan. Alam naman na nila kung ano yung mga flood-prone areas talaga, kailangan maihanda sila. Time is of the essence sa mga ganitong klase ng sakuna. Buhay at kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan ang nakataya diyan " the lawmaker stressed.
A claim emerged in Chinese-language social media posts that the European Parliament passed a bill in February to oppose the One China principle and support one China and one Taiwan.

But the claim is misleading. The bill mentioned is in fact a resolution for policy recommendations. While it acknowledges that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to one another, it highlights the European Unions One China policy, recognizing the government of the Peoples Republic of China as the sole legal government of China.

The claim was shared on the popular Chinese social media platform Weibo on March 4.

On Feb. 28, the EU Parliament passed a bill against one China  In the bill, they claimed that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other, denied the One China principle, and supported one China, one Taiwan, the claim reads in part.

Weibo users claimed that the European Parliament passed a bill against the One China policy. (Screenshot/Weibo)







The Peoples Republic of China considers Taiwan a renegade province over which it holds sovereignty, even though the distinct Republic of China, or ROC, government has had sovereignty over the island since 1949.

While the ROC currently only maintains official diplomatic relations with 12 countries, its government still maintains many unofficial diplomatic missions around the world, among them both with the European Union and many of its individual member states. Under pressure from Beijing, most of Taiwans diplomatic missions adopt the politically ambiguous term Taipei as their name.

In 2021, Taiwan established its representative office in Lithuania under the name The Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, within the European Union member state.

This move provoked China, leading to a downgrade in diplomatic relations with Lithuania, as well as import restrictions and sanctions against Lithuanian officials who visited Taiwan.

The similar claim has been also shared in other Chinese-language social media posts, but it is misleading.

Not a bill

Keyword searches found that the European Parliament passed the annual resolution of the Common Foreign and Security Policy on Feb. 28, not a bill.

The resolution outlines the European Parliaments specific policy recommendations for the upcoming year.

Text of the CFSP report adopted by the European Parliament on February 28. (Screenshot/ European Parliament website)





A review of the resolution found no mention of the European Union opposing One China or supporting one China and one Taiwan.

Instead, the resolution reads that the European Unions One China policy recognizes the government of the Peoples Republic of China as the sole legal government of China.

However, articles 118 and 119 of the resolution do note that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to one another and that only Taiwans democratically elected government can represent the Taiwanese people on the international stage.

One China policy vs principle

The One China principle is a core conviction of the Peoples Republic of China  that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and that it should be governed from Beijing.

But the United States and European Union hold to a distinct One China policy, which takes no position on sovereignty over Taiwan.

In its annual resolution, the European Union said it remains committed to its One China policy and recognizes the government of the PRC as the sole government of China. Within the framework of this long-established policy, the bloc pursues cooperation and exchanges with Taiwan in areas of common interest.

Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Taejun Kang and Malcolm Foster.

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But the opposition leader says US efforts to play friendly with Phnom Penh are based on an illusion.

Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Tuesday he believes the United States and European Union can still push his country back on a path toward democracy, even as Prime Minister Hun Manets government shows little apparent desire to allow open dissent.

The Cambodian government has suppressed any semblance of an opposition inside the country over the past decade, dissolving Sam Rainsys Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, and preventing its successor parties from taking part in subsequent elections.

Like many other opposition figures, Sam Rainsy  75 years old and living in Paris  is also subject to multiple arrest warrants if he returns home. His CNRP co-founder, Kem Sokha, has been under house arrest in Phnom Penh for years and was last year sentenced to 27 years in prison for treason.

But in an interview with Radio Free Asia outside the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sam Rainsy said that he hoped to convince U.S. lawmakers and the Biden administration that they should not give up on Cambodias pro-democracy movement.

We would like to see the U.S. administration put continuous pressure on the Cambodian government to release political prisoners, to allow a guarantee for freedom of expression and to organize free and fair elections, he said. But so far, this has not been achieved yet.

Growing economic troubles in both Cambodia and its modern-day patrons in Beijing, he said, was creating a situation in which the West could have newfound leverage in Phnom Penhs decision-making.

Pressure campaign

For years following the 1991 U.N.-organized elections in Cambodia, U.S. and EU governments forced then-Prime Minister Hun Sen to at least pay lip service to democratic ideals and allow a veneer of open society as a condition of receiving billions of dollars in aid money.

But an upgrade in ties between China and Cambodia in 2011 and a subsequent windfall of Chinese aid and investment decreased Phnom Penhs reliance on Western governments, and allowed Hun Sens government to increasingly ignore any outside pressure.

Hun Manet, son of then-Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen, center, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during an official visit to Beijing, Feb. 10, 2023. (Hun Sen via Facebook)

And while the United States and European Union in the 2010s threatened to cut Cambodia off from lucrative trade concessions that prop up the countrys dominant garment export industry, it did not stop the repression of the opposition at the 2018 and 2023 elections.

Since 2023, though, the United States has sought to move away from pressing Cambodias government to move back toward free elections to instead seek ways to accommodate Hun Manet and his new government in an effort to stop it getting any closer to Beijing.

But Sam Rainsy said it was only through continued direct pressure that Cambodias government would decide to change course.

Dialogue with Hun Sen, or with Hun Manet, is an illusion, Sam Rainsy said. I hope that the U.S. administration will realize that soon.

They have been wasting a lot of time believing or hoping the Hun Sen regime will liberalize or will distance itself from China, he added. Real and fruitful dialogue with any dictator is just impossible.

Ticking clock

The longtime opposition leader said that the West should not give up on hope for a pluralistic Cambodia.

A recent charm offensive by Hun Manet to attract Western investment shows that China's support is not enough to shore-up Cambodias struggling economy, Sam Rainsy said, and put America and Europe in a unique position to really push Hun Sen to make concessions.

Meanwhile, as the years go by, Hun Manet will inevitably strive to establish a sense of legitimacy for his own rule and seek to emerge from his fathers shadow, he added, providing U.S. and EU leaders another avenue to pressure the government to change.

Hun Sen is not eternal, Sam Rainsy said. He is almost 72 now, and he will not be leading the country  or at least pulling the strings from behind the scenes  for too many years to come.
Critics say the Article 23 legislation will be used to target peaceful dissent and quell political opposition.

Lawmakers vote for Article 23 in the chamber of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong on March 19, 2024.

UPDATED at 2:45 pm ET on March 19, 2024

Hong Kongs Legislative Council on Tuesday passed a strict national security law known as Article 23 that makes treason, insurrection and sabotage punishable by up to life in prison, and that will likely widen an ongoing crackdown on peaceful dissent.

All 89 legislators voted in favor of the Safeguarding National Security bill, which will come into force on Friday, after lining up to sing the praises of the legislation at a special session attended by Chief Executive John Lee.

Critics say the ruling Communist Party has a broad and vaguely defined interpretation of many of the crimes in the bill, and that national security charges are already being used to prosecute people for peaceful dissent and political opposition in the city.

But Lee hailed the law as "a historic moment for Hong Kong," saying it would prevent "infiltration and sabotage by hostile foreign forces," which Beijing has blamed for several waves of mass pro-democracy protests since the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.

"We can effectively prevent Hong Kong independence and violent destruction," Lee told the Council. "We no longer need to worry about saboteurs ... pushing Hong Kong into an abyss."

The Council has lacked any political opposition since changes to the electoral rules, and many former pro-democracy politicians have fled a crackdown on public dissent under the 2020 National Security Law, while others are on trial for subversion.

The new law targets five types of offenses. It can punish people for treason, insurrection, and sabotage with life in prison, while those found guilty of espionage can face up to 20 years. Those found to have committed crimes linked to state secrets and sedition face up to 10 years in prison.

It also gives new powers to the police and courts to extend pre-charge detention for those held on suspicion of endangering national security to up to 16 days and to restrict detainees meetings with their lawyers.

Under the law, the authorities will also have the power to revoke the passports of anyone who flees overseas and is considered an absconder.

Even possessing a book

Maya Wang, Acting China Director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said the law will "usher Hong Kong into a new era of authoritarianism."

"Now even possessing a book critical of the Chinese government can violate national security and mean years in prison in Hong Kong," Wang said in a statement posted to her X account, calling for international sanctions on officials responsible for the legislation.

She also called on governments to protect Hong Kongers in exile from "Beijing's long arm of intimidation and harassment."

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said the law had been rushed through the legislature despite "serious concerns" raised by U.N. human rights experts.

Turk said the "broadly defined and vague provisions" in the law could lead to the criminalization of a wide range of conduct protected under international human rights law, including freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, and the right to receive and impart information.

This ambiguity is deeply troubling, given its potential misuse and arbitrary application, including to target dissenting voices, journalists, researchers, civil society actors and human rights defenders, he said.

The broad definition of what constitutes an external force could have a further chilling effect on the work of human rights organizations and UN human rights agencies, he said.

For such important legislation, with a significant impact on human rights to be passed without a thorough process of deliberation and meaningful consultation is a regressive step for the protection of human rights in Hong Kong, Turk said.

The U.S. State Department last month said the legislation "risks compounding the 2020 National Security Law that has curtailed the rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong.

State Department principal deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said at a press briefing on Tuesday that many of the crimes in the legislation were sweeping but poorly defined and incredibly vague.

We believe that these kinds of actions have the potential to accelerate the closing of Hong Kong's once open society. We are alarmed by the sweeping and what we interpret as vaguely defined provisions laid out in their Article 23 legislation, Patel said

The legislation is mandated by Article 23 of Hong Kongs Basic Law, which has provided a constitutional framework for the city since the 1997 handover to Chinese rule.

It was recently rebooted after being shelved following mass popular protests against it in 2003.

Edited by Malcolm Foster and Luisetta Mudie.

Updates to add reaction and additional background.
Police interrogate Ran Zhao (seated, right) over his role in an illegal transnational surrogacy ring in Bangkok, Feb. 13, 2020.

A Thai court on Tuesday sentenced a Chinese businessman and three accomplices to 50 years in prison following their convictions on charges of operating a transnational ring that paid Thai women to serve as surrogate mothers.

The Criminal Court in Bangkok sentenced ringleader Ran Zhao and the other three for their roles in the illicit operation that they ran between 2015 and 2020. Seven others, including his wife, Su Yingting, were sentenced to four years and released because they had been jailed following their February 2020 arrests.

The public prosecutor had charged the 11 with crimes related to participating in an international criminal organization and facilitating commercial surrogacy.

The defendants, forming an international criminal organization, conspired to buy, sell, import, or export eggs or embryos. They facilitated commercial surrogacy using assisted reproductive technology by recruiting and paying several Thai women to become surrogate mothers, the court ruled.

Ran Zhao and his top associates received the maximum sentence permitted by Thai law, after the court initially handed down sentences totaling 150 years for the ringleaders.

The total sentence for four defendants amounted to 150 years. The four defendants confessed, benefiting the deliberation to reduce the penalty by half to 75 years. According to the law that stipulates imprisonment should not exceed 50 years, the sentence for all four defendants is maintained at 50 years each, the judgment specified.

Su Yingting and the six others were sentenced for participating in the international criminal organization. Additional charges were dismissed because of insufficient evidence.

As the defendants were led away from the courtroom, family members of those sentenced to four years embraced their relatives as they had already served more than the required time and were released immediately. Ran Zhao and his accomplices, meanwhile, were escorted to prison to begin serving their sentences.

Thai police did not respond to requests for comment by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated news outlet.

2020 arrests

The case stems from a February 2020 raid by Thai authorities on 10 residences in Bangkok and other provinces, leading to the arrests of members of the transnational surrogacy ring led by Ran Zhao. Authorities had been investigating the groups commercial surrogacy operations, which began in 2015.

Thai Police discovered that the operation involved taking Thai women to neighboring countries for embryo implantation, then returning them to Thailand for pregnancy, and eventually taking them to the destination country for childbirth.

Agreements were made for prices ranging from 400,000 to 600,000 baht (US$11,100 to $16,600) per case, with about 30 instances of surrogacy conducted across five provinces in Thailand. The surrogate mothers would receive compensation of 300,000 to 500,000 baht (US$8,300 to $13,900) per case.

Following the raid, police reported seizing vehicles, a house and a company building valued at about 30 million baht (US$831,500).

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news outlet.
Personnel disinfect school facilities in the Pyongyang area to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in this undated photo released March 4, 2020.

At least five North Korean children have died as a resurgence of a respiratory disease believed to be COVID-19 has caused authorities to enact quarantine procedures in Ryanggang province, residents told Radio Free Asia.

Residents living in the central northern province, which borders China, will have to wear masks and children will be confined to their homes, as schools and daycare centers have been temporarily shuttered. Sources said they were not sure if the lockdown applied outside of Ryanggang province.

In early March, children showing symptoms of coronavirus died one after another in Paegam county, a resident of the province, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, told RFA Korean. The provincial party committee took emergency quarantine measures through the quarantine center.

According to the resident, quarantine workers that went house-to-house informed residents that three children in Paegam county died along with two more in nearby Kapsan county after exhibiting coronavirus-like symptoms. Another Ryanggang resident confirmed how the news was spread.

Fever cases

Residents, however, say they believe the situation could be much worse than reported, the first resident said.

For the first two-and-a-half years of the pandemic, North Korea claimed outwardly to be completely virus free, but in April 2022, Pyongyang admitted the virus had spread to all areas of the country and declared a state of maximum emergency the following month.

During the entirety of the emergency, the government kept an official tally of fever cases, but its official total on global COVID-19 case tracking websites remained at or near zero. Experts said it was likely that cases could not be confirmed due to a lack of reliable testing capacity.

Prior to the emergency, when patients in North Korean hospitals with COVID symptoms died, the hospital would quickly cremate the bodies so that they could not be tested for the disease, then attributed the deaths to other causes.

Though authorities acknowledge that five children have died, residents think that the response points to many more casualties, as daycare centers, kindergartens and schools will be closed for a 10-day period, and everyone will be required to wear masks or face punishment, the resident said.

He said that the quarantine center in the city of Hyesan ordered all children to be kept at home as much as possible because they are at greater risk than adults.

Some are complaining about how children are supposed to be kept indoors when the adults have to do whatever it takes to make a living and find food, the resident said. On the other hand, some others agree that the temporary school closure is the best option in the absence of medicine.

The quarantine center also promoted personal hygiene practices when it went house-to-house, the second Ryanggang resident told RFA on condition of anonymity to speak freely.

The quarantine workers warned of the seriousness of the situation and they also shared the news that several children infected with the coronavirus had died in Paegam and Kapsan counties, she said. There are many patients around me who are coughing and suffering from high fevers, similar to coronavirus symptoms.

The second resident said things were just as bad now as they were during the pandemic.

At that time, the border with China was closed and trade had been suspended, so there were shortages of everything. Additionally, lockdowns at home meant that people could not go out to earn money to support themselves.

There is no money now, just like during the big outbreak, she said. And even if you have money it is difficult to get medicine.

Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong.
Silence from Pyongyang befuddles those who recall state media slamming China, Vietnam and Hungary for doing the same.

North Koreans reacted in shock when they learned that their socialist brethren in Cuba established official relations with capitalistic South Korea, residents in the North told Radio Free Asia.

Seoul and Havana announced the move on Feb. 14, when their respective representatives to the United Nations in New York sent each other diplomatic notes acknowledging that the two countries would restore formal relations, which were stopped when Fidel Castro and the communists took control of the Caribbean island nation in 1959.

Since 1960, Cuba and North Korea have boasted of their close brotherly ties.

But the North Korean government has not yet announced Havanas move to its citizens.

The news trickled into North Korea from China and is now spreading by word of mouth, shocking all who hear it, a resident of the central northern province of Ryanggang told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

He said he had heard the news several weeks ago from someone who had come from China, and he implied he kept to himself.

(It is common in North Korea for even married couples to not openly discuss potentially sensitive topics because it could be used against them if they ever wind up being interrogated by the authorities).

A few days ago, my wife heard the news, he said. She was really upset and worried about what our country will be like in the future.

The man said that his wife was worried that North Korea was becoming isolated as more countries that it considers to be its closest allies set up new embassies in Seoul.

North Korean propaganda up until this point praised the story of Cuba, which the resident said had been depicted as steadfast in its fight against imperialism despite being firmly and directly under the nose of the United States, referring to the U.S. embargo of the country.

Who wouldnt be surprised that such a country has established diplomatic relations with South Korea? he said.

Some elderly people have fond memories of Castro visiting Pyongyang in 1986 to receive a gift of 100,000 automatic rifles along with tens of millions of rounds of ammunition, and how genuinely thankful he seemed when he discussed the exchange in a public address in a 20,000 seat stadium where he stood alongside then-leader Kim Il Sung, the resident said.

From then, high-level delegations, as well as exchange students, went back and forth between the two countries, he said. There is even a school named after Kim Il Sung in Cuba. A lot of sugar from Cuba was also brought into North Korea.

Another source, a resident of the northeastern province of North Hamgyong said that he could not believe that Cuba and South Korea established relations, especially because North Korean authorities had harshly criticized Hungary when it became the first Soviet-bloc country to forge ties with Seoul in 1989, announcing the decision at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

The act was strongly denounced in North Korean media as a betrayal of socialism, and Pyongyang lowered diplomatic relations with Budapest to just the ambassador level that year.

It was the same [in 1992] when China and Vietnam each established diplomatic relations with South Korea, the North Hamgyong resident said. The authorities openly criticized China for giving up socialist principles for money.

North Korea was especially angry at Vietnam, he said, as Pyongyang had sent soldiers to fight on the side of communist North Vietnam and many North Koreans had died in the war.

The graves of the North Korean soldiers in Vietnam were relocated to North Korea, he said.

The lack of official criticism of Cuba is perplexing, he said. I think that the authorities are afraid of residents finding out that Cuba, the last socialist bastion in Latin America, has established diplomatic relations with South Korea.

Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong.
Transporting and slaughtering farm animals has been banned in two districts in Champassak province.

A man looks at a cow stricken with anthrax in Laos Champassak province in this undated photo.

More than a dozen people have been infected by anthrax in two districts in southern Champassak province and authorities have responded by placing restrictions on the movement and slaughtering of some farm animals, several officials told Radio Free Asia.

Provincial health officials announced on March 12 that anthrax  a rare, serious infectious disease caused by bacteria  was found in the carcasses of 97 cows, buffaloes and goats.

Three people in Champassak tested positive for anthrax last week, but that number jumped to 14 on Tuesday, according to the provincial Health Department.

The 14 patients all have large, dark scabs and are receiving treatment, a health official told RFA. Authorities believe they contracted anthrax  or whats known as black blood disease  by eating meat from infected cows or buffaloes..

Anthrax usually affects livestock like cattle, sheep and goats, but humans can be infected if they are exposed to contaminated animal products or animals.

According to the World Health Organization, anthrax isnt generally considered to be contagious between humans, although there have been some cases of person-to-person transmission.

The provincial health department has issued a notice asking local medical centers and authorities to report any new cases and urging anyone who develops black bumps on their body to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Were concerned. We have stopped eating meat, a Soukhoumma district resident told RFA. Now, we eat only pork and fish.

Transporting and slaughtering farm animals has been temporarily banned, and people are required to properly bury their dead animals, the department said.

A slaughterhouse worker told RFA that they are complying with the order and have stopped buying animals from local farmers.

An agricultural official in Pathoumphone district said authorities have stepped up surveillance efforts and have officially warned the public not to eat locally slaughtered meat.

Translated by Max Avary. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.
Residents of the village in Xayaburi province say the area sometimes has a foul odor.

At left, wastewater from a Chinese-owned cassava processing factory bubbles up from a pipe in the Mekong River near Namxong village in PakLay district, Xayaburi province, Laos, on March 14, 2024. At right, darkened river water can be seen downstream from the pipe.

Residents of a village in northern Xayaburi province have complained that a Chinese-owned cassava processing plant is dumping polluted water into the Mekong River, turning it black and smelly.

Residents of Nam Xong village in Pak Lay district told Radio Free Asia that they havent been able to fish in the river and the village sometimes has a foul odor.

The processing plant run by Laos-Jinsui Ecological Technology Co., Ltd., releases wastewater into the river during a two-hour period on most days, residents said.

The factory is located a little bit far from the Mekong but they have set up a direct pipeline for the wastewater, one resident told RFA. It has been years that I have seen this problem, but no relevant authorities have come to solve it.

The factory has recently built some ponds to clean wastewater before it is released into the Mekong, which has reduced some of the bad odor, another village resident said.

Acting district Gov. Bounlhaiy Vongdala told state-owned Lao National Radio on Friday that he has appointed a committee to follow up on the complaints.

An initial inspection found no pipeline from the factory to the river and determined that the dark-colored water in the river was likely due to a leakage from the factorys ponds, he said.

A factory employee said plant officials are working to prevent wastewater from leaking into the river in the future.

It is just a small problem, he said. The relevant offices in the district understand the factorys situation and everything is good now.

RFA contacted the Pak Lay district office for comment on the complaints but a relevant official refused to answer any questions on Monday.

Villagers who live near other cassava processing factories elsewhere in Laos have also reported issues with odor and wastewater.

Cassava is used in a number of food products, including sweeteners, flour and animal feed. The edible, starchy, tuberous cassava root is also sometimes turned into biofuel for power generation.

Translated by Phouvong. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster.
Residents say not all of those eligible for service are being entered in selection pools.

The lottery selection for military service is held in Myanmars Hinthada township on March 18, 2024.

Authorities in southwestern Myanmars Ayeyarwady region have commenced lotteries to select who will be drafted into the military from among lists of draft-eligible youths, but residents say the process is tainted by irregularities.

The announcement last month of a conscription law, prompting youths of fighting age to flee to areas controlled by rebel groups or leave the country to avoid service. While the military regime says it will not begin drafting people until April, RFA Burmese has received reports indicating that forced recruitment is already underway.

The draft comes as the military tries to replenish its ranks after suffering a series of battlefield defeats to rebel forces, including the surrender of hundreds of soldiers.

Residents of Ayeyarwady region told RFA that authorities in the townships of Pyapon, Myaungmya, and Hinthada began instituting lotteries for the draft at the village level on Saturday, after compiling lists of residents aged 20-30. The selection process is being supervised by relevant administrators, officials and community elders, they said.

But the lotteries have raised hackles in communities where residents say not everyone on lists of the draft-eligible are being added to the selection pool.

"When the neighborhood elders compile a list, those included are required to attend the [lottery] meeting, said one resident of Hinthada who was among those selected for service. However  some people on the list are not called upon  They are neither employed nor studying. So why are these people being left out?

The resident who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said that only a minority are included in the lottery.

Some who have taken part in the draft lottery accused authorities of administrative dishonesty, although they were unable to provide details or evidence of their claims.

RFA has reported that amid forced recruitment drives in other parts of the country, some residents have been able to avoid service by paying fines to authorities.

Another resident of Hinthada told RFA that in some neighborhoods in the township, those selected in the draft lottery were immediately taken away by authorities.

"After the draw, the person who was chosen must go, said the resident. In a nearby neighborhood, people said they were taken at once.

A resident of Pyapon told RFA that lotteries for military service were held on Sunday in some of the townships villages, but said some of those chosen had managed to avoid participation.

Attempts by RFA to ascertain why some draft-eligible residents were omitted from lotteries remain inconclusive.

Tragedy following lottery

Reports of conscription irregularities came as RFA learned that one young man in Ayeyarwadys Kangyidaunt township took his own life after being selected to serve in the military.

The entrance to the Ayeyarwady regions Kangyidaunt township is seen in an undated photo. (Ayeyarwaddy Times)

Residents of Kangyidaunts Pathein district said that on Saturday, a lottery was held and three young men from Yae Twin Chaung village were chosen for service.

A 20-year-old from among the three men, who was known to be against the draft, died by suicide the following day, said one of the residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns.

"I learned that he died that evening after receiving emergency medical treatment at the Pathein Public Hospital, said the resident. His family has been summoned by the local police station for interrogation."

A source who lives in proximity to Yae Twin Chaung also confirmed to RFA that the man had taken his own life after being selected for service in a lottery overseen by village elders.

Although there is no positive proof that the mans death and his selection in the draft lottery are related, it highlights the tensions young Burmese men are facing due to conscription.

Young adults aged 20-30 are eligible for conscription in Ayeyarwady region through lotteries, residents told RFA. Typically, two or three people are chosen from each village or ward.

Youths in Ayeyarwady region have told RFA they are reluctant to serve in the military.

Attempts by RFA to contact Khin Maung Kyi, the juntas social affairs minister and spokesperson for Ayeyarwady region, for comment on the recruitment process went unanswered Monday.

Junta spokesperson Major General Zaw Min Tun announced on Feb. 15 that 50,000 people would be recruited annually under the countrys draft law.

Based on Myanmars 2019 transit census, at least 13 million people are eligible to serve, he said.

Translated by Kalyar Lwin. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.
Village authorities are still investigating the identity of the assassins.

Nammye Hkun Jaw Li, a clergyman from Nam Ma Tee city, Mogaung township, Kachin state was killed by unknown gunmen on March 18, 2024.

Gunmen in northern Myanmar assassinated a religious leader in a Christian community in what sources close to the mans family are calling a targeted attack.

Three men carrying guns stormed 47-year-old Nammye Hkun Jaw Lis computer shop in Kachin states Mogaung township on Monday.

Three men came and said they wanted to print on vinyl and shot him dead. They shot him in his stomach twice, and when he did not die, they also shot him in the head, said a source close to the family in Nam Ma Tee village, asking to remain anonymous for security reasons.

Nammye Hkun Jaw Li was active in anti-military protests in Kachin state and a well-known community leader. He was also a former township executive of the Kachin Baptist Convention and a member of a community-based anti-drug organization called Pat Jasan.

Nam Ma Tee villagers are still investigating the identity of the men who killed Nammye Hkun Jaw Li, who is survived by his wife and three children.

Political fighting in Kachin state has taken a religious turn before.

Nearly two years after the countrys 2021 military coup, the junta ordered the arrest of prominent Christian leader Hkalam Samson on Dec. 4, 2022 for his close ties to the Kachin Independence Army. He was sentenced to six years in prison on April 7, 2023.

The area has also seen a resurgence in fighting as rebels take territory from the junta military. The Kachin Independence Army has seized a major road and 14 junta camps in addition to shutting down a regional airport with missile attacks in Kachin state. Junta troops have retaliated with indiscriminate attacks on civilians, torching homes and dropping bombs on villages in February.

Most recently, junta shelling in Kachin states Kan Ni village killed two mothers and their three children, villagers told RFA on Wednesday.

More than 10,000 residents have fled their homes in fear of battles across six townships, including Bhamo and Hpakant, according to a joint statement by civil societies in Kachin state.

A March 16 statement by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners reported 11 civilians were killed in Kachin state from March 1 to 15 by heavy junta artillery and airstrikes.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.
UPDATED at 12:46 P.M. ET on 03-19-2024

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke about a new horizon of cooperation as he met with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila on Tuesday to lay the groundwork for a three-way summit next month with leaders of the United States and Japan.

U.S. President Joe Biden is to host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington on April 11 for an unprecedented meeting between the three leaders that will focus on protecting a free and open Indo-Pacific region, the White House announced on Tuesday.

Blinkens visit to Manila, his second one as secretary of state, occurred against the backdrop of tensions between the Philippines and China in the contested South China Sea and regional tensions over Taiwan. Marcos hosted Americas top diplomat at the Malacanang Palace after Blinken met earlier in the day with his Philippine counterpart, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

The two diplomats told reporters that the upcoming summit aimed to capitalize on complementarities among the countries, notably in infrastructure, critical minerals, energy and maritime security.

I think that new horizon of cooperation is also incredibly, incredibly promising, but its building on the very strong foundation between our countries, where we have the same priorities, whether its economic development, whether its dealing with climate change, with food security, of course upholding international law, Blinken told Marcos, according to a statement from the State Department. All of these things are front and center.

Marcos welcomed Blinken, saying he could perhaps give us a better idea of what the  how things are progressing in the rest of the world, because, of course, all of these things impact us now.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo speak to reporters during a news conference at the Sofitel Hotel in Manila, March 19, 2024. (Pool/AFP)

Blinken, who previously traveled to the Philippines in August 2022 shortly after Marcos took office, reiterated Washingtons ironclad commitments to defend the Philippines from outside aggression.

'Alliance has never been stronger'

Following his meeting with Manalo, Blinken told reporters, the alliance has never been stronger, but we not only have to sustain that, we have to continue to accelerate the momentum.

The secretary of states visit comes at a crucial moment in relations between the two allies who have ramped up defense cooperation amid increasing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea, including in waters that fall within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea while dismissing the territorial claims of several Southeast Asian nations and Taiwan.

During the news conference with his counterpart, Manalo said he had thanked Blinken for Washingtons consistent support, particularly in regard to Chinese harassment of Filipino supply boats.

In the most recent incident, four Filipinos sustained minor injuries earlier this month when China Coast Guard ships intercepted a supply boat and fired water cannons.

We discussed regional issues, especially the situation in the South China Sea, and I stated that the Philippines is committed to managing disputes in accordance with our national interests, the rules-based international order and international law, especially UNCLOS, Manalo said, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

We reaffirmed our shared view that a strong and capable Philippines would make a formidable ally for the United States.

Blinken said the two allies had shared concerns about Chinese actions that threaten our common vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, including within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

Repeated violations of international law and the rights of the Philippines  water cannons, blocking maneuvers, close shadowing, other dangerous operations  these waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, but theyre also critical to the interests of the region, the United States, and the world, Blinken said.

Filipino activists protest at the Mendiola Peace Arch outside the presidential Malacanang Palace in Manila ahead of a meeting between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, March 19, 2024. (Jojo Rinoza/BenarNews)

Meanwhile, dozens of Filipino activists gathered at the Mendiola Peace Arch outside the Malacanang Palace to protest against the presence of U.S. troops in the Philippines.

Chinese reaction

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the U.S. had no right to interfere in disputes between Manila and Beijing and China would take the necessary actions to defend its territory.

The U.S. is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines. The military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines should not undermine Chinas sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be used to support the illegal claims of the Philippines, the spokesman said.

China will continue to take necessary steps to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Security analyst Chester Cabalza, the founding president of the Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation, said Blinken's visit serves as a regular check-up to the robust U.S.-Philippine defense relations.

Secretary Blinkens meeting with President Marcos is a reassurance of the ironclad commitment that the U.S. promised the Philippines, Cabalza told BenarNews. It definitely signifies a more solid commitment from the U.S. since it initiated a joint patrol in the West Philippine Sea to a possible trilateral agreement among friends with the Philippines and Japan.

Camille Elemia contributed reporting from Manila. BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated online news organization.

The report has been updated to include, among others, comments from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting in Manila. The headline was also updated.


The fire in Nyagchu county has burned down homes and injured animals.

More than 3,300 people have been evacuated as a wildfire spreads through a Tibetan-populated county in Chinas Sichuan province, Chinese state media and three people with knowledge of the situation said Monday.

The fire, which began on the evening of March 15 on the slopes of a mountain near Petse village, forced Tibetans from about a dozen villages in three areas of Nyagchu county, or Yajiang in Chinese, to leave their homes.

The county lies in Kardze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the traditional Kham region of eastern Tibet. Tibetans made up the majority of the countys total population of over 51,000, according to 2020 census data.

The cause of the fire, which quickly spread to multiple mountain ridges due to strong winds on March 16, is still unknown, sources told Radio Free Asia.

One of three main sections of the fire has been extinguished, China Daily reported Monday.

But more than 11 Tibetan villages at the foot of the mountains are still in danger as the wildfire continues to spread rapidly across the area covered mostly by pine trees, while residents are being evacuated, said the first source from inside Tibet.

Although the fire burned down several houses in nearby communities and harmed animals on the mountains, no human casualties have been reported, said two sources inside the country and a third from the exile community with knowledge of the situation.

Firefighters arrived at the scene on Sunday, said the first source from inside Tibet. That same day, the Ministry of Emergency Management declared a Level-4 emergency response.

Firefighters dispatched

Chinese state media reported that more than 1,200 firefighters and eight helicopters had been dispatched to fight the fire, with a reinforcement of 750 more firefighters expected from neighboring Yunnan province, according to Chinese media.

The Jamyang Choekhorling Monastery, founded by popular Tibetan religious leader and activist Tulku Tenzin Delek Rinpoche, as well as the Pamo Monastery near Paomo Mountain, are located close to an area where the fire is spreading rapidly, the sources said.

The fire also has burned to the ground about 30 houses in the nearby villages, said the second source from inside Tibet.

The fire is spreading very fast because of the direction of the wind, he told RFA. If we put it out in one area, it starts in another.

Firefighters, local Chinese authorities and Tibetan residents are all working to stem the spread of the fire and to ensure minimum damage to homes, monasteries and animals, he added.

Chinese authorities have warned Tibetans not to share photos or videos of the fire on social media platforms or with contacts abroad, or face arrest, said the first source from inside Tibet.

State media reported that authorities temporarily closed a highway passing through the region and that communication with a hydroelectric station has been interrupted.

Written by Tenzin Pema for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
Robert Silvers has served as undersecretary for strategy, policy and plans at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, since 2021. In early March, he met with members of the Uyghur diaspora community in northern Virginia to discuss the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and the Chinese governments transnational repression of Uyghurs abroad.

In an interview with RFA Uyghur Service Director Alim Seytoff, Silvers discussed how the DHS is enforcing the act, signed into law in December 2021. The law prohibits imports of raw material and products or components made by forced labor in Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region into the United States.

Silvers also efforts to combat transnational repression and accusations by Beijing that the U.S. government has fabricated the genocide of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the use of Uyghur forced labor there. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

RFA: You recently visited the Uyghur American community in northern Virginia. What was your message to them?

Silvers: Theres a significant Uyghur diaspora community out in Fairfax, Virginia, about a 40 to 45-minute drive from here, and it was incredibly inspiring and significant to me to be invited into the community by the Uyghur American Association to meet with them, hear their concerns directly, share the work that we are doing in our department to protect them every day.

And my message was, this is a community that needs our protection and deserves our protection. The story of the Uyghur people must be told because there are forces in the Peoples Republic of China that do not want that story to be told. They are taking active measures to silence that story, to cleanse that story. We will not allow that here in the United States.

RFA: Transnational repression is a big concern for the Uyghur American community. What measures has the Department of Homeland Security taken to protect Uyghur Americans from Chinas transnational repression?

Silvers: What weve seen more and more from autocratic regimes like China, Russia, Iran and others is increasing effort not just to repress people in their own countries, but to reach out to diaspora communities abroad to repress and intimidate people there, including in the United States, and especially vulnerable populations like the Uyghur community.

What weve done at the Department of Homeland Security is weve identified this as a problem that offends our American values, our rights to freedom of expression and religion and more. And we are taking steps to protect communities from transnational repression.

For example, last year we launched a vulnerable community cybersecurity program where communities like the Uyghurs can come in and get advice at no charge on how to protect themselves from cybersecurity threats from foreign governments that may seek to hack their phones or conduct digital surveillance on them. Thats really important to us.

Police officers stand at the outer entrance of Urumqi No. 3 Detention Center in Dabancheng in northwestern China's Xinjiang region, April 23, 2021. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

We also have been leaning very strongly on Interpol, the international law enforcement association, to make sure that its law enforcement processes are not abused by authoritarian regimes like China that would seek to use legitimate law enforcement channels to crackdown on dissidents, human rights activists and the like, which has been a major problem. We are Interpols biggest donor, so we have made clear that this is a very high priority for us. At our urging, Interpol has made some significant reforms, which is good to see, but more needs to be done.

RFA: We have seen over the past year Chinese agents coming from China harassing and threatening some of the Uyghur Americans here in the U.S. We increasingly see individuals and certain groups that openly attack prominent Uyghur leaders and legitimate Uyghur organizations. What is the DHS doing about this?

Silvers: If there are any individuals that are engaged in illegal transnational repression practices, we will use every law enforcement tool at our disposal to disrupt them and to protect vulnerable communities. If there are agents of foreign governments who are doing that in violation of their visa restrictions, that could be a cause of investigation.

We work closely with the FBI [and] with state and local law enforcement to make sure that any agent of transnational repression, whether they be a direct agent of a foreign government or an intermediary, are investigated and disrupted and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

RFA: If a Uyghur receives a message from a Chinese agent on WhatsApp or Signal, saying that China is holding one of their relatives and that they need to do something for the agent, then how can that person report the incident to the FBI or to the Department of Homeland Security? Who receives the type of protection youre talking about?

Silvers: We have field offices around the country where community members can reach out and report that information to us as soon as possible so that we can help protect them and investigate. You mentioned threats to punish family members who reside back in the home country. Some people call them exit bans, [others] call them hostage taking. Its an alarming and inhumane practice.

When Ive met with members of the Uyghur American community here, or other diaspora Uyghur communities in European cities and the like, I hear heartbreaking stories of family members of theirs who are being effectively imprisoned, not allowed to leave China because of what their activist relatives have [done] with their lives in the United States or Europe. Our administration has been very direct with the Chinese government about the importance of allowing people to come together with their family and leave the country if they want to. This is going to continue to be an ongoing focus of ours.

RFA: DHS has been implementing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act for nearly two years, confiscating many products made by Uyghur forced labor. But we still see some products here that the Chinese government produced in Xinjiang, such as red dates from Xinjiang being sold in Asian markets. Some of the dates have been produced by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps  a state-owned enterprise and paramilitary organization in the region that has been sanctioned by the U.S. government. What challenges does DHS face in implementing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act?

Silvers: Our enforcement of this landmark new law has been strong. We have detained over $2.6 billion of cargo in less than two years under this act  thousands of shipments of tomatoes, cotton products, apparel, polysilicon, aluminum and metals, automotive parts and agricultural products. Our work is certainly not done.

A farmer shows newly harvested red dates in Hotan county in northwestern China's Xinjiang region, Nov. 6, 2020. (Ding Lei/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Supply chains are incredibly complex. You will often have six, seven, eight tiers down the supply chain that need to be investigated to determine if some component or subcomponent may be coming from Xinjiang province. That requires a lot of work on our part, and also on the part of importers and American companies that want to do the right thing. There are challenges in understanding the downstream provenance, but clearly our enforcement of this law is impacting supply chains. It is moving through supply chains.

You see company after company that is revisiting its willingness to have a footprint in Uyghur regions in China. You see companies looking to diversify their supply chains to lower risk sources. You see companies for the first time having really meaningful supply chain due diligence so that they can get to the bottom of what is coming into their products before they ship them to the United States.

It is unprecedented the improvement in supply chains that we have seen since we started enforcing this law here at the Department of Homeland Security two years ago. There is a lot more work to do. But make no mistake, the community knows they have to know their supply chains and that we have zero tolerance for the importation of products made with forced labor, including forced labor by Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

RFA: The Chinese government is using Uyghur forced labor to produce many different products that are exported to the U.S. But because of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, China is trying to diversify its own supply chains by using third countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, India and Malaysia to export their products to the U.S. How is DHS dealing with this?

Silvers: Some of the movement of supply chains is actually quite welcome. If companies are moving operations out of Xinjiang to other countries around the world where there is more integrity and reliability to the supply chain, it is easier to validate that its clean from a forced labor perspective. Yes, thats a welcome development.

Another story altogether is something we call transshipment, which is where to conceal the true provenance of goods. Those goods are simply routed around through other countries and then sent to the United States. That we will not tolerate. We have made transshipment an enforcement priority, and we actively investigate and bring enforcement action. Any time we see evidence of transshipment, including through countries like those you mentioned.

I will note that if you go to our data, our enforcement data on our forced labor enforcement, weve made that publicly available so the world can see many of the shipments that are detained are actually not originating in China. They are originating in other countries  a lot of them in Southeast Asia. But because there are illicit, supply chains feed into those, and so we are all over it from an enforcement perspective.

RFA: The online Chinese retailers Shein and Temu ship about 1 million packages to the U.S. daily. Last year, a Bloomberg reporter purchased some clothing from Shein, then through testing found that the cotton came from Xinjiang. How is DHS ensuring that the retailers comply with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act?

Silvers: Ill just say Im not going to address any particular company. We don't talk about particular companies, particular investigations of the like. Let me be clear. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act applies to any imports into this country, including fast-fashion imports. When we have evidence that any product coming in is tainted by forced labor, were going to bring enforcement.

People walk past the booth of fast fashion e-commerce company SHEIN during the China International Supply Chain Expo in Beijing, Dec. 1, 2023. (Jade Gao/AFP)

We believe that the longstanding exception to our customs law called the de minimis exemption is a source of concern, and that we need to work together with Congress on what should be done to address it under the de minimis exemption. Shipments worth less than $800 are subject to less data collection, and that makes it harder to conduct investigative activities. We are very concerned that the use of de minimis can undermine our enforcement of forced labor laws as well as laws prohibiting the importation of fentanyl or counterfeit items, or any other number of contraband items. This is something were quite attuned to, and we are looking at potential solutions. You should expect them to come in that regard.

RFA: The Chinese government has accused the U.S. government of fabricating the Uyghur genocide and Uyghur forced labor issue, calling them the lies of the 21st century. China also says the U.S. and allied Western countries dont want China to rise. That is the narrative they are selling to Muslim countries and others. Its hostile to the U.S., so whats your response to this?

Silvers: Perpetrators of genocide and atrocities often lie and say that those things didnt happen. I come from a Jewish-American family. I understand the history of genocide and human rights atrocities that can be targeted at a population. I see a similar history when I talk to members of the Uyghur American community.

When I was at that event in Fairfax, Virginia, I spoke with three women who had been in Uyghur internment camps. Theres no denying the extensive evidence of human rights violations and forced labor. We in the United States government, we at the Department of Homeland Security, will not keep silent on this.

Video shot by Bahram Sintash for RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
Dang Dinh Bachs wife said he hasnt been getting canteen food or supplies from his family.

Political prisoner Dang Dinh Bach spent a fortnight without food during the first two weeks of March, his wife told Radio Free Asia.

Bach is the head of the nonprofit Center for Research on Law and Policy for Sustainable Development. He was arrested on June 24, 2021 and convicted a year later.

The lawyer is serving a five-year sentence at a prison in Vietnams Nghe An province after being convicted of tax evasion.

His wife, Tran Phuong Thao, said he called home on Feb. 27 to say that he had run out of the food sent by his family and hadnt received prison rations since last September.

The next day, she sent a guaranteed delivery parcel of 6 kilograms of dry food, but when she met Bach on March 12 he said he hadnt received it.

I have a delivery notice from the Vietnam Post Office showing that the parcel I sent to Mr. Bach was successfully delivered at 9:25 a.m. on March 4, there was the signature of an officer of Detention Center No. 6 named San, she said.

The prison warden admitted the parcel had been received and said he didnt know why it hadnt been handed over to Bach. He promised a review of the case.

Thao said her husband went hungry for two weeks because he couldnt buy what he wanted in the prison.

Food is sometimes sold in the canteen, sometimes not, she said.

There are times when for two to three days he cant buy anything at the canteen because they say the things he needs arent there.

Bach now weighs only 40 kilograms (6 stone 4 pounds) compared to 65 kilograms before his arrest.

He sometimes has to soak dry food like instant noodles in cold water because the prison wont provide boiling water.

RFA called Detention Center No.6 to ask about Bachs treatment but no one answered.

US Senate speaks up for Bach

In a post on X on Feb. 27, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee wrote: Environmental lawyer & human rights defender Dang Dinh Bach was sentenced to 5 yrs in prison on politically motivated charges for standing up for climate justice & human rights in Vietnam.

Bach is one of six environmental activists jailed recently. The others are journalist Mai Phan Loi and her colleague Bach Hong Duong, environmental activists Nguy Thi Khanh and Hoang Thi Minh Hong, and clean energy expert Ngo Thi To Nhien.

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang.
The one-party state suffers from graft among those holding political posts.

Hoang Thi Thuy Lan (L), Communist Party chief of Vietnams Vinh Phuc province, and Le Duy Thanh, chairman of the Vinh Phuc Peoples Committee, are seen in undated photos.

The Vietnamese government body responsible for combating corruption has proposed penalizing five high-ranking provincial leaders detained for accepting bribes, state media reported.

Vietnam is judged to have significant corruption by those holding political power in the one-party state. Transparency Internationals Corruption Perception Index for 2023 ranked Vietnam 83 out of 180 countries, putting it on the same level as Burkina Faso, Kosovo and South Africa.

On March 18, the Central Inspection Committee proposed disciplinary measures for two officials from Vinh Phuc province, in the north: Party Chief Hoang Thi Thuy Lan and Chairman of Peoples Committee Le Duy Thanh.

It also proposed measures for three officials from Quang Ngai province in the central part of the country: Chairman of the Provincial Peoples Committee Dang Van Minh, Cao Khoa, former chairman of the Quang Ngai Peoples Committee, and Ha Hoang Viet Phuong, director of the Dung Quat Economic Zone and Industrial Parks Management Board.

The measures followed a widening of an investigation into the case of violating accounting regulations, causing serious consequences involving Nguyen Van Hau, also known as Hau Phao, and his accomplices at Phuc Son Group Joint Stock Company, Thang Long Commercial and Real Estate Joint Stock Company, and related entities.

Based on the testimony of Hau, who was arrested in February, and others, the Investigation Police Agency decided to prosecute additional individuals on charges of receiving bribes; violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences; and taking advantage of influence on people in positions of power for personal gain. The crimes occurred in Vinh Phuc, Quang Ngai and Vinh Long provinces.

Others prosecuted were Ha Hoang Viet Phong; Pham Ngoc Thuy, deputy director of Quang Ngais Department of Transportation and former head of the departments Technical and Quality Division; Le Quoc Dat, director of Quang Ngais Construction Investment Project Management Board and former head the provinces Investment Management Division of the Department of Transportation; and Pham Ngoc Cuong, deputy general director of the Phuc Son Group.

They were prosecuted for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences under Article 222 of Vietnams Penal Code.

Dang Trung Hoanh, chief of staff of Mang Thit Districts People Committee in Vinh Long province, was prosecuted for taking advantage of influence on people with positions and powers for personal gains under Article 366 of the Penal Code.

On March 8, Dang Ngoc Minh, chairman of Quang Ngai Peoples Committee, was arrested and prosecuted following the arrest and prosecution of Cao Khoa, the provinces former chairman, a day earlier. Both were charged with receiving bribes.

Translated by Anna Vu for RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster.
They say Van Thinh Phats chairwoman didnt plead guilty or apologize.

Truong My Lan arrives at a court in Ho Chi Minh city on March 5, 2024.

Vietnamese prosecutors are calling for the death sentence for the alleged mastermind of the countrys biggest fraud, state-controlled media reported Tuesday.

Truong My Lan, 68, is the chairwoman of developer Van Thinh Phat Holdings Group.

Prosecutors say she was behind a US$12.46 billion scam, using sophisticated, well-organized methods over a long period of time. But they say during the trial she showed no remorse and blamed her subordinates.

They recommended Lan receive the death sentence for embezzlement and a combined 38-40 years for bribery and violating banking regulations.

Other defendants face life in prison if convicted of helping her obtain loans for shell companies from Saigon Commercial Bank, leading to a $20 billion loss.

The accused include Lans Hong Kong billionaire husband Eric Chu; 45 SCB executives; 15 State Bank of Vietnam officials; three government inspectors; and a former official at the State Audit Office. Eight defendants are on the run, with international arrest warrants out for them.

The trial is expected to last until early May and see thousands of witnesses take to the stand to testify.

Around 42,000 Saigon Commercial Bank bondholders lost money to the scam.

For 10 years, starting in 2012, Lam and her accomplices are accused of taking out more than 2,500 loans at the bank, 93% of the total credit issued.

Edited by Elaine Chan.
Afghans are being pushed back, fenced out, and left to fend for themselves in the face of Taliban persecution and widespread hunger.

Hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghans have been kicked out of neighboring countries and forcibly returned to Afghanistan in recent months. Millions more are slated to join them, complicating the already daunting humanitarian effort to stave off a famine.

Underscoring that Afghans are not welcome, neighboring states are rolling out the barbed wire in an attempt to keep them out.



Returnee Overload



Over the course of a year, a total of 1.5 million Afghans have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan by various countries, the Taliban said earlier this month.



Most, according to migration officials, were sent back by Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey -- for decades destinations for Afghan migrant workers as well as refugees looking to escape war and poverty. Others have been sent back from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

That number could more than double if Iran and Pakistan fully carry out their goals of deporting all undocumented Afghans, including asylum-seekers who face persecution under the Taliban and some who have not lived in their home country for decades or were born abroad.



Pakistan was initially accommodating to Afghans fleeing Taliban rule, serving as a temporary destination for many as they sought asylum in a third country.



But since October 2023, when Islamabad announced its plans to expel more than 1.7 million "undocumented foreigners," more than a half million Afghans have been forced to leave Pakistan, Abdulmatallab Haqqani, spokesman for the Talibans Refugees and Repatriations Ministry, said this week.



Some of the new arrivals are now trying to resettle in a homeland they have never stepped foot in, and most are being held in temporary tent camps set up along Afghanistan's eastern border with Pakistan, where aid groups are struggling to provide them with emergency relief.

More than half of Afghanistan's population of around 40 million faces a food security crisis that is approaching the level of a famine, according to aid and rights groups.



According to the UN's World Food Program, the situation is contributing to "a humanitarian crisis of incredible proportions" that has "grown even more complex and severe since the Taliban took control" in August 2021. The UN body warns that Afghanistan is on the brink of economic collapse, with the currency struggling and food prices on the rise.



The vast majority of the returnees aim to return to their provinces of origin, according to the International Organization for Migration Afghanistan, but many have no homes or livelihoods to return to.



The new arrivals have been welcomed in Afghanistan, UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) senior public information officer Caroline Gluck told RFE/RL in written comments, but "there are limited capacities to offer them the support they need."

"The arrival of around a half million Afghans from Pakistan is putting a huge strain on already limited services -- from health to shelter, work opportunities, and schools," Gluck said.



"Many have arrived, having spent all their life in Pakistan and never having set foot in Afghanistan," Gluck added, noting that more than 23 million Afghans are in need of humanitarian aid.



Like many returnees, Abdul Basit, a migrant who recently left Pakistan and moved to Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar Province, has experienced difficulties settling back in.



Basit told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that there is no work and he and other deportees spend much of their time bouncing around from government office to government office.

The situation now promises to get even worse, with a second phase set to begin on April 15 to expel Afghan citizens from Pakistan, meaning more than 1 million Afghans could be potentially deported.



To the west, Iran is also engaged in a concerted effort to push out Afghans.



According to Iranian officials, more than 1 million undocumented Afghans have been deported in the past year. That number, too, could more than double, with Tehran saying it intends to expel half of the 5 million Afghans it estimates live in Iran.



In the meantime, Iran has taken steps to make Afghans' lives difficult on its territory, with migrants and refugees barred from living in, traveling to, or seeking employment in more than half of Iran's 31 provinces.



Amid rising resentment against Afghan migrant workers whom some Iranians accuse of stealing their jobs, parliamentary committees and officials have also discussed plans that would introduce strict punishments for renting homes or hiring undocumented foreigners.

Heydayatullah, an Afghan laborer who gave only his first name to Radio Azadi, said he was recently deported from Iran after spending only 20 days in the country.



He said that now that he is back in Afghanistan, he is unemployed and has no way of supporting his family of six.



Nasir Ahmad, a 30-year-old who was deported from Iran and has tried to settle in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e Sharif, said "there is no work in Afghanistan" and that he had depended on traveling to Iran to support his wife and children. Now, he says, he is ready to work for a pittance if only he could find employment.



Fenced Out



From all sides, Afghanistan's neighbors are taking steps to prevent Afghans from entering their territory, a situation that has led to tensions and occasional clashes.



The efforts are far-reaching, including Tajikistan calling on fellow members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization to establish a "security belt" along the Afghan border to combat drug trafficking, and Turkey's construction of a 170-kilometer wall along its border with Iran that is widely seen as intended to keep Afghan migrants out.

But most of the work is being done along Afghanistan's borders with Pakistan and Iran.



In April 2023, Pakistan announced it was "98 percent" done installing fencing along its around 2,600-kilometer border with Afghanistan. Ahmed Sharif, the spokesman for the Pakistani military's media department, said the barrier was intended to prevent "terrorists" from crossing into Pakistani territory.



But the fence also reinforces Islamabad's anti-migrant position, observers suggest, and has posed difficulties for traders on both sides.



Running along the contentious Durand Line border that the Taliban does not recognize as legitimate, the fence has also left Taliban officials bristling. Having previously boasted about destroying the barbed wire fencing, the Taliban has said it will not allow the fence to be completed.



Tensions along the border have risen considerably in recent days, with Islamabad this week launching retaliatory air strikes on armed groups it says have carried out militant attacks in Pakistan and are hiding out in Afghanistan.



The Taliban, in turn, said its forces had fired at Pakistani positions in retaliation on March 17.

Iran, meanwhile, has launched its own initiative to block the paths of Afghans across its 920-kilometer border with Afghanistan.



Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said in January that the project was a "complete plan" that went beyond the erection of a wall along a porous 74-kilometer stretch of the border, stressing it is a top priority to seal gaps in the border that are being "misused."



Observers note the initiative comes after Iran accused extremist groups in Afghanistan of attacks on Iranian territory as well as following clashes between Iranian and Taliban border forces that reportedly led the Taliban to reinforce the border.



Aziz Maaraj, a former Afghan diplomat in Iran, told Radio Azadi that "Iran is installing cameras and barbed wire" to prevent smuggling and the entrance of illegal migrants, as well as to protect itself against future clashes and possible militant attacks.



Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher in the Asia division at Human Rights Watch, told RFE/RL that "definitely, Iran and Pakistan are trying to send the message to Afghans that they are not welcome."



Contributing to the problem is that the international community has been slow in living up to commitments to resettle Afghan asylum seekers and refugees who fled after the Taliban seized power. That has left thousands of Afghans who did find temporary refuge in neighboring countries as they awaited processing at the risk of having to return to the persecution and insecurity they fled.

"Some of these people who are now being forced to leave Pakistan and Iran are the ones whose lives are not safe inside Afghanistan," Abbasi said.



"The Taliban have arbitrarily detained journalists, human rights activists, former government employees, and former security officers. These people have been tortured. In some cases, they have been forced to disappear and killed," she added.



Outside countries have also been slow to deliver money, leaving the coffers of the UN's 2024 humanitarian response plan at just 3 percent of expected levels, coming after the 2023 plan was only funded by half, according to Abbasi.



"These governments are not living up to their commitments," Abassi said, adding that Afghans who worked with the previous Western-backed government or alongside Western forces are at particular risk. "They need to be reminded of the fact that they are leaving those Afghans behind who have stood by them."
A year after the arrest of Evan Gershkovich in Russia, the Wall Street Journal reporters family pledged to continue to fight for release from a Moscow prison where he is being held on espionage charges the White House and his employer say are fabricated.

Gershkovich became the first U.S. journalist arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War when he was detained on March 29, 2023, by the Federal Security Service (FSB), which said he had been trying to obtain military secrets.

The Wall Street Journal and the U.S. government have vehemently rejected the espionage charges, saying he was merely doing his job as an accredited reporter when he was arrested.

Gershkovich saw his detention extended to June 30 earlier this week by the Moscow City Court. The Kremlin said on March 29 it had no information on when the 32-year-olds trial will begin. If found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in jail.

"We never anticipated this situation happening to our son and brother, let alone a full year with no certainty or clear path forward," his family said in a letter published by the Wall Street Journal on March 29 to mark the anniversary.

"But despite this long battle, we are still standing strong."

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on March 29 that "to date, Russia has provided no evidence of wrongdoing for a simple reason: Evan did nothing wrong. Journalism is not a crime."

Born in the United States to Soviet emigres, Gershkovich reported from Russia for six years before being detained in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg.

Leon Panetta, former director of the CIA, said the United States must play a "tough game" with Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to get Gershkovich released.

"We have got to play a tough game with Putin to make sure hes not going to get away with this kind of game." Panetta said on Fox News.

Gershkovich will ultimately be released through a prisoner swap, Panetta predicted, saying the United States could "develop some leverage" for such a deal by arresting Russian spies in the United States "so that [Putin] has a reason to come to the bargaining table."

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel, also speaking on Fox News, said the United States engages daily with the "highest levels of the Russian government" in its effort to win Gershkovich's release, but he said it was "important not to talk about the deliberations in public."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has also stressed the importance of silence about any negotiations, but Wall Street Journal Associate Editor Paul Beckett, who is leading the newspapers efforts to free Gershkovich, said talks involving Gershkovich on any level keep his supporters optimistic that something can be done.

Russian authorities accuse Gershkovich of collecting state secrets about the military industrial complex at the behest of the U.S. government.

Wall Street Journal Associate Editor Paul Beckett, who is leading the newspapers efforts to free Gershkovich, told Current Time in an interview broadcast on March 29 that the reporter is holding up OK under very difficult circumstances.

He's in his cell for 23 hours a day. He has an hour outside in the courtyard, which is about the same size as his cell. So we've just been very grateful that he's been able to maintain his equilibrium, Beckett said of Gershkovichs incarceration in Moscows Lefortovo prison.

Beckett said that besides one hour of courtyard time per day, Gershkovich has been in constant correspondence with his family, including swapping lines from shows that they enjoyed together, and weekly meetings with his lawyers.

Earlier on March 28 in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was asked about reports of a possible prisoner exchange involving Gershkovich, and he stressed the importance of silence about any negotiations.

But Beckett said talks involving Gershkovich on any level keep his supporters "optimistic that something can be done."

Gershkovich is one of two American reporters currently being held by Russian authorities. The other is Alsu Kurmasheva, an RFE/RL journalist who holds dual Russian-American citizenship.

Kurmasheva, 47, was arrested in Kazan last October and charged with failing to register as a foreign agent under a punitive Russian law that targets journalists, civil society activists, and others. Shes also been charged with spreading falsehoods about the Russian military and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

RFE/RL and the U.S. government say the charges are reprisals for her work as a journalist for RFE/RL in Prague. She had traveled to Russia to visit and care for her elderly mother and was initially detained while waiting for her return flight on June 2 at Kazan airport, where her U.S. and Russian passports were confiscated.

Gershkovich has been designated as wrongfully detained by the U.S. government. Kurmasheva, however, has not despite pleas from RFE/RL and Kurmashevas family.

The Wall Street Journal on March 28 published a story about her detention and the difficulties her husband, Pavel Butorin, who also works for RFE/RL in Prague, and their two daughters, aged 12 and 15, have had without her and their efforts to have her designated as wrongfully detained.

The designation would mean her case would be assigned to the office of the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs in the State Department, raising the political profile of her situation and allowing the Biden administration to allocate more resources to securing her release. The designation currently applies only to Gershkovich and another American held in Russia, Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine and corporate security executive who is serving a 16-year prison sentence on espionage charges.

Other events being held to mark the one-year anniversary of Gershkovichs detention include a 24-hour read-a-thon of his work by his Wall Street Journal colleagues at the newspapers headquarters in New York and swimming events at Brighton Beaches in New Zealand, South African, Canada, the United States and Britain.

The beaches were chosen in recognition of his familys connection to Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York, which is home to a large Russian immigrant community. Gershkovich's parents emigrated from the Soviet Union, separately, in 1979.
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Locals in Armenia's Tavush Province fear they will be cut off from key roads amid peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan following the armed conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan is demanding that Armenia cede four villages.
1 A woman is comforted as she is evacuated from her home in Velyka Pysarivka in the Sumy region of northeastern Ukraine on March 18. The authorities are racing to remove people from their homes in the town, which is 7 kilometers from the Russian border.
What Lela Kurtanidze remembers most vividly about the lake was the moonlight. Watching it shimmer on the water "was a beautiful sight," she said, recalling the time in 2011 she spent on the shores of Paravani, Georgia's largest lake. Then 21 years old, Kurtanidze was participating in the Javakheti Expedition, an annual summer camp for students organized by the Georgian Orthodox Church and Tbilisi State University. The young campers slept in tents and spent their days swimming, hiking in the foothills, and sprucing up the local churches.



More than 2,000 meters above sea level, the landscape in Georgia's southern Javakheti Province is known for its austere, unforgiving beauty, with vast grassland plains and swampy wetlands offering no respite from the wind and rain. Swimming in the lake was not for the faint of heart. At such a high altitude, the memory of winter lingered, and the waters of Paravani were ice-cold.



One of the camp leaders, Nikoloz Pachuashvili, was not bothered by the cold. A charismatic and energetic metropolitan (the clerical rank in Eastern Orthodoxy between archbishop and patriarch), Pachuashvili liked to lead by example, rising early in the morning, donning a bathing suit, and often being the first to dive in.



While she loved the sight of the moon on the water, Kurtanidze had never learned how to swim. Instead, she would just paddle, walking out slowly, always making sure she could feel the bottom beneath her feet. *** Growing up in a poor family in a village in Imereti, a central region of Georgia, Kurtanidze was a lonely child. "I wasn't spiritually close to anyone. That's just how I grew up," she told RFE/RL's Georgian Service. As a student of German language and literature at Tbilisi State University, she was devoted to her studies. Over the summer, she liked to try new things, especially those she thought would advance her personal and professional growth.



Money was tight, but the camp -- which was first held in 2001 -- was free. For Kurtanidze, this was a godsend, and she attended the Javakheti Expedition three times between 2009 and 2012. She first met Pachuashvili in 2009, when the metropolitan came to the camp to visit the students, something he did regularly. Never having met a religious man of such stature, Kurtanidze was apprehensive at first, expecting him to be unapproachable.



But she found the metropolitan, now 63, to be friendly and direct, and he left her with a good impression. Sometimes, Pachuashvili would join a barbecue or watch movies with the young campers, who were mostly between the ages of 17 and 21. "It further strengthened my belief that I was dealing with a great person," she said. A person she felt she could trust.

It was at the lake, Kurtanidze said, at her second or third time at the camp, where Pachuashvili first sexually abused her -- an allegation she first made in a November 2023 Facebook post and which the cleric, in interviews with RFE/RL, has repeatedly denied.



Kurtanidze wasn't the only one. Four other women have alleged that they were sexually abused by Pachuashvili, raising troubling questions about the impunity enjoyed by high-ranking clerics in the Georgian Orthodox Church, the country's dominant religious institution and a vocal proponent of traditional family values. *** It all began, Kurtanidze said, when the metropolitan noticed that she couldn't swim. When he offered to teach her, she didn't for a moment think that anything bad would come of it, she told RFE/RL's Georgian Service. She didn't have a swimsuit or shorts, so she went into the water wearing a dress.



During that first lesson, the metropolitan kissed her "in a way that was too intimate," she said. Another time, while swimming in the lake, Kurtanidze said that Pachuashvili put his hand under the dress she was wearing, touching her breasts and genitals. She remembered him telling her to take off her dress. Otherwise, he said, she would never master the technique.



"When he put his hands on me, in inappropriate places, I flinched, tried to get away, and fell into the water. He [then] asked me what I was doingas if I was doing something wrong," she said. "Sometimes I would pull away, sometimes I would try to free myself, but I was mostly obedient."

As the swimming lessons continued, Kurtanidze said that she hoped the cleric would understand that she was feeling uncomfortable and that he would eventually stop. But, back then, the student didn't have any experience with physical intimacy. Nor did she know, she said, how to recognize abuse and protect herself. "You have two options: Either realize that something terrible is happening to you and accept it. Or tell yourself that nothing is happening. I chose the second path," she said. "He convinced me that it was a type of spiritual relationship, something that has to be hidden, because it is not understood by other people." *** Around Javakheti, the metropolitan was a larger-than-life character, known for hiking and climbing the snow-capped peaks, sometimes disappearing into the mountain mist to hunt for Orthodox relics. In addition to his alleged victims, RFE/RL's Georgian Service spoke to 11 people who had participated in the Javakheti camp between 2001 and 2019. All of them spoke about Pachuashvili's charisma, intelligence, and knowledge. They mentioned his love for cinema and literature, and the discussions he liked to have with the students about art. He was always keen to show off Javakheti's natural beauty and cultural treasures: the ancient monasteries and churches; the cave complexes, some dating back to the eighth century, where monks lived and prayed.



Around the villages of Javakheti, there were also rumors that the metropolitan was not of this world. He was so strong he could stop a boulder hurtling down the mountain. Some of the locals said he was so powerful, he could even stop the rain.

Lisa (not her real name), a devout Christian who was considering becoming a nun, first went on the Javakheti Expedition in 2008, when she was just 19. She, too, had heard about the metropolitan's miraculous abilities and told RFE/RL that she felt that she could trust him. So much so that, when the summer camp ended, she decided to take a gap year and stayed on in the diocese of Akhalkalaki and Kurmurdo, where Pachuashvili was resident.



When the metropolitan invited her to his home in the town of Akhalkalaki to talk about her future plans, Lisa said that she wasn't the slightest bit concerned. She trusted him and, while priests in the Georgian Orthodox Church don't have to be celibate, it is a requirement for bishops, metropolitans, and patriarchs. Higher-ranking clergy are expected to lead by example, abstaining from worldly pleasures and devoting their whole lives to God.



Lisa even didn't think it strange when the metropolitan told her not to tell anyone about her visit. In fact, she said, she welcomed the attention. "I reached for the sky with joy, [because] this godlike man noticed me, gave me his time, and suddenly we had a common secret," she said. While she was at Pachuashvili's home, Lisa said that he took her to his bedroom and asked her to sit on the bed. "I was very surprised, but it [still] didn't occur to me that something bad could happen," she told RFE/RL. "He asked me questions about my sex life and sexual experience. I was very embarrassed and just blurted everything out. He sat down next to me [on the bed], and then everything became blurry."

She was "stunned," she said, when he began to touch her intimately, and she didn't know what to do. None of it made any sense. How could the man who just yesterday was talking about sublime love and Bach's St. Matthew Passion now be doing such a thing? "I couldn't believe it or didn't want to believe it," she said. "When he was leaving, he told me that what had happened was great and exciting. He said that I was special." *** After spells in the late 1980s working for a film studio and then as a physics teacher in a high school, in his late 20s Pachuashvili decided to follow a new path. He entered the Georgian Orthodox Church in 1990, and, like many newly ordained priests, he became a monk, serving in monasteries in Tbilisi and Mtskheta, an ancient city 20 kilometers north of the capital, known for being the birthplace of Christianity in Georgia. Rising through the clerical ranks, Pachuashvili became a metropolitan in 2007.



Katherine, a participant in the 2012 summer camp, was also invited to the metropolitan's Akhalkalaki residence. Then just 19, Katherine said that things quickly turned sour. "I was looking through vinyl recordswhen he reached under my dress and grabbed my behind," she told RFE/RL's Georgian Service. "I pulled away, and he made a face as if nothing had happened and [just] continued talking." He used the same tactics with all the girls, Katherine said. He would lavish you with praise, talk to you, text you, and then all of a sudden, you had become a victim.

For Tamara, another woman who alleges that she was sexually abused by Pachuashvili, that emotional grooming began when she was around 10 or 11 years old. Then a bishop, Pachuashvili had been a friend of her parents since the 1990s, and she had "a [strong] emotional connection with him. "I was a churchgoer then," Tamara recalled, and, from the age of 6, "going to church was a normal part of my life." He "became the most important person [in my life]," she said, almost "as if he was my own father."

Note To Readers With the exception of Lela Kurtanidze, all of the women interviewed for this article who have alleged that they were sexually abused by Nikoloz Pachuashvili have asked to remain anonymous and are using pseudonyms. In some cases, identifying details, such as the women's professions and the time and location of the alleged abuse, have been removed to further protect their privacy.

The first time she remembered Pachuashvili's behavior making her feel uncomfortable was when she was 15 years old. "He sat me on his lap and said: 'Now, you will kiss me on the right cheek, then on the left, then again on the right, and then again on the left.' I was in awe of him," she said. "Even though I found him physically unpleasant, I thought he was a great person, and I couldn't stop it."



He didn't even try to hide it, said Tamara, who is now 40 years old with teenage children. "Touching hands, patting legs, [receiving] compliments, [saying,] 'I'm crazy about you,' and so on," she recalled. "There was one time -- I was probably around 19 -- during the Great Fast. I went in to [church] to confess, and he put his hand under my dress from the back." She remembered very clearly what he said next: "I made you blush."



They soon began an intimate relationship, one that was hidden from her family and which lasted until she was married. Back then, she said, what she felt most was guilt. Perhaps, she wondered, it was all a misunderstanding? Or perhaps he was testing her faith in God? "My obedience, or whatever you want to call itwas based on my [religious] faithwhich this man destroyed," she said. Now she didn't "even so much as look at a church" and would do everything she could to keep her children away.

Sandra had also known Pachuashvili since she was a child, as the cleric had become friendly with her parents after they did missionary work together. When she graduated from university in her early 20s, Sandra went to work in Germany for a year. There, she was hosted by a family who also happened to know Pachuashvili. As he rose through the ranks of the church, the metropolitan would now regularly make trips to Europe. On one of those trips, Pachuashvili came to stay with her host family in Germany for a few days. During his visit, she said that he invited her up to his room and told her to come and sit by the bed. "I told him that I didn't want to bother himand then left," she said.



Almost a year later, not long before Sandra returned to Georgia, Pachuashvili was back again, this time to deliver a homily. "He wrote [to me] that he was in Germany and, if I was here, he would see me," she said. "He was in another city and told me to ask my [host] family for permission to go." The family quickly agreed.



After attending Mass and confessing her sins to the priest, Sandra went for lunch with Pachuashvili. He then asked her to come back to his hotel, she said, where he promised to tell her the news from Javakheti.

The hotel room was tiny, Sandra remembered, and she said that Pachuashvili "lay down on the bed and told me to come and sit with him." She began to feel even more uneasy when he touched her hands and asked her why they were so cold. Then, she said, he suggested that she take off her clothes and lie down next to him to get warm.



"I said very coldly, 'No, thank you very much,'" Sandra told RFE/RL's Georgian Service. "I was very sad, and I remember praying to myself: 'God help me, God help me, God help me." She then left. "Nothing else happened, but I remembered how I felt when I left that place," she said. "I had a terrible feeling of emptiness. I blamed myself." *** From shame came silence. Almost all of Pachuashvili's alleged victims said that they didn't ever talk with anyone about what had happened to them, largely because they feared being judged and blamed. Most of them said that they never even told their own families. There was no escape from the shame, in particular the gut-wrenching and unyielding sense that everything that had happened to them was all their fault.



It took Kurtanidze, the only woman who has spoken publicly about the metropolitan, more than 10 years to find the words to describe what happened to her at the lake. "I didn't talk about it with anyone. I buried it within myself," she said. "I was afraid that people would blame me."



For Lisa, her experience with Pachuashvil had a profound and long-lasting affect. She spent years, she said, trying to make herself more inconspicuous to men, wearing longer dresses to cover her body. "I just couldn't communicate normally with my male peers, even on a verbal level," she said. "My self-esteem was so low that I couldn't even think about the future."

Despite going to therapy, Lisa felt like she had never fully recovered. "For me, recalling these memories is like ripping off a Band-Aid from an old wound, with parts of the flesh sticking out," she wrote to RFE/RL. "I owe it to the girls," she said, to the ones who had already gone through this and to those who might in the future.



Sandra said that her experience is something that she has never come to terms with. While she is still religious, she no longer attends church. "It was very hard for me to understand that what this man was preaching from the pulpit was completely different to what he was actually doing," she said.



Some of the women interviewed by RFE/RL said that they did not come forward with their stories earlier because it seemed futile to stand against such a prominent member of an organization as powerful as the Georgian Orthodox Church. "I had a feeling that he was an influential person," Kurtanidze said, that he was not alone and had people standing behind him. "And who was I?"

Traditional gender roles and expectations play a significant role in Georgian society. Women are expected to prioritize family and children over their career. Domestic violence is common, with the law enforcement authorities often turning a blind eye. The influence of the Orthodox Church extends beyond religious observation, with clerics preaching traditional family values and warning about society's moral decay. A common refrain from church officials is that Georgia is under attack from nefarious foreign powers and meddling human rights NGOs. In May 2013, Orthodox priests participated in an attack against activists at a rally to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, and the church has repeatedly called for the cancellation of Tbilisi Pride.



The majority of Georgians (79 percent), according to a 2021 survey, believe that the Georgian Orthodox Church is the foundation of their nation's identity, with 83 percent saying it plays an important role in their family life. The church is autocephalous, meaning it is not subject to a higher religious authority and is one of the 17 independent churches of Eastern Orthodoxy.



The church's image as an upholder of moral integrity was sullied in September 2021, when the transcripts of thousands of phone calls, allegedly recorded by the country's State Security Service, were leaked. In the released material, the contents of which RFE/RL cannot verify, there was a folder named "Adulterers," listing the names and addresses of priests and nuns who were allegedly having illicit sexual relations. One of the names mentioned in the files was Pachuashvili. *** The stately Courtyard by Marriott Tbilisi hotel is situated right on the city's Freedom Square, where Georgians have traditionally gathered to topple their leaders. Known as being one of the most expensive hotels in the capital, its rooms look out on a gilded statue of St. George, the country's most venerated saint.



It was the hotel where Metropolitan Nikoloz said that he would prefer to meet. He had only one condition for the interview with RFE/RL's Georgian Service and that was that nothing was to be recorded.



Over tea in the lobby of the Marriott, the metropolitan was polite and seemingly at ease, speaking with confidence about Greek law, classical music, and the films of Andrei Tarkovsky. He said that he appreciated curious journalists, especially those who were careful and attentive. As the father of three daughters, he said, he could understand people who sought to protect the interests of women.

When he spoke about the Javakheti Expedition, he was keen to list the names of notable Georgian artists and musicians who he had brought on board over the years. The summer camps, he reckoned, had helped several thousand young people since they began in 2001, and many of the former attendees had gone on to be successful or famous. "I still remember many of them," he said, "especially those who participated in the first 10 to 15 years when I directly led the expeditions."



When asked by RFE/RL about Kurtanidze's allegations against him, Pachuashvili confirmed that he had taught her how to swim, but he refuted the allegations of sexual abuse. "How can you imagine teaching someone to swim without touching [them]?" he said. Regarding the 2021 leaks from Georgia's Security Service, where his name had appeared in the files, Pachuashvili said it was "slander" meant to cause "reputational damage." The "evaluations" from the tapes, he said, were "made as a result of illegal wiretapping and not directly [found] in the content of the wiretapping."



The metropolitan refused to comment on the other women's accusations against him, dismissing them as merely "rumors." When asked, in general, if he believed he had hurt the women around him, the metropolitan said that he had always been "selfless" in his relations with women and people didn't need protection from him. "On the contrary," he said, "my service is to protect people from danger. How well I managed [to do that] will be judged by God and society."

Many of those that RFE/RL interviewed said that Pachuashvili had had a positive impact on people's lives. He helped people, they said, both inside and outside Georgia. He would find housing for the homeless and made sure elderly people in his diocese were looked after. For others, he gave them money to help pay their medical and college bills.



Sofio Nishnianidze, a graduate of the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at Tbilisi State University, is one of the organizers of the Javakheti Expedition. The summer camps are still going strong, and the selection of participants for 2024 will begin in July. Nishnianidze, who has been taking part in the camp since 2014, said that he never noticed any suspicious behavior from Pachuashvili. "I can honestly say that no one has ever mentioned anything like that to me," he wrote in an e-mailed response to questions from RFE/RL. *** Several times during the interview at the Marriott, Pachuashvili said that a journalist who was writing about such serious charges was an investigator and a prosecutor, while the accused's right to defend themselves had been taken away. "Why should anyone be surprised?" he asked, after "the media smeared [Ilia II, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church] over the last five years."



The "smears" that Pachuashvili was referring to began in October 2019, when an archbishop, Petre Tsaava, accused Patriarch Ilia of having sexual relations with men, including underage boys. The archbishop, who had become estranged from the church leadership and was deeply critical of some priests, made the unsubstantiated allegations in a meeting of the church's Holy Synod.

"I am glad if I share [Ilia's] fate, at least a little," Pachuashvili said. "I agreed to the meeting [with RFE/RL] and [interview] only to encourage the clergy and parishioners -- because they will have to go through the ordeal, too," he wrote, implying that Georgian churchgoers would also be the victims of a wider campaign against the church.



"The time will come," Pachuashvili told RFE/RL. "And the Lord will judge both the righteous and the wicked."



While Pachuashvili spoke of divine judgment, theologian Mirian Gamrekelashvili said that the church doesn't have a proper mechanism to deal with such cases. There is no ecclesiastical court in Georgia, Gamrekelashvili told RFE/RL. There was a synod created in 2011, which investigated moral violations, but Gamrekelashvili said that it was no longer active. (The press office of the Georgian Orthodox Church has not responded to questions from RFE/RL about the allegations against Pachuashvili.)



It is improbable, Gamrekelashvili said, that the church will investigate the accusations against the metropolitan. "He knows that he will go unpunished," the theologian said, adding that previous accusations leveled against high-ranking clerics went uninvestigated within the church.



Not only were the accusations against Ilia brushed under the carpet, but for Tsaava, the whistle-blowing archbishop, there were severe consequences. After he aired his allegations of pedophilia in the Holy Synod, the archbishop was removed as the head of his diocese of Chkondidi and sent to a monastery to repent.



Both Georgian police and prosecutors told RFE/RL that Pachuashvili is not under investigation for any alleged crimes. However, Ana Tavkhelidze, a lawyer who has been defending victims of sexual harassment and violence in Georgian courts for many years, said that Kurtanidze's original Facebook post would be enough for the Interior Ministry to start a probe. The accounts of the other women, she added, suggested that the number of victims could be much higher.
TALIN, Armenia -- If there were a Guinness record for most world records per capita in one town, it would doubtless be held by Talin, Armenia. The nondescript farming community about an hour west of the capital, Yerevan, is home to around 7,000 people. But Talin's small size belies the large number of feats of strength performed by its residents. On a side street in a repurposed kindergarten stands a small gym whose name could be translated roughly as "Home of the Titans," a reference to ancient Armenian warriors of legend. On the walls of the gym, set up in 2021, hang 25 certificates from the Guinness World Records organization marking the records that have been set by the athletes -- many of them just teenagers -- who train here. The longest duration rope hang with one finger: 47 seconds, held by Artak Saroian. The most Hula-Hoop rotations around the neck in 30 seconds: 104, held by Haik Ghazarian. The most pull-ups from a helicopter in one minute: 32, held by Hamazasp Hloian.

"There are whole countries that don't have as many records as Talin," said Vardan Tovmasian, the head of the Dyuntaznagirk Association of Titans, an NGO dedicated to documenting Armenians' record-breaking endeavors. (A spokesperson for Guinness told RFE/RL that they do not keep records for the number of record-holders by place.) The top record-holder at Home of the Titans is also its proprietor and head trainer, Roman Sahradian. The compact 35-year-old has broken eight records in his career, including most toe touches in one minute while holding on to a bar with four fingers (36) and most "horizontal bar back hip rotations" in one minute (41). Sahradian opened the gym in 2021. His young charges pay 6,000 drams (about $15) a month for a membership, with group trainings twice a week after school. Although Talin does boast one female record-breaker -- Rita Khachatrian, who set the mark for most extended Russian twist sit-ups in one minute -- on the day RFE/RL visited, the entire squad was made up of boys and young men, and the gym was deeply suffused with teenaged-boy camaraderie. After some warm-up stretches, the crew held a friendly deadlift competition. The youngest of the group, 11-year-old Misak Galchian, went first. He strapped on a weight belt around his waist and chalked up his hands as other boys vigorously massaged his legs and rubbed his shoulders like a prizefighter before a match. One gave him a bottle of smelling salts, and he took a whiff. He lifted 50 kilograms.

After all the boys took their turn, it was off to the gymnastics room for a quick demonstration of high-bar giants -- an exercise in which the athlete holds on to a bar and spins around in 360-degree loops while his body is fully extended. One boy gets strapped in and his comrades count along in encouragement. He makes it to 27 before his arms give out. Sahradian helps the child down and steadies him as he woozily tries to regain his sense of balance. The high-bar giant is the exercise that got Sahradian into the Guinness World Records. In 2010, he saw a television report about another Armenian, David Fahradian, who had broken the world record with 350 without stopping. Sahradian had been doing high-bar giants in his backyard in Talin, maxing out at about 60. But the news about the record inspired him to train more seriously and soon enough he and Fahradian were regularly breaking one another's records every couple of months -- 450, then 560, then 670. In 2011, Sahradian managed 1,001; it took him a full 28 minutes.

That record stood for more than a decade, until 2022, when Battsengel Soyol Erdene of Mongolia did 1,111. But Sahradian still believes his achievement is unique. He found out how tall Erdene was and crunched the numbers: Because he is taller than the Mongolian, his feet traveled a bit farther over the course of the 1,001 spins, he says. At age 35, though, Sahradian thinks he is too old for endurance records like that one, so he is concentrating on performances that don't take as much time. This year he is shooting for two new records: high-bar giants performed on a bar carried by two moving trucks and high-bar giants done with a reverse grip.

And he also is seeking out records for his young charges to break. This year, athletes from the gym will attempt to break records including those for planche push-ups in one minute and Hula-Hoop rotations around the elbow in one minute. One 9-year-old "Titan," Arshak Sahakian, showed off his form to visitors as he prepared to break the world record for most one-handed cartwheels in 30 seconds. (The holder of the current record of 26, Salaar Mehsood of Pakistan, set it when he was 6 years old.) Once the gold standard for measuring what extreme accomplishments the world was capable of, Guinness's reputation has declined in recent years. It now makes much of its money by sending official adjudicators -- at a cost that can reach tens of thousands of dollars -- to oversee record attempts, which are increasingly being undertaken by PR-seeking brands or reputation-whitewashing dictatorships. But Talin and the Titans represent a more homespun side of the enterprise. They don't have the money to bring in adjudicators; Guinness accepts their video recordings as sufficient documentation. And Sahradian maintains an idealistic view of the Guinness world, complaining that in Armenia it is undervalued compared to other parts of the world. "In the West, if an athlete breaks a Guinness record, it's a big deal," he said.

But in Armenia, he says, the government has not been interested in funding or supporting Guinness record-breaking attempts, spurning his outreach to the Education, Science, Culture, and Sports Ministry. "They say, 'Guinness is not a sport,'" he complained. Instead he gets funding from local donors, including the Ijevan brandy company (whose owner is from a village near Talin) and a charity foundation run by an emigre businessman in the United States. Sahradian has become adept at working the system and finding records for him or his trainees to break. He scours the Guinness website either for records he thinks are beatable or to come up with new variations on existing achievements, which he proposes -- via Google Translate -- to Guinness.

The high-bar giants on a moving truck record, for example, is one he proposed himself. Guinness approved it, after he signed a standard waiver, on the condition he could do at least 20 rotations. He proposed another new record of doing toe touches while hanging from a helicopter; Guinness also said they would accept that if he could do 20. He thinks he can do at least 40. The problem, though, is the helicopter. After athletes at the gym set a number of aerial pull-up records, the company that had been providing the helicopters said they now needed new licenses from government aviation authorities and that, for now, the Titans can't use their aircraft.
In the winter of 1924, inhabitants of a small village near Tehran looked up as a metal-bodied airplane swooped in to land, bumped along a field, then collapsed in a cloud of dust after its landing gear broke.

The pilot of the plane was Swiss aviator Walter Mittelholzer, who had received an invitation from the Persian government to deliver a new Junkers aircraft to the country, which would be renamed Iran in 1935.

Kaspar Surber, a Swiss journalist who wrote a book on Mittelholzer, told RFE/RL the aviator was chosen for the flight to Persia in part to "popularize flying" through aerial images he would take there.

Mittelholzer was famous at the time for becoming the first person to extensively photograph Switzerland's mountains from an airplane.

In the 1920s, Surber says there was something of a "race" between German and British aviation companies to begin air services in Persia, making Mittelholzer's photography skills a key promotional advantage.

A Swiss newspaper wrote of the aviator, "The Swiss people know what to expect from their Mr. Mittelholzer, who can not only pilot a plane across unknown countries but also photograph and film in flight."

After their ignominious landing 40 kilometers outside of Tehran, Mittelholzer and mechanic Ernst Bissegger had a tense confrontation with villagers before help eventually arrived from the Persian capital and their aircraft was repaired.

Mittelholzer and Bissegger's flight of more than 3,000 kilometers from Switzerland to Persia included a standoff with Turkish authorities who confiscated their plane, troubles with poor-quality gasoline purchased in Baghdad, and erroneous maps that forced them into the ill-fated landing during which their plane's landing gear collapsed.

Mittelholzers initial impressions of the territory of Persia from above were of "areas that lie desolate and empty and wander past the observing eye for hours. Huge alluvial fans, piles of rubble, and deltas of saline rivers [that] characterize the country."

Isolated settlements occasionally came into view as the pair flew over Persian territory.

"Here and there a green patch shines," Mittelholzer wrote, "a space in the center of which features residents' mud huts rising on narrow and winding streets. Silver bands mark the irrigation channels at the edges of the gardens."

Mittelholzer seized the opportunity to photograph Persia extensively from above in photographs that are now held by the ETH Zurich library.

The Swiss aviator and photographer also made use of his camera on the ground to capture a country on the cusp of dramatic change under Reza Shah Pahlavi, a ruler who would become known as Persia's "modernizing strongman."

At the time of Mittelholzer's visit to Persia, the country was without major rail or road networks, and camel caravans were still in use as a means of foreign trade, making air transport an enticing possibility for the country's rulers.

With the aviation industry still in its infancy in Persia, Mittelholzer and Bissegger had the sky virtually to themselves as they swept low over urban centers to snap images that would soon stun European audiences.

Mittelholzer predicted that aerial photography would play a significant role in documentary imagery of the future.

"Another hitherto unseen world opens up before us. It is as if the Earth has thereby gained a new face, and man a new, unflawed eye," he wrote in 1928.

After spending several weeks inside Iran, the two Swiss aviators eventually made the long trek back to Central Europe by car. Mittelholzer would later co-found a company that became Swissair, Switzerland's national carrier until 2002. He died in a mountaineering accident in 1937 aged 43.

In a newspaper obituary, a friend noted that Mittelholzer's death in the mountains that he loved, and that had sparked his extraordinary career, had a certain tragic poetry: "They have embraced him 0n his last wanderings and claimed him, and perhaps he would not have wished for a better end, but alas it came all too soon, there was so much more for him to do."
PRISTINA -- Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti says he will not suspend a move by the central bank to ban the circulation of the Serbian dinar in parts of the country with Serbian majorities but will accept the forming of an Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities once Belgrade agrees to sign a basic agreement on bilateral relations.

The basic agreement for the normalization of relations with Serbia was reached in February 2023, and includes the formation of the association, which is expected to more adequately represent predominantly ethnic Serb areas in Kosovo.

Kosovo is not a member of the European Union or its common currency area, the eurozone, but it unilaterally adopted the euro in 2002 to help bring monetary stability and to simplify and reduce transaction costs inside and outside the country.

Serbia, which has never acknowledged its former province's 2008 declaration of independence, still pays many ethnic Serbs at institutions in Serb-dominated parts of Kosovo in dinars. Many also hold their pensions and get child allowances in dinars.

"Regarding the Serbian-dinar-versus-euro issue, it is Kosovo's central bank that decides and they have already decided on December 27 last year," Kurti told RFE/RL's Balkan Service in an interview on March 19, arguing that the ban, which came into force on February 1, was meant to fight financial crime and terrorism.

"We have, thanks to them, a new regulation which is going to enhance the integrity of financial system to fight illicit activities financing of the terrorism," Kurti said in Pristina on the same day top Serbian and Kosovar negotiators were holding bilateral meeting in Brussels with EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak.

The Serbian dinar ban was reported to be high on the agenda, although no joint trilateral meeting has been confirmed so far.

The ban ratcheted up already high tensions between Serbia and Kosovo and threatened to scupper efforts by Washington and Brussels to get the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade back on track.

"The dinar is not banned in Kosovo, but the euro is the only means of payment," Kurti told RFE/RL, echoing the central bank's line that the ban doesnt stop anyone from accepting money from any country, it just means the money is converted into euros.

Still, the conversion adds a layer of cost and complication to the daily lives of ethnic Serbs still tied to the dinar.

"We cannot allow bagful of dinars in cash to enter our country. (It can happen) only through financial official channels with full transparency, who sends money to whom and for what purpose," Kurti said, adding that any disparities on the ground would have time to be smoothed out over the three-month transition period.

"Serbia can send dinars, we will exchange them into euros and Serbs in Kosovo can benefit from that financial aid," Kurti added.

However, the U.S. envoy to the Western Balkans last week warned that the ban had caused problems for some citizens in the region and challenges for the U.S.-Kosovo relationship.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar told RFE/RL on March 14 that Kosovo's controversial decision on the dinar was "an issue that we need to address immediately."

Escobar said that the issue had presented challenges in the bilateral relationship, although Washington remains Kosovo's most reliable ally.

The U.S. envoy also said that his proposals for resolving the issue had been rejected by Kurti during their meeting.

"It's not me as prime minister to decide about this thing," Kurti told RFE/RL when asked about why he refused Escobar's solutions.

"We're a democracy where powers and duties are separated. Therefore, I can only help the central bank to affect a smooth transition," Kurti said, declining to elaborate on Escobar's proposals.

"Let those who made the proposals speak," he added, reiterating that he cannot cancel the decision of an independent institution.

"No suspension will come out of talking to me, because the bank is an independent institution," he said, adding that its governor reports only to parliament, not the government.

Asked whether he would at least advise the bank to extend the transition period, Kurti replied: "I cannot also advise the central bank of Kosovo. The governor has his own advisers."

Referring to the basic agreement, Kurti said it was Belgrade that was hampering its implementation.

"I want the normalization of relations and I think that the signing of the basic agreement and its implementation annex can certainly cancel previous violations on one hand and, on the other hand can bring legal certainty for the future.

"The problem is that eight out of 11 articles of the basic agreement have been violated by Belgrade," Kurti said, mentioning a letter sent by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic to the European Union, in which, according to him, her government said they were withdrawing their pledge to the deal "because they will never recognize independence of Kosovo, never accept Kosovo's membership in the United Nations, and likewise they are not going to respect the territorial integrity of our country."

Referring to the forming of the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities, which is mentioned in Article 7 of the basic agreement, Kurti reiterated his government's statement from October 27, which blamed Serbia for refusing to sign the document endorsed by the leaders of France, Italy, and Germany.

"What more can I do? We are leaders who are supposed to turn the text that we have agreed upon into signed agreements. Obviously, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic initially said yes to the agreement without the intent to sign it and then regretted for saying yes, as Mrs. Brnabic's letter was explaining," Kurti said.

"I believe that whoever mentions an association of Serbian-majority municipalities outside the basic agreement or before it serving Serbia's quest to turn Kosovo into Bosnia," he said, adding that such an association has to be established within the framework of the Kosovar Constitution.

"In Brussels I said one cannot serve coffee without a cup. If you ask for coffee without a cup, I will show you an empty cup. The cup is the Republic of Kosovo. What is the legal framework of the Association? Is it constitution of Republic of Kosova or that of Serbia? If I'm there, it's constitution of Republic of Kosovo. No coffee without a cup.

"This is crucial to be understood. Belgrade wants to put cart before the horses. It's not possible. There will be no movement as we have seen since February and March last year," he said, adding that he was ready to go to Brussels again together with Vucic.

Referring to the frustration voiced by the United States and the European Union because of the lack of progress toward the Serbian dinar and the municipalities association, Kurti said that while they are indispensable partners, sometimes differences may arise.

"I consider United States indispensable ally, friend, and partner. But this does not mean that we have identic stance towards official Belgrade. As the prime minister of Kosovo, I cannot regard Belgrade with the eyes of State Department...they do not see Belgrade as I see them. We do not have an identical stance. We have a different experience and history," Kurti said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Fincantieri and Saipem have inked a pivotal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at exploring collaborative ventures in the realm of autonomous subsea vehicles, Trend reports via Saipem.

Fincantieri, the sole shipbuilding conglomerate globally immersed in all high-tech marine sectors, joins forces with Saipem, a frontrunner in engineering and constructing energy infrastructure both offshore and onshore.

The agreement sets the stage for joint endeavors targeting the surveillance and control of critical underwater infrastructure and rescue operations. Leveraging Fincantieri's expertise in surface vessels and submarines, and Saipem's trailblazing drone development program "Hydrone" engineered by Sonsub, the collaboration promises cutting-edge solutions for global challenges.

Saipem stands distinguished as the pioneer in deploying resident autonomous subsea drones, capable of intervention and inspection at staggering depths of up to 3,000 meters. These technological marvels, conceived and realized in the workshops of Marghera (Venice) and Trieste, have already demonstrated their efficacy in servicing underwater infrastructure for major energy corporations.

Meanwhile, Fincantieri's legacy in the underwater sector spans nearly a century, boasting 180 submarines constructed since 1929, including 105 at the renowned Muggiano shipyard. The company's strategic positioning, coupled with its prowess in integrating defense and civilian industries, underscores the vast potential for groundbreaking innovations.

By formalizing this MoU, Fincantieri and Saipem position themselves as frontrunners in the subsea domain, a sphere of growing strategic significance amidst evolving geopolitical landscapes. This partnership heralds a new era of collaboration, poised to redefine the future of autonomous underwater technology on a global scale.

Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn
Eight years ago, when voting results in Russian parliamentary elections pointed to a massive win for the Kremlin-aligned ruling party United Russia, an award-winning data analyst published a statistical analysis of voting patterns that he said indicated massive fraud.

The graphs from Sergei Shpilkin's findings from that election and earlier ones were so compelling that they entered popular culture as a Churov's Saw -- a jagged, bewildering zig-zag of anomalies named after the man who headed Russia's Central Election Commission from 2007-16.



Shpilkin repeated his model in the 2018 presidential election, asserting that Vladimir Putin may have been awarded about 10 million fraudulent votes.



Now journalists and at least one election researcher applied Shpilkin's model to the just-concluded election that officials say Putin won with nearly 87 percent of the vote, a record for Putin in his 25 years as the country's preeminent leader.



The Findings?



Novaya Gazeta Europe said Putin received at least 31.6 million fraudulent votes, out of about 75 million votes cast. Important Stories, meanwhile, concluded that around 22 million bad votes were given to Putin. Important Stories explained its lower estimate by saying it excluded Moscow's vote tallies because officials combined in-person votes with electronic online voting, and that may have distorted the analysis.



"Never before have we seen a presidential campaign that fell so far short of constitutional standards," Golos, a now-banned election watchdog organization, wrote in its summary report.

Asked by RFE/RL about the journalists' findings, Shpilkin, who last month was designated a "foreign agent" under a punitive Russian law aimed at restricting the work of journalists, civil society activists, and others, declined to comment.



In 2012, Shpilkin won a top Russian political science award for his work on the previous year's parliamentary election.



Outcomes Foretold



For Kremlin experts in and out of Russia, the outcome of the three-day election, which concluded on March 17, was never in doubt. The Kremlin had engineered the campaign to exclude even the semblance of a genuine challenge: A former lawmaker named Boris Nadezhdin who espoused an anti-war political stance while refraining from criticizing the Ukraine invasion, was prevented from appearing on the ballot based on a technicality.



The three contenders who did appear on the ballot were lawmakers or political figures who never criticized Putin or adopted positions that significantly differed from the incumbent's.

The man many Russians saw as a real political threat to Putin -- Aleksei Navalny -- had been shuffled in and out of punishment cells in remote prisons since being arrested in 2021. On February 16, Navalny was found dead in an Arctic prison, prompting an outpouring of outrage and grief.



Months ahead of the vote, the newspaper Kommersant and the news outlet Meduza, citing unnamed officials, said the Kremlin department responsible for overseeing the election had set a target of 70 percent voter turnout and for the winning candidate to get at least 75 percent of the vote.



In the days ahead of the vote, the state-funded pollster VTsIOM issued a survey predicting Putin would receive 82 percent of the vote, with 71 percent turnout.



Official results, announced on March 18 by the Central Election Commission, whose head is a loyal Kremlin appointee, showed that with 100 percent of ballots tallied, Putin had received 87.3 percent of the votes. Turnout was about 77.44 percent -- 87.1 million people -- of all eligible voters. Voting was also conducted illegally in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.



Those results are nearly 10 percentage points higher than Putin's 2018 election results.

But for years, officials have constrained any sort of independent or outside monitoring of voting procedures. Western observer missions have been blocked, Russian monitors like Golos have been forced to flee the country, and even Internet cameras used by monitors to observe hundreds of balloting precincts around the country have been taken down.



Shpilkin's analyses, meanwhile, have been embraced as a verifiable model that holds up to scrutiny and highlights just how election officials allegedly manipulate tallies.



In layman's terms, the model and the graphs derived from it show unusual, jagged anomalies in vote tallies over the course of balloting, as turnout increases. If there was no manipulation, according to this model, then the distribution of votes among Putin and the other candidates would appear smoother, with few sharp deviations.



Researchers say the anomalies can be explained by ballot counters entering fictitious tallies into official records.

Ivan Shukshin, a researcher with Golos, said he came to a similar conclusion using the Shpilkin model, independent of the media reports: 22 million fraudulent votes, a tally he said excluded online voting and voting in Ukrainian territories that Russia claims to have annexed.



Andras Toth-Czifra, a political and risk analyst with the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said Shpilkin's method is convincing but it tends not to catch more sophisticated forms of electoral manipulation, like coerced voting, or the preferences of those who did not participate.



The model, he said, also appears to indicate turnout figures that were "almost certainly significantly lower" than official numbers.



"This is important because engineering a high turnout was one of the main goals of the Kremlin, and the authorities put a lot of effort and resources toward achieving this," he told RFE/RL. "If getting the desired results still required them to invent tens of millions of votes, that tells a lot about the authorities' ability to mobilize voters."



Shukshin, the Golos expert, also concluded that one of Putin's challengers, Vladislav Davankov, had his vote tallies tweaked so that he ended up in third place, behind the candidate from the Communist Party.

Some opposition activists had urged people to vote for Davankov in the slim hope of forcing a second round of voting.

"This was the most filthily falsified presidential election in the country's history," Shukshin wrote.


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A County Roscommon man has spoken of his delight at attending the Oscars and congratulating Cillian Murphy, the Cork native who made history by becoming the first Irish-born person to win a best actor Oscar.

Kiltoom native, Martin J. Nolan, son of Mrs Kitty and the late Martin Nolan, Barrymore, had the honour of attending the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles.

Martin J. is an executive director and co-founder of the Juliens auctioneering firm in Los Angeles and he attended the event in the company of his friend and colleague, Hillary Rippts, who is a voting member of the Academy.

Kiltoom native Martin J. Nolan was delighted to attend the Oscars. Pic. Courtesy Martin J. Nolan

It was his fourth time to attend the prestigious event. It was the first time for an Irish born actor to win an Oscar. He was presented with the award for his role as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolans epic biopic Oppenheimer.

Taking to the stage, Murphy said he felt "a little overwhelmed" but said he was "a very proud Irish man standing here tonight".

Martin J told the Roscommon Herald that he was a very proud and happy Irish man to have the privilege of personally congratulating Cillian Murphy on his win.

He said that he found Cillian to be "an unassuming and humble individual".

Martin J also had "an interesting chat" on the night with internationally known actor, Nicholas Cage. He was interviewed about the event live from Los Angeles on the RTE One televisions the Today Show.
A County Roscommon glamping and camping business picked up a Digital Journey Award at this years County Enterprise Awards run by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), Roscommon.

Willowbrook Glamping and Hideaways, located on the Loughglynn Road in Ballaghaderreen, have set the trend for local accommodation in a relaxed and nature friendly setting.

Wes Pollington and Tuesday Whitfield run the business, which won the Digital Journey Award at the County Enterprise Awards.

On site, the couple provide glamping units and camping bays. Currently they have five glamping units, which will increase to eight for this summer as well as fifteen camping pitches.

Tuesdays parents started the business, with the couple taking over following their return from Australia in 2019 along with their daughter, Ziggy.

While down under, Wes worked as an engineer and project manager while Tuesday conducted art classes for people with disabilities.

We saw an opportunity to develop the business and were increasingly looking at new and different ideas as well as our accommodation offering. We also host school tours, birthday parties and host residential corporate team building events as well as wellness retreats.

We are also hoping to host bespoke music events, said Tuesday, adding: We have a 90% domestic market, but were hoping to expand our overseas market. We are also open from March to November each year.

Naturally, our busiest time of year is June, July and August. Its been a lot of hard work for both us but we feel its paying off, said Tuesday, who acknowledged the support of LEO in assisting their participation in the Start Your Own Business Course and availing of Online Trading Vouchers.
Easily locate nearby Cookie Booths with your zip code

Billings-Girl Scout Cookie season is a highly anticipated time of year for Montana and Wyoming residents. During this annual event, Girl Scouts unbox their future through the worlds largest entrepreneurial program for girls.

If you missed pre-ordering your favorite Girl Scout cookies, you can still indulge in your favorite treat by supporting girls at Cookie Booths beginning Friday, March 22. When you support Girl Scouts, you help girls flex their entrepreneurial muscles and acquire important life skills like goal setting, decision making, money managements, people skills, and business ethics.

From local grocery to large box stores, Girl Scout Troops will hold booth sales March 22 through April 14. Customers can find exact locations, dates, and times by visiting www.gsmw.org/findcookies. Simply enter your zip code to find a booth nearest to you.

Girl Scout Troops will feature up to nine varieties at their Cookie Booths this year: Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Trefoils, Adventurefuls, Lemonades, Toast-Yay!, and gluten/allergen free Caramel Chocolate Chip. The Caramel Chocolate Chip may not be available at all booths. Cookies will sell for $5 per package with the exception of the Caramel Chocolate Chip, which will sell for $6 per package.

Customers may also participate in the Care to Share program. Purchase a package or two from your local Girl Scout Troop and they will donate them to their local hometown heroes, food banks, service organizations, and much more.

If Cookie Booths are not available in your community, you can still support local Girl Scouts by purchasing online. Visit www.gsmw.org/findcookies to find a troop in your community, or support Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyomings outreach troops, which benefit underserved girls.

All of the net revenue raised through the Girl Scout Cookie Programevery penny after the baker is paidstays with the local council and troops. Girl Scout troops set goals for how to spend their proceeds on program-related activities including travel, camp, as well as investing back into their community through service projects.

The Sidney Girl Scouts Troop 2433 will be selling Girl Scout cookies from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. March 23 at Reynolds Market, Sidney; and 4-7 p.m., March 29 at The Market, Sidney. They'll also be doing a walkabout in Savage from 2-4 p.m., March 24.
The J.K. Ralston Preservation Committee is actively working to protect the iconic J.K. Ralston painting "General Sully at the Yellowstone" which is currently in the Nutter Building in downtown Sidney. Formerly the U.S. Post Office, the building is owned by Richland County and has housed multiple county entities over the years. It is now scheduled for some remodeling and potential new tenants.

Believing the arts were an important facet of life, the U.S. Department of the Treasury under President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Treasury Section of Fine Arts under the Federal Arts Project to create art for federally owned structures such as post offices and U.S. Department of Interior headquarters in Washington, DC.

"General Sully at the Yellowstone" is one of two works Ralston created under the Federal Arts Project. "The Fate of the Mail Carrier" which he painted first, is at the main post office in Sturgis, SD. Ralston painted the Sidney piece in 1942, depicting a scene from the General Alfred Sully Expedition into Dakota Territory in 1864. As in all his art, the scenes were historically accurate accounts of real life events.

Ralston is one of Montana's greatest treasures. According to his grand daughter A'Lisa Scott, he was born near the family ranch near Choteau where his grandfather had settled in the 1800s, a place now called Ralston Gap. In the early 1900s, when he was about nine years old, his father homesteaded at Charlie Creek in eastern Montana. He grew up during the open range days and was part of the Pot Hound Pool, a group of four or more ranches which would band together to round up their cattle from a 250 square mile area. He had an incredible memory and soaked in all the stories told around the campfires.

Ralston was always an artist, painting in oils by the age of eight or nine. He was also a historian, painting real life events and activities. He met his wife Willo in Miles City and they were married in 1923. They lived on the west coast for a few years where Ralston worked as a graphic artist but soon moved back to Montana. The family, now including two young children, moved back to the Charlie Creek ranch for a few years to help out when his father was ill. Imagine four adults and two children all living in a sod home in Eastern Montana! Scott's mother, Willo Marjorie (Margie) had strong memories of Charlie Creek and always said that's where she was from. The young family also lived in Fairview with Willo's family, the Arthauds, for three years during which time Ralston painted signs all over Eastern Montana for the Yale Oil Company.

In 1936, Ralston and his wife made the decision to dedicate their lives to his art and the family moved to Billings. He and his son built the log cabin which served as living and studio space in 1946. It is now part of the Western Heritage Center. According to Scott, they were, at times, 'poor as church mice' and sold illustrated greeting cards with poems to survive. From those humble beginnings grew an artist and historian beloved throughout the country. Ralston was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in 1978 and the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2012. He died in 1987 at the age of 91.

Scott is passionate about preserving not just her grandfather's work, but the history of Montana which it represents. She believes we all need to be stewards of our communities and that our history needs to be recorded, learned and heard. The tragic loss of the 33 foot long Ralston painting during the fire at the Jordan Inn in Glendive in 2023 was devastating to Scott and the art world. The J.K. Ralston Preservation Committee had just begun talks with the owners about preserving the painting.

She is honored and grateful that the Richland County Commissioners want to preserve the painting in the Nutter building. The commissioners are in phase I and, so far, have budgeted $3600 for Nikki Bailey-Will, MonDak Heritage Center director, and member of the J. K. Ralston Preservation Committee, to work with a conservator in Colorado to evaluate the possibility of extraction of the painting. If feasible, the project is estimated to cost approximately $100,000. Bailey-Will is also working with the J.K. Ralston Preservation Committee to locate grants to help pay for the project.

The commissioners also removed the 1931 Ralston painting "Buffalo Crossing the Missouri" from the courthouse during its remodel and relocated it to the MonDak Heritage Center for preservation. Having evolved from the original J.K. Ralston Museum, the MonDak has the largest public collection of Ralston art in the country according to Scott.
On Monday, March 18 at approximately 6:20 p.m. there was a 2-vehicle fatal crash seven miles west of New Town, ND.

A 2020 Ram 1500, driven by Darek Pederson, Blaine, MN was westbound on Highway 23 when the vehicle crossed over the centerline into the eastbound lanes and struck a 2023 Peterbilt Truck, driven by John Youngblood, 53, Ross, ND. The Ram 1500 came to rest in the center of the highway facing south while the Peterbilt came to rest in the south ditch of the eastbound lanes. Pederson was flown to Trinity Hospital and succumbed to his injuries. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash.

The road conditions at the time of the crash were good and dry and the weather was overcast.

The agencies who responded to the crash were Three Affiliated Tribes Police, North Dakota Highway Patrol, McKenzie County Sheriffs Office, New Town Fire, New Town Ambulance, and Trinity First Response.

The crash remains under investigation by the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
On behalf of the Richland County Commissioners, REDC Executive Director Leslie Messer applied for, and the county was approved for, a $45,000 grant from the Big Sky Economic Development arm of the Montana Coal Tax Fund.

The Big Sky Development Fund was established in 2005 to fund qualified economic development projects. The fund receives 25% (12.5%) total of the remaining coal severance tax revenue after deposits in the coal tax bond fund. It provides grants and loans to local governments for economic development projects and certified regional development corporations for the purpose of creating good paying jobs for Montana residents, promoting long-term, stable economic growth, encouraging local economic development organizations and retaining or expanding local businesses.

Messer said she had been aware of the board and grants for many years but thought there had to be direct impact in order to apply. With all the recent changes in Richland County such as the loss of Sidney Sugars, half the coal mine, and power generation, now was the time to apply.

The money will be used to hire a consultant who will go to every community in Richland County and determine what they would like to see in terms of development. Maybe a tech firm, maybe an ag processing company? We want to get an accurate pulse of where the citizens of today would like to focus new development priorities, Messer explained.

The Coal Board dollars were just the first part of Messers big plan. She said that when MDU was closing the power generating plant, they kept asking what they could do to help the community transition. Nothing was asked for at the time but Messer recently asked for, and received, $5000 to help pay for the consultant.

The next step is an application into the Economic Development Administration for a $100,000 grant. REDC will be competing with ten other states for $9 million in disaster relief funds. Richland County was declared a disaster after devastating straight line winds in 2020-21 but never received any assistance. The money is to be used for diversification and economic development strategies.

If fully funded by the EDA and MDU, Messer said REDC would seek requests for proposals the beginning of June, award the contract in July, and complete the project by December 2024.

Messer said she is learning from her colleagues who are dealing with various devastating changes to their economies. She said her inspiration for the consultant came from her colleague Jim Atchison in Colstrip and his actions after the coal-fired generators, 1 & 2 were shut down. His actions have resulted in a possible hydrogen project for the area.

REDC works hard to pair potential business with resources and contacts in the area and encourage economic growth. Visit them at 609 S. Central Ave., Sidney or call 406-482-4679.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has sent an expert team to Chicago to help the local officials manage a measles outbreak there.

The CDC team plans to assist local health officials in identifying people who are at risk of getting measles and providing clinical guidance as well as vaccination to both adults and kids. They would also arrange vaccination campaigns at several schools, shelters and other community centers.

"The majority of Chicagoans are vaccinated against measles and therefore are not at high risk but we are strongly urging those who aren't vaccinated to do so as soon as possible, new arrivals and all Chicagoans. It is by far the best protection against measles, which for the first time in years is in our city," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo "Simbo" Ige stated.

He added, "Because of how contagious measles is, I anticipate seeing more cases. Should you be exposed to someone who has measles, if you are not vaccinated you need to immediately quarantine and call a health provider. If you are not sure of your vaccination status, stay home and call your health provider as soon as possible."

Measles is a contagious disease and can be life-threatening in certain cases. It is spread through air or contact and can cause symptoms like mild to moderate fever, runny nose, cough, and red and watery eyes. Some people even suffer from stomach problems and pneumonia.

Last week, the Chicago Department of Public Health announced the first measles case in the area since 2019. However, the patient is recovering well.

Later, two more measles cases among children at a migrant shelter in the city's Pilsen neighborhood were reported. The health department stated that one child is doing well, whereas the other one is hospitalized but is in stable condition.

The department further found measles cases among adults in the shelter, leading the total number of cases to five. The adults are reportedly recovering well from the disease.

The health department along with health officials from Cook County Health, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Illinois-Chicago checked all the residents of the shelter and vaccinated over 900 of them. They are also providing MMR vaccines to the newly arrived migrants.

Last month, Florida reported an outbreak of measles, a disease considered to be eliminated from the U.S. in 2000.

The CDC report on measles outbreaks revealed that 45 cases were reported as of March this year, compared to a total of 58 cases in last year.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Capital market development has been discussed at the National Depository Center (NDC) in Azerbaijan, Trend reports, referring to the center.

According to NDC, an important meeting with key participants in the participants in the capital market took place. Elchin Alizade, Chairman of the NDC's Supervisory Board, and Umeyra Ibrahimova, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, attended the event, as did members of the NDC's Board of Directors and leaders from the country's leading investment firms.



Elchin Alizade, who delivered the opening statement, stressed the importance of the gathering and the need for increased cooperation among capital market participants. He detailed the proposed efforts to develop this area of the economy.

Following that, investment business representatives were given a brief presentation evaluating key statistical data, including reports on exchanges and OTC transactions, as well as the first presentation of a report on investors by the company's economic zones.



During the discussion of the goals outlined in the authorized capital market development strategies, the meeting attendees actively exchanged perspectives on current concerns. It was agreed that similar discussions should be held on a regular basis in order to effectively promote Azerbaijan's capital market.

The National Depository Center (NDC) is a participant in the participant in the securities market that serves as the consolidated depository for securities transactions. The NDC's goals are to provide depository, registration, and clearing services that satisfy international standards using current technology.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
President Joe Biden will host Philippines President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on April 11 at the White House for the first trilateral U.S.-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit.

At the summit, the leaders will advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, the White House said.

The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan. At the summit, the three leaders will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.

In addition, President Biden will host President Marcos for a meeting at the White House on April 11 to review the historic momentum in U.S.-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, and human rights and democracy. Biden will reaffirm the ironclad alliance between the two allied nations and emphasize U.S. commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Crude oil futures settled higher on Tuesday, rising for a second straight day, as traders continued to assess the impact of Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries on oil supplies.

With Ukraine continuing to attack Russian oil facilities, Russian refining capacity has already dropped by about 7% or approximately 370,500 barrels per day, according to a report by Reuters.

Oil prices were also supported by Iraq's decision to reduce crude exports to 3.3 million barrels per day in the coming months, in order to comply with its OPEC+ quota.

Signs of stronger demand from the U.S. and China contributed as well to the rise in oil prices. China has reported a 7% increase in industrial output in January-February combined, faster than the 6.8% growth in December 2023. Industrial output was expected to rise 5% in January-February.

West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for April ended higher by $0.75 at $83.47 a barrel.

Brent crude futures were up $0.51 at $87.40 a barrel a little while ago.

Traders now await the release of inventory reports from the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Energy Information Administration (EIA) for further direction. The API report is due later today, while the EIA will release its inventory data Wednesday morning.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Apple Inc. (AAPL) might equip its Watch Series 10 with a blood monitoring feature, reflecting the California-based company's efforts to enhance the monitoring capabilities of its devices, Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman said.

The proposed feature would help the users to track changes and detect early signs of diseases like hypertension and cardiovascular disease, leading to significant improvement in health conditions.

However, Gurman cautioned that the functioning of the anticipated feature will be limited initially due to the challenges of scaling down such on a small device. Even though the feature could record blood pressure readings, it could not offer precise insights.

Gurman said that the new series would also introduce new hardware specifically designed for blood pressure monitoring.

The anticipated feature has been already introduced by Samsung on its Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 5. Huawei also boasts of a similar feature on its Watch D.

Notably, the tech giant's Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 are equipped to measure heart rate and blood oxygen, and track sleep cycle.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Technology News
To better rival Royal Enfield, Honda and Jawa neo-retro motorcycles, Yezdi Customs lineup revealed features stylistic and unique approach

Recently, at a dealership meeting, Classic Legends motorcycle company showcased 4 Yezdi motorcycles on stage. One of those motorcycles went viral as the iconic Roadking (name not confirmed). Now, the information on the other three motorcycles has been revealed. All four of these are likely to launch in India.

Yezdi Customs Lineup Revealed

The recent dealer meeting event from Classis Legends witnessed the showcase of four Yezdi branded motorcycles. These four motorcycles fall under Yezdi Customs lineup and these will be sold alongside standard motorcycles already launched by the company.

After witnessing a new red Yezdi motorcycle with updated hardware and componentry, we couldnt help but wonder what the three motorcycles displayed on stage, packed with them. The secrets are out now. One of those three motorcycles is a more retro version of the one we covered recently. Interestingly, it looked like it had a bigger engine, as seen in the picture above.

It dons a similar overall design, except for a unique and larger single exhaust unit. Fuel tank is similar to recently spotted motorcycle, but has different colours. Engine area is finished in silver, bashplate in black and front RSU telescopic forks lack gaiters. Other components like rear mono-shock, twin instrument cluster, alloy wheels, and seat were identical to recently revealed bike.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Classic Jawa & Yezdi (@classic_jawa)

Adventure Rally Pro

Based on Yezdi Adventure, Adventure Rally Pro is geared less towards touring and concentrates more towards off-roading. We can see a lot weight shed from standard Adventure by getting rid of touring-oriented chunky rear grab rail. There seems to be a new subframe along with a much flatter split seat setup and a tail tidy.

Side body panel now says Rally Pro and there is a Yezdi Customs sticker on fuel tank. Both features some kind of topographical pattern of a location. We would say Himalayan mountain range, but it could be anything. We can see a brand new handlebar along with new and sleeker ORVMs and knuckle guards as well.

1 of 3

Instrument cluster remains the same fully digital unit with navigation support. Were not sure if these knobby would be road-legal.

Streetfighter 334

This is the most appealing one of the bunch owing to its enticing twin-pod single-sided exhaust setup. Streetfighter 334 is the only one of this bunch to feature a rounded fuel tank from Scrambler and Roadster, while others feature the more angular tank from Adventure.

Based on the Scrambler, it features a slightly less angular seat with ribbed pattern along with that lovely exhaust setup. Theres no grabrail like on Scrambler, but the same tail tidy continues. Features like rear twin shock setup, headlights, single round fully digital instrument cluster, RSU telescopic front forks with gaiters, wire-spoke wheels and tyres remain similar to Scrambler.

Where powertrains are concerned, all the motorcycles falling under the new Yezdi Customs lineup revealed, will get the same engine. This 334cc DOHC 4V liquid cooled engine generates around 29 bhp and 29 Nm, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Launch could happen soon, targeting Royal Enfields and Hondas popular neo-retro motorcycles.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The EU looks forward to cooperating with Azerbaijan to achieve a successful outcome at COP29, as stated by the Council of the European Union (EU) in its Green Diplomacy Council conclusions, Trend reports.

"The Council expresses gratitude to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for hosting the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai and commends the adoption of the UAE consensus. In order to secure the success and aspirations of COP29 and COP30, it anticipates cooperative efforts with all partners, including the Troika - the UAE and the upcoming COP Chairs - Azerbaijan and Brazil.

Furthermore, the Council urges partners to work with the EU to develop a unified strategy for carbon pricing, which is acknowledged as the most successful and economical way to reduce emissions," the Council's conclusions said.

The decision to host COP29 in Azerbaijan was officially announced in Dubai on December 11, 2023.



Besides Azerbaijan, both Armenia and Bulgaria nominated their candidatures. However, after direct negotiations between the Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia on December 7, 2023, Armenia decided to withdraw its candidacy in favor of Azerbaijan. Bulgaria followed suit and also withdrew its candidacy.



On January 4, 2024, Mukhtar Babayev, Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, was appointed as President of COP29.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. COP29 carries significant meaning in terms of Azerbaijan's foreign policy priorities, adviser to the Academy of Public Administration under the President and Chairman of the Baku Political Scientists Club Zaur Mammadov told Trend.

He emphasized that only a few global platforms worldwide facilitate the discussion of highly relevant and significant issues.

"The COP activities are one such venue. During last year's COP28 in the United Arab Emirates, there were a number of differences on different topics. There is a great deal of expectation that the Baku conference would address and settle these disputes, especially those that exist between industrialized and developing countries.

COP29 in Baku presents a substantial opportunity to endorse a statement concerning climate change as well as the future production and consumption of both traditional and alternative energy resources. The hosting of COP29 in Baku was made possible with the unanimous consent of all members of the international community," Mammadov said.

The expert pointed out that precise goals were set for developed and developing countries' assistance in the fight against climate change during the 2009 Copenhagen conference.

"The main goal at this point is to agree in Baku on the precise target amount after the initial $100 billion in help for climate change. COP29 is very important for Azerbaijan's foreign policy goals and international reputation. The topics of discussion in Baku will include current issues and trends in global development. Overall, Baku will be the center of attention for the world, and tens of thousands of foreign delegates are anticipated to attend. Azerbaijan is well-positioned to manage this important duty," he continued.

The decision to hold COP29 in Azerbaijan was officially announced in Dubai on December 11, 2023, enabling Azerbaijan to host the above event in November.

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Barbara Chambers as been managing Bay Books for the past 27 years, however in the next month the store will be force to vacate their 4000 sq. ft. space to make way for future high end retailers.

San Diegos South Bay has more than 300,000 people and only one independent bookstore.

Bay Books has been a fixture on Coronados Orange Avenue for 28 years. Angelica Ayala Muller, the stores owner, doesnt know if theyll make it to 29.

The issue isnt lost revenue to online retailers like Amazon; the store actually turns a profit, Muller said.

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The uncertainty of Bay Books future lies with its new landlord. Kleege Enterprise bought almost the entire block of Orange Avenue between 10th Street and C Avenue for $22 million last year.

When the new owners bought the block, they initially told the bookstore its rent would nearly triple, Muller said.

We panicked, she said.

Muller came up with a counter-offer: Bay Books will cut its square footage in half and pay its current rent. Negotiations are ongoing and Kleege has been open, professional and courteous throughout the process, Muller said.

Bruce Kleege, the president of Kleege Enterprise, has an ambitious vision for the block.

He plans to create an inside-out concept with walkways that people can use to get from Orange Avenue to an open courtyard in the middle of the block. The courtyard can host small concerts or farmers markets, and restaurants on Orange Avenue will have front and back entrances.

Were hoping this will be the premier block in Coronado and were hoping the restaurants we have there will be the top three or four in Coronado, Kleege said. I think people will start coming from outside Coronado just for a dining experience. Were not only trying to attract the people of Coronado and the tourists of Coronado, but the people of San Diego.

Some of the existing businesses, such as Leroys Kitchen, Moo-Time Creamery, and Bungalow 56, will stay on the block. But to make room for newcomers, businesses that have been on that block for decades are going to have to leave.

Some already have.

Since the purchase date, a surf shop and Coronados only towing garage closed. The town newspaper moved down the block and another store is in the middle of a going-out-of-business sale.

Twenty-one years in business and it all comes down to a 50-percent-off sale, said Tad Walicki, the owner of a boutique gift shop called Forget-Me-Not.

Walicki is sad to leave. But it couldve been worse. The landlord originally asked him to leave at the end of June but allowed him to stay until the end of July so that he could sell off his inventory.

Ultimately, it comes down to money. As a business man, Walicki doesnt take it too personally.

The more money you have, the more rights you have, thats America, Walicki said. And I agree with this. If I had lots of money I would not let them do this to me. Then again, if I had lots of money, I probably wouldnt be here.

Around Coronado, long-time residents are concerned changes to the block will disrupt their small-town community.

At Bay Books, employee Barbara Chambers has spent all summer having the same conversation with customers over and over again.

First they ask if the bookstore will stay open, then they say the town is turning into a strip mall.

They dont want Coronado to be La Jolla; they want Coronado to be Coronado, Chambers said. Everybodys talking about it in town now.

Barbara Chambers has been managing Bay Books in Coronado for the past 27 years. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Kleege, who bought a house in Coronado five years ago, is sensitive to the issue. His goal is to have as many local ties as possible with new businesses.

The poke store that is set to replace Island Surf is owned by two people, including one Navy veteran, raising their families in Coronado. The owner of the Buona Forchetta, the restaurant that will replace El Cordova Garage, recently bought a house in Coronado. So did Sam Fox, the owner of the restaurant group behind True Food Kitchen who will open a restaurant were Costa Azul currently operates, Kleege said.

We want to keep the character of the block right there and increase the traffic so that the retail stores that are there and remain can sustain themselves, Kleege said. I dont think its going to take away from Coronado. I think its going to add tremendously.

Brant Sarber doesnt agree with Kleeges vision.

Sarber opened Costa Azul 18 years ago to be a place where locals can get dinner and a drink for reasonable prices.

When the new owners bought the block, they told Sarber they planned to have more fine-dining restaurants and gave him the opportunity to write a proposal of how Costa Azul could change to fit their vision. Sarber offered to raise prices a little bit and make a few changes to the menu. But other than that, he wasnt interested in changing.

Nobodys really caring about the locals anymore, he said. All they are caring about are the part-time residents, the tourists, and the people with money. Youre not going to be able to get an $8.95 hamburger and French fries anymore. Everything is going to be $20.95.

Costa Azuls lease expires in August.

Whats happening to Orange Avenue is part of a bigger change in Coronado, Sarber said.

When he grew up in Coronado, it was a military town where Navy families could rent a house for a couple of years before being assigned to another base. Now military families tend to rent south in Imperial Beach or more inland because Coronado is too expensive.

People buying homes tend to buy vacation homes instead of primary residences. On Sarbers block, more than 10 houses are empty throughout the week, Sarber said.

The whole town is just losing its charm, he said.

Kleege hopes the project will be up for design review within a month and residents will be able to see his vision. His tentative timeline is to turn the garage and Costa Azul to the new restaurants in September.

If Kleeges plans for the block are approved, he would start all of the tenant improvements with the goal of opening March or April of next year.

We dont want to go into next summer without it being at least 90 percent finished, he said.

Whether Bay Books will be part of that remains an open question. Kleege said hed prefer to keep the bookstore and is trying to get them to stay by putting them somewhere on the block.

Bay Books cant stay in business with an increased rent so their best option is to keep their current rent and downsize. Negotiations are ongoing, but the store doesnt have a lot of time to wait.

Bookstores order new books from publishers months in advance. The store already ordered books for the rest of 2018, but if they want next years titles, they will have to order them soon. Muller doesnt want to spend the money ordering books until she knows if shell have a store.

Coronado and the South Bay risk losing more than just another business if the bookstore closes, Muller added.

What message are we sending to new generations, she asked. If we dont teach our children to read, to question, to explore knowledge, were doomed.

Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Around 10,744 tourists from Central Asian countries visited Azerbaijan in February 2024, which is 95.31 percent higher than the figure for the same period in 2023 (5,501), Trend reports.

According to the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, the number of tourists from Kazakhstan amounted to 4,352 (150 percent year-on-year growth), Uzbekistan at 2,877 (55 percent year-on-year growth), Turkmenistan at 2,584 (74 percent year-on-year growth), Kyrgyzstan at 504 (112 percent year-on-year growth), and Tajikistan at 427 (141 percent year-on-year growth).

Azerbaijan was visited by 22,254 tourists from Central Asian countries from January through February this year, which is 106 percent higher than the figure for the same period in 2023 (10,810 people).

To note, a total of 340,836 foreigners visited Azerbaijan from January through February of the current year, which is 46.55 percent more than in the same period of 2023 (232,567).

Meanwhile, 2,086,548 foreigners visited Azerbaijan in 2023, which is more than 30.2 percent higher than the figure of 2022 (1,602,600), and 134,589 people from Central Asian countries, which is 82.31 percent higher than the figure of 2022 (73,823).

Overall, 545,730 people visited Azerbaijan from Central Asian countries from 2017 through 2023 (from Kazakhstan: 225,124; Turkmenistan: 145,216; Uzbekistan: 135,941; Kyrgyzstan: 21,296; Tajikistan: 18,153).

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President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili condemned the elections conducted by Russia in the occupied territories of Georgia and noted that she raised this issue today during her meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg."It is completely unacceptable and illegal to hold the presidential elections of the Russian Federation in the occupied regions of Georgia. This once again grossly violates Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity and completely contradicts international norms.Today, as Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region remain occupied, I appeal to the international community to respond appropriately to these illegal actions of the Russian Federation, which undermine the country's sovereignty.The President of Georgia raised this issue with Jens Stoltenberg today during the meeting held at the Orbeliani Palace and condemned it once again," reads the statement issued by the President's administration.President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili hosted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Orbeliani Palace, discussing Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration progress. They also touched on the war in Ukraine, Russia's aggression, and the need for international solidarity with Ukraine."Additionally, amidst heightened regional threats due to the conflict in Ukraine and Russia's aggressive actions, the parties underscored the importance of Black Sea security.The NATO Secretary General reiterated his steadfast support for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty during the meeting with the President.The discussion during the meeting also addressed the holding of Russian Federation presidential elections in Georgia's occupied regions. The President emphasized that such actions grossly violate Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, flagrantly disregarding international norms.Furthermore, the President highlighted the situation in the occupied territories, including the Bichvinta country houses, the military-naval fleet in Ochamchire, and Sokhumi airport," the information reads.
The tricarbon molecule (C 3 ) is likely produced in the upper atmosphere of Titan by the reaction of abundant acetylene with atomic carbon.

Among our Solar Systems more than 150 known moons, Saturns largest moon Titan is the only one with a substantial atmosphere.

And of all the places in the Solar System, Titan is the only place besides Earth known to have liquids in the form of rivers, lakes and seas on its surface.

Titan is larger than the planet Mercury and is the second largest moon in our Solar System. Jupiters moon Ganymede is just a little bit larger (by about 2%).

Titans atmosphere is made mostly of nitrogen, like Earths, but with a surface pressure 50% higher than Earths.

Titan has clouds, rain, rivers, lakes and seas of liquid hydrocarbons like methane and ethane.

Home to a thick and chemically diverse atmosphere, Titan stands out among the giant planets icy satellites, as one of the most thoroughly studied objects in the Solar System, said Dr. Rafael Silva, an astronomer with Observatorio Astronomico de Lisboa and the University of Lisbon.

Titans atmosphere works like a planetary-sized chemical reactor, producing many complex carbon-based molecules.

Of all the atmospheres we know in the Solar System, it is the most similar to the one we think existed on the early Earth.

Methane, which on Earth is a gas, provides information about geological processes and potentially about biological processes.

It is a molecule that does not survive long in the atmospheres of Earth or Titan because it is quickly and irreversibly destroyed by solar radiation.

For this reason, on Titan, methane must be being replenished by geological processes, such as the release of underground gas.

In their study, Dr. Silva and his colleagues analyzed high resolution visible spectra of Titan obtained with the UVES high-resolution visible and ultraviolet spectrograph on ESOs Very Large Telescope.

They were able to identify 97 absorption lines for methane as well as one for the tricarbon molecule.

Even in high-resolution spectra, methane absorption lines are not strong enough with the amount of gas we can have in a lab on Earth, Dr. Silva said.

But on Titan we have an entire atmosphere, and the path that light travels through the atmosphere can be hundreds of km long.

This makes the different bands and lines, which have a weak signal in laboratories on Earth, very evident on Titan.

In the Solar System, the tricarbon molecule, which manifests itself as a bluish emission, was until now only known in the material surrounding the nucleus of a comet.

The absorption lines on Titan that we associated with tricarbon are few and of low intensity, despite being very specific to this type of molecules, so new observations will be carried out in the future to try to confirm this detection.

The more we know about the different molecules that participate in the chemical complexity of Titans atmosphere, the better we will understand the type of chemical evolution that may have allowed, or be related to, the origin of life on Earth.

Some of the organic matter that contributed to the origin of life on Earth is thought to have been produced in its atmosphere by processes relatively similar to those we observed on Titan.

A paper on the findings was published in the journal Planetary and Space Science.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 19. The Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov has held a meeting with the Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) Nikolai Podguzov on the prospects for further expansion of investment cooperation, Trend reports.

Bektenov stressed the significance of drawing capital to carry out the President of State's extensive infrastructure projects, which include building housing, modernizing housing and public utilities, building road networks, and supplying gas.

"The funding of significant infrastructure projects ought to be the bank's top priority. We are ready to expand cooperation with the bank on mutually beneficial terms," Olzhas Bektenov said.

Nikolai Podguzov, in turn, provided an update on the financial institution's stability. Thus, EDB has seen a $125 million increase in revenue as a result of the actions taken. The bank's credit rating has been kept at the highest level of the CCXI in the Chinese market, "AAA," as well as the sovereign rating of Kazakhstan, "BBB-" (S&P). Furthermore, the portfolio's quality was enhanced and the proportion of past-due payments decreased.

The meeting attendees acknowledged the rise in Kazakhstan's yearly investment share in EDB and underlined the possibility of bolstering the bank's investment activities even further.

To note, last year EDB financed a number of investment projects in various sectors of the national economy of Kazakhstan. Among them were a plant for the production of polypropylene, the purchase of mainline diesel locomotives, the construction of wind farms in the Kostanay region, and others. Kazakhstan's share of annual investments increased from 48.5 percent in 2022 to 59 percent in 2023.

This year, new EDB investments in the economy of Kazakhstan will amount to at least $1 billion. The pool of priority projects for the current year covers transport, industry, energy and environmental improvement, agribusiness, as well as the construction and modernization of social infrastructure.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 19. The Zhongda oil refinery plant in Kyrgyzstan, located in the city of Kara-Balta in the Chuy region, is set to resume operations at its previous capacity after reconstruction in the second quarter of 2024, Trend reports.

This announcement came from the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan within the frame of the Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Akylbek Japarov's working trip to the Chuy region.

During his visit, Japarov inspected the progress of repair works, the production capabilities of the plant, and the prospects for the development of the oil refining sector. He instructed relevant authorities to provide support for the successful launch of the enterprise, considering its existing potential, job opportunities, and contribution to the country's economic development.

Major repairs at the plant began in November of last year, with plans for further modernization scheduled for this autumn.

The production capacity of the oil refinery plant for processing crude oil is 800,000 tons per year. The investor for the plant construction was the China Petrol Company Zhongda, with an investment volume totaling $250 million. The technical launch of the refinery took place in early September 2013, with the first products being rolled out only in January 2014. However, during its operation, the plant experienced several shutdowns.
After losing most of his sight in high school, Roel Garcia graduated from college, became a journalist, and then a teacher.

Although his vision loss once isolated him, Roel Garcia learned to adapt and challenge himself.

In June 1986 I was an average, somewhat nerdy and mostly quiet teenager who lived on a ranch in South Texas. It was the summer between my freshman and sophomore years at San Diego High School and I was looking ahead to my burgeoning independence.I began driving to a nearby town, where I made new friends. Our home telephone rang more often, and the callers asked for me. For someone like me, this was cool. It could only get better, and I was looking forward to the future.And then July came, my whole world turned upside down, and my life forever changed.Over the course of a few weeks, my vision dramatically changed. Routine things became impossible. I was unable to see dashboard dials in the truck; I lost the ability to read books; and then I was unable to make eye contact with people. And I lost the ability to drive.In a short span of time, a hazy reddish-green cloudy mass covered the central portion of my visual field. I was able to only see peripherally.My independence was lost.Panic gripped me and my family. After a slew of visits to eye specialists, there was no definitive answer as to what it was or what caused this sudden onset of vision loss. More than five years passed before a specialist attributed my eye condition to optic neuropathy, but no cause has ever been given.At an emotional loss, I remained at the ranch, isolated, not seeing the point of going anywhere since I was able to see little more than snippets. During sophomore year of high school, I was categorized as homebound and a teacher came out to the ranch several days a week for a few hours. My grades suffered and my top 10 ranking plummeted.The self-imposed isolation brought on depression. For months, I saw no one other than my family and the homebound teacher. My bedroom became my haven.With encouragement from family, I reluctantly resumed attending school regularly, but it was so uncomfortable for me. I stood out. I was the blind kid.Gradually, my vision improved by my senior year and I was able to wear glasses. A small gap in that cloudy mass opened up, allowing me to regain some of my central vision in my right eye.In spite of this, I was never able to drive a car again. And most of my central vision never returned.I managed to graduate high school with some effort, then moved on to college at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, about 40 miles from my house. I was unprepared for college and had no direction. I was lost once more. But I had to attend college, as there was no alternative.It took me a few years and some missteps before I settled into English. Eventually, I received my Bachelor of Arts in English and history. A few years later I earned my Master of Arts degree in English.All set, right? Wrong. I struggled after graduating, with no idea what came next with this master's degree. I fell back on journalism, since I wrote for the college newspaper.I ended up working at a local newspaper in Alice, Texas. It was a great experience. The job taught me to write more effectively. I also met many people and became more extroverted. And my vision disability seemed not to affect me. I used a mini tape recorder to record interviews, and I hitched rides with other reporters to get to my sources. It was a solid start.That newspaper job did so much for my self-esteem that when I moved to Holland in late 2003, I was ready for the challenge at a bigger newspaper market. I applied at The Holland Sentinel and got the job as night reporter.The position challenged me because I attended to breaking news at night. That meant going to fires, car crashes, drownings on Lake Michigan. I once even attended ice-rescue training in February at Holland State Park. I never let my vision disability stop me from doing my job, even though it was difficult at times.After six years, it was time for change and to utilize my masters degree. In 2009 I transitioned to Grand Rapids Community College, where I became an adjunct English instructor.It was during this time and with this position at GRCC when I fully embraced my disability. I underwent mobility training and started using a cane in 2013. JAWS reading software became part of my daily life to assist in reading (listening) to students assignments. And I began taking MAX bus service to the various GRCC Lakeshore Campus locations. In 2023, I won the Excellence in Education award for adjuncts at GRCC.Another teaching opportunity afforded itself in early 2022. I took on a second job as an instructor in English as a second language for Zeeland Adult Education in the Holland community. It is an enriching job teaching immigrants to speak English. I benefit from the job because I get to experience so many different cultures.I think back to the statement I made earlier, where I said I lost my independence. Did I really? While I lost a great deal of my vision, I gained so much in life. I gained new perspectives. I use skills I had no idea existed in me, and I persevered despite my vision disability.I survived and I am independent.This article is a part of the multi-year series Disability Inclusion , exploring the state of West Michigans growing disability community. The series is made possible through a partnership with Centers for Independent Living organizations across West Michigan.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 19. Kyrgyz Temir Zholu (Kyrgyzstan Railways) National Company has initiated the next phase of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway construction project, Trend reports.

The statement was issued by the company's press service. It was reported that officials of the Chinese Railways state enterprise met with the leadership of Kyrgyz Temir Zholu in Jalal-Abad city.

During the meeting, the Chinese delegation, along with their Kyrgyz counterparts, conducted inspections of construction sites and future railway routes to gather additional information and optimize the technical and economic justification of the project.

The next stages have been established and precise measures have been devised for additional planning and design as a result of joint efforts. There are upcoming scheduled trips to building sites in the Naryn region, as well as meetings and consultations in Bishkek.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, a planned 454-kilometer rail line, is intended to connect China's and Uzbekistan's railways through Kyrgyzstan's territory and further link up with the European railway network through Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkiye.
Financial technology and support specialist Fintel reported a 5.6% increase in adjusted EBITDA in its 2023 results on Tuesday, to 20.5m, with a margin improvement to 31.5%.

The AIM-traded firm said the growth came amid substantial investments both organically and through mergers and acquisitions.

It said its core software-as-a-service (SaaS) and subscription revenue experienced a modest rise of 2.2% to 37.6m, but when adjusted for specific contractual changes and acquisitions, that revenue saw a more significant uptick of 11.8% on a like-for-like basis.

Overall core revenue edged up by 0.3% to 56.6m.

In 2023, Fintel completed four strategic acquisitions with an initial net cash outlay of 13.3m, contributing 1.5m in core revenue for the year.

Despite aggressive investment strategies, Fintel said it maintained a strong financial position with 12.7m in cash and significant credit facilities available for future investments.

Its net cash position stood at 1.7m, a decrease from the prior year due to the focus on business expansion and merger and acquisition activities.

Adjusted earnings per share remained steady at 12.2p, with a proposed final dividend increase of 6.2% to 3.45p per share.

Strategically, Fintel said it had concentrated on expanding its core activities, enhancing its technology and service platforms, and growing through acquisitions to augment its scale, intellectual property, and capabilities.

Notable growth was seen in SaaS and subscription revenues, fintech software, and distribution-as-a-service revenues.

The company also invested 4.8m organically into its technology and service platforms, launching new modules, and expanding its product offerings.

Fintel said the year's merger and acquisition activity aimed at increasing its scale and capabilities, and brought promising additions to the portfolio including MICAP, Competent Adviser, VouchedFor and AKG.

Since the period ended, it had acquired Owen James and Synaptic Software, alongside an investment in Plannr through Fintel Labs.

Looking ahead, Fintel's trading remained aligned with expectations, with the board expecting benefits from an improving mortgage market in 2024.

The company said it was well-prepared to capitalise on positive market dynamics, regulatory changes, and the growing demand for technology and data in financial services.

2023 has been a defining year for Fintel - we have delivered a resilient financial performance and significant progress against our strategy, which balances growth across our core activities, organic investment and complementary mergers and acquisitions, said joint chief executive officer Matt Timmins.

We are executing our strategy at pace, enhancing our service and technology platform, increasing our scale and reach, and strengthening our position at the heart of the UK retail financial services sector to inspire better outcomes for all.

Timmins said the cash-generative nature of Fintels business, underpinned by its financial resources, positioned the firm well to capitalise on the favourable market conditions for mergers and acquisitions, while delivering further organic growth and value to stakeholders.

In the new financial year to date, we are trading in line with expectations and remain well positioned to take advantage of opportunities in our market.

At 1056 GMT, Fintel shares were down 4.23% at 272p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
P&O Ferries, which controversially sacked about 800 workers in 2022, has paid some crew members less than half the UK minimum wage thanks to an ongoing legal loophole the British government promised to close two years ago. Agency workers at the company, which is owned by the Dubai-based DP World, have in some cases been earning about 4.87 an hour  even lower than the 5.15 an hour the company suggested was its lowest pay rate  an analysis of recent payslips conducted by the Guardian and ITV News suggests.  Guardian

A 58bn plan to rewire Great Britains electricity grid to connect up new windfarms off the coast of Scotland is expected to trigger tensions with communities along the route. National Grids electricity system operator (ESO) has mapped out power motorways across Great Britain to allow for the biggest investment since the 1960s.  Guardian

Heathrows inability to expand means it has lost its status as a global transport hub, the boss of Dubai Airports has said. Paul Griffiths, formerly managing director of Gatwick Airport before he moved to the Middle East, said Heathrow is suffering from a shortage of capacity amid an ongoing debate over a prospective third runway.  Telegraph

Mike Lynch has been accused of masterminding a multiyear, multilayered fraud at Autonomy that tricked HP into massively overpaying for the business. On the first day of Mr Lynchs criminal trial in San Francisco on Monday, the court heard accusations that the tech entrepreneur spun a fabulous tale to lure HP into paying $11bn (8.6bn) for Autonomy.  Telegraph

Britain's car industry has insisted that an unprecedented 2,000% increase in vehicle exports to Azerbaijan has nothing to with Russia and is explained by the fact that the former Soviet state is a "flourishing market in its own right". Sky analysis has found that the British car sector sent another 40m worth of cars to Azerbaijan in the first month of this year, raising fresh questions about whether those cars were being sent there to circumvent sanctions on Russia.  Sky News
Unilever rallied as it announced plans to spin off its ice cream division by the end of 2025, and cut 7,500 jobs across its global operations. The consumer goods giant also said its productivity programme was expected to deliver total cost savings of around 800m over the next three years.

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: "When the market was speculating about steps Unilever might take to revive its fortunes, a spin-off of its ice cream division had not been that widely discussed - even if political pronouncements from Ben & Jerrys had provoked a meltdown among some investors.

"A side benefit of the brand exiting Unilevers portfolio is it might quieten the go woke and go broke noise but more widely the reasoning for the decision looks pretty sound.

"It costs the company more to sustain the ice cream business, there is a different supply chain because it is dealing with frozen goods and its more seasonal than the companys other roster of brands."

Haleon was in the black after Pfizer sold a larger-than-expected stake in the consumer healthcare group, taking its interest down to 22.6% from 32%.

Pfizer was planning to sell around 630m shares in a public offering but the size of the offering was increased to just over 790.5m.

Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey fell in tandem with Crest Nicholson, after the housebuilder said it had become aware of build defects on four sites that were completed prior to 2019 that could cost it up to 15m to remediate.

FTSE 100 - Risers

Unilever (ULVR) 3,938.50p 3.33%

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 398.40p 2.15%

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 158.60p 1.37%

BAE Systems (BA.) 1,321.00p 1.23%

Haleon (HLN) 318.80p 1.21%

Shell (SHEL) 2,590.00p 1.15%

Smurfit Kappa Group (CDI) (SKG) 3,576.00p 1.02%

Standard Chartered (STAN) 656.60p 0.98%

British American Tobacco (BATS) 2,421.00p 0.92%

Rio Tinto (RIO) 4,930.00p 0.90%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Fresnillo (FRES) 439.90p -4.62%

Reckitt Benckiser Group (RKT) 4,381.00p -4.24%

Airtel Africa (AAF) 91.65p -2.96%

Burberry Group (BRBY) 1,226.00p -2.39%

Centrica (CNA) 127.00p -2.04%

Persimmon (PSN) 1,263.50p -2.02%

Glencore (GLEN) 414.45p -1.93%

Entain (ENT) 760.80p -1.83%

Ocado Group (OCDO) 454.30p -1.71%

Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 137.00p -1.65%
Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL) has been honored with the prestigious International Safety Award for 2023 by the British Safety Council, in recognition of its unwavering commitment to ensuring the health and safety of workers and workplaces. Out of 1,124 organizations worldwide that received the award, AVPPL stands among the distinguished 269 winners, highlighting its exemplary dedication to maintaining the highest safety standards across all operations.

Expressing gratitude for the recognition, Ashwani Gupta, CEO of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), emphasized the collective effort of the entire team in upholding rigorous safety protocols. This accolade reaffirms AVPPL's position in spearheading the development of the safest port infrastructure in the nation.

APSEZ, a vital entity within the globally diversified Adani Group, has transcended its role as a port company to become an integrated transport utility, offering end-to-end solutions from port gate to customer gate.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of British Safety Council, commended AVPPL for its remarkable achievement, underscoring the pride that each member of the organization should feel for their dedication to safety.

As the largest port developer and operator in India, APSEZ commands a significant presence with seven strategically located ports and terminals on both the west and east coasts, handling a substantial 27% of the country's total port volumes. This expansive network enables the efficient management of cargo from coastal regions and hinterlands alike.

international trade. Moreover, APSEZ's endeavors extend beyond India's borders, with the ongoing development of a transshipment port in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and the operation of Haifa Port in Israel, reflecting its global aspirations and commitment to facilitating

Through its relentless pursuit of safety and operational excellence, AVPPL and APSEZ continue to set benchmarks in the maritime industry, ensuring the well-being of their workforce and the efficiency of their operations on a global scale.
Bob Lovell, esteemed founding agent and owner of Home Marketing Services (HMS), has redefined the landscape of real estate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area through his innovative approach to home buying. With decades of experience under his belt, Lovell identified the pain points of traditional home shopping early in his career and set out to transform the process into a seamless and client-centric experience. He empathizes with the challenges people face when it comes to purchasing a home, such as qualifying for a home loan or affording a substantial down payment.

Recognizing the frustration of touring numerous homes that failed to meet the needs of buyers, Lovell realized the inefficiency and time wastage inherent in the conventional approach. He observed that many real estate agents prioritized their own agendas over the preferences of their clients, leading to unnecessary stress and disappointment. As Bob understands the feeling of owning a home that provides a sense of stability and security, knowing that one must have a permanent place to call his home.

In response to this challenge, Bob Lovell established Home Marketing Services with a clear mission to prioritize the homebuyer's needs above all else. The benefits of homeownership encompass both personal and financial advantages, as well as lifestyle enhancements that contribute to a fulfilling and secure living experience. Central to their methodology is a comprehensive understanding of the client's desires and requirements. Before showcasing any properties, the HMS team conducts in-depth consultations to gain insights into the client's ideal community, desired amenities, and essential home features.

By adopting this personalized approach, HMS ensures that clients are presented only with homes that align perfectly with their criteria, eliminating the frustration of visiting unsuitable properties. Moreover, in instances where existing inventory falls short of meeting client needs, HMS leverages its strong relationships with top-tier homebuilders in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to provide bespoke solutions. He and his colleagues at HMS work with multiple builders, providing a wide range of floor plans, and have affiliations with preferred lenders to meet the demands of all our clients. His goal is to enable people to go from renting to buying the homes of their dreams. His approach helped thousands of Dallas-area clients reach this objective with HMS, frequently with little to no down payment.

In the real estate sector, Home Marketing Services has been positioned as a pioneer thanks to Lovell's vision and dedication to client satisfaction. Lovell's commitment to simplifying the home-buying process and putting the interests of his clients first has solidified HMS's standing as a reliable resource for individuals and families looking to acquire their ideal home in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The New York State Department of Civil Service (DCS) has released its March application schedule for New Yorks entry-level civil service exams.

The open-competitive exams are an opportunity to start a career with New York state. These tests are open to anyone who meets the qualifications listed on the examination announcement.

The application period opened for just one exam this month: motor equipment storeskeeper. The application is open until March 20.

According to the state, as a motor equipment storeskeeper, you would be responsible for the receipt, storage, and issuance of a large variety of mechanical parts and tools. You would prepare estimates of annual requirements and maintain a perpetual inventory; meet with vendors regarding price, availability, and quality of parts and materials; and procure materials from contract suppliers and select sources for items not on contract. You would expedite procurement and payment for parts subject to the conditions of manufacturers warranties and direct the preparation of purchase orders and requisitions. You may be required to supervise staff assigned to the mechanical stores operation.

The salary for this career is $53,262.

Visit www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc to apply. Application fees are waived for this month.

According to the state, an application must be submitted online or postmarked by the last date to apply. An application will not be accepted after the application filing deadline has passed. There are no application fees for the exams this month.

To be considered for an appointment, you must pass the written test.

If approved for a written test, you will receive an admission notice, which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

To learn more about working for the State of New York, visit the Department of Civil Service website and follow the department on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Last September, when Costco started selling one-ounce 24-karat gold bars for $2,000 -- each handsomely detailed with an image of the Roman goddess Fortuna -- shoppers quickly hoarded the product.

When we load them on the site, theyre typically gone within a few hours, and we limit two per member, Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti said during a 2023 company earnings call.

According to the company, the product resulted in approximately $100 million in sales in one fiscal quarter, and since the concept was so popular, the warehouse brand is now making a similar move with silver.

Sold in tubes of 20 for $579, the 1-ounce American Eagle Silver Coins are uncirculated and made of 99.9% pure silver. Similarly, a 25-pack of 1-ounce Canada Maple Leaf Silver Coins, which have a maple leaf on the front and a silhouette of King Charles III on the back, are priced at about $680. Both products are currently sold out online, but USA Today reported that they may be available at your local warehouse at a lower price. Members can buy a maximum of five tubes of coins; they are nonrefundable.

But are precious metals really worth the hype?

We are expecting gold to be pushed higher by a Fed easing. Also, this comes with a weaker dollar, precious metals strategist Joni Teves of investment bank UBS told CNBC. At the time, Teves said she expected gold to hit $2,200 per ounce by the end of the year.

Silver has been underperforming gold quite a lot, Teves told the publication. So there is a lot of catching up to do, and I think the move could be quite dramatic.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court offers new details of a womans claims she was sexually assaulted by Mayor Eric Adams in 1993, when they both worked for the police department.

The plaintiff accuses Adams in the civil complaint of offering help in advancing her career, in exchange for a sexual favor, the Associated Press reported.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Four students suffered slash wounds during a melee at Port Richmond High School Monday morning and a fifth student, a 15-year-old male, was taken into custody, police said.

The brawl was reported just after 9:45 a.m. at the school, located at 85 St. Josephs Ave., according to a spokeswoman for the NYPD.
Although rooted in Hinduism, Holi or the Festival of Colors is celebrated internationally, thanks to the millions of South Asians residing worldwide.

Holi is a joyful festival marking the arrival of spring, where people come together to celebrate, dance, and embrace new beginnings while letting go of inhibitions.

Get ready for the sensational Holi festivities of 2024 in New York City, where you can immerse yourself in the celebration.

Revelers celebrate the Indian festival of Holi on the deck of the ship Peking at South Street Seaport in Manhattan March 19, 2011 in New York City. The Hindu festival of Holi , also known as the Festival of Colors, marks the arrival of spring where participants throw colored powder and water on one another. Many of the New York participants are Indian-American but others also participate. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Getty Images

Holi In The City / March 30, 6:30 p.m.

Experience a lively Tailgate party, where youll be drenched in hues of reds, yellows, greens, and pinks, celebrating the Festival of Colors in utmost style. Treat yourself to a culinary adventure, sip on refreshing drinks, and dance to the electrifying rhythms delivered by New York Citys premier entertainers. Snag your tickets here.

Admission cost: $35-$80

Location: Bk Backyard Bar, 86 North 11th Street, Brooklyn

Celebrate Holi at Brooklyn Childrens Museum / Sat., April 6, 10 a.m.

In partnership with Ajna Dance Company and The Culture Tree, experience the annual celebration of spring, renewal, color, and play. Enjoy art, dance, food, music, and color powder play in neighboring Brower Park. Wear WHITE and secure your tickets early for this unforgettable day.

Admission cost: $15

Location: Brooklyn Childrens Museum, 145 Brooklyn Ave

Colorland Holi on Governors Island / Sat., April 6, 10 - 5:30 p.m.

Colorland Holi NYC on Governors Island is a vibrant celebration of colors, culture, spring, and unity in the heart of the worlds capital city. All ages are invited to partake in the festivities. Enjoy a day of serene fun with a backdrop of the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. Dive into a sea of colors and break down barriers between people. Attractions include live music, dance performances, food vendors, celebrity appearances, kids activities, and shopping. Get your tickets here.

Admission cost: $5

Location: Governors Island

Holi By The Water / Sun., April 14, 2-7 p.m.

Experience Holi by the Water with Tagmo, DJ Rekha, and Jazbah. Enjoy vibrant colors, lively music, and delicious food at Cobble Fish from 2-7 p.m. Your ticket includes 2 color packets and sweets. Dress in white and immerse yourself in the infectious energy of Holi. Snag your tickets here.

Admission cost: $25

Location: Cobble Fish, 89 South St. Pier 16

Holi Festival on the Esplanade / April 28, 12-3 p.m.

Celebrate the arrival of spring at the Holi Festival on the Esplanade with a picturesque view overlooking the water. This free event is open to the public and offers music, traditional dances, kids crafts, henna, tasty refreshments, giveaways, and more! Immerse yourself in the joy of Holi, symbolizing new beginnings and happiness. For more details, check out the Facebook event page.

Admission cost: Free

Location: Richmond Terrace, St. Peters Place

Police officers are covered in dye as the Guyanese immigrant community celebrates the Hindu holiday of Holi with the annual Phagwah Parade, March 26, 2023 in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)Corbis via Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 19: Revelers celebrate the Indian festival of Holi on the deck of the ship Peking at South Street Seaport in Manhattan March 19, 2011 in New York City. The Hindu festival of Holi , also known as the Festival of Colors, marks the arrival of spring where participants throw colored powder and water on one another. Many of the New York participants are Indian-American. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Getty Images

A reveler covered in color-dye powder participates in the Holi Hair Festival of Colors at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza in New York, NY, on March 31, 2013. Holi, festival of color is a Hindu religious festival, also called Basantotsav, a festival that marks the arrival of spring. (Photo by Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)Anthony Behar/Sipa USA

The Guyanese immigrant community of Indian descent celebrates the Hindu holiday of Holi with the annual Phagwah Parade, March2 6, 2023 in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)Corbis via Getty Images

QUEENS, NEW YORK - MARCH 26: Senator Chuck Schumer joins the Guyanese immigrant community of Indian descent as they celebrate the Hindu holiday of Holi with the annual Phagwah Parade, March26, 2023 in the Richmond Hill neighborhood of Queens, New York. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)Corbis via Getty Images
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan are slated to benefit from a grant of $4.437 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund, a source at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) told Trend.

This financial support is designated for the Strengthening Integrated Water Management in the Syr Darya and Narin River Basins projects.

This funding is an essential component of the FAO-led Central Asia Water and Land Nexus (CAWLN) program, which is sponsored by the GEF Trust Fund. The GEF has committed to financing projects worth $26.007 million across Central Asia as part of this effort. The initiative will end on August 31, 2025, with a total co-financing of $335.504 million.

The overarching objective of the CAWLN program is multifaceted, aiming to rehabilitate 5,350 hectares of land and ecosystems and implement enhanced practices across 1.329 million hectares of landscapes.

Furthermore, it seeks to curtail greenhouse gas emissions by a substantial 11.118 million tons and foster cooperative management of shared ecosystems in Central Asian countries. The program's reach is anticipated to directly impact 487,000 individuals, with a balanced representation of 252,000 men and 235,000 women.

GEF highlights that Central Asia boasts intricate river systems, notably the Amu Darya Basin (encompassing Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the Syr Darya Basin (spanning Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan). These basins are pivotal water sources, sustaining approximately 60 million people, agricultural endeavors, energy production, and a diverse array of ecosystems and livelihoods. Nevertheless, they grapple with challenges including excessive water utilization, detrimental land practices, and resource depletion. The CAWLN program endeavors to tackle these issues head-on by championing water-land nexus approaches, particularly in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins.

Comprising seven distinct projects, including individual endeavors in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, CAWLN aims to bolster agricultural practices and natural resource management. These initiatives will address critical issues such as deforestation, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. Additionally, a regional project is earmarked to facilitate coordination and knowledge exchange across the basins.

Although Tajikistan won't have its own individual project, the CAWLN program will work with the GEF Tajikistan Ecosystem Restoration and Resilient Agriculture project to collaborate and achieve a greater impact.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Poor work-life balance or a toxic company culture are just two of the top reasons people want to work from home. And right now is a great time to seek out one of the many companies offering work-from-home opportunities.

In fact, finding a company that offers remote positions could be your ticket to professional and personal happiness, as studies show that remote work can improve employee mindset and productivity.

Recently, the workforce research company Comparably analyzed data to put together a report on the highest-rated companies with the happiest employees, according to anonymous feedback from workers. Comparably also looked to the FlexJobs database to identify more than 100 great places to work that have been identified to have the happiest employees and have also offered opportunities for remote jobs.

The 10 companies listed below are among those rated as the happiest, while also having posted remote work opportunities on FlexJobs.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  On April 8, the moon will pass between the sun and Earth during a rare solar eclipse visible across North America.

And for the first time in centuries, New York will be in the path of totality.

Those of us fortunate enough to live along the path of totality will be able to enjoy the full effect of the moon completely blocking out the sun  at least for a few minutes.

According to NASA, a total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, blocking the face of the sun. Weather permitting, people along the path of totality will see the suns corona, or outer atmosphere, which is usually obscured by the bright face of the sun.

The path of totality will start in Mexico and move across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before heading out over the North Atlantic. Small portions of Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee will also experience almost the entirety of the eclipse.

According to NASAs interactive map that traces the path of the eclipse, Staten Island should have full sun until 2:10 p.m. and will have totality, when the sun is nearly completely blocked, at 3:25 p.m. Full sun will return at 4:36 p.m. Staten Island should experience 89.5% totality, according to the NASA map.

Seven years ago, an estimated 215 million adults in the United States (or 88% of all U.S. adults) viewed the solar eclipse either directly or electronically. They watched as the moon passed in front of the sun, blocking part or all of the sun.

Consumers should only use new eclipses glasses that are certified by the International Safety Organization (ISO) to safely view this years event. These glasses will have ISO stamped on them. The current standard for solar viewing material is called ISO 12312-2. Glasses from the 2017 eclipse should not be reused.

The following ISO-certified glasses are now available via Amazon:

Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses 12-pack, now on sale, priced at $9.99.

EclipSee Solar Eclipse Glasses, 6-pack, now on sale, priced at $7.97.

Kesseph Solar Eclipse Glasses, 2-pack, now on sale, priced at $9.99.

And the eclipse in 2024 is expected by NASA scientists to be even more exciting that the one in 2017, due to differences in the events path, timing and scientific research.

The longest duration of totality in 2024 will be 4 minutes, 28 seconds near Torreon, Mexico.

Most other places along the path of totality will experience the eclipse anywhere from 3.5 to 4 minutes, according to NASA. Witnesses will experience moon completely covering the sun and a dark sky, similar to the way it looks at dawn or dusk.

Those outside the path of totality will experience a partial solar eclipse, where the sky will appear slightly darker than it was before the eclipse depending on how much the moon blocks the sun.

Well also feel the eclipse in the form of a temperature drop, according to NASA, which said that we can expect the temperature to fall about 10 degrees, depending on the cloud cover.
IN CLASS: This feature is part of an ongoing education column highlighting the various activities that engage school communities.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Students from Tottenville High School were able to visit with members of the Coast Guard for immersive, first-hand exposure during the citys recent Career Discovery Week.

Earlier this month, the city Department of Education (DOE) and the Partnership for New York City launched the third Career Discovery Week, a public-private initiative that brings high school students into some of the citys most vibrant and important workplaces for hands-on career exploration. Approximately 3,500 high school students from more than 100 public schools were able to visit some of the citys top employers.

Lt. Corinne Powers speaks to student about the Coast Guard. Career Discovery Week is a public-private initiative that brings high school students into some of the citys most vibrant and important workplaces for hands-on career exploration. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)Jan Somma-Hammel

New York Citys public schools enable our young people to discover their passion, turn our city into a classroom, and realize their dream job is within reach, said Mayor Eric Adams. With Career Discovery Week, thousands of high school students will be exposed to the jobs of tomorrow and begin their career exploration journey today. Thank you to the Partnership for New York City for their continued efforts and showing our young people that, in New York City, anything is still possible.

Tottenville High School students visited the Coast Guard Sector New York, based in Fort Wadsworth, to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the organization monitors the safety and security of the citys waterways. Students received breakfast and lunch and were familiarized with the Coast Guards helicopter, small boats and Coast Guard Security Forces squad cars.

Career Discovery Week is a major collaborative effort by the citys leading corporations and professional firms from the public, private and non-profit sectors.

During the immersion visit, students received breakfast and lunch and were familiarized with the Coast Guards helicopter, small boats and Coast Guard Security Forces squad cars. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)Jan Somma-Hammel

New York Citys public schools enable our young people to discover their passion, turn our city into a classroom, and realize their dream job is within reach, said Mayor Eric Adams. With Career Discovery Week, thousands of high school students will be exposed to the jobs of tomorrow and begin their career exploration journey today." (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)Jan Somma-Hammel

Career Discovery Week is a major collaborative effort by the citys leading corporations and professional firms from the public, private and non-profit sectors. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)Jan Somma-Hammel

STATEN ISLANDER GRADUATES FROM U.S. NAVY-FUNDED TRAINING

A Staten Island resident has graduated from a U.S. Navy-funded training program to support the submarine industrial base.

Sebastian Londonocristancho graduated from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) in February, with a credential in additive manufacturing. This program was created to teach the skills needed for increasing military equipment production in the United States. Students at ATDM are trained in skills needed to repair, upfit and build submarines. These skills are transferrable to other defense industry companies.

Students learn skills for well-paying, in-demand defense industry jobs in skilled trades, such as additive manufacturing, CNC machining, non-destructive testing, quality control inspection and welding.

Every graduating class represents progress toward the Navys goal to have 100,000 workers in the submarine industrial base over the next 10 years, said Dr. Debra Holley, ATDM director. This cohort of students earned more than 400 certifications in high-demand fields needed in the defense industry. We are proud of all that these students have accomplished and the contributions they will make to the national workforce, as well as the nations security.

For additional information, visit https://atdm.org/.

SEND US YOUR STORIES

Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Wednesday will be cloudy, rainy and windy, with high winds picking up during the course of the day and temperatures well into the 50s, according to AccuWeather.

New York City residents can expect a high of 56 degrees and a low of 32 degrees on Wednesday, although wind chill will make it feel much cooler, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said.

Most of the day, at least the first half of the day, probably dry. Maybe the first two thirds of the day look dry, said Dombek. Just mostly rain showers around during the afternoon, the late, mid-to-late afternoon and early evening hours.

According to Dombek, between 2 and 7 p.m. there will be a few short rain showers that will lead to brisk temperatures and cold air that will dry out Wednesday evenings rain.

Thursday and Friday are probably going to be our chilliest two days for the rest of the week, said Dombek. Thursday is going to be the worst of the two, as far as what it feels like, because of more wind.

Although temperatures will feel blustery Thursday because of a high of 44 degrees and strong winds, the skies will be at least partly sunny, according to AccuWeather.

The 10-day forecast as predicted by AccuWeather.com. The graphic above depicts the weather forecast from March 19 to 28. Friday evening will be the start of a rainy weekend, according to AccuWeather.AccuWeather

Thats definitely below where it should be this time of the year for March 20; the average high temperature in New York City is 51 degrees, said the forecaster. So that is about 7 degrees below where it should be for this time of the year.

Fridays another chilly day, Dombek predicted.

There will be only a high of 43 degrees. However, it probably wont feel as bad outside because therell be a lot less wind, said Dombek. So even though the temperatures are almost about the same, itll feel nicer outside with a lot less wind.

Friday looks dry with some sun before the clouds increase as the day progresses, according to the meteorologist.

Heading into the weekend, right now it looks like the first part of the weekend is likely to be at least somewhat wet, said Dombek.

Some rain is expected to fall overnight on Friday. Saturday looks to be a partially wet day with a high of 50 degrees. Sundays precipitation prediction depends on the strength and the speed of the upcoming storm.

Were expecting periods of rain, kind of breezy. If the storm is still hanging around on Sunday there might still be some additional rain for a time, said Dombek. If it pulls away quick enough, then it will dry out and we might even get the clouds to break for some sun.

ANY MORE SNOW IN NYC?

According to Dombek, from a snow standpoint, New York City for the next four to six days might only experience a light flurry Tuesday evening.

No big deal. Its a very minor event, assured Dombek. Like I said, it definitely looks like its going to be more of a rain event.

Dombek says, it is too early to determine if there will be another opportunity for snow accumulation before the start of April.

You certainly cant say never. You cannot totally rule it out until we get to that point, currently, we dont see any significant chances of anything happening, said Dombek.

The forecaster noted that climatologically, at this time of the year, the chance of having snow events decreases with each passing day.

You cant like totally close the door on it until you get deeper into spring, said Dombek. You really arent to that point where you could confidently say that theres no snow forthcoming at all.

UPSTATE FORECAST

Over the next week or two, there will be multiple opportunities for snow or a wintry mix in upstate New York, according to AccuWeather.

As you get up into the Catskill mountains, there are higher elevation levels there, Dombek said. Areas farther upstate toward Binghamton, the Finger Lakes, Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and the Adirondacks will have multiple opportunities for snow or precipitation.

According to Dombek, snowy days are common due to upstate New Yorks high elevation.

Climatologically and statistically, theres a much greater chance that upstate will have some additional snow events over the next couple of weeks, Dombek said.
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A rugby giant turned political rookie and an outspoken Liberal backbencher have taken out two of Parliament Houses most prestigious gongs.

Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer was awarded the 2023 McKinnon Political Leader of the Year prize in federal government for her courage in standing up for her principles, while independent ACT senator David Pocock claimed the McKinnon Emerging Political Leader of the Year.

Liberal MP Bridget Archer and independent senator David Pocock are the recipients of this years McKinnon political leadership awards. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

I do think it is important to be recognising people like Bridget who have shown courage and have been really inspirational for people inside and outside of politics, Pocock said while accepting the award today.

Trust in political leaders and democracy had been corroded around the world, and it was important public representatives restored that, Archer said.

I said Id be a genuine and authentic representative for my community, and Ive tried to do that every day, she said.

During her five years in federal office, Archer has crossed the floor on at least seven occasions.

The McKinnon Prize is a collaboration between the Susan McKinnon Foundation and the University of Melbourne and is self-described as an independent, non-partisan award for outstanding political leadership.

AAP
The mother of 28-year-old New Zealand lawyer Mitch East, who died in a suspected hit-and-run in Sydneys east over the weekend, said he was her reason for living.

On early Sunday morning, East was found critically injured on Fletcher Street in Tamarama just metres from the home he shared with his partner.

Police are still searching for the driver of a car they say can help with their inquiries after Mitch East, 28, a lawyer from New Zealand was killed in a suspected hit-and-run in Fletcher Street, Tamarama. Credit: Edwina Pickles, Supplied

Despite attempts to resuscitate him, he was unable to be revived.

He was my only child, my reason for living, his mum told New Zealand publication Stuff.co.nz.
The brother of Olympic kayaker Nathan Baggaley claims he was tricked into attempting to import $200 million worth of cocaine and should be released pending his appeal.

The Supreme Court in Brisbane on Monday heard a bail application by Dru Anthony Baggaley, who claims to have evidence he was told by others in the alleged smuggling plot that they would be handling illegal tobacco.

Dru Anthony Baggaley was handed a 28-year jail term but had the verdict set aside on appeal in July 2023. Credit: Facebook

Dru Baggaley and his older brother, Olympic silver medallist Nathan Baggaley, were intercepted by the Navy in July 2018 after allegedly using a seven-metre inflatable boat to pick up 650 kilograms of cocaine from a ship 360 kilometres off Australias east coast.

The brothers were found guilty by a Brisbane Supreme Court jury in April 2021 of attempting to import cocaine.
Victorian hospitals dire financial situation has been exposed by new internal data showing the network is forecast to need a major funding injection of up to three weeks worth of operational costs.

More than half of the states health services are running low on cash, prompting fears of a financial squeeze and lay-offs within the sector.

Data shows that for the financial year to January, 41 of Victorias 75 health services didnt have 14-day cash supplies to cover operating costs. Credit: Gabriele Charotte

The data  obtained by The Age  shows that for the financial year to January, 41 of the states 75 health services did not have 14-day cash supplies to cover operating expenses, which is the benchmark used for Victorian hospitals. The numbers include hospitals and health services that are reporting significant shortfalls between their allotted budget and what has been spent so far this year.

Such cashflow shortages can force health services to pull funding from other areas to ensure they can still provide essential support. This can include not filling vacant positions  particularly non-clinical ones  as well as cutting spending on preventative health and stripping funding from training.
Six new school zones have been added across the state and boundaries for 19 others have been redrawn to cater for population growth and pressure on enrolments.

The state government released on Tuesday an updated map of school boundaries for 2025, setting down what state school children are guaranteed to attend in their local geographical area.

Six new school zones have been added and boundaries for 19 others have been redrawn in Victoria. Credit: iStock

Parents can apply to have children attend schools outside their zone, but access can be competitive and spots are not assured.

In 2025, new zones will be added for primary schools opening in Pakenhams north-west, Riverdale North, Thompsons West and the centre of Wollert. Clyde North will receive new zones for both a primary and secondary school. Names for these schools are not yet finalised.
I point you in particular to the phenomenal amount of work being done on AUKUS in the period that he has been ambassador. He has been active in engaging with members of Congress on both sides of politics and he is a former prime minister, former foreign minister, is experienced  [which] means he will be able to work closely with whoever is elected by the American people as the United States president. Albanese used question time to point to recent comments by Dutton in which he said Rudd had represented his country well and that he would work closely with him if elected prime minister. The relationship with the United States is very important. It should be beyond the sort of cheap politics that we saw earlier today, Albanese said, referring to questions about Rudds future in Washington.

Declaring that a possible future US president had made very serious comments about Australias top diplomat in Washington, Dutton said: Mr Rudd needs to repair the relationship. Thats the point we were making. And we wont be hectored to or intimidated by these bully boys over here. Praising Rudd for doing a good job in Washington, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said: Australias ambassador for Australia needs to be able to deliver for Australia regardless of who is in the White House...Australias interests are bigger than any individual and must be the ultimate priority in any future assessments that are made. John Blaxland, professor of international security and intelligence studies at the Australian National University, said he was pretty sanguine about Australias relationship with the US under Trump. Blaxland said Rudd had been the quintessential diplomat since his appointment and had put in considerable effort to build ties with both Republicans and Democrats in Washington. Sam Roggeveen, director of the international security program at the Lowy Institute, described Australia as a kangaroo caught in the headlights when it comes to a Trump return to office.

We are fretting about a second Trump presidency but dont seem to be doing much about it, he said. Donald Trumps rebuke of Kevin Rudd comes at a sensitive time in the relationship between Australia and the US. Credit: AP Trumps remarks about Rudd come less than a year after the former Labor leader officially began his term as Australias 23rd ambassador to the US. His appointment marked the first time a former Australian PM had taken the post, in a move that boosted Canberras diplomatic clout in Washington. Hes been really aggressive  in a good way  in terms of reaching up to the Hill, Democrat congressman Joe Courtney told this masthead after meeting Rudd for the first time last year, where they discussed the AUKUS submarine pact and his clear-eyed view of the challenge in the Indo-Pacific.

In response to Trumps comments today, Courtney took to social media to note that Rudd was respected & admired by legislators on both sides of the aisle  a rare feat in DC and that the US-Australia alliance was stronger due to his work in helping to create a bipartisan consensus on the AUKUS submarine deal. But Rudd  who is the former head of the Asia Society and one of the worlds top experts on China  was always going to face a balancing act in the job, given his past public comments. Loading While in his post, Rudd is constrained from commenting on presidential candidates. Asked last year if his past criticism of Trump would affect Australias relationship with the US, he did not answer directly but replied: Ive been in this town on and off for the last 30 years. I have bucket loads of Republican friends and bucket loads of Democrat friends  so Im pretty confident those relationships have not only continued but will be sustained and strengthened.

While the home nation of an ambassador appoints them to the role rather than the government of the country they serve in, Trumps rebuke comes at a sensitive time in the relationship between Australia and the US. Last week, the US announced it would cut a Virginia-class submarine from its latest budget in a move that critics fear could send a troubling signal to Canberra about Washingtons commitment to the AUKUS military pact. Trump, if elected, could technically seek to remove Rudds diplomatic accreditation, but this would be an unprecedented step in the history of US-Australia relations and would inevitably damage the alliance between the two countries. Trump is making it clear that, if elected, he will end Australias capacity to independently determine our Ambassador to the US, former Labor senator Doug Cameron, a critic of AUKUS, wrote on X. Australian ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Washington last October. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) analyzed the incidents occurring during the

Causeway Jump-up event held on Saturday evening, March 16th, 2024, commencing from the Kimsha Beach area, as part of the Carnival festivities. The evaluation revealed several concerning incidents,

including two stabbing incidents and a shooting incident.

One victim, who sustained injuries from a stabbing with a broken bottle, was transported to the

Sint Maarten Medical Center for immediate medical attention. Additionally, another victim was reported to have been shot in the hand but later declined medical assistance from the SMMC and opted to seek treatment at the French Side Hospital.

The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) expresses profound concern regarding these incidents, which

marred an otherwise celebratory event. Our priority remains ensuring the safety and security of all

residents and visitors during Carnival and other festivities. We urge anyone with information related to

these incidents to come forward and assist us in our ongoing investigations.

In response to these observations, the police will closely monitor and address these issues

during upcoming road activities. We are committed to taking proactive measures to ensure the safety

of all participants and spectators.

For further inquiries or information related to these incidents, please get in touch with the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) at +1721-54-22222 to share any relevant information you may have. Additionally, you can provide anonymous tips by calling the dedicated tip line at 9300.

KPSM Press Release.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) initiative is to strengthen its workforce and gear up for the imminent reopening of operations. It is set to participate in the National Job Fair in the RAI Amsterdam in the Netherlands on March 22 and 23.



Job seekers are encouraged to seize this golden opportunity to connect with PJIAE's Human Resources staff. The event aims to facilitate direct interactions between potential candidates and the airport's representatives, allowing applicants to showcase their skills and qualifications to the team.



Actively Recruiting

PJIAE currently has over 15 open positions. Available positions cover a diverse range, including Legal Officers, Electricians, Mechanics, Mechanical Engineers, civil engineers, IT Specialists, Air Traffic Controller Trainees, and numerous other vacancies and Internships. This is an exciting opportunity for individuals interested in aviation, actively working on a dynamic career, and being part of the Airport Community in St Maarten.



As the airport gears up for the opening of the renovated terminal by the Summer of 2024, PJIAE proudly boasts state-of-the-art equipment and technology. The management of PJIAE is enthusiastic about reestablishing the airport terminal as the most beautiful airport in the eastern Caribbean, emphasizing a commitment to excellence in safe aviation services.



Committed to Hiring Local Talent

Over the past few months, PJIAE has been on an employment drive, hiring over 50 local talents in various positions. The airport is dedicated to investing in local talent, demonstrating its commitment to supporting the community's economic growth.



PJIAE welcomes individuals with a passion for aviation and a desire to contribute to the airport's success. So, tell a friend to tell a friend to visit PJIAE at the Nationale Carriere beurs in the Amsterdam RAI - Booth number 217!



PJIAE looks forward to meeting the best talent and is excited to build a team to elevate the airport to new heights.
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, March 19. Tajikistan and the Eurasian Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have discussed the current state of collaboration, Trend reports.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, this matter was deliberated upon by Tajikistan's First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ismatullo Nasredin, and the Head of Tajikistan for EBRD, Holger Wiefel.

During the meeting, the sides engaged in discussions regarding the bank's operations within the country as well as collaboration in various sectors, including energy, infrastructure, transportation, small and medium-sized enterprises, and the financial sector.

The current loan portfolio of the EBRD in Tajikistan amounted to 482 million euros for 69 active projects as of January 31, 2024.

As of the reporting date, the EBRD's cumulative investments in Tajikistan totaled 919 million euros, spread across 165 projects, with the private sector's share in the portfolio amounting to 13 percent.

In 2020, the EBRD invested 131 million euros in Tajikistan's projects, followed by 56 million euros in 2021 and 21 million euros in 2022.
We spend a lot of money out of pocket, her mother says.

says a

2023 study

by the Oregon Health and Science University.

A number of providers have opted out of both the public and private insurance systems, and only accept patients who can pay the full cost themselves. That sets up a three-tiered system of reimbursement of Medicaid, private insurance, and self-payers, meaning that those who receive timely care arent necessarily the ones who need it, but are those who can pay for it.

Agencies are addressing a shortage of mental health professionals.

Complain to those who can do something about it. When we meet with the Department of Labor or the Department of Insurance, one of the things that they cite as data that the system is working just fine is that consumers aren't filing complaints, Gingrich says. Consumers often complain to their health plans rather than to the regulatory agencies that oversee health insurance. The Department of Labor enforces laws pertaining to employer-provided health insurance. For concerns about mental health benefits, the agency can be contacted online , or by calling 866-444-3272. State departments of insurance oversee health insurers. In Ohio, the Ohio Department of Insurance can be contacted here or by calling 800-686-1526. In Kentucky, click here or call 800-595-6053.

, or by calling 866-444-3272. State departments of insurance oversee health insurers. In Ohio, the Ohio Department of Insurance can be contacted or by calling 800-686-1526. In Kentucky, click here or call 800-595-6053. Best Point, NewPath and other agencies are strategically working to recruit people into careers in behavioral health and retain them to address the workforce shortage. Part of our work is building awareness and then building opportunities, Gingrich says. Mullins says NewPath is focused on recruiting people at entry-level positions and then supporting them as their career develops. We can bring somebody in at the front end and we can help them develop their skill sets so they can continue to grow within this field, she says. We have found that to be very successful.

Create a shared policy agenda for the community. Last year, more than 200 leaders from 115 organizations that serve youth met to identify the top factors affecting youth mental health. The result was an assessment, published in January, called Greater Cincinnati Youth Mental Well-Being. Its purpose is to create a shared awareness among the multiple organizations working in the mental health arena so they can act together with focus and create a greater impact working in concert than they can acting separately. A common agenda could help advocate for mental health parity with insurance companies, encourage streamlining Medicaid coverage among the different states in the region, and advocate for cross-state recognition of professional licensures, which could help alleviate the workforce shortage, the report says.

The report also recommends creating a coalition of major employers that would purchase health plans that treat and reimburse mental health care equally with medical or physical care. Big employers collaborating that way could have an impact on the communitys caregivers and patients.

The report also recommends starting a pilot project on a holistic care model that would fund preventive care and risk-reduction efforts and gathering data on its results.

Philanthropic funding. The grantmaking arm of Bethesda Inc., bi3, had made youth mental health a priority. Among its grants has been $1 million to BestPoint to help that agency recruit, train, and retain professional staff. They have been able to significantly reduce their wait list for kids, bi3s Miller says. But think about the scale of that. It took $1 million to strengthen the team and build the team to expand access to reduce their wait list, and that's just one organization.
AI titan Nvidia ramps up collaboration with Chinese auto giants



San Jose, United States, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



Nvidia on Monday announced a major expansion of its collaboration with world-leading BYD and other Chinese electric car makers, including on the development of autonomous AI-boosted vehicles.

The move deepens Nvidia's connections with the Chinese EV industry even as it is separately prohibited by the United States from exporting its most powerful AI hardware to China.

BYD, which beat Elon Musk's Tesla in sales in the last quarter of 2023, is the latest Chinese auto firm to use Nvidia's DRIVE Thor, an all-in-one vehicle control system that is bolstered by powerful generative AI features.

"Today we're announcing that BYD, the world's largest EV company, is adopting our next-generation (AV computer)," Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said at a developers conference.

Nvidia said other major Chinese EV firms, including XPeng, Li Auto, ZEEKR and GAC Aion have also adopted the Thor platform, which was first announced in 2022.

"DRIVE Thor is poised to revolutionize the automotive landscape, ushering in an era where generative AI defines the driving experience," Nvidia said in a statement.

The company said BYD will also use Nvidia's infrastructure for "cloud-based AI development and training technologies".

Thor is expected to roll out for production vehicles as early as 2025, according to Nvidia.

The company has skyrocketed to become one of the most valuable businesses in the world on the back of the AI frenzy sparked by the success of OpenAI's ChatGPT.

It is prohibited, however, from selling its most powerful chips to Chinese companies under US rules.

Washington has said these restrictions are meant to prevent China's military and security services from getting tech that could help develop advanced military equipment and applications, including AI.

Beijing has slammed these curbs as "bullying" and "technological terrorism".

Danny Shapiro, Nvidia's vice president for automotive, has in the past told US media that customers in this sector are not impacted by the restrictions.

AFP has asked Nvidia if its automotive products and services are affected by the US restrictions.

There is reportedly also apprehension in Beijing about the extensive relationship between Chinese EV companies and US tech suppliers.

The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has "quietly asked" auto companies such as BYD to boost their purchases from domestic chipmakers to lower their dependence on foreign firms, Bloomberg News reported last week, citing unnamed sources.

AFP has contacted the ministry for comment.

bur-qan-ll/aha

Nvidia
North Korea's Kim oversees artillery drills



Seoul, March 18 (AFP) Mar 18, 2024



North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen a series of firing drills by artillery units in the west of the country, state-run KCNA news agency said Tuesday.

The announcement came amid tensions with Seoul and Washington, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits South Korea and after the allies wrapped up one of their major annual joint military training exercises.

The exercises have prompted angry retorts and live-fire drills from nuclear-armed Pyongyang, which routinely condemns all such exercises as rehearsals for invasion.

This time, Blinken's visit appeared to be adding fuel to the fire. The artillery drills were announced a day after Seoul said the North fired three short-range ballistic missiles, described by analysts as a calculated move to grab attention during Blinken's stop in the South.

The drills involved "super-large multiple rocket launchers," according to a report from the state-run KCNA news agency.

When the order was given, it said, the soldiers "simultaneously fired the gun of annihilation".

"Massive shells of super-large multiple rocket launchers, which were fired from the sharp gun barrels like lava, flew to the target with the flame of annihilating the enemy," it said.

The drills also featured a simulation of an "air explosion of a shell of" a super-large multiple rocket launcher, the report continued.

Blinken is attending the third Summit for Democracy and met with President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul early Monday. He is also meeting his South Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the event, for discussions now likely to be dominated by the allies' efforts to counter threats from the North.

Seoul is one of Washington's key regional allies, and the United States has stationed about 27,000 American soldiers in the South to help protect it against the North.

Pyongyang this month warned that Seoul and Washington would pay a "dear price" over their military exercises, and later announced that Kim had guided an artillery unit it says was capable of striking the South Korean capital.

Monday's ballistic missile test was the North's second this year, after Pyongyang launched one tipped with a manoeuvrable hypersonic warhead on January 14.
N. Korea's Kim oversees 'super-large' rocket launcher drills



Seoul, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw firing drills involving "newly-equipped super-large" multiple rocket launchers, state media said Tuesday, a day after Seoul said Pyongyang had fired several short-range ballistic missiles.

The United States and South Korea wrapped up one of their major annual joint military exercises last week, prompting angry retorts and live-fire drills from nuclear-armed Pyongyang, which condemns all such exercises as rehearsals for invasion.

Seoul's military said Monday it had detected the launch of "multiple short-range ballistic missiles" by the North, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the South Korean capital for talks.

The super-large multiple rocket launcher, referred to as KN-25 by the Seoul-Washington military, is a short-range ballistic missile, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The North has claimed the weapon has the capability to be equipped with a tactical nuclear warhead.

Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim guided the drills on Monday that tested the "real war capabilities" of 600 millimetre multiple rocket launchers as he stressed the importance of "war preparations".

The drills also involved simulating an aerial explosion of a shell from the super-large multiple rocket launcher at a predetermined altitude above the target, KNCA said.

Kim said the multiple rocket launcher would help the North "block and suppress the possiblity of war with the constant perfect preparedness to collapse the capital of the enemy", according to the report.

During the drills, North Korean artillerymen "demonstrated their excellent crack-shot artillery marksmanship and prompt and thorough combat readiness," it added.

"Massive shells of super-large multiple rocket launchers, which were fired from the sharp gun barrels like lava, flew to the target with the flame of annihilating the enemy," it said.



- More drills -



State media images showed Kim, wearing his customary black leather jacket, watching the drills with his generals and celebrating their apparent success with a raised fist.

Pyongyang this month warned that Seoul and Washington would pay a "dear price" over their military exercises, and later announced that Kim had guided an artillery unit it says was capable of striking the South Korean capital.

Kim last week also oversaw paratroop drills aimed at showing his soldiers' ability to occupy an "enemy region at a stroke", according to state media.

Monday's ballistic missile test was the North's second this year, after Pyongyang launched one tipped with a manoeuvrable hypersonic warhead on January 14.

So far this year, the nuclear-armed North has declared South Korea its "principal enemy", jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over "even 0.001 mm" of territorial infringement.

Seoul is one of Washington's key regional allies, and the United States has stationed about 27,000 American soldiers in the South to help protect it against Pyongyang.

Last week's Washington-Seoul drills included "clearing operations" inside North Korea's "key facilities" in case of an attack by Pyongyang, according to Seoul's military.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Turkmenistan and Russia are showing active dynamics in expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Turkmenistan Ivan Volinkyn told Trend in an exclusive interview.

"Over the past five years, Russia has been one of Turkmenistan's main trading partners, with an annual turnover exceeding $1.6 billion. At the same time, the supply of Turkmen products to the Russian market is constantly increasing; imports of textiles and food products to Russia have almost doubled," Volinkyn said.

According to him, economic relations between the two countries are being discussed at a consistently high level, including within the framework of a specially created Intergovernmental Russian-Turkmen Commission.

"The inaugural Russian-Turkmen Business Forum was held in Ashgabat in January 2023. This indicates the high business activity of entrepreneurs and the mutually beneficial nature of doing business," he stressed.

The Ambassador stressed that the best guideline for Russian investors is the strategy of Turkmenistan until 2052, which defines the vector of socio-economic development of the country for the long term.

"Turkmenistan plans to increase investments in the formation of transportation and logistics corridors, the modernization of the fuel and energy complex, the development of new and innovative industries, and agricultural reform with an eye toward producing environmentally friendly products within the framework of medium-term programs. This strategy aids in the cooperative execution of infrastructure projects and the growth of bilateral trade between our nations," Volinkyn added.

Furthermore, he mentioned that the transport ministries of Turkmenistan and Russia are currently working together more closely, with a focus on their combined efforts to boost traffic along the International North-South Transport Corridor's eastern route.

"Currently, Russian Railways JSC is negotiating with Turkmen partners to increase the volume of transit by rail through the introduction of end-to-end cargo flow technology, setting up electronic data exchange on routes, creating competitive tariff conditions, and attracting additional cargo volumes through multilateral logistics companies," Volinkyn said.

He noted that there is potential for the development of multimodal opportunities with the inclusion of the transport corridor, Turkmenbashi International Seaport in Turkmenistan, and the Caspian Sea highway, whose construction is being considered with the Russian company "Vozrozhdenie."

The ambassador highlights that there is a lot of potential for commercial and economic cooperation between Turkmenistan and Russia.

"Advanced technologies are being introduced through collaborative efforts in the development of industrial and infrastructure facilities, land cadastral management, and geological investigation. In the domains of sports, tourism, education, health, irrigation, and seed production, collaboration is actively taking place. This level of corporate links validates the status of the strategic cooperation between Russia and Turkmenistan, which is protected by pertinent bilateral agreements," Volinkyn added.

Meanwhile, Russia is Turkmenistan's leading partner in terms of trade turnover among the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Foundation of the International North-South Transport Corridor was laid on the basis of an intergovernmental agreement signed between Russia, Iran, and India on September 12, 2000.

In total, 13 countries (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Armenia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkiye and Ukraine) have ratified the agreement.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
UN chief 'alarmed' by reports civilians killed in Myanmar air strikes



Bangkok, Thailand, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has said he is "alarmed" by reports of ongoing Myanmar military air strikes on villages in Rakhine state, where locals told AFP more than 20 people were killed on Monday.

Clashes have rocked Myanmar's western Rakhine state since the Arakan Army (AA) attacked security forces in November, ending a ceasefire that had largely held since the military's 2021 coup.

Guterres is "alarmed by reports of ongoing air strikes by the military, including today in Minbya township that reportedly killed and injured many civilians," a spokesman for the UN chief said Monday.

Minbya township lies east of state capital Sittwe, which has been all but cut off by AA fighters in recent weeks.

The air strike hit the village of Thar Dar around 1:45 am on Monday, killing 10 men, four women and 10 children, one resident told AFP.

"There was no fighting in our village and they bombed us," he said, asking for anonymity for security reasons.

Another resident, also asking for anonymity, said 23 people had been killed in the blast and 18 wounded.

The recent conflict has displaced tens of thousands in Rakhine, where a 2017 military crackdown sent hundreds of thousands of Rohingya fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh.

With most mobile networks down communication with the riverine region is extremely difficult.

Junta troops hold Sittwe but in recent weeks AA fighters have made gains in surrounding districts.

Fighting has also spilled over into neighbouring India and Bangladesh.

Last month, at least two people were killed in Bangladesh after mortar shells fired from Myanmar during clashes there landed across the border.

The AA is one of several armed ethnic minority groups in Myanmar's border regions, many of whom have battled the military since independence from Britain in 1948 over autonomy and control of lucrative resources.
Russia has replaced naval chief, state media confirms



Moscow, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



Russia has replaced the head of its navy, state media confirmed Tuesday, after reports the previous naval chief had been sacked for repeatedly losing Black Sea warships to Ukrainian attacks.

The former commander of Russia's Northern Fleet Alexander Moiseyev has been appointed acting commander-in-chief, replacing outgoing Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov, who had been in post since May 2019, the RIA news agency reported.

"Moiseyev was introduced as the Russian Navy's acting commander-in-chief at a ceremony," the agency said.

The Kremlin last week refused to comment on Moiseyev's appointment, which marks the biggest shakeup in Russia's military top brass in months.

Ukrainian forces claim to have destroyed more than two dozen Russian ships since the conflict began in February 2022, including a military patrol boat earlier this month.

The sinkings have been an embarrassment for Moscow, which has been forced to move boats from its historic Sevastopol naval base in Crimea to the port of Novorossiysk, further east.

Russia's Black Sea woes come in stark contrast to its land offensive in east Ukraine, where its forces have advanced in recent months after over a year of deadlocked fighting.
NATO chief urges Armenia, Azerbaijan peace deal



Yerevan, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday urged arch-foes Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign a long-negotiated peace agreement after Baku seized from Armenian separatists the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Both countries' leaders have recently said that they were closer than ever to the signature of a comprehensive peace deal, following years of fruitless internationally mediated negotiations.

"Armenia and Azerbaijan have an opportunity to achieve an enduring peace," Stoltenberg said during a press conference in Yerevan alongside Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

"I urge both countries to reach an agreement paving the way for normalisation of relations and a durable peace for your people," he added.

Stability in the volatile Caucasus region "matters for the Euro-Atlantic security."

Last year, Azerbaijan carried-out a lightning military operation in Karabakh that saw Baku recapture the mountainous enclave from Armenian separatist forces who had controlled it for three decades.

In the aftermath, the entire Armenian population fled Karabakh for Armenia.

Yerevan was the last leg of Stoltenberg's three-day Caucasus tour during which he also visited Azerbaijan and Georgia.

During his visit to Georgia on Monday, Stoltenberg called on the NATO-hopeful Black Sea nation's government to consolidate democratic reforms ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled in October.

On Sunday in Baku -- which is set to host the COP29 UN Climate Change Conference in November -- he stressed the need to fight global warming, saying climate change undermines global security.
US defence chief says Washington will not let Ukraine fail



Ramstein Air Base, Germany, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised Tuesday that the United States will not let Ukraine fail, even as further aid remains stalled in Congress and Kyiv's forces face shortages of munitions.

The Republican-led House of Representatives has been blocking $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine, and the United States has warned that a recent $300 million package would only last a few weeks.

The "United States will not let Ukraine fail", Austin said at the opening of a meeting in Germany of Ukraine's international supporters.

"We remain determined to provide Ukraine with the resources that it needs to resist the Kremlin's aggression," he added.

Washington announced $300 million in assistance for Ukraine last week, but Austin said it was only possible due to savings on recent purchases by the Pentagon.

"We were only able to support this much-needed package by identifying some unanticipated contract savings", Austin said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement the day before that it is "critically important for us that the Congress soon completes all the necessary procedures and makes a final decision" on aid for Kyiv.

Top US military officer General Charles "CQ" Brown told journalists en route to the Ukraine meeting that Kyiv's troops are "having to pay attention to their supply rates, and how they execute."

There is an "incremental kind of back and forth between Ukraine and Russia", with "incremental gains on both sides", Brown said.

But he noted that "even as the Russians have gained territory, they do it at a pretty big cost in number of casualties, like in personnel, but also in number of pieces of equipment that are being taken out."

Austin said in his remarks Tuesday that "at least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded" since Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 -- a figure that was previously reported at the end of last year.

Moscow has also "squandered up to $211 billion to equip, deploy, maintain, and sustain its imperial aggression against Ukraine," he said.

Austin and other US officials have spearheaded the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly forging a coalition to back Kyiv after Russia invaded and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.

Washington is by far Kyiv's biggest donor of security aid, committing tens of billions of dollars to aid Kyiv since February 2022.
French army says prepared for 'toughest' engagements



Paris, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



French land forces are ready to respond to any threat as they prepare for even "the toughest engagements", their commander said in remarks published Tuesday.

The statement from ground army chief of staff General Pierre Schill comes after President Emmanuel Macron said he would not rule out dispatching ground troops to help Ukraine fight Russia.

The French army "is ready", Schill wrote in an op-ed piece in French daily Le Monde.

"However the international situation may evolve, French people can be certain that their soldiers stand ready to respond," he said.

Schill said a display of French military capabilities would help to "deter any attack on France".

"To protect itself from any attack and to defend its interests, the French army is preparing for even the toughest engagements," he said.

He quoted the Latin adage "si vis pacem, para bellum" -- "if you want peace, prepare for war".

Schill said that France could engage a division of 20,000 troops in a coalition within 30 days and could itself command an army of around 60,000 soldiers by joining other allied nations.

The French army says it counts 121,000 soldiers and can call up 24,000 reservists.

Schill did not specifically refer to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the risk of the conflict spreading. But he said "the sources of crisis are multiplying and carry with them risks of spiralling or extending".

His comments are the latest stark assessment of the situation by a top European military commander.

Britain's chief of the general staff, General Patrick Sanders, said in January that British citizens should be prepared to fight in a potential land war.

Sweden's army chief Micael Byden also alarmed many of his compatriots when he said "Swedes have to mentally prepare for war".

Macron's stance toward Russian President Vladimir Putin has been hardening, with the French leader recently describing Putin as a threat not just to Ukraine but to the security of all Europeans.

France has also blamed Russia for a flurry of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.

Macron, who has stated repeatedly that "Russia cannot win this war", shocked European allies in February by refusing to rule out the sending of Western ground troops.

He has also described the Ukraine war as "existential" for Europe.

However, French deputies and experts have worried publicly about a lack of equipment and ammunition which they say would cut short any direct confrontation with a strong enemy after only a few months.
Washington will not let Ukraine fail, US defence chief vows



Ramstein Air Base, Germany, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised Tuesday that the United States will not let Ukraine fail in fighting off Russia, even as further aid remains stalled in Congress and Kyiv's forces face shortages of munitions.

The Republican-led House of Representatives has been blocking $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine and the United States has warned that a recent $300 million package would only last a few weeks.

The "United States will not let Ukraine fail", Austin said at the opening of a meeting in Germany of Ukraine's international supporters, at which he is seeking to secure further assistance for Kyiv.

"We remain determined to provide Ukraine with the resources that it needs to resist the Kremlin's aggression," he said.

Washington announced $300 million in assistance for Ukraine last week, but Austin said it was only possible due to savings on recent purchases.

"We were only able to support this much-needed package by identifying some unanticipated contract savings", Austin said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement the day before that it is "critically important for us that the Congress soon completes all the necessary procedures and makes a final decision" on aid for Kyiv.

Top US military officer General Charles "CQ" Brown told journalists en route to the Ukraine meeting that Kyiv's troops are "having to pay attention to their supply rates and how they execute."



- 'Incremental gains' -



There is an "incremental kind of back and forth between Ukraine and Russia", with "incremental gains on both sides", Brown said.

But he noted that "even as the Russians have gained territory, they do it at a pretty big cost in number of casualties, like in personnel, but also in number of pieces of equipment that are being taken out."

Austin said in his remarks Tuesday that "Russia has paid a staggering cost for (President Vladimir) Putin's imperial dreams", using "up to $211 billion to equip, deploy, maintain, and sustain its imperial aggression against Ukraine."

"At least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded" since Russia launched its all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Austin said, adding that Ukraine has also "sunk, destroyed, or damaged some 20 medium-to-large Russian navy vessels."

The sinkings have been an embarrassment for Moscow and Russian state media confirmed Tuesday that the country had replaced the head of its navy.

Austin and other US officials have spearheaded the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly forging a coalition to back Kyiv after Russia invaded and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.

Speaking at the Ramstein US base, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin has offered another half a billion euros worth of military aid to Ukraine.

"That includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition from the stock of our armed forces," he told journalists.

Germany is Ukraine's second biggest donor of military support, after Washington, which has committed tens of billions of dollars to aid Kyiv since February 2022.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has in recent months come under intense fire for his refusal to deliver long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

Speaking at a forum on Tuesday, Scholz hit out at domestic critics, saying the debate was "embarrassing for us as a country".

Germany fears that Taurus missiles could be used to hit targets deep within Russia.

Scholz had repeatedly insisted that "German soldiers must not be linked at any point or place to the targets that this system reaches".
French lawmakers to probe Polynesia nuclear tests



Paris, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



French lawmakers are expected to launch a probe into the impact of the country's nuclear weapons tests in French Polynesia over three decades.

France detonated almost 200 bombs from the 1960s to the 1990s in French Polynesia -- a scattered Pacific island territory thousands of kilometres east of Australia -- including 41 atmospheric tests between 1966 and 1974.

"We need to ask ourselves what the French government knew about the impact of the tests before they were carried out, as they occurred and up to today," the largely communist GDR group in the National Assembly said in a written request for an investigation.

The GDR used its right to request one parliamentary investigation per session to demand the probe, which must be formally approved by the defence committee.

The blasts "had numerous consequences: They relate to health, the economy, society and the environment," GDR said in the text written by Mereana Reid Arbelot, a French Polynesian member of parliament.

She called for a "full accounting" of the consequences and added that the group wanted to "shed light" on how testing sites were first chosen during the 1950s.

Reid Arbelot said those decisions inflicted "trauma on the civilian and military populations".

GDR said that Paris' claims about how much radiation people were exposed to at the time of the tests are contested among scientists and should be revised.

Paris first opened a path to compensation in 2010 when it acknowledged health and environmental impacts.

A study published by the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) last year found that the nuclear tests slightly increased the risk of thyroid cancer for local people.

But campaigners at the time said that it should have looked at a larger segment of the population and called for more reparations.

On a 2021 visit, President Emmanuel Macron said the nation owed French Polynesia "a debt" for the nuclear tests, the last as recently as 1996.

He called for archives on the testing to be opened, save only the most sensitive military information.

France's independent nuclear programme was launched in the wake of World War II and pushed by Fifth Republic founder Charles de Gaulle.

One of nine nuclear powers in the world, it maintains a stock of around 300 warheads -- a similar level to China or Britain, but far short of heavyweights Russia and the United States.

French nuclear doctrine calls for the bombs to be used only if the country's "vital interests" are under threat -- a relatively vague term leaving the president wide leeway to decide on their use.
Iraqi ex-defence minister arrested in Sweden for suspected benefits fraud



Stockholm, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



Former Iraqi defence minister Najah al-Shammari was briefly arrested after arriving in Sweden, where he is suspected of benefits fraud, the prosecutor investigating the case said Tuesday.

Public prosecutor Jens Nilsson told AFP that Shammari was detained on Monday when he landed at Stockholm's Arlanda airport since an arrest warrant had been issued.

Nilsson added that in his assessment there was no need to detain Shammari and he had made an agreement with his lawyer that the suspect would come in for questioning the following day.

"He is suspected of aggravated benefits fraud and benefits fraud," Nilsson said in a email to AFP.

In 2019, Swedish media reported that the former minister was under investigation for claiming housing and child benefits from Sweden despite living and working in Iraq.

At the time newspaper Expressen reported that Shammari arrived in Sweden in 2009 and was granted permanent residency in 2011 before getting Swedish citizenship in 2015.

In late November 2019, Swedish prosecutors also said that an Iraqi government minister -- which media identified as Shammari -- was being investigated for "crimes against humanity," but that investigation was later closed.
China's seed breeding industry thrives, as nation seeks to bolster food security

08:26, March 19, 2024 By Zhang Weilan ( Global Times

This aerial photo taken on Dec. 29, 2023 shows researchers conducting hybrid experiments at the national seed breeding base in Hainan at Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. Sanya's abundance of sunlight expedites the breeding cycle, drawing numerous researchers from across the country to breed new species of crops every October till the next April. (Photo: Xinhua)

Seed breeding at the Nanfan breeding base, which has been dubbed the "Silicon Valley" of China's seed industry, continues to thrive, with an output value exceeding 10 billion yuan ($1.39 billion) in 2023, a senior provincial official said on Sunday. The base, in South Chinas Hainan Province, plays a significant role in Chinas efforts to bolster food security.

Seeds are the 'chips' of agriculture, and to build Nanfan into the country's largest experimental zone for agricultural science and technology is essential for seed production and food security, Liu Xiaoming, governor of Hainan Province, said at the opening ceremony of the 2024 China Seed Congress in Sanya, Hainan.

At the conference, Liu detailed some remarkable achievements during the past few years, including the construction of major research platforms, the integration of resources for seed enterprises, and further development of the national seed breeding base.

Experts said the conference showcased China's achievements and innovations in the seed industry. It also comes amid the central governments increasing efforts to ensure food security, which have highlighted the importance of support for sci-tech innovation in the agricultural sector, as well as revitalization of the seed industry.

China is the worlds second-largest seed market, with a market value of 120 billion yuan ($16.3 billion), according to a 2021 report published by the agricultural ministry.

The seed industry is a national resource that has been deemed strategic. Without an independent seed industry, which is key to increasing food production and ensuring food security, there is no strong agriculture, Chinese agricultural experts said.

However, the foundation of seed industry development is still not solid enough, Li Guoxiang, a research fellow at the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

The most fundamental way to nurture the indigenous seed industry is to create a market environment that respects innovation and protects the intellectual property rights of the seed enterprises, Li noted. It would also be good to encourage companies to invest more in the research and development of breeding technology, so as to cultivate new quality productive forces in the seed industry.

This would form a virtuous cycle allowing the sustainable development of seed enterprises, Li said.

At the conference, Tao Kaiyuan, vice president of the Supreme People's Court, said China has continued to strengthen the protection of intellectual property rights involving seeds, with stricter penalties for violators.

According to Tao, the court has dealt with a total of 619 cases involving infringement of new plant variety rights in 2023, up nearly 40 percent compared to 2022.

China has attached great importance to agriculture and the seed industry. In this year's Government Work Report the central government said it would redouble efforts to invigorate the seed industry and make breakthroughs in key agricultural technologies.

Li pointed out the urgent need to enhance the competitiveness of Chinas soybean industry and advance the self-reliance of the seed industry in science and technology. China has advantages in breeding technology for rice, wheat, and some unique varieties, but the yield level of soybean varieties still needs to be further improved, Li said, noting that more efforts are still needed to boost innovation in cutting-edge breeding technologies.

To realize an upswing in the development of the seed industry, Liu said Hainan will ramp up efforts in seed breeding, focusing on such aspects as seed sources, the seed industry, and germplasm resources.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
- "The biggest risk is not being in China and therefore losing global competitiveness."

- "In China, you need to be innovative and also powerful. We need to get it more efficient."

- "We have the confidence that China continues the way of opening up, of developing a high-quality economy and step up."

On China's investment appeal, Xinhua's Zheng Kaijun talked to some German businesspeople in China for their digests and observations on the ground over the years. Across industries, many of them say that China is where multinational companies can keep a faster pace and stay at the forefront.


ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 20. Turkmenistan discussed with representatives of the European business community ways to develop economic partnership, Trend reports.

According to an official source, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, and Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Mammetkhan Chakiyev held a number of separate meetings with European organizations and companies during a working visit to Brussels.

The Turkmen Foreign Minister met with the heads of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Walloon Export and Investment Agency, as well as the vice presidents of Philips and Picanol companies.

At the same time, Mammetkhan Chakiyev discussed issues of cooperation with the heads of the Port of Antwerp and the companies Cargolux, Exagon Global BV, Royal IHC, as well as DEME.

During the meetings, attention was focused on expanding existing cooperation, supplying equipment for various sectors of Turkmenistan, exploring potential projects, digitalization, using modern technologies, developing entrepreneurship, and investment activity.

The prospects of opening service centers for European companies in Turkmenistan were discussed in order to strengthen further cooperation and improve the maintenance of supplied equipment.

Both sides emphasized throughout the talks how crucial business and organizational experience is to the growth of entrepreneurship and how it helps Turkmenistan's transformation process.

Meanwhile, the development of cooperation between Turkmenistan and European companies is gaining strategic importance in the context of the exchange of experience and technologies that contribute to the sustainable development of both sides.

Supporting innovation and creating a favorable investment environment opens up new prospects for economic growth and diversity in the region.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 20. Turkmenistan has discussed the development of its economic partnership with the EU, Trend reports.

This topic was discussed at a round table on the topic 'Turkmenistan and the EU: towards a new economic partnership' by Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, Director General of the Agency for Transport and Communications under the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Mammetkhan Chakiyev, and the business community of Europe.

The event brought together more than 120 representatives from various countries in a hybrid format, where opportunities for cooperation in key areas such as energy, investment, and trade were discussed.

The event was attended by heads and representatives of international organizations, including UN agencies, the EU, the OECD, political, diplomatic, and financial institutions, the media, commercial companies, trade and economic associations and agencies, research centers, and other organizations.

Among the speakers were the heads of the European Commission's Directorate General for International Partnerships, the European Institute for Asian Studies, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as leading European companies such as Sarens Group, Cargolux, Philips, Royal IHC, and others.

Meanwhile, the strategic importance of developing cooperation between European and Turkmenistani businesses is growing in light of the sharing of technology and experiences that support mutually beneficial and sustainable development.

Supporting innovation and creating a favorable investment environment opens up new prospects for economic growth and diversity in the region.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, March 20. Turkmenistan and the EU have signed a Protocol to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, Trend reports.

According to an official source, within the framework of the ceremony, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Rashid Meredov, met with the Belgian Permanent Representative to the EU, Willem van de Voorde, which was also attended by Managing Director Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and OSCE at the European External Action Service, Michael Siebert.

In the afternoon, Meredov held a meeting with the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, Terhi Hakala, where the parties discussed the current state and prospects of cooperation in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, and humanitarian spheres.

Meanwhile, on March 17-19, 2024, a Turkmen delegation led by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, is on a working visit to Belgium.

As part of the Turkmen delegation's working visit to Brussels on March 18, 2024, a number of meetings were held with high-ranking representatives of the EU, including the Chief Foreign Policy Advisor to the President of the European Council, Simon Mordue.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
On Tuesday, Lucy Frazer said industry regulator Ofcom has raised concerns the UAE-linked group involved may have the incentive to influence Telegraph Media Group in a way that could potentially act against the public interest in the UK.
He played the character in Loki season one and two as well as in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania  the set of which Majors and Jabbari first met in August 2021 in London where she was working as a movement coach.
The closest Tube stations are Regents Park, Great Portland Street, and Baker Street, all of which are just a few minutes walk away. Plenty of buses also serve the location (Regents Park stop A is the best place to end up).
But first, the Irish connection  because its a bit of a strange one. It all started when Edebiri joked that she starred as Jenny the donkey in the The Banshees of Inisherin. "I lived in Ireland for about four months  and I got really in character. I was on all fours for four months and it was really painful, but beautiful as well," she riffed during a red carpet interview with Letterboxd last March. For some reason, the internet just ran away with the joke  as did Edebiri  with the star thanking the country in her Best Supporting Actress Emmy award speech: "To everybody in Boston, Barbados, Nigeria, Ireland in many ways," she said.
He showed a reckless disregard for the safety of his passengers and crew. The pilot of a commercial aircraft holds the lives of hundreds in his hands. He would have put all of them at serious risk.
Mr Mirchev said: While we want answers for our boy, we also want others who may be affected by similar care issues at the Hospital Trust to be aware and for improvements in care to be made. We wouldnt want anyone to have face the hurt and pain our family are now left to live with.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 19. Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan have discussed the current state and prospects of the realization of joint projects in agriculture and food production, Trend reports.

The discussion took place at a meeting between Uzbekistan's Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade Laziz Kudratov, and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Azersun Holding (Azerbaijan) Savas Uzan.

The parties expressed mutual readiness to increase cooperation, including through the exchange of accumulated experience and innovations.

Following the meeting's outcomes, the parties decided on additional cooperative efforts and hammered out precise plans for the prompt execution of the projects and initiatives that had been discussed.

Azersun Holding is a sizable holding company that brings together the top businesses in Azerbaijan's food industry. The organization has launched over thirty businesses in the food production, agricultural, and packaging container manufacturing sectors. It exports goods to more than 40 countries and meets the majority of Azerbaijan's local food market demand.

Meanwhile, as per data by the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, trade turnover volume between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan amounted to $12.7 million in January 2024.
"I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation and the Ukrainians more so than anyone because of the shortages that are resulting from us not being able to supply them," said a senior US defence official.
Defence minister Dr Andrew Murrison praised the cadets, telling the Commons: It is a wonderful thing for our communities to have cadets. I have seen them in my own constituency and they are an important part of the local fabric, supporting occasions from Remembrance Sunday to armed forces day and beyond, and we are very lucky to have them indeed.
A No 10 spokeswoman said: I wouldnt want to comment or speculate about individual cases but the Prime Minister himself believes in free speech. For example, he has been very clear on what the definition of a woman (is) and that biological sex matters and he doesnt believe that that should be controversial.
Rishi Sunak has ruled out holding it on May 2, but he is under pressure from some Tory MPs to call a snap election rather than wait until the autumn, by when Reform UK would have been able to raise more funds and become more organised.
As the drones are becoming smaller, more lethal and can travel further, Ukraine has used a barrage of them to attack oil refineries inside Russia in recent months, knocking out an estimated seven per cent of its refining capacity in the first quarter.
Addressing these reports, Mr Halfon said: I still believe that our universities are great places to go across the United Kingdom. I hope very much that Jewish students will not feel that they cant go to our universities.
The photograph was initially seen as evidence the princess was recovering well from planned abdominal surgery she underwent in January, which left her in hospital for nearly two weeks and has seen her withdraw from public duties until Easter.
He said: At Homebase, we know how important it is to have a place to call home, and were committed to co-producing home starter packs with the people who will be using them.
At the talks this week involving US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he said officials will lay out "an alternative approach that would target key Hamas elements in Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion."
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 19. Kazakh FlyArystan, a low-cost carrier, is launching a new route from Almaty to Nukus and back, Trend reports.

The airline states that the flights will begin in June 2024 and run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, three times a week.

FlyArystan resumed direct flights between Almaty and Samarkand last year after a lengthy hiatus, and in July of the same year, it started service between Tashkent and Astana.

Meanwhile, authorization has been granted for Kyrgyz TezJet Airlines to operate routine flights to Uzbekistan.

According to the Uzaviation Agency (Uzbekistan's Civil Aviation Agency), the authorization was issued on the basis of the intergovernmental agreement on air communication between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Tez Jet Airlines is authorized to operate on the Osh-Tashkent-Osh and Bishkek-Tashkent-Bishkek routes.
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The former mayor of Baia Mare, Catalin Chereches, entered Romania on Tuesday evening through the Nadlac II Border Crossing Point, being brought under escort from Germany to serve his sentence in a prison.

The car in which Chereches was brought crossed the border on a lane where there were no other vehicles waiting for formalities.

The Minister of Justice, Alina Gorghiu, thanked on Tuesday the German authorities and the Romanian Police "for the exemplary manner" in which they collaborated in this case.

She specified that, in order to implement the European arrest warrant and to reach the moment when Catalin Chereches is handed over to the Romanian authorities, the Ministry of Justice offered the German authorities a set of guarantees related to the conditions in the penitentiary where Chereches will be an inmate.

On November 24, 2023, Catalin Chereches was sentenced by the Cluj Court of Appeal to five years in prison for bribe taking.

Shortly before the sentencing, Chereches fled the country through the Petea customs in a taxi, using an identity document of a close relative.

Later, in the evening of November 28, 2023, following international police cooperation and the exchange of data and information between the Romanian Police and the authorities in Germany, Hungary, Austria and Italy, Catalin Chereches was located, detected and detained by the German police in the city of Augsburg.
Romanian Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu on Tuesday signed an agreement between the Government of Romania and the International Committee of the Red Cross on the privileges and immunities of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Romania and an agreement between the Government of Romania and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, regarding the legal status and establishment of a delegation of the International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies Red in Romania.

According to the Foreign Ministry (MAE), by concluding these international agreements, Romania meets its political commitment to supporting the efforts of the international community in response to the urgent needs for protection and assistance of people affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

It also reflects the long tradition of excellent co-operation of Romania with all components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

The signing ceremony took place as part of a meeting of the National Commission for International Humanitarian Law, an advisory body of the Romanian Government, at the headquarters of the Carol I National Defence University.

The work of the International Committee of the Red Cross is based on the Geneva Conventions of 1949, their additional protocols, its statutes, those of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the resolutions of the International Conferences of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is an independent humanitarian organisation based in Geneva, comprising the national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The activities carried out on the national territory by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have, among their objectives, the consolidation and adaptation of the local capacity for humanitarian action in concert with the National Red Cross Society of Romania, managing the effects of a major armed conflict in the immediate vicinity of Romania.

The ICRC and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are part, together with the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the world's largest and best-known humanitarian network.
Foreign Affairs Minister Luminita Odobescu attended the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) meeting in Brussels on Monday, where she spoke about Russia's war against Ukraine and the situation in Belarus.

The agenda of the meeting included the situation in the Middle East. European foreign ministers also had an informal exchange of views with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to a press release sent to AGERPRES.During the meeting, assessments were shared on Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East. The Romanian minister stressed the particular importance of strong transatlantic ties, common support for a rule-based world order and respect for international law, especially in the context of the many of today's global challenges. He praised the US support for the Republic of Moldova and stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach to the war in Ukraine to manage its consequences for the entire Black Sea region.As regards Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the latest developments on the ground and EU support for Ukraine were discussed. Ukrainian Foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba presented Ukraine's priorities for the coming period via videoconference. The Romanian Foreign minister reconfirmed the EU's strong and multidimensional support for Ukraine, with an emphasis on the urgency of providing military support. In this regard, she welcomed the adoption of the dedicated Ukraine Assistance Fund under the European Peace Facility, which will enable the provision of the necessary assistance.The Romanian official expressed support for the various initiatives aimed at increasing the sources of funding for military support. She also affirmed her support for a new package of restrictive measures against Russia and for the identification of effective ways to implement EU sanctions. In this context, she praised the work of the International Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions, David O'Sullivan, and his efforts in dialogue with third states. Minister Odobescu also addressed the situation in the Black Sea region, highlighting the need for a more strategic EU approach to the area.The Romanian official welcomed the European Commission's report on developments in the EU accession process of Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the proposals for negotiating frameworks for the two countries, submitted to the EU Council by the Commission (12 March). In this context, she stressed the importance of maintaining an ambitious timetable and organising the first intergovernmental conferences with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova as soon as possible.Regarding the situation in Belarus, Minister Odobescu said that the increasing repression of the opposition, civil society and the independent press, as well as human rights violations, was a matter of concern. Romania condemned the complicity of the Minsk regime in supporting Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.Regarding the situation in the Middle East, Romania supported the EU's efforts to focus on the most urgent priorities, namely the extremely difficult humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the need for Hamas to release all hostages. Romania's recent humanitarian support to the Jordanian field hospital in the Gaza Strip was presented. The Romanian head of diplomacy stressed the need for a united EU approach to the complex situation on the ground, to maintain a permanent dialogue with both Palestinians and Israelis, and to continue to participate in diplomatic efforts to restore peace in the region.
The judges of the Supreme Court admitted on Tuesday a request filed by representatives of the Renewing Romania's European Project - REPER - party to refer to the Constitutional Court an exception of unconstitutionality of the provisions of Government Emergency Ordinance 21/2024, which merged the local elections with the European Parliament elections.

On 16 March, at the constitution of the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC), the REPER and People's Movement Party (PMP) requests to have a representative each in the Bureau were rejected, invoking the provisions of the ordinance on the merger of elections.

REPER filed a complaint with the High Court of Cassation and Justice in which it challenged the minutes of the Central Electoral Bureau constitution, but the challenge was rejected by judges on Tuesday.

On the other hand, the magistrates admitted a request by REPER to refer the matter to the CCR regarding the ordinance on the merger of elections.

The Emergency Ordinance 21/2024, published on 8 March, which merged the local elections with the European Parliament elections, provides in Article 2 lit. c) that the BEC includes members proposed by parliamentary political parties and organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities who had their own parliamentary group in at least one of the chambers of Parliament at the time of its constitution following the elections for the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies in 2020.

Also, Article 2, letter d) stipulates that the BEC will include members proposed by political parties and organisations of citizens belonging to national minorities that have been allocated seats in the 2019 elections for members of the European Parliament from Romania.

According to addresses of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies sent to the BEC by the Permanent Electoral Authority, the political parties that have their own parliamentary group and that can appoint representatives to the BEC are: the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Save Romania Union (USR), the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) and the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR).

Also, the parties that obtained mandates in the 2019 European Parliament elections are: PSD, PNL, USR, AUR, UDMR, Pro Romania and PMP.

REPER sent on 15 March an address to BEC requesting the registration of Tiberiu Ionut Petrescu as its representative in the Central Electoral Bureau. The application was rejected on the grounds that REPER did not obtain mandates in the 2019 European Parliament elections.

REPER currently has five MEPs, but they were elected in 2019 on the USR-PLUS alliance list.
On March 19, 1994, about 100 spectators were on hand as the 66 Park In Theatre was torn down. Here was the Post-Dispatch original coverage from that day.

Heartfelt memories poured from spectators Saturday as white clouds of dust billowed from buildings crushed by bulldozers at the 66 Park In Theatre.

"This is like watching a good friend die," said one onlooker, Michael Schmidt, 41, of Crestwood. Said Travis Cape, 21, of University City: "It's the end of an era."

Schmidt, Cape and about 100 other people stood by as a crew from the Spirtas Wrecking Co. Inc. toppled the giant screen, projection booth and concession stand at the outdoor theater, on Watson Road just east of Sappington Road in Crestwood.

A National supermarket and several other stores will occupy the 19-acre site, where the theater opened in 1948 on what was then Route 66. It closed in October.

The demolition proceeded "100 percent according to plan," said Joe Lennemann, wrecking crew superintendent. Shortly after 10 a.m., a bulldozer yanking on cables pulled the screen to the ground.

"It was a real majestic fall," said Douglas Pentz, 30, of south St. Louis County. "Then it was pretty much crash and wham."

An hour later the landscape featured three piles of jagged rubble criss-crossed by bulldozer tracks and partial rows of headless car speaker poles.

Pentz, who worked for two summers at the theater as a projectionist, said the passing of the drive-in would make it harder for him to remember the good times he had there.

"You would see families with station wagons full of kids coming in before a show," he said. "I kind of wish a lot of these old memories could stay around forever, but I guess that's progress."

Jim Gosnell and other members of the Early Ford V-8 Club parked autos from the 1940s and '50s nearby to pay tribute to the theater.

"Those were the cars we drove here when this thing first started," said Gosnell, 61, of Kirkwood.

Schmidt was one of many people who videotaped the demolition. He remembered his job selling popcorn at the concession stand and attaching letters to the marquee when a new movie came to the theater.

"Changing the sign was always a treat, because we didn't have enough letters of the same size and you had to be creative," he said.

Schmidt smiled as he reminisced about the miniature train, playground, Ferris wheel and other attractions for fidgety children. He used them when his parents brought him to the drive-in.

"It was really a family thing," he said. "I've been coming here since I was 4 or 5 - all the way through grade school and high school."

Several people expressed bitterness that a fond piece of their past was succumbing to a shopping center. But, they admitted, it's a sign of the times: a single-screen, seasonal movie theater can't compete economically in the 1990s.

"There will never be another drive-in built," said Cape, an outdoor theater aficionado and member of the Route 66 Association of Missouri.

"We're losing a piece of popular Americana," he said.

Work crews will return Monday to begin removing the debris, Lennemann said. The marquee along the south side of Watson Road will remain standing for a while as a memento.

On Saturday, the sign read: "Now Showing: `66 Drive-In: The Final Episode."

Just across the road stood the marquee of one of those multi-screen movie shows of the '90s, the AMC 10 at Crestwood Plaza.

Among the 10 features playing there: "On Deadly Ground" and "Shadow Lands."

24 long-gone St. Louis treasures

Remember these 24 long-gone St. Louis treasures? Irv's Grill Marquette Hotel Miss Jim Noah's Ark Nuns on Admiral Rapp's Supermarket and Tavern Schnaider's Beer Garden SS President St. Paul Excursion Boat Walsh Stadum Football Ticket Streetcars Famous Barr Department Store Streetside Records The Green Parrot The Orient Restaurant Trader Vic's Busch Stadium II Admiral The Arena Floating McDonald's Coronado Hotel Eddie Gaedel & the St. Louis Browns Goldenrod Showboat Standard Red Crown Sign
Tony Messenger Metro columnist Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

BALLWIN  At least once every couple of months, I shop at the Walgreens just a few minutes away from where Stephanie Childs died in her home.

I go there because of the types of laws that elected officials often pass when people die, in hopes of preventing further deaths.

More than a decade ago, methamphetamine labs were popping up in Missouri and killing some of our neighbors. So state legislators and city councils passed laws requiring prescriptions for cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, a drug that can be used to make meth.

There is only one Walgreens near my home where I can get Sudafed, which contains pseudoephedrine, without having to call my doctor during allergy season. Even without a prescription, I have to show my drivers license and get entered into a database that limits the amount I buy.

These days, the drug on lawmakers minds is fentanyl. Much of it is made in China and some of it comes to the U.S. across the border from Mexico.

That has caused two important issues  drugs and immigration  to become intertwined, with both leading to proposed legislation aimed at saving American lives.

Imagine if Childs had been killed by a drug overdose or an undocumented immigrant.

Pass Stephanies Law, elected officials would be demanding. Say her name, they would demand. Legislation would be filed overnight. Action would be taken.

But Childs didnt die that way. Nor did she die when a drunken driver sped through a red light, the sort of death that has spurred countless new laws over the years.

She died of domestic violence. She died, police say, because her estranged husband, Zachary, who had an order of protection requiring him to stay away, grabbed a gun, went to her home and shot her dead.

Thirty-two states have laws that prohibit people under domestic violence orders of protection from having firearms. Missouri is not one of them.

Some of those states  21 of them  allow police or family members to ask a judge to take guns away from people in certain domestic violence or mental health situations. Known as red flag laws, they have led to thousands of guns across the nation being removed from potentially violent people.

Such laws, when applied properly, reduce suicides, prevent some school shootings and reduce the potential for domestic violence deaths.

Missouri doesnt have one of those laws, either.

Republicans with super-majorities in the Missouri Legislature wont even allow such bills to be debated. It was that way in October 2022, when a young man with mental health problems, whose family had temporarily removed a gun from his house, shot and killed a teacher and a 15-year-old student at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in St. Louis.

There was no serious debate in the Legislature about red flag laws that year because Missouri Republicans will not discuss gun laws, even when they have no conflict with the Second Amendment.

Bad people doing bad things are going to find ways to do those things, Gov. Mike Parson said then.

Thats true. But it didnt stop Parson from voting for the bill in 2005 that removed Sudafed from public counters in stores across Missouri.

There was no debate this year after the Super Bowl parade shootings in Kansas City because Republicans have determined that when people die of gun violence  as compared to virtually any other way  they are collateral damage and not worthy of even basic legislative discussion.

Laws alone dont solve the problem, Missouri Speaker of the House Dean Plocher said after the Kansas City shootings.

He has since gaveled down at least two Democrats who tried to talk about gun violence in their communities.

Its not just so-called liberal states that have red-flag laws. They have been enacted in swing states like Colorado, Michigan, New Mexico and Nevada, and conservative states like Indiana and Florida.

In Florida, there have been more than 8,000 petitions filed in courts in the past three years to remove guns from the hands of violent or mentally ill people under that states red flag law.

Surely in at least some of those cases  like driving laws, drug laws and any number of laws passed by Democrats and Republicans together to respond to tragic deaths  lives have been saved.

That wont happen here.

There will be no Stephanies Law.

Not in Missouri, where its easier to get a gun than a box of Sudafed.
Registered voters across the Missouri side of the metro area on Tuesday can begin casting no-excuse absentee ballots for the April 2 local-level elections.

Under a law passed by the Legislature in 2022, residents during the last two weeks before an election can vote early without declaring an authorized excuse for failing to show up on Election Day.

Voters Guide for Tuesday's elections, free and customizable The Post-Dispatch and the League of Women Voters of Metro St. Louis present this guide to the candidates, races and issues on the April 2 ballot.

In St. Louis County, residents can cast such ballots beginning Tuesday at the Election Board offices at 725 Northwest Plaza Drive in St. Ann. The office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

On Thursday, no-excuse absentee balloting will start at six satellite locations in the county, with the same hours.

Those locations are: North County Recreation Complex, 2577 Redman Road; the Millennium Student Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 17 Arnold Grobman Drive; the Mid-County Branch Library, 7821 Maryland Avenue, Clayton; the Daniel Boone Branch Library, 300 Clarkson Road, Ellisville; the Grand Glaize Branch Library, 1010 Meramec Station Road, Manchester; and the Grants View Branch Library, 9700 Musick Avenue, Affton.

The main county location and the satellite voting sites will be open the next two Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Monday, April 1, the day before the election, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In St. Louis, no-excuse absentee voting will take place on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Election Board office at 300 North Tucker Boulevard, beginning Tuesday. On Saturday, March 30, the office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Starting Tuesday, St. Charles County will offer no-excuse absentee voting on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Election Authority office, 397 Turner Boulevard, St. Peters, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Element Church, 100 Mall Parkway No. 500, Wentzville.

On Saturday, March 30, no-excuse voting will be available only at the St. Charles County Election Authority office from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

In Franklin County, no-excuse absentee voting will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays, beginning Tuesday, at the county clerks office in Room 201 at 401 East Locust Street, Union, and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 30.

Jefferson County residents can cast no-excuse absentee votes at the county clerk's office at 729 Maple Street, Hillsboro, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and from 8 a.m. to noon on the Saturday before the election.

Traditional absentee balloting in person and by mail, in which voters have to declare one of several authorized excuses, began Feb. 20. Wednesday is the deadline for requesting a mail ballot.

Updated at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday with Jefferson County information
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 19. Uzbekistan Airways will increase the number of regular flights on the Tashkent-Minsk-Tashkent route starting April 6, Trend reports.

According to the airline, in addition to regular flights on Mondays and Thursdays, it will be possible to travel on Saturdays.

The flights will depart from Minsk at 13:45 (GMT+5) and arrive in Tashkent at 20:30 (GMT+5). And the departure from Tashkent to Minsk will be at 9:00 (GMT +5), with an with an arrival in Minsk at 12:15 (GMT +5).

Meanwhile, Kazakh FlyArystan, a low-cost carrier, is launching a new route from Almaty to Nukus and back.

The airline states that the flights will begin in June 2024 and run on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, three times a week.
JEFFERSON CITY  Candidates competing in Missouris Aug. 6 primary have just one week left to file the formal paperwork that allows them to appear on the ballot and vie for their partys nomination.

In Missouris 163-member House of Representatives, just one seat is currently vacant. So far, two Democrats have filed to fill the spot: Jacqueline Jami Cox Antwi and Marty Joe Murray Jr.

Its in House District 78 in the city of St. Louis, a narrowly drawn area stretching from Fox Park and Lafayette Square in the south to St. Louis Place in the north. It covers major tourist draws like Busch Stadium, Enterprise Center and Americas Center convention facility.

The seat opened up after former state representative and current 14th Ward Alderman Rasheen Aldridge was elected to the St. Louis Board of Alderman last April.

Cox Antwi, 28, is a St. Louis native who works in community development finance for U.S. Bancorp. She told the Post-Dispatch that a finance background is important for someone representing a downtown community.

We have a community that needs direct investment. We have a community that needs more affordable housing, she said. So I not only have a passion for these areas, but I have the skills.

Cox Antwi has a bachelor of arts in public policy studies from Vanderbilt University and a masters degree in global affairs from Tsinghua University in China through the Schwarzman Scholars program.

She was part of Reform St. Louis, a group that led a 2022 effort to pass Proposition R, which placed the responsibility of drawing city ward maps with an independent commission rather than city aldermen and created conflict-of-interest rules for aldermen.

Murray, 34, is a senior project manager for BJC HealthCare and an adjunct professor at Harris-Stowe State University.

Murray has a bachelor of science in business management from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and an MBA from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He grew up in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Since 2016, hes held positions within the Missouri Democratic Party. Murray said hes spent that time establishing relationships at the local, state and national levels of the party that will help him represent St. Louis at the state Capitol.

The moment we live in now is prompting his run for office, Murray told the Post-Dispatch.

When I look at everything that is going on in St. Louis and the Missouri Legislature, I feel like our city is being targeted, he said. So I felt like I wanted to do my part to stand up for St. Louis.
JEFFERSON CITY  Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said Tuesday he is unlikely to endorse a candidate for governor in the upcoming election, saying he still hasnt decided on whom to support.

Hawley, in Missouris capital city to officially file for reelection to a second term, would not say whether he prefers Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft or Sen. Bill Eigel in the GOP gubernatorial primary.

I will likely leave that up to the voters. I have to still make up my own mind on that, Hawley said.

Hawley did acknowledge he endorsed former President Donald Trump in the presidential race, but said that decision was different than wading into the Republican scrum to replace Mike Parson as governor.

Former President Trump is the nominee of the party and I always thought he would be, Hawley said.

Polls have shown Ashcroft, the son of former U.S. senator and attorney general John Ashcroft, with a lead over the more well-funded Kehoe. Eigel, who represents St. Charles County in the Senate, has polled in the single digits.

Hawley, 44, is the lone Republican to qualify for the ballot with one week to go before the filing period ends. Democrats who are running include Lucas Kunce of Independence, Sen. Karla May of St. Louis and December Harmon of Columbia.

In 2018, Hawley unseated Democrat incumbent Claire McCaskill after serving two years as Missouri attorney general.

The Democratic challengers face strong headwinds. Republicans hold all statewide elected offices in Missouri. In the 2022 Senate race, Republican Eric Schmitt defeated Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine by 13 percentage points.

In his opening comments Tuesday, Hawley ticked off a handful of Republican talking points, including concerns about immigration and crime.

It is absolute and total chaos, he said about the nations southern border.

Hawley scored a victory earlier this month when the Senate approved legislation that would compensate Missourians exposed to radioactive contamination.

The bill would expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include more people who believe that exposure caused their illnesses.

Although the cost is estimated at $50 billion, supporters say the federal government is at fault and should intervene.

Hawley expressed worry that the measure may fizzle in the House, where Republicans have been unable to agree on a number of key issues including the budget.

The House sits there and cant take it up, Hawley said.

Hawley ended 2023 with $4.9 million in his campaign war chest, easily dwarfing the Democratic candidates, according to Federal Election Commission reports.

In the Senate, he serves on the Armed Services Committee, the Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security Committee.

In the Senate, 34 of the 100 seats are up for election this fall. Democrats currently have a razor-thin 51-49 majority.
A fisherman on the Lake of the Ozarks brought ashore a world-record paddlefish Sunday that weighed more than 164 pounds  the biggest paddlefish ever caught and the largest fish of any kind in Missouris record books.

Chad Williams, of Olathe, Kansas, hooked the monster fish around 8:30 a.m., on an outing chartered by Smiths Fishing Adventures, based out of Warsaw.

As soon as it hit the boat, everybodys jaws dropped, said Jason Smith, who runs Smiths Fishing Adventures. It was an epic day for all of us.

The fish measured just over 62 inches from its eye to the fork of its tail and was caught in a roughly 10-minute tussle, said Smith, the boat captain  who called state officials to tell them about the catch. After coming ashore, the fish was weighed on a certified scale at a butcher shop in the town of Montreal, where Missouri Department of Conservation personnel met the group from the boat.

I could not believe my eyes when I actually saw it person, said Samantha Clary, a fisheries biologist from MDC, who was there.

Paddlefish are aquatic oddities in the modern age, unlike any other fish thats still swimming  ancient relics that are considered a living dinosaur of the fish world, said Andrew Branson, a fisheries programs specialist for MDC. They look almost like swordfish at the front, with a long, protruding, paddle-shaped rostrum. And like sharks, they consist largely of cartilage and are covered in scale-less skin except for an area near the tail.

They are found throughout regional stretches of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, as well as their tributaries, and have earned recognition as Missouris "official state aquatic animal." (They are not, however, Missouris state fish  a distinction that belongs to the channel catfish.)

In Missouris records, the enormous specimen blew any competition out of the water  coming in 24 pounds heavier than any other recorded fish in state history. The previous record was a 140-pound paddlefish caught in 2022. And those top paddlefish have tipped the scales more than other fish caught in the state. For comparison, a Florissant man landed the largest blue catfish in Missouris history, at 130 pounds  which was a world record at the time it was caught in 2010.

Paddlefish, also called spoonbills, are prized for their size, uniqueness and even black-market caviar. They're filter-feeder fish that primarily eat plankton, so they are not caught through traditional fishing methods with bait or lures. Instead, the fish are caught through snagging, when fishermen pull hooks through the water to snare them.

MDC said it was Williams first snagging trip when he hauled in the record fish. Williams could not be reached for comment Monday.

Williams catch now holds the record for the worlds biggest paddlefish ever caught, surpassing one from Oklahoma by 13 ounces, according to MDC. And it dwarfed the paddlefish that Smith is accustomed to. Before Sunday, he said the biggest one hed boated was 108 pounds, with keepers typically weighing between 40 and 70 pounds.

Ive been doing this for 18 years, and its off the charts for anything Ive ever seen, Smith said.

The fish was a female and full of eggs that were not close to maturity. Paddlefish of legal keeper size, such as the record-breaking fish, cannot be released in Missouri, in order to disincentivize anglers from throwing back male fish and keeping only females, whose coveted eggs can be processed into caviar that commands thousands of dollars. The black market has attracted poachers to Missouri from around the globe.

Poaching is a big problem, said MDC's Branson. The sturgeon that are the source of eggs for famed Russian caviar have "been way overfished, fueling a hunt for alternatives like paddlefish eggs, he said.

A lot of the world is looking to the next best thing, said Branson.

Despite the interest that paddlefish generate from poachers in the black-market caviar trade, their populations are doing well, MDC said.

An approximate age of Williams fish was not immediately clear, but Clary, the state biologist, said that paddlefish can live up to 30 years. MDC officials took the jaw from the fish; studying its cross-sections will help them determine its age, in a way thats similar to counting tree rings.

MDC will also conduct other tests to learn more about the fish, including DNA analysis that can reveal whether its a wild-born paddlefish or one of the many that are stocked by the state into three lakes formed behind dams: the Lake of the Ozarks, Truman Lake and Table Rock Lake.

Dams generally prevent the fish from successfully spawning in the lakes behind them because paddlefish ordinarily require different conditions to reproduce. But there is some evidence of natural paddlefish reproduction in Truman Lake, and its possible for the fish to come downstream from Truman Lake into the Lake of the Ozarks, said Clary.

The lake-raised paddlefish tend to get bigger than their river-dwelling counterparts.

We knew we had world-record (paddlefish) out there," Branson said. "It was just a matter of when someone was going to get one."
Worried about hospitals closing and higher costs for patients, state lawmakers are increasingly tangling with hospitals over potential health care mergers, in some cases derailing deals they think dont serve the public interest.

Financially strapped hospitals often look to merge with or be acquired by other systems. After a pandemic-era slowdown, health care mergers and acquisitions have risen steadily over the past two years. But some proposed hospital deals in Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota and elsewhere have fizzled amid heavy pushback from lawmakers, organized labor and grassroots organizations.

At least 10 health care megadeals were called off or unwound just last year, due in part to increased oversight, reported Beckers Hospital Review, an industry publication.

We have seen situations nationally in certain health care transactions where a lot of promises were made, but when you look into it, clinics are closing, prices are going up, access is down, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, a Democrat, said.

Ellison was in the middle of campaigning for reelection in late 2022 when he learned that Minnesota-based Fairview Health Services intended to merge with Sanford Health, a larger South Dakota-based health care system.

The proposed deal drew intense criticism from Minnesotas Democratic legislators, from nurses unions, University of Minnesota leaders and community groups. Fairview owns the University of Minnesota Medical Center, which is funded by state taxpayers. If the systems merged, Minnesota tax dollars might be spent across state lines. Some legislators also argued the resulting system would create a local health care monopoly that could lead to fewer services and higher costs for patients.

As the Fairview-Sanford deal chugged along, Ellisons office held public listening sessions across the state. And while Fairview and Sanford officials said the merger would allow the systems to expand care and some residents expressed support for the deal, the overall sentiment from stakeholders was negative, Ellison recalled.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers passed a bill in May 2023 that bans anti-competitive health care mergers and strengthens state oversight of potential deals. It was signed into law that month.

Two months later, Sanford Health called off the merger due to a lack of support from certain Minnesota stakeholders.

In March 2023, Massachusetts-based Covenant Health called off its plan to purchase a smaller, struggling health care system in the rural northeast corner of Connecticut. More than a quarter of announced health care deals in the United States last year involved a financially distressed partner, according to consultancy KaufmanHall.

Community groups rallied against the deal, concerned that Covenants takeover would lead to cuts in reproductive care and other services. Covenant is a Catholic system and follows a set of rules called the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, which forbids the system from providing some types of health care. Those include emergency contraception, fertility services, gender-affirming care, abortion and some end-of-life care.

My concerns were really rooted in the fact that it was a Catholic-affiliated health care institution that follows Catholic directives, Connecticut state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, a Democrat, told Stateline. There was a concern that women in the northeast corner of Connecticut wouldnt have access to reproductive health care.

Some area residents worried theyd lose their hospital without Covenants takeover, but others formed a coalition that called on the state to deny the proposed acquisition. Gilchrest joined 15 other Democratic state legislators in signing a letter opposing the deal.

It fell through a few months later.

Covenant President/CEO Steve Grubbs said in a statement announcing the deals cancellation that the affiliation was no longer financially viable.

Day Kimball Healthcare CEO R. Kyle Kramer said the systems leadership was disappointed by Covenants decision not to acquire it.

We are immediately pursuing the best path forward for Day Kimball and look forward to working with local and state officials as well as exploring discussions with other potential future partners to preserve essential hospital services in the northeastern Connecticut community, Kramers statement read.

Gilchrest said she hopes Connecticut lawmakers will do more to protect services being eliminated following some hospital mergers, particularly womens health services.

Unfortunately, I feel like we have not been able to go far enough yet, she told Stateline. As a result of many of these mergers, when it comes to womens reproductive health care, we continue to see the closure of services like labor and delivery units across Connecticut.

This year in Louisiana, pushback from state lawmakers and community groups paused a proposed $2.5 billion sale of the nonprofit Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana to for-profit insurance giant Elevance Health. Blue Cross defended the proposed sale by saying it would help the nonprofit insurer slow rising health care costs and better compete with its national rivals.

Last month, Louisiana state senators sent a report to the state insurance commissioner outlining dozens of concerns over the fairness of the deal, alleged attempts by Blue Cross to influence policyholders votes, and Elevances troubled history of fines, penalties, lawsuits and premium increases.

Louisiana state Sen. Jeremy Stine, a Republican, said he plans to introduce a bill this legislative session that would prevent deals like the proposed Blue Cross sale from taking effect without meeting certain consumer protection standards.

By implementing these safeguards, we aim to prevent any undue influence, personal gain, or hasty decision-making that may compromise the health and well-being of our community, Stine said in a statement sent to Stateline.
At the end of the day people wont remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel. This Maya Angelou quote anchored Lynn Schmidts column, "As a RINO, I knew Trumpers would win. I didn't know how they'd make me feel. (March 10.)

When discussing ex-President Donald Trump, another Maya Angelou quote is also appropriate: When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.

Term One showed us Trump does what he says.

Overturn Roe? Check. Pack the judiciary with conservative judges? Check. Browbeat our allies? Check. Roll back safeguards on water and clean air? Check. Fail to leave office peacefully? Check.

Now a potential second term looms. With Ms. Angelous words in mind, lets take a look at what Trump has said he will do if reelected:

He said he will be a dictator. He praises Hungarys authoritarian leader Viktor Orban, saying, This is the way its going to be, and thats the end of it, right? Hes the boss. He's said Russian leader Vladimir Putin can have a green light to do whatever he wants to NATO countries.

Trump talks of round-ups and deportations. Hes pledged to fire thousands of federal civil servants and install loyalists in federal agencies. Cabinet appointees will be loyal to him  not to the U.S. Constitution. Believe him.

He is previewing Term Two. Listen. Believe. If reelected, we will tell our grandchildren  quietly  what freedom was once like, and how we let it slip away.

Margaret Welch

St. Louis
Regarding the letter to the editor "There is plenty that Trump has in common with Reagan" (March 13): The writer ended by stating: Also, Trump has already been president for four years, and asking, How dangerous could he be?

Let me remind the writer that during Donald Trumps presidency, there was a higher death rate from Covid in the U.S. than in most of the industrialized world. Trump attempted to ban Muslims from entering the United States. He appointed three judges to the Supreme Court that allowed the majority to take away reproductive rights from American women and threatened to follow that with eliminating birth control and gay marriage. He made over 30,000 false or misleading statements to the American people. He instigated a violent attack on our Capitol.

So  how dangerous could a second term be? He has promised retribution to his political enemies by weaponizing the Department of Justice. He has promised a national abortion ban. He is open to reducing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and has promised to gut pollution controls, institute trade wars which will damage U.S. consumers, and fill his administration with those loyal to him, not to the U.S. or the Constitution. (He has, indeed, suggested "termination" of parts of the Constitution.)

How dangerous could he be? With a Republican Congress, he could destroy democracy.

Helen Nelling

University City
March 19, 2024: The Russian government recently announced, that once they conquer Ukraine and absorb it into Russia, portions of Ukraine will be added to existing Russian provinces. This is part of a plan to exterminate Ukraine completely. Russia has already been moving Ukrainian civilians it controls to different parts of Russia where it will be easier to exterminate Ukrainian culture over a few generations. Russians are then moved into the territory formerly occupied by those Ukrainians to make those areas very Russian. There is also a plan for Russia to conquer and occupy portions of Poland and Romania that Russia believes should belong to Russia. This is unlikely because Poland and Romania are members of NATO, an organization formed in 1949 to protect its members from Russian aggression by mandating that if one NATO member is attacked by Russia, then all NATO members will respond as if they had been attacked. Russia has denounced NATO repeatedly and threatened to ignore it but has never actually attacked a NATO member.

One reason Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 was because Ukraine was negotiating with NATO to become a member. Ukraine was also about to become a member of the EU, the European economic union. If Ukraine belonged to the EU, Ukraine would be less likely to trade with Russia because EU membership enables Ukraine to do nearly all its trade with EU members. This includes EU ally the United States, which has the largest and most diverse economy in the world.

According to Russian leaders, most of Ukraine once belonged to Russia and those areas were not called Ukraine. This ignores the fact that the Soviet Union succeeded in its 1945 demand that Ukraine be made a UN member as a country independent of Russia. According to NATO and most other nations in the world, Ukraine became independent, as did a dozen other portions of the Soviet Union when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Many Russians, including former Soviet era KGB officer Vladimir Putin, feel the collapse of the Soviet Union was a tragic event that Putin believes must be reversed. If Putin can conquer and absorb Ukraine back into Russia, that will be the beginning of a Soviet Union revival. Putin will then go after the other now independent former Soviet States and ask or demand that they rejoin the Soviet Union. Belarus is the only one of those former Soviet states that might do so willingly. The other former Soviet states say they will fight, like Ukraine did, to resist becoming part of Russia once more.

But then there is Crimea, which is a special case and a separate problem for Russia, Ukraine and the Crimeans. In the 1990s Russia claimed that Crimeans had voted to become an independent Crimean state that wanted to eventually merge with Russia. Crimea was independent in the 1990s, something Crimeans voted for. Ukraine objected and in 1995 seized control of Crimea. Since the 18th century Crimea had belonged to the Russian Czarist Empire, then the Soviet Union and, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, became an independent Ukraine.

When Crimea became part of Ukraine, the Russians and Ukrainians negotiated a lease arrangement so that the Russian Black Sea Fleet could maintain its major naval base of Sevastopol in Crimea. This meant that there was a large Russian military presence in Crimea legally and that made many Ukrainians nervous because those Russian troops could enable Russia to take control of Crimea by force, which they did in 2014 and still control the area in 2024. Ukraine still wants to reclaim Crimea and halted the flow of essential fresh water from Ukraine to Crimea in 2014. One reason for the 2022 Russian invasion was to seize Ukrainian controlled areas near Crimea and restore the flow of fresh water to Crimea. The Crimean situation complicates any efforts to make peace between Russia and Ukraine. Most Crimeans back Russia in the current Ukraine war because they consider Russia the lesser of two evils. That is an exception among neighbors of Russia that once belonged to the Soviet Union. Except for Crimea, no other former part of the Soviet Union wants to rejoin the Union.
On March 18, 2024, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) sent us a letter indicating they believed that Reddit (NYSE: RDDT) infringes certain of their patents. We will evaluate their claims. As we face increasing competition and become increasingly high profile, the possibility of receiving more intellectual property claims against us grows. In addition, various non-practicing entities, and other intellectual property rights holders have asserted in the past, and may attempt to assert in the future, intellectual property claims against us and have sought, and may attempt to seek in the future, to monetize the intellectual property rights they own to extract value through licensing arrangements or other settlements.
HERIDAN, WY / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Buyer Group International, Inc. (OTC PINK:BYRG) is pleased to present the 2024 Underground Exploration Plan for Project Shambhala, prepared by Justin Mistikawy and proposed to Groundhog Mining & Milling LLC. The Shambhala 71 adit exposes a mylonitic quartzofeldspathic gneiss that contacts with mafic-to-ultramafic metaigneous rocks that are variably deformed. We will study these orientations in greater detail during Phase 1B geologic mapping (referenced in Prior PR: Click Here). Figure 1 displays field photos of the structures exposed in the Shambhala 71 adit with superimposed measurements.

Following the expansion and stabilization of the Shambhala 71 adit, it would be ideal to complete three 300-foot-deep exploratory drill holes, for a total of 900 feet of core. Groundhog Mining & Milling Co., LLC ("Groundhog") will conduct diamond core drilling following all necessary modifications to the adit. Once set up and drilling (in the more horizontal ranges), Groundhog can recover anywhere between 50 and 100 feet of core per shift, depending on conditions. We currently estimate that drilling will take approximately 20 to 30 days to complete. Once set up, drilling will likely occur during the day, with shifts starting at Groundhog's discretion. Three drill holes should be progressed through the back wall of the adit, as schematically illustrated in Figure 2A. Note that the image in Figure 2 was taken before adit expansion, so these drillhole placements and orientations are solely illustrative and subject to change. The purpose of drilling these holes is to follow and cross the mylonitic foliation and shear zones associated with hydrothermal alteration and vein PGE mineralization.

Groundhog will place AQ-sized core into BQ-sized boxes after drilling and recovery. Groundhog will provide pre-labeled, 10-foot, wax-impregnated cardboard boxes for the core placement. We will label the boxes with the drill hole ID, a number, and a footage interval. We will assess sample intervals on lithologic breaks once the core logging and geologic description are complete. Core samples will be between 1 and 5 feet long, sawn in half for sampling, with one half going back into its original box in its original position and the other into a prelabeled sample bag with a corresponding sample tag. Following the completion of drilling, core logging, and core sampling, Groundhog will ensure the delivery of core samples to AAL (American Assay Laboratories) in Sparks, NV, for 3rd party testing results.

*LINK TO THE FULL PDF PLAN: CLICK HERE

About Buyer Group International, Inc.

Buyer Group International, Inc. is targeting exploration at its flagship mining project Shambhala in Albany County, Wyoming. The Shambhala Project consists of 84 lode claims, 2.71 square miles in the historic New Rambler District. The district is located near the south edge of the Cheyenne Belt, a noted Greenstone Belt of the Medicine Bow mountains, which contains various concentrations of rare minerals.

To learn more about Buyer Group International, Inc. also visit:

Corporate Website: https://frontierplatinumgroup.com/

Corporate Twitter: https://twitter.com/buyergroupinc

Corporate LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/byrg/

Corporate Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buyergroupinternationalinc/

Corporate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091509813233

OTC Stock Market Information: https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/BYRG/overview

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements relate to future events, including our ability to raise capital, or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause materially different results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

For a discussion of these risks and uncertainties, please see our filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc. Our public filings with the OTC Markets Group Inc are available from commercial document retrieval services and at the website maintained by the OTC Markets at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/BYRG/disclosure

CONTACT:

Buyer Group International, Inc.

Phone: 214-810-1317

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Buyer Group International, Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
SANTA CLARA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / DesignCon, the premiere event for chip, board and systems design engineers, announces the winners of the 2024 Best Paper Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to the educational goals of the DesignCon program as well as the 2024 Engineer of the Year, honoring excellence in engineering and new product advancements at the chip, board or system level.

The 2024 DesignCon "Engineer of the Year," Casey Morrison, Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder, Astera Labs, was selected by industry peers for his exemplary track record of product innovation and ushering in system level improvements in the industry. Morrison and his Astera Labs co-founders have brought innovation into the development and testing of chips, being the first semiconductor company to develop complex SoCs entirely on the cloud. Committed to engineering products that solve real-world problems, Morrison's pioneering work in semiconductor-based, high-speed connectivity solutions has become particularly important for AI and high-speed computing.

Casey Morrison, Chief Product Officer and Co-Founder, Astera Labs

Morrison, instrumental in guiding the industry through the transition from 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) Ethernet to 800Gbps Ethernet and 8Gbps PCI Express (PCIe) to 32Gbps Compute Express Link (CXL), is a regular presenter at DesignCon since 2013 and has collaborated with early adopters of the 25Gbps Ethernet. Morrison has also co-authored multiple papers and articles alongside industry giants including Dell, Huawei, Keysight, Xilinx, Texas Instruments and more. Morrison has vowed to further support the educational and technical community by donating the $1,000 Engineer of the Year Award grant he received to the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department at the University of Florida.

"DesignCon is the place where we not only look toward the future and what innovations are on the horizon, but also look back at some of the great work that has been done by the best and brightest," says Suzanne Deffree, Group Event Director. "We commend every winner and finalist from each category and recognize them for their relentless innovation and collaborative spirit. Their dedication to the industry continues to reshape our business and is the backbone of modern technology."

DesignCon Best Paper Awards honor outstanding contributions to the educational goals of the DesignCon program and acknowledge the authors as leading practitioners in semiconductor and electronic design.

The 2024 Best Paper Award Winners:

200+ Gbps Ethernet Forward Error Correction (FEC) Analysis, Cathy Ye Liu, Broadcom Inc.

A Heuristic Approach to Assess Anisotropic Properties of Glass-reinforced PCB, Lambert (Bert) Simonovich, Lamsim Enterprises Inc.

A Novel PCB Footprint for Double-Sides Press-fit Stacked Optical Module Application, authors from Cisco Systems Inc.

Are 1.0 mm Precision RF Connectors Really Required for 224 Gbps PAM4 Verification?, authors from Samtec Corporation, University of L'Aquila and Keysight Technologies.

Design, Simulation, and Validation Challenges of a Scalable 2000 Amp Core Power Rail, authors from Picotest.com, Signal Edge Solutions, Keysight Technologies, Broadcom Semiconductors and Monolithic Power Systems.

Impact of Finite Interconnect Impedance Including Spatial and Domain Comparison of PDN Characterization, authors from Amazon, Cadence, Samtec, Oracle and consultant Mario Rotigni.

Practical SI EM Simulator using Neural Language Models, authors from Missouri S&T, Zhejiang University and Cisco.

System Design Methodology, Simulation and Silicon Validation of a 224Gbps Serial Link, authors from Synopsys.

In tandem with the Best Paper Awards, the Early-Career Best Paper Award, first introduced in 2020, celebrates excellence amongst emerging professionals as new-starters within the first seven years of their career and aims to encourage engineering growth and development through collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The 2024 Early-Career Best Paper Award Winner:

Applying Techniques of Transfer and Active Learning to Practical PCB Noise Decoupling, authors from Hamburg University of Technology, Celestica, and d-Matrix Corp.

DesignCon Best Paper Awards recipients are selected through a two-step process, beginning with the review by the DesignCon Technical Program Committee where the papers are rated based on quality, relevance, impact, originality and minimal commercial content. Winners are then chosen from the finalists based on the quality of their presentations as judged by the attendees during the conference. The full list of winning papers and contributing authors can be found at the DesignCon Best Papers Awards page .

DesignCon will return to celebrate its 30th anniversary at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Jan. 28-30, 2025. For the latest news and information on the DesignCon 2025 program, please visit www.designcon.com .

About DesignCon

DesignCon is the world's premier conference for chip, board, and systems design engineers in the high-speed communications and semiconductor communities. DesignCon, created by engineers for engineers, takes place annually in Silicon Valley and remains the largest gathering of chip, board, and systems designers in the country. DesignCon is organized by Informa, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B events and exhibitions organizer in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.informa.com . Design News and Battery Technology Online are the official publications of DesignCon. Connect with DesignCon and join the conversation on Facebook , LinkedIn , and Twitter.

About Informa Markets Engineering

Informa Markets' Engineering portfolio, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), is the leading B2B event producer, publisher, and digital media business for the world's $3-trillion advanced, technology-based manufacturing industry. Our print and electronic products deliver trusted information to the engineering market and leverage our proprietary 1.3-million-name database to connect suppliers with buyers and purchase influencers. We produce more than 50 events and conferences in a dozen countries, connecting manufacturing professionals from around the globe. The Engineering portfolio is organized by Informa, the world's leading exhibitions organizer that brings a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com .

Media Contact

Informa Markets Engineering

[email protected]

SOURCE: INFORMA MARKETS - ENGINEERING

View the original press release on accesswire.com
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 19. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has signed a resolution "On approval of international agreement", Trend reports.

The decree approved an agreement between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan to strengthen energy cooperation.



The agreement, signed on August 22, 2023 in Baku, will focus on developing and improving bilateral energy cooperation.



This agreement will be implemented by Uzbekistan's Ministry of Energy. Furthermore, the Cabinet of Ministers, as well as the heads of key ministries and agencies, shall guarantee that the agreement's requirements are met.



Meanwhile, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan's commercial turnover was $178.7 million in 2023.

Uzbek imports from Azerbaijan totaled $47.1 million, $700,000 higher than the same period in 2022 ($46.4 million), while its exports to Azerbaijan totaled $131.6 million in 2023, down $5.2 million from the same time in 2022 ($136.8 million).

Moreover, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan amounted to $23 million from January through February 2024.
In this video interview, Devex's Raj Kumar and Mastercard's Shamina Singh share what they're looking forward to from this year's summit.

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Sponsored by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

By Devex Partnerships

Ahead of the 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit in Washington, D.C., on April 18, Devex President and Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar sat down with Shamina Singh, founder and president at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and executive vice president of sustainability at Mastercard.

Watch the video above for an exciting speaker announcement as well as the inside track on this year's summit, which has become an essential event for solutions-focused conversations on inclusive growth.

Register for the livestream of the 2024 Global Inclusive Growth Summit, taking place on Thursday, April 18.

About the author

Devex Partnerships

Thanks for reading and for your interest in Devex. In collaboration with our partners, Devex's partnerships editorial team produces content to promote a partner's work or perspectives on a particular issue. It gives actors across the global development sector - including nongovernmental organizations, private sector stakeholders, aid agencies and government institutions - the opportunity to go beyond traditional advertising and tell their stories in an impactful way. If you'd like to learn more about how you can shine a spotlight on a particular issue with Devex, please email [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you.

Follow along the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth's journey to advance equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mastercard-center-inclusive-growth

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth

View the original press release on accesswire.com
From the ongoing drill program and surface mapping program results, Cabacal's open pitable mineralization in places remains open. The remaining drill program will seek to close out the mineralization so as to optimise the pit design that will be used in the PFS. Meridian's drill program at Cabacal continues and is expected to deliver an updated drill hole data base to its independent resource and mine design consultants over Q2-Q3 of this year.

Figure 1: Highlights from recent drilling

Update on New Licencing Of Exploration Areas

The Company continues to work with local landholders and the state environment agency, SEMA, to increase the footprint of permitted land for exploration targeting. Environmental licences for exploration (Licenca de Operacao Provisoria Mineral "LOPM") have recently been expanded. The project has historically defined gold and base metal stream anomalies and soil anomalies that cumulatively extend over kilometers in scale. Additional areas of the greenstone belt remain open for further sampling and testing.

To the south, additional access has been approved in areas to the west of Santa Helena. The Company has already initiated soil sampling where gaps in coverage exist in the BP Minerals sampling. 200 samples have been collected and have outlined a new Cu anomaly ~ 4km to the west of Santa Helena, extending over ~575m at a 150ppm threshold. Gold assay results for this soil anomaly are pending. The area and its extensions will be targeted with future surface geophysical programs.

The Company has also now added a total of 11 properties in the Cigarra area to the LOPM north of Cabacal. This target lies within licences 866002/2016, 866455/2016, spanning 3,746 Ha across a 7km strike length of the northern extension of the Cabacal Belt. The Company continues discussions with landholders to formalize agreements on some of the larger properties in the area. Historical records describe a geological / geochemical environment similar to that of the chloritic outcrops of the Cabacal deposit setting in this region, with gold and base metal anomalies present.

About Meridian

Meridian Mining UK S is focused on:

The development and exploration of the advanced stage Cabacal VMS goldacopper project;

Regional scale exploration of the Cabacal VMS belt; and

Exploration in the Jauru & Araputanga Greenstone belts (the above all located in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil).

Cabacal is a gold-copper-silver rich VMS deposit with the potential to be a standalone mine within the 50km VMS belt. Cabacal's base and precious metal-rich mineralization is hosted by volcanogenic type, massive, semi-massive, stringer, and disseminated sulphides within deformed metavolcanic-sedimentary rocks. A later-stage gold overprint event has emplaced high-grade gold mineralization.

The Preliminary Economic Assessment technical report (the "PEA Technical Report") dated March 30, 2023, entitled: "Cabacal Gold-Copper Project NI 43-101 Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment, Mato Grosso, Brazil" outlines a base case after-tax NPV5 of USD 573 million and 58.4% IRR from a pre-production capital cost of USD 180 million, leading to capital repayment in 10.6 months (assuming metals price scenario of USD 1,650 per ounces of gold, USD 3.59 per pound of copper, and USD 21.35 per ounce of silver). Cabacal has a low All-in-Sustaining-Cost of USD 671 per ounce gold equivalent for the first five years, driven by high metallurgical recovery, a low life-of-mine strip ratio of 2.1:1, and the low operating cost environment of Brazil (see press release dated March 6, 2023).

The Cabacal Mineral Resource estimate consists of Indicated resources of 52.9 million tonnes at 0.6g/t gold, 0.3% copper and 1.4g/t silver and Inferred resources of 10.3 million tonnes at 0.7g/t gold, 0.2% copper & 1.1g/t silver (at a 0.3 g/t gold equivalent cut-off grade), including a higher-grade near-surface zone supporting a starter pit.

Readers are encouraged to read the PEA Technical Report in its entirety. The PEA Technical Report may be found on the Company's website at www.meridianmining.co and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The qualified persons for the PEA Technical Report are: Robert Raponi (P. Eng), Principal Metallurgist with Ausenco Engineering), Scott Elfen (P. E.), Global Lead Geotechnical and Civil Services with Ausenco Engineering), Simon Tear (PGeo, EurGeol), Principal Geological Consultant of H&SC, Marcelo Batelochi, (MAusIMM, CP Geo), Geological Consultant of MB Geologia Ltda, Joseph Keane (Mineral Processing Engineer; P.E), of SGS, and Guilherme Gomides Ferreira (Mine Engineer MAIG) of GE21 Consultoria Mineral.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining UK S

Mr. Gilbert Clark - CEO and Director

Meridian Mining UK S

Email: [email protected]

Ph: +1 778 715-6410 (PST)

Stay up to date by subscribing for news alerts here: https://meridianmining.co/contact/

Follow Meridian on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeridianMining

Further information can be found at: www.meridianmining.co

Technical Notes

Samples have been analysed at SGS and ALS laboratories in Belo Horizonte and Lima. At SGS, samples are dried, crushed with 75% passing 10g/t Au) are repeated with a gravimetric finish (AuaGRA22), and base metal analysis by methods ME-ICP61a and OG62 (four acid digest with ICP-AES finish). Visible gold intervals are sampled by metallic screen fire assay method AuaSCR21. Samples are held in the Company's secure facilities until dispatched and delivered by staff and commercial couriers to the laboratory. Pulps and coarse rejects are retained and returned to the Company for storage. The Company submits a range of quality control samples, including blanks and gold and polymetallic standards supplied by Rocklabs, ITAK and OREAS, supplementing laboratory quality control procedures. Approximately 5% of archived samples are sent for umpire laboratory analysis, including any lots exhibiting QAQC outliers after discussion with the laboratory. In BP Minerals sampling, gold was analysed historically by fire assay and base metals by three acid digest and ICP finish at the Nomos laboratory in Rio de Janeiro. Silver was analysed by aqua regia digest with an atomic absorption finish. True width is considered to be 80-90% of intersection width. Assay figures and intervals are rounded to 1 decimal place. Gold equivalents for Cabacal are calculated as: AuEq(g/t) = (Au(g/t) * %Recovery) + (1.492*(Cu% * %Recovery)) + (0.013*(Ag(g/t) * %Recovery)), where:

Au_recovery_ppm = 5.4368ln(Au_Grade_ppm)+88.856

Cu_recovery_pct = 2.0006ln(Cu_Grade_pct)+94.686

Ag_recovery_ppm = 13.342ln(Ag_Grade_ppm)+71.037

Recoveries based on 2022 metallurgical testwork on core submitted to SGS Lakefield

Gold equivalents for Santa Helena are based on metallurgical recoveries from the historical resource calculation, updated with pricing forecasts aligned with the Cabacal PEA. AuEq (g/t) = (Au_(g/t) * 65%Recovery) + (1.492*Cu(%) * 89%Recovery) + (0.474*Zn% * 89%Recovery)) + (0.013Ag(g/t) * 61%Recovery)).

Soils samples have been analysed at the accredited SGS laboratory in Belo Horizonte. gold analyses have been conducted by FAA505 (fire assay of a 50g charge), and base metal analysis by portable XRF calibrated with certified references. ~10% of base metal results are verified by laboratory analysis at SGS using methods ICP40B (four acid digest with ICP-OES finish). Samples are held in the Company's secure facilities until dispatched and delivered by staff and commercial couriers to the laboratory. Pulps are retained for umpire testwork, and ultimately returned to the Company for storage. The Company submits a range of quality control samples, including blanks and gold and polymetallic standards supplied by ITAK and OREAS, supplementing laboratory quality control procedures.

Qualified Person

Mr. Erich Marques, B.Sc., MAIG, Chief Geologist of Meridian Mining and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and verified the technical information in this news release.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements address future events and conditions and so involve inherent risks and uncertainties, as disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Meridian's most recent Annual Information Form filed on www.sedarplus.ca. While these factors and assumptions are considered reasonable by Meridian, in light of management's experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, Meridian can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Meridian disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise.
Forum is a joint initiative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN Global Compact in Brazil

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Otis Brazil has joined as a Participant Company of the U.N.-affiliated Companies with Refugees Forum as part of its commitment to promoting inclusion. Otis Brazil is a subsidiary of Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), the world leader in the manufacture, installation and service of elevators and escalators.

The Companies with Refugees Forum is an initiative of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and UN Global Compact Brazil. Company members commit to supporting the inclusion of refugees in the job market. It aims to promote the sharing of experiences, provide trainings for the hiring of refugees and exchange best practices for integrating refugees into the workplace and society, along with other supportive experiences for this population. In addition, Otis is a global signatory of the United Nations Global Compact.

"We are honored to be a member of the Companies with Refugees Forum, which is fully aligned with Otis' global commitment to inclusion. By becoming a member, we are formalizing the actions we have already implemented for the inclusion and hiring of refugees, as well as for ensuring equal opportunities," said Cristiane Fiorezzi, Human Resources Director, Otis Latin America.

One example of these actions is a collaboration established since 2022 with Misso Paz a philanthropic institution that supports and welcomes immigrants and refugees in the city of Sao Paulo.

Sara Marta joined Otis Brazil in 2023 as an Electromechanical Assembler through this initiative. "I am Angolan, from Luanda, and I came to Brazil with my parents and siblings. I went to Missao Paz to look for a job and prepare my CV, and I was recommended for the position at Otis. I was warmly welcomed and treated with respect and integrity. I never felt like I was treated differently from anyone else. Finding work is very difficult, so I'm very grateful for the opportunity and the trust they placed in me."

To learn more about working at Otis, visit www.otis.com/careers.

About Otis

Otis gives people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world. The global leader in the manufacture, installation and servicing of elevators and escalators, we move 2.3 billion people a day and maintain approximately 2.3 million customer units worldwide - the industry's largest Service portfolio. You'll find us in the world's most iconic structures, as well as residential and commercial buildings, transportation hubs and everywhere people are on the move. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, Otis is 71,000 people strong, including 42,000 field professionals, all committed to meeting the diverse needs of our customers and passengers in more than 200 countries and territories. To learn more, visit www.otis.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook@OtisElevatorCo.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Otis Worldwide Corporation on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Otis Worldwide Corporation

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/otis-worldwide-corporation

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Otis Worldwide Corporation

View the original press release on accesswire.com
The digital business card and technology company will soon relaunch the utility token for the MobiCard app.

CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Peer To Peer Network (PTOP) is pleased to announce that it has retained a highly rated attorney specializing in Corporate Governance Cryptocurrency Securities law to assist with the relaunch of MOBICOIN, the innovative utility token integrated with its groundbreaking MOBICARD" app.

PTOP's decision strengthens its commitment to the digital currency sphere using Binance blockchain technology to recreate MOBICOIN developed within SEC guidelines. It marks a significant step in integrating blockchain technology and legal regulatory frameworks in the company's business model, merging new financial tech with regulatory compliance.

"MOBICOIN is coming back," said Joshua Sodaitis, CEO and Chairman of MOBICOIN. "The day we announce it is back will be a game-changer, in my opinion. MOBICARD" is coming along great, and soon, we will announce that we are opening a Beta Test version to a wider audience. Everything is coming together nicely."

The new MOBICOIN will launch as soon as PTOP's attorney legally clears the contracts to create a utility token that will interact with the MOBICARD" app. The attorney will provide the company with the guidance and legal opinion to move forward with its utility token and how to remain within the SEC guidelines for Reward Tokens trading in secondary markets.

"The token will allow us to effectively market the application and reward users with tokens for milestones and achievements automatically in the app," said Sodaitis. "The last time MOBICOIN was launched, the stock appreciated 998% in one day on the news from the announcement and traded over a million dollars in the stock on that day alone."

The new MOBICOIN will incorporate the state-of-the-art features of blockchain tech and will interact seamlessly with the MOBICARD" app. A development server will work on integrating the token and its technology with the app to bring new and extensive functionalities to MOBICOIN, propelling MOBICARD" and its services firmly into the era of Web3.

"We will be coding our smart contracts in solidity utilizing the BNB blockchain," said Nicholis Santana, head developer of MOBICOIN. "All code is set to launch the MOBICOIN token as soon as the legalities have been approved. If changes need to be made, we will implement them immediately."

The relaunching of the MOBICOIN embodies PTOP's commitment to legal compliance while leveraging blockchain tech in a mobile application environment, a new chapter of growth, innovation, stability, and rewards for PTOP and the users of MOBICARD". Bringing back a MOBICOIN as a reward and utility token is expected to be a game changer for PTOP and allow advertisements on the MOBICARD" platform.

"The rebranding of MOBICARD" is going to make everything look better and smoother," said Santana. "We have made vast improvements to the look and flow of MOBICARD" while staying ahead of the curve with web3 integration."

MOBCARD" has a new logo and will be completely relaunched as a new product when MOBICARD" 1.5 is ready. We are getting ready to open up a larger Beta test to the public before we submit the apps to the app stores for release. To sign up for this, you must email: [email protected] and include the type of phone you have and your full name and contact details. Make sure you subject line the email "BETA TESTER".

For more information, please visit www.ptopnetwork.com

About MOBICARD

Peer To Peer Network's flagship product is MOBICARD", the first-of-its-kind, digital contact/business card that will shift the paradigm of personal and professional networking. It will help individuals and businesses share information and more effectively expand their visibility and brand awareness. The MOBICARD" is a combination of powerful mobile and desktop apps with wide-ranging capabilities, including linking videos, user websites, all forms of contact information, and each user's social media links into one consolidated digital source. It is more than just a digital business card; it is a "Dynamic Digital Footprint."

Contact Information:

Michael Albanese

[email protected]

SOURCE: MobiCard

View the original press release on newswire.com.
The real estate industry was ready for a change and to level up practices and perspectives that had gotten loose over the years.

DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / The CE Shop, the industry veteran in real estate education for all four professions serving the category - real estate, mortgage, appraisal, and home inspection - announces that it sees a bright light ahead for real estate and professionals interested in joining the ranks of successful agents despite the latest industry news announced last week.

Last week, the National Association of Realtors agreed to pay $418M to settle commission lawsuits and had agreed to abolish the "Participation Rule," which requested sell-side agents to make an offer of compensation to buyer brokers. The settlement will be paid over four years.

While real estate agent counts are speculated to reduce over the next few years, the industry was holding onto thousands of non-producing agents following a post-Covid flood of new agents to the industry. Brokers and agents will experience some pain adjusting to the future state of the industry, but the industry will be prime for innovation that will create new opportunities.

The CE Shop predicts several positive outcomes due to the NAR settlement:

Housing costs could drop, while increasing housing inventory and potentially serve a broader set of individuals who have been caught in affordability and inventory concerns.

The average income for a real estate agent could potentially go up with consolidated markets, and since the market might have been oversaturated, strong agents will rise to the top.

There can now be stronger partnerships and representation throughout the transaction, providing buyers and sellers with an improved experience while creating opportunities for professionals throughout the real estate industry. As an example, Mortgage Loan Originators could become the first connection point for a buyer vs. an agent. This could open a trend for MLOs to receive dual licensure in real estate, given a transaction requires both fields. More on that relationship and possible cross-pollination here.

stronger partnerships and representation throughout the transaction, providing buyers and sellers with an improved experience while creating opportunities for professionals throughout the real estate industry. As an example, Mortgage Loan Originators could become the first connection point for a buyer vs. an agent. This could open a trend for MLOs to receive dual licensure in real estate, given a transaction requires both fields. More on that relationship and possible cross-pollination here. There will be pressure on the industry with the anticipated consolidation of agent, broker, and association counts, but the industry will become less saturated and more focused on the best next steps for the buyers.

The industry has been primed for innovation and will solve for the new challenges, just as has been done in the past. This will lead to stronger professional standards, improved technology, and services to support consumers. Every profession that serves the category has a realized goal for all individuals to obtain housing, it's simply the nature of the professions. a

NAR's research shows that 17% of the GDP is made up of real estate.aThe category is not going away.

The timing is right to make a smart career decision for those looking for a flexible work schedule in an opportunistic market.

Learn more about Real Estate Licensing, NMLS-Approved Mortgage Education, Home Inspection Licensing, and Real Estate Appraisal Education.

About The CE Shop

The CE Shop is the leading provider of professional real estate education with online mortgage, real estate, home inspection, and appraisal courses available throughout the United States. The CE Shop produces quality education for professionals across the nation, whether they're veterans in their industry or are looking to launch a new career. We believe that the right education can truly make a difference. Visit TheCEShop.com to learn more.

Media Contact:

The CE Shop Press

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720.822.5314

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SOURCE: The CE Shop

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ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Wesco International, a provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services and supply chain solutions, announced that it is expanding its partnership with Habitat for Humanity International.

This year, Wesco will contribute $300,000 to support worldwide projects including Habitat's Home Equals five-year global advocacy campaign, as well as fund the construction of a home in Monte de Sion, Chiapas, Mexico. The home will be built with recycled materials and include energy efficient features including a biodigester, solar heating, bathrooms with a rainwater collector and a wood-saving stove. Additionally, Wesco will contribute $200,000 towards team builds in the United States and Canada and sponsorship of the 2024 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project.

"We are proud to expand our partnership with Habitat for Humanity," said John Engel, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wesco. "Wesco's mission is to build, connect, power and protect our world and contributing to Habitat's worldwide projects is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the communities where we live and work."

Wesco and Habitat began their partnership in 2022 when the company donated $500,000 to the global housing nonprofit. Over the course of the partnership, the company's work alongside Habitat has included a community renovations project in So Paulo, Brazil, a roof wind mitigation project in Orlando, Florida, and supporting projects in England, Mexico, and New Zealand. The company was also a sponsor of the 2023 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Charlotte, North Carolina. Last year, Wesco completed 100 home build projects in local communities in honor of its 100th anniversary.

"We are thrilled to have the continued support of Wesco and we are excited to see our partnership grow this year," said Tolli Love, chief development officer, Habitat for Humanity International. "Currently, more than 1 billion people live in informal settlements and lack basic services, land tenure security and climate resilience. With Wesco's support of Habitat's Home Equals campaign, we will be able to further our efforts to create lasting change and ensure families have equitable access to adequate housing."

About Habitat for Humanity

Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in south Georgia. Since its founding in 1976, the Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

About Wesco

Wesco International (NYSE: WCC) builds, connects, powers and protects the world. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wesco is a FORTUNE 500 company with more than $22 billion in annual sales and a leading provider of business-to-business distribution, logistics services and supply chain solutions. Wesco offers a best-in-class product and services portfolio of Electrical and Electronic Solutions, Communications and Security Solutions, and Utility and Broadband Solutions. The Company employs approximately 20,000 people, partners with the industry's premier suppliers, and serves thousands of customers around the world. With millions of products, end-to-end supply chain services, and leading digital capabilities, Wesco provides innovative solutions to meet customer needs across commercial and industrial businesses, contractors, government agencies, educational institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. Wesco operates nearly 800 branches, warehouses and sales offices in more than 50 countries, providing a local presence for customers and a global network to serve multi-location businesses and global corporations. For more information visit Wesco.com.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Wesco International on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Wesco International

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/wesco-international

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE: Wesco International

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Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. (NYSE: LAAC) announces the appointment of Monica Moretto as an independent member of its board of directors who will join effective immediately along with Sam Pigott who was recently appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer. The Board now counts eight members, five of whom are independent.

Mr. Kanellitsas, Executive Chair of the Board, commented, On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to welcome both Sam and Monica to the Board. As a new member, Monica brings a valuable combination of skills to the board. We believe her experience in business strategy and ESG coupled with her knowledge of the political and regulatory landscape of both Canada and Argentina will prove to be beneficial to Lithium Argentina. The Board undertook a thorough search process and feels confident that the Board is the right group of individuals to lead and guide Lithium Argentina as it looks to increase shareholder value through the sustainable and responsible development of its high quality and low-cost lithium brine assets in Argentina.

Ms. Moretto is a senior executive in the mining industry who has provided leadership and strategic advice to industry boards and international committees in North America for almost two decades. Currently, she is the Vice President of Sustainability, Diversity and Inclusion at Pan American Silver Corp. and has done extensive work in diversified portfolios throughout the Americas, including the political regulatory landscape and ESG performance reporting and engagement. She currently chairs the International Social Responsibility committee at the Mining Association of Canada.

Ms. Moretto has a communications degree from Argentina and holds an ESG designation from Competent Boards. She was the recipient of the Robert H. Hedley Sustainability Award of Excellence, given by the Association for Mineral Exploration of British Columbia in January 2019, and more recently, the 2021 Trailblazer Award given by Women in Mining Canada.

Mr. Pigott recently joined Lithium Argentina as CEO and today, as an executive member of the board. He has approximately 20 years of experience in mining, lithium, capital markets, business development and finance. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Oxford University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from McGill University. He joins Lithium Argentina from Ganfeng Lithium, where he has led the International Business Development group for the past six years. Before joining Ganfeng in 2018, he worked in several financial and investment banking institutions in a variety of senior roles. Mr. Pigott currently resides in Toronto, Canada.
Galdermas diverse portfolio and educational efforts will be highlighted in 16 posters, and two sponsored symposia, exploring insights from the ground-breaking NEXT by Galderma future aesthetic trends report and the use of Sculptra for the body, as we celebrate its 25th anniversary

Galderma will present pivotal clinical data on Restylane SHAYPE, the latest innovation complementing the Restylane portfolio, powered by the next generation of hyaluronic acid technology, NASHA HD, which supports its safe and effective use for augmentation and correction of chin retrusion1

Results showing high patient-reported satisfaction and improved wellbeing through six months after treatment with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an investigational highly-active, innovative, complex-free, and ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator, will also be presented2,3

ZUG, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Galderma will present the latest updates from its broad portfolio of clinically-proven and holistic range of aesthetic treatments at the 22nd Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC) on March 27-29, 2024. The diversity of Galdermas portfolio, designed to meet the individual needs of healthcare professionals and patients, will be showcased in 16 research posters  including data from the worlds most diverse range of fillers (Restylane), leading neuromodulator portfolio (RelabotulinumtoxinA, Alluzience and Azzalure) and original biostimulator (Sculptra)  as well as two symposia and a booth, which will host an array of live demonstrations and Meet the Expert sessions.

Galdermas extensive activities at AMWC demonstrate our commitment to pushing the boundaries of injectable aesthetics, to anticipate and address tomorrows needs today. By evolving and expanding our existing treatments, developing new innovations, and conducting cutting-edge research into the groundbreaking trends that are anticipated to drive the future of aesthetics, our future-facing approach ensures we continue to deliver the best for healthcare professionals and patients. BALDO SCASSELLATI SFORZOLINI, M.D., Ph.D. GLOBAL HEAD OF R&D GALDERMA

Educating on the future of aesthetics and Sculptras expanding indications

The Galderma-sponsored symposium, The AART and Science behind NEXT, will host a panel of world-renowned aesthetic experts, including Dr. Sebastian Cotofana, Dr. Alessandra Haddad, Dr. Christoph Martschin, Dr. Andreas Nikolis, Dr. Sachin Shridharani, and Dr. Van Park, who will delve into the six identified groundbreaking trends that are anticipated to drive the future of aesthetics and how they will impact consultation and interaction with patients. A live demonstration will show how to best integrate the trends insights in practice via Galdermas holistic assessment tool, the AART methodology, and create bespoke treatment plans for patients. The event is taking place in Room Prince Pierre on Wednesday March 27, 2024, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM CET.

As we celebrate 25 years of science and expertise in biostimulation with Sculptra, Galdermas second symposium, The AART of Sculptra beyond the face, will focus on how to use the AART assessment tool to address patients body concerns and needs. Prominent experts in the field, including Dr. Luiz Avelar, Dr. Sebastian Cotofana, Dr. Alessandra Haddad, and Dr. Marcus Morais, will focus on how to assess and treat the gluteal (buttock) region to address different patient profiles with Sculptra treatment. Through clinical cases, they will also touch on Sculptras use on the decolletage, neck and upper arms. The event is taking place in Room Van Dongen on Thursday March 28, 2024, from 11:00 to 11:55 AM CET.

Extensive data spotlight how Galderma is advancing dermatology for every skin story

Pivotal clinical data supporting the safe and effective use of Restylane SHAYPE for augmentation and correction of chin retrusion, with clinical results sustained for up to 12 months, will be presented.1 Restylane SHAYPE is the latest innovation in hyaluronic acid (HA) injectables, powered by new NASHA HD technology, the next generation in HA science. Restylane SHAYPE is engineered to shape angles in the lower face by providing a bone mimicking effect.1 It is the newest addition to the Restylane portfolio, the worlds most diverse range of fillers with over 27 years of clinical data, which encompasses different technologies (NASHA, OBT and now NASHA HD) and gel characteristics, with solutions available to meet the needs of patients and injectors all over the world.4 Additional data from studies of Restylane VOLYME and EYELIGHT will be shared for midface augmentation and correction of infraorbital hollows (dark under-eye shadows and grooves), respectively, with improvements maintained through to 12 months.5,6

New data from the phase III READY-1 and READY-2 studies will also be presented, showing high patient-reported satisfaction and improved wellbeing through six months after treatment with RelabotulinumtoxinA for glabellar lines (frown lines) and lateral canthal lines (crows feet).2,3 The treatment was well tolerated and improvement in frown line and crows feet severity and aesthetic appearance was maintained through six months.2,3 Developed using Galdermas proprietary PEARLTM technology, RelabotulinumtoxinA is a highly-active, ready-to-use solution that delivers fast and sustained results and maximizes ease-of-use to address the real needs of patients and healthcare professionals.7-19

Six posters on Sculptra, the first and original biostimulator, with a unique PLLA-SCA formulation that activates the body's natural power to revitalize key components of the skin for a more youthful appearance, will be presented at AMWC. Additional data spanning our leading neuromodulator portfolio, Alluzience and Azzalure, will be presented, as well as a new skin quality assessment scale and the AART-HIT approach for combining aesthetic products to maximize patient outcomes.

More details on scientific presentations supported by Galderma at AMWC can be found here.*

*All presenters are paid consultants or employees of Galderma.

About the Restylane Portfolio

With more than 27 years of experience, over 160 clinical publications, and trusted with 65 million treatments and growing worldwide, the Restylane portfolios three complementary gel technologies  NASHA, OBT and NASHA HD  allow for individualized, natural-looking results and long-term patient satisfaction.4,20,21 The uniqueness and complementary nature of the Restylane portfolio allows for individualized, natural-looking results, providing long-lasting improvement and long-term satisfaction for patients self-confidence.4,20-23

About RelabotulinumtoxinA (QM1114)

Developed by Galderma, RelabotulinumtoxinA is a highly-active, innovative, complex-free, and ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator with a proprietary strain and manufactured using a unique state-of-the-art process. It is designed as a liquid, avoiding the traditional requirement to reconstitute from powder and eliminating variability, errors and risks associated with reconstitution, which would be expected to improve the consistency of results. RelabotulinumtoxinA is currently being investigated globally by Galderma, to expand its neuromodulator portfolio as part of the broadest Injectable Aesthetics portfolio on the market. RelabotulinumtoxinA is an investigational product and has not received approval for any indication in any country.

About Sculptra

Sculptra is the original biostimulator and is clinically proven to stimulate the skin's innate collagen (type I) production to increase skin firmness and radiance, for long-lasting, natural-looking rejuvenated appearance. Sculptra is proven to increase collagen type I by 66.5% after three months through a process that starts stimulation as early as five days after injection.24 It helps progressively restore the skins foundation and natural structural function. Sculptra is proven to achieve natural-looking results that last for more than two years.25 Sculptra provides targeted collagen stimulation, with unique treatment protocols developed for each treatment area and to achieve the patients desired results.

About Galderma

Galderma is the emerging pure-play dermatology category leader, present in approximately 90 countries. We deliver an innovative, science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and services that span the full spectrum of the fast-growing dermatology market though Injectable Aesthetics, Dermatological Skincare and Therapeutic Dermatology. Since our foundation in 1981, we have dedicated our focus and passion to the human bodys largest organ  the skin  meeting individual consumer and patient needs with superior outcomes in partnership with healthcare professionals. Because we understand that the skin we are in shapes our lives, we are advancing dermatology for every skin story. For more information: www.galderma.com.

References 1. Nikolis, A, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of a New NASHA-HD Hyaluronic Acid Injectable, HASHA, for Augmentation and Correction of Chin Retrusion. E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 2. Gold, M, et al. Subject-Reported Improvement in Well-Being and High Satisfaction After Glabellar Line Treatment with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational ready-to-Use Liquid Botulinum Toxin (READY-1 Phase III Trial). E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 3. Grunebaum, L, et al. Improved Well-Being and Natural-Looking Results After Treatment of Lateral Canthal Lines with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational Liquid Botulinum Toxin (READY-2 Phase III Trial). E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 4. Carlo Di Gregorio. 25+ Years of Experience with the Restylane Portfolio of Injectable Hyaluronic Acid Fillers for Facial Aesthetic Treatment. E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 5. Ren, R, et al. Midface Augmentation in Chinese Subjects Using a Flexible Hyaluronic Acid Filler Evaluated in a Randomized No-treatment Controlled Study. E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 6. Biesman, B, et al. A Study Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of Hyaluronic Acid Filler HAEYE for Correction of Infraorbital Hollows (IOH, Tear Trough Study). E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 7. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43QM1602: READY-1. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 8. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43QM1901: READY-2. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 9. Galderma. Data on file. READY-2 Post-hoc Tables. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 10. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43QM1902: READY-3. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 11. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43AM1903: READY-4. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 12. Galderma. Data on file: Initial results of the phase IIIb 43QM2106 trial; 2023 13. Galderma. Data on file: Initial results of the phase IIIb 43QM2107 trial; 2023 14. Solish, N, et al. Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Glabellar Lines with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational Liquid Botulinum Toxin: Clinical Efficacy and Safety Results from the READY-1 Phase III trial. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 15. Ablon, G, et al. Treatment of Lateral Canthal Lines with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational Liquid Botulinum Toxin: Clinical Efficacy and Safety Results from the READY-2 Phase III Trial. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 16. Bertucci, V, et al. Efficacy and Safety of a Novel Formulation Liquid Botulinum Toxin, RelabotulinumtoxinA, when used for Combination Treatment of Glabellar and Lateral Canthal Lines. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 17. Persson, C, et al. Patient and Investigator Treatment Experience with Ready-to-Use AbobotulinumtoxinA Solution Versus Powder BotulinumtoxinA for Treatment of Glabellar Lines. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 18. Sundberg, AL, and Stahl, U. Relabotulinum toxin - a novel, high purity BoNT-A1 in liquid formulation. Presented at: TOXINS 2021 19. Do, M, et al. Purification process of a complex-free highly purified botulinum neurotoxin type A1 (BoNT-A1) - relabotulinumtoxinA. Presented at: TOXINS 2022 20. Nikolis, A, et al. The Role of Clinical Examination in Midface Volume Correction Using Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: Should Patients Be Stratified by Skin Thickness? Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2020; 2(1):112. 21. Galderma. Data on file. Subject satisfaction (GAIS)  NASHA and OBT Fillers. 2021 22. Narins, RS, et al. Persistence of nasolabial fold correction with a hyaluronic acid dermal filler with retreatment: results of an 18-month extension study. Dermatol Surg. 2011;37:644650 23. Talarico, S, et al. High Patient Satisfaction of a Hyaluronic Acid Filler Producing Enduring Full-Facial Volume Restoration: An 18-Month Open Multicenter Study. Dermatol Surg. 2015;41:13611369 24. Goldberg, D, Guana, A, Volk, A, Daro-Kaftan, E. Single-arm study for the characterization of human tissue response to injectable poly-L-lactic acid. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39(6):915-922 25. Fabi, S, et al. 24-month clinical trial data on effectiveness and safety after correction of cheek wrinkles using a biostimulatory poly-L-lactic acid injectable implant. Poster presented at AMWC 2023

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240318297749/en/

For further information:

Christian Marcoux, M.Sc.

Chief Communications Officer

[email protected]

+41 76 315 26 50

Sebastien Cros

Corporate Communications Director

[email protected]

+41 79 529 59 85

Emil Ivanov

Head of Strategy, Investor Relations, and ESG

[email protected]

+41 21 642 78 12

Jessica Cohen

Investor Relations and Strategy Director

[email protected]

+41 21 642 76 43

Source: Galderma
New Subsidiary CASM to Help Businesses Achieve Supply Chain Localization

QUERETARO CITY, Mexico--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Birmingham Fastener, a full-service manufacturer and distributor of high-quality specialty fasteners, is expanding to Mexico with the opening of a facility in Queretaro City this month. The new facility will help businesses that have commercial, construction or aerospace projects in Mexico localize their supply chain and access inventory quicker.

Commercial and Aerospace Supply de Mexico S. de R.L de C.V. (CASM) will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham Fastener, with support  including inventory supply  from Alabama Aerospace, Birmingham Fasteners aerospace and defense branch. CASM will supply both commercial and aerospace parts to the manufacturing, construction, and maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) sectors in Mexico.

We are excited about Mexico being our first location outside of the U.S., says Brad Tinney, president and CEO of Birmingham Fastener. The business and growth environment in Mexico makes it the perfect place to locate.

Saul Pedraza will lead the CASM team in Queretaro. He has 19 years of fastener experience and most recently served as Birmingham Fasteners outside representative in Mexico.

My team and I look forward to providing quality parts to customers here in Mexico at a competitive cost, says Pedraza.

CASM will serve a wide variety of industries across the aerospace and commercial sectors, including renewable energy, space exploration, communications, water works, structural steel fabrication and electrical utilities. As a distributor, CASM makes buying certified quality fasteners easy, with flexible solutions tailored to each customers supply chain.

To attend the grand opening of the new facility on Thursday, March 21 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., RSVP by calling or emailing Saul Pedraza at (55) 4940 8580 or [email protected].

About Birmingham Fastener

Birmingham Fastener is a leading manufacturer and distributor of fasteners for structural steel fabrication, metal building manufacturers, transportation, water works and utilities, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), construction, MRO and more. The Birmingham Fastener family of companies consists of multiple locations across the U.S. and Mexico. To learn more, visit www.bhamfast.com.

About Alabama Aerospace

Alabama Aerospace, a subsidiary of Birmingham Fastener, provides quality products for the aerospace, military/defense and commercial aircraft industries. For over 25 years, Alabama Aerospace has been a leading stocking distributor of aerospace, military and commercial fasteners, as well as electromechanical components. To learn more, visit www.alaaero.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319453589/en/

Saul Pedraza

Site Manager  Mexico Operations

CASM

[email protected]

(55) 4940 8580

Source: Commercial and Aerospace Supply de Mexico S. de R.L de C.V.
Brand recognized as stand-out industry leader in manufacturing, equipment design and automation

WEST FARGO, N.D.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bobcat Company (Bobcat), a global equipment, innovation and worksite solutions brand, has been recognized as one of Fast Companys 2024 Most Innovative Companies. The Most Innovative Companies honor places Bobcat in the spotlight among other organizations that are transforming industries and shaping society.

With innovation being at the core of our legacy, Bobcat is driving the industry forward reaching new heights, said Joel Honeyman, Doosan Bobcat vice president of global innovation. We believe that embracing technology and innovation is vital to long-term success, and we are thrilled to be recognized on Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies list.

Since 1958, Bobcat has been looking forward in all aspects of its business to transform how the world works, builds cities and supports communities for a more sustainable future.

Advancing Manufacturing for Efficiency and Precision

Bobcat is recognized in Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies manufacturing awards category. Bobcat has advanced its manufacturing facilitiesboth in terms of its footprint and the technology within its many global locations.

Recent updates to its facilities have included a $9.3 million automated press system in its Gwinner, N.D., manufacturing facility; technology in its Statesville, N.C., facility that streamlines component inspection; and a new robotic forming press in its Johnson Creek, Wis., location that minimizes operators manual labor while improving precision.

All of these advancements have led to improved efficiencies, greater precision and more ergonomic worksites for its employees.

Inventions for the Job Site of Tomorrow

With a focus on innovation, Bobcat is paving the way for electrification and autonomy in equipment design and development. Since 2022, the brand has launched several industry-first machines, including the all-electric T7X compact track loader, the all-electric concept S7X skid-steer loader, and the fully electric and autonomous concept pair of loaders, the RogueX and the RogueX2.

These new machines have garnered many new patents and patents pending, signifying how Bobcat is defining a new work experience while bringing sustainable solutions to the marketplace.

Recognition, Optimism in Moving the World Forward

This years Most Innovative Companies program showcases 58 industry categorieswith manufacturing, health, climate, energy and AI among its popular categories. A panel of Fast Company editors and writers identified the companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.

Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year, said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future.

Media Kit: For assets, please visit this Dropbox link.

About Bobcat Company

Since 1958, Bobcat Company has empowered people to accomplish more. As a leading global manufacturer, Bobcat has a proud legacy of innovation, delivering smart solutions to customers toughest challenges. Backed by the support of a global dealership network, Bobcat offers an extensive line of worksite solutions, including loaders, excavators, tractors, utility vehicles, telehandlers, mowers, turf renovation equipment, light compaction, portable power, industrial air, forklifts, attachments, implements, parts and services.

With its North American headquarters in West Fargo, North Dakota, Bobcat leads the industry with its innovative offerings designed to transform how the world works, builds cities and supports communities for a more sustainable future. The Bobcat brand is owned by Doosan Bobcat, Inc., a company within Doosan Group.

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

2024 Bobcat Company. All rights reserved.

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Nadine Erckenbrack, Bobcat Public Relations Manager

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 701-205-9207

Source: Bobcat Company
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Iran looks forward to further development of constructive cooperation and ties between the two countries in various spheres with Russia, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said during the telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 19, Trend reports.

According to him, both countries are represented in important regional organizations such as Shanghai and BRICS. He said efforts should be made between the two countries to implement the agreements reached in Iran, such as the construction of the Rasht-Astara railway line. Thus, conditions will be created for the further development of economic and trade relations between the two countries. During the phone conversation, Russian President Vladimir Putin also stated that the preliminary text of the agreement on comprehensive cooperation between Iran and Russia will be finalized soon. The Russian president emphasized that the increase in trade turnover between Iran and Russia by 77 percent is one of the positive indications of the growing cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.

To note, an agreement was signed on May 17, 2023, between Russia and Iran on the construction of the Rasht-Astara railroad line in the province of Gilan, located in northern Iran. Nine stations will be built on the 163-kilometer-long Rasht-Astara railway line. The completion of this railroad will improve the North-South international corridor, and Iran's railroad network will be connected to the Caucasus countries, Russia, and Northern European countries. According to the agreement, the Russian side is to spend 1.6 billion euros on the construction of this railroad. This railroad is planned to be built and completed within 48 months.

Meanwhile, according to the statistics of Iran's Customs Administration, during the 11 months of the current Iranian year (from March 21, 2023, through February 19, 2024), Iran's non-oil trade with Russia amounted to 5.16 million tons worth about $2.46 billion. Iran's non-oil trade turnover with Russia increased by 24.1 percent in value and 53.5 percent in weight in the first 11 months compared to the same period last year.

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Follow the author on X (Twitter):@BaghishovElnur
With these visionary leaders, Clear Demand is primed to revolutionize the retail AI pricing and promotions landscape as their growth accelerates.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Clear Demand, the leader in Intelligent Price Management and Optimization (IPMO), announced a significant investment in its Executive Team. This strategic move comes as AI pricing and promotions accelerate to new heights.

Joining Clear Demand are three industry experts: Phil Steitz, Mark Schwans, and Marc Hamilton. Their combined expertise and vision are set to redefine the landscape of AI-driven pricing solutions, reinforcing Clear Demand as the vanguard in innovation.

Phil Steitz, Ph.D., a revered technology and software luminary, assumes the mantle of Chief Technology Officer. With a stellar track record as the CTO at American Express, Deem, Edgenuity, Pegasus, and Nextiva, Phil brings unparalleled experience in scaling technology solutions, building teams, and driving market disruption. His arrival signals a new era for Clear Demand.

"I am thrilled to join Clear Demand, a visionary AI Pricing provider. There is a significant opportunity to drive growth fueled by their cutting-edge science and technology," stated Phil Steitz. "Already, I have been impressed by their people, technology, and customers."

Mark Schwans, a seasoned marketing maestro, assumes leadership of Clear Demand's marketing. With a wealth of experience from his tenure at Oracle, Accenture, Revionics, Zebra Technologies, antuit.ai, and Newmine, Mark is poised to unleash Clear Demand's thought leadership and capabilities.

And rounding out the trio is Marc Hamilton, an engineering virtuoso with an unparalleled knack for delivering next-generation solutions. With a proven track record at industry stalwarts like StrongMind, Pearson, SAP, and Blue Yonder, Marcs appointment as Head of Engineering heralds technical excellence and innovation for this growth stage.

James A. Sills, Ph.D., president and CEO of Clear Demand, Inc., expressed his excitement about the strategic hires, stating, "As we embark on this exciting phase, I am delighted to announce the addition of exceptional talent to our leadership team. These new hires bring invaluable expertise, fresh perspectives, and a shared commitment to our company's vision and values. Together, we are poised to elevate our organization to new heights and drive sustained success in the market."

About Clear Demand

Clear Demand is the leader in Intelligent Price Management and Optimization (IPMO) for retail. We were the first company to deliver an omni-channel lifecycle pricing solution that synchronizes prices, promotions, and markdowns online and in-store to produce a consistent brand and shopping experience. Clear Demand is the leading innovator in retail pricing solutions with patented science that analyzes historical sales to understand shoppers sensitivity to price and generate price and promotion strategies that account for pricing rules, cost changes, and competitor prices to achieve profit and revenue goals. Architected on big data and delivered through Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Clear Demands Intelligent IPMO solution can be administered from a public or private cloud. Clear Demands innovations in retail science simplify adoption and use, while allowing retailers to see value in just weeks with more transparency and minimal disruption to existing business.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319557315/en/

Mark Schwans

Clear Demand

+1 612-281-7871

[email protected]

Source: Clear Demand
Award Celebrates Standout Solution Providers Based in the U.S. and Canada

BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CoreStack, a global multi-cloud governance provider, today announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named CoreStack on its 2024 Tech Elite 250 list. This yearly compilation showcases solution providers based in the U.S. and Canada that have distinguished themselves by attaining top-tier certifications and specializations from leading technology vendors in the areas of infrastructure, cloud, and security.

To help customers navigate today's IT complexities and harness the advantages of state-of-the-art technology, solution providersranging from strategic service providers and systems integrators to managed service providers and value-added resellersstrive to uphold rigorous levels of training and certification from prominent IT vendors, often aiming for the pinnacle tiers within these vendors' partner programs.

"CoreStack is proud to be recognized as a CRN Tech Elite 250 winner, as this award directly reflects our continuous dedication to remaining at the forefront of the industry," stated Ezhilarasan (Ez) Natarajan, CEO of CoreStack. "We are committed to providing our clients with innovative cloud governance solutions that cater to their specific technological challenges. This recognition validates the hard work our entire team puts in to drive consistent customer success."

Leading enterprises are already leveraging CoreStack Governance, a set of governance modules for FinOps, SecOps, and CloudOps, to govern more than $2B in annual cloud consumption. The CoreStack portfolio also includes CoreStack Assessments, a powerful assessment solution that streamlines and scales the cloud assessment process, allowing partners to run assessments against multiple cloud-native and custom frameworks.

"CRNs Tech Elite 250 highlights leading-edge solution providers within the IT landscape, distinguished by their comprehensive technical proficiency, expertise, and commitment to achieving top-level certifications in critical technology areas," said Jennifer Follett, VP, U.S. Content, and Executive Editor of CRN at The Channel Company. "These solution providers persistently strengthen their capabilities to bring the advanced IT solutions to market that customers need."

Coverage of the Tech Elite 250 will be featured in the April issue of CRN Magazine and online at www.CRN.com/techelite250.

About CoreStack

CoreStack is an AI-powered NextGen Cloud Governance platform that enables enterprises to embrace cloud with confidence, rapidly achieving intelligent, continuous, and autonomous cloud governance at scale. The companys portfolio includes two sets of multi-cloud solutions  CoreStack Governance, a set of governance modules for FinOps, SecOps, and CloudOps, and CoreStack Assessments, a point-in-time assessment against Well-Architected Framework. CoreStack helps 750+ global enterprises govern more than $2B in annual cloud consumption. Frost & Sullivan, Forrester, Gartner, S&P Global, and IDC have recognized CoreStack as an innovator and leader in cloud management. The company is a Microsoft Azure (Legacy) Gold Partner, Amazon AWS Technology Partner with Cloud Operations Competency, Oracle Cloud Build Partner, and Google Cloud Build Partner. To learn more, visit www.corestack.io.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 40 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319116754/en/

CoreStack:

Bala Vishwanath

Chief Marketing Officer

[email protected]

The Channel Company:

Kristin DaSilva

The Channel Company

[email protected]

Source: CoreStack
Curacao Strengthens Community Ties as Retailer Prepares to Collaborate and Partner with Local Organizations

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Curacao, the largest Hispanic-serving retailer on the West Coast, today announced it's joining forces with the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce. This strategic partnership comes as Curacao celebrates the opening of its newest store location at the Chula Vista Center, further solidifying its commitment to the local community and the economic development of the customers they serve.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240318624831/en/

Curacaos new store in Chula Vista marks another milestone in the companys mission to provide high-quality products and services with the latest technologies that go beyond customer expectations. From offering the newest consumer electronics, home appliances, and more with price beat guarantees, Curacao continues to empower its customers by enhancing their access to the latest products.

Curacao's presence in Chula Vista is a testament to our commitment to being a constructive force in the communities we serve, said James Lubary, Curacaos Executive Vice President of Retail. Joining the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce is just the beginning. We are eager to welcome everyone to our new, state-of-the art location at Chula Vista Center and show shoppers the Curacao difference.

Established in 1927, the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce serves as the voice of Chula Vista businesses. Members support and advocate for local businesses that contribute to the community through providing jobs, generating revenue, developing infrastructure, and supporting civic services.

Curacao is going to be a really great asset to our community, said Marcy Weaver, the CEO of the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce. Its a one-stop store for our residents, in a convenient location, contributing to the growing development of Chula Vistas bayfront. We cant wait to collaborate with them on community initiatives and events that will benefit residents and visitors to our amazing city.

About Curacao and The Curacao Foundation

Since its founding in 1978, Curacao has been guided by its mission to improve customers lives by extending credit options to hardworking, low-to-moderate-income individuals needing high-quality home and tech products, travel, export, and money transfer services at low monthly payments. At Curacao, customers can buy price-protected top brands and services on interest-protected credit while supporting the community. In addition, Curacao allocates a percentage of every purchase to support the advancement of its local communities through the Curacao Foundation. Curacao is an omnichannel retailer and lender serving customers online, over the phone, and in person in English and Spanish in Arizona, California and Nevada.

For more information, visit icuracao.com.

Established in 2002, The Curacao Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to building a future in which communities are financially strong, socially empowered, respected and included. The Curacao Foundation has worked with over 100 charities, organizations and institutions focusing on financial literacy, health, well-being, education and immigration all within a 10-mile radius of a Curacao retail location. In addition, the foundation supports community partner organizations through general operation and program grants.

For more information, visit icuracao.com and foundation.icuracao.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240318624831/en/

Media Contact

Andrew Laszacs

Bob Gold & Associates

(310) 320-2010

[email protected]

Source: Curacao
THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cybin Inc. (NYSE American: CYBN) (Cboe CA: CYBN) (Cybin or the Company), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to revolutionizing mental healthcare by developing new and innovative next-generation psychedelic-based treatment options, is pleased to announce the closing of the Companys previously announced private placement (the Private Placement) of 348,837,210 common shares in the capital of the Company (the Common Shares) at a price of U.S.$0.43 per Common Share. Aggregate gross proceeds from the Private Placement were U.S.$150,000,000 before deducting fees and expenses of the offering.

The oversubscribed Private Placement was led by Deep Track Capital and included participation from RA Capital Management, Avidity Partners, Acorn Bioventures, Altium Capital, Logos Capital, Octagon Capital, Rosalind Advisors, Sphera Healthcare and other institutional investors.

The net proceeds of the Private Placement are expected to be used for certain Phase 3 drug development activities for CYB003, working capital and general corporate purposes. CYB003, is a proprietary deuterated psilocybin analog in development for the potential treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). If approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (the FDA), CYB003 would be the first known adjunctive psychedelic-based therapeutic for the treatment of MDD.

Bloom Burton Securities Inc. acted as the Lead Agent for the Private Placement, which also included Haywood Securities Inc.

We are extremely grateful for this infusion of capital, which will enable us to continue advancing our next-generation psychedelic development programs, stated Doug Drysdale, Chief Executive Officer of Cybin. We are especially encouraged by the level of interest and support from a high-quality syndicate of investors  all of which validates our clinical findings to date and the promise of addressing the unmet need across mental health disorders.

In the United States, the Common Shares were offered on a private placement basis pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"). The Company has agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to either: (a) subject to the issuance of a receipt in Canada for an amendment to the Corporations short form base shelf prospectus dated August 17, 2023, as amended on December 22, 2023 (the Base Shelf Prospectus) and (i) prepare, file with, and have declared effective, by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) an amendment to its registration statement on Form F-10 (File No. 333-276333) containing the foregoing amendment to the Base Shelf Prospectus, and (ii) file a prospectus supplement to the Base Shelf Prospectus with the Ontario Securities Commission and with the SEC pursuant to General Instruction II.L of Form F-10 or (b) file a registration statement on such other form as may be available to the Company, in either case qualifying the resale of the Common Shares issued in the Private Placement by certain non-Canadian purchasers.

No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. This news release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in the United States or in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The securities being offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act, and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from U.S. registration requirements and applicable U.S. state securities laws.

About Cybin

Cybin is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company on a mission to create safe and effective psychedelic-based therapeutics to address the large unmet need for new and innovative treatment options for people who suffer from mental health conditions.

Cybins goal of revolutionizing mental healthcare is supported by a network of world-class partners and internationally recognized scientists aimed at progressing proprietary drug discovery platforms, innovative drug delivery systems, and novel formulation approaches and treatment regimens. The Company is currently developing CYB003, a proprietary deuterated psilocybin analog for the treatment of major depressive disorder and CYB004, a proprietary deuterated DMT molecule for generalized anxiety disorder and has a research pipeline of investigational psychedelic-based compounds.

Headquartered in Canada and founded in 2019, Cybin is operational in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Ireland. For company updates and to learn more about Cybin, visit www.cybin.com or follow the team on X, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

Cautionary Notes and Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release relating to the Company are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as may, should, could, intend, estimate, plan, anticipate, expect, believe or continue, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the use of the net proceeds from the Private Placement, and the Companys plans to engineer proprietary drug discovery platforms, innovative drug delivery systems, novel formulation approaches and treatment regimens for mental health conditions.

These forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time such statements were made. Actual future results may differ materially as forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to materially differ from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include: fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; expectations regarding the size of the psychedelics market; the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives; plans for growth; political, social and environmental uncertainties; employee relations; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions in the markets where the Company operates; implications of disease outbreaks on the Company's operations; and the risk factors set out in each of the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the three and nine month periods ended December 31, 2023, and the Companys annual information form for the year ended March 31, 2023, which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedarplus.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

Cybin makes no medical, treatment or health benefit claims about Cybins proposed products. The FDA, Health Canada or other similar regulatory authorities have not evaluated claims regarding psilocybin, psychedelic tryptamine, tryptamine derivatives or other psychedelic compounds. The efficacy of such products has not been confirmed by approved research. There is no assurance that the use of psilocybin, psychedelic tryptamine, tryptamine derivatives or other psychedelic compounds can diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Rigorous scientific research and clinical trials are needed. Cybin has not conducted clinical trials for the use of its proposed products. Any references to quality, consistency, efficacy and safety of potential products do not imply that Cybin verified such in clinical trials or that Cybin will complete such trials. If Cybin cannot obtain the approvals or research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a material adverse effect on Cybins performance and operations.

Neither the Cboe Canada nor the NYSE American LLC stock exchange have approved or disapproved the contents of this news release and are not responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the contents herein.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240318298542/en/

Investor & Media:

Gabriel Fahel

Chief Legal Officer

Cybin Inc.

1-866-292-4601

[email protected]  or  [email protected]

Source: Cybin Inc.
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dome Construction, one of Californias leading general contractors, today announced it won two awards from the Construction Employers Association (CEA), the Excellence in Safety award for the 21st year in a row and the Presidents Safety Award for the 5th year in a row, its 8th time overall.

The Excellence in Safety Award winners have achieved both a total incident rate and a lost workday incident rate 25 percent below the industry average, an experience modification rate below 1.0, a flat or negative experience modification trend over the past four years, and a demonstration of an active safety training program.

The Presidents Safety Award recognizes CEA member firms whose safety programs exceed industry standards. Presidents Safety Award winners are recognized for having achieved both a total injury and incident rate and a lost workday rate at least 50 percent below the industry average, and an experience modification rate of .70 or less.

About Dome Construction

Established in 1969, Dome Construction is a values-driven, culture focused organization, guided by their core values: Value our People, Seek to Understand, and Do it Right. With an impressive employee engagement rate of 93%, Dome places a central focus on building a workplace that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Their vision is to create an environment where everyone at Dome has a voice, sees opportunity, thrives, and can be who they are.

Dome is among the top five California general contractors with the lowest EMR rate, placing the company in the top one percent of the safest builders in the state. The strong safety culture Dome has built is why they have been recognized for 20 consecutive years by the Construction Employers Association (CEA) for Excellence in Safety. As pioneers of innovative construction practices, Dome is committed to utilizing methodologies and technologies that push construction forward, especially when it promotes improved worker safety, such as creating technologies like eMOD. For additional information about Dome Construction, please visit www.domebuilds.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319167513/en/

Samantha Short

[email protected]

310-824-9000

Source: Dome Construction
Favorable Safety and Tolerability also Observed

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kiromic BioPharma, Inc. (OTCQB: KRBP) (Kiromic or the Company) reports early efficacy results showing primary lung tumor stabilization and the complete disappearance of brain metastases in the second patient in the Companys Deltacel-01 Phase 1 clinical trial. Deltacel-01 is evaluating Deltacel (KB-GDT-01), Kiromics allogeneic, off-the-shelf, Gamma Delta T-cell (GDT) therapy, in patients with stage 4 metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Preliminary results obtained six weeks from the beginning of treatment show Deltacels efficacy in controlling tumor growth, as well as favorable safety and tolerability. Stable disease status was confirmed by CT scan. An MRI scan of the patients brain performed before treatment began noted new onset metastatic disease, which completely resolved on repeat MRI imaging performed six weeks from the beginning of treatment. This patient is being treated at the Beverly Hills Cancer Center (BHCC).

These six-week results in the second patient enrolled in Deltacel-01 are extremely promising. Along with preliminary results from the first patient we previously reported, they strengthen the candidacy of Deltacel as a potential treatment for patients with advanced disease. The complete eradication of this patients preexisting brain metastases supports a growing body of evidence for the benefit of our therapy and could also support Deltacel-01 crossing the blood-brain barrier, said Pietro Bersani, Chief Executive Officer of Kiromic BioPharma.

"These preliminary results, especially the CT and MRI scan findings and the absence of dose-limiting toxicities, underscore the promise of Deltacel as a potentially efficacious therapy. We are cautiously optimistic given we have achieved a stable disease status for this patient. This aligns with our centers commitment to bringing pioneering care for patients with few or no available treatment options," commented Afshin Eli Gabayan, M.D., Medical Oncologist, Medical Director, and Principal Investigator at BHCC.

Kiromic expects to announce initial safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy results from the third patient enrolled in Deltacel-01 by the end of March.

About Deltacel-01

In Kiromics open-label Phase 1 clinical trial, titled Phase 1 Trial Evaluating the Safety and Tolerability of Gamma Delta T Cell Infusions in Combination With Low Dose Radiotherapy in Subjects With Stage 4 Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NCT06069570), patients with stage 4 NSCLC will receive two intravenous infusions of Deltacel with four courses of low-dose, localized radiation over a 10-day period. The primary objective of the Deltacel-01 trial is to evaluate safety, while secondary measurements include objective response, progression-free survival, overall survival, time to progression, time to treatment response and disease control rates.

About Deltacel

Deltacel (KB-GDT-01) is an investigational gamma delta T-cell (GDT) therapy currently in the Deltacel-01 Phase 1 trial for the treatment of stage 4 metastatic NSCLC. An allogeneic product consisting of unmodified, donor-derived gamma delta T cells, Deltacel is the leading candidate in Kiromics GDT platform. Deltacel is designed to exploit the natural potency of GDT cells to target solid cancers, with an initial clinical focus on NSCLC, which represents about 80% to 85% of all lung cancer cases. Data from two preclinical studies demonstrated Deltacels favorable safety and efficacy profile when it was combined with low-dose radiation.

About Beverly Hills Cancer Center

As a private, academic, community-based cancer center, the Beverly Hills Cancer Center not only provides the latest state-of-the-art cancer treatments all under one roof, but also provides leading clinical trials and research, attracting patients globally. By providing access to groundbreaking clinical trials, the Beverly Hills Cancer Center offers patients the opportunity to participate in the most advanced cancer treatments currently in development in the world. Beverly Hills Cancer Center is comprised of an internationally recognized multidisciplinary medical team consisting of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, hematologists and internists who provide exceptional patient care and support services including a robust and highly efficient team of clinical research professionals. More information is available at www.BHCancerCenter.com.

About Kiromic BioPharma

Kiromic BioPharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage, fully integrated biotherapeutics company using its proprietary DIAMOND artificial intelligence (AI) 2.0 target discovery engine to develop and commercialize cell therapies focusing on immuno-oncology. Kiromic is developing a multi-indication allogeneic cell therapy platform that exploits the natural potency of Gamma Delta T-cells to target solid tumors. Kiromics DIAMOND AI is where data science meets target identification to dramatically compress the years and hundreds of millions of dollars required to develop a live drug. The Company maintains offices in Houston, Texas. To learn more, visit www.kiromic.com and connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Kiromic makes such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and other federal securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as: will, potential, could, can, believe, intends, continue, plans, expects, anticipates, estimates, may, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: Kiromics ability to achieve its objectives and Kiromics financing strategy and availability of funds. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and as detailed from time to time in our other SEC filings. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance, or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. Moreover, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate only to events as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements except to the extent required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319287248/en/

Kiromic BioPharma

Linda Phelan Dyson, MPH

Global Head, Corporate Communications

[email protected]

281-468-7683

LHA Investor Relations

Tirth T. Patel

[email protected]

212-201-6614

Beverly Hills Cancer Center

Sharon Neman

Chief Strategy Officer

[email protected]

310-432-8925

Source: Kiromic BioPharma, Inc.
OSLO, Norway--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Elliptic Labs (OSE: ELABS), a global AI software company and the world leader in AI Virtual Smart Sensors currently deployed in over 500 million devices, has launched its AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY on Transsions latest smartphone release, the Infinix Note 40 series. Transsion, the fifth largest smartphone maker globally, is releasing the Infinix Note 40 smartphone series for the global market. The Infinix Note 40 series is comprised of four smartphones: the Infinix Note 40, Note 40 Pro, Note 40 Pro 5G, and Note 40 Pro+ 5G. All four smartphones are driven by Elliptic Labs partner MediaTek's chipsets, with MediaTeks Helio G99 chipset driving both the Note 40 and Note 40 Pro versions and the Dimensity 7050 chipset is at the core of the Note 40 Pro 5G and Note 40 Pro+ 5G smartphones. The contract for this launch was previously announced by Elliptic Labs.

"Transsion, a top-5 global smartphone maker, is launching another four smartphones utilizing our AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform, said Laila Danielsen, CEO of Elliptic Labs. Since 2022, we have released (12) Transsion devices to market utilizing our AI Virtual Smart Sensors. In the same time, weve seen Transsion grow from a smaller smartphone OEM into a global Top-5 smartphone maker. The latest launch of Transsion-brand Infinixs value-focused devices incorporating our AI Virtual Proximity Sensor, INNER BEAUTY, underscores the critical impact of our 100% software-based AI Virtual Smart Sensors. Together with Transsion and our other global customers, we are committed to bringing to market, devices that are greener, smarter, and human-friendly.

AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY

Elliptic Labs AI Virtual Proximity Sensor detects when a user holds their phone up to their ear during a call, allowing the smartphone to turn off its display and disable its screens touch functionality. This keeps the users ear or cheek from triggering unwanted actions during the call, such as hanging up or dialing numbers. Turning off the screen also helps conserve battery life.

Proximity detection is a core capability that is used in all smartphones, but Elliptic Labs AI Virtual Proximity Sensor is a unique, software-only solution that delivers robust proximity detection without the need for a dedicated hardware sensor. By replacing hardware sensors with software sensors, the AI Virtual Proximity Sensor reduces device cost and eliminates sourcing risk.

INNER BEAUTY is a registered trademark of Elliptic Labs.

AI Virtual Smart Sensor, AI Virtual Proximity Sensor, and AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform are trademarks of Elliptic Labs.

All other trademarks or service marks are the responsibility of their respective organizations.

About Elliptic Labs

Elliptic Labs is a global enterprise targeting the smartphone, laptop, IoT, and automotive markets. Founded in 2006 as a research spin-off from Norways Oslo University, the companys patented software uses AI, ultrasound and sensor fusion to deliver intuitive 3D gesture, proximity-, presence-, breathing- and heartbeat-detection experiences. Its scalable AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform creates software-only sensors that are sustainable, human-friendly and already deployed in hundreds of millions of devices around the world. Elliptic Labs is the only software company that has delivered detection capabilities using AI software, ultrasound, and sensor fusion deployed at scale. The company joined the Oslo Brs main listing in March 2022.

Elliptic Labs is headquartered in Norway with presence in the USA, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Its technology and IP are developed in Norway and are solely owned by the company.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240318967454/en/

PR Contacts:

Patrick Tsui

[email protected]

Investor Relations:

Lars Holmy

[email protected]

Source: Elliptic Labs
TAIPEI, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Rugged embedded computing brand - Cincoze, will be at Embedded World 2024 (Hall 1, Booth 1-260) in Nuremberg, Germany, on April 9-11, 2024. Cincoze will display its range of world-class industrial embedded computing products around the theme of Comprehensive AI Edge Computing Solutions, encompassing the full spectrum of industrial application environments in four dedicated zones, including the Rugged Embedded Fanless Computers, Industrial Panel PCs & Monitors, Embedded GPU Computers, and New Products.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319923810/en/

Embedded World 2024  Cincoze Will Showcase Industrial Edge AI Computing Solutions (Graphic: Business Wire)

Rugged Embedded Computers

Cincoze Rugged Computing  DIAMOND product line is for harsh industrial environments where many computers would struggle. The seven computers in the range have wide temperature, wide voltage, and industrial-grade protections, while each model offers different performance, expandability, size, power efficiency, and industry certifications. Every model supports additional I/O and functions through Cincozes exclusive modular expansion technology for maximum application flexibility.

Industrial Panel PCs & Monitors

Cincoze Display Computing  CRYSTAL product line consists of six different series, including industrial panel PCs (CV-100/P series) and monitors (CV-100/M series) for general use in harsh industrial environments, sunlight-readable panel PCs (CS-100/P series) and monitors (CS-100/M series) for use in high brightness environments or outdoors, and open frame panel PCs (CO-100/P series) and monitors (CO-100/M series) for seamless integration in advanced machine equipment. The CRYSTAL line offers a range of screen sizes, display ratios, touch methods, resolution, brightness, and other options to provide a complete and comprehensive selection.

Embedded GPU Computers

Cincoze GPU Computing  GOLD product line is for rapidly evolving AI technologies by providing the computing power needed for machine learning and AIoT in industrial environments. Cincoze will showcase the GM-1000 and GP-3100 series in the GPU Computing  GOLD product line. The GM-1000 is a high-performance computer that supports an MXM GPU and is best suited for machine vision applications with limited installation space. The GP-3100 is Cincozes flagship model that supports up to two full-length graphics cards with the addition of a GPU Expansion Box and can perform sophisticated and complex visual inspection or autonomous driving. The GP-3100 has three patents for its heat dissipation, expansion, and GPU card mounting bracket designs, not only solving customer pain points but also winning many awards.

New Products

The New Products Zone will showcase a number of the latest products with the latest Intel Raptor Lake processor. The biggest highlight is the new Machine Computing  DIN RAIL PC (MD Series) product line, specially tailored for control cabinets, further filling out Cincozes range for smart manufacturing. In addition to its excellent processing performance, expansion capabilities allow adding I/O, storage, and expansion sockets according to application needs, providing more options and flexibility.

Embedded World Exhibition Information

Date Tue.  Thu., April 9 - 11, 2024 Place Exhibition Center, Nuremberg, Germany Stand Hall 1 , Stand 1-260 Time April 9: 09:00 - 18:00

April 10: 09:00 - 18:00

April 11: 09:00 - 17:00

About Cincoze

Cincoze is a rugged embedded computer brand that provides embedded computer solutions for edge computing and AIoT needs. Its product lines include rugged embedded computers, industrial panel PCs, industrial monitors, and embedded GPU computers. Cincoze products meet the application needs of various vertical markets, especially manufacturing, in-vehicle systems, rail, transportation, and warehouse and logistics. Over the years, Cincoze has launched many innovative products and has won several patents, awards, and international certifications.

Tags: Embedded Computer / Edge Computing / Panel PC / HMI

For more information, please visit www.cincoze.com, or contact us by email: [email protected].

Cincoze Co., Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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Press

Cindy Lin

Phone: +886-2-8912-1101 #1904

E-Mail: [email protected]

www.cincoze.com

Source: Cincoze
SUDBURY, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Flosonics Medical, a leader in wearable medical ultrasound, today announced its Series C financing, raising $20 million USD. The round was led by New Leaf Venture Partners, with participation from previous investors Arboretum Ventures, Genesys Capital, and iGan Partners. This new funding will support Flosonics as the company continues to innovate and drive market adoption of FloPatch, a first-in-class wearable Doppler ultrasound for hemodynamic assessments.

Vijay Lathi, an experienced MedTech investor with a focus on data convergence and guiding growth-stage companies, will join Flosonics Medicals board of directors. We are thrilled to have New Leaf Venture Partners lead our Series C round and welcome Vijay Lathi to our board, said Joe Eibl, CEO of Flosonics Medical. This investment not only validates our past successes but also enables us to accelerate our plans for expansion and innovation. We are committed to leveraging this funding to further enhance the standard of care for critically ill patients with FloPatch and expand our reach into new markets.

On behalf of New Leaf Venture Partners, Vijay Lathi expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: Our investment into Flosonics is driven by the clear and significant impact their technology will have on patients in critical situations, and the quality of the team behind it. Flosonics Medical stands at the forefront of wearable ultrasound, and we look forward to contributing to their continued success.

Flosonics Medical plans to use the Series C investment to accelerate commercial growth, expand indications for use, and continue evidence generation. The company aims to address the growing demand for wearable AI-assisted sensors to improve patient management inside and outside the hospital.

About: Flosonics Medical is a Canadian medical device company engaged in the research and development of innovative ultrasound technology. Founded in 2015, the companys mission is to improve patient care and the practice of medicine through technology-enabled solutions and ground-breaking clinical research.

About New Leaf Venture Partners: New Leaf Venture Partners is a leader in healthcare technology venture investing. Our investment professionals bring a unique blend of technical, operational, and clinical experience to our investments, working closely with our entrepreneurs and management teams to help build successful companies. New Leaf Ventures invests in both healthcare-related information technology companies as well as public and private biopharmaceutical companies as well as. New Leaf currently manages over $500 million in assets through several funds. New Leaf was formed in 2005 as the healthcare spinoff from the Sprout Group, one of the oldest U.S. venture capital funds. For more information please visit www.nlvpartners.com.

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For media inquiries: [email protected].

Source: Flosonics Medical
Offerings include a premiere fresh market and deli, an innovative brewery, a hair salon, and a medical scrubs boutique.

AURORA, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Apartment Income REIT Corp. (NYSE: AIRC) (AIR or AIR Communities) is thrilled to announce the arrival of four new retailers at 21 Fitzsimons and The Fremont, two premier apartment communities located at the heart of the Anschutz Medical Campus. These exciting additions will offer a diverse range of services, catering to the needs of residents, nearby workers, and the greater community.

Milieu Fermentation (mil-you) is a unique craft brewery specializing in small-batch, artisanal beers. With a passion for experimentation and a dedication to quality, Milieu Fermentation aims to provide a one-of-a-kind taproom experience. Patrons can look forward to a rotating selection of innovative beers and alternative fermented alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages that are carefully crafted to push the boundaries of traditional brewing.

Sable and Siren Hair Co. is a boutique, full-service hair salon owned and operated by 15-year industry veteran Jen Valentine. Sable and Siren Hair Co. will provide hair extension services, bridal styling, and more using Japanese and Australian hair care brands focused on hair health and sustainability.

Spinellis Market is a local deli known for award-winning sandwiches and Italian specialties. Run by two former restaurant industry pros, Spinellis will be the teams third market in the Denver region, offering fresh produce, pantry staples, freshly made deli sandwiches, ready-to-heat entrees, and more.

WOW Scrubs is a specialty store offering high-quality medical scrubs and accessories. With a wide selection of stylish and functional scrubs, WOW Scrubs aims to meet the needs of the healthcare professionals working and living on the Anschutz Medical Campus and across the Denver-metro area.

The Anschutz Medical Campus and Fitzsimons Innovation Community are important economic drivers for the City of Aurora and the State of Colorado. Im thrilled to see these four new businesses opening in our great city, said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman and chairman of the Fitzsimons Innovation Community. I look forward to their success, and I thank AIR Communities for their efforts to enhance the retail offerings in Aurora.

Building community is a core value at AIR, and we are excited to welcome Milieu Fermentation, Sable and Siren Hair Co., Spinellis, and WOW Scrubs to 21 Fitzsimons and The Fremont, said Tyson Kuhlhoff, Director of Operations at AIR Communities. These new retailers will not only enhance the living experience for our residents, but also contribute to the vibrant community on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Sable and Siren and WOW Scrubs are opening in March 2024, and Spinellis and Milieu Fermentation will be ready for business later this Spring.

These exciting additions join a lineup of established businesses in the area, including Cedar Creek Pub, a popular restaurant featuring local ingredients, Lost Coffee, known for quality beverages and a friendly atmosphere, and CVS Specialty, providing convenient access to essential pharmacy goods.

Learn more by visiting the 21 Fitzsimons and The Fremont websites.

About AIR Communities

Apartment Income REIT Corp (NYSE: AIRC) is a publicly traded, self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT). AIRs portfolio comprises 76 communities totaling 27,010 apartment homes located in 10 states and the District of Columbia. AIR offers a simple, predictable business model with focus on what we call the AIR Edge, the cumulative result of our focus on resident selection, satisfaction, and retention, as well as relentless innovation in delivering best-in-class property management. The AIR Edge is a durable operating advantage in driving organic growth, as well as making possible the opportunity for excess returns for properties new to AIRs platform. For additional information, please visit aircommunities.com.

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Stephanie Joslin

Director of Communications, AIR Communities

[email protected]

Source: Apartment Income REIT Corp
Hospitality leader to match dollar-for-dollar donations as part of ongoing commitment to disaster relief and community resilience

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (NYSE: HGV), a premier vacation ownership and experiences company, announces its once again partnering with the American Red Cross for the third annual Early Giving Day fundraiser campaign to support the organizations disaster relief efforts. In honor of Red Cross Month, HGV is matching donations to the Red Cross dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000 on March 19.

Last year, the U.S. experienced a historic number of costly weather-related disasters, with 2023 damages totaling more than $92 billion. These events not only have a devastating economic impact but also cause immense suffering for families who, beyond potential injuries or illnesses incurred, also lose their homes and possessions. The Red Cross responds to an emergency every eight minutes, mobilizing a team to ensure people who are impacted by disasters have the resources and support they need.

At Hilton Grand Vacations, were committed to stepping up to support the communities in which we live, work and vacation, said Mark Wang, president and CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations. The Red Cross is always ready to mobilize a team in crisis situations. Its an honor to support our long-term partner and help them continue to create positive change and resilience in communities across our nation.

The Red Cross is responding to nearly twice as many large disasters as we did a decade ago to help families and communities struggling with more frequent and intense disasters, said Michael D. Brown, regional CEO of the American Red Cross of Central Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Last year's onslaught of extreme weather events is an example of why it's so critical for us to have the resources and support in place to meet emerging needs  which is only possible with the generous support of donors like Hilton Grand Vacations.

HGV has a long-standing partnership with the Red Cross through the companys corporate social responsibility program, HGV Serves, which aims to create impactful, positive change for various underserved communities and individuals. Along with disaster relief, HGV Serves also focuses on three other philanthropic pillars, including: homelessness, military & families and youth development. HGV empowers team members to support their community by hosting volunteer events, such as home builds, care package preparation, hygiene kit building events and more.

To participate in Early Giving Day and support the Red Cross with a donation, visit this page.

About Hilton Grand Vacations Inc.

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (NYSE: HGV) is recognized as a leading global timeshare company and is the exclusive vacation ownership partner of Hilton. With headquarters in Orlando, Florida, Hilton Grand Vacations develops, markets, and operates a system of brand-name, high-quality vacation ownership resorts in select vacation destinations. Hilton Grand Vacations has a reputation for delivering a consistently exceptional standard of service, and unforgettable vacation experiences for guests and approximately 700,000 Club Members. Membership with the Company provides best-in-class programs, exclusive services and maximum flexibility for our Members around the world.

For more information, visit www.corporate.hgv.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest and YouTube.

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Lauren George

407-613-8431

[email protected]

Source: Hilton Grand Vacations Inc.
This partnership pairs enterprise-ready AI with state-of-the-art SaaS solutions, allowing for seamless data flow and automation, enhanced operational efficiency, and reduced costs for insurance organizations

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Insurity, the leading provider of cloud software for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs, today announced that it has partnered with OIP Robotics (OIPR), an Insurtech data and software solutions lab, to transform data processing within P&C insurance. This collaboration is set to bring unparalleled automation efficiency to policy lifecycle management and transform traditional data processing methods, bringing increased operational efficiencies and reduced costs to insurance organizations.

By integrating OIPRs innovative AI capabilities with Insuritys advanced SaaS offerings, Insurity customers get the benefit of streamlined processing using a single document entry point feeding Insuritys entire product suite. The partnership maximizes automation and reusability. This efficiency enhances operational processes and significantly lowers the risk of claims related to data entry errors, thereby safeguarding customer interests. Submissions that previously took hours are completed in minutes, reducing data entry errors from a 4% error ratio to less than 1%.

Moreover, this partnership addresses the insurance industrys long-standing challenges with the absence of standardization and unstructured documentation. By offering a solution that seamlessly integrates AI into SaaS, Insurity and OIPR are breaking down the barriers of costly complexity typically associated with AI implementation in the insurance sector. This enables a smoother and more economically favorable adoption of AI technologies, allowing insurers to focus more on their core functions, such as underwriting, risk management, and claims handling.

To bring true automation to insurance, its imperative to pair up state-of-the-art, SaaS-deployed core systems with new and emerging AI capabilities, precisely the aim of the OIPR and Insurity partnership, said Mladen Subasic, Chief Product Officer at OIP Robotics. We will bring low-touch, seamless data flow to underwriting, claims, and policy support teams, shifting their focus to what matters  building relationships with customers and growing a profitable book of business. The joint efforts of OIPR and Insurity aim to remove unstructured and insufficient data, disparate tools, and reliance on legacy systems from the equation. We are thrilled about this partnership and excited to work alongside an innovation-driven company such as Insurity.

This partnership unites OIPRs unique AI approach with Insuritys comprehensive cloud-native offerings, said Sylvester Mathis, Chief Insurance Officer at Insurity. The collaboration is expected to bring increased automation levels to our shared market and combine ideas, technology, and perspectives of both organizations, fostering innovation and setting new industry benchmarks.

To learn more about Insuritys partnership with OIP Robotics, please get in touch with [email protected].

About Insurity

Insurity is a leading provider of cloud-based software for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs. Insurity is trusted by 22 of the top 25 P&C carriers and 7 of the top 10 MGAs in the US and has over 400 cloud-based deployments. Through its best-in-class digital platform, unrivaled industry experience, and the industry's most robust analytics offerings, Insurity is uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional value, empowering customers to focus on their core businesses, optimize their operations, and provide superior policyholder experiences. Insurity is a portfolio company of GI Partners and TA Associates. For more information, visit www.insurity.com.

About OIP Robotics

OIP Robotics is an InsurTech data and software solutions lab, with its primary offering being the flagship product, NT Extractor. This advanced solution combines AI-powered complex document understanding with the expertise of skilled insurance professionals to enable seamless data flow across the policy lifecycle. Having been in business for more than 11 years, OIPR has established itself as a trusted partner for more than 120 clients, including carriers, MGAs/MGUs, and brokers. OIPR specializes in complex PolicyOps and document understanding solutions.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319337021/en/

Elizabeth Hutchinson

[email protected]

Source: Insurity
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR), a leader in secure, AI-Native networks, today announced it will release preliminary financial results for the quarter ending March 31, 2024 on Thursday, April 25, 2024 after the close of the market.

There will be no conference call on April 25, 2024 due to the proposed merger with Hewlett Packard Enterprise.

A press release and CFO Commentary will be published on the Companys website at http://investor.juniper.net.

Note: Our Customer Solution revenue categories will include the following name changes:

AI-Driven Enterprise changes to Campus and Branch

changes to Automated WAN Solutions changes to Wide Area Networking

changes to Cloud-Ready Data Center changes to Data Center

changes to Hardware Maintenance and Professional Services does not change

Historical revenue by Customer Solution does not change, this is only a name change.

About Juniper Networks

Juniper Networks believes that connectivity is not the same as experiencing a great connection. Juniper's AI-Native Networking Platform is built from the ground up to leverage AI to deliver the best and most secure user experiences from the edge to the data center and cloud. Additional information can be found at Juniper Networks (www.juniper.net) or connect with Juniper on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn and Facebook.

Investors and others should note that Juniper Networks announces material financial and operational information to its investors using its Investor Relations website, press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts. Juniper Networks also intends to use the X (formerly Twitter) account @JuniperNetworks and the Juniper Networks blogs as a means of disclosing information about Juniper Networks and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. The social media channels that Juniper Networks intends to use as a means of disclosing information described above may be updated from time to time as listed on Juniper Networks Investor Relations website.

Juniper Networks, the Juniper Networks logo, Juniper, Junos, and other trademarks are registered trademarks of Juniper Networks, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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Investor Relations:

Jess Lubert

Juniper Networks

+ 1 (408) 936-3734

[email protected]

Media Relations:

Penny Still

Juniper Networks

+441372385692

[email protected]

Source: Juniper Networks
BRISTOL, England--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kallidus, an industry leading provider of learning and development software, has announced that Harry Chapman-Walker has been named CEO taking over from Stephen Read.

Having joined Kallidus in 2013, Harry helped grow the business over the past 11 years, originally starting in the sales team. Most recently, Harry led the companys effort to establish its business in North America.

Today, Kallidus serves over 1,200 customers with over 200 Kallidus employees across the UK, the US, and Canada.

Rob Caul, Kallidus founder and former CEO, said Im excited to announce Harry Chapman-Walker as Kalliduss new CEO. Harry has helped the company to become a leading provider of learning & development software and content.

Harry Chapman-Walker, CEO of Kallidus said, Im incredibly proud to have an opportunity to lead Kallidus through its next phase of growth. Having worked for Kallidus for 11 years, I know how highly our customers value our HCM, L&D software and e-learning content. Well work hard to make it easy for customers to support their people, to empower our own employees to achieve great things, and to deliver strong returns for all stakeholders.

Kallidus is partnered with Apse Capital, a London-based private equity firm specialising in investing in tech-enabled B2B businesses in high-growth sectors across Europe.

Learn more about Kallidus at http://www.kallidus.com.

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[email protected]

Source: Kallidus
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KBRA publishes research that examines data center issuance with regard to colocation transactions. Following KBRAs publication of Data Centers in U.S. Securitization: A Primer, data center securitization issuance has continued to rise. In this KBRA report, after providing a brief refresher on the types of data center transactions, as well as issuance volume, we place a spotlight on colocation transactions, discussing collateral profile, key metrics, and performance trends. We have now entered the third year following the issuance of the first of four KBRA-rated colocation transactions (DataBank 2021-1). Overall, 12 series have been issued across the four transactions and are outstanding.

Click here to view the report.

Related Publications

About KBRA

KBRA is a full-service credit rating agency registered in the U.S., the EU, and the UK, and is designated to provide structured finance ratings in Canada. KBRAs ratings can be used by investors for regulatory capital purposes in multiple jurisdictions.

Doc ID: 1003535

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Joanne DeSimone, Managing Director, ABS Commercial

+1 646-731-2306

[email protected]

Fred Perreten, Managing Director

+1 646-731-2454

[email protected]

Maulik Pareliya, Senior Analyst

+1 646-731-1333

[email protected]

Media Contact

Adam Tempkin, Director of Communications

+1 646-731-1347

[email protected]

Business Development Contact

Rosemary Kelley, Senior Managing Director, Head of Structured Finance and Project Finance

+1 646-731-2337

[email protected]

Source: Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC
First Community Mural Introduced in South Gate, CA

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kemper Auto, the specialty auto insurance brand of Kemper Corporation, has launched a new community mural initiativeThe Kemper Auto Mural Project: Conectando Comunidades. In partnership with independent insurance agencies and local artists, the program will contribute cultural vibrancy, beauty and energy to communities through meaningful public artwork that helps connect and uplift neighborhoods.

The Kemper Auto Mural Project was created out of a desire to not only connect more deeply with the communities we live and work in, but also to give something back to the neighborhoods that have supported us over the years, said Matthew A. Hunton, President of Kemper Auto. The program uses inspiring arta universal languageto depict the diverse culture and passion of the community. Were excited to work with our agency partners and honored to bring this vision to life.

The projects inaugural mural is in the city of South Gate in Los Angeles County and was created by LA-based artist Mr B Baby (Michelle Guerrero). The large, 600-square-foot mural was painted on an exterior wall of the Griffith Insurance Agency, a broker partner of Kemper Auto. The family-owned agency opened in 1998, filling a formerly unmet need to provide insurance information and products to the neighborhoods Hispanic and Latino community.

For more information on The Kemper Auto Mural Project: Conectando Comunidades (Connecting Communities), please visit the programs home page here, which includes a video highlighting the inaugural Kemper Auto Mural Project in South Gate, CA.

About Kemper

The Kemper family of companies is one of the nations leading specialized insurers. With approximately $13 billion in assets, Kemper is improving the world of insurance by providing affordable and easy-to-use personalized solutions to individuals, families and businesses through its Kemper Auto and Kemper Life brands. Kemper serves over 4.9 million policies, is represented by approximately 23,700 agents and brokers, and has approximately 8,100 associates dedicated to meeting the ever-changing needs of its customers. Learn more about Kemper at kemper.com.

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News Media: Barbara Ciesemier, 312.661.4521, [email protected]

Investors: Michael Marinaccio, 312.661.4930, [email protected]

Source: Kemper Corporation
Poster will present characterization of metabolites produced by MaaT034 and its immunomodulatory effects on host cells.

The new data strengthens previous promising findings shared at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) conference in November 2023 and supports further development and advancement of MaaT034 toward clinical trials.

LYON, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

MaaT Pharma (EURONEXT: MAAT  the Company), a clinical-stage biotechnology company and a leader in the development of Microbiome Ecosystem TherapiesTM (MET) dedicated to enhancing survival for patients with cancer, will present new in vitro data at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2024, taking place on April 5-10 in San Diego, California.

MaaT034, a ground-breaking full ecosystem synthetic microbiota product, is the first candidate coming from the Companys MET-C platform. Produced using a co-culturing technology and for large scale manufacturing, MaaT034 is being developed to improve responses to immunotherapy for patients with solid tumors in combination with an ICI (Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors) treatment. The first-in-human study is planned for 2025, with clinical batches currently being produced in 2024.

The Company will detail the new preclinical data in a press release on Monday, April 8th, 2024.

AACR Poster Presentation details:

Title: Evaluation of a new co-cultured microbiome ecosystem therapy candidate (MaaT034) for clinical testing as adjuvant/neoadjuvant to immune checkpoint inhibitors in solid tumors

Session Category: Immunology

Session Title: Microbiome, Inflammation, and Cancer

Session Date and Time: Wednesday Apr 10, 2024, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Location: Poster Section 2

Poster Section 2 Poster Board Number: 18

Published Abstract Number: 6687

About MaaT Pharma

MaaT Pharma, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has established a complete approach to restoring patient-microbiome symbiosis in oncology. Committed to treating cancer and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), a serious complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, MaaT Pharma has launched, in March 2022, an open-label, single-arm Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with acute GvHD, following the achievement of its proof of concept in a Phase 2 trial. Its powerful discovery and analysis platform, gutPrint, enables the identification of novel disease targets, evaluation of drug candidates, and identification of biomarkers for microbiome-related conditions. The companys Microbiome Ecosystem Therapies are produced through a standardized cGMP manufacturing and quality control process to safely deliver the full diversity of the microbiome in liquid and oral formulations. MaaT Pharma benefits from the commitment of world-leading scientists and established relationships with regulators to support the integration of the use of microbiome therapies in clinical practice. MaaT Pharma is listed on Euronext Paris (ticker: MAAT).

Forward-looking Statements

All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Companys control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as target, believe, expect, aim, intend, may, anticipate, estimate, plan, project, will, can have, likely, should, would, could and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Companys control that could cause the Companys actual results or performance to be materially different from the expected results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319207572/en/

MaaT Pharma  Investor Relations

Guilhaume DEBROAS, Ph.D.

Head of Investor Relations

+33 6 16 48 92 50

[email protected]

MaaT Pharma  Media Relations

Pauline RICHAUD

Senior PR & Corporate Communications Manager

+33 6 14 06 45 92

[email protected]

Trophic Communications  Corporate Communications

Jacob VERGHESE or

Priscillia PERRIN

+49 151 7441 6179

[email protected]

Source: MaaT Pharma
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mbanq, a leading banking technology and compliance specialist, in collaboration with The Financial Policy Council, is pleased to announce an upcoming seminar titled Business Banking Battles  Big Value in the Face of Traditional Bank Industry Turmoil. The event will take place on April 17th, 2024, at The Penn Club of New York City.

In an era of significant upheaval within the banking industry, this seminar aims to explore the resilience and innovation driving the business banking sector forward. Against a backdrop of recent challenges, attendees will gain invaluable insights into the transformative strategies and cutting-edge technologies that shape the future of banking.

Vlad Lounegov, CEO of Mbanq, says, The intersection between business-focused FinTech innovation and traditional banking challenges presents a fertile ground for exploration and wealth creation.

Distinguished speakers scheduled to present include:

Ziad Abdelnour, Chairman, Financial Policy Council (moderator)

Vlad Lounegov, CEO, Mbanq

Sybel Pietersz Parker, Head of Banking Strategy, Mbanq

Tomas Milar, Founder, Cheqly

Stephen Williams, CEO, Qorbis

The seminar will cover a range of topics including:

The competitive landscape between business-focused FinTechs and traditional banking institutions.

Opportunities emerging from challenges within the bank industry.

Strategies for identifying undervalued assets and investment opportunities.

The role of regulatory changes in fostering long-term value creation.

Transforming industry challenges into growth opportunities.

Attendees can also look forward to networking opportunities with thought leaders, industry professionals, wealth creators and global experts in FinTech and banking.

Event Details:

Title: Business Banking Battles  Big Value in the Face of Traditional Bank Industry Turmoil

Date: April 17th, 2024

Time: 6:00 pm  8:30 pm EDT

Location: The Penn Club of New York City, 30 W 44th St, Tarnopol room, New York, NY 10036

Attire: Smart professional attire. Refreshments will be provided.

We anticipate lively discussions and meaningful connections at this transformative event, says Ziad Abdelnour, Chairman of the Financial Policy Council.

Tickets are available with a $50 donation to The Financial Policy Council. Reserve your seat now at https://financialpolicycouncil.org/events/.

US-based Mbanq is a leading banking technology and compliance solutions provider. It creates and operates traditional banks, neobanks, credit unions and FinTech platforms for clients through its digital banking platform, white-label mobile apps and comprehensive support services. www.mbanq.com

The Financial Policy Council is a non-profit designed to improve all aspects of American business for entrepreneurs and wealth creators through expert policy advice, educational seminars, events and networking. www.financialpolicycouncil.org

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240318995428/en/

Alex Player

[email protected]

Source: Mbanq
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mile, a leading ad management platform that empowers publishers to manage, build, and scale their ad tech stack, welcomes Sarah Ruxin as Senior Vice President of Revenue and Operations. Based in the companys New York office, Sarah will be responsible for building strategic and sustainable partnerships with digital publishers to accelerate Miles growth as a trusted monetization partner.

"Sarah joining our team marks a significant milestone for Mile. Her understanding of the industry and exemplary leadership skills align with our core vision of building a transparent and efficient ad ecosystem for publishers. Through her years of interactions and discussions around publisher concerns, she enriches our focus on revenue growth, said Vijay Kumar, CEO and Founder of Mile.

Sarah has over 15 years of experience growing revenue, developing partnerships, and building high-performing teams in the ad tech space. Her expertise lies in pairing market needs with solutions that drive strategic growth and high revenue results. Her proficiency in forging deep-rooted connections between publishers and tech providers ensures that Mile continues to help publishers drive maximum value from their partnership.

"I'm excited to join a company that's not just keeping pace but setting the pace in ad tech innovation, said Sarah. Mile's commitment to empowering publishers with advanced AI and machine learning tools aligns perfectly with my vision for the future of digital advertising. Im excited to carry this message forward to publishers who are looking to future-proof their ad monetization strategy.

Sarah joins Mile from Browsi, where she successfully led Browsis North American Revenue and Operations efforts as SVP. Shes forged positive change and left lasting impressions in leadership positions at various renowned ad tech companies, including SpokenLayer, PulsePoint, and OpenX. At Mile, Sarah will be bringing a strong leadership instinct to the companys evolving global team.

About Mile

Mile is a global ad management platform that equips publishers with the software, tools, and support needed to build, manage, and scale their advertising technology infrastructure. Its flexible models, innovative products, and experienced team support publishers at every stage, enabling them to drive better outcomes from their ad tech stack. By empowering publishers with sustainable growth and control, Mile supports an open web that encourages innovation and transparency.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319378583/en/

Media Contact:

Suraj Radhakrishnan

Sr. Marketing Specialist

[email protected]

ph: +919962246290

Source: Mile
The second Activist Campaign website is now available to the public

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nanahoshi Management Ltd., a dedicated Japanese shareholder activist, today has launched a campaign website entitled "Strengthen Wakamoto: Wakamoto Pharmaceutical (TOKYO: 4512) to increase shareholders' value" as a shareholder.

https://www.strengthenwakamoto.com/english

The website serves to shed light on Wakamoto's current challenges, proposed strategies to bolster shareholders value, and the status of ongoing dialogue. We anticipate that this resource will foster constructive conversations regarding the enhancement of shareholders value within WAKAMOTO PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.

Key areas of focus include:

Enhancing ESG practices to reduce the cost of capital.

Addressing climate change risks associated with cross-shareholdings.

Improving transparency and responses regarding animal welfare.

Addressing concerns about excessive director appointments by its main bank, which is also a major shareholder.

Optimising capital efficiency.

The pharmaceutical business, which has a cumulative massive deficit, is being reviewed.

Facilitating the fair transfer of real estate for lease purposes.

Liquidating and divesting cross-shareholdings.





0.55x Exceptionally low adjusted price-to-book ratio (PBR), factoring in after-tax unrealised gains from rental properties. -7.3bn A track record of the pharmaceutical business's profit or loss that's on par with its market capitalisation. 84% Proportion of institutional investors against the appointment of the president. 1.3% Post-tax earnings from rental properties that are markedly lower than the cost of capital. 76-77% Proportion of cross-shareholdings pledged as collateral to banks and extremely high capital-to-assets ratio. 11years Duration of tenure as representative director for the former chairman and president, who unexpectedly resigned due to personal reasons. 3.95bn Allowing the separate reserve fund to build up in a disorganised fashion despite not issuing dividends for 7 out of 15 fiscal years. -68%pt Difference in total shareholder return between the Company and the TOPIX Net Total Return Index from the sudden resignation of the former Chairman and President (Jun.2022) to the current date.

About us:

Nanahoshi Management Ltd., under the stewardship of Satoru Matsuhashi, CFA and CESGA, champions ESG concerns and steers companies to enhance value for their shareholders through activism. Discover more about Nanahoshi Management Ltd. by visiting https://nanahoshimgmt.com/.

Details on the current activity for YSK (TOKYO: 2812) are accessible at https://www.optimizeyaizu.com/english/.

In the UK, he established Nanahoshi Management UK Ltd. to further the cause of shareholder activism. For additional insights into the company, head over to https://nanahoshimgmt.co.uk/.

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Media Contacts:

Nanahoshi Management Ltd.

[email protected]

Source: Nanahoshi Management Ltd.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Cristiano Ronaldo will not participate in the friendly match of the Portuguese national team against Sweden, Trend reports via Idman.biz.

The press office for the team made this announcement.

The 39-year-old star player was not included in the squad for this match. Although Ronaldo will be included in the announced squad for the friendly matches to be held in March, he will arrive at the team's camp on the eve of the match against Slovenia.

The Portuguese national team will meet Sweden on March 21 and Slovenia on March 26.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Endowment made possible by gift from Iris and Saul Katz, longtime champions for womens health care

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Thanks to a generous endowment from womens health advocates and philanthropists Iris and Saul Katz, Northwell Health and its home of medical research, the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, have established the Iris and Saul Katz Professor in Womens Health Research in response to a national movement aimed at addressing the health care disparities facing women. Elizabeth Cohn, RN, PhD, FAAN, vice president of health equity research in the Institute of Health System Science at the Feinstein Institutes, has been appointed the inaugural recipient of the position, the first of its kind at Northwell.

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(From left to right) Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, benefactors Saul and Iris Katz, and Dr. Elizabeth Cohn at the 9th annual Katz Institute for Womens Health Lunch & Learn event held in Boca Raton, Florida in February 2024 (Credit: Northwell Health)

The appointment follows first lady Jill Bidens recent announcement that $100 million in federal funding would be allocated for womens health research, the first major step from a White House initiative launched last November to prioritize the unique health care needs of women.

While womens health is now recognized as a national priority, Northwell has been addressing this issue for more than 15 years by creating solutions to close health gaps through the Katz Institute for Womens Health, a network of more than 750 dedicated womens health experts, said Stacey E. Rosen, MD, executive director of the Katz Institute for Womens Health, senior vice president of womens health at Northwell and the Partners Council Professor of Womens Health. Were at the beginning of a new era of growth that will elevate our womens health research expertise and improve clinical care, thanks to the collaboration of the Feinstein and Katz institutes, the leadership of Dr. Elizabeth Cohn and the visionary generosity of Iris and Saul Katz, who were trailblazers in identifying the gaps and supporting the need for specialized womens care.

Dr. Cohn is a distinguished nurse leader and renowned translational nurse-scientist. With more than 25 years of experience at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) in Manhasset, she specializes in health equity, precision medicine and community-engaged research. She has been recognized as the Obama White House Champion of Change in Precision Medicine and Health Equity and is an award-winning speaker and author.

Elevating women's health and translational research is not just about improving health care outcomes for women; it's about advancing the well-being of entire communities and fostering a more equitable society, said Dr. Cohn. I am thankful to the Katzes for their generous support, and I am eager to enhance our national presence through innovation, collaboration and a steadfast dedication to raise health for all.

Dr. Cohn will be formally recognized as the Iris and Saul Katz Professor in Womens Health Research in October at Northwells Celebration of Excellence event, which brings together philanthropists, physician-scientists and clinical leaders to honor newly endowed professors and chairs who are shaping the future of health care.

Endowment provides the financial stability that allows Northwell to make strategic investments in a rapidly evolving health care environment and recruit the physicians, researchers and academic scholars who are propelling groundbreaking research and advancing medicine.

We are proud to support Dr. Cohn, who shares our passion to ensure that the health care needs of women are no longer overlooked, said Iris Katz. We are finally making some headway nationally in womens health research, and were excited to see how she will raise the standard of research and care in this critical area.

Northwell has the bandwidth and the systems in place, and we believe this is a moment in time when we can lead the nation in advancing womens health research through this endowment, added Saul Katz.

For the last 16 years, Iris and Saul Katz have been the driving force behind Northwells mission to address gender disparities and create a new, transformative model of womens health care. In 2008, they founded the Katz Institute for Womens Health, which has grown into a vast network of clinical experts and specialized services and resources throughout Northwells footprint that address every aspect of a womans health through every age and stage of her life. The Katzes support also enabled Northwell to build Katz Womens Hospitals at both Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park and NSUH.

Most recently, their generosity established the Katz Womens Surgical Center at Glen Cove Hospital, which has become a premier destination for womens surgery and features the latest advances in breast surgery, breast reconstructive surgery and preventative mastectomy, gynecological and urological procedures, and advanced robot-assisted surgery. Over the last three years, the center has increased womens access to high-level care by as much as 60 percent for breast surgery, 40 percent for plastic surgery and 200 percent for gynecologic surgery.

Integrating womens health seamlessly across our health and research initiatives is not just a necessity; its the right thing to do, said Karina Davidson, PhD, dean of Academic Affairs; director and professor, Institute of Health System Science, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research; senior vice president of research, Northwell; and the Donald and Barbara Zucker Professor in Health Outcomes. We express profound gratitude to the Katzes for recognizing this vital need and for their unwavering support of Dr. Cohn in advancing the health and well-being of women everywhere.

Dr. Cohn is highly regarded as a nurse-scientist and a champion for womens health and medical research, said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and the Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. Her dedicated advocacy and leadership are an inspiration recognized by this endowment.

The Katzes also serve as lead sponsors of the annual Katz Institute Luncheon and Fashion Event and the Summer Hamptons Evening (SHE), which collectively have raised $17 million to date for womens health programming and research across Northwell. Supporters of the Katz Institute and these events advance the Outpacing the Impossible campaign, a comprehensive $1.4 billion fundraising effort to support Northwells promise to the people it serves.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine  a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.

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Matthew Libassi

631-793-5325

[email protected]

Source: Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
OSHKOSH, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), a leading innovator of purpose-built vehicles and equipment, announced today it has been named a recipient of Foundrys 2024 CIO 100 Awards. This marks the sixth consecutive year the company has achieved this award for information technology excellence.

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Oshkosh Corporation announced today it has been named a recipient of Foundrys 2024 CIO 100 Awards. This marks the sixth consecutive year the company has achieved this award for information technology excellence. Oshkosh is among 100 global organizations receiving the CIO 100 Award, where nominees were measured on their ability to deliver business value by creating competitive advantages, optimizing business processes, enabling growth and/or improving relationships with customers. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Oshkosh is among 100 global organizations receiving the CIO 100 Award, where nominees were measured on their ability to deliver business value by creating competitive advantages, optimizing business processes, enabling growth and/or improving relationships with customers.

Receiving this award for the sixth consecutive year demonstrates our Digital Technology teams ongoing commitment to the delivery of superior service and solutions, said Anupam Khare, senior vice president and chief information officer, Oshkosh Corporation. The pursuit of innovation and digital technology at Oshkosh are at the heart of advancements that move the world forward.

In addition to receiving the CIO 100 Award, Oshkosh recently was named among Computerworlds Best Places to Work in IT.

To learn more about Oshkosh Corporation and how our team members are fulfilling our purpose of 'making a difference in peoples lives, visit oshkoshcorp.com.

About Oshkosh Corporation

At Oshkosh (NYSE: OSK), we make innovative, mission-critical equipment to help everyday heroes advance communities around the world. Headquartered in Wisconsin, Oshkosh Corporation employs approximately 17,000 team members worldwide, all united behind a common purpose: to make a difference in peoples lives. Oshkosh products can be found in more than 150 countries under the brands of JLG, Hinowa, Power Towers, Pierce, MAXIMETAL, Oshkosh Defense, McNeilus, IMT, Jerr-Dan, Frontline Communications, Oshkosh Airport Products, Oshkosh AeroTech and Pratt Miller. For more information, visit www.oshkoshcorp.com.

,  All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

About CIO

CIO focuses on attracting the highest concentration of enterprise CIOs and business technology executives with unparalleled peer insight and expertise on business strategy, innovation, and leadership. As organizations grow with digital transformation, CIO provides its readers with key insights on career development, including certifications, hiring practices and skills development. The award-winning CIO portfolio provides business technology leaders with analysis and insight on information technology trends and a keen understanding of ITs role in achieving business goals. CIO is published by Foundry, an IDG Inc. Company. Company information is available at www.foundryco.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that the Company believes to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Companys future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this news release, words such as may, will, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe, should, project or plan or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks related to the Companys ability to successfully execute on its strategic road map and meet its long-term financial and strategic goals as well as cybersecurity risks and costs of defending against, mitigating and responding to data security threats associated with same. Additional information concerning these and other factors is contained in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company assumes no obligation, and disclaims any obligation, to update information contained in this news release. Investors should be aware that the Company may not update such information until the Companys next quarterly earnings conference call, if at all.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319537969/en/

Financial:

Patrick Davidson

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

920.502.3266



Media:

Tim Gilman

Senior Manager, Communications and Branding

920-509-0617

Source: Oshkosh Corporation
CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pembina Pipeline Corporation ("Pembina") (TSX: PPL; NYSE: PBA) announced today that none of Pembina's Cumulative Redeemable Rate Reset Class A Preferred Shares, Series 17 ("Series 17 Shares") (TSX: PPL.PR.Q) will be converted into Cumulative Redeemable Floating Rate Class A Preferred Shares, Series 18 of Pembina ("Series 18 Shares") on March 31, 2024.

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After taking into account all the conversion notices received from holders of its outstanding Series 17 Shares by the March 18, 2024 deadline for the conversion of the Series 17 Shares into Series 18 Shares, less than the 1,000,000 Series 17 Shares required to give effect to conversions into Series 18 Shares were tendered for conversion.

About Pembina

Pembina Pipeline Corporation is a leading energy transportation and midstream service provider that has served North America's energy industry for 70 years. Pembina owns an integrated network of hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas pipelines, gas gathering and processing facilities, oil and natural gas liquids infrastructure and logistics services, and an export terminals business. Through our integrated value chain, we seek to provide safe and reliable energy solutions that connect producers and consumers across the world, support a more sustainable future and benefit our customers, investors, employees and communities. For more information, please visit www.pembina.com.

Purpose of Pembina: We deliver extraordinary energy solutions so the world can thrive.

Pembina is structured into three Divisions: Pipelines Division, Facilities Division and Marketing & New Ventures Division.

Pembina's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under PPL and PBA, respectively. For more information, visit www.pembina.com.

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Investor Relations

(403) 231-3156

1-855-880-7404

e-mail: [email protected]

www.pembina.com

Source: Pembina Pipeline Corporation
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Phoenix Energy Technologies (Phoenix), a leading provider of Enterprise Energy Management (EEM) Software and Solutions, announced the launch of its groundbreaking data integration solution, ClassifyAI. This innovative tool revolutionizes the landscape of multi-site commercial IoT by addressing the challenges associated with unifying IP-enabled devices across diverse portfolios.

Customers across industries face the common challenge of integrating various IP-enabled devices, including building controls, sensors, and meters, into a single platform. Additionally, access to relevant third-party data streams such as weather and utility billing remains limited. As a result, decision-making regarding energy consumption, occupant comfort, and asset performance is often hindered, leading to a reactive "break-fix" model for asset management.

With over 15 years of industry expertise, Phoenix has earned a best-of-breed reputation by enabling customers to transition to data-driven asset management practices without capital investment in new equipment. The company's SaaS platform, EnterpriseDX, has consistently delivered three key value propositions:

Collect: Facilitating efficient and comprehensive data gathering through software connectors, ensuring seamless integration with legacy IP-connected devices while maintaining data privacy and security. Analyze: Providing valuable insights into energy, asset, and comfort metrics through software applications and Business Intelligence reporting, enabling proactive decision-making. Act: Enabling users to make manual or automatic adjustments to schedules, setpoints, and subsystem settings from one cloud-hosted platform, optimizing operations and energy conservation measures.

The technical challenges inherent in data integration, particularly in the "Collect" phase, led Phoenix to develop ClassifyAI. This Machine Learning tool empowers rapid discovery and classification of data points from various sources, spanning tens of thousands of locations, in minutes, with exceptional accuracy.

ClassifyAI addresses the complexities of connecting to multiple building management systems and IoT devices by leveraging Machine Learning algorithms and a proprietary dataset. By harmonizing descriptions and unifying data from disparate systems, ClassifyAI simplifies and accelerates the integration process, reducing transition time from system connectivity to live operations.

A flagship customer's experience showcases ClassifyAI's capabilities, processing 50,000 data points in 30 minutes with over 99% accuracy. This remarkable efficiency enhances decision-making and optimizes building performance, marking a significant advancement in the industry's standards.

Were excited to unveil ClassifyAI, our latest solution aimed at revolutionizing the multi-site commercial IoT landscape, said Glen Schrank, CEO of Phoenix Energy Technologies. Understanding the complexities our customers face when integrating diverse portfolios of IP-enabled devices is crucial. With ClassifyAI, were tackling these challenges head-on by streamlining data gathering and harmonization processes. This innovative tool empowers proactive decision-making, optimizes operations, and enhances building performance, marking a significant advancement in the industrys standards.

Phoenix's deployment of AI tools, including ClassifyAI, reflects a meticulous approach to innovation, emphasizing performance, cost-effectiveness, and risk mitigation. Drawing on extensive operational data, Phoenix ensures the technology's suitability and reliability, reaffirming its commitment to delivering transformative solutions.

About Phoenix Energy Technologies

Phoenix Energy Technologies has been providing Smart Building IoT analytics solutions to customers for more than 15 years. Phoenix Energy Technologies pairs industry expertise with solutions that are uniquely capable of integrating new and existing systems to create a seamless web-based platform that drive cost efficiencies and improve comfort. The Companys EnterpriseDX IoT data platform generates ROI for customers by optimizing equipment efficiency that reduces energy costs, decreases repair and maintenance spend and lowers capex by extending the life of assets. For more information about Phoenix Energy Technologies, visit http://www.phoenixet.com

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Media: Phoenix Energy Technologies Media Relations Team

Phone: (877) 340-8855

Email: [email protected]

Source: Phoenix Energy Technologies
Robust API integration introduced with powerful logic and configuration capabilities, first-of-its-kind rate lock integration already underway

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Polly, the leading provider of innovative mortgage capital markets technology and operator of the industry's first cloud-native, commercially scalable product and pricing engine (PPE), today announced its API integration with CoreLogic, a leading provider of global property information, analytics, and data-enabled workflow solutions. The robust integration joins Polly's vanguard pricing engine and CoreLogic's Digital Mortgage Platform, enabling today's leading lenders to harness the combined strengths and sophistication of both platforms to streamline the digital mortgage process and unlock untapped opportunities. Ultimately impacting the end borrower, this integration provides consumers with a much smoother and customizable loan shopping experience, granting them the peace of mind knowing they are getting the best available rates.

Purpose-built in the cloud and for the cloud, Polly's high-performance PPE was designed to maximize margins and facilitate speed, accuracy, and confidence across all loan pricing and lock processes. It was also built with an API-adjacent product strategy in mind, creating an opportunity for optimal system-to-system integration that helps mitigate industry pain and dramatically improve lender efficiencies. CoreLogic shares a similar goal, with the company's "Shift Left" strategy aimed at infusing data analytics into mortgage ecosystems and workflows to drive more efficient, transparent, and configurable lending workflows.

Bob Jennings, Executive, Collateral and Risk Solutions at CoreLogic, notes, "Our commitment to unlocking value throughout the entire property ecosystem is precisely why we have joined forces with Polly. We believe in both the leadership at Polly, as well as the revolutionary tech they have pioneered in the market, and we are excited to present this integration to our mutual clients and industry participants."

"We continue to see the mortgage landscape shift more and more toward a tech-forward mindset," explained Parvesh Sahi, Chief Revenue Office at Polly. "It is imperative that lenders keep pace with today's modern borrower and deliver the point-of-sale experience they not only expect, but deserve. Polly is happy to integrate with other best-of-breed technology partners to facilitate both better visibility in the earliest stages of the mortgage application process, as well as a superior borrower journey."

Developmental plans for phase two of the API integration are already underway, which will expand on this foundation and further empower mortgage lenders with advanced, first-of-its-kind rate lock functionality. For more information about Polly, please visit www.polly.io.

About CoreLogic

CoreLogic is a leading provider of property insights and innovative solutions, working to transform the property industry by putting people first. Using its network, scale, connectivity, and technology, CoreLogic delivers faster, smarter, more human-centered experiences that build better relationships, strengthen businesses, and ultimately create a more resilient society. For more information, please visit www.corelogic.com.

About Polly

Polly has revolutionized the mortgage industry with its modern, data-driven capital markets ecosystem. Banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders nationwide trust Polly's Product and Pricing Engine (PPE), Loan Trading Exchange, and actionable data and analytics to automate and optimize the entire capital markets value chain, helping their secondary teams operate faster, smarter, and more profitably. Polly was founded in 2019 by a seasoned team of technology and mortgage experts and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. To learn more, follow Polly on LinkedIn or visit www.polly.io.

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Media requests and inquiries:

Samantha MacKendrick

Polly

[email protected]

415-212-8469

Source: Polly
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In response to US sanctions regulations effective March 1, Martin Rapaport, Chairman of the Rapaport Group, sent a detailed letter to the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The letter addressed several highly problematic issues related to sanctions restrictions for polished diamonds produced prior to March 1, 2024, and an exemption for all diamonds in the US, including recycled diamonds and pre-owned jewelry. OFAC quickly responded saying they will review the letter and revert if they have questions.

In his letter, Martin Rapaport expressed strong support for efforts by the US government to reduce Russias revenue from the sale of diamonds. The letter requests a review and consideration of the "Rapaport US Diamond Protocol," which will eliminate Russian diamond revenue while protecting the interests of the US diamond trade. To date this initiative is supported by 1,587 members of the trade and the American Gem Trade Association.

Our objective is to eliminate the flow of funds to Russia generated by the sale of Diamonds. It follows that Diamond imports or transactions that do not result in the transfer of funds to Russia should not be sanctioned. There should not be any sanctions restricting the trade or import of 'pre-war' diamonds unless they involve current sanctioned entities. Furthermore, all polished diamonds purchased or in existence before March 1, 2024, should be exempt from sanction regulations as Russia has already received payment for them, said Martin Rapaport, Chairman of the Rapaport Group.

Industry professionals, jewelers, and supporters of an ethical diamond trade are encouraged to register their support for the Rapaport US Diamond Protocol by visiting rapaport.com/sanctions-protocol. A copy of the March 18, 2024, letter to OFAC is available here.

About the Rapaport Group: The Rapaport Group is an international network of companies providing added-value services that support the development of ethical, transparent, competitive and efficient diamond and jewelry markets. Established in 1976, the group has more than 20,000 clients in over 121 countries. Group activities include Rapaport Information Services, providing the Rapaport benchmark Diamond Price List, as well as research, analysis and news; RapNet, the worlds largest diamond trading network; and Rapaport Trading and Auction Services, the worlds largest recycler of diamonds. Additional information is available at rapaport.com.

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Rapaport Media Contacts: [email protected]

US: Sherri Hendricks +1-702-893-9400

Source: Rapaport Group
Trial met primary endpoint: givinostat demonstrated statistically and clinically meaningful treatment benefit in one of the largest DMD phase 3 trials to date

Givinostat was well tolerated with a well-documented safety profile consistent with previous givinostat trials

Italfarmaco anticipates U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) PDUFA response scheduled for March 21, 2024

MILAN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Italfarmaco S.p.A. announced today that the full results from the Companys pivotal phase 3 EPIDYS clinical trial with givinostat in ambulant boys 6 years of age and older with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have been published in The Lancet Neurology. The EPIDYS clinical trial met its primary endpoint: change in four-stair climb assessment from baseline to 72 weeks, which demonstrated the potential of givinostat to delay disease progression when added to corticosteroid treatment. Givinostat-treated boys also showed favorable outcomes on key secondary endpoints assessed in the study. The full manuscript, titled, Safety and efficacy of givinostat in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (EPIDYS): a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial, is published on The Lancet Neurology website.

DMD is an unforgiving degenerative disease with significant unmet medical need and givinostat has the potential, if approved, to benefit a broad DMD patient population independent of the underlying gene mutation, said Eugenio Mercuri, MD, Professor of Paediatric Neurology at the Catholic University, Rome, Italy. The givinostat-treated group fared better than the control group in a range of muscle function and strength tests at 72 weeks.

When managing DMD, a primary goal is to maintain motor function for as long as possible. The results from EPIDYS provide robust evidence that givinostat has the potential to support this goal, added Craig M. McDonald, MD, Professor at the Department of Pediatrics and Physical Medicine Rehabilitation at the University of California Davis Health. In addition to the primary endpoint, analysis of the North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA), which measures motor function skills based on a 17-item rating scale, showed that treatment with givinostat resulted in 40% less decline compared to the control group. Taken together, these data suggest givinostat could be an effective new treatment for DMD management.

The results of the phase 3 EPIDYS study are encouraging and highlight the dedication of Italfarmacos research and clinical teams to achieve this milestone for the company, said Paolo Bettica, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer at Italfarmaco Group. We want to thank all the individuals and their families who participated in this international study and would also like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the clinical investigators as well as the unwavering support of the DMD community.

Overview of Phase 3 EPIDYS Clinical Trial

EPIDYS was a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial which enrolled 179 ambulant boys 6 years of age or older with DMD across clinical sites in North America and Europe (NCT02851797). Participants were randomised 2:1 to receive oral givinostat or matching placebo twice daily along with their corticosteroid treatment regimen. Participants attended study site visits every 12 weeks for 72 weeks and were evaluated for all endpoints within the study protocol.

Key clinical findings supporting the potential of givinostat in improving clinical outcomes in DMD:

Primary endpoint: The study met its primary endpoint, which measured the mean change between baseline and 72 weeks in the ability to climb four stairs. Participants that received givinostat demonstrated a slower decline in performing this functional task compared to the placebo group (difference vs. placebo of 1.78 seconds, p=0.037).

Key secondary endpoints: A number of secondary endpoints that evaluated muscle function and strength showed favourable results in the givinostat-treated cohort compared to the control group. In particular, givinostat treatment was associated with 40% less decline in NSAA total score and item loss, indicating givinostats potential to delay disease progression in affected individuals. The EPIDYS study also evaluated fat infiltration in the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle of the thigh by magnetic resonance imaging. The vastus lateralis fat fraction (VLFF) is a predictor of loss of ambulation and indicates disease progression in DMD individuals. Givinostat-treated individuals had a 30% reduction in VLFF compared to the placebo-treated cohort. Overall, the analyses of the secondary endpoints showed delayed disease progression with givinostat treatment.

Safety and tolerability: During the study, the most common treatment-related adverse events (frequency 1/10 boys) associated with givinostat were decreased platelet count/thrombocytopenia, increased blood triglyceride/hypertriglyceridemia, diarrhoea and abdominal pain; none of the severe or serious adverse events were treatment-related or resulted in study withdrawal. Givinostat tolerability was managed with appropriate monitoring and dose adjustments. No other safety concerns were observed.

Open-label Extension Clinical Study (OLE study)

Upon completion of the 18-month double-blind period, EPIDYS study participants were eligible to enroll in an open-label extension study (OLE study) to receive givinostat on an ongoing basis. The median follow up of participants in the EPIDYS + OLE studies is 4.7 years.

Givinostat received priority review, orphan drug and rare pediatric disease designations from the FDA and orphan drug designation from the European Commission. A New Drug Application (NDA) was filed with the U.S. FDA and the Prescription Drug User Free Act (PDUFA) date for givinostat is March 21, 2024. A Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for givinostat has been submitted to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and is currently under review.

About Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular genetic disease characterised by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration and is the most common type of muscular dystrophy globally. DMD is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene that result in the absence of a functional dystrophin protein. Without dystrophin, muscle fibres are highly susceptible to injury and this continuous muscle injury leads to chronic inflammation, impairment of muscle regeneration and muscle replacement by fibrotic and fat tissue. The disease primarily affects boys, with symptoms usually first seen between two and five years of age. Symptoms worsen over time affecting the ability to walk. Eventually, heart and respiratory muscles are affected, which are the two main causes of premature death. DMD incidence is approximately one in every 3500 - 6000 male births worldwide.

About Givinostat

Givinostat is an investigational drug discovered through Italfarmaco Groups research and development efforts in collaboration with Telethon and Duchenne Parent Project (Italy). Givinostat is a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that modulates the deregulated activity of HDACs in the dystrophic muscle, which is a major consequence of the lack of dystrophin associated with DMD. Givinostats mechanism of action has the potential to inhibit HDAC pathological overactivity in an effort to address the cascade of events leading to muscle damage, thereby counteracting the disease pathology and slowing down muscle deterioration.

About ITALFARMACO

Founded in 1938 in Milan, Italy, Italfarmaco S.p.A is a private global pharmaceutical company that has led the successful development and approval of many pharmaceutical products around the world. Italfarmaco S.p.A. has operations in more than 60 countries through directly controlled or affiliated companies. The company is a leader in pharmaceutical research, product development, production and commercialisation with proven success in many therapeutic areas including immuno-oncology, gynaecology, neurology, cardiovascular disease and rare diseases. Italfarmaco's rare disease unit includes programmes in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and polycythaemia vera.

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Media enquiries:

Charlotte Spitz or Jacob Verghese |+49 (0)151 7441 6179

[email protected]

Other enquiries U.S.A:

Patient Advocacy and Communications Lead U.S.A.

[email protected]

Other enquiries Global:

Patient Advocacy and Communications Lead

[email protected]

Source: Italfarmaco S.p.A.
Visit Includes a Private Meeting Between SCU President Julie Sullivan and His Holiness Pope Francis

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A delegation of leaders from Santa Clara University (SCU) and its Jesuit School of Theology (JST) are visiting Rome March 17-19 to meet with various senior Vatican leaders and leaders of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

The purpose of the delegations visit is to deepen ties and engage in wide-ranging discussions on global Jesuit higher education; the ethical use of artificial intelligence; advancing a synodal Church; and meeting the needs of the changing Catholic Church through theological education and formation.

On Monday, the delegation discussed with Vatican leaders the importance of the ethical and responsible use of AI for the betterment of humanity, which was the theme of the popes recent World Day of Peace, and is an area of intense focus within Santa Claras new seven-year strategic plan, Impact 2030 and across the Silicon Valley-based campus.

Also on Monday morning, March 18, University President Julie Sullivan had a private audience with His Holiness Pope Francis.

During this meeting, Pope Francis shared a red hardbound copy of his 2018 apostolic exhortation, Gaudate et Exsultate, on the Call to Holiness in Todays World, with Sullivan. The publication contained a passage, which the two of them discussed, about joy and humor. Pope Francis is an extremely joyful person who exudes an extraordinary light and magnetic human connection, said Sullivan. I came away feeling so uplifted by who he is as a person and the way the Holy Spirit powerfully radiates from him, she added.

Pope Francis also signed a copy of Impact 2030, joking he will sign anything that is not a check. He urged President Sullivan to continue Santa Claras focus on educating the entirety of each student. He's very expressive, Sullivan said of Pope Francis. He was touching his head, his heart, and his hands. And he said often education is about filling the head. And it really needs to be about finding harmony between the head, the heart, and the hands, she said.

AI and Education at the Forefront

On Monday, the delegation met with Vatican leaders including Cardinal Jose Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca, Bishop Paul Tighe, and Antonio Spadaro, S.J., of the Vaticans Dicastery for Culture and Education. Dicastery leaders sought Santa Claras insight and partnership for initiatives to better equip K-12 Catholic school educators with AI literacy guidelines, and to convene thought leaders to explore the ethical and humanistic dimensions of AI.

They also met with Cardinal Mario Grech of the Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops and Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., the head of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development. The meetings covered topics such as how to be a synodal Church in mission; five principles to advance a synodal Church; and how Santa Clara University can serve as a strategic partner to help meet the needs of the changing face of the Catholic Church. They also explored opportunities for Santa Clara to help the Dicastery for Integral Human Development provide greater service to bishops in areas including pastoral theology and Catholic social teaching.

The delegation discussed programming underway at Santa Claras Jesuit School of Theology to advance the goals of Pope Franciss two-part Synod on Synodality. During this year between two Rome-based synod gatherings, JST is hosting, in collaboration with partners such as SCUs Division of Mission and Ministry, Synodal Journey, a programmatic series featuring speakers and events to invite deep and meaningful discussions on key themes from the Synod. The delegation invited Cardinal Grech to be the keynote speaker at Synodal Journey Spring 2025 conference.

Meeting with Jesuit Leaders Tuesday

On Tuesday, the delegation is expected to further explore the vision in Impact 2030 for Santa Clara to become a University that better serves the world. That includes consideration now underway for a Global Theological Initiative, to explore how Jesuit theologates can form future leaders in a more globally experiential way, responsive to the needs of the changing Catholic Church in regions like Africa, Asia, and South America.

The SCU delegation included:

Santa Clara University President Julie Sullivan

JST Dean Agbonkhianmeghe Orobator, S.J.

SCU Board of Trustees Chair Larry Sonsini and his wife Ashley Sonsini

and his wife SCU Board member and Chair of JST Board of Directors Agnieszka Winkler

Incoming rector of the JST-SCU Jesuit Community Thomas Smolich, S.J.

Rector of the Santa Clara Jesuit Community Luis Calero, S.J.

On Mar. 19, the SCU delegation is slated to meet with leaders of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) including

Fr. General Arturo Sosa, S.J.

Douglas Marcouiller, S.J. , general counselor and regional assistant for the USA Assistancy at the Jesuit Curia in Rome

, general counselor and regional assistant for the USA Assistancy at the Jesuit Curia in Rome Joseph Christie Pushparaj, S.J. , secretary to Fr. General for Higher Education

, secretary to Fr. General for Higher Education Mark Ravizza, S.J., assistant to Fr. General for Formation.

About Santa Clara University

Founded in 1851, Santa Clara University sits in the heart of Silicon Valleythe worlds most innovative and entrepreneurial region. The Universitys stunningly landscaped 106-acre campus is home to the historic Mission Santa Clara de Asis. Ranked among the top 15 percent of national universities by U.S. News & World Report, SCU has among the best four-year graduation rates in the nation and is rated by PayScale in the top 1 percent of universities with the highest-paid graduates. SCU has produced elite levels of Fulbright Scholars as well as four Rhodes Scholars. With undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, and engineering, and graduate programs in six disciplines, the curriculum blends high-tech innovation with social consciousness grounded in the tradition of Jesuit, Catholic education. For more information see www.scu.edu.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319036170/en/

Deepa Arora | SCU Media Communications | [email protected] |

Preston Carmack | JST Marketing and Communications | [email protected]

Source: Santa Clara University
FRANKFURT, Germany & WILDPOLDSRIED, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Billbee, a portfolio company of funds advised by Bregal Unternehmerkapital ("BU") has acquired German software provider amaZervice. Through the recent partnership with amaZervice, Billbee strengthens its expertise in VAT compliance and invoicing and realizes new valuable synergies through an extended product offering with cross selling potential and additional go-to-market value creation opportunities.

Headquartered in Wildpoldsried, Germany, amaZervice is a specialist niche provider of invoicing and VAT compliance software with a particular focus on Amazon Marketplace sellers. The company's software-as-a-service offering, Amainvoice, automatically imports sales data from Amazon Marketplace sellers and generates all the necessary digital documents for invoicing, financial accounting and international VAT compliance. amaZervices's software solution is standardised with a very fast implementation and installation time. Moreover, the company offers a range of services related to the use of its software, such as historical analysis of Amazon data for VAT compliance. Founded in 2010, amaZervice now serves more than 2,500 customers, primarily Amazon merchants with tax domicile in Germany, across a variety of industries and categories.

At the beginning of November 2023, BU laid the foundation for the new e-commerce software group with the majority acquisition of the SaaS multi-channel solution provider Billbee GmbH, followed by the acquisition of Channel Pilot Solutions GmbH, a leading provider of cloud-based software for product feed management and marketplace connectivity. Both companies have strong positions and a solid customer base in their respective markets. With amaZervice becoming part of Billbee, the e-commerce software group will continue to grow through further acquisitions and position itself as a market leader in the ever-growing field of online retailing.

"We are delighted to be working with BU, Billbee and the broader E-Commerce Software Group and see them as ideal partners to support our growth and presence in the market", said Andreas Honisch, CEO of amaZervice, who will remain invested in the company together with the other existing shareholders after the transaction. "The partnership allows us to join forces with leading players in the field of e-commerce enablement and marketplace connectivity and to further develop and expand our product portfolio.

"amaZervice has developed one of the market-leading e-commerce VAT software solutions and has built up a large and diversified e-commerce customer base in the DACH region. This is a highly complementary addition for Billbee and will make a valuable contribution to continuing Billbees success story, adds Norbert Heller, Director at BU.

About Bregal Unternehmerkapital

Bregal Unternehmerkapital (BU) is a leading private equity firm with offices in Zug, Munich and Milan. As part of a family business that has grown over generations, the funds advised by BU invest in medium-sized companies headquartered in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Northern Italy, covering a wide range of industries. In its efforts to be the partner of choice for entrepreneurs and family businesses, BU focuses on partnerships with market leaders and "hidden champions" with a strong management team and great growth potential. Since its foundation in 2015, the funds advised by BU have invested over 2.7 billion euros in more than 100 companies and supported over 20,000 employees. In close partnership with entrepreneurs and families, their companies are further developed, internationalized, and digitalized - so that sustainable value is created on a responsible basis for the next generation.

For more information, please visit www.bregal.de or follow us on LinkedIn.

About amaZervice

amaZervice GmbH headquartered in Wildpoldsried is a leading provider of VAT compliance and invoicing solutions. Founded in 2010, the business has grown consistently and serves over 2,500 clients today which are active as Amazon merchants. Its product functionality includes automated creation of digital documents required for invoicing, accounting, and VAT compliance (in particular in relation to international VAT returns and cross-border stock movements).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319383357/en/

BU Press

IWK Communication Partner

Florian Bergmann

[email protected]

+49-89-20003030

Source: Bregal Unternehmerkapital
After 14 years as the UCSC Paleogenomics Lab Lead and National Geographic Explorer, Shapiro Makes Move to Head the Science Teams Responsible for De-Extinction and Species Preservation

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Colossal Biosciences, the worlds first de-extinction company, today announced that Beth Shapiro, Ph.D., internationally renowned evolutionary molecular biologist, leader in paleogenomics, and ancient DNA expert, has joined as Chief Science Officer. In this role, she will oversee the continued expansion of the companys de-extinction and conservation science teams. She leaves her roles as Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and lead of the Paleogenomics Lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz, effective March 15th.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319196097/en/

Beth Shapiro, Ph.D. (Photo: Business Wire)

Ive been an advisor to Colossal since just after the company launched and am excited now to step in full-time to support the teams groundbreaking work, shared Beth Shapiro. Its thrilling to see the research weve been doing in the labs not only seeing the light of day, but being applied to science that will positively impact the planet.

In the past two years, as an advisor, Shapiro has contributed to Colossal by:

Helping to launch the Dodo and Avian Genomics Group,

Developing, along with numerous members of the Colossal team, the international scientific advisory board,

And serving as the Lead Paleogeneticist, helping to secure samples and generate ancient DNA data that Colossal is using as part of all species groups.

A MacArthur Genius Grant Award winner and National Geographic Explorer, Beth Shapiro is a pioneer in the scientific fields of ancient DNA and paleogenomics. During her Ph.D. research, which she completed as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, Shapiro generated the first DNA data from a dodo and used this to determine that this icon of human-caused extinction was actually a type of pigeon. She was also the first to ask population-scale questions using ancient DNA data, developing a suite of new experimental and computational tools to reveal that the American bison nearly went extinct along with other icons of the Ice Age including mammoths, North American horses, and giant bears. This work won her a coveted Royal Society University Research Fellowship, which she accepted along with a Senior Research Fellowship at Balliol College, Oxford, and the Directorship of the Henry Wellcome Biomolecules Centre. While at Oxford, Shapiro continued to break then-barriers in ancient DNA research, collaborating in projects to sequence the first whole genome from an extinct species  a mammoth  and the first DNA directly from sediments.

In 2007, Shapiro moved back to the U.S. to accept a faculty position in the Department of Biology at Penn State University. Her list of accolades during this part of her career includes being named a: Searle Scholar, Packard Fellow, PopTech Science and Public Leadership Fellow, National Geographic Explorer and placed on Smithsonian Magazines 37 Young American Innovators under the age of 36.

At Penn State, Shapiro expanded her research program to include questions about plant and animal domestication, conservation, and the role of admixture between lineages as an evolutionary force.

Shapiro moved her research program to the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 2012, where she along with Dr. Richard Ed Green established the UCSC Paleogenomics Lab, which is today one of the leading ancient DNA research facilities in the world. By developing new experimental approaches to recover even the most trace amounts of surviving ancient DNA, Shapiro continues to reframe what is possible in this scientific field. Shapiro and her team have used their new tech to generate genomes from samples once believed to be too old  like the ancient long-horned bison that became extinct more than 100,000 years ago, and too poorly preserved  like the taxidermied remains of Balto, the famous sled dog  to retain recoverable DNA.

Shapiro has also focused increasingly on applying genomics approaches to aid management of endangered species and habitats, such as through her roles as Executive Committee member of the California Conservation Genomics Project and the Vertebrate Genomes Project. In 2019, Shapiro was selected as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, joining an elite group of around 300 scientists from across the United States who are recognized for their track record of scientific innovation and discovery.

In her career thus far, Shapiro has published more than 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, many in leading scientific journals such as Science, Nature, and Cell. She is an elected Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences and the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, and her work spans technology development, basic ecological and evolutionary science, and applications of genomics, including for endangered species management and conservation.

Throughout her career, however, she has never been able to avoid the obvious question about paleogenomics: if we can sequence their genomes, can we bring extinct species back from the dead? In response, Shapiro has dedicated a significant portion of her time to exploring this question, with articles in the popular and scientific press, as part of a nationwide National Geographic Live! series, on television and in documentary films, and in her award-winning popular science books, How to Clone a Mammoth (2015 and 2020) and Life as We Made It (2021). Shapiros impressive and broad portfolio of scientific and public work led to her election in 2023 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the nations oldest and most prestigious honorary societies.

Beth and I have developed an incredible relationship over the past few years. Im extremely impressed by her intellect, drive, and the rigor of her scientific research, shared Colossal CEO Ben Lamm. I know she will continue to push our scientific research programs further and is the best fit for the role. Its a dream to work so closely with Beth, and I know our species leads feel the same.

It is so great to have Beth join as CSO, bringing her inventive spirit and her many achievements in ancient populations of avian and mammalian species, shared George Church, Ph.D., Colossal Co-Founder and a world-renowned geneticist. Shes the author of inspiring books 'How to Clone a Mammoth' and 'Life as We Made It,' plus an HHMI and MacArthur Fellow. She is a rare combination of charisma, scholarship and environmental dedication. A colossal pioneer.

I have worked with Beth for over 20 years and am continually impressed by her contributions to the field of paleogenetics. I cannot be more excited about Beth joining Colossal, as this will not only help accelerate Colossal's de-extinction efforts but will also provide an even more direct link between my ancient mammoth research and Erionas and Georges teams. I look forward to continuing our collaboration with Colossal to refine our target list of which genes make mammoths unique compared to other elephant lineages, shared Love Dalen, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, one of the research leaders at the Center for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm, and leading Woolly Mammoth expert.

Beth has not only a distinguished background in leading cutting-edge research in the fields of ancient DNA and evolutionary genomics, but is also one of the leading authorities on all the various nuances needed for successful de-extinction events. In this regard, Colossal Biosciences could not have chosen a better person to help them set, and ultimately realize, their goals, shared Tom Gilbert, director of the Danish National Research Foundation Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics and the group leader of the Hologenomics group at the GLOBE Institute.

Colossal is working on the hardest and most critical problems in mammalian biology. Considering Beth's successes as an experimentalist, breakthrough scientist and scientific thought leader, she is an absolutely inspired choice to lead this effort, shared Carlos Bustamante, American population geneticist, academic, and entrepreneur currently at Stanford and CEO of Galatea Bio, Inc. Her addition is another step that cements Colossal as a dream team.

ABOUT COLOSSAL

Colossal was founded by emerging technology and software entrepreneur Ben Lamm and world-renowned geneticist and serial biotech entrepreneur George Church, Ph.D., and is the first to apply CRISPR technology for the purposes of species de-extinction. Colossal creates innovative technologies for species restoration, critically endangered species protection and the repopulation of critical ecosystems that support the continuation of life on Earth. Colossal is accepting humanity's duty to restore Earth to a healthier state, while also solving for the future economies and biological necessities of the human condition through cutting-edge science and technologies. To follow along, please visit: www.colossal.com

WEBSITE & SOCIALS

Websites: www.colossal.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/itiscolossal

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itiscolossal/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/itiscolossal/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itiscolossal

Hashtag: #itiscolossal

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319196097/en/

COLOSSAL PRESS CONTACTS:

R&CPMK: [email protected]

Prosek: [email protected]

Source: Colossal Biosciences
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. The anniversary summit of the Eurasian Economic Union will be held in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir during a meeting with the head of the EAEU board Bakytzhan Sagintayev said, Trend reports.

Putin announced that the summit will take place on May 8.

The Russian President also said that the country is ready to host this summit and will be happy to host all participants.
CTO Realty Growth, Inc. (NYSE: CTO) (the Company or CTO) today announced the closing of the sale of its mixed-use property totaling approximately 136,000 square feet in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico (the Property). The Property was sold for approximately $20.0 million, representing an exit cap rate within the range of the Companys current guidance for disposition cash yields and generating a gain on sale of approximately $4.6 million.

In recent months, we have successfully sold many of our smaller non-core properties and nearly all of our legacy office exposure, said John P. Albright, President and Chief Executive Officer of CTO Realty Growth, Inc. We anticipate using the proceeds from this sale to fund the acquisition of a core power center in the Orlando MSA, which we expect to close in the first quarter of 2024.

The Company expects to utilize the sales proceeds as part of a Section 1031 like-kind exchange (the 1031 Exchange). Following the completion of the 1031 Exchange, the Company intends to use available proceeds to repay a portion of the outstanding balance under its revolving unsecured credit facility or fund future acquisitions. With the closing of this transaction, the Company has approximately $30.7 million of proceeds held in 1031 restricted cash accounts.

About CTO Realty Growth, Inc.

CTO Realty Growth, Inc. is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns and operates a portfolio of high-quality, retail-based properties located primarily in higher growth markets in the United States. CTO also externally manages and owns a meaningful interest in Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE: PINE), a publicly traded net lease REIT.

We encourage you to review our most recent investor presentation and supplemental financial information, which is available on our website at www.ctoreit.com.
(Updated - March 19, 2024 1:56 PM EDT)

Gildan Activewear (NYSE: GIL) board of directors puts the company up for sale amid prolonged battle for control - The Globe and Mail
Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced positive data from multiple Phase 3 studies evaluating V116, the companys investigational, adult-specific 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, at the 13th Meeting of the International Society of Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Diseases (ISPPD) in Cape Town, South Africa.

Across the clinical studies presented, V116 was shown to be immunogenic for all 21 serotypes covered by the vaccine in a variety of adult populations, including those who had not previously received a pneumococcal vaccine (pneumococcal vaccine-naive), those who had previously received a pneumococcal vaccine (pneumococcal vaccine-experienced) and those with an increased risk of pneumococcal disease, including people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). V116 also elicited higher immune responses than the studied comparators for the serotypes unique to V116 in all STRIDE studies presented at the meeting.

Invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia can cause serious illness, especially in older adults and those with immunocompromising conditions, said Dr. Walter Orenstein, professor emeritus of medicine, epidemiology, global health and pediatrics at Emory University and member of Mercks Scientific Advisory Committee. These positive data demonstrate the potential for V116 to address an unmet need in adult pneumococcal disease prevention.

Key findings from the studies include:

In pneumococcal vaccine-naive adults 50 years of age and older (STRIDE-3 sub-group), V116 was immunogenic for all 21 serotypes across the studied age groups (5064, 6574 and 7584 years), as assessed by serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) geometric mean titers (GMTs) at Day 30;

In pneumococcal vaccine-experienced adults 50 years of age and older (STRIDE-6), V116 elicited comparable immune responses for the serotypes shared with PCV15 (pneumococcal 15-valent conjugate vaccine) or PPSV23 (pneumococcal vaccine, polyvalent [23-valent]) and higher immune responses for the serotypes covered by V116 only, regardless of the previous pneumococcal vaccine received or time since prior pneumococcal vaccination, as assessed by serotype-specific OPA GMTs at Day 30;

In adults 18 years of age and older living with HIV (STRIDE-7), V116 elicited comparable immune responses to PCV15+PPSV23 for all 13 shared serotypes and higher immune responses for the eight serotypes covered by V116 only, as assessed by serotype-specific OPA GMTs and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) at Day 30;

Across all presented studies, V116 demonstrated a safety profile comparable to the studied comparators, including PCV20 (pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate vaccine), PCV15 and PPSV23.

The extensive data presented this week reaffirm our confidence in the potential clinical value V116 could provide to a range of adult populations, said Dr. Eliav Barr, senior vice president, head of global clinical development and chief medical officer, Merck Research Laboratories. We are encouraged by the results of these studies showing that V116 has generated immune responses to the serotypes responsible for the majority of adult invasive pneumococcal disease.

In addition to Phase 3 clinical data on V116, Merck also presented preliminary data from the real-world evidence study in the U.S., Pneumococcal Pneumonia Epidemiology, Urine Serotyping, and Mental Outcomes (PNEUMO), which found that among 2,065 adults 50 years of age and older hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia between 2018 and 2022, 242 pneumococcal serotypes were detected. Of these serotypes, approximately 84% were covered by V116. One fourth (approximately 25%) of the detected serotypes were covered only by V116 and not by PCV15 or PCV20.

Results from the PNEUMO study support that the serotypes in V116 account for the majority of pneumococcal disease (including invasive and non-invasive) in adults 50 years of age and older. These data are consistent with CDC surveillance data for invasive pneumococcal disease from 2018-2021, which show that V116 covers serotypes responsible for approximately 83% of invasive pneumococcal disease, including the eight serotypes unique to V116 which are responsible for approximately 30% of invasive pneumococcal disease in individuals 65 years of age and older.

Several of the studies presented at ISPPD were included in the filing submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA granted V116 priority review with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA), or target action date, of June 17, 2024. If approved, V116 would be the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine specifically designed for adults. An overview of the V116 late-stage development program is available here.

Summary of Findings from Select Studies Presented at ISPPD

Data from STRIDE-3 Sub-group (Abstract #379)

The sub-group analysis of the pivotal STRIDE-3 (NCT05425732) trial evaluated immunogenicity in adults 50 years of age and older who had not previously received a pneumococcal vaccine (Cohort 1) by age groups (5064, 6574 and 7584 years) (n=2,362). Results found that V116 was immunogenic for all 21 vaccine serotypes across the studied age sub-groups, as assessed by serotype-specific OPA GMTs 30 days post-vaccination. There was a slight downward trend in immune responses in adults 6574 years of age and 75 years of age and older compared to adults 5064 years of age. V116 had a safety profile comparable to PCV20. Results from the STRIDE-3 trial were presented at the World Vaccine Congress West Coast in November 2023.

Data from STRIDE-6 and STRIDE-6 Sub-group (Abstracts #353 and #520)

STRIDE-6 (NCT05420961) is a Phase 3 trial investigating V116 in adults 50 years of age and older who had previously received a pneumococcal vaccine at least one year prior (n=712). Participants were enrolled based on previous pneumococcal vaccination with PPSV23, PCV15, PCV13 (pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate vaccine), PPSV23+PCV13, PCV13+PPSV23 or PCV15+PPSV23, and received either V116, PCV15 or PPSV23.

Results showed that V116 was immunogenic across all cohorts, as assessed by OPA GMTs 30 days post-vaccination, and that V116 elicited comparable immune responses to the serotypes also covered by PCV15 and PPSV23 and higher immune responses for the serotypes covered only by V116. A STRIDE-6 sub-group analysis evaluating immunogenicity across all cohorts by time since prior pneumococcal vaccination found that V116 elicited comparable immune responses regardless of time since prior pneumococcal vaccination, including more than 10 years post-vaccination with PPSV23 (n=56), and 59 years post-vaccination with either PPSV23 or other pneumococcal vaccines (n=208). In this study, V116 had a safety profile comparable to both PCV15 and PPSV23.

Data from STRIDE-7 (Abstract #1093)

STRIDE-7 (NCT05393037) is a Phase 3, double-blind study of V116 in adults living with HIV (n=304). Results showed that V116 was immunogenic for all serotypes covered by the vaccine, as assessed by OPA GMTs and IgG GMCs 30 days post-vaccination. V116 elicited comparable immune responses to the comparator, PCV15+PPSV23, for all 13 shared serotypes and higher immune responses for the eight serotypes covered only by V116. Fewer participants experienced adverse events (AEs) with V116 (71.6%) compared with PCV15+PPSV23 (91%), primarily due to fewer injection-site AEs.

Data from STRIDE-9 (Abstract #1085)

STRIDE-9 (NCT05633992) is a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, active-comparator controlled study, which investigated V116 in Japanese adults 65 years of age and older who had not previously received a pneumococcal vaccine (n=450). Serotype-specific OPA responses were measured at baseline and 30 days post-vaccination and results demonstrated that V116 elicited noninferior immune responses for the 12 serotypes shared with PPSV23 and serotype 15B, (which is included in PPSV23 but not included in V116). V116 also elicited higher immune responses for the serotypes only covered by V116 and not PPSV23. V116 also had a comparable safety profile to PPSV23.

Data from PNEUMO U.S. Serotype Distribution Study (Abstract #308)

The PNEUMO U.S. study evaluated pneumococcal serotype distribution among adults 50 years of age and older hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (n=2,065), one of the non-invasive forms of pneumococcal disease, between 2018 and 2022 in three hospitals in Tennessee and Georgia. Urine samples from patients were evaluated for antigens from 30 pneumococcal serotypes using novel serotype-specific urinary antigen detection (SSUAD) assays (all serotypes in PCV15, PCV20 and V116 are included except 15B). Among the 242 serotypes detected by SSUAD assays, approximately 84% were covered by V116, compared to approximately 64% covered by PCV20. One fourth (approximately 25%) of the detected serotypes were covered by V116 only and not by PCV15 or PCV20.

Additional Clinical Study Results Presented at ISPPD (Abstract #382 and #355)

Data from Phase 3 clinical studies STRIDE-4 (NCT05464420) and STRIDE-5 (NCT05526716) were also presented at ISPPD.

About V116

V116 is an investigational, 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Phase 3 development for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia in the adult population. V116 is specifically designed to address Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes predominantly responsible for adult pneumococcal disease, including eight unique serotypes, 15A, 15C, 16F, 23A, 23B, 24F, 31 and 35B, which account for approximately 30% of adult disease, according to CDC data from 2018-2021. The serotypes covered by V116 are responsible for approximately 83% of invasive pneumococcal disease in individuals 65 years of age and older, based on the same CDC data. V116 is designed to be administered as a single dose to help prevent invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia in adults.

The V116 Phase 3 program includes multiple studies, including STRIDE-3 (NCT05425732), STRIDE-4 (NCT05464420), STRIDE-5 (NCT05526716), STRIDE-6 (NCT05420961), STRIDE-7 (NCT05393037), STRIDE-8 (NCT05696080), STRIDE-9 (NCT05633992) and STRIDE-10 (NCT05569954).
Investing.com -- Macy's entered into a confidentially agreement with Arkhouse and Brigade Capital, allowing the two entities to conduct due diligence needed to secure the funds needed to proceed with their improved $6.6 billion offer to take the U.S. department store chain private, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.

Macys Inc (NYSE: M) was up 2% in recent trading following the news.



The due diligence is expected to help Arkhouse and Brigade secure debt commitments to finance the deal, the sources told Reuters. The two investment firms have secured letters secured from investment banks including Jefferies Financial Group that indicate that a debt deal can be put together to take Macy's private, the report said.





Earlier this month, Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management upped their offer

to $24 each to buy remaining shares that they don't already own, but Macy's had rejected the offer, citing a "lack of compelling value."





Arkhouse and Brigade declined to comment, Reuters said.
FILE PHOTO: NVIDIA logo is seen near computer motherboard in this illustration taken January 8, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//File Photo

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Facebook owner Meta Platforms expects to receive initial shipments of Nvidia's new flagship artificial intelligence chip later this year, a Meta spokesperson told Reuters.

Nvidia, the dominant designer of GPU (graphics processing unit) chips needed to power most cutting-edge artificial intelligence work, announced the new B200 "Blackwell" chip at its annual developer conference on Monday.

The chip maker said the B200 is 30 times speedier at tasks like serving up answers from chatbots, although it did not give specific details about how well it performs when chewing through huge amounts data to train those chatbots, which is the kind of work that has powered most of Nvidia's soaring sales.

Nvidia's Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress told financial analysts on Tuesday that "we think we're going to come to market later this year," but also said that shipment volume for the new GPUs would not ramp up until 2025.

Social media giant Meta is one of Nvidia's biggest customers, after buying hundreds of thousands of its previous generation of chips to support pushes into amped-up content recommendations systems and generative AI products.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg disclosed in January that the company planned to have about 350,000 of those earlier chips, called H100s, in its stockpile by the end of the year. In combination with other GPUs, he added, Meta would have the equivalent of about 600,000 H100s by then.

In a statement on Monday, Zuckerberg said Meta planned to use Blackwell to train the company's Llama models. The company is currently training a third generation of the model on two GPU clusters it announced last week, which it said each contain around 24,000 H100 GPUs.

Meta planned to continue using those clusters to train Llama 3 and would use Blackwell for future generations of the model, the Meta spokesperson said.

(This story has been officially corrected after Meta said that it erroneously forecast it would not receive new Nvidia chips until at least next year)

(Reporting by Katie Paul in New York and Max Cherney and Stephen Nellis in San Jose; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
FILE PHOTO: Migrants wait behind razor wire after crossing the Rio Grande into the United States in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S., September 28, 2023. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

By Mica Rosenberg and Kristina Cooke

(Reuters) -A Republican-backed Texas law that would empower law enforcement authorities in the state to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border was blocked again late on Tuesday by a federal appeals court, just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court had cleared the way for it to go into effect.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals halted enforcement of the law, reviving a federal judge's order blocking it in response to a challenge by Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. The 5th Circuit set arguments for Wednesday on whether to keep the block in place while Texas appeals it.

The legal back and forth in the case has caused uncertainty about the future of the measure signed in December by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The Biden administration sued in January to stop the law, known as SB 4, which was originally set to take effect on March 5. The administration argued it violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law by interfering with the U.S. government's power to regulate immigration as well as running afoul of a 2012 Supreme Court precedent.

The statute authorizes Texas law enforcement to arrest people suspected of entering the United States illegally, giving local officers powers long delegated to the federal government. Abbott said the law was needed due to Biden's failure to enforce federal laws criminalizing illegal entry or re-entry.

The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, on Tuesday had decided to let the law take effect, with the three liberal justices in dissent.

The law is one of several measures put in place by Abbott aimed at deterring migration in the state including deploying National Guard troops and state law enforcement under its Operation Lone Star and placing concertina wire and floating buoy barriers along the Rio Grande river.

On Tuesday night at the border between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, several groups of migrants who had already crossed the river into the United States but were blocked by concertina wire along the banks built fires for warmth in makeshift encampments made of sheets and sticks, waiting for a chance to navigate through the barrier.

'CHAOS AND CONFUSION'

Republicans have criticized Biden's handling of the record numbers of migrants caught illegally crossing the border. Abbott and other Republicans favor the restrictive policies of former President Donald Trump, their party's candidate challenging Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Opinion polls reveal acute voter concern over the situation along the border. Reuters/Ipsos polling showed Biden's public approval level at 37% as of Feb. 28.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday the Texas law would "sow chaos and confusion at our southern border."

The Texas law made illegal entry or re-entry into Texas a state crime, with penalties ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison. It would require Texas magistrate judges to order migrants to return to Mexico, with up to 20-year sentences for those who refuse to comply.

Mexico said on Tuesday it would not accept those repatriated by Texas.

Texas-based U.S. District Judge David Ezra on Feb. 29 sided with the Biden administration and agreed to preliminarily block Texas officials from enforcing the law, saying it "threatens the fundamental notion that the United States must regulate immigration with one voice."

But the 5th Circuit paused Ezra's ruling in an order that would have let the law take effect on March 10, prompting the administration to file an emergency request to the Supreme Court. Justice Samuel Alito, acting for the Supreme Court, on March 4 had halted the 5th Circuit ruling - and thus the law - from taking effect, giving the justices more time to consider the matter.

A 5th Circuit panel, in a 2-1 vote, on Tuesday night lifted the administrative stay ahead of arguments on whether to once again put on hold the judge's injunction while Texas pursues an appeal.

The majority in the appeals court's order included Judge Priscilla Richman, an appointee of Republican former President George W. Bush, and Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Biden appointee. Judge Andrew Oldham, an appointee of Republican former President Donald Trump, dissented.

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York, Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Kylie Madry in Mexico City, Nate Raymond in Boston, John Kruzel in Washington and Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham, David Gregorio and Lincoln Feast)
Company announcement no. 22

Annual general meeting of Spar Nord Bank A/S



Results of the annual general meeting held on 19 March 2024:

The report by the Board of Directors, the audited financial statements and the proposal for allocation of profits were approved.

The Companys remuneration policy, the remuneration report for 2023 and the level of the Boards remuneration in 2024 were approved.

The authorisation to the Company to buy treasury shares was approved.

The proposals from the Board of Directors to amend the Articles of Association were approved.

Deloitte Statsautoriseret Revisionspartnerselskab was appointed as external auditors to audit the Companys financial statements and to prepare a report on the Companys sustainability reporting.





As part of the proposed amendments to the Articles of Association it was approved that the Companys share capital be reduced by nominally DKK 27,645,950 (equal to 2,764,595 shares of DKK 10 each) from nominally DKK 1,204,666,260 to nominally DKK 1,177,020,310 through the cancellation of treasury shares.

The shares in question were acquired in connection with the Companys share buyback programme, which was carried out from 13 February 2023 to 31 January 2024.

Election of members to the Board of Directors

Kjeld Johannesen (Nibe), Henrik Sjgreen (Gentofte) and Morten Bach Gaardboe (Slagelse) were re-elected as board members. Mette Kaagaard (Birkerd), CEO of Microsoft Denmark and Iceland, was elected as a new board member.

In addition, the Board of Directors consists of Per Nikolaj Bukh (Risskov), Lisa Lund Holst (Virum), Michael Lundgaard Thomsen (Aalborg) and members elected by the employees: Jannie Skovsen, chairman of Spar Nord Kreds, Gitte Holmgaard, deputy chairman of Spar Nord Kreds, and Rikke Marie Christiansen, HR Partner.

At the subsequent board meeting, the Board of Directors elected Kjeld Johannesen as chairman and Per Nikolaj Bukh as deputy chairman.

Spar Nord

Martin Bach

SVP Corporate Communication

Attachment
Dr. Fanning brings a wealth of experience in creating infectious disease pipelines by internal R&D and licensing

As the CBO of AstriVax, he will lead the companys business development, including partnerships, collaborations and non dilutive funding to drive the pipeline forward and create value for future funding rounds.

His initial focus will be on the companys candidate vaccine to treat chronic Hepatitis B and shape the future AstriVax vaccine pipeline.

Leuven, Belgium, March 19, 2024  AstriVax is pleased to welcome Dr. Gregory Fanning as its Chief Business Officer. Dr. Fanning further strengthens the companys top-notch leadership team, joining CEO and co-founder Dr. Hanne Callewaert, CTO Dr. Wilfried Dalemans, CDO Dr. Mathieu Peeters, and CFO Barbara Freitag.

Hanne Callewaert, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of AstriVax, said: Greg has been one of our scientific and strategic advisors almost from the very beginning and I am very happy to onboard him as part of our executive team. In his new role, he will lead our business development, asset partnering, new program evaluation, public-private partnerships, non-dilutive funding, and pipeline strategy. Greg will play a key role in our lead therapeutic program on chronic Hepatitis B, a condition linked to more than 800,000 deaths each year. The cure for this disease is likely to come from combining the AstriVax approach with that of several other companies. With his solid scientific background and business development experience, Greg will engage with potential partners to help us fit together the pieces of the puzzle.

Gregory Fanning, Ph.D., said Curing Hepatitis B will require a combination of approaches and a vaccine that elicits strong CD4 and CD8 responses will likely be the key that unlocks the potential of complementary MOAs being explored by the field, that have to date shown good reduction in viral readouts but relatively few cures.

Greg brings over 20 years of experience as a scientific leader for infectious disease programs in the pharma industry and has supported companies in their efforts to grow beyond seed funding, build pipelines, initiate scientific programs, and create value. Before joining AstriVax, he worked for Janssen Pharmaceuticals (now J&J Innovative Medicine) in the areas of gene therapy and small molecule drug discovery. He held leadership roles and built R&D teams in Australia and Belgium and in China as an integral part of establishing the companys Shanghai R&D center. More recently, he has served as an advisor to a handful of young innovative biotech companies, covering a broad range of therapeutic platforms.

Media Contact

Hanne Callewaert, Ph.D., CEO of AstriVax, [email protected].

About AstriVax

Founded in 2022, AstriVax NV aims to address global challenges in vaccinology with its innovative plug-and-play vaccine platform. The company develops novel prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines that are easy to produce, have reduced cold chain requirements, and offer broad and long-lasting protection against various infectious diseases. AstriVax is supported by well-known investors V-Bio Ventures, Fund+, Flanders Future TechFund managed by PMV, Thuja Capital, Ackermans & van Haaren, OMX Europe Venture Fund (Merieux Equity Partners and Korys), BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity, and the KU Leuven Gemma Frisius Fund.

AstriVax is located in the BioHub in Leuven. For more information, please visit www.astrivax.com.

Source: AstriVax
Listed firms have proven their commitment to equity and advancement for their female employees

PORTLAND, Ore., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClearlyRated, the leading provider of client, talent, and employee satisfaction surveys and service quality research for staffing & recruiting agencies, announced the firms that have qualified for inclusion on the second annual Best Staffing Firms for Women list on ClearlyRated.com .



"I'm excited to announce the firms that have earned the second annual Best Staffing Firms for Women designation," stated Eric Gregg, CEO of ClearlyRated. "There is no better way to honor Women's History Month than to commend these exceptional firms for their dedication in promoting and supporting their female workforce. Despite the ongoing challenges of gender inequality in pay and career advancement within the staffing and recruiting industry, these firms are leading the way in providing opportunities for advancement and uplifting women in the workforce. Congratulations and heartfelt gratitude to these outstanding firms for their commitment to gender diversity and equality."

Staffing and recruiting firms that conducted internal employee surveys with ClearlyRated are eligible to earn the Best of Staffing award in the Employee Satisfaction category. Within this category, firms that included identity-based demographic survey questions and met additional criteria related to female employee Net Promoter Score (eNPS) and representation earned the prestigious designation as a member of the Best Staffing Firms for Women list.

More than 72 staffing firms in the U.S. and Canada with close to 16,000 internal employees participated in the Best of Staffing internal employee survey for the 2024 award year, growing the ClearlyRated survey database to become the largest repository of internal employee responses on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the staffing industry. Some of the notable findings from ClearlyRateds internal staffing employee data analysis include the following:

62% of staffing firms saw declines in eNPS in the past 12 months

Females comprise 68% of all internal positions at staffing firms, yet nearly two thirds of executives are male

Employees at Best of Staffing winning firms were: 1.9 times more likely to mention fair and equitable practices at their firm 2.4 times more likely to receive feedback and recognition at their firm





Fewer than 0.2% of staffing firms in the United States and Canada qualified to earn the Best Staffing Firms for Women designation, making this a prestigious recognition for staffing firms seeking to hire and retain top internal talent.

About ClearlyRated

ClearlyRated administers more staffing industry satisfaction surveys than any other firm in the world, reporting on more than 1.2 million satisfaction surveys from staffing firm clients, job seekers, and internal staff each year. ClearlyRateds experience management platform utilizes the Net Promoter Score methodology to help CX-minded staffing firms measure and act on insights into client, talent, and employee satisfaction.

About Best of Staffing

ClearlyRateds Best of Staffing Award is the only award in the U.S. and Canada that recognizes staffing agencies that have proven superior service quality based entirely on ratings provided by their clients, placed talent, and internal employees. Award winners are showcased by city and area of expertise on ClearlyRated.com an online business directory that helps buyers of professional services find service leaders and vet prospective firms with the help of validated client ratings and testimonials.

Net promoter, NPS, and Net Promoter Score are trademarks of Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company, and Fred Reichheld.

Contact

Michelle Stute, Vice President of Marketing

p. (503) 977-6295

[email protected]
PITTSBURGH, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in high-power diode lasers for aesthetic and dermatological applications, today introduced a game-changing diode laser bar for the hair removal industry. This innovative 808 nm bar employs a two-junction configuration to deliver 200 W of output with just 100 A of input current, thus doubling the efficiency of previous single-junction bars. A significant milestone, the Coherent 808 nm diode laser bar enables faster, safer, and more effective hair removal treatments while significantly reducing discomfort.

The global laser hair removal market has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. To meet the demand for more effective and less painful solutions, the new Coherent 200 W laser bar addresses a key challenge by offering higher power output at shorter pulse widths and higher repetition rates.

To simplify upgrading, the new diode laser is compatible with power supplies used in existing systems. Designs currently based on 100 W 808 nm bars that require 100 A can now easily upgrade to 200 W performance without replacing the power supply and electronics. This also reduces costs and safety concerns associated with higher-current systems.

Our two-junction edge-emitting laser represents a significant leap forward in diode laser bar design for hair removal, said Dr. Karlheinz Gulden, Senior VP, Laser Components & Subsystems Business Unit at Coherent. This innovation leverages the extensive experience at Coherent in multi-junction technology and our well-established reputation for reliability, stability, and high-volume production. We anticipate putting this new laser into full-scale production by summer 2024.

Additionally, the output and operating characteristics of the new 200 W diode laser bar may foster the penetration of portable home-use devices in the market. The high-power, low-current capabilities of the 808 nm bar could even extend application beyond hair removal. It holds promise for solid-state pumping, high-energy lasers, and laser fusion research.

Coherent offers a comprehensive portfolio of hair removal products, encompassing a range of wavelengths from 755 nm to 1064 nm. Additionally, the company provides hair removal stack modules, beam delivery systems, and other critical components for complete system development.

About Coherent

Coherent empowers market innovators to define the future through breakthrough technologies, from materials to systems. We deliver innovations that resonate with our customers in diversified applications for the industrial, communications, electronics, and instrumentation markets. Headquartered in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, Coherent has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. For more information, please visit us at coherent.com.

Contact

Amy WilsonManager, Corporate Communications[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62c47bb7-45bb-4f0a-afbb-68db446103e1

Coherent's new 808 nm 200 W diode laser bar for the hair removal industry Coherent announced today a new 808 nm diode laser bar for the hair removal industry

Source: Coherent Corp.
The Woodward and Maison Blancpain have joined forces to present a unique chocolate creation by Pastry Chef Titouan Claudet for Easter

The pastry chef drew his inspiration from one of Blancpain's flagship masterpieces, which underlines with elegance and refinement the expertise of the goldsmiths of time. The "Le Carrousel" egg unveils a delicate almond and coffee praline, a creamy caramel with coffee and Gruyere cream, and a caramelized almond crisp. The confection is covered in Felchlin Maracaibo dark chocolate. This limited edition is available exclusively on the online shop and priced at CHF 95. The pick-up is scheduled onsite from 26 March to 2 April (reservation 24 hours in advance). Profits from the sale will be donated to the Action Innocence foundation.

Villeret Carrousel Phases de Lune  Blancpain

Blancpain has had a special relationship with top Michelin-starred chefs since the 1980s, and one of its first friends of the brand was the famous chef, Joel Robuchon. In Geneva, the Woodward is home to L'Atelier Robuchon, awarded two Michelin stars and the eponymous chef's only address in Switzerland, run by Executive Chef, Olivier Jean. When Haute Horlogerie meets haute cuisine, the talent of the craftsmen, the respect for tradition, the transmission of invaluable know-how, the precision of gestures, the challenge of innovation and the excellence of the products are all shared values. Blancpain and The Woodward are thus subtly highlighting the Metiers d'Art. The world's oldest watchmaking brand, based in the Swiss Jura, and Geneva's newest luxury hotel, a true masterpiece of the renowned Oetker Collection on the shores of Lake Geneva, are deploying their incomparable expertise in a pursuit for excellence, in the service of the art of fine watchmaking, haute gastronomy, unrivalled hospitality and impeccable quality of service.

"Le Carrousel" egg  Guillaume Cottancin

On Easter Sunday, Le Jardinier restaurant, whose verandas offer a majestic view of the lake and Mont Blanc, will be serving a festive brunch prepared by chef Olivier Jean and priced at CHF 179. The Easter menu includes, among other savoury dishes: Imperial caviar, crab mimosa-style egg; Lamb rack from Adret, red bell pepers crust, confit eggplant, vegetables curry. The dessert trolley will delight all epicureans.

Guests wishing to stay in Geneva with their families can book the exclusive dedicated offer, including:

- Accommodation in two connecting suites: 1 Executive Suite and 1 Deluxe Suite

- 50% off for the Deluxe Suite

- VIP welcome and an exclusive Haute Horlogerie experience by Blancpain

- Breakfast served in the restaurant or in the comfort of your suite

- Welcome gift for children

- Access to the Club Woodward including swimming pool, Swedish baths and fitness area

- Free parking

This offer is valid from 28 March to 7 April 2024, for a minimum stay of two nights, from CHF 3200 per night for two suites, subject to availability. Reservations on +41 22 901 37 77 or oetkercollection.com.
PASCAGOULA, Miss., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HIIs (NYSE: HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division hosted U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Karsten Heckl and officers on March 18 for a meeting with Ingalls leadership and a shipyard tour. Heckl is the deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for combat development and integration.



Walking our ships with sailors and Marines always makes for a good day, Ingalls Shipbuilding President Kari Wilkinson said. Our shipbuilders are committed to delivering amphibious ships to the fleet.

Ingalls builds the San Antonio (LPD) and America (LHA) classes of amphibious warships. During the visit, Heckl had the opportunity to see first-hand the work taking place aboard amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8), and amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29).

It was great to see the hard work and passion that the Ingalls team is putting into the amphibious construction lines, Heckl said. Im pleased that we are moving forward with the existing Flight II design of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships. As soon as they are delivered, our Marines will be ready to use them.





A photo accompanying this release is available at: https://hii.com/news/hii-hosts-usmc-officers-at-ingalls-shipbuilding/.

Recently, the U.S. Navy announced their request to buy an LPD 17 Flight II ship in fiscal year 2025 and has plans to buy another LPD in fiscal year 2027 and again in fiscal year 2029.

We are dedicated to the mission and are ready to support the strong demand signal we see for the ships we build, Wilkinson said. We appreciate the importance of these ships and are proud to build them.

Currently, Ingalls has three LPDs under construction including the final transition ship Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29), the first Flight II LPD Harrisburg (LPD 30), and Pittsburgh (LPD 31). Ingalls also has under contract the third LPD Flight II, Philadelphia (LPD 32). Additionally, Ingalls has two large-deck amphibious ships under construction, Bougainville (LHA 8) and Fallujah (LHA 9).

Designed and built for survivability and flexibility, U.S. Navy amphibious ships are unique combat warships that make possible complex joint U.S. military operations to respond swiftly to crises anywhere in the world, from deterrence and major combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HIIs mission is to deliver the worlds most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.

As the nations largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HIIs workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:

HII on the web: https://www.HII.com/

HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII

HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/WeAreHII

HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WeAreHII

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecd1ca52-01c1-4b59-8e5b-6981d69ea6f3
Paris, Amsterdam, March 19, 2024

Press release

Holding conditions for the Combined General Meeting of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE on April 30, 2024, availability of its explanatory documentation and the 2023 Universal Registration Document

The Combined General Meeting of shareholders of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE will be held at Palais des Congres de Paris (2, place de la Porte Maillot, salle Bordeaux  75017 Paris, France) on Tuesday April 30, 2024, at 10:30 am (Paris time).

The formal notice to shareholders (Avis de reunion a lAssemblee Generale valant avis de convocation) was published yesterday, in the BALO (Bulletin des Annonces Legales Obligatoires) and set out the Combined General Meeting agenda, the proposed resolutions, as well as the terms and conditions for voting at this General Meeting.

The 2023 Universal Registration Document of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield SE was filed today with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers).

The 2023 Universal Registration Document includes:

the 2023 annual financial report,

the report of the Supervisory Board on the Corporate Governance,

the management report on the financial year 2023,

the remuneration report and the remuneration policy of the members of the Management Board and of the Supervisory Board,

the sustainability report,

the description of the share buy-back program.

The explanatory documentation regarding this Combined General Meeting and the 2023 Universal Registration Document are available on request, in compliance with the laws and regulations in force, as well as on the www.urw.com website (under Investors/General Meetings).

For further information, please contact:

Investor Relations

Meriem Delfi

+33 7 63 45 59 77

investor.relations @urw.com

Gonzague Montigny

+33 6 10 95 85 84

investor.relations @urw.com

Media Relations

UK/Global :

Cornelia Schnepf  Finelk

+44 7387 108 998

[email protected]

France :

Sonia Fellmann  PLEAD

+33 6 27 84 91 30

[email protected]

About Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is an owner, developer and operator of sustainable, high-quality real estate assets in the most dynamic cities in Europe and the United States.

The Group operates 72 shopping centres in 12 countries, including 38 which carry the iconic Westfield brand. These centres attract over 900 million visits annually and provide a unique platform for retailers and brands to connect with consumers. URW also has a portfolio of high-quality offices, 10 convention and exhibition venues in Paris, and a 2.5 Bn development pipeline of mainly mixed-use assets. Its 50 Bn portfolio is 86% in retail, 6% in offices, 5% in convention and exhibition venues, and 2% in services (as at December 31, 2023).

URW is a committed partner to major cities on urban regeneration projects, through both mixed-use development and the retrofitting of buildings to industry-leading sustainability standards. These commitments are enhanced by the Groups Better Places plan, which strives to make a positive environmental, social and economic impact on the cities and communities where URW operates.

URWs stapled shares are listed on Euronext Paris (Ticker: URW), with a secondary listing in Australia through Chess Depositary Interests. The Group benefits from a BBB+ rating from Standard & Poors and from a Baa2 rating from Moodys.

For more information, please visit www.urw.com

Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HUDSON RESOURCES INC. (Hudson or the Company) (TSX Venture Exchange HUD; OTC HUDRF) is pleased to announce that effective March 21, 2024, the Companys name will change to AnorTech Inc. to reflect its ongoing focus on creating innovative and sustainable technologies from anorthosite (aluminum calcium silicate), including waste-free alumina and CO2 free cement for global markets.

The new CUSIP for the Company's common shares will be 03634T104 and the new ISIN number will be CA03634T1049. The Companys common shares are expected to begin trading under the Companys new name and ticker symbol ANOR at the opening of trading on March 21, 2024. A new corporate website will also be launched on the same day under the domain www.anortechinc.com.

Green alumina made from anorthosite is a revolutionary zero waste product that minimizes the environmental impact traditionally associated with alumina production from bauxite, which produces almost four tonnes of caustic tailings waste for every tonne of aluminum. The Company is aiming to provide the aluminum industry with an alumina feed product that is not only high-quality but also zero waste with the added benefit of saleable byproducts.

The CO2 free cement made from anorthosite eliminates the need for clinker which releases over 800kg of CO2 for every tonne of cement produced. Initial studies indicate a white refractory (heat resistant) cement can be produced which will be a premium product.

The Company currently has R&D programs underway in Canada and Denmark on the alumina and cement products. The Company will provide an update on these programs shortly. The company owns 100% of the Gronne Bjerg (Green Mountain) anorthosite project which is located near the capital of Nuuk on open tidewater and adjacent to some of the best hydroelectric potential in Greenland (see NR2023-02).

Jim Cambon, President, commented: We are excited to be launching AnorTech which better reflects our goals and considerable efforts over the past 10 years in creating green products which have the potential to revolutionize several global markets. Our work to date has shown that anorthosite is a mineral of the future and can play a key role in making greener, more sustainable products. Our plan is to utilize results from our 2024 R&D programs to attract global partners in key industries to further advance the applications to commercialization as quickly as possible.

The Company has relinquished its 31% interest in the White Mountain anorthosite project in Greenland to allow the Company to focus all efforts on its 100% owned, and debt free, Gronne Bjerg anorthosite project. The carrying value of the White Mountain investment was reduced to $nil on the Companys financial statements since the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.

The Company has a 5% carried interest in the advanced Sarfartoq rare earth element project in Western Greenland which was sold to Neo Performance Materials in 2022 (see NR2022-02). A significant field program including drilling was undertaken on the Sarfartoq project in 2023.

Shareholders will not be required to take any action in connection with the name change. Issued certificates representing common shares of the Company will not be affected by the name change and will not need to be exchanged. There is no consolidation of capital associated with the name change. The name change does not affect the rights of the Companys shareholders.

Hudson is well funded with $3.5M cash on hand.

About AnorTech Inc.

AnorTech is a Canadian based technology company focused on the development of game changing green technologies made from anorthosite (aluminum calcium silicate) rock. The company is focused on three global markets: green alumina, CO2 free cement and concrete thermal energy storage systems. AnorTech has over 10 years experience in anorthosite R&D and marketing. The Company owns 100% of the Gronne Bjerg Anorthosite project in Greenland, which is on open tide water near the capital of Nuuk.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jim Cambon

President and Director

For further information:Ph: 778-373-2164

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source: Hudson Resources Inc.
MONTREAL, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In their effort to fund bold, transformative basic mental health research projects, Brain Canada, Krembil Foundation, and Womens Brain Health Initiative (WBHI), with the support of The Erika Legacy Foundation and Power Corporation of Canada, are proud to announce the recipients of the Basics of Better Mental Health Program.

Basic research is scientific research carried out primarily to expand knowledge and understanding rather than to directly address clinical or practical issues. The Basics of Better Mental Health Program funds basic research that will provide insight into the causes and onset of mental health conditions, explore the neuropathological changes and information-processing deficits that may eventually lead to new directions for treatments and interventions, and explore the role of sex and gender in mental health.

By the time people in Canada reach 40 years of age, 1 in 2 have, or have experienced, a mental health condition. More basic brain research is necessary to understand how the brain functions in health, as well as in illness. In response to this need, Brain Canada and its donors and partners have invested a total of $3.3 million to support three recipients and their research teams.

"Brain research plays a critical role in increasing our understanding of the causes and onset of mental health conditions, says the Honourable Yaara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. I am thrilled to support the work being done through the Basics of Better Mental Health Program  this work will support better mental health for all Canadians.

The inclusion of sex-specific biological considerations is instrumental in understanding the biological roots of mental health conditions, says Dr. Viviane Poupon, President and CEO of Brain Canada. We take great pride in supporting these three recipients who are at the forefront of addressing sex gaps in brain research.

The Basics of Better Mental Health recipients are investigating mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and postpartum depression, with a significant emphasis on sex-specific factors or differences.

Little is understood about the brain and the conditions that inflict it, says Mark Krembil, President & CEO of Krembil Foundation. These gaps in understanding force clinical research to focus on symptoms as opposed to causes. Without basic research that considers sex-specific differences to uncover the mechanisms of diseases, we cannot hope to create effective treatments. We are proud to support this program and the pivotal research it funds.

By emphasizing sex-specific factors or differences, these studies hold immense promise in revolutionizing our understanding and treatment of mental health conditions, ultimately paving the way for more effective interventions tailored to the unique needs of women, says Lynn Posluns, Founder & President of WBHI. Through such initiatives, we are taking meaningful strides toward promoting women's brain health and well-being.

The bold projects supported by Brain Canada, Krembil Foundation, and WBHI include:

Insulin resistance in the mesolimbic system, a novel hypothesis for depression associated with metabolic resistance from obesity

Stephanie Borgland, University of Calgary awarded $1,100,000.

This project will investigate whether the ineffective insulin associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes may underlie the higher prevalence of depression and anxiety associated with these conditions, and whether restoring insulin can improve mental health. The studies will be conducted with coinvestigators Marie-Eve Paquet and Rochelin Dalangin at the Universite de Laval, Stephanie Fulton and the Universite de Montreal, Carrie Ferrario at the University of Michigan, and Xiaochen Bai at the University of Texas SouthWestern Medical Center.

Developing open-science resources to map transgenerational, sex-specific effects of peripartum neuropsychiatric disease

Liisa Galea, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health awarded $1,100,000.

This project aims to understand changes in the brain in postpartum depression, and how the mothers postpartum mental health can influence the offsprings predisposition for mental health conditions throughout their lifetime. The studies will be conducted with coinvestigators Brain Kalish at SickKids and Shreejoy Tripathy at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

A prodepressive dopamine receptor complex in brain mediates sex differences in depression and anxiety : validation and strategies for drug discovery

Susan George, University of Toronto awarded $1,100,000.

This project aims to investigate whether dopamine receptor complexes may be involved in the higher rate of depression in women, using animal models, with an end goal of drug discovery. The studies will be conducted with coinvestigator Martin Beaulieu. Collaborators include Junchao Tong and Isabelle Boileau at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

The generous funding from Brain Canada serves as the catalyst for fostering innovation, collaboration, and driving groundbreaking discoveries within our laboratories to understand molecular biomarkers of postpartum depression  one of the times of greatest risk for first-time depression, says Dr. Liisa Galea. I am honoured to receive this funding for an understudied area of research that affects not only the birthing parent but the health of the family unit. I applaud Brain Canada and their funding partners for prioritizing discoveries in womens mental health.

Learn more about Basics of Better Mental Health Program.

Listen to Brain Canadas podcast on mental health, Playing with Marbles.

This Brain Health Awareness Month, celebrate your most critical organ by better understanding how the brain works in health and illness.

This program has been made possible by the Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF), an innovative arrangement between the Government of Canada (through Health Canada) Brain Canada Foundation, Krembil Foundation, and Womens Brain Health Initiative, with support from The Erika Legacy Foundation and Power Corporation of Canada.

About Krembil Foundation

The Krembil Foundation is a Canadian family-led non-profit organization which supports medical research. The goal of the Foundation is to accelerate research, expand knowledge and ultimately impact lives through discoveries that will lead to scientific advancements in medicine. With this goal in mind, the Foundation focuses its funding on areas that have been historically underfunded: neurodegenerative diseases, and autoimmune diseases. The Foundation supports research with the intention of bridging gaps in knowledge, and ultimately helping discover treatments and cures for neurodegenerative diseases. www.krembilfoundation.ca

About Womens Brain Health Initiative

Womens Brain Health Initiative (WBHI), a Canadian Charitable Foundation established in 2012, is the largest resource for evidence-informed information specific to womens brain health. It is a significant force in raising critical awareness of the unacceptable discrepancies in brain research on afflictions that present in women in frightening proportions. WBHIs research, education, and awareness programs are essential to improving the brain health and mental wellness of women, caregivers, and their families, as well as catalyzing the urgency that must drive funds toward research to combat brain aging diseases that affect women. To learn more, please visit womensbrainhealth.org.

Media contact:

Brielle GoulartCommunications & Marketing OfficerBrain Canada[email protected]450-915-2253

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/04efd86e-2878-4226-8496-e25677c3d783.

The recipients of the Basics of Better Mental Health Program From left to right: Dr. Stephanie Borgland, Dr, Liisa Galea, and Dr. Susan George

Source: Brain Canada
Vancouver, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Traditional territories of the xmkym (Musqueam), Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish), and Slilwta (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations A new partnership between B Lab US & Canada and B Corp Certified, sustainable education furniture supplier, Natural Pod is bringing full-time childcare, at no additional cost, to anyone participating in the Champions Retreat March 18-22, 2024. The initiative will remove the lack of childcare as a barrier for conference attendees and help enable full engagement in the event. Held since the early days of the B Corp movement, Champions Retreat brings 700+ people together from leading businesses that prioritize people and the planet. The timing of the event increased the imperative for childcare, as Champions Retreat overlaps with Spring Break closures for many daycares and schools.

Providing childcare at professional events is a small-scale but impactful action organizations can take to help tackle the current childcare crisis affecting families across Metro Vancouver and many parts of Canada. In Vancouver, one spot exists for every four children in need, and many provider waitlists quote wait times of three years or longer. This severe shortage, combined with high costs, means finding affordable care within reasonable proximity is an impossibility for many parents.

At Champions Retreat, B Lab US & Canada and Natural Pod will create a safe and inspiring learning environment for the children of event attendees at the Vancouver Convention Center, constructed with sustainable materials. Experienced and certified professionals will provide childcare services via the Pacific Immigrant Resources Societys Pop-up Childcare program, a 48-year-old organization with a mission to deliver accessible, inclusive, low-barrier programs for immigrant and refugee women. Throughout the event, children will also be welcome in all event spaces, meaning parents will have opportunities to connect with their children whenever they choose.

Speaking on the need for a safe, sustainable and inclusive learning environment at workplaces and professional events, Bridgitte Alomes, Natural Pods CEO and Founder, said:For Natural Pod, it was an instant yes when we were given the opportunity to create a sustainable, child-centred learning environment for the childcare program at the Champions Retreat. As a Certified B Corporation, we aim for every child to learn and play in healthy, beautiful, sensory-inspired environments. Together with B Lab, we are reimagining what it means to bring your kids to work, and Champions Retreat will be a place where children and their parents can learn alongside one another.

Speaking on why inclusivity and childcare are critical elements to the success of Champions Retreat, B Lab US & Canada CEO Jorge Fontanez said:B Lab takes its mission to seriously use business as a force for good, and this extends to how we welcome people to our spaces. Providing childcare at Champions Retreat, with the help of Natural Pod, is an example of how organizations can play a small part in addressing the childcare crisis, alongside government action. We also see this practice of inclusivity as a critical element of the future of work, where the needs of families, communities and the planet play an integral role in the way business benefits workers.

For Karen Lickteig, event director for Champions Retreat 2024, providing childcare to event attendees isn't just a professional concern  it's a personal one. Lickteig plans to bring her 10-month-old baby to the event: "I am so grateful to B Lab and the B Corp community for prioritizing community care, and providing much-needed support to working parents like me. I couldn't show up and do this work without that level of support. I'm thrilled that we've found excellent local partners in Vancouver like NaturalPod and PIRS, and know that my son will be well cared for while I'm working the event."

Learn more about childcare at Champions Retreat 2024 at https://usca.bcorporation.net/champions-retreat-2024/accessibility/.

About B Lab U.S. & Canada

B Lab U.S. & Canada is a partner in the B Global Network, a unified group of global, regional, and national organizations that power a business movement as a force for good. A historic global culture shift is underway to harness the power of business to help address societys greatest challenges. Our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs that shift the behavior, culture, and structure of capitalism. B Lab certifies companies  known as B Corps  who are leading the way. Our vision is an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economic system for all people and the planet.

For more information, visit usca.bcorporation.net, www.bcorporation.net, www.bimpactassessment.net, www.b-analytics.net and www.benefitcorp.net.

About Natural PodNatural Pod builds and designs sustainable, durable, beautiful education furniture. Our products and spaces beautifully blend functionality with boundless potential, fostering collaboration, small-group dynamics, and individualized learning experiences within all educational settings.

About Champions RetreatChampions Retreat is the key catalytic and inspirational event for the B Corp movement in the U.S. and Canada, connecting and mobilizing values-aligned people using business as a force for good.

Media contactYulu PR[email protected]604.558.1656

Source: B Lab U.S. & Canada
NEWPORT NEWS, Va., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

What: HIIs (NYSE: HII) Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division will host commencement exercises for the Class of 2023 graduates of The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School. Among the graduates will be one who is the first to earn an associate of applied science in maritime technology degree. Members of the news media are invited to attend the graduation ceremony. This event is NOT open to the general public, but will be livestreamed:https://hii.com/events/apprentice-school-graduation/ When: 10 a.m., Saturday, March 23(Media asked to check-in by 9:30 a.m.) Where: Liberty Live Church 1021 Big Bethel RoadHampton, Virginia, 23666 RSVP: Confirmation of media attendance is required. Please RSVP by noon on Friday, March 22 to: Todd Corillo [email protected] (757) 688-3220 Details: The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School accepts more than 250 apprentices per year. The school offers four- to eight-year, tuition-free apprenticeships in 19 trades and eight optional advanced programs in which students earn an associate in applied science degree. Apprentices work a 40-hour week and are paid for all work, including time spent in academic classes.Through partnerships with Virginia Peninsula Community College, Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University, The Apprentice Schools academic program provides the opportunity to earn associate degrees in business administration, engineering and engineering technology and bachelors degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering.

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HIIs mission is to deliver the worlds most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.

As the nations largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HIIs workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:

HII on the web: https://www.hii.com/

HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII

HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/wearehii

HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearehii

Source: HII
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against New York Community Bancorp, Inc. (NYCB or the Company) (NYSE: NYCB) and reminds investors of the April 8, 2024 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.



Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $100,000 In NYCB To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you suffered losses exceeding $100,000 investing in NYCB stock or options between March 1, 2023 and February 5, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310). You may also click here for additional information: www.faruqilaw.com/NYCB.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (i) the Signature Bank acquisition would not be immediately accretive to New York Community Bancorp because it caused New York Community Bancorp to be required to comply with materially enhanced prudential standards, including, among other things, risk-based and leverage capital requirements, and liquidity standards, and required that New York Community Bancorp build capital, reinforce its balance sheet and strengthen its risk management processes; (ii) New York Community Bancorp failed to comply with the materially enhanced prudential standards; (iii) New York Community Bancorp overstated the quality of its commercial office loan assets; (iv) New York Community Bancorp was experiencing higher net charge-offs and deterioration in its commercial office portfolio than represented; (v) New York Community Bancorp was reasonably likely to incur higher loan losses because it was experiencing higher net charge-offs and deterioration in its commercial office portfolio; (vi) New York Community Bancorp was reasonably likely to be forced to increase its allowance for credit losses due to its status as Category IV bank; (vii) New York Community Bancorp's loan loss provisions were understated so it overstated quarterly earnings and/or understated quarterly losses; and (viii) New York Community Bancorp failed to have adequate internal risk or disclosure controls and procedures.

On January 31, 2024, New York Community Bancorp disclosed that it had recorded a $552 million provision for loan losses, up significantly from the $62 million reported just one quarter earlier, and that as a result, New York Community Bancorp had incurred a 4Q23 loss of $252 million, or $0.36 per share, down significantly from a profit of $0.27 per share Wall Street consensus estimate. New York Community Bancorp also disclosed it would cut its quarterly dividend from $0.17 to $0.05 per share. On this news, the price of New York Community Bancorp stock fell nearly 38%.

Then, on February 5, 2024, Bloomberg reported, citing "people with direct knowledge of the matter," that it had been "mounting pressure from a top US watchdog" that "led to" New York Community Bancorp's "surprise decision to slash its dividend and stockpile cash in case commercial real estate loans [went] bad." According to the Bloomberg article, "[t]he drastic financial moves . . . followed behind-the-scenes conversations with officials from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the people said, asking not to be identified describing the confidential discussions." On this news, the price of New York Community Bancorp stock fell more than 22%.

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding NYCBs conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8cccb513-acce-46c7-a85f-f8dd598c2689
NEW YORK, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

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] 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, Santanders 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 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]

www.rosenlegal.com
Program offers full- and part-time employees 100% tuition coverage for degrees and skill courses to foster career advancement

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. and LOS ANGELES, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saint Peters Healthcare System has launched New Jerseys first tuition-free education benefit available for healthcare employees through a new partnership with InStride, a tech-enabled services company that delivers workforce education solutions. The Learning, Education and Advancement Program (LEAP), available to Saint Peters full- and part-time employees, makes educational growth accessible so employees can earn valuable credentials and degrees to advance their professional careers in health care.

The initiative complements Saint Peters existing tuition reimbursement policy, improving access to learning by lowering the financial barrier of upfront tuition costs for employees. Through LEAP, employees will be able to access over 1,000 online learning options, ranging from bachelors degrees to skill courses and English-language learning from academic institutions including Arizona State University, The City University of New York (CUNY), and the University of Colorado, among others.



As a mission-based healthcare system, this program underscores Saint Peters commitment to transforming careers and our community, said Laura Atkinson, vice president and chief human resources officer at Saint Peters Healthcare System. It is an investment in education, our employees, and the strength and unity of our community, ensuring our caregivers reflect the rich diversity of those we proudly serve with compassionate care.

Leslie D. Hirsch, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Peters Healthcare System, said, I am proud to offer this world-class educational opportunity to our employeesthe first of its kind for a healthcare system in New Jersey. We developed this program because we believe every Saint Peter's employee should have the ability to learn and advance. LEAP is a win-win for our organization, as having the ability to grow and excel in ones career supports advancement, while enhancing the patient experience and allowing us to retain our best and brightest.

Saint Peters is an award-winning healthcare partner for residents of New Jersey and beyond. Focused on recruiting and retaining talent and improving career advancement for its diverse workforce, the healthcare system has partnered with InStride to create LEAP. In support of hiring for Saint Peters current job opportunities, full-and part-time employees are eligible to participate after only 90 days.

"Saint Peters shares our dedication to advancing employees careers through equitable access to education," said Craig Maloney, CEO of InStride. "Were honored to deliver a workforce education program that unlocks the full potential of their employees, supporting the delivery of exceptional care to a dynamic community."

About Saint Peters Healthcare System

Saint Peters Healthcare System Inc., parent company of the Saint Peters healthcare delivery system, is comprised of Saint Peters University Hospital, a 478-bed acute-care teaching hospital and state-designated childrens hospital and regional perinatal center that includes a nationally renowned Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Saint Peters Foundation, the fundraising arm of the hospital; Saint Peters Health and Management Services Corporation and the CARES Surgicenter; and Saint Peters Physician Associates, a network of primary and specialty care physician practices. Saint Peters is a regional specialist in cancer care, diabetes, geriatrics, orthopedics, bariatric surgery and head and neck surgery and is a sponsor of residency programs in obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and internal medicine. Saint Peters is sponsored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen and is a major clinical affiliate of Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. Visit saintpetershcs.com or call 732-745-8600.

About InStride

InStride, in partnership with top academic institutions, enables companies to provide career-aligned, debt-free education through a personalized digital platform and consultative service model. InStride empowers forward-thinking, talent-focused corporate partners such as Banfield Pet Hospitals, Aramark and Magna to drive meaningful social and business outcomes by unlocking access to life-changing education. InStride was named one of the Worlds Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and a Best Place to Work by Built In for five consecutive years. Visit instride.com or follow InStride on Twitter and LinkedIn for more information and up-to-date news.

Contact:
Vancouver, BC, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skyharbour Resources Ltd.s (TSX-V:SYH) (OTCQX:SYHBF) (Frankfurt:SC1P) (the Company) partner company Azincourt Energy (Azincourt), is pleased to announce that mobilization is set to begin later this week for the 2024 winter drill program at the East Preston uranium project in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada.



Project Location  Western Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada:

https://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/Sky_EastPreston_20231219.jpg

Winter 2024 Drill Program:

Azincourt is undertaking a drill program for the winter of 2024, consisting of up to 1,500 meters of drilling in a maximum of five (5) diamond drill holes. The priority will be to follow up on the clay alteration zone with elevated uranium that was identified in the winter of 2023 with a focus on the area of transition between the K and H Zones.

Drilling in 2023 identified an illite clay alteration halo extending from the top of Zone K to Zone H as far as drill hole EP0053. Within this illite alteration zone, dravite and kaolinite are present in the north end of Zone H. Illite and kaolinite are both indicators of hydrothermal alteration typically found within alteration halos of unconformity uranium deposits. Dravite is a boron-rich clay which is found within the larger clay package proximal to uranium mineralization in the hydrothermal system. Both illite and dravite have been identified as being significant vectors for the 2022 JR Zone discovery by F3 Uranium approximately 60 km to the northwest of the East Preston project.



The program will utilize one helicopter supported drill rig and be based out of a local contractor camp, with reduced disturbance due to the lack of an access road. Drill and crew mobilization is underway with drilling expected to commence by the last week of March.

Following up the clay alteration in the K- and H- Zones is a high priority, commented Azincourts VP Exploration Trevor Perkins. This alteration is what would be expected where a uranium deposit is present. This area between the K- and H zones is a zone we need to drill test further, and all indications are that we are vectoring in on something. A significant number of deposits in the Athabasca Basin have been found by identifying and chasing these types of alteration patterns, continued Mr. Perkins.

East Preston Targets:

The primary target area on the East Preston Project is the conductive corridors from the A-Zone through to the G-Zone (A-G Trend) and the K-Zone through to the H and Q-Zones (K-H-Q Trend). The selection of these trends is based on a compilation of results from the 2018 through 2020 ground-based EM and gravity surveys, property wide VTEM and magnetic surveys, and the 2019 through 2022 drill programs, the 2020 HLEM survey indicates multiple prospective conductors and structural complexity along these corridors.

2024 Target Areas at the East Preston Uranium Project:

https://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/2023-24-Target-areas-at-the-East-Preston-Uranium-Project.png

Drilling has confirmed that identified geophysical conductors comprise structurally disrupted zones that are host to accumulations of graphite, sulphides, and carbonates. Hydrothermal alteration, anomalous radioactivity, and elevated uranium have been demonstrated to exist within these structurally disrupted conductor zones.

Permitting and Community Relations:

Permits are in hand to conduct exploration activities at the East Preston property through the summer of 2026. Azincourt recognizes that the granting of these permits does not negate the rights of the local communities for meaningful consultation as the project progresses. Azincourt looks forward to a continued close working relationship and regular consultation with CRDN and other rights holders to ensure that any potential impacts and concerns are addressed and that the communities can benefit from activities in the area through support of local business, employment opportunities, and sponsorship of select community programs and initiatives. Local businesses are engaged to provide services and supplies and members of the Clearwater River Dene Nation and surrounding communities have been directly employed on site or to provide support and services to keep the camp and programs running. The involvement of the local communities is essential for continued advancement of the East Preston Project.

About East Preston:

Skyharbour and Dixie Gold entered into an Option Agreement (the Agreement) with Azincourt whereby Azincourt had an earn-in option to acquire a 70% working interest in a portion of the Preston Uranium Project known as the East Preston Property. Azincourt earned a majority interest in the project by completing CAD $2.5 million in staged exploration expenditures and making a total of CAD $1 million in cash payments as well as issuing shares of Azincourt divided evenly between Skyharbour and Dixie Gold. Azincourt now owns 85.8% as operator of the Project with Skyharbour retaining a minority interest of 9.5% in the Project.

Three prospective conductive, low magnetic signature corridors have been discovered on the property. The three distinct corridors have a total strike length of over 25 km, each with multiple EM conductor trends identified. Ground prospecting and sampling work completed to date has identified outcrop, soil, biogeochemical and radon anomalies, which are key pathfinder elements for unconformity uranium deposit discovery.

The East Preston Project has multiple long linear conductors with flexural changes in orientation and offset breaks in the vicinity of interpreted fault lineaments  classic targets for basement-hosted unconformity uranium deposits. These are not just simple basement conductors; they are clearly upgraded/enhanced prospectivity targets because of the structural complexity. The targets are basement-hosted unconformity related uranium deposits similar to NexGens Arrow deposit and Camecos Eagle Point mine. East Preston is near the southern edge of the western Athabasca Basin, where targets are in a near surface environment without Athabasca sandstone cover; therefore, they are relatively shallow targets but can have great depth extent when discovered. The project ground is located along a parallel conductive trend between the PLS-Arrow trend and Camecos Centennial deposit (Virgin River-Dufferin Lake trend).

Qualified Person:

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by David Billard, P.Geo., a Consulting Geologist for Skyharbour as well as a Qualified Person.

About Skyharbour Resources Ltd.:

Skyharbour holds an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin and is well positioned to benefit from improving uranium market fundamentals with twenty-nine projects, ten of which are drill-ready, covering over 587,000 hectares (over 1.45 million acres) of land. Skyharbour has acquired from Denison Mines, a large strategic shareholder of the Company, a 100% interest in the Moore Uranium Project which is located 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced-stage uranium exploration property with high-grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zone that returned drill results of up to 6.0% U 3 O 8 over 5.9 metres including 20.8% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 metres at a vertical depth of 265 metres. Adjacent to the Moore Uranium Project is Skyharbours recently optioned Russell Lake Uranium Project from Rio Tinto, which hosts historical high-grade uranium drill intercepts over a large property area with robust exploration upside potential. The Company is actively advancing these projects through exploration and drill programs.

Skyharbour has joint-ventures with industry-leader Orano Canada Inc., Azincourt Energy and Valor Resources at the Preston, East Preston and Hook Lake Projects, respectively. The Company also has several active earn-in option partners including: CSE-listed Basin Uranium Corp. at the Mann Lake Uranium Project; CSE-listed Medaro Mining Corp. at the Yurchison Project; North Shore Uranium at the Falcon Project; and TSX-V listed Tisdale Clean Energy at the South Falcon East Project which is host to the Fraser Lakes Zone B Uranium and Thorium Deposit. In aggregate, Skyharbour has now signed earn-in option agreements with partners that total to over $33 million in partner-funded exploration expenditures, over $27 million worth of shares being issued and over $19 million in cash payments coming into Skyharbour, assuming that these partner companies complete their entire earn-ins at the respective projects.

Skyharbour's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions.

Skyharbours Uranium Project Map in the Athabasca Basin:

https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/SKY_SaskProject_Locator_2024-02-14_V2.jpg

To find out more about Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: SYH) visit the Companys website at www.skyharbourltd.com.

SKYHARBOUR RESOURCES LTD.

Jordan Trimble



Jordan Trimble

President and CEO

For further information contact myself or:

Nicholas Coltura

Investor Relations Manager

Skyharbour Resources Ltd.

Telephone: 604-558-5847

Toll Free: 800-567-8181

Facsimile: 604-687-3119

Email: [email protected]

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

The securities offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction.

This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements, including the Private Placement. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, regulatory approvals, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.
Mastering contrasts

Created in partnership with Label Noir, Maurice Lacroix unveils a new version of its MASTERPIECE Skeleton. Equipped with a highly refined in-house movement, this model reveals many components usually hidden from view. Label Noir has played with light and shade, disclosure and stealth, as well as black and white hues, skilfully juxtaposing contrasts. The resultant watch, the MASTERPIECE Skeleton Label Noir, limited to 288 pieces, showcases the creativity of both brands and the wisdom of being inventive.

In 2020, Maurice Lacroix, the brand from the Franches Montagnes, collaborated with the Geneva-based watchmaker, Label Noir. This inaugural collaboration, a reinterpretation of the urban-themed AIKON, sold out within minutes of being released. Keen to repeat this achievement, Maurice Lacroix has, once again, joined forces with the watch personalisation specialist.

Founded in 2011, Label Noir has gained a reputation for revisiting existing designs, masterfully working with a palette of black and white to deliver a new and unique expression of style. Occasionally the Genevan firm employs a pop of colour to evoke excitement; however, it is the brands judicious application of monochromatic hues that has led to its work attracting much critical acclaim.

Masterpiece Skeleton Label Noir  Maurice Lacroix

While Maurice Lacroix employs some incredibly creative individuals, working at its headquarters in Saignelegier, it also recognises the benefits of collaborating with other parties, drawing on their inventive talents. Indeed, Maurice Lacroix has worked closely with Monocle, Wallpaper and even collaborated with Stoff and Schnapps to produce Aikonic Gin! Now, Maurice Lacroix has joined forces with Label Noir and reimagined the MASTERPIECE Skeleton in a new and exciting way.

Skeleton watches can trace their roots to the 18th century. The traditional technique for openworking a movement involves removing superfluous metal by using handsaws and files. The resultant movement possesses an attractive filigreed appearance. However, on some occasions, the material removed adjacent to critical components, such as jewel beds, screws and the gear train, impaired reliability and created unwanted flex. Maurice Lacroix designed and developed its own in-house movement that addressed these potential issues.

The Jura-based brand optimised the design of the movement within the MASTERPIECE Skeleton using CAD (Computer Aided Design), calculating the forces acting on each part of its structure. The mainplate and bridges are made using a modern-day CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine, ensuring the resultant calibre remains stable, precise and reliable.

Masterpiece Skeleton Label Noir  Maurice Lacroix

This contemporary skeleton timepiece, featuring a hand-wound movement, reveals numerous components typically hidden from view. The keyless works, motion works and gear train are freely shown. The spring barrel features an openworked cap, affording sight of the mainspring in various states of tension. Adjacent to 12 oclock, the wearer can see the screwed balance wheel oscillate to and fro, the hairspring breathe and the pallet lever engage with the escape wheel. Indeed, the MASTERPIECE Skeleton Label Noir indulges the onlooker with a spellbinding mechanical performance, a spectacle heightened with Label Noirs masterful use of contrasting tones.

Consistent with other MASTERPIECE models, the ultimate expression of Maurice Lacroix ownership, the Manufacture ML134 calibre is adorned with Grand Colimacon, sand-blasted finishing and bridges with polished edges. The Manufacture movement and the final assembly of the MASTERPIECE Skeleton Label Noir takes place in the companys own workshops. Refinement and Swiss quality are much in evidence, while the watch delivers high-perceived value, a characteristic common to all Maurice Lacroix models.

Masterpiece Skeleton Label Noir  Maurice Lacroix

An exhibition caseback allows light to pass through the movement, illuminating every interior contour. The case of the MASTERPIECE Skeleton Label Noir is coated in the firms trademark black and anthracite matte DLC and measures 43mm in diameter, imbuing the watch with much wrist-presence. The timepiece comes presented on a matching M-branded black nylon strap paired with a folding clasp.

Stephane Waser, Managing Director of Maurice Lacroix, remarks, At Maurice Lacroix, we strive to be inventive in everything we do. Nevertheless, we recognise that, on some occasions, collaborating with other creative individuals can deliver a synergistic outcome. The AIKON Label Noir reimagined our popular urban watch with an interesting use of black and grey hues. All examples of this model promptly sold. On this occasion, we decided to use one of our in-house movements that we designed, developed. We skilfully assemble this movement at our site in Saignelegier. The Masterpiece Skeleton Label Noir is limited to just 288 pieces and, based on its prepossessing appearance, I suspect they will also be quickly snapped up by avid collectors.
MONTREAL, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stingray Group Inc. (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B) (Stingray or the Corporation) today announced that the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.075 per subordinate voting share, variable subordinate voting share and multiple voting share that will be payable on or around June 14, 2024, to shareholders on record as of May 31, 2024.

The Corporations dividend policy is at the discretion of the Board of Directors and may vary depending upon, among other things, available cash flow, results of operations, financial condition, business growth opportunities and other factors that the Board of Directors may deem relevant.

The dividends paid are designated as "eligible" dividends for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and any corresponding provisions of provincial and territorial tax legislation.

About Stingray

Stingray (TSX: RAY.A; RAY.B), a global music, media, and technology company, is an industry leader in TV broadcasting, streaming, radio, business services, and advertising. Stingray provides an array of music, digital, and advertising services to enterprise brands worldwide, including audio and video channels, over 100 radio stations, subscription video-on-demand content, FAST channels, karaoke products and music apps, and in-car and on-board infotainment content. Stingray Business, a division of Stingray, provides commercial solutions in music, in-store advertising solutions, digital signage, and AI-driven consumer insights and feedback. Stingray Advertising is North Americas largest retail audio advertising network, delivering digital audio messaging to more than 20,000 major retail locations. Stingray has close to 1,000 employees worldwide and reaches 540 million consumers in 160 countries. For more information, visit www.stingray.com.

Contact information: Mathieu Peloquin Senior Vice-President, Marketing and Communications Stingray Group Inc. (514) 664-1244, ext. 2362 [email protected]

Source: Stingray Group Inc.
MAPLE GROVE, Minn., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In its ninth year, TopLine Credit Union Foundation has awarded $29,000 in scholarship money to 29 TopLine members who are continuing their education. Additionally, the foundation awarded $1,500 in scholarship funds to support post-secondary educational needs and goals of students in Nigeria through partnership with African Education and Health Initiative (AFEDHI), a local non-profit organization with a vision to assist African students with access to education, books and school supplies.

TopLine Credit Union Foundation received over 175 applications. Any TopLine member pursuing post-secondary education by attending a college or university, graduate school, or a 2-to-4-year community, vocational or technical college in the fall of 2023 was eligible.

This year TopLine Credit Union Foundation recognized 30 recipients and awarded a total of $30,500 to credit union members and students in Nigeria pursuing or continuing post-secondary education.

Scholarship applicants needed to complete a one-page application form and submit an essay (500 words or less) that answered the question: Describe a time, event or individual in your life that has influenced you as a person and how will this help guide your future?

As one of our scholarship recipients commented, My mom is a single parent and has influenced me as a person and has taught me many things through her encouragement, being kind toward others and always working hard for the things you want which has helped guide my future. Over the years growing up I have learned from my mom to never give up even when things are challenging, to keep a positive attitude and pursue my passion.

It was truly rewarding to read all the essays about a time, event or individual that positively impacted the applicant, and our board had a remarkably difficult decision of just selecting 29 scholarship recipients, said Vicki Roscoe Erickson, President, TopLine Credit Union Foundation. We celebrate their dedication and promise as they embark on their learning journey, and remain committed in providing our annual scholarship program. Congratulations to all our scholarship recipients; may your dreams and aspirations come true."

TopLine Credit Union Foundation, guided by its mission of working within the community to build a better tomorrow, will continue to support the cooperative spirit of people helping people by living the mantra  to care, connect and contribute in the communities they serve.

Scholarship recipients will be recognized with a reception at the credit union, on TopLine Credit Union Foundations website page at https://www.toplinecu.com/foundation/scholarship and on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TopLineFinancialCreditUnion.

TopLine Credit Union Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is dedicated to providing members with an array of financial education opportunities and counseling for members of all ages, awarding scholarships, contributing to community charitable organizations and sponsoring other community give-back efforts. Since inception in 2015, TopLine Credit Union Foundation has given out $139,500 in scholarship monies to assist with the affordability of post-secondary education. Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For further information visit www. TopLinecu.com/foundation, email [email protected], call 763-391-9494, or stop by any branch location or write to: 9353 Jefferson Hwy, Maple Grove, MN 55369. Federal Tax ID # is 46-4335752.

CONTACT:Vicki Roscoe EricksonPresident, TopLine Credit Union Foundation [email protected] 763.391.0872

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5a04df66-f627-4896-b062-d56687f5c50e

TopLine Credit Union Foundation Awards $30,500 In Scholarships TopLine Credit Union Foundation assist students with costs of higher education locally and globally

Source: TopLine Financial Credit Union
Carlisle Companies Incorporated (NYSE: CSL) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MTL Holdings (MTL) ...

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FILE PHOTO: A customer exits the Macy's flagship department store in midtown Manhattan in New York City, U.S., December 11, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

By Abigail Summerville and Svea Herbst-Bayliss

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Macy's Inc told Reuters on Tuesday that it will open its books to Arkhouse and Brigade Capital, a potential breakthrough in the investment firms' $6.6 billion bid to take the U.S. department store operator private.

Macy's, which had snubbed Arkhouse and Brigade's previous acquisition overtures, has now entered into a confidentiality pact with them that allows the exchange of commercially sensitive information, a spokesperson for Macy's said.

Having access to such due diligence could enable Arkhouse and Brigade to secure debt commitments to finance the deal, people familiar with the matter had earlier told Reuters. The firms have so far secured letters from firms such as investment bank Jefferies Financial Group indicating confidence a debt package can be put together.

The firms have also provided commitments for the equity portion of their bid. Their equity partners include Fortress Investment Group and One Investment Management US.

There is no certainty that the ensuing negotiations will lead to a transaction, the sources that spoke to Reuters cautioned.

Arkhouse and Brigade declined to comment.

Macy's shares jumped 3% on the news to $22.09 in afternoon trading on Tuesday.

Arkhouse and Brigade have already raised their offer from $21 to $24 per share and have said they are open to increasing their bid further subject to due diligence.

Arkhouse has also mounted a board challenge against Macy's, seeking to replace a majority of directors by naming nine candidates for election to the 14-member board. It intends to push ahead with its challenge even as the two sides are holding discussions, one of the sources said.

In the meantime, Macy's has been restructuring its operations as it grapples with a slowdown in consumer spending that has weighed on its revenue and profit. Last month, it said it would shutter about 150 stores through 2026 as part of a plan that would help save $100 million in costs this year.

Reuters reported on Tuesday that Macy's rival Nordstrom was also in deal talks, as that department store operator's founding family revived a previously abandoned plan to take the company private.

(Reporting by Abigail Summerville in New York and Svea Herbst-Bayliss in BostonEditing by Nick Zieminski)
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - The Dr. Golberg Institute of Functional and Aesthetic Medicine proudly declares Dr. Alexander Golberg as the recipient of the title of Top Aesthetic Doctor in the 2024 Aesthetic Everything Awards. This accolade recognizes Dr. Golberg's contributions and expertise in the field of aesthetic medicine, making a milestone in his career. With a career spanning over 25 years, Dr. Golberg has established himself as a leading authority in non-surgical aesthetic procedures, earning him acknowledgement for his commitment to innovation.

Dr. Alexander Golberg received the award for Top Aesthetic Doctor

Throughout his career, Dr. Golberg has continuously strived to integrate the latest advancements in technology and medical science into his practice. This approach emphasizes enhancing external appearance but also promoting overall well-being and functionality which has garnered him widespread acclaim for his skills and unwavering commitment to patient care.

The recognition as Top Aesthetic Doctor in the 2024 Aesthetic Everything Awards reaffirms Dr. Golberg's position as a leading figure in the realm of aesthetic procedures. His pioneering approach integrates cutting-edge technologies and evidence-based practices, ensuring optimal results while prioritizing patient safety and well-being. By pioneering novel techniques and methodologies, he has played a pivotal role in making aesthetic treatments more accessible, less invasive, and more attuned to the natural dynamics of the human body.

In addition to his clinical achievements, Dr. Golberg has been a vocal advocate for evidence-based practices and has actively contributed to the scientific community through research, publications, and educational initiatives. Through mentorship and academic endeavors, he continues to help shape the next generation of medical professionals and the future of healthcare.

Dr. Golberg has been working in medicine for over 25 years.

At the Dr. Golberg Institute of Functional and Aesthetic Medicine, Dr. Alexander Golberg offers patients a comprehensive range of aesthetic treatments tailored to their individual needs. His holistic philosophy emphasizes not only enhancing external beauty but also promoting overall health and functionality.





The Aesthetic Everything award received by Dr. Golberg

As the Dr. Golberg Institute of Functional and Aesthetic Medicine celebrates Dr. Alexander Golberg's latest achievement, it also looks forward to the continued innovation he brings to the field. His recognition as Top Aesthetic Doctor in the 2024 Aesthetic Everything Awards serves as a testament to his ongoing impact in the field. With his dedication to innovation and patient care, Dr. Golberg contributes to the advancement of aesthetic medicine.

Dr. Alexander Golberg

Email: [email protected]

+1-646-8663933 Manhattan Office

+1-718-7590100 Brooklyn Office

Website: https://www.drgolberg.nyc/

SOURCE: Dr Golberg Functional and Aesthetic Medicine

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202305
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Genesis Global Capital, LLC agreed to a final judgment ordering it to pay a $21 million civil penalty and imposing a permanent injunction to settle charges that it engaged in the unregistered offer and sale of securities through a crypto asset lending program known as the Gemini Earn program. Under the terms of the settlement, the SEC will not receive any portion of the penalty until after payment of all other allowed claims by the bankruptcy court, including claims by retail investors in the Gemini Earn program.



We charged Genesis with failing to register its retail crypto lending product before offering it to the public, bypassing essential disclosure requirements designed to protect investors, said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. Todays settlement builds on previous actions to make clear to the marketplace and the investing public that crypto lending platforms and other intermediaries need to comply with our time-tested securities laws. Doing so best protects investors. It promotes trust in markets. Its not optional. Its the law.



The collapse of the Gemini Earn program underscores the unknown risks that investors are exposed to when market participants fail to comply with the federal securities laws, said Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SECs Division of Enforcement. As this enforcement action makes clear, no amount of hype and advertising can substitute for the investor-protection disclosures required by the federal securities laws.



The SEC charged Genesis and Gemini Trust Company, LLC (Gemini) on January 12, 2023. According to the SECs complaint, the Gemini Earn program was a purported investment opportunity where Gemini customers, including retail investors in the United States, loaned their crypto assets to Genesis in exchange for Genesis promise to pay interest earned from Genesis use of the loaned crypto assets. The complaint alleges that, in November 2022, Genesis announced that it would not allow the Gemini Earn investors to withdraw their crypto assets because Genesis lacked sufficient liquid assets to meet withdrawal requests following volatility in the crypto asset market. At the time, Genesis held approximately $900 million in crypto assets from 340,000 Gemini Earn investors.



Genesis and two affiliates filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York on January 19, 2023. Investors have been unable to access or withdraw the crypto assets they invested with Genesis via Gemini Earn.



The SECs complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charged Genesis and Gemini with violating Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act of 1933. In addition to the civil penalty referenced above, Genesis, without admitting or denying the allegations in the SECs complaint, consented to the entry of a final judgment permanently enjoining Genesis from violating Section 5 of the Securities Act.



The SECs investigation was conducted by Jonathan Austin and Ashley Sprague and supervised by Deborah Tarasevich and Stacy Bogert. The litigation in the bankruptcy court was conducted by Therese Scheuer and William Uptegrove and supervised by Alistaire Bambach. The ongoing district court litigation against Gemini is being led by Edward Reilly and Laura Meehan and supervised by James Connor and Olivia Choe.



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Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Greenfire Resources Ltd. (NYSE: GFR) (TSX: GFR) ("Greenfire" or the "Company"), a Calgary-based energy company focused on the sustainable production and development of thermal energy resources from the Athabasca region of Alberta, Canada, is pleased to confirm that the release of its operating and financial results for the quarter and year-ended December 31, 2023, and year-end 2023 reserves, is planned after the market closes on March 20, 2024. The Company has scheduled a conference call on the morning of Thursday, March 21, 2024 to discuss the results. Access details for the conference call are provided below.

Conference Call Details

Greenfire plans to host a conference call on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 6:00 a.m. Mountain Time (8:00 a.m. Eastern Time), during which members of the Company's executive team will discuss its Q4 2023 results as well as host a question-and-answer session with investors.

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024

Thursday, March 21, 2024 Time: 6:00 a.m. Mountain Time (8:00 a.m. Eastern Time)

6:00 a.m. Mountain Time (8:00 a.m. Eastern Time) Dial In: North America: 1-800-319-4610 International: 1-604-638-5340



NYSE Continued Listing Standard Notice

On February 21, 2024, the Company was notified by the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") that the Company is not currently in compliance with NYSE's continued listing standard, which requires all listed companies to have a minimum of 400 public stockholders on a continuous basis. The NYSE notification has no impact on the Company's business operations or the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission reporting requirements.

Under the NYSE rules, the Company has 45 days to present a business plan to NYSE that demonstrates how the Company intends to cure the deficiency within 18 months of the date of the NYSE notice. Throughout this 18-month cure period, Greenfire's common shares will continue to be traded on NYSE, subject to the Company's compliance with other NYSE listing requirements.

The Company will respond to NYSE to confirm its intent to cure this deficiency. Greenfire believes the recent listing of its common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the upcoming expiration of the 6-month lock-up agreements entered into upon completion of the Company's business Combination on September 20, 2023, which currently cover approximately 65% of the Company's outstanding common shares, will aid Greenfire in meeting NYSE's requirement to have 400 public stockholders.

About Greenfire

Greenfire is an intermediate, lower-cost and growth-oriented Athabasca oil sands producer with concentrated Tier-1 assets that use steam assisted gravity drainage extraction methods. The Company is focused on responsible and sustainable energy development in Canada, with its registered office located in Calgary, Alberta. Greenfire is an operationally focused company with an emphasis on an entrepreneurial environment and employee ownership. Greenfire common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "GFR". For more information, visit greenfireres.com or find Greenfire on LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States federal securities laws and applicable Canadian securities laws. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. In addition to other forward-looking statements herein, there are forward-looking statements in this press release relating to the Company's plans to respond to the NYSE continued listing standard notice, and plans to regain compliance with such standards, including the impact of Company's listing of its common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the impact of the expiration of lock-up agreements.

Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release. You should carefully consider the all of the risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's final non-offering prospectus dated February 2, 2024, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and registration statement on Form F-1, initially filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on October 10, 2023, as amended on December 1, 2023, and January 22, 2024 and other documents filed by Greenfire from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and, except as required by applicable laws, Greenfire assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Greenfire does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.

Contact Information

Greenfire Resources Ltd.

205 5th Avenue SW

Suite 1900

Calgary, AB T2P 2V7

[email protected]

greenfireres.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202248
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Interra Copper Corp. (CSE: IMCX) (OTCQB: IMIMF) (FSE: 3MX) ("Interra" or the "Company") is pleased to issue the following letter from its Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Rick Gittleman, updating shareholders on the Company's plans for unlocking value from its assets while executing on a prudent yet strategic work plan in 2024.

To our fellow shareholders of Interra Copper Corp.,

I'm writing to you today with great enthusiasm for a busy and productive 2024. Over the year, Interra's leadership will be focused on maximizing shareholder value through exploration on multiple projects and initiatives. The team has spent time prioritizing and re-evaluating the Company's projects - re-interpreting data to identify the best targets and regions within those projects. The overall goal was to determine optimal exploration programs and to also eliminate non-productive assets and costs that are generating no real value for the Company.

We ended 2023 on a positive note - closing on a multi-round non-brokered flow-through private placement financing raising C$1.14 million in December 2023 and positioning the Company for near term exploration work in British Columbia. We are especially excited to put this money to work and commence exploration at the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project, the newest addition to our exploration assets. In December 2023, in connection with the Rip Project, we acquired an option for up to an 80% earn-in and joint venture agreement with ArcWest Exploration Inc. Rip's geological attributes make a compelling case for prioritized exploration. The fully permitted exploration project is located in central British Columbia (BC), an established mining region on Canada's west coast, and situated in a prolific belt of Late Cretaceous intrusions (Bulkley Plutonic Suite), host to numerous past producing mines and well-known Copper and Molybdenum deposits, such as Huckelberry, Endako, Granisle and Granduc.

Together with our partner, ArcWest, we have begun to develop a significant exploration plan for the Rip Project. New work, completed in late 2023, included a modest till cover geochemical sampling program. Follow-up work to aid with drill target definition will include a drone supported high resolution magnetic survey in addition to a 3D Induced Polarization survey this summer. The Rip technical committee is also currently in the process of finalizing options and costs for a modest drill program based on an assumption of success with the early exploration. Interra has flow-through qualified CEE "Canadian Exploration Expenses" funds available to support both of our BC projects, with funds not going to Rip in 2024 to be dedicated to our other exciting BC porphyry project, the Thane Project.

Our 100% owned Thane Project is a district scale copper-gold project covering a 20,658-hectare concession within the Quesnel Terrane in Northern British Columbia. The Quesnel Terrane is a prolific porphyry belt with significant copper, gold, silver, molybdenum mineralization. Thane sits amongst existing mines and other known significant deposits, such as Centerra Gold's Mt. Milligan Mine and Kemess North Deposits, North-west Copper's Kwanika and Stardust and Pacific Ridge's Kliyul Deposits and the Company classifies it as underexplored. Six mineralized copper-gold target areas have been identified to date and in late 2023 Interra engaged in an independent review to re-assess past work and re-interpret the project data with a view to an integrated life of project dataset and a new strategy for discovery. Our consultant has extensive and relevant experience with Northern Cordillera copper-gold systems both as a senior exploration specialist with major mining companies and with specific direct experience in the district surrounding Thane Project as a technical adviser on the same style of deposits Thane has the potential to host.

Based upon the results of the review, we are anticipating work contemplated for 2024 will include both ortho-imagery and high-resolution topographical surveys to support field reviews and targeted rock geochemistry to help vector towards mineral centres. This work will be focused on maximizing the use of previously invested data and ensuring a well thought out systematic discovery program can be developed for the next phase of work. This next stage of work is expected to include detailed magnetic geophysical surveys and focused geological mapping of the mineralization and alteration of specific copper-gold target zones to prepare for discovery drilling.

Given the large size of the property and multiple mineral centres identified to date, Interra has also begun a search for a senior company partner in order to accelerate these plans and provide support to a longer-term discovery strategy to maximize the value of the asset. Exploration plan details for 2024 will be shared with the market in the coming weeks.

While Thane is fully permitted for all planned work in 2024, ahead of this work, we have continued previous discussions with local First Nations representatives to ensure open and transparent communication with the Nations and local communities and to allow for integration of traditional territories. Interra is committed to responsible exploration in the regions in which we operate and we look forward to working closely with local First Nations and partners as we further advance our assets in this region.

Chile has proven to be of decreasing attractiveness especially over the past twelve to eighteen months, culminating with what amounts to a burdensome "tax" on exploration ventures and capital. Management does not see this policy improving anytime soon. Our drilling program at Tres Marias yielded no positive results. Pitbull and Zenaida are greenfield projects in very early stages of exploration which technically rank lower than our BC exploration portfolio. Unfortunately, the government of Chile this year increased significantly the annual claim fees that need to be paid to maintain the concessions; claim fees that amount to unacceptable overhead costs to the Company and that represent a drastic increase from previous years. Accordingly, based upon the results at Tres Marias, the Interra board of directors (Board) has consented to divesting these projects for nominal compensation or to return the claims to the government. Nonetheless, we are very excited about both Rip and Thane. We need to use our resources prudently. Accordingly, these projects will be pursued with much greater focus and resources. We believe that our funds can and must be better spent in jurisdictions like BC, Canada.

Interra anticipates 2024 will be a pivotal year for the Company, both in terms of improving market conditions, and with new discovery focused programs initiating at two projects in British Columbia. With the backdrop of strong metals prices, particularly copper and gold, we look forward to unlocking the potential of our highly prospective exploration assets located in a great jurisdiction. Additionally, consistent with our corporate strategy, the Company continues its search for brownfield and resource-level copper development project opportunities with the potential for high impact. We continue to seek out special opportunities that will prove valuable to the Company and our shareholders.

Finally, and on a personal note, it has been a great pleasure working with my colleagues on the Interra Board and with the Interra management team. I have also been extremely impressed by our shareholders who stand by and support the Company. The support I have received is meaningful to me personally. Originally it was not my intent to take on the role of the Chief Executive Officer on a permanent basis as recently announced, however, the past six months have convinced me that the Interra team and vision is the right one and that the shareholders of Interra need a CEO fully committed to the Company's success. Moreover, I have, along with other Board members, increased our shareholdings in Interra and financially invested in the Company through participating in the recent and current private placements.

Thank you again to you, the shareholders, for your ongoing support coming out of what has been a very tough market. Interra has a very skilled and dedicated leadership team with a long track record of success. We remain committed to creating value through our focused copper-gold discovery programs.

Sincerely,

Rick Gittleman

Chairman of the Board, President & Chief Executive Officer

Interra Copper Corp.

About Interra Copper Corp.

Interra Copper Corp. is focused on building shareholder value through the exploration and development of its portfolio of early-stage exploration copper assets located in British Columbia, Canada and Chile.

The Company's portfolio includes three exploration projects in British Columbia: Thane, Chuck Creek and Rip. The Thane Project located in the Quesnel Terrane of Northern BC spans over 20,658 ha with 6 high-priority targets identified demonstrating significant copper and precious metal mineralization. Chuck Creek is an early-stage exploration project located within the Eagle Bay Assemblage. The Company has an earn-in option up to 80% and joint-venture agreement on the Rip Project located in Stikine Terrane in a prolific belt of Late Cretaceous (bulkley plutonic suite), known for copper-molybdenum deposits. The Company also owns three copper projects located the Central Volcanic Zone, within a prolific Chilean Copper belt: Tres Marias and Zenaida in Antofagasta Region, and Pitbull in Tarapaca Region.

Interra Copper's leadership team is comprised of senior mining industry executives who have a wealth of technical and capital markets experience and a strong track record of discovering, financing, developing, and operating mining projects on a global scale. Interra Copper is committed to sustainable and responsible business activities in line with industry best practices, supportive of all stakeholders, including the local communities in which we operate. The Company's common shares are principally listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol "IMCX". For more information on Interra Copper, please visit our website at www.interracoppercorp.com.

On behalf of the Board of Interra Copper Corp.

Rick Gittleman

Chairman, President & CEO

For further information contact:

Katherine Pryde

Investor Relations

+1 (778) 949-1829

[email protected]

Forward-Looking Information

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to the Company's plans on the Thane and Rip Projects, and the potential results of exploration work on the projects, as well as the Company's intent and ability to divest its Chile assets. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and the Company's website. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202330
Grand Cayman-based Coffee With Q is a platform that interviews subject matter experts on various topics. Florida Trial Attorney Joe Osborne is a Real Tough Lawyer known for his tireless advocacy.

West Palm Beach, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - March 18, 2024) - Coffee With Q News, a leading platform for in-depth news and expert interviews, is proud to announce the publication of an exclusive interview with Joe Osborne, a distinguished Florida trial lawyer also known as the Real Tough Lawyer for his tireless advocacy for victims' rights and the integral role of the Civil Justice System in America. Conducted by veteran legal news reporter Rene Perras, the interview illuminates the complexities of the legal system and the unwavering commitment required to seek justice for those wronged.

Read the Full Story and Watch the Video Interview on Coffee With Q's YouTube Channel and Podcast Platforms.

Florida Real Tough Lawyer Joe Osborne Interview - Coffee With Q News





Cannot view this video? Visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-3x5BAxpCI

Key Highlights from the Interview:

Comprehensive Support for Victims: Osborne discusses his approach to not only fighting for legal justice but also offering guidance through the medical and emotional recovery process.

The Critical Role of the Civil Justice System: The interview explores how the American Civil Justice System acts as a fundamental protector of citizens, deterring negligence and misconduct.

The Seventh Amendment - A Cornerstone of Democracy: Osborne emphasizes the importance of the right to a jury trial in civil cases, highlighting its significance in ensuring a fair and just legal process.

Overcoming Challenges in the Courtroom: Insights into Osborne's strategies for facing well-funded adversaries and his meticulous preparation for trial are shared.

A Personal Mission: Beyond his legal achievements, Osborne reflects on his role as a father and husband and how personal values influence his professional commitment.

For an in-depth understanding of Joe Osborne's impactful career and perspectives on the Civil Justice System, readers are encouraged to explore the full interview by Rene Perras. Visit Coffee With Q News to access the comprehensive news story.

About Joseph Osborne

Joseph Osborne is a distinguished trial attorney whose career has been defined by a relentless pursuit of justice and a deep commitment to advocating for those who have been wronged. With a reputation as one of Florida's "Real Tough Lawyers," Joseph Osborne's legal expertise and compassionate approach to law have made him a beacon of hope for countless individuals and families facing the daunting aftermath of severe injuries or wrongful deaths.

Learn more about Joe Osborne here: https://www.realtoughlawyers.com/our-attorneys/joseph-osborne

About Coffee With Q News

Coffee With Q News is dedicated to bringing forward the voices of experts across various fields, providing its audience with informed perspectives and insightful analysis. Its commitment to high-quality journalism ensures that stories like Joe Osborne's reach a wide audience, fostering a better understanding of critical legal and societal issues.

Learn more about Coffee With here: https://www.coffeewithq.org/about/

Contact Information:

For media inquiries, please contact:

Jaci Patrick

T: 345-327-7206

https://www.coffeewithq.org/

Source: Story.KISSPR.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202242
Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that it will join the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), the Georgia Secretary of State, the University of North Georgia, and Dalton State College to host joint public roundtables and interactive sessions at both academic institutions on Wednesday, March 27, and Thursday, March 28, 2024, at 10 a.m. ET. Portions of the event will be webcast on the SEC website, and in-person public attendance is welcome.



The event will consist of the following key sessions:





Public roundtable webcast and investor case studies where retail investors, investigators, and regulators will share experiences confronting securities fraud with the SECs Investor Advocate and the Georgia Securities Administrator, and engage in discussions related to identifying frauds and avoiding suspicious investments;

Moderated discussion with officials from the Securities Investor Protection Corporation and Canadian Investor Protection Fund regarding investor protection during periods of firm insolvency;

Panel Discussion with entrepreneurs and venture funders regarding barriers to engaging in successful capital formation efforts, with a specific focus on investing in their own communities many of which are underserved; and

Academic student and faculty presentations that will take a closer look at the needs of retail investors, including issues surrounding rulemaking and policy, and where students and researchers/professors will share their perspectives with SEC, NASAA, and Georgia Secretary of State leadership, as well as other federal and state regulatory and law enforcement agencies.

The full agenda is available here.



SEC Chair Gary Gensler, Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw, Commissioner Mark Uyeda, and Commissioner Jaime Lizarraga will provide virtual remarks, and Commissioner Hester Peirce will attend in person.



We are pleased to co-convene these roundtables with our colleagues from NASAA and Georgia to hear directly from individuals about their current investment challenges, while bringing the regulatory and enforcement community together to support investors needs. I look forward to hearing from investors willing to share their diverse experiences, said SEC Investor Advocate Cristina Martin Firvida.



State securities regulators have been protecting main street investors for over 100 years; I am looking forward to joining my SEC and Georgia colleagues to hear directly from investors about their needs and to support our investor protection efforts, said Claire McHenry, NASAA president and deputy director of the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance.



Protecting our Georgia investors is our divisions No. 1 priority. Working together with our SEC colleagues and partners strengthens investor advocacy in Georgia. We welcome the SEC staff and are excited about this outreach event; it will give Georgia investors the opportunity to share their experiences directly with all of us, said Noula Zaharis, Assistant Commissioner of Securities in the Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.



Events like these allow us to engage the local community, and better collaborate with our partners to ensure that investors interests are supported, and that everyone has access to federal resources, said SEC Atlanta Regional Office Director Nekia Hackworth Jones.



The event is open to the public and no registration is required. The afternoon sessions will be webcast on the SEC website.



Date: March 27, 2024



Location: University of North Georgia, 265 S. Chestatee St, Dahlonega, GA 30597



Time: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET



Date: March 28, 2024



Location: Dalton State College, 650 College Dr, Dalton, GA 30720



Time: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET



###
In this new series, we are going to be looking at a different side of watchmaking where watches can also create change

Many of our favourite watch brands have impressive philanthropic programs that they run alongside their watchmaking activities. Even if they invest time and money to support these different causes, they often dont talk much about them, which we find to be a real shame here at WorldTempus. So, we thought we would put together some of most impressive initiatives to show a selection of the good work that goes on behind the watchmaking scenes.

Omega and Orbis International

Last month, Omega sold 11 MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold suitcases, containing 11 Omega X Swatch Mission to Moonshine Gold watches, at auction with Sothebys. The sale raised CHF 534,670, a sum that was donated in its entirety to the non-profit organization Orbis International. While the worlds watch community was perhaps paying more attention to these exciting collector editions  and thankfully so  what the money is being used for is a far bigger story.

11 Omega MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold suitcases sold at auction with Sothebys  Omega

Did You Know?

There are 1 billion people in the world living with vision loss, of which 90% could be treated or prevented, often with an operation that takes less than 20 minutes, and nine out of 10 of these people come from low and middle-income countries. Orbis International has spent the last four decades working on improving access to eye care in the communities that need it the most by training everyone from health workers in local clinics to eye surgeons in urban centres, so that no one has to face a life of avoidable blindness or vision loss.

The Flying Eye Hospital

In addition to working with local partners, hospitals, agencies, and ministries of health, Orbis provides hands-on ophthalmology training in its Flying Eye Hospital. Once a cargo plane, this MD-10 aircraft was donated by FedEx and is now a state-of-the-art teaching facility complete with an operating room, classroom, and recovery room. The plane allows Orbiss clinical team, along with experienced doctors and nurses who volunteer, to travel the world treating patients, sharing knowledge, and training eye care professionals.

Flying Eye Hospital  Omega

Omegas Contribution

Omega has been a partner of Orbis International since 2011 when it undertook the production of a documentary called Through Their Eyes. The film followed British actor and Omega brand ambassador Daniel Craig on his visit to the Flying Eye Hospital in Mongolia. The film was so successful in raising awareness about Orbiss life-changing eye-care programs that a second documentary was made called The Hospital in the Sky, this time featuring Omegas long-term brand ambassador Cindy Crawford, who visited the Flying Eye Hospital with her daughter in 2015.

Operation Simulator Training

In 2021, Omega continued its support with the sponsorship of a virtual Orbis Flying Eye Hospital that uses simulation training for medical staff  much like that used by pilots to learn how to fly  so they could practice procedures as many times as needed. They started with ophthalmic nurses across Mongolia to treat cataracts, the worlds leading cause of blindness, and a year later, in 2022, financed a training project aimed at female ophthalmologists and nurses from conflict-affected areas including Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

Operation simulator training  Omega

The Teddy Bears

In addition to financing medical training, Omega also supports Orbis by providing teddy bears to all the young patients who are treated in the Flying Eye Hospital. The nurses use the teddy bears to explain what the doctors are going to do and each patient gets to take his or her teddy home afterwards. The teddy bear has become a symbol of the partnership and is featured on a number of Omegas watches. So, even though the 11 MoonSwatch Moonshine Gold suitcases have been snapped up, there are still several other Orbis Editions supporting this incredible cause, including models from the Speedmaster 38mm, De Ville Tresor, and De Ville Prestige lines. So, it is not only Omega who has time to care, but watch lovers can too!
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Triple Point Resources Ltd. ("Triple Point" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Mr. Aidan Mills has been appointed to the board of directors of the Company, effective as of March 15, 2024.

Mr. Aidan Mills has more than 30 years of global experience as an executive and chartered engineer for businesses in the UK and North America. Mr. Mills attended Edinburgh University and received a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering as well as a Master of Business Administration with Distinction Degree from the Edinburgh Business School. From there, Mr. Mills has worked as an executive for international companies including British Petroleum, Husky Energy, Goldman Sachs, MEG Energy Corp. and the Friesen Group of Companies. Since 2021, Mr. Mills has held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Northstar Clean Technologies where he oversees a proprietary design process that takes discarded asphalt shingles, otherwise destined for landfills, and extracts the raw materials to be repurposed.

Aidan Mills commented:

"Energy transition is a key element to moving our economy forward and infrastructure assets will play a critical role in that journey. I am excited to join the Triple Point Resources board and help in the steps to develop one of the most strategic storage assets in North America."

Julie Lemieux, CEO of Triple Point Resources Ltd. commented:

"Mr. Mills' experience coupled with his knowledge in both storage asset development and trading, along with negotiating long-term commodity-based transaction for supply, offtake and infrastructure will help Triple Point advance its business model. It is exciting to have him on board to advance our project with confidence."

About Triple Point Resources Ltd.

The Company owns the Fischells Salt Dome mineral rights, Newfoundland & Labrador's only known salt dome, and a total of 226 sq. km of mineral licenses prospective for salt on the west coast of Newfoundland. The Company is focused on building shareholder value and will evaluate the timing and method of creating liquidity for Triple Point shareholders. The Company looks forward to updating shareholders on its progress in the near future.

-30-

For information with respect to Triple Point Resources Ltd., please contact:

Julie Lemieux, CEO

403-554-1562

[email protected]

For media inquiries, please contact:

Rebecca Hurl

Brookline Public Relations, Inc.

403-818-6918

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202277
Podgorica, Montenegro--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - VoyoAgency, a leading provider of modeling agency management services, today announced the launch of a comprehensive suite of new strategies designed to empower content creators and elevate their presence on social media platforms.

Voyo Modelling Agency

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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In the ever-changing digital landscape, content creation has become a powerful force, and VoyoAgency recognizes the evolving needs of creators. They offer management services to unlock the full potential of each profile and ensure creators can focus on their creative vision.

"Today's content creators are models and entrepreneurs," says Rock Smith, a member of the VoyoAgency Management Team. "They face unique challenges in managing the business side of their craft. VoyoAgency is here to bridge that gap, allowing creators to focus on what they do best - creating."

The new VoyoAgency strategies encompass several key areas:

Audience Engagement and Growth: VoyoAgency implements data-driven strategies to expand creator reach and cultivate a loyal following.

VoyoAgency implements data-driven strategies to expand creator reach and cultivate a loyal following. Content Optimization: Experts analyze content performance and recommend adjustments to potentially maximize impact and appeal to target audiences.

Experts analyze content performance and recommend adjustments to potentially maximize impact and appeal to target audiences. Platform Expertise: VoyoAgency stays ahead of the curve on the latest social media trends and algorithms, ensuring creators leverage each platform to its full potential.

VoyoAgency stays ahead of the curve on the latest social media trends and algorithms, ensuring creators leverage each platform to its full potential. Collaboration and Partnership Development: VoyoAgency fosters connections with brands and influencers, creating potential opportunities for collaboration and content promotion.

VoyoAgency fosters connections with brands and influencers, creating potential opportunities for collaboration and content promotion. Community Management: VoyoAgency provides dedicated support for managing online communities, fostering positive interactions, and building stronger relationships with fans.

About VoyoAgency

VoyoAgency is a comprehensive suite of services designed to empower content creators. With a focus on innovation, expertise, and client success, VoyoAgency is dedicated to helping creators thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Contact Details

Company Name: VoyoAgency

Contact Person: Rachel Brown

Email: [email protected]

Country: Montenegro

City: Podgorica

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201446
An exclusive invitation to meet groundbreaking humanoid robot shaping the future of emerging technology and artificial intelligence at Global AI & Global Blockchain Show

Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - The Global AI Show and the Global Blockchain Show are pleased to announce Sophia, the worlds first AI humanoid robot, as their Official Ambassador.









Hanson Robotics' AI Robot Sophia Takes Centre Stage At Global AI Show

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Sophia, the pioneering creation of Hanson Robotics, was unveiled in 2016 and epitomizes the forefront of artificial intelligence and robotics, sparking conversations worldwide about the convergence of technology and humanity. Now, as the official ambassador of the Global AI Show & Global Blockchain Show, Sophia's presence heralds a new era of innovation at the magnificent Grand Hyatt Dubai on April 16 and 17, 2024.

Renowned as the United Nations Development Programme's first Innovation Champion for Asia and the Pacific, Sophia transcends mere technological boundaries, embodying the potential for positive change on a global scale. Her historic recognition, including Saudi Arabian citizenship, underscores the profound impact of AI on society. What sets Sophia apart is not just her advanced AI capabilities, but her ability to interact with humans in a remarkably lifelike manner. With her expressive face and ability to engage in natural conversations, Sophia blurs the line between human and machine, captivating audiences worldwide.

At the Global AI & Global Blockchain Show, Sophia will lead discussions on the transformative power of AI and blockchain technology, exploring the emerging landscape of Web3 and its implications for global markets and society. This convergence of AI and blockchain promises unparalleled insights into the future of technology and its impact on cryptocurrencies.





World's First Humanoid Robot, Sophia to speak at Global Blockchain Show

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Sophia's presence is not just symbolic; it represents a tangible manifestation of innovation and collaboration between AI and blockchain. As an Official Brand Ambassador for the event, Sophia's journey inspires attendees to envision the limitless possibilities of AI and Web3 technologies.

Commenting on Sophia's presence at the Global AI & Global Blockchain Show, as an Official Brand Ambassador, a spokesperson for Hanson Robotics said Sophia's journey represents the culmination of years of research and innovation in AI and robotics. Her presence at the Global AI & Global Blockchain Show is a testament to the transformative power of technology and its ability to shape the future. We are excited to showcase Sophia's capabilities and inspire attendees to envision the endless possibilities that possible AI & Web3 technologies hold for our society.

With Sophia at the helm, the Global AI & Global Blockchain Show offers a unique opportunity to engage with futurists, visionaries, and industry leaders, providing invaluable insights into the intersection of AI and cryptocurrencies. Join us as we embark on a journey into the future, where curiosity and innovation propel us toward new horizons. As Hanson Robotics & SingularityNET unveil SophiaVerse's impact on the crypto market, the Global AI & Global Blockchain Show promises to be an enlightening experience for Web3 enthusiasts.

About VAP Group:

VAP Group, an industry leader with over a decade of expertise in Web3 and Blockchain solutions, continues to revolutionize the landscape of digital innovation. Established in 2013, VAP Group has consistently delivered premium services including public relations, advertising, recruitment, content development, media, and management. Led by Mr. Vishal Parmar, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, VAP Group stands at the forefront of innovation, shaping the future of blockchain technology. Under his mentorship, the company has focused on pioneering strategies in PR marketing, influencer marketing, bounty campaigns, conferences, and campaigns, setting new benchmarks in the industry. What truly sets VAP Group apart is its dedication to creativity, uniqueness, and holistic solutions. By adopting an innovative and forward-thinking approach, VAP Group has distinguished itself as a beacon of innovation amidst the competitive landscape of blockchain consultancy.

VAP Group is the organiser of Global Blockchain Show and Global AI Show, extraordinary platforms poised to redefine the landscape of blockchain and AI technology respectively, offering dynamic gatherings where the brightest minds converge to unlock the potential of these transformative technologies.

For media inquiries or to schedule an interview with Sophia or representatives from Hanson Robotics, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202252
Alvara Protocol Raises $2.4M in Lightning Public Round



Alvara Protocol is looking set to play a substantial role in redefining how the world invests. Their groundbreaking infrastructure, that is set to be an industry first, leverages the ERC-7621 (BTS or Basket Token Standard) to facilitate the creation of fully decentralized tokenized cryptocurrency investment funds. Now, anyone can now become a fund manager with ease.



The responsibility for managing funds is something that has long been gatekept. Reserved for institutions or those already financially established. This is no longer the case. Alvara are poised to empower the next generation of fund managers and play a crucial role in transforming the investment landscape forever. The potential here is limitless from a scalability perspective, especially with many in the financial industry voicing their support for the idea of the tokenization of real world assets for example. This is something that can now be very easily facilitated with Alvara.



Their launchpad partner, Tenset, has a strong history and reputation for successful public raises and launches, including Fame MMA, Farcana, Everdome, Metahero. Their public raise with Fame MMA successfully raised 24,547 BNB, with price appreciating 30000%. Other notable launches include Alaska Goldrush, raising 9,224 BNB and achieving an appreciation in price 800% after launch and Satoshi Island, raising 35,362 BNB and 2,000% in price appreciation.

The Alvara Public Round successfully sold out raising 2.4M in 24 hours with the second FCFS round selling out rapidly in just 3 minutes and 59 seconds.



With a range of partnerships already in place and no doubt many more on the way, eyes will be firmly fixated on Alvaras platform demo release, launching on the 4th of April 2024. Its still early but things are already shaping up to be very promising for Alvara. With a strong and experienced team at the helm, Alvara are on track to generate some serious momentum. With their introduction and implementation of the new ERC-7621 standard, they are impressively positioned to carry out their mission of playing an integral role in shaping the future of decentralized finance.



About Alvara Protocol :The Alvara Protocol is a decentralized platform that utilises the ERC-7621 (Basket Token Standard) to create and manage funds on the blockchain. Alvara offers a comprehensive fund Factory and Marketplace, with a transparent leaderboard showcasing the performance of every BTS created. ALVA and veALVA tokens assume crucial roles in driving the ecosystems growth and governance with veALVA holders wielding significant influence over the substantial ALVA reward stream. Removing traditional barriers, Alvara fosters a democratic meritocracy in crypto investing, enabling full lifecycle fund management, from creation to ownership transfer, within its seamless framework.



Website | Twitter | Telegram | Discord



About Tenset

Tenset is an Ethereum blockchain-based project built to connect the traditional and cryptocurrency market. The projects native token is 10SET is a deflationary coin that uses a smart staking system. The Tenset Gem Launchpad Platform is an exclusive launchpad that enables 10SET token holders to invest in projects with huge potential at the presale. Tenset users get the unique opportunity to participate in early stage Gems by locking 10SET tokens or purchasing a NFT. Tenset empowers the most promising projects with tech support, marketing, and attention of an active community. Metahero, the inaugural Gem on the Tenset Gem Launch Platform, experienced a remarkable growth of 170 times in its initial months. Following this success, other projects in the program also achieved significant accomplishments.



Website | Twitter

Contact Info:

Name: Bryan Feinberg

Email: Send Email

Organization: Plato / Amplifi

Address: 144 E44th E 44th St, New York NY 10017

Phone: 15515742169

Website: https://AmplifiPR.com



Disclaimer:



This press release is for informational purposes only. Information verification has been done to the best of our ability. Still, due to the speculative nature of the blockchain (cryptocurrency, NFT, mining, etc.) sector as a whole, complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed.



You are advised to conduct your own research and exercise caution. Investments in these fields are inherently risky and should be approached with due diligence.

Release ID: 89124743

In the event of detecting errors, concerns, or irregularities in the content shared in this press release that require attention or if there is a need for a press release takedown, we kindly request that you inform us promptly by contacting [email protected]. Our dedicated team will promptly address your feedback within 8 hours and take necessary actions to resolve any identified issues diligently or guide you through the removal process. Providing accurate and dependable information is our utmost priority.
Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

OrangeDX Announces $1.5M Raised after closing the Early and Private Rounds with Notable Backers like Odiyana Ventures, Triple Gem Capital, GBV Capital



OrangeDX released a resounding announcement of $1.5M in funding as the pioneering platform gears up for its highly anticipated launch at the end of March. Strategic investors include GBV Capital, Odiyana Ventures, Triple Gem Capital, , Nxgen, X21 , Spicy Capital | Alphabit Fund | FundLand Capital,and several other strategic partners, affirming the industry's confidence in OrangeDX's vision.



In the summer of 2020, the crypto realm witnessed an unprecedented surge in alternative layer 1 protocols and their vibrant ecosystems. Now, this wave of innovation is sweeping towards the Bitcoin universe, opening up a vast array of opportunities for both the blockchain giant and its user base. Stepping into this dynamic landscape is OrangeDX, a revolutionary platform positioned at the intersection of Bitcoin's renowned security and the exciting realm of DeFi.

OrangeDX emerges as a pioneering force, empowering users with seamless abilities to trade, swap, bridge, and launch BRC20 projects effortlessly. Its suite of tools breathes life into countless innovative ventures, offering a playground for creators to explore and give life to their ideas. At the heart of OrangeDX is a native DEX aggregator, a groundbreaking feature designed to provide users with access to gainful trading opportunities.

 We are excited to support the adoption of DeFi on Bitcoin. We believe OrangeDX will help unlock the $500B in untapped value on Bitcoin with a Bitcoin Protocol to trade, bridge, launch, earn, borrow and lend, allowing a fresh route to BRC20 ecosystems.

~Christian, Partner at GBV Capital

 With Bitcoin smashing its ATH, the interest in BRC20 has been further ignited. Being the ultimate Bitcoin Defi Hub (for bridging, trading, lending and borrowing and more), OrangeDX is poised to be a major force in the very near future.



~Lester Lim, X21 Digital

A distinctive feature of OrangeDX is its commitment to fostering new projects through an innovative Initial Liquidity Offering(ILO) mechanism. This mechanism ensures that new projects can swiftly secure the necessary liquidity pool, speeding up their path to success.

Positioning itself as a multifaceted Bitcoin protocol platform, OrangeDX places a strong emphasis on delivering a superior user experience and unlocking groundbreaking opportunities. It introduces a new dimension for DeFi enthusiasts, transforming BRC20 projects into realities and contributing to the thriving ecosystem of BRC20.

The essence of OrangeDX lies in its vision to simplify access to the vast spectrum of the DeFi world while ensuring robust security measures. Beyond a platform, OrangeDX embodies a community-driven movement, set to redefine possibilities within the BRC20 ecosystem.

OrangeDX's imminent launch marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Bitcoin ecosystem, indicating a new era of innovation, accessibility, and growth within the DeFi landscape.

OrangeDX IDO Launch Week Kicks Off

OrangeDX's Initial Dex Offering (IDO) on esteemed launchpads like BRC20.com, Poolz, Finceptor, and TrustPad underscores its broad support and expanding community. With a successful fundraising of $1.5M from prominent backers and angel investors in early and private rounds, OrangeDX is now extending its platform to a larger audience. The IDO on these launchpads not only offers community members a chance to engage with OrangeDX's vision but also signifies the industry's acknowledgment of its potential.

Important dates:

IDO : 18th March -23rd March 2024

Token Generation Event (TGE): 26th March 2024 ( Time: 2pm UTC)

OrangeDX token $O4DX will be listed in top tier Centralized Exchanges and Decentralized Exchanges. For further information reach us to our team or follow our social channels.

OrangeDX Backers

|GBV Capital | Oddiyana Ventures | Triple Gem Capital | Alphabit Fund |



| Spicy Capital | Nxgen | FundLand Capital | X21 |

OrangeDX Socials

Twitter: https://twitter.com/OrangDx_BRC20

Medium: https://medium.com/@orange_dex

Telegram Official Chat: https://t.me/OrangeDx_Official_Chat

Telegram Official Announcement: https://t.me/Orangedx_Official

Contact Info:

Name: Jerry ( Marketing Lead )

Email: Send Email

Organization: orangedx ltd

Website: https://orangedx.com/



Release ID: 89124641

In case of encountering any inaccuracies, problems, or queries arising from the content shared in this press release that necessitate action, or if you require assistance with a press release takedown, we urge you to notify us at [email protected]. Our responsive team will be readily available to promptly address your concerns within 8 hours, resolving any identified issues diligently or guiding you through the necessary steps for removal. The provision of accurate and dependable information is our primary focus.
Cboe MSCI World Index Options (MXWLD), Cboe MSCI ACWI Index Options (MXACW), and Cboe MSCI USA Index Options (MXUSA) are available for trading

Index Options (MXUSA) are available for trading MXWLD and MXUSA options are based on 1/100th of index value

Launch is part of broader initiative to expand Cboe's MSCI tradable product suite

CHICAGO , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, announced it has launched for trading Cboe MSCI World Index Options (MXWLD), Cboe MSCI ACWI Index Options (MXACW), and Cboe MSCI USA Index Options (MXUSA). The launch is part of Cboe's deepening relationship with MSCI Inc. (MSCI), a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community.

The three new MSCI index options are designed to provide a range of investors exposure to international, developed and emerging markets and U.S. equity market performance. The new Cboe MSCI index options can provide pension funds, insurance companies, and other institutional investors more efficient ways to hedge their global equity exposure, while minimizing potential tracking error and currency risk. Additionally, each of MXWLD and MXUSA is based on a fraction (1/100th) of the value of its underlying index, making these options more accessible for retail investors.

"As more investors seek global equity exposure, adding three new options on MSCI's world renowned benchmarks was the natural next evolution for Cboe's suite of index options products," said Catherine Clay , Head of Global Derivatives at Cboe Global Markets. "Whether investors are looking to hedge their portfolios, generate yields, or make directional trades, we have seen heightened interest in the optionality derivatives can provide. These new index options, and the MSCI volatility benchmark indices launched recently will provide important tools in helping investors manage their global exposures. We look forward to building upon our relationship with MSCI and providing investors the global risk management tools they need."

For portfolio managers running options overlay strategies, these new index options are designed to allow investors to expand their overlay programs to their global portfolio and thus, diversify the sources of potential income in their portfolio. A potential benefit of overwriting the newly launched MSCI index options include their European-style cash settlement, which helps to eliminate risk of early exercise and physical settlement, two common pain points in running a yield enhancement strategy.

Cboe initially listed MXACW, MXUSA, and MXWLD with standard expiration on the third Friday of each month. Additionally, Cboe plans to list five end-of-week expirations that are expected to begin trading on March 21, 2024 . The three new Cboe MSCI Index options are available for trading on the Cboe Options Exchange.

The new index options are in addition to the currently listed Cboe MSCI tradable products, which include Cboe MSCI EAFE Index Options (MXEA) and Cboe MSCI Emerging Markets Index Options (MXEF). Recently, Cboe expanded its suite of volatility indices with the Cboe MSCI EAFE Volatility Index (VXMXEA) and the Cboe MSCI Emerging Markets Volatility Index (VXMXEF). Developed using Cboe's proprietary VIX Index methodology, these indices are based on existing MXEA and MXEF options and are designed to provide a transparent measure of the market's expectation of 30-day implied volatility by these respective MSCI index option classes. Similar to the VIX Index, which is designed to reflect investors' consensus view of future (30-day) expected U.S. stock market volatility, the new Cboe MSCI Volatility Indices aim to provide comparable measures for international and emerging equity market volatility.

Cboe and MSCI will be hosting a webinar on the key benefits and opportunities provided by the new indices options on Wednesday, March 27 . For more information, visit the MSCI Index Options page on the Cboe website.

About Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), a leading provider of market infrastructure and tradable products, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to operating a trusted, inclusive global marketplace, providing leading products, technology and data solutions that enable participants to define a sustainable financial future. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives, FX, and digital assets, across North America , Europe and Asia Pacific . To learn more, visit www.cboe.com .

CBOE-C

CBOE-OE

Cboe and Cboe Global Markets are registered trademarks of Cboe Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

Any products that have the MSCI Index or Indexes as their underlying interest are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by MSCI Inc. or Cboe and neither MSCI Inc. nor Cboe make any representations or recommendations concerning the advisability of investing in products that have MSCI indexes as their underlying interests. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.

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We do not undertake, and we expressly disclaim, any duty to update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

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SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc.
CHICAGO , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- James H. M. Sprayregen , one of the most well-known and highly regarded dealmakers and thought leaders in the restructuring, corporate reorganization, and the M&A community, will join Hilco Global as a Vice Chairman of the privately held global financial services holding company.

As Vice Chairman, Mr. Sprayregen will serve as a partner and key strategic advisor to Hilco Global CEO and founder, Jeffrey Hecktman , working alongside another recent hire, David Kurtz  Vice Chairman and Chief Strategic Officer who joined the firm from Lazard in the fall of 2023. Both leaders, along with John Chen  Vice Chairman and COO, will have oversight for the firm's rapidly expanding financial services platform within the Office of the Chairman, a new and collaborative executive leadership team at the Hilco Global holding company and reporting to Jeffrey B. Hecktman  Executive Chairman, CEO and Founder.

Jeffrey B. Hecktman , CEO of Hilco Global explained Sprayregen' s role at the company - "Jamie joins our global executive team as a key advisor and strategic partner alongside David Kurtz and John Chen , to further align our organization to meet the aggressive commercial growth plans we have established for our company." Hecktman continued, " Not only does Jamie bring to Hilco Global his considerable credentials and outstanding reputation for decades as one of the top restructuring attorneys and dealmakers in the United States , but he also fits in well with Hilco's indefatigable deal culture and passion to deliver innovative transaction solutions to all our clients."

Sprayregen will have responsibility for continuing to help fuel the impressive growth of the firm's broad solutions platform by leveraging his deep restructuring and advisory experience in combination with Hilco Global' s expanded merchant banking capabilities including its broad range of advisory services coupled with innovative capital solutions for private credit, special situations, and principal investing.

Sprayregen said, "Having known Hilco Global my entire professional life, I've always been impressed by the breadth and depth of their solutions focused platform and their deep relationships with the top executives at third party advisors (including lawyers, lenders, private credit, investment banks, commercial banks, and investors. These relationships provide an incredible foundation for me to contribute and to play a key role in taking Hilco to the next level of growth and expansion."

Sprayregen continued, " Jeff Hecktman and his partners at Hilco Global have created a modern, solutions focused firm that offers the most comprehensive range of financial services to deliver restructuring solutions and first-class advisory expertise in combination with capital solutions and principal investing. This is a powerful combination that results in a modern merchant banking approach that provides customized solutions to resolve complex and stressed situations and enhance long-term enterprise business value."

Sprayregen joins Hilco Global from Kirkland & Ellis, where he was the founder of the Kirkland Restructuring Group. He built the group from its inception in 1990 to become the premier restructuring practice in the world. He served on Kirkland's worldwide management committee from 20032006 and 20092019. He was co-head of the Restructuring Group at Goldman Sachs from 20062008 and returned to Kirkland at the end of 2008. Some of his clients include Energy Future Holdings, Caesars, Avaya, Toys "R" Us, iHeartMedia, Seadrill, General Growth, Japan Airlines, United Airlines and Reader's Digest.

Jon Ballis , Chairman of Kirkland's Executive Committee said, "Jamie has been an exceptional lawyer and a tremendous partner and friend, and we're grateful for his countless contributions to Kirkland  most importantly, his founding of our market-leading restructuring practice. We wish him great success with this exciting new opportunity at Hilco Global and we look forward to continuing our relationship with him, and Hilco, in the future."

Sprayregen added, "My 32 years at Kirkland have been rewarding in so many ways. As I start a new chapter, it's especially gratifying to see Kirkland's restructuring practice stronger than ever, leading on all levels with an unmatched depth of talent and positioned to keep building on their incredible success."

Often described as "a legend in the restructuring space" and "one of the most sought-after transaction attorneys in the US", in 2010, Sprayregen was selected by The National Law Journal as one of "The Decade's Most Influential Lawyers", was named "Global Insolvency & Restructuring Lawyer of the Year" in 2013 by Who's Who Legal Awards, receiving more votes from clients and peers than any other individual worldwide. In 2013, he was inducted into the Turnaround Management Association's "Turnaround and Restructuring Investing Industry Hall of Fame." From 2013 to 2015, Jamie served a two-year term as the president of INSOL International, the world's leading international insolvency association. He is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, a member of the International Insolvency Institute and the National Bankruptcy Conference. On March 21st, 2024 , Sprayregen will receive the "Distinguished Service Award" from the American College of Bankruptcy Fellows.

Sprayregen also serves as an adjunct full professor of finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania teaching a joint course on corporate restructuring with the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He is a member of the National Board of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the American Jewish Committee Board of Governors. He also serves on the Board of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and World Business Chicago

Sprayregen graduated from The University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., 1985 and the University of Michigan, B.A., 1982.

About Hilco Global: Hilco Global (http://www.hilcoglobal.com/) is a privately held diversified financial services company and the world's preeminent authority on maximizing the value of assets for both healthy and distressed companies. Hilco Global financial services leverage a unique blend of deep restructuring, and principal investing. Hilco Global delivers customized solutions to undervalued, high potential companies to resolve complex and stressed situations and enhance long-term enterprise value.

Hilco Global operates as a holding company comprised of over twenty specialized business units that work to help companies understand the value of their assets and as needed monetize the value. Hilco Global has almost 4 decades of a successful track record of acting as an advisor, agent, investor and/or principal in any transaction. Currently, the company has $3 Billion in assets under management. Hilco Global works to deliver the best possible result by aligning interests with clients and providing them strategic insight, advice, and, in many instances, the capital required to complete the deal. Hilco Global is based in Northbrook, Illinois and has more than 800 professionals operating on five continents with US offices located in Boston , Detroit , Chicago , New York , Philadelphia , and internationally in Australia , Canada , UK , Germany , Netherlands , Mexico and throughout Asia .

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SOURCE Hilco Global
New ECW Acceleration Facility grant strengthens regional and global capacities to provide life-saving access to safe, quality education for 224 million crisis-impacted children worldwide.

NEW YORK , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Around the world today, education is under attack. From Afghanistan to Nigeria , Colombia to Yemen , students and teachers are attacked, abducted and killed, while schools and universities are targeted, destroyed and used for military purposes.

The Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack ( GCPEA ) identified more than 3,000 attacks on education in 2022 alone  a 17% increase from the previous year. With escalating conflicts in Gaza , Ukraine , Sudan and other global hotspots, the number of attacks on education  and attacks on human rights  is expected to increase in 2024.

To strengthen systems to better protect education from attack globally, Education Cannot Wait ( ECW ) announced today a US$500,000 grant to GCPEA. This three-year Acceleration Facility grant will enable stronger global and regional policies and coordination around school protection, and improve the quality and availability of education in emergencies and protracted crises data and knowledge products.

"Schools, children and teachers around the world continue to face brutal attacks. This is a gross violation of International Humanitarian Law and constitutes one of the grave violations against children in armed conflict. Children, schools and teachers must be protected. Education Cannot Wait will expand our partnership with the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack as we accelerate our work to ensure life-saving access to safe, quality education for crisis-impacted girls and boys across the globe," said Yasmine Sherif , Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait, global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises within the United Nations.

An inter-agency coalition formed to address the problem of targeted attacks on education during armed conflict, GCPEA coordinates and leads global efforts to protect education from attack. Since its formation, GCPEA has played a distinct role in advancing and supporting the education in emergencies and protracted crises sector through advocacy and policy, data and evidence, and capacity building. In close coordination with ECW and global strategic partners, GCPEA has also been instrumental in leading advocacy to increase endorsement and implementation of the tenants outlined in the Safe Schools Declaration .

"Anyone concerned with child protection, equitable educational access, or learning outcomes, must also be concerned with protecting education from attack and military use. Safety is a mandatory prerequisite for education and schools should be the safest spaces for children. With the support of ECW's Acceleration Facility, GCPEA will be able to continue to provide the rigorous research needed to understand the scope, scale and severity of attacks on education. This data is an invaluable global good that investigates the uneven impact of attacks on girls and other marginalized groups, and also analyzes how we effectively work to protect education together," said Lisa Chung Bender , Executive Director of GCPEA.

This strengthened partnership will accelerate GCPEA's work to close key gaps in the sector, particularly relating to coordination, localization, the impact of the climate crisis, disability and inclusion, and delivery across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus.

Every child must be safe to learn. This latest investment demonstrates ECW's commitment to ensuring the safety and protection of all students, teachers and schools amidst armed conflict and other crises. The grant will also support capacity building among countries to implement the Safe Schools Declaration in preventing attacks against education and deter military use of educational facilities from occurring.

ECW's Acceleration Facility funding mechanism is dedicated to supporting the creation of global public goods and resources for the education in emergencies and protracted crises sector. The funding window is a key part of ECW's Strategic Plan to mobilize US$1.5 billion over the next three years to reach 20 million crisis-affected children and adolescents worldwide.

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SOURCE Education Cannot Wait
Collaboration brings together Hitachi's leadership in mission-critical products and services in the physical world with NVIDIA's expertise in AI platforms

TOKYO , March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501) today announced it is collaborating with NVIDIA to accelerate social innovation and digital transformation by combining Hitachi's domain solutions in operational technology (OT) and leadership in key industries including energy, mobility, and connected systems with NVIDIA's expertise in generative AI.

Generative AI has made a tremendous impact in the enterprise and consumer arena, bringing about a new wave of digital transformation, which promises to redefine product experiences and deliver a new level of efficiency to organizations. Through this collaboration, generative AI will now be extended into the industrial sphere by capturing vast amounts of data generated in the world of OT -- from various sensors, devices and industrial machines -- and applied to streamline performance, gain insights, and allow organizations to automate actions that have not previously been possible.

Hitachi, working with NVIDIA, will select an executive leadership team and establish an AI Center of Excellence (CoE) and, in line with strategic milestones, will develop and market industry solutions that integrate Hitachi's domain knowledge in OT with advanced NVIDIA AI software and GPU technologies. Hitachi will invest in expanding the training of engineers on NVIDIA software platforms  including CUDA, NVIDIA AI Enterprise*1, Omniverse*2 and Modulus*3  among other collaborative measures. These efforts will pave the way for new innovations that will directly benefit society.





Background

Generative AI has demonstrated tangible proof points in improving the performance of organizations in automating tasks, creating efficiencies, and enhancing products and services. Due to its remarkable impact, generative AI has widely been adopted in all industries -- becoming a critical technology for innovation and growth and an enabler for transformative solutions.

The NVIDIA-accelerated computing platform supports large-scale language models and creative generation, and its advanced technological capabilities in AI software and simulation are contributing to innovation in all industries, from energy to drug discovery to manufacturing.

With approximately 320,000*4 employees across the globe, Hitachi is an established leader in Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT) and Products for the physical world including advanced solutions for energy, mobility, and industrial sectors. In May 2023 , Hitachi launched its advanced Generative AI Center to promote the safe and effective use of generative AI both inside and outside the company*5. Hitachi has successfully deployed generative AI in numerous use cases to boost innovation, improve efficiency and productivity for employees and clients. As a result of these efforts, Hitachi has conducted more than 100 projects in Japan and across the globe enabling enhanced problem solving and innovation using generative AI. Furthermore, to accelerate AI transformation, Hitachi will create and host an environment running on NVIDIA-accelerated computing and develop a common platform for generative AI which incorporates Hitachi's domain knowledge and strengths in software development.

"Since its founding, Hitachi has been committed to solving issues faced by customers and society based on our philosophy of 'contributing to society through the development of superior technologies and products'. said Toshiaki Tokunaga , Executive Vice President and Executive Officer, General Manager of Digital Systems & Services Division at Hitachi." Through this exciting new collaboration with NVIDIA, we expect that Hitachi's deep expertise in mission-critical industries combined with the NVIDIA generative AI stack will allow us to solve complex, real-world problems accelerating social innovation for breakthrough societal outcomes."

"Generative AI is driving enterprises to find the latest and greatest tools to keep up with productivity, efficiency, and automation demands," said Jay Puri , executive vice president, Worldwide Field Operations at NVIDIA. "The combined technologies of Hitachi and NVIDIA can power the next wave of digital transformation, enabling organizations to push the boundaries of manufacturing and industrialization."

About the Collaboration

1. Next-generation industrial simulation and optimization

Hitachi has crafted a bold vision for projects that will go beyond the conventional. Specifically, by utilizing NVIDIA Omniverse, a platform for connecting and developing OpenUSD applications, and NVIDIA Modulus, a framework for building, training, and fine-tuning physics-machine learning models, Hitachi can develop simulate and optimize various assets and processes for mission-critical fields such as energy and transportation in a digital twin environment. The results can then be reflected in the real world, allowing for the collaborative development of large-scale solutions that can, for example, accelerate the transition to green energy, enable new innovations in healthcare, or enhance the safety of transportation systems, while validating and improving their effectiveness.

2. Hitachi industrial AI solutions on NVIDIA AI Enterprise

Hitachi Lumada's AI solution library, for which Hitachi has built a track record of value creation in various industries, will also be integrated with the NVIDIA AI Enterprise and Modulus platforms. Leveraging Hitachi's design and digital engineering capabilities, these solutions will enable customers in various industries, including transportation, energy, industrial, and finance, to accelerate innovation, enhance their offerings, and create a new range of intelligent, AI-centric solutions.

3. Development of a new portfolio of AI solutions "Hitachi iQ"

Enabled by the collaboration, Hitachi Vantara will launch the first offering under the Hitachi iQ portfolio. The new offering will undergo NVIDIA DGX BasePOD*6 certification, providing customers with a fully certified, integrated solution, built on NVIDIA DGX*7 infrastructure and highly reliable storage. Offered through multiple consumption models, Hitachi Vantara will provide customers with mechanisms to consume just what they need, all while providing improved on-premises performance and allowing for a better ROI from their AI-enabled storage and data infrastructure. Hitachi iQ will also release a high-end NVIDIA HGX offering  powered by NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs  and a set of midrange PCIe based offerings, consisting of NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core and L40S GPUs*8. As a complement to these products, Hitachi Vantara will also offer NVIDIA AI Enterprise, a software platform comprising enterprise-grade AI tools and frameworks. Lastly, Hitachi Vantara will offer a new Generation 5-based accelerated storage node utilizing the Hitachi Content Software for File storage technology, which will enable it to deliver extremely fast storage solutions for complex AI workloads. Hitachi Vantara's iQ portfolio is expected to be generally available in the first quarter of Hitachi's fiscal year 2024.

Through this collaboration, Hitachi will drive forward in its bold ambition to create immense impact globally and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society.

*1 NVIDIA AI Enterprise https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/products/ai-enterprise/

*2 Omniverse https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/omniverse/

*3 Modulus https://developer.nvidia.com/modulus

*4 As of March 31, 2023 ; approximately 260,000 as of December 31, 2023 .

*5 News Release"Hitachi Establishes New "Generative AI Center" to Accelerate Value Creation and Improve Productivity in the Lumada business by promoting the use of Generative AI" https://www.hitachi.co.jp/New/cnews/month/2023/05/0515.html

*6 NVIDIA DGX BasePOD https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/dgx-basepod/

*7 NVIDIA DGX  https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/dgx-platform/

*8 L40S GPUs https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/dgx-platform/



Exhibit at the "2024 GTC AI Conference"

Hitachi Vantara is a Silver Sponsor at 2024 GTC, the world's leading conference for the AI era, to be held March 18-21 in a hybrid format in San Jose and Virtual, USA . We will introduce innovation through data, infrastructure and services that enable advanced customer experiences and applications using AI.

https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/company/events-webinar/nvidia-2024.html

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers' and society's challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the business structure of "Digital Systems & Services" - supporting our customers' digital transformation; "Green Energy & Mobility" - contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and "Connective Industries" - connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2022 (ended March 31, 2023 ) totaled 10,881.1 billion yen , with 696 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 320,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com.

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SOURCE Hitachi, Ltd.
BOSTON , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Pat McGovern, an extraordinary visionary and philanthropist whose legacy continues to inspire and impact the world. As the founder of International Data Group (IDG)a premier information technology organizationMcGovern was not just a pioneering figure in the technology media world, but also a passionate advocate for using technology for the greater good.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Pat McGovern , an extraordinary visionary and philanthropist.

Under McGovern's leadership, IDG became a global powerhouse, launching iconic publications such as Computerworld, Macworld, and PCWorld. His foresight also led to the creation of IDG Ventures, a network of venture funds around the world, including the notable IDG Capital in Beijing .

Beyond his remarkable business acumen, McGovern, with his wife, Lore, co-founded the McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT in 2000. This institute has been at the forefront of neuroscience research, contributing to groundbreaking advancements in perception, attention, memory, and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as discoveries with direct translational impact, such as CRISPR technology. CRISPR discoveries made at the McGovern Institute are now licensed for the first clinical application of genome editing in sickle cell disease.

Pat McGovern's commitment to bettering humanity is further evidenced by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, which works in partnership with public, private, and social institutions to drive progress on our most pressing challenges through the use of artificial intelligence, data science, and key emerging technologies.

On this solemn anniversary, we reflect on Pat McGovern's enduring influence through the words of those who knew him best:

Lore Harp McGovern , Co-founder and board member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research: "Technology was Pat's medium, the platform on which he built his amazing company 60 years ago. But it was people who truly motivated Pat, and he empowered and encouraged them to reach for the stars. He lived by the motto, 'let's try it,' and believed that nothing was out bounds. His goal was to help create a more just and peaceful world, and establishing the McGovern Institute was our way to give back meaningfully to this world. I know he would be so proud of what has been achieved and what is yet to come."

Robert Desimone , Director of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research: " Pat McGovern had a vision for an international community of scientists and students drawn together to collaborate on understanding the brain. This vision has been realized in the McGovern Institute, and we are now seeing the profound advances in our understanding of the brain and even clinical applications that Pat predicted would follow."

Hugo Shong , Chairman of IDG Capital: "Pat's impact on technology, science and research is immeasurable. A man of tremendous vision, he grew IDG out of Massachusetts and made it into one of the world's most recognized brands in its space, forging partnerships and winning friends wherever he went. He applied that very same vision and energy to the McGovern Institute and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, in support of their impressive and necessary causes. I know he would be extremely proud of what both organizations have achieved thus far, and particularly how their work has broken technological frontiers and bettered the lives of millions."

Vilas Dhar , President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation: " Patrick J. McGovern was more than a tech mogul; he was a visionary who believed in the power of information to empower people and improve societies. His work has had a profound effect on public policy and education, laying the groundwork for a more informed and connected world and guiding our work to ensure that artificial intelligence is used to sustain a human-centered world that creates economic and social opportunity for all. On a personal level, Pat's leadership was characterized by a genuine care for his employees and a belief in their potential. He created a culture of curiosity, encouraging humanity to explore, innovate, and dream big. His spirit lives on in every philanthropic activity we undertake."

Genevieve Juillard , CEO of IDG: "The legacy of Pat McGovern is felt not just in Boston , but around the worldby the thousands of IDG customers and by people like me who have the privilege to work at IDG, 60 years after he founded it. His innovative spirit and unwavering commitment to excellence continue to inspire and guide us."

Sudhir Sethi , Founder and Chairman of Chiratae Ventures (formally IDG Ventures): " Pat McGovern was a visionary who foresaw the potential of technology in India and nurtured the ecosystem as an active participant. Pat enabled a launchpad for Chiratae Ventures, empowering our journey to become the leading home-grown venture capital fund in India today. Pat is a role model to entrepreneurs worldwide, and we honor his legacy with our annual 'Chiratae Ventures Patrick J. McGovern Awards' that celebrate courage and the spirit of entrepreneurship."

Marc Benioff , Founder and CEO of Salesforce wrote in the book "Future Forward that " Pat McGovern was a gift to us all, a trailblazing visionary who showed an entire generation of entrepreneurs what it means to be a principle-based leader and how to lead with higher values."

Pat McGovern's memory lives on not just in the institutions and innovations he fostered, but in the countless lives he touched and transformed. Today, we celebrate a man who saw the future and helped us all move towards it with hope and determination.

**For further information and media inquiries, please contact:**

Julie Pryor

Director of Communications

McGovern Institute for Brain Research

617-715-5397

[email protected]

About IDG

International Data Group is a global leader in technology media, data, and marketing services, providing expert insights and advice to technology professionals and businesses around the world.

About The McGovern Institute for Brain Research

Established in 2000 at MIT by Pat and Lore Harp McGovern , the institute is dedicated to understanding the human brain and developing innovative approaches to neurological and psychiatric disorders.

About The Patrick J McGovern Foundation

This foundation is committed to advancing artificial intelligence and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all.

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SOURCE Patrick J. McGovern Foundation
King Charles III of Great Britain was spotted in public for the first time after the Russian fake news about his death was spread. The ruler left Windsor Palace and arrived at Clarence House in London on the morning of March 19, where he also managed to take official pictures.

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The 75-year-old monarch, who is being treated for cancer, was sitting in the back seat of an untinted car, so the paparazzi took high-quality shots, which were published by the Daily Mail tabloid.

Charles III was looking out the window and did not show any signs of ill health. The day before, the British Embassy in Moscow was forced to issue an official statement, claiming that the king was alive, as the Russian media reported the tragic news from London.

A "statement from Buckingham Palace" about His Majesty's "unexpected death" was circulated on social media, but the authenticity of the document was soon denied.

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On March 19, Charles III held an audience with Korean War veterans at Buckingham Palace. He stood confidently on his feet, smiled and talked to the British.

In the footage, the king is wearing the same blue tie with white polka dots that was seen on him in the car. This allows us to dismiss doubts about fake photos.

The King of Great Britain was last seen in public on March 13. He was receiving guests at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of the Commonwealth Day, demonstrating his good mood.

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By the way, today the network also posted footage of Princess Kate Middleton of Wales, who disappeared from the media a few months ago.

As OBOZ.UA previously wrote, in the event of His Majesty's sudden death, the British government has a secret plan codenamed "Menai Bridge". Similar procedures have already been carried out with other deceased members of the royal family.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Entrepreneurs can receive free help from SCORE mentors when establishing an e-commerce small business.

WASHINGTON , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Online retail sales accounted for 15.4% of total sales in 2023, according to the U.S. Census, so it makes sense that small business owners would want to consider an e-commerce strategy. But for a new entrepreneur, how do you know if it's right for your business?

Benefits of e-commerce

Selling your products online offers a number of advantages, according to SCORE mentor Dean Swanson . These include expanding your customer base, increasing sales and driving brand awareness. "Even if you only sell a small part of your products or services online, it can attract attention to your company," explained Swanson.

For some small businesses, selling online was borne out of necessity. SCORE client Stacey Kohler, CEO of Kiddy Crawler toy company in Wauconda, Ill. , navigated these decisions in the early days of the pandemic. "Launched in early 2020 amidst the onset of COVID, I found myself compelled to shift focus to selling on Amazon, a common adjustment for many startups. This move offered a swift path to establishing an online presence through a third-party platform," said Kohler. "Fortunately, my mentor, Ezzy Dabbish , provided invaluable assistance by closely monitoring the weekly progress of our Amazon sales channel."

Focus on customer service

Similar to a bricks-and-mortar store, online business owners should consider what their customers' experience is like. If a store's website is difficult to navigate, customers may not want to return. "Your website is the face of your e-commerce business and serves as the primary point of interaction with your customers," said SCORE mentor Adam Torkildson . "Optimize for mobile devices, fast loading speeds, and intuitive navigation to provide a seamless shopping experience that encourages conversions and reduces bounce rates."

The customer experience is a priority for SCORE client Connie Estey , owner of Seawalk Custom Florals, a florist service in Jacksonville, Fla. "Our unique e-commerce model focuses on delivering exceptional customer service," said Estey. "We meet our customers at their convenience, provide fresh, personally selected flowers, and emphasize excellent value."

Resources from SCORE

For small business owners considering selling online, SCORE offers a free, self-guided course " Getting Started with E-commerce ." The eight-part course examines everything from selling platforms to customer service, inventory management, payment options, shipping, returns and more.

Looking to sell on Amazon? " The Amazon Seller Success Series 2024 ," a comprehensive series of free SCORE webinars, sponsored by Amazon, provides current and aspiring entrepreneurs guidance on establishing and growing a business in Amazon's marketplace, from the basics of setting up a seller account and listing products, to advanced strategies for brand growth and leveraging Amazon's vast resources for small business success.

For more assistance, consider working with a SCORE mentor who can help guide you on your path to establishing an online business  for free. Request a mentor today at score.org/find-mentor .

About SCORE:

Since its founding in 1964 as a resource partner for the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE has helped more than 11 million current and aspiring entrepreneurs start, grow or successfully exit a business through mentoring, resources and education. Visit SCORE at www.score.org .

Funded [in part] through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

CONTACT:

SCORE

202-968-6428

[email protected]

Visit SCORE's media resources to be connected with expert small business interview sources and news updates.

SOURCE:

https://www.census.gov/retail/ecommerce.html

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SOURCE SCORE
HSINCHU, March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ICP DAS-BMP dazzled at the prestigious MD&M West Show, where its high-quality medical-grade thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) garnered orders from top manufacturers in U.S. and Japan . Concurrently, part of the company's TPU products passed the ISO10993-6 test for local effects after 90-day implantation, positioning them as ideal materials for producing indwelling medical devices intended for use over 30 days.

ICP DAS-BMP, Asia's first medical-grade TPU supplier, produces three main series of products: Alithane (ALP series), Durathane (ALC series), and Arothane (ARP series). The company is set to launch a new Durathane (ARC series), known for its exceptional biostability. All the TPU series are available in different hardness levels, colors, and concentrations of radiopaque fillers (Tungsten/Barium Sulfate). These materials are widely utilized in manufacturing cardiovascular, urological, and gastrointestinal devices, as well as medical and electromedical consumables.

ICP DAS-BMP's Arothane ARP-B20 (20% Barium Sulfate) and Durathane ALC-B40 (40% Barium Sulfate) passed the ISO10993-6 90-day implantation test. This qualifies them for long-term invasive or implantable medical applications such as peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) and port-a-cath. The company plans to conduct long-term implantation tests for other specifications of TPU products based on customer demand, while advancing research and development to uphold TPU product quality.

Medical-grade TPU differs from other plastics by emitting minimal VOCs during manufacturing and having low wastewater discharge, making it extremely environmentally friendly. It contains no plasticizers or heavy metals, ensuring excellent biocompatibility and blood compatibility, and enhancing ESG sustainability. ICP DAS-BMP aims to offer safer, stable, and eco-friendly medical-grade TPU, collaborating with global medical device manufacturers to create long-term benefits and value.

Meet the company's experts at:

CMEF (ICMD) 2024 ( April 11-14 )

Booth Hall 8.1, M44, M46

NECC ( Shanghai ), China

Medtec Japan 2024 ( April 17-19 )

Booth 2022

Tokyo Big Sight East 2~3 Hall, Japan

About ICP DAS-BMP

ICP DAS-BMP, a Taiwan -based TPU manufacturer and supplier certified with ISO 13485, operates specialized laboratories dedicated to quality management. Drawing upon three decades of industrial automation expertise from its parent company ICP DAS, ICP DAS-BMP has implemented smart factory practices to enhance product quality and expedite delivery times. Additionally, the company provides responsive after-sales support and offers flexible solutions for small order quantities.

For more information, please visit: https://bmp.icpdas.com/

For TPU products and inquiries, contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE ICP DAS Co., Ltd.
IV safety company joins the ranks of Nvidia, YouTube, Taco Bell, and more

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ivWatch announced today that it has been named to Fast Company's prestigious list of the World's Most Innovative Companies of 2024 and #6 in their list of the top 10 most innovative medical device companies.

This year's list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations. These organizations are setting new standards and achieving remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy. Alongside the World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Fast Company recognizes 606 organizations across 58 sectors and regions.

"Since 2010, ivWatch has single-mindedly pursued our mission to improve IV safety around the globe, and receiving this extremely prestigious award is a testament to the unparalleled ingenuity and commitment of our incredible team at ivWatch," said Gary Warren , the company's President and CEO. "With 69 patents and the only FDA-cleared and CE-marked device addressing the silent epidemic of IV injury, we are progressing toward becoming the standard of care in this area across all hospital environments globally, similar to how pulse oximeters went from being rarely used in the 1990s to ubiquitous today."

Among ivWatch's recent accomplishments are its implementation at three of the top 10 children's hospitals in the U.S. , the completion of over 30 clinical studies validating its technology, and its expansion to over 10 regions globally, including more than 60 clinical environments in the U.S. , Canada , United Kingdom , Ireland , Europe , Saudi Arabia , Qatar , United Arab Emirates , Kuwait , Australia, and New Zealand . The company has also received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the detection of iron sucrose extravasation events by its patented SmartTouch Sensor and patient monitoring system.

The World's Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company's hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year.

Fast Company's editors and writers identified the companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world. Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies package is available online , as well as in-app form via iTunes, and on newsstands beginning March 26 . The hashtag is #FCMostInnovative.

"Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is both a comprehensive look at the innovation economy and a snapshot of the business trends that defined the year," said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan . "We saw extraordinary innovation across the board in 2023, but we also saw a handful of clear patterns: the growing footprint and impact of AI, the triumphant return of live events, and great leaps forward in climate tech. We face daunting challenges on many fronts, but the solutions we celebrate in MIC give me plenty of hope about the future."

Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala on May 16 . The summit features a morning and afternoon of inspiring content, followed by a creative black-tie gala including networking, a seated dinner, and an honoree presentation. This event celebrates the Most Innovative Companies honorees and provides an inside look at cutting-edge business trends and what it takes to innovate in 2024.

About ivWatch, LLC

Founded in 2010 and holding nearly 70 patents, ivWatch developed a first-of-its-kind Class II medical device, cleared by the FDA and CE-marked that uses visible and near-infrared light and a predictive algorithm to continuously monitor peripheral IVs and aid in the early detection of IV infiltration and extravasation events. These events are common and can lead to severe consequences ranging from dosing errors, scarring, skin staining, nerve damage, amputation, and even death.

The ivWatch patient monitoring system performs over 18,000 checks per hour for signs of IV infiltration and extravasation, notifying healthcare workers of fluid leaking outside of the vein in real-time to reduce severe adverse outcomes.

In 2023, the company surpassed more than 30 clinical bodies of evidence. It was also awarded a PM360 Innovative Health Award in the Health-Tech/Non-Consumer category and named a Fierce Life Sciences Innovation Award finalist for medical device innovation. To learn more, visit www.ivWatch.com .

ABOUT FAST COMPANY

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City , Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

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SOURCE ivWatch, LLC
Leader in Class Action Administration, eDiscovery, and Legal Notice Launches Comprehensive

Incident Response Services Offering

SEATTLE , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- JND Legal Administration (JND), the U.S. leader in legal administration services, has combined the industry-leading capabilities of its eDiscovery, Legal Notice, and Class Action Administration business lines to launch a comprehensive suite of Incident Response Services offerings.

Following the assessment of a data security incident and the successful mitigation or elimination of the threat, JND's eDiscovery team quickly identifies the compromised data, and our in-house forensics team collects the data, preparing it for review. The data is then reviewed and analyzed using JND's patented applications and workflows, and potentially impacted individuals are identified, along with any PII and PHI that may have been compromised. JND's notice experts then draft a clear and comprehensive notice, directly notifying potentially affected individuals via mail or email. Our seasoned contact center agents serve as the point of contact for all communications, providing information regarding remediation options. JND's offering includes breach, credit, dark web, as well as PII and PHI monitoring.

"We are excited to announce the launch of our Incident Response Services offering," says Jennifer Keough , JND Founder and CEO. "With data compromises soaring, up 78% in 2023 over 2022, an effective incident response partner is a critical resource. JND's existing suite of best-in-class services and robust in-house teams comprising industry experts uniquely position us to step into this important role."

Headquartered in Seattle , JND continues to solidify its status as the industry leader in class action administration, legal notice campaigns, and end-to-end eDiscovery solutions. JND's class action administration team has overseen some of the largest and most complex matters in our country's history. Its eDiscovery service line supports corporations, law firms, and government agencies in deploying patented solutions and technology to meet their goals.

Earlier this year, JND was inducted into the National Law Journal Hall of Fame for the categories of Best Class Action Claims Administrator, Best Managed eDiscovery and Litigation Support Provider, and Best End-to-End eDiscovery Provider.

About JND Legal Administration

JND Legal Administration is the nation's foremost legal services management and settlement administration solutions provider. Founded by industry veterans Jennifer Keough , Neil Zola , and David Isaac , the company serves plaintiff and defendant law firms, global corporations, and U.S. government entities across five main service lines and has offices in Washington, California , Minnesota , and New York . For more information, visit www.JNDLA.com.

Media Contact:

Joe Sexton

JND Legal Administration

[email protected]

Tel: +1 800-207-7160

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SOURCE JND Class Action Administration
HOUSTON , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal scholar and columnist Noah R. Feldman will explore evolving facets of Jewish identity at the University of Houston Law Center's annual Yale L. Rosenberg Memorial Lecture on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 .

With focus on his latest book, "To Be A Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel and the Jewish People," Feldman "draws on a lifelong engagement with his religion to offer a wide-ranging interpretation of Judaism in its current varieties."

Feldman holds the position of Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard University, where he also serves as the chairman of the Society of Fellows and is the founding director of the Julis-Rabinowitz Program on Jewish and Israeli Law.

He specializes in constitutional studies, focusing on power and ethics, innovative governance solutions, law and religion, and the history of legal ideas.

The lecture titled "To Be Jewish and Democratic: Constitutional Challenge and the Future of Israel " will be in-person and virtual on Wednesday, April 3 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Central at the University of Houston Law Center's John M. O'Quinn Law Building , 4170 Martin Luther King Blvd. A book signing and reception will follow.

Attending attorneys will receive 1.0 hour of Texas MCLE credit.

Click here to register for the lecture.

Click here to learn more about the event.

University of Houston Law Center media contacts: Carrie Anna Criado , UH Law Center Assistant Dean of Communications and Marketing, 713-743-2184, [email protected]; Bonnie Buffaloe, Communications Manager, 713-743-9137, [email protected].

About the University of Houston Law Center

The University of Houston Law Center (UHLC) is a dynamic, top-tier law school located in the nation's 4th largest city. UHLC's Health Law, Intellectual Property Law, and Part-time programs rank in the U.S. News Top 10. It awards Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Laws (LL.M.) degrees, through its academic branch, the College of Law. The Law Center is more than just a law school. It is a powerful hub of intellectual activity with more than 12 centers and institutes that fuel its educational mission and national reputation. UHLC is fully accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.

About the University of Houston

The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally designated Hispanic- and Asian-American-Serving institution with an enrollment of more than 47,000 students.

About Yale L. Rosenberg Lecture

The Yale L. Rosenberg Memorial Fund was established to fund a student-writing prize and to bring distinguished speakers to the Law Center. Rosenberg joined the University of Houston Law Center faculty in 1972 after a distinguished career in government. His teaching of Civil Procedure, Federal Jurisdiction, Professional Responsibility, and Jewish Law earned him the UH Teaching Excellence Award in 2000. An award-winning scholar, Rosenberg has been called "America's prophet" for his analysis of the decline of federal habeas corpus. An alumnus of Rice University, he graduated from New York University Law School in 1964. Past Rosenberg speakers have included Cornell William Brooks, Tomiko Brown-Nagin, Gabriel "Jack" Chin, David Dow , Joshua Dressler , Tanya Kateri Hernandez , Renee Knake Jefferson , Samuel L. Levine , Janai S. Nelson , and Nelson Tebbe .

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SOURCE University of Houston Law Center
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Olympus, a leading global medtech company providing innovative solutions for medical and surgical procedures, announced today it applauds the new Obesity Bill of Rights .

Olympus will support the initiative by working to build awareness and talking to its healthcare customers about this important campaign to counter bias and ageism in obesity care. The program, spearheaded in January 2024 in the U.S. by the National Consumers League (NCL), a nonprofit consumer advocacy group, in conjunction with the National Council on Aging (NCOA), establishes a set of rights to "assure screening, diagnosis, counseling and effective treatment based on medical treatment guidelines." This ongoing effort to gather support is expected to culminate in a fully implemented Bill of Rights by Dec. 31, 2029 . The NCL and NCOA are working at the grassroots, employer, state and federal levels on this effort to ensure equal access to care for all obesity patients.

NCL and NCOA worked with health leaders and obesity specialists to draft these Bill of Rights tenets that are intended to change the narrative, such that the healthcare industry more effectively sees obesity as a treatable chronic disease that can be treated with the same "respect, attention and medical care" as other chronic conditions.

Statistics regarding obesity are staggering:

108M people in the U.S. are considered obese, only 10% of whom get help from medical professionals and only 2% of whom are treated with new medications.

are considered obese, only 10% of whom get help from medical professionals and only 2% of whom are treated with new medications. More than 230 conditions are worsened by obesity.

Obesity is connected to $1.73 trillion in annual medical costs in the U.S.

in annual medical costs in the 400K premature deaths annually are linked to obesity.1

"Olympus provides equipment to the surgical community that helps in the treatment of obesity, and statistics show that not enough people have access to this type of treatment," said Paul Skodny , Executive Director for Health Economics and Market Access at Olympus Corporation. "It is our hope that awareness of treatment options and equitable access and insurance coverage will help address the detrimental health impacts of obesity."



Bariatric Surgery as a Solution for Weight Loss

Because of recent pharmaceuticals' entry into the market, such as semaglutide-based medications, obesity treatment has been receiving more attention. Surgical treatment which can complement medical management, has a lengthy track record, having been available to patients for decades with favorable long-term outcomes.2 Studies show patients typically lose the most weight one to two years after bariatric surgery and see substantial improvements in obesity-related conditions.

Despite the growing number of obesity-related health problems, fewer than 2% of those eligible for bariatric surgery elect to have it.3 Given these statistics, Olympus, maker of technologies for performing minimally invasive bariatric procedures, sought to understand the awareness level and concerns of eligible patients in a survey conducted in 20194:

Marginal Awareness around Benefits: A little more than 50% of respondents demonstrated only marginal awareness that bariatric surgery causes hormonal changes that improve weight loss by maintaining or enhancing energy expenditure. 5

A little more than 50% of respondents demonstrated only marginal awareness that bariatric surgery causes hormonal changes that improve weight loss by maintaining or enhancing energy expenditure. Worry about Gaining Weight Back: 20% of respondents were avoiding bariatric surgery because of concerns about surgery complications and gaining the weight back.

20% of respondents were avoiding bariatric surgery because of concerns about surgery complications and gaining the weight back. Awareness around Insurance Opportunities: 56% of respondents were aware that insurance covers bariatric surgery in most qualified cases.6

Surgical benefits are real and should be known to more patients. Studies show that:

Patients may lose as much as 60% of excess weight six months after surgery, and 77% of excess weight as early as 12 months after surgery. On average, five years after surgery, patients maintain 50% of their excess weight loss. 1

The majority of bariatric surgery patients with diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obstructive sleep apnea experience remission of these obesity-related diseases.1

Statistically, the risk of death during weight-loss surgery procedures is less than 1 percent. All abdominal operations carry the risks of bleeding, infection in the incision, thrombophlebitis of legs (blood clots), lung problems (pneumonia, pulmonary embolisms), strokes or heart attacks, anesthetic complications and blockage or obstruction of the intestine. These risks are greater in patients with severe obesity.7

To learn more about Olympus' state-of-the-art technologies for performing minimally invasive bariatric surgeries, visit the Bariatrics product page.

About Olympus

At Olympus, we are committed to our purpose of making people's lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. As a global medical technology company, we partner with healthcare professionals striving to provide best-in-class solutions and services for early detection, diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment, aiming to improve patient outcomes by elevating the standard of care in targeted disease states.

For more than 100 years, Olympus has pursued a goal of contributing to society by producing products designed with the purpose of delivering optimal outcomes for its customers around the world. For more information, visit medical.olympusamerica.com.

_______________________________

1 Americans now have an Obesity Bill of Rights. NCLnet.org. https://nclnet.org/americans-now-have-an-obesity-bill-of-rights. Published January 31, 2024 . Accessed February 29, 2024 .

2 Story of Obesity Surgery. asmbs.org. https://asmbs.org/resources/story-of-obesity-surgery/#:~:text=The%20first%20operations%20designed%20solely,at%20the%20University%20of%20Minnesota. Published 2023. Accessed February 29, 2024 .

3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7474975/. February 27, 2020 . Accessed February 29, 2024 .

4 The Olympus-commissioned online survey was conducted mid-December 2019 .

5 Public Education Committee. Benefits of Bariatric Surgery: ASMBS. American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. https://asmbs.org/patients/benefits-of-weight-loss-surgery?%2Fpatients%2Fbenefits-of-bariatric-surgery. Accessed February 29, 2024 .

6 Manning S. How to get your health insurer to pay for your weight-loss surgery. Insure.com. https://www.insure.com/health-insurance/weight-loss-surgery.html. Published September 24, 2020 . Accessed February 29, 2024 .

7 Available Procedures. Yale New Haven Health. https://www.ynhh.org/services/bariatric-surgery/procedures. Accessed March 15, 2024 .

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SOURCE Olympus Corporation of the Americas
Multidisciplinary Team of Attorneys will Assist Clients Across Industries in Navigating Legal Complexities of Adopting and Integrating AI into Business Operations

BUFFALO, N.Y. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Phillips Lytle LLP has announced the launch of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Practice Team, which will be led by Partner Richard J. Marinaccio . The firm has assembled a multidisciplinary team of experienced attorneys to provide comprehensive legal counsel in a broad range of business operations affected by the rapid proliferation of AI.

Phillips Lytle's AI Team is guiding clients through the entire spectrum of AI integration.

This team is already assisting clients with a range of AI-related matters, including internal corporate policies, compliance, labor and employment policies, intellectual property rights, contract negotiation, data privacy, cybersecurity and litigation.

"As we witness the rapid evolution of AI, we recognize the profound impact it's having on businesses across industries. Our newly established AI Practice Team is not just a response to the current state of AI, it is a proactive step to accelerate legal innovation and keep Phillips Lytle at the forefront of this ever-evolving landscape," said Mr. Marinaccio . "With the emerging challenges and unprecedented opportunities posed by AI, our team is uniquely prepared to leverage our diverse industry and technology expertise to guide businesses of all kinds through the intricacies of this dynamic world."

Amid AI's widening global influence, organizations are facing growing pressure to understand the technology and identify new ways it can be adopted to optimize business operations. Recognizing the critical need for sound legal counsel in this space, Phillips Lytle's Technology Industry Team swiftly and comprehensively expanded its AI capabilities and expertise to build this new AI Practice Team. The firm's industry-certified attorneys are now using their wealth of knowledge to offer direction and guidance that meets client needs amid the dynamic landscape of advancing AI innovation.

Joining Mr. Marinaccio in the AI practice group will be this multidisciplinary team of specialists:

Phillips Lytle's AI Team is guiding clients through the entire spectrum of AI integration, offering comprehensive counsel on internal corporate policies, compliance, intellectual property rights and more. Beyond advisory services, the team is adept at safeguarding clients through potential AI-related litigation, ensuring all businesses can navigate this rapidly evolving landscape with confidence and legal resilience.

"In launching this new practice, Phillips Lytle is again innovating and expanding our services to help companies harness the transformative power of emerging technology. This ability to adapt to market needs and strategically develop new client-centered solutions have fueled the remarkable growth our firm has experienced recently," said Phillips Lytle Managing Partner Douglas W. Dimitroff . "As we look to spark more growth in the months to come, we are analyzing industries and economic trends to identify more practice areas to build or expand, while actively exploring opportunities to add talent through new hiring as well as acquiring boutique firms or practice teams."

To learn more about Phillips Lytle's new AI Practice Team and its approach to serving clients as strategic business advisors, visit phillipslytle.com/artificial-intelligence.

Phillips Lytle LLP is a preeminent law firm that is recognized nationally for its legal excellence. With offices across New York State and in Chicago, IL ; Washington, D.C. ; and Canada , our attorneys serve a multinational client base, including Fortune 1000 companies, global and regional financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, middle-market companies, startups, entrepreneurs and individuals on important matters affecting their businesses and personal wealth. For more information, visit www.phillipslytle.com.

Contact:

Tracey Mancini

Communications Manager

716-847-8340

[email protected]

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SOURCE Phillips Lytle LLP
SAN DIEGO , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Preferred Employers Insurance, a Berkley company, has been awarded three 2024 American Advertising Awards - San Diego Competition ( "ADDY's" ) for the company's brand refresh that launched in December 2023 . The San Diego competition is one of 200 regional competitions generating over 30,000 total annual entries competing for the "ADDY" awards nationwide.

Preferred Employers Insurance received three Bronze ADDY Awards, in the categories of Logo Design, Integrated Brand Identity Campaign, and for their new Website/Mobile Website. The awards specifically honored the identity refresh of the company's 25-year old insurance legacy brand.

The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition in the United States . The mission of the American Advertising Awards competition is to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising.

Kayla Bonsall , Creative Marketing Director at Preferred Employers Insurance says, "We appreciate this recognition as it further validates our commitment towards our strong California -focused company brand and shows our equally strong desire to be the most customer-caring workers compensation insurance provider in the Golden State."

The full list of 2024 American Advertising Award winners can be found here: https://sandiegoaddys.com/.

About Preferred Employers Insurance, a Berkley company

Preferred Employers Insurance, a Berkley company, is a specialty provider of workers compensation insurance exclusively for California employers. Since 1998, Preferred Employers has been known for providing the gold standard of care for injured workers. Preferred Employers Insurance is a member company of W. R. Berkley Corporation, whose insurance company subsidiaries are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company. W. R. Berkley Corporation is recognized as one of the most respected names in the property casualty insurance industry. Learn more about the company at https://www.peiwc.com.

Products and services are provided by one or more insurance company subsidiaries of W. R. Berkley Corporation. Not all products and services are available in every jurisdiction, and the precise coverage afforded by any insurer is subject to the actual terms and conditions of the policies as issued.

About the American Advertising Awards

The American Advertising Awards  San Diego Competition is part of the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition, recognizing creative excellence and the very best advertising in both local markets and nationwide. The competition is sponsored by the American Advertising Federation and represents the true creative spirit of advertising by recognizing all forms of advertising from all types of media, created by all sizes and types of entrants, from anywhere in the country. There are an estimated 30,000 total annual entries into the competition. For more information about the American Advertising Awards, please visit https://sandiegoaddys.com, email the American Advertising Awards at [email protected] or call (800)405-2636.

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SOURCE Preferred Employers Insurance
Info-Tech Research Group's latest research highlights the critical importance of performing privacy impact assessments (PIAs) for AI technologies to address privacy risks. Emphasizing the fundamental role of data privacy in responsible AI implementation, a comprehensive framework in the firm's new blueprint encompasses various elements IT leaders and their organizations need to consider, including data governance, security safeguards, and risk identification and mitigation.

TORONTO , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - As organizations worldwide begin to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to transform operations, privacy concerns have surged to the forefront of technological discourse. With AI driving personalized recommendations and making autonomous decisions, its transformative potential is undeniable. Yet, this progress arrives with a critical caveat, given the inherent risks it poses to privacy. AI's reliance on extensive data analysis, often containing personal information, presents a complex ethical and operational challenge amid evolving data privacy laws. In response to this pressing issue, Info-Tech Research Group unveils its latest research, Conduct an AI Privacy Risk Assessment.

The latest research from the firm aims to help IT leaders prepare their AI projects for success with a privacy impact assessment (PIA). Integrating comprehensive PIAs offers organizations a structured approach to evaluating potential privacy risks as well as ensuring informed consent and limiting data collection. This recommended approach fosters responsible AI adoption and addresses the evolving privacy concerns surrounding AI technologies.

"Trust is a cornerstone of successful business relationships. Aligning AI technology with a privacy strategy generates trust among customers and stakeholders," says Safayat Moahamad, research director at Info-Tech Research Group. "Today, privacy-conscious consumers actively seek out businesses that prioritize data protection, offering organizations a competitive edge. Building trust through data privacy can strengthen an organization's market position and encourage responsible innovation and collaboration by enabling secure and ethical data sharing with business partners."

Info-Tech's newly published blueprint highlights the challenge organizations encounter in achieving a balance between innovation and regulation. For IT leaders, uncertainty about the impact and applicability of data protection regulations on their data-processing operations makes the task of aligning with these laws even more challenging. Moreover, ambiguities regarding data location and types within the organization further complicate matters. It becomes imperative to extend the focus to encompass data governance for AI, embed ethical dimensions, promote diverse stakeholder engagement, and adopt a continuous improvement approach to risk assessment. These measures are indispensable for fostering responsible AI implementation.

"Data quality is pivotal for AI system performance. Aligning AI objectives with privacy requirements will enhance the data validation and quality checks, resulting in more effective AI models," explains Moahamad. "Additionally, a proactive approach to data privacy will position the organization to be adaptable as regulations and consumer expectations evolve."

The firm's insights emphasize the critical role of data privacy in successful AI implementation, advocating for a robust foundation in data privacy principles and awareness. The blueprint details the following framework to assist IT leaders and their organizations in conducting PIAs for AI technologies:

1. AI System Awareness: Understand that AI implementation involves handling confidential personal and business data within training and processing data sets.

2. Identifying High-Risk Systems: A threshold analysis can be used to identify systems processing information about specific data subject groups, industries, or types of data processing, which may pose higher risks.

3. AI & Data Governance Considerations: Begin the PIA by defining objectives, assessing algorithmic impacts, evaluating training and input data, analyzing outcomes, and ensuring data quality.

4. Privacy Practice Documentation: Clearly document how the system processes personal data, whether consent is required and obtained properly, internal and external data flows, and individual rights.

5. Supply Chain Risk Assessment: Assess potential supply chain risks associated with the system, particularly regarding the transfer of company data to external entities, including cross-border transfers.

6. Security Safeguards Evaluation: Evaluate internal and third-party security measures to safeguard data integrity against unauthorized access and cyber threats.

7. Risk Identification & Mitigation: Identify privacy risks, analyze their impact on the organization and individuals, and develop specific action plans to mitigate these risks effectively.

8. Privacy Impact Assessment Reporting: Document all mitigation actions in a PIA report, outlining timelines, responsibilities, and compliance checks to ensure organizational and individual interests are protected.

The framework ensures a comprehensive method to privacy that supports effective and responsible AI use.

In the resource, Info-Tech stresses the critical importance of data privacy for IT leaders, advocating for its integration as a fundamental aspect of organizational values, operations, and technologies. This recommended privacy-first approach is intended to be proactive and ensure responsible AI implementation by aligning AI initiatives with existing processes, data landscapes, regulatory requirements, and objectives. It not only facilitates compliance but also builds trust in technology implementations and deployments among stakeholders.

For exclusive and timely commentary from Safayat Moahamad, an expert in security and privacy, and access to the complete Conduct an AI Privacy Risk Assessment blueprint, please contact [email protected].

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For more than 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.

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SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group
Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner will operate regular schedules following emergency construction effort, updates at www.metrolinktrains.com and pacificsurfliner.com/alerts

ORANGE, Calif. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The rail line through San Clemente is set to reopen for regular passenger rail service on Monday, March 25 , as emergency work to build a catchment wall to protect the track is wrapping up this week.

The Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the track through San Clemente , worked in partnership with Metrolink, which operates regional passenger rail service, to build a 200-foot-long wall at Mariposa Point , to safely re-establish service on the track.

Metrolink and the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency, operator of Pacific Surfliner, are each planning to resume full service as of Monday morning. Passengers are being updated through social media, station messages and direct communication, and:

Metrolink passengers are asked to look for the latest updates on train schedules at metrolinktrains.com.

Pacific Surfliner passengers are asked to visit pacificsurfliner.com/alerts for updated train schedules.

Full passenger service is being restored ahead of the initial schedule because of expedited work made possible with strong cooperation between the transportation agencies and the State, including the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA).

In the past week, the construction team working at the San Clemente site finished the catchment wall and have continued to work on a more comprehensive drainage system and trenching along the rail right of way. The team also worked in coordination with the City of San Clemente to adjust a sewer access point. This week, additional tie replacement and track resurfacing will take place.

The emergency construction work was necessitated by a Jan. 24 landslide from a privately-owned hillside that littered the rail right of way below with soil and debris halting rail service.

After extensive work, limited Pacific Surfliner passenger service resumed in early March but Monday will mark the first time regular passenger service has resumed through the area since the initial slide. For more background, visit octa.net/railupdates.

For the longer term, OCTA and its rail partners will continue to work with local, state and federal stakeholders on both near-term and long-term solutions for protecting rail movement along this critical corridor.

Work is already under way on the first of two studies. Listening sessions with stakeholders and the public have begun on the OCTA-led Orange County Coastal Rail Resiliency Study, which aims to protect the rail line in place for the next 10 to 30 years. For more information on that study, visit octa.net/CRRS.

About the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

The Pacific Surfliner travels along a 351-mile coastal rail route through San Diego , Orange , Los Angeles , Ventura , Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, serving 29 stations. It is the busiest state-supported intercity passenger rail route in the United States . To learn more and plan a trip, visit pacificsurfliner.com.

About the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency

The Los Angeles  San Diego  San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is a joint powers authority overseeing the management of the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service. Comprised of rail owners, operators, and planning agencies along the 351-mile LOSSAN rail corridor, the Agency strives to improve passenger rail ridership, revenue, on- time performance, operational flexibility, and safety along its service area. The Orange County Transportation Authority provides all necessary administrative support for the LOSSAN Agency and its Board. For more information, visit Lossan.org .

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SOURCE Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
The son of Hollywood actor and director Steven Seagal, known for his propaganda statements and friendship with dictator Vladimir Putin, has married Russian model Irene Danilova. The couple legalized their relationship in the capital of the terrorist country, Moscow.

ADVERTISIMENT

As you know, Steven Seagal has been a Russian citizen for eight years, and his son Dominic apparently plans to build a life in Russia too as propaganda media claim that he and his Russian wife will stay in Moscow after the wedding.

The 34-year-old son of the war supporter has repeatedly proved that he has similar views to his father. In particular, he said that he enjoys spending time in the aggressor state and exploring the "great Russian culture." Dominic also imbued with the focus of Russian women on "creating a family." Clearly, cynical propaganda narratives about "family bonds" are working.

Thus, the actor's son and the model had a private wedding ceremony in the elite village of Barvikha on March 17. Only the closest family members were present, including the groom's father.

ADVERTISIMENT

"Stephen spoke very warmly to everyone and gave his daughter-in-law a beautiful bouquet of roses. He definitely approves of his son's choice," the propagandists quote a source close to the family of Putin's American henchman.

It is known that the couple met in Moscow at a social event several years ago. Their romance became known in March last year. Seagal's son and a 29-year-old Russian model were caught on a date in one of Moscow's elite restaurants.

ADVERTISIMENT

In a recent interview, the Russian woman assured, "So far, I don't see any reason to leave the country." So, as we understand it, the newlyweds will stay in Moscow.

As reported earlier, Steven Seagal visited the occupied Donbas as he considers himself a Russian. He said this in an interview with Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov after returning from the occupied Olenivka, Donetsk region, where the occupiers staged a terrorist attack and killed Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
GUANGZHOU, China , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The promotion tour for 135th China Import and Export Fair (" Canton Fair "), held from February 29 to March 7 , has successfully reinvigorated trade vitality across the Middle East , with events in Dubai , UAE and Cairo, Egypt successfully held, and in-depth business talks with Canton Fair partners in Morroco. Led by Zhang Sihong, Deputy Secretary General of the Canton Fair and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, the delegation invited high-quality enterprises from the countries and surrounding regions, to explore cooperation and business opportunities, achieving remarkable outcomes.

"We hope that Middle East buyers can utilize the Canton Fair's online platform for regular engagement, facilitating online appointments and offline negotiations to achieve more trade transactions through dual-channel interactions," said Zhang Sihong, during the conference, emphasizing the importance of utilizing the Canton Fair's online platform for regular engagement on top of onsite attendance.

In Morocco , China Foreign Trade Centre renewed its partnership agreement with Confederation Generale Des Entreprises Du Maroc (CGEM), further promoting trade between China and Morocco .

The delegation conducted field research at major sourcing platforms and institutions in the Middle East , including Noon, the largest e-commerce platform in the Middle East , Dubai World Trade Centre, Marjane and Electroplanet, the largest supermarket and electronics mall in Morocco respectively, Gomla Market, the largest chain supermarket in Alexandria, Egypt .

The delegation also engaged in deep exchanges with Dubai Chamber, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce UAE, Confederation Generale DesEntreprises Du Maroc (CGEM), China-Morocco Economic, Trade and Cultural Exchange Centre, Cairo Chamber of Commerce, and Alexandria Business Association, establishing a more comprehensive Canton Fair partnership system.

The 135th Canton Fair promotion tour has received an enthusiastic response from the three Middle Eastern countries, continuously revitalizing trade vitality in the local and surrounding regions.

For the latest information on the 135th Canton Fair , please register at https://invitation.cantonfair.org.cn/BuyerUser/RegisterUser?MediaType=16.

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SHANGHAI , March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, BioGeometry and Sanyou Bio jointly announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement.

BioGeometry is a digital biology pioneer company that specializes in AI-driven protein design and R&D platform.

Sanyou Bio is a world-leading high-tech biotechnology enterprise focusing on R&D and services of innovative biologic drugs.

Both parties will leverage their respective expertise in generative AI technology and practical experience of drug development from target discovery to Investigational New Drug (IND) application, to create a next-generation antibody drug discovery platform driven by AIGC and jointly promote trilateral cooperation with leading innovative pharmaceutical companies or biotechs to enhance the efficiency of new drug R&D and help pharmaceutical R&D enterprises improve global competitiveness.

In this strategic cooperation, Sanyou Bio will integrate BioGeometry's proprietary generative AI antibody design platform (GeoBiologics). Both parties will invest their respective advantageous resources, professional technologies and experiences to create an outstanding Dry-Wet antibody R&D platform by integrating BioGeometry's leading AI algorithm dry lab platform with Sanyou Bio's wet lab capabilities. This platform will be utilized for the development of more large molecule drug pipelines and the incubation of innovative projects, paving the way for further market expansion.

Sanyou has built a world-leading high-throughput, and integrated R&D platform for innovative antibody drugs, accumulating and forming the world's largest antibody library and other technical resources. The antibody library construction platform, based on nine super-trillion antibody libraries as its core, has a capacity of up to 10 trillion. It seamlessly integrates phage display and mammalian cell protein expression of molecule generation technologies. Equipped with fully automated screening and integrated antibody drug R&D capabilities, it is suitable for challenging innovative targets and the development of high-difficulty new molecules, with a focus on generating molecules with characteristics such as "close to natural, high affinity, and excellent developability"' The platform has strong wet experimental capabilities and data advantages.

As a leading AI-driven protein design enterprise, BioGeometry has developed atomic-level geometric deep learning models which learn from massive data to effectively save the time and costs in antibody design, improve economic efficiency and success rates. Moreover, BioGeometry has achieved a closed-loop between dry and wet lab on its generative AI antibody discovery SaaS platform, GeoBiologics. Molecules generated or optimized by AI models are further validated and screened through high-throughput wet-lab experiments. At the same time, the experimental data is fed back to the AI models to enhance prediction accuracy and confidence. Through multiple rounds of AI design and wet-lab validation, functional molecules can be discovered more efficiently.

Dr. Guojun Lang , founder and CEO of Sanyou Bio, remarked: "BioGeometry's generative AI technology has enabled Sanyou to achieve intelligent and digital transformation of our antibody drug R&D platform, further strengthening our advantages in new drug discovery and preclinical integration. We believe that the AIGC antibody drug discovery platform created through our collaboration with BioGeometry will provide more innovative solutions for new drug R&D enterprises, accelerate the preclinical research of more new drugs, and even facilitate their entry into clinical trials, thereby enhancing global competitiveness of pharmaceutical R&D enterprises."

Dr. Jian Tang , founder and CEO of BioGeometry, stated: "We look forward to jointly creating with Sanyou Bio a cutting-edge AI-enabled antibody discovery platform combining dry and wet labs. This platform aims to become an innovative model for AI-empowered new drug R&D leading the industry, and accelerate the development of antibody drug R&D and fully enter the era of artificial intelligence. We hope to incubate and advancing more large-molecule drug pipelines through our platform, jointly overcoming more challenges in antibody drug R&D, and making substantive contributions to the progress of global disease treatment."

About BioGeometry

BioGeometry is a generative AI-driven protein design and R&D platform company committed to providing biomanufacturing solutions to traditional manufacturing industries, achieving green and intelligent transformation. The company constructs generative artificial intelligence (AIGC) large-models to understand the language of life, building multimodal large-models that bridge natural language and protein language to reinvent the process of protein drug discovery and design. Dedicated to creating programmable proteins, BioGeometry applies these innovations in biopharmaceuticals and biomaterial production. By applying their expertise to drug development, BioGeometry addresses traditional challenges in large-molecule drug manufacturing, such as high costs, lengthy processes, low success rates, and difficulties in formulation, thus offering innovative drugs to save patients' lives.

Founded in 2022 by Dr. Jian Tang , a renowned scientist in AI4Drug and deep learning on graphs, with Turing Award laureate Yoshua Bengio serving as the chief scientific advisor, the company has built two foundational platforms: an AI-driven large molecule drug design platform and high-throughput wet-lab validation, creating a closed-loop system that empowers partners to achieve precise and efficient large molecule drug design and optimization.

Business Cooperation: [email protected]

Official Website: www.biogeom.com

About Sanyou Bio

Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. is a world-leading high-tech biotechnology enterprise focusing on R&D and services of innovative biologic drugs. Sanyou has built the 4C business patterns that integrate "differentiated CRO, integrated CDO, innovative CPO and characteristic CRS", to accomplish the mission "to make the R&D easy for innovative biologics".

Sanyou has established an integrated innovative biologic drug R&D laboratory with advanced facilities, and has a professional team with the majority holding a Ph.D. or master degree. Sanyou has built three industry-leading innovative technology platforms featured by "super-trillion, integration, and intelligence" , which are comprised of more than 50 sub-platforms with the core innovative super-trillion phage display platform, and supported by platforms of material preparation, biologics discovery, molecule optimization, in vitro and in vivo efficacy, production cell line construction, upstream and downstream process development, preclinical R&D, industrialization development, etc.

Sanyou's business network has expanded to all parts of the world, including Asia , US and Europe , and established branches in Boston , Philadelphia , San Diego and London . Sanyou has established friendly business relationships with more than 1000 pharmaceutical companies, drug R&D institutions and diagnostics companies worldwide. Sanyou received National-level certification as a high-tech enterprise and a Specialized and Sophisticated enterprise, and passed the ISO9001 quality assurance certification and GB/T intellectual property management system certification.

Business Cooperation: [email protected]

Official Website: www.sanyoubio.com

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SOURCE Sanyou Bio
The award in the Social Good category recognises SATO's relentless focus on social impact through innovative sanitation and hygiene solutions

LONDON , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SATO, the multi-award-winning social business that empowers people everywhere to live a better life, every day, and to enjoy a brighter future through innovative sanitation and hygiene solutions, is delighted to announce it has been recognised in the Social Good category of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies 2024. Fast Company is one of the world's leading business media brands, with an editorial focus on innovation in technology, leadership, and design. Its Most Innovative Companies list is the definitive source for recognising organisations that are transforming industries and shaping society.

Erin McCusker , Leader, SATO, and Senior Vice President, LIXIL, said: "At SATO, we're deeply proud that our work has been recognised by Fast Company, and we congratulate the other inspirational companies on the list who share our love of using innovation to create meaningful social impact. As a multi-award-winning business, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of what social businesses can do. We will always aim to better understand the people who use our products so we can empower them to unlock good health and social and economic value through improved sanitation and hygiene."

Part of LIXIL, a global maker of pioneering water and housing products, SATO designs and sells innovative, affordable, and water-saving sanitation and hygiene solutions. Its first product, the award-winning SATO Pan, has achieved global success and is used by millions of people across the world. Since then, SATO's drive for innovation has resulted in a broad portfolio of life-enhancing products that contribute to SDG 6.2: to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation by 2030.

Reflecting the success of its innovative business model, portfolio and geographical expansion, SATO has been recognised in Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies within the Social Good category. In 2023, the brand launched its hygiene and sanitation solutions in three massive new markets: Indonesia , the Philippines , and Madagascar . Altogether in these regions, almost 95 million people have no access to basic sanitation services (nearly 25 million in Indonesia , 25 million in Madagascar , and almost 45 million in the Philippines ). Operating in these areas as a private sector business, leveraging its innovative business model that engages local people up and down the supply chain, means SATO can offer a suite of products to customers in these markets.

While developing solutions like the SATO Slab, also launched in 2023, on-the-ground engagement helped SATO understand how rural and underserved communities manage their sanitation. For many communities, such as temporary settlements, this is a challenging and expensive task. Products like the SATO slab address all these issues. It is made of durable plastic that replaces a typical concrete slab to cover open pit latrines and create a better sanitation experience, making it ideal for rapid toilet construction in humanitarian settings like conflict zones, refugee camps, and natural disaster areas. SATO is committed to using human-centric design, innovative business practices and affordable solutions to improve access to safe sanitation all over the world.

To find out more about SATO's work, visit: www.sato.lixil.com

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SOURCE SATO
LAUSANNE , Switzerland , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartCardia, which recently received FDA clearance for its 7-lead real-time ECG monitoring patch and cloud platform, announced today the addition Ken Nelson to its U.S. Board of Directors to help advise the company on commercialization and overall strategy.

SmartCardia CEO, Srini Murali , noted "Ken has deep experience in the cardiac monitoring industry and an impressive track record. Over the course of his career, Ken built the commercial teams and successfully launched disruptive patch monitoring products for three of the leading players in cardiac digital health and remote patient monitoring: iRhythm, BioTelemetry and Bardy Diagnostics. He has worked with SmartCardia over the past year, and I am excited that he has now joined our team."

This addition to the SmartCardia team comes on top of the recent news that Dr. Jag Singh , Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and the former Clinical Director of the Cardiology Division and the Roman W. DeSanctis Endowed Chair in Cardiology at Mass General Hospital, has been named SmartCardia's Principal Medical Advisor.

"SmartCardia is disrupting the cardiac Digital Health and Remote Patient Monitoring space once again, with an AI enabled, 7-Lead ECG real-time cardiac monitoring system that has been launched commercially in several countries in Europe and India and is expanding globally in 2024. I am excited to be a part of this highly innovative company," noted Ken Nelson .

Ken comes with an impressive track record of success and is a leading global expert in the industry. He currently serves as partner in the Medtech Advantage Fund, which has an exclusive partnership with Medtech Innovator the largest MedTech and Digital Health startup accelerator globally, as well as being on the Health Tech Innovation Business Advisory Board for the American Heart Association. In addition, he serves as Chairman of the Board for CardiaCare, and is an active board member for HeartX, HeartBeam, Happitech, and a handful of other disruptive cardiac Digital Health and MedTech startups. Prior to all of this, he held a variety of roles in Finance, Sales and Sales Leadership at Guidant and then Boston Scientific post the acquisition of Guidant in their Cardiac Rhythm Management Division.

About SmartCardia:

SmartCardia is a leading provider of an integrated cloud platform and patch for cardiac and remote patient monitoring. Integrating accurate ECG and vital sign data with clinician cloud SaaS platform enables SmartCardia to provide actionable insights into patients' health. The solution provides excellent clinical, operational, and financial benefits to hospitals and patients globally.

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SOURCE SmartCardia
New Mexico Workers at Wine and Liquor Distributor Unite for Strong Voice on the Job

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine and liquor distribution workers at Southern Glazer's have joined Teamsters Local 492 in Albuquerque, N.M. The 45 warehouse workers, drivers, loaders, hostlers, and yard jockeys united to raise a stronger voice and address years of concerns on the job.

"We heard about the improvements other workers at the company were making by becoming Teamsters, and we wanted in," said Michael Landis , a nine-year warehouse worker at Southern Glazer's. "This campaign was all about securing our voice and making sure management listened to us."

Landis and his co-workers are seeking higher wages, improved health care benefits, entry into the Western Conference of Teamsters Pension Trust, better working conditions, and respect.

"We congratulate all the workers at Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits. Their hard work and commitment led to this victory," said Andrew L. Palmer , Secretary-Treasurer of Local 492. "We are eager to sit down with the company to negotiate a contract that addresses our new members' needs and concerns."

With the help of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference, Local 492 negotiated a card-check agreement with the company. On March 16 , the workers' union authorization cards were counted, and the company formally recognized Local 492 as the bargaining representative for the group.

"When workers come together to demand respect with a collective union voice, they protect themselves and raise standards throughout the entire industry," said Jeff Padellaro , Director of the Teamsters Brewery, Bakery, and Soft Drink Conference. "The Conference looks forward to building on this win to organize more members in the months ahead."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S. , Canada , and Puerto Rico . Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Daniel Moskowitz , (770) 262-4971

[email protected]

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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
WELLESLEY, Mass. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sun Life U.S. has expanded its Family Leave Insurance (FLI) offering to Florida , with more states on the way. Sun Life currently offers FLI in Alabama , Arkansas , Tennessee and Texas . The fully insured offering broadens workers' access to paid leave, giving more employers the option to provide a valuable benefit to their employees more easily. Sun Life has long been an advocate for paid leave, working with state programs to include a private option and supporting the recent legislative proposal from Senators Deb Fischer and Angus King to expand access to the employer paid leave tax credit. Sun Life FLI aligns with the current tax credit and will align with changes in the future.

"We believe every worker in this country should have the option to take paid leave, and no one should have to choose between their job and caring for a loved one," said David Healy , president, Group Benefits, Sun Life U.S. "While the Family and Medical Leave Act provides unpaid leave up to 12 weeks, many employees have the difficult decision of whether they can afford to take time off to address their needs. Employers in Florida can choose to offer paid family leave benefits to their employees, who will have the ability to care for a loved one when necessary and return to work less stressed, and ready to be productive."

Built on decades of industry experience and expertise on leave, absence management, and return-to-work models, Sun Life FLI fills a substantial benefits gap for employers in states without government programs. Sun Life FLI is offered as fully insured coverage, helping small and mid-size employers offer the benefit without the risk of self-funding.

"In addition to giving workers access to paid leave, FLI gives employers a powerful tool for talent recruitment and retention, as more often, workers seek out a robust benefits offering when considering jobs," said Sheila Sokolski , assistant vice president, Product and Marketing, Sun Life U.S. "We are pleased to expand this benefit in more states, which will also contribute to their economic growth."

With Sun Life FLI, employees get the benefit of Sun Life's online claims submission, and employers can track employees' leave details, supporting overall health and productivity management.

Sun Life FLI is available for quoting in Alabama , Arkansas , Florida , Tennessee and Texas on April 1 , with additional states expected to approve filing in the coming months. For more information visit https://www.sunlife.com/us/en/employers/products-and-services/family-leave-insurance/.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada , the United States , the United Kingdom , Ireland , Hong Kong , the Philippines , Japan , Indonesia , India , China , Australia , Singapore , Vietnam , Malaysia and Bermuda . As of December 31, 2023 , Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.40 trillion . For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping more than 50 million Americans access the healthcare and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs more than 8,300 people in the U.S. , including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada ( Wellesley Hills, Mass. ), except in New York , where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company ( U.S. ) ( Lansing, Mich. ). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

Media contacts

Devon Fernald

Sun Life U.S.

[email protected]

781-800-3609

Anjie Coplin

Sun Life U.S.

[email protected]

214-549-1553

Connect with Sun Life U.S.

https://www.facebook.com/SLFUnitedStates

https://www.linkedin.com/company/sun-life-financial

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DAVIS, Calif. , March 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Connectivity Standards Alliance ("Alliance") Product Security Working Group is pleased to announce the release of their IoT (Internet of Things) Device Security Specification 1.0, with the accompanying certification program, and Product Security Verified Mark. This groundbreaking initiative aims to establish a unified IoT cybersecurity standard and certification program, providing manufacturers a one-stop solution to certify their devices, enabling them to comply with multiple international regulations and standards more easily.

"The unveiling of the IoT Device Security Specification 1.0, alongside its certification program and the Product Security Verified Mark, signals an important milestone in bolstering IoT security and building confidence with consumers," said Tobin Richardson , Alliance President & CEO of the Connectivity Standards Alliance. "By bringing together diverse international regulations into a cohesive specification, the Product Security Certification Program streamlines the process, reduces redundancy, and provides manufacturers with a singular, respected avenue for certifying their devices globally."

With the increasing adoption of consumer IoT devices, there is a heightened emphasis on security due to a rise in incidents involving breaches and malicious device hijackings. The Product Security Working Group aims to meet this challenge by consolidating requirements from the three most popular IoT Cybersecurity baselines from the United States , Singapore , and Europe into a single specification and certification program. This unifying effort helps manufacturers more easily and efficiently address these regulatory regimes' requirements aiming to instill confidence in consumers and regulators.

"As consumers embrace the convenience and value of IoT devices, the Alliance is dedicated to helping to create more comprehensive protection for consumers. This initiative aims to establish a robust baseline for all consumer IoT devices," said Steve Hanna of Infineon Technologies AG and Chair of the Product Security Working Group Steering Committee. "The Alliance's Product Security Verified Mark and IoT Device Security Specification 1.0 will make it easier for manufacturers to address consumer IoT security requirements around the world."

IoT Device Security Specification 1.0 Requirements

The Product Security's IoT Device Security Specification includes dozens of specific device security provisions. IoT Device Manufacturers must demonstrate compliance with those provisions, supplying justifications and evidence to an Authorized Test Laboratory with expertise in security evaluation and experience certifying products relative to this specification.

Highlights of the specific requirements include:

Unique identity for each IoT Device

No hardcoded default passwords

Secure storage of sensitive data on the Device

Secure communications of security-relevant information

Secure software updates throughout the support period

Secure development process, including vulnerability management

Public documentation regarding security, including the support period

Nearly 200 member companies  including Amazon, Arm, Comcast, Google, Infineon Technologies AG, NXP Semiconductors, Schneider Electric, Signify ( Philips Hue and WiZ), and Silicon Labs  have collaborated, pooling related technologies, expertise, and innovations enabling the IoT Device Security Specification 1.0, the accompanying certification program, and Product Security Verified Mark to meet the diverse needs of stakeholders, including consumers, device manufacturers, and regulators. Together, these companies spearheaded the process by driving requirements and specification development and ultimately helping validate the final specification.

The Product Security Certification Program and Verified Mark

Encompassing a broad spectrum of smart home devices such as light bulbs, switches, thermostats, doorbell cameras, and more, the Product Security Certification Program establishes minimum requirements for IoT devices. By consolidating several international regulations into a single set of requirements, the Certification Program streamlines the process, helping manufacturers meet certification criteria from multiple countries or regions with a single evaluation.

The Product Security Verified Mark is confirmation a product meets the specification's security requirements, with the goal of inspiring consumer confidence. When displayed prominently on certified product packaging, store signage, and online platforms, this Verified Mark builds trust by serving as a marker for secure IoT devices. A printed URL, hyperlink, QR code, or a combination of these representations on the Product Security Verified Mark gives consumers access to more information about the device's security features.

Looking Ahead

As technology advances and new threats emerge, the Product Security Working Group remains committed to continuously enhancing the IoT Security Device Specification and the accompanying certification program. To learn more about how to be a part of the next generation of the IoT, visit here and become a Member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance.

About the Connectivity Standards Alliance

The Connectivity Standards Alliance is the foundation and future of the Internet of Things (IoT). Established in 2002, its wide-ranging global membership collaborates to create and evolve universal open standards for the products transforming the way we live, work, and play. With its Members' deep and diverse expertise, robust certification programs, and a full suite of open IoT solutions the Alliance is leading the movement toward a more intuitive, imaginative, and useful world.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance Board of Directors is comprised of executives from Allegion, Amazon, Apple, ASSA ABLOY, Comcast, Espressif, Eve by ABB, Fortune Brands, Google, Haier, Huawei, IKEA, Infineon Technologies AG, The Kroger Co., LEEDARSON, Legrand, LG Electronics, Lutron Electronics, Midea, Nordic Semiconductor, NXP Semiconductors, OPPO, Resideo Technologies, Samsung Electronics, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Signify ( Philips Hue and WiZ), Silicon Labs, Somfy, STMicroelectronics, Tuya, Verizon, and Wulian.

Learn more about the Alliance at www.csa-iot.org; and follow us on: X Facebook LinkedIn.

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SOURCE Connectivity Standards Alliance
CHESTER, Conn. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Energea, the leading renewable energy investment platform in the U.S. , has expanded its Solarize South Africa portfolio with three new projects. These additions align closely with Energea's mission to accelerate the global transition to clean energy. South Africa's power sector, characterized by its high carbon intensity (over 708 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour, nearly double the global average), ranks among the world's most polluting and least reliable energy grids. Consequently, every megawatt-hour generated in South Africa by solar energy contributes energy to an extremely challenged utility grid but also provides an alternative for aging coal plants.

The Solarize South Africa portfolio, backed by over 2,000 investors, has achieved a 10% Internal Rate of Return (IRR) since its inception in July 2021 . This portfolio and other niche energy transition strategies are accessible to U.S. investors through Energea's platform and are regulated by the SEC.

CPOA Constantia Place

The CPOA Constantia Place project features a 144 kW (DC) rooftop solar at Southern Cross Drive , Constantia, Cape Town . This project will be connected "behind the meter" at the CPOA Constantia Place facility, replacing part of their energy consumption with a solar array owned by Energea's investors. A reduction of 2.86K tons of carbon emissions is anticipated through its 20-year assumed lifetime.

Laerskool Havinga

Laerskool Havinga hosts a 100 kW (DC) rooftop solar installation with battery backup, ensuring the school will still have power even when the grid is shut down on a daily basis as part of the country's "load shedding" crisis. Located at 29 General Pienaar Ave , Witpoortje, this project underscores Energea's belief that well-heeled educational institutions are desirable customers.

Bosmansdam High School

The project at Bosmansdam High School features a 77.76 kW (DC) rooftop solar installation with battery backup. With a legacy of excellence since its inception in 1971, Bosmansdam is a private school in Cape Town with a history of managing expenses.

A Sustainable Path Forward

These projects mark an important step in Energea's commitment to making renewable energy more accessible in South Africa . Through our solar installations, Energea's investors contribute to building additional clean infrastructure in a country that needs it most.

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SOURCE Energea
Enhances Speed and Performance for Advanced Technology Applications

CHICAGO and MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- UScellular and Rockwell Automation have joined together to build the Connected Enterprise Lab at Rockwell Automations' Mayfield Heights , Ohio location. This collaboration delivers the latest private cellular network technology allowing Rockwell Automation customers to interact and experiment with a 5G network in an innovative digital lab experience.

5G Private Cellular Network Enhances Speed and Performance for Advanced Technology Applications

This digital transformation initiative between UScellular and Rockwell Automation will demonstrate leadership within OT environments through the integration of advanced wireless operations as this new technology is integrated into existing network architectures, providing highly available control systems. The placement of UScellular's 5G technology will enable expanding sales opportunities as they move from a more historical public service provider to working with private major global manufacturing companies.

"The future of Industry 4.0 and supply chain management will increasingly involve digital technologies and solutions designed to transform the manufacturing industry by providing an integrated experience between public and private cellular networks," said Kim Kerr , senior vice president, enterprise sales and operations for UScellular.

With the growing need for high-speed data networks, advanced cellular 4G and 5G capabilities from private cellular networks can be designed for specific use cases. With a combination of 5G cellular and wireline gigabit designs, customers will experience the benefits of both technologies based on their unique needs. These Industry 4.0 hybrid networks improve operational performance and deliver a rapid return on investment.

This technology collaboration will seamlessly drive the operations on the plant or manufacturing floor and allow communication, monitoring, and control of complex automated processes such as conveyors, temperature control, robot cells, and many other industrial machines.

"UScellular and their private cellular network expertise will help Rockwell Automation in our journey to deliver the latest in advanced networking technology to our customers," said Dan DeYoung , Global Vice President Product Management and PMO, Rockwell Automation. "Together, we're not just addressing current market needs but delivering a best-of-both-worlds technology landscape that will shape the future of Industrial & IoT Networking."

With the private cellular network, Rockwell will simulate real-world settings and work with leading edge customers in the lab to prove out these advanced technologies using low-latency, 5G data speeds. Initial use cases focus on Industry 4.0 manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and the Internet of Things (IoT). This includes connecting manufacturing facilities with sensors, machine learning, artificial intelligence, AR/VR and autonomous robotics.

About UScellular Business

UScellular is the fourth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States , providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago -based carrier provides a strong, reliable network supported by the latest technology and plays a critical role in helping businesses of all sizes navigate the wireless ecosystem, delivering advanced technology, increased network security and reliability. To learn more about UScellular's business solutions, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com/business.

Contact: Chris Bauer , UScellular Media Relations, [email protected]

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SOURCE UScellular
Churman will lead Woolpert's operational execution and advance its strategic plan.

PITTSBURGH , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Neil Churman has been promoted to president of Woolpert. As president, Churman will oversee the company's four major business sectors and ensure acquisitions are integrated optimally with these sectors. Churman takes over as president from Scott Cattran , who remains the company's board chair and chief executive officer. Churman previously served as chief corporate development officer, leading the identification, execution, and integration of Woolpert's acquisition strategy.

"Neil has done an outstanding job bringing new companies to Woolpert that complement our organic growth strategy and fit our company culture," Cattran said. "Having Neil oversee the sectors, which are strengthened by these acquisitions, provides the optimal company structure to ensure success for our hard-working employees and new employees who come to Woolpert."

Churman said a continued focus on people is among his top priorities. Last year, Woolpert earned its seventh Great Place to Work certification.

"My primary mission is to ensure that we continue to advance a balanced strategy, which leads with creating a great place to work for our employees, while building on our culture of high performance and industry leadership," Churman said. "This means continuing to evolve strategically and sustainably, continuing to exceed our clients' expectations, and building a supportive culture where employees can achieve their personal development goals while advancing those of the firm."

Prior to Woolpert, Churman's experience focused on strategic growth in the architecture, engineering, and geospatial industries, including roles at TRC Companies, 7 Mile Advisors, Morrissey Goodale , and Michael Baker International. He earned an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor's degree in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Cattran lauded Churman for his ability to drive growth, see the big picture, and create a strong and unified company culture.

"Neil has a deep understanding of what we have been working to accomplish, and his commitment to Woolpert's long-term strategic plan has been key to the breadth and success of our growth in recent years," Cattran said. "His expertise and vision will figure prominently in Woolpert becoming the premier global AEG firm as we complete our current strategic plan and look forward to our next under Neil's leadership."

About Woolpert

Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG), and strategic consulting firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private, and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is a Global Top 100 Geospatial Company, a Top 100 ENR Global Design firm, has earned seven Great Place to Work certifications, and actively nurtures a culture of growth, inclusion, diversity, and respect. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio , Woolpert has been America's fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. Woolpert has over 2,000 employees and more than 60 offices on five continents. For more, visit woolpert.com.

Media contact: Lynn Rossi ; 312-837-2017, [email protected]

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SOURCE Woolpert
Former US President Donald Trump, who may be re-elected for another term, has hinted at the possible deportation of British Prince Harry from the country if he becomes the head of state. The reason was the Duke of Sussex's revelations about his past addiction to illegal substances.

ADVERTISIMENT

In 2020, Harry and his wife Meghan Markle abdicated their royal duties and moved to California. The Duke's chosen one is an American, and he had to get a visa to legally work and live in the United States. Filling out the paperwork, the prince might not have mentioned the drug addiction he had overcome, the Daily Mail quoted Trump as saying.

In his memoirs The Spare, the Duke admitted that he used cocaine, cannabis, and psychedelic mushrooms. If he mentioned this in the application form, then the issuance of a visa would indicate "special privileges" to the British by the Joe Biden administration, Trump said.

If Harry hid period of his biography, his visa could be revoked for perjury. Whatever the case, the situation for the prince looks equally sad if the former US president is elected.

ADVERTISIMENT

The journalists explained that anyone applying for a visa to live and work in America must answer "yes" or "no" to the question, "Are you or have you ever been a drug addict or dependent on drugs?"

"We'll see if they know anything about drugs, and if he lied, we'll have to take appropriate actions," Trump said in the interview.

It should be noted that this is not the first time he has expressed his prejudice against the British. Less than a month ago, Joe Biden's opponent publicly condemned Harry for "betraying" the Queen. That's how he described the Duke's decision to abdicate his royal duties.

Trump summarized that if he wins the election in November, Harry will be "on his own" because the American presidential candidate "will not defend him."

ADVERTISIMENT

The issue of making Prince Harry's immigration documents public is currently being resolved. This process is still being delayed until April, but public attention is already focused on the data that the Briton reported when trying to get an American visa.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Manufacturing Workers in Massachusetts Gain Union Protections

ABINGTON, Mass. , March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Workers at Precast Specialties, who manufacture precast concrete utility products for construction, have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 653.

"Teamsters Joint Council 10 and Teamsters Local 653 made sure issues facing workers at Precast Specialties were addressed and that the workers were ready to form their union," said Mike Clark , Secretary-Treasurer of Local 653. "With the leadership of Joint Council 10 Secretary-Treasurer Tom Mari and hard work of Teamsters Organizer Bernardo Vicente , our new members are proudly part of a strong, historic union that will fight for them at all costs."

"These workers manufacture items that are used in buildings and landmarks throughout the country, and they deserve premier representation on the job," Mari said. "Our entire union is proud to call our new members Teamsters and we are eager to work on and secure a fair first contract for this bargaining unit."

The new unit includes a variety of crafts, including carpentry, maintenance, quality control, batching, production, and loading.

"This year, we were not given our annual bonus and received no cost-of-living adjustments," said Ryan Kirkpatrick , a carpenter at Precast Specialties. "It became clear to us that we needed guaranteed job protections and felt vulnerable without a union contract. Now, we are proud Teamsters."

Teamsters Local 653 represents 2,700 of workers throughout Southeastern Massachusetts . For more information, visit TeamstersLocal653.org.

Contact:

Matt McQuaid, (202) 624-6877

[email protected]

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SOURCE Teamsters Local 653
By Marianna Parraga

HOUSTON (Reuters) -Argentina could inaugurate its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in four years if economic and energy reforms proposed by President Javier Milei are passed by congress soon, the CEO of producer Tecpetrol said on Tuesday.

The South American country is going through a difficult economic situation but the reforms would make it more attractive for energy investment and remove fiscal imbalances, said Tecpetrol CEO Ricardo Markous at the CERAWeek by S&P conference in Houston.

Argentina's Senate last week rejected Milei's wide-ranging economic reforms decree, a blow to the libertarian leader's austerity agenda. That plan included removing energy subsidies to help address a balance of payments deficit mainly caused by energy imports, including gas from Bolivia and LNG cargoes.

If Milei's reforms are approved, Argentina could see a surplus in its energy trade balance this year, Markous said.

Argentina has already trimmed LNG import plans in a step towards reducing the deficit. Building the infrastructure needed to export Argentina's natural gas as LNG should be the long-term solution, said the CEO of Tecpetrol, which controls about 15% of the country's shale gas output.

Argentina's Vaca Muerta, a formation that rivals the U.S. Permian Basin, holds the world's second-largest shale gas reserves and could become a key global supplier of gas if it speeds up projects planned for exporting LNG.

At least two large projects to produce and export LNG in Argentina are under discussion: one involving Malaysia's Petronas to build floating LNG plants, and another by Tecpetrol that could include modular onshore facilities.

"The politicians (in Argentina) are realizing that the best way to monetize the gas reserves is through LNG," Markous said.

As the country resolves gas transportation bottlenecks and output increases, imports from Bolivia may no longer be necessary from October, Markous said. Bolivia has not fully paid producers there for gas previously supplied to Argentina, he said.

DRAFTING PROJECTS

Energy executives have said Milei's reforms, which Markous said he expects to pass this year, are needed to secure fair export prices and higher investment returns. They said a special bill for mega projects included in the package would establish the fiscal conditions for LNG developments, and for privately-financed energy projects.

Tecpetrol could advance natural gas liquids and gas pipeline projects if the bill is approved, Markous said.

Markous said some shale gas plays in Argentina are faster and cheaper to produce than some U.S. regions, but a further reduction in production costs is needed.

Oil output could reach 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in coming years from about 700,000 bpd last year, Markous added.

A gap between domestic fuel prices and international prices has narrowed this year, but needs to be removed to encourage competition, he said.

(Reporting by Mariana ParragaEditing by Simon Webb and Marguerita Choy)
By Daniel Ramos

LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivian police have carried out the second-largest drug bust in the country's history, seizing more than 7.2 tons of cocaine destined for Belgium with a street value of nearly half a billion U.S. dollars, the interior minister said.

The operation was carried out in Bolivia's highland region of Pisiga, on the border with Chile. The drugs were hidden in two trucks transporting scrap iron for export to Europe through Chilean ports on the Pacific.

"If we take into account the price of these controlled substances in the country of destination, we're talking about an impact on drug trafficking of more than $451 million," Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo said at a press conference on Monday.

Del Castillo reported that the seller of the drugs had fled the country to the United States, which he blamed on information being leaked from the prosecutor's office to the media.

In January, Bolivian police carried out the country's biggest anti-drug operation by seizing more than 8 tons of cocaine, also on the border with Chile.

Bolivia is one of the world's top producers of coca, the raw ingredient used to make cocaine. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has noted a significant rise in shipments of the drug from the "Southern Cone" of South America, often to Europe.

(Reporting by Daniel Ramos; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Ros Russell)
FILE PHOTO: A Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) logo is seen on Bay Street in the heart of the financial district in Toronto, January 22, 2015. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File Photo

By Nivedita Balu

TORONTO (Reuters) -Some of Canada's biggest banks have for the first time said their green financing efforts may not necessarily curtail emissions growth, after years of pressure from activists to improve transparency in their climate goals.

Canadian banks, said to be one of the biggest fossil fuel financiers globally, have drawn criticism from climate activists and investors over using sustainability-linked financing (SLF) merely for the pretence of a lower carbon footprint rather than take meaningful steps in that direction.

In their latest annual climate reports released during the past week, many Canadian banks have pledged billions of dollars in sustainable financing to decarbonize high-emitting sectors, while highlighting major challenges to meeting their goals.

"The question for regulators will be whether it's enough for the banks to insert these brief disclaimers deep in their ESG reporting or whether they need to do a better job telling their investors and the public that these huge financial numbers they promote as green aren't necessarily adding up to emissions reductions at all," said Matt Price, executive director of Investors for Paris Compliance.

In January, the group urged securities regulators to investigate major Canadian banks on their climate-related claims and alleged misleading disclosures.

The complaint gave climate activists more fuel in their fight, which is part of a broader international push for accountability on corporate climate pledges.

Price said the latest revelations were not enough to obviate an investigation.

Canada is the world's fourth-biggest oil producer, and its energy sector contributes about 5% to the country's GDP. Despite the influence of the oil sector, the federal government has set out aggressive emissions goals that include pushing companies to cut emissions up to 38% from 2019 levels by 2030.

Bank of Nova Scotia has given C$132 billion ($97 billion) since 2018 toward its target of C$350 billion in climate-related finance by 2030, but said that climate-related projects "may  or may not  lead to reductions in overall emissions."

The bank's chief sustainability and communications officer, Meigan Terry, said it aims "to be transparent and support a clear understanding" about its climate-related financing target.

Scotiabank's climate-related finance framework, released last year, includes broader categories such as biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and circular economy, which are not necessarily measured in emissions reductions.

CIBC said "sustainable financing may involve eligible green activities... but do not necessarily curtail the growth of their absolute emissions."

TD said the greenhouse gas emissions impact of its business activities cannot be "reliably measured at this time."

Royal Bank of Canada, Canada's No. 1 bank, said that the target of limiting global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels would be a key challenge and that just 2% of its clients have plans aligned with that goal.

The bank's plans this year include tripling lending for renewable energy projects to $15 billion and boosting low-carbon energy lending to $35 billion by 2030.

In a recent report, think tank InfluenceMap said between 2020 and 2022 the big five Canadian banks steadily increased their fossil fuel financing exposure to an average of 18.4% in 2022 from 15.5% in 2020. That compares with an average of 6.1% for leading U.S. banks and 8.7% for European banks across the same period.

Several global banks have committed to "net-zero financed emissions" by 2050 but have drawn doubts from many investors, due to concerns over the lack of a defined goal.

Regulators in the Americas and Europe have increasingly been worried about greenwashing, in which companies exaggerate their environmental credentials.

($1 = 1.3578 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto, Editing by Nick Zieminski and Gerry Doyle)
Pallbearers carry the casket of late former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, ahead of his Montreal funeral, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 19, 2024. REUTERS/Blair Gable/Pool

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadians shrugged off the cold and light snow in Ottawa on Tuesday as they lined up to pay respects to former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who died on February 29 at the age of 84.

His wife Mila and the couple's four children watched as eight Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers in bright red ceremonial uniforms carried the coffin into a government building opposite Parliament.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, dressed in a black suit, later stood in silent tribute to a man he had praised as "one of the lions of Canadian politics". He crossed himself and tapped the coffin before signing the book of remembrance.

Mulroney will lie in state until 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT) on Wednesday, when his body is due to be transported to Montreal for a state funeral on Saturday.

A corporate lawyer turned businessman, Mulroney led the center-right Progressive Conservatives to a historic win in 1984 and served for almost nine years as prime minister.

Highlights of his tenure included a free trade deal with the United States and the introduction of a goods and services tax, which although unpopular helped fix the government's finances.

"He loved this country with his whole heart, and he knew we were capable of great things," Trudeau told legislators on Monday during a special session to pay tribute.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Nia Williams)
FILE PHOTO: The last complete image of asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, taken by the DRACO imager on NASA's DART mission 12 kilometers from the asteroid and 2 seconds before impact, showing a patch of the asteroid that is 31 meters across, released September 2

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - When NASA sent its DART spacecraft to slam into the asteroid Dimorphos in 2022, the U.S. space agency demonstrated that it was possible to change a celestial object's trajectory, if needed, to protect Earth. It turns out that this collision changed not only the asteroid's path but its shape as well.

The asteroid, which before the DART encounter looked like a ball that was a bit plump in the waist, now appears to be shaped more like a watermelon - or, technically, a triaxial ellipsoid, scientists said on Tuesday.

"The prevailing understanding is that Dimorphos is a loosely packed agglomeration of debris ranging from dust to gravel to boulders. Thus, its global strength is quite low, allowing deformation much more easily than for a solid monolithic body," said Steve Chesley, a senior research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California and a co-author of the study published in the Planetary Science Journal.

"The shape change was so dramatic because of its rubble-pile composition," said JPL navigation engineer and study lead author Shantanu Naidu. "By measuring the pre- and post-impact orbit of Dimorphos, we were able to deduce the change in the shape of Dimorphos due to the DART impact."

Dimorphos is a moonlet of Didymos, which is defined as a near-Earth asteroid. The DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) mission was a proof-of-principle mission using a spacecraft to apply kinetic force to nudge a celestial object that otherwise might be on a collision course with Earth. Dimorphos and Didymos do not pose an actual threat to Earth.

The spacecraft collided on Sept. 26, 2022, at about 14,000 miles per hour (22,530 kph) into Dimorphos, an asteroid that was about 560 feet (170 meters) wide, roughly 6.8 million miles (11 million km) from Earth. Didymos has a diameter of about a half mile (780 meters).

DART's collision, which sent rocky debris from the asteroid flying into space, also changed the orbital path that Dimorphos takes around Didymos - making it elliptical instead of circular - and its orbital period, the time it takes to complete a single orbit, the scientists said. It now takes Dimorphos 11 hours, 22 minutes and 3 seconds to complete an orbit, 33 minutes and 15 seconds less than before the impact, they found.

Scientists had previously disclosed that the asteroid's orbit had changed, with the new study offering the most precise readings yet on that.

Chesley said the asteroid's orbital period continued to decay slowly in the weeks after the impact.

"We believe that this is due to the fact that loose debris in the system continues to leak out and carries angular momentum with it, thus necessarily contracting the orbit," Chesley added. Angular momentum refers to how much a rotating object's mass is distributed around its axis and how quickly it is spinning.

Dimorphos' average orbital distance from Didymos is now about 3,780 feet (1,152 meters), roughly 120 feet (37 meters) less than before the impact, the study found.

The researchers based their conclusions on the shape and orbit of Dimorphos on observations from ground-based telescopes of how sunlight reflecting off the surfaces of the two asteroids changed over time, data from radio waves bouncing off the asteroids and images DART obtained during its rendezvous.

More information is expected in the near future about the two asteroids. The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft is due to launch in October and reach them in late 2026 to check things out.

"We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of ESA's Hera spacecraft, when we will be able to compare our modeled shape with that obtained from Hera imagery. We will also learn how much the orbit has changed since we last observed it in 2023," Chesley said.

(Reporting by Will Dunham, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
FILE PHOTO: A smartphone with a displayed NVIDIA logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

(Reuters) - Nvidia unveiled its next big AI chip along with several partnerships and software tools at its annual developer conference this week, seeking to maintain its lead in the race to power the artificial intelligence boom.

Here are the key takeaways from the event:

BLACKWELL CHIPS

The B200 "Blackwell" AI chip is 30 times faster than its predecessor, the Hopper series, at tasks including helping chatbots such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini deliver answers.

The chip can run large language models while using 25 times less energy and money than the highly popular Hopper series that helped turn Nvidia into a $2 trillion company.

The new processor combines two squares of silicon the size of the company's previous offering.

The chips are expected to hit the market later in 2024, according to CFO Colette Kress.

Nvidia is working with contract chip manufacturer TSMC to avoid holdups in packaging chips, CEO Jensen Huang said.

Huang said in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that the new chip will be priced between $30,000 and $40,000.

SOFTWARE TOOLS

The company unveiled new software tools aimed at making it easier for businesses to incorporate AI systems into their work.

The tools include cloud-based Nvidia Inference Microservices (NIM), which businesses can use to create and deploy custom applications on their own platforms while retaining full ownership and control of their intellectual property.

PARTNERSHIPS

Nvidia and Oracle said they had expanded their collaboration to help government and enterprises run "AI factories" on local cloud services.

The chip designer also said engineering and chip software makers Ansys, Cadence and Synopsys will use processors based on the Blackwell platform to boost their software for designing and simulation.

DRIVE AUTO CHIPS

The company also deepened its already-extensive relationships with Chinese automakers, saying electric vehicle maker BYD will use its next generation of in-vehicle chips, called Drive Thor.

Xpeng and GAC Aion's Hyper brand are also among several automakers and autonomous truck developers that announced expanded collaborations with Nvidia at the conference.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows the Eiffel Tower, the Seine River and the Paris skyline, France, June 19, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File Photo

PARIS (Reuters) - France's defence ministry on Tuesday called remarks made by the chief of Russia's foreign intelligence service disinformation and irresponsible after he suggested Paris was preparing to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine.

"The manoeuvre orchestrated by Sergei Naryshkin, Director of Russian Foreign Intelligence, once again illustrates Russia's systematic use of disinformation," the defence ministry said in a statement. "We consider this type of provocation irresponsible."

Naryshkin was quoted by TASS news agency saying France was preparing to send some 2,000 troops to Ukraine and that French troops would be a legitimate target for Russian forces if they "ever come to the territory of the Russian world with a sword".

Franco-Russian relations have deteriorated further in recent weeks as Paris has increased its support to Ukraine, including signing a bilateral long-term security accord and promising to send more long-range cruise missiles.

President Emmanuel Macron has also adopted a tougher position on Russia, vowing that Moscow must be defeated.

He has not ruled out that European troops may one day have to go to Ukraine, although has made clear that France has no intention of instigating hostilities against Russia.

Paris has accused Russia of habitually spreading false information. In January it dismissed any notion that Paris had mercenaries in Ukraine a day after Russian lawmakers adopted a resolution condemning French mercenaries there.

(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Tassilo Hummel and Ros Russell)
(Reuters) - German prosecutors have charged an officer in the military procurement agency with attempting to pass secret information to Russian intelligence, the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement on Tuesday.

The German national, whom the prosecutor's office identified only as Thomas H., has been in custody since August.

He is accused of repeatedly approaching Russia's consulate in Bonn and embassy in Berlin from May last year on his own initiative to offer his cooperation.

Germany, one of the largest providers of military hardware to Ukraine, is a major target of Russian spying operations, which have grown in scale since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, authorities have warned.

On one occasion, Thomas H. handed over information obtained during the course of his work with the intention that it be passed to a Russian intelligence service, the federal prosecutor's office said.

He was arrested in Koblenz, the procurement agency's seat in western Germany, and his home and workplace were searched.

The nature of the information he attempted to pass to Moscow was not specified.

(Reporting by Matthias Williams; Editing by Nick Macfie)
By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila

ACCRA (Reuters) - Ghana's anti-LGBTQ bill passed by parliament in February should not be transmitted to President Akufo-Addo for assent until two legal challenges against it are settled, a senior presidency official said in a letter seen by Reuters.

Lawmakers unanimously passed legislation that would intensify a crackdown on the rights of LGBTQ people and those accused of promoting lesbian, gay or other minority sexual or gender identities in the West African country.

The bill could jeopardise $3.8 billion in World Bank financing for Ghana over the next five to six years if it becomes law, derailing a $3 billion IMF loan package, according to the finance ministry.

Nana Asante Bediatuo, Secretary to the President, said in the letter dated March 18 and addressed to the Clerk of the West African nation's parliament that it was "improper" for the president's office to receive the bill as required by law until the supreme court rules on challenges against it.

The letter was issued after the Clerk tried to formally submit the bill to the president, which would set off a seven-day period for him to approve or reject it.

Bediatuo said Ghana's Attorney General and Minister of Justice has also advised the President not to act on the bill, one of the harshest of its kind in Africa.

"In the circumstances, you are kindly requested to cease from transmitting the bill to the president until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved," read the letter, confirmed by two sources in parliament.

Gay sex is already punishable by up to three years in prison in Ghana. The bill increases penalties, imposing a prison sentence of up to five years for the "wilful promotion, sponsorship, or support of LGBTQ+ activities".

The bill's passage has already complicated life for sexual minorities, according to the LGBTQ community. Ghanaian trans woman and activist Angel Maxine told Reuters she fled to the German capital Berlin before parliament passed the bill and now fears for the safety of her friends still in Ghana.

The United States has said it is "deeply troubled" by the legislation and urged a review of its constitutionality.

Speaking in Ghana on Monday, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said Ghana would be more successful if it was more inclusive. "You want Ghana to flourish, make it so that everybody can contribute to the fullest," she told reporters when asked about the legislation.

(Reporting by Maxwell Akalaare Adombila; Editing by Bate Felix)
First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska spoke at the Creative Ukraine forum, this year's theme of which is Rethinking. Culture. The wife of the Ukrainian guarantor once again chose an eloquent image for an important event.

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Recently, the first lady has rarely chosen light outfits, preferring the dark, deep palette of her suits. This time, however, she decided to play on the theme of culture in a full-scale terrorist war with her image, wearing a milky jacket with dark embroidery. The photos were posted on Olena's Telegram channel.

A floral print embroidered with dark threads blossomed against the light background of the dense fabric of the jacket. Very often Zelenska wears eloquent luxurious brooches, but this time it was embroidery that took the place of the collar near the heart.

ADVERTISIMENT

The style of the light-colored jacket successfully emphasized the first lady's silhouette. She wore black wide-leg trousers underneath and put on classic black shoes with low heels.

Neat, light waves with a parting to one side is Zelenska's traditional style, which she did not change this time. The trendy accent earrings with silver plating were a good addition.

Zelenska said important words from the stage of the forum: "We do not want only weapons to speak on our behalf. Ukraine has to defend itself and is defending itself, but we should not be associated in the world only with the war, because we did not unleash it. We want to speak with the voice of creativity, to be associated with a powerful culture and humanistic values, for which we are fighting now."

ADVERTISIMENT

As OBOZ.UA wrote, earlier Olena Zelenska welcomed her colleague, the first gentleman of Denmark, Bo Tengberg, the husband of the current Danish president, Mette Frederiksen, to Kyiv. For the meeting, the wife of the Ukrainian guarantor once again chose a symbolic piece of jewelry. This time it was a rare vintage brooch in the form of a flower bud in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
FILE PHOTO: Representations of cryptocurrency Bitcoin are seen in this illustration picture taken in Paris, France, March 9, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Illustration/File Photo

By Suzanne McGee

(Reuters) -A selloff in bitcoin continued on Tuesday, accompanied by record outflows from Grayscales Bitcoin Trust, accelerating the asset losses by the fund since it converted into an exchange traded fund this year.

Grayscales ETF notched a daily record of $642.5 million in outflows on Monday, according to data from BitMEX Research, when bitcoin tumbled about 4%. The cryptocurrency was down another 2% by mid-afternoon Tuesday, bouncing off session lows. Data for Tuesday's flows will be available Wednesday morning.

Investors have been unloading holdings in the Grayscale fund since it converted into an ETF Jan. 10. Meanwhile, money has flowed into the nine new spot bitcoin ETFs approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on the same date.

Monday's outflows from the Grayscale ETF brought the total to roughly $12 billion since Jan. 10, though the 52% gain in bitcoin's price has helped counterbalance some of those losses. The funds assets now stand at $27.2 billion, compared to $29 billion on the first day of trading in the new ETFs.

"As the largest and currently the most expensive bitcoin ETF, profit taking and redemptions are understandable," said Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi, a market analysis firm.

In a statement, Grayscale said the firm anticipated that shareholders would harvest gains, engage in arbitrage and liquidate shares to repay creditors, and that this would result in outflows.

Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein told CNBC the firm will cut fees on its fund "over time." The current 1.5% fee is significantly higher than those levied by the nine other ETF providers. Their fees top out at around 0.25% although temporary waivers often bring them down to zero.

Most other bitcoin funds saw muted inflows or little net change in their assets. The lack of fresh buying, combined with the Grayscale outflows, made Monday the lowest single day for bitcoin ETF flows since late January.

"Money isnt going to pour into these ETFs day after day," said Rosenbluth. "It's reasonable that people take profits after strong runs."

(Reporting by Suzanne McGee; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili, William Maclean and David Gregorio)
By Nora Buli

OSLO (Reuters) - Norwegian state-owned utility Statkraft, which has quietly become Europe's largest renewable energy producer, faces the challenge under its new CEO of balancing ambitions for global growth with financial restraint and calls to go public.

On Monday, Statkraft's board announced Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal, its head of Nordic operations, would take on the top job from April 1.

The unlisted company she will head had a market value of 388 billion crowns ($36 billion) at the end of last year, according to the company's calculations based on standard market metrics.

That makes it Norway's second-biggest company. Only oil major Equinor, with a market capitalisation of 843 billion crowns, according to LSEG data, is bigger.

Ringstad Vartdal's takes charge after a fall in energy prices lowered profits that had reached record highs, and as the expansion of renewable output has encountered obstacles, including supply chain problems and political resistance to efforts to tackle climate change.

She told Reuters she would continue the company's "solid strategy" to develop more hydropower, wind and solar.

Statkraft "has an important mandate to develop more renewable energy," she said, saying more was needed in Norway and in the rest of the world.

The company has a goal to develop by 2025 2.5-3 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity, including battery storage annually, rising to 4 GW in 2030.

Its predominantly renewables-based power plant portfolio at the end of 2023 had capacity of 20.7 GW, of which 13.3 GW was in Norway.

Statkraft dates back to 1895, when Norway began harnessing its hydropower resources, making it prosperous long before the country found oil and gas in the late 1960s.

Since 1992, Statkraft has operated in its current form and its renewable capacity is still dominated by hydropower. It has, however, increased its presence in other markets and expanded into wind and solar power.

Ringstad Vartdal succeeds Christian Rynning-Toennesen, who oversaw Statkraft's expansion abroad during his 14 years in charge. He announced he would step down last year, and while not seeking another CEO role, said he did not plan to retire.

Under his leadership, Statkraft's reach has grown to India and South America. Brazil, Chile and Peru rank as core markets alongside Norway.

Rynning-Toennesen told Reuters a highlight for him was the purchase of UK-based Solarcentury for 117.7 million pounds ($149.41 million) in 2020, which made Statkraft a major solar developer overnight.

"We also earned the whole investment back in one and a half years by selling off projects that were under development when we acquired the company," he said.

In another standout deal, Statkraft bought Spanish renewable energy company Enerfin for 1.8 billion euros ($1.95 billion), strengthening its position in Spain and Brazil, while planning to sell assets in non-core markets.

The pressure to streamline the portfolio has intensified after a faster than expected fall in energy prices that hit record highs in 2022 as a result of the disruption caused by Russia's war on Ukraine.

BRAZIL, INDIA AND BEYOND

The likelihood is that any expansion will be outside Norway, where the obvious opportunities have largely been taken.

In January, it announced it was investing in Norway, but that mostly covers upgrades to existing facilities. The bulk of the new capacity in its 400 projects worldwide is outside its homebase.

Ringstad Vartdal told Reuters the focus abroad is on building at scale, which should improve profitability, aided by a drop in the cost of solar power and an expectation that wind power costs will also retreat.

Brazil, where Statkraft is among the top onshore wind developers, is a particular focus.

Together with India, another market Statkraft is committed to, it has a growing population and economy as well as a substantial supply chain to serve the renewable industry.

"There is also the aspect of that if you want to succeed with the Paris climate agreement, both India and Brazil are completely instrumental for succeeding with the energy transition," Ingeborg Daarflot, who oversees Statkraft's international business, said.

POSSIBLE BREAK-UP

As the company's focus becomes more international, in Norway politicians are among those calling for a possible break-up.

"This company is so big and so valuable that how we navigate for the future, maybe we need to look at other options than what we have seen in the past," said Nikolai Astrup, a lawmaker for the opposition Conservatives who heads up its energy policy.

Opinion polls have put the Conservatives in the lead ahead of elections scheduled for 18 months' time.

Astrup's proposal would see domestic hydropower resources retained under full state ownership, while all other business would be open to outside investors and eventually listed.

Norway's industry ministry opposes the idea, however, saying the returns from Statkraft's Norwegian hydropower resources are essential to funding domestic and international growth.

"Today's model, where there is a high dividend share from the Norwegian hydropower business and a relatively low dividend share from the rest of the business, takes care of this in a good way," Deputy Economy Minister Tore O. Sandvik told Reuters.

($1 = 10.6862 Norwegian crowns)

($1 = 0.7878 pounds)

($1 = 0.9209 euros)

(Reporting by Nora Buli in Oslo, editing by Gwladys Fouche and Barbara Lewis)
By Anita Komuves

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's new sovereignty law could have "a chilling effect" on free and democratic debate in the country, a panel of constitutional law experts from the Council of Europe, a human rights watchdog, said on Tuesday.

Hungary's parliament passed a law in December which the ruling right-wing Fidesz party said would prevent undue interference in national politics by foreign persons or groups.

The new law set up an authority, the Sovereignty Protection Office, to explore and monitor risks of political interference. The law punishes banned foreign financing for parties or groups running for election with up to three years in prison.

The Council of Europe panel, known as the Venice Commission, said the Sovereignty Protection Office could not be considered independent and this could lead to arbitrary and politically motivated applications of the law.

"There is thus a high risk that the establishment and activities of the Office will have a chilling effect on the free and democratic debate in Hungary," it said in a statement.

It could "interfere with the privacy of any legal or natural entity and engage in naming and shaming of this entity without being subject to any control and without any review mechanism," the panel said.

The new law comes as nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has clashed repeatedly with the European Union over democratic rights in Hungary, steps up his Fidesz party's campaigning ahead of European Parliament elections in June.

Last month, the European Commission said Hungary's new legislation violated EU laws on democracy and equal rights of EU citizens, and that it would open an infringement procedure. U.S. officials have also criticised the legislation.

In comments which could herald a further clampdown on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Hungary, Tamas Lanczi, the head of the new authority and a close ally of Orban, called on Sunday for a tightening of legislation on donations to NGOs.

(Reporting by Anita Komuves; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Palestinian woman Wafaa Tabasi holds her twin malnourished daughter Sameera, At al-Awda health centre in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, March 12, 2024. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

By Mohammad Salem and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber

GAZA/GENEVA (Reuters) - Six-year-old Fadi al-Zant is acutely malnourished, his ribs protruding under leathery skin, his eyes sunken as he lays in bed at the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, where famine is bearing down.

Fadi's spindly legs can no longer support him enough to walk.

Photographs of Fadi from before the war show a smiling, healthy-looking child, standing in blue denims next to his taller twin with his hair brushed. A short video clip shows him dancing at a wedding with a little girl.

Fadi suffers from cystic fibrosis. Before the conflict, he was taking medicine that his family can no longer find and eating a carefully balanced variety of food no longer available in the Palestinian enclave, according to his mother Shimaa al-Zant.

"His condition is getting worse. He is getting weaker. He keeps losing his ability to do things," she said in a video obtained by Reuters from a freelancer. "He can no longer stand. When I help him stand up, he falls straight away."

More than five months into Israel's ground and air campaign, launched in response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack, there are widespread shortages of food, medicines and clean water in Gaza, doctors and aid agencies say.

The Kamal Adwan hospital, caring for Fadi, had also treated most of the 27 children the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza says have died of malnutrition and dehydration in recent weeks.

Others died in Gaza City's al-Shifa Hospital, also in the north, the ministry said, and in the southernmost city of Rafah, where the U.N. relief agency says over 1 million Palestinians have sought refuge from Israel's offensive.

Reuters saw 10 badly malnourished children during a visit last week to the al-Awda health centre in Rafah, arranged with nursing staff who gave the news agency unimpeded access to the ward. Reuters was not able to independently verify the deaths reported by the ministry.

Without urgent action, famine will hit between now and May in northern Gaza, where 300,000 people are trapped by fighting, the world's hunger watchdog, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), said in a review on Monday.

The review's most likely scenario said "extremely critical levels of acute malnutrition and mortality" were imminent for more than two thirds of the people in the north. The IPC is made up of U.N. agencies and global aid groups.

Israel's COGAT, the military body that handles aid transfers to Gaza, did not specifically respond to Reuters questions about the deaths of children from hunger and dehydration. It said Israel put no limits on the amount of aid that can enter.

Following the IPC review, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy posted on X that the number of food trucks had increased in March and that Israel was taking measures to bolster "delivery efforts" to the north.

"It's a bad assessment, based on an out of date picture," he said of the review.

The White House referred Reuters to comments from National Security advisor Jake Sullivan, who said responsibility to address impending famine "starts, first and foremost, with Israel."

USAID chief Samantha Power said the IPC assessment marked "a horrific milestone" and called on Israel to open more land routes.

In response to a question from Reuters about the IPC report, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said Israel's Prime Minister Binyamin Netenyahu was "defying the world and pursuing the killing of the Palestinian people in Gaza by bombs and starvation."

U.N. aid agencies have said "overwhelming obstacles" to moving aid to the north of Gaza will only be overcome with a ceasefire and the opening of border crossings closed by Israel after Oct. 7.

DISPLACED

In better times, Fadi's favourite food was chicken shawarma, a Levantine grill dish, his mother said, and he ate a lot of fruit and drank a lot of milk.

When the war began, she said, the family fled their home in al-Nasr district of Gaza City, which suffered widespread damage from bombardment. They were displaced four times before arriving in Beit Lahia, she added.

Fadi's condition began to deteriorate about two months ago and he was admitted to Kamal Adwan hospital, Zant said. Creon - the medicine that people with cystic fibrosis need to supplement pancreatic enzymes that help digest food - was not available. Sometimes, Fadi had diarrhoea 10 times in one night.

Before the war, the child weighed 30kg (66 lb). Now he weighs just 12kg (26 lb), his mother said.

"He used to eat well. His treatment was available. His face was full. He was a child that did not seem ill. He went to kindergarten with his brother," she said.

COGAT did not respond to a question about the availability of Creon, but said Israel had "not refused a single shipment of medical supplies."

Reuters was not able to independently establish if any such shipments had been blocked, or verify with hospital officials the extent to which Creon supplies were disrupted.

The Gaza health ministry says lack of medication contributed to the deterioration of the conditions of the children who died.

As well as for children like Fadi who have pre-exisiting medical conditions, risks are rapidly rising for many others in Gaza, U.N. agencies say.

The U.N. children's agency UNICEF said on Friday that nearly 1 in 3 children under two years old in northern Gaza suffer from acute malnutrition, twice as many as in January.

In shelters and health centres visited by UNICEF and its partners, 4.5% of children had severe wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition, it said.

"Unless fighting stops and aid agencies have full access throughout Gaza then hundreds if not thousands more children could die of hunger," UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said on Tuesday in a joint statement with the World Food Programme.

If Israel goes ahead with a promised offensive in Rafah, 1.1 million people in Gaza, half the population, are expected to face an extreme lack of food, in which starvation and death are present in households, the IPC report said.

Last Thursday, COGAT's Col. Elad Goren told reporters access to food was stable in the south and centre of the enclave.

Human Rights Watch said in late February that Israel was obstructing the provision of basic services as well as the entry and distribution of fuel and lifesaving aid in Gaza. It said this was "collective punishment," considered a war crime under international humanitarian law.

COGAT told Reuters that Israel was making "extensive efforts to increase the amount of aid that enters Gaza," above and beyond its obligations.

"Any claims otherwise, including claims regarding collective punishment, are baseless in both fact and law," it said.

RAFAH

At al-Awda health centre in Rafah, more than a dozen women sat or stood tending their malnourished children.

Most of the children in the ward already had medical problems before the war, their relatives said, though pictures that the parents of two of them showed Reuters showed them looking notably healthier than now.

On March 4, 12-year-old Yazan al-Kafarna, who had cerebral palsy, died in southern Gaza, days after Reuters took photographs that showed his severe emaciation.

The ward nurse, Amira Abu Juwaiyad, said the hospital was unable to get enough milk for babies and that 10-15 cases were coming in daily under "catastrophic" conditions. Abu Juwaiyad did not say how much milk was available prior to the war.

Umm Mesbah Heji sat cradling her five-year-old daughter Israa, who is quadriplegic and epileptic.

Israa's medications are no longer available and she has lost a lot of weight. Before the war, Heji used to feed her eggs and milk for breakfast, liver for lunch and rice for dinner, she said. Sometimes, she gave her yoghurt and fruit.

"I know she's hungry. The food she eats isn't available," she said, adding that every day "I die one hundred times" feeling sad for her daughter.

DIARRHOEA

Disease is aggravating the dire lack of food. Dehydration from diarrhoea, which the World Health Organisation says is rampant in the mass tent cities where displaced people cram together without proper sewage or clean water, hastens malnutrition.

One effect of acute hunger is to reduce immunity against such gastric diseases.

The WHO said last month that 90% of children under 5 in Gaza were affected by one or more infectious diseases with 70% having had diarrhoea in the previous two weeks - a 23-fold increase over cases before the war.

Kerstin Hanson, a U.S. doctor working on nutrition with international charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, described the physical onset of malnutrition and dehydration.

Children grow lethargic and less responsive. Their skin loses its puffiness so that if pushed out of shape it may stay in that position. The eyes get sunken. The body emaciates.

Even for children who were healthy before the conflict, sustained malnutrition can stunt physical and brain development.

As acute malnutrition takes hold, a child's body stops growing, Hanson said. Then it shuts down everything except vital functions. "Your heart and lungs will keep functioning, but ... maybe there isn't enough energy to keep your immune system functioning," she said.

After that, the body would "kind of start eating itself", using muscle, fat and anywhere else it could find energy to keep breathing and pumping blood. Eventually, it would just shut down.

Even when malnutrition does not reach that dangerous stage, its effects on development might be impossible to reverse if it is sustained, Hanson said. Children may never recover lost centimetres of growth.

(Reporting by Mohammad Salem in Gaza and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber in Geneva; additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, James Mackenzie in Jerusalem and Steve Holland in Washington; writing by Angus McDowall; editing by Frank Jack Daniel)
By Rajesh Kumar Singh

CHICAGO (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways will eliminate a number of its routes and markets, and reduce service in Los Angeles to improve its financial performance, the company said on Tuesday.

In a memo seen by Reuters, network planning head Dave Jehn told JetBlue's crew members the airline is not faring well in some short-haul routes in western U.S. and Midwest markets, and South America.

"More than ever, every route has to earn its right to stay in the network," Jehn said.

As a result, it will stop serving markets such as Bogota in Colombia, Quito in Ecuador, Lima in Peru and Kansas City in June.

Jehn said Tuesday's move does not change the airline's seat capacity outlook for this year, which is expected to drop by a low single-digit percentage rate from 2023.

JetBlue's earnings have been pressured by higher operating costs and uneven travel demand. Jehn said demand after the pandemic has shifted away from some routes. The collapse of JetBlue's proposed merger with Spirit Airlines has prompted the need to "refocus" in Los Angeles, he said.

The carrier is also dealing with an aircraft shortage due to a snag with RTX's Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan that powers the popular Airbus A320neo jets. In January, JetBlue said it had seven aircraft out of service, with the number expected to rise to as much as 15 by the end of 2024.

New JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty has vowed "aggressive action" to return the airline to profitability. The measures include deferring about $2.5 billion in aircraft capital expenditure and cutting costs through buyouts to employees in corporate, airport and customer support functions.

It is also trying to generate an extra $300 million in revenue this year.

(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Richard Chang)
FILE PHOTO: Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu is seen at the Federal high court Abuja, Nigeria January 20, 2016. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde/File Photo

By Camillus Eboh

ABUJA (Reuters) - A Nigerian federal court on Tuesday denied separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu bail and instead ordered an accelerated trial of a pending seven-count terrorism charge against him.

Kanu, a British citizen who leads the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, disappeared from Nigeria after skipping bail in 2017. He was arrested in Kenya in 2021 and charged in Nigeria with terrorism.

In December, Nigeria's Supreme Court overturned a judgement by a lower court that dropped the terrorism charges against Kanu, setting the stage for his trial to commence.

"I will respond to all charges and the court will see that they are all lies," Kanu told the court.

Judge Murtala Nyako adjourned the case to April 17 to start trial.

Nyako also denied a request by Kanu, currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), a security agency, to be transferred to a regular prison on health grounds. He told the court he has congenital heart disease.

Kanu has previously denied the terrorism charges and knowingly broadcasting falsehoods, which are linked to social media posts he issued between 2018 and 2022.

His lawyers have argued that he could not receive a fair trial in Nigeria because he was forcefully extradited from Kenya. Kenya has declined to say if it played a role in Kanu's return.

Kanu's IPOB campaigns for the secession of southeastern Nigeria where the majority belong to the Igbo ethnic group. Nigerian authorities have labelled IPOB a terrorist organization.

An attempt by the southern region to secede as the Republic of Biafra in 1967, the year Kanu was born, triggered a three-year civil war that killed more than 1 million people.

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo, Editing by William Maclean)
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks on the day of the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of General Mark A. Milley, 20th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an Armed Forces Hail in honor of General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., th

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday warned that Ukraine's survival was in danger and sought to convince allies that the United States was committed to Kyiv, even as Washington has essentially run out of money to keep arming Ukrainian forces.

Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion more for Ukraine and the White House is scrambling to find ways to send assistance to Kyiv, which has been battling Russian forces for more than two years.

Austin is leading the monthly meeting known as the Ukraine defense contact group (UDCG), held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, of about 50 allies that have supported Ukraine.

"Today, Ukraine's survival is in danger and America's security is at risk," Austin told a press conference after the meeting.

"I leave here today fully determined to keep U.S. security assistance and ammunition flowing. And that's a matter of survival and sovereignty for Ukraine and it's a matter of honor and security for America," he added.

Austin, who is traveling for the first time this year since prostate cancer treatment, did not say how Washington would support Ukraine without additional funding.

Officials say the lack of funding available is already having an impact on the ground in Ukraine, where Russian troops are advancing and Ukrainian forces are having to manage scarce resources.

"I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation and the Ukrainians more so than anyone because of the shortages that are resulting from us not being able to supply them," a senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed to allies on Tuesday to supply more air defences, saying Russia had launched 130 missiles, more than 320 attack drones and almost 900 guided bombs in attacks this month alone.

AIR DEFENCE, UKRAINE'S PRIORITY

Speaking later in his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said air defence remained Ukraine's main concern and thanked participants for their efforts "so that this, our priority, is fulfilled in an appropriate manner".

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who attended the gathering, said on Telegram that participants "demonstrated their unity and resolve in helping Ukraine. Our forces are critically in need of ammunition. The ammo will be delivered!"

Last week, the Biden administration said it would send $300 million in military assistance to Ukraine, but added that it was an extraordinary move after unexpected savings from military contracts the Pentagon had made.

Officials have not ruled out that they could find additional savings, but they say that amount would not be enough to make up for the lack of Congressional action.

Experts say that Austin will face a skeptical audience in Europe.

"It's becoming harder and harder for U.S. leaders to travel to Europe, with the message that the United States is committed to Ukraine in the long-term," Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Europe Center in Washington, said.

"The message of this long-term financial, military, economic commitment flies in the face of the reality of what's happening on Capitol Hill."

At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, whose ammunition-starved troops face their toughest battles since the early days of Russia's invasion two years ago.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Tuesday a 500 million euro ($543 million) aid package for Ukraine which includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition and said the United States was still a reliable partner.

"I have no doubt about the reliability of the Americans," Pistorius said. "There are particularities in the political systems, and we have to deal with that."

European support has become increasingly key with Biden unable to get a big Ukraine aid package through Congress, and much of his foreign policy energy is focused on the war in Gaza.

But U.S. officials say that the reality is that without the United States, European support for Ukraine will not be enough.

"There isn't a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support," the senior U.S. defense official said.

($1 = 0.9205 euros)

(Reporting by Idrees Ali. Additional reporting by Alexander Ratz and Madeline Chambers. Editing by Ron Popeski and Stephen Coates)
A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian energy ministry official told a parliament meeting on Tuesday there were plans to defend oil and gas facilities with missile systems."We are jointly working, including with colleagues from the Russian National Guard, to cover objects, on installing, accordingly, protection systems such as Pantsir," said Artyom Verkhov, director of energy ministry's department for gas industry development.

Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian oil infrastructure since the start of the year, hitting numerous large oil refineries in an attempt to cripple Russia's military and curb its army's advances.

Russian oil refining capacity shut down in the wake of Ukrainian drone attacks in the first quarter amounts to about 4.6 million tons (370,500 barrels per day), or some 7% of the total, Reuters calculations show.

(Reporting by Olesya Astakhova; writing by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
A family portrait of Britain's late Queen Elizabeth II with some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren (back row, left to right) Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, James, Earl of Wessex, (middle row, left to right) Lena Tindall, Prince George, Prince

LONDON (Reuters) - A second royal photograph issued to the media by Kensington Palace, the office of Prince William and his wife Kate, was digitally altered in eight places, Reuters said on Tuesday after an analysis of the picture by the news organisation's photo editors.

The picture, released in April last year to mark what would have been the 97th birthday of the late Queen Elizabeth, showed the former monarch surrounded by some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

It had been taken by Kate, 42, at the Scottish royal residence Balmoral Castle the previous summer, Kensington Palace said at the time.

Earlier on Tuesday, Getty Images flagged to its clients that the Balmoral picture had been "digitally enhanced at source," without giving further details.

"Getty Images is undertaking a review of handout images and in accordance with its editorial policy is placing an editor's note on images where the source has suggested they could be digitally enhanced," a spokesperson said.

While Getty, Reuters and other news organisations did not at the time spot any issues with the handout, the examination of the photograph by Reuters photo editors has found that there were eight places where the picture had been clearly altered by digital cloning. Reuters could not immediately establish why the alterations were made.

Digital cloning involves copying pixels to either move or mask objects or areas in a photo.

Kensington Palace has declined to comment on the photograph.

A Reuters spokesperson said: "Reuters is updating its procedures related to vetting images from Kensington Palace after confirming a second altered photograph. Consistent with the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles, Reuters requires that photos meet its editorial standards for image quality, accuracy and reliability."

Earlier this month, Reuters and several other leading news organisations withdrew a photograph of Kate with her three children which was issued by the palace to mark Mother's Day after post-publication analysis showed it did not meet their editorial standards.

The following day, Kate issued an apology for any confusion.

"Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing," she said in a statement on X. "I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused."

The issue with the edited photographs comes amid widespread speculation on social media about Kate's health since she underwent abdominal surgery in January.

On Monday, she appeared in footage for the first time since her operation in a video posted by the Sun newspaper.

(Reporting by Reuters London newsroom, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
The logo of German industrial group Siemens is seen at an office building in Zug, Switzerland December 1, 2021. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

(Reuters) - Shares in Siemens slumped to their lowest in one year after its finance chief Ralf Thomas commented that revenues at its flagship digital industries division will be flat in the second quarter at a Bank of America conference on Tuesday.

Thomas said the German technology conglomerate forecasts revenue at the division to be a good 10% below the previous year's levels.

Margins for the division are seen at 17% in the second quarter, rather than the 20% previously expected.

Thomas's comments on sales and margins were described by Redburn Atlantic analyst James Moore as concerning.

Shares were trading down 5.35% at 1323 GMT, at the bottom of the pan-European index.

Two traders also pointed to cautious comments on China from Thomas, who sees a more difficult environment than expected in China in factory automation.

"The destocking will take longer than expected, probably until the end of the year," Thomas said, according to a recording of the event.

(Reporting by Alexander Hubner, writing by Paolo Laudani and Tristan Veyet, Editing by Louise Heavens)
Lieutenant Nikita Bezsmertnyi, the son of Colonel Roman Bezsmertnyi, the chief of the Russian Army's engineering troops, was killed in the battle for Kozynka, Belgorod region of Russia. He was ambushed in a UAZ Patriot car with two other soldiers of the 49th Combined Arms Army.

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This was reported by the Dossier of a Spy Telegram channel, which is run by an employee of one of the special services. He noted that the car also included:

 Senior Lieutenant Kolotov Oleksiy Olehovych;

 Junior Sergeant Shorykov Danylo Stanislavovych.

It is noted that Kolotov was wounded and captured. He is currently probably on the territory of Ukraine. Shorykov died on the spot, as did Bezsmertnyi.

The latter was supposed to serve with the 32nd Engineer Regiment in the Kherson sector, but his influential father helped to transfer him to a safer one in the Belgorod region.

It is also noted that Russian troops are trying to force the volunteers out of the captured villages but to no avail. The fighting for Kozynka continues.

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As a reminder, RDC fighters showed a fragment of the fighting from the village of Kozynka in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation. As the occupiers approached, the soldier hit the target with a hand-held grenade launcher. The video also shows the consequences of the fighting. Buildings were destroyed within the village.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 The Legion "Freedom of Russia" reported that the Russian occupation army suffered heavy losses during the week of fighting in the Belgorod region. The total number of killed and wounded occupants is almost 1500 people.

 Russian propagandists explained to the residents of the Belgorod region that the vaunted air defense of the aggressor state will not protect them. They said that the country is large, so it is impossible to create a dense defense for it.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula presides over South Africa's parliament debate on a report by a panel of experts who found that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have violated his oath of office, following allegations that large sums

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African investigators raided the home of National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula on Tuesday as part of a corruption inquiry against her, the parliament said.

The operation by the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) Investigating Directorate was linked to a probe into alleged corruption during the speaker's time as defence minister, parliament said in a statement.

South Africa's state-owned broadcaster SABC reported that Mapisa-Nqakula, who lives in Johannesburg, is suspected of receiving millions of rands in cash as bribes from a former military contractor when she was defence minister.

"The Speaker steadfastly upholds her strong conviction of innocence, and reaffirms that she has nothing to hide," the parliament said, adding the search at her residence lasted over five hours.

Neither the parliament nor the NPA provided further details on the investigation or the corruption allegations. It was not clear if any charges would be brought against her.

A veteran of the governing African National Congress, Mapisa-Nqakula was South Africa's defence minister from 2012 to 2021.

(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya, Editing by Wendell Roelf and Ros Russell)
FILE PHOTO: SpaceX logo and Elon Musk silhouette are seen in this illustration taken, December 19, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

By Joey Roulette

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -SpaceX has started selling satellite lasers, which are used for speedy in-space communications, to other satellite firms, company President Gwynne Shotwell said at a conference on Tuesday.

SpaceX's thousands of Starlink satellites in low-Earth orbit use inter-satellite laser links to pass data between one another in space at the speed of light, allowing the network to offer broader internet coverage around the world with fewer ground stations.

Shotwell, speaking on a panel at the Satellite industry conference in Washington, said SpaceX as a supplier will sell that technology to other companies.

"We'll roll that out ... with our new Polaris Dawn mission coming up here this summer on a Dragon capsule," Shotwell said, referring to an upcoming private astronaut flight with the company's Dragon space capsule.

Shotwell said the laser offering was called Plug and Plaser, suggesting the equipment could be easily installed by customers on their spacecraft.

Space companies have opted to sell spacecraft components to diversify revenue and shore up cash to fund bigger capital-intensive projects. SpaceX is developing and testing its next-generation Starship rocket, designed to be cheaper but far more powerful than its workhorse Falcon 9.

"We generally don't sell components, so this is a little bit of a new thing for us," Shotwell told Reuters after the panel discussion. She said SpaceX was already in talks with potential customers.

(Reporting by Joey Roulette; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Bill Berkrot)
By Horaci Garcia

MADRID (Reuters) - The director of Spanish charity Proactiva Open Arms that delivered 200 tonnes of food aid to Gaza this week said he is determined to keep the deliveries going despite the significant danger to his team from the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

He also urged other "more powerful, wealthy states and organisations" to do the same using a new maritime corridor from Cyprus to the stricken enclave.

Oscar Camps, who was onboard the salvage vessel that left Cyprus on March 12 for a 200-mile (320 kilometre) voyage across the eastern Mediterranean to Gaza, described the perilous sea conditions that complicated the delivery to a makeshift jetty, and the significant danger to delivery teams on land.

Camps said it took seven hours to move a barge roped to the ship to a jetty made from destroyed buildings and rubble for it to be unloaded in rough seas.

His team had been warned by Israel it could not guarantee their security, he said, and those unloading aid onto land were within "hundreds, tens, of metres" of bombardments.

"People are eating grass there and they are bombing as you disembark food," he told Reuters in Badalona, a city north of Barcelona on the Spanish coast. "The war doesn't stop, everything is rumbling, you're surrounded by smoke and dust, you see the tanks moving back and fourth."

Camps said Israel's foreign ministry opened the maritime route from Cyprus to Gaza on Dec. 20. "The thing is that no one used it," he added.

Jose Andres, founder of the World Central Kitchen that supplied the food carried by Open Arms, suggested they attempt a delivery, Camps said.

On Tuesday, Andres confirmed in a social media post that the equivalent of 500,000 meals had been delivered to northern Gaza.

Now, they are determined to send larger shipments of up to 500 tonnes on a second, third and fourth boat, Camps said. "It is not easy, but it is not impossible either."

Open Arms is 90% funded by civil society donations, said Camps, a former lifeguard from Catalonia whose charity was started to save migrants at sea.

He called his current operation a "band aid" he hoped would spark more ambitious endeavours, appealing to wealthier nations and organisations to use the same sea route, and to Israel to order ceasefires when aid was being delivered.

A U.N.-backed report on Monday said famine was "imminent" in the northern Gaza Strip, where some 300,000 people are trapped by fighting that began after an Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants prompted an Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Across the whole Gaza Strip, the number of people facing "catastrophic hunger" has risen to 1.1 million, half the population, it said.

(Reporting by Horaci Garcia; Writing by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
FILE PHOTO: Hsiao Bi-khim, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) vice presidential candidate, speaks during a press conference ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections in Taipei, Taiwan January 9, 2024. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan's vice president-elect and former de facto ambassador to Washington, Hsiao Bi-khim, is on a visit to the Czech Republic following a low-key trip to the United States, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, triggering anger from China.

Hsiao, who takes office with president-elect Lai Ching-te in May, is detested by China which calls her a "diehard Taiwan independence separatist" and has placed sanctions on her.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory, a view the government in Taipei strongly rejects.

Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jeff Liu said Hsiao had been invited to the Czech Republic by the Sinopsis think-tank and will speak to them, as well as meet other "friends" in the country to exchange views ahead of her inauguration.

Czech Senate speaker Milos Vystrcil, who visited Taiwan in 2020, on Tuesday posted a picture on his X social media page of him meeting and chatting with Hsiao.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the Czech government should "severely restrain certain (Czech) politicians" and "take effective measures to remove the negative influence of this incident".

Taiwan has no formal diplomatic ties with any European country except the Vatican.

But Central and Eastern European countries have been particularly keen to show support for Taiwan - especially following Russia's attack of Ukraine - defying Beijing's anger about such contacts and lessening Taiwan's international diplomatic isolation.

China expressed anger last week about Hsiao's U.S. trip, on what both Taiwan and the United States termed a private visit.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing; Editing by Miral Fahmy)
FILE PHOTO: A climate change activist stands outside of BlackRock headquarters, ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), in San Francisco, California, U.S., October 29, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo

By Isla Binnie

NEW YORK (Reuters) -A Texas school fund told BlackRock on Tuesday it was terminating its contract to manage around $8.5 billion of state money, accusing the investment giant of boycotting fossil fuel energy producers, who represent a large part of the state's industry.

BlackRock has denied it is engaged in any boycott, saying the money pulled is a tiny sliver of the $10 trillion in assets that it manages.

The move by the Texas Permanent School Fund, however, highlights how BlackRock and other asset managers continue to attract controversy in some Republican-run states over environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investing.

Texas State Board of Education Chair Aaron Kinsey, who administers the fund, said its relationship with BlackRock breached state law against investing with companies accused of boycotting energy companies.

Kinsey told Reuters that the fund was complying with a 2021 Texas law obliging state agencies to divest from fund managers like BlackRock that shed investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

He added the fund receives about $1 billion a year from Texas's General Land Office, which manages 13 million acres-worth of rights to land and minerals.

"That money originates from the oil and gas industry primarily... if there's no income, no billion dollars a year from oil and gas, that's a problem for our fund, obviously an existential long-term risk," he said.

A few illiquid investments with BlackRock remain in the schools fund's portfolio, but these will roll off over time, Kinsey added.

BlackRock called the move arbitrary and said it ignores the private equity firm's $120 billion investment in Texas public energy companies. "The decision jeopardizes Texas schools and the families who have benefited from BlackRock's consistent long-term outperformance," BlackRock said.

CEO Larry Fink said last year BlackRock had lost around $4 billion as a result of the political backlash, and this was dwarfed by net inflows to BlackRock.

Fink has since said he would stop using the term "ESG", and hosted a summit with state officials in Houston last month focused on investing in the state's infrastructure.

(Reporting by Isla Binnie in New YorkEditing by Matthew Lewis and Aurora Ellis)
FILE PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump reacts during his caucus night watch party in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 15, 2024. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

By John Kruzel and Andrew Chung

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Donald Trump on Tuesday filed a U.S. Supreme Court brief in his bid for criminal immunity for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss, arguing that a former president enjoys "absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for his official acts."

The case is due to be argued before the justices on April 25. Trump has appealed a lower court's rejection of his request to be shielded from the criminal case being pursued by Special Counsel Jack Smith because he was serving as president when he took the actions at the center of the case.

The filing advances arguments similar to ones Trump's lawyers previously have made and echoes statements he has made on the campaign trail as he seeks to regain the presidency.

"The president cannot function, and the presidency itself cannot retain its vital independence, if the president faces criminal prosecution for official acts once he leaves office," the filing said.

Trump, the first former president to be criminally prosecuted, is the Republican candidate challenging Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election. Biden defeated Trump in 2020.

"A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future president with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn him to years of post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents. The threat of future prosecution and imprisonment would become a political cudgel to influence the most sensitive and controversial presidential decisions, taking away the strength, authority and decisiveness of the presidency," according to Trump's filing.

Smith was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022. In August 2023, Smith brought four federal criminal counts against Trump in the election subversion case, including conspiring to defraud the United States, obstructing the congressional certification of Biden's electoral victory and conspiring to do so, and conspiring against right of Americans to vote.

In a filing to the justices in February, Smith sought to make the case against presidential immunity.

"The nation has a compelling interest in seeing the charges brought to trial," Smith said in the filing, adding that "the public interest in a prompt trial is at its zenith where, as here, a former president is charged with conspiring to subvert the electoral process so that he could remain in office."

Smith said Trump's criminal charges reflect an alleged effort to "perpetuate himself in power and prevent the lawful winner of the 2020 presidential election from taking office. The charged crimes strike at the heart of our democracy."

The Supreme Court's decision to hear arguments on Trump's immunity bid next month postponed the trial, giving him a boost as he tries to delay prosecutions while running to regain the presidency. Trump has three other pending criminal cases. He has pleaded not guilty in all four cases, seeking to paint them as politically motivated.

Trump last October sought to have the charges dismissed based on his claim of immunity. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan rejected that claim in December.

On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Feb. 6 ruled 3-0 against Trump's immunity claim, rejecting his bid for "unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power - the recognition and implementation of election results."

The case once again thrusts the nation's top judicial body, whose 6-3 conservative majority includes three justices appointed by Trump, into the election fray.

Trump and his allies made false claims that the 2020 election was stolen and devised a plan to use false electors to thwart congressional certification of Biden's victory. Trump also sought to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence not to allow certification to go forward. Trump's supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in a bid to prevent the certification.

If Trump regains the presidency, he could seek to use his powers to force an end to the prosecution or potentially pardon himself for any federal crimes.

(Reporting by John Kruzel and Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham)
ANKARA (Reuters) -A Turkish soldier was killed and four others were wounded in a clash with militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, Turkey's defence ministry said on Tuesday.

Six PKK members were also killed in the clashes that took place in a region where the Turkish Armed Forces are conducting an operation dubbed "Claw-Lock" against militant targets, the ministry said.

In its statement, the defence ministry used the term "neutralised," commonly used to mean "killed."

In a separate statement later on Tuesday, the ministry said Turkish forces had carried out air strikes in the Metina, Zap, Hakurk, Gara and Qandil regions of northern Iraq, adding that 27 targets, including caves, shelters and bunkers it said were used by PKK militants, had been destroyed in the strikes.

The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the insurgency.

Senior Turkish and Iraqi officials held high-level talks in Baghdad last week to discuss security issues including potential measures against the PKK, after Turkey warned of new military operations in the region.

Turkey has conducted years of cross-border military operations against militants that have left roughly half the Syrian territory bordering Turkey and all of Iraqi territory bordering Turkey controlled or overseen by Turkey's military.

(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever;Editing by Daren Butler, Alex Richardson, William Maclean)
FILE PHOTO: British Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden arrives for the second day of the UK Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, Britain, November 2, 2023. Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File

By Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) - Democratic countries around the world should band together to confront the threat of AI used by malign states to threaten free elections and spread misinformation, British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said on Tuesday.

In Seoul for the Summit for Democracy, Dowden on Monday announced what he hopes will be a "groundbreaking" new global government compact on countering deceptive use of artificial intelligence by foreign states in elections.

South Korea is hosting the third Summit for Democracy conference, an initiative of U.S. President Joe Biden aimed at discussing ways to stop democratic backsliding and erosion of rights and freedoms.

Details of the compact are still being worked out, but Dowden said several countries had signed on, without naming any.

Citing how major technology companies agreed at the Munich Security Conference in February to coordinate responses to AI-generated deepfakes that deliberately trick voters, Dowden said it is time for governments to follow suit.

"What the UK is leading on is a government-led process, a government-led agreement to tackle the threat from AI from foreign states," he said in an interview at the UK Embassy in Seoul.

Britain has been embroiled in a debate over an edited photograph of Kate, Princess of Wales, for which she apologised after several leading news organisations, including Reuters, withdrew the picture citing post-publication analysis that showed it did not meet editorial standards.

Dowden said that incident is "totally separate" from the misinformation risks from "malign foreign states" seeking to interfere in democratic elections.

The compact "is not about the internal politics of each individual nation states that's rightly a matter for nation states", he said.

The risks from AI come amid other challenges to freedom and democracy around the world, Dowden said.

"For me the number one threat to democracy right now is the war that's going on in Ukraine," he said. "That's why I think the discussions going on today have that added edge, because of the threats we face to democracy right now."

Dowden said he was deeply concerned about the reported weapons transfers from North Korea to Russia, and called on Moscow to stop interfering on the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang and Moscow have forged closer ties since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Russia in September and vowed to deepen military relations. They deny Western accusations that North Korea is supplying Russia with artillery shells and missiles used in Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

(Reporting by Josh Smith. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
DAMASCUS (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said he visited Damascus on Tuesday to restart talks focused on fostering confidence in the peaceful use of atomic energy by Syria.

Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, met with President Bashar al-Assad, who had extended the invitation, and Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.

"We're ready to start working on reigniting high-level dialogue between the IAEA and Syria, focusing on building confidence in the peaceful use of nuclear energy in Syria," Grossi wrote in a post on X.

Syria's state news agency also reported Grossi's visit.

IAEA inspectors last visited Syria in 2011, the year its civil war began after the government's violent crackdown on street protests against Assad's rule.

They were seeking to revive a stalled IAEA investigation into activity at a site in Syria's eastern desert that U.S. intelligence had deemed to be a nascent, North Korean-designed reactor intended to produce plutonium for atomic weaponry, before Israel bombed it to rubble in 2007.

The Vienna-based IAEA also sought information about other sites that may have been linked to the Deir al-Zor facility.

Syrian authorities have said it was a non-nuclear military site, but the IAEA concluded in 2011 that it was "very likely" to have been a reactor that should have been declared to nuclear non-proliferation inspectors.

(Reporting by Adam Makary; writing by Maya Gebeily; editing by Mark Heinrich)
FILE PHOTO: A bleaching coral is seen in the place where abandoned fishing nets covered it in a reef at the protected area of Ko Losin. Thailand, June 20, 2021. REUTERS/Jorge Silva/File Photo

By Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters) -Every major global climate record was broken last year and 2024 could be worse, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Tuesday, with its chief voicing particular concern about ocean heat and shrinking sea ice.

The U.N. weather agency said in its annual State of the Global Climate report that average temperatures hit the highest level in 174 years of record-keeping by a clear margin, reaching 1.45 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Ocean temperatures also reached the warmest in 65 years of data with over 90% of the seas having experienced heatwave conditions during the year, the WMO said, harming food systems.

"The WMO community is sounding the Red Alert to the world," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, who took over the job in January.

"What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern."

She later told reporters that ocean heat was particularly concerning because it was "almost irreversible", possibly taking millennia to reverse.

"The trend is really very worrying and that is because of the characteristics of water that keep heat content for longer than the atmosphere," she said.

Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, coupled with the emergence of the natural El Nino climate pattern, pushed the world into record territory in 2023.

WMO's head of climate monitoring, Omar Baddour, told reporters there was a "high probability" that 2024 would set new heat records, saying that the year after an El Nino was typically warmer still.

Tuesday's report showed a big plunge in Antarctic sea ice, with the peak level measured at 1 million km2 below the previous record - an area roughly equivalent to the size of Egypt.

That trend, combined with ocean warming which causes water to expand, has contributed to a more than doubling of the rate of sea-level rise over the past decade compared with the 1993-2002 period, it said.

Ocean heat was concentrated in the North Atlantic with temperatures an average 3 degrees Celsius above average in late 2023, the report said. Warmer ocean temperatures affect delicate marine ecosystems and many fish species have fled north from this area seeking cooler temperatures.

Saulo, a meteorologist from Argentina who has promised to strengthen global warning systems for climate disasters, said she hoped the report would raise awareness of the "vital need to scale up the urgency and ambition of climate action".

"That's why we spoke about the Red Alert because we must care for the people and how they will suffer from these more frequent, more extreme events," she told reporters. "If we do nothing, things will become worse and that will be our responsibility."

(Reporting by Emma Farge, editing by Ed Osmond and Nick Macfie)
About nine thousand children are planned to be taken from the Belgorod region of Russia, where the Russian volunteers continue their raid on the way to other regions of Russia. In this regard, Russians threw a real tantrum online because of the attacks on the Belgorod region and threatened retaliatory attacks on the territory of Ukraine.

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According to the governor of the Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the children are to be taken to Penza, Tambov, Kaluga and the Stavropol Territory of the Russian Federation in the coming days. In total, Russian media report that 16 people were killed and 98 wounded in the Belgorod region during the week of shelling.

"We are currently resettling most of the villages, and we are planning to evacuate about 9 thousand children from Belgorod, Belgorodsky, Shebekinsky, and Grayvoronsky districts," Gladkov said, noting that an evacuation system has already been developed.

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At the same time, ordinary Russians were not happy about the news of the evacuation of civilians from Belgorod region. They were outraged by the inaction of the Russian authorities, who could not stop the volunteers' offensive. The Russians also demanded revenge and dreamed of "taking Kharkiv, Odesa, and Dnipro."

"F**king terrorists. Odesa and Sumy region should be prepared", "All red lines have been crossed, Kyiv should be burned to the ground", "It's time to take Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipro", "Wow, how long ago Belgorod left the Russian Federation? Isn't this an attack on the country?"; "The SMO seems to be going according to the plan... We got what we fought for," Russians write.

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Earlier, it was reported that the Russian occupation army suffered heavy losses during the week of hostilities in the Belgorod region. The total number of killed and wounded occupants is almost 1500 people. In addition, in the Belgorod region, Putin's army lost dozens of pieces of equipment.

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As reported earlier, people in Belgorod region complained about new shelling. The Russian Defense Ministry reported "shooting down 10 missiles" over the Belgorod region.

As previously reported, residents of Belgorod had previously threw a real tantrum on social media because of the silence of propagandists about explosions in their city. Despite the shelling of Russian territory, the top topics on Russian media resources in recent days have been the election of dictator Vladimir Putin and the celebration of Maslenitsa.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
FILE PHOTO: Freeport-McMoran CEO, Richard Adkerson poses for a picture during an interview with Reuters at the CRU's World Copper Conference in Santiago, Chile April 9, 2019. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido/File Photo

By Ernest Scheyder

HOUSTON (Reuters) - The U.S. must improve its mine permitting process if it hopes to boost domestic supplies of critical minerals to power the clean energy transition, the CEO of copper giant Freeport-McMoRan said on Monday.

"The U.S. government needs to stop giving lip service to permitting," Richard Adkerson told Reuters on the sidelines of the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston.

"The question is, given our political system that we have today and the dysfunctionality of it, how do you go from getting a project verbally accepted to getting actions done?"

Earlier, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told the conference that she supported efforts in the U.S. Congress to reform the country's mining laws, some of which were first approved in the 19th Century.

Adkerson sat next to Granholm at the conference's Monday lunch and said he had a productive conversation with the secretary about permitting reform.

Adkerson, who plans to step down as CEO this year after more than 20 years in his role, said he was asking Washington for more clarity on how permits are approved or rejected, not an easing in environmental regulations.

"We're not talking about dropping standards," he said. "We're talking about processes here."

Kathleen Quirk, Adkerson's longtime lieutenant who will succeed him as CEO, said Freeport was focused on earning the support of people who live near its mine sites as part of its push to boost the copper industry's social license to operate.

"We talk a lot about finding common ground. You got to find it. It's going to take out of your economics, but otherwise you don't have a viable business plan if you don't come up with a sustainable solution," said Quirk, currently the company's president.

Elsewhere in the U.S., Freeport would be open to potentially expanding its Miami, Arizona, copper smelter, both Adkerson and Quirk said. But for the near term the company is focused on expanding its use of copper leaching, both added.

Of two U.S. copper smelters, Freeport operates one and Rio Tinto the other.

Freeport has struggled to attract workers inside the U.S., and Adkerson said filling staffing needs was still a "work in progress".

"We're trying to advance technology to reduce worker requirements wherever we can, but it's a U.S. problem for us," he said. "In Peru and Indonesia," where the company also mines copper, "we have flood of applicants for all of our jobs."

Adkerson, who will remain Freeport's chairman, said he does not expect Quirk's transition to CEO to bring major changes to the Phoenix-based company.

"This is a seamless management change," Adkerson said.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Editing by David Gregorio)
FILE PHOTO: Commercial Airplanes are pictured parked at gates at Laguardia Airport in New York City, New York, U.S., January 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate panel on Tuesday said it was stepping up its investigation into billions of dollars in annual airline fees for baggage, seat selection, ticket changes and other services, demanding airline responses by next month.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, first wrote CEOs of American Airlines, United Airlines Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines in November seeking answers.

In new letters, Blumenthal said the limited responses to date from the air carriers "raise serious questions" about the willingness of carriers to cooperate. He demanded airlines provide outstanding information and records sought by April 2 or the committee will "consider alternate means to obtain information needed to conduct its inquiry."

The airlines declined to comment or did not comment on the letter.

Blumenthal noted that between 2018 and 2022, total revenue across major U.S. airlines from baggage fees increased from $4.9 billion to $6.8 billion. He cited a report by a travel consultancy that found that eight leading U.S. airlines in 2022 collected an estimated $4.2 billion in fees for seat selection.

Last month, United, American Airlines and JetBlue Airways all hiked checked baggage fees for customers traveling in North America, the first time in four years.

The committee also wants transcribed interviews with senior airline executives by late next month on fees.

In September 2022, the U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT) proposed requiring airlines to disclose fees for baggage, ticket changes and family seating the first time an airfare is displayed.

USDOT last year proposed requiring airlines to disclose fees for baggage, ticket changes and family seating the first time an airfare is displayed. It also proposed rules in 2021 to require airlines to refund fees for significantly delayed bags and refunds for services such as onboard Wi-Fi when they do not work.

Airline CEOs in 2018 lobbied against bipartisan legislation to mandate "reasonable and proportional" baggage and change fees and convinced Congress to drop the plan.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by David Gregorio)
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D



Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. __)*

HUB Cyber Security Ltd. (Name of Issuer) Ordinary Shares, no par value per share (Title of Class of Securities) M6000J135 (CUSIP Number)

Mikhail Gurevich, Managing Member Dominion Capital LLC 256 W. 38th Street, 15th Floor New York, NY 10018 (212) 785-4680 With a copy to: David E. Danovitch, Esq. Sullivan & Worcester LLP 1633 Broadway  32nd Floor New York, NY 10019 (212) 660-3000 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) March 14, 2024 (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box .

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting persons initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be filed for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 2 of 11 Pages

1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS Dominion Capital LLC 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (See Instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS (See Instructions) AF, WC, OO 5 CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)  6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Connecticut NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 457,129 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 457,129 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 457,129 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions)  13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 4.6% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) OO

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 3 of 11 Pages

1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS DC Rainier SPV LLC 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (See Instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS (See Instructions) AF, WC, OO 5 CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)  6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 457,129 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 457,129 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 457,129 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions)  13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 4.6% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) OO

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 4 of 11 Pages

1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS Dominion Capital Holdings LLC 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (See Instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS (See Instructions) AF 5 CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)  6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 457,129 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 457,129 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 457,129 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions)  13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 4.6% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) OO

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 5 of 11 Pages

1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS Mikhail Gurevich 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (See Instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS (See Instructions) AF 5 CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)  6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION United States NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 457,129 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 457,129 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 457,129 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions)  13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 4.6% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) HC, IN

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 6 of 11 Pages

1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS Gennadiy Gurevich 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (See Instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS (See Instructions) AF 5 CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)  6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION United States NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 457,129 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 457,129 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 457,129 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions)  13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 4.6% 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) HC, IN

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 7 of 11 Pages

Item 1. Security and Issuer

This Schedule 13D (this Schedule 13D) relates to the ordinary shares, no par value per share (the Ordinary Shares), of HUB Cyber Security Ltd., a company organized under the laws of the State of Israel (the Issuer). The address of the Issuers principal executive offices is 30 HaMasger St., Tel Aviv, Israel 6721117.

Item 2. Identity and Background

(a) This Schedule 13D is being filed by (i) Dominion Capital LLC, a Connecticut limited liability company (Dominion), (ii) DC Rainier SPV LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (DC Rainier), (iii) Dominion Capital Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (Dominion Holdings), (iv) Mikhail Gurevich and (v) Gennadiy Gurevich (collectively, the Reporting Persons).

(b) The principal business address of each of the Reporting Persons is 256 W. 38th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

(c) The principal business of DC Rainier is to make and hold investments in the Issuer. Dominion is the manager of DC Rainier. Dominion Holdings is the manager of Dominion. Mikhail Gurevich and Gennadiy Gurevich are each managing members of Dominion Holdings.

(d) During the last five years, neither the Reporting Persons (or a controlling entity thereof) nor any managing member or other member of any of the Reporting Persons (or a controlling entity thereof) has been convicted in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).

(e) During the last five years, neither the Reporting Persons (or a controlling entity thereof) nor any managing member or other member of any of the Reporting Persons (or a controlling entity thereof) has been a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding was or is subject to a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

(f) Each of Mikhail Gurevich and Gennadiy Gurevich is a citizen of the United States of America.

Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Considerations

The amount of funds used by the Reporting Persons in acquiring the Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by them are described in further detail in Item 4 of this Schedule 13D, which disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this Item 3. The source of these funds was the working capital of Dominion.

Item 4. Purpose of Transaction

Dominion, through DC Rainier, acquired the Ordinary Shares and warrants to acquire Ordinary Shares, as further described below, for investment purposes.

DC Rainier was the sponsor of Mount Rainier Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (RNER), a blank check company formed in February 2021 for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, and in connection therewith held certain shares of RNER common stock and warrants to purchase RNER common stock. On March 23, 2022, the Issuer, RNER and Rover Merger Sub Inc., a Delaware corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of the Issuer (Merger Sub), entered into a Business Combination Agreement (the Business Combination Agreement), pursuant to which, on February 28, 2023, Merger Sub was merged with and into RNER and RNER became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Issuer and the securityholders of RNER received securities of the Issuer in exchange for RNER securities (the Merger). On February 28, 2023, the Issuer, RNER and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, also entered into an Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement (the Warrant Agreement), which amended and restated the Warrant Agreement entered into by such parties on October 4, 2021 (the Original Warrant Agreement) in order to, among other things, give effect to the Merger and reflect that the warrants previously issued by RNER to DC Rainier pursuant to the Original Warrant Agreement would now be deemed warrants issued by the Issuer. Pursuant to the Warrant Agreement, such warrants may not be exercised to the extent that a warrant holder, together with its affiliates, would beneficially own in excess of 9.9% of the Ordinary Shares immediately after giving effect to such exercise. At the effective time of the Merger, on February 28, 2023, DC Rainier was issued 3,535,119 Ordinary Shares as merger consideration and 535,984 warrants exercisable for up to 401,987 Ordinary Shares in exchange for its shares of RNER common stock and warrants to purchase RNER common stock, in each case, prior to giving effect to the 1-for-10 reverse split of the outstanding Ordinary Shares effected by the Issuer on December 14, 2023 (the Reverse Split). Each warrant is exercisable for five years for 3/4ths of an Ordinary Share at an exercise price of $12.79 per whole share. Subsequently, certain of such warrants held by DC Rainier were transferred to third parties, resulting in the Reporting Persons beneficially owning 524,297 warrants exercisable for up to 393,222 Ordinary Shares, prior to giving effect to the Reverse Split.

On March 28, 2023, the Issuer and Dominion entered into an Equity Purchase Agreement, pursuant to which Dominion provided a firm commitment for an equity line of credit (the ELOC), whereby the Issuer may issue up to $100,000,000 of Ordinary Shares to Dominion (or its designee) over the course of 36 months from the date of entry into definitive agreement for the ELOC. As consideration for Dominions purchase commitment, on April 5, 2023, the 6th trading day following the date of the ELOC, the Issuer issued to DC Rainier 1,000,000 Ordinary Shares, which share amount does not reflect the Reverse Split. In addition, Dominion advanced the Issuer an aggregate amount of $2,500,000 as the upfront commitment under the ELOC (the ELOC Upfront Commitment).

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 8 of 11 Pages

In connection with the firm commitment for the ELOC, on February 28, 2023, the Issuer issued to Dominion a senior secured demand promissory note (the Secured Promissory Note) to evidence the Issuers obligation to repay the ELOC Upfront Commitment. The Secured Promissory Note bears interest at a rate of 10% per annum and is due on demand. On March 28, 2023, the Secured Promissory Note was amended (the First Amendment to Secured Promissory Note) to provide that, among other things, that demand of payment may not be made until April 24, 2023. As of the date of this Schedule 13D, the Issuer has not fulfilled its obligations under the ELOC.

On May 1, 2023, Dominion made a demand to the Issuer to repay the $2,500,000 loan principal plus accrued interest pursuant to the terms of the Secured Promissory Note. The Issuer failed to make any payment and in spite of numerous efforts made by Dominion in an effort to restructure the Secured Promissory Note and recapitalize the Issuer, the Secured Promissory Note remains in default. In December 2023, Dominion filed a complaint against the Issuer in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, alleging breach of contract and seeking repayment of principal and interest, among other reliefs.

On February 14, 2024, Dominion commenced proceedings under section 10 of the Israeli Insolvency and Financial Rehabilitation Law 5778-2018, which is a motion to initiate insolvency proceedings. The Reporting Persons believe that the Issuer is failing to pay its debts in the ordinary course and on information and belief may even be selectively paying certain obligations to the exclusion of others.

As of March 14, 2024, because the Secured Promissory Note was in default and having received reports of other notes of other securities holders being in default, the Reporting Persons collectively formed the intent to become more active in the affairs of the Issuer, including possibly seeking to effect a change of management or to remove and replace certain current members of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, due to, among other things, their belief that current management are mis-managing the business of the Issuer and putting all securityholders at risk. The Reporting Persons believe that abysmal oversight by the Issuers Board of Directors permitted significant management missteps, dismal operating performance, and a series of questionable transactions that have resulted in significant loss of economic and strategic value by the Issuer and a consequent deleterious effect on all investors and creditors of the Issuer. To date, the Issuer remains undercapitalized and unable to fulfill its basic obligations to its investors.

The Reporting Persons remind the Issuers Board of Directors that directors owe fiduciary duties to all shareholders and, in the case of an Issuer within the zone of insolvency or that is insolvent, to creditors of the Issuer.

The Reporting Persons intend to review their investment in the securities of the Issuer on a continuing basis. Depending on various factors including, without limitation, the Issuers financial position and investment strategy, the price levels of the shares, conditions in the securities markets and general economic and industry conditions, the Reporting Persons may in the future take such actions with respect to their investments in the Issuer as they deem appropriate including, without limitation, (i) having open communications with the Issuers management and Board of Directors in order to monitor their efforts to increase shareholder value and not squander or secrete Issuer resources, assets, or opportunities outside of the Issuer, (ii) pursuing litigation to enjoin corporate transactions that the Reporting Persons believe have or may be designed to divert value away from the issuers current stakeholders for the benefit of management and other as-yet unidentified persons, and (iii) seeking to elect a slate of directors to the Issuers Board of Directors who will better manage the affairs of the Issuer and not permit a destructive dissipation of its assets and corporate opportunities. The Reporting Persons may also take other steps to increase shareholder value as well as pursue other plans or proposals that relate to, or would result in, any of the matters set forth in Item 4 of Schedule 13D.

The response under Item 6 of this Schedule 13D is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer

(a)-(b) The number and percentage of the Ordinary Shares beneficially owned by each Reporting Person assumes that there were 10,352,602 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding as of the date of this Schedule 13D, consisting of (i) 9,828,305 Ordinary Shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2023, as reported by the Issuer in its proxy statement for its special meeting filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the Issuers Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on November 20, 2023, and (ii) 39,322 Ordinary Shares underlying warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares at an exercise price of $127.90 per whole share, which are exercisable within 60 days of the date hereof, and in the case of each of (i) and (ii) give effect to the Reverse Split.

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 9 of 11 Pages

As of the date of this Schedule 13D, DC Rainier directly held (i) 417,807 Ordinary Shares and (ii) warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 39,322 Ordinary Shares at $127.90 per whole share, subject to a 9.9% beneficial ownership limitation provision in the Warrant Agreement, representing approximately 4.6% of the outstanding Ordinary Shares. Dominion is the manager of DC Rainier. Dominion Holdings is the manager of Dominion. Mikhail Gurevich and Gennadiy Gurevich are each managing members of Dominion Holdings. As such, these persons may be deemed to beneficially own, and have shared voting and dispositive power with DC Rainier over, the Ordinary Shares, including those underlying such warrants, directly held by DC Rainier.

(c) None of the Reporting Persons has effected any transactions in Ordinary Shares in the past 60 days.

(d) Other than the Reporting Persons, and except as set forth in this Schedule 13D, no other person is known to have the right to receive, or the power to direct the receipt of, dividends from or proceeds from the sale, of the Securities.

(e) Not applicable.

Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer

As discussed in Item 4 of this Schedule 13D, Dominion and the Issuer are parties to (a) the Equity Purchase Agreement, (b) the Secured Promissory Note and (c) the First Amendment to Secured Promissory Note. Additionally, as discussed in Item 4 of this Schedule 13D, the Issuer is a party to the Warrant Agreement with respect to warrants to purchase Ordinary Shares, including the warrants beneficially owned by the Reporting Persons, which sets forth the terms and conditions of such warrants. The disclosure in Item 4 of this Schedule 13D with respect to all such agreements is incorporated herein by reference.

The description of the Equity Purchase Agreement, the Secured Promissory Note, the First Amendment to Secured Promissory Note and the Warrant Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the forms and full text of such agreements, as applicable, which are filed as set forth in Item 7 of this Schedule 13D.

Item 7. Material to Be Filed as Exhibits

Exhibit 99.1  Equity Purchase Agreement, dated March 28, 2023, by and between HUB Cyber Security Ltd. and Dominion Capital LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 99.1 the Issuers Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, filed with the SEC on March 30, 2023).

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 10 of 11 Pages

Exhibit 99.2  Senior Secured Demand Promissory Note, dated February 28, 2023, by and between HUB Cyber Security Ltd. and Dominion Capital LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.11 to the Issuers Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the SEC on August 15, 2023).

Exhibit 99.3  First Amendment to Senior Secured Demand Promissory Note dated as of March 28, 2023, by and between HUB Cyber Security Ltd. and Dominion Capital LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to the Issuers Annual Report on Form 20-F, filed with the SEC on August 15, 2023).

Exhibit 99.4  Form of Amended and Restated Warrant Agreement, dated February 28, 2023, by and among Mount Rainier Acquisition Corp., Hub Cyber Security Ltd. and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, as warrant agent. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.9 to the Issuers Registration Statement on Form F-4, filed with the SEC on August 24, 2022).

Exhibit 99.5  Joint Filing Agreement, dated as of March 18, 2024, by and among the Reporting Persons.

CUSIP No. M6000J135 SCHEDULE 13D Page 11 of 11 Pages

Signature

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: March 18, 2024

DOMINION CAPITAL LLC By: Dominion Capital Holdings LLC, its Manager

By: /s/ Mikhail Gurevich Name: Mikhail Gurevich Title: Managing Member

By: /s/ Gennadiy Gurevich Name: Gennadiy Gurevich Title: Managing Member

DC RAINIER SPV LLC By: Dominion Capital LLC, its Manager By: Dominion Capital Holdings LLC, its Manager

By: /s/ Mikhail Gurevich Name: Mikhail Gurevich Title: Managing Member

By: /s/ Gennadiy Gurevich Name: Gennadiy Gurevich Title: Managing Member

DOMINION CAPITAL HOLDINGS LLC

By: /s/ Mikhail Gurevich Name: Mikhail Gurevich Title: Managing Member

By: /s/ Gennadiy Gurevich Name: Gennadiy Gurevich Title: Managing Member

/s/ Mikhail Gurevich Mikhail Gurevich

/s/ Gennadiy Gurevich Gennadiy Gurevich

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT 99.5
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. 1)*

FOREMOST LITHIUM RESOURCE & TECHNOLOGY LTD. (Name of Issuer) COMMON SHARES, WITHOUT PAR VALUE (Title of Class of Securities) 345510200 (CUSIP Number) Jason Barnard

822 17th Street E

North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V7L 2X1 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) September 6, 2023 (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the following box [ ].

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting persons initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be filed for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

__________

SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 345510200 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS

I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Jason Barnard 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [ ] Not applicable 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS (See Instructions) PF 5 CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E) Not applicable [ ] 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Canada NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 369,819 common shares (the Common Shares) (1) 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 106,265 Common Shares (2) 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 369,819 Common Shares (1) 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 106,265 Common Shares (2)

Page 2

11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 476,084 Common Shares 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions) Not applicable [ ] 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 9.8%(2) 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) IN

Note :

(1) These 369,819 Common Shares consist of (i) 162,128 Common Shares held by Claimbank Exploration Inc., (ii) 167,691 Common Shares held by Ora Nutraceuticals Inc., and (iii) 40,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock option held by the Reporting Person. The Reporting Person has voting and dispositive power over the Common Shares held by Claimbank Exploration Inc. and Ora Nutraceuticals Inc.

(2) These 106,265 Common Shares consist of (i) 17,488 Common Shares held by the Reporting Persons wife, (ii) 35,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock options held by the Reporting Persons wife, and (iii) 53,777 Common Shares held by 1374646 B.C. Ltd. The Reporting Persons wife has voting and dispositive power over the Common Shares held by 1374646 B.C. Ltd.

(3) Based on 4,874,517 Common Shares, inclusive of 4,799,517 Common Shares issued and outstanding as of September 6, 2023, plus (i) 40,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock options held by the Reporting Person, and (ii) 35,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock options held by the Reporting Persons wife.

Page 3

SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 345510200 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS

I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Christina Barnard 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [ ] Not applicable 3 SEC USE ONLY 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS (See Instructions) PF 5 CHECK IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E) Not applicable [ ] 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Canada NUMBER OF

SHARES

BENEFICIALLY

OWNED BY

EACH

REPORTING

PERSON

WITH 7 SOLE VOTING POWER 106,265 Common Shares (1) 8 SHARED VOTING POWER 369,819 Common Shares (2) 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 106,265 Common Shares (1) 10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 369,819 Common Shares (2)

Page 4

11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 476,084 Common Shares 12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions) Not applicable [ ] 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 9.8%(2) 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions) IN

Note :

(1) These 106,265 Common Shares consist of (i) 17,488 Common Shares held by the Reporting Person, (ii) 35,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock options held by the Reporting Person, and (iii) 53,777 Common Shares held by 1374646 B.C. Ltd. The Reporting Person has voting and dispositive power over the Common Shares held by 1374646 B.C. Ltd.

(2) These 369,819 Common Shares consist of (i) 162,128 Common Shares held by Claimbank Exploration Inc., (ii) 167,691 Common Shares held by Ora Nutraceuticals Inc., and (iv) 40,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock option held by the Reporting Persons husband. The Reporting Persons husband has voting and dispositive power over the Common Shares held by Claimbank Exploration Inc. and Ora Nutraceuticals Inc.

(3) Based on 4,874,517 Common Shares, inclusive of 4,799,517 Common Shares issued and outstanding as of September 6, 2023, plus (i) 40,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock options held by the Reporting Persons husband, and 35,000 Common Shares issuable upon exercise of stock options held by the Reporting Person.

Page 5

Item 1. Security and Issuer

This statement constitutes Amendment No. 1 to the Schedule 13D relates to the voting common shares, without par value, of Foremost Lithium Resource & Technology Ltd., a British Columbia, Canada corporation (the Issuer), and hereby amends the Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 19, 2024 (the Initial Schedule 13D). The Issuer maintains its principal executive office at 250-750 West Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 2T7, Canada. Due to inadvertence, no amendment to the Initial Schedule 13D was filed previously by the Reporting Persons named herein, and this statement is being filed at this time to correct that oversight.

Item 2. Identity and Background

Name:

This statement is filed by Jason Barnard and Christina Barnard (the Reporting Persons).

Residence or Business Address:

The Reporting Persons address is:

822 17th Street E

North Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada, V7L 2X1

Present Principal Business or Occupation:

Jason Barnards principal occupation is acting as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Issuer.

Christina Barnards principal occupation is acting as Chief Operating Officer of the Issuer.

Place of Organization or Citizenship:

Jason Barnard and Christina Barnard are Canadian citizens.

Criminal Proceedings:

During the last five years, the Reporting Persons have not been convicted in any criminal proceeding.

Civil Proceedings:

During the last five years, the Reporting Persons have not been a party to any civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction where, as a result of such proceeding, there was or is a judgment, decree or final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to such laws.

Page 6

Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Considerations

On September 6, 2023, Jason Barnard was granted 40,000 stock options (the Options) and the Christina Barnard was granted 20,000 Options. Each Option is exercisable into a Common Share at an exercise price of CAD$6.60 per share until September 6, 2028.

Item 4. Purpose of Transaction

See Item 3 above.

The Reporting Persons reserve the right to formulate other plans or make other proposals and take other actions with respect to their interest in the Issuer. Depending on market conditions and other factors, the Reporting Persons may acquire or dispose of securities of the Issuer as the Reporting Persons may deem appropriate, whether in open market purchases or sales, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The Reporting Persons continue to evaluate numerous potential transactions and in connection therewith may exchange Common Shares for other assets or may sell Common Shares to increase their cash position. The Reporting Persons may also reconsider and change their plans or proposals relating to the foregoing.

Except as otherwise disclosed herein, the Reporting Persons have no current plans or proposals that relate to or would result in:

(a) the acquisition by any person of additional securities of the Issuer, or the disposition of securities of the Issuer;

(b) any extraordinary corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries;

(c) a sale or transfer of a material amount of the assets of the Issuer or any of its subsidiaries;

(d) any change in the present board of directors or management of the Issuer, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board;

(e) any material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Issuer;

(f) any other material change in the Issuers business or corporate structure including, but not limited to, if the Issuer is a registered closed-end investment company, any plans or proposals to make any changes in its investment policy for which a vote is required by Section 13 of the United States Investment Company Act of 1940;

(g) changes in the Issuers charter, bylaws or instruments corresponding thereto or other actions which may impede acquisition of control of the Issuer by any person;

(h) causing a class of securities of the Issuer to be delisted from a national securities exchange or to cease to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of a registered national securities association;

Page 7

(i) a class of equity securities of the Issuer becoming eligible for termination of registration pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Act; or

(j) any action similar to any of those enumerated above.

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer

The filing of this statement by the Reporting Persons shall not be construed as an admission that the Reporting Persons are, for the purposes of Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the Act, the beneficial owners of any securities covered by the statements herein.

(a) The information contained in the cover page for the Reporting Persons are being incorporated by reference herein with respect to their beneficial ownership.

(b) The information contained in the cover page for the Reporting Persons are being incorporated by reference herein with respect to their voting and disposition power.

(c) As of September 6, 2023, and within the sixty day period prior thereto, no transactions involving the Issuers equity securities had been engaged in by the Reporting Persons other than as disclosed herein.

(d) As of September 6, 2023, to the best knowledge and belief of the undersigned, except as otherwise reported herein, no person other than the Reporting Persons had the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the securities reported herein.

(e) Not applicable.

Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect to Securities of the Issuer

Except as disclosed herein, the Reporting Persons do not have any contract, arrangement, understanding or relationship with respect to securities of the Issuer including, but not limited to, transfer or voting of any of the securities, finders fees, joint ventures, loan or option arrangements, puts or calls, guarantees of profits, division of profits or loss, or the giving or withholding of proxies. The Reporting Persons have not pledged securities of the Issuer nor are the securities of the Issuer held by the Reporting Persons subject to a contingency, the occurrence of which would give another person voting power or investment power over such securities.

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Item 7. Material to Be Filed as Exhibits

Page 9

Signature

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated: March 19, 2024.

/s/ Jason Barnard

_________________________

Name: Jason Barnard

/s/ Christina Barnard

_________________________

Name: Christina Barnard

__________
UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. )*

Home Street INC. (Name of Issuer) Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (Title of Class of Securities)

43785V102 (CUSIP Number) March 11, 2024 (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of This Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

x Rule 13d-1(b)  Rule 13d-1(c)  Rule 13d-1(d)

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be filed for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).

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CUSIP No. 43785V102 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (see instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION California

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,021,238 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,021,238

9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,021,238 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (see instructions)  11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (see instructions) IA

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CUSIP No. 43785V102 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Boathouse Row I, L.P. 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (see instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,021,238 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,021,238

9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,021,238 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (see instructions)  11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (see instructions) PN

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CUSIP No. 43785V102 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Boathouse Row II, L.P, 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (see instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,021,238 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,021,238

9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,021,238 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (see instructions)  11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (see instructions) PN

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CUSIP No. 43785V102 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Boathouse Row Offshore, Ltd. 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (see instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Cayman Islands

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,021,238 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,021,238

9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,021,238 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (see instructions)  11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (see instructions) OO

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CUSIP No. 43785V102 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Jordan Hymowitz 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (see instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION U.S. A.

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,021,238 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,021,238

9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,021,238 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (see instructions)  11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (see instructions) IN

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CUSIP No. 43785V102 1 NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Hymowitz 1999 Trust 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (see instructions) (a)  (b)  3 SEC USE ONLY 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION U.S. A.

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH: 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 6 SHARED VOTING POWER 1,021,238 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1,021,238

9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 1,021,238 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (see instructions)  11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 5.3% 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (see instructions) OO

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Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: The name of the issuer is Home Street INC. (the Issuer). Item 1(b). Address of Issuers Principal Executive Offices: The Issuers principal executive offices are located at 601 Union Street, Suite 2000, Seattle, Washington 98101. Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing: This Schedule 13G is filed on behalf of each of the following persons:  Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC  Boathouse Row I, L.P.  Boathouse Row II, L.P.  Boathouse Row Offshore, Ltd.  Jordan Hymowitz  Hymowitz 1999 Trust Each of the foregoing is referred to as a Reporting Person and collectively as the Reporting Persons. This Schedule 13G relates to the shares of common stock of the Issuer (the Shares) held for the accounts of Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC (PFM), Boathouse Row I, L.P. (BRI), Boathouse Row II, L.P. (BRII), Boathouse Row Offshore, Ltd. (BRO). Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC (PFM) is the investment adviser of BRO and the general partner of BRI and BRII and therefore retains voting control and dispositive power of the shares owned by each. Jordan Hymowitz is the Managing Member and sole owner of PFM. Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence: The principal business office of each Reporting Person is: c/o Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC 450 Sansome Street, Suite 1500 San Francisco, CA 94111 Item 2(c). Citizenship: Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC  California, United States Boathouse Row I, L.P.  Delaware, United States Boathouse Row II, L.P.  Delaware, United States Boathouse Row Offshore, Ltd.  Cayman Islands Jordan Hymowitz  California, United States Hymowitz 1999 Trust- California, United States Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities: Class A Common Stock (Common Shares or Shares) Item 2(e). CUSIP Number: 43785V102

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Item 3. If this Statement is filed pursuant to 240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a: (a)  Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act; (b)  Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act; (c)  Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act; (d)  Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940; (e) x An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f)  An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g) x A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h)  A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813); (i)  A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940; (j)  A non-U.S. institution in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J); (k)  Group, in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(K). If filing as a non-U.S. institution in accordance with Rule 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J), please specify the type of institution:

Item 4. Ownership. Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

(a) Amount Beneficially Owned 1,021,238 (b) Percent of Class: 5.3% (c) Number of shares as to which such person has: (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 1,021,238 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 1,021,238

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following. 

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. See disclosure in Items 2 and 4 hereof. Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company. See disclosure in Items 2 and 4 hereof. Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. Not applicable. Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. Not applicable. Item 10. Certification. By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect for the time being.

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SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete, and correct.

Dated: March 19, 2024

Philadelphia Financial Management of San Francisco, LLC By:/s/ Jeff Bowers Jeff Bowers, Authorized Signatory Boathouse Row I, L.P. By:/s/ Jeff Bowers Jeff Bowers, Authorized Signatory Boathouse Row II, L.P. By:/s/ Jeff Bowers Jeff Bowers, Authorized Signatory Boathouse Row Offshore Fund, Ltd. By:/s/ Jeff Bowers Jeff Bowers, Authorized Signatory Jordan Hymowitz By:/s/Jordan Hymowitz Hymowitz 1999 Trust By:/s/Jordan Hymowitz

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Then-Airman 1st Class Charles Crumlett prepares a weapon to be loaded during a crew competition in January 2018 at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. (Kenneth Boyton/U.S. Air Force)

WASHINGTON  Air Force Staff Sgt. Charles Crumlett died Friday during a workplace incident at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, the service said in a statement.

Crumlett, 25, of Streamwood, Ill., served as a weapons load crew chief for six years in the service, working on F-15 Strike Eagles, A-10 Warthogs and F-22 Raptors. He was a member of the 90th Fighter Generation Squadron when he arrived last month at Elmendorf-Richardson.

Sgt. Crumletts drive and willingness to help his fellow maintainers is a loss for the entire maintenance community, said Lt. Col. Charles Bayne, his unit commander.

Crumlett joined the Air Force in November 2016. After completing basic training, he was a student at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, where he graduated as a weapons load crew member in January 2017. Crumlett then moved on to his first duty station at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Charles Crumlett died March 15, 2024, in a workplace accident at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (Facebook)

Crumletts awards and decorations include two Air and Space Commendation Medals and one Air Force Achievement Medal.

Charlie had such a promising future in our Air Force, said Col. Kevin Jamieson. Though he was new to JBER, it was immediately clear that Charlie had a passion for his duty and for service. He will be greatly missed.

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is conducting a review into the incident.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gives opening remarks next to his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany  A new military aid package from the United States worth $300 million will support Ukraines pressing needs for air defense, artillery and anti-tank capabilities, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told European allies Tuesday.

Other immediate assistance will come from the Czech Republic, which recently procured 800,000 urgently needed artillery shells, Austin said at the outset of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting. Germany, France, Denmark and newest NATO member Sweden also have pledged new military aid packages, he said.

In Germanys case, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin has committed to a new aid package for Ukraine worth nearly $540 million. The package includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition from German military stocks, with delivery expected nearly immediately, Pistorius said.

Another 180,000 rounds of 155-millimeter ammunition from Czech supplies will be phased in over the summer, he said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaks to members of the press during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

Austin said the groups roughly 50 countries continue to dig deeper to get vital security assistance to Ukraine.

Austin addressed defense leaders and military officials at the Ramstein Officers Club as part of his first trip abroad since he was hospitalized Jan. 1 due to complications from surgery to treat prostate cancer.

By Austins side for the first time at the periodic Ramstein meeting was Air Force Gen. Charles CQ Brown, who replaced Gen. Mark Milley in September as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The talks come as support for Ukraine in the U.S. House of Representatives is wavering amid domestic concerns and a shift in foreign policy focus to the war in Gaza.

But Austin stressed the urgency of helping Ukraine as the war with Russia enters its third year.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gives opening remarks next to Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov, right, during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Gen. Charles Q. Brown, left, attends his first in-person UDCG meeting as the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, following the retirement of his predecessor, Gen. Mark Milley, in September. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes) U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, gives opening remarks next to his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

Ukraines survival is on the line, he said. And all of our security is on the line.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer.

So far, Russias gains on the battlefield have been incremental, Austin said. And those gains have come at significant costs in personnel and equipment for the Russians, he said.

Still, allied officials have said Russia is now on a wartime economy footing that is churning out ammunition and equipment at a rapid pace to replenish its stockpiles. Ukraines ability to fend off a Russian offensive in the spring likely will hinge on whether the West can get enough ammunition into the country fast enough.

They need support in order to be able to continue (defend their territory), Austin said. And, of course, thats where the supplemental (U.S. funding) comes in, and we certainly would hope that we would see the supplemental get passed.

Meanwhile, the White House has scrambled to free up funds as the House stalls on approving further military aid to Kyiv.

The U.S. found $300 million in unanticipated savings from Pentagon contracts to provide Ukraine military assistance, President Joe Biden announced last week.

Rustem Umerov, Ukraines defense minister, listens to opening remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes) Form left, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the U.S. chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukraine Defense Minister Rustem Umerov attend the Ukraine Defense Contact Group talks at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)

The package, to be used for artillery rounds and munitions for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, likely is a one-time situation, U.S. officials said.

House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson so far has refused to call a vote on a bill to provide $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.

On Tuesday, Austin said a newly formed capability coalition leadership group will help address Ukraines highest priority needs.

Austin thanked Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom for their roles in leading the group.

Were coordinating on cross-cutting issues such as drones, sustainment, command and control  and galvanizing our defense industrial bases, Austin said during opening remarks Tuesday.

Lets not kid ourselves, Austin added. Putin will not stop at Ukraine.

Stars and Stripes reporters John Vandiver and Alexander Riedel contributed to this report.
A small memorial marks the spot in Sant Antonio Porcia, Italy, where an Italian teenager was killed in August 2022. Julia Bravo, an American airman stationed at Aviano Air Base, received a suspended prison sentence for striking the teenager with her car. (Kent Harris/Stars and Stripes)

An American airman serving in Italy received a suspended two-and-a-half year prison sentence for killing a 15-year-old boy in 2022 while driving drunk near Aviano Air Base, according to Italian news reports.

Airman 1st Class Julia Bravo, 21, originally faced the prospect of being behind bars for up to 12 years, but problems with her blood alcohol test led the court to disregard drunk driving as an aggravating factor in the death of Giovanni Zanier, Italian news service ANSA said Monday. The Pordenone prosecutors office did not return calls for comment from Stars and Stripes on Tuesday.

Bravo is a security forces airman at Aviano, 31st Fighter Wing officials said Wednesday.

Bravo hit Zanier on a sidewalk in Porcia at about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2022, while driving home from a nightclub. She had a blood alcohol level four times the legal limit, ANSA reported at the time.

That night would have been better if I had died, Bravo told the Pordenone court during a hearing, ANSA reported.

The streetlights in the area were shut off as part of an energy-saving policy, the newspaper Il Gazzettino reported.

In August, the boys mother, Barbara Scandella, told the court she wanted Bravo to be tried in Italy. Under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, cases involving American service members can be transferred to U.S. jurisdiction.

The treaty was invoked in 1998, when a Marine Corps plane leaving Aviano Air Base clipped a cable car at a ski resort, killing 20 people. The pilots were tried in the U.S. and acquitted of manslaughter, which drew protests in Italy.

After attempts to reach a plea agreement failed, Bravos attorneys in November asked Judge Rodolfo Piccin for a speedy trial that would allow the reduction of a third of the potential sentence.

A compensation agreement between the U.S. and Zaniers family was reached shortly after the crash, according to Pordenone Today, which did not specify the terms.

Words cannot fully express our condolences for the loss of Giovanni Zanier and the impact that has had on his family and community, the 31st Fighter Wing said in a statement Wednesday. We remain committed to building trust with our Italian partners. We recognize that rebuilding trust takes time, and we remain committed to the journey ahead.
A New York Army National Guard Honor Guard team carries the remains of Chief Warrant Officer John M. Grassia III from a New York Air National Guard LC-130 to a hearse past a line of dignitaries, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, during planeside honors conducted at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Latham, N.Y., on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Darren McGee/Gov. Kathy Hochuls Office)

The New York National Guard on Monday brought home two soldiers killed in the line of duty on March 8 in Texas.

The caskets containing the bodies of Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officers 2 Casey Frankoski and John M. Grassia III were ferried from Kelly Field, Texas, to the Army Aviation Support Facility at Albany International Airport in Latham, N.Y., on board an LC-130 Hercules assigned to the New York Air National Guards 109th Airlift Wing.

Family, friends, fellow soldiers, New York National Guard leaders, local political officials and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul were on hand.

Major Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, received approval from Army and Air Force officials to bring the remains home together on board a New York Air National Guard aircraft.

An eight-soldier detail from the New York Army National Guard Honor Guard was on board, led by Sgt. 1st Class Charles Gabriel, who leads New Yorks 87-soldier honor guard force.

Frankoski and Grassia were piloting a UH-72 Lakota helicopter on a border reconnaissance mission on March 8 when the aircraft crashed near Rio Grande City, Texas. The two were assigned to Detachment 2, Company A, of the 1st Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment. The 21-soldier detachment was mobilized in October 2023 for federal duty supporting the Border Patrol as part of Joint Task Force North.

New York Air National Guard soldiers and airmen salute as a New York Army National Guard Honor Guard team carries the remains of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey Frankoski from a 109th Airlift Wing LC-130 to a waiting hearse at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Latham, N.Y., on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Stephanie Butler/U.S. Army National Guard) A New York Army National Guard Honor Guard team finishes placing the remains of Chief Warrant Officer Casey Frankoski into a hearse during planeside honors conducted at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Latham, N.Y., on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Darren McGee/Gov. Kathy Hochuls Office) Col. Richard Goldenberg stands at parade rest as a New York Air National Guard LC-130 carrying the remains of New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officers 2 Casey Frankoski and John Grassia III moves into position at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Latham, N.Y., on Monday, March 18, 2024. (Stephanie Butler/U.S. Army National Guard)

Border Patrol agent Chris Luna also was killed in the crash, and New York National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Pratt was critically injured. Pratt, who suffered multiple broken bones, is awake and aware as he continues receiving treatment at a Texas hospital, according to a GoFundMe post.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The hearses and buses containing the families were escorted by New York State Police and Rensselaer, N.Y., Police Department vehicles to funeral homes in the area towns of Glenville and Rensselaer.

Frankoski joined the Army National Guard in 2016 and deployed to Kuwait in November 2018 as a mission planner. She was appointed Chief Warrant Officer in 2019 and Chief Warrant Officer 2 in 2021, graduating from flight school the same year.

She trained to become a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot and was deployed to the Texas border in October 2023. Frankoski received several honors and awards during her service including the Army Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

We should mourn the loss of Casey Frankoski, who was brought home today, Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin said in a statement posted on Facebook. We should also recognize that our county and country still produce outstanding young people like Casey who aspire to the highest standards of public service.

We will never forget Casey and her service.

After enlisting in the National Guard in 2012, Grassia completed his training in 2013 and was awarded the MOS 15T  UH-60 Helicopter Repairer. He was deployed to Kuwait in 2013, upon returning, he achieved a bachelors in Informatics and Cyber Security and was a cybersecurity analyst for the NYS Department of Homeland Security from 2017 to 2019.

He was selected for Warrant Officer Candidate School in 2018 and went on to become a Chief Warrant Officer 2 and UH-60M Pilot. He became a state trooper in 2022. Grassia also received several awards and accommodations including Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Global War Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Frankoski is the daughter of retired Rensselaer Police Department Chief James Frankoski, and Grassi was a member of the New York State Police.

They are valued team members who are heroes who tragically lost their lives doing their mission, said Col. Jason Lefton, the state Army aviation officer and commander of the 42nd Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade. Were doing everything we can to find out what happened and take care of their families and the rest of our soldiers. ... Right now, it is a time of hurt. Were looking after each other, and were doing the best that we can.

Services for Frankoski are set for Friday, followed by military funeral honors and burial at the Gerald B. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, located near the historic battlefield.

Grassia will be interred at the same cemetery following military funeral honors on March 26.

The Record in Troy, N.Y., contributed to this report.
USS Normandy, a Ticonderoga-class, guided-missile cruiser, arrives at Cherbourg, France, in November 2022. (Malachi Lakey/U.S. Navy)

The Navys plan to buy fewer ships while accelerating early retirements for others across the fleet has drawn the opening salvos of criticism from at least one member of Congress.

The more than $250 billion budget proposed for fiscal 2025 for the Navy and Marine Corps includes fewer purchases of Virginia-class attack submarines and F-35 Lightning II fighter variants. The Navys plan would fund long-term projects such as a second Columbia-class, ballistic-missile submarine and two more Ford-class aircraft carriers.

The Navy also seeks to get rid of 19 ships, including 10 before reaching their expected service life, a move Congress has been reluctant to support in recent years.

Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., said last week that the Navys decision to buy one new Virginia-class attack submarine instead of two makes no sense as the U.S. faces a rapidly expanding Chinese navy, which has set a target size of 440 ships by 2030. The U.S. Navy has 291 ships.

We have an urgent need to expand the submarine fleet, said Courtney, whose district includes Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton. This is not good budgeting or good planning.

The House and Senate will begin holding hearings this week on the Pentagons proposed budget, but some criticism has already emerged since the spending plan was publicly released March 11. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, expressed concern almost two weeks ago about an icebreaker gap with the Russians and allowing them to outpace the Navy with ships that can operate in the Arctic Ocean.

Courtney, whose district also includes the General Dynamics Electric Boat facility where half of the Virginia-class attack submarines are built, is the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committees subpanel on seapower and projection forces. He plans to raise the issue of the submarines at House Armed Services Committee hearings this week and a fuller examination at a subcommittee hearing to be scheduled later.

The Navys budget plan said fiscal uncertainty, new congressional spending caps and a lag in construction pace at shipyards required a pause in some new procurement, and the early ship retirements will allow for more budget flexibility.

This is a return-on-investment decision  ship by ship, class by class  based on material condition, life remaining, cost and time to upgrade, and net warfighting value, said Lt. j.g. Luke Bienstock, a Navy spokesman.

Courtney said Congress has backed the construction of a new generation of submarines and aircraft carriers despite restraints put on federal budgets.

Citing downward budget pressure is really lousy justification, he said.

King said he has been calling for more icebreakers since 2015 as the Arctic has become a growing area of military and commercial competition between NATO and Russia, with China also increasing its shipping presence.

The Department of Homeland Security reported in October 2023 that Russia has about 40 operational icebreakers, though most are assigned to specific Russian northern port operations. The United States has only one operational icebreaker.

King said the icebreakers allowed Russian shipping more options to slice through thin ice, while the United States was left not having a road to get where you need to get.

Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillott, the new commander of U.S. Northern Command, told King at the hearing that while the U.S. Coast Guard planned to increase the number of icebreakers, the shortage of U.S. capabilities would remain acute.

We will be severely outnumbered, he said. That does limit our freedom of maneuver in that region.

USS Topeka, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, shown in 2012. (David Krigbaum/U.S. Navy)

In the fiscal 2025 budget plan, the Navy is requesting one Virginia-class submarine, two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, one Constellation-class guided-missile frigate, one San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock and one medium landing ship.

The proposed budget also directs funds from buying a second Virginia-class submarine to be spent instead upgrading the supply-chain infrastructure for the submarine program. More than 15,000 companies in all 50 states are involved in some portion of building Navy submarines.

Funding for the largest fleet purchases is spread throughout several years. The Navy wants incremental budget money to continue building the third and fourth Ford-class carriers  USS Enterprise and USS Doris Miller. Both will enter service in the 2030s.

The Navy also requested continued funding for what service leaders called their top priority in budget documents  funding for the USS Wisconsin, the second Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine. The first, USS District of Columbia, is scheduled for a delivery date in October 2027. The Wisconsin would be delivered in April 2030.

Construction delays on USS District of Columbia have required the Navy to look at extending the life of older Ohio-class, ballistic-missile submarines. The Navy has also converted some early Virginia-class submarines to launch nuclear weapons as a stop-gap measure to maintain the naval portion of the nuclear triad that includes land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and Air Force bombers.

The Navy and the shipbuilders are continuing to take immediate and aggressive action to address key performance drivers to keep USS District of Columbia from falling further behind schedule, Bienstock said.

To stretch costs, the Navy curtailed its planned purchase of F-35 fighter jets. The budget requests 13 F-35C Lightning II carrier-launched jets instead of earlier projections of 19 aircraft. The jets would be split between Navy and Marine squadrons. The Navy also cut its purchase of F-35B Lighting II variants with vertical take-off and landing capability for the Marine Corps, reducing the request for 19 jets to 13.

Three Los Angeles-class submarines, two Ticonderoga-class cruisers and four mine-detection ships have passed their expected service life dates and are among the 19 ships targeted for retirement by the Navy.

However, the other 10 that the Navy wants to remove from the fleet are still short of retirement age. The gaps range from one and two years for two more Ticonderoga-class cruisers to 29 years for USNS John Glenn, an expeditionary land dock vessel only 11 years into its expected 40-year service.

The Navy said the John Glenn, which was designed as a base to launch up to three large air-cushioned assault ships, doesnt match up with Navy plans that increasingly focused on regional conflicts against near-peer adversaries such as Russia and China.

Other early retirements target littoral combat ships and expeditionary light transports designed for interdiction and counter-insurgency action. All have served less than half their designed lifespan.

Congress has blocked earlier attempts to retire ships ahead of schedule. The Navy increased its requests for early retirements in fiscal 2020, pivoting from regional conflicts to global ones.

The central theme of all this guidance is the return to great-power competition, Rear Adm. Randy Crites, the Navys deputy assistant secretary for budget, said during a 2020 briefing.

Crites said ships such as the littoral combat ships no longer fit into the Navys strategy as they had less than a decade before.

In great-power competition, they are less important, he said.

The Navy also sought to retire the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman that year to allow budget flexibility for other priorities.

Congress blocked the Truman retirement and has stopped most of the Navys plans to retire ships before their expected service dates. In fiscal 2023, the Navy sought to retire 16 ships early, but Congress only approved six.

Navy Undersecretary Erik Raven called for cuts last year, saying the Navy needed to be allowed to decide how best to shape the fleet.

We have sailors and Marines who are serving on these ships. We think that getting them matched up with the right platforms is the way to go, he said.

In the fiscal 2025 budget, five of the 10 ships that the Navy is looking to retire ahead of their lifespan deadline have been on earlier budget requests that Congress denied.

The ships on the 2025 Navy retirement list include:

 Three Los Angeles-class, nuclear-powered attack submarines: USS Helena, USS Pasadena and USS Topeka. All have surpassed their 33-year estimated service life. If retired, more than half of the 62 Los Angeles-class submarines commissioned since 1976 will have retired. The last of the class, USS Cheyenne, was commissioned in 1996. Their place is being taken by the three Seawolf attack submarines and the Virginia-class, fast-attack submarines.

 Four Ticonderoga-class cruisers: USS Philippine Sea and USS Normandy are at about their 35-year estimated service life. The USS Shiloh and USS Erie have two and three years left, respectively. The Navy wants to retire all four in 2025. In 2024, Congress blocked the Navys proposal to retire the USS Shiloh.

 Two Independence-class littoral combat ships. The 10-year-old USS Montgomery and 11-year-old USS Jackson are less than halfway through their projected 25-year service life. The Navy has sought to dispose of the ships because of maintenance problems and the need for costly upgrades, and what service leaders said is a mismatch with current Navy needs.

 Four mine countermeasures ships: USS Sentry, USS Devastator, USS Gladiator and USS Dextrous are all beyond their estimated service life. Used extensively during Operation Desert Storm, all four operate from a Navy facility in Bahrain.

 Four expeditionary light transports: The transports have lightweight aluminum hulls and can operate at up to 43 knots in shallow waters. Of the four, the USNS Spearhead has a damaged bow, while USNS Fall River and USNS Choctaw County are listed as inactive. The fourth ship is the USNS Millinocket. All are at about the halfway point of their projected 20-year service life.

 Two seagoing docks: The USNS John Glenn, an expeditionary landing dock, is listed as inactive in San Diego. The Navy sought to retire the ship in 2023, but Congress did not approve the action. The USS Germantown is the second of the Whidbey Island-class landing dock ships. It took part in Operation Desert Storm and saw action in the invasion of Iraq. The Navy sought to retire the ship in the fiscal 2024 budget with two years left on its service life. The Navy wants to decommission the vessel again in 2025.
On Wednesday, March 20, Polish farmers will hold hundreds of protests across Poland. The strikers promise to block roads in more than 500 settlements, taking agricultural machinery to the streets and highways. Everyone who is in Poland is asked to avoid using personal vehicles and take public transportation if possible.

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This is reported by RMF24. It is noted that, among other things, about ten of the most important highways leading to Warsaw will be blocked. "Armageddon awaits us on Wednesday," the Polish publication describes the farmers' plans, publishing a map of the upcoming protests:

"Farmers intend to protest on highways, national roads, as well as in city centers," the publication reports. In total, more than 580 protests are reported, involving almost 70 thousand farmers.

According to local authorities, road blocking will begin in the morning. For example, in Warsaw and the surrounding area, farmers will protest from 6 a.m. local time, and in the Silesian Voivodeship - from 5 a.m. They are going to strike until the end of the working day.

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However, the strike will be shorter in a number of cities. In Gdansk, for example, the action is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. In the Lodz Voivodeship, traffic will be blocked from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

However, Polish farmers are protesting not only within their own country. Truck traffic on the border with Ukraine remains blocked, and the blockade also continues on the German border.

The slogans of Polish farmers are unchanged. The main topic is the EU's environmental rules, which Poland wants to either significantly ease or abolish. Farmers from other EU countries are demanding the same conditions.

However, the Poles have gone further and are also seeking financial assistance from the EU authorities. The third demand of the protesters is a ban on imports of agricultural products from non-EU countries. It is in this vein that Poles are actively mentioning Ukraine. At the same time, farmers do not talk about imports of Russian grain, which is still actively imported both to Poland (unlike Ukrainian goods) and to other EU countries.

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As Denys Marchuk, deputy chairman of the All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council, explained to OBOZ.UA, it was impossible to predict the actions of the protesters. According to him, the Polish government and European authorities are already actively working on the protesters' demands. However, the blockades continue for purely political reasons.

"These are inexpensive PR actions that help you remind of yourself. Given that these actions are led by a significant number of politicians, including those from the opposition, this is also one of the methods on the eve of the local elections (in Poland - Ed.)," the expert explained.

According to him, the Polish authorities and law enforcement agencies do not interfere with the protests for the same reason. Due to the upcoming elections, the Polish coalition is afraid of losing part of the electorate that sympathizes with the protesting farmers.

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As reported, earlier, the majority of political groups in the European Parliament supported the idea to completely ban the import of food and grain from Russia. Some MEPs called for an urgent embargo, calling trade with Russia immoral.

However, the European Commission is not ready to impose a full-fledged embargo. Instead, the EU executive proposes to increase duties on grain from Russia and Belarus to the maximum.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
(J.P. Lawrence/Stars and Stripes)

Herat, Afghanistan, Nov. 14, 2018: A woman inspects red stigmas from a purple crocus flower for impurities in one of three saffron processing centers opened by Rumi Spice, a Chicago-based spice company founded by U.S. Army veterans that sourced its spices directly from Afghan farmers. Called red gold, saffron is sold as the most expensive spice in the world, selling for up to $4,000 a pound.

Read J.P. Lawrences 2018 story about growing saffron in Afghanistan and the role of a U.S. veteran-led company here.
A man takes a cellphone photo in Niamey, Niger, on May 6, 2023. Russia is driving a surge of disinformation campaigns in Africa, according to a report this month from a Pentagon-linked think tank. The campaign includes paid African influencers, digital avatars and the circulation of fake videos and photographs, researchers said. (Amy Younger/U.S. Air Force)

Russia is leading a surge of disinformation campaigns in Africa, using paid social media influencers and other tactics to promote and validate coups in places like Niger, according to new research by a Pentagon-affiliated think tank.

The report by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies comes amid the U.S. militarys struggle to maintain influence in western Africa, where the Kremlin is seeking to gain a foothold.

Disinformation operations on the continent have surged nearly fourfold since 2022, said the report, which was issued earlier this month.

Such campaigns have directly driven deadly violence, promoted and validated military coups, cowed civil society members into silence, and served as smokescreens for corruption and exploitation, it said.

Events in Niger, which the report identifies as a hot spot for Russian disinformation, bring into focus the stakes for the Pentagon.

It developed a $110 million drone base in the country to counter Islamic extremism, and Niger was the top American partner in the region until a July military coup upended the arrangement.

And on Saturday, the countrys ruling junta said it wants U.S. forces out, creating uncertainty for the future of the mission and the 1,000 personnel still in Niger.

Before, during and after the coup there, Russian information operations were in full swing as Moscow sought to capitalize on instability in the country, according to the report.

The Russian disinformation strategy involves everything from paid African influencers to digital avatars and the circulation of fake videos and photographs, according to the authors of the report.

It cited two influencers connected to Russia who have a combined following of over 28 million users. In turn, that content has been amplified by a sprawling ecosystem of hundreds of Russian-linked accounts and pages.

Pro-Russia operatives follow a playbook developed decades ago for using what the Kremlin calls active measures in an effort to destabilize targeted countries.

The phenomenon took on new life in the wake of the 2014 invasion of Ukraine and subsequent annexation of Crimea by Russia. Kremlin bots and trolls overwhelmed comment threads in Western media outlets reporting and social media feeds.

It has continued apace ever since, with the Russian attempts to subvert the 2016 U.S. presidential election being the most high-profile example.

U.S. Africa Commands Gen. Michael Langley said in Senate testimony earlier this month that Russia wants a foothold to project power there and access the continents vast mineral wealth.

Africa has seen a rapid expansion of access to social media in the past seven years, and now roughly 300 million Africans have joined various platforms, according to the report.

Russia is the main purveyor of disinformation in Africa, sponsoring 80 documented campaigns targeting more than 22 countries, the report said. That represents nearly 40% of all disinformation campaigns in Africa.

China was the second-biggest spreader of disinformation, according to the study.
Children look through a fence at a shelter for families displaced by gang violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday, March 13, 2024. (Odelyn Joseph/AP)

GEORGETOWN, Guyana  Caribbean leaders said Tuesday that all groups and political parties except one have submitted nominees for a transitional presidential council charged with selecting an interim prime minister for Haiti, which remains engulfed in gang violence.

The original nine-member council was whittled down to eight members after the Pitit Desalin party, led by former senator and presidential candidate Jean-Charles Moise, declined a seat last week. Moise is allied with Guy Philippe, a former police official and rebel leader who served time in the U.S. after pleading guilty to money laundering.

The Dec. 21 group, which is allied with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, was one of the last holdouts, submitting a name Monday to the regional trade group known as Caricom. Its nomination had been delayed by infighting as group leaders bickered over potential candidates.

Henry, who remains locked out of Haiti because ongoing gang violence has forced the closure of its main international airport, has promised to resign once the transitional council is created. He was on an official trip to Kenya pushing for the U.N.-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country to fight gangs in Haiti when armed gunmen launched attacks on Feb. 29 in the capital, Port-au-Prince, that are still ongoing. The deployment has been delayed.

U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters Tuesday that Kenya has concerns about the makeup of the government on the ground.

We certainly hope that they will be able to deploy as quickly as possible, he said. But they have their concerns. And for our part, what we want to make sure is that the transitional government arrangements can be implemented.

Gangs have torched police stations, opened fire on the main international airport and stormed Haitis two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates. On Monday, they attacked and looted homes in two upscale communities that had previously remained peaceful, killing at least a dozen people during the rampage.

The U.N. humanitarian office reports that the situation in Port-au-Prince remains tense and volatile with schools, hospitals and government buildings being attacked and many curtailing operations, Haq said.

He added that the health sector continues to struggle given a lack of medical supplies, healthcare workers and blood.

Scores of people have been killed during the attacks, and around 17,000 people have been left homeless, the majority fleeing to Haitis calmer southern region, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

We are very concerned about the violence, said Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, who is also the Caricom chairman.

He told reporters on Monday night that time was of essence given the situation, adding that officials remain hopeful for progress.

We have been having continuous meetings almost every night, because the Haitians have to get the presidential council in place, he said. Progress has been made.

In addition to selecting an interim prime minister, the council will be responsible for appointing a council of ministers, a provisional electoral council and a national security council. All members of the transitional council also must back the deployment of a foreign armed force.

Those awarded a spot on the council are EDE/RED, a party led by former Prime Minister Claude Joseph; the Montana Accord, a group of civil society leaders, political parties and others; Fanmi Lavalas, the party of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide; the Jan. 30 Collective, which represents parties including that of former President Michel Martelly; and the private sector.

Of the remaining two nonvoting positions, one would go to a representative of Haitis civil society and the other to its religious sector.

Caricom officials havent released the full list of names nominated to the council.

Associated Press reporter Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, shakes hands with Philippines' Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo at the Sofitel Hotel in Manila, Philippines Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/AP)

MANILA, Philippines  Secretary of State Antony Blinken will underscore Washingtons ironclad commitment to its alliance with the Philippines on Tuesday, as clashes between Chinese and Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea turn more hostile, the U.S. State Department said.

Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the U.S. treaty ally, met his Philippine counterpart, Enrique Manalo Tuesday, before planned meetings with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other top officials in Manila.

Next month, President Joe Biden will host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a White House summit amid growing concerns over increasingly aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea and North Koreas nuclear program.

The Chinese coast guard blocked and used water cannons against Philippine vessels in a confrontation two weeks ago that slightly injured a Filipino admiral and four of his sailors near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal.

The March 5 faceoff in the high seas also caused two minor collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels and prompted Manilas Department of Foreign Affairs to summon Chinas deputy ambassador to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guards actions, which the Philippines said were unacceptable.

Washington renewed a warning after the hostilities that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under an armed attack anywhere in the South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard said that it took control measures in accordance with the law against Philippine ships that illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Renai Reef, the name Beijing uses for Second Thomas Shoal.

The Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent but surrounded by Chinese coast guard ships and other allied vessels, was the site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships last year. But Filipino officials said the confrontation earlier this month was particularly serious because of the injuries sustained by its navy personnel and damage to their vessel.

In his meetings with Marcos and Manalo, Blinken will advance shared economic priorities and underscore the United States ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Philippine alliance, the State Department said.

They will discuss areas to deepen U.S.-Philippine cooperation on a range of bilateral and global issues, including on regional peace and stability, human rights and democracy, economic prosperity among others, the State Department said.

Outside the presidential palace, dozens of left-wing activists tore a mock U.S. flag in a noisy rally Tuesday to oppose Blinkens visit and U.S. involvement in the long-simmering territorial disputes.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, a key global trade route.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea. In the last decade, China has turned barren reefs into seven islands that now serve as missile-protected island bases, including three with runways, that have bolstered its capability to fortify its territorial claims and patrols.

In response, Washington has been strengthening an arc of military alliances and security relationships in the Indo-Pacific, including with the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries at odds with China in the disputed sea.

After China effectively seized another disputed atoll, the Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines, in 2012, Manila brought its disputes with Beijing to international arbitration and largely won. China, however, rejected the 2016 ruling of the U.N.-backed tribunal that invalidated its expansive claims on historical grounds and continues to defy the decision.

Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila contributed to this report.
A mobile phone with a TikTok logo on the screen. (Dreamstime/TNS)

(Tribune News Service)  The House-passed measure designed to force Chinas ByteDance to divest TikTok is only part of an expanding effort aimed at curtailing Chinas tech ties to the United States.

As lawmakers were voting on the TikTok measure on March 13, members of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee were marking up three such bills. They would require officials to identify routers, modems and other communications devices that may have tech content from China, identify telecom entities that have ownership ties there and prohibit the use of drones made by Chinese companies.

The Chinese Communist Party poses a significant threat to American security and economic leadership, Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, said before the markup. China is aggressively trying to overtake the United States as the global leader in communications and technology.

The bills, which also target entities and technologies from Russia, Iran and North Korea, countries that are considered foreign adversaries, were favorably reported to the full committee on unanimous votes.

President Joe Biden has also moved to block the export of advanced semiconductor chips to China in an effort to thwart Beijings advances on artificial intelligence systems. And the administration is examining ways to squeeze off the flow of U.S.-backed venture capital to Chinas tech sector.

Taking aim at Chinese technology has been a go-to move during an election year in which both parties are keen to demonstrate their tough stance on the country, said James Lewis, director of the technology and public policy program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Theres a fair degree of hysteria to all of this, but the way to think about it is, we are doing to China what China did to us, Lewis said in an interview, referring to the banning of U.S. social media apps beginning in 2010. Facebook, Google, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp have been blocked in China because the companies wouldnt follow Beijings rules on data collection and sharing.

The Chinese are keen to control what they would call the information space, so its hard for them to object when the United States is attempting to do the same with TikTok, Lewis said.

That didnt stop Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin from objecting to the House measure. At a news conference in Beijing last week, he said the bill put the United States on the opposite side of the principle of fair competition and international economic and trade rules.

The measure would require TikToks Chinese owner ByteDance to divest its U.S. subsidiary within six months of the law taking effect or the U.S. government could force app stores and websites to stop hosting the app. The bill also would give the president the authority to deny other social media apps owned and operated by foreign adversaries access to U.S. users unless they sever ties to their foreign owners.

No hurry in Senate

Its unclear whether, or how quickly, the Senate will act on the measure, with Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and other lawmakers indicating theres no rush.

Schumer has in the past backed the idea of a U.S. company buying TikTok. A U.S. company should buy TikTok so everyone can keep using it and your data is safe, Schumer said in an August 2020 post on what was then Twitter.

With TikTok in China, its subject to Chinese Communist Party laws that may require handing over data to their government, Schumer continued. A safe way must be found for TikTok to continue.

Despite the doubt about whether the Senate will act, potential buyers are already lining up.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who heads Liberty Strategic Capital, told CNBC last week that he was assembling a group of investors.

Lewis noted, however, that the price tag could be steep  perhaps as high as $400 billion based on Chinas assertion that the sale of TikToks recommendation algorithm would be a technology transfer. Beijing controls the decision whether to export the algorithm, so they get a vote on the price, he said.

The TikTok app is based in the U.S., but ByteDance might be able to circumvent any U.S. ban if it moves the entity overseas, say to Ireland or Abu Dhabi, while keeping it available to U.S. users, Lewis said.

The European Unions recently passed Digital Markets Act aims to dilute the power of the app stores operated by Apple Inc. and Google LLC by allowing users to download any app even if its not offered on the devices app store. Apple said this month that it will comply with the change. That could mean users, even in the United States, could still access TikTok, Lewis said.

Beijing also may put pressure on U.S. tech companies that have deep ties to China.

A report issued in February by Georgetown Universitys Center for Security and Emerging Technology found that Apple, Tesla Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. could face pressure if China decides to retaliate in the context of a conflict in Taiwan.

Analysis of revenue, investments in manufacturing facilities, and supplier networks suggests that Apple and Tesla, and to a lesser extent, Amazon, may be particularly susceptible to Chinese economic pressure and coercion amid a potential Taiwan crisis, said the report titled Which Ties Will Bind?: Big Tech, Lessons from Ukraine, and Implications for Taiwan.

Similar pressures may apply in the TikTok fight.

Suppose the Chinese said, OK, TikTok was forced to divest, now its your turn to companies like Apple and Microsoft, Lewis said. That would cause a big break in the intertwined economic relationships between the two countries.

2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc.

Visit at rollcall.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
An Israeli tank positioned on the border with Gaza Strip in southern Israel on March 19, 2024. (Ariel Schalit/AP)

RAFAH, Gaza Strip  Explosions and shootings shook the Gaza Strips biggest hospital and surrounding neighborhoods as Israeli forces stormed through the facility for a second day Tuesday. The military said it had killed 50 Hamas militants in the hospital, but it could not be independently confirmed that the dead were combatants.

The raid was a new blow to the Shifa medical complex, which had only partially resumed operations after a destructive Israeli raid in November. Thousands of Palestinian patients, medical staff and displaced people were trapped inside the sprawling complex Tuesday as heavy fighting between troops and Hamas fighters raged in nearby districts.

Its very hard right now. Theres heavy bombardment in the area of Shifa, and buildings are being hit. The sound of tank and artillery fire is continuous, Emy Shaheen, who lives near the hospital, said in a voice message with repeated booms of shelling audible in the background. She said a large fire had been raging for hours near the hospital.

The Israeli military said it raided Shifa early Monday because Hamas fighters had grouped in the hospital and were directing attacks from inside.

The claim could not be confirmed, and the Hamas media office said all those killed in the assault were civilians. But the surge in fighting in Gaza City underscored Hamas continued presence in northern Gaza months after Israeli ground troops claimed they largely had control over the area.

Israel launched its offensive in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas after the groups Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. More than 31,800 Palestinians have been killed in the bombardment and offensive since. Much of northern Gaza has been leveled, and an international authority on hunger crises warned on Monday that 70% of the people there were experiencing catastrophic hunger and that famine was imminent.

The mayhem in the north came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated his determination to invade Gazas southernmost town, Rafah  one of the last major towns not targeted by a ground assault.

A day earlier, in their first phone call in a month, U.S. President Joe Biden urged Netanyahu not to carry out a Rafah operation, urging an alternative approach to more precisely target Hamas fighters there.

The United States, Israels closest ally, has expressed concern over attacking Rafah because some 1.4 million people from across Gaza have crowded into the area. U.N. officials have warned of a massive death toll and the potential collapse of the humanitarian aid effort if troops moved into Rafah.

Netanyahu agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington to discuss Rafah with Biden administration officials.

But on Tuesday, he told a parliamentary committee that while he would listen to U.S. proposals out of respect to Biden, we are determined to complete the elimination of these (Hamas) battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion.

Airstrikes in Rafah overnight destroyed an apartment and several houses, killing at least 15 people, including six women and children, hospital officials said.

New Shifa siege

The army last raided Shifa Hospital in November after claiming that Hamas maintained an elaborate command center within and beneath the facility. The military revealed a tunnel leading to some underground rooms, as well as weapons it said were found inside the hospital. However, the evidence fell short of the earlier claims, and critics accused the army of recklessly endangering the lives of civilians.

The hospital, which is the heart of Gazas health system, was severely damaged in the assault and has only been able to resume limited operations since. Gaza officials say some 30,000 displaced people were taking refuge in the compound when the new Israeli assault began.

The raid came before dawn Monday when tanks surrounded the facility and troops stormed into multiple buildings.

The military on Tuesday said two of its soldiers had been killed in the operation. It said Tuesday that 300 suspects were detained, including dozens it accused of being fighters from Hamas and the smaller Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad. Some patients were evacuated to nearby Ahli Hospital, said Mahmoud Bassal, civil defense spokesperson.

Abdel-Hady Sayed, who has been sheltering in the Shifa hospital, said troops had rounded up dozens in the hospitals yard, blindfolding, handcuffing, and ordering them to strip their clothes before some were taken away.

He said those inside, especially men, were afraid to follow Israeli calls to evacuate the hospital. They tell you to get out, its a safe corridor and once they see you they arrest you, he said. All are afraid here. The world should do something to stop them.

The military has identified one person killed in the raid  Faiq Mabhouh, a senior officer in Gazas police force, which is under the Hamas-led government but distinct from the militant groups armed fighting wing. The military said he was hiding in Shifa with weapons, but the Gaza government said he was in charge of protecting aid distribution in the north.

The raid prompted heavy fighting for blocks around Shifa. Hamas military wing said it struck two Israeli armored vehicles and a group of soldiers with rockets in the vicinity of the hospital.

Emergency services received multiple calls for help from people whose buildings had been bombed in the streets around Shifa, but rescue teams could not go to the scene because of the fighting, Bassal said.

Kareem al-Shawwa, a Palestinian living about a kilometer (less than a mile) from the hospital, said the past 24 hours had been terrifying, with explosions and heavy exchanges of fire. He said Israeli troops had told residents to evacuate the area, but he and his family were too afraid of getting arrested or caught in the fighting to leave their home.

Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian facilities to shield its fighters, and the Israeli military has raided several hospitals since the start of the war.

The Gaza Health Ministry said Monday that at least 31,726 Palestinians have been killed in Israels offensive. The ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but it says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.

Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in Hamas Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel that triggered the war and took another 250 people hostage. Hamas is still believed to be holding about 100 captives, as well as the remains of 30 others, after most of the rest were freed during a cease-fire last year.

Magdy reported from Cairo.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

WASHINGTON  Negotiators from Congress and the White House scrambled Monday to complete work on the remaining government funding bills for the fiscal year and avoid a partial shutdown for key departments that would begin this weekend without legislative action.

Six months into the fiscal year, Congress is about halfway home in passing spending measures expected to total about $1.65 trillion. Lawmakers passed the first portion of spending bills in early March, funding about 30% of the government. Now lawmakers are focused on the larger package, and in what has become routine, are brushing up against the deadline when federal funding expires.

Agreement had been reached on five of the six spending bills that make up the second package, but negotiators clashed over the measure that provides funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is responsible for securing and managing U.S. borders, among other things. A person familiar with the negotiations but not authorized to discuss them publicly said late Monday that a deal had been reached on the Homeland Security spending. The breakthrough sets the stage for Congress to dodge a partial shutdown.

The stakes for both sides are immense as border security emerges as a central issue in the 2024 campaigns and the flow of migrants crossing the southern border far outpaces the capacity of the U.S. immigration system to deal with it.

Negotiators had been moving toward a simple solution: passing a continuing resolution that would mostly extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security, though with some increase from 2023 spending levels.

But a senior Republican aide said House Republicans pushed for more resources for the border than the continuing resolution would have provided. The White House also eventually rejected the continuing resolution approach but didnt make that clear in communications with congressional allies until the 11th hour, the aide said, increasing the risk of a short-term shutdown.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday declined to speak to timelines during the negotiations but emphasized that funding the government is lawmakers responsibility.

It is their job to keep the government open, she said.

Drilling down more specifically on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, she said the Biden administration has maximized their operations and removed more people in the past 10 months than during any year since fiscal year 2013. She said it was important to continue that operational pace.

Obviously, we believe DHS needs additional funding. Weve always said that, Jean-Pierre said.

Even with the possible release of legislative text early this week, its unclear whether Congress can avoid a brief partial shutdown. House rules call for giving lawmakers 72 hours to review a bill before voting. House Speaker Mike Johnson will then likely have to bring the bill up through a streamlined process requiring two-thirds support to pass.

Most of the no votes are expected to come from Republicans, who have been critical of the overall spending levels as well as the lack of policy mandates sought by some conservatives, such as restricting abortion access, eliminating diversity and inclusion programs within federal agencies, and banning gender-affirming care.

Then, the Senate would act on the bill, but it would require all senators to agree on speeding up the process to get to a final vote before the midnight Friday deadline. Such agreements generally require Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to allow for votes on various amendments to the bill in return for an expedited final vote.

The package being finalized this week is expected to provide about $886 billion for the Pentagon. The bill will also fund the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and others.

Overall, the two spending packages provide about a 3% boost for defense, while keeping nondefense spending roughly flat with the year before. Thats in keeping with an agreement that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy worked out with the White House, which restricted spending for two years and suspended the debt ceiling into January 2025 so the federal government could continue paying its bills.

House Republicans have been determined to end the practice of packaging all 12 annual spending bills into one massive bill called an omnibus. They managed this time to break the spending bills into two parts.

Associated Press staff writer Chris Megerian contributed to this report.
Migrants are taken into custody by officials at the Texas-Mexico border on Jan. 3, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (Eric Gay/AP)

WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Monday continued to block, for now, a Texas law that would give police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of illegally entering the U.S. while the legal battle it sparked over immigration authority plays out.

A one-page order signed by Justice Samuel Alito indefinitely prevents Texas from enforcing a sweeping state immigration enforcement law that had been set to take effect this month. The language of the order strongly suggests the court will take additional action, but it is unclear when.

It marks the second time Alito has extended a pause on the law, known as Senate Bill 4, which the Justice Department has argued would step on the federal governments immigration powers. Mondays order extending the stay came a few minutes after a 5 p.m. deadline the court had set for itself, creating momentary confusion about the measures status.

Opponents have called the law the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. The court battle is unfolding as immigration emerges as a key issue in the 2024 presidential race.

The office of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has said the states law mirrored federal law and was adopted to address the ongoing crisis at the southern border, which hurts Texans more than anyone else.

Arrests for illegal crossings along the southern border hit record highs in December but fell by half in January, a shift attributed to seasonal declines and heightened enforcement by the U.S. and its allies. The federal government has not yet released numbers for February.

The Biden administration sued to strike down the Texas measure in January, arguing its a clear violation of federal authority on immigration that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law. Critics have also said the law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.

A federal judge in Texas struck down the law in late February, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed that ruling, leading the federal government to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the show me your papers bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Greg Abbotts efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.
U.S. United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield addresses a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on maintenance of international peace and security Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, Monday, March 18, 2024, at U.N. headquarters. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP)

UNITED NATIONS  The United States and Japan are sponsoring a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on all nations not to deploy or develop nuclear weapons in space, the U.S. ambassador announced Monday.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a U.N. Security Council meeting that any placement of nuclear weapons into orbit around the Earth would be unprecedented, dangerous, and unacceptable.

The announcement that the U.S. and Japan had circulated a resolution follows White House confirmation last month that Russia has obtained a troubling anti-satellite weapon capability, although such a weapon is not operational yet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared later that Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space, claiming that the country has only developed space capabilities similar to those of the U.S.

The Outer Space Treaty ratified by about 114 countries including the United States and Russia prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction in orbit or the stationing of weapons in outer space in any other manner.

Japans Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, who chaired the council meeting, said that even during the confrontational environment of the Cold War, the rivals agreed to ensure that outer space remained peaceful. That prohibition on putting any weapons of mass destruction into orbit must be upheld today, she said.

Thomas-Greenfield said all parties to the treaty must commit to the ban on nuclear and other destructive weapons, and we must urge all member states who are not yet party to it to accede to it without delay.

She said the United States looks forward to engaging with the other members of the 15-nation Security Council to forge consensus around this text.

Russias deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said Moscows initial impression is that the proposed resolution is yet another propaganda stunt by Washington, very politicized and divorced from reality.

He criticized the text, saying the wording wasnt worked out by experts nor discussed at specialized international platforms such as the U.N. Conference on Disarmament or the U.N. Committee on Outer Space.

Outside the Security Council, Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. is interested in engaging with parties to the treaty to explore ways to increase confidence in compliance with the ban on nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in outer space.

The United States has already begun considering approaches to help ensure that countries cannot deploy nuclear weapons in orbit undetected, and we intend to engage with other states parties as our ideas evolve, she said.

Thomas-Greenfield also reiterated to the council the United States is willing to engage Russia and China right now, without preconditions, on bilateral arms control issues.

But Russias Polyansky accused the West of trying to inflict strategic defeat on my country.

Any interaction will only be possible if the United States and NATO review their anti- Russian course, and when they show that they are ready to participate in comprehensive dialogue, taking into account all of those strategic stability factors and removing all of the concerns that we have about our security, he said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres briefed the council, saying geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades.

He said the movie Oppenheimer about Robert Oppenheimer, who directed the U.S. project during World War II that developed the atomic bomb, brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world.

Humanity cannot survive a sequel to Oppenheimer, the U.N. chief said.
A sign stands on UnitedHealth Group Inc.s campus in Minnetonka, Minn., on Oct. 16, 2012. (Jim Mone/AP)

Federal officials and industry executives have known for years that the U.S. health-care system was one of the critical industries most vulnerable to hacking but failed to make the improvements that might have stopped attacks like the one that has crippled pharmacists and other medical providers for three weeks.

The danger was obvious in 2021, when ransomware gangs struck hospitals already overwhelmed by the covid-19 pandemic, forcing some to divert incoming emergency patients to other facilities and potentially contributing to deadly treatment delays.

But with private sector lobbyists opposing new security requirements, Congress and the regulatory wheels have ground slowly, mainly promoting best practices that hospitals can - and do - choose to ignore.

So can relatively unknown electronic clearinghouses like UnitedHealth Groups Change Healthcare, which was the object of an attack launched last month by a hacker affiliated with ransomware gang ALPHV that severed a key link between medical providers and their patients insurance companies in the worst health-care hack ever reported. Change Healthcare said Monday that it had provided advances of $2 billion to pharmacies, hospitals and other providers who were unable to get insurance reimbursements during the failure of its network.

Critics say the Change Healthcare fiasco, which has hurt patient care at almost three-fourths of U.S. hospitals, shows that defensive efforts are horribly inadequate. They say a complete response would include strict security requirements for the most critical pieces of the sprawling system, followed by less stringent but still sufficient rules for big hospital systems. The smallest providers, which may not have any security staff, should get help, as called for in the administrations proposed budget.

We need to make sure we know where these vulnerable points are, Nitin Natarajan, deputy director of the Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, acknowledged in an interview. Were looking at what levers exist.

Some members of Congress say that should have happened already.

The government needs to prevent this kind of devastating hack from happening over and over again, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told The Washington Post. I want to work with the Biden administration to ensure there are mandatory, specific cybersecurity rules in place as soon as possible, and to ensure accountability for CEOs.

Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger said the White House is examining what laws it can use to impose such standards on a reluctant industry, while telling executives that they are expected to comply with voluntary guidelines immediately.

The Hill has not passed any legislation providing authorities to mandate minimum standards, which is why we have been using sector emergency authorities or rulemaking, Neuberger told The Post on Monday.

She said some requirements will come soon for providers that accept Medicare and Medicaid.

The American Hospital Association said it supports voluntary cybersecurity goals aimed at defending against the most common attacks, like phishing emails. But the organization criticized mandatory measures like those proposed by the Biden administration, saying it would penalize hospitals that fail to meet certain standards, even when most of the risk comes from third-party technologies.

The AHA cannot support proposals for mandatory cybersecurity requirements being levied on hospitals as if they were at fault for the success of hackers in perpetrating a crime, the association wrote in a letter to the House Finance Committee last week.

Last year, more health-care industry targets reported ransomware attacks to the FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center than any other of the 16 sectors of critical infrastructure, according to the annual summary released this month.

Experts said industry resistance to mandatory security was only part of the problem.

Hospitals fall prey because they are easy money, said Greg Garcia, executive director of a health-care industry cybersecurity group and a former assistant secretary of homeland security. If the choice is pay the ransom and save a life and dont pay a ransom and risk losing a life or going out of business if its a small system, its kind of a no-brainer for the hacker.

Asked why it has not prepared better, Natarajan said the complexity of the sector was part of the reason.

A single medical service can feature innumerable participants - doctors and hospitals, insurance companies, drugmakers, pharmacies and platforms like Change Healthcare - all of which connect electronically. That makes each piece, with its own technology and priorities, a potential gateway to the whole medical universe.

So when hackers break into providers or others, encrypting health and billing records and demanding money to unlock them, they can also get into adjacent targets.

More than half of all health-care attacks come in through third parties, according to Garcia, whose organization is called the Health Sector Coordinating Council Cybersecurity Working Group.

The complexity is compounded by separate regulators for many parts of the health-care economy, some of which propound different security guidelines from one another, or none at all. The biggest authority, the Department of Health and Human Services, enforces rules for securing sensitive health data and is investigating the Change Healthcare breach.

CISA named health care last year as one of its top priorities for tech security, along with water, public schools and election systems. The agency offers free vulnerability assessments and training, and it has been able to warn about 100 health-care providers in the past year that their systems were under attack before it was too late.

One key issue is whether to pay a ransom to unlock systems after hackers have seized control of them.

In a statement, the White House said it strongly discourages paying of ransoms, to stop the flow of funds to these criminals and disincentivize their attacks.

But many cyber-insurance companies do suggest paying if data backups are not available.

When health providers dont pay, the results can be catastrophic. Change Healthcare parent company United Healthcare Group has not denied reports that it held out for two weeks before sending $22 million to the Russian-speaking ransomware gang ALPHV.

In that case, most of the damage hit other organizations that depended on Change Healthcare, as well as patients who found they could not get lifesaving medications without paying the same price as someone with no insurance.

UnitedHealth Group said Monday it had restored Change Healthcares platform for electronic payments and what it said was 99 percent of its pharmacy network services, while starting to release software for health care providers to submit medical claims for reimbursement.

Consumers and pharmacies still reported ongoing impacts, such as not being able to apply coupons that many use to pay for medications. The timeline to restore the ability to submit medical claims remains unclear, some physicians said.

There was also severe collateral damage after a major attack on the network of Scripps hospitals in San Diego in 2021, according to a May article in JAMA Network Open, from the American Medical Association. Scripps did not pay the ransom, according to reports at the time. The study found that the amount of time patients lost from being diverted to other emergency rooms more than doubled in the first days after the attack.

Inside Scripps hospitals, critical equipment was inoperable, a doctor told The Washington Post, including electronic patient records. Some younger physicians who had never before used paper charts simply went home.

You had to count on the patient to tell you what medications they were taking, what surgeries theyd had, if they remembered, the doctor said. Im sure we made mistakes.

Some security industry veterans who had seen a rash of medical industry data breaches before covid-19 foresaw the ransomware surge that would follow, and they formed a group of volunteers to help in March 2020. Called the Cyber Threat Intelligence League, they scanned hospital networks from afar, looking for vulnerabilities and alerting facilities that were in danger.

The members also advised hospitals that were already under attack and in bad shape.

I personally have no doubt that lives were lost, said CTI League co-founder Marc Rogers. When you talk to a hospital in the small hours of the morning and they have no way to access patient medical history records and use more advanced systems, you know thats going to cost lives.

In many cases, the hospitals were leery of taking advice from strangers, even when CISA or the FBI vouched for them, Rogers recalled. Smaller hospitals often had no ties to the industrys nonprofit security information-sharing group. Through trial and error, the league found that the best way to pass on tips and fixes was often through equipment and software vendors that already had a technical contact at the establishment.

The leagues greatest successes were the handful of times that it found a critical software flaw at a hospital, confirmed that ransomware hackers were exploiting the same flaw elsewhere, and explained the situation to the hospital in time for it to catch hackers in its systems before they encrypted them. CISA now uses the same approach.

Rogers, a former security executive at the internet security company Cloudflare, said more collaboration and better guidelines from federal agencies are only part of the answer. Left unchanged is the fact that many hospitals are small nonprofits with no one who can set up even minimal controls on online access, like multifactor authentication, instead of passwords alone.

None of it takes into account the lack of funding to do this stuff, Rogers said. These hospitals are still under-resourced. If you go to a rural hospital, you would be lucky to find any cybersecurity expertise at all.

The government approach to date, he added, means that youre giving them a list of things they need to do, but youre not giving them the means to do it.

Daniel Gilbert contributed to this report.
On March 18, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) aired the documentary Ukraine's War: The Other Side, which depicts the war in Ukraine from the perspective of the Russian occupiers. This incident was immediately criticized by the Ukrainian embassy in Australia and the Ukrainian community in the country.

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The film, directed by British filmmaker Sean Langan, shows the life of Russian invaders at the front in Ukraine through their eyes. The Embassy of Ukraine in Australia posted a statement on its Facebook page addressing the ABC.

"Last night's program on Four Corners, 'The Ukrainian War: The Other Side" was the journalistic equivalent of a bowl of vomit. It undoubtedly repeated and aired countless outright lies, distortions of history, racist claims and propaganda narratives emanating from the Kremlin. Given that this was entirely in the interests of Russian dictator Putin," the statement, which was written by Ukraine's Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Miroshnychenko, reads.

The embassy also condemned the fact that the film "minimizes and humiliates" the deaths of thousands of Ukrainian civilians killed by the Russian invasion. ABC is accused of "airing this utter garbage".

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"The film also downplayed and demeaned the deaths of thousands of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children who were killed by Russian soldiers during the illegal and brutal invasion strongly condemned by Australia and the majority of the world in a UNGA resolution in March 2022," the statement reads.

The Federation of Ukrainian Organizations of Australia also criticized the film, claiming that it provides a platform to justify the "brutal invasion" and shows director Langan "shaking hands, hugging and smiling at the Russian occupiers."

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"In a series of unquestioned interviews, viewers see stomach-churning footage of the director shaking hands, hugging and smiling alongside Russian soldiers, and listening to blatant lies, hatred and genocidal intentions against Ukrainians," the Federation of Ukrainian Organizations of Australia wrote on its Facebook page, showing a photo of Ukrainians protesting.

"It's nonsense for the ABC to pretend this was fearless journalism that gave us 'extraordinary' access to the 'other side'. This was a staged, Kremlin-controlled media event designed to justify Russia's disgusting invasion of a sovereign country," the statement said.

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ABC, on the other hand, defends its position, calling the film "challenging but legitimate" and an "important contribution" to war coverage. The media outlet claims that it "offers audiences a rare glimpse into the lives of Russian soldiers."

Moreover, the Australian National Broadcaster, as noted by The Guardian, revealed that the film is only one of a series of programs about the Russian-Ukrainian "conflict" that are shown to viewers on the air of the Four Corners program.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Migrants wait to climb over concertina wire after crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S. from Mexico near Eagle Pass, Texas, in September 2023. (Eric Gay/AP)

A federal appeals court late Tuesday issued an order that again prevents Texas from arresting migrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally, hours after the Supreme Court allowed the strict new immigration law to take effect.

The decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals comes weeks after a panel on the same court cleared the way for Texas to enforce the law by putting a pause on a lower judges injunction.

But by a 2-1 order, a panel of the appeals court lifted that pause ahead of arguments before the court on Wednesday.

Texas authorities had not announced any arrests made under the law.

Earlier Tuesday a divided Supreme Court had allowed Texas to begin enforcing a law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally as the legal battle over the measure played out.

The conservative majority order rejected an emergency application from the Biden administration, which says the law is a clear violation of federal authority that would cause chaos in immigration law.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had praised the order clearing the way for the law that allows any police officer in Texas to arrest migrants for illegal entry and authorizes judges to order them to leave the U.S.

The high court didnt address whether the law is constitutional. The measure was sent to the appellate court, which made the late Tuesday ruling.

It was also unclear where any migrants ordered to leave might go if the law is ultimately allowed. It calls for them to be sent to ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border, even if they are not Mexican citizens.

But Mexicos government said Tuesday it would not under any circumstances accept the return of any migrants to its territory from the state of Texas. Mexico is not required to accept deportations of anyone except Mexican citizens.

The Department of Homeland Security said the federal government would also continue the court challenge to the law that will further complicate the job of its already strained workforce. The agency wont assist in any efforts to enforce the law known as Senate Bill 4.

The Supreme Courts majority did not write a detailed opinion in the case, as is typical in emergency appeals. But the decision to let the law go into effect drew dissents from liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.

The Court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos, Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent joined by Jackson.

The law is considered by opponents to be the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. Critics have also said the Texas law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the law harmful and unconstitutional and said it would burden law enforcement while creating confusion. She called on congressional Republicans to settle the issue with a federal border security bill.

Texas, for its part, has argued it has a right to take action over what authorities have called an ongoing crisis at the southern border. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said in a statement it is prepared to handle any influx in the states detainee population associated with the state law.

Sheriffs offices have been preparing for the implementation of Senate Bill 4 since the states legislative session last year, said Skylor Hearn, executive director of the Sheriffs Association of Texas.

The law allows police in counties bordering Mexico to make arrests if they see someone crossing illegally, he said. It could also be enforced elsewhere in Texas if someone is arrested on suspicion of another violation and a fingerprint taken during jail booking links them to a suspected re-entry violation. It likely would not come into play during a routine traffic stop, he said.

I dont think you will see anything ultimately different, Hearn said.

Arrests for illegal crossings along the southern border hit record highs in December but fell by half in January, a shift attributed to seasonal declines and heightened enforcement. The federal government has not yet released numbers for February.

Some Texas officials sounded a cautious note.

A lot of the local police chiefs here, we dont believe it will survive a constitutional challenge. ... We have no training whatsoever to determine whether an individual is here in this country, legally, said Sheriff Eddie Guerra of Hidalgo County. He serves as president of the Southwestern Border Sheriffs Coalition representing 31 border counties from Texas to California.

Conservative Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett suggested her vote in favor of Texas stemmed from the technicalities of the appeals process rather than agreement with the state on the substance of the law.

So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter  or not enter  an administrative stay. I would not get into the business. When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal, she wrote in a concurring opinion joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Abbotts efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.

The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the show me your papers bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

Associated Press writers Mark Sherman and Rebecca Santana in Washington, Valerie Gonzalez in McAllen, Texas, Acacia Coronado in Austin, Texas, and Chris Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report.
A man waving a Confederate flag and others watch rioters storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. (Robert H. Reid/Stars and Stripes)

CLEVELAND, Ohio (Tribune News Service)  A combat-trained U.S. Marine veteran was sentenced Monday to more than two years in prison for attacking seven police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Michael Mackrell, 42, of Wellington, served in the Marines from 2001 to 2006, including a tour in Iraq. He tackled several officers, threw one to the ground and punched another, according to prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, D.C., handed down the two-year, three-month prison sentence and ordered he serve one year on post-prison supervision.

As a sworn member of the U.S. Marine Corps, Mackrell took an oath to protect this country from foreign and domestic threats. Mackrell even won awards during his service for his dedication to fighting terrorism on behalf of the United States, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nialah Ferrer and Elizabeth Eriksen argued in court records. He then became part of a group that brought terror into our country.

Mackrell previously pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer.

Prosecutors sought a 30-month prison sentence. Mackrells defense attorney, Claire Cahoon, argued for probation.

In written arguments before the sentencing, Cahoon argued that Mackrell had never before been in trouble and had served honorably in the Marines, including being wounded in combat and carrying out extremely dangerous missions. He ended his career as a sergeant.

She wrote that his actions during the Capitol attack were an anomaly.

He is not a political extremist or a supporter of violence, Cahoon wrote. In fact, Mr. Mackrell feels particularly ashamed of his offense conduct as a retired Marine, as it was antithetical to his support for all branches of law enforcement and the rule of law.

Mackrell brought his son to then-President Donald Trumps Stop the Steal rally, where the former president urged the crowd to fight to overturn the results of the election Trump lost to Joe Biden.

Mackrell wore a gas mask and, along with his son, immediately began attacking police officers upon arrival at the Capitol, according to prosecutors.

He pushed back on a group of police forming a barricade against rioters, forcing the officers to retreat. Mackrell later punched, pushed and tackled several officers. He threw one officer to the ground and grabbed another around the neck, according to prosecutors.

His son, Clifford Mackrell, was arrested by the FBI in 2021 and was sentenced earlier this month to two years and three months in prison, the same as his father. Investigators who interviewed Clifford Mackrell at his fathers home recognized Michael Mackrells face from videos of the Capitol attack and arrested him in March 2023.

Although the government respects [his] service, [Michael] Mackrells violent attacks on police officers on January 6 was a betrayal of his Marine oath to protect and defend the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic, prosecutors wrote. His military service, particularly his training in the use of violent force, should have informed him of the great dangers arising from an attack on police by a violent mob of rioters who vastly outnumbered the officers.

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Lawmakers are demanding to know why the Department of Veterans Affairs has failed to fully respond to a House VA committee inquiry into how it screens consultants, including its interactions with one private contractor that also was an adviser to opioid drug makers. (Stars and Stripes)

WASHINGTON  Lawmakers are demanding to know why the Department of Veterans Affairs has failed to fully respond to a House VA committee inquiry into how it screens consultants, including its interactions with one private contractor that also was an adviser to opioid drug makers.

Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., who sits on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies, sent a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough that renewed questions about McKinsey and Co., a consultant that advised the VA at the same time it was helping drug makers market opioids as prescription painkillers.

The letter, sent March 12, accused VA Secretary Denis McDonough of failing to fully explain the interactions with McKinsey or the agencys protocols for vetting contractors before signing contracts with them, even though lawmakers requested the information a year ago.

The VA has yet to adequately assure Congress that it has the appropriate procedures in place to recognize and respond to potential conflicts of interest with contractors, Valadao said.

McKinsey has been at the center of litigation over its role in pushing opioid drug prescription sales in the U.S. The company in November 2021 agreed to pay about $600 million to resolve lawsuits brought by state attorneys general for its role in helping drug manufacturers with marketing campaigns to boost sales of the addictive painkillers.

In December 2023, the company agreed to pay $78 million to settle a class action claim by U.S. health insurers that the company contributed to a global drug abuse crisis.

McKinsey did not admit wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement and said it believed its past work was lawful.

Given the immense societal damage caused by prescription opioids, it is unacceptable that any private entity involved in the proliferation of these medications had the ability to influence the VA in its medical treatments of American veterans, Valadao wrote in his letter to the VA.

Valadaos office has received information that the VA did not follow protocols for vetting two of four contracts with McKinsey from prior years, said Faith Mabry, communications director for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Although the House VA committee sent a letter in 2023 raising concerns, it has not received sufficient responses, especially on the process the VA uses to ensure there is no conflict of interest when entering into contracts, she said.

Valadaos letter also was signed by Reps. John Carter, R-Texas, Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., and John Rutherford, R-Fla.  all members of the subcommittee on military construction and veterans affairs.

Valadao said that lawmakers have an interest in gaining more oversight of the review process that the VA uses before entering into contracts with consultants.

Veterans need to be confident that the medical care they receive at the VA is actually what is best for them and their health  not whats best for private contractors looking to increase profits, Valadao said.

McKinseys history of conflicts involving government contracting extends to the Food and Drug Administration.

In 2022, Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, who chaired the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, released a report titled McKinsey and Companys Conflicts at the Heart of the Opioid Epidemic, which examined how McKinsey consultants worked on FDA contracts while also working for opioid manufacturers, including Purdue Pharma.

Maloney, who served in office from 2013-2023, said that McKinsey did not disclose its conflict to the FDA, raising concerns about its ability to provide objective advice and comply with the terms of its government contract.

Terrence Hayes, the VA press secretary, said the agency does not have any active direct contracts with McKinsey, however, they may be a subcontractor of one of our direct contracts with another company.

The VA in previous years never awarded contracts to McKinsey for work that involved decision-making about medication prescribing protocols, and the VA shares Congress concerns regarding McKinseys alleged role in exacerbating the opioid crisis, he said.

The VA can exclude vendors from consideration for further government contracts if an investigation finds that it has violated the terms of its contract, Hayes said.

McKinsey consulted with Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, Endo International and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals on sales strategies for marketing OxyContin and other opioids between 2010 and 2019, while it also worked with the VA on projects involving health care delivery, management and IT services.

Drug overdose deaths among military veterans taking opioids rose by more than 50% from 2010-2020, according to the National Institutes of Health.

More than a half-million veterans in 2012 were on long-term prescriptions for the drug, the VA reported. VA doctors prescribed opioids to about 875,000 veterans in 2012, the VA said.

McKinsey maintains that it ended business consultations related to opioid sales in 2019.

The VA increasingly relies on private contractors to provide a wide range of services, according to the Government Accountability Office.

The VA paid $42.7 billion in fiscal year 2022 on all government service contracts, up from $18.2 billion in 2018, according to the GAO.

But a GAO report in January found the VAs data for tracking service contracts was unreliable and incomplete.

The report warned that without better controls the VA is vulnerable to contractors inappropriately influencing the federal governments authority, control and accountability over decisions.
Judicial magistrate Islamabad has approved the discharge plea of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insafs (PTI) founder Imran Khan in long march vandalism case.

According to the details, judicial magistrate Shaista Kundi heard the pleas regarding appearance in court and discharge.

Shaisata Kundi discharged Imran Khan in two cases.

PTIs lawyer Naeem Panjutha pleaded that the court summon Imran Khan.

Shaista Kundi stated that at first give arguments on the discharge plea of Imran Khan. She asked that who will be responsible if something happens on the way while bringing Imran Khan to court.

Naeem Panjutha said that earlier Imran Khan has been appearing in courts by himself when Zaman park operation was conducted, warrants were issued, government's job is to provide security, He said that he wants to give arguments in PTI's founder presence.

Judge Shaista said that attendance on bail would have been necessary but not on application production.

However, the plea has been rejected regarding Imran Khans appearance in court.

On PTI's plea of acquittal, lawyer Naeem Panjutha argued that it has been only one kind of role in all the cases against Imran Khan while multiple cases were registered in a single day.

He said that at that time the notification did not issue neither told to anyone member of the party regarding the implementation of section-144.

Naeem Panjutha remarked that the plaintiff is the station house officer (SHO) who has no authority to file the case, not even the statements of witnesses in the cases filed against Imran Khan.

Shaista Kundi questioned that whether Imran Khan has been acquitted in cases before.

Lawyer Naeem replied the court that earlier Imran Khan had been acquitted in several cases.

It should be noted that cases were registered against the PTIs founder in the Sahala and Lohi Bhir police stations.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Parvez Elahi, who is incarcerated at Adiala jail, suffered a bone fracture due to a fall while using the washroom, it emerged on Tuesday, when the prison official presented a medical report in a local court in Lahore.

Adiala jail deputy superintendent apprised the Lahore Anti-Corruption Court during the hearing of a case against Elahi  related to illegal recruitment in the Punjab Assembly  about the former chief minister's medical condition.

The jail deputy superintendent told the judge, Arshad Hussain Bhutta, that Elahi had fallen in the washroom on March 17 which caused him a fracture.

Meanwhile, the indictment of the suspects, which was due in the court today, could not be issued as the number of suspects was not complete. The judge summoned the suspects on the next hearing and adjourned the proceedings till April 4.

It may be noted that Elahi has been facing medical issues for a while.

On December 23, 2023, the PTI president was taken to a hospital from Adiala jail after he felt pain in his chest.

According to the jail sources, Elahi had been shifted to Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology because of a heart problem. The sources had added that the former CM was complaining of chest pain since last night.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday sought the implementation of bilateral agreements worth $10 billion inked between Pakistan and Kuwait in November last year.

In a meeting with Kuwaiti Ambassador to Pakistan Nassar Abdulrahman Jasser Almutairi, the premier discussed bilateral ties and called for concerted efforts from both sides to ensure the early implementation of seven agreements.

The premier noted with satisfaction that both countries had signed seven agreements for cooperation in diverse areas including food security, technology, hydel power, mining and minerals, water supply, and mangrove rehabilitation, according to a statement issue by the PM Office.

In this context, he emphasised the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) which provided a robust and efficient mechanism to attract foreign investment into Pakistan.

He said that Pakistan attached great importance to its historic and deep-rooted ties with Kuwait.

He thanked the Kuwaiti leadership, including Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, for the warm wishes and felicitations on his re-election.

The PM expressed the desire to work closely with them to further strengthen the bilateral relationship with a focus on trade and investment.

He also extended an invitation to Amir of Kuwait to visit Pakistan at his earliest convenience.

The Kuwaiti ambassador thanked Pakistan for its support to Kuwait in difficult times.

He thanked former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif for his strong public support to Kuwait''s independence and sovereignty during the 1990-91 crisis.

He also expressed gratitude for Pakistan's support to Kuwait during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ambassador reaffirmed Kuwait's strong commitment to build closer ties with Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appreciated Kuwaiti envoy's contribution in fostering stronger ties between the two countries.
The court heard the accused had followed the girl, who was aged around eight at the time, to where she had been changing back into her clothes after the swim.

Darren Hanlon (34) from Beechwood, Laragh, Co Wicklow who was sentenced for sexual offences. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Kerri-Anne Murphy with her mother, Caroline after the sentencing of Hanlon. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

A Wicklow man who carried out various sexual offences on two young girls who were his neighbours, has today been jailed for five-and-a-half years.

A sitting of Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court heard Darren Hanlon of Beechwood, Laragh, Co Wicklow had been convicted of sexually assaulting his young neighbour, Kerri Anne Murphy, following a three-day trial last November.

Hanlon (34), a father of two, had also separately pleaded guilty to the sexual assault and sexual exploitation of another young neighbour, Esther Byrne.

Garda Shane Barker told a sentencing hearing on Tuesday that Hanlon had brought his nephew and Ms Murphy to a bathing spot near Laragh.

The court heard the accused had followed the girl, who was aged around eight at the time, to where she had been changing back into her clothes after the swim.

Darren Hanlon (34) from Beechwood, Laragh, Co Wicklow who was sentenced for sexual offences. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

He placed her against a wire fence and proceeded to sexually assault her.

The court heard that Hanlon denied sexually assaulting Ms Murphy when the allegation was first put to him in September 2018.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Murphy said she had been through an emotional rollercoaster. She added: But it is an experience I am proud of myself for pushing through.

I was an outgoing confident little girl. The world was my playground. Suddenly the confidence I had and my bubbly personality as a child got tore down and destroyed by one person, said Ms Murphy.

Fighting back tears, she described how she even found it difficult to trust the three men in my life who mean the world to me  her father and two brothers.

She said the impact of Hanlons crime also affected other relationships, but added: I have become such a strong woman because of what he did to me and the years of mental torture he put me through.

Esther Byrne, William Byrne, and Kerri-Anne Murphy pictured this outside court in Wicklow. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Counsel for the DPP, James Kelly BL, said Hanlon had pleaded guilty to a number of offences against another young neighbour, Esther Byrne, which were committed while he was a teenager on dates between November 2004 and November 2005.

The court heard he sexually assaulted his victim, who was aged around 10, after bringing her fishing at a location in Laragh.

Hanlon also pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation of Ms Byrne and her older brother, Willie, while he was babysitting them in their family home. Garda Barker said the accused made them watch pornography on TV and then told them to copy what they had seen on screen.

Garda Barker said there was another incident where Hanlon brought Ms Byrne to a building at the back of her home which he called the Pleasure Shed or Sex Shed.

Judge Patrick Quinn was also informed that Hanlon is currently serving an 18-month jail sentence for six counts of sexual assault against Ms Byrnes older brother at various locations in Wicklow on dates between September 2007 and July 2010.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Byrne said Hanlon was someone who had always been in her family home but had overstepped the mark by abusing me and taking my innocence away.

She said she would be begging and screaming inside my mind for her mother not to arrange Hanlon to babysit her on a weekly basis as she knew what was going to happen.

Ms Byrne said Hanlon had made her feel dirty and she had thought for a long time that she had done something to make him do that to her.

She had also tried to take her own life after reporting the matter to gardai as she would see Hanlon wherever she looked around Laragh and the nightmare would not go away.

I felt I would be better off dead than getting up on the stand proclaiming my innocence. For a long time I felt I was the defendant and not the victim, she added.

Counsel for Hanlon, Colman Fitzgerald SC, read out a letter from the accused in which he apologised for his horrifying acts and expressed remorse.

Hanlon said he was humiliated and shamed by his actions but asked that people realise that he is not the same man I was when I committed these crimes.

The court heard that Hanlon, who had been raised by his sister following the death of his mother when he was 11, had not come to the attention of gardai over the intervening years.

Judge Quinn said he had heard two extremely powerful victim impact statements.

He sentenced Hanlon to four years in prison for the sexual offences relating to Ms Byrne with the final two years suspended.

Judge Quinn said there was less mitigation with the sexual assault of Ms Murphy as he had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

He sentenced Hanlon to four years with the final six months suspended, to run consecutive to the other sentence.

Following the hearing, all three victims, who waived their right to anonymity in order that Hanlons name be published, said they were over the moon with the sentence.

We hope it will encourage others to have the confidence to report similar abuse to gardai, said Ms Murphy.

--
7, 14, 21 the bigger the number, the worse the bating, that is how one of his victims, Paul Walsh, now aged 51, described it.

Bill Kenneally chuckled to himself as if he was taking a trip down memory lane when he admitted that he would give boys cash in sums of seven after he sexually assaulted them.

7, 14, 21 the bigger the number, the worse the bating, that is how one of his victims, Paul Walsh, now aged 51, described it.

Under cross-examination by a lawyer for six of his victims, Kenneally confirmed that he associated the number seven with good luck.

His grandfather had won a seat in the 1954 Waterford general election by 7,777 votes. From that point on, the Kenneally kin considered it to be their symbol of success.

Characterised as a powerful political family, they have been dubbed the Kennedys of Waterford. Their thriving business empire included a fleet of buses that all had the number seven in their registration plates.

At 10.50am on Tuesday, a chipper Bill Kenneally had his handcuffs removed and trotted into the inquiry.

Short and stout, dressed in a grey suit with a navy flecked tie, his chubby hands clutched a red and blue plastic bag stuffed with paperwork.

The room was not set up like a courtroom. Instead he was positioned at a small table beside the chairmans desk, a mere 10 metres away from where a group of his victims sat huddled together.

Kenneallys sadistic smile was the first indication that he was going to relish taking centre stage and telling his side of the story. He was not in a witness box, he was on his soap box.

Kenneally shuffled the papers about on the table in front of him, trying to look like one of the 20-plus lawyers packed into the room. He had beady eyes and dark-rimmed glasses perched on his beak  but a legal eagle he was not.

The real lawyers in the room carried leather briefcases, not flimsy plastic bags with a prison number on the label.

But that did not stop him challenging Chairman Michael White  a respected former High Court judge  just minutes into proceedings.

At 10.53, Kenneally barked at the chairman. The root of this bizarre complaint? Michael White had not replied directly to him when he wrote to the Commission. Powerful people, which the Kenneallys were, cannot tolerate being ignored.

With a poison pen, Bill Kenneally has been scrawling whiny letters to the Commission, but following standard procedure they responded to Kenneallys lawyer by way of a reply.

The deluded monster was offended by this, describing it as being just a cabal of solicitors keeping each other in the loop.

That single exchange  just three minutes into proceedings  set the tone for the two days that would follow.

His testimony was laden with a nauseating stench of self-entitlement as he lapped up the opportunity to force his victims to listen as he accused them of being willing participants in his deranged sexual attacks.

That gleeful grin only vanished when he was met by photographers outside to snap his miserable mug climbing back into the prison van.

In 2016, he was given his first sentence  17 months for each of his ten victims involved in that first court case.

With a portion of each sentence suspended it totted up to 14 years, an ironic multiple of his so-called lucky number. As one of his victims put it: We gave him back his final payment of seven and a dynasty crumbled that day.
The EU has drafted a bill to direct the profits of the Russian central bank to Ukraine. The proposal stipulates that Ukraine will start receiving funds in July. The funds will be used to supply weapons and develop the defense industry.

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This was reported by Bloomberg. The proposals, which require the support of all member states, would introduce a windfall tax on profits earned from seized Russian reserves to use approximately 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) a year to finance arms supplies to Ukraine .

About 260 billion euros of Russian central bank assets, mostly in the form of securities and cash, have been seized by the G7 countries, the EU, and Australia, with more than two-thirds of them blocked in the EU.

A portion of the profits will remain with the central securities depositories, which hold reserves to cover asset management costs and to deal with any risks, including potential retaliation from Russia. The related expenses and income tax will also be deducted from the income before it is transferred. According to some estimates, this will leave about EUR 3 billion of net profit per year.

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The vast majority of the funds have been frozen through the Belgian clearinghouse Euroclear, where they made about 4.4 billion in profits last year. These proposals will be discussed by EU leaders during their meeting in Brussels later this week.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported:

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker explained that the process of confiscating Russian assets will require a collective decision of all countries that have frozen Russian funds in their financial institutions. It will take time, so we should not expect it to happen quickly.

The International Monetary Fund has stated that decisions to confiscate Russian assets should be made by the relevant authorities in the countries where they are located. The IMF will monitor developments to assess the impact on the international financial system.

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Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
While Maurice Ayres claimed the sex was consensual, a member of the public contacted police when they heard the woman pleading with him to stop

A man appeared in court today accused of raping a heavily intoxicated woman on St. Patricks Day, less than two weeks after he had been freed from prison.

Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard that while Maurice Ayres claimed the sex was with consent, a member of the public contacted police when they heard the woman saying no and pleading with him to stop.

Standing handcuffed in the dock 28-year-old Ayres, of no fixed abode, Belfast confirmed that he understood the five charges against him including rape, causing actual bodily harm and breaching a violent offences prevention order on 17 March this year, a further VOPO breach 13 and failing to notify police on 11 March that he had been freed from prison.

Alleged rapist Maurice Ayers

Giving evidence a detective constable told the court she believed she could connect Ayres to each of the charges and also that police were objecting to bail due to fears the defendant would not abide by conditions and was likely to commit further offences.

Addressing the alleged VOPO breaches first the officer summarised the position that having been granted High Court bail on 8 March, Ayres had been ordered to reside at the Centenary House Hostel but had failed to since 11 March.

Turning to the alleged rape attack, the officer outlined how a member of the public contacted police to report that they believed there was a female being raped in a communal area of a property based on what he was hearing her say.

He gave a statement where the female could be heard saying stop, the court heard.

When police attended the scene Ayres was identified as the man involved while the alleged victim was so intoxicated she was incoherent but when officers saw that she had suffered facial injuries, the complainant was taken to hospital.

Enquiries are ongoing with her, said the detective who conceded that no formal statement had been recorded yet and she was not sure off police interactions with her had been recorded on body worn cameras.

Highlighting the alleged VOPO breaches in that Ayres had allegedly stayed away from his address without permission, the officer also emphasised that Ayres is awaiting sentence for another VOPO breach which bolstered police fears that he would reoffend or not keep to bail conditions.

Defence counsel Stephen Law conceded this is a difficult application for bail given the features in the background but Ayres make the case that this was consensual.

District Judge Nigel Broderick told Ayres that he has a very poor record so he was refusing bail on two grounds - having no confidence that he would adhere to bail conditions and I share police concerns that theres a high risk of reoffending.

Remanding Ayres into custody, he adjourned the case to 16 April.
Robert Sheridan, 45, suffered fatal gunshot wounds to his head and body

A MAN has been remanded in custody after gardai charged him with the murder of a father of two in a shooting in Dublin over five years ago.

Robert Sheridan, 45, suffered fatal gunshot wounds to his head and body after opening a door of his home at Poppintree Crescent, Ballymun, shortly after 11 pm on October 4, 2018.

Paramedics treated him at the scene, but he was pronounced dead just over an hour after the shooting.

Investigating gardai arrested Joseph Richards, 32, of Lanesborough Square, Finglas, Dublin 11.

They brought him to appear before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court on Tuesday.

Garda Neil Cotter gave evidence of arrest.

He charged Mr Richards with the murder of Mr Sheridan contrary to common law.

The District Court does not have the power to consider bail in a murder case, which requires a High Court application.

Mr Richards, who has yet to indicate a plea, was held in custody on remand and will appear again next week.

Prosecutors must complete a book of evidence and serve it on him before the District Court grants a return for trial order, sending the case forward to the Central Criminal Court.

Legal aid was assigned, and solicitor Simon Fleming was nominated to represent the accused.

An inquest into Mr Sheridans death has been adjourned pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
Jonathan Parrot (38) had been recently released from jail and was homeless and addicted to drugs when he attacked the garda

Jonathan Parrot (38) had taken steps to turn things around, the court heard

A personal trainer carried out a sustained assault on a garda in the street, punching him once in the mouth and twice more on the head when the victim followed him, a court has heard.

Jonathan Parrot (38) had been recently released from jail and was homeless and addicted to drugs when he attacked the garda in the incident a decade ago.

Judge Shalom Binchy ordered a restorative justice report after hearing the victim bore Parrot no ill will and had forgiven him entirely.

She gave the accused a nine-month suspended sentence for an earlier assault on a prison officer.

Parrot, a father of two from Portland Row in the north inner city, admitted assault causing harm to both men.

Dublin District Court heard he was an inmate at Mountjoy Prison on December 19, 2013, when he struck an officer with a fist to the upper jaw, causing soft tissue injury and soreness.

On July 3, 2014, a garda was sitting in a patrol car when he saw the accused running up Kings Inn Street.

It later transpired that the defendant was running from other gardai.

When the garda approached him to speak to him, Parrot struck him with his fist in the mouth and continued running.

When approached again, Parrot punched the victim twice on the left temple.

The garda suffered a cut to his upper lip, abrasions to his chin and bruising to his temple.

The delay in the cases was because Parrot had moved to the UK, but he had since handed himself in to gardai.

While there, he had genuinely taken steps to turn things around, was substance-free and had got a certificate in personal training.

Judge Binchy said the garda suffered a sustained assault and a victim-impact report stated it shook his confidence and resulted in psychological trauma.

However, the garda had forgiven Parrot which is a very generous position to take, Judge Binchy said, adjourning the case.
It is alleged he did acts to pervert the course of public justice by making a false report

Garda Ciaran Whelan leaving the CCJ where he was charged with several charges including burglary. Collins Courts

A GARDA sergeant is to stand trial accused of false imprisonment of a woman, perverting the course of justice and burglary in Dublin.

The Garda Anti-Corruption Unit has been investigating the activities of a particular Garda unit based in the Dublin region.

It has led to the arrest of four officers currently suspended from duty.

Ciaran Whelan, 51, with an address at Nenagh, Co Tipperary, who has worked out of the detective unit in Store Street station in central Dublin, was arrested earlier this month and charged.

He had been given station bail to appear before Judge William Aylmer at Dublin District Court today.

He faces seven charges concerning alleged offences from June 19 until September 27, 2021.

He is accused of false imprisonment of a named woman at St John's Road West, Dublin 8, on September 7.

It is alleged he did acts to pervert the course of public justice by making a false report between August 25 and September 15 to a named Garda Superintendent regarding a search of a male's flat on Kenilworth Road, Dublin 6, on June 19.

He is charged with burglary at that flat by entering it as a trespasser to commit a theft offence.

He is also accused of perverting the course of justice on September 27 by amending data on the Garda Pulse System, about two incidents.

He is accused of twice perverting the course of public justice on August 28, by allegedly creating and printing a search warrant and information for a search that occurred on June 19 at the flat in Kenilsworth Road, Dublin, 6.

It is further alleged that on the same date he created an incident on the Garda Pulse system in relation to that search.

Garda Ciaran Whelan leaving the CCJ

It is alleged on September 7, he trespassed at a basement flat at Mountjoy Square, North, Dublin 1, to commit theft.

The defendant, dressed in dark blue jeans, a navy jumper, and a black jacket, stood silently throughout his brief hearing and did not indicate how he would plead.

Garda Inspector Tom Cooney told the court that the defendant was arrested on the morning of March 11 at Irishtown station for the purpose of being charged. Judge Aylmer heard that the accused "made no reply to any charge".

Inspector Cooney said the DPP directed "trial on indictment".

This means the case will be dealt with in the Circuit Court, which, on conviction, has wider sentencing powers.

Defence solicitor Andrew Freeman said there was consent to an eight-week adjournment.

Judge Aylmer remanded the accused to appear again at the District Court on May 17 to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial.

He is the second person to come before the courts since the probe commenced.

Garda Mark Duffy, 39, also appeared at Dublin District Court last week.

The Dublin-based Garda is accused of doing an act between August 28 and December 20, 2021, intending to pervert the course of public justice.

The officer with a Dublin 15 address is also accused of burglary. In this offence, he is alleged to have entered the same Kenilworth Road flat as a trespasser on June 19, 2021, to commit an arrestable offence.

He has not yet indicated a plea. He is also back in court on May 17 to be served with a book of evidence.
Murray has 40 previous convictions for rape, sexual assault, harassment, abduction of a child, false imprisonment, threats to kill, burglary and theft

A convicted rapist who made a hoax bomb threat to the Minister for Justice's house from the Midlands Prison has been told he will spend an additional two years in prison.

Michael Murray (54), formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, was found guilty of one count of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else while he was imprisoned in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise on March 7, 2021 following a trial earlier this month.

Murray has 40 previous convictions for rape, sexual assault, harassment, abduction of a child, false imprisonment, threats to kill, burglary and theft.

In 2013, Murray was convicted of abducting a mother and her four year old son and repeatedly raping the woman for hours. He received a sentence of 19 years' imprisonment for this.

He was then sentenced to 16 further years in prison for a campaign of harassment and death threats directed at his victim and the prosecuting lawyers in that trial  with the judge calling his actions an unprecedented and deliberate abuse of process.

In sentencing today at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Patricia Ryan handed Murray a two-year prison sentence to run consecutively to one he is currently serving.

She noted that while nothing was put forward in mitigation by the defence, but that Murray made admissions that were of assistance to the prosecution. The court was previously told that Murray had instructed his counsel not to make a plea of mitigation on his behalf.

Judge Ryan said to arrive at a just and proportional sentence the court will adopt the totality principle. She noted the fact that Murray is already serving a long sentence and has been in custody since 2010, with an earliest possible release date of May 2036.

Defence counsel Garret Baker SC said today that his client had instructed him to ask the court to declare a mistrial.

Mr Baker said the evidence simply doesn't put Murray where the case needs him to be. He said it would warrant the court intervening even at this stage.

Judge Ryan said she didn't have the jurisdiction to declare a mistrial at that stage and proceeded to impose the sentence.

Detective Garda Patrick Muldowney told Diarmuid Collins BL, prosecuting, at a previous hearing that on March 7, 2021 a call was made to the Samaritans by an anonymous male asking if they could take a message.

The caller then said: This is the Irish National Liberation Army. Explosives have been planted at the home of the Minister of Justice and her family. The password is Red October. This is to do with a court case happening in Dublin tomorrow.

Gardai were dispatched to the home of the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, but found no evidence of any explosives.

The court heard the call was traced back to Murray's cell within the Midlands Prison. He was the sole occupant of the cell at the time.

Murray was arrested and questioned. He admitted making a call to the Samaritans but denied making the threat.

When interviewed, Murray accepted that he had previously been aligned with the INLA and that he had a gripe with Fine Gael and the Minister for Justice.

On August 9, 2021, Murray requested a meeting with gardai where he said he admitted making the call and that he did so out of frustration.

Giving evidence during the trial, Murray maintained that these admissions concerned a later call to the Samaritans and not the bomb threat.

No victim impact statement was handed in to the court.

During a previous sentence hearing, Mr Baker said his client respectfully disagrees with the verdict of the jury and instructed him not to offer mitigation on his behalf.

Murray also took the stand and said I absolutely reject the verdict of the jury.

He said the Director of Public Prosections (DPP) is absolutely disgraceful and failed to hand over documents or answer letters in time for his trial.

Murray added it was disgraceful how the jury came to the conclusion he was guilty and said he maintains his innocence for his prior conviction for rape.
Kelly Byrne (36) had a book of evidence served on her

A woman has been sent for trial charged with causing serious harm to a man who was allegedly injured at an apartment in Dublin.

Kelly Byrne (36) had a book of evidence served on her when she appeared in Dublin District Court.

Judge Monika Leech sent her forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Ms Byrne, formerly of Watermint Court, Royal Canal Park, Ashtown, is charged with intentionally or recklessly causing serious harm to a man at that address on October 7 last year.

A state solicitor told Judge Leech the DPP was consenting to the accused being sent forward to the next sittings of the circuit court, in April.

Judge Leech gave the accused the formal notice that she had 14 days to provide any alibi details to the prosecution.

She also ordered the prosecution to furnish copies of Ms Byrnes garda interview video to the defence.

The accuseds solicitor Julianne Hayden applied for free legal aid to cover both junior and senior counsel in the circuit court, saying the case was a matter of some complexity.

The judge said she would only assign one counsel at this stage but the defence could apply again in the circuit court.

Ms Byrne has not yet entered a plea to the charge, which is under Section 4 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

She had initially been accused of assault causing harm, but that charge was later upgraded to the more serious offence.

Under bail conditions, Ms Byrne must have no contact directly or indirectly with the alleged victim.

She is also to stay away from the location of the alleged offence.
Lashing out with kicks, punches and an attempted head butt, 28-year-old Quinn was put into limb restraints but she spat on two police officers and when she was put into the back of a police vehicle, she began to repeatedly bang her head on the screen.

A woman who assaulted and spat on police officers as they tried to arrest her recidivist boyfriend was handed jail sentences totalling six months today.

Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena, heard how police were called to an ongoing domestic disturbance at Thyme Park in Antrim on February 5 this year and when they conducted a welfare check, officers noted there were bottles of alcohol in the property.

Lying asleep on the sofa was Scott McKeown and the prosecution said as the 28-year-old was on bail with an alcohol prohibition officers tried to breathalyse him but as they did so, his girlfriend Shauna Quinn became immediately aggressive.

Scott McKeown

Lashing out with kicks, punches and an attempted head butt, 28-year-old Quinn was put into limb restraints but she spat on two police officers and when she was put into the back of a police vehicle, she began to repeatedly bang her head on the screen.

Taken into custody. Quinn assaulted a civilian detention officer by swinging her arm at the womans chest.

Appearing at court by video link from the womens prison, Quinn, from Aspen Park in Dunmurry, entered guilty pleas to six counts of assaulting police, attempted criminal damage, using disorderly behaviour and assault of a CDO.

Conceding that Quinn is in breach of two different suspended jail sentences, defence solicitor Keith Farrell said it was clear the mother-of-two has issues with alcohol and drugs and she makes poor decisions.

She behaved extremely poorly, she accepts that, said Mr Farrell adding that he poor decision was to try to prevent her boy friends arrest.

Shauna Quinn

Imposing three months custody for the February offences and activating three months from one off the suspended sentences, District Judge Nigel Broderick ordered those to be served consecutively and for Quinn to pay a 25 offenders levy.

Exactly a week ago, the same judge jailed McKeown for four months for stealing a Royal British legion poppy appeal box from his local Vivo store three days before Armistice Day and previously, both McKeown and Quinn have found themselves in the dock as a result of racist attacks.

In May 2016, McKeown was jailed his part in a racist assault on a man out walking along the Lagan towpath while in January 2020, Quinn was jailed for the racist abuse of an A&E doctor at Laganvalley Hospital, shouting out that Im not going to be seen by a black doctor, I wont go with that n****r.
Residents no longer fearful of thugs after gang leadership turned its back on them and sided with exploited locals

East Belfast UVF drug dealers have been named and shamed in a graffiti campaign.

Walls in the Ballybeen estate were plastered with the names of alleged dealers who have been linked with the organised crime gang.

A number of high-profile people were named with slogans calling out East Belfast UVF and demanding they leave the area.

Well-known loyalist Bryan Helmet Carlisle, who has denied involvement in criminality and paramilitarism, is among those named and mocked for conversion to Christianity  and warned God wont save you.

Graffiti appeared to target Bryan Helmet Carlisle

David Matthews, son of alleged former East Belfast brigadier Stephen Matthews, is another called out.

A white 55,000 Porsche belonging to an alleged UVF money launderer was smeared with black paint.

The estate was covered with slogans demanding East Belfast UVF get out.

A UVF memorial was daubed with paint  an offence that would have been punishable by death in the past.

It follows a move by the UVF Shankill Road leadership against East Belfast. Last November, eight leading members including alleged gang chief Stephen Matthews were stood down.

And two weeks ago, in a statement believed to have been drafted by UVF second-in-command Harmless Harry Stockman, East Belfast was labelled a drug cartel.

Porsche SUV was defaced

Sources in the Ballybeen estate said there had been growing tension in the area over the rising drug trade.

Such was the control of the East Belfast UVF, they were able to peddle drugs without being challenged. Residents in Ballybeen feel they can now face down the crime gang since the UVF leadership has turned its back on them.

East Belfast has had a grip on this place for years, one resident told us.

But how can you move against an organisation like that? Anyone who speaks gets beaten or has their windows broken.

The level of intimidation meant the community had no way of standing up to them.

East Belfast graffiti

Our young people were being dragged and forced into the drugs trade. Some of them ended up with criminal records and others developed drug habits.

They said there had been a number of suicides in the area, with young people unable to repay drug debts and others unable to live with their habit.

Sources told us that since the UVF leadership made its move, people have felt able to stand up to what is left of East Belfast.

The eight-strong command structure that was dismantled last November left behind a rump of the original membership, a number of whom remain involved in drugs.

Most of the leadership group, allegedly including Stephen Matthews, are believed to have stepped back from involvement in criminality.

A new command structure put in place is believed to be supportive of the Ballybeen residents and there is no question of reprisals.

John Bunter Graham

UVF Chief of Staff John Bunter Graham has made it clear he will not tolerate drug dealers in the ranks of his organisation and has expelled a number of people, including former South East Antrim brigadier Den Elliott.

Sources told the Sunday World the events this week in Ballybeen show that communities feel emboldened about standing up to organised crime gangs, and it could have consequences in other areas.

Also in east Belfast, police are investigating the appearance of posters plastered on walls and bus shelters purporting to be from the UVF. They warn people not to sell drugs and not to pay loan sharks.

One image, which appeared to show Stephen Matthews holding one of the posters, has been exposed as a fake. In a week when the Princess of Wales apologised for making changes to a picture with her children, the Sunday World can reveal the Matthews picture was similarly doctored.

We can reveal that the posters along the Newtownards Road and Pitt Park were put up by an ex-UVF prisoner who has convictions for drug offences.

One of the posters warns: Do not sell drugs. If you owe criminals money do not pay it back.

If you have any information about drug dealing, report it to your local political representative. Another says: Do not lend money.

The PSNI has confirmed that the appearance of the posters is being investigated.

UVF posters telling people not to pay back loans

Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds described the posters as extremely concerning.

The people of east Belfast deserve better than the continued existence of paramilitary organisations attempting to exert control over our community, he said. It cannot and will not be tolerated.

Their influence remains destructive and must be ended. I would encourage anyone with information on criminal activity to come forward and report to the PSNI as soon as possible.

Graffiti appeared to target Bryan Helmet Carlisle

SDLP councillor Seamas de Faoite slammed the posters as sinister and unwelcome, highlighting the placement at bus stops which are used by the entire community.

References to criminality are particularly galling given the UVFs position as a proscribed organisation that has terrorised its own community for decades, he said.

Anyone who has knowledge of criminal activity or exploitation of vulnerable people should report it to the relevant authorities, but people do not need to take any lessons from the UVF when it comes to upholding law. These posters are intimidating in nature and designed to cause fear in the community.

They should be removed as soon as possible. Id urge anyone with any information about them, or the UVFs continued criminality and paramilitary activity, to come forward to police.

East Belfast crew were stood down by UVF leadership

The poster campaign comes after the Sunday World revealed the UVF leadership and East Belfast are at loggerheads over the Easts loan book.

People who have borrowed money have been approached for payment by both the old East Belfast and the new command structure.

The PSNI said: Police are investigating and appealing for information following the report of posters placed in the east Belfast area.

Inquiries are currently underway after the posters appeared recently in and around the Newtownards Road area.

We would appeal to anyone with information or who noticed suspicious activity in the area to please contact police on 101.
The criminal, who is aged in his late 50s, has multiple convictions and is classified as one of Irelands most dangerous sex offenders

A garda alert is in place for a sex offender who was previously suspected of stalking the streets of the capital in a van trying to abduct and rape sex workers.

The criminal, who is aged in his late 50s, has multiple convictions and is classified as one of Irelands most dangerous sex offenders. He has recently relocated to an address in Dublins north inner city.

He was seen by gardai last weekend trying to interact with a woman who was on her own in a laneway in the Abbey Street area of the city.

Sources said gardai did a welfare check on the woman and obtained the details of the notorious criminal, who is now living near where he was observed by gardai.

The sex offender is still travelling around in a van, according to sources, and is being monitored by gardai.

This individual is classified as being a major danger to women. There are ongoing concerns about him, a source told the Sunday World.

The man cannot be named here for legal reasons and has managed to avoid prosecution in recent times.

Such was the concern about the suspects criminal activities that in 2013 gardai set up a special operation which involved undercover female gardai who posed as sex workers in a number of locations in Dublins north inner city in an attempt to catch him.

However, this was unsuccessful and he fled the country.

He was later jailed in 2015 for separate criminal offences that occurred in Munster.

Again he left Ireland after serving this sentence but is now back in Dublin.

It was believed that the suspected serial rapist had been driving around north inner city Dublin in a modified van which contained an elaborate rape kit.

He was previously questioned about the double rape of two sex workers in a north Co Dublin hotel in August 2012.

Ten days before he allegedly raped the foreign sex workers, the man was stopped by gardai while he was driving in a van with duct tape and cable ties.

He has previously been stopped carrying a knife and knuckle duster and has been involved in a terrifying but bizarre campaign against gardai.

The sex workers who were picked up by the man in a van in the Ballsbridge area on August 10, 2012, were brought to a hotel.

While there, they alleged that they were given a substance and then savagely sexually assaulted.

The women went to Ballymun garda station the following morning, where they made a formal complaint about the events of the night.

They were then taken to hospital for treatment. Sometime later, he voluntarily attended the station, where he was interviewed by gardai. He was not arrested.

The man stated that he had sexual intercourse with both women, but denied that he had raped them.

The DPP eventually decided not to charge the suspect with these offences but he was later charged with harassment and stalking after it was alleged that he then went to the Mater Hospital where one of the women was recovering and threatened to kill her if she did not withdraw her statement.

These charges were later dropped.
Sources have said the former Provisional IRA man may have lay dead in his Strabane house for a number of days

The death of garda killer Pearse McAuley is not believed to be suspicious, the PSNI has said.

Sources have said the former Provisional IRA man may have lay dead in his Strabane, Co Tyrone, house for a number of days. It is believed he died from natural causes.

McAuley walked free from prison in 2022 after serving his time for a brutal knife attack on his ex-wife.

He stabbed Pauline Tully, now a Sinn Fein TD, 13 times in 2014.

Pearse McAuley pictured at a special sitting of Cavan court on Saturday 27 December 2014.

McAuley had previously served a sentence for killing Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996, for which he was released from prison in 2009.

Sinn Fein stood by McAuley and three other IRA killers after the 1996 killing of Det Garda McCabe during an armed robbery. McAuley was jailed for 14 years but released in 2009 after serving 10.

The party claimed he should have been released under the Good Friday Agreement and had fought for his early release despite Irish Government opposition.

McAuley met Ms Tully when she visited him in jail. They married in 2003 as he was serving his sentence. They have two children.

He shot his way out of Brixton Prison in London in 1991 and fled to the Republic. After his release for the McCabe killing, Britains Crown Prosecution Service said it would not seek his extradition for the escape.

The former IRA member was later disowned by republicans following the attack on his wife.

Sinn Fein TD Ms Tully said on Tuesday she would prefer not to comment on the death of her ex-husband.

A PSNI spokeswoman said on Tuesday: "Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a property in Abercorn Square in Strabane on Monday, 18 March.

"At present, the death is not believed to be suspicious."
Pompe, mucopolysaccharides, Fabry, Gaucher... Have you ever heard these words? You probably think that the second word is unnecessary because it is next to the names.

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In fact, no, because these are all names of diseases. They have one thing in common: they are extremely rare (one case per 2000 people). That is why they are commonly known as rare (orphan) diseases.

Today, on World Rare Disease Day, we will tell you in more detail what these diseases are, what free treatment for these diseases is guaranteed by the state, and how and where to get it.

Kateryna Nekrasova, Deputy Director General for Customer Experience Management and International Cooperation, Medical Procurement of Ukraine

The nature of rare diseases

Orphan diseases are congenital or acquired rare diseases, 80% of which are genetically determined. That is, they occur due to genetic disorders or lack of certain enzymes, which leads to metabolic disorders in the body. For example, mucopolysaccharidoses are caused by a lack of enzymes responsible for removing toxins and toxins from the body, without which the body poisons itself...

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There are up to 8 thousand rare diseases (!) known in the world, while treatment methods have been found for approximately several hundred. Most of them are diagnosed at an early age. People suffering from such rare diseases usually need expensive, continuous, and lifelong treatment that will allow them to lead a full life. Without it, the disease can lead to disability and even death.

What orphan drugs does the state procure?

For some time, Ukrainians have been receiving expensive orphan drugs through international, humanitarian programs or charitable foundations. However, in recent years, a lot has been done at the state level for people with rare diseases.

Since 2020, Ukraine has been centrally procuring medicines for people with rare diseases through the national agency Medical Procurement of Ukraine. Procurement in some areas began in 2021 and 2022.

ADVERTISIMENT

In particular, last year, the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine procured more than 100 items of medicines in centralized areas for the following diseases

epidermolysis bullosa

idiopathic familial dystonia

primary immunodeficiencies

pulmonary arterial hypertension

cystic fibrosis

nanism (dwarfism)

juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

tyrosinemia type 1

phenylketonuria of atypical form type 2

hemophilia types A or B or von Willebrand disease

The total amount of purchased drugs amounted to about UAH 1.4 billion.

The MAAs mechanism as a key to innovative treatment

Since 2022, a certain number of orphan drugs have been procured through the mechanism of concluding managed access agreements (MAAs).

Why is this so? Given the small number of patients and, accordingly, the lack of mass production of innovative medicines, they are expensive. Therefore, there is a great solution in the world not to leave such patients alone with their disease - the mechanism of MAAs. In particular, it is used in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Australia, Lithuania, etc.

ADVERTISIMENT

Its essence lies in the fact that through direct negotiations with manufacturers of original medicines, the state enters into exclusive contracts with them. Due to the confidentiality of the price and quantity of the medicinal product, manufacturers offer prices much lower than market prices.

In particular, in 2022-2023, the Ministry of Health concluded MAAs for the procurement of innovative medicines under MAAs for the following rare diseases

mucopolysaccharidoses

Gaucher disease

spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)

Pompe disease

primary immunodeficiencies

hemophilia

Such agreements are concluded for three years and allow patients to be sure that they will receive the necessary treatment without interruption.

The sooner it is started, the better. To this end, all newborns undergo mandatory screenings from infancy to detect 21 rare diseases. For example, cystic fibrosis, SMA, tyrosinemia, phenylketonuria, immunodeficiencies, etc.

ADVERTISIMENT

To make such advanced diagnostics possible, the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine last year equipped laboratories with innovative equipment worth more than UAH 300 million.

How and where to get free medicines

We procure medicines exclusively for each registered patient based on the needs collected from the regions. Every year, this data is updated and verified, taking into account the number of newly registered cases.

Then we procure these drugs and ship them directly to hospitals, where patients can receive them free of charge. But before that, they need to undergo all the screening and genetic tests to establish a diagnosis and get a referral from a doctor.

As you can see, people facing rare diseases are not left alone with their illness. Unfortunately, rare diseases are not fully funded by the state. But with a limited budget due to the war, we are doing our best to ensure that everyone is provided with uninterrupted treatment.
Irish-American soldier who served in Afghanistan wants to get Rocky to safety and says it doesnt matter where he goes

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2020 after US forces left the country. Photo: Getty

US veteran Phil Nannery is spearheading efforts to get his former colleague 'Rocky' to safety

The Afghan interpreter known as 'Rocky' who helped US soldier Phil Nannery

An Afghan interpreter living in hiding from the Taliban for three years has made a plea for asylum in Ireland or the US as he said that those who helped the West should not be abandoned.

The interpreter  known only as Rocky to protect his identity  has been backed in his appeal for an Irish or US visa by a Cork-based US veteran who has vowed to do everything he can to get his former colleague and his family to safety.

Irish-American Phil Nannery (35) and some other troops who he served with are now helping to fund Rocky as he lives in hiding in the hope of bringing his family to a new life in the West.

Rocky, speaking from his hiding place in Afghanistan, said the past three years since the Taliban swept back into power have been a living hell.

He has evaded the authorities by moving between the homes of family and friends in rural parts of the country.

I do not deserve to be left behind, he said. All the money I had, I spent just to stay alive.

My brother Phil helped me a lot, but I know I am still at risk.

Rocky is now hoping press coverage in Ireland of his plight will assist him in his bid to secure a US visa.

However, even then he faces a perilous task to get his family safely out of Afghanistan.

For months, Rocky was warned not to visit or contact his family for fear of being traced by the Taliban secret police.

Rocky said he knows the Taliban are still hunting down those who worked with the coalition forces when they tried to rebuild Afghanistan.

US veteran Phil Nannery is spearheading efforts to get his former colleague 'Rocky' to safety

Former government officials, senior military commanders and interpreters have all been the focus of a nationwide manhunt for the past three years.

Many of those tracked down by the Taliban have gone missing. Others disappeared after trying to make it across the border into Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan or Tajikistan.

Despite initially vowing to learn lessons from its previous hardline rule in the 1990s, the Taliban has now excluded women from most employment and social structures.

Women must leave school by their early teens and are not even allowed to use public parks in some cities and towns.

Rocky said he is running out of time to get his family out of Afghanistan.

I want to tell you and request from Ireland that, as a country, if they can give me a visa, they will be saving a first-line interpreter with his entire family, he said.

I just want to live in peace with my children. It is not a big request  it is somebody who wants to be alive.

I will never forget that kindness until I am alive. Tell them my family is at risk. I need you guys to help  I appreciate all you can do.

Rocky earned his nickname from his love of American culture and music. Despite having worked for coalition forces for years, he was not given a visa before the Taliban seized control of all airports in 2021.

Mr Nannery was brought up in Virginia in the US, but his family hail from Roscommon and Galway. He regularly holidayed in Ireland as a youngster before joining the US National Guard in 2007.

After a 2009 tour in Iraq, he was sent to Afghanistan in 2011-2012 as an infantryman and served in a forward unit where Rocky was the interpreter.

Rocky had to leave where he was and is now hiding in another city in Afghanistan, not Kabul, but wont say where, Mr Nannery said.

He said that the situation in Kabul is very bad, with the Taliban and the Haqqani Network teaming up to search house to house for interpreters and Afghan commandos.

Mr Nannery has battled to secure Rocky a visa from the US State Department.

He also tried to help another interpreter he served alongside named Don, but has been unable to locate him since the Taliban offensive. Mr Nannerys efforts to save his friends have been thwarted by bureaucratic red tape.

The US State Department finally got back to me, but the dead end we have met is that he (Rocky) is struggling to get a contract number from his previous employer, Mr Nannery said.

It is the drawback to the widespread privatisation of warfare, I guess. Rocky went above and beyond time after time to help us out.

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2020 after US forces left the country. Photo: Getty

But all it takes is one incompetent employee or a guy who bears a grudge to not pass on the number or contract details of that guy from the sub-contractor that the US military or State Department hired out and then they are doomed.

I have also been contacting as many offices in the Irish government as possible, even connecting with PAs for Irish politicians to try to raise awareness.

Its an uphill battle. For all the people here in Ireland who I think might be able to help, they just reply that they only provide information or dont get back to me.

I was really surprised. I thought politicians or people in NGOs would be lining up  queuing up  around the corner to get in on a story like this. No such luck though.

Mr Nannery said that with every passing day he fears for the safety of Rocky and his family.

He said all the US troops who served alongside Rocky and other Afghan interpreters feel honour-bound to help.

They have tried various methods of getting funds to Rocky so he can survive.

He also feels guilty because before this he took a lot of pride working as an interpreter to provide for his family, Mr Nannery said.

Now he cant even leave the house and their funds are plummeting alongside the Afghani currency and economy.

He said his fear is that he will lose contact with Rocky, so he wants to help his friend before it is too late.

Now in his 30s, Rocky has been eager to get his wife and children out of Afghanistan since 2018 as he feared the growing strength of the Taliban.

My mission now is to help Rocky get to safety, Mr Nannery said.

I dont care which country he goes to  so long as he, his wife and three children are safe and out of the reach of the Taliban. We owe them a debt of honour.
The Sunday World has been told the accident occurred when a chain on a pressure machine snapped. Sources said the huge metal ball had been used to clear the gas pipes once they had been laid.

Reporter Hugh Jordon speaks to David Ogilby - who runs a buy chip shop in the area - said he arrived at the scene shortly after it happened.

Paddy Duffy - manager of Greencastle Rovers FC - was busy counting his players when we caught up with him outside the Fountain Bar. Everyone is asking how the women are. It was a shocking incident and it was clear from the film footage we saw that it could have been a whole lot worse. said Paddy.

Footage of the metal ball just before it slammed into car

Witnesses spoke of their horror after a mum and daughter escaped a terrifying ordeal when a massive wrecking ball smashed into their car.

Miraculously, the women escaped unhurt but were badly shaken following the incident, footage of which has gone viral.

The mother and daughter are said to be taking it easy at home after a frightening experience in north Belfast which left one of them in a state of shock.

They were driving along Shore Road last Tuesday morning when their Renault saloon was struck by what local people believed at first to be a wrecking ball-style object.

Watch: Shocking moment construction ball comes through car window in Belfast

The incident happened shortly after breakfast time near the Greencastle on-slip to the M2 motorway.

The mother and daughter live locally and are well known in the area.

David Ogilby  who runs a busy chip shop on Shore Road  told yesterday how he arrived at the scene shortly after the accident.

He said: I noticed the car had been moved over to the island. The windscreen was smashed out.

But to tell you the truth, the car looked as though it could be repaired okay.

The Sunday World has been told the accident occurred when a chain on a pressure machine snapped. Sources said the huge metal ball had been used to clear the gas pipes once they had been laid.

Coincidently, the women were discussing the high standard of workmanship on the building site when the accident happened.

Dashcam footage shows the women driving on the Shore Road past the site of the now-demolished Greencastle RUC station.

They can both be heard chatting freely about the quality of workmanship that the firm tasked with installing new gas pipes in the area have adhered to.

But just as their car is about to emerge from under a bridge carrying motorway traffic northwards, their windscreen was smashed by a large ball and chain which flew through the air.

A split second before the windscreen was obliterated, one woman can be heard saying: I think theyve done a really good job.

Both women can then be heard screaming. It becomes clear that one of them is in a state of shock.

In an effort to calm her, the other woman says repeatedly: Youre okay! Youre okay!

Every day, Greencastle shops on the Shore Road is a hub for local people to meet and chat. And yesterday, the topic of conversation on everyones lips was the welfare of the two women caught up in the unfortunate incident.

Paddy Duffy  manager of Greencastle Rovers FC  was busy counting his players when we caught up with him outside the Fountain Bar.

Everyone is asking how the women are. It was a shocking incident and it was clear from the film footage we saw that it could have been a whole lot worse, said Paddy.

He added: I hope they are both alright and recovering well.

A spokesman for the PSNI said: Police received a report of an incident in the vicinity of the Shore Road, Newtownabbey, on the morning of Tuesday, March 12, when a car was struck by an object. One vehicle was damaged and no one was injured.
The 12-year-old, from Kiltullagh, died at her home on Tuesday, March 5.

The mother of Late Late Toy Show star Saoirse Ruane has said that her daughter is free from pain after she was laid to rest last week.

The 12-year-old, from Kiltullagh, died at her home on Tuesday, March 5, several years after she was diagnosed with cancer.

The youngster won the nation's hearts when she appeared on the Toy Show during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and spoke about her fight with cancer.

She had been diagnosed with a rare form of the disease which led to her right leg being amputated.

She inspired the launch of the Toy Show Appeal, which has led to millions of euros being raised.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Saoirses heartbroken mum Roseanna shared a sweet video in honour of her little girl.

The pair enjoyed some treasured snuggles in the black and white clip, which was set to an audio snippet of a poem titled When tomorrow starts without me.

The verse read: When tomorrow starts without me and Im not there to see if the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me.

I wish so much you wouldnt cry the way you did today while thinking of the many things we didnt get to say.

I know how much you love me, as much as I love you, and each time that you think of me, I know youll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand that an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand.

And so, my place was ready in heaven far above and that Id have to leave behind all those I dearly love.

Captioning the emotional clip, Roseanna wrote: Treasured snuggles before you left.

Today marks a week since we celebrated your wonderful life Youre safe now Saoirse, free from pain.

I know how much you love me, as much as I love you. Were just behind you Pudsy, well see you soon.

Followers extended their condolences and sent their support in the comments section, including Conor McGregors sister Erin, who said: Sending you so much love Roseanna. There will never be anything like a mother's love. The nation is holding your broken heart. We love you.

Another person wrote: That is the most heart-breaking and loving video I have ever seen, I cant begin to understand your pain, please know every mother in Ireland and the world is praying for you.

Sile Seoige added: Oh Roseanna. I can't begin to understand your pain. I am truly sorry. This is beautiful. She was amazing, as are you. So much love to you.

And another person said: Im so sorry Roseanna, what a heart-breaking and beautiful video, she made such a big impact in her lifetime and you have too, she was so loved and you were the best mother to her, sending you love and light.

Roseanna shared the devastating news of Saoirses passing in a social media post earlier this month, explaining that she died peacefully at her home in the arms of her parents.

She said: "When there are no words. After a long, courageous and dignified battle, our hearts are shattered to tell you our beautiful little Saoirse took her final breath in our arms on Tuesday.

"We thank you our lovely followers for holding Saoirse and us in your thoughts these past few weeks.

"We think of you all today also as we know how much Saoirse was loved by the nation and the effect she had on so many people's lives.

"Cancer you stole her from us, the life we had and our dreams.

"Life will never be the same."
The seven males, believed to be Eritrean nationals, were discovered just before 6 a.m. on Friday morning

An Garda Siochana have confirmed that six of the seven migrants discovered hidden in a trailer at Rosslare Europort in the early hours of Friday morning have been returned to the country they arrived from.

The seven males, believed to be Eritrean nationals, were discovered just before 6 a.m. on Friday morning concealed inside a trailer.

It was suggested that officers at the port may have overheard noises coming from inside the trailer.

Both the truck and trailer were detained by gardai for a full technical examination and the seven males were brought to Wexford Garda Station for a medical assessment.

Gardai confirmed that, following this assessment, all of the migrants were deemed to be safe and well.

A garda source revealed that six adult males were refused leave to land and were expected to leave the jurisdiction on return ferry back to the continent.

The seventh male, a juvenile, is currently in the care of Tuslas Unaccompanied Minors Unit.

Gardai also confirmed that investigations are ongoing with Gardai in Wexford and the relevant international stakeholders.

This latest incident follows on from a high profile case in January which saw 14 migrants, two children and 12 adults, discovered in a refrigerated trailer that arrived into Rosslare Europort from Zeebrugge.

The group of Kurdish people from Iran and Iraq, including two girls aged six and four, made a desperate call to the UK authorities from inside the trailer as they were running out of air. They subsequently cut a hole in the side of the container so that they could breathe.

At least eight of the 14 migrants subsequently fled state services. It is understood that they did not know that the container in which they were travelling on board was destined for Ireland and while three applied for international protection from the state, the rest did not.
Terrified every time their phone pings they fear being told that their most loved ones have succumbed to Israeli bomb attacks and are dead or missing.

Two brothers, Alaa Alrace and Hashem Jouda from Gaza who live in Belfast fear for family in Rafah are trying to raise money to help them. Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.

Distraught brothers Alaa and Hashem Jouda wait every minute of the day to hear news that their family in Gaza is still alive.

Terrified every time their phone pings, they fear being told their loved ones have succumbed to Israeli bomb attacks and are dead or missing.

At home in Belfast, they outline how they save every penny  not even turning on the heating  in a bid to save their loved ones lives. They want to raise enough money to get their family out of the warzone camp they now call home.

In a tent in Rafah, 13 members of the mens family live in fear of death and starvation as famine takes hold. Whatever food that might be available costs a fortune. One orange is 25.

It is coming to a stage where money means nothing; there is nothing to buy. The best use of money is to pay corrupt officials to let them over the Egyptian border and to safety.

Our hearts are breaking every day, we are constantly terrified about what news we will get from our family, Alaa Jouda told the Sunday World.

Food is so expensive in Gaza but now there is no food  what little there is are crazy prices. Our family are struggling every day and every day it gets harder. We are very scared.

The brothers have set up a GoFundMe page to help bring their family to safety. The money they scrimp and save every day from their jobs in a kebab shop in Andersonstown is just not enough.

Family members in Gaza include young children

Any money they had saved has already been sent to Gaza to pay for the tents their family live in, which cost a staggering 3,000.

Hashem (25) said: People can charge you anything because they know we are desperate. We have sent everything we have.

Our mother, father, sisters, brother, grandmother and children are in danger. We are terrified. If the Israeli army bomb Rafah, which they will probably do, then what happens to them even if they survive? Where will they go? How will they eat?

There have been 30,000 innocent people killed. We worry our family will be killed and there is nothing we can do.

We feel so helpless; we cant even go and get them. You feel as if you are nothing, so helpless now the food is running out.

There is no guarantee they will be alive the next day. Sleeping is hard. It is affecting our mental health. We are scared we will never see our family again.

Their family have only been able to make sporadic contact since October. Making contact is dependent on the internet, but finding a location with an online connection puts their lives in further danger.

Members of the Jouda brothers' family in Gaza

If my sister goes to look for internet then she is putting her life in danger, said Hashem. Yes, we want to hear from them, but we tell them to be quick and get back to the tent. The area where they are is very dangerous.

There is no safe place. They are constantly in danger, fearing for their lives, for the next bomb.

All we want is to get them into Egypt, to be safe and happy. We want our parents, who are old and have medical needs, to live what time they have left of their lives happy, to be free from worry.

What is happening in Gaza is a war crime and nobody seems to want to help, nobody who could have the power to help. The politicians are sleeping.

It is very sad. Our hearts are broken. Why is it okay to kill all these people?

It costs $6,000 to get one adult across the Egyptian border, money the men are desperately trying to raise.

People here have been very kind. One man came into the shop and gave us 500. So kind.

We just ask if anyone can help us get our family to safety, please help. Every penny will help us help our family.

We are all desperate. We try to save every penny we have, but it is just not enough.

We go without everything we can to save  not putting on the heating, eating less, things like that. But it is just not enough and we feel so helpless.

The Jouda family were living in Gaza city but their home was demolished by the bombs they fled. They now live in a camp in Rafah, along with another 1.5 million people.

It is a small area the size of Lisburn, said Hashem. Conditions are very bad. Before the war, life in Gaza was not good.

After this war, you will not find anyone  no people, animals, plants or buildings. We have to get our family out.

Help the brothers by donating to their GoFundMe page here.
Police probe was launched at the end of last year and is focused on a branch in Cookstown

Police are investigating a fraud allegation at a credit union in Co Tyrone, the Sunday World can reveal.

The probe, which was launched at the end of last year, is focused on Fairhill & District Credit Union in Cookstown.

According to a source, it is understood the claim relates to a huge amount of money.

When contacted about the allegation, a PSNI spokesperson said: Detectives are investigating a report of fraud in December 2023 in the Cookstown area. Enquiries are ongoing.

Fairhill & District Credit Union, which was established in 1991, was also contacted.

A spokesperson for the management team at the credit union said: At this moment, we will be making no further comment, as there is an ongoing investigation with the PSNI.

Fairhill & District Credit Union is a member of the Ulster Federation of Credit Union (UFCU), which has 38 affiliated branches across Northern Ireland.

The UFCU was set up in 1995 and previously had been a member of the UK-wide National Federation of Credit Unions.

The Sunday World contacted the UFCU in relation to the police investigation at Fairhill & District Credit Union, but the organisation did not respond.

As well as the 38 UFCU-affiliated credit unions, there are a further 84 credit unions in Northern Ireland which are members of the Irish League of Credit Unions.

It is estimated a third of people living in Northern Ireland are members of a credit union, with around 3.6 million members across Ireland. The first credit union was set up in Dublin in the early 1950s.

A credit union differs from a bank in that it is run by members of a local community to support those who live in that area.

The money saved in a credit union is loaned out to members at what has been decided to be a reasonable rate of interest.

Every credit union is owned by its members, the people who save with it and borrow from it.
Details of Kates condition have not been disclosed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private.

An image of Kate and William shopping was shared widely on social media

Broadcaster Maia Dunphy has poked fun at the recently taken photos which appear to show Britains Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton doing some shopping.

Images of the pair out for a stroll at a local market whilst carrying some plastic bags have gone viral after Kates prolonged absence from public life.

Following abdominal surgery on January 16, Kate had not been seen apart from a photo of her being driven by her mother Carole Middleton, which led to wild conspiracy theories on social media about her whereabouts and health.

Details of her condition have not been disclosed but Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that Kate wished her personal medical information to remain private.

Theyre expecting us to believe Kate and Will use plastic bags to hike home their organic farm shopping? Not a hessian bag or tote in sight. Naaah, not buying it, Maia said today, accompanied by a winking emoji.

Maia Dunphy (Picture by David Conachy)

Maia also posted a snip of a section of the article which states: "Nelson Silva, 40, who took the video was shopping for steak at the farm shop when he spotted Kate and William in the bread aisle.

She said that this was the part of the article that she enjoyed the most: My favourite detail. Hope Nelson got his steak, she wrote.

The former RTE star shared more memes about the situation before assuring users on X that she was only joking.

Folks, FOLKS!! Im only having a laugh! Couldnt give a shite about the Royal Family beyond hoping Kate is OK, and enjoying the craic of the crazy conspiracies as much as the next person.

Maias comments come at a difficult time for the monarchy, who are currently embroiled in photo editing PR disaster, after an image was released of Kate with her children that had been doctored.

Doctored image of Royals

Kate Middleton has dominated headlines following Kensington Palaces decision to publish the edited family photograph on Mothers Day.

News agencies removed the photograph and the Palace reportedly did not respond to requests for the original untouched image.

Outspoken broadcaster Piers Morgan has weighed in on the Kate photo-editing disaster saying he has heard alarming things about the royal family.

On his show Uncensored Piers said Kate could be fine and doing well or the Palace could be hiding something.

Ive been told some stuff that, if even half of it is true, its pretty alarming what is happening. I dont know what to believe, nor do any of us  were not there, Mr Morgan said.

Piers Morgan left his daily TalkTV show to focus on the Uncensored YouTube channel (Piers Morgan Uncensored/TalkTV/PA)

He also mentioned that talk show staff are joking that Kate could have died 18 months ago.

In his column, he wrote: The mantra of Britains greatest monarch, the late, great Queen Elizabeth II, was very simple: Never complain, never explain, and rarely be heard speaking in public.

But the conspiracy theories about Kate Middletons secret health crisis and disappearance from public life, made worse by the manipulated family photo she posted, when added to the unsettling confusion over what cancer King Charles is suffering from and how serious his condition is, have shown that the old palace way of handling the media has become increasingly obsolete and unworkable.

I feel very sorry for Kate that shes had to go through whatever health issue shes had, which has kept her away from public gaze, and duty, for so long.

But my sympathy will erode if it turns out that she and the palace have deliberately misled the media and public about when the photo was taken to convey a false impression about her condition.
People who have suffered acute mental breakdowns fear the health system will not be ready to fill the gap when police withdraw from crisis callouts.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora says it is working with police on plans to move to "a multi-agency response" to mental distress.

Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey has also floated the idea of having a specific mental health option when people call 111.

Vee is among those who are sceptical that such a plan will be adequately resourced.

A 40-something professional with a young family, she has experienced multiple episodes of mental distress since she was a teenager, which often result in someone calling 111 and police attending.

"I've been restrained by police, I've been handcuffed, I've been manhandled into a car, I've been held in a cell.

"I'm a person who's quite successful, if you met me on the street you wouldn't know any of those things about me. But those experiences are quite terrifying.

"And to be treated in such a way, which really doesn't do anything to advance recovery or bring about recovery, is just not OK."

This was not primarily the fault of police - it was the failure of mental health services, she says.

"This is not a new thing. I remember being 16 years old and the CAT [crisis assessment and treatment] team not being available. We're talking about years and years and years of underfunding. So where are they now? I don't know. But I don't believe they were there before either.

"Te Whatu Ora is continually pushing things back to police, [but] that's not their job."

Vee says she believed it was "possible" to turn it around.

"But it's not enough to direct people in mental distress to some website, or give them a crisis line to text....

"They need to come to the party with money. And for Te Whatu Ora to come to the party with money, we need the government to come to the party with money."

BJ, who is also in his 40s, started suffering extreme anxiety, impulsive behaviour, angry outbursts and suicidal thoughts four years ago - but had to wait more than three years to start treatment.

"When there's no treatment available, or treatment is delayed, you're kind of in a holding pattern as your health declines, you're waiting, you're just waiting for the phone call that says 'Yes, we can get you treatment now'. And you're like 'Yes, I'm going to learn new things, I'm going to get back to normal'."

However, getting "back to normal" has got more difficult for BJ following a run-in with police in October.

During a violent argument with his wife, he called 111 pleading for help - but ended up assaulting her before police arrived.

"No-one's really listening to what's going on, I'm not in my right mind. For the most part I am, but when I'm in extreme circumstances, my reactions are beyond extreme.

"My behaviour is beyond what's even reasonable."

BJ pleaded guilty to assault and is awaiting sentencing next month.

However, he believed the protracted criminal justice process - which had been traumatic for him, his wife and family - could have been avoided if he had been able to get the health care he needed.

Currently, the only medical option was being "sectioned" - assessed under the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act, which would be the first step to making a plea of not guilty due to insanity.

BJ was not insane, so that was not an option.

"There needs to be an element of compassion, not a punitive approach, to this sort of thing."

Last year, police attended 77,000 call-outs involving people in mental distress, or threatening suicide - of which only 4 to 5 percent involved criminal behaviour.

Mental Health Foundation chief executive Shaun Robinson says the fact that police were responding to mental distress was a symptom of a system that was sick.

"One of the things that's been really infuriating in the last few years has been the lack of a plan, an overall plan for staffing across our whole response to mental health health."

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora declined an interview.

However, in a written statement, specialist mental health and addiction director Karla Bergquist conceded there was "significant pressure and demand".

New Zealand was not alone in dealing with long-standing workforce shortages - but those with acute mental health needs would always get priority treatment, she says.

"Crisis teams use evidence-based tools to assess the level of response required.

"This means people with the most acute needs are seen first and unfortunately may result in some people having to wait to access services.

"We want to acknowledge how difficult it would be for someone in distress being unable to access our crisis services.

"If there is an immediate threat to someone's safety, police may be contacted."

Meanwhile, joint work was underway with police to explore options, and plan the transition to a multi-agency response for those in mental distress.

One option was to extend the co-response teams, which involved mental health specialists working alongside police.

Where to get help:

Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.

Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357

Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.

Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202

Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)

Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz

What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.

Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254

Healthline: 0800 611 116

Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155

OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

- RNZ/ Ruth Hill
A Rainbow Storytime session in Rotorua facing calls for protest and counter-action has seen councillors clash after one questioned its appropriateness for children.

But Sunita Torrance  one of the drag queen entertainers hosting Thursdays event at Rotorua Library  says it is harmless and opposers should consider there are more important things going on in the world than two people dressing up in frilly costumes reading to children.

The library promoted the Rainbow Storytime as a free and family-friendly event aimed at younger children.

Hosted by Taranakis Coco (Torrance) and Erika Flash (Daniel Lockett), it would include reading books such as Giraffes Cant Dance by Giles Andreae, music such as Baby Shark, singing, dancing and themes of acceptance, anti-bullying, inclusion, kindness and self-confidence.

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki last week pledged to shut down the event and one to follow in Hastings, NZ Herald reported.

Event organisers, meanwhile, have called on social media for a counter group to provide a barrier from protestors to ensure the safety of the families attending the sessions.

Rotorua Lakes Councillor Robert Lee raised his opposition to the event at Wednesdays Community and District Development Committee meeting.

Rotorua Lakes Councillor Robert Lee. Photo / Laura Smith.

He said his social media had lit up like a Christmas tree with community concern  about the appropriateness of the event.

Lee said councillors had been emailed by a grandmother deeply concerned about promotional material she believed was harmful to children.

He said he would not support that event going ahead and asked how councillors could influence the decision.

Council community and district development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston said people could choose to go or not.

There is nothing about sexuality or gender in the presentation.

Gaston referred to a FAQ page the library manager set up that said the hosts were police-vetted to work with children.

Rotorua Lakes Council community and district development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston (right). Photo / Laura Smith.

It also advised the library provided materials, services and information on a range of topics with differing viewpoints, respecting peoples right to freedom of information.

We recognise that not everyone will share the same beliefs. It is not the role of a library to hide or withdraw access to challenging ideas or topics.

Meeting chairman Gregg Brown said councillors cannot participate in every discussion and every decision of this organisation.

I think we have to be a permissive society, within reason.

Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell said she would not expect members to start deciding who and who cannot have their freedom of expression.

There was no harmful nature of the event and she hoped community members who disagreed would allow it to remain a safe space.

Rotorua mayor Tania Tapsell. Photo / Laura Smith.

Horrible comments

Councillor Fisher Wang later posted on social media he had seen some very horrible comments directed towards this [event] like, filth, gross, disgusting, corrupt  a movement which the councillor [seated] to my right [Lee] supports.

Wang told Local Democracy Reporting he was referencing comments he had seen on social media and in emails.

It does really sadden me when I see words like that used to describe other people in our community who are themselves. Thats all it is.

He said he believed people had a responsibility to call out horrible comments and stand up for LGBT people facing hurdles.

We look at some of the stuff thats said about them and we wonder why they dont feel like a part of society.

Wang said no one was forced to attend the registration-required event, which he described as positive, innocent and family-orientated.

Rotorua Lakes Council elected member Fisher Wang. Photo / Laura Smith.

He said he saw the Rotorua community overall as supportive and inclusive, and believed the event would be well-attended.

Im confident the love and kindness will trump the hate. That inclusiveness will persevere.

Childrens innocence is best protected

In response to Wangs comments, Lee told Local Democracy Reporting it was his job as councillor to advocate on behalf of the community.

I acknowledge councillor Wangs constituency is probably younger than mine and many may have quite different views from many of my constituents.

Lee said about 90 per cent of his social media commenters opposed or strongly opposed the event.

My impression is most people dont object to drag queens per se, but struggle with the idea of them being presented as a role model for children in a public library.

He said he would not take his children to the event and it did not strike him as age-appropriate.

I think childrens innocence is best protected and I consider that part of my job as a parent.

He said he would attend so he could comment after the event.

Storyteller: Content absolutely not harmful

Torrance spoke to Local Democracy Reporting in response to criticism of the event.

She said the promotional content from the pairs production company was absolutely not harmful to children.

Speaking generally, in her view people opposed to events like Rainbow Storytime were fed scaremongering ideologies.

Torrance said she created Rainbow Storytime in 2017, and care went into the image, songs, costumes and messages.

When libraries invited them to read she asked if they wanted a more pride-focused message or more generic  these tended to be about dancing animals, she said.

They also did shows for adult audiences, including R18 cabarets, but even then we do not do stripping.

It is imaginary the harm they think we put towards children or anybody.

Torrance said their events enabled people of many ages to ask about drag queens if they wanted.

They can be straight, they can be gay, they can be transgender they can be non-binary. They can be allies.

It was not about pushing a transgender or gay agenda: You cant teach it, you cant learn it. Its either in you or it isnt.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
A woman allergic to wasps can now come and go from her property without fear of being stung after a 3-foot (90cm) wasp nest was removed from neighbouring vacant land.

Rotorua Lakes Council asked pest service technician Chris Brunel to remove the nest from the property.

Lynne Coutts lived next door and shared her story of being plagued by the wasps - which at times smothered her bird feeder - and her struggle in getting it sorted out.

The vacant, overgrown land was ideal for wasps.

Brunel visited the Ngongotaha property on Wednesday after Local Democracy Reporting first reported the story.

Brunel found the nest underground.

When he found it: Thats a big nest. Its nasty.

A German wasp nest, he said it was built right into the tree roots and scrub.

Its not easy to see but if you have a protection suit on and all the PPE gear you can stick your head down there and have a good look.

A vacant Ngongotaha property was inundated with wasps, but a pest control specialist has now dealt to it. Photo / Laura Smith.

The nest accommodated the queen as well as thousands of worker wasps.

We can deal to that quite simply by inserting a probe in the nest, and filling it up with insecticide and we kill it.

All hell breaks loose for about 10 minutes then usually its all over.

Sometimes a second dose was needed - but its rare.

In the next six to eight weeks the cold would kill off most of the wasps, with the queens finding somewhere to hibernate, such as the bark of a tree.

Then the whole process starts again next year.

He came back later in the day to administer the insecticide.

Brunel said if the nest was left it would have become massive.

Bay Pest Services manager and technician Chris Brunel inspects the wasp nest in Ngongotaha. Photo / Laura Smith.

Rotorua Lakes Council sport, recreation and environment manager Rob Pitkethley said wasps had been less of an issue across its reserves this season.

Following removal of the bins and wasp control undertaken in spring at Tikitapu (Blue Lake), weve noted a significant reduction there.

The bins were removed about a year ago from the reserve after wasps were attracted to them.

We removed a nest at the lakefront but have had no reports from the public about any issues with wasps on our reserves.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
The political dynamics of the Global South's relations with Ukraine largely depends on the situation on the battlefield. When the Ukrainian army has significant success, these states show greater favor to Kyiv.

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This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at an online briefing for foreign media. He explained why it makes sense for the countries of the Global South to support Ukraine.

"When Ukraine demonstrates significant successes on the battlefield, we see that the countries of the Global South are more inclined to support Ukraine's position. When the situation becomes more stable - in terms of Russia's position - we see that these countries become more "balanced" in their positions," explained Kuleba.

According to him, in this case, "the political dynamics largely depends on the dynamics on the front line."

According to Kuleba, the general message that Ukraine sends to the countries of the Global South is very simple: if Russia wins, these countries will be the first to experience a surge in violence and cross-border aggression in their regions.

ADVERTISIMENT

That is why it makes sense for them to support Ukraine, Kuleba added.

The minister also noted that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry is working on organizing a series of visits to Latin American countries, including Brazil. However, Kuleba did not announce the dates of this tour, as they have not yet been agreed upon.

As OBOZ.UA reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the conversation, he called on India to support the implementation of the Ukrainian peace formula.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A joint taskforce has stopped close to 200 kilograms of methamphetamine from reaching New Zealand and Australian borders.

A joint international task force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and consisting of Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Agency, identified a drug trafficking organisation.

Over a 12-month period, the taskforce collected evidence, seized almost 200 kilograms of methamphetamine heading to New Zealand and Australia, and made five arrests in the United States.

This result is an excellent example of the United States work to disrupt transnational crime cells, supported by New Zealand and Australian authorities, says Security and International Police Liaison Inspector Paul Newman.

New Zealand Police and Customs provided intelligence that further assisted US authorities in building their case against the alleged offenders.

NZ Police and NZ Customs Service have Liaison Officers based in the US whose role is to form partnerships with local law enforcement.

These partnerships bridge the jurisdictional gap between law enforcement and connect investigators from both countries.

New Zealand and Australian drug users pay big money for harmful drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine, and this makes it attractive for drug trafficking organisations in the US to send drugs to our countries, says Paul.

It is clear that criminals have become connected to take advantage of this and to counter this transnational threat, law enforcement has done the same.

We consistently share intelligence on criminal groups operating out of both countries, which continues to have good results.

Customs investigations manager Dominic Adams says that New Zealands key strategy to disrupt illicit drug smuggling networks is targeting both ends of the international supply chain  upon import once the drugs reach New Zealand, as well as before export to stop the drugs from being sent here in the first place.

Close to 200kg of methamphetamine was seized over a 12-month period.

We work closely with our international and domestic law enforcement partners to identify, target and tackle transnational crime cells operating in both countries.

Targeting overseas-based drug trafficking organisations, closer to the source, is a more effective way to cause maximum impact.

While there is a lot of profit to be made by supplying drugs to New Zealand, we would like to become as unattractive as possible.

We have been working with our US counterparts for many years now, with our collaboration and success growing from strength to strength.

Seizures at the US border that were destined for New Zealand have been increasing every year.

This helps with our intelligence gathering and sharing to target criminal groups involved, and it helps our local frontline officers to focus their efforts on shipments being sent to our shores, says Dominic.

US law enforcement agencies are proactive in identifying and seizing border-controlled drugs that are exported from the US.

The US Customs Border Protection have been running projects since 2016 targeting drug exports heading to destinations like New Zealand.

According to reporting provided to NZ Customs, US authorities were involved in seizing approximately 1102 kilograms of border-controlled drugs  including 1087 kilograms methamphetamine  heading to New Zealand in 2023.

This included a single shipment of approximately 265 kilograms of methamphetamine stopped in March 2023.

A number of people have been arrested as part of the international operation.

A subsequent HSI investigation led to the arrest of a US man, while a similar concurrent investigation in New Zealand by Police and Customs identified five people who have since been charged and are currently before the court.

These results would not be possible without close collaboration between law enforcement in both countries, says Paul.

Intelligence sharing is key to enable us to understand and tackle the criminal environment.

For New Zealand, these arrests and seizures have prevented significant profits being made by organised crime and have also prevented considerable harm.

We will continue to work alongside our international partners to ensure that those involved in this activity are held responsible for their offending.




This month billions of Muslims around the world are celebrating Ramadan.

Phillipa Yalden talks to file management support officer Fatima Qadami about her daily routine and how she balances her work and cultural practice during the month.

Fatima Qadami is a Kiwi girl but her early years were a far cry from the typical New Zealand upbringing.

She was born in Al-Tash  a refugee camp in Iraq for political prisoners mostly of Kurdish ethnicity, like Fatimas parents.

Many of the thousands of people living inside the fenced off and overpopulated camp had been there for 15 to 20 years. They were divided into areas based on their tribal affiliations, with most living in simple homes made from mud-brick.

Fatimas father would sell and trade yeast, flour or eggs at the local market while her mother would knit or sew items to pay for essentials such as food, medicine and baby formula.

The political instability in the region and threat of violence made us fearful," says Fatima.

There was a lot of insecurity in the camp, violence, and we had to contend with water shortages and little to no electricity.

We had little ways to survive; our only option was to leave and start fresh.

To leave behind all the heartache and misery we endured and start our life again where we had the opportunity to live freely without persecution.

In 2001 her family applied to the New Zealand Government as part of the refugee quota, were accepted and migrated, settling in Christchurch where Fatima spent her school years.

After the 2011 earthquakes, her family moved north to Auckland before relocating to Hamilton.

My family and I work, study, and have a normal Kiwi life - just like any other New Zealander.

We are pretty proud to call New Zealand our home.

Knowing the ill treatment her parents and other family had faced, Fatima studied law at Waikato University, graduating with a degree in 2021.

She joined Police in 2022, working as a file management support officer at Hamilton Central.

I have enjoyed my job and working with such a variety of people that reflects New Zealands diverse society.

Fatima is also one of the founding members of the Ethnic Support Network in Waikato District.

Waikato Ethnic Support Network supports all ethnic staff across the district, she says.

The focus is to encourage diversity within the workplace and support new staff by ensuring a smooth integration and peer support for those who may need assistance with Police language and offence codes etc.

The aim is to foster an inclusive environment for all staff and ensure they are valued; while also helping to build relationships with the ethnic groups in the community.

Q&A with Fatima

Tell me about your role in Police?

We provide support to police in many of their tasks, whether this be preparing prosecution files, entering vehicle alerts and impounds, liaising with Courts in relation to Protection Orders or assessing 105 reports coming via CRL. There is so much - the list could go on.

I enjoy the banter around the office, especially when working with our rural colleagues, and especially as a Gen Z.

I know coming into the office, there will always be a joke about me changing the radio station music.

How do you balance your cultural practices, for example during Ramadan, and work on an everyday basis?

It can be difficult at times to explain certain things.

However, I think as time passes my colleagues have begun to understand the reasons behind Ramadan and why I do what I do.

Being able to pray and be given space in the station makes me feel respected.

Whats your daily routine?

During Ramadan I fast from sunrise to sunset.

I start my suhoor (breakfast) in the station and my iftar (breaking of fast) in the station.

So, my colleagues get to see what that looks like. Traditionally we break it with a date and water, as has been the custom for hundreds of years.

My colleagues have been so understanding when I need to leave my desk for a few minutes to pray and have been accommodating.

I have become very accustomed with the visible shock from everyone when I tell them that fasting during Ramadan means I also cant have water!

How important is it for you to bring your culture to work with you?

My identity is very important to me, as I struggled as a young refugee growing up in New Zealand on how best to identify myself.

I feel lucky that my culture is rich and alive, and that I can share with my colleagues.

I love sharing my culture with anyone who is curious, especially since we live in such a technological world.

Bringing my culture with me to work not only teaches my colleagues about valuing diversity, but it also makes me feel comfortable with who I am.

- Police, Ten One Magazine
Urban planning experts at the University of Waikato are developing a new model to support the translation of natural hazard science and planning of future cities.

New Zealand has all this amazing knowledge about our natural hazards, but we need to get much better at integrating this into planning for future urban growth, says Professor Iain White, whose project is funded through the EQC Toka Tu Ake University Research Programme, which invests $4.5 million into natural hazard research over the next three years across five New Zealand Universities.

Iain says the new agent-based model will simulate how agents such as developers, planners, and landowners interact with each other so planners can better understand how policy changes, such as with regard to zoning, natural hazards or climate change, affect development behaviour and outcomes.

We have really good science around climate change and how this might affect hazards, but we need to better understand how our long-term growth plans will intersect with this risk, and how the policy environment shapes developer behaviour.

Iain says that the new model will enable planners and modellers to look decades ahead to see how policy changes could impact urban growth patterns, which will be hugely beneficial to planners and policy makers in improving current decisions.

EQC supports the project as part of its goal to reduce the impact of natural events on home owners.

Principal advisor for risk reduction and resilience, Dr Wendy Saunders, says that Iains project could be a gamechanger for developers to stop building in areas that are likely to be affected by natural hazards.

Waikato planning cliff. Photo supplied.

The severe weather events in the past year have shown us how much trauma and financial stress could have been avoided with better planning and making the avoidance of natural hazards, or reducing their impacts, a bigger priority.

Wendy hopes that the new model will enable planners and developers to look further into the future to make sure new developments avoid or reduce potential hazards that can already be predicted with the available science.

Iain says that councils need more tools to limit developments in potential high hazard areas, and often end up in litigation with developers.

This new model could help avoid litigation by strengthening the evidence base for better long-term decisions.

Iain will be supported by a wider team at the University of Waikato, including Dr Xinyu Fu, Dr Sandi Ringham, Dr Silvia Serrao-Neumann and Dr Rob Bell.

There are also two Masters students, Joel Bishop and Marcus Fletcher, and a PhD student who will collect the data and construct the modelling of how each stakeholder, or agent, will behave in the future.

Like a video game, we want to create an agent-based modelling tool to predict how each stakeholder will respond when we change aspects of planning policy, incentives or legislation.

That way we can more accurately predict how and where our cities could expand over the next 20-30 years under different policy scenarios, and make better decisions now that avoid problems and liabilities for future generations.
Superheroes from all over the Bay dusted off their masks and capes to answer the call from Waipuna Hospice for this years Superhero Walk.

Part fundraiser, part community walk, The Superhero Walk is an event that gives people not only the chance to honour and celebrate those they hold dear, but to support those facing end-of-life and bereavement in our local community through the work of Waipuna Hospice.

For four weeks local heroes fundraised for Waipuna Hospice, reaching out to their networks for support.

Then, on the 16th of March participants and community members came together at the Superhero Celebration Walk to honour and celebrate the heroes in their lives.

Attendees put on their capes and masks to walk the course starting at Coronation Park, Mount Maunganui.

With an energizing superhero warm up, free goodies and prizes galore, families, friends and colleagues came together to celebrate their heroes and support their community.

Sam Uffindell and daughter Zippora. Photo supplied.

Waipuna Hospice CEO, Richard Thurlow, says they are extremely grateful to their local community who together helped raise $21,312.58.

I must extend my utmost thanks to everyone who supported our Superhero Walk this year - whether you fundraised, walked, donated, volunteered, or helped spread the word, you are a hero in my eyes, and Waipuna Hospice couldn't do what we do in the community without you.

So, on behalf of everyone at Waipuna Hospice, our patients, and their whanau, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Richard also says that this event wouldnt have been possible without their super sponsors.

The 2024 Superhero Walk wouldnt have been possible without the team at Elliotts Funeral Services and Mitre10 Mega Tauranga, as well as all our prize sponsors and supporters.

We have such an incredible local business community here in the Bay of Plenty and we owe them an immense thank you.

. The Waipuna Hospice Superhero Walk crowds. Photo supplied.

Tauranga MP, Sam Uffindell, attended the Superhero Celebration Walk and says he is proud to support the work of Waipuna Hospice.

The Waipuna Hospice Superhero Walk was a fantastic event, raising funds and awareness for this incredible charity.

Waipuna Hospice and their staff do an amazing job providing high quality end of life care to people in our community so they and their families can enjoy comfort and dignity when they most need it.

My four-year-old daughter Zippora and I really enjoyed the walk and well be back again next year.

Sam Uffindell and daughter Zippora. Photo supplied.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chief executive, Fiona McTavish, also supported Waipuna Hospice by attending the walk and fundraising for the cause.

I am incredibly grateful to Waipuna Hospice for the care and support they have provided several Bay of Plenty Regional Council staff and their families which is why I walked on Saturday, says Fiona.

My personal experience is that hospice services support families in times of their greatest need.

While that may be a wrap on the 2024 Superhero Walk, Waipuna Hospice says they are looking forward to dusting off their capes again next year and have already started planning how to make 2025 even better.

Its not too late to support Waipuna Hospice.

The 2024 Superhero fundraising page will remain open until 9am, Monday 25th March, so visit https://2024-superhero-walk.raisely.com/donate today.
State Highway 2, Takitimu Drive, Tauranga, is closed following a crash.

Police are responding to a two vehicle crash on Takitimu Drive, near the Chapel Street on-ramp, says a police spokesperson.

"The crash was reported around 6.15pm.

"ThesSouthbound lanes are blocked.

"Motorists are advised to take an alternative route where possible."

SunLive is working on getting more information and will provide an update when we can.

At the scene?

Call 0800 SUNLIVE or email photos to newsroom@thesun.co.nz
Eugenio Cabezas Nerja Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 19:52 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Only public, sport centre and hotel swimming pools will be allowed to be filled with mains water this summer, a senior Junta de Andalucia has declared.

The statement follows weeks of confusion and comes after the drought commission met last week, which determined that the filling of private pools will not be allowed in the south of Spain. However, it still posed the question as to whether registered tourist homes and apartments in Malaga province could fill their private swimming pools in the lead up to Easter.

The Junta's delegate in Malaga province, Patricia Navarro, said, "tourist homes are no exception" when questioned by SUR on Friday. "These measures are taken with the utmost responsibility and with the aim of preserving the human supply, which is the first thing we have to protect," she said. "Municipal pools are allowed, because there are many towns in inland Andalucia where summer is spent in their swimming pool, who have no other alternative like those of us who are lucky enough to live on the coast," Navarro added. Therapeutic pools "as a matter of public health" are exempt.

'There are no exceptions'

Navarro ruled tourist homes out as being included in the list of sites that could fill their swimming pools "as they are framed in single-family homes or communities of owners, in which the filling of swimming pools is explicitly prohibited".

Registered tourist accommodation such as hotels, blocks of tourist flats or aparthotels are allowed, however tourist homes within communities of owners or isolated single-family houses, are not allowed.

Hopeful more rain is one the way

The Junta representative was hopeful more rain is one the way, which will ease the ongoing drought crisis in Malaga province and the wider region. "We think there is a chance that, between now and June, the water resources in the reservoirs will be recovered. This will be reviewed, and after Easter there will be another meeting," Navarro said.

The Andalusian Association of Professionals of Tourist Homes and Apartments (AVVAPRO) told SUR: "we understood that we were included, that tourist homes are included... we will wait to see what appears when the BOJA (official gazette) is published, but we believe that it would be an absolute discrimination to allow hotels and not tourist homes".
Juan Soto Malaga Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 15:57 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Big Pizza has landed in Malaga province with three stores opening and two more set to open its doors in the coming months.

The Argentinian chain specialising in pizzas and empanadas - which in Argentina are eaten together - opened three stores in Malaga city (Calle Poeta Aurora de Albornoz, 5 and Puerto de la Torre), in Torremolinos (Avenida de Los Manantiales, 18) and in Benalmadena (Calle Luis Vives, 11). The two other stores will open in the Huelin area in Malaga city and in Fuengirola.

Big Pizza is a huge name in Argentina, where it has around 200 franchised outlets throughout the country. After the Covid-19 pandemic the company decided to jump the pond to Spain, where they already have 27 stores, and 30 more in the process of opening. The restaurant chain has a central kitchen in Madrid, from where they distribute all the frozen ready-made pizzas to other stores.

Big Pizza premises in Benalmadena. J.S.T.

One of the business partners, Maximiliano Dubovsky, who has been working in the catering sector in his home country for 30 years, said they wanted to bring the traditional way of eating pizza alongside empanadas to Spain. He pointed out this unique way of eating pizza sets the chain apart from others such as Domino's, Telepizza or Malvon. "The combination of both products is very Argentinian; there the empanada is eaten as a starter to the pizza," Dubovsky said.

A thriving market

When Big Pizza first entered the Spanish market, it opened stores in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia and Malaga. Dubovsky pointed out Malaga province interests the chain "as it has a very interesting market in general, the climate helps a lot and it has a growing capital city". He said Malaga is already "one of the most important cities in Spain, and the whole area of the coast, from the city to Marbella, could easily reach 30 or 40 stores".

Big Pizza offers three sizes of pizza with two different preparations: stone-baked, which is the thin pizza, and mould-baked, which is the traditional Porteno pizza, "fatter but crispier at the base and spongy in the middle". Prices range from 2.30 euros for an empanada to 10.95 euros for a baked family pizza.
The release of doves at the passing of the Virgen de la Paloma is one of the hallmarks of Holy Week in Malaga.

Jesus Hinojosa Malaga Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 14:05 Compartir Copiar enlace

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The releasing of doves by members of the public - a popular tradition performed every Holy Wednesday in Malaga - is set to be scrapped this year following pressure from animal rights groups.

The Cofradia de la Paloma (Brotherhood of the Dove) tradition involved a procession of the Virgen through the city streets where dozens of doves would then be released into the air. Many of the birds were kept in cardboard boxes and handed out to anyone who wished to participate, before setting them free.

But SUR can confirm the Junta de Andlaucia will likely ban the tradition this year as it violates animal rights regulations. Instead, the brotherhood has agreed with the regional government's ministry of agriculture to release some white doves during the Semana Santa procession, but adhering to strict measures.

Fewer birds

While the exact agreement is due to be confirmed at Junta meeting on Wednesday, it is understood there will be considerably fewer doves released during this year's procession. Last year, some 900 birds from a Seville company were released although, once set free, many return to the premises of that company.

A careful selection of where release cages will be placed will also be another measure this year, such as areas where there aren't large crowds of people. This year's procession will start at 8pm and run through the night.
Pilar Martinez Malaga Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 13:32 | Updated 13:43h. Compartir Copiar enlace

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Malaga is the fastest growing airport for international passengers arriving by low-cost airlines in Spain, according to the latest data.

The airport which acts as a gateway to the Costa del Sol and wider Andalucia recorded a 32% growth so far this year in arrivals of these tourists on low-cost carriers, according to a monthly report by the Spanish ministry of tourism.

The dizzying rate of growth is double that recorded by the airports of Barcelona, Gran Canaria and Valencia and triple that of Madrid and Valencia. The boom at Malaga Airport has propelled Andalucia to become the leading Spanish region for international passenger growth in low-cost airlines, with an increase of 34.2%, the figures also showed.

The Spanish government pointed out that "the six main regions accounted for 97.6% of total arrivals, all registering increases", and specified "the highest increase was recorded by Andalucia, with 30.9% year-on-year".

Madrid received the most arrivals with 1.7 million and also recorded the highest share of passengers arriving by traditional airlines (51.6%). However, in low-cost airlines, Catalonia led the share of arrivals with 25.5% and Andalucia grew the most, with 34.2%.

Low-cost airlines have become the main engine of growth at Malaga Airport, with more than 80% of passengers arriving on board these carriers. This accounts for 881,213 foreign tourists, compared to 19.6% of international passengers who landed via flag airlines, according to the data. The majority of those arrivals fly with Ryanair, followed by easyJet and Vueling.

Growth of international visitors

Malaga Airport also leads Spain in the overall growth of international visitors arriving by air, with an increase of 27.4% to almost 1.1 million passengers. The ministry pointed out: "between January and February Spain received 12.3 million international passengers, registering a notable increase of 15.5% compared to the same period in 2023. Compared to the pre-pandemic period, arrivals already exceed 15.3%".

February was a particularly busy month on the runways, with notable increases in visitors arriving from Poland, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland. By volume, the UK, Germany, Italy and France continue to be the main international markets for Spanish destinations.
The army of the Russian occupiers uses its two main advantages in the war with Ukraine - artillery and aviation, which allows the invaders to keep up the intensity of shelling. The Kremlin expects to have enough shells to dominate the battlefield for a long time.

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This was stated by Deputy Defense Minister Lieutenant General Ivan Havrylyuk in an interview with Ukrinform. According to him, Russia has assessed the current production capabilities of Ukraine and its allies and is using its advantage in ammunition.

According to Havryliuk, since the beginning of 2024, the advantage in artillery fire along the front line has been 7:1 in favor of the enemy.

It is not only their factories that provide such a "shaft of fire" to the Russian occupiers. The aggressor country receives significant assistance from North Korea with weapons.

According to the general, Russia also has superior air power and dominates the skies. Enemy fighters regularly hit Ukrainian positions and frontline territories with guided aerial bombs.

"Since the beginning of this year (in 77 days), enemy aircraft have dropped more than 3,500 bombs on our positions, which is 16 times more than in 2023," Havrylyuk said.

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F-16 fighter jets should change the Russian dominance in the air and increase the capabilities of the Defense Forces on the ground.

"But the situation is such that we do not have F-16s yet, and the stocks of ammunition of certain nomenclatures are falling to a critical level. These and other factors make it difficult for the Ukrainian Defense Forces to fulfill their tasks of repelling the aggressor," the general emphasized.

As a reminder, in recent months, the Ukrainian army has faced an acute shortage of artillery ammunition at the front. As a result, our soldiers have recently had to retreat from Avdiivka and lost several other settlements in Donetsk region.

In February, Czech President Petr Pavel said that Prague had found 800,000 pieces of artillery ammunition abroad that it could transfer to Ukraine. It was about half a million 155-mm shells and another 300,000 122-mm shells.

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And in early March, Petr Pavel said that Ukraine's partners had raised the entire amount needed to purchase 800,000 artillery shells. The shells to counter the aggressor country will be purchased outside the European Union.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, the Czech Republic purchases ammunition for Ukraine, in particular, from countries that are considered allies of Russia. For this purpose, Prague used its contacts from the Cold War.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Pilar Martinez Malaga Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 18:41 | Updated 20:56h. Compartir Copiar enlace

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The Costa del Sol is set to have a vibrant high season. Malaga Airport is preparing for another record summer with 20 million seats being offered by the airlines and 11% more flights than last year. In addition, the province will be connected with direct flights to 136 destinations around the world, with an extensive reinforcement on key routes of great interest such as the one to New York and others to the Middle East. It shows that the destination is consolidating its leap to distant markets. In total there will be six more routes with which to fly non-stop from Malaga Airport during this high season, which is always signalled when the clocks change during the last weekend of this month and that lasts until the end of October.

The airlines have reaffirmed their commitment to the Costa del Sol and have scheduled an unprecedented 20 million seats to fly to and from Malaga Airport, a figure that represents an increase of 11% compared to the record-breaking summer of 2023. The runways of the infrastructure will also be operating as never before. The companies have scheduled a total of 110,000 flights, some 11.4% more than the previous high season.

It should be remembered that last year the airlines put 18 million seats on sale for the summer season, a figure that represented as many passengers as those registered in 2022 and 14.4% more seats than in the historic summer of 2019. In terms of operations, the volume of flights scheduled by the airlines for this period in 2023 was 99,400.

National and international pull

This strong upturn is determined by the firm commitment made both on flights within Spain and on the international scene. Spain's state airport operator Aena detailed that the airlines have scheduled more than 15.7 million seats within Europe, which represents an increase of 11.4% and 83,230 flights, some 10.3% more from Malaga. The United Kingdom remains the most important market, with the highest number of seats on offer, almost 4.7 million, and more than 24,500 flights.

In addition, with regard to movements between Spanish airports, the airlines have increased their offer with 20.7% more flights, which, in absolute terms, raises the volume of scheduled commercial operations to over 21,890, consolidating their commitment to the strength of domestic tourism. The number of seats available for travel within Spain has also risen to almost 3.3 million, some 9.8% more than those offered by airlines with Spanish airports for the 2023 summer season.

Key UK market

On the international scene, which is led by the United Kingdom, Aena also highlighted the increase in connections with the main European markets such as Germany, with an increase of 21.1% more seats and almost 21% more flights. Also notable is the increase in air capacity in the Netherlands, with 14.3% more seats and 11% more aircraft movements, and in Italy, with almost 23% more seats and operations.

The key market is once again the UK, consolidating its position as the country most connected to Malaga Airport. The airlines have scheduled nearly 4.7 million seats and more than 24,500 flight operations with the United Kingdom for the period starting on Sunday 31 March. London remains at the forefront as the city with the most seats and flights offered by the airlines, specifically, with almost two million seats and 10,000 flights. The British capital is followed by Paris, Barcelona, Dublin, Amsterdam, Brussels, Madrid, Manchester, Stockholm and Copenhagen, which complete the ranking of the ten cities with the most seats offered at the Costa del Sol airport.

Destinations

Among the other big news is that this summer Malaga will have a daily flight to New York from 2 May. United Airlines will take a big leap forwards on the Costa del Sol, tripling its flight offer after its first summer operating this route, specifically, from 52 flight operations to 150 between Malaga and Newark airport. In addition, the company will start operating a month earlier than its debut at Malaga Airport. The airline will maintain this air connection until 25 September and will operate with the same aircraft type, a Boeing 757-200.

In addition, Malaga Airport is consolidating its presence in the Middle East after Qatar Airways confirmed that its high season flight will become permanent all year round from 31 March, with at least three frequencies a week. The airline's Vice President of Sales in Europe, Eric Odone, considered it "a milestone" to start operating all year round a route that since 2018 has been operated only in the summer months. Odone said that this commitment will generally mean carrying more than 1,500 passengers a week. This figure will increase to more than 3,000 a week in the two months that the airline will fly daily. Malaga, therefore, becomes the third airport in Spain with a permanent connection to Doha, after Madrid and Barcelona. And it also means that the capital of the Costa del Sol will become part of the network of 170 destinations in the world with which the flag carrier of the State of Qatar connects from its hub at Doha airport.

Airlines

The main airlines at Malaga Airport in terms of passenger volume, Ryanair and easyJet, have already announced an unprecedented offer this summer.

Ryanair has big plans for the high season, which will begin at the end of March and last until October, with a record operation with direct flights from Malaga Airport to 89 destinations in Europe and North Africa. The Irish company is increasing its commitment to the Costa del Sol to offer 5.3 million seats, some 19% more than last summer, which was also a record. The airline's country manager for Spain and Portugal, Elena Cabrera, has said that Malaga is the only airport in Spain where the company has increased by three the number of planes they will have based there, going from thirteen to 16.

Likewise, the British company easyJet has announced that it has three new routes scheduled for summer. The third largest airline in terms of passenger volume at the Costa del Sol airport will additionally link Malaga with direct flights to Athens, Nantes and Nice. The new schedule means that it will add more than 30,000 seats to its flight programme for the summer season in Malaga.
Juan Soto Malaga Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 11:04 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Fans of the famous custard tarts in Portugal won't now have to travel more than a thousand kilometres from the Costa del Sol to try the typical Portuguese delicacies. The sweets originating from the Belem neighbourhood, which captivate both locals and tourists visiting this part of Lisbon, have now arrived in the centre of Malaga.

Patisserie De Nata has opened its doors at 6 Calle Especeria in the premises previously occupied by Mercado de la Plata, very close to Plaza de la Constitucion. The opening has allowed four people to be employed, with that figure set to grow when the business starts to take off.

De Nata is the personal project of Duarte Freitas and Afonso O'Neill, two entrepreneurs from Lisbon who have two other stores in southern Spain, in Seville. Sources close to management said the idea of opening in Malaga was on the table from the very beginning when De Nata opened its first store six years ago in Seville, although at that time they had considered locating it in Marbella or in another Costa del Sol town.

SUR

Given the great reception in Seville, the pair started looking at nearby provinces and Malaga was once again at the top of the list. They said the city is the ideal place for an establishment of this type as its climate is very similar to that of Lisbon and because of its current tourism boom. They also said they plan to open in Madrid.

Bakery in sight

De Nata is a patisserie designed for takeaway or to eat on the spot. In addition to the traditional custard cakes (which they offer at a price of 1.90 per cake or 11.40 euros for a box of six), they also offer homemade lemonade, different types of teas and coffee.

The outside of the new shop in Malaga city. Migue Fernandez

They said the cakes are handmade daily in the shop, from the puff pastry to the custard filling. Most of the ingredients are sourced from Portugal to keep the recipe as close to the original as possible. The pastry is eaten freshly baked and slightly warm. The shop is expected to be open between 10 am and 8.30 pm.
Maria Albarral Marbella Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 15:33 Compartir Copiar enlace

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The idea of a 'workation' (work + vacation = workation) sums up the life of a digital nomad: work from home but at the same time make sure youre in a place where you can really make most of your free time in tourist hotspots. Marbella is a hot destination for this new type of young professional and large multinational companies are beginning to see the benefits of offering such lifestyles to their employees.

The benefits for the company include attracting talented professionals who are put off accepting job offers that would otherwise tie them to one place, offering them free time in holiday destinations, increasing their general wellbeing and ultimately their productivity.

The pandemic gave rise to the phenomenon of digital nomads and Marbella has been a pioneer in adapting its offer to this changing work-life balance. The town has already created a number of coworking spaces offering all the services and hotels, cafes and restaurants have also turned themselves into improvised office spaces, ready to welcome this type of customer.

They come to our large restaurant and have breakfast while at the computer and some even stay for lunch. Theyre in an unbeatable environment and its great for us because they are constantly ordering food and drinks, explained Eva Lozano, Senior Sales Manager at Boho Club Hotel who adds that quality spaces to work have been created with WiFi.

Coworking at The Pool in Marbella. Josele

Its the same situation at Puente Romano Beach Resort hotel where they have also adapted some of the areas to create work spaces, meeting rooms and everything that a professional might need to create an unbeatable working environment. We separate the bedroom from the work space so that work and rest time are in different areas, explained Cristina Borges, marketing and accommodation manager.

There are also a number of co-working spaces in Marbella. One of them, The Pool, opened last year and has around 300 people representing 35 different nationalities on its books. This change has allowed us to start up and grow. Before the pandemic it wouldnt have been possible to prosper in this type of business but since then people have learned to appreciate the importance of a work-life balance, said CEO Cristhian Rasmusson.

He pointed out that the profile of people coming to Marbella is no longer retired foreigners, but professionals who are looking for not just the climate and wellbeing but also a network of international contacts. Quality networking.

For Catherine Op de Beeck, a Belgian business owner who opened her decorative painting business on the Costa del Sol a year ago, as well as the network of businesses that can work together, living in Marbella is paradise.
SUR in English Malaga Tuesday, 19 March 2024, 11:58 Compartir Copiar enlace

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Today in Spain you will probably see many 'abuelos' and 'padres' sitting on cafe or restaurant terraces enjoying a nice meal or afternoon cana with their families as they celebrate Father's Day (Dia del Padre). If you're a foreigner residing in Spain or a visitor, it might prompt you to whip out your phone and send a text message or make a phone call to wish your father in your home country well. But just hold off, because 19 March isn't celebrated as Father's Day in most other countries.

Each year this special day comes around in Spain, it prompts the same question; why isn't it celebrated on the same date in other countries?

Father's Day in Spain coincides with Saint Joseph's Day, who is referred to as the fatherly Nutritor Domini (Nourisher of the Lord) in Catholicism and respected as the putative father of Jesus in southern European tradition. Its origins date back to the 1950s. Only Portugal, Italy and Andorra follow this date to pay tribute to all fathers.

Most countries prefer to follow the tradition established in the United States in the middle of the last century. The public holiday first began in the US when a woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd listened to a Mothers Day sermon at her church in Washington in 1909 and realised there was no special day that celebrated fathers.

Her own father was a widower who raised Dodd and her five siblings, and so to honour him she convinced Washington State to create a Fathers Day, which was celebrated statewide on June 19, 1910. Over the years that followed, more people began celebrating Fathers Day, and more countries followed suit, including Spain. Until, some time later, the country then changed the date to fit the tradition of St Joseph's Day.
Jose A. Gonzalez Madrid Tuesday, 19 March 2024 | Updated 21/03/2024 21:38h. Compartir Copiar enlace

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The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has fined the Spanish government for failing to control levels of nitrate in both surface water and groundwater in eight autonomous communities.

With this decision the EU court upholds the European Commission in its complaint filed in 2022 against the Kingdom of Spain after its "failure to comply with the regulations to combat this pollution linked to agriculture and livestock farming and which damages bodies of water".

The EU regulation obliges member states to monitor their water sources and identify those affected or likely to be affected by the problem. A recent report by environmental group Ecologistas en Accion revealed that last year nearly 200 municipalities had nitrate levels above the standard. However, this case, which has now been sentenced, dates back to 2015, when Brussels opened a case against Spain, which served as an official warning for non-compliance with the regulations which have been in force since 1991.

Livestock farming

With this decision, the CJEU, which obliges Spain to pay the costs of the proceedings, considers that the Balearic Islands, Madrid and Valencia have failed to comply with the obligation to designate eight water catchment areas as vulnerable zones by runoff (surface water) or infiltration (groundwater).

In addition, the EU court has fined Spain for failing to comply with the provision of the nitrates directive which requires it to establish "all the necessary mandatory measures in the action programmes".

Greenpeace's head of agriculture and livestock, Luis Ferreirim, warned: "This pollution will not be reduced unless intensive livestock farming is reduced, it is as clear as that. Today's fine must be the definitive push to take action and get to the root of the problem: changing the agro-industrial model. There are no more sticking plasters."

"We take note of what the judgement says and we are already working with the regions to implement what the Court of Justice of the European Union tells us"

In addition, the CJEU ruled that the Government has also failed to adopt the additional measures or reinforced actions necessary in relation to nitrate pollution in Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon and Murcia. "We take note of what the ruling says and we are already working with the regions to implement what the Court of Justice of the European Union tells us," said Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge Teresa Ribera.

Greenpeace denounces that, since the Nitrates Directive was approved 30 years ago, successive Spanish governments and other competent authorities have allowed the increased use of fertilisers and the uncontrolled intensification of livestock farming, the main causes of this pollution and perfectly identified in the original text of the directive.

Eutrophication of water

The EU directive focuses on protecting water quality and preventing pollution from agricultural and livestock sources. "Excessive levels of nitrates can damage freshwaters and the marine environment through a process known as eutrophication, by stimulating excessive growth of algae that smother other forms of life and kill fish in lakes and rivers," the European Commission said in opening proceedings against the Spanish government.

After several warnings, Spain adopted a new state regulation in the form of Royal Decree 47/2022 of 18 January, which establishes more stringent thresholds for designating vulnerable zones and identifying nitrate-affected waters. Among other issues, this regulation modified the limit for considering groundwater as contaminated, reducing it from 50 mg/l to 37 mg/l.

"In a period of aggravated and prolonged drought like the one we are experiencing, groundwater is of vital importance. However, due to the carelessness of some and the greed of others, we see how we cannot use them for human consumption - a priority use established in the legislation - due to the high concentration of nitrates. Catalonia is a clear example of this. Despite having an abundance of groundwater under its feet, it cannot use it," concludes Ferreirim.

Excessive levels of nitrates can damage freshwater and the marine environment through a process known as "eutrophication", by stimulating excessive growth of algae that smother other life forms. They can also lead to an increase in certain species such as cyanobacteria capable of secreting toxins (microcystins).

In the case of health, state legislation sets the maximum threshold at 50 mg/l. Exceeding this limit "should be considered as a possible non-compliance", reflects the Real Decreto 140/2003.

According to data provided by the Ministry of Health and collected by Ecologistas en Accion, at least 214,851 citizens were affected by episodes of nitrate contamination in drinking water in 2022. "In all likelihood, the figure is higher," warn Ecologistas en Accion. "The cause of this pollution is well known: mainly industrial agriculture and livestock farming," warns Greenpeace Spain.
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On Tuesday, March 19, a regular meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense started at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The meeting is being held at the invitation of U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.

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The previous meeting in the Ramstein format took place on February 14, following which Ukraine's partners announced the launch of an air defense and drone coalition. OBOZ.UA found out what Ukraine should expect after the March 19 meeting of the contact group and what forecasts are being made in the West.

The head of the Pentagon said on X that he had traveled to Germany for the 20th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's defense. According to him, the coalition, which consists of about 50 countries, will continue the unified support to meet Ukraine's immediate needs on the battlefield and long-term security.

According to Reuters, in Germany, Austin will try to convince European allies that President Joe Biden's administration remains committed to supporting Ukraine, even though Washington has almost run out of money to help the Ukrainian armed forces.

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"I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation, and the Ukrainians more than anyone else because of the deficit that comes from not being able to provide for them," a senior Pentagon official said on condition of anonymity.

At the same time, the U.S. Defense Department acknowledges that the lack of funding for Ukraine is already affecting the situation on the battlefield, and Ukrainian troops now resort to saving resources. U.S. officials do not rule out the possibility that the U.S. will be able to find additional funds for Ukraine. However, this amount will not be enough to compensate for the lack of action by Congress.

According to Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, the United States will not allow Ukraine to lose the war. The Pentagon has also officially announced that the Contact Group will meet again in Germany to discuss the war in Ukraine and to reaffirm that the United States and the coalition continue to support Ukraine in its defense against Russian occupiers.

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Ahead of Ramstein 20, Austin said the coalition would focus on Ukraine's immediate needs on the battlefield. Prior to the meeting of the contact group, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi held talks with the US Secretary of Defense. The defense ministers discussed Ukraine's medium- and short-term needs and outlined specific requests. In particular, the head of the Ukrainian defense ministry named ammunition and air defense as key priorities.

In addition, the Pentagon press service said that on the eve of his trip to Germany, Austin held talks with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The US Defense Department noted that during the talks, the issue of strengthening the transatlantic defense industrial base to continue supporting Ukraine was raised.

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Before the meeting, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius answered questions from Radio Liberty journalists. The head of the defense ministry said that Ukraine would receive a new military aid package. According to him, the current priority is the supply of ammunition.

At the same time, the minister refused to comment on the situation with Taurus cruise missiles. The head of the German defense ministry only said that there was "no news about it."

As a reminder, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed said that the new military aid to Ukraine from the United States would not dramatically change the situation on the battlefield in favor of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the short term. However, additional funding will allow Ukrainian forces to gradually push back the Russians.

Earlier, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said that Ukraine must show that it will fight the aggressor country Russia regardless of the actions of the United States. He called on Ukrainians to demonstrate the level of morale that was at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.

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As reported, the President of the European Council Charles Michel noted that now, two years after the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, it is clear that the aggressor country Russia will not stop there. That is why European countries should be prepared for defense and switch to "war economy."

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
One frigid day in the winter of 1965, Don Therre, 11, trudged alone across the frozen surface of Oneida Lake, dragging behind him a heavy steel bar that ice anglers call a spud. Toes growing numb inside his cheap pack boots, he raised the spud and hacked a hole in the thick ice.

You can do that when youre young! Therre recently joked.

Now, at 69, he uses a hand drill with an augur to punch through the icewhen there is ice.

Back in those days wed get quite a bit of ice, not so much like today, he said. Two foot, close to 30 inches, right in that range. That was a given by February.

Generations of Therres family have lived on Oneida Lake for 131 years. Ice is in his blood. But lately hes noticed that the ice is getting thinner. Two years ago, his favorite fishing spots had a foot of ice. Last year, nine inches. This season, a mere five and half inches (the safe minimum is four).

For fishable ice, its the worst Ive ever seen, he said. The biggest thing to me in recent years is ice comes on and breaks up, and then on again. It doesnt get a chance to build at all.

Generations of Don Therre's family have lived on Oneida Lake for 131 years. In 60 years of ice fishing on the lake, Therre has witnessed first-hand the shrinking ice cover that one day will disappear completely.Steve Featherstone | sfeatherstone@syracuse.com

Therres observations closely mirror a long-term trend documented since 1975 by scientists at Cornell Universitys Biological Field Station in Bridgeport: Oneida Lakes seasonal ice cover is shrinking at a rate of one day per year, and global warming is accelerating the trend.

You can expect the ice season to get shorter, said the field stations director, Lars Rudstam, professor of aquatic and fisheries science at Cornell. And then at some point youre going to have intermittent iceice opening up for a while, closing up again.

Oneida Lake is in a transition period, like an ice cube bobbing in a cup on hot summer day. Rudstam speculates that it could be ice free by mid-century. So what does that mean for the people, economy, and ecosystem now struggling to adapt?

This graph from Cornell University shows how many days Oneida Lake was covered in ice each year, from 1975 to the present. On average, the lake has lost one day of ice cover per year, and the decline is accelerating.Cornell Biological Field Station

Central New York is the states most popular freshwater fishing destination according to a 2017 study commissioned by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Anglers spend more time fishing here than the Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, or Lake Champlain.

Smack in the middle of this fishing mecca is Oneida Lake, the largest lake wholly within New Yorks borders and the states walleye capital. Its the main reason why anglers in 2017 dropped nearly $50 million here on bait, lodging, groceries, restaurants, and guide services.

Most of that money flows in the warmer months, but winter provides a crucial second season that many small local businesses rely on to stay afloat. That winter boost isnt so reliable anymore.

Never seen anything like it in 40 years. Its crazy, said Al Dahar.

Dahar and his two brothers run Mickeys Live Bait & Tackle in North Syracuse, an Oneida Lake institution since 1950. Twenty years ago ice fishing accounted for a quarter of their business, Dahar said. Now its less than 10 percent.

Lets put it this way, I dont look forward to it anymore, and I dont plan on it anymore, and the only way Im going to order ice tackle is if I see people out there, said Dahar, adding that he saw ice fishermen on only one weekend this season.

That was it, he said, we cant depend on it.

Al Dahar of Mickey's Bait and Tackle in North Syracuse says the past ice fishing season was the worst he's seen in 40 years. Many tackle shops around Oneida Lake are feeling the pinch.Steve Featherstone | sfeatherstone@syracuse.com

Scott Masucci, owner of Lakeside Outfitters, a tackle shop just down the road from Lewis Point, is in the same boat. Around one-third of his annual sales come during ice fishing season, he said, and this season was by far the worst.

It really wasnt a season, Masucci said. We had about a week of fishing.

Some of his customers went to the Finger Lakes instead. Most didnt fish at all, especially those who travel from out of state to catch walleye through Oneidas ice.

Guys are fed up, Masucci said. They dont want to put money into something if they dont know its going to happen. We need the out of towners to make their way back.

Oneida Lakes hospitality sector is also reeling. In 2019, Tobi and Donnie Carbone opened Carbones Beachside hotel and restaurant in Sylvan Beach. Between the Covid pandemic and weak winters, its been a rough start.

We rely heavily on the ice for the hotel because we get tons of ice fishermen, Tobi said. But this year has been horrible. Last year was bad too, but this year, just terrible.

And its not just mom and pop joints that are suffering. Comfort Suites in Cicero caters to anglers all year round. Ice fishermen usually fill most of the hotels 65 rooms in winter.

I probably could count on one hand this winter how many fishermen came, said Danielle Escalera, Comfort Suites operations manager. It killed us, we hardly had anybody.

The Great Lakes reached a historic low of 2.7% ice coverage in early February 2024. Despite a short season and fewer bookings, Louis Pagnotti, who operates Chaumont Masters guide service, pulled these walleye from the ice on Chaumont Bay in February.Louis Pagnotti

Don Therre drilled his first ice hole this season on Jan. 19. The ice soon broke up, refroze, broke up again. Then Februarys record-shattering heat wave killed whatever ice was left.

Jack Henke, author of four books on Oneida Lake history, remembers when February thaws were welcome respites from bone-chilling cold, not the potential season spoilers they are today.

Wed look forward to that because thered be 20 inches of ice, he said. Let it be 65 degrees, big deal. Youd fish in absolute comfort. Those days are gone.

In February, the South Shore Association of Oneida Lake canceled what wouldve been its 71st annual ice fishing derby. Bad conditions forced dozens of organizations across upstate NY to do the same, starving sporting clubs of critical funding and strangling cultural life in many rural communities.

This is what keeps our club alive, said Scott Lalonde, chairman of the Tupper Lake Northern Challenge, after he cancelled the popular derby for the first time in 24 years due to sketchy ice.

We just gave the prizes away for entering, he said. Of course, we lose our shirt doing it.

As grim as things appear, some people are already adapting. For two winters in a row now, Nick Sokolowski, who operates Soco Outdoors Sportfishing guide service, cancelled all his Oneida ice fishing trips and shifted them to other lakes.

Being in Central New York, you have different species to target, which is really nice, Sokolowski said. If its a beautiful winter day and were in a boat on Cayuga catching a box full of perch, not many people can complain about that.

Therre even bought a second boata winter rat of sortsto take advantage of Oneidas weird new winter open water season. Jigging for walleye from a boat in the dead of winter is something 11-year-old Don Therre wouldve found less plausible than the 1969 moon landing.

And Im fine with that, Therre said. If it was 60 degrees next week and the ice was off, you can bet your life Id be in the boat.

Aerial shot of Oneida Lake taken in mid-February 2023, after a cold snap allowed the lake to freeze over. A Cornell University scientist says Oneida Lake could be ice free year year-round by mid-century due to global warming.Wozztography

The recreational and economic costs of an increasingly iceless Oneida Lake are plain to see. But theres some upside, at least in the short term.

For one, half of Oneidas annual perch harvest is caught through the ice according to Cornells data. No ice means more perch live to see another day.

The same logic applies to walleye, said Tony VanDeValk, coordinator of the fisheries program at Cornells Oneida Lake field station. Walleyes not caught during a normal ice fishing season will still be swimming around during the open water season.

Thats great news for fair weather anglers and those with boats. But angler harvest is just one of the many variables regulating fish populations, including water temperature, oxygen level, food availability, invasive species, and so on.

Zoe Almeida, senior research associate at Cornell, points to a growing body of research showing the negative effects of mild winters on spawning and recruitment, or survivability of young fish, for many of Oneida Lakes important sport fish species.

The most recent is a study by Wisconsin researchers published last month. It shows that rapidly shrinking ice cover and warming water temperatures in 194 lakes in the upper Midwest are causing walleyes to spawn earlier, disrupting the delicately balanced food web.

Cornells Lars Rudstam says similar trends also threaten Oneida Lakes walleye population by flipping the table on seasonal predator-prey cycles. Alewife, a walleye prey species that normally dies off in winter, will thrive as Oneida warms.

And thats a problem, because alewife are really good at feeding on larval fish, particularly walleye, said Rudstam. I would expect that within a couple of decades well have a lake with alewife and bass, and some rather big walleyes, but not as many.

Oneida Lake is but one piece of data pointing to a global trend: ice is melting at an unprecedented pace Himalayan glaciers, polar ice caps, Alaskas permafrost. In February, the Great Lakes reached a historic low of 2.7% ice coverage according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Until we get control over our greenhouse gas emissions, theres little that can be done to mitigate the changes in store for Oneida Lake, said Rudstam, adding that it doesnt help to be alarmist.

Think about Oneida Lake being more like lakes in southern Indiana or reservoirs in North Carolina, he said. People are out fishing in wintertime in their boats. You have to change, you have to adapt. Youre not going to kill the fishery in Oneida Lake.



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February was Syracuses warmest ever recorded, despite the cold, snowy Leap Day blast - newyorkupstate.com

Lakes in the Adirondacks are getting browner. Heres why thats bad. - newyorkupstate.com

Ice, ice, maybe: Central NY anglers itching for ice may soon get their wish - newyorkupstate.com

New stats show just how bad CNY ice fishing was in 2022-23 - newyorkupstate.com

Steve Featherstone covers the outdoors for The Post-Standard, syracuse.com and NYUP.com. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com or on Twitter @featheroutdoors. You can also follow along with all of our outdoors content at newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/ or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/upstatenyoutdoors.
OXFORD, Ohio  An Ohio man is facing multiple criminal charges after he was accused of repeatedly calling the school his child attended, berating and threatening the staff about the amount of assigned homework.

Court records in Butler County show Adam Sizemore, 37, of Oxford, faces two counts of telephone harassment and one count of menacing. All are misdemeanors.

A criminal complaint filed with Butler County Area Court 1 shows the principal at Kramer Elementary School accused Sizemore of calling the school multiple times on Feb. 29, directing verbal abuse and vulgar language at the staff.

On March 1, Sizemore again called the school multiple times, according to court records, threatening the principal by telling him he better put his big-boy pants on. The principal told authorities he believed Sizemores behavior was erratic and that he might come to the school with the intent to cause him harm.

The principal said he and the schools staff told Sizemore to stop the repeated calls, but Sizemore continued his actions.

WXIX Channel 19 reports that when the school stopped answering Sizemores calls, he then began calling the police department. Oxford Police Detective Sgt. Adam Price tells WXIX he called the department nearly 20 times.

Sizemore appeared is scheduled to be arraigned on March 28.
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U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said that Ukraine must show that it will fight the aggressor country Russia, regardless of the actions of the United States. He called on Ukrainians to demonstrate the level of morale that was at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion.

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Graham made the statement at a briefing during a visit to Kyiv on Monday, March 18, as quoted by Ukrinform news agency.

"I want the weapons to come in, but I think you have to show the Russians: 'Whatever America does, we will fight. That's what we did when we started fighting for freedom. That's the spirit I saw when the war started," the Republican added.

Graham noted that the amount of assistance to Ukraine from the European Union has equaled that of the United States, but the 33 billion euros under the EU's Ukraine facility plan are provided on credit, while the United States "has not lent a penny to anyone."

"If you want us to continue to be involved and to be able to help you, then we have to develop policies that are acceptable to the public at home, who feel they are being ignored," the senator explained.

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The American expressed hope that in 2024 Ukraine will receive the necessary weapons from the United States and will be able not only to hold the territory, but also to increase pressure on the Russians.

"This is what I hope will happen in 2024. America will give Ukraine the weapons you need so badly, and you will start not only holding the territory, but putting even more pressure on the Russians in 2024. That you will receive ATACAMS so that you can break the damn bridge connecting Crimea to Russia. I want 2024 to be a year of qualitative superiority of the Ukrainian military. You are the most resourceful people I have ever met," said Lindsey Graham.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Lindsey Graham, who arrived in Kyiv on March 18. They discussed further comprehensive assistance to Ukraine from the United States.

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Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
RahulNagaraj Senior - BHPian



Join Date: Mar 2021 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,069 Thanked: 20,160 Times

BYD to introduce next-gen EV platform; Cut costs further & compete with ICE cars







Reports state that BYD will introduce updated versions of both its DM-i and e-Platform for PHEVs and EVs, respectively. The updated DM-i platform will allow BYD's PHEV products to offer a range of 2000 km with a full tank of fuel and full battery charge. BYD EVs, on the other hand, could move to the next-gen e-platform 4.0. Currently, the EVs are underpinned by the 3.0 version, which includes eight-in-one integration. The upcoming 4.0 e-platform will have more integrations and fewer wiring harnesses, further reducing costs.



BYD recently unveiled its cheapest EV, the Seagull, which has a starting price of under $10,000.



As per reports, BYD plans to steal market share from gas-powered cars over the next three years.



Source:



Link to Team-BHP news According to media reports, BYD is set to introduce a new EV platform, which will allow them to cut costs even further.Reports state that BYD will introduce updated versions of both its DM-i and e-Platform for PHEVs and EVs, respectively. The updated DM-i platform will allow BYD's PHEV products to offer a range of 2000 km with a full tank of fuel and full battery charge. BYD EVs, on the other hand, could move to the next-gen e-platform 4.0. Currently, the EVs are underpinned by the 3.0 version, which includes eight-in-one integration. The upcoming 4.0 e-platform will have more integrations and fewer wiring harnesses, further reducing costs.BYD recently unveiled its cheapest EV, the Seagull, which has a starting price of under $10,000.As per reports, BYD plans to steal market share from gas-powered cars over the next three years.Source: Electrek Last edited by RahulNagaraj : 18th March 2024 at 13:36 .
Apple and Google are huddling over a potential deal to bring the search kings Gemini generative AI offerings to the iPhone.

The negotiations, first reported by Bloomberg on Monday, aim to let Apple license Geminis set of AI models to drive some new features for the iPhone later this year.

While a deal would give Gemini a key edge with billions of potential users, Bloomberg noted, it also may be a sign that Apple isnt as far along with its AI efforts as some might have hoped.

Apple appears to be behind its competitors in addressing generative AI, and this is partly because the pace of innovation has been so high that the timings of its yearly developer conference in summer and product release in autumn have created a mismatch at the current pace in the AI race, said Paul Schell, an industry analyst with global technology intelligence firm ABI Research.

Thats not to say Apple hasnt been busy developing its AI chops. Behind the scenes, Apple has been busy developing its on-device generative AI capabilities and acquiring companies that will help it advance that technology  most recently with the acquisition of DarwinAI, Schell told TechNewsWorld.

Apple also has a Machine Learning Research division devoted to advancing its capabilities in the area, and Tim Cook has talked up generative AI in anticipation of iOS 18, he added.

Part of Overall AI Strategy

Apple is way behind on AI, declared Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst with the Enderle Group, an advisory services firm in Bend, Ore.

Thats kind of amazing, he told TechNewsWorld, since Siri was one of the first digital assistants in the market, but once they launched it, they seemed to lose interest, which is why they are so far behind.

A deal with Google could mesh with Apples overall AI strategy, noted William Kerwin, an equity analyst with Morningstar Research Services in Chicago.

Apple has taken a slow approach to any announcements around generative AI, which we see as its normal strategy, he told TechNewsWorld. Apple has always been a premium follower to markets, never focusing on being first but focusing on putting out superior products.

We havent expected Apple to develop a proprietary generative AI model to license out, but focus on how to integrate generative AI into its products, he said. This could be small Apple-built models living on edge, or larger cloud-based models.

A potential licensing agreement with Google Gemini would align with this  outsourcing the model itself but focusing on integrating it into products like Siri.

Beneficial to Apple and Google

Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies, a technology advisory firm in San Jose, Calif., pointed out that Apple has been using AI in products since they introduced the Knowledge Navigator in 1987. AI is key to both Siri and Maps, he added, and Apple has home-grown technology to deliver AI-based apps and solutions.

However, to deliver in-depth generative AI architecture on their own is expensive, and those base AI architectures are already built and can be licensed, he told TechNewsWorld.

Even if Apple had its own Gemini-level model, it probably would not have the infrastructure to serve its massive base of customers, he explained. It is highly plausible that Apple could license a base generative AI architecture from another company and build even deeper and more Apple-specific products on that AI engine.

A Gemini licensing deal could be beneficial to both Apple and Google.

Licensing Gemini would enable Apple to make up considerable lost time in its own lagging AI development efforts, said Charles King, the principal analyst at Pund-IT, a technology advisory firm in Hayward, Calif.

In addition, he told TechNewsWorld, By using a vetted third-party technology to train its AI systems, Apple will be able to preserve its well-deserved rep for honoring customers privacy.

Rise of On-Device AI

A lot of the AI models out there now require cloud access, so theres a lot of concerns about divulging private information, added Ross Rubin, the principal analyst at Reticle Research, a consumer technology advisory firm in New York City.

Google has a flavor of Gemini  Gemini Nano  that may appeal to Apple because it can run locally, he told TechNewsWorld. Thats one way to preserve privacy and have the benefits of generative AI.

ABIs Schell pointed out that Google is ahead of the pack with its Gemini family of models, which have already been deployed to run entirely on some of its Pixel phones, as well as on certain Samsung Galaxy devices. By partnering with Google, Apple would be able to offer a relatively mature generative AI model to its customers on some or all of its devices, he said.

All major chipset vendors and OEMs are pivoting towards on-device generative AI as its productivity-enhancing data privacy value proposition is very convincing, and this is particularly relevant given Apples legacy in data privacy leadership, he added.

As such, he continued, I expect a host of significant announcements around on-device generative AI at this years WWDC applying to Apples PC, tablet, and smartphone offerings. Apples WWDC  World Wide Developers Conference  usually occurs in June.

Boon to Apple Users

Apple users could benefit from a Gemini licensing deal because it integrates Googles advanced search algorithms into their ecosystem, thereby enriching search functionality, maintained Mark N. Vena, president and principal analyst at SmartTech Research in San Jose, Calif.

It promotes interoperability, enabling seamless integration between Apples ecosystem and Google services and fostering convenience for users, he told TechNewsWorld, and it could potentially reduce development costs and time-to-market for Apple, as it could utilize Googles proven technology instead of building a similar capability from scratch.

It would obviously provide Apple with a host of capabilities it doesnt seem to currently own, and Google would get revenue and a marquee licensing partner, Greg Sterling, co-founder of Near Media, a news, commentary and analysis website, told TechNewsWorld.

How much revenue Google  which pays Apple billions a year to be the Safari web browsers default search engine  would get from a licensing deal is an intriguing question.

There may not be any licensing money, Rubin suggested. Google pays Apple for the privilege of running search on Apples platforms. The payment that Google gets is access to anonymized data for iPhone users, which gives them a holistic view of what people are doing on mobile. Maybe Google would be willing to offer their technology for free for the benefit of continuing to update their AI engine.

Apple and Google did not respond to a request for comment for this story.
In brief: Upon launching Office 2021 a little over two years ago, Microsoft confirmed that it would release at least one more non-subscription edition of its ubiquitous productivity package. The first details of that update emerged this week. Office LTSC 2024 is available starting next month, with a consumer version arriving later this year.

Microsoft plans to roll out a new one-time purchase edition of Office for Windows and macOS throughout 2024  the productivity suite's first significant update since Office 2021 launched alongside Windows 11. Office LTSC will cost 10 percent more while the consumer edition maintains its current price.

Redmond's announcement primarily focused on the Office Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), which enters commercial preview in April. This version is mainly for enterprise systems that cannot maintain the constant internet connections that the cloud-based Microsoft 365 requires. Information on feature updates for the consumer variant will likely emerge later.

While Microsoft didn't delve deep into LTSC 2024's improvements, it confirmed that Excel will receive dozens of new features, including Dynamic Charts and Arrays. The update also improves the search and meeting creation tools in Outlook. However, Office 2024 will not include Publisher, as Microsoft plans to sunset the application in 2026.

Oddly, Microsoft omitted AI-based tools for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint from the perpetual license edition of Office due to Redmond's plans for an aggressive subscription-based AI push this year. The company packaged its Copilot AI assistant with Windows 11 23H2, and 24H2 will enhance it and other AI features using the NPUs in the latest AMD and Intel processors. It seems Microsoft wants to restrict its new AI features to subscribers, as standalone Office owners will not qualify for Copilot Pro, an enhanced version of the assistant based on GPT-4 Turbo.

Office 2024 will support Windows 11, Windows 10, and macOS. It will be available for 32-bit and 64-bit systems. Like previous editions, the LTSC and consumer versions of Office 2024 receive five years of feature updates through mainstream support, followed by an "extended support" period that only includes security updates. Extended support for Office 2016 and Office 2019 ends in October 2025. Additionally, Microsoft confirmed plans to release at least one more standalone edition of Office.

Although the official MSRP for Office starts at $149, deals offering the software for a fraction of that price have regularly appeared for years. Right now, budget-minded buyers can pick up Office Professional Plus 2019 for $39 and Office 2021 for $45. It's unclear how quickly similar deals could emerge for Office 2024.
What just happened? Reddit has received some unwelcome news ahead of its initial public offering (IPO) this week. Nokia Technologies, the famous phone company's licensing and networking equipment business, has accused the social media platform of infringing on some of its patents.

Nokia Technologies sent Reddit a letter on Monday informing the company of the claim, according to an amended SEC filing made on Tuesday. "As we face increasing competition and become increasingly high profile, the possibility of receiving more intellectual property claims against us grows," Reddit said in the filing.

Bloomberg notes that this isn't Nokia's first patent dispute. It reached a patent agreement with Chinese phone maker Oppo in January, ending a fight that had endured for years and forced Oppo and OnePlus to halt sales in Germany.

Nokia also settled a dispute with Daimler in 2021 over the licensing of wireless technology patents in cars that had threatened the sale of Mercedes in its home country of Germany.

Going back further, BlackBerry was ordered to pay Nokia $137 million in 2017 over a patent contract dispute, and it was in a legal battle with Apple related to IP use that led to a multi-year patent license, also signed in 2017.

Nokia said that between 1984 and 2014, it invested more than 50 billion ($54.3 billion) to create a portfolio of 30,000 patents and patent applications, which have been generating the company a sizeable income for years.

In February, it was reported that Reddit had signed a contract in early 2024 with Google granting the tech firm permission to train its AI models using the platform's subject matter. The deal is said to be worth around $60 million per year.

The Google licensing deal attracted the attention of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which said it planned to conduct a non-public inquiry into Reddit's practices concerning the sale, licensing, or sharing of user-generated content.

Reddit is targeting a valuation of $6.5 billion for its IPO. Reuters writes that it is between four and five times oversubscribed, making it much more likely to attain the target valuation. It is expected to debut on the New York Stock Exchange on March 21.
IAE International Aero Engines AG (IAE AG) successfully tested its newest V2500 jet engine utilizing 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at MTU Maintenance Hannover in Germany.

President of IAE AG and Pratt & Whitney Vice President of Mature Commercial Engines Kim Kinsley emphasized the tests' important role in SAF technological advancement. He stressed that V2500 jet engines running powered by SAF might help the aviation sector reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Kinsley remarked that IAE AG will enforce the use of SAF in the coming years.

A collaboration comprising Pratt & Whitney (now RTX), Pratt & Whitney Aero Engines International GmbH, Japanese Aero Engines Corporation, and MTU Aero Engines AG formed IAE AG. In 1987, IAE AG introduced the two-shaft high-bypass turbofan V2500. It powers the Airbus A320, McDonnell Douglas MD-90, and Embraer C-390 Millennium.

This latest development on the V2500 engine comes after the Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. completed the first transatlantic flight with 100% SAF on a Gulfstream G600, proving the sustainable fuel's aviation potential on the six-hour, 56-minute Savannah-Farnborough flight. The feat was achieved in November last year, as reported by TechTimes.

World Energy supplied and World Fuel Services distributed this historic flight's SAF. According to Gulfstream, Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (neat HEFA) have at least 70% smaller lifetime CO2 emissions than fossil-based jet fuel, reducing climate impact.

Advancing Sustainable Aviation Goals

MTU Maintenance Hannover is the first MRO facility to test 100% SAF on the V2500 engine, according to MTU Aero Engines Chief Program Officer Michael Schreyogg. The firm targets its infrastructure to pass SAF testing by operators or owners.

The V2500 engine's fuel economy and low emissions make it popular for commercial, freight, and military aircraft platforms. Licensed to mix SAF with up to 50% conventional Jet A and A-1 gasoline, the V2500 engine saves fuel and is environmentally friendly.

Read Also: Turn Your Tech Trash into Cash: Virgin Media O2 Expands O2 Recycle to Include Gaming Devices





In light of this development, SAF adoption is predicted to help the aircraft industry reach net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 as SAF reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80%, according to the International Air Transport Association. Sustainable fuel is likely to produce a modest amount of worldwide jet fuel this year, but its use is expected to rise in the future.

SAF Demand Expected to Rise

SAF production systems directly collect airborne carbon, solving food crop competitiveness and environmental degradation problems. This fuel's low sulfur content and lack of aromatics mitigate non-CO2 environmental consequences and improve local air quality.

The National Center for Atmospheric Science and the University of Manchester compared sustainable aviation fuel emissions to jet fuel. During low thrust, SAF carbon dioxide emissions dropped by up to 80%, and ultrafine black carbon emissions dropped by 45%.

However, aviation executives worry about SAF availability outside the European Union, where requirements have been set. However, according to Eco-Business, future advances in synthetic propellant manufacturing, such as hydrogen fuels, may provide more sustainable aviation fuel development prospects.

IATA expects SAF to provide 0.5% of global aviation fuel this year at 1.5 million tonnes. S&P Global Commodity Insights predicts 3.5 million tons next year. Much of the supply will be utilized in the EU, which mandates SAF usage from 2% in 2025 to 70% by 2050.

Related Article: Flying Taxis, Police Drones, Autonomous Aircrafts Coming to the UK by 2030

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
After massive criticisms from Big Tech rivals, Apple now defends its side, claiming that it complies with the provisions of the European Commission's Digital Markets Act (DMA) with the changes it delivered to its tech. Among the changes it made were the arrival of sideloading for the iOS platform, third-party app stores and browser engines, NFC payment, and new developer policies.

Despite these, companies and known vocal Apple critics have raised their concerns and issues with Cupertino's DMA compliance, going as far as fining the renowned company.

Apple Claims it Complied with the EU's DMA

Reuters reported that Apple's lawyer, Kyle Andeer, recently spoke to the EU during its hearing, with the Cupertino-based company citing its compliance with the DMA and what it requires of them.

We were guided first and foremost by ensuring that we've complied with the law. And then, second, that we did it in a way that was consistent with our values and consistent with the language that we've developed with our users over a very long period of time. And we think we've accomplished that. Kyle Andeer, Apple's lawyer.

This follows the recently imposed $2 billion fine against Apple, with the company initially defending itself and talking about how Spotify is already at the top and wants to maintain its status.

Read Also: Apple Sideloading: iOS Apps Web Distribution Require 1M Downloads Last Year

Apple's User-First Approach to DMA

Furthermore, Andeer said that Apple positioned itself with a user-first approach in this DMA compliance, focusing on its new policies with the public in their minds, putting themselves in the users' shows. They added that while this is the case, it does not leave developers behind with this compliance, tracking the impact of its changes for the users in the iPhone's run.

Big Tech Rivals' Criticism vs. Apple

Amid the many changes announced by Apple last January as part of its preparation for the DMA coming to effect this March, Big Tech rivals of the Cupertino giant spoke up against the company.

One of the most vocal critics of Apple was Epic Games, which had the chance to bring back Fortnite to iOS via its third-party app store, with its CEO Tim Sweeney known for his thread, which talked about Apple's "malicious compliance" to the law.

Spotify also spoke up against Apple, with the Swedish streaming company gathering signatures to back up its complaints and show how many share the same sentiment about Cupertino's "lack of DMA compliance." This was later escalated by the European Commission, which served Apple a $2 billion fine, going as far as to say that Spotify and the EU worked for years to build this case against them.

However, Apple is not backing down, and it plans to appeal this EU fine. That said, the company is now defending its side and presenting its case on how it complied with the law. From Apple's point of view, it complied with the DMA and did so with users in mind, growing more of its business to better suit their needs on the platform while being consistent with its brand.

Related Article: Apple is Now Allowing EU Users Download Apps from Websites, Bypassing App Marketplaces

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A year after Sony released the much-awaited PlayStation VR2, it saw problems selling the company's initial production. With many more units left in stock, it awaits its sale.

The company has already paused production of wearable gaming devices to prevent the stockpiling of more units in its warehouses, retailers, and distributors in the future.

This is also despite the massive fame that the original PlayStation VR delivered in its almost seven-year dominance since its first release for the PS4.

PS VR2 Review 1 Year Later: Is It a Flop?

It is one year since Sony released the updated version of its PlayStation VR, with the PS VR2 delivering massive new features for gamers to enjoy. Its features upon launch include eye tracking, 3D audio, headset feedback, and the PS VR2 Sense controllers' adaptive triggers and haptic feedback.

The spec sheet alone brings massive updates since its 2016 inception of the first VR experience on the PlayStation, with the device initially exclusive to the PS5.

Sony also announced earlier this year that it would bring PC support and compatibility for the PS VR2, widening its gaming experiences beyond its latest-gen console.

However, there are massive complaints about the slow rollout of first-party games from its developments, alongside the lack of backward compatibility for favorite PS VR experiences.

Overall, the PS VR2 brings a lot to the table for a more immersive PlayStation experience, but its exclusivity and lack of support for old games may have been the issue for gamers. It may also resolve its low sales problem when PC support rolls out, a feature Sony promised to gamers for 2024.

Read Also: Sony PS VR2 FAQs: Here Are Answers on How to Use the Device, Access, and MORE

PS VR 2 Units Pile Up; Games Still Coming

Sony's latest update to the PS VR2 promised new games would arrive throughout the year, building upon its more than 40 titles available since its release last February.

First, new titles are coming until February 2025, with games like Resident Evil 4 VR Mode, Synapse, and Red Matter, alongside puzzlers like Humanity and 7th Guest VR.

Additionally, Sony is promising the arrival of multiplayer VR experiences for upcoming releases like Among Us VR, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, C-Smash VRS, and more.

With this announcement, it is safe to say that the PS VR2 is not yet dead and will continue development in the future, despite this new report about pausing production because around 300,000 units are still left unsold.

What Does the PS VR2 Bring?

One of Sony's massive promises for the PS VR2 is the arrival of new titles for the PlayStation's virtual reality experience, centering on the features of the headset for upcoming games. This was true when Sony introduced the PS VR2 to the world, but the caveat is that there is no backward compatibility.

That being said, its latest VR wearable offers massive features, including the eye tracking feature, which would allow accessibility features like winks and other reactions to have meaning in the experience.

Sony may see a backlog in PS VR2 units now, but that does not mean it is a flop and will cease to exist in the future, as PlayStation still has massive plans for the wearable with new games and upcoming PC support.

Related Article: Sony Pauses PSVR2 Production Amid Declining Demand: What Went Wrong?

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Rivian EVs and their owners may now access Tesla Superchargers for a fast-charging experience on its stations country-wide, utilizing the NACS (North American Charging Standard) to replenish the battery. This announcement came a year after it announced its 2024 adoption of Tesla's NACS, adhering to this standard set out by its rival EV company amidst an industry-wide change.

Soon, all Rivian owners may be able to access Superchargers when they receive their free NACS adapter from the company.

Rivian EVs May Now Charge from Tesla Superchargers

A new announcement from Rivian on X shared that its EV owners may now access Tesla's Superchargers available in the North American region, including the stations both in the United States and Canada. It is now available to all of its owners for the available models from the company, including the R1T electric pickups and the R1S electric SUVs.

It follows the company's announcement last year that it was among the early brands to adopt the Tesla NACS and signed a partnership with the Musk-owned EV corporation.

Rivian also shared a photo of the Tesla Superchargers available to access in the NA region while also showing the locations of its Adventure Network for its EV owners to use.

Read Also: Rivian R2 Leaks: EV Range, Starting Price Revealed

Free Adapters Coming for Each Rivian Owner

Rivian also said that it will soon send out the free NACS adapter for its existing EVs' CCS ports, which it was originally using.

After getting these adapters, users may access the 15,000 Tesla Superchargers available in North America alongside the 16,000 fast charging stations that were originally accessible to their users.

Tesla NACS: An Industry-Wide Standard

Elon Musk's vision for electric vehicles in America is to use one charging standard that can deliver a fast-charging experience through its NACS connector. In 2022, Tesla and the tech billionaire shared its EV charging connector design with the industry, positioning it as the next standard in the North American region for industry-wide adoption.

A year later, it became a reality for Musk and Tesla, as companies like Ford, General Motors, and Volvo were among the first to confirm their adoption of the NACS.

It was not long until this tech adoption was followed by other car brands, including Rivian, BMW, Mini, Rolls-Royce, Mini, Toyota, and more, joined the change.

While many companies have yet to announce their adherence to the new charging standard, it is already close to being an industry-wide adoption, with many starting their access this year. Ford was the first to get the green light for this shared charging experience, now followed by Rivian, which is rolling out its free adapters to enjoy the fast-charging features of the Tesla Supercharger stations.

Related Article: Ford EVs Can Now Access Tesla Superchargers via NACS, J3400 Connectors

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Russian aggression may not be limited to Ukraine, and the Baltic States will soon be under threat. The Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin will try to use the Donbas scenario, saying that the Baltic states "oppress Russian speakers."

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At the same time, the Russian Federation may use the territory of Belarus to carry out its aggressive intentions. To avoid this, the West must make an appropriate political decision. This was stated by Russian opposition politician Olha Kurnosova in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA.

According to her, a scenario of Russia's aggression against NATO countries is quite likely. Kurnosova noted that the east of Estonia, which is home to a large Russian-speaking population, could be under threat.

"From an economic point of view, these are rather depressed regions that directly border Russia. And some kind of Donbas scenario - that the Russian-speaking population is being oppressed there - may well develop," Kurnosova said.

She also added that in order to prevent such events from unfolding, the West must make a political decision that will call Putin the greatest threat to global security. At the same time, Kurnosova emphasized that this decision should be made in Washington first.

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Kurnosova said that Europe starts to realize the danger of the situation. As an example, she cited French President Emmanuel Macron, who has called Putin at the beginning of the full-scale invasion and now speaks of the possibility of sending French troops into Ukraine.

"There is an understanding that Europe needs its own Armed Forces, an understanding that it is necessary to develop the European military-industrial complex. Therefore, there are hopes that Europe is moving towards strengthening its own security. The main thing is that they move quickly enough and understand how important it is to fight Putin off on the territory of Ukraine by sending weapons," Kurnosova explained.

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As a reminder, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said that dictator Vladimir Putin is afraid of war with NATO. Still, NATO member states also do not want to fight Russia.

Earlier, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen said that NATO members should not rule out sending troops to Ukraine. In her opinion, Western countries, including the United States, should not be completely against this idea.

As reported, earlier, the White House commented on the information that the EU countries are discussing the possibility of sending their troops to Ukraine. They said that they would not object to the proposals of other NATO countries to deploy their troops in Ukraine and emphasized that this is a sovereign decision of each country.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Fujitsu has officially confirmed in a blog post that malware has been detected in its systems. Hackers could have stolen personal and customer information.

The confirmation was reportedly made late last week. The Japanese tech giant said a significant cybersecurity breach exposed systems and data, including sensitive client information.

Fujitsu claims that after establishing the malware's existence, it quickly separated the impacted business systems and took action, including surveilling additional company PCs.

(Photo: KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images) Japan's second quantum computer has been successfully developed. Fujitsu and research institute Riken are at the forefront of the latest technological advancement.

Although the company claims to have not received any reports of customer data being misused, Fujitsu pointed out that the company has reported the event to the Personal Information Protection Commission and is currently creating individual notices for the affected consumers.

Fujitsu is reportedly the sixth-largest provider of IT services in the world. Its portfolio consists of software, hardware for telecommunications, cloud solutions, system integration, IT consulting services, and computing devices, including servers and storage systems.

Read Also: Japan's Second Quantum Computer Successfully Developed by Fujitsu, Riken

Fujitsu Data Breaches

The malware notification follows a hack into several Japanese government agencies' offices in May 2021. Thanks to an exploit of Fujitsu's ProjectWEB information-sharing technology, the hack gave rise to the unlawful access and subsequent theft of 76,000 email addresses and confidential information.

The stolen materials were among the sensitive data from government networks and perhaps air traffic control information from Narita International Airport.

Despite these Fujitsu data breaches, the company has proven to remain a global player in the tech industry, for better and for worse, most notably in the United Kingdom, wherein it reportedly became the epicenter of the "Post Office Scandal."

More than 900 sub-postmasters were falsely convicted due to flaws in Fujitsu's Horizon technology, as they were held accountable for fictitious account deficiencies. For many years, the Japanese company has been in charge of a covert computer system that supports the "strategic command and control of UK armed forces."

Fujitsu's Hold on UK

The UK intelligence source also stated that even though the contract was transferred to a different company over two years ago, Fujitsu was still in charge of it.

The highly sensitive nature of the contract, the IT giant's close links with UK government departments, and the time it takes for new hires to obtain security clearances are said to be the reasons behind Fujitsu's delay in leaving the project.

Fujitsu notified the Cabinet Office earlier this year that it would not submit a proposal for UK government contracts while the public investigation into the Post Office issue was still ongoing.

However, information released by the Treasury Committee in February revealed that since 2019, Fujitsu has been the subject of more than 3.4 billion in contracts with government agencies connected to the Treasury.

Related Article: AT&T Denies Suffering Data Leak That Impacted 70 Million Users

(Photo: Tech Times)

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An Apple study delving into an AI system dubbed the "MM1," could have reportedly revealed the tech giant's future AI models and ongoing efforts to integrate AI into its future products and services.

Apple researchers claim to have created "MM1, "a family of multimodal models or artificial intelligence systems capable of simultaneously interpreting and producing various data, such as text and images.

(Photo: Laurenz Heymann from Unsplash) Apple's attempt to kill web apps for EU users has quickly attracted the attention of the European Commission, which plans to investigate the tech giant's decision.

According to the Apple study, MM1 can specifically count things, adhere to custom formatting, execute OCR, reference specific portions of the photographs, exhibit word knowledge and common sense about commonplace objects, carry out simple math operations, and follow directions and reasoning across images. Capabilities all current AI models in the market have.

The study suggests the potential advantages of such a system for Apple's upcoming Macs, iPhones, and Siri voice assistant devices. It comes just before Apple is anticipated to reveal several brand-new AI features at its June developer conference.

Read Also: Apple iPad 2024 Delay: Arriving in April, Not March-but Why?

Apple, Google, OpenAI Integration

However, it appears that Apple and Google have struck a partnership, suggesting that Apple's AI efforts may not yet be as far as the company would like. Tech Times recently reported that Apple is considering integrating Google's Gemini AI engine, which includes chatbots and other AI tools, into its next iOS 18 features and future iPhones through licensing.

Apple, Google, and OpenAI are reportedly in talks about integrating cutting-edge AI capabilities into Apple's well-known iPhone. The goal is to integrate state-of-the-art AI capabilities into the iPhone OS; however, no final branding or phrases have been decided upon.

Although talks are continuing, an agreement is not anticipated to be announced until June, which happens to be the month of June when Apple has its yearly Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). The length of time it has taken to announce a deal emphasizes how difficult the negotiations are and how crucial it is to come to terms that will benefit all sides.

The iPhone software's integration with Google's Gemini AI could pave the way for future advancements in AI capabilities on Apple devices. Moreover, OpenAI's ChatGPT model is considered part of Apple's AI augmentation efforts.

Apple AI Integration

Apple has mainly been left out of the discourse as more tech businesses invest billions of dollars in creating and implementing artificial intelligence, even though many other tech companies have already achieved significant progress in this area. If Apple and Google partnered, Apple would be thrown into the escalating AI arms competition.

The iPhone's integration of Google's AI technology may have advantages, but such alliances risk regulatory scrutiny. Antitrust concerns have been raised against Apple and Google, especially in relation to their current search cooperation.

Related Article: Apple Claims It Complied with EU's DMA Despite Criticisms from Big Tech

(Photo: Tech Times)

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Formerly a popular figure on TikTok, Congressman Jeff Jackson issued a heartfelt apology for his mishandling of a recent controversy. He acknowledges his shortcomings and expresses regret over the negative reception he received on the platform.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 13: Democratic U.S. Representative-elect Jeff Jackson of North Carolina arrives at the Hyatt Regency on November 13, 2022, in Washington, DC. (Photo: Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Apologizing to TikTok Followers

North Carolina Representative Jeff Jackson faced significant backlash on TikTok after voting in favor of a bill that could lead to the ban of the app in the United States unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells it.

Despite amassing over two million followers on the platform, Jackson saw a rapid decline in his TikTok following, losing over 100,000 followers on the day of the House vote alone. Since then, his follower count has plummeted, surpassing 200,000 lost followers.

Feeling the weight of the backlash, Jackson took to TikTok over the weekend to address the controversy and apologize to his followers who perceived his vote as hypocritical.

He acknowledged mishandling the situation and empathized with his followers' frustrations, recognizing that his vote contradicted his apparent support for the platform.

In his apology, Jackson revealed his concerns about TikTok's potential ties to an adversarial government and the alarming information he received during briefings on the matter.

He emphasized his belief that TikTok could thrive without the threat of governmental control but expressed regret for supporting a bill that included the possibility of a ban.

The congressman's apology video aimed to clarify his stance and reassure his followers, acknowledging the disconnect between his actions and his previous engagement with the platform.

However, the fallout from his vote highlights the delicate balance politicians must navigate between policy decisions and their public image on social media platforms like TikTok.

Also read: TikTok Faces National Security Review in Canada Amid Brewing Threat of US Ban

The newly elected Democratic congressman has used TikTok as a platform to provide candid insights into Congress's inner workings and share his perspectives on recent political developments.

Through his TikTok videos, the congressman has garnered attention for his straightforward approach and knack for discussing complex political issues in an easily understandable manner.

The representative from North Carolina expressed skepticism about the likelihood of TikTok being banned, citing various financial, political, and geopolitical factors that suggest such an outcome is highly improbable.

The congressman's engagement with TikTok underscores the platform's growing significance as a tool for politicians to engage with younger audiences and communicate their messages in a more accessible format.

Facing Backlash

In the aftermath of Representative Jackson's apology video on TikTok, users flooded the comments section with mixed reactions, reflecting a range of sentiments from disappointment to outright condemnation.

Time reported that some users expressed skepticism and accused Jackson of revealing his true intentions, labeling him as no different from other politicians.

Criticisms extended to the belief that transferring ownership of the app to a US company fails to address underlying concerns about data protection and privacy, advocating instead for comprehensive legislation in this regard.

Furthermore, Jackson faced accusations of being a "sellout" and called for more users to unfollow him, indicating a significant backlash from his audience.

Related Article: ByteDance Investors to Benefit from TikTok Sale Says US Rep. Mike Gallagher-Why?

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Marvel's Spider-Man 3 is seeing massive leaks online, with many teasing that the Green Goblin would be the next main villain of the show, following the likes of Venom and Kraven the Hunter in the latest game.

This came after Insomniac Games' canceled Spider-Man multiplayer game was leaked online, with many fans disappointed as to why it was discontinued.

Thanks to the Spider-Man: The Great Web leak, players are given a first look at the next villain of the single-player installment of the PlayStation franchise.

Marvel's Spider-Man 3's Next Main Villain is the Green Goblin

Picking up from Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Insomniac has set up Norman Osborn's Green Goblin to be the next adversary of the two Spider-Men of New York City, with the character coming to Marvel's Spider-Man 3 as its main villain.

However, ComicBook Gaming still regarded these as claims from speculators online and implications from the current game, with Insomniac not yet confirming any concrete details for the third game.

Norman Osborn's Green Goblin is best known as Peter Parker's archnemesis. He is one of the oldest villains in the comics and a recurring nemesis who knows a lot about Peter's personal life.

Read Also: Insomniac Games Canceled a Marvel's Spider-Man Multiplayer After Leaks Revealed

Insomniac's Spider-Man Multiplayer Leaks

While implied by Insomniac Games, there are still no official looks for the villain in the next series, but a recently circulating trailer and concept art of its canceled multiplayer game may bring hints to the character's likeness.

The canceled Spider-Man: The Great Web was made by Insomniac. The company put a great deal of development into it as it already had its trailer and was said to possibly use the same design for Green Goblin.

In the image, Osborn is seen looking from his office with multiple characters flying on gliders, with a figure in the middle depicting the Green Goblin complete with a green scaly face, purple robes, and destroying the city.

Marvel's Spider-Man 3: What to Expect?

Insomniac's game director for the Marvel's Spider-Man franchise, Bryan Inithar, revealed a lot last year about the franchise's future, one that would complete a trilogy for the series and offer more massive experiences to gamers.

Inithar regarded the third game as similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Avengers: Endgame, the 2019 movie that culminated what it had built so far.

Amidst Marvel's Spider-Man 2's release last year, there were already talks behind its sequel, and following up to Inithar's comments about the next game being its Endgame, characters like Deadpool may be in the books.

That being said, Yuri Lowenthal, Peter Parker's voice actor, previously suggested that his character will still be in the next game, which aligns with this recent leak about Green Goblin.

The two Spider-Men are set to take on the biggest nemesis of Peter Parker in the comics, setting up the stage for a possible iconic ending for Parker's story as the hero.

Related Article: Marvel's Spider-Man 3: Spidey Actor Yuri Lowenthal Shares What May Happen in Sequel

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The Supreme Court appears inclined to support the Biden administration's efforts to regulate contentious social media content. This comes after a dispute with Republican-led states over the government's authority to address controversial posts on topics like COVID-19 and election security.

During the court proceedings, the Associated Press reported that justices expressed doubts about the claims made by lawyers representing Louisiana, Missouri, and other parties, who accused the Democratic administration of unfairly influencing social media platforms to suppress conservative viewpoints.

Despite lower court rulings favoring the states, the Supreme Court has temporarily halted these decisions while deliberating on the matter. Justices voiced concerns about the potential implications of a ruling in favor of the states, particularly regarding the everyday interactions between government officials and online platforms.

During a recent Supreme Court session, Justice Amy Coney Barrett reacted with astonishment to an exchange between Louisiana Solicitor General J. Benjamin Aguinaga and Facebook and X.

Aguinaga raised the question of whether the FBI had the authority to urge these social media platforms to remove posts containing unauthorized personal information disclosure, commonly referred to as doxxing.

Barrett expressed surprise at the frequency of FBI calls to social media platforms during a Supreme Court session, hinting at their common occurrence. Kavanaugh also suggested that a ruling favoring the states could deem routine communications problematic.

Navigating Legal Battles Surrounding Content Moderation

The case follows recent discussions on standards for public officials blocking social media followers and arguments over laws in Florida and Texas limiting social media companies' post-takedown abilities based on expressed views.

The cases center around claims of social media platforms censoring conservative views. States allege government pressure on platforms to alter content, implicating speech rights.

Also read: FTC Takes Steps to Enhance Social Media Regulations, Hiring Child Psychologists to Boost Efforts

Aguinaga asserts government influence violates free speech, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson inquires about government encouragement to remove problematic content.

Justice Samuel Alito supports states' arguments, while Fletcher argues against claims of coercion, emphasizing platforms' autonomy in responding to government requests.

Justice Elena Kagan and Kavanaugh compare government-platform exchanges to those with traditional media, highlighting routine interactions in the federal government. Alito suggests similarities between government and media relationships.

Free speech advocates urge the Court to clarify the line between government persuasion and coercion. The 5th Circuit had ruled against the Biden administration's pressure on media platforms, but the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the ruling pending review.

Related Article: Meta Legally Challenges FTC Over Privacy Settlement Expansion, Attempting to Halt Regulations

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Nvidia's GPU Technology Conference (GTC) 2024 has drawn the world's leading automakers and technology pioneers to San Jose, Calif., and online to showcase breakthroughs in automotive tech.



The conference serves as a platform for showcasing the latest models, unveiling new technologies, and exploring innovative developments reshaping the automotive sector.

Automotive Tech Showcase at Nvidia GTC 2024

At GTC, attendees are witnessing the evolution of automotive technology driven by generative AI and software-defined computing. These advancements aim to revolutionize the driving experience, making it safer, smarter, and more enjoyable.



NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang delivered a keynote address unveiling NVIDIA DRIVE Thor, a revolutionary platform integrating advanced driver assistance technology and in-vehicle infotainment.



DRIVE Thor now incorporates the newly announced NVIDIA Blackwell GPU architecture, specifically designed for transformer and generative AI workloads.



Following Huang's keynote, prominent electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers announced their plans to integrate DRIVE Thor into their vehicles. BYD is expanding its collaboration with NVIDIA by incorporating DRIVE Thor into its next-generation EV fleets.



Hyper, a luxury brand owned by GAC AION, has selected DRIVE Thor for its upcoming models, which are scheduled for production in 2025. XPENG also intends to use DRIVE Thor as the AI brain for future EV fleets.



These announcements complement the previous commitments from Li Auto and ZEEKR to incorporate DRIVE Thor into their vehicle roadmaps.



Furthermore, trucking, robotaxi, and goods delivery companies are embracing DRIVE Thor. Nuro has selected DRIVE Thor to power the Nuro Driver, while Plus plans to integrate DRIVE Thor into future generations of its level 4 solution, SuperDrive.



Waabi aims to leverage DRIVE Thor for its generative AI-powered autonomous trucking solution, and WeRide, in partnership with Lenovo Vehicle Computing, is developing level 4 autonomous driving solutions based on DRIVE Thor.

Read Also: NVIDIA's Flagship AI Chip Unveiled Alongside Newest AI-Powered Robots

Nvidia-powered Vehicles

In addition to product announcements, GTC features an array of NVIDIA-powered vehicles on display, providing attendees with firsthand experience of cutting-edge automotive technology.



Vehicles such as the Lucid Air, Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class, Nuro R3, Polestar 3, Volvo EX90, WeRide Robobus, and an Aurora truck are showcased, with the Lucid Air available for test drives throughout the week.



The exhibit hall at GTC is abuzz with demonstrations of innovative automotive technology from various companies. Foretellix, Luminar, and MediaTek are among the exhibitors showcasing their latest solutions, including MediaTek's Dimensity Auto Cockpit chipsets.



These new chipsets leverage NVIDIA's graphics and AI technologies to deliver advanced in-vehicle user experiences and enhance safety and security features.



NVIDIA also announced Omniverse Cloud APIs at GTC, which aim to accelerate the development of autonomous vehicles by enabling high-fidelity sensor simulation.



Developers and software vendors, including CARLA, MathWorks, MITRE, Foretellix, and Voxel51, have expressed interest in leveraging these APIs for autonomous vehicle development.



Additionally, several companies, such as Cerence, Geely, Li Auto, NIO, SoundHound, Tata Consulting Services, and Wayve, have unveiled plans to utilize NVIDIA's cloud-to-edge technology for developing intelligent AI assistants, driver and passenger monitoring systems, scene understanding, and more.

Related Article: NVIDIA Faces AI Copyright Lawsuit on Training Data from Authors, Like OpenAI

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NASA volunteers have made a significant discovery, uncovering activity on 15 asteroids and challenging previous assumptions about the solar system.

These rare asteroids, exhibiting comet-like tails or envelopes of gas and dust, were identified through NASA's Active Asteroids project.

8,000 Volunteers Examine 430,000 Images

The project enlisted over 8,000 volunteers who meticulously examined 430,000 images captured by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on the Victor M. Blanco telescope in Chile.



Notably, nine volunteers have been recognized as co-authors in the paper presenting the findings, underscoring the collaborative effort involved in this research endeavor.



The discovery of activity on these 15 asteroids carries profound implications for our understanding of the solar system's formation and evolution. According to NASA, by studying these objects, scientists can glean insights into crucial processes, including the origins of water on Earth.



Furthermore, the identification of active asteroids may offer practical benefits for future space exploration endeavors. The same ices responsible for generating comet-like tails could potentially serve as resources for powering rockets or supplying breathable air, thus augmenting our capabilities for venturing deeper into space.



Volunteers like Virgilio Gonano from Udine, Italy, express their elation at being part of this discovery and emphasize the collaborative efforts that made it possible.



Similarly, Tiffany Shaw-Diaz from Dayton, Ohio, highlights the personal significance of contributing to the Active Asteroids project, underscoring the sense of fulfillment derived from being involved in such pioneering scientific endeavors.

Read Also: An Asteroid Similar to the Empire State Building Size Will Approach Earth, But There's Nothing to Worry About

The Active Asteroids Project

The Active Asteroids project, launched on August 31, 2021, through NASA's Citizen Science program hosted on the Zooniverse online platform, aimed to engage the global community in the search for active asteroids and other unusual solar system objects. Leveraging publicly available data from the Dark Energy Camera, the project's pipeline generated cutout images for volunteers to analyze.



The substantial contributions of approximately 8,300 volunteers have been instrumental in identifying previously unknown activity on 15 asteroids and one Centaur, challenging the conventional classification of these celestial bodies as inactive.



Among the asteroids identified, four are classified as active quasi-Hilda asteroids (QHAs), seven as Jupiter-family comets (JFCs), and four as active asteroids, including one main-belt comet (MBC) and three MBC candidates.



Additionally, the project has facilitated the discovery of activity on known active objects during previously unrecorded orbital epochs and the reclassification of objects based on comprehensive dynamical analyses.



"I have been a member of the Active Asteroids team since its first batch of data," said volunteer Tiffany Shaw-Diaz from Dayton, Ohio.



"And to say that this project has become a significant part of my life is an understatement. I look forward to classifying subjects each day, as long as time or health permits, and I am beyond honored to work with such esteemed scientists on a regular basis."

The volunteers' findings were further detailed in The Astronomical Journal.

Related Article: NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Fires Laser 10 Million Miles Away From Earth as It Heads Toward Mysterious Metal Asteroid

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People in some parts of Sweden will soon receive food deliveries through flying drones that look like traditional milk cans.

Flying Milk Can Drones Set to Take Flight in Sweden

Residents in a region of Sweden are on the verge of experiencing a novel mode of food delivery: via flying drones resembling traditional milk cans.

This innovative service, called foodora Air, is a collaborative effort among three Swedish entities: Tele2, a mobile connectivity firm; foodora, a restaurant and grocery delivery company; and Aerit, a drone manufacturer.

Scheduled to debut in May, the service will first take flight in the municipality of Varmdo, located near Stockholm. It aims to extend its reach across the nation. The process begins with customers utilizing the foodora app to place orders from participating local businesses.

Once a customer's residence - typically single-family homes rather than high-rise apartments - is confirmed suitable for drone delivery, the ordered items are packaged into cardboard containers and loaded onto Aerit's Nimbi drones at the respective business locations.

Tele2 Launches foodora Air

In a recent press release, Tele2 unveiled the launch of foodora Air, employing a fleet of electric drones powered by 5G technology to facilitate swift and efficient food deliveries from various eateries in Varmdo.

Stefan Trampus, Executive Vice President of B2B at Tele2, emphasized the transformative potential of this partnership, which will use 5G connectivity to revolutionize delivery services while prioritizing simplicity, sustainability, and innovation.

With a flight range of 21 kilometers and minimal carbon emissions of 2 grams per kilometer, the drones offer an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional delivery vehicles, which emit significantly higher levels of carbon dioxide, as claimed by Tele2.

Trampus underscored the role of technology and connectivity in overcoming rural accessibility challenges, envisioning a future where remote areas can enjoy enhanced access to essential services and products.

Upon deployment, deliveries will endeavor to reach customers' properties directly, with packages lowered via cable from the drone. The initial rollout in May will cater to Varmdo residents, accessible through the foodora app, with plans for expansion to additional Swedish locales, ensuring widespread access to expedited delivery services beyond urban centers.

Read Also: World's Tallest Wooden Wind Turbine by Swedish Startup, Now Online

First in Europe

Daniel Gustafsson Raba, Director of Operations at foodora, expressed pride in pioneering drone delivery in Europe and highlighted the service's broader societal implications.

"We are proud to be the first in Europe to launch real drone deliveries, and we are excited to have Tele2 and Aerit as partners on this exciting journey. Fast home deliveries are a democratic issue, in my opinion," Raba said in the statement.

Regardless of where you are in the country, it should be possible to quickly get what you need, such as medicines or groceries. It should not only be available to people who have chosen to settle in big cities," he added.

To facilitate seamless drone operations, Tele2 will furnish continuous connectivity leveraging 5G Internet of Things (IoT) technology. It ensures rapid data transmission and low latency, which is crucial for safe and efficient delivery operations.

"Technology and connectivity have the potential to break many of the limitations that currently exist in rural areas, where access to various services and products has decreased in line with rapid urbanization," Trampus concluded.

Related Article: Flying Taxis, Police Drones, Autonomous Aircrafts Coming to the UK by 2030: Government Report

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In a recent interview with podcaster Lex Fridman, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, shed light on the company's vision for the future of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Altman's remarks come amid heightened interest and speculation about the development of AGI, a type of artificial intelligence capable of performing cognitive tasks similar to or even better than humans.

(Photo : Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 16: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman looks on during the APEC CEO Summit at Moscone West on November 16, 2023 in San Francisco, California. The APEC summit is being held in San Francisco and runs through November 17. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Sam Altman Talks About AGI

Altman's discussion with Fridman delved into various aspects of AGI and OpenAI's role in its creation. Altman emphasized that building AGI should be viewed as the beginning of a new era rather than a final destination.

He articulated a loose timeline, suggesting that AGI could potentially be ready by the end of the decade or even sooner. However, Altman cautioned against viewing the development of AGI as a mere milestone, stressing that it signifies the onset of significant societal transformations.

Altman stated in January at a Bloomberg-organized discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that AGI may be achieved in the "reasonably close-ish future."

Read Also: NVIDIA's Flagship AI Chip Unveiled Alongside Newest AI-Powered Robots

Is AGI the Reason Behind Altman's Ouster in 2023?

The interview also touched upon Altman's tumultuous journey at OpenAI, including his unexpected ouster in 2023 and subsequent reinstatement. Altman candidly reflected on the challenges faced by the company, highlighting the importance of resilience and adaptability in guiding the company behind the current AI boom.

Prior to Sam Altman's four-day exile in November, some staff researchers reportedly penned a letter to the board, cautioning about a potentially powerful AI discovery, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. Many believe that the unreported letter might be referring to AGI.

"I am so looking forward to finishing the job of building beneficial AGI with you all-best team in the world, best mission in the world.," Altman said upon returning as CEO in November.

Elon Musk, Ilya Sutskever

One of the notable topics of discussion was Altman's relationship with tech mogul Elon Musk, who has been engaged in a legal battle with OpenAI.

Despite the legal skirmish, Altman expressed admiration for Musk, referring to him as "amazing" and one of the "great builders of our time." Altman's conciliatory tone towards Musk comes as the billionaire recently called for Altman's company to change its name to 'ClosedAI,'

Altman also addressed speculation surrounding the absence of Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI's co-founder and Chief Scientist, during the boardroom saga. Dismissing rumors of Sutskever's apprehension towards AGI, Altman affirmed that neither he nor anyone else at OpenAI had witnessed AGI. Altman praised Sutskever's dedication to the AGI mission, emphasizing the importance of getting it right for the benefit of humanity.

Looking ahead, Altman expressed optimism about OpenAI's trajectory, highlighting the company's mission to make AI technology accessible to the public, without going open-source.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: AI Offers Benefits But Will Destroy Employment, Claims Chief Economist

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk admitted using ketamine to reduce a "negative chemical mind state" that helps him operate the electric vehicle firm.

Elon Musk ketamine usage was disclosed in his hour-long interview with Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor. Lemon shared the conversation on social media, including Musk's X (formerly known as Twitter).

Musk Says Ketamine Helps His Work Performance

The billionaire entrepreneur said in the interview that ketamine helps him concentrate and work efficiently, contributing to Tesla's public success. Elon Musk said he takes a "small amount" of ketamine every two weeks, according to CBS News.



Considering Tesla's market share compared to other automakers, Musk stressed the necessity of performance in retaining the company's value. It was clarified during the interview that Elon Musk ketamine use is consistent with his dedication to the EV company's growth.



Musk noted the demanding nature of his work schedule, which often entails lengthy workdays and weekend obligations. He said using ketamine would hinder his work.



Elon Musk and Lemon also discussed race and X's loss of sponsors due to the tech tycoon's inflammatory statements. Musk also criticized Lemon's interviewing style as the conversation reached its end.



Despite the incident, Musk maintained optimism about X's future, pointing to the platform's increased interest from advertisers and his commitment to preserving free speech rights.

(Photo : ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is pictured during a visit at the company's electric car plant in Gruenheide near Berlin, eastern Germany, on March 13, 2024, as employees resumed work after production had to be halted due to a suspected arson attack that caused a power outage.

Meanwhile, Tesla's stock rose 6.3% on Monday after the interview, despite a 30% year-to-date fall, while the S&P 500 index rose 9 percent.



TechTimes previously reported that Tesla would boost Model Y EV costs by 2,000 euros in some European areas starting March 22, while all Model Y EVs in the US will jump $1,000 starting April 1.

Read Also: City People are Having Difficulty Digesting Plant Matter, Study Says

The European price increases match Tesla's March 1 $1,000 price hike for Model Y rear-wheel drive and long-range variants. Tesla CEO Elon Musk brought attention to the challenge of reconciling manufacturing's shifting consumer demand with constant output for efficiency as Tesla's profit margins have suffered from a year-long price war with competition.

Here's What To Know About Ketamine

Initially licensed in 1970 as an anesthetic for medical and veterinary usage, ketamine is being considered for depression therapy, especially when other therapies fail.



Dr. William Prueitt, head of Silver Hill Hospital's Ketamine Treatment Program, praises the drug's success for treatment-resistant depression, as reported by Fox News.



Dr. Prueitt believes ketamine may help moderate-to-severely depressed people who have failed conventional treatments. Ketamine affects brain neurotransmitters differently than typical antidepressants, which may explain its effectiveness where others have failed.



The drug may be given intravenously (IV) or as a nasal spray (esketamine), which can relieve symptoms quickly in a few weeks. Patients could feel happier, more optimistic, and think less negatively.



Ketamine is safe when delivered by trained medical experts, but unsupervised usage is risky. Dr. Prueitt highlights the need to abstain from self-medication and the necessity of obtaining a mental health assessment and medical screening before beginning ketamine therapy.

Related Article: xAI Revolutionizes AI Development with Open-Source Release of Grok Chatbot

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Great Britain's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Fergus Auld, congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the Novruz holiday, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by the ambassador on his official X account.




Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi has announced the search for "asymmetric solutions" in the war that Russia continues to wage against our country. The Ukrainian army needs to gain a qualitative advantage over the Russian troops, who are outnumbered.

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Syrskyi wrote about this on his Telegram channel on Monday, March 18. According to him, the Ukrainian army should be provided with the most effective and up-to-date weapons.

Separately, the military commander emphasized the training of specialists in electronic warfare, unmanned systems, automated control systems, etc.

In addition, he believes that the key to our superiority over the enemy is technology and manufacturability, with drones playing a key role in this.

"Therefore, the development of the use of unmanned systems is my priority. In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, my deputy, Hero of Ukraine Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi, is responsible for this area," the statement said.

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Syrskyi also noted that the command in the Armed Forces is looking for "asymmetric solutions to gain a qualitative advantage over a numerically superior enemy."

"We take a comprehensive approach to planning our needs, primarily taking into account current experience from the battlefield. But the most important task that technology and innovation must fulfill is to save the lives of our military," he added.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrskyi said that the Russian Armed Forces continue to focus on offensive actions within the Avdiivka direction.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
SpaceX, one of the world's top aerospace manufacturers and space transportation companies, has recently revealed its foray into the sale of satellite laser technology, bringing its advanced data transmission capabilities to firms worldwide.

Reuters reports that Gwynne Shotwell, President of SpaceX, unveiled the company's venture into satellite laser sales at the Satellite Show conference held in Washington.

Shotwell disclosed that SpaceX is extending its groundbreaking technology, utilized in the Starlink satellite constellation, to other satellite companies.

The technology leverages inter-satellite laser links to achieve data transmission at the speed of light, facilitating enhanced internet coverage across the globe with reduced reliance on ground stations.

(Photo : Mario Tama/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 18: People take photos of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying a payload of 22 Starlink internet satellites into space after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 18, 2024 as seen from Los Angeles, California. The launch was visible across much of Southern California and occurred four days after the third test flight of the Starship rocket which launched from Texas.

SpaceX's Satellite Laser Tech

Starlink, the satellite internet constellation operated by SpaceX, introduced laser-based communication capabilities as early as 2021. These Optical Intersatellite Links (ISLs) enable direct communication between satellites within the constellation, bypassing the need for constant communication with ground stations. This innovation significantly improves internet speeds for users and minimizes latency in data transmission.

With over 8,000 lasers within the Starlink constellation, each capable of achieving data transfer speeds of up to 100 Gbps, SpaceX aims to set new standards in satellite communication technology. Travis Brashears, a SpaceX engineer, revealed that the laser system can deliver an astounding 42 petabytes of data daily to Starlink customers worldwide.

Moreover, the laser system's reliability is noteworthy, boasting a remarkable link uptime exceeding 99%, despite the inherent challenges of maintaining connections across thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth. This reliability is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted data transmission and seamless internet connectivity for end-users.

Brashears further showcased the laser system's capabilities, citing instances of long-distance connections between satellites spanning thousands of miles. Notably, the system successfully maintained a connection across a distance of 5,400 kilometers, demonstrating its robustness and adaptability in various operational scenarios.

Read Also: SpaceX 'Starshield' Spy Satellites Under Development for US Defense-Report

What's Next?

The potential applications of SpaceX's satellite laser technology extend beyond internet connectivity. By offering high-speed data transmission capabilities, the technology holds promise for diverse industries, including telecommunications, navigation, and remote sensing.

As SpaceX prepares to launch its Polaris Dawn mission later this summer, featuring the deployment of satellite lasers onboard a Dragon space capsule, the company's vision for the future of satellite communication appears brighter than ever.

"We generally don't sell components, so this is a little bit of a new thing for us," Shotwell told Reuters. She also confirmed that SpaceX was already in talks with potential customers.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.

Related Article: Elon Musk: 'Starship for Mars,' Starlink Internet Onboard-Third Flight Highlights

 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Looking for the best TorrentGalaxy proxy list, mirror sites, and alternatives?

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90% of the proceeds from Russia's assets frozen in Europe can be transferred to the European Peace Fund to finance military assistance to Ukraine. The remaining 10% can be directed to the EU's central budget to develop our country's defense industry.

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The idea was voiced on March 19 by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, Reuters reports. The politician told journalists in Brussels (Belgium) that he would submit an official proposal to the governments of the 27 member states on March 20, before the next EU summit (March 21-22).

The European Peace Facility is an extra-budgetary fund managed by the European Union that provides military assistance to countries outside the EU and is used mainly for Ukraine.

According to Borrell, most of the money from the European Peace Fund from the confiscated revenues of the Russian Federation can be used for Kyiv.

"If we do this, the Russians will not be very happy... The amount - three billion euros a year - is not even extraordinary. But it is not insignificant," the EU High Representative said.

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He emphasized that he was not proposing to use the Russian assets frozen by Europe, but the profits from them.

European officials initially discussed using these funds to finance Ukraine's recovery.

But Borrell emphasized that it would be wiser to use the money to prevent the destruction of Ukraine rather than wait until Russia destroys the country.

As OBOZ.UA wrote:

 Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian Federation would be used to purchase weapons for the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

 According to Bloomberg, the European Union has drafted a bill to direct the proceeds of the Russian central bank to Ukraine. According to the proposal, funds for arms supplies and the development of the defense industry could start flowing in July.

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Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Disappearance of little Emile: the child's bones have been discovered, announces the prosecution

Initial research, role play, discovery of bones... The key dates of the disappearance of little Emile

Medical innovation: New tests make it possible to detect cancer long before symptoms appear

The week of God Twitter: from the tragedy on the Baltimore bridge to Holy Week that looks like the Flood

Death of little Emile: how to explain the discovery of his bones near Haut-Vernet?

Remy Martin celebrates its 300th anniversary with the most exclusive cognac in the world and only 8 bottles for Spain

The revolution of the hungry is coming... even if it is delayed

Pension payments will be reduced in real terms, and changes to the social security system for the new fiscal year will be

The employment rate of people with disabilities required by companies will be raised to 2.5% or more.

Journal de l'Afrique - Second reading of the New Constitution in Togo, a setback in the face of opposition pressure?

The execution of young Palestinian men in Khan Yunis...a crime filmed by the killer who failed to bury the evidence

Massive destruction by Israeli bombing that targeted the home of the Abu Aoun family in the Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip

Infusions, ginger, lemon... an expert in digestive health teaches how to strengthen the microbiota to end spring colds

Samantha Vallejo-Nagera's warning hours before the premiere of MasterChef 12: "This year's contestants are very crybaby"

Stacy Martin, the French-British actress who is the muse of Louis Vuitton who excites the public and fashion: "Red carpets are a source of maximum pride and happiness, although they intimidate me"

Palm Royale: another example of how Apple doesn't care about spending money on mediocre projects

Tour of Flanders: Mathieu van der Poel wins for the third time in his career

Loudly slamming the door: Shevchenko won the mass start at the Chechen Biathlon Championships, and Garanichevs team won the relay

Premier League: City and Arsenal pave the way for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool to the top of the table

A curious own goal by Suleymanov and a saving strike by Glushenkov: Krasnodar missed out on victory over Lokomotiv in the RPL match

Tennis: Sinner triumphs at the Masters 1000 in Miami by crushing Dimitrov in the final

Lebanon: Easter celebrations tarnished by the situation in Gaza and the south of the country

New employees take on the challenge of shearing sheep at a unique joining ceremony Shizuoka Fujinomiya

Ten years at the helm of the "Yixin-Europe" China-Europe freight train: from a line to a network

Hebei Chongli received more than 4.4 million tourists in the first full snow season after the Winter Olympics

Chicken and egg or egg? The industry is hotly discussing in Shanghai how the domestic computing power industry will rise.

China Eastern Airlines will add new and expanded routes to many airports in Guangdong during the 2024 summer and autumn flight season

The price of electricity will remain negative for several hours this Monday

In response to the 2024 issue, the maximum speed for large trucks on expressways will be increased to 90km/h

Sonko and the Senegalese... How did they make change despite the obstacles?

A rule so that appearances do not deceive: the EU legislates against 'greenwashing'

Commemoration of victims on 2nd anniversary of liberation of Bucha; many civilians killed in Russian military invasion

Coordination with Prime Minister Kishida invited to NATO summit meeting to be held in Washington, U.S. in July

The owners of the showroom of brands with history (and that Richard Gere and Cristiano Ronaldo like)

The "trans" judge who wants to intervene in the definition of "woman"

Britain probably couldn't fight Russia alone for more than two months

Until May 22: a court in Moscow arrested four accused of the terrorist attack in Crocus

Algorithmic video surveillance at the Olympics: what are we talking about, and why is it worrying?

Bandidos: a series so tacky that it seems taken from the Disney Channel of the 90s

The Russian Embassy in Seoul condemned the cartoon of the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall

Antibes: an orca dies at Marineland park, the second death in five months

The captain of the expedition that crossed the Atlantic under sail as in the 17th century to make a documentary dies at the age of 75 on the high seas

Daily Shincho: Mariupol residents do not feel the impact of the conflict on the life of the city

Two Israelis were injured in a stabbing attack in Beersheba and the perpetrator was martyred

Israeli magazine: We are faced with two options, the better of which is bitter

Will Haniyeh and Nakhla's visit to Iran affect the course of the negotiations?

8 new massacres in Gaza and fierce battles between the resistance and the occupation forces

 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.
UN warns planet 'on the brink' after warmest decade on record



Geneva, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2024



Global temperatures "smashed" heat records last year, as heatwaves stalked oceans and glaciers suffered record ice loss, the United Nations said Tuesday -- warning 2024 was likely to be even hotter.

The annual State of the Climate report by the UN's World Meteorological Organization confirmed preliminary data showing 2023 was by far the hottest year ever recorded.

And last year was part of "the warmest 10-year period on record", the WMO weather and climate agency said, with even hotter temperatures expected going forward.

"There is a high probability that 2024 will again break the record of 2023", WMO climate monitoring chief Omar Baddour told reporters.

Reacting to the report, UN chief Antonio Guterres said it showed "a planet on the brink".

"Earth's issuing a distress call," he said in a video address, pointing out that "fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts", and warning that "changes are speeding up".

The WMO said that last year the average near-surface temperature was 1.45 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels -- dangerously close to the critical 1.5-degree threshold that countries agreed to avoid passing in the 2015 Paris climate accords.



- 'Red alert' -



"Never have we been so close... to the 1.5C lower limit of the Paris Agreement," WMO chief Celeste Saulo warned.

"I am now sounding the red alert about the state of the climate," she told reporters, lamenting that "2023 set new records for every single climate indicator".

The organisation found that many of the records were "smashed" and that the numbers "gave ominous new significance to the phrase 'off the charts'."

Saulo stressed that climate change was about much more than temperatures.

"What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern," she said.

One especially worrying finding was that marine heatwaves gripped nearly a third of the global ocean on an average day last year.

And by the end of 2023, more than 90 percent of the ocean had experienced heatwave conditions at some point during the year, the WMO said.

More frequent and intense marine heatwaves will have "profound negative repercussions for marine ecosystems and coral reefs", it warned.

At the same time, it warned that key glaciers worldwide suffered the largest loss of ice ever since records began in 1950, "driven by extreme melt in both western North America and Europe".

In Switzerland, where the WMO is headquartered, Alpine glaciers had lost 10 percent of their remaining volume in the past two years alone, it said.

The Antarctic sea ice extent was also "by far the lowest on record", WMO said.



- Rising sea levels -



In fact, it pointed out, its maximum area at the end of the southern winter was around one million square kilometres below the previous record year -- equivalent to the size of France and Germany combined.

Ocean warming and the rapidly melting glaciers and ice sheets also drove the sea level last year to its highest point since satellite records began in 1993, WMO said.

The agency stressed that the global mean sea level rise over the past decade (2014-2023) was more than double the rate in the first decade of satellite records.

It highlighted that dramatic climate shifts are taking a heavy toll worldwide, fuelling extreme weather events, flooding and drought, which trigger displacement and drive up biodiversity loss and food insecurity.

"The climate crisis is THE defining challenge that humanity faces and is closely intertwined with the inequality crisis," Saulo said.



- 'Glimmer of hope' -



The number of people who are considered acutely food insecure around the world has more than doubled, from 149 million people prior to the Covid-19 pandemic to 333 million at the end of 2023, WMO pointed out.

The organisation did however highlight one "glimmer of hope": surging renewable energy generation.

Last year, renewable energy generation capacity -- mainly from solar, wind and hydropower -- increased by nearly 50 percent from 2022, it said.

Guterres also emphasised that there was still time to avert a prolonged crisis.

The world, he insisted, still has a chance to keep the planet's long-term temperature rise below the 1.5C threshold and "avoid the worst of climate chaos".

"We know how to do it."
Ukraine is continuing its dialog with China in order to involve it in the upcoming Global Peace Summit in Switzerland. While trust exists between Kyiv and Beijing, the Ukrainian peace formula remains a subject of discussion.

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This was stated by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba during an online briefing for foreign media. In particular, he noted that Ukraine has never had any problems in its relations with China.

"Ukraine and China have never had any problems either in our core issues or in our bilateral relations, so there is trust," the Foreign Minister said.

He added that Kyiv is currently working on a peace formula, which is currently the main peace initiative in the world.

"The main peace proposal that is currently on the table in the world is the Ukrainian peace formula proposed by President Zelenskyy. And we are working on it, including convening the first peace summit," Kuleba said.

According to the minister, this has been and remains a subject of discussion with representatives of the PRC.

"It is obvious to me that China certainly has a very great potential to put an end to this war, Russian aggression against Ukraine, because of the special relations it has with Russia," the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA:

 The US intelligence service said that China has recently been providing economic and security support to Russia, and trade between the two countries has increased significantly since Russia invaded Ukraine.

 In early March, after its representative's trip to the EU, China reiterated its calls for peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.

 ISW believes that Moscow will continue to use such "peace" initiatives to promote information operations aimed at obtaining concessions from the West.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The open house and ribbon cutting for the Dr. Raphael A. Baranco Elementary, August 22, 2019 in Lafayette, which opened Thursday as one of the district's two new elementary schools. The school is in the old N.P. Preparatory Academy, and the school has been refurbished to serve elementary age children.
The Ukrainian side is currently unaware of the specific details of the proposal to provide military assistance from the United States in the form of a loan, which was supported by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. However, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, the idea of providing military assistance in this way was not a surprise to the Ukrainian side.

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The minister announced this during a meeting with foreign media representatives, according to Ukrinform. Kuleba noted that it is shocking for the Ukrainian side that the decision to provide assistance has not yet been made in the US Congress, and although the end of March is approaching, discussions are still ongoing.

"Ukraine is already receiving support in various forms. Some of it comes in the form of grants, and other support comes in the form of loans. So we are not shocked by the proposal from the US, but the question is what about the overall structure of the assistance that will be provided. And we have not seen any details about this proposal, except for a general mention of loans instead of grants," he said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Minister also emphasized that one of the most beneficial ways to ensure global security is to support Ukraine in the current situation. He noted that Ukraine hopes that the discussions in the United States will end positively and a decision will be made that will not destroy American aid.

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Earlier it was reported that the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden insists that House Speaker Mike Johnson stop delaying consideration of the bill that provides for the allocation of aid to Ukraine. The White House emphasizes that the document should be put to a vote as soon as possible.

As a reminder, on March 12, the White House announced the allocation of emergency military aid to Ukraine totaling $300 million. However, the Pentagon emphasized that the transfer of this aid to Ukraine was a "unique case" and cannot be repeated without the passage of a bill in Congress.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
The East Baton Rouge Parish school system is entering into negotiations to buy up to 46 acres of land just west of the intersection of I-10 and Siegen Lane, land that could become home to the first new neighborhood public schools in southeast Baton Rouge in decades.

The prospective land purchase is an important step in a long-running effort to build more schools in this school-scarce portion of the parish. To finance the purchase, the school system plans to tap into a $10 million pot of money established by voters in April 2018 when they renewed a 1-cent sales tax earmarked for education. The money is designated to buy land somewhere in the vicinity.

The effort, though, is behind schedule. The timetable approved by voters called the purchase of the land months ago. That timetable was set back by the coronavirus pandemic as well the shortage of suitable property in the area.
The East Baton Rouge Parish school system is nearing agreement on buying land to build one or more schools in or near the school-scarce area of the parish set to become the City of St. George.

However, plans to buy five vacant residential lots to help with the demolition and reconstruction of University Terrace Elementary, located just north of LSU, have hit a wall.

The difference is there is as much as $10 million set aside for the purchase of the land in south Baton Rouge, while the University Terrace land purchase, estimated at $250,000, is unfunded.

East Baton Rouge school tax, in three parts, wins by wide margins in voting Saturday All three parts of a one-cent sales tax renewal for the East Baton Rouge Parish public school system were approved by wide margins in Saturday

The money for both projects comes from a 1-cent sales tax earmarked for education, a tax that voters renewed in April 2018.

The sales tax is funding 21 named projects to be built between now and 2029. These projects include $70 million to build two new schools at a still-to-be-determined location in the southern part of the district, as well as an additional $10 million to purchase land for one or both of those schools.
Time waits for no one, the saying goes, apart from an outdated 1970s business model that involves buying into your own holiday destination.

Timeshare is back.

Club Wyndham hotel, on corner of Goulburn Street and Wentworth Avenue, Sydney. Credit:

Big investment dollars are rolling into the long forgotten holiday model as developers invest in the reimagined version of holiday ownership targeted at Gen Z and Millennials.

The generation that puts holidays above homeownership, and experiences over possessions may be more susceptible to membership of exclusive clubs of holidaymakers than previous ones.
Ukraines top representative in Australia has blasted the ABC for airing a Four Corners documentary focusing on the perspective of Russian troops fighting on the frontlines in Ukraine, describing it as the journalistic equivalent of a bowl of vomit.

The documentary, originally aired on Britains ITV network, showed filmmaker Sean Langan embedded with Russian troops in the Donbas, a region of Ukraine that Russia has claimed as its territory following the February 2022 invasion.

The documentary, which was originally aired on Britains ITV network, showed filmmaker Sean Langan embedded with Russian troops in the Donbas. Credit: SMH

Ukrainian ambassador Vasyl Myroshnychenko said the program, titled Ukraines War: The Other Side, unquestioningly repeated and aired countless blatant lies, historical distortions, racist claims and propaganda narratives emanating from the Kremlin.

In as much, it completely served the interests of Russias dictator, Putin, Myroshnychenko said of the program, which aired last night.
So, instead of stopping, I had ground rules. Firstly, it could never be the best chat I had in a day. The second, more important, rule was that there could be no new information. I think that ones really key when youre talking to yourself. You can do it, but you shouldnt learn anything. If you find yourself saying oh really?, stop talking.

The most awkward break-up of my life was the one I had to have with a therapist. Like a lot of people coming out of lockdown, Id already had a big break-up that year and had noticed that in living alone, Id picked up a sad habit of talking to myself. Initially I thought it was alright to talk to myself during lockdown because I have a lovely Irish accent and I didnt want to lose it or end up sounding like Alexa.

When I hear the word awkward, I think of two things: sex and therapy. Ill work out why that is in my next session.

Could anything be more awkward than standing on a stage, trying to make people laugh? Guests of this years Melbourne and Sydney comedy festivals reveal that, actually, thats nothing 

This years laugh-fest has just kicked off, with more than 800 performers set to step up to the mic. Here, our writers take a closer look.

Catherine Bohart appears in Again, With Feelings, at Melbournes Westin Three, March 28-April 21, and the Factory Theatre, Sydney, April 24-28. She also appears in Trusty Hogs Live! at Melbourne Town Hall, April 13.

I didnt say a thing, I thought, let Valentines Day come and go, Catherine, be patient. But then it was March, and I knew I had to say something, so I said, Come here to me Lisa, whats with the tree? and she had the audacity to pick up her pen, look over her glasses at me and say Oh, is that bothering you?? Get f---ed Lisa, Ill pay for my own troubles but not yours, my love. Im out!

I had the loveliest therapist, Lisa. Lisa did her absolute best, but Lisas Christmas tree was up until March. Thats not a well woman. She shouldnt be helping people.

It doesnt work like that online. I knew it from session one. Because the problem with therapy online is you can see into your therapists house. And then the jig is up, my friends, because then you know, dont you? You know they cant help you.

Plus, I love the day out. I like going to a nice neutral space, with art on the wall that says nothing, a woman in a cardigan, cushions that could be any age and a curtain on something that may or may not be a window. You get to that tear-stained room and you think f--- yeah, Im gonna change my life here!

The problem? It was online. I dont know about you, but I dont think thats where therapy belongs. Im a big advocate of therapy, but I do think at the very least it should be a day out. For 100 ($194) an hour, it should make you brush your teeth, put some pants on and leave the house.

To which my mum replied, The tooth fairy must have taken it. This happened. I said does the tooth fairy collect other things like that? She said yeah, and they pay you more for it which added up, as I got 20 pence for a tooth and I got 50 pence for my c--kring.

After a few weeks, Id grown used to the rings presence, but one morning I woke up to find it was no longer there. I went through to my parents bedroom and said Mum, Dad, my rings gone. Mum said OK Rob, we thought this might happen, you need to go back through to your bedroom and look under your pillow. I said What? So I went back to my bedroom, lifted up my pillow and there was a 50-pence piece. Mum and Dad were standing there at the door smiling.

After a circumcision you have a temporary ring fixed on the end of your member, or at least I did, but the more I tell people this story, the more I come to terms with the fact it might not be as commonplace as I first thought. I dont know why I had a ring, but it certainly wasnt a fashion statement from me. The most logical conclusion Ive come to is the surgeon was both a time traveller and a big fan of a particular Beyonce single.

I look back at this event that took place in my life with a quizzical fondness. but also think well that was awkward. When I was about five, I found myself getting circumcised.

A very awkward moment happened in the first three months of going out with my then boyfriend from England (I promise its relevant, Im not just saying that to get Benedict Cumberbatch points). He brought up his mums birthday in conversation: the first of August. Without thinking, the brainwashing of every calendar Ive ever grown up with kicked in. I said out loud: Oh, the horses birthday.

I spent a decent chunk of my childhood imagining the tooth fairy using my c--kring as a hoola hoop or Aerobie, or riding a bike with c--krings for wheels. Or maybe, in the tooth fairy Olympics, the rings were made up from the results of their intimate harvests.

No. Youre only allowed to get circumcised once, Rob, and thats more than some people get, so count yourself lucky.

You probably already knew, but I didnt: it turns out HORSES BIRTHDAYS ARE STANDARDISED, so all are considered to have the same birthday, in the southern hemisphere. What date is that? You guessed it, first of August. And in the northern hemisphere because all the people and horses are upside-down there, the horses birthday is on the first of January. Chilly, little New Year horses.

If this had happened 20 years ago, we definitely would have gone our separate ways  he, thinking I was mad, me thinking he was rude. Fortunately, the internet exists and I looked it up. And not even out of pure spite; I was genuinely curious too (#humble #alwayslearning #stillalittlebitspiteful).

Then I did start to question my sanity. I had literally never considered the question, which horse. I had no idea which horse. I didnt know any horses. I didnt know why it was the first of August. I didnt know why it was in my calendar. WHY WAS THERE A HORSES BIRTHDAY IN MY CALENDAR EVERY YEAR AND WHICH HORSE WAS IT?! WHY DID I KNOW A HORSES BIRTHDAY WHEN THERE ARE FRIENDS BIRTHDAYS I HAVE FORGOTTEN MANY TIMES?!!

I figured the the didnt help but maybe whipping out the whole phrase again might be the push he needed to get back on the same page. He shook his head.

The horse. I thought if I emphasised the the it might make more sense. Dont you have it in your calendar  the first of August? The horses birthday.

He looked at me weirdly, paused, then replied, Which horse? In retrospect he might have thought I was calling his mum a horse. (Shes a walking angel, by the way.) So I clarified. You know, first of August, the horses birthday.

Youll be happy to know we ended up getting married, but every time his mums birthday comes around, I have a little moments silence for the moment that nearly took us down.

Felicity Wards Im Exhausting! is at Melbournes Victoria Hotel, April 16-21 and Sydneys Comedy Store, May 3-4.

Anirban Dasgupta

My little daughter joins me for breakfast as she says, Daddy, I love you too. She always says I love you too, even when she is saying it first. My love is implied, otherwise why would she be here?

She takes a bite and asks, Daddy, why did you bring me into this world? Now I have asked myself this question a lot, but the good thing about talking to yourself is that you can abort any time without being rude.

I tell her, Let me get back to you by EOD. She says, Was it because you wanted a lookalike? Of course not. Thats so weird.

Then is it because you were afraid of being alone when you are old?

What? No. Whats the guarantee youll not abandon us? Like you have? This conversation is tastier than breakfast.

But dont you like it here? Dont you like your school? So you did it for me to like school? No, I mean we love you and wanted to share our love with you. But how did you know you loved me before I was born?

Is this kid AI? Baby listen, we had you because we wanted to bring more joy into our lives and yours. But I was born in lockdown. The world shut down, and the first thing you thought was lets bring a new person into this? But the world is back on now. So that wars can resume? I really need a timeout!

Baby, the world is not perfect, but there is a world at least. There is hope, hope that things will become better. So now I have to make the world a better place? Did you think this through? It seems I did not.

OK, I concede. Your birth has nothing to do with you, we did it because we wanted a bundle of joy. It was selfish. She goes, Thats so weird. OK, bye, going to playschool now.

Pheww, that was awkward! Thats why I like to tour, to avoid breakfast.

Anirban Dasguptas Polite Provocation is at Melbourne Town Hall, April 9-21 (excluding Mondays).

Nat Harris

My first impression of the world was incredibly awkward; I was born bum-first and overdue into a room full of medical students. I still feel awkward about it to this day; I mean, if you read any online article for tips on how to make a good first impression, the top of the list is always: make eye contact, be on time, and dont be afraid to indulge in small talk.

Its safe to say I categorically failed on all fronts, arriving bum first, crying, then straight to the boob. If you arrived at any social occasion in that fashion, even if you were Timothee Chalamet, youd be arrested. And, despite my best efforts, since arriving earthside, the awkward moments have been rolling ever since.

My gap year living and working in France with my friend Abi sure had plenty of those. With hindsight, as subpar French language students, we really shouldnt have bothered; everyone would have been far better off if we had just binge-drunk in London. But with little to no savings, we needed a job tout suite.

Our first job was as a nanny for a local family looking after their three-year-old. On our first shift, the dad, Manu, explained to us, in French, that his son was unwell with a cold, and we were to give him paracetamol; he handed me the box and swiftly retreated to his study.

As I read the instructions, I became somewhat concerned I had overestimated my comprehension as the instructions detailed le derriere to administer the dosage. A suppository, it turned out, which are apparently very common in Europe. But with Abi being zero help, I felt compelled to double-check. I would not administer anything dans le derriere on the first day of any job without embarrassingly miming the instructions to an unimpressed French man, who could only manage to reply oui to my vigorous finger gestures.

People tend to think everything sounds better in French. Breech birth, aka bum first, is translated to accouchement par le siege, which is aptly dramatic, while suppositoire is an equally unappealing way to be introduced to an infant. I refused to split that days pay with Abi.

Nat Harris appears in Lathered, at Melbournes Trades Hall, March 28-April 21 (except Wednesdays) and Lynne & Sal, Victoria Hotel, April 5-6 and 12-13.

Dave Thornton

My brain has an amazing ability to forget friends birthdays, partners names and website passwords but when Im alone, it can conjure up awkward memories with frightening ease. Theyre so vivid, so pungent, I literally have a physical reaction, squint and look away as if taking a body blow. I call it an awkward aneurysm, or Awkeurysm. It happens routinely when Im driving; if I crash itll be hard to explain that I wrote off the car thinking about the time my neighbour walked by and said beautiful day I replied good, thanks.

One such memory came to me as I was driving past a high-profile racecourse in Melbourne. It was 2009 and Id just returned from my debut performance at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In my mind I was a globetrotting comic and windswept traveller who had conquered the biggest fringe festival in the world! In reality, I was what a bank manager would call insolvent.

I needed to make a quick buck. Some marketing guru got in touch to suggest I bring a touch of magic to the betting ring. Instead of the usual low-key, dour Friday Night at The Race Track they wanted some pizzazz and so booked me as a ringmaster, resplendent in a head-to-toe rainbow sequined suit with tails and a top hat taboot.

For THREE HOURS I was told to shout things like Come One! Come All! Place your bets and have a fun time!. The punters, all men over 40, hated me. The look of disgust as I ruined everyones night was palpable. I had as much pizzazz as a turd in a punch bowl. The cherry on the excrement sundae was when a guy came up to me with genuine concern and asked: Ive seen you on TV  why are you doing this? Candid Camera? Community service? No my friend, I was almost doing what the marketing guy thought was a brilliant idea; however, I was giving them a touch of tragic.

Its amazing that getting paid still cant compensate for three hours of public humiliation but after I hit a gutter driving, hopefully my insurance company will pay for the damage due to an act of Awkeursym.

Dave Thorntons Nothings Unpossible is at Melbournes Rydges Ballroom, March 28-April 21, and Sydneys Comedy Store, May 10-11.

Urvi Majumdar

As a brown woman working in the arts, Im often asked what inspired me to start. The truth is Ive always wanted to be a performer (well, since my best friend in primary school said she wanted to be an actress and I was under legal obligation to copy everything she did). A rite of passage for me was auditioning for my first high school musical. I attended a selective girls school and approached all my extracurricular activities as if succeeding in them was a matter of life or death. I was in it for the Oscars.

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In preparation for the gruelling auditions, I drank two litres of pineapple juice every day, rehearsed songs in our shed and copied out a 250-page acting book by hand. The auditions were held at the boys school, which made the stakes even higher. Sixty girls crammed into a room to belt out two lines, one by one, in a circle. Thirty were given a fateful tap on the shoulder and told: better luck next time.

This process repeated until we were down to the final 12, with six spots up for grabs. I zeroed in on the goal. It felt like Id been training my whole life for this moment. I could see the theatre lights, hear the audience roaring in a standing ovation. I belted out my line as hard as I could but to my horror, somewhere in between transitioning from chest to head voice, my voice cracked. I felt the tap on my shoulder before the hand even touched me. Id lost everything.

Outside, I ran up and down the halls, erupting in loud sobs. My friend, who got selected, found me and pulled me dramatically by the hand, back into the audition room. There, she begged the teachers: please miss, shes not well, let her have another go! The teachers looked at my distraught, snotty, blotchy face and let me sing my line again. Through the tears I gave it my best go and I sounded OK! I was told by the teachers: Urvi, youre in the musical not because you cried but because we can see youre trying really hard.

Ive never felt more elated, the tears of sorrow turning quickly to tears of joy. I went through all of that to be cast in the non-speaking role of islander #3 in the now problematic musical South Pacific. However, these unbearably cringe-worthy moments have given me the grit Ive needed from early on, to weather a career in the arts.

Urvi Majumdar appears in Burnt at Melbournes Westin Four, March 28-April 21, and Sydneys Enmore Theatre, May 9-12. She also appears in MICFs Brown Women Comedy (various venues and line-ups).

John Kearns

I find no catharsis in reliving awkward moments. Hindsight doesnt help, neither does time. You simply have to live with them, agree that they are part of who you are and take comfort in the fact the world didnt end.

One such moment was in a writers room for a television show. A writer had written an article about their favourite band and had linked to it on Twitter. This writer was experienced and funny, and wasnt quite sure why I was brought in to sit opposite him. Though slightly wary of me, he was perfectly nice.

On the way in to work I had seen the tweet, knew the band and thought oh great, we can bond over that. What I hadnt done was click on the tweet and crucially, read what hed written.

I enjoyed the podcast, I opened with over cheap croissants. Whats that? On the way in, I listened to your podcast about The Fall, thought it was great. He was looking at me like how you imagine a man whos written an article about The Fall but not recorded a podcast about The Fall would look. We then had a conversation which even now has made me sit at my desk and just freeze for about a minute, which is a while.

I havent recorded a podcast. I wrote an article for a magazine. I dont back down. Well then who was I listening to? I ask, sweating, perhaps even levitating, at this point. I was just listening to you. On what? which is a fair question as I, incredibly get my phone out trying to find a podcast which doesnt exist.

It is explained to me again and again by this man that he has written an article for a magazine, but I insist, Yes, Ive just heard it, was it not you? Couldve sworn it was you? At this point, another writer came in and I probably acted like my phone had just died or something.

In my efforts to curry favour with someone, I had been caught, quite simply, lying. For the rest of the day Id catch the writer looking at me, confused, perhaps even in admiration at how I had the gall to still be breathing. I doubt he remembers this, but it haunts me, teaching me that it is just a lot simpler to say youve never watched, read or heard anything in your life.

John Kearns The Varnishing Days is at Melbournes Westin Two, April 9-21 (excluding Monday).

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival runs March 27 to April 21; http://comedyfestival.com.au. The Age is a festival partner. The Sydney Comedy Festival runs April 22 to May 19; https://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/
Maybe it was a website malfunction. Or a solar flare that required the website to be shut down for a few days. Or it couldve been a head injury that resulted in a medically induced coma for five days?

David Saffron  the grandson of notorious criminal Abe Saffron  always had excuses to avoid paying his investors, US prosecutors claim.

David Saffron ran a bondage-themed strip club in Los Angeles club before turning to an alleged Bitcoin Ponzi scheme. Credit: Instagram

The Herald can reveal for the first time the US Department of Justices case against Saffron, whom prosecutors say spent six years stealing a total of $25 million from Californians through a bitcoin Ponzi scheme.

The Department of Justices Criminal Division and the Internal Revenue Service will take Saffron to trial in August on a raft of charges including wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracies to commit wire fraud, obstruct justice and commit money laundering.
The hitmen who killed suspected Calabrian mafia figure John Latorre used a motorcycle to stage the execution-style murder and escape from Greenvales suburban streets last week.

Police and underworld sources say a small motorbike  potentially a Vespa or another type of scooter  was the getaway vehicle used in the brazen murder of Latorre in his driveway in Melbournes northern suburbs, as the fruiterer was leaving for his regular early morning trip to the Melbourne Market in Epping.

Grieving family members outside the Greenvale home where John Latorre was shot dead. Credit: Chris Hopkins

Police are seeking CCTV and dashcam footage of a motorcycle that travelled through the streets of Greenvale or Gladstone Park  particularly along the major thoroughfare of Mickleham Road  around the time of the murder, which happened about 4.30am on March 12.

The CCTV footage police have obtained shows a single person on the motorcycle. Investigators suspect more than one person may have been involved in the attack, but not captured on the footage investigators have collected so far.
Residents in Perths north-east have been urged to flee as a firefighters battle a blaze in the City of Swan.

The emergency warning area was expanded at 5pm Tuesday to parts of Red Hill, Millendon, Herne Hill and Baskerville.

The emergency warning was in place for people in an area bounded by Haddrill Road to the north, Railway Crescent to the west, Stock Road, Neuman Road and Toodyay Road to the south and Red Hill Quarry to the east.

You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. There is a threat to lives and homes, authorities warned.
Perth-based natural wellness company Holista CollTech and its former boss have been hit with $2 million in fines for falsely claiming its plant-based hand sanitiser killed COVID-19 and giving the market overinflated sales forecasts.

In a judgment handed down in the Federal Court on Tuesday, Justice Sarah Derrington found the biotech company and its former chief executive Dr Rajendran Marnickavasagar  also known as Dr Rajen  had engaged in serious contraventions of the Corporations Act and made misleading claims to investors.

The court found the former chief executive Dr Rajendran Marnickavasagar  also known as Dr Rajen  had engaged in serious contraventions of the Corporations Act.

The corporate watchdog dragged Holista CollTech and Marnickavasagar to the Federal Court in 2021, accusing them of misleading conduct.

The claims centred around a YouTube video published in February 2020, in which Marnickavasagar claimed the companys NatShield sanitiser spray killed the coronavirus involved in the Wuhan outbreak, despite it not having been tested against COVID-19.
Police say anti-consorting and insignia laws are turning young West Australians off the bikie life and damaging outlaw motorcycle gang recruitment.

Police trumpeted the success of the anti-bikie laws after the release of the WA Ombudsmans first report into their administration over the first 12 months of operation.

WA Police have trumpeted the success of anti-bikie laws. Credit: WAtoday

But they have not convinced one of the states most high-profile criminal lawyers.

The report found four defiant bikies were responsible for one-quarter of all police charges for displaying banned club insignia in the first year the laws came into effect.
Following a horrific stabbing death in Perth, West Australian Attorney-General John Quigley will meet with the father of a Queensland teenager whose death sparked a crackdown on knife violence.

Jack Beasley, 17, was fatally stabbed in the chest and back during a brawl at Surfers Paradise in 2019.

Stabbing victims Mauwa Melanie Kizenga and Jack Beasley, with weapons seized in Queensland under new laws prompted by Beasleys death.

His parents spearheaded a campaign that resulted in new laws being introduced in Queensland 12 months ago, giving police officers the power to stop and search anyone in party precincts or on public transport.

Police have now used electronic wands to scan more than 39,000 individuals and have seized more than 400 weapons including hunting knives, spiked knuckle-dusters and a tomahawk.
On the red carpet at this years Golden Globe Awards, actor Will Ferrell struck a dynamic pose for the cameras. Resplendent in his snow-white tuxedo, he fixed the photographers with a steely glare before clenching his fist beneath his chin in a mock heroic manner. This wilfully absurd stance had one notable benefit: it displayed Ferrells watch  an Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 007 Edition  in the most conspicuous possible way. Later that same week, at the Critics Choice Awards, the comedian was at it again, contorting his body into another goofy posture to highlight a modest Timex field watch.

Will Ferrell puts his Omega centre stage at the Golden Globes. Credit: Getty Images

What Ferrell was lampooning, I suspect, was the modern trend of actors going to farcically contrived lengths in order to flaunt their watches on the red carpet. The reason for this shameless pantomime is that product placement has become increasingly big business. Knowing a celebrity endorsement can fast-track brand recognition and sales, watch companies will happily pay for the privilege, doling out sponsorships or expensive freebies to seal their moment in the spotlight.

Roger Federer and the moves that expose his Rolex. Credit: Getty Images

Yet delivering this money shot isnt always straightforward. The problem is that when worn with conventional male formal wear, a watch is invariably obscured by the celebs shirt or jacket cuff. Consequently, Hollywood stylists are forced to resort to sneaky workarounds. Strategies to expose more watch include tailoring a jacket sleeve a little shorter, commissioning a dress shirt with a wider cuff or simply loosening the watch strap so the watch falls closer to the hand. Some tactical choreography is also required. When mugging for the cameras, theres a reason celebrities often pretend to adjust their cuff links or clasp their hands before their body with the left one angled slightly forward.
On Tuesday Premier Chris Minns office was forced to issue a denial he had become involved in the fracas around the hiring amid speculation Minns was forced to leave a function to deal with it. The premier was at a function last night, he left on time and was not involved in trying to reverse any decision, a statement from a spokesperson in the Premiers office said. The Premier had no contact with police last night, and no role in the selection of personnel for the PMU. Webb had begun searching for a new head of media following a series of public blunders, including criticism of her failure to front the media for three days after Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon was charged with murdering Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies on February 19. By midway through the last week of February, both Webbs office and Police Minister Yasmin Catley had decided to replace Deegan, multiple sources told the Herald on the condition of anonymity.

In an interview with this masthead on February 29, Catley was asked whether Webb needed better media advice. She said yes. At that point, alternative candidates were being approached. Deegan was told her services were no longer required last Wednesday. Multiple sources who were not authorised to speak publicly said suggestions for the job were made by Catleys office. Her chief of staff, Ross Neilson, is a personal acquaintance of Jacksons and the sources said he put Jacksons name forward for consideration, although the decision to hire him is technically Webbs and she sounded out more than one possible hire before landing on a decision. Catleys office and Neilson were approached for comment. After initially declining to respond to questions, on Tuesday night the police ministers office said Jackson had been appointed to the role on a temporary basis for six months. Loading A spokesperson for her office said that under the rules governing public sector appointments, consultation regarding appointments is permitted but all appointments are the decision of the heads of agencies.

The appointment was made through a suitability assessment process, which included an interview, and a National Police Check for non-sworn police officers. A full merit process for an ongoing appointment to the role will be conducted in coming months, the spokesperson said. Jackson has signed a contract with NSW Police. He quit his job at Spotlight, although he is yet to serve his final day at the Seven Networks investigative program. He has also held senior positions at the Sunday Telegraph and 60 Minutes, as well as The Australian. Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn flagged Jacksons new job in his announcement about his departure. Hell reveal all soon, but I am proud of his achievement, and so will you be when he is able to say, the email said, according to television news site TV Blackbox. Jackson has been involved in some of Sydneys most enduring media legends, including an infamous story in which he alleged former Herald crime reporter Stephen Gibbs pulled a gun on him following a drinking session at the Evening Star Hotel in Surry Hills in 2006. Charges against Gibbs were later withdrawn.

More recently, he was involved in the Channel Seven interview with Bruce Lehrmann. Seven claimed the former political staffer accused of raping fellow staffer Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019 was not paid for the interview. However, it later emerged Seven had agreed to pay the rent on Lehrmanns northern beaches home for 12 months. On Tuesday morning Ben Fordham told listeners the appointment had raised a few eyebrows. Jackson, he said, was a bit of a cowboy and was one of those colourful identities in the Sydney media. 2GB is owned by Nine Entertainment, which is also the publisher of the Herald. While Webb is known as a cautious operator, Jackson was old school in his way of doing things. He works hard and he plays hard, Fordham said. The executive director role already has a sworn police officer, Superintendent Kirsty Heyward, acting in the role since Deegans departure. Jackson is supposed to start his tenure after Easter.
Why? John Strickland, an aviation consultant, explained: If an aircraft is operating almost empty on a particular flight, it is likely that it will be pretty full in the other direction, so cannot be cancelled. Another factor might be that cargo is being carried which may mean that the flight is still profitable. Furthermore, airlines lose their valuable airport slots if they are not sufficiently used  at least 80 per cent of the time, under current rules (though there are proposals to overhaul these)  incentivising carriers to plough on even when a flight has sold poorly. So what are the best tactics if you want to find yourself surrounded by empty seats? The late show Choosing an unappealing departure time is one obvious move. Theres no way to ensure you end up on an empty flight, but you can certainly place good bets, said Gilbert Ott, the creator of the travel blog godsavethepoints.com. Between New York and London, for example, the last flight of the day (in both directions) will typically be the most quiet, as business travellers prefer earlier flights. Theres often a lot of space in all cabins on the VS25 (Virgin Atlanticss 8.25pm departure) and BA183 (British Airways 7pm departure) going to New York.

In some parts of the world, summer is when planes are most likely to be full and winter is when the number of empty seats is at its highest. This is particularly the case in Europe, though in the Asia-Pacific region, and on Australian domestic routes, the difference is quite small. Flying during public holidays can also increase your chances. In the aforementioned example, Kimmy Chedel and Zoe Doyle struck gold with Emirates on a Christmas Day departure, and Henry Harteveldt, a US-based aviation analyst, added: I have seen a number of people posting how theyre the only passenger, or one of very few, on flights on major holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving in the US, and New Years morning. Conversely, flying with a budget airline is likely to lessen your chances. Ryanair is the undisputed master when it comes to putting bums on seats, with a PLF that ranges from 92 per cent in low season to 96 per cent in summer. EasyJets was 89.2 per cent for 2023, Jet2s was 90.7 per cent. Conversely, the likes of Qantas, British Airways, Emirates and Lufthansa normally fill around 80 per cent of their seats, while Etihads PLF rarely tops 75 per cent. The weirder the better Harteveldt also recommended flying to or from smaller cities for the best hope of getting some breathing room, as well as with airlines on a route that they are not well known for offering. Opting for a recently launched (but, in an ideal world, not heavily publicised) service, therefore, might bear fruit. Furthermore, if you hear that an airline has just discontinued a route (likely a response to low demand), boarding one of the final services could provide that private-jet experience.

The UKs Civil Aviation Authority data confirms that opting for an offbeat route can pay dividends. During the first quarter of 2023, for example, every flight from Gatwick to Mauritius had at least 50 passengers on board, as did 99 per cent of flights from Heathrow to Barbados. Surprise, surprise: flights to tropical idylls during the peak winter season are usually full. But over the same period, 24 per cent of flights from Heathrow to Bulgaria, 39 per cent of flights from the UK to Azerbaijan and 83 per cent of flights from Britain to Kazakhstan carried fewer than 50 passengers. Does an empty cabin make swapping a beach resort for Kazakhstan worthwhile? Thats for you to decide. A game of tag Then theres the existence of what Harteveldt called tag routes. These are the continuation of a route from an airlines home base or hub, where they are less known and where their load factors may be lower, he explained. There arent too many of these left, since aircraft now have better range, and its expensive to operate these flights (if its a long-haul route, theres likely a crew change required, and the various crews will of course have to have an adequate rest period between their flights). Sydney-Christchurch, offered by Emirates, is one example, likely a tag on Dubai-Sydney. A friend of mine just flew this service and was the only passenger in the premium cabin. An Emirates passenger found they were the only person in the premium economy cabin on a flight from Sydney to Christchurch. I also believe KLM flies between Buenos Aires and Santiago, a continuation of the airlines Amsterdam-Buenos Aires route. Likewise, it operates an Amsterdam-Singapore flight that continues to Bali. And Air France operates Los Angeles-Tahiti as a tag from one of its Paris-Los Angeles flights.

Vanity flights Once upon a time, airlines operated some routes simply for prestige. If your arch rival flies London to JFK, so must you  never mind the empty seats and financial losses. Politics can play a part, too. In 2015 it was even alleged that United launched flights from Newark to Columbia, South Carolina, as a favour to the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Then there are unprofitable routes kept open thanks to government subsidies (in Australia, these service some of the countrys more remote locations). Loading These are now few and far between. However, airlines will run extra flights between key hubs as a defensive tactic, said Ott. There are many times a year when airlines will run multiple daily flights to, say, Santorini, just to offer more choice, even though they cant actually really sell all the available seats. Being able to offer that choice is designed to capture more bookings and win across the entire day. This is common on routes like London-Dubai, where frequency is important. Ott added that disruption often creates the empty-flight scenarios that garner headlines: Ive experienced them myself during irregular operations, when a flight had been cancelled or heavily delayed and only a few stragglers remained and ended up on the plane. Every cloud has a silver lining.

So youve booked your flight to Kazakhstan, flying on Christmas Day, with the most unsociable departure time available  can you find out in advance how busy the cabin will be? Its difficult to know how full or empty your flight may be, said Harteveldt. You cant really go by the seat map for your flight, because seat maps dont reflect the number of reservations, only the number of people who have selected a seat at that moment. Remember that airlines may charge to reserve a seat before flight check-in opens. As a result, passengers may wait to select their seats when check-in opens and they can choose their seat for free. Ott added: I used to use a tool called ExpertFlyer to look up live seat maps and outfox people to grab the right seats in economy to get a whole row. The better hack now is to be among the last to board and to ask the gate agent if theres any gaps in seating you can take advantage of. What happens on an empty flight So youve hit the ghost-flight jackpot  now what? Youll have plenty of room for your bag in the overhead bin, a more attentive cabin crew (on the Jet2 flight mentioned earlier, the cabin crew kept referring to their only passenger as King Paul while the American Airlines flyer was given all the food and drink I wanted), and fewer people coughing, snoring and hanging around in the aisle with their backside in your face.
Iceland is in the news again for more eruptions that make for great television as molten lava spews from a cracked landscape, smoke billows skywards, and the night sky turns orange.

My first instinct is: Id love to see that. Imagine the heat and smell, the Earths groaning, and the fireworks spectacle of it all.

Onlookers watch the volcanic activity in Iceland from a distance on Saturday night. Credit: AP

Volcanoes provide a spellbinding demonstration of natures power, and who isnt drawn to the display? Ive seen Stromboli spit molten lava bombs, looked into Mt Bromos unfathomable smoking crater, and flown over Mt Asos bubbling lava lake. All rank among my most awesome travel experiences.

Id never really considered volcanoes dangerous until the horror of Whakaari (White) Island in late 2019, when 22 visitors were killed and 25 others seriously injured after New Zealands most active volcano erupted.
Photo: Oleksii Karamanov/Getty Images/Tetra images RF

Excuse me, I said to the flight attendant greeting passengers and handing out packs of disinfectant wipes and headphones as she reached my aisle. My heart was pounding at the speed of hummingbird wings in mid-air, and I felt lightheaded. Taking full breaths felt like trying to lift cement with my lungs. Id been in my seat for just five minutes as passengers were still filing in, cramming too-big carry-ons into too-small overhead bins; the jumbo Airbus felt like a tuna can. Despite my best efforts, I hadnt been able to convince myself to sit down and buckle up. Every time my ass landed on the seat, I sprang back up as if it was covered in pushpins.

Headphones? Hand sanitizer? the flight attendant asked me with a plastered smile. I have to get off this plane, I replied. The inside of my skull alternated between images of the plane crashing into the Atlantic Ocean and an engine dislocating, sending us into a tailspin. Can you please tell me what to do? I asked desperately, realizing I was being side-eyed by oncoming passengers and the crew. You want to get off the aircraft? she asked in a now-serious tone two octaves lower than her greeting voice. Well, I thought I wanted to go on a solo vacation for a long weekend, I blurted back, but now I just want to be home with my family. My face was flushed with embarrassment. Okay, well, you need to collect your belongings and go speak to the gate attendant. she said. I scurried off the plane, keeping my eyes on my shoes the entire walk up the lengthy jet bridge. I watched as the gate agent typed for seemingly 20 minutes into a computer to dismiss me from the flight record. Luckily, I only had a carry-on, so fleeing was relatively easy. While humiliation lingered, my throat opened to take a full breath and my pulse settled as I walked out of JFK into a yellow cab headed home to Brooklyn. That was two summers ago.

My fear of flying began in my late 20s when, during a flight to Arizona, a typical bout of turbulence caused my stomach to drop and my mind to go straight to death. The sensation was new. Growing up in Virginia, with half of my family living in California, meant Id been flying cross-country since infancy. If anything, long flights were boring but never dangerous. I hoped it was a momentary spook, but it wasnt. From then on, weeks before a flight, anxiety played like the background music to my life, jolting me and radiating dread. I started taking Xanax and having a few drinks onboard, which were slight and momentary fixes, but after having a baby, I couldnt be buzzed and be a caretaker in the air. It didnt help that Xanax was no longer as effective for me. My regular dose could keep me zombielike and calm for about an hour before sending me into an exaggerated panic due to the rebound effect.

My heart was pounding at the speed of hummingbird wings in mid-air, and I felt lightheaded. Taking full breaths felt like trying to lift cement with my lungs.

But deboarding that cross-continental flight was the worst it had ever been. I chalked it up to matrescence, a type of second adolescence, a psychological and social-identity shift, that occurs during the onset of motherhood, as coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael in 1973. Since having my son, my urge toward physical safety, for both him and myself, had heightened. The notion that I cant die! This kid needs me! took hold early on. I assumed my fear of flying was my brains misguided attempt to keep everyone safe and alive. I viewed it as an overreaching parenting glitch. It probably didnt help that the pandemic had halted travel and this was my first time confronting a long-haul flight in over two years.

The following fall, I booked a vacation for my wife, kid, and me to Portugal for that November. Maybe with my family in tow, I reasoned, I would be able to muster the trip. Besides, I was not going to let deboarding one international flight stop me from trying again. Then, three weeks before takeoff, I awoke in the night in a full sweat with a familiar sense of doom. I couldnt stomach the thought of being untethered to the ground. I could feel my throat squeeze shut. What kind of mother would I be to knowingly put my family in harms way like this? The next morning, I canceled our trip. Its okay. We can try going somewhere closer this winter, my wife assured me. She was supportive but kindly reminded me that this was not a long-term way for us to live. I did manage to visit my parents in Phoenix that winter, and even made it to our familys annual spring-break trip to Miami. Last June, I compelled myself to fly seven hours across 3,461 miles to London.

The thought of my son having childhood stories of his crazy mom canceling travel plans last minute because she was scared was more than I could bear. I white-knuckled the flights, trying to do deep-breathing exercises and distracting myself with in-flight comedies and lots of crunchy snacks. This is okay, right? Id say to my wife every 20 minutes as we bumped along the sky seeking reassurance. I watched the calm flight attendants move about the plane, trying to gain their sense of ease and security via osmosis. Nothing worked, and I spent the majority of each flight in a physical state of hypervigilance. At best, I maintained the heartbeat of a leisurely jog when the seat-belt-fasten sign was off, but as soon the light changed, my lungs compressed and my heart pounded. Sweat poured. My muscles would ache, like Id taken a three-hour weight-lifting class, the mornings after flying from being in a state of constant tension the day before.

As my son turned 4 and with pandemic travel restrictions more or less completely behind us, I no longer wanted to live our life, our adventures, limited by the least number of miles I could get away with suffering through. In an act of desperation, I asked my therapist about hypnosis.

Historically, I am skeptical of alternative treatments, worried about feeding grifters. But given that wed already spoken about how talk therapy alone wasnt always effective for physical symptoms of trauma, I reasoned that my fear of flying might call for something different. She encouraged me to try. So I found a New Yorkbased licensed counselor who specialized in common hypnosis needs  fears, lack of control, anger issues  and worked with creative folks, particularly those experiencing writers block and stage fright. I reached out. On the phone, her thick Russian accent was authoritative and soothing. She shared how her experience of being a mother of two young children helped her understand the psychological changes of parenting. Maybe it was the accent, some motherhood bond, or the desire to hand over my problem to someone else, but I forged on and booked the $345 60-minute Zoom session.

Before the session, I changed into my comfiest house clothes and draped myself in my heaviest, fluffiest blanket, eager to enter a state of hypnosis and have my brain reprogrammed. Tanya popped up on my computer screen looking like a stock-image search for mental-health professional: knit sweater, straight long hair, nondescript office space behind her, black rolling chair. I had imagined her sitting in a field of wildflowers or at least having a psychedelic poster hanging in the background.

Right away, I dove into my theory on motherhood and identity: that my fear of flying steamed from the need to keep myself and my son safe, which had been an overactive reflex since becoming a mother. Before I got too carried away, Tanya asked if I could remember exactly when my flying fear began and she then politely pointed out that my fear of flying had actually increased before I became a parent, about two years before in fact. Did anything unusual occur around the time of the uptick? she asked. My stomach twisted and my throat went sandy. As concisely and unemotionally as I could, I breezed through the assault I experienced in my neighborhood late one night in the summer of 2016. But as I talked, I mostly focused on all the work Id done in therapy and connecting and being open with others, and how it was now a non-issue in my life. It doesnt affect me anymore, I told Tanya. This was not what I wanted to discuss. What has specifically helped? she asked, refusing to drop the subject. Aside from the chronic therapy, reconfiguring my relationship with alcohol, and patience? Leaving places when I feel uncomfortable has been hugely helpful, I said. Even knowing that I can leave has been incredibly powerful for me. I need to feel in charge of where my body is.

She waited and stared. I blinked back, unable to figure out what she wanted me to conclude. And how about when youre on a plane? she pushed. Well, I cant leave a plane. She nodded. My most important coping strategy, to flee, to move my body anywhere else, was not available to me at 26,000 feet in the air. My eyes welled and a deep sadness that lived right under the surface of my fear and frustration opened. While I had learned to cope in many ways, I realized I still hadnt figured out how to sit still in discomfort. Moreover, I was still equating discomfort with immediate danger. You dont need to leave when youre on a plane, she said flatly. There is no safer way to travel these days. You and your family are safe.

My most important coping strategy, to flee, to move my body anywhere else, was not available to me at 26,000 feet in the air.

Finally, we began the hypnosis. She led me in what felt like an individual guided meditation, starting with a countdown from 200 and prompts to visualize numbers and a serene setting. Once I reached a state of relaxation, literally feeling like I could not open my eyes or move my limbs, she spoke in concise and repeated phrases, telling me that I did not have to leave the plane, that I was safe, that I was calm, and that flying would now be an experience that brought about ease. During that time, she walked me through a visual exercise, starting at my apartment and going all the way to the plane landing.

When our session was over, I had homework. Tanya instructed me to do facial tapping (EFT) once a day while repeating a mantra (I always feel safe when flying. I am completely at ease and relaxed) and listening to my hypnosis session, which she had recorded twice a week prior to my upcoming six-hour flight to Los Angeles. I left the session relaxed but doubtful that much would change. While everything Tanya said about my need to flee made sense, I was frustrated to still be dealing with more post-trauma effects. More than anything, I wanted healing to be finite, but Id been to enough therapy to know it isnt linear. Over the next two weeks, I dutifully completed my meditations and daily mantras. Within days, I noticed the background noise of my typical flight anxiety was silent. Not once did I consider canceling my trip, and I hadnt yet woken up once in the middle of the night with pre-travel sweats. Tentatively, I chalked it up to a placebo effect.

The morning of my flight I felt completely at ease and relaxed. Not a twinge of nerves tingled as I made my way through security. As I boarded, I felt nothing other than a curiosity of what movies would be showing and if Id actually get any of the work done that I planned. I noticed my heartbeat, slow and steady, and scanned my brains for thoughts of disaster but found none. It was as if Id been lobotomized.

As we neared Los Angeles, the plane began its descent hurdling over snowy mountain peaks. Not a flash of fiery explosion imagery or a drop in my stomach occurred. I am not sure if it was a placebo effect, or brain rewiring, or the realization that I dont always need to escape that seemingly eradicated my fear. I peered outside the window taking in the serene scene below, appreciating the novel angle and sense of calm, happy for the moment even if it turned out to be temporary.

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Then last week, a screenshot of his supposed tour schedule went viral, which saw him booked to play two shows at Auckland's Spark Arena next week. Auckland University also appeared to tease some sort of Fred Again announcement, but they were almost definitely just trolling us (cheers, guys).
While she may not have commented on Veruca's allegations, Anna has not been shy in sharing her family's financial struggles. She told 10Studio about once living in an old van with 'milk crates' for seats and living off just $30 a week as a family of four.
Arvind Kejriwal skips ED summons in DJB case





NEW DELHI,

DELHI Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday skipped the Enforcement Directorate summons in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board, with the Aam Aadmi Party terming the notice illegal. The AAP accused the BJP Government at the Centre of using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to target Kejriwal and stop him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls. The summons is illegal. The BJP wants to fight the Lok Sabha elections using ED, the party alleged. Kejriwal was summoned by the ED to appear before it on Monday in a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board. He is also facing inquiries in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case and has previously disregarded eight summons in that matter, terming those illegitimate. The federal probe agency has issued a ninth summons to Kejriwal to appear for questioning on March 21 in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

The AAPs Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai, when asked about the summonses to Kejriwal, said, It is beyond understanding when will the ED stop serving the political agenda of BJP. ED served notices and the chief minister replied to them saying they were illegal. The ED went to court against him. When the matter is in court, what is the urgency of sending another notice, he asked. If the BJP wants to arrest Kejriwal, they do not need summons, Rai said. They can arrest him anytime. If you believe in the Constitution and law, wait for the courts decision. We are also waiting. The court will hear the matter on April 1, the AAP leader said. The ED has filed two complaints before a magisterial court in Delhi, seeking Kejriwals prosecution for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

Last Saturday, the court granted him bail in the two complaints. Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi alleged that the ED was being used as a political tool. Why is the ED continuously sending summons to Arvind Kejriwal when the court is hearing a case related to the legality of the summonses? The court is considering this matter. Why is the ED not respecting the law and waiting for the courts order? she said. told PTI-Video Why is the ED sending summonses when he (Kejriwal) has been granted bail? As soon as the elections were announced, the national convener of a party was sent summonses in two cases. This is being done to stop Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning in Lok Sabha polls, Atishi alleged. She said the ED should respect the legal process and till the time the court gives its decision, they should stop sending these illegal summonses.
Bitter dream for Home, Sweet Home buyers





By Naman Atolia

Since last few years, Governments most ambitious and much-hyped project Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is in the light only for wrong reasons in other states of the country. Peoples pain and allegations ranges from allotment to ineligible, financial irregularities and poor quality of construction etc. In Madhya Pradesh too, uncalled and limitless delay is leaving debilitating effect on their monthly budget and dreams. People who have invested in Housing for All slogneering scheme are feeling cheated and highly disappointed with the slow pace of work on the site. Aggravating their pain, the executing agency Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has taken full amount of the flats cost from people despite the structure at some of the projects are yet to take shape. Moreover, responsible officials are not willing to answer their query. The Hitavada reporter, visited several sites of the project and found that ground reality is far away from Governments tall claims.

According to the information by the BMC, the Low Income Group (LIG) flats of 2 BHK were proposed at 12 no. bus stand, Samradha, Sant Hiradaram Nagar, Neelbad, Kokta Transport Nagar and other places. Less than a half projects have been completed so far. Also, these projects were launched in 2017-18 and in 2019 which were to be completed by the year 2022 as per the deadline. But among them, only five projects have been completed in Kokta with a capacity of 432 flats out of which 218 have been allotted. In Bhanpur, out of the 432 complete projects, possession of 161 flats have been given to the families and the projects of Rahul Nagar Phase 1 and Malikhedi have been also completed. Several projects, including that of Kotra and Malikhedi, which were supposed to be completed on December 29, 2019, have not been finished after four and a half years. Notably, the Kotra project contains 576 flats reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), 144 for LIG and 216 flats reserved for people coming from Middle Income Groups. Whereas, the Malikhedi project has 168, 323 and 50 reserved for EWS, LIG and MIGs. Out of these, the 50 projects of the plan reserved for Middle Income Groups have been completed and given for possession.

Initially shrugged responsibility and denied to respond to The Hitavada query, and later said Some of the projects were delayed due to the outbreak of pandemic in the country and were an extension, an official told on the condition of anonymity. Now the question arises, if the project is not completed then how come a government/semi-government agency can taken full cost of the flat from the beneficiaries. When talking about the status of Middle Income Group (MIG) flats, several irregularities have been also found there. The Hitavada came to know that the contractor of Bag Mugaliya project has fled and when we tried to confirm the news, it was told that the contractor has been given a notice to speed-up the work. Notices are a daily business of the administration. The official anonymously also mentioned that the contractors of Ganga Nagar and 12 no. Bus Stand have also fled from the location and the administration is trying to work for damage control and looking for alternatives. A notice board was displayed at the entrance of the project at Stop no. 12 project terming the contractor has fled.... Since the project is meant for low income group and people who comes in bracket of Rs 3 to 6 lakhs annual income. Most of the people opted for bank loan. There is third party arrangement.

Following the first come, first serve condition, several have made full payment via bank. Now, they are facing a double whammy: paid full amount and getting nothing more than bank loan instalment and rent to the house their are presenting residing. Since the project is meant for those who dont have their own home. Ironically, according to the Governments statement over the scheme, the mission addresses urban housing shortage among the EWS/LIG and MIG categories including the slum dwellers by ensuring a pucca house to all eligible urban households by the year 2022, when nation completes 75 years of its Independence. But in reality, the situation is quite different. The loopholes and inefficiency of this scheme have also victimised the several in State capital Bhopal where several projects of the PMAY have missed deadline many times. Moreover, it is proving a double whammy for those who have booked their houses under the scheme. Launched on June 25, 2015, PMAY is one of the ambitious schemes of the Government and from past weeks and the scheme has been in news due to alleged irregularities. On one hand, where the scheme is being projected as one of the flagship programmes of the Government but on the other, seeing the present situations, the dream of owning house seems impossible to the common citizens.
BRS MLC Kavitha moves SC challenging her arrest





NEW DELHI :

BHARAT Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging her arrest in a money-laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy irregularities matter. Kavitha was arrested by the ED team on Friday in Hydrabad and was later brought to Delhi. Kavitha was arrested after a day-long questioning followed by a raid at her residence. BRS leader K Kavitha and some others conspired with top AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, to get favours in Delhi Excise Policy by paying Rs 100 crore to the political party that rules Delhi, the ED alleged on Monday. Probe found, the ED claimed in a statement, that Kavitha along with others conspired with the top leaders of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia for getting favours in the Delhi Excise Policy-formulation and implementation.

In exchange of these favours, she was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to the leaders of AAP, the agency said. By the acts of corruption and conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, a continuous stream of illegal funds in the form of kickback from the wholesalers was generated for the AAP, it said. Earlier on March 16, the Rouse Avenue Court sent Kavitha to custodial remand until March 23, 2024. K. Kavitha was produced in the courtroom under heavy security in the presence of a number of media persons, lawyers and party workers.
Staff Reporter

To position Nagpur city as global education hub, Maharashtra Government has given its nod to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for leasing land parcel of 18.35 Ha in Bhandewadi for setting-up an education institute of eminence. NMC had sent a proposal to Urban Development Department (UDD) stating its intention to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s Vile Parle Kelvani Mandal, Mumbai, a prominent education institution of the metropolis. As per NMCs plan, the land parcel is going to be provided to Vile Parle at lesser than market rate. The lease for the premium land parcel would be for a period of 30 years. Bhandewadi in East Nagpur had been infamous for a long time because of the presence of garbage dumping yard. However, over the years, technology has been leveraged effectively to downsize the legacy waste. The huge land thus freed is being eyed for developing an educational hub by the current rulers in Maharashtra.

Over the last few years, systematic steps were taken to tap educational groups having firm presence in cities of Pune and Mumbai, and well-known for their expertise in offering quality education. Already, the Pune-based Symbiosis Institute has set-up its centre for excellence in Wathoda-Bhandewadi area and it is a hit among the students in the country. Also, some international students have been admitted in institutes of Architect, Management and Law functioning from Wathoda campus. The same pattern is going to be followed in case of Vile Parle. Here, however, the thrust will be on school as well as college education.

As to Vile Parle, it is a well known society that runs hosts of prominent education institutes in Mumbai area, notable among them in Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics and Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, one of the most sought after college for management education and it figures in top 10 Business Colleges of country. The society was formed in year 1930 and it runs over two dozen institutes running courses of law, commerce, arts, science, pharmacy, technology, polytechnic. They also run a couple of schools including one of Military School at Shirur in Dhule district.

As per the notification of UDD, a committee headed by Municipal Commissioner, NMC, will decide the annual lease fees as well as security fee. The committee is empowered to provide concession for determining lease amount that could be lower than ready reckoner rate. Since Municipal Commissioner is President of Rent and Deposit Determination Committee, its decision will be considered final. It may be remembered that NMC House had adopted a resolution on June 28, 2023, for earmarking 18.35 Ha of land in Bhandewadi for setting-up an education institute of eminence having course from Nursery to Higher Education. Going by experience of Symbiosis, the MoU that would later inked with M/s Vile Parle would have a clause about reserving some seats in each of the courses for locals, means students of Nagpur city.
German Ambassador Ralf Horlemann has congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the Novruz holiday, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by the ambassador on his official X account.

On the eve of the Novruz holiday, I wish the people of Azerbaijan a happy, healthy, and peaceful new year. May it be filled with happiness and joy for you and your loved ones. Happy Novruz holiday! he texted on X.




Election Commission orders removal of West Bengal DGP, Home Secys in 6 States





NEW DELHI :

SEEKING to ensure a level-playing field in the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission on Monday ordered the removal of the Home Secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and it also directed the shunting out of West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar. Also, the Secretary of the General Administrative Departments of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have been removed. The decision to shift the West Bengal DGP was taken as the officer was removed earlier too from active election management-related duty during the 2016 Assembly election in the State and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the sources pointed out.

The EC has asked the State Chief Secretary to post Rajeev Kumar to a non-election related assignment, and, as an interim arrangement, post an officer immediately junior to him as DGP. The State has been asked to send a panel of three officers who would be posted as the DGP. The Home Secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were removed as they were found to be holding dual charges in the offices of the Chief Minister in the respective States. This may potentially compromise or be seen to be compromising the impartiality and neutrality required during the electoral process, especially in matters relating to law and order and deployment of forces, they noted. The poll panel usually takes such action during the parliamentary and the Assembly polls when an issue of conflict of interest or possibility of such officials disturbing a level-playing field for all comes up. Ahead of elections, the EC always directs States to transfer officers connected with election related work, who have completed three years or are in their home districts.

If such officers are not transferred by the States, the EC orders their removal. Days after announcing the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections, the poll panel under CEC Rajiv Kumar also ordered the removal of Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, and Additional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners. Maharashtra had not complied with the directions of transferring such officers in respect of a few municipal commissioners and some Additional and Deputy Municipal Commissioners. While conveying displeasure to the State Chief Secretary, the Commission directed the transfer of BMC and the additional and Deputy Commissioners with the direction to report by 6 pm on Monday. The Chief Secretary was also directed to transfer all the similarly-placed Municipal Commissioners and Additional or Deputy Municipal Commissioners of other corporations in Maharashtra. The move comes after the commission comprising CEC Kumar and fellow ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu met here on Monday. The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Counting of votes will be undertaken on June 4. Separately, Assembly elections are being held in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Counting of votes for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim Assembly elections will take place on June 2.
First Lok Sabha polls: When EC struck off names of women voters enrolled as someone's mother, wife





By Kunal Dutt

New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI)

While preparing the electoral rolls for India's first Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission faced a peculiar problem. In some states, many women voters had enrolled themselves by their relationship with the male members of their family instead of providing their own names.

Special efforts were made to raise public awareness about the issue and such women voters got a special extension to have their names added to the electoral rolls for the 1951-52 polls.

However, out of close to 80 million women voters in the country then, "nearly 2.8 million eventually failed to disclose their proper names and the entries relating to them had to be deleted from the rolls", according to an official report on the first general elections published in 1955.

It also stated that "practically, all such cases were from the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Bharat, Rajasthan and Vindhya Pradesh".

Cut to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the country saw a record 67.4 per cent voter turnout, along with the highest-ever women voter turnout of 67.18 per cent. Male turnout in the polls was 67.01 per cent.

These statistics do not just tell the story of the evolution of India's electoral democracy in the last seven decades, but also of the emancipation of the country's women voters who have emerged from the shadows of menfolk and in many ways carved a niche of their own.

The Election Commission of India, born a day before India turned republic in 1950, has conducted 17 general elections. But in conducting the first general elections, it had to surmount a host of challenges related to both geography and demography of the country, whose vast majority of voters were then illiterate.

"It came to the notice of the Election Commission during the preparation of the electoral rolls that a large number of women voters had been enrolled in some states not by their own names but by the description of the relationship they bore to their male relations (e.G. A's mother, B's wife, etc.). The reason for this was that according to local customs, women in these areas were averse to disclosing their proper names to strangers," read the polls panel's report on the 1951-52 Lok Sabha polls.

As soon as the matter came to the notice of the poll panel, instructions were issued that the name of an elector being an essential part of his or her identity must be included in the electoral rolls and no elector should be enrolled unless sufficient particulars, including the name, were given.

The Electoral Registration Officers were instructed to replace the description of a woman voter's relationship with their male relations with her proper name. Directions were also issued to the effect that any woman who refused to give her proper name should not be registered as a voter and if she had already been registered without the name, the entry should be deleted.

The voters were appealed to give the necessary particulars to the Electoral Registration Officers.

"A special extension of one month was given in Bihar for filing such applications so that the number of women voters whose names were liable to be struck off the rolls for this reason might be reduced.

"This extension was made good use of and the rolls were considerably improved in that state. Although such an extension was given in Rajasthan as well, the response there was poor and a large number of entries relating to women voters had to be deleted for this defect," the report added.

Chandra Bhushan Kumar, a former chief electoral officer of Delhi, said asking women voters to declare their own names in the roll was a "very remarkable stand" that was taken by the election commission.

"It was a tough decision in those days. But the Election Commission of India took this view and the result is now available to us. Now, in most of the locations, we see that women are voting in more numbers than men, or their percentage is higher than male voters' percentage," he told PTI.

According to the report on the 1951-52 general elections, the total number of voters enrolled in the whole of India (excluding Jammu and Kashmir) was over 173 million. Of these, approximately 45 per cent were women voters.

In 2019, the size of the electorate grew to 911.9 million, with 47.34 crore male electors and 43.85 crore female electors, with a gender ratio of 926.

While "pink booths" are a well-known feature in elections now, in the maiden Lok Sabha polls, 27,527 booths across the country were reserved for women voters.

India's first Chief Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen gave a series of talks on the radio which covered subjects like "the General Elections - Democracy's biggest experiment", "delimitation proposals", "citizen voter" and "women citizens" to boost turnout.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, as many as 12 states have more women voters than men, with a total of 47.1 crore females registered in the electoral roll in the country.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, while announcing the poll schedule, said the gender ratio is 948 women to 1000 men in the country which is a "very healthy sign" of women's participation in the electoral process.

Twelve states have more women voters than men, with a total of 47.1 crore females registered in the electoral roll in the country, he said.
Gadkari emphasises on overall devpt of North Nagpur





Staff Reporter

Emphasising that Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) ideology is commitment to development of the nation, the party abhors discrimination with anyone on basis of their caste or religion. Hence today the seeds of develpment has reached to the last man in the society through the concept of Antyoday, asserted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari while addressing party workers in North Nagpur on Monday. As he listed the various development intiatives taken during the last ten-years, Gadkari focussed on North Nagpur saying several important works relating to easing connectivity with East and Central Nagpur were initiated by construction of under passes and fly-overs. Besides many more projects like pollution abatement of Pili Nadi would be taken-up with Naag River at cost of Rs 2, 400 crores. In future, North Nagpur would be one of the most developed part of city as winds of change would also better lives of people here He was addressing North Nagpur BJP booth Shakti Kendra and office bearers meeting at Prahlad Lawn, Teka Naka. Senior BJP leaders Sanjay Bhende; Jitendra alias Bunty Kukde, President, BJP; Nagpur City Unit; Dr Milind Mane, ex-MLA; Prabhakarrao Yeole, Virendra Kukreja, ex-corporators, Ashwini Jichkar, General Secretary, State BJP's Women Wing; Ashok Mende, Dwarka Prasad Yadav, Sanjay Chaudhary, Navneet Singh Tuli, Rajesh Hathibed and others were prominently present.

Referring to claims being advanced by Opposition parties that BJP is aiming to change the constitution, Gadkari pointed out that the maximum amendments to the constitution drafted by Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar were done during the Congress rule. Due to desperation Congress is spreading false propaganda about BJP and on the contrary it was BJP that Deekshabhoomi is being developed to international standards. Had we been anti-dalit as being claimed then how come funds were provided for Deekshabhoomi and Shantivan in Chicholi development, questioned Gadkari as he denounced politics of hatred and division being spread by Congress leaders. Speaking further, Gadkari said that the hard work of the workers will ensure that there will be good lead from North Nagpur. People can see what works have been done in this city in last 10-years.

Roads in North Nagpur have been concretised, 24 hours water facility will soon be available, the metro has arrived, Ring Road was completed on this stretch. The biggest problem plaguing North Nagpur is that one lakh people are suffering from Sickle cell and Thalassemia and Gadkari said that he is trying to provide for free treatment to all afflicted patients. He talked of making North Nagpur Sickle Cell free. North Nagpur was deprived of development for many years, but Gadkari painstaking efforts has changed the landscape of the backward part of city, said Ganesh Kantode, a booth level BJP workers.
Munje Sq: Mockery of civic order





By Dheeraj Fartode

The Enforcement Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Sitabuldi Traffic Police seem to be turning a blind eye to the encroached footpaths and haphazardly parked auto-rickshaws at Munje Square. The negligence, and the resultant continued chaos, not only causes hurdles for vehicular traffic, but also poses challenges for pedestrians. The closure of the road connecting Jhansi Rani Square to Panchsheel Square due to bridge construction has led to a sudden increase in vehicular density on roads passing through Munje Square. However, the NMC has made no attempt to get the roads leading to the square cleared. All roads leading to the square are encroached upon by food vendors and shopkeepers. The civic authority has failed to address the grievances of commuters who have a tough time on these roads.

The situation is becoming unbearable for us. The footpaths are completely taken over by food vendors, leaving no space for us to walk, said Pankaj Deshmukh, a frustrated commuter. Food vendors have set up their stalls directly on the footpaths, even spilling onto the main road, which indicates a blatant disregard for any potential action by NMC officials. At Munje Square, in particular, the footpaths are fully occupied by these vendors which leaves commuters with little room to manoeuvre. Similarly, shopkeepers have extended their establishments onto the footpaths by erecting steel boards which obstruct the path meant for pedestrians. Shockingly, the NMC's Enforcement Department is yet to take any action against these illegal encroachments.
New graphic novel gives 101 reasons to vote for PM Modi





NEW DELHI,

WRITER Shantanu Gupta has come up with a new comic, 101 Reasons, Why I Will Vote For Modi that encourages voters to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, starting on April 19. Touted to work as a compendium of different comic art styles, the book has used as many as 10 internationally renowned art styles in its making, including semi-realistic style, manga style, disney style, traditional Indian comic book style and black and white style.

It is essentially a conversation between a Modi critic and the author himself, and how the latter during the discussion ends up providing over 100 reasons to the critic to vote for Modi in the 2024 general elections. I have collected most of the stories after directly talking to the beneficiaries of the different schemes of the Modi Government. Each of the 101 reasons are presented with comparison data of pre 2014 scenario, the human stories involved and an English poetic couplet to capture the impact of that particular scheme of the Modi government, said Gupta, author of another graphic novel Ajay to Yogi Adityanath, in a statement.

According to The Write Order publications, the book, through its innovative art work, talks about the many changes that have come in the life of the common people through PM Modis pro-poor policies. The book talks about his work in the domain of health care, agriculture, education, armed forces, foreign policy, economy, jobs, infrastructure and PMs work for the Cultural Renaissance of India. It ends with discussing the Narendra Modi factor in #NewIndias development story, they added. Guptas previously authored books include The Monk Who Became Chief Minister and BJP: Past, Present & Future. The book, priced at Rs 350, is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores.
One lakh Hanuman Chalisa Kendra will be set up across country: Dr Pravin Togadia





Staff Reporter

Around one lakh Hanuman Chalisa Kendra is going to be set up in various villages and cities across the country, mentioned Dr Pravin Togadia, Founder-President of Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad, and Rashtriya Bajrang Dal, at a press conference held at Patrakar Club of Nagpur, Civil Lines, on Monday. Asmita Bhatt, Women Wing President, Dr Motilal Chaudhari, Kishore Dikondwar, and other members of the organisation were also present during the conference.

Dr Togadia mentioned that already around 13,000 centres have been set up, and through these centres Hanuman Chalisa recitals will be organised weekly, and Development Officers will be appointed for each centres for the execution of plans. Togadia also said that the organisation is working on a plan to connect with two crore Hindu families, and ensure their security, welfare, and childrens education along with providing facilities of free food grains to the needy. He added that a helpline number will be in service soon, and Hindus in need will be extended help within 24 hours across the country.
Techno Turbulence





By GIRISH LINGANNA

AS INDIA prepares for its upcoming general election, artificial intelligence has become a battleground for political parties. Experts caution that current regulations are falling behind rapidly advancing technologies like deepfakes. The move from conventional campaigning methods to utilizing AI for gaining votes was evident during the recent local elections in several key Indian states. According to SCMP, an AI-generated video in Telangana supposedly showing the leader of the former ruling Bharat Rashtra Samiti party, KT Rama Rao, endorsing opposition party Congress sparked a major controversy after it was watched more than half a million times on Congress official X account. Raos party ended up losing the election, leading to Congress subsequently establishing a new State Government. Deepfakes have surfaced involving Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan, who hosts Kaun Banega Crorepati, the Hindi adaptation of the television game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. In a manipulated video, Bachchan is shown discussing a loan-waiver scheme for farmers in Madhya Pradesh with a contestant, leading to negative portrayal of then-Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and praise for political opponent Kamal Nath.

However, this interaction is entirely fake. During the State elections, AI was utilised in various ways such as cloning the voice of Congress chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, to send customised WhatsApp messages addressing voters by name. Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party employed AI to digitally bring back former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, deceased in 2018, to speak at public gatherings. In November last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern about the proliferation of AI following the appearance of a deepfake video showing him engaging in a traditional dance. He described the misuse of this technology as alarming and cautioned that it could result in a serious crisis, highlighting that a large portion of Indias population may struggle to verify or authenticate manipulated media. In December, the Government released a directive to all social media platforms urging them to adhere to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technologys regulations regarding banned content, particularly those concerning material designed to deceive, mislead, or impersonate others.

A recent advisory from the ministry advised tech firms to seek permission before publicly launching generative AI models that are deemed unreliable or still in the testing phase, cautioning against actions that could jeopardise the integrity of the electoral process. Right-wing groups recently criticised Googles Gemini chatbot for its response to a question about Modi, noting accusations that his policies have been described as fascist by some experts. The chatbot also highlighted the Governments crackdown on dissent and use of violence against religious minorities. Regardless of the regulations in place, numerous experts argue that it is challenging to prevent the dissemination of AI-generated content, particularly deepfakes. Considering that more than half of Indias population, which exceeds 1.4 billion people, now has internet access, as reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), experts believe it is increasingly challenging to control the spread of AI-generated content, including deepfakes. One of the challenges arises from the absence of any legislation in India specifically governing deepfakes, a situation that may be insurmountable, as suggested by a technology attorney and policy analyst.

Content creators may begin utilising open-source generators that do not mandate labelling and are readily available in the market. This shift could make it impractical to regulate deepfakes in. The rapid development of rapidly advancing generative AI technology has caught many nations off-guard, prompting them to enact laws to address the risks posed by deepfakes in election contexts. Several States in the US have passed laws to address deepfakes, and a bill called the Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act was presented to Congress in September to ban the use of misleading AI-generated content in elections. The European Parliament endorsed the Artificial Intelligence Act on Wednesday, 13th of March, which was previously negotiated with member states in December. This legislation includes transparency measures, compliance mandates, and aims to mitigate risks by prohibiting the indiscriminate extraction of facial images from surveillance videos. The UKs newly implemented Online Safety Act includes provisions to regulate aspects of AI, including criminalizing the sharing of non-consensual deepfakes.

The World Economic Forums 2024 Global Risk Report, issued in January, highlighted misinformation and disinformation as a significant global risk over the next two years, especially for countries like India preparing for elections. Fake videos targeting politicians and parties are widespread on Indian social media. A report from Italian tech company DeepTrace Technologies in 2019 ranked India as the sixth most vulnerable country to deepfakes. Lately, there has been a significant rise in the popularity of AI-generated videos on Instagram featuring Prime Minister Modi singing popular songs in various regional languages. The deepfake content produced for political parties is predominantly outsourced to private consulting firms rather than being created internally. The simplicity of disseminating fake news through deepfakes with just a click of a button significantly raises the danger of spreading misinformation. In November, the UKs cybersecurity agency cautioned about the increasing risk that AI presents to elections, and the US Federal EC is exploring methods to oversee AI-generated deepfakes in political advertisements. (IPA)
Unseasonal rains continue; Bhopal sees sunshine





Staff Reporter

For the third consecutive day in Madhya Pradesh unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm continued. On Monday, Anupur, Chhindwara and Betul districts recorded storm with rainfall. According to reports, parts of Anupur district recorded hailstorm for 20 minutes. Multai and few other areas of Betul recorded heavy storm with light rainfall. Many farmers in Betul complained that their crops was destroyed with the storm. Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) Bhopal forecast rainfall and hailstorm for Damoh, Narsinghpur, Seoni, Pandhurna, Jabalpur, Katni, Umaria, Dindori, Mandla and Balaghat. Red alert is released for Shahdol and Anupur for March 19. Weather scientists have also forecast rainfall and hail storm in Betul, Chindwara, Narmadapuram, Raisen, Sagar, Chhatarpur, Panna, Satna, Maihar, Rewa, Sidhi, Mauganj and Singrauli along with thundering and lightning.

For March 20, rain and hail storm is forecast for Pandurna, Balaghat, Seoni, Mandla, Jabalpur, Dindori, Umaria, Shahdol, Katni, Maihar, Satna, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi, Singrauli. Maximum temperature in Bhopal was 32.9 degrees Celsius and minimum 20.2 degrees Celsius. Indore recorded maximum temperature 32.6 degrees Celsius and minimum 18.8 degrees Celsius. Gwalior recorded maximum temperature 31.5 degrees Celsius and minimum 13.6 degrees Celsius. Ujjain recorded maximum temperature 33.5 degrees Celsius and minimum 18.7 degrees Celsius. Jabalpur recorded maximum temperature 32.4 degrees Celsius and minimum 19.0 degrees Celsius. However. Bhopal saw hot and sultry weather during the day. Bu, there was cold wind blowing in morning and evening hours but in afternoon hours, people felt were sultry weather.
Wreckless driver overturns bus in Panagar, nine passengers injured





Staff Reporter

Nine passengers were injured when a speeding bus was overturned near Matashree Dhaba under the jurisdiction of Panagar police station early morning on Monday. According to Panagar police, on Monday morning, they received information of an accident on Jabalpur  Panagar road. Learning about the incident, a police team reached the spot where a man named Mininath Shinde (39), native of Katraj Gavthan village in Solapur and currently living in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra informed that, on March 10, he along with 20 persons and 3 children booked a mini bus for touring Banaras Devaria from Ahmednagar. They departed from Banaras on March 17 travelling in a minibus numbered MH-16CD-4451. On Sunday night, the driver Devdash Mishal was recklessly driving the bus, when he asked him for stopping the bus and take a sleep but he did not stopped the bus.

On Monday morning, they were passing through Panagar area the speeding bus was overturned near Matashri Dhaba. In the mishap, he sustained injury on his chest while other passengers named Hiraman Vagh, Sheetal, Deepak Vagh, Anita, wife of Amar Singh, Shubhangi Mininath Shinde, Adika, wife of Laxman Udmale, Chhaya Shivaji Mali and Dattatray Tukaram Ogle sustained multiple injuries. The injured were rushed at Government Hospital Panagar with the help of 108 Ambulance Service where they were given primary treatment. Acting on the complaint, Panagar police have registered a case under Sections 279 and 337 of IPC while further investigations are underway.
Ruby slippers once worn by Judy Garland in the 'The Wizard of Oz,' are displayed at a news conference, Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn.

A pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz were returned their owner, nearly 20 years after the iconic shoes were stolen from a museum in the late actors hometown. But No place like home? Not exactly.

The memorabilia collector who owns the iconic footwear immediately turned them over to an auction company, which plans to take them on an international tour before offering them at auction in December, an official with Dallas-based Heritage Auctions said Monday.

The ruby slippers were at the heart of the beloved 1939 musical. Garlands character, Dorothy, danced down the Yellow Brick Road in her shiny shoes, joined by the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. To return home to Kansas, she had to click the heels three times and repeat, Theres no place like home.

In reality, Garland wore several pairs during filming. Only four remain.

Memorabilia collector Michael Shaws ruby slippers were believed to be the highest quality of all of them  they were the ones used in close-ups of Dorothy clicking her heels. Shaw loaned them in 2005 to the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

That summer, someone smashed through a display case and stole the sequins-and-beads-bedazzled slippers. Their whereabouts remained a mystery until the FBI recovered them in 2018.

The slippers were returned to Shaw in a ceremony in February, but details werent disclosed until Monday. Its like welcoming back an old friend I havent seen in years, Shaw said in a news release.

The Dallas-based auction company said the tour of the slippers will include stops in Los Angeles, New York, London and Tokyo. Dates were not announced.

You cannot overstate the importance of Dorothys ruby slippers: They are the most important prop in Hollywood history, Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in the news release.

The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, 76, pleaded guilty in October to theft of a major artwork, admitting to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museums door and display case in what his attorney said was an attempt to pull off one last score after turning away from a life of crime. He was sentenced in January to time served because of his poor health.

An indictment made public Sunday showed that a second man, 76-year-old Jerry Hal Saliterman, has been charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering. He did not enter a plea when he made his first appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, while in a wheelchair and on supplemental oxygen.

The indictment says that from August 2005 to July 2018 Saliterman received, concealed, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage  specifically, an authentic pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. The indictment says Saliterman knew they were stolen. It also says that, starting sometime last year, he threatened to release a sex tape of a woman and take her down with him if she didnt stay quiet about the crime.

Salitermans attorney, John Brink, on Friday declined to discuss the case in depth but said his client is not guilty.

He hasnt done anything wrong, Brink said. Court documents do not indicate how Martin and Saliterman may have been connected.

Martin said at an October hearing that he had hoped to take what he thought were real rubies from the shoes and sell them. But a person who deals in stolen goods informed him the rubies werent real, Martin said. So he got rid of the slippers.

Defense attorney Dane DeKrey wrote in a court document that Martin had no idea about the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen The Wizard of Oz.

The FBI said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and claimed he could help recover them but demanded more than the $200,000 reward being offered. The slippers were recovered during an FBI sting in Minneapolis the next year. Federal prosecutors have put the slippers market value at about $3.5 million.

The other pairs of slippers are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Smithsonian Museum of American History and a private collector.

Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She lived in Grand Rapids until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969. The Judy Garland Museum, which includes the house where she lived, says it has the worlds largest collection of Garland and Wizard of Oz memorabilia.

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Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM  Get Free Report) had its price objective hoisted by Barclays from $146.00 to $232.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an underweight rating on the specialty retailers stock. Barclayss target price points to a potential downside of 18.72% from the stocks current price.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group raised shares of Williams-Sonoma from a sell rating to a neutral rating and lifted their price target for the company from $154.00 to $263.00 in a research note on Thursday. Wedbush boosted their price objective on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $230.00 to $280.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $110.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a report on Friday, November 17th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on shares of Williams-Sonoma from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, November 17th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised shares of Williams-Sonoma from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $155.00 to $270.00 in a report on Thursday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned 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 $230.06.

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Williams-Sonoma Stock Performance

NYSE WSM traded up $1.65 during trading on Friday, hitting $285.42. The stock had a trading volume of 1,253,396 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,093,709. The stock has a market capitalization of $18.31 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.66. Williams-Sonoma has a one year low of $109.44 and a one year high of $292.40. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $221.06 and a 200 day simple moving average of $186.91.

Williams-Sonoma (NYSE:WSM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, March 13th. The specialty retailer reported $5.44 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.06 by $0.38. Williams-Sonoma had a net margin of 12.25% and a return on equity of 55.15%. The business had revenue of $2.28 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.22 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $5.50 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was down 7.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Williams-Sonoma will post 14.72 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Laura Alber sold 20,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $201.92, for a total value of $4,038,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 525,509 shares of the companys stock, valued at $106,110,777.28. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 1.60% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Williams-Sonoma

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of WSM. Hudson Bay Capital Management LP purchased a new position in shares of Williams-Sonoma in the third quarter valued at $4,102,000. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 11.5% in the third quarter. Grantham Mayo Van Otterloo & Co. LLC now owns 20,711 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $3,218,000 after purchasing an additional 2,128 shares during the period. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 1.3% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,456,161 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $226,287,000 after purchasing an additional 18,004 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 3.2% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,142,272 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $142,944,000 after purchasing an additional 35,315 shares during the period. Finally, Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky boosted its stake in shares of Williams-Sonoma by 89.1% in the third quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 23,002 shares of the specialty retailers stock valued at $3,575,000 after purchasing an additional 10,837 shares during the period. 99.76% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Williams-Sonoma Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Williams-Sonoma, Inc operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.

Further Reading

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AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft (OTCMKTS:ASAAF  Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 123,800 shares, a drop of 9.0% from the February 14th total of 136,100 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 600 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 206.3 days.

AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft Price Performance

AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft stock opened at C$19.08 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of C$25.32 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of C$29.30. AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft has a 12 month low of C$19.00 and a 12 month high of C$21.50.

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AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft Company Profile

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AT & S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes printed circuit boards in Austria, Germany, Other European Countries, China, Other Asian Countries, and the Americas. It operates through three segments: Mobile Devices & Substrates; Automotive, Industrial, Medical; and Others.

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Baugh & Associates LLC lowered its position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) by 1.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 36,322 shares of the financial services providers stock after selling 420 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. comprises 3.6% of Baugh & Associates LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. Baugh & Associates LLCs holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $6,178,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of JPM. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC boosted its stake in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 105,652.2% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 98,000,567 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $13,141,876,000 after purchasing an additional 97,907,897 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. during the 4th quarter valued at $3,894,646,000. Morgan Stanley boosted its stake in JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 15.9% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 59,049,256 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $7,918,506,000 after purchasing an additional 8,088,433 shares in the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP lifted its position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 12.2% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 42,421,711 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $6,151,997,000 after acquiring an additional 4,603,090 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its position in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 51.6% during the 2nd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 8,422,975 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $1,225,037,000 after acquiring an additional 2,868,091 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 68.94% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Jennifer Piepszak sold 1,649 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.59, for a total value of $274,706.91. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 34,467 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $5,741,857.53. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In other news, insider Ashley Bacon sold 3,368 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.73, for a total value of $561,546.64. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 205,461 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $34,256,512.53. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Jennifer Piepszak sold 1,649 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.59, for a total transaction of $274,706.91. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 34,467 shares in the company, valued at $5,741,857.53. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 845,383 shares of company stock valued at $154,341,636 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.79% of the companys stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

JPM has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a hold rating to a buy rating and increased their price objective for the company from $140.00 to $190.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $191.00 to $221.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $192.00 to $194.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Tuesday, January 16th. Bank of America increased their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $177.00 to $188.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $186.00 to $212.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, January 2nd. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $179.53.

View Our Latest Stock Report on JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Stock Performance

JPM stock traded up $1.02 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $193.68. 2,212,027 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,992,597. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a twelve month low of $123.11 and a twelve month high of $193.84. The company has a market capitalization of $557.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.93, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.14. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $178.41 and a 200-day simple moving average of $161.22. The company has a current ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The financial services provider reported $3.04 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.73 by ($0.69). JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a return on equity of 17.80% and a net margin of 20.70%. The firm had revenue of $38.57 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.73 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $3.57 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 15.93 earnings per share for the current year.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Profile

(Free Report)

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit, investment and lending products, cash management, and payments and services; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit cards, auto loans, leases, and travel services to consumers and small businesses through bank branches, ATMs, and digital and telephone banking.

See Also

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding JPM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM  Free Report).

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Victoria Lomasko is a Russian graphic artist whose work focuses on graphic reportage, a genre somewhere between the travelogue and journalism. After an exchange of messages, the interview takes place over email. The death of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny has just made headlines, and the email back-and-forth becomes a fluid conversation. Navalny in fact is the indirect protagonist of some of the stories she tells in her fascinating book The Last Soviet Artist, a graphic journey through the many of the former republics that made up the giant that was the Soviet Union and which has now been published in Spanish. Lomasko has been living in exile in Berlin since 2022.

Question. How has the news of Navalnys death affected you?

Answer. When Navalny was alive, many people believed that its possible to return to their past and even return to Russia. Now its absolutely clear that we will never return to a life that is similar to our life before the war [in Ukraine]. It will be something new, very new, not similar to our plans and ideas, we cannot imagine this future anymore. Its similar to how in 1917 people ran from Soviet Russia but continued to check the news and hoped to return. Then some events happened that showed its not Russia anymore, its USSR, another reality.

Q. Navalny said that peoples inaction is the triumph of evil. In your book, you also said that ignoring the authorities can be a way of pushing towards its end. What path do you think the Russian people will take after what has happened?

A. A popular answer to such a question is: Go to the streets and protest! I have a different opinion; I think that in the 21st century, street protest has become a decorative act. It is a peaceful theatrical show that allows the crowd to let off steam. Later, the crowd will get tired or dispersed by police. Everything is under the control of the authorities from the beginning. I say this as a participant of the large Moscow protests that lasted during all 2012, and as a participant of the peaceful Belarusian Revolution in 2022. In Belarus, probably 80% of the citizens protested, people there were beaten, raped, tortured, and dozens of protesters were killed. Now I live in Berlin, where all kinds of rallies are taking place. People are not being dispersed, but I dont see the results of these rallies.

Q. What can be done, then?

A. I think it is better right now to do what you find useful and helpful. For example, even in Putins Russia there are people who donate to political prisoners, help Ukrainian refugees, develop underground culture, in a word: they create an independent universe which doesnt cross into the universe of Putins regime. This is how the USSR collapsed, without any revolutions  just nobody believed in communist ideas, everyone lived in a parallel world with other ideas, dreams and goals.

One of the artworks from the Spanish edition of 'The Last Soviet Artist' by Victoria Lomasko. Godall Ediciones

Q. In your book, a Russian artist living in exile in Tbilisi, Georgia, describes what is happening in his country as total madness. In that context, what hope is possible from the point of view of art?

A. In my opinion, the goal of art is not to force to create revolutions but to help the evolution of everyone, a personal transformation. Politicians speak to crowds, but artists, writers, poets, filmmakers conduct a dialogue with you personally. Everyone is bigger than his or her social role. The goal of art is to help us never forget our greatness.

Q. Has the war in Ukraine led to a return to the conception of the Soviet Union that you grew up with?

A. As I said, the Soviet Union collapsed because most people no longer believed in communist ideas. Thirty-three years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, it is even more impossible to return to these ideas. I see the war in Ukraine as a renewal of a clear confrontation between countries like Russia, China, Iran and the collective West. I am sure the politicians know well why they are dividing the world into political blocs again. The question is to what extent we, ordinary people, are ready to get involved in their games.

Q. What is the relationship between the social artist and journalism?

A. A social artist, like a journalist, explores society and often gathers information in the field. The most important qualities for a good journalist are an interest in people and the skill to communicate with them. A good social artist must have these qualities as well.

Q. The characters in your book spark empathy that facilitates the acceptance of difference.

A. One of the goals of my book The Last Soviet Artist is to show how diverse the so-called Post-Soviet Space is. In the past, all these countries were Soviet republics, but now each one of them has its own way. And inside each country there are many uncrossable worlds. For instance, in Kyrgyzstan you can see in the street religious women in black hijabs but at the same time in Kyrgyzstan there are many feminist groups whose members can wear shorts, shave their heads, speak perfect English and travel across the world.

One of the artworks from the Spanish edition of 'The Last Soviet Artist' by Victoria Lomasko. Godall Edicions

Q. I dont want to sound pessimistic, but do you think there is hope for trusting the human race?

A. I think, if we compare our generations with generations of 20th century, we have become more conscious, agile and independent. For example, despite all Putins propaganda, there are practically no people in Russia willing to voluntarily participate in his war. Another example: during 2022-23, the Western media broadcasted non-stop Russophobia, cancelling Russian culture but at the same time dozens of Europeans who had other opinions were helping me to survive and show my art. And now, watching the tragedy in Gaza, many people feel disgusted at the cynicism of politicians who divide people into important and not important nations. I hope to see the time when the idea about good and bad nations will be just ridiculous and humanity will feel as one.

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Bosideng International (OTCMKTS:BSDGY  Get Free Report) and Hugo Boss (OTCMKTS:BOSSY  Get Free Report) are both consumer cyclical companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, dividends, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, risk and profitability.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Bosideng International and Hugo Boss, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Bosideng International 0 0 0 0 N/A Hugo Boss 0 1 2 0 2.67

Earnings & Valuation

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Bosideng International N/A N/A N/A $3.90 6.26 Hugo Boss $3.85 billion 1.08 $220.73 million $0.76 15.58

This table compares Bosideng International and Hugo Boss gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Hugo Boss has higher revenue and earnings than Bosideng International. Bosideng International is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Hugo Boss, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Bosideng International and Hugo Boss net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Bosideng International N/A N/A N/A Hugo Boss 5.94% 20.41% 7.47%

Dividends

Bosideng International pays an annual dividend of $2.03 per share and has a dividend yield of 8.3%. Hugo Boss pays an annual dividend of $0.14 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.2%. Bosideng International pays out 52.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Hugo Boss pays out 18.4% 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.

Summary

Hugo Boss beats Bosideng International on 7 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Bosideng International

(Get Free Report)

Bosideng International Holdings Limited engages in the research, design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of branded down apparel products, original equipment manufacturing (OEM) products, and non-down apparel products in the People's Republic of China. The company operates through four segments: Down Apparels, OEM Management, Ladieswear Apparels, and Diversified Apparels. It engages in the business of sourcing and distributing of branded down and brand authorization, OEM products, and ladieswear apparels; and non-seasonal apparels, including school uniform and children's wear. The company provides down apparel products under the Bosideng, Snow Flying, Bengen, etc. brands; ladies wear products under the JESSIE, BUOU BUOU, KOREANO, and KLOVA brands; and school uniforms under the Sameite brand. It also offers network consulting and e-business of down and non-down apparel; logistics and storage services; and brand design and development services, as well as operates as an advertisement agency. The company distributes its products through ladies retail, self-operated retail, and retail outlets operated by third party distributors. Bosideng International Holdings Limited was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong.

About Hugo Boss

(Get Free Report)

Hugo Boss AG, together with its subsidiaries, provides clothes, shoes, and accessories for men and women worldwide. It also offers licensed products comprising of fragrances, eyewear, watches, children's fashion, and dog related accessories. The company markets and sells its products under the BOSS and HUGO brand names through freestanding stores, shop-in-shops, factory outlets, multi-brand stores, and franchise business, as well as online retailers, distribution, and stores. Hugo Boss AG was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Metzingen, Germany.

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Canadian Natural Resources Limited (TSE:CNQ  Get Free Report) (NYSE:CNQ) shares hit a new 52-week high during trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as C$100.52 and last traded at C$100.02, with a volume of 325354 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$99.36.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several analysts recently commented on CNQ shares. Desjardins cut their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from C$105.00 to C$97.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from C$105.00 to C$110.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, March 1st. TD Securities lifted their price objective on Canadian Natural Resources from C$100.00 to C$110.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, March 1st. National Bankshares lifted their target price on Canadian Natural Resources from C$90.00 to C$94.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, March 1st. Finally, Evercore lifted their target price on Canadian Natural Resources from C$90.00 to C$105.00 and gave the company an in-line rating in a research report on Friday, March 1st. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Canadian Natural Resources presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$98.65.

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View Our Latest Stock Analysis on CNQ

Canadian Natural Resources Stock Up 0.9 %

Canadian Natural Resources Increases Dividend

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 31.01, a current ratio of 0.96 and a quick ratio of 0.54. The company has a market capitalization of C$107.31 billion, a PE ratio of 13.30, a P/E/G ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 1.98. The business has a 50-day moving average of C$88.45 and a 200 day moving average of C$88.07.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a $1.05 dividend. This is an increase from Canadian Natural Resourcess previous quarterly dividend of $1.00. This represents a $4.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Canadian Natural Resourcess payout ratio is currently 51.54%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Norman Murray Edwards sold 251,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$98.46, for a total value of C$24,762,187.00. In other Canadian Natural Resources news, Director Norman Murray Edwards sold 251,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$98.46, for a total transaction of C$24,762,187.00. Also, Senior Officer Jay Ellery Froc sold 3,240 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$99.79, for a total value of C$323,319.60. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 700,999 shares of company stock worth $64,712,081. Corporate insiders own 2.23% of the companys stock.

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).

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City Holding Co. cut its stake in Carrier Global Co. (NYSE:CARR  Free Report) by 4.7% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 14,828 shares of the companys stock after selling 729 shares during the period. City Holding Co.s holdings in Carrier Global were worth $852,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. American Century Companies Inc. increased its stake in shares of Carrier Global by 29.2% during the first quarter. American Century Companies Inc. now owns 16,359 shares of the companys stock valued at $750,000 after purchasing an additional 3,700 shares in the last quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of Carrier Global by 40.1% in the first quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 36,481 shares of the companys stock worth $1,673,000 after acquiring an additional 10,445 shares during the last quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Carrier Global by 23.2% in the 1st quarter. Sequoia Financial Advisors LLC now owns 7,493 shares of the companys stock worth $343,000 after purchasing an additional 1,412 shares during the last quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. boosted its stake in Carrier Global by 22.7% in the 1st quarter. Candriam Luxembourg S.C.A. now owns 65,241 shares of the companys stock worth $2,992,000 after purchasing an additional 12,089 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its stake in Carrier Global by 10.6% during the 1st quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 786,543 shares of the companys stock valued at $36,078,000 after purchasing an additional 75,622 shares in the last quarter. 91.47% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Carrier Global Trading Up 0.7 %

Shares of NYSE:CARR traded up $0.40 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $57.50. 1,006,212 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,937,718. 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 business has a fifty day moving average price of $55.86 and a 200-day moving average price of $54.49. Carrier Global Co. has a 1 year low of $40.28 and a 1 year high of $60.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $51.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.34, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.40 and a beta of 1.39.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Carrier Global ( NYSE:CARR Get Free Report ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, February 6th. The company reported $0.53 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.51 by $0.02. Carrier Global had a return on equity of 27.19% and a net margin of 6.10%. The business had revenue of $5.10 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.22 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.40 EPS. Carrier Globals revenue was down .1% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts expect that Carrier Global Co. will post 2.81 earnings per share for the current year.

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on CARR shares. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Carrier Global from $52.00 to $56.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Wells Fargo & Company cut 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 lowered their target price on Carrier Global from $63.00 to $60.00 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 7th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Carrier Global has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $58.29.

Get Our Latest Analysis on CARR

Insider Buying and Selling at Carrier Global

In other news, VP Kevin J. Oconnor sold 26,551 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.77, for a total transaction of $1,427,647.27. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 66,083 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,553,282.91. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at 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 shares were 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 owns 66,083 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $3,553,282.91. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO David L. Gitlin sold 354,539 shares of Carrier Global stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.16, for a total value of $19,201,832.24. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 422,808 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,899,281.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 6.95% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Carrier Global Profile

(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.

Further Reading

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Inhibitor Therapeutics (OTCMKTS:INTI  Get Free Report) and Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO  Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, risk, dividends, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations and earnings.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Inhibitor Therapeutics and Novo Nordisk A/S, as provided by MarketBeat.

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Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Inhibitor Therapeutics 0 0 0 0 N/A Novo Nordisk A/S 0 2 6 0 2.75

Novo Nordisk A/S has a consensus target price of $121.25, suggesting a potential downside of 8.76%. Given Novo Nordisk A/Ss higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Novo Nordisk A/S is more favorable than Inhibitor Therapeutics.

Volatility and Risk

Insider & Institutional Ownership

Inhibitor Therapeutics has a beta of -0.81, indicating that its stock price is 181% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Novo Nordisk A/S has a beta of 0.41, indicating that its stock price is 59% less volatile than the S&P 500.

6.4% of Novo Nordisk A/S shares are owned by institutional investors. 4.6% of Inhibitor Therapeutics shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.1% of Novo Nordisk A/S shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Inhibitor Therapeutics and Novo Nordisk A/Ss net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Inhibitor Therapeutics N/A 141.81% 98.65% Novo Nordisk A/S 36.03% 90.36% 29.18%

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Inhibitor Therapeutics and Novo Nordisk A/Ss revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Inhibitor Therapeutics N/A N/A $12.11 million N/A N/A Novo Nordisk A/S $33.71 billion 17.69 $12.15 billion $2.71 49.13

Novo Nordisk A/S has higher revenue and earnings than Inhibitor Therapeutics.

Summary

Novo Nordisk A/S beats Inhibitor Therapeutics on 7 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Inhibitor Therapeutics

(Get Free Report)

Inhibitor Therapeutics, Inc., a pharmaceutical development company, develops and commercializes therapeutics for patients with certain cancers and non-cancerous proliferation disorders in the United States. The company engages in the development of therapies for prostate and lung cancer utilizing SUBA-Itraconazole, an oral formulation of the drug itraconazole; and conducted a positive Phase 2b study of SUBA-Itraconazole for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma nevus syndrome. The company was formerly known as HedgePath Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and changed its name to Inhibitor Therapeutics, Inc. in August 2019. Inhibitor Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is based in Tampa, Florida.

About Novo Nordisk A/S

(Get 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. The Diabetes and Obesity care segment provides products for diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular, and other emerging therapy areas. The Rare Disease segment offers products in the areas of rare blood disorders, rare endocrine disorders, and hormone replacement therapy. The company also provides insulin pens, growth hormone pens, and injection needles. In addition, it offers smart solutions for diabetes treatment, such as smart insulin pens and Dose Check, an insulin dose guidance application. The company has a collaboration agreement with Aspen Pharmaceuticals to produce insulin products. Novo Nordisk A/S was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Bagsvaerd, Denmark.

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DMC Group LLC trimmed its stake in Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT  Free Report) by 26.1% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 4,019 shares of the healthcare product makers stock after selling 1,416 shares during the quarter. DMC Group LLCs holdings in Abbott Laboratories were worth $442,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of ABT. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in Abbott Laboratories by 1.2% during the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 137,153,545 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $14,952,480,000 after buying an additional 1,584,552 shares during the last quarter. Capital Research Global Investors increased its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 77,225,258 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $8,419,032,000 after purchasing an additional 820,369 shares during the period. State Street Corp increased its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 1.9% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 74,817,109 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $8,156,561,000 after purchasing an additional 1,362,889 shares during the period. Capital International Investors increased its holdings in Abbott Laboratories by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 59,178,607 shares of the healthcare product makers stock worth $6,451,127,000 after purchasing an additional 2,747,652 shares during the period. Finally, Morgan Stanley boosted its position in Abbott Laboratories by 14.3% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 38,966,499 shares of the healthcare product makers stock valued at $4,278,132,000 after acquiring an additional 4,886,954 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.70% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on ABT shares. TheStreet raised Abbott Laboratories from a c+ rating to a b- rating in a research report on Thursday, December 21st. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $128.00 price target on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $116.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 13th. Raymond James lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $124.00 to $127.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, Barclays lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $133.00 to $141.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $120.00.

Abbott Laboratories Price Performance

Shares of Abbott Laboratories stock traded up $1.57 on Tuesday, hitting $114.01. 2,729,822 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,447,182. The stock has a market capitalization of $197.83 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.49, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.75. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $115.42 and a 200 day moving average price of $105.96. Abbott Laboratories has a 1-year low of $89.67 and a 1-year high of $121.64. 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 (NYSE:ABT  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 24th. The healthcare product maker reported $1.19 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts consensus estimates of $1.19. Abbott Laboratories had a return on equity of 20.65% and a net margin of 14.27%. The firm had revenue of $10.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $10.19 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.03 earnings per share. The firms quarterly revenue was up 1.5% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Abbott Laboratories will post 4.62 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Abbott Laboratories Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced 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. This represents a $2.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.93%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, April 12th. Abbott Laboratoriess payout ratio is 67.48%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Abbott Laboratories

In other Abbott Laboratories news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total value of $4,781,250.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, EVP Andrea F. Wainer sold 42,500 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $112.50, for a total transaction of $4,781,250.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 65,027 shares of the companys stock, valued at $7,315,537.50. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Daniel Gesua Sive Salvadori sold 963 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.50, for a total value of $114,115.50. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 125,697 shares in the company, valued at approximately $14,895,094.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 56,435 shares of company stock valued at $6,451,298 over the last quarter. 1.10% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.

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StockNews.com downgraded shares of Easterly Government Properties (NYSE:DEA  Free Report) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note published on Friday morning.

Easterly Government Properties Stock Performance

Easterly Government Properties stock opened at $11.30 on Friday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $12.16 and a 200 day simple moving average of $12.12. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 59.45 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a quick ratio of 4.65, a current ratio of 4.65 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. Easterly Government Properties has a 12-month low of $10.27 and a 12-month high of $15.21.

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Easterly Government Properties Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 18th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 6th were issued a $0.265 dividend. This represents a $1.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 9.38%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, March 5th. Easterly Government Propertiess dividend payout ratio is currently 557.92%.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Easterly Government Properties

Easterly Government Properties Company Profile

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in DEA. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC boosted its stake in shares of Easterly Government Properties by 102.3% in the 4th quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 2,023 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 1,023 shares during the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. bought a new position in Easterly Government Properties in the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV grew its holdings in Easterly Government Properties by 2,550.6% during the 4th quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 2,200 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 2,117 shares during the period. Point72 Middle East FZE bought a new stake in shares of Easterly Government Properties during the 4th quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in shares of Easterly Government Properties by 137.3% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,684 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 1,553 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.68% of the companys stock.

(Get Free Report)

Easterly Government Properties, Inc (NYSE: DEA) is based in Washington, DC, and focuses primarily on the acquisition, development and management of Class A commercial properties that are leased to the U.S. Government. Easterly's experienced management team brings specialized insight into the strategy and needs of mission-critical U.S.

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Grassi Investment Management lessened its holdings in shares of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX  Free Report) by 1.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 83,550 shares of the natural resource companys stock after selling 1,500 shares during the quarter. Grassi Investment Managements holdings in Freeport-McMoRan were worth $3,557,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in FCX. CM Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 80.0% during the 3rd quarter. CM Management LLC now owns 36,000 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $1,342,000 after acquiring an additional 16,000 shares during the last quarter. Ion Asset Management Ltd. boosted its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 72.7% during the 2nd quarter. Ion Asset Management Ltd. now owns 504,000 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $20,160,000 after acquiring an additional 212,100 shares during the last quarter. PointState Capital LP boosted its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 171.9% during the 2nd quarter. PointState Capital LP now owns 1,439,447 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $57,578,000 after acquiring an additional 910,004 shares during the last quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 1.4% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 7,508,085 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $279,977,000 after acquiring an additional 102,466 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd boosted its position in shares of Freeport-McMoRan by 57.4% during the 3rd quarter. Alphinity Investment Management Pty Ltd now owns 5,391,230 shares of the natural resource companys stock valued at $201,039,000 after acquiring an additional 1,965,987 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 77.96% of the companys stock.

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Freeport-McMoRan Stock Down 0.3 %

Shares of FCX stock traded down $0.12 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $44.36. 6,945,532 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 12,683,024. The businesss fifty day moving average is $39.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $38.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.42 and a quick ratio of 1.38. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. has a 12-month low of $32.83 and a 12-month high of $45.47. The firm has a market capitalization of $63.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.02 and a beta of 2.02.

Freeport-McMoRan Announces Dividend

Freeport-McMoRan ( NYSE:FCX Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The natural resource company reported $0.27 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $0.23 by $0.04. Freeport-McMoRan had a net margin of 8.09% and a return on equity of 8.41%. The firm had revenue of $5.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.85 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.52 earnings per share. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 2.6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts expect that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. will post 1.52 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 1st. Investors of record on Friday, January 12th were paid a dividend of $0.15 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, January 11th. This represents a $0.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.35%. Freeport-McMoRans payout ratio is 23.62%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently issued reports on FCX. Royal Bank of Canada restated a sector perform rating and issued a $55.00 price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Raymond James boosted their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $42.00 to $43.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, January 4th. Eight Capital set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. Sanford C. Bernstein upgraded shares of Freeport-McMoRan from a market perform rating to an outperform rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $41.00 to $48.50 in a report on Monday, January 8th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $42.00 to $41.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $44.95.

Read Our Latest Analysis on FCX

Freeport-McMoRan Profile

(Free Report)

Freeport-McMoRan Inc engages in the mining of mineral properties in North America, South America, and Indonesia. It primarily explores for copper, gold, molybdenum, silver, and other metals. The company's assets include the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia; Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita, and Miami in Arizona; Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico; and Henderson and Climax in Colorado, North America, as well as Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile.

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Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC decreased its stake in Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF (NYSEARCA:RODM  Free Report) by 39.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 153,048 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after selling 98,238 shares during the period. Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF makes up 0.7% of Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLCs portfolio, making the stock its 23rd biggest position. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC owned 0.26% of Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF worth $4,197,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of RODM. Cerity Partners LLC bought a new position in Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $177,860,000. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. boosted its holdings in Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF by 1.1% in the third quarter. Avantax Advisory Services Inc. now owns 5,894,027 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $151,182,000 after purchasing an additional 66,826 shares during the period. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF by 6.5% in the 1st quarter. Mill Creek Capital Advisors LLC now owns 5,646,185 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $148,664,000 after buying an additional 345,619 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF by 8.8% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 4,747,084 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $117,680,000 after buying an additional 382,614 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in shares of Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF by 6.4% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 2,995,853 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $78,881,000 after purchasing an additional 181,355 shares during the last quarter.

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Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF Trading Up 0.4 %

NYSEARCA:RODM traded up $0.11 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $27.80. The stock had a trading volume of 100,471 shares, compared to its average volume of 412,370. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.62 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.08 and a beta of 0.79. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $27.25 and a 200-day simple moving average of $26.51. Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets has a 52 week low of $24.34 and a 52 week high of $28.07.

Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF Profile

Direct Markets Holdings Corp., formerly Rodman & Renshaw Capital Group, Inc, is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, it is engaged in the investment banking business. The Companys principal operating subsidiary is Rodman & Renshaw, LLC (R&R). It is an investment bank, which provides corporate finance, strategic advisory and related services to public and private companies across multiple sectors and regions.

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Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of APi Group (NYSE:APG  Free Report) in a research note issued to investors on Friday morning, MarketBeat reports. The brokerage issued a buy rating and a $48.00 price objective on the stock.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on APG. TheStreet downgraded APi Group from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Barclays increased their price target on APi Group from $37.00 to $44.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. Citigroup increased their price target on APi Group from $36.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Monday, March 4th. UBS Group increased their price target on APi Group from $40.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, March 5th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on APi Group from $31.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Wednesday, March 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $40.43.

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APi Group Trading Down 0.7 %

Shares of APG stock opened at $37.78 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.12, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.35. The company has a market cap of $9.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -49.71, a PEG ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.63. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $34.57 and a 200-day simple moving average of $30.74. APi Group has a 1-year low of $20.43 and a 1-year high of $39.94.

APi Group (NYSE:APG  Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The company reported $0.44 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.43 by $0.01. APi Group had a return on equity of 20.24% and a net margin of 2.21%. The business had revenue of $1.76 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.76 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.36 EPS. The businesss quarterly revenue was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that APi Group will post 1.86 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at APi Group

In related news, CFO Kevin Krumm sold 5,585 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.72, for a total transaction of $199,496.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 34,180 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,220,909.60. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other APi Group news, Director James E. Lillie sold 125,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.38, for a total value of $4,797,500.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 5,455,411 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $209,378,674.18. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Kevin Krumm sold 5,585 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.72, for a total value of $199,496.20. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 34,180 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,220,909.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 16.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On APi Group

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Jag Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of APi Group by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Jag Capital Management LLC now owns 9,521 shares of the companys stock worth $329,000 after acquiring an additional 301 shares in the last quarter. Xponance Inc. raised its position in shares of APi Group by 2.9% during the 4th quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 12,738 shares of the companys stock worth $441,000 after acquiring an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in shares of APi Group by 43.8% during the 4th quarter. Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 1,280 shares of the companys stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 390 shares in the last quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund raised its position in shares of APi Group by 0.3% during the 4th quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 141,734 shares of the companys stock worth $4,904,000 after acquiring an additional 466 shares in the last quarter. Finally, LPL Financial LLC raised its position in shares of APi Group by 1.6% during the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 34,035 shares of the companys stock worth $928,000 after acquiring an additional 550 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.44% of the companys stock.

APi Group Company Profile

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APi Group Corporation provides safety and specialty services worldwide. It operates through Safety Services and Specialty Services segments. The Safety Services segment offers solutions focusing on end-to-end integrated occupancy systems, such as fire protection services; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning solutions; and entry systems, which include the design, installation, inspection, and service of these integrated systems.

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KB Home (NYSE:KBH  Get Free Report) is scheduled to be releasing its earnings data after the market closes on Wednesday, March 20th. Analysts expect KB Home to post earnings of $1.56 per share for the quarter. Investors interested in registering for the companys conference call can do so using this link.

KB Home (NYSE:KBH  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 10th. The construction company reported $1.85 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.70 by $0.15. KB Home had a net margin of 9.21% and a return on equity of 15.63%. The business had revenue of $1.67 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.63 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.47 EPS. The firms revenue was down 13.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect KB Home to post $8 EPS for the current fiscal year and $8 EPS for the next fiscal year.

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KB Home Stock Down 1.3 %

Shares of NYSE:KBH opened at $67.04 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $5.07 billion, a PE ratio of 9.52, a PEG ratio of 0.81 and a beta of 1.73. The companys 50 day moving average price is $63.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $55.60. KB Home has a 12-month low of $35.26 and a 12-month high of $70.91.

KB Home Announces Dividend

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 22nd. Investors of record on Thursday, February 8th were given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.19%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 7th. KB Homes payout ratio is currently 11.36%.

Several research firms have issued reports on KBH. Wedbush upped their target price on shares of KB Home from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, January 11th. Raymond James lifted their target price on KB Home from $61.00 to $70.00 and gave the company an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on KB Home from $55.00 to $61.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered KB Home from a hold rating to a sell rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $55.00 to $46.00 in a report on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their target price on KB Home from $67.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and five have given 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 $58.18.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on KB Home

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Jeffrey T. Mezger sold 165,307 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.40, for a total transaction of $9,819,235.80. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 1,491,298 shares of the companys stock, valued at $88,583,101.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. In other KB Home news, CEO Jeffrey T. Mezger sold 165,307 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.40, for a total transaction of $9,819,235.80. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 1,491,298 shares in the company, valued at approximately $88,583,101.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Brian J. Woram sold 10,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $59.55, for a total transaction of $595,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 156,119 shares in the company, valued at $9,296,886.45. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 373,635 shares of company stock valued at $22,400,005 over the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 4.44% of the companys stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On KB Home

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of KBH. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in KB Home by 1.4% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,970,899 shares of the construction companys stock worth $258,098,000 after acquiring an additional 108,191 shares in the last quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. grew its stake in KB Home by 2.2% during the 2nd quarter. Macquarie Group Ltd. now owns 3,980,992 shares of the construction companys stock worth $113,299,000 after buying an additional 85,582 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp grew its stake in shares of KB Home by 0.3% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,793,847 shares of the construction companys stock worth $112,257,000 after purchasing an additional 7,935 shares in the last quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. grew its stake in shares of KB Home by 125.5% in the first quarter. Fuller & Thaler Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,077,861 shares of the construction companys stock worth $67,281,000 after purchasing an additional 1,156,233 shares in the last quarter. Finally, AQR Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of KB Home by 16.1% in the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,668,451 shares of the construction companys stock worth $66,504,000 after purchasing an additional 231,859 shares in the last quarter. 91.27% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About KB Home

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KB Home operates as a homebuilding company in the United States. It operates through four segments: West Coast, Southwest, Central, and Southeast. It builds and sells various homes, including attached and detached single-family residential homes, townhomes, and condominiums primarily for first-time, first move-up, second move-up, and active adult homebuyers.

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The CEO of United Airlines says that a slew of recent incidents ranging from a panel that fell off a plane to another jet losing a wheel on takeoff will cause the airline to review its safety training for employees.

CEO Scott Kirby said the airline was already planning an extra day of training for pilots starting in May and changes in training curriculum for newly hired mechanics.

In a memo to customers on Monday, Kirby tried to reassure travelers that safety is the airlines top priority.

Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety, he said. While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus.

Kirby said the airline is reviewing each recent incident and will use what it learns to inform safety training and procedures. He did not give any details beyond measures that he said were already being planned, such as the extra day of training for pilots.

Some of the recent incidents might not normally attract much attention but have gained more news coverage and clicks on social media because of their sheer number affecting one airline in a short period of time. Also, there is heightened concern about air safety since a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max at 16,000 feet above Oregon; investigators say bolts securing the panel were missing.

In the most recent incident, a chunk of fuselage skin fell off the belly of a United jet on Friday. The Boeing 737-800 was built in 1998.

Also last week, a United flight from Dallas to San Francisco suffered a hydraulic leak, and another flight bound for San Francisco returned to Australia two hours after takeoff because of an undescribed maintenance issue.

Earlier this month, a United flight returned to Houston after an engine caught fire, and a tire fell off a United Boeing 777 during takeoff in San Francisco.

United planes have even had mishaps while on the ground. On March 8, a jet landing in Houston rolled off an airport taxiway in Houston and got stuck in grass. Workers had to haul out moveable stairs to help passengers exit the plane.

There were no injuries in any of the incidents, some of which are under investigation by federal officials.

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Kwmg LLC reduced its position in NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NRG  Free Report) by 5.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 117,659 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 7,390 shares during the period. Kwmg LLC owned about 0.05% of NRG Energy worth $6,083,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. acquired a new stake in shares of NRG Energy during the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new stake in NRG Energy during the 2nd quarter worth $37,000. Authentikos Wealth Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in NRG Energy during the 3rd quarter worth $41,000. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its position in NRG Energy by 4,030.0% during the 4th quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,239 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $39,000 after purchasing an additional 1,209 shares during the period. Finally, Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in NRG Energy by 362.5% during the 4th quarter. Industrial Alliance Investment Management Inc. now owns 1,355 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $43,000 after purchasing an additional 1,062 shares during the period. 97.72% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Buying and Selling at NRG Energy

In other NRG Energy news, VP Rasesh M. Patel sold 49,092 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.59, for a total value of $3,072,668.28. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 356,962 shares in the company, valued at $22,342,251.58. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. 0.86% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on NRG shares. StockNews.com raised shares of NRG Energy from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 6th. TheStreet raised shares of NRG Energy from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research report on Friday, December 29th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of NRG Energy from $58.00 to $59.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of NRG Energy from $65.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price target on shares of NRG Energy from $55.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock an in-line rating in a research report on Monday. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $55.88.

View Our Latest Report on NRG Energy

NRG Energy Stock Performance

NRG traded up $1.80 on Tuesday, hitting $66.80. 3,615,391 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,681,341. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $54.62 and a two-hundred day moving average of $47.86. NRG Energy, Inc. has a twelve month low of $30.50 and a twelve month high of $66.95. The firm has a market cap of $13.90 billion, a PE ratio of -62.14, a P/E/G ratio of 0.30 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.49.

NRG Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 15th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 1st were paid a $0.4075 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, January 31st. This represents a $1.63 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.44%. This is a positive change from NRG Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. NRG Energys dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -152.34%.

NRG Energy Company Profile

(Free Report)

NRG Energy, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy and home services company in the United States and Canada. It operates through Texas; East; West/Services/Other; Vivint Smart Home; and Corporate Activities segments. The company produces and sells electricity generated using coal, oil, solar, and battery storage; natural gas; and a cloud-based home platform, including hardware, software, sales, installation, customer service, technical support, and professional monitoring solutions.

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Kwmg LLC reduced its position in shares of Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT  Free Report) by 3.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 84,964 shares of the aerospace companys stock after selling 3,083 shares during the quarter. Kwmg LLCs holdings in Textron were worth $6,833,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Raymond James Trust N.A. purchased a new position in Textron during the 4th quarter worth $252,000. Wedmont Private Capital grew its stake in Textron by 3.7% during the 4th quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 6,129 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $483,000 after buying an additional 218 shares during the last quarter. First Hawaiian Bank purchased a new position in Textron during the 4th quarter worth $456,000. Channel Wealth LLC purchased a new position in Textron during the 4th quarter worth $257,000. Finally, Capital Market Strategies LLC grew its stake in Textron by 7.7% during the 4th quarter. Capital Market Strategies LLC now owns 6,305 shares of the aerospace companys stock worth $507,000 after buying an additional 450 shares during the last quarter. 85.92% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analysts Set New Price Targets

TXT has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Citigroup boosted their target price on Textron from $102.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Bank of America raised Textron from a neutral rating to a buy rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $85.00 to $105.00 in a research report on Friday, March 8th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Textron from $84.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 20th. UBS Group lifted their price target on Textron from $77.00 to $81.00 and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Textron from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Textron has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $90.00.

Textron Trading Up 0.5 %

NYSE:TXT traded up $0.51 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $93.63. 456,093 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,179,410. The company has a market capitalization of $18.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.37, a PEG ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 1.29. The company has a quick ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. Textron Inc. has a twelve month low of $61.27 and a twelve month high of $94.22. The business has a 50-day moving average of $85.74 and a two-hundred day moving average of $80.46.

Textron (NYSE:TXT  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 24th. The aerospace company reported $1.60 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.53 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $3.89 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.97 billion. Textron had a net margin of 6.73% and a return on equity of 16.05%. The firms quarterly revenue was up 7.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.07 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Textron Inc. will post 6.27 EPS for the current year.

Textron Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 1st. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.02 per share. This represents a $0.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.09%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. Textrons dividend payout ratio is presently 1.75%.

Textron Profile

(Free Report)

Textron Inc operates in the aircraft, defense, industrial, and finance businesses worldwide. It operates through six segments: Textron Aviation, Bell, Textron Systems, Industrial, Textron eAviation, and Finance. The Textron Aviation segment manufactures, sells, and services business jets, turboprop and piston engine aircraft, and military trainer and defense aircraft; and offers maintenance, inspection, and repair services, as well as sells commercial parts.

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Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. (NYSE:LAAC  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest during the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 12,180,000 shares, an increase of 9.1% from the February 14th total of 11,160,000 shares. Currently, 10.1% of the companys shares are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 1,780,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 6.8 days.

Lithium Americas (Argentina) Price Performance

Lithium Americas (Argentina) stock traded up $0.16 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $4.89. 598,510 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,767,182. Lithium Americas has a 1 year low of $3.84 and a 1 year high of $8.79. The stock has a market cap of $786.17 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.59 and a beta of 1.31. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, a quick ratio of 12.43 and a current ratio of 12.43. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $4.69.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Scotiabank lowered shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Stifel Nicolaus set a $18.50 target price on shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) in a report on Tuesday, November 28th. BMO Capital Markets reduced their target price on shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) from $7.50 to $7.00 and set a market perform rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) from a buy rating to a hold rating and reduced their target price for the company from $9.00 to $6.50 in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $11.20.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lithium Americas (Argentina)

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. FIFTHDELTA Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) in the 4th quarter worth about $32,598,000. Vanguard Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter valued at about $22,367,000. Van ECK Associates Corp bought a new stake in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter valued at about $15,763,000. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. bought a new stake in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter valued at about $15,303,000. Finally, CenterBook Partners LP bought a new stake in shares of Lithium Americas (Argentina) during the 4th quarter valued at about $6,877,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 27.28% of the companys stock.

About Lithium Americas (Argentina)

(Get Free Report)

Lithium Americas (Argentina) Corp. operates as a resource company. The company explores for lithium deposits. The company owns interests in the Cauchari-Olaroz project located in Jujuy province of Argentina. It also has a pipeline of development and exploration stage projects, including the Pastos Grandes project and the Sal de la Puna project located in Salta Province in northwestern Argentina.

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DMC Group LLC increased its holdings in shares of Meritage Homes Co. (NYSE:MTH  Free Report) by 31.1% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 2,454 shares of the construction companys stock after acquiring an additional 582 shares during the quarter. DMC Group LLCs holdings in Meritage Homes were worth $427,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Hollencrest Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Meritage Homes in the first quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Carmel Capital Partners LLC bought a new position in shares of Meritage Homes in the third quarter valued at approximately $38,000. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new position in shares of Meritage Homes in the first quarter valued at approximately $48,000. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. boosted its holdings in Meritage Homes by 339.8% during the third quarter. Ronald Blue Trust Inc. now owns 431 shares of the construction companys stock worth $53,000 after buying an additional 333 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Covestor Ltd boosted its holdings in Meritage Homes by 108.3% during the first quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,337 shares of the construction companys stock worth $106,000 after buying an additional 695 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 99.48% of the companys stock.

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Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO Alison Sasser sold 231 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.99, for a total value of $35,340.69. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now owns 1,859 shares in the company, valued at approximately $284,408.41. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other news, CAO Alison Sasser sold 231 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.99, for a total transaction of $35,340.69. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 1,859 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $284,408.41. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Phillippe Lord sold 2,500 shares of Meritage Homes stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $162.79, for a total transaction of $406,975.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 100,266 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,322,302.14. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 3,998 shares of company stock worth $635,171 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 1.80% of the companys stock.

Meritage Homes Stock Performance

NYSE MTH traded up $1.37 on Tuesday, hitting $156.80. 82,318 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 427,182. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 1.77 and a quick ratio of 1.77. The businesss fifty day moving average is $160.28 and its 200 day moving average is $146.14. Meritage Homes Co. has a 52 week low of $108.98 and a 52 week high of $179.68. The company has a market capitalization of $5.67 billion, a PE ratio of 7.80 and a beta of 1.76.

Meritage Homes (NYSE:MTH  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The construction company reported $5.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $5.18 by $0.20. Meritage Homes had a net margin of 12.03% and a return on equity of 17.03%. The company had revenue of $1.65 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.52 billion. Research analysts anticipate that Meritage Homes Co. will post 17.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Meritage Homes Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Investors of record on Friday, March 15th will be paid a $0.75 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This is an increase from Meritage Homess previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. This represents a $3.00 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.91%. Meritage Homess dividend payout ratio is 15.06%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Wedbush restated a neutral rating and set a $170.00 target price on shares of Meritage Homes in a report on Thursday, February 1st. Zelman & Associates upgraded shares of Meritage Homes from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a report on Monday, February 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price target on shares of Meritage Homes from $151.00 to $182.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Meritage Homes from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Seaport Res Ptn lowered shares of Meritage Homes from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, January 22nd. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $180.00.

Read Our Latest Report on Meritage Homes

Meritage Homes Company Profile

(Free Report)

Meritage Homes Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs and builds single-family attached and detached homes in the United States. The company operates through two segments, Homebuilding and Financial Services. It acquires and develops land; and constructs, markets, and sells homes for entry-level and first move-up buyers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

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Raymond James Trust N.A. decreased its stake in shares of NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE  Free Report) by 0.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 214,347 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 1,097 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A.s holdings in NextEra Energy were worth $13,019,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC acquired a new stake in NextEra Energy during the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Country Trust Bank increased its holdings in shares of NextEra Energy by 975.6% in the third quarter. Country Trust Bank now owns 441 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $25,000 after buying an additional 400 shares in the last quarter. West Tower Group LLC bought a new position in shares of NextEra Energy in the second quarter valued at $36,000. GeoWealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of NextEra Energy by 124.1% in the first quarter. GeoWealth Management LLC now owns 549 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $42,000 after buying an additional 304 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alaska Permanent Fund Corp increased its holdings in shares of NextEra Energy by 59.8% in the third quarter. Alaska Permanent Fund Corp now owns 556 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 208 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 76.48% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed an outperform rating and issued a $74.00 price target on shares of NextEra Energy in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on NextEra Energy from $84.00 to $85.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday. Mizuho reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $67.00 price target (up previously from $65.00) on shares of NextEra Energy in a report on Friday. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on NextEra Energy from $79.00 to $76.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, November 21st. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on NextEra Energy from $65.00 to $67.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Wednesday, November 29th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $72.46.

NextEra Energy Stock Up 1.2 %

Shares of NextEra Energy stock traded up $0.72 on Tuesday, hitting $60.89. 4,703,406 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 11,764,209. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $57.66 and a 200 day moving average price of $58.78. The company has a quick ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 12-month low of $47.15 and a 12-month high of $79.78. The company has a market cap of $124.97 billion, a PE ratio of 16.67, a PEG ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 0.50.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The utilities provider reported $0.52 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.49 by $0.03. NextEra Energy had a net margin of 26.00% and a return on equity of 11.73%. The business had revenue of $6.88 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $5.72 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.51 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that NextEra Energy, Inc. will post 3.44 earnings per share for the current year.

NextEra Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 27th were issued a $0.515 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 26th. This is a boost from NextEra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.47. This represents a $2.06 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.38%. NextEra Energys dividend payout ratio is currently 57.06%.

About NextEra Energy

(Free Report)

NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear,natural gas, and other clean energy. It also develops, constructs, and operates long-term contracted assets that consists of clean energy solutions, such as renewable generation facilities, battery storage projects, and electric transmission facilities; sells energy commodities; and owns, develops, constructs, manages and operates electric generation facilities in wholesale energy markets.

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Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU  Get Free Report) shares hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday . The stock traded as high as $11.80 and last traded at $11.77, with a volume of 9530918 shares. The stock had previously closed at $11.79.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have commented on NU shares. Susquehanna upped their price objective on NU from $11.00 to $12.00 and gave the company a positive rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. UBS Group increased their price target on NU from $10.50 to $11.50 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded NU from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research note on Friday, March 8th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $9.67.

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NU Trading Up 0.2 %

The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $10.08 and a 200 day simple moving average of $8.66. The company has a current ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $55.45 billion, a PE ratio of 55.72, a P/E/G ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 1.07.

NU (NYSE:NU  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported $0.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $0.09 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $2.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $2.39 billion. NU had a return on equity of 20.02% and a net margin of 12.84%. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.03 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Nu Holdings Ltd. will post 0.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On NU

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of NU. Capital Research Global Investors grew its holdings in NU by 20.7% during the 4th quarter. Capital Research Global Investors now owns 175,197,344 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,459,403,000 after buying an additional 30,002,685 shares during the last quarter. Sands Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in NU by 92.7% during the 4th quarter. Sands Capital Management LLC now owns 85,220,661 shares of the companys stock valued at $709,888,000 after buying an additional 40,992,413 shares during the last quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership grew its holdings in NU by 6.6% during the 3rd quarter. Artisan Partners Limited Partnership now owns 75,703,469 shares of the companys stock valued at $548,850,000 after buying an additional 4,672,092 shares during the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in NU by 31.6% during the 1st quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 72,973,414 shares of the companys stock valued at $347,353,000 after buying an additional 17,525,819 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jennison Associates LLC grew its holdings in NU by 160.9% during the 4th quarter. Jennison Associates LLC now owns 65,813,072 shares of the companys stock valued at $548,223,000 after buying an additional 40,584,189 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 53.73% of the companys stock.

NU Company Profile

(Get 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.

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Shira Ridge Wealth Management boosted its holdings in iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:TFLO  Free Report) by 7.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,456 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 488 shares during the quarter. Shira Ridge Wealth Managements holdings in iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF were worth $376,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Aspire Private Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $436,000. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in shares of iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF by 4,583.3% during the 3rd quarter. Financial Gravity Asset Management Inc. now owns 693,124 shares of the companys stock worth $35,169,000 after acquiring an additional 678,324 shares in the last quarter. Raleigh Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $185,000. Cary Street Partners Investment Advisory LLC purchased a new stake in shares of iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $160,000. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised its holdings in shares of iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF by 27.0% during the 3rd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 1,138,668 shares of the companys stock worth $57,775,000 after acquiring an additional 242,136 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF Stock Up 0.0 %

Shares of TFLO traded up $0.02 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $50.62. 1,041,754 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,439,066. iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF has a 52-week low of $50.37 and a 52-week high of $50.76. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $50.59 and a two-hundred day moving average of $50.59.

iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF Company Profile

The iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF (TFLO) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in investment grade fixed income. The iShares Treasury Floating Rate Bond ETF seeks to track the investment results of an index composed of U.S. Treasury floating rate bonds. TFLO was launched on Feb 3, 2014 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Coterra Energy Inc. (NYSE:CTRA  Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 18,380,000 shares, a decrease of 7.1% from the February 14th total of 19,790,000 shares. Currently, 2.5% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 6,970,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.6 days.

Coterra Energy Stock Up 1.8 %

Shares of NYSE:CTRA traded up $0.47 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $27.02. 4,963,376 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,157,808. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 1.18 and a current ratio of 1.21. The company has a market cap of $20.35 billion, a PE ratio of 12.41, a P/E/G ratio of 0.22 and a beta of 0.20. The firms fifty day moving average price is $25.33 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $26.34. Coterra Energy has a twelve month low of $22.66 and a twelve month high of $29.89.

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Coterra Energy (NYSE:CTRA  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported $0.49 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.55 by ($0.06). Coterra Energy had a net margin of 27.48% and a return on equity of 12.97%. The business had revenue of $1.60 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.54 billion. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Coterra Energy will post 2.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Coterra Energy Increases Dividend

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 14th will be issued a $0.21 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 13th. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.11%. This is a positive change from Coterra Energys previous quarterly dividend of $0.20. Coterra Energys payout ratio is currently 39.25%.

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Bank of America raised shares of Coterra Energy from a neutral rating to a buy rating and set a $31.00 target price for the company in a report on Friday, January 5th. Susquehanna raised shares of Coterra Energy from a neutral rating to a positive rating and dropped their target price for the company from $31.00 to $30.00 in a report on Friday, January 26th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their target price on shares of Coterra Energy from $37.00 to $33.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, January 23rd. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Coterra Energy from $31.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, March 1st. Finally, Stephens reiterated an overweight rating and issued a $39.00 price target on shares of Coterra Energy in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $32.62.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on CTRA

Insider Buying and Selling at Coterra Energy

In other news, VP Michael D. Deshazer sold 14,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.06, for a total value of $364,840.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 93,988 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,449,327.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 1.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Coterra Energy

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CTRA. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Coterra Energy in the 1st quarter worth about $1,267,000. D.A. Davidson & CO. bought a new stake in shares of Coterra Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $305,000. Yousif Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Coterra Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $3,011,000. Raymond James Trust N.A. bought a new stake in shares of Coterra Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $400,000. Finally, BRITISH COLUMBIA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Corp bought a new stake in shares of Coterra Energy during the 1st quarter valued at about $3,218,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.54% of the companys stock.

Coterra Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Coterra Energy Inc, an independent oil and gas company, engages in the development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company's properties include the Marcellus Shale with approximately 186,000 net acres in the dry gas window of the play located in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania; Permian Basin properties with approximately 296,000 net acres located in west Texas and southeast New Mexico; and Anadarko Basin properties with approximately 182,000 net acres located in Oklahoma.

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TruWealth Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in shares of Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 7.5% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,444 shares of the companys stock after selling 197 shares during the period. TruWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $230,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in PM. Headlands Technologies LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International during the third quarter worth $27,000. PCA Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in shares of Philip Morris International in the 2nd quarter worth $27,000. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Philip Morris International during the 3rd quarter valued at $36,000. Legacy Financial Group LLC bought a new position in Philip Morris International in the third quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, VitalStone Financial LLC lifted its position in Philip Morris International by 950.0% in the 2nd quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC now owns 420 shares of the companys stock worth $41,000 after buying an additional 380 shares during the last quarter. 79.70% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at Philip Morris International

In other Philip Morris International news, insider Werner Barth sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.46, for a total value of $457,300.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 102,918 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,412,880.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other news, VP Reginaldo Dobrowolski sold 2,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.69, for a total transaction of $181,380.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 9,726 shares of the companys stock, valued at $882,050.94. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Werner Barth sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $91.46, for a total value of $457,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 102,918 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $9,412,880.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.15% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Philip Morris International Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:PM opened at $95.34 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $148.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.99, a PEG ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.61. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $91.90 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $92.57. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52-week low of $87.23 and a 52-week high of $101.92.

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $1.44 by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $8.99 billion. Philip Morris International had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 116.29%. The companys quarterly revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.39 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Philip Morris International Dividend Announcement

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 9th. Investors of record on Thursday, March 21st will be given a $1.30 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 20th. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.45%. Philip Morris Internationals dividend payout ratio is currently 103.59%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently commented on PM. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. UBS Group downgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a sell rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $105.00 to $86.50 in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Societe Generale raised shares of Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $87.50 price target for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, Argus restated a hold rating on shares of Philip Morris International in a research report on Tuesday, March 5th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $105.40.

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About Philip Morris International

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Handelsinvest Investeringsforvaltning decreased its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 18.6% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 5,160 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after selling 1,181 shares during the quarter. UnitedHealth Group makes up about 1.1% of Handelsinvest Investeringsforvaltnings holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest position. Handelsinvest Investeringsforvaltnings holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $2,717,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the company. Robbins Farley bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. NewSquare Capital LLC boosted its holdings in UnitedHealth Group by 340.0% in the 3rd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 66 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares during the period. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter valued at $35,000. Annapolis Financial Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 38.6% during the 3rd quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 79 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $40,000 after acquiring an additional 22 shares during the period. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new position in shares of UnitedHealth Group during the 2nd quarter worth about $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.69% of the companys stock.

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UnitedHealth Group Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE UNH traded up $5.44 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $492.49. 1,438,290 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,191,492. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $508.35 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $518.29. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $445.68 and a 52 week high of $554.70. The firm has a market capitalization of $454.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.60, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.79.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

UnitedHealth Group ( NYSE:UNH Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, January 12th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.16 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.98 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $94.43 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $92.13 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a net margin of 6.02% and a return on equity of 26.39%. UnitedHealth Groups revenue for the quarter was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $5.34 earnings per share. Analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.79 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Investors of record on Monday, March 11th will be issued a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.53%. UnitedHealth Groups payout ratio is 31.54%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other UnitedHealth Group news, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,527,306.72. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,527,306.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UNH has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Bank of America reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $675.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Oppenheimer restated an outperform rating and issued a $610.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. Stephens restated an overweight rating and issued a $605.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $596.00 price objective on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Thursday, February 29th. Finally, HSBC reiterated a reduce rating and set a $480.00 price target (down previously from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research report on Monday, December 18th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, fifteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $579.33.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on UNH

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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Cancer leaves a molecular fingerprint in the body the very moment it develops. Like the breadcrumbs dropped by Hansel and Gretel, tumors also leave a trace of their route  signals that have now allowed scientists to trace back the path and understand the origin of cancer. A study by researchers at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Barcelona (IRB) published on Tuesday in the journal Cancer Discovery has shed light on childhood cancer. It explores the origin of a second tumor in four pediatric cancer patients, with each case representing a distinct pattern of cancer onset. For the first time, researchers have also described mutations caused by chemotherapy in healthy tissue that have unknown long-term effects.

If cancer in childhood is already rare  there is one case for every 200 in adults  it is nearly unheard of for that same patient to develop a second tumor as a child. Especially if they have no underlying genetic disease that predisposes them to develop tumors.

These are very exceptional and extremely surprising cases for oncologists. It happens very rarely, explains researcher Nuria Lopez-Bigas, the leader of the IRB group that carried out the study. At the Hospital Sant Joan de Deu in Barcelona, where the analyzed cases came from, more than 4,000 children were treated in the last 20 years, and only 30 developed two completely independent tumors (the second is not a relapse of the first) during childhood.

According to Lopez-Bigas, the big question they asked was whether the two tumors in each child had something in common. For example, if they shared a similar origin, such as mutations in cell lineages (a set of cells that come from the same stem cell) from embryonic stages; or if, perhaps, the toxicity of the treatment for the first tumor played a role in the development of the second. Unlike adult cancer, childhood cancer is not usually influenced by environmental factors, but rather by alterations during embryonic development.

With genomic sequencing techniques and advanced bioinformatics, the scientists were able to examine the mutations that triggered the tumor cells and review part of their history. These tools allow us to reconstruct the history of these tumors, we unravel a part of the cells development. We dont watch it like a movie, but we reconstruct part of their history. The techniques we have used are like a window into the past, explains the scientist.

The researchers were able to learn, for example, how two cell lineages that gave rise to the two tumors suddenly diverged over time. And they were also able to identify the trace left by platinum-based drugs, a type of chemotherapy.

If a cell receives platinum, it damages its DNA and builds up platinum mutations. And since we know the day the chemotherapy was administered, we also know the day those mutations were triggered. Its like a fingerprint that lets us know whether the clonal expansion [when a cell with mutations starts to expand and creates identical cell clones with the same mutations] that gave rise to the second tumor occurred before or after the treatment. The result of the research revealed a diverse origin of the second tumors.

The first patient described is the only one where a closer link between the impact of chemotherapy and the appearance of the second tumor was seen. When the patient was just over 13 years old, they developed a rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of tumor that affects soft tissues, such as muscles. After treatment with chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, they were cured, but at the age of 17, they developed therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia.

In the molecular study, the authors found platinum-linked mutations in all the leukemia cells, which can only be explained, the researchers note, if that second tumor originated from a cell that expanded after exposure to chemotherapy.

What we see is that all the leukemia cells share mutations with a single cell after treatment. This means that the tumor was not there before, but we are very cautious: we can say that there was a clonal expansion of the tumor after treatment, but no causal study has been done, specifies Lopez-Bigas. In any case, therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia is one of the most frequent secondary tumors among cancer patients and accounts for 7% to 8% of all myeloid leukemia detected.

Same mutation, different paths

Another of the cases studied  a child who developed a rare brain tumor at 10 months and a different brain cancer more than eight years later  shows a common origin of the two tumors, explains Lopez-Bigas. We analyzed the complete genome of the two tumors and looked at how many mutations there are in common, she says. There were five. They are very few, which indicates that they occurred very early on, during the first stages of development. But within these mutations, one is the cancer-causing mutation. The mutation that fueled the onset of both diseases occurred at an early stage, but the tumors followed different paths.

The authors of the study published in 'Cancer Discovery,' from left to right: IRB researchers, Abel Gonzalez-Perez, Nuria Lopez-Bigas and Monica Sanchez-Guixe; and the oncologist at the Sant Joan de Deu Hospital, Jaume Mora. massimiliano minocri

In this case, chemotherapy does not appear to have played a role. During treatment of the first tumor, the cells [of the second] received mutations, but different cells have different mutations caused by platinum, indicating that the cells of the second tumor had already started to expand before treatment, the expert concludes.

If clonal expansion had started after treatment, the platinum mutations in the tumor would be the same in all tumor cells. The findings show that the tumors originated at the same time, but the second tumor continued to build up mutations and spread slowly over years until it became clinically evident, the scientific article reports.

In the other two cases analyzed, the origin of the tumors is different. Two random mutations during embryonic development led to the appearance of the tumors at different times in the patients lives. These two cases either fall under bad luck or we just dont quite understand it. But it doesnt appear that the treatment of the first is implicated in the second, and the tumors dont share anything that happened early in development. They are different driver mutations [that lead to cancer], says Lopez-Bigas.

The information obtained from one of these patients, however, has been key to deepening understanding of the long-term impact of the drugs.

Martas legacy

Her name was Marta. She was 17 months old when she was diagnosed with a nuroblastoma and, despite the aggressiveness of the tumor, she was cured. But at the age of 10 she was diagnosed with another brain cancer and passed away on August 12, 2019. Her parents, Rosa Pascual and Jordi Gual, agreed for samples to be taken from her tumor and other organs to investigate what had happened. Apart from knowing what happened to Marta, if doing this can help other families, it helps you a little to make sense of what is happening, the mother says.

The analysis of the girls unaffected organ samples revealed, for the first time, the build-up of mutations in all healthy tissue due to chemotherapy. Mutations accumulate and many of them have no important implication for peoples lives, but the question remains open as to what role they may play in the evolution of cancer survivors, says Lopez-Bigas.

Jaume Mora, a pediatric oncologist at Sant Joan de Deu and co-author of the research, explains: Chemotherapy is an agent that kills cells because it generates alterations in their DNA. Thus, it succeeds in destroying malignant cells, but it also leaves its mark on healthy cells. Thanks to this autopsy, we saw the signature induced by this type of drug. All the tissues had the DNA signature of the platinum-based drugs administered nine years earlier. And now, this opens up a whole can of worms about what happens over many years. We dont know the mechanism by which the damage occurs. But the DNA damage persists for at least 10 years, and it is possible that this damage explains the long-term effects.

Lopez-Bigas urges caution when it comes to interpreting the studys findings. Chemotherapy, especially in childhood cancer, saves many lives: children are cured and have 70 or 80 years ahead of them. But there is epidemiological evidence that there are side effects due to the treatment that manifest themselves years later, such as an increased risk of tumors or cardiovascular disease, she explains.

What is not clear, in the scientists opinion, is how chemotherapy causes these effects. At the cellular and molecular level, what chemo does to our cells is not clear, and we want to find this out. One of the things it does is cause mutations, she explains, but its role in health and disease is still an unknown.

Lucas Moreno, head of pediatric oncology at Vall dHebron Hospital in Barcelona, describes the research as interesting and very elegant. The novelty is that the tree of life of the cells is documented. The better the genomics and this type of characterization, the better we will be able to understand what happens in childhood cancer, he says.

Regarding chemotherapys potential impact on the development of a second tumor, the physician  who did not participate in the study  points out: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are fundamental for curing children. Thanks to their existence, 85% are cured. The monitoring of their effects is getting better and better, and we are going to make progress to adjust to the minimum that each patient needs.

A small step that opens up more questions

For his part, Lopez-Bigas says that the study will not change anything in clinical practice overnight, but is a small step that opens up more questions. We dont have a final conclusion. There is a different conclusion for every patient. And the question is how chemotherapy-linked mutations affect healthy tissue. The research, he adds, contributes to the understanding of cancer and emphasizes the importance of improving treatments: We have to think that, once cured, the patient has a very long life ahead of them and their quality of life has to be guaranteed.

Mora stresses that understanding the origin of tumors is important for families. This explains that the origin of tumors goes back to the first weeks of gestation and, whats more, it is not transmissible. At that time there is such a complex and massive cell replication process that there are errors. Spontaneous mutation happens without anyone doing anything. It is a natural biological error. The father and the mother are not involved, explains the oncologist. And knowing this information, she says, bring many families peace of mind.

Martas parents attest to this. Knowing the origin of their daughters tumors helped them. It leaves you with the peace of mind that it was inevitable. And if we have been able to help the investigation, even if it is no longer useful for us, it consoles us to think that Martas death was not in vain, says Gual.

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Wealth Management Partners LLC lowered its holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (BATS:USMV  Free Report) by 2.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 37,959 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,103 shares during the quarter. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF makes up about 1.7% of Wealth Management Partners LLCs investment portfolio, making the stock its 15th largest holding. Wealth Management Partners LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF were worth $2,962,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the business. Bank of Montreal Can lifted its stake in shares of iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 7.8% in the 1st quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 8,253 shares of the companys stock valued at $646,000 after purchasing an additional 594 shares during the period. Blair William & Co. IL raised its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 1.7% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 95,612 shares of the companys stock valued at $7,417,000 after buying an additional 1,612 shares during the last quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 4.4% during the first quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 1,348,690 shares of the companys stock valued at $104,618,000 after buying an additional 57,434 shares during the last quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 27.0% during the first quarter. Founders Financial Securities LLC now owns 88,779 shares of the companys stock valued at $6,887,000 after buying an additional 18,853 shares during the last quarter. Finally, West Michigan Advisors LLC raised its stake in iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF by 6.1% during the first quarter. West Michigan Advisors LLC now owns 12,575 shares of the companys stock valued at $975,000 after buying an additional 719 shares during the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF Trading Up 0.2 %

Shares of BATS:USMV opened at $82.38 on Tuesday. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $80.53 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $76.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $31.60 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.17 and a beta of 0.75. iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF has a 12-month low of $47.44 and a 12-month high of $55.45.

About iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF

The iShares MSCI USA Min Vol Factor ETF (USMV) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) index. The fund tracks an index of US-listed firms selected and weighted to create a low-volatility portfolio subject to various constraints. USMV was launched on Oct 18, 2011 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in The Southern Company (NYSE:SO  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 3,550 shares of the utilities providers stock, valued at approximately $249,000.

Other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC grew its position in Southern by 3.1% during the third quarter. Insigneo Advisory Services LLC now owns 4,883 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $316,000 after buying an additional 146 shares in the last quarter. STAR Financial Bank boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 2.4% during the 2nd quarter. STAR Financial Bank now owns 6,322 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $444,000 after acquiring an additional 150 shares in the last quarter. Murphy Middleton Hinkle & Parker Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 0.4% during the 4th quarter. Murphy Middleton Hinkle & Parker Inc. now owns 38,605 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $2,757,000 after acquiring an additional 151 shares in the last quarter. Atticus Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 30.4% during the 3rd quarter. Atticus Wealth Management LLC now owns 652 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $42,000 after acquiring an additional 152 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Leelyn Smith LLC raised its position in Southern by 0.5% during the 3rd quarter. Leelyn Smith LLC now owns 34,353 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,223,000 after purchasing an additional 154 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 62.85% of the companys stock.

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Southern Stock Performance

Shares of SO stock traded up $0.48 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $69.90. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,355,778 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,680,780. The company has a market cap of $76.26 billion, a PE ratio of 19.12, a P/E/G ratio of 4.31 and a beta of 0.49. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.56 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The business has a fifty day moving average of $68.56 and a 200-day moving average of $68.71. The Southern Company has a 52 week low of $61.56 and a 52 week high of $75.80.

Southern Dividend Announcement

Southern ( NYSE:SO Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 15th. The utilities provider reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.59 by $0.05. Southern had a return on equity of 11.40% and a net margin of 15.79%. The business had revenue of $6.05 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.90 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.26 earnings per share. Southerns revenue was down 14.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that The Southern Company will post 4 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, March 6th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, February 20th were given a dividend of $0.70 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 16th. This represents a $2.80 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.01%. Southerns dividend payout ratio is currently 77.14%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently issued reports on SO shares. Mizuho lowered their target price on Southern from $76.00 to $73.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. Citigroup assumed coverage on Southern in a research report on Friday, December 8th. They issued a buy rating and a $82.00 price objective for the company. Barclays lowered their price objective on Southern from $68.00 to $67.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 17th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price objective on Southern from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on Southern from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an outperform rating for the company in a research report on Friday, February 16th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Southern currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $73.46.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on SO

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Southern news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.92, for a total transaction of $344,600.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 126,528 shares in the company, valued at $8,720,309.76. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, CEO Stephen E. Kuczynski sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.92, for a total value of $344,600.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 126,528 shares in the company, valued at $8,720,309.76. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Christopher Cummiskey sold 899 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.06, for a total value of $60,286.94. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 22,502 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,508,984.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 25,998 shares of company stock worth $1,806,063 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.37% of the companys stock.

Southern Company Profile

(Free Report)

The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations.

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Worth Asset Management LLC increased its position in shares of Invesco India ETF (NYSEARCA:PIN  Free Report) by 4.1% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 51,522 shares of the companys stock after acquiring an additional 2,037 shares during the quarter. Invesco India ETF comprises 0.9% of Worth Asset Management LLCs holdings, making the stock its 29th biggest position. Worth Asset Management LLCs holdings in Invesco India ETF were worth $1,319,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in Invesco India ETF by 1.8% during the 2nd quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 25,761 shares of the companys stock worth $593,000 after purchasing an additional 453 shares during the last quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Invesco India ETF by 2.7% in the 4th quarter. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC now owns 22,181 shares of the companys stock valued at $472,000 after acquiring an additional 574 shares during the last quarter. LPL Financial LLC lifted its stake in shares of Invesco India ETF by 6.9% in the 2nd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 10,764 shares of the companys stock valued at $244,000 after purchasing an additional 697 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE lifted its stake in shares of Invesco India ETF by 3.2% in the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 26,345 shares of the companys stock valued at $561,000 after purchasing an additional 807 shares during the period. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its stake in shares of Invesco India ETF by 0.9% in the 2nd quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 109,656 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,490,000 after purchasing an additional 1,001 shares during the period.

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Invesco India ETF Stock Performance

Shares of PIN traded down $0.28 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $26.05. The stock had a trading volume of 87,465 shares, compared to its average volume of 61,673. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $26.41 and a 200 day moving average price of $24.91. Invesco India ETF has a fifty-two week low of $20.14 and a fifty-two week high of $27.34. The firm has a market capitalization of $145.62 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.29 and a beta of 0.71.

About Invesco India ETF

PowerShares India Portfolio (the Fund) is based on the Indus India Index (Index). The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing substantially all of its assets in a wholly-owned subsidiary located in the Republic of Mauritius (the Subsidiary), which in turn invests at least 90% of its total assets in securities of Indian companies that consists of the Index, as well as American depositary receipts(ADR) and global depositary receipts (GDR) based on the securities in the Index.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding PIN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Invesco India ETF (NYSEARCA:PIN  Free Report).

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Prime Minister of Niger, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and Prime Minister of Mali Choguel Kokalla Maiga attend a sit-in in Niamey, Niger, December 29, 2023.

The Pentagon is working with Niger officials, seeking a way for U.S. troops to stay in the country  a key base for counterterrorism operations in sub-Saharan Africa  following a weekend directive that they leave.

Last week a high level-delegation of U.S. officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander and the head of U.S. Africa Command Gen. Michael Langley, traveled to Niger to meet with members of the military junta.

Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said Monday the U.S. officials had lengthy and direct discussions with the junta officials that were also in part spurred by concerns over Nigers potential relationships with Russia and Iran. We were troubled on the path that Niger is on, Singh said.

On Saturday, following the meeting, the juntas spokesperson, Col. Maj. Amadou Abdramane, said U.S. flights over Nigers territory in recent weeks were illegal. Meanwhile, Insa Garba Saidou, a local activist who assists Nigers military rulers with their communications, criticized U.S. efforts to force the junta to pick between strategic partners.

The American bases and civilian personnel cannot stay on Nigerien soil any longer, he told The Associated Press.

Singh said the U.S. was aware of the March 16 statement announcing the end of the status of forces agreement between Niger and the United States. We are working through diplomatic channels to seek clarification. These are ongoing discussions and we dont have more to share at this time.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the discussions were prompted by Nigers trajectory.

We are in touch with transition authorities to seek clarification of their comments and discuss additional next steps, Patel said.

The junta has largely been in control in Niger since July when mutinous soldiers ousted the countrys democratically elected president and months later asked French forces to leave.

The U.S. military still had some 650 troops working in Niger in December, largely consolidated at a base farther away from Niamey, Nigers capital. Singh said the total number of personnel still in country, including civilians and contractors, is roughly 1,000.

The Niger base is critical for U.S. counterterrorism operations in the Sahel and has been used for both manned and unmanned surveillance operations, although Singh said the only drone flights being currently conducted are for force protection.

In the Sahel the U.S. has also supported local ground troops, including accompanying them on missions. However, such accompanied missions have been scaled back since U.S. troops were killed in a joint operation in Niger in 2017.

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Sunday in the city of Santiago de Cuba started off quietly. Thats according to residents of the Cuban city who spoke to EL PAIS after the Cuban government tried to quell the mass protest that began on Avenida Carretera del Morro in Santiago de Cuba, and spread to several provinces. Cubans took to the streets on Sunday to protest against electricity and food shortages. In response to the demonstration, the government sent trucks loaded with food to a warehouse in the city of Santiago de Cuba, Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, the Communist Partys first secretary in the same-named province, said that the government would immediately deliver rice and sugar to the population.

Those supposed trucks that arrived do not mean that they are going to start selling rice, sugar or milk to the population. They are only now distributing this months rice and sugar that had not arrived. They have not delivered milk for children, says a resident of Santiago de Cuba who asked to remain anonymous. According to this witness, the situation is otherwise calm. Everything is quiet here, as usual. They knocked out the power last night and, with the streets in darkness, there was no choice but to go back home. The resident adds that several police patrols and State Security agents were guarding the city on Monday.

Although the protests seem to have subsided in Santiago de Cuba, there were signs of unrest on Monday in the town of El Cobre, which is also in Santiago de Cuba province. In videos posted on social media, residents are seen chanting freedom outside the police headquarters and demanding the release of the people arrested on Sunday. A source told EL PAIS that the towns of La Coloma and El Cayuco also took to the streets on Monday. Due to constant cell phone service outages and difficulty accessing the internet, it is impossible to verify or record events from the island.

Military deployment and arrests

Street protests were recorded in several municipalities in Cuba until the early hours of March 18. In Bayamo  one of Cubas most historically significant cities, where the national anthem was born  Cubans took to the streets singing the anthem, and the government responded with repression. Several videos recorded in the city  which residents burned down in 1860 to fight the Spanish occupation  showed police officers beating citizens fleeing arrest. In the footage, soldiers from the Special Forces (Black Wasps) are also seen trying to quell the demonstrations.

Close to midnight on Sunday, citizens in the town of Cardenas, in the west of the island, joined the protests, banging pots and pans in the middle of a blackout that lasted several hours. Young people and mothers carrying children walked through the Santa Marta neighborhood in Cardenas. Others took to the streets of the cities of Alquizar and San Antonio de los Banos. Outside the country, Cuban exiles also demonstrated, from the legendary Versailles restaurant in Miami to the headquarters of the Cuban embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay.

On Sunday, the protests in Cuba were mirrored in other cities abroad, such as in Miami, where people marched outside the iconic Versailles restaurant, a historic center for Cuban exiles. CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH (EFE)

Sundays demonstrations brought to mind the historic protests that took place across Cuba on July 11 and 12 of 2021. Thousands of people came out to protest in what was the largest demonstration since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution.

On Sunday, the Cuban government used police repression to contain the protests  just as it did in 2021. Organizations that independently record detainee numbers in Cuba found it difficult to document all the arrests. Cubalex and Justicia 11J were able to confirm the identity of at least four people who were violently detained. The whereabouts of some of these detainees is still unknown.

On Sunday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel issued a thread of messages on his X account in which he acknowledged citizen discontent with the situation of the electricity service and food distribution. In view of the situation, the president said authorities wanted to attend to the demands of our people. But on Monday, Diaz-Canel blamed mediocre politicians and terrorists in South Florida for stirring up the streets of Cuba. The president said that authorities had effectively shut down the demonstrations, claiming that the people were left wanting more.

Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio also said the protests were a desperate attempt by the United States to destabilize Cuba. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez made the same argument, adding that, if the United States was concerned about the well-being of the Cuban people it would lift the economic blockade and remove Cuba from the list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism.

The protest on Sunday may have ended with calls for freedom, but the demonstration began with demands for food and electricity. Even the Cuban government has acknowledged the economic crisis in the country, comparable only to the so-called Special Period in the 1990s. Today, Cubans are suffering from hours-long power outages and shortages of food and medicine. And the situation only seems to be getting worse.

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In its attack on Ukraine and its challenge to the world order Putin's Russia has the indispensable backing of several international partners

In his war against Ukraine and his brutal challenge to the world order, Vladimir Putin has a vast network of international support. The countries within his web engage in varying levels of complicity, from explicit political backing for the invasion of Ukraine from states such as North Korea, Belarus, and Syria, to an implicit desire for the invasion to succeed or a mere willingness to take advantage of the situation in a way that just happens to benefit the Kremlin. All together, this network has pumped indispensable economic and military oxygen into Moscows ambitions.

China provides essential commercial support, with a notable increase in both the sale of products to Russia and the purchase of Russian fossil fuels, thereby helping the Kremlin to survive Western sanctions. Iran and North Korea deliver key weapons to sustain the offensive in Ukraine. Belarus affords the Kremlin strategic depth by allowing it to use its territory for multiple purposes.

This core network of cooperation has a political relevance that places it on a prominent plane with respect to other dynamics that favor Putin. Time will tell whether these countries converging in a pulse against the West, yet without a formal alliance, will come to form a highly cohesive partnership. For the time being, they offer Russia significant help.

On another level, there is the role of countries which, lacking any political intention comparable to those above and with varying degrees of empathy, or a simple disinterest in Russian abuses, shore up the Kremlin via trade, minimizing the impact of Western sanctions. The Wests sanctions policy has failed to deter Russia and is currently struggling to succeed in containing it. The main loopholes are centered around oil and battlefield goods. The successful circumvention of the oil price cap and the re-export of critical items allow Russia to defy restrictions. In both cases the role of third countries is pivotal, says Maria Shagina, from the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Beyond the fundamental role of China, several Central Asian and Caucasian countries are emerging as useful black markets for the Kremlin, though many other nations play important roles. Shagina sums up the map as follows: China, India and Turkey buy 90% of Russian crude oil. China and Hong Kong are the key hubs for sourcing dual-use goods like semiconductors. The UAE has become a critical node in Russias circumvention strategy - either as a transshipment hub or a financial hub.

There is also a third tier, which has political significance. Countries such as Syria and Eritrea support the Kremlins cause; there are others that are very empathetic, such as Venezuela, several African states that receive security aid from Moscow, and Hungary, which has tried to obstruct EU policy regarding the successive rounds of sanctions, though with little success. There are also politicians and political parties that, within many Western societies, express an empathy towards Putin and his approach. An obvious case is that of Donald Trump who, without even having yet won this years presidential elections, has already succeeded in getting the Republicans to stall U.S. aid to Ukraine for the past seven months. It remains to be seen what he will do if he returns to the White House.

It is a broad, complex and nuanced picture. Here is a look at some of its key features.

China

Beijing has refused to provide military support to Moscow, but significant growth in bilateral trade is what is mainly fuelling Russias economy and its ability to sustain the war effort in Ukraine. In 2023, there was trade worth $240 billion, up 26% from the previous year, a figure that equals EU-Russia trade in 2021 prior to the invasion.

As well as microchips  perhaps the most essential item  smartphones, computers, industrial and construction machinery and automobiles are some of the main Chinese products that have allowed the Russian economy to continue to function with some normality despite Western sanctions. Conversely, China has bought large quantities of oil, and also coal, copper, and nickel, guaranteeing important sources of revenue for the Kremlin. Half of Russian oil exports went to China in 2023, according to Russias deputy prime minister, Alexander Novak.

Beijing is cultivating the most strategic of all its international relations with Moscow. In the current context, China has a clear interest in avoiding a Ukrainian victory that would strengthen the West and increase the risk of Putins downfall. Beijing does not want a collapse of the Russian regime, which might open up an opportunity, however small, for the democratization of Russia, as this would entail the risk of a Kremlin on better terms with the West and a scenario that Beijing considers a nightmare  one in which it would be surrounded by unfriendly nations, including India, South Korea, Japan, etc.

What we are seeing is basically a realignment of Russia which, after the break with Europe, embraces the call from Eurasia, says Jorge Heine, professor at the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University and former Chilean ambassador to China and India. It is boosting relations with China, and also with India and Iran; for example it has come up with a project to relaunch a railway connection from St. Petersburg to Iran.

According to Heine, author of Xi-na in the Century of the Dragon, although publicly there is talk of a relationship without limits, that is rhetorical. Of course, there are limits. China doesnt trade arms and drives a hard bargain on Russian gas. There is some rivalry between the two over the Central Asian space. The relationship is not based on charity, but on interests. But both show signs of wanting to manage the rivalry, because it is in their interest to agree and face what they understand as the challenge from the West and NATO together.

The two countries have announced plans to redouble Russias piped gas supply capacity to China. Implementation, however, is slow, and experts agree that China is exerting the full weight of its superiority by seeking to obtain extremely advantageous prices.

Chinas limited support is also evident on a purely political level. Beijing has never criticized and thereby weakened Moscows position, but neither has it voiced explicit support for the invasion and has instead issued clear warnings against the use of nuclear weapons when Putin issued the threat. China does not want Russia to lose and therefore supports it, but at the same time fears that excesses by Russia  or North Korea  could end up galvanizing the Wests support for Ukraine and its strategic preparedness.

Beijing provides Russia with indispensable support, so much so that the latter now finds itself in a position of absolute inferiority and dependence on China, which cultivates the relationship within a millimetric calculation of their interests  interests which are not balanced as Chinas huge economy extracts a much greater benefit from the stability of the global system. China and Russia have always had some converging and some diverging interests. But now, unlike in the not too distant past, the former predominate, Heine says.

Iran

The Iranian regime provides Putin with critical backing militarily by delivering drones that have boosted Russian airstrike capabilities against Ukraine. Reuters recently published information that also points to the supply of hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles to the Kremlin.

Although relations between Iran and Russia deepened notably from the support they both gave to [Syrian President Bashar el] Assad, it has paradoxically been the sanctions that the West has imposed upon the two that have brought them much closer together, explains Luciano Zaccara, a professor at Qatar University specializing in Persian Gulf studies.

The Iranian political class has always been divided over the level of closeness it wants to have with Moscow, with conservatives more interested in using the Russian card to offset the impossibility of restoring ties with European countries, especially since the arrival of [Ebrahim] Raisi as president. Zaccara adds.

That there are mutual interests is obvious. Moscow is in dire need of the war materiel that Tehran can supply as a prolific producer of drones and missiles. There is speculation that Iran has even helped in setting up new drone production lines in Russia. Swarms of cheap drones wear down Ukraines expensive anti-aircraft defenses.

Iran, in turn, has multiple interests, especially in terms of the supply of advanced technologies in Russian hands. Zaccara notes Iranian interest, for example, in Su-35 fighter jets to upgrade their aging air fleet.

Iran is also interested in a greater commercial overlap. Tehran has been trying for years to enter the automobile market in Russia with its Iran Khodro and Saipa plants, whose chances have improved as a result of Russian sanctions on European companies, Zaccara notes. At the end of 2023, Iran sealed a free trade agreement with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union.

According to Zaccara, moving between the two emerging powers  Russia and China  seems to be the most pragmatic and effective non-exclusive strategic option a Tehran in need of weighty allies could take.

North Korea

The North Korean capital of Pyongyang is another important military cornerstone for Putin. The North Korean regime is supplying huge quantities of ammunition, an essential element in a war in which the production of sufficient material is a serious challenge. Ukrainian authorities have reported that Russia has used at least 50 North Korea-produced missiles against its territory.

The rapprochement between the two countries has been framed by a summit between Kim Jong-un and Putin, in which the former promised the latter to always be together in the sacred war against the West. Like Iran, North Korea has an interest in certain Russian technological capabilities. Although diminished by war, sanctions and brain drain, Russian society obviously has technical-scientific know-how of great interest to other countries in strategic areas. In the case of North Korea, an impoverished country, food exports on favorable terms are also of interest.

Extremely dependent on China, Pyongyang has undoubtedly calculated that it is in its interest to earn credits from Russia, which allows for a useful strategic triangle. The supply of weapons for use in Ukraine, on the other hand, allows for a test of their quality on the battlefield.

Central Asian and Caucasian countries

Several former Central Asian and Caucasian Soviet republics have recorded considerable increases in trade with Russia after EU sanctions were imposed.

Many ex-Soviet countries used the opportunity to capitalise on Moscows isolation and became intermediaries between the West and Russia. Lax regulatory policy and lack of capacity-building made evasion thrive, observes Shagina of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Some of these countries are more in tune with Moscow than others. Collectively  and not necessarily with much strategic calculation  they function as black markets that help the Russian economy circumvent restrictions.

Belarus

Belarus is a quasi-vassal state of Russia, and lends Putins ambitions significant support, offering strategic depth by merely making its territory available for multiple uses. Part of the February 2022 invasion was launched from Belarus, which today hosts Russian nuclear warheads and whose leader, Aleksandr Lukashenko, acted as a mediator between Putin and the deceased Russian mercenary leader of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, with an agreement to relocate Wagner mercenaries to Belarus.

Other countries

There are, of course, other countries that, in different ways, have aided Putins Russia amid its ongoing aggression in Ukraine. India, for example, has sharply increased its purchase of Russian crude, from virtually zero before the February 2022 invasion to two million barrels per day in July 2023, taking advantage of the low cost. This figure has fallen, however, hovering around 1.3 million at the beginning of the year, probably due to improvements in the design of Western restrictions. Also in the energy sector, those who have collaborated in transportation, including Greek shipowners, or in providing storage and refining services, such as Singapore, have been of significant help to Russia.

In political terms, a role is being played by figures such as Marine Le Pen, president of Frances far-right National Rally, who propagates ideas in French society that suit Putin. But it is Donald Trump who is the key player in this scenario. He has already warned that, as far as he is concerned, Russia can do whatever the hell they want with NATO countries that do not spend the stipulated 2% on defense. These include Italy and Spain. Putin recently said that he would prefer a second Biden term. But then he also said he had no intention of invading Ukraine.

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Mary Frances Scarborough, 97, of Bridge City, Texas, passed away on March 14, 2024, at The Medical Center in Port Arthur. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City. Officiating will be Darrell Segura. Burial will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park in Port Neches. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, March 22, 2024, at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City. Born in Port Neches, Texas, on August 10, 1926 she was the daughter of Earnest E. Keltner and Jessie Williams Keltner. Mary was known for her passion for cooking; her savory meals brought joy to the hearts and bellies of all who had the pleasure of tasting them. Her mornings were brightened by the simple pleasure of sipping coffee outdoors, embracing the beauty of each day as it unfolded. A social butterfly at heart, Mary treasured the moments spent surrounded by friends, engaging in lively conversations and sharing stories. She found delight in getting her hair styled, always looking her best with a smile that radiated genuine happiness. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.She is preceded in death by her parents, Earnest and Jessie Keltner; her husband, James Scarborough; and her children, James "Jim" Scarborough, Jr., and Susan Strange.

She is survived by her grandchild, Adam Venable; and numerous other loving family members and friends. Cremation will be held under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.
Doubt Centre will approve House resolutions on SoO, NRC, FMR : MIYC

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IMPHAL, Mar 19 : The Manipur International Youth Centre has accused the Centre and the State Government of scheming to take political mileage out of the prevailing situation in Manipur despite failing to restore normalcy.

MIYC, in a statement, asked all to be wary of some political leaders who have been plotting to make people forget about the genuine issue the State has been enduring and lure them towards the electioneering process.

Manipur may disintegrate if the challenges being thrown against the indigenous people are overlooked, the Youth Centre forewarned.

Reminding about the resolutions taken in favour of scrapping the Suspension of Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with Kuki militant groups, updating National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the context of Manipur, cancelling Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar and erecting fences along the stretch of Indo-Myanmar border in the recent Assembly session which concluded on March 5, MIYC asked if there will be lasting solution to the chronic issues of the State if all the resolutions are implemented by the Central Government.

MIYC claimed that the NRC exercise in Assam was unsuccessful as not a single illegal immigrant detected during the exercise has been deported as of yet.

Saying that it would be meaningless to carry out the Assam model of NRC in Manipur, the MIYC called for a collaboration between the State Government and the people to ascertain the process in which NRC will be rolled out in Manipur in case the Centre approves the resolutions of the State Assembly.

The Youth Centre claimed that illegal Kuki-Zo people residing in Manipur are being protected by some politicians and the old Kukis.

Stating that India is not a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention of 1951 and the 1967 Refugee Protocol, MIYC expressed doubt that India will sign an agreement to deport illegal immigrants with Myanmar given the geopolitics of the country.

India has its own Foreigners Act but lakhs of illegal immigrants reside in the country, it added.

On SoO, MIYC contended that people still don't know whether the pact signed between the Government and two dozen Kuki militant groups is still operational or not as the pact hasn't been renewed following its expiry on February 29.

MIYC went on to state that Kuki militant groups have been recruiting cadres and violating the ground rules of SoO since the pact came into force.

Under the cover of SoO, Kuki militant groups have been bringing in illegal immigrants from Myanmar and engaging in narco-terrorism by planting poppies widely, MIYC said and claimed that the violent campaign taken out against the Meeteis is a part of the Zalen'gam movement.

Further claiming that the Government of India has been using Kuki militants from time to time and at the time of election, MIYC continued that the Government gave a stipend of Rs 27.38 crore in the course of Manipur violence too.

It is unlikely that the Government of India will abrogate the SoO pact after considering all these circumstances, MIYC said.

The border fencing work also won't complete any time soon even if it is implemented and may take hundreds of years in fencing the entire stretch of the international border given the pace of work, MIYC said and added that FMR largely works in the interest of India and as such it is is unlikely that the regime will be cancelled.

MIYC went on to state that chieftainship tradition of Kuki-Zo people is the major factor behind the rise of several new villages in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Pherzawl, Tengnoupal etc.

In view of all these challenges confronting Manipur it would be wrong to be swayed by political speeches, MIYC said and called for a far-sighted vision to safeguard Manipur.
The Ukrainian army has achieved a new feat far from the trenches of the front lines. Its long-range drone bombs successfully attacked at least seven oil refineries in Russia last week, although Russian military blogging accounts place the number at nine. The Ukrainian Interior Ministry says there have been 12 such attacks so far this year. The authorities in Kyiv and energy analysis centers estimate a disruption of up to 15% in Russias production of crude oil fuels. This offensive represents an evolution in the use of long-range unmanned weapons and in the strategy of taking the war to the invaders territory.

Ukraine has regularly struck targets hundreds of miles into Russian territory since the summer of 2023: military airfields, factories, sabotage attacks on the railway network and drones have even reached Moscow. But these more recent strikes represent a qualitative leap that is surprising both Ukrainian and Russian defense analysts. A key part of the puzzle, Ukrainian military analysis outlet Defense Express noted on March 16, is how Ukrainian forces are overcoming the electromagnetic wave jammers that disconnect unmanned vehicles communications with their pilots with such apparent ease. Defense Express claims that along the Russian border with Ukraine, there is a barrier of electromagnetic wave systems 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) in diameter.

The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War, a leading reference point in the analysis of the conflict in Ukraine, last week collected widespread criticism from Russian military accounts that also questioned how it was possible that the electromagnetic defenses installed in the refineries, as well as anti-aircraft defenses and helicopters, failed to shoot down drones that in some cases penetrated 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) into Russian airspace. This was the case on March 16 with the successful attack on two plants in the Samara region. In the specific case of the Novokuibyshevsk refinery, a video posted on social networks showed images of the distillation tower, a fundamental element in obtaining fuel from crude oil, in flames. The plant becomes inoperative if the tower is damaged.

The Tuapse plant, bombed on January 25 with drones launched from unoccupied Ukraine 600 kilometers (370 miles) away, remains inoperative, the Russian daily Kommersant reported. Bloomberg stated that there are 31 crude oil refineries in Russia, mostly in the west of the country. The Russian army has allocated a large part of its anti-aircraft defense systems to the eastern front in Ukraine, as these are key to its air dominance and ensuring it retains the initiative.

A Ukrainian serviceman inspects a first person view (FPV) drone provided by the Come Back Alive foundation to one of Ukraine's Airborne Brigades, in Kyiv, February 14, 2024. VIACHESLAV RATYNSKYI (REUTERS)

Target: the distillation tower

Defense Express notes the high precision of Ukrainian attacks that are capable of targeting distillation towers. Another example occurred on March 13, when drones destroyed a refinery tower in Ryazan, 450 kilometers (280 miles) from Ukraine. Liuti (fury, in Ukrainian) drones  which can carry 75 kilograms of explosives and have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers  were used in that attack. Liuti have been identified in other operations this year, as well as the confirmed use of UJ-26 Beavers and old Soviet TU-141 reconnaissance drones adapted to serve as assault projectiles.

The number of vehicles making up the drone swarms used in the attacks is unknown, but the Russian military analysis group Rybar stated that 17 drones were involved in the shelling of the Slaviansk refinery in the early hours of March 17, of which 15 were shot down.

The Ukrainian SSU and GUR security and intelligence services have acknowledged being behind major operations against the Russian energy sector. Both the SSU and the GUR have also demonstrated their effectiveness in attacking Russian naval vessels in the Black Sea with groups of nautical drone bombs. The vehicles are deployed with high levels of coordination, seeking first to disable the ships rudder so that it cannot maneuver; they then target the hull, at a point where they know ammunition is stored. Once the first fracture is achieved, the rest of the drones aim at the same damaged point to widen the gap and ensure the sinking of the vessel.

Artificial intelligence

The campaign against Russian refineries coincides with the Ukrainian government and its NATO allies bid to incorporate artificial intelligence into combat drones. The aim is to make up for the artillery deficit on the front line, but also the lack of long-range missiles for offensives such as the one that is putting a strain on the Russian energy sector.

Alexander Kamyshin, Minister of Strategic Industries, told EL PAIS on March 15 that 2024 would be the year of artificial intelligence and its use in proximity [drone] swarms. The Ukrainian and Russian militaries claim that they are using artificial intelligence in drone bombs on the front lines, in an initial phase. The AI allows the vehicle to operate and make decisions autonomously if the pilot loses control. Once the target is programmed, if communication with the drone fails, based on the images it takes with its camera the vehicle could continue to navigate until it identifies its target.

The United Kingdom and Latvia have taken the lead in a NATO plan to supply one million drones to Ukraine in coalition with other countries. The parties involved have stressed that these devices will be fitted with AI systems. NATO sources told Bloomberg that the drones will be able to coordinate with each other, including those that have lost connection with their pilots.

Both Kamyshin and Ukrainian Innovation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov have stated since February that the priority is to incorporate AI into drone fleets, both those used on the front lines and long-range drones. No official source has indicated that the attacks against Russian refineries have involved AI. Experts stress that full autonomy of unmanned vehicles is still at an embryonic stage, but Olga Husieva, a defense analyst at Kiel Universitys Institute for Security Policy, explained to this newspaper last week that AI is already a priority area of collaboration between Ukraine and NATO.

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Trinamul Congress national general secretary threw challenges for a one-to-one debate regarding central fund allocation for West Bengal and deprivation of people of the state.

He mentioned recently on X that before the elections, the central leadership of the BJP has repeatedly visited the state and Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had come to address rallies, raising allegations of pending funds but the party was no good and did not release a single penny for state development. He also said that PM Modi has accused the ruling party of corruption while addressing the issue of withheld funds but could not ever utter the benevolent works for the state with the central funds. Subsequently, Abhishek, through social media, has strongly criticized the BJP, stating that funds for housing schemes are not being provided to the state.

The Trinamul Congress has faced repeated opposition from the central government, with Abhishek challenging the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Abhishek Banerjee, the national general secretary of the Trinamul Congress, has recently posted a stern message to the BJP through social media. Abhishek wrote, Do not spread falsehoods. Tell the BJP leadership to sit with me for a one-on-one debate. If they have given even a single penny for housing schemes or MGNREGA, then publish the white paper.

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He claimed that since the defeat in the state Assembly elections of 2021, the central government has not provided any funds. Notably, there has been continuous confrontation over the issue of 100 days work and housing scheme funds, leading to repeated clashes with the central administration. Abhishek had gone to Delhi to protest on this issue. The @BJP4India is SQUANDERING PUBLIC FUNDS to SPREAD FALSEHOODS. I challenge the BJP leadership to engage in a ONE ON ONE DEBATE with me and RELEASE WHITE PAPER proving the allocation of even 1 PAISA to progs like AWAS YOJNA & MGNREGA since their defeat in the 2021 WB elections, he wrote on X handle.
Nowadays they want to give a name to nonsense that doesnt exist. That is one of the reactions that Ana J. Caceres (Mylestring on social media) ran into when she came out of the closet as demisexual, meaning that she is only attracted to other people when they have an affective bond. Demisexuality is located underneath the umbrella of asexuality, an orientation shared by all those who do not feel sexual attraction to anyone, or who require certain conditions for that attraction to develop. Its far from nonsense: there is an estimated 78 million people or more in the world who are asexual. That number comes from a study entitled Asexuality: prevalence and associated factors in a national probability sample, published in 2004 by Anthony F. Bogaert, which concludes that approximately 1% of the population is asexual. Despite these figures, ignorance and prejudice continues to swirl around the asexual community.

Even if its not a term that is entirely foreign to the modern-day lexicon, it can be confused with other concepts. Asexuality as such is not included in Spains Royal Spanish Academy, the countrys institution dedicated to linguistic standards, but it does recognize asexual, which is defined as the absence of sex in the reproductive process. Asexual beings include the species of plants and starfish that reproduce via fission, in which a limb is shed, and begins to live independently. Sticking to this definition alone has resulted in professionals, doctors, biologists and even some sexologists who continue to deny the existence of asexual people, says Sergio Julve, educator and sex therapist.

It is also confused with celibacy, meaning the absence of sexual relations by choice, and which does not imply a lack of attraction. In asexuality, sexual activity can be present, practiced with a partner or by oneself. The thing that most surprises people is when you say youre sexually active, even more so if you tell them you enjoy unconventional sex, says Caceres. Although that is true in her case and that of many other asexual people, not everyone is sexually active, which is why it is important to talk about an asexuality umbrella that includes a wide array of possibilities.

The confusion doesnt end there. Martina Gonzalez Veiga, psychosexologist, explains that there are people who deny the very existence of asexual people, writing them off as not having found the right partner or never having had good sex. Julve notes prejudices like those that hold that asexuals are single or partner-less for life, are unable to feel sexual pleasure, cannot love others, have an aversion to sex or are overly moralistic, traumatized, or that theyre going through a stage. Caceres can speak from experience when it comes to this common ignorance: Some people say that if you dont want to have sex on the first date, its because youve been brainwashed, because society demands that we be prude and, of course, that you really must deconstruct yourself. Coincidentally, the best way to deconstruct yourself is by agreeing to have sex with the person who is lecturing you, what a coincidence.

Lack of understanding within the community itself

Caceres, who is 28 years old, says that it took her a long time to recognize that she was on the asexual spectrum. I took it for granted that everyone felt like me, that it was normal. I didnt understand the truth until I was 26 years old, until then I myself wasnt clear on the concepts related to asexuality and its spectrum. Something that she noticed early on was that she had never fallen in love at first sight. Also, that she had very seldom felt sexual and romantic attraction throughout her life, compared to the other people around her.

There can be sexual activity within asexuality, both with a partner and by oneself. Maria Korneeva (Getty Images)

This lack of understanding, according to Julve, can have consequences on a persons experience of their sexuality, especially when theyre young. If an individual does not feel sexual attraction in a society where there is little sexual education and in which most of young peoples free time is devoted to having the largest amount of sex with the greatest number of people, believing that sexual desire should always be spontaneous and oriented towards coitus, with as few feelings as possible, this person will try to imitate having a sexuality that does not suit him or her, that he or she does not enjoy, and its very possible to go through negative experiences at an early age.

Confusing asexuality with low desire seems like a reasonable misunderstanding. But to address that knowledge gap, its important to begin by differentiating desire from attraction. Asexual people do not feel attraction, but they can feel desire, to greater or lesser degrees. Sexual desire has to do with what mobilizes us to maintain a sexual relationship with someone. It answers the question what for? An asexual person can experience desire, and that may not amount to sexual attraction towards the person who activates the feeling, but rather, other things, says Veiga. Those other things can be a yearning to have a relationship, or experience a certain situation or practice with that person. Julve suggests a clue that can help define ones desire: A good indicator, though it may not be a guarantee, is timing. For example, a person who experiences sexual desire and then it goes away, for whatever reason, could have hypoactive sexual desire. On the other hand, a person who has never experienced sexual desire is more likely to be asexual.

Biased health professionals

On the ninth episode of the eighth season of the series House, the show makes an attempt to explore asexuality. The doctor, who specializes in unusual cases, thinks that it cant be normal that his patient does not feel any sexual attraction and after further investigation, ultimately finds a tumor in their pituitary gland. The story can serve as an example of the point of view still shared by many health professionals, who reject the very existence of asexuality.

The two sexologists consulted for this article confirm that such lack of understanding can be common. Veiga says that some specialists approach the subject as something that is not OK, as if people were missing a part, putting them through conversion therapy, pharmacological, sexual or psychological treatment with the goal of leading them to feel attraction. Julve, who works with LGBTQ advocacy group Stonewall, fights for treatments that purport to cure asexuality, like conversion therapy, to be recognized as equally violent as treatments that look to cure homosexuality.

Theres still a lot we dont know about the asexuality umbrella, but for the people who live underneath it, theirs is an undeniable reality. Invisibilizing or denying that asexual people even exist will do little to help understand the spectrum. Rather, as Veiga says, such repression will lead to the restriction of the information and care they need.

Arola Poch is a psychologist at the University of Barcelona, and holds both a degree in audiovisual communication from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and one in sexology from Camilo Jose Cela University. She is an expert on sexual education and communication and has published several books on the subject. She specializes in sexology and couples therapy.

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The Indian Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, organised a conclave on Food Processing in Aizawl on Tuesday.

In his welcoming address, Ishantor Sobhapandit, Regional Director-NER of Indian Chamber of Commerce, emphasised the pivotal role of food processing in enhancing farmers income by providing better prices for their produce.

He underscored the need to address challenges in marketing products nationally and internationally to unlock the full potential of the sector. Sobhapandit highlighted various schemes offered by the Food Processing Technology ministry that can support new ventures in the field.

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Drawing attention to the geographical advantage of the North East region, Sobhapandit noted its proximity to neighboring countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar. He informed the audience about the accessibility of Chittagong and Mongla ports in Bangladesh for exporters from the North East, facilitating global market access.

Speaking at the conclave, L Lalhmingmawia, Additional Director, Department of Horticulture, Government of India, praised Mizorams adoption of natural farming practices, emphasising its relevance on a global scale. Lalhmingmawia highlighted the potential of high-value fruits and vegetables such as Birds Eye Chilli, Ginger, Passion Fruit, and Bamboo Shoots to command lucrative prices in both national and international markets through proper processing and marketing.

He further emphasised the significance of food processing in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations, particularly in alleviating hunger and minimising post-harvest losses.

Elizabeth Lalremthangi Hmar, Joint Director of Industries and Commerce, Government of Mizoram, provided a comprehensive overview of the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) initiative. Additionally, experts from various organisations, including the Mizoram State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MZSRLM), Mizoram University, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), presented detailed insights on new food processing technologies.

The Conclave witnessed participation from a diverse audience comprising entrepreneurs, Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs), senior government officials, and businesspersons, reflecting the widespread interest and importance of the food processing sector in Mizoram.
As always, the sizeable female population of Uttar Pradesh is poised to wield significant influence in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

All political parties are vying to win over this demographic, yet recent voting trends indicate a strong preference among women for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

BJP sources here on Tuesday said this shift, noticeable since 2014 and reinforced after 2017, has been bolstered by the double-engine governments commitment to women-centric initiatives over the past seven years. The Yogi administration has implemented schemes addressing various stages of a girls life, from birth through education to marriage, while promoting programmes fostering womens self-reliance.

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Furthermore, improved law and order situation in the state has given women a newfound sense of security, enabling them to live without fear.

Consequently, the female labour force participation rate has surged to 32.10 per cent. All these facts, coupled with the experience during the recent elections in the state, suggest female voters leaning towards the double-engine government. Notably, of the states total 15.34 crore voters, 7.17 crore are women, underscoring their potential as a decisive electoral force.

Under CM Yogis leadership, concerted efforts to ensure womens safety, dignity, and self-reliance have borne fruit, as evidenced by notable achievements. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) report, the states female labour force participation rate surged from 14.2 per cent in 2017-18 to an impressive 32.10 per cent in 2022-23. This remarkable increase is attributed to the focused endeavors initiated under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths stewardship, underscoring the governments commitment to womens upliftment.

Over the past seven years, the Yogi administration has consistently prioritised women empowerment through several policies and initiatives. Notably, women are actively engaged as equal stakeholders in employment-related programmes. The Mudra Yojana, for instance, has emerged as a catalyst for nurturing female entrepreneurship, particularly among economically disadvantaged segments. Approximately 70 per cent of total loans disbursed nationwide are allocated to women beneficiaries.

Moreover, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana has facilitated the integration of women into self-help groups and rural organisations across the country. The support extended under the National Livelihood Mission has witnessed a substantial increase, with assistance provided in the last seven years surpassing the figures of the preceding five years by nearly thirteenfold.

Additionally, the permissible loan amount for self-help groups has been doubled, now at Rs 20 lakh compared to the previous limit of Rs 10 lakh. Women-led self-help groups play a pivotal role in 80,000 ration shops across the state, further underscoring their integral role in fostering economic empowerment and community development.

Uttar Pradesh has distinguished itself as the leading state nationwide in delivering justice for crimes involving women and children. The government has undertaken efforts to streamline regulations, enabling women to work night shifts easily and eliminating previous restrictions on their employment in mines.

Notably, the historic decision to open the doors of Sainik Schools to girls across the country has been applauded.

Under the leadership of the Yogi government, 218 fast-track courts have been established to expedite the trial in grave offences such as rape, ensuring swifter justice. The Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana, aimed at facilitating educational opportunities for girls, has seen an increase in assistance from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, benefiting 18.66 lakh daughters so far.

Moreover, the Mukhya Mantri Samuhik Vivah Yojna provides support for the marriages of daughters from impoverished families, extending its reach to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities, Other Backward Classes, and economically disadvantaged families from the general category. Widows and divorcees are also eligible for scheme benefits, with each couple receiving an allocation of Rs 51,000. To date, the scheme has facilitated the marriage of 3.50 lakh couples.

Furthermore, impoverished women receive a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 per beneficiary, with the current count at 32.71 lakh beneficiaries. These initiatives underscore the governments commitment to ensuring justice, empowerment, and support for vulnerable segments of society.

A significant portion of the population has been galvanised, empowered, and rendered self-sufficient. An initiative has been instituted to offer financial aid to women and girls who have suffered egregious crimes, with compensation disbursed to 7,105 individuals so far. To bolster womens organisation, empowerment, and self-reliance, over one crore women from rural households have been encompassed through the formation of 8.37 lakh self-help groups.

Furthermore, womens self-help groups have been allocated 1,840 fair-price shops under the public distribution system, and they are now entrusted with preparing nutritious meals at Anganwadi centres. The Yogi governments Banking Correspondent Sakhi Yojna has emerged as a paragon of financial inclusion, with BC Sakhis ongoing across all 57 thousand gram panchayats in the state through various banks.

Through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, 1.75 crore families in the state have been provided free gas connections. Additionally, complimentary LPG cylinders are distributed during Holi and Diwali festivals. Furthermore, under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a commendable 55.83 lakh houses have been constructed in the state, with a significant portion allocated in the name of Matrishakti.

In line with the PM SWANidhi Yojana, loans have been disbursed to 17 lakh street vendors, with over 2 lakh women beneficiaries. The Swachh Bharat Mission has resulted in the construction of 2.61 crore toilets (Izzatghar) in the state, alongside the establishment of 4,500 pink toilets in urban areas. Moreover, through the PM SVAMITVA Yojna (Gharauni), ownership certificates have been provided to 66.59 lakh beneficiaries, predominantly women.

The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana has extended financial assistance to 54.44 lakh pregnant and lactating mothers. At the same time, the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao scheme has raised awareness among 1.90 crore women and girls.

Female voters in Uttar Pradesh exhibit a heightened interest in electoral participation compared to their male counterparts. Their engagement in the voting process has steadily risen, significantly influencing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanaths electoral success. A notable trend has been witnessed in recent years: women have surpassed men in voter turnout. In 2017, 63.31 per cent of women voters exercised their franchise, which escalated to 67.18 per cent during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Over the past three decades, an estimated 15 per cent increase in female voter turnout has been witnessed, indicating a growing political awareness and interest among women. Women are now more politically astute and are emerging as a pivotal voting bank, with their voting behavior playing a decisive role in election outcomes. Data analysis reveals that parties garnering favour among women voters have successfully secured power. This trend underscores the evolving political landscape where women are actively shaping the democratic process through their electoral participation.
Leader of Opposition and former BJP Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday accused the Congress government in the state of violating the Model Code of Conduct.

Addressing media persons, Thakur said that the BJP has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer in this regard, calling for strict action on the issue.

We have demanded an immediate halt to the distribution of forms by the state government for the Indira Gandhi Payari Behna Sukh Samriddhi Samman Yojana, which promises Rs 1,500 to women beneficiaries, he said.

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Despite the Model Code of Conduct in force, the forms are being filled, he rued.

Thakur attacked the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government for cheating women as they had done during the Vidhan Sabha elections.

He alleged that during the assembly elections, Congress leaders promised to give Rs 1,500 to every woman in the state, aged 18-60 years, in the first cabinet meeting. However, the state government has now introduced several riders to reduce the number of eligible women for the scheme.

After the formation of the government, many cabinet meetings were held in the last 14 months. The guarantee promised to the women was conveniently forgotten. However, as soon as it was learnt that the Model Code of Conduct would be implemented within a week, the forms were being filled in haste without the provisions in the budget. This time the plans of Congress to mislead the people of the state will not succeed, he said.

This is a cruel joke on the women of the state as the Sukhu-led government has broken all records of lying, he charged.

With the kind of political turmoil that the Congress government is witnessing it is time for them to undergo self-introspection, he asserted.

The Congress government has not only lost its popularity, it also lost majority which became clear after their six MLAs cross-voted in favour of BJPs Rajya Sabha candidate Harsh Mahajan, he said, adding that the party has lost its moral right to remain in power.

He further said that after the code of conduct was imposed, on the instructions of the state government, the administration tore the posters and banners of Lord Rams temple built in Ayodhya Dham.

There is no mention of any party or politician in these posters and banners. However, the administration is still tearing the posters and banners of Ram Mandir, whereas it is not touching the posters of the Congress leaders and government, he charged.

Cautioning the officers to work within the ambit of law and not cross the limits, he said, Dont connect your future with the future of this government.

The Leader of Opposition said that this government insulted its own elected representatives.

The state government has allotted Cabinet ranks to unelected people and they are running the government, while the elected public representatives are being humiliated. Party workers, leaders, officials, MLAs, and ministers are disgruntled and raising their voices for being ignored. There was so much anger amongst the Congress MLAs, that six MLAs rebelled and voted in favour of the BJP candidate, he said.

Taking a dig at the government, he claimed that the days of the Congress party to remain in power is numbered as it has no future in the state, he claimed.

Its too late now. The country stands with the Prime Minister. Big, powerful, and popular leaders are joining BJP today, Jai Ram Thakur said.
After the exuberant Holi celebrations in the village of Barsana, the revelry of Lathmar Holi cascaded through Nandgaon, the village of Lord Krishna, on Tuesday.

The spirited women of Nandgaon had prepared themselves well in advance. They adorned themselves in traditional attire and ornaments and arrived at the Holi Chowk in anticipation.

After welcoming of the women from Barsana, the festivities started with dance amidst a rainbow of Holi colours at the temple. Subsequently, descending to the square, the traditional Lathmar Holi ensued.

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Accompanied by companions from Barsana, the huriyaras, arrived from Barsana to solicit the Holi festivity. Engaging in playful banter and exchanges, they partook in the revelry alongside the women. The vibrant Lathmar Holi unfolded at the Chowk of Nandgaon, witnessing mystical displays amidst showers of abir-gulal and resonating with traditional Holi melodies.

The unique tradition of Lathmar Holi recreated a scene reminiscent of the Dvapara Yuga, with the entire Nandgaon Chowk becoming a canvas of vivid colours amidst the playful exchanges of huriyaras and huriyarinis. The atmosphere echoed the jubilant spirit of ancient customs and rituals.

The celebration of Holi is known across the nation, yet the festivities in the land of Krishna, Barsana, hold a special allure. Commencing with the fragrant Flower Holi, this festival culminates with the vibrant colours of traditional Holi. Visitors from various parts of the country and beyond have flocked not only to Mathura and Vrindavan but also to Barsana to partake in the celebrations.

In Vrindavan, the upcoming celebrations promise a continuation of the vibrant and joyous festivities synonymous with the land of Krishna. On March 20th, Rangbharni Ekadashi will fill the Banke Bihari Temple with the hues of spring, as devotees gather to immerse themselves in the spirit of devotion and celebration. The following day, March 21st, will witness the spirited revelry of Lathmar Holi in Gokul, alongside the fragrant Flower Holi at the revered Banke Bihari Temple, adding a touch of divine essence to the colourful festivities.

As the week progresses, on March 24th, the Dwarkadheesh Temple will become a hub of joyous observations as devotees come together to celebrate Holi in all its glory. March 25th marks a momentous occasion as the entire Braj region will unite in the jubilant celebration of Holi, known as Dhulendi, spreading the message of love and unity far and wide. The fervour will continue on March 26th with the spirited tradition of Huranga observed at Daaujis grand temple, followed by celebrations in Jabal, Gidoh, and Bathein on March 26th and 27th respectively.

Concluding the months festivities, Lathmar Holi will enchant the ancient town of Mahavan on March 31st, while April 1st will mark the final day of revelry at the esteemed Shri Rang Ji Temple in Vrindavan, bringing the colourful saga of Holi to a fitting close.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised Indias commitment to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region.

The PMs view was reflected in his response to Bulgarian President Rumen Radev thanking the Indian leader after the Indian Navy rescued seven Bulgarians who were part of a crew that was held hostage by pirates aboard the MV Ruen, which was hijacked around 1,400 nautical miles from the Indian coast.

Appreciate your message, President of the Republic of Bulgaria. We are happy that 7 Bulgarian nationals are safe and will be returning home soon. India is committed to protecting freedom of navigation and combating piracy and terrorism in the Indian Ocean region, Mr Modi wrote in a social media post on X.

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Bulgarias Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel had also expressed gratitude in a post on X to which External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded by saying, Thats what friends are for.

In an operation spanning over 40 hours, the Indian Navy got 35 pirates to surrender and rescued all the 17 crew members without any injuries.

For the operation, the Navy deployed its P-8I aircraft, INS Kolkata and INS Subhadra, and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The MARCOS commandos were air-dropped for the operation by C-17 aircraft.

The vessel MV Ruen was hijacked by Somali pirates on December 14 last year and was reported to have sailed out as a pirate ship towards conducting acts of piracy on the high seas, the Navy said in a statement.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday appointed Sanjay Mukherjee as the new DGP of West Bengal.

The latest development came a day after the poll panel removed Rajeev Kumar from the post.

I am directed to refer to Memo dated 18th March, 2024, on the subject cited and to state that the Commission has approved the name of Sanjay Mukherjee, IPS (1989) for the post of Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal, said the letter issued by Commissions Secretary Rakesh Kumar to Chief Secretary of West Bengal.

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The poll panels official also asked the Chief Secretary to ensure immediate compliance and confirm the same by 05:00 pm on Tuesday.

Kumar on Monday in a letter to the Chief Secretary, wrote, I am directed to state that after reviewing the poll preparedness, the Commission has given following directions Rajeev Kumar, IPS, Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal be shifted to a non-election related post with immediate effect. The charge of Rajeev Kumar. IPS be given to the next senior officer in the Police Headquarters till posting of new Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal.

A panel of three eligible officers for posting of Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal be sent to Commission latest by 5.00 pm, it said.

Notably on Monday, the poll panel issued orders for the removal of home secretaries in six states Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Shafeekh, a key accused in the 2022 case of the murder of RSS leader Srinivasan in Keralas Palakkad.

Shafeekh, a native of Malappuram, was arrested by the NIA from Kollam on Monday.

According to the NIA, Shafeekh was a member of Popular Fronts hit squad. He went into hiding immediately after the murder of Sreenivasan.

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A total of 71 people have been identified as being part of the conspiracy and the NIA has already filed two chargesheets in the case on March 17 and November 6 last year.

One of the accused, identified as Abdul Naser, died on January 2 last year while two absconders  Saheer K V and Jaffar Bheemantavida were arrested on October 19 last year and February 12, respectively.

On April 26, 2022, Srinivasan was hacked to death by the assailants after storming into his shop at Melamuri in Palakkad. The six-member gang came in three bikes and murdered the RSS man in broad daylight.

The investigation team found that Srinivasans murder was revenge for the killing of Popular Front of India (PFI) leader Subair.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought a reply from the Central government to a batch of petitions seeking a stay on the operation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 that provides for the grant of Indian citizenship to the Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhist, Jains, who came to India on or before December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Issuing the notice to the Central government and seeking its response, a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, Justice J B Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra posted the matter for further hearing on April 9, 2025.

Even as lawyers appearing for the petitioners were persistent on the stay of Rules in the meantime, the bench didnt pass any such order.

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Seeking four weeks to file a detailed reply, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central government, told the court that there were 237 petitions and 20 applications. However, senior advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for lead petitioner Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) told the bench that the reply to these petitions has already been filed as notice in these matters was issued way back on January 22, 2020.

Sibal told the bench that once the citizenship is granted, it cannot be reversed. If they have waited till now, they can wait till July or whenever this court decides this matter. There is no great hurry.

As Solicitor General Tushar Mehta hammered the point that no prejudice would be caused to any of the petitioners and nones citizenship is going to be affected by enforcing CAA, senior advocate Indira Jaising said that it is a far more vital issue if the constitutionality of the CAA.

Senior advocate Jaising said if they are granted citizenship, they would get voting rights.

Distancing himself from this, Sibal said far more serious issues are involved.

Asking what was the sudden urgency to notify the Rules nearly four years and three months after CAA was passed by the parliament, Sibal told the bench, Whats the urgency after four years and three months? If any process of citizenship starts and people get citizenship it will be irreversible. So, the process shouldnt start. Once you grant citizenship, you cant take it back.

The petitioners then said that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta be asked to give an assurance that the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 Rules will not be implemented and citizenship will not be granted till the petitions are pending before the top court. However, Mehta refused to make any statement.

In an effort to persuade the bench to stay the operation of CAA and CAR, Indira Jaising urged the court to say that any grant of citizenship, during the pendency of the matter, would be subject to the outcome of the adjudication of the challenge to CAA/CAR. She said, We cannot go on with hope and trust jurisprudence anymore.

While CJI Chandrachud responded by saying, But the infrastructure of State level committee, etc., is not in place, the Solicitor General Mehta opposed this option by senior advocate Jaising as well.

According to the observation by the CJI Chandrachud, Sibal told the bench that if something happens, they will approach the top court.

Appearing for one of the immigrants, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar said, I am from Balochistan, I came to India because I was persecuted. If I am given citizenship, how is it affecting them?

A day after the Central government issued the Rules for the CAA on March 11, Kerala-based Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the implementation of the Rules and the 2019 law as well.

Seeking the stay of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA)and the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 (CAR) notified on March 11  for enforcing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, the Indian Union Muslim League has sought that no coercive steps be taken against persons belonging to Muslim community, who have been excluded from the benefits of the CAA.

On December 12, 2019, the Indian Union Muslim League was the first to approach the Supreme Court challenging the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

The Indian Union Muslim League in its challenge to the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules 2024, has stated that the Rules create a highly truncated and fast-tracked process for the grant of citizenships to non-Muslim migrants from the specified countries, thereby making operational a manifestly arbitrary and discriminatory regime solely on the ground of religious identity.

The IUML has, in its petition challenging the Rules, also stated that the Rules are manifestly arbitrary and create an unfair advantage in favour of a class of persons solely on the grounds of their religious identity, which is impermissible under Article 14 (Equality before law) and 15 (Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth) of the Indian Constitution.

Apart from the IUML, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the Leader of Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saika, and Congress MP from Assam, Abdul Khaleque, and others have also approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on Rules.
Four days after the Election Commission announced simultaneous polls for Lok Sabha and Assembly, the political activities and customary polls-related excitement is conspicuously absent in Odisha with none of the leading parties- BJD, BJP and Congress coming out with their list of candidates.

The parties indecisiveness on candidate list has apparently given rise to a piquant scenario with pre-poll political activities virtually coming to a standstill.

The grass root cadres of the major parties  mostly the BJD and the BJP  are quite confused on embarking on door to door canvassing at the ground level.

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Possibility of a pre-poll alliance is still intact. Thats why; candidate selection process has been delayed. We are in a catch-22 situation. We do not know what to do? Since the 2019 polls, we have opposed each other tooth and nail. If the alliance is forged, we have to keep the past animosity in the backburner to come to a friendly terms. Thats not an easy task at the village and booth level given the fact that social bonding had become a casualty due to political differences, remarked a cross-section cadres of BJP and BJD.

For the Congress workers however, things are on a different track. The party workers of the grand old party exude optimism of a better performance in the polls as the BJD-BJP stitched a pre-poll tie-up.

We have always been sending the message loud and clear that BJD is in partnership with BJP. The alliance formation will add ammunition to our campaign. We will be able to garner the support of people who are heavily let down by the BJD-led government in the State and Modi government at the Centre, remarked a Congress worker from Jagatsinghpur, Ramakant Mohanty.

Though the possibility of BJD-BJP stitching up a pre-poll alliance has dipped considerably, the Congress is trekking on wait and watch track, delaying the list, analysts believe.

Meanwhile the ruling Biju Janata Dal has initiated the process of selecting candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections here on Monday after a prolonged spell of wait which lent credence to speculations over a possible alliance with the BJP.

BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal and a few other leaders are currently in Delhi with a list of candidates for the 147 assembly and 21 LS seats. A consultative committee of the BJP met yesterday at Delhi to discuss the list of candidates. It will be placed before the election committee on Tuesday, party sources confided.

The latest developments come after several rounds of negotiations between the BJD and the central leadership of the BJP for a pre-poll alliance. Skeptics here continue to speculate that BJDs exercise may well be aimed at sending a strong message to the central BJP leadership on its preparedness. Though the chances of an alliance have dimmed, one cannot rule it out as yet, observed political analysts here.

Odisha will vote in the Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls, which are being held simultaneously, in four phases. The coastal State has 21 Lok Sabha seats and a 147-member assembly.

On May 13, polling will be held for the Nabarangpur, Koraput, Berhampur and Kalahandi Lok Sabha seats. In the next phase on May 20, voting will be held for the Aska, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Bargarh and Sundargarh Lok Sabha seats.

On May 25, voting for the Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Puri, Bhubaneswar and Cuttack seats will be held. Polling for the Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur seats will be held on June 1.

In the 2019 LS elections, BJD won 12 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats, while the BJP secured eight and Congress managed one seat. In the assembly, the BJD bagged 113 seats, the BJP won 23, the Congress secured nine, the CPI (M) won one, and also an Independent candidate won.
Last week Prime Minister Modi announced the success of Project Divyastra, which was the launching of the indigenously developed Agni 5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV ) technology. His announcement came on X (formerly Twitter). He tweeted, Proud of our DRDO scientists for Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with MIRV technology. This launch placed India in a select group of nations which possess this capability. It added a credible milestone to Indias strategic response capability.

The last time that PM Modi had made a similar announcement was post the successful conduct of the anti-satellite (ASAT) test on 27 March 2019, termed as Mission Shakti. He had then stated With this, India has entered its name as an elite space power. The Lok Sabha elections of 2019 were scheduled to commence on 11 April that year, within a fortnight of the test. Akin to 2019, this year also the launch was conducted around the time of announcement of elections. The opposition criticized the government for the same. As in 2019, the MIRV test opened doors for discussion on whether the Agni 5 launch was intended to boost the BJPs vote bank in the forthcoming elections. Journalist Rohini Singh tweeted, Its going to take more than a missile test to divert attention from #ElectoralBonds. There is only so much NOIDA anchors can speak on it.

The Congress spokesperson, Jairam Ramesh, tweeted, Agni 5 with an announced 5,000 km range was first test fired on 19 April 2012. This led to the Manmohan Singh Government clearing the development of MIRVs for Agni 5  which has today been test fired successfully. While the current government credited scientists, the opposition felt otherwise. As the electoral battle commences, the Agni 5 test would be projected in some manner to display the governments success in Indias growing military power. The firing of the Agni 5 has changed the regional landscape. A week prior to the test, the government had issued a NOTAM (Notification to Airmen), which is a warning in advance of a possible missile test. It was for the Bay of Bengal for dates between 11 to 16 March and covered a designated area of 3500 km. This implied a long-range missile launch.

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Initial rumours indicated that it would possibly be a K-4 (nuclear capable submarine launched missile) test. The issue of the NOTAM led to China rushing a research vessel, Xian Yang Hong 01, to the region to monitor the test. It was deployed off the coast of Visakhapatnam, in international waters, and monitored by the Indian navy. This displays Chinas concern, especially when the Global Times mentions that Indias main hypothetical enemy is China. Pakistan had conducted an MIRV missile test about three years back, which failed. The range of the Agni 5 ICBM (Inter Continental Ballistic Missile) has been announced as 5,000 km but is likely extendable to 8000 km. This would bring all of China within its ambit, adding to deterrence.

Its precision at the target end is another key factor. MIRV technology implies mounting and launching multiple warheads on a single missile. These would need to be miniaturized, equipped with independent guidance and navigation controls. Each warhead can be programmed to hit a different target or the same in succession, ensuring desired damage. The Agni 5 is designed to carry four to six warheads, as compared to 8 to 10 of other nations. Thus, the number of missiles to be launched to achieve desired results will be reduced. Conducting the test without miniaturizing warheads has little meaning.

Hence, the test would have been done after the desired warhead technology would have been achieved. Thus, once scientists are satisfied with the test results, the missile could come into production. The number of nuclear warheads in the Indian inventory had remained stagnant over the years. With the induction of Agni 5, these would need to be increased. Multiple warheads on a single missile can effectively penetrate the enemys missile defence systems. A separate input mentions that India is simultaneously developing smart decoys capable of fooling Ballistic Missile Defence systems and sensors.

In recent times, the Indian government has not hesitated to respond effectively to threats facing the nation, which makes deterrence capability credible. The successful launch of the Agni 5 also needs to be linked to the Indian government considering the creation of an Integrated Rocket Force (IRF). The current range of rockets and guns of the Indian artillery cater to the needs of the tactical commander, while the IRF would be designed for influencing the battle at the operational level.

The Strategic Forces Command will remain the arsenal for the strategic battle, of which the Agni 5 will form a part. Currently, the US, UK and France have MIRV technology on their SLBMs (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles). Russia possesses the technology on both SLBMs and ICBMs. China possesses it for its ICBMs. From this would flow the future intent of the DRDO. It would first aim to increase the number of warheads on a single missile from the current four to six to possibly eight to ten. Secondly, it would seek to develop the capability for SLBMs, thereby making the triad complete. Thirdly, to extend the range of the Agni missiles to 10,000 Kms or more.

Finally, would be to boost the countrys anti-missile shield while enhancing the capability of our own Agni missiles to bypass the enemys missile shield. India is not a member of any alliance and hence has to fight and win wars on its own. It also has to prepare for threats of the future, where deterrence is essential to ensure peace. It is only nuclear counter-strike capabilities, in range, technology and intent that the government can project as a credible deterrence, sending a firm message to its adversaries to ensure that their misadventures remain localized and conventional, which India possesses the capacity to counter.

The Indian missile programme has been a success story. The Agni 5 is the latest in the series of DRDOs missile arsenal and would be a precursor to those with longer ranges, greater destructive power with better accuracy. As Indias military capability enhances, the approach of its neighbours will change.

(The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.)
Turkiye's ambassador to Azerbaijan, Cahit Bagci, congratulated the Azerbaijani people on the Novruz holiday, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by the ambassador on his official X account.








The United States considers TikTok a threat to its national security and is willing to treat it as such. This issue ceased to be mere speculation when the House of Representatives  in a rare show bipartisanship in these times of extreme pre-election polarization (352 votes in favor and 65 against)  approved last week a bill that requires ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell the social media platform within six months. If it does not do so, TikTok will be banned in the U.S. The bill now begins its passage through the Senate, where its outcome is uncertain, but President Joe Biden has said he would sign it into law. There is currently no clear buyer for the platform, whose gigantic value has yet to be calculated, so the threat of a ban is very real.

In just seven years, TikTok has grown exponentially, reaching one billion users worldwide, 170 million of whom are in the United States. But unlike other internet giants, it is not American. The aggressive protectionist move comes after years of warnings in Washington about the connections between ByteDance and the Beijing government. The Chinese government has a board seat with ByteDances structure and, by law, operates under the regimes principles. The suspicion that the data of half of the U.S. population (names, phones, location, cards and all kinds of personal preferences) could be accessed by a foreign power has grown as TikTok gained more and more ground in the U.S. market.

TikTok is also especially popular among young people and its very powerful recommendation algorithm  the average user spends an hour and a half a day watching videos  can also be a highway of misinformation. Also of alarm is the fact that the United States is in the midst of an election campaign ahead of the November presidential elections. As president, Donald Trump tried to implement a law like the one recently approved by the House, but was stopped by the courts. Now, aware that the controversy could be a major issue for young voters, he is questioning the TikTok ban.

TikTok is based in California and has always denied the accusation that it is subservient to Beijing. It has spent hundreds of millions of dollars lobbying Washington, but this message has failed to hit its mark. In recent weeks, TikTok even called on users to directly demand members of Congress oppose the measure.

The move in the United States has a precedent in India, which banned TikTok in 2020, also for national security reasons. The ban affected the 200 million TikTok users in India. The European Commission opened an investigation into the company, but in this case, for issues concerning advertising transparency and protection of minors. The strategic security argument, however, affects all Western democracies. Europe is no stranger to the global rivalry between the U.S. and China, even less so since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. It would be advisable for European institutions to prepare  without prejudice  for a debate on the relationship between freedom and security that, sooner rather than later, could end up reaching Brussels.

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Long before the Salt Satyagraha was launched by Mahatma Gandhi from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad on 12 March 1930, there were popular uprisings, hunger-strikes in jails, workers strikes and public processions denouncing the ruthless colonial rule subjugating the country. British authorities were alarmed and determined to put an end to these demonstrations through beatings, police firings and indescribable tortures. Gandhijis Dandi March, as the Salt Satyagraha is referred to, was defying British laws prohibiting common manufacture of salts in India: it sparked the imagination of the people, near and far through March to May 1930.

It was an intensely active non-violent revolution which brought to the fore what Raja Rammohun Roy had enumerated in 1831, almost a hundred years earlier. Standing before the ad hoc Committee of the British parliament in London, Rammohun Roy left no one in any illusion about the plunder and self-serving nature of the English East India Company. The Company had run a deplorable drainage of the Indian economy, sacrificing the interests of millions of Indians to profit for an English elite. This was several decades before Dadabhai Naoroji and RC Dutt could spell out the drain of wealth theory with more hardhitting facts. He denounced abuses of the Company concerning salt trade in India; pointing out that in Bengal alone, 125,000 manufacturers of salt (molunghi) had become victims of this severe monopoly of the English.

The patriotic fervor seen during the Dandi March was building up with the Meerut Conspiracy case of 20 March 1929, and the publicity it received in India and overseas. The British carried out widespread simultaneous searches throughout India and arrested 31 Communist and trade union leaders. They wanted to prove in court that Communists were anti-religion, antinational and anti-everything that is civilised in society. Harold Laski, the British political scientist, likened the Meerut trial to the class of cases of which the Mooney trial and the Sacco-Vangetti trial in America, Dreyfus trial in France, the Reichstag fire trial in Germany, are supreme instances.

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With the nationalist press in India, and Communist press abroad, giving full publicity, the Meerut Conspiracy case became widely known, inspiring a new generation of Indian revolutionaries. Sure enough, the second Meerut Conspiracy shook the colonial government. On 8 April 1929, in the Central Legislature at Delhi, the Public Safety Bill and the Trade Dispute Bill were certified as lawful acts by the Viceroy. Immediately, in protest of such anti-working class activity of the Government, the revolutionary Bhagat Singh and Batukeswar Dutta threw two bombs in the Legislature hall.

They did not try to escape, instead shouted: Long Live Revolution, Down with imperialism, Workers of the World Unite and distributed handbills, published in the name of Hindusthan Socialist Republican Army (HSRA), headlined, In order that the deaf might listen, the noise must be powerful. When Jatin Das, another HSRA revolutionary, died in Lahore Jail after a 63-day hunger strike on 13 September 1929, patriotism and anti-British emotions reached new pitch with leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose and Durgavati Devi joining a massive funeral procession in Calcutta four days later, an unprecedented outpouring of compassion and empathy for the sacrifices of HSRA revolutionaries.

From Bengal came another show of anti-British power in the jute mills of Chengail and Bauria where workers began a long strike, refusing to bow before police attacks and retrenchment. By July-August 1929, the first general strike of jute works assumed historic proportions: a record 192,000 jute workers of Bengal were united through this struggle. Leaders like Abdul Momin, Abdur Rezzak Khan, Kali Sen and Dr Bhupendranath Dutta were engaged in these struggles, a recurring nightmare for the Government. With these fires of freedom burning in 1929, the Congress at its Lahore session in December, resolved for complete Independence or Poorna Swaraj.

On 26 January 1930, Independence Day was observed all over the country. The pledge was taken for not resting till complete Independence was gained when the national flag was unfurled. It was in this political context that Mahatma Gandhi on 11 March 1930 announced the Dandi March, at the evening prayer held on Sabarmati sands with a 10,000-strong crowd listening to his memorable dramatic speech. He said, In all probability this will be my last speech to you. Even if the Government allows me to march tomorrow morning, this will be my last speech on the sacred banks of the Sabarmati. Possibly these may be the last words of my life here. I have already told you yesterday what I had to say. Today I shall confine myself to what you should do after my companions and I are arrested.

The programme of the march to Jalalpur must be fulfilled as originally settled. The enlistment of the volunteers for this purpose should be confined to Gujarat only. From what I have seen and heard during the last fortnight, I am inclined to believe that the stream of civil resisters will flow unbroken. His emphasis on non-violence was constant: Let there be not a semblance of breach of peace even after all of us have been arrested. We have resolved to utilize all our resources in the pursuit of an exclusively non-violent struggle. Let no one commit a wrong in anger.

This is my hope and prayer. I wish these words of mine reached every nook and corner of the land. My task shall be done if I perish and so do my comrades. It will then be for the Working Committee of the Congress to show you the way and it will be up to you to follow its lead. So long as I have reached Jalalpur, let nothing be done in contravention to the authority vested in me by the Congress.

But once I am arrested, the whole responsibility shifts to the Congress. No one who believes in non-violence, as a creed, need therefore sit still. My compact with the Congress ends as soon as I am arrested. In that case volunteers, wherever possible, civil disobedience of salt should be started. These laws can be violated in three ways. It is an offence to manufacture salt wherever there are facilities for doing so. The possession and sale of contraband salt, which includes natural salt or salt earth, is also an offence.

The purchasers of such salt will be equally guilty. To carry away the natural salt deposits on the seashore is likewise violation of law. So is the hawking of such salt. In short, you may choose any one or all of these devices to break the salt monopoly. I stress only one condition, namely, let our pledge of truth and nonviolence as the only means for the attainment of Swaraj be faithfully kept, he explained, For the rest, every one has a free hand.

But that does not give a license to all and sundry to carry on their own responsibility. Wherever there are local leaders, their orders should be obeyed by the people. Where there are no leaders and only a handful of men have faith in the programme, they may do what they can, if they have enough self-confidenceOur ranks will swell and our hearts strengthen, as the number of our arrests by the Government increases. Gandhijis focus was not just on salt alone, his words, the Liquor and foreign cloth shops can be picketed. We can refuse to pay taxes if we have the requisite strength. Lawyers can give up practice. Public can boycott law courts; Government servants can resign their posts. People quake with fear of losing employment.

Such men are unfit for Swaraj If, therefore, we are sensible enough, let us bid good-bye to Government employment, no matter if it is the post of a judge or a peon. Let all who are co-operating with the Government in one way or another, be it by paying taxes, keeping titles, or sending children to official schools, etc. withdraw their co-operation in all or as many ways as possible. Then there are women who can stand shoulder to shoulder with men in this struggle. You may take it as my will, he said, adding It was the message that I desired to impart to you before starting on the march or for the jail.

I wish that there should be no suspension or abandonment of the war that commences tomorrow morning or earlier, if I am arrested before that time. A Satyagrahi, whether free or incarcerated, is ever victorious. He is vanquished only, when he forsakes truth and nonviolence and turns a deaf ear to the inner voice. God bless you all and keep off all obstacles from the path in the struggle that begins tomorrow.

(The writer is an authorresearcher on history and heritage issues, and a former deputy curator of Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya)
Have an interesting bit of news youd like to see mentioned in the Along the Way column? Email it to Bella Ramirez at bramirez@thesunchronicle.com .
A federal appeals court has issued an order that again prevents Texas from arresting migrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally, hours after the Supreme Court allowed the strict new immigration law to take effect
It's clear, there is no shame in politics
People who are bothered by changes in gender or race in film adaptations often blame Hollywoods embrace of woke culture. Recent targets of their ire: the 2023 remake of The Little Mermaid and the prequel to The Lord of the Rings. However, Morgan Freemans diverse career can shed light on this issue. For instance, in The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Freeman portrayed Red Redding, a character originally described as a red-haired Irishman in Stephen Kings story. He also played a character in Kevin Costners Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) who wasnt part of the traditional legend. Despite not fitting the typical image of the God of the Bible, Freeman portrayed him twice, and also did three turns as president of the United States before Barack Obama was elected.

Freemans first presidential term was in Deep Impact (1998). When director Mimi Leder suggested his name, a studio executive rejected the idea, saying they werent doing science fiction. It was an especially significant role for an actor who began his career during the Hays Code era, a self-imposed industry set of guidelines for all the motion pictures that were released between 1934 and 1968. The code banned the depiction of interracial relationships and restricted roles for Black actors. When I was little, there was no me in the movies, he said in an interview for Esquire. Whenever there was a Black man in a movie, it was usually for laughs. Then Sidney Poitier came along and showed young Black folks that we could take on different roles too.

Black, not African American. Freeman hates that term. Two things I can say publicly that I dont like: Black History Month is an insult. Youre going to relegate my story to a month? he declared a couple of years ago. Also, African American is an insult. I dont subscribe to that title... What does it really mean? Most Black people in this part of the world are mongrels. And you say Africa as if its a country, when its a continent, like Europe.

Morgan Freeman in 1981. CBS Photo Archive (CBS via Getty Images)

Morgan Freeman in 1990. Bonnie Schiffman Photography (Getty Images)

Having started his career six decades ago, he has observed industry transformations that have rendered it unrecognizable. The thing is, now weve got everyone in on it. Like, everyone. LGBTQ, Asian, Black, white, interracial marriages, interracial relationships  theyre all in the mix. You see them all up on the screen, and thats a huge leap.

Freeman discovered his calling very early in life. The son of a teacher and an alcoholic barber, he was going to be a dancer until he enlisted in the military. When I was sixteen, I decided I wanted to become a fighter pilot, he told an interviewer from Dutch film magazine Preview. I wanted to be in the military. I wanted to be a warrior. But when I came closer to the realization of that dream  I was 21 and sitting in the cockpit of a fighter trainer  I suddenly knew that my dream was a romanticized version of war, made by movies. I really wanted to make movies about it. I didnt really want to do it. It was a life-changing epiphany. I only had those two ambitions and one of them was false.

The cast of 'The Electric Company' educational children's television series, including Bill Cosby (back left), Rita Moreno (front center), and Morgan Freeman (right). Bettmann (Bettmann Archive)

His first big role came in The Electric Company, an educational childrens television series that included stars like Rita Moreno and Bill Cosby. It was a job with exhausting hours that Freeman finally left after almost 800 episodes to work in some Shakespeare theater productions. His early movie roles were mostly in prison settings. Freeman starred alongside Robert Redford in Brubaker (1980), and he also appeared in Attica (1980), a TV film about the New York prison riots. He caught the public eye in Eyewitness (1981), sharing the screen with emerging stars Sigourney Weaver and William Hurt. In Street Smart (1987), he portrayed a character typically given to Black actors  a dangerous and arrogant criminal  earning his first Oscar nomination. While praised by critics, he chose not to pursue similar roles. I refused. When you do something like that, you get lots of offers to play the same role in other movies. But I didnt want to do that. If Im good in something, I dont want to do it again  I want to try something new.

Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy with their Golden Globes for 'Driving Miss Daisy' (1990). Bettmann (Bettmann Archive)

The role that led to his next Oscar nomination was quite different. His character in Driving Miss Daisy (1989), which he had previously played on stage, brought Freeman immense fame. Although he was over 50 by then, Freeman was a fresh, new face to movie audiences. Inspired by a true story, the movie depicted the relationship between a Black chauffeur and an elderly Jewish woman that evolved into a family-like bond. It was a huge success, won four Oscars (out of nine nominations) and grossed $145 million worldwide. Freeman was now a star, which led to a role in Kevin Costners Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves created specifically for him.

Freeman began to show up in unconventional settings for Black actors, like Clint Eastwoods Western, Unforgiven (1992). His casting as Red in The Shawshank Redemption came as a surprise. Freeman was suggested for the role in the fan favorite by producer Liz Glotzer. In Stephen Kings novella, Red is a white Irishman with red hair, hence the nickname. Screenwriter and director Frank Darabont initially considered Gene Hackman and Robert Duvall for the role, but their unavailability led him to heed Glotzers advice. When Freeman learned of their interest, he was thrilled. Shawshank was an absolutely delightful script, the actor told Vanity Fair. So I called my agent and said, It doesnt matter which part it is  I want to be in it. He said, Well, I think they want you to do Red. And I thought, Wow, I control the movie!

Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman in a scene from 'The Shawshank Redemption.' Archive Photos (Getty Images)

Freeman was the focal point of Shawshank, serving as the narrator. His deep voice, a key asset, took the spotlight for the first time, and he subsequently narrated fiction, documentaries and commercials. Freemans Visa commercials were very successful until allegations of inappropriate behavior by eight actresses led to contract termination. Colleagues like the late Suzanne Somers defended him, citing his old-fashioned ways. The CNN journalist who reported the allegations was eventually accused of falsifying material for the story, yet the damage to Freemans reputation had already cost him several sponsorships.

Another scandal that touched Freeman was when the granddaughter of his first wife, EDena Hines, was tragically murdered by her boyfriend in 2018. Initially thought to be an exorcism gone wrong, the murder was later revealed to be a jealous rage  she was stabbed 25 times in broad daylight on a New York City street. The boyfriend and murderer alleged that the aspiring actress had been sexually abused by Freeman when she was younger, which he vehemently denied.

The actor everyone likes

Freeman, known for his moderate temperament and kindness, has always risen above the often vicious Hollywood gossip and rumors. Already a star in the early 1990s, he worked with Brad Pitt in David Finchers Seven (1995), which paved the way for more roles in crime thrillers. He progressed to playing a U.S. president in Deep Impact (1998) and God in Bruce Almighty (2003). Despite his on-screen star power, Freemans career was still lacking major awards. That came by way of his old friend, Clint Eastwood.

Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt in a scene from 'Seven.' Getty Images (Getty Images)

If the Freeman-Eastwood collaboration in the dark Unforgiven was a success, so would be his role as a former boxer with holey socks who convinces an aging trainer (Eastwood) of an aspiring boxers potential. Million Dollar Baby (2004) starts as a tale of personal growth, evolving into a powerful contemplation of euthanasia, earning Freeman his first Oscar. He would receive his most recent nomination in another Eastwood film  Invictus (2009)  in which he played South African President Nelson Mandela. In between, he found time for the modern rite of passage (for actors): starring in a superhero blockbuster as Lucius Fox in Christopher Nolans Batman trilogy.

Freemans indifference to awards is evident in his extensive filmography: with over 120 titles, ranging from masterpieces to forgettable ones. He once told Esquire that some roles are just to pay the rent. Freemans signature gold earrings, inspired by Burt Lancaster in The Crimson Pirate, hold sentimental value. Theyre worth enough to buy me a coffin in some faraway land, he once told The Talks. Thats why sailors used to wear them.

Morgan Freeman in 1989. Penske Media (Penske Media via Getty Images)

Morgan Freeman and Margot Robbie at the Oscars in 2023. Myung J. Chun (Los Angeles Times via Getty Imag)

At 86 years old, Freeman continues to work at a steady pace. His most recent movie  57 Seconds  is a 2023 science fiction thriller film co-starring Josh Hutcherson. The actor knows that people dont call him anymore to give life to great characters, but to be himself. When my film career started, I wanted to be a chameleon. Like De Niros very different roles when he was younger. But as you get older in this business and become a star, youre pretty much screwed in terms of being a character actor. Youve played the same role too many times. The people who hire you say, I want Morgan Freeman, and you live with it.

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Bitcoin Apex is a recently launched AI-enabled trading platform that has been receiving positive reviews over the past few days. In this Bitcoin Apex review, I will be evaluating all the factors of this platform in detail.

If you are wondering what Bitcoin Apex is, it is a new trading platform that has become part of a discussion among experts and crypto traders. The trading platform is said to help traders manage their portfolios according to their needs and also help them find potential profits in the crypto market. The creator also states that the platform has been developed using advanced technologies and is not only limited to trading experts but also allows beginners to take their first step into trading.

Visit Bitcoin Apex

This Bitcoin Apex review will look into the claims made by the creator and dig a little deeper to verify whether the claims are valid. Only information from authentic sources is collected to verify these claims. We will be also looking at different aspects of this platform such as how it works, the different features incorporated, and more.

So, lets dive into it.

Bitcoin Apex - Facts Overview

Trading platform name Bitcoin Apex Robot Type Crypto Robot Platform Type Web-Based Trading Fees Zero Deposit/ Withdrawal Fees None Success rate High success rate Payout Time 24 Hrs Trading platform type Web-based platform Trading assets supported Supports the trading of almost all legal cryptocurrencies Capital requirement $250 Payment methods Wire transfer, debit/credit card, and PayPal Official Website Click Here

What Is Bitcoin Apex?

Bitcoin Apex is a crypto trading platform that helps traders to buy and sell assets effortlessly. The platform is integrated with the latest technologies that help traders identify market trends and invest or sell accordingly. Using advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and algorithms, the creator has designed a fully automated trading platform that executes trading efficiently.

According to the creator, the trading platform has a user-friendly interface that enables traders to navigate through the platform easily and carry out the functions easily. This makes the platform open to beginners. Beginners can also use the free demo mode available on this platform to get to know about it and also become familiar with trading methodologies.

Traders have to go through a registration and verification process before they start trading.

They do not have to pay any registration charges or any other platform fees. The minimum deposit required to start trading is $250. The platform also supports several cryptocurrencies and various digital assets.

We will look into more details about the Bitcoin Apex platform in the next sections of this review.

Click Here To Trade With Bitcoin Apex For Free

How Does Bitcoin Apex Work?

The main aim of the Bitcoin Apex platform is to simplify the trading process. For this, the AI-enabled bot collects real-time data, identifies and analyzes trading patterns and market trends, and gives traders recommendations based on the performance of the market. The use of an advanced algorithm system can predict how the market will perform in the upcoming days or months and forecast the market trend enabling traders to make informed decisions.

The Bitcoin Apex platform also automated the trading process where transactions are conducted automatically according to the market trends and there is no need for the traders to be fully active on this platform to conduct the trading. The platform also enables customization of personal goals and the users can set the risk tolerance and other strategies according to their needs. Traders can also manage their portfolios, monitor their profits and losses, and examine their overall performance.

How to Open An Account On Bitcoin Apex?

According to the creator of Bitcoin Apex, registering on this platform is a piece of cake. Traders do have to go through multiple processes to open a trading account on this platform. A trader can open a trading account by following the simple steps mentioned below.

Step 1: Registration

Like any other application, the first step is to register on this platform. For this, you can visit the official website of Bitcoin Apex, and click on the register button. You will be redirected to a page where you have to enter all the personal information - name, email address, contact number, and set up the account with a password. After you enter all the details, your information will be verified by the Bitcoin Apex verification team. If your details are found to be genuine, they will send a confirmation link to the given email address. You have to click on the link and complete your account registration.

Step 2: Deposit

The next step is to deposit the minimum fund required to start the trading process. As you can see, you do not have to pay any form of registration fee or any other fee to set up your account on Bitcoin Apex. However, you need to deposit a minimum amount of $250 to start trading through this platform. You can increase the amount according to your trading goals, experience, and risk tolerance. The platform supports different payment methods and no extra charges are levied from the users.

Step 3: Start Trading

After completing the registration process and depositing the minimum amount, you can start trading through this platform. You need to set the trade parameters, risk tolerance, and other crucial parameters to get a tailored trading experience. Once you set up your goals, the platform will do the rest of the task. The AI-enabled bot will analyze the latest trading trends, identify the potential market risks, and generate trade signals. This enables you to invest according to the trade signals and make immense profits.

Register On Bitcoin Apex For Free

Is Bitcoin Apex Legit?

Several factors determine the legitimacy of a trading platform such as the technologies used, technical analysis tools integrated, safety measures taken, transaction facilities, success rate guaranteed, customer satisfaction, and so on. From our analysis of the official platform, customer responses, expert opinions, and data available on trusted crypto forums, we could gather that this trading software is genuine.

Bitcoin Apex uses the latest technologies like artificial intelligence and consists of several advanced technical analysis tools. The system follows strict safety and security protocols to safeguard user data, ensures a high success rate by offering accurate market analysis and invaluable signals, and has received only positive responses so far. So, from all these aspects, Bitcoin Apex seems legitimate.

Bitcoin Apex: Features

As we have seen, the Bitcoin Apex platform is designed using several features to simplify and enable traders to conduct trading efficiently. So, lets look at the features integrated into this platform in detail.

Integrated with advanced market tools

According to the creator of the Bitcoin Apex platform, all the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and advanced algorithms are integrated with this platform to conduct trading efficiently. The platform also automates the trading process by identifying the market trends and predicting the future performance of stocks and cryptocurrencies.

User-friendly interface

One of the things that makes the Bitcoin Apex trading system simple when compared to other trading platforms is that the platform has a user-friendly interface. This helps traders trade through the platform without complicating the process. It also becomes easier for the traders to navigate through the platform without facing any difficulties.

Real-time data

The AI-enabled system integrated with the Bitcoin Apex platform offers real-time data, identifies trading patterns, and also gives you live recommendations based on market trends. This can help you make the right decisions based on a wide range of data and spot the risks accordingly.

Portfolio creation

Traders can create their portfolios using this platform. It also opens up a way to diversify their holdings and pursue their financial goals according to real-time market conditions. Portfolio management also helps to record the losses and profits made by each trader.

Customization

Traders can now set the parameters according to their trading needs and goals. It also enables them to regulate their risk tolerance and strategies according to the latest market conditions. Customization according to individual needs can benefit traders in the long run.

Secure Trading

Using the Bitcoin Apex platform, traders can now experience secure trading as the platform follows all the crucial safety protocols. The platform is also integrated with the latest encryption technology to avoid data leaks and stores every data securely. It protects traders' personal and trading information from attacks.

Free demo mode

The Bitcoin Apex platform also offers a free demo mode, which is found to be beneficial for beginners. This mode helps them understand the core of trading and how the platform can be used to enhance trading. Since it is a free mode, there is no need to pay any charges.

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Pros and Cons of Bitcoin Apex

We have looked through all the important details of the Bitcoin Apex trading system in the previous sections. Here, we will discuss the positives and negatives of the platform. So, lets look at the pros and cons of the Bitcoin Apex platform.

No registration fee is required.

Minimum deposit is $250.

User-friendly interface.

Beginner-friendly system.

Customization is available.

Integrated with advanced technologies

Provides real-time data

Free demo mode

Supports different cryptocurrencies and assets.

Secure trading platform.

24/7 customer support.

The Bitcoin Apex platform is not available in some countries due to restrictions in trading laws. Some of them are Iran, Israel, France, Cyprus, and the United States.

Bitcoin Apex - Minimum Deposit

When we look at other trading platforms, Bitcoin Apex is free of cost. This is a free trading platform, and unlike other trading platforms, does not require any registration fee or other maintenance fees to get started.

Traders are only required to spend $250 to start trading. This is a minimum deposit and traders can increase the amount according to their trading needs, skills, goals, and the latest market trends. The platform also supports different payment options and traders can select the most suitable option from it.

The most important factor about this platform is that traders have complete autonomy and control over their assets. Traders can deposit and withdraw any time they want, and there will be no restrictions to it.

Bitcoin Apex - Supported Cryptocurrencies

As mentioned before, the Bitcoin Apex platform supports various cryptocurrencies that enable traders to trade from a single platform. There is no need to switch from one platform to another to trade in different currencies or assets. Some of the supported cryptocurrencies are:

Montero (XMR)

Litecoin (LTC)

Ripple (XRP)

Ethereum (ETH)

Dash (DASH)

Cardano (ADA)

Binance Coin (BNC)

Ethereum Classic (ETC)

Polkadot (DOT)

Dogecoin (DOGE)

Bitcoin (BTC)

To view the complete list of supported assets and cryptocurrencies, you can visit their official website.

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Bitcoin Apex - Eligible Countries

The Bitcoin Apex platform is available in most of the countries. However, some of the countries restrict its use because of strict trading laws. Some of the countries where the use of the Bitcoin Apex system has been restricted include Iran, Cyprus, France, Israel, and the United States. The platform can be used in the following countries:

Sweden

Netherlands

Finland

Mexico

Brazil

Spain

Germany

Belgium

Malaysia

South Africa

Norway

Hong Kong

Japan

Vietnam

United Kingdom

Canada

Australia

Singapore

Taiwan

Thailand

Poland

Switzerland

Slovenia

Slovakia

Bitcoin Apex: Customer Support

Genuine Bitcoin Apex customer reviews are available on trusted platforms and if you go through them, you can find that most of the users have responded positively. You can also find some of them on various platforms such as Quora, Meta, and Reddit. Traders have commented on how the platform has accurately predicted market trends and this has helped them to invest in the right assets at the right time and make immense profits out of it. The customer responses signify the authenticity of the trading platform.

Bitcoin Apex - Final Verdict

In this Bitcoin Apex review, we have discussed all the important features and other aspects of this trading system. We have seen that Bitcoin Apex is a free trading system built using the latest technology. The two important technologies integrated with the platform are artificial intelligence and algorithms. When the two of them are combined, the system generates accurate trading signals that enable the traders to make the right decisions based on authentic data.

The platform is also suitable for novice traders and guides them through the whole process. Beginners can also start their trading journey by using the demo mode which is free of cost. Traders can also set the parameters of trading according to their needs and the system will generate the data as per the set parameters.

The creator also assures that traders can conduct trading that is safe and highly secure using the latest encryption technology. The traders can maintain full autonomy and control over their assets and currencies. Evaluating all these factors, the Bitcoin Apex platform does seem to be worth a try.

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Bitcoin Apex - FAQs

What is the registration fee for the Bitcoin Apex platform?

For registering in the Bitcoin Apex platform, users do not have to pay any registration fee.

Can I close the account if I am not happy with the system?

Yes. The creators guarantee that traders have full autonomy over their assets and other investments. So, they can close the account any time they want.

Are there any maintenance fees?

No, the creator assures that no maintenance fee or any other form of fee will be deducted from the users at any time.

Can beginners use the Bitcoin Apex platform?

One of the features that makes the Bitcoin Apex platform different from other trading platforms is that it is ultimately a beginner-friendly platform and has a user-friendly interface.

Is the Bitcoin Apex platform mobile-friendly?

The Bitcoin Apex platform can be used on different devices such as mobile phones, desktops, and laptops.
This week, we have two biopics to look forward to, Oscar-winner 'Oppenheimer' and Randeep Hooda's directorial debut 'Swatantra Veer Savarkar. Find out about other theatre and OTT releases of the week.

THEATRE RELEASES

1. Swatantra Veer Savarkar

Release date: 22 March

Randeep Hooda's 'Swatantra Veer Savarkar' is a biopic of politician and activist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The movie, directed by Randeep Hooda himself, delves into the life of the unsung hero V.D. Savarkar, exploring his views, ideologies, and efforts to throw out the British from India. Hooda claims he attempts to dissect the life of one of "the most misunderstood, debated, and influential among unsung heroes" through this biopic.

2. Knox Goes Away

Release date: 22 March

'Knox Goes Away' marks Michael Keatons return to directing after 15 years. The movie revolves around a hitman, Knox, portrayed by Michael Keaton himself, who is diagnosed with aggressive dementia and has a week to settle his affairs. Another subplot in the movie focuses on a father-son relationship. Al Pacino, James Marsden, and Marcia Gay Harden play pivotal roles, promising fans an electrifying performance from Michael Keaton.

OTT RELEASES

1. 3 Body Problem

Release date: 21 March

Streaming platform: Netflix

The creators of the award-winning series 'Game of Thrones' are back with a mind-blowing sci-fi series '3 Body Problem'. The series is based on the global best-selling novel by Chinese author Cixin Liu. Published in 2008 the sci-fi novel sold up to nine million copies worldwide and was also awarded the Hugo Award. The series follows a group of brilliant scientists working together to stop humanity's greatest threats, unravelling mysteries across space and time. The series features an ensemble cast including Benedict Wong, Jess Hong, Jovan Adepo, Eiza Gonzalez, and Alex Sharp among others.

2. Oppenheimer

Releasing date: 22 March

Streaming platform: JioCinema

Bagging the Oscars in various categories including The Best Picture 'Oppenheimer' is finally arriving on streaming platforms. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer looks into the life and mind of American theoretical physicist, J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb. The film also revolves around the controversial Manhattan Project which led to the development of the world's first nuclear weapon during World War II. The movie was released in theatres on 21 July 2023 and became the highest-grossing biopic released. Cillian Murphy helmed the role making him receive the Oscar for Best Actor and Robert Downey Jr for Best Supporting Actor. Other cast include Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, and Florence Pugh among others.

3. Ae Watan Mere Watan

Release date: 21 March

Streaming platform: Amazon Prime Video

Drawing inspiration from the life of freedom fighter Usha Mehta, ' Ae Watan Mere Watan' tells the tale of an underground radio station led by a courageous young lady headlined by Sara Ali Khan, who played a pivotal role in India's freedom struggle. Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra have produced this daring movie. The movie's premiere date was announced on World Radio Day by Amazon Prime Video. Directed by Kannan Iyer, the film features Sachin Khedekar, Abhay Verma, and Sparsh Shribastav in pivotal roles along with a special guest appearance by Emraan Hashmi.

4. Lootere

Release date: 22 March

Streaming platform: Disney Plus Hotstar

Hansal Mehta's 'Lootere' recounts a real-life ship hijacking in Somalian waters. According to the trailer, an Indian cargo ship is hijacked by pirates and how each crew member struggles for survival forms the crux of the movie. The series is directed by Jai Mehta and produced by Shailesh R. Singh. The series promises to be exciting and adventurous. Rajat Kapoor , Vivek Gomber, Aamir Ali arrive in lead roles.

5. Abraham Ozler

Release date: 20 March

Streaming Platform: Disney Plus Hotstar

After a successful theatrical release, Jayaram starer 'Abraham Ozler arrives on streaming platforms. The plot revolves around a middle-aged police officer (Abraham Ozler) essayed by 'Jayaram' who is suffering from Insomnia and his journey to solve a series of crimes, that happen in similar patterns and styles. The subplot of the movie revolves around why Ozler has been suffering from Insomnia and his unforgettable broken past. Directed by Midhun Manuel Thomas the outing features a stellar cast including Mammootty, Dileesh Pothan, Anaswara Rajan, Jagadish in major roles.

6. Fighter

Release date: 21 March

Streaming on: Netflix

Hrithik Roshan's 'Fighter' received positive reviews after its theatrical release. Directed by Siddharth Anand, the movie follows an Air Force squad's mission to protect the nation from threats. The movie is no Tom Cruise's Top Gun but will set a benchmark for what an aerial action film would look like. Fighter features a stellar cast, including Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover, and others. Patriotism, camaraderie, courage, and sacrifice 'Fighter' has it all.

7. Road House

Release date: 21 March

Streaming platform: Amazon Prime Video

In the remake of the 1989 film of the same name, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead role of Dalton. Fans are thrilled to see the remake of the adrenaline-pumping 80s cult classic. The movie revolves around Dalton an ex-UFC fighter who hits rock bottom and the bar owner offers him a bouncer job at a roadhouse. He later on finds that things are messed up at the roadhouse and gets involved in the mess. Directed by Doug Liman the movie promises to have a better impact than its predecessor.
One day at the age of 24, Susannah Cahalan discovered that the world had become a brighter, louder, and more painful place. It was just the beginning of several delirious weeks in which everything changed for the journalist with The New York Post. Sometimes she saw insects that were biting her. The left side of her body was numb. She couldnt sleep despite being exhausted. And her behavior became erratic.

The night she suffered a major crisis at her boyfriends house marked the beginning of a long and erroneous list of diagnoses: alcohol withdrawal syndrome, bipolar disorder, even schizophrenia. Brain on Fire is the eloquent title of the book, later turned into a film, in which Susannah narrates the devastation caused by a disease as rare as it is terrifying. Autoimmune encephalitis is the result of an attack by the immune system on the neurons in the brain. The estimated incidence of the disease is one case per year per 100,000 people.

Cahalan suffered her episode in 2009 and medicine was able to find a diagnosis thanks to the fact that, only two years earlier, Josep Dalmau, a neurologist who then worked at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, had discovered the mechanisms behind a type of swelling of the brain called anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Its name refers to the patients antibodies attacking the NMDA receptor.

A look at the walls of Dalmaus current office at the Idibaps-Hospital Clinic in Barcelona (Spain) gives an idea of the global impact that the breakthrough had. It was a milestone that would lead the scientist and his team of researchers to describe 12 of the 16 forms of autoimmune encephalitis that have been described since then. There are three discreetly framed covers of The Lancet Neurology that featured Dalmaus work. And there is also the invitation he received from the United States National Academy of Medicine to be part of the institution, that he admits made him especially excited. Only two other researchers who practice in Spain, the pharmacologist Maria Jose Alonso and the pathologist Elias Campo, share this distinction.

Question. Why did it take so long for medicine to understand autoimmune encephalitis?

Answer. They are actually a large group of complex diseases. We knew very little about them 20 years ago and today we understand them better. But there are still some whose cause is not well understood.

Q. Why does the immune system attack the brain?

A. In some cases, the reason is the presence of tumor proteins that are similar or identical to brain proteins. These proteins trigger an immune response in which antibodies also attack those in the brain. The tumor may be benign and so small that it has not been detected by medical professionals, but the process it sets in motion can be devastating. There are also other factors that we are learning about, such as a certain genetic predisposition or some oncological treatments.

Q. How does the patient experience the disease?

A. Any of the brains functions may be affected. Sometimes the outward signs are similar to psychiatric disorders, others cause motor, sensory, sleep alterations, or epileptic seizures. What is notable is that each autoimmune encephalitis has a different symptom profile. And they are very serious processes, which often require long admissions to the ICU and some are associated with high mortality if they are not treated.

Q. Which people do these types of encephalitis affect the most?

A. It depends on the type. Some affect young women and children more, others affect people over 50 or 60 years old.

Q. Your discovery is often cited as a paradigm shift. Why?

A. It was the key that opened the door to new knowledge about many forms of autoimmune encephalitis. Twenty years ago, only one group was known. They were related to cancer and usually affected people over 50 years of age. But we saw that there were others that were equally serious, but that the patients could be much younger and included adolescents and children. Sometimes they did not have a tumor or, if they did, it was benign. All of this had a great impact on neurology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and intensive care, which were the branches of medicine that were dealing with these cases without really knowing how.

The neurologist Josep Dalmau at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona. Albert Garcia

Q. How did you do it?

A. It was not a new method. You start with clinical observation. You see the symptoms and, almost automatically, you begin to mentally exclude illnesses. In the end you are left without knowing exactly what is happening. In this case it was a young woman of about 22 years old who had been in the ICU for almost two months. And then, and experience helps here, you remember that you have seen three other almost identical scenarios before. All young women with a small benign tumor and the same clinical profile...

Q. And what did you say to yourself at that moment?

A. Well, there is something you are missing. And this is when the research process begins. We took the matter to the laboratory because I was convinced that the process was immune-mediated, but all the initial antibody studies had been negative. So we had to make a series of technical variations. In the end we discovered that all four patients had antibodies in their cerebrospinal fluid that reacted exactly the same in the brain.

Q. And then what?

A. You return to the patient. Once the antibody is discovered, you look at what proteins it went against. This allows you to develop a very simple diagnostic test. And for the next patient, you already know how to diagnose them quickly and treat them, which is the goal.

Q. What was the treatment that you used?

A. If you know that it is an antibody-mediated encephalitis, the strategy is useful. It has to be refined for each type of encephalitis, but the basic treatment is to eradicate the antibodies. This can be done with techniques such as plasma exchange, which, in a way, washes the antibodies out of the blood. If this is not enough, you go to the base and get rid of the cells that produce the antibodies. This is done with certain monoclonal antibody treatments. And there are other more aggressive therapies. You escalate according to the severity and response to treatment. Most kinds of encephalitis respond to this strategy.

Q. Have you managed to relate each type of encephalitis to a specific cause?

A. If it is for reasons not related to a tumor, it is less relevant to do so. But if it is a tumor, yes, because the process can be repeated as long as the tumor remains and the immune system has been activated. This is why it is essential to look for the tumor and remove it.

Q. But it shouldn't be very difficult to find it, right?

A. Sometimes it is, because it may be very small. We see this from queries we receive from other places in the world where perhaps diagnostic means are limited. They might have patients who have been correctly diagnosed and have improved with the relevant treatment. But they relapse. And we tell them to look for the tumor. Or to take a good look at certain organs. And, a lot of the time, it turns out that it was there.

Q. Can you tell where the tumor is by the type of encephalitis?

A. A lot of the time, yes. Some encephalitis is associated with tumors in certain areas. Depending on the type of encephalitis and associated antibodies, we can say that physicians should search primarily in the abdominal area, the ovaries, or the lungs.

Q. How many types of encephalitis have been defined?

A. Since 2007, there have been 16 of this type, which is mediated by antibodies [those not related to types of cancer that affect older people]. But there are more that we have not managed to describe yet. Almost every year we see about 50 patients with types of encephalitis that we can assume are related to an antibody that has not yet been distinguished. Characterizing them is difficult because each one is practically a project in itself. They are like isolated cases that would be ideal to relate to others.

Q. What else is left to do?

A. Our most recent studies are trying to understand why there are patients who take many months to recover, and in other cases some alterations have become chronic. These cases continue to come to us from all over the world.

Q. And what do you do?

A. We have returned to the clinic to better define these patients long-term condition. We are characterizing the diseases in the chronic phase. There is a very long recovery phase that we still dont fully understand. If the patient had antibodies and you eradicate them, why do they still have symptoms? We have rather interesting studies in this area, which no one has done until now, and which we are carrying out with the help of the Caixa Foundation.

We invite patients to come to Barcelona once they leave the hospital and have overcome the worst of the acute phase, but are still not well. We do a thorough examination. They are admitted overnight and we do a sleep record and other studies such as an encephalogram and brain MRI. We do this three times a year and were seeing what happens.

Q. Is that not a bit slow?

A. Yes, we continue through Zoom and other applications from the patients homes. We perform neuropsychological tests on them and, sometimes, we send them a type of headband that they can wear comfortably in bed and that performs an electroencephalographic recording while they sleep, and the data it collects is sent us via the internet.

Q. And what are you finding out?

A. Amazing things, the brain never stops surprising us. We have found that during the day, if you see the patient, they may appear fine. The surprise is that, thanks to these records, we have seen that many suffer very significant changes in their sleep structure during the night. They suffer epileptic seizures that we thought they had overcome and that probably contribute to cognitive and memory irregularities.

Q. And what can you do for them?

A. This is another area in which there is still a lot of progress to be made. Some patients improve by restarting or extending treatment. We are also studying how we can shorten the recovery period through remote cognitive rehabilitation.

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India on Wednesday rejected Chinas claims on Arunachal Pradesh as absurd and baseless while asserting that the northeastern state is an integral and inalienable part of the country.

The firm response from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came two days after the Chinese military called Arunachal an inherent part of Chinas territory.

"We have noted the comments made by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Defence Ministry advancing absurd claims over the territory of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh. Repeating baseless arguments in this regard does not lend such claims any validity," said a statement issued by MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

"Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Its people will continue to benefit from our development programmes and infrastructure projects," the statement added.

The Chinese military had claimed that the southern part of Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet) is an inherent part of Chinas territory, and Beijing has never acknowledged and has firmly opposed the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally established by India.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang's comments came in response to Indias enhancement of its military readiness through the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal.

Earlier, China had raised objections to Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the state. India dismissed the objections, saying they do not stand to reason.

"We reject the comments made by the Chinese side regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to Arunachal Pradesh. Indian leaders visit Arunachal Pradesh from time to time, as they visit other states of India. Objecting to such visits or India's developmental projects does not stand to reason," Jaiswal said on March 12.

Modi virtually inaugurated the strategic Sela Tunnel on March 9 during an event held in Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal.

The tunnel, constructed at an altitude of 13,000 feet, connects Tezpur in Assam and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a roadshow at Palakkad in Kerala on Tuesday, marking the continuation of BJP's South outreach programme. Modi has also a rally planned in Tamil Nadu's Salem later in the evening, which will see the party's alliance party leaders, including PMK founder S Ramadoss, attending it.

Modi has been in South India for the last few days as part of BJP's 'Mission 400' in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Prime Minister has already made over six visits to Tamil Nadu when he flew down to Coimbatore on Saturday.



Meanwhile, the Congress hit out at the Prime Minister's south push, stating that "he has historically paid little attention to the state."



Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh questioned the Prime Minister ahead of his visit to Tamil Nadu's Salem and Kerala's Palakkad on Tuesday. "The prime minister is visiting Salem, Tamil Nadu and Palakkad, Kerala today. Some important questions that he must address: While the prime minister has been visiting Tamil Nadu frequently in the last few weeks, he has historically paid little attention to the state," Ramesh said.



"For instance, he did not set foot there during the Cyclone Michaung crisis in December 2023," he claimed, adding that the state had to repeatedly request funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction after the cyclone.



"During Prime Minister Modi's visit to Salem, he will hopefully notice the numerous textile factories that have either shut down and disposed of machinery or reduced working hours for labourers," he said and accused Modi of "single-handedly destroyed India's MSME manufacturing capacities with demonetisation, GST, and the unplanned COVID-19 lockdown."



Ramesh also hit out at PM's Kerala visits, questioning whether he would apologise to the people of Kerala for his misleading statements on the state. "Kerala is the state that the prime minister had infamously compared to Somalia. Kerala's performance on development indicators has been consistently better than all Indian states. Will the prime minister finally apologise to the people of Kerala for his misleading commentary on the state," he asked.



Meanwhile, on his sixth visit to Kerala in three months, the Prime Minister held a road show in Palakkad. The PM's cavalcade, with Modi standing on an open roof vehicle heavily decorated with flowers, commenced the roadshow at around 10.45 am from Kottamaidan Anchuvilakku and proceeded towards the Head Post Office in the town.



Thousands of people, including BJP supporters with flowers, garlands, party flags, and placards of Modi and wearing party hats, lined both sides of the one-km roadshow route.



Modi visited Kerala's Pathanamthitta town on March 15, where he rallied support for NDA candidates contesting in the southern Kerala constituencies. The Prime Minister had said that "The Lotus is going to bloom in Kerala" in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and attacked the ruling Left and the opposition Congress-led UDF, alleging that the people of the state have endured hardship under governments plagued by corruption and incompetence.


The Congress manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, to be called the 'Nyay Patra', will highlight the guarantees focusing on the issues of youth, women, farmers and labourers as well as the promise of caste census, announced by the party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi during the course of the party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra.

The draft of the manifesto, prepared by a committee headed by veteran leader P. Chidambaram, was discussed by the Congress Working Committee on Tuesday. The panel, which met under the chairmanship of Kharge at the AICC headquarters, authorised the party chief to give the final approval to the manifesto and decide on the date of its release.

The major thrust of the document is on the five 'Nyay' announced during the course of the Rahul-led Manipur to Mumbai yatra which concluded recently. Five guarantees each were announced for each 'Nyay' which dealt with caste census, farmers, labourers, youth and women.

The manifesto is expected to promise a return to the old pension scheme, statehood for Kashmir and a special status for Ladakh.

According to sources, the manifesto would put forth the party's intent to bring in necessary amendments to curb the misuse of central investigating agencies. For example, the manifesto is likely to talk about the need to do away with the controversial provisions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act which are allegedly being misused by the Enforcement Directorate to target opposition leaders.

As per sources, there was a discussion on the party pledging to implement the recommendations of the Sachar committee on improving the social, economic, and educational status of Muslims.

The guarantees announced under the five Nyays are going to be a game-changer in this election. The party will launch a massive campaign to take the Nyays to the people, K.C. Venugopal, AICC general secretary in-charge of organisation, told reporters after the CWC meeting.

Jairam Ramesh, AICC general secretary in-charge of communications, said the guarantees will be taken to every doorstep. Our party organisation took the guarantees to every home in the assembly elections in Karnataka and Telangana. Similarly, in the Lok Sabha elections, the guarantees will be taken to every home. We will have 'Ghar, Ghar Guarantee', he said.
The Pattali Makkal Katchi will be contesting in 10 Lok Sabha seats as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA alliance in Tamil Nadu and leaders of both parties signed seat-sharing agreement on Tuesday. The alliance announcement comes hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modis rally in Salem, a stronghold of PMK and home turf of AIADMK leader Edappadi K.Palaniswami.



The high-level committee of PMK met on Monday at its founder Ramadosss farmhouse in Tindivanam and finalised an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. BJP State President K. Annamalai, Union Minister L. Murugan and other BJP leaders met with Ramadoss, Party President Anbumani Ramadoss and signed seat-sharing agreement. PMK was part of the AIADMK alliance during the 2021 Assembly polls.

Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday said, PMK has been part of the NDA alliance at the national level for the past 10 years. PMK took this decision to fulfil the desire of change of the people of Tamil Nadu. PMK leader said there is hatred amongst people against two Dravidian parties who have ruled the state for 60 years and said the alliance will be a huge success not just in Tamil Nadu but at the national level as well. Anbumani asserted that Modi will return to power for a third time.

The partys decision has come as a shocker for AIADMK, its former ally.During the 2021 Assembly elections, both PMK and BJP were part of the AIADMK-led alliance. Out of 234 Assembly seats in the state, BJP was allotted 20 and PMK 23 and they won four and five seats respectively. The Vanniyars, a prominent caste in Tamil Nadu which has been fighting for MBC status, form the major vote bank of PMK.

Incidentally, the alliance announcement comes hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modis campaign rally in Salem today. The alliance could be detrimental in deciding victory in Lok Sabha seats like Salem, Kirshnagiri, Dharmapuri, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chidambaram and a few other northern districts of Tamil Nadu.
The draft manifesto of the Congress party for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which carries the five 'guarantees' for justice, will be discussed and approved at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held on Tuesday.

Later the day, the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC), chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, is also likely to finalise the names of the remaining candidates for the seven-phase polls beginning April 19. The CWC is also likely to pass a resolution lauding Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' which concluded in Mumbai this Sunday.



As for the manifesto, the Congress had formed a manifesto panel with former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T S Singh Deo. The party had earlier maintained that the stress was to bring out a 'people's manifesto'.



AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's apex decision-making body, will approve the draft manifesto which carries the five 'guarantees' for justice. He added that the party is fighting the elections based on the concept of 'five nyay' (justice) - 'Bhagidari Nyay', 'Kisan Nyay', 'Nari Nyay', 'Shramik Nyay', and 'Yuva Nyay'. There are 25 guarantees, five for each 'nyay', which have already been announced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi.



"These are the guarantees by the Congress party and not by a single person," in an apparent dig at the prime minister who has been claiming to provide "Modi ki guarantee," as per PTI.



The Congress has already promised to give Rs 1 lakh annually to poor women, 50 per cent reservation for women in government jobs, a constitutional amendment to raise the 50 per cent cap on reservations, fill up three million public sector jobs and offer a social security net for unorganised sector workers.



Meanwhile, the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC), chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, is also likely to meet later that evening to finalise the names of the remaining candidates for the seven-phase polls beginning April 19. The Congress has so far announced a total of 82 candidates in two separate lists -- the first list of 39 candidates and the second of 43.


Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday in an indication that the BJP is looking to ally with him for the Lok Sabha polls to boost its alliance in the western state.

Thackeray, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday, was joined by BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde when he met Shah.

If the alliance is sealed, the MNS may be given one seat to contest from Mumbai, the Maharashtra capital where his cousin Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction enjoys some influence.

Raj Thackeray had parted ways with the Shiv Sena, when it was undivided, due to his differences with his cousin. However, his MNS could not make much impact even though he is seen as a powerful orator and enjoys a certain following.

His controversial comments against north Indians in the past had drawn sharp criticism from leaders from various political parties, including the BJP.
After the Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction and NCP, another political party in Maharashtra may soon join hands with the BJP-led NDA. Reports are that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray may ally with the BJP-led front for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Raj Thackeray and son Amit arrived in Delhi on Monday evening and may meet senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday morning. If both parties could reach a consensus, Raj may announce the pact on Tuesday itself, said reports.



The MNS had been holding talks with the BJP state leadership for some time, including with Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, but was yet to lock the deal.



On whether the MNS would join the Mahayuti alliance, Fadnavis told reporters on Monday that he "cannot say anything about it officially."



Thackeray too has been mum about the pact, stating that his party will decide its strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Raj founded MNS after splitting from the undivided Shiv Sena founded by his uncle Bal Thackeray in 2005.

Last month, MNS leaders Nitin Sardesai, Bala Nandgaonkar and Sandeep Deshpande met Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Sardesai had then termed the visit a courtesy call, though they did discuss political issues. The BJP too had been mum about any alliance.



Though the MNS has backed the BJP-led alliance, including in Rajya Sabha and legislative council polls, in 2022, the BJP has been wary of joining hands with MNS due to its anti-North Indian migrant stance.



The MNS had also shown mixed signals to alliances with NDA over the last decade. While it supported Narendra Modis prime ministerial candidature in 2014, the party fielded candidates against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition in 2014.

Though it upheld a pro-Hindutva stance, the MNS, in 2019, had campaigned for the Congress-NCP to defeat the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine.



However, BJP sources said the saffron party believes that having MNS in its fold would benefit the alliance in Maharastra as Raj Thackeray's party can make inroads in Marathi strongholds, thereby nullifying the Uddhav Thackeray effect. However, the MNS does not have a single MLA or MP across Maharashtra as the party candidates performed disastrously during the 2017 civic election as well as the 2019 State and General elections.


The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested a key absconding member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with the 2022 murder of RSS leader Srinivasan in Kerala.



The accused, identified as Shafeekh, had been absconding since the targeted killing of Srinivasan in Palakkad on April 16, 2022. The Malappuram resident was tracked by the NIA Absconder Tracking Team to Kollam district, following which he was taken into custody.

He was part of the PFI machinery and hit squads that had plotted and carried out Srinivasan's murder, said NIA in a statement.

A total of 71 persons have been identified as being part of the horrendous conspiracy, in which

NIA has already filed two chargesheets in the case last year and have identified 71 people who are allegedly involved in the conspiracy.

One of the accused, identified as Abdul Naser, had died on January 2, 2023. Two others, Saheer K.V. and Jaffar Bheemantavida, both of whom were absconding, were arrested on October 19, 2023 and February 12 this year respectively.

NIA investigations revealed that Shafeekh had harboured Ashraf K.P., who under directions of the PFI leadership, had conspired with other leaders and cadres of the banned outfit to execute the conspiracy. Ashraf had allegedly also conducted recce of various potential targets for elimination.

Srinivasan, who was hacked to death, had 10 deep wounds, including three cuts on his head, stated an inquest report.

Srinivasan's murder was allegedly carried out in retaliation for the killing of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) activist Subair, who was allegedly hacked to death by RSS workers in Elappully, Palakkad.
With the BJP bringing Lok Jan Shakti Party (Ram Vilas) and its leader Chirag Paswan to the NDA fold, rival faction leader and Paswan's uncle Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras announced his resignation on Tuesday.

RLJP President Pashupati Kumar Paras told presspersons on Tuesday, "Yesterday, the NDA alliance announced the list of 40 candidates for Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. Our party had five MPs and I worked with utmost sincerity. Injustice has been done to us and our party. Therefore, I resign from the post of Union Minister," ANI reported.

The Lok Jan Shakti Party (LJP) split in Bihar following its founder Ram Vilas Paswans death in 2021. Paras, the younger brother of Ram Vilas Paswan, took five of the MPs with him barring Paswans son Chirag, who was forced to form his party.



However, the BJP-led NDA, given Chirag's age and his aggressive campaigning in the state, pitched him as a long-term player in Bihar politics. The NDA allocated five Lok Sabha seats for LJP (Ram Vilas) in Bihar sensing Chirag Paswan's ability to draw big crowds at his rallies in Bihar. Through the move, the BJP underscored that it is he and not his uncle who is the political heir of the late Dalit stalwart Ram Vilas Paswan.



Meanwhile, a disappointed Paras held a meeting with senior leaders of the party at his official residence in New Delhi where a decision was reached to snap ties with the NDA. "Our party has not been given proper respect while striking a seat-sharing deal within the NDA constituents. Now we are free to take any decision and contest elections independently," a party leader was quoted by The New Indian Express.



Apart from Paras, MPs Prince Raj (Samastipur), Chandan Singh (Nawada), and former MP Surajbhan Singh were present at Mondays meeting.



There are also talks of entering into a pre-poll alliance with the Opposition grand alliance in Bihar. As per reports, Paras reiterated his intention to fight from the Hajipur seat, which has been allotted to Chirag Paswans LJP(R).



The Chirag Paswan camp broke out in celebration after the seats were allocated. Jubilant party workers smeared his face with dry colour as the BJP ignored the claims of a rival faction led by Paras.



Paswan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders while crediting the struggle of his party's workers, saying their hard work has been rewarded. He told reporters that he was mocked as his faction had only one MP with him and no MLA but his supporters thronged his rallies and kept their faith in him.



His late father Ram Vilas Paswan would often say that time, not people, is strong, the Jamui MP said, adding that he will contest from Hajipur, currently represented by his estranged uncle Paras.



Asked if there was any chance of reconciliation between him and his uncle, who had walked away with five of the six Lok Sabha MPs of the undivided Lok Janshakti Party, he said it was for the senior members of the family to decide.



He noted that Paras, a younger brother of his father, is the senior member of his family.



(With PTI inputs)
A groundbreaking study from the University of Ottawa has shaken up the current model of the universe by suggesting that dark matter may not actually exist. Professor Rajendra Gupta, from the Faculty of Science, utilised a novel combination of theories to reach this thought-provoking conclusion.

In the traditional cosmological framework, dark matter is believed to constitute a significant portion of the universe, playing a crucial role in shaping the behavior of celestial bodies. However, the new research challenges this notion, proposing a different explanation for the observed phenomena.

Gupta's innovative approach, which combines covarying coupling constants (CCC) and "tired light" (TL) theories, has not only raised questions about the need for dark matter but has also garnered support from various cosmological observations. This suggests that the universe may operate differently than previously thought, potentially reshaping our understanding of its fundamental properties.

"This study's findings confirm that the universe does not require dark matter to exist, challenging the prevailing understanding in standard cosmology," affirms Gupta. "The accelerated expansion of the universe, often attributed to dark energy, may actually be a result of weakening forces of nature as it expands, rather than the influence of dark energy."

The study's methodology involved a meticulous analysis of data from recent papers on the distribution of galaxies at low redshifts and the angular size of the sound horizon in the literature at high redshift. Gupta emphasized the significance of this research, stating, "There are several papers that question the existence of dark matter, but mine is the first one, to my knowledge, that eliminates its cosmological existence while being consistent with key cosmological observations."
Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a leading contender in No Labels push to recruit a presidential nominee, has ruled out a 2024 bid.

Duncan, a Republican, had been in communication with the centrist group in recent weeks about running for the White House under the No Labels banner this fall. The well-funded organization has already secured ballot access in more than a dozen states.

After careful deliberation, I have withdrawn my name from consideration for the No Labels presidential ticket, Duncan said in a statement. It was an honor to be approached, and I am grateful to all those who are engaged in good-faith efforts to offer Americans a better choice than the Trump vs. Biden re-match.

The former Georgia leader becomes the latest would-be candidate to turn down No Labels, a list that includes Republican former presidential candidate Nikki Haley, Republican former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Democratic retiring West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin.

No Labels has been working aggressively  and privately  to field a so-called unity ticket designed to provide voters with an alternative to former President Donald Trump, a Republican, and President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the general election.

Polls suggest many Americans dont want a 2020 rematch, a dynamic No Labels sees as an opening to offer a bipartisan ticket. But Democrats are especially worried that a No Labels candidate would undermine Bidens reelection.

Duncan, who has been critical of Trump, said he would continue focusing on efforts to improve the GOP so we can elect more common-sense conservative candidates in the future.

Duncans announcement comes less than two weeks after No Labels delegates voted to move forward with the process of nominating a candidate.

No Labels did not immediately respond when asked to comment on Duncans announcement.

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Tightening the liberties, the Hong Kong lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed a new national security bill, Article 23, known as one of the toughest security laws.

The law was passed within two weeks after it was tabled on March 8. John Lee, Hong Kong's leader called it a "historic moment for Hong Kong". With the legislation coming into effect on March 23, critics fear that the new law will restrict the free speech of the residents. Many nations, including the US, pointed out that the law will further narrow freedoms in the global financial hub, and could be used to "eliminate dissent through the fear of arrest and detention".

According to Lee, Article 23 was necessary to guard against "potential sabotage and undercurrents that try to create troubles".

China's Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang earlier said swift enactment of the new legislation would protect "core national interests" and allow Hong Kong to focus on economic development.

What is Article 23?

Article 23 expands on a controversial national security law earlier imposed by China. In China, it criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces in Hong Kong. The law was imposed by Beijing in 2020.

In the case of Hong Kong, the full draft of Article 23 targets new offences like external interference and insurrection, and penalties include life sentences. It also covers various aspects including treason, sedition and state secrets.

It follows the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. Authorities credit it with restoring stability in the city after widespread pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Back in 2003, there was an attempt to pass the bill, however, massive protests then against the law forced the authorities to shelve it. The strong opposition saw the resignation of security minister Regina Ip.

The 2024 version of Article 23 allows for closed-door trials and gives the police the right to detain suspects for up to 16 days without charge, reported BBC.

The city leader will also be given the authority to ban organisations and companies from operating in Hong Kong, should they be found "working for foreign forces". Some of the offences it covers are:

Theft of state secrets and espionage: The bill has a broad definition of "state secrets". It includes "major policy decisions", "economic or social development" and Hong Kong's "external affairs", among other things.

Sabotage endangering national security: This is a new offence that targets people who endanger national security either intentionally or by "being reckless". It also wants to criminalise computer-related acts that harm national security including doxxing.

External interference: This new offence will deal with acts of collaborating with "external forces" to influence or interfere with national and local authorities.

Insurrection: This will deal with acts such as assisting an armed force, or the organisation to which the force belongs, in an armed conflict against China.

Treason: In addition to treason, which includes offences such as levying war against China, the new bill seeks to criminalise unauthorised military drilling and "misprision of treason", committed by someone who has knowledge of treason but does not report it.

(With agencies input)
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was formally accused Tuesday of falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination data, marking the first indictment for the embattled far-right leader, with more allegations potentially in store.

The federal police indictment released by the Supreme Court alleged that Bolsonaro and 16 others inserted false information into a public health database to make it appear as though the then-president, his 12-year-old daughter and several others in his circle had received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Police detective Fbio Alvarez Shor, who signed the indictment, said in his report that Bolsonaro and his aides changed their vaccination records in order to issue their respective (vaccination) certificates and use them to cheat current health restrictions.

The investigation found several false insertions between November 2021 and December 2022, and also many actions of using fraudulent documents, Shor added.

During the pandemic, Bolsonaro was one of the few world leaders who railed against the vaccine, openly flouting health restrictions and encouraging other Brazilians to follow his example. His administration ignored several offers from pharmaceutical company Pfizer to sell Brazil tens of millions of shots in 2020, and he openly criticised a move by Sao Paulo state's governor to buy vaccines from Chinese company Sinovac when no other doses were available.

Brazil's prosecutor-general's office will have the final say on whether to use the indictment to file charges against Bolsonaro at the Supreme Court. The case stems from one of several investigations targeting Bolsonaro, who governed between 2019 and 2022.

Bolsonaro lawyer Fbio Wajngarten called his client's indictment absurd and said he did not have access to it.

When he was president, he was completely exonerated from showing any kind of certificate on his trips. This is a political persecution and an attempt to void the enormous political capital that has only grown, Wajngarten said.

The former president denied any wrongdoing during questioning in May 2023.

Police accuse Bolsonaro and his aides of tampering with the health ministry's database shortly before he travelled to the US in December 2022, two months after he lost his reelection bid to Luiz Incio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro needed a certificate of vaccination to enter the US, where he remained for the final days of his term and the first months of Lula's term.

If convicted for falsifying health data, the 68-year-old politician could spend up to 12 years behind bars or as little as two years, according to legal analyst Zilan Costa. The maximum jail time for a charge of criminal association is four years, he said.

What Bolsonaro will argue in this case is whether he did insert the data or enable others to do it, or not. And that is plain simple: Either you have the evidence or you don't. It is a very serious crime with a very harsh sentence for those convicted, Costa told The Associated Press.

Shor also said he is awaiting information from the US Justice Department to clarify whether those under investigation did make use of the false vaccination certificates upon their arrival and stay in American territory.

If so, further charges could be levelled against Bolsonaro, Shor wrote without specifiying in which country.

Bolsonaro retains staunch allegiance among his political base, as shown by an outpouring of support last month, when an estimated 185,000 people clogged Sao Paulo's main boulevard to decry what they - and the former president - characterise as political persecution.

Brazil's top electoral court has already ruled Bolsonaro ineligible to run for office until 2030, on the grounds that he abused his power during the 2022 campaign and cast unfounded doubts on the country's electronic voting system.

Other investigations include one seeking to determine whether Bolsonaro tried to sneak two sets of expensive diamond jewellery into Brazil and prevent them from being incorporated into the presidency's public collection. Another relates to his alleged involvement in the Jan. 8, 2023, uprising in the capital of Brasilia, soon after Lula took power. The uprising resembled the Capitol riot in Washington two years prior. He has denied wrongdoing in both cases.

Shor wrote that the indictment will be folded into the investigation of Jan 8, which is being overseen by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. That justice authorised the unsealing of the indictment.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the H-1B visas for fiscal 2025 closes on March 22.



H-1B, a non-immigrant visa, allows companies based in the USA to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise.

According to the US federal agency, the initial registration period closes at 12 pm ET (9.30 pm IST)



Prospective petitioners and legal representatives are required to use the USCIS online account during this period and have to electronically registers for the selection process. The registration fee should be paid for each beneficiary, USCIS said.

Form I-129, a petition for non-immigrant worker, for H-1B petitions and Form I-907, a request fro premium processing service, are available on USCIS online accounts, said the agency.

The online filing of forms for H-1B cap petitions will be accepted from April 1 while non-cap H-1B petitions are yet to be announced.
Capping days of speculations, the White House on Monday confirmed that Hamas leader Marwan Issa was killed in an Israeli operation. The confirmation comes a day after IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said that Hamas was trying to hide Issas fate.

Issa was known as the Hamas no: 3 and the highest-ranking militant commander to be killed in more than five months of war. According to the White House, Issa, the deputy commander of Hamass military wing, was killed earlier this month in central Gaza.



Israel considers Ismail Haniyeh as Hamass top official, with Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar as #1, and Hamas's military wing chief Mohammed Deif as 2. Issa was no 3.



"Hamass number three, Marwan Issa, was killed in an Israeli operation last week," national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters Monday. "The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network," "And justice will come for them, too."



Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also hinted Sunday that the targeting of Issa was successful. "Thanks to the ground operation, we reached information that led to [eliminations] and successes. This is true for northern Gaza, the central camps in Nuseirat, and Rafah," Gallant told reporters.



The IDF was initially reluctant to confirm Issa's death until Halevi claimed that "the March 9 operation was a significant intelligence coup because it led to a precise hit on the high-ranking Hamas military leader in an underground tunnel."



Last week, Palestinian sources had indicated that Issa did not survive the Israeli strike and his body was still buried under rubble.



Who was Issa?

Marwan Issa was the deputy of Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif and was believed by Israel to have played a central role in Hamass day-to-day military operations and to have helped plan its attack on October 7.



Issa was known as Shadow Man for his low public profile and ability to evade Israeli arrest and assassination attempts over the decades. He had managed to evade IDF attempts on his life in 2006, 2014 and 2021. He was also one of the longest-serving senior leaders in Hamas and rarely appeared in public.



Issa was born in central Gaza in 1965, but his family is from what is now the Ashqelon area in Israel. He had two sons, both deceased. Baraa, his eldest, died in 2009 after Egypt refused to allow him entry from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment. His other son, Muhammad, was killed in 2023 in an Israeli strike in Gaza.



He became the deputy commander of Hamas' military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, and the right-hand man to Mohammed Deif. Issa assumed the role after the assassination of another senior commander, Ahmed Al Jabari. He had also served both on Hamass military council and in its Gaza political office, overseen by Yahya Sinwar, the groups highest-ranking official in the enclave.



Issa, however, was in Israel jail during the First Palestinian Intifada in the late 1980s. He was detained by the Palestinian Authority in 1997 until the start of the Second Intifada in 2000, reported UAE-based National News.



Issa claimed in a 2021 interview that he was involved in indirect talks that resulted in Israel exchanging more than 1,000 Palestinian detainees for a single Israeli soldier, Sgt Gilad Shalit. "Even if the resistance in Palestine is monitored by the enemy at all hours, it will surprise the enemy," he told Al Jazeera at the time.
During a Webex briefing from Kyiv on Tuesday, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba offered insights into the current state of the ongoing war in Ukraine. He covered various topics, including Ukraines management of arms and the forthcoming global peace summit set to occur in Switzerland.

While speaking to the media, Kuleba said Ukraine continues to defend 1,200 kilometres of active frontline as it did in the last 25 months since the full-scale invasion.

Kuleba reiterated that Russias expansionist ambition over former Soviet countries can only be stopped if Ukraines invasion is halted.

The situation in the frontline remains tense, said Kuleba while accusing Russia of erasing towns and villages in the frontline areas.

Ukraine is different from Russia, he said. While we respect the lives of our soldiers, Russia is using brutal tactics by sending more number of soldiers to the battlefield.

Speaking about the self-reliance in arms, Kuleba said drones are the new heroes of the war and Ukraine is planning to domestically produce one million drones this year. The need for armour, and engineering equipment for the Armed Force of Ukraine was also mentioned by the minister.

He also gave updates about the artillery ammunition promised by friendly countries. According to him, Ukraine is also actively seeking new sources to procure weapons for its forces.

Kuleba praised Ukraines effort to secure the Black Sea grain deal which provided food grains to 33 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. He said apart from commercial exports, Ukraine also provided thousands of tonnes of humanitarian assistance in the form of free food grains to many vulnerable families in many countries.

Last February, 8 million tonnes of cargo went from Odessa port of which 5.2 million tonnes were loaded with food grains. Story of Ukraine resuming maritime food exports is a recipe for global food security, he added.

Replying to THE WEEKs question about election results in Russia and how Ukraine is preparing to face the election results in many countries which are going to the polls this year, he said, This year is rich in elections and Ukraine doesnt meddle in other countries elections; we will work with the governments which are democratically elected, and in the case of Russia, the elections are not real, he added.

Also, while replying to a journalist's question about Chinas influence in the Ukraine war, Kuleba said China can do a lot to stop this war as it enjoys a good relationship with Russia.

He said President Volodymyr Zelenskyys peace formula will be put forth in the global peace summit. However, he didnt elaborate on what the peace formula is about.

Kuleba is on a diplomatic tour to major nations across the globe before the peace summit in Switzerland to gain confidence of the participating countries. He is expected to visit India in the last week of March. During his visit, he will be meeting Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar.
President Joe Biden is embarking on a three-day campaign swing aimed at shoring up his standing in the Sun Belt as part of an aggressive play to re-energize vital parts of his 2020 electoral coalition.

Much of Biden's time on this trip this week, which includes stops in Nevada, Arizona and Texas, will be geared toward courting the Latino voters who helped power his coalition in 2020 and to emphasizing his pro-union, pro-abortion rights message.

Biden's first stop Tuesday is in Reno, Nevada, where he will meet with local officials and campaign volunteers in Washoe County before heading to Las Vegas to promote his administration's housing policies.

Next he'll travel to Phoenix for another campaign stop in a critical swing county paired with an event talking up what he has done to bolster the computer chip manufacturing sector.

Biden's push with Latino voters this week is also part of the campaign's broader efforts to put in place the infrastructure to re-engage various constituencies that will be critical to the president's reelection. That effort is all the more crucial as key parts of Biden's base, such as Black and Hispanic adults, have become increasingly disenchanted with the president's performance in office.

In an AP-NORC poll conducted in February, 38% of U.S. adults approved of how Biden was handling his job. Nearly 6 in 10 Black adults (58%) approved, compared to 36% of Hispanic adults. Black adults are more likely than white and Hispanic adults to approve of Biden, but that approval has dropped in the three years since Biden took office.

Biden's reelection campaign, along with allied Democratic groups, has opened offices in Washoe County and in specific areas of Las Vegas that aides said will help the campaign to target Black, Latino and Asian American voters.

Bilingual campaign organizers are already in place in Arizona, and the campaign has opened an office in Maryvale, a major Latino community in Phoenix. The campaign has hired more than 40 staffers in Nevada and Arizona.

Campaign officials believe that tuned-out voters are starting to pay attention to the reality of a rematch between Biden and Trump now that the two candidates have clinched their respective nominations. They're trying to boost coalition-building efforts in battleground states now that the matchup is set, using the energy coming out of Biden's State of the Union earlier this month to jolt their campaign momentum.

That includes, for example, ensuring that chapters are in place across college campuses so that students have a place to organize and that campaign offices are open and stocked with yard signs, campaign literature and other materials. Democrats are hoping that Trump and the GOP will struggle to catch up in key states.

The campaign has already established Women for Biden-Harris, an effort led by first lady Jill Biden to mobilize female voters who were a vital part of Biden's winning coalition in 2020, as well as Students for Biden-Harris, which will focus on getting young voters organized and active.

This isn't stuff that you can just stand up. This is stuff that requires work, Quentin Fulks, principal deputy campaign manager for the Biden campaign, said in an interview. It does require training. It does require making sure that your volunteers and supporters have what they need on the ground.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee dismissed dozens of staffers after new leaders closely aligned with Trump took over last week. Those let go include people who worked at the party's community centers that helped build relationships with minority groups in some Democratic-leaning areas. The committee's new leadership has since insisted that those centers will remain open.

The RNC, already strapped for cash, is also trying to bat away assumptions that it'll pay for Trump's ever-escalating legal bills.

Still, the Biden campaign and the broader Democratic Party are confronting their own struggles, despite their cash and organizational advantages. On top of Biden's weaker job performance numbers, Democrats are seeing less support from key voting blocs come election time; while Biden won 63% of Hispanic voters in 2020, that percentage shrunk to 57% for Democratic candidates in the 2022 midterms, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the national electorate.

Despite the waning approval numbers, campaign officials say they are confident that once the contrast between the president's agenda and Trump's plans for a second term are presented to disillusioned members of Biden's coalition, they will ultimately back the president.

I can say this as a Latina, we always come late to the party. We like to make a grand entrance, said Democratic strategist Maria Cardona. I think that's what you will see again because when it comes down to people making a real decision that is consequential to their future, the future of their children, the future of their communities, it's not some random phone call from an anonymous pollster I think that the Democratic coalition will come home.

Alongside the campaign stops, the administration is pairing official White House events on matters that have particular significance in the two states. In Arizona, Biden will continue talking up a law he signed encouraging domestic manufacturing of computer chips, which has already spurred significant private investment in the state, especially in Phoenix.

And in Nevada, Biden will continue promoting a new housing proposal that would offer a mortgage relief credit for first-time homebuyers and a seller's tax credit to encourage homeowners to offload their starter homes. The issue of housing is sure to resonate in Nevada, where home prices have nearly doubled since early 2016, according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace.

As the president has said, the bottom line is, we have to build, build, build, said Lael Brainard, the director of the White House National Economic Council.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., stressed that Democrats cannot take the state which has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 2004 for granted, even as she dismissed some polling that shows Trump with an edge in Nevada.

You got to be there talking to voters, particularly in Nevada, Cortez Masto said. It's still small enough, it's 3 million people, they expect you to show up, right? It's a swing state. It's very diverse. And people just expect that type of engagement, so they can decide for themselves.

Biden's three-day trip will wrap up in Texas, where he will host a trio of fundraisers in Dallas and Houston.
HYDERABAD, India, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amidst the increasing numbers of Autism cases in the country, where 1 in 100 being effected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Rainbow Children's Hospital organized an insightful two-day National Conference  Autism ODYSSEY in Hyderabad, on 16th and 17th of March, 2024.





Rainbow Children's Hospital, road no 2, Banjara Hills, Rainbow Children's Heart Institute, Road no. 10, and Radisson Blu Hotel, Banjara Hills facilitated a venue for this enlightening event, which was inaugurated by the chief guest, Dr. Ramesh Kancharla, CMD  Rainbow Children's Hospital.



Speaking at the event, Dr. Pratima Giri, a Developmental Pediatrician at Rainbow Children's Hospital, Banjara Hills, said, "We need to address the challenge of rising prevalence. The numbers have been consistently increasing over the years. Autism has emerged as a significant societal concern, extending beyond pediatric care to encompass challenges in education and employment. Parents are struggling to navigating hurdles, from accessing therapies to securing school admissions. As individuals with autism transition into adulthood, a majority face unemployment. Moreover, they encounter discrimination and bias in various spheres of life."



"There are over 300 autism therapy centers in Hyderabad alone. This highlights the high prevalence and the immense support needed. Efforts have been underway to raise awareness and provide assistance to individuals with autism. It is necessary for further dissemination of awareness and expansion of support programs, emphasizing the significance of timely interventions. Mother's role in the bonding is pivotal and crucial are the first 1000 days from pregnancy confirmation, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis, continuous monitoring, and follow-ups with relevant specialists in ensuring effective management and support for individuals with autism." she added.



At the two-day national conference, symposia were held on the multifaceted challenges that autistic individuals encounter throughout their lifespan: from childhood, through youth, and into old age and the possible solutions to enhance the quality of life for autistic individuals. There were 5 workshops held on inclusivity in education, management of challenging behavior and sensory issues, communication and employment opportunities. With a focus on empowering autistic individuals in the workforce, workshops explored diverse employment opportunities and strategies for creating inclusive workplaces that support their talents and abilities. Educators and caregivers absorbed insights into teaching methods designed to meet the diverse learning needs of autistic learners to promote their academic and personal growth. Notably, the session had Ms. Archana Suresh, Director  Telangana Social Impact Group, CSR wing, Govt. of Telangana as speaker. It had a wide hotel and IT sector representation. The event offered a platform for parents of autistic children and employers to come together and engage in discussions regarding opportunities and inclusion.



Throughout the workshops, attendees discussed strategies to promote societal inclusion, recognizing the importance of building a more understanding and accepting society that acknowledges the unique contributions of autistic individuals.



Chief Guest and CMD, Dr Ramesh Kancharla, Rainbow Children's Hospital, said, "I believe that autism is one of the most significant challenges that children are facing, today. It is imperative that we explore preventive measures to combat this haunting issue. We must also continuously seek out newer therapies and support processes to improve the lives of autistic individuals, making them better and more manageable. Being a children's hospital, we are dedicated to contributing our utmost efforts towards raising awareness, providing support, and promoting inclusion. In line with this commitment, we are initiating the establishment of a Child Development & Rehabilitation Center within premises of Rainbow Children's Heart Institute on road no.10, Banjara Hills. Our aim is to offer comprehensive support and care to children affected by autism."



About Rainbow Children's Hospital:



Set up in the year 1999, Rainbow Children's Hospital is a leading chain of hospitals dedicated to pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology and fertility. With a rich history spanning to 24 years, Rainbow has consistently delivered exceptional healthcare services including quaternary care services like the pediatric liver transplant, renal transplant and BMT through its advanced infrastructure and expert care. Interestingly, the hospital group offers a range of organic and natural woman and child care products under the name Butterfly Essentials.



The group operates 19 hospitals and 3 clinics across the country, including the newly inaugurated facility in Anna Nagar. The group operates in hub and spoke model with a hub and 7 spokes in Hyderabad, a hub and 3 spokes in Bengaluru, and a hub and 2 spokes in Chennai. Notably, the hospital chain has an exclusive pediatric cardiac care center  Rainbow Children's Heart Institute, in Hyderabad.



Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2366009/RCHAutismOdyssey.jpg



Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2076175/RCH_Logo.jpg



(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR

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Mumbai, Mar 19 (PTI) Weekly flight movements at the Mumbai airport will be eight per cent higher at 6,657 during the summer schedule starting from March 31.

The summer schedule will be from March 31 to October 26.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) will have "951 daily movements, an increase from approximately 882 in the previous summer schedule of 2023. With over 6,657 movements weekly, there will be an observed hike of over 8 per cent in weekly flight operations in 2024 compared to 2023," a release said on Tuesday.

The airport is operated by the Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL). The latter is managed by the Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL).

Among the airlines, IndiGo will account for 1,255 weekly departures while Air India and Vistara will have 539 and 519 weekly departures, respectively.

"Flights to Delhi will see a substantial rise with 27 additional weekly flights. Other key destinations with notable frequency additions include Srinagar with 28 additional weekly flights, Ayodhya with 14, and Kolkata with 9, respectively," the release said.

On a weekly basis, Vistara will fly to Paris five times, Akasa Air will fly to Doha four times and Uzbekistan Airways will operate services to Tashkent twice a week.

"Vistara will also operate daily flights to Hanoi," it added.

Recently, the civil aviation ministry imposed restrictions on flight movements at the airport to reduce congestion.
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Facebook and Instagram-owner Meta on Tuesday vowed to crack down on any misinformation and misuse of AI-generated content during general elections in India, saying it will remove them if they suppress voting, incite violence and use a network of fact-checkers to label content that is fake, altered or manipulated.

Meta said it will operationalise an India-specific Elections Operations Centre, bringing together experts from across the organisation to identify potential threats and put specific mitigations in place across its apps and technologies in real-time.

The social media giant said it is building tools to label AI-generated images from Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, and others that users post to Facebook, Instagram and Threads, as the social media giant pledged its commitment towards election integrity efforts ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The general election is scheduled to be held in seven phases starting from April 19, and results will be declared on June 4.

Meta said it firmly believes that it is important for people to know when photorealistic content has been created using AI, adding it already labels photorealistic images created using 'Meta AI' by putting visible markers that can be seen on the images, and both invisible watermarks and metadata embedded within image files.

"We are also building tools to label AI-generated images from Google, OpenAI, Microsoft, Adobe, Midjourney, and Shutterstock that users post to Facebook, Instagram and Threads," Meta said in a blogpost titled 'How Meta Is Preparing For Indian General Elections 2024'.

"We are dedicated to the responsible use of new technologies like GenAI and collaborating with industry stakeholders on technical standards for AI detection, as well as combating the spread of deceptive AI content in elections through the Tech Accord," it said.

The social media giant said the India-specific Elections Operations Centre will bring together experts from across the company from intelligence, data science, engineering, research, operations, content policy and legal teams, to identify and mitigate threats in real-time across its apps and technologies.

Meta said that starting this year, the company also requires advertisers globally to disclose when they use AI or digital methods to create or alter a political or social issue ad in certain cases. This applies if the ad contains a photorealistic image or video, or realistic-sounding audio, that was digitally created or altered to depict a real person as saying or doing something they did not say or do. Or if an ad depicts a realistic-looking person that does not exist or a realistic-looking event that did not happen, or depicts a realistic event that allegedly occurred, but that is not a true image, video, or audio recording of the event.

As the world's largest democracy prepares for the general elections, Meta said it will continue its efforts to limit misinformation, remove voter interference, and enhance transparency and accountability on its platforms to support free and fair elections.

Meta said it is closely engaged with the Election Commission of India through the Voluntary Code of Ethics it joined in 2019, which gives the commission a high-priority channel to flag unlawful content to the company.

"We remove the most serious kinds of misinformation from Facebook, Instagram and Threads, such as content that could suppress voting, or contribute to imminent violence or physical harm. During the Indian elections, based on guidance from local partners, this will include false claims about someone from one religion physically harming or harassing another person or group from a different religion," Meta said in the blogpost.

Ahead of the elections period, Meta will make it easier for all its fact-checking partners across India to find and rate content related to the elections. Meta will use keyword detection to make it easier for fact-checkers to find and rate misinformation.

"Indian fact-checking partners are the first amongst our global network of fact checkers to have access to Meta Content Library," it said.

Underlining efforts around countering risks emanating from the misuse of GenAI, Meta said it recognises the concerns around the misuse of AI-generated content to spread misinformation and actively monitors new trends in content to update policies.

"When we find content that violates our Community Standards or Community Guidelines, we remove it whether it was created by AI or a person," Meta said.

According to Meta, AI-generated content is also eligible to be reviewed and rated by its network of independent fact-checkers.

Meta said its fact-checking partners are trained in visual verification techniques, such as reverse image searching and analysing the image metadata that indicates when and where the photo or video was taken.

"They can rate a piece of content as 'Altered', which includes 'faked, manipulated or transformed audio, video, or photos'. Once a piece of content is rated as 'altered', or we detect it as near identical, it appears lower in Feed on Facebook," the blogpost said.

Meta said that on Instagram, altered content gets filtered out of explore and is featured less prominently in feed and stories.
Chennai, Mar 19 (PTI) Healthcare major Apollo on Tuesday elevated Dr Madhu Sasidhar as its President and Chief Executive Officer of the hospital division.

Sasidhar, currently serves Apollo as its Chief Strategy Officer since October 2023. He would succeed the current President Dr K Hari Prasad, who would be retiring after a 27-year career at Apollo, a press release said today.



A practising physician with US Board certifications in internal medicine, Sasidhar is a published author with numerous contributions to book chapters, and journal articles among others.



"I am pleased to welcome Dr Madhu Sasidhar to the Apollo family. He brings global experience along with a unique combination of administrative excellence, deep clinical understanding, and technology expertise. These will be instrumental in Apollo's next phase of rapid growth," said Apollo Hospitals Group founder-Chairman Dr Prathap Chandra Reddy.



"I wish him all the best and look forward to collaborating with him so we can bring more cutting-edge treatments across more facilities to more patients across India and the world," Reddy said.



An alumnus of JIPMER, Puducherry, Sasidhar pursued higher education in Internal Medicine at St Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York. He has also completed fellowships in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Yale University in the United States.
The latest courtroom action on a Texas law that would allow the state to arrest and deport people who enter the U.S. illegally sowed more confusion at the nations border with Mexico on Wednesday. A much-anticipated hearing before a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ended without a ruling, leaving the new law on hold for now.

During Wednesdays hearing, Judge Priscilla Richman questioned how the state law would be carried out, including how Texas would respond if federal authorities dont cooperate with a state judges order to deport someone. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has said it would not have authority to deport under the state law.

The toughest anti-immigration law in the United States was in effect for about eight hours and 40 minutes on Tuesday following a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. But the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday night again blocked the controversial Texas rule.

The courts decision came just hours after the conservative majority in the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the law, known as SB4, to go into effect. The rule, signed into law last December by Governor Greg Abbott, creates new offenses, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, for those who enter the country irregularly. The most controversial aspect of the law  which Mexico has categorically rejected  allows the state to deport migrants, until now a power exclusive to the federal government.

This is clearly a positive development, said Governor Abbott, who is on a crusade against irregular immigration coming into his state, after the Supreme Court lifted the pause on the law.

But later in a 2-1 order, an appeals court panel continued the legal seesaw surrounding the Texas law, again putting it on pause ahead of the Wednesday hearing, which ultimately ended without a ruling. It was not clear how quickly the next decision might come.

The Biden administration sued the Texas government on the grounds that SB4 alters the status quo that has existed between the United States and the States in the context of immigration for almost 150 years. Following the Circuit Court of Appeals ruling, either party can appeal to the Supreme Court.

If it comes into effect, the rule will allow state law enforcement to request papers from anyone in virtually any location, with the exception of schools, churches, hospitals, and health centers. Immigration document checks will not be exclusive to border counties, but may be conducted in cities far from the border with Mexico.

The Mexican government criticized the law during the brief period that it was in force. Mexico categorically rejects any measure that allows state or local authorities to exercise immigration control, detain, and return nationals or foreigners to Mexican territory, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Foreign Ministry stated that the new legislation creates a hostile environment in Texas, which has 10 million inhabitants of Mexican origin. The Mexican government affirms that it will play the role of Friend of the Court before the panel of judges in Louisiana to report on the impact that the law will have on the Mexican-American community.

The conservative majority of the Supreme Court, formed during Donald Trumps administration, allowed the measure to go into effect by a 6-3 vote. The progressive minority justices dissent rejected the majoritys decision. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the only Latina on the Supreme Court, noted that the Texas law upends the federal-state balance of power that has existed for over a century. Sotomayor also argued that the decision would lead to more disorder at the border, which saw record-high arrests in 2023.

In another opinion, conservative justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh claimed that their vote with the majority did not mean they agreed with the substance of SB4. The justices argued that their decision is procedural only, adding that they expect to further address the matter once the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issues its ruling on the law.

The Texas government argued that the law is a product of the Biden administrations inaction on the border. The legislation easily passed the Republican-led state legislature. State authorities claim that SB4 will be a tool to help them control an invasion at the border. Abbott and his administration have been able to gather support from several Republican leaders, who have been very critical of President Bidens management of immigration.

This laws long judicial journey began in late February, when a federal district judge blocked it, calling it unconstitutional. [To] allow Texas to permanently supersede federal directives on the basis of an invasion would amount to nullification of federal law and authority  a notion that is antithetical to the Constitution and has been unequivocally rejected by federal courts since the Civil War, Judge David Ezra wrote in his 114-page decision.

Like other critics of SB4, the judge believes that the law has several similarities with SB1070, the law passed by the Arizona government in 2010, which allowed local law enforcement to ask for papers from virtually anyone suspected of having entered the country illegally. SB1070 was in court for two years. In June 2012, the Supreme Court struck down several aspects of it and let others stand. One of the courts findings was that only the federal government has the power to issue laws against illegal immigration.

Human rights organizations have also criticized SB4, which should have gone into effect on March 5. The laws implementation would lead to racial profiling, separate families, and harm Black and Brown communities across the state, said the Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center. Jennifer Babaie, the groups director, has vowed to continue the court battle so that everyone, regardless of immigration status, has the freedom to move and the freedom to thrive.

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Kathmandu, Mar 19 (PTI) Two Indian criminals along with weapons have been arrested by authorities here while they allegedly attempted robbery in Southern Nepal.

Both criminals were arrested from the Sarlahi district in Southern Nepal.

The suspects, identified as Jitendra Raut and his accomplice Shani Singh, both from Motihari, were intercepted by the police while they allegedly attempted robbery on Monday, according to District Police Office Sarlahi.

The police had to open fire to take them under control as they attempted to flee after seeing the police.

During the arrest, Raut sustained an injury to his knee from police gunfire. He is currently undergoing treatment at the provincial hospital in Malangwa, they said.

According to the Police, the arrested individuals are wanted in connection with around a dozen cases of kidnapping and looting in India.

The police have initiated further investigation into the matter.
Lahore, Mar 19 (PTI) A Pakistani court on Tuesday directed the Lahore police chief to decide on a petition seeking foolproof security for an event to be held next week to observe the 93rd death anniversary of freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukh Dev.

The petition was filed in the Lahore High Court last week by the Bhagat Singh Memorial Foundation Pakistan chairman advocate Imtiaz Rasheed Qureshi. It urged the court to direct the Punjab government to provide foolproof security and install walk-through gates for the event planned for March 23 at the Shadman Chowk here, to avoid any untoward incident.

During the hearing of the petition, Lahore High Court Judge Shahid Karim directed the Lahore police chief to decide on Qureshi's application regarding foolproof security for the said event.

In his petition, Qureshi had said that the Punjab government had not entertained his request for the provision of security at the event being organised at Shadman Chowk, where Bhagat Singh along with his two comrades were hanged 93 years ago.

Qureshi had told the court about the threats he received in the past from extremist elements for "a session in the memory of Bhagat Singh".

Earlier this month, the LHC issued notices to the Punjab provincial government and the district administration on a petition seeking contempt proceedings against three top officials for not complying with the court's order regarding naming the Shadman Chowk in Lahore after Bhagat Singh.

The LHC in 2018 had ordered the government to name the Shadman Chowk after Bhagat Singh where he was hanged.

Bhagat Singh, who fought for the independence of the subcontinent, was hanged by British rulers on March 23, 1931, along with Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar after being tried under charges of hatching a conspiracy against the regime.

Bhagat Singh was initially jailed for life but later awarded the death sentence in another fabricated case. Bhagat Singh is respected in the subcontinent not only by the Sikhs and Hindus but also by Muslims.
Washington, Mar 19 (PTI) An American senator has expressed concern over the Indian government notifying rules for the implementation of the CAA, saying that as the US-India relationship deepens, it is important that the cooperation is based on shared values of protecting human rights of all, regardless of religion.

The Indian government implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 last week, paving the way for the grant of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

The government also came out with a press statement to say that Indian Muslims need not worry as the CAA will not impact their citizenship and has nothing to do with the community which enjoys equal rights as Hindus.

"I am deeply concerned by the Indian government's decision to notify its controversial Citizenship Amendment Act, particularly the law's potential ramifications on India's Muslim community. Making matters worse is the fact that it is being pushed during the holy month of Ramadan," Senator Ben Cardin, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement.

"As the US-India relationship deepens, it is critically important that our cooperation is based on our shared values of protecting the human rights of all persons, regardless of religion," he said.

Last week, the US State Department had expressed concern over the notifying of the CAA and said that respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law for all communities are fundamental democratic principles.

India had sharply rebuked the US State Department for its criticism of the CAA and said it is "misinformed and unwarranted."

In separate statements, the Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective (HinduPACT) and the Global Hindu Heritage Foundation supported the CAA.

The legislation provides expedited citizenship to persecuted Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi minorities from India's neighbouring countries. It underscores India's dedication to safeguarding individuals and families against religious persecution, resonating with global humanitarian principles, they said.

"The CAA does not impact any citizen of India. The characterisation of this law as being non-secular is unfounded. Hindu minority is discriminated against and decimated in Indias neighbourhood. As Americans, we are disappointed that instead of standing for American values and the human rights of the persecuted, our government has chosen to oppose this humanitarian effort," said Ajay Shah, founder and co-convenor of HinduPACT.

Deepti Mahajan, co-convenor of HinduPACT, said it is shocking to see the lack of empathy towards the plight of little girls from Hindu, Sikh and Christian minority communities in Pakistan.

"According to the UN Human Rights Commission, BBC and APPG reports, on average, 1,000 girls a year, as little as 10 years old, get abducted, converted, and become victims of sex slavery and forced marriages in Pakistan. Instead of calling out the government of Pakistan for its complicity in this ongoing heartbreaking act, the State Department seeks to criticise the Government of India's effort to help these innocent victims," she said.

The Global Hindu Heritage Foundation's V S Naipaul said, "The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 addresses the plight of minorities, who are facing brutalities, persecution, forced conversion, murders, rapes, and all kinds of atrocities in our neighbouring Islamic countries, where the idea of secularism, peace and humanity just cannot survive."
Sydney, Mar 19 (AP) Australia's online safety regulator has put social media giants on notice, requiring them to explain what they are doing to protect people from violent extremists and terrorists.

The country's eSafety regulator announced Tuesday that it had issued legal notices to Google, Meta, X, WhatsApp, Telegram and Reddit requiring each company to report on steps they are taking to protect Australian users of their platforms from extremist material online.

Accessing violent and extremist content on social media has been blamed for the radicalisation of the perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, which killed 51 people, and also a gunman who murdered 10 black Americans at Buffalo in New York in 2022. Both shooters also live-streamed parts of their attacks online.

According to Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant the risk of terrorism and online radicalisation remains high both in Australia and internationally.

"The tech companies that provide these services have a responsibility to ensure that these features and their services cannot be exploited to perpetrate such harm and that's why we are sending these notices to get a look under the hood at what they are and are not doing," Inman Grant said in a written statement.

"We remain concerned about how extremists weaponise technology like live-streaming, algorithms and recommender systems and other features to promote or share this hugely harmful material."

The Commission said it had issued the notices under transparency powers granted under Australia's Online Safety Act, which will require the six companies to answer a series of detailed questions about how they are tackling the issue.

"It's no coincidence we have chosen these companies to send notices to as there is evidence that their services are exploited by terrorists and violent extremists. We want to know why this is and what they are doing to tackle the issue," Inman Grant said.

"And, disappointingly, none of these companies have chosen to provide this information through the existing voluntary framework  developed in conjunction with industry  provided by the OECD."

The companies have 49 days to respond and face financial penalties of around 780 thousand Australian dollars (USD 510,000) per day if they don't comply.

According to a recent OECD report, Telegram is the top-ranked mainstream platform when it comes to the prevalence of terrorist and violent extremist material, with Google's YouTube ranked second and X, formerly known as Twitter, third. The Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram round out the top five.

WhatsApp is ranked 8th while a 2022 report by the New York State Attorney General confirmed the Buffalo supermarket shooter's manifesto cited Reddit as a platform that played a role in his radicalisation towards violent white supremacist extremism.

The eSafety Commission will also be asking Telegram and Reddit about measures they have in place to detect and remove child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The Commission said it will publish further information on the findings later in the year. (AP) DIV

DIV
London, Mar 19 (AP) Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported  the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.

The newspaper published a short clip late Monday that appeared to show William and Kate smiling as they walked together, carrying shopping bags. It said the footage was taken on Saturday in Windsor, west of London.

The Sun quoted Nelson Silva, who said he filmed the video, as saying, Kate looked happy and relaxed. They look happy just to be able to go to a shop and mingle.

The couple's Kensington Palace office did not comment.

The palace has said Kate, 42, will return to official duties after Easter. That's likely to be once her children go back to school on April 17.

The Sun plastered its front page with Great to see you again, Kate! It said it had decided to publish the footage in a bid to bring an end to what the Palace has called the 'madness of social media.'

Feverish and at times fantastical speculation has swirled about the princess's condition during her absence. The palace has not disclosed details, but said it is not cancer-related.

Kensington Palace released a photo of Kate and her children George, Charlotte and Louis on March 10 to coincide with Mother's Day in the UK. But the move backfire when The Associated Press and other news agencies retracted it from publication because it appeared to have been manipulated, fuelling even more conjecture.

Kate issued a statement acknowledging she liked to experiment with editing and apologising for any confusion the photo had caused. (AP) SCY

SCY
London, Mar 19 (PTI) Artificial intelligence (AI), one of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks pet subjects, was among the topics on the agenda of the informal meeting he had with former US president Barack Obama, Downing Street has said.

Obama was seen unexpectedly walking up to 10 Downing Street on Monday, with surprised reporters and photographers shouting questions about the purpose of his visit, believed to be the first for the two leaders.

While he just smiled and waved, Sunaks spokesperson later described the visit as a courtesy drop-in as the 62-year-old Democrat was in London for work associated with his Foundation.

The Prime Minister welcomed Barack Obama to No. 10 this afternoon for an informal meeting, as part of the former presidents visit to London with the Obama Foundation, a Downing Street spokesperson said later on Monday.

They discussed a range of issues, including international affairs and AI, the spokesperson said.

Obama was seen cheerily waving at photographers as he entered the famous black door for the discussions that took place in the Downing Street study.

He was making an informal courtesy drop-in as part of his trip to London, where he is conducting work of the Obama Foundation. I think President Obama's team made contact and obviously the Prime Minister was very happy to meet with him and discuss the work of the Obama Foundation, Sunaks spokesperson told reporters.

The meeting is believed to be the first time the British Indian leader has met Obama, who was on his first visit to Downing Street since he left the White House after his two terms as US President, between 2009 and 2017. His last visit to 10 Downing Street was to meet David Cameron, then prime minister and now UK Foreign Secretary, in April 2016.

Obama, the first African American president, founded the Chicago-based Obama Foundation with a mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world.

Obama was seen leaving Downing Street around an hour later with the US ambassador to the UK, Jane Hartley, and smiled at reporters as he quipped that he was tempted when asked to speak about democracy about the re-election of Vladimir Putin as Russia's President.

There is some speculation in the UK media that the former president may even have given Sunak some advice on handling the various crises at hand, from economic to the war in Europe as well as infighting within his Conservative Party ranks that has triggered rumours of a leadership change ahead of the general elections in the UK expected later this year.
Islamabad, Mar 19 (PTI) A Pakistan anti-corruption court on Tuesday acquitted the two sons of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in three cases of alleged corruption, nearly ending the legal woes faced by the former prime minister's family.

Hassan and Hussain Nawaz were implicated in the Avenfield, Flagship, and Al-Azizia corruption cases in 2018 related to the Panama Papers.

In 2018, the two brothers were declared proclaimed offenders after they failed to join the investigation in Avenfield Apartment, Al-Azizia and Flagship Investment cases filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

However, their trials were not held as they were abroad while their father Sharif, the main accused, was convicted in the Avenfiled and Al-Azizia corruption cases but acquitted in the Flagship case.

The three-time former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Sharif returned from London to Pakistan in October last year after ending his self-exile for nearly four years. He challenged his conviction in the two cases and the Islamabad High Court acquitted him. This emboldened his sons to return from London to face the charges.

They returned on March 12 after the court had suspended their absconder status until March 14 when they finally appeared before the court and were given bail.

They had also asked the court to acquit them after the main accused was exonerated.

On Tuesday, the acquittal plea was heard by the accountability court. Judge Nasir Javed Rana after hearing the case, acquitted the two in all three cases.

Earlier the same court granted Sharif's sons major relief by revoking its earlier order declaring them proclaimed offenders and cancelling their permanent arrest warrants.

With the cases against his two sons wrapped up with Tuesday's acquittal, the entire family of Nawaz Sharif has been exonerated in cases which were launched against him and his family members in 2017 when he was disqualified by the Supreme Court.
Colombo, Mar 19 (PTI) Sri Lanka's cabinet has approved a proposal to reform the parliamentary election system in the island nation ahead of the presidential election likely to be held later this year.

A note from the cabinet meeting held Monday released here on Tuesday said that a cabinet sub-committee has been appointed to formulate a hybrid system for parliament representation  160 members to be appointed by first past the post system while 65 members would be elected under the proportional representation system while retaining the total number of MPs at 225.

Presently, 196 members are elected under districts-based proportional representation while 29 members are appointed on the cumulative votes polled from the nationwide vote.

The cabinet note added that the Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe was advised to work out a draft election law accordingly.

The move on the electoral reforms assumes significance as the country is set to hold the next presidential election in the last quarter of this year. The next parliamentary election is not due before August 2025.

However, speculation is rife that a section of the ruling SLPP wants a parliamentary election to precede the presidential election.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has the power to dissolve parliament for a snap election or the 225-member house can pass a resolution by simple majority to call for a fresh parliamentary election.

But analysts say either party was unlikely to make the move for a snap parliamentary election.

Political sources said that Wickremesinghe on Monday asked his cabinet members to get ready for the presidential election which should take place between September 15 and November 15.
London, Mar 19 (PTI) A video of a beaming Kate Middleton shows her out and about shopping at a farm shop with her husband Prince William near the family home in Windsor, her first public appearance since the so-called photogate fiasco of an edited royal photograph after her abdominal surgery triggered rumours over her health.

The video, which shows the 42-year-old Princess of Wales carrying her own shopping bag as the royal couple walk together, was released late on Monday by The Sun newspaper which said the footage is from Saturday.

The newspaper said it has chosen to both report her appearance in its Sunday's edition and show the footage on Monday in a bid to bring an end to what palace sources have called the "madness of social media.

The couple's Kensington Palace office hopes this informal film will help dismiss the wild conspiracy theories and speculation doing the rounds over Princess Kates health.

The scrutiny around the future queen of Britain has been on overdrive after she was admitted to the London Clinic for a planned surgery on January 16, with social media speculation swirling around her recuperation.

Kensington Palace had said after the surgery that the Princess of Wales was making good progress and that it would not be offering any regular commentary on a private medical matter. Kate is not expected to return to official royal duties until next month, after the Easter school holidays.

She was last officially pictured on Christmas Day last year as she attended the Royal Family's annual church service in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Meanwhile, after Kate was forced to apologise for the confusion she caused with her amateur edit of a picture of her with her three kids  Princes George, 10, and Louis, 5, and Princess Charlotte, 8  the Getty Images picture agency revealed that another picture taken by the Princess of Wales had been digitally enhanced at source.

The second photograph in question is of the late Queen Elizabeth II posing with her great-grandchildren. Buckingham Palace had released the picture on April 21 last year, the Queens 97th birthday, saying it was taken by the Princess of Wales at Balmoral Castle in the summer of 2022.

Getty Images can confirm that in accordance with its editorial policy, it has placed an editor's note on a handout image stating the image has been digitally enhanced at source, Getty Images said in a statement on Tuesday.

This follows all major international picture agencies issuing a rare kill notice on the Mothers Day image of Kate and her kids from March 10 amid concerns the source had manipulated the image after people cited several peculiarities, including issues with Charlotte's sleeve, the uneven pattern on Louis' jumper and the window frame behind George.

Speculation about her health and whereabouts comes as King Charles III is also off duty while he undergoes treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer. While there has been some talk of the so-called photogate scandal damaging public trust in Britains monarchy, a new Sky News poll by YouGov on Tuesday claims that a majority 68 per cent say their opinion has not changed in recent months.

Around one in 10 people say they trust the Princess of Wales less, but the same number also say they trust her more. Trust in the 75-year-old King is better, as 5 per cent of people say they trust him less, whereas 11 per cent say they trust him more.
Bangkok, Mar 19 (AP) Military airstrikes in western Myanmar killed at least 25 members of the country's Muslim Rohingya minority, including children, local media reported, prompting the UN chief to express concerns over the escalating violence.

According to the reports, the airstrikes took place early on Monday morning and targeted the village of Thada, north of Minbya township in Rakhine state. The strikes also left another 25 people wounded. The military government had no immediate comment on the reports.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the deteriorating situation and escalation of conflict in Myanmar, according to a spokesperson.

The UN chief condemns all forms of violence and reiterates his call for the protection of civilians, including aid workers in accordance with international humanitarian law, for the cessation of hostilities, and humanitarian access, said Guterres' deputy spokesperson, Farhan Haq, in a statement on Monday.

Myanmar's military is increasingly using airstrikes to counter the widespread armed struggle against its rule since its seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021.

A report issued at the end of last year by Nyan Lynn Thit Analytica, a Myanmar research and advocacy organization, said that since the military's 2021 takeover, 936 civilians had been killed and 878 wounded in 1,652 airstrikes. It said 137 religious buildings, 76 schools and 28 hospital and dispensaries had been damaged by aerial attacks.

The Rohingya village of Thada is about 340 km (120 miles) southwest of Mandalay, the country's second largest city. However, almost 90% of Myanmar's people are Buddhist, especially the Burman majority, which constitutes the Southeast Asian nation's ruling class.

Two villagers from the Thada village told The Associated Press late on Monday that a jet fighter dropped two bombs on the village at around 1:30 am. Six children were among the 25 killed, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fears of arrests and reprisals.

The victims included those who had fled fighting in nearby villages, the villagers said.

Independent media including Myanmar Now, The Irrawaddy and Rakhine-based outlets also reported about the incident, giving death tolls between 21 and 23 on Monday and Tuesday. Different casualty tolls are common in areas of Myanmar that are difficult to access.

The AP was unable to independently confirm details of the airstrikes because reporting is greatly restricted and most phone services in the affected area has been cut by the military government.

Members of the Rohingya minority have long been persecuted in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. About 740,000 fled from Myanmar to refugee camps in Bangladesh when the military in August 2017 launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in response to attacks in Rakhine by a guerrilla group claiming to represent the Rohingya.

The Buddhist Rakhine are the majority ethnic group in Rakhine, which is also known by its older name of Arakan. The Rakhine, like other ethnic groups in Myanmar's border regions, have long sought more autonomy from the central government, and have set up their own armed force, called the Arakan Army.

The well-trained and well-armed Arakan Army has been attacking army outposts in Rakhine since November and has claimed to have seized two towns and scores of military targets in at least five townships during the past three months. It also captured a town in neighbouring Chin state. It has also been active in northeastern Myanmar, where it joined an alliance with two other ethnic armed groups to seize a large swath of territory along the border with China.

Until late last year, the Arakan Army had maintained a cease-fire in Rakhine with the military government but after the fighting began in the northeast, it launched an offensive on its home ground.

The military has been carrying out an increasing number of airstrikes in the township of Minbya, which has been largely under the control of the Arakan Army since late February.

The expansion of conflict in Rakhine State is driving displacement and exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities and discrimination, the statement by Haq, the U.N. deputy spokesperson, said.

It added that the UN chief was alarmed by reports of ongoing airstrikes by the military, including the one in Minbya. (AP) SCY

SCY
Almost six months late, U.S. Congress is preparing to approve the last package of spending legislation. Republican and Democratic congressional leaders have reached an agreement that must still be greenlighted by both the House and the Senate, but which would definitively chase away the specter of a partial government shutdown.

We have come to an agreement with Congressional leaders on a path forward for the remaining full-year funding bills. The House and Senate are now working to finalize a package that can quickly be brought to the floor, and I will sign it immediately, said President Joe Biden in a statement released by the White House.

House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have made similar announcements. The funding levels for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had been an ongoing source of disagreement, but a deal has been reached, the details of which have not been revealed. The DHS is responsible for the border, which has become a major campaign issue ahead of the November presidential election. Republicans recently rejected a bill that would have allocated more than $20 billion to combat illegal immigration.

Congress approved the first package of spending laws in early March, securing funding for about 30% of the government. Now they are focusing on a broader package, and still need to draft and vote on laws that fund the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies.

Members of Congress have until midnight on Friday to draft the rules and approve the package with the pending items. The Republican Partys internal rules require a minimum of 72 hours to consider the text of a bill before voting on it, although its leaders have bypassed this when necessary.

House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible, Johnson said.

The United States does not have one spending law but a dozen of them, and it is systemically unable to approve them in time for the start of the fiscal year, on October 1. The last time it did so on time was in 1997. The usual routine involves approving stopgap bills while the laws that enable the years spending are processed, which usually follows a cumbersome and complex procedure full of amendments.

Congress has been approving successive extensions. The first of them cost then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy his job. Curiously, his successor, Mike Johnson, has agreed to similar measures that have had even less support from Republicans, yet he was not ousted like McCarthy.

Aid for Ukraine was left out of the spending extensions on each occasion. The bill that Biden drafted and which included aid for Ukraine and Israel, among others, remains stuck in Congress.
Jerusalem, Mar 19 (AP) Qatari officials were cautiously optimistic after talks with Israel's intelligence chief in Doha aimed at trying to reach a cease-fire, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said on Tuesday at a news conference, stressing that an Israeli ground operation in Rafah would set back any talks.

Meanwhile, incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa laid out wide-ranging plans for a revitalised Palestinian Authority and an independent trust fund to oversee Gaza's reconstruction in a mission statement acquired Tuesday by The Associated Press.

But the plans face major obstacles, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to any return of the PA to Gaza.

Fighting in the enclave has left at least 31,819 Palestinians dead, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn't differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead. A United Nations food agency warned that famine is imminent in northern Gaza.

Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in the surprise October 7 attack out of Gaza that triggered the war, and and abducted another 250 people. Hamas is still believed to be holding some 100 people hostage, as well as the remains of 30 others.



Here's the latest:

HOUTHIS CLAIM LATEST ATTACK ON VESSEL IN GULF OF ADEN

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  Yemen's Houthi rebels on Tuesday claimed attacks targeting a vessel in the Gulf of Aden that had previously been targeted in the Red Sea.

In a prerecorded statement, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the rebels targeted the Mado, a liquified natural gas carrier. The vessel was twice targeted by Houthi fire on March 15 and March 17. Both attacks missed the vessel, causing neither damage nor injuries.

The Houthis have attacked ships since November, saying they want to force Israel to end its offensive in the Gaza Strip against Hamas.

The ships targeted by the Houthis, however, largely have had little or no connection to Israel, the US or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.



BAD WEATHER DELAYS DEPARTURE OF GAZA-BOUND AID SHIP

NICOSIA, Cyprus  World Central Kitchen says poor weather conditions are delaying the departure of a second ship to deliver some 240 tons of canned foods to Gaza.

The second vessel, called Jennifer, is ready to depart from the Cypriot port of Larnaca with food including beans, carrots, canned tuna, chickpeas, canned corn, parboiled rice, flour, oil and salt.

The US charity said Tuesday the vessel will also carry 265 pounds (120 kg) of fresh dates from the United Arab Emirates which helped open the Cyprus-Gaza maritime route.

The Jennifer has two forklifts and a crane aboard to help offload cargo in future maritime deliveries to the Palestinian territory, as part of an operation the charity has named Safeena, meaning boat or vessel in Arabic.

The ship will be accompanied by a crew vessel with eight workers who will operate the forklifts and crane.

WCK said the first load of 200 tons that reached Gaza last week aboard the Open Arms vessel was delivered to the north of the territory with a UN World Food Programme convoy on Tuesday.

The charity urged Arab countries to join with the UAE and Jordan to deliver food to Gaza by land, sea or air.



SENIOR HAMAS MILITANT AMONG THOSE KILLED IN HOSPITAL RAID, ISRAEL SAYS

JERUSALEM  The Israeli military says it has killed more than 50 militants in its ongoing raid at the biggest hospital in the Gaza Strip.

The military said Tuesday that forces have arrested around 180 suspects. It was not possible to confirm whether those killed were combatants.

Israel launched the raid at Shifa Hospital overnight into Monday, saying Hamas had regrouped in the compound and was directing attacks from it. The military said gunmen fired on its forces from inside and that one of its soldiers was killed during the raid.

The army said it killed a senior Hamas militant who was armed and hiding inside the hospital. Palestinian officials said he was a senior commander in the Hamas-run police who was coordinating the protection of convoys.

The army last raided Shifa Hospital in November after claiming that Hamas maintained an elaborate command center within and beneath the facility.

The military revealed a tunnel leading to some underground rooms, as well as weapons it said were found inside the hospital. But the evidence fell short of the earlier claims, and critics accused the army of recklessly endangering the lives of civilians.

Shifa, like most of Gaza's hospitals, has mostly stopped functioning for lack of electricity, fuel and supplies. Gaza's Health Ministry said around 30,000 Palestinians were sheltering there at the time of this week's raid.



GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY RAISES PALESTINIAN DEATH TOLL TO MORE THAN 31,800

RAFAH, Gaza Strip  Gaza's Health Ministry says 93 bodies have been brought to hospitals in the past 24 hours, bringing the Palestinian death toll from the Israel-Hamas war to 31,819.

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. The Israeli military says it has killed over 13,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Israel launched its offensive against Hamas after Palestinian militants stormed across the border on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and dragging around 250 hostages back to Gaza.

Palestinian health officials say at least 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes late Monday in the southern city of Rafah, where Israel has vowed to expand its ground offensive. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies, from four separate strikes, at a nearby hospital. One of the strikes killed a man, his wife and their three children.

Israel blames the civilian death toll on Hamas because it fights in dense, residential neighbourhoods. The military rarely comments on individual strikes, which often kill women and children. (AP) GRS

GRS
Islamabad, Mar 19 (PTI) Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's counsels on Tuesday invoked presidential immunity for him in a corruption case, commonly known as the Park Lane reference, in which he is accused of influencing authorities to release loans to front companies.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana of an Islamabad-based accountability court presided over the hearing in the Park Lane case.

The case is based on the allegation that Zardari influenced relevant authorities during his previous term as the president - from 2008 to 2013 - to release loans for his front companies.

During the hearing, Zardari's lawyers contended that after becoming the president, he enjoyed presidential immunity against court cases, and any proceedings against him could not continue.

Zardari was elected president of Pakistan for the second time on March 9.

Zardari, 68, his sister and several of their alleged business associates were being probed as part of the 2015 case involving fake accounts and fictitious transactions.

On being asked by the court if the case could progress against the co-accused, the lawyers responded affirmatively that legal action could proceed against the remaining defendants.

The court adjourned the hearing till April 17.

The case is based on the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) claim that Zardari got a loan of Rs 1.5 billion released for his front company, Parthenon Private Limited, and the money was later transferred for his personal use through fake bank accounts.

The NAB accused the president of causing the national exchequer a loss of Rs 3.77 billion.
Islamabad, Mar 19 (PTI) An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan on Tuesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and others belonging to jailed ex-premier Imran Khan's party in a case related to the May 9 violence last year.

Judge Malik Ejaz Asif of the Rawalpindi-based anti-terrorism court took action based on a case filed against Gandapur, ordering the authorities to produce the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister along with others before the court on April 2.

On May 9, violent protests erupted after the arrest of Khan, the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief, by paramilitary Rangers from the premises of the Islamabad High Court in connection with an alleged corruption case.

His party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Jinnah House (Lahore Corps Commander House), Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad. The Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi was also attacked by the mob for the first time.

Later, police arrested hundreds of PTI workers and senior leaders who were put behind bars for their involvement in the violence and attacks on military installations.

The authorities termed May 9 "Black Day" and decided to try the protesters under the stringent Army Act.

Other PTI leaders whose arrest warrants were issued include Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Shahbaz Gill and retired Lt Col. Shabbir Awan, Shireen Mazari, Musarrat Jamshed Cheema and Saad Jamil Abbasi.

It is unclear if Gandapur will be arrested as his arrest could spark protests by his supporters in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Adviser to the Gandapur, Mohammad Ali Saif, slammed the federal government and said the cases were registered by a government that came to power after "rigged elections".

The February 8 elections in Pakistan were marred by the allegations of vote rigging.

Though more than 90 independent candidates backed by Khan's PTI won the maximum number of seats in the National Assembly, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto struck a post-poll deal and formed a coalition government in the country.

Khan's party says the new government was formed by stealing its mandate.
Washington, Mar 19 (PTI) US President Joe Biden will host a trilateral summit with his Filipino counterpart Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan on April 11 at the White House, a presidential spokesperson has said.

During the first-ever trilateral summit between these countries, the leaders will advance a partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

"The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliances between the United States and the Philippines, and the United States and Japan. At the summit, the three leaders will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world," she said.

"In addition, Biden will host Marcos for a meeting at the White House on April 11 to review the historic momentum in US-Philippines relations and discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, and human rights and democracy," she said.

"The President will emphasise the US commitment to upholding international law and promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific," Jean-Pierre said.
Singapore, Mar 19 (PTI) A 20-year-old Indian-origin man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a maintenance worker from India whose identity is protected under court order.

Sree Kanth Murugan, who works in the hospitality industry, sexually violated the worker before running away when the victim woke up.

Another charge of molestation will be taken into consideration for sentencing Sree.

The 34-year-old worker was sleeping at the void deck of a housing block where Sree lived, according to a report by Today newspaper.

District Judge Carol Ling called for probation and reformative training suitability reports before her judgement on May 9.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Ho May Kim has called for a report to assess Sree's suitability for reformative training and told the court that probation would not be a "realistic" sentencing option, considering the "brazen sexual offence" that he had committed.

DPP Ho also argued that probation would have a "limited" effect in deterring Sree from committing such offences, and rehabilitation would be more effective in a structured environment such as reformative training.

Reformative training is a regimented rehabilitative programme offered to young offenders under 21 and offenders need to stay at a training centre to undergo various programmes.

Unlike probation and community sentences, those who are sent for reformative training will have a criminal record.

Sree's defence lawyer Asoka Markandu said that he was "completely flabbergasted" at the prosecution's objection to probation and instead asked for a probation suitability report to be done.

He argued that sending his client for reformative training would be akin to placing him in a "den full of wolves", adding that a probation officer would provide him with sufficient guidance.

Asoka said that sexuality issues are a big concern for young people today since the digital age has made youth more aware of such topics at a younger age, and that his client was "someone screaming for help", which led him to "satisfy his urge" in such a public manner.

In response, DPP Ho said that Sree was already at the "cusp of adulthood" when he committed the offence and that reformative training was an option that already took rehabilitation into consideration.

DPP Ho emphasised that Sree had "preyed" on the victim when he was sleeping and in a vulnerable state, and ran away once he was detected.

District Judge Ling agreed with both the prosecution and the defence that rehabilitation would be the predominant consideration for sentencing and called for both suitability reports.

Around 10:30 pm on October 27 last year, the victim chatted and drank three cans of beer with his relative at a void deck of a public housing block along Kim Keat Avenue.

While waiting for his relative to get ready to give him a ride back to his dormitory, the victim fell asleep on a concrete slab.

Around 30 minutes later, Sree arrived and sat at a table near him. Sree then molested the man before sexually assaulting him.

The victim woke up to find his private parts exposed and Sree sitting at his feet.

Sree ran off and though the foreign worker chased him, he managed to escape to his home, which was nearby. He was later arrested.

Anyone who commits sexual assault involving penetration can be jailed for up to 20 years, and can also be caned or fined.
Thane, Mar 19 (PTI) Police have arrested a man from Maharashtra's Thane district for allegedly strangulating his 27-year-old wife to death over the suspicion of infidelity, and burying her body in a dilapidated house, an official said on Tuesday.

The body was recovered from Angaon village in Bhiwandi taluka of the district, he said.

"A police patrol team received information that a woman, identified as Jyotsana Shelar from Ambarnath, went missing since March 5. A missing person's report was filed by her relatives at the Shivaji Nagar police station," assistant inspector Dharmaraj Sonke of Ganeshpuri police station said.

The police launched a probe and received several inputs, which led to the detention of her 29-year-old husband Digambar Shelar. During his sustained interrogation, he admitted that he had killed his wife and buried her body in a dilapidated house in his native Angaon village, he added.

During the probe, the police found that following their marriage, the couple lived together for a few months, but as the husband doubted her character, the duo started quarreling frequently. Fed up with him, the woman stopped living with him and went to her parents' house in Ambarnath, the police official said.

On March 5, the accused met her and requested her to accompany him to his village. On their arrival there, he strangulated her to death, following which he dug a pit and buried her there, the police said.

Twelve days later, the police exhumed her body as per the details provided by the accused. The body, which was highly-decomposed, was sent to the Mumbai-based J J Hospital for post-mortem, the official said.

A case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) was registered against him and he was arrested, he added.
Bhubaneswar, Mar 19 (PTI) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued heavy rainfall warnings in five districts of Odisha for 24 hours from Wednesday morning.

In a bulletin, IMDs Bhubaneswar Centre on Tuesday predicted heavy rainfall in Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Nayagarh districts between 8.30 am on Wednesday and 8.30 am on Thursday.

The Centre has issued an Orange Warning (to be prepared) for these districts.

Predicting thunderstorms with lightning and gusty wind speeds of 30-40 kmph, the weather office has also issued an Orange Warning for Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Gajapati, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh and Puri districts.

Similarly, it has issued a Yellow Warning (to be updated) regarding thunderstorms and lightning in Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts.

On Tuesday, from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, Daringbadi recorded the highest rainfall of 26 mm, followed by 9.2 mm in Chandbali, 8 mm in each of Jajpur and Paralakhemundi, 7.1 mm in Bhubaneswar, 6.2 mm in Cuttack and 6 mm in Khurda.

The Met Office advised people to keep watch on the weather and take shelter during the thunderstorms to protect themselves from lightning and follow traffic advisories in urban areas.

It advised the farmers to protect the mature Rabi crops.
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a State visit to Bhutan from March 21 to 22, keeping with the Indian government's emphasis on its 'Neighbourhood First Policy', officials said on Tuesday.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement also said that India and Bhutan share "a unique and enduring partnership which is rooted in mutual trust, understanding and goodwill".

Prime Minister Modi will pay a State visit to Bhutan from March 21 to 22, it said.

"The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan and the government's emphasis on its 'Neighbourhood First Policy'," the MEA said.

"During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will receive audience with His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan, and His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan," it said.

The prime minister will also hold talks with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay, the officials said.

"India and Bhutan share a unique and enduring partnership which is rooted in mutual trust, understanding and goodwill. Our shared spiritual heritage and warm people to people ties add depth and vibrancy to our exceptional relations," the MEA said.

The visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to "exchange views on bilateral and regional matters of interest and deliberate on ways to expand and intensify our exemplary partnership for the benefit of our peoples", the statement said.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tobgay was on a five-day visit to India starting Thursday, his first foreign trip after assuming the charge of the top office in January.

During his visit, he called on President Droupadi Murmu and met Prime Minister Modi. He also held meetings with captains of various industries, besides other important engagements.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Some of the holy relics of Lord Buddha along with those of his disciples Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalayana are scheduled to return to India on Tuesday evening after being displayed at various locations in Thailand as part of a 26-day exposition.

These relics, revered by the Buddhist followers around the world, were ferried in a special Indian Air Force aircraft, befitting the status as a 'State Guest' on February 22.

The relics would be arriving at Air Force Station, Palam, here this evening. Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakashi Lekhi "will receive the relics in a humble ceremony" marking their return home, a senior official said.

The four Holy Piparahwa Relics of Lord Buddha and his two disciples are preserved in India. While the relics of Lord Buddha is in the custody of the National Museum, the relics of his esteemed disciples were sent to Delhi by Madhya Pradesh for their eventual journey to Thailand for the exposition.

The relics were enshrined on February 23 for public veneration at the specially built mandapam at Sanam Luang pavilion in Bangkok.

This was the first time that the holy relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples were showcased together, the Union Culture Ministry earlier said.

As per the schedule, these holy relics were displayed at Ho Kum Luang, Royal Rujapruek, Chiang Mai, from March 4-8; Wat Maha Wanaram, Ubon Ratchathani, from March 9-13: and Wat Maha That, Aoluek, Krabi, from March 14-18.

The holy relics will be escorted back on March 19 from Thailand to their respective homes, concluding a historic and spiritually enriching exposition in Thailand, the Culture Ministry earlier said.

Millions of people paid respects to the holy relics during the exposition and they will finally return to India amid full state honours, the officials said.

The exposition in Thailand drew phenomenal response. Scenes of winding queues of devotees waiting with offerings since early hours of the day became a familiar sight in parts of Thailand, they said.
U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit the Middle East this week with the goal of reaching a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and securing the release of hostages, the official said on Tuesday during a visit to the Philippines. Blinken said his trip to meet senior leaders in Saudi Arabia and Egypt would aim to discuss the right architecture for lasting regional peace.

One hundred percent of the Gaza population is in need of humanitarian assistance, Blinken said, adding that it was absolutely incumbent upon Israel to prioritize assistance for those in desperate need.

U.S. President Joe Biden has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a military operation like the one Israel is planning in Rafah would deepen the anarchy in Gaza, according to National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Both leaders spoke by phone for 45 minutes, at a time of particular tension between the two administrations in the more than five months of war in the Gaza Strip, due to disagreements over humanitarian aid and the management of the conflict. The conversation occurred after the highest-ranking Democrat in the Senate, Charles Schumer, described Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace, said that he has lost his way and called for early elections in the allied country.

A major ground operation there would be a mistake, Sullivan told journalists on Monday. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally.

One of the practical results of the talk is that Israel will send a delegation to Washington to listen to the U.S. governments concerns about the ground operation that Israel is planning in Rafah, and offer alternative plans to dismantle the Hamas militia without an all-out assault on a city that has become the last refuge for more than a million Palestinians. The conversation took place as the World Food Programme warned of an imminent famine in northern Gaza.

Netanyahu limited himself to broadcasting a 24-second video in Hebrew in which he seemed to justify  especially with a view to Israeli sectors in favor of further limiting the entry of food into Gaza  the importance of meeting the demands of the White House. In the recording, he says that he told Biden that Israel is committed to achieving all the objectives of the war: eliminating Hamas, bringing back the hostages and ensuring that Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel, while providing the necessary humanitarian aid to help meet those objectives.

Rafah, on the border with Egypt, is the last area that the Israeli army has not yet invaded, and more than half of the 2.3 million Gazans forcibly displaced from other parts of Gaza are now living there in deplorable conditions.

The Israeli prime minister did not mention Rafah in his video message, although the day before he had insisted that his army would invade the city and that the process would take several weeks. Washington is demanding a credible protection plan for the 1.4 million Palestinian civilians sheltering there, and Biden has warned that an indiscriminate Israeli attack on Rafah would mean crossing a red line.

The call was the first since February 15. Since that date, the statements by both leaders have revealed a growing rift, as the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza deepens. In the United States, the primaries have revealed that a section of Democratic voters are unhappy about the Biden administrations support for Israel in the war.

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New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) Asserting that the country is seeking a change, the Congress on Tuesday said the party's Lok Sabha election manifesto would focus on ensuring justice to people based on five "Nyay pillars" and claimed the BJP's 'guarantees' would meet the same fate as the 'India Shining' slogan of 2004.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's top decision-making body, discussed the party's manifesto for Lok Sabha polls for over three hours and decided to reach out to every household with its five "Nyay" guarantees for the youth, women, workers, farmers and the marginalised sections.

Sources said the manifesto also includes the promise of implementing the old pension scheme (OPS) across the country and a law to ensure the independence of constitutional institutions and stop "misuse" of agencies.

"These five guarantees are going to be a game-changer in this election," party leader K C Venugopal said.

"The CWC has prepared a roadmap for taking the party's guarantees to the grassroots, highlighting the issues concerning the youth, poor, women, workers and farmers," he said and derided BJP's "guarantees" as "jumlas" (rhetoric) and a "bunch of lies".

In his address at the meeting, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge asserted whatever has been promised in the manifesto, will be strictly implemented.

Before making promises in the manifesto, an in-depth deliberation has been made to ensure that these promises are implementable, he said.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh said the CWC has authorised Kharge to give final approval to the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls and decide a date for its release.

Venugopal said the Congress party is fully prepared for Lok Sabha polls and will launch a massive campaign "to take its guarantees to every household across the country in the next few days".

He said the CWC also unanimously appreciated Rahul Gandhi for undertaking the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra during which he raised key issues concerning the people.

Ramesh said the Congress will release not just a 'ghoshna patra' (manifesto) but a 'nyay patra' ensuring justice for all sections so that people see a bright future in the country.

Earlier addressing the CWC meeting, Kharge urged all party leaders and workers to take every issue raised in the party manifesto to every village and town and every household across the country.

"The country is fervently demanding a change. The guarantees currently being touted by the present government would have the same fate as that of the 'India Shining' slogan of 2004," he said in his address.

The BJP-led NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee had given the 'India Shining' slogan during the 2004 Lok Sabha election and had suffered a defeat.

"It is because of this very fact that, right from 1926, the Congress party's manifesto has been regarded as a 'document of trust and commitment'," he said.

He said all Congress leaders have a responsibility to ensure that the manifesto gets the widest publicity in different states.

Kharge also lauded the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, saying through it the Congress was able to draw the country's attention to the real issue of people.

"These were not just political yatras but will be noted for the largest mass contact movement in our political history. One can't undermine the fact that nobody in our times has undertaken such a massive exercise.

"Both these yatras managed to take the issue of the people to national centre stage," he said referring to the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the just concluded Nyay Yatra.

Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting. Other senior leaders, including Ambika Soni, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, P Chidambaram, Digvijaya Singh, Ajay Maken and Kumari Selja, were also present at the crucial meeting, where Chidambaram read out the key elements of the draft party manifesto.

Chidambaram chairs the manifesto committee of the party, which has already presented a copy of the draft document to the CWC for its nod.

The party is fighting the elections on the issue of 'five nyay' (justices) -- 'Bhagidari Nyay', 'Kisan Nyay', 'Nari Nyay', 'Shramik Nyay' and 'Yuva Nyay' -- giving 25 guarantees, five under each category, that have been announced by the Congress president and Rahul Gandhi

Asked about Modi's guarantees, Venugopal said, "It was the Congress which started giving guarantees, first in Karnataka, and now he (PM) is following us".

"In a democracy, it is the people who are masters and they are going to decide whom to support. Modi's guarantees are all jumlas and lies and nothing else," he said, citing "promises like Rs 15 lakh, bringing back black money from abroad and 2 crore jobs every year".

Ramesh said the Congress guarantees are not "one person's guarantees but that of the Congress party".
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The Kisan Mazdoor Commission on Tuesday slammed the police action against farmers protesting at the Shambhu border point and demanded a complete loan waiver for farmers and land rights for women agriculturists.

The Kisan Mazdoor Commission (KMC) is a Delhi-based organisation that works with more than 23 farmers and labour committees for their rights and welfare.

Presenting the agenda, All India Kisan Sabha chief Ashok Dhawle said, "The KMC agenda has been divided into three parts -- the first part focuses on the right to land and water while the second part demands the right to food, employment, education, health and social protection. The third part focuses on the right to public and bank finance, production inputs, knowledge and market (access)."

Emphasising the importance of a complete loan waiver for farmers and ensuring a minimum wage for farm workers, he also demanded recognition for women involved in farming as "farmers" and the need to grant them land rights and securing their tenancy rights over leased land.

Speaking about the police action against farmers near the national capital's borders, senior journalist P Sainath said, "There were reports of tear gas being dropped from drones on the farmers, who were peacefully protesting and it was not needed."

He said, "Our farmers' conditions are not good, their income is below the rural average despite government promises to double their income by 2022."

The Haryana Police had allegedly lobbed tear gas canisters on farmers when they started their "Delhi Chalo" march -- called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- last month to press the Centre on various issues, including a legal guarantee on minimum support price for crops.
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) A seven-year-old boy who was kidnapped here has been rescued from Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr and his 46-year-old neighbour has been arrested in connection with the abduction, , police said on Tuesday.

Viresh allegedly abducted the boy from Nehru Vihar here on March 13 over personal rivalry with his family, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East) Joy Tirkey said.

The victim was reunited with his family within 72 hours of his abduction and the accused was arrested the same day, the DCP said.

On the day of the incident, the Dayalpur police station received a PCR call reporting the kidnapping of a boy from outside his house in Nehru Vihar, he said.

An FIR under the Indian Penal Code Section 363 (kidnapping) was registered and a police team was formed to rescue the child, the officer added.

"CCTV footage of the cameras installed in the vicinity was checked. The team later identified the suspect. The location of the suspect was traced to the Kalkatti Mandir, Sambhal on the Ganga river bank," said the DCP.

During the investigation, the police found that Viresh, who allegedly wanted to extort money from the victim's family, had taken him to a temple in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr, the DCP said.

"CCTV footage of the cameras installed in the vicinity was checked. The team later identified the suspect. The location of the suspect was traced to the Kalkatti Mandir, Sambhal on the Ganga river bank," said the DCP.

The team searched dharamshalas and various temples in the area and announcements about the victim were also made from mosque and temples, he added.

Later, they traced the accused's location to Rajghat village in Uttar Pradesh, over 60 kilometres away from Sambhal and contacted the sarpanch, the officer said.

On March 16, based on a tipoff about the accused's movement, the police reached Sambhal railway station where on seeing the cops, Viresh left the child there and tried to flee. However, he was overpowered and nabbed by the police team, DCP Tirkey said.

The victim in his statement said the accused called his parents and demanded money and he also tried to drown him in Ganga, the officer said.

Based on the boy's statement, the Indian Penal Code Sections 364-A (kidnapping for ransom) and 307 (attempt to murder) were added to the case, he said.

Viresh confessed to the crime and disclosed that he has some issues with the boy's family members and kidnapped him to teach them a lesson, said the DCP, adding that further investigation is underway.
Jammu, March 19 (PTI) A woman and her minor daughter, who had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), were repatriated on Tuesday, officials said.

The two had crossed the border along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.

Shabnam Bi, 22, and her 1.5 years old daughter, Laiba Fatima, were handed over to the Indian Army by their Pakistani counterparts at a flag meeting at the Chakan Da Bagh crossing point this evening, officials said.

The two were received by Poonch Deputy Commissioner Yasin M Choudhary.

On February 3, Ghulam Rubani of Salotri village located on the LoC had reported to police the crossing over of two people to the PoK.

Responding to the information, police filed a missing person report.

Subsequently, the district administration of Poonch took up the matter with PoK authorities through the Indian Army.
New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI) A 36-year-old female tarot card reader was allegedly raped in south Delhi's Neb Sarai by a man who offered to help her sell a property and later struck a friendship on the pretext of learning astrology from her, police said on Monday.

The woman filed a police complaint on February 11 alleging she was raped by an acquaintance.

According to police, the woman had contacted one Gaurav Aggarwal, a Malviya Nagar resident, regarding the sale of a property in January 2024.

Aggarwal visited the complainant's house and assured her he would help her sell the property, said a senior police officer.

The accused also came to know that the woman was interested in astrology and started calling under the pretext of learning astrology to get into her good books, the officer said.

On January 24, Aggarwal called the woman and took her to his friend's house in Neb Sarai to finalise the property deal.

There, he allegedly mixed something in her drink that made her unconscious, and then raped her, the officer said.

Police said that Aggarwal, who has been absconding ever since, has been booked under charges of poisoning, criminal intimidation, and rape.

"Efforts are being made to apprehend the alleged perpetrator," police in a statement said.

The FIR, filed on the basis of the victim's complaint, read, "I have known Gaurav for two years now, as both of our children have been studying in the same school. Our families became friendly through this connection. He visited our home in early January to assist with the sale of a plot belonging to someone we know."

The woman told police that Aggarwal had feigned interest in astrology only to get close to her and later showed interest in hiring her services for tarot card readings to aid his business.

According to the FIR, lodged at Neb Sarai Police Station, she had also agreed to meet him at a hotel in Saket for this purpose.

"Upon regaining consciousness, I realised I had been raped but felt too ashamed to immediately confide in my husband. Finally, on February 10, I gathered the courage to tell him," the FIR read.

"We confronted the accused at his office in Malviya Nagar, but he denied any wrongdoing and instead verbally abused and threatened both of us," the FIR read.

Several teams have been formed to investigate the case and to nab the accused, police said.
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The city police on Tuesday opposed in the Delhi High Court student activist Sharjeel Imam's plea seeking bail in a UAPA case linked to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 communal riots here.

The police relied on the speeches made by Imam to contend that he mobilised persons from the minority community and "propagated" 'chakka jam' as a mode of disruption with "no window for peaceful protest".

Imam, United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi and several others, including Umar Khalid, have been booked under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots in North-East Delhi which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

The violence had erupted during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad contended that the protests were part of a conspiracy of the accused persons to cause violence at the time of the visit of then US president Donald Trump.

He said Imam, in his public addresses, propagated the idea of 'chakka jam' as the plan of action while stating that "confrontational violence has to happen".

"His speeches are completely for the purpose of mobilisation. It is targeting on 'you will be finished if you don't come on roads, you will have nothing left'. All speeches are identical. All are about chakka jam, Babri, triple talaq, CAA and article 370," Prasad said.

"So mobilisation has been done, chakka jam has been done, confrontation has been done and then the riots happen," he stated.

He also emphasised that in a speech, Imam even spoke about "cutting off" the Northeast from the rest of the country by blocking the "chicken neck" corridor.

Imam, represented by senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, has earlier argued that there was no call for any violence whatsoever by him in his allegedly inflammatory speeches as his method of disruption was "entirely Gandhian".

He has stated that no offence of indulging in any "terrorist act" according to the UAPA or conspiracy with co-accused persons was made out against him.

On April 11, 2022, the trial court had denied relief of bail to Imam arrested in the present case on August 25, 2020. He has been in custody since January 2020 in several FIRs in connection with the violence.

The court will continue hearing the case on Wednesday.
New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of a fresh plea challenging the Allahabad High Court order consolidating 15 suits related to Mathura's Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta gave the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah, which has challenged the January 11 order, the liberty to pursue its recall application before the high court.

"The petitioner has called for recall of impugned judgement of Allahabad High Court. We dispose of the present SLP with liberty to revive the recall petition before the high court," the bench ordered.

Counsel for the Committee said the application for recall of the January 11 order is pending before the high court. She requested the court to direct listing of the application before the high court on a specific date.

However, the bench refused to pass any such order.

On January 11, the high court in interest of justice directed that the 15 suits on an application filed by the Hindu plaintiff be consolidated.

The Hindu plaintiff submitted before the high court in the application that after the original suit was filed before the civil judge (senior division), Mathura, on September 25, 2020, several other suits were filed with regard to the 13.37 acre land.

The high court had ordered, "These suits are of similar nature. The proceedings in these suits can be taken up and the suits may be decided simultaneously on the basis of common evidence. To save the time of the Court, the expenses to be incurred to the parties, and to avoid conflicting judgments it appears expedient in the interest of justice to consolidate the suits with each other."

On January 29, the top court had ordered continuance of the interim stay on the operation of the Allahabad High Court order for a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque complex adjoining the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in Mathura.

On January 16, it stayed the operation of the December 14, 2023 order of the Allahabad High Court allowing a court-monitored survey of the Shahi Idgah Mosque complex.

It also stayed the order of the high court by which it agreed to the appointment of a court commissioner to oversee the survey of the mosque premises. The Hindu side claims it has signs suggesting it was once a temple.

The apex court, however, made it clear that the proceedings before the high court in the dispute, including the maintainability of the suit under Order 7 Rule 11 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC), will continue.

The top court is already seized of another petition filed by the mosque committee challenging the May 26, 2023 order of the high court transferring to itself all matters related to the dispute pending before a Mathura court.

The Hindu side had made a prayer before the high court that it should conduct the original trial like it had done in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title dispute.
Thrissur, Mar 18 (PTI) The BJP-led NDA on Monday filed a complaint with the district collector against VS Sunil Kumar, the CPI candidate from Kerala's Thrissur, for allegedly violating the poll code.

According to the complaint, Kumar violated the poll code by posting a picture with actor Tovino Thomas, who is an ambassador for the Election Commission's Systematic Voter's Education and Electoral Participation programme (SVEEP).

Ravikumar Uppath, the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) Thrissur district coordinator, filed the complaint with the district collector, who is also the returning officer for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, alleging that the Left leader misused the actor's photograph to seek votes and, hence, violated the Model Code of Conduct.

The complaint said the Left candidate and workers used the photograph for poll campaigning and asked the returning officer not to allow Kumar to contest the elections.

Kumar recently met Thomas at a film set.

Thomas later posted on social media, saying he is an ambassador for SVEEP and it is against the law to use his photograph for election campaigning.

"In case somebody is using it, I wish to clarify that it is without my knowledge or consent. Wishing everyone a fair election experience," Thomas said in the post.

Kumar deleted the photograph and told reporters that he was unaware of Thomas' role as an ambassador for the Election Commission.

The Thrissur constituency is witnessing a triangular contest among actor-politician Suresh Gopi, who is contesting on a BJP ticket, senior Congress leader and Vatakara MP K Muraleedharan, and former minister and CPI leader Kumar.
Hyderabad, Mar 19 (PTI) A 25-year-old woman was arrested on Tuesday in Nalgonda District for allegedly engaging in fraudulent activities by "impersonating" a sub-inspector of the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Telangana State Railway Police said.







The woman, identified as Jadala Malavika, exploited her fraudulent status to gain unwarranted recognition, including participating in events such as International Womens Day celebration in Nalgonda, where she purportedly represented herself as a sub-inspector and was felicitated by the organisers, they said.







Using her fake position, the woman established connections with individuals of prominence, such as a Telugu film actor, Additional Director General of Police (Railways & Road Safety-Telangana State) Mahesh M Bhagwat said in a release.







Another sub-inspector of the RPF lodged a complaint with RPS Nalgonda, stating that the woman has been observed wearing an RPF sub-inspector uniform and accoutrements while frequently travelling on various trains between the Nalgonda and Secunderabad section.







She presented herself to passengers as a bona fide sub-inspector of the RPF, showing them a counterfeit identity card to support her false claims, the release said.







She has also deceived her relatives and villagers by falsely asserting that she has been employed as a sub-inspector in the Railway Protection Force, stationed at Secunderabad for the past year, it said.







The complainant sought appropriate measures to apprehend the woman for pretending to be an official of the RPF, and to prevent any further misuse of authority or potential harm to unsuspecting members of the public.







Basing on the complaint, a case has been registered under sections 170 (Personating a public servant), 419 (punishment for cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating) of IPC, and the accused was arrested at Nalgonda Railway Station.







She voluntarily confessed to have committed these offences in order to please her parents and relatives, the release said.







A RPF SI uniform with RPF logo, stars, RPF shoulder steel badges, name plate, brown shoes, brown colour RPF belt, besides a fake laminated ID card of RPF and an extra name plate were seized from the accused.
With a last-minute motion, the Supreme Court has extended its block of the toughest anti-immigrant law in the United States. Conservative Judge Samuel Alito published Monday afternoon, just minutes before the deadline expired, an order that lengthens the process to study the controversial law, which allows state security officials to request papers from anyone suspected of having arrived in the country irregularly. The most controversial aspect of the law, known as SB4, is that it would allow state authorities to issue deportation orders to Mexico, a power exclusive to the federal government for now. Alitos decision has not set a new deadline for SB4 to take effect, meaning it is blocked indefinitely.

At the beginning of March, the Supreme Court issued an initial hold on the contentious law, which contemplates penalties of up to 20 years in prison for those who cross the border irregularly. Judge Alito announced the pause on March 4, hours before the law was set to take effect. It was a temporary decision that was intended to give the Supreme Court additional time to determine the next steps. The judge extended the deadline to March 13 and then pushed it back again to Monday, March 18. If the Supreme Court had not made a decision, the law would have gone into effect at 4:00 p.m. (Texas time) in all 254 of the states counties. Alitos motion came just minutes before the deadline.

SB4 was signed into law in December by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who is a vocal campaigner for tough measures against illegal immigration. Abbott signed the law in the Rio Grande Valley, an area on the U.S.-Mexico border that has recorded a sharp increase in the migratory flow. That December, migrant arrests hit an all-time high. According to Homeland Security, around 5,000 people were processed daily at the border. Republicans say some 3.3 million people have entered the United States under Biden. The number of arrests decreased at the start of 2024.

A federal district judge argued that the law signed by Abbott is unconstitutional, arguing that the legislation grants state authorities powers over immigration that fall to the federal executive. The Texas attorney general appealed the decision, claiming that SB4 mirrored federal laws to address the ongoing crisis at the southern border. SB4 would allow Texas police to arrest anyone practically anywhere, except for schools, churches, hospitals and health centers.

The 5th Circuit of Appeals ruled in favor of the Texas government. The judges gave the federal government seven days to appeal the decision, which was filed soon after. It came as no surprise that the fate of the law would fall to the Supreme Court in Washington. Governor Abbott himself announced this as soon as a district judge considered it unconstitutional.

The Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to hear the case, arguing that SB4 could alter the status quo that has existed between the United States and the States in the context of immigration for almost 150 years. In its lawsuit, President Bidens administration draws similarities between SB4 and another famous anti-immigrant law, SB1070, which was enacted by Arizona in 2010.

SB1070 allowed Arizona security forces to ask almost anyone suspected of having entered the country illegally for their papers. The rule, approved by a Republican-controlled House, was in the courts for two years. In June 2012, the Supreme Court struck down several aspects of the law and allowed others to remain in force. In its verdict, the court ruled that only the federal government has the power to make laws against illegal immigration.

SB4 may not have gone into effect, but the text of the law has already put migrant communities on alert. Mexicos consular network in Texas, made up of 11 offices in several cities, started information sessions this week on the potential scope of the regulations. The Mexican government has categorically rejected the law, claiming that it will be used to persecute people of color.

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The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen that is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products and that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year.

The final rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.

The new rule would ban chrysotile asbestos, the only ongoing use of asbestos in the United States. The substance is found in products such as brake linings and gaskets and is used to manufacture chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the final rule a major step to protect public health.

With todays ban, EPA is finally slamming the door on a chemical so dangerous that it has been banned in over 50 countries, Regan said. This historic ban is more than 30 years in the making, and its thanks to amendments that Congress made in 2016 to fix the Toxic Substances Control Act, the main U.S. law governing use of chemicals.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers, and it is linked to more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Ending the ongoing uses of asbestos advances the goals of President Joe Bidens Cancer Moonshot, a whole-of-government initiative to end cancer in the U.S., Regan said.

The science is clear: Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. This action is just the beginning as we work to protect all American families, workers and communities from toxic chemicals, Regan said.

The 2016 law authorized new rules for tens of thousands of toxic chemicals found in everyday products, including substances such as asbestos and trichloroethylene that for decades have been known to cause cancer yet were largely unregulated under federal law. Known as the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, the law was intended to clear up a hodgepodge of state rules governing chemicals and update the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law that had remained unchanged for 40 years.

The EPA banned asbestos in 1989, but the rule was largely overturned by a 1991 court decision that weakened the EPAs authority under TSCA to address risks to human health from asbestos or other existing chemicals. The 2016 law required the EPA to evaluate chemicals and put in place protections against unreasonable risks.

Asbestos, which was once common in home insulation and other products, is banned in more than 50 countries, and its use in the U.S. has been declining for decades. The only form of asbestos known to be currently imported, processed or distributed for use in the U.S. is chrysotile asbestos, which is imported primarily from Brazil and Russia. It is used by the chlor-alkali industry, which produces bleach, caustic soda and other products.

Most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued.

While chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant in water treatment, there are only 10 chlor-alkali plants in the U.S. that still use asbestos diaphragms to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide. The plants are mostly located in Louisiana and Texas.

The use of asbestos diaphragms has been declining and now accounts for about one-third of the chlor-alkali production in the U.S., the EPA said.

The EPA rule will ban imports of asbestos for chlor-alkali use as soon as the rule is published, but a ban on most other uses would take effect in two years.

A ban on the use of asbestos in oilfield brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings and other gaskets will take effect in six months. A ban on sheet gaskets that contain asbestos will take effect in two years, with the exception of gaskets used to produce titanium dioxide and for the processing of nuclear material. Those uses would be banned in five years.

The EPA rule allows asbestos-containing sheet gaskets to be used until 2037 at the U.S. Department of Energys Savannah River Site in South Carolina to ensure that safe disposal of nuclear materials can continue on schedule, the EPA said.

Scott Faber, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group that pushed to ban asbestos, hailed the EPA action.

For too long, polluters have been allowed to make, use and release toxics like asbestos and PFAS without regard for our health, Faber said. Thanks to the leadership of the Biden EPA, those days are finally over.

(AP)
The Supreme Court will hear from the National Rifle Association on Monday in a lawsuit against a former New York state official who the NRA says pressured banks and insurance companies to blacklist the group after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

The NRA says former New York State Department of Financial Services superintendent Maria Vullo used her regulatory power to economically punish the group for its gun-rights stance in violation of the First Amendment.

Vullo says she did share guidance about potential reputational risks of working with gun groups, but didnt exert pressure on companies. Many businesses decided on their own to distance themselves from the group after the 2018 school shooting that left 17 people dead, her attorneys say in court documents.

The gun-rights group is being represented by a frequent political nemesis: The American Civil Liberties Union. The civil liberties group has said it opposes the NRAs views but that the case could be a playbook for government officials to target other groups, including those on the other end of the ideological spectrum supporting abortion rights or environmental protections.

The justices are also hearing another case about the government and free speech Monday, considering how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security.

In the NRA case, the group claims Vullo leveraged a state investigation into the legality of NRA-endorsed insurance products to pressure insurance companies, saying she would go easier on them if they cut ties with the NRA.

The NRA had been working with insurance companies to offer its members policies that covered losses caused by firearms, even when the insured person intentionally killed or hurt somebody.

Vullos attorneys say the products clearly violated state law, including by covering intentional acts and criminal defense costs, and the pressure claims are implausible and insufficient. The probe started before Parkland and the insurance providers ultimately paid multimillion-dollar fines.

She also sent out guidance letters to banks and insurance companies warning about the reputational risks of working with the NRA. After that, several companies, including the one that insured the NRA, cut ties with the group, it said.

Vullo says the letters were evenhanded and part of her job, not threatening. A federal appeals court in New York sided with her rejecting the NRAs claims and finding she had qualified immunity as a government official.

The NRA appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court. The group argues she had significant sway over New York companies as a regulator, giving the letters an implied threat.

The Justice Department also weighed in on the case. Staking out a middle ground, the solicitor general said the NRAs claims about leveraging the investigation were plausible enough that the suit shouldnt have been tossed out by a lower court, but an overly broad ruling about the guidance letters could wrongly restrict officials free speech.

(AP)
Astronaut Thomas P. Stafford, who commanded a dress rehearsal flight for the 1969 moon landing and the first U.S.-Soviet space linkup, died Monday. He was 93.

Stafford, a retired Air Force three-star general, took part in four space missions. Before Apollo 10, he flew on two Gemini flights, including the first rendezvous of two U.S. capsules in orbit. He died in a hospital near his Space Coast Florida home, said Max Ary, director of the Stafford Air & Space Museum in Weatherford, Oklahoma.

Stafford was one of 24 NASA astronauts who flew to the moon, but he did not land on it. Only seven of them are still alive.

Today General Tom Stafford went to the eternal heavens which he so courageously explored as a Gemini and Apollo astronaut as well as a peacemaker in Apollo Soyuz, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said via X, formerly known as Twitter. Those of us privileged to know him are very sad but grateful we knew a giant.

After he put away his flight suit, Stafford was the go-to guy for NASA when it sought independent advice on everything from human Mars missions to safety issues to returning to flight after the 2003 space shuttle Columbia accident. He chaired an oversight group that looked into how to fix the then-flawed Hubble Space Telescope, earning a NASA public service award.

Tom was involved in so many things that most people were not aware of, such as being known as the Father of Stealth, Ary said in an email. Stafford was in charge of the famous Area 51 desert base that was the site of many UFO theories, but the home of testing of Air Force stealth technologies.

The Apollo 10 mission in May 1969 set the stage for Apollo 11s historic mission two months later. Stafford and Gene Cernan took the lunar lander nicknamed Snoopy within 9 miles (14 kilometers) of the moons surface. Astronaut John Young stayed behind in the main spaceship dubbed Charlie Brown.

The most impressive sight, I think, that really changed your view of things is when you first see Earth, Stafford recalled in a 1997 oral history, talking about the view from lunar orbit.

Then came the moons far side: The Earth disappears. Theres this big black void.

Apollo 10s return to Earth set the worlds record for fastest speed by a crewed vehicle at 24,791 mph (39,897 kph).

After the moon landings ended, NASA and the Soviet Union decided on a joint docking mission and Stafford, a one-star general at the time, was chosen to command the American side. It meant intensive language training, being followed by the KGB while in the Soviet Union, and lifelong friendships with cosmonauts. The two teams of space travelers even went to Disney World and rode Space Mountain together before going into orbit and joining ships.

We have capture, Stafford radioed in Russian as the Apollo and Soyuz spacecraft hooked up. His Russian counterpart, Alexei Leonov, responded in English: Well done, Tom, it was a good show. I vote for you.

The 1975 mission included two days during which the five men worked together on experiments. After, the two teams toured the world together, meeting President Gerald Ford and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

It helped prove to the rest of the world that two completely opposite political systems could work together, Stafford recalled at a 30th anniversary gathering in 2005.

The two crews became so close that years later Leonov arranged for Stafford to be able to adopt two Russian boys when Stafford was in his 70s.

We are too old to adopt, but they were too old to be adopted, Stafford told The Oklahoman in 2004. They just added so much meaning to our life, and just because youre retiring doesnt mean you dont have anything left to give.

Later, Stafford was a central part of discussions in the 1990s that brought Russia into the partnership building and operating the International Space Station.

Growing up in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Stafford said he would look up and see giant DC-3 airplanes fly overhead on early transcontinental routes.

I wanted to fly since I was 5 or 6 years old seeing those airplanes, he told NASA historians.

Stafford went to the U.S. Naval Academy where he graduated in the top 1% of his class and flew in the backseat of some airplanes and loved it. He volunteered for the Air Force and had hoped to fly combat in the Korean War. But by the time he got his wings, the war ended. He went to the Air Forces experimental test pilot school, graduated first in his class there and stayed on as an instructor.

In 1962, NASA selected Stafford for its second set of astronauts, which included Neil Armstrong, Frank Borman and Pete Conrad.

Stafford was assigned along with Wally Schirra to Gemini 6. Their original mission was to rendezvous with an empty spaceship. But their 1965 launch was scrubbed when the spaceship exploded soon after liftoff. NASA improvised and in December, Gemini 6 rendezvoused with but didnt dock with two astronauts aboard Gemini 7.

Staffords next flight in 1966 was with Cernan on Gemini 9. Cernans spacewalk, connected to a jet-pack like device, didnt go well. Cernan complained that the sun and machine made him extra hot and hurt his back. Then his visor fogged up and he couldnt see.

Call it quits, Gene. Get out of there, Stafford, the commander, told Cernan. Stafford talked him back in, saying move your hand over, start to float up  stick your hand up  just walk hand over hand.

In all, Stafford logged 507 hours in space and flew four different types of spacecraft and 127 types of aircraft and helicopters.

After the Apollo-Soyuz mission, Stafford returned to the Air Force and worked in research and commanded the Air Force Flight Test Center before retiring in 1979 as a three-star general.

Staffords Air Force duties not only had him run the militarys top flight school and experimental plane testing base, but he was commanding general of Area 51. A biography from his museum said, that while Stafford was in charge of Area 51 and later as the development and acquisition chief at the Pentagon he wrote the specs and established the program that led to the development of the F-117 Stealth Fighter, and later, the B-2 Stealth Bomber.

Stafford became an executive for an Oklahoma-based transportation company and later moved to Florida, near Cape Canaveral.

He is survived by his wife. Linda, two sons, two daughters and two stepchildren, according to the museum.

(AP)
A conservative social media influencer has been charged with storming the U.S. Capitol and passing a stolen table out of a broken window, allowing other rioters to use it as a weapon against police, according to court records unsealed on Monday.

Isabella Maria DeLuca was arrested last Friday in Irvine, California, on misdemeanor charges, including theft of government property, disorderly conduct and entering a restricted area.

DeLuca, who has more than 333,000 followers on the platform formerly known as Twitter, is a former congressional intern who works as a media associate for The Gold Institute for International Strategy. DeLucas profile on the institutes website says she served as an ambassador for the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA.

DeLuca also interned for former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, both of whom are Republicans who have supported former President Donald Trump.

DeLuca, 24, of Setauket, New York, didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Online court records dont list an attorney representing her.

During the Jan. 6 riot, DeLuca replied to a Twitter post by writing, Fight back or let politicians steal and election? Fight back!

Videos captured her entering a suite of conference rooms inside the Capitol through a broken window on the Lower West Terrace. She passed a table out of the window and then climbed back outside through the same window. A table that another rioter threw at police resembled the one that DeLuca passed out the window, according to an FBI agents affidavit.

DeLuca posted about the riot for days after the Jan. 6 attack. When an Instagram user asked her why she supported breaking into the Capitol, she responded, According to the constitution its our house.

Several days later, she posted on social media that she was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and had mixed feelings.

People went to the Capitol building because thats Our House and thats where we go to take our grievances. People feel, as do I that an election was stolen from them and it was allowed, she wrote.

When the FBI questioned her roughly two weeks after the Capitol attack, DeLuca denied entering the building on Jan. 6, the agents affidavit says.

More than 1,300 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related crimes. Over 800 of them have been sentenced, with roughly two-thirds getting a term of imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years.

(AP)
President Joe Biden is embarking on a three-day campaign swing aimed at shoring up his standing in the Sun Belt as part of an aggressive play to reenergize vital parts of his 2020 electoral coalition.

Much of Bidens time on this trip this week, which includes stops in Nevada, Arizona and Texas, will be geared toward courting the Latino voters who helped power his coalition in 2020 and to emphasizing his pro-union, pro-abortion rights message.

The Democratic presidents first stop Tuesday is in Reno, Nevada, where he will meet with local officials and campaign volunteers in Washoe County before heading to Las Vegas to promote his administrations housing policies.

Next hell travel to Phoenix for another campaign stop in a critical swing county paired with an event talking up what he has done to bolster the computer chip manufacturing sector.

Bidens push with Latino voters this week, which includes the formal launch of the Latinos con Biden-Harris (Spanish for Latinos with Biden-Harris) initiative on Tuesday, is also part of the campaigns broader efforts to put in place the infrastructure to re-engage various constituencies that will be critical to the presidents reelection. That effort is all the more crucial as key parts of Bidens base, such as Black and Hispanic adults, have become increasingly disenchanted with the presidents performance in office.

In an AP-NORC poll conducted in February, 38% of U.S. adults approved of how Biden was handling his job. Nearly 6 in 10 Black adults (58%) approved, compared to 36% of Hispanic adults. Black adults are more likely than white and Hispanic adults to approve of Biden, but that approval has dropped in the three years since Biden took office.

Bidens reelection campaign, along with allied Democratic groups, has opened offices in Washoe County and in specific areas of Las Vegas that aides said will help the campaign to target Black, Latino and Asian American voters.

Bilingual campaign organizers are already in place in Arizona, and the campaign has opened an office in Maryvale, a major Latino community in Phoenix. The campaign has hired more than 40 staffers in Nevada and Arizona.

Campaign officials believe that tuned-out voters are starting to pay attention to the reality of a rematch between Biden and former President Donald Trump now that the two candidates have clinched their respective nominations. Theyre trying to boost coalition-building efforts in battleground states now that the matchup is set, using the energy coming out of Bidens State of the Union earlier this month to jolt their campaign momentum.

That includes, for example, ensuring that chapters are in place across college campuses so that students have a place to organize and that campaign offices are open and stocked with yard signs, campaign literature and other materials. Democrats are hoping that Trump and the GOP will struggle to catch up in key states.

The campaign has already established Women for Biden-Harris, an effort led by first lady Jill Biden to mobilize female voters who were a vital part of Bidens winning coalition in 2020, as well as Students for Biden-Harris, which will focus on getting young voters organized and active. Latinos con Biden-Harris will formally launch at Bidens Phoenix stop on Tuesday and include other campaign events, such as volunteer trainings and house parties, in other battleground states including Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Wisconsin later this week.

This isnt stuff that you can just stand up. This is stuff that requires work, Quentin Fulks, principal deputy campaign manager for the Biden campaign, said in an interview. It does require training. It does require making sure that your volunteers and supporters have what they need on the ground.

Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee dismissed dozens of staffers after new leaders closely aligned with Trump took over last week. Those let go include people who worked at the partys community centers that helped build relationships with minority groups in some Democratic-leaning areas. The committees new leadership has since insisted that those centers will remain open.

The RNC, already strapped for cash, is also trying to bat away assumptions that itll pay for Trumps ever-escalating legal bills as he faces multiple criminal cases.

Still, the Biden campaign and the broader Democratic Party are confronting their own struggles, despite their cash and organizational advantages. On top of Bidens weaker job performance numbers, Democrats are seeing less support from key voting blocs come election time: While Biden won 63% of Hispanic voters in 2020, that percentage shrunk to 57% for Democratic candidates in the 2022 midterms, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of the national electorate.

Despite the waning approval numbers, campaign officials say they are confident that once the contrast between the presidents agenda and Trumps plans for a second term are presented to disillusioned members of Bidens coalition, they will ultimately back the president.

I can say this as a Latina, we always come late to the party. We like to make a grand entrance, said Democratic strategist Maria Cardona. I think thats what you will see again because when it comes down to people making a real decision that is consequential to their future, the future of their children, the future of their communities, its not some random phone call from an anonymous pollster  I think that the Democratic coalition will come home.

Alongside the campaign stops, the administration is pairing official White House events on matters that have particular significance in the two states. In Arizona, Biden will continue talking up a law he signed encouraging domestic manufacturing of computer chips, which has already spurred significant private investment in the state, especially in Phoenix.

And in Nevada, Biden will continue promoting a new housing proposal that would offer a mortgage relief credit for first-time homebuyers and a sellers tax credit to encourage homeowners to offload their starter homes. The issue of housing is sure to resonate in Nevada, where home prices have nearly doubled since early 2016, according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace.

As the president has said, the bottom line is, we have to build, build, build, said Lael Brainard, the director of the White House National Economic Council.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., stressed that Democrats cannot take the state  which has not voted for a Republican presidential candidate since 2004  for granted, even as she dismissed some polling that shows Trump with an edge in Nevada.

You got to be there talking to voters, particularly in Nevada, Cortez Masto said. Its still small enough, its 3 million people, they expect you to show up, right? Its a swing state. Its very diverse. And people just expect that type of engagement, so they can decide for themselves.

Bidens three-day trip will wrap up in Texas, where he will host a trio of fundraisers in Dallas and Houston.

(AP)
The United States and Japan are sponsoring a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on all nations not to deploy or develop nuclear weapons in space, the U.S. ambassador announced Monday.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a U.N. Security Council meeting that any placement of nuclear weapons into orbit around the Earth would be unprecedented, dangerous, and unacceptable.

The announcement that the U.S. and Japan had circulated a resolution follows White House confirmation last month that Russia has obtained a troubling anti-satellite weapon capability, although such a weapon is not operational yet.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared later that Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space, claiming that the country has only developed space capabilities similar to those of the U.S.

The Outer Space Treaty ratified by about 114 countries including the United States and Russia prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction in orbit or the stationing of weapons in outer space in any other manner.

Japans Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, who chaired the council meeting, said that even during the confrontational environment of the Cold War, the rivals agreed to ensure that outer space remained peaceful. That prohibition on putting any weapons of mass destruction into orbit must be upheld today, she said.

Thomas-Greenfield said all parties to the treaty must commit to the ban on nuclear and other destructive weapons, and we must urge all member states who are not yet party to it to accede to it without delay.

She said the United States looks forward to engaging with the other members of the 15-nation Security Council to forge consensus around this text.

Russias deputy U.N. ambassador Dmitry Polyansky said Moscows initial impression is that the proposed resolution is yet another propaganda stunt by Washington, very politicized and divorced from reality.

He criticized the text, saying the wording wasnt worked out by experts nor discussed at specialized international platforms such as the U.N. Conference on Disarmament or the U.N. Committee on Outer Space.

Outside the Security Council, Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. is interested in engaging with parties to the treaty to explore ways to increase confidence in compliance with the ban on nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in outer space.

The United States has already begun considering approaches to help ensure that countries cannot deploy nuclear weapons in orbit undetected, and we intend to engage with other states parties as our ideas evolve, she said.

Thomas-Greenfield also reiterated to the council the United States is willing to engage Russia and China right now, without preconditions, on bilateral arms control issues.

But Russias Polyansky accused the West of trying to inflict strategic defeat on my country.

Any interaction will only be possible if the United States and NATO review their anti- Russian course, and when they show that they are ready to participate in comprehensive dialogue, taking into account all of those strategic stability factors and removing all of the concerns that we have about our security, he said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres briefed the council, saying geopolitical tensions and mistrust have escalated the risk of nuclear warfare to its highest point in decades.

He said the movie Oppenheimer about Robert Oppenheimer, who directed the U.S. project during World War II that developed the atomic bomb, brought the harsh reality of nuclear doomsday to vivid life for millions around the world.

Humanity cannot survive a sequel to Oppenheimer, the U.N. chief said.

(AP)
Yigal Calek, the founder of the London School of Jewish Song which revolutionized Jewish music beginning in the early 1970s, is seriously ill and in need of Rachamei Shamayim. His name for Tehillim is Yigal Yisroel ben Bluma Gittel.

Calek, a sixth grade rebbi, composer, and musical director, released his first album (Ma Navu) in 1970 with his London Pirchim Choir (which later morphed into the London School of Jewish Song), and followed it up with many more albums filled with songs that have become classics in the Jewish music genre.

Yigal and the London School of Jewish Song were not only revolutionary with their contribution of songs to the Jewish world, but were also a key player in the advent of the frum concert; prior to the London School of Jewish Songs concert performances some 50 years ago, musical events were almost exclusively held in shul basements.

On the last night of Chanukah 2021, alumni of Yigals choir gathered for a reunion at his home in Golders Green to once again sing some of the songs that made the London School of Jewish Song a worldwide sensation.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

The correlation of Hamans sons to the Nuremberg Nazis, ys, is eerie. It is also what can be called an emunah builder. One could perhaps suggest that it is coincidence, but the combination of all of these coincidences in one area, particularly when they are otherwise unexplained, is perhaps too much of a coincidence.

Why The Extra Words?

Lets look at the listing of the ten sons of Haman as they are being hanged at the end of the Megillah. There are two columnsthe names are to the right side. On the left side is a series of ten of the same wordsves.

Why not just have the connecting vav appear before each of the ten names? Why the ten extra words?

To answer this question, we go to one of the Tannaim, either Shimon HaAmasuni or Nechemiah HaAmasuni (a debate in the Talmud). He was a second-generation Tanna and perhaps even the person known as Nachum Ish Gamzu according to some sources. The Gemara in Pesachim (22b) and in Kiddushin (57a) discuss him and his method of exegesis. He looked at every es in the Torah and stated that it comes to include something else. But what? Or who?

The Four Strangely-Sized Letters

Now lets take a deeper look at the letters of the hand-written Megillah itself. There are four unexplained irregularities in the orthography of the letters. Three letters are written in a significantly smaller size. One letter is written in a much larger size.

The Smaller Letters. In the listing of the ten sons of Haman (Megillah 9:79), there are three letters that are written smaller: the taf of Parshandasa, the shin of Parmashta, and the zayin of Vayzasa. The gematria value of these smaller letters is 707.

The Larger Letter. In that last son of Haman, Vayzasa, the vav is written much larger. Rav Michel Dov Ber Weissmandel, ztl, a tzaddik who saved thousands of people during the Holocaust and who tried to save hundreds of thousands of others, made the following discovery:

If this vav represents the sixth millennium of creation, and the other three smaller letters represent the years, the total is 5707; 5707 corresponds to the year 1946the year that ten Nazis were hanged at the Nuremberg trials.

The Hanging Date

Although the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg delivered its verdicts sentencing the leaders of the Nazi party to death by hanging on October 1, 1946, they were hanged on October 16, the 21st of Tishrei. That date corresponds to the final judgement day of the Hebrew yearthe point of no return, Hoshana Rabbah.

The Bizarre Declaration

Kingsbury Smith of the International News Service, who was chosen by random lot [pur in Hebrew] to represent the American press at the execution of the ten Nazis wrote as follows:

Julius Streicher made his melodramatic appearance at 2:12 a.m. While his manacles were being removed and his bare hands bound, this ugly, dwarfish little man, wearing a threadbare suit and a well-worn bluish shirt buttoned to the neck but without a tie (he was notorious during his days of power for his flashy dress), glanced at the three wooden scaffolds rising menacingly in front of him. Then he glanced around the room, his eyes resting momentarily upon the small group of witnesses. By this time, his hands were tied securely behind his back. Two guards, one on each arm, directed him to Number One gallows on the left of the entrance. He walked steadily the six feet to the first wooden step but his face was twitching  He was pushed the last two steps to the mortal spot beneath the hangmans rope. The rope was being held back against a wooden rail by the hangman.

Streicher was swung suddenly to face the witnesses and glared at them. Suddenly he screamed, Purim Feast 1946.

This is very strange. Why would he scream that?

The Request

And the king said to Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and destroyed 500 men in Shushan the capital, and the ten sons of Haman  Now whatever your petition, it shall be granted; whatever your request further, it shall be done.

Esther responded, If it is pleasing to the King, let it be granted to the Jews that are in Shushan to do tomorrow also as this day, and let Hamans ten sons be hanged upon the gallows (Megillas Esther 9:1214).

Our sages tell us that every place in the Megillah that it mentions the king, it also refers to Hashem, the King. Esthers request, or prayer, was also directed to Hashem Himself, the Ultimate King.

A Correlation Between The Nazis And The Ten Sons of Haman?

The great Kabbalist Sason ben Mordechai Shanduch (17471830), who lived in Iraq, in his sefer Davar BIto, provides a Hebrew root that indicates the specific evil quality inherent in each of the original ten sons of Haman. Based on Rabbi Shanduchs writings, we can perhaps conjecture which each of the sons of Haman comes to include:

1. Parshandasa is one who is mafrish a person from the religion (dasa). This possibly refers to Alfred Rosenberg, ys, chief Nazi theoretician and ideologist. In his 1920 book, Immorality in the Talmud, Rosenberg identified Jews and Judaism as evil incarnate. Publicly, Rosenberg attributed what was wrong with Christianity to the influence of Judaism. He initiated many of the anti-Jewish laws. He was also the head of the Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories, where he oversaw the establishment and administration of the extermination camps.

2. Dalphon is a person who is a deles, a door to pnios raos, bad directions or steps. Possibly this refers to Alfred Jodl, ys, chief of the Operations Staff of the Armed Forces High Command, who signed the Commissar Order of 6 June 1941 (in which Soviet political commissars were to be shot) and the Commando Order of 28 October 1942 (in which Allied commandos, including properly uniformed soldiers as well as combatants wearing civilian clothes were to be executed immediately without trial if captured behind German lines). He also signed the surrender documents of Nazi Germany.

3. Asafta is a gatherer. Ernst Kaltenbrunner, ys, obergruppenfuhrer (general) in the SS was the chief of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Main Security Office). According to former SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Hans Georg Mayer, Kaltenbrunner was present at a December 1940 meeting among Hitler, Goebbels, Himmler, and Heydrich where it was decided to gas all Jews incapable of heavy physical work. Under Kaltenbrunners command, the genocide of Jews picked up pace as the process of extermination was to be expedited and the concentration of the Jews in the Reich itself and the occupied countries were to be liquidated as soon as possible. He oversaw the rapid gathering of Jews in order to exterminate them.

4. Porasa alludes to untoward and unchaste behavior. While overseeing the Dutch, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, ys, an Austrian Nazi politician, worked with Hitler to create the Anschluss. After Germany invaded Poland, he served in the General Government of Poland. He was also reichskommissar in Holland. He behaved in a manner that compromised many Dutch women.

5. Adalia refers to one who lifts himself up with arrogance and haughtinesslikely Joachim Von Ribbentrop, ys, Nazi Germanys foreign minister. In his arrogance, he added the fake title Von to his name. When he was an ambassador to England, virtually everyone commented about his complete arrogance.

6. Aridasa is one who scares others like a lion. Possibly this refers to Wilhelm Frick, ys, Reich minister of the Interior of Nazi Germany and then the last governor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. He used ruthless methods to counter any dissent.

7. Parmashta is one who rips apart (porem) the inner fabric, the shasi (the crisscross of the garment), of the Jewish nation. This could possibly reference Wilhelm Keitel, ys, field marshal and chief of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces. He issued a series of criminal orders from April 1941. The orders went beyond established codes of conduct for the military and broadly allowed the execution of Jews, civilians, and non-combatants, for any reason. Those carrying out the murders were exempted from court-martial or later being tried for war crimes. The orders were signed by Keitel.

8. Arisai is one who possesses the venom (aras) of a snake. Perhaps this refers to the venomous nature of Julius Streicher, ys, early member of the Nazi Party and founder and publisher of Der Sturmer, which encouraged the hate toward Jews.

9. Aridai is one who subjugates people (rodeh). This best references Fritz Sauckel, ys, Gauleiter of Thuringia and the General Plenipotentiary for Labour Deployment from 1942 until the end of the war. He worked directly under Goring through the Four Year Plan Office, directing and controlling labor. In response to increased demands, he met the requirement for manpower with people from the occupied territories. Voluntary numbers were insufficient, and forced recruitment was introduced within a few months. Of the five million foreign workers brought to Germany, around 200,000 came voluntarily, according to Sauckels own testimony at Nuremberg.

10. Vayzasa is one who symbolizes the bitter and warped judgment of an olive (zayis). It is likely that this references Hans Frank, ys, Hitlers personal lawyer and Nazi Germanys chief jurist in German-occupied Poland. He served as the warped judge that allowed many Nazi goals to become law.

Perhaps the correlation of the original ten sons of Haman to the modern sons of Hamanthe Naziscould be tweaked bit better, but the ten prominent Ves additions in the left column do indicate that it comes to include specific people.

The author can be reached at [email protected].
A translation and annotation by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

The Tur (OC 111) cites the Talmud Yerushalmi in Brachos 1:1: Said Rabbi Ami, Whoever does not connect Geulah to Tefillah  the after blessing of Shma of redemption to Shmoneh Esreh  to what is he compared? He is compared to an admirer-friend of the king who has knocked at the door of the palace, and the king went out to greet him to fulfill his request only to find that his friend has run off, and then the king too runs off.

It would appear that this can be explained based upon the pasuk regarding the exile of Mitzrayim, and the children of Israel moaned (vayizaku) from the labor, and they cried out, and their cry ascended to Hashem from the toil. Now, it is not mentioned in this pasuk that they davened or prayed to Hashem, nor does it mention that the moaning or crying out was to Hashem. Rather, it simply states vayizaku  without elaboration. Their cry, arose to Hashem.

THE DIBBUR WAS IN EXILE

And it is known (see Zohar II 25; Pri Aitz Chaim Pesach Chapter 7) that which is written in the earlier works that in the exile fo Mitzrayim  that the dibbur  words of prayer were in exile [as well]. Notwithstanding the depth of their pain and agony, they did not have the ability to express themselves in words.

Yet, later, in the parsha of Bikkurim  bringing the first fruits (Dvarim 26:7), the crying out is identified as a crying out to Hashem, and that Hashem heard our cry. Rav Hutner ztl explained that at the time that they cried out they did not feel or understand that they were praying, they thought that they were moaning in general, only afterward did it become clear to them that this was a cry to Hashem.

THE WORDS OF THE RAMBAM

Let us now preface the wording of the Rambam (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 1:3) that Avrohom Avinu recognized his Creator, and would travel and declare His Divinity in the world until, A nation was established in the world that knew Hashem. After a lengthy time in which the Jewish nation remained in Mitzrayim they declined and began to learn from their actions and worshipped idols like they did.. And the foundation that Avrohom Avinu planted was almost forgotten. The nation of Israel returned to the errors and confusion of the world. Yet from Hashems love for us and His remembering the covenant with Avrohom Avinu, He sent Moshe Rabbeinu to us..

A THOUGHT FROM RAV HUTNER

However, it was already explained in Pachad Yitzchok (Pesach 68:3) that this is not just a matter of Maaseh shhaya kach hayah  a relating over an incident  rather it encompasses the very essence and nature of exile  that it is a test to uproot our connection to Avrohom Avinu. This is the meaning of what Hashem said to Avrohom (Bereishis 15:13), And your descendants shall be strangers..  that is that the recognition of your descendants and the connection to the foundation of Avrohom Avinu shall yet remain in Galus.

WHERE OUR VOICE COMES FROM

And Hashem Heard our voice  even without them knowing nor recognizing during that time  the kol cry, or voice, emerged from the depth of the soul which we possess as an inheritance from Avrohom Avinu. It is a root of belief planted ever so deeply within the heart of every Jew.

The kol emerges from the depths, therefore, each persons voice is unique and different from one another as the voice comes from an internal root. And from this voice, it is understood and recognized from whom we descend.

And our cry arose.. And Hashem remembered His covenant with Avrohom.. The meaning is not hearing our cry as one matter and remembering Avrohom as a separate matter. Rather, Hashem Remembered the covenant with Avrohom through hearing the voice of Avrohom within the voices of Klal Yisroel. Only afterward did it become clear what that voice was.

This is actually the order and manner of our Shmoneh Esreh Tefillah. The first bracha is called Avos  we say, Elokai Avrohom that which lies within us, of the foundation of Avrohom Avinuwhich is the root of Emunah  belief in Hashem  i.e. the portion of our forefathers that abides within us. Mogain Avrohom  that Hashem protects the foundation of Avrohom Avinu that is entrenched within us  to ensure that it will not be uprooted. And in the blessing of Shma Koleinu it begins with Koleinu  our voice  the voice, and it ends with shomaya Tefillah  Tefillah is already within the parameters of words. Those words are recited by everyone but it is possible from the voice  to recognize the root from which it emerges.

The beginning of our prayer is with Birchas Avos  the Blessing of Avos. We are descendants of Avrohom Avinu. The connecting of Geulah to Tefillah means the redemption that took us out of Mitzrayim, the root of our forefathers will never be displaced or disconnected or forgotten. The words are the words of those who have been redeemed. In other words, through the power of Avrohom Avinu that lay within us is how we say what we are about to say. We immediately connect redemption to prayer and that is through the introduction of Birchas Avos.

GOING BACK TO THE YERUSHALMI

Now with this we can better understand the Yerushalmi cited in the Tur  the analogy of the admirer-friend that knocked on the door of the king. [The Hebrew is Ohavo  the loved one.] The Ohavo is specific. It refers to Avrohom Avinu, who is called My loved one (see Yishayahu 41:8). If he davens immediately, then he meets with the King, but if he runs off, then the King lso runs off. This means: At that moment in which we mention Geulah immediately before Tefillah that connection to Avrohom Avinu awakens within us and lives within us. But, if we run off then that moment of inspiration also leaves, and the King does not find Avrohom Avinu, and He also runs off.

Please note that no permission was obtained to translate this selection from his Maamarei Pesach. The translator can be reached at [email protected]
Former Knesset member Azmi Bishara (Balad) who fled Israel in 2007 played a key role in the hostage negotiations in Paris and had a major influence on drafting the ceasefire/hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported on Sunday.

According to the report, Bishara, who fled to Qatar after being accused of spying for Hezbollah, now serves as a senior adviser to Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. He has reinvented himself in Doha and is a well-known public figure with over a million followers on X.

In 2007, Bishara was accused of aiding the enemy during wartime, passing information on to the enemy and contacting foreign agents, as well as laundering money received from foreign sources. He was accused of transferring information to Hezbollah on strategic locations in Israel that should be attacked with rockets during the 2006 Lebanon War, in exchange for money. He even recommended that Hezbollah use long-range rockets in their attacks. In exchange, he allegedly received hundreds of thousands of shekels transferred to him by Hezbollah and other foreign entities by Arab money changers from East Jerusalem.

The negotiations in Paris ended without results but new hostage talks are scheduled to resume in Doha this week. An Israeli delegation headed by Mossad head David Barnea left for Doha on Monday after receiving a mandate to carry out extensive negotiations.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Dozens of Charedim from Peleg blocked the tracks of the Jerusalem light rail on Jaffa Street and scuffled with police on Monday to protest efforts to end Charedi military draft exemptions.

Chanting If you go to the army, you and dogs are equal, a riff on enlistment advocates call for equality of the burden between Charedi and secular Israelis, the demonstrators attempted to disrupt traffic and public transportation. Police later said they had opened the road.

The protest comes as a law authorizing the exemption is set to expire at the end of March, after which the military will no longer be authorized to exempt Charedi men from the draft. According to the IDFs Personnel Directorate, a record 66,000 young Charedi men received an exemption from military service over the past year, amid a significant manpower shortage.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has called drafting Charedim the need of the hour, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly hopes to postpone their enlistment until July while the coalition works to formulate a new conscription law.

Peleg, which has some 60,000 members, regularly demonstrates against the enlistment of yeshiva students. Last month, members blocked routes in Bnei Brak and Petach Tikva.

For decades, Charedi men have avoided the draft by enrolling in yeshivas and obtaining repeated one-year service deferrals until they reach the age of exemption. The temporary regulation extending this exemption is set to expire at the end of March.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
The Shin Bet on Monday evening published a rare photo of the interrogation of a Hamas terrorist inside Shifa Hospital in Gaza only an hour after IDF forces raided the area.

In the photo released by the Shin Bet, a Shin Bet coordinator and investigator are seen interrogating a terrorist operative who was hiding inside the hospital.

The information he provided in the investigation was transmitted in real-time for the continued activity of the forces in the field, the Shin Bet stated. Dozens of additional Hamas operatives are being interrogated in the field and interrogation facilities and providing a significant amount of valuable information.

During the operation in Shifa, Shin Bet coordinators and operatives worked together with IDF troops, eliminating terrorists and arresting and interrogating dozens of terrorists in the field.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
In a letter to US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert expressed his twisted admiration for Schumers recent speech urging Israel to hold early elections to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Olmert, a longtime critic of Netanyahu, hailed Schumer as a great friend of Israel and praised him for his courage in speaking out against the current Israeli leadership.

For the courage that you have showed in saying so many of us Jews across the world and traditional supporters of Israel feel today, Olmert wrote.

Indeed, the prime minister of Israel is not worthy of the responsibilities bestowed upon him, Olmert added, joining Schumer in throwing Israel under the bus on the international stage during one of the most critical periods in its history.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Members of Israels coalition are drafting legislation that would raise the exemption age to 35 or even 40, Yisrael Hayom reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, senior security officials recommended raising the exemption age. Currently, the exemption age is 26; after that age, bochurim or avreichim can join the workforce without serving in the IDF.

If the report is true, the move would be the opposite of the trend in recent years to lower the exemption age as much as possible in order to encourage Chareidim to join the workforce and not remain in yeshivah just to avoid being drafted. There have even been various proposals over the years to lower the exemption age to 21-23.

However, a new Chareidi draft law is required following the Supreme Courts decision to force the government to rationalize why they cant draft Chareidim. Security officials made the recommendation to raise the exemption age with the goal of forcing those who cannot or do not wish to learn full-time for so many years to be drafted in order to enter the workforce afterward.

According to the report, the Chareidi MKs have expressed initial willingness to adopt the move as it means that those who wish to learn full-time will be able to do so for many years and those who do not or cannot learn full-time will enlist or volunteer, as the Gedolim recently agreed to in an unprecedented decision.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Two Shin Bet agents were injured in a shooting attack in Gush Etzion on Tuesday afternoon.

The attack, which occurred between the Gush Etzion junction and Migdal Oz, occurred while they were carrying out an operational activity in the area. The terrorist shot them from close-range, one in the chest and the second in the shoulder.

Some reports said that the agents were meeting an informer, who changed his mind and turned on them.

The IDF said that the two agents were evacuated, fully conscious to Shaarei Tzedek Hospital in Jerusalem, one in serious condition and one in light condition.

The Shin Bet later confirmed that the two victims were Shin Bet operatives and said that they returned fire at the terrorist, a resident of Jenin, and neutralized him.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The terrace at the House of Lords was packed when Lord Austin of Dudley hosted a reception for Israeli energy-tech innovators last week.

Among those present, as coffee and pastries were passed around, were representatives of the London Stock Exchange seeking initial public offering (IPO) opportunities, Shell UKs top climate transition guru and Britains ambassador to Israel Simon Walters making his first trip home to the UK since the atrocities of October 7.

The atmosphere was suitably upbeat and speeches from Austin and Walters conveyed the impression that nothing had changed since Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu embarked on his all-out war on Hamas.

Austin noted that Britain remained Israels third largest trading partner, and in spite of the Gaza conflict trade between the two nations was now worth 7billion a year.

Among other things one in five medicines prescribed by the NHS, saving countless British lives, are from Israel.

Danger signs: A gloomy Tel Aviv skyline. The war in Gaza and a perverse reaction to events, fuelled by social media, has tarnished Israel's reputation and standing in the world

Walters was equally effusive. He expressed solidarity with friends in Israel and noted that it was vital that life goes on, including co-operation between the countries on research and innovation.

It was a surprisingly upbeat message given the increasing exasperation of his boss Lord Cameron over humanitarian assistance to Gazas struggling population and relentless broadcast media assault on the behaviour of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF).

As intriguing as the green solutions offered by Israels Climate First initiative are, such as drone tech which can monitor the performance of 300 wind farm towers a day (against the current six), it was hard to think much of this was likely to be adopted any time soon.

Gaza and a perverse reaction to events, fuelled by Tik Tok and other social media, has tarnished Israels reputation and standing in the world.

Just how damaging the relentless anti-Israel rhetoric is to the country was demonstrated in recent days when BP and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company suspended talks with Tel Aviv on a 1.6billion energy project.

The overseas investors had planned to take a 50 per cent stake in Tel Aviv listed NewMed Energy, which has interests in the vast natural gas fields off Israels Mediterranean coastline.

The would-be investors pulled back, citing uncertainty created by the external environment. It is thought to be the biggest corporate deal to have been disrupted since the start of the Gaza war, which has cost an estimated 31,000 lives.

The suspension of the deal is particularly sensitive because it is among the first signs of a breach in the Abraham Accords of 2020 marking a new era of economic, commercial and political co-operation with Gulf states.

The close ties, which turned Dubai into a top tourist spot for Israelis, has been a cause of consternation on the arc of radicalism, bankrolled by Iran, which runs through the region.

Many analysts believe that Iran financed and encouraged the Hamas assault of October 7 in an effort to prevent the Abraham Accords being extended to Saudi Arabia, a move which would have frozen out opportunities for Palestinian advancement.

Instead, Israels retaliation  which some argue was a trap laid by Hamas  has incited radical elements across the region.

The most damaging impact has been on shipping through the Red Sea. Remarkably, so far, the expected surge in energy prices has not occurred.

Nevertheless, the Houthi attacks are impacting Western economies. Britains economic recovery in January, when output rose by 0.2 per cent, would have been far stronger if manufacturing supply chains had been unimpeded.

Israels own booming, high tech-driven economy is being devastated by the war.

Even before the conflagration, the danger signs were there as some of the tech giants, which dominated the skyline of Tel Aviv and Haifa, pulled back from new investment amid protests against the Netanyahu-led governments anti-democratic judicial call up reforms.

In the final quarter of 2023, the countrys output plunged by 19.4 per cent. The reversal was triggered by the call up of some 300,000 reservists for military duty.

At the same time, large swathe of Israelis, some 120,000, have been moved from vulnerable neighbourhoods along Israels northern borders with Lebanon and Syria.

Many are being housed, at government expense, in tourist hotels in the South.

The countrys solid public finances have been decimated. It was recently announced that the country is to raise 47billion in debt and taxes to finance the hole in the national budget.

To put the figure in context, it is almost the same amount of money which a UK government would need to fully abolish national insurance.

There have been some shards of light from afar even as the war has progressed.

The hedge fund financier Bill Ackman, in an act of solidarity, bought a 25 per cent stake in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

The government in Jerusalem dug deep to offer tech giant Intel a 2.5billion subsidy to build a 20billion semi-conductor plant in Israel taking advantage of the countrys highly tech-skilled workforce.

So far the deal looks secure. But the sheer brutality of the conflict, as the BP decision shows, is changing the geo-political dynamics of being too close to Israel.

Efforts to create a more positive narrative, seen at the Climate First event in the Lords, is admirable.

But there are severe doubts as to how long it will take to turn the tide of opprobrium.
Britains answer to Bill Gates was the driving force behind Silicon Valleys biggest ever fraud, a court heard last night

Prosecutors accused Mike Lynch of committing a massive fraud when he fooled computer giant Hewlett-Packard into buying his software company Autonomy for 8.6billion in 2011.

Lawyers claimed Lynch spun a fabulous tale about Autonomys finances but in reality it was a multi-year, multi-layered fraud.

He has denied 16 counts of conspiracy and fraud at the court in San Francisco.

But if found guilty after the two-month trial, Lynch faces 20 years in prison.

US trial: Mike Lynch (pictured) allegedly committed a 'massive fraud' when he fooled computer giant Hewlett-Packard into buying his software company Autonomy for 8.6bn in 2011

The case has already proved to be a fall from grace for Lynch, 58, who was awarded an OBE for services to enterprise in 2006.

He has served on the board of the BBC and in 2011 was appointed to the science and technology council of then prime minister David Cameron.

But since his arrest and extradition to the US ten months ago, Lynch has been living in an apartment in San Francisco where he has been forced to wear an ankle tag to monitor his movements as part of a 78million bail bond.

The case is about the sale of Autonomy which turned Lynch into one of Britains most celebrated tycoons with comparisons to Gates, the Microsoft founder. Lynch, who was raised in Chelmsford, Essex, made more than 500million from the deal,.

But it soured almost immediately and sparked a decade of civil and criminal litigation, culminating in the trial that began last night.

Prosecutor Adam Reeves told the court that Lynch lured in HP with a series of claims about Autonomys finances.

Reeves said: HP ate it up  they thought this kind of software company is exactly what they needed.

A year after the deal was announced, HP was forced into a 6.9billion write-down it blamed on serious accounting improprieties.

Reeves said Autonomy used accounting tricks like back-dating contracts to make its revenue appear bigger than it was.

Another trick was to pay more than necessary for services Autonomy did not need so vendors would purchase its products.

Autonomys former vice president of finance, Stephen Chamberlain, is on trial and has also pleaded not guilty.

Lynchs lawyer Reid Weingarten, who has previously represented financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has said he was innocent.

HP was to blame because it was out of its depth and didnt understand Autonomys software, Weingarten and his team have claimed.
Depression: Elon Musk (pictured) defended his prescribed use of the drug Ketamine, arguing that it does not impact his leadership

Elon Musk has said his Ketamine use is in the best interest of shareholders as he pushes back against critics. The worlds third richest man defended his prescribed use of the drug, arguing that it does not impact his leadership.

From an investor standpoint, if there is something Im taking, I should keep taking it, he said in an interview with former CNN anchor Don Lemon. Musk said that what matters is execution for Wall Street investors, citing the electric car makers ongoing success.

Tesla has a market cap of 412billion but its stock has fallen by a third since the start of this year.

In January Musk warned that Teslas car production would fall this year as the company reported a sharp drop in profits.

He also runs satellite firm SpaceX and social media company X, formerly known as Twitter.

When asked if he abuses the drug, Musk said: I dont think so. If you use too much Ketamine, you cant really get work done, and I have a lot of work.

Musk said he used Ketamine when he had a negative chemical state in his brain like depression.

His comments follow recent reports that said that executives in the Tesla and SpaceX chief executive officers companies had grown concerned about his drug use.

At the time his legal team said Musk was regularly and randomly drug tested at his satellite firm SpaceX and had never failed a test.
Share deals: Bytes chief exec Neil Murphy

One of the UKs biggest software companies said it was saddened and shocked as it launched an investigation into secret share dealing by its former boss.

Bytes, which is listed on the FTSE 250, said long-serving chief executive Neil Murphy took part in unauthorised share trading on more than 100 separate occasions.

Murphy, 60, who oversaw the companys stock market flotation in 2020, made a shock exit last month after receiving a request for information over his share dealings by financial regulators.

Although he initially said he would give his response to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in a scheduled board meeting on February 21, he instead surprisingly quit on the morning of the meeting.

Murphy confessed to 119 unauthorised and undisclosed trades between January 2021 and 2023.

His lawyers have since identified a further 15 trades conducted by Murphy on behalf of his wife, Alison.

In total, these trades were worth around 1.5million

A Bytes spokesman said that the board is saddened and shocked by Murphys actions, which it finds hard to comprehend.
Ukraine fight: Chemring said it has been granted 57m by the European Commission

Chemring has been handed nearly 90million to boost defence production in Europe.

The London-listed defence firm yesterday said it has been granted 57million by the European Commission as part of a scheme to make ammunition and missiles for Ukraine.

Chemring has also won a 32million grant from the Norwegian government to increase production in the country. The EU funding is part of a 427million programme to ramp up ammunition manufacturing capacity to help countries refill their stocks and deliver to Ukraine.

It includes measures to support production capacities and tackle identified bottlenecks throughout the industrial supply chain.

Both grants support Chemrings decision to invest in doubling the capacity of this facility over the medium term, and reinforces Chemring Nobels position as a key strategic supplier to Nato, a spokesman for the company said.

Shares climbed 4.8 per cent.
AstraZeneca will buy Fusion Pharmaceuticals in a $2.4billion deal to help bolster its oncology portfolio.

Britain's largest drugmaker intends to spend $2billion upfront for the Canadian firm, equivalent to $21 per share, followed by up to $400million in potential contingent payments.

The deal's maximum possible value represents a 126 per cent premium to Fusion's closing share price on Monday, or 97 per cent when just counting the upfront cash amount.

Good results: Pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca has said a late-stage drug trial involving patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer displayed positive outcomes

Headquartered in Hamilton, Ontario, Fusion is developing radioconjugate medicines, which many hope will replace traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy as cancer treatments.

Radioconjugates work by directly delivering radioactive isotopes to cancer cells via molecules such as peptides, antibodies and small molecules.

AstraZeneca said such treatments reduce the damage to healthy cells and allow access to tumours that cannot be reached with external beam radiation, a common therapy used in fighting cancers.

'Between 30 and 50 per cent of patients with cancer today receive radiotherapy at some point during treatment, and the acquisition of Fusion furthers our ambition to transform this aspect of care with next-generation radioconjugates,' said Susan Galbraith, executive vice president of Oncology R&D at AstraZeneca.

The transaction comes less than a week after AstraZeneca agreed to acquire Amolyt Pharma, a clinical-stage biotech group specialising in treatments for rare endocrine diseases, in an 820million deal.

And last month, AstraZeneca completed the takeovers of Chinese cancer therapy firm Gracell and vaccine developer Icosovax.

The group made more than $17billion last year alone from oncology treatments, equivalent to over a third of all its sales.

Its highest-sold medicines include lung cancer drugs Tagrisso and Imfinzi, ovarian cancer treatment Lynparza, and Calquence, which is given to patients who have non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Fusion's current pipeline includes one drug in a Phase II trial that could be a likely treatment for advanced prostate cancer.

John Valliant, chief executive of Fusion, said the deal 'combines Fusion's expertise and capabilities...with AstraZeneca's leadership in small molecules and biologics engineering to develop novel radioconjugates.'

AstraZeneca shares were 1.2 per cent lower at 101.70 on Tuesday morning.

Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the share price's dip reflected the Fusion takeover being 'a relatively small deal and that future revenues may be still some way off, if they arrive at all.

'But AstraZeneca is very much at the forefront of new ways to treat cancer and is not afraid to make multiple bets on potential first-in-class candidates.'
Unilever will spin-out its ice cream unit into a separate and independent business as part of efforts to 'simplify' the consumer goods giant and cut costs.

The group, whose stable of brands also includes Marmite, Domestos and Persil, also laid out plans to cut 800million (684million) in costs over the next three years, potentially impacting 7,500 'predominantly office-based roles globally'.

The shake-up follows a 'disappointing' year for Unilever, whose chief executive Hein Schumacher has vowed to turn the FTSE 100 firm around after replacing Alan Jope in July.

Unilever's ice cream business, which includes five of the top 10 global selling brands such as Wall's, Magnum and Ben & Jerry's, delivered turnover of 7.9billion in 2023.

Unilever's ice cream posted turnover of 7.9bn in 2023 but margins fell

However, ice cream added to the group's frustrations last year as volumes fell 6 per cent.

Unilever said the spin-out would begin immediately and it expects to complete the process by the end of 2025.

It added that the separation 'best serves the future growth of both ice cream and Unilever', which will become 'a simpler, more focused company', operating four business groups across beauty and wellbeing, personal care, home care, and nutrition.

The move also removes potential future political headaches related to Ben & Jerry's position on the ongoing war in Gaza.

Ian Meakins, chair of Unilever said: 'The board is determined to transform Unilever into a higher-growth, higher-margin business that will deliver consistently for all stakeholders. Improving our performance and sharpening our portfolio are key to delivering the improved results we believe Unilever can achieve.

'The separation of Ice Cream and the delivery of the productivity programme will help create a simpler, more focused, and higher performing Unilever. It will also create a world-leading ice cream business, with strong growth prospects and an exciting future as a standalone business.'

The group is targeting mid-single digit underlying sales growth in the wake of the spin-out and 'modest' margin improvement.

Unilever's 800million productivity programme, also announced on Tuesday, is intended to drive 'focus and faster growth through a leaner and more accountable organisation, enabled by investment in technology', it said.

Schumacher said: 'We have committed to do fewer things, better, and with greater impact.

'The changes we are announcing today will help us accelerate that plan, focusing our business and our resources on global or scalable brands where we can apply our leading innovation, technology and go-to-market capabilities across complementary operating models.

'Simplifying our portfolio and driving greater productivity will allow us to further unlock the potential of this business, supporting our ambition to position Unilever as a world-leading consumer goods company delivering strong, sustainable growth and enhanced profitability.'

Unilever shares were up 5.1 per cent to 40.05.5p in early morning trading, paring back one-year losses to 2.3 per cent.

Matt Britzman, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said shareholders are likely to welcome the spin-out of the ice cream business, which 'always looked like the odd one out when you compare it to other product lines'.

He added: 'It's not a huge shock to see this move, but it's something prior management wasn't able to deliver.

'Unilever's not an overly expensive name at the minute so expect markets to react positively to the news, perhaps more due to the decisive action than anything else.'
Manzoni will replace outgoing chair Javier Ferran who is due to retire, on or around 5 February 2025

Diageo has hired a former civil service boss as its next chair, replacing Javier Ferran when he retires in February next year.

The FTSE 100 drinks giant , which is behind brands such as Johnnie Walker and Guinness, told investors on Tuesday Sir John Manzoni would lead its board from 2025.

Manzoni joined the Diageo board in 2020, having lead the UK Civil Service as chief executive from 2014,

He is currently chair of energy business SSE and previously spent 11 years as a non-executive director of African beer brewer SABMiller, which was taken over by Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2016.

The biggest Western spirits maker said it began the search for a new chair in the summer of 2023, shortly before a November profit warning that dented confidence with some investors.

The company is battling a slowdown in sales across much of the world  though not in Britain  and in January reported a fall in revenues and profits for the six months to the end of December.

Susan Kilsby, senior independent director at Diageo, said: 'John has an outstanding track record of leadership within beverage alcohol and across a number of other complex and fast-changing sectors in the UK and globally.

'His experience and expertise will be instrumental as Diageo continues to develop and grow its global business in the years ahead.'

Sir John Manzoni added: 'Since joining the board, I have been continually impressed by the growth potential of the organisation, the quality of our brands, and the dedication and high standards of Diageo colleagues around the world.

'Diageo has an unrivalled portfolio, a global footprint and world-leading capabilities, and I look forward to supporting the executive team to ensure that we deliver on our potential.'

Diageo shares fell 1.15 per cent to 2,835.50p in early morning Tuesday trading.
DFS shares fell sharply on Tuesday as the furniture retailer cut its sales and profits forecasts for the year.

The Doncaster-based firm told investors on Tuesday that demand had 'weakened significantly' over the past two months, after revenues sank by 7.2 per cent to 505.1million in the six months to 24 December.

Profits are therefore likely to be 10million lower than previously predicted in 2024, DFS said, with pre-tax earnings now forecast at 20million to 25million for the year.

The Doncaster-based firm told investors on Tuesday that demand 'weakened significantly' over the past two months

DFS shares were down 7.45 per cent to 104.40p in early afternoon trading on Tuesday.

DFS said order volumes had fallen 16 per cent year-on-year over January and February after a reasonable strong start to the year.

It also warned that further disruption to products being shipped through the Red Sea could potentially weigh on performance further.

Continued delays could push back a further 4million from this year's profits to next year.

Attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia on ships has caused a major halt to Red Sea trade since November.

The alternative shipping route around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope can add 10-14 days to a journey compared to passage via the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

The retailer also added that it is now on track for revenues of between 1 billion and 1.015billion for its financial year to the end of June, cutting its previous guidance by up to 65million.

DFS said it also remains 'cautious' about consumer confidence improving and seeing a benefit in higher demand until the summer.

It came as the company revealed that revenues declined by 7.2 per cent to 505.1 million for the six months to 24 December.

Tim Stacey, group chief executive of DFS, said: 'I want to thank our colleagues for their dedication toward providing a first-class service to our customers.

'Whilst the current macroeconomic situation has presented many challenges, we are pleased to have extended our market leadership while reporting a resilient profit performance through the first half.'
Shares of Lundin Gold Inc. (TSE:LUG  Get Free Report) have received an average recommendation of Moderate Buy from the eight research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is C$19.60.

LUG has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Cormark upped their price target on Lundin Gold from C$19.00 to C$20.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. Raymond James set a C$17.50 target price on Lundin Gold and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Lundin Gold from C$20.00 to C$22.00 in a report on Wednesday, December 13th. National Bankshares lifted their target price on shares of Lundin Gold from C$19.00 to C$20.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group set a C$19.00 price objective on Lundin Gold and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th.

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Lundin Gold Stock Up 1.0 %

TSE:LUG opened at C$17.55 on Thursday. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of C$15.92 and a 200 day simple moving average of C$16.02. Lundin Gold has a one year low of C$14.08 and a one year high of C$19.42. The company has a market capitalization of C$4.18 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.38 and a beta of 1.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 31.98, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a current ratio of 2.86.

Lundin Gold (TSE:LUG  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 22nd. The company reported C$0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of C$0.21 by C($0.02). Lundin Gold had a net margin of 19.88% and a return on equity of 19.85%. The firm had revenue of C$259.63 million during the quarter. Sell-side analysts predict that Lundin Gold will post 1.4277504 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lundin Gold Cuts Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 25th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 8th will be issued a $0.269 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 6.13%. Lundin Golds dividend payout ratio is presently 53.47%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lundin Gold news, Director Ronald F. Hochstein sold 100,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$16.73, for a total transaction of C$1,673,330.00. In other news, Director Ronald F. Hochstein sold 100,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$16.73, for a total transaction of C$1,673,330.00. Also, Senior Officer Sheila Margaret Colman sold 5,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of C$17.35, for a total value of C$86,750.00. Insiders own 59.47% of the companys stock.

Lundin Gold Company Profile

(Get Free Report

Lundin Gold Inc operates as a mining company in Canada. The company holds interests in 28 metallic mineral concessions and three construction material concessions covering an area of approximately 64,454 hectares located in Southeast Ecuador. It primary holds 100% interests in the Fruta del Norte gold project that comprising seven concessions covering an area of approximately 5,566 hectares located near the city of Loja in Ecuador.

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Shares of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (NYSE:AXS  Get Free Report) have been given an average recommendation of Hold by the seven analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and five have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $66.83.

A number of brokerages have issued reports on AXS. StockNews.com cut shares of AXIS Capital from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their price target on shares of AXIS Capital from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Thursday, March 14th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on shares of AXIS Capital from $56.00 to $59.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, UBS Group upped their target price on shares of AXIS Capital from $77.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Monday, February 5th.

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AXIS Capital Price Performance

Shares of NYSE AXS opened at $63.11 on Tuesday. The businesss 50 day moving average is $59.57 and its 200-day moving average is $57.12. AXIS Capital has a 1-year low of $51.25 and a 1-year high of $63.88. The company has a current ratio of 0.60, a quick ratio of 0.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm has a market cap of $5.33 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.24 and a beta of 0.79.

AXIS Capital (NYSE:AXS  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 31st. The insurance provider reported $2.94 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.25) by $4.19. AXIS Capital had a return on equity of 19.25% and a net margin of 6.67%. The company had revenue of $1.46 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.42 billion. Equities research analysts predict that AXIS Capital will post 10.15 earnings per share for the current year.

AXIS Capital Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, April 18th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.44 per share. This represents a $1.76 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.79%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 1st. AXIS Capitals dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 43.78%.

Insider Transactions at AXIS Capital

In other news, Director Stanley A. Galanski bought 7,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 6th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $58.45 per share, for a total transaction of $409,150.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director now owns 9,763 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $570,647.35. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Corporate insiders own 1.00% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On AXIS Capital

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of AXIS Capital by 50.9% in the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 125,923 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $7,614,000 after purchasing an additional 42,496 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of AXIS Capital by 6.4% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 275,103 shares of the insurance providers stock valued at $16,635,000 after buying an additional 16,513 shares during the last quarter. US Bancorp DE increased its position in shares of AXIS Capital by 447.2% during the first quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 487 shares of the insurance providers stock worth $30,000 after acquiring an additional 398 shares during the period. Cetera Advisor Networks LLC purchased a new stake in AXIS Capital in the 1st quarter worth approximately $366,000. Finally, Bank of Montreal Can acquired a new position in AXIS Capital during the 1st quarter valued at about $201,000. 89.61% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

AXIS Capital Company Profile

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AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides various specialty insurance and reinsurance products in Bermuda, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers professional insurance products that cover directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions, employment practices, fiduciary, crime, professional indemnity, medical malpractice, and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and other professional service providers; and property insurance products for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, property in transit, onshore renewable energy installations, and physical damage and business interruption following an act of terrorism.

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Delek US Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DK  Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of Reduce from the ten brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have assigned a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $26.89.

A number of brokerages have issued reports on DK. Citigroup began coverage on shares of Delek US in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. They issued a neutral rating on the stock. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Delek US from $23.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a market perform rating in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of Delek US from $30.00 to $32.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Friday. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of Delek US from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 29th.

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Insider Activity at Delek US

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In other Delek US news, CFO Robert G. Wright sold 2,123 shares of Delek US stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.50, for a total value of $60,505.50. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 18,925 shares in the company, valued at $539,362.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link . Insiders have sold 4,976 shares of company stock worth $135,738 over the last quarter. 1.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DK. IFP Advisors Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Delek US during the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Spirit of America Management Corp NY acquired a new stake in shares of Delek US in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Comerica Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Delek US in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. BluePath Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Delek US in the 3rd quarter valued at $30,000. Finally, Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Delek US in the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.01% of the companys stock.

Delek US Stock Performance

Shares of DK stock opened at $29.62 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.66, a quick ratio of 0.63 and a current ratio of 0.99. Delek US has a one year low of $19.39 and a one year high of $31.22. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $26.57 and its 200-day simple moving average is $26.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 134.64 and a beta of 1.31.

Delek US (NYSE:DK  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The oil and gas company reported ($1.46) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.28) by ($0.18). Delek US had a return on equity of 18.27% and a net margin of 0.12%. The company had revenue of $4.05 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.55 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.88 EPS. The businesss revenue for the quarter was down 9.6% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts anticipate that Delek US will post 1.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Delek US Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 8th. Investors of record on Friday, March 1st were paid a dividend of $0.245 per share. This represents a $0.98 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.31%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 29th. This is a positive change from Delek USs previous quarterly dividend of $0.24. Delek USs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 445.45%.

About Delek US

(Get Free Report

Delek US Holdings, Inc engages in the integrated downstream energy business in the United States. The company operates through Refining, Logistics, and Retail segments. The Refining segment processes crude oil and other feedstock for the manufacture of various grades of gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, asphalt, and other petroleum-based products that are distributed through owned and third-party product terminal.

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KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC acquired a new stake in iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (NYSEARCA:SUSA  Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 2,100 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $211,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. acquired a new position in iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $53,000. Spartan Planning & Wealth Management acquired a new position in iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF during the 3rd quarter worth $57,000. Worth Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF during the 1st quarter worth $75,000. Finally, Patriot Investment Management Group Inc. acquired a new position in iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF during the 4th quarter worth $79,000.

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iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF Stock Performance

SUSA opened at $106.99 on Tuesday. iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF has a one year low of $83.24 and a one year high of $108.13. The company has a market cap of $4.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.19 and a beta of 1.02. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is $103.83 and its 200-day simple moving average is $97.27.

iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF Company Profile

The iShares MSCI USA ESG Select ETF (SUSA) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the MSCI USA Extended ESG Select index. The fund tracks an index of US companies with high environmental, social and governance (ESG) factor scores as calculated by MSCI. SUSA was launched on Jan 24, 2005 and is managed by BlackRock.

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Whitener Capital Management Inc. lowered its position in shares of Entergy Co. (NYSE:ETR  Free Report) by 6.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,925 shares of the utilities providers stock after selling 200 shares during the period. Whitener Capital Management Inc.s holdings in Entergy were worth $296,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Entergy by 1.2% during the 3rd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 38,239 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $3,537,000 after buying an additional 467 shares during the period. Alberta Investment Management Corp lifted its stake in Entergy by 73.3% in the second quarter. Alberta Investment Management Corp now owns 27,412 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,669,000 after purchasing an additional 11,598 shares during the last quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Entergy by 464.4% during the third quarter. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC now owns 12,044 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $1,114,000 after acquiring an additional 9,910 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Entergy by 0.4% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 26,038,725 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $2,408,582,000 after buying an additional 104,803 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Comerica Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Entergy during the third quarter valued at $5,125,000. Institutional investors own 86.52% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts recently weighed in on ETR shares. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and set a $117.00 price target on shares of Entergy in a research report on Monday, February 26th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price objective on shares of Entergy from $117.00 to $121.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of Entergy from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the company an underweight rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on shares of Entergy from $110.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Finally, Barclays upped their price target on shares of Entergy from $105.00 to $108.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a report on Thursday, March 14th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $111.09.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, EVP Kimberly Cook-Nelson sold 2,000 shares of Entergy stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.35, for a total transaction of $200,700.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,037 shares in the company, valued at $1,609,312.95. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Deanna D. Rodriguez sold 1,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.23, for a total value of $151,845.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 3,442 shares in the company, valued at $348,433.66. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Kimberly Cook-Nelson sold 2,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $100.35, for a total value of $200,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,037 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,609,312.95. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 12,000 shares of company stock worth $1,226,685 in the last quarter. 0.37% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Entergy Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE ETR opened at $102.61 on Tuesday. The stocks fifty day moving average is $100.81 and its 200 day moving average is $98.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.88 billion, a P/E ratio of 9.25, a PEG ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 0.70. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57, a quick ratio of 0.32 and a current ratio of 0.57. Entergy Co. has a 52 week low of $87.10 and a 52 week high of $111.90.

Entergy (NYSE:ETR  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The utilities provider reported $0.52 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts consensus estimates of $0.52. The company had revenue of $2.72 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.27 billion. Entergy had a return on equity of 10.54% and a net margin of 19.41%. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.51 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Entergy Co. will post 7.22 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Entergy Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 9th were paid a dividend of $1.13 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 8th. This represents a $4.52 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.41%. Entergys payout ratio is 40.76%.

Entergy Company Profile

(Free Report)

Entergy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and retail distribution of electricity in the United States. It generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, including the City of New Orleans; and distributes natural gas.

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By Fatime Letifova

Despite the fact that over time, even the most radical forces in Armenia accepted Azerbaijan's liberation of Garabagh from occupation as a reality, some old and defunct Armenian politicians still try to grab the headlines with the claims of the so-called republic of artsakh.

Pashinyan's government, which is well-known due to its incompetence in politics, has expressed its interest in close cooperation with Azerbaijan several times. However, some old radical politicians in Armenia, who are loyal to terrorist thinking, blame the Armenian Prime Minister for such an intention and urge him to start a war again.

Vardan Oskanyan, the former foreign minister of Armenia, is one of those who hides behind the monitor and wants to find a place for himself again in the political arena with his speeches.

Under Robert Kocharyan's rule, this politician, who gained "reputation" for crimes such as bribery, corruption, falsification of documents, and money laundering, and was later kicked out of the political realm, is still trying to protect his derelict existence with baseless and illogical speeches he shares on Facebook.

Since the Second Garabagh War, the former minister, who criticised and even insulted Nikol Pashinyan almost once a month for his shameful defeat in the war, sees all the problems of Armenia in Pashinyan.

It is true that Pashinyan's dancing yalli in Azerbaijan's Shusha and the attempt to move the so-called parliament of the former separatist regime to Azerbaijan's cultural capital accelerated the war. However, we should not forget that Pashinyan took the country from the hands of Sargisyan, another corrupt politician and rednecks like him through the revolution.

In his speeches, Oskanyan often shows France as an example and claims that Armenia should benefit more from this country. But without a doubt, the only 'success' achieved by Armenia as a result of its closeness with France has been to strain the relations between Azerbaijan and France, to show its Armenian characteristics and to disrupt the relations of nations and countries.

Oskanyan also calls the Armenian people to war and states that peace is not the way out.

Although the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has repeatedly stated that the Garabagh issue has already been resolved, blabbers like Oskanyan are not satisfied with the crushing defeat and dream of war in their world.

At a time when the world's attention is focused on what is happening in the Middle East, on serious and important events taking place in the region and the world, incompetent political figures like Vardan Oskanyan pop out in the headlines in this way and drag the Armenian people, who are still unable to recover from the pain of defeat, to the next disaster.

It is clear that this person, who was named in countless crimes during his activity, tried to escape from Armenia many times, embezzled millions of drams of Armenian money, and currently lives under the protection of the Armenian diaspora in the United States, was one of the first politicians who ran away and hid during the real war and did not speak out.

Now that it's all over, the old swindler thinks that someone will take him seriously and think he's wise to come up with silly speeches. It seems that Oskanyan, more than others, thinks Armenians are stupid enough to believe him.

The reality is that Armenian politicians do not want to see him on the political scene again as an undesirable person.

Last year, Vardan Oskanian's ridiculous speech entitled "I can solve the Garabagh issue in 3 months" is proof that the former politician is not satisfied with appropriating the wealth of his people for 15 years and begging the government for another 3 months.

Gevorg Papoyan, an Armenian MP and member of the ruling "Citizens' Contract" party, called his speech stupid and said that he would never allow Oskanyan to be in power.

Vardan Oskanyan's last "Slogan" was related to the liberation of 4 villages of Azerbaijan from the Armenian occupation. He demanded that Garabagh be granted autonomy in exchange for the return of 4 villages to Azerbaijan.

It seems that the former foreign minister has not only forgotten the rules of diplomacy, but has also lost his mind. Because his asking for the autonomy of the 4400 sq/km territory instead of 4 villages was not a proposal that a sane person would make.

Either Oskanyan wants to become an influencer by increasing the number of views on Facebook with bellicose sentiments, or he really has lost his mind.

Undoubtedly, the Armenian society is also aware of his character and illogical claims.

His attempt to find a place in the current government is nothing but an attempt to resurrect a rotten corpse.
TruWealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF (NYSEARCA:EWJ  Free Report) by 12.3% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 7,196 shares of the exchange traded funds stock after purchasing an additional 787 shares during the period. TruWealth Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF were worth $462,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of EWJ. Capula Management Ltd purchased a new position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF in the third quarter worth $1,191,000. Private Advisor Group LLC grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 104.2% during the second quarter. Private Advisor Group LLC now owns 48,465 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $3,034,000 after purchasing an additional 24,728 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in shares of iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 117.5% during the third quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 1,279,340 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $77,103,000 after purchasing an additional 691,096 shares in the last quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new position in iShares MSCI Japan ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $931,000. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in iShares MSCI Japan ETF by 47.4% during the 2nd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 38,949 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $2,411,000 after buying an additional 12,525 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI Japan ETF Stock Performance

Shares of EWJ opened at $70.65 on Tuesday. iShares MSCI Japan ETF has a fifty-two week low of $56.28 and a fifty-two week high of $71.75. The companys fifty day moving average is $67.61 and its 200 day moving average is $63.68. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.07 billion, a PE ratio of 12.76 and a beta of 0.68.

iShares MSCI Japan ETF Company Profile

iShares MSCI Japan ETF (the fund), formerly Ishares Msci Japan Index Fund, is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the Japanese market, as measured by the MSCI Japan Index (the Index).

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Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC bought a new position in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Free Report) during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund bought 2,753 shares of the biopharmaceutical companys stock, valued at approximately $141,000.

Several other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of BMY. True Wealth Design LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new stake in shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC purchased a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Live Oak Investment Partners purchased a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Finally, OFI Invest Asset Management purchased a new position in Bristol-Myers Squibb in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Institutional investors own 74.98% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms recently weighed in on BMY. Societe Generale lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, March 11th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Friday, March 1st. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price target on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from $58.00 to $51.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Bank of America lowered shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price target for the company from $68.00 to $60.00 in a research report on Wednesday, January 3rd. Finally, Redburn Atlantic downgraded shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a buy rating to a neutral rating and dropped their price objective for the stock from $77.00 to $54.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, three have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $61.12.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Price Performance

BMY stock opened at $51.80 on Tuesday. The firms 50-day moving average price is $50.54 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $52.80. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a 12-month low of $47.58 and a 12-month high of $71.07. The stock has a market capitalization of $104.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.37, a PEG ratio of 1.58 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.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, February 2nd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.55 by $0.15. Bristol-Myers Squibb had a net margin of 17.83% and a return on equity of 50.95%. The firm had revenue of $11.48 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $11.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned $1.82 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was up .6% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Bristol-Myers Squibb will post 6.61 earnings per share for the current year.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Friday, April 5th will be issued a $0.60 dividend. This represents a $2.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 4.63%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, April 4th. Bristol-Myers Squibbs dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 62.18%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share buyback program on Thursday, December 7th that allows the company to repurchase $3.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the biopharmaceutical company to buy up to 2.9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are typically an indication that the companys board believes its shares are undervalued.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

(Free Report)

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products worldwide. It offers products for hematology, oncology, cardiovascular, immunology, fibrotic, and neuroscience diseases. The company's products include Eliquis for reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and for the treatment of DVT/PE; Opdivo for various anti-cancer indications, including bladder, blood, CRC, head and neck, RCC, HCC, lung, melanoma, MPM, stomach and esophageal cancer; Pomalyst/Imnovid for multiple myeloma; Orencia for active rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis; and Sprycel for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia.

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JGP Wealth Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH  Free Report) by 9.0% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 604 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock after purchasing an additional 50 shares during the period. JGP Wealth Management LLCs holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $318,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in UNH. Robbins Farley purchased a new stake in UnitedHealth Group in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. NewSquare Capital LLC raised its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 340.0% during the 3rd quarter. NewSquare Capital LLC now owns 66 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Strategic Investment Solutions Inc. IL bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $35,000. Annapolis Financial Services LLC grew its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group by 38.6% in the 3rd quarter. Annapolis Financial Services LLC now owns 79 shares of the healthcare conglomerates stock valued at $40,000 after buying an additional 22 shares in the last quarter. Finally, WFA of San Diego LLC bought a new stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $39,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 85.69% of the companys stock.

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Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction that occurred 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 sale, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 32,289 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $16,977,233.31. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other UnitedHealth Group news, CAO Thomas E. Roos sold 858 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was 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 directly 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Erin Mcsweeney sold 1,236 shares of UnitedHealth Group stock in a transaction on Friday, March 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $483.48, for a total value of $597,581.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 9,364 shares of the companys stock, valued at $4,527,306.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.35% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

UnitedHealth Group Stock Up 0.5 %

UNH stock traded up $2.32 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $489.37. The company had a trading volume of 355,840 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,172,184. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.79. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $508.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $518.29. The company has a market capitalization of $451.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.51, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.54. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 52 week low of $445.68 and a 52 week high of $554.70.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The healthcare conglomerate reported $6.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $5.98 by $0.18. The firm had revenue of $94.43 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $92.13 billion. UnitedHealth Group had a return on equity of 26.39% and a net margin of 6.02%. The businesss revenue was up 14.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $5.34 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts predict that UnitedHealth Group Incorporated will post 27.79 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

UnitedHealth Group Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, March 19th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be given a $1.88 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. This represents a $7.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.54%. UnitedHealth Groups payout ratio is 31.54%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently commented on UNH. Truist Financial reissued a buy rating and issued a $610.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a research note on Thursday, November 30th. HSBC restated a reduce rating and issued a $480.00 target price (down from $550.00) on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Monday, December 18th. Barclays began coverage on UnitedHealth Group in a report on Wednesday, March 6th. They issued an overweight rating and a $551.00 target price for the company. Bank of America restated a buy rating and issued a $675.00 target price on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Thursday, March 7th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an overweight rating and set a $591.00 price target on shares of UnitedHealth Group in a report on Friday, January 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $579.33.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group Company Profile

(Free Report)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: UnitedHealthcare, Optum Health, Optum Insight, and Optum Rx. The UnitedHealthcare segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services for national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; health care coverage, and health and well-being services to individuals age 50 and older addressing their needs; Medicaid plans, children's health insurance and health care programs; and health and dental benefits, and hospital and clinical services, as well as health care benefits products and services to state programs caring for the economically disadvantaged, medically underserved, and those without the benefit of employer-funded health care coverage.

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Bruce G. Allen Investments LLC bought a new position in EOG Resources, Inc. (NYSE:EOG  Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 823 shares of the energy exploration companys stock, valued at approximately $100,000.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. bought a new position in shares of EOG Resources in the third quarter worth approximately $4,431,000. Capital International Inc. CA lifted its position in EOG Resources by 21.0% during the second quarter. Capital International Inc. CA now owns 122,241 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $13,989,000 after purchasing an additional 21,223 shares during the period. Paradigm Financial Partners LLC lifted its position in EOG Resources by 0.9% during the third quarter. Paradigm Financial Partners LLC now owns 30,004 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $3,728,000 after purchasing an additional 271 shares during the period. Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC bought a new position in EOG Resources during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,331,000. Finally, Synovus Financial Corp lifted its position in EOG Resources by 0.9% during the third quarter. Synovus Financial Corp now owns 43,129 shares of the energy exploration companys stock valued at $5,467,000 after purchasing an additional 382 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 89.21% of the companys stock.

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EOG Resources Trading Up 0.6 %

EOG stock opened at $123.56 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $71.66 billion, a PE ratio of 9.50, a P/E/G ratio of 0.38 and a beta of 1.39. EOG Resources, Inc. has a 12 month low of $101.56 and a 12 month high of $136.79. The firms 50-day moving average is $114.72 and its 200 day moving average is $121.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 2.44 and a quick ratio of 2.13.

EOG Resources Dividend Announcement

EOG Resources ( NYSE:EOG Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 23rd. The energy exploration company reported $3.07 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $3.14 by ($0.07). The business had revenue of $6.36 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $6.18 billion. EOG Resources had a net margin of 31.40% and a return on equity of 25.38%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $3.30 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that EOG Resources, Inc. will post 11.31 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 30th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, April 16th will be given a $0.91 dividend. This represents a $3.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.95%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 15th. EOG Resourcess payout ratio is currently 27.98%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on EOG. Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and set a $134.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Monday, December 11th. Mizuho reduced their price objective on shares of EOG Resources from $150.00 to $138.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 3rd. Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $150.00 to $130.00 in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Royal Bank of Canada reissued a sector perform rating and issued a $145.00 price objective on shares of EOG Resources in a research note on Monday, March 4th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut shares of EOG Resources from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $156.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Wednesday, December 6th. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $141.25.

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EOG Resources Profile

(Free Report)

EOG Resources, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, explores for, develops, produces, and markets crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in producing basins in the United States, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and internationally. The company was formerly known as Enron Oil & Gas Company.

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North Star Investment Management Corp. reduced its position in shares of Kellanova (NYSE:K  Free Report) by 14.3% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 16,395 shares of the companys stock after selling 2,746 shares during the period. North Star Investment Management Corp.s holdings in Kellanova were worth $917,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of Kellanova by 1.2% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 31,697,821 shares of the companys stock worth $2,122,486,000 after purchasing an additional 369,648 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Kellanova by 2.3% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 29,353,099 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,892,981,000 after acquiring an additional 646,828 shares during the period. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Kellanova by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. State Street Corp now owns 14,696,120 shares of the companys stock worth $947,753,000 after acquiring an additional 369,620 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Kellanova by 3.5% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,855,495 shares of the companys stock worth $393,670,000 after purchasing an additional 196,091 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. raised its position in Kellanova by 3.7% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 5,559,415 shares of the companys stock valued at $330,841,000 after purchasing an additional 200,870 shares during the period. 83.87% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Kellanova Stock Performance

Shares of K opened at $54.77 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $18.72 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.40. Kellanova has a 52-week low of $47.63 and a 52-week high of $72.30. The company has a quick ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $54.76 and a 200 day moving average price of $54.45.

Kellanova Dividend Announcement

Kellanova ( NYSE:K Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $0.78 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.74 by $0.04. Kellanova had a net margin of 6.25% and a return on equity of 35.17%. The firm had revenue of $3.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.07 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.94 EPS. The companys revenue was up .3% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts predict that Kellanova will post 3.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st were issued a $0.56 dividend. This represents a $2.24 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.09%. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 29th. Kellanovas payout ratio is currently 81.45%.

Insider Activity at Kellanova

In other news, major shareholder Kellogg W. K. Foundation Trust sold 77,800 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.42, for a total transaction of $4,156,076.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 53,164,838 shares in the company, valued at $2,840,065,645.96. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Insiders sold a total of 933,600 shares of company stock valued at $50,850,858 in the last three months. 1.80% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently commented on K. Piper Sandler raised their price target on Kellanova from $59.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. DA Davidson assumed coverage on Kellanova in a research report on Friday, March 1st. They issued a buy rating and a $67.00 target price for the company. Citigroup started coverage on shares of Kellanova in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. They issued a neutral rating and a $57.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on shares of Kellanova from $56.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, January 25th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Kellanova from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. Thirteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $62.27.

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Kellanova Company Profile

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Kellanova, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets snacks and convenience foods in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa. Its principal products include crackers, crisps, savory snacks, toaster pastries, cereal bars, granola bars and bites, ready-to-eat cereals, frozen waffles, veggie foods, and noodles.

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Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC lessened its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Free Report) by 11.3% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 6,208 shares of the energy producers stock after selling 792 shares during the period. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLCs holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $721,000 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 the stock. West Tower Group LLC acquired a new position in ConocoPhillips during the second quarter worth $27,000. Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in ConocoPhillips during the 3rd quarter worth $27,000. RVW Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the third quarter valued at about $28,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new position in shares of ConocoPhillips in the first quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group lifted its position in shares of ConocoPhillips by 63.1% during 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. 80.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Insider Activity at ConocoPhillips

In related news, EVP Dominic E. Macklon sold 23,372 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $112.17, for a total transaction of $2,621,637.24. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, SVP Heather G. Hrap sold 4,548 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.55, for a total transaction of $502,781.40. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 2,654 shares in the company, valued at $293,399.70. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Dominic E. Macklon sold 23,372 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction 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 disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 36,425 shares of company stock valued at $4,077,489. 0.37% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

ConocoPhillips Trading Up 0.6 %

NYSE:COP traded up $0.74 on Tuesday, hitting $121.00. 664,982 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,818,783. The companys 50-day moving average price is $111.97 and its 200 day moving average price is $115.95. ConocoPhillips has a 52 week low of $93.26 and a 52 week high of $127.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $142.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a current ratio of 1.43.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The energy producer reported $2.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.08 by $0.32. The company had revenue of $15.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.47 billion. ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 22.08% and a net margin of 18.71%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $2.71 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that ConocoPhillips will post 8.78 earnings per share for the current year.

ConocoPhillips Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 1st. Investors of record on Monday, February 19th were paid a dividend of $0.78 per share. This represents a $3.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.58%. This is a boost from ConocoPhillipss previous quarterly dividend of $0.58. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 15th. ConocoPhillipss dividend payout ratio is presently 25.61%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research analysts have recently commented on the company. UBS Group upped their price target on ConocoPhillips from $138.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Piper Sandler decreased their target price on ConocoPhillips from $139.00 to $133.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 14th. Raymond James cut their target price on ConocoPhillips from $140.00 to $137.00 and set a strong-buy rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips from $153.00 to $141.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Friday, December 8th. Finally, Susquehanna lowered their price target on ConocoPhillips from $152.00 to $133.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Six investment 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 stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $135.06.

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ConocoPhillips Profile

(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, Canada, China, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; global LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects.

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City Holding Co. lessened its stake in shares of General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS  Free Report) by 8.5% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 13,063 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,212 shares during the quarter. City Holding Co.s holdings in General Mills were worth $851,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in GIS. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of General Mills by 0.5% in the second quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 54,713,936 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,196,559,000 after purchasing an additional 279,268 shares during the period. State Street Corp grew its position in General Mills by 0.7% during the second quarter. State Street Corp now owns 33,076,744 shares of the companys stock worth $2,536,986,000 after buying an additional 216,622 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of General Mills by 2.3% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 11,594,011 shares of the companys stock valued at $887,334,000 after purchasing an additional 257,174 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of General Mills by 123,599.0% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 11,076,005 shares of the companys stock worth $928,723,000 after acquiring an additional 11,067,051 shares during the period. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in General Mills by 0.7% during the first quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 10,852,150 shares of the companys stock worth $734,907,000 after purchasing an additional 75,902 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.31% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Jeffrey L. Harmening sold 60,056 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.44, for a total transaction of $3,870,008.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 318,483 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,523,044.52. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In other news, insider Jonathon Nudi sold 7,671 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $64.15, for a total transaction of $492,094.65. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 102,924 shares in the company, valued at $6,602,574.60. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Jeffrey L. Harmening sold 60,056 shares of General Mills stock in a transaction that occurred 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 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.

General Mills Stock Up 0.6 %

Shares of NYSE:GIS traded up $0.38 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $68.12. 1,292,806 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,077,177. The firm has a market cap of $38.69 billion, a PE ratio of 16.48, a P/E/G ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.15. General Mills, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $60.33 and a fifty-two week high of $90.89. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $64.35 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $64.66. The company has a quick ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 0.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09.

General Mills (NYSE:GIS  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, December 20th. The company reported $1.25 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $1.16 by $0.09. General Mills had a return on equity of 25.44% and a net margin of 12.06%. The company had revenue of $5.10 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $5.35 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.10 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was down 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that General Mills, Inc. will post 4.49 earnings per share for the current year.

General Mills Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 10th will be paid a dividend of $0.59 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 9th. This represents a $2.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.46%. General Millss dividend payout ratio is 57.42%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of brokerages have issued reports on GIS. Bank of America cut their price objective on General Mills from $72.00 to $68.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Evercore ISI dropped their price objective on shares of General Mills from $75.00 to $72.00 and set an in-line rating for the company in a report on Monday, December 11th. Citigroup began coverage on shares of General Mills in a research report on Thursday, February 1st. They set a neutral rating and a $67.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandler reduced their target price on shares of General Mills from $77.00 to $76.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, December 15th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on General Mills from $74.00 to $72.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, December 21st. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $72.67.

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General Mills 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.

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Revisor Wealth Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE:WST  Free Report) by 27.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 759 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after selling 287 shares during the period. Revisor Wealth Management LLCs holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services were worth $267,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC grew its stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 8.5% in the first quarter. Steward Partners Investment Advisory LLC now owns 384 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $133,000 after purchasing an additional 30 shares during the last quarter. Profund Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of West Pharmaceutical Services by 2.9% in the second quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 1,144 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $438,000 after purchasing an additional 32 shares during the last quarter. Ieq Capital LLC lifted its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services by 2.4% in the third quarter. Ieq Capital LLC now owns 1,478 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $555,000 after buying an additional 34 shares during the period. Covenant Partners LLC lifted its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services by 4.0% in the third quarter. Covenant Partners LLC now owns 918 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $344,000 after buying an additional 35 shares during the period. Finally, Bleakley Financial Group LLC lifted its holdings in West Pharmaceutical Services by 1.8% in the second quarter. Bleakley Financial Group LLC now owns 2,200 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $841,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. 91.23% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on WST shares. KeyCorp raised their price objective on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $440.00 to $470.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 13th. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a hold rating to a buy rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $323.00 to $536.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 7th. UBS Group lowered their target price on shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from $400.00 to $375.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of West Pharmaceutical Services from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $435.20.

Insider Activity

In other news, CAO Chad Winters sold 815 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Monday, March 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $358.82, for a total transaction of $292,438.30. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer now owns 1,309 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $469,695.38. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In related news, SVP Silji Abraham sold 7,012 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $365.00, for a total value of $2,559,380.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 4,660 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,700,900. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CAO Chad Winters sold 815 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, March 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $358.82, for a total transaction of $292,438.30. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 1,309 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $469,695.38. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 73,978 shares of company stock valued at $26,653,772 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.13% of the companys stock.

West Pharmaceutical Services Stock Performance

NYSE:WST traded down $2.16 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $393.56. The company had a trading volume of 170,179 shares, compared to its average volume of 575,381. The company has a current ratio of 2.88, a quick ratio of 2.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03. West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has a 52 week low of $310.42 and a 52 week high of $415.73. The firm has a market cap of $28.81 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 50.22, a PEG ratio of 6.93 and a beta of 1.03. The firms 50 day moving average price is $368.18 and its 200-day moving average price is $363.94.

West Pharmaceutical Services (NYSE:WST  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 15th. The medical instruments supplier reported $1.83 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.78 by $0.05. West Pharmaceutical Services had a net margin of 20.12% and a return on equity of 21.60%. The business had revenue of $732.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $740.43 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $1.77 EPS. The firms revenue was up 3.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts forecast that West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. will post 7.63 EPS for the current year.

West Pharmaceutical Services Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, April 24th will be given a dividend of $0.20 per share. This represents a $0.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.20%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, April 23rd. West Pharmaceutical Servicess payout ratio is 10.15%.

West Pharmaceutical Services Profile

(Free Report)

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc designs, manufactures, and sells containment and delivery systems for injectable drugs and healthcare products in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It operates in two segments, Proprietary Products and Contract-Manufactured Products.

Further Reading

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DMC Group LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Allegion plc (NYSE:ALLE  Free Report) by 11.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 2,817 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock after purchasing an additional 294 shares during the quarter. DMC Group LLCs holdings in Allegion were worth $357,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of ALLE. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of Allegion by 15.8% during the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 8,631,077 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $921,195,000 after purchasing an additional 1,176,087 shares during the period. Boston Partners boosted its stake in shares of Allegion by 17.2% during the 3rd quarter. Boston Partners now owns 5,613,219 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $584,157,000 after acquiring an additional 825,048 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new stake in Allegion during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $76,640,000. Hawk Ridge Capital Management LP bought a new stake in Allegion during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $53,142,000. Finally, Lord Abbett & CO. LLC lifted its position in shares of Allegion by 183.2% in the 3rd quarter. Lord Abbett & CO. LLC now owns 774,325 shares of the scientific and technical instruments companys stock worth $80,684,000 after acquiring an additional 500,924 shares during the period. 92.21% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently issued reports on ALLE shares. Wells Fargo & Company cut Allegion from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating and increased their target price for the stock from $139.00 to $140.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Mizuho cut Allegion from a buy rating to a neutral rating and increased their target price for the stock from $140.00 to $141.00 in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Finally, Barclays increased their target price on Allegion from $119.00 to $121.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, February 21st. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $125.50.

Allegion Trading Up 1.3 %

ALLE traded up $1.71 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $133.05. The stock had a trading volume of 187,210 shares, compared to its average volume of 811,403. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.71, a P/E/G ratio of 4.70 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 0.85 and a current ratio of 1.26. The firms fifty day simple moving average is $127.50 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $114.89. Allegion plc has a 52 week low of $95.94 and a 52 week high of $136.91.

Allegion (NYSE:ALLE  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 20th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $1.68 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.59 by $0.09. Allegion had a return on equity of 51.95% and a net margin of 14.80%. The business had revenue of $897.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $904.17 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.60 EPS. The firms revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Allegion plc will post 7.01 EPS for the current year.

Allegion Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be issued a dividend of $0.48 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, March 14th. This is a positive change from Allegions previous quarterly dividend of $0.45. This represents a $1.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.44%. Allegions payout ratio is currently 31.37%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Allegion news, SVP Robert C. Martens sold 5,391 shares of Allegion stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $132.84, for a total value of $716,140.44. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 7,555 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,003,606.20. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In related news, CEO John H. Stone bought 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were acquired at an average price of $132.41 per share, with a total value of $1,324,100.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 104,248 shares in the company, valued at $13,803,477.68. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, SVP Robert C. Martens sold 5,391 shares of Allegion stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $132.84, for a total value of $716,140.44. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 7,555 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,003,606.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.90% of the companys stock.

Allegion Profile

(Free Report)

Allegion plc manufactures and sells mechanical and electronic security products and solutions worldwide. The company offers door controls and systems and exit devices; locks, locksets, portable locks, and key systems and services; electronic security products and access control systems; time, attendance, and workforce productivity systems; doors, accessories, and other.

Further Reading

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Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:LQD  Free Report) during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund purchased 4,188 shares of the exchange traded funds stock, valued at approximately $463,000.

Several other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Baird Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 150,066 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $16,228,000 after acquiring an additional 1,582 shares during the last quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF by 7.6% during the 3rd quarter. iA Global Asset Management Inc. now owns 539,200 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $55,009,000 after acquiring an additional 38,000 shares during the last quarter. Plan Group Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF by 362.7% during the 3rd quarter. Plan Group Financial LLC now owns 58,712 shares of the exchange traded funds stock worth $5,990,000 after acquiring an additional 46,024 shares during the last quarter. Payden & Rygel Investment Group bought a new stake in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $8,702,000. Finally, Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC boosted its stake in iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF by 66.0% in the 3rd quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC now owns 39,525 shares of the exchange traded funds stock valued at $4,032,000 after purchasing an additional 15,716 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.21% of the companys stock.

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iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF Stock Performance

LQD traded up $0.35 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $107.98. The stock had a trading volume of 11,016,781 shares, compared to its average volume of 31,477,490. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $108.64 and a 200-day moving average price of $105.97. iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF has a one year low of $98.24 and a one year high of $111.40.

About iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF

iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond Fund, is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks to track the investment results of the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade Index (the Index), which is a rules-based index consisting of liquid, the United States dollar-denominated, investment-grade corporate bonds for sale in the United States.

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lok sabha elections the big fat indian political jamboree why indian elections are so complex and unique

The sine qua non for a true democracy is the holding of fair and free elections of the peoples' representatives to the legislative bodies. This statement by India's first Election Commissioner Sukumar Sen aptly encapsulates the essence of the worlds largest democracy. However, holding free, fair and smooth elections in a country, which has the largest population in the world, becomes a major challenge. Yet India has continued to navigate through the endless hurdles that come up with the vast diversity of culture, demography and geography. As India heads into its 18th General Election this year, the countrys election system has evolved over time while continuing to stand by some of the core republican values laid down during the first polls held 72 years ago. The Lok Sabha elections are known to be one of the most extensive and complex poll exercises in the world. A comparative look at the population of the top five largest democracies in the world shows the sheer difference in the magnitude of the elections held in India and the rest of the countries. With over a billion people, Indian democracy faces significant challenges in terms of ensuring political participation and representation. In the list of top five largest democracies, India is followed by the United States, Indonesia, Brazil and Japan, which together house 958 million (95.8 crore). The four nations cumulatively have 477 million (47.7 crore) people less than India's population alone. However, these nations have their own set of cultural, ethnic and socio-economic challenges to deal with. So, while the population, issues and poll processes in these nations differ, all of them share the common goal of ensuring democratic representation.

world's 5 largest democracies (in million people) Japan 123 Brazil 217 Indonesia 248.7 United States 340.9 India 1435.2 As India readies for the poll season, let's trace how it all started.

History of Indian Elections First General Election: When And How It Started After India achieved independence from British rule in 1947, the country's affairs were managed by the Indian Constituent Assembly. By November 1949, India had adopted its Constitution and with it the principle of universal adult suffrage. The General Elections were as tedious a task back then, when Indias population was at 36 crore, as they are today, when India is home to 142.86 crore people. The decision to implement universal adult suffrage was not an easy one considering the huge population and the widespread illiteracy in a country which had only recently regained its feet. Despite the challenges, the Constituent Assembly unhesitatingly adopted universal adult franchise in what the then Election Commissioner, Sukumar Sen, termed an act of faith  faith in the common man of India and in his practical common sense. To put things into perspective, India had taken the landmark decision way before the world's oldest democracy, the United States of America. The US had extended the right to vote to all its adult citizens only in 1965. First election in numbers (1952) 489 Assembly Seats

53 Political Parties

1874 Candidates

36 crore Total Population

17 crore Eligible Voters

21 Voting age In April 1950, the provisional Parliament passed the Representation of People Act, which determined how the elections were to be conducted. The first General Elections in independent India were held in 68 phases between October 25, 1951, and February 21, 1952.

Lok Sabha Polls Through The Years 1952

1957

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1977

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1999

2004

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2014

2019 First Lok Sabha Election Result 2nd Lok Sabha Election Result 3rd Lok Sabha Election Result 4th Lok Sabha Election Result 5th Lok Sabha Election Result 6th Lok Sabha Election Result 7th Lok Sabha Election Result 8th Lok Sabha Election Result 9th Lok Sabha Election Result 10th Lok Sabha Election Result 11th Lok Sabha Election Result 12th Lok Sabha Election Result 13th Lok Sabha Election Result 14th Lok Sabha Election Result 15th Lok Sabha Election Result 16th Lok Sabha Election Result 17th Lok Sabha Election Result The first General elections saw Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Sucheta Kripalani, Gulzari Lal Nanda, Kakasaheb Kalelkar, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, among other prominent leaders emerge as winners. One of the tallest leaders of the independence era, BR Ambedkar, known as the Father of the Constitution, however lost the Bombay (North-Central) seat to INCs Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar. In these elections, voting took place under First Past The Post system, where the candidate with maximum votes in a constituency wins the seat. India has continued with the voting system so far.

How Indias Elections Evolved Over Time After the 1952 General Elections, the number of national political parties were reduced from 14 to four and the number of state parties was brought down from 59 to 19. The four national parties included Indian National Congress, Praja Socialist Party, Communist Party of India, and All India Bharatiya Jan Sangh. The count has kept changing with every general election. The voting age in India was not always 18 years. It was brought down from 21 years by the 61st Amendment to the Constitution in 1988. However, this voting age limit came into effect from March 28, 1989. The method of voting also changed with a slow transition from ballot papers to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Introduced in a limited capacity in Kerala in 1982, EVMs were gradually adopted nationwide in the 1990s, replacing paper ballots. The EVMs were first used in 1998 during the state Assembly elections held in Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Eventually, EVMs were used for all 543 Lok Sabha constituencies in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Since then, EVMs have been consistently used in all Assembly and parliamentary elections. The political landscape of India has evolved over the years with higher participation of women in the electoral process. From 24 in 1952 to 78 in 2019, the number of women elected to Parliament has seen a modest rise. According to latest data released by the Election Commission on February 9, 2024, registration of new women voters (1.41 crore) for the upcoming polls have surpassed the number of newly enrolled male voters (1.22 crore) by over 15 per cent. The gender ratio has also gone up from 940 in 2023 to 948 in 2024.

Past Prime Ministers India has so far had 14 prime ministers, with some leaders holding the office more than once. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first and the longest serving prime minister of India as he held the office for 16 years and 286 days. His daughter and INC leader Indira Gandhi became the second-longest serving prime minister with a tenure of 11 years, 59 days. She was followed by Congress leader Manmohan Singh who held the office for 10 years and 4 days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi follows these Congress leaders with over 9 years in the office. Jawaharlal Nehru August, 1947 to May, 1964 Gulzari Lal Nanda May, 1964 to June, 1964 Lal Bahadur Shastri June 9, 1964 - January 11, 1966 Gulzari Lal Nanda January 11, 1966 - January 24, 1966 Indira Gandhi January 24, 1966 - March 24, 1977 Morarji Desai March 24, 1977 - July 28, 1979 Charan Singh July 28, 1979 - January 14, 1980 Indira Gandhi January 14, 1980 - October 31, 1984 Rajiv Gandhi October 31, 1984 - December 2, 1989 Vishwanath Pratap Singh December 2, 1989 - November 10, 1990 Chandra Shekhar November 10, 1990 - June 21, 1991 P V Narasimha Rao June 21, 1991- May 16, 1996 Atal Bihari Vajpayee May 16, 1996 - June 1, 1996 H D Deve Gowda June 1, 1996 - April 21, 1997 Inder Kumar Gujral April 21, 1997 - March 19, 1998 Atal Bihari Vajpayee March 19, 1998 - May 22, 2004 Manmohan Singh May 22, 2004 - May 26, 2014 Narendra Modi May 2014 - Present

Lok Sabha Election 2024 The 18th Lok Sabha Election will be held in seven phases between April 19 and June 1 while the poll results will be declared on June 4. Starting with the first phase of voting for Lok Sabha polls on April 19, the second phase will be held on April 26. The third phase of polling will take place on May 7, followed by the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth on May 25 and the seventh and final phase on June 1. Check the full Lok Sabha schedule here. A total of 96.88 crore voters have registered for the 18th Lok Sabha election, according to the latest data from the Election Commission, which published the electoral rolls in all states and UTs after carrying out the Special Summary Revision 2024 (SSR 2024) exercise. The EC data reveals that there has been a 6 per cent increase in the total number of registered voters, with a considerable rise in female voter registrations. Further, more than 2 crore young electors aged between 18-29 years have been added to the electoral roll.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Schedule Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Phase 4

Phase 5

Phase 6

Phase 7

Lok Sabha Election 2024: Key Players National Democratic Alliance (NDA) The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be eyeing a third consecutive term in office. After defeating the UPA government in the 2014 polls, the NDA came back to power for the second time in 2019. The BJP-led alliance secured a clear majority with 353 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. BJP alone secured 303 seats. Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) For the 2024 Lok Sabha election, key opposition parties from across the country have come together to form the INDIA bloc, a united Opposition front, in place of the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). In the 2019 General election, the UPA had secured 90 seats, with Congress winning 52 of them.

What Makes It A Complex Exercise For India, which is the most populated country in the world, the Lok Sabha elections become a mammoth task as the electorate is formed by nearly a 100 crore people. A total of 28 states and 8 Union Territories (UTs) vote in the General elections. According to the latest data from the Election Commission, 96,88,21,926 have registered for the 18th Lok Sabha polls. These include 49,72,31,994 male, 47,15,41,888 female and 48,044 third gender voters. The electoral roll also includes 88,35,449 persons with disabilities (PwD), 1,85,92,918 voters above the age of 80 and 2,38,791 centenarian voters, who require special arrangements to go cast their votes. As many as 1.8 crore people will be first time voters. The electorate would include at least 19.7 crore young voters aged between 20-29. A look at these numbers itself is enough to understand the complexities involved in conducting such a large-scale exercise. Electors data 2019 vs 2024 89.6 cr

48.5 cr

43.1 cr

39,683

45.64 Lakh

1.5 cr Total Electors

Male Electors

Female Electors

Third Gender Electors

Pwd Electors

Electors under 18-19 age group 96.8 cr

49.7 cr

47.1 cr

48,044

88.35 Lakh

1.85 cr To carry out this humongous exercise, 10.5 lakh polling stations will be set up where 1.5 crore polling officials and security staff will be deployed. The process would require 55 lakh EVMs and 4 lakh vehicles to transport officials and machines to and from the polling booths. The Election Commission will ensure that all 10.48 lakh polling stations include basic facilities like drinking water and toilets for the 96.8 crore voters. Further, the polling centres will have wheelchairs and ramps to facilitate the voters. The poll body will also set up help desks, voter facilitation centres and put up signage to guide the voters. The EC also plans to set up sheds for the people as they wait in queue. Check how to register to vote. State-Wise Lok Sabha Seats Security Measures Extensive security arrangements are crucial for Lok Sabha elections due to the vastness and diversity of the country, as well as potential security threats. The Election Commission coordinates with state police and paramilitary forces to deploy security personnel at polling stations, especially in areas prone to violence or insurgency. This includes the use of central armed police forces like the CRPF, BSF, and ITBP. In addition, security measures such as CCTV surveillance, drone monitoring, and mobile check posts are employed to ensure the safety of voters, candidates, and election officials. For the 2024 General election, the poll body plans to deploy 3.4 lakh Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel. The CAPF personnel will be posted in addition to state police forces. West Bengal will see the highest deployment of 92,000 CAPF personnel. The militancy-hit union territory of Jammu and Kashmir will get 63,500 personnel and Naxal-affected state of Chhattisgarh will see the deployment of 36,000 personnel.

Voting Process Elections in India are held using EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). The VVPAT machines provide a paper trail for voters to verify their choices. EVMs have helped streamline the voting process, reducing errors and ensuring faster counting. Despite some controversies and concerns about tampering, EVMs have become an integral part of India's electoral process. How EVM Works 1 EVM consists of a Ballot Unit (BU) with candidate names and symbols, and a Control Unit (CU) with memory and display EVM consists of a Ballot Unit (BU) with candidate names and symbols, and a Control Unit (CU) with memory and display 2 Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) is linked to BU and CU via cable Voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) is linked to BU and CU via cable 3 CU is with polling officer; BU and VVPAT are in the voting compartment CU is with polling officer; BU and VVPAT are in the voting compartment 4 Polling officer activates BU for each voter; green light allows voting Polling officer activates BU for each voter; green light allows voting 5 VVPAT displays candidate details for seven seconds after vote; emits beep when vote is cast VVPAT displays candidate details for seven seconds after vote; emits beep when vote is cast Watch video

What Makes It Interesting And Awe-inspiring The Lok Sabha polls are a spectacle which captivate the world due to their sheer scale, diversity and democratic vibrancy. The country takes extra efforts to ensure the participation of women and other gender voters. Special measures such as pink and rainbow booths are introduced to enhance participation and ensure their safety. The pink polling booths are run entirely by female staff, which include presiding officers, polling officers, micro observers and security personnel. More recently, rainbow booths have come up for voters of the third gender. The first rainbow themed booth was set up in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh during the state assembly polls held in November, 2023. The booth was painted in the seven colours of the rainbow which are used to represent the LGBTQ+ community across the world. The elections also prioritise specially abled and elderly voters, with arrangements like ramps and wheelchair access at polling stations. This inclusivity underscores India's commitment to ensuring that every citizen can exercise their right to vote. India's vast topography presents unique challenges, from snow-clad mountains to deep forests. Teams of poll officials have used bullock carts, boats and even elephants in a few instances to reach remote places. The election machinery reaches every corner to set up polling stations, showcasing the country's logistical prowess. Elections in India can be called a festival of democracy as the extravaganza during poll rallies and campaigns sets a celebratory mood across the nation. A large part of the country is canvassed with colourful posters, banners, wall paintings and graffiti. Theme songs, slogans and jingles fill the air as political parties try to appeal to the social, cultural sentiments and psyche of the public. In recent years, there has been a surge in the use of social media, technology, and AI in election campaigns. Parties leverage these tools for voter outreach, propaganda, and real-time monitoring, reflecting India's embrace of the digital age in its democratic process. Together, these elements make Indian Lok Sabha polls not just interesting but awe-inspiring, showcasing the country's commitment to democracy and inclusivity.

Lesser Known Tidbits Polling booths should be in 2 km radius of every voter In Gujarats Gir forest, a polling booth is set up for only one voter World's highest polling booth is in HP's Tashigang village The very first vote in independent India was cast at Chini in Himachal If all of cases of EVMs/VVPATs were laid flat and stacked in a single column, they would reach around 450 km high, higher than the orbit of International Space Station

Mera power vote Mera Power Vote, a voter awareness campaign led by Jagran.com, aims to create awareness among voters about their right to exercise their franchise in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha Election and educate them on their responsibilities as citizens. The campaign's key objective is to deliver the right information to readers through Data Journalism which will help them make informed decisions. The campaign will also facilitate the availability and easy accessibility to information for voters and will act as a unique platform that will aid in addressing the concerns of four segments - Women, General, Youth and Rural populace. The project will make efforts to bridge the gap between these segments and policymakers so that the top brass is enabled to connect better with ground zero and have an understanding of the issues facing them. Youth

farmers

urban

Female

Credits: Ideation: Subhasish Dutta Creative Direction: Vinod Rawat UI/UX Developer: Amit Kumar Pal UI/UX: Girish Kumar Infographics: Monami Hazarika

Copyright  2024 Jagran Prakashan Limited.
Worth Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (NYSEARCA:PCY  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 54,166 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,117,000. Worth Asset Management LLC owned approximately 0.07% of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the business. Baystate Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF during the 2nd quarter valued at $28,000. Fairfield Bush & CO. bought a new stake in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF in the 1st quarter valued at $29,000. Creative Planning bought a new stake in Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF in the 3rd quarter valued at $29,000. BKM Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF in the 4th quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE increased its holdings in shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF by 35.4% in the 2nd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,327 shares of the companys stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 608 shares during the last quarter.

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Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Stock Performance

Shares of Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF stock traded up $0.08 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $20.18. The companys stock had a trading volume of 377,067 shares, compared to its average volume of 657,721. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $20.10 and a 200-day moving average price of $19.38. Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF has a one year low of $17.30 and a one year high of $20.86.

Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF Company Profile

The Invesco Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt ETF (PCY) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in broad credit fixed income. The fund tracks a tier-weighted index of US-dollar-denominated sovereign debt in emerging markets with at least 3 years to maturity. PCY was launched on Oct 11, 2007 and is managed by Invesco.

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Raymond James Trust N.A. lifted its stake in shares of The Bank of New York Mellon Co. (NYSE:BK  Free Report) by 2.4% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 217,525 shares of the banks stock after buying an additional 5,144 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A.s holdings in Bank of New York Mellon were worth $11,322,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of BK. Quilter Plc acquired a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the first quarter valued at $446,850,000. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. increased its holdings in Bank of New York Mellon by 97.1% in the first quarter. Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. now owns 609 shares of the banks stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 300 shares during the period. Sunbelt Securities Inc. acquired a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the first quarter valued at $36,000. Addison Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Bank of New York Mellon by 603.2% in the third quarter. Addison Advisors LLC now owns 879 shares of the banks stock valued at $37,000 after purchasing an additional 754 shares during the period. Finally, First Command Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Bank of New York Mellon in the third quarter valued at $38,000. 81.29% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Bank of New York Mellon Stock Up 0.3 %

NYSE BK traded up $0.16 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $55.10. The companys stock had a trading volume of 1,050,169 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,140,943. The Bank of New York Mellon Co. has a 52 week low of $39.65 and a 52 week high of $56.42. The company has a market capitalization of $41.48 billion, a PE ratio of 13.90, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.13 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a current ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. The companys 50-day simple moving average is $55.08 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $49.27.

Bank of New York Mellon Dividend Announcement

Bank of New York Mellon ( NYSE:BK Get Free Report ) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 12th. The bank reported $1.28 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 business had revenue of $4.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $4.30 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.30 EPS. The firms revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts anticipate that The Bank of New York Mellon Co. will post 5.26 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, February 2nd. Shareholders of record on Monday, January 22nd were paid a $0.42 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Friday, January 19th. This represents a $1.68 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.05%. Bank of New York Mellons dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 42.32%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts have commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Bank of New York Mellon from an underweight rating to an equal weight rating and upped their price target for the company from $52.00 to $62.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 30th. 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 report on Monday, December 18th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $54.00 to $62.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Finally, Citigroup upped their price target on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $60.00 to $65.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 14th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $54.75.

Check Out Our Latest Analysis on Bank of New York Mellon

Insider Buying and Selling at Bank of New York Mellon

In other Bank of New York Mellon news, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,425 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.16, for a total value of $850,843.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 119,656 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,600,224.96. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link. In related news, VP Hanneke Smits sold 15,425 shares of Bank of New York Mellon stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $55.16, for a total value of $850,843.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 119,656 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $6,600,224.96. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Catherine Keating sold 4,498 shares of Bank of New York Mellon stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.81, for a total transaction of $246,535.38. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 123,490 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,768,486.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.14% of the companys stock.

About Bank of New York Mellon

(Free Report)

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, and data analytics.

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Amplius Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Hubbell Incorporated (NYSE:HUBB  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm acquired 3,098 shares of the industrial products companys stock, valued at approximately $1,019,000.

Other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. First Manhattan Co. purchased a new position in shares of Hubbell in the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. Atlas Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hubbell in the 4th quarter worth about $40,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. bought a new stake in Hubbell in the 4th quarter worth about $47,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions LLC bought a new stake in Hubbell in the 2nd quarter worth about $50,000. Finally, Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in Hubbell in the 4th quarter worth about $82,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 85.97% of the companys stock.

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Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft assumed coverage on Hubbell in a report on Monday, March 11th. They issued a hold rating and a $427.00 price objective for the company. Barclays lifted their price objective on Hubbell from $330.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. StockNews.com downgraded Hubbell from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Hubbell from $351.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, TD Cowen started coverage on Hubbell in a research note on Friday, December 8th. They set an outperform rating and a $338.00 price target for the company. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $363.57.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Mark Eugene Mikes sold 397 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $363.45, for a total value of $144,289.65. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 4,899 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,780,541.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other news, CEO Gerben Bakker sold 13,355 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $353.13, for a total transaction of $4,716,051.15. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 51,783 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $18,286,130.79. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, insider Mark Eugene Mikes sold 397 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $363.45, for a total value of $144,289.65. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 4,899 shares in the company, valued at $1,780,541.55. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 34,125 shares of company stock valued at $12,065,100. Corporate insiders own 0.66% of the companys stock.

Hubbell Stock Performance

Shares of HUBB stock traded down $3.69 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $395.92. 173,679 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 421,351. Hubbell Incorporated has a 12-month low of $219.77 and a 12-month high of $404.15. 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 $21.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.12, a P/E/G ratio of 2.41 and a beta of 0.93. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $357.39 and a 200 day moving average price of $324.20.

Hubbell (NYSE:HUBB  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 30th. The industrial products company reported $3.69 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.58 by $0.11. Hubbell had a return on equity of 30.82% and a net margin of 14.14%. The company had revenue of $1.35 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $1.32 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $2.60 EPS. The firms revenue was up 10.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Hubbell Incorporated will post 16.41 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hubbell Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 29th were issued a $1.22 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 28th. This represents a $4.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.23%. Hubbells dividend payout ratio is presently 34.73%.

About Hubbell

(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.

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Aritzia (TSE:ATZ  Get Free Report) had its price objective lifted by equities research analysts at Raymond James from C$35.00 to C$46.00 in a research note issued on Tuesday, BayStreet.CA reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the stock. Raymond James price objective suggests a potential upside of 25.96% from the stocks previous close.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. CIBC raised shares of Aritzia from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and boosted their target price for the stock from C$30.00 to C$37.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 11th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Aritzia from C$39.00 to C$50.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 8th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price target on shares of Aritzia from C$38.00 to C$41.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a report on Thursday, February 15th. TD Securities lifted their price target on shares of Aritzia from C$34.00 to C$45.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on shares of Aritzia from C$36.00 to C$38.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Aritzia has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of C$39.80.

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Aritzia Stock Up 2.0 %

Shares of TSE:ATZ traded up C$0.73 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting C$36.52. 79,108 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 465,473. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 103.38, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a current ratio of 1.32. The company has a market cap of C$3.29 billion, a PE ratio of 44.85, a P/E/G ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 1.85. The firms fifty day moving average price is C$35.45 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$28.18. Aritzia has a twelve month low of C$20.67 and a twelve month high of C$44.88.

Aritzia (TSE:ATZ  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, January 10th. The company reported C$0.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of C$0.34 by C$0.04. Aritzia had a net margin of 4.02% and a return on equity of 13.01%. The business had revenue of C$653.52 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of C$621.27 million. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Aritzia will post 1.8288196 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aritzia

In other Aritzia news, Senior Officer Philippa (Pippa) Morgan sold 1,568 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$40.44, for a total transaction of C$63,409.92. In other news, Senior Officer Karen Kwan sold 5,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of C$34.00, for a total value of C$170,000.00. Also, Senior Officer Philippa (Pippa) Morgan sold 1,568 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$40.44, for a total transaction of C$63,409.92. Insiders sold 11,568 shares of company stock valued at $407,260 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 0.55% of the companys stock.

About Aritzia

(Get Free Report)

Aritzia Inc, together with its subsidiaries, designs and sells apparel and accessories for women in the United States and Canada. The company offers t-shirts and tops, sweaters, shirts and blouses, bodysuits, sweatshirts, blazers, jacket and coats, and dresses; pants, denim, leggings and bike shorts, sweatpants, skirts, shorts, sweatshorts, and jumpsuits and rompers; accessories, such as socks, hats, bags, scarves, belts, and intimates; swimwear; and shoes.

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GrafTech International Ltd. (NYSE:EAF  Get Free Report) saw a significant decline in short interest in the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 11,890,000 shares, a decline of 5.6% from the February 14th total of 12,600,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 3,930,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.0 days. Currently, 6.2% of the shares of the company are short sold.

GrafTech International Trading Up 1.3 %

Shares of EAF stock traded up $0.02 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $1.59. The company had a trading volume of 1,283,311 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,746,709. GrafTech International has a 12 month low of $1.18 and a 12 month high of $5.32. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $1.54 and a 200-day simple moving average of $2.45. The company has a quick ratio of 1.81, a current ratio of 3.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 11.90.

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GrafTech International (NYSE:EAF  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 14th. The company reported ($0.27) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of ($0.14) by ($0.13). GrafTech International had a negative return on equity of 39.57% and a negative net margin of 41.14%. The company had revenue of $137.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $141.20 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.17 earnings per share. The businesss revenue was down 44.6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts anticipate that GrafTech International will post -0.49 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at GrafTech International

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

In other GrafTech International news, major shareholder Gp Ltd Bcp sold 225,790 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $2.18, for a total value of $492,222.20. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 29,368,556 shares in the company, valued at $64,023,452.08. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Insiders sold a total of 5,213,015 shares of company stock worth $11,403,595 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.38% of the companys stock.

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in EAF. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC boosted its stake in shares of GrafTech International by 101.5% in the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 5,339 shares of the companys stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 2,690 shares during the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in GrafTech International during the first quarter worth about $29,000. Hsbc Holdings PLC purchased a new position in shares of GrafTech International in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. CWM LLC boosted its holdings in shares of GrafTech International by 211.9% in the 4th quarter. CWM LLC now owns 14,000 shares of the companys stock valued at $31,000 after buying an additional 9,511 shares during the period. Finally, Strategic Financial Concepts LLC acquired a new stake in shares of GrafTech International during the third quarter valued at approximately $44,000. 92.83% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently weighed in on EAF shares. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on GrafTech International from $2.00 to $1.50 and set a market perform rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 15th. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their price objective on GrafTech International from $3.00 to $2.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 16th. Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of GrafTech International from $4.00 to $2.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, January 10th. Finally, UBS Group initiated coverage on GrafTech International in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. They issued a neutral rating and a $2.00 target price on the stock. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $1.88.

Get Our Latest Analysis on EAF

GrafTech International Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

GrafTech International Ltd. research, develops, manufactures, and sells graphite and carbon-based solutions worldwide. The company offers graphite electrodes to produce electric arc furnace steel and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals; and petroleum needle coke, a crystalline form of carbon used in the production of graphite electrodes and synthetic graphite.

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Thomasville National Bank increased its holdings in shares of Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF (BATS:FLQM  Free Report) by 1.1% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 88,283 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 927 shares during the period. Thomasville National Banks holdings in Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF were worth $4,249,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Solano Wealth Management Inc. grew its holdings in Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF by 0.7% in the 3rd quarter. Solano Wealth Management Inc. now owns 33,718 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,449,000 after buying an additional 236 shares in the last quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC grew its holdings in Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF by 2.3% in the 4th quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 14,709 shares of the companys stock valued at $696,000 after buying an additional 329 shares in the last quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC grew its holdings in Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. Commonwealth Equity Services LLC now owns 9,816 shares of the companys stock valued at $422,000 after buying an additional 365 shares in the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE grew its holdings in Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF by 2.6% in the 1st quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 15,722 shares of the companys stock valued at $680,000 after buying an additional 404 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Equitable Holdings Inc. grew its holdings in Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF by 7.2% in the 1st quarter. Equitable Holdings Inc. now owns 10,978 shares of the companys stock valued at $494,000 after buying an additional 739 shares in the last quarter.

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Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF Stock Down 0.1 %

Shares of BATS:FLQM traded down $0.05 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $51.57. 47,263 shares of the company traded hands. The companys 50 day moving average is $49.46 and its two-hundred day moving average is $46.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $281.06 million, a PE ratio of 15.10 and a beta of 1.00. Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF has a 52 week low of $25.35 and a 52 week high of $28.79.

Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF Profile

The Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF (FLQM) is an exchange-traded fund that is based on the LibertyQ US Mid Cap Equity index. The fund tracks a US-listed mid-cap equity index that selects and weights constituents based on four factors: quality, value, momentum, and volatility. FLQM was launched on Apr 26, 2017 and is managed by Franklin Templeton.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FLQM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Franklin U.S. Mid Cap Multifactor Index ETF (BATS:FLQM  Free Report).

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KYODO NEWS - Mar 19, 2024 - 10:48 | All, Japan, World

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa pledged Monday to launch a new dialogue framework to start negotiations on a multinational treaty banning the production of nuclear materials that have the potential to be used in weapons.

With Japan holding the U.N. Security Council's monthly chair for March, Kamikawa said at an open briefing session in New York that the "Friends" meeting with like-minded countries aims to "enhance political attention" on the proposed Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.

"The international community has become even more divided over how to advance nuclear disarmament. Nevertheless, we must steadily advance realistic and practical efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons," Kamikawa said.

The move comes amid China's military and nuclear stockpile buildup, while fears linger that Russia might use such arms in its war with Ukraine and that North Korea may conduct its seventh nuclear test, the first since September 2017.

"Almost eight decades after the incineration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear weapons still represent a clear and present danger to global peace and security," U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, referring to the U.S. atomic bombings of the Japanese cities in the closing days of World War II in 1945.

Warning that the risk of nuclear warfare is at its most perilous in decades, Guterres urged the world body's key panel tasked with maintaining international peace and security to "look beyond today's divisions" and take action toward nuclear disarmament.

Kamikawa said the Japan-led initiative is a "new step" to realize Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's "Hiroshima Action Plan," first outlined in his speech to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty's review conference at the United Nations in August 2022.

The FMCT, proposed by then U.S. President Bill Clinton at a U.N. General Assembly in 1993, is designed to prohibit the further production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons, including highly-enriched uranium and plutonium. It has not been finalized due to long-standing differences among the countries involved.

Nuclear powers the United States, Britain and France, as well as non-nuclear states Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Germany, Nigeria, the Philippines and Brazil, will join the FMCT Friends talks, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

During the session on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, Kamikawa said a "rapid buildup of nuclear capabilities by certain countries could spark a nuclear arms race."

Kamikawa condemned Russia's nuclear threats in its war against Ukraine as "absolutely unacceptable." She also criticized Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs for endangering the peace and stability of the region and the international community.

Meanwhile, Kamikawa emphasized the importance of the peaceful use of outer space, while expressing concerns over the possible negative impacts of artificial intelligence and other state-of-the-art technologies on nuclear disarmament.

At the meeting, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Washington, together with Tokyo, had introduced a resolution to the Security Council that would call on countries "not to develop nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction that are specifically designed to be placed in orbit around Earth."

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said last month that Russia was developing a capability that could not "cause physical destruction here on Earth" in an apparent reference to anti-satellite military technology.

Western media outlets, citing sources familiar with the U.S. intelligence, reported that the capability was related to efforts to place a nuclear weapon in space.

The use of nuclear weapons in outer space is forbidden under the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which has been ratified by the five recognized nuclear weapons states.

It remains to be seen if the resolution will be adopted. Russia, one of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council, voiced its opposition to the draft resolution, calling it a "propaganda stunt."
KYODO NEWS - Mar 19, 2024 - 12:08 | World, All

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has overseen firing drills involving "super-large multiple rocket launchers," the country's state-run media said Tuesday, a day after Tokyo and Seoul detected the launch by Pyongyang of short-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan.

North Korea's official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, ran a photo showing six rockets being fired simultaneously Monday.

The North Korean military also conducted a test to simulate the midair explosion of a shell from a super-large multiple rocket launcher at a preset altitude, the official Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim said "in the future, the destructive offensive means possessed by our army should more thoroughly fulfill their missions to block and suppress the possibility of war with the constant perfect preparedness to collapse the capital of the enemy," according to KCNA.

Pyongyang claims its super-large multiple rocket launchers are capable of carrying tactical nuclear warheads.

The North Korean leader expressed "great satisfaction" as the artillerymen displayed "high mobility and accurate and strong striking power" in carrying out their mission, the news agency said.

Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Tokyo believes North Korea launched three short-range ballistic missiles from the western part of the country, adding Japan will work closely with the United States and South Korea to collect and analyze data, and monitor the situation.

Monday's launches came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Seoul for a multilateral conference on advancing democracy hosted by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Last Thursday, Seoul and Washington wrapped up a large annual military exercise aimed at neutralizing the North Korean nuclear and missile threat using land, sea, air, cyber and space assets.

Related coverage:

3 ballistic missiles fired by N. Korea, fall outside Japan's EEZ

North Korean missiles fired by Russia "low" quality: Ukraine official

North Korea's Kim guides artillery firing drill involving border units
There were more than Irish eyes smiling this St. Patrick's Day weekend in Freehold Borough, New Jersey.

A seven-person delegation from Rathangan Twinning Committee were invited by Mayor Kane to attend the St Patrick's Weekend activities in Freehold New Jersey.

Rathangan is the ancestral home to multiple Freehold residents, including Bruce Springsteen, whose great-great-grandmother, Ann Garrity (on his father's side) came to Freehold from Rathangan in 1852.

The Freehold and Rathangan Twinning events include a historic walking tour of Freehold. The delegation also attended in the Freehold St. Patrick's Day parade.

Springsteen took in the sights of Rathangan when the E Street Band played three shows at the RDS Arena in Dublin last May on their European tour.

The Boss hit the Burrow, a pub in Rathangan, and led the town in an a cappella version of his 1984 hit, My Hometown.

The Mayor of Freehold, formally passed resolution Twin City resolution between Rathangan and Freehold on Monday, March 18, at the Freehold Borough Council Meeting.

It's tremendous, said Freehold Mayor Kevin Kane, We're calling it a Hometown Twinning celebration.

Bruce Springsteen is the 'Tie that Binds' the Borough of Freehold and Rathangan and County Kildare together, reads the resolution. Bruce Springsteen calls Freehold Borough his 'Hometown,' and his ancestors and relatives call Rathangan their 'Hometown.'"

In January, Bruce Springsteen's cousin Glenn Cashion presented a letter to Rathangan officials in the Irish town from Mayor Kane about establishing the Twinning resolution between Rathangan and Freehold. Cashion also unveiled a painting of the former home of the Springsteens at 87 Randolph St. in Freehold at the Rathangan Library.

Freehold will be the future home of the My Hometown: The Bruce Springsteen Story Center, a multi-purpose museum and event space at the firehouse at 49 W. Main St. The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Centre for American Music at Monmouth University and Freehold are collaborating on the effort.

The Rathangan twinning committee are delighted with the formal progress been made between Freehold and Rathangan. The passing of this recent resolution is a further step on the twinning process, and we look forward to further strengthen our ancestral, and cultural ties with Freehold.

It is planned that a delegation from Freehold will return to Rathangan in May 2024 to progress the twinning process.
Bridgestones Firestone Liberia natural rubber farm has earned the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus recognition, in acknowledgement of the reduction of its environmental impact, efficient resource utilization and resilience to climate change. It is the worlds first natural rubber farm to receive this recognition.

The natural rubber harvested and processed at the farm is sent to Bridgestones tire plants in North America and Europe, supporting the production of sustainable tires like the Bridgestone Turanza EV, which incorporates 50% ISCC Plus-certified recycled and renewable materials.

The Firestone Liberia farm covers 118,000 acres and employs around 4,000 individuals. The ISCC Plus certification also recognizes the farms implementation of good agricultural practices, ensuring proper working conditions and complying with local regulations. Alongside its agricultural practices, Firestone Liberia contributes to the local community by providing free medical care to its staff and their dependents and operating numerous schools.

The ISCC Plus certification highlights the companys progress on achieving its stated goals of achieving carbon neutrality and producing tires exclusively from sustainable materials by 2050.

As we progress in our transformation to a sustainable solutions company, we are making incredible progress toward sustainable manufacturing. The ISCC Plus certification is a pivotal milestone which recognizes our actions to sustainably growing and processing natural rubber as we accelerate our progress toward using 100% sustainable materials in our products by 2050, said Rick Burnett, vice president, internal manufacturing division, Bridgestone Americas.
By Takuya Karube, KYODO NEWS - Mar 19, 2024 - 13:01 | All, Japan, World

U.S. President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a trilateral summit in Washington on April 11, the White House said Monday.

The first three-way summit of the United States, Japan and the Philippines will be held as the countries step up defense cooperation against the backdrop of China's continuing aggressive actions in the South and East China seas, as well as around Taiwan.

The summit will take place a day after Biden's meeting with Kishida, who will also attend a state dinner in his honor hosted by the U.S. president.

To prepare for the leaders' discussions, the three countries will hold a meeting of senior diplomats in Tokyo on Thursday, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to have a working dinner with Marcos in Manila on Tuesday, according to the State Department.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement the three leaders will "advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship, robust and growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values, and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific."

Noting that the summit will provide a great opportunity for Biden to reaffirm the United States' "ironclad alliances" with Japan and the Philippines, she said the issues to be discussed will include security in the region and beyond, emerging technologies, supply chains and climate cooperation.

She added that Biden will hold a separate meeting with the Philippine president at the White House on April 11.

In Tokyo on Tuesday, Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi also announced the trilateral summit, which will take place on the same day as Kishida's address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress, the first by a Japanese leader since 2015.

During a regular press conference, Hayashi said Japan will further strengthen its three-way partnership with the United States and the Philippines for an "international order based on the rule of law."

Among other allies and like-minded countries, the Biden administration regards deeper ties with the Philippines, situated near Taiwan and strategically important sea lanes, as critical for maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

It also views the alliance with the Philippines as vital to reinforcing deterrence against China, which claims Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island, as part of its territory to be brought under its control, by force if necessary.

The Marcos administration is wary of being dragged into the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China.

But it is continuing its pursuit of a different approach from former leader Rodrigo Duterte, who repeatedly threatened to sever Manila's longtime security alliance with Washington and sought closer ties with Beijing and Moscow.

Japan and the Philippines both face security challenges stemming from China's territorial claims in their nearby waters.

In June last year, the United States, Japan and the Philippines held the first trilateral meeting of their top security advisers.

About a month before the meeting, Biden agreed with Marcos at the White House to establish "trilateral modes of cooperation" with Japan.

The two presidents also agreed at the time on new bilateral defense guidelines aimed at improving the interoperability of their land, sea, air and cyberspace forces.
VIENTIANE, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith has sent a congratulatory message to Vladimir Putin on his reelection as Russian president.

Thongloun congratulated Putin on his overwhelming victory in the election and the opportunity to serve as the president of the Russian Federation for another term.

"The result of the election strongly reflects the Russian people's trust and confidence in the ability and intelligence of your leadership," Thongloun said in the message on Monday.

The Lao president also hoped to work closely with President Putin to further strengthen the friendly relations and good cooperation based on the strategic partnership, mutual understanding, trust and assistance between the two countries for the benefit of the two peoples. 
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China congratulates Mr. Mohammad Mustafa on taking office as the new Prime Minister of Palestine, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday.

Lin made the remarks at a regular press briefing in response to a report that the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas appointed Mohammad Mustafa as the new Prime Minister.

Lin said that any arrangement concerning the future and destiny of Palestine must follow the principle of "the Palestinians governing Palestine" and fully reflect the Palestinians' aspiration.

"We support the Palestinian Authority in enhancing its authority and effectively controlling all of Palestine's territory, and support all political factions in Palestine in achieving internal reconciliation through consultation and dialogue," said Lin.

China stands ready to work with all parties to deescalate the current tensions and bring the Palestinian question back to the right track of the two-State solution, the spokesperson added. 
HANOI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam attaches great importance to the policy advisory work made by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) enterprises as they play an important role in improving the Vietnamese economy's quality, said Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh while chairing a meeting with FDI enterprises in capital Hanoi on Tuesday.

He called on foreign investors and FDI enterprises to collaborate with Vietnam to achieve the green growth strategy and advance in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner.

FDI businesses were also urged to play a leading role in transferring technology and advancing innovation and research.

The prime minister asked development partners to step up their support for Vietnam's human resource development and training, especially high-quality labor force serving key economic sectors and important emerging fields.

According to the government leader, although the global FDI showed sign of declining in 2023, Vietnam remained a bright spot. Last year the country attracted nearly 36.6 billion U.S. dollars of the FDI, increasing 32.1 percent year-on-year.

As of the end of February 2024, Vietnam had over 39,500 valid FDI projects, with a total investment capital of more than 473 billion dollars, he said. 
In this collection of news we feature updates, critical court cases and more deets from ALLEGED misdeeds throughout the metro.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Three men linked to gun trafficking and Chiefs rally shooting appear in court Ronnel Williams Jr. and Chaelyn Groves were released on bond.

Kansas Supreme Court sides with noisy protester who blocked city streets in summer 2020 The Kansas Supreme Court has sided with a protester who said a Wichita ordinance was unconstitutional because it criminalized being noisy.

Independence 'scout leader' in court on child porn charges An Independence father and local scout leader faces charges of child pornography.

Raytown man charged in multiple sexual assaults over past 12 years A 65-year-old Raytown man is now facing multiple charges for alleged sexual assaults over the past 12 years, prosecutors say.

Corrine O'Connor trial date set for early 2025 Trial for mother of 5-year-old who died in late 2023, from falling from an apartment window, is set for early 2025.

Brothers plead not guilty in shooting at North Kansas City High Michael and Lavon'Dre Smallwood appeared in separate courtrooms Monday, but their pleas were the same - not guilty.

Overland Park police searching for man accused of felony theft from retail store The Overland Park Police Department is looking for a man accused of committing felony theft at a retail store near Oak Park Mall.

Liberty school bus driver charged, accused of assaulting student A Liberty bus driver was charged with allegedly assaulting a student, saying he was "trying to scare him, not hurt him."

Missouri considers banning county jails from shackling some pregnant prisoners The bill would also create certain health care requirements for pregnant inmates in jails and reverse the prohibition on nonviolent drug offenders receiving SNAP benefits.

Feds say 6 people fired weapons after Kansas City Chiefs rally. Why aren't more charged? Court records reveal more about what authorities say happened near Union Station after the Chiefs rally, suggesting more people were involved than have been charged yet.

Developing . . .
We're already working on the morning update but we don't want to leave late night & early morning denizens without the best toilet reading our cowtown has to offer.

And so . . . Quickly, we check pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Decide Fate Of Crossroads

Early voting begins tomorrow Early voting at the three satellite locations is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays beginning Tuesday, March 19, through Friday, March 29.

Golden Ghetto Investigation

Man found dead Monday night in pond in south Overland Park One man was found dead Monday night in a pond in south Overland Park after a call to emergency responders.

Commuter College Kindness

Roos Give Back: Spreading Hope One PB&J at a Time First Gen Roos and UMKC's Alpha Alpha Alpha fraternity gave back Wednesday, Feb. 28 by making over 400 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to hand out to Kansas City's unhoused population. This generous give-back took place in the First Gen Den in Atterbury Student Success Center.

Eastern Jack Debates

Grain Valley voters weigh in on positives, negatives of stadium sales tax proposal Voters in Grain Valley have mixed opinions on the sales tax question to fund stadium projects for the Chiefs and Royals, which will appear on April 2's ballot.

Booze By Silly Name

Kansas City Bier Company and Rizoma Liquid Creations release collaboration beer that supports Latinx education The limited-release beer combines classic German brewing techniques with flavor inspired by Hispanic tradition.

Prez Mocks Predecessor

Biden says at DC dinner that of 2 presidential candidates, 1 was mentally unfit. 'The other's me' President Joe Biden attended the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner this weekend, the first time during his presidency

MAGA Out Of Money?!?

Trump is unable to make $464 million bond in civil fraud case, his lawyers tell court | CNN Politics Former President Donald Trump can't find an insurance company to underwrite his bond to cover the massive judgment against him in the New York attorney general's civil fraud case, his lawyers told a New York appeals court.

SCOTUS Supports Executive Branch

Justice Kavanaugh defends Biden admin Drawing on his own White House experience, Kavanaugh defended the actions of the Biden administration, saying he didn't see it as "unusual."

Vlad's Plan Exposed?!?

Putin planning buffer zone around border with Ukraine Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was considering a plan to create a buffer zone between Ukrainian land and Russian border regions and Russian-held territory in Ukraine as the war settles into a long conflict. Putin spoke at a press conference late Sunday after he won election for a fifth term in a landslide election...

Holy Land Battlefield Victory

Israel Gaza: US reports death of senior Hamas military leader Marwan Issa Details are also released of President Biden's high-stakes call to Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.

Caribbean Crisis Cont'd

Machete-wielding militias battle gangs in Port-au-Prince as Haiti's elites vie for power The wide road that passes in front of Haiti's Toussaint Louverture International Airport has a post-apocalyptic stillness these days. Where cars and crowds of people once massed, only tendrils of smoke rise from smoldering piles of trash, sending a bitter taste into the air.

Buried Treasure Exposed

X-ray shows butt plug stuck inside 'mortified' woman A UK woman shared her embarrassing sex toy emergency with the world. The mortifying tale resulted in a hospital visit where doctors, after taking an eye-popping X-ray of the "foreign object,&...

Enjoy Cowtown Veggie BBQ

Eat This Now: Portobello Z-Man at Joe's KC Portobello Z-Man at Joe's KC // Photo by Sarah Sipple As a former vegetarian, now Food Editor, I couldn't let a BBQ-themed issue pass without at least one non-meat option. For a meat alternative that was accessible in multiple areas of KC, and right at home in a carnivore's heaven, it came down to Char Bar's smoked jackfruit Jackknife sandwich...

Keep Warm Tonight

Winter makes one last stand tonight in Kansas City Winter makes one last stand tonight in Kansas City

And this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Sure . . .

Nobody has much confidence in Russian votes . . .

BUT RUSSIA COMPARISON FEATURED IN THE KANSAS CITY STAR IS DISGUSTING FOR ANYBODY WHO CARES ABOUT LOCAL DEMOCRACY!!!

Like it or not . . . Most voters in the Sunflower State prefer the former Prez over the current one.

Sadly, here's the newspaper doubting the electorate and pouting just like online trolls shouting about a rigged 2020 election . . .

"Putin sidelined or killed his biggest challengers for power. He was always going to win. So this weekends act of democracy was purely performative. Decorative, even.



"In related news, Kansas holds its presidential primary election on Tuesday.



"No, wait! Im sorry! No one should ever suggest there are any similarities at all between Moscows stage-managed coronation and democracy in the Sunflower State. Thats not very nice! Obviously were much more free to choose our leaders than those poor Russians. For now.



But this is also true: You can choose anybody you like on Tuesday. It just wont matter. We already know the winners."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas' presidential primary means about as much as Vladimir Putin's big 'landslide' | Opinion In the Sunflower State, you can choose anybody you like. It just won't matter. But there's an alternative. | Opinion

Just for posterity . . . Let's capture the headline beyond syndication

You decide . . .
Sadly . . . Government pressure against communication outlets is a fact of life and the highest court in the land doesn't seem ready to make a ruling on new tech they don't really understand.

Here's a highlight and foreshadowing . . .



"A clear majority of the court sounded deeply skeptical about the suit brought by the states of Louisiana and Missouri and seven individual plaintiffs claiming Biden officials, including Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, violated the First Amendment by pressuring social media platforms to suppress or delete posts  mainly from conservatives  that federal officials found objectionable."



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Politico: Challenge to Biden hectoring of social media firms appears doomed at Supreme Court



Scotus Blog: Supreme Court skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies

Developing . . .


YANGON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities have seized 26.25 tons of precursor chemicals ammonium nitrate in Kachin state of northern Myanmar, the official Myanmar Digital News reported on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, the country's anti-narcotics police searched two cars in Mohnyin township of Kachin state on March 16 and confiscated the precursor chemicals, the report said, citing police sources.

Police arrested four suspects on board the two vehicles for the case, it said.

The suspects were charged under the country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigation is underway, it said. 
Travelers sometimes overlook Mozambique in favor of other African destinations when they make their travel plans. You have no idea what you're missing out on until you discover its culture, breathtaking natural landscapes, and exciting adventures.

From the sun-drenched shores of the Bazaruto Archipelago to the lively streets of Maputo, the capital city, there's a wealth of experiences waiting for you. Here, you can enjoy some of the best diving spots in the world, where the underwater world is alive with colors.

Still craving some info about the country? Then dive into this article and learn more about Mozambique and why you should visit this place!

What to Expect

Of course, you will be surprised when you visit Mozambique. It feels like you step into a new world. Firstly, the official language here is Portuguese, so learning a few basic phrases can go a long way. Secondly, you will use the Mozambican Metical for all your purchases, and finding ATMs is easy in larger towns.

Moreover, when it comes to connecting, a smile is your universal plug, but remember, Type C, F, and M are what you need for your gadgets. Additionally, eating out is a joy, with seafood that tastes like it jumped straight from the ocean onto your plate. Aside from these things, keep your wits about you as you would anywhere; Mozambique is welcoming but always prioritize your safety.

Best Time to Visit

Deciding when to visit Mozambique hinges on what you want from your trip. From December to March, the months greet you with rain, but they also promise beautiful landscapes and warm seas, perfect for divers looking for a deal. In contrast, May to September brings drier days, ideal for exploring the coast and wildlife spotting in cooler conditions. If you aim to avoid the crowds, October and November offer a sweet spot with warm weather and fewer visitors.

Related Article: 5 Best Safari Experiences to Take in Africa This Year

Destinations to Explore

Mozambique is a treasure map of destinations. For instance, the Bazaruto Archipelago is a dream for lovers of the sea, with azure waters and rich marine life. Meanwhile, the capital, Maputo, buzzes with a mix of African, Portuguese, and modern influences, perfect for cultural enthusiasts. Similarly, Tofo Beach is the go-to for surfers and beach lovers, offering large, sandy stretches and relaxed vibes.

Furthermore, Gorongosa National Park brings you face-to-face with Africa's wild side, a haven for safari adventurers. Ilha de Mocambique whispers stories of the past, inviting history buffs to wander its ancient streets. Visiting these places can be enriching and will surely give you lasting memories.

Adventure and Activities

Mozambique is calling adventurous soul like you with a palette of activities. You should definitely dive into the clear waters of the Indian Ocean to explore coral reefs teeming with life. Alternatively, for those who prefer to stay dry, Dhow sailing offers a peaceful way to see the coast. You can also visit national parks to see some animals and their commitment to conservation.

Moreover, kitesurfing in Tofo or horseback riding along Ponta do Ouro's beaches are perfect for thrill-seekers. For a slower pace, a stroll through the busy markets or a sunset watch from a quiet beach can be equally rewarding. Indeed, Mozambique is a playground for all, offering memories that last a lifetime.

Read Also: These are the Places to Visit When in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
Spring break is the time for students to get away from schoolworks and enjoy their time before they go back to school. So, if you are looking for a perfect getaway, Monterey, California, should top your list.

If you love outdoor activities and would love to spend some time with family and friends, then this is the right time to visit this place! Plus, if you love getting a taste of local flavors, the dining scene here will not disappoint. You can munch on fresh seafood right off the boat, sip on craft beers at cozy breweries, and even find sweet treats that make every calorie worth it.

But aside from these things, what can you else do, and why should Monterey be your go-to place for spring break? Let's dive in!

Unmatched Natural Beauty

Monterey boasts some of the most breathtaking coastal views in California. The scenic 17-mile Drive, with its dramatic ocean vistas and iconic Lone Cypress, offers a journey through a landscape that will leave you spellbound. For those who love the ocean, Monterey Bay Aquarium presents an up-close look at marine life, making it a must-visit.

Beach lovers will find Monterey State Beach perfect for a day under the sun, with its golden sands and inviting waves. Hikers are not left out, as the nearby trails in Garrapata State Park provide stunning views and a chance to connect with nature. Every turn in Monterey reveals a picture-perfect scene, ready to capture your heart.

Full of Adventures

For the thrill-seekers, Monterey does not disappoint. Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough offers a chance to paddle among sea otters and seals. For a more adrenaline-pumping activity, skydiving over the peninsula provides a bird's eye view of the beauty below. Cyclists and bikers can explore the winding roads and trails that offer challenges.

Scuba diving in the kelp forests of Monterey Bay is another unforgettable experience, bringing you face-to-face with the diverse marine life. Rock climbing in Pinnacles National Park caters to beginners and experienced climbers with its unique rock formations and breathtaking views.

Related Article: Planning to go to Northern California? Don't forget to Visit Point Reyes

Food Scene

The food scene in Monterey is as diverse as it is delicious. Fresh seafood is a staple here, with dishes like clam chowder and crab cakes dominating menus. For those looking for farm-to-table experiences, the Salinas Valley, known as the "Salad Bowl of the World," supplies local restaurants with the freshest produce.

Wine lovers will be thrilled with the nearby Carmel Valley's vineyards, where tasting rooms offer a variety of local wines. Monterey is also home to unique eateries that cater to all tastes, from cozy cafes to upscale dining options. Ending your day with a scoop of locally made ice cream or a piece of artisan chocolate makes for the perfect treat.

Relaxation and Wellness

After days filled with exploration and adventure, Monterey offers plenty of options for relaxation and rejuvenation. The area's spas provide a range of treatments, from massages to holistic wellness therapies, perfect for unwinding. Yoga studios and wellness centers offer classes in peaceful settings, helping you find your inner peace.

For those who simply want to relax by the water, the beaches offer a quiet retreat to read, nap, or just take in the stunning surroundings. Monterey's slower pace of life encourages you to take a moment to breathe, relax, and enjoy the simple pleasures of your surroundings.

Read Also: Planning Your Family Travel Vacation Across California
United Airlines is working hard to make sure its flights are safe. This comes after several worrying events that made people nervous about flying with them. Scott Kirby, the big boss of United Airlines, has stepped up to tell everyone that they are doing everything to keep their flights safe.

United Airlines Faces Recent Flight Incidents

Recently, United Airlines has been in the news for the wrong reasons. A piece fell off one of its planes while it was in the air, and on a different flight, an engine caught fire. These events have caused concern among passengers and have brought a lot of attention to the airline. In response, Kirby wrote a letter to the airline's many passengers. He wants to make it clear that safety is their most important goal.

According to BBC, Kirby explained that the company is looking closely at what went wrong in these cases. He also shared plans to give more training to pilots and people who fix the planes. United Airlines hopes this will prevent such problems in the future. The airline flew a record 165 million people last year and made a lot of money. They believe that people will continue to travel a lot.

The airline's boss said that the recent problems were not connected to each other. But they come at a time when a lot of people are paying extra attention to flight safety. For example, a door fell off a new plane from another airline, raising questions about airplane quality. United Airlines has said that the engine fire was due to a problem with the engine.

While these events have caused worry, flying on commercial planes in the U.S. is still very safe, with very few accidents happening, according to government statistics. United Airlines is committed to keeping it that way by focusing on safety.

Related Article: United Airlines Lets You See Your Seat in 3D When Booking

A United Airlines Plane Lands Safely Despite Missing Panel

A United Airlines flight safely arrived in Medford, Oregon, with a panel missing. The flight from San Francisco to Oregon had 145 people on board when someone noticed the missing piece after it landed. United Airlines reported that the missing panel was on the plane's bottom, but it didn't change how the plane flew.

The Boeing 737-800, an older model than the 737 Max, was involved. As reported by Yahoo! News, the crew didn't know about the damage while in the air and didn't call for an emergency. United Airlines has stated they will check the plane carefully and fix it before it flies again. They also plan to find out how the damage happened.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will look into this incident. This happened as United Airlines is dealing with other recent flight problems. These include a fire caused by bubble wrap in an engine and a tire loss on another flight.

After the plane landed, the airport briefly stopped operations to ensure the runway was safe. They didn't find any pieces of the plane, and the airport quickly went back to normal. The missing panel's location is still unknown, and the plane will stay in Oregon for repairs.

Read Also: Jetstar Flight Chaos Leaves Passengers Stranded in Bangkok
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced a major plan to grow its presence in India and Southwest Asia. The company will open eight new hotels in various cities and leisure destinations in 2024. This move aims to take advantage of the expected increase in travel for both fun and work in these areas.

Hyatt Plans Big Expansion in India and Southwest Asia in 2024

Hyatt is known for offering guests unique and enjoyable stays, and this expansion includes the introduction of the JdV by Hyatt brand in India with the opening of Ronil Goa. This marks a significant step in Hyatt's efforts to offer more luxury and lifestyle options in the country.

According to Breaking Travel News, the expansion includes new destinations for the Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Place, and Hyatt Centric brands, showing Hyatt's commitment to growth in India and Southwest Asia.

The Hyatt Regency brand will grow with new hotels in Kasauli and Ghaziabad, bringing the brand's well-known hospitality to more guests. Hyatt Place will reach new cities such as Aurangabad and Haridwar, and make its debut in Bangladesh with a hotel in Dhaka. Meanwhile, the Hyatt Centric brand will open new locations in Bengaluru and Kolkata, offering travelers modern and adventurous lodging options.

This expansion is part of Hyatt's larger goal to meet the growing demand for high-quality accommodations in India and Southwest Asia. The new hotels will join Hyatt's diverse portfolio in the region, which aims to provide guests with memorable experiences and the excellent service Hyatt is known for.

With this growth, Hyatt continues to show its strong interest and confidence in the region's potential for travel and hospitality.

Related Article: Hyatt Launches New Era of Travel with 'Be More Here' Platform

Hyatt Expands in China Despite Market Challenges

Hyatt is making a bold move by expanding its hotel business in China, even as the country faces tough times in its commercial real estate market. The company is optimistic about its growth in China, where it plans to open more hotels.

Hyatt's Chief Financial Officer, Joan Bottarini, shared that the Chinese government is offering support to property developers, which helps in building and financing new hotels.

As shared by Yahoo! News, China holds a big part of Hyatt's future plans, with 40% of its worldwide goal of 127,000 rooms to be located there. However, the real estate market in China is currently struggling, with sales of properties falling sharply. Hyatt remains hopeful, noting that many of its hotels in China are supported by the state, and others are getting help too. This support is expected to speed up new hotel openings.

Hyatt is also changing its approach in China, focusing more on economy and midscale hotels rather than the luxury and upscale markets it's known for in the U.S. and Europe. Over 90% of Hyatt's properties in China fall into these more affordable categories.

In addition to that, Hyatt is seeking local partnerships to grow its presence, especially in smaller cities. One such partnership is with BTG Homeinns Hotels Group, creating the UrCove by Hyatt brand for business travelers. Hyatt is also partnering with local developers to add more hotels, including a new Hyatt Place hotel in Hangzhou.

Read Also: Hyatt's New Loyalty Program Will Surely Give You A World Of Royal Treatment
[March 19, 2024] (Uttarakhand, India) - The pinnacle of travel quality, Adbhut Uttarakhand, is delighted to announce the release of their very special Gangotri Yamunotri Tour Package, encouraging explorers to experience the majestic beauty of the spiritual heartland of Uttarakhand.



(TRAVPR.COM) INDIA - March 19th, 2024 -

Adbhut, Uttarakhand, provides the ideal vacation from the daily grind and a chance to experience the beauty of the Himalayas for those whose wanderlust is calling and whose desire to see new places is intensifying. Travelers will go on a soul-stirring journey through the holy places of Gangotri and Yamunotri with our painstakingly designed tour package; the serene atmosphere and breathtaking scenery promise to refresh mind, body, and spirit.

"At Adbhut Uttarakhand, we understand the profound longing for adventure and the need to reconnect with nature."With the help of our Gangotri Yamunotri Tour Package, visitors will have a sensory overload that goes beyond the norm and creates priceless memories among the towering Himalayan peaks."

The travel package includes a detailed schedule that covers famous sites, tranquil landscapes, and chances for cultural immersion. Every moment will continue to serve as a monument to the magnificence of Uttarakhand's natural and cultural legacy, whether you're touring historic temples and sacred shrines, hiking along gorgeous trails, or taking in the sight of thunderous waterfalls.

Adbhut Uttarakhand guarantees guests the highest level of luxury and convenience throughout their trip in addition to unmatched experiences. All of the trip's componentsfrom opulent lodgings and knowledgeable tour guides to smooth transportation and attentive servicehave been carefully planned to surpass guests' expectations and produce an amazing experience.

Adbhut Uttarakhand's Gangotri Yamunotri Tour Package provides the ideal chance to escape the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary for those looking to embrace the remarkable while embarking on a life-changing journey of self-discovery.

To learn more about Adbhut Uttarakhand and book your unforgettable adventure, visitAdbhut Uttarakhand's Website.

About Adbhut Uttarakhand:

Adbhut Uttarakhand is a leading travel company dedicated to providing unparalleled travel experiences in the pristine landscapes of Uttarakhand, India. With a commitment to excellence, integrity, and customer satisfaction, Adbhut Uttarakhand strives to exceed expectations and create memories that last a lifetime.

Contact Information:

Adbhut Uttarakhand

8287008935

info@adbhututtarakhand.com

https://www.adbhututtarakhand.com/

Rz-379, St. No. 06, East Sagarpur, New Delhi-110046

The pinnacle of travel quality, Adbhut Uttarakhand, is delighted to announce the release of their very special Gangotri Yamunotri Tour Package, encouraging explorers to experience the majestic beauty of the spiritual heartland of Uttarakhand.

###
TRIPOLI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan Interior Ministry on Tuesday announced the closure of the Ras Ajdir border crossing with Tunisia after an attack by a "criminal group."

"Instructions were made to immediately close the border (with Tunisia) after it was attacked by a criminal group that aimed to create chaos and disrupt work on preventing transgressions," the ministry said in a statement.

"The act of this criminal group will not be tolerated. Legal measures and proper punishments will be carried out against the perpetrators," the statement said.

According to local media, clashes erupted on Monday between security forces recently tasked to secure the border and a local armed group, with no casualties reported.

The Ras Ajdir border crossing, located some 170 km west of Libya's capital Tripoli, witnesses thousands of people crossing daily.

Ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011, Libya has been suffering insecurity and chaos. 
A joint communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations was signed between Uzbekistan and Gambia, Azernews reports, citing Kun.uz news agency.

On March 14 in New York, on behalf of the governments of the two countries, the document was signed by the Permanent Representative of Uzbekistan to the UN Ulugbek Lapasov and the Permanent Representative of the Gambia to the UN Lamine Dibba.

The parties expressed a strong interest in strengthening cooperation within international organizations, including the UN and its specialized agencies.
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday urged Japan to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, and take concrete actions to make a clean break with militarism.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said this at regular news conference after Japan's Yasukuni Shrine reportedly picked Umio Otsuka, a former Maritime Self Defense Force commander, as its 14th chief priest. It is the first time that the war-linked shrine has appointed a high-ranking ex-military official to the post.

The Yasukuni Shrine, deemed the spiritual tool and symbol of Japan's militaristic aggression against foreign countries, honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II, Lin said.

Not long ago, a number of incumbent Japanese defense officials visited the shrine, Lin said, adding that now a former admiral is to be chief priest for the first time, Japan's wrong attitude toward its past aggression has once again been exposed.

"China urges the Japanese side to face up to and reflect on its history of aggression, take concrete actions to make clean break with militarism, and do not cause further loss of trust to its Asian neighbors and the international community," said the spokesperson. 
The country is tonight mourning the loss of one of its legal luminaries... who also served i
By Janice Phelan, March 18, 2024







Area adults interested in a new career or job advancement now have the opportunity to obtain a variety of services related to workforce development and training at a recently opened satellite office at the University of Central Missouris Lees Summit campus.



Representatives from the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) as well as the Full Employment Council (FEC) will operate out of UCMs Missouri Innovation Campus from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday.



Services available to both adults and students through these organizations include daily workshops on how to successfully create a resume, job interviewing skill sessions and quarterly hiring fairs, all at the Lees Summit location. In addition, the satellite office offers monthly testing through WorkKeys, an assessment designed to help people determine their best choices for career success.



MDHEWD is very excited about the opportunity to be part of the Missouri Innovation Campus, said Julie Carter, director of the Office of Workforce Development. This satellite office provides an opportunity to serve all students on campus and offer the community access to invaluable free job center services.



FEC representatives will also work with individuals to help them learn if they are eligible for scholarship funding for the University of Central Missouris industry-recognized certificate programs. Previously, those interested in scholarships had to travel to the organizations Kansas City location for assistance.



The new satellite office is designed to provide a one-stop, more convenient location for residents of Eastern Jackson County, Cass County and other areas outside the metropolitan area. All services are offered free of charge.



Having a one-stop shop for free resume and interviewing workshops as well as targeted job fairs is yet another way UCM serves our local community, said Clarinda Dir, UCM workforce and professional education manager. Prospective students will also be able to apply for scholarships and learn if they qualify for grants to pay for their certificate training. By welcoming MDHEWD to the Lees Summit campus, we are continuing to support our values of community, diversity, learning and opportunity.



For more information about the new satellite office, please email workforce@ucmo.edu. Additional information about the services are also available at jobs.mo.gov. To learn the latest news about workforce events planned at this Lees Summit location, sign up for UCM Lees Summits newsletter.



The collaboration is especially advantageous to Lees Summit area residents since the Missouri Innovation Campus is also home to the universitys Center for Workforce and Professional Education. From this location, UCM offers both professional education and career certificate programs in high-demand areas such as healthcare, information technology, business and advanced manufacturing. Courses are offered in-person, online and hybrid to fit the needs of busy adult learners. A number of courses can be completed in as little as six weeks. Qualifying students have the opportunity to obtain debt-free scholarships covering their programs cost.
NEW DELHI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Indian security forces killed six armed Naxals rebels in two separate encounters, official sources said on Tuesday.

A large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the spots of encounters.

Four Naxals were killed in Maharashtra state, while the others were killed in Chhattisgarh state.

Further search and anti-Naxals operations were underway in the areas in a bid to find more armed rebels, according to local reports. 
On March 26, Warsaw and Berlin will launch a "coalition of armoured vehicles" for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence of Poland Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz announced this at a bilateral meeting of his German counterpart Boris Pistorius in Warsaw, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"On 26 March, we, as co-leaders - Poland and Germany - will activate the armoured vehicle coalition to support Ukraine. This is one of the most important coalitions that have been created," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

He added that Warsaw and Berlin are the co-leaders of this project, and other partners such as the UK, Sweden, and Italy have already joined.

In turn, Pistorius stressed that this coalition is "long-term". According to him, the key is to increase the production of all types of defense products within the framework of Polish-German cooperation.

The Polish and German ministers also announced the formation of a Rapid Reaction Force in Europe. According to the Polish minister, the battle groups of the Polish and German armies, each consisting of 2,500 soldiers, will be ready for action by July this year. Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that other countries have not yet joined the creation of these forces, as not all of them have the same potential as Poland and Germany.

Pistorius also noted that Poland occupies a central place on NATO's eastern flank and plays a key role in supporting Ukraine. He also said that Polish-German intergovernmental consultations are scheduled for July.

The two ministers said that a meeting of defense ministers of the Weimar Triangle countries would be held in Wroclaw in May.

As reported, Polish defense companies that applied to the European Commission for additional funds for the production of ammunition, including for the needs of the Armed Forces, received only 0.4% of the total funding from Brussels.

Photo: Mykhalchuk Serhii
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said that the United States and the coalition will not let Ukraine lose in its battle against Russian aggression.

He said this at the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein, Germany, Ukrinform reports.

According to Austin, at least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since Putin's all-out invasion in February 2022.

"Russia has paid a staggering cost for Putin's imperial dreams. [] Russia has squandered up to $211 billion to equip, deploy, maintain, and sustain its imperial aggression against Ukraine. Putin's war of choice will cost Russia $1.3 trillion in previously anticipated economic growth through 2026. And Ukraine's defenders continue to degrade the Kremlin's capabilities," he added.

He noted that Ukraine had already sunk, destroyed, or damaged some 20 medium-to-large Russian Navy vessels and continues to down Russian warplanes.

"So our message today is clear. The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail," Austin said.

He recalled that just last week, the United States announced additional security assistance for Ukraine, valued at $300 million. He also named other countries that announced their assistance to Ukraine. In particular, the Czech Republic recently procured 800,000 urgently needed artillery shells. Germany, France, Denmark, and Sweden have each recently announced important new military aid packages, Austin said.

"These are investments in Ukraine's just battle against Russian aggression. But these are also investments in our shared security, in European security, and in global security. We will all be less secure if Putin gets his way. And we will all be less secure in a lawless, violent world where dictators can redraw borders by force, wipe countries off the map, and rebuild their old empires," Austin said.

Photo: AA
At a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called for the European Union to start membership negotiations with Ukraine as soon as possible.

This was reported by Lithuanian broadcaster LRT on Tuesday.

"Ukraine has already done its homework on implementing the recommendations for opening negotiations with the EU, which we should assess appropriately by starting accession talks as soon as possible," Landsbergis said.

According to him, it's time to erase the red lines and take decisive measures to prevent Russia's calculations.

"We must plan the specific measures necessary for Ukraine's victory. Macron's initiative and the Czech initiative on the purchase of ammunition, which Lithuania has joined, are inspiring examples," Landsbergis said during the discussion.

As reported, during a meeting on March 18, EU foreign ministers decided to create a special Ukraine Assistance Fund (UAF) within the European Peace Fund (EPF).

On March 21-22, a meeting of EU leaders will be held in Brussels in the format of the European Council.
EUR 6 billion worth of Russian assets frozen in Luxembourg should work for Ukraine now.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said this in a Telegram post following negotiations with Luxembourgish Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Ukrinform reports.

"The confiscation of frozen Russian assets is a key issue. According to preliminary data, more than 6 billion euros of Russian funds are stored in Luxembourg. Our fundamental position is that these funds should work for Ukraine now," Shmyhal said.

According to him, it is important for Ukraine that all frozen Russian sovereign assets are used for the country's resilience and recovery.

He also added that Luxembourg had expressed interest in the reconstruction of the Kryvyi Rih district in Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, a powerful industrial center in the country.

Shmyhal also announced that Luxembourg was ready to join the implementation of the seventh point of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, which concerns punishing Russia for the crimes it committed.

The two also paid special attention to the sanctions policy.

"Our joint task is to block Russia from all ways of financing its war of aggression," Shmyhal said.

Read also: Switzerland considers using Russian assets to fund war reparations in Ukraine

He thanked Luxembourg for military cooperation, for advocating macro-financial assistance last year and for facilitating the approval of the Ukraine Facility program this year.

In addition, Shmyhal praised Luxembourg's contribution to supporting Ukraine and its European integration.

Shmyhal is on a working visit to Luxembourg on March 19.
Ukraine has started negotiations with Estonia on a bilateral security agreement.

This was reported by the Office of the President of Ukraine, according to Ukrinform.

Under the Decree of the President of Ukraine, the Ukrainian delegation is led by Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak. Today's negotiations were held by Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva, the report says.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kyllike Sillaste-Elling heads the Estonian delegation.

"It is important to conclude strong security agreements with all the Baltic states, which provide us with enormous assistance in relation to their GDP. Since Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania also border the aggressor, our security commitments should definitely be mutual," said Zhovkva.

The parties began their work on the draft agreement and agreed on a schedule for further negotiations.

As Ukrinform reported, on July 12, 2023, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius, G7 leaders agreed on a Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine. The document referred, in particular, to work on bilateral long-term commitments and agreements in the security sector.

On January 8, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky approved the composition of the delegation for negotiations on security guarantees for Ukraine.

According to the agreements reached at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, Ukraine is concluding bilateral security agreements with NATO member states. Such agreements have already been signed with the UK, France, Germany, Denmark, Canada, Italy, and the Netherlands.

Photo: Presidents Office
During his visit to Luxembourg, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal held talks with Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel. The result was the signing of an agreement on technical and financial cooperation between the two countries.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Government portal.

"This will simplify the implementation of programmes and projects to help Ukraine," Shmyhal commented on the signing of the document.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held several meetings in Luxembourg with representatives of the executive and legislative branches to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The Prime Minister also met with Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, whom he thanked for his unwavering solidarity with Ukraine during the full-scale war.

With President of Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies Claude Wiseler and the parliamentarians, the Ukrainian officials discussed further steps in the joint fight against the aggressor, European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and the confiscation of frozen Russian assets in Luxembourg.

Shmyhal thanked the parliamentarians for adopting statements in support of Ukraine and recognizing the Holodomor as genocide against the Ukrainian people.

"We appreciate our bilateral cooperation on the path to victory," the head of the Ukrainian government concluded.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal is on a working visit to Luxembourg, where he met with his counterpart Luc Frieden.
SEOUL, March 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's automotive export marked the first fall in 20 months in February due to less business days, government data showed Tuesday.

Car shipment slipped 7.8 percent from a year earlier to 5.16 billion U.S. dollars in February, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The number of exported vehicles was 198,653 in February, down 11.0 percent from a year earlier.

The reduction was attributed to less working days, caused by the Lunar New Year's holidays.

Export for eco-friendly cars declined 15.3 percent to 1.71 billion dollars last month, logging the first decrease in 15 months.

Car export to North America added in single digits, but auto shipment to the European Union, the Middle East and Latin America retreated in double figures.

Auto parts shipment shrank 1.6 percent to 1.98 billion dollars in February compared to the same month of last year.

The number of vehicles manufactured in local factories dwindled 13.6 percent to 300,459 last month.

The number of cars sold in South Korea, including locally-made and imported vehicles, came to 115,753 in February, down 21.2 percent from a year earlier. 
TIANJIN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk announced Tuesday that it will increase its investment in an expansion project at its production base in Tianjin by about 4 billion yuan (about 556 million U.S. dollars).

The investment will help Novo Nordisk adopt globally leading isolator technology to provide higher levels of sterility assurance for pharmaceutical production, said the company.

With the expansion project, the company will be able to further increase manufacturing capabilities to support the localization of more innovative medicines, said Lars Arnoldsen, corporate vice president of Novo Nordisk.

Thirty years ago, Novo Nordisk started the construction of its Tianjin production plant, taking the first step in its business in China. In the first quarter of 2023, the company invested 1.18 billion yuan in the expansion project of the finished product workshop and new production lines.

Novo Nordisk will continue to promote innovation, deepen cooperation, accelerate the localized production process of medicines, and serve more patients, said Christine Zhou, senior vice president of Novo Nordisk and president of Novo Nordisk Region China. 
SANAA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's armed Houthi forces on Tuesday claimed responsibility for hitting a U.S. ship in the Red Sea with a number of missiles.

"Our naval forces attacked the U.S. ship, Mado, in the Red Sea with a number of missiles. This hit was accurate," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

"Also, our forces launched a number of missiles toward Israel's southern city of Eilat, targeting military targets," he said, without telling when those attacks occurred.

On Monday, the U.S. Central Command said it conducted "self-defense" strikes, "destroying seven anti-ship missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles, and three weapons storage containers in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen."

On the same day, the Houthi television accused the U.S.-British naval coalition in the Red Sea of launching 10 airstrikes on the Houthi-controlled Yemeni port city of Hodeidah.

Many of the airstrikes had hit empty locations, several local residents told Xinhua.

Earlier this month, a U.S. ship was badly damaged and abandoned by its crew after a Houthi missile attack, days after a British ship sank in the Red Sea following a Houthi missile attack.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have initiated attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing retaliation for Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip as their motive.

In response, the United States and Britain have conducted air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since mid-January. However, instead of deterring the Houthi group or weakening its capabilities, these strikes appear to have led to further escalation of attacks by the Houthi forces.

Many major shipping companies have changed routes to destinations around Africa to avoid the Red Sea, one of the world's busiest waterways. 
Republican politicians across the United States have intensified their scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, often enacting laws to restrict or defund related programs. In Virginia, Governor Glenn Youngkin, who campaigned against the teaching of critical race theory, has directed his administration's focus towards DEI efforts in higher education.

Review of DEI Courses

Youngkin's education secretary's office has requested to review syllabi from upcoming diversity-themed courses at two public universities: George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). This move has raised concerns among faculty and students about potential violations of academic freedom and shared governance.

At George Mason, where the implementation of a "Just Societies" mandate was underway, some members of the Board of Visitors have expressed reservations. Similarly, VCU's plan to introduce a "Racial Literacy" requirement is now uncertain in light of the scrutiny from state officials.

Faculty members at both universities have meticulously crafted plans over several years to introduce new requirements for incoming undergraduate students, aiming for implementation in the upcoming fall semester. However, Youngkin's request for syllabi review has cast doubt on the timeline and implementation of these initiatives.

READ ALSO: Virginia Ban of Legacy Preferences Paves Way for Fair Admissions

Debate and Concerns

The review of DEI course syllabi has reignited debates surrounding the role of diversity initiatives in education and the extent of government oversight. Critics argue that such scrutiny could undermine academic freedom and discourage open dialogue on issues of race and social justice.

However, supporters of the review assert that it is essential to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of taxpayer funds for higher education. They argue that DEI programs should be subject to scrutiny like any other academic endeavor and that the review process will help identify potential biases or ideological influences in course materials.

Meanwhile, faculty members and students worry that the review may be a prelude to broader interference in academic affairs by state officials. The possibility of political pressure influencing curriculum decisions has raised concerns about the independence of universities and the integrity of academic standards.

Implications for Higher Education

As the debate continues, the fate of DEI initiatives in Virginia's public universities remains uncertain. The outcome of the review process may have significant implications for the future of diversity education and academic freedom in higher education institutions.

Moreover, the scrutiny faced by George Mason University and VCU reflects a broader trend of political polarization and ideological clashes in higher education. The role of state governments in shaping university policies and curriculum is increasingly under scrutiny, with implications for institutional autonomy and intellectual diversity.

Ultimately, the outcome of Virginia's review of DEI course syllabi will not only impact the two universities involved but may also set a precedent for how similar initiatives are treated in other states. The balance between academic freedom, government oversight, and diversity education remains a contentious issue that will continue to shape the future of higher education.

RELATED ARTICLE: Supreme Court Decision on Virginia Magnet School Admissions Sets Precedent for Diverse Admissions in Elite Schools
Amidst growing concerns over the state of free speech on college campuses, House Republicans have introduced a bill aimed at protecting students' First Amendment rights. The proposed legislation, titled the Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act, is the latest effort by GOP lawmakers to address what they perceive as a decline in free expression within higher education institutions.

Republican Proposal Overview

The bill seeks to address what Republicans describe as a "long-standing and pervasive degradation of First Amendment rights" on college campuses. It aims to combat what they see as censorship, cancel culture, and the suppression of conservative viewpoints by requiring public colleges and universities to uphold free speech principles.

Under the proposed legislation, institutions failing to comply with the specified requirements would face penalties, including the loss of access to federal financial aid for a year. Additionally, the bill mandates that private colleges disclose their speech policies annually to students, faculty, and the Education Department.

READ ALSO: PEN America Identifies 'Dangerous' State Bills Restricting Free Speech on College Campuses

Debate and Controversy

While proponents argue that the bill is necessary to protect free speech and combat ideological bias on campus, critics have raised concerns about its potential impact on academic freedom and institutional autonomy. Some view the legislation as an overreach that could undermine efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within higher education.

Opponents argue that the bill's provisions could restrict universities' ability to regulate hate speech and create a hostile environment for marginalized groups. They warn that mandating certain speech policies and penalizing institutions for non-compliance could have chilling effects on academic discourse and limit universities' ability to address issues of discrimination and harassment.

Support for the Bill

Supporters of the bill, including Republican lawmakers and advocacy groups, argue that it is necessary to combat what they perceive as a growing trend of censorship and ideological conformity on college campuses. They contend that universities should be bastions of free expression and intellectual diversity, where students are exposed to a wide range of perspectives and ideas.

Proponents also assert that the legislation will hold institutions accountable for protecting students' constitutional rights and ensure that conservative viewpoints are not marginalized or suppressed in academic settings. They argue that promoting free speech and open inquiry is essential to fostering a vibrant intellectual environment and preparing students for civic engagement in a diverse society.

Opposition and Concerns

Opponents of the bill, including Democratic lawmakers, civil liberties organizations, and higher education leaders, argue that it could have unintended consequences and undermine efforts to create inclusive and equitable learning environments. They express concerns that the legislation may infringe on academic freedom and restrict universities' ability to address hate speech and discrimination.

Critics also contend that the bill's focus on protecting conservative speech overlooks the broader issues of campus climate and the need for comprehensive strategies to promote diversity and inclusion. They argue that universities should have the flexibility to develop policies and practices that reflect their unique institutional missions and values while respecting the rights of all students and faculty members.

In summary, the introduction of the Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act has reignited debate over the balance between free speech and campus community values. As lawmakers and stakeholders continue to weigh the potential implications of the proposed legislation, the future of campus free speech policies remains a topic of contentious discussion in the higher education community.

RELATED ARTICLE: FIRE's 2024 Report Exposes Campus Speech Policy Challenges, Highlighting Threats to Free Expression in Higher Education
In a recent statement and fact sheet, the Biden administration has underscored its ongoing efforts to combat what it refers to as "junk fees" in higher education. These initiatives are part of a broader agenda aimed at reducing the financial burden on students and making college more affordable.

Eliminating Student Loan Origination Fees

One significant proposal put forth by the Biden administration is the elimination of student loan origination fees. These fees, charged when borrowers first secure their loans, range from 1 percent to 4 percent depending on the type of loan. The president's budget includes provisions to eliminate these fees, a move that has garnered bipartisan support. Republicans have also included similar measures in recent bills aimed at restructuring the student loan system. Advocates have applauded the Biden administration's proposal, emphasizing its potential to alleviate financial strain on students.

During his State of the Union addresses in 2023 and earlier this year, President Biden reiterated his commitment to ending junk fees in higher education. The administration views these fees as burdensome for students and aims to address them as part of its broader efforts to make college more affordable.

Neera Tanden, domestic policy adviser to President Biden, emphasized the significance of these measures in ensuring that students are not unfairly burdened with unnecessary costs. Tanden highlighted the administration's determination to empower students and promote transparency in college expenses.

READ ALSO: Colleges, Education Department Clash Over Changes in Inclusive Access; What Could Be Its Implications?

Additional Measures to Reduce Financial Burden

In addition to addressing student loan origination fees, the Biden administration is taking steps to tackle other forms of junk fees in higher education. One such initiative is aimed at preventing colleges from automatically billing students for textbooks as part of tuition and fees. Furthermore, efforts are underway to refund students for unused meal plan dollars and eliminate certain fees associated with college-sponsored deposit accounts.

While these actions are presented as new initiatives by the administration, negotiations on these proposals were concluded earlier this month by the Education Department. However, any policy changes resulting from these negotiations will not take effect until at least July 1, 2025.

Overall, the Biden administration's focus on combating junk fees reflects its commitment to making higher education more accessible and affordable for all students. By addressing these financial barriers, the administration aims to ensure that students can pursue their academic goals without being hindered by excessive costs.

Reaction and Potential Impact

The Biden administration's efforts to eliminate junk fees in higher education have elicited mixed reactions. While advocates and some lawmakers have praised these measures for their potential to alleviate financial burdens on students, others have raised concerns about the feasibility and impact of these proposals.

Critics argue that while eliminating certain fees may provide temporary relief for students, it could lead to budgetary challenges for colleges and universities. They also question the timing of these initiatives, noting that they come at a time when institutions are already grappling with financial strains due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nevertheless, supporters maintain that addressing junk fees is a crucial step towards making higher education more equitable and accessible. They emphasize the importance of ensuring that students are not saddled with unnecessary financial burdens that can impede their academic success.

As the Biden administration continues to push for these reforms, the debate over junk fees in higher education is likely to intensify. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these measures in reducing financial barriers for students will depend on their implementation and enforcement, as well as their broader impact on the higher education landscape.

RELATED ARTICLE: Higher Education Leaders Urge Education Department To Reconsider Proposed Changes to Book and Supply Billing
The Biden administration is taking steps to strengthen the rules governing the accreditation of universities in the United States, aiming to enhance accountability and quality in higher education. This move reflects the administration's commitment to addressing challenges and ensuring positive outcomes for students.

Challenges Addressed in Negotiated Rule-Making

In a recent negotiated rule-making session focused on institutional quality, several key challenges were identified. One major concern is the tendency of institutions to select accrediting agencies that may provide favorable evaluations, raising questions about the credibility of accreditation. Additionally, the persistence of accreditation despite failing reviews and states relying on accrediting agencies from other states have highlighted the need for greater oversight and consistency.

While the negotiated rule-making process has resulted in some improvements aimed at safeguarding student and taxpayer interests, the effectiveness of these measures depends on their implementation. Barmak Nassirian, Vice President for Higher Education Policy at Veterans Education Success, stressed the importance of ensuring that the regulations are executed in good faith to achieve their intended objectives.

Negotiated rule-making, a mechanism used by the federal government to develop regulations aligned with existing laws, involves gathering input from various stakeholders. The Trump administration utilized this process to enact significant changes, including the removal of geographical accrediting boundaries, allowing institutions greater flexibility in selecting accrediting agencies.

READ ALSO: Biden Administration Proposes Student Outcome Benchmarks for College Accreditors

Future Directions and Ongoing Debates

Despite efforts to enhance accreditation regulations, challenges persist in ensuring the quality and integrity of higher education. Student advocates have raised concerns about the practice of venue-shopping, where institutions seek favorable accreditation reviews by selecting lenient accrediting agencies. Tighter oversight on accreditation standards and timelines for compliance is needed to address these issues effectively.

While the Biden administration aims to address these challenges, debates continue over various aspects of accreditation. Key points of contention include the composition of accrediting agency boards and the certification of overseas operations without physical inspections. Achieving consensus on these complex issues remains a priority as stakeholders work towards ensuring positive outcomes for students in higher education.

Tthe ongoing efforts to tighten university accreditation rules underscore the administration's commitment to promoting accountability and quality in higher education. By addressing key challenges and collaborating with stakeholders, policymakers aim to strengthen protections for students and taxpayers while advancing the goals of higher education. However, the success of these efforts hinges on effective implementation and continued dialogue among all stakeholders involved in the accreditation process.

Importance of Quality Assurance in Higher Education

Quality assurance in higher education is crucial for ensuring that students receive a valuable and rigorous educational experience. Accreditation serves as a vital mechanism for assessing and maintaining educational standards, providing assurance to students, employers, and policymakers. By enhancing accreditation rules, the Biden administration seeks to uphold the integrity of the higher education system and promote student success.

RELATED ARTICLE: Biden Administration Proposes Student Outcome Benchmarks for College Accreditors
Lecture attendance in universities has seen a significant decline, prompting concerns about the effectiveness of traditional teaching methods. Academics are increasingly questioning the future of lectures as more students opt out of attending in-person classes.

The shift towards remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated trends that were already underway, with many students finding online lectures more convenient than attending in-person sessions. While online resources provide flexibility, they often lack the engagement and interaction found in traditional classroom settings.

Impact of Paid Work on Student Attendance

One of the primary factors contributing to the decline in lecture attendance is the growing necessity for students to prioritize paid work over attending classes. With the rising cost of living and tuition fees, many students find themselves juggling academic responsibilities with the need to earn income. As a result, they are forced to make difficult choices about how to allocate their time, often opting to work instead of attending lectures.

Rob Briner, a professor of organizational psychology at Queen Mary University of London, shared an alarming experience where only one student out of a cohort of 70 attended his class. This scenario is not isolated, with many academics reporting similarly low attendance rates. The prevalence of part-time and full-time employment among students has become a significant barrier to regular class attendance.

Furthermore, the cost of education has led some students to view lectures as optional rather than essential components of their academic experience. As tuition fees continue to rise, students may feel pressure to maximize the value of their education by focusing on assignments and exams rather than attending lectures that they perceive as supplemental.

READ ALSO: New Research From University of Florida Reveals Online Learners Less Likely to Finish Education Compared to Face-to-Face

Challenges and Solutions for Universities

The decline in lecture attendance presents a challenge for universities to adapt their teaching methods to meet the changing needs of students. While lectures have traditionally been a cornerstone of higher education, their effectiveness in the digital age is being called into question.

Some academics advocate for a shift away from lectures towards more interactive and collaborative teaching approaches. Creating peer-led communities of learning and fostering stronger social interactions in the classroom can enhance student engagement and participation. By emphasizing the value of in-person attendance, educators can encourage students to prioritize their academic commitments.

However, addressing the root causes of declining attendance requires broader systemic changes. Universities must recognize the financial pressures faced by students and explore ways to alleviate their financial burden. This may involve providing more affordable housing options, increasing access to financial aid, and offering flexible work-study programs that accommodate students' academic schedules.

Furthermore, universities should reassess the role of lectures in the digital age and explore alternative modes of content delivery. Flipped classrooms, where students engage with course materials independently and use class time for discussion and problem-solving, offer a promising alternative to traditional lectures. By leveraging technology and active learning strategies, educators can create dynamic and engaging learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of today's students.

The decline in lecture attendance reflects broader challenges facing higher education, including financial strain and evolving student preferences. While traditional lectures may no longer suffice in meeting the needs of today's learners, universities have an opportunity to innovate and adapt their teaching practices. By prioritizing student engagement and addressing systemic barriers to attendance, universities can ensure that all students have access to quality education and academic support.

RELATED ARTICLE: Online Learning Faces Post-Pandemic Decline: Analyzing the Shift in Enrollment
HONG KONG, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday expressed congratulations on the passage of the safeguarding national security bill, commending its "milestone significance" in the practice of "one country, two systems."

The legislation represents the HKSAR's effort to fulfill its constitutional duty stipulated by Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law. It reflects the common aspirations of the people, and will provide a solid foundation for the HKSAR to protect national security and to thrive, said a statement released by the office.

The bill, now an ordinance after the HKSAR Legislative Council passed it unanimously, ensures the well-being, rights and interests of Hong Kong residents, while offering protection for foreign institutions, organizations and personnel in Hong Kong to engage in legitimate exchanges and business activities, said the statement.

The office said the ordinance will help create a business environment that is safe, convenient and efficient, strengthen the confidence of local and overseas investors and foster high-quality development.

Calculated slanders on Article 23 legislation and underhanded attempts to sabotage "one country, two systems" will not stand in the way of Hong Kong's path to prosperity, the statement said.

The central government of China fully, faithfully and unswervingly implements "one country, two systems" and vigorously supports Hong Kong in achieving better and faster development as well as closer cooperation with the world, said the office. 
Enhancing inmate classification in Nigeria: UNODC strengthens the capacity of Nigerian Correctional Service officers

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) handbook on the Classification of Prisoners defines Classification as the placement or allocation of prisoners to one of several custody or supervision levels to match the prisoners risks and needs to correctional resources and the appropriate supervision regime. Classification, often used interchangeably with separation, is a more holistic approach that helps with the identification of risks and needs of inmates on an individual basis. The process enables a deep dive into the age, gender, legal reason for detention and historical background of the inmates, with the goal of designing tailored interventions that promote effective rehabilitation and reintegration.

To strengthen the capacity of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on inmate classification, UNODC convened NCoS officers to a 4-day training workshop on international minimum standards and good practices related to the classification of inmates. The training was part of a series of trainings for NCoS officers to improve their practices concerning the separation and classification of inmates in Nigerian custodial centres. 31 officers up to the rank of Controllers of Correction participated in the training, which was held in Abuja from 12 to 15 March 2024. The training also included the treatment of inmates with special needs, women and those assessed to be of high risk.

From interactive group exercises to in-depth discussions on risk assessment, needs identification, criminogenic needs and more, officers gained valuable insights into the multifaceted process of classifying inmates. The session provided a platform for participants to explore the complexities of managing incarcerated populations, equipping them with practical tools and strategies to enhance decision-making and optimize rehabilitation efforts within correctional facilities. Amidst lively discussions and engaging activities, participants not only expanded their knowledge but also fostered a deeper understanding of the importance of effective inmate classification in promoting safety, security, and successful reintegration into society.

Reflecting on the training, Controller of Corrections Cyrus Lakitile during his closing remarks, described the training as educative, insightful, exciting and inspiring, adding that the training had also helped officers make a distinction between separation and classification of inmates  what we have been doing all along was mostly separation of inmates.

The inmate classification training was planned as part of activities under the project, Strengthening the capacity of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to ensure the safe, secure and humane custody of pre-trial detainees and sentenced prisoners in selected facilities in the North-Eastern States which is funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the U.S. State Department (INL) and implemented by UNODC in Nigeria, with a focus on 6 prisons in Adamawa, Borno and Gombe States.
An anti-corruption court was informed on Tuesday that former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi fell in the bathroom of the jail on March 17 and sustained minor injuries

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Mar, 2024) An anti-corruption court was informed on Tuesday that former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi fell in the bathroom of the jail on March 17 and sustained minor injuries.

This statement was made in a report from the superintendent of Adiala Jail, which was filed before Anti-Corruption Court Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta, who was presiding over the Punjab Assembly illegal appointments case. Deputy Superintendent Jail Tahir submitted Chaudhry Parvez Elahi's medical report to the court.

Following the report's submission, the court noted that the indictment could not be made due to an incomplete number of accused. The court adjourned further hearings until April 4 and summoned all accused for indictment on the next hearing date.

It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time the indictment of the accused has been delayed in this matter. The accused could not be indicted during the previous hearings on March 6 and March 11 as well.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab registered the case, accusing Parvez Elahi of unlawful appointments and kickbacks. Allegedly, qualified candidates were denied positions while those who had not taken exams were appointed. The ACE claimed that as the then-chief minister, Parvez Elahi misused his authority by influencing appointments after receiving bribes.
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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Mar, 2024) Deputy Director Operations (DDO) of Islamabad Food Authority (IFA) Dr Tahira Saddique on Tuesday said that in the ongoing battle for food safety in the Federal capital, the IFA conducted 334 inspections across various areas of the city and imposed a fine of Rs 490,000 to violators during the first week of Ramazan.

Talking to APP, she highlighted the significant strides made by the authority and said that 127 inspections visits were also conducted in three Ramazan Bazaars, set up by the district administration and issued 201 verbal directives and served 94 improvement notices to ensure compliance among shopkeepers.

Similarly, two FIRs were also registered against the massive violations during the said period, she added.

During this period of heightened surveillance, she revealed that the IFA spared no effort in discarding unsafe food items.

A staggering 25 kg of meat, 700.346 liters of beverages, 39.406 kg/L of expired food, 128 liters of rancid oil, 1047.17 kg/L of dairy products, 9.759 kg/L of other food items, and 261 sachets of gutka were among the items disposed of due to safety concerns.

Notably, the authority imposed a complete ban on the sale of Chinese salt, emphasizing its commitment to upholding stringent standards of food safety and hygiene.

Dr. Tahira Saddique reiterated the IFA's dedication to fostering a healthy environment for the citizens of the federal capital.

She emphasized that strict action would be continued against those food outlets who were involved in selling adulterated or unhygienic food items. Safety of citizens was the topmost priority of the IFA and no negligence would be tolerated in this regard, she warned.
Gaza Strip, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Mar, 2024) Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera said Israeli forces had beaten its correspondent Ismail Alghoul following his arrest during a raid on Monday on Gaza's largest hospital.

The Israeli army said it was battling Hamas militants at the Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, where witnesses reported air strikes and tanks near the facility which was crowded with patients and displaced people.

Al Jazeera said late Monday Alghoul had been released.

The correspondent told the network he had been detained for about 12 hours by Israeli forces inside the hospital compound and stripped of his clothes and blindfolded with his hands bound.

Earlier, in a statement to AFP, the network had demanded the release of its correspondent and others detained, saying that Israel was "fully responsible for their safety".

"Ismail Alghoul was arrested this morning inside Al-Shifa hospital along with a number of journalists while covering the Israeli occupation forces' attack on the hospital," Al Jazeera said.

"According to eyewitnesses, Ismail was severely beaten and taken to an unknown location," it added.

A broadcast vehicle with cameras and other equipment was destroyed following the arrests, Al Jazeera added.

The Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment.

An Al Jazeera source, who was not authorised to brief the press and spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that five other people were arrested including Alghoul's camera crew and engineers.

The United States, Israel's close ally, said it had asked the Israeli government for more information.

"We have been very clear that journalists play a vital role and that no journalists should be targeted in order to silence their voices in this conflict or any other," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

Last month the network accused Israel of systematically targeting Al Jazeera employees working in the Gaza Strip.

As of Monday, at least 95 journalists and media workers had been confirmed dead in the Israel-Hamas war, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, citing "preliminary investigations".

Of those 90 were Palestinians, the organisation said.

Two Al Jazeera journalists have been killed in Gaza and its bureau chief Wael al-Dahdouh was wounded.

"The network emphasises that this targeting serves as an intimidation tactic against journalists to deter them from reporting the horrific crimes committed by the (Israeli) occupation forces against innocent civilians in Gaza," Al Jazeera said.

"The targeting of Ismail Alghoul is part of a series of systematic attacks on Al Jazeera by the occupation authorities."

The war was triggered by Hamas's unprecedented attack on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of about 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 31,726 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
(@FahadShabbir)

BEIJING, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Mar, 2024) Pakistan Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi visited Peking University here on Tuesday and held a meeting with President of Peking University, Gong Qihuang.

Ambassador Hashmi paid tribute to the Peking University for its role as an outstanding seat of learning and its rich contribution to the deepening of Pakistan-China relations.

He appreciated the university for hosting Pakistan Studies Center and offering urdu language courses.

Ambassador Hashmi thanked the President for his continued support to Pakistani students and Center for Pakistan Studies in the university.

He underscored the need for initiating students and faculty exchanges and the revival of Pakistan Chair at Peking.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the President of Peking University appreciated the close bond of friendship between the two countries.

He added that Peking University through its Urdu Language Program and Center for Pakistan Studies had an old relationship with Pakistan.

He invited the Ambassador to participate in the Beijing Forum 2024 that was scheduled to be held in November this year.

He also agreed to Ambassador's proposal on exchange programs noting that such initiatives would strengthen the brotherly ties between China and Pakistan.

Later, the Ambassador visited the School of Foreign Languages and Center for Pakistan Studies.

During the visit, he appreciated the role played by the school in the promotion of Urdu language in China. He also discussed the avenues for further enhancing the footprint of Pakistan study Centers in China.

Ambassador Hashmi also interacted with the students and faculty members of Urdu language at the school.

APP/asg
(@FahadShabbir)

Seoul, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Mar, 2024) South Korea has suspended the medical licenses of two doctors, the Korean Medical Association said Tuesday, in the first punitive action over a month-long strike that has caused healthcare chaos.

Thousands of junior doctors stopped working on February 20 to protest government reforms aimed at creating more medics to end shortages and deal with a rapidly aging population, forcing hospitals to cancel crucial treatments and surgeries including chemotherapy and C-sections.

The government has repeatedly urged doctors to return to their patients, warning of legal action for non-compliance, but the standoff has spiraled, with senior doctors now threatening to join their junior colleagues and no serious talks underway.

Two officials from the Korean Medical Association, which has been heavily involved in the walkout, were informed Monday that their licenses had been suspended for three months, purportedly for instigating the strike.

"The two officials, Kim Taek-woo and Park Myung-ha received the notice yesterday," spokesperson Lee Seok-young told AFP.

A health ministry spokesperson told AFP that the government would not confirm the specific administrative actions taken against individual physicians.

The KMA has previously accused the government of using "intimidation tactics" to try to force doctors back to work, and said it was turning the country into a "totalitarian state".

Under South Korean law, doctors are restricted from striking, and the government has requested police investigate people connected to the stoppage, including officials at the KMA.

"The government deeply regrets the current situation where even professors are considering resigning following the footsteps of trainees," second Vice Health Minister Park Min-soo told reporters told reporters Tuesday.

"Once again, the government is willing to talk to the medical community at any time without conditions," he said, although Seoul has emphasised that abandoning the reform plan is not an option.

Seoul is pushing to admit 2,000 more students to medical schools annually from next year to address what it says is one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed nations.

Doctors say they fear the reform will erode the quality of service and medical education, but proponents of the plan accuse them of trying to safeguard their salaries and social status.

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Tuesday said the reforms were necessary, and lamented the fierce opposition from physicians.

"Medical licenses granted to save the lives of the people should not be used as a means of threatening and destabilising the people," Yoon said.

The reforms will "strengthen essential medical care in the (non-capital) regions," he added.

Experts say that one of the South Korean medical system's biggest problems is that many doctors are concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area leading to access issues in rural areas.

Last week, the junior doctors said they had submitted a "letter requesting emergency intervention" from the International Labour Organization (ILO), claiming they were being "forced" by the government into unwanted labour. The government has dismissed the claim.

The reform plan enjoys broad public support, but a new poll by local media found 34 percent of people wanted the government to negotiate to end the standoff.
USM Philosophy and Religion Online Forum to feature Federico Campagna March 22

Tue, 03/19/2024 - 12:25pm | By: David Tisdale

Dr. Federico Campagna, a philosopher, writer, and publisher who teaches at the Royal Academy of London will be the next featured speaker for The University of Southern Mississippis (USM) spring 2024 Philosophy and Religion Online Forum series when he presents Prophetic Culture Friday, March 22 at 12 p.m.

Spring 2024 Philosophy and Religion Online Forum talks are hosted on Zoom; all presentation times are Central Standard Time (CST) and available here; meeting ID: 893 4185 6549; passcode: 194007. The public is invited to log on for this event.

Dr. Campagnas research concerns the theory, politics, and history of world-building. His latest books are Prophetic Culture (Bloomsbury, 2021) and Technic and Magic (Bloomsbury, 2018); his next book will investigate the history of cosmological imagination in the Mediterranean area. An associate fellow at Londons Warburg Institute, he also teaches at Ecole cantonale d'art de Lausanne (ECAL), a university of art and design in Lausanne, Switzerland; is rights director at the UK/US radical publisher Verso; and senior editor at the Italian philosophy publisher Timeo, which he co-founded.

I'm very excited to have Dr. Campagna with us, said Dr. Amy Slagle, coordinator for the forum series. His work, especially his book Technic and Magic: The Reconstruction of Reality, presents a deeply poetic and philosophical analysis of the underpinnings of the ecological, political, and economic crises we currently face. He's a brilliant thinker and I'm sure his presentation will be provocative, leaving the audience with much to ponder.

USMs Philosophy & Religion Online Forum Series presentations are generously supported through the Universitys Fairchild Lecture Funds. For more information about the Spring 2024 Philosophy & Religion Online Forum Series, contact Dr. Amy Slagle.
For the second time, the University of Wyoming has been selected as a host institution for the fall Faculty Enrichment Program (FEP) by the American Councils for International Education, which is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

FEP is a visiting scholars program that was launched in Uzbekistan to advance the pedagogical skills and professional disciplinary expertise of faculty members. While on the UW campus, the two visiting fellows will engage in curriculum development, explore alternative teaching methodologies, expand their knowledge in their fields of study, and gather new teaching materials and resources.

The two UW schools and faculty members who will host the Uzbekistani FEP Fellows are:

-- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Dean John Koprowski and Sara Ghezzi, assistant professor of practice for outdoor recreation and tourism management. They will host Indira Rakhmanova, from the Tourism and Hospitality School.

-- School of Computing, Jeff Hamerlinck, Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center director. He will host Mekhriddin Rakhmanov, a computer science/artificial intelligence professor, from the Tashkent University of Information Technologies.

The visiting fellows will work closely with their UW mentors and will be supported by Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) resources, says Dilnoza Khasilova, UWs SoTL assessment specialist. Originally from Uzbekistan, Khasilova is UWs FEP coordinator.

The program shows UWs strong partnership with the American Councils for International Education and the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan that funds and administers FEP, Khasilova says.

We have incredible faculty who are dedicated and willing to global exchange. Hosting the FEP Fellows or any visiting scholars enriches the campus community by fostering cultural exchange; promoting collaboration and innovation; strengthening global engagement efforts; and enhancing teaching and learning practices, she says. It serves as a valuable opportunity for UW as the host university to contribute to international education initiatives and cultivate a more inclusive and globally minded academic environment.

Specifically, the presence of FEP Fellows on campus enhances UWs global engagement efforts by facilitating international partnerships and exchanges. Hosting the Fellows strengthens educational ties between the U.S. and Uzbekistan, promotes mutual understanding and fosters long-term relationships that benefit both institutions.

Throughout their exchange program, Fellows will observe courses, attend academic conferences and webinars, and work closely with UW faculty mentors across campus. Fellows may be invited to present lectures or co-teach classes at UW. Through structured opportunities to engage with students and faculty, Fellows will significantly enhance their understanding of the U.S. higher education systems.

Khasilova says she is excited about the opportunity to support the FEP Fellows as part of her Ellbogen Center for Teaching and Learning work on engaging in curriculum development and exploring alternative teaching methodologies during the Fellows stay.

Their insights and expertise contribute to the enhancement of teaching and learning practices at UW, enriching the academic experience for students and faculty alike, she adds. They will later present their research and teaching practices with our UW campus community.

She adds that FEP at UW would not be successful without the support and mentorship of last spring's cohort mentors spread across several departments, divisions and schools on campus.

For more information about FEP at UW, email Khasilova at dkhasilo@uwyo.edu.
"I think it was really inspiring just to see the innovative minds at work with the students here," said Karl Hoseth, the principal of a high school from the U.S. state of Washington. Hoseth has been accompanying a group of students from his school during their trip to China.
TALLINN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Estonia's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday declared a member of the Russian embassy staff persona non grata.

The ministry said that it had summoned the Russian charge d'affaires to formally hand in a diplomatic note on the expulsion.

"By expelling the diplomat, we show that Estonia does not allow any activity organized by a foreign country on its territory," said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna.

"The Russian Embassy has illegally interfered in Estonia's internal affairs, more precisely in the judicial process, when it acquired the documents of a criminal case and contributed to their publication on Russian social media," Tsahkna said. However, he didn't offer further details.

In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow would reply appropriately to Estonia's move, according to Sputnik reports.

Estonia and Russia have seen their relations deteriorate after the Russia-Ukraine conflicts broke out. They have lowered their diplomatic relations to the level of charge d'affaires since early 2023. 
Nigerias military on Tuesday said troops have rescued 16 abductees in northwest Kaduna state after exchanging fire with insurgents who attacked a local community on Sunday night  one of two kidnap attacks in the area over the weekend.

According to a military statement posted on X, troops responded to a tip about the operation Sunday night of nonstate armed groups in the Tantatu community in Kajuru district.

The military said the attackers had taken several hostages before they arrived, exchanged fire with them and saved 16 of the abductees.

According to local media reports, 87 people, including women and children, went missing from the Sunday attack  barely 24 hours after gunmen captured 16 people from their homes in Dogon Noma, another community in Kajuru.

The army said troops are still searching the forests for missing people. The latest string of kidnappings in Nigeria in recent weeks is stoking fears of rising insecurity.

Security analyst Chidi Omeje says worsening economic problems and lack of governance in remote areas are to blame.

"These guys are becoming more audacious because they see the window of opportunity, and they're just exploiting it, Omeje said. It's very obvious that the response of the security government and security agencies are not effective enough to contain these infractions. But these are just the symptoms. The real issue here is the growing poverty and despondency in the people."

The deterioration of security in Africa's largest country comes amid a worsening economic crisis.

Kaduna state has been a hot spot of recent incidents. Just over a week ago, 287 school students were abducted in the state, and days later, another 61 residents were also kidnapped.

The latest incidents prompted authorities last week to order the establishment of a mobile police force base in the state.

But security analyst Kabir Adamu said what is needed the most is a change of strategy.

"There are gaps within the security architecture, Adamu said. The farther away you go from the city center, the bigger the gaps. It shows clearly that protection, especially in the rural areas, is almost nonexistent for the dwellers."

Kaduna is home to many military training institutions and installations.

Omeje said authorities need to revise the deployment of police officers to where they're needed the most. He said that there are many ungoverned areas while 60% of the nations police are devoted to VIP protection.

Ten percent or so are in administration in the offices, then you're left with about 30% doing the real policing work, Omeje said. We have to be intentional about going back to the normal internal security structure."

President Bola Tinubu, who is implementing bold economic reforms, vowed last year to address insecurity if he was elected president.

On March 14, 16 soldiers, including high ranking officers, were killed and decapitated in southern Delta state. They were on a mission to quell conflict between two communities in the Bomadi region.

The Nigerian military has launched an investigation.
All About America explores American culture, politics, trends, history, ideals and places of interest. October 2023: A 6-year-old Palestinian American boy named Wadea Al-Fayoume was fatally stabbed 26 times by his mothers landlord in Illinois. The childs accused killer, Joseph Czuba, 71, was charged with murder and a hate crime. November 2023: Three college students were shot in Vermont while speaking Arabic and wearing keffiyehs, traditional Arab scarves. One of them, Palestinian American Hisham Awartani, 20, is now paralyzed. Police charged Jason James Eaton, 48, with three counts of attempted murder. The shootings were investigated as a hate crime. Violent incidents like these prompt Palestinian American Adam Abusalah to think twice about wearing his keffiyeh, which has become a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians. Is it worth it? Abusalah says. I think sometimes when I go to places and it's places that I'm not familiar with, I say, Should I just leave it in the car? Should I not, you know, mention that I'm Palestinian, that I'm Muslim?



Fear of retaliation and reprisals has spread through Arab American and U.S. Muslim communities since the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel and the start of Israels war in Gaza. Some Arab Americans say they havent felt this on edge since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the U.S. more than 20 years ago. It was very similar to 9/11, that sense of anxiety and fear and trepidation, says Diana Abouali, director of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. But sort of on steroids, because now we had social media, and all these things could be expressed, obviously, a lot more publicly. Arab Americans like Samraa Luqman, a community activist from Dearborn, worry about being held accountable for violent incidents occurring overseas, as well as at home in the United States. We're always on edge, Luqman says. We're always afraid. We're always afraid that we're going to be targeted or blamed for another event.

Although the fear of being targeted has been enhanced since October 7, Luqman says it is part of being Arab and Muslim American in the United States, especially since 9/11. And those concerns make it difficult for Luqman to practice her faith as devoutly as she might like. For almost 30 years of my life, I wore the headscarf, and when I moved to another state, I was too afraid to wear it, she says. I actually stopped wearing it. Luqman also recalls a conversation with her boss, who told her she was initially reluctant to hire Luqman. The interviewer ended up being my supervisor, and we became very close, Luqman says. She told me, I didn't want to hire you.  I didn't want no terrorists working with me. Amny Shuraydi, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, has encountered similar sentiments when people express surprise after learning she is Arab American and Muslim. There are instances where people will make comments [like], You're very pleasant to be around. You're very classy, and you have this persona that just doesn't fit, Shuraydi says. And then the question becomes, Well, why do you assume that Arab Americans and Muslims aren't pleasant to be around? Why do you think that I'm an exception and not the rule? There are no recent public FBI statistics regarding hate crimes against Arab and Muslim Americans. However, in his Ramadan message on March 10, President Joe Biden expressed concern about the appalling resurgence of hate and violence toward Muslim Americans. The statement said the Biden administration is developing a strategy to counter bias, discrimination and hate against Muslims, Arab Americans and other marginalized groups. Additionally, both the Council on American Islamic Relations and the Anti-Defamation League, which combats antisemitism, have tracked numerous incidents targeting these communities since October 7.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday that Russia has paid a staggering cost for President Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine, as a U.S.-led group of more than 50 nations met in Germany to coordinate their efforts to support Ukraine.

Ukraine's troops face harsh conditions and hard fighting, and Ukraine's civilians endure a constant barrage of Russian missiles and Iranian drones, Austin said as he opened the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) talks. But Ukraine won't back down, and neither will the United States. So our message today is clear: The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail."

Austin highlighted new aid packages from the Czech Republic, Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden, calling them "investments in Ukraine's just battle against Russian aggression" as well as global security.

"Ukraine's survival is on the line, and all of our security is on the line, Austin said.

While Ukrainian forces have continued to fight back against Russian forces in the east and inflicted considerable damage to Russian forces in the Black Sea, Russia  with the help of North Korea and Iran  has drastically ramped up its defense production capacity, forcing Ukraine to retreat from some battles due to ammunition shortages, according to a senior defense official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity ahead of the UDCG.

Ukraine is heavily outgunned on the battlefield. We've received reports of Ukrainian troops rationing or even running out of ammunition on the front lines, said the official.

The U.S. has contributed about $44 billion in security assistance for Ukraine since Russias invasion in February 2022, with allies and partners also committing more than $44 billion in that time frame.

But the U.S. military has run out of congressionally approved funds for replenishing its weapons stockpiles sent to Ukraine, and leadership in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives has so far refused to bring new aid for Ukraine up for a vote.

Last week, the United States announced its first new round of military aid for Ukraine since late December, in what defense officials have called an ad hoc package made possible through U.S. Army procurement savings.

The military assistance package is valued at up to $300 million and will provide Ukraine with immediate air defense, artillery and anti-tank capabilities, along with more ammunition for HIMARS and 155-mm artillery rounds. But officials say it is unclear if there will be future procurement savings to produce another extraordinary package of aid.

This is not a sustainable solution for Ukraine. We urgently need congressional approval of a national security supplemental, the senior defense official said.

There isn't a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support, the official added.

The emphasis on ammunition and air defense will likely be as strong as ever during this UDCG meeting.

They need interceptors for a whole variety of their air defense systems, and over time, they keep running out as they try to defend against these wave upon wave of attacks that we're seeing from Russia, the senior official said.

Coalition leadership group

To better organize how the UDCG provides Kyiv with military weapons and equipment, the groups members have formed capability coalitions to identify ways to increase Kyivs efficiency and cut costs.

Austin convened a meeting of the leads and co-leads of all the capability coalitions for the first time Tuesday, during a special coalition leadership group session.



Air Force capability is co-led by the United States, Denmark and the Netherlands. The armor capability is co-led by Poland and Italy. The artillery capability is co-led by France and the United States. De-mining is co-led by Lithuania and Iceland. Drone capability is co-led by Latvia and the United Kingdom. Information technology is co-led by Estonia and Luxembourg. Integrated air and missile defense capabilities are co-led by Germany and France, and maritime security is co-led by the United Kingdom and Norway.

Critics like Sean McFate, a professor at Syracuse University and author of The New Rules of War, told VOA the international community is putting its money into expensive military aid that falls short in modern warfare.

It's not conventional warfare that beat back Russia's blitz. It was Ukrainian guerrilla warfare, he said. Ukraine was winning the unconventional fight. But then in fall of 2022, they decided to go conventional against Russia, which was strategically silly.

McFate added that giving Ukraine more conventional war weapons was, in his view, the strategic definition of insanity.

Instead, he said Ukraine and its allies needed to think about unconventional ways where they can leverage their power to defeat Russia, such as guerilla operations and more direct actions deep inside Russia to build upon the Russian populations unfavorable opinions of the war.

Use your conventional forces to hold the line, but don't invest them to create an offensive which requires a lot more resources, McFate told VOA.

M1A1 Abram tanks and F-16 fighter jets  will win tactical victories on the battlefield, but we all know that you can win every battle, yet lose the war, because wars are won on the strategic level, not at the tactical level of warfare, he said.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says the United States remains determined to provide Ukraine with the resources it needs to fight Russian aggression, even as a U.S. Congress has yet to approve new funding for Ukraine.

The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail, and the free world will not let Ukraine fail, Austin said at the start of this months Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Germany.

This is Austins first international trip since he was hospitalized on January 1 due to complications from surgery to treat his prostate cancer in late December. The Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) brings together officials from more than 50 nations to coordinate their Ukraine efforts.

The U.S. has contributed about $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russias invasion in February 2022, with allies and partners also committing more than $44 billion in that time frame.

But the U.S. military has run out of congressionally approved funds for replenishing its weapons stockpiles sent to Ukraine, and leadership in the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives has so far refused to bring new aid for Ukraine up for a vote.

There isn't a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support, according to a senior defense official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity ahead of the UDCG.

Not only is the U.S. military out of funds for Ukraine, the Defense Department has a funding shortfall from its efforts to provide military support to Ukraine that will grow to least $12 billion by the end of the fiscal year without additional funding from Congress, according to officials. The Pentagon previously acknowledged a funding shortfall of about $10 billion for U.S. military weapons needed to replace those already sent to Ukraine.

In addition to the $10 billion shortage for weapons replenishment, U.S. Army Europe and Africa currently has overspent its budget by about $500 million as it continues to pay for the training of Ukrainians and other Ukraine support mission necessities out of pocket, Col. Martin ODonnell, the public affairs director for the Armys forces across those two continents, told VOA.

That shortfall will grow to at least $2 billion by the end of the fiscal year without supplemental funding from Congress, he added.

Ukrainian forces have continued to fight back against Russian forces in the east while inflicting considerable damage to Russian forces in the Black Sea and downing Russian warplanes. However, Moscow with the help of North Korea and Iran  has drastically ramped up its defense production capacity, forcing Ukraine to retreat from some battles due to ammunition shortages, the senior defense official added.

Ukraine is heavily outgunned on the battlefield. We've received reports of Ukrainian troops rationing or even running out of ammunition on the front lines, said the official.

Austin on Tuesday thanked members of the group for digging deeper to get vital security assistance to Ukraine, praising the Czech Republic for recently procuring 800,000 artillery shells for Kyiv. He also highlighted Germany, France, Denmark and Sweden for their new contributions.

Last week, the United States announced its first new round of military aid for Ukraine since late December, in what defense officials called an ad hoc package made possible through U.S. Army procurement savings.

The military assistance package is valued at up to $300 million and will provide Ukraine with immediate air defense, artillery and anti-tank capabilities, along with more ammunition for HIMARS rocket launchers and 155-mm artillery rounds. But officials say it is unclear if there will be future procurement savings to produce another extraordinary package of aid.

This is not a sustainable solution for Ukraine. We urgently need congressional approval of a national security supplemental, the senior defense official said.

The emphasis on ammunition and air defense will likely be as strong as ever during this UDCG meeting. Officials say Ukraines forces need interceptors for a variety of their air defense systems, which they have been running out of as they try to defend against wave upon wave of attacks from Russia.

Coalition leadership group

To better organize how the UDCG provides Kyiv with military weapons and equipment, the groups members have formed capability coalitions to identify ways to increase Kyivs efficiency and cut costs.

Defense officials say Secretary Austin will convene a meeting of the leads and co-leads of all the capability coalitions for the first time on Tuesday during a special coalition leadership group session.

Air Force capability is co-led by the United States, Denmark and the Netherlands. The armor capability is co-led by Poland and Italy. The artillery capability is co-led by France and the United States. De-mining is co-led by Lithuania and Iceland. Drone capability is co-led by Latvia and the United Kingdom. Information technology is co-led by Estonia and Luxembourg. Integrated air and missile defense capabilities are co-led by Germany and France, and maritime security is co-led by the United Kingdom and Norway.

Critics like Sean McFate, a professor at Syracuse University and author of "The New Rules of War," told VOA the international community is putting its money into expensive military aid that falls short in modern warfare.

It's not conventional warfare that beat back Russia's blitz. It was Ukrainian guerrilla warfare, he said. Ukraine was winning the unconventional fight. But then in fall of 2022, they decided to go conventional against Russia, which was strategically silly.

McFate added that giving Ukraine more conventional war weapons was, in his view, the strategic definition of insanity.

Instead, he said Ukraine and its allies needed to think about unconventional ways where they can leverage their power to defeat Russia, such as guerilla operations and more direct actions deep inside Russia to build on the Russian populations unfavorable opinions of the war.

Use your conventional forces to hold the line, but don't invest them to create an offensive which requires a lot more resources, McFate told VOA.

M1A1 Abram tanks and F-16 fighter jets  will win tactical victories on the battlefield, but we all know that you can win every battle, yet lose the war, because wars are won on the strategic level, not at the tactical level of warfare, he said.
President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a White House summit next month amid growing concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, provocative Chinese action in the South China Sea and differences over a Japanese company's plan to buy an iconic American steel company.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement on Monday said the first-ever U.S.-Japan-Philippines leaders' summit is an opportunity to highlight the countries' "growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The three leaders have no shortage of issues to discuss.

The announcement came as North Korea's state media reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a live-fire drill of nuclear-capable "super-large" multiple rocket launchers designed to target South Korea's capital. The North Korean claim followed the South Korean and Japanese militaries reporting on Monday that they had detected North Korea firing multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast, adding to a streak of weapons displays that have raised regional tensions.

The U.S.-Japan relationship is facing a rare moment of friction after Biden announced last week that he opposes the planned sale of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel of Japan. Biden argued in announcing his opposition that the U.S. needs to "maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steelworkers."

Nippon Steel announced in December that it planned to buy U.S. Steel for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security.

Meanwhile, long-running Philippines-Chinese tensions have come back into focus this month after Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided in the disputed South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard ships and accompanying vessels blocked the Philippine coast guard and supply vessels off the disputed Second Thomas Shoal and executed dangerous maneuvers that caused two minor collisions between the Chinese ships and two of the Philippine vessels, Philippine officials said.

A small Philippine marine and navy contingent has kept watch onboard a rusting warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which has been marooned since the late 1990s in the shallows of the Second Thomas Shoal.

China also claims the shoal lying off the western Philippines and has surrounded the atoll with coast guard, navy and other ships to press its claims and prevent Filipino forces from delivering construction materials to fortify the Sierra Madre in a decades-long standoff.

Close U.S.-Philippines relations were not a given when Marcos, the son and namesake of the former Philippines strongman, took office in 2022.

But both Biden and Marcos have thrown much effort into strengthening the historically- complicated relationship between the two countries, with the two leaders sharing concerns about aggressive Chinese action around the region.

A U.S. appeals court in 1996 upheld damages of about $2 billion against the elder Marcos' estate for the torture and killings of thousands of Filipinos. The court upheld a 1994 verdict of a jury in Hawaii, where he fled after being forced from power in 1986. He died there in 1989.

The elder Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, a year before his term was to expire. He padlocked the country's congressional and newspaper offices, ordered the arrest of many political opponents and activists and ruled by decree.

The younger Marcos made an official visit to Washington last year, the first by a Philippine president in more than 10 years. The U.S. made the announcement of Marcos' coming trip to Washington as Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Manilla.

Jean-Pierre said that in addition to the leaders' summit Biden will hold one-on-one talks with Marcos. She said the leaders would discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, human rights and democracy.

Biden is set to honor Kishida a day before the leaders summit with a state visit. The White House announced the state visit in January.
Meetings between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Philippine officials are planned to center around economic cooperation between the two countries and finding ways to maintain peace in the disputed South China Sea, according to a recent State Department briefing.

Blinken is scheduled to arrive in Manila Tuesday for a two-day visit meant to reaffirm Washingtons commitment to the Philippines amid Manilas increasing confrontation with China in the territorially disputed South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. Washington supports the position of the Philippines, its treaty ally.

Blinken will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo on Tuesday, in his second visit to the country since Marcos was elected in 2022.

Unlike his predecessor, Marcos sought a closer alliance with the U.S., ramping up bilateral cooperation.

The broadening and deepening of cooperation in the economic sphere will be high on the agenda, the Philippines foreign ministry said in a statement.

Blinkens visit comes just a week after the first-ever U.S. presidential trade mission in Manila led by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, where she announced plans by U.S. companies to invest more than $1 billion in the Philippines.

No major economic deals are to be signed during the Blinken visit, according to a U.S. government spokesperson.

For President Marcos, managing the tense conflict in the South China Sea will be a priority in the meeting.

All of these discussions are really  as far as the Philippines is concerned  it is concerned with the maintenance of peace in the South China Sea, Marcos said in a joint news conference with Czech President Petr Pavel last week.

The remarks came following the latest high-seas confrontation between Manila and Beijing near the contested Second Thomas Shoal.

On March 5, a Chinese Coast Guard ship and a Chinese militia boat confronted a Philippine supply boat. In the skirmish that followed, the Philippine boat was hit by a Chinese water cannon, shattering its windshield and injuring four Filipino sailors.

While the two countries have been involved in cat-and-mouse games in the past, this was the first time personnel were injured in an incident.

This weeks meetings will be held with an eye not to winning any kind of conflict but really just to maintain the peace and to continue to defend the sovereignty and the sovereign rights of the Philippines, Marcos said.

Trilateral meeting

A trilateral meeting between Blinken, Manalo and Japan Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa was planned for this week but ultimately cancelled, according to Manila officials. Leaders of the three countries may meet next month as part of a standalone summit that observers believe is meant to build deterrence to counter Chinas aggressive actions in the region.

Discussions and preparations for the meeting of U.S. President Joe Biden, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Marcos in April are ongoing, according to a Philippine official, who asked not to be named.

Japan and the Philippines are currently negotiating a reciprocal agreement that would allow troops to be deployed to each others territory, while Manila and Washington have an existing visiting forces agreement.
Qatari officials are cautiously optimistic that Israel and Hamas can reach a new cease-fire in the war in Gaza and the release of more hostages held by the militants, a Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday.

Majed al-Ansari offered the favorable assessment after talks in Doha that included Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea. But Ansari said it was too early to announce any successes.

A six-week truce is being considered. It would be only the second in more than five months of fighting, with the first being a weeklong cease-fire in November. A hiatus in the conflict could lead to the release of about 40 of the remaining 100 or so hostages held by Hamas in exchange for dozens of Palestinians jailed by Israel. It could also have Israel allowing more food and humanitarian aid into Gaza.

One Hamas official said the proposed pact calls for Israeli forces to withdraw from all cities and populated areas. But the details have yet to be resolved, and negotiations could take days or a couple weeks, officials said. The negotiations have already extended for weeks without resolution.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed in recent days to push ahead with a planned attack on Rafah, a town near the Gaza-Egypt border, to root out more Hamas militants.

At the same, the Israeli leader has agreed, at U.S. President Joe Bidens request, to send a delegation to Washington early next week to discuss how Israel might be able to achieve its military aims without a Rafah invasion while ensuring the safety of more than a million Palestinians sheltering in the region.

The war started October 7 with a shock Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to the capture of about 250 hostages. Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, Gaza health officials say. The Israeli military says it has killed thousands of Hamas fighters.

Push by the United States

The Unted States is continuing its efforts to push Israel and Hamas toward a cease-fire.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week for talks focused on a halt in fighting, the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants and planning for a postwar Gaza.

Speaking Tuesday during a visit to the Philippines, Blinken told reporters that arrangements must be in place for governance, security, humanitarian assistance and the redevelopment of Gaza.

Blinken said that the United States has impressed upon Israel the imperative of having a plan and that hope remains for the conflict to end as soon as possible.

Much of Gazas infrastructure and homes have been leveled as Israel pursued its campaign to eliminate any Hamas control in Gaza.

Blinken described what he called the horrific humanitarian situation in Gaza, citing United Nations reports that the entire population needs humanitarian aid.

According to the most respected measure of these things, 100% of the population of Gaza is at severe level of acute food insecurity, Blinken said. Thats the first time an entire population has been so classified.

Blinken expressed support for Israels right to defend itself and ensure another attack like the one in October does not happen again. But he also said it is absolutely incumbent on Israel to prioritize protecting civilians and providing for those who are desperately in need of humanitarian aid.

Blinken blamed Hamas for the situation in Gaza, saying the terror group initiated the attack on Israel and could have stopped the war if it had put down its arms, not hidden behind civilians and released the hostages it is still holding.

At the White House

Biden spoke Monday with Netanyahu for the first time in more than a month, voicing new concerns about Israels conduct of the war and its plan to attack Rafah.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden told the Israeli leader in a phone call, We share the goal of defeating Hamas. We just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen."

Sullivan called Netanyahus plan for a ground offensive smashing into Rafah a mistake, even as vast numbers of Palestinians shelter in the region, many on orders from the Israeli military to abandon their homes in the northern reaches of Gaza.

Israel has promised to move the Palestinians in Rafah for their safety before any attack on the region but has given no public indication of where they would go.

Some material in this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
China has increased efforts to deepen security ties with countries in the Indian Ocean in recent weeks, signing a new security agreement with the Maldives and sending a military delegation to three regional countries earlier this month.

On March 4, the Maldives Ministry of Defense announced that the country had signed a military assistance agreement with China that aims to foster stronger bilateral ties. The ministry didnt elaborate on the details of the agreement.

Chinas Ministry of National Defense also sent a military delegation on a 10-day visit to the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Nepal earlier this month.

According to the ministry, the delegation met with Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and defense officials from all three countries to discuss regional security issues of common concerns, develop bilateral military ties, and promote bilateral defense cooperation.

These developments come as India begins to withdraw around 80 security personnel stationed in the Maldives at Muizzus request. The Indian security personnel were deployed to the archipelago to operate helicopters and other aircraft for surveillance or rescue missions.

It also follows the visit of a Chinese research ship to the Maldives last month. Chinese research vessels increased activities in the Indian Ocean over the last few months have sparked security concerns in India, which worries that Beijing could deploy naval vessels to the region based on insights gained from these activities.

Some analysts say recent developments in the Indian Ocean are part of Chinas long-term efforts to increase its regional security presence. China has been doing so for about 15 years, and its been taking an opportunistic approach to [increase its security presence] in the Indian Ocean, David Brewster, a senior research fellow at the Australian National University, told VOA by phone.

Instead of focusing on cultivating security ties with one specific country, Brewster said China often waits for opportunities to enhance its position in certain countries in the Indian Ocean region.

In the case of the Maldives, China is taking advantage of the fact that the new [Maldives] government under Muizzu came into power last November having taken advantage of the India Out feelings among many people in the country, he said.

Responding to inquiries about the withdrawal of Indian security personnel from Maldives, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on March 12 that China supports the Maldives in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and carrying out friendly cooperation with all sides on the basis of independence.

While the Maldives has increased its exchanges with China under the new government, Brewster said its unclear how substantial the relationship can be. The first steps of military cooperation [between China and the Maldives] is fairly modest and its not clear how the bilateral security relationship is going to develop, he told VOA.

Even so, some experts say India will be concerned about Chinas growing security presence in the Indian Ocean and will try to counter Beijings attempts by expanding its presence or strengthening exchanges with neighboring countries.

If you have a country of China's size, resources, and capabilities making a presence in the Indian Ocean and South Asia, Indias options get constrained, said Harsh Pant, Vice President of Studies and Foreign Policy at the Observer Research Foundation in India.

India has adopted some measures to strengthen its presence and safeguard its interests in the strategically important region, with 80% of global maritime shipments passing through the waters.

Earlier this month, India unveiled a plan to build a new naval base on Minicoy, which is the southernmost island in Indias Lakshadweep archipelago and is close to the Maldives. Pant said New Delhi is also building new facilities in other regional countries such as Mauritius.

India has its approach to managing the security transformation in the region, he told VOA by phone, adding that the efforts include delivering projects in neighboring countries, enhancing Indias capabilities for maritime domain awareness, and leveraging its partnership with like-minded democracies such as the U.S. and Japan.

Brewster in Australia said recent developments are part of the constant jostling for influence between Beijing and New Delhi.

In any given island country [in the region,] its a bit of a pendulum that swings back and forth between Indian and Chinese influence, he told VOA, adding that domestic political changes in regional countries can often create conditions that favor either China or India.

Some analysts say the region will become another area of fierce geopolitical competition between major powers.

China may try to establish more naval bases, tactical air support or logistics reinforcement in the Indian Ocean region over the next decade, Srikanth Kondapalli, a professor of China studies at India's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told VOA by phone.

Kondapalli thinks India and its allies may increase the number of naval vessels in the Indian Ocean and cobble up some naval arrangements with regional countries. We would probably see some low-level skirmish and contestation in the Indian Ocean region in the future, he said.
Chinese regulators will ban the chairman of property giant Evergrande from the securities market for life, a subsidiary of the company said Monday, adding the troubled firm would be slapped with a hefty fine.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) "plans to rule in favor of issuing a lifelong ban from entering the securities market to (chairman) Xu Jiayin", the company's flagship unit Hengda Real Estate said in a filing to the Shenzhen stock exchange.

Evergrande "received an advance notice from the CSRC of administrative penalties and market bans targeting... illegal and illicit behaviors," said the filing.

The company itself will "be ordered to make corrections and be issued with a warning as well as a fine of 4.175 billion yuan ($580 million)."

The ruling will conclude that Xu "made decisions and organized the implementation of financial fraud, using particularly egregious means and under particularly serious circumstances," according to the filing.

He will also "be issued a warning and a fine of 47 million yuan."

Evergrande's astronomical debt has become a potent symbol of a years-long crisis in China's property market  with knock-on effects across the world's second-largest economy.

In January, a Hong Kong court issued a winding-up order for Evergrande, though the firm said its operations in the mainland would be unaffected by the decision.
Caribbean leaders said Tuesday that all groups and political parties except one have submitted nominees for a transitional presidential council charged with selecting an interim prime minister for Haiti, which remains engulfed in gang violence.

The original nine-member council was whittled down to eight members after the Pitit Desalin party, led by former senator and presidential candidate Jean-Charles Moise, declined a seat last week. Moise is allied with Guy Philippe, a former police official and rebel leader who served time in the U.S. after pleading guilty to money laundering.

The Dec. 21 group, which is allied with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, was one of the last holdouts, submitting a name on Monday to the regional trade group known as Caricom. Its nomination had been delayed by infighting as group leaders bickered over potential candidates.

Henry, who remains locked out of Haiti by ongoing gang violence that has closed the main international airport, has promised to resign once the transitional council is created. He was on an official trip to Kenya pushing for the U.N.-backed deployment of a police force from the East African country to fight gangs in Haiti when armed gunmen launched attacks on February 29 in the capital, Port-au-Prince, that are still going on. The Kenyan deployment has been delayed.

Gangs have torched police stations, opened fire on the main international airport and stormed Haiti's two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates. On Monday, they attacked and looted homes in two upscale communities that had previously remained peaceful, killing at least a dozen people during the rampage.

The most recent attacks raised concerns that gang violence would not cease despite Henry announcing nearly a week ago that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created, a move that gangs had been demanding.

The U.N. humanitarian office reports that the situation in Port-au-Prince "remains tense and volatile" with schools, hospitals and government buildings being attacked and many curtailing operations, Haq said.

He added that the health sector continues to struggle given a lack of medical supplies, health care workers and blood.

Also on Monday, Haiti's power company announced that four substations in the capital and elsewhere "were destroyed and rendered completely dysfunctional." As a result, swaths of Port-au-Prince were without power, including the Cite Soleil slum, the Croix-des-Bouquets community and a hospital.

Scores of people have been killed during the attacks, and about 17,000 people have been left homeless, the majority fleeing to Haiti's calmer southern region, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

In addition to selecting an interim prime minister, the council will be responsible for appointing a council of ministers, a provisional electoral council and a national security council. All members of the transitional council also must back the deployment of a foreign armed force.

Those awarded a spot on the council are EDE/RED, a party led by former Prime Minister Claude Joseph; the Montana Accord, a group of civil society leaders, political parties and others; Fanmi Lavalas, the party of former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide; the Jan. 30 Collective, which represents parties including that of former President Michel Martelly; and the private sector.

Of the remaining two nonvoting positions, one would go to a representative of Haiti's civil society and the other to its religious sector.
President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua meets with Serbian Ambassador to China Maja Stefanovic in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua met with Serbian Ambassador to China Maja Stefanovic in Beijing on Tuesday.

Fu said that amid changes in the international landscape and under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Serbia relations have undergone vigorous development.

Xinhua attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with Serbian media outlets and think tanks, Fu said. Xinhua will continue to be a good messenger for the China-Serbia friendship, devote itself to reporting Serbia to a global audience fairly, objectively and comprehensively, and tell the story of the iron-clad friendship between the two peoples, he added.

Noting that friendship and cooperation with China are of vital importance to Serbia, Stefanovic said that Xinhua has long been reporting Serbia to the world in a timely, fair and friendly manner, which Serbia deeply admires. The Serbian Embassy in China will fully support Xinhua in deepening friendly cooperation with Serbian media outlets and think tanks. 
Gambias parliament moved Monday to repeal its ban on female genital mutilation (FGM). The measure would make Gambia the first country to reverse a ban on the cultural and religious practice.

Lawmakers voted 42  4 to send the bill to a committee before returning it to parliament for a third reading.

Amnesty International says passing the bill would set a dangerous precedent for womens rights and tarnish Gambia's human rights record.

Supporters of the bill argue that the ban stops them from practicing a cultural and religious obligation.

The World Health Organization says the practice has no benefit.

"This bill seeks to lift the ban on female circumcision in the Gambia, a practice deeply rooted in the ethnic, traditional, cultural, and religious beliefs of the majority of the Gambian people," said lawmaker Almameh Gibba, who introduced the measure. "The bill seeks to uphold religious plurality and safeguard cultural norms and values."

The plan to change the law has been met with criticism from women, activists and rights groups who say the lifting of the ban will hurt years of progress in protecting and empowering women and girls.

Michele Eken, a senior researcher with Amnesty International's West and Central Africa office, said allowing the practice of FGM back in the Gambian community is dangerous.

"It's disheartening that after such a long fight for women's rights and their advance in 2015 to have a ban against female genital mutilation, we have this huge setback," she said. "It would be completely disastrous for women's rights. It took almost ten years to get the first conviction against female genital mutilation and now we are basically telling young girls that their rights can be easily chipped away."

U.N. data indicates the prevalence of FGM in the West African nation has fallen since former president Yahya Jammeh banned the practice in 2015. It is punishable by up to three years of imprisonment.

Speaking to the local media after the bill was forwarded to a committee, Gibba said he will continue to fight to remove the ban.

"We will make sure that it's about the people," he said. "The bill is about the people for the people, and the people will stay in their processes. When it goes to the national consultation, whatever the determining factor is, we will take it as people decide. So we will not sit in a corner in our comfort zone and we make judgments on our own."

Eken hopes the parliament committee will give victims of FGM the platform to understand why the ban should remain.

"Speak to young girls who went through that and have serious complications, to speak to the family, to the sisters who lost their young ones because they died, they bled to death after female genital mutilation," she said. "I will ask them to be sure to include not only activists that are against female genital mutilation but to talk to women and young girls who suffered because of that."

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says at least 30 million women globally have undergone FGM in the past eight years. For the 1.36 million women and girls in Gambia who face the danger of the practice, their hope lies with the parliamentary committee, which will be tasked with studying the bill before returning it to the parliament for a third reading.
Hong Kong's legislature unanimously  and with surprising speed  approved its own sweeping national security law on Tuesday, strengthening the government's ability to silence dissent.

Hong Kong authorities say the law is needed to protect the city, but critics say its restrictions and vague language could hinder the work of journalists, businesspeople and clergy members.

The Safeguarding National Security Bill was passed Tuesday with a vote of 90-0 by the pro-Beijing chamber less than two weeks after it was presented. The law goes further than a similar bill imposed by China in 2020 in the wake of 2019 pro-democracy protests. That law has been used to arrest, jail and try hundreds of pro-democracy activists, stifling the city's once vibrant civil society.

In late January, Chief Executive John Lee announced that the legislature would create the new law as required by Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law, the mini constitution that took effect when Britain handed the city back to China in 1997.

Lee hailed its speedy passage Tuesday, calling it "a historic moment for Hong Kong," adding that it will keep the city safe against "potential sabotage" and "undercurrents that try to create troubles." It goes into effect on Saturday, March 23.

The new law covers treason, insurrection, espionage, theft of state secrets, foreign influence and interference, and sabotage, including the use of computers and electronic systems to conduct acts that endanger national security. Anyone convicted under the new law could face prison terms ranging from several years to life.

The language outlining crimes such as espionage or theft of state secrets is vague, leaving open the possibility that individuals could inadvertently break the law. Critics say the law could make it more difficult for companies to operate in the city because businesses would have to make sure that all documents and information shared by employees do not break the new law.

Journalists, businesspeople and other stakeholders could be held accountable for handling documents or other confidential information.

Additionally, those who witness others breaking the new law are required to report them to authorities. The law could punish priests who hear confessions about national security offenses and don't report them, according to a government adviser.

An amendment to the law last week allows for new offenses to be created by Lee and his Cabinet to account for "unforeseen circumstances." The new offenses would be punishable by up to seven years in prison.

Reaction to passage of the law was quick, with the United States, Britain and the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights all voicing concerns.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk condemned both the swiftness with which the law was passed and the ambiguity of its language.

"This ambiguity is deeply troubling, given its potential misuse and arbitrary application, including to target dissenting voices, journalists, researchers, civil society actors and human rights defenders," he said.

At a regular briefing on Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said passage of the law could accelerate the closing of a once open society. Deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel added that Washington is analyzing the potential impact of the law on U.S. citizens and American interests.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the law would have "far-reaching implications" for Hong Kong's reputation as an international city that respects the rule of law, the independence of its institutions and citizens' freedoms.

The law, passed by a stacked pro-Beijing legislature facilitated by China, has been condemned by human rights advocates and international stakeholders as well.

Maya Wang, acting China director at Human Rights Watch, said it will "usher Hong Kong into a new era of authoritarianism," and that "even possessing a book critical of the Chinese government can violate national security and mean years in prison in Hong Kong."

Kam-lung Yip is a pro-democracy activist. "This is a complete farce," he said. "They pulled out all the stops to try to pass the bill from the first day it was introduced. They just went through the legislation procedure like it's a rubber stamp. There was no involvement of what the Hong Kong people think but only what the Chinese Communist Party thinks. The legislation will send Hong Kong into an irreparable abyss!"

Yip is also a former district councilor for Hong Kong's Shek Tong Tsui constituency of Hong Kong's Central and Western District Council and co-founder of Island West Dynamic Movement. He is now a researcher at the University of Tokyo.

He said the passage of the bill is based on the disregard of rule of law.

"It usually takes three months for the passage of a draft bill, but this time it's shortened to about one month. And due to the enactment of National Security Law in Hong Kong, people are too afraid to speak out against it; no one would object," he said.

A letter written by U.S. lawmakers to Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said the law "will only make Hong Kong less safe for U.S. businesses and citizens living in Hong Kong as well as Hong Kongers seeking to exercise their fundamental freedoms."

Ross Feingold is the director of business development at Caerus Consulting. Taiwan-based Feingold said that the legislation is targeted at the Hong Kong people, and that it won't be the direct reason for the foreign businesses to withdraw from Hong Kong.

"For [foreign] companies, they have been used to Hong Kong's national security laws for three years," he told VOA. "Moreover, many multinational corporations have been doing business in the mainland for a long time. They are used to the fact that China is not a Western society and will be more cautious in criticizing the government and discussing public affairs, so I don't think they will leave Hong Kong because of this legislation. They come to China and Hong Kong to do business, not to fight for democracy."

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, made up of global legislators, has called the law the "most repressive national security legislation" in Hong Kong's history.

VOA's Mandarin Service contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
A federal immigration judge granted asylum on Monday to a Mexican journalist who fled his country more than 15 years ago after receiving death threats because of his reporting on Mexican military corruption.

Emilio Gutierrez Soto and his son, Oscar Gutierrez Soto, officially received asylum papers from U.S. Immigration Judge Nathan L. Herbert of El Paso, Texas. Now they can both apply for permanent U.S. legal residency, also known as a green card.

The 60-year-old journalist fled with his son to the U.S.-Mexico border in 2008 seeking asylum in the United States.

According to the Texas news outlet El Pass Matters, the journalist, following the announcement, turned toward a group of friends and family and raised his arms in victory. The group, who supported the father and son through the challenges of asylum denials and delays, cheered.

Emily Wilkins, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the National Press Clubs Journalism Institute, said in a joint statement that the granting of asylum came about through the extraordinary efforts of nearly 20 other press organizations that supported Gutierrez Soto.

And in that truth there is some sadness, because for every Emilio Gutierrez Soto there are thousands of others who do not receive [the] support, encouragement, luck, and resources that carry forward to freedom, they said.

Press freedom advocates and First Amendment lawyers say Gutierrez Soto's journey offers a case study in how press freedom cases are often overlooked as a priority in the United States. And, they say, better protections are needed for at-risk journalists who come to the U.S. for safety reasons.

Gutierrez Soto's case

At the time he fled Mexico, Gutierrez Soto had been writing articles about how military forces were robbing and extorting people in Chihuahua, which borders New Mexico and part of Texas.

Gutierrez Soto said he received death threats because of those articles and feared being targeted if he stayed in Mexico.

Press freedom advocates involved in Gutierrez Soto's case have said they want immigration judges to be trained in specific subject areas so that they can process immigration cases faster.

Another way they said to support at-risk journalists is by advocating for a special visa for human rights workers and journalists.

In its 2023 annual World Press Freedom Index, RSF ranked Mexico 128 out of 180 countries, in which one is considered the freest. The United States was ranked 45.
Forced labor generates $236 billion a year in illegal profits, a dramatic increase of $64 billion since 2014, a new study by the International Labor Organization reported on Tuesday.

The study said the increase is due to a growing population of people forced into labor and the correlation between higher levels of exploitation and higher profits. Traffickers and criminals who use forced labor can generate around $10,000 per victim.

The most prevalent use of forced labor is commercial sexual exploitation, the study found. While accounting for 27% of the total number of forced labor victims, forced sexual exploitation accounts for 73% of total illegal profits. Nearly four in five of those victims were girls or women, the United Nations labor agency said, with children accounting for over a quarter of total cases.

The International Labor Organization, or ILO, reported that approximately 85% of those affected by forced labor were engaged in "privately imposed forced labor," encompassing practices such as slavery, serfdom, bonded labor and certain forms of begging in which the proceeds benefit someone else. The rest were in forced labor imposed by government authorities, such as prison labor, which was not included in the ILO study due to limited data.

"The ILO certainly decries instances of state-imposed forced labor wherever they occur, whether that's in prison systems or the abuse of military conscription or other forms or manifestations of state and post forced labor," said Scott Lyon, an ILO senior policy officer.

While the European Union's parliament is close to enacting rules to combat forced labor, the global community is not close to accomplishing the U.N. goals to eradicate forced labor by 2030.

ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo urged international cooperation to deal with the pressing issue.

"People in forced labor are subject to multiple forms of coercion, the deliberate and systematic withholding of wages being amongst the most common," he said in a statement. "Forced labor perpetuates cycles of poverty and exploitation and strikes at the heart of human dignity.

"We now know that the situation has only got worse," Houngbo said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
An annual university report said although Australia's environmental scorecard deteriorated in 2023, the nation fared better than many other countries.

While 2023 was the hottest year on record globally, for Australia it was the eighth hottest year because of wet and relatively mild conditions.

The research is carried out each year by the Australia National University, or ANU, and is contained in the Australian Environment 2023 Report.

Researchers use scientific information to give Australia a score out of 10. In 2023, it was 7.5, down from 8.7 the previous year.

The decline was mostly due to reduced rainfall compared to 2022. They stress that the report card is not a reflection of the Canberra governments policies, but a general assessment of the health of the environment.

Information about the weather data is used alongside satellite data on threatened species, biodiversity and water flows to calculate the annual score.

Australias biodiversity took a significant hit last year, according to the study. It states that a record 130 species were added to the Threatened Species List, compared with the average of 29 species added annually.

The university survey details how Australia's population grew rapidly last year by 3.5%, its fastest growth in decades.

The study revealed that Australians are the worlds 10th worst greenhouse gas emitters per person, just after Saudi Arabia.

Professor Albert Van Dijk from the Australian National University's Fenner School of Environment told VOA the country's greenhouse gas emissions increased for the first time in five years - mainly because domestic air travel picked up after COVID.

While our emissions per person are very slowly going down - a lot more slowly than in most, you know, industrialized countries, but they are going down slowly - but our population is growing so fast," he said. "It is growing faster than our emissions are going down. So, you know, we are not achieving the emissions reductions as a country that we need to achieve.

Overall, the annual ANU report states that Australia is the worlds 15th largest emitter of greenhouse gases, contributing 1% of global emissions.

Van Dijk believes as a wealthy nation, Australia should be doing more to combat the impact of climate change.

If you look at the uptake of electric vehicles, if you look at the use of renewables, we are still a laggard internationally," he said. "We have got the 10th highest emissions per person globally; three times the global average, two times the average Chinese person."

He said countries like the United Kingdom are doing more to reduce the emission per person.

"Australia needs to really step up its game. I think we should be very worried about the state of the environment globally, and especially about climate change."

Australias government has for the first time legislated a target to cut carbon emissions by 43% from 2005 levels by 2030 and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.


A report by the World Meteorological Organization presents an ominous picture of what lies ahead for planet Earth if urgent action is not taken to stop what appears to be an inevitable march toward climate change.

According to the WMO's State of Global Climate report, 2023 was the hottest year on record, "with the global average near-surface temperature at 1.45 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline."

"Never have we been so close  albeit on a temporary basis at the moment  to the 1.5 degrees Celsius lower limit of the Paris Agreement on climate change," WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said on Tuesday.

Global warming is caused by the emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Scientists say that is happening at a faster rate than ever before.

The WMO reports that carbon dioxide levels are 50% higher now than the preindustrial era, "trapping heat in the atmosphere."

Because of the long lifetime of CO2, it says, "temperatures will continue to rise for many years to come."

"This annual report shows that the climate crisis is the defining challenge that humanity faces," Saulo said. "It is closely intertwined with an inequality crisis  as witnessed by growing food insecurity and population displacement, and biodiversity loss.

"It is an existential threat to vulnerable populations everywhere," she said, noting that last year smashed several records  none of them good.

"Climate change is about much more than temperatures," she said. "What we witnessed in 2023, especially with the unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea ice loss, is cause for particular concern."

"As Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, I am now sounding the red alert about the state of the climate," she said.

Saulo's warning was echoed by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who told journalists in Geneva by video link from New York that the Earth was issuing a "distress call."

"Fossil fuel pollution is sending climate chaos off the charts.  Last year saw record heat, record sea levels, and record ocean surface temperatures. Glaciers likely lost more ice than ever before.

"Some records are not just chart-topping, they are chartbusting. And changes are speeding up," he said.

Warmest decade on record

Not only did 2023 smash the all-time yearly heat record, 2023 also marked the end of the warmest decade on record.

"This demonstrates the acceleration and the continuation of the warming," said Omar Baddour, WMO chief of climate monitoring. "As the global climate warms, the ocean also warms, and last year, we also had the melting of the ice sheets. All this contributes to sea-level rise, which has more than doubled" since satellite records began in 1993.

The WMO report cites several key indicators as evidence that climate change is happening. Data analysis shows that ocean heat content reached its highest level in 2023, which means that warming is expected to continue  a change that is irreversible on scales of hundreds to thousands of years.

The report says Antarctic sea-ice extent "reached an absolute record low for the satellite era in February 2023" and Arctic sea-ice extent "remained well below normal."

Preliminary data indicate that glaciers suffered the largest loss of ice on record last year. "These are the water towers of the world," said WMO chief Saulo. "They are our freshwater reservoirs."

The most visible evidence of climate change is the extreme weather events occurring around the world, including major floods, tropical cyclones, extreme heat and drought, and associated wildfires.

The authors of the report say those events have "caused misery and mayhem, upending everyday life for millions and inflicting many billions of dollars in economic losses."

They note that weather hazards continued to trigger displacement in 2023, "showing how climate shocks undermine resilience and create new protection risks among the most vulnerable populations."

Saulo said the report confirms what scientists have known about climate change for more than five decades "and yet we missed an entire generation of opportunity."

"It is imperative that our actions today are based on the welfare of future generations rather than short-term economic interests."

'A glimmer of hope'

Despite the findings, "there is a glimmer of hope" that action needed to stem climate change is happening, said Saulo.

"Renewable energy is surging. In 2023, clean capacity has increased by almost 50% over 2022," she said. "Weather and climate services will be vital to power the transition to solar, wind and hydropower."

The WMO chief said that early warnings against tropical cyclones saved countless lives last year and yet fewer than half of all countries have proper early warning services.

"This means people are on their own and unprotected," she said. "We want to change that. Early warnings work, but they must work for everyone."

She said the WMO is also joining with partners and multilateral development banks to increase the flow of climate financing for mitigation and adaptation.

"Funding is on the increase but needs to be accelerated," she said. "The cost of climate action may seem high, but the cost of climate inaction is much higher."
The Somali government says that a new military operation against al-Shabab killed nearly 40 militants in Lower Shabelle region.

In a statement by the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, the government said the operation was conducted by the Somali National Army and international partners, a reference to the involvement of airstrikes by the countries supporting Somali forces.

The operation took place in the villages of Baldooska and Baghdad, approximately 30 kilometers north of Mogadishu. The statement did not specify when the operation took place, but local sources said it occurred Monday evening.

The operation came after government troops received information that militants have been mobilizing in the area to conduct attacks against the public, the statement said.

Al-Shabab affiliated media also reported on the strikes. One al-Shabab website claimed the strike in Baghdad village killed 18 civilians, including seven children. Al-Shabab media also published purported pictures of the dead allegedly killed in the strike. VOA could not independently verify claims about casualties by the two sides.

Contacted by VOA Somali, Deputy Information Minister Abdirahman Yusuf al-Adala said the government is checking reports of civilian casualties.

A Somali regional official who could not be identified because he is not allowed to speak to the media told VOA Somali that both ground and air operations targeting al-Shabab have been taking place in the area since Monday.

Turkey and the United States have been conducting airstrikes against al-Shabab militants. A spokesperson for AFRICOM Kelly Cahalan told VOA that the United States did not conduct the latest strike in Somalia. The last strike conducted by USAFRICOM was on March 10, Cahalan added. Without providing proof, al-Shabab's media alleged a Turkish drone was behind the strike in Baghdad.
Taiwan on Tuesday protested China's boarding of a tourist boat, as tensions rise around the Kinmen archipelago, which lies a short distance off China's coast but is controlled by Taiwan.

Taiwanese media reported the King Xia, carrying 11 crew and 23 passengers, was boarded by the Chinese coast guard for about 32 minutes on Monday. Taiwan's coast guard escorted the boat back to Kinmen, and it then continued its sight-seeing voyage.

Ocean Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling told journalists at the legislature on Tuesday that the incident "hurt the feelings of our people, created panic among the people, and was not in the interest of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," referring to the 160 kilometer- (100 mile)-wide waterway that separates mainland China from Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own territory.

Premier Chen Chien-jen said Taiwan was seeking to lower tensions in the area, which have escalated as China increased military activities following Taiwan's election of an independence-leading president in January.

"We hope that this matter can be resolved properly," Chen said. "We hope that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will adopt a rational, reciprocal, and cooperative approach to maintain the security of the waters between Kinmen and (the Chinese port city of) Xiamen and allow people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to communicate in a more healthy and orderly manner."

China is stepping up patrols in the waters off the coast of Kinmen and its associated islands, days after two Chinese fishermen drowned while being chased by the Taiwanese coast guard, which accused the boat of trespassing.

Taiwan's coast guard said a boat carrying four people was fishing about one nautical mile away from Kinmen, which Taiwan has claimed as a restricted area largely for military purposes and capsized during a chase. Relatives of the deceased arrived on Kinmen to preside at traditional funeral services and to bring their cremated remains home. The two survivors were also sent back to mainland China, according to Taiwan's official Central News Agency.

China blamed Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party for the fishermen's deaths. It also said that there was no such thing as "restricted" waters.

A spokesperson for the Chinese coast guard said Sunday that its Fujian division will regularly monitor the waters off the southern coast of Xiamen  within view of Kinmen  to strengthen maritime law enforcement.

China's Foreign Ministry declined to answer questions on the matter, saying it was not a "diplomatic issue," in a reflection of Beijing's refusal to recognize Taiwan as a independent political identity with its own legitimate governing organs.

Fishermen from both Taiwan and China regularly sail that stretch of water, which has seen a rise in tensions as the number of Chinese vessels  including sand dredgers and fishing boats  have notably increased in the area.

Kinmen residents have complained of both the noise and sound pollution from the vessels, as well as losses to their livelihood in fishing.

Taiwan split from China during the 1949 civil war, but Beijing continues to regard the island of 23 million and its outlying islands as Chinese territory and has been ramping up its threat to achieve that by military force if necessary.

In addition to piling diplomatic, political and military pressure on Taiwan, China is seen as seeking to bring Kinmen into its orbit, along with Taiwan-controlled island group of Matsu, which lies off the Chinese coast to the north. Taiwanese forces based in the area have fired at drones sent over from the mainland in what is seen as a hybrid civilian-military effort to sow fear and undermine support for Taiwan's government.

China regularly sends warplanes and navy ships into areas surrounding the island. In the 24 hours leading up to 6 a.m. on Tuesday, 24 military aircraft and eight ships were detected operating around the island, Taiwan's Defense Ministry reported, adding that 11 of the planes crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait. It said Taiwan scrambled jets, dispatched ships and put land-based missile defenses on alert, all standard responses to what has become a near-daily show of force between the sides.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill March 13 that, if enacted into law, would give ByteDance, the Chinese owner of the TikTok social media app, 180 days to divest its U.S. assets or face a ban over concerns about national security, including Beijing's ability to access Americans' private information through the company

ByteDance denies it would provide such private data to the Chinese government, despite reports indicating such information could be at risk.

VOA sat down on the day the bill passed with Republican Representative Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on state, foreign operations and related programs, and co-chair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, to hear why he supported the bill and why he's calling for faster military support for Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as a breakaway province that must one day reunite with the mainland, by force if necessary.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Congress' enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, which outlines nondiplomatic relations between Washington and Taipei in the wake of formal U.S. recognition of Beijing as the government of China. The act states that the U.S. must provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

VOA: The House just passed a bill that would require ByteDance to divest TikTok. Did you support this bill?

U.S. Representative Mario Diaz-Balart: I absolutely did.  It has strong bipartisan support. And there's also been a lot of misinformation about it. People say that it's to ban TikTok. No, it's basically saying you have to divest from, in essence, being controlled by the Communist Party of China.

We would have never allowed, during the Soviet empire, the Soviet Union to control, to own, one of the major networks in the United States - ABC, NBC, CBS. Why? Because it's a threat to national security. In this case, it's even more dramatic because they [the Chinese] have access not only to getting into people's homes, but to actually get information from the American people. And they've been pretty good and very aggressive at doing that. And so TikTok needs to be divested. That's the least that we should be requiring, and if so, then they can continue to function. But we cannot allow for this to function, getting information from the American people to an entity that is in essence a subsidiary of the Communist Party of China.

VOA: It is a consensus in Washington that if China invaded Taiwan, it would trigger a domino effect that could be catastrophic for the U.S. What are the most important actions the U.S. can take right now to prevent that from happening?

Diaz-Balart: The key is to avoid China doing something stupid, to avoid China being irresponsible in trying to intervene militarily with Taiwan.  And the way to do that is to make sure that Taiwan has the weaponry, everything it needs, so that China understands that trying to invade Taiwan is a very, very bad proposition.

VOA: The Biden administration last month approved a package of military equipment sales to Taiwan. Some analysts are worried this may not be sufficient to counter China's aggression in the region. Do you think military sales to Taiwan are sufficient?

Diaz-Balart: I think military sales to Taiwan have to be done quicker. We have to be more aggressive  not only, obviously, directly, to help send the weaponry, sell the weaponry, and send the weaponry to Taiwan, but we also have to keep up with our defense spending domestically to keep the military industrial base alive and, well, with what we've seen, for example, going on Ukraine, [that] has demonstrated that we're not where we need to be as far as our industrial base.

VOA: You visited Taiwan in January right after its election. What is your key takeaway from that trip?

Diaz-Balart: Taiwan is a very vigorous democracy. The press is very aggressive. That's a good thing. ... We made a point of obviously visiting with the president and the vice president-elect, also with the outgoing president. But we also met with the leadership of the other two parties, because it's important to demonstrate that we cherish and that we love democracy and freedom. Taiwan is a beacon of freedom and democracy.

VOA: It is the bipartisan consensus to see China as one of the biggest geopolitical challenges for the U.S. in the coming decades. What should be the top priority the U.S. should tackle right now with China?

Diaz-Balart: We have to be a little bit more serious about understanding that China is a very dangerous player in the world. It is the largest fascist dictatorship on the planet, and the wealthiest fascist dictatorship on the planet. It has very ambitious goals. It has, you know, we see the cyberattacks that have taken place in this country that we know have come from Communist China. We also know that there have been thousands upon thousands of men, military-age males, coming from China across the southern border, which should frankly frighten all of us. 

That means utilizing every diplomatic and economic tool at our disposal to treat China as what it is: a growing threat to the United States and to the world. And you see, for example, in the region, how countries are very concerned about China's aggressiveness, whether it's the Philippines or India or even Vietnam. So there's a growing concern in the world about this aggressive attitude of China. But we need to take real steps to confront that in a way to avoid war.

VOA: You're also the chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee on state, foreign operations and related programs. What kind of role would you like to see U.S. international broadcasting agencies like Voice of America play in countering Chinese Communist Party propaganda?

Diaz-Balart: The Voice of America has been a key player for decades in that cause of freedom and in getting real news, real information to people who don't have access to it because of censorship. And so I've always been a strong supporter of it because of that. I think information is key. The first thing that happens in a dictatorship is that they close the ability for people to get real information, to get real news. And if we can be helpful to have people around the world get real information, real news, not only about what happens around the world but also what even happens in their own country, I think that is a service to humanity.

Adrianna Zhang contributed to this report.
Turkey says it is preparing to bring its first nuclear power plant online this year. Its a Russian-built reactor and there are already plans for construction of a second plant with the assistance of Russia. As Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul, Turkey may also turn to China to build a third nuclear facility.
President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua meets with Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua met with Russian Ambassador to China Igor Morgulov in Beijing on Tuesday.

Fu said that under the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Russia relations have continued to develop at a high level and set an example of a new model of major-country relations.

Fu said Xinhua is willing to further expand exchanges with Russian media and think tanks, strengthen cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as the BRICS Media Forum, and make positive contributions to the sustained, healthy, stable and in-depth development of China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era.

Morgulov said that the Russian and Chinese people hold profound friendly feelings toward each other and there is broad space for cooperation between the two countries' media. The Russian Embassy in China will continue to actively promote the exchanges of Russian media and think tanks with Xinhua, he added. 
Jung Pak, the U.S. Senior Official for the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, told VOA on Monday that there have been at least 10 instances where North Korean missiles have been used on the battlefield in Ukraine. Pak told VOA's Nike Ching that the U.S. still assesses North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not currently planning an imminent attack on Washingtons allies, South Korea and Japan.
The United States disclosed Monday that North Korea has dispatched at least 10,000 containers loaded with military munitions to Russia in support of its war in Ukraine. This number surpasses the 7,000 containers estimated by the South Korean defense chief earlier in the day.

Jung Pak, the U.S. Senior Official for the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), told VOA on Monday that there have been at least 10 instances where North Korean missiles have been used on the battlefield in Ukraine.

She expressed deep concern about the increasing ties between Russia, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and the DPRK.

Earlier on Monday, North Korea launched several ballistic missiles into the sea for the first time in two months, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Seoul for the Summit for Democracy hosted by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Despite these "unfortunate" and "concerning" developments, Pak told VOA the U.S. still assesses North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is not currently planning an imminent attack on Washingtons allies, South Korea and Japan.

The following has been edited for brevity and clarity.

VOA: North Korea has fired several ballistic missiles at a time when South Korea is hosting the Summit for Democracy, and a few days after the U.S. and South Korea finished their military exercises. Do you still believe that a direct attack from North Korea against Japan and South Korea is not imminent?

Jung Pak, U.S. Senior Official for the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea: I still do. Ballistic missile launches are something that the DPRK has been doing: 69 in 2022, several dozen last year. And this is their latest set of launches. And it was unfortunate that they did it when the secretary was in Seoul for the Summit for Democracy.

We still assess that DPRKs leader, Kim Jong Un, is not looking at an imminent attack or near-term attack. I think Kim Jong Un probably knows what that would likely mean in response. But we are very concerned about the level of activity, weapons advancements, and the increasing alignment with Russia over the past couple of years.

VOA: Just to clarify, does the U.S. not see any signs of North Korea planning some form of lethal military action against South Korea in the coming months?

Pak: We're always on the lookout for any kind of dangerous activities. But I'll also point out that these ballistic missile tests, various cruise missile tests, and this hostile rhetoric coming out of the DPRK, are of great concern to us. Regardless, we're going to keep trying to see where we can engage with the DPRK, because diplomacy is the only way that we can get a sustained peace on the peninsula and discuss the issue of denuclearization.

VOA: Also on Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin for his reelection. Meanwhile, South Koreas defense chief says North Korea has supplied 7,000 containers filled with munitions to Russia. Can you talk about the closer ties between Moscow and Pyongyang?

Pak: It's been a very concerning development to have a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council openly flout the Security Council resolutions that it signed up to, along with the rest of the international community, and that they're engaging in weapons transfers. We know that there have been at least 10,000 containers that have gone from DPRK to Russia. And DPRK is not doing this for free. There are almost certainly things that DPRK wants in return. And we're concerned about what might be going to the other side.

We also worry about what the DPRK could be learning from Russia's use of these weapons and ballistic missiles on the battlefield, and how that might embolden and/or help the DPRK even further advance their weapons program. So, this is a really dangerous time.

VOA: Does the U.S. see new evidence that more ballistic missiles provided by North Korea to Russia have been fired at targets in Ukraine since 2024?

Pak: Yes, this is of course concerning to us, that we have a known proliferator in the DPRK selling weapons to Russia, and to be able to conduct their unlawful brutal attack on Ukraine, killing Ukrainian people, destroying Ukraine infrastructure, and just destroying lives. And so, we're very much concerned about that.

There have been at least 10 instances where the DPRK missiles have been used on the battlefield. So, we're absolutely concerned about what that means for proliferation going forward, and how this exacerbates the situation.

VOA: Does the U.S. see further evidence that Russia has agreed to and is helping North Korea with nuclear-capable missiles?

Pak: We think the DPRK is probably looking for ballistic missile technologies, or other advanced technologies, or surface-to-air missiles, or armored vehicles. We've observed a significant increase in exchanges across military, leadership, economic, and cultural levels. So, it's pretty apparent that the two sides are getting closer and closer together.

VOA: You have said there would have to be interim steps toward ultimate denuclearization. Can you please elaborate on that? Is having interim steps to denuclearizing North Korea an official U.S. government policy?

Pak: Our policy is the same since we rolled out our policy review back in the spring of 2021, which is that we are absolutely looking for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. And so that goal has not wavered for us at all.

When we talk about interim steps, we're making explicit what has always been implicit: which is a complete denuclearization will not occur overnight. So, there are valuable discussions that we can have with the DPRK on reducing the potential for military risk, and other substantive discussions as we work toward complete denuclearization.

VOA: Isnt it a departure from seeking complete denuclearization?

Pak: It is not a departure. As I mentioned, this is not something that's going to happen overnight. There are going to have to be substantial discussions that will need to take place.
In November, veteran journalist, fixer and translator Mohammed Dawwas died in Gaza after fleeing fighting. Mohammed, who had suffered a stroke, lost access to medical care because of the Israel-Hamas war. Following is a tribute to his life and his work with VOA and other news agencies.

Entering the Gaza Strip in the years after Hamas took control of the tiny Palestinian enclave in 2007 was harrowing, says veteran VOA journalist Luis Ramirez.

After being cleared by Israeli security, Ramirez would head down a gravel path, loaded with luggage and journalism gear, including body armor. Israeli soldiers watched from behind as he walked through the abandoned battle zone, a no man's land between Israel and Gaza.

Ahead of him, Hamas soldiers watched his slow approach to their checkpoint.

"There was this roughly one kilometer of just utter devastation on either side," Ramirez said. "It certainly made for a very sinister prelude to what one was about to see in Gaza."

After leaving the Hamas checkpoint, Ramirez went to a parking lot behind a chain-link fence, where families waited for friends or loved ones coming from the other side of the border.

Local journalists, known as "fixers," would wait for foreign colleagues. Among them, Mohammed Dawwas.

A well-known journalist, Mohammed worked for several major news outlets, including VOA, the BBC, The Independent, Der Spiegel, La Repubblica and The Sunday Times.

"Once I spotted him, I knew everything was going to be OK, in a place that was not OK," Ramirez said.

Life in Gaza

A life in journalism began by chance for Mohammed, according to his daughter, Yasmin Dawwas. The 32-year-old doctor has spent recent months helping surviving family members escape Gaza.

In the late 1980s, Mohammed was at a university in the United States, his daughter says, and he bought a return ticket to visit his parents. But when he got to Gaza, he found his mother was ill. So he stayed.

"One thing led to another," said Yasmin. "He got married to my mother and then he started his working as a journalist."

Mohammed's career took off around the time of the first Oslo Accord, a milestone interim peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians in 1993, which calmed hostilities for a brief time and brought a flood of foreign journalists and international interest to Gaza.

Mohammed spoke English fluently, and he went to work telling the story of the people of Gaza, beyond the headlines generated by politicians and militant leaders.

He really wanted to play a part in reporting the suffering and trying to break the stereotyping of people in Gaza.

"He didn't feel that enough reporting was done from Gaza internationally," Yasmin said. "And he really wanted to play a part in reporting the suffering and trying to break the stereotyping of people in Gaza."

In 2007, fighting broke out between rival political parties Fatah and Hamas, after Hamas won the Palestinian parliamentary elections. When Hamas  considered a terrorist organization by both Israel and Egypt  also won the physical fight, the borders were closed on both sides, devastating the local economy.

By the end of 2008, Hamas fired rockets into a nearby Israeli town, and Israeli bombs sailed into the strip, beginning the first of several bloody conflicts. Roughly 3,400 Palestinians and 80 Israelis were killed in the decade that followed.

During that time, Mohammed was on the ground, documenting the conflicts with the foreign press and keeping records of life in the war zone. He became well-known among journalists for having contacts with all the parties involved. He had sources in hospitals and ministries, with local military officials and among the civilian population.

He worked with VOA's Ramirez, and other foreign correspondents, including Scott Bobb.

Recalling Mohammed, Bobb said: "What struck me was how thorough he was. He was well prepared, and he always delivered."

Mohammed took Bobb to often unseen parts of Gaza, such as the entrances to the enclave's famed tunnels. These range from ventilated concrete-walled passageways that are kilometers long and dozens of meters deep and can hide the movements of military groups, to 2-meter-wide dirt tunnels.

"Normally you were not allowed to access those as a foreigner or a journalist," said Bobb. "He got me in because he knew when the Hamas guards, or whatever they were, took their break. And so, we went in, and we did the interview and shot the footage and got out before they came back."

The Now War

For many people in Gaza, the war that began October 7, 2023, has been the hardest part of a lifetime of struggle.

Mohammed was already in poor health from an earlier stroke. Shortly after the Hamas assault on Israel that began this conflict, he had a second stroke. About a week later, the Israeli army told civilians to flee northern Gaza. Mohammed couldn't walk, but the family made their way south, leaving behind the specialized equipment needed for his care.

At first they stayed in the home of relatives. But a month or two later, that area was evacuated as Israeli forces moved in.

It was after the second move that Mohammed's health problems became life-threatening. The family tried to get him admitted to hospitals, but they were packed with war wounded and related emergencies.

"[My mother and my sisters] did everything they could, but at the end, he passed away," said Yasmin. "And the ambulance only came after he passed."

Mohammed died on November 25, 2023, during a weeklong cease-fire that allowed for the return of 100 Israeli hostages and nearly 250 Palestinian prisoners. The cease-fire also allowed for Mohammed to be buried according to Islamic traditions and for his family to have a small service.

Mohammed's family believe he would have survived if he had had access to medical care.

A few days after burying their father, the family was forced to flee again.

These later evacuations were the hardest, according to Abed Alhakeem Abusamra, a 65-year-old journalist in Gaza and a longtime colleague and friend of Mohammed's. As most of Gaza's 2 million-plus residents moved into the southern part of the 41-kilometer strip, it became harder for even the young and healthy to stay alive.

"We are suffering from lack of hygiene, health care and healthy food. Everything," said Abusamra. "Now I'm with my family, 12 members living in a tent, 3.5 by 5 meters not good even for animals."

True Legacy

Mohammed died during a terrible time in Gaza's history, says Abusamra, but his contribution will not be forgotten.

"Our families were happy and were glad to know each other well on a personal level," he added. "Mohammed was a smart person.  He was a loving and polite person."

Mohammed was husband and a father of eight children, including five girls. He loved the sea, and his farm, where he raised chickens and oranges.

"He was much more of a friend to us," says Yasmin. "He was very receiving of everything we wanted to say and very supportive. We had our freedom of thinking."

Yasmin remembers her father's tears through the window of her hospital room, where she was treated for asthma when she was a child. Inside the room, he would make the treatment fun, with conversation and laughter. "I had to tease my sister because I'm getting more attention from him," Yasmin said.

It just reminds you that those horrific numbers of death aren't just numbers.

Journalists from VOA remember Mohammed with a mixture of admiration and sorrow, saying his death at this time of war has a meaning for outsiders beyond the loss of their colleague.

"It just reminds you that those horrific numbers of death aren't just numbers," said Sonja Pace, a VOA correspondent who worked with Mohammed in Gaza in the early 2000s. "They are people. They are families. They are husbands and fathers and brothers and mothers and wives and sisters."

His death also echoes a loss felt every time the journey into Gaza was reversed, according to Ramirez.

Inside Gaza, the journalists covered violent battles, overcrowded hospitals and families in mourning. But the fact that these horrors all played out behind shuttered borders, unpassable to most people in Gaza, made leaving the strip heartbreaking.

"Saying goodbye to a trusted colleague and friend. ..." Ramirez said, "Every time, never knowing if I'd ever see him or hear him again in those just visually jarring circumstances was really hard, and something that stuck with me forever."
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to send a delegation to the U.S. to discuss Israeli plans for a ground invasion into Gazas crowded city of Rafah  a plan the White House has described as a mistake. Meanwhile, aid groups warn that famine is looming for the besieged exclave. VOAs Anita Powell reports from the White House.
Ahead of the latest meeting Tuesday of a U.S.-led group focused on military support for Ukraine in its battle against a Russian invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country will seek to maximize its own defense production.

Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Monday that it is in Ukraines strategic interest to expand its production potential every year.

His comments also followed a meeting with visiting U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham at a time when new U.S. aid has been stalled by political differences in Washington.

Zelenskyy said he and Graham discussed the importance of freedom and democracy winning now, in this war, here in Ukraine, because otherwise Russian aggression and chaos will spread around the world.

Zelenskyy said his military needs artillery, F-16 jets, Patriot missiles and Army Tactical Missile Systems.

U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed $60 billion in new Ukraine aid as part of a security package already approved by the Democrat-led U.S. Senate. The Republican-led House of Representatives has not taken up the measure, with House Speaker Mike Johnson insisting a security package also address U.S. border security.

Ukraines military reported Monday shooting down 17 of 22 drones that Russia launched in overnight attacks that were aimed at areas nationwide.



The Ukrainian air force said the Russian attacks also included five missiles targeting the Kharkiv region, located along the Ukraine-Russia border, and two other missiles targeting the neighboring Sumy region.

The drones were widespread, with the Ukrainian military saying its intercepts took place over the Kyiv, Poltava, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhya, and Rivne regions.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Saudi Arabia and Egypt this week for talks that he said will focus on pushing for a cease-fire in Gaza, the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants, and planning for a post-war Gaza.

Speaking Tuesday during a visit to the Philippines, Blinken told reporters that there will need to be arrangements in place for how to approach governance, security, humanitarian assistance and redevelopment of Gaza.

Blinken said the United States has impressed upon Israel the imperative of having a plan, and that the hope remains the conflict will end as soon as possible.

Much of the Gaza Strips infrastructure and homes have been leveled as Israel pursued its campaign to eliminate the Hamas militant group following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people according to Israeli tallies and included the capture of about 250 hostages.

The Gaza health ministry says the Israeli counteroffensive has killed nearly 32,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. More than half of Gazas population has been displaced.

Blinken described what he called the horrific humanitarian situation in Gaza, citing United Nations reports that the entire population needs humanitarian aid.

According to the most respected measure of these things, 100% of the population of Gaza is at severe level of acute food insecurity, Blinken said. Thats the first time an entire population has been so classified.

Blinken expressed support for Israels right to defend itself and ensure another attack like the one on Oct. 7 does not happen again, but he also said it is absolutely incumbent on Israel to prioritize protecting civilians and providing for those who are desperately in need of humanitarian aid.

Blinken blamed Hamas for the current situation in Gaza, saying the terror group initiated the attack on Israel and could have stopped the war if it put down its arms, did not hide behind civilians and released the hostages it is still holding.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the first time in more than a month, voicing new concerns about Israels conduct of its war in Gaza against Hamas militants and its plan for a ground attack on the southern city of Rafah near the Egyptian border.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden told the Israeli leader in a phone call, We share the goal of defeating Hamas, we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen."

Sullivan called Netanyahus plan for a ground offensive smashing into Rafah a mistake. More than a million Palestinians are sheltering in makeshift tents and structures there to try to protect themselves from the ravages of the war, many on orders from the Israeli military to abandon their homes in the northern reaches of Gaza as Israel continues to attack that region.

Israel has promised to move the Palestinians in Rafah to an undisclosed location for their safety before any attack on the region but has given no public indication of where that would be.

At Bidens request, Sullivan said Netanyahu agreed to send a team of Israeli officials to Washington in the coming days, possibly early next week, to discuss Israels plans for any attack on Rafah and providing safety for Palestinians sheltering there.

Sullivan said the U.S. fully expects Israel to not initiate any attack on Rafah until after the discussions in Washington.

In a statement after the Biden-Netanyahu call, the Israeli leaders office said, We talked about the latest developments in the war, including Israels commitment to achieving all the goals of the war: the elimination of Hamas, the release of all our hostages, and the promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel  while providing the necessary humanitarian aid that helps achieve these goals.

The Biden phone call with Netanyahu came as the U.S. leader has voiced growing frustration at Israels conduct of the war, the ever-growing death toll of Palestinian civilians and the lack of humanitarian aid reaching famished people in Gaza.

Negotiators for Israel and Hamas are headed to Qatar to try again this week to reach agreement on a six-week cease-fire and the release of 40 or so of the estimated 100 hostages Hamas is still holding in exchange for dozens of Palestinians Israel has jailed.

But Sullivan said of the truce negotiations: "So far, this deal has been more elusive than we had hoped."

Anita Powell and Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report. Some material came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
MANZINI  Eswatini is joining many of its African neighbors in legalizing cannabis for medical purposes, revising a colonial drug law dating back a century.

Eswatinis government, led by King Mswati III, has introduced legislation that would legalize cannabis, joining other African nations that now encourage the development for medical purposes.

Government spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo believes that legalizing cannabis will help limit the black market, increase tax revenue and empower Eswatini farmers.

The legislation will also provide measures to guard against increasing the black market. This has robbed government taxes, Eswatini, an opportunity to grow their economy and robbed even the farmers themselves who have been trying to make a living using this cannabis. We look forward to the unbanning of the cannabis plant as an opportunity to develop the country, our economy and to empower Eswatini themselves.

U.S.-based company Profile Solutions is the only authorized cannabis grower in the small Southern African country.

Eswatini is working toward changing provisions of a 1922 statute enacted by the British, who ruled the nation formerly known as Swaziland from 1903 until 1968.

Dr. Thys Louren is an occupational medical practitioner from South Africa who works for Occupational Health Eswatini. He argues that legalizing cannabis could have major benefits for health care, society and the economy, His position aligns with the Eswatini governments on the issue.

I stand here urging for the transformative change of Eswatinis health care landscape toward a healthier and more sustainable Eswatini. It is not just a medical decision but a holistic solution for our patients, community and economy.

E. Nathi Dlamini from Business Eswatini sees medical cannabis as an avenue Eswatini can use to capitalize on the global cannabis market to create jobs and spur economic growth  encouraged by the governments support for the industry.

Many countries are well ahead in this regard in terms of developing industries to support investment, create jobs which by the way, we desperately need. As Business Eswatini, we are very thankful that from the highest authority of the land now, we are beginning to be one-minded on this.

The cannabis trade has given many people in a small economy with few job opportunities a substantial income for decades, and a few local merchants are not fearful that this could be undermined by the new bill.

Cannabis merchant Maqhawe Tsabedze says he has earned a living from the illegal trade for the last 20 years to put his children through school.

The decriminalization of cannabis will help a lot and will perhaps stop police from raiding and confiscating our products, which we make a living from selling. Rain or sunshine, we make sure we put bread on the table so that our children do not go to bed on empty stomachs. Since there are no jobs, we make a living from selling cannabis on the streets.

The bill needs to win three-fourths approval in the House of Assembly and Senate to become law.
Allies of Russian President Vladimir Putin, including China and India, on Monday congratulated him on winning a fifth term in office but Western powers denounced the election as illegitimate, held under repressive conditions with no credible opposition.

Here is a roundup of the main reactions to a vote that officially saw the 71-year-old Putin win with 87.28 percent of votes according to the latest count:

- China: popular 'support' -

- Beijing congratulated Putin, saying that the countries were "strategic cooperative partners in the new era" and that the result "fully reflects the support of the Russian people", Chinese state media reported.

- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his "warm congratulations" to Putin, adding that he looked forward to developing their "special" relationship. Russia is India's biggest arms supplier.

- North Korea's Kim Jong Un said Russian voters showed their "unshakeable support and trust" in Putin, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

- US, Britain: 'undemocratic' -

Western powers rejected the elections as neither free nor fair.

"This was an incredibly undemocratic process," US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said, citing repression of the opposition and media.

Patel said Putin "is likely to remain the president of Russia, but that does not excuse him of his autocracy".

- British Foreign Minister David Cameron said that the holding of elections on occupied Ukrainian territory was "illegal". He added that the elections "starkly underline the depth of repression under President Putin's regime, which seeks to silence any opposition to his illegal war".

- Middle East allies -

Several Middle Eastern powers wished Putin well after the vote, just three months after he made a rare visit to the region.

- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated the Russian leader on his re-election and offered to mediate between Moscow and Ukraine, the Turkish presidency said.

"President Erdogan expressed his belief that the positive evolution of relations between Turkey and Russia were continuing and stated that Turkey was ready to play a facilitator role to return to the negotiating table with Ukraine," Erdogan's office said after a telephone call between the two leaders.

- Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi hailed Putin's "decisive victory", while Saudi Arabia's King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman wished him "success and prosperity".

- Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa and Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, each separately wished Putin "development and prosperity", and the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also sent congratulations.

- African support -

Mali's military ruler Assimi Goita, who has embraced Russia after breaking ties with its former ally France, hailed Putin's victory.

"As a strategic and sincere partner of Mali, I reiterate our total friendship," Goita said on social media.

Chad's President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, son of the country's late longtime leader Idriss Deby, said in a Facebook post that the result was "proof of the Russian people's trust" in Putin.

Niger's military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani, who seized power from a pro-Western government in a July 2023 coup, congratulated Putin on his "resounding victory".

He said his country could count on Putin's "personal commitment" to aiding Niger in "regaining its sovereignty".

- Venezuela: 'bodes well' -

- In Latin America, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said: "Our older brother Vladimir Putin has triumphed, which bodes well for the world."

- Cuba's Miguel Diaz-Canel said that the official result was "a credible indication that the Russian population supports (Putin's) management of the country".

- Zelensky: 'evil' -

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the election as illegitimate.

"Everyone in the world understands that this person, like many others throughout history, has become sick with power and will stop at nothing to rule forever," he said.

"There is no evil he would not do to maintain his personal power."

- EU: 'repression' -

- European Union countries said in a joint statement that Russians had been denied a "real choice" after all candidates opposed to the war in Ukraine were excluded.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the vote was "based on repression and intimidation".

The 27-nation bloc did not, however, heed a call from the widow of leading Kremlin foe Alexei Navalny not to recognise Putin as the legitimate president of Russia.

Germany's foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, said the vote "without choice" demonstrated "Putin's heinous behaviour against his own people".

France's foreign ministry said the conditions for a free election were not met, citing "increasing repression of civil society and all forms of opposition to the regime". It hailed the "courage" of Russians who demonstrated against the election conditions.

- Discord in Italy -

- Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned the vote as "neither free nor fair".

He distanced himself from his coalition partner Matteo Salvini, who said in reaction to the election result: "When a people vote, they are always right."

burs/js/bc
Zamil Steel Construction Company, a key subsidiary of Saudi-based Zamil Industrial Investment Company, has joined hands with Sami Land Services to break ground on its new industrial complex located at Al Kharj in Saudi Arabia.

The partnership with the key unit of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) marks a significant step forward for the company's strategic expansion and collaboration with the defence sector, said Zamil Industrial Investment Company in its filing to Saudi bourse Tadawul.

The ground-breaking ceremony was held in the presence of Bander Al Zamil, Vice Chairman of Zamil Industrial, and Mohammed Al Hodaib, Executive Vice President of SAMI Land.

Zamil Steel Construction Company had last year inked a deal worth SAR575 million ($153 million) with Sami Land Services for the setting up of the industrial complex.

The upcoming facility will a key hub for the design, development and manufacture of land defence systems in KSA. It is due for completion by the first half of 2025, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
TEHRAN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Top Iranian and Syrian military officials on Monday exchanged views here on bilateral defense cooperation and relations as well as the latest developments in Gaza, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri and Syrian Defense Minister Ali Mahmoud Abbas condemned the continuation of the Israeli "crimes" in Gaza and criticized the silence of some governments, the report said.

The two sides discussed the details and progress of bilateral military ties and cooperation, and expressed satisfaction with their growing trend, IRNA reported.

Baqeri and Abbas agreed that the Israeli attacks against the "oppressed" Palestinian people and airstrikes on Lebanon and Syria were proof of Israel's failure to achieve its objectives in Gaza, highlighting the necessity to hold constant consultations between Iranian and Syrian officials at different levels.

Abbas said that in the past 12 months, the Iranian and Syrian armed forces had achieved significant progress in bilateral relations and handled a large number of affairs through bilateral cooperation.

The Syrian defense minister on Saturday met his Iranian counterpart Mohammad-Reza Ashtiani and discussed bilateral and regional issues of common interest, according to the Iranian Students' News Agency. 
The United States, which had planned to provoke early elections in Israel and influence the election of General Benny Gantz, was disappointed [1].

Invited to Washington, Gantz proved less pliable than expected: while he distinguished himself from Benjamin Netanyahus "revisionist Zionists" by recognizing the right of Arabs to live on their land, he was determined to eradicate Hamas from Gaza. And yet, the historic Hamas is none other than the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, an instrument of UK domination.

As a reminder, since 2017, Hamas has officially withdrawn from the Brotherhood, but its main leaders are still members and implement its long-term strategy. During the war against Syria, Hamas fought alongside Nato and Israel against the Syrian Arab Republic.

The Hamas current, which broke with the Brotherhood, made peace with Syria. October 19, 2022. President Bashar el-Assad received his leader, Khalil Hayya, in Damascus. On the other hand, he still refused to meet the Muslim Brotherhood current incarnated by Khaled Mechal.

Since the start of Operation Iron Glaive, Israel has been hunting down and killing Hamas members who have joined the Palestinian Resistance, and sparing those who have remained members of the Brotherhood. In Beirut, for example, the Israeli General Staff assassinated Saleh al-Arouri [2] the 2nd in command of the political branch of Hamas. He had been expelled from Qatar because of his opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood.

General Benny Gantz stopped off in London on his way back to Israel. It is known that he himself initiated this stopover, and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did everything in his power to ensure that he did not enjoy diplomatic immunity in the UK, at the risk of being arrested there for complicity in crimes against humanity Be [3]. that as it may, Benny Gantz made the same remarks in London as he had in Washington: he showed himself anxious both to stop the massacre in Gaza and to continue the operation against Hamas. He confirmed to his astonished interlocutors that he feared as much as they did the threats made by Rabbi Uzi Sharbaf at the "Conference for the Victory of Israel" [4], but that he would also fight the Muslim Brotherhood.

Whatever they say, the British still control the Brotherhood. We saw this during the wars against Libya and Syria. They have taken charge of communications for this secret organization and all the militias that emanate from it. In some cases, they have supplied them with arms and intelligence.

So the Anglo-Saxons are back where they started: in 1915, in Lord Herbert Samuels memorandum on The Future of Palestine (i.e., before Lord Balfours Declaration), they intended to support an independent Jewish state in Palestine, but not strong enough to defend itself. Subsequently, the followers of Volodymyr Jabotinsky, a historic ally of Benito Mussoloni and therefore a "fascist" in the full sense of the word, broke with London and attempted to pursue their colonial project in the same way as Rhodesia did a little later. The British were forced, along with the Americans, to recycle their enemies during the Cold War. 75 years later, the situation is identical: Israel is not strong enough to defend itself alone, but the Anglo-Saxons refuse to sanction the massacre of the Arabs of Palestine in broad daylight. If they arm Israel, they cover themselves in public blood; if they dont, they lose the last remnant of the British Empire [5].

Contrary to popular belief, the Muslim Brotherhood has never sought to establish a Palestinian state independent of a Jewish state (as proposed by Lord William Peels colonial commission and popularized as the "two-state solution"), nor a Palestinian state federated with a Jewish state within a binational state (as decided by the United Nations). The difference between these two projects is that the former ensures equality between Arabs among Arabs and between Jews among Jews, while the latter is concerned with equality between every man, whether Arab or Jew.

In his letter to the (pro-British) Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa el-Nahhas Pasha, Hassan el-Banna, the founder of the Brotherhood, asks him to prepare "the restoration of the Caliphate, in application of the unity demanded by Islam".

Similarly, during its first period, Hamas proclaimed in its charter that it wanted to build a state for Muslims (the Caliphate). However, in 2017, when part of its base rejected the Brotherhood, which had just lost in Syria, it adopted a charter that was in favour of an independent Palestinian state (in the sense of the Peel Commission and the "two-state solution"). However, the latest Hamas brochure, Our narrative... Operation Al-Aqsa Flood [6], marks a step backwards by presenting the eight demands of historical Hamas. It states that Hamas rejects the Israeli occupation, but in particular does not support a Palestinian state, since the Brotherhoods aim is to re-establish a Caliphate, i.e. a supranational state for all Muslim peoples.

Israel, for its part, is also at an impasse. It no longer knows what to do. The war cabinet (i.e. both Benjamin Netanyahus Jewish supremacists and Benny Gantzs democrats) intends to destroy Hamas, including at Rafah. Yet all the experts, including former heads of the Shin Bet and Mossad, agree that the problem is not a particular organization, but the political situation that fuels the Resistance. Under these conditions, even if Hamas were to be completely destroyed, this would only encourage the creation of a new Resistance network, and would not guarantee that a new October 7th could take place.

Incidentally, the "revisionist Zionists" have not given up their plan to expel the Arabs from Palestine ("a land without a people, for a people without a land"). From their point of view, the Pentagons creation, within the next two months, of a floating island off the Gaza coast could revive this plan. As the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (FLPL) has denounced, the landing stage for humanitarian aid could be transformed almost instantly into a landing stage for exile. At the start of the crisis, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced in Cairo that the EU was ready to receive one million Gazans. African states had been contacted by Benjamin Netanyahus cabinet. The press cited Chad, Rwanda and Congo, all three of which denied this .

If such a turn were taken, the Egyptian-Palestinian border crossing at Rafah would lose its usefu [7]lness. Israel would take advantage of the situation to exclude Egypt from any political decisions. Cairo has long refused to let Gazans go into exile, and only last month set up a camp to house 1 million of them [8].

In fact, US intervention has forced Israel to cease its ethnic cleansing of Gaza and to agree to let humanitarian aid through. This is an enormous step forward. But Washington has not paved the way for peace, which would require not only the removal of the Jewish fascists, but also the end of the British colonial project in Palestine.
Jared is not unlike a Gremlin. Feed him alcohol after midnight, and youre in for a very, very bad time. He continues to berate Kyle, ostensibly for spilling tobacco on the deck. Its definitely not because hes jealous of the time hes spending with Jareds possible one true love, Barbie; why would you think that? How dare you? He even manages to wake up the captain, not once but twice, which, considering the unforgiving schedules these people keep, is basically an act of violence.

Barbie and Kyle (his job is boat) finally get to watch their movie, snuggled up together in her bunk. Youre a beautiful girl; love your work, he tells her when he leaves in the morning, which is all I ever want to hear from anyone in any context. Meanwhile, Ben and Sunny have sex in the shower, or so some moan-y, frankly none-of-my-business audio over a shot of the closed bathroom door wants us to believe.

The next morning, our bosun appears to be even more of a mess than usual. Jared is like Pig-Pen, except instead of dust hes followed by a constant cloud of frustration and confusion. Captain Kerry, P.I., tries to piece together the events of the previous night through separate conversations with Kyle and Barbie, edited together like a little baby Rashomon. Cinema!

Finally, its time for Jared to get acquainted with the consequences of his actions. There is no front on which Jared has not fucked up at work: basic logistics, safety, inappropriate interpersonal conflict. This kind of behavior from someone in a leadership role is unacceptable, Kerry tells him. Okay, Jared responds. Um. Not that there was anything he could have said to vindicate himself by this point, anyway: Hes fired. I think Kerry, whos been both patient and abundantly clear about his expectations with Jared, handled this as best he could. To keep Jared on the boat would be a disservice to him. Everyone gathers to wish Jared a friendly farewell  Barbie hugs him good-bye and tells him to go meet his daughter.

White smoke emerges from the bridge, in accordance with ancient tradition: A new bosun is chosen. Ben, formerly lead deckhand, has evolved into his final form, and he seems awfully happy about it.

The interior isnt without its own personnel problems. Cat cant properly fluff a pillow; her surfaces are unwiped; her sheets are half-heartedly ironed. She is the Amelia Bedelia of the high seas, without ever producing an all-redeeming lemon meringue pie to save the day. On the one hand, she does a bad job, but on the other, she also does it very slowly.

A friend of Cats calls her, crying and freaking out, and Cat takes the phone into the bathroom to continue the conversation privately. She doesnt share anything about the situation, but its obvious that this has significantly worsened her already tenuous emotional state.

Miscellaneous family revelations: Barbies mom is a sex therapist whose job sounds like it involves more sex dolls than I necessarily would have expected. Frasers sister is currently flashing her huge knockers at Mardi Gras, as is her right. Fraser sweetly sings Anthonys praises in French to his mother on a video call.

To Captain Kerrys credit, hes pitching in to help bridge the gaps while theyre understaffed, busting his ass carrying chairs around like a man of the people when their new charter begins. Loading up their provisions takes even longer than usual  Ben points out that, as always, there are so, so many eggs. Why are there so many eggs? Is Below Deck a convenient international waters cover for a money-laundering scheme or illegal chicken-breeding operation?

Primary guest Lesley is beautiful, make no mistake, but I would be failing you if I did not mention her hairstyle: sunburned fourth grader on a Caribbean vacation braids at the temples with a Drybar Southern Comfort-style blowout taking up the rear. (Business in the back, party on the sides?) A mortgage professional, she is so enthusiastic about what a great time it is to buy a house right now that I am prepared for her to start staring into the camera to pitch us viewers directly.

Bens reign is off to a good start. Even though the exterior is down a member, undocking somehow manages to go much more smoothly in Jareds absence. Sunny, who has apparently already dated a boss of hers in the past, is just happy she gets to drive the tender around. Kyle blows up an inflatable that sounds like a screaming fart. The guests ride Jet Skis while, back on board, Cat drops various things onto the floor.

For their first dinner, the guests request surf and turf  no French food, please. (Oh. Okay, Anthony says.) Barbie obliges their request for a Mardi Gras theme by climbing onto the table to scatter some masks, beads, and a few meekly flashing lights around. She hates it. The guests, however, love it. (So far, the worst thing about them might be that some of them call Fraser Fletcher or, possibly annoying him even more, Frazier, with an extra vowel sound jammed in there.)

The next morning, Cat fully loses her composure when Xandi (gently) confronts her about misplacing the cleaning caddy and failing to answer her radio. Im fucking done, dude, she tearfully tells Barbie, otherwise occupied with eating an apple. Im over this shit. Does she want to talk about it? No? Well, okay. Barbie resumes snacking. Cat flees to her cabin. She sobs behind the closed door of her bathroom for the third time in this episode of a liminal place of secrets and intense emotion. I repeat: Cinema!

Fraser comes to see her and suggests its time to put her mental health first. Weeping in his arms, she agrees. And so her tenure on the St. David ends not with a bang but a (literal) whimper. In many ways I am very sympathetic, as someone whose own brain occasionally requires me to disconnect and reconnect the battery a few times until the mysterious Check Engine light switches off. Im also glad, for all our sakes, that she decided to leave. She cries in her post-mortem confessional. She cries as she steps off the boat. She cries as she boards the water taxi. Sometimes, on a clear night, they say you can still hear her sniffles carried on the ocean breeze.

Oh, Cat, we hardly knew ye. I wish you well and I hope youre doing better. Thats the way it goes, says Ben in what passes for a professional eulogy. Thats yachting, mate. Forget it, Jake. Its Below Deck.

Hopefully the staffing service is running a BOGO special this week. With two crew members gone, the St. David is operating on double hard mode. But at least for now, the guests are happy, mainlining approximately three dozen eggs each  plus they got to witness and gossip extensively about a crew member mysteriously departing the vessel, which would be the highlight of my vacation.
Furries, eat your hearts out. Photo: Dana Edelson/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

I believe it was Sam I Am who once said, When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time, so please take it with a grain of salt when we tell you that Warner Bros.  of Coyote vs. Acme infamy  is working on an animated take on The Cat in the Hat. The studio announced a theatrical release date of March 6, 2026, which still gives CEO David Onceler Zaslav plenty of time to come up with creative ways of burying the whole thing after it wraps production. But lets all of us lead with optimism and just enjoy what sounds like a fun take on a towering giant of the American literary canon.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bill Hader will voice the Cat, leading an ensemble cast that will include Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, and Paula Pell. The article doesnt say who will be playing which of Dr. Seusss characters, but I beg, plead, and pray that Berry narrates and Yang voices the cunty fish.

Curiously, this wont be Haders first time playing the Cat; he did his own spin on it on Saturday Night Live in 2014. In that sketch, Hader played the Cat with a dead-eyed, haunted quality, looking like Mr. Mistoffelees in the throes of a depressive episode. The joke of the sketch was that the Cat had previously had a fling with the kids mother  played by Cecily Strong and named Linda  and he may or may not be the kids father. Its an odd, disturbing codeine dream of a sketch, heightened by Haders commitment to playing the Cat super-straight. If he manages to voice the Cat as something partway between that and Mike Myerss doomed 2003 live-action version, this might be the best Cat in the Hat adaptation yet. In this day and age of kids-movie voice casting, we should just be grateful we didnt get Chris Pratt in the Hat.
Gray Holland (Thomas Doherty) in happier, less fang-y times. Photo: Emily V. Aragones/Netflix

As the inimitable Titus Andromedon taught us on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, teeth are your outside bones. Now, thanks to Girls5eva, theyre also nightmare fuel.

For three seasons, Meredith Scardinos series has been delightful, witty, and nostalgic without being too self-indulgent, and its also now responsible for the most horrifying image Ive seen on television this year: more spooky than a corpsicle or a cosmonauts decaying body floating through space; more grotesque than horse guts spilling all over the battlefield or Chancellor Vernhams fathers corpse steadily rotting in a glass coffin; more unsettling than Tom Sandoval attempting to mimic human feelings or DJ James Kennedy puzzling out how to provide refreshments for a pool party.

Prepare yourself. What you are about to see you will never unsee. What Girls5eva did to its attractive Harry Styles stand-in Gray Holland (Thomas Doherty) is hilarious, awful, and unforgettable. Behold: What if a human had all their teeth pulled and replaced with a foxs?

Terrible with his eyes closed. Terrible with his eyes open.

From left: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix From top: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix

Terrible in profile. Terrible head-on.

From left: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix From top: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix

Terrible in close-up. Terrible in wide.

From left: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix From top: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix

Some context: Holland is a megastar in the third season of Girls5eva, a self-described sensitive boy who disguises himself as a trucker to escape his fame and eat pasta undisturbed at Macaroni Rascals. He crosses paths with Paula Pells Gloria, who is so out of touch that she doesnt recognize the man whose tour revenue was larger than Germanys entire economy off the strength of lyrics like This English lonely boy / His one true friends a sweater. When the rest of Girls5eva find out whom Gloria has been hanging out with, they invite him to play a stripped-down set with them  and then try to further leverage his fame for their own benefit. Disappointed by everyone wanting a piece of his popularity, Holland takes the drastic step of faking his own death with the help of dentist Gloria, who replaces all his teeth with those of Mandy, the injured fox she had been rehabilitating in Girls5evas tour van, and uses her expertise from murder podcasts to scatter his actual teeth where people think Hollands plane crashed. When we see Holland again, its with a mouth now full of tiny, needle-sharp, tapered protrusions.

Its nice that Holland ends up happy, but at what cost? This disgusted woman next to the stage who takes one look at Holland  excuse me, Mad Dog Williams  as he croons in this hole-in-the-wall open mic in Yellowknife, Canada, and then hastily looks back down at her laptop in total disgust: Shes all of us.

There are so many things wrong with this body horror; where to even start? The proportions: The teeth are too small for his gums, so there are huge gaps. The shape: Theyre so clearly animalistic  almost conical instead of flat-fronted  that they make Hollands whole face look uncanny. (Whom does Holland go to for dental care now? Maybe Gloria provides house calls.) The visual: Do people really need to open their mouths while they sing? What if they just  didnt, and we could simply luxuriate in Hollands beard and butch flannel?

I am trying not to be the jerk who says Holland should have stayed hot and unhappy, because on a very basic level, Gloria is a good friend for doing to him what no one else would. Plus, the gag does allow for an amusing callback during Girls5evas Radio City Music Hall concert, which includes both Holland and Mandy (her teeth fully on display) in the in memoriam segment.

From left: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix From top: Photo: Netflix Photo: Netflix

But I can appreciate that one of Girls5evas guiding narrative themes is interrogating how much of ourselves we give up to be famous, and whether mainstream success is worth the loss of authenticity, while also thinking that Girls5eva made that lesson too literal by sacrificing Hollands teeth on the altar of personal fulfillment through anonymity. Being able to possess two seemingly opposing ideas at the same time, thats media literacy!
Photo-Illustration: Vulture

The National Book Foundation is honoring five gifted writers mostly for their extraordinary debut work and just slightly for the achievement of being under 35. Were excited to announce this years 5 Under 35, a prestigious selection of fiction writers whose first work, published in the last five years, made an impression on the literary field. Each honoree was chosen by renowned authors previously recognized by the National Book Foundation, the esteemed authority behind the National Book Awards. Since its inception in 2006, the 5 Under 35 program has elevated the voices of some of the brightest and most inventive new fiction writers whose work we continue to read, follow, and celebrate, said David Steinberger, the foundations chair of the board of directors.

The new honorees novels deal with placelessness and community, skewer globalization, examine identitys infinitude, and trouble the popular historical record, taking place around the world, from East New York to Saudi Arabia. The books follow protagonists who strive to become young artists in a crumbling economy, inherit second sight while spilling with grief, and deal with the reality of our grave present. We look forward to celebrating these new and necessary voices in fiction at the very start of their careers, and to champion, together, the many stories to come, said Ruth Dickey, executive director of the National Book Foundation. Learn more about the books selected, from disruptive coming-of-age tales to stark migration stories, weaponizing magical realism and the confluence of time to weave their narratives.

Antonia Angress, Sirens & Muses

Description: Three art students in a queer love triangle and their visiting professor vie for a place in the nearly impenetrable New York art world as Occupy Wall Street rages and a recession tears through the global economy. The practice  bound up in late-stage capitalism, power, and geography  is still a beacon for the young characters, despite all that is rotten around them. Uncertainty could be a kind of hope, Angress writes.

Angress on art: In part because I grew up with an artist for a mother and am married to a painter, Ive had a front-row seat to the long, nonlinear process through which a work of visual art emerges. I became deeply interested in the confluence of experiences, emotions, ideas, obsessions, and trial and error that art-making entails, and I wanted to write a story about art and artists that felt juicy, accessible, and, most of all, deeply human. Sirens & Muses is ultimately about four very different artists talents and flaws and relationships, and about the inextricability of their art from the political and socioeconomic context in which they live and work. Because that is what most fascinates me about visual art: not only the art object itself and the various kinds of power it may hold over the artist, the viewer, or the collector, but also the human story that undergirds it.

Selected by: Charles Baxter, 2000 National Book Award Finalist

Baxter picked it because: I felt that if Jane Austen had ever gone to a contemporary art school and had been hip to the ways of the contemporary world, this is the kind of book she might have written. As in Jane Austen, it has a young, slightly naive young woman who becomes wise in the ways of the world, and, as in Jane Austen, youre very conscious that youre reading a book of social class. It is a beautifully constructed novel with four major points of view, and its also very expertly plotted. The book is very smart about the way that art, the making of art and sexual desire are not separate. It fits into our landscape in the following way: Every generation has to reformulate for itself what art is or even whether there still is such a thing as art and it has to formulate for itself, what is desirable. This book approaches that issue head on.

Maya Binyam, Hangman

Description: After 26 years in the country to which he fled as a refugee, a man returns to sub-Saharan Africa. Misrecognition afflicts him. The country he once lived is foreign, family he once knew are unrecognizable, and others mistake his identity in return. Someone calls him brother, which allows him to recall that he must find his real brother, who is terminally ill. The Kafka-esque journey is funny and tragic, disarming and farcical, about a man who is ultimately seeking refuge.

Binyam on refuge: Ive been thinking for a long time about refuge as a term and also as an embodied experience. Its a legal term, a political term, that has no formal definition. The things that refuge are meant to guarantee are not legally binding. The state is not bound to provide all that much when they grant someone access to refuge, but nevertheless, it evokes safety and livelihood and life itself, especially in distinction to a country of origin, which, again, in the legal context, must be a site of persecution or potential death. Legally, refuge is meant to be a temporary state that people pass through. Theyre meant to be able to return to their home country after a brief period of seeking refuge  [In the book] I was really interested in how the conditions of refuge are constructed surreptitiously and in how these various places, diaspora and home country are not just places that are fixed and bound in space, but actually are created between people and can therefore shift, subject to projection and fantasy.

Selected by: Alejandro Varela, 2022 National Book Award Finalist

Varela picked it because: I love this book because from the first page, I thought, this is the experience that Ive had maybe a handful of times when I picked up Catch-22 by Joseph Heller when I was a kid, or recently Natalia Ginzburg and Paul Beatty. I thought, This is a unique voice. There isnt anyone else who writes in this style or with this intelligence and humor. It was a pleasure to read, and I would eagerly like to know how she solved the puzzle of the book or reveal what was about to be revealed. She did it masterfully  Im also a sucker for homecoming stories that find a way to skewer empire and globalization, which she does.

Zain Khalid, Brother Alive

Description: Three adopted brothers of differing origins share a birth year and a bedroom above a mosque in Staten Island. One of the boys has a sibling that only he can see: an imaginary shapeshifter called Brother, digging a space in his consciousness and kept secret from all. Years later, their imam father gives up on New York and leaves for his birthplace, Saudi Arabia, tailed by the now-adult brothers. What they find is the construction of a hyper-capitalist city, uncomfortably enmeshed with religion. The four-part allegory is stylistically rich, playing with form to trouble the present.

Khalid on the possibilities of form: I wanted to play with the epistolary mode in concert with the bildungsroman mode. More overarchingly, though, I wanted to write a systems novel  The book is taking an old form, like the systems novel, and understanding that in this system, one becomes a creature within a larger body. There was a line in the book about how you want to climb up the intestines of the thing youre in, go into the brain stem, and start maneuvering this creature somewhere else. Whats interesting about the systems novel now is because of prevailing careerism, there is a nascent feeling that you have some ability to change the system within which you exist.

Selected by: Laila Lalami, 2019 National Book Award Finalist

Lalami picked it because: I think Zain Khalid is a blazing talent! I was so impressed with the hunger in Brother Alive, the sheer verve and originality of it, the pleasure it finds in language. It made me excited about what he would write next.

Tyriek White, We Are a Haunting

Description: Collys inheritance is supernatural. When his mother, Key, dies, the adolescent from East New York discovers that he can speak to the dead just as his mother and his mothers mother before him. Told in two timelines connecting Keys recent past to Collys urgent present, We Are a Haunting examines grief, community, and family, wondering just how to nurture love within structural rot. Lyrical and poetic, the book employs magical realism as a tool for social critique and a means to expand the bounds of urban coming-of-age stories.

White on confronting the ghosts of the past: America has this kind of aversion to its own history. The main component of the book, the reason its that dealing with our history and our past, even on a personal level, is to wonder, how do we find new and alternative ways forward? And, often thats having an awareness of history, having an awareness of your past, working through those things because theres a lot of trauma and fucked up shit back there. Its necessary to find something else, something new, you know, some new future for us because, I mean, its cool, but this is not really it, you know what I mean?

Selected by: Tiphanie Yanique, 2010 5 Under 35 Honoree

Yanique picked it because: We Are a Haunting reinvents grammar  as poetry might do. We see how grieving the death of a parent reinvents what it means to live  to be a person in the world. The book is itself a reinvention of narrative  showing us how stories and timelines might skim, overlap and even pierce each other in ways illogical but entirely real. The book is a revelation. I feel lucky to have been introduced to Tyriek Whites work.

Jenny Tingui Zhang, Four Treasures of the Sky

Description: Daiyu is a Chinese teenager with a name that recalls a tragic character who dies spitting blood when her beloveds family traps her into a marriage with a different man. Kidnapped in the late 18th century and sold into sex work, Daiyu escapes, choosing to live as a man for survival. As she wanders the American West, the novel contends with the bubbling anti-Chinese sentiment in the country culminating in the Chinese Exclusion Act, histories often filtered by willful amnesia.

Zhang on bringing an ignored history to the present: In the third part of the book, my main character reaches Idaho, and thats where she really begins to encounter this anti-Chinese sentiment thats been sweeping across the country for the few years prior to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882. I was doing a lot of research about the experiences of Chinese in America in the 19th century and I encountered a lot of anecdotes in historical records about the violence and atrocities that were committed, whether it was the ransacking of Chinatowns or hangings or laws and legislation that were geared towards pushing them out and the overall motive of exclusion. When I reached that point of the book, I thought, How are we no more aware that this happened in history?

Selected by: Adam Johnson, 2015 National Book Award Winner

Johnson picked it because: Jenny Zhang is a natural storyteller. The Four Treasures of the Sky captivated me from the first page. The sweep of this debut novel spans centuries and continents, deploys beauty and art and myth, all in service of what historical fiction does best: breathing life into past experience, now accessible only through the literary imagination.

These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.
James is out now. Illustration: Riccardo Vecchio

In February 2023, the news broke that Percival Everett would be publishing his 24th novel, James, a retelling of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from enslaved Jims perspective, for an advance of more than $500,000. Some Everett devotees (myself included) wondered if, after years of inventive, philosophical, and absurdist work displaying a dizzying range  mute baby geniuses, nutty heist plots, post-westerns, and metacommentaries on race and publishing  he was finally selling out. After all, though Everett has increased in stature recently  hes been a Pulitzer and Booker finalist for 2020s Telephone and 2021s The Trees, respectively, and his breakout, 2001s Erasure, an incendiary publishing-world satire, was recently adapted into the comparatively defanged Oscar-winning film American Fiction  his books have not sold in great numbers. His subject matter can be eclectic. The cast of characters over his 35 books and counting includes an orphan named Not Sidney Poitier, a sociopathic rhino hunter who wants to turn the Grand Canyon into an amusement park, and, in multiple works, testy English professors named Percival Everett.

Theres also the matter of Jamess great theme: a reinterpretation of the book that all American literature comes from, to quote Ernest Hemingway, a book that happens to tackle slavery. Slave narratives have long been one of the few Black stories the American public, historically speaking, has been interested in hearing. Was Everett attempting a highbrow version of what he satirized in Erasure, wherein the niche novelist deemed not Black enough for his obscure interests at last gives white people the Black book they want, a depiction of some legible Black misery that they can purchase, understand, and then congratulate themselves for having read?

Fortunately, the answer is no. James is far darker and more imaginative, tender, and sly than that, a testament to Everetts ability to continually upset assumptions people might have about the kind of books he should write and how his characters, many of whom are Black, should behave. Its in keeping with the scope of his work  formally adventurous, rangy yet unified, smart yet readable, funny, and subversive. His writing is often about getting free but not running away, and in James, that tension between freedom and bondage becomes literal.

Similar to Mark Twains picaresque, the books action kicks into gear when James  usually only white people call him Jim in Everetts version  goes into hiding on an island after learning he will be sold downriver, away from his wife and daughter. There, he runs into Huck, who has faked his own death to flee his abusive father, Pap.

Much of Everetts novel features James and Huck, and those around them, either plotting escape, evading capture, getting shipwrecked, or barely avoiding these fates. But that action-forward description only narrowly conveys what Everett is up to  as hes said in interviews, the evil of slavery should be self-evident: Like, am I supposed to say at the end of one of these works, Oh yeah, slavery is bad? Duh.

James is a quintessential Everettian protagonist: smart, measured, observant, and almost preternaturally capable. He can read and write. He can camp and fish and survive a rattlesnake bite. He can, we will learn, hit a target. Everetts primary characters tend toward reluctant heroism but also, at times, vengeance, alongside streaks of misanthropy. (As the character of Percival Everett, professor of nonsense, in I Am Not Sidney Poitier puts it, People  are worse than anybody.) And yet at the heart of the book are Jamess powerful bonds with other people, his people: his wife, his daughter, fellow enslaved people, and, of course, Huck, with whom he has a special relationship that becomes central to the most dramatic act of the book. Faced with dangerous situations, some of which are absurd, some abject, James moves with intelligence and heart  as well as a quick understanding of whats expected from him as a father, husband, friend, slave, and illicit writer and reader.

Everett gives James a newfound interiority as a deft and savvy code switcher. Among enslaved people, he speaks plain English. But when white people are around, he adopts slave talk as a survival tactic. Whereas Huckleberry Finns Jim seems to believe witches took his hat while he was sleeping, James knows it was Huck and Tom Sawyer pranking him and plays along because those little bastards expect him to be either a villain or prey, but certainly their toy. When he calls out into the dark, Who dat dere in da dark lak dat?, its an act for the boys.

This kind of performance  and attention to performance  on the level of language is trademark Everett. In Erasure, the narrators parody novel-within-a-novel is written in a grotesque caricature of Black vernacular. But Everetts point isnt that we should be laughing at this manner of speaking or behaving; its that we should question what kind of industry would reward such depictions under the guise of realism when they are actually the product of cynical authors  Black, yes, with vastly different life experiences (Erasures narrator, Thelonious Monk Ellison, went to Harvard; Juanita Mae Jenkins, the author of the novel he parodies, went to Oberlin)  cashing in on what the market wants. There is a distinction between education and intelligence in Everetts work thats worth noting more broadly, especially as conversations about American Fiction call out the films possible classism. In Everetts books, being Black and educated doesnt mean youre any better. Theres a brief but key moment in Erasure when Monk chastises himself for assuming a high-school dropout with blue fingernails is slow and stupid; after talking to her about what shes read, he realizes he was the stupid one. Everetts characters, along with his targets, are often educated. But that doesnt make them necessarily smart  or nice.

Niceties arent the point of James, either. Tucked into Jamess narration are cutting asides, like shards of glass in between sentences. It always pays to give white folks what they want, so I stepped into the yard and called out into the night, James tells us on the first page. When asked by his daughter why they must speak the way he has instructed them to, he explains, White folks expect us to sound a certain way and it can only help if we dont disappoint them. Nonetheless, James takes big risks when it comes to reading and writing. His request for a pencil will lead to dire consequences for the compatriot who obtains it for him. But the power of reading  completely private, he realizes, completely free and, therefore, completely subversive  is too great.

Jims recognition of this power enables him to teach others to read so they can have some freedom for themselves and write themselves into being as he does. The only ones who suffer when they are made to feel inferior is us, James tells a group of schoolchildren he is giving a language lesson. Its a version of the talk: how to survive as a Black person in a society run by whites. Dont make eye contact, recites one boy. Never speak first, offers a girl. The class moves on to situational responses  or translations, as James calls them. Suppose the masters wifes kitchen is on fire and shes unaware. How do you tell her?

Fire, fire, January said. Direct. And thats almost correct, I said. The youngest of them, lean and tall, five-year-old Rachel, said, Lawdy, missum! Looky dere. Perfect, I said. Why is that correct? Lizzie raised her hand. Because we must let the whites be the ones who name the trouble. And why is that, I asked. February said, Because they need to know everything before us. Because they need to name everything.

In Everetts work, this resistance to naming everything is part of how he exercises freedom as an author. If his characters push against constraints in the worlds he builds for them, deploying language as a form of power, hes doing the same thing as an author, resisting categorization by writing in ways that dont make him easy to pin down and market as a Black writer. 2019s The Book of Training by Colonel Hap Thompson of Roanoke, VA, 1843, Annotated From the Library of John C. Calhoun is a slim, satiric manual in verse thats described by the publisher as a guidebook for the American slaveholder. In the margins is a running commentary by a fictionalized version of 19th-century South Carolina politician John C. Calhoun, best known for saying that slavery was a positive good. Its a twisted, extremely uncomfortable yet darkly comic read, thanks to the juxtaposition between Thompsons lofty, archaic tone (This is my text on / the training of our black animals) and Calhouns scribbled asides, which range from vigorous agreement (Yes!, then doubly yes!) to quibbles (do not agree) to practical questions (egg-butt snaffles or circle?) to philosophical musings (has there ever existed a wealthy society in which one portion did not live on the labor of another?). Neither Thompsons instructions nor Calhouns notes are jokes. Rather, its Everetts placement of the two characters in conversation with each other that reveals their essential absurdity and undermines them both as supposed authority figures.

Everett wields a radically different array of techniques in Erasure. What seems like a straightforward satire of the publishing industry includes allusions to failed novel ideas; an academic paper; a CV; imagined dialogues between artists Willem de Kooning and Robert Rauschenberg; untranslated passages in French and Latin; a whole subplot involving Monks adulterous father, his aging mother, his gay brother, and a lost sibling; and a novel-within-a-novel in the form of Fuck/My Pafology, a racist, pandering parody he dashes off as a fuck-you to the publishing world that ends up getting him more money and acclaim than hes ever had. Everetts genius with Erasure lies in showing us this unseemly process of publishing-industry sausage-making but also transcending it as the author of what actually is a full-throated, imaginative, and original work by a Black artist about the market expectations foisted on Black artists. Whereas Monk traps himself in a parody of his own devising, Everett indicts the very system that sustains him, then gets rewarded for it, which wins him the freedom to critique what he pleases.

James is one of Everetts more conventional novels in terms of plot, but it still contains vintage Everett tricks. The book opens with song lyrics apparently from the notebook of Daniel Decatur Emmett, believed to be the real-life composer of Dixie and a founder of one of the first minstrel troupes. Midway through the novel, James is sold to Emmett, who forces him to perform with the troupe, albeit not as a slave but as an underpaid indentured servant. When James finally makes his escape, he takes Emmetts notebook with him. James wants to use the notebook as the site for his own story, but he refuses to tear out Emmetts songs. Somehow, he allows, they were necessary to my story. But in this notebook I would reconstruct the story I had begun, the story I kept beginning, until I had a story. His self-written book inside the notebook is, it turns out, the very one we are reading. Its the kind of metafictional device that gets at the core of what Everett does so well: create richly imagined worlds where characters like James and Monk and Not Sidney can be so many hilarious, human, and contradictory things all at once. If we, the readers, will let them.
Photo: Illinoise

Come on! Feel the Illinoise! The Sufjan Stevens musical/dance piece/cry fest Illinoise, with music from his 2005 album sometimes of the same name (at other times, its spelled Illinois), is coming to Broadway. Directed and choreographed by Justin Peck, the show features a story by Peck and Jackie Sibblies Drury (Fairview). It features an 11-piece band, three vocalists, and a cast of dancers enacting the story through Stevenss album. The production is currently playing Off Broadway at the Park Avenue Armory.

The plot, such as there is one in an impressionistic dance piece set to an album, follows narratives centering on self-exploration and community, according to a press release. This project has been ruminating in my mind for nearly 20 years, which makes this moment even more sublime, Peck said in a statement. Illinoise opens on April 24, with no preview performances, and is running until August 10 at the St. James Theatre. Notably, that opening date is exactly one day before the 202324 Tonys deadline. Smart scheduling makes the dream work.
Photo: Emilio Madrid

Midway through the new version of An Enemy of the People adapted and directed respectively by the power couple Amy Herzog and Sam Gold, a full bar is lowered from the ceiling. The delights of this moment are manifold: Circle in the Square has no fly space, and weve had no hint that the compact, alley-style set created by the design collective dots  with its many real candles and oil lamps and its simple, rustic furnishings suggesting a late-1800s Norwegian home  is hiding anything. Even as were enjoying the architectural surprise, the house lights pop up, a couple of bartenders enter the stage, and the actors start beckoning audience members up for a drink. The show has no official intermission, but for the next ten minutes, during this informal pause, well be invited to line up for free aquavit, mingle with the cast as they mill easily about the stage, chat with our neighbors, listen to some Norwegian folk music (beautifully sung by Katie Broad), and perhaps even stay on the set as the show continues.

Henrik Ibsens play, by that moment, is headed into its fourth act, in which its besieged hero attempts to share a devastating discovery with his fellow citizens. In Herzog and Golds rendering, the act emerges organically out of the genial disorder of roughly 700 people jumping at the chance for free drinks. As the play recommences, the space between performers and spectators is naturally, potently blurred. We are all, always, in this together, but were not always made to recognize the fact.

Perhaps Herzog and Gold have had the same conversation Ive had with so many theater folks over so many drinks: Why dont more theaters have bars? Not $20 for a souvenir sippy cup of wine bars  real bars. Why dont they stay open after the show or open before? People should want to stick around and drink and talk  why dont we facilitate that? Or perhaps they simply saw a way to crack open Ibsens play and went for it. Whatever the case, the gesture is as profound as it is pleasurable. Like Arthur Miller, Ibsen was a writer of deep moral indignation  he suffered over societys hypocrisies, our evils and our cowardice, and he wrote to get people arguing, to encourage an active reexamination of values. His plays, however, can turn stuffy and melodramatic in modern productions: living museum dioramas in which women in long skirts and men in frock coats howl about syphilis and scandal. But Herzog and Gold have cleared away any fustiness (which really lies not in Ibsen but in us) and have drawn out Enemys inherent muscularity.

Their two leads are also a real asset here, and not for their famous names. As the brothers locking horns at the plays center  the principled Dr. Thomas Stockmann and the political animal Mayor Peter Stockmann  Jeremy Strong and Michael Imperioli both bring a vigorous contemporary affect to the material. You can feel the toughness and tension, the roiling potential energy, of their more modern characters flexing within David Zinns costumes, which land us softly in the 1880s without feeling rigid in their period accuracy. Just as Michael Shannon and Paul Sparks did with Waiting for Godot last fall, they find a uniquely American tone that, rather than creating dissonance, only highlights the plays fundamental solidity. Theres a casual quality to Imperiolis performance that becomes more and more insidious as the show goes on. His Peter Stockmann doesnt like to raise his voice. Hes a man who wears power easily  who will shift and evade instinctively, nimbly, like a rodent or an insect, in order to maintain and increase it.

By contrast, the most striking element of Strongs Dr. Stockmann is, perhaps surprisingly, not his forcefulness but his guilelessness. This isnt a man who drives onto the stage in a bullheaded fury, already prepared to fight to the death for whats right. This is an earnest, grounded, good-hearted scientist  a guy who loves his kids, is still grieving his beloved wife, has a sense of humor and a taste for hot toddies, and starts from a place of trust in his friends and hopefulness about human nature. What is there to say? he asks his houseguests after revealing his discovery. The people, hes confident, will be glad to know the truth.

What Dr. Stockmann has discovered is that their towns much-celebrated public baths  a health resort that forms the basis of the local economy  are utterly contaminated. Pollution from nearby tanneries has seeped into the groundwater, flooding the baths with harmful bacteria. Its a massive health risk, says Thomas, who intends to share the news with his neighbors  after which, naturally, the right steps will be taken. But he soon finds himself receiving his own brutal education in just how easily the truth can be beaten, tortured, and buried when it threatens those with money, power, and position.

As Thomas is cruelly awakened from his intrinsic faith in goodness and justice, An Enemy of the People takes on an allegorical quality. Like Everyman or Job, Dr. Stockmann is gradually abandoned and anathematized by almost everyone he trusts. Even the seemingly radical Hovstad (Caleb Eberhardt, compellingly torn between sincerity and self-interest) and Billing (Matthew August Jeffers)  who publish the local liberal newspaper  soon curdle toward him like cream left in the sun. Their associate, the local printer Aslaksen (expertly obsequious in the hands of Thomas Jay Ryan), has much to do with encouraging their treachery. I always aim for moderation, says Aslaksen, with a half-smile oily enough to fry potatoes. Herzog doesnt need to hammer home the twinges of resonance in Ibsens text. We can see with painful clarity the fact that the greatest enemies to truth and right action wont just come spouting hatred and wielding a pitchfork or a gun. Theyll arrive in nice suits, appealing to reason and civility, and theyll wedge a foot in the door to let in the darkness, all while shaking their heads and wringing their hands, because isnt it just too bad?

Dr. Stockmanns tragedy is that of the accidental activist. If his story had been written in the 1940s, its author would have been Frank Capra and its star Jimmy Stewart. You know I dont like to get involved in politics, Thomas tells Hovstad early on, showing much more diffidence than the fiery, sarcastic editor. Later, Thomass brother looks at him with a kind of confused disgust: You have no political insincts at all, says Peter. Hes right. Its this very lack that will catapult Dr. Stockmann into the fray. His instinct is simply to identify whats right and, once hes found it, to hold on  even to the point of clinging, like a storm-battered, half-drowned sailor, to a broken splinter of mast. As the public forum of the plays fourth act advances, Herzogs rendering of Ibsen becomes particularly searing. I apologize for my brother, Mr. Hovstad, says Peter at one point his voice weary with the self-claimed victimhood of the sanctimonious. As you see, hes always been incapable of nuance. As the public forum of the plays fourth act advances, the black clouds that have been gathering start to burst. Herzogs rendering of Ibsen is particularly searing here. In a motion to deny Thomas the right even to speak about his findings, the mayor goes on: This is not a decision I took lightly. The freedom to speak your mind is sacrosanct in our town. But when the community is under threat, when words can cause real harm, then we must use what power we have to keep these dangerous ideas from spreading. Herzog deserves a mini-prize for working in such a zinging use of harm  a word that feels, in our moment, either flogged into meaninglessness or inflated into parody. But whats on display here isnt just an excoriation of liberal piousness; its the way authoritarianism co-opts liberal diction and sets up false equivalencies in order to paint something as obviously fascistic as open censorship in seemingly reasonable terms.

As the town meeting descends into rageful rabidity, Gold stages a stark and brutal burst of violence toward Dr. Stockmann thats even more shocking when we realize that Strongs body  which has been out of sight and, we assume, out of the way of any actual assault  has in fact been receiving the blows aimed at it. I wont spoil the details, and I have no question that, under Thomas Schalls fight direction, Golds actors are safe, but its thrilling to see an American production push further both into visual metaphor and into physical courage and trust than many are ever willing to go. In the wake of this horrible moment, as the play enters its aching denouement, both Strong and Pedretti shine with a delicate new light. As Dr. Stockmann and his daughter, Petra (Victoria Pedretti), support each other (and she, it should be said, has been as morally unwavering as her father while also working a day job, feeding everyone, taking care of her little brother, and fending off the advances of multiple men), Herzog takes some of her greatest liberties with Ibsens script  great in both senses of the word. Gone is Ibsens original ending, in which Dr. Stockmann proudly declares that the strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone. Herzog finds something much deeper, much more tender, and much less individualistic. For her and Gold, Thomass devastation becomes the kind of fertile terrain that exists after a forest fire: a wrecked landscape in which the seeds of possibility can and must be sown. In the words of Captain Horster (Alan Trong), the only friend who sticks by Petra and Thomas throughout, Theres something to be said for  being at the very bottom. You know where the ground is.

An Enemy of the People is at Circle in the Square Theatre.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay in Wellington, New Zealand, March 18, 2024. (Xinhua/Guo Lei)

WELLINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China is ready to work with New Zealand to actively implement the upgraded version of the China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Monday.

The two sides should launch negotiations on the negative list of service trade as soon as possible, so as to push bilateral cooperation to a new level, Wang said while meeting with New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, has been on a tour from March 17 to March 21 for an official visit to New Zealand and to Australia.

Wang said openness brings progress, while seclusion leads to backwardness. China's door to the world will open even wider, and its door to New Zealand will always be open.

Both sides should jointly safeguard free trade, oppose unilateralism and protectionism in the name of "de-risking," build an open world economy, and provide a good business environment for enterprises of the two countries, he said.

The Chinese foreign minister said China-New Zealand relations maintain a leading position among China's relations with developed countries, which is the important and unique value of this bilateral relationship.

For his part, McClay said since the establishment of diplomatic ties between New Zealand and China, the bilateral cooperation has achieved fruitful results and brought important benefits to the two peoples.

New Zealand is willing to work with China to further expand cooperation in economy, trade and other fields and facilitate personnel exchanges, McClay said.

In the face of increasing trade barriers and uncertainties in the world, the upgraded China-New Zealand FTA is an important example, he said, adding that the two sides should work together to uphold the principle of free trade and resist various protectionism and unilateral actions.

On Monday, Wang also met with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters. 
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- In the wheat fields of Nanyukou Village, Cheng'an County, in north China's Hebei Province, farmers have given up the spring toil of spraying pesticides by hand, leaving it instead to agricultural drones.

"We used to work hard in the fields with 'face to the soil and back to the sky.' During the spring field management, one farmer could only spray pesticides over just over two mu (0.13 hectares) of cropland a day," said Yang Junshan, a farmer from the village.

"Now one worker, working inside the room with computers and mobile phones controlling drones, can spray pesticides over 6.6 hectares of farmland in just one hour," Yang said.

In Dongshuangta Village, Jize County, also in Hebei Province, smart seeders plant corn seeds with the guidance of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) using pre-set data.

"The new machine can achieve straight-line sowing, with the same row and plant spacing, as well as planting depth," Li Feiyu, head of an agricultural machinery cooperative in Dongshuangta village.

The machinery can sow 6.6 hectares more land per day than the old machines, and can sow at least one more row of corn per mu, laying the foundation for increased grain output, said Chen Meng, an operator of the intelligent farm machinery.

Yan Fengbo, who hails from Guantao County of Hebei, uses a phone app for accurate field management, having already installed sensors on his land to monitor temperature, soil moisture and pests.

The digital system, which was launched in 2023, can help with the precise use of fertilizers and pesticides, and can issue early warnings for pests and diseases to help reduce costs and losses, Yan said.

Smart farming can not only reduce the cost of agricultural production, but also effectively solve the issue of unattended farmland, said Li Zhenfeng, deputy director of the Cheng'an county agriculture and rural affairs bureau.

This comes after Hebei has promoted the use of information technology applications, including the Internet of Things, AI and big data, to boost agricultural productivity and increase farmers' incomes, according to the provincial department of agriculture and rural affairs.

The spring equinox, or Chunfen in Chinese, the fourth solar term in the Chinese lunar calendar, falls on March 20 this year. After the spring equinox, the days get longer, the weather becomes warmer and plants start to grow fast.

Around the time of the spring equinox, a major season for farming in China, farming activities are in full swing across the country, from the north to the south.

China's farming sector has been going high-tech in recent years, with the country highlighting the role of sci-tech development to ensure food security and promote rural revitalization.

In northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the country's top grain producer, the Jiamusi Jichi Tractor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is producing smart farming machinery at full throttle to meet the demand for spring plowing.

Workers are installing intelligent screens and BeiDou intelligent terminals for high-horsepower tractors. With the help of a big data platform, farmers can remotely monitor the operation area and operation track of farm machinery.

The Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences will soon introduce to the market a new gene-edited soybean variety, as the province seeks to increase its yield and planting returns. Last year, it grew around 4.9 million hectares of soybeans.

In the city of Tai'an, east China's Shandong Province, farmers use unmanned machinery for weeding in wheat fields. "Now unmanned weeders can cover this piece of land in just two hours, while the same work used to be done by five workers in one and a half days," said Xu Jianhua, who runs a local family farm.

Apart from modern farming machinery, the city of Changyi, Shandong, has also channeled river water to improve its saline-alkali soil. Sun Dedong, head of a local agricultural business entity, said they are also working with various research institutes to seek higher-yielding and drought- and salt-tolerant varieties.

In Zhangmu Township of Yulin, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, there is an endless stream of farmers coming to buy new rice varieties at the local agricultural technology consultancy service center.

"The new varieties on sale are more lodging resistant, an important quality in our region with frequent rains. They can produce better rice with higher yields," said Zeng Zhenli, head of the center.

Earlier this year, China unveiled its "No. 1 central document" for 2024, outlining the priorities for comprehensively promoting rural revitalization this year. The document calls for efforts to strengthen the role of sci-tech development in promoting rural revitalization.

Data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs shows that the contribution rate of China's agricultural science and technology progress reached 62.4 percent in 2022. Aided by increased contributions from agricultural machinery and technology, China secured a grain harvest of over 650 million tonnes for the ninth consecutive year in 2023.

Nationwide, the mechanization rate in crop plowing, planting and harvesting had risen from 67.2 percent in 2017 to 73 percent in 2022. China aims to further increase the rate to 75 percent by 2025. 
Bomb squad assisted by robotic dog Saetta.

Italy's culture ministry in the historic centre of Rome was evacuated on Tuesday morning following a bomb alert.

Around 400 people were evacuated from the building, just off the central Via del Corso, after a bomb threat from an anonymous phone caller.

The alert and evacuation took place while culture ministry officials were holding talks with representatives from the Italian dance sector.

The bomb squad was being assisted by Saetta , the remote-controlled robotic dog recently unveiled by the Carabinieri ahead of the Vatican's Jubilee Year 2025.

UPDATE: Bomb alert declared a hoax by police

Photo credit: REPORT / Shutterstock.com.
JERUSALEM, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it had killed over 50 Hamas militants and apprehended almost 180 others during its new round of operations at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that "precise operations" were launched targeting the hospital.

Hamas militants were killed in close-quarters combat, and the Israeli army located weapons in the area "while avoiding harm to civilians, medical staff, and medical equipment," noted the statement.

In the area of Al-Qarara in Khan Younis, the Israeli army killed Palestinian militants and destroyed infrastructure, including one from which anti-tank missiles were launched at Israeli troops two days ago, the statement added.

The IDF began its raid on Al-Shifa Hospital early Monday. The hospital, the largest one in the Gaza Strip, has been previously targeted by the Israeli army. 
The US House of Representatives passed a bill last week that could see popular social media app TikTok banned across the country. While the bill still needs to secure passage through the Senate, it has sparked a debate in Australia about the future of the app, which has become part of the fabric of life of 8.5 million Australians, and a key source of income for content creators across music, comedy and the arts.

TikTok has offered a major boost for some up-and-coming artists. What would a ban mean for those trying to build their brand?

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said the government has no plans to move beyond existing rules that forbid ministers and government officials using TikTok on phones with sensitive information. Other government ministers have refused to rule out a ban, saying they will adhere to expert advice.

Concerns about the platform include the way data from Australian users could be sent to China (it is owned by Chinese company ByteDance) and the potential for it to distort democratic debate. Cybersecurity experts have pushed for new laws to regulate the impact  with some calling for a ban.

Since its creation in 2016, TikTok has become a cornucopia of creative content, offering a launchpad for up-and-coming musicians, comedians, and fashionistas. If the app were banned in Australia, what would that mean for local artists and creators?
Just after 2pm on a clear afternoon on March 4 at a Space Force Base in California, history was made when a Falcon-9 rocket launched a washing machine-sized device into space, the worlds first intelligence satellite run by an environmental group.

Now orbiting the earth at 580 kilometres above ground 15 times a day, MethaneSAT is using spectrometers to study methane being emitted from industrial facilities and landfills, coalmines and feedlots with a higher resolution than ever before attempted.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule with a crew of four on a mission to the International Space Station lifts off from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre in Cape Canaveral. Credit: AP

MethaneSAT, funded significantly by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and thrust into space on one of Elon Musks rockets, is the product of a project led by the US environment group Environmental Defence Fund in collaboration with Harvard University, the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the New Zealand Space Agency.

It is effectively the worlds first environmental spy satellite, and its mission is to track methane emissions to their source and monitor global efforts to reduce the invisible and odorless planet warming gas.
Perth renters are recording nearly unlivable temperatures inside their homes, affecting their health and the ability to use their home, according to new research.

More than 100 tenants tracked temperatures and humidity in their homes as part of a report for advocacy group Better Renting, released on Tuesday.

Perth sweltered through record-breaking heatwaves this summer. Credit: WAtoday

Temperatures inside tenants homes peaked at 37 degrees and 83 per cent relative humidity.

The report found this summer was particularly challenging for renters, with many struggling with the cost of living following record increases in rents and the cost of basic essentials.
TAIYUAN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- A passenger bus crashed into a tunnel wall Tuesday afternoon on the Hohhot-Beihai Expressway in north China's Shanxi Province, with casualties yet to be confirmed, according to the Shanxi public security bureau.

Rescue forces have rushed to the scene and investigation into the cause of the accident is under way. 
London: A photograph of Queen Elizabeth surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren  taken by Princess Catherine  was digitally enhanced at source, a global picture agency has said.

The photo, taken at Balmoral in August 2022, was reviewed by Getty Images after the princess admitted she had edited a Mothers Day picture of herself and her three children.

The portrait appears to show several inconsistencies, including a vertical inconsistency on Queen Elizabeths skirt; dark shadows next to the heads of Prince Louis and Prince George; and signs of digital repetition of Mia Tindalls hair. Credit:

Buckingham Palace released it on April 21 last year to mark what would have been the late Queens 97th birthday.

A spokesman for Getty said: Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editors note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source.
London: Catherine, Princess of Wales, has been filmed by a member of the public talking and smiling at a farm shop in Windsor as she continues her recovery amid worldwide conspiracy theories.

The princess was shown looking healthy and back on her feet, following abdominal surgery in January.

Prince William and Princess Catherine have been spotted at a farm shop. Credit: The Sun

Wearing black sportswear with pink detail and trainers, she had her hair down and was smiling broadly as they walked through the Windsor Farm Shops car park on the weekend.

She was accompanied by her husband, William, Prince of Wales, who was dressed in jeans and a baseball cap. Each carried a bag of shopping as they walked side by side. Their children were not in view.
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 two-bedroom penthouse comes with sweeping views of the Eiffel Tower and just about every other monument across the Paris skyline. The rent, at 600 ($1000) a month, is a steal. Marine Vallery-Radot, 51, the apartments tenant, said she cried when she got the call last northern summer that hers was among 253 lower-income families chosen for a spot in the lIlot Saint-Germain, a new public-housing complex a short walk from the Musee dOrsay, the National Assembly and Napoleons tomb. We were very lucky to get this place, said the single mother who lives here with her 12-year-old son, as she gazed out of bedroom windows overlooking the Latin Quarter. This is what I see when I wake up. Those who produce the riches of the city must have the right to live in it. Ian Brossat, Paris Council head of housing Public housing can conjure images of bleak, boxy towers on the outskirts of a city, but this logement social was built in the former offices of the French Defence Ministry, in the 7th arrondissement, one of Paris most chic neighbourhoods. Its part of an ambitious and aggressive effort to keep middle and lower-income residents and small-business owners in the heart of a city that would otherwise be unaffordable to them, and by extension, to preserve the ineffable character of a city adored by people around the world. This summer, when the French capital welcomes upwards of 15 million visitors for the Olympic Games, it will showcase a city engineered by government policies to achieve mixite sociale  a diverse social mix. One-quarter of all Paris residents now live in public housing, up from 13 per cent in the late 1990s. The mixite sociale policy, promoted most forcefully by left-wing political parties, notably the French Communist Party, targets the economic segregation seen in many world cities.

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Our guiding philosophy is that those who produce the riches of the city must have the right to live in it, said Ian Brossat, a communist senator who served for a decade as the Paris Councils head of housing. Teachers, sanitation workers, nurses, college students, bakers and butchers are among those who benefit from the program. Ian Brossat, a communist senator who served for a decade as Paris Councils head of housing. Credit: Alex Cretey-Systermans/The New York Times Making the philosophy a reality is increasingly hard  the waitlist for public housing in Paris is more than six years long. I wont say this is easy and that we have solved the problem, Brossat said. Paris is being buffeted by the same market forces vexing other so-called superstar cities such as London, San Francisco and New York  a sanctum for the worlds wealthiest to park their money and buy a piece of a living museum. The average price for a 90-square-metre apartment in the centre of the capital today is 1.3 million ($2.16 million), according to the Chamber of Notaries of Paris. The Abbe Pierre Foundation, an influential charity, was unusually emphatic in its annual report, published in February, calling Frances affordability crisis a social bomb: homelessness is rising and 2.4 million families are waiting on public-housing applications, up from 2 million in 2017. Still, the measures that Paris has taken to keep lower-income residents in the city go far beyond the initiatives in most other European cities. The city converted La Caserne des Minimes, a police barracks built during the French Revolution, into 70 public housing units. Credit: Alex Cretey-Systermans/The New York Times Every Thursday, Jacques Baudrier, the Paris city councillor in charge of housing, scrolls through the list of properties being exchanged by sellers and buyers on the private market. With some exceptions, the city has the legal right to preempt the sale of a building, buy the property and convert it to public housing.

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We are in a constant battle, said Baudrier, who wields a 625 million annual budget. The fight, he said, is against forces that make buying Parisian real estate impossible for all but the well-to-do, including buyers who snap up holiday apartments and then leave them empty for most of the year. Paris has also sharply restricted short-term rentals, after officials became alarmed when historic neighbourhoods, including the old Jewish quarter, the Marais, appeared to be shedding full-time residents as investors bought places to rent out to tourists. At the same time, the city has built or renovated more than 82,000 apartments over the past three decades for families with children. Rents range from 6 to 13 per square metre, depending on household income, meaning that a two-bedroom, 90-square-metre apartment might go for as little as 600 a month. It has also built 14,000 student apartments over the past 25 years; monthly rents at one complex currently nearing completion in the 13th arrondissement start at 250. Ilot Saint-Germain public housing development in Paris. Credit: Alex Cretey-Systermans/The New York Times The French statistics agency, Insee, reports that Paris is home to more than 10,000 nurses, 1700 bakers, 470 butchers, 945 garbage collectors and 5300 janitors. The push for more social housing and other programs to make the city more affordable has coincided with the dominance of left-wing political parties, who came to power in 2001 after decades of right-wing rule. But Francois Rochon, an urban planning consultant, said there is a functional consensus between right and left in France today on the need for public housing that mirrors some other European nations, but not the United States. Living in social housing is not stigmatised, said Rochon, who pointed to its roots a century ago in France, when companies built apartments for their workers. As a measure of the left-right alignment on the issue, Benoist Apparu, a former housing minister who served in a conservative government, described social housing as absolutely essential.

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Loading A city, if its only made up of poor people, is a disaster, said Apparu, who now works for a property developer. And if its only made up of rich people, its not much better. Paris housing program is part of the trade-off of the welfare state: affordable healthcare and education in exchange for some of the highest income tax rates and social charges in Europe. Public housing, however, is increasingly available only for those lucky enough to get it. There also is vestigial cynicism in Paris about public housing after a series of scandals in the 1990s, when some conservative politicians were revealed to be paying cheap rents for luxury city-owned apartments. Today, the city awards public housing through a system that strips the names of applicants and prioritises them through a points system that factors income and family circumstances. Mostly, resistance comes at the local level, Rochon said. Residents in central arrondissements, for example, have often pushed back against building public housing, and the neighbourhoods remain bastions of the wealthy. There is also disagreement about how far the government can or should push public housing in the future. The current goal is for Paris to have 30 per cent public housing for low-income residents and 10 per cent for middle-income residents by 2035. Baudrier, the Paris City Council member, said he believes that in the long term, 60 per cent of housing in the city should be public and reserved for low- and middle-income families. But building new public housing has been particularly challenging because so much of the city is already so densely packed  and often protected by landmark status.

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BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China has launched an anti-graft operation codenamed "Sky Net" for 2024, aimed at apprehending criminal fugitives, recovering misappropriated assets and combating cross-border corruption.

The move was announced on Tuesday at a meeting of the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group.

According to the meeting, the integrated mechanism for pursuing fugitives, preventing escape, and retrieving stolen assets will be further advanced in a holistic manner. 
Under the framework of the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme, funded by the European Union, the World Customs Organization (WCO), in partnership with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), held a national training workshop on rules of origin in Lome, Togo, from 11 to 15 March 2024 with the participation of officials from Togo Customs, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Industry, Chamber of Commerce and private sector. The objective of the workshop was to assist Togo in enhancing its knowledge and application of preferential rules of origin.

In his opening remarks, the Director General of the Investment Promotion Agency and Free Zones, Mr. Atsouvi Yawo SIKPA, representing the Minister of Investment Promotion in Togo, thanked the WCO and the EU for their support in building capacity on rules of origin. He stressed the importance of having an in-depth knowledge of the WAEMU, ECOWAS and AfCFTA rules of origin to avoid diversity in their application on regional and continental levels. He also reiterated the governments engagement to promote peace, security and the consolidation of regional communities, which is a guarantee of industrial and economic development and regional integration.

The WAEMU representative in Togo, Ms. Aminata LO PAYE, thanked the WCO for its support to WAEMU through the EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme and stressed that rules of origin are a major priority for WAEMU. She added that the seminar is of strategic importance because it aims, through the strengthening of the capacities of economic actors and competent authorities in the field of rules of origin, to contribute effectively to the facilitation of trade and to strengthen the competitiveness of WAEMUs economies on the international market. Ms. LO PAYE reiterated WAEMU's commitment to support efforts to strengthen economic integration in order to create an environment conducive to investment, encourage innovation and create sustainable jobs.

During the workshop participants worked on key concepts for proper origin determination, related operational and procedural issues, including origin certification and origin irregularities, as well as the establishment of efficient origin management. In addition, participants discussed specific areas of concern, including the low level of knowledge and use of the FTAs and challenges linked to administrative cooperation. They also discussed recommendations for at better management and implementation of rules of origin on a national and regional level.

The EU-WCO Rules of Origin Africa Programme shall hold consultations with WAEMU to better address challenges and gaps in capacity building and implementation of rules of origin at regional and national levels and will continue its work with WAEMU and Togo Customs to equip Customs officials and relevant stakeholders with extended knowledge for efficient implementation and application of rules or origin.

For further information please contact EU-WCORoOAfrica.Program@wcoomd.org
The General Office of the State Council has issued an action plan to steadily promote high-level opening up and make greater efforts to attract and utilize foreign investment. #XinhuaNews
Weber State to develop degrees, certificates taught in Spanish to foster strong bilingual workforce

March 19, 2024

OGDEN, Utah  With help from a $2.5 million grant from the Utah Governors Office of Economic Opportunity, Weber State University is developing a program that will offer certificates and degrees through classes taught entirely in Spanish.

This is one of the first programs of its kind nationwide, and the very first in Utah, said Ryan Starks, GOEO executive director. We see this as an opportunity to upskill our workforce, especially in northern Utah where theres a higher population of Spanish-speaking people.

The Building Puentes program will offer stackable credentials  courses designed to build on each other so that a certificate could count toward an associates degree, which could then count toward a bachelors deg ree in the same area of study.

Weber State will soft-launch the program this fall with several classes taught in Spanish, then further develop the program over the next five years, taking curriculum already taught in English and tailoring it for Spanish speakers.

By 2028, the university plans to offer a bachelors degree in computer science, with plans for several other associates degrees. Weber will also offer nine certificates in skills such as web essentials, cybersecurity and other high-demand areas.

Were starting with these areas where theres high industry demand and broad marketability, said WSU President Brad Mortensen. Were also providing this in a completely online format to meet the needs of our Spanish-speaking population.

With Hispanics and Latinos being the second-largest ethnic group in Utah and the United States, Weber State wants to be a leader in meeting the needs of the workforce by graduating career-ready, bilingual graduates, Mortensen said.

The Building Puentes program will see Weber State hiring more Spanish-speaking faculty and staff, developing training and translating course materials into Spanish.

Our ultimate goal is student success in both the classroom and the workplace, so were going to offer additional bilingual support courses and services, Mortensen said.

Students in the program will be placed in English as a second language courses most appropriate for their English language proficiency, which will serve as co-requisite courses to the content-based curriculum taught in Spanish.

As the program grows, WSU will hire more bilingual academic advisors and tutors. The university also plans to award scholarships to help cover costs of course materials and the technology necessary to complete the program.

The universitys strategic plan includes a strong commitment to becoming an emerging Hispanic-Serving Institution with at least 15% of the student body identifying as Hispanic or Latino.

Were focused on meeting prospective and current Hispanic students and their families where they are, and helping them get where they want to go, Mortensen said.

Both Mortensen and Starks noted how Weber State is helping lead the nation in preparing a growing segment of the population to meet ever-increasing industry demands for a skilled workforce.

For us, its about supporting our economy, filling important jobs in the right sectors, in the states key industries, Starks said. We care about education, we care about businesses and we care about our Hispanic community.
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged all-out efforts to secure stable supply of grains and vital agricultural products.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in instructions on spring agricultural production as well as disaster prevention, reduction and relief efforts.

Local governments should be fully prepared for the spring ploughing, and provide greater policy support and technical guidance for agricultural production, Li said. He also emphasized the need to ensure adequate supply of agricultural materials.

Li noted that these efforts aim to help the country achieve another bumper harvest and firmly underpin its high-quality social and economic development.

A national conference on spring agricultural production and disaster prevention, reduction and relief efforts was convened in Xinxiang, Henan Province on Monday. Vice Premier Liu Guozhong attended the conference and made a speech.

Liu called for moves to increase grain and oil yields, encourage the use of supportive technology, and promote the development and maintenance of high-standard farmland.

Efforts should also go to monitoring disaster risks and strengthening emergency preparedness to reduce the impact of disasters on agricultural output, according to the vice premier.

Prior to the conference, Liu paid a visit to Xingtai in Hebei Province, north China, and examined restoration of damaged agricultural infrastructure and the growth of wheat. 

A national conference on spring agricultural production and disaster prevention, reduction and relief efforts is held in Xinxiang, central China's Henan Province, March 18, 2024. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attended the conference and made a speech. (Xinhua/Hao Yuan)
Convicted Garda killer Pearse McAuley has been found dead at his home in Strabane, aged 59.

A PSNI spokeswoman said on Tuesday: Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of a man at a property in Abercorn Square in Strabane on Monday, 18 March.

At present, the death is not believed to be suspicious.

Mr McAuley was part of the IRA gang that shot dead Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in Limerick in 1996, and was sentenced in 1999 to 14 years in jail.

Mr McAuley and his IRA gang shot Det Gda McCabe and his partner Det Gda Ben OSullivan during a raid on the post office in Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7th, 1996.

The killing occurred four months after the breakdown of the first IRA ceasefire.

While McAuley was serving his sentence, Sinn Fein made an unsuccessful attempt to have him and others jailed for the garda killing to be released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

The move was resisted by the Government.

McAuley was convicted along with Limerick men Jeremiah Sheehy, Michael ONeill and Kevin Walsh.

In 2014, Mr McCauley stabbed his then wife, Sinn Fein TD Pauline Tully. He was given a 12-year sentence for the attack with the final four years suspended.

Mr McCauley was released from prison in 2022 for the attack.

The pair had married while McAuley was serving his 14-year sentence for the garda killing.

They met when Ms Tully, who was elected as a Sinn Fein councillor in 1999, visited McAuley at Castlerea Prison in Co Roscommon.

They became engaged in 2000.

He was temporarily released in 2003 to marry Ms Tully, a teacher at the time, in her home village of Kilnaleck, Co Cavan.

Mr McAuley pulled off a prison escape in England in 1991 while awaiting trial on terrorism charges.

On July 7th, 1991, he had escaped from Brixton Prison along with cellmate Nessan Quinlivan. He was being held on charges of conspiring to cause explosions and in connection with a plan to murder a British brewery company chairman.

The two men had been arrested in October 1990, at Stonehenge in connection with the murder plot.
An amalgamation proposal for the two secondary schools in Claremorris is moving forward.

In a joint statement, the patrons of Mount St Michael Secondary School and St Colmans College said they had met to discuss a report on the recent consultation on the future of Catholic secondary education in Claremorris. The report was shared with the boards of management of both schools in mid-December, following which, more time was given to both schools to make further submissions.

Having considered the report and submissions, the patrons are now exploring all options including, but not confined to, the possibility of amalgamating Mount St Michael Secondary School and St Colmans College to form a new amalgamated Catholic co-educational school on a site chosen by the Department of Education.

The patrons of both schools will commence an engagement with the Department of Education Building Unit with the aim of enhancing the educational facilities available for all students in Claremorris.
James Cox

A prevention guide for the HSE data leak that left the vaccination information of one million people available was published one year before the incident, according to the security researcher who brought it to light.

A computer glitch meant the HSEs Covid vaccination portal left the data of one million people vulnerable.

This included the full names, vaccination status and type of vaccination people received.

The issue was discovered in December 2021 by Aaron Costello, security researcher and principal software-as-a-service security engineer at cybersecurity company AppOmni.

Mr Costello disputes the HSE's claim that the data left open by the "misconfiguration" was only accessible to people with "deep technical expertise".

Mr Costello told BreakingNews.ie: "I would have wholeheartedly agreed with them, if it was not for the fact that the year before, October 2020, on my personal blog I published a step-by-step walkthrough methodology on how to perform these kinds of attacks... and how to protect from them. It was to educate people about these types of Salesforce attacks.

"That blog post went quite viral, anyone could have read my blog post, with the HSE site open in their browser, and followed it to extract the information.

"As a result of my research being public on how to perform these kinds of things, I wouldn't say it requires deep technical expertise at all.

"Since that research, there have been automated tools freely available online, so I could have downloaded it on my dad's computer and just followed it through the URL, so I wouldn't agree with that statement."

Mr Costello said he revealed the information to the public as it is something he feels the HSE should have done, along with disclosing it to the Data Protection Commission.

"You can only imagine there was a decision made that took into account the circumstances at the time, which was they wanted mass vaccination for the majority of the population, and this was just several months after the HSE cyberattack by Russian actors. As a result, it would potentially have deterred people from registering because they may not have felt their information was safe.

"I do think that this research being publicised now will definitely have an effect on the trust in the HSE."

He also pointed out that it is unclear where fault for the issue lies, as contractors worked on the vaccine portal.

"This week, I received a Linkedin message from an individual at IBM who said they worked on the project. I was able to find on the IBM website that they had publicly announced they were working on the project. When you take that into account, what responsibility did the contractors have over this project? Were they responsible for administering this website and setting it up? In which case, whose fault it really is, is kind of a grey line."

He also said it is unfair to claim the HSE were not attempting to modernise their cybersecurity, as the Salesforce platform on which the website was based is a modern and up-to-date system.

It was really their attempt to modernise the process, but unfortunately it didn't go as planned.

"There has been a lot of speculation from people about how this happened, and a lot are saying 'oh this is typical HSE, using outdated software and outdated practices'.

"The unfortunate truth is Salesforce is used by the largest organisations in the world as a software, and it was a very modern way of deploying a vaccination portal. It was really their attempt to modernise the process, but unfortunately it didn't go as planned. I do hope it doesn't deter them from pursuing modern practices in the future.

"This issue would not have been immediately obvious to anyone just using the portal, making an appointment. In effect, what happened was, when a user registered, they were given permission on the site to create an appointment and read their appointment details, which is normal.

"However, when configuring the site, they had accidentally given too much read accessibility to everyone who registered. It's as simple as just selecting the wrong box really. Instead of saying 'registered user should be able to see their own information', and just their own, they accidentally configured it to say 'able to read all vaccination appointment information'.

"That's the crux of the issue, it's too many privileges given to registered users."

Mr Costello alerted the HSE to the problem in December 2021, and he said he was impressed with the response.

"I was pleased with how rapid the fix was. The HSE claimed it was the same day. I didn't confirm on that day, but I did get confirmation a week later that it was fixed, so I was pleased with how swiftly they remedied it and all credit to them for that."

However, he feels they "let people down by not being forthcoming about it", and that it was his responsibility to share the information with the public.

Aaron Costello, chief of Software-as-a-Service security research at AppOmni.

"It was only the later discussion about whose responsibility this is to bring it to the public eye and whether the data protection office should be informed. That was where they did let people down.

"I feel it was their responsibility to be more forthcoming about it.

"They said it was a glitch, and that's an outrageous term to use. They stated to me that they saw no malicious attempt to access the data. I had to take their word it was just me. It will be very difficult to get any evidence that it was sufficiently analysed, because these SaaS (software as a service) systems are not like typical websites. They would have had to analyse some very specific sources of log information in order to determine that no data was accessed. Whether they did so sufficiently, and properly, we'll never know.

"Someone called me a whistleblower, which I think is extreme. But as a citizen, I do feel that I have some responsibility for helping to keep public infrastructure safe from malicious actors. It's important to do our bit, especially with the knowledge we have."

While the HSE said no malicious actors accessed the information, Mr Costello said it could have easily happened.

Refusal reason

He also pointed out that vaccine status is considered sensitive information by many people, and that refusal reasons were also available in the leak.

"It is sensitive information. Something important that the HSE skipped over, when they said there would need to be more access for real sensitive data to be available. One of the things that was exposed was the refusal reason for those who did not get vaccinated. If someone suffers from a medical condition that stopped them getting vaccinated or whatever, that would have been available."

You can read Aaron Costello's full blog post here.
The son of a former presidential candidate and Fine Gael minister is behind the redevelopment of the former Bank of Ireland building in Ballyhaunis. Austin Currie Junior is the chief executive of development company Sayvale, the listed owners of the former bank at The Square in Ballyhaunis.

Headquartered in Dublins financial district with offices in Ballsbridge, Sayvale has specialised in bringing non-EU investors into the Irish social housing market. On its website, Sayvale explains it is growing relations with non-EU investors to deliver social and affordable houses in Ireland". It also says it is planning to complete the conversion of the bank building into six apartments by the end of 2024.

The company last year engaged building firm Achill Formwork and Construction Ltd to remove the internal fixings from the building in advance of renovations. The same construction firm renovated a former pub in Charlestown for Sayvale, turning the building into three apartments. Sayvale has also worked on the refurbishment of a former railway station building in Achill for housing.

Requests for comment from the company regarding its plans for the former Ballyhaunis bank property went unanswered.

Agricultural land prices slipping?

A new survey showing that agricultural land prices slipped by 3% in 2023 across the country may be biased by a large sale of several thousand acres of hill land in Mayo last year, according to local auctioneer and land agent Gerry Coffey.

Speaking to this column from the launch of the Farmers' Journal annual land market report, Coffey said: The per acre price was lower, thus dragging down the average price nationally.

Coffey sees continued demand for farmland but says a new generation of government environmentally friendly farm schemes like ACRES (Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme) has led to a fall in farmland in the wider Ballyhaunis region being planted with forestry.

Farmers see they can get paid more by reducing farming intensity and going on an environmental scheme than they might by planting their land," he said. There are 100,000 fewer suckler cows in the country. The older generation of farmers exiting are being replaced by their sons who are usually part-time farmers with a day job. They want an easier life and are farming less intensively and availing of schemes like ACRES."

Another factor reducing the supply of farmland coming to the market - and thus holding prices steady  is a trend to long-term leases.

These offer an alternative for families wishing to rent their farm without losing ownership  while also enjoying tax-free treatment on rent payments up to 30,000, explained Coffey.

Beekeeping course

Budding apiarists wishing to get involved and experience beekeeping are invited to attend Ballyhaunis Beekeepers' Associations beginners course on Saturday, April 13th and Sunday, April 14th in Clare Court, Ballyhaunis. There will be a charge of 75 to cover rent, demonstration equipment and a very comprehensive booklet on beekeeping.

The organisers explain: You may register for the course by emailing us at ballyhaunisbees@gmail.com or through our Facebook page. Please note to comply with insurance requirements, you must be a member of Ballyhaunis Beekeepers' Association to attend this course.

No end in sight for Ballyhaunis primary care centre debacle

The Ballyhaunis primary care centre is a mini national childrens hospital", according to local Aontu election candidate Paul Lawless, who is organising a public meeting on the fate of the unfinished centre on Wednesday, March 20th.

The Health Service Executive needs to show urgency to get work restarted on the site, which has been abandoned since 2021, said Lawless. He also blames the impasse on the lack of a local TD in this area putting real pressure on the HSE to get works restarted. Several TDs have tabled parliamentary questions to the Minister for Health on the abandoned project.

A dispute over costs appears to have stalled the project. The Ballyhaunis Primary Care Centre is one of a number of such sites nationwide mired in disputes over costs with several developers seeking higher rents (than those agreed) from the HSE to cover higher construction costs.

The HSE chose a public-private partnership model for delivering primary care centres, with the HSE agreeing long-term tenancies with private developers who build the centres. While 172 primary care centres had opened nationwide as of the end of November 2023 there are 40 more at various stages of construction. The developers of some of those sites are seeking higher rents from the HSE than those originally agreed.

In 2022, the HSEs real estate management arm, HSE Estates, told this column that it was waiting on an updated programme for recommencement and completion from the developer behind the project, who would lease the building to the HSE if and when its completed.

The developer is experiencing difficulty programming in subcontractors but is working on this and will inform Estates as soon as the programme is confirmed, said the HSE at the time.

Paul Lawless believes the HSE is not accountable to anyone and says the Ballyhaunis project may have to be retendered, a messy proposition given works are partly completed.

Electric cars taking off in Ballyhaunis

Electric cars are becoming more common in the Ballyhaunis area, with a Chinese-made BYD model spotted recently in the town car park adjacent to the local library.

Locals are more willing to purchase electric cars because two issues  charging points and car driving range  have largely been solved, according to Kieran Sherry, head of the Kiltimagh-based Voltswagon, which installs electric car charging points for householders.

The BYD Tang model can drive 530 kilometers on a charge while new models in the 30,000 price range are now capable of running 350 kilometres on a single charge, said Sherry, who recently installed chargers at the homes of two Ballyhaunis customers.

Car makers like Volkswagen have jumped on the bandwagon, said Sherry.

When I started out in 2017, there were 500 electric vehicles sold across the whole country in that year. Last year there were 22,500 sold.

Things have also improved significantly on the public charging front, said Sherry. He outlined a series of chargers installed in towns and villages by the ESB with private enterprises like Aldi and Supermacs, as well as charging company EasyGo, also installing chargers to draw and facilitate customers.

Energy efficiency event for homes and businesses

Local homeowners and businesses are being invited to a special information event on how to cut energy bills and carbon emissions through better insulation and renewable energy systems.

Organised by the local Ballyhaunis Sustainable Energy Community (SEC) in conjunction with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), the event on Saturday, March 23rd, will feature speakers on grants available to assist homes, businesses or community buildings to reduce their energy and heating costs.

While some local businesses (as reported in this column) saw their electricity bills treble in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, Ballyhaunis households spend an average 3,600 per year on home energy, according to data collected in the most recent national census conducted by the Central Statistics Office.

Yet half of Ballyhaunis dwellings do not have a Building Energy Rating Certificate (BER), according to Census data provided by the SEAI. More than 96% of Ballyhaunis homes have substandard windows while most have substandard wall and roof insulation and less than 1% of local houses have a heat pump installed, explained Alma Gallagher from Ballyhaunis SEC, who will speak at the event on the extensive grant programme for home energy retrofits provided through Clar ICH where she works as manager.

The event is being hosted by Ballyhaunis Community Council at its premises, the Community Hall, which benefited from Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grants for external insulation and the installation of a heat pump heating system, both installed by contractors engaged by Clar ICH.

There are measures that can be easily taken to help reduce energy or heating costs by making homes and buildings more energy efficient, explained Ms Gallagher. There is also significant funding available to those who want to take these steps.

Other speakers at the event will be Dr Orla Nic Suibhne, a consultant for SEAI, who will provide details on SEAIs home energy retrofit grants. Also speaking will be Dr David Connolly, CEO of Heat Grid Ireland who will outline some opportunities to reduce carbon emissions.

They will be joined by James Donnelly of Eco Heating Ltd who will provide information on the benefits of using heat pumps; Pat Lavin of Ecosmart will talk about the savings available through the use of insulation for homes and David Doherty of Switch to Solar will highlight how Solar PV can cut household energy bills. Test drives of electric vehicles will also be provided by Liam Rochford of Rochford Motors. The event runs from 12 to 2pm. For further information, call 087-2617124.
Good start to 'Stolen Child' journey

Clann Machua Drama Group got off to the perfect start on the All Ireland Festival circuit in their first appearance in Castleblayney on Sunday night, March 10, when they won the Confined Section with their play Stolen Child. If that were not enough for a first night, they added two more awards when Ethan Jordan picked up Best Male Actor award and Adrian Lavin added another for Imagination the Most Imaginative Moment in theatre.

It was then straight on the Tubbercurry the following night where Stolen Child was awarded third place and Ethan Henry best supporting actor as Mick Tracy.

They took their play to the Linenhall Theatre in Castlebar last Thursday night and then on the long trip to the West Cork festival on Saturday night.

They will stage Stolen Child at the Claregalway festival this Thursday, March 21, at Claremorris on Thursday 28, and at Glenamaddy festival on Sunday next, March 24. The cast, their director Seamus Corry, and stage crew are wished all the best and lots more awards on their travels after which they will be due a well-earned rest!

Youthreach creation in Dublin finals

Youthreach Kiltimagh Shines Bright in Junk Kouture Regional Finals securing a place in the live Dublin City Finals which will be held in May in Dublin with their design 'Earthly Elegance'. Inspired by the theme of Positive Mental Health, Grounding and Biodiversity. 'Earthly Elegance' is a testament to the profound connection between humanity and nature.

Led by Geraldine Doherty the team members - models Amanda Beca, Rianna Prendergast and Gabriele Bacyte - have poured their hearts and souls into crafting a masterpiece that speaks volumes about staying rooted amidst life's challenges. At its core 'Earthly Elegance' is more than just a fashion statement  it's a celebration of resilience, strength, and the power of nature to heal. In a world where mental health issues are increasingly prevalent, this creation serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of nurturing our well-being and finding solace in the embrace of nature. The Junk Kouture Finals, inspiring us all to embrace the beauty of the natural world and a sense of grounding in our lives.

Jackpot winner

Congrats to Tanya Roche who won the GAA Clubs 50/50 jackpot of 640 at the draw held in Ryans Bar on Saturday night, March 9.

All-Ireland win

Kiltimagh Knock United's Ava Mitchell was a member of the Mayo U14 team who were crowned national SFAI Inter-League Shield champions after a 2-1 win (aet) in the final played in Limerick. Congratulations Ava - another All-Ireland medal in the bag. Ava is a member of KK's U17 and U15 teams.

Clothes collection

Kiltimagh Knock Utd's fundraising clothing collection returns this Easter. You are asked to donate reusable and clean old and pre-loved clothes - all women's, men's and children's clothing, handbags, belts, all paired shoes, also curtains, bedlinen, towels, blankets and soft toys. No pillows or duvets.

The collection days are Saturday, March 30, from 11am to 1 pm and bank holiday Monday, April from 11am to 1pm, at the Kiltimagh Knock United clubhouse, CMS Park, Cloonlee, Knock (F12 HF61). All support appreciated as the club continues to raise funds for its new pitch and lighting.

Bridge

The results of the weekly Bridge game held in the Park Hotel, Kiltimagh, on Tuesday night, March 12, were 1st Ray Nally and Tom Grogan, 2nd Thomas McNicholas and Cait McTigue, 3rd Marita Ryan and Maeve Duffy, 4th Robert Healy and Frances Healy, 5th Hilary McCrohan and Betty Solan, 6th Mick Dolan and Patrick Keary, 7th Maureen Carney and Claire Cunniffe, 8th Geraldine Forde and Jerome. Play starts every Tuesday at 7.45pm.

Enterprise winners

Congratulations to St. Louis Community School students Owen Monaghan and Odhran Freeman who won first place in the intermediate category of the Mayo Enterprise Awards, which took place in Ballina. Their business - Owens Landscaping - is now through to the All-Ireland final of the competition in Mullingar this May. Well done to all the other student groups on their presentations and thank you to their teachers Ms Larkin and Mr Gallagher.

Poker league

Twenty one players competed in Round 8 of the Kitimagh Poker League in Teach OHora on Wednesday night last and the prizewinners were 1 Tiernan Burke, 2 Gerry Groarke, 3 Derry OSullivan, 4 Kieran McGee. The other finalists were; 5 Paul Walsh, 6 Nicky Cunnane, 7 Pat Boyle, 8 Mossie OConnell, 9 Julian Keane. Isaac Boyle stays top of the league table with 149 points, followed by Gerry Groarke on 122 and Pat Boyle on 119. The rest of the top twelves is Tiernan Burke 115, Mossie OConnell 109, AN Other 106, Bart Furtak 106, Keith Lydon 103, Paul Walsh 97, Michael Sheridan 92, AN Other 88, and in joint twelfth, Nicky Cunnane and Michael Higgins, both on 85.

The league runs for fifteen weeks with a tournament in Teach OHora every Wednesday night at 8pm. Entry is 20 with one optional rebuy and late reg until 9.30pm. 5 from each entry and rebuy goes towards the league final prize pool and the rest is paid out each night.

Cards

Francis McNicholas and Danny Doherty were the winners of the top prize at the 25 Drive held in the Parish Centre, Kiltimagh, on March 7. Second and third prizes were shared by Flor Higgins and John Keady and Jack Ryan and Ciaran McDonnell. Best of last 10 Kathleen Gill and John Walsh, spot prize Seamus Larkin and Manus Kilcoyne and winners in the raffle were Manus Kilcoyne, Tom Conroy and Michael Carney.

Mayo Minor League

Kiltimagh minors had a runaway win over Claremorris last week in Division 1 of the Mayo Minor League with the result ending 4-15 to 0-4.

Kiltimagh team: S Gilmartin, R Irvine, E Cosgrove, S McDonnell, O Mulderrig, D McGovern (captain), M Bennett 0-1, L Smyth 0-1, M Smyth, L Burke 0-1, J Morley 0-2, C McNicholas 1-03, C Hession 1-04, F Burke 0-3, C Walsh 1-0. Subs: A Maloney, J Forde, M Kearney, C Walsh 1-0, D Fernhill.

KK 50/50

Congratulations to the most recent winner in the Kiltimagh Knock United 50/50 lotto draw, Sorcha McCaffrey from Kiltimagh, winning 307. Thanks to all who support the weekly fundraiser - play in-store in local retailers or online at lottoraiser.ie.

Mayo Volunteer Centre

Calling all community groups, clubs, charities and voluntary organisations in Mayo to register with Mayo Volunteer Centre and avail of the wonderful services we provide: assistance with volunteer recruitment, volunteer management training, volunteer policy development, promotion of volunteering locally and nationally, Garda vetting service and training.

The majority of these services are free of charge to organisations coming from the categories listed above. For more information or to sign up visit www.volunteermayo.ie or contact the office on 096 71444 or by emailing: vincent@volunteermayo.ie.

GAA fixtures

Saturday, March 23, U14 County League, Kiltimagh v Ballaghadereen in Kiltimagh at 11am; Sunday, March 24, Minor League Division 1, Kiltimagh v Westport in Kiltimagh at 12 noon.

Darkness into Light Walk

Kiltimagh GAA are proud to team up with Kiltimagh Darkness into Light 2024 in support of Pieta House. Kiltimagh DIL Group are delighted to host its first ever official organised walk this year and Kiltimagh GAA are encouraging all their members to get involved.

Event stewards are now being sought so if you are available to steward on the night contact Joe Corry directly on 353 (86) 807 7209 to lend your support. Walk registration is now open.

Collection

MS Ireland thank the volunteers and all who contributed to their recent church gate collection. The total raised was 405.84.

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Gurteen

The late Margaret (Peggy) Dickinson

The death took place on March 2 of Margaret (Peggy) Dickinson nee Donnelly, Toomevara, Co Tipperary - mother of Janet Mealing, Mullaghroe, Gurteen, grandmother of Jessica Coleman, Gurteen. Sincere sympathy is extended to Janet and to Jessica and Damien and daughters Brooke and Silver and to all her relations and friends. May she rest in peace.

The late Maria Allen

The death took place on March 2 at her residence of Maria Allen, Knocknaskeagh, Gurteen, and formerly of Southgate, London. News of her untimely passing at fifty one years after a short illness was received with great sorrow and sadness in Gurteen community and beyond. Her remains reposed in O'Dowd's Funeral Home on Thursday evening last and were removed to St Patrick's Church for Mass of the Resurrection on Friday celebrated by Fr Joe Caulfield and Fr Martin Henry, St Nathy's College, Ballaghaderreen. Cremation took place at Lakelands Crematorium afterwards.

The large crowds of people who attended the ceremonies were testament to the high regard Maria was held in. The were guards of honour on Thursday evening with many local people and students from St Nathy's College on the Friday.

Hearftelt sympathy is extended to her husband Paul, daughters Chloe, Kirsty and Melissa, her parents Mary and Tim Lyons, brother Daniel and family, her uncle Ambrose and family, Paul's mother Bridie, his brother Eddie and family, and all her many cousins, relations and friends, May she rest in eternal peace.

The late Sheila Corcoran

The death took place on February 29 of Sheila Corcoran (nee Madden), Oranmore, Co Galway. Sympathy is extended to her husband Benny, daughters Rosemary and Ellen and their families and to all the Corcoran families in Seefin and Culfadda area. May she rest in peace.

Coleman Community Cinema

Coleman Community Cinema are showing 'Tom and Jerry' - the movie on Saturday, March 23, at 2.30pm in the Coleman Music Centre, Gurteen. This is a funny adventurous film suitable for all ages. One adult per family goes free - treat bags available - further information from 071 91 82599, eircode F56 TF88.

Archive event

There will be a free event with films shown from the Coleman archives on Wednesday, March 27, at 3pm in the Coleman Music Centre, Gurteen. This is an Aistear Comhaltas 2030 Free event. Further information from 071 9182599.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

The nicest day of the forecast, with an egg-cellent Easter Sunday expected with partly sunny skies and mild highs near the 60-degree mark. .

Tonight

Clouding up with a bit of rain arriving late...after midnight.
HANGZHOU, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and 16 others injured in a vehicle collision at a vocational school in Taizhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, on Tuesday, according to an announcement published by the local public security bureau.

The incident occurred at about 11:20 a.m. on Tuesday, when a passenger car smashed into a crowd at the Taizhou Vocational and Technical College. A total of 19 people were injured, three of them died after medical treatment failed, while the others are in a stable condition.

The driver, a 20-year-old male, is a student at the school and has been placed in police custody. 
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  A Nebraska lawmaker is facing calls to resign after reading a graphic account of rape from a best-selling memoir on the floor of the Legislature in which he repeatedly invoked the name of a fellow lawmaker, making it appear as if that lawmaker was the subject of the assault.

Republican Sen. Steve Halloran, who is known for making audacious remarks on the mic, read an excerpt Monday night from the memoir Lucky by Alice Sebold. The book recounts Sebold's experience of sexual violence when she was 18 years old. While reading a graphic excerpt about rape, Halloran said the name Sen. Cavanaugh several times, which appeared to reference Democratic state Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh, a female colleague.

The reading came during debate of a bill that would seek to hold school librarians and teachers criminally responsible for providing what it considers to be obscene material to students in grades K-12. Supporters say the bill closes a loophole in the state's existing obscenity laws that prohibit adults from giving such material to minors. Critics say it's a way for a vocal minority to ban books they don't like  such as Lucky  from school library shelves.

Book bans and attempted bans soared last year in the U.S. Almost half of the challenged books are about communities of color, LGBTQ+ people and other marginalized groups, according to a recent report from the American Library Association. Among the books frequently challenged is Nobel laureate Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye.

Halloran on Tuesday morning apologized for repeatedly saying Sen. Cavanaugh in his reading the night before, but insisted he was not referring to Machaela Cavanaugh. Instead, he said he sought the attention of Democratic state Sen. John Cavanaugh  Machaela Cavanaugh's brother who also serves in the Legislature. That explanation did little to temper the firestorm of criticism and calls for his resignation, including from at least one fellow Republican.

Halloran's remarks drew an immediate emotional response from Machaela Cavanaugh, who was visibly shaking in the immediate aftermath of the Monday night session. That led Speaker of the Legislature Sen. John Arch to cut debate short and adjourn for the night.

That was beyond the pale, Machaela Cavanaugh said through tears, noting that there were people in the chamber during Halloran's remarks who experienced sexual violence. That was so out of line and unnecessary and disgusting to say my name over and over again like that.

She has often been at odds with Republicans in the Nebraska Legislature, a unique one-chamber statehouse that is officially nonpartisan. Last year, she led an epic filibuster of nearly every bill in the session  even ones she supported  to stymie a measure limiting gender-affirming care for minors. That measure was eventually combined with a 12-week abortion ban to create a hybrid bill that lawmakers passed.

By Tuesday morning, video recordings of Halloran's speech had made the rounds on social media and a handful of protesters appeared outside Halloran's office before debate began Tuesday, calling for him to step down.

Lawmakers began the day by addressing Halloran's reading. Arch apologized to all the female lawmakers in the body," and said he was not in the chamber when Halloran read the excerpt. Had he know Halloran planned to do so, Arch said he would have sought to dissuade him.

The most powerful remarks came from fellow Republican Sen. Julie Slama, one of the bodys youngest members at 27. She has been the target of sexualized speech on the legislative floor and accused a one-time Republican candidate for governor of assaulting her when she was just 22.

In 2020, Slama was the target of comments from then-Sen. Ernie Chambers, a Democrat, who implied she was appointed to her seat in exchange for sexual favors. In 2022, she was among several women  but the only one to come out publicly  to accuse then Nebraska Republican gubernatorial candidate Charles Herbster of groping her. Herbster, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, denied the accusations but lost the primary election to current Gov. Jim Pillen.

Slama said Tuesday it made no difference whether Halloran was invoking the name of Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh or her brother.

It doesnt matter the gender of the person you were trying to sexually harass, she said.

If Halloran had interjected the name of a colleague into a graphic description of sexual assault in a business setting, she asked, Do you think you would have your job the next day?

We cant just let this go, Slama said. We owe it to the little girls who are watching at home wanting to be something like this when they grow up. We owe it to every Nebraskan because we are the most public workplace in the state, and we deserve for it to be a professional workplace."

Speaking in the chamber Tuesday, she condemned the lawmaker's remarks. Sen. Halloran, you should be ashamed of yourself for being incapable of apologizing. There is no justification for your actions, and you should resign," she said, drawing rare applause.

This isn't the first time Halloran has made offensive and confusing remarks while trying to make a point. Last session, he argued that the legalization of abortion in the U.S. had its roots not in choice for women, but in a plot to kill off the Black race. He also attempted to highlight an exemption for rape and incest in a bill last year to limit abortions to about six weeks by stating that no ones forcing anyone to be pregnant. Pregnancys a voluntary act between two consenting adults.

Halloran said he has no plans to resign and defended his reading of the Lucky excerpt by saying he was highlighting an example of a book he believes should be banned. He is in his eighth and final year as a lawmaker and unable to seek reelection due to term limits, meaning his remarks Monday night will be among the last floor speeches of his tenure.

I didnt come down here for a legacy, Halloran told The Associated Press. I came down here to represent my district, and my district overwhelmingly has a sensitivity towards what is taught in school.
MT. PENN BOROUGH, Pa.  After major flooding devastation last summer, the Antietam School District on Monday night approved a new plan that will affect where students in kindergarten through third grade will attend classes.

In a unanimous vote, the school board decided that the district will move forward with a plan for those students to learn in modular classrooms near the former middle-senior high school.

That's the big change that many parents and residents piled into the library to find out about.

"We don't have just 42 days to get it together. We have several months now to get these plans in place," said Heidi Rochlin, Antietam School District superintendent.

The district said it recently learned the plan to house students inside the Berks County Intermediate Unit Learning Center in Lower Alsace Township may require more work than originally thought.

The building was planned to house house kindergarten through second grade next school year, until the district learned the costs involved.

"Now modular school, I don't even know what that means. So I'm just confused with everything at this point," said parent Brooke Heckman.

Like many other parents, Heckman was hoping district would present a straightforward plan.

"Modulars today are not the trailers of yesterday," Rochlin said.

Rochlin showed a slide presentation to board members, parents and residents inside Mount Penn Elementary Center's library.

"Yes, we did look at modulars in the summer and fall of 2023. We decided it wasn't feasible then. So you're probably asking, 'Well, why is it now?'" said Rochlin.

Administrators said they began to revisit the idea because the area around the former middle-senior high school is now stabilized.

With the plan approved, the district will now have the temporary modulars placed while it works to rebuild a new K-3 building.

During the presentation, the district showed plans for two different layouts.

Still, a concern was the modulars being housed right where the flooding happened last July.

"The middle-senior high school has ample space to put modulars to fit K-3, safely up and out of the floodplain," explained Rochlin.

Rochlin said the two eight-classroom units will be spacious, with modern technology, ramps, walkways, exterior lighting, a cafeteria and outdoor play area.

The district explained that it's cheaper to build a K-3 building than it is to build a high school.

The modular classroom expenses will be fully covered through flood and business insurance.

Administrators are pursuing grants to fund facilities work without causing a significant impact to taxpayers.

The board said the modulars could be on site as early as April.

In similar news, the board also approved:
BERKS COUNTY, Pa. - Law enforcement officials in Berks County were busy over the holiday weekend, arresting nearly a dozen drivers on DUI and related charges.

Police Departments from the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program conducted a sobriety checkpoint in the 1400 block of Penn Avenue in Wyomissing.

Officers from the Wyomissing Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police were assisted by several local departments.

A total of 419 vehicles were stopped at the checkpoint in a 3-hour span and 10 drivers were arrested for DUI.

Additionally, authorities say one person was arrested for possession of drugs and one driver, stopped outside the checkpoint, was found to be wanted and in possession of a stolen firearm.

11 traffic citations and 15 warnings were issued for various vehicle code violations.

Authorities are reminding drivers if they suspect a drunk driver to call 911.
READING, Pa. - Penske Truck Leasing and Hitachi Ltd. have introduced a new charging system for electric trucks in a bid to boost EV trucking and reduce carbon emissions.

Reading-based Penske Truck Leasing said in a statement that the new system is being used in California. Penske and Hitachi are also looking into using Artificial Intelligence "to optimize vehicle charging." The new project expands charging opportunities for the Penske fleet.

"Investing in our capabilities with electric vehicles and charging solutions is crucial as our customers seek to `decarbonize' their fleets and comply with emissions regulations," Penske Truck Leasing President Art Vallely said in the statement. He said the public and private sector must build up charging capacity to make electric trucking viable.

Penske and Hitachi Energy introduced the system in the Stockton, California, area. Stockton is south of Sacramento and near several major highways. Hitachi's Grid-eMotion Fleet EV charging system uses direct current and cuts the amount of space and cables used compared to other systems.

Penske has been testing and operating EV trucks for the retail, manufacturing, grocery, medical and other industries.

"This installation in Stockton will provide `real world' experience and significantly enhance our collaboration with Hitachi," said Drew Cullen, Penske's senior vice president of fuels and facility services.

Hitachi Ltd., based in Tokyo, is a global industrial conglomerate that employs about 320,000 people.

Penske Truck Leasing, with headquarters in Berks County, operates and maintains more than 439,500 vehicles. it has 980 maintenance facilities and more than 2,650 rental locations in North America. It is part of Penske Transportation Solutions.
ROBESON TWP., Pa. - Police are trying to identify a man they say was involved in a Robeson Township burglary, and possibly others.

Authorities released photos of the car, possibly red in color, they say was used by the burglar.

They say the man broke into a business in the 4300 block of Morgantown Road last Thursday and stole the cash register.

Police say the man is believed to be involved in other burglaries and thefts in Berks and Chester counties.

Anyone with information is asked to submit an anonymous tip to Crime Alert Berks County.
READING, Pa.  Reading City Council could not reach a consensus Monday night on whether a resolution to support a ceasefire in Gaza should appear on next Monday's agenda.

A proposed resolution was put forth from Councilmember Jaime Baez Jr. following a meeting last week when two residents asked council to adopt such a measure.

Local municipal officials across the state and the country have been asked to take a stand against the fighting in Gaza.

However, those who say they stand in solidarity with Israel have expressed their opposition to such resolutions.

Several members of the Jewish community addressed City Council last week to ask members to vote against a ceasefire resolution.

During Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting, Reading Police Chaplain Nicolas Camacho made a lengthy presentation to council on why a ceasefire resolution is not appropriate.

Camacho addressed council at the invitation of council President Donna Reed, but that did not sit well with Baez and Councilmembers Melissa Ventura and Vanessa Campos.

Ventura questioned Reed about the transparency of such an action and why she did not communicate with council about Camacho speaking at the meeting.

Ventura said it is not the first time Reed took such an action.

"I asked him to come because he is one of our chaplains," Reed said. "He has actually been on site in Gaza and was willing to speak to us about the situation."

Baez said it was "weird" and "out of place."

"So, there's a lack of transparency here," Baez said. "And we see it, the public sees it, and they are noting this."

"The residents of this city deserve transparency from their elected officials," he continued. "People voted for you to represent them and to make sure you're being transparent with them."

After speaking at length on reasons to avoid a resolution, Camacho asked council what guarantees it could offer to Israel that Hamas would honor the ceasefire.

"Are you committed to defending and protecting those guarantees?" Camacho asked. "Where is your commitment in speaking loudly against, against Hamas, denouncing the inhuman atrocities?"

"When you take the step of requesting something, be aware that you also have to come forward offering something as well," he said. "Something such as what will be your contribution toward what you are you as a government entity are asking for."

Councilmember Rafael Nunez said the matter is serious and warned council against dividing the community.

"We have a lot to do in the city of Reading," Nunez said. "We may want a ceasefire, but let's begin with the city of Reading. Let's talk to the police. Let's see what we need before taking any steps. At this point, we need to think twice before making a resolution, because we first need to be educated about the situation."

"I encourage my colleagues to think twice before going forward," he added. "We are in the city of Reading, and we are not looking to divide our community."

Reed said as council president she cannot place the resolution on the agenda next week.

"There are many components to this," Reed said. "I believe, as I read the resolution, that there was some verbiage in it that I found difficult."

"My overall feeling is that the work of the City Council should be devoted to the city of Reading," she said. "We haven't seen the state act on this. I don't think the county has addressed this."

"Working under the charter, as council president, I don't feel comfortable putting this on the agenda, but you have the option under the charter of five councilors agreeing to put it on the agenda," Reed said. "So the council president's word is not necessarily the last word."

Reed was contradicted by city solicitor Fred Lachat, who said only four members of council must agree to override the decision of the president.

Baez said council has a duty to do what is right.

"I know that I took an oath and taking a stand on international issues, especially those involving human rights, reflects our communities, our community values and our community ethics," Baez said.

"And as a councilmember who has taken an oath to the Constitution, our primary duty is to uphold the principles and values outlined in the Constitution, at all levels of governance, including national affairs, and we have to ensure that these principles align with democracy, justice and equality," he said.

Baez also said he believes this is a local issue because taxpayer dollars are going to fund the war.

Reed said the proposed resolution will be sent to councilmembers via email, and if four respond favorably to it, it will appear on the agenda next Monday.
ROBESON TWP., Pa. - Police in Berks County say a serial burglar was caught in the act.

A Robeson Township police officer on patrol early Monday morning spotted someone trying to break into a business in the 3100 block of Morgantown Road around 3:45 a.m., township police said Tuesday.

The officer took him into custody without incident.

The man is believed to be the burglar behind a cash register theft from a business in the 4300 block of Morgantown Road last Thursday, police say.

They had released photos of the car used by the burglar.

Authorities also believe the man was involved in other burglaries and thefts in Berks and Chester counties.

Police did not identify the suspect.

Charges for the two Morgantown Road burglaries are coming, police said.
EASTON, Pa. -- Criminal charges against a former candidate for Easton City Council have been dismissed.

Lance Wheeler, 55, had been facing charges of simple assault, terroristic threats, harassment and corruption of minors.

Online court records show Tuesday that all of those charges have been dismissed.

The 55-year-old had been acused of making threats against young people in an undisclosed incident that allegedly happened in summer 2022.

Wheeler told 69 News in May 2023, when the charges were filed, that the arrest was "all politics."

He was elected in 2021 as a Pennsylvania state constable for Easton's Sixth Ward.
EASTON, Pa. -- An EMS department is now under the microscope of Northampton County's top cop. The board of directors at the Easton Emergency Squad raised some concerns. Now, the district attorney is involved. The squad is on a hiring spree, after several members resigned.

Other EMS in the area tell us they're uneasy about all of this too, given how overstretched agencies already are and the industry's immense need for staffing.

The Easton Emergency Squad's Board of Directors was looking into restructuring, potentially outsourcing billing. The board president says there was a perceived over-dependency on one position, since it was both the director job and handled billing duties.

This all prompted an internal investigation. The president said concerning findings were then passed along to Easton PD and the Northampton County DA's Office.

Both the board and DA told us they weren't able to release details about those allegations, though the DA said his office is investigating.

Friday, the board says it took steps to move forward and made personnel changes. The president was able to confirm the director was no longer employed by the squad as of Friday.

After that, there was a staff meeting, where one person resigned, and another asked for a leave of absence. Several people said they intended on resigning.

The board president said they were seemingly not involved in what's being investigated, but that it may have been an emotional response or misplaced loyalty.

Since then, the board has been actively working to hire. Eight people have been added to the staff over the weekend, some of those being part-timers and former employees.

A letter shows Easton's mayor's official request to have Bethlehem Township EMS be the city's primary responder, while Easton Emergency Squad works on returning to full staffing.

The board president said the city assured that once that occurs, the agency will go back to being the first ones called.

He said other organizations have been supportive, and that the main and only objective is to provide the best service possible.

The squad says it is letting dispatchers know when there's a crew, so they can help when they're available.

They also respond to Glendon and Williams Township.
L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. - Police in Lehigh County want to put a name to the face of an alleged serial wallet thief who has been victimizing female shoppers for months.

Authorities say he snatched a woman's wallet from her purse Feb. 23 while she was shopping at the Costco on North Krocks Road in Lower Macungie Township.

Minutes later, the alleged thief is captured on camera at the nearby Target. That's where police say he used the victim's credit card to buy $2,500 of American Express and Mastercard gift cards.

"I would be absolutely lost, and I think about it like with my mom or my dad or my grandfather," said Kutztown resident Shyane Wohlbach.

We spoke with customers shopping at the Lower Macungie Township Walmart; it's another supposed spot where the man nabbed two ladies' wallets last month.

But, police say the person's thievery dates back to last September at the Costco.

"I keep a little wallet with me, and I keep it in my hip, most of the time. I learned that from my oldest daughter," explained Wohlbach.

The general consensus among shoppers: You can never be too careful.

"You often see women in here with their purses, and they'll turn around and walk away, and, I can't do that. Even when I bring a purse. I tried to keep it on my shoulder," added the Kutztown resident.

"Especially grocery shopping, I always have it in front of me, or if I have to walk away and check something out, I always grabbed my purse and have it on me," said Raelyn Rohrbach of Blandon.

Thinking of the woman who had her wallet snatched and credit card used to buy more than $2,000 in gift cards, Wohlbach says stores should consider additional safeguards when a purchase seems fishy.

"At least a little more backup proof of who you are and what you're doing," she stressed.

If you know anything about the incidents, you're asked to give State Police in Fogelsville a call at 610-395-1438.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- A plan to convert a Bethlehem residence into a food business goes before the city's Zoning Hearing Board on March 27.

The buyers of the home and barn at 3246 Linden St. seek a zoning variance to use the property for the preparation and sale of food. The zoning review was scheduled earlier for Feb. 28, but that meeting was canceled after the applicants sought a delay.

Tuan Do and Nguyet Nguyen bought the property for $375,000 in October 2023, according to Northampton County property records.

Plans filed with the city include a display counter, bistro/pick-up area, service window, showroom and office, in addition to residential use.

The property has been used as a residence, but the buyers contend in documents filed with the city that their proposal would fit in with nearby commercial uses. Wawa, Dunkin, Linden Beverages and other businesses are nearby in the city and in Bethlehem Township. A bit further to the south, apartments are going behind the former Stefano's restaurant site.

The buyers seek a variance to "permit the preparation of prepared foods for on-site retail sale," their zoning appeal says. That use would allow them and the city to reach "maximum value" at the site, the request says.

The Linden Street site was used for making custom carpets at one time, and later as an office, according to the zoning documents. More recently, it was a residence. The property has entrances from Linden Street and from Country Lane, a short residential road.

The potential for zoning relief was the motivation for the applicants to agree to buy the property, according to zoning documents.

The zoning board will also hear other matters, including an appeal for a three-chair salon at 1401 High St

The Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board will meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27 in Town Hall.

The agenda and a link to a webcast of the meeting are posted on the City of Bethlehem's website. Agendas are subject to change.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - African American women who live in Bethlehem will be honored later this month.

City and community leaders announced Monday they're holding an event at the Bethlehem Area Public Library on March 30 to celebrate Women's History Month and Black History Month.

It's called "The Story Continues.''

Certificates of recognition will be handed out to African American women who've made a positive impact in the community.

You can nominate a woman by going to the Rising Sun Initiative website.

The nomination period runs until March 25.
An East Stroudsburg man is behind bars, and another is still on the run, in a deadly stabbing in Bergen County, New Jersey.

Jayson Rivera, 23, and Ricky "Angel" Vargas, 35, are among five charged in the February stabbing at a bar that left a 31-year-old man dead, according to the Bergen County prosecutor's office.

Rivera was arrested last Tuesday, March 12, in Garfield, New Jersey, authorities say.

Vargas is still at large.

The men are among five people charged with first-degree murder and third-degree murder, and other offenses.

They're accused of physically assaulting and stabbing Richard Franceschi, of Hawthorne, NJ, at Jojos Bar & Grill in Garfield.

Officers responding around 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4 found Franceschi with multiple stab wounds to his chest. He was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.
HARRISBURG, Pa. - State Sen. Dave Argall says he sent a letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro Monday, asking him to reconsider an energy plan announced last week.

The plan would require power plants to purchase carbon credits to offset their emissions, but Argall tells us it would cause several plants to shut down for good.

Last week in a news conference in Scranton, Gov. Shapiro announced a new plan he believes would cut carbon emissions statewide. He calls it the Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Initiative (PACER).

"DEP will set a cap for the amount of carbon that large power plants can produce and release into the air here in our Commonwealth," said Gov. Shapiro.

Shapiro said the bill accomplishes that by requiring power plants to pay for their pollution.

"The 55 or so power plants in Pennsylvania will have to purchase credits from the Commonwealth to offset the pollution that they are putting out," said Shapiro.

But State Sen. Argall said the plan is setting off alarm bells in Carbon and Schuylkill counties.

"This new energy plan that Gov. Shapiro has come up with would literally destroy the future for these plants," said Argall.

State Sen. Argall said four coal refuse power plants in particular would have to close in his district: Rausch Creek Generation in Tremont, Panther Creek Energy Facility in Nesquehoning, Schuylkill Energy Resources in Shenandoah, and John B. Rich Memorial Power Station near Frackville. They collectively produced more than two million metric tons of carbon emissions in 2022 according to the EPA, but State Sen. Argall said they also clean up the environment by burning the coal refuse left over from mining operations in the early 1900's.

"What these electric power plants have done is transform the landscape, not just creating jobs, not just making electricity, but using these mountains of waste materials," said State Sen. Argall.

"We don't want to have to look at these black mountains for the next 200 years. We don't want to see the streams continuing to run orange. We've made so much progress, we want to continue the progress."

Shapiro argues no plants would have to close, and no one would be losing their jobs.

"It creates a new market for clean energy, but not in a way that jeopardizes anyone's job or puts anyone out of work," said Gov. Shapiro.

But State Sen. Argall said Gov. Shapiro is not considering all the repercussions, and is encouraging the governor to speak with lawmakers in districts like his.

"I just don't think it's appropriate for anyone in state government to essentially say the four electric power plants in this district essentially just drop dead," said State Sen. Argall.
PHILADELPHIA - A fourth person has been arrested in a Philadelphia shooting that injured eight juveniles at a SEPTA bus stop.

Asir Boone, 17, was wanted for attempted murder, firearms violations, and related charges in relation to the March 6 shooting incident in the 7300 block of Rising Sun Avenue, according to a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service.

At approximately 12:15 p.m. Tuesday, investigators from the USMS fugitive task forces in Philadelphia and Alexandria, Virginia, went to an apartment in the 700 block of Seaton Avenue in Alexandria where USMS investigators believed Boone was hiding with a woman who had ties to Philadelphia, according to the news release.

Boone was taken into custody without incident, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. He was then taken to the Alexandria Police Department for processing.

Three other people were taken into custody in the shooting.

U.S. Marshals say Jermahd Carter, 19, was taken into custody. He was wanted for attempted murder, firearms violations, and related charges in relation to the shooting.

Two other suspects, Ahnile Buggs and Jamaal Tucker, were arrested for their alleged roles in the shooting. They're both facing attempted murder and other charges.
SAO PAULO (AP)  Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was formally accused Tuesday of falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination status, marking the first indictment for the embattled far-right leader, with more allegations potentially in store.

The federal police indictment released by the Supreme Court alleged that Bolsonaro and 16 others inserted false information into a public health database to make it appear as though the then-president, his 12-year-old daughter and several others in his circle had received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Police detective Fabio Alvarez Shor, who signed the indictment, said in his report that Bolsonaro and his aides changed their vaccination records in order to issue their respective (vaccination) certificates and use them to cheat current health restrictions.

The investigation found several false insertions between November 2021 and December 2022, and also many actions of using fraudulent documents, Shor added.

The detective said in the indictment that Bolsonaros aide-de-camp, Mauro Cid, told investigators the former president asked him to insert the false data into the system for both himself and his daughter. Cid also said he delivered the vaccination certificates to Bolsonaro personally.

During the pandemic, Bolsonaro was one of the few world leaders who railed against the vaccine. He openly flouted health restrictions and encouraged other Brazilians to follow his example. His administration ignored several offers from pharmaceutical company Pfizer to sell Brazil tens of millions of shots in 2020, and he openly criticized a move by Sao Paulo states governor to buy vaccines from Chinese company Sinovac when no other doses were available.

Brazils prosecutor-generals office will have the final say on whether to use the indictment to file charges against Bolsonaro at the Supreme Court. The case stems from one of several investigations targeting Bolsonaro, who governed from 2019 to 2022.

Bolsonaro's lawyer, Fabio Wajngarten, called his clients indictment absurd and said he did not have access to it.

When he was president, he was completely exempted from showing any kind of certificate on his trips. This is political persecution and an attempt to void the enormous political capital that has only grown, Wajngarten said.

The former president denied any wrongdoing during questioning in May 2023.

Gleisi Hoffmann, chairwoman of the Workers' Party, whose candidate defeated Bolsonaro, celebrated his indictment on social media. She said she hopes the former president stands trial in many other cases, including for his alleged attempt to sneak $3 million in diamond jewelry into the country and the sale of two luxury watches he received as gifts from Saudi Arabia while in office.

He has lied until this day about his nefarious administration, but now he will have to face the truth in the courts. The federal police's indictment sent to prosecutors is just the first of several, Hoffmann said. What is up now, Big Coward? Are you going to face this or run away to Miami?

Brazil's Supreme Court has already seized Bolsonaro's passport.

Police accuse Bolsonaro and his aides of tampering with the health ministrys database shortly before he traveled to the U.S. in December 2022, two months after he lost his reelection bid to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Bolsonaro needed a certificate of vaccination to enter the U.S., where he remained for the final days of his term and the first months of Lulas term. The former president has repeatedly said he has never taken a COVID-19 vaccine.

If convicted for falsifying health data, the 68-year-old politician could spend up to 12 years behind bars or as little as two years, according to legal analyst Zilan Costa. The maximum jail time for a charge of criminal association is four years, he said.

What Bolsonaro will argue in this case is whether he did insert the data or enable others to do it, or not. And that is plain and simple: Either you have the evidence or you don't. It is a very serious crime with a very harsh sentence for those convicted, Costa told The Associated Press.

Shor also said he is awaiting information from the U.S. Justice Department to clarify whether those under investigation did make use of the false vaccination certificates upon their arrival and stay in American territory.

If so, further charges could be leveled against Bolsonaro, Shor wrote without specifying in which country.

The indictment sheds new light on a Senate committee inquiry that ended in October 2021 with a recommendation for nine criminal charges against Bolsonaro alleging that he mismanaged the pandemic. Then prosecutor-general Augusto Aras, who was widely seen as a Bolsonaro ally, declined to move the case forward.

Brazilian media reported that Aras' successor, Paulo Gonet, was scheduled to meet lawmakers later Tuesday to discuss the possibility of filing charges.

Bolsonaro retains staunch allegiance among his political base, as shown by an outpouring of support last month, when an estimated 185,000 people clogged Sao Paulo's main boulevard to decry what they  and the former president  characterize as political persecution.

The indictment will not turn off his backers and will only confirm his detractors suspicions, said Carlos Melo, a political science professor at Insper University in Sao Paulo.

It is definitely worse for him in courts, Melo said. He could be entering a trend of convictions, and then arrest.

Brazils top electoral court has already ruled Bolsonaro ineligible to run for office until 2030, on the grounds that he abused his power during the 2022 campaign and cast unfounded doubts on the countrys electronic voting system.

Another investigation relates to his alleged involvement in the Jan. 8, 2023, uprising in the capital of Brasilia, soon after Lula took power. The uprising resembled the U.S. Capitol riot in Washington two years prior. Bolsonaro has denied wrongdoing in both cases.

Shor wrote that the indictment will be folded into the investigation of Jan. 8, which is being overseen by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. That justice authorized the unsealing of the indictment.
HONG KONG (AP)  Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously approved a new national security law Tuesday that grants the government more power to quash dissent, widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The legislature passed the Safeguarding National Security Bill during a special session. The law will expand authorities ability to prosecute citizens for offenses including colluding with external forces to commit illegal acts as well as charge them with treason, insurrection, espionage, and disclosing state secrets, among others.

It comes on top of a similar security law Beijing imposed in 2020, which has already largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub. Critics worry the new law will further erode civil liberties that Beijing promised to preserve for 50 years when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Hong Kongs Legislative Council, packed with Beijing loyalists following an electoral overhaul, rushed the law through to approval. Since the bill was unveiled on March 8, a committee held daily meetings for a week, following an appeal by Hong Kong leader John Lee to push the law through at full speed. After the vote, Lee said that the law would take effect Saturday.

Today is a historic moment for Hong Kong, he said.

The newly approved law threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions authorities call threats to national security, with the most severe  including treason and insurrection  punishable by life imprisonment. Lesser offenses, including the possession of seditious publications, could also lead to several years in jail. Some provisions allow criminal prosecutions for acts committed anywhere in the world.

Legislative Council President Andrew Leung said in the morning he believed all lawmakers were honored to have taken part in this historic mission. Council presidents usually opt not to take part in such votes. However, this time, Leung cast his ballot to mark the occasion.

John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong said the process reflected the citys disabled accountability system, weakened by design.

He said lawmakers did examine the bill in detail and the government adopted some amendments proposed by legislators. However, Burns said during the debate, many lawmakers focused on ways to expand the states reach over national security issues and increase penalties for related crimes. He added executive authorities were happy to oblige them.

For those who care about accountable government, the process is disappointing, but not surprising, given the centrally-imposed changes since 2020, Burns said.

Simon Young, a professor at the University of Hong Kong's law faculty said the legislature did more than rubber-stamping the law, noting that officials attended lengthy meetings to clarify and amend the bill. But Young said that in the past lawmakers might have sought experts input.

It is regrettable that this was not done on this occasion, he said.

But Beijings liaison office in Hong Kong said Tuesday the legislation signaled a strong firewall has been built for the citys stability and prosperity, allowing it to focus on promoting economic development and improving peoples livelihood. Lee also said other countries had passed laws to address risks when needed.

Hong Kongs political scene has changed dramatically since the massive 2019 street protests that challenged Chinas rule over the semi-autonomous territory and the imposition of Beijings National Security Law.

Many leading activists have been prosecuted, while others sought refuge abroad. Influential pro-democracy media such as Apple Daily and Stand News were shuttered. The crackdown prompted an exodus of disillusioned young professionals and middle-class families to the U.S., Britain, Canada, and Taiwan.

Hong Kongs mini-constitution, the Basic Law, requires the city to enact a home-grown national security law. A previous attempt in 2003 sparked a massive street protest that drew half a million people and forced the legislation, locally known as Article 23, to be shelved. Such protests against the current bill were absent largely due to the chilling effect of the existing security law.

Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the Beijing-imposed law restored stability after the 2019 protests.

Officials insist the new security law balances security with safeguarding rights and freedoms. The city government said its needed to prevent a recurrence of the protests, and that it will only affect an extremely small minority of residents.

The new law includes tough penalties for people convicted of endangering national security for some offenses if theyre found to be working with foreign governments or organizations as opposed to acting on their own. For example, it targets those who damage public infrastructure with the intent to endanger the state and could be jailed for 20 years, or, if they colluded with external forces, for life. In 2019, protesters occupied Hong Kongs airport and vandalized railway stations.

Businesspeople and journalists have expressed fears that such a broad law will affect their day-to-day work.

Observers are closely watching to see if authorities will extend enforcement to other professional sectors and how it will affect Hong Kongers' liberties.

The bill's passage quickly drew criticism.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, denounced the accelerated adoption of the bill as a regressive step for the protection of human rights in Hong Kong.

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said in a statement that the broad definitions of national security and external interference will make it harder for those who live, work and do business in Hong Kong" and continue the erosion of freedoms there.

The European Union said the bill has the potential to significantly affect the work of the EU office and consulates of EU members and could impact European Union citizens, organizations and companies in Hong Kong. This also raises questions about Hong Kongs long-term attractiveness as an international business hub, it said in a statement.

The U.S. State Department said during a daily briefing that the law could accelerate the closing of Hong Kongs once open society and expressed concerns over the vagueness of its language. Spokesman Vedant Patel said the department would analyze the laws potential risk to U.S. citizens and businesses. He declined to say whether the U.S. would take any action, as called for by some U.S. lawmakers.

The White House had no immediate response to the Hong Kong security law when Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked by reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday.

Rep. Chris Smith and Sen. Jeff Merkley, who lead a congressional panel on China, urged the Biden administration to sanction Hong Kong officials over the new legislation, which they said further restricts fundamental freedom and strips due process rights, making Hong Kong less safe for residents and U.S. business.

Michael McCaul, the chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement that China's takeover of the city's legal, economic and political system makes clear that Hong Kong is no longer a place safe for anyone who believes in democracy nor a viable place to conduct global business.

Associated Press writers Didi Tang and Seung Min Kim in Washington and Sylvia Hui in London contributed to this report.
Russia plans to evacuate about 9,000 children from a border region because it is being shelled continuously by Ukraine, an official said Tuesday, reflecting Kyiv's increasing focus on striking targets behind a front line that has barely shifted in recent months.

The children will be moved from the Belgorod region farther east, away from the Ukraine border, said the region's governor, Vyacheslev Gladkov.

The announcement came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin said the Kremlin wants to create a buffer zone to help protect border regions from long-range Ukrainian strikes and cross-border raids more than two years into the war.

Ukraine has increasingly used its long-range firepower to hit oil refineries and depots deep inside Russia and has sought to unsettle the Russian border regions, putting political pressure on Putin.

In addition, Ukraine-based Russian opponents of Putin and the Kremlin have launched cross-border raids. Putin discussed the cross-border incursions during a meeting Tuesday with top officials of the Federal Security Service, the FSB.

Civilian areas of Belgorod have been battered in the fighting. According to Gladkov, 16 people died and 98 were injured over the last week alone. On Saturday, he ordered the closure of shopping malls through Monday and schools through Tuesday because of the security situation.

The planned evacuation of children is one of the biggest publicly announced in the Belgorod region since the war began in February 2022. About 1,000 people, including children and their families, were evacuated to other Russian regions last June, and there have been other sporadic reports of evacuations over the past year.

It was unclear whether adults would be accompanying the children under the latest evacuation order. If so, the total number of evacuees could be much higher.

Roughly 600 people were in temporary accommodation Monday after being evacuated from their homes, Gladkov said.

Three people were wounded Tuesday in an aerial attack from Ukraine on the Belgorod region, Gladkov said, including a 14-year-old who had part of a limb amputated. His mother was also seriously hurt in the attack, he said.

The previous day, four members of the same family died in an attack on the Belgorod village of Nikolskoe, according to Gladkov. A grandmother, mother, her partner and 17-year-old son were killed after a missile struck their house, he said.

It has not been possible to independently verify either sides battlefield claims.

Ukraine doesn't usually comment directly about strikes on Russian soil. But Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Tuesday that any military action there was the direct consequence of the illegal and unprovoked aggression of Russia against Ukraine when the Kremlins forces launched their full-scale invasion.

Two Ukrainian drones were shot down over Belgorod and another over the neighboring Voronezh region overnight, the Russian defense ministry said. It gave no details of any damage or injuries.

Meanwhile, Russia used S-300 missiles to attack the city of Selydove in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine overnight. Four people were wounded and houses and cars were damaged, the regional prosecutors office said.

On Monday, Russian attacks in the Donetsk region killed one person and wounded another, according to Vadym Filashkin, the regional governor.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraines Western partners on Tuesday to quickly supply more air defense systems and illustrated the scale of the challenge Kyiv's forces face. He said so far this month, Russia has used 130 missiles of various types, more than 320 Shahed drones and nearly 900 guided air bombs to target various regions of Ukraine.

Ukraine has ramped up its defense production and plans to reach levels unseen since the country gained independence during the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, according to Zelenskyy. But it still relies heavily on Western support, which has waned in recent months.

Kuleba, the foreign minister, said European countries are expanding their military output and purchases to provide more help while additional U.S. support is stuck in Congress.

It helps us to fill the gap that has been created by the delay in the U.S. decisions, he said of the European push. "It doesnt solve the problem entirely but it helps to sustain the pressure on Russia.

Meanwhile Tuesday, Adm. Alexander Moiseyev was presented as the new acting head of the Russian navy during a ceremony at a naval base in Kronstadt, in the Gulf of Finland. Russian media reported last week that the previous navy chief, Adm. Nikolai Yevmenov, had been fired and replaced with Moiseyev, the commander of the navy's northern fleet.

Yevmenov's replacement followed a series of successful attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles on the Russian Black Sea fleet that have forced Moscow to limit its naval operations in the region.

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
The Investment Promotion Agency Qatar (Qatar Invest) - in collaboration with Qatari Diar, United Development Company and Ariane Real Estat - showcased some of its latest real estate projects at MIPIM 2024, a premier real estate event held recently in Cannes, France.

These projects were presented under the Qatar Pavilion at MIPIM 2024 which provided visitors with an exclusive glimpse of these key developments as well as put spotlight on the rapidly evolving real estate sector and its business-friendly regulations as well as the investment opportunities available in Qatar.

In line with the national real estate promotion strategy, aimed at diversifying the economy and attracting foreign investment, Invest Qatar hosted a series of business engagements with industry leaders, developers and investors.

These networking meetings, held over the four-day event, facilitated connections between potential investors and Qatars leading real estate developers.

"These significant participations reflect the continuous efforts of the agency in promoting Qatari investments both locally and internationally, reaffirming its commitment to enhancing Qatar's position as a major investor on the global stage," said Qatari Diar CEO Engineer Ali Mohamed Al Ali.

"Additionally, Qatari Diar's participation underscores its interest in bolstering its global presence in the real estate investment sector," he stated.

Mohamed Hussain Al Ali, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Ariane Real Estate, said: "The appealing returns and stability of the real estate market in Qatar makes it an attractive destination for foreign investment, supported by a stimulating and encouraging economic growth environment and the benefits of property ownership, all contributing to a conducive and encouraging climate."

UDC Executive Director Commercial Faisal Nasser Al Emadi said: "This platform offers us an exceptional opportunity to spotlight our developments and investment prospects at The Pearl and Gewan Islands, while supporting endeavors to attract foreign investors and provide them with competitive returns and residency advantages in Qatar."

The positive response from international investors underscores their appreciation for the high-quality standards, integrated services, facilities, and the rewarding investment potential of our developments," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang signed a decree of the State Council, unveiling refined regulations for the implementation of the nation's law on the protection of consumer rights and interests.

Effective on July 1, 2024, the regulations made detailed provisions on business operators' obligations, including protection of consumers' personal and property safety, the handling of defective products, avoiding fraudulent advertisement, price transparency, quality guarantee, and protection of consumers' personal information. The regulations also added provisions on operators' obligations regarding the protection of the rights and interests of the elderly and minors as consumers.

The regulations refined provisions regarding online consumption and stipulated operators' obligations concerning prepaid consumption, urging them to provide goods or services in accordance with the agreement made with consumers.

The regulations also standardized consumer complaints and compensation claims, stipulating that complaints and reports must abide by laws, regulations and relevant provisions. Furthermore, they shall not be used to seek improper benefits, infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of operators, and disrupt the market order.

The regulations also specified that governments at all levels should strengthen guidance on the protection of consumer rights and interests, increase supervision, inspection and law enforcement, and promptly investigate and deal with practices that infringe on consumers' legitimate rights and interests.

In addition, the regulations also specified requirements for consumer associations to perform their duties. 
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Emergency Management, along with two other government organs, allocated a total of 19,500 sets of relief supplies to Yajiang County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, after a forest fire broke out there on Friday.

According to the ministry, the relief supplies included cotton tents, folding beds, cotton quilts, and cotton-padded mattresses.

As of now, China maintains a Level-IV emergency response to the wildfire. 
Remembering Eddie Webster: A man of boundless curiosity

Professor Eddie Webster was remembered as a beacon of wisdom.

On Saturday, friends, family, colleagues and luminaries from all around South Africa and the world gathered in the Great Hall at Wits to pay tribute to Professor Edward (Eddie) Webster, who died on March 5 at the age of 82.

There is no one word to describe comrade Eddie as he was known in many circles. He was a top sociologist, an activist, a teacher, a scholar, a proponent of labour rights, an enemy of inequality and an enormous asset to Wits academic staff from 1976 to 2024, when he still supervised postgraduate students.

It always seems a pity that great humans cannot attend their own memorial services to bask in the praise heaped on them. If this were possible, Eddie would have blushed at the compliments paid to him on stage.

Dean of the Wits Humanities faculty, Professor Mucha Musemwa, spoke of Professor Websters profound impact, not only in the hallowed walls of academia, but also in society. He was a guiding light, a beacon of wisdom and compassion. His commitment to scholarship was matched only by his unwavering dedication to social justice, equality and the empowerment of marginalised communities and the people who live within them.

Musemwa read an address from President Cyril Ramaphosa, who sent condolences to the Webster family, Luli Callinicos, children Kimon, Alexia, Helen and Thalia and their seven grandchildren and said: We have together lost a friend, father, activist, intellectual, guide and mentor.

Having witnessed Websters role in the rise of the trade union movement from the 1970s onwards, the President said, Eddie was always thinking of how to strengthen the bargaining power and protect the interests of the most vulnerable sectors of our society.

Others unable to be present contributed taped segments. Wits Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Zeblon Vilakazi said that as a son and stalwart of Wits, Eddie embodied the qualities that the university strives to instill in its graduates. Throughout his nearly five decades at Wits, he was always guided by a moral compass and evidence-based truth.

Professor Michael Burawoy, Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley related the tale of his first meeting with Eddie in 1968, when they were both teachers at King David school, and Burawoy was lodging with Luli Callinicos, social historian and founder member of the Wits University History Workshop. I liked to think that Eddie was visiting so much because he enjoyed my company, but of course it was Luli he was coming to see. I now like to think that I contributed to their relationship of over 40 years  Eddie the turbulent windmill; Luli the quiet voice of reason. They met again when Burawoy returned to SA in 1990, although they always kept up with each other. Eddie showed me what could be done with sociology, said Burawoy. He inspired me and many others to redefine the meaning of sociology as a political intervention without losing its integrity as an academic enterprise. His sociology of hope carried us through what often seemed to be hopeless times. He taught us that there was always a way forward.

Professor Imraan Valodia, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Climate, Sustainability, and Inequality and director of the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies (SCIS) at Wits, and chair of the second National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission, spoke of Eddies role in bridging the gap between what the university does on the inside and what goes on in the real world on the outside. I think Eddie did not see the university as a place where ideas were generated and then taken to the world, but rather that ideas should themselves be informed by what was happening in the real world. His life illustrates his thinking about that relationship in a symbiotic way. His lifes work of promoting education for workers is a key part of that.

Professor Michelle Williams, head of the Wits Sociology Department, speaking on behalf of her entire department, defined Eddies conception of the university thus: It must be guided by ethical principles. This commitment to social justice must course through a knowledge production  teaching, supervision, writing and building democratic and relevant institutions. He held himself to the same principles. He believed deeply in transformative non-racism, for him, the point of the university was to make the world a better place, being engaged in the social issues of its time. Eddies engagement went beyond the university gates through South Africa, Africa and the world, and he constantly embraced new ideas and challenges. He built enduring institutions such as the Global Labour University (GLU), the Society, Work and Politics Institute (SWOP) and SICS. Perhaps most importantly, Eddie built bridges, and never allowed any disagreement to dehumanise him.

Dr Prishani Naidoo, director of SWOP, one of Eddies legacies and the home of many intellectuals, said the institution has run for over 40 years according to Eddies principle of critical engagement: a defiance of the autonomy of the researcher but also a critical self-reflexivity of being open to critique emerging from different contexts and different schools of political thought  a collective inheritance that is our debt to Eddie, for pasts and futures still to come.

Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, first worked with Eddie on the board of the South African Labour Bulletin in the 1980s, and their association continued on many levels, with arguments and discussions at lively collegial events. Eddie altered the times of some of his courses at Wits to late afternoon so that workers and trade unionists could attend. I was one of those, along with Gwede Mantashe. Eddie often reminded us that this was not a Cosatu gathering. Apart from his contributions to the labour movement, Nzimande spoke of Eddies enduring lifelong role as a scholar and sociologist. The labour movement does not need rituals to remember him. His work, his legacy and his writings are with us. Our task is to turn to them.

Professor Sarah Mosoetsa, Eddies protege, now CEO of the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), said: I encountered Eddie at Wits in 1996 and I am standing here because of him. He taught me sociology and he taught me life, he taught me to always finish what I start, not for me but for generations to come  Eddie, while your peers were chasing ratings and impact factor, you were worrying about the value of a child, of a mineworker, and in your recent work the unionisation of scooter delivery drivers.

Professor Karl von Holdt, former director of SWOP, Eddies longtime friend and debating partner, reminisced about his sometimes-combative friendship with Eddie, which began in 1986. I had heard about this man, and I heard his classes were the gateway to the unions. Id also heard that he was a Menshevik. I sort of thought I was a Bolshevik. A friend introduced us and the meeting did not go well. It was a bad start to what became a 40-year friendship and collaboration. I discovered the Menshevik but I also discovered a man who had this boundless curiosity to understand the world and how it is changing  Lately, Eddie refused to accept that the digital economy negates the labour movement; and he proved he was right. For Eddie, ideas were living things, all grist for his mill. He wanted everyone to be intoxicated with the interrogation of what is going on now and how it might change the future. He always said the best teacher is one whose students go on to supersede them. His term critical engagement became the basis of a recent book I worked on. It was coined by a young Eddie Webster who saw ideas as sparks coming out of the moment, to be examined in every different way.

Jaclyn Cock, professor emeritus in the Department of Sociology at Wits University, Honorary Research Professor in the Society, Work and Development Research Unit (SWOP) and lifelong friend of Eddie, encapsulated his life in this sentence: The miracle is that the apartheid machine never realised how dangerous he was.
Redefining the degree of industry greenness using inputoutput tables

When: getMessage().'-->'; ?> Monday, 08 April 2024 - Monday, 08 April 2024 Where: Online Event

Start time: 13:00 Enquiries: Malosa Moletsane

SEF Fintech HUB invites you to a seminar by Prof. Henry Penikas on Redefining the degree of industry greenness using inputoutput tables.

Climate risk is a novel exposure that may rock the financial stability world-wide. For this reason, the world banking regulation standards-setter  the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS)  suggested considering pricing in the climate risk and adopting its relevant regulation. It listed inputoutput tables as one of the key tools to measure the climate riskiness of a borrower. However, most of the prior research considered carbon dioxide emissions when applying inputoutput tables. Same time there is a significant volume of research focusing on climate (or environmental) risk ratings. Nevertheless, both approaches might present only part of the larger climate-related financial risk implications. That is why, our research purpose is to develop full climate risk estimate by leveraging on the inputoutput tables and climate risk ratings. By doing so, we intend to demonstrate when the existing approaches yield sufficient information to make financial risk-related decision and when those should be improved by considering full climate risk justified in the current paper. The novelty of this work is the amalgamation of a known data source on environmental (climate) risk scores from Sustainalytics.com with the world inputoutput database (WIOD) for 20002014. The major finding of ours is that the greenness of industries is materially perturbed when considering WIOD-based full climate risk estimates as follows from an equivalent to the Leontief full production costs. We specifically find that aluminium as a commodity occurs much browner from full climate risk perspective, than it seems from the marginal climate risk one. Hence, the steps taken by Australia to reduce aluminium production are necessary, but not sufficient. For the global welfare China has adopt a negative emission target (i.e., reduce more carbon dioxide, than is produced) to attain the objective of noticeable improvement in the global carbon footprint, particularly the one related to aluminium production. Our results are solicited by the Central Banks to accurately design the specialized lending facilities to truly green industries and projects.

Henry Penikas (Doctor of economic sciences) is a project leader at the Bank of Russia (BoR) Research and Forecasting Department. Before BoR Banking Regulation Department, he worked for the Russias largest banks (Alfa-Bank and Sberbank). He participated in the working groups of the Financial Stability Board (FSB) and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). Henry received his Masters degree from the University of Paris-I, Paris School of Economics (Paris, France) and from the Higher School of Economics, HSE (Moscow, Russia). He was an invited lecturer to the University of Pavia (Italy). Now he also teaches at the joint department of the Bank of Russia within HSE.
Falcon Wealth Planning increased its stake in shares of Chevron Co. (NYSE:CVX  Free Report) by 20.8% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 2,705 shares of the oil and gas companys stock after purchasing an additional 465 shares during the quarter. Falcon Wealth Plannings holdings in Chevron were worth $403,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its position in Chevron by 104,997.3% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 24,490,824 shares of the oil and gas companys stock valued at $4,395,858,000 after purchasing an additional 24,467,521 shares during the period. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Chevron in the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,058,235,000. Imprint Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Chevron by 15,457.0% in the 2nd quarter. Imprint Wealth LLC now owns 5,378,354 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $537,835,000 after buying an additional 5,343,782 shares during the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its position in shares of Chevron by 12.7% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 32,906,060 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $5,906,309,000 after buying an additional 3,711,923 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Lazard Asset Management LLC grew its position in Chevron by 570.0% during the 4th quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 2,813,051 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $504,913,000 after purchasing an additional 2,393,200 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 68.87% of the companys stock.

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Chevron Price Performance

NYSE CVX traded up $0.02 on Monday, hitting $155.57. The company had a trading volume of 5,433,143 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,959,000. Chevron Co. has a 12-month low of $139.62 and a 12-month high of $172.88. The company has a market capitalization of $288.94 billion, a PE ratio of 13.69, a PEG ratio of 0.84 and a beta of 1.12. The companys fifty day moving average price is $150.04 and its 200-day moving average price is $153.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 1.27 and a quick ratio of 1.01.

Chevron Increases Dividend

Chevron ( NYSE:CVX Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, February 2nd. The oil and gas company reported $3.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $3.19 by $0.26. Chevron had a net margin of 10.63% and a return on equity of 15.24%. The business had revenue of $47.18 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $50.93 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $4.09 earnings per share. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 16.5% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Chevron Co. will post 13.01 earnings per share for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Investors of record on Friday, February 16th were issued a $1.63 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $6.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.19%. This is a positive change from Chevrons previous quarterly dividend of $1.51. Chevrons dividend payout ratio is currently 57.39%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have weighed in on CVX shares. Scotiabank downgraded shares of Chevron from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating and set a $170.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. UBS Group decreased their price objective on shares of Chevron from $194.00 to $185.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. TD Cowen cut shares of Chevron from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $170.00 to $150.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Chevron from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $184.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Finally, DZ Bank cut shares of Chevron from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $160.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, February 6th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $180.11.

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Chevron Profile

(Free Report)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the integrated energy and chemicals operations in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment is involved in the exploration, development, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas; liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and processing, transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as a gas-to-liquids plant.

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ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Get Free Report) had its target price decreased by stock analysts at Piper Sandler from $139.00 to $133.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an overweight rating on the energy producers stock. Piper Sandlers price objective points to a potential upside of 10.59% from the stocks current price.

Several other equities analysts also recently issued reports on COP. Johnson Rice downgraded shares of ConocoPhillips from an accumulate rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, December 14th. Scotiabank raised their price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips from $115.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Friday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their target price 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. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of ConocoPhillips from $138.00 to $143.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Finally, Mizuho dropped their price objective 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 issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus target price of $135.06.

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ConocoPhillips Trading Up 0.2 %

COP traded up $0.22 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $120.26. The companys stock had a trading volume of 4,827,858 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,916,931. ConocoPhillips has a fifty-two week low of $93.26 and a fifty-two week high of $127.35. The stock has a market cap of $141.48 billion, a PE ratio of 13.27, a P/E/G ratio of 0.75 and a beta of 1.23. The businesss 50-day moving average is $111.85 and its 200-day moving average is $115.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 1.43 and a quick ratio of 1.29.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The energy producer reported $2.40 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.08 by $0.32. ConocoPhillips had a return on equity of 22.08% and a net margin of 18.71%. The company had revenue of $15.31 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $14.47 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.71 earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts predict that ConocoPhillips will post 8.78 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at ConocoPhillips

In other news, EVP Dominic E. Macklon sold 23,372 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated 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 filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In related news, EVP Dominic E. Macklon sold 23,372 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $112.17, for a total transaction of $2,621,637.24. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Heather G. Hrap sold 4,548 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $110.55, for a total transaction of $502,781.40. Following the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 2,654 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $293,399.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 36,425 shares of company stock worth $4,077,489. 0.37% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. West Tower Group LLC bought a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the second quarter worth approximately $27,000. Orion Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of ConocoPhillips during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. West Branch Capital LLC grew its stake in ConocoPhillips by 87.8% in the 4th quarter. West Branch Capital LLC now owns 231 shares of the energy producers stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 108 shares during the last quarter. Sachetta LLC acquired a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, RVW Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter worth $28,000. 80.36% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About ConocoPhillips

(Get 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, Canada, China, Libya, Malaysia, Norway, the United Kingdom, and internationally. The company's portfolio includes unconventional plays in North America; conventional assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia; global LNG developments; oil sands assets in Canada; and an inventory of global exploration prospects.

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DMC Group LLC lowered its stake in Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL  Free Report) by 3.7% during the 4th quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 12,157 shares of the energy companys stock after selling 466 shares during the quarter. DMC Group LLCs holdings in Shell were worth $800,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of SHEL. Provence Wealth Management Group bought a new position in Shell during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC bought a new position in Shell in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Rise Advisors LLC grew its stake in Shell by 84.4% in the 4th quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 413 shares of the energy companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 189 shares in the last quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new position in Shell in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, Fortis Group Advisors LLC bought a new position in Shell in the 3rd quarter worth about $32,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 9.23% of the companys stock.

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Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on SHEL. TheStreet upgraded shares of Shell from a c rating to a b- rating in a research note on Monday, January 29th. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Shell from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 13th.

Shell Stock Up 0.8 %

NYSE:SHEL traded up $0.50 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $66.64. 1,680,233 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 4,809,643. Shell plc has a 12-month low of $53.74 and a 12-month high of $68.74. The business has a 50-day moving average of $63.43 and a two-hundred day moving average of $64.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 1.13 and a current ratio of 1.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $217.38 billion, a PE ratio of 11.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.00 and a beta of 0.61.

Shell (NYSE:SHEL  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The energy company reported $2.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $1.94 by $0.28. The business had revenue of $80.13 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $89.59 billion. Shell had a net margin of 5.99% and a return on equity of 14.69%. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.76 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Shell plc will post 8.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Shell Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 25th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 16th will be paid a $0.662 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 15th. This represents a $2.65 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.97%. Shells payout ratio is currently 48.59%.

Shell Profile

(Free Report)

Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, the United States, and Rest of the Americas. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Marketing, Chemicals and Products, and Renewables and Energy Solutions segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market.

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Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SHEL? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL  Free Report).

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Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC boosted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Free Report) by 51.1% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 73,400 shares of the companys stock after purchasing an additional 24,823 shares during the period. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLCs holdings in Merck & Co., Inc. were worth $8,604,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC increased its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 103,159.7% in the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 39,327,490 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,363,385,000 after purchasing an additional 39,289,404 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new position in Merck & Co., Inc. during the 4th quarter worth $2,736,293,000. Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 6.7% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 82,442,666 shares of the companys stock worth $8,487,472,000 after purchasing an additional 5,196,914 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Merck & Co., Inc. by 2,671.4% during the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 5,099,334 shares of the companys stock worth $418,400,000 after purchasing an additional 4,915,334 shares during the period. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its stake in Merck & Co., Inc. by 184.5% in the second quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 7,254,914 shares of the companys stock valued at $837,144,000 after acquiring an additional 4,705,004 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.59% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Merck & Co., Inc.

In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $126.65, for a total transaction of $6,420,395.10. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 23,619 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,991,346.35. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. In other Merck & Co., Inc. news, insider Joseph Romanelli sold 1,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.89, for a total transaction of $124,890.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 19,569 shares of the companys stock, valued at $2,443,972.41. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Steven Mizell sold 50,694 shares of the firms stock in a transaction on Friday, February 2nd. The stock was 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 owns 23,619 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $2,991,346.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 0.20% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

MRK has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Barclays increased their price objective 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. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an overweight rating and issued a $135.00 target price on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research note on Thursday, February 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Merck & Co., Inc. from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the company an equal weight rating in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Truist Financial upped their target price on Merck & Co., Inc. from $122.00 to $139.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, UBS Group lifted 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. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $129.14.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Merck & Co., Inc.

Merck & Co., Inc. Stock Up 0.2 %

Merck & Co., Inc. stock traded up $0.25 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $121.69. 2,554,729 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,521,691. The company has a market cap of $308.20 billion, a PE ratio of 867.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.48 and a beta of 0.37. Merck & Co., Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $99.14 and a fifty-two week high of $130.24. The companys fifty day moving average price is $123.55 and its 200-day moving average price is $111.73. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.89, a current ratio of 1.25 and a quick ratio of 1.00.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The company reported $0.03 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates 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 company had revenue of $14.63 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.49 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $1.62 earnings per share. The companys quarterly revenue was up 5.8% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Merck & Co., Inc. will post 8.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Merck & Co., Inc. Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 15th will be given a dividend of $0.77 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 14th. This represents a $3.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.53%. 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 under the Keytruda, Bridion, Adempas, Lagevrio, Belsomra, Simponi, and Januvia brands, as well as vaccine products consisting of preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines under the Gardasil/Gardasil 9, ProQuad, M-M-R II, Varivax, RotaTeq, Live Oral, Vaxneuvance, Pneumovax 23, and Vaqta names.

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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).

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FTAI Aviation Ltd. (NYSE:FTAI  Get Free Report) has been given a consensus recommendation of Moderate Buy by the nine ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $52.45.

A number of brokerages have commented on FTAI. StockNews.com lowered shares of FTAI Aviation from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Monday. Benchmark lifted their price objective on shares of FTAI Aviation from $45.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a research note on Friday. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of FTAI Aviation from $52.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. Stifel Nicolaus restated a hold rating and set a $59.00 target price (up from $40.00) on shares of FTAI Aviation in a report on Monday, February 26th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised their target price on shares of FTAI Aviation from $58.00 to $70.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Tuesday, February 27th.

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FTAI Aviation Stock Down 1.1 %

FTAI Aviation stock opened at $59.38 on Tuesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $53.75 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $44.43. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.28 and a beta of 1.89. FTAI Aviation has a 52-week low of $23.24 and a 52-week high of $61.09.

FTAI Aviation (NYSE:FTAI  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 22nd. The financial services provider reported $1.09 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.37 by $0.72. The company had revenue of $312.74 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $310.04 million. FTAI Aviation had a net margin of 20.82% and a return on equity of 223.80%. The companys revenue for the quarter was up 14.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.20 earnings per share. Research analysts expect that FTAI Aviation will post 2.43 earnings per share for the current year.

FTAI Aviation Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, March 20th. Investors of record on Friday, March 8th will be given a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 7th. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.02%. FTAI Aviations dividend payout ratio is 57.14%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio grew its holdings in FTAI Aviation by 23.5% during the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 1,047 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $49,000 after buying an additional 199 shares in the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System grew its holdings in shares of FTAI Aviation by 1.4% during the third quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 28,396 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,009,000 after purchasing an additional 384 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of FTAI Aviation by 25.2% during the third quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,264 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $116,000 after purchasing an additional 657 shares in the last quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL lifted its position in FTAI Aviation by 1.1% in the 1st quarter. Gamco Investors INC. ET AL now owns 64,340 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $1,657,000 after buying an additional 722 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its position in FTAI Aviation by 2.0% in the 4th quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 45,389 shares of the financial services providers stock worth $2,106,000 after buying an additional 902 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 90.95% of the companys stock.

FTAI Aviation Company Profile

(Get Free Report

FTAI Aviation Ltd. owns and acquires aviation and offshore energy equipment for the transportation of goods and people worldwide. It operates through two segments, Aviation Leasing and Aerospace Products. The Aviation Leasing segment owns and manages aviation assets, including aircraft and aircraft engines, which it leases and sells to customers.

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A Palestinian mourns for victims after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, March 19, 2024.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

GAZA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday.

During the past 24 hours, the Israeli army killed 93 Palestinians and wounded 142 others, the ministry said in a press statement.

It noted that some victims remained under the rubble amid heavy bombardment and a lack of civil defense and ambulance crews.

Meanwhile, Palestinian medical sources told Xinhua that at least 14 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air strikes in Rafah in southern Gaza, and six more were killed in Israeli air raids on the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in the center of the strip.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Gaza 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. 

People inspect a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, March 19, 2024.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

People inspect a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, March 19, 2024.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

People walk past a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, March 19, 2024.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Khaled Omar/Xinhua)

People are seen among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

People are seen among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

People search among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

People are seen among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

A man searches among the rubble of a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

A man inspects a destroyed building in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

People stand among the rubble after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People collect items from the rubble after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People search among the rubble after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People stand among the rubble after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People conduct rescue work after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People gather around the rubble after an Israeli airstrike in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People are framed by the structure of a damaged building at Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People are seen in a damaged building at Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People are seen among the rubble at Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)

People search among the rubble at Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, on March 19, 2024. The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (Xinhua)
Grassi Investment Management lowered its stake in shares of Starwood Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:STWD  Free Report) by 2.4% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 49,100 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock after selling 1,200 shares during the quarter. Grassi Investment Managements holdings in Starwood Property Trust were worth $1,032,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the business. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC grew its holdings in Starwood Property Trust by 0.9% in the 4th quarter. KMG Fiduciary Partners LLC now owns 191,114 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $4,017,000 after acquiring an additional 1,792 shares during the last quarter. Arden Trust Co grew its holdings in Starwood Property Trust by 17.7% in the 4th quarter. Arden Trust Co now owns 114,437 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,405,000 after acquiring an additional 17,216 shares during the last quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky grew its holdings in Starwood Property Trust by 97.5% in the 3rd quarter. Teachers Retirement System of The State of Kentucky now owns 104,320 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,018,000 after acquiring an additional 51,504 shares during the last quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. grew its holdings in Starwood Property Trust by 69.6% in the 3rd quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc. now owns 62,690 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $1,213,000 after acquiring an additional 25,737 shares during the last quarter. Finally, B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. grew its holdings in Starwood Property Trust by 7.1% in the 3rd quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. now owns 142,262 shares of the real estate investment trusts stock worth $2,821,000 after acquiring an additional 9,470 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 49.60% of the companys stock.

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Insider Activity at Starwood Property Trust

In related news, President Jeffrey F. Dimodica sold 75,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.06, for a total transaction of $1,654,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the president now directly owns 950,984 shares in the company, valued at $20,978,707.04. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In other Starwood Property Trust news, President Jeffrey F. Dimodica sold 25,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.33, for a total value of $508,250.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now directly owns 925,984 shares in the company, valued at $18,825,254.72. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, President Jeffrey F. Dimodica sold 75,000 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $22.06, for a total transaction of $1,654,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the president now owns 950,984 shares of the companys stock, valued at $20,978,707.04. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 5.40% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Starwood Property Trust Stock Performance

Starwood Property Trust Dividend Announcement

Shares of STWD traded up $0.02 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $20.25. 441,244 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,173,495. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.95, a quick ratio of 1.75 and a current ratio of 1.75. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $20.17 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $20.00. Starwood Property Trust, Inc. has a 1 year low of $16.06 and a 1 year high of $22.29. The stock has a market cap of $6.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.90 and a beta of 1.65.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 29th will be given a dividend of $0.48 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 27th. This represents a $1.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.48%. Starwood Property Trusts dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 179.44%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on STWD. Bank of America reissued a neutral rating and issued a $21.50 price target (down previously from $22.50) on shares of Starwood Property Trust in a report on Monday, March 4th. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Starwood Property Trust in a research report on Wednesday, December 6th. They set a neutral rating and a $21.00 price target for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of Starwood Property Trust from $20.50 to $21.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of Starwood Property Trust from $21.00 to $22.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $21.50.

Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on STWD

About Starwood Property Trust

(Free Report)

Starwood Property Trust, Inc operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Commercial and Residential Lending, Infrastructure Lending, Property, and Investing and Servicing segments. The Commercial and Residential Lending segment originates, acquires, finances, and manages commercial first mortgages, non-agency residential mortgages, subordinated mortgages, mezzanine loans, preferred equity, commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), and residential mortgage-backed securities, as well as other real estate and real estate-related debt investments, include distressed or non-performing loans.

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Lexaria Bioscience (OTCMKTS:LXRP  Get Free Report) and Jaguar Mining (OTCMKTS:JAGGF  Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, dividends and risk.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Lexaria Bioscience and Jaguar Minings top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

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Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Lexaria Bioscience $380,000.00 53.02 -$4.09 million N/A N/A Jaguar Mining $142.50 million 0.91 $21.44 million $0.22 7.45

Jaguar Mining has higher revenue and earnings than Lexaria Bioscience.

Analyst Ratings

Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Lexaria Bioscience 0 0 0 0 N/A Jaguar Mining 0 0 0 0 N/A

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Lexaria Bioscience and Jaguar Mining, as provided by MarketBeat.

Profitability

This table compares Lexaria Bioscience and Jaguar Minings net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Lexaria Bioscience -1,046.77% -157.62% -148.09% Jaguar Mining 12.20% 7.53% 5.73%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

0.1% of Lexaria Bioscience shares are held by institutional investors. 0.6% of Jaguar Mining shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Jaguar Mining beats Lexaria Bioscience on 6 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Lexaria Bioscience

(Get Free Report)

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. operates in the drug delivery platform business. It develops and out-licenses its DehydraTECH technology for the delivery of bioactive compounds that promotes healthy ingestion methods, lower overall dosing, and higher effectiveness in active molecule delivery. The company has licensed DehydraTECH to various companies operating in the nicotine, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and vitamin industries. Lexaria Bioscience Corp. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Kelowna, Canada.

About Jaguar Mining

(Get Free Report)

Jaguar Mining Inc., a junior gold mining company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of gold mineral properties in Brazil. Its principal assets include the Turmalina Gold Mine Complex and Caete Gold Mine Complex with mineral claims covering an area of approximately 56,000 hectares located in the Iron Quadrangle in the state of Minas Gerais. The company is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Texas Pacific Land Co. (NYSE:TPL  Get Free Report) Director Murray Stahl acquired 9 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Monday, March 18th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $1,670.10 per share, for a total transaction of $15,030.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 197,262 shares in the company, valued at approximately $329,447,266.20. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this link.

Murray Stahl also recently made the following trade(s):

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On Friday, March 15th, Murray Stahl bought 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of $1,666.49 per share, for a total transaction of $4,999.47.

On Monday, March 11th, Murray Stahl bought 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of $1,553.02 per share, for a total transaction of $4,659.06.

On Friday, March 8th, Murray Stahl bought 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The stock was bought at an average cost of $1,527.72 per share, for a total transaction of $4,583.16.

On Wednesday, March 6th, Murray Stahl purchased 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The shares were acquired at an average price of $1,485.44 per share, with a total value of $4,456.32.

On Monday, March 4th, Murray Stahl purchased 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The shares were acquired at an average price of $1,538.29 per share, with a total value of $4,614.87.

On Friday, March 1st, Murray Stahl purchased 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The shares were acquired at an average price of $1,565.72 per share, with a total value of $4,697.16.

On Wednesday, February 28th, Murray Stahl bought 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $1,542.27 per share, with a total value of $4,626.81.

On Monday, February 26th, Murray Stahl bought 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $1,560.23 per share, with a total value of $4,680.69.

On Thursday, February 22nd, Murray Stahl acquired 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The stock was bought at an average price of $1,563.42 per share, with a total value of $4,690.26.

On Tuesday, February 20th, Murray Stahl acquired 3 shares of Texas Pacific Land stock. The stock was bought at an average price of $1,490.98 per share, with a total value of $4,472.94.

Texas Pacific Land Stock Up 0.2 %

Shares of NYSE:TPL traded up $3.28 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $1,673.38. The stock had a trading volume of 9,986 shares, compared to its average volume of 23,214. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $1,516.25 and a 200-day moving average price of $1,653.57. The stock has a market cap of $12.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.97 and a beta of 1.60. Texas Pacific Land Co. has a fifty-two week low of $1,266.21 and a fifty-two week high of $2,000.00.

Texas Pacific Lands stock is set to split before the market opens on Wednesday, March 27th. The 3-1 split was announced on Wednesday, March 27th. The newly created shares will be issued to shareholders after the market closes on Wednesday, March 27th.

Texas Pacific Land (NYSE:TPL  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 21st. The financial services provider reported $14.73 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $12.46 by $2.27. Texas Pacific Land had a net margin of 64.22% and a return on equity of 43.57%. The business had revenue of $166.66 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $152.20 million. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Texas Pacific Land Co. will post 55.94 EPS for the current year.

Texas Pacific Land Increases Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Friday, March 1st were given a dividend of $3.50 per share. This is a positive change from Texas Pacific Lands previous quarterly dividend of $3.25. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $14.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.84%. Texas Pacific Lands dividend payout ratio is 26.54%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Separately, Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on shares of Texas Pacific Land from $1,558.00 to $1,414.00 and set a hold rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 23rd.

Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on TPL

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Texas Pacific Land

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of TPL. Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd. purchased a new stake in Texas Pacific Land during the second quarter worth approximately $5,211,000. Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Texas Pacific Land by 4.6% in the third quarter. Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. now owns 9,095 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $16,585,000 after purchasing an additional 399 shares during the period. Korea Investment CORP boosted its stake in shares of Texas Pacific Land by 386.2% in the third quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 6,364 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $11,605,000 after purchasing an additional 5,055 shares during the period. FMR LLC boosted its stake in shares of Texas Pacific Land by 1,743.0% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 8,054 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $14,687,000 after purchasing an additional 7,617 shares during the period. Finally, UBS Group AG boosted its stake in shares of Texas Pacific Land by 13.2% in the third quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 28,790 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $52,500,000 after purchasing an additional 3,361 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.40% of the companys stock.

Texas Pacific Land Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Texas Pacific Land Corporation engages in the land and resource management, and water services and operations businesses. The company owns a 1/128th nonparticipating perpetual oil and gas royalty interest (NPRI) under approximately 85,000 acres of land; a 1/16th NPRI under approximately 371,000 acres of land; and approximately 4,000 additional net royalty acres, total of approximately 195,000 NRA located in the western part of Texas.

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John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (NYSE:BTO  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 17,600 shares, a decrease of 6.9% from the February 14th total of 18,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 60,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.3 days.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Abel Hall LLC bought a new stake in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund in the 4th quarter worth approximately $241,000. Aurora Investment Counsel increased its position in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund by 6.3% during the 4th quarter. Aurora Investment Counsel now owns 86,761 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $2,610,000 after purchasing an additional 5,159 shares during the period. Royal Bank of Canada increased its position in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund by 3.4% during the 4th quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 154,135 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $4,637,000 after purchasing an additional 5,124 shares during the period. Stephens Inc. AR increased its position in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund by 101.4% during the 4th quarter. Stephens Inc. AR now owns 20,593 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $619,000 after purchasing an additional 10,368 shares during the period. Finally, Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. increased its position in shares of John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund by 41.2% during the 4th quarter. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. now owns 25,506 shares of the financial services providers stock valued at $767,000 after purchasing an additional 7,440 shares during the period. 17.72% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund Stock Performance

NYSE:BTO traded down $0.05 on Tuesday, hitting $27.13. 39,138 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 53,079. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $29.24 and a 200-day moving average of $27.83. John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund has a fifty-two week low of $22.95 and a fifty-two week high of $32.81.

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund Announces Dividend

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund Company Profile

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 28th. Shareholders of record on Monday, March 11th will be paid a dividend of $0.65 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 8th. This represents a $2.60 annualized dividend and a yield of 9.58%.

(Get Free Report)

John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC. It is co-managed by John Hancock Asset Management. The fund invests in the public equity markets across the globe. It seeks to invest in the stocks of companies operating across the financial services sector.

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KWB Wealth lifted its stake in Sempra (NYSE:SRE  Free Report) by 100.0% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 3,070 shares of the utilities providers stock after purchasing an additional 1,535 shares during the period. KWB Wealths holdings in Sempra were worth $229,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. PrairieView Partners LLC raised its stake in Sempra by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. PrairieView Partners LLC now owns 376 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 188 shares during the last quarter. Optimum Investment Advisors raised its holdings in Sempra by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Optimum Investment Advisors now owns 380 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 190 shares during the last quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. increased its stake in Sempra by 119.9% in the third quarter. Geneos Wealth Management Inc. now owns 398 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 217 shares during the last quarter. Monetary Management Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Sempra by 100.0% during the 3rd quarter. Monetary Management Group Inc. now owns 400 shares of the utilities providers stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Essex Investment Management Co. LLC increased its position in Sempra by 100.0% during the third quarter. Essex Investment Management Co. LLC now owns 390 shares of the utilities providers stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 195 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.83% of the companys stock.

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Sempra Stock Up 0.1 %

SRE traded up $0.04 on Tuesday, reaching $70.64. 169,120 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 2,869,146. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.54 and a quick ratio of 0.49. Sempra has a 52-week low of $63.75 and a 52-week high of $79.51. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $71.48 and its 200-day moving average price is $71.65. The company has a market cap of $44.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.74, a PEG ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.71.

Sempra Increases Dividend

Sempra ( NYSE:SRE Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, February 27th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.11 by $0.02. The company had revenue of $3.49 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.01 billion. Sempra had a return on equity of 9.45% and a net margin of 18.26%. The businesss revenue was up 1.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.17 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Sempra will post 4.83 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 Thursday, March 21st will be paid a $0.62 dividend. This is a positive change from Sempras previous quarterly dividend of $0.60. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.51%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 20th. Sempras dividend payout ratio is currently 49.69%.

Insider Transactions at Sempra

In related news, insider Diana L. Day sold 3,937 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.21, for a total transaction of $280,353.77. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 18,145 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,292,105.45. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other news, insider Diana L. Day sold 3,937 shares of the companys stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.21, for a total transaction of $280,353.77. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 18,145 shares in the company, valued at $1,292,105.45. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Justin Christopher Bird sold 5,063 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.22, for a total transaction of $360,586.86. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 19,712 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $1,403,888.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 156,622 shares of company stock valued at $11,089,713. 0.24% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley lowered their price objective on shares of Sempra from $75.00 to $73.00 and set an equal weight rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, November 21st. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH assumed coverage on Sempra in a report on Wednesday, January 3rd. They set a buy rating and a $81.50 price objective on the stock. Mizuho cut their target price on Sempra from $83.00 to $79.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, January 25th. Royal Bank of Canada restated an outperform rating and issued a $82.00 price target on shares of Sempra in a research note on Wednesday, March 6th. Finally, StockNews.com downgraded shares of Sempra from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Sempra presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $82.00.

Get Our Latest Research Report on SRE

Sempra Profile

(Free Report)

Sempra operates as an energy infrastructure company in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Sempra California, Sempra Texas Utilities, and Sempra Infrastructure. The Sempra California segment provides electric services; and natural gas services to San Diego County.

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Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE:MTD  Free Report) by 2.0% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 568 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock after buying an additional 11 shares during the quarter. Legacy Wealth Asset Management LLCs holdings in Mettler-Toledo International were worth $689,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Gladius Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Mettler-Toledo International during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Ancora Advisors LLC boosted its position in Mettler-Toledo International by 100.0% during the first quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 20 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 10 shares during the last quarter. VitalStone Financial LLC purchased a new position in Mettler-Toledo International in the first quarter valued at about $37,000. Operose Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Mettler-Toledo International in the 3rd quarter worth about $43,000. Finally, Huntington National Bank raised its stake in shares of Mettler-Toledo International by 34.6% during the 2nd quarter. Huntington National Bank now owns 35 shares of the medical instruments suppliers stock worth $46,000 after purchasing an additional 9 shares in the last quarter. 93.11% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Mettler-Toledo International Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:MTD traded down $3.33 on Tuesday, hitting $1,302.84. The stock had a trading volume of 19,561 shares, compared to its average volume of 151,486. The company has a market capitalization of $27.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.39, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.62 and a beta of 1.15. The firms 50 day moving average price is $1,223.96 and its 200-day moving average price is $1,145.31. Mettler-Toledo International Inc. has a twelve month low of $928.49 and a twelve month high of $1,615.97.

Insider Activity

Mettler-Toledo International ( NYSE:MTD Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The medical instruments supplier reported $9.40 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts consensus estimates of $10.32 by ($0.92). Mettler-Toledo International had a negative return on equity of 904.59% and a net margin of 20.82%. The business had revenue of $934.90 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $959.45 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $12.10 earnings per share. The firms revenue was down 11.6% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Mettler-Toledo International Inc. will post 39.9 EPS for the current year.

In other Mettler-Toledo International news, CFO Shawn Vadala sold 300 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,210.83, for a total value of $363,249.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 4,914 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,950,018.62. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. In related news, CFO Shawn Vadala sold 300 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $1,210.83, for a total value of $363,249.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 4,914 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,950,018.62. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Elisha W. Finney sold 251 shares of Mettler-Toledo International stock in a transaction on Monday, February 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $1,177.35, for a total transaction of $295,514.85. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 316 shares in the company, valued at $372,042.60. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 951 shares of company stock valued at $1,170,256 over the last three months. 2.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

MTD has been the topic of several analyst reports. StockNews.com raised shares of Mettler-Toledo International from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday. Citigroup restated a sell rating and issued a $975.00 target price (down from $1,050.00) on shares of Mettler-Toledo International in a report on Monday, December 11th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $1,223.71.

View Our Latest Report on MTD

About Mettler-Toledo International

(Free Report)

Mettler-Toledo International Inc manufactures and supplies precision instruments and services in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It operates through five segments: U.S. Operations, Swiss Operations, Western European Operations, Chinese Operations, and Other. The company's laboratory instruments include laboratory balances, liquid pipetting solutions, automated laboratory reactors, real-time analytics, titrators, pH meters, process analytics sensors and analyzer technologies, physical value analyzers, density and refractometry, thermal analysis systems, and other analytical instruments; and LabX, a laboratory software platform to manage and analyze data generated from its instruments.

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Mueller Water Products, Inc. (NYSE:MWA  Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of Hold from the six research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and two have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $17.00.

MWA has been the topic of a number of research reports. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Mueller Water Products from $14.00 to $15.00 and gave the stock a sector perform rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on Mueller Water Products from $15.00 to $17.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 13th. Finally, StockNews.com raised Mueller Water Products from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Saturday.

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Insider Transactions at Mueller Water Products

Institutional Trading of Mueller Water Products

In related news, Director Thomas J. Hansen sold 6,044 shares of Mueller Water Products stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.77, for a total value of $83,225.88. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 94,525 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,301,609.25. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . In related news, Director Thomas J. Hansen sold 6,044 shares of Mueller Water Products stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $13.77, for a total value of $83,225.88. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 94,525 shares in the company, valued at $1,301,609.25. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link . Also, CAO Suzanne G. Smith sold 2,800 shares of the companys stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.09, for a total value of $42,252.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer now directly owns 3,208 shares in the company, valued at approximately $48,408.72. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Over the last quarter, insiders sold 81,463 shares of company stock worth $1,218,642. Company insiders own 1.40% of the companys stock.

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Comerica Bank purchased a new stake in shares of Mueller Water Products in the second quarter valued at $230,000. Pingora Partners LLC acquired a new position in Mueller Water Products in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its holdings in shares of Mueller Water Products by 132.1% during the 1st quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 3,291 shares of the industrial products companys stock worth $46,000 after acquiring an additional 1,873 shares during the period. Covestor Ltd grew its position in Mueller Water Products by 18,866.7% during the second quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 4,552 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $74,000 after acquiring an additional 4,528 shares during the period. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Mueller Water Products by 1,340.0% in the 4th quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 4,752 shares of the industrial products companys stock valued at $68,000 after acquiring an additional 4,422 shares during the period.

Mueller Water Products Stock Performance

MWA opened at $15.42 on Tuesday. The companys 50 day simple moving average is $14.82 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $13.80. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 3.29 and a quick ratio of 1.89. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 30.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.34. Mueller Water Products has a 1-year low of $12.11 and a 1-year high of $16.93.

Mueller Water Products (NYSE:MWA  Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Friday, February 9th. The industrial products company reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts consensus estimates of $0.09 by $0.04. Mueller Water Products had a net margin of 6.35% and a return on equity of 13.86%. The company had revenue of $256.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $250.64 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.13 earnings per share. Mueller Water Productss revenue for the quarter was down 18.6% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts expect that Mueller Water Products will post 0.69 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Mueller Water Products Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 20th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 9th were given a dividend of $0.064 per share. This represents a $0.26 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.66%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, February 8th. Mueller Water Productss payout ratio is currently 52.00%.

About Mueller Water Products

(Get Free Report

Mueller Water Products, Inc manufactures and markets products and services for the transmission, distribution, and measurement of water used by municipalities, and the residential and non-residential construction industries in the United States, Israel, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Water Flow Solutions and Water Management Solutions.

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Northstar Group Inc. bought a new position in The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA  Free Report) in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 937 shares of the aircraft producers stock, valued at approximately $244,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Bollard Group LLC lifted its holdings in Boeing by 10.6% during the 2nd quarter. Bollard Group LLC now owns 469 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $99,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont lifted its holdings in Boeing by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. Trust Co. of Vermont now owns 4,389 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $841,000 after purchasing an additional 45 shares during the last quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in Boeing by 0.6% during the 4th quarter. Waverly Advisors LLC now owns 8,015 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $1,527,000 after purchasing an additional 49 shares during the last quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Boeing by 1.0% during the 4th quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC now owns 4,716 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $1,229,000 after acquiring an additional 49 shares during the period. Finally, Graves Light Lenhart Wealth Inc. increased its stake in Boeing by 3.4% during the 2nd quarter. Graves Light Lenhart Wealth Inc. now owns 1,540 shares of the aircraft producers stock worth $325,000 after acquiring an additional 50 shares during the period. 61.33% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the company. UBS Group boosted their price target on Boeing from $275.00 to $315.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised Boeing from a hold rating to a buy rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $204.00 to $270.00 in a report on Monday, November 20th. Bank of America cut Boeing from a buy rating to a neutral rating and lowered their target price for the stock from $255.00 to $225.00 in a report on Thursday, January 25th. Susquehanna lowered their target price on Boeing from $306.00 to $279.00 and set a positive rating for the company in a report on Thursday, January 18th. Finally, Northcoast Research cut Boeing from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Friday, February 23rd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Boeing has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $252.63.

Boeing Price Performance

NYSE:BA opened at $179.90 on Tuesday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $204.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $211.30. The Boeing Company has a 1 year low of $176.25 and a 1 year high of $267.54. The company has a market capitalization of $109.76 billion, a P/E ratio of -48.89, a P/E/G ratio of 18.01 and a beta of 1.52.

Boeing (NYSE:BA  Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 31st. The aircraft producer reported ($0.47) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.72) by $0.25. The company had revenue of $22.02 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $21.14 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned ($1.75) earnings per share. Boeings revenue was up 10.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that The Boeing Company will post 2.53 earnings per share for the current year.

Boeing Profile

(Free Report)

The Boeing Company, together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, sells, services, and supports commercial jetliners, military aircraft, satellites, missile defense, human space flight and launch systems, and services worldwide. The company operates through Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space & Security; and Global Services segments.

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Lakewood Asset Management LLC cut its holdings in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM  Free Report) by 26.7% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 4,408 shares of the companys stock after selling 1,603 shares during the quarter. Lakewood Asset Management LLCs holdings in Philip Morris International were worth $415,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently bought and sold shares of PM. Cornerstone Advisors LLC increased its stake in Philip Morris International by 12,807.4% in the 2nd quarter. Cornerstone Advisors LLC now owns 26,485,964 shares of the companys stock worth $16,449,000 after purchasing an additional 26,280,764 shares in the last quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 100,700.1% during the 4th quarter. Moneta Group Investment Advisors LLC now owns 15,640,144 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,582,939,000 after acquiring an additional 15,624,628 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 3.9% during the 2nd quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 116,185,273 shares of the companys stock valued at $11,342,014,000 after acquiring an additional 4,368,323 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 33.5% during the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 17,147,790 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,587,542,000 after acquiring an additional 4,304,089 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wellington Management Group LLP grew its stake in Philip Morris International by 12.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 27,821,802 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,575,742,000 after acquiring an additional 3,121,732 shares in the last quarter. 79.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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Philip Morris International Price Performance

Shares of PM stock traded down $0.07 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $95.26. 2,805,495 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,117,252. The stocks 50-day moving average is $91.90 and its 200-day moving average is $92.57. The stock has a market cap of $147.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.61. Philip Morris International Inc. has a 52 week low of $87.23 and a 52 week high of $101.92.

Philip Morris International Announces Dividend

Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 8th. The company reported $1.36 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.44 by ($0.08). Philip Morris International had a net margin of 8.53% and a negative return on equity of 116.29%. The firm had revenue of $9.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.99 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.39 EPS. The companys revenue was up 11.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities research analysts forecast that Philip Morris International Inc. will post 6.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 9th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, March 21st will be paid a $1.30 dividend. This represents a $5.20 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.46%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, March 20th. Philip Morris Internationals payout ratio is 103.59%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Societe Generale raised Philip Morris International from a sell rating to a hold rating and set a $87.50 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, February 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Philip Morris International from $110.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 29th. UBS Group cut Philip Morris International from a buy rating to a sell rating and lowered their price target for the company from $105.00 to $86.50 in a research note on Tuesday, January 23rd. Finally, Argus restated a hold rating on shares of Philip Morris International in a report on Tuesday, March 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $105.40.

Read Our Latest Analysis on PM

Insider Buying and Selling at Philip Morris International

In other news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 8,250 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.63, for a total transaction of $772,447.50. Following the sale, the insider now owns 94,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,860,113.27. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Massimo Andolina sold 8,250 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.63, for a total transaction of $772,447.50. Following the sale, the insider now owns 94,629 shares of the companys stock, valued at $8,860,113.27. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Werner Barth sold 5,000 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.46, for a total value of $457,300.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 102,918 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,412,880.28. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 15,250 shares of company stock valued at $1,411,128. 0.15% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

About Philip Morris International

(Free Report)

Philip Morris International Inc operates as a tobacco company working to delivers a smoke-free future and evolving portfolio for the long-term to include products outside of the tobacco and nicotine sector. The company's product portfolio primarily consists of cigarettes and smoke-free products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products primarily under the IQOS and ZYN brands; and consumer accessories, such as lighters and matches.

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Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 2,750,000 shares, a decline of 7.4% from the February 14th total of 2,970,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,040,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.6 days. Approximately 2.5% of the companys stock are short sold.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Quest Diagnostics news, EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 821 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total transaction of $103,560.94. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 70,800 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,930,712. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other Quest Diagnostics news, EVP Catherine T. Doherty sold 821 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.14, for a total transaction of $103,560.94. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 70,800 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $8,930,712. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, SVP Michael E. Prevoznik sold 5,611 shares of the companys stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $125.88, for a total transaction of $706,312.68. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 38,478 shares in the company, valued at $4,843,610.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 15,150 shares of company stock valued at $1,913,202 in the last three months. 0.66% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Quest Diagnostics

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Pacifica Partners Inc. bought a new stake in Quest Diagnostics during the 3rd quarter worth $25,000. NBC Securities Inc. acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Altshuler Shaham Ltd acquired a new position in Quest Diagnostics during the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC lifted its stake in shares of Quest Diagnostics by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. VisionPoint Advisory Group LLC now owns 218 shares of the medical research companys stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 109 shares during the period. Finally, Chilton Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Quest Diagnostics in the 1st quarter valued at about $28,000. Institutional investors own 87.76% of the companys stock.

Quest Diagnostics Price Performance

Shares of DGX traded up $0.78 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $128.92. The companys stock had a trading volume of 485,969 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,091,862. Quest Diagnostics has a one year low of $119.59 and a one year high of $148.62. The companys fifty day simple moving average is $128.64 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $130.11. The company has a quick ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.31 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $14.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 0.90.

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX  Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 1st. The medical research company reported $2.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.11 by $0.04. The company had revenue of $2.29 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.25 billion. Quest Diagnostics had a return on equity of 15.79% and a net margin of 9.23%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.98 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Quest Diagnostics will post 8.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Quest Diagnostics Increases Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 22nd. Investors of record on Monday, April 8th will be given a dividend of $0.75 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, April 5th. This represents a $3.00 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.33%. This is a positive change from Quest Diagnosticss previous quarterly dividend of $0.71. Quest Diagnosticss payout ratio is currently 37.92%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on DGX shares. Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $130.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a report on Monday, December 11th. StockNews.com lowered shares of Quest Diagnostics from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, February 1st. TheStreet lowered shares of Quest Diagnostics from a b- rating to a c rating in a research note on Monday, February 5th. UBS Group upped their price target on shares of Quest Diagnostics from $135.00 to $137.00 and gave the company a neutral rating in a research note on Thursday, December 7th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Quest Diagnostics from a hold rating to a buy rating and upped their price target for the company from $140.00 to $155.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 7th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $144.18.

Check Out Our Latest Research Report on DGX

Quest Diagnostics Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated provides diagnostic testing and services in the United States and internationally. The company develops and delivers diagnostic information services, such as routine, non-routine and advanced clinical testing, anatomic pathology testing, and other diagnostic information services.

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YANGON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar is set to introduce electric buses in major cities, including Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, an official from the country's Ministry of Industry said on Tuesday.

"We are now working on the introduction of electric buses. Some electric buses will arrive in Myanmar by June. Then, the operations are slated to commence this year," Daw Myat Mon Thein, a deputy general manager from the Ministry of Industry, told Xinhua.

She also said that the operation of electric buses will include the route running between the commercial hub Yangon and the capital Nay Pyi Taw, adding that at first, it will only be a pilot project with a few buses.

"For electric buses, some challenges we now have include charging infrastructure and the initial high costs of electric buses. However, we can significantly reduce the use of fuel if we use many electric buses," she said.

Many people, particularly those in the cities of Myanmar, are already using electric vehicles (EVs), she said. "More people are also switching to EVs because fuel prices are rising globally," she said.

Furthermore, she highlighted that nearly all the electric cars in Myanmar come from China and also underscored China's leadership in EV technology. 
Canadian Western Bank (OTCMKTS:CBWBF  Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest during the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 1,885,100 shares, an increase of 6.1% from the February 14th total of 1,775,900 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 9,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 207.2 days.

Canadian Western Bank Price Performance

Canadian Western Bank stock traded down $0.36 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $20.48. 800 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 12,084. Canadian Western Bank has a fifty-two week low of $16.94 and a fifty-two week high of $23.55. The stocks 50-day simple moving average is $21.52 and its 200 day simple moving average is $21.49.

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Canadian Western Bank Company Profile

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Further Reading

Canadian Western Bank provides personal and business banking products and services in Western Canada. The company offers current, savings, US dollar, chequing, flex notice, organization, business trust, and trust fund investment accounts. It also offers commercial lending and real estate, equipment financing and leasing, aviation financing, and dealership financing products; agriculture lending products and AgriInvest savings account; variable and fixed rate mortgages; line of credit; registered retirement savings plan, consolidation, and vehicle loans; and credit cards.

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Smartsheet (NYSE:SMAR  Get Free Report)s stock had its buy rating reiterated by stock analysts at Needham & Company LLC in a report released on Friday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a $57.00 price objective on the stock. Needham & Company LLCs price target suggests a potential upside of 47.48% from the companys previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Truist Financial raised their target price on Smartsheet from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Friday, December 8th. UBS Group reduced their target price on Smartsheet from $60.00 to $54.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research report on Friday. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Smartsheet from $56.00 to $51.00 and set an overweight rating for the company in a research note on Friday. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Smartsheet from $55.00 to $47.00 and set an overweight rating on the stock in a report on Friday. Finally, DA Davidson cut their price target on Smartsheet from $65.00 to $55.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $50.18.

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Smartsheet Price Performance

NYSE SMAR traded up $1.13 on Friday, reaching $38.65. The stock had a trading volume of 3,173,685 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,431,101. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $44.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $43.20. Smartsheet has a 1-year low of $35.52 and a 1-year high of $52.81. The company has a market cap of $5.27 billion, a P/E ratio of -48.92 and a beta of 0.75.

Smartsheet (NYSE:SMAR  Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 14th. The company reported ($0.05) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of ($0.22) by $0.17. The business had revenue of $256.95 million during the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $254.99 million. Smartsheet had a negative return on equity of 17.12% and a negative net margin of 10.92%. Research analysts predict that Smartsheet will post -0.61 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Smartsheet

In other Smartsheet news, CRO Michael Arntz sold 7,632 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $46.69, for a total value of $356,338.08. Following the completion of the sale, the executive now owns 12,733 shares in the company, valued at approximately $594,503.77. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. In other Smartsheet news, insider Jolene Lau Marshall sold 2,247 shares of the firms stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $45.03, for a total value of $101,182.41. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 12,129 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $546,168.87. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CRO Michael Arntz sold 7,632 shares of Smartsheet stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $46.69, for a total transaction of $356,338.08. Following the sale, the executive now directly owns 12,733 shares of the companys stock, valued at $594,503.77. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 19,698 shares of company stock valued at $902,656. 4.71% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Smartsheet

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of SMAR. Raymond James & Associates raised its stake in Smartsheet by 4.5% during the 1st quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 19,514 shares of the companys stock worth $1,069,000 after acquiring an additional 845 shares in the last quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Smartsheet by 10.2% during the 1st quarter. Cambridge Investment Research Advisors Inc. now owns 16,949 shares of the companys stock worth $928,000 after acquiring an additional 1,567 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. raised its stake in Smartsheet by 7.0% during the 1st quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 25,608 shares of the companys stock worth $1,403,000 after acquiring an additional 1,677 shares in the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its stake in Smartsheet by 8.1% during the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 10,683 shares of the companys stock worth $585,000 after acquiring an additional 803 shares in the last quarter. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Smartsheet during the 1st quarter worth $431,000. 88.99% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Smartsheet

(Get Free Report)

Smartsheet, Inc engages in managing and automating collaborative work. Its platform provides solutions that eliminate the obstacles to capturing information, including a familiar and intuitive spreadsheet interface as well as easily customizable forms. The company was founded by W. Eric Browne, Maria Colacurcio, John D.

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SOA Wealth Advisors LLC. increased its position in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF (NYSEARCA:IJJ  Free Report) by 8.8% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 16,554 shares of the companys stock after buying an additional 1,336 shares during the period. SOA Wealth Advisors LLC.s holdings in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF were worth $1,888,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Indiana Trust & Investment Management CO acquired a new position in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF in the third quarter valued at about $61,000. EP Wealth Advisors LLC increased its stake in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 62.5% in the third quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,542 shares of the companys stock valued at $660,000 after purchasing an additional 2,515 shares in the last quarter. Broadview Financial Management LLC increased its stake in iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 0.4% in the second quarter. Broadview Financial Management LLC now owns 45,992 shares of the companys stock valued at $4,927,000 after purchasing an additional 162 shares in the last quarter. Citigroup Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF by 8.5% in the third quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 11,071 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,117,000 after buying an additional 868 shares during the period. Finally, Comerica Bank acquired a new position in shares of iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF in the third quarter valued at approximately $13,455,000.

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iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF Stock Up 0.7 %

IJJ traded up $0.74 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $113.83. 25,758 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 186,916. iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF has a 1-year low of $92.79 and a 1-year high of $116.15. The stocks 50-day moving average is $112.05 and its two-hundred day moving average is $106.70. The stock has a market cap of $7.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.54 and a beta of 1.17.

iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF Profile

iShares S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF, formerly iShares S&P MidCap 400 Value Index 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 MidCap 400 Value Index (the Index). The Value Index measures the performance of the mid-capitalization value sector of the United States equity market and consists of those stocks in the S&P MidCap 400 Index exhibiting the strongest value characteristics.

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Solo Brands, Inc. (NYSE:DTC  Get Free Report) was the target of a large increase in short interest in the month of February. As of February 29th, there was short interest totalling 4,320,000 shares, an increase of 6.9% from the February 14th total of 4,040,000 shares. Approximately 16.4% of the shares of the stock are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 952,300 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.5 days.

Solo Brands Stock Up 10.3 %

DTC stock traded up $0.21 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $2.24. The company had a trading volume of 708,190 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,122,215. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 2.21. The company has a market capitalization of $203.50 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.14, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 2.68. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $2.74 and a 200 day simple moving average of $4.16. Solo Brands has a fifty-two week low of $2.03 and a fifty-two week high of $8.86.

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Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on DTC shares. Craig Hallum downgraded Solo Brands from a buy rating to a hold rating and set a $5.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Monday, January 8th. Citigroup dropped their target price on Solo Brands from $4.00 to $3.00 and set a neutral rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 6th. B. Riley reiterated a neutral rating and set a $2.20 price target (down from $4.00) on shares of Solo Brands in a report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut Solo Brands from an overweight rating to an underweight rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group lowered their price target on Solo Brands from $6.00 to $5.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Solo Brands currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $3.54.

Insider Transactions at Solo Brands

In other Solo Brands news, CEO Christopher T. Metz bought 100,000 shares of Solo Brands stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 15th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $2.27 per share, with a total value of $227,000.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer now directly owns 100,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $227,000. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Corporate insiders own 4.34% of the companys stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Solo Brands

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust acquired a new stake in shares of Solo Brands during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Solo Brands during the 2nd quarter worth about $36,000. Citigroup Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Solo Brands during the 2nd quarter worth about $37,000. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new stake in shares of Solo Brands during the 1st quarter worth about $56,000. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Solo Brands during the 4th quarter worth about $41,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.38% of the companys stock.

About Solo Brands

(Get Free Report)

Solo Brands, Inc operates a direct-to-consumer platform that offers outdoor and lifestyle branded products in the United States. The company provides camp stoves under the Solo Stove Lite brand name; fire pits under the Solo Stove brand name; kayaks under the Oru brand name; paddle boards under the ISLE brand name; and storage solutions for fire pits, firewood, and other accessories.

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Source Financial Advisors LLC lessened its stake in shares of iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (BATS:EFV  Free Report) by 1.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 29,813 shares of the companys stock after selling 421 shares during the quarter. Source Financial Advisors LLCs holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF were worth $1,553,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 6.5% during the 4th quarter. Baker Tilly Wealth Management LLC now owns 15,846 shares of the companys stock valued at $826,000 after purchasing an additional 961 shares during the period. Raymond James Trust N.A. raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 5.6% in the 4th quarter. Raymond James Trust N.A. now owns 38,519 shares of the companys stock valued at $2,007,000 after acquiring an additional 2,038 shares in the last quarter. Gilman Hill Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,872,000. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 11.2% in the 4th quarter. Dynamic Advisor Solutions LLC now owns 10,862 shares of the companys stock valued at $565,000 after acquiring an additional 1,095 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Falcon Wealth Planning raised its holdings in iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF by 21.6% in the 4th quarter. Falcon Wealth Planning now owns 24,693 shares of the companys stock valued at $1,287,000 after acquiring an additional 4,389 shares in the last quarter.

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iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Stock Down 0.1 %

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF stock traded down $0.04 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $53.30. The stock had a trading volume of 4,068,128 shares. The company has a 50-day moving average of $51.90 and a two-hundred day moving average of $50.47. The company has a market cap of $17.91 billion, a PE ratio of 9.51 and a beta of 0.84. iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF has a fifty-two week low of $49.15 and a fifty-two week high of $59.57.

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF Profile

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (the Fund), formerly iShares MSCI EAFE Value 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 Value Index. The Index is a subset of the MSCI EAFE Index and constituents of the Index include securities from Europe, Australasia (Australia and Asia), and the Far East.

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Stellantis (NYSE:STLA  Get Free Report) saw some unusual options trading activity on Tuesday. Investors purchased 15,097 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 265% compared to the typical volume of 4,139 call options.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research firms have weighed in on STLA. Wells Fargo & Company initiated coverage on Stellantis in a research note on Monday, December 11th. They issued an underweight rating for the company. Redburn Atlantic started coverage on Stellantis in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Nomura restated a neutral rating on shares of Stellantis in a research note on Wednesday, March 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut shares of Stellantis from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Finally, HSBC downgraded shares of Stellantis from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the companys stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Stellantis has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $30.23.

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Insider Activity

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Stellantis

In other Stellantis news, major shareholder N.V. Stellantis acquired 800,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 8th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $4.60 per share, for a total transaction of $3,680,000.00. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 35,451,720 shares of the companys stock, valued at approximately $163,077,912. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website . Insiders bought 3,150,000 shares of company stock valued at $15,724,500 in the last quarter.

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Norges Bank bought a new position in Stellantis in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $832,785,000. Acadian Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Stellantis by 100,358.0% during the third quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 20,993,704 shares of the companys stock worth $404,714,000 after buying an additional 20,972,806 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. acquired a new position in Stellantis in the third quarter valued at $232,047,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Stellantis by 10.5% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 83,232,805 shares of the companys stock worth $1,592,244,000 after acquiring an additional 7,883,816 shares during the period. Finally, Nuveen Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Stellantis in the 4th quarter valued at about $107,914,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 28.17% of the companys stock.

Stellantis Stock Performance

NYSE STLA traded up $0.29 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $28.77. 4,128,172 shares of the companys stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,601,690. The stocks 50 day moving average price is $24.44 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $21.82. Stellantis has a fifty-two week low of $15.07 and a fifty-two week high of $28.94. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24.

Stellantis Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Stellantis N.V. engages in the design, engineering, manufacturing, distribution, and sale of automobiles and light commercial vehicles, engines, transmission systems, metallurgical products, mobility services, and production systems worldwide. It provides luxury and premium vehicles; sport utility vehicles; American and European brand vehicles; and parts and services, as well as retail and dealer financing, leasing, and rental services.

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STEP Energy Services Ltd. (TSE:STEP  Get Free Report) Senior Officer Stephen Murray Glanville purchased 14,000 shares of the businesss stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 19th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of C$3.59 per share, with a total value of C$50,293.60.

STEP Energy Services Price Performance

Shares of TSE STEP traded up C$0.04 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching C$3.55. The company had a trading volume of 76,315 shares, compared to its average volume of 144,018. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.47, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.37. STEP Energy Services Ltd. has a one year low of C$2.63 and a one year high of C$4.82. The firm has a market cap of C$253.68 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 5.24 and a beta of 2.25. The businesss 50-day simple moving average is C$4.26 and its 200 day simple moving average is C$4.16.

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Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have weighed in on STEP. Stifel Nicolaus cut STEP Energy Services from a buy rating to a hold rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from C$6.00 to C$4.50 in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. ATB Capital lowered their price objective on STEP Energy Services from C$7.50 to C$7.00 in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price objective on STEP Energy Services from C$5.50 to C$4.75 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Raymond James lowered their price objective on STEP Energy Services from C$6.25 to C$5.50 and set an outperform rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut STEP Energy Services from an outperform rating to a market perform rating and lowered their price objective for the stock from C$7.50 to C$4.50 in a research report on Tuesday, March 12th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, STEP Energy Services presently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of C$5.89.

STEP Energy Services Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

STEP Energy Services Ltd., an energy services company, provides integrated coiled tubing, fluid and nitrogen pumping, and hydraulic fracturing to service oil and natural gas industry in Canada and the United States. It also provides fluid pumping services for coiled tubing operations and involved in standalone projects; pipeline commissioning and maintenance services; fracturing logistics services; and laboratory services.

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Thomasville National Bank lifted its position in shares of Lockheed Martin Co. (NYSE:LMT  Free Report) by 0.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 8,854 shares of the aerospace companys stock after acquiring an additional 81 shares during the quarter. Thomasville National Banks holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $4,013,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Bank Julius Baer & Co. Ltd Zurich lifted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 73.0% in the 3rd 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 in the last quarter. CGC Financial Services LLC purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $31,000. Coppell Advisory Solutions Corp. purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,000. Milestone Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $33,000. Finally, Providence Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Lockheed Martin in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $35,000. Institutional investors own 74.26% of the companys stock.

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Insider Transactions at Lockheed Martin

In related news, SVP Maryanne Lavan sold 4,022 shares of Lockheed Martin stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $434.39, for a total transaction of $1,747,116.58. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. In other Lockheed Martin news, COO John Frank A. St sold 6,648 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $425.35, for a total transaction of $2,827,726.80. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Maryanne Lavan sold 4,022 shares of the firms stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $434.39, for a total transaction of $1,747,116.58. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 16,874 shares of company stock valued at $7,249,946. Company insiders own 0.17% of the companys stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

LMT has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Citigroup lowered their target price on shares of Lockheed Martin from $540.00 to $508.00 and set a buy rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 24th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $488.00 to $475.00 and set a neutral rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Morgan Stanley decreased 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 report on Wednesday, January 24th. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $475.00 to $470.00 and set a sector perform rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Finally, Susquehanna decreased their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $550.00 to $540.00 and set a positive rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Lockheed Martin presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $491.92.

View Our Latest Analysis on Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Trading Up 0.5 %

Lockheed Martin stock traded up $2.07 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $435.27. The stock had a trading volume of 412,748 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,194,311. The stock has a market cap of $105.18 billion, a PE ratio of 15.72, a PEG ratio of 3.98 and a beta of 0.48. Lockheed Martin Co. has a 52 week low of $393.77 and a 52 week high of $508.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.53, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 1.03. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $435.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $438.04.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT  Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 23rd. The aerospace company reported $7.90 earnings per share (EPS) 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 business had revenue of $18.87 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.96 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $7.79 EPS. The companys revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts forecast that Lockheed Martin Co. will post 26.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lockheed Martin Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 29th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be given a $3.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, February 29th. This represents a $12.60 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.89%. Lockheed Martins dividend 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.

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Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. (NYSE:TKC  Get Free Report) is set to post its quarterly earnings results before the market opens on Wednesday, March 20th. Individual that wish to listen to the companys earnings conference call can do so using this link.

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Price Performance

TKC stock opened at $4.92 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.67, a quick ratio of 1.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. has a 12-month low of $3.52 and a 12-month high of $5.73. The businesss 50-day moving average is $5.29 and its 200 day moving average is $4.98.

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Institutional Investors Weigh In On Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S.

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Morgan Stanley boosted its holdings in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 1.1% in the 3rd quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 11,287,031 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $53,388,000 after buying an additional 119,631 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its holdings in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 5.3% in the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,852,825 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $7,967,000 after buying an additional 93,197 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 1,621,129 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $4,312,000 after buying an additional 60,428 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 9.9% during the 4th quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 1,345,060 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $6,470,000 after purchasing an additional 121,528 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its holdings in shares of Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. by 134.2% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 721,454 shares of the Wireless communications providers stock worth $3,102,000 after purchasing an additional 413,443 shares during the last quarter.

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. Company Profile

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.

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Bank of America upgraded shares of Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO  Free Report) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Friday morning, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Bank of America currently has $210.00 price objective on the oil and gas companys stock, up from their previous price objective of $156.00.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on VLO. Barclays raised their price target on Valero Energy from $146.00 to $149.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a report on Monday, January 29th. Citigroup started coverage on Valero Energy in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. They issued a buy rating on the stock. Finally, Raymond James lifted their target price on Valero Energy from $154.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a strong-buy rating in a report on Friday, January 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the companys stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $155.83.

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Valero Energy Stock Up 1.6 %

Shares of NYSE:VLO opened at $166.29 on Friday. Valero Energy has a 52-week low of $104.18 and a 52-week high of $167.33. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.56. The firm has a market capitalization of $55.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 6.72, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 1.53. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $140.12 and a 200-day moving average price of $134.12.

Valero Energy (NYSE:VLO  Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The oil and gas company reported $3.55 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts consensus estimates of $2.95 by $0.60. The firm had revenue of $35.41 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $34.76 billion. Valero Energy had a return on equity of 31.62% and a net margin of 6.10%. The companys revenue for the quarter was down 15.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the business posted $8.45 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Valero Energy will post 15.62 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Valero Energy Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 4th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 1st were issued a $1.07 dividend. This is a positive change from Valero Energys previous quarterly dividend of $1.02. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, January 31st. This represents a $4.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.57%. Valero Energys payout ratio is presently 17.31%.

Institutional Trading of Valero Energy

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of VLO. Blair William & Co. IL lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 1.9% during the first quarter. Blair William & Co. IL now owns 33,427 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $3,394,000 after buying an additional 632 shares during the period. Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 21.7% during the first quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 100,006 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $10,163,000 after buying an additional 17,844 shares during the period. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 12.5% during the first quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 60,730 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $6,167,000 after buying an additional 6,735 shares during the period. Prudential PLC purchased a new stake in Valero Energy during the first quarter worth $1,253,000. Finally, Moors & Cabot Inc. lifted its holdings in Valero Energy by 21.0% during the first quarter. Moors & Cabot Inc. now owns 6,780 shares of the oil and gas companys stock worth $688,000 after buying an additional 1,179 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 77.07% of the companys stock.

Valero Energy Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

Valero Energy Corporation manufactures, markets, and sells petroleum-based and low-carbon liquid transportation fuels and petrochemical products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Latin America, Mexico, Peru, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Refining, Renewable Diesel, and Ethanol.

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TEHRAN, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on Tuesday congratulated Vladimir Putin on his reelection as Russian president, expressing hope that bilateral ties and cooperation would further expand during Putin's new six-year term in office.

Raisi made the remarks during a phone call with Putin, in which the two sides also discussed bilateral, regional, and international issues of common interest, according to a statement published on the website of the Iranian president's office.

Raisi described the presence of Iran and Russia at multilateral platforms, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS, as "favorable ground" for promoting bilateral cooperation and economic and trade ties.

When referring to the raging Gaza conflict, Raisi denounced the Israeli attacks as "crimes against the oppressed Gazan people," calling for effective international measures to stop the Israeli "criminal attacks" and lift the siege of the coastal enclave.

The Iranian president also pointed to the "sensitive" developments in the South Caucasus region, voicing Iran's determination and readiness to help guarantee the region's stability.

Putin, for his part, expressed gratitude to Raisi for his felicitation, saying the draft of a comprehensive cooperation agreement between the two countries would be soon finalized.

He added that the successful holding of a meeting of the joint economic commission of Russia and Iran in Tehran in late February and the 77-percent growth in goods exchanges between the two countries were positive signs of improving bilateral cooperation.

Putin also maintained that there are "valuable" opportunities for deepening bilateral interactions, including within the framework of the SCO and BRICS, noting that Moscow and Tehran adopted similar positions on Israel's attacks against Gaza and Russia is ready for more effective and greater cooperation with Iran in that area. 


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ISTANBUL, March 19 (Xinhua) -- A 14-kilometer metro line connecting Turkiye's largest international airport, Istanbul Airport, with the Arnavutkoy district of Istanbul was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addressing the opening ceremony via live broadcast, stated that it would take eight minutes to travel from Arnavutkoy to Istanbul Airport using the new line.

Erdogan announced that the line would start operations on Wednesday morning, offering free transportation until March 31, when the local elections are scheduled to be held.

A 34-kilometer-long metro line connecting the airport to central Istanbul was launched in January last year, featuring China-made automated driverless trains capable of reaching a speed of up to 120 kilometers per hour.

According to Erdogan, the total length of Istanbul's rail system network has now reached 362 kilometers.

Since becoming operational in 2018, Istanbul Airport has rapidly emerged as one of the busiest aviation hubs in the region.

In 2023, the number of passengers utilizing Istanbul Airport surpassed 76 million, with the total number of flights reaching 506,000, according to the airport's management. 
Famine in northern Gaza is imminent as more than 1 million people face catastrophic levels of hunger, new report warns
The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head
County Lines drug dealers targeted as part of major police operation

More than 20 people have been arrested and weapons and cash seized in north Wales as part of a national police operation targeting drug dealers.

Forces across the country joined together to take part in County Lines Intensification Week, which ran between March 4 to March 8.

It aimed to crackdown on drug traffickers and safeguard vulnerable people, including children.

County Lines is the term used to describe drug dealing where mobile phones are used to supply drugs from large cities to towns and rural areas.

Lines are run by Line Holders and the runners, often vulnerable people, deliver the drugs. The system of drug distribution leads to serious violence and exploitation.

The week of action in North Wales resulted in:

26 arrests

Class A, B and C drugs seized

Almost 10,000 in cash seized

Weapons including machetes, knives and air rifles recovered

42 vulnerable people visited

Mass engagement with over 2,000 young people

During the week, officers worked alongside colleagues at Merseyside Police, British Transport Police (BTP) and partner agencies, including councils and housing associations to dismantle and disrupt criminal gangs.

Activity included warrants, safeguarding visits to vulnerable people and joint operations  one of which took place in the Pwllheli area as part of Merseyside Polices Project Medusa, set up to tackle County Lines drug dealing.

The joint operation resulted in officers stop and searching a 25-year-old man after sighting a suspected drug deal during a plain clothed operation.

Initially, a small quantity of cannabis was found, which resulted in a further search of a property he was seen leaving, where officers seized a large quantity of cannabis, offensive weapons, drugs paraphilia and approximately 3,000 in cash.

The 25-year-old, who is from the London area, was arrested on suspicion of drug supply and possession of cannabis.

Officers in Wrexham, along with BTP, were targeting those who use the railway to transport drugs into North Wales and travelled on the rail network between Wrexham, Chester and West Mercia to disrupt criminals and provide advice and reassurance to travellers.

Wrexham city officers also successfully secured three closure orders at addresses causing high demand due to anti-social behaviour and made two arrests for suspected drugs offences whilst on bike patrol.

Another plain clothes operation in Rhyl also resulted in the arrest of a 21-year-old man suspected to be concerned in the supply of Class A drugs, and the arrests of a 47-year-old man and a 23-year-old on suspicion of driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

A further five people were stop searched and found to be in possession of drugs.

This came following a warrant at a flat in Llanrwst where drugs including what is believed to be heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, crack cocaine and cannabis were seized, which resulted in a 36-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman being arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.

Community safety officers carried out visits to holiday parks, hotels and licenced premises across all areas of the force to provide advice on the subject of County Lines and how to spot the signs.

Neighbourhood policing teams and school liaison officers also held activities to engage with over 2,000 young people across the region over the week.

Chief Superintendent Sian Beck said: County lines drug dealing is linked to the most serious violence, which causes misery and fear in our communities.

The week was a great success, and I am grateful for all the hard work that went into the operation from all the officers involved both in North Wales and across the region.

A significant amount of cash, drugs, and various weapons are now off our streets thanks to the work of those involved.

This recent activity was only snapshot of the work we do week in week out across to tackle County Lines gangs who exploit and recruit the most vulnerable people in our communities to store and sell drugs.

They are intimated, coerced, threatened and often subject to violence.

Anyone who abuses vulnerable people and causes fear to our communities should expect firm and relentless action to be taken against them.

Making North Wales the safest place to live, work and visit remains our top priority.

[email protected]
North Wales chief constable backs new Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service

North Wales Police has announced its support for the newly launched Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service.

The initiative, introduced by the independent charity Crimestoppers, offers a secure and anonymous channel for individuals to report suspicions of corruption and serious abuse involving serving officers, staff, and volunteers.

Recognising the importance of maintaining a corruption-free and abuse-free environment it provides an alternative to existing complaint mechanisms.

Aimed at addressing issues that undermine the core values of the police force, it facilitates the reporting of serious misconduct outside traditional internal channels.

The Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service covers information relating to officers, staff and volunteers who:

Provide information or influence in return for money or favours

Use their policing position for personal advantage  whether financial or otherwise

Cross professional boundaries or abuse their position for sexual purposes

Abuse or control their partner, or those they have a relationship with

Engage in racist, homophobic, misogynistic or disablist conduct, on or off duty, in person or online

Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman KPM said: The vast majority of officers, staff and volunteers act professionally and with integrity in the fulfilment of their duties to protect the public.

We must take tough action to purge policing of those responsible for wrongdoing, for now and for the future.

We do not underestimate the impact recent events have had on trust and confidence in policing, including the appalling findings of the Baroness Casey and Lady Angiolini reports.

As the All-Wales Police Lead for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) which also includes domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV), and as the lead for British Association for Women in Policing (BAWP) I have zero tolerance towards perpetrators of such offences.

I have been clear that for those who do not share our values and high standards there is no place for them in our organisation.

Those individuals in the minority not only undermine the fantastic work that goes on every single day but they also erode the confidence placed in us by our communities.

The Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service is another tool in our armoury that will help us to rid those individuals from our midst and enable us to operate with the trust and confidence of the public.

To make a report, contact the service by calling 0800 085 0000 or via the Crimestoppers website The Police Anti-Corruption and Abuse Reporting Service | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)

The public can still report crime via the usual methods including 101 and the Noth Wales Police website, as well as anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

How does it work?

Crimestoppers will take reports from the public about individuals currently employed by any police force in the UK.

The information will be passed to the relevant forces specialist unit, such as Professional Standards or Anti-Corruption.

It may then be passed to specialist detectives to begin an investigation, take steps to safeguard someone at risk or in danger, or record the information to inform future investigations.

When people contact the service, they can choose to remain anonymous, or can opt to leave their details if they are willing for the force investigation team to contact them directly.

[email protected]




The Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passes the safeguarding national security bill with all 89 votes in favor during the third reading in Hong Kong, south China, March 19, 2024. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)





BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Tuesday applauded the passage of the safeguarding national security bill by the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The passage of the bill stands as a significant move and substantial progress made by the HKSAR in fulfilling its constitutional duty and legal obligation to safeguard national security, said a leading official of the commission.

The move further improves the HKSAR's legal system and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security, and provides a strong legal guarantee for preventing, restraining and punishing activities that undermine national security, the official said.

It contributes to the full, accurate and unswerving implementation of "one country, two systems," the law-based protection of people's legal rights and freedom, and the long-term prosperity and stability of the HKSAR, the official said.

The official said the commission had noted the broad social foundation of the bill, as it was unanimously adopted.

"We believe that the administrative, legislative, and judicial organs of the HKSAR will follow the principle of the rule of law and conscientiously carry out the implementation work," the official said.

According to the Basic Law of the HKSAR, laws enacted by the legislature of the HKSAR must be reported to the NPC Standing Committee for the record. After the new bill is received by the NPC Standing Committee, it will be reviewed by relevant agencies following due procedure, the official said, adding that the NPC Standing Committee will be briefed on the progress. 
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China has launched an anti-graft operation codenamed "Sky Net" for 2024, aimed at apprehending criminal fugitives, recovering misappropriated assets and combating cross-border corruption.

The move was announced on Tuesday at a meeting of the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group.

According to the meeting, the integrated mechanism for pursuing fugitives, preventing escape, and retrieving stolen assets will be further advanced in a holistic manner.

The outlined plan is as follows:

The National Commission of Supervision will spearhead a targeted campaign to combat duty-related crimes, hunt down corrupt officials who fled overseas, and retrieve assets they have stolen.

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) will launch the "Fox Hunt" campaign to repatriate economic fugitives who have fled abroad.

The People's Bank of China will team up with the MPS to address the covert transfer of misappropriated assets abroad.

The Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate will jointly wage a campaign to reclaim misappropriated assets linked to cases where criminal suspects or defendants have fled or died.

The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee will work together with other departments to address unregulated issuance and possession of relevant documents. 
Britains Conservative government has been wracked by leadership plots, scandals and the defection of one of its MPs, Lee Anderson, to the far-right-Reform UK party.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been in office for less than 18 months. He entered Downing Street on the say so of a few hundred Tory MPs during a party leadership contest. At that time he was the third Tory prime minister in the space of seven weeks, following the resignation of Boris Johnson over the COVID Partygate scandal and then Liz Truss, elected by a few tens of thousands of Tory Party members, who remained in power for just 44 days.

Sunaks Tories trail the Labour Party by around 20 points, with forecasts regularly made of a wipeout in the general election to be held later this year.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosts his weekly Cabinet meeting in 10 Downing Street on March 12, 2024. [Photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Talk of another leadership election, previously described by most Tory MPs as political suicide, has been growing. Sky News reported Sunday, As misery and despair stalk the Tory party, talk of changing leader is getting louder; the BBC on Monday, Mood among Tory MPs darkens as Rishi Sunak faces leadership questions.

Sunaks allies were forced to brief The Times Monday morning that he would be prepared to call a general election if rebels force a leadership contest People should be careful what they wish for.

Shadow cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt is the first named potential challenger, as a front for a further shift to the right. On Sunday, the Daily Telegraph Tory house newspaper recalled, In 1990, a stalking horse challenge by Sir Anthony Meyer led to the leadership election of 1990 that brought about Margaret Thatchers downfall. Since then, the rules have changed so that such a candidate cannot simply trigger a contest themselves with a handful of backers.

It added, In this case, it is being claimed that some MPs on the Right of the party are pledging support for Ms Mordaunt so that she effectively becomes a stalking horse candidate behind whom MPs across the party felt they could unite, on the basis that many centrist MPs may not wish to back potential candidates such as [Business Secretary] Mrs [Kemi] Badenoch and Suella Braverman.

Former defence secretary Ben Wallace, one of 60 Tory MPs stepping down at the next election, responded by declaring with a despairing statement that it was too late to replace Sunak. He told Times Radio, There comes a moment in time in the electoral cycle where you effectively put on your best suit, you stand up and you march towards the sound of the guns and you get on with it.

Sunaks crisis intensified last week when it emerged that the Tories leading-donor Frank Hestera businessman who has given the party 10 million in total and was reportedly set to hand over another 5 million, or may have already done so, for this years election campaignhad made a series of violently racist comments. In 2019, he said of black Labour MP Diane Abbott you just want to hate all black women because shes there and that she should be shot.

With several senior Tories making excuses for Hesters vile comments, it took Downing Street an entire day to finally issue an apology through clenched teeth, with Sunaks spokesperson saying they were racist and wrong but that Hester has now rightly apologized for the offence caused, and where remorse is shown it should be accepted.

Sunak had every reason for wanting to move on quickly. The Guardian reported Saturday that Hester is understood to have attended two Tory fundraisers in the last year, including in June when he was photographed with the prime minister. The newspaper added, The prime minister is also believed to have met Hester in Leeds, the day after the autumn statement in November, when the donor paid 16,000 for Sunak to take a helicopter to the city for a political visit.

Hester has also had close dealings with current foreign secretary and former prime minister David Cameron, and current chancellor and former health secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Sunak was also minded to be cautious in responding to Hesters comments as he is still in the middle of a backlash from the extreme right-wing of his party for suspending its deputy chairman Lee Anderson, who then defected to the Reform Party. Anderson had said on a live broadcast that Islamists had got control of [Labour Mayor of London Sadiq] Khan [himself Muslim] Hes actually given our capital city away to his mates.

The MP was highly popular with the group of Brexiteer Tories who won a swathe of previously Labour-voting Red Wall seats in Boris Johnsons 2019 election victory over Jeremy Corbyn. Reform, formerly Nigel Farages Brexit Party, campaigns as a more stalwartly anti-immigration, anti-woke alternative to the Tory Party and is polling between 10-14 percent, presenting a lethal threat to the Tories election chances.

Significantly, Johnson, who was forced out after Sunak stood down as his chancellor and has harboured a massive grudge since, is already out campaigning in these Red Wall seats. He is primed to do so in a general election with the demand that the party should remind Red Wall voters of the key elements of the manifesto that won him a landslide five years ago, including his flagship [Brexit] policy, according to the i newspaper.

Under conditions of seemingly irresolvable Tory meltdown, the ruling class is working closely with Sir Keir Starmers Labour Party to prepare a politically like-for-like replacement to rescue British capitalism, with less of the overt racism spewing forth from the government.

However, it should be noted that Andersons journey into the far-right political sewer started in the Labour Party. He was a longtime Labour member and councillor for the party. Formerly a miner in the Nottinghamshire coalfield, including during the 1984-85 strike, he was elected for Labour onto Ashfield District Council in 2015. He quit to join the Tories in 2018, complaining that it had been taken over by the hard left under Corbyns leadership.

The Tories and Labour are entirely aligned on the fundamental issues of military spendingbacking both NATOs war against Russia in Ukraine and Israels genocide in Gazaand continued austerity to make the working class pay for it. They are agreed on a further onslaught against democratic rights to enforce this agenda, with anti-war protest and opposition to genocide branded as extremism.

Rachel Reeves, Labours shadow chancellor, has been pledging for years that she will demonstrate ironclad discipline in restricting social spending. Last week, as Birminghams bankrupt Labour council imposed 300 million in spending cuts, and amid warnings that half of all councils face bankruptcy, Reeves refused to say that a Labour government would bail them out to protect vital services.

Speaking to Sky Newss Trevor Phillips she said, Im not going to be able to fix all the problems straightaway Im under no illusions about the scale of the challenge that I will inherit if I become chancellor later this year and I need to be honest with people.

Workers must face up to the fact that, before the election and after, whatever the result, they face the same struggle against a joint Tory-Labour Party of austerity and war. There is an urgent necessity to build an alternative, socialist political leadership in the working class. This will be the perspective fought for by the Socialist Equality Party and its candidates in the general election.
Over the past week a series of disturbing reports have emerged of Palestinians who have fled the Israeli genocide in Gaza suddenly having their visas to enter Australia cancelled, despite prior approval. Having escaped the worst warzone in the world, at great expense and danger, the vulnerable refugees have faced the prospect of being stranded in countries they were only permitted to pass through.

Palestinians line up for a free meal in Rafah, Gaza Strip on December 21, 2023. [AP Photo/Fatima Shbair]

In the past two days, some, but not all, of the visas have reportedly been reinstated. The difficult circumstances confronting the refugees, including limited communication access, means that the exact situation is hazy.

However, even if all the canceled visas were to be reinstated, the incident is another expression of the arbitrary brutality of Australias border protection program, as well as the complicity of the federal Labor government in the US-Israeli led assault on the fundamental rights of the Palestinians.

A report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) last Thursday recounted the case of an Australian woman, who had successfully applied for temporary visas on behalf of her two sisters and nieces in Gaza. The visas were approved in November, but due to the closed border, it took months for the womans relatives to be able to leave.

One of the sisters had her Australian visa canceled while in Cairo. Another was able to go to a transit country with her children. But immediately before they were due to board a flight bound for Australia, that woman was informed that her visa was canceled. She had been barred from Australia, she was told, but her children were permitted to travel. As a consequence, the family was trapped in a foreign airport with nowhere to go.

Samah Sabawi, a Palestinian playwright and academic, who had assisted them, told the ABC: Theyve paid so much money to make it out of Gaza Theyve all witnessed horrific things, lived through terrible losses. But they come [to Egypt], and they breathe and then they say Ive got my visa in hand, and I can go somewhere safe and secure And then they find that they cant. I dont know what to tell them.

The ABC, as well as Nine Media publications, reported that they were aware of other Palestinians who had similarly suffered a sudden visa cancellation.

The Labor government has, throughout the onslaught on Gaza, proclaimed Israels right to defend itself, and collaborated with the Zionist regime as it ethnically-cleanses the Palestinians. To cover up this basic reality, Labor, like the US and other governments complicit in the mass murder, has occasionally shed crocodile tears over the suffering and instated miserly humanitarian measures.

One of those was to announce, amid some fanfare, that Gazans with relatives in Australia would be eligible for entry into the country. Aside from the difficulties of getting out of Gaza, however, the Palestinians were only permitted to apply for temporary visitor visas. This would block them from accessing government-funded healthcare and other basic necessities and from seeking any employment. The subclass 600 visa, which they were directed to, is limited to 12 months or less, effectively mandating an entirely uncertain future for the refugees.

According to figures from the Department of Home Affairs, responsible for migration, 2,273 such visas were granted to Gazans between October and February 6. Over that period, however, only 334 of those Palestinians had arrived in Australia.

A typical visa cancellation, cited by Nine Media, stated: As part of the visa application process, you were required to meet section 600.211 which states the visa applicant genuinely intends to stay temporarily in Australia. The delegate considered the situation in your home country, including the current conflict, the internal displacement of persons and the difficult circumstances facing ordinary citizens there. The delegate considered you never intended a genuine stay temporarily in Australia and therefore the visa was granted based on circumstances that never existed.

It would be no exaggeration to describe this as a Kafkaesque nightmare. When the government announced that a small layer of Gazans would be permitted temporary visas, there was never a suggestion that it was because the Palestinians were seeking a holiday in Australia.

Within days of the October 7 Hamas military operation, it was clear that Israel was intent on rendering Gaza uninhabitable and of expelling its population. Now, having carpet-bombed most of the strip, Israel is systematically demolishing residential and civil structures. The bulk of the population has been herded into the southernmost city of Rafah, which Israel declares it will attack as a preliminary to forcing the Palestinians into the Sinai Desert.

In other words, the Gazan refugees have nowhere to return to. Even if they tried, entering Gaza from an external border is impossible.

In response to the revelations, the Labor government combined phony sympathy with a defence of the brutality. In a statement to the media, a representative of Labors Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil declared that The Australian government recognises that this is an incredibly distressing time for Australians with extended family members in Gaza.

But, it added: All visa applicants undergo security checks and are subject to ongoing security assessments. The Australian government reserves the right to cancel any issued visas if circumstances change. That statement expressed contempt for the stranded Palestinians, and slandered them, because there was no indication in the communication they received that the visa cancellations had anything to do with adverse security assessments.

The treatment is of a piece with the broader bipartisan assault on asylum-seekers and refugees. For decades, Australian governments, Labor and Liberal-National alike, have violated the internationally-enshrined right to seek asylum, including by imprisoning refugees in detention camps in Papua New Guinea and Pacific Islands.

Last December, the High Court found that the indefinite detention of asylum-seekers was unlawful. The Labor government responded by rushing preventative detention laws through parliament, to effectively retain the policy. The refugees freed as a result of the High Court ruling have been subjected to a highly-intrusive monitoring and surveillance regime, along with continuous government and media vilification. In some instances, they have been arrested on fresh charges that smack of police frame-ups.

In the case of the Gazan refugees, this broader anti-democratic framework intersects with the governments hostility to the aspirations of the Palestinians and support for the Israeli onslaught against them.

Zionist groups, which function as the chief cheerleaders of the criminal Israeli regime, have repeatedly declared that nobody from Gaza should be allowed into the country. Aping the genocidal rhetoric of Israeli government leaders, they have branded all Gazans as potential terrorists. Notably, ONeils statement, referencing security assessments, dovetails with that racist line.

Australian-Palestinian leaders have welcomed the reinstatement of some of the visas, but noted the manifest inadequacy and unfairness of Gazans being permitted to enter the country only on temporary visas limited to twelve months.

While presented as a humanitarian measure, this regime aligns with Israels perspective of transforming the Palestinians into a people of stateless refugees, condemned to danger and uncertainty for the foreseeable future.

In another development underscoring the Labor governments brutality, last Friday Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced a reinstatement of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Together with the US and its allies, Australia froze all funding to the agency, which is responsible for providing aid to the Palestinians. It did so on the basis of threadbare Israeli lies that some UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas operation.

Those assertions have been completely discredited. There are now credible allegations that the Israeli state tortured UNRWA staff, i.e., United Nations employees, to obtain false confessions. Having withheld money to the agency for more than 50 days, Wong blandly declared the reinstatement, without a hint of apology or acknowledgement that the initial pretext for the freeze had been a fraud.

Over the period of the funding freeze, reports indicate that hunger reached new levels in Gaza, with children and infants filmed starving to death before the eyes of the world. The affected Australian funding was just $6 million, enough to buy four or five houses in Sydney or Melbourne, in another demonstration of Labors criminal hostility to the Palestinians.
The International Criminal Court said Friday, March 17, 2023 it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes because of his alleged involvement in abductions of children from Ukraine. [AP Photo/Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP]

In the Russian presidential elections of March 14-17, Vladimir Putin, who first became president in 2000, was, as expected, reelected as president for a fifth term.

The other candidates running were Vladislav Davankov of the New People Party, who ultimately supports the actions of Putins regime and only differed from Putin slightly in that he advocates more openly and loudly for a deal with imperialism. The other candidates did not voice any major differences with Putin at all. Nikolai Kharitonov, the candidate of the Stalinist Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), was an old laughing stock, whose candidacy made clear from the beginning that the CPRF, which has formed a critical pillar of the Putin regime for a quarter century, will welcome Putins victory as their own. Leonid Slutsky, the candidate of the semi-fascist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), was and remains a fading shadow of the late Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who was himself only the chief fascistic buffoon of Putins regime. The candidate of the NATO-backed opposition, Boris Nadezhdin, had been prevented from running.

The elections were overshadowed by the escalating NATO proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Less than a month ago, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that NATO was discussing the direct deployment of troops to Ukraine. This step becomes all the more necessary for NATO after the disastrous collapse of the Ukrainian armys counter-offensive last year, in which it suffered huge losses, without making any gains. It is estimated that over 400,000 Ukrainians have died, and many more were injured in the first two years of this horrific fratricidal war. The number of dead and wounded among the Russians is now likely also well above 100,000.

In the days leading up to and during the election itself, NATO escalated its assault on Russian territory, killing at least five people and wounding dozens. Because of the ongoing attacks, since Tuesday schools and shopping malls in the border region Belgorod had to be closed. On Saturday, neo-Nazi forces aligned with the Kiev regime in Ukraine and NATO launched an incursion of Russian territory that involved the first deployment of tanks on Russian soil by a foreign country since the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in World War II. The New York Times, the principal mouthpiece of the US intelligence agencies and the Democratic Party, glorified these fascists as rebellious Russians for their daring attacks.

The response to the outcome of the election in the pro-NATO media was similarly belligerent. Making clear that the imperialist powers will not tolerate the continued rule of Vladimir Putin and will double down on their efforts of regime change, Britains Financial Times described a fifth term for Putin as a threat to Europe, and the world.

Compared to the extraordinarily aggressive campaign by NATO, Putins response to the threats and incursions by NATO-backed forces has been markedly muted. In his interview with the US far-right media personality Tucker Carlson in early February, which was widely publicized in Russia, Putin focused almost entirely on appealing to the ruling elites of the NATO countries for peaceful co-existence. In a record-long speech to the Federal Assembly on February 29, Putin reiterated his threat to use nuclear weapons but made only a brief reference to the threat by NATO to directly deploy its troops to Ukraine. He appealed, yet again, to the imperialist powers for negotiations.

Neither the threats by NATO nor those from Putin can be taken as empty words. The escalating and broadening imperialist war against Russia poses an existential threat to the workers of the former Soviet Union and the entire world. Nothing would be more dangerous than to underestimate the threat posed by imperialism or trust that one or another section of the ruling oligarchy can preempt a nuclear disaster.

The Putin regime: A Bonapartist regime of the oligarchy

The basis for understanding the present state of Russian politics and the war in Ukraine lies in the key events of the last century. The destruction of the Soviet Union by the Stalinist bureaucracythe culmination of Stalinisms betrayal of the achievements of the October Revolution of 1917was the event that gave birth to 15 national capitalist states, including the Russian Federation.

The Russian oligarchy accompanied its birth pangs with slogans about a prosperous democratic Russia and pacifist illusions about imperialism. At the same time, it denounced what it called the delusions of the Bolsheviks about the nature of imperialism. But the catastrophic results of capitalist restoration fully confirmed all the warnings made by Leon Trotsky in his Revolution Betrayed (1936) and the Trotskyist movement, the International Committee of the Fourth International, in its intervention in the crisis of Stalinism in 1986-1991.

During the subsequent 33 years of Russian capitalism, the masses received not prosperity, democracy and peace but further oppression, skyrocketing levels of social inequality and authoritarian rule. Above all, the restoration of capitalism marked the beginning of an eruption of imperialist violence throughout the world and opened up the entire former Soviet Union to a growing onslaught by imperialism, culminating in the all but open war against Russia in Ukraine.

It is under these conditions that the Putin regime emerged as a Bonapartist regime, that defends the interests of the oligarchy. As Leon Trotsky explained in his Revolution Betrayed:

Bonapartism enters the scene in those moments of history when the sharp struggle of two camps raises the state power, so to speak, above the nation, and guarantees it, in appearance, a complete independence of classesin reality, only the freedom necessary for a defense of the privileged.  Bonapartism is one of the political weapons of the capitalist regime in its critical period.

Trotsky continued:

As history testifies, Bonapartism gets along admirably with a universal, and even a secret, ballot. The democratic ritual of Bonapartism is the plebiscite. From time to time, the question is presented to the citizens: for or against the leader? And the voter feels the barrel of a revolver between his shoulders.

Leon Trotsky

In its historical origins and social function, the Putin regime arose and acts, first and foremost, as a defender of the privileges of the oligarchy. The restoration of capitalism led to an extraordinary immiseration of the broad masses of the population, while a tiny clique of oligarchs, recruited from the former bureaucracy, including the secret service, KGB, aspiring entpreneurs and outright criminals, amassed fabulous fortunes. Putin constantly seeks to appeal to social discontent and present himself as a man of the masses, but under his regime social inequality has, in fact, grown enormously.

When Putin first took power in 2000, there was not a single Russian billionaire on the Forbes list. In 2023, there were 83. One year before the war in Ukraine began, in 2021, 500 oligarchs controlled more wealth$640 billion or 40 percent of all household wealththan 99.8 percent of the population. It is for this social class that the Putin regime speaks in its ongoing and desperate attempts to find a negotiated settlement with the imperialist powers.

From the standpoint of the Russian oligarchy, the social and political function of Putin as a Bonapartist figure consists in that he mediates, first, between the working class and the oligarchy; second, between the different factions of the oligarchy; and, third, between the national and economic interests of the oligarchy and the interests of Western imperialism. Like any Bonapartist regime, the Putin regime is a deeply unstable regime of crisis. It will inevitably be blown asunder by the same class, political and international contradictions that it desperately seeks to mediate.

The dead end of Putins appeals to imperialism and multipolarity

Historically and economically, the Putin regime and the oligarchy as a whole never had independence from imperialism. In destroying the Soviet Union, the former Stalinist bureaucrats worked hand in glove with the ruling class of the US, Germany and other imperialist powers.

And while the bourgeois media in the US and Western Europe continuously decry Putin as an autocrat, the truth is that his initial installment as president in 2000 was negotiated behind closed doors between Boris Yeltsin and the White House under Bill Clinton, whom Yeltsin informed that Putin will win the election well in advance. In his first term as president, Putin bent over backwards to appeal to the imperialist powers for collaboration and sought, by his own acknowledgement, admission of Russia to NATO. But none of the overtures by the oligarchs were and could be sufficient from the standpoint of imperialism. Driven by irresoluble international crises, the imperialist powers seek nothing less than the subjugation of the entire region to its full and direct control.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin and President Bill Clinton at the FDR Library in Hyde Park, New York, in 1995 [Photo: White House Photographic Office]

In his recent interview with Tucker Carlson, Putin de facto acknowledged that his entire foreign policy toward imperialism over the past 25 years has been a complete failure. At the same time, Putin only doubled down on this orientation and constantly repeated that he doesnt understand why the West behaves the way it does. As we explained in our statement on the interview, the inability of the ex-KGB officer to understand the nature of imperialism is rooted in the historical origins and the entire social outlook of the oligarchy.

With its efforts to reach a deal with the imperialist powers, the Russian oligarchy mirrors the reactionary conception of peaceful coexistence by the Stalinist bureaucracy. In its betrayal of the revolutionary and internationalist foundations of the Soviet Union in the October Revolution, the bureaucracy strangled revolutionary movements everywhere, seeking to find a settlement with the imperialist powers.

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson interviews Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia on February 6, 2024 [Photo by Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin]

The promotion of a multipolar world order by the Putin regime stems from this tradition. Fearing nothing more than the emergence of a revolutionary movement by the Russian and international working class, the Kremlin is appealing to nationalist regimes everywhere to form a counter-weight to the imperialist powers, only to increase their bargaining position at the negotiating table. This perspective is not only unviable and bankrupt but also entails more wars. As David North stated at the International May Day Rally of the WSWS and ICFI in 2023,

 the realization of a multipolar world, setting aside its incorrect theoretical foundations, requires its peaceful acceptance by todays dominant imperialist power, the United States. This is not a realistic prospect. The United States will oppose with all the means at its disposal efforts to block its drive for unipolar hegemony. Thus, the utopian striving to replace a unipolar with a multipolar world leads, by its own twisted logic, to World War III and the destruction of the planet.

The reactionary character of the NATO-backed opposition in the Russian oligarchy

The Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists (YGBL) rejects the promotion of forces such as Boris Nadezhdin, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the late Alexei Navalny and his widow Yulia Navalnaya by the pro-NATO media and the pseudo-left as a democratic alternative to Putin who stand for peace. These figures speak not for the interests of workers and young people but sections of the Russian oligarchy, state apparatus and upper middle class who see in a carve-up of the region by imperialism the basis for their own further enrichment. This is the social and political constituency through which the imperialist powers seek to bring about the overthrow of the Putin regime and its replacement with a puppet regime of imperialism.

For the elections, these oppositionists called upon people to show up at the polls at noon on Sunday in a so-called Midday against Putin and then hand in an invalid ballot. This call was supported by the Pabloites of the Russian Socialist Movement and other pseudo-left forces. We reject such methods. Actions such as Midday against Putin can only serve to set people up for arrest and other forms of state repression. They do nothing to politically educate and mobilize workers while providing material for NATOs war propaganda machine. This corresponds to the reactionary goals and social basis of the so-called liberal opposition.

Yulia Navalnaya, wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, speaks as she meets with Belgium's Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. [AP Photo/Yves Herman]

Whatever their clamor about peace and democracy, the program and social forces that the opposition represents entail not peace but war: the violent carve-up of the entire region at the hands of imperialism and with the aid of fascist forces. Like her deceased husband, Navalny, who for many years maintained ties to fascist and separatist tendencies, Navalnaya is a stooge of the imperialist powers. She is openly supported by the Biden administration, which has spearheaded the war drive against Russia and is funding the genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza by the Zionist regime.

Khodorkovsky, who also supported the Midday against Putin action, was the richest man of Russia and in control of large portions of its oil resources until he was imprisoned by Putin in 2003. Like the late Navalny, Khodorkovsky endorses regionalist and separatist movements that speak for the interests of local elites who hope to gain more direct control over Russias vast resources by setting up mini-statelets and establishing more direct ties with the imperialist powers. Other figures in the NATO-backed opposition, such as Ilya Ponomaryov, have direct ties to the neo-Nazi paramilitary forces that have been involved in the incursions of Russian territory.

In endorsing the politics of these reactionary figures and their Midday against Putin, the Pabloites of the Russian Socialist Movement and other pseudo-left forces show themselves for what they are: hangers-on of imperialism. The fight by the working class against the Putin regime and the war in Ukraine must proceed along an entirely different path: that of the class struggle.

The logic of the class struggle

The specter of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution haunts all sections of the oligarchy. They fear nothing more than that the war in Ukraine, similar to the First World War, will eventually lead to a revolutionary movement of the masses. This goes for Vladimir Putin no less than for his NATO-backed enemies in the oligarchy and state apparatus.

While Putin made only cursory references to the prospects of direct NATO intervention in Ukraine in his record-long address to the Federal Assembly, he spoke at great length on five national projects and dozens of measures that would be aimed at supporting the population and businesses. He promised that spending on national projects would total between 8 and 15 trillion rubles by 2030. This means an additional burden on the state budget from 1.4 to 2.5 trillion rubles a year. Putin gave no explanation as to how he was planning to fund these projects. Russia is already facing a budget deficit.

Let us also recall that Russias military spending is set to nearly triple compared to 2021 and for the first time will be larger than social spending. Whatever his demagogic popular rhetoric, to sustain such military spending, Putins regime will inevitably launch an attack on the already poor social conditions of working people. This will further compound significant social tensions that have been building up beneath the surface.

In the second half of 2023, 10.2 percent of Russians, according to official data, were living below the poverty line, i.e., their weekly income was no more than 14,000 rubles (about $155). That is almost 15 million people. On top of that, Russians are now facing a new wave of price increases, and the total debt of Russians on consumer loans is growing. As of July 2023, it amounted to 32 trillion rubles (over $353 billion). The share of households with debts has also started to grow and increased from 19.4 percent to 21.8 percent between July 2022 and July 2023. Meanwhile, by Putins own acknowledgement, corporate profits rose by 24 percent and the banking sector earned over 3 trillion rubles ($33 billion) for 2023.

Social inequality in Russia has remained at the highest levels since 1995. In 2021, the richest 1 percent of Russian families had 47.6 percent of net household wealth. And the poorest 50 percent of families owned only 3.1 percent. This state of affairs carries the seeds for a huge social explosion.

The class struggle in Russia does not develop in a vacuum. Internationally, we have seen the beginning of a resurgence of the class struggle, most notably in imperialist centers like the US, Germany, France and Britain, as well as throughout Africa, Latin America and Asia. The emergence of a movement in the working class above all in the imperialist countries and especially in the United States will have a powerful impact on the emergence of a movement by the working class in Russia and Ukraine.

In this context, workers must be warned of the ever more overt appeals by Putin to the far right, in Russia itself and internationally. Putin announced his candidacy on December 8 in response to a request from the chairman of the Peoples Council of the Donetsk Peoples Republic, Artyom Zhoga, a well-known far-right figure. Zhoga is also the commander of the Sparta Battalion, which has a Russian imperial flag and lightning bolts resembling the SS symbol on its insignia.

The Kremlin is also increasingly supporting the integration of the Orthodox Russian Church, which has historically emerged as a bulwark of far-right, counter-revolutionary and antisemitic tendencies in Russia, into secular institutions in order to increase the spirituality of the people. Moreover, Putin has publicly supported the anti-abortion and anti-migrant movement. The promotion of extreme nationalism and the build-up of far-right forces are fundamentally directed against the working class. The aim is to both divide and confuse workers, while encouraging and building up the far-right forces that the oligarchy will rely on to defend its interests against any movement developing in the working class.

The path forward

The fifth term of Vladimir Putin will be characterized by an expanding war and an ever greater social and political crisis for which his regime does not and cannot have an answer. The dead end of his regime is the dead end of the entire ruling class and social system that arose out of the Stalinist destruction of the Soviet Union.

Whatever the bankrupt calculations on the part of Putin for a settlement with imperialism that underlay the invasion of Ukraine, the imperialist war against Russia is ultimately the outcome of the destruction of the Soviet Union and the restoration of capitalism.

Over two years into the war, anxiety is no doubt growing about its continuation and escalation among workers in Russia, Ukraine and beyond. The horrific experiences of the Second World War and fascism, which resulted in at least 27 million people dead in the Soviet Union, have not been forgotten. But the fundamental problem is that workers and young people do not know how to find a way out.

We insist: The war in Ukraine must be stopped but not through the imperialist carve-up of the region and a NATO-backed regime change in Moscow. Nor can the working class rely on the Putin regimes desperate attempts to find a negotiated agreement with imperialism through a redrawing of national borders and a combination of nuclear threats and the begging for security guarantees. The task of the working class is not the reshuffling of national borders or to appeal to this or another faction of the imperialist powers and the oligarchy but to fight to end the capitalist nation-state system as a whole. The only way to stop this war and preempt a nuclear disaster is through the development of a socialist anti-war movement in the Russian, Ukrainian and international working class.

History, and especially the history of the Russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917, has shown that the same contradictions that lead to war also lead to revolution. But such a movement of the working class and young people against war and capitalism must be prepared through the building of a vanguard party in the working class that can fight, within such a movement, for a revolutionary perspective and Marxism.

The revolutionary traditions of Bolshevism and Marxist internationalism, which Stalinism sought to destroy in a decades-long war on Marxism and its cadre in the Soviet and international working class, must be rebuilt. This requires a fight for Trotskyism, based on the lessons of its century-long struggle against Stalinism and all forms of petty-bourgeois nationalism and opportunism. The Young Guard of Bolshevik-Leninists in Russia and Ukraine is advancing this fight through the building of sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International throughout the former Soviet Union. We call upon workers and youth who are determined to fight against the emerging global war to join this struggle.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin addressed Tuesdays meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein with one central message: NATOs proxy war against Russia in Ukraine must be won, no matter what the cost.

Speaking at the US airbase in Germany, the front organisation for the NATO powers and allied states to wage war on Russia in Ukraine, Austin gave a brief address to the media before private discussions began.

From left, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, General Charles Q. Brown, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, attend the meeting of the 'Ukraine Defense Contact Group' at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein, Germany, March 19, 2024. [AP Photo/Michael Probst]

He painted a picture of supposedly tremendous success in achieving the US aim of degrading Russias military capabilitiesat the cost of hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian livesclaiming at least 315,000 Russian troops killed or wounded, a direct war cost of $211 billion and fallout of $1.3 trillion on previously anticipated economic growth through 2026.

Then came the warnings against retreat and the implications of defeat. The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail, he insisted. At stake was our shared security, in European security, and in global security Putin will not stop at Ukraine Ukraines survival is on the line. And all of our security is on the line.

Austin came with two messages from Washington, both dictated by a crisis that is imperilling fundamental US imperialist war aimsthat America is fully committed to the war, but Europe must step forward.

The paralysing of the Biden administrations funding for the Ukraine war demands that the European powers step into the breach if Ukraine is to avoid a threatened catastrophic military defeat.

Austin was tasked with calming European fears that Washingtons ability to wage war against Russia is threatened by infighting between the Democrats and Republicans today, and that it could be shipwrecked if Donald Trump were elected president in November.

A $95 billion supplementary military aid package, with $60 billion scheduled for the Ukraine war, was passed by the US Senate last month. But it has been blocked by Republicans in the House of Representatives, who have made acceptance conditional on the Biden administration enacting Trumps anti-immigrant measures on the US-Mexican border.

The delay has accelerated the rout suffered by Ukraines military and damaged confidence in US imperialism in Europes capitals. The US is by far the biggest funder and supplier of the war, committing over $44 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the NATO-provoked Russian invasion on February 24, 2022around $2 billion a month. Yet Ramstein saw Austin forced to hail $300 million in additional security assistance for Ukraine that he admitted the US were only able to support by identifying some unanticipated contract savings.

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has said this would provide Ukraine with ammunition to last maybe a couple of weeks.

Concern over a Ukrainian defeat was reinforced by last months withdrawal from the eastern city of Avdiivka, after a four-month conflict. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director William Burns told Congress that Ukrainian units have told him they were down to their last few dozen artillery shells.

CNN reported March 11 that Russia is producing nearly three times more artillery munitions than the US and Europe combined, 3 million versus 1.2 million, and Europe has only provided a third of the shells promised for this year, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Yesterday CNN asked a European official how long Ukraine might be able to keep up the fight against Russia without more US support, who replied, this is a question of weeks and months.

Burns spoke for the CIA alongside Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines to a meeting of the Senate Intelligence Committee last week that was extensively reported by the official US government propaganda outlet Voice of America.

Haines insisted that the $60 billion military aid package is absolutely critical to Ukraines defense right now and territorial losses in the past few weeks have exposed the erosion of Ukraines military capabilities.

Burns warned, The consequence of that will not just be for Ukraine or for European security but across the Indo-Pacific. If were seen to be walking away from Ukraine, not only is that going to feed doubts amongst our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, its going to stoke the ambitions of the Chinese leadership in contingencies ranging from Taiwan to the South China Sea.

Ramstein was the focus therefore of demands by Austin that the European powers dig deeper to get vital security assistance to Ukraine. He listed the Czech Republics procuring 800,000 artillery shells and recent military aid packages from Germany, France, Denmark, and Sweden. He also announced that the first meeting of the Capability Coalition Leadership Group had been convened that morning, consisting of France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland and various smaller states as a new version of the coalition of the willing formed to fight the Iraq War in 2003.

Well keep working together with all of the capability coalitions to identify gaps, to maintain cross-cutting needs, and to help Ukraine build a formidable force for the future, said Austin.

He may have been anxious to publicly praise European efforts, but he will have made clear in private that far more is demanded of them. German thinktank the Kiel Institute reported the estimate of the latest Ukraine Support Tracker that Europe would have to double its current level and pace of arms assistance to Ukraine to compensate for lost US funding.

EU member states have provided more than $30 billion in military assistance over the past two years, but fully $19 billion comes from the second biggest aid supplier Germany, with the UK in third place with $10 billion. Once again it was Germany which made the only concrete response to Austins demands, with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announcing a 500 million aid package for Ukraine he said includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

He also stressed to the media his belief that the US remains a reliable partner. I have no doubt about the reliability of the Americans. There are particularities in the political systems, and we have to deal with that, he said.

At a public briefing following the summit, Austin boasted that Ukraine Defence Contact Group member states had made more than $88 billion in military assistance commitments in the past two years and that 15 allies have allocated more funds to Ukraine than the US, based on GDP share.

Even the brief glimpse of the confidential meeting revealed that, whatever their tactical disagreements, the US and European imperialists are united in their determination to wage war against Russia, no matter what the consequences.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has engaged in public rows with Emmanuel Macron as the French president has belatedly positioned himself as the most hawkish advocate of war with Russia, including sending ground troops to Ukraine. Britain has made open criticisms of Scholzs reluctance to dispatch Taurus missiles capable of hitting Moscow and requiring German personnel in Ukraine because this would threaten open warfare with NATO.

But these are tactical disputes over how rapidly the conflict with Russia can be escalated, even at the risk of provoking all-out war with a nuclear power. What one French official grotesquely described to the Washington Post as an effort to exploit all margins and a risk-management process poses an existential threat to the entire world. As the same French official insisted in language identical to his US counterparts, This support cannot stop because we all know we cannot afford to let Russia win.

This growing danger must be met with the development of a mass anti-war movement in the European, American and international working class.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Oklahoma has released a single-page autopsy summary report that says Nex Benedict, 16, died by suicide. Nex, a non-binary teen who according to their dating partner identified as transgender, passed away on February 8, a day after being brutally beaten in an Owasso, Oklahoma high school bathroom. The police said the full autopsy report will be released 10 business days after the summary report was released, or around March 27.

Under the Significant observations and injury documentations section it merely says, The decedent was 16-year-old with diphenhydramine and fluoxetine combined toxicity. Diphenhydramine is a common over-the-counter antihistamine medicine typically used for allergy relief, found in brand names like Sudafed and Benadryl. Flouxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) often used to treat depression known under brand names like Prozac and Rapiflux. The probable cause of death is listed as DIPHENHYDRAMINE AND FLUOXETINE COMBINED TOXICITY, with the manner of death being marked as suicide.

According to two experts interviewed by Advocate, an LGBT magazine, it is very, very uncommon for this sort of drug interaction to lead to death. Dr. Joshua King, medical director of the Maryland Poison Center at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, said that in general, in therapeutic use, meaning taking it as prescribed or directed, death, while not an impossibility, would be very, very uncommon and that the vast majority [of overdoses] do not lead to death.

Death again is very rare from these poisons, but we would say, in the case of an overdose, general complications can lead to seizures and aspiration. Benedicts mother observed them suffering a seizure according to released 911 records.

Nex Benedict [Photo: GoFundMe]

According to a CDC report on suspected suicides among children and young adults ages 10-19 for 2020-2022, these substances were some of the most commonly used in suicides, along with acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and sertraline. As King explained, people will generally overdose on what they have available.

King warned against discontinuing anti-depressants because of concerns generated by individual cases, saying it would be more dangerous if someone were prescribed this medication for depression and heard about this case and said, This is dangerous. Im going to stop taking it, and then ended up having a complication due to untreated depression.

Another significant trend noted in the CDC report was that suicides increased during school months, with a sharp increase in September, and declined when school wasnt in session during the summer months and winter breaks, and during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) lockdowns in April-May 2020.

Despite Benedict suffering head trauma where they reported to police they blacked out, not a single mention of head injuries appears in the summary. Benedicts family, who were allowed to view the full autopsy, released a statement reading rather than allow incomplete accounts to take hold and spread any further, the Benedicts feel compelled to provide a summary of those findings which have not yet been released by the Medical Examiners office, particularly those that contradict allegations of the assault on Nex being insignificant.

The quoted sections, while documenting no lethal trauma, report multiple injuries testifying to the severity of the assault. Nexs head and neck sustained two contusions (bruises) to the right orbital (i.e., the eye socket), right scleral (white of eye) hemorrhage, two lacerations on the right cheek and right ear, two abrasions to the right ear and left cheek, and scalp and subgaleal hemorrhages. Scattered asynchronous abrasions and contusions were observed on their extremities as well. The only non-violence-related injuries were those sustained to the torso while CPR was being administered.

Nex suffered bullying since the start of their sophomore year at Owasso High School West. The girls who gave Nex the beating the day before their death barely knew Nex, which speaks to the character of the beating not as a mere inter-personal conflict, but an event that has social causes. The external causes have been discussed in previous articles on the WSWS, but it is worth briefly reviewing the far-right campaign being waged at the highest levels of the Republican Party promoting anti-trans bigotry.

Chaya Raichik, who is behind the anti-LGBTQ+ X (formerly Twitter) account Libs of Tik Tok, was on the Oklahoma Department of Educations Library Media Advisory Committee and featured as a speaker at the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference for her outspoken bigotry. A legislator called LGBTQ+ people filth when asked about Benedicts death. The school itself did not report the beating of Nex to the authorities, and the Department of Education has opened an investigation into the school in response to allegations that Benedict suffered gender-based discrimination at the school, in response to a request by the Human Rights Campaign.

It is a matter of course that police routinely lie. The questions surrounding the autopsy report, and concerns that the investigation may have been tainted with political interests, are entirely legitimate. Even if one were to assume suicide is the cause of death, it would raise the question of what drove Nex to suicide. To put it simply, had Benedict not been bullied and beaten, had there not been such a climate of hatred cultivated by ruling class and its political representatives, would they still be with us here today?

According to the US Department of Education, about 20 percent of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide in 2017, falling from 29 percent in 2005. The National Crime Victimization Survey for the 2021-2022 school year puts the total proportion bullied at 19.2 percent. While overall bullying seems to have fallen over the past 20 years, at least in part because of public campaigns against such abuse, the number of LGBTQ+ students bullied, and in particular trans students, has increased significantly.

Overall drug overdoses from 2016 to 2022 have increased by around 31 percent, from about 80,000 to 105,000, far outstripping population increase.

Oklahoma was in the top 10 of states with the biggest bullying problems according to Wallethub, coming in at number 9 out of the 47 states examined, and ranking fifth for bullying prevalence. The state had the 10th highest rate of youth suicide in the country between 2012 and 2016, the most recent data available from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. The 2021 Youth Risk Survey by the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services reported that almost a quarter, or 23 percent of respondents, contemplated suicide, while 10 percent actually attempted to commit suicide. Suicide was the ninth-leading cause of death in the state for 2021 when adjusted for age.

Oklahoma children are among the most traumatized according to a 2018-19 National Survey of Children, suffering the third highest number of adverse childhood experiences, which include nine metrics, the vast majority of which are tied with socioeconomic class, including if it has often been difficult for childrens households to acquire food or housing, having a parent or guardian die, divorce, living with anyone with a problem with alcohol or drugs, seeing or hearing domestic violence in the home, etc. Oklahoma ranked number eight for childhood poverty in 2021.

Suicides in Oklahoma as of 2020 were 65 percent higher than the national average. In Tulsa County where Owasso High School is located, the rate was 23.16 deaths per 100,000 people, nearly double the national average of 13.53.

The text of the letter sent by the HRC to the DOE documented a high level of bullying of LGBTQ+ students in Oklahoma. It pointed to the 85 pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation considered in the state, as well as the seven that passed, as preparing the way for the bullying. As the letter explains, Nexs family recently noted that Nex had first begun being bullied after Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed the bill into law that forbids trans and gender expansive youth to access restrooms consistent with their gender identity.

According to data from the HRC and the University of Connecticuts 2023 LGBTQ+ Youth Report, which surveyed nearly 13,000 LGBTQ+ youth ages 1318 nationwide in 2022, LGBTQ+ youthand trans and gender-expansive youth in particularface bullying, harassment, and violence in school at alarming rates... Two-thirds (62.6%) of trans and gender-expansive youth had been teased or bullied at school at least once in the prior yearover half (55.6%) of whom were teased specifically for their LGBTQ+ identityand a fifth (20%) had been hit, pushed, or experienced other forms of physical violence at school in just the 30 days prior to the survey. Yet, against this backdrop, schools have largely been unresponsive: only a quarter of trans youth respondents who were victimized at school were able to report this to a teacher or staff member, and of those who did, half reported that staff helped only a littleor not at all.

The Biden administration released a three-paragraph statement more than a month after the death of Nex, claiming to be heartbroken, sending prayers to the family, and stating that to all LGBTQI+ Americans for whom this tragedy feels so personal, know this: I will always have your back.

Nowhere in the statement was the role of the Republicans in the death pointed to, though this is not surprising given the fact that Biden has systematically worked to politically legitimize the same Republican Party that shares responsibility for the death. He has embraced the far-right anti-immigrant politics of the Republicans and called on them to join me in the war on immigrants in order to acquire funding for the US-NATO war with Russia in Ukraine and the Gaza genocide.

Biden and the Democratic Party as a whole have worked to whitewash the January 6, 2021 coup attempt by Donald Trump and the majority of the Republican Party. (Chaya Raichik was present at the attack on the Capitol). All three members of the Democratic Party-aligned minority on the US Supreme Court voted to allow the coup-plotter Trump to appear on the ballot. In other words, the Democrats are just as complicit as the Republicans in fostering the social and political conditions that led to the death of Nex Benedict.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Sri Lanka will hold a public meeting at Colombo Public Library auditorium on April 4 at 4 p.m. to launch two books on the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

One is the fourth edition of the Politics and Class Nature of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (in Sinhala) written by the late Keerthi Balasuriya, the founding general secretary of the Revolutionary Communist League (RCL), the predecessor of the SEP.

The other is the Rightward shift of Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, a collection of the recent articles written by K. Ratnayake for the World Socialist Web Site (WSWS) English and Sinhala language editions. Both the Sinhala and Tamil versions of this book will be launched at this event.

The JVP began in the late 1960s as a petty bourgeois radical movement that recruited disaffected rural Sinhala youth based on a toxic mixture of Sinhala populism and Maoist and Castroite peasant guerrillaism.

In the 1980s, it lurched to the right, becoming a strident supporter of the communal war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) provoked by the right-wing United National Party (UNP) government of President J.R. Jayawardene.

During the last 30 years, the JVP has continued to rapidly shift to the right, dropping its empty socialist phrase mongering and transforming itself into a parliamentary party of the Colombo political establishment. In 2004, it joined the bourgeois government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga in which JVP leaders held four ministerial posts.

Widely discredited among workers and youth, it formed the National Peoples Power (NPP) in 2015, as a broad electoral front now bidding for political power to save the country, that is, to prop up the capitalist system.

In recent years, the JVP/NPP leaders have cultivated close relations with the diplomats of imperialist countries including the US, the UK, the EU and other major powers, while promising to serve big business interests. They have promised the International Monetary Fund (IMF), if it comes to power, it will continue the IMFs devastating austerity program, currently being implemented by the government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The JVPs rightward evolution is not an isolated, national phenomenon. Rather it is an expression of the shift by similar organisations internationallysuch as the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, the Sandinista movement in Nicaragua and a host of Maoist groups including the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist Centre), just to name a fewinto pro-imperialist outfits. Behind this universal shift is the globalisation of production that has sounded the death knell for all nationalist programs, including those on which these organisations were based.

The SEP/IYSSE meeting will discuss the JVPs rightward trajectory, and the underlying crisis of global capitalism which has found a particularly sharp expression in Sri Lanka. The meeting will discuss the international socialist perspective that the working class and the oppressed need to adopt to fight for their democratic and social rights.

We invite all workers, young people, school and university students to attend this important meeting and participate in the discussion.

Venue: Colombo Public Library Auditorium

Date and time: April 4, 4p.m.
Washington D.C.s local legislative body, the Democratic Party-controlled Council of the District of Columbia, voted on March 5 in favor of final passage of the Secure DC Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024. The bill combines several others that were proposed last year in the wake of a purported crime wave in the District. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the crime bill into law on March 11.

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, center, speaks with constituents, Friday, June 10, 2022, in Washington. [AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin]

The root social causes of crimepoverty and increased costs of livingare nowhere to be found in the bill, as the World Socialist Web Site noted last month during an initial vote within the city legislature. Instead, the bill advocates punitive measures to crack down on the poorest layers of the population.

Within days of its passage, the first of the bills measures was implemented. Several drug-free zones were introduced around the city, giving police enhanced jurisdiction to disperse and possibly arrest groups of two or more people merely on the suspicion that they are involved in an illicit drug sale.

Other provisions include the classification of theft for the reselling of merchandise as a felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison; the drastic increase in length of pre-trial detention from a maximum of five days to 225 days; and permitting pre-trial detention of juveniles for many crimes, in spite of horrific conditions at the D.C. Jail.

Several other right-wing amendments were inserted upon final passage. Brooke Pinto, a Democrat and the bills sponsor, modified a previous amendment that would have given the police authority to collect DNA at the time of arrest. This invasion of personal privacy was mildly watered down, with the collection and analysis of DNA from people charged with violent crimes and sexual abuse misdemeanors, receiving this additional treatment.

Significantly, an amendment that would have prevented the omission of police officers' names from documents during adverse action proceedings was opposed by both Pinto and Democratic council member Matthew Frumin (DWard 3). Frumin, a frequent champion of the bill, previously campaigned on the platform of promising not to double down on law-and-order. He was endorsed by a number of unions and so-called progressive groups.

An amendment introduced by Democratic council member Janeese Lewis George reverted the threshold for first-degree theft to $1,000 from a proposed $500, with Pinto dissenting. First-degree theft is punishable by a maximum 15-year prison sentence.

The final bill was passed 120, with one individual voting present. The various left Democrats on the council, including those currently endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of Americas D.C. chapter, all supported the final bill.

Draconian legislation, such as the Secure DC bill, is part of a recent trend across the country by Democratic administrations seeking to impose law-and-order tactics and measures onto the working class and the poor. In New York City, state governor Kathy Hochul ordered National Guard troops to city subways to act as police, on the heels of Democratic mayor Eric Adams' announcement last month that 1,000 New York Police Department cops would be deployed.

It also comes as the Biden administration attempts to pass an anti-immigrant bill with Republican support to unlock the flow of funds to the Ukrainian military. Such bills set the stage for a domestic crackdown on democratic rights at home to complement Americas wars abroad and the deepening of social misery at home.

The D.C. Council is likely to solidify its turn away from the liberal strategies it once trumpeted as lawmakers aim to pass new legislation that will impose harsher penalties for gun crimes and keep more people locked up as they await trial in the nations capital, wrote the Washington Post in an article prior to the laws passage (Inside the D.C. Councils turn away from progressive crime strategies). The authoritarian turn occurs even as Violent crime is down 10 percent and homicides are down by 31 percent in the early months of 2024.

The article makes it clear that political pressure is coming from Dozens of national business trade leaders, including many based downtown, [who] wrote to [Democratic Mayor Muriel] Bowser and the council on Thursday, expressing alarm about random acts of violence.

Not content with the pivoting away from liberal policies, various right wing interests have mobilized to remove council members viewed as insufficiently tough on crime.

The bill's passage comes in the wake of efforts to recall two council members, Brianne K. Nadeau (DWard 1) and Charles Allen (DWard 6), under fire by the recall authors for supposedly not doing enough to stem the tide of crime in the District.

The recall campaign against Allen, launched in January, is notable for its large fundraising, with Democratic Party insiders and lobbyists greatly contributing in favor of his recall. The recall campaign has raised over $100,000.

Nadeau's recall effort was launched in mid-February by Diana Alvarez, owner of Lit City, a smoke shop in the Columbia Heights neighborhood; her store had been broken into four times last year. Alex Madison, a strategist at Targeted Victory who has worked on national Republican Party campaigns, has assisted the recall campaign.

In both instances, the campaigns stemmed from Allens and Nadeaus support in July 2020 for a bill to slash police funding by $15 million in favor of more money for social service programs, and opposing efforts to divert federal pandemic funds from social programs to the police.

Bowser lauded the passage of Secure DC, saying that the bill is a critical step in the work to build a safer D.C. by rebalancing our public safety and justice ecosystem in favor of safety and accountability we are a city that is committed to creating opportunity and that believes in second chances, but we will not tolerate violence and we will not tolerate criminal activity that disrupts our sense of safety and our ability to build thriving neighborhoods.

The US Attorneys Office for DC, representing the Biden White Houses Department of Justice, also expressed their appreciation for the passage of the law, particularly expressing gratitude that the Council listened to our arguments related to DNA collection and developed a compromise position that allows for the earlier collection of DNA

Critical to the bills passage was the support of various left posturing Democrats allied with the DSA and various trade unions. As of this writing, there has been no comment by the Metro D.C. DSA regarding the Secure DC bill, although they have since tweeted multiple times about canvassing for council member Georges re-election.
Thousands of starving Palestinians wait for humanitarian aid on a beachfront in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. [AP Photo/Mahmoud Essa]

Mondays announcement by the White House that Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to send a team of officials to Washington to discuss the impending onslaught on Rafah proves yet again that US imperialism is a direct participant in the genocide against the Palestinians. The Associated Press reported that the meeting would take place in the coming days and include military, intelligence, and humanitarian experts, an unmistakable sign that what is under discussion is how best to carry out a bloody onslaught on the 1.5 million Palestinians crammed into Rafah.

News of the meeting came a day after Netanyahu vowed at an Israeli war cabinet meeting that no amount of international pressure would halt his fascistic government from assaulting the last remaining refuge for Palestinians in Gaza. We will operate in Rafah, Netanyahu said. This will take several weeks, and it will happen. In response, President Joe Biden spoke with Netanyahu Monday to reaffirm his administrations support for Israel.

Underscoring Netanyahus savage intentions, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) conducted a brutal raid Monday on the Al-Shifa Hospital, which was until the launching of the genocide the largest medical facility in the Gaza Strip. The storming of the building resulted in dozens of deaths and at least 200 arrests.

The imperialist war criminals in Washington will sit down with their fascist Israeli allies to discuss the destruction of Rafah amid the emergence of a catastrophic famine across wide swaths of the enclave. An Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report produced by a dozen UN agencies and aid organisations released Monday found that 70 percent of all remaining residents in northern Gaza face catastrophic hunger and that a famine is imminent. Famine could break out any time between now and May in the north, the report warned, and an attack on Rafah would bring famine to the south.

This is the largest number of people facing famine in the world today, the report declared. Famine is defined as 20 percent of the population experiencing an extreme lack of food, 30 percent of children experiencing acute malnourishment, and two in 10,000 adults dying each day due to hunger.

The imperialist powers are not merely indifferent to this humanitarian calamity; they have made it possible. The systematic razing of Gazas infrastructure and forced displacement of 80 percent of its population have been carried out with weapons supplied by the United States and its European allies, over and above the more than $3 billion in annual aid that has flown from Washington to Tel Aviv for decades. The deliberate blocking of food, medical supplies, electricity, water and fuel has been rigorously enforced by Israel and Egypt, the two regimes with the closest ties to imperialism in the region. Just on Sunday, the European Union concluded a 7 billion agreement to strengthen border security and expand economic investment with Egyptian dictator Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the butcher of the Egyptian revolution and accomplice in the starvation of Gazas Palestinians.

The mass slaughter of defenceless men, women and children has been an openly declared policy by Israel since the outset. In the early days of the onslaught, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant described the Palestinians as human animals and added menacingly that Israel would act accordingly. Numerous senior government officials, including Netanyahu himself, have stated that the ultimate goal is the depopulation of Gaza either through the killing or forced expulsion of its residents. In November, a call for the use of starvation and disease as weapons of war was published by Giora Eiland, the former head of Israels National Security Council. The international community warns us of a humanitarian disaster in Gaza and of severe epidemics. We must not shy away from this, as difficult as that may be. After all, severe epidemics in the south of the Gaza Strip will bring victory closer and reduce casualties among IDF soldiers, he wrote.

Those who think that American imperialism can act to check such unrestrained savagery are fooling themselves. The massacring of civilians through indiscriminate bombardments and their starvation by withholding the most basic necessities for human life are not only the products of the Zionist regimes bankruptcy and its decades-long illegal occupation of Palestinian territory. Such crimes against humanity arise out of more than three decades of uninterrupted US imperialist-led wars of aggression, in which Washington laid waste to entire societies as it sought to offset its precipitous economic decline through the ruthless deployment of military force.

The barbaric crimes committed by American imperialism over the past three-and-a-half decades are too numerous to document. From the bloodbath of Iraqi civilians and poorly armed conscript soldiers during the first Gulf War, to NATOs savage air war on Yugoslavia in 1999, the neocolonial occupation of Afghanistan from 2001, the illegal invasion of Iraq in 2003, NATOs destruction of Libya in 2011, and the bloody intervention in Syria in 2014, American imperialism has an unmatched record for brutalising impoverished and oppressed peoples throughout the world. President Biden, who played a prominent role in many of these operations, will oversee the discussions on the Rafah onslaught.

This barbarism has now reached a new stage with the developing third world war between the great powers, which are engaging in a redivision of the world. The US and European imperialists are waging war on Russia in Ukraine, where they have willingly sacrificed upwards of half a million Ukrainians in order to secure their dominance over Russias raw materials and the Eurasian landmass. They are escalating the war with Russia and preparing for war with China even at the risk of triggering a nuclear conflagration that would spell the end of human civilisation on the planet. Washington has also seized on Israels genocide against the Palestinians to set the stage for a regional escalation of the conflict throughout the Middle East to confront Iran, which the US ruling class views as an obstacle to its regional dominance.

These seemingly insane policies are rooted in the contradictions of crisis-ridden capitalism, to which the imperialists have no answer but the programme of world war. Just as German imperialism under the Nazi regime in the 20th century saw the extermination of European Jewry as necessary to advance its economic and geostrategic ambitions, so American and European imperialism have concluded in the 21st that a final solution to the Palestinian question is required.

As the World Socialist Web Site explained in its New Years statement:

The Gaza genocide is not a unique episode, best understood as a product of exceptional circumstances related to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the inherently reactionary character of the Zionist project and its racialist and xenophobic-nationalist ideology. The latter elements play, of course, a significant role in the actions of the Israeli regime. But the unrestrained ferocity of the present war, carried out with the full support of its imperialist paymasters and weapons suppliers, can be understood and explained only in the context of the breakdown of the world imperialist and nation-state system.

The same crisis that produces imperialist brutality also creates the conditions for its overthrow. Mass protests against the Gaza genocide have swept across the globe as struggles by workers against austerity policies and attacks on their living standards intensify in all the major imperialist centres.

The urgent task before the working class is to recognise that the struggle against the Gaza genocide is the struggle against imperialist war. The resort by the ruling class to savagery and lawlessness not seen since the first four decades of the 20th century can only be answered on the basis of a socialist and internationalist perspective. The millions of workers and young people who have protested against the genocide around the world in recent months must counterpose to capitalist barbarism the programme of world socialist revolution. This is the only way to halt the already unfolding human calamity in Gaza.
HEFEI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Featuring black roof tiles and white walls with exquisite wood, stone, and brick carvings, the Hui-style architecture is an iconic element in east China's Anhui Province.

The Hui-style architecture industry has gained significant momentum in recent years, thanks to China's efforts for the preservation and development of traditional culture.

Home to many well-preserved Hui-style buildings dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, Huangshan City of Anhui has boosted construction service specialized in Hui-style buildings in an innovative way, attracting many enterprises and talents to engage in the industry. According to official data, 254 companies in Huangshan are involved in the ancient architecture industry, with the number of craftsmen in the city exceeding 14,000. In 2023, the output value of the Hui-style architecture industry in the city hit 2.8 billion yuan (about 0.39 billion U.S. dollars), a year-on-year increase of 56.5 percent.

A Hui-style building is pictured in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

A staff member sets up a wooden structure for Hui-style buildings in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)

A staff member is seen in a Hui-style building at Shexian County of Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, Jan. 12, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhou Mu)
ULAN BATOR, March 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 4.7 million head of livestock have perished in Mongolia so far this winter due to extreme wintry weather, known as "dzud," the country's State Emergency Commission (SEC) said Tuesday.

"At least 4,744,423 head of livestock have so far perished due to the dzud across the country," the SEC said in a statement.

The dzud is a Mongolian term to describe a severely cold winter when a large number of livestock die because the ground is frozen or covered in snow.

As Mongolia saw much more snow than usual this winter, over 80 percent of its territory had been blanketed with snow up to 100 cm thick, according to the country's weather monitoring agency. The amount of snow cover in the country has so far decreased to 63 percent, it said, adding that the country is expected to experience severe spring weather.

As one of the last surviving nomadic countries in the world, Mongolia has elevated its disaster preparedness to high alert due to the harsh winter and livestock loss.

The promotion of livestock husbandry is seen as the most viable way to diversify the landlocked country's mining-dependent economy.

At the end of 2023, the number of livestock in Mongolia stood at 64.7 million, according to the National Statistics Office. 
Saudi airline opens freight route in China's Shenzhen

Xinhua) 08:26, March 19, 2024

SHENZHEN, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) B777 full-cargo aircraft took off from the Bao'an International Airport in the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen on March 16, bound for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, marking the airline's inaugural regular international cargo route from Shenzhen.

Operating twice weekly, the route primarily transports e-commerce goods, general trade goods and electronics, with cross-border e-commerce goods accounting for 60 percent of the cargo volume.

With the opening of the new route, Bao'an International Airport now operates 11 outbound cargo flights to Riyadh per week, with a weekly outbound capacity exceeding 1,100 tonnes, further facilitating the deepening of economic and trade cooperation between China and Belt and Road partner countries.

Currently, the airport's cargo routes serve five cities in four Middle Eastern countries, namely Dubai, Sharjah, Riyadh, Istanbul and Tel Aviv, with over 38 weekly inbound and outbound cargo flights.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has signed a contract with the sea shipping major Maersk to increase the number of containers transported on SAR trains between King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and Riyadh Dry Port, a Saudi Press Agency report said.

SAR CEO Bashar Khalid Al-Malik and Maersk Saudi Arabia CEO Mohammad Shihab signed the three-year contract based on which the number of containers transported through the east train will increase, offering safe and lasting transportation solutions.

The contract will also help increase operational efficiency, decrease the number of trucks between Dammam and Riyadh cities, reduce carbon emissions, and maintain road infrastructure, said the report.

Al-Malik stressed that such contracts improve the shipping sector, and reaffirmed SAR's dedication to providing safe and creative solutions to enhance operational efficiency at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam and Riyadh Dry Port, thus improving the overall transportation sector.

Shihab said the contract is a step toward finding cooperative solutions, between Maersk and SAR, to digital transformation and sustainable logistics. He also said it will contribute to elevating Dammam Port to a regional station for global trade routes from the east to the local markets and farther to the countries in the region.
JERUSALEM, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday rejected the U.S. call to cancel a ground operation in Rafah city, where about 1.5 million displaced Palestinians resided, but agreed to send a delegation to Washington for discussions.

The White House confirmed in a statement that Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden agreed in a phone call on Monday, that their teams would meet "soon" in Washington to "exchange views and discuss alternative approaches" to a major ground operation in Rafah.

Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the delegation, led by Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, will be dispatched next week "for the sake of the continuation of the fighting."

Earlier on Tuesday, Netanyahu said in an address to the parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that a ground assault is the only way to defeat Hamas militants in Rafah. He said he "made it as clear as possible" to Biden that Israel is "determined to complete the elimination of (Hamas) battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion."

Meanwhile, Israeli troops have continued their raid on the al-Shifa Hospital compound in Gaza City for the second day, attacking the enclave's largest hospital with tanks and airstrikes.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that the troops killed more than 50 Palestinian militants and about 300 have been detained during the raid, which targeted "senior" Hamas militants. Two Israeli soldiers were killed during the raid, IDF announced.

Israel launched its offensive on Gaza on Oct. 7 in response to Hamas's attack and immediately implemented a blockade on water, food, electricity, and medicine, creating acute shortages.

UN agencies and aid organizations assert that the quantity of aid permitted by Israel to enter Gaza falls short of the desperate needs required to prevent the imminent spread of famine.

"Projected imminent famine in Gaza can be prevented," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a video statement.

"The extent of Israel's restrictions on entry of aid, together with the manner in which it conducts hostilities, may amount to use of starvation as a method of war," he warned.

His remarks came a day after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) released a report alarming that "famine is imminent in the northern governorates and projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024."

The war has left about 1.1 million people, about half of Gaza's population, experiencing "catastrophic" hunger, according to the report.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned on social media platform X that at least 23 children have already died of acute malnutrition and an increasing number of children are on the brink of death due to starvation, mainly in northern Gaza.

Israel has denied it was obstructing aid trucks. Commenting on the report on X, the office of Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, a governmental body, said that more than 200,000 tons of food entered Gaza since the start of the war, over 1,250 packages were airdropped and over 150 aid trucks reached northern Gaza in the last two weeks.

The Palestinian toll in Gaza has reached 31,819, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said Tuesday. 
HONG KONG, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The Legislative Council (LegCo) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday passed the safeguarding national security bill, a milestone by the HKSAR in fulfilling its constitutional duty as stipulated under Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law.

The bill was passed in a unanimous vote during the third reading at the LegCo. According to the HKSAR's law-making process, when a bill has been given three readings, it becomes an ordinance enacted by the LegCo.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee said after the vote that the passage of the bill is a "historic moment." "It is a proud moment for all of the HKSAR in collectively making glorious history," he said.

"History bears witness to this important moment, witnessing our joy, inspiration and pride, and witnessing our collective contribution to the glorious history of the HKSAR," Lee said.

After his signing, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance will be gazetted and take effect on March 23.

The ordinance contains nine parts, including clauses on treason, insurrection, offences in connection with state secrets and espionage as well as sabotage endangering national security.

Lee said that the ordinance enables Hong Kong to effectively prevent, suppress and punish espionage activities, conspiracies and traps from foreign intelligence agencies, and infiltration and sabotage by hostile forces.

LegCo President Andrew Leung said that all members of the LegCo have the confidence that after the completion of the legislation, the development of the HKSAR will be more vibrant and the future will be better.

Leung said that LegCo members and HKSAR government officials have worked together to deliberate the bill in the past two weeks in a prudent, rigorous and comprehensive manner. The open and transparent deliberation has dispelled doubts and refuted misunderstandings, demonstrating positive interactions between the executive and legislature. It has set a good example for deliberation processes in the future.

He said that the legislation reflects the responsibility and commitment of the HKSAR government and the LegCo to the country and the people of Hong Kong. "From now on, Hong Kong will become a better place to live, visit, do business and seek development. Hong Kong will be more prosperous and stable with the economy thriving and people leading happy lives under 'one country, two systems.'"

Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law stipulates that Hong Kong shall enact laws on its own to prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government, or theft of state secrets, to prohibit foreign political organizations or bodies from conducting political activities in the HKSAR, and to prohibit political organizations or bodies of the HKSAR from establishing ties with foreign political organizations or bodies.

The ordinance fully implements constitutional responsibilities stipulated under Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law, and is considered crucial for fixing loopholes and weak links in the HKSAR's system on protecting national security.

The legislation has been met with strong support in Hong Kong. In a public consultation conducted by the HKSAR government earlier this year, 98.6 percent of the views received showed support and gave positive comments.

On Tuesday, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, as well as the Commissioner's Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR all expressed congratulations on the passage of the safeguarding national security bill, saying that it set a milestone for Hong Kong's long-term stability. 
Plenty of notable people call Austin home, but one of the city's newest residents is gaining more attention than normal.

Malin, an 18-foot-tall troll made almost entirely from recycled wood, was unveiled Friday at Pease Park. The troll was created by Thomas Dambo, a Denmark-based artist, and was assembled with help from volunteers from the park's conservancy.

From trash to troll: New sculpture in Pease Park creates whimsy with recycled materials

A new troll by Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo draws a crowd Monday in Pease Park. The 18-foot-tall troll, named Malin, is made of recycled wood and focuses on the relationship between humans, animals and nature.

What is Malin, the 18-foot-tall troll, made of?

Most of the wood used to form Malin was repurposed from a deconstructed water test tank at the University of Texas' J.J. Pickle Research Campus. Malin's feet were built in Denmark using repurposed materials, and her hair is made from Ashe juniper roots collected by a local supporter of the project, according to the conservancy's website.

Austin's troll has a water theme because of its proximity to Lady Bird Lake and the stories Dambo has heard about people in Austin leaving water out for animals when summers get too hot and dry.

Malin joins more than 100 other trolls built by Dambo around the world. She is the first of her kind to be built in Texas.

Dambo doesn't have any plans right now for another Texas troll, but he told the American-Statesman he's leaving that door open.

Jules Licari, 4, sits on one of Malin's feet, which were built in Denmark using repurposed materials. The troll is a collaboration with the Pease Park Conservancy and the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Artist Thomas Dambo has made works with recycled materials in more than 25 countries on five continents.

Why a giant troll?

Dambo talked about how, growing up, the folklore he heard and the lullabies his mother sang to him all involved trolls.

"It's my heritage, and so I use that as the vehicle to talk about ... all these really heavy topics. I'm trying to talk about them in a more entertaining and funny way," Dambo said.

The world-famous artist quit his job in 2011 in pursuit of his mission, "waste no more." He has created plastic artwork, birdhouses and more from recycled materials. Dambo completed his 100th troll, Manemor, in 2023.

More: Why is a giant Elon Musk sculpture being driven around Austin? Here's what we know

The troll's hair is made from Ashe juniper roots collected by a local supporter of the project, according to the Pease Park Conservancy's website.

Where to find the giant troll in Austin

To find all the trolls, one must follow the "Troll Map" released by Dambo and his team. So far, Malin has not been added to the map.

Those wishing to visit Malin can discover how to find her on the conservancy's website.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Meet Malin, Austin's new 18-foot-tall troll at Pease Park
SOUTH BEND  American Theatre Guild has announced the lineup for its 2024-25 Broadway in South Bend series:

 The Cher Show, Feb. 2123, 2025: The Tony Award-winning musical tells the pop culture icons story, and its packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: the kid starting out, the glam pop star and the icon.

Catherine Ariale, left. appears as Lady with Morgan Scott as Star and Ella Perez as Babe in a scene from the national touring production of "The Cher Show," which American Theatre Guild will present Feb. 2123, 2025, at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend as part of its 2024-2025 Broadway in South Bend series.

 The Addams Family, March 1416, 2025: Based on cartoonist Charles Addams creepy and kooky bizarre characters, the musical forces Gomez Addams into a quandary when his grown-up daughter, Wednesday, the ultimate princess of darkness, falls in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family and begs him not to tell her mother, Morticia.

American Theatre Guild will present the national touring production of The Addams Family from March 1416, 2025, at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend as part of its 2024-2025 Broadway in South Bend series.

 Chicago, April 46, 2025: In the whirlwind of Chicagos Jazz Age, two of the Cook County Jails most notorious murderesses  vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart  become fierce rivals as they compete for headlines amidst a media frenzy in this 1975 musical by Fred Ebb, Bob Fosse and John Kander.

Kailin Brown, left, and Katie Frieden appear in a scene from the national touring production of "Chicago," which American Theatre Guild will present April 46, 2025, at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend as part of its 2024-2025 Broadway in South Bend series.

 Aint Too Proud  The Life and Times of The Temptations, May 1618, 2025: The musical follows The Temptations extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty and betrayal, as the groups personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest in America.

The U.K. cast of Aint Too Proud  The Life and Times of The Temptations appears in the musical. American Theatre Guild will present the U.S. national touring production from May 16 to 18, 2025, at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend as part of its 2024-2025 Broadway in South Bend series.

 Les Miserables, Aug. 510, 2025: Set against the backdrop of 19th century France and based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption and includes the songs I Dreamed a Dream, On My Own, Bring Him Home, One Day More and many more.

American Theatre Guild will present the national touring production of Les Miserables from Aug. 5 to 10, 2025, at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend as part of its 2024-2025 Broadway in South Bend series.

The season also includes one add-on show:

 R.E.S.P.E.C.T., March 26, 2025: A concert tribute to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, the show features a live band and vocalists performing Franklins biggest hits, including (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Think, I Knew You Were Waiting for Me, Chain of Fools, Respect and more.

American Theatre Guild will present the Aretha Franklin concert tribute show "R.E.S.P.E.C.T." on March 26, 2025, at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend as part of its 2024-2025 Broadway in South Bend series.

All performances are at the Morris Performing Arts Center, 211 N. Michigan St.

More information and season ticket memberships are available for $530-$225 at broadwayinsouthbend.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Broadway in South Bend series unveiled for 2024-25 season
British band Chumbawamba have called on a populist New Zealand politician to stop playing their hit song Tubthumping at his rallies.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who is deputy prime minister, has used the song at several events.

But Chumbawamba say they do not share his ideas and have not given permission to use it.

The band want their record label to issue a "cease and desist letter". Mr Peters has been approached for comment.

Mr Peters, who is part of New Zealand's coalition government with the larger centre-right National Party, has walked on and off to Tubthumping at several events.

Most recently, the song was played ahead of a speech where Mr Peters talked about plans to remove gender and sexuality lessons from the school curriculum and said that NZ First and their supporters have a "real chance to take back our country".

At a rally last year ahead of the election, he also referenced the song and its famous lyrics: "I get knocked down. But I get up again. You're never gonna keep me down."

Mr Peters became deputy prime minister of New Zealand after last year's general election

In a statement sent to BBC News, the band's former lead guitarist Boff Whalley said: "Chumbawamba wrote the song Tubthumping as a song of hope and positivity, so it seems entirely odd that the 'I get knocked down...' refrain is being used by New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters as he barks his divisive, small-minded, bigoted policies during his recent speeches.

"Chumbawamba would like to make it clear that we did not give permission for Peters to use the song and would ask him to stop using it to try to shore up his misguided political views.

"Chumbawamba does not share any of Peters' ideas on race relations and would like to remind him that the song was written for and about ordinary people and their resilience.

"We have asked our record company Sony to issue a cease and desist notice."

Mr Peters has defended using the song, telling New Zealand radio station Newstalk ZB that the party was not using it to benefit financially. In a separate statement to the network, he added that neither he nor his party had received a cease and desist letter.

Released in 1997, Tubthumping (I Get Knocked Down) went to number two in the UK singles chart and peaked at number six in the US. It was also a top 10 hit in New Zealand, Australia, Italy and Canada.

The band have had run-ins with politicians and parties in the past. In 2011 they called on the leader of British party UKIP to stop using Tubthumping and in 1998 poured a bucket of ice water over then UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the Brit awards in support of striking dockers on Merseyside.
Its the Covid pandemic all over again at the Circle in the Square, where a radically pared-down version of Henrik Ibsens An Enemy of the People opened Monday.

Best of all is Jeremy Strongs Dr. Thomas Stockmann, who vividly recalls Dr. Anthony Fauci, especially when this good Norwegian doctor is warning a town about the dangers of an impending epidemic.

The only problem with making Enemy a blow-by-blow retelling of Trump and Faucis battles is that what we all endured in real life a few years ago was so much more dramatic than whats being offered onstage under the direction of Sam Gold.

An Enemy of the People typically runs three hours or more. At Circle in the Square, the playwright Amy Herzog delivers a swift two hours with an intermission at which drinks are served gratis onstage. Pre-pandemic, Daniel Fishs radical rethinking of the musical Oklahoma! offered similar refreshments at intermission in the same theater, but Gold doesnt make a habit of repeating what other directors do.

In fact, his recent interpretations on Broadway of The Glass Menagerie, King Lear and Macbeth have taken their knocks for being far too eccentric. Golds Enemy, on the other hand, sticks to the Norwegian locale and the late 19th century time frame of Ibsens play. Isabella Byrds very atmospheric lighting even features a lot of gas lamps, the set design by Dots delivered in rough-hewn wood.

In a sweet directorial touch, standees are offered seats on the stage after intermission to rest their feet and witness up-close Strongs speech to the townspeople that they not believe his brother the mayor (Michael Imperioli, being very Trumpian) or those jerks at the newspaper (Caleb Eberhardt and Thomas Jay Ryan, being very Giulianian), because were going to have an epidemic, the doctor warns.

Back in 1882, Ibsen cautioned his publisher that he wasnt sure if they should call An Enemy of the People a drama or a comedy, because he thought the Dr. Stockmann character exhibits perhaps a bit too much zeal in wanting to close down the towns contaminated spa. What Ibsen never worried about is anyone calling his play agitprop, which is what Herzog and Gold have turned it into.

Has there ever been a more pure hero and a more abused victim on stage than Strongs wonderful doctor? Of all the vipers on Succession, Strong was able to imbue his capitalist with the most humanity. Here in Enemy, without the shackles of greed and ambition, he achieves beatification. Strong last appeared on Broadway as Richard Rich in the 2008 revival of A Man for All Seasons.

Herzogs rewriting of Enemy (theyre calling it a new version) is a vast improvement on her rewriting of Ibsens A Dolls House last season, in which 19th century characters were heard saying stuff like hes wasted and Ill take you up on that and whats going on with you? With Enemy, Herzog turns on the automatic pilot of modern slang only once, when someone cracks, She was messing with me. Not that this writer doesnt occasionally flex her creativity.

In Herzogs version, Dr. Stockmann momentarily contemplates leaving Norway so he can say, after the doctor has nearly been stoned to death by ice cubes left over from the bar at intermission, In America we wont have to worry about anything like this! This line might get the biggest laugh ever recorded in a theater serving up a play purported to have been written by Ibsen.

Hitting even closer to these shores is Stockmanns daughter, Petra (Victoria Pedretti), who toys with opening a school at plays end. She tells her father about his young son, I can actually teach him something if I dont have to follow the ridiculous standards.

If this good doctor gets his way and the family actually moves to America, lets hope the Stockmanns dont make the mistake of ending up in Florida.

The post An Enemy of the People Broadway Review: Jeremy Strong Makes a Great Dr. Fauci appeared first on TheWrap.
Gail Simmons, Tom Colicchio and Kristen Kish serve up a few secrets about the new Wisconsin edition of the show, which premieres on Wednesday

David Moir/Bravo Top Chef's Tom Colicchio, Kristen Kish and Gail Simmons

When Top Chef premieres on Wednesday night, it's bringing new rules, a new host and a new setting.

The cheftestants traveled to Wisconsin for the show's 21st season, which means devoted fans of the Bravo cooking competition series are in for a surprising treat, according to longtime judge Gail Simmons.

"A lot of people have preconceived notions of Milwaukee as beer and cheese and frozen custard," Simmons, 47, tells PEOPLE. "But they aren't giving credit to the state of Wisconsin in terms of making it a true craft. There are real artisans here."

Simmons credits Top Chef producers with "doing really deep dives in their research" before the cast even arrives. "So we come here with a lot of really great information about the city, and we try to do it justice, because every city has extraordinary stories to tell," says Simmons.

Related: Top Chef Gets 'Shaken Up' with New Rules and Kristen Kish as Host  See the Trailer and Meet the Chefs (Exclusive)

David Moir/Bravo The Top Chef season 21 kitchen

Judge Tom Colicchio agrees.

"Wherever we go we always find a particular culture that's there  not even necessarily a restaurant culture, but traditions that go way back to whichever group settled somewhere, and whatever recent demographic is here as well," adds the acclaimed chef, 61. "I think people will be surprised."

"We want to show all of that because that is so integral to the food story of Milwaukee," Simmons adds. "I'm really excited that there will be German influence, and Hmong influence, and Serbian influence and indigenous influence. That all plays out in the way people here eat."



In its first few weeks, the competition was "a little uneven," Colicchio teases. "I think it's a lot of nerves. But that's every season. It takes a little while to settle in. But once they do settle in and I think they realize that we just want their food, it's okay."

David Moir/Bravo The Top Chef season 21 kitchen

Someone else who's settling in is new judge and host Kristen Kish, who won season 10 of Top Chef after redemption on Last Chance Kitchen. Kish, 40, replaces departing host Padma Lakshmi, who exited following season 20 last year.

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"I think everyone's really happy," Colicchio shares. "If Padma had to leave, they were happy to see Kristen."



Kish seems happy, too. "I find myself saying stuff and getting goosebumps," she says of some of the show's iconic lines. However, telling a contestant to "pack your knives and go" for the first time "sucked," she adds.

David Moir/Bravo Top Chef's Kristen Kish, Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons

"I know what it feels like when you're asked to leave the competition  it's not a nice thing to hear or say," she shares. "But being here is already a really fantastic accomplishment. There are so many people who try out for the show and not a lot of chefs make it. So the fact of the matter is they got on, they did a challenge and hopefully they can walk away with their head held high."

Related: Top Chef Winners: Where Are They Now?

Kish credits her colleagues with making the transition from contestant to guest judge to full-time host a positive one for her.

"Obviously this is a fantastic job, but the consistent support has been a really fantastic thing, from both the crew and Tom and Gail," she shares. "You get to come to work and see people that you really admire."

Top Chef premieres Wednesday, March 20, at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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A man has been jailed for 66 weeks in England after pleading guilty to cyberflashing. Nicholas Hawkes is the first person to be convicted of the crime in the country under the Online Safety Act. Cyberflashing (sending unsolicited photos of genitalia) was outlawed in England and Wales under the law on January 31.

Cyberflashing is a serious crime which leaves a lasting impact on victims, but all too often it can be dismissed as thoughtless banter or a harmless joke," prosecutor Hannah von Dadelzsen said in a statement . Just as those who commit indecent exposure in the physical world can expect to face the consequences, so too should offenders who commit their crimes online; hiding behind a screen does not hide you from the law."

Registered sex offender Hawkes, of Basildon, Essex, admitted to sending a photo of his genitals to a 15-year-old girl and a woman in early February. The woman took screenshots of the image and reported it to police. Cyberflashing victims receive lifelong anonymity under the Sexual Offences Act after reporting such crimes.

Hawkes pleaded guilty on February 12 to two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress or humiliation. He was held in custody until his sentencing on Tuesday. Hawkes was jailed for one year for the cyberflashing counts, and 14 weeks for breaching a previous order. He was convicted last year of exposure and sexual activity with a child under 16 and was sentenced to a community order.
Samantha Tolbert, 46, has been missing since March 7, the Carroll County Sheriff's Office tells PEOPLE

Carroll County Sheriff's Office Samantha Tolbert

Authorities are searching for a Georgia woman who has been missing since her ex-husband died by suicide earlier this month.

Samantha Tolbert, 46, of Carroll County, has been missing since March 7, Carroll County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Ashley Hulsey tells PEOPLE.

Her disappearance came to light on March 7 when deputies with the Carroll County Sheriffs Office were called to an address in the Tyus section of Carroll County in eastern Georgia about a report of a suicide, Hulsey says.

Jerimmie Tolbert, of Tyus Carrollton Road, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the sheriffs office, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

In speaking with people on the scene, we understood that he had an ex-wife, Hulsey says. She had not been seen or heard from in a couple weeks."

It was unusual for her to go a week or so without speaking to her family, she adds.

Jerimmie had a history of domestic violence against Samantha, according to the CCSO. The last domestic violence report she filed was in November 2022, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

Detectives reached out to Samantha's daughter, who said she last spoke to her mother by phone on Feb. 25, Hulsey says.

On March 7, the CCSO launched a missing persons investigation asking the public for help.

In looking at phone records, she does not have her phone turned on," says Hulsey. "We don't believe theres any bank activity, so obviously that heightens our concern that there could be more to her disappearance or why she is missing.

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Samantha is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 165 lbs. She has red hair that she dyes blonde.

Authorities dont believe she is traveling by car. Its unknown what she was wearing when she vanished.

This is an ongoing investigation, says Hulsey. "We are looking for leads and tips  anything, no matter how insignificant.

Samantha is known to travel between Carroll County and Randolph County, Ala., according to the CCSO.

Family friend Miranda Spruill said Samantha's daughter and I want the public's help in bringing Samantha home, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.

We appreciate all the calls and helpful leads. We continue to ask no matter how small you may think a tip is, it could bring us one step closer to finding Samantha.

We ask that you keep us in your prayers as the days seem to get longer. We have faith in the Carroll County Sheriff's department and are very thankful to have Detective Cardell and her team working the case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 770-830-5916 or email Carroll County Investigator Amber Cardell at acardell@carrollsheriff.com.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.

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.



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Davis said that the Ridley Scott-directed film "sent me in a different direction" after its release in 1991

Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon at 90s Con in Hartford, Connecticut, on March 17, 2024

It's a Thelma & Louise reunion!

Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis came together this weekend during 90s Con 2024 in Hartford, Connecticut to speak about the enduring legacy of their 1991 film.

"Thelma & Louise changed my life. Really, it sent me in a different direction," said Davis, 68, during a Sunday panel alongside Sarandon, 77, and Mira Sorvino  moderated by PEOPLE's Editor-in-Chief Wendy Naugle.

The feminist empowerment tale, directed by Ridley Scott, follows the titular Thelma (Davis) and Louise (Sarandon) who go on the run after Louise shoots Harlan Puckett (Timothy Carhart) and escapes with Thelma, kicking off a run of crimes.



Thelma & Louise features a supporting cast of Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Christopher McDonald and more, including Brad Pitt in what is widely considered his breakout film role.

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MGM/Pathe/Kobal/Shutterstock Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis in Thelma & Louise (1991)

Related: Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon to Reunite at 90s Con 33 Years After Thelma & Louise (Exclusive)

Davis said up until Thelma & Louise premiered and blew up in popularity, she "knew what to expect" when fans would come up to her after her roles in Beetlejuice and The Fly.

"But then after that movie came out, it was completely different in that people wanted to talk to me about it and how many times they saw it or who they saw it with and how it impacted them," the actress recalled.

Thelma & Louise was up for five Academy Awards in 1992, including Best Director for Scott, 86, and Best Actress for both Sarandon and Davis (Jodie Foster took home the latter trophy that year, for her performance in Silence of the Lambs). Thelma & Louise screenwriter Callie Khouri won in the category of Best Original Screenplay.

"It was pretty unusual both of us were nominated for an actor, because usually somebody goes into supporting, because it is an easier category to win it, too," Sarandon said Sunday at 90s Con. "They say that, which I didn't realize at the time, but the fact that both of us were nominated all along, every place that we were nominated, that was really cool."



Gerardo Mora/Getty Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis at MegaCon in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 3, 2024

Related: The Casts of Step by Step, Boy Meets World and More Reunited This Weekend and the Photos Are Gold

Davis also said she "had never met" Sarandon before they did Thelma & Louise together, but she "was so excited that we were going to be working together."

"I'm just dazzled by Susan the second I meet her. I'm just like, 'Oh my God,' " she continued. "And we opened the script and I remember it was like the first page where Susan says, 'This first line I have here, I don't think we need it. Why don't we just take that out?' "

"And we did," Sarandon said, of their two-on-one meeting with Scott.

"And I look at Ridley and he's like, 'Oh yeah, whatever.' And through the whole thing, they're just talking through a little. And I was like, 'How have I gotten to this point in my life and I never spent time with a woman who doesn't apologize for what she says?' " Davis continued.

She added, "Right then, I knew I was in a whole different world, and it changed my life."

After headlining some of the most progressively female-centric films of all-time, including Thelma & Louise and A League of Their Own, Davis founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender In Media in 2004 to champion real-world-reflective gender balance in the media  as well as for minorities and other underrepresented groups. Davis won an honorary Oscar in 2019 for her work fighting for gender-parity in media.

"My simplest advice to creators is: whatever youre already going to make, before you cast it and before you shoot it, just go through it and see if theres any characters that can become female  or any type of diversity  and change the first name," she previously told PEOPLE.

Thats a fabulous way to make it gender-balanced, she said. Thats one of the reasons were having so many more female characters now.

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It was on a recent trip to Morocco that Jose Salazar started thinking about opening a Moroccan-style tapas and wine bar in Cincinnati.

While learning about the different spices and cooking techniques of Moroccan cuisine, Salazar and his wife, Ann, ventured into the mountains where they learned how to roll couscous by hand from Berber women. (Berbers are the indigenous people of North Africa.) The process involves rolling semolina wheat into tiny granules. He decided he wanted to take the lessons they taught him back home.

Salazar has played with Moroccan flavors before, most notably at his James Beard-nominated restaurant, Mitas. But his latest venture, Safi  which will open this summer in his former Salazar restaurant space  will dig deeper into the cooking techniques he learned during their visit.

Even though Salazar owns Safi, it will still have some mighty big shoes to fill. When Salazar opened at 1401 Republic St. in 2013, it was among the first restaurants to put Over-the-Rhine on America's culinary map. During its 10 years of operation, it frequently topped local best-restaurants lists and received national accolades, including multiple James Beard Award nominations.

That's why many Greater Cincinnatians were shocked when, in a Nov. 29 Instagram post, Jose Salazar said the restaurant would have its final service on New Year's Eve. He said he had outgrown the space and that rising labor and food costs, as well as decreasing crowds, were making it increasingly difficult to operate. He is still in the process of securing a new, larger space for Salazar, and hopes to announce something soon.

What to expect at Jose Salazar's new Safi restaurant

With its more limited menu and fewer employees, Safi, which, according to a press release, is a Moroccan name for "enough," will be a more affordable concept to operate, Salazar told me.

That menu will include several small plates such as chicken pastilla "cigars," zalouk (eggplant and tomato compote) and briwat (Moroccan almond pastry). There will also be one or two larger entrees, including a slow-cooked lamb shank tagine with couscous. The kitchen will be helmed by former Salazar sous chef Eddie Jarret Clark, and the front of house will be run by Sarahi Godinez, the restaurant's former bar manager.

Since Moroccan wines are difficult to import, the wine list will mostly focus on Mediterranean wines from Italy, Greece, Spain, France and Lebanon. Safi will also offer signature cocktails and beer.

Mita's owners Jose Salazar and his wife, Ann Salazar, attend the James Beard Awards in Chicago with members of the Mita's team.

Salazar told me he's excited to be doing something new and exciting with the space. I am loving the way it is coming out, he said. It is going to be moody and dark and loungey.

His landlord, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., seems excited about Safi, too.

Over-the-Rhine is known for its wide range of restaurants and cultural cuisines  and Safi broadens that range even more, Lindzie Gunnels, 3CDC's director of commercial leasing, said in a press release. Jose brought this space to life with Salazar and we cant wait to see how he reimagines this corner with Safi.

Salazar is hoping to open Safi this summer. Hours are TBD, but it will be open during the evenings Wednesday through Friday and will open at noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New wine bar to bring Moroccan flavors to former Salazar space in OTR
Jimmy Kimmel on Monday night admitted that hes thrilled when Donald Trump attacks him by name.

What he doesnt realize is that I love this, Kimmel said during his monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The former president railed against Kimmel in a social media post during the Oscars broadcast earlier those month, leading to a viral moment when Kimmel, who was hosting the show, responded in real time from the stage.

Isnt it past your jail time? Kimmel said to a live TV audience of nearly 20 million.

That stung Trump enough that he raged against Kimmel some more during a rambling Fox News interview over the weekend in which he called Kimmel not a talented guy, a lousy host and dumber than I thought.

Kimmel on Monday urged the ex-president to keep it coming.

I love that this bothered him so much, he said, and later rolled footage of the Oscars audience, including actor Margot Robbie, laughing at the Trump joke.

Barbie was laughing at you, Kimmel said, noting that past your jail time is already appearing on shirts, cups and other merch, is being put on billboards, and is used in graffiti outside Trump Tower in New York.

The former president on Sunday said that Kimmel should keep his mouth shut.

Imagine him telling anyone they shouldve kept their mouth shut? Kimmel said. That should be on his tombstone: Shouldve kept his mouth shut.

Kimmel then had a special challenge just for Trump.

Check it out in his Monday night monologue:
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China Atomic Energy Authority announced Tuesday that Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing will attend the first Nuclear Energy Summit in Belgium as Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy.

Zhang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, will be on the Belgium trip from March 20 to 22. 
Paris-based film sales agency Cat&Docs has acquired Kamay, the debut feature documentary from filmmakers Ilyas Yourish and Shahrokh Bikaran. The film will world premiere at Visions du Reel, which runs in Nyon, Switzerland, April 12-24. Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer (below).

In Kamay, the filmmakers pick up the story of a Hazara familys struggle to reconcile the official story of their eldest daughter Zahras death while attending the University of Kabul. It is taking years to navigate Afghanistans judicial landscape, even to just receive Zahras personal effects.

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Zahras younger sister, Freshta, continues to gather the Kamay plant for her late sisters research high up in the mountains near their house, but the mystery surrounding Zahras death and the great loss felt by the family affects her deeply  as she herself is nearly ready to enter university next.

Kamay is a wild, self-sufficient plant found in the mountains of central Afghanistan, Yourish explained. It is emblematic of the Hazaras, who must have a way to exist without any of the resources saved for their urban countrymen. The word itself is a testament to resilience and resistance: the Hazara identity of the family is crucial to understand the struggle of the family for justice.

Historically, the Hazara identity has been compromised time after time. The film is a witness to an important time now  a witness to how, despite historic persecution, this Hazara family navigates their civil rights as they fight the Afghan state. Both the Kamay plant, and the family, fight to survive on their own terms.

Filmed over the course of six years, the story takes an unexpected and dramatic turn when the Taliban take over the country in 2021. Yourish, whose own family fled the country in 1997, is Hazara himself, and speaks to the plight of his community with authority.

Yourish left Kabul in late July 2021 and was coordinating the evacuation of his team from Brussels. The family in the film, the Khawaris, were caught in the crush during the Abbey Gate suicide bombing during the chaotic evacuation before making it safely out.

It feels like the world has abandoned us, again, said Yourish, who lives in Belgium. It makes us sad, but it does not make us stop. Its important to me to continue to get out to the world the stories of resistance and resilience by those who have stayed behind.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The film is produced by Yourish with Hanne Phlypo and Evelien De Graef at Clin doeil films.

Our decision to join forces with this project in late 2021 fills us with immense pride, Phlypo said. Steering the production through turbulent times, including the immense upheaval caused by the Talibans resurgence, and ensuring the safe passage of the films collaborators to Europe amidst the turmoil in Afghanistan, speaks to the commitment of the film team to bring this story to audiences.

We at Cat&Docs are always looking for original documentaries in fields as varied as history, society, justice, the environment, the economy, politics, art and culture, said Catherine LeClef, president Cat&Docs, but always associated with a high standard of content and form.

Kamay is produced by Kamay Film and Clin doeil films, in co-production with ROW Pictures in Germany, Temps Noir in France and Shelter Prod.

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The body of 73-year-old Gary Ruby was found in a bathtub inside his $1.2 million home in Hawaii in March 2022

Honolulu Police Department via AP Juan Tejedor Baron

Two years after the death of Gary Ruby, Juan Tejedor Baron has pleaded guilty to the murder.

In March 2022, 73-year-old Rubys body was found encased in concrete in a standalone bathtub. He had been reported missing the day before by his brother, according to police, and was found the following day, after speaking to Baron, who was 23 at the time. He told authorities that he and Ruby had an intimate relationship.

On Monday, Baron, now 25, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, ABC News reported. According to the plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to seek a life sentence without parole in exchange for Barons plea. They will instead recommend a minimum sentence of 20 years, the outlet reported.

The defendants defense attorney, Kyle Dowd, told ABC News that Baron had wanted to take responsibility for Rubys death, but his lawyers found evidence of possible prosecutorial misconduct, which impeded him.

A week after Rubys body was found two years ago, Baron allegedly admitted to the murder, according to an arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE. The Colombian suspect allegedly confessed to choking Ruby to death following a sexual encounter.

After Ruby revealed his HIV-positive diagnosis, Baron used a belt to kill him, per the warrant. He told police that he then dragged Rubys body into the bathtub and used a kitchen knife to slit his wrists, attempting to make the death look like a suicide, per the warrant.

He also confessed to concealing the body in the bathtub after finding bags of concrete in Ruby's garage. He then poured coffee grounds over the cement in an effort to conceal the smell of decomposition, per the warrant.

Baron and a friend, Scott Hannon, fled Hawaii after the murder and were arrested in Anaheim, Calif. After they were found hiding in a crawl space under an enclosed bench on a Mexico-bound bus. Hannon was released as police found he had nothing to do with Rubys death.

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Though the exact timeline of the death is unclear, police believe Baron lived in Rubys $1.2 million home and drove around in his Audi A6, claiming it was his, according to the warrant. After he was arrested, he confessed he planned on fraudulently acquiring the home by forging documentation.

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Married to Real Estate Season 1 is a reality TV series that follows a lovely couple, Egypt and her husband Mike, who are real estate agents. The show focuses on them working together to provide beneficial properties for their clients in Atlanta, Georgia.

Heres how you can watch and stream Married to Real Estate Season 1 via streaming services such as HBO Max.

Is Married to Real Estate Season 1 available to watch via streaming?

Yes, Married to Real Estate Season 1 is available to watch via streaming on HBO Max.

In season 1, we follow the couple as they travel across Atlanta and look for houses. The episode showcases amazing properties and how the couple helps out with renovation and revamping issues. They make sure theyre providing their clients with affordable and budget-friendly houses. We also see how they manage their private and professional lives.

The cast of the show includes Egypt Sherrod and Mike Jackson.

Watch Married to Real Estate Season 1 streaming via HBO Max

Married to Real Estate Season 1 is available to watch on HBO Max. HBO Max is a subscription-based streaming service by Warner Media that offers content from Warner Bros., HBO, CNN, and third-party content providers.

You can watch via Max, formerly known as HBO Max, by following these steps:

Go to HBOMax.com/subscribe Click Sign Up Now Choose your plan: $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (with ads)

$15.99 per month or $149.99 per year (ad-free)

$19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (ultimate ad-free) Enter your personal information and password Select Create Account

Max With Ads provides the services streaming library at a Full HD resolution, allowing users to stream on up to two supported devices at once. Max Ad-Free removes the services commercials and allows streaming on two devices at once in Full HD. It also allows for 30 downloads at a time to allow users to watch content offline. On the other hand, Max Ultimate Ad-Free allows users to stream on four devices at once in a 4K Ultra HD resolution and provides Dolby Atmos audio and 100 downloads.

The official synopsis is as follows:

Real estate broker and designer Egypt Sherrod, alongside her husband, builder Mike Jackson, juggle their busy professional and personal lives while helping clients land their perfect home in a dream neighborhood.

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

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Critics say "Irish Wish" is full of Irish stereotypes and is formulaic. Patrick Redmond / Netflix

Netflix's latest rom-com, "Irish Wish," is set in Ireland and stars Lindsay Lohan.

Critics have praised Lohan's chemistry with her costar Ed Speleers.

However, they say the movie doesn't have many Irish actors and is filled with stereotypes.

Critics have mostly blasted Netflix's "Irish Wish," the new Lindsay Lohan movie on Netflix, saying it is hokey and not very Irish.

The movie follows Maddie (Lohan), an American editor, who visits Ireland to attend the wedding of her crush, Paul Kennedy (Alexander Vlahos), and her best friend, Emma (Elizabeth Tan).

Maddie makes a wish and finds herself in an alternate universe where she is engaged to Paul, and Emma is the bridesmaid. Ed Speleers plays another handsome suitor Maddie meets on her magical journey.

After "Falling for Christmas," "Irish Wish" is the second holiday-themed Netflix movie starring Lohan and has the same director, Janeen Damian. "Irish Wish" and an upcoming movie, "Our Little Secret," were part of a two-movie deal between Lohan and Netflix.

The current Rotten Tomato critic score for "Irish Wish" is 34%, and the audience score is 44%, but that doesn't mean the movie is unwatchable.

Some viewers said the chemistry between Lindsay Lohan and Speleers is a saving grace for the movie.

Here's what critics have said about "Irish Wish."

For a movie about Ireland, "Irish Wish" is not very Irish, according to critics.

Lindsay Lohan plays Maddie Kelly in "Irish Wish." Patrick Redmond / Netflix

"Irish Wish" is set in Ireland, features an Irish saint, and was released on St Patrick's Day. But if you want to learn something new about Irish culture, you should probably look elsewhere.

From Empire review editor John Nugent:

"As with its Irish-romcom forebears, it is chock-full of hoary cliches: establishing shots of rolling fields, fiddle-heavy folk music, a leprechaun-esque fantasy character, some live-laugh-love-esque fetishisation of Guinness, and an array of head-scratching accents (the main Irish character here is in fact played by a Welshman)."

Nugent and other critics also pointed out that very few Irish actors are in the movie.

Vlahos, who plays Paul, is Welsh, although Irish actors play Paul's brother and father.

Some critics also pointed out that the "Irish Wish" version of Saint Brigid doesn't match her personality from folklore.

"Brigid, the matron saint of Ireland, is known in legends for feeding the hungry and healing the sick," Johnny Oleksinski wrote for the New York Post. "Here, she's the genie from "Aladdin" and is costumed for a summer stock production of 'Brigadoon.'"

Critics agreed that the movie was formulaic, although not all critics thought it was a bad thing.

Alexander Vlahos as Paul Kennedy and Lindsay Lohan as Maddie Kelly in "Irish Wish." Patrick Redmond / Netflix

Many critics were critical of the movie's use of rom-com cliches, such as the love triangle or the lovers-trapped-in-a-storm trope.

Vulture features writer Rachel Handler went so far as to describe the movie as an "AI-generated harbinger of a doomed future where machines make facsimiles of art while humans do their terrible bidding."

Some critics were nicer, including Collider news editor Maggie Lovitt, who argued that rom-coms are meant to be formulaic.

"It's a fun romantic romp, filled to the brim with gorgeous scenery, gorgeous clothing, and beautiful people," Lovitt wrote. "Revel in the simplicity of the formulaic simplicity of yet another magically contrived rom-com, and rejoice that 'Leap Year' has been dethroned (during a leap year, no less) as the best rom-com set in Ireland."

Other critics, such as Nugent and Digital Spy Deputy Movie Editor Mireia Mullor, called it a comfort watch.

"Netflix rom-com can be a little 'seen one, seen them all,' which is both frustrating (is this the best we could do with the genre? Really?) and, paradoxically, blissfully comfortable," Mullor wrote.

Critics were conflicted on whether the views of the Irish countryside were gorgeous or cartoonish.

Ed Speleers as James Thomas and Lindsay Lohan as Maddie Kelly in "Irish Wish." Patrick Redmond / Netflix

"Irish Wish" may not use the bulk of Ireland's acting talent, but it does take advantage of its scenery, from Lough Tay to the Cliffs of Moher. Some critics loved this part of the movie.

Indiewire's Samantha Bergeson wrote: "The gorgeous imagery and lush scenery will likely make audiences forget all about other CGI-heavy features that skimp on using real places to make sudsy stories feel even remotely grounded in the real world."

However, some critics thought the vibrant colors made the movie seem cartoonish.

Oleksinski, the New York Post critic, wrote: "Whenever the characters venture outdoors, the sky is made to look so strenuously blue and the grass such a plutonium green, we expect Tinky Winky and the Teletubbies to enter any moment."

Critics said the chemistry between Lindsay Lohan and Ed Speleers was the best part.

Ed Speleers as James Thomas and Lindsay Lohan as Maddie Kelly in "Irish Wish." Netflix

While Lohan and Speleers' performance doesn't save "Irish Wish," it has been praised by many critics.

"Lohan and Speleers have sweet chemistry, and that alone would be enough to prove Maddie and James are the true love story," ScreenRant critic Rachel Labonte wrote.

Variety's chief film critic Owen Gleiberman also wrote: "The movie is as frothy as the foam on a pint of Guinness, as formulaic as the last disposable Netflix rom-com. Yet these two make you believe that they belong together, and not every romantic comedy does that."

Of the two stars, Speleers got the most fanfare from critics, with Gleibermann writing that he was the "most charismatic British actor I've seen in quite a while."

Bergeson from Indiewire also praised Speleers for his "A-lister-in-the-making charisma."

If you're wondering how Irish critics feel about "Irish Wish," Liam Fay, a critic for The Sunday Times Ireland, was not a fan.

Lindsay Lohan in a wedding dress in "Irish Wish." Patrick Redmond / Netflix

The Sunday Times Ireland critic Liam Fay's main criticism is that the movie feels like "a bland fairy-tale set in a theme-park Ireland."

He said the acting was "cardboard stiff," the slapstick humor in the movie was overdone, and the film was not a true reflection of Ireland.

"Scenery is extensively deployed as filler, diversion and atmosphere-provider as there is precious little story and zero drama," Fay wrote at one point.

One of the few positive notes in Fay's review is that the movie captures Ireland's scenery well.

"'Irish Wish' is an excellent advertisement for a variety of Irish touchstones," he wrote before adding. "But, as a film, it's as dumb as a box of rocks."

Overall, "Irish Wish" is fun.

Elizabeth Tan as Emma Taylor and Lindsay Lohan as Maddie Kelly in "Irish Wish." Patrick Redmond / Netflix

Screen Rant's Labonte said people looking for a cheesy rom-com would enjoy it.

Lovitt from Collider said the movie felt like a "grown-up Disney Channel Original Movie complete with outlandish magical elements, cookie-cutter perfection, and an utterly tame romance."

Indiewire's Bergeson wrote that "Irish Wish" isn't as great as Lohan's previous Netflix movie "Falling for Christmas" and feels more like a Hallmark Channel movie.

Overall, it seems "Irish Wish" has major flaws, but you may enjoy the movie if you come in with the right perspective.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Curious to know the streaming release date of Ronja the Robbers Daughter Season 1? Then go no further as we have got all the necessary details here. The series will feature the titular character navigating friendships, as well as the adventures provided by the alluring and untamed wilderness.

The series trailer which dropped on March 12, 2024, raised immense curiosity among viewers regarding the extent to which it will live up to the books popularity. More importantly, how refreshing this new take on the original literary source is going to be.

The upcoming show is an on-screen adaptation of Astrid Lindgrens book, Ronia, the Robbers Daughter, which also saw a film adaptation in 1984. Owing to the engaging plot and gripping themes, the movie received a huge viewership and even a representation in the Academy Awards. Decades later, the audience and fans are still intrigued to consume the renowned classic tale.

Heres when the show is coming out on Netflix.

When is the Ronja the Robbers Daughter Season 1 Netflix release date?

The Ronja the Robbers Daughter Season 1 is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on March 28, 2024.

Set in medieval Sweden, the plot follows a rebellious girl Ronja who is born into a family of robbers. Choosing an outdoor life over spending time with family, she wanders around a magical forest and makes new friends, but soon realizes that the wilderness can be as dangerous as it is captivating. The show will be released in two parts.

Kerstin Linden plays Ronja. Other cast members include Christopher Wagelin, Maria Nohra, Sverrir Gudnason, and more. The series is helmed by Lisa James Larsson.

When is Ronja the Robbers Daughter Season 1 coming out via streaming?

Ronja the Robbers Daughter Part 1 is available to watch via streaming on Netflix on Thursday, March 28, 2024. Part 2 will be released later. Viewers will be able to stream it at this time.

Netflix is an all-inclusive streaming platform that harbors plenty of diverse content ranging from shows and movies to documentaries. The aforementioned series is divided into two parts. The six-episode first part will come out on March 28, whereas the second part will be released later this year.

Current Netflix subscribers will be able to watch the series when it airs.

Ronja the Robbers Daughters official synopsis reads:

Loving, loyal, and unafraid, the daughter of a wanted robber chief makes a secret friend in her fathers magical and treacherous forest.

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"Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is seeking a release from jail and a new trial following her guilty verdict.

The rookie armorer, who had only worked on one film before "Rust," was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. It took a jury less than three hours to deliberate.

This trial is separate from the one being faced by actor Alec Baldwin. His criminal trial is scheduled to begin in July.

'Rust' Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Seeks A New Trial Following Guilty Verdict

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Earlier this month, "Rust" armorer was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after prosecutors argued that she was "sloppy" and "unprofessional" on the set of the Western film.

Gutierrez-Reed was, however, acquitted of one charge of tampering with evidence. Prosecutors presented a witness who claimed that Hannah Gutierrez-Reed had given her a bag of white powder on the day that Hutchins was killed. The witness, who described herself as a recovered addict, said that she believed the white powder to be cocaine and subsequently threw it away in a hotel garbage can.

Although the incident took place in October 2021, the witness did not come forward with this information until the summer of 2023. The white substance was never recovered to be tested and was never identified to be cocaine. As such, a jury acquitted her of a charge of tampering with evidence.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed Wants A New Trial

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At this time, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed is currently being held in a Santa Fe County Detention Center while her attorney, Jason Bowles, seeks an appeal. As it stands, a new court filing obtained by Variety shows that the "Rust" armorer is now seeking to get the previous verdict tossed in favor of a new trial.

On Friday, her attorneys asked a juge to release her from jail and to give her a new trial, citing a New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in another case involving two daycare workers.

At this time, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed faces 18 months in prison after being accuser of putting a live bullet into Alec Baldwin's gun on the set of the Western film. She will be sentenced on April 15 if her appeal is rejected.

However, her attorneys Jason Bowles and Monica Barreras feel that a recent New Mexico Supreme Court decision issued on Thursday will "almost certainly" overturn her conviction.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's Lawyers Argue Jury Instructions Were Unclear

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Hannah Gutierrez-Reed's attorneys plan to challenge the instructions that were given to the jury during their deliberations.

The jury was asked to find that the armorer loaded live ammunition into the gun, and/or that she failed to properly check the ammunition.

Her attorneys argue that the "and/or" instruction was unclear and allowed a jury to convict her even if they were not unanimous on either point.

'Rust' Armorer's Lawyers Cite Previous Supreme Court Ruling

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On Thursday, the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction of two daycare workers due to a similar argument in connection to unclear jury instructions.

In that case, the jury instructions included four separate acts connected by and/or." Ultimately, the court ruled that the "and/or" conjunction created confusion and misdirection" and ordered a new trial.

The term and/or has proved singularly unsuited to formulating clear and effective jury instructions, to the degree that our trial courts would be well served to avoid its use in jury instructions altogether, the court decided.

In their new court filing, Bowles and Barreras argue that the ruling means that an appeals court is virtually certain to order a new trial for the armorer and have asked for her to be released from jail while the appeal is pending.

Alec Baldwin Is Also Trying To Get His 'Rust' Trial Tossed'

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Actor Alec Baldwin is also trying to get his own "Rust" trial tossed before it officially begins, accusing the prosecutors of trying to rig a potential jury against him by anonymously speaking to the press.

In January 2023, both Alec Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021.

In April 2023, the charges against Baldwin were dropped pending further investigation. However, after a FBI report concluded that the trigger had to be pulled for the gun to fire, charges were refiled in January 2024. On January 31, the "30 Rock" actor entered a not guilty plea.

His trial is currently scheduled to begin on July 9, 2024.
On Saturday Donald Trump told a crowd of supporters in Dayton, Ohio, that a loss in the 2024 election would result in a bloodbath. His campaign was quick to claim his warning only applied to the US auto industry, but as former Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Matthews, who worked in the Trump administration for 7 months, said, the comment is a warning call to his supporters hes telling them kind of marching orders almost.

Matthews was a guest on Inside Jen Psaki Monday night when she was asked about her former boss behavior. Psaki and Matthews agreed the comment deserves to be considered carefullyand taken very seriously.

Fmr. Deputy WH Press Sec. to @jrpsaki on her former boss:



This is a man who helped incite a deadly insurrection on our nations Capitol. So, when he's using terms like blood bath, it's really hard for me to give him the benefit of the doubt."



Watch @InsidewithPsaki. pic.twitter.com/2mUunfb5A7  MSNBC Public Relations (@MSNBCPR) March 19, 2024

Matthews, who resigned from her post after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, explained, This one comment theyre [The Trump campaign] saying is overblown, but it does follow a proven track record of these kinds of unhinged comments from him, and increasingly violent rhetoric and apocalyptic rhetoric almost.

She went on to imply that Trump could be calling his supporters to stage another insurrection. When he says things like theres going to be death and destruction, if hes charged in these criminal cases. That is, I think, a warning call to his supporters hes telling them kind of marching orders almost and we saw this happen in the lead-up from the election in 2020 to January 6, where he told them to come to the Capitol, he said it was going to be a wild day that we needed to save our country, Matthews added.

So, hes putting these kinds of messages out there, hoping that theyll act on them.

Matthews also spoke to the Trump campaigns official line that the bloodbath he referred to is merely economic in nature. She said, And in my eyesyeah, sure, he could have been talking about the economy but I think when youre looking at who the messenger was of this message, this is a man who helped incite a deadly insurrection on our nations Capitol. So when hes using terms like bloodbath, its really hard for me to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The former Trump employee also admitted that she couldnt imagine going to him or even cast a vote for him, given everything thats transpired, primarily because of the events of Jan. 6 and Trumps lack of remorse for what happened that day.

Trump defended himself via Truth Social Monday morning, claiming as he has after previous, ambiguously violent rhetoric that he was being taken out of context and was speaking only about the U.S. auto industry.

Trumps language has grown increasingly dark as its become apparent he will be the Republican Partys candidate against President Biden in November. He has been particularly preoccupied with undocumented immigrants, whom he described as animals, as well as with his political opponents, whom he labeled vermin.

Watch the interview with Sarah Matthews in the video above.

The post Trump Press Flack Who Resigned Over Jan. 6 Warns Bloodbath Remarks Are Marching Orders for His Supporters | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Then-President Trump talks with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos before a town hall at National Constitution Center in 2020. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

Former President Trump is suing TV journalist George Stephanopoulos and ABC News for defamation for saying he raped advice columnist E. Jean Carroll.

On a March 10 edition of "This Week With George Stephanopoulos," the anchor said Trump was "liable for rape" during his interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.). Stephanopoulos was pressing Mace, a rape victim herself, on how she could rationalize supporting Trump's 2024 presidential candidacy.

Trump's lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Miami, said the jury in the Carroll case found him liable for sexual abuse  not rape  and that Stephanopoulos defamed the presumptive Republican presidential nominee by using the term.

A jury ruled in January that Trump must pay Carroll $83.3 million in damages after finding Trump liable for defamation, the second case related to a 1996 incident that occurred when the two met in a New York department store.

In May, jurors rejected Carroll's allegation that she was raped but found Trump responsible for the lesser charge of sexual abuse, along with defamation, and awarded Carroll $5 million in damages. Trump, who denied that the incident occurred, repeatedly mocked Carroll over her claims.

Carroll claimed that Trump penetrated her with his finger and penis. The jury did not side with her latter allegation.

New York State law previously defined rape as forced vaginal penetration by a penis. In January, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that



broadened the definition of rape to include other forms of nonconsensual contact.

Judge Lewis Kaplan, who oversaw the earlier defamation trial, said in a July 17 filing that the state's technical meaning for rape before the law was changed is "far narrower than the meaning of 'rape' in common parlance, its definition in some dictionaries, in some federal and state criminal statutes and elsewhere."

The finding that Ms. Carroll failed to prove that she was raped within the meaning of the New York Penal Law does not mean that she failed to prove that Mr. Trump raped her as many people commonly understand the word rape," Kaplan wrote.

Nancy Erika Smith, a New Jersey-based employment and civil rights lawyer who has handled numerous sexual harassment cases, said Kaplan's comments undermine Trump's claims.

"It's a completely frivolous lawsuit," Smith said in an interview. "ABC should get attorney's fees."

Read more: Q&A: ABC's George Stephanopoulos on the midterms, #MeToo and his future at Good Morning America

Trump's suit cites how Stephanopoulos himself reported that Trump was not liable for rape when he reported on the verdict of the previous Carroll case on May 10.

The suit also noted that the headline on an ABC News online story about the Mace interview first used the word "rape" and later was changed to "sexual abuse."

Trump's suit seeks unspecified damages.

ABC News and Stephanopoulos have not commented on the suit.

The tense "This Week" interview was widely shared on social media. Mace took umbrage at Stephanopoulos' question, claiming he was "rape-shaming" her by bringing up her own experience, which she has publicly discussed.

Trump's anger over the Stephanopoulos interview apparently crept into the Oscars ceremony on May 10. Host Jimmy Kimmel read a rant Trump posted on Truth Social during the telecast. The post criticized the performance of Kimmel, a relentless Trump critic, and took a shot at Stephanopoulos as well.

"Get rid of Kimmel and perhaps replace him with another washed up, but cheap, ABC talent, George Slopanopoulos, Trump wrote.

Trump has previously sued media outlets, including the New York Times and CNN, with no success.

Trump sued the New York Times over its investigation of his finances, which led to the recent New York civil court ruling that has him on the hook for $454 million. The suit was dismissed in March and Trump had to reimburse the newspaper's legal costs.

In 2022, Trump sued CNN for $475 million, claiming the news network was waging a campaign against him by booking guests critical of his policies and speeches. The case was dismissed in 2023.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kate Middleton has been out of the spotlight this year as she recovers from abdominal surgery. (Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

Kate Middleton had surgery, and what's followed have been rumors, controversies and conspiracy theories. The latest: an investigation into whether Middleton's personal medical records were illegally accessed by a hospital staff member.

Much has been made about the Princess of Waless absence from public life in the United Kingdom as she recovers from a January abdominal surgery, according to Kensington Palace. Almost immediately there was speculation as to what she was really being treated for and a report, blasted by palace insiders, that there had been surgical complications.

The chatter was made much worse by Middleton. A botched editing job on a family photo shared to social media  in hopes of calming conspiracy theories  only fueled them. A frenzy developed over Middletons health, whereabouts and photo editing, which has been called Katespiracy. Folks on both sides of the pond have been asking: Where is Kate Middleton?

In recent days, there was the first real glimpse  Middleton and Prince William at a farmers' market  but even that sighting has fed into the conspiracy theories. Now there's the hospital records breach probe.

Heres a timeline of whats been happening, from the princess's last public appearance in December 2023 through this new sighting and the drama over her photos:

Dec. 25, 2023: Its seemingly a typical holiday as Middleton and Prince William attend a Christmas service with their three children as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla at St. Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham, the royal familys country home in Norfolk, England. Middleton, in a bright blue coat, is all smiles, greeting well-wishers along the way.

Kate and William with their children, Charlotte, George and Louis at a Christmas service in Norfolk. (Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

Jan. 16, 2024: Middleton is admitted to the hospital for planned abdominal surgery, the palace announces a day after the fact. The surgery was successful, but shell be hospitalized for 10 to 14 days and then return home to recover. Her public duties are paused until after Easter.

The announcement sparks online speculation over her condition and treatment. Prince William is photographed leaving the London Clinic, where Middleton is recovering. King Charles, in the same hospital for treatment of a benign enlarged prostate, visits his daughter-in-law. (He is later diagnosed with cancer.)

Jan. 29: Middleton is discharged from the hospital after 13 days and returns home for a period of private recuperation, according to the palace.

Feb. 2: A palace source denies Middleton was in a coma after surgery, calling a report from Spanish news program Fiesta total nonsense and totally made-up, according to the Times of London.

Feb. 27: A palace source says Middleton "continues to be doing well" after Prince William cancels plans to attend the memorial of his godfather, citing a personal matter.

Prince William visited his wife at the London Clinic during her stay. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

Feb. 29: The gossip and speculation grow, leading to Middletons spokesperson saying in a statement, "We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant."

March 4: Middleton is photographed for the first time since her surgery, from a great distance, while driving with her mother, Carole Middleton. Conspiracy theories flourish after the grainy photo is published, with some even suggesting the person depicted is a body double.

March 10: For Mothers Day in the U.K., a cheery photo of Middleton with children George, Charlotte and Louis is posted to the social media pages she shares with Prince William. The hope is that it will calm the noise around her absence from public life.

Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months, the caption states. However, the photo has the opposite effect. There is speculation that the image looks digitally altered. It is pointed out her hand is blurry, her hair appears changed, and part of Charlottes sleeve is missing, among other things. One person believes that Middletons face was swapped out for a 2016 photo that appeared in Vogue. The photo feeds the frenzy with other reports saying shes not wearing her wedding ring. The AP and other news outlets pull the handout photo from distribution, saying it appears to have been manipulated.

March 11: Middleton, clearly getting no rest time during her surgery recovery, issues a statement via the Kensington Palace X account admitting she retouched the photos. Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing, the statement said. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. PR experts declare the situation a royal mess.

Later that day, Middleton is photographed alongside Prince William in the back of a car. The palace says she was headed to a private appointment. Theres immediate speculation that the photo was edited or the woman seen in the car was a body double, feeding conspiracy theorists.

On the Late Show With Stephen Colbert that night, the host floats a rumor to the masses that Middletons absence may be related to William allegedly having an affair with the couple's friend Lady Rose Hanbury. (In 2019, the U.K. tabloids reported that Middleton and Prince William had a falling out with Hanbury, also known as Marchioness of Cholmondeley, and in the years since, its persisted as a tabloid love triangle. Middleton and Prince William never addressed the rumors of infidelity.)

March 12: The photographer who took the car photo defends his work, insisting it was not doctored.

March 16: Middleton and Prince William go to Windsor Farm Shop together, about a mile from their Windsor home. No outlets report on the outing, and no photos from it surface to social media.

Hanburys lawyers tell Business Insider that the rumors are completely false about an alleged affair.

March 18: The U.K.s Sun is the first outlet that reports on Middletons farmers' market trip two days earlier. At that point, there are no photos of the outing. The outlet also claims the couple watched their kids at sporting events that morning.

Speculation grows around the fact that there are no photos of Middleton at either place. TMZ then reveals a video of Middleton and Prince William at the market. Theyre smiling and appear happy together. A dressed-down Middleton appears to be moving around well postsurgery.

The conspiracy theories grow, claiming that the photos and videos of Middleton at the market arent really her. It's not just internet sleuths. BBC reporter Sonja McLaughlan says the woman wasn't Middleton, but a "look-alike." Even celebrities weigh in, including Andy Cohen.

Others point to a Christmas wreath and holiday lights seen in the video, suggesting the footage is old. That led Good Morning Britain host Jonathan Swain to go to the shop to debunk the rumor, documenting that the holiday decorations are still up.

Getty Images says that a photo taken by Middleton in 2023 of Queen Elizabeth II and several of her grandchildren has been manipulated. There are at least six different discrepancies, with the queens skirt being modified and a digital repetition of one of the childrens hair. Similar to the Mothers Day photo, Getty places an editors note on the photo, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced.

March 20: The British privacy and data protection watchdog, the Information Commissioners Office, says it is probing a report that at least one staff member at London Clinic, where Middleton had surgery (and the royals have long received care), tried to access her medical records.

The hospital initiates an internal investigation, according to British tabloid the Mirror, which first reports the story.

A hospital spokesperson says in a statement:

"We have systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken. There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues."

Kensington Palace declines comment, calling it "a matter for the London Clinic."

Meanwhile, the March 31 Easter holiday, the palaces estimated timetable for Middleton's scheduled return to public life, is fast approaching. There have also been unconfirmed reports that her return to public life will be later, on April 17, following her children's three-week school holiday.

Stay tuned to see if that schedule is kept and what happens next.

Update: This story was originally published on March 12, 2024 has been updated with new information.
An Arizona lawmaker made headlines when she announced her plans to get an abortion on the state Senate floor - in an effort to shed light on the states restrictive abortion laws.

When Democratic state senator Eva Burch took to the Senate floor on Monday 18 March, she revealed to her fellow lawmakers that she was seeking an abortion after learning that her pregnancy is not viable.

Burch explained that she recently learned she was pregnant against all odds and detailed her familys rough journey with fertility. The District 9 representative, who is also a registered nurse, experienced a miscarriage more than 13 years ago and terminated a nonviable pregnancy two years ago, while she was campaigning for her Senate seat.

After numerous ultrasounds and blood draws, we have determined that my pregnancy is once again not progressing and is not viable, and once again I have scheduled an appointment to terminate my pregnancy, Burch said.

While the Arizona state senator maintained she doesnt believe people should have to justify their reasons for getting an abortion, Burch decided to reveal her decision in order to have meaningful conversations about reproductive rights.

The mother of two emphasised that undergoing an abortion would be the safest and most appropriate treatment for her unviable pregnancy. However, she detailed the many obstacles shes been facing in the weeks since learning she was pregnant, noting that Arizonas laws have interfered with her decision to get an abortion.

WATCH: Senator Burch has just shared her personal abortion story with the rest of her colleagues at the legislature. Her Republican colleagues voted to ban abortion in 2022. Thank you, Sen. Burch for sharing your story, a story that so many Arizona families know all too well. pic.twitter.com/nyajE9H4MH  ADLCC (@A_DLCC) March 18, 2024

Burch said she was forced by state law to have an invasive transvaginal ultrasound at the abortion clinic, and was read factually false information about alternatives to abortion that were required by law. Burch was then required to wait another 24 hours after her appointment to have the abortion procedure - a mandated state requirement.

From where I sat, the only reason I had to hear those things was in a cruel and really uninformed attempt by outside forces to shame and coerce and frighten me into making a different decision other than the one I knew was right for me, Burch said. Theres no one-size fits all script for people seeking abortion care and the legislature doesnt have any right to assign one.

She stressed that Arizonas abortion laws have nurtured distrust and confusion in relationships between patients and providers, and called on the Arizona legislature to allow constituents to make their own decisions about their reproductive care.

I will never try to force someone to have an abortion. Nobody should ever try to prevent me from having mine, Burch added.

In June 2022, the US Supreme Court struck down a 50-year precedent set by Roe v Wade when it issued a ruling in the 2018 case Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization. In turn, the Supreme Court decided that there is no constitutional right to abortion despite decades of federal protections for abortion access since 1973.

Since then, nearly two dozen states in the US have issued total bans on abortion or restricted access to abortion services. The Abortion Fund of Arizona states that abortion is legal in the state when provided by a licensed physician, but with several restrictions.

All abortion care, including the delivery of medical abortion pills, can only be administered by a medical doctor. Doctors can provide abortion care only up to 15 weeks of pregnancy, forcing patients to travel out of Arizona for abortion services past 15 weeks.
A doctor examines a child suffering from health problems in Fallujah, Iraq, March 12, 2024.

Twenty years after the U.S. military offensive in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, locals are still suffering from the lasting impacts of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces.(Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

BAGHDAD, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Twenty years after the U.S. military offensive in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, locals are still suffering from the lasting impacts of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces.

In April 2004, U.S. occupation forces launched an offensive in Fallujah, 50 km west of Baghdad, but they encountered strong resistance from anti-U.S. armed groups, which prompted the U.S. forces to sweep the city in November of the same year.

According to local doctors and citizens, the U.S. forces employed internationally banned weapons in their operation, including white phosphorus and depleted uranium (DU) ammunition that led to catastrophic levels of birth defects and abnormalities due to contamination.

A local doctor in the city told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that there are no official figures about the overall situation of birth defects in the city, but a study conducted in 2011 showed that out of every 1,000 newborns, some 147 of them were born with birth defects. The researchers also found that the number of breast cancer cases in females increased 10 times compared to the number in 2003.

Another study released by the Switzerland-based International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in July 2010 said that "the increases in cancer, leukemia, and infant mortality, and perturbations of the normal human population birth sex ratio in Fallujah are significantly greater than those reported for the survivors of the A-Bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945."

Researchers found there had been a 38-fold increase in leukemia in Fallujah compared to 17-fold in the Japanese cities, according to the study.

"What happened in Fallujah was extremely brutal. The Americans used banned weapons, which led to a rise in cases of infertility in women, birth defects, and cancer cases," said Saadi al-Dhehaybah, a 51-year-old doctor at a hospital in Falluja. He was also a witness of the Fallujah battles in 2004.

After 20 years of the battles, the effects of the U.S. use of internationally banned weapons still exist, the doctor added.

"I saw with my own eyes after they struck with the white phosphorus, the bodies in the street, especially in the Jolan neighborhood, which is the most affected neighborhood in the battles," al-Dhehaybah recalled.

A report issued by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in November 2007 stated that while the total amount of depleted uranium munitions used during and after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq remained unknown, "speculative figures from various studies range between 170 and 1,700 metric tonnes."

According to the report, DU is the main by-product of uranium enrichment and is a chemically and radiologically toxic heavy metal. This dense metal can be used in munitions for its penetrating ability and as a protective material in armored vehicles. But air, soil, water, and vegetation can be contaminated and affected by DU residues, which may lead to serious health problems for humans, including damage to human DNA and causing cancer and birth defects.

The reckless use of internationally banned weapons has also led to a virtual increase in rare congenital birth defects in Fallujah.

In the remains of a house bombed during the battles in the Jolan neighborhood, Kahlid Ibrahim, 53 years old, told Xinhua that he lost part of his house, but the real suffering continued even 20 years later.

"My family life has turned into an unbearable tragedy because I have two disabled daughters, which disturbs our daily life, not to mention the daily suffering of looking for a job," Ibrahim groaned.

Ibrahim's daughters Nour, 18 years old, and Mayar, 10 years old, both suffer from birth deformities in their spine and rib cage.

Nour was forced to leave school because she was unable to walk anymore, while Mayar was still in school but had been advised by the doctor not to carry her school bag, and possibly it was only a matter of time for her to leave school.

Over the years, Ibrahim has spent all his savings on treating his two daughters.

"All the deformities are due to the U.S. bombing, in which they used various weapons, and after all these years, diseases and other negative impacts appear on our people," Ibrahim said angrily.

Abdul Quddus Hameed, a medical analysis specialist, told Xinhua that medical teams had observed a surge in diseases possibly related to the utilization of internationally banned weapons in Iraq since 2010. For example, "they were recording on average five cancer cases per month in children, and the average continued to increase until it reached more than 10 cancer cases per month in 2018," Hameed said.

These weapons also led to the emergence of diseases that were not known in the city before 2004, in addition to the occurrence of stillbirths.

"The effects of the use of these weapons on people's lives will remain for hundreds of years, and the people of the city will remain vulnerable to cancer, mental illness, and sometimes mysterious diseases," Hameed warned, calling on the international community to intervene.

"From a medical standpoint, Fallujah should be razed and no one should enter it, and a new city should be built because the existing city has become a contaminated land full of cancerous radiation and endemic diseases," al-Dhehaybah said. 

This photo taken on March 12, 2024 shows a destroyed building in Fallujah, Iraq.

Twenty years after the U.S. military offensive in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, locals are still suffering from the lasting impacts of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

Nour Khalid's father points to the area of deformity on his daughter's body due to the impact of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces in their offensive, in Fallujah, Iraq, March 12, 2024.

Twenty years after the U.S. military offensive in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, locals are still suffering from the lasting impacts of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

This photo taken on March 12, 2024 shows a street in Fallujah, Iraq.

Twenty years after the U.S. military offensive in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, locals are still suffering from the lasting impacts of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

A girl suffering from brain damage, weakness in her limbs, and congenital deformities due to the impact of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces in their offensive, is pictured in Fallujah, Iraq, March 12, 2024.

Twenty years after the U.S. military offensive in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, locals are still suffering from the lasting impacts of the use of internationally banned weapons by U.S. forces.(Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)
On Friday, March 15, the Arizona Fish and Game Commission voted to do away with state's coveted big game auction tags. Since they were created in the 1980s, these tags have generated huge sums for species-specific conservation projects. Just last year, for example, the Arizona statewide mule deer tag brought $725,000 at auction in Salt Lake City, Utah. Four of Arizona's five commissioners voted to eliminate the high-dollar tags because they believe the auction model gives wealthy hunters unequal access to the state's legendary big game herds. Now hunters in Arizona and elsewhere are wondering how millions of dollars in lost conservation revenue will be replaced.

A vintage cover of Field & Stream magazine with a spaniel holding a pheasant.

"These tags brought in a ton of money, and in Arizona, 100 percent of that money goes back to big game species on the ground. It was a very transparent and successful program," Michael Cravens, the Advocacy and Conservation Director of the Arizona Wildlife Federation and the Vice Chairmen of the Arizona Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, tells Field & Stream. Cravens said the Arizona Wildlife Federation was one of several conservation groups that wanted to keep the current auction system in place.

"The problem some of our commissioners had with it is that they believed it went against the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation, which states that we need to provide opportunity to all," he says. "But statistics show that all of that money was being put back on the ground. It equated to more habitat, better habitat, and more animals on the landscape, which in turn created more opportunity for the public."

According to Cravens, the vote will sunset Arizona's auction tag system by the 2026 big game season. "It'll be interesting to see what those tags go for at auction next year because it'll be the last opportunity to bid on them," he said.

Historically, the Arizona Game & Fish Department (AZGFD) has allowed up to three auction tags for each of its big game species. Of the several western states that allow for the sale of big game tags at auction, Arizona's trophy tags draw some of the largest sums at hunting events like the Sheep Show and the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo. In 2023the same year an Arizona muley tag went for more than $700,000 at the Western Hunt Exposomeone shelled out $430,000 for a desert bighorn tag at a Wild Sheep Foundation event in Reno, Nevada.

Though big game auction tags seem to raise more money and garner more media attention each year, there's a growing movement in some states to prioritize open raffles over banquet hall auctions that cater to well-heeled hunters. In Montana, for example, the statewide mule deer tag is now being raffled off by Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA). Sources in the Montana chapter of BHA tell F&S that the raffle will raise at least as much money as an auction for the same tag generated at the Western Hunt Expo in January 2023.

Read Next: Holds Open Raffle for Coveted Statewide Mule Deer Tag

In Arizona, it's not clear what will replace the state's proven auction model, but some hunters suspect AZGFD will implement similar open raffles to make up for lost revenue. In the meantime, local conservation groups are left in a state of limbo. "There is no clear and concise plan for replacement, and that's why a lot of folks are upset," Cravens said. "We do have a raffle system but cost-study analysis has shown that when it comes to the more iconic or more sought-after speciessheep, elk, pronghornthe raffle tags do not equate to nearly the amount of money that the auction tags do."
Content is created by CNN Underscoreds team of editors who work independently from the CNN newsroom. When you buy through links on our site, CNN and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Learn more

Jill Waldbieser/CNN Underscored

People are always talking about reinventing the wheel, but theres another simple tool thats quietly been getting a major upgrade: that glorified lever, the shovel. Trying to select a snow shovel these days is a much more thoughtful process than years past, with considerations like plastic versus metal, handle height and shape, ergonomics and whether youre going to scoop the snow or just push it around all factoring into the final decision.

This was all a revelation to me. I grew up using a wood-handled aluminum beast with edges that had curled up from years of abuse. I can still hear the tooth-gritting scrape it made on the pavement. When I bought my own home five years ago, snow removal was an afterthought, so much so that I was using a secondhand plastic shovel one of my neighbors had been throwing out. The first big snowstorm we got, I realized my mistake. Or rather, I felt it the next day. This was my first house with sidewalks, plus a substantial deck, and that cheap secondhand shovel was not going to cut it.

To help you find the best shovel so you wont be as sore as I was that day, we got seven of the top snow shovels on the market to test head-to-head. Here are the three that stood out.

True Temper 18-Inch Ergonomic Mountain Mover Snow Shovel

Best snow shovel



Ames True Temper

For a basic all-purpose shovel, this one checks all the boxes: Its ergonomic, lightweight and durable; has a decent scoop capacity; and can be used on multiple surfaces. If you can only invest in one shovel, the True Temper Ergonomic Shovel, coming in under $40, is your best bet.





Bully Tools 27-Inch Poly Snow Pusher

Best pusher snow shovel



Bully Tools

If youre clearing large areas, this pusher gets the job done with minimal effort, thanks to its solid polypropylene design, wide blade and no-slip fiberglass handle.





Era Premium Plus Series 28-Inch XL Snow Pusher

Best snow shovel for your back



Era

The S-shaped curve of this lightweight plastic shovel noticeably minimizes the strain on your back when lifting, and the large-capacity scoop means you get the job done faster without feeling sore the next day.





Best snow shovel: True Temper 18-Inch Ergonomic Mountain Mover Snow Shovel

$39 at The Home Depot

Jill Waldbieser/CNN Underscored

If you only get one shovel, it should be the True Temper Mountain Mover. Throughout our testing, the Mountain Mover proved to be extremely versatile, easily pushing and scooping all types of snow. There are traditionally two main types of shovels: scoopers for dense, icy snow and pushers for light, fluffy stuff. What makes the Mountain Mover so great is its hybrid design, allowing you to deal with any type of snow. If you know you only get really dense or really light snow, you might want to look into traditional scoopers and pushers, but if you get varying conditions, the Mountain Mover is the one for you. In our testing, what really made the Mountain Mover shine was its versatility. It has a narrow scoop, and while that might mean you have to do more passes to completely clear your driveway, we really appreciated how manageable the small blade felt to use. That, paired with its lightweight materials and ergonomic shaft, makes tossing snow with the Mountain Mover much easier than nearly every other shovel we tried.

Weighing in at 4 pounds, the Mountain Mover was on the lighter end of the spectrum of shovels we tested, which ranged from 3 to 7 pounds. Despite its weight, however, it still manages to live up to its name. The angle of its blade makes it possible to both push and scoop snow depending on your need. I found that even though this shovel isnt a pusher per se, flipping it over and using the flat edge of the blade worked as well as some of the dedicated pushers we tested.

While other shovels we tried, like the DMOS, excelled in dense, wet snow but were less proficient in light, powdery stuff, the Mountain Movers combination of comfort, blade angle and weight made it excel at both. Admittedly, it wont replace an ice scraper, but it is versatile enough to tackle all conditions with equal ease.

Plus, holding and using the Mountain Mover was extremely easy  even with gloves on  thanks to an elongated and oversized D-shaped handle. (Most other shovels in our tests, including others by True Temper, also have a D-shaped handle but werent as big and comfortable to use.) Scooping and tossing shovelfuls of snow is aided by the gently curved shaft, which relieves some of the pressure on your back. (If youre worried about back pain and need a more ergonomic shovel, check out our pick for the best shovel for your back below.)

Another feature of the Mountain Mover we loved was its nylon wear strip at the base of the blade. Other shovels we tried have a metal strip to help cut through snow and ice, but the nylon performed just as well and was gentler, which allowed me to clear snow off a sizable wooden deck without damaging it (the strip helps prolong the life of the shovel too).

If youre looking for a shovel that can withstand a variety of conditions and make snow shoveling less of a chore, this small but mighty shovel is worth every penny.

Best snow pusher: Bully Tools 27-Inch Poly Snow Pusher

Jill Waldbieser/CNN Underscored

If you live in an area with high snowfall that tends to be mostly powder, youll want a dedicated snow pusher. Our favorite from testing was the Bully Tools 27-Inch Poly Snow Pusher, which moved large drifts with ease.

Most of the other snow pushers we tested take their design cue from snow plows and have an utterly smooth, barely curved blade. The Bully Tools, on the other hand, has more curve to cut and collect massive amounts of snow. When we tested it against the other snow pushers, we found that the Bully Tools design helped push more snow easily, mainly thanks to its long handle and extra-wide and thick blade. This came in handy during a storm that dropped about half a foot of light powder, which is what snow pushers are really designed for: moving bulk snow in fairly straight paths. This made it ideal for clearing my sidewalks during the storm; rather than squat, scoop and toss shovelfuls, I could simply push this beast in a straight line and watch the snow mound up, then steer it off to the side where it piled up out of the way, no lifting required. The more plow-like pushers I tested didnt allow me to move nearly as much snow at once and felt less able to stand up to heavier loads.

Its also made of polypropylene so strong that the company has video footage showing one of its shovels being run over by a Ford F-150 without a crack. It translates to a snow pusher thats exceptionally strong and durable, can be used on surfaces like wood without fear of damage and will last for years. The D-grip handle also has a nonslip surface thats a nice touch.

If you primarily get powdery snowfall, and lots of it, a pusher is probably all you need, and this one was the most heavy-duty and most adept at moving large mounds.

Best snow shovel for your back: Era Premium Plus Series 28-Inch XL Snow Pusher

$40 at Amazon or $36 at The Home Depot

Jill Waldbieser/CNN Underscored

Leave it to Canadians to design a great snow shovel. Of all the ergonomic shovels I tested, this one from Eras Premium Plus line provided the most immediate relief. Using it instantaneously relieved the pressure on my lower back, even with heavy, wet snow loads. At 28 inches, the blade is as wide as many snow pushers, and such a load could cause significant discomfort if the curved handle were not assisting you. The blade is made of sturdy polypropylene that is designed to withstand temperature extremes (-25 degrees Celsius) without cracking, and theres even a molded piece on the back of the blade so you can use your foot for some extra power, a feature we only found on this shovel. The Era also has an optional anodized metal wear strip that I found helped me clear ice and snow down to bare pavement, which the other plastic shovels we tested couldnt do.

Despite how heavy-duty this shovel is, it was lighter at 3.5 pounds than the other all-plastic shovels we tested, which helped with maneuverability and lifting without strain. The shaft is steel, while most of the other shovels in our tests used fiberglass or other materials. I prefer the steel, which is strong enough to remain hollow, reducing the overall weight of the shovel without the risk of bending, warping or cracking.

It was surprising that this shovel, with its more gentle S-shaped curve, felt easier on my back than the other ergonomic shovels I tested (like the True Temper), which had more severe bends, but a little went a long way, and the slighter curve also makes the Era shovel easier to store. Im also a fan of the D-shaped nonslip handle, which, apart from our overall winner, the True Temper, was the most comfortable one I used and the only other shovel handle that was shaped to accommodate snow gloves without feeling clunky.

If you always have a sore back after shoveling your driveway, consider the Eras Premium Plus Snow Pusher. Its ergonomic design reduced stress on my own back without sacrificing performance. While this shovel can help, to really prevent back pain, read on for some tips from expert snow shovelers on how to clear snow safely.

How to shovel snow safely

Snow removal can be more than just a figurative pain. Though the most often quoted statistic  that snow shoveling accounts for some 11,500 emergency room visits annually  is from data thats now almost 20 years old, the risk of injury is still very real. A 10-pound shovelful of snow may produce 20 pounds of compression on your spine, says Kevin Costello, a mechanical engineer and certified professional ergonomist (CPE) with United States Ergonomics, based in Long Island, New York. And if you dont use proper technique, it multiplies that.

Jill Waldbieser/CNN Underscored

The real danger when snow shoveling isnt muscle strain as much as it is the cardiovascular risk. There are a number of deaths attributed to snow shoveling-related heart issues each year, and shoveling snow is listed among the physical activities known to place extra stress on the heart, especially for individuals who generally arent active, according to research by the American Heart Association. Even the best shovel wont help in those cases. Heres what to keep in mind if you want to prevent heart and other snow-related injuries:

1. Warm up: Costello recommends 10 minutes of light stretching before grabbing a shovel.

2. Use proper form: When you shovel snow, you want to engage your legs, core and arms more than your back. That means bending at the knees when lifting instead of twisting your torso while also maintaining an S-shape to your spine by sticking out your butt.

3. Take a lighter load: Smaller shovelfuls may take longer to get the job done, but theyll also lower the risk of overloading yourself. If youre exerting more than 60% of your strength, youre going to fatigue pretty quickly, Costello says. So try to take on only slightly more than half your capacity.

4. Stretch a second time: If you want to feel good the next day, do not just sit on the couch after a shovel session, Costello says, as lactic acid has built up in your muscles. It seems counterintuitive, but 10 minutes of mild stretching or even a massage helps that acid disperse and prevents next-day soreness.

Everything you need to know about snow shovels

While following the above tips can help you reduce the impact shoveling has on your body, the snow shovel you use does make a difference. There are a few key points to keep in mind if you want to reduce strain on your back, Costello says:

Shovel height: The longer the handle is, the more torque you put on your body and the more prone you are to muscle strain. A snow shovel should be roughly chest high.

Shaft shape : Curved handles are an improvement if youre scooping and tossing snow, not just pushing it.

Blade width: Even if youre just pushing snow, you have to be cautious. The wider the blade, the higher the force. A 24-inch blade is pretty standard and wide enough for most paths and other jobs.

Handle shape: Most people dont think about their wrists when shoveling, but they should. A D-handle is best for helping you keep a straight wrist.

Of course, choosing a shovel is about more than just ergonomics. I was surprised to learn that the pro shovelers I spoke with tend to stick with old-school, straight-handled, scoop-type shovels. Patrick Hummel, park supervisor for Mount Washington State Park in New Hampshire, is one of them. The reason: Conditions at the summit, the highest peak in the northeastern United States and what he calls home of the worlds worst weather, are notoriously erratic and extreme. Thats why were careful with our shovel selection and keep them shorter on the handle, Hummel says. A straight handle allows us to better keep our center of gravity, which is important in gusting 40-mph winds.

Jill Waldbieser/CNN Underscored

Another thing pros had in common: shovel diversity. The summit of Mount Washington gets between 20 and 25 feet of snow annually, and its not all light powder. Hummel and his crew have multiple styles of shovel at the ready: shorter, sturdy plastic scoop-type shovels for routine work, metal shovels when theres frozen precipitation mixed in, and the double-handled walk-behind contraptions known as sleigh shovels or sometimes yooper scoopers (though not by Hummel) to push heavy snow drifts away from doorways. Its hard, at least in the northeast, to have a one-size-fits-all shovel, Hummel says. A lot depends on the person and setup and situation.

After testing many, I concur. If youre regularly shoveling different kinds of snow or clearing different surfaces, it pays to invest in multiple shovels. If youre more of a snow shoveling hobbyist who wants to take your chances, then choose the shovel that seems to best suit your priorities, whether those are budget, durability, comfort or another factor.

Types of snow shovels

If you think a snow shovel is a snow shovel, Ive got news for you: There are at least four different major kinds of snow shovels.

Scoops: These are the classic snow shovels designed to lift and toss. They have a somewhat smaller, more curved blade and are great for digging out parking spots or clearing small paths.

Snow pushers or snow rollers: These snow shovels have larger, flatter blades designed to push rather than scoop snow, so they eliminate the need to lift and are best for clearing large areas. Some have wheels.

Hybrid shovels: These combine elements of both pushers and scoops.

Sleigh shovels or yooper scoopers. These devices have what looks like the scoop of an excavator attached to a bar that loops around so you can grip it with both hands. They are the largest kind of shovel and are best if you live somewhere that gets a high volume of powdery snow.

Jill Waldbieser/CNN Underscored

How we tested

I am a lifelong East Coaster who has been shoveling snow for three decades and has done so through multiple snowstorms, blizzards, a Snowmageddon or two and at least one polar vortex. Nevertheless, I know conditions vary geographically, so to select and evaluate our pool of test shovels, I spoke to professionals with plenty of shoveling experience in different US climates. In addition to Hummel and Costello, I consulted with Ranyon dArge, head of park and pipe operations at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. Here is a full breakdown of how I tested the shovels:

Construction

Assembly: Some shovels come pre-assembled or you can request the store you purchase them from to handle it, but some came with minimal assembly required and one required power tools to assemble.

Design and materials: Each shovel was assessed visually on the quality of materials and construction, both before and after use.

Ergonomics and weight: We rated shovels based on not only how efficient they were at snow removal but how difficult they were to use and how much strain using them put on the back and other body parts. Grip comfort was also assessed.

Performance

Efficiency: Simply put, this is how good of a job the shovel did at snow removal under two very different conditions: a light, fluffy snow and a dense, wet snow over ice. We rated how easy it was to clear snow under each condition and how long it took to clear a designated area.

Versatility: Each shovel was used on sidewalks, a concrete driveway, a gravel driveway and a wooden deck, and rated on how well it performed on each surface.

Other snow shovels we tested

$28 at The Home Depot

This hybrid model from True Temper leans toward pusher more than scoop and was the largest and heaviest shovel we tested, which isnt ideal for the average homeowner, especially when the handle doesnt provide any ergonomic relief.

$60 at JM Enterprises or $90 $79 at Amazon

While this design was said to revolutionize snow removal, I did not find that to be the case. It works purely for pushing light drifts, has no depth or grooves for scooping snow at all and was the only shovel we tested that required power tools to assemble.

$60 at The Home Depot

This has a similar design to the Snowplow, which means it wasnt versatile when it came to different kinds of snow and is heavier overall. I did find the handle more ergonomic and easy to push with a double-handed grip, but if I only buy one shovel, this isnt going to be it.

Currently unavailable

This ultra-portable shovel was a stand-out in our testing. It was incredibly durable, cut through icy and dense snow with ease and is a fantastic shovel to keep in your car just in case you need to dig yourself out of a snowbank. However, it isnt available for purchase anywhere online, so we cant recommend it.

Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.

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A passion for wildlife and a love of family is what made the late Steve Irwin so special. And he passed on those values to his kids, Bindi Irwin, 25, and Robert Irwin, 20. These Australia Zoo conservationists are hard at work carrying on the Crocodile Hunters mission, which started when they were just babies. Irwins wife Terri filmed amazing home videos of her kids when they were little, and the recently-shared clips of young Bindi and Robert are bringing a tidal wave of emotions.

She was a natural at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital!  https://t.co/sIZK1AuNV9 More from SheKnows  SheKnows (@SheKnows) March 19, 2024

The world watched the kids grow up, thanks to their frequent appearances alongside their parents, but now, the Australia Zoo is sharing a more intimate look at the Irwin family. They recently posted a montage of home videos of Bindi and Robert from mom Terris home state of Oregon, and it is the most wholesome thing weve ever seen.

Sea Lions

SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA  AUGUST 22: (EUROPE AND AUSTRALASIA OUT) Bindi Irwin, 2, daughter of Steve Irwin, with with Burmese Pythons. (Photo by Graeme Parkes/Newspix/Getty Images)

Through the lens of Terris handycam we are transported back in time to visit Oregon, the video posted to the Australia Zoo YouTube was captioned. Returning to the same spots has created an abundance of heartfelt memories, made sweeter by now sharing it all with beautiful Grace [Bindi and husband Chandler Powells daughter].

The video begins with Terri holding Bindi in a carrier on her back. Were gonna go see the sea lions, Terri tells the camera, walking toward an art display of several sea lions overlooking the ocean beyond. The video then cuts to a toddler-aged Bindi, all bundled up in pink pants and a purple windbreaker, as she climbs up the display.

Shes a very good sea lion hugger, Terri says about her daughter, as the video cuts ahead to an even older Bindi, this time dressed in a white dress, as she hugs the same statue. Shes growing up so fast, and its adorable! I just love sea lions so much! Bindi says in the video in her cute little kid voice.

.@BindiIrwin's daughter, Grace Warrior, shares a heartwarming moment cuddling with a tortoise at Australia Zoo. https://t.co/cU2HjhPIPk  SheKnows (@SheKnows) March 14, 2024

Later, Terri films Robert at the Sea Lion Caves, who is pointing up at the big statue from his stroller. Suddenly, Roberts a toddler  telling his older sister, Im going to get on it too about the sea lion statue. These two are so precious!

In another scene, Terri reveals the family is with their sea lion buddies. This time, Bindi is all grown up and brought her then-boyfriend (now husband) Chandler Powell along with her. Robert is still a kid, but hes brought a nice camera with him to take pictures, hinting at his future talent as a wildlife photographer. How can time pass this quickly?!

Aquarium

SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA  JUNE 25, 2005: (EUROPE AND AUSTRALASIA OUT) Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin with his children, Bindi Irwin and Bob Irwin, and a 3-year-old alligator called Russ at Australia Zoo in Queensland. (Photo by Newspix/Getty Images)

The family also spends a lot of time at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. They walked past a creek where Terri tells the story of Bindi falling in headfirst when she was a baby. Then it flashes back to Terri telling Bindi about it when she was a kid, and another time when a toddler Bindi got in the water and fell on her bum. Other footage shows Bindi and Robert looking at otters when they were kids. Then it jumps ahead to Bindis daughter Grace seeing otters at the same aquarium years later. Such a beautiful family tradition!

Say hello! Powell tells his daughter. She holds a pinecone as she tries to say otter. At one point, Grace says, Wow! as she watches the otter, and now we are full-on bawling. These moments are too sweet.

Bindi Irwin's daughter is the pinnacle of joy in this sweet video!  https://t.co/7pqXSJI0hL  SheKnows (@SheKnows) January 31, 2024

Other scenes show a toddler Grace hanging out with seagulls, a young Robert explaining what the different colors of the seagulls look like, and Grace checking out the seagulls in the same spot with her mom. Life comes full circle, and its awesome to see.

The comments were full of love. Past and present , some things luckily never change, one person wrote. It is amazing watching Bindi and Robert growing up and now seeing the new generation with little Grace .

Absolutely love seeing this, family adventures! another person wrote. Someone else commented, Absolutely heartwarming  and quite the legacy! Well done 

Bindis Letter to Her Mom

SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA  DECEMBER 01: Robert Irwin with his mother Terri and sister Bindi celebrating his 6th birthday at Australia Zoo on December 1, 2009 on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. (Photo by Marc Grimwade/WireImage)

Earlier this month, Bindi praised her mom and how she held the Irwin family together after Steves tragic death in 2006. Mum  The reason we are all here today, standing up for wildlife conservation and continuing Dads legacy, its because of you, Bindi wrote.

I am in awe of your hard work, love and dedication, she continued. Watching you create enormous positive change for the planet through Australia Zoo, Wildlife Warriors, and The Crocodile Hunter Lodge  it is phenomenal. The Crikey! Its the Irwins star went on, As a wife and mother now myself, I can only begin to imagine the heartache and the difficulty you faced after Dad passed away. The fact that you keep his legacy going flawlessly AND have been there for me and Robert every moment  that is astounding.

Bindi added, You give 100% of yourself to everything you do. I cant believe that I get to be your daughter. It is an honour.

Its an honor just to live in the same world as the wonderful Irwin family!

Before you go, click here to see Bindi Irwins sweetest mommy milestones!



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Days of Our Lives star Greg Vaughan, 50, shared that he experienced a severe health scare during a Colorado vacation.

He shared photos from urgent care wearing an oxygen mask.

My Blood Oxygen was at 54% & my lungs were full of fluids! he wrote.

For Days of Our Lives star Greg Vaughan, the drama doesnt stay on-set. The 50-year-old recently took to Instagram to spill a soap-level story he actually lived: He shared photos from urgent care, detailing a health scare that took place during a spring break trip to Colorado.

Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know whatcha gonna get! he began the post, jokingly. The actor explained that the trip was a father and sons outing, and after the first day, he felt off. He was somewhat tired, he wrote, experienced shortness of breath after climbing stairs, and had some congestion and a growing headache.

Chocking it all up to the snowy conditions, he tried to sleep it off with the help of Pedialyte and NyQuil. Unfortunately, it was a night of tossing, turning, no sleep, coughing, dry heaving & my head felt like it was in a walnut cracker! he wrote. At that point, he opted to sit out the days planned adventures and rest, but his symptoms only worsened.

Two full days gone, enough was enough. I finally surrendered & went to urgent care, Vaughan continued. And to my shock, I learned that I was experiencing severe altitude sickness! My blood oxygen was at 54% & my lungs were full of fluids!

Altitude sickness describes the symptoms that occur when you move too quickly into higher elevations (like the Colorado mountains), without giving your body enough time to adjust to the change in atmosphere, per the Cleveland Clinic. The higher the altitude, the thinner the atmosphere, and the harder it is to consume the same amount of oxygen as you would in lower altitudes.

There are different levels of altitude sickness, ranging from acute mountain sickness to high altitude cerebral edema (HACE), which causes swelling of the brain, per Cleveland Clinic. In a separate post, Vaughan revealed that his case was a mid-severe altitude sickness known as high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE), which causes the lungs to fill with fluid, and if left untreated, can be fatal.

As evidenced in Vaughans photos, he received supplemental oxygen as treatment. According to the Cleveland Clinic, other treatments include descending from high altitudes, medication, and hyperbaric therapy. The best way to avoid altitude sickness is to ascend slowly and gradually and to rest and take breaks often.

Vaughans friends and followers were glad to see hes OK. Oh no!!! Im so sorry! Thats so scary!!! one person commented. Oh no! So glad you went to the urgent care! That can be super serious! Thank God youre okay - feel better fast! another added. Feel better brother! So glad you went in! Sending you healing prayers, someone else wrote.

In another follow-up post, Vaughan shared a snapshot of his Apple Watch noting his raised oxygen levels. (Its important to note that blood oxygen readings from the Apple Watch are not intended for medical use, per the brand, and some newer models do not have this feature.) He was told he needed to get off the mountain, but couldnt leave his family behind, he wrote, so he was sent home with an oxygen tank.

Its been a struggle, but I am over the top, he said tearfully in his video message, thanking followers for their support. I am feeling much better... I just want anybody that goes into the Colorado mountains [to know that] it is no joke... I feel tremendously loved and I cant say it enough.

Were glad to see Vaughan on the mend, and hopefully, back on screen, soon!

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The beloved convenience store-gas station will lay roots in Fairhope.

Wawa

If youve ever driven through the Mid-Atlantic, youve likely come across Wawa: a gas station-convenience store with a following nearly as passionate as Southerners who love Buc-ees. Not only does Wawa sell gasthe chain has made-to-order dinner items, custom hoagies, breakfast sandwiches, an expansive drink selection, freshly brewed coffee, milkshakes, and more. Theyre even serving up a BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger!

Now, the Yellowhammer state will be joining Wawas fleet of nearly 1,000 locations in the United States.

Wawa just announced plans to open their very first Alabama store in Fairhope on April 25, 2024. The store will be located at 18968 Greeno Road (Baldwin County) and, in true Wawa style, will have a spectacular grand opening: a ribbon cutting, the announcement of community partnerships, support for local organizations, celebration of local heroes through Wawas signature Hoagies for Heroes initiative, and all kinds of festivities.

We cant wait to open our doors to our new Alabama friends and neighbors and are excited for the chance to offer our new customers our unique brand of fresh food, beverages, and convenience, said Robert Yeatts, Sr. Director of Store Operations. As each location opens, we will further solidify our commitment to providing the community with not only a new level of convenience but a strong, committed community partner.

In addition to the brand-new store in Fairhope, Wawa will also be opening a store in Mobile and Robertsdale this summer (dates are yet to be announced). Wawa plans to open seven to ten stores in the Baldwin County and Mobile regions in the next three to four years, each employing an average of 35 workers, the company announced in a release. This expansion will create hundreds of long-term jobs for local Alabamians.

Though Wawa would be hard-pressed to surpass our love of Buc-ees or Loves Travel Stops, were excited to enjoy all of their fan-favorite items on our visits to Fairhope. You cant go wrong with the beauty on the bay!

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The Mucky Duck is know for its laid-back vibe and spectacular beachfront sunset views.

Sunset views? Check.

On the beach? Check.

Good food? Fine drink? Laid-back atmosphere? Check, check and check.

For nearly 50 years, the Mucky Duck has been a favorite of locals and visitors alike.

And now its a favorite of Southern Living.

When the magazines editors named the best beach bars in the south, the iconic Captiva restaurant was among 18 selected.

The Mucky Duck opened on Captiva in the mid-1970s.

Everything about this tiny pub on Captiva Island is surprising, the entry reads. In the 1970s when two entrepreneurs bought it, it was set to become a rental home. Somehow plans changed and the Mucky Duck, a British-inspired pub was born.

Guests can sit inside that charming pub or opt for an umbrella-covered table outside and have their feet in the sand.

While the Mucky Duck has a seafood-heavy menu, it combines a bit of everything  fried seafood platters youd expect from a place on the water, favorite appetizers youd expect from a pub, and even a few white-tablecloth additions like duck a lorange, the article continued.

The Mucky Duck is located at the end of Andy Rosse Lane on Captiva.

Southern Living also wisely suggests that guests grab a table early to enjoy the sunset views, another of the pubs popular features.

The Mucky Duck was one of eight Florida bars to make the list. The others: Marco Islands Kane Tiki Bar & Grill in Collier County and beach bars in Perdido Key, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Jupiter, Delray Beach, Pensacola Beach and St. Pete Beach.

Dining news: 7 restaurant openings and reopenings, plus two closings, from Cape Coral to Sanibel

Beach bars in Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas were honored as well.

Read the full article at Southernliving.com.

Mucky Duck, 11546 Andy Rosse Lane on Captiva, is open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Call 239-472-3434, go to muckyduck.com or find it on Facebook.

Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyers.gannett

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Mucky Duck named one of best beach bars in south by Southern Living
Porter Airlines will be flying out of Los Angeles and San Francisco to Montreal this summer.

Thomas Roche/Getty Images

Canadian carrier Porter Airlines is expanding out of Californias largest airports, debuting new connections to Montreal this summer.

The Montreal to Los Angeles route will begin on June 27, operating 4x weekly. Then, on June 28, Porter will begin flying from Montreal to San Francisco with 3x weekly service.



Both routes will be seasonal, slated to end on October 26. Porter will compete with Air Canada on both services, which offers as many as 3x daily flights to Montreal from both California airports.

Passengers can now more easily travel across the continent in style with Porters unmatched elevated economy experience, said the president of Porter Airlines, Kevin Jackson, in a statement. These Montreal routes connect to destinations across the globe with Porters strategic partnerships, providing more options that travelers crave.

These new flights will be flown with Porters Embraer E195-E2 aircraft, which only has 132 seats in a 2-2 configuration. Travelers will enjoy complimentary snacks, beer, wine, and free Wi-Fi onboard. Although there arent any first class seats onboard, travelers who book PorterReserve fares are guaranteed seats upfront with extra legroom and complimentary inflight meals for the 5.5-hour flight.



The carrier launched in 2006 and was once a domestic-only airline, operating short-haul flights within Canada. However, Porters new routes to Montreal follow the successes of recently launched year-round flights from Toronto to both Los Angeles and San Francisco, which kicked off in January. Along with the announcement earlier this year, Porter and Alaska Airlines announced a codeshare partnership to connect travelers seamlessly across these West Coast-focused hubs. For instance, travelers flying into San Francisco can connect onward across Alaskas domestic network on the same interline ticket.

The news also comes as rival airline and startup, Lynx Air, ceased operations entirely just last month. The airline mainly operated out of Toronto and Montreal, offering transborder flights to U.S. cities, including Las Vegas, Tampa, and Phoenix.



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Everyone knows the real fashion is seen not on the runway, but on the streets of the worlds buzziest cities. That could not have been more true this Fashion Month, when exciting trends including bows, exposed bras, transparent dresses, florals, big pants and skirts, western vibesand my personal favorite, the resurgence of the babushka scarfdominated the streets of New York, London, Milan, and Paris.

The babushka scarf style got its name from the Russian word babushka, meaning grandmother, as sweet European grannies would often tie a scarf under their chin in the winter, or while running errands. But, in the decades since its origin, the headgear has turned into something of a status symbolan accessory of luxury. Famous stylish women including Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy Onassis involved the babushka in some of their most iconic looks, and these days, It girls including Kendall Jenner, Chloe Sevigny, and Jennifer Lawrence have embraced the look.

BACKGRID

Lawrence made headlines just last month, when she stepped out in Paris in a silky beige and black scarf wrapped around her head and tied below her chin. And this week, now back in New York City, she again repped the style, proving that a well-tied scarf is capable of elevating even the most casual of outfits.

BACKGRID

This time around, the actor opted for a cozy gray scarftied babushka stylepaired with a soft, oversize brown belted coat. Seemingly headed to a workout class, she layered the outerwear over shiny black leggings and added on another old-school European staple: clogs. It was a navy pair, which she wore with black socks. Lawrence accessorized her unexpected look with brown tortoiseshell sunglasses.

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Photo: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Mark Zuckerberg appears to be behind the quiet $29.6 million sale of a European-inspired house in Woodside, California, The Real Deal reports. The 4,800-square-foot home changed hands on March 4, according to records accessed by TRD.

The property was tied to the Facebook co-founder through the analysis of a dizzying list of anonymous entities that evokes lines of red string on a corkboard. Stick with us, here: The entity that sold the mansion is managed by an LLC that shares the business address of an entity which has been reported as the owner of Zuckerbergs private jet.

Highlights of the four-bedroom and four-bathroom abode include an updated Tuscan-inspired chefs kitchen with a skylight, a movie room, and a wood-paneled office with a green marble fireplace.

The estates outdoor amenities include expansive terraces, alfresco dining areas, a swimming pool, a spa, an outdoor kitchen, a hefty double-sided concrete fireplace, and a bocce ball court. Theres also a four-car garage and electric car charging stations.

Zuckerberg appears to have purchased it back in December 2021. That same year, he spent $53 million on 600 acres of land on Kauai, nearly doubling his holdings there; in 2014, the tech billionaire bought over 700 acres on the Hawaiian island. In January, Zuck shared glimpses of the compoundwhich reportedly includes a 5,000-square-foot underground bunkeron social media.

See the video.

The social media mogul seems to be reducing his real estate holdings in the Golden State. In 2022, Zuckerberg sold a San Francisco home for $31 million after a decade of ownership. He maintains a complex of neighboring properties in Palo Alto and two adjoining parcels in Lake Tahoe.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest

More Great Celebrity Style Stories From AD
A shelter dog from Ohio that had a horrific start to his journey and nearly 600 days waiting for his happily ever after has finally found it thanks to the wonderful people at the Euclid Animal Shelter in Euclid, Ohio and the family who decided to give him all the care he deserves.

Chester, a Pit Bull pup was adopted on Monday and went to his new home in a limousine while shelter workers and volunteers shed tears and applauded the resilient pup.

Here's sweet Chester when he first came to the shelter after being saved from horrific conditions. Chester was found with four other dogs abandoned in a home, chained up wearing a prong collar, with no food or water. The chain on his collar was so short he could only sit, stand, or lay down. Chester weighed only 33 pounds when he was rescued. He had multiple wounds all over his body, he was heart worm positive, and he was suffering from mange.

The Euclid Animal Shelter told WDTN, "Chester was completely skin and bones. The dog couldnt even lay down. He had his paw stuck in a prong collar, and he was a mess. He had to be carried out after a little bit because he could not stand, said Kyrie Brickman, kennel manager for the shelter.

Chester spent 587 days at the shelter where he was transformed from near death to a "chonky, resilient, hilarious, and utterly lovable character." The heartbreak of this situation is that even after Chester had numerous inquiries, he never found his forever home, until Monday.

Just look at this beautiful update!

Euclid Pet Pals posted on Facebook, "CHESTER IS HOME!! We cannot be more thankful to everyone involved in making his dream come true of finding his very own forever home! We are working on making a video of all the clips from today, but we cannot thank enough each and every person who shared his story over his time at the shelter! We already received an update from his mom who says he is already snoozing from his big day! She is making him his favorite meal tonight, and that is meatballs!"

I'm not crying, you're crying!

Chester sounds like he is just going to have the most wonderful home ever. There's nothing better than a rescue dog finally getting all the love and care he deserves, especially one as deserving as Chester. Such a wonderful, happy ending. I can't even imagine how thrilled the shelter was for Chester to finally get adopted.

If you would like to support the amazing rescue Euclid Animal Shelter either by making a donation, fostering an animal, volunteering or adopting your very own, you can visit their website here.

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.
UNITED NATIONS, March 19 (Xinhua) -- UN humanitarians said on Tuesday they continue to deliver aid in a tense and volatile Haiti, with schools, hospitals and government buildings under attack.

Many have curtailed operations in the capital of Port-au-Prince. The public electricity company reported on Sunday the destruction of several substations in the capital's metropolitan area, leaving several regions without electricity, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"Despite the tense situation, the United Nations and our humanitarian partners are continuing to deliver aid in Haiti," OCHA said.

The humanitarians said the UN Children's Fund and its partners delivered more than 242,000 gallons of water since early March, while the World Food Programme and its partners provided more than 146,000 hot meals. Humanitarians rendered psychosocial support to the violence-traumatized.

However, the office said the health sector struggles against the lack of medical supplies, health care workers and blood.

"Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the Bernard Mevs hospital in Port-au-Prince has gradually resumed its activities, thanks to support from the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization in providing medicine and medical equipment," OCHA said, adding that a stock of anesthetic drugs has been provided to two other hospitals in Port-au-Prince.

The humanitarians said the 674-million-U.S.-dollar humanitarian response plan for Haiti increased slowly to a funding level of 6.5 percent.

"This is nowhere near enough to respond to the scale of needs on the ground. We urgently need more support," said the humanitarians. 
The Paris Olympics are making it safe for athletes to bone again, and will even be equipping the Olympic Village with 300,000 condoms for the Summer Games, which kicks off in July.

The green light reverses course set by the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Summer Games, which ended up actually taking place in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although athletes were provided with 160,000 condoms, they were strictly prohibited from engaging in sexual activity and told to keep the prophylactics as souvenirs. Any athletes found to be in violation of the rules were subject to fines and disqualification, with repeat offenders even risking having their Olympic medals taken away.

There were also rumors of the Tokyo Olympics organizers installing "anti-sex" cardboard beds to discourage intimacy, which were eventually debunked on social media. Among other amenities in Paris, the village will also feature beds that can support over 550 pounds, although it's unclear whether that has anything to do with media reports of Tokyo's cardboard beds.

"It is very important that the conviviality here is something big," Laurent Michaud, director of the Olympic Village, told TMZ. "Working with the athletes commission, we wanted to create some places where the athletes would feel very enthusiastic and comfortable."



That's certainly one way of putting it.

The Olympic Village, which will be located in L'Ile-Saint-Denis, will be temporary home to 14,500 athletes and staff. As TMZ points out, the 300,000 condoms will be "enough for each person to have sex multiple times per day."

The first time Olympians were offered condoms were at the Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea in 1988, in efforts to raise awareness and prevent the spread of HIV.
The No. 1 spot went to a street in the suburbs of Australia.

Josie Withers/Courtesy of Visit Victoria

Theres a lot to be said for the road not taken. Case in point: most visitors to Melbourne, Australia, likely stay in and around its Central Business District (CBD), missing out on one of the citys highlights  High Street.

Running through the inner-north suburbs of Thornbury, Northcote, and Preston, the thoroughfare earned the highest rankings from Time Outs global network of local editors and writers, to cinch the title of Coolest Street in the World.

Its cool in all the ways youd expect  epic restaurants, hidden bars, live music venues, and boutique shops, Leah Glynn, Time Out Melbourne's editor, said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure. But theres also a warm sense of community spirit that means everyone feels welcome. Its a place where people want to spend their time, and in our opinion, it doesnt get much cooler than that.

Accessible from the CBD on the 86 tram line, High Street is best known for having something for everyone, the publication said. That means charming Aussie cafes right by a food truck park and a delightful mix of vintage stores, live music venues, rooftop bars, and even a boutique indie cinema.

Time Out calls out Casa Nata for its Portuguese tarts, 1800 Lasagne for its signature lasagna, Northside Wines for its local natural wine, Gigi Rooftop for its drinks with a view, and Francescas Bar for late-night dancing.

Though this is only the third edition of the brand's list, Melbourne has already had a strong track record. Its Smith Street topped the 2021 list while its Gertrude Street notched the runner-up spot in 2022.

Next on the list is one of Hong Kongs oldest streets, Hollywood Road. The 0.62-mile stretch, which dates back to 1844, is like its own best of list of the city. There are landmarks like Man Mo Temple, Mid-Level Escalator, and the Tai Kwun Arts and Culture Center, plus favorite bars and restaurants. One highlight: a speakeasy behind a toilet bowl display called Tate Dining Room and Lockdown.

The third-place spot marks the only U.S. street in the Top 10: Austins East Eleventh. Famed for its lively mix of food, culture, and music, Time Out named Kenny Dorhams Backyard, Franklin Barbeque, and the Vintage Bookstore and Wine Bar as the must-visit venues.

The Top 10 was rounded out by Buenos Aires Guatemala Street, Vancouvers Commercial Drive, Kuala Lumpurs Jalan Petaling, Lisbons Rua da Boavista, Rio de Janeiros Arnaldo Quintela, Tokyos Chazawa-dori, and Barcelonas Consell de Cent.

You only really get to know a city when you veer down its side streets, Grace Bead, Time Outs travel editor, said of the list that celebrates the avenues, thoroughfares, backstreets, and boulevards where local life really thrives.



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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
(KRON)  A man has died after a motorcycle accident in Oakland on Monday, according to the Oakland Police Department.

Oakland police officers were dispatched to investigate a one-motorcycle collision into a light pole in the area of Seminary Avenue and Outlook Avenue at 10 a.m. on Monday.

Woman accused of purchasing merchandise with counterfeit bills arrested

Responding officers located the motorcyclist lying on the street bleeding from the head. According to police, the motorcycle was on the ground with major front-end damage next to a light pole on Seminary Avenue.

OPD officers summoned medical personnel who transported the victim to the hospital. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the hospital shortly after.

According to the police preliminary investigation, the motorcycle was traveling northbound in the second lane of Seminary Avenue approaching Outlook Avenue. When he merged onto the first lane, he lost control and collided with a light pole in the center median. Police said speed was a factor in this collision.

The victim is an Oakland resident who is a Black man in his 50s. The victims identity is being withheld pending notification to the next of kin.

It is unknown if alcohol or drugs played a factor in this collision, according to police.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Traffic Investigation Unit at (510) 777-8570.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
A 14-year-old boy fired the fatal shot that killed a bystander on a Bronx subway platform last month in a wild shootout that left one person paralyzed and four others wounded, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The teen, who cops said is affiliated with the Burnside crew, exchanged gunfire with rival gang members of the D Block crew on the No. 4 platform at the Mount Eden Ave. station on Feb. 12.

He is charged with murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. The Daily News is not releasing the suspects name due to his age.

Already arrested is 16-year-old Langel Jones, who was charged as an adult and ordered held without bail on murder charges. A 15-year-old boy who was with Jones is still being sought, cops said.

Langel, a member of the D Block crew, and the 15-year-old were walking through the train when they spotted the 14-year-old, cops said.

The teens got into a shootout, firing at least 19 bullets back and forth. The younger teen was shot in the gunfire along with four other people and 35-year-old Obed Beltran-Sanchez, police said.

Beltran-Sanchez, who was sitting on the train but stepped out onto the platform to get a glimpse of the commotion, was shot in the chest.

The Mexican immigrant was rushed to St. Barnabas Hospital, but he could not be saved.

The shooting also paralyzed one of the victims, according to prosecutors. Another woman hit by gunfire will need to undergo reconstructive surgery, they added.

It is believed that this defendant fired the fatal shot that resulted in the death of the decedent, Bronx Assistant District Attorney Morgan Dolan said at the 14-year-olds arraignment.

The boy also allegedly fired bullets at members of the D Block crew outside a bodega on Davidson Ave. on Jan. 15  an incident Dolan said makes him a flight risk.

He was charged with attempted murder in the earlier shooting, according to prosecutors.

The teen was held without bail following the arraignment, where his mother sobbed in the audience as the handcuffed youth stood before a judge.

Love you, the boy uttered to his brother as he was led from the courtroom.

The boy is due back in court April 18.
Home and Away spoilers follow for UK viewers.

Coming up on Home and Away, Cash starts his new career as a private investigator.

Elsewhere, Valerie reveals a tragic secret from her past, Leah and Justin take a step forward and Mac plays with fire.

Here's a full collection of 15 huge moments.

1. John gets his way

Channel 5

Roo and John are at odds over what to do with the Surf Club's anonymous donation. She wants to hold off until they know what the person wants, while he insists they should spend it to save the ailing business.

On Irene's suggestion, they let the committee decide what's best, but Roo is horrified when every single vote goes in John's favour.

Despite her best efforts to curb John's spending, Roo is forced to admit defeat when Rose refuses to investigate the case of the mystery money.

2. Mac calls things off with Levi

Channel 5

Still reeling from the discovery that Levi is married, Mackenzie vents to Mali over the doctor's refusal to leave his wife.

Levi turns up on her doorstep begging for another chance, but Mac is adamant she won't be the 'other woman' and sends him packing.

The next morning, Mac confronts Levi at his hotel and tells him she's done  this is goodbye.

3. Rose and Mali are on the rocks

Channel 5

Cracks are starting to appear in Rose and Mali's relationship as she throws herself into her new role as Senior Constable.

Mali is miffed when Rose bails on their lunch and dinner plans and deliberately declines her offer of coffee the next day.

Coming to his senses, Mali leaves his girlfriend a message apologising for his behaviour, but it's clear her promotion is putting pressure on them.

4. Mali supports Mac

Channel 5

Rose is also puzzled as to why Mali is showing such concern for Mac.

She probes him on the matter, but he refuses to betray his friend's confidence by exposing her affair with Levi.

Later at home, Mac urges Mali not to worry about her and spend more time with Rose, but he declines  saying he can only deal with one crisis at a time.

5. Cash turns private investigator

Channel 5

Meanwhile, Rose catches up with Cash and admits she's struggling to cope with her mounting workload.

He reassures Rose she's a brilliant cop and needs to stop trying so hard.

Grateful for his support, Rose fills Cash in on the Surf Club mystery donor case. He decides he wants to help and tells Roo he's on the case.

6. Justin won't give up on Leah

Channel 5

Irene gives Justin a stern talking to when he continues hanging around the Diner hoping to run into Leah.

On his way home, Justin can't resist swinging by Alf's, where Leah is staying. When she doesn't answer the door to him Justin decides to wait.

Eventually Leah lets Justin in, but is not happy he broke their agreement to give her space.

7. Justin oversteps the mark

Channel 5

Valerie takes pity on Justin and urges him not to give up on Leah.

He takes her advice on board by inviting Leah for dinner, which she reluctantly accepts. Theo and Valerie join them for the meal and try their best to defuse any awkwardness.

Afterwards, Justin walks Leah home and goes in for a kiss, but she pulls away. Will he regret pushing things too far?

8. Valerie drops a bombshell

Channel 5

Theo apologises to Valerie for making her uncomfortable by prying into her family background.

Later, Valerie opens up to Theo, revealing how she was involved in a terrible car crash that claimed her brother's life.

Valerie explains her parents blamed her for the incident and haven't spoken to her since her sibling's death  hence why she ended up in a mental health facility.

9. Leah gives Justin another chance

Channel 5

Leah pays Justin a visit at the garage and asks where he sees their relationship going.

His answer is simple  he wants them to get back together and for Leah to return home, but only when she's ready.

The estranged couple take a walk together and Leah feels comfortable enough to give Justin a kiss, leaving him feeling hopeful for the future.

10. Dana lends a hand

Channel 5

As Cash starts investigating the mysterious Surf Club donation, eager Dana fills him in about Simon Henderson and his retracted sponsorship.

Cash is thankful for her assistance, but Dana's hopes of becoming his sidekick are dashed when the former cop tells her he'll take it from there.

11. Felicity is over Tane

Channel 5

Felicity is delighted for Cash that he's getting so stuck into his new job.

He questions his sister about an exchange he witnessed between her and Xander, which forces Felicity to admit she slept with Tane.

Cash fears she might be harbouring false hope of a reunion, but Felicity insists her and Tane are done and dusted.

12. Remi suffers a collapse

Channel 5

Remi returns home to continue his recovery but makes out to Bree that he's still in hospital.

Remi explains he doesn't want his girlfriend worrying about him, but Kirby isn't comfortable about lying to her.

After pushing himself too hard an exhausted Remi ends up on the bathroom floor, which forces Eden to make a call to Levi for help.

13. Remi and Eden receive big news

Channel 5

Levi comes to the rescue and administers morphine to Remi.

The episode leaves Remi shaken and he apologises to Kirby for making her deceive Bree.

Later, Remi and Eden's chill time is interrupted by a text revealing their kidnappers Mickey and Wes are being sentenced next week.

14. Levi and Mac resume their affair

Channel 5

Meanwhile, Levi is unable to resist temptation as he heads to Salt in the hope of seeing Mac.

As sparks fly between the forbidden lovers, they return to Levi's hotel room and start tearing each other's clothes off.

They're interrupted by a call from Levi's wife, but this time they ignore it and carry on.

15. Harper feels lonely

Channel 5

Harper is down in the dumps after discovering her former fiance has a baby with his new partner.

Dana attempts to lift her sister's spirits with a cocktail and the pair revisit the story of how Harper left her ex at the altar.

Harper concedes he deserves to move on with his life, but admits she feels down about not having someone special to share her life with.

Dana vows to step up and fix that  but who will be the lucky fella?

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.45pm on Channel 5, with repeat screenings at 6pm on 5STAR and first look screenings at 6.30pm on 5STAR. Selected classic episodes are available via Prime Video in the UK.

Read more Home and Away spoilers on our dedicated homepage

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A 15-year-old Cape Coral girl killed as she walked from the movie theater to a nearby McDonald's with two friends is remembered as a vibrant teenager who brought joy and light into the lives of her parents.

Shortly after 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Cape Coral police officers responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of Southeast 16th Place, where the 15-year-old, identified as Kayla Rincon-Miller, had been injured.

"Her passing has left our family devastated, mourning the loss of this beautiful soul," said her cousin, Sophia Ricketts, in a GoFundMe post raising money for her burial.

A GoFundMe for Rincon-Morales, created around 3 p.m. Monday, had collected nearly $5,000 toward its $30,000 goal by 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

This Cape Coral resident felt compelled to create a makeshift memorial area Monday, March 18, 2024, at the intersection of SE 20th St. and SE 16th Ln. next to the location of a shooting Sunday night which resulted in the death of 16-yr-old Kayla Rincon-Miller. The resident, who declined to be named, heard the shots and was one of the first people to call 9-11. Rincon-Miller was fatally shot Sunday evening after leaving the the nearby movie theater.

Officers began lifesaving measures on Rincon-Miller, who died at a hospital. Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore confirmed details at a Monday news conference.

The girls told detectives they had just seen a movie at the Coralwood 10 movie theater, 2301 Del Prado Blvd., and were walking to the McDonald's at 1715 Del Prado Blvd S. The walk is less than a mile in length and takes between 10 and 15 minutes.

Kayla Rincon-Miller shooting: Cape Coral teen Kayla Rincon-Miller killed in shooting; police search for shooter

The shooting site is about an eight-minute walk to the Coralwood 10 movie theater. The street where the shooting happened, which runs parallel to Del Prado Boulevard South, has no street lights other than those at the homes along.

One of the girls told detectives a car pulled up and blinded them with its lights before an unknown number of suspects jumped out of the car and tried to rob them.

Kayla Rincon-Miller was shot and killed in Cape Coral Sunday night.

Police report the witness said one person began to shoot, striking Rincon-Miller in the chest. All three of the girls said they didn't know who the shooter was. The other two were not injured.

The car the shooter was in fled south on Southeast 16th Place.

A witness who lives near the intersection of Southeast 20th Street and Southeast 16th Place, who wished to remain anonymous, reported she heard about three gunshots.

A Cape Coral Poilce Department forensics investigator searches the area near the intersection of SE 20th St. and SE 16th Ln., Monday, March 18, 2024, next to the location of a shooting Sunday night which resulted in the death of 15-yr-old Kayla Rincon-Miller.

She started a memorial in honor of Rincon-Miller, and added that "this could've been anyone's child."

On Monday evening, Cape Coral police forensics investigators and at least one K9 unit from the Lee County Sheriff's Office began canvassing the area for evidence.

Forensics investigators with the police department placed at least five evidence markers at the scene.

The vehicle the suspects were traveling in remains unknown.

"At this point, we cannot share suspect or vehicle information to protect the integrity of the investigation," Lisa Greenberg, spokesperson for Cape Coral police, said in a statement. She added that police have a vehicle description, "but its not being released because its pivotal to the case."

Detectives are working to identify if one or several suspects were involved in the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Cape Coral Police Department at (239) 574-3223.

Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, who may be reached at 1-800-780-TIPS, are offering a cash reward of up to $3,000 for anyone whose anonymous tips help lead to an arrest. They said doorbell camera video may also be submitted.

Rincon-Miller's death is the city's first homicide in 2024.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Kayla Rincon-Miller: Family mourns loss of 15-year-old Cape Coral girl
GAZA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 23 Palestinians were killed and several others were injured on Tuesday evening in an Israeli airstrike on a gathering of people at the Kuwait Roundabout in Gaza City, according to Palestinian News Agency WAFA.

Local sources told Xinhua that warplanes targeted a local voluntary group, the "Aid Procurement Committee," while they were near the roundabout, causing many injuries, who were later transferred to hospitals in Gaza City.

Local Palestinian tribes formed the group to protect trucks loaded with aid to Gaza City and its north, according to the sources.

The Palestinian death toll from the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has risen to 31,819, with 73,934 others wounded, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said on Tuesday. 
Emilio Gutierrez Soto, left, and his son, Oscar Gutierrez Soto, right, and their immigration attorney Eduardo Beckett celebrate the judges ruling to grant asylum to the father and son after a 15-year journey that included denials, delays and detention.

A federal immigration judge granted asylum today to a Mexican journalist who fled his country more than 15 years ago due to death threats, and who had been denied asylum twice.

Emilio Gutierrez Soto, 60, was all smiles after U.S. Immigration Judge Nathan L. Herbert announced his decision Monday morning in his courtroom on the seventh floor of the Richard C. White Federal Building in Downtown El Paso. Herbert also granted asylum to the journalists son, Oscar Gutierrez Soto, 30.

The elder Gutierrez Soto turned to the gallery and raised his arms in a victory clasp. The 10 people in the audience including family and friends from Missouri, Michigan, New Mexico and Washington, D.C., cheered the ruling. Many of them had helped the father and son through their asylum denials and delays.

When allowed, the journalist approached the bench to shake hands with the judge and thank him for his ruling.

I appreciate it, he said to Herbert, a former resident of Michigan. After the proceedings, the group shared hugs, tears and kisses.

As a result of todays ruling, Gutierrez Soto has the status of asylee, which means he can apply for legal permanent residency, which he could get in about a year. That would allow him to live and work in the U.S. Then he could apply for citizenship in four years.

Outside the courtroom, he said he might resume his journalism career, but he wants to take some time to reflect on what should come next. These days he works at Base Lake Farm in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

It was my therapy, Gutierrez Soto said in Spanish. For years I needed to be quiet.

More: Supreme Court extends block on Texas law that would allow police to arrest migrants

The Mexican journalist left Chihuahua in 2008 after he received death threats from the Mexican military due to stories he wrote about their corruption. He came to the U.S. with his son through a border crossing in Antelope Wells, N.M., and applied for political asylum.

U.S. immigration judge Robert Hough ruled against him twice, once in July 2017 and once in February 2019. Representatives of Gutierrez Soto appealed both decisions, and both times the Board of Immigration Appeals asked the court to reconsider. A three-judge BIA panel ruled in September 2023 that the journalist was eligible for asylum. The BIA is the highest administrative body in the U.S. responsible for the interpretation and application of immigration laws.

Gutierrez Soto is a native of Ascension, a small town about 90-minutes from the U.S. border. He worked as a correspondent, radio reporter and editor in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, for most of the 1990s.

Friends and family of Emilio and Oscar Gutierrez Soto gather outside the Richard C. White Federal Building in El Paso after an immigration judge granted the two men asylum. The father and son came to the U.S. in 2008 after the father, a Mexican journalist, was threatened by the Mexican military for stories he wrote about their corruption.

During his 15-year ordeal, which included many delays, Gutierrez Soto and his son have been supported by advocates, legislators, organizations such as the National Press Club and 20 other journalism organizations.

While they sought asylum in the U.S., they endured two lengthy periods in ICE detention centers in El Paso and Sierra Blanca, Texas.

Among the bright spots during his ordeal was when he represented the Mexican journalists honored with the John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award from the National Press Club, and when he earned a yearlong Knight-Wallace fellowship in 2018-19, which he served at the University of Michigan.

He also has written for El Diario de El Paso, a Spanish-language newspaper, and done freelance work for national outlets. Since 2018, he has worked at the Ann Arbor farm.

The journalists immigration attorney Eduardo Beckett said that this was a big win for the father and son, as well as their supporters in the legal and journalism fields. He said it was almost impossible to imagine after the two previous immigration denials.

This is a happy moment, he said. All our work was not in vain. This taught me that the power of the press matters and it helps people.

After his successful appeal in 2023, Gutierrez Soto told the LatAm Journalism Review that someone told him that he should not consider himself a journalist because he is no longer active.

I said that a journalist never stops being a journalist, even if he is inactive, even if he is not working in the media, he told the LatAm Journalism Review. As journalists, we never stop having an opinion, an argument, a criticism, some public expression, and I have continued to do so.

His son, who married Lilly Kujawski, a U.S. citizen who is a journalism adviser at Washtenaw Community College, is the executive chef at Taste Kitchen in Ann Arbor.

The father and son and their well-wishers planned a day of celebrations starting in El Paso and ending at a friends home in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where they would share tacos and Tequila and Sotol.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Mexican journalist's 15-year fight for asylum granted
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A 17-year-old is charged with first-degree murder after a woman was fatally shot outside a senior living facility earlier this month, Memphis Police say.

2 overnight shootings leave woman dead, man critical

On March 8, a little after 2 a.m., officers responded to a shooting outside of Wesley Stage Park Senior Apartments on Battle Creek Drive in Raleigh. Officers found a female dead inside of her car.

A 17-year-old male was charged with First Degree Murder in the Perpetuation of Robbery and Especially Aggravated Robbery.

The victim was identified by police as 73-year-old Anna Hayden.

Memphis murders and homicides 2024

The teenage suspect had a hearing Tuesday. He will remain in juvenile detention, and the state has made it known it intends to ask that he be transferred to adult court.

According to court documents, the teen admitted to being with at least three other people looking to steal a Kia or Hyundai and planned to go to where some old folks lived to steal a vehicle.

After driving around the building at Wesley Stage Park retirement community, they spotted the 73-year-old victim and demanded the keys to her Kia. She said no and, according to the suspect, one of his accomplices shot her. They then took her vehicle.

Residents at Wesley Stage Park say that Hayden was a former Navy nurse who loved spreading the gospel to anyone who would listen.

South Parkway shooting leaves teen dead, man injured

Another resident at the facility told us they knew of the victim. She was a nice lady as far as I know, the neighbor said. I used to see her walking every day around through here. I dont know what she was out here doing this morning. I have no idea. I did not know her personally.

Its incomprehensible to me that somebody would have such disregard for life that they would take it away from somebody over property or vehicle, said Brian Harris, President and CEO of Wesley Living facility. Yeah, its pretty disgusting to think they would prey on a vulnerable population like that. It just doesnt register with me why anybody would do that.

Harris says additional security has been hired to patrol the property and escort residents.

Obviously our first priority is for the safety of our residents and were putting measures in place to try to maximize that, he says.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now)  The U.S. Marshals Service (USM) said it arrested a 17-year-old in connection to a shooting at a bus stop in Philadelphia that injured 8 teenagers police say.

The arrest of Asir Boone by members of the U.S. Marshals Eastern Pennsylvania Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force and members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force was the fourth related to the shooting that took place on March 6.

USM said members of the task forces went to an apartment near the 700 block of Seaton Ave. in Alexandria on Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. where Boone was hiding with a woman they believed to have ties to Philadelphia.

Marshals took him into custody, then took him to the Alexandria Police Department for processing.

DC police looking for car used in shooting that injured 5, killed 2

The shooting took place less than a mile from Northeast High School in Philadelphia. The eight people who were hurt were students, ranging in age from 15 to 17 years old.

I hope this final arrest brings some comfort to the student victims of this senseless crime, the Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark said. No child should have to fear for their safety while receiving an education and I hope these arrests can subside that fear.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
SAVOY, Ill. (WCIA)  A 17-year-old male from Savoy has been arrested in connection to a shooting Monday night.

Around 11:20 p.m. the Champaign County Sheriffs Office responded to a shots fired report near Prairie Fields Park.

Police searching for three subjects in Champaign shooting

Deputies searched the area for evidence of a shooting and found shell casings in the intersection of Gentian and Prairie Rose. They also found a parked vehicle  unrelated to the incident  that had been damaged by the gunfire.

Shortly after, around 11:33 p.m., the Champaign County Sheriffs Office and Urbana Police Department were notified that a shooting victim had arrived at the Carle Foundation Hospital. The victim, an 18-year-old male from Savoy, was shot in the upper torso area of his body. He is in stable condition.

Sangamon Co. Sheriffs investigating deadly shooting

Deputies also observed that the vehicle the victim arrived in had a defect which was consistent with gunfire damage.

While the officers and deputies were at Carle, they learned a male subject had left the vehicle on foot, heading eastbound on University Avenue. A police officer located a subject matching his description in the 500 block of West University Ave.

The subject, a 17-year-old male from Savoy, had a firearm on him. He was arrested and taken to the Juvenile Detention Center. There, he was charged with Unlawful Use of a Firearm and Defacing Identifying Marks on a Firearm.

UPDATE: Coroner releases Decatur shooting suspects name

The investigation is ongoing but the Sheriffs detectives believe the shooting happened as a result of an ongoing dispute.

Anyone who has information related to the incident should call the Champaign County Sheriffs Office Investigations Division at 217-384-1213 or anonymously through the Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS (8477), submit a web tip at 373tips.com or by using the P3 Tips app.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
A 17-year-old was arrested by the Florida Highway Patrol Sunday after crashing his SUV into the parking lot of the Honda of Pensacola dealership.

The teen was driving northbound on W Street in a Mazda when he lost control of the vehicle during a turn, hitting the curb and continuing into a sign post, an FHP news release says.

"The Mazda continued traveling north into the property of the Honda dealership located (at) 6675 Pensacola Blvd., striking multiple light poles," the release says. "The Mazda finally stopped in the Honda parking lot after striking five new parked vehicles."

FHP arrested a 17-year-old for DUI and other traffic-related charges after he lost control of his Mazda and crashed into five brand new Honda vehicles at the Pensacola Dealership Sunday. FHP did not report any injuries.

After the crash, the teen allegedly fled the scene and was later found by Escambia County Sheriff's deputies in a nearby neighborhood. He was then transported to Baptist Hospital as a precaution.

He was later booked into the Department of Juvenile Justice and charged with careless driving, DUI, driving without a license and leaving the scene of a traffic crash.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Honda dealership crash leads to teen's DUI arrest
Two Afghan nationals were arrested in Germany in connection to an alleged Islamic terror plot against the Swedish Parliament.

Germanys Federal Prosecutors Office announced on Tuesday that two Afghan nationals -- identified as Ibrahim MG and Ramin N  were arrested in the Gera area by officers of the Federal Criminal Police Office. The defendants were taken into custody on arrest warrants issued on March 5 and 6 by an investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice.

Ibrahim is accused of being a member of the Islamic State (IS) and of having supported a terrorist organization abroad, while prosecutors accused Ramin of supporting the same terrorist organization. According to the arrest warrants, Ibrahim and Ramin have been supporters of the ideology of the foreign terrorist organization "Islamic State (IS)" since at least 2023.

Prosecutors said Ibrahim joined the regional branch "Islamic State Khorasan Province" (ISPK) from Germany in August 2023.

POLISH FARMERS BLOCKADE GERMAN BORDER CROSSINGS AS PROTESTS AGAINST EU GREEN DEAL RAGE ON

The Swedish Parliament building in Stockholm seen on March 9, 2023.

With Ramins assistance, Ibrahim had previously collected donations of around 2,000 euros for IS in Germany and sent them to the association through intermediaries, according to the prosecutors office. The funds were allegedly intended to benefit IS members imprisoned in northern Syria.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

In the summer of 2023, the ISPK entrusted Ibrahim with carrying out an attack in Europe in response to Koran burnings taking place in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, the arrest warrants allege. Ibrahim and Ramin planned to kill police officers and others using firearms in Stockholm in the area of the Swedish Parliament, German prosecutors said.

This file image shows officers of the German Federal Criminal Police Office on Feb. 27, 2024. Two Afghan nationals were arrested in Germany for allegedly plotting to attack the Swedish Parliament and kill police officers in Stockholm.

GERMAN, FRENCH AND POLISH LEADERS CONVENE TO SOLIDIFY SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE

"The two made concrete preparations for this in close consultation with ISPK officials. In particular, they researched the local conditions around the possible crime scene on the Internet and tried several times, although unsuccessfully, to obtain weapons," the prosecutors office said.

This file image shows soldiers with the Afghan National Army inside a room previously part of a jail used by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - Khorasan in the Momand Valley on July 16, 2017 in Afghanistan.

Both defendants are expected to appear before the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice Tuesday and Wednesday. Both suspects are accused of conspiring to commit the crime of murder and violating the Foreign Trade Act in conjunction with the relevant regulations of the European Union.





Original article source: 2 Afghan nationals arrested in Germany over alleged Islamic terror plot against Swedish parliament
Photo: Rogelio V. Solis (AP)

The two Black men who were tortured and beaten by a group of vigilante Mississippi deputies faced their attackers in court this week. Whats so interesting is the men get to suggest their federal sentencing.

Everything needs to be done right because everything has been done wrong, s Eddie Parker, one of the victims, said in a news conference.

Parker and Michael Jenkins sat in the courtroom in front of former Rankin County Sheriffs deputies Hunter Elward, Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Daniel Opdyke, Jeffrey Middleton and former Richland Police Department officer Joshua Hartfield to express what they believed to be a fitting sentence for the men who attacked them: the maximum sentence possible, per CNN. The so-called Goon Squad pleaded guilty to federal charges including deprivation of rights under color of law and obstruction of justice in connection to the 2023 incident.

Parker and Jenkins outlined in a lawsuit the horrid chain of events that occurred that resulted in a no-knock raid, brutal beating, sexual assault and the crucial damage to Jenkins jaw after being shot in the mouth.

Now, each of them are trading in their badges for orange jumpsuits.

Read more from CNN:

The day of justice has finally come, said Malik Shabazz, lead attorney for Parker and Jenkins. We want the maximum sentence. The nation is watching, police officers are watching. The families are watching. And they want justice, Shabazz added. During Mondays news conference, Shabazz discussed what he called their expectations of justice, outlining the incident and reading from the court documents. Kristen Clarke, US Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, has just reached out to Michael Jenkins, Eddie Parker and their families, Shabazz told CNN on Friday. AAG Clark expressed her commitment to civil rights and to eliminating racial intimidation under the color of law in Mississippi.

Jenkins mother also called for the group to faces the harshest punishment, saying they should receive the same consideration they gave her son when they ambushed and abused him for those fateful 90 minutes, the report says. Each ex-cop faces between 20 and 30 years in prison.

The squad also pleaded guilty to state charges but still they await sentencing on those counts. Jenkins and Parker are expected to testify this week when the judge confirms how long the disgraced officers are going to spend behind bars.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Two people are hospitalized, and several others are displaced after a house fire in Butler County early Tuesday morning.

>>At least 15 displaced, apartment complex heavily damaged from Warren County fire

Hamilton firefighters were dispatched around 1 a.m. at the 900 block of Westview Avenue on initial reports of a house fire, according to our news partner WCPO in Cincinnati.

When firefighters arrived, heavy flames were coming from the window and all the people living in the house were outside.

Medics transported two victims to the hospital, including one with serious injuries to UC Medical Center.

Firefighters say they believe the fire started in the front bedroom and the fire damage is serious, WCPO said.

The Red Cross is assisting six people who were displaced.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Two juveniles, now aged 13 and 14, have been found guilty of aggravated arson and attempted arson for a fire at Rawlins County High School in June 2023.

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

Rawlins County Jr./Sr. High School after arson damage, June 2023. (Courtesy Rawlins County USD 105)

The juveniles were originally charged with 15 felony counts.

The Rawlins County Attorneys Office says both juveniles have been ordered to serve 30 months at the Juvenile Correctional Facility and participate in aftercare until they are 19. Assistant Rawlins County Attorney Charles Peckham says aftercare is essentially parole for juveniles.

You may see Green Zone symbols popping up around Kansas

The Rawlins County Attorneys Office is aware the people of Rawlins County want information

regarding the case involving the fire at the local high school. However, this is a juvenile case, which limits the amount of information that can be released, said Peckham. Further, this case was sealed by the Rawlins County District Court, which prevented the Rawlins County Attorney from releasing certain information during the case and after the disposition of the case.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said someone shot two people in Southeast Tuesday.

DC police looking for car used in shooting that injured 5, killed 2

MPD said officers responded to the 5000 block of Call Pl. where they found two men who had been hit by gunfire.

Anyone with information was asked to call (202) 727-9099 or text 50411.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
by Gretinah Machingura

HARARE, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's endeavor to leverage gastronomy tourism and diversify its tourism product base has garnered global attention and earned the country an opportunity to host the first-ever UN Tourism Africa Gastronomy Conference later this year.

Zimbabwe is determined to grow its gastronomy tourism, a sub-type of tourism where people visit countries to sample exotic cuisine, said Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi on Monday.

The UN Tourism, a specialized UN agency that promotes responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism, has also given Zimbabwe the opportunity to build a UN Tourism Academy in the resort city of Victoria Falls, to cater for the entire African continent through enhancing tourism and culinary skills for African students, said Rwodzi.

Rwodzi was speaking at this year's first edition of the provincial traditional cookout competition in Harare Province, where 20 contestants battled for honors for their traditional culinary dishes.

The cookout competitions, a key part of Zimbabwe's gastronomy tourism development and promotion, will be rolled out to the other nine provinces as part of the country's preparations to host the first-ever Africa gastronomy forum in Victoria Falls in July.

"All African countries are invited to showcase their traditional cuisine during this period. With this, it is evident that Zimbabwe has gone to another level in terms of promoting gastronomy tourism. Apart from being served in hotels and restaurants, the Zimbabwe traditional foods have diffused into social and economic gatherings as well as regional and international markets," Rwodzi said.

According to UN Tourism, gastronomy is about much more than food. It reflects the culture, heritage, traditions and sense of community of different peoples. It is a way of promoting understanding among different cultures, and of bringing people and traditions closer together.

Gastronomy tourism is also emerging as an important protector of cultural heritage, and the sector helps to create opportunities, including jobs, most notably in rural destinations.

Rwodzi said some of Zimbabwe's mouthwatering dishes include Mapfura wine, a natural beverage prepared from a fruit called mapfura by the Shona people of Zimbabwe, have grabbed international attention, she said.

Zimbabwe aims to be the gastronomy powerhouse in Africa, Rwodzi said.

Zimbabwe's national tourism promotion body said that culinary tourism is rapidly growing as it adds to the attractiveness of Zimbabwe and helps to drive the economic empowerment of local communities.

At the provincial cookout competitions in Harare on Monday, Davis Tinashe Chigodora, one of the winners, said the competition had opened doors for him to showcase his culinary skills to the wider Zimbabwean community.

His traditional dish -- made up of butternut soup, mopani delicacy spiced with chilly, small dried fish coated with flour and egg for a starter course, and ginger chicken and pot roasted goat spiced with ginger for the main course -- earned him an award in the tightly-contested competition.

"I am very happy that my culinary skills were noticed by the judges. I believe this will open doors for me in the future," said the 28-year-old. 
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Two skydivers were injured Monday afternoon after making a hard landing in Polk County, according to the Lake Wales Police Department.

Three skydivers were found at about 3 p.m. in the area of Seminole Avenue and Wiltshire Avenue along Scenic Highway, police said. One of the skydivers was not injured. The other two were flown to hospitals, but are expected to be OK.

Unfathomable: Lakeland man charged with killing girlfriends toddler, police say

Witnesses told police that one persons parachute appeared to be tangled while the other two appeared to be fine.

The skydivers were part of a group of 14 people who jumped from 14,500 feet to practice formations, according to police. The plane took off and landed at the Lake Wales Airport.

A few other skydivers landed off-course in nearby pastures, but no other injuries were reported.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
A 21-year-old Georgia man was killed in a crash just months after the birth of his newborn son.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The crash happened near the Putnam-Jasper County line around 5:30 p.m. Friday, according to the Union-Recorder. Jimmy Earnhardt Palmer was headed to his fathers home in Morgan County when he swerved off the road, overcorrected and his truck flipped over.

TRENDING STORIES:

Palmer was taken to the hospital, where he died.

Palmer was the oldest of his mothers five children and the father of four-month-old Kolson.

According to a GoFundMe set up to help his fiance, Amber Freeman, the couple had been together for four years.

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Earnhardt was an amazing man who loved fishing and racing, who had a personality that was too big for his body but one thing that he loved the most was being a daddy to his son. That was his biggest accomplishment in life, family members wrote.

The community has set up two GoFundMe accounts to support the family. One will go towards covering Palmers funeral expenses. The other will go towards helping to support his fiance.

His funeral is next Monday in Covington.
BOX ELDER COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  On Monday afternoon, officials with the Box Elder County Sheriffs Office say they responded to an incident involving a worker being shocked by electricity.

The worker, who officials report is a 21-year-old man, was taken to the hospital with third-degree burns on the palms of both of his hands in addition to burns on his right hip. Officials say the incident happened around 1 p.m. when officers responded to the area of 8515 N 4600 W in Elwood.

READ NEXT: 21-year-old possibly abducted, Taylorsville PD seeking public help

A photo from the Box Elder County Sheriffs Office of a power pole. Officials responded to reports of a worker getting shocked by electricity on March 18, 2024. (Courtesy: Box Elder County Sheriffs Office)

According to the sheriffs office, the 21-year-old was working to install a fiber optic line on a power pole. He was reportedly working for a communications company and was working on the pole while in the raised bucket of a boom truck, officials said.

The material the man was working with either accidentally came into contact with a power line or came close enough to cause an electrical arc, the Box Elder Sheriffs Office said.

Officials said that, after the shock, the electricity exited the mans body through his right hip, which officers said was burned in addition to the palms of both of his hands. Officials did not detail the severity of the burn on the mans hip.

The man was initially taken to the Bear River Valley Hospital in Tremonton in an ambulance before he was later flown to the University of Utah Burn Unit via helicopter, according to officials.

He was alert and in surprisingly good spirits, officials said.

The Box Elder County Sheriffs Office did not release his condition or the severity of the mans wounds.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.  A 24-year-old Kansas City man pleaded guilty Monday in a deadly Blue Springs shooting.

Zaylen Smith pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in Jackson County court. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Liberty school bus driver charged, accused of assaulting student

Smith was charged in the deadly shooting of 46-year-old Gregory Marchand in Blue Springs.

Another Kansas City man, 24-year-old Donavan Jordan, is also facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and resisting arrest, in connection to the deadly shooting.

Prosecutors said the three men were meeting for a marijuana deal that turned deadly. Jordan told detectives that Smith opened Marchands door, shot him and stole the money.

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The two men were found in Kansas City later that night following a police chase that ended in a crash.

Jordan is scheduled for a jury trial in September.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
LEE COUNTY, Va. (WJHL)  The Lee County, Virginia Sheriffs Office and Commonwealths Attorneys Office announced that deputies are working to arrest 27 people charged with felony drug distribution in the county.

A Monday news release from the Commonwealths Attorneys Office states a Lee County grand jury recently met and returned indictments for each of the 27 defendants.

The charges stem from a large-scale investigation that included the Lee County Sheriffs Office, Virginia State Police, Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force and the Commonwealths Attorneys Office.

The individuals involved in this operation have engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine or fentanyl, Sheriff Parsons said in the release. I appreciate the hard work of all our officers, investigators, and prosecutors in developing the evidence necessary to bring these charges and to put those who profit from poisoning our community with drugs where they belong: in jail. I look forward to seeing each defendant now face the consequences of their actions.

Lee County Commonwealths Attorney H. Fuller Cridlin said the arrests will help disrupt the spread of fentanyl and meth in Lee County and the surrounding area.

This operation is a testament to the hard work and determination of our local officers and prosecutors, Cridlin said. Their relentless pursuit of justice and commitment to protecting our communities have led to significant arrests that will disrupt the distribution networks of methamphetamine and fentanyl in our area.

The release states the operation is ongoing and more details will be provided as they are available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Signs placed in the median outside the courthouse in Batavia

Voters Tuesday will choose one of the 11 Republicans they want to succeed Rep. Brad Wenstrup, who after 10 years in Congress will retire to spend more time with family.

Primary will likely determine the next Congress member

The winner of the Republican primary for the 2nd Congressional District east of Cincinnati will be the heavy favorite to win in November. Donald Trump won the heavily Republican district it in 2020 by a 3-to-1 margin, the largest margin of Ohio's 15 congressional districts.

You've seen the ads

As a result, most of the candidates have sung the praises of Trump and worked to distinguish themselves among a herd of Trump-loving candidates. Some have resorted to over-the-top ads. One candidate wields a flamethrower. Another gets behind a bulldozer saying "he knows a thing or two about building walls." Then you have a candidate and former Marine drill instructor running a "congressional boot camp" yelling at suit-clad politicians, "I've seen Biden move faster!"

Phil Heimlich is the anti-Trump Republican

One notable exception is Phil Heimlich, a former Cincinnati City councilman and Hamilton County commissioner, who has run as an anti-Trump Republican in recent years. Heimlich won the endorsement of former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican critical of Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election results and one of 10 Republicans in the U.S. House who voted to impeach Trump.

Who has the advantage?

The race could come down to geography. Clermont County accounts for 27% of the district's population, by far the largest county of the 16 counties in the 2nd Congressional District. That means Clermont County voters could decide the next member of Congress.

The Clermont County Republican Party endorsed Amelia resident, assistant prosecutor and concrete company owner David Taylor.

County parties throughout the district endorsed the candidates they knew. The Highland County GOP endorsed resident state Sen. Shane Wilkin. The Brown County Republican nod went to former Marine drill instructor and Brown County resident Tim O'Hara. The Scioto County GOP went for Larry Kidd, who lives in the adjacent Jackson County.

What happens in November?

The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Samantha Meadows in November. Meadows ran two years ago against Wenstrup and lost by 49 percentage points.

About the district

Ohio's 2nd congressional district

The district covers 16 counties in southern Ohio, with Clermont County on the western edge of the district.

The district includes suburban counties outside Cincinnati and Columbus, but the more rural sections include some of the Ohio counties with the highest unemployment rates and poverty rates.

The median household income is about $61,600 and only 21% have a college degree or higher, both below the statewide averages.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Republican primary: Who is running for Congress in Ohio 2?
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - A tall building under construction in Downtown St. Petersburg is a point of pride for one woman under a hardhat.

"Because it's going to be the tallest [residential] building on the West Coast of Florida and I want my name on that," said Daniela Farias, a recent USF Civil Engineering graduate.

Farias, Sofia Menacho, and Sydney Rocha are among the relatively few women in a field long dominated by men. According to one industry group, only 10 percent of construction industry workers are female.

"I think they may be a little bit discouraged to join this field because of the low numbers.," explained Rocha, a recent architecture graduate.

Daniela Farias and Sydney Rocha work in the construction industry.

All three women are working to help build The Residences at 400 Central. Eventually, the building will rise 46 stories.

READ: New high rise apartment building coming soon to downtown Tampa

Suffolk Construction is in charge of the project, overseeing many subcontractors working in different trades.

"I work with the concrete subcontractors putting in all the steel and the rebar and also the mechanical and electrical and plumbing trees," said Farias.

All three women are in Suffolk's Career Start program. The goal is to diversify the workforce.

"People from different backgrounds, different cultures, different educations, they all bring a wealth of knowledge and experiences that diversify who we are and make us better as a company," said Chris Lewis, Suffolk's Project Executive.

Getting more women in hardhats depends on more girls taking more math, science, and technology courses in school.

READ: Trader Joes to open Palm Harbor store

"If a young girl has a role model to look up to, if they see that it's more common, then I think more women would be encouraged to be in the field," shared Farias.

Some say women could be especially valuable because they are better with details, organizing, and design. Whether that's true or not, the thrill of the build seems to cut across the genders.

"I started here in July, and we were on the second floor," said Menacho. "Now we're on the 24th floor. It's amazing."

With a labor shortage in the industry, Suffolk and other companies are looking to fill jobs that were once virtually "men only" with qualified women. As new buildings rise, old barriers could be coming down.

"I think I never had that in my head that I can't do something," said Farias.

Efforts to recruit women may signal a changing mindset in the new buildings that are changing our skyline.

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Belgium will provide Ukraine with a military aid package worth EUR 412 million ($448 million), including 300 Lynx LMVs (Light Multirole Vehicles) and three minehunter ships, Shephard Media reported on March 18.

The typical functions of these vehicles include reconnaissance, patrolling, communications, escort duty, and maintenance support.

Read also: Preposterous! Putin claims Russia created Belgium

The package is part of the BELEUX cooperation between Belgium and the Netherlands aimed at enhancing Ukraines military capabilities.

As part of this program, Belgium will provide basic training, while the Netherlands will offer on-the-job training for Ukrainian naval mine-hunting crews, according to the report.

Read also: Belgium to allocate $217 million for ammunition purchases outside EU

Additionally, Belgium has pledged to grant Ukraine EUR 611 million ($665 million) in military aid throughout 2024, with about half of it allocated for artillery ammunition procurement.

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
Five men have been charged with the fatal stabbing of a man at a bar in northeast New Jersey last month, and while four have been arrested, one remains at large, authorities said Tuesday.

The incident occurred in Garfield in the early hours of Feb 4. Upon responding to reports of a possible stabbing at JoJos Bar & Grill, police located a male victim with multiple stab wounds to his chest.

The victim, later identified as 31-year-old Richard Franceschi of Hawthorne, N.J., was transported to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead at 1:29 a.m., according to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.

An investigation concluded that five men were responsible for physically assaulting and stabbing Franceschi numerous times with a knife.

Four of them have since been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and other crimes.

A fifth suspect, Ricky Angel Vargas, of East Stroudsburg, Pa., remains at large, Musella said Tuesday.

The 26-year-old, who police said had a knife at the time of the assault, is considered armed and dangerous. Authorities are now asking for the publics help in locating him.

The four suspects who have already been arrested in connection with the stabbing are Jayson Rivera, 23, of East Stroudsburg, Pa.; Bryant Sanchez, 26, of Paterson, N.J.; Erony Sanchez, 27, of Clifton, N.J.; and Dante Moore, 23, of Passaic. N.J.

Moore and Erony Sanchez were arrested in Passaic on Feb. 24, while Bryant Sanchez was taken into custody in Ogdensburg that same day.

All three were charged with first-degree murder and other crimes, and are currently detained at Bergen County Jail.

Rivera, who investigators said had a firearm during the Feb. 4 incident, was arrested in Garfield on March 12.

He was also charged with first-degree murder and other crimes, including second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. Hes currently awaiting a detention hearing.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Vargas is asked to contact the Bergen County Prosecutors Office Tips Line at 201-226-5532.
Dublin's visitors bureau hoped at least one or two people in their namesake Dublin, Ireland, would take them up on their "shameless offers of free beer" and fly to the Ohio city this month to claim the offer by Monday's deadline.

Turns out five Dubliners did travel to Ohio (at least in part) for the free beer after seeing the billboards or hearing about the promotion, Visit Dublin Marketing Director Sara Blatnik said Monday.

Visit Dublin, Ohio, the visitor's bureau for the city, placed advertisements in downtown Dublin, Ireland, ahead of St. Patrick's Day inviting people there to come visit the "other Dublin" and drink some free pints around St. Patrick's Day.

All five have a connection to Dublin, Ohio, and didn't just come for the free beer, according to Blatnik. A woman who has family here came two weeks ago for the city's annual parade weekend. And four men came another weekend who are friends of Ian Montgomery, a former Dublin, Ireland, resident and the owner of Fado Pub and Kitchen in the Bridge Park District.

The five Ireland residents each received $200 Visa gift cards, which they promised to use on their beer tabs, Blatnik said.

"We didnt make them swear on the Bible or anything. We expect thats what they used them on," she said.

(Left to right) Phil McGarry, Domnhall O'Friel, Dave Byrne and Eoin Donovan are among five Irish Dubliners who visited Dublin, Ohio, this month in the lead up to St. Patrick's Day and received $200 gift cards from the local visitors bureau for their beer tabs.

Blatnik said the promotion was a success because it generated buzz here and across the pond in Irish media.

"Anytime we can get Dublin on a national or international stage is a win for our residents and the city," she said. "Just making people aware there is a Dublin, Ohio, and we do celebrate St. Patricks day big."

Blatnik said several other people reached out to her about traveling here, but for whatever reason did not pick up a gift card.

Visit Dublin, Ohio, is open to future nontraditional campaigns like this, Blatnik said, including maybe even a partnership with Visit Dublin, the Irish city's visitors bureau.

A direct flight from Dublin, Ireland, to Columbus would make that easier, she said. Currently, the closest direct flight from Dublin goes to Cleveland.

jlaird@dispatch.com

@LairdWrites

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio city successfully lured multiple Irish Dubliners with free beer
ADDIS ABABA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Kalkidan Kibrete, a fourth-year student at the FDRE (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia) Technical and Vocational Training Institute majoring in electrical automation and control, joyfully reflects on her two-year journey at the spacious and well-equipped Luban Workshop in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.

As one of the first batch of students enrolled at the Chinese-built Ethiopian Luban Workshop, Kibrete has had the privilege of witnessing the workshop's growth from its inception. Courtesy of the technical knowledge and practical skills that she garnered at the Luban Workshop, the 21-year-old is equipped with an array of skills ranging from mechatronics to industrial robotics.

Her tech strength was recently manifested in her participation in the China-Africa Friendship Competition in Industrial Robotics, where she secured third place. "As a student of the Luban Workshop, I have experienced a multitude of technological solutions that are uncommon in our institute and other places across Ethiopia," she said.

The workshop facility, launched in April 2021 within the institute's premises, was established by China's Tianjin University of Technology and Education under the guidance of the Ministry of Education of China. It mainly specializes in courses in industrial robotics technology, mechatronics technology, industrial control technology, and industrial sensor technology, offering valuable skills for Ethiopian students in various technological fields.

Kibrete and fellow students attest that the workshop is already leaving its mark on the lives of many aspiring Ethiopians, providing them with exceptional training in various fields.

Kibrete's aspiration extends beyond personal growth as she expects to share her technological knowledge and skills with fellow Ethiopian youth, ultimately contributing to the development and progress of Ethiopia in the mechatronics and industrial robotics sectors.

More than a dozen workshops in the name of Lu Ban, a craftsman in ancient China, have emerged across the African continent in the past five years. Providing high-level vocational education for young Africans, these workshops symbolize an integral facet of Sino-African cooperation in talent development.

Yonas Amsalu is another young tech and mechanical enthusiast who has been undertaking practical training at the Ethiopian Luban Workshop with the help of Chinese instructors. Reflecting on his experience, Amsalu emphasized the significance of unique courses offered at the Luban Workshop, which he said are not commonly available in Ethiopia or elsewhere in the African continent.

The young man, in particular, singled out the workshop's specialization in human-machine interface and programmable logic control systems, which he described as "highly relevant" to the modern industrial landscape, where automation and robotics have become ubiquitous.

He argued that the skills he and fellow Ethiopian students acquired at the workshop play a paramount role in bridging the technological gap witnessed in the East African country's industrial landscape.

Amsalu recalled an internship experience in one of the Ethiopian industrial facilities, where his proficiency in human-machine interface and programmable logic control systems enabled him to troubleshoot and resolve issues without relying on external assistance.

"I strongly believe that the Luban Workshop has equipped us with the skills and technological know-how needed to contribute to and drive the technological advancements of our country," he said.

Four teachers are working at the Luban Workshop at the moment to guide students through practical training courses. Jiang Jiang, head of the workshop and also the only Chinese teacher, said that the long-term goal is to train enough Ethiopian talent who will eventually be able to teach Ethiopian students. The sentiment was also echoed by Haftom Gebregziabher, deputy director-general of the FDRE Technical and Vocational Training Institute, as he emphasized the workshop is serving as a capacity-building hub both for the students as well as industry practitioners across the country.

"As an institute, our aim is to be a center of excellence in East Africa and we have international students drawn from East African countries. The center (the Luban Workshop), armed with state-of-the-art equipment of international standard, is not only dedicated to strengthening our local industry but also a center of capacity building for the wider East African region as well," Gebregziabher said. 
Americas culinary schools are feeling the heat.

When chef Gordon Ramsay appeared on an episode of the YouTube series Last Meal in January 2024, he described U.S. culinary schools as depressing places that sandbag students with tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt before releasing them into a low-wage industry.

He added that graduates are pressured to select jobs that will put them in the best position to pay off their loans, rather than ones that will give them opportunities to learn and grow as chefs. Ramsay singled out the Culinary Institute of America, one of the most prestigious cooking schools in the country, as it sets students at its New York campus back US$52,090 per academic year.

Then, at the end of February, The New York Times published a compilation of interviews from 30 chefs around the U.S. They chimed in on a range of topics, but they were pretty much in lockstep when it came to culinary degrees:

People ask me, Whats a good culinary school to go to? chef Justin Pioche said. And I always tell them: Dont go.

Chef Robynne Maii added, I always sing the praises of culinary school, but in community colleges only. All the for-profit schools need to go away. Theyre completely unnecessary and theyre predatory.

These sentiments are not unique to culinary schools.

Trade, technical and for-profit schools are routinely criticized for their lopsided cost-to-benefit ratio, with scholars such as Tressie McMillan Cottom and A.J. Angulo arguing that many of them have predatory financial processes baked into their business models. There has been a similar critique  often tinged with political undercurrents  over graduate degrees in the humanities, arts and social sciences, described by the Wall Street Journal as elite masters degrees that dont pay off.

Yet thousands of aspiring chefs continue to enroll in expensive culinary schools, rather than learn on the job while being paid. And in the research for my book on notions of success in the culinary industry, I found that many graduates from these institutions actually feel their experiences were worth the price of admission.

What might explain this paradox?

Beyond dollars and cents

Cooks and chefs regularly debate the merits of culinary school.

Its also a question I asked 50 U.S.-based kitchen workers during a study I conducted from 2018 to 2020. Of those 50 workers, 22 had attended culinary school. And of those 22 chefs, 17 believed their education was worth the cost  over three-quarters.

They were clear-eyed about how much they would earn after graduation  very little  and they also grasped that the debt would constrain their future work choices.

Yet, to them, the worth of their schooling didnt hinge on wages and earning power.

Instead, they found immense value in the friendships and connections they forged  and in learning the culture of commercial kitchens. Social scientists have terms for these benefits: social capital and cultural capital.

Interviewees described being able to meet mentors through school events, gain experience in award-winning kitchens through internships, form relationships with classmates and always have a degree to point to as proof of know-how.

A Culinary Institute of America instructor demonstrates how to cut pork chops. AP Photo/Mike Groll

Culinary school was particularly helpful for individuals who felt socially disadvantaged in some way. They may have lacked connections and experience, or they were a minority in an industry where white men are more likely to serve as executive chefs.

Because I am a female it was harder for me to get a sous-chef job, one chef explained to me. I mean, I saw kids who were not nearly as skilled as I was who got sous-chef positions, and Id always get passed up. But I really feel that that education [from the Culinary Institute of America]  especially as a woman  really helped me. A lot. I wouldve never got the jobs I got without it.

In her 2015 book At The Chefs Table, sociologist Vanina Leschziner found that elite chefs claim to not weigh academic degrees highly while hiring, a sentiment also found by the food website Eater. At the same time, Leschziner found that 85% of elite chefs in San Francisco and New York were culinary school graduates, with 67% holding degrees from the Culinary Institute of America.

At face value, its possible that degrees and certificates are dismissed or overlooked during the hiring process. But social connections are not. So perhaps the networks and friendships formed during schooling are a big reason why most high-status restaurants are staffed by culinary school graduates.

With these industry realities in mind, culinary school doesnt seem to sandbag students; instead, it helps them overcome barriers that they ordinarily couldnt.

Not all culinary schools are alike

Based on my interviewees enthusiasm, culinary school degrees seem like a no-brainer. But there are caveats.

First, these largely positive perceptions of culinary school came primarily from students who had gone to the Culinary Institute of America. Attendees of college or for-profit programs, such as the now-shuttered U.S. Le Cordon Bleu campuses, were less pleased about their experience, with just 66% feeling like their degree was worth it, compared with 90% of those I interviewed with degrees from the Culinary Institute of America. While some of this discontent was due to quality of instruction, a large part was related to schools prestige.

Le Cordon Bleu closed all 16 of its U.S. campuses in 2017. Walt Mancini/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

There are about 260 culinary programs across the nation. Schools at the top of the hierarchy, such as the Culinary Institute of America and the Institute of Culinary Education, are seen as places where high-status networks can be honed. This is, in part, a result of filtering out those who cant afford to pay.

A degree from a top school is associated with the high-caliber restaurants and chefs that Leschziner wrote about; a degree from a lesser-known program likely yields far less social and cultural capital.

Second, I spoke only to individuals who still work in the industry, and thats just a fraction of the culinary school population. Not all who attend remain in the industry. In fact, my interviewees estimated that only one-third of their classmates still cooked professionally.

Those who stick around likely present a more positive take: They had finished school and had found some measure of success in a notoriously brutal industry. Had I spoken to the two-thirds of graduates who had left the industry, this article might read differently.

Finally, because students devote a lot of time and money to an experience that yields little financial return on investment, adopting a rosy outlook on their schooling may smooth over any inner turmoil that might arise as they judge themselves and their past decisions.

A foot in the door

Determining the value of expensive culinary education is tough.

It can also detract from the very real problem of predatory and overpriced schooling, especially as the cost of higher education  in all forms  continues to rise, to the point of excluding large swaths of the population.

Whats clear to me, though, is that finances are not the sole  nor most important  reason why people choose to attend pricey culinary programs. My interviewees viewed culinary school as a social experience, one that provides meaningful networking and cultural opportunities to students and alumni.

As one award-winning chef told me, If I wouldnt have gone (to the Culinary Institute of America), I wouldnt have gotten (my first) job as a personal chef.  Anytime people see (Culinary Institute of America) on the resume  whether it should or shouldnt  it does open doors. So, Im really glad I went there.

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: Ellen T. Meiser, University of Hawaii at Hilo

Read more:



Ellen T. Meiser attended the Culinary Institute of America's Napa campus from 2008 to 2009, where she obtained a certificate in Baking and Pastry. While she had a positive experience, her own opinions and anecdotes are not included in this article. All findings are derived from 50 in-depth interviews with kitchen workers across the US, collected from 2018 to 2020. Additionally, she did not graduate culinary school with student loan debt.
The housing market is facing a massive shakeup.

The National Association of Realtors  the trade group that sets rules for home sales across the nation  on Friday agreed to pay $418 million in damages and rewrite several rules to resolve claims of price fixing, The New York Times first reported.

The landmark deal is still subject to a judges approval.

But if passed, it would slash the NARs standard 5% to 6% commission of a homes sale price, one of the highest rates in the world. It would also bring sweeping changes to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the groups online portal where more than 80% of homes are bought and sold in the U.S.

The changes are expected to go into effect this July. What does that mean for sellers, buyers and Realtors here in North Carolina?

Heres what you need to know.

What was the NAR lawsuit about?

In April 2019, a group of Missouri home sellers filed a lawsuit, the Sitzer-Burnett case, against the NAR and other defendants, including Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Keller Williams and RE/MAX.

The plaintiffs argued commission rates were too high, buyers brokers were paid too much, and its rules led to fixed rates. It also triggered more than a dozen of other lawsuits. (The NAR has about 1.5 million members nationwide.)

Last November, a federal jury found the NAR and two brokerages liable for $1.8 billion in damages, CNN reported.

The NAR continues to deny any wrongdoing but settled on Friday.

The settlement releases its members, including 10,000 members of the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors from liability for the types of claims brought in cases on behalf of home sellers.

Ultimately, continuing to litigate would have hurt members and their small businesses, Nykia Wright, the NARs interim CEO, said in a release.

Whats in the settlement?

The NAR has agreed to pay $418 million to home sellers over four years.

Its also committed to several rule changes. They include banning brokers from setting commissions for buyers agents, a practice called decoupling, and ending requirements that brokers subscribe to multiple listing services.

Brokers must also enter into a written agreement with their buyers, summarizing the terms and conditions of their services. That could mean more home buyers would set their agents pay, and sellers may save on commissions. (North Carolina is one of 18 states where brokerage agreements have been mandatory law since the early 1990s.)

We stand by NARs decision, said Jay Nelson, Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors communications director. This agreement is the best way for our members and our industry to move forward and provide the best possible service to clients.

What does this mean for homeowners in NC?

Stephen Brobeck, senior fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Consumer Federation of America, said the settlement is a win-win for both sellers and buyers.

While rates are unlikely to fall immediately, they could shrink to 3% to 4% over time, saving consumers an estimated $20 billion to $30 billion annually.

It also opens up the marketplace to a greater variation in types of compensation and rates charged by agents, like flat-fee and discount brokerages, he said.

Take, for example, a $1 million home in todays market. A seller would expect to incur up to $60,000 in commission costs alone: $30,000 going to their agent and $30,000 to the buyers agent.

For a median-priced (mid-way point) home in Raleigh  around $379,995 in February  it would be closer to $22,800 in commission. The costs are typically baked into the final sales price. But under the new guidelines, buyers will have much more room to negotiate, he said.

[The] buyer will still be able to request a concession from sellers that includes funds to help cover buyer agent compensation, but this will be after they have had the opportunity to comparison shop, Brobeck said.

It will also encourage sellers to negotiate their listing agents compensation, he added.

Will home prices go down?

Some experts argue these changes could push down prices.

Others arent so sure. Many also point out that, in North Carolina at least, its been standard practice for buyers and sellers to negotiate compensation for years.

Our prices have always been based on supply and demand, said John Wood, owner of Re/Max United in Cary, who has been an agent in the Triangle since 1988.

The proposed settlement does not dictate what commission rates can be charged or how they are paid, only that [they] cannot be displayed in an MLS system.

Stacey Anfindsen, an Apex appraiser who analyzes MLS data, pointed to the regions long-running housing shortage as another reason why prices wont budge much.

I just dont see where somebodys going to cut the price when you have an undersupply, he said. Theres a decent amount of work that is involved from an agents standpoint. Its a marketing expense.

Mark Parker, a RARR member and a Realtor with Coldwell Banker, believes house prices could even go up if commissions are removed from the asking price.

Sellers no longer have to offer any consideration of compensation, he said. This will leave buyers agents going back to the buyer and asking them to cover their expected fee when theyre already feeling the pinch of purchasing a home.

What does it mean for NC Realtors?

Matt Fowler, executive director of Triangle MLS, a Cary-based multiple listing service, said its too soon to understand the settlements full impact on the MLS and Realtors operating in the region.

We have a hundred questions, he told The N&O, shortly after the announcement.

But he said he welcomed more transparency.

There have been other regulatory changes in the past that have impacted MLS, and weve adapted. Operationally we will have some work to do. The bigger challenge will be informing consumers that the system is more dependable because of this agreement, not less.

Tammie Harris runs her own eponymous brokerage firm in North Raleigh and Franklinton. As a Realtor for over 17 years, she said most firms already negotiate fees in the Triangle. The 6% was never really a mandate in our market, she said.

On the flipside, shes worried about the impact on those who make a living from real estate. She fears it could trigger a mass exodus from the profession.

So many agents jumped ship when the market crashed in 2008. I wonder if this will push agents out of the business due to the fear of not being able to continue to be profitable. 

Realtors provide a valuable service to clients, she said. This could be affected.

NC Reality Check is an N&O series holding those in power accountable and shining a light on public issues that affect the Triangle or North Carolina. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email realitycheck@newsobserver.com
High schools arent just learning factories that isolate students for about seven hours a day to earn a diploma. Theyre part of our communities, educating students from a variety of different cultures and neighborhoods. The awkward teens you see joking with each other in your local stores or playfully wrestling at bus stops all have hopes and dreams for their futures.

But they cant succeed if they arent treated like part of a greater community. This is why XQ believes high schools deserve more attention and support to fully prepare every student for college, career or whatever comes next. Since 2017, weve been working with dozens of schools and systems around the country to help high schools and their communities design learning experiences more suited to the 21st century  for example, by encouraging partnerships with local organizations so young people can see how their academics show up in real life.

Thats how classes work at Crosstown High, the subject of a new documentary. The First Class, directed by Lee Hirsch (of Bully), follows students from ninth grade to graduation at this innovative Memphis public high school as they figure out how to sustain life on Mars and interview refugees for an interdisciplinary project combining history and English.

Community partnerships are among six research-backed Design Principles XQ developed for high schools to create engaging and rigorous learning opportunities. Like the XQ Learner Outcomes, which we also introduced, these design principles were originally created for educators and communities involved in building or redesigning a school. But they are also very useful for parents and students who want to better understand whether their local high school is serving students as well as it can. Below are some questions to ask when visiting a school.

Educators interested in a detailed approach to the Design Principles can download XQs Design Principles Rubric, a tool designed to gather and assess evidence about where they are on their journey to becoming the best high school they can be.

1. Are there high expectations and equal opportunities for all students, regardless of income level, race, ethnic group and special needs? Do the AP and honors classes resemble a cross-section of the community?

These are signs of a Strong Mission and Culture, a set of unifying values and principles that give a school a sense of common purpose and a fundamental belief in the potential of every student to achieve great things. Elizabethton High School in Tennessee, for example, is committed to making students feel invested in their community. That investment shone through when one sociology class solved a murder, now the subject of a podcast series. When visiting a high school, its also worth checking whether there are opportunities for dual enrollment in postsecondary courses, which can benefit all students.

2. Does the school use an interdisciplinary curriculum  do teachers combine subjects like math, science, English and electives? Can students and teachers dive deep into topics with project-based learning?

These are examples of Meaningful, Engaged Learning. Research tells us that young people learn through the combination of what they encounter as learners, through curriculum, relationships, challenges and supports; what they do as learners, through their active commitment in producing and persevering; and how they make meaning of those experiences. Our schools can offer much more powerful ways of learning. For example, students built a hydroponic system through a science project at Purdue Polytechnic High School in Indiana. They conducted extensive research as they designed and constructed a method for growing produce sustainably and cost-effectively.

Students at Latitude High learn through projects and get support at every step of the college application process. (Photo courtesy of XQ)

3. Does the school ensure all students have at least one adult who knows them well enough to provide academic and social support? Is there a system in place that helps students connect and check in with the adults so they feel safe, valued and seen?

Those are hallmarks of Caring, Trusting Relationships. The science of adolescent learning shows that learning is a social process, particularly during the high school years, and this aspect  when intentionally addressed  can result in a transformative high school experience. Schools that emphasize getting to know students, inside and beyond the school walls, set a foundation for trust that carries over into academic work. At Latitude High School in Oakland, California, co-founder Christian Martinez takes pride in building a place where the goal is to never let a teen slip through the cracks like he did at their age. During the college process, for example, staff guide and support students at every step, from having highly personal conversations about their choices to ensuring that they submit their applications on time.

Want to learn how to create innovative high school experiences like those at Crosstown High? Check out The XQ Xtra, a newsletter for educators that comes out twice a month. Sign up here.

4. Does the high school support students to build their sense of agency and autonomy, and explore postsecondary goals?

Schools need to provide Youth Voice and Choice. A student-centered school gives students a say in their learning. They can choose projects and topics and decide whether to present their knowledge as a research paper, slide show or even a documentary or podcast. Staff members should foster this environment, not feel threatened. The D.C. Public Schools recently published a booklet on the value of student voice. It argues that student engagement is crucial when communities come together to redesign local high schools, as in the DC+XQ partnership, because students have higher attendance and learning outcomes when theyre treated as partners in their own education.

Community partnerships can be led by teachers or students. PSI High student Daniella Munoz is among a group of seniors planning an activity with a group working to save sea turtles in Florida. (Photo courtesy of Daniella Munoz)

5. Is the school partnering with local entities such as cultural institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities and health and service providers?

These Community Partnerships can take many forms. But at their heart, these powerful relationships create opportunities for learners to explore and envision their future and set goals toward making it real. At Floridas PSI High in Seminole County Public Schools, students have numerous opportunities to work with outside organizations and leave the campus. Some of that activity slowed down during the pandemic  especially for those who are now seniors.

Members of the class of 2024 wanted more outside experiences before graduating. They devised a plan: a trip later this spring to New Smyrna Beach, more than an hour away. But its not just a day at the beach, said one of the organizers, Daniella Munoz. The students researched local nonprofits and got excited about NSB Turtle Trackers. Theyre planning a visit that includes a talk with an expert because its important to hear from someone who isnt a teacher about a real-world problem, Munoz said. They also plan to clean the beach, using gloves and other supplies provided by the environmental group.

6. Does the school review, reflect on and make decisions based on data that ensure inclusion and access to advanced courses? Does it use data to eliminate disproportionate remediation, disciplinary practices and other inequities?

Data is just one aspect of a high school that makes Smart Use of Time, Space, and Tech. Another example is breaking away from the traditional schedule of six or seven single-subject periods, each about 50 minutes long.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum School in Michigan has an agreement with its district so students and teachers can easily visit local nonprofit groups and businesses and take classes at other schools and colleges. Junior Kate Ruel says shes getting science credit this year for taking culinary courses at Kent Career and Tech Center. She also enjoyed visiting Dwelling Place, which provides support services and affordable housing, during a ninth-grade project on English, history, social studies, and science.

I found it really interesting and cool, she said. I was able to go out and talk to people.

Surveys show students at GRPMS feel connected to their learning, and theyre doing better than their counterparts in the state and city on many measures.

Junior Kate Ruel keeps a list of interesting projects shes participated in at the Grand Rapids Public Museum School. She said they include visiting local nonprofits and an interdisciplinary class combining English and history, resulting in a student podcast about the debate over reproductive rights. (Photo courtesy of Kate Ruel)

This flexibility is why we argue high schools need a new architecture for learning without the Carnegie Unit, a century-old system that equates time with learning. When students and teachers are freed from earning credits based on seat time in single-subject classes, they can see how academic content is connected to the world around them and gain a fuller appreciation of what theyre learning. These experiences are important for teens in so many ways beyond school. Todays high school students are the leaders, workers, doctors, inventors and teachers of tomorrow.

Disclosure: The XQ Institute is a financial supporter of The 74.
A middle school student in Riverside County could be facing misdemeanor assault and battery charges after an alleged unprovoked and violent attack on a sixth-grade girl that was captured on cellphone cameras.

The incident, according to the Riverside Police Department, occurred on Mar. 15 just before 3 p.m. at Arizona Middle School located at 11045 Arizona Ave.

The fight goes on for about two minutes, the victims mother, identified only as Jazmin, told KTLAs Shelby Nelson. Nobody came to help my daughter; no student came to stop this at all. So, she was left alone.

Footage of the fight, which can be difficult to watch, shows a classmate of the sixth-grade girl step in from behind, pull her back by the hair and start punching her as other students surround them and film the attack on their phones.

I couldnt even watch the full video, Jazmin said. It was really hard. I just thank God that my daughters alive.

In another video obtained by KTLA, the student that jumped Jazmins daughter appears to be preparing for the attack while a friend urges her on.

Im scared, my heart is beating, the girl is heard saying in the video.

Just fight her, the friend responds. Shes not going to do st.

Should I just start pulling her hair? the girl replies.

Cellphone video captured a 6th grader at Arizona Middle School in Riverside being jumped by a classmate while surrounded by other students who were filming on Mar. 15, 2024. (Viewer photo)

Cellphone video captured a 6th grader at Arizona Middle School in Riverside being jumped by a classmate while surrounded by other students who were filming on Mar. 15, 2024. (Viewer photo)

Cellphone video captured a 6th grader at Arizona Middle School in Riverside being jumped by a classmate while surrounded by other students who were filming on Mar. 15, 2024. (Viewer photo)

Cellphone video captured a 6th grader at Arizona Middle School in Riverside being jumped by a classmate while surrounded by other students who were filming on Mar. 15, 2024. (Viewer photo)

Cellphone video captured a 6th grader at Arizona Middle School in Riverside being jumped by a classmate while surrounded by other students who were filming on Mar. 15, 2024. (Viewer photo)

Bruising to the face of a 6th grade girl at Arizona Middle School in Riverside after she was jumped by a classmate on Mar. 15, 2024. (Viewer photo)

Bruising to the face of a 6th grade girl at Arizona Middle School in Riverside after she was jumped by a classmate on Mar. 15, 2024. (Viewer photo)

Arizona Middle School in Riverside. (KTLA)

According to the victims mother, the classmate confronted her daughter over a boy, but within seconds is seen punching the sixth grader and dragging her on the ground with no school staff in sight.

It wasnt until later that Jazmin was called into the schools office where she saw her daughters swollen face and clumps of hair that were falling out.

Her daughter, a normally shy honor student, was in tears, she said.

At that point, I just held her, and I hugged her, Jazmin said. Ive seen multiple things on social media of when kids are brutally attacked, and theyre killed.

After taking her daughter to the hospital, she filed a police report.

She also contacted administrators to see if her daughters attacker would be expelled, but because the other student is a minor, officials said they cannot tell her anything.

Pretty much just words, Jazmin said when asked if the district has done anything to make sure her daughter will be safe at the school. Theyre just telling me you can bring your daughter back tomorrow and I can assure you that your daughters going to be fine.

Police confirmed to KTLA that a report about the fight was made and that the girl who initiated it, who could face charges at the end of the investigation, has been disciplined.

In the meantime, Jazmin, who believes there was no one around to protect her daughter, has pulled her from the school.

Church pastor arrested in $40K murder-for-hire plot in Southern California

I want to see justice, she said. I want to justice to be served for my daughter because I feel like its another fight and theyre brushing everything under the rug.

Jazmin said shed received very few answers from the school or officials at Alvord Unified School District until KTLA decided to report on the story. She has since been informed that her daughters attacker is no longer at Arizona Middle School.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  On Tuesday, the organizers of Boulevardia announced the lineup for the ninth annual festival.

The Kansas City festival will welcome nearly 70 national, regional and local acts to perform. Boulevardia will be held at Crown Center from Friday, June 14, through Saturday, June 15.

J. Cole teases new song with music video in KCs West Bottoms

Headliners performing on the Main Stage include Milky Chance, Thundercat, Paul Cauthen and Hanson.

Boulevardia has become one of the citys largest showcases of local music with over 60 local performers included in this years lineup. Musical performances cross over several genres and showcase the rich talent KC has to offer.

Big Slick tickets on sale this week for 2024 celebrity charity weekend

Single-day tickets and hotel and ticket packages are on sale now, click here to find tickets.

Click here to find the full list of performers for Boulevardia 2024.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Emergency personnel in action next to a United Airlines UA830 777-300ER aircraft, with landing gear compartment doors open, after it turned back following take-off at Sydney Airport, in Sydney, Australia March 11, 2024 in this screen grab obtained from social media video. New York Aviation via Youtube/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

An engine fire sparked by plastic packaging wrap, a tire lost shortly after takeoff and a plane veering off the runway: These are among the eight incidents that have occurred over the past two weeks on flights operated by United Airlines. Although no injuries  or worse  have been reported, the mishaps have generated headlines and stoked rising anxiety about aviation safety among federal officials and passengers alike.

All of the incidents happened on flights that took off from or were headed to airports in the United States, and five involved airplanes made by Boeing, a manufacturer already under intense scrutiny. In January, a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner in midflight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing.

United, one of the worlds largest airlines, flies aircraft manufactured mainly by Boeing and Airbus. In an email that United began sending to customers Monday, CEO Scott Kirby wrote that although the recent incidents were unrelated, they were reminders of the importance of safety.

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I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus, he continued, adding that every case was being reviewed by the airline and would influence its safety training and procedures.

Heres what travelers should know about the latest in airplane woes.

What exactly happened on or to the planes?

Most of the incidents reported in the past two weeks required emergency landings or diversions.

 March 4: A Boeing 737-900 departing from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston returned to the airport to make an emergency landing after one of the plane engines ingested and burned plastic wrap.

 March 7: A Boeing 777 leaving San Francisco for Osaka, Japan, made an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport after the aircraft lost a tire.

 March 8: A Boeing 737 Max 8 veered off the runway upon landing at the George Bush airport in Houston and tilted onto the grass.

 March 8: A flight leaving San Francisco for Mexico City was diverted to Los Angeles after the Airbus A320 experienced issues with its hydraulic system.

 March 9: An Airbus A320 heading to Salt Lake City turned back to Chicago OHare International Airport after it reported maintenance issues.

 March 11: A Boeing 777, flying from Sydney to San Francisco, turned back after takeoff because the plane had a hydraulic leak.

 Thursday: An Airbus A320 that departed from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport had a hydraulic leak shortly before it landed in its scheduled destination, San Francisco.

 Thursday: A Boeing 737-800 that took off from San Francisco landed at Rogue Valley International Medford Airport in Oregon missing an external panel.

Are the recent issues typical, or cause for concern?

The mishaps were not the result of systemic problems, said Robert Sumwalt, a former chair of the National Transportation Safety Board who now heads a new aviation safety center at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Some of these issues are things that happen occasionally but often dont get reported in media, Sumwalt said, although he emphasized that none were acceptable.

Kyra Dempsey, who writes about aviation accidents in a blog called Admiral Cloudberg, said Uniteds recent issues were being falsely conflated with Boeings troubles.

While its bad luck that United had so many incidents in such a short period, in general such incidents happen frequently around the world and they arent on the rise overall, Dempsey said.

How has United responded?

Kirbys 270-word message to United customers, including to members of the airlines frequent-flyer program, started to be sent Monday morning, said Josh Freed, a spokesperson for United.

Starting in May, United pilots will have an extra day of in-person training, a change that was already planned before the incidents, Kirby wrote. The airline will also use a centralized training curriculum for our new hire maintenance technicians and will dedicate additional resources to the carriers supply chain.

What government agencies oversee these issues, and how are they responding?

The Federal Aviation Administration regulates the countrys aviation system and investigates safety incidents on U.S. airlines, while the NTSB investigates the causes of accidents, collisions and crashes involving planes flown by U.S. carriers, in addition to other accidents involving commercial and mass transit operators. Both agencies have discretion on what they investigate, Sumwalt said.

Currently, the NTSB is investigating the incident that occurred March 8 in Houston, when the plane veered off the runway, an agency spokesperson said. The NTSB is also looking into a Feb. 10 flight from Los Angeles to Newark, New Jersey, operated by United, that experienced severe turbulence, leading to injuries among more than a dozen passengers. (The Boeing 777 landed normally, but the flight was met by medical personnel.)

Safety experts said some issues dont necessarily rise to the level of an investigation by either agency.

For example, partial loss of some of an airplanes multiple hydraulics systems is common, said Michael McCormick, an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a former FAA control tower operator. The FAA may or may not get involved for this kind of issue, unless theres a pattern, Sumwalt said.

The January episode involving the blown door plug aboard the Alaska Airlines jet is under investigation by the NTSB and the Justice Department.

c.2024 The New York Times Company
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL)  DeAaron Fox talks about Mondays 121-111 win over the Grizzlies in overtime, the 12-point performance from Malik Monk in the extra session, finishing with 28-points to lift Sacramento to the victory, the way Memphis plays no matter who dresses for them, the unfortunate shoulder injury to Kevin Huerter in the opening quarter and the confidence he has that Keon Ellis will be able to fill the void until he returns.

The Kings will embark on a three-game East Coast road trip on Wednesday night in Toronto when they meet the Raptors.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has remained defiant amid a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Monday that extended an administrative stay blocking a controversial immigration law from taking effect in the state amid a legal showdown over the border crisis.

The one-page order handed down by the conservative Justice Samuel Alito was issued several minutes after a deadline he set a week ago, eliciting a few moments of confusion as to whether the freeze had lapsed. The latest stay did not include a new deadline, effectively suspending the law indefinitely as the high court weighs its next steps.

Texas Senate Bill 4, signed into law by Abbott in December, empowers state and local law enforcement to arrest people on suspicion of illegally crossing the southern border. It was originally set to go into effect earlier this month, but has faced an uphill battle after the Justice Department stepped in, arguing it is flatly inconsistent with Supreme Court precedent.

The city of El Paso and at least two immigrant advocacy groups have also challenged the law, saying that it could result in the racial profiling of Hispanic community members.

Federal Judge Halts Texas Controversial New Immigration Law

The Biden administration sued Texas over the law in January, saying the state cannot run its own immigration system. In filings, it has said that its implementation threatens to profoundly alter a status quo that has existed between the United States and the States in the context of immigration for almost 150 years.

A federal court in Austin issued a preliminary injunction blocking the law last month, with a judge writing in his order that Texas was likely to lose the case. The state immediately appealed the decision, with Abbott insisting that it would ultimately be decided by the Supreme Court.

He acknowledged Mondays setback in a statement to CBS News, but said it didnt halt Texas pre-existing authority to arrest for criminal trespass and other violations of the law.

He continued: Until President Biden steps up and does his job to secure the border, Texas will continue utilizing every tool and strategy to respond to this Biden-made border crisis. This case remains on schedule to be argued at the 5th Circuit on April 3rd.

In a tweet, Abbott added, We continue building the wall, use [National Guard] to erect razor wire barriers to repel migrants & buoys remain in river.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  An Abilene staple, Glorias Grill, announced that it was time to hang up their spatulas after 27-and-a-half years.

In a Facebook post, Glorias Grill expressed its gratitude to all who patronized the restaurant over the course of nearly three decades.

Abilene OBGYN known as Beatles Doctor makes move to Sweetwater

Courtesy of Glorias Grill via Facebook: Glorias Grill announces closure after 25+ years

We will be closing our doors with much gratitude and appreciation, the post read. With over two decades of serving the community, and others who have made far travels for a good ol mom and pop burger, we can not express enough gratitude towards every individual who contributed to making our family restaurant an iconic part of town history. We are very gracious for the connections that have been made with each and every one of you. 

Just one hour after the announcement was posted, hundreds reacted to the news with care and sadness to see the restaurant go. Many commented memories of delicious recipes and notable servers over the years, others expressed sorrows and well wishes. Most all agreed Glorias Grill cooked up the best burgers in Abilene.

Courtesy of Glorias Grill via Facebook: Glorias Grill announces closure after 25+ years

McDonalds on Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene to close for several months

Glorias Grill will close after 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 21. The restaurant is located at 228 Chestnut Street, catty corner from the Taylor County Courthouse.

Thank you for being a part of our journey as we wish you nothing but the best in return, added Glorias Grill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
Abortion procedures rose in the U.S. last year, even with state abortion bans passed following the Supreme Courts overruling of Roe v. Wade, according to a study published Tuesday.

An estimated 1,026,690 abortions were reported in the formal health care system in 2023, according to research from the Guttmacher Institute. Its the highest number measured in the United States in more than a decade.

This is equal to about 15.7 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age and a 10 percent increase since 2020, researchers found.

2023 was the first full calendar year since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, eliminating the 1973 precedent granting the constitutional right to abortion.

The nations high court granted states authority to limit or ban abortion procedures, and in the months that followed, several Republican-led states moved to pass legislation restricting or prohibiting residents access to the procedure.

Fourteen states across the nation now have near-total abortion bans, and several states  Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina and Utah  established laws to restrict abortion access based on how far a patient is into their pregnancy term, the Guttmacher Institute noted.

Almost every state without a total abortion ban saw an average increase of 25 percent in the number of procedures from 2020, the study found. States bordering those with bans saw the largest increase  37 percent  from 2020 to 2023.

The Guttmacher Institute noted medication abortions accounted for 63 percent of all U.S. abortions in 2023, an increase from 53 percent in 2020. While access has improved to medication abortions, Guttmacher principal research scientist Rachel Jones emphasized this does not mean it is patients preferred method.

Improved access to medication abortion is a positive development, but it is not a panacea, Jones said in a press release. As abortion restrictions proliferate post-Dobbs, medication abortion may be the most viable optionor the only optionfor some people, even if they would have preferred in-person procedural care.

Every person deserves access to abortion care on their terms and according to their needs and preferenceswhether that care is via telemedicine, an in-person visit or outside the formal health care system, she continued.

Researchers used national and state-level abortion data from 2023 and noted their annual estimates are almost certainly an undercount, as only abortions reported in the formal U.S. health care system are included.

The estimates are created with a statistical model combining data from provider samples with historical data on the caseload of every U.S. provider, the institute said.

Previous studies have yielded similar results in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization ruling. An analysis published in the fall by the Society of Family Plannings WeCount project found clinician-provided abortions rose slightly nationwide following the Supreme Court ruling, though abortions dipped significantly in states with abortion bans.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
GENEVA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Experts and scholars from China and abroad shared the achievements and experiences of minority rights protection in China, focusing on the practices in Xizang Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at a seminar here on Monday.

The seminar titled "The Protection of Human Rights for Minorities: Progress in China's Ethnic Autonomous Regions" was organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies during the 55th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.

Liang Junyan, a researcher at the Institute of History Studies of China Tibetology Research Center, said that Tibet has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times, and the so-called "Tibetan independence" was a product of imperialist aggression against China in modern times.

Jia Chunyang, executive director of the Center for Economic and Social Security Studies of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said that educational practices in Xizang follow Chinese laws and relevant provisions of international conventions, such as the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. These practices align with local realities, respect the needs of the people, and protect and promote the Tibetan language and culture.

Belgian Tibetologist Andre Lacroix shared his observations and experiences in Xizang, saying that the development of Xizang impressed him deeply. He called on Western societies to put aside inherent biases and observe and evaluate the Chinese government's achievements in governing Xizang objectively.

Qiao Basheng, director of the Center for International Communication and Cultural Security Studies of the Northwest University of Political Science and Law, said that Xinjiang is now in the best period of development in history as it is enjoying sustained social stability, with people of all ethnic groups living in harmony, contentment, and prosperity. People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, along with the rest people of the whole country, have entered a moderately prosperous society, fully enjoying tangible human rights guarantees.

Tuersun Aibai, an associate professor with the School of Journalism and Communication of Xinjiang University, said that certain Western anti-China forces use the blame of "forced labor" as a pretext to create "forced unemployment" and "forced poverty" in Xinjiang, which violates the human rights of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. 
After death, we all run the risk of being forgotten. Such was the case of Garzapelta muelleri, an ancient reptile that lived over 200 million years ago and even went unidentified for 30 years after its bony remains were found.

Garzapelta is an aetosaur, a group of archosaurs more closely related to the ancestors of crocs and alligators than birds. But in paleoart reconstructions (see above), the animal looks like if a crocodile were much more polite. Aetosaurs upturned snouts and concealed teeth make the primarily herbivorous reptiles a little more approachable (at least as an idea) than their living relatives.

Research describing the Garzapelta fossilwhich has been collecting dust on a shelf at Texas Tech University for the better part of 30 yearswas published earlier this year in The Anatomical Record.

Reyes with the remains of an aetosaur. - Photo: William Reyes

The ancient creature is named for Garza County, Texas, where it was found, the shieldlike carapace (pelta) it wore, and its original discoverer, the paleontologist Bill Mueller.

As far as anatomies go, Garzapeltas is worth recording. The large animal was armored like an ankylosaur, a bonafide dinosaur recognizable (besides the armor plating) for its clubbed tail. Those bony plates, or osteoderms, made the animal a much more formidable undertaking for Triassic carnivores.

The holotype specimendescribed in the recent paperis a Garzapelta carapace that is roughly 70% complete and features most of the animals body.

We have elements from the back of the neck and shoulder region all the way to the tip of the tail, said William Reyes, a researcher at the University of Texas and the studys lead author, in a university release. Usually, you find very limited material.

Similar to some ankylosaurs, whose bony spikes grew right out of their ribs, Garzapeltas sides were covered in curved spikes that gave it additional protection. But even being covered in spikes, armor, and probably weighing at least a few tons cant change my impression of this ancient croc relative: its cute. They dont make em like they used to.

More: Fossilized Stomach Contents of Armored Dinosaur Reveal Its Last Meal

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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  An acclaimed wine bar with two locations in San Francisco will be closing both of them, including one at Chase Center. Mission Bay Wine & Cheese announced on its website Tuesday that it would be shutting down its recently opened location at Chase Center along with its original location at 114 Channel Street.

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To all our wonderful customers, we have tried mightily for 4 years at our 114 Channel Street location, and for 15 months now at Chase Center, to reach a level of sustainability, and to find additional working capital to keep the two locations afloat, a statement on the wine bars website read. Unfortunately we have not been successful in either endeavor.

The location at Thrive City is set to close immediately. The Channel Street location will remain open for retail only through the end of the month. The business said it had plans to restructure without going into specifics.

Both locations for Mission Bay Wine & Cheese had five-star reviews on Yelp and Tripadvisor.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Donald Trumpwho pals around with white supremacists; who invented fictitious very fine people marching beside neo-Nazis in Charlottesville; who has endorsed a Holocaust denier for governor of North Carolina; who has committed fraud, sexual assault, and defamation, and who stands accused of even more grievous crimeshas informed me that I hate my religion.

By way of background, in addition to working as a journalist, I am a rabbi with a Ph.D. in Jewish Thought from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I lived in Israel for three years. I have written half a dozen books on Jewish spirituality and mysticism. And, as part of how I understand Jewish values, I have criticized the Israeli government, joined the call for a bilateral ceasefire in Gaza, and used whatever platform I have to support those working for peace, coexistence, and a just, two-state solution in Israel/Palestine.

Trump Rages at Jews Who Vote for Democrats, Claims They Hate Israel

My tradition teaches that we must pursue justice, that we must not oppress the stranger, and that it is holy to work toward a more peaceful world. So, rooted in those values, I have also supported those working toward a more equitable society here in the United States, toward addressing the existential threat of climate change, and toward promoting greater freedom and equality for historically marginalized communities, including people of color, women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others.

But, quoth Trump, Jews who support Democrats and question the wisdom of Israels far-right government hate their religion.

For the record, thats around 70 percent of American Jews, depending on the year.

Of course, as with everything Donald Trump says, its best not to take these words too seriously. Hes not playing three-dimensional chess here, triangulating how to peel off votes of moderate Jewish voters. He was shooting from the hip, as always, this time on a podcast hosted by his former aide, and longtime member of Hungarys antisemitic far-right, Sebastian Gorka. And really, compared with calling immigrants not people, maybe Trump saying that 70 percent of American Jews hate their religion isnt so bad.

But of course, it is bad, because this is a particularly fraught moment for American Jews. Like many others (inclding Muslims and anyone with a connection to Palestinians), we are traumatized and torn apart by the massacres, rapes, and kidnappings of Oct. 7; by the continued plight of over 100 innocent civilians being held hostage in hellish conditions by Hamas; and by the horrifying suffering of over a million innocent Palestinians in Gaza.

We are also terrified by the rise in antisemitism, a fear that is constantly being exploited by politicians and pundits with their own interests and agendas.

And we are divided. Many of us are demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, while many others support Israels right to defend itself and argue that Israel has done what any nation would do under similar circumstances.

Still others oppose the Zionist project entirely, while many have worked hard to reconcile our support of the Jewish state with our strong opposition to some of its policies, including the way this war has been prosecuted.

Jonathan Glazers Oscar Speech Reflected the Best of Jewish Values

And truth be told, we have not done well in navigating these disagreements. We are attacking one another, even as others are attacking us, and some have made the same outrageous claim that Trump made: that the people I disagree with arent Jewish at all, or are engaged in antisemitism, or are in some way less than human.

This happens on the far left and the far right: Zionists are genocidal colonizers, Anti-Zionists are hateful antisemites; Zionists are Nazis, Anti-Zionists are Nazis; Zionists have no human decency, Anti-Zionists have no human decency.

Mostly, we are exhausted.

It is in this context that Trumps despicable, insulting, false, ignorant, self-serving, vulgar, incendiary, and, yes, antisemitic tirade arrives.

Perhaps a bit more context is relevant.

The Israel-Hamas War Has Scrambled the Cancel Culture Tribes

After Oct. 7, Trump did not display one iota of empathy. Rather than blame the Hamas murderers, he blamed Israel for not having stopped the attack, and said it would never have happened under his watch. While our dead were still uncounted, while partygoers lay raped and murdered in an open field, Donald Trump was making the tragedy about himself, exploiting it for his selfish gain.

This is the man who, according to around twenty percent of Americans, God has chosen for leadership. This repugnant piece of filth who thinks only of himself, who dares to question the sincerity of my faith and that of millions of other American Jews, for whom there is no insult too debased, no boast too vulgar, no lie too outrageous to utter.

Trump is clearly gifted in summoning the worst, darkest aspects of human nature and alchemizing them into cult-like devotion to himself; like all con men and demagogues, he is a kind of intuitive genius. But he has no moral center, no spiritual core. The man is an empty shell of grasping, egoic dementia.

So, in a sense, I forgive him these latest offenses. One might as well blame the wolf for killing the lamb; hes just following his nature.

But I also know this: that while there are millions of people who think that such behavior is to be tolerated or even cheered, there are millions more who have had it with his depravity, with his endless incoherent tirades, with his extremism and inhumanityan inhumanity most clearly on display when he is dehumanizing others.

Elise Stefaniks Calculated Demagoguery on Antisemitism and Free Speech

Which is why, uncharacteristically for me, I remain optimistic about the coming election. Even through the gauzy fog of the right-wing infotainment universe, a whole lot of ordinary Americansfolks who are just trying to hold it together and live their livessee Trump for who and what he is.

That includes these latest remarks. According to Trump, any Jew who disagrees with him is a bad Jew who hates their religion. According to Trumps diehard followers, hes absolutely right.

But according to decent Americans, the kind of people who swing presidential elections? I think they know a scoundrel when they see one.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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(KRON)  Monday, a defendant accused of murder attacked his attorney while in court, Contra Costa County court officials confirmed to KRON4.

Defendant Ramello Randle attacked his attorney Matthew Fregi and struck him in the neck, officials said. Court security was able to take control of the situation.

Randle is in court on murder charges for allegedly killing is ex-girlfriend during a child custody dispute. Randle was arrested in 2020 after police found 24-year-old Jonaye Bridges shot to death in the head while sitting in a car, the San Francisco Chronicle previously reported. Bridges and Randle shared custody of their infant son at the time.

Mondays outburst was apparently not Randles first. Randle yelled expletives at the defense attorney DDA Kevin Bell and Judge Charles Ben Burch during a previous court appearance in 2022 during which he was representing himself, the East Bay Times previously reported. The judge declared a mistrial and Fregi became Randles attorney. Randle also tried to attack another attorney Lawrence Strauss during a court appearance in 2023, EBT reported.

There were no significant injuries from Mondays incident, court officials said. The case is set to continue as usual on Tuesday at 1:35 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
An investigation is underway after a pedestrian was struck and killed by an MBTA commuter rail train in Newton on Tuesday, officials said.

The pedestrian was struck at Auburndale station before noon, causing lengthy delays along the Framingham/Worcester line.

The Middlesex District Attorneys Office confirmed that the victim died. Their name hasnt been released.

Photos captured by a Boston 25 News photographer showed yellow police tape blocking the entrance to the station and a Framingham/Worcester commuter rail train stopped on the tracks.

Worcester line train 518 from Worcester was canceled due to the police activity on the right of way, according to the MBTAs website.

Framingham/Worcester line passengers will experience severe delays in both directions due to police activity on the right of way near Auburndale, the MBTA said in an alert.

Delays of more than an hour are expected and buses will replace train service between Boston Landing and Wellesley Farms until further notice, the MBTA added.

Additional facts and circumstances surrounding the deadly incident werent immediately available.

Boston 25 News has reached out to authorities for more information.

 Framingham/Worcester Line passengers will experience severe delays in both directions due to police activity on the right of way near Auburndale.  MBTA Commuter Rail Alerts (@MBTA_CR_Alerts) March 19, 2024

RELATED:

WATCH: Dramatic video shows the moment a commuter train collides with a tractor-trailer in Littleton

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Former Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley on Tuesday reiterated concerns that political decisions made outside the Defense Department led to the chaos and violence of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, but also emphasized that no single mistake can be blamed for the failures.

The outcome in Afghanistan was the result of many decisions from many years of war, the retired Army general told members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Like any complex phenomena, there was no single causal factor that determined the outcome.

Milley and former Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., head of U.S. Central Command at the time of the withdrawal, appeared before the panel as part of ongoing congressional investigations related to the final days of the withdrawal, which included the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and hundreds of civilians after a suicide bombing at the Kabul International Airport.

Republican leaders of the committee said the hearing was designed to provide still-unanswered questions from the families of those fallen troops  some of whom attended Tuesdays hearing  and to determine how mistakes were made.

Senators warn more visas are urgently needed for Afghans who aided US

The president and his administration refuse to acknowledge their failures, said committee chairman Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas. We launched this investigation to make sure the mistakes made in Afghanistan never, ever happen again.

But Democrats dismissed the hearing  the latest in a long series of the issue over the last three years  as another attempt by congressional Republicans to score political points ahead of this years elections, noting that the chaotic withdrawal was preceded by mistakes from multiple presidential administrations.

If were taking a serious look at this, you cant just take a peek at one little segment of it and say, This is the reason everything happened, said committee ranking member Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y. You have to look at all of it.

That includes former President Donald Trumps agreement with Taliban leaders in early 2020 to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, an arrangement that Democrats argue limited President Joe Bidens options in the country.

Milley and McKenzie both acknowledged that, but also noted that military leaders recommended keeping some military force in the country beyond the August 2021 deadline but were overruled by administration officials.

They also noted that the move to pull civilian workers and allies out of the country came later than they requested, leading to more complications.

This was not a military decision, McKenzie said.

But neither man condemned Biden for his political calls, saying that military recommendations are just part of the decision process for the commander-in-chief. They also testified that if U.S. troops were not removed from the country, it likely would have led to renewed fighting with Taliban forces.

Much of the testimony from Milley and McKenzie was repeated from previous appearances before congressional committees. But Tuesdays hearing marked the first time Milley testified on the issue as a civilian, not a Defense Department official.

He said the move was important to provide as much information as possible to the families of the fallen troops and the service members who served alongside them.

To all veterans of Afghanistan, hold your heads high, he said. Each of you did what the country asked of you under extreme circumstances.
BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Washington delights in touting such noble terms as democracy, human rights and rules-based international order, but what it does betrays what it truly believes.

The Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, featuring violent protesters, damaged statues, vandalized offices and terrified lawmakers inside the "seat of American democracy," offered a revealing glimpse into America's dysfunctional political system.

"So much for American exceptionalism, for our being a shining city on a hill." When Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, a U.S. think tank, made this comment following the incident, he told a truth that has become increasingly clear.

The United States likes to portray itself as a "Beacon of Democracy." Yet the so-called beacon is getting dimmer, with politicians preaching democracy on the stage while engaging in money politics behind the scenes. As election campaign funds keep shattering the record, political division has been growing deeper.

A Pew Center poll shows that 65 percent of Americans believe the U.S. democratic system needs major reforms, and 57 percent of respondents believe the United States is "no longer a model of democracy."

Meanwhile, internal failure is no obstacle for Washington to lecture others on democracy and even impose its own version upon other nations. Now the world has come to realize that in the name of democracy, what the United States really does is to support pro-Washington governments and topple those it dislikes, all to serve its hegemonic interests.

Such double-dealing forms the true background of the third so-called "Summit for Democracy," orchestrated by the United States and under way in South Korea.

America likes to brand itself as a "defender of human rights." However, the American people have long been frustrated by deep-rooted problems including racial discrimination, gun violence and wealth disparity. The UN Human Rights Committee has pointed out that systemic racism is prevalent in the U.S. police and judicial systems. African Americans are three times more likely to be killed by the police and 4.5 times more likely to be imprisoned than white people in America.

Failing to solve rampant human-rights woes at home, America has waged wars around the world and imposed sanctions on other countries over the past decades, causing large-scale humanitarian catastrophes. Since 2001, wars and military operations launched by the United States in the name of counter-terrorism have killed more than 900,000 people, of which about 335,000 were civilians.

In addition, it has habitually engaged in torture, assassination and spying on foreign political figures. Since the outbreak of the latest Gaza conflict in October, Washington has repeatedly blocked the adoption of ceasefire resolutions by the UN Security Council.

As to Washington's preaching of "a rules-based international order," the international community has realized that the term is no more than a camouflage the United States uses to get its own way. Those rules in its mouth are more often than not meant only for others.

As Xiang Lanxin, a professor emeritus at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, said in an article, Washington's "rules-based international order" is not even a peaceful and harmonious system; it only hinders peace and development, and it is not supported by a significant portion of the world's population.

Such voices indicate that the world has woken up to America's hypocrisy. If Washington keeps saying one thing and doing another, its credibility will drain out soon. 
The Great Rift Valley offers both insights and intrigue in the world of plate tectonics. Martin Harvey / Getty Images

In the heart of East Africa, a seismic event is unfolding that could forever alter the continent's geographical landscape. The notion of Africa splitting has the attention scientists and geologists worldwide, as the Great Rift Valley stretches and tears at the Earth's crust.

This dramatic phenomenon is not the plot of a science fiction novel but a real and ongoing process that may lead to the birth of a new ocean, reshaping Africa's boundaries over millions of years.

The Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley, which stretches from the Afar region down to Mozambique, offers breathtaking landscapes and is crucial for understanding the forces shaping our planet.

At the heart of this vast depression lies the East African Rift System (EARS), a zone where the African continent is slowly being torn apart. This site has attracted attention because a large crack recently made a sudden appearance in southwestern Kenya.

Understanding Plate Tectonics

Plate tectonics, the theory that explains the movement of the Earth's lithosphere, is central to understanding the division of the African continent.

The East African Rift System is a prime example of divergent tectonic plates pulling away from each other, with the African plate now appearing to be two separate entities  the Somalian tectonic plate and the larger Nubian tectonic plate  moving in opposite directions.

This tectonic activity not only contributes to the possible formation of Earth's sixth ocean but also reshapes the geography of East Africa, echoing the processes that once separated the vast protocontinent, Pangea, to form the Atlantic Ocean.

If the Nubian and Somali plates continue to drift, countries like Uganda and Zambia may have their own coastlines in the future.

Evidence of the Split

Recent geological surveys and satellite imagery have provided compelling evidence of the African continent's slow but steady split. These observations confirm the active splitting of the continent, as the East African Rift gradually widens.

It's important to note that while this discovery is exciting, the rifting process will take tens of millions of years to completely split. To put it into perspective, currently, the plates are diverging at an average rate of 0.2 inches (7 millimeters) per year.

While the rift is currently above sea level, over time, it will widen and the crust will thin and sink. Eventually, a small seaway will begin to invade the rift zone, much like the Red Sea, transforming the geography of the region and creating its own separate small continent.

What a Split Continent Means for Africa

The potential split of the African continent carries significant implications for its future. As the East African Rift Valley continues to expand, it could lead to the creation of an ocean basin, fundamentally altering the region's environment and climate.

This transformation could affect biodiversity, water resources and agricultural practices, posing both challenges and opportunities for the inhabitants of East Africa.

Moreover, the gradual separation might influence the continent's geopolitical landscape, as new maritime routes emerge and nations reassess their territorial boundaries. It may even create new opportunities for trade and communication.

Comparing Africa's Rift With Other Geological Phenomena

While this geological phenomenon may seem revolutionary to some, it's actually quite common. If you look at a map, you'll quickly see how Africa and South America appear to fit perfectly together. This is because they were once a landmass. Over time, the land was split by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

What Is Causing the Somali and Nubian Plates To Split?

While experts have known that Africa is splitting in two for a while, pinpointing the exact cause has been a struggle.

A wide zone of seismic activity and evidence now suggests the rift is caused by a superplume upwelling along the eastern edge of Africa. Ultimately, the sudden appearance of the crack may be due to heavy rainfall in the area.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.

Original article: Is Africa Splitting in Two? Really? Here's the Scoop

Copyright  2024 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company
The Air Force is hoping to retire more A-10 Warthogs in 2025, as the service continues to readjust its overall strategies and future aircraft based on China's growing threat in the Pacific.

In their 2025 budget request, Air Force officials are hoping to retire 250 aircraft -- with 56 of those divestments being A-10s. If passed, it would mark the largest number of the close-air support stalwarts sent to the boneyard -- the final resting place for scrapped aircraft.

Congress allowed the service to part with 21 A-10s -- the first such retirements approved in the 21st century -- as part of its 2023 defense policy bill, Military.com reported. The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act "eases current restrictions on retiring A-10 aircraft to allow the Air Force to retire 42 A-10 aircraft" in fiscal 2024, according to a Senate fact sheet.

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The close-support aircraft, with a 57-foot, 6-inch wingspan, has been in service since the 1970s. The signature "brrrttt" noise emitted from its 30mm Gatling-style guns, which aided troops extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan in addition to playing a key role in the first Gulf War, helped garner a fanatic following among service members, as well as Washington lawmakers who have fervently protected it from retirement.

But that support seems to be fading. More A-10 squadrons are starting to shed their aircraft.

It was announced earlier this month that Maryland's Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport is the preferred location to transition from a flying mission with aging A-10 aircraft to a cyber wing mission -- leaving the future of those jobs up in the air.

"Divestment of the 21 A-10s at Warfield ANGB is forecasted to begin in fall 2024," the Air Force said in a press release. "Manpower numbers are expected to remain neutral but will be finalized over the next year."

Last month, the 355th Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona began divesting its A-10 fleet. Air Force officials said in a press release announcing those changes that the service "is planning to divest the entire fleet of A-10 aircraft within the next 3-5 years" and that pilots and maintainers will move on to the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.

"The A-10 has been the symbol of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base for many years, and it will continue to be a symbol for the airmen of DM, a symbol of their commitment, excellence and service," Col. Scott Mills, 355th Wing commander and A-10 pilot, said in the news release. "For now, we're divesting a single squadron during the summer-fall timeframe of 2024."

As Congress moves toward retiring more A-10 Warthogs from service, the Air Force also aims over the next three years to cut the number of elite airmen responsible for calling in close-air support on the battlefield.

Rose Riley, a Department of the Air Force spokeswoman, told Military.com last year that the service plans to shrink the Tactical Air Control Party, or TACP, job field to about 2,130 positions -- a decrease of 44%, according to the service. The Air Force said the manning is now "roughly" 3,700 airmen.

Over three fiscal years, the Air Force is asking to decrease TACPs by "44% to approximately 2,130 positions with a reduction of roughly 370 positions in FY23, 610 positions in FY24, and 600 positions in FY25," Riley told Military.com last year in an emailed statement.

Air Force officials did not immediately respond when asked Monday about how that plan was proceeding.

Troops-In-Contact, an advocacy group led by A-10 and air support veterans, issued a statement after the cuts were revealed saying close-air support, or CAS, is crucial to the military. The group argued that the results of cutting TACPs could be deadly. The group has also fought against cuts to the A-10 Warthog.

"If successful, this plan would kill the CAS profession and cripple America's CAS capability," the group wrote on its website. "Ground troops would be supported, if at all, by CAS amateurs in a small, expensive fleet of fragile aircraft that are far less effective. In low-intensity conflict, that will cost lives."

The A-10 retirements come as the Air Force continues to invest in the F-35, which was billed early on as a close-air support replacement for the Warthog. It also comes as the service pivots overall to a focus on the Pacific and China, leaving the Middle East in the rearview.

Dan Grazier, a senior policy fellow with the Project on Government Oversight, a nonpartisan, nonprofit watchdog group, obtained a copy of an A-10 and F-35 flyoff testing report that did not paint the F-35 as the clear winner between the two, he reported.

Grazier said the continued retirements of the A-10 will leave the service empty-handed when it comes to close-air support abilities.

"It's going to leave a capability gap," Grazier told Military.com in an interview Monday.

Related: After Recruiting Woes, Air Force Cuts Planned Troop Totals by 8,000 for Coming Year
The Air Force no longer plans on installing and operating a high-energy laser weapon on a special operations gunship due to "technical challenges," an official said, bringing the service's latest attempt at an airborne directed-energy system to an end after years in development.

A spokesman for Air Force Special Operations Command confirmed to Military.com that its Airborne High Energy Laser, or AHEL, missed its "available integration and flight test window" for operations from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship amid open-air ground testing.

AFSOC had previously stated in November 2023 that airborne testing of the AHEL would commence in January 2024 and finish in June. As The War Zone noted, that window already represented a delay from a previously promised testing period of fiscal 2021.

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While the AHEL achieved " significant end-to-end, high-power operation" during ground tests, the missed integration and flight test window prompted AFSOC to "[refocus] on ground testing to improve operations and reliability to posture for a successful hand-off for use by other agencies," the command spokesman said.

In short, the AHEL may live to fight another day as part of a different Air Force agency's directed-energy efforts, but it will likely never see battle from the catbird seat of a special operations gunship.

Air Force Special Operations Command has pursued efforts to mount a high-energy laser on a fixed-wing aircraft since 2015, with Lockheed Martin receiving a contract in January 2019 to support the integration and demonstration of the AHEL on an AC-130J. The defense giant delivered the system to the Air Force in 2021.

The AHEL was envisioned as a laser system employed for what's termed low-probability-of-detection use on a complex battlefield to back up special operators against targets such as "communication nodes, light-to-medium duty vehicles and power infrastructures," according to U.S. Special Operations Command's fiscal 2025 budget request.

"Without the slightest bang, whoosh, thump, explosion or even aircraft engine hum, key targets are permanently disabled," as then-AFSOC commander Lt. Gen. Brad Webb put it in 2017 as he described the tactical benefits of the notional AHEL. "The enemy has no communications, no escape vehicle, no electrical power and no retaliatory [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance]."

An AHEL on a gunship wouldn't have been the first time the U.S. military mounted a laser on a fixed-wing aircraft. In 2010, the Air Force's Boeing 747-based Airborne Laser Testbed successfully downed a ballistic missile during a test off the coast of California.

Unfortunately, there appears to be no funding left to make Webb's vision a reality: According to U.S. Special Operations Command budget documents, funding for the AHEL was zeroed out as part of the command's fiscal 2025 budget request, down from $3 million requested in fiscal 2024 and $15.387 million requested in fiscal 2023.

As for the AHEL's future life as part of another laser weapons system, it's unclear what a "successful hand-off for use by other agencies," as AFSOC put it, will look like.

One possibility is that the technological capabilities developed under the AHEL effort will transfer over to the Self-Protect High-Energy Laser Demonstrator, or SHiELD, program that seeks to mount a laser system on a fighter jet to neutralize incoming missiles, testing of which was delayed for years due ongoing technical challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Testing for the SHiELD system is now scheduled for sometime in 2024, as Breaking Defense previously reported.

Related: A Moment of Truth for the Army's Chief Laser Weapon
A pet alligator living with his owner for over 30 years in western New York was seized by state authorities, which sparked a firestorm of backlash.

Many people in the town of Hamburg, New York, a Buffalo suburb, backed "Albert the Alligator's" owner, Tony Cavallaro, and started an online petition urging the state to return Cavallaro's 11-foot, 750-pound "child."

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which took the alligator away, said Cavallaro's license to have the alligator expired in 2021, and the gator was taken "in the interest of public safety."

However, neighbors and area residents backed Cavallaro, who told a local news outlet, "Im Alberts dad, thats all there is to it."

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The gator was seized last week, according to the DEC, which said Cavallaro allowed members of the public to get into the water with "Albert," who had his own room, pool and waterfall in his Erie County home.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"The alligator has numerous health-related issues, including blindness in both eyes and spinal complications," the DEC said in a statement.

However, Cavallaro bit back against the state agency's accusations, saying, "Every one who has met Albert or knows Albert knows that this is not true."

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"I took care of him better than most people take care of their kids," he said, according to an online petition, which garnered nearly 115,000 signatures as of late Tuesday morning.

The petition includes about a dozen videos from supporters. One person, who said she is a personal friend of Cavallaro, said he takes care of his gator and the two should be reunited.

Another person said, "I signed the petition because I have a heart . Free Albert."

The issue at the center of the "Free Albert" debate is a permit lapse, and public contact with the alligator.

"Possession of animals designated as dangerous, including alligators, is prohibited in New York State except under license from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)," the DEC told Fox News Digital in an email.

1,800-YEAR-OLD ARTIFACT UNEARTHED DURING ROUTINE CONSTRUCTION A COMPLETE MYSTERY

"These licenses, along with authorizing possession for regulated activities, protect the animal and the public. In this case, the former owners license to possess the alligator expired in 2021 and was not renewed.

"At that time, DEC determined the owners facility failed to meet specific conditions to ensure this dangerous animal did not come in contact with humans and did not pose a threat to humans or the animal."

Authorities seized Albert the Alligator, which the DEC says has health issues.

Those conditions included deficiencies in the gator's holding area, which needed to be rectified before Cavallaro's license could be renewed.

Even then, Albert may still have been hauled away because Cavallaro allowed the public to swim and take pictures with his pet.

"To be clear, even if the owner were appropriately licensed, public contact with the animal is prohibited and grounds for license revocation and relocation of the animal," the DEC said.

800-POUND, 14-FOOT ALLIGATOR CAUGHT IN MISSISSIPPI BREAKS HARVEST RECORD: 'A LOT OF LEATHER'

Albert the Alligator was turned over to a licensed caretaker, who will house the animal until it can be transported for permanent care.

Evidence is still being seized, as part of a warrant and ongoing investigation, to determine if any potential charges will be filed.

Cavallaro is not going away quietly. He told WKBW, a local ABC affiliate, that he tried to renew his permit but could not get clarification from the DEC about certain changes.

He argues, as the gator's owner for 34 years, he should be grandfathered in.

Cavallaro told 7 News that kids have posed for pictures in the pool with Albert in the back, but it was not often.

This is a sample of the comments on an online petition for a New York man to keep his alligator.

His neighbor, Laura Lautner, told the local news outlet that it was not like he was "having (an) alligator get together, or parties. He's just a really nice guy and loves that alligator, and treats it well."

Cavallaro said state and local authorities that seized Albert swarmed his home with "20 or more agents  in full body armor and guns treating me like a criminal," according to the online petition.

"It was like I was a gun-dealing, drug-dealing criminal the way they acted," he said, according to the petition. "The scene that they made on my street is very disturbing and totally wrong. I am very upset and angry about this whole incident."

He said he will post updates about potential court information as it becomes available.





Original article source: Albert the Alligator's 'dad' chomps at the bit to retrieve his pet gator seized by state: 'Free Albert'
Journalists work at a private television broadcaster in Algiers, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Algerian officials are chiding television stations over the content choices they've made during Ramadan. Their criticisms come amid broader struggles facing journalists and broadcasters, which have historically relied heavily on advertising from the state and Sonatrach, its largest oil and gas company. (AP Photo/Anis Belghoul)

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP)  Officials in Algeria are chiding television stations over the content choices theyve made since the start of Ramadan last week, injecting religion into broader discussions about how the country regulates content and advertising in media.

Their criticisms come amid broader struggles facing journalists and broadcasters, where television stations and newspapers have historically relied heavily on advertising from the government and large state-aligned enterprises in the oil-rich nation.

After meeting with station directors on Sunday, Algerian Communications Minister Mohamed Lagab accused networks of not respecting ethical and professional lines, calling their programmatic choices out of keeping with the social traditions of our society and especially the sacredness of the month of Ramadan.

Lagab, a former journalism school professor, preemptively rebuffed accusations of censorship, arguing that his ministrys push didnt run counter to Algerias constitutional press freedom guarantees.

Television stations have the right to criticize, but not by attacking our societys moral values, he said.

Though he did not explicitly name any specific stations or programs, Lagab cited soap operas as a particular concern. His ministry last week summoned a director for the country's largest private station, Echourouk, over a soap opera called El Barani that showed characters consuming alcohol and snorting cocaine  depictions that sparked rebuke from viewers concerned they were incompatible with Ramadan.

Lagab also criticized stations for dedicating excessive airtime to advertising, so much so that it rivaled the run time of certain shows. If we put advertising (and programs) side by side, we would conclude they last longer than the soap operas broadcast, Lagab said.

His remarks followed statements from Algeria's Authority of Audiovisual Regulations, which polices television and radio stations. Throughout March, it has called on national television stations to rein in advertising and respect families and viewers during Ramadan, a holy month observed throughout the Muslim-majority country and broader region.

Lagabs two-pronged attack  against stations content and advertising  is the latest challenge facing Algerian television stations, which are preparing for deepened financial strain as the government prepares new regulations on advertising in media. In anticipation of a new law, stations, especially private ones, have ramped up advertising to an unprecedented extent, hoping to rake in profits before the government sets new limits.

The advertising blitz has been particularly pronounced since Ramadan began last week. As demand increases for food and other consumer products used throughout the holy month, stations have found no shortage of advertisers.

Even if stations dont change course after meeting with Lagab, experts say the governments criticisms are unlikely to escalate into punishments like sanctions or fines.

Most of these channels are politically aligned with the government and zealously support it, said Kamal Ibri, a journalist whose news website closed for lack of advertising revenue.

Algerias largest television stations are a mixture of publicly and privately owned. Networks including the private Echourouk, private El Bilad and the state-owned ENTV broadcast news and other programming, including soap operas. In prior years, viewers have grown accustomed to special Ramadan-specific programs during that period.

Though some private channels have begun platforming opposition parties recently, few broadcast pointed criticisms of the government. Those that do have in recent years been penalized.

Journalist Ihsane El Kadi 's media company, which oversaw web television and radio programming was shuttered and had its equipment confiscated. He was sentenced to prison for threatening state security in April 2023.
A pub where police found a trafficked woman being used for prostitution has had its licence revoked.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) raided The Railway in Altrincham on 13 February and arrested two people.

They were held over offences connected with the trafficking of sex workers in a brothel. They have not been charged and both deny the allegations.

The pub on Manchester Road was closed but Trafford Council has now stripped it of its licence.

The pub landlords have 21 days to appeal the decision.

Trafford council solicitor James Parry said: "In one of the upper rooms of the premises they discovered a woman who said she was a sex worker who advised the police in a statement captured on body-worn video that she had been trafficked to the premises."

The hearing was told that the woman was paid in crack cocaine in return for having sex with customers in an upstairs room.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said Manchester Magistrates' Court had issued a closure notice "as a result of the premises being used as a brothel".

The council's licensing sub-committee heard that the two arrested people deny the allegations. They are on police bail until 14 May.

Mr Parry said the council's decision was "made in the interests of public safety".

He added: "It is not a criminal matter."

Why not follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk
In the video, Amaechi Muonagor could only say a few words

A social media video showing Nollywood comedy legend Amaechi Muonagor in poor health and begging for financial help has shocked many Nigerians.

He can be seen in bed with a bandage on his chest, barely able to talk.

Another actor, sitting next to him, explains that Muonagor needs money to pay for a kidney transplant.

The news comes as Nigerians are still mourning the death of Nollywood star John Okafor, better known as Mr Ibu, who also needed medical help.

In the video, released on Monday, a clearly distressed Muonagor, rasps in the Igbo language: "Igbo people, I greet you all."

He is unable to continue and actor Kingsley Orji takes over explaining that the veteran performer is suffering from kidney-related issues.

"It has not been easy. He has been in this condition for months now. He wants to go for a kidney transplant," Orji says.

"He just came back from the ICU... a couple of days ago. He was responding to treatment but not very well.

"We decided to bring him home because there was no money but it is not advisable. He barely talks well. Please, he needs your help," he adds.

Reacting to the video, many people have been expressing their sadness, saying they are praying for the actor and pledging money.

Muonagor's health issues, and the death of Mr Ibu earlier this month, highlight a huge problem facing Nollywood actors and their healthcare.

As they are paid on a film-by-film basis many are not part of a health insurance scheme or able to make regular payments. Although the Actors Guild of Nigeria says it has been able to get an insurance company to cover the industry, not all performers have signed up.

During his career Muonagor has appeared in dozens of films, including Aki and Paw Paw, one of his most famous roles where he played the father of two mischief-making, over-exuberant teenagers.

Despite competition from foreign movie industries, Nollywood continues to maintain a prominent place among Nigerian and wider African audiences.
This article was originally published in Kentucky Lantern.

FRANKFORT  The Kentucky Senate on Friday joined the House in passing legislation for a constitutional amendment  called a game changer by one Republican supporter  that would allow public dollars to fund nonpublic schools.

In a vote of 27-8, senators approved House Bill 2. Eastern Kentucky Republican Sens. Brandon Storm and Phillip Wheeler joined six of the seven Senate Democrats in opposing the bill. Democrat Robin Webb did not cast a vote, nor did Republicans Jared Carpenter and Brandon Smith.

Because the bill would amend the Kentucky Constitution, voters will decide the proposals fate in November. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, who has opposed giving public dollars to nonpublic schools, will not be officially weighing in because constitutional amendments are not subject to gubernatorial veto.

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The Senate Education Committee chairman, Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, said the bill could pave the way to offering school choice to Kentuckians. During the Houses debate, Speaker David Osborne admonished members for speaking about possible future legislation stemming from the amendment, rather than the bill before them.

West said the constitutional amendment is an attempt to modernize the states education system.

This is a game changer, West said. This will dictate where we are 25 years from now.

The bills primary sponsor, House Republican Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles, of Owensboro, has said the bill would let the voters decide if the General Assembly should have the option of funding education outside the system of common schools, an option not allowed by the Constitution adopted in 1891.

In the Senate, Republican leaders backed the bill. Senate President Pro Tem David Givens, of Greensburg, argued that its not new for public dollars to go to private entities. He pointed to contractors who build roads.

If I had the list of vendors for which we send public funds to private entities, I can certainly more than fill my 10 minutes, Mr. President, reading that list of vendors, Givens said.

Majority Floor Leader Sen. Damon Thayer, of Georgetown, urged Democrats to visit blue cities across the country in states like New York and California.

The minority party and the education establishment here in Kentucky continue to protect the status quo despite the shift that is happening nationwide in blue cities and blue states in favor of more and more school choice, Thayer said.

Like their House counterparts, Senate Democrats raised concerns about the bill being fast-tracked through the General Assembly this week. Democratic Caucus Chair Reggie Thomas, of Lexington, called it a flawed approach to doing the publics business on a bill of such importance. The Senate Education Committee forwarded the bill in a special-called Thursday meeting. The House gave its approval Wednesday despite bipartisan opposition.

West pushed back on Thomas point, saying the bill is two-pages long and has been made public since January.

Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong, D-Louisville, admonished the proposed amendment for notwithstanding, or suspending, seven sections of the 1891 Constitution.

I worry Mr. President, that we are so desperate to pass this amendment and give money to private schools to take it away from our public schools that we are risking shredding the Kentucky Constitution to make that happen, she said.

Kentuckys Constitution strictly bars using tax dollars to fund any but the states common schools (or public schools), and courts citing the Constitution have struck down legislative attempts to steer tax dollars into private or charter schools.

Courts have struck down the General Assemblys charter school legislation. In December, Franklin Circuit Court Judge Phillip Shepherd wrote that charter schools are private entities that do not meet the Kentucky Constitutions definition of public schools or common schools.

The Kentucky Supreme Court unanimously struck down a Kentucky law in December 2022 creating a generous tax credit to help families pay for tuition at private schools. The opinion, which upheld a circuit court ruling by Shepherd, cited a long line of precedent reinforcing the Kentucky Constitutions ban on the state financially supporting private schools.

Democratic Floor Leader Sen. Gerald Neal, of Louisville, said Kentuckys existing public schools are already simply underfunded and should be prioritized. The General Assembly has yet to finalize the next two-year state budget.

I think we have the capacity to do it, Neal said. The question is, do we have the will? Do we have the commitment? Do we have the wisdom to do it?

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter.


A Nigerien soldier wipes sweat off his face while participating in a special forces training exercise during Exercise Flintlock 2018 in Agadez, Niger, April 14, 2018. | U.S. Navy/Evan Parker

Air Base 201 in Niger was the U.S. Air Force's largest construction project in history: a massive drone center that cost American taxpayers $280 million. Thanks to a change in the Nigerien leadership, Americans may have to give up that investment for good.

Niger's new nationalist government, which took power in a coup d'etat last year, has been trying to get rid of foreign military presence in the country. Over the weekend, Nigerien Col. Amadou Abdramane ordered U.S. troops out of Air Base 201, declaring on television that "the American presence in the territory of the Republic of Niger is illegal."

The Biden administration seems to be stalling. Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh and State Department spokesman Vedant Patel both said that the United States was seeking "clarification" on the Nigerien government's comments. (What exactly is so unclear about "the American presenceis illegal"?)

The last straw seems to have been a meeting between American and Nigerien officials last week. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee criticized a Nigerien deal to sell Iran uranium, growing Nigerien-Russian military ties, and Niger's failure to return to democracy, according to The Wall Street Journal.

After the meeting, Abdramane went on television to condemn the "condescending attitude" of the Biden administration.

"Niger regrets the intention of the American delegation to deny the sovereign Nigerien people the right to choose their partners and types of partnerships capable of truly helping them fight against terrorism," he said.

The U.S. military is ostensibly in West Africa to help local governments fight against Islamist rebels, such as Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and Boko Haram. But the problem has only gotten worse: The U.S. State Department, which reported just nine terrorist attacks throughout all of Africa in 2002 and 2003, recorded 2,737 incidents in Burkina Faso, Mali, and western Niger alone in 2022.

The U.S. presence in Niger, unknown to most Americans, has been a mess for years. In 2017, the Islamic State ambushed and killed four U.S. Green Berets. The U.S. military reprimanded several commanders for improperly preparing the troops and lying about their mission. In 2022, local bandits robbed a van carrying $40,000 in American taxpayer money, meant to pay local employees, in broad daylight just outside Air Base 201.

Many West African countries are former French colonies, and France has also used counterterrorism missions to retain its influence over the region it calls "Francafrique."

Resentment over the American and French presence boiled over in 2020, when West Africa began to suffer a series of military coups, bringing anti-Western governments to power. Ironically, many of the coup plottersincluding the Nigerien officershad also received U.S. military training before turning against their American backers.

One of those officers, Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, blamed the failure of such U.S. military aid for his decision to overthrow Niger's elected government.

"The current security approach has failed to secure our country, despite the heavy sacrifices made by Nigeriens and the appreciable and appreciated support of our external partners," he said in a speech shortly after seizing power. "No, the results have not lived up [to] our expectations, and we can no longer continue with the same approaches proposed to date."

The post America's $280 Million Military Mission in Niger Ends in Failure appeared first on Reason.com.
Claims suggesting that the import of Ukrainian agricultural products significantly impacts Polish farmers' conditions are debunked by the findings of the analytical study "The Grain of Discord: Analysis of Agrarian Protests," conducted by experts at the independent Institute of Public Finance (IPF) in Poland.

The experts examined the veracity of claims frequently made during the grain crisis and protests in Poland. Their findings show that grain imports from Ukraine do not significantly affect grain prices in Poland or the broader EU market. The idea that some grain is imported into Poland from Ukraine via other countries, like Lithuania, is also debunked.



IPF emphasizes that imports from Ukraine are not the primary cause of Polish farmers economic difficulties. While the trade balance with Ukraine regarding agricultural products is negative, this doesnt apply to all products. For instance, Poland has a positive trade balance with Ukraine in sectors like meat and dairy.

Read also: Russia must suffer strategic defeat in Ukraine, Latvian DM

The analysts also countered the popular opinion in Poland that an embargo on Ukrainian imports would significantly stabilize the agricultural market. IPF experts highlight that an embargo wouldnt impact national prices, especially within the EUs single agricultural market, where many factors, including global situations, influence prices.

Read also: Poland maintains Ukraine grain import ban, proposes new trade rules to EU

The study points out that a full embargo on Ukrainian products wouldnt alter Polands market dynamics, as global market prices, influenced by production in countries like China, Australia, or Russia, play a dominant role.

IPFs analysis underscores that among Polish protesters, the most popular demands were to ban Ukrainian agricultural imports and reject the European Green Deal. Few voiced concerns about the low profitability of growing agricultural crops.

IPF notes that Polands overall trade balance with Ukraine was positive in 2023, amounting to 31.4 billion zlotys (over 8 billion euros), with Ukraine accounting for only 1.2% of Polands total imports. The negative balance for Poland is observed in grain, seed, and certain fruit imports, whereas Poland enjoys a positive balance in exporting meat, fish, dairy products, coffee, tea, and spices to Ukraine.

Read also: Ukraines trade flow with Poland  exports and imports overview

In 2023, Poland imported only 1 million tons of grain from Ukraine, a figure that, considering Polands production level of 35.2 million tons, cannot be a factor significantly affecting price drops. The study also dismisses farmers fears that a portion of Ukrainian grain reaches Poland via Lithuania, as imports from Lithuania have consistently decreased over recent years.

Finally, the research highlights concerns about a full embargo on Ukrainian products potentially triggering a reciprocal response from Ukraine, leading to lost markets for animal products, including dairy and meat. Such a scenario would also entail Poland violating international treaties, EU trade policies with third countries, and WTO rules.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
With the current transition strategy visibly failing on most fronts owing to its collision with five hard realities, the world needs a new, realistic pathway for the energy transition that includes oil and gas, said the top official of Saudi oil giant Aramco.

These hard realities include the need to reset global efforts to meet climate ambitions, the inability of alternatives so far to displace hydrocarbons at scale, the costs associated with alternatives, energy requirements of the Global South, and the potential for further emissions reductions from hydrocarbons, stated Amin H. Nasser, the Aramco President & CEO, in his keynote speech at CERAWeek 2024 in Houston, US.

CERAWeek is an annual conference that gathers leaders, ministers, public-policy officials and CEOs from around the world to share insights, innovative ideas and solutions to energy, climate and environmental challenges.

More than 8,000 representatives of the energy, utilities, automotive, manufacturing, policy, financial, and technology fields attend CERAWeek, which features more than 1,400 expert speakers.

On reducing emissions from oil and gas, Nasser said: "We should abandon the fantasy of phasing out oil and gas and instead invest in them adequately, reflecting realistic demand assumptions. We should ramp up our efforts to reduce carbon emissions, aggressively improve efficiency, and introduce lower carbon solutions."

"And we should phase in new energy sources and technologies when they are genuinely ready, economically competitive, and with the right infrastructure," he stated.

On the energy transitions impact on consumers, Nasser said: "As the current transition strategy increasingly impacts the majority, not just a tiny minority, consumers around the world are sending powerful messages that can no longer be ignored."

"We know they want energy with lower emissions, and rightly so. But many are struggling to afford the energy they need. And they worry about ample and reliable supply, which the recent energy crisis showed is not guaranteed Unfortunately, the current transition strategy overlooks these broader messages from consumers. It focuses almost exclusively on replacing hydrocarbons with alternatives, more on sources than on reducing emissions," he stated.

On the demand outlook for hydrocarbons, the Aramco chief said: "Despite the world investing more than $9.5 trillion on energy transition over the past two decades, alternatives have been unable to displace hydrocarbons at scale Global oil demand is expected to reach an all-time high in the second half of this year"

"Likewise, gas remains a mainstay of global energy, growing by about almost 70% since the start of the century All this strengthens the view that peak oil and gas is unlikely for some time to come," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
HOUSTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. conservative-majority Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an emergency request by the Joe Biden administration, allowing the state of Texas to temporally enforce its controversial law allowing Texas police to arrest migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

As a result, the state law can take effect while litigation continues in lower courts, meaning the legal battle is not over and the law could still be blocked at a later date.

Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott hailed the court order, calling it "clearly a positive development."

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that the law "will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border."

"The court gives a green light to a law that will upend the longstanding federal-state balance of power and sow chaos," liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a dissenting opinion.

The Biden administration had argued that immigration enforcement is solely within the jurisdiction of the federal government.

Immigrant rights groups filed a lawsuit against the Texas law one day after Abbott signed the bill in December.

According to the plaintiffs, the bill violates the federal constitution since Congress has given the federal government sole authority over immigration enforcement. It will also prevent immigrants from requesting asylum in the country, a civil right they have regardless of how they enter the United States.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Texas Civil Rights Project filed the lawsuit in an Austin federal court on behalf of El Paso County, the largest border county in Texas, as well as two other immigrant rights organizations -- El Paso-based Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center and Austin-based American Gateways. 
FOX 2 (WJBK) - Taxidermist Jayson Clark is as elusive to his customers as some exotic animal.

"I think he's just scamming people," said Chris, a victim.

Some customers say after they deliver their catches to his house/business and pay him upfront, he becomes hard to track down.

"There were at least two or three times when I actually scheduled to go to his house, and at the last minute, he wasn't there," said Kyle.

They say Jayson Clark promises to give his customer their trophies, but doesn't answer the door.

He gets ordered to appear at court and doesn't show. He promises to give his customer's trophies to Rob Wolchek, but remains as elusive as a bigfoot.

And when Wolchek did catch up with him 

"When I get home from f-cking' doing something, I'm not going to step out of my house, after I walk in, and step back out and deal with this bullsh--."

Wolchek "But you owe them those things."

Taxidermist Jayson Clark.

Meet Kyle, who is a hunter.

"I don't know if my deer is done," he said. "I don't know if he has my deer - but he sure has my money."

In 2021, he dropped off this deer he caught to be mounted. Taxidermist Jayson Clark asked for a $250 down payment. The deer was supposed to be done and mounted as a trophy in about nine months.

About a year later, Jay the taxidermist, calls him.

"'I can't finish your deer until I get the remainder of the money,' I'm like, what do I do now?" Kyle said.

So, he says he gave Jay another $500. And after years of promises, he's got neither his buck - nor his bucks.

"Like, you're a fellow hunter," he said. "You're taking the trust of other hunters to bring you their trophy - and you're ripping them off."

Matthew's been waiting even longer for his trophies.

Wolchek: "As a sportsman, what do you think about that? This guy is also a hunter."

"It's terrible," Matthew said. "It's terrible for the sport."

Matthew shared his own story about being a customer of Jayson Clark's - saying he has been waiting even longer for his trophies.

Several victims of Taxidermist Jayson Clark.

"I took him two Russian boars in August of 2018, and in 2019. I dropped one of my dad's deer off to him," he said. "It's been nothing but a run-around. Every time you call him, he doesn't answer or he'll have some other excuse to tell you."

Jimmy bagged what he called the "buck of a lifetime" and brought it to Jay.

Wolchek: "This is a big deal to you."

Jimmy: "It's a big deal."

Jay advertises online and on a Facebook business page his home-based Allen Park business.

"He had a whole bunch of deer in his garage, like I'm talking hundreds of them," Jimmy said. "Coolers all over the place and it looked like he did beautiful work but just doesn't fulfill the journey."

Jimmy says he paid $800 upfront and has been hounding Jayson like a hunting dog.

"'When it's done, it's done.' That's what he said," Jimmy said. "I go, well you were supposed to have it done in eight months - it's been three years."

Chris brought Jason a coyote in 2020 along with a $600 down payment. Now, he says he can't even reach the tricky taxidermist.

Wolchek: "He has your skin and he has got your money and he has the audacity to block you?"

"Yep and come to find out, he's been blocking other people too because they're calling him out," Chris said. "We're tired of it."

Several people have filed small claims cases against Jayson Clark.

Matthew has a judgment against Jay for more than $4,000. Jay was a no-show in court. Matthew hasn't been paid and still doesn't have his trophies.

Kyle sued Jay as well.

Jayson made his court appointment on Zoom because he said he was up north taking care of his poor, sick dad.

He told Kyle and the court that Kyle could come by and pick up the deer in two weeks, when he got back.

Meanwhile, after court, Wolchek heads over to Jay's house around the block from the courthouse.

Hmm, something sure smells gamey. That sure looks like Jayson. He's not up north and he doesn't look like he's taking care of his dad.

The next day, Rob brings the video to Kyle.

"Yeah that's him," said Kyle.

Wochek: "There he is. He's not up north taking care of his dad. He's there at his house."

Kyle: "He's there."

Now let's see what happens two weeks later on the day Jay promised the court that Kyle could pick up his finished deer.

Kyle and Wolchek's undercover cameraman stand outside Jayson Clark's, but there's no answer. After Kyle drove a half hour to Jay's house, Jayson called him saying he was on his way home from Grand Rapids.

But Wolchek and his cameraman watched for hours and they didn't see Jay come home. In fact, it sure looks like Jay 'was' home.

Kyle goes back to court to tell the judge that Jay didn't keep his end of the deal.

Wolchek: "You had to drive all the way down here, take the afternoon off from work."

"This is my fifth time down to Allen Park," said Kyle.

Kyle got a judgment as well.

Wolchek: "You were ordered to be in person here today right?"

Kyle: "Yes."

Wolchek: "And Jay was ordered to be in person."

Kyle: "Correct."

Wolchek: "And Jay is a no-show."

Kyle: "Jay is a no-show."

Now Wolchek has a dog in the hunt - the dude didn't even show up to court, let's see if he answers his door.

Wolchek calls Jay and leaves a message.

"I just got a text back from Jayson," Rob said - who he is pretty sure, at home.

"I'm on my way home from Reed City," says Jayson's text.

So Wolchek responded to Jayson: "We will wait for you. I'm here in the park across the street from your house. It's a nice day. We don't mind waiting and I want to hear your side."

So they wait and wait.

Wolchek: "We've been out here now for about 3 1/2 hours and Jayson still hasn't come home. I kind of has the feeling Jayson isn't really coming home. Maybe he was trying to fooling me."

The next day, Jayson Clark calls Wolchek.

Wolchek: "Why don't you do these people's jobs?"

Jayson Clark: "I am doing them. It's not that I am not doing them. I have over 200 jobs I do a year. I've been doing this job for 15, 16 years now.

"This is the first time I've had a problem with some people that, uh, don't like the wait time."

That's some wait time - Matthew has been waiting six years!

Jayson Clark: "I'm actually bringing his stuff -his two rams and his deer head to the courthouse to drop it off to him."

Wolchek: "Okay. Do me a favor. Take me pictures of those things if they're done."

Jayson Clark: "Okay, I will."

He didn't.

Jayson Clark's taxidermy business.

Wolchek: "Yesterday you were supposed to be in court with this guy Kyle."

Jayson Clark: "Kyle Fuller? The smart-a** dude that wants to run his mouth and come banging on my door when I told him I wasn't home and was working, I was picking up hides and stuff for my business? But he wants to come to my house?"

Wolchek: "Your house is your business though."

Jayson Clark: "My wife watched him."

Several of the victims have offered to meet Jayson at safe locations to pick up their trophies.

Wolchek: "I don't believe you have these deer done, I don't believe you have these animals done. Because I don't "

Jayson Clark: "What do you mean you don't believe it?"

Wolchek: "I don't believe it because you are not delivering it to these people rather than ...."

Jayson Clark: "Listen Rob. Why would I let somebody that's hostile and threatening me back to my house?"

Wolchek: "You can meet them at the police station. You live a block from the police station."

Jayson Clark: "I'm not going to meet someone at the police station at 7, 8, 9 o'clock at night, buddy."

Wolchek: "Why?"

Jayson Clark: "Nine o'clock at night? It's dark."

The sportsman who's afraid of the dark - Jay Clark.

Wolchek: "Where is Kyle's deer?"

Jaysn Clark "It's in my shop on the wall."

Wolchek: "Why don't you just give it to him."

Jayson Clark: "Because I don't want the guy at my house. How many times do I have to f-cking tell you."

Wolchek: "Well I'll come pick it up for you."

Jayson Clark: "Well Jesus Christ dude."

Wolchek: "I'll come get it."

Jayson Clark: "You want to come get it? Come get it Monday morning. Come pick it up."

So, on Monday morning, Wolchek heads back to Jay's.

But as he arrives, Rob gets a text from Jay: "I was advised not to handover Kyles deer to you do to the legal matter that's with this deer "

He also won't answer the door again - and doesn't come out all day.

Wolchek: "Jay we are at your front door, we drove all the way down here to get this thing resolved."

But he gets a Verizon message.

"Your call can't be completed as dialed, please check the number and dial again."

Rob Wolchek may not be a hunter, but he loves trapping bad businessmen. Jayson Clark, you're in the Hhhhall of Shame!


Sarah Potterton with one of the two Suffolk Punch horses where she ran the coffee shop at the charity's nature reserve - Champion News

An animal charity worker is suing the organisation after she suffered serious head injuries when she was thrown off a calm horse that had been startled by a swan, a court heard.

Sarah Ann Potterton was riding a traditional breed Suffolk Punch draught horse, owned by nature charity The Otter Trust in April 2019 when a wild swan flew up from a nearby river, causing her horse to shy and gallop away.

Mrs Potterton, 40, who ran the coffee shop at the charitys nature reserve in Bungay, Suffolk, says she suffered brain damage in the fall, either from inadvertently being kicked by her mount or from hitting her head on the ground.

She is now suing the charity for more than 200,000, claiming the nature trusts bosses should have known the large Suffolk Punch horse, a breed which often weighs over a ton, wasnt safe for her to ride.

But lawyers for the charity deny the horse was abnormally nervous and say they were not to blame for Mrs Pottertons fall.

Sarah (3rd from right) and her sister Emma Marshall (2nd from right) both worked at The Otter Trust - Champion News

In documents lodged with the High Court, lawyers for Mrs Potterton said that in early 2018 Mrs Potterton along with her sister Emma Marshallbegan were helping to look after the charitys two Suffolk Punch horses, Yale and Alfie, after a groom left.

The Suffolk Punch is an English breed of heavy draught horse that had traditionally been bred for farm work.

Giles Mooney KC, for Mrs Potterton, said the charity wanted the two horses to be exhibited at the Suffolk Show in May 2019.

The defendants were keen that the claimant and her sister would ride the horses, as it was thought to be good publicity to have two sisters riding the two brothers, he said.

Although Alfie was only recently broken, he was considered to be the quieter of the two horses to ride, so it was decided that the claimant would ride Alfie and her sister would ride Yale.

The sisters were riding the horses at the centre on April 1 that year along a path next to the river when a swan flew up from the river, causing both horses to shy.

Whilst the claimants sister was able to regain control of Yale, Alfie spun to his right and galloped off. After a few steps of gallop, Alfie stumbled and the claimant, who was already unseated by his spin to the right, was thrown to the ground, said Mr Mooney.

On falling, the claimant hit her head either on one of Alfies feet or on the ground.

Nature charity The Otter Trust which is located in Bungay, Suffolk and where the two horses stayed - Champion News

Mr Mooney added that the likelihood of the damage from the fall or of its being severe was due to the characteristics of the horse.

In this case, the horse displayed the characteristic of shying and running away from a perceived danger in circumstances of being frightened of the sudden movement of the swan, he said. The defendant knew or ought to have known of the characteristics of the horse.

He also alleged that the trustees of the charity caused, permitted or suffered the claimant to ride the horse when it was unsafe to do so and failed to ensure that the horse was professionally broken and trained before causing, permitting or suffering the claimant to ride it.

He added that Mrs Potterton suffered a head injury and associated acute traumatic brain injury and suffers from on-going headache, fatigue, reduced concentration and word-finding difficulty. She is asking for over 200,000 in compensation.

The charity denied it was to blame.

Alfie was a good-mannered docile Suffolk Punch, Roger Harris, representing the charity, said in its written defence, adding that the animal had a reputation for being a calm horse that did not react unpredictably.

Prior to the accident the claimant had ridden Alfie at walk, trot, canter and gallop. There had been no dangerous incidents with Alfie before the accident. He was a suitable horse for the claimant to ride, he said.

On April 1, the horse appeared to spook during the ride, but Alfie did not have any abnormal propensity to shy.

It is not admitted that the horse, at the time of the accident, was displaying characteristics not normally found in horses.

It is denied that the defendants or its employees knew that the horse possessed any dangerous or abnormal characteristics not normally found in horses.

Mr Harris said that the charity had not been negligent in any way and that Mrs Potterton was required to prove the nature of any injuries she suffered in the fall.

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One of the anti-Kremlin militias fighting in Russia's Belgorod Oblast claimed that fighting is ongoing in the region and that it is continuing to take prisoners.

The Freedom of Russia Legion, the Siberian Battalion, and the Russian Volunteer Corps launched cross-border incursions into Russia's Belgorod and Kursk oblasts on March 12, allegedly resulting in clashes with Russian forces in several settlements.

The militias claimed to have captured 25 Russian soldiers on March 17 following their incursions, and the Siberian Battalion said it had taken control of the local administration building.

Speaking on Ukrainian TV on March 19, the commander of the anti-Kremlin armed group Russian Volunteer Corps, "Fortune," conceded that it had sustained losses, but nowhere near the 1,500 claimed by the Kremlin over the weekend.

There are losses, but not on such a scale, Fortune said, adding: There are new Russian prisoners.

He described intense combat in Belgorod Oblast and claimed it was having the desired effect on Russias forces both there and in Ukraine, saying: We are using all the potential and reserves along the entire line of contact."

Read also: Why is Russia intensifying attacks on Ukraines Sumy Oblast?

The fighting is ongoing, the enemys casualty figures are constantly increasing," he said. This means that we are achieving one of our goals  to pull back Russian troops from the front."

Fortune also claimed that small numbers of Russian special units had been deployed by the Kremlin to deal with the ongoing incursion.

Russia initially tried to play down the scale of the attack, which began last week, initially saying there were no hostilities in the region. In the days since, Russian authorities have been forced to acknowledge a series of strikes and attacks and have even begun the evacuation of children from the areas affected.

Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraines military intelligence chief, said on March 16 that Ukraine would help anti-Kremlin militias in their operations on Russian territory and support them to the extent possible.

Budanov noted that the militias have helped Ukraine from the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion and that they are no longer a grouping, but they are now becoming a force.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(Bloomberg) -- As India heads into an election, follow Bloomberg India's channel on WhatsApp for how money and business intersect with politics and power. Sign up here.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Rahul Gandhi, the face of Indias political opposition, concluded a 65-day trek across the breadth of India Sunday, a day after the countrys electoral body announced the dates for the six-week long national elections starting April 19.

Gandhi, a scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, and one of the top leaders of the main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, has been traveling across 15 states by bus and an open-roofed SUV from the north-eastern state of Manipur to the financial capital Mumbai, holding small gatherings where hes often addressed crowds from his car.

At the rally in Mumbai on Sunday, Gandhi launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of widespread corruption.

Referencing the everyday corruption experienced by many Indian citizens, Gandhi accused the BJP of doing so at a national level. Gandhi was alluding to recent revelations regarding corporate political donations, much of which had until recently been opaque and anonymous. The BJP was the biggest recipient of the donations.

Indias finance minister last week defended the electoral bonds, saying cash received under the system was legitimate.

Gandhi also lambasted the government  as he has for months  for failing to tackle unemployment, crony capitalism and the lack of representation of social and backward classes in India.

Its unclear if these Congress attacks will resonate with voters any better than they have in the last two national elections, which the BJP won in a landslide. During state elections last year, the party attempted to deny Modi a unified Hindu vote by playing up the disadvantages faced by lower caste Hindus. The Congress lost three key states it was widely expected to win.

Even as the party gears up for elections scheduled to start in just four weeks, it and the more than 20 opposition parties that have aligned together to challenge Modi, seem to be on the back foot as they appear unable to pose a credible threat to Modis BJP.

The I.N.D.I.A. alliance  as it is dubbed  was created last year with much fanfare in the hopes of uniting the countrys disparate opposition parties. The biggest party in the alliance  the Congress party  is cash-strapped, key members of the grouping have defected to the BJP and the opposition alleges that government agencies have targeted its leaders with investigations and arrests. The Congress loss in those three key state elections meanwhile seems to have deflated the alliance, while bringing into question the partys ability to lead the smaller, regional parties.

At the heart of the alliances troubles appears to be the absence of a clear vision that presents the Indian electorate with an alternative to the BJP, according to members of the alliance and analysts.

When you build an opposition alliance, you start with a political arrangement, political agreements, seat-sharing, Gilles Verniers, a senior fellow at the Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research, said by phone. But you also have to define a common plan or build a coherent opposition narrative that you can present to voters.

Modi seems acutely aware of this  and has been hammering the point home at campaign events. The Congress party has no agenda for the countrys future besides abusing Modi, he said to the crowd at a campaign event in his home state Gujarat.

Analyst Rasheed Kidwai believes the opposition, starting with the Congress party, need to break out of that cycle.

I think the Congress should get into a very solid campaign because this negative campaign has limitations and they should go to a positive agenda, said Kidwai, author of 24 Akbar Road, a history of the Congress party.

Another issue, say analysts, is that the Congress is yet to campaign aggressively alongside other alliance members, or figure out a way of pooling resources. Case in point is Gandhis multi-state journey, where he has been campaigning largely on his own  though the event in Mumbai did feature many other key alliance leaders.

Kidwai suggests the parties work jointly, though the time to do so now is limited. The Election Commission announced Saturday that voting for the first phase of the elections will begin on April 19 with votes counted on June 4.

Discussions on alliance-building and the division of seats between the various parties has dragged on for months, amid lingering mistrust between the Congress and the regional parties. Some sporadic announcements are only now starting to trickle in.

The gelling of an alliance and constituencies is not as easy as it might appear from the outside, said Priyanka Chaturvedi, a member of Indias upper house of parliament with a regional party from the western state of Maharashtra. Her party, the Shiv Sena (UBT), is a member of the alliance. Chaturvedi said the alliance has moved leaps and bounds in establishing that faith, establishing the nuances and as well as seat allocation.

The Congress party declined to comment.

Meanwhile, the alliances struggles have been compounded by the loss of key politicians to the BJP. Dozens of leaders from national and regional parties have switched sides over the past few years, and in recent days and weeks. Many have jumped on the winning Modi bandwagon. In January, one of the architects of the alliance defected back to Modis BJP.

Investigation Agencies

Verniers describes it as the BJPs open-door policy where they try to cannibalize other parties by engineering defections. The BJP has even managed to split parties at the regional level  attracting not just top leaders but a large number of legislators as well.

The opposition alleges some of the defections have taken place under pressure from the countries investigative agencies. Numerous opposition politicians have been arrested or are under investigation by the federal anti-money laundering agency, the Directorate of Enforcement.

The chief minister of Indias capital, who is under investigation by the agency, in a recent statement, accused the BJP of targeting state and national lawmakers. One by one, they (BJP) are putting opposition leaders in prison. There will be no one left to fight in the elections, said Arvind Kejriwal. BJP does not win elections, they steal them.

Over the decade the BJP has been in power, the number of registered cases by the federal agencies have risen as conviction rates have plummeted, according to statistics released by the government. Meanwhile, 95% of cases filed against politicians for graft and money laundering target opposition politicians, according to a report by an Indian media house.

The investigative agencies are doing their job exactly as expected, Nalin Kohli, a BJP spokesman, said by phone. The only reason the opposition is trying to build a political narrative on this is that they lack a cohesive or credible counter narrative to the leadership of PM Modi and the performance of his government in the past one decade, he added.

The BJP has previously denied targeting opposition leaders for political gain and said the government pursues all allegations of impropriety.

As damaging as such tactics might be to the opposition its possible that voters will see through them.

All these things have a potential to boomerang, said Kidwai, referring to the vendetta politics.

Modi and his party, meanwhile, are increasingly bullish about sweeping the elections. Modi has been campaigning vigorously, and has promised projects worth billions of dollars over the last two months. Government schemes and projects are regularly marketed under his name, and are often festooned with Modis visage. India has the the fastest-growing major economy in the world, helped in part by enormous geopolitical tailwinds, which has investors  and by some measures, voters  excited. Last month, Modi inaugurated a controversial temple in a town in northern India  an event broadcast across the nation  fulfilling one of his partys key promises.

The partys coffers are the deepest; the recent electoral bonds revelations show that the BJP has received almost half of all donations. In contrast, the Congress got about 11% of the funds. The Congress also says it is cash-strapped after the the federal Income Tax agency froze some of its funds for past delays in filing its returns.

Even as the opposition alliance appears to be struggling, and is competing against the most popular politician in recent Indian history  Modis approval ratings are near 80%  Kidwai notes its too early to write the election off, or to discount the Indian electorate.

Im saying the election is not settled. Advantage, BJP? Yes! said Kidwai. Conventional wisdom is saying Modi is coming, but an Indian voter is unpredictable.

--With assistance from Abhijit Roy Chowdhury.

(Updated with BJP comment in fifth paragraph after Investigations Agencies sub-headline)

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FILE - Signs are displayed at a tent during a health event, June 26, 2021, in Charleston, W.Va. Naloxone is a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by helping the person breathe again. A federal appeals court asked West Virginias highest court Monday, March 18, 2024, to address what constitutes a public nuisance as it reviews a landmark lawsuit against three major U.S. drug distributors. (AP Photo/John Raby, File)

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A federal appeals court asked West Virginias highest court Monday whether opioid distributions can cause a public nuisance as it reviews a landmark lawsuit against three major U.S. drug distributors accused of causing a health crisis in one of the state's counties.

In July 2022, a federal judge in Charleston, West Virginia, ruled in favor of AmerisourceBergen Drug Co., Cardinal Health Inc. and McKesson Corp. The lawsuit accused them of distributing 81 million pills over eight years in Cabell County, which has been ravaged by opioid addiction.

The verdict came nearly a year after closing arguments in a bench trial in the lawsuit filed by Cabell County and the city of Huntington.

The lawsuit alleged the distributors created a public nuisance and ignored the signs that the area was being ravaged by addiction. But U.S. District Judge Faber said West Virginias Supreme Court has only applied public nuisance law in the context of conduct that interferes with public property or resources. He said to extend the law to cover the marketing and sale of opioids is inconsistent with the history and traditional notions of nuisance.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, sent a certified question to the West Virginia Supreme Court, which states: Under West Virginias common law, can conditions caused by the distribution of a controlled substance constitute a public nuisance and, if so, what are the elements of such a public nuisance claim?

If the Supreme court answers the question no, that means the current appeal is over, according to the 4th Circuit.

The appeals court noted that the West Virginia Mass Litigation Panel, which works to resolve complex cases in state court, has concluded in several instances that opioid distribution can form the basis of a public nuisance claim under West Virginia common law.

Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor, said the West Virginia Supreme Court is the authoritative source on interpreting state substantive law and has not ruled on the public nuisance question as it relates to the distribution, sale and use of opioids.

In his decision, Faber also noted that the plaintiffs offered no evidence that the defendants distributed controlled substances to any entity that didnt hold a proper registration from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration or the state Board of Pharmacy. The defendants also had suspicious monitoring systems in place as required by the Controlled Substances Act, he said.

In 2021 in Cabell County, an Ohio River county of 93,000 residents, there were 1,067 emergency responses to suspected overdoses  significantly higher than each of the previous three years  with at least 162 deaths. In the first two months of this year, suspected overdoses prompted at least 115 emergency room visits, according to preliminary data from the state Department of Human Services Office of Drug Control Policy.

The plaintiffs had sought more than $2.5 billion that would have gone toward abatement efforts. The goal of the 15-year abatement plan would have been to reduce overdoses, overdose deaths and the number of people with opioid use disorder.

Thousands of state and local governments have sued over the toll of opioids. The suits relied heavily on claims that the companies created a public nuisance by failing to monitor where the powerful prescriptions were ending up. Most of the lawsuits settled as part of a series of nationwide deals that could be worth more than $50 billion. But there wasnt a decisive trend in the outcomes of those that have gone to trial.
An Arizona state representative has resigned from his role after a news report uncovered how he was sanctioned for sexual misconduct nine years ago while in college.

Today and every day, I take responsibility for my actions, Jevin Hodge (D) wrote in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. I apologize now, again, to those that may have been caused pain by my actions. As a leader, I must demand more of myself.

Hodge, 30, denied the allegations but stated, Public service means knowing when to lead  and it also means knowing when to step aside.

He served in the Arizona House for less than two months, having been appointed in January to fill the vacated seat in the states 8th District, which covers parts of Tempe, Phoenix, South Scottsdale and West Mesa.

His resignation comes one day after The Arizona Republic released a report , after the woman behind the allegations reached out to the news outlet.

She told the outlet she repeatedly rejected alleged sexual advances from Hodge in October 2015 while he was a student at George Washington University. She later filed a complaint with the universitys Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and the university board concluded Hodge violated the universitys standards and committed sexual violence and sexual misconduct, The Arizona Republic reported.

The Hill has reached out to George Washington University representatives for comment on the report.

In a statement released on Monday, Hodge said he had a consensual romantic encounter with another student when he was 21 years old.

We both had consumed alcohol and we remained clothed the entire time. I knew then as I know now that consent is non-negotiable, so when she made it clear she was not interested in containing, we stopped. She called a taxi, and I walked her out, Hodge said.

I take responsibility for all my actions and have used their experience to grow as an adult, but I must be clear: I unequivocally deny the allegations made against me, he added.

Hodge claimed he asked police in 2016 to fully investigate the claims, but the request was denied by the university.

I believe in taking responsibility for my actions. During the University hearing on this matter, I could see that I caused her emotional pain. I am sincerely sorry for the distress that I caused her, he wrote.

Arizona House Democrats announced Hodges resignation Tuesday morning.

We have accepted Representative Hodges resignation, which he offered in good faith and out of respect for our caucus, and we are prepared to move forward with the important business of the state, Arizona House Democratic Leader Lupe Contreras wrote in a statement.

Hodge on Tuesday said he plans to continue working on behalf of Arizona families outside of the state Legislature.

By law, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors will be required by law to nominate three Democrats from the district to fill the empty spot, The Arizona Republican reported. This will be the seventh time of this two-year legislative session the board was required to replace lawmakers, the outlet added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Part of Eva Burchs job is to make policy decisions as an elected senator in the Arizona State Legislature. But earlier this month, she found herself on the receiving end of her colleagues strict laws on abortion.

Burch rose at the end of a floor session on Monday to share her personal experience with an unwanted pregnancy and call for better legislation in Arizona, where abortion is outlawed after 15 weeks.

The senator recently learned that she was pregnant, but that there was no chance for her to carry the pregnancy to term. Because of Arizonas restrictive health care laws, Burch experienced firsthand the reproductive realities that the Legislature had created.

My experiencesboth as a provider and as a patienthave led me to believe that this Legislature has failed the people of Arizona, Burch, who is a nurse practitioner by training, said on the floor.

Pregnancy is not a health-neutral condition, she told the chamber. We have to be honest about the balance of risk and reward, and why abortion can often be the right health care choice.

Fertility Patients in Red States Making Drastic Moves After Alabama

Burch went on to describe the unnecessary procedures she was forced to undergo, including a trans-vaginal ultrasound neither she nor her doctor wanted, and a round of what she described as absolute disinformation about other options.

I was told that there were alternatives to abortion, parenting or adoption among themas though delivering a healthy baby were an option for me. It is not, Burch said.

She added that Arizonas strict abortion laws made it difficult for doctors and medical providers to make complex decisions with patients who needed them.

All that the Legislature has done is to nurture distrust and confusion in the relationship between patients and providers and people who are vulnerable enough, she said on the floor.

Burchs career as a health care provider has helped her understand just how delicate those cases can be.

In an interview with The Daily Beast, she mentioned her current work in the opioid use disorder space, which has its own set of complexities when patients are pregnant.

I see so many of the hardships and of the really difficult decision-making processes that people have to go through, and I want them to be supported in their decision making, she said. I want us operating in the reality of the situations people are experiencing.

Kamala Harris Set to Make History With Abortion Clinic Visit: Report

On the floor, the senator said that because of her privilegesa supportive family, a stable job, the ability to pay for doctors visits and take time away from work if neededshe could navigate, however painfully, the restrictive and confusing health care system as she sought to terminate her pregnancy. But many other women, including survivors of sexual violence, dont have those same privilegesand to have no further say in their pregnancies could seriously traumatize them.

Arizonans deserve freedom and liberty to make those decisions for themselves, she said. I will never try to force anyone to have an abortion; nobody should ever try to prevent me from having mine.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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FIRST ON FOX: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is sending troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to help Texas in its efforts to tackle the ongoing migrant crisis -- just as Texas efforts to tackle illegal immigration got put on ice.

The Arkansas National Guard will send 40 Guardsmen to support Texas National Guard efforts between April 1 and May 30, Fox News Digital is told. The troops will be under the jurisdiction of Gov. Sanders, but the Texas National Guard remains the lead agency.

Arkansas is one of a number of GOP-led states that have deployed troops to Texas in the past. The Natural State deployed approximately 80 Guardsmen to the border in July last year and 40 in the summer of 2021.

Those deployed to the southern border by Arkansas will enhance the Texas National Guards surveillance and reconnaissance abilities and provide increased detection and tracking capabilities to their partners, the governor's office said.

TEXAS REP WANTS TO FORCE SANCTUARY CITIES TO COOPERATE WITH ICE, URGES BIDEN TO TAKE AGGRESSIVE ACTION

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is sending National Guard troops to the southern border.

The show of support comes as Texas remains locked in multiple legal battles with the Biden administration over its unilateral efforts to tackle the migrant crisis, including its building of razor wire along the border and a recent illegal immigration law allowing state and local law enforcement to arrest illegal immigrants. That law was just dealt another blow by the Supreme Court on Monday, when it extended a block on it in response to a request by the administration. The Biden administration sued to strike down the measure, arguing it would usurp core federal authority on immigration and create chaos.

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sanders accused the administration of opening the border "to an invasion of illegal immigrants, drugs, and human trafficking andcriticizing Texas for stepping up where his administration has failed."

"Ive seen the crisis our President created firsthand and I know the incredible men and women of the Arkansas Guard can help supplement Texas efforts to keep our border secure and our states safe," she said.

"The Arkansas National Guard has a rich history of helping neighboring states in a crisis," Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, Arkansas Adjutant General, said in a statement. "We assisted Texas last year, and have done so under previous administrations. Our Soldiers will be well prepared and ready to assist the Texas National Guards operations."

BLOODTHIRSTY VENEZUELAN GANG TREN DE ARAGUA SETS UP SHOP IN US AS BORDER AUTHORITIES SOUND ALARM

A U.S. Border Patrol agent watches over more than 2,000 migrants at a field processing center on December 18, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas.

The deployment comes amid concerns that the coming months could see another surge in migration across the U.S.-Mexico land border. There was a record of 2.4 million migrant encounters in FY 23, and December saw more than 300,000 encounters for the first time in recorded history. Meanwhile, disruption in Haiti has raised concerns about a new migrant wave coming from the Caribbean country  primarily by sea, but Haitians do also enter the U.S. via the land border.

Republicans have blamed the policies of the Biden administration, while the administration says it needs more funding and reforms from Congress in order to fix what it says is a "broken" system. It has called for the passage of a bipartisan Senate bill that would increase staffing and funding to the border. DHS recently unveiled a budget that includes funding for 350 new Border Patrol agents, 301 additional processing coordinators and 150 new CBP officers.

"It's real simple, it's time to act, it is long past time to act," the president said at the border this month, urging passage of the Senate bill. "It's time for us to move on this, we can't wait any longer."





Original article source: Arkansas Gov. Sanders deploys National Guard to aid Texas with migrant crisis: 'Ready to assist'
An artist's depiction shows the Sultana steamboat engulfed in flames on the Mississippi River near Memphis, Tennessee, in 1865. (Photo Courtesy of the Sultana Disaster Museum)

The countrys biggest maritime disaster happened just a few miles north of Memphis, Tennessee, when a steamboat caught fire at the end of the Civil War and more than half of its 2,300 passengers drowned in the Mississippi River.

Now a museum dedicated to the disaster is being upgraded to better tell the story.

About 15 minutes away from downtown Memphis, a modest museum in downtown Marion, Arkansas, has been educating visitors about the Sultana since 2015, the 150th anniversary of the Civil War-era disaster.

After years of fundraising, the Sultana Historical Preservation Society  the nonprofit behind the museum  hired Memphis-based Zellner Construction to do a $7 million renovation of the old Marion High School, located just a few blocks away from the existing museum.

The nonprofit hit its $10 million fundraising goal through a million-dollar grant from the U.S. Economic Development Agency; a million-dollar grant from FedEx; a $500,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority; and a $750,000 pledge of state funding from former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, among other donations.

The new 17,000 square-foot museum will feature a model of part of the steamboat, a theater, a research library and more. Its developers hope to open its doors to the public in 2025  the 160th anniversary of the disaster.

We hope to have a museum visitor taken back to 1865 and hear the individual stories in the words of those soldiers and eyewitnesses, said John Fogleman, president of the Sultana Historical Preservation Society.

The upgraded Sultana Disaster Museum in Marion, Arkansas, seen here in an artists rendering, will feature a model of part of the Sultana, a theater, a research library and more. (Photo Courtesy of the Sultana Disaster Museum)

In 1976, Foglemans father handed him a pen and ink drawing of a burning boat and a copy of Transport to Disaster. The book, which tells the forgotten story of the Sultana, mentions his great-great-grandfather, also named John Fogleman. He lived a quarter mile from the riverbank where the burning boat drifted and was among the residents who helped with the rescue.

Even with a family connection to the disaster, Fogleman said he didnt learn more until being tapped to join the board of the nonprofit behind the museum.

The more I learned of the story, the more I believed that the men who had survived the Civil War, had survived the prisoner of war camps  and were finally going home had not been treated justly, Fogleman said.

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Union prisoners were being shuttled back home from Confederate prison camps on boats like the Sultana at the end of the Civil War, but the number of passengers on board was nearly six times its capacity when its boilers caught fire near Memphis.

Investigations revealed a litany of corrupt practices, including kickbacks and bribes paid to high-ranking Union officers, which caused the overcrowding of the boat and led to this deadly disaster, according to the museums website.

But the sinking of the Sultana was overshadowed by other events: Robert E. Lee surrendered earlier that month; President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated just a couple weeks prior; and his assassin, John Wilkes Booth, was killed the day before the Sultana sank.

It means a great deal to me to see us so close to having a museum that gives these soldiers their rightful place in history, and it is extremely gratifying to have descendants of men who were on board tell me how much they appreciate what we are trying to do, Fogleman said.

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Debit and credit cards using the Russian payment network Mir will stop working at ATMs and POS terminals of most Armenian banks from 30 March 2024.

Source: RBK with reference to a representative of VTB Bank Armenia (a subsidiary of Russia's VTB)

Details: Currently, Mir operates in Armenia and cards using the system are accepted by local banks. RBK's source in the Russian payment market also said that most banks will soon cease to accept Mir cards in the country.

"Starting from 30 March, non-cash payments at POS terminals and cash withdrawals at ATMs of other banks in the Republic will not be available to users. This will not affect the operation of VTB Armenia cards in any way," the representative of VTB Armenia said.

The representative of VTB Armenia said that the bank continues to service Mir cards in full.

"We continue to work with friendly countries to accept Mir cards in their infrastructure. At the same time, each country decides independently whether to accept them," the representative of the Bank of Russia said.

"The Mir payment system does not restrict work with foreign partners. However, it is up to the banks of other countries to decide whether to accept Mir cards in their networks," said a representative of the National Card Payment System, the operator of the Mir payment system.

Background:

In February 2024, the US imposed sanctions against the National Card Payment System operator.

According to The Bell, this is a severe problem for Russian residents in Armenia, which remained one of the few countries where Russians could not only stay easily with a domestic passport but also use their cards.

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Retired U.S. General Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, in Washington, D.C., the United States, March 19, 2024. Two top U.S. generals who implemented President Joe Biden's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan testified at a House hearing Tuesday, as Republicans renewed their effort in an election year to hold the incumbent president accountable for the deadly evacuation. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Two top U.S. generals who implemented President Joe Biden's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan testified at a House hearing Tuesday, as Republicans renewed their effort in an election year to hold the incumbent president accountable for the deadly evacuation.

At the hearing held by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and former Commander of the U.S. Central Command Kenneth McKenzie were both dressed in suits and ties instead of military uniforms, because they had retired from their respective posts. Lawmakers hoped the retired generals could give more candid testimonies now that they are ordinary citizens.

Milley and McKenzie said their remarks were consistent with those given in previous testimonies that they provided while still on duty -- that the chaos, including the loss of 13 U.S. soldiers in a terrorist attack at Kabul International Airport on Aug. 26, was the result of multiple contributing factors.

For the deadly attack at Abbey Gate near the Kabul airport, McKenzie said, "I and I alone bear full military responsibility," while Milley said "we owe them answers," referring to family members of those slain soldiers. Some of the relatives were present at the hearing.

The retired generals placed blame on the State Department, which they believed authorized the evacuation order too late -- more than one month after the Defense Department began to move U.S. forces in the region.

"As you are aware, the decision to begin a NEO rests with the Department of State, not the Department of Defense," McKenzie said, using an acronym for noncombatant evacuation operation. "But we could do nothing, nothing to commence the operation -- the evacuation -- until a NEO was declared."

According to McKenzie's explanation, the positioning of U.S. forces was initiated as early as July 9, 2021 by the Pentagon, yet it was not until Aug. 14 that the State Department finally authorized the NEO.

"I believe the call to execute the NEO came too late," Milley said, echoing McKenzie's opinion.

The committee's chairman, Michael McCaul, expected more evidence to come out of the hearing and aid his ongoing investigation into the matter, which has so far yielded an interim report.

"Our investigation has uncovered repeated instances of the White House refusing to listen to warnings about the situation on the ground in the country," the Texas Republican said in prepared opening remarks.

McCaul lambasted the State Department for delaying the execution of the evacuation, leaving the Kabul airport unsecured and U.S. forces in harm's way. "As the saying goes, 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.' And fail they did."

The Biden administration has fiercely rejected the characterizations by McCaul and his fellow Republicans alike. Administration officials have blamed former President Donald Trump's administration for a lack of coordination with them over how to carry out the withdrawal mapped out in the Doha Agreement signed between the United States and the Taliban in 2020.

Even as Biden's hands were tied, the officials have said, his administration worked in an extremely hostile environment on the ground and eventually managed to airlift over 124,000 people out of harm's way. 

Retired U.S. General Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, in Washington, D.C., the United States, March 19, 2024. Two top U.S. generals who implemented President Joe Biden's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan testified at a House hearing Tuesday, as Republicans renewed their effort in an election year to hold the incumbent president accountable for the deadly evacuation. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

Retired U.S. General Mark Milley, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testifies before the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, in Washington, D.C., the United States, March 19, 2024. Two top U.S. generals who implemented President Joe Biden's plan to withdraw troops from Afghanistan testified at a House hearing Tuesday, as Republicans renewed their effort in an election year to hold the incumbent president accountable for the deadly evacuation. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan speaks during joint statements with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg after their meeting in Yerevan, Armenia, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (Stepan Poghosyan/Photolure via AP)

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP)  Armenia's prime minister said Tuesday that the Caucasus nation needs to quickly define the border with neighboring Azerbaijan to avoid a new round of hostilities.

Last year, Azerbaijan waged a lightning military campaign to reclaim the Karabakh region, ending three decades of ethnic Armenian separatists rule there.

In December, the two sides agreed to begin negotiations on a peace treaty. However, many residents of Armenias border regions have resisted the demarcation effort, seeing it as Azerbaijans encroachment on the areas they consider their own.

Speaking to residents of the border village of Voskepar in the Tavush region, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned that Armenia's refusal to delineate the border could trigger a new confrontation.

It would mean that a war could erupt by the end of the week, Pashinyan said. He noted that the border demarcation should be based on mutual recognition of territorial integrity of Armenia and Azerbaijan based on Soviet maps from 1991, when they were both were part of the Soviet Union.

We shouldnt allow the war to start, Pashinyan said. And this is also the reason that we decided to go to delimitation of the borders in these parts of Armenia.

The opposition has blamed Pashinyan and has organized a long series of protests against him for allowing Azerbaijan to rout ethnic Armenian forces and reclaim control over Karabakh. The region, known internationally as Nagorno-Karabakh, and large swaths of surrounding territory came under full control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia at the end of a separatist war in 1994.

Azerbaijan regained parts of Karabakh and most of the surrounding territory in a six-week war in 2020. It then launched a blitz last September that routed the separatist forces in one day and forced them to lay down arms. More than 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled the region after that, leaving it nearly deserted.

The hostilities have badly strained Russia-Armenia ties, with Armenian authorities accusing Russian peacekeepers who were deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh after the 2020 war of failing to stop September's onslaught by Azerbaijan. Moscow, which has a military base in Armenia, has rejected the accusations, arguing that its troops didnt have a mandate to intervene.

Moscow, in turn, has been angered by Pashinyan's efforts to deepen ties with the West and distance his country from a Russia-dominated security alliance of ex-Soviet nations. Russia was also vexed by Armenia's decision to join the International Criminal Court, which last year indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes connected with the war in Ukraine.

Pashinyan underlined Armenia's intention to forge close relations with the West when he hosted visiting NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for talks on Tuesday.

We want to continue and develop the existing political dialogue and expand our partnership with the alliance and some of its members, Pashinyan said after the talks.

He said Yerevan would welcome NATO's efforts to help normalize ties between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

We expect strong support from the international community, including NATO, for the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said.

Stoltenberg, who traveled to Armenia to wrap up his three-day tour of the South Caucasus region that also involved visits to Azerbaijan and Georgia, praised Armenia for its contribution to NATO peacekeeping operations, including the alliance's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. NATO supports Armenian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and your peaceful aspirations, he said.

Stoltenberg emphasized the need for for Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach an agreement on normalizing ties, emphasizing that this matters for Euro-Atlantic security as we face a more dangerous world.

During his visit to Azerbaijan on Sunday, the NATO chief encouraged it to "seize this opportunity to reach a lasting peace agreement with Armenia.
With hurricane season on the horizon and turtle nesting season just over a month away, crews are scrambling to shore up Brevard's vulnerable Mid-Reach dune area with extra sand before they have to halt work until November.

For some residents of this narrow barrier island, the sight of dump trucks carting in sand is welcome. It's their buffer from the next big storm. For others, though, it brings concerns that too much sand will bury and destroy a rare reef the federal government deems "essential fish habitat."

For now, dunes will be the focus of where sand goes along this stretch of beach, and how much of the reef gets buried remains to be seen  especially by the environmentalists watching.

See more Photos: Sand flowing onto Brevard's mid-reach and south beaches

Citing "delays in equipment availability," the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently announced plans to focus on dunes from South Patrick Shores to Indian Harbour Beach Club, until April 30, when all work on the beach must stop because of endangered and threatened sea turtle nesting.

The $47.6 million sand-pumping and placement project to restore dunes and beach from Pineda Causeway to South Spessard Holland Park had been delayed for several weeks because of problems with the dredge. By law, putting sand on the beach should end by the start of turtle nesting season on April 30.

"The change is being adopted to provide maximum coastal protection to the most critically eroded areas of the Mid-Reach before the start of the 2024 hurricane season given the limited time remaining to work on the beach," Corps officials said in the release. "This change has been coordinated with Brevard County, the projects non-federal sponsor, to best meet the goal of the authorized project to provide coastal protection while in compliance with all relevant environmental and regulatory requirements."

Beach renourishment is underway with sand being pumped ashore between Spessard Holland North Beach Park and Spessard Holland South Beach Park. After an equipment delay, the dredge is pumping sand to the beach.

Then, when the sand project resumes in November, the contractor  Dutra Dredging, of San Rafael, California  will return to complete adding sand to "the dunes and all templated berms in the Mid-Reach segment, as well as renourishment of the entire South Reach segment as originally planned," Corps officials said in a release. "The berm generally refers to the area of the beach between the dunes and the water."

The project aims to put about 1.1 million cubic yards of sand on 11.5 miles of beach from the southern border of Patrick Space Force Base through Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic and ending in Melbourne Beach at Spessard Holland Beach Park.

New Brevard sand will fix erosion from Hurricane Ian and Tropical Storm Nicole

The so-called Mid and South Reach Shore Protection Project is 100% federally funded to restore damages from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.

Dutra Dredging dredges the sand from Canaveral Shoals  an area about nine miles off of Cape Canaveral  and stockpiles it on the beach between Spessard Holland North and South parks. The sand then gets hauled by truck north on State Road A1A to be placed in the Mid-Reach area. They haul the sand by truck, instead of pumping it directly onto the the beach, to minimize burial of nearshore rock reef habitats.

Sandra Sullivan, an environmental activist from South Patrick Shores, has long taken issue with the volume of sand being increased on the project in recent years and the amount of nearshore coquina-rock reef that similar sand placements in the past buried, killing rare worms and other marine life that lives on the reef.

"Increasingly, you're going to have less and less life," Sullivan said of the nearshore reef getting buried by the sand project. "How many more times are you going to do it before it becomes lifeless?"

Part of the problem, said Randy Parkinson, coastal geologist at Florida International University, is that very few scientists study the impacts of beach renourishment on the rare Sabellariid worm reefs that span from roughly Cape Canaveral to Biscayne Bay. The worms settle onto the nearshore limestone and build protective tubes out of the surrounding sand. The reefs they form, often exposed at low tide, create tide pools that provide vital habitat for marine life.

"It is kind of difficult to find an expert that is looking at the interaction of these nearshore reefs with sediment, but beach renourishment in particular," Parkinson said. "They've always been buried and re-exposed. There are so many other elements of pressure. The real question is 'what's the tolerance of this stuff to an environment that has changes.' "

A landmark paper about the worms by Florida State University in 1968 found that they have been "instrumental in building and protecting beaches of the geological past and in exerting control over the evolution of shorelines."

The worms are very resilient and their larvae can quickly reestablish on the coquina rocks, especially in fall and winter, said Dan McCarthy, a biologist at Jacksonville University who's studied the worms' reefs from Palm Beach to Brevard for years.

Over the long-term, however, he worries about the continual bombardment with sand that can kill the worms. "This is a species that's adapted to a naturally harsh environment. They can be covered over for a couple days and still survive if they're re-exposed," McCarthy said. "After three days, they'll die."

The worms' reproductive capability way outstrips the pace of coral-reef growth rates. "They're like little brick layers," McCarthy said. "It's quite a beautiful organization, when you look at it up close."

After a decade of studies and permitting, the federal government allowed the Mid-Reach dredging project, which offsets about three acres of the reef that the project buries with a $10.6 million, 4.8-acre man-made reef. But Sullivan and a few other local activists contend that the artificial reef falls ecologically short of making up for the buried natural reef.

Federal officials insist they are trying to protect as much of the reef as possible.

Under the Endangered Species Act, the USFW and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issue what's called a "Section 7 biological opinion" on beach renourishment projects to ensure species and habitat protection, to minimize "takes"  the legal definition for when a protected species is killed, harmed or harassed.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials said in response to questions from FLORIDA TODAY that their "standard procedures were followed in working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the biological opinion for the project. The federal agency added that it's the Corps decision on whether or not another biological opinion would be needed.

"Ultimately, it is up to the action agency (in this case the U.S. Army Corps) to determine whether a re-initiation of consultation including a Biological Opinion would be required."

New Space Coast beach sand project raises property protection for some, concerns for others.

Where can I learn more?

Satellite Beach's website discusses the Mid-Reach: satellitebeach.gov/residents/sustainable_satellite/beaches/beach_renourishment.php

Call Brevard's beach project hotline for updates: (321) 574-8855.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Army Corps tweaks Brevard beach renourishment in county's mid section
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  A murder suspect was arrested in connection to a deadly shooting from October of 2023, according to the Columbus Police Department.

Police say Reginald Wright, 36, was taken into custody in Dothan, Alabama before being extradited back to Columbus on Tuesday.

INITIAL REPORT: CPD searching for wanted man in connection with deadly Clover Lane shooting

Warrants were issued for Wrights arrest on November 17, 2023. Wright faces the following charges:

Murder

Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime

Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

The charges stem back to Oct. 25, 2023, when 50-year-old Frank Bell was found dead after being shot multiple times.

Wright is scheduled to appear in court on Friday at 9 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
An arrest has been made and new details have emerged in the shooting death of a young woman earlier this month in south Oklahoma City.

Editor's note: This story updated previous reporting on Luna's last name.

An arrest has been made and new details have emerged in the shooting death of a young woman earlier this month in south Oklahoma City.

Jacqueline Luna, 22, was shot in the morning of Jan. 13 while sitting in a truck outside the Paladar Cubano, a restaurant and bar located in the 2300 block of SW 29.

Police said people in the truck drove Garcia to an area hospital where she died.

On Jan. 18, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force arrested Ahsad Malik, 27 at his Newcastle address.

Malik is being held at the Oklahoma County jail on a first-degree murder complaint. His bond is $10 million.

Oklahoma City police told The Oklahoman no other arrests have yet been made.

The deadly violence apparently was provoked by a fight earlier in the evening and a threat of retaliation.

Witnesses told police a man who was angry after getting beat up by several males threatened to get his boys and come back and take care of it, according to an affidavit for a search warrant.

One witness told police the shooter was a man firing from a white car with two other people in the front seat.

After the shooting, the witness told police, the shooter got into another car that investigators said was a 2024 gray Toyota Camry registered to Malik.

Police said the vehicle was located at the same address where Malik was arrested.

Attempts by The Oklahoman to reach a representative for Malik were unsuccesful.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC woman shot and killed after men fight in restaurant parking lot, authorities say
The family of a homeless man has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city of St. Petersburg after they say an arrest by two of the citys police officers left him paralyzed and a double amputee.

The lawsuit, filed in Tampa federal court on Monday, says Heriberto Sanchez-Mayen, 61, is seeking damages in excess of $75,000. The lawsuit names the city of St. Petersburg and police Officers Sarah Gaddis and Michael Thacker as defendants.

According to the lawsuit, Sanchez-Mayen was not secured to a seat in a jail transport van, so a sudden stop sent him flying and knocked him unconscious. Sanchez-Mayen sustained injuries to his cervical spine, which paralyzed him and resulted in the amputation of both legs above the knee, the lawsuit states.

Neither officer has faced any discipline, and both are still employed at the St. Petersburg Police Department.

The St. Petersburg Police Department denies the claims and trusts in the judicial process, the agency said in a statement, which referred questions to the city attorneys office.

The attorneys office for the city did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

According to the lawsuit, Sanchez-Mayen was unlawfully detained and placed under arrest by Gaddis on June 8, 2023, for trespassing on private property on the 200 block of 15th Street North. The lawsuit claims it was a warrantless arrest.

Body camera footage provided by the police department shows Sanchez-Mayen sleeping on a cardboard box in an open green space before he is woken up by Gaddis.

In the video, Gaddis appears to recognize Sanchez-Mayen, as she addresses him by his first name and asks what hes doing there. Oh, I fell asleep, he replies. You know, youre trespassing out here, Gaddis says to him. Before he responds, Gaddis tells him to gather his belongings and meet her at her police car so she can write him a ticket.

Sanchez-Mayen walks with Gaddis to her police car when she stops to ask him a question. You got everything thats yours? Youre leaving your beer cans behind.

Thats not mine, Sanchez-Mayen says.

Yeah, right, Gaddis says with a laugh. Thats the one you always drink.

The two walk to Gaddis police car, and she shows Sanchez-Mayen the sign that says no trespassing, which he says he didnt see.

Sanchez-Mayen then asks if Gaddis is going to give him a ticket.

Ive decided that youre actually going to go to jail today. Ive had far too many problems with you, she says.

No, please, he responds.

Gaddis is seen on video calling for a police transport van. Thats when St. Petersburg police Officer Michael Thacker arrives.

While putting chains around Sanchez-Mayen, Thacker says: After a certain amount of these crimes, you should be a felon.

Gaddis agrees with him in the video. He keeps coming in contact, doesnt change his ways. What can we do? she says.

A year in jail would probably settle it, Thacker says.

Officers load Sanchez-Mayen into the police transport van, which had no seat belts or safety restraints, the lawsuit states. They are shown on video throwing the rest of his belongings into a nearby dumpster, apart from his cellphone and a couple of documents.

According to the lawsuit, Thacker then drove the van in a reckless manner at an unsafe rate of speed and made a hard stop for what lawyers believe was a red light.

A video recording provided by police shows Sanchez-Mayen slide across the bench he was sitting on, fall and hit his head on the metal partition that separated him from another man being transported.

Thacker noticed on his video feed from the back of the van that Sanchez-Mayen was lying facedown on the floor, but did not pull over, according to the lawsuit. He continued to drive to the Pinellas County Jail.

When Thacker arrived, he opened the doors and noticed Sanchez-Mayens body was limp. Thacker started to shake him vigorously and said wake up several times.

When Sanchez-Mayen doesnt wake up, Thacker is shown on video trying to lift him to wake up him. When that doesnt work, Thacker grabs Sanchez-Mayen by his feet and drags him out of the van.

Video footage shows that in the course of dragging Sanchez-Mayen out of the van, Thacker moved his head, which caused Sanchez-Mayen to strike his head on the bumper and again on the ground.

Shortly afterward, video shows that Sanchez-Mayen was attended to by medical personnel and taken to a hospital by an ambulance.

They knew what they were doing, said Daniel Faherty, a lawyer representing Sanchez-Mayen. They were going to teach this man a lesson. They took the law and justice into their own hands.

Sanchez-Mayen has been charged with several misdemeanors dating back to 2019; most of those including open container, panhandling and trespassing  charges that Faherty says target homeless people.

A lot of us are one paycheck away from finding themselves like Heriberto, Faherty said. With the economy being what it is, people are living paycheck to paycheck. It is a struggle out there. And to know, if you do become homeless, you end up being treated like this? Its insulting.

According to the lawsuit, Pinellas County dismissed the criminal trespassing charges against Sanchez-Mayen because the property where he was arrested didnt have no trespassing signs in the proper places.

Elsa Hernandez, Sanchez-Mayens sister, said she drove 18 hours from Pennsylvania when she got the call that her brother had been hospitalized at the hands of officers who should have been protecting him. Hernandez said she wants to seek justice for what happened to her brother.

Before this incident, Heriberto was a kind, happy man who made friends everywhere he went, Hernandez said. Now, hes in a rehabilitation center (in Pennsylvania) where hell probably live for the rest of his life. He is unable to work and unable to take care of himself. I hope no one else has to go through the pain my brother has been put through.
Article 23 expands on the China-imposed national security law, targeting new offences like treason and espionage

Hong Kong has passed a tough security law which authorities say is necessary for stability, but which critics fear will further erode civil liberties.

Article 23 targets new offences like external interference and insurrection, and penalties include life sentences.

It was fast-tracked through its final stage by the city's pro-Beijing parliament in less than two weeks.

Article 23 expands on a controversial national security law (NSL) earlier imposed by China.

That law already criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces in Hong Kong.

But Hong Kong's leader John Lee has said Article 23 is also necessary to guard against "potential sabotage and undercurrents that try to create troubles", particularly "ideas of an independent Hong Kong". He hailed its passing as "a historic moment Hong Kong people have been waiting for over 26 years".

China's Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang earlier said swift enactment of the new legislation would protect "core national interests" and allow Hong Kong to focus on economic development.

Scores of people have been arrested under the NSL since it was passed in 2020, which critics say has created a climate of fear. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the new law "delivered another crushing blow to human rights in the city", while Maya Wang, acting China director at Human Rights Watch, said it would "usher Hong Kong into a new era of authoritarianism".

"Now even possessing a book critical of the Chinese government can violate national security and mean years in prison in Hong Kong," she said, calling on the government to repeal it immediately.

The law has also been criticised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk - who called it "a regressive step" - and the UK's Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who said it would "further damage rights and freedoms" in the former British colony.

Hongkongers have also voiced concerns over Article 23, particularly over the use of broad and vague definitions in the legislation.

Civil servant George told the BBC he was most concerned about its definition of "state secrets".

"Let's say a group of colleagues go out to lunch and discuss how to handle some work matters. Will it constitute leaking a state secret? Will we be arrested if someone eavesdrops and spreads the information?" he said.

"I am very afraid that we can be accused [of the offence] easily."

George said he had observed an "informant culture" among his colleagues since the earlier law came into force. He estimates that about one-fifth of the employees in his department have resigned in the past three years, with many of them moving overseas.

"I won't talk so much about work with friends any more. Just focus on eating, drinking and having fun," George said.

Corporate consultant Liz has similar concerns over the new "external interference" offence, which include receiving financial support or direction from foreign governments, political organisations or individuals, among other "external forces".

"The definition of 'international organisations' is very broad. Aren't foreign investment banks and businesses international organisations?"

Liz, who has moved to Singapore, is worried that she would be put at risk of being prosecuted whenever her company publishes research reports with her name on them.

Walter, who works at a Western consulate in Hong Kong, said he is more concerned that Hong Kong would lose its competitive edge than for his personal safety.

"It will become even easier to accuse people of 'colluding with external forces'," he said.

Fewer people will want to be associated with so-called "external forces" and it will become more challenging for Hong Kong to continue taking on the role of the "super connector" between China and the rest of the world.

"How could such a complicated law be passed so briskly and no time was given for public discussion?" he questioned.

Article 23 has long been on the authorities' cards. Under its mini-constitution, the Basic Law, Hong Kong had to enact its own security legislation.

But a previous attempt in 2003 stalled amid widespread public protests.

The bill was tabled again this year, in early March, following a month-long consultation period. Lawmakers completed a review of the bill within days.

In contrast, the 2003 attempt saw a three-month consultation period.

In response to the BBC's queries on residents' concerns, the Hong Kong government said that Article 23 "targets a very small number of people who jeopardise national security, not the general public".

"Law-abiding people will not be caught by the law inadvertently... A member of the public will not commit an offence simply by committing a certain act, but must have the intention of endangering national security in order to be able to contravene the law," said a government spokesperson.

*The names of Hong Kong residents interviewed for this story have been changed to protect their identities.
Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson seen during the 2023 First in the Nation Leadership Summit (Getty Images)

Former Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson has firmly stated he will not endorse Donald Trump as the nominee for his party, saying Mr Trump has put his ego above the common good.

Writing for USA Today, Mr Hutchinson said he could not and would not back Mr Trump, echoing the decision by former vice-president Mike Pence late last week.

The former Arkansas governor said that the Republican nominee had redefined the party in his image and that meant traditional GOP values had been lost.

He has made the GOP the party that likes Russian president Vladimir Putin over the freedom fighters in Ukraine. He has transfigured conservatism into isolationism by abandoning NATO and US leadership among the nations of the world, Mr Hutchinson wrote.

He has brought back the ancient idea of economic protectionism with his ring around America plan to impose tariffs on friend and foe alike. And by doing so, he says America cannot win and compete in the global marketplace.

The 73-year-old politician, who voted for Mr Trump twice before, then turned to the events of 6 January 2021 at the US Capitol, saying that the attacks on members of congress and law enforcement that day meant Mr Trump could not lead the country ever again.

To this day, he continues to undermine our democracy by defending the actions of that dark day, Mr Hutchinson continued.

The views expressed by the former Arkansas governor reflected words from Mr Trumps former VP Mike Pence in an interview with Fox News last week.

It should come as no surprise that I will not be endorsing Donald Trump this year, Mr Pence said, despite having touted the achievements the pair had during the 2016-2020 term.

But that being said, during my presidential campaign, I made it clear that there were profound differences between me and President Trump on a range of issues, and not just our difference on my constitutional duties that I exercised on January 6.

Mr Pence was a target of some during the January 6 riot, after refusing to overturn the election results in favour of Mr Trump.

During Fridays interview, Mr Pence said he also would not vote for President Biden, either, and that sentiment was repeated by Mr Hutchinson in his piece.

Bidens weak border policies, his poor economic record and his slow growth energy policy do not justify reelection, Mr Hutchinson wrote, saying he still believed in the principles of the Republican Party.

So, I am a Republican who wont be supporting our presumptive nominee. I hope there will be those in the trenches who will push back against this takeover of the Republican Party and who will join the fight to reclaim the future.
Editor's Note: The Kyiv Independent is not disclosing the full names of soldiers due to security concerns amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

DONETSK OBLAST  Watching my friend Vitalii prepare grilled pork skewers during my latest trip to Donetsk Oblast in February, we were thinking about one thing: the summer days that we will never be able to repeat.

Everything was different back then.

The days were longer, filled with laughter and joy despite our relative proximity to the front line. Wed sit outside around a dining table almost every night, talking about anything but war  from our previous jobs to where you can find the best cheap eats in random cities. We would even go fishing early in the morning, driving up to a nearby river in a creaky Soviet-era bukhanka van.

Ukraines well-known 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, of which Vitalii is a part, had long been fighting in eastern Donetsk Oblast, and was a mix of experienced fighters and newcomers who had yet to engage in combat.

During one of the shashlyk (barbeque) days that summer of 2023, the commander of the brigades mortar battery, Oleksandr, welcomed the new recruits. The 51-year-old major from southern Odesa Oblast thanked his team for their bravery in continuing to defend Ukraine.

In just a few weeks, Oleksandrs unit would be sent back to one of the wars hottest spots  just south of Russian-occupied Bakhmut. My good friend Vladyslav (Vlad), a 28-year Kryvyi Rih native fighting in the same unit, knew that those on the front line needed more manpower, and he was eager to go back as soon as possible. He tried to distract himself by exploring the world of fishing, getting excited over new equipment.

Little did we know that three of the units members, commander Oleksandr and my friends Vlad and Artem, would be killed in a brutal Russian anti-tank missile attack in the early morning of Nov. 19, 2023.

Vlad would never experience another summer day scrolling through Instagram reels with a cigarette in hand, sporting a gray T-shirt and stretched-out black shorts.

Oleksandr, who cared so much about his soldiers, would be killed on the spot. This great man with the brightest blue eyes and the biggest heart; the kind of empathetic commander that every soldier wanted to lead them.

As we ate the grilled skewers this February, Vitalii said that, even though he pulled Oleksandrs body, he couldnt process the reality of his commanders death. Vlad, who had stood the closest to the van that was struck by Russian forces, was unrecognizable. Another friend, who used to sleep beside Vlad at the base, collected his charcoal body parts, almost losing consciousness himself.

It was not Vlad, the friend told me.

Vlad, I did visit your hometown of Kryvyi Rih for the first time, but you werent there to show me around like you promised. Instead, your childhood friends took me to a church where your coffin lay, and we witnessed your girlfriend, sister, and mother mourn your death at the funeral.

When it was my turn to say a final goodbye, I kneeled beside Vlads coffin and thanked him for his service. I vowed to him that I would keep working to shed light on the brutality of the war.

The natural-born leader that he was, Vlad often said he felt at home with his wonderful family in Donetsk Oblast. But this shouldnt have been your life, Vlad. You deserved to live in your beloved Kryvyi Rih, to become a father and a role model for your future kids that I know you really wanted to have.

Fast forward three months since the funeral, and the loss of these three brave men still feels surreal to me.

Saying goodbyes

It was too cold to be outside for longer than a few minutes for a smoke, so we took the meat inside, eating it with our hands and some white bread. It almost felt like those summer days, but it hurt to acknowledge once again that things would never be the same.

I slept that night on a military folding cot, like the others at the base. As much as I enjoyed the comfort of staying at the nearby apartment that the unit had rented out, it was too emotionally heavy for me. My friend, Artem, a 35-year-old former coal miner, used to live there. He was the third of the mortar unit members to have been killed that day in November. I stayed there for a day this February, and I struggled to breathe as I thought about how he must have spent the last nights of his life in this apartment.

I will always remember my last conversation with Artem in late September. It was just outside his apartment. We talked for hours, sitting on the stairs under the starry sky.

The stars shine so brightly in Donbas  probably one of the reasons I came to love this industrial heartland that has suffered so much from the war. We talked about death, among other things. Artem, you told me it was difficult to see life go on in cities like Kyiv when you don't have the luxury of living the way you wanted.

The war already ended there for civilians," Artem told me during our last meeting. "They (civilians in cities like Kyiv) understand that (war) is somewhere, but they know that it wont reach them, he thought.

He was deeply hurt that his life was just passing by while life continued in cities less affected by the war. But instead of fearing death or losing hope, Artem told me that a soldier needs to follow their instincts and think in order to minimize the risk of danger.

The more effectively you work, the lower the chance that you suffer, Artem said in my last interview with him. So, you think about how to do all this effectively, and sometimes you even forget that there is death here, and it awaits you at every corner.

You know, there is also such a thought, Artem added. If a person is killed, he won't even notice it. It's worse to remain crippled  it will be worse firstly for the person who became crippled, and secondly, for the relatives, it would be hard to take care of you.

Anyway, a person dies at some point  some earlier than others. So, there aren't really thoughts about death (in my head).

We hugged and said our goodbyes. We were supposed to see each other when he got back from a combat mission a few days later, but our timing didnt align, and the next news I heard was of his death.

Mounting costs

I hate goodbyes because you cant do anything but hope to meet again. Sometimes you just feel so small.

My last trip to Donbas was particularly tough for me. A thought that I had pushed away for a long time returned to me: Your friends could be killed defending a position that could be captured by Russian troops the very next week. You begin to wonder what the final outcome of the war could realistically be, and you immediately try to shut down your thoughts. You always want the death of your close ones to mean something, but it seems that its not always the case in war.

More than two years into Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, so many families have suffered heartbreaking losses. During a press conference to mark the full-scale invasions second year, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed. Unfortunately, the real toll is said to be higher, with many marked as missing in action as their bodies couldnt be retrieved from the battlefield. Most of the soldiers I have spoken to tell me that only a fraction of those fighting since February 2022 have made it to this point.

A sunset over military graves in the Kharkiv cemetery 18 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on March 15, 2023. (Paula Bronstein /Getty Images)

I try to remind myself that its extremely lucky that Vlad, Oleksandr, and Artems bodies were retrieved. The destroyed van still stands there, reminding my friends of the horror each time they pass it on their way to the position. It hurts me greatly to see the families of missing soldiers still believing that their loved ones are alive and held in Russian captivity because theres no evidence (a body) to prove they were killed in action.

On death

As I write this uncomfortably personal piece in Warsaw, where my family lives, I start thinking about how the smallest things keep reminding me of my friends on the front.

We just went to a Spanish restaurant where we ordered a delicious paella  and suddenly, out of nowhere, I recalled the big pot of plov (pilaf) that Oleksandr made for us on a September day. He wasnt proud of it; he said he had to mix two different kinds of rice and wasnt satisfied with the result. Vlad said he would add some other spice, and they began passionately discussing food as usual.

For me, it was just perfect.

Little did I know before the full-scale war that you could feel so alone in an overpacked restaurant blasting live music. Little did I know that the pain would be so deep that it becomes irreversible. Who knew that wed live in a world where death is so common around us, losing friends one after another.

As a child, I always used to fear death and was so scared about the concept that I cried to my mom because there was no way to prevent it. I was terrified of what would happen after death. Now, at the age of 23, I understand that death is just another reminder that every moment is precious because it could be your last. The way we survive war is to be as comfortable as possible with that uncertainty.

Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.

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Ascentra Credit Union has contributed $50,000 to the River Bend Food Banks and the John Deere Foundations Plowing a New Path to End Hunger match campaign.

The campaign was created to close an almost $1.3-million funding gap that the food bank currently faces due to increased food insecurity and higher food costs, according to a Monday release from Ascentra.

Pictured left to right are: Aaron Conner, SVP Operations, Ascentra Credit Union; Jennifer Naeve, SVP & CMO, Ascentra Credit Union; Chris Ford, COO, River Bend Food Bank; Ralph Kelly, Board Member, River Bend Food Bank; Nancy Renkes, President and CEO, River Bend Food Bank; Linda Andry, President and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union; Christian Marcussen, CTIO, Ascentra Credit Union; Shelly Ridgeway, EVP and COO, Ascentra Credit Union; Beth Grabin, CFO, Ascentra Credit Union; Jenny Colvin, Chief Development Officer, River Bend Food Bank and Leslie Corlett, Director of Donor Relations, River Bend Food Bank.

Food insecurity continues to grow in western Illinois and eastern Iowa communities, said Linda Andry, president and CEO, Ascentra Credit Union. Helping the food bank meet the needs of our community is a perfect example of how credit unions are focused on people helping people. A motto in which our purpose is built upon.

Lately, the food bank has been faced with having to purchase more food since the once steady supply of donated food from local retailers and private donors has vastly diminished. According to statistics provided by the food bank, in just one year the need for food has increased 62% with a price hike of 18%. With the help of this donation and the match campaign, the food bank hopes to purchase an additional 6.5 million meals to close the funding gap for supporting our communities.

We are extremely grateful for the generosity of Ascentra Credit Union and their commitment to ending hunger in our communities, said Chris Ford, chief operating officer, River Bend Food Bank. They serve as a great example of a community partnership that is looking out for their neighbors and ensuring their food needs are met. This is very commendable and something they should be very proud of.

Chris Ford will become the food bank CEO effective July 1, 2024.

Ascentra has more than 42,000 members who count on the credit union to give back to their community for programs and organizations such as the River Bend Food Bank, the Monday release said. They have been an ongoing supporter of the organization for many years and have donated approximately $205,850 since 2015 for various programs, efforts and initiatives created to help end hunger.

We are proud to support a proven organization who is actively fighting the fight against hunger in our community, said Andry. It is the most efficient way to put funds to work and make an immediate difference.

Ascentra also participates in the Community Hunger Drive each February, collecting funds and food donations in each of their nine branch locations. In 2023, nearly 1,000 pounds of food donations were collected.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Security forces in Haiti killed at least three people, repelling an attack on the central bank as gang violence surges in the capital of Port-au-Prince, an employee said Tuesday.

The Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) is one of the few key institutions still operating in the business district of the capital, which has been overrun by armed groups for the past three weeks.

On Monday, a "group of criminals" attacked its building but were driven back by the bank's security guards as well as police and armed forces, a bank employee told AFP.

The employee, who requested anonymity, said three or four suspected criminals had been killed, adding that a bank security guard was also shot and wounded.

Writing on X, previously Twitter, the bank said Tuesday: "Following an incident yesterday near the site of the BRH on Rue Pavee, security forces and the bank's security team acted with professionalism and efficiency."

The bank also wrote it was "deeply grateful" to its security guards and the police for "their vigilance and constant commitment to protecting our community."

Haiti has been rocked by surge in gang violence since late February when armed groups raided a prison, releasing thousands of inmates, as they demanded Prime Minister Ariel Henry resign.

Last week Henry agreed to step aside to allow the formation of an interim government, following pressure from neighboring Caribbean countries and the United States.

Talks among political parties and others are underway to form a transitional council that would name an interim prime minister to get the country ready for elections at some point. Haiti now has no president or parliament. Its last election was in 2016.

No official timeline for forming this council has been announced, but United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday urged "all Haitian stakeholders to put aside their differences and take immediate action on the implementation of the transitional governance arrangements," his deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.

- 'Tense and volatile' -

The United States on Tuesday reiterated its optimism at an update on the process to form the transitional council, saying that Guyana, the chair of the regional CARICOM body, is in charge of the process.

"We believe (the council) is vital to paving the way to not just free and fair elections, but the deployment of the MSS as well, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters, referring to an anticipated Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission, envisioned to back up Haiti's overwhelmed police force. Kenya has put the mission on hold until a government is formed in Haiti.

The violence has exacerbated an already grim humanitarian situation, with the UN warning over the weekend of "famine and malnutrition" and "the near-collapse of basic services."

But the UN said Tuesday it was continuing to deliver assistance, despite the "tense and volatile" environment.

Still, the UN's response plan has "nowhere near enough (money) to respond to the scale of the needs on the ground, and we urgently need more support," Haq said.

Several areas in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area were left without power, the public electricity utility said in a statement Monday, after at least four substations were "destroyed and rendered totally dysfunctional."

"Electricite d'Haiti has not been spared from the (recent) acts of vandalism and the terror of the bandits," the utility said.

On Sunday, a curfew was extended until Wednesday in the Ouest department, which includes Port-au-Prince. A state of emergency is set to end April 3.

The US and European Union member states are among the countries which have evacuated diplomatic personnel from Haiti due to the crisis.

str-gma-iba/bjt/st/caw/dw
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan issued a stark warning, stating that Armenia could be on the brink of war with Azerbaijan if it doesn't reach a compromise regarding the return of four Azerbaijani villages. These villages, under Armenian control since the 1990s, hold strategic importance due to their location along the main road connecting Yerevan to the Georgian border.

In a meeting with residents of border areas, Pashinyan emphasized the urgency of resolving the dispute, highlighting that failure to do so could escalate into armed conflict by the week's end. Pashinyan acknowledged the potential devastating consequences of such a conflict.

The tensions between the two countries stem from Azerbaijan's demand for the return of territories, including the four villages and several enclaves surrounded by Armenian territory. These demands are seen as crucial prerequisites for a peace agreement following last September's conflict, during which Azerbaijan reclaimed the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Despite international recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory, ethnic Armenians had maintained de facto control since the early 1990s. However, Azerbaijan's recent military offensive led to a significant loss for Armenia, forcing many ethnic Armenians to flee the region.

Efforts to negotiate a peace treaty have faced obstacles, including border demarcation and militarization issues. Pashinyan has indicated Armenia's willingness to return Azerbaijani-controlled territories and proposed alternative routes for Armenia's road network.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed optimism about reaching peace, citing progress in talks with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg also met with Pashinyan, underscoring the delicate diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict.

Armenia's shifting foreign policy towards the West has strained its relationship with Russia, traditionally its ally. This pivot has led to speculation about Armenia's potential application for European Union membership. Russian officials have expressed concerns about Armenia's closer ties with the West, suggesting they may influence Armenia's concessions to Azerbaijan.

As tensions persist, diplomatic efforts remain crucial in averting further escalation and securing a lasting peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Putin says, National Unity and Patriotism Russia's Strongest Weapon
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after being pinned to the ground by police officers in Minneapolis, one of whom pressed his knee on Floyd's neck as horrified bystanders watched and recorded while Floyd struggled to breathe.

Floyd's death, which sparked nationwide protests against police violence, happened in the evening near the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis.

Earlier that same day, another Black man, 28-year-old Dion Johnson, died after he was shot by an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper in the gore point of the Loop 101 and Tatum Boulevard in the northern part of Phoenix.

A new exhibit links the two deaths by police in an effort to highlight ongoing struggles against police violence across the U.S.

"Twin Flames: The George Floyd Uprising from Minneapolis to Phoenix" runs through July 28 at the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe.

The exhibit features more than 500 handwritten signs, posters and art, some of which include strong language, curated from among thousands of artifacts and offerings left by mourners and Black Lives Matter protesters in a four-block area now known as George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, which encompasses the site where Floyd was murdered.

The exhibit is the first time items from the George Floyd Global Memorial in Minneapolis have been shown outside Minnesota, said Brittany Corrales, a curator at the ASU Art Museum.

Also included are signs and posters carried during a series of Black Lives Matter demonstrations that occurred in Phoenix to protest the death of Johnson, Floyd and other people killed by police.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into the practices of the Minneapolis Police Department in April 2021 in response to Floyd's murder.

The Phoenix Police Department has been under a Department of Justice investigation into its practices, including the use of deadly force, since August 2021.

Arizona consistently ranks among the top five states for the rate of people killed by police. The Phoenix Police Department had 131 deadly encounters from 2013 through 2021, according to The Washington Post, citing data from the organization Mapping Police Violence. In 2023, among the top 10 most populated cities, Phoenix ranked second in deadly police encounters, with a rate of 0.85 deaths per 100,000 people, behind San Antonio, according to Mapping Police Violence data.

George Floyd memorial leader: 'This is why we do these exhibits'

The exhibit is intended to draw meaning, elicit discussion and keep alive the message of exposing injustice that was central to the demonstrations that took place in the wake of Floyd's death, said Jeanelle Austin, the executive director of the George Floyd Global Memorial in Minneapolis. The memorial holds thousands of artifacts left by mourners and protesters at George Floyd Square.

"This is how racism exists, by misremembering and dismembering the story. Our work in preserving our own narrative and preserving this memorial and preserving the protests is to keep people from forgetting," Austin said. "This is why we do these exhibits  because the gravity pull that exists in this narrative is toward forgetting. Forgetting the protests, forgetting the injustices, forgetting the people who died, forgetting their names."

"The pendulum is swinging because that is what whiteness does  whiteness has 'whitelash,'" Austin added. "2020 was a huge year for exposing systemic injustices, not just racism but all kinds of -isms and inequities. And whitelash has been coming back and trying to close those doors."

Austin worked with ASU faculty and museum officials to bring the Floyd artifacts from Minneapolis to the ASU Art Museum. A panel of community members from Phoenix, including Black Lives Matter activists, selected each item in the exhibit during a process that involved people in Minneapolis holding artifacts up in front of a camera during Zoom calls.

The exhibit comes as the Black Lives Matter movement has lost some of its energy. Donald Trump, who has expressed contempt for Black Lives Matter, is the Republican frontrunner for the presidency, and Blue Lives Matter flags and other expressions in support of the police are often seen in public.

"Every time I fly to Phoenix I pray my Lyft doesn't have a Blue Lives Matter license plate. Y'all got them everywhere. It makes me nervous," Austin said.

The exhibit, organized by themes, is meant to spark conversation

The exhibit is located on the second floor of the ASU Art Museum. Visitors climb stairs on which the names of 46 people killed by police in Maricopa County have been inscribed.

Visitors then enter a large room where black-painted walls are covered from floor to ceiling with signs and posters that instantly evoke the sights and sounds of the 2020 protests against police violence and racial injustice.

In the center of the room stands a 12-foot wooden fist erected by artist Jordan Powell-Karis in George Floyd Square. The artist dismantled and rebuilt the artwork inside the ASU Art Museum.

"It became really the symbol of the square's protests," said Michael McQuarrie, director of ASU's Center for Work and Democracy. McQuarrie frequently traveled to Minneapolis during the protests and helped organize the Twin Flames exhibit.

The exhibit also includes a 5-minute documentary film, "The Free State of George Floyd," which covers the first 200 days of the 2020 protests in Minneapolis.

The Center for Work and Democracy commissioned the film. It was produced mostly from videos shot with cellphones by people who participated in the demonstrations, McQuarrie said.

Most of the signs and posters were made from brown cardboard, diaper boxes and other household items. They are weathered and faded from exposure to the sun and the rain in Minneapolis. Posters and artwork created by children have been intentionally placed lower on the walls to better catch the eye of younger visitors. One created by Floyd's daughter reads, "My daddy changed the world."

The items have been arranged by themes: Say Their Names, Justice, Black Lives Matter and Solidarity.

Among the names on signs and posters, in addition to Floyd and Johnson, are Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. Arbery was a 25-year-old Black jogger chased by three white men in Georgia and then gunned down in February 2020. Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room technician, was shot and killed in March 2020 in her Louisville home by police who broke down her door to serve a search warrant.

A display from the exhibit "Twin Flames: The George Floyd Uprising From Minneapolis to Phoenix" at the Arizona State University Art Museum in Tempe includes images of Ahmaud Arbery of Georgia (from left), Dion Johnson of Phoenix and Breonna Taylor of Louisville, Kentucky.

A question mark placed after the word "justice" reminds visitors that while four Minneapolis police officers were sentenced to prison for the killing of Floyd, the families of other people killed by police are still awaiting justice.

A fifth theme  Community Bringing Safety  fills a portion of the last wall of the exhibit. This section includes posters with strong language that some viewers may find objectionable, organizers acknowledge. Several signs bear the letters "FTP" and "F12," shorthand for an anti-police expression, which is also fully written out on some of the signs.

Organizers debated whether to include signs with strong language. Some expressed concern they might turn off visitors who otherwise may be moved to action by the exhibit. But organizers ultimately decided to include the signs to convey the anger people feel in communities where police are not viewed as protectors but feared as oppressors.

"My heartbeat races every time a cop is behind me," said Rashad Shabazz, a professor of African and African American studies at ASU who helped organize the exhibit.

The signs with strong language have been placed near the exit on the final wall to spark conversations as people leave the exhibit. A round table and chairs give people the opportunity to sit and talk, Shabazz said.

"We wanted to provide this table and chairs and give people an opportunity to sit and talk and for people to say, 'OK, you know, for me ... (expletive) the police is really how I understand my lived experience of what it means for me to be engaged with the police' and for other people, police might be getting cats out of their trees or, you know, speaking to them with dignity," Shabazz said. "But the point here is, let's sit down. Let's have a conversation. This is what it means for me. This is what it means for you. And the real question is ... what does moving forward look like?"

Reporter Miguel Torres contributed to this article.

Reach the reporter at daniel.gonzalez@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Twin Flames' ASU exhibit links George Floyd, Dion Johnson killings
HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  An Athens man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Minor tried as an adult receives 45 years in prison for 2022 Tyler murder

Mugshot of Eron Demond Anderson, 43 of Athens, courtesy of Henderson County Jail.

The Henderson County District Attorney, Jenny Palmer, said in a release that Eron Demond Anderson, 43, was found guilty by a jury on Wednesday for shooting at his girlfriend.

According to Palmer, officials responded to a shooting on June 10, 2023 where the victim said her boyfriend grabbed her by the hair, threw her to the ground and shot at her vehicle several times.

Anderson reportedly sent the victim messages that said I really hope you die if I dont kill you first.

Anderson was arrested and booked the same day, and charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Palestine police arrest 2 for shooting in neighborhood

We want to commend the victim for coming forward and reporting the abuse and violence she suffered at the hands of Eron Anderson, Palmer said. This verdict sends a strong message that domestic violence will not be tolerated in our community.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Until her last breath, 94-year-old Josephine Wright fought tirelessly to protect her familys land from developers. Two months after her passing, the battle is over.

The lawsuit filed against Wright has reached a settlement, according to a report from South Carolina Public Radio. Altimese Nichole, a family spokesperson, said the settlement requires developer Bailey Point Investment LLC to cease contact with the family about the land, repair Wrights roof, build a privacy fence, and improve landscaping.

The land in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, that Wright lived on for more than 30 years had been in her husbands family since the end of the Civil War. She enjoyed the peace and quiet, family gatherings and playing her piano. Then in February 2023, Bailey Point announced plans to construct a 29-acre neighborhood with 147 housing units, which engulfed Wrights property. After refusing to sell the land to the developer, she was hit with a lawsuit for encroaching on its 29 acres. Bailey Point alleged that Wright wasnt the legal heir to the property.

Capital B previously reported the intimidation and harassment she says she endured at the hands of the company, which include people trespassing onto her property, snakes in her window, and dirt and debris left on her automobile and house.

Read More: Resources for Black Families Fighting for Control of Their Land

The Beaufort County Court of Common Pleas ordered the two parties to participate in mediation and appointed a mediator, who had 300 days to resolve the land dispute.

Following our coverage, celebrities such as Snoop Dogg and Kyrie Irving donated to Wrights GoFundMe, which helped pay for legal fees. The family has raised more than $367,000, exceeding their goal. In October, Tyler Perry pledged to build Wright a new home. Nichole, the family spokesperson, said the permits have been granted for the home to be built, but they are waiting for a county inspection.

Although Wright is no longer here, Nichole told South Carolina Public Radio that the family is grateful to have settled. Theyre focused on keeping the legacy of Mrs. Josephine Wright alive.

Charise Graves, Wrights granddaughter, previously told Capital B that the family established the Josephine Wright Foundation in her honor to provide other families with resources for land preservation.

Neither Wrights nor Bailey Points attorneys could be reached for comment by the time of publication.

The post A Year After Attempted Land Grab, Hilton Head Elders Case Is Settled appeared first on Capital B News.
One Love, the new Bob Marley film, has been given a 12 A classification

Cannabis smoking can be shown to children aged 12 in films amid a softening in public attitudes towards the drug, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has declared.

The latest research by the BBFC suggested audiences have become more relaxed about depictions of cannabis use and solvent misuse than before.

It said it would therefore take a less restrictive approach to such content following the findings.

However, viewers have become increasingly concerned with violence, sex and nudity, meaning films containing these themes may be classified with a higher rating in future.

The insights emerged after the BBFC carried out its first major audience research since 2019 of 12,000 people to find out how attitudes have changed towards sex, violence, drug use and use of bad language on screen.

Natasha Kaplinsky, BBFC president, told BBC Radio 4: The public have told us that there is an easing, there is a greater tolerance of dope. There is a slight lessening of anxiety around dope and weed and solvency abuse in the younger categories as well.

Drugs: downgraded

Ms Kaplinsky said the new Bob Marley One Love film would have been given a 15 rating under the past guidelines, but because of the latest insights, the BBFC was able to give that a 12 A classification.

She said: I have to say it was an emergency Saturday morning meeting because Paramount needed the results of that prior to the screening. The message of One Love is essentially about peace and marijuana is completely essential to the Rastafari religion so it felt important to give that a 12A rating rather than a 15.

Sex: upgraded

The BBFC said viewers had become more concerned with on-screen sex and nudity which can be seen by people under 15 years old.

Sex scenes that were previously acceptable in films with a 12 or 12A rating are now more likely to be rated 15 under new guidelines.

One example is the 2018 film Vita and Virginia, the story about the relationship between Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf, which contains nudity and sex scenes that audiences felt was too strong for a 12 rating.

The film was previously classed as 12A. But audiences felt that nudity and sex scene detail were strong and that it ought to be classed as 15. In one scene, two writers kiss in front of a fire and it then cuts to them writhing on top of each other in bed.

The BBFC said viewers wanted a more cautious approach to sex scenes that were categorised 12/12A and 15.

A 12 rating means someone should be that age to watch the film, while a 12A rating is used for cinemas and means children under 12 can be admitted only if they are accompanied by an adult.

The current guidelines state that sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed, while nudity in a sexual context must be brief and discreet in films of such ratings.

In a 15-rated film, sexual activity can be shown but usually without strong detail, and sexual nudity is permitted but strong detail is likely to be brief or presented in a comic context.

The research also found audiences were happy for more lenient classifications towards sex references at the border of ages 15 and 18, especially in comic contexts.

Violence: upgraded

Since 2019, when the last BBFC research was conducted, sexual violence remains the biggest area of concern for audiences.

Following the new research, films such as the James Bond classic From Russia With Love will likely receive a higher 12A classification because of prolonged violent scenes which include Bond stabbing and strangling an attacker on a train.

The movie was originally classified A in 1963 and was later resubmitted in 2008 and reclassified PG for moderate violence and mild sex references.

But the latest response from those surveyed found the violence was too prolonged, impactful and intense to be PG today.

Bumblebee, the 2018 science action film, would also be moved from a PG rating to 12A because of violent scenes, with viewers particularly concerned by a two-minute fight scene in which explosives are fired and knives drawn by robots.

Ms Kaplinsky said: The concern about violence, especially if its prolonged or sustained, was the main finding.

Suicide, self-harm and bad language: upgraded

Depictions of suicide and self-harm have risen to the second biggest area of concern.

The BBFC said respondents wanted to be warned ahead of being exposed to such content.

Viewers are also more concerned about depictions of on-screen violence, and the body said a higher rating may be required for violence across all age ratings.

The survey suggested parents are also concerned about the normalisation of bad language.

Terms with sexual or misogynistic connotations were of particular concern and may now require a higher age rating.

Ms Kaplinsky said: At the BBFC, were dedicated to ensuring what we do is responsive to the ever-evolving world around us.

Since we last asked people across the country what they thought about our standards, society has changed, and opinions have followed  its fascinating how this vast body of new research reflects this.

This is the first classification guidelines update I have overseen as president.

Not only am I proud and thrilled to launch these findings, but as someone who has always looked to the BBFC for guidance for myself and my family, seeing first-hand the level of dedication and insight that went into this process has been eye-opening and inspiring.

Without a doubt, we are truly shaped by you.

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.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)  Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is getting involved in a case that alleges the Champaign Unit 4 School District has violated the Open Meetings Act.

WCIA obtained a letter showing the Attorney General has asked the Champaign School Districts Board of Education for documentation on its public comment policy.

The letter, addressed to the boards President, Dr. Gianina Baker, reads the district held a meeting on Feb. 12 where anyone in attendance was welcome to publicly address the Board. Recordings of the meeting show one member was allowed to speak for over the allotted three minutes and had her microphone turned back on, while other speakers were cut off when their time was up.

Asst. principal files discrimination charge against Champaign school district, reassigned to new school

In Illinois Open Meetings Act, the law requires that any person shall be permitted an opportunity to address public officials, but leaves it up to the public bodies of government to establish the rules.

Under the school districts manual, every meeting is allotted 30 minutes for public comment, with limits of three minutes per individual speaker. The board president is allowed to shorten the time limit to allow for more speakers, lengthen the total time for the public comment period, and extend the time limit for individual speakers.

Parents who filed the complaint to the Attorney General believe the board was showing bias at the meeting when letting only one speaker continue past the three-minute mark.

This unequal enforcement of time limits raises questions about the consistency and fairness of the boards procedures, Champaign parent Rita Conerly wrote in the complaint.

In the letter, the AG requested that the board or a representative of the board provides a written response to the allegations, including an explanation and the boards basis for any restriction of the speakers. Raoul also requested the board sends copies of the boards public comment policies, all available open session recordings, and the agenda and minutes from the Feb. 12 meeting.

The board must also write whether they believe they enforced a reasonable rule that serves a significant governmental interest by allowing some members to speak longer than others. In addition, the board must write whether their actions were applied in a content-neutral matter.

The district declined to comment to WCIA on the Attorney Generals request.

Champaign school district releases statement, next steps after board member resignation

A slide of guidelines presented before the public comment section shows anyone who needs more than three minutes for their comment is asked to provide a written or emailed statement instead.

The school district has seven business days after the letter was sent to provide the requested information. After getting the districts information, the attorney general will issue an opinion on the matter within 60 days, according to Illinois law.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized Tuesday that the US will not let Ukraine fail, as Congress continues to delay critical funding for Ukraine aid.

Speaking in Germany at the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Austin said Ukraines military continues to degrade the Kremlins capabilities.

Ukraine wont back down, and neither will the United States, said Austin, while seated next to Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. So, our message today is clear: The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail.

A senior US defense official told reporters Friday that Ukraine is heavily outgunned on the battlefield.

In the absence of the supplemental, the Pentagon announced a $300 million aid package last week due to financial savings from other US Army contracts. Austin called the package an extraordinary measure, and said the US and its allies would work together to identify gaps, to manage cross-cutting needs, and to help Ukraine build a formidable future force.

A US defense official told CNN on Tuesday that aid from that $300 million package began arriving in Ukraine last week, the first tranche of which included artillery components.

The visit to Germany is Austins first official trip abroad since his prostate cancer procedure in December. He participated in the last two contact groups virtually, after he was hospitalized on January 1 due to complications from his December procedure.

CNN has previously reported that Russia is producing nearly three times more artillery munitions than the US and Europe  roughly 3 million a year, compared to the US and Europes estimated 1.2 million, according to a senior European intelligence official.

Russias output is 24/7. I mean, huge, immense, a European lawmaker told CNN. We should not underestimate their will to outlast us with patience, and with resilience.

Austin said during a press conference later on Tuesday that Russia has made a series of incremental gains against Ukraine, though they have come at significant cost in terms of personnel and equipment.

Asked on Friday how long Ukraine might be able to keep up the fight against Russia without more US support, the official said it depended on a number of factors, including how Russia takes advantage of the situation.

But I do want to be clear, the official said, this is not a question of years, this is a question of weeks and months.

Still, Austin pointed to a number of stats demonstrating Russias losses. At least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since February 2022, Austin said, and Russia has squandered up to $211 billion to equip, deploy, maintain, and sustain its imperial aggression against Ukraine. Austin also said the war would cost Russia $1.3 trillion in previously anticipated economic growth through 2026.

Ukraine has sunk, destroyed, or damaged some 20 medium-to-large Russian Navy vessels, Austin said Tuesday. And Ukraine continues to down Russian warplanes.

Austin reiterated later Tuesday at the press conference that his Ukrainian counterparts feel confident in their ability to continue to defend their sovereign territory and hold the line.

Of course, they need munitions, he said, they need support in order to be able to continue to do that.

The future of supplemental aid in Congress remains unclear. House Speaker Mike Johnson told Republican senators last week during their closed-door retreat that he was committed to finding a path ahead for Ukraine aid in the House of Representatives, a sign GOP senators took to mean that aid to the embattled country isnt yet dead in Congress.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican from Oklahoma, told CNN that Johnson made clear he understood the importance and the urgency of it and was looking for a path forward.

And officials have been blunt that the $300 million announced last week would not last Ukraine long. President Joe Biden said the package was not nearly enough, and national security adviser Jake Sullivan said it would provide Ukraine ammo to last maybe a couple of weeks.

Ukraines survival is on the line, Austin said Tuesday. And all of our security is on the line. So we will continue to stand together to resist Putins campaign of conquest, and we will continue to keep the faith with the people of Ukraine.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Martin Sellner, Austrian right-wing activist, speaks at a rally of the Identitarian Movement. The former head of the far-right Identitarian movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, has been banned from entering Germany. Sebastian Willnow/dpa

The former head of the far-right Identitarian movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, was banned on Tuesday from entering Germany, but he said he would appeal the decision.

Sellner, in a video on X (formerly Twitter), confirmed the ban and his plans to appeal. He described the move as the "nuclear weapon of the entry ban" and called it "completely excessive" and an offence against the free democratic basic order. German law is "being interpreted in a completely distorted way" he added.

He said he expects appeal proceedings to take up to two months.

Sellner, who said he is currently in Austria, does not have plans to travel to Germany and his upcoming appearances have been cancelled. He said he reserved the right to take other steps if legal action is unsuccessful.

Someone subject to a ban who enters Germany after it has taken effect can be quickly deported. In addition, entering in spite of a ban is a criminal offence.

Potsdam initiated entry ban proceedings against the high-profile Austrian white supremacist last month after he attended a far-right meeting in the city in November.

Participants discussed "remigration" - namely deporting large numbers of people of foreign origin, even under duress.

The meeting was attended by members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is riding high in opinion polls ahead of regional elections in three eastern German states in September.

People across Germany have since held demonstrations against the far right, and the AfD has been continually called out in parliament about the meeting, which appears to have partly hit its national poll ratings.

Potsdam Mayor Mike Schubert said in a statement on Tuesday: "We must show that the state is not powerless and uses legitimate means. The demonstrations and rallies were an important signal. We are making it clear that democracy is resilient. The institutions must protect fundamental rights."

Authorities in a regional state are generally responsible for refusing entry into Germany, though the federal police would have to enforce the nationwide ban as part of border controls.
Martin Sellner, Austrian right-wing activist, speaks at a rally of the Identitarian Movement. The former head of the far-right Identitarian movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, has been banned from entering Germany. Sebastian Willnow/dpa

The former head of the far-right Identitarian movement in Austria, Martin Sellner, has been banned from entering Germany.

Authorities in Potsdam, outside Berlin, said on Tuesday that it had obtained the ban against an "EU citizen" but according to dpa information the person is Sellner.

He can appeal the decision.

Potsdam initiated entry ban proceedings against high-profile Austrian white supremacist last month after he attended a far-right meeting in the city in November in which participants discussed "remigration" - namely deporting large numbers of people of foreign origin, even under duress.

People across Germany have since held demonstrations against the far right.
Aftermath of the strike on a facility in Belgorod. Photo: local Telegram channels

The authorities in the Russian city of Belgorod claimed on 18 March that their air defence had downed eight aerial targets. There are also reports of kamikaze drone strikes in the oblast.

Source: Vyacheslav Gladkov, governor of Belgorod Oblast; Russian Telegram channel Mash; the Freedom of Russia Legion

Details: Gladkov claimed that the air defence system had downed eight aerial targets in and around Belgorod as they were approaching the city.

            pic.twitter.com/1lpPjCb8Uj     (@ukrpravda_news) March 18, 2024

He added that damage had been caused to roofs in two industrial facilities and the windows of one of the buildings of a healthcare institution had been shattered by falling debris.

Local Telegram channels are reporting that Energomash in Belgorod is likely to have been damaged. Photos of the damage are being posted.

Aftermath of the strike on a facility in Belgorod

Photo: local Telegram channels

Aftermath of the strike on a facility in Belgorod

Photo: local Telegram channels

Earlier on the evening of 18 March, the Freedom of Russia Legion had urged civilians to leave Belgorod because they would be launching attacks on military facilities.

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FILE  People pass the front of the New York Stock Exchange, March 22, 2023. The average Wall Street bonus fell slightly last year to $176,500 as firms took a more cautious approach to compensation, New York states comptroller reported Tuesday, March 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

The average Wall Street bonus fell slightly last year to $176,500, as the industry added employees and took a more cautious approach to compensation, New York states comptroller reported Tuesday.

The average bonus for employees in New York Citys securities industry was down 2% from $180,000 in 2022. The slight dip came even as Wall Street profits were up 1.8% last year, according to the annual estimate from Thomas DiNapoli, the state's comptroller.

Firms have taken a more cautious approach to compensation and more employees have joined the securities industry, which accounts for the slight decline in the average bonus, DiNapoli told reporters during an online briefing.

DiNapoli noted the bonus pool of $33.8 billion was largely unchanged from the previous year, but spread out over more employees. Last year, the industry employed 198,500 people in New York City, up from 191,600 in 2022.

The average Wall Street bonus hit a record high $240,400 in 2021, compared to a relative low of $111,400 in 2011.

Though down slightly, the average bonus for 2023 was still far more than double the average annual pay of U.S. workers, which was just under $70,000 last fall, according to federal data.

But the bonuses were paid out in a city perennially ranked among the most expensive in the nation to live in. Manhattan, where the median rent is above $4,000, is particularly pricey.

Wall Street bonuses can exceed an employee's base salary and are heavily driven by individual performance in a tough and turbulent industry, said Alan Johnson, a compensation expert for the financial services industry.

People work very hard. So some of it is, in effect, combat pay for very long hours and a lot of stress. And theres a lot of volatility in pay. And the other thing is, careers often dont last that long, Johnson said.

Wall Street is a major source of state and city tax revenue, accounting for an estimated 27% of New York states tax collections and 7% of collections for the city, according to the comptroller.

DiNapoli said that while the bonuses affect income tax revenues for the state and city, both budgeted for larger declines so the impact on projected revenues should be limited.

We need New York to continue to be the global capital for finance because we all benefit from Wall Street when it is profitable," DiNapoli said. And when these bonuses are paid  and obviously the salaries are high and the bonuses are high and these folks spend money  that also obviously drives local economic activity as well.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Arts lovers on a budget can enjoy several events at the historic Balboa Theatre as it celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Next week, the centennial celebrations kick off with the Balboa Theatre 100th Anniversary Gala featuring Hershey Felder and the Great American Songbook on Thursday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. An acclaimed pianist, actor and filmmaker, Felder will be performing American music from throughout the last century including works by Rogers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim and more. Limited tickets are available starting at $50.

San Diego Theatres will then be hosting the following shows at an affordable cost of only $3.50 per ticket.

On Friday, March 29, guests are invited to take part in the Centennial Salute: Honoring San Diegos Military at the Balboa Theatre. A screening of the silent film The Flying Fleet with musical accompaniment by the theatre organ will take place at 7 p.m. The film was the first major Hollywood production to film at Naval Air Station North Island and features the USS Langley, the United States first aircraft carrier.

Disneylands Critter Country to temporarily close beginning in May

Then on Saturday, March 30, families with children of all ages can participate in Toons and Tunes. The 10 a.m. event includes a screening of classic cartoons with characters like Felix the Cat, Popeye and Mighty Mouse. There will be a Roaring 20s-themed costume parade for the kids as well as free coloring books.

Best places for 10 popular indoor activities in San Diego

Also on Saturday, guests can experience the finale of Balboa Theatres 100th anniversary celebration with musical performances by various performing arts companies including San Diego Gay Mens Chorus, San Diego Opera and Classics 4 Kids.

To purchase tickets and find a whole list of events and shows happening at the Balboa Theatre, visit the San Diego Theatres website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Whos on the ballot? Previewing the Illinois primary election and its impact

COOK COUNTY, Ill.  When the polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, three political heavyweights will anxiously comb through what the voters said, knowing their agenda and legacies are on the line.

For Brandon Johnson, Danny Davis, and Toni Preckwinkle  towering figures in Chicago politics  the stakes of the March 19 election are enormous.

First, Mayor Johnson is all in for Bring Chicago Home, a ballot question asking voters to allow City Council to raise taxes for a fund to address homelessness.

Monday is last day to early vote ahead of Election Day

The referendum would impose higher real estate transfer taxes on homes and commercial properties that sell for more than one million dollars while reducing the rate for properties that sell for less than a million.

Realtors, building owners, and managers oppose the measure. Supporters include unions and progressive groups that propelled Johnson to victory last year.

For a mayor criticized by City Council members of varying ideological leanings, Bring Chicago Home could mark a turning point, says WGN political analyst Paul Lisnek.

Bring Chicago Homes is the first real test of Mayor Johnsons leadership in Chicago, he said. If this thing passes, then its a blessing for his agenda to move forward. If this thing does not pass, that may be a message to Mayor Johnson, which is, Not so fast! We may like what you want to do, but dont make us pay for it.

In the 7th Congressional District, 82- year-old incumbent Danny Davis is seeking a 15th term. Hes backed by top Democrats, including Johnson and Governor Pritzker, but four challengers sense vulnerability. Two years ago, community organizer Kina Collins came within 4,700 votes of taking down Davis in the primary.

Davis, one of the most senior Democrats in Washington, desperately wants to avoid an embarrassing defeat.

Parade to the Polls: Organization led efforts to get students to vote stirs controversy

Danny Davis, this time, may be in the run of his life, Lisnek said. Hes had a long, illustrious career, incredible seniority, that means he can bring dollars back, but were in an election year when age seems to matter to people, and thats a plus for his opponents.

Two-term Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, an apprentice to Board President and Democratic party boss Toni Preckwinkle, is not seeking another term.

The race to replace Foxx has come down to retired Judge Eileen ONeill Burke and lecturer Clayton Harris III. Harris is backed by Preckwinkle, whose criminal justice reform agenda has upended local politics.

The challenge for the progressive movement in the world of criminal law is that crime rates are very uncomfortable for people, Lisnek said. In peoples life experiences, crime is a significant problem, regardless of what the statistics say. The bottom line here is, Is this the year for change? If it is, then its the time for a candidate who isnt endorsed by the party but says I will be very tough on crime, a message that Chicagoans may just say, Thats what we want. Thats what we need.'

YOUR LOCAL ELECTION HQ: News and headlines here

The Democratic primary winner is widely expected to win in November, and the same is true in the 7th District.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
A man rides a bicycle through smoke rising from steel mills located near a slum in Dhaka

A man rides a bicycle through smoke rising from steel mills located near a slum in Dhaka

By David Stanway

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Pakistan remained one of the world's three smoggiest countries in 2023, as Bangladesh and India replaced Chad and Iran, with particulate matter about 15 times the level recommended by the World Health Organization, data published on Tuesday showed.

Average concentrations of PM2.5 - small airborne particles that damage the lungs - reached 79.9 micrograms per cubic metre in Bangladesh in 2023, and 73.7 micrograms in Pakistan. The WHO recommends no more than 5 micrograms.

"Because of the climate conditions and the geography (in South Asia), you get this streak of PM2.5 concentrations that just skyrocket because the pollution has nowhere to go," said Christi Chester Schroeder, air quality science manager at IQAir, a Swiss air-monitoring organisation.

"On top of that are factors such as agricultural practices, industry and population density," she added. "Unfortunately, it really does look like it will get worse before it gets better."

In 2022, Bangladesh was ranked as having the fifth-worst air quality, and India was eighth.

About 20% of premature deaths in Bangladesh are attributed to air pollution, and related healthcare costs amount to 4%-5% of the country's GDP, said Md Firoz Khan, an air pollution expert at Dhaka's North South University.

Indian pollution also increased last year, with PM2.5 levels about 11 times higher than the WHO standard. India's New Delhi was the worst-performing capital city, at 92.7 micrograms.

China also saw PM2.5 rise 6.3% to 32.5 micrograms last year, after five consecutive annual declines.

Only Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand met WHO standards in 2023.

The IQAir report was based on data from more than 30,000 monitoring stations in 134 countries and regions.

Chad, the world's most polluted country in 2022, was excluded from the 2023 listings because of data issues. Iran and Sudan were also taken off the 2023 list.

Christa Hasenkopf, director of the Air Quality Life Index at the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute, said 39% of countries have no public air quality monitoring.

"Considering the large potential benefits and relatively low cost, it's stunning that we don't have an organised global effort to deploy resources to close these data gaps, especially in places where the health burden of air pollution has been largest," she said.

(Reporting by David Stanway)
Breast cancer survivor Cathy Bessant shared memories about her battle fighting the deadly disease at a Charlotte ceremony in her honor hosted by Novant Health and Bank of America on Tuesday.

Bessant was one of the top leaders at Bank of America before retiring in December. She now runs Foundation For The Carolinas.

The Charlotte-based bank granted Bessant a $1 million donation to a charity of her choice because of her decades of service. Bessant directed the gift to the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Foundation to establish an endowed fund to give back to cancer patients, according to a Novant Health news release.

Bank of America Charlotte President Kieth Cockrell spoke about Bessants fundraising efforts and work to build the Novant Health Cancer Institute Buddy Kemp Cancer Support Center. Cockrell worked with Bessant and she was also a friend and mentor when he was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Im here representing thousands of people who can say the same thing, Bessant said about being alive after getting medical care at the Kemp Support Center.

She later fought back tears after learning that the money will be used for the the establishment of the Novant Health Catherine P. Bessant Endowed Chair for Breast Health.

The inaugural chair will be Dr. Peter Turk, director of surgical oncology at Novant Health Cancer Institute and co-director of the breast cancer program at Novant Health. He provided care to Bessant after she was diagnosed.

Youll have to follow my orders, Bessant said with a chuckle.

Cathy Bessant was honored Tuesday during a ceremony hosted by Novant Health on Tuesday. She is with Dr. Peter Turk, who will chair a new endowment bearing her name.

The event was held at the Kemp Support Center, which was also renamed in Bessants honor and will now be known as the Novant Health Cancer Institute Kemp Bessant Support Center. The center was originally named in honor of Charlotte banker Buddy Kemp, former president of North Carolina National Bank, a predecessor bank of Bank of America.

Kemp, who briefly had worked with Bessant, died of brain cancer in 1990.

Saad Ehtisham, president of Novant Health for the greater Charlotte market, said the Bessant endowment will be used to elevate Novant Health cancer institute and support services. This includes education, technology, equipment, research and patient outreach.

More about Cathy Bessant

Bessant became the president and CEO of Foundation For The Carolinas this year. She previously served as the chair and was a longtime foundation board member.

The Charlotte-based nonprofit organization has more than $4 billion in assets, and is the fifth largest community foundation in the nation.

Bessant spent 40 years with Bank of America and earned the Most Powerful Woman in Banking designation from American Banker three years in a row. She also served as president of global corporate banking, chief marketing officer and vice chair of global strategy in Paris.

Cathy Bessant, a longtime Bank of America executive, retired in December.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The Bar and Restaurant Expo takes place this week at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The conference examines the latest food and beverage trends and industry business practices. Specifically tailored to address the hospitality industrys unique challenges, it offers those in that field a chance at practical solutions and innovative ideas to unlock untapped revenue streams.

One of the vendors on display at the Expo is Aphrodise, a champagne company whose website describes its offering as a beautiful bubbly that is at the same time dynamic, balanced, and luxurious. Frank Shilling, the champagnes creator, is sampling the beverage at the Bar and Restaurant Expo.

Its really something special, Shilling said of Aphrodise. Its something you can drink in the heat, you can drink it in the sun, you can day drink it.

Aphrodise is just one of the vendors at the Expo, which will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Monday, March 18, through Wednesday, March 20.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Four people have been hurt in an attack by a suspected XL bully dog in south London.

Armed police were called after reports that the animal was dangerously out of control and attacking people in Home Road, Battersea, just after 22:00 GMT on Monday, the Met said.

Four men were taken to hospital for treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening.

The dog was then shot by police and two people were arrested over the incident.

Police said a man, 22, and a woman, 21, had been arrested on suspicion of being the owner/person in charge of a dog dangerously out of control.

Investigators were examining the dog to confirm its breed, the Met added.

From 1 February, it became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.

Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have the animal neutered and microchipped, and it must be kept muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.

Marsha de Cordova, the Labour MP for Battersea, said she was "deeply concerned" to hear of the attack.

She wrote on X that her "thoughts and prayers" were with those injured in the attack, and that it was "vital" there was a strong enforcement to ensure owners complied with legislation surrounding XL bully dogs.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk
With another presidential election year taking shape, Floridas reputation as the nations biggest battleground state has faded: Republicans now hold the biggest advantage in voter registration either major party has held in almost four decades.

State elections data through last month shows the GOP has just surpassed a major milestone. The party's 851,417-voter lead marks the biggest gap between the parties in Florida since Democrats dominated by more than 854,000 votes in 1988.

The gulf could make Florida an afterthought in this years presidential contest. The states presidential primary on Tuesday also is mostly meaningless, with the rematch of President Joe Biden versus former President Donald Trump already set for November.

Instead, more competitive states are where the contenders in coming months will likely steer their TV advertising, campaign staff and barnstorming visits, both sides said.

From a presidential standpoint, I think well win pretty big here, Florida Republican Party chair Evan Power said, looking ahead to the fall. Obviously, were going to continue to work hard on the U.S. Senate race and down ballot contests. But I think its clear were a firmly red state now.

Florida's Division of Elections shows the state has 5.2 million Republicans, almost 4.4 million Democrats, and close to 3.9 million no party-affiliated voters.

President Joe Biden leaves aboard Air Force One past Donald Trump's plane at Palm Beach International Airport after a campaign reception in Jupiter on January 30, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Florida presidential primary results: DeSantis finishes far behind Nikki Haley in Florida primary

Voter status change a contributing factor

Democrats say the divide between the parties is misleading, swelled by the shifting of almost 1 million voters last year from active to inactive status, under a new state law that threatens the eligibility of those who fail to cast a ballot during the previous two general elections.

Inactive voters can contact their county elections office to be restored to active status, or simply show up to vote in the next election.

Low turnout among Democrats in the 2022 governors race, won by Gov. Ron DeSantis by a stunning 19%, has led to a disproportionate number of registered Democrats going to inactive status, analysts said.

But the distance between the parties is striking given that Republicans only edged out registered Democrats for the first time in the states modern history at the end of 2021.

Since then, the state has turned only redder.

Media dollars going elsewhere

Tracking company AdImpact already projects that Florida, after leading the nation in media spending in the 2020 presidential contest, will fall to eighth place in this years contest.

Florida is forecast to fall behind Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada and Wisconsin, all states where the White House may be won or lost.

Florida politics have changed significantly since the 2000 election, when the states politically purple hue was firmly cast with the 537-vote margin by which Republican George W. Bush carried the state and won the White House.

Bush won again four years later before the pendulum swung and Democrat Barack Obama twice carried Florida. After Trump took the state in 2016 and carried it by an even bigger margin in 2020, DeSantis re-election victory two years ago was by the largest spread in a Florida governors race in 40 years.

Combined, Florida seemed affirmed as a red state.

There are more Republicans than Democrats now in 56 of the states 67 counties. Voter registration numbers suggest Floridas 30 electoral votes are destined to be rung up on Trumps side.

NPAs give Democrats a wild card and hope

But Democrats say just looking at the widening gap between registered voters fails to account for the wild card of no-party-affiliated Floridians  which comprise 26% of the states electorate.

While our numbers on the surface dont look as pretty as someone who is chair of the party would like to see, there are reasons and Democrats know that we can never win an election with just Democrats, said Florida Democratic Party chair Nikki Fried.

We always have to make sure our message transcends partisan politics, she added, pointing out that the Biden White House remains focused on Florida.

Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to visit Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Saturday to talk about gun safety measures that the administration has enacted and outline efforts to reduce gun violence.

Promising to ease the states property insurance woes, with Floridians paying the highest homeowners costs in the nation, a lack of affordable housing, and combating the states strict new abortion law are among the issues Democrats will run on this fall, Fried said.

We will be talking to independents and moderate Republicans who believe this new MAGA Republican Party is not reflective of their values, Fried said. Weve had 30 years of one-party rule in this state. But we have an opportunity to transform the electorate by staying on the message of what Floridians are really talking about.

The year it was safe to watch TV  again

Kevin Wagner, a Florida Atlantic University political scientist and pollster, said Floridians may have to adjust to finding themselves in new terrain  the sideline of a major presidential campaign.

Every cycle you hear people saying, I wish this thing would end, Im sick of seeing these commercials,  Wagner said. Well, this might be the year where were one of those outside states. I wonder if Florida voters will like or dislike that were not the focus of the campaign?

He said an economic hit may be felt by TV stations not drawing their usual vast volume of advertising dollars. Consultants and media firms may also face a downturn.

Read more: How Florida turned red: Changing population, weak opposition, aggressive Gov. Ron DeSantis

A disturbance in the force? Are Florida Republicans breaking from DeSantis? Divide grows as GOP 'wish list' fades

Wagner said its clear the state is not the battleground it once was. But he said it can still prove competitive.

There are a substantial number of voters that would vote for a Democrat, when you factor in registered Democrats and the NPAs, he said. But its going to require the Democratic Party to reach voters more effectively than they have.

Elections are always products of which cohort of voters is most interested in participating, Wagner added. What has really hurt Democratic chances in this state are that there has been a demoralization of voters and you see that in turnout numbers. Democrats need to motivate their voters in ways they have not.

Still plenty of political action

Florida will still have plenty of political action. U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, is running for reelection, with former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell looking like the strongest Democratic opponent, while legislative and congressional contests also will draw attention.

But a lot starts with the top of the ticket and the heat gauge on the presidential race.

I dont expect to see presidential candidates spending a lot of time campaigning here. Their time and money are much better spent in true swing states, said Nick Iarossi, who was national finance co-chair for DeSantis presidential campaign, which ended after a distant, second-place finish behind Trump in the Iowa caucuses.

However, Republican candidates from all over the country will make the fundraising pilgrimage to Floridas fertile grounds, added Iarossi, a lobbyist and Republican fundraiser.

He said Florida wealthy GOP donors, many recently transplanted from other states, have a renewed interest to give to down ballot Republican candidates in Florda where their money can make a difference.

While the numbers dont look good for Democrats, history may provide some hope.

Numbers don't guarantee victory, history shows

In 1988, when Florida Democrats had an advantage among registered voters like that now held by Republicans it didnt help the partys presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis. He failed miserably in the state.

Republican nominee George H.W. Bush won 61% of the vote in Florida, carrying 66 of the states 67 counties, with only rural Gadsden County siding with the Democrat.

But Fried said the party isnt giving up on the state.

Weve been in constant communication with President Biden and his team, along with the Democratic National Committee and they understand that they cannot leave Florida behind, Fried said. They see the work were doing and we know theres going to be a significant drop off among Republicans who are disenfranchised when facing the possibility of another President Trump administration.

Chris Persaud of the Palm Beach Post contributed. John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on Twitter at @JKennedyReport

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida elections: Registered Republicans lead over Democrats grows
In this article, we will be looking at the 15 most visited countries in Europe. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Most Visited Countries in Europe.

Tourism across the globe took a major hit due to the pandemic and Europe was not immune to it. The number of foreign tourist arrivals is improving gradually, however, has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. According to a report by the European Travel Commission, in the fourth quarter of 2023, European tourism showed resilience in a time marked by surging inflation and foreign arrivals were just 1.6% below 2019 levels. In the fourth quarter of 2023, inflation surged by 23% compared to 2019 levels. The recovery was driven by strong intra-European travel, notably from Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Southern European destinations saw significant growth, while Eastern European countries lagged. Furthermore, Chinese arrivals remained 67% below pre-pandemic levels, while North American markets showed significant recovery.

As European tourism rebounds from the pandemic lows, the travel industry is witnessing an increasing reliance on technology to enhance the travel experience and navigate challenges. Travel technology is becoming an integral part of trip planning. It enhances the visitor experience by providing convenience in planning and booking, access to real-time information, personalized recommendations, improved communication, and safety features.

Travel Technology Industry: An Overview

According to a report by IMARC Group, the global travel technology industry was valued at $10 billion in 2023. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2024 to 2032. The global travel technology industry is forecasted to reach a value of $17.8 Billion by 2032. Services are becoming more innovative, efficient, and personalized which is expected to fuel the growth of the global travel technology market during the forecast period.

PUBLICIDAD

Integration of the latest technologies including artificial intelligence and augmented reality is changing service delivery in the travel technology industry. Artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, is enabling users to get personalized travel itineraries and services. Tripadvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) is a notable company using AI to enhance customer experience. The company has added an AI-powered travel itinerary generator to its core trip-planning product, Trips. Leveraging OpenAI's technology and insights from over a billion reviews, users can quickly create personalized itineraries by inputting their destination, travel dates, and interests.

In 2023, North America was the most dominant region in the global travel technology industry. The Asia Pacific region is experiencing rapid growth. The rapid adoption of digital solutions in countries including India and China is expected to contribute to the growth of the region during the forecasted period.

Prominent Players in the Travel Technology Industry

Amadeus IT Group SA (BME:AMS), Sabre Corp (NASDAQ:SABR), and Tripadvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) are some of the most notable companies in the global travel technology industry.

Amadeus IT Group SA (BME:AMS) is a major Spanish multinational technology company that specializes in providing advanced IT solutions to the travel and tourism industry. The company is helping both travel services providers and consumers streamline and enhance the travel experience using the latest tech solutions. On March 11, Amadeus IT Group SA (BME:AMS) announced the acquisition of Voxel. Voxel is a prominent provider of electronic invoice and B2B payment solutions for the travel industry. The acquisition would enable the company to enhance the travel payment experience and expand its payments business, Outpayce. The company would now be able to offer a broader range of payment services for travel sellers and streamline invoice management for various players in the travel sector.

Sabre Corp (NASDAQ:SABR) is another noteworthy company in the global travel technology industry. The company provides innovative solutions to airlines, hoteliers, agencies, and other travel partners. On March 11, Sabre Corp (NASDAQ:SABR) announced the development of Sabre Red Launchpad. The launchpad is a new booking solution aimed at new or independent travel consultants which has been developed in collaboration with Internova Travel Group. This tool streamlines the booking process for basic air, hotel, and car itineraries via a user-friendly interface. Internova will roll out a co-branded version, Internova SNAP, Powered by Sabre, to its US travel advisors. Sabre Red Launchpad complements the company's existing agency booking solution Sabre Red 360 which was designed to offer flexibility and choice to travel agencies.

Tripadvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) was founded in 2000 and offers a comprehensive platform where travelers can access travel information, reviews, and opinions. On February 14, Tripadvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) reported earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported an EPS of $0.38, beating estimates by $0.16. The company's revenue for the quarter grew by 10.17% and amounted to $390 million, ahead of market consensus by $14.86 million. As of March 16, the stock has surged nearly 69.29% over the past six months. Here are some comments from the company's earnings call:

"We were pleased to exit the year with results that exceeded our expectations. Q4 revenue was $390 million, reflecting year-over-year growth of 10%. Q4 adjusted EBITDA was $84 million, 22% of revenue, exceeding expectations due to revenue outperformance at brand Tripadvisor and marketing efficiencies at both Brand Tripadvisor and Viator. For the full year, consolidated revenue grew by 20% to an all-time high of $1.8 billion and adjusted EBITDA grew 13% to $334 million. Last year, we made meaningful progress executing against our strategic priorities. We reinforced our market leadership position at Viator while sharpening our focus on smart user acquisition. Viator also finished the year at breakeven profitability, achieving the full year milestone a year earlier than anticipated. At Brand Tripadvisor, we invested in our strategy and delivered promising early proof points while maintaining financial discipline. Finally, at the fork, we delivered revenue gains while significantly improving our profit margin through disciplined cost management and exited the year at breakeven for Q4. Our results also reflect how were building a stronger, more diversified and defensible position in the large and growing global travel and experiences industry. We have a unique and leading position in the high-growth experiences category, given the breadth of Tripadvisor and the depth of Viator."

With the advancement of travel technology solutions planning a trip is becoming very convenient. Many countries across the globe are experiencing a huge influx of visitors and the numbers are increasing. Tourism in Europe is almost back to its pre-pandemic levels as well. Let's take a look at the most visited countries in Europe.

15 Most Visited Countries in Europe

15 Most Visited Countries in Europe

Our Methodology

To make our list of the most visited countries in Europe, we have used data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The UNWTO collects, analyses, and publishes statistics on tourism. We have used the number of arrivals per country as a metric to arrange our list. The latest available data is for 2022. The list has been arranged in ascending order.

15 Most Visited Countries in Europe

15. Hungary

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 12.65 Million

Hungary offers a rich tapestry of cultural and natural wonders that make it a captivating tourist destination in Europe. Budapest, Lake Balaton, and Eger are among the most popular places in the country. In 2022, 12.65 million people visited the country. Tourism formed 3.1% of the total exports of the country during that year.

14. Romania

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 12.7 Million

Romania is one of the most visited countries in Europe. The country offers a blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. The most visited cities in Romania include Bucharest, Constanta, and Brasov. Tourism accounted for 3.8% of the total exports in 2022. The country experienced an influx of 12.7 million visitors in 2022.

13. Denmark

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 14.19 Million

Denmark is a captivating destination in Northern Europe known for its rich history, picturesque landscapes, and vibrant culture. In 2022, 14.19 million people visited the country. Some of the top places to visit in Denmark include Copenhagen, Roskilde, and Odense.

12. Croatia

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 15.32 Million

Croatia is a country located in Eastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. The country is a diverse and enchanting destination known for its rich history and stunning landscapes. Tourism contributes significantly to the overall GDP of the country. In 2022, tourism accounted for 30.1% of the total exports. 15.32 million people visited Croatia in 2022.

11. Poland

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 15.95 Million

Poland is one of the most visited countries in Europe. Poland is a country located in Central Europe. The country offers a rich cultural heritage, with many historical sites, castles, and palaces. Some notable attractions include the 13th-century Wieliczka Salt Mine, the Masurian Lake District, and Biaowieza Forest. In 2022, the country recorded a staggering 15.95 million tourist arrivals.

10. Netherlands

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 16.58 Million

The Netherlands, also known as Holland, is a country located in northwestern Europe. Amsterdam, the capital city of the country, is a popular tourist destination. The total number of visitors to the Netherlands was 16.58 million in 2022. The country has a highly developed economy. In 2022, tourism accounted for 1.5% of the total exports.

9. Portugal

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 22.25 Million

Portugal is one of the most visited countries in Europe. The country is located on the Iberian Peninsula, in Southwestern Europe. The country is also known for its unique cultural heritage, including its cuisine, wines, and hospitable people. 22.25 million individuals chose Croatia as their travel destination in 2022.

8. Austria

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 26.22 Million

Austria, officially known as the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Popular tourist destinations in Austria include Vienna, Salzburg, Hallstatt, and Innsbruck. In 2022, tourism accounted for 7.6% of the total exports. The country welcomed 26.22 million tourists in 2022.

7. Greece

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 27.84 Million

Greece, officially known as the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is one of the most visited countries in Europe. In 2022, a staggering 27.84 million tourists came to the country which made up 18.9% of the total exports. Greece is characterized by its stunning landscapes, including mountains, islands, and a vast coastline.

6. Germany

Number of Arrivals In 2022: 28.46 Million

Germany is a country in the western region of Central Europe. In 2022, 28.46 million people visited the country. The country has a rich history and culture. Some of the most popular destinations in the country include Brandenburg Gate, Museum Island, and Neuschwanstein Castle. Tourism accounted for 1.5% of the total exports of the country in 2022.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Most Visited Countries in Europe.

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Disclosure: None. 15 Most Visited Countries in Europe is originally published on Insider Monkey.
BBC News is plunging new depths when it comes to its reporting of the Israel-Hamas war. In doing so, it is bringing shame on a publicly-funded organisation.

Earlier this month, BBC News CEO Deborah Turness was asked in Parliament about a column I had written for this newspaper about the anti-Israel bias of journalists working for its heavily promoted BBC Verify brand. An investigation had found that a source used by the BBC for its Gaza coverage was a journalist who apparently worked for a news agency associated with Irans Revolutionary Guard, which is committed to Israels destruction. The journalists social-media timeline also contained anti-Semitic material.

When challenged on this at a House of Lords committee, Ms Turnesss response was very revealing. First, she dismissed the reporting because it was positioned in a hostile media outlet  The Telegraph. This is a remarkable thing to say. It suggests that the BBCs approach is to ignore legitimate criticism if it does not like where it comes from.

The idea that you can dismiss evidence of journalistic malpractice because it is in a newspaper you dont like reveals institutional arrogance and political bias. It enables the BBC to remain immune to criticism rather than act to remedy the problems with its reporting of the war.

Even worse were the BBC News CEOs claims of transparency. Ms Turness told the Committee that the BBC is very clear about where it sources its reporting from and that the BBC had been transparent in our account and in our journalism.

To say that this was economical with the truth would be generous. The BBC Verify report that Ms Turness was referring to certainly did not disclose that one of its key sources appeared to be a man who celebrates the deaths of Jews and receives payments from Iran. This amounts to gaslighting of a parliamentary committee as well as Britains Jewish community.

To be fair to the corporation, the BBC did say that it would look into the issues raised. But those who hoped that something would change will feel very disappointed. Over the weekend, the researcher David Collier disclosed that another high-profile BBC exclusive was based on the reporting of a number of sources for whom impartiality does not appear to be part of the job description.

The report in question accused Israel of abusing Palestinian medics and was given great prominence by the BBC as the lead story on its News website. But Colliers investigation suggested that the story relied on a group of reporters and sources who have worn their anti-Israel bias as a badge of pride.

First, theres BBC employee Soha Ibrahim, who is reported to have liked a social-media post that said Hamas are freedom fighters. Then theres BBC reporter Marie-Jose Al Azzi, who once called for the boycotting of Israel. Alongside them were eye-witnesses such as Dr Atef Hout, who had previously appeared to celebrate a rocket attack on Israeli civilians.

Once again  and just days after Ms Turnesss appearance in Parliament  BBC News was relying on the reporting and accounts of people who seem to have expressed egregious bias against Israel. The fact that this all came under the banner of BBC Verify  which the corporation has claimed to be a new gold standard in journalistic verification and forensic quality  would be the stuff of parody if it were not so serious.

The BBC has been on notice for many months that it has a serious problem with anti-Israel bias in its newsroom. This means that it has also had months to address it. And yet nothing seems to have changed. How can this happen and keep happening? The answer can only be one of two things: either senior BBC managers dont care about this ongoing bias and are happy to let it continue, or they cant control it. Either is a gross dereliction of their duty.

It is also a terrible failure of responsibility by the BBC in an environment in which anti-Semitism is exponentially on the rise and Britains Jewish community feels under a level of threat that many have not experienced in their lifetimes. The BBC is contributing to this poisonous atmosphere with reporting that is biased and highly emotive.

It is now more than five months since the October 7 attacks. The BBCs errors, missteps and bias against Israel is being repeated again and again. At some point, someone in BBC management needs to take responsibility for these continuing and dangerous failures. I believe that time has now come and the CEO of BBC News, Deborah Turness, should consider her position.

Danny Cohen was the director of BBC Television from 2013 - 2015

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Richard Tice, the leader of Reform, told The Telegraph that the error 'shouldn't have happened in the first place' - Henry Nicholls/AFP

The BBC has apologised to Reform UK after calling it far-Right in a news report.

The corporation made the claim during a report about the Liberal Democrats spring conference, in which it referred to Reform surging ahead of Sir Ed Daveys party in the opinion polls.

Although Reform is to the Right of the Conservative Party on issues including legal and illegal immigration and the tax burden, it has previously said its political aims are not motivated by political ideology.

In a statement on Monday, the BBC said: In an article about the Liberal Democrats spring conference, we wrongly described the political party Reform UK as far-Right when referring to polling.

This sentence was subsequently removed from the article as it fell short of our usual editorial standards. While the original wording was based on news agency copy, we take full responsibility and apologise for the error.

Richard Tice, the leader of Reform, told The Telegraph that while he was pleased the BBC had apologised, the error shouldnt have happened in the first place.

This is a tactic that certain news organisations are going to try, which is to smear and label not only the party but by direct implication myself and other senior figures, he said.

He argued that the BBC was terrified of how successful we are becoming and accused it of acting in its own vested interests.

They should be under no illusion that whilst you cant libel a political party, there is a direct link to the leader and you can libel me and I wont tolerate it, he said. Anyone else who wants to try this, good luck  and I look forward to seeing you in court.

In a separate statement, Mr Tice said his lawyers were also in touch with other organisations who repeated the BBC line. He said he viewed the claim that Reform was a far-Right political party as defamatory and libellous.

Reform has promised to ditch the BBC licence fee, which currently stands at 159 per year but will increase by 10.50, a rise of 6.6 per cent, in April.

The pre-election manifesto unveiled by Reform at its spring conference last month reads: The out-of-touch, wasteful BBC is institutionally biased. The TV licence is taxation without representation. In a world of on-demand TV, people should be free to choose.

Mr Tice, a presenter on GB News, has regularly railed against the BBC and claimed it is biased against figures on the Right, calling for Newsnight, its flagship political programme, to be scrapped.

Reform is currently polling as high as 14 per cent in Westminster voting intention surveys ahead of the general election and is often a single-figure margin behind the Conservatives. Around one in four 2019 Tory voters are planning to back it.

The party gained its first ever MP last week after the defection of Lee Anderson, a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.

In December, the BBC was attacked by the Tories for describing a political festival hosted by Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, and attended by Rishi Sunak as a far-Right rally.

The event was attended by centrist and centre-Left figures as well as a wide range of Right-wing politicians. A Tory spokesman said the editorial decision raised serious questions about the BBCs policies and accused it of a careless categorisation.

On Tuesday, the PA news agency ran an update to one of its stories from the Liberal Democrat conference, removing the reference to Reform as far-Right.

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Bedford Police are looking to identify a vehicle in connection to a mail theft at a local post office box Monday morning.

An officer parked at Bedford Market Place around 1:30 a.m. noticed a maroon, newer-model Jeep Cherokee pull up to the blue Postal Service mailbox behind the post office before a person got out, opened the mailbox, and removed mail from it, according to police.

The officer pursued the Jeep down Great Road and onto Interstate 95 but ended the pursuit due to safety concerns after the Jeep was driving erratically.

Police later confirmed that the Postal Service mailbox had been opened and that mail was removed.

A review of surveillance footage from the area located only a grainy photograph of the Jeep Cherokee that police are looking for.

Bedford Police continue to investigate this incident with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Department of Homeland Security.

Authorities ask anyone with information on this incident or anyone who believes they recognize the vehicle involved, to call Bedford Police at 781-275-1212.

We want to warn anyone who may have deposited a check or other mail in the box behind the post office last night that this incident occurred, said Bedford Police Chief John Fisher.

Here are the following tips from the United States Postal Inspection Service to help prevent mail theft and protect your personal information:

 Deposit all outgoing mail at your local post office or hand it to a uniformed USPS letter carrier.

 Avoid putting outgoing mail into mailboxes overnight as the raised flag signals to a thief that there is outgoing mail within the mailbox.

 Deposit your outgoing mail in a blue USPS collection box prior to the last pickup time of the day.

 If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail youre expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it. Never send cash through the mail.

 When mailing something important, consider requesting Signature Confirmation for the intended recipient.

 Do not leave mail or packages next to a collection box if it is full, or if your package does not fit.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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Belgium has announced defense aid packages for Ukraine worth 412 million euros ($445 million), including 300 Iveco Lynx light tactical vehicles, the Shephard Media reported on March 18.

The first part of the packages will include three minehunter vessels, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder said on March 15, according to the Belga News Agency. Belgium and the Netherlands will reportedly cooperate in providing Ukrainian crews with the necessary training.

The Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg) will provide Ukraine with armored ambulances, which will be modernized before being sent to Ukraine. The Belgian Defense Ministry also plans a joint purchase of reconnaissance drones and will provide the aforementioned Lynx vehicles, the Belga News Agency wrote.

The largest portion of the newly announced aid will be comprised of artillery shells worth around 373.1 million euros ($404 million), sourced from Belgium's own stocks and through international purchases, according to the news agency.. Artillery rounds are a crucial capability for Ukraine as it faces increasingly critical ammunition shortages due to hold-ups in U.S. aid.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said in January that Belgium had pledged 611 million euros ($662 million) in military aid to Ukraine in 2024. The figure is higher than the entire amount Belgium has provided to Ukraine from the beginning of the full-scale war until the end of 2023, which is 496 million euros ($538 million).

According to the Belgian government's website, Belgium has allocated 1.7 billion euros ($1.8 billion) in support for Ukraine through the end of 2025.

Belgium is one of the 11 founding countries in the "fighter jet coalition" established last July that aims to train Ukrainians to operate F-16s and has promised to provide the jets themselves, but no earlier than 2025.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU gives final approval of $5.5 billion in defense aid to Kyiv

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The authorities of Russias Belgorod Oblast decided to take about 9,000 children to other oblasts due to regular shelling, Belgorod Oblast governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said, according to the Russian propaganda agency RIA Novosti.

He traditionally blamed the attacks on the Defense Forces of Ukraine.



We are evacuating a large number of villages today, we are currently planning to evacuate about 9,000 children from Belgorod, Belgorod District, Shebekino District, and Graivoron District, Gladkov alleged.

1.2 thousand children will go to Penza, Tambov, Kaluga and Stavropol Oblasts on March 22.

Read also: Freedom of Russia Legion volunteers vow to end Putin's reign in last election raid

Russian volunteers from the Freedom of Russia Legion, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), and the Siberian Battalion announced a new operation in Russias Belgorod Oblast on March 12.

The RDK claimed to have advanced several dozens of kilometers and taken prisoners. Moscow reported casualties among the Russian army.

Read also: Soldiers of Siberian Battalion claim to have entered the village of Gorkovsky near Belgorod

Shopping centers will be closed for a few days and classes will be suspended in schools in Belgorod and nearby settlements, Gladkov said on March 16.

The fighters of the Siberian Battalion called on the Belgorod residents to temporarily leave the city due to the threat of artillery fire on military facilities of the Russian Federation.

Russian city of Belgorod came under fire on March 19. Eyewitnesses reported an alleged hit to a private house and parking lot.

Read also: Explosions rock border city of Belgorod on final day of Russian elections: photos, videos

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Russians reported attack of two UAVs in Belgorod Oblast

Two drones launched an attack on the village of Dovhe in the Valuivsky district of Russia's Belgorod Oblast, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported on Telegram on March 19.

Read also: Russia's Belgorod Oblast under fire after warning of attack on military facilities

"The first explosion caused a car to catch fire, but the driver and passengers managed to run out and were not injured," he said.

"Second drone fell on one of the streets with subsequent detonation. There were no consequenses of that explosion."

No casualties have been reported.

Read also: Explosions rock border city of Belgorod on final day of Russian elections: photos, videos

Earlier, Russian Telegram channels reported that Belgorod also came under fire. Eyewitnesses reported that a private house and a parking lot were hit. According to Russians, at least three people were injured in the shelling.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Thousands of children from Russia's Belgorod Oblast are to be evacuated to regions further away from the border with Ukraine, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov announced on March 18.

Reports suggest the security situation in Belgorod Oblast, which borders Ukraine's Sumy, Kharkiv, and Luhansk oblasts, has been deteriorating since March 12, when Russian anti-Kremlin militias broke into the region from Ukraine, resulting in clashes with the Russian military.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on March 19 that Belgorod Oblast again came under a rocket strike after days of alleged attacks against the city of Belgorod.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims of Russian authorities, and Ukraine does not usually comment on alleged attacks on Russian soil.

"We are evacuating a large number of villages today" and the authorities plan to evacuate 9,000 children from the region, Gladkov claimed at a press conference.

Gladkov said children would be evacuated from Belgorod and the surrounding district, as well as from Shebekino district, which lies southeast of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine, and Grayvoron district, which lies west of Belgorod on the border with Ukraine.

Residents of the town of Shebekino, the administrative center of Shebekinsky district, were previously evacuated in June 2023 after reports that militias had launched an incursion over the border. Gladkov said in July 2023 that the evacuated residents could return home.

Gladkov claimed in January 2024 that around 100 children were temporarily evacuated from the city of Belgorod after the city came under attack and taken to neighboring Voronezh Oblast.

Read also: Ukrainian drones hit one Russian oil refinery after another

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SELMA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A comedy show that intended to help the family of fallen Selma officer Gonzalo Carrasco Jr. to honor him at the U.S. capitol has been canceled, the Selma Police Department announced Monday afternoon.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to proceed with the event as planned, the department said in a public statement.

The Selma Police Foundation had previously announced they would be holding a Comedy Show Benefit to help Carrascos family travel to Washington DC for National Peace Officers Week.

The show was scheduled to take place on Friday but has since been canceled. Officers say those who purchased tickets will be issued refunds.

The department says they are exploring alternative ways to help support the Carrasco family and honor officer Gonzalo Carrasco Jr.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
A wounded Palestinian man walks Tuesday amid the rubble of a house hit by Israeli bombardment the previous night in Rafah, in southern Gaza Strip. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI

March 19 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told parliament Tuesday that a planned ground operation in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip will move forward, amid pressure from the United States to show restraint.

Netanyahu told members of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that he recognizes Israel and the United States "have a disagreement" about Israel's "need to enter Rafah."

But, he added, there was no disagreement "about the need to eliminate Hamas."

Netanyahu confirmed Friday that Israel Defense Forces were preparing for ground operations in Rafah after he approved his right-wing government coalition's plan for the offensive.

"We do not see a way to eliminate Hamas militarily without destroying these remaining battalions," he said to members of Israel's parliament, adding how "we are determined to do it."

People gather to inspect a destroyed vehicle following overnight Israeli bombardment at the Rafah refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, during which 14 Palestinians reportedly were killed in Rafah, according to witnesses. Photo by Ismael Mohamad/UPI

President Joe Biden expressed concerns to Netanyahu on Monday about the possible attack on Rafah. The White House said Israel did not have a plan to safely move Palestinian civilians from the area before an attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains steadfast in his plan to mount a ground attack on Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI

More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas carried out its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Netanyahu said that "out of respect" for the American president, the two leaders had agreed on a way in which the United States "could present their ideas to us, especially on the humanitarian side, which we, of course, share this desire to allow an orderly exit of the population and provide aid to the civilian population."

Israel agreed to send to Washington "a senior interagency team composed of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials," according to White House officials.

While U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that Hamas should not be granted a safe haven anywhere, he called a possible Rafah ground operation near Egypt's border "a mistake."

The IDF offensive -- where over 1 million Palestinians are taking refuge in a city which had a pre-war population of nearly 250,000 -- "would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally," he said.

Netanyahu told the Knesset that Israel is looking at the feasibility of private companies or other outside organizations being able to distribute crucial aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

"From Israel's standpoint, there is nothing preventing Gazans from leaving, but there aren't countries in the world that are ready to receive them," he said.
(KRON)  A 23-year-old woman was arrested and charged with murder on Sunday in connection to the fatal stabbing of a woman identified as her mother. The Berkeley Police Department received a call at around 2:45 p.m. reporting a stabbing at an apartment on the 1300 block of University Avenue.

According to Berkeley PD, officers arrived at the scene and detained a subject on the property. An investigation led officers to discover a victim with stab wounds inside the apartment. The Berkeley Fire Department arrived and declared the victim deceased.

78-year-old woman arrested in SF bus stop crash, charged with vehicular manslaughter

Homicide detectives arrived to further investigate while the Alameda County Coroners Office took custody of the deceased victim.

An investigation determined that the initial subject detained  a 23-year-old woman  was the suspect. Police determined the suspect was the daughter of the victim  a 60-year-old woman.

Our condolences go out to the family of the victim. We ask that the public and the media allow the family time to grieve as the investigation continues, said Berkeley PD in a statement.

The suspect was arrested for murder and booked at Santa Rita Jail. BPD said it will not release any further details until charging has concluded.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
In this article, we will take a look at the 20 most visited states in the US by foreign travelers. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Most Visited States in the US by Foreign Travelers.

The United States stands out for its cultural richness, diverse landscapes, and iconic landmarks. Drawing in millions of foreign travelers each year, the US is one of the most visited countries in the world. The travel and tourism sector plays a vital role in boosting the US economy by generating revenue, creating jobs, and increasing foreign exchange earnings.

North America's Travel and Tourism Industry

According to a report by Research and Markets, the North American travel and tourism market reached a value of $1.96 trillion in 2022. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% from 2023 to 2027 and reach a value of more than $2.51 trillion by the end of the forecast period. The rising trend of transformational travel is expected to fuel market growth in North America. An increasing number of individuals are prioritizing travel experiences over material possessions as they travel to heal, find balance, and transform their overall well-being.

The rising demand for unique and authentic travel experiences that blend entertainment and relaxation is further driving market growth. Rising disposable income also means that more people have the means to spend on leisure activities. In one of our previous articles about the most visited cities in the US by foreign travelers, we discussed that openness to international travel has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels and fewer people around the world now require a traditional visa to travel. Political factors, access to tourism destinations, and visa requirements are all key factors that can influence the industry's growth and performance.

Key Players in the Travel and Tourism Industry

The travel and tourism industry is a dynamic sector that consists of revenues generated by passenger airlines, food service, hotels, resorts, amusement parks, casinos, and travel intermediaries. Some of the most notable names in the industry are Marriott International Inc. (NYSE:MAR), Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT), and Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE).

Story continues

Technology has been a major driver of growth in the travel and tourism industry. Technological advancements, mobile apps, and online tools make it easier for people to research, book travel arrangements, and access information on the go. This also enhances the overall travel experience. Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) is an American travel technology company that owns and operates various brands including Expedia, Hotels.com, CarRentals.com, Vrbo, Travelocity, Trivago, CheapTickets, and Expedia Cruises. On February 8, Expedia Group Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE) reported strong earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported earnings per share (EPS) of $1.72, surpassing EPS estimates by $0.02. The companys revenue for the quarter grew by 10.28% year-over-year and amounted to $2.89 billion, ahead of market consensus by $8.67 million. Here are some comments from Expedia Group Inc.s (NASDAQ:EXPE) Q4 2023 earnings call:

Meaningfully, we have gone from approximately 30% of people working in product and tech in 2019 to 50% today. Again, we are at a truly different place as a company as we launch into 2024, which does not mean that it's all just linear improvement from here, that learn and test-and-learn is a big part of our journey, and we will still get things wrong in our tireless effort to improve the customer experience. But we can afford to get a lot more wrong as we, in fact, get a lot more right. Ultimately, more at-bats, the sheer power of going fast and simplifying our ability to innovate is what puts us in a position to once again lead our industry technologically for the next decade.

As the demand for travel and tourism continues to grow, travel companies are enhancing their market presence by implementing various strategies. On March 12, Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HLT) announced the expansion of its innovative, midscale hotel brand, Tru by Hilton, to New York City with the grand opening of Tru by Hilton Brooklyn. Located near the lively Park Slope neighborhood, this contemporary hotel offers an ultramodern and lively lodging option for both business and leisure travelers. Tru by Hilton Brooklyn boasts 101 well-appointed rooms that offer the brands signature amenities, including large HDTVs, premium bedding, spacious bathrooms with walk-in showers, and complimentary Wi-Fi to ensure a comfortable and convenient stay for all guests.

Marriott International Inc. (NYSE:MAR) is an American multinational hospitality company. As one of the largest travel companies in the world, it operates, franchises, and licenses lodging including hotels and resorts in over 130 countries around the world. On February 8, Marriott International Inc. (NYSE:MAR) reported that one of its brands, Moxy Hotels, has announced the opening of Moxy Halifax Downtown, marking the brands first venture into Canada. This new 160-room hotel offers a fresh take on traditional hospitality by providing vibrant guest experiences and exceptional service. Halifax is a rapidly growing city in Atlantic Canada and the new hotel in the city is located in close proximity to Halifax's bustling downtown area.

Now that we have discussed whats going on in the travel and tourism industry, let's shift our attention to the 20 most visited states in the US by foreign travelers.

20 Most Visited States in the US by Foreign Travelers

A busy airport terminal with travelers queuing up for flights, revealing the sheer volumes of travelers served by the company.

Methodology

In this article, we have listed the 20 most visited states in the US by foreign travelers. To collect data for our list of most visited US states, we consulted the International Trade Administration, US Department of Commerce. This database provided us with a list of territories and states in the US that were visited the most by overseas travelers in 2022. The 20 most visited states in the US by foreign travelers are listed below in ascending order of the number of foreign travelers that visited them in 2022.

20 Most Visited States in the US by Foreign Travelers

20. Tennessee

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 292,000

Tennessee is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region that ranks among the 20 most visited states in the US by foreign travelers. Tennessee is known for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, whiskey, and country music. In 2022, Tennessee attracted 292,000 foreign travelers.

19. Louisiana

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 314,000

Louisiana is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the US that is known for its rich and fascinating culture which reflects a blend of French, Spanish, African, and Native American influences. According to recently reported data, Louisiana attracted 314,000 overseas visitors in 2022.

18. Colorado

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 321,000

Colorado is a state in the Mountain West sub-region. It is renowned for its magnificent scenery of mountains, rivers, plains, canyons, plateaus, and desert lands. In 2022, the US state of Colorado attracted 321,000 foreign travelers.

17. Maryland

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 326,000

Maryland, a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the US, ranks 17th on our list of the 20 most visited states in the US by foreign travelers. Also known as "America in Miniature" and "Little America", the US state of Maryland attracted 326,000 foreign visitors in 2022.

16. North Carolina

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 340,000

North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern US. It is known for the Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as well as its iconic city of Asheville which is known for its architecture, mountain scenery, and outdoor activities. North Carolina saw a total of 340,000 international tourists in 2022.

15. Utah

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 412,000

Utah, a landlocked state in the Mountain West sub-region of the Western US, ranks among the top 15 on our list of the most visited states in the US by foreign travelers. Known for its stunning natural landscapes and incredible national parks, the US state of Utah attracted 412,000 visitors in 2022.

14. Virginia

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 438,000

Virginia is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the US. It is known for its rich history, iconic landmarks, and diverse geography. According to recently reported data, Virginia welcomed 438,000 foreign travelers in 2022.

13. Georgia

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 465,000

Georgia is a state in the Southeastern region of the US that is renowned for its natural beauty. Atlanta, the capital city of Georgia, is a major hub for finance, technology, transportation, and manufacturing. The HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport in the state of Georgia is the busiest airport in the world by flights per day. In 2022, Georgia attracted 465,000 foreign travelers.

12. Washington

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 467,000

Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the US that ranks 12th on our list of the most visited states in the US by foreign travelers. Nicknamed The Evergreen State, the state of Washington is known for its mountainous landscapes, volcanoes, glaciers, and an abundance of evergreen forests. The state of Washington attracted 467,000 foreign travelers in 2022.

11. Pennsylvania

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 592,000

Pennsylvania is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region that is known for its diverse geography. It is one of the most populated states in the US. In 2022, 592,000 foreigners traveled to the US state of Pennsylvania.

10. Arizona

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 663,000

Arizona is a state in the Southwestern US that ranks among the top 10 on our list of the most visited states in the US by foreign travelers. It is the sixth largest state in the US by size and it is best known for the Grand Canyon. In 2022, Arizona attracted 663,000 foreign travelers.

9. Massachusetts

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 807,000

Massachusetts is one of the smallest and most densely populated states in the US. It is home to some of the most reputable educational institutions, such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The US state of Massachusetts attracted 807,000 foreign visitors in 2022.

8. New Jersey

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 867,000

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern region of the US. It is the most densely populated state. New Jersey is known for its boardwalk beaches and Atlantic City casinos, which attract hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. In 2022, New Jersey attracted a total of 867,000 foreign travelers. It ranks 8th on our list of the most visited states in the US by foreign travelers.

7. Hawaii

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 953,000

Hawaii, in the Pacific Ocean, is an island state of the US. Known as the Paradise of the Pacific, Hawaii is known for its stunning natural landscapes and beautiful beaches. In 2022, Hawaii welcomed 953,000 foreign travelers.

6. Illinois

Number of Foreign Travelers (2022): 1.13 Million

Illinois is a state in the Midwestern region of the US that is one of Americas most industrialized states and a major manufacturing center. Nicknamed the Prairie State, Illinois is also known for its agriculture, corn, and farmlands. In 2022, it attracted 1.13 million foreign travelers. Illinois ranks 6th on our list of the 20 most visited states in the US by foreign travelers.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Most Visited States in the US by Foreign Travelers.

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Disclosure: None. 20 Most Visited States in the US by Foreign Travelers is published on Insider Monkey.
A German citizen previously serving in the Bundeswehr has been charged with collaboration with Russian intelligence and violation of state secrets privilege, Germanys Federal Prosecutor's Office announced on March 19.

According to the press release, German national Thomas H. has been indicted on charges of working with Russian special services and disclosing classified information.

Read also: German Bundeswehr Inspector General warns of potential defensive war against Russia

Thomas H. was known to be a career soldier at the Bundeswehr's Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology, and Support.

Read also: Bundeswehr has 320 Leopard-2 tanks in storage

The prosecutor's office adds that since May 2023, Thomas H. had repeatedly approached the Russian General Consulate in Bonn and the Russian Embassy in Berlin, voluntarily offering his cooperation.

Read also: Ukraine's SBU arrests Russian intelligence informant in Mykolaiv Oblast

On one occasion, he passed on information to Russian intelligence that he had acquired through his professional activities.

The accused was arrested on August 9, 2023, and has since been in custody.

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
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is planning to launch a podcast.

The 82-year-old lawmaker wrote Tuesday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that he would release the project this week. Sanders added he plans to discuss his recent book, Its OK to be Angry about Capitalism, in the first few episodes.

Sanders is just the latest in a slew of public officials and political figures to branch into the worlds of podcasting and new media.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) hosts a regular podcast called Verdict, while members of the House, including Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), have launched podcasts of their own.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
London Heathrow lies 87 miles southeast, representing about 10 minutes flying time. Luton airport is 71 miles away in much the same direction. Manchester airport stands 66 miles northwest, while East Midlands is only 32 miles northeast.

Where am I? Birmingham airport, of course. And in the company of the chief executive of the West Midlands hub, Nick Barton. With competitors in such close proximity, doesnt he feel a little squeezed?

If you didnt offer the network coverage and the pricing, then yes  but that isnt the case, he says. We have more people in our catchment area than live in Canada. Its a big old number of people.

With the variety of airlines weve got, and theyre all competing strongly, theyre stimulating and penetrating that catchment.

Just arrived: an easyJet Airbus A320 at Birmingham airport (Simon Calder)

We are speaking on the day that easyJet launched its new base at Birmingham airport, where three Airbus jets will be located. It is easyJets first new base in the UK for 12 years (during which time Britains biggest budget airline has closed bases at East Midlands, Newcastle, Stansted and Southend).

The phrase ferocious competition seems designed for the expansion. Among the 16 new routes easyJet has announced, five serve key resort airports in Spain: Alicante, Barcelona, Fuerteventura, Malaga and Tenerife. Jet2 and Ryanair already fly to all of them.

Tui and the Spanish budget airline, Vueling, also compete, and to complete the set Wizz Air offers a handful of links. Is this, I wonder, going to be the most competitive airport in the UK for European flights  even more so than Manchester?

Id hope so, because the winner in that circumstance is the customer, says the Birmingham CEO. It always is.

We can only expect to see [the airlines] challenging each other and getting better. Thats what theyve done down the recent history of aviation. Theyve always been successful, and weve got all of them here.

So we are very, very comfortable in seeing that competitive tension between the airlines.

Can competition go too far, though? I confessed to Barton that my previous two reporting assignments to Birmingham airport had been for the collapse of Monarch in 2017 and the failure of Flybe in 2020.

It was the evolution of our industry, wasnt it? Where the older operators with older business models are out-competed by the newer ones. And all of the traffic that we used to have with those airlines  which was nearly 40 per cent of our total  has been completely replaced.

So it just shows you the industry can reinvent itself with new investment, new aeroplanes, new business models  and our customers have benefited from that.

From the point of view of someone living or working in central London (I do both), Birmingham has been propelled into the position of a viable alternative to the capitals airports.

Trains from London Euston take just 65 minutes to a dedicated station (making it closer, in time terms from central London, than Southampton airport and only 20 minutes further than Stansted). From next week, new security scanners will accelerate the journey through the airport.

I currently use Birmingham airport when the price is right  most recently a cheap Ryanair deal to Corfu  or when I need to reach one of the few destinations inaccessible from a London airport. In May I will avail of the new Ryanair link to Beauvais (loosely known as Paris) in northern France.

For long-haul flights, Birmingham makes a good proposition when going east: Emirates operates a giant Airbus A380 and a Boeing 777 from BHX to Dubai, while Air India flies to Amritsar.

Yet the daily link to New York disappeared years ago. Barton wants to restore regular transatlantic flying.

The biggest challenge at the moment is aircraft availability, he says. The airlines have got the appetite. Its just a question of getting the right aeroplanes. They start coming online in 25.

British Airways wont be coming back to Birmingham any time soon, I fear, and United may judge its powerful presence at Heathrow to be sufficient without diluting traffic with a Midlands connection. But as congestion increases in southeast England, Birmingham may soon add some valuable transatlantic capacity.

I spent a week in the United States and Canada just before Christmas, the Birmingham boss says. While he wouldnt want to overpromise at this stage, he expects to resume services to North America in two or three years. And if the HS2 rail line from London ever gets built, with a station at Birmingham airport, the Midlands could even become a fast track to Manhattan.
Joe Biden (L), President of the USA, and Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, sit together for talks during their meeting. Avi Ohayon/GPO/dpa

US national security advisor Jake Sullivan said Monday that President Joe Biden has asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a telephone call to send a team of representatives from the military, intelligence services and humanitarian aid specialists to Washington in the coming days.

Biden wants to explain his government's reservations about the planned offensive in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip and discuss possible alternatives. Netanyahu agreed to send such a team.

"We have every expectation that they're not going to proceed with a major military operation in Rafah until we have that conversation," Sullivan said, referring to the Israelis. A meeting is planned for the end of this week or the beginning of next week, but a specific date has not yet been set.

Sullivan said a major Israeli offensive in Rafah would be a mistake, but that Hamas should not use the city or anywhere else as a safe haven.

The national security adviser rejected reports that the tone between Biden and Netanyahu was tense and that the phone call ended abruptly. The conversation was "business-like," he said.

Meanwhile, David Barnea, the head of Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence service, met with mediators in Qatar, Israeli TV station N12 reported.

The Israeli security cabinet had authorized the departure of a delegation led by Barnea to the Gulf state late on Sunday evening.

Mediators from Qatar, Egypt and the United States are attempting to make progress in the recently stalled talks on a temporary ceasefire and an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas recently submitted a new proposal to the mediators. In it, Hamas no longer demands that Israel end the war before the first hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

According to the proposal, Hamas would only make a non-temporary cessation of hostilities by Israel a prerequisite for a second phase of hostage releases.

This means that Hamas has come closer to the contents of a multi-stage plan that the mediators had presented several weeks ago and which Israel had accepted.

Now that Hamas has made some progress, Israel is prepared to take part in the indirect mediation talks in Qatar for the first time in a fortnight. Israeli television reported that the talks are expected to last at least two weeks.

On the ground in Gaza, Israel concentrated its military activities on Monday on al-Shifa Hospital, where it said it had killed a senior official of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which was behind the October 7 massacre in Israel.

The man was Faik al-Mabhouh, head of Hamas' internal security department, which is also responsible for operational missions, according to a joint statement by the military and the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service.

Al-Mabhouh was also "responsible for coordinating Hamas terror activities in the Gaza Strip," the statement said. Hamas initially gave no official confirmation of al-Mabhouh's death.

Al-Mabhouh was killed after intelligence information was received about the presence of senior Hamas members in the al-Shifa hospital, the army said.

He had been hiding armed in a building of the hospital complex and was killed in a confrontation with the troops, the statement said. Several weapons were found in the room next to his hiding place.

Eyewitnesses reported heavy gunfire inside the hospital. There were reports that a journalist from Arabic broadcaster Al-Jazeera was among dozens of people detained in the hospital.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a briefing on Monday evening that "we apprehended over two hundred terror suspects who are currently under investigation, eliminated more than twenty terrorists within the hospital area."

Hagari added that IDF forces would "continue to operate in the hospital area tonight."

According to reports from Gaza, the man killed was a brother of Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, who was murdered in Dubai in 2010. At the time, Dubai police accused the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad of being behind the crime.

One accusation against Mahmud al-Mabhouh was that he had procured weapons for Hamas. The case caused quite a stir internationally.

Prior to the operation, the IDF urged Palestinians sheltering in Gaza City's al-Shifa Hospital to leave the conflict zone.

"You should leave the area to the west immediately to ensure your safety and then ... to the humanitarian zone in al-Mawasi," an IDF spokesman wrote in Arabic on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday morning.

He was referring to a town on the coast of the Gaza Strip in the far south. The IDF also dropped flyers.

Hagari in the morning had said that the operation followed "concrete intelligence that demanded immediate action."

The military said it would "continue to act in accordance with international law and against the Hamas terrorist organization - which operates from hospitals and civilian infrastructure in a systematic and cynical way."

The US government had also supported the Israeli claim that Hamas had used the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip as a command centre and weapons depot.
(Bloomberg) -- Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu sought to turn down the heat in their unusually public feud over Israels war in Gaza Monday, but there was little sign the domestic political pressures that have pushed them apart are easing.

Most Read from Bloomberg

After weeks of growing vitriol between the two leaders over Israels punishing ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, the American president won a valuable concession in a telephone call with the Israeli prime minister on Monday  their first in more than month.

Netanyahu, widely known by his nickname Bibi, agreed to send a group of advisers to the US to talk about Israels planned invasion of Rafah, where more than 1 million people have sought shelter from the fighting.

Global opposition to the plan is mounting. Israel insists an offensive on Rafah is needed because its the last bastion of Hamas, an Iran-backed Islamist group. Netanyahu has said he will allow civilians to leave before any assault, but theres skepticism, including in the US, that this can be done.

The visit will buy some crucial time for Biden, who has been the target of withering criticism from the left in the US to do more to halt the bloodshed in Gaza after some 31,000 deaths and amid warnings of imminent famine.

Read More: Blinken Returns to Mideast With US-Israel Tensions High

I continued to affirm that Israel has a right to go after Hamas, a group of terrorists responsible for the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust, Biden said of the call. He added he had asked Netanyahu to send a team to Washington to discuss ways to target Hamas without a major ground operation in Rafah.

While celebrating the concession on Monday, officials were already speculating on how long it would last given the pressure both leaders are under from political forces back home.

Netanyahus far-right coalition partners want a more aggressive military posture in Gaza and reject a Palestinian state. The constituents Biden worries about  progressives, Muslim-Americans and young Democrats  want a permanent cease-fire and Palestinian sovereignty. Its an existential threat for the US leader given that they may withhold votes from him in the November election in key states such as Michigan.

Theres a strange symmetry because both leaders are appealing to political groups they need to survive, said Eytan Gilboa, a professor who specializes in US-Israel relations at Bar Ilan University outside Tel Aviv. The problem is that theyre on opposite sides.

Read More: Israels Ban on Palestinian Workers Is Hurting Both Economies

On Tuesday, Netanyahu said theres no way to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions in Rafah without a ground incursion. He said he made this as clear as possible to Biden.

We need to complete the military elimination of Hamas, Netanyahu said in remarks in Jerusalem to Israeli lawmakers. There is no alternative to this. We cannot go around it. Neither can we say we will destroy 80% of Hamas and leave 20% because from that 20%, they will reorganize and take over the Strip again and  of course  constitute a new threat to Israel.

The agreement for a visit by Israeli officials, which came from a phone call from the two leaders, was a rare bright spot in a relationship thats grown more and more strained in the months since Hamas fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, and Israel responded with a punishing air and ground campaign. The two leaders governments have taken to openly criticizing each other, and last week a group of senators urged Biden to halt military aid to Israel.

Schumers Speech

The animosity reached a fever pitch last week when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the US, said in a floor speech that Netanyahu has lost his way. Netanyahu, Schumer said, is becoming beholden to right-wing extremists and its time for new elections in Israel. The next ones arent due until 2026.

An Ex-Israeli Leader Warns His Nation Against Attacking Rafah

Netanyahu shot back quickly, saying it was inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there.

Biden stopped short of endorsing Schumers call for an early Israeli vote. But he said his fellow Democrat made a good speech, and I think he expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but by many Americans.

People familiar with the administrations strategy say Bidens team, like Schumer, has adopted a strategy of distinction  criticism of Netanyahu while reaffirming support for Israel. Netanyahu has done something similar, casting himself as the only one who can stand up to Bidens demands for an independent Palestinian state.

Weird Dynamic

You have this weird corrosive dynamic where both men see advantage or virtue in picking a fight with the other for their own political fortunes, said Michael Singh, an analyst with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. In a way that masks what I think has been a pretty cooperative relationship between the US and Israel throughout this conflict.

Although a person familiar with the matter said Bidens team has discussed the possibility of restricting military aid to Israel in some manner, Biden told MSNBC that the US would never cut off all weapons to Israel.

Still, there are precedents. In 1975, President Gerald Ford ordered a reassessment of US policy toward Israel, slowing the sale of F-15 fighters and freezing other arms deliveries when it refused a fuller withdrawal from parts of Egypt after the 1973 Yom Kippur war.

In 1981, President Ronald Reagan delayed delivery of F-16 warplanes after Israel bombed the Beirut headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization. And in 2014, President Barack Obamas administration slowed the supply of Hellfire missiles during a round of fighting in Gaza.

Biden could follow suit, delaying weaponry from F-35s to heavy bombs. Yet such a move would pose its own political problems at home, especially with Jewish voters and other supporters of Israel. And there are signs that the two sides continue to cooperate even as their leaders squabble.

There has been tentative, and halting, progress toward a cease-fire and hostage deal. Israeli officials, including David Barnea, the head of intelligence agency Mossad, traveled to Qatar on Monday for indirect talks with Hamas. Many of the groups political leaders live in the Gulf state, which is a key mediator between the two sides.

An agreement with Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, may ease global tensions. The talks center around the release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails, and getting more aid into Gaza. The shooting and bombing would stop for at least six weeks. Efforts by the US to bring together Israel and Saudi Arabia with a diplomatic accord might also accelerate.

Whats really surprising is not that this is happening but that it took so long to happen between Biden and Bibi, Singh said of the tensions between the two leaders. Were five or six months into this, and President Biden has been quite supportive of Israel far longer than anyone would have thought.

--With assistance from Jordan Fabian, Jennifer Jacobs, Josh Wingrove and Alisa Odenheimer.

(Updates with Netanyahu comments starting in 10th paragraph)

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President Biden to call on Congress to pass his budget that includes $258 billion in housing investments while he is in Nevada on Tuesday.

The president is set to give remarks in Las Vegas, where he will outline that his plan includes mortgage relief credit, which would provide middle-class first-time homebuyers with a tax credit of $10,000 over two years, and down payment assistance for first-generation homeowners of up to $25,000.

Also, his plan would aim to lower closing costs by waiving the requirement for lenders title insurance on certain refinances and would include an initiative to build and renovate more than 2 million homes.

While in Nevada, he will also unveil a new $20 billion competitive grant fund as part of his proposed budget to support the construction of affordable multifamily rental units and to help with the construction of new starter homes for middle-class families.

He has proposed increasing banks contributions to building affordable homes and providing $8 billion for a new grant program to expand temporary and permanent housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Biden unveiled his budget last week, which was a sweeping $7.3 trillion request for 2025 with proposals like raising taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations.

He will outline that his plan for affordable housing would build on the American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law in 2021. That legislation provided $1 billion to Nevada to help boost affordable housing and lower housing costs.

Within the $1 billion, $700 million was invested in affordable housing supply and senior housing. Biden will note that in Clark County, about 1,000 new senior apartments are being built because of the American Rescue Plan funding.

Biden is traveling to Nevada and Arizona, where he is also expected to target former President Trump on top issues like abortion rights, supporting unions, securing the border, and defending democracy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Biden campaign is launching a national program Tuesday to engage and mobilize Latino voters, coinciding with President Bidens trips to Nevada and Arizona.

The president will officially kick off Latinos con Biden-Harris during a stop in Arizona, where he will be joined by Latino organizers, the campaign said. Tuesdays launch is intended to jump-start a series of events to engage, train and mobilize Latino supporters, a fast-growing demographic that will play a significant role in Novembers election.

The Latino vote was critical to the Presidents victory in 2020, and 2024 will be no different, campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. Latinos con Biden-Harris will be essential to activating and mobilizing Latinos across the country, and importantly, is another way we are making clear with action that we are investing aggressively into earning the Latino vote.

Our community has deep roots in organizing, and we are excited to harness that skillset to fight for our families, our communities, and against Donald Trumps anti-Latino agenda. Theres too much at stake in this election, she added.

The campaign will hold events in Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Wisconsin this week to highlight the new effort.

Nevada and Arizona include key constituencies like Latino voters, Black voters and female voters, campaign aides outlined. The campaign is opening offices around Las Vegas and across Nevada and Arizona; it plans to have more than 40 staffers on the ground by the end of March.

The campaign will also launch a new ad Tuesday featuring a message from Biden in Spanish, English and Spanglish that outlines his agenda, contrasting it with that of former President Trump. The ad will be part of the campaigns $30 million spring media buy.

Biden won Latino voters by 33 percentage points over Trump in the 2020 election, though a New York Times/Siena College poll released earlier this month showed Trump ahead with the group by 6 percentage points.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics teams latest reporting and analysis from the campaign trail, the White House and Capitol Hill.

In todays edition, national political reporters Bridget Bowman and Ben Kamisar break down the key House primaries to watch on Tuesday. Plus, senior politics editor Mark Murray has a data dive on Joe Biden's poll numbers after the State of the Union.

The House primaries that could have major national implications on Tuesday

By Bridget Bowman and Ben Kamisar

Joe Biden and Donald Trump may have secured their parties presidential nominations, but there is still plenty of intrigue further down the ballot heading into the next primary day on Tuesday.

The outcome of congressional primaries in California, Illinois and Ohio will have major implications for control of the House  where Republicans are currently holding on by a thread  and for the future of both parties.

Donald Trump and Rep. Mike Bost (Jeff Roberson / AP file)

Trumps endorsement power: The presumptive Republican presidential nominees endorsement will not only be put to the test in Ohios Senate race, but in two notable House contests.

Trump threw his support last month behind Rep. Mike Bost, who is facing a primary challenge from former state Sen. Darren Bailey in Illinois 12th District. Bailey, who had Trumps endorsement during his unsuccessful run for governor in 2022, is trying to claim the conservative lane in the primary and has rallied with Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. But Bost is outspending Bailey on the airwaves, where hes touting the former presidents support. The seat is expected to remain in GOP hands regardless of who wins the primary.

The former president also issued an 11th-hour endorsement Monday in the contentious Republican primary in Ohios 9th District to state Rep. Derek Merrin. The district, which Trump won in 2020, is represented by Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur and will be a top GOP target this fall. Republicans feel better about their chances after J.R. Majewski, a controversial candidate who lost to Kaptur in 2022, dropped out this month.

Do you have a news tip? Let us know

Democrats on defense: Aside from Kapturs seat, Tuesdays primaries will set up general election matchups in two other battleground districts.

Several Republicans are vying to take on freshman Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes in Ohios 13th District, which Biden won narrowly four years ago. And Republicans will have their eye on flipping Democratic Rep. Eric Sorensens seat in Illinois 17th District as they seek to maintain a razor-thin majority.

Shoring up a narrow GOP majority: In the meantime, Republicans will be looking to pad that majority prior to the November election.

In California, theres a special primary election Tuesday to serve out the remainder of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthys term. Candidates from all parties will appear on the same ballot in the GOP-heavy 20th District. If no one clears 50%, the top two finishers head to a May runoff. But if someone does win a majority, House Republicans will get to add to their ranks in the near term.

Read more here 

The results are in: No State of the Union polling bump for Biden  yet

Analysis by Mark Murray

Eleven days have now passed since Bidens State of the Union address, and the first polls conducted since then have been clear: The presidents numbers have barely budged.

His approval rating remains in the high 30s and low 40s, according to surveys from USA Today/Suffolk and The Economist/YouGov that were conducted after the March 7 speech.

The national polls continue to show a tight general election matchup against Donald Trump, with the presumptive Republican nominee either ahead by a couple of points (per The Economist/YouGov) or Biden narrowly ahead (per Reuters/Ipsos)  all within the margin of error.

And Trump leads in the battlegrounds of Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan  within the margin of error  according to Fox News and Quinnipiac University polls taken after Bidens big address.

What continues to stand out about Bidens political standing, as well his numbers in a rematch against Trump, is how little theyve changed since last fall. Even after Trump won Iowa and New Hampshire in January, after both men locked up their partys presidential nomination, and after Bidens State of the Union, which received praise from Democrats and commentators.

None of this is to say that the contours of the 2024 race wont change between now and November (they always can), or that Biden cant win with his current numbers (polls have found Biden overperforming among those who somewhat disapprove of the job hes doing).

But they do underscore just how little has changed in public opinion about Biden and Trump  even after major events like the first primary results and the State of the Union address.

Thats all from The Politics Desk for now. If you have feedback  likes or dislikes  email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com

And if youre a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Joe Biden headed to the southwest Tuesday on a mission to shore up his support with Latino voters.

With polls showing a slippage in Hispanic support, Biden journeyed to Nevada and then planned to continue to Arizona as he seeks to keep the two swing states in his column come November.

In remarks to supporters in Reno on Tuesday, Biden said hes never heard a president say the things that he has said, later adding, Were going to beat him again.

The president won the Southwest region in 2020 with healthy support from Latino voters, although he barely eked out wins over Trump in Nevada and Arizona.

He trumpets his support for abortion rights and strong job growth as key selling points to Latinos and other working class voters.

Polls show Hispanic voters have been drifting away from Democrats, although they are a diverse group and its difficult to pinpoint nationwide trends.

Biden also was heading to Las Vegas later Tuesday to promote his administrations housing policies and Phoenix for more campaign stops on Wednesday to discuss his support of the computer chip manufacturing sector.

Biden campaign officials say they are determined to make a stronger, more-explicit effort to woo the Latino vote.

The campaign launched a Spanish language campaign website and the president is doing interviews with Spanish radio and TV.

In an interview with Univision, Biden turned questions about immigration into an indictment of Trump for calling migrants animals and saying immigrants are poisoning the blood of the U.S. Biden also said the former president is a racist who despises Latinos.

He also slammed Trumps pledge to carry out mass deportations if given another term, and boasted of his own Irish immigrant heritage.

We have to stop this guy; we cant let this happen, Biden said. We are a nation of immigrants.

_________
Japan's Prime Minister and President of the Liberal Democratic Party Fumio Kishida delivers a speech during the party's convention in Tokyo Sunday, March 17, 2024. (Rodrigo Reyes Marin/Pool Photo via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for a White House summit next month amid growing concerns about North Korea's nuclear program, provocative Chinese action in the South China Sea and differences over a Japanese company's plan to buy an iconic American steel company.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a statement on Monday said the first-ever U.S.-Japan-Philippines leaders summit is an opportunity to highlight the countries growing economic relations, a proud and resolute commitment to shared democratic values and a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The three leaders have no shortage of issues to discuss.

The announcement came as North Korea's state media reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised a live-fire drill of nuclear-capable super-large multiple rocket launchers designed to target South Koreas capital. The North Korean claim followed the South Korean and Japanese militaries reporting on Monday that they had detected North Korea firing multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast, adding to a streak of weapons displays that have raised regional tensions.

The U.S.-Japan relationship is facing a rare moment of friction after Biden announced last week that he opposes the planned sale of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel to Nippon Steel of Japan. Biden argued in announcing his opposition that the U.S. needs to maintain strong American steel companies powered by American steelworkers.

Nippon Steel announced in December that it planned to buy U.S. Steel for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security.

Meanwhile, long-running Philippines-Chinese tensions have come back into focus this month after Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided in the disputed South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard ships and accompanying vessels blocked the Philippine coast guard and supply vessels off the disputed Second Thomas Shoal and executed dangerous maneuvers that caused two minor collisions between the Chinese ships and two of the Philippine vessels, Philippine officials said.

A small Philippine marine and navy contingent has kept watch onboard a rusting warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which has been marooned since the late 1990s in the shallows of the Second Thomas Shoal.

China also claims the shoal lying off the western Philippines and has surrounded the atoll with coast guard, navy and other ships to press its claims and prevent Filipino forces from delivering construction materials to fortify the Sierra Madre in a decades-long standoff.

Close U.S.-Philippines relations were not a given when Marcos, the son and namesake of the former Philippines strongman, took office in 2022.

But both Biden and Marcos have thrown much effort into strengthening the historically- complicated relationship between the two countries, with the two leaders sharing concerns about aggressive Chinese action around the region.

A U.S. appeals court in 1996 upheld damages of about $2 billion against the elder Marcos estate for the torture and killings of thousands of Filipinos. The court upheld a 1994 verdict of a jury in Hawaii, where he fled after being forced from power in 1986. He died there in 1989.

The elder Marcos placed the Philippines under martial law in 1972, a year before his term was to expire. He padlocked the countrys congressional and newspaper offices, ordered the arrest of many political opponents and activists and ruled by decree.

The younger Marcos made an official visit to Washington last year, the first by a Philippine president in more than 10 years. The U.S. made the announcement of Marcos' coming trip to Washington as Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Manilla.

Jean-Pierre said that in addition to the leaders' summit Biden will hold one-on-one talks with Marcos. She said the leaders would discuss efforts to expand cooperation on economic security, clean energy, people-to-people ties, human rights and democracy.

Biden is set to honor Kishida a day before the leaders summit with a state visit. The White House announced the state visit in January.
Key Insights

Significantly high institutional ownership implies Big River Industries' stock price is sensitive to their trading actions

The top 2 shareholders own 54% of the company

Ownership research, combined with past performance data can help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock

If you want to know who really controls Big River Industries Limited (ASX:BRI), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 52% ownership. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Therefore, a good portion of institutional money invested in the company is usually a huge vote of confidence on its future.

Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Big River Industries, beginning with the chart below.

See our latest analysis for Big River Industries

ASX:BRI Ownership Breakdown March 18th 2024

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Big River Industries?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

We can see that Big River Industries does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Big River Industries' earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

Story continues

ASX:BRI Earnings and Revenue Growth March 18th 2024

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Big River Industries is not owned by hedge funds. Our data shows that Naos Asset Management Limited is the largest shareholder with 36% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 17% and 14% of the stock.

After doing some more digging, we found that the top 2 shareholders collectively control more than half of the company's shares, implying that they have considerable power to influence the company's decisions.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time.

Insider Ownership Of Big River Industries

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.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in Big River Industries Limited. In their own names, insiders own AU$7.9m worth of stock in the AU$156m company. This shows at least some alignment, but we usually like to see larger insider holdings. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 22% stake in Big River Industries. 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.

Private Equity Ownership

With an ownership of 17%, private equity firms are in a position to play a role in shaping corporate strategy with a focus on value creation. Some might like this, because private equity are sometimes activists who hold management accountable. But other times, private equity is selling out, having taking the company public.

Private Company Ownership

We can see that Private Companies own 3.8%, of the shares on issue. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Big River Industries better, we need to consider many other factors. Be aware that Big River Industries is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , you should know about...

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

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.
US President Joe Biden will host the Philippines and Japanese leaders on April 11 (Brendan SMIALOWSKI)

US President Joe Biden will hold the first three-way summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan next month, the White House said Monday, as the United States boosts alliances against China.

Biden's meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on April 11 is the latest in a series of meeting with Asia-Pacific allies.

It also comes against a backdrop of clashes between Philippines and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea, where the countries have contested maritime claims.

"The leaders will advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship" including a "shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Biden will later hold a separate bilateral meeting with Marcos to "reaffirm the ironclad alliance" with the Philippines, she said.

Kishida will be at the White House for a state visit the day before, which had already been announced.

Japan believes the talks will boost a "free and open international order based on the rules of law," chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

"With the Japan-US alliance as the linchpin, we believe that deepening cooperation with like-minded countries like the Philippines in a wide range of areas will be essential to maintaining the peace and prosperity of this region," he told reporters.

The US is redoubling efforts to improve longstanding ties with regional allies such as Tokyo and Manila, in an effort to counterbalance an increasingly aggressive China.

The announcement of the three-way summit came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading to Manila, a trip that the State Department said would reaffirm America's "unwavering commitment" to the Philippines.

Beijing recently accused Washington of using the Philippines as a "pawn" in the dispute over the South China Sea.

Japan and the Philippines meanwhile said during a visit by Kishida in November that they would begin negotiations for a defense pact that would allow them to deploy troops on each other's territory.

Japan invaded and occupied the Philippines during World War II, but the two countries have since grown closer due to trade and investment, and more recently, to counter China's assertiveness in the region.

Biden has also increasingly turned to the three-way summit format to build US alliances.

In August he hosted Japan's Kishida and South Korea's president Yoon Suk Yeol at his Camp David presidential retreat, in a bid to bring the two US allies closer after years of tensions.

Biden held a landmark summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California in November in a bid to prevent conflict between the two superpowers but relations remain tense.

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(Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for a summit in Washington on April 11 to discuss economic relations and the Indo-Pacific, the White House said on Monday.

The leaders "will discuss trilateral cooperation to promote inclusive economic growth and emerging technologies, advance clean energy supply chains and climate cooperation, and further peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world," White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Marcos said last week the country's sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction are essential principles should there be a resumption of joint exploration talks with China in the South China Sea.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas and Eric Beech)
President Biden is facing worrying signs in Georgia  the state he flipped blue for the first time in decades back in 2020  including low primary turnout and a lack of big down-ballot races to energize his base.

Biden beat former President Trump by fewer than 12,000 votes in the Peach State last cycle, and polls suggest the former president now has the edge as the pair head toward a 2024 rematch.

Democrats acknowledge that Biden has work to do to mobilize voters, with the state poised to once again play a pivotal role in November.

The bad news [for Democrats in Georgia is] an enthusiasm gap between Democratic voters and Republican voters, said Atlanta-based Democratic strategist Fred Hicks. The question for Democrats is not for whom youre going to vote in November; its whether or not youre going to vote.

Biden trounced his long-shot challengers in Georgias Democratic primary last week, scoring more than 95 percent of the vote  but total turnout for the contest was just below 290,000 voters, according to the latest counts from Decision Desk HQ.

On the Republican side, Trump scored roughly 85 percent of the vote, and the race saw nearly double the opposing partys turnout, with nearly 590,000 Georgians casting ballots in the GOP contest.

Though strategists note the primary electorate isnt exactly indicative of how Georgians will vote in the general, turnout will be key in the state that Trump won in 2016  and where, four years later, Biden narrowly won by one-quarter of 1 percent.

It is a complete toss-up right now, said Democratic strategist Abigail Collazo, who has done work in Georgia. Theres nothing that can be taken for granted in a year like this one, particularly with the Black and minority voters that the Biden campaign will need to win.

President Biden

President Biden heads toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, March 19, 2023. Biden is heading to Nevada, Arizona and Texas for various campaign and official events. (Greg Nash)

Last cycle saw record turnout in the Peach State, when Biden challenged then-incumbent Trump with the benefit of other major races down-ballot that helped energize voters.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Georgia Democrats turned out in big numbers to oust Trump, but also to elect Democrat Jon Ossoff as the states first Jewish senator and the Rev. Raphael Warnock (D) as the states first Black senator.

That year, Georgia notably combined its presidential preference primary and general primary into a June election, while this year, they are back to separate dates.

The question is: Can and how can Biden-Harris get the Democratic turnout to match 2020 without the historic nature of other races on the ballot? Hicks said.

Bidens reelection bid will have to energize the states significant Black population, which makes up roughly a third of the battleground state, while facing polls that show the incumbent struggling nationally with the demographic.

Amid a progressive push in several states to cast protest votes over the administrations handling of the Israel-Hamas war, roughly 6,000 Georgians left their ballots blank in the Democratic primary, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Biden will also have to handle persistent concerns about immigration after the recent death of University of Georgia student Laken Riley thrust the state into the center of an already raging partisan debate on the issue. A Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally was arrested and charged with murder in connection to Rileys death, prompting many on the right to link the tragedy to Bidens handling of the border.

Laken Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal. Thats right, Biden said during his State of the Union address earlier this month, after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) heckled him to mention the Georgia student. But how many thousands of people being killed by legals? To her parents I say, my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself.

A survey from Emerson College Polling and The Hill recently found Trump up 8 points over Biden on the issue of immigration in Georgia. And in a general election rematch, polling averages from Decision Desk HQ/The Hill showed Trump leading Biden by 5 points.

Biden would need to get really aggressive on the border to come closer to a win in the state, Georgia-based Republican strategist Jay Williams said.

But there are rays of hope for both White House hopefuls, said Ben Taylor, a professor of political science at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

Today, if I were operating either of these campaigns, I would probably rather be in the Trump campaigns position, I think. But its very tenuous, Taylor said.

Trump faces his own hurdles in Georgia, where hes been criminally indicted over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 results in the state. A judge last week notably dropped some charges related to Trumps infamous call asking Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) to find enough votes to overturn Bidens win, but Trump still faces 10 counts in the case.

This is going to be a high-stakes election where a few votes really matter. And problematically, if Trump does the same old thing and he loses, I mean, I dont know whats gonna happen, said Audrey Haynes, a professor of political science at the University of Georgia.

Will it be the nail in the coffin?  Or will it be: Its rigged again, and then were going to throw the whole country into chaos again? Haynes asked.

And though Trump easily extended his string of early wins in the GOP primary, his former opponent Nikki Haley brought in around 13 percent support. Thats notable because some of the roughly 77,000 ballots in her column likely came in after Haley dropped out of the running March 6, making those votes a possible protest against Trump.

In a state that Biden won by just 12,000 votes last cycle, the tens of thousands of Haley voters present an opportunity for Bidens reelection bid to persuade disillusioned Republicans to join the Democratic camp.

But even if those voters arent drawn across the aisle, they could still pose a problem for Trump by sitting out, Taylor said.

The closer the Biden folks can keep Georgia, the more competitive Georgia is in the long term, I think the better it is for the Biden campaign  not just for the Electoral College votes, but particularly, from a strategic perspective, of making the Trump campaign spend money that they, by the end, may not have, Taylor said.

Top Stories from The Hill

Mark Rountree, a Republican pollster based in Georgia, said the Haley voters would be very problematic for Trump if the general election were held today, but countered that another six months of advertising and messaging could likely pull many of those back into the former presidents column.

With wins in Georgia, Washington and Mississippi last week, Biden and Trump have both locked up the delegates they need to win their party nominations, teeing up a rematch in November that observers say could come down to the wire. The pair held dueling campaign events in the Peach State last week.

This is a competitive place, and Republicans cannot win without Georgia, said Keron Blair, the chief organizing and field officer of the progressive New Georgia Project Action Fund.

And Democrats would be remiss if they abandoned the investment in Georgia and abandoned the work of forcing a meaningful competition for the electoral votes that are up for grabs in Georgia, Blair said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Bidens reelection campaign must balance the White Houses support for a bill that could ban TikTok from the U.S. while simultaneously harnessing the power of the platform to reach a crucial bloc of young voters.

The president said he would sign a bill that could ultimately ban TikTok from U.S. app stores and web hosting services roughly a month after Biden campaign joined TikTok.

I think its going to be a very fine line theyre going to have to walk, said Annie Wu Henry, a 28-year-old digital strategist who led Sen. John Fettermans (D-Pa.) digital strategy during his Senate campaign.

Someone might think, You know, as long as its there, its fine that theyre using it. But some people might find it hypocritical, she added.

The app, which is owned by the China-based company ByteDance, has become increasingly popular, especially among younger Americans. In addition to funny videos and viral dances, the app has also become a place where more Americans are getting their news, according to a Pew Research Center poll.

About a third of U.S. adults younger than 30 said they regularly got their news from TikTok in 2023, according to a poll released in November. Thats more than three times the 9 percent of adults between 18 and 29 who said the same in 2020, putting TikTok even more in the forefront this election cycle.

As the election nears, however, lawmakers have reignited a debate over the fate of the app.

The House advanced the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which would force ByteDance to divest TikTok or face a ban, in an overwhelming bipartisan 352-65 vote.

In the days leading to and following the House vote, TikTok users flooded content posted by the Biden campaign with pleas to protect the app, rather than the focus of the video itself.

Some comments simply state keep TikTok, while others point out this video was posted on TikTok, instead of interacting with the content of the video.

Henry said social media is a great resource to glean insight into the public sentiment. On TikTok, theres a heightened sense of community, intimacy and authenticity, and the comment section can become its own little world, with reply videos that interact with comments often receiving more traction than the original content, she said.

That is why its used in different ways than some of the other social media platforms. There is the ability for the campaign to really show that theyre listening and hearing and having that rapport with the public and what theyre saying, and what their feedback is around all types of issues, including TikTok, Henry said.

Supporters of the push cite national security concerns posed by TikToks parent company being based in China, which they say exposes the private data of Americans to the Chinese government. The bill advanced after House members received a classified briefing from members of the intelligence community.

TikTok has pushed back on the allegations it poses national security risks, and it is urging the Senate against passing the legislation.

Shoshana Weissmann, director of digital media at the R Street Institute, said the Biden campaigns use of the app is super hypocritical and undermines his case for the bill.

If this were so dangerous from a data acquisition perspective, someone close to the president who uses the TikTok app to upload stuff, that would be a really sensitive position where you really wouldnt want to have that happen, Weissmann said.

The Biden campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

When the campaign first joined TikTok last month, campaign officials told The Associated Press they were taking advanced security precautions and incorporating security protocols to ensure safety. But the officials did not detail those measures or provide information about whether they were meant to protect campaign data or voters, the AP reported.

Antonio Arellano, vice president of communications at NextGen America, a left-leaning group focused on mobilizing young voters, dismissed the chance of the fate of TikTok becoming a mobilizing issue for young voters.

Former President Trump, who is the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has come out against the bill Biden backed, despite trying to ban the app while in office. That change came after Trump confirmed he recently met with Jeff Yass, a major GOP donor and investor in TikTok. Trump said Yass did not bring up TikTok during the conversation.

I think that young voters have vocalized their key voting priorities, and its not TikTok. Weve got bigger fish to fry, Arellano said, citing issues such as reproductive justice, climate change and gun violence.

He said the hypocritical player is the Republican Party moving so quickly on banning TikTok while not moving on other critical issues, like gun reform and immigration.

The House voted on the bill less than a week after it was introduced. House Energy and Commerce Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), who voted for the bill, called out the GOP for a rushed process on the legislation and pushed for the committee to have a classified briefing before voting to advance the bill.

Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg, the Newhouse director of the Tufts University Center for Information and Research on Civil Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), said the challenge for the administration is to communicate how it considered the bill so that the influencers and older voters who can influence young voters decisions understand it.

If the influencers in particular, and the general public  people who are slightly older, like me, who are parents  dont quite understand whats happening with the ban.  We, as guardians of information to young people, are not able to perform our role either, she said.

Even for people who have been paying attention, the quick advancement of the bill is adding confusion, Henry said. Unlike other stalled legislative efforts, there hasnt been an ongoing public push on the issue.

I think it just feels like its kind of been randomly dropped out of the blue, Henry said.

Kawashima-Ginsberg said its unknown how this may impact young voters as an issue.

Weve never said, What if your social media gets unavailable to you? Thats unimaginable to young people, she said.

What I see as a longtime watcher of young people and social media is that they will always find a place to talk and gather and activate and organize. So if TikTok becomes less available or feels less safe and secure to young people, theyll find another place to go, she said.

But it will take time for campaigns, which often dont have young people immersed in youth culture, to catch up and reach them where they are, she said.

If you are 24 or 25, you are already sort of outside of that youth culture a lot of times, she added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
When President Joe Biden asked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to dispatch a team of top Israeli officials to Washington, his hope was to preempt a large-scale ground invasion of Rafah, which the Biden administration believes would amount to a humanitarian catastrophe.

Whether the meeting, now likely to occur early next week, can accomplish that objective remains an open question. There were indications on Tuesday that  despite dire warnings Biden delivered to Netanyahu in a 45-minute telephone call a day earlier  the Israeli leader remained intent on entering the southern Gaza city, American urging notwithstanding.

That leaves Biden in a now-familiar, if uncomfortable, position: Having staked out a clear position on the invasion, it appears Netanyahu is poised to reject it out of hand.

Out of respect for the president, we agreed on a way in which they can present us with their ideas, especially on the humanitarian side, Netanyahu said Tuesday during a speech to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Knesset.

However, I made it as clear as possible to the president that we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion, he went on.

The invitation to Israeli officials for talks in Washington comes with certain risks for Biden, depending how Israel decides to proceed. On one hand, he could appear ineffective in the heat of a reelection run if Netanyahu decides to move ahead with a major ground invasion despite the White Houses warnings. On the other, providing Israel with clear alternatives  even if they are rejected  could distance the president from an eventual decision to launch a major offensive.

Some US officials told CNN they were not concerned about the Biden administration assuming liability for a possible operation, since they remain skeptical the two sides will be able to arrive at an agreement at all. Administration officials have discussed potential responses should an invasion move ahead, and some of Bidens Democratic allies in Congress have made fresh calls for the White House to consider conditioning military aid to Israel if a Rafah operation proceeds as the president faces intense pressure over his support for Israel from key parts of his coalition.

The Biden-Netanyahu call helped clear the air between the two leaders, said a source familiar with the call. It was a business-like conversation, the source added, noting that it is always good to talk about working together and what the two sides agree and disagree on. In a sign of continued dialog between the two allies, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to Israel on Friday, an Israeli official told CNN.

But Netanyahus insistence on the necessity of a ground invasion seemed at odds with Bidens message for the prime minister during their phone conversation Monday, during which the president voiced deep reservations on a major offensive of the type that Israel has undertaken in cities like Gaza City and Khan Younis.

A major ground operation there would be a mistake, Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, declared Monday after the phone call.

An Israeli invasion of Rafah would amount to a potentially decisive moment for Biden and his approach to the conflict. He said in an interview earlier this month that the Israelis going forward with the operation without a credible plan to protect civilians would amount to a red line, though he added quickly he was never going to leave Israel.

The US has been calling on Israel to explain how it intends to protect the estimated 1.4 million Palestinians seeking refuge in southern Gaza before its planned operation into Rafah. So far, the Biden administration says, that plan has not been presented.

The presumption is that if one exists, they would have showed it to us, one senior administration official said.

No threats made over US assistance to Israel  yet

On Friday, Netanyahus office said the prime minister approved the plans for action in Rafah. The military, it added, is preparing for the operational side and for the evacuation of the population. But one Israeli official told CNN that while the military plan in Rafah has been presented to Israeli leadership, the humanitarian plan is still being worked out.

Little detail has been publicly offered beyond the suggestion that the Gazans in Rafah  many of whom followed instructions from the Israel Defense Forces to leave northern areas  would be moved to humanitarian enclaves.

Officials said another possibility would be to allow for a United Nations resolution to proceed calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, a step the US has previously rejected.

In his phone call with Netanyahu on Monday, Biden did not make threats about the future of American assistance, Sullivan said.

What the president said today was, I want you to understand, Mr. Prime Minister, exactly where I am on this. I am for the defeat of Hamas. I believe that they are an evil terrorist group with not just Israeli but American blood on their hands. At the same time, I believe that to get to that, you need a strategy that works. And that strategy should not involve a major military operation that puts thousands and thousands of lives  civilian, innocent lives at risk  in Rafah. There is a better way, Sullivan said.

Send your team to Washington. Lets talk about it. Well lay out for you what we believe is a better way, he said of Bidens message to Netanyahu.

On Tuesday, Netanyahus office said one of the prime ministers closest confidants, Ron Dermer, and Israels national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, would be heading to Washington for the talks. The Israeli delegation will be accompanied by a representative  not yet named  for the Israeli military body that coordinates the humanitarian efforts.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will also host Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant at the Pentagon next week, according to a defense official.

The two leaders will discuss a range of topics, including efforts to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas, the need for more humanitarian aid to reach Palestinian civilians, and plans to ensure the safety of the more than one million people sheltering in Rafah while ensuring Hamas can no longer pose a threat to Israel, the official said Tuesday.

The official added the meeting comes after Austin extended an invitation for an official visit and is separate from the meeting announced after the call between Biden and Netanyahu.

Senate Republicans have rallied around Netanyahu after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called him an obstacle to peace last week. The prime minister is expected to address Senate Republicans via video during a closed-door conference lunch Wednesday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

US presses for more targeted operation

The US has developed some alternatives for an operation in Rafah that would be effective without a major ground invasion, Sullivan said on Monday.

American officials are looking to advise Israel to focus more on high-value precision targeting like they did successfully recently with the killing of top Hamas leader Marwan Issa, administration officials said.

The expectation inside the White House is that Israel will not proceed with its operation in Rafah before the meeting with between US and Israeli officials takes place in Washington, providing several days of breathing room before any potential invasion.

The administration also remains hopeful a deal could soon be reached that would secure the release of hostages being held in Gaza in exchange for a temporary ceasefire  an agreement that would presumably pause Israels plans for Rafah.

Officials have previously warned a major operation in Rafah would likely scuttle the sensitive hostage negotiations. The administrations move to invite the Israeli delegation for talks on Rafah next week was part of an effort to buy time for the hostage deal to come together, current and former officials said.

Negotiators met Monday in Qatar to continue painstaking talks on an agreement but havent been able to agree on a plan.

Regional experts were not hopeful about the two sides coming to an agreement but pressed that talking is better than not talking.

It seems that the president made a direct personal request and the prime minister felt both the need to comply with the request, and also assert that he is the leader of a sovereign state that will make its own decisions, Jon Alterman, the director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies Middle East Program, told CNN. I am sure that neither side will emerge totally convinced, but each side will feel listened to.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Haley Britzy, Manu Raju and Lauren Izso contributed to this report.

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US President Joe Biden speaks to supporters during a campaign event at the Washoe Democratic Party Office in Reno, Nevada (Brendan Smialowski)

US President Joe Biden accused election rival Donald Trump of despising Latinos as the incumbent visited the battleground states of Nevada and Arizona on Tuesday, seeking to shore up support from the crucial demographic himself.

Polls show the historically Democratic Latino community is increasingly leaning towards Republican Trump, spelling trouble for Biden in swing states that he narrowly won in 2020 and needs again in November to secure a second term.

"I mean, this guy despises Latinos," Biden told Spanish-language broadcaster Univision in an interview broadcast Tuesday.

He highlighted former president Trump's repeated use of anti-immigrant rhetoric, such as describing migrants as "poisoning the blood of the country" and planning mass deportations if elected.

"Latinos were essential to my win in 2020 and they'll be again essential," added Biden. "I'm working hard to earn their vote."

During his three-day swing to the western United States, Biden kicked off a special campaign called "Latinos con Biden-Harris" -- Latinos with Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris -- featuring a major television ad drive.

The 81-year-old is also selling his economic record and highlighting issues such as abortion and immigration which Democrats believe are important to Latino voters.

Biden's campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement that the Latino vote is crucial for victory, and sought to draw a distinction with Trump by accusing him of having an "anti-Latino agenda."

In Nevada, Biden visited the gambling capitals of Reno and Las Vegas for a campaign event and a speech on housing costs.

He tried to counter the twice-impeached former president's claims that under Trump Americans were better off.

"As I travel the country, folks often tell me how back in 2020 they were down. They lost their business and lost faith in the system," Biden said during his speech in Las Vegas.

"But the laws we passed, the work we've done together, got them back on their feet," he added. "We have a lot more to do. For too many people, that dream of having a good home still feels out of reach. I get it."

Biden then flew to Phoenix, Arizona, for the Latino campaign launch, and a manufacturing announcement due Wednesday.

The president was greeted with shouts of "Viva Biden!" as he met and sat with voters at a Mexican restaurant in the sprawling city.

"You're the reason why in large part I beat Donald Trump," Biden said, as supporters cheered. "I need you badly."

- Close race -

The Grand Canyon state was the closest race in their first battle four years ago, with Biden beating Trump by just 10,457 votes, or 0.3 percentage points.

Biden will wrap up his trip by heading to Dallas and Houston, both in Texas, for fundraising events on Wednesday and Thursday.

The Democrat trails 77-year-old Trump in a series of polls in six key swing states -- including Arizona and Nevada -- that are expected to decide their November 5 rematch.

Despite Trump's relentless anti-immigrant language, which also includes saying "rapists" and drug dealers were crossing the border from Mexico, the complex Latino electorate is turning more Republican.

Biden won Hispanic voters two-to-one over Trump in 2020, but a series of recent polls show this allegiance is starting to soften.

Many of them are second-generation migrants who are particularly concerned by the crisis on the Mexican border, especially in the frontier state of Arizona.

With the fast-growing Latino community making up 19 percent of the US population, that represents a problem for Biden.

He has dramatically stepped up attacks on Trump, who is seeking a historic White House comeback since they were both confirmed as their parties' nominees earlier this month.

Trump's campaign however has its own problems -- with the Republican facing having his assets seized after his lawyers admitted he doesn't have the cash to appeal a $464 million fine for fraudulently inflating his wealth.

dk/mlm
An image created by Midjourney AI program with the prompt "an image to go along with a news article about a state banning misleading ai-generated campaign ads leading up to an election." Midjourney AI photo illustration

The Georgia Senate is poised to pass a bill meant to stop political groups from using artificial intelligence to sway elections.

Woodstock Republican Rep. Brad Thomas House Bill 986 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday thanks in part to the voice of a senator who was not in the room and does not support the bill.

A TV in a legislative committee room shows an image of Sen. Colton Moore and Freedom Caucus State Chair Mallory Staples along with a disclaimer that their voices promoting HB 986 were AI-generated. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

I would ask the committee, how is using my biometric data, like my voice and likeness, to create media supporting a policy that I clearly dont agree with the First Amendment right of another person? said the artificially-generated voice of Republican Sen. Colton Moore of Trenton. What if I were to say, I am Sen. Colton Moore and Im running for Congress in Georgias 14th Congressional District? Now, that voice clip is spread across my history. The overwhelming number of Georgians believe the use of my personal characteristics against my will is fraud.

Moores voice played over the speakers in the committee room while screens displayed a photo of him with a disclaimer saying that the voice was created by AI.

The vice chair of the conservative Georgia Freedom Caucus, Moore has spoken against the bill, including in a tweet with an AI-generated image of former presidential candidate Nikki Haley riding a pink rhinoceros in a swamp, a play on the term RINO, or Republican In Name Only.

RINO @BradforHD21 with HB986 is trying to put patriots in JAIL for posting memes like this one. Time to wrangle. pic.twitter.com/iElP9oRwTU  Sen. Colton Moore (@realColtonMoore) February 26, 2024

Thomas said the posting rights of memesmiths like Moore would not be in danger if his bill became law. Instead, he gave the recent example of a political consultant accused of creating a deepfake of President Joe Bidens voice and using it to robocall New Hampshire voters ahead of that states primary and telling them not to vote.

Thats the type of issues that were concerned with, because when you create confusion about the administration of an election, that affects the integrity of our elections, and thats what this bill goes through, Thomas said. As AI Colton very well said, it creates a crime to put this type of media out.

The law would make people affiliated with a political party, political body, candidate, campaign committee, political action committee, or any other political committee liable for that crime if, within 90 days of an election, they publish, broadcast, stream or upload deceptive AI-generated media with the intent to deceive voters and influence the result of an election. If found guilty, they could be jailed for two to five years and fined up to $50,0000.

Campaigns would still be able to use AI in their ads as long as they include a disclosure with the name of the candidate or committee that created the media, the name of anyone being impersonated and statements that AI was used in the creation of the advertisement and that the events depicted may not have actually occurred.

The bill also contains exemptions for satire, parody, works of artistic expression, or works of journalism by bona fide news organizations as well as owners of platforms that may broadcast or host deceptive content such as broadcasters or streaming platforms.

Rep. Brad Thomas. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

I think we really do have to keep this bill really tightly written right now, and let me explain why, because I dont doubt that there are potential First Amendment impacts if we make any changes, he said. Right now, political organizations, that we can tightly prescribe, but once you start bringing in private entities and companies, then the question becomes what are those protections for those, and now have we just created a First Amendment issue in a bill that I dont believe has any First Amendment issues?

Conservative writer and podcast host William Quinn testified that he already sees First Amendment issues.

The concern here is that this bill speaks more to censorship, he said. And the reason it does is because, fundamentally, we have to maintain the constitutional rights for the U .S. Constitution and Georgia. And thats why this is so critical.

Quinn referenced a recent episode of the Tucker Carlson program that discussed election censorship.

These concerns came out in Europe a number of years ago, and they criminalized certain types of speech, he said. Once we start going down that road, almost any type of speech is open to interpretation. Government is not going to be able to legislate thought, intent, or the outcome of certain actions during elections.

Members of the committee did not seem persuaded, however. The bill passed nearly unanimously, with Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch casting the only dissenting vote.

Both chambers began meeting last year to discuss how the state ought to respond to the quickly-developing technology. Lawmakers have also discussed crafting legislation to combat AI-related fraud.

The election bill is the highest profile AI-related legislation this session, but another bill seeking to ban AI-created child pornography also passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday and could be poised for a full Senate vote.

In a separate meeting Monday, the Senate Science and Technology Committee passed a bill requiring the Georgia Technology Authority to conduct an annual report of all artificial intelligence systems being used by state agencies and a resolution creating a Senate Study Committee on Artificial Intelligence. Committee Chair Ed Setzler, an Acworth Republican, said that committee will likely hold meetings after the session to plan for next years AI-related legislation.

The end of this years session and the deadline for any bill to pass both chambers is March 28.

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The post Bill criminalizing AI use in deceptive election ads advanced by Georgia Senate panel appeared first on Georgia Recorder.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man celebrating his 66th birthday was arrested early Monday morning after police say he stabbed his stepson.

Jesse James Davis of Hernando, Mississippi, was arrested at home in the 2200 block of Pratt Street in South Memphis and charged with aggravated assault. The victim was transported to the Regional One Medical Center in critical condition.

Witnesses told police they saw Davis and the victim arguing right before Davis grabbed a knife and stabbed him.

Davis told police while he was enjoying some alcoholic beverages at his birthday party, his stepson entered the house and threatened to assault everyone.

Witness: 52-year-old killed over spilled drink on Beale

Davis said he tried to ignore his stepson, but when the threats continued, he grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Davis said his stepson lunged at him and he cut him.

Davis told investigators the stabbing was an accident. The victim had to undergo surgery for his injuries.

Davis is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing Donald Trump's classified documents case in Florida, issued an order late Monday pertaining to jury instructions for the end of the trial  even though she has not ruled yet on when the trial, which is likely to be pushed from its May start date, will begin.

Cannon requested federal prosecutors and the former president's attorneys submit by April 2 proposed jury instructions concerning national security and presidential record laws connected to two defense motions to dismiss the trial altogether. Her order signaled that the question of whether Trump had legal authority to retain national security documents will still be a key question of the case, which could give Trump a boost at trial, according to CNN.

It also confounded legal experts, in some cases, because of its considerations of the Presidential Records Act, a law that declares records created or received by the president as part of his duties as government property.

"Some commentators have described Cannons order as 'unusual.' I would use words like wacko, crazy, loony, nutty, ridiculous, and outlandish, and my terms are probably understatements," Bennett Gershman, a Pace University law professor and former New York prosecutor, told Salon.

The Presidential Records Act (PRA) "makes a clear distinction" between a president's personal records, like diaries and journals, and the official, "non-personal" classified documents Trump is alleged to have willfully retained, Gershman added.

Cannon's exercise is a continuation of last week's hearing in the case, in which the relatively inexperienced, Trump-appointed judge heard Trump's attorneys' argument that the PRA gave him unlimited power to determine which documents he needed to return to the National Archives.

The Justice Department has maintained that Trump's 32 charges under the Espionage Act are unrelated to the PRA and, instead, take up the issue of his retention of U.S. and foreign military secrets without federal protections at his Mar-a-Lago beach club and alleged efforts to thwart government officials' retrieval efforts.

During last Thursday's hearing, Cannon seemed skeptical that Trump's "attack on the Espionage Act," which criminalizes unauthorized possession of national security documents, or embrace of the PRA would offer strong enough arguments to rescue him from a criminal trial, according to The Washington Post. Cannon, however, did suggest that some parts of the GOP frontrunner's arguments could later impact jury instructions.

Jury instructions tell jurors how to weigh the evidence presented in a case ahead of deliberations. Cannon's focus on the matter at this point "suggests she is not only thinking ahead to a trial of the former president, but already zeroing in on the end, rather than the beginning, of such a proceeding," according to The Washington Post.

Cannon's order also suggests she is receptive to some of Trump's claims that the Presidential Records Act allows presidents to lay personal claims to highly classified documents. National security experts, however, have countered that notion, saying that Trump's interpretation is neither what the law states nor how courts have previously interpreted it.

"If the court is so inclined to adopt former President Trump's arguments under the Presidential Records Act, that there is literally wiggle room to debate the question of application, then Judge Cannon might as well grant the pending motion as a matter of law," Mark Zaid, a D.C.-based national security attorney, told Salon.

In formulating their instructions, the judge asked the prosecution and defense team to consider, through two hypothetical scenarios, how a jury could be instructed to weigh criminal law around national security documents if Trump could say the Presidential Records Act empowered him to retain them after leaving office. The order also asked the attorneys to define the terms of the Espionage Act.

"The parties must engage with the following competing scenarios and offer alternative draft text that assumes each scenario to be a correct formulation of the law, Cannon wrote.

Instructions for the first scenario she presented would task the jury with deciding whether prosecutors showed that Trump lacked the authority to keep the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago, even if they qualified as personal or presidential records. Cannon, according to the Washington Post, included a footnote in the hypothetical permitting discussion of "separation of powers or immunity concerns" if deemed relevant.

Instructions for the second scenario would take the perspective that, as president, Trump had total power through the PRA to take any records he chose from the White House. The second hypothetical appears to offer a circumstance where Trump could not be convicted under "almost any set of facts of improperly possessing classified documents," the Post notes.

The order, Zaid said, is "somewhat mystifying" because Cannon appears to be seeking jury instructions from both parties on issues that "should, and normally would, be determined as a matter of law by the court."

"These issues are not within the purview of a jury to decide," he added.

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A trial typically asks opposing counsel to draft proposed instructions for a jury, Gershman explained, but a judge's instructions to the group require the judge to explain to the jurors the relevant legal principles and ask them to then apply those principles to the facts and evidence of the case.

Cannon's first hypothetical instead asks the jury to "determine the law" surrounding the question of Trump's authority to retain classified records, while the second "in effect advises the jury that if the president believed he was not violating the law, then the jury should find him not guilty," Gershman said.

Why Cannon would issue an order pertaining to end-of-trial jury instruction before solidifying the start date for the trial, which is widely expected to be pushed from May 20 due to pre-trial delays, remains unclear.

Zaid expects the Justice Department will object to the exercise because of the power it could afford the jury to "decide what is or is not a personal record under the PRA."

"How does one read a bizarre order like this except to realize that Judge Cannon lacks experience, is out of touch with the law and criminal trials, lacks an understanding of the proper function of a judge, and lacks an appreciation of the proper role of a judge in our legal system," Gershman added, echoing widespread criticism from legal experts of Cannon's limited experience as a judge and decisions in the case perceived to be favoring Trump thus far.

The order, he said, goes beyond being a simple "sign of her extreme partisanship."

"It portends that if the case ever comes to trial, she will make every effort through her rulings on evidence, controlling lawyer arguments to the jury, and jury instructions, to ensure that Trump is found not guilty," Gershman said. "The government cant appeal an acquittal."
Jo Banner and Joy Banner, founders of The Descendants Project, acquired Woodland Plantation in LaPlace, Louisiana, with an unwavering commitment to preserving its historical legacy.

Growing up in Louisiana, on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, Jocyntia Jo Banner and her sister Joyceia Joy Banner learned about the 1811 revolt by enslaved people from their grandmother. Their matriarch said the heads of those who rebelled and fought for their freedom were cut off and put on stakes along the Mississippi River. The story, Banner said, had been passed down in her family from generation to generation through oral tradition, but its not just folklore.

Reports of heads severed and spiked to serve as a warning to any who dreamt of liberation from oppression are recorded in articles in Smithsonian Magazine, The Guardian, The Times-Picayune and a piece written by Louisiana historian Leon A. Waters for the Zinn Education Project.

(Left to right) Jo Banner and Joy Banner, founders of The Descendants Project. (Photo credit: Screenshot/YouTube.com/TheWeatherChannel)

The 1811 revolt began at the Woodland Plantation in LaPlace, Louisiana. Charles Deslondes and about 25 other enslaved people attacked Manuel Andry and his son, killing the son. As they marched toward New Orleans, enslaved people from other plantations joined them, with the crowd of rebels growing to more than 500. The group was stopped by the military and captured. Some were put on trial and executed.

They were freedom fighters, Jo Banner said of the 1811 revolt participants. They were trying to save their lives and the lives of their family.

And now the Banner sisters are working to save their history as the new owners of that plantation that was home to what has been described as the largest uprising of enslaved people in American history.

During the last few years, the Banners had been in talks with the owner of the Woodland Plantation, Timothy Sheehan, about the importance of preserving Black history in the River Parishes, Jo Banner said. In 2023, Sheehan contacted the Banner sisters and told them he planned to put the property up for sale and asked if they were interested in purchasing it.

According to records in the St. John the Baptist Parish Clerk of Court Office, the sisters, through their nonprofit, The Descendants Project, bought the plantation for $750,000 in January. The purchase included the 4,000-square-foot main building and four acres. The Banners founded The Descendants Project, to preserve and protect the health, land, and lives of the Black descendant community located in Louisianas River Parishes.

Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir, an associate professor of history at Xavier University, said its amazingly powerful that generations after the 1811 revolt, the descendants of the enslaved have the right to tell the stories of their generation, of their legacy.

It gives the lives of those who lived at that time justice for what they were doing, Sinegal-DeCuir said. It just turns Louisiana history on its head because now we are able to tell the story of resilience, of reliance in the community, of hope, of strength, of all those things that other narratives buried down.

Sinegal-DeCuir said the 1811 revolt demonstrated that enslaved people were not happy slaves on the masters plantation.

We wanted more. We aspired for more, and we were going to fight for more, she said. They were willing to die for what they believed in because I think they had a greater understanding of how it would impact their descendants later on.

The Banners plan to operate the Woodland Plantation in a way that recognizes the history of the enslaved descendant community there, offering genealogy resources for those in the community who may be interested in researching their ancestry, and providing a space to have conversations about environmental injustice, Jo Banner said.

Woodland Plantation House in LaPlace, Louisiana. (Photo credit: Infrogmation of New Orleans, 24 February, 2016)

Recently, The Descendants Project has been fighting to keep Greenfield Louisiana LLC, a grain elevator export company, from building a plant in the Louisiana River Parishes area already oversaturated with oil and chemical companies, giving the community the sobering moniker of Cancer Alley.

The industrial companies that populate Cancer Alley are along the same route that Deslondes and the rebels of the 1811 revolt took during their journey that started at the Woodland Plantation, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.

Knowing that homes history and everything that happened, that our names are going to be put in the paperwork of this home, that youre going to see it going all the way from the 1700s and white ownership and all of a sudden that they got more melanin on that title history, were already seeing how impactful that is for us to be in this space just as Black women, Jo Banner said. Were going to provide access to the history in a way that Black people can feel welcome in the space.

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adidas (ETR:ADS) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: 21.4b (down 4.8% from FY 2022).

Net loss: 119.0m (down by 152% from 228.0m profit in FY 2022).

0.67 loss per share (down from 1.24 profit in FY 2022).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

adidas Earnings Insights

The primary driver behind last 12 months revenue was the Europe, Middle East, Africa segment contributing a total revenue of 8.24b (38% of total revenue). Notably, cost of sales worth 11.2b amounted to 52% of total revenue thereby underscoring the impact on earnings. The largest operating expense was Sales & Marketing costs, amounting to 8.08b (78% of total expenses). Explore how ADS's revenue and expenses shape its earnings.

Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 7.0% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 7.3% growth forecast for the Luxury industry in Europe.

Performance of the market in Germany.

The company's shares are up 6.0% from a week ago.

Balance Sheet Analysis

Just as investors must consider earnings, it is also important to take into account the strength of a company's balance sheet. We've done some analysis and you can see our take on adidas' balance sheet.

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 woman suspected of murdering her son was captured after being on the run for nearly a year and a half.

Dejaune Anderson was arrested in Arcadia, Calif. March 14 after an Indiana State Police detective received information about her whereabouts from a concerned citizen. In collaboration with U.S. Marshalls in California, authorities were able to discover and identify the 38-year-old woman before she boarded a train, according to Indiana State Police (ISP).

In October 2022, authorities issued an arrest warrant for Anderson after the remains of her son, 5-year-old Cairo Ammar Jordan, were found stuffed in a suitcase in April 2022. She was charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and obstruction of justice.

She is currently being held in a Los Angeles County jail.

More from the Indiana State Police:

This investigation began in April of 2022 when a man hunting for mushrooms located a suitcase in a heavily wooded area in rural Washington County. The suitcase contained the body of 5-year-old Cairo Jordan, who was unidentified at the time of the discovery.

An autopsy found that Jordan died from an electrolyte imbalance likely due to gastroenteritis, a condition that causes inflammation of a persons stomach and intestines. This can lead to diarrhea and vomiting, which can cause dehydration, according to the CDC.



While Anderson was recently arrested for the death of her son, another woman has already been connected to the murder. In October 2022, Dawn Elaine Coleman was arrested in Shreveport, La.

Coleman later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with five of those years being suspended for probation. Both women are connected to the murder because detectives found both of their fingerprints on the plastic bags Jordans body was placed in.

According to CBS News, Coleman and Anderson knew each other for more than a year before Jordans death, and they were all living together in Louisville, Ky.

Coleman told police that on the night of April 16, 2022, she walked into a bedroom and found Anderson on top of Cairo while he was face down on the bed. Thats when Anderson allegedly asked her to help put Jordan in a trash bag and a suitcase.

She then claimed that they took the boys body to a wooded area in Washington County, Ind., which is near Louisville.

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FILE - San Diego Padres starting pitcher Blake Snell works against a San Francisco Giants batter during the second inning of a baseball gam, Sept. 2, 2023, in San Diego. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Snell and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday, March 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Monday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical. Snell has the right to opt out after this season and become a free agent.

Snell gets a $17 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 15, 2026, and a $15 million salary this year. He would get $30 million if he keeps the contract for 2025.

A 30-year-old left-hander, Snell is 71-55 with a 3.20 ERA in 191 starts over eight major league seasons, winning Cy Youngs in 2018 with Tampa Bay and last year with San Diego.

Snell agreed to the deal 10 days before the opener at the Padres, setting up the possibility of Snell making his Giants debut against his former club. He joins a rotation that includes right-handers Logan Webb and Jordan Hicks and left-hander Kyle Harrison.

Right-hander Alex Cobb is working his way back from left hip surgery on Oct. 31.

The addition of Snell is another big move for a San Francisco team that gave South Korean outfielder Jung Hoo Lee a $113 million, six-year contract, sjgned Hicks to a $44 million, four-year deal and outfielder Jorge Soler to a $42 million, three-year contract, and then gave third baseman Matt Chapman a $54 million, three-year deal.

He was taken by Tampa Bay with the 52nd pick in the 2011 amateur draft and reached the major leagues in 2016. He won his first Cy Young in 2018, edging Justin Verlander after going 21-5 and 1.89 ERA.

He signed a $50 million, five-year deal, the largest at the time for a pitcher not yet arbitration-eligible. He was 6-8 with a 4.29 ERA in 2019, a season in which he was hampered by injuries.

Snell received some unwanted attention before the 2020 pandemic-shortened season when he stated Im not playing unless I get mine," referring to his salary. Snell later admitted that the statement could be seen as selfish.

Snell helped the Rays reach the 2020 World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games. He was removed from Game 6 after 5 1/3 innings despite giving up just two hits and the Rays lost 3-1.

Tampa Bay traded Snell to San Diego for prospects. He went 15-16 in his first two seasons with the Padres, then went 14-9 record and an NL-leading 2.25 ERA and won his second Cy Young. He was 8-2 with 1.54 ERA in the second half.

San Diego will receive an extra draft pick after the fourth round as compensation after making Snell a $20,325,000 qualifying offer that he turned down. The Giants will give up their third-round pick and $500,000 in international signing bonus allocation after losing their second-round selection and $500,000 in allocation for signing Chapman.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, speaks during a press conference at the Casa Rosada presidential palace. Fernando Gens/dpa

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday assured the Philippines of continued US ironclad support amid rising tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea.

Blinken, who was in Manila for a two-day visit, said the disputed sea was an important waterway not only for the Philippines, but for the region, the United States and the world.

These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, he told a press conference in Manila after a meeting with Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo. Theyre also critical to the interests of the region, the Unite States and the world.

Thats why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defence commitments, including under the mutual defense treaty, he added, referring to the 1951 defence pact, which provides both countries mutual military assistance in the event of an external attack.

Blinken was scheduled to meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr later in the day.

Last year, Manila and Washington also signed an expanded defence agreement and designated four new locations for US military bases in the region. The Philippines is Washington's oldest treaty partner in the region.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry criticized Blinken's statements. The US is not a party to the South China Sea issues and has no right to interfere, said spokesman Lin Jian in Beijing.

The military co-operation between Washington and Manila must not violate China's sovereignty. China would continue to take the necessary measures to defend it, he said.

The Philippines has been dealing with increasing aggression from China in the disputed South China Sea, where Chinese vessels recently blocked Philippine boats bringing supplies to troops stationed at a marooned navy ship.

At least four Philippine navy personnel were injured when water cannons from Chinese boats shattered the windshield one of the two supplies boats, while a Chinese ship collided with a Philippine coast guard vessel.

On the eve of Blinkens visit in Manila, Washington announced a summit among the leaders of the United States, the Philippines and Japan on April 11 to discuss various issues, including peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Blinken said the summit was part of efforts to boost partnerships and alliances, but stressed that these are not directed against anyone or anything in particular.

In the case with the trilateral work with the Philippines and Japan, there's a very affirmative agenda, but again its not design against anyone, he said. Its in service of realizing a common vision for the future for the benefit of all these countries.

There has been a dispute between Beijing and Manila for decades over the resource-rich area of widely scattered reefs and islands to the west of the Philippines and far south of China.

The countries' patrolling coastguards regularly carry out dangerous manoeuvres there. China claims practically the entire South China Sea for itself. However, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also claim territories there.
Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, speaks during a press conference at the Casa Rosada presidential palace. Fernando Gens/dpa

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday assured the Philippines of continued US ironclad support amid rising tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea.

Blinken, who was in Manila for a two-day visit, said the disputed sea was an important waterway not only for the Philippines, but for the region, the United States and the world.

These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, he told a press conference in Manila after a meeting with Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo. Theyre also critical to the interests of the region, the Unite States and the world.

Thats why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defence commitments, including under the mutual defense treaty, he added, referring to the 1951 defence pact, which provides both countries mutual military assistance in the event of an external attack.

Blinken was scheduled to meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr later in the day.

Last year, Manila and Washington also signed an expanded defence agreement and designated four new locations for US military bases in the region. The Philippines is Washington's oldest treaty partner in the region.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry criticized Blinken's statements. The US is not a party to the South China Sea issues and has no right to interfere, said spokesman Lin Jian in Beijing.

The military co-operation between Washington and Manila must not violate China's sovereignty. China would continue to take the necessary measures to defend it, he said.
Mr Blinken, here with his Filipino counterpart Enrique Manalo, is in Manila at a time of heightened tensions between the Philippines and China

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has assured the Philippines, a key Washington ally, of US support amid heightened tensions with China.

He reiterated America's "ironclad" security commitments to the Philippines during a visit to Manila on Tuesday.

Friction has grown between Manila and Beijing in recent months over competing claims in the South China Sea.

"These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy," Mr Blinken said.

"They're also critical to the interests of the region, the United States and the world," he added, speaking at a joint press conference with Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo.

"That's why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defence commitments, including under the mutual defence treaty."

Manila and Washington are "committed to elevating" their alliance further, Mr Manalo said.

"I think our relationship with the United States has never been higher, greater," he said when asked by the BBC about the value of Washington's commitments ahead of this year's election in the US.

Mr Blinken will also discuss trade with Filipino officials, a senior State Department official has said.

The visit is also likely to be seen as bolstering American support for Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who has tilted towards Washington unlike his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who pushed ties with Beijing.

The White House also announced on Tuesday that President Joe Biden will host a summit with Mr Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in April.

As Mr Blinken's plane descended towards the capital, Manila, the lights of the city's flourishing high-rise blocks were reflected across the bay. The Philippines became Southeast Asia's fastest growing economy last year, but entrenched inequality in a country which has failed to grapple with long-standing accusations of government cronyism has played into its fractious politics.

The Philippines remains a key strategic hub for the US, especially because of its position in an evolving region, where China has emerged as a rival to American power and influence.

The waters of Manila Bay spread out into the South China Sea, in which the Philippines is one of several Asian nations caught in disputes with Beijing over territory, trade routes and maritime zones.

While the disputes are not new, tense encounters between the Philippine and Chinese Coast Guard have increased in recent months, raising fears of a conflict. Collisions between the two countries' vessels have been reported and the Chinese fired water at Philippine vessels earlier this month.

"The main concern will obviously be China's continued destabilising actions in the South China Sea that are in contravention with international law," said the senior State Department official. The Secretary of State would reiterate the importance of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the official added.

The US views China's maritime activity as part of a campaign of harassment against its neighbours. Washington has a long-standing defence treaty with the Philippines and has previously said any armed attack on Philippine vessels "would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments".

In 2014, Washington also signed a defence agreement with Manila allowing the US to fund development of Philippine military bases and deploy American troops on a rotational basis. And in 2023 the US secured access to four more bases in a crucial deal that signalled closer ties between the two countries.

China has decried the deals due to some of the bases' proximity to self-governed Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a breakaway province, but which the US has vowed to defend militarily.

Beijing also claims historic rights to much of the South China Sea and says the Philippines has ignored proposals to "manage" the dispute.

Mr Blinken's trip will also be seen in the country as a further embrace of Mr Marcos, the son of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, an American ally who ruled for two decades until the mid-1980s. His reign is remembered for years of martial rule, the arrest and torture of dissidents, and rampant corruption that cost the state an estimated $10bn.

But the younger Mr Marcos, who was elected in 2022 on the back of a campaign that whitewashed his family's dark legacy, has proved an indispensable partner for Washington.

He was invited to the White House last year as part of a four-day visit that many saw as a reward for his pivot to Washington.

US President Joe Biden and Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the Oval Office in May 2023

His predecessor, Mr Duterte, a strongman who became notorious for his brutal drug war, built relations with Beijing, reportedly viewing China's growing power as too significant to defy.

Mr Blinken's visit to Manila follows a trip to South Korea in which he warned against growing authoritarianism and "democratic backsliding" in some countries.

The trip is a rare outing in recent months for Mr Blinken beyond the Middle East, where dealing with the Gaza war and a wider regional crisis has dominated his time, with few signs of an imminent breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Asked whether China was trying to exploit a situation with the US being distracted by other foreign policy crises, the senior official said they would "categorically reject" the possibility.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the United States stands by its "ironclad" commitments to defend longtime ally the Philippines against armed attack in the South China Sea.

Blinken's visit to Manila -- his second since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 -- is part of a brief Asia tour to reinforce US support for regional allies against China.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that has declared its stance baseless.

Blinken's renewed defence pledge follows recent incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels near disputed reefs off the Southeast Asia country's coast, including collisions.

"These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, but they're also critical to the interests of the region, the United States and the world," Blinken said at a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo.

"That's why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defence commitments, including under the mutual defence treaty."

Blinken's trip comes ahead of a trilateral meeting in Washington next month between US President Joe Biden, Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Announcing the three-way summit with the Asia-Pacific allies, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders would push a "shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific".

Blinken will meet with Marcos later Tuesday where he is expected to reaffirm the United States' security commitments to the Philippines.

Top US officials have repeatedly said that "an armed attack" against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces and coastguard would invoke the 1951 US-Philippines mutual defence treaty in which Washington is obliged to defend its ally.

Marcos has expressed "great alarm" over the recent confrontations that have sparked diplomatic sparring between Manila and Beijing.

Ahead of his meetings, Blinken toured a semiconductor plant. He described the Philippines as "an increasingly critical partner" in ensuring a "resilient" supply chain of chips.

The United States is seeking to cement its lead in the chip industry both on national security grounds and in the face of competition from China.

- 'Advancing the alliance' -

Beijing has accused Washington of using the Philippines as a "pawn" in the dispute over the South China Sea and various reefs.

China deploys boats to patrol the busy waterway and has built artificial islands that it has militarised to reinforce its claims.

Blinken's visit was aimed at "advancing the alliance", said Renato De Castro, professor for international studies at De La Salle University in Manila.

Marcos would also likely be interested to hear from Blinken what the "trigger points" are for the United States to invoke their mutual defence treaty, said Herman Kraft, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines.

Relations between Washington and Manila were rocky under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who pivoted towards China.

Since Marcos took power, however, he has sought to deepen cooperation with the United States and regional neighbours, while standing up to Chinese aggression towards Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.

cgm-amj-lb/lb
Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced Russias presidential elections Tuesday after President Vladimir Putin was reelected in a landslide while facing no serious opposition.

Blinken described the election as undemocratic, citing the Putin governments decision to bar two candidates from the ballot who opposed the countrys invasion of Ukraine.

Russias recent presidential election occurred in an environment of intense repression of independent voices and the imprisonment, death, or exile of virtually all genuine political opposition, Blinken said in a statement. The Kremlin has systematically marginalized groups advocating for democratic processes and rule of law, including election monitors.

These steps illustrate the extent to which the Kremlin has denied its citizens a transparent, meaningful democratic process, he continued. Against this backdrop, this election can only be described as undemocratic.

The secretarys comments come just a month after the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was jailed for his resistance to Putin. The U.S. government and other Western leaders have blamed Putin for his death, citing previous assassination attempts.

Navalny suffered years of harassment and cruel treatment at the hands of Russian authorities for his continued efforts to foster genuine democracy in Russia, Blinken said.

Putin easily won the election Monday with about 87 percent of the vote, despite widespread dissent within the country against his nearly 25-year rule.

Blinken also criticized the Russian government for censoring media, and showed support for the anti-Putin protesters in the country.

Vladimir Putin is depriving Russian citizens of access to information, including to inform political participation, Blinken continued. Regardless of the pre-determined outcome of this election, the United States will continue to stand with those who are pursuing a brighter future for Russia.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Tel Aviv  The entire population of the war-torn Gaza Strip  some 2.3 million people  is now living through "severe levels of acute food insecurity," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday. He spoke amid increasing signs that the U.S. government is losing patience with Israel over its handling of the war with Hamas.

"According to the most respected measure of these things, 100% of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. That's the first time an entire population has been so classified," said Blinken during an official visit to the Philippines. "We also see  again, according to, in this case the United Nations, 100%  the totality of the population  is in need of humanitarian assistance. Compare that to Sudan; about 80% of the population there is in need of humanitarian assistance; Afghanistan, about 70%."

Palestinian woman Umm Mesbah Heji holds her malnourished daughter Israa, who is quadriplegic and epileptic, at al-Awda health center in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, March 12, 2024. / Credit: Mohammed Salem/REUTERS

Blinken announced that he would return to the Middle East this week to continue with talks aimed at securing a new cease-fire agreement. It will be his sixth visit to the region to participate in the complicated negotiations since Hamas' carried out its massacre on Oct. 7, sparking Israel's ongoing counteroffensive in Gaza.

More than 31,500 people have been killed by the Israel Defense Forces operations in Gaza, according to aid groups and the enclave's Hamas-run health ministry.

The spiraling civilian death toll has tested the patience of the White House.

President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu had not spoken in more than a month, until a phone call on Monday.

"The president told the prime minister again today that we share the goal of defeating Hamas, but we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen," U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said after the call.

The White House also said Mr. Biden had told the Israeli leader that he needs a coherent plan to evacuate the more than one million Palestinians who have taken refuge in Rafah, a final Hamas stronghold that Netanyahu says his forces will invade despite huge pressure to resist a full-scale ground incursion.

On the call, Israel agreed to send a team to Washington to discuss an alternative strategy that would see the IDF focus on limited strikes targeting Hamas operatives.

Biden's frustration was apparent earlier this month, when he said Netanyahu was "hurting Israel more than helping Israel."

Patience is also running out for the families of the hostages captured by Hamas during the group's Oct. 7, attack  including the parents of Itay Chen.

Last week, Israel confirmed the 19-year-old Israeli-American soldier, believed for months to have been among the captives in Gaza, was in fact killed on the day of the massacre. But Hamas is still holding his body as a bargaining chip.

For five months his father, Ruby, has carried an hourglass. The sand leaked out the day he learned his son was dead.

"Even today, after 164 days, he's still a hostage," he told CBS News. "So, our journey is not over yet. As well as the other 174 families."

Ruby Chen and those other family members have tried to pressure Netanyahu to make a deal to bring their loved ones  both dead and alive  back home.

"The price that the government of Israel is paying is not for the 135 hostages," the bereaved father told CBS News. "It's for the colossal disaster, the mistake of October 7th, that civilians were taken out of their beds, little children, moms, daughters, and taken by savages because the state itself was not able to protect them."

But when it comes to ending the standoff with Hamas over the abductees, Chen insisted the world not forget who's ultimately responsible.

"I'm sure that the prime minister wishes to get all of the hostages back as well," he said. "Let us not forget who is the bad guy here: Hamas-ISIS is a terrorist organization."

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U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Manila on Tuesday to reinforce the United States' "ironclad" security relationship with the Philippines. File Photo by Gian Ehrenzeller/EPA-EFE

March 19 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Philippines officials of U.S. support and its strong ties and the island nation continues to feel pressure from China.

Blinken visited Manila on Tuesday as he declared the United States has "an ironclad commitment" to the U.S.-Philippine Alliance as tensions increase between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.

"The alliance has never been stronger," Blinken said in front of reporters while visiting Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo. "We have a shared concern about [China's] actions to threaten our common vision for a free, open Indo-Pacific."

Met with Philippine Secretary for Foreign Affairs @SecManalo to underscore the United States' ironclad commitment to the U.S.-Philippines alliance. pic.twitter.com/eU1A5riDJk Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) March 19, 2024

Manila Bay spills into the South China Sea, where China has been increasingly trying to assert control of its waterways, affecting the Philippines and several other countries in the region.

"These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy," Blinken said.

"They're also critical to the interests of the region, the United States and the world."

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian responded to Bliken's comments in a press conference Tuesday saying the United States is "not a party" to the conflict in the South China Sea and "has no right to interfere in the maritime issues between China and the Philippines.

"The military cooperation between the U.S. and the Philippines should not undermine China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor should it be sued to support the illegal claims of the Philippines," he said. "China will continue to take necessary steps to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea."

During his visit, Blinken met with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., as they praised the signing of a civil nuclear cooperation "123" agreement and other initiatives in the works to support shared priorities between the nations including clean energy, infrastructure, digital economy and semiconductors.

The meeting comes as Marcos has sought to reverse the policy of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte who had pushed away the United States in favor of closer ties to China.

Manolo said the Philippines and the United States both were "committed to elevating" their ties.

"I think our relationship with the United States has never been higher, greater," he said.

United States and Philippines officials will also get a chance to discuss trade and other matters during the visit."

On Monday, President Joe Biden said he will host Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on April 11. The White House said the trilateral meeting will discuss mutual interests and challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

"The leaders will also reaffirm the ironclad alliance between the United States and the Philippines and the United States and Japan," the White House said.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Philippines' Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo shake hands during a joint press conference at the Sofitel Hotel in Manila, Philippines, March March 19, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored Washingtons ironclad commitment Tuesday to help defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack against its forces after clashes between Chinese and Filipino coast guards in the disputed South China Sea recently turned more hostile.

Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the United States treaty ally, met his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on Tuesday before separately meeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila.

President Joe Biden will host Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in a White House summit in April. The three are likely to discuss growing concerns over increasingly aggressive Chinese actions in the South China Sea and North Koreas nuclear program.

We stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defense commitments, including under the Mutual Defense Treaty, Blinken said in a news conference with Manalo.

"We have a shared concern about the PRCs actions that threaten our common vision for a free, open Indo-Pacific, including in the South China Sea and in the Philippines exclusive economic zone," Blinken said, using the abbreviation for the People's Republic of China. He cited repeated violations of international law and the rights of the Philippines: water cannons, blocking maneuvers, close shadowing other dangerous operations.

The Chinese coast guard blocked and used water cannons against Philippine vessels in a confrontation two weeks ago that slightly injured a Filipino admiral and four of his sailors near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal. The March 5 faceoff in the high seas also caused two minor collisions between Chinese and Philippine vessels and prompted Manilas Department of Foreign Affairs to summon Chinas deputy ambassador to convey a protest against the Chinese coast guards actions, which the Philippines said were unacceptable.

The Chinese coast guard said then that it took control measures in accordance with the law against Philippine ships that illegally intruded into the waters adjacent to Renai Reef, the name Beijing uses for Second Thomas Shoal.

The Second Thomas Shoal, which is occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent but surrounded by Chinese coast guard ships and other allied vessels, was the site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships in the past year. But Filipino officials said the confrontation earlier this month was particularly serious because of the injuries sustained by its navy personnel and damage to their vessel.

Blinken renewed a warning Tuesday that the U.S. is obligated under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships or aircraft come under an armed attack anywhere in the South China Sea.

In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected Blinkens comments on Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.

The U.S. is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to intervene in maritime issues between China and the Philippines," Lin said. China will continue to take necessary measures to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.

Both Blinken and Manalo described their countries' treaty alliance as being on hyper-drive, but acknowledged that more could be done. They said efforts to shore up defense ties were not aimed against any country.

Beijing has repeatedly said that Marcos' decision to allow the expansion of American military presence in the Philippines under a 2014 defense pact could undermine the security of China and the region.

U.S. and Philippine forces plan to hold their largest annual combat exercises in April in the Philippines. The area would include a northern region just a sea away from Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory.

We reaffirmed our shared view that a strong and capable Philippines would make a formidable ally for the United States, Manalo said.

Blinken said that the alliance has never been stronger, but we not only have to sustain that, we have to continue to accelerate the momentum.

Outside the presidential palace in Manila, dozens of left-wing activists tore a mock U.S. flag in a noisy rally Tuesday to oppose Blinken's visit and Washington's involvement in the long-simmering territorial disputes.

Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the resource-rich and busy waterway, a key global trade route.

Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea. In the past decade, China has turned barren reefs into seven islands that now serve as missile-protected island bases  including three with runways  that have bolstered its capability to fortify its territorial claims and patrols.

In response, Washington has been strengthening an arc of military alliances and security ties in the Indo-Pacific, including with the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries at odds with China in the disputed sea.

After China effectively seized another disputed atoll  the Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines  in 2012, Manila brought its disputes with Beijing to international arbitration and largely won. China, however, rejected the 2016 ruling of the United Nations-backed tribunal that invalidated its expansive claims on historical grounds, and continues to defy the decision.

___

Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila, the Philippines, and Christopher Bodeen in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.
Allied Analytics LLP

The growth of the global aircraft engine forging market is driven by factors such as rise in air traffic, increase in aircraft production and deliveries, and government support and initiatives to promote the aviation industry.

Wilmington, Delaware, March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled,  Aircraft Engine Forging Market by Type (Closed Die Forging and Open Die Forging), Material (Aluminum, Titanium, Nickel-Based Superalloys, Steel Alloys, and Others), and Aircraft Type (Commercial and Military): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20232032.

According to the report, the global aircraft engine forging industry size generated $2.6 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to generate $5.0 billion by 2032, witnessing a CAGR of 6.9% from 2023 to 2032.

(We are providing aircraft engine forging industry report as per your research requirement, including the Latest Industry Insight's Evolution, Potential and Russia-Ukraine War Impact Analysis)

 77 - Tables

 46 - Charts

 200  Pages

Download Sample Report and Table of Content - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/A265218

Prime Determinants of Growth

Growth of the global aircraft engine forging market is driven by factors such as rise in air traffic, increase in aircraft production and deliveries, and government support and initiatives to promote the aviation industry. However, high energy consumption, high costs, and adoption of Additive Manufacturing (AM) hamper the market growth. On the contrary, advancement in technology and material science and demand for lightweight engine components are expected to offer remunerative opportunities for the expansion of the aircraft engine forging market during the forecast period.

Story continues

Report Coverage and Details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 20232032 Base Year 2022 Market Size In 2022 $2.6 Billion Market Size In 2032 $5.0 Billion CAGR 6.9% No. Of Pages in Report 200 Segments Covered Type, Material, Aircraft Type, And Region. Drivers Rise In Air Traffic



Increase In Aircraft Production and Deliveries



Government Support and Initiatives to Promote the Aviation Industry Opportunities Advancement In Technology and Material Science



Demand For Lightweight Engine Components Restraints High Energy Consumption and High Costs



Adoption Of Additive Manufacturing

Impact of Russia-Ukraine War Scenario on Aircraft Engine Forging Industry

The Russia-Ukraine war is expected to potentially impact the aircraft engine forging market. Ukraine is a significant producer of titanium, a crucial material used in aircraft engine forgings. Any disruption in the supply chain due to the conflict could lead to shortages of titanium, affecting the production of engine components. For instance, according to KPMGs Aerospace & Defence Outlook 2023, titanium shortages have been identified as one of the top supply chain concerns in the aerospace industry.

The conflict may lead to geopolitical instability, which could disrupt global trade and investment flows. Uncertainty in the geopolitical landscape can dampen investor confidence and affect business decisions, including investment in aircraft engine forging facilities and research and development activities. Moreover, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia or Ukraine, or both, can have ripple effects on the global economy. Reduced trade, financial market volatility, and currency fluctuations can impact the cost of raw materials, transportation, and other operational expenses for companies in the aircraft engine forging market.

Recent Advancements in the Aircraft Engine Forging Sector Highlight Significant Industry Developments

Strategic Acquisitions and Investments: In January 2024, Safran's acquisition of Aubert & Duval, coupled with Airbus' $80 million investment in advanced forging technology, underscores a strategic move towards decarbonization in aerospace, energy, and defense sectors.

Technological Upgrades: Airbus' procurement of a cutting-edge 60 MN hydraulic closed-die forging press from SMS group in France promises precise forging capabilities for turbine disks, shafts, and structural components, enhancing manufacturing efficiency and product quality.

Collaborative Ventures: HAL, a prominent defense PSU, initiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Safran Aircraft Engines in October 2023. This collaboration targets ring forging manufacturing for commercial engines, particularly for Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion (LEAP) engines, elevating industrial cooperation in forging production for renowned aircraft models like the Airbus A320 Neo family and Boeing 737 Max.

Acquisition Completion: In April 2023, Airbus, Safran, and Tikehau Capital concluded the acquisition of Aubert & Duval from Eramet. Aubert & Duval's role as a critical supplier of parts and materials to aerospace, defense, nuclear, and medical industries underscore its significance in the global market landscape.

Looking for Vendor Sourcing and Supplier Information, Regional/ Country Specific Study - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/A265218

The closed die forging segment to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period.

By type, the closed die forging segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than two-third of the global aircraft engine forging market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period, as there is rise in the utilization of closed die forging for manufacturing critical components of aircraft engines due to its ability to produce high-strength, lightweight parts. Moreover, the closed die forging segment is projected to attain the highest CAGR of 7.1% from 2023 to 2032, owing to continuous advancements in material science, such as the development of high-strength alloys.

The aluminum segment to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period.

By material, the aluminum segment held the highest market share in 2022, accounting for more than one-fourth of the global aircraft engine forging market revenue and is estimated to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period as airlines and military forces continuously seek ways to improve fuel efficiency and increase payload capacity. Thus, there is a growing preference for lightweight aluminum forged parts in aircraft engines. Moreover, the titanium segment is projected to attain the highest CAGR of 8.7% from 2023 to 2032, owing to increase in use of titanium forging for exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, making it an ideal material for critical engine components where high performance and reliability are required.

The commercial segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

By aircraft type, the military segment accounted for the largest share in 2022, accounting for more than two-third of the global aircraft engine forging market revenue and is estimated to maintain its lead status during the forecast period owing to increase in air passenger traffic, driven by factors such as economic growth, rise in disposable incomes, and increasing globalization. Moreover, the military segment is projected to attain the highest CAGR of 7.7% from 2023 to 2032, owing to investment in the modernization of their military aircraft fleets, and rise in the defense budgets in various countries.

North America to maintain its dominance by 2032

Region-wise, North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue in 2022, accounting more than one-third of the aircraft engine forging market revenue and is expected to dominate the market during the forecast period, owing to the presence of some of the leading aerospace companies, and constant research and development to enhance manufacturing processes for the aircraft components in the region. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 8.9% from 2023 to 2032, owing to increased air travel demand, and the government support and incentives for aerospace research.

Highlighted key points from the report:

Comprehensive Coverage: The aircraft engine forging market analysis spans over 16 countries, offering a detailed breakdown of value ($million) across the forecast period of 2022-2032.

Rigorous Research Methodology: The study amalgamates high-quality data, expert opinions, and thorough research, ensuring a well-rounded perspective of the global market. Stakeholders are empowered to make informed decisions to drive substantial growth.

Extensive Data Review: With a meticulous approach, the research delved into over 3,700 product catalogs, annual reports, industry descriptions, and various resources from key industry players. This exhaustive review enhances understanding and insights into market dynamics.

Procure Complete Research Report (PDF with Qualitative and Quotative Data, Insights, Statistics, Tables, Charts, Figures) - https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/aircraft-engine-forging-market/purchase-options

Leading Market Players: -

Precision Castparts Corp.

Canton Drop Forge

ATI Inc.

Mettis Group

Alcoa

SIFCO Industries

Consolidated Industries, Inc.

voestalpine BOHLER Aerospace GmbH & Co KG

Forgital Group

Safran

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players of the global Aircraft Engine Forging market. These players have adopted various strategies such as partnerships, acquisition, and others to increase their market penetration and strengthen their position in the industry. The report is helpful in determining the business performance, operating segments, developments, and product portfolios of every market player.

CONTACT: Contact: David Correa 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-800-792-5285 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com AMR Resource Center: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/resource-center




The EU has drafted a proposal that would enable Ukraine to receive profits generated by Russian assets frozen in the EU countries as early as July, Bloomberg reported on March 19, citing the documents.

Ukraine's Western partners and other allies froze around $300 billion in Russian assets at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Roughly two-thirds are held at the Belgium-based financial services company Euroclear.

The proposal, which is to be discussed by EU leaders in Brussels later this week, would involve seizing sanctions-related profits generated since February this year, the Financial Times reported.

Kyiv would get an estimated 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) a year to boost its defense industry and purchase weapons, according to Bloomberg. An unspecified sum of profits generated since Feb. 15 would be allocated to Ukraine bi-annually until the lifting of sanctions via the European Peace Facility, used for defense aid, and through the 50-billion-euro ($54 billion) Ukraine Facility, the outlet said, citing the documents.

Profits generated before February would continue to be immobilized before being transferred to the EU within five years, the draft reportedly read.

Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski told journalists after meeting other EU foreign ministers in Brussels on March 18 that they had reached "a political decision, although not a legal one."

The Guardian reported last week that the European Commission may propose a plan to confiscate 27 billion euros ($29 billion) in profits generated by frozen Russian assets before the meeting of EU prime ministers on March 21.

The debate on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine's benefit is also taking place on the other side of the Atlantic. Unlike in the EU, U.S. officials have been pushing to seize the assets themselves and send them to Ukraine.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called funneling the funds to Ukraine "necessary and urgent," and American lawmakers are currently discussing the REPO Act as a possible way to fund Kyiv using Russian sovereign assets.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU gives final approval of $5.5 billion in defense aid to Kyiv

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A series of neighborhoods around Rochester, New York were told to boil their water on Tuesday after a corpse was discovered in a nearby reservoir.

On Tuesday morning, the City of Rochesters Bureau of Water discovered a body floating in Highland Park reservoir, according to a statement from the city. Shortly after, the Monroe County Department of Health issued a Boil Water Notice which listed fifteen neighborhoods, to protect residents from harmful microbes which might be in the water supply.

Starr ONeil, the Environmental Health Manager of Monroe County, told WHAM News that initial tests indicated the water was safe, but that officials couldnt say for sure for at least 16-24 hours. Over the next 16 hours, multiple samples will be collected from the areas distribution system, according to the statement from the city.

The reservoir will not be reopened until it is drained and cleaned, the statement said.

The identity of the person found in the reservoir has not yet been released, nor has their cause of death.

Captain Greg Bello of the Rochester Police Department said that the reservoir was intentionally challenging to access, according to WHAM.

The reservoir is guarded by a 10-foot fence with essentially spikes on top, he said. Its a challenge to get in there without having a key or without going through the gate, so that's what were looking into is how this person could have gotten in there.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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An investigation is underway after a body was found in the Rio Grande southeast of El Paso near San Elizario, the U.S. Border Patrol said.

El Paso County Sheriff's Office investigators determined that the death was not a homicide, sheriff's spokesman Ray Vaquera said on Wednesday, March 20, without releasing further information.

A Juarez newspaper had reported that the body was potentially that of a possible homicide victim who was dumped into the river.

Border crime: Juarez police officers arrested in migrant kidnapping 'network of corruption'

A Border Patrol spokesman confirmed that a body had been located on Monday, March 18, in the river and referred questions to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, which is leading the investigation.

A body was found in the Rio Grande near El Paso on Monday, March 18. The river is currently flowing with water released from Elephant Butte Dam for the 2024 water cycle.

El Heraldo de Juarez reported that Mexican law enforcement said that it appeared the body of an unidentified man, who may have been shot in the head, had been dumped into the river where it was recovered by the Border Patrol. It was suspected that the man died n Juarez.

Though often barely an ankle-deep trickle along the El Paso-Juarez border, the Rio Grande is currently flowing with water released from upstream dams earlier this month for irrigation.

Body found in Sunland Park desert

The body in the Rio Grande was the second body found by Border Patrol agents on March 18 on the U.S. side of the border.

Agents found a body in the evening about a mile into the desert off Camino Real Drive from the landfill in Sunland Park, New Mexico, the Sunland Park Fire Department said on the X platform, formerly Twitter. The Sunland Park Fire Department utilizes its all-terrain vehicles for body recoveries in the desert.

The death is under investigation. Information has not been disclosed regarding the deceased person's identity.

The desert outside Sunland Park is a hot zone for the deaths of migrants who perished after crossing the nearby border just west of El Paso.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Body found in Rio Grande near El Paso
Boeing doesn't have a choice but to improve its safety standards following a series of high-profile errors that have caused increased scrutiny of the aviation corporation's practices, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael Whitaker told NBC News in an interview Tuesday.

A recent FAA audit of Boeing found that the company culture has placed more of an emphasis on mass production than safety standards, Whitaker told "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt." The protocols were not what one would expect "if safety is the first priority," he said.

"Whenever someone comes into the FAA to brief on their company, the first thing I expect is to talk about safety, because we all have to start there," Whitaker said. "If its not safe, then the whole system is not working the way it should."

Read more on this story at NBCNews.com and watch NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT.

The audit was sparked after a door plug on one of Boeing's 737-Max 9 jets blew out shortly after takeoff on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. A preliminary investigation found no bolts had been installed to secure the plug, prompting increased scrutiny of the already criticized Boeing 737 Max fleet.

Whitaker described the incident as a production failure, as opposed to a design issue, which had been identified years ago after two deadly 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

In recent weeks, travelers have seen headlines about Boeing planes that have had issues with "stuck" rudder pedals, an engine with flames shooting out of it midair and a tire falling off after takeoff.

Parts of the manufacturing process were found to have gaps that showed poor production and, in turn, quality assurance issues with the planes, Whitaker said. He assured the public that the aircraft themselves are safe when proper protocols are in place.

Asked whether he thinks Boeing is too big to fail, Whitaker responded, "I don't." They're too big "to not make a good airplane," he added.

"They have all the resources they need. Theres no reason they cant make a good airplane, and thats our focus right now," he said.

Last month, Boeing was given 90 days to develop a plan to improve its culture and practices to meet FAA standards. Boeing said following the audit that it continues "to implement immediate changes and develop a comprehensive action plan."

"We are squarely focused on taking significant, demonstrated action with transparency at every turn," the company's previous statement said.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment after Whitaker's interview.

Asked whether Boeing will meet the FAA deadline, Whitaker responded, "I dont think they have a choice."

"They need to make safe airplanes or they will be capped at a production level thats not sustainable," he said. "So Im confident that theyll get there."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Bolivian police have seized more than 7.2 tons of cocaine that was found hidden in scrap metal headed for a port in neighboring Chile for export to Europe, the nation's Interior Minister announced Monday. Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo said at the Monday press conference that it was the second-largest drug bust in the country's history, and would deprive drug traffickers of more than $451 million.

The drugs were discovered at a customs checkpoint in the Pisiga region, on Bolivia's border with Chile, hidden in trucks that were carrying container loads of scrap metal for export to Belgium, which has become a main gateway for Latin American cocaine cartels into Europe.

Bolivian police guard cocaine seized from two shipping containers that was hidden in scrap metal, during a news conference by Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo in Bolivia's Pisiga region, near the border with Chile, March 18, 2024. / Credit: Facebook/Interior Ministry of Bolivia

"Upon reviewing the merchandise, which was inside the vehicles, it was determined that the load of two containers was contaminated with controlled substances," del Castillo said Monday. "Police officers realized that the merchandise had unusual characteristics and proceeded to drill it to discover cocaine."

U.K. police find $568 million of cocaine hidden in bananas

"If we take into account the price of these controlled substances in the country of destination, we're talking about an impact on drug trafficking of more than $451 million," he said at the outdoor news conference, as heavily armed forces guarded both the seized drugs and three men who were arrested in connection with the bust.



Del Castillo said the individual believed to be behind the thwarted drug sale had fled Bolivia to the U.S., which he blamed on a leak from the federal prosecutor's office to media outlets.

Bolivian police guard cocaine that was discovered hidden in scrap metal in shipping containers during a news conference in Bolivia's Pisiga region, near the border with Chile, March 18, 2024. / Credit: Facebook/Interior Ministry of Bolivia

Bolivia's biggest-ever drug bust came only weeks ago, when police seized close to 9 tons of cocaine in January in an operation that also took place on the border with Chile.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says Bolivia is the third-largest grower of coca, the plant from which cocaine is produced, in the world. In a March report, UNODOC said there had been a rise in shipments of cocaine from southern parts of South America, including Chile, to Europe.

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(Bloomberg) -- Brazils federal police recommended criminal charges against former President Jair Bolsonaro after probing alleged changes to Covid-19 vaccination records to benefit the conservative leader and close family members.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Tuesday lifted the confidentiality of the police report, which accuses the former president of criminal association and falsifying data, after local news outlets reported on his indictment.

The decision comes one year after police raided Bolsonaros home to investigate whether false data had been entered into the health ministrys database to forge proof of vaccination for Bolsonaro and his family ahead of international trips.

Bolsonaro has not commented publicly on Tuesdays accusations but has previously denied wrongdoing. Fabio Wajngarten, his spokesman and lawyer, said in a social media post that the indictment is absurd and complained that the defense did not have access to report.

During the pandemic, Bolsonaro downplayed the dangers of Covid-19 while casting doubt on the efficacy of vaccines. A congressional inquiry found that his administration was slow to obtain boosters while promoting unproven treatments for the virus, such as hydroxychloroquine. The former president was not charged at the time. Over 700,000 died in Brazil due to Covid-19, the worlds second-highest death toll behind the US.

Police said Bolsonaro ordered Lt. Col. Mauro Cid Barbosa to obtain false vaccination records for him and his daughter once he learned that the official, who served as his personal secretary at the time, had forged a similar document for himself. Authorities alleged that the health system was accessed and false vaccine certificates were printed from the presidential palace.

The police report was partly based on testimony provided by Cid Barbosa, who had been arrested last May and released after signing a plea bargain with investigators.

A total of 17 people, including Bolsonaro and Cid Barbosa, were indicted by the federal police today.

The decision sends the case to the office of Brazils attorney general, who will decide whether to file a complaint, request additional investigation or close the case. A complaint, if filed, would be judged by the Supreme Court, which could eventually convict Bolsonaro.

Read More: Bolsonaro Targeted as Police Ensnares Alleged Coup Plotters

Bolsonaro is also under investigation for an alleged coup attempt following his defeat in the 2022 election and for allegedly trying to bring into the country $3 million worth of jewelry gifted to him by the government of Saudi Arabia, without declaring the items to customs agents.

--With assistance from Andrew Rosati.

(Adds that Bolsonaro has yet to comment in fourth paragraph and additional information from police documents in sixth paragraph. A previous version of this story corrected the total number of people facing police indictments.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
A leukemia patient was mistakenly given a bone marrow transplant from the wrong donor, after which the incorrect stem cells ravaged her body from within, causing her to die an unimaginably horrific death.

The tragic circumstance was caused by a simpleand totally avoidablelabeling error, according to a gut-wrenching lawsuit filed Tuesday in New York State Supreme Court.

Elizabeth Aloisio received the full treatment without anyone cross-checking or testing the products to ensure she received the correct batch, states the complaint, which names the German stem cell donor network AKB Stiftung Sktion Knochenmarkspende Bayern as the defendant.

It says the mixup caused severe Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), resulting in a years worth of agonizing pain and suffering for Aloisio as she waited to die.

You can imagine her reaction when she was told, We gave you the wrong stem cells and theres nothing we can do about it, attorney Joseph Ciaccio told The Daily Beast. We hope this case serves as a wake-up call to the process, and to make some change.

AKBs attorney, Oliver Beiersdorf, did not immediately respond to a request for comment late Tuesday afternoon.

When Aloisio, a Queens, New York resident, was diagnosed with leukemia in October 2018, her doctor recommended a stem cell donation as her best hope for recovery, according to the complaint, which was filed by Aloisios brother John. The National Marrow Donor Program, also known as Be The Match, worked with AKB to find an appropriate donor, the complaint explains. Once a near-perfect match was found in Italy, the marrow was sent to Germany, and on to New York, it continues.

The donor ID assigned was DE-AKB 78459, identifying AKB as the collection center performing the collection for the donor, the complaint says. It was decided by Ms. Aloisios physicians that she would undergo a stem cell transplant, scheduled for January 16, 2019. There was significant hope on the part of Ms. Aloisio and her family that this transplant would help lead to her recovery. Surprisingly, following the transplant Ms. Aloisio did not show the expected signs of improvement.

Ciaccio told The Daily Beast that stem cell recipients are routinely tested a month or two after the procedure, to see if the body is accepting the infusion. When Aloisios results came back, her doctors realized somethings not right here, these are not the stem cells she was supposed to get, Ciaccio said.

An investigation was launched, and Aloisios worst fears were confirmedshe had been implanted with stem cells from the wrong donor, the complaint goes on.

A researcher observes the confocal image on a screen showing the nucleus of human stem cells. Tingshu Wang/Reuters

On March 14th, 2019, the head of quality control at the AKB subsidiary that collected and shipped the marrow emailed Aloisios doctors, saying, [T]o our great dismay, we have to tell you, that it is very likely, that the wrong product has been delivered on January 15th, 2019, for your patient. Most likely is mixing up of final products labels. This probably resulted in the wrong labeling of another product with labels dedicated for your patient.

A member of the AKB board of directors then contacted Aloisio directly, apologizing to her that a small mistake of one of our experienced coworkers was enough to cause a problemand make you suffer. He also also stated that [w]e have, of course, taken all activities to prevent such a mistake from happening ever again.

But, the complaint contends, the apology letter failed to address the glaring issue in this matter: this mistake was completely preventable. There were multiple opportunities to check and double-check the marrow samples, it says.

On the incident report produced by AKB, it was discovered that the responsible employee added the wrong final label to the collection samples, it states. As a result, the wrong collection samples were added to both bags. At the time of this error, AKBs standard procedure did not include a double-check at this step, but they have since implemented a new step including such a check. Unfortunately, in Ms. Aloisios case, the cells were not tested until after they were transfused into her body.

The unnamed employee responsible for the labeling error was removed from his position at AKB, according to the complaint.

From there, Aloisio went on to suffer an unimaginably horrific death, the complaint states. This suffering was not quick, as she fought on and suffered through deterioration for one year from the time she was given the wrong transplant.

The GVHD set in almost immediately, and steadily worsened, the complaint says. Aloisio was also too sick by now to receive a second transplant from a suitable donor, according to the complaint, which says that as her GVHD intensified, her leukemia also got more advanced.

From the date of transplant until her death, Ms. Aloisio suffered from worsening fevers, vomiting, dizziness, pain, diarrhea, infections, pneumonia, and a long list of other symptoms, the complaint states. This, of course, was in addition to her severe GVHD, which took over her body and destroyed her skin and internal organs. After a year of suffering due to this tragic mistake, Ms. Aloisio died on January 7, 2020.

She was 63.

Ciaccio told The Daily Beast that mistakes happen in every area of life, and that human error is inevitable. However, he said, something as sensitive and important as stem cells should require a higher standard of diligence.

John Aloisio, who lives in Toronto, said his sisters dying wish was that her unnecessary death serve as a cautionary tale for others in the same position, according to Ciaccio. He said he hopes this case is a wake-up call for everyone involved at every step of the stem cell transplant process.

That person is counting on [those stem cells] to save their life, Ciaccio said, and if you put the wrong stem cells in there, youre basically killing that person.

Aloisios family is asking for as-yet to be determined damages and a jury trial. AKB has not yet filed a formal response to the charges.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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(KRON)  A member of a far-right anti-government extremist group was sentenced to life in prison for his part in a May 2020 drive-by shooting in Oakland, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced Monday. Robert Alvin Justus Jr. was previously convicted by jury of aiding and abetting murder and attempted murder in the killing of Protective Services Officer (PSA) Dave Patrick Underwood and the attempted murder of a second PSA.

The shooting took place at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland.

Justuss co-defendant in the case, Steven Carillo, was sentenced to 41 years in prison with a lifetime of supervised release in 2022.

Firearm, ammunition, beer cans found in vehicle after traffic stop

With this sentence, the Justice Department has ensured that both of the defendants responsible for brutally murdering a law enforcement officer and seriously wounding another are held accountable for their heinous crimes, said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. Law enforcement officers serve their communities at great risk to themselves, and anyone who targets these brave men and women will be met with the full force of the Justice Department.

According to evidence presented at the trial, Justus, 34, of Millbrae, was the driver of the vehicle from which Carillo, 35, of Santa Cruz, fired the shots that killed Officer Underwood and wounded a second officer.

On May 29, 2020 at around 9:27 p.m., Justus drove a white Ford Econoline van toward a guard post where Officer Underwood and his partner were on duty. The passenger-side sliding door opened and Carillo fired several rounds from an AR-style rifle, killing Underwood and seriously injuring his partner.

Justus and Carillo shared allegiance to the anti-government Boogaloo movement and hoped to capitalize on protests in Oakland at the time in response to George Floyds murder. The two hoped their attack would spark more anti-government violence, the FBI said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, speaks to the media before the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Brussels. Alexandros Michailidis/European Council/dpa

The profits from Russian assets frozen in the European Union should be split between topping-up a fund used to arm Ukraine and supporting Ukrainian industry, EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday.

Borrell said he would propose that 90% of the profits used should go to the European Peace Facility (EPF), an off-budget fund used for military equipment. He said the other 10% should go to the EU budget, "not to buy arms but to increase the defence capacity of the Ukrainian industry."

EU member states have already agreed in principle that revenues from frozen Russian assets - though not the assets themselves - can be used to support Ukraine in some form or another. But they are waiting for the European Commission to come up with concrete proposals for how the money should be spent.

On February 28, commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union should "start a conversation" about buying armaments for Kiev using the profits from the assets, which the EU froze in response to Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Speaking in Brussels on Tuesday, Borrell explained that the EU budget itself cannot be used to buy weapons, which is why the EPF exists outside the EU budget.

Borrell, a member of the commission, stressed that it was ultimately for EU member states to decide what happens to the money.

On Monday, EU foreign ministers signed-off on an agreement struck by ambassadors on March 13 to add a 5 billion "Ukraine Assistance Fund" to the EPF.

Borrell's 90/10 split notwithstanding, a portion of the revenues may be left untouched so that the institutions holding the frozen assets can manage legal risks and comply with financial rules, officials told dpa.
Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, said he would propose to use 90% of the revenue generated by frozen Russian assets to purchase weapons for Ukraine via the European Peace Facility (EPF) fund, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported on March 19.

The remaining 10% would be allocated to the EU's budget to boost Ukraine's defense industry's capacities, Borrell told reporters in Brussels. The official said he would submit the proposal to member states on March 20, ahead of a summit starting the next day.

EU leaders recently agreed to launch a 5-billion-euro ($5.4 billion) defense fund for Ukraine within the framework of the EPF, the bloc's chief tool for financing Kyiv's military needs.

The $5.4-billion top-up has been long delayed by debates among the member states on how to best use the funds. Concurrently, European leaders have been leading discussions on what to do with billions in Russian assets frozen in EU accounts.

Ukraine's Western partners and other allies froze around $300 billion in Russian assets at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, with roughly two-thirds held at the Belgium-based financial services company Euroclear.

Bloomberg reported earlier on March 19 that Brussels had drafted a proposal that would allocate an estimated 3 billion ($3.3 billion) of profits generated by frozen assets per year for supporting Ukraine's defense industry and purchasing arms for the besieged country.

The proposal, which has to be approved by all member states, is expected to be discussed during the summit on March 21.

Assistance from Europe is ever more crucial now as U.S. aid has been effectively blocked for months due to internal political disputes, putting a heavy strain on Ukraine's defense efforts.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU gives final approval of $5.5 billion in defense aid to Kyiv

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
KETCHIKAN, Alaska, March 19, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alaska Power & Telephone Company (AP&T) is pleased to announce its decision to move its corporate headquarters to Ketchikan, Alaska. The company made the determination after considering numerous potential locations across the State of Alaska.

"For nearly 70 years, AP&T has provided essential services to Alaskans. Today, those services include reliable power and internet connectivity, from Bettles to Metlakatla and dozens of communities in between," Senator Lisa Murkowski said. "Im proud of this homegrown, community-focused business and delighted they are moving their headquarters to Ketchikan. This is not only an investment in the Southeast region, but a vote of confidence in the future of our state, and I thank AP&T for bringing its business home to Alaska."

In addition to being central to many of AP&Ts service areas, Ketchikan is a convenient two-hour flight from Seattles airport and business community. Ketchikan also enjoys regular barge connectivity to the Puget Sound region and its robust supply chain, and ferry connectivity to many other Alaska communities.

The decision comes during AP&T CEO Bill Marks first weeks on the job. "Alaska Power & Telephone is thrilled to call the State of Alaska our home for the very first time," said Marks. "We look forward to serving Alaska communities from Alaska. In the coming months, we will be celebrating our status as an Alaska-based company with our friends and neighbors within the Ketchikan community."

Over the decades, AP&T has grown through development of new utility systems in rural communities lacking centralized services; by acquiring and upgrading other utility systems; and by development of hydropower projects and telecommunication networks. AP&Ts most recent projects have involved development of fiber optic networks bringing advanced broadband to rural Alaska.

Story continues

While AP&T weighed many factors in its selection of a new location for its headquarters, outreach from Ketchikan Borough Mayor Rodney Dial, City Mayor David Kiffer, and the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce ultimately played a decisive role in the choice of Ketchikan as a new home.

Ketchikan Borough Mayor Rodney Dial stated: "The Ketchikan Gateway Borough is excited to hear of the future relocation of AP&Ts corporate headquarters to the island. Businesses like AP&T represent the essence of economic development and the diversity in our economy that will support a prosperous and healthy community for years to come. Welcome to Ketchikan AP&T!"

City of Ketchikan Mayor David Kiffer remarked: "The moving of Alaska Power & Telephone's corporate offices to Alaska is a welcome return to its historic roots in Southeast. For more than six decades it has been the glue that has held together more than fifteen communities in the region. The move to Ketchikan also brings AP&T that much closer to the numerous communities it serves in northern Alaska. And in Alaska, closer is always better. Ketchikan is proud to host AP&T."

AP&T (OTCMKTS:APTL) is an employee- and investor-owned utility providing diverse services in 40 locations. Additional company information can be found at: www.aptalaska.com

"AP&T  Employee-Owned, Community-Minded"

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319045240/en/

Contacts

Jason Custer, VP Corporate Development

P: 907-617-3773 // E: jason.c@aptalaska.com
A Boston Police Officer was shot while responding to an incident in a Dorchester neighborhood Monday night.

A 25 Investigates source says the officer was responding to a domestic incident in the area of Esmond Street and Blue Hill Ave. at the time of the shooting.

Police said the officer suffered a gunshot to their chest but was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time. The officer was transported to Boston Medical Center with what is believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.

Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said the officer is expected to be okay.

This is another heroic act by our police officers, doing a really difficult job. With all the firearms we have out here were doing everything we can to remove them, said Commissioner Cox in a late-night press conference. The officers show tremendous restraint with their training, protecting the citizens of Boston. We are highly, highly proud of them and the work that they do daily.

Mayor Michelle Wu and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden responded to the hospital where the officer is being treated.

The suspect is in custody and the firearm was recovered, police said.

The suspect is expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court Tuesday morning.

This is an ongoing investigation. No additional information at this time.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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BOYNE CITY  The Boyne District Library and its board of trustees have publicly announced their support for the downtown redevelopment proposals presented by Michigan Community Capital.

Michigan Community Capital, a nonprofit developer, has proposed projects designed to create "essential middle-income workforce housing and a significant expansion for the Boyne District Library in the form of a new community room."

The "Ray and Park" portion of the redevelopment proposal focuses on the "red building" property that is adjacent to the library. It was acquired by the library in 2013 with the intention of trading it to the City of Boyne City for additional land in order to expand the library's footprint.

The "Ray and Park" portion of Michigan Community Capital's redevelopment proposal focuses on the "red building" property adjacent to the Boyne District Library, acquired by the library in 2013.

While the "red building" has served various community purposes over the years, library representatives said it now requires extensive and costly renovations. In response to the library's needs and the desire to divest itself of the property, the Boyne District Library collaborated with city officials on a request for proposals from developers for the Ray and Park site.

"The goal was to secure proposals benefiting both the library and the city, resulting in a new community room space for the library and workforce housing for the city," the library said in a recent press release. "Under this redevelopment plan, the Boyne District Library would contribute the nonfunctional 'red building' land, while the city would provide Michigan Community Capital with the adjacent city-owned parking lot next to the library."

More: Two affordable housing developments proposed in Boyne City

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Monica Peck, director of the Boyne District Library, said a "new community room will do so much for the library."

"Being able to repurpose our existing community room space, we will be able to do so much more for the community we love without having to ask for any money," she said. "The library will be able to expand collections like our popular tools collection and expand services. The added benefit of workforce housing for our community makes this a huge win for everyone."

Library officials acknowledged concerns about parking needs, but noted that Michigan Community Capital is developing a new plan that will also address those issues.

In addition to the Ray and Park site, the Boyne District Library has also extended its support to Michigan Community Capital's Lofts on Lake project, located at 110 N. Lake St.

This project proposes a retail space, with the possibility of a child care center and 60-65 middle-income apartments.

According to a Housing North needs assessment, the housing gap in Charlevoix County is projected to be at 2,358 units by 2027.

These proposals make very good sense for our community, said Beth Freeman, board president for the Boyne District Library. The library will get a new community room that will result in expanded library services at no cost to us, and Boyne City will get much needed workforce housing.

Aerial photo of the proposed development location. Ray and Park would redevelop 211 S. Park St. and 214 Ray St. into approximately 40 apartments, four live-work units and a new community room for the Boyne District Library.

The initiatives were set to be presented to the Boyne City Planning Commission at their meeting on March 18.

For additional details, contact Monica Peck via email at peckm@boynelibrary.org. For a history of Michigan Community Capital's Boyne City initiatives, visit housingforboyne.com.

 Contact reporter Annie Doyle at (231) 675-0099 or adoyle@charlevoixcourier.com.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Boyne City library embraces redevelopment plans for community growth
Thats not your body odor that has you wrinkling your nose when you walk around Kansas City during the spring.

As flowers and trees start to bloom with the temperatures rising, one invasive tree species is known for its unpleasant smell, and local organizations are trying to prevent the spread.

The Callery pear tree, also known as the Bradford pear tree, pops up around the area in the early spring. The Kansas Department of Agriculture ordered a quarantine against these trees, which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027. This means people are prohibited from moving these trees within the state, and others are not allowed ot bring these trees in from other states.

The Missouri Invasive Plant Council is also hosting a buyback program in locations around the state April 23, where homeowners are invited to cut down one or more Callery pear trees and receive one free, non-invasive tree in exchange.

So what are these trees that Kansas and Missouri are hoping to get rid of within their states? Why are they such a problem? Heres what we know.

What is a Callery pear tree?

The Callery pear tree has an oval shape and grows symmetrically, Kansas State horticulture specialist Dennis Patton previously wrote for The Star. The tree is covered with white flowers in the spring and has glossy green leaves.

In the fall, the tree is covered with crimson, purple and orange colors, and the tree can tolerate heat and droughts.

The tree can grow in any soil type. The Callery pear tree quickly became the preferred tree to line streets and grace backyards because of its adaptability, said Patton, a longtime Star columnist who recently died following a battle with lung cancer.

The Callery pear tree is native to Asia, growing in China and Taiwan, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Why do Callery pear trees smell?

Callery pear trees give off a smell that the Missouri Department of Conservation describes as a fetid, dead-animal odor.

The flowers are meant to attract flies, including blow flies, which serve as pollinators. The smell serves as a way to attract the flies to the tree.

Why is the Callery pear tree invasive?

The Callery pear tree is invasive since it can grow in any soil type. The tree itself grows sterile fruit, but due to cross-pollination, some of its cultivars, like the Bradford pear, grow fertile fruit.

Wildlife will eat the fruit the trees produce, defecating and spreading their seeds in areas like empty lots and pastures, Patton wrote.

These seeds, spread by birds, have now become established in diverse landscapes across Kansas, from Kansas City to southeast Kansas, according to the Kansas Forest Service.

They can also crowd and shade out our native plants, reducing the diversity of plants and animal in the area, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The wild forms often develop characteristics of the original Chinese trees, including stout thorns that make them difficult to clear, the department wrote on its website. The thorns also discourage deer from browsing on them.
BRAINTREE  Fewer teachers resulting in larger class sizes. Closing one or two elementary schools, which would require redistricting. Reducing course offerings and extracurricular programs in the secondary schools. And higher fees for bus transportation and school sports.

Read the latest story: Braintree mayor says budget problem is townwide, not just the schools

In all, 100 school employees could lose their jobs, including at least 65 of the system's 412 teachers.

Those are some of the cuts under consideration if the schools need to reduce their budget by $8 million below what it would cost to maintain current staff and programs in the 2024-25 school year.

School Superintendent James Lee presented the package to the school committee Monday night, stressing he is not recommending it and that "nothing is final or exhaustive" and it is "still a work in progress."

Lee said the school system needs $83.5 million to maintain current school programs and personnel during the 2024-25 school year. The budget guideline set by Mayor Erin Joyce is $75.5 million, or $770,000 more than the current school budget of $74.73 million, an increase of just over 1%.

Personnel costs make up bulk of school budget

Of the $8 million, $5.2 million is needed for pay raises, both the contractual increases but also raises for teachers with additional years of experience and educational credits, he said. Another $1.5 million is needed for special education programs, $800,000 to offset inflation and $400,000 for higher transportation costs.

"If we need to talk about reductions, we need to talk about personnel, because that is where the money is," Lee said. He said 84% of the school budget goes to personnel costs.

With cuts of that size in the teaching staff, Lee estimated class sizes would grow from 18 to 21 or 22 in the lower elementary grades, with similar increases at other grade levels.

He said closing one or two of the six elementary schools would harm the system's relationship with the state School Building Authority, which contributed to the renovation and expansion of East Middle School and the construction of a new South Middle School to reduce overcrowding at the elementary schools. The town is seeking money from the authority to renovate or replace Braintree High School.

With cuts in the teaching staff, school committee Chair Lisa Fiske Heger said, "We will be redistricting one way or the other."

Union official calls for Proposition 2 override

Speaking before Lee made his presentation, Braintree Education Association Vice President Molly Fitzgerald called for a Proposition 2 tax-limit override to prevent the cuts. She said cuts on that scale would represent "a major shift in the quality of education for Braintree children."

Joyce said an override is being considered, but the decision has not been made. She said an override request needs to be part of a longer-term financial plan for the town and "not a one-time fix."

Braintree Mayor Erin Joyce.

Since the tax-limiting measure was approved by Massachusetts voters in a 1980 referendum, Braintree voters have never approved a Proposition 2 override for funding the town's operating budget. Voters did approve a temporary override, or debt exclusion, in 2020 to pay for the new South Middle School and other school improvements.

Joyce spelled out the town's income problems to the committee. Property taxes, the town's main source of revenue, are limited to a 2.5% overall increase, she said. The estimated increase in state school aid is .75% and local revenues, such as fees and restaurant and motor vehicle excise taxes, are projected to remain roughly the same in the coming budget year, she said.

Another problem is the town has been using one-time revenues, including free cash, to balance the operating budget for the past several years, something Joyce says is "unsustainable."

More: St. Thomas More property in Braintree is one step closer to becoming condos. What's next

As a parent with three children in the school system, Joyce said the kind of cuts being contemplated make her "really unhappy."

School committee Vice Chair Rachel Horak said it presents "a very dire situation" for the schools.

Heger said she expects the committee will be "talking about this right up to May 1," when Joyce must present her budget proposal to the town council.

The committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on its budget proposal April 8 with a location to be determined.

Reach Fred Hanson at fhanson@patriotledger.com.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree teacher layoffs and redistricting may be coming
Jair Bolsonaro, the bombastic, anti-vax former president of Brazil, was indicted Tuesday on allegations he fudged his COVID-19 documents to travel to Florida when foreign nationals were still required to show proof of having received a vaccine.

Brazils federal police want the former leader to be prosecuted on charges of fraud and criminal associationthe latest legal woes for Bolsonaro, whos become part of a number of criminal investigations since he lost the 2022 election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Ultimately, it will be up to Brazils prosecutor-generals office to determine whether to pursue charges.

Brazilian police allege the fraudulent vaccine card was made by a top deputy after Bolsonaros election loss in 2022. Police say they have evidence that the card was printed from an IP address inside Brazils presidential palace, just days before Bolsonaro jetted to Florida for three months.

Bolsonaro made headlines during his trip stateside, where he was spotted shopping inside an Orlando grocery store and was hospitalized with abdominal pain a day after his supporters stormed the Brazilian capital. In a separate case, hes accused of selling off pricey jewels and watches that were gifted to him by Saudi Arabia.

The former president stands to be sent to prison if convicted on the charges recommended by police.

Arrest Made After New York Art Dealer Stabbed to Death in Brazil

Bolsonaro, 68, has already been barred from running for office for at least eight yearsa punishment for spreading lies about Brazils voting systems on state television. Last month, he was named a target in a federal investigation into whether his government plotted a military takeover of the country.

Still, the allegations he faked his vaccinationafter he spent over a year admonishing the effectiveness of vaccines, notoriously joking theyll turn people into alligatorsare likely to cause the ex-president a headache. U.S. officials have not addressed the allegations, though they suggest Bolsonaro may have broken U.S. law to enter the country.

The vaccine allegations arent new, but Tuesday marked the first time police sought to have Bolsonaro formally charged for his alleged role in the scheme. Previously, police searched Bolsonaros home in May to confiscate his phone and arrest one of his closest aides as part of the vaccine investigation.

An investigatory report obtained by The Washington Post claimed that Bolsonaro was directly tied to the alleged vaccine fraud. The ex-prezs top lieutenant, Mauro Cid, allegedly told police that Bolsonaro had ordered him to falsify the vaccine records for him and his daughter ahead of their trip.

At the time of Bolsonaros flight to Florida, the U.S. had exempted persons on diplomatic or official foreign government travel from its vaccination requirement. But Bolsonaro, who was spotted chowing down on KFC and wandering around a Publix supermarket, didnt appear to be visiting the U.S. on state business despite still being president.

Bolsonaro did not immediately comment on Tuesdays allegations, but his attorney, Fabio Wajngarten, defended him in a post to X. Wajngarten called the police case absurd and claimed it was a case of political prosecution, but did not outright deny the allegations.

While he was president, he was totally exempt from presenting any type of certification on his trips, Wajngarten said. This is about political persecution and trying to empty his enormous political capital, which is only growing.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Bolsonaro remains the most influential figurehead for the right in Brazilian politics

Brazilian police have formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro of fraud relating to his Covid vaccination records, paving the way for possible criminal charges in the Supreme Court.

His health records say he received the vaccine in Sao Paulo in 2021.

But an investigation later found he was not in the city at the time.

Mr Bolsonaro, a Covid sceptic who publicly vowed never to have the vaccine, has denied any knowledge of records being tampered with.

Almost 700,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Brazil, according to Johns Hopkins University in the US.

The federal police accuse Mr Bolsonaro - who regularly downplayed the severity of the virus - and eight other people of plotting to issue "false certificates to obtain undue advantages" during the pandemic.

Vaccination was an entry requirement for many countries, including the US.

Brazil's attorney general's office will now decide whether to charge the former president.

The 68-year-old was questioned by police in connection with the allegations in May last year and his house was raided.

He denied the accusations and accused authorities of trying to "fabricate a case" against him.

The new indictment is just the latest legal battle he is facing as the former president had to surrender his passport last month over an investigation into accusations he tried to overturn the October 2022 election results and pressure military chiefs to join a coup attempt.

After he lost to left-winger Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva in the presidential poll thousands of his supporters stormed government buildings in the capital Brasilia - including the presidential palace, the Supreme Court and Congress - looting and vandalising the buildings.

Mr Bolsonaro is still barred from running for office for eight years for undermining the electoral system in Brazil and claiming the last election was fraudulent, despite there being no evidence of electoral fraud.

He was in the US when the attack on Congress happened. He returned to Brazil in March 2023, saying he had nothing to fear.

He remains the most influential figurehead for the right in Brazilian politics.
Former president of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted for allegedly falsifying his Covid-19 vaccine records.

Federal police allege that Mr Bolsonaro falsified information in the countrys public health database in December 2022 to falsely make it appear that he, his daughter and several other close allies had received the Covid-19 vaccine, according to The Associated Press.

He also faces charges of criminal association.

The indictment comes after a long investigation by federal police into whether Mr Bolsonaro falsified his Covid-19 vaccine card to get around US requirements.

Mauro Cid, former aide to Mr Bolsonaro, was also indicted as part of the investigation, according to Reuters.

Last year, Mr Bolsonaro denied allegations that he falsified the data and said he had never claimed to be vaccinated.

A legal analyst told The AP that Mr Bolsonaro faces between two to twelve years behind bars if convicted of falsifying health data. Meanwhile, the criminal association charge carries a four-year sentence, the analyst said.

Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted on charges related to suspected falsification of his Covid-19 vaccine records (AFP via Getty Images)

The former president has long rejected the Covid-19 vaccine, instead advocating for the use of hydroxychloroquine, a drug also touted by Donald Trump. However, hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, has been proven to not be effective against Covid-19.

During the peak of the pandemic in 2020, Mr Bolsonaro also ignored emails from Pfizer offering to sell millions of vaccines to Brazil, The AP reported.

In 2021, he then faced accusations of corruption after finally purchasing vaccines from Indian pharmaceutical Bharat Biotech. A health ministry official at the time said he felt pressured to greenlight the agreement despite irregularities in invoices.

Both Mr Bolsonaro and the company denied any wrongdoing.

Aside from this case, the former president is also facing several separate legal challenges. Last year, a panel of judges barred Mr Bolsonaro from running for office until 2030 after ruling he abused his power during the 2022 election and cast unfounded doubts on the countrys electronic voting systems.

Federal police are also investigating Mr Bolsonaro for his suspected role in a series of attacks on government buildings on 8 January 2023 by his supporters after he lost the election to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva  in a day that brought back memories of the January 6 riots on the US Capitol.

Mr Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing in connection to those attacks. Earlier this year, federal investigators launched Operation Tempus Veritatis  Hour of Truth in Latin  into the incident, by conducting dozens of searches and arresting several of Mr Bolsonaros allies.

Mr Bolsonaro has long aligned with Mr Trump and the American far-right. Last year, he spoke at several conservative events, including the 2023 Conservative Political Action Conference. He also gave remarks outside of one of Mr Trumps hotels in Miami, Florida, at an event hosted by conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Brazil's Donald Trump-loving ex-president, already under investigation for trying to overturn his election loss, was accused Tuesday of tampering with a public health database to fake his vaccination against COVID-19.

Jair Bolsonaro planted false information in a government database to make it appear that he, his 12-year-old daughter and members of his entourage had received the COVID-19 jab, police said.

Bolsonaro told Reuters that he had never recieved the vaccine: "It's a selective investigation. I'm calm," he said. "The world knows that I didn't take the vaccine."

Bolsonaro, dubbed the Trump of the Tropics, and aides allegedly fiddled with the health ministry's database ahead of a December 2022 visit to the U.S., which required proof of vaccination for entry. He earned comparisons to Trump even before his followers stormed Brazils Congress, Supreme Court and presidential palace last year in an echo of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The charges, released by Brazils Supreme Court, marked the first criminal indictment of the former president, who railed against vaccines while in office, even as the coronavirus killed nearly 700,000 Brazilians.

TOPSHOT - Supporters of Brazilian former President Jair Bolsonaro invade the National Congress in Brasilia on January 8, 2023. - Hundreds of supporters of Brazil's far-right ex-president Jair Bolsonaro broke through police barricades and stormed into Congress, the presidential palace and the Supreme Court Sunday, in a dramatic protest against President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's inauguration last week. (Photo by Sergio Lima / AFP) (Photo by SERGIO LIMA/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: AFP_336P987.jpg

Bolsonaro barred from office for abusing his power

Bolsonaro had no immediate comment.

The countrys high court last year barred the far-right firebrand from running for office until 2030, ruling he had abused his power during the 2022 campaign and cast unfounded doubts on the country's electronic voting system. He was endorsed in that election by former President Donald Trump, an enthusiastic backer.

"He is a wonderful man, and has my Complete & Total Endorsement!!!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

More: Brazil investigates after storming of Congress by backers of Bolsonaro, known as 'Trump of Tropics'

A riot in the Brazilian capital

Thousands of Bolsonaros supporters rioted in the capital, Brasilia, on Jan. 8, 2023, soon after the inauguration of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, trashing the Supreme Court and other government buildings.

Investigators are probing Bolsonaros possible link to those riots, as well as allegations that he tried to sneak two sets of expensive diamond jewelry into Brazil and prevent them from being incorporated into the presidency's public collection. He has asserted his innocence in all the investigations while claiming to be a victim of political persecution.

President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in the Oval Office of the White House on March 19, 2019, in Washington.

Brazil's prosecutor-general's office hasnt yet decided if it will file charges against Bolsonaro in the fake vaccine case.

An anti-vax president, but Brazilians favor vaccines

As the coronavirus scythed its way across the globe, Bolsonaro vowed not to get vaccinated, and his government ignored offers to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. In September 2021, he flouted a vaccination requirement at the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Several members of the Brazilian delegation later tested positive.

Fifteen months later, following his reelection loss, Bolsonaro was on a plane to Miami, allegedly with a fake vaccination certificate. Police said the nurse listed in the records as having administered the shot denied doing so and was no longer working at the center at the time of the supposed vaccination, Reuters reported.

More than 89% of Brazilians have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jair Bolsonaro faked his COVID-19 shot, Brazil police say
Alerts Issued for Our Region

WIND ADVISORY in effect from 9 PM tonight through 8 PM Wednesday for northwest Pocahontas County. A west wind of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are expected during this timeframe which could lead to downed trees and a few power outages.

Tonight features mostly clear skies but its not as cold with a warmer airmass settling in with low temperatures in the mid 30s. Perhaps the bigger story tonight and into Wednesday will be the breeze, with a west breeze at 10 to 15 mph gusting up to 25 mph tonight. That will drop wind chill values down into the teens and 20s.

Wednesday continues the breezy conditions, with gusts up to 40 mph possible for most as a result of our setup with high pressure to our south and low pressure to our north. The highest gusts will take place over the high mountains, which is why a Wind Advisory has been issued for portions of Pocahontas County.

Well see temperatures jump into the mid 50s for highs but youll still want the jackets with that stout breeze  a few power outages are possible. In addition, dont burn if you dont have to  spring fire season is here and the wind and very dry conditions will create an elevated fire threat. The wind will begin to relax as we head into the overnight hours, with temperatures dropping all the way back into the low to mid 20s  wind chill values at times will flirt with the single digits once again.

Thursday features more sunshine but with an area of high pressure moving into the Great Lakes from Canada, well pick up a northwest breeze. That breeze will push temperatures down into the mid to upper 40s for highs, so its a colder day but at least the wind wont be quite as bad, with wind gusts no higher than 20 mph expected. Clouds will begin to increase late in the day slowly and increase overnight with mostly cloudy skies expected. The clouds will hold in some of the warmth from the day, with lows around freezing.

Meteorological spring vs. actual spring: Whats the difference?

Friday brings rain showers back to the region, especially for the afternoon, as a trough crosses. With high pressure over New England, this is a good setup for cold air damming to take place over the mountain areas, meaning a brief mixed bag of precipitation include rain, freezing rain and even snow is possible for the highest peaks above 3500 feet. For the lowlands, we wont be affected by cold air damming, with highs likely making a run still into the low 50s. We will see a big variety in temperatures for highs, ranging from the low 50s in the lowlands down to around 40 in the highlands  this system will head out Friday night with a northwest flow setting us up for Saturday.

Saturday keeps the chances for a couple of flurries over the mountains over the mountains with a northwest flow kicking in. The chances for a few flurries and eventually rain showers as we warm up will persist through the morning hours with that threat waning as we head into the afternoon. High temperatures will be in the upper 40s in the lowlands and low 40s in the mountains but with a northwest breeze that could gust to 25 mph, wind gusts in the 30s will make for a chilly afternoon.

Sunday brings mostly sunny skies into the region with high pressure overhead shifting to our east by the afternoon, which will warm us up as a return flow shapes with a southwest breeze. This will push high temperatures into the mid 50s with hardly a cloud in the sky. At least the wind will relax!

Monday provides mostly sunny skies once again and high temperatures pushing toward 60 degrees. Our next system will begin to approach late in the day, with clouds on the increase and showers will then be likely heading into the next day.

Tuesday sees mostly cloudy skies and a few showers by the afternoon. Rain chances will be greatest overnight into Wednesday, with high temperatures very warm with a stout southerly breeze in the low 60s.

A tick removal kit should be a staple in your house this spring

Looking ahead in your extended forecast, well see rain showers return as a Great Lakes low pressure system kicks off showers with a cold front. High temperatures on Wednesday despite plenty of showers will be in the 50s. Well begin to dry out Thursday but its colder behind that front, with highs struggling to reach 50 degrees. Friday is a sunny day with high pressure in control and highs in the 50s.

Help us with our growing community of weather photos with #weathertogether. Head to our website and search for the Weather together tab and upload your photos of weather going on around our region.

We are in spring forest fire season in West Virginia  this means dont burn between 7 AM and 5 PM through May 31st. Low humidity values during the daytime, along with breezier and warmer conditions will at times increase the fire threat, hence the burn ban during most of the daytime. Follow all regulations or be faced with potential consequences, such as fines! In Virginia, the spring fire season continues through April 30th  dont burn before 4 PM.

TONIGHT

Mostly clear, breezy. Lows in the mid 30s. Wind chill values in the teens and 20s.

WEDNESDAY

Mostly sunny. Warmer and even breezier, with highs in the mid 50s and wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph expected.

THURSDAY

Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 40s. Not nearly as breezy!

FRIDAY

Rain showers likely by the late afternoon. Quite a variance in temperature, with highs in the low

50s in the lowlands but only in the low 40s in the highlands.

SATURDAY

Few flurries/rain showers in the morning. Afternoon clearing. Highs in the upper 40s.

SUNDAY

Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.

MONDAY

Mostly sunny. Highs near 60.

TUESDAY

Rain showers likely late. Highs in the low 60s.

WEDNESDAY

Showers likely once again. Highs in the 50s.

THURSDAY

Showers exit. Sunny. Highs in the 50s.

FRIDAY

Sunny. Highs in the 50s.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Home invasions by criminals seeking to steal automobiles rose 400 percent last year, according to the Toronto Police Service, and one officer said there's an easy way for residents to protect themselves from such a crime. "To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at your front door," said Const. Marco Ricciardi during a community meeting. "They're breaking into your home to steal your car. They don't want anything else." He further warned, "A lot of them that they're arresting have guns on them and they're not toy guns, they're real guns. They're loaded." In a statement, the police service said it is concerned about "an escalation in violence" when weapons are used to steal autos. But it acknowledged there are other ways to reduce the chances of home invasion and auto theft, such as installing a security system and reporting suspicious people and vehicles.

The post Brickbat: Persistence Is Key appeared first on Reason.com.
Bahrains exports of products of national origin increased by 17% to BD336 million ($892 million) in February 2024, compared to BD287 million for the same month in 2023. The top 10 countries accounted for 74% of the total export value.

Saudi Arabia, with BD93 million (28%), ranked first among countries where Bahrains national products were exported. The UAE was second with BD43 million (13%) and the US was third with BD31 million (9%), said the Information &eGovernment Authority (iGA).

Unwrought aluminium alloys were the top exported products with BD92 million (27%), followed by agglomerated iron ores and concentrates alloyed with BD70 million (21%) and processed cheese not grated or powdered with BD16 million (5%).

Re-exports rise

The total value of re-exports increased by 0.01% to reach BD63.07 million during February 2024, compared to BD63.06 million for the same month in 2023. The top 10 countries in re-exports accounted for 84% of the re-exported value. The UAE ranked first with BD18 million (29%), followed by Saudi Arabia with BD14 million (23%), and France with BD5 million (7%).

As per the report, turbo-jets were the top product re-exported from Bahrain making BD9 million (15%), followed by gold ingots BD4 million (7%), and four-wheel drive with BD3 million (4%).

As per the report, the value of imports has increased by 9%, reaching to BD475 million during February 2024 in comparison with BD435 million for same month in 2023. The top 10 countries for imports marked with 67% of the total value of imports.

Most imports from China

China ranked first for imports to Bahrain, with a total of BD67 million (14%), followed by Brazil with BD46 million (10%), and UAE with BD40 million (8%).

Non-agglomerated iron ores and concentrates were the top products imported to Bahrain with a total value of BD58 million (12%), while parts for aircraft engines were second with BD38 million (8%), followed by other aluminium oxide with BD22 million (5%).

As for the trade balance, which represents the difference between exports and imports, the deficit amounted to BD75 million in February 2024, compared to BD85 million in February 2023.--TradeArabia News Service
A new survey suggests most Americans think a traditional pension is better than a modern 401(k) plan for achieving a secure retirement.

That finding invites a question: Why dont more Americans have pensions?

Over the past half-century, the 401(k) and IRA have gradually supplanted the pension as tools for most Americans to save for retirement.

Between 1975 and 2019, the number of people actively participating in private-sector pension plans dwindled from 27 million to fewer than 13 million, according to a congressional report. Modern pensions are largely confined to the public sector, where unions have helped keep them alive.

But that doesnt mean pensions arent popular.

In 2023, autoworkers sought a revival of the traditional pension as one of their strike demands.

Most Americans equate the pension with the American Dream

In a recent survey by the nonprofit National Institute on Retirement Security, more than three-quarters of respondents agreed with the statement: The disappearance of traditional pensions has made it harder for workers to achieve the American Dream.

More than two-thirds of those surveyed opined that pensions do more than 401(k)s to help workers achieve a secure retirement.

The survey, conducted in October 2023 by Greenwald Research, covered a demographically balanced sample of 1,208 adults.

The finding is unusual if only because of how seldom surveys ask Americans about pensions.

Its been kind of a moot point in the private sector, said Craig Copeland, director of wealth benefits research at the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

The survey, published in February, comes from a nonpartisan think tank whose leaders think pensions serve workers very well, said Dan Doonan, the groups executive director.

Traditional pensions typically offer a guaranteed monthly benefit to retirees, a steady stream of checks that continues until death.

The 401(k), by contrast, offers a way for employees to build their own retirement savings, often with help from the employer. Upon retirement, the retiree largely decides how quickly or slowly to spend the money.

Story continues

For the modern job-seeker, the pension has nostalgic appeal

To modern job-seekers, the pension has a nostalgic appeal. Many consider it the gold standard of retirement benefits.

When youre asked, Do you like a pension? Yes, of course I do. Its kind of like asking, Do you like ice cream? said Anqi Chen, a senior economist and retirement researcher at Boston College.

With traditional pensions, employers bear most of the risks that come with promising workers a steady stream of income, often decades in the future.

Youre promising these benefits 30, 40 years before you have to pay them out, Chen said. How is the market going to play out over 30, 40 years?

Another imponderable: How long is the retiree going to live?

Over the years, private companies gradually shifted from pensions to 401(k)s, which are generally cheaper and entail far fewer risks for the company. Indeed, the 401(k) transfers most of the risk to the worker.

The beauty of traditional pensions is that I work, I dont really have to deal with any investment returns and then I retire, and I get essentially a retirement paycheck on top of my Social Security, said David John, a senior strategic policy adviser at the AARP Public Policy Institute.

With a 401(k), he said, you have to make a decision at the end of your working life: What am I going to do with this money? And that is a complex and confusing decision that one has to make. Its scary.

Though popular, pensions are far from perfect

But pensions are far from perfect. And, according to experts, the golden age of pensions is more myth than fact.

Pension participation peaked at around two-fifths of the private workforce in the 1970s, according to Andrew Biggs, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

The reality is that most people never participated in a pension, and most people who participated in a pension never got a benefit, he said.

Decades ago, private employers might require workers to log 25 or 30 years to qualify for a pension, John said.

Pensions delivered retirement security to millions of factory workers. Yet, minimum-wage employees never had real access to pensions, Copeland said.

Workers who change jobs frequently might never qualify for a traditional pension. By contrast, workers seldom face long waits to enroll in a 401(k).

President Joe Biden tours an IBM facility in 2022. Last year, IBM announced a return to a defined benefit plan akin to a traditional pension.

Will pensions make a comeback?

Two developments in 2023 seeded enthusiasm that the pension might be making a comeback.

Striking autoworkers made headlines by demanding the return of traditional pensions for some workers. They didnt get the pensions back, but the bold ask illustrated their enduring appeal.

And IBM announced a return to defined benefits for U.S. workers, a plan akin to a traditional pension. Instead of contributing matching funds to employee 401(k)s, IBM would make automatic contributions to Retirement Benefit Accounts.

Its been difficult to have conversations about starting new pensions, Doonan said. But I think were starting to see the conversation shift a little bit.

But IBM caught flak for its new retirement plan. Removing the 401(k) match robbed employees of an incentive to save more, critics said, and workers lost control of how to invest their retirement funds.

In any case, retirement experts do not envision many more corporations reviving the traditional pension.

The main aversion is that they are expensive for the employer, John said. All of the decisions and all of the risks fall on the employer, rather than the employee. Its expensive, and its complex.

How expensive? Biggs estimates a pension might cost an employer a sum equivalent to 20% of each workers salary. A 401(k) match is a lot cheaper.

More: What if the government abolished your 401(k)? Economists say accounts aren't worth it

Lets say they contribute 3% of pay to a 401(k), he said. They could give you a defined-benefit pension if they take away another 17% of your pay.

And that, of course, would mean a lower salary for the worker.

The question, to me, is not, Would you want to have a pension? he said. Its, 'What are you willing to give up in order to have a pension?' Because youre not going to get it for nothing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pensions are popular: Why don't more Americans have them?
(This March 19 story has been corrected to fix the number of people Israel estimates to have died in the Hamas attacks from 1,400 to 1,200 in paragraph 9)

By Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) - Britain's deputy prime minister defended on Tuesday Israel's right to protect itself amid growing tension between the Middle Eastern country and its biggest backers, but called for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza on humanitarian grounds.

Oliver Dowden said the British government was "continuously" urging Israel to abide by international humanitarian law and had also raised concerns about getting aid into Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis is raging after six months of fighting.

"That's why we are calling for an immediate ceasefire to allow that aid in, and crucially, the hostages to come out," he told Reuters in an interview in Seoul, where he was attending a U.S.-backed Summit for Democracy.

Dowden's comments came in response to a query about tension between Israel and its most steadfast allies in the United States over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the war, particularly an expected military push into Rafah, the last relatively safe place in the tiny, crowded enclave.

The United Nations human rights chief on Tuesday said Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid for Gaza may amount to a starvation tactic that could be a war crime, after a U.N.-backed report found famine is likely by May without an end to the fighting.

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Netanyahu on Monday that an Israeli operation in Rafah would deepen anarchy in Gaza and they agreed that teams from each side would meet in Washington to discuss it.

In a speech on Thursday, U.S. Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, a longtime supporter of Israel and the highest-ranking Jewish elected official, called for new elections in Israel, saying Netanyahu was an obstacle to peace.

Netanyahu responded harshly on Sunday, telling CNN in an interview that Schumer's speech was "totally inappropriate".

Dowden stressed his support for Israel, saying there is a risk that the world is forgetting the horrors of October 7, when Hamas launched attacks that Israel says killed about 1,200 people.

"I continue to support Israel's right to defend itself, not only for the sake of Israel, but also I think around the world we should be standing up to this kind of barbarism," he said.

"But what in turn I'll also say to Israel is that they need to show restraint and proportionality in the way that they prosecute the legitimate war against Hamas."

(Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Ed Osmond)
(KRON)  Grammy-nominated contemporary R&B artist Bryson Tiller announced a new self-titled tour, The Bryson Tiller Tour, including a Bay Area stop.

Tiller also announced his new self-titled album, which is scheduled to be released on April 5. Tiller released the first single from the album Calypso.

Foo Fighters add Bay Area city to Everything or Nothing at All tour

LOS ANGELES, CA  JUNE 23: Bryson Tiller performs onstage at night two of the STAPLES Center Concert, presented by Coca-Cola, during the 2017 BET Experience at LA Live on June 23, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET)

The tour will have 31 shows and will kick off in Portland, Oregon at the Alaska Airlines Theater of the Clouds. Tiller plans to take the stage at San Franciscos Bill Graham Civic Auditorium on May 14.

The tour has three other California shows:

Hard Rock Live Sacramento in Wheatland on May 15

Gallagher Square at Petco Park in San Diego on May 16

YouTube Theater in Inglewood on May 17

Tillers debut album TrapSoul pioneered a new genre of music that incorporated a mixture of trap and soulful R&B with fresh rap and pop elements. The Bryson Tiller album is said to have his signature sound while showcasing Tillers journey and evolution as an artist.

Pre-sale tickets will be available for purchase on Wednesday. General tickets will be available at 10 a.m. on Friday on Ticketmasters website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Images of Buddhas enlightenment often portray him sitting alone under the bodhi tree, his body emaciated from fasting. Some depictions show the Buddhas right hand pointing down, asking the earth goddess to bear witness to his enlightenment.

Demonic armies or dangerous temptresses can be shown on both sides of the Buddha, demonstrating his fortitude in the face of violent threats and seduction. In some images, he may also be flanked by two male disciples while expounding his teachings.

A third- to fifth-century statue of a fasting Buddha from the Kushan period. Samuel Eilenberg Collection, Ex Coll.: Columbia University, Purchase, Rogers, Dodge, Harris Brisbane Dick and Fletcher Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1987

What is missing, however, from these images are Buddhist women. What does enlightenment look like for them?

Im a scholar of women and gender in Buddhism, and one of the key questions driving my research is the unique ways in which enlightenment is experienced in a female body. This led me to the Therigatha, a collection of poems written in the Pali language by female disciples of the Buddha.

Part of the Theravada Buddhist canon, this collection reveals an intimate picture of enlightenment that is deeply embodied, does not necessarily require the renunciation of domestic life and is supported by a community of sisterhood.

Embodied enlightenment

The term theri means female elders, while gatha refers to the genre of songs or verses. These poems, compiled not long after the Buddhas passing, are the oldest evidence of womens religious experiences in Buddhism. Many of these female authors were disciples of the Buddha.

Their writings reveal a version of enlightenment that is not occupied by the usual image of a solitary meditating monk. Instead of seeking liberation from life and death through monastic discipline or meditation, enlightenment is experienced in the mind as well as in the body. It is found not just in remote hermitages but also in domestic spaces.

Moreover, the path to liberation for women is usually communal. Nuns learn from and with each other, as they become free from the human condition of suffering, one of Buddhisms Four Noble Truths.

Consider the following verses from the Therigatha. The nun Uttama says:

For seven days I sat in one position, legs crossed,

Given over to joy and happiness.

On the eighth day I stretched out my feet,

After splitting open the mass of mental darkness.

Uttama may have meditated just like the Buddha, but in the end, she stretched out her feet  a movement of ease and freedom and a gesture of release from the hardship she endured.

Contrary to other Buddhist teachings that view the body as an undesirable container punctured by several openings that constantly leaked foul and revolting substances, here in the Therigatha, the body is present, even prominent, in the enlightened experience of Uttama.

In the Therigatha, the Buddha instructs the nuns repeatedly to take care of the body. Instead of letting it become a vehicle for death, they should cherish the human body they possess and make it a vehicle for liberation.

Another poem by Ambapali, a royal courtesan turned Buddhist nun, expresses a similar sentiment. Ambapali observes the changes in her body in detail: She remarks how her once glossy, black hair that was perfumed with flowers is now like jute; her eyes, once brilliant like jewels, have lost their luster; her neck, hands, arms, thighs and feet, which were all once beautiful, also bear witness to old age and impermanence.

Instead of being disgusted by these changes, her reflection focuses on the teaching of impermanence: Its just as the Buddha, the speaker of truth, said, nothing different than that.

Here, the body is not viewed as only the enemy but a vehicle necessary for human liberation.

Finding liberation at home

The setting of poems in the Therigatha also frequently highlights domestic spaces women occupy. In one, Punna, a servant girl of low caste, taught a high-caste Brahmin a lesson on karma. While doing her morning chores of fetching water, she saw a priest performing his bathing purification ritual in ice-cold water. She questioned the efficacy of this ritual, and told him that liberation comes from the Buddhas teaching, not by tormenting ones body.

In another, Patachara, who was once the wife of a wealthy man but turned to renunciation after the untimely death of her children, relates the following:

First I looked at the bed, then I sat on the couch

I used a needle to pull out the lamps wick.

Just as the lamp went out, my mind was free.

While the nuns followed a monastic path of abandoning domestic life, it was the bondage of servitude, not the daily experience of living, that they left behind. For Patachara, there was no need for a bodhi tree; her mind was set free from suffering and entered enlightenment right in her hut after the mundane act of putting out her lamp.

Becoming enlightened, together

Nuns learned from not only the Buddha but from other nuns as well. They were encouraged to care for and support each other. In fact, the phrase she seemed like someone I could trust shows up multiple times in the Therigatha, when the nuns recalled how they started on the path in the first place.

A nameless nun writes:

With no peace in my heart, dripping with sexual desire,

I entered the monastery, wailing, my arms outstretched.

I approached the nun,

She seemed like someone I could trust.

She taught me the dhamma

About what makes a person

About the senses and their objects

And about the basic elements that make up everything.

The community of fellow practitioners in Buddhism is called the sangha. It is one of the Three Jewels, the other two being the teacher, the Buddha, and his teaching, the dhamma. Anyone who wishes to become a Buddhist will vow to take refuge in the Three Jewels, which support Buddhist practice. These are the teacher, the teaching and the community. In the case of this nameless nun  and many others  the Buddhist path is paved not only by the Buddha and his teachings but also by a community of trust and shared aspiration.

The poems in the Therigatha are a reminder that enlightenment does not always have to be a long trek in the woods but can happen right within ones humble abode. For some, it could simply mean the joy of finding community.

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: Jue Liang, Case Western Reserve University

Read more:



Jue Liang 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.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and other NY elected officials call for more state aid to municipalities

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and members of the New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials called on Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers Tuesday for increased aid and incentives for municipalities in the 2025 budget.

Brown said there has been no increase in AIM funding for municipalities since 2012, and if no boost comes in the near future, it could lead to inequities among economically vulnerable and middle-income residents. New York AIM funding provides roughly $715 million for every city, town and village in the state, a stagnant total affected greatly by inflation in recent years.

While Brown acknowledged that Hochul has ambitious goals, he said that municipalities need an increased revenue share to help make those goals a reality.

AIM funding is essential in maintaining essential municipal services, Brown said The funds are used to balance our budgets and cover the costs of police, fire, public works and many other essential services in our communities all across the State of New York.

Many other officials echoed Browns sentiments, including Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, who added that residents deserve a break.

[Community members] send their tax dollars to the state capitol, and AIM is supposed to provide some of that funding back to our municipalities so that we can lessen the burden of regressive taxes, Sheehan said. As mayors and as those who work in municipal government, were standing here to say What about us?

Brown said that a bill has been proposed at the state level to increase AIM funding for 2025 and that it has gotten support from lawmakers, but that similar pushes have happened in the past to no avail.

You can watch officials full Tuesday press conference above.

Latest Local News

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  PSU grad student Clayton Ragan often eats at the Khao Niew food cart on campus.

At least once a week, if not three times. Yeah, two or three is pretty, pretty typical, Ragan told KOIN 6 News. We know the guy who runs it is a lovely person. And we like hanging out with him and supporting him.

PSU grad student Clayton Ragan, March 18, 2024 (KOIN)

That guy, Nong Phimmoungkhoun, has been serving Lao food to PSU students for about two years. But he and 3 other food carts in the pod near the Millar Library are being forced to pack up by July 1.

Its just sad that I have to leave these people to see that they actually really care about this spot, Phimmoungkhoun said.

Woman rescued near Mt. Hood summit after getting hit by ice

The issue affecting the 4 carts revolves around a lack of wastewater infrastructure at the site. The City of Portland issued a violation notice to PSU after inspectors found grease in the stormwater planter in July 2023. That can attract vermin and is bad for the environment. The university would need to connect a hose to bring the water to a central disposal area.

Im heartbroken that this had to happen, Phimmoungkhoun said. I wish we could fix that.

Ragan, one of his favorite and most loyal customers, was more direct.

Its a pretty big bummer, Ragan said. I mean, its like a huge part of, I think, the culture of at least our department.

In a statement, PSU said the campus planning office spent months going back and forth with the city but werent successful in getting regulatory relief. They said they dont have the funds available for the renovations, which would cost between $40,000 and $50,000 and funding would need to come from our retail business operations  which havent fully recovered since COVID.

Ragan said hed be fine with that money coming from part of my tuition that I pay.

Study shows best places in the Pacific Northwest for renters

And Phimmoungkhoun said fixing the issue is a good investment. Even if its not for us, its for the people that come in the future.

Nong Phimmoungkhoun runs the Khao Niew food cart on the PSU campus, March 18, 2024 (KOIN)

The 4 affected food carts need to find a new location, possibly off-campus.

Phimmoungkhoun said he told the students and all this that I would try to stay as close as I can here because I love them, you know.

But he may lose Ragan as a customer.

I take the bus. I dont know if I can bus down to wherever theyre at, then get the food. Itll be a loss.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
BERTRAM, Texas (KXAN)  A grand jury indicted an elementary school aide in Burnet County on a felony charge of injury to a child after a hallway surveillance video appeared to show her pushing an elementary school student.

District emails obtained by KXAN show the districts investigation into the matter was delayed. The district made its state-mandated reports to Child Protective Services and the Texas Education Agency more than a month after the incident happened.

Caren Hasty, a former Burnet Consolidated Independent School District teachers aide, was seen on surveillance video dragging a 9-year-old student out of a Bertram Elementary classroom on Oct. 25.

After Hasty dragged the student out of the classroom, the video shows the student running back to the closed classroom door and trying to turn the door handle for over a minute. Then, the video shows Hasty push the student.

Investigators said video of student thrown into wall wasnt abuse, then changed their minds

Hastys attorney said she had been a teachers aide for a few months before the incident. According to her attorney, she worked as a substitute teacher for about a year and a half before taking the role.

Regarding the alleged incident, Mrs. Hasty feels she has done everything that the school has asked and, with the little training that they have provided to her, she believes she has not violated any criminal law(s).

The students father, Alan Whitehead, said his son made an outcry on the same day it happened. For weeks, Whitehead said, district officials told him they were uncertain whether video of the incident was captured by their surveillance cameras.

I mean, it went on for weeks. We dont have it. We dont think we can get it, Whitehead said. He made an outcry that somebody there, who is supposed to be trusted, hurt him. Were not sure is not really a good enough answer.

More than a month later, district officials said they found and reviewed the video and determined that improper restraint occurred.

Texas parents demand lawmaker action on restraints in schools

In an emailed letter to Whitehead and his wife on Nov. 27, the Bertram Elementary school principal said she was initially unsure of the availability of video footage and limited her investigation to the account of the incident provided by the staff member.

Due to the nature of the initial report from the parent and uncertainty about the status of video equipment near the incident, there was a delay between the report and the viewing of the video, Burnet CISD Superintendent Keith McBurnett said in a statement to KXAN.

Additionally, McBurnett said the employee did not utilize her training when she had to physically intervene with a non-compliant and disruptive student and called her actions inappropriate.

Whitehead and his wife watched the video the next day on Nov. 28.

I told them thats not inappropriate contact. Thats assault, Whitehead said.

Texas bill would ban schools from restraining students on the ground

According to another email KXAN obtained, the Bertram principal said Hasty resigned on Nov. 17, right before the districts Thanksgiving break. The superintendent told KXAN, As soon as the video was viewed, the employee was removed from the campus and was not allowed to return to work.

Texas law requires school districts to report certified educators to the State Board of Educator Certification within 7 business days when an educator resigns or is terminated following an incident of misconduct.

The Texas Education Agency said it received a report about the incident and Hastys involvement on Nov. 29.

In a statement to KXAN, the superintendent said the district reported the incident to CPS and TEA after seeing Whiteheads law enforcement report. Whitehead said he filed a police report with the Bertram Police Department the day they watched the video on Nov. 28.

Texas special education employees plead no contest in unlawful restraint case

Although the actions of the former employee were inappropriate and did not follow the training provided by the district, none of the campus and district administrators who viewed the video determined the incident to require a report outside the district, Superintendent Keith McBurnett said in a statement to KXAN.

Whitehead said he and his wife have yet to receive a written summary of the restraint used from the district. Under Texas law, school districts are required to provide written notice to parents when their student is restrained even when it is done properly. Districts also have to report instances where students are restrained to the TEA.

District officials did not answer whether it provided the report to the students parents.

If we hadnt got this video, it would have always been a he said, she said, Whitehead said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
How folks buy and sell homes in South Carolina may soon change because of a historic lawsuit settlement announced Friday.

The $418 million settlement, announced by the National Association of Realtors, effectively ends the standard 6% sales commission  possibly changing who must pay any such commission as well. Some South Carolina housing market industry experts say the changes from the settlement could lead to a more complex home buying process. There may also be fewer first-time homebuyers and minorities able to purchase the kind of home they want or who can afford any at all in South Carolina because of the changes, they say.

NAR lawsuit

NAR has long required home sale listing brokers to detail an offer of compensation upfront to a buyers listing agent. That typically ends up as a 6% split between a sellers broker and a buyers agent. Some critics however have compared this setup to that of a cartel, NBC news reports.

The new settlement, if it gets final approval from a federal court, would negate the standard 6% commission. Sellers would no longer be required to propose compensation to potential buyers and their agents, which, in theory, could encourage more negotiation and competition in some markets.

Another rule change from the settlement would require homebuyers to sign a deal with a broker before they start working with one. Doing so is to make sure homebuyers know what their agent will charge for services at the start.

The new rules from the court battle, initiated by a group of Missouri home sellers, are expected to kick in around mid-July if final approval is given.

SC housing market impact

Lets begin with the part of the settlement that is expected to not impact South Carolina at all  the contract deal requirement.

Nick Kremydas, CEO of South Carolina Realtors, said the Palmetto State has a decades-long legacy of being pro-consumer in the real estate space. As such, South Carolina already has a law similar to the proposed settlement rule change regarding contracts.

When representing clients in a real estate transaction, South Carolina is one of only 18 states that require the use of written seller and buyer agency agreements, Kremydas said. These written agreements provide clarity and transparency for consumers.

Impact for SC buyers

Karen Yip, broker and owner of Yip Premier Real Estate in Columbia, said that some buyers in the state may be impacted by the end to the practice of requiring a seller to list proposed compensation for a buyers agent.

Now, with these upcoming changes buyers will potentially have to consider how much compensation theyll need for representation if the seller is not going to offer payment, Yip said. Thats an additional cost to the equation.

Yip said a buyer may have to consider looking at homes in smaller price ranges because of that added cost.

Or they may need to decide to pursue or not certain houses, depending on if they can afford representation or not, she said. It changes the calculus for the buyer, particularly in regard to the loan type they have to consider.

Jill Moylan, broker and owner of Home Advantage Realty in Columbia, said shes concerned the change may put more minorities and young, first-time homebuyers at a disadvantage.

Its going to be really hard for a first-time homebuyer to come up with the funds for a small down payment of 3-5% and money to pay a buyer agent, Jill Moylan said. Whats going to happen, Im afraid, is theyre going to go without representation and theyre not going to have the education they need about the process.

Moylan added that she doesnt believe the settlement will lead to a drop in South Carolina home sales prices through added negotiations and competition over commission, at least for the foreseeable future. South Carolina has had a steady rise in prices the last two years, due in part to insufficient inventory.

Thats going to have to change before we see any impact in pricing, she said.

Impact for SC sellers

Some sellers may lose out on some buyers if they dont list a buyer agent commission, said Morris Lyles, broker in charge of the Northeast Columbia office for ERA Wilder Realty Inc.

Sellers that choose to not offer a buyer agent commission may be restricting those buyer agents and their buyer clients from pursuing making an offer on their property with buyer agent representation, therefore cutting out potential buyers that will make offers, Lyles said.

Lyles warns that sellers should prepare for getting possibly lower offers after the changes begin.

 so buyers will potentially offer less since they are having to come up with another amount for the buyer agent representation, he said.

Impact for SC real estate agents

As far as Moylan is concerned, the sky is not falling because of the settlement. Skilled and well-educated agents will still get their commissions.

All commissions are negotiable, but that does not mean I work for free, Moylan said with a laugh.

Yip agreed that commissions are staying despite the settlement and doubts theyll drop much in South Carolina either.

If anything else, this will require buyers and sellers to approach things differently, but people are still going to want representation, Yip said. People who offer competent representation will still be compensated. Its now just going to be an outside discussion between the buyer, seller and broker.
Galdermas diverse portfolio and educational efforts will be highlighted in 16 posters, and two sponsored symposia, exploring insights from the ground-breaking NEXT by Galderma future aesthetic trends report and the use of Sculptra  for the body, as we celebrate its 25 th anniversary

Galderma will present pivotal clinical data on Restylane  SHAYPE, the latest innovation complementing the Restylane portfolio, powered by the next generation of hyaluronic acid technology, NASHA HD, which supports its safe and effective use for augmentation and correction of chin retrusion 1

Results showing high patient-reported satisfaction and improved wellbeing through six months after treatment with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an investigational highly-active, innovative, complex-free, and ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator, will also be presented2,3

ZUG, Switzerland, March 19, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Galderma will present the latest updates from its broad portfolio of clinically-proven and holistic range of aesthetic treatments at the 22nd Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC) on March 27-29, 2024. The diversity of Galdermas portfolio, designed to meet the individual needs of healthcare professionals and patients, will be showcased in 16 research posters  including data from the worlds most diverse range of fillers (Restylane), leading neuromodulator portfolio (RelabotulinumtoxinA, Alluzience and Azzalure) and original biostimulator (Sculptra)  as well as two symposia and a booth, which will host an array of live demonstrations and Meet the Expert sessions.

"Galdermas extensive activities at AMWC demonstrate our commitment to pushing the boundaries of injectable aesthetics, to anticipate and address tomorrows needs today. By evolving and expanding our existing treatments, developing new innovations, and conducting cutting-edge research into the groundbreaking trends that are anticipated to drive the future of aesthetics, our future-facing approach ensures we continue to deliver the best for healthcare professionals and patients." BALDO SCASSELLATI SFORZOLINI, M.D., Ph.D. GLOBAL HEAD OF R&D GALDERMA

Educating on the future of aesthetics and Sculptras expanding indications

The Galderma-sponsored symposium, The AART and Science behind NEXT, will host a panel of world-renowned aesthetic experts, including Dr. Sebastian Cotofana, Dr. Alessandra Haddad, Dr. Christoph Martschin, Dr. Andreas Nikolis, Dr. Sachin Shridharani, and Dr. Van Park, who will delve into the six identified groundbreaking trends that are anticipated to drive the future of aesthetics and how they will impact consultation and interaction with patients. A live demonstration will show how to best integrate the trends insights in practice via Galdermas holistic assessment tool, the AART methodology, and create bespoke treatment plans for patients. The event is taking place in Room Prince Pierre on Wednesday March 27, 2024, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM CET.

Story continues

As we celebrate 25 years of science and expertise in biostimulation with Sculptra, Galdermas second symposium, The AART of Sculptra beyond the face, will focus on how to use the AART assessment tool to address patients body concerns and needs. Prominent experts in the field, including Dr. Luiz Avelar, Dr. Sebastian Cotofana, Dr. Alessandra Haddad, and Dr. Marcus Morais, will focus on how to assess and treat the gluteal (buttock) region to address different patient profiles with Sculptra treatment. Through clinical cases, they will also touch on Sculptras use on the decolletage, neck and upper arms. The event is taking place in Room Van Dongen on Thursday March 28, 2024, from 11:00 to 11:55 AM CET.

Extensive data spotlight how Galderma is advancing dermatology for every skin story

Pivotal clinical data supporting the safe and effective use of Restylane SHAYPE for augmentation and correction of chin retrusion, with clinical results sustained for up to 12 months, will be presented.1 Restylane SHAYPE is the latest innovation in hyaluronic acid (HA) injectables, powered by new NASHA HD technology, the next generation in HA science. Restylane SHAYPE is engineered to shape angles in the lower face by providing a bone mimicking effect.1 It is the newest addition to the Restylane portfolio, the worlds most diverse range of fillers with over 27 years of clinical data, which encompasses different technologies (NASHA, OBT and now NASHA HD) and gel characteristics, with solutions available to meet the needs of patients and injectors all over the world.4 Additional data from studies of Restylane VOLYME and EYELIGHT will be shared for midface augmentation and correction of infraorbital hollows (dark under-eye shadows and grooves), respectively, with improvements maintained through to 12 months.5,6

New data from the phase III READY-1 and READY-2 studies will also be presented, showing high patient-reported satisfaction and improved wellbeing through six months after treatment with RelabotulinumtoxinA for glabellar lines (frown lines) and lateral canthal lines (crows feet).2,3 The treatment was well tolerated and improvement in frown line and crows feet severity and aesthetic appearance was maintained through six months.2,3 Developed using Galdermas proprietary PEARLTM technology, RelabotulinumtoxinA is a highly-active, ready-to-use solution that delivers fast and sustained results and maximizes ease-of-use to address the real needs of patients and healthcare professionals.7-19

Six posters on Sculptra, the first and original biostimulator, with a unique PLLA-SCA formulation that activates the body's natural power to revitalize key components of the skin for a more youthful appearance, will be presented at AMWC. Additional data spanning our leading neuromodulator portfolio, Alluzience and Azzalure, will be presented, as well as a new skin quality assessment scale and the AART-HIT approach for combining aesthetic products to maximize patient outcomes.

More details on scientific presentations supported by Galderma at AMWC can be found here.*

*All presenters are paid consultants or employees of Galderma.

About the Restylane Portfolio

With more than 27 years of experience, over 160 clinical publications, and trusted with 65 million treatments and growing worldwide, the Restylane portfolios three complementary gel technologies  NASHA, OBT and NASHA HD  allow for individualized, natural-looking results and long-term patient satisfaction.4,20,21 The uniqueness and complementary nature of the Restylane portfolio allows for individualized, natural-looking results, providing long-lasting improvement and long-term satisfaction for patients self-confidence.4,20-23

About RelabotulinumtoxinA (QM1114)

Developed by Galderma, RelabotulinumtoxinA is a highly-active, innovative, complex-free, and ready-to-use liquid neuromodulator with a proprietary strain and manufactured using a unique state-of-the-art process. It is designed as a liquid, avoiding the traditional requirement to reconstitute from powder and eliminating variability, errors and risks associated with reconstitution, which would be expected to improve the consistency of results. RelabotulinumtoxinA is currently being investigated globally by Galderma, to expand its neuromodulator portfolio as part of the broadest Injectable Aesthetics portfolio on the market. RelabotulinumtoxinA is an investigational product and has not received approval for any indication in any country.

About Sculptra

Sculptra is the original biostimulator and is clinically proven to stimulate the skin's innate collagen (type I) production to increase skin firmness and radiance, for long-lasting, natural-looking rejuvenated appearance. Sculptra is proven to increase collagen type I by 66.5% after three months through a process that starts stimulation as early as five days after injection.24 It helps progressively restore the skins foundation and natural structural function. Sculptra is proven to achieve natural-looking results that last for more than two years.25 Sculptra provides targeted collagen stimulation, with unique treatment protocols developed for each treatment area and to achieve the patients desired results.

About Galderma

Galderma is the emerging pure-play dermatology category leader, present in approximately 90 countries. We deliver an innovative, science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and services that span the full spectrum of the fast-growing dermatology market though Injectable Aesthetics, Dermatological Skincare and Therapeutic Dermatology. Since our foundation in 1981, we have dedicated our focus and passion to the human bodys largest organ  the skin  meeting individual consumer and patient needs with superior outcomes in partnership with healthcare professionals. Because we understand that the skin we are in shapes our lives, we are advancing dermatology for every skin story. For more information: www.galderma.com.

References 1. Nikolis, A, et al. Effectiveness and Safety of a New NASHA-HD Hyaluronic Acid Injectable, HASHA, for Augmentation and Correction of Chin Retrusion. E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 2. Gold, M, et al. Subject-Reported Improvement in Well-Being and High Satisfaction After Glabellar Line Treatment with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational ready-to-Use Liquid Botulinum Toxin (READY-1 Phase III Trial). E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 3. Grunebaum, L, et al. Improved Well-Being and Natural-Looking Results After Treatment of Lateral Canthal Lines with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational Liquid Botulinum Toxin (READY-2 Phase III Trial). E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 4. Carlo Di Gregorio. 25+ Years of Experience with the Restylane Portfolio of Injectable Hyaluronic Acid Fillers for Facial Aesthetic Treatment. E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 5. Ren, R, et al. Midface Augmentation in Chinese Subjects Using a Flexible Hyaluronic Acid Filler Evaluated in a Randomized No-treatment Controlled Study. E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 6. Biesman, B, et al. A Study Evaluating the Safety and Effectiveness of Hyaluronic Acid Filler HAEYE for Correction of Infraorbital Hollows (IOH, Tear Trough Study). E-poster presented at AMWC 2024 7. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43QM1602: READY-1. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 8. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43QM1901: READY-2. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 9. Galderma. Data on file. READY-2 Post-hoc Tables. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 10. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43QM1902: READY-3. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 11. Galderma. Data on file. Clinical Study Report for Protocol 43AM1903: READY-4. Galderma Laboratories; 2021 12. Galderma. Data on file: Initial results of the phase IIIb 43QM2106 trial; 2023 13. Galderma. Data on file: Initial results of the phase IIIb 43QM2107 trial; 2023 14. Solish, N, et al. Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Glabellar Lines with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational Liquid Botulinum Toxin: Clinical Efficacy and Safety Results from the READY-1 Phase III trial. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 15. Ablon, G, et al. Treatment of Lateral Canthal Lines with RelabotulinumtoxinA, an Investigational Liquid Botulinum Toxin: Clinical Efficacy and Safety Results from the READY-2 Phase III Trial. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 16. Bertucci, V, et al. Efficacy and Safety of a Novel Formulation Liquid Botulinum Toxin, RelabotulinumtoxinA, when used for Combination Treatment of Glabellar and Lateral Canthal Lines. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 17. Persson, C, et al. Patient and Investigator Treatment Experience with Ready-to-Use AbobotulinumtoxinA Solution Versus Powder BotulinumtoxinA for Treatment of Glabellar Lines. Abstract presented at TOXINS 2024 18. Sundberg, AL, and Stahl, U. Relabotulinum toxin - a novel, high purity BoNT-A1 in liquid formulation. Presented at: TOXINS 2021 19. Do, M, et al. Purification process of a complex-free highly purified botulinum neurotoxin type A1 (BoNT-A1) - relabotulinumtoxinA. Presented at: TOXINS 2022 20. Nikolis, A, et al. The Role of Clinical Examination in Midface Volume Correction Using Hyaluronic Acid Fillers: Should Patients Be Stratified by Skin Thickness? Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2020; 2(1):112. 21. Galderma. Data on file. Subject satisfaction (GAIS)  NASHA and OBT Fillers. 2021 22. Narins, RS, et al. Persistence of nasolabial fold correction with a hyaluronic acid dermal filler with retreatment: results of an 18-month extension study. Dermatol Surg. 2011;37:644650 23. Talarico, S, et al. High Patient Satisfaction of a Hyaluronic Acid Filler Producing Enduring Full-Facial Volume Restoration: An 18-Month Open Multicenter Study. Dermatol Surg. 2015;41:13611369 24. Goldberg, D, Guana, A, Volk, A, Daro-Kaftan, E. Single-arm study for the characterization of human tissue response to injectable poly-L-lactic acid. Dermatol Surg. 2013;39(6):915-922 25. Fabi, S, et al. 24-month clinical trial data on effectiveness and safety after correction of cheek wrinkles using a biostimulatory poly-L-lactic acid injectable implant. Poster presented at AMWC 2023

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240318297749/en/

Contacts

For further information:

Christian Marcoux, M.Sc.

Chief Communications Officer

christian.marcoux@galderma.com

+41 76 315 26 50

Sebastien Cros

Corporate Communications Director

sebastien.cros@galderma.com

+41 79 529 59 85

Emil Ivanov

Head of Strategy, Investor Relations, and ESG

emil.ivanov@galderma.com

+41 21 642 78 12

Jessica Cohen

Investor Relations and Strategy Director

jessica.cohen@galderma.com

+41 21 642 76 43
The Warner Robins Police Department is investigating after a man was shot while walking near Black Oak Grove Monday.

At approximately 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Warner Robins police responded to a call reporting a person shot in the 100 Block Black Oak Grove.

Upon arrival, officers made contact with a 28-year-old man who said he was in the area walking when he saw three juveniles that he thought were shooting pellet guns.

Shortly after, the man said he felt a pain in his left leg and realized he had been shot. He said he fled the immediate location, called 911 when he got to a safe location, and made contact with a bystander.

The man was treated on scene by Houston Healthcare and transported to Navicent-Atrium for a shot to his left leg, authorities say.

Warner Robins Police are actively investigating the incident. Anyone with information can call detectives at 478-302-5380 or Macon Regional Crimestoppers.
In a moment when American universities are pushing to retain freshmen and increase graduation rates, Brigham Young Universitys faith-based education may offer some distinct advantages  especially when students catch the vision, scholars say. A new class, UNIV 101: BYU Foundations for Student Success, was designed with this in mind.

After a three-semester period of evaluation and development, the course is currently being taught to 34 freshmen sections, with plans to make it standard for all incoming first-year students starting next fall. The course is intentionally capped at 25 students per section to foster discussion and connection with a peer mentor assigned to each class. Senior faculty across campus departments have volunteered to teach, with 260-280 sections scheduled for the fall semester.

We want every student to understand deep down the prophetic vision and spiritual mission of BYU, where they can use this inspired direction as a foundation for success during their time at the university, said Richard Osguthorpe, associate academic vice president for undergraduate studies, who helped oversee the course design process. He summarized the courses aspiration to foster belonging by connecting students to the BYU mission, to campus resources and to each other and their professors.

This foundations course is being implemented as the universitys recently installed president, C. Shane Reese, has reemphasized the schools religious mission. It is the destiny of Brigham Young University to become what those prophetic statements predicted it would become, President Reese said during his 2023 inaugural speech.

Reese told the Deseret News about his experience teach one section of the class, calling it one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

I was a first-generation college student who struggled to find my way around a large campus. This would have been a game-changer for me, Reese said.

The students are so hungry for this course built on mission, resources for success and connection, Reese said. The deepening relationships offer hope. This course will be a critical step for BYU reinforcing our inspired mission and strengthening the student experience from the moment they walk through our doors  to Become BYU.

According to research from BYU scholars Justin Dyer and Jenet Erickson, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, students on religious campuses tend to do better when it comes to anxiety and suicide prevention, even when individual students may not be as religious as their peers on campus.

A religious campus tends to be protective, Dyer told the Deseret News, including for people who you wouldnt think would fit at religious schools.

A separate study from BYU professor Patti Freeman and Texas A&Ms Gary Ellis analyzed 6,000 experiences from nearly 900 students and found BYUs tradition of weekly campuswide spiritual devotionals helped increase a students feelings of connectedness to the university. In turn, students who participated in experiences like devotionals had higher retention rates than those who didnt.

BYU administrators believe the new class will further these aims. After piloting a similar class at BYU-Idaho, Church Educational System leaders found better retention outcomes. The course is pass/fail, and students practice values core to the BYU experience, including disciple-scholarship, peacemaking, intellectual humility and community belonging, according to course materials.

Undergraduates in the class complete assigned readings, write about key questions and explore the university campus using the dual languages of spiritual guidance and intellectual discovery the courses syllabus states.

The syllabus lists a variety of talks as required reading, including Peacemakers Needed from President Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which sponsors BYU, and Turning Enemies into Friends from Sister Sharon Eubank, the current director of Latter-day Saint Charities.

A university professor who has taught the class told the Deseret News that representatives from BYUs Office of Belonging and other departments sometimes come in to talk about campus resources and encourage ways to create a unified atmosphere.

The course has generated recent headlines for including in its curriculum a 2021 speech from President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, titled The Second Half of the Second Century of Brigham Young University.

The speech calls on faculty to be more forthright in providing a defense of church teachings, including those on the family and traditional marriage. He asks for an intellectual defense, referencing a speech from the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell, who President Holland quoted in his remarks: In a way (Church of Jesus Christ) scholars at BYU and elsewhere are a little bit like the builders of the temple  who worked with a trowel in one hand and a musket in the other. Today scholars building the temple of learning must also pause on occasion to defend the kingdom.

That speech is one of 34 readings the syllabus lists and one of three readings from President Holland specially, including President Hollands 2013 talk expressing compassion for those struggling with mental health. A university spokesperson said course materials involve several important and significant addresses that have been given at BYU, and that the new course has been well received by our students.

The syllabus highlights additional campus resources for students. Paired with President Nelsons landmark peacemaking address is a reference to BYUs Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, a university resource to aid in meditation. The course also acquaints students with other campus services such as Counseling & Psychology Services, the University Accessibility Center, Multicultural Student Services, Academic Advising Centers and Womens Services and Resources.

Teagan Lambert, a BYU student who took the class, said it made her familiar with the various resources and accommodations available on campus. It is very beneficial, Lambert told the Deseret News. It smooths out, at least for me, the transition from high school to college.

Lambert said one of her favorite parts is its small learning environment. It was a good way to connect with my classmates and get to know them, she said. We all got very close, which I loved, and because of that class we would hang out together outside of those classes.

Big questions guide each weeks class discussions. Some questions listed in course materials include, How do we help create a community? and I have been given much. How can I give?

In addition to faculty members, peer mentors are trained by the Office of First-Year Experience, according to a course FAQ for instructors. These mentors assist students in transitioning to campus, which is another main component of the course, as students learn how to approach faculty members and develop an educational plan.

Becoming BYU will require enriching the student experience and strengthening our already student-centric approach, Reese told faculty and students last fall.

We strive for every student to have an inspiring learning experience. ... We frame these experiences by our conviction that each student is a child of God.
As Indiana officials struggled to contain an outbreak of HIV among people who injected drugs, then-Gov. Mike Pence reluctantly followed the urgings of public health officials and cleared the way for an overwhelmed county to hand out clean syringes.

Pence was far from enthusiastic about launching the program in Scott County, but after it rolled out in 2015, the percentage of injection drug users there who said they shared needles dropped from 74% to 22%. Within a few years, the number of new HIV infections plummeted by 96% and new cases of hepatitis C fell by 76%.

The Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition wanted to keep those same diseases in check in California. The tiny nonprofit got approval from the state to deliver syringes in El Dorado County to prevent the spread of life-threatening illnesses.

Yet when the program was discussed at a December meeting of the county's Board of Supervisors, the success story in Indiana held little sway. Faced with complaints about discarded needles and overdose deaths, the supervisors voted to prohibit syringe programs in the county's unincorporated areas.

"These programs may work in other parts of California and throughout the United States, although I have my doubts," Sheriff Jeff Leikauf said at the meeting. "El Dorado County does not want or need these types of programs."

El Dorado is among a growing number of California communities that have banned syringe programs, testing the state's power and political will to defend them as a public health strategy. It is part of a broader pushback against "harm reduction"  the practical philosophy of trying to reduce the negative effects of drug use  as overdose deaths have soared.

Now California is fighting back. In a recently filed lawsuit, the Department of Public Health argued that local ordinances prohibiting syringe programs in El Dorado County were preempted by state law, making them unenforceable.

Read more: Amid an overdose crisis, a California grant that helped syringe programs is drying up

The state is seeking a court order telling El Dorado County and the city of Placerville, its county seat, to stop enforcing their bans and allow syringe programs to resume.

An El Dorado County spokesperson said Monday that the county does not comment on pending legal issues. Its district attorney, however, said he was outraged to learn of the lawsuit, saying that state leaders were "seeking to impose the normalization of hardcore drug use."

"Don't come into our county and double down on your failed policy," El Dorado County Dist. Atty. Vern Pierson said in a statement. "Allowing addicts to use fentanyl and other hardcore drugs is exactly what has caused other California counties to experience a death rate that is out of control and getting worse."

Mona Ebrahimi, the city attorney for Placerville, said the city had put a 45-day temporary moratorium in place "to study the ongoing effects of syringe service programs in the city."

"The city wants to protect the health, safety and welfare of its residents," Ebrahimi said.

The California Department of Public Health has long endorsed handing out sterile syringes as a proven way to prevent dangerous infections from running rampant when people share contaminated syringes. Researchers have linked syringe programs with a roughly 50% reduction in HIV and hepatitis C.

"It sounds crazy: 'Wait, you want to give out the tools to people to do this thing that we all agree is a bad idea?'" said Peter Davidson, a medical sociologist at UC San Diego. But it works, said Davidson, who called the programs "probably the best studied public health intervention of the last 70 years."

Public health officials also see them as a crucial way to reach people who use drugs and link them to addiction and overdose-prevention services. In Seattle, for instance, researchers found that injection drug users who started going to a needle exchange were five times more likely to enter drug treatment than those who never went.

Signs direct visitors to the syringe-exchange program at the Austin Community Outreach Center in Austin, Ind., in 2015. The program was set up to curb an outbreak of HIV among people who injected drugs. (Darron Cummings / Associated Press)

And in California, harm reduction groups have been particularly effective in getting Narcan  a nasal spray that can reverse opioid overdoses  into the hands of people who need it.

It's "hugely important to reduce overdose in the community, and these are the programs that do that," said Barrot Lambdin, a health policy fellow at RTI International who studies the implementation of health interventions.

Yet leaders in some cities and counties have strenuously rejected the health benefits of syringe programs.

In El Dorado County, local leaders asserted that the efforts of the Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition had not "meaningfully reduced" HIV or hepatitis C cases since its syringe program began four years ago and said the free needles were ramping up the risk of deadly overdoses, which they argued were a bigger threat.

The El Dorado County Courthouse in Placerville, Calif. (Max Whittaker / For The Times)

Alessandra Ross, a harm reduction expert at the California Department of Public Health, disputed such arguments in a letter to county officials. Ross pointed out that in just one year, the coalition handed out more than 2,200 doses of medication to reverse opioid overdoses, saving at least 421 lives. Without the group's efforts, she wrote, "El Dorado County could have potentially lost more than ten times as many people to overdose."

Under state law, the California Department of Public Health has the authority to approve syringe programs anywhere that deadly or disabling infections might spread through used needles, "notwithstanding any other law" that might say otherwise.

The agency argued that the "significant state and public interest in curtailing the spread of HIV, hepatitis, and other bloodborne infections extends to every jurisdiction in the state, especially since Californians travel freely throughout the state."

Read more: Amid a surge in deaths, a safe place to get high  and to avoid an overdose

After El Dorado County prohibited syringe services in unincorporated areas, the state public health department adjusted its authorization for the Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition program, limiting its operations to Placerville. In the court filing, the agency said it made the change out of concern for the coalition's staff and volunteers, who could be at risk of arrest if they provided syringes in the unincorporated areas.

The nonprofit said when it stopped providing syringes outside of Placerville city limits, roughly 40% of its clients were cut off. In February, Placerville city officials passed their own urgency ordinance banning syringe programs for 45 days, exempting needle provision at health facilities.

Ebrahimi, its city attorney, said officials took that step "after CDPH concentrated their use by authorizing them only in Placerville and nowhere else in the county."

The Sierra Harm Reduction Coalition stopped providing syringes in Placerville as well, according to the state lawsuit. The coalition did not respond Monday to requests for comment on the suit.

El Dorado County and Placerville are not alone: A wave of local bans went into effect last year in Placer County after a harm reduction group from Sacramento sought state approval to hand out clean syringes. The county's sheriff and its probation chief said in a letter to the state that the syringe program proposed by Safer Alternatives thru Networking and Education, or SANE, would "promote the use of addicting drugs" and lead to more "dirty needles discarded recklessly in our parks."

The Placer County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to ban syringe programs in its unincorporated areas. Cities including Auburn, Loomis and Rocklin banned them too.

"We are the ones who should make these kinds of decisions," then-Mayor Alice Dowdin Calvillo said at a September meeting of the Auburn City Council, "and not allow the state to just bully us."

Public health researchers stress that studies have found that free needle programs do not increase crime or drug use, or worsen syringe litter. Yet as much of Placer County became a no-go zone, SANE withdrew its application for a syringe program there.

"Our political processes are not well set up for us to make reasoned, scientifically sound judgments about public health," said Ricky Bluthenthal, a USC sociologist whose research has documented the effectiveness of syringe programs. It doesn't help that "the populations at risk are often marginalized or not politically active."

The California Department of Public Health declined to address whether it planned to challenge local bans on syringe programs elsewhere in the state, saying it "cannot comment on active litigation strategy."

Syringe programs have long faced public skepticism: In a 2017 survey , only 39% of U.S. adults said they supported legalizing them in their communities.

Experts say the programs have faced increasing jeopardy as public concern wanes about the threat of HIV and frustration swells over other problems like soaring numbers of overdose deaths and the spread of homeless encampments. Even in Indiana's Scott County, local leaders voted three years ago to shutter its needle exchange.

Clashes are also arising because programs are making moves into new parts of California, bolstered in some cases by state funding . California officials also have taken steps to help syringe programs overcome local opposition, including exempting them from review under the California Environmental Quality Act.

"It's not surprising that cities and counties are motivated to protect the public health and safety of their residents through whatever tools they have at their disposal," said attorney David J. Terrazas, who represented a group that successfully sued to overturn state approval of a syringe program in Santa Cruz County.

Read more: 'Very aggressive treatment' on the streets of Skid Row from a 'Renegade M.D.'

In that case, a state appeals court ruled last year that the California Department of Public Health conducted an insufficient review of a program run by the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County. The department didn't do enough to consult with law enforcement agencies in the area, among other shortcomings, the court said.

Although the state health department had considered some comments from law enforcement, "it never engaged with them directly about their concerns," the appeals court concluded. Internal records showed department staff had decided not to respond to some of their comments and called one police chief an "imbecile."

Terrazas said local officials are best poised to know what works for their communities. But Denise Elerick, founder of the Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County, argued it made no sense for law enforcement to hold sway in public health decisions.

"We wouldn't consult with them on what to do about COVID," Elerick said.

A bag is filled with boxes of Narcan nasal spray, one of several harm-reduction supplies distributed to people living on the street in Los Angeles. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Weeks after the court ruling, the state health department rolled back its approval for a syringe program in Orange County that would have been run by the Santa Ana-based Harm Reduction Institute, saying it wanted to consult more with local officials.

The decision was celebrated by city leaders in Santa Ana, who had banned syringe programs in 2020 and sharply opposed efforts to restart one. At a recent meeting, interim city manager Tom Hatch said a previous program was "an epic failure" that left its downtown littered with used syringes.

Read more: California backs syringe programs. But they're nowhere to be found in Orange County

Orange County is currently the most populous county in the state without any syringe services programs  to the alarm of health researchers who found that syringe reuse increased after a local program was shut down.

The Santa Cruz court ruling was also invoked by the Santa Monica City Council, which directed city officials to investigate how Los Angeles County came to approve a program run by the Venice Family Clinic. That program sends outreach workers into Santa Monica parks once a week to offer clean syringes, Narcan and other supplies and connect people with healthcare, including for addiction.

Devon O'Malley, left, a harm reduction case manager with the Venice Family Clinic, hands out Narcan to Ken Newark at Tongva Park in Santa Monica. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Critics want the program to relocate indoors, which they say would better protect parkgoers from discarded syringes. In addition, "if someone has to walk inside, there's a chance for counselors to suggest strongly that it's time for them to get off the drugs," said Santa Monica Mayor Phil Brock, who wants the city to formally express its opposition to the program. "We can't just facilitate their demise."

Last month, a group called the Santa Monica Coalition filed suit to get L.A. County to halt the program it approved, saying it should instead be in a government building.

But Venice Family Clinic staffers said unhoused people can be reluctant to leave behind their belongings to go elsewhere. Even offering services out of a van reduced participation, said Arron Barba, director of the clinic's Common Ground program.

"Bringing the service directly to the people is what we know works," Barba said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Shasta county voters in Redding, California, in February. The far-right movement has become prominent in this part of northern California.

Shasta county voters in Redding, California, in February. The far-right movement has become prominent in this part of northern California. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images

On Super Tuesday, voters in northern Californias Shasta county weighed the fate of a far-right official who promoted conspiracy theories that elections were being rigged and backed a controversial effort to do away with voting machines and pursue a hand-count system.

But two weeks after the election, the recall remains too close to call, with the Shasta county supervisor Kevin Crye maintaining a hold of his seat by less than 50 votes. As of Friday, the county elections office still had 1,200 ballots to process and residents are anxiously awaiting results.

The battle over Cryes seat was one of several key races in a rural county that has taken on an outsized importance in the national political fight.

Crye, who has held his seat for just over a year, was elected as part of a far-right movement that has gained control of the county in recent years. Shasta became a hotbed for ultra-conservative politics during the pandemic, with rowdy protests and threats against moderate elected officials and the county health officer.

In the past year, Crye and the far-right majority on the board of supervisors, the countys governing body, moved to allow people to carry firearms in public buildings in violation of state law and offered the countys top job to the leader of a California secessionist group.

Perhaps most notoriously, they helped Shasta rise to national prominence for its embrace of the election denial movement, which proposes fixes such as the sole use of manual tallies of votes to enhance election integrity based on the lie that the presidency was stolen from Donald Trump.

Crye, the chair of the board of supervisors and the rest of the far-right majority voted in January 2023 to cut ties with Dominion Voting Systems and create a hand-count system. Crye even traveled on the countys dime to meet with Mike Lindell, the chief executive of MyPillow and one of the leading promoters of falsehoods about election fraud. The countys attempts to institute a manual tally system were ultimately thwarted by state lawmakers, and Shasta has since begun using Hart InterCivic machines.

As of Friday, Crye had the support of 50.25%, or 4,573, voters who opposed his recall, while 49.75%, or 4,527 voted in favor, according to results from the Shasta county elections office.

Its not over yet  We are behind less than 50 votes, the recall group said. This is almost as close as it gets, so hang in there  1,200 votes left to count  anything could happen.

While Cryes race remains too close to call, there are other signs that Shasta voters may be ready for a change.

On 5 March, incumbent Patrick Jones, a leader of the local far-right movement who has baselessly argued that county and US elections are being manipulated, lost his seat to Matt Plummer, who pledged to offer an alternative to the countys dangerous path of hostility and division. Plummer won nearly 60% of the vote.

Related: California community comes together to find beloved cat: It is so appreciated

Supporters of Cryes recall have argued that he failed to honor his campaign promises to unite the county and advocate for fiscal responsibility, and hoped that a recall could force a larger change in the county.

Hes doing things he said he wouldnt do. He violated his campaign promises. He wasnt listening to his constituents, Jeff Gorder, a spokesperson for the recall group, told the Guardian last month. He was freely and fairly elected. But a recall, in our view, is appropriate when someone misrepresents who they are.

Crye had described the recall as an attempt by Democrats in a very red county trying to usurp local control and the vote of the people and urged residents to stop the states Democratic governor from dictating our countys future.

On his local radio show, Crye recently described some members of the recall campaign as evil. They have made up unbelievable amounts of lies, he said.

The race drew intense interest and involvement from national Republicans and far-right figures, including the Kentucky senator Rand Paul and Kari Lake, a Trump ally from Arizona, who urged Shasta residents to vote no on the recall.

The California governor, Gavin Newsom, could pick Cryes temporary replacement, if he loses, though supporters of the recall and local officials have requested he not do so. The governor has filled such seats in some cases, and at other times has left seats vacant.

Meanwhile, Shasta countys assistant clerk and registrar of voters said the change in machines did not delay tabulation and that the county was on track with where it was counting ballots in past elections.

We can only process ballots as quickly as we receive them, and when we receive 20,000 ballots on election day where we have to do the signature verification, it takes time to do that, Joanna Francescut told KRCR last week. It takes work to do that, and we appreciate the publics understanding of that process.

The Shasta county elections office is expected to share its next update on Friday.
California defendant on trial for murder allegedly stabs his attorney with pen, charges toward prosecutor

Two attorneys were injured on Monday in a Martinez, California, courtroom after a man on trial for murder allegedly used a pen to stab his own defense lawyer before subsequently charging the prosecutor.

Ramello Randle, 28, allegedly broke or cut through a restraint device keeping him in a courtroom chair before he used his lawyer's pen to stab the lawyer in his face and head, according to the East Bay Times. Randle then charged the prosecutor, who suffered a scratch on his hand.

The defendant was stopped when a courtroom deputy tackled him and arrested him.

Officials later found a handwritten note Randle allegedly wrote before the attack that read, "sorry."

SAN FRANCISCO COUPLE, TODDLER, KILLED BY SUV WHILE WAITING FOR BUS TO ZOO

Ramello Randle, 28, allegedly used a pen to stab his own defense lawyer before subsequently attacking the prosecutor in a California courtroom.

Defense lawyer Matthew Fregi was treated at the courthouse for stab wounds. The scratch on Deputy District Attorney Kevin Bell's hand was also examined. Witnesses said Bell swung back at Randle after he was scratched.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"This morning at about 10:54, during a homicide trial at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez, inmate Ramello Randle attacked his attorney with a pen," the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Digital. "28-year-old Randle of Oakland then went to attack the District Attorney, who was able to push him off. The courtroom was immediately cleared. The fire department responded to assess both of the attorneys, who refused medical attention."

Randle was transported back to the Martinez Detention Facility, where he will face additional charges including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and battery, the sheriff's office said.

Fregi, Bell and Randle are scheduled to return to court on Tuesday to continue the trial.

The incident happened in front of a Contra Costa jury that will determine whether Randle is guilty on charges for allegedly murdering his ex-girlfriend and attempting to murder a man amid a child custody dispute in 2020. Jurors are scheduled to hear closing arguments this week.

Officials later found a handwritten note Randle allegedly wrote before the attack that read, "sorry."

CALIFORNIA GOOD SAMARITAN FOOD TRUCK OWNER STABBED AFTER STOPPING ROBBERY OF ELDERLY WOMAN

Randle is accused of working with another man, Christopher Slaughter, to kill 24-year-old Jonaye Lahkel Bridges, the mother of Randles child. Prosecutors said Randle placed a tracking device on Bridges' car, followed her to a convenience store in Antioch and shot at her and a man she was with, killing Bridges.

The evidence against Randle allegedly includes text messages, location trackers and fingerprints on the suspected murder weapon.

Following the attack in court, Fregi told the East Bay Times over the phone he was "fine."

"It was no big deal," he said.

Randle's lack of courtroom decorum has already caused one mistrial in November 2022, the East Bay Times reported. The case was days away from concluding when Randle shouted expletives at Bell during the cross-examination of Randle's mother, a defense witness. Randle then told Judge Charles "Ben" Burch to "shut up, I'm not your b----" when the judge attempted to control the situation.

Burch removed Randle's ability to serve as his own lawyer and declared a mistrial the following day. Fregi started as Randle's attorney after a September 2023 hearing where Randle allegedly took a swing at attorney Lawrence Strauss, who was uninjured in the incident.

Later on Monday, Fregi said he's "hopeful we can finish what we started six weeks ago."

"I harbor no ill will toward Mr. Randle because he was in a position to do a lot more damage to me than he did, had he felt so inclined," Fregi said. "And I'm glad that I got the worst of it because it reinforces the fact that it was done as a means to an end."





Original article source: California defendant on trial for murder allegedly stabs his attorney with pen, charges toward prosecutor
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced that auto giant Stellantis has agreed to support the states vehicle emissions standards, a move intended to insulate the state's strictest-in-the-nation electric vehicle sales rules from a potential Trump administration.

Stellantis  the fourth-largest automaker in the world with brands like Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge  will sign onto the same framework negotiated by five major automakers in 2019 with the California Air Resources Board during former President Donald Trump's tenure.

The agreement comes a day before U.S. EPA is due to finalize its own tailpipe emissions rules that are expected to result in slower electric vehicle sales. An earlier federal proposal would have required 67 percent new vehicle sales in 2023 to be electric vehicles.

"We want to continue to lead the world," Newsom said in a press conference in Sacramento. "We're not going to take a backseat in that effort, and today's announcement only further accelerates that."

The deal commits Stellantis to complying with California requirements to sell increasing numbers of electric vehicles through 2030 "even if CARB is unable to enforce its standards as a result of judicial or federal action." Twelve other states are signed onto California's rules as part of the state's unique arrangement under the Clean Air Act that allows it to set stricter-than-federal vehicle standards with EPA's permission.

A group of Republican-governed states led by Ohio are challenging Californias clean cars waiver, arguing that Californias unique authority to set air quality standards violates the Constitution, under a legal theory that all states need to be treated equally. The case was heard in September in the District of Columbia Circuit Court and is expected to go to the Supreme Court.



The companies that joined the original deal  Ford, Volkswagen, Honda, BMW and Volvo  did so as the Trump administration moved to freeze a waiver that gives California the authority to set stronger air quality standards than federal rules. All five automakers pledged to continue supporting Californias regulations even after the Advanced Clean Cars rule was rolled back in 2020.

The agreement with Stellantis similarly includes a commitment from the company to support California's tailpipe emissions standards covering model years 2026-35, which are waiting for an EPA waiver. It also requires Stellantis to offer discounted electric vehicles in disadvantaged communities and contribute $10 million for installing public electric vehicle chargers.

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares called the deal a win-win that will avoid 10 to 12 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through 2030. The company had said in December that it wanted to join California's alliance with automakers and that it gave the signatories unfair advantages in California's sales market.

We remain as determined as ever to offer sustainable options across our brand portfolio and being a leader in the global decarbonization efforts, Tavares said in a statement.
A woman was arrested after she drove her car with two dogs on board into the Pacific Ocean near Venice Beach to evade officers, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The 39-year-old New Mexico woman was taken into custody early Sunday morning after she swam several hundred yards into the ocean and needed to be rescued, according to an arrest report from the agency.

California Highway Patrol officers were in pursuit of a silver BMW that was wanted for speeding late Saturday in Los Angeles.

"The pursuit entered the West Los Angeles Area at speeds of approximately 85 miles per hour," the arrest report said. "The suspect exited at Jefferson Boulevard and the pursuit traversed through several city streets at speeds between 35-65 miles per hour."

The woman eventually made her way to Venice Beach, where she drove through a parking lot, onto the sand and into the ocean. Two Boston terriers were also in the car, the arrest report stated.

She continued to evade officers, swimming several hundred yards before a sheriff's station and the Coast Guard rescued her, the report said.

The woman was arrested early Sunday and taken to a hospital for treatment. The two dogs were rescued and taken into custody by animal control, according to the report.

She could face charges related to speeding and evading authorities, highway patrol spokesperson Steven Salas said. It was not immediately clear whether she has an attorney.

Law enforcement recovered the BMW from the ocean Sunday, Salas said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced on Tuesday that top automaker Stellantis has agreed to abide by the Golden States strict emissions rules, regardless of decisions made by a future federal administration.

Through this partnership, Stellantis  the parent corporation for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and others  has pledged to comply with Californias zero-emissions light-duty vehicle sales requirements through 2030 and make significant investments in charging infrastructure.

The automotive giant has agreed to abide by the California Air Resources Boards (CARB) light-duty vehicle sales mandates even if CARB is unable to enforce its standards as a result of judicial or federal action, a statement from the agency said.

In other words, if a potential Trump administration were to decide to repeal CARBs emissions rules, Stellantis would continue to maintain these standards nonetheless.

The biggest and most influential companies in the world understand that this is how we can fight climate change together, Newsom said in a Tuesday statement.

Its another example of the private sector joining California to help millions of people get into clean vehicles, the governor added.

In inking the deal with the State of California, Stellantis joins four other automakers  Ford, Honda, BMW of North America and Volkswagen Group of America  that came to similar such agreements with CARB in 2019.

Under the agreement, Stellantis will be avoiding between 10 million and 12 million additional metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through 2026.

Stellantis has also said it would invest $4 million in deploying public charging infrastructure in Californias rural areas and in federal, state and county parks, as well as $6 million in other states that have adopted Californias emissions standards.

Those states, per the agreement, thus far include Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

California approved the countrys most ambitious electric vehicle (EV) targets in August 2022, when CARB voted to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

The rule, which follows a 2020 executive order issued by Newsom, would increase the proportion of emissions-free cars sold in the state each year, until that percentage reaches 100 in 2035.

Californias goals reach far beyond federal targets, and the state is awaiting the approval of a special waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency, as mandated by the Clean Air Act.

Several Republican-led states are pursuing a lawsuit in opposition to Californias waiver request, while concern is mounting as to whether a future Republican administration might revoke a previously issued waiver  as former President Trump did in 2020.

But by joining in the partnership on Tuesday, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares described the deal as a win-win solution that is good for the customer and good for the planet.

We remain as determined as ever to offer sustainable options across our brand portfolio and being a leader in the global decarbonization efforts, Tavares said in a statement.

Stellantis currently offers five plug-in hybrids in the U.S., including the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, the Dodge Hornet and the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

Also in the companys lineup are two wholly electric vehicles (EVs) the FIAT 500e and Ram ProMaster EV, while eight new EVs are in the domestic pipeline for 2024, according to Stellantis.

As for the state agency, CARB Chair Liane Randolph stressed in a statement that such cooperation helps accelerate the deployment of zero-emissions options that will make a more sustainable future possible.

Californias persistent air pollution and the growing threat of climate change require action and innovation, added Steven Cliff, CARB executive officer. Our collaboration with Stellantis is an example of the industry partnerships that will further a clean air future.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, left, and state Assemblymember Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) are headed for a runoff to determine who will fill the U.S. House seat vacated by Kevin McCarthy. (Associated Press)

Central Valley voters have selected two Republicans to face off in May to represent the San Joaquin Valley in Congress for the remainder of former Rep. Kevin McCarthy's term.

The fight to succeed McCarthy, who left Congress with a year left in his term after his own party ousted him as speaker of the House, has pitted Republicans against Republicans in the 20th Congressional District, which includes Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties.

The Associated Press on Wednesday said McCarthy's handpicked successor, Assemblymember Vince Fong, would advance to the runoff election in May. With most ballots counted, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, a law-and-order conservative, said that he expected to advance as well.

Fong had about 40% of the vote on Wednesday afternoon, while Boudreaux had about 26% and Democrat Marisa Wood, a middle school teacher, had about 23%.

Fong congratulated his opponents on "hard-fought campaigns," and said he was "grateful that voters have once again chosen experienced, common-sense leadership to represent the Central Valley in Washington D.C."

Boudreaux thanked the voters who supported him, and said he will "look forward to a terrific spring campaign to restore a badly-needed Valley voice in Washington to serve and represent our communities in Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern counties."

Fong and Boudreaux will also face each other in November for the full two-year term to represent the San Joaquin Valley district in Congress in 2025 and 2026. The special election to be held May 21 will give either Fong or Boudreaux a rare opportunity to appear on the regular November ballot as the incumbent member of Congress, a significant advantage.

Running as the incumbent in November would help "enormously," said Republican consultant Rob Stutzman, who is not working for either candidate. "It's a huge boost."

Stutzman said voters probably wouldn't want to back a different candidate months after sending someone to Washington. And, he said, being sworn into Congress after the special election would unlock support from the National Republican Congressional Committee, which spends to support incumbents in their reelection fights.

There were nine candidates on the special election primary ballot. Two were Democrats, including Wood, who also ran against McCarthy in 2022. Four were Republicans, including Fong, Boudreaux and Fresno casino owner Kyle Kirkland, who lent his campaign $485,000, federal records show. Three candidates ran with no party preference.

Much of the Republican establishment has lined up behind Fong, who started his career as McCarthy's district director before being elected to represent Bakersfield in the state Assembly.

Two super PACs, one funded by McCarthy's political action committee, spent more than $670,000 to boost Fong through digital ads, text messages and mailers, federal filings show. One group called Central Valley Values sent ads about Wood to Democrats in the district, apparently in an attempt to help her advance to the general election. In a deep-red district, Fong would have had an easy path to election in both races if he faced a Democrat.

Rep. Adam B. Schiff of Burbank and his allies used a similar strategy in the California Senate race, boosting Republican Steve Garvey in an effort to keep Rep. Katie Porter, a fierce liberal competitor, out of the November election.

The strategy didn't work in the Central Valley, where primary election results for the full two-year term show Fong with about 42% of the primary vote, Boudreaux with 24% and Wood with about 21%.

Fong also snagged an endorsement from former President Trump, a huge advantage in one of the most Republican congressional districts in California. Trump wrote last month on his social network, Truth Social, that Fong would work in Congress to "grow the economy, lower your taxes, cut burdensome regulations, champion American energy, and protect and defend the 2nd Amendment, which is under siege by the radical left."

Fong said in a statement that the Central Valley is "ready to once again have leaders in D.C., like President Trump, that will fight for our interests and values."

Trump's endorsement of Fong, Stutzman said, "really cuts the legs out from under any type of insurgency from the right."

Boudreaux has cast himself as an alternative to the Central Valley's establishment Republican politics. He has been endorsed by state Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) and David Giglio, the self-described "America First" candidate who dropped out of the congressional race last month.

The Central Valley is "demanding leadership in Washington with real experience confronting our biggest issues: safety and our open border," Boudreaux said after the Associated Press said he would advance to the November ballot. Boudreaux earned his spot despite being "outspent 10-to-1 by swampy D.C. special interests and super PACs seeking to protect the status quo," his campaign manager said in a statement.

The election got off to a rocky start, with legal confusion over whether Fong, who had initially filed to run for reelection in the 32nd Assembly District, was eligible to run for Congress. Fong changed his mind, filed to run for Congress and was barred from the Assembly ballot by California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, who said that state law prohibits candidates from running for two offices in one election.

Fong sued, arguing that the law Weber cited has not been applicable since 2010, when California voters scrapped the state's party nomination system and created a new system in which the two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the general election regardless of their party affiliation. A Sacramento County judge sided with Fong in late December, ruling that he could appear on the ballot after all.

Weber's office appealed the decision in late January and asked the 3rd District Court of Appeal to rule on the question of Fong's eligibility by April 12, the deadline for Weber to certify the primary election results.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A feral pig and piglets near Drumnadrochit

Feral pigs are out of control in the Highlands' Great Glen, according to some local residents.

The animals have been blamed for killing sheep and damaging grazing land on crofts and farms.

There are calls for a reduction in numbers of the pigs, which include escapees and others that have been illegally released to roam free.

But national agency NatureScot said there could be a few thousand feral pigs across Scotland and primary responsibility for dealing with them lay with individual landowners.

Wild boar are a native species to Scotland, but were hunted to extinction about 700 years ago.

Over about the last 10 years, populations of free-roaming pigs have become established in Dumfries and Galloway and the Highlands.

NatureScot refers to these animals as feral pigs, and said they include hybrids - a mix of boar and domestic pigs following interbreeding.

The public body said it has best practice guidance on controlling the pigs.

Measures can include shooting them.

Landowners have responsibility for managing feral pigs, with this hybrid pig shot in the Highlands

Map

Between Inverness and Fort William, the Great Glen is an area of lochs, hills, moor and forests as well as croft and farm land.

Seven generations of Catherine Mclennan's family have farmed in the hills above Loch Ness, near Drumnadrochit.

"The family has never experienced anything like this - the devastation," she said.

The Mclennans' keep horses and cattle.

They used to farm sheep but sold off a flock of 150 in 2018, blaming feral pigs for killing and eating sheep.

Ms Mclennan said: "We were coming across carcasses, some with the whole fleece rolled back and the carcass stripped to the bones and the back broken."

She said feral pigs had also damaged pasture by rooting up ground to find food.

"We are putting in thousands of pounds a year just reseeding pasture and keeping our animals safe," said Ms Mclennan.

Catherine Mclennan would like to see feral pig numbers reduced

Ms Mclennan had her own close encounter while out one night checking on her horses - catching sight of a pig in the beam of her spotlight.

She said: "I switched off the light and stood thinking 'what am I going to do?' I put the light back on and the pig looked at me before running off at a fair rate of knots."

Two pigs were also shot on her land just after Christmas.

She said: "They looked like prehistoric animals - the size of them.

"I did feel sorry for them, but it's the amount of damage they are doing.

"They are a menace. I would like to see their numbers down."

Fergus Mould and Alison Strange first became aware of the animals about 10 years ago

Alison Strange and Fergus Mould run a nearby textile business.

They have lived in the area for 15 years and first noticed evidence of the pigs in 2013-14.

They said there has been increasing signs of pig activity in fields, native woodland, and also along the Great Glen Way walking route.

Ms Strange, an ecologist for more than 30 years, said: "They are going for roots, bulbs of onion couch and bluebells, white truffles and invertebrates.

"They get their snouts under the turf and roll it up.

"In some places the ground looks like it has been ploughed."

Mr Mould said it was interesting to have such large animals in the area, but added: "They are feral and not meant to be here.

"I understand wild boar have an environmental role, but these are not wild boar.

"Even if they were wild boar you would still have controls like you would with any reintroduced animal."

Mr Mould said a more uniform, landscape-wide approach to feral pigs was needed.

Feral pigs in a picture taken near Drumnadrochit

A trail left by feral pigs near Drumnadrochit

Toryn Whitehead, a social scientist and PhD researcher at Kings College London, has spent time in the area studying people's relationships with the animals.

He said: "Feral pigs and the people living alongside them are in legal limbo.

"At the moment the animals in the Great Glen are termed as feral pigs, but some people look at them as wild boar.

"But largely wild boar don't exist because there has never been any formal reintroduction of wild boars."

Mr Whitehead said the situation had led to the image of the pigs being "romanticised by some and vilified by others".

Evidence of the pigs' rooting for food in a field

NatureScot said there were public concerns around feral pigs.

A spokeswoman said: "Feral pigs breed prolifically and, if uncontrolled, their rooting behaviour can cause damage to the environment and to property.

"In particular, they pose a major threat to agricultural crops and pig farms and may undermine efforts to control future outbreaks of animal disease.

"If their numbers increase, they will also present a road collision risk."

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), a major local landowner, said it was aware of and actively managing feral pigs in the Great Glen.

The pigs root up grass and soil to get to roots and the bulbs of wild plants

OneKind, which campaigns on animal welfare, said there was a lot of negativity around the pigs and called for a way to be found for them to be able to live alongside communities.

The charity said: "If there is evidence of substantial harm being caused by any wild animal we recommend the International Consensus Principles for Ethical Wildlife Control be followed.

"We would particularly emphasise that the first principle includes developing a culture of coexistence, which seems to be sorely lacking in this instance."

More on this story

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(Bloomberg) -- Ant Group Co. plans to set up independent boards for its international, database and digital technologies operations as it pushes forward the overhaul of its fintech business, according to a memo seen by Bloomberg.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. will set up separate boards for Ant International, OceanBase and Ant Digital Technologies, according to the memo. Cyril Xinyi Han was appointed president of Ant Group, reporting to Eric Jing, the firms chairman and chief executive officer, the memo said.

The three units are still part of Ant from a shareholding perspective, according to a person familiar.

Jing will also take on the position of chairman at Ant International, while Yang Peng will become CEO of Ant International. The company didnt immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The moves come after billionaire Jack Ma gave up control of Ant last year. China wrapped up its crackdown on its once high-flying internet sector by slapping more than $1 billion in fines on Ant and Tencent Holdings Ltd. in July.

Ant also proposed to buy back as much as 7.6% of its shares in July at a valuation of about $79 billion, giving investors a chance to reduce exposure to the company. Fidelity and T. Rowe Price Group Inc. agreed to sell some shares. Alibaba will keep its one-third stake in Ant.

The memo added that the three units will introduce employee stock option programs more compatible with their startup status and start the award process in 2024.

Ni Xingjun was named chairman of OceanBase and Ant Digital Technologies. Yang Bing has been appointed CEO of OceanBase. Zhao Wenbiao was appointed CEO of Ant Digital Technologies, while Geoff Jiang will step down as president of Ant Digital.

Story continues

Ant has been preparing to break off its international business, database management services, and digital technologies operation which includes blockchain operations and mPaas, a one-stop mobile development solution, people familiar with the matter said in July last year.

International Business

To look for growth outside of China, Ant is leveraging the payments network it built for Alipay to service the different local wallets in Asia for cross-border payments.

Initially catering to Chinese tourists traveling outside the country, the company has expanded the service into a backbone for cross-border payments known as Alipay+ that can be used by different wallets. For example, when customers of GCash from the Philippines travel to Korea, they can pay with GCash when they see the Alipay+ logo displayed at merchants.

Alipay+ linked 1.5 billion consumer accounts on more than 25 e-wallets and banking apps for cross-border payments when users travel as of March.

Another budding source of revenue comes from Alipay+ D-store, which allows businesses to build digital stores across platforms including Chope, AlipayHK and Touchn Go. The company plans to generate income from servicing brands like Burger King that want an online presence in various apps.

Ants Singapore digital wholesale bank also started offering loans to small and medium-sized businesses in November 2022.

(Updates with more details from the memo throughout)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Canada had North America's worst air quality in 2023 because of wildfires, report says

Only seven counties met the World Health Organization standards for air quality last year, and during a record wildfire year, Canada had the worst air quality in North America, according to global air quality tracker IQAir.

The Swiss technology company released its annual World Air Quality Report on Tuesday with an air quality analysis from 2023. Scientists analyzed data from more than 30,000 air quality monitoring stations across 134 countries and territories to produce this years report, according to the international organization.

IQAir used annual PM 2.5 particulate matter guidelines adopted by the World Health Organization as the standard for its results. PM 2.5 pollutants are fine particulate aerosol particles linked to engine exhaust, industrial processes, power generation, coal and wood burning. Natural sources of PM2.5 can include dust, wildfires and sandstorms.

WHAT IS THE AIR QUALITY INDEX?

According to IQAir, just seven countries met the WHOs annual PM2.5 guidelines: Australia, Estonia, Finland, Grenada, Iceland, Mauritius and New Zealand. Only 9% of reporting cities achieved the WHO's PM2.5 guideline.

However, not all countries and territories have publicly accessible air pollution data, the report noted. Africa remains the most underrepresented continent, with a third of the population still lacking access to air quality data. North America is the most extensively monitored region, with more than 3,200 cities reporting air quality, according to IQAir.

The organization said better reporting and monitoring is needed worldwide.

"A clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a universal human right," IQAir CEO Frank Hammes said. "In many parts of the world, the lack of air quality data delays decisive action and perpetuates unnecessary human suffering. Air quality data saves lives. Where air quality is reported, action is taken, and air quality improves."

IQAirs report found that much of the air quality data in Latin America and the Caribbean comes from low-cost sensors.

"Low-cost air quality monitors, sponsored and hosted by citizen scientists, researchers, community advocates, and local organizations, have proven to be valuable tools to reduce gaps in air monitoring networks across the world," the report states.

Central and South Asia are home to the top 10 most polluted cities in the world.

The No. 1 country with the poorest air quality in 2023 was Bangladesh with particulate matter 15 times higher than the WHO's PM2.5 annual guideline. Pakistan, India, Tajikistan and Burkina Faso were also included in the top five most polluted countries.

Last year marked the first time Canada was the most polluted country in North America since IQAir started producing its annual report in 2017. The top 13 most polluted cities in North America were in Canada last year, according to IQAir.

Wildfires burned across Canada throughout last year, driven by warm temperatures and dry conditions that sent unhealthy air across the country, into the U.S. and around the world. In June, the smoke turned the sky in New York bright red when the city's air quality ranked the worst in the world.

By fall 2023, 6,400 wildfires in Canada burned through more than 43 million acres , according to Natural Resources Canada. The 10-year average of acres burned by wildfires in Canada is about 6.7 million acres.

In 2023, the air quality in the U.S. was influenced by the Canadian wildfires. The U.S. ranked 102nd out of 134 countries and territories, according to the report. The U.S. exceeded the WHO's PM2.5 guidelines by one to two times.

According to the report, Las Vegas was the cleanest major U.S. city, and Kihei, Hawaii, was the least polluted regional city in the country.

U.S. AIR QUALITY MAP

The most polluted major city was Columbus, Ohio. Only Beloit, Wisconsin, made it into the top 15 most polluted cities in North America. The rest of the locations were in Canada.





Original article source: Canada had North America's worst air quality in 2023 because of wildfires, report says
OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada will give more than C$40 million ($29.40 million) to a Czech-led initiative aimed at buying 800,000 artillery shells from third nations for Ukraine, Defence Minister Bill Blair said on Tuesday.

The funds will help deliver several thousands of shells of heavy ammunition, Blair told reporters. Canada will also donate C$7.5 million worth of night vision devices to Kyiv.

Ammunition supplies have become a critical issue for Ukraine in its third year of fighting against Russia's invasion, now characterized by grinding artillery battles.

"Ukraine has made it very clear to us that they have a desperate need right now for artillery ammunition and that shortage is being felt on the battlefield," Blair said.

The commitment to help buy shells was part of a defense deal that Canada signed last month with the Czech Republic, but Ottawa had not revealed then how much it would spend.

The Czech-led initiative to buy 800,000 rounds of ammunition for Ukraine secured enough funding, with contributions from 18 countries, Czech President Petr Pavel said on March 7.

Canada has already donated approximately 40,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition to Ukraine, sourced from both its own stocks and from purchases through the U.S. government. It is also seeking to boost its own production of 155mm shells.

Since Russia invaded in February 2022, Canada has committed C$4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, including howitzers, main battle tanks and armored combat support vehicles, the statement said.

($1 = 1.3605 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler)
Canada will allocate over 40 million Canadian dollars (US $29.40 million) for the procurement of artillery ammunition for Ukraine within the corresponding Czech initiative.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the Canadian government

Details: Bill Blair, Canadian Defence Minister, stated that these funds would help deliver several thousands of heavy projectiles to Ukraine.

Ottawa will also supply Kyiv with night vision devices worth more than $5.5 million.

"Ukraine has stated clearly that it is in desperate need of artillery ammunition, and their lack is evident in the combat zone," Blair said.

The commitment to buy the ammunition is a part of the defence agreement which Canada signed with Czechia last month, but then Ottawa did not specify how much money it would spend.

Ottawa has supplied Kyiv with about 40,000 155-mm shells from both its own reserves and on account of the procurement through the US government.

At the moment Canada is also trying to increase its own production of 155-mm ammunition.

Earlier, Czech President Petr Pavel stated that Prague was trying to deliver the ammunition to Ukraine as fast as possible.

Before that, Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, stated that according to the signals Kyiv had received, the Ukrainian soldiers are supposed to shortly feel the increase of ammunition supply within the Czech initiative.

Tomas Pojar, Advisor to Czech Prime Minister for National Security, stated earlier that the ammunition procured within the Czech initiative may be delivered to Ukraine as early as in June.

Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic, stated at the Munich Security Conference that his country had found up to 800,000 projectiles of the NATO standard calibre which it may send to Ukraine in a few weeks, if it received the funding for the delivery.

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House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy rubs his face during the fourth day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 06, 2023 (Getty Images)

The special election to replace former House speaker Kevin McCarthy  who left Congress before the end of his term  is being held on Tuesday.

Nine candidates are on the ballot all vying to finish Mr McCarthys current term in the House of Representatives.

It marks the second election in the district this month after a primary to serve the next full term was previously held on 5 March.

Mr McCarthys seat has been vacant since December.

The Republican congressman had been ousted from the speakership in October after just nine months in the post, as he faced a rebellion from the far-right faction of his party.

Two months later, he resigned from Congress altogether  leaving the Bakersfield seat in the Central Valley, north of Los Angeles, that he had held since 2007.

The nine candidates now seeking to replace him are all appearing on the same ballot regardless of party.

If the top candidate gets more than half of the votes, they will win the seat, but if no one gets more than 50 per cent of the vote, the top two will face off in a run-off election on 21 May.

Heres a rundown of the candidates running to replace Mr McCarthy:

Republicans

Vince Fong

The seat is guaranteed to have a Republican representative during the next term as the top two finishers in the 5 March primary for the general election were both Republicans  Mr Fong and Mike Boudreaux.

Mr Fong, a state assemblyman and former advisor to Mr McCarthy, won the endorsement of the former speaker, as well as the backing of former president Donald Trump.

Mike Boudreaux

Mr Boudreaux is the Tulare County sheriff who has garnered the support of local Republican groups as well as county leaders.

The sheriff has built a narrative around being the alternative to establishment Republicans in the Central Valley. After advancing to the general election, he said the area is demanding leadership in Washington with real experience confronting our biggest issues  safety and our open border.

Kyle Kirkland

The Fresno casino owner has loaned his campaign $485,000, according to federal records.

What were seeing today is too many people just engaging in the fight and the rhetoric and not enough people engaging in results, he told KBAK last month. We need more practical business experience. People that know how to put their emotions in check and separate the drama from the real data and figure out Okay, how are we going to get to a solution here, and importantly how to do it on a budget.

Anna Cohen

Ms Cohens website states that she was born and raised in Bakersfield and that she studied political science at UCLA.

In addition to being a Rotarian, Scottish Rites volunteer, and double bassist in the Tehachapi Symphony, she also teaches instrumental music at six high schools in the Kern High School District, the site states.

She is also the only woman Republican running in the race, with her website describing her as also a proud wife and mother (something the other Republican special ballot candidates cannot claim).

Democrats

Marisa Wood

Democrats have unified behind Ms Wood, a junior high school teacher, who managed to get to the general election in 2022 against Mr McCarthy.

However, in the 5 March primary, she came in third.

I know I feel that so many of our leaders, our political leaders, dont really care about us, the people who elected them to be there, Ms Wood, 63, told KGET in January.

Harmesh Kumar

Dr Kumar is a clinical psychologist who also ran in the primary for the US Senate in California.

He was endorsed by the East Bay Times when he ran for Concord city council in 2016. He previously served on the citys Human Relations Commission and the panel overseeing the spending of revenue from sales taxes.

He also offers free professional help to veterans with PTSD, substance abusers, the homeless and survivors of domestic violence. Its the sort of selflessness currently lacking on the council, the paper wrote in 2016.

No party preference

Three candidates are running under no party preference.

Ben Dewell

The meteorologist is the director of the Stallion Springs Community Service District, stating on his site that the experience has given him six years of direct non-partisan, experience legislating vital governmental services for a community of 4,000.

I am willing to work and compromise with anyone to get things moving, and thats the problem with Congress right now, he told KGET last month.

David Fluhart

The cannabis grower from the Sierra foothills is also running for Kern County Supervisorial District 1.

I think that the county protects itself more than trying to work with the other communities and whatnot, he told KGET. Its getting harder in this world to pay for things we need and we need to get creative on how to do that.

James Cardoza

Running as a fiscal conservative but more moderate on social issues, Mr Cardoza states on his site that he grew up on a dairy and row crop farm in Tulare.

The real estate photographer, specialising in aerial and drone photography, states on the site that he supports efforts to balance the federal government budget and curb inflation through government-wide austerity.
An amendment to Philippine law will give 10,000 pesos (180 dollars) to Filipinos who turn 80, 85, 90 or 95, contrary to claims made in videos viewed tens of thousands of times online that all senior citizens -- which the country classifies as anyone over 60 -- will receive the cash. The eligibility criteria for the handout is laid out in the text of the amendment and was explained by President Ferdinand Marcos

"Wow!! This is such good news!! As long as you're a senior citizen, you will receive 10k. This isn't selective, it's for everyone," reads the Tagalog-language title of a YouTube video posted on February 29, 2024.

Filipinos who are at least 60 years old are classified as senior citizens (archived link).

The video, which has been viewed more than 47,000 times, appears to show various photos of senior citizens lining up to receive the supposed cash gift.

The video's narration talks about how the Philippine government plans to distribute the money to the elderly.

Screenshot of the misleading YouTube video, captured on March 13, 2024

Other videos claiming all senior citizens would receive the cash gift were shared elsewhere on YouTube here, here and here and on Facebook here and here.

Comments on the videos appeared to show elderly social media users left disappointed for not receiving the financial aid.

"I'm 65 years old but I haven't received this government subsidy," read one comment.

Another read: "How about us pensioners from the social security system? I'm 67 years old and I have maintenance medicine. What about us?"

The claim surfaced as President Ferdinand Marcos signed an amendment to the Centenarians Act of 2016 -- which gives 10,000 pesos to Filipinos turning 100 -- to expand the handout to citizens turning 80, 85, 90 and 95. (archived link).

Expanded Centenarians Act

Marcos explained the eligibility criteria for the cash award at the amendment's signing ceremony (archived link).

"Under the new law, Filipinos, upon reaching the age of 80, shall receive a cash gift of 10,000 pesos and every five years thereafter and upon reaching the age of 85, 90, and until 95," he said.

Keyword searches on Google using phrases from the misleading video's narration led to audio lifted from a segment on the "Ted Failon and DJ Chacha" radio news show that aired on February 28 (archived link).

The programme's hosts interviewed NCSC chairman Franklin Quijano about the law's implementation and intended beneficiaries.

At the show's 6:28 mark, Quijano said that "those aged 80, 85, 90, 95 this year will receive the 10,000 peso cash aid".

He did not say that all Filipino senior citizens would receive the cash.

Furthermore, the video uses images from various unrelated events, including photos showing the Philippine social welfare agency distributing handouts and aid.

A Google reverse image search of one photo shown at the misleading clip's 12-second mark corresponds to a picture posted on social media platform X by the official account of Philippines' social welfare agency on February 2, 2024 (archived link).

In the post, the agency says the picture shows a social pension being paid out to poor senior citizens in Quezon City.

Below is a screenshot comparison of the image used in the misleading clip (left) and the photo posted by the Philippines' social welfare agency on February 2 (right):

Screenshot comparison of the image used in the misleading clip (left) and the social welfare agency's photo (right)

Philippine fact-checking organisation Vera Files has also debunked the claim (archived link).

AFP has previously fact-checked misleading claims about supposed cash handouts in the Philippines, such as here, here and here.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.  A Castle Point man has been charged in connection with a 2023 shooting outside a liquor store that left one man injured.

According to the Berkeley Police Departments probable cause statement, the shooting happened on Sept. 3, 2023, outside the Liquor Doctor in the 8300 block of Airport Road.

Police claim Jalen Toles and other individuals attacked a man outside the store and pistol-whipped him. Toles and his cohorts stole the victims bag and then shot the man. One of the bullets struck the victims cellphone but did not pierce his body.

Missing Missouri student: Officials focusing search efforts on Cheatham Dam

Toles and the others fled the scene in a car.

Investigators spoke with witnesses and reviewed surveillance stills, which helped them identify Toles.

Toles was arrested last week. Police claim he admitted to the shooting after seeing the surveillance images for himself.

The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Toles with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action. He was jailed on a $275,000 cash-only bond. Toles is due in court later this week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Celebrate the community at the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Gala

The Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the community, and they want you to help! Executive Director Janessa Calderon joined Our Quad Cities News with all the details about the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Gala.

For more information. click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
A U.S. congressman from Central Florida said he has helped rescue more Americans from Haiti.

Rep. Cory Mills shared a new video on social media Monday.

Mills said 13 more Americans were evacuated in this latest rescue.

Watch: Local church help gather donations to send to Haiti amid crisis

The local congressman shared other videos last week showing 10 Americans who were taken out of the country.

Also, the first charter flight of more than 30 U.S. citizens took off from Haiti and landed in Miami on Sunday.

Watch: State launches online portal to help Floridians stuck in Haiti amid gang violence, political unrest

The State Department says it will continue the flights and help Americans get out as long as possible.

The crisis in Haiti escalated early this month as rival gangs staged coordinated attacks.

Read: Gangs unleash new attacks on upscale areas in Haitis capital, with at least a dozen killed nearby

Government officials call security there unpredictable and dangerous.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Paul Cezanne's 'Paysage au toit rouge ou Le Pin a l'Estaque' (Landscape with a red roof or the Estaque pine) at the Palazzo Reale in Milan (Piero CRUCIATTI)

One structured and austere, the other sensual and joyous -- Paul Cezanne and Auguste Renoir were two founding fathers of Impressionism, but a new Milan exhibition explores their sharply different styles.

Marking 150 years since the founding of the art movement, 52 masterpieces by the two Frenchmen are on loan from Paris for an unprecedented show at the Palazzo Reale -- alongside two by Picasso, whom they inspired.

The paintings date from the 1870s to the early 20th century.

Renoir and Cezanne "were both part of the Impressionist adventure, before moving away from it. Cezanne turned towards extremely strong geometric structures, while Renoir kept his vibrant and sensitive touch", said Cecile Girardeau, curator of the exhibition.

The solitary, rather gloomy Cezanne had struck up a friendship in the 1860s with the jovial Renoir.

As the years went on, the pair remained friends despite their different personalities and painting styles, with Renoir visiting Cezanne's home in the south of France several times between 1880 and 1890.

- Bold brushwork -

Impressionism was born in April 1874 when a group of painters -- including Cezanne, Renoir and others such as Claude Monet -- broke away from the government-backed Paris Salon to hold their own independent show.

Their works were characterised by rapid dabs and brushstrokes that explore the effects of light and colour.

Many of the paintings in Milan -- on loan from the Musee de l'Orangerie and the Musee d'Orsay in Paris -- address similar subjects, from landscapes to nudes or still life.

But the artists' approaches varied, from Cezanne's bold brushworks focused on shapes to Renoir's more sensual touch that often sought to capture dappled light.

Girardeau, curator at the Musee de l'Orangerie, noted the differences between two still life paintings -- Cezanne's "Straw vase, sugar bowl and apples" (1890-1894) and Renoir's "Peaches" (1881).

"Cezanne tried to give us the essential structure of objects and it is through this that he makes us understand his view of the world," she told AFP.

By contrast, "Renoir captures the immediacy of the moment, gives us the sensation of the tablecloth, its folds, the softness of the fruit and the reflection of the light on the earthenware."

The artists' workshops have been recreated for the show: Renoir's from Cagnes-sur-Mer in the south of France and Cezanne's from his family home of the Bastide du Jas de Bouffan, the family home in Aix-en-Provence.

Time seems to have stood still as the light falls on the studios, the brushes, dried tubes of paint and wooden frames bearing witness to their masters' work.

- Joie de vivre -

The painters' personalities came out in their paintings.

The sober Cezanne described wanting to portray nature "according to the cylinder, the sphere, the cone", whereas the exuberant Renoir described a painting as a "joyful, pretty thing".

Cezanne's portraits are austere, the subjects staring into space without the hint of a smile, while Renoir's exude a sense of gentle serenity or, in the case of his voluptuous female nudes, of sensuality.

Their differences reflect their backgrounds. Cezanne was the son of a banker, who had no need to sell his art, while Renoir was from a family of poor artisans.

"Cezanne certainly didn't have a spontaneous natural talent and had to study hard at painting," said Stefano Zuffi, an art historian and co-curator of the exhibition.

"He nevertheless achieved an exceptional synthesis between a very rigorous, very geometric sense of composition and on the other hand, the spontaneity, the freshness, the colour of nature's light," Zuffi added, calling him a "genius".

By contrast, "Renoir's greatness consists of his inexhaustible 'joie de vivre'," he said.

"For him, life was beautiful and painting was a way to make it even more beautiful."

bh/ar/ams/js
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A long-held policy in the home-buying industry could be going away, impacting how real estate agents are paid.

The National Association of Realtors reached an agreement last week thats changing the standard on agent commissions. As part of the settlement, NAR has agreed to pay $418 million to some home-sellers who claim they paid inflated commissions.

I am pretty sure that there is going to be additional details, said Matt Stone, Realtor and owner of Matt Stone Real Estate. I know that our local (multiple listing service) is removing that comp field for buyers agents in July.

Piedmont Natural Gas breaks ground on new Charlotte operations center

For decades, when selling a home, sellers would agree on a commission fee. In North Carolina, the average fee ranged from 5% to 6%. That fee is then split between the buyers and sellers agents.

If the settlement agreement is approved by the federal court, standard commissions would become negotiable.

While some states are expected to be impacted more than others, Stone says he does not expect the impact to be that drastic across North Carolina.

In states like New York or Florida, you can literally walk into a home and be under the assumption that an agent is representing you  they are not representing you and they are getting both sides of the fee, he said. So, you are noticing 20-something states right now scrambling to adopt those buyer agent laws or contracts and making those mandatory for their members. So, North Carolina in that regard, has been long ahead of the curve that has existed for gosh probably close for a decade as far as I am aware.

NC Dept. of Labor releases cause of Carowinds Fury 325 support beam crack

What he does expect to change is how potential sellers and agents do business with each other. Stone expects discussions about buyers fees to take place immediately.

In my estimation, if you want one of the 8,000 Charlotte-area real estate agents to show your home, you are going to have to offer some sort of compensation or to bring all of those agents in the door and I believe that will be driven on market principals, he said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
iPhone screen showing various social media apps including TikTok, Facebook and X. Matt Cardy

Bloomberg reported Monday Apple and Google are in talks for iPhones to integrate Gemini AI.

Apple and Alphabet stocks both climbed in early trading.

"The potential deal is a validation moment for Google's generative AI positioning," Wedbush said.

Bloomberg reported Monday that Google and Apple are in talks to potentially integrate Gemini's generative AI technology with iPhones, and shares of both companies soared on the news.

While no agreement has been finalized, Wall Street cheered on both companies in early trading. Before midday in New York, Alphabet stock climbed 6.75% to hover at $151, while Apple shares moved nearly 3% higher to change hands at $177.45 a share.

"The potential deal is a validation moment for Google's generative AI positioning," Wedbush analyst Scott Devitt said in a note Monday.

The firm holds an "outperform" rating for Alphabet and a 12-month price target of $160.

Sources told Bloomberg that Apple could license Gemini to support new software coming to iPhones this year, adding that Apple has held similar discussions with OpenAI.

For Google and Gemini, a partnership with Apple would provide a welcome vote of confidence after recent controversy surrounding its "woke" chatbot and generation of historically inaccurate images. The company faced widespread backlash from tech communities online, including criticism from Elon Musk, as well as other executives and reporters.

Bank of America views the deal as a likely positive development for both the iPhone maker and Google.

"A partnership that can incorporate GenAl features faster into iPhones (software features in 2024) and incremental hardware features in 2025 would be a positive for both Apple and for the potential partner if Apple ends up with an agreement," Bank of America strategists wrote in a note Monday. "Maintain Buy on Al-driven multi-year upgrade cycle and potential for gross margins to re-rate higher."

Story continues

In Wedbush's view, the bear case here involves the competition in the generative AI and search space, in addition to "the perception that Google has mismanaged its approach to commercialization."

And as for Apple, Devitt said a strategic partnership with Google offers the "missing piece."

"This is a major win for Google to get onto the Apple ecosystem and have access to the golden installed base of Cupertino," he said. "For Apple this will give them the foundation and technology blueprint to double down on AI features currently being developed within Apple Park to make sure that iPhone 16 will be a potential game changer iPhone release around AI functionality."

Read the original article on Business Insider
A man accused of killing a woman in 2020 stabbed his attorney in the face and head with a pen and charged a prosecutor in court, California deputies and news outlets reported.

Ramello Randle, 28, of Oakland, attacked his attorney at 10:54 a.m. Monday, March 18, at the A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez, the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office said in a statement.

Randle also charged the county district attorney, who shoved him away, the sheriffs office said. Deputies cleared the courtroom and took Randle back to jail.

Both attorneys declined medical attention, sheriffs officials said.

Randle will face additional charges including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and battery, the agency said.

Officials later found a handwritten note by Randle that said, sorry, The Mercury News reported.

Randles attorney, Matthew Fregi, told the publication he was fine and called the fracas no big deal.

Randle was originally arrested in July 2020 and accused of killing Jonaye Lahkel Bridges, 24, the mother of his child, in Antioch, Fox News reported.

He used a tracking device on her vehicle to ambush her in a convenience store parking lot, killing Bridges, prosecutors told the station.

A judge declared a mistrial in the case in November 2022 after Randle shouted expletives at him while representing himself, The Mercury News reported. Randle also is accused of trying to punch his previous attorney in court in September, according to the publication.

Martinez is about a 35-mile drive northeast of San Francisco.

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If Europe wants to exist in peace it must shift to a war economy mode and significantly bolster defense capabilities in the face of the threat posed by Russia, European Council President Charles Michel said on March 18.

In an op-ed published in several European newspapers, Michel said U.S. support could no longer be taken for granted and EU countries needed to take responsibility for their own security as they grapple with the biggest security challenge since the Second World War.

If we do not get the EU's response right and do not give Ukraine enough support to stop Russia, we are next. We must therefore be defense-ready and shift to a 'war economy' mode, he wrote.

Russia is a serious military threat to our European continent and global security. If we do not get the EUs response right and do not give Ukraine enough support to stop Russia, we are next, he added.

If we want peace, we must prepare for war.

Michel decried a decades-long lack of funding and investment in European militaries and despite military manufacturing capacity increasing by 50% since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, much more was needed to be done.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU gives final approval of $5.5 billion in defense aid to Kyiv

While we beef up our defense capacity, we must ensure Ukraine gets what it needs on the battlefield, he wrote, adding that Ukrainian soldiers urgently need bullets, missiles and air defense systems to control the skies.

We must use the European budget to buy military equipment for Ukraine and lets make use of the windfall profits from Russias immobilized assets to purchase arms for Ukraine.

Elsewhere on March 18, EU foreign ministers agreed to allocate additional 5 billion euros ($5.5 billion) in defense assistance for Ukraine in 2024 within the framework of the European Peace Facility (EPF), Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced.

The EPF has been a key tool for supporting Ukraine's defense capabilities since 2022 but has been largely depleted as member states disagreed on the best way to replenish it and unlock further cash for Ukraine.

"With the fund, we will continue to support Ukraine to defend itself from Russias war of aggression with whatever it takes and for as long as we need to," Josep Borrell, the EU's chief diplomat, said in a statement.

Read also: Scholz, Macron, Tusk vow more arms purchases, new initiatives for Ukraine

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Charles Sobhraj appears in The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer, where he is speaking out for the first time since serving 19 years in prison in Nepal. (Channel 4)

Charles Sobhraj, also known as The Serpent, has said that those who believe he is a serial killer have been "brainwashed" by the media, and he now appears in a Channel 4 documentary to argue his innocence.

The convicted murderer has agreed to take part in The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer, a three-part documentary airing from Tuesday, 19 March. In it he speaks out for the first time since his 19-year prison sentence in Nepal, and the docu-series will see him face interrogation from members of the police and a forensic psychologist.

Read more: Channel 4 viewers call Accused: The Hampstead Paedophile Hoax 'truly horrifying'

When questioned in the documentary about people seeing him as a serial killer, Sobhraj said: "Well they have already been brainwashed by the media, they say I'm a serial killer without knowing from where they took the facts."

Charles Sobhraj (pictured with follower Marie-Andree Leclerc) is a suspected serial killer who is believed to have killed twenty people in south and Southeast Asia in the 1970s. (Channel 4)

Sobhraj is a suspected serial killer, it is believed that he killed twenty people in South and Southeast Asia in the 1970s, 14 of which he allegedly killed in Thailand. Sobhraj would drug tourists, steal their passports and commit identity fraud, and in 1976 he confessed to 10 murders before retracting his statement  Sobhraj has since denied killing anyone.

He was convicted for the murder of backpackers Connie Jo Bronzich and Laurent Carriere and sentenced to life imprisonment in Nepal between 2003 and 2022. He was also imprisoned in India between 1976-1997, during which time the statute of limitations for his alleged crimes in Thailand where he would have faced the death penalty expired.

Sobhraj was the subject of the BBC crime drama The Serpent in 2021, which starred Tahar Rahim and Jenna Coleman as Sobhraj and his follower Marie-Andree Leclerc.

Charles Sobhraj has said people who think he is a serial killer 'have already been brainwashed by the media' and he is taking part in the documentary to share his 'truth'. (Channel 4)

Speaking in the documentary, Sobhraj told the filmmakers that they can "ask me any question, I'm open" and when explaining why he chose to appear in the documentary he said: "I have to counter all those false accusations, allegations that people made when I was inside. I can put forward my facts and my truth."

He said of the documentary, "not only I want to do it, I look forward to it" and reiterated that filmmakers and the police and psychologist involved in the series "can ask me the question and I'll reply".

When asked how he'd feel if people still saw him as a serial killer by the end of the series, Sobhraj said: "Let's wait and see first".

The Real Serpent: Investigating a Serial Killer premieres on Channel 4 on Tuesday, 19 March at 9pm and it will continue to air over three nights.

Watch: Charles Sobhraj returns to France after 19-year prison stint
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A proposed new development in south Charlotte still does not have approval.

Charlotte City Council members did not make a decision on the plan Monday night. The possible development has been at the center of numerous discussions for more than a year now.

A developer wants to construct 640 housing units, including apartments, on undeveloped land in the upscale Piper Glen area. Several people spoke out against the plan Monday night.

One of the main concerns of neighbors is traffic congestion.

Were talking about potentially adding hundreds of vehicles and school buses to road infrastructure that was not designed for this additional volume, one speaker said. Due to aggressive growth in this area for over 27 years, my neighborhood has been rezoned by CMS a total of 15 times.

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Mecklenburg County News

City planning officials do not recommend the approval of the development petition as it is right now, and further discussion is not on the agenda for next months planning committee meeting.

That means the earliest it could be taken up again would be in May.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
A view of Washington Monument as visitors enjoy the cherry blossom trees in peak bloom at the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., on Monday, March 18. Anadolu via Getty Images

Washington, D.C., is in full bloom, likely thanks to climate change.

This year, the peak bloom was expected between March 23 and March 26, but instead occurred on Sunday, according to the National Park Service. This years peak bloom occurred the earliest it has in more than two decades, CBS News reported. It has also landed its spot as the second-earliest peak bloom ever recorded, according to CNN.

Given that weather plays a role in the timing of the blooming period, climate change could also impact the blooming season. Climate Central, an organization focused on climate change, predicts the occurrence could start as soon as the first week of March between 2070 and 2100.

PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! Did we say PEAK BLOOM?! the National Parks Service wrote in posts on multiple social media platforms. The blossoms are opening & putting on a splendid spring spectacle.

PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! PEAK BLOOM! Did we say PEAK BLOOM?!

The blossoms are opening & putting on a splendid spring spectacle. See you soon.

! https://t.co/h04Gu0ksc1#CherryBlossom#BloomWatch#WashingtonDCpic.twitter.com/ElYKjPB3UH  National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) March 17, 2024

The services website said that the occasion is characterized by the blooming of 70% of the Yoshino Cherry blossoms, which Japan gifted to the U.S. in 1912. Since then, D.C.s Cherry Blossom Festival has become a celebration, attracting hundreds of thousands of people annually.

Peak bloom most often occurs between Marchs final week and Aprils first week, but the occasion has also happened as early as March 15 in 1990 and as late as April 18 in 1958, the NPS site added.

Its unclear how long this years bloom will last, but last years lasted for about a week, CBS also reported.

The length of the blooming period depends on weather conditions. Cool, calm weather can extend the length of the bloom, and a rainy, windy day can bring an abrupt end to the ephemeral blossoms, NPSs website continued. A late frost can prevent the trees from blooming at all.

This year, D.C. experienced above-average temperatures in both January and March, ahead of the early peak bloom, CBS News reported, citing Weather Underground.

Likewise, the blooming in Japan has increased by 1.2 days per decade in correlation with rising temperatures, CBS News also reported, citing a climate expert at the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Check out D.C.s early cherry blossom bloom in the photos below.

A visitor takes a photo amid cherry blossoms, which enter their peak bloom this week, on March 18. Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press

Visitors walk beneath cherry blossoms on March 18. Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press

A view of Jefferson Memorial as visitors enjoy the cherry blossom trees in peak bloom. Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

Visitors enjoy the cherry blossom trees in peak bloom at the Tidal Basin on March 18. Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

This year's bloom is the second-earliest ever recorded. Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Washington Monument is seen from the Tidal Basin amid cherry blossoms on March 18. Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press

Related...
By Eric Cox

CHICAGO (Reuters) -Chicago voters on Tuesday appeared to reject a higher real estate transfer tax on properties worth over $1 million, a proposal that proponents said could raise $100 million a year to pay for affordable housing and fight homelessness.

The ballot measure was losing by 8 percentage points with 81% of the vote counted.

Backers of the measure called the results "disappointing" but had yet to concede late Tuesday, saying as many as 100,000 mail-in ballots had yet to be counted. The initiative was trailing by some 23,000 votes with nearly 300,000 ballots in.

"Whatever the final count, one thing is abundantly clear tonight: how determined our opponents are to continue profiting from displacement and inequality," Bring Home Chicago, the main coalition supporting the measure, said in a statement that also criticized how landlords, realtors and developers campaigned against it.

If approved, the initiative would lower property transfer taxes for the vast majority of Chicago residents, to $3 for every $500 of a transfer price under $1 million, down from the current flat rate of $3.75.

It would also create new brackets at the priciest end of the city's property market, including many office buildings filling the Chicago skyline, with a tax rate of $10 for every $500 of the transfer price between $1 million and $1.5 million, and $15 beyond that.

Proponents of the measure in the City Council, led by Democrats, estimated the changes would bring in an additional $100 million each year, which would be set aside for services to address homelessness.

Such a tax structure would bring Chicago in line with San Francisco, Philadelphia and other major U.S. cities, according to Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, the alderman who represents Chicago's 35th ward.

Opponents included landlords and managers of upscale properties.

The Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago said the initiative would hinder efforts to revitalize office towers downtown, which have struggled to keep tenants in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 68,000 Chicagoans lacked permanent housing at some point in 2021, the latest year for which data was available, according to a report by the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Of those, about 44,000 were temporarily staying in other people's homes, leaving 24,000 on the street or in shelters.

With the city also receiving an influx of immigrants, officials began evicting some foreigners from homeless shelters on Sunday.

(Reporting by Eric Cox in Chicago, Jonathan Allen in New York, and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Leslie Adler and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
Two Bellingham preschool programs are among the recipients of $30.4 million in grants to early learning centers across the Washington, with funding from the state Department of Commerce and the Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Gabriels Art Kids, which has locations in the Lettered Streets neighborhood, is receiving $600,000 for projects that will add 19 spaces. A Childs Life Learning Center received $57,876 to add 10 spots.

Quality child care is a key issue for working families in Whatcom County. Several new housing projects include child-care centers, and voters recently passed a 10-year tax for childrens education.

Access to child care is foundational for working parents and a critical component for equitable participation in the economy, Commerce Department Director Mike Fong said in a statement announcing the grants earlier this month.

Art Kids founder Gabriel Miles told The Herald that shell be renovating classrooms at the schools D Street location, hopefully by next summer or the fall of 2025.

Ive got a waitlist that would easily fill two more classrooms, Miles said.

Mile said in a phone call that her programs focus on the arts, including dance and movement, theater, languages and culinary studies.

Programs include the Robert Williams School, a private elementary school; early childhood learning; after-school programs; and summer camps.

Its child care, yes. But for me, its arts education. I want to provide this to as many kids as I can, Miles said.

The other grant recipient, A Childs Life, is part of Abundant Life church and has an early childhood program consisting of pre-kindergarten instruction.

Mindy Drewer, one of the schools directors, told The Herald that the grant will allow classroom remodeling.

It expanded the numbers (of children) that we can take. We put in a sink and new flooring, Drewer said.
Christian R. Basham, a suspect in a 2008 Washington state child rape case, was previously thought to have jumped to his death from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. He'd been working as Mark Clemens at the downtown L.A. complex where his body was found last month. (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

The death of a Los Angeles handyman took a twisted turn when authorities discovered the man who had been living a quiet, unassuming life was actually wanted in connection with the rape of a child in the Seattle area more than a decade ago.

The body of a 56-year-old man originally identified as Mark Clemens was found at a residential building in the 700 block of South Spring Street on Feb. 26. The Los Angeles Fire Department had responded to a dispatch call to the area with an ambulance around 3 p.m. that day, although the circumstances surrounding the man's death and how his body was discovered were not immediately clear.

The Los Angeles Police Department said his death did not appear to be a homicide, and the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner's office deferred citing his cause of death pending additional investigation. But a routine scan of the man's fingerprints uncovered his true identity: Christian R. Basham.

Basham had been working as a building supervisor at the residential complex in the Fashion District where his body was discovered. His neighbors say that he had been working as an independent contractor since a recent ownership change with the building.

But they were unaware of his infamous past.

Police in Bremerton, Wash., say Basham raped a 13-year-old child in September 2008. He was out of jail on $350,000 bond when, six months later, a witness saw Basham jump off the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. He had left a suicide note in his vehicle, which police found at the scene, Bremerton police Capt. Aaron Elton said.

"Several agencies engaged in a search ... but Basham's body was never found," Elton said in a news release posted last week on the agency's Facebook page.

Elton, who was on the Bremerton force in 2008 but was not assigned to the Basham case, said that because there had been no confirmation of his death at the time, the criminal case against Basham remain opened  until now.

Bremerton detectives are still hoping to piece together how Basham came to be living in Los Angeles under a pseudonym, Elton said. They also are working to reach the now-adult victim in the rape case, who was not related to Bashman, or the victim's family member, he said.

"It's important to us to let the victim know [he died] if they don't already know," Elton said.

Tenants and neighbors of the downtown L.A. building where Basham lived and worked were shocked by his alleged criminal past. Petra Wright, gallery director of Gloria Delson Contemporary Arts, said all she knew about Basham was that he was helpful.

"He was a trustworthy, dependable, hardworking, kind person who was always willing to be there if I needed anything," Wright said of the man she knew as Mark Clemens.

He often helped Wright install or remove cumbersome pieces at the gallery that were too big for her to handle alone, she said. Several of its curated pieces are 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide.

"He always was super respectful of removing the art, making sure it's not near any hardware ... so nothing gets damaged," she said. "And he was a consummate professional."

Tommy Cuellar found the news about his former next-door neighbor "very shocking," he told ABC-TV Channel 7. "This was our maintenance guy. This was the guy who had keys to our apartments. It was troubling, to say the least, as you could imagine."

The building's previous owners could not be reached for comment about Basham's employment.

Police in Bremerton are asking anyone with information about Basham during the years since his faked death in 2009 to contact Det. Derek Ejde at (360) 473-5497 or Derek.Ejde@ci.bremerton.wa.us.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden signed an executive order to strengthen womens health research standards across federal agencies and prioritize its funding, part of a broader effort to close the gap on long-standing disparities.

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Biden called it the most comprehensive executive actions ever taken to improve womens health at a White House event on Monday, and said it highlighted the administrations efforts to bolster economic gains for women.

Our administration has turned around the economy because we focused on women, Biden said. If you want to have the strongest economy in the world, you cant leave half the workforce behind.

Under the order, the National Science Foundation and Department of Health and Human Services are instructed to research ways to use artificial intelligence to advance womens health research. It also directs the HHS to expand data collection on womens midlife health and launch an agenda that can guide investments toward menopause-related research.

Womens health research has faced disparities for decades, from funding to trials. Women are historically underrepresented in clinical and research trials. A 2021 study in the Journal of Womens Health concluded that the National Institutes of Healths funding pattern favors males in nearly three-quarters of the cases where a disease primarily afflicts one gender.

The White House has proposed $12 billion to create a womens health research fund at the NIH and establish a national network of womens research centers. Biden has referred to the funding as part of his self-proclaimed unity agenda, intended to gather support from both sides of the aisle. Its uncertain whether the funding, part of the presidents broader $7.3 trillion budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year, will be approved by Congress.

Story continues

Biden was joined Monday by first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and journalist Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family who founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement.

Menopause Research

The executive order instructs the Defense Department and Veterans Affairs Department to study and improve the treatment of menopause for women in the military and veterans. Meanwhile, the NIH will invest $200 million toward interdisciplinary research, such as the impact of menopause on heart, bone and brain health beginning in fiscal 2025.

Shriver on Monday joked that Bidens actions likely mark the first time an executive order has mentioned menopause.

Employers have increasingly been offering specific menopause benefits for staff as they look to address the $26.6 billion the US economy loses each year in relation to employees managing menopause symptoms. A recent analysis found that 15% of employers said they offer or plan to offer menopause benefits in 2024, up from 4% last year.

Earlier: Hot Flashes, Brain Fog: Executives Break Menopause Taboo at Work

The order is intended to address all diseases that affect women, and doesnt specifically target in-vitro fertilization or other forms of reproductive health, according to a senior administration official.

Womens reproductive health has been a focal point on ballots since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Voters in Republican-leaning Ohio and swing-state Michigan enshrined abortion access in their state constitutions during recent elections.

Democrats have made reproductive rights a central issue ahead of the November elections. Vice President Kamala Harris visited a womens health clinic where abortions are performed, as well as other services, in Minneapolis last week. The trip signaled the administrations focus on womens reproductive rights as Harris embarks on a Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour.

Its clear those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade, who support a national ban on abortion have no clue, Biden said Monday.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has expressed his support of a 16-week abortion ban in private conversations to allies. Trump said Sunday he would make a public decision pretty soon on what his campaigns stance on abortion would be. His stance would include the three exceptions, he said, likely referring to allowing abortion in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the patient.

--With assistance from Michelle Jamrisko.

(Updates with Biden signing order and quotes from first paragraph.)

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By Kirsty Needham and Renju Jose

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia will prepare for a visit by China's Premier Li Qiang this year, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said after meeting her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Canberra for talks she said covered human rights, tariffs, regional security and pandas.

Australia and China, its largest trading partner, are rebuilding ties after a period of strained relations which hit a low in 2020 after Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origin of COVID-19.

Beijing responded by imposing tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Australian commodity imports, most of which have been lifted since a change of government in Canberra two years ago.

"I look forward to speaking frankly with you about Australians detained in China, human rights, maritime security and safety, as well as regional and international issues, such as the Pacific, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East," Wong said in her opening remarks.

After the meeting, she addressed Chinese and Australian reporters and said the two nations would work to prepare for a visit by Li, emphasising the importance of face-to-face diplomacy to better understand each other.

Australia and China would expand dialogue on the Pacific, and on climate and energy cooperation, Wong said.

"I expressed our serious concern about unsafe conduct at sea, our desire for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in our region," she said, a reference to friction with China's navy in the South China Sea.

While Beijing has made an interim decision to remove Chinese tariffs on Australian wine - one of the commodities hit by import charges after 2020 - Wong said Australia also wanted blocks lifted on beef and lobster, and they had discussed nickel market volatility.

Wong said she raised the case of Yang Hengjun, an Australian writer who was given a suspended death sentence by a Beijing court last month, and told Wang Australians were shocked by the sentence.

In another sign diplomacy was back on track, Wong said it was likely two pandas on loan from China since 2009, and due to return this year, would have their stay in her home city of Adelaide extended.

"We are on a good path there to continued panda presence," she told reporters after the meeting.

'MUTUAL RESPECT, COMMON GROUND'

According to a Chinese foreign ministry statement, Wang said he hoped Australia will take measures to uphold the principles of the market economy and provide a non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises in Australia. Canberra screens foreign investment in key sectors for national security, including critical minerals, and has blocked some Chinese deals.

He highlighted the need for independence, a likely reference to China's view that Australia's foreign policy is dominated by Canberra's strategic alliance with the United States, and said China-Australia relations are on the right track and should not go backward.

A reference to Australia needing to have an independent foreign policy that appeared in the Chinese foreign ministry's first Chinese language statement did not appear in a longer version issued later.

"The most fundamental thing is to insist on mutual respect, the most crucial thing is to insist on seeking common ground while reserving differences, the most important thing is to insist on mutual benefit and win-win situation, and the most valuable thing is to insist on independence and autonomy," he said according to the transcript.

The last time a Chinese foreign minister visited Australia was in 2017 and Wang's visit signals a thaw in diplomatic ties.

Wang also met with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and held a private meeting with 11 business, university and think tank representatives.

The Australia China Business Council's national president David Olsson said afterwards said the discussion had reflected "a diverse range of views and voices from the Australian side,

reflecting the conversations that are taking place in Australia about the future direction of the bilateral relationship".

Rio Tinto iron ore chief Simon Trott said China was the biggest customer of Australia's iron ore, and ongoing stabilisation of ties had led to "increasingly positive dialogue between governments and business leaders of both countries".

Wang will meet former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, a prominent supporter of China who has criticised Australia's AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine deal with the U.S., on Thursday.

(Reporting by Renju Jose and Kirsty Needham in Sydney and Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Stephen Coates and Lincoln Feast)
(Bloomberg) -- A Chinese businessman who lives in the US pleaded guilty to charges he made $11,600 in illegal campaign contributions in a New York City race and to congressional candidates in New York and Rhode Island.

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Qin Hui, the owner of SMI Holdings Group Ltd., an investment holding company that operates movie theaters in China, pleaded guilty Monday in federal court on New Yorks Long Island. Qin, 56, admitted that he gave other people money to make contributions in their names rather than his.

While the candidates werent identified, Federal Election Commission records show that a Qin Hui made a $2,800 donation in to Allan Fung, a Republican who unsuccessfully ran for Congress from Rhode Island in 2022. Prosecutors said the New York Congressional candidate was a sitting US Representative from the Eastern District of New York judicial district, which includes Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, as well as Suffolk and Nassau counties.

The New York city candidate was described only as Public Official 1 by prosecutors. But campaign finance records show Qin donated to only one candidate in 2021: $2,000 to Eric Adams, who is now the mayor. Last year, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged six people in a separate alleged scheme to divert tens of thousands of dollars in public money to the Adams campaign months before his election. The mayor wasnt implicated.

I know who he is, Adams said of Qin Tuesday at a news conference. Ive met him before, but I think we need to be very clear, as we saw over and over again in these straw donor cases, the one that happened in the Manhattan district attorney and the one that happened here, a lot of people read over the fact that the US attorney stated that this was not done with the campaigns knowledge.

A lawyer for Qin, didnt return voicemail and email messages seeking comment about the plea. Qin faces as long as 27 years in prison when hes sentenced May 14, prosecutors said.

Federal prosecutors said Qin caused the three campaigns to unwittingly file false finance reports with the Federal Election Commission in 2022. The donations were made without knowledge of the campaign committees, prosecutors said.

Qin, who has a residence at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan and in Old Westbury, about 20 miles outside the city, also pleaded guilty to fraudulently applying for a Green Card and a Florida drivers license.

Hes been in US custody since October when a federal magistrate in Long Island ruled he was a flight risk because of his substantial wealth and because he had threatened his ex-wife. She was a potential witness against him in an unrelated federal civil fraud case in Manhattan, prosecutors said.

--With assistance from Mia Gindis.

(Updates with comment from Mayor Adams in the fifth paragraph.)

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Chisinau declared a Russian diplomat persona non grata for holding sham presidential elections in unrecognized Transnistria, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry reported on Facebook on March 19.

The ministry summoned the Russian ambassador and handed him a note declaring an embassy employee persona non grata in response to the organization of the elections in Transnistria, which goes against the position of the Moldovan authorities.

On March 14, Moldovas Deputy Prime Minister said that Russia had illegally printed ballots for voting in an unrecognized region of Transnistria ahead of the so-called Russian presidential elections.

Read also: Russia prints presidential election ballots in Transnistria  MD deputy PM

Earlier, it was reported that Russia plans to open polling stations in unrecognized Transnistria to hold elections.

Deputies from the unrecognized breakaway region of Transnistria appealed to Russias Federation Council and State Duma, requesting protection for the region on Feb. 28.

They claimed this is necessary due to alleged pressure from Moldova. In response, Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it is carefully considering Transnistrias request.

Read also: EU condemns the Russian presidential elections on temporarily occupied territories

Moldova does not anticipate any escalation or destabilization in the Transnistrian region, Daniel Vode, a spokesperson for the Moldovan government, said following the so-called summit.

Voting in the presidential election ended on March 17 in Russia. The Russian held an illegal voting on Ukrainian territory.

Read also: Ukraine blasts Russia's peacemaker facade in Transnistria conflict

Putin allegedly scored an incredible and record-breaking 87.32% even for himself - such data of a fictitious calculation of 99.67% votes was drawn for the Russian dictator by Russias Central Election Commission.

The second place in this staged spectacle was given to the candidate from Russian Communists Party (KPRF) Nikolai Kharitonov - he allegedly won 4.3%.

Vladislav Davankov from New People party is the third (3.82%), Leonid Slutsky from ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) is the fourth (3.20%).

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
There are only two easy ways to leave a voluntary job in a small parish church: to die or move abroad. Even then, a friend of mine returns at intervals from a posting in Singapore to do the flowers in her village church.

A report this week unsurprisingly identified that up to a quarter of Church of England parishes have no churchwardens. Not only are these tasks hard to hand on, but often thankless and taxing.

To quote a churchwarden who commented under The Telegraphs news story: I decided to resign after my last annual swearing-in ceremony when the archdeacon gave us a diatribe about the sins of the Save The Parish movement. As neither he nor our bishops have ever visited my church, I decided to vote with my feet. They can clear the weeds from the drains  referee the battle between the organist and bellringers, arrange transport to church for the elderly members of the congregation

The CofE is facing an existential crisis, manifesting itself in fewer bums on seats and a chronic lack of volunteers. Many dioceses are compounding and accelerating this crisis by making financially unnecessary clergy cuts and merging parishes  creating an intolerable workload for the remaining clergy.

This follows a model of oversight ministry in which each priest becomes, essentially, an area manager. Priests become oversight ministers, supervising the taking of services in each church by so-called focal ministers  generally expected to be lay people.

So will bishops do politics, clergy do administration and lay people take services, then? It seems bizarre that part of the Churchs solution to its problems is to increase its own dependence on a nationally-dwindling number of volunteers.

A black economy is developing: volunteers, far from embracing new titles with fervour, are sick of being showered with bossy diocesan emails and wary of taking on official church roles. Instead, they are carrying out day-to-day tasks in churches on an informal basis.

None of their mundane tasks diminish in the mega-parish model, with the additional burden of providing lay ministry. Each church still needs someone to take the collection, light the candles and lock and unlock the door.

A 2023 independent report on the 1.2 million seven-year pilot project Transforming Wigan showed that the formation of hubs (large groups of parishes) drove down church attendance and donations. Moreover, it substantially increased the administrative load, instead of simplifying it as promised.

Similarly, in Cornwall, the mega-parish model has created an unworkable task for oversight ministers. Rather than increase the capacity for ministry and pastoral care by reversing parish clergy reductions, the Churchs solution has been the insertion of another layer of management.

Cutting clergy and increasing dependence on volunteers is a cunning plan worthy of the dopey Baldrick in TVs Blackadder, from which the Church must escape as a matter of strategic urgency. The three-fold changes needed are: for the Churchs senior leaders to focus on their pastoral responsibilities to the clergy; for the dioceses to recruit, train and deploy more clergy; and for everyone to be nicer to volunteers. This means taking a scythe to the administrative burden which currently demotivates them.

As a Church Times leader this week observed, The Churchs strategists really do have to think again, not least about their ambitious plans to... rely heavily on lay leadership

Emma Thompson is a freelance writer and member of Save The Parish

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Billionaire, philanthropist and Citadel CEO Ken Griffin has donated $50 million to go toward research and care at Baptist Health South Florida for Alzheimers and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Griffins gift, the largest single donation in Baptist Health South Floridas nearly 65-year history, is expected to help the not-for-profit hospital system expand research capabilities at its Miami Neuroscience Institute and improve patient care, leaders of the hospital and its foundation say.

This extraordinary gift is a visionary contribution to the well-being of current and future generations in South Florida and beyond, said Bo Boulenger, president and CEO of Baptist Health. We are enormously grateful to Mr. Griffin for this generous donation, which will further strengthen our position as one of the nations leading centers for neuroscience.

The gift, announced Tuesday at a news conference, will help Baptist build a new neuroscience center, equipped with the latest technology, on the Kendall campus of Baptist Hospital, officials say. Griffins gift comes just weeks after he made a similar donation to Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami to help with cancer research.

Baptist plays a key role in Miami. You cannot have a world-class city without world-class healthcare, said Griffin, noting that Baptists neuroscience program ranks among the top 1% of programs in America, demonstrating that Baptists leadership delivers on its goals.

And Baptists success is Miamis success, he said.

Bo Boulenger, president and CEO of Baptist Health, right, gives a thumbs up during a ceremony recognizing Ken Griffin, Citadel CEO, left, for his donation to the Miami Neuroscience Institute on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Baptist Health Baptist Hospital in Miami, Fla. It will be the future home of the Kenneth C. Griffin Center.

Baptists Miami Neuroscience Institute, which last year ranked in the Top 40 of neuroscience centers in the nation, provides care for complex neurological conditions, including dementia, Alzheimers disease, epilepsy and Parkinsons.

Baptist leaders say the new Kendall center, which will be named the Kenneth C. Griffin Center at Miami Neuroscience Institute, will serve as the institutes hub and provide space for researchers to conduct studies and for doctors to care for patients under one roof. The buildings groundbreaking will be in 2025 on the main campus at North Kendall Drive and 89th Avenue. Baptist expects the building will open in three years.

The scale of Ken Griffins philanthropy is a new level for Miami, said Alexandra Villoch, the former publisher of Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald who is now CEO of Baptist Health Foundation. His investment in healthcare, she said, will drive transformation and help Baptist hire and retain top doctors.

Hospital officials are hopeful that the centers research and innovation will lead to critical advancements in patient care at a time when Alzheimers and other neurological diseases are on the rise and demand for care is at an all-time high.

Miami-Dade County, for example, leads the nation in the percentage of people 65 and older who have Alzheimers disease, a memory-robbing condition that has higher rates among Hispanic and Black populations, according to research published last year in Alzheimers & Dementia, the Journal of the Alzheimers Association.

We are on the cusp of new discoveries, global breakthroughs right here at Baptist Health. ... It is a pivotal moment in our fight against neurological diseases like Alzheimers, said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava during the news conference, noting that many families are affected by neurological diseases, including her own. Levine Cavas father had dementia. He died at Baptist in 2021 at 87 after falling ill with COVID-19.

Donation to Baptist life-changing for patients

Sebastian Krys, Latin Grammy Award winner and Parkinsons patient, center, smiles at his doctor, Dr. Diego Torres-Russotto, right, after a ceremony recognizing Ken Griffin, Citadel CEO, for his donation to the Miami Neuroscience Institute on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Baptist Health Baptist Hospital in Miami, Fla.

Baptist patient and 22-time Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winner Sebastian Krys, who on Friday will hit five years since he was diagnosed with Parkinson disease, believes Griffins donation will be life-changing for people like him who are living with neurological diseases.

Argentine-born Krys, who grew up in Miami and now lives in Los Angeles, is an audio engineer and record producer who began his career working at Gloria and Emilio Estefans Crescent Moon Studios in Miami-Dade. Hes worked with famous artists throughout his career, including Luis Fonsi, Shakira, Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. He was 48 and his career was thriving when he was diagnosed with Parkinsons, a disease that affects the nervous system.

Krys, who spoke at the conference, said finding the right care for his condition wasnt easy. He went through six neurologists until his brother, who is part of the Baptist Health Foundation, recommended he visit Dr. Diego Torres-Russotto in Nebraska, who Baptist was in the process of recruiting. He did.

And Torres-Russotto, who is now the chair of neurology at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute, changed his life, Krys said.

Krys said he was functional for about five hours a day. With the help of Torres-Russotto, in less then a year, Krys said he was experiencing 13-14 hours a day where I felt back to my normal self and is now able to work, travel and enjoy life with his family.

Its doctors like him that gives us hope, said Krys, CEO of Rebeleon Entertainment.

Sebastian Krys, 22-time Grammy and Latin Grammy award-winner and Parkinsons patient, left, embraces his doctor, Diego Torres-Russotto, during a ceremony recognizing Ken Griffin, Citadel CEO, for his donation to the Miami Neuroscience Institute on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Baptist Health Baptist Hospital in Miami, Fla.

Baptist is already researching brain science treatments, such as using focused ultrasounds to temporarily open or disrupt the barrier that surrounds the brain in areas where theres an abnormal build-up of Alzheimer-causing proteins. But Griffins gift will help the hospital potentially double or triple its research capabilities, especially now that its set to be the teaching hospital for Florida International University, Boulenger told the Miami Herald after the conference. Griffins donation will also help the hospital hire and retain top doctors.

Mr. Griffins support will propel Baptist Health into a new era of clinical and research excellence, enabling us to push the boundaries of neuroscience research and deliver cutting-edge treatments, said Dr. Michael McDermott, chief medical executive of the Miami Neuroscience Institute. This support is instrumental in advancing neuroscience research, and I hope it will inspire others to join us on this journey. Mr. Griffins gift positions our clinicians to redefine the landscape of neurological care in ways that will advance the field and, most importantly, drive impact for our patients.

READ MORE: Why do some people get Alzheimers and others dont? How a new UM tool checks your risk

Dr. Michael McDermott, chief medical executive of the Miami Neuroscience Institute, thanks Ken Griffin, Citadel CEO, for his donation during a ceremony on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Baptist Health Baptist Hospital in Miami, Fla. It will be the future home of the Kenneth C. Griffin Center.

Ken Griffin donates millions to South Florida hospitals

Griffin, who was born in Daytona Beach, is the founder of Citadel, which is considered to be one of the most successful hedge funds in history. He relocated Citadels headquarters to Miami from Chicago in 2022 and has been on a real estate shopping spree in South Florida.

Hes also big on philanthropy and founded Griffin Catalyst, which reflects his philanthropic strategic approach to tackling the worlds greatest challenges. He has six philanthropic priorities  education, science and medicine, communities, upward mobility, freedom and democracy, and enterprise and innovation.

The Florida-born businessman, 55, has donated more than $2 billion to charities. And has recently begun to zero in on helping South Florida hospitals since moving to the 305.

Earlier this month, the Citadel CEO donated $50 million for research and development of new cancer treatments at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami. Last year, he donated $25 million to Nicklaus Childrens Hospital near South Miami to help improve care for pediatric patients. Sylvester and Nicklaus are also naming new facilities after him.

Baptist says the $50 million gift is one of the largest Griffin has made in Florida and is considered to be one of the 10 largest healthcare-related philanthropic gifts in the state over the last decade.
Nearly three years ago, my mother Debbie Sisco and sister Marie Varsos were murdered. Her husband Shaun Varsos, who had threatened our family and friends, hunted them down, shot and killed them. Marie was a tragic victim of domestic violence, and my mom died trying to protect her.

My sister had the cards stacked in her favor to protect her. She contacted the police. She received a restraining order. She followed up with local enforcement for updates. She was surrounded by our family, who advocated for her and provided a safe haven. She kept disturbing messages from her husband as proof that his behavior was a threat to her life.

She even secured a firearm, which she ultimately used against him the morning of her death. However, she still ended up as a casualty of domestic violence. If Marie had these advantages, how great is the risk for other women who lack similar support, resources and advocates?

Column: In Tennessee, barbers are trained to see domestic violence signs. Why not in all states?

Loopholes in the law put domestic violence victims in danger

The red flags were there for local law enforcement, lawyers and the courts. About one month prior to her death, Marie was strangled and held captive at gunpoint by Shaun. They were aware of Shauns risk to hurt others. Due to loopholes and missteps by government agencies, I suffered two significant losses in one day. Unfortunately stories like mine arent entirely one of a kind, and its deeply troubling to know how commonplace domestic violence continues to be.

Deborah Sisco

In Tennessee, for instance, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates nearly 40% of women in the state will experience some form of domestic violence in their lifetimes. A contributing factor are several loopholes.

A Tennessee judge can authorize electronic monitoring to track a DV offenders whereabouts but that condition was never imposed on Maries husband as part of his release.

In fact, when pressed, a local district attorneys office couldnt name a single DV case where monitoring was used. Gaps like this can expose women to be more vulnerable and more likely to become fatalities.

For my sister, one of the most egregious system failures was that she wasnt notified of her husbands arrest and release. Even more appalling is that he was released early from jail, although the magistrate ordered he be held for the mandatory 12 hours before his release.

Marie Varsos with her dogs.

GPS requirement bill in Tennessee could prevent more tragedy

More safeguards are needed at the local and national levels. GPS monitoring to notify both victims and law enforcement is one of those options. Currently theres not much to deter an offender from coming after you.

My sister was so worried for her life that she slept with a knife under her pillow and a gun nearby after her strangulation. Im sure other victims have slept with a weapon close by, but they shouldnt have to rely on self defense.

More: Metro Nashville to pay $250K to mother of woman killed after asking police for protection

GPS monitoring should be a condition of bail for any offender who strangulates, uses a deadly weapon on a victim or is deemed dangerous. Enabling this technology brings victim protection into the 21st century and can save lives. If my sister had had access to this technology to alert her, it could've increased her chances of survival.

Right now, the Tennessee legislature is considering a GPS monitoring bill (Senate Bill 1972/House Bill 2692), named in honor of my late mom and sister, that could save lives of battered people by notifying them and local law enforcement of an offenders proximity.

If it passes, it may encourage other states to follow Tennessees lead to pass a similar law. No one should have to experience what Ive gone through. While it shouldnt take a tragedy to inspire transformation, Im hopeful my personal loss will save the lives of others.

Alex Youn

Alex Youn is a domestic violence advocate and public policy professional in the telecommunications industry.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Domestic violence: GPS monitoring bill would better protect victims
Sacramentos first cherry blossom park is set to open this summer along the riverfront, organizers confirmed this week.

The Hanami Line project, spearheaded by the Sacramento Tree Foundation, broke ground at Robert T. Matsui Park in June and is intended to honor Japanese American residents of the capital city.

Based on what we know today, we are shooting (to open) the end of June, the very end of June and potentially early July, said Laura Garcia, director of development for the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

The opening date is contingent on weather and construction, she said.

Because of the park sits on an active Sacramento levee, whenever there are weather delays or whenever theres construction into a levee, we coordinate with the (U.S.) Army Corps of Engineers, Garcia said.

The hanami experience in Japan involves cherry blossom viewing. The Sacramento Tree Foundation

What is Hanami Line?

The Hanami Line project has been in the works for around 10 years and has received support from UC Davis Health System, Caltrans, the city and millions of dollars generated through fundraising, The Sacramento Bee reported in June.

Donors have committed nearly $7.7 million to support the project, Garcia said.

The project is named after the traditional Japanese practice of hanami, or, cherry blossom viewing. The activity, which takes place in the springtime when the fruit trees are in bloom, draws thousands of families to picnic, play and relax in local parks, according to the Hanami Line website.

Organizers plan to plant a total of 104 cherry trees at Matsui Park in the first couple weeks of April as part of the Hanami Line project, Garcia said.

According to the projects development summary, the Sacramento Tree Foundation worked with a nursery in Oregon to pick two tree breeds: Pink Flair and Yoshino.

Those breeds are best suited for Sacramentos climate and can tolerate higher temperatures, Garcia said.

In addition to trees, visitors to the park can enjoy these features, according to the Sacramento Tree Foundation:

A walkway will lead visitors from an iconic lighted sculpture along seigaiha wave-patterned pavers and art-infused inlays, toward Sacramentos Japanese sister city, Matsyama;

Four different bosques, or, mini forests, will offer scattered seating offer space to host events and picnics. The benches were created from local fallen trees milled by the Tree Foundations Urban Wood Rescue program.

There will be Japanese parasol-inspired shade structures.

Congresswoman Doris Matsui reacts as the ribbon pulls the cherry tress together at the groundbreaking for the Hanami Line project at Robert T. Matsui Park on Thursday, June 29, 2023. Consul General of Japan Noguchi Yasushi held the ribbon to prevent one tree from tipping over as Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg helped with ribbon cutting. The Hanami Line will be Sacramentos first cherry blossom park connecting Sacramentos love of trees with the rich cultural heritage of the region along the Sacramento River. The Hanami Line is projected to open in 2024. Paul Kitagaki Jr./pkitagaki@sacbee.com

Where is Sacramento cherry blossom park?

The Hanami Line project will be located just up the river from the Old Sacramento waterfront at 450 Jibboom St. which overlooks the Sacramento River.

The 1.5-acre park will be visible from Interstate 5 and within walking distance of the Railyards and SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity, according to the projects website.

Congresswoman Doris Matsui talks with participants during the groundbreaking for the Hanami Line project at Robert T. Matsui Park on Thursday, June 29, 2023 in Sacramento. The Hanami Line will be Sacramentos first cherry blossom park connecting Sacramentos love of trees with the rich cultural heritage of the region along the Sacramento River. The Hanami Line is projected to open in 2024. Paul Kitagaki Jr./pkitagaki@sacbee.com

Whats the connection to Japantown?

Matsui Park, named after former Sacramento City Councilman and U.S. Representative Bob Matsui, is near Sacramentos once-bustling Japantown.

The citys so-called Japanese Quarter, which once rivaled similar enclaves in Los Angeles and San Francisco, was established between Third and Fourth Streets and L and M Streets, the Sacramento Tree Foundation website said.

However, two key factors led to the destruction of downtowns Japanese neighborhoods and businesses: the imprisonment of Japanese Americans in concentration camps during World War II and the redevelopment of the area in the 1950s.

The Hanami Line project seeks to recognize the lasting contributions the Japanese American community has made to our city, the site said.

The Japanese American community has been so resilient and responsive and done so much for the fabric and culture of Sacramento, Lon Hatamiya, a member of the Hanami committee, said at the groundbreaking ceremony in June. She was the first Asian American to hold a cabinet-level position in state government.

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.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  On Feb. 20, 2021, Dashuan Hunter traveled from his job in Washington to the Bakersfield home he shared with his wife, where the couple argued over her affair with another man, a prosecutor said.

Hunter left and made his way to the boyfriends home on South Hayes Street, calling his wife repeatedly while on the way, according to Deputy District Attorney Samantha Allen.

She picked up, and was on FaceTime with Hunter as he fired seven rounds into her lover, Reginald McCoy Jr., Allen said during her closing argument Tuesday in Hunters murder trial.

Bakersfield man dies after vehicle collides with a horse in southeast Bakersfield: BPD

I want you to think about how sinister and cold and calculating that is, Allen said. Hes taunting her.

Dashuan Hunter, 36, is charged with first-degree murder. He faces a life term in prison if convicted.

Allen said DNA evidence and cellphone records show beyond a reasonable doubt Hunter, 36, is the killer.

But Hunters defense attorney, Tony Lidgett, said there is another explanation: Hunters wife, Darrylesha Hunter, killed McCoy.

A witness reported McCoy had just got off the phone with Darrylesha Hunter when her blue Kia Optima pulled up. No one saw whether Darrylesha or Dashaun was inside.

She had motive, Lidgett said.

Earlier the evening of the shooting, Lidgett said, Darrylesha Hunter ran to a neighbor for help as McCoy chased her. She had a black eye.

Darrylesha Hunter may have later shot McCoy out of anger, fear or in self-defense, Lidgett said.

Police recovered bullet casings that were found to have Dashaun Hunters DNA on them, Allen said, and analysis of his cellphone revealed the device was in the area when the shooting occurred.

Lidgett said cellphone records are unable to pinpoint an exact location, and there was no testimony placing the phone at McCoys home.

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As for the DNA evidence, Lidgett said Dashaun Hunter probably loaded the gun months earlier, before leaving for his job in Washington. The gun stayed home, where his wife would have had access to it, he said.

Lidgett noted there were two DNA profiles found on the casings, and questioned why Darrylesha Hunter wasnt tested to eliminate her as a match.

Before court recessed for the evening, Lidgett said the evidence shows Darrylesha wiped her cellphones memory.

Shes hiding something, Lidgett said. What? She literally did a factory reset. Coincidental?

Lidgett will finish his closing on Tuesday, and Allen will give a rebuttal argument. The case will then go to the jury.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board members are in Washington for the Council of the Great City Schools conference.

Here is what CMS families need to know to get free, reduced lunches

Theyre meeting with U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, and other lawmakers who represent North Carolina.

CMS leaders said they want free lunches to be federally funded.

Nutrition is a huge cost for our school system, said Stephanie Sneed, the chair of the CMS Board of Education. If we can move to a direction of where that is covered by federal dollars, it gives us the opportunity not only to make sure that our children have the proper nutrition, but it also will free up funds that we can use for other things that are specifically related to academics.

School board members were also promoting the J-1 visa program, which allows teachers to be hired from other countries for language programs.
When investors like Kyle Bass talk, investors listen. Bass, whose story was immortalized in Michael Lewis's book "The Big Short," first predicted then profited from the 2008 financial crash.

With that in mind, real estate investors everywhere should pay attention to his most current advice, which is to follow migration trends and buy real estate in those areas. Bass is buying large tracts of rural land in Texas, Florida and Tennessee.

Those states have specific traits that give real estate the potential for high upside. First, they have a lot of rural land. Second, U.S. migration patterns are showing a shift to Sun Belt states like Florida, Texas and Tennessee. Third, they all offer a lower cost of living compared with the places that people are leaving to move to the Sun Belt.

"When you think about the U.S., you look at the coastal region, the West Coast and the Northeast being very high cost, very high tax  one could say mismanaged  jurisdictions," Bass said during an interview with Investor's Podcast Network. "Theyre moving to pro-business, lower costs, lower or no-tax jurisdictions."

That's one of the main reasons Bass is buying rural real estate in Texas, Tennessee and Florida.

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Bass Has A Different Land-Use Plan Than Real Estate Investors

Based on migratory trends, Bass's buying pattern is intuitive and could benefit any real estate investor looking for land with upside potential. Bass is not necessarily buying land for development purposes. He sees a different profit potential in using rural land as environmental credits.

It's a smart move by a man with a history of making smart moves. In 2021, Bass founded the private equity firm Conservation Equity Management, which exchanges federal credits for environmental services such as wetland restoration on privately held property. The firm purchased $90 million worth of land in Texas, and if that land continues to appreciate at the same rate as the previous decade, he will more than double his money.

Story continues

As more companies and people move to Texas and other pro-business, low-tax states, there will be devastating environmental consequences, forcing firms to consider their physical environmental impacts, carbon footprints and mitigation options," Bass told Reuters.

Bass Has A Strong Preference For Land Investments

Bass has another, more practical reason for buying land, which he prefers to gold as an alternative investment. "When I think about gold versus rural land again, I have the population demographic in my tailwind. I also have something that I can drive to, he said during the 2022 Reuters interview.

It's hard to argue with the logic behind that strategy.

A Caveat To Real Estate Investors Regarding Bass's Investment Strategy

Based on migration patterns in the United States, investing in Texas, Florida and Tennessee (or similar markets) makes a lot of sense. However, there is an important caveat to consider before going all-in on Texas or Florida real estate investing. Bass spoke of these states as being "low-tax, business-friendly" jurisdictions and that's true. Florida and Texas are both states with no state income tax.

The question is how long that remains the case. Up to now, those states have been able to manage without a state income tax because they were relatively sparsely populated compared with the amount of land they have. As millions of people move in, infrastructure like schools, highways, public transit and additional staff for emergency services such as police and fire departments becomes necessary. It's not easy to get all that done without state income tax.

Accommodating population booms in the 1960s, '70s and '80s is why states like New York and California have such high tax rates. Regardless of how well-managed Bass perceives Sun Belt state governments to be, they can't print their own money. Eventually, those state governments will need to raise money, and it's the residents of those states who will foot the bill. Eventually, every booming economy will become a victim of its success.

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This article Big Short Investor Is On A Rural Real Estate Buying Spree In These Three States originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The Coast Guard unveiled new measures last week to improve service members' access to mental health screening and treatment, requiring supervisors and commanders to refer personnel who request an evaluation as soon as it is practical.

In a Coast Guard-wide message Friday, Rear Adm. Dana Thomas, assistant commandant for health, safety and work-life, said that the service already provides informal support in most situations but adoption of guidance set forth in the Brandon Act, approved as part of the fiscal 2022 defense policy law, will formalize the approach.

"Each of us must remain willing and able to do all that is required to save another's life," Thomas wrote in the message, ALCOAST 124/24.

Read Next: A Better Way to Give Pay Raises to Junior Enlisted? Key Senator Says It's Under Consideration This Year.

The Brandon Act, named for 21-year-old Brandon Caserta, a Navy aircrew aviation electrician's mate who died by suicide in 2018 in Norfolk, Virginia, requires commanders to respond immediately to requests from troops for mental health assessments and for the services to train members on their rights to access.

The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force implemented Brandon Act policies by September 2023. The law did not provide a timeline for adoption but stipulated that the armed forces, which include the U.S. Coast Guard, must ensure that members can request a referral regardless of basis.

In the message, the Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, said the law applies only to the Defense Department but that it will "implement applicable elements of [the law] to mature" its behavioral health program.

The Coast Guard's policy differs from the law in terms of the paygrade of those required to refer members. In the Coast Guard, supervisors E-6 and above must make the referral; the law says E-5s and above must do so.

"The Coast Guard requires a slightly different implementation strategy," the message states. "Each member of the CG family (from most junior to most senior, active duty, reserve, auxiliarists and civilian) are trained and expected to recognize a person in distress and take appropriate action to ensure a warm handoff occurs whenever needed."

From 2018 through June 2023, the Coast Guard lost 35 members to suicide, including a dozen in 2022 alone, according to figures provided by the service.

While suicide is a complex issue caused by many factors that include mental health, the services' prevention programs focus on resiliency and behavioral health treatment as part of an overarching strategy to reduce suicides in the ranks.

The Brandon Act required commanders to maintain privacy by not asking providers to share the results of a member's mental health assessment. However, there are some exceptions, including a service member being at risk for harm to themselves, others or the mission; needing inpatient care or substance abuse treatment; having an acute medical condition that interferes with duty; or cases where the command required a service member to get a mental health evaluation.

Patrick and Teri Caserta, Brandon Caserta's parents, created the idea of the Brandon Act and lobbied Congress and the Pentagon to implement measures that would give troops easier access to mental health treatments.

On Monday, Patrick Caserta said the Coast Guard already had much of the legislation's foundation in place, but the new announcement will add value to the service's suicide prevention efforts.

"Zero suicides obviously is their goal, but they really want to take care of their people and make a difference and make sure they're getting all the help they need. They don't want to lose somebody to mental health or a crisis of any sort," Caserta said in an interview Monday.

As part of their suicide prevention efforts, Coast Guard officials also have recently published a behavioral health playbook that provides resources and support for leadership on issues related to mental health.

The Coast Guard also has separated its mandatory suicide prevention training from sexual assault prevention requirements to ensure that service members focus on each stand-alone course, according to the service.

Related: Veteran Suicides Ticked Upward in 2021 Following 2 Years of Decline, Latest VA Statistics Show
Mississippi has a lot to offer. From the states vast amount of land and water to explore, to islands, culturally rich towns and deep roots in American history, there is a lot to experience.

Architecture and the arts flourish in Mississippi and the food is second-to-none.

That could leave some people asking, where do you start to experience Mississippi and take it all in? Well, there is no definitive answer to that question, but below are 10 places where you cant go wrong, and they will likely leave you hungry to experience more of the Magnolia State.

Longwood would have been the grandest home in Natchez, but the Civil War halted construction, and the 32,000-square-foot home was never completed.

Natchez

Visit Longwood mansion, an unfinished architectural wonder of a by-gone era

A millionaire, a celebrity architect and a team of master craftsmen set out to build what may have been one of the grandest homes in Mississippi, but the Civil War halted construction.

Today, Longwood in Natchez stands unfinished much as it did in 1862.

Construction of the home began in 1860 for millionaires Haller and Julia Nutt. Designed by celebrity architect Howard Sloan, the octagonal home consisted of six levels and had 32,000 square feet of living space. It would have been the largest home in Mississippi at the time and would cost around $35 million to build today.

The Civil War halted construction and only one floor was completely finished. Tourists can see it today much as it was in 1862.

For information about tours of Longwood, visit www.natchezpilgrimage.com/year-round/longwood-circa-1860-1861 or call 601-446-6631.

The Blue and White Restaurant in Tunica has served homestyle goodness for 100 years.

Tunica

Eat at the Blue and White Restaurant, where homestyle meals have been served for 100 years

As the name suggests, its blue and white and it sits along one of the main arteries in the Mississippi Delta. The Blue and White Restaurant has offered homestyle goodness for 100 years and served generation after generation of guests.

The Blue and White Cafe and Service Station was opened in 1924. It was a time known as the Roaring Twenties and Calvin Coolidge was President. It was located in downtown Tunica and in addition to offering food and gasoline, there was a news and tobacco stand and a Greyhound bus terminal.

An icon of the Delta, the restaurant was later moved to its current location on US 61. Guests enjoy fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, steaks, burgers and a wide selection of breakfast options just like generations of customers before them.

For more information, visit www.blueandwhiterestaurant.com.

One of three dolphins swims past a window placed in the dolphin pool of Ocean Adventures in Gulfport for onlookers. This new attraction has indoor fun to keep families happy while the rain comes down.

Gulfport

Take a swim with dolphins at Ocean Adventures

Have you ever wanted to touch, feed or swim with a dolphin? Ocean Adventures Marine Park is the place for you.

The marine park offers several packages that allow you to play with dolphins. The Dolphin Interaction package gives visitors a chance to get in the water with dolphins and make a new finned friend. Other opportunities allow visitors to touch and feed dolphins while staying dry on land.

However, its not all about dolphins. Guests can swim with rays, bamboo sharks and even get a kiss from a sea lion. Dolphins and sea lions also perform for guests multiple times daily.

For more information, visit www.oceanadventures.us.

A tunnel of lights in the oak trees along Washington Avenue brightens downtown Ocean Springs, where it will snow this weekend for family fun.

Ocean Springs

Experience the charm of historic downtown

The Mississippi Coast is the states playground with too many attractions to list, but no trip to the coast is complete without enjoying the beauty and charm of Ocean Springs.

Founded in 1699, the small town has created an identity through the centuries as a premier location for small shops and dining. Its ancient live oaks offer shade and beauty as people make their way through downtown.

Its home to the famed Shearwater Pottery as well as the Walter Anderson Museum of Art where guests can learn about the towns celebrated eccentric artist.

Its also home to the annual Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival and was chosen as one of 12 Cutest Small Towns in the Southern United States by World Atlas in 2023.

For more information on Ocean Springs, visit www.gulfcoast.org/coastal-communities/ocean-springs.

You can explore the Mississippi River with Quapaw Canoe Company.

Clarksdale

Take a canoe trip on the mighty Mississippi River with Quapaw Canoe Company

If youre looking for a wild adventure in Mississippi, look no further than Quapaw Canoe Company based in Clarksdale.

The company was established in 1998 and offers canoe, kayak and paddleboard trips on the Mississippi River ranging from Cairo, Illinois, to the Gulf of Mexico.

The river is the largest in North America and can be more than a mile wide. Its floodplain is home to hundreds of species of animals such as deer, black bears and others. Paddlers can stop on sand bars where they may find artifacts of long-ago people or fossils of extinct animals such as the American lion.

Trips are led by highly trained guides and range from day trips to seven days. Adventures are also offered on tributaries such as the Big Black and Sunflower rivers.

For more information, visit www.island63.com.

Corn is ground at Sciples Mill in De Kalb just as it was done almost 250 years ago.

De Kalb

Visit Sciples Mill and get stone-ground grits and corn meal made the same since the 1700s

Visit the small town of DeKalb and step back in time at one of the states oldest hidden gems, Sciples Mill.

Established around 1790, Sciples Mill is a family-owned business that has spanned seven generations, and you can bring your own corn to be ground or see the mill in operation as it is powered by the flowing water of Tiger Creek.

Stone-ground grits, cornmeal and fish fry are available for purchase and are made the same as they were almost 250 years ago.

For more information, visit MadeinMississippi.com.

Mullet tend to school school and that is why they are best caught with a cast net and rarely by hook and line.

Jackson

Learn about the world around you at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science

Exploring the wonders of nature will excite both young and old at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson.

Visitors can enjoy large aquariums where they can watch freshwater and saltwater fish. There are aquariums with alligators and a huge alligator snapping turtle, too. Other displays feature unusual animals found in Mississippi such as a two-headed gray ratsnake and a blond timber rattlesnake.

The museum has a large display of fossils and replica skeletons of extinct animals such as a giant ground sloth and ancient whales as well as special events and displays.

For more information, visit www.mdwfp.com/museum.

Mount Helena in Rolling Fork offers a view of 1800s culture and wealth in the Mississippi Delta.

Rolling Fork

Tour Mont Helena, an 1800s home built on a Native American mound

The Mississippi Delta is rich in culture and history and a shining example is Mont Helena in Rolling Fork.

Built in 1896 atop a ceremonial Native American mound, Mont Helena is the design of famous architect George Barber. He was known for Queen Anne Victorian style house plans and Mont Helena was a premier Delta home at the time.

It was the home of Helen and George Harris and featured parlors, seven bedrooms, a formal dining room, library and massive heart pine staircase leading to the second floor.

The home now serves as a museum of Delta wealth and history. Tours are offered and it also functions as a wedding venue.

For more information, visit www.monthelena.com.

Ship Island

Ship Island

Spend a day on Ship Island, home of the historic Fort Massachusetts

Located due south of Biloxi, Ship Island is home to Fort Massachusetts, which according to the National Park Service Gulf Islands National Seashore, was completed in 1886. Its purpose was to protect commerce and serve as a fuel and supply depot for small coal-fueled gunboats and the ocean-going fleet.

Its now a destination for tourists to explore the the historic military structure and enjoy miles of beaches.

Ship Island Excursions offers boat rides from Jones Park in Gulfport to the island and guests are treated by dolphins that play in the boats wake. The island also offers beautiful beaches where visitors can relax, swim in emerald green water and hike around the island.

For more information, visit www.msshipisland.com.

Arthur Mr. D. Davis holds a plate of his famous fried chicken inside the Old Country Store restaurant in Lorman.

Lorman

Take a bite of Mr. Ds fried chicken at the Lorman Country Store and then another, and another and

Fried chicken and The South go together like peas and carrots and there is likely no fried chicken in Mississippi more famous than Mr. Ds at the Old Country Store in Lorman.

Built around 1875, the Old Country Store has served many roles, but now its the place where Arthur Davis, more commonly known as Mr. D, serves his famous fried chicken. Davis often jokes that if Col. Sanders had his recipe, Sanders would have been a 5-star general.

Others agree. Alton Brown of the Food Network visited the restaurant in 2011 and said it was the best fried chicken he had ever eaten. It has been featured in Southern Living Magazine and many others.

But people dont just come for the chicken. Theres a buffet that tempts with mustard greens, collard greens, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, pork chops, smoked ribs and more.

Guests also come to enjoy his cornbread, which hes credited to his grandmother in a song he often sings for guests.

For more information on the Old Country Store in Lorman, visit www.mrdsfriedchicken.com.
(FOX40.COM) Weather temperatures may be on the rise in the Sacramento area, but swimming in the cold waters is still considered dangerous, according to the National Weather Service.

Be cautious if headed to area waterways, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. Local waterways are running cold and fast. Always wear your life vest and consider cold water protection gear.

Please dont plant these species in California, CDFW says

NWS warned that just because its warm outside, it doesnt mean the water is warm.

Cold water can kill, NWS said.

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Cold water drains body heat up to four times faster than cold air, according to NWS. When a body hits cold water, cold shock can cause dramatic changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.

The sudden gasp and rapid breathing alone creates a greater risk of drowning even for confident swimmers in calm waters, NWS said.

To help avoid potential dangers NWS advised people who choose to go into the water to always wear a life vest because it significantly increases chances of survival.

NWS added, When cold chock and hypothermia begin to impact your ability to think and act, lifejackets and floatation can create extra time for help to arrive or for you to get out of danger.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A college professor who was visiting Florida for a conference was found dead Saturday after he was considered missing on Friday, according to a statement from the university where he worked.

Dr. David Hanbury, a professor at Averett University in Virginia, was attending the Southeastern Psychological Association Conference in Orlando, according to the university.

On behalf of the entire Averett University community, we send our affection, condolences and prayers of support to Dr. Hanburys family, friends and all overs upon whom he had a lasting impact, the statement reads.

Hanbury was found dead Saturday at Club Orlando, according to the Orlando Police Department. The cause of death is under investigation but does not appear to be suspicious.

Hanbury had been a part of the staff for more than eight years and was an associate professor and co-chair of the Psychology Department. He also served as the chair for the Division of Physical and Psychological Health Sciences, according to the university.

Averett University is a private university located in Danville, Virginia, just north of the North Carolina state line. Its about 40 miles northeast of Greensboro, North Carolina, and about 50 miles southeast of Roanoke.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  Lieutenant Stefanie Allan, a native of Colorado Springs, was recently awarded the Elizabeth Guild Award for Navy Environmental Preventive Medicine for her work in audiology and hearing conservation.

Elizabeth Guild was a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who helped develop new ear protection devices for various roles in the military. Allans work includes auditory exams and prescribing non-medical treatment to conserve or improve communication for Navy personnel.

Allan, also a 2010 graduate of Air Academy High School, joined the Navy in 2020 and has served overseas in Japan and Hawaii.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
The 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base has a new commander.

Col. Mitchell "Lucky" Cok assumed command last week of the 80th FTW  host to the only internationally manned and managed pilot-training program on the planet producing fighter pilots for the NATO alliance.

Maj. Gen. Clark J. Quinn, far left, commander of the 19th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, hands off the 80th Flying Training Wing flag to Col. Mitchell J. Cok during a change of command ceremony March 7 at Sheppard Air Force Base as Cok assumes command of the 80th FTW.

Cok began serving as deputy commander of the 80th FTW in July. A graduate of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Sheppard, he is no stranger to the base or Wichita Falls.

Among his past assignments at SAFB, he has served as commander of the 88th Fighter Training Squadron where student-pilots take introduction to fighter fundamentals.

Col. Mitchell J. "Lucky" Cok, commander of the 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base

The ceremony to mark the change of command was March 7, according to SAFB.

The former commander of the 80th FTW, Col. Brad "NARCO" Orgeron, was summoned early for his next assignment. Orgeron began serving as commander of the unit in June 2022.

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Trish Choate is serving as the interim editor for the Wichita Falls Times Record News, San Angelo Standard-Times and Abilene Reporter-News. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here. Her X handle is @Trishapedia.

This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: New commander takes helm at 80th FTW at Sheppard Air Force Base
The Scoop

Congress has agreed to extend a widely hailed program to counter HIV and AIDS worldwide that was imperiled due to GOP concerns that it was indirectly subsidizing abortions, according to multiple sources.

The Presidents Emergency Plan for Aid Relief  otherwise known as PEPFAR  has been credited with saving tens of millions of lives and mitigating the global HIV epidemic since it was first established under the Bush administration in 2003. But it drew intense scrutiny recently from conservatives seeking to prevent federal dollars flowing to partner organizations that provide abortion services. PEPFAR officials and public health experts say the claims are unfounded.

The program has undergone three separate five-year reauthorizations, the last one being in 2018. This time around, PEPFARs lifespan will be extended by only a year, setting up another reauthorization fight in early 2025. The deal, part of the broader budget agreement Congress needs to finalize this week in order to avoid a government shutdown, was confirmed to Semafor by two outside advocates, a lawmaker, and another source familiar with the decision.

Unfortunately, the political climate has prevented this from being the bipartisan issue that it normally is. So one year may be the best that they can get, Max Rose, a former congressman who has lobbied Congress on the issue as a senior advisor at African Mission Health, told Semafor. The fact that they are still striving for a one-year reauthorization shows that they are not willing to give up on this program.

Know More

PEPFAR has historically enjoyed broad bipartisan support in Congress under Republican and Democratic presidents alike. In 2023, it received $7 billion in funding, reflecting the enormous scope of a program that operates in over 50 countries and has been particularly instrumental in containing HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.

Last summer, when the program appeared in danger, Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., led 75 members in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Global AIDS coordinator John Nkengasong to reaffirm their support for PEPFAR. Former President George W. Bush made the case to save the program in an opinion piece in the Washington Post last fall, warning that the US risked backpedaling on two decades of unimaginable progress and raise further questions about the worth of Americas word.

But conservatives zeroed in on the program and pushed to add new abortion-related restrictions. Heritage Foundation was first to call for changes in a sweeping report that called HIV and AIDS a lifestyle disease.

Republican Rep. Chris Smith, who chairs a subcommittee on global health, global human rights, and international organizations under the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused the Biden administration of hijacking PEPFAR to promote abortion on demand, by working with public health groups that also offer abortions as part of their broader mission. He called on his colleagues to re-examine reauthorizing the program until those non-government groups were cut off.

PEPFARs defenders and many experts say theres no evidence that any money from the initiative has been used to directly fund abortion, in keeping with the governments longstanding policy barring US foreign aid from being used to expand abortion access.

Advocates are cautiously optimistic that at least for the short-term, the one-year extension of the program removes uncertainty in charting out the expansion of preventive medical care.

It may not meet all the needs that we see when it comes to reauthorization, Catherine Connor, the vice president of Public Policy and Advocacy at Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation told Semafor. I think it does sort of reset the clock and allow good faith discussions about the future of PEPFAR to restart.
The Capitol in Washington is framed by early morning clouds, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, as negotiators from Congress and the White House scramble to complete work on funding government agencies for the fiscal year and avoid a partial shutdown that is set to begin this weekend. | J. Scott Applewhite

Congressional leaders came to an agreement on the remaining six funding bills for fiscal year 2024 days before the deadline, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced Tuesday morning. This signals a potential end to Congress monthslong back-and-forth on the federal budget.

House and Senate committees have begun drafting bill text to be prepared for release and consideration by the full House and Senate as soon as possible, said Johnson on X, formerly known as Twitter.

He said lawmakers also finalized bankrolling the Department of Homeland Security, which proved to be a thorn in the negotiations since this agency is central to tackling the crisis at the southern border.

But the legislative text is not expected to be released before Wednesday, pushing Congress up against the shutdown deadline of Friday, before midnight.

According to The Associated Press, the House will have at least 72 hours to review the text of the package, and the Senate procedure will also take a few days. Its likely Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will introduce a streamlined process in hopes of passing the half a dozen bills before the deadline.

Of the finalized package, President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday morning he will sign it immediately. While the White House appeared encouraged by the latest developments, some, like Utahs Sen. Mike Lee, were critical of the agreement, saying it isnt acceptable to lawmakers or the American people.

Lee in a Tuesday post said only congressional leaders know whats in the bill, and even though they havent shared the text with anyone, they expect Congress to pass this still-secret bill.

We have reasons to be concerned that this bill will perpetuate a multitrillion-dollar deficit, be laden with corrupting earmarks, and fail to force Biden to secure the border, he said. Lee also criticized the lack of opportunity to review, debate, and amend the bill, as the House and Senate leaders insist it be passed in exactly the condition in which they present it sometime today or tomorrow.

Apart from the DHS, this minibus bill also funds the Departments of Defense, Financial Services, Labor, Health and Human Services, for State and Foreign Operations and the legislative branch.

The House Freedom Caucus has consistently opposed the two-part spending package, pushing Johnson to make deeper cuts while accusing him of abandoning the priority of passing strict border reform, as the Deseret News previously reported.

In a Monday letter, to GOP representatives, Reps. Bob Good, R-Va., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, urged Republicans to attach the core elements of H.R. 3, the Secure the Border Act, which would curb the surge of migrant crossings, prohibit them from voting in the federal elections, and put an end to the Biden administrations open border policies.

We ask you to join us in rejecting the appropriations package (or anything similar) slated to be before the House that will directly fund these disastrous policies, and choose instead to stand against this assault on the American people and use the power given to us by our founders, the letter said.

This package also includes 12,000 Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan nationals who assisted the U.S. military, Punchbowl News reported.

Two weeks ago, Congress passed partial funding, after relying on four stopgap bills in the last year as House Republicans struggled to wield their slim majority and come to an agreement with the Democratic-controlled Senate and White House.

Utah Republican Reps. Celeste Maloy and Blake Moore have sounded alarms on the lack of progress related to the budget for the fiscal year 2025, as Congress remains behind schedule.

Its safe to say that this functional dysfunction, as phrased by The New York Times Carl Hulse, has become the norm. Since the enactment of the 1974 Congressional Budget Act, a law that governs the budgeting process, Congress has passed the required budget on time during only four fiscal years: 1977, 1989, 1995 and 1997, according to Pew Research.

In the last 2 decades, Congress has heavily leaned on continuing resolutions to buy more time before going all in on sprawling omnibus packages, as happened this year.
(Bloomberg) -- Binance has asked prime brokers to run more stringent checks to keep US investors off the crypto exchange in the fallout from last years plea deal with the nations authorities, people with knowledge of the matter said.

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Since roughly the period around Novembers guilty pleas, the worlds largest crypto trading venue has told prime brokers such as FalconX and Hidden Road  which cater to institutional traders  to demand more information from their clients, the people said, asking not to be identified as the matter is private.

The checks include questions about office addresses as well as where employees and founders are based, and require signed attestations from respondents confirming the accuracy of their replies, two of the people said.

Binance in November pleaded guilty to violations of US anti-money-laundering and sanctions laws and was hit with a landmark $4.3 billion penalty. The global platform targeted US customers  including valuable larger traders who deepened liquidity on the exchange  while refusing to comply with the relevant American legislation, the Department of Justice said at the time.

DOJ Criticism

Binance employees called U.S. VIPs to encourage them to provide information that suggested the customer was not located in the United States, the Justice Department said in its Nov. 21 statement.

Against that backdrop, the crypto industry is alert for compliance-related changes at the linchpin trading venue for digital assets. For instance, the exchange has tightened requirements for listing new digital tokens, people with knowledge of the matter previously told Bloomberg.

Story continues

Binance is fully committed to compliance and has made public how it assesses end users who can access the Binance platform, the company said in a statement in response to queries about whether prime brokers have been tasked with stricter checks. By making its standard transparent, Binance gives clarity to enterprises who want to access its market-leading liquidity.

The exchange referred to its Binance Link Program, which it said was launched to provide trading and connectivity services for enterprises such as exchanges and brokers, as well as for algorithmic or other automated trading platforms.

A portion of the Binance website also outlines the platforms methodology for determining whether a corporate entity counts as a US user.

Prime brokers FalconX and Hidden Road declined to comment.

Tengs Challenge

Binances co-founder Changpeng Zhao stepped down as chief executive under last years plea deal, handing successor Richard Teng the task of rebuilding the exchanges reputation and market share under the USs watchful gaze.

The platforms share of global spot crypto trading volumes slid to about 30% over the course of last year from almost 60% but has since recovered to roughly 40%, according to CCData. A record-breaking surge in Bitcoins price over the past 12 months has reignited speculative fervor and trading activity in the digital-asset sector.

Before the crypto comeback, the very future of the sector was in doubt in the wake of a deep bear market in 2022 that exposed a litany of questionable practices, toppling digital-asset platforms such as Sam Bankman-Frieds FTX.

As in traditional markets, crypto prime brokers aim to give hedge funds and other clients one-stop access to a suite of services, such as financing, technology and research. Binances prime brokerage partners can plug investors into the liquidity available on the exchange.

BNB Rally

Judging by the performance of BNB, the native token of Binances exchange, digital-asset traders are upbeat about the platforms outlook. BNB has jumped about 80% this year, more than Bitcoin.

Justin dAnethan, the head of business development in Asia for market maker Keyrock, likened Binance to a large global bank that might pay a fine for similar faults and then tighten their practices and move on.

Its likely that crypto-native investors and maybe even new entrants realize that the compliance faults or the know-your-customer wrongdoings dont really affect the well-functioning of the platform itself, or the solvency and liquidity of the exchange, he said.

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Lawmakers return to Capitol Hill with a budget package at the top of their to-do list.

Thats because Congress is once again facing a funding deadline at the end of this week.

Negotiators say theyve struck a deal on the budget bills, but their funding deadline is Friday, leaving lawmakers racing the clock to avoid a shutdown.

It is their job to keep the government open, said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Congress passed part of the annual government budget earlier this month, but they are still working to get the rest of it done and the current funding expires on Friday.

There are critical programs that Americans need, American families need, Jean-Pierre added.

Negotiators got stuck on a spending deal for the Department of Homeland Security.

The White House wants more money for the agency as immigration issues become increasingly urgent.

DHS needs additional funding, weve always said that to deal with the security operations and much more that were dealing with at the border, said Jean-Pierre.

Lawmakers seem to have resolved that issue but voting on the budget package could take days, leaving it unclear if they can avoid a shutdown.

Republican Senator John Cornyn expressed frustration that Congress is again working to pass last minute funding.

Im deeply disappointed we find ourselves in this state of affairs nearly halfway through the current fiscal year, said Cornyn.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine also says this shouldve been resolved sooner but blames the delays on House Republicans fighting over choosing a new speaker.

That really slowed the process down this year. So here we are in March, 6 months into the fiscal year and finally getting the budget done, said Kaine.

Last week at a Republican retreat House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed optimism that lawmakers can get it done.

I think the appropriations process is very close to being wound down. Johnson said.

Along with DHS this budget will also outline funding for the Pentagon, the Health Department, and the Labor Department.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Timothy Kildee, the brother of Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee, was shot dead following a domestic incident, according to police.

Our family is grieving and heartbroken. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy, Mr Kildee said on Tuesday.

The Michigan Democrat has been in Congress since 2013.

I thank the community for honoring my familys privacy during this very difficult time, he added.

Timothy Kildee was killed in Vienna Township northwest of Detroit in the early hours of 19 March, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said, according to WNEM.

Just before 3am on Tuesday, the sheriffs office was called to a domestic incident in Burton. Sheriff Swanson said the suspect, 27, was a family member who came over to the house, where a verbal confrontation occurred and a firearm was shown.

The sheriff added that the suspect then left the house on foot and contacted his birth mother. At some point between the initial confrontation and 5am, the mother collected her son to take him to his fathers  Timothy Kildee, 57  home in Vienna township.

But the suspect exited the vehicle while it was in motion, prompting the mother to contact Mr Kildee and they went to find their son. In the Vienna Township home, another son was sleeping in the basement, Sheriff Swanson noted, according to WNEM.

The second son said he heard a loud argument, with the suspect saying, Give me your wallet and your keys. The wallet was later located on the suspect, the sheriff noted.

The son who was in the basement said he heard a single gunshot during the argument. Sheriff Swanson said it was the gunshot that killed Mr Kildee.

The suspect allegedly stole Mr Kildees car, and within eight minutes, he had crashed at high speed with another vehicle. The other driver was not seriously injured, but the suspect is now in custody at Hurley Hospital with a guard.

The sheriff said there were no other suspects.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told WNEM that no charges have been filed so far.

But he noted that if the office of the prosecutor were to apply the law to the facts as we know them presently, the suspect could face charges including open murder, carjacking, armed robbery, using a firearm during the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed weapon, and a motor vehicle violation.
Timothy Kildee, the brother of Michigan Congressman Dan Kildee, was shot dead following a domestic incident, according to police.

Our family is grieving and heartbroken. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy, Mr Kildee said on Tuesday.

The Michigan Democrat has been in Congress since 2013.

A murder suspect crashed a car in Genesee County, Michigan early on Tuesday morning (Genesee County Sheriff's Office)

I thank the community for honoring my familys privacy during this very difficult time, he added.

Timothy Kildee was killed in Vienna Township northwest of Detroit in the early hours of 19 March, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said, according to WNEM.

Just before 3am on Tuesday, the sheriffs office was called to a domestic incident in Burton. Sheriff Swanson said the suspect, 27, was a family member who came over to the house, where a verbal confrontation occurred and a firearm was shown.

The sheriff added that the suspect then left the house on foot and contacted his birth mother. At some point between the initial confrontation and 5am, the mother collected her son to take him to his fathers  Timothy Kildee, 57  home in Vienna township.

But the suspect exited the vehicle while it was in motion, prompting the mother to contact Mr Kildee and they went to find their son. In the Vienna Township home, another son was sleeping in the basement, Sheriff Swanson noted, according to WNEM.

The second son said he heard a loud argument, with the suspect saying, Give me your wallet and your keys. The wallet was later located on the suspect, the sheriff noted.

The son who was in the basement said he heard a single gunshot during the argument. Sheriff Swanson said it was the gunshot that killed Mr Kildee.

The suspect allegedly stole Mr Kildees car, and within eight minutes, he had crashed at high speed with another vehicle. The other driver was not seriously injured, but the suspect is now in custody at Hurley Hospital with a guard.

The sheriff said there were no other suspects.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told WNEM that no charges have been filed so far.

But he noted that if the office of the prosecutor were to apply the law to the facts as we know them presently, the suspect could face charges including open murder, carjacking, armed robbery, using a firearm during the commission of a felony, carrying a concealed weapon, and a motor vehicle violation.
FILE - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, center, signs bills expanding reproductive healthcare that will allow people in New York to receive contraceptives without a doctor's prescription, May 2, 2023, in Albany, N.Y. New Yorkers will be able to get contraceptives without a prescription under a standing order signed by state health officials on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. The move is part of Hochul's mission to bolster reproductive rights at a time when its restricted in other parts of the country. (AP Photo/Maysoon Khan, File)

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  Contraceptives will be available without a prescription in New York under an order signed by state health officials on Tuesday. The move is part of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's mission to bolster reproductive rights at a time when its restricted in other parts of the country.

The measure comes as the first over-the-counter birth control pill was made available in U.S. stores this month. The Food and Drug Administration said in a landmark decision last July that the once-a-day Opill could be sold on store shelves and without a prescription.

More than 25 states including California and Minnesota already allow pharmacists to provide contraceptive care, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

The order, signed by New York Health Commissioner James McDonald at a pharmacy in Albany, expedited the effective date of a law signed last year that laid out the measure.

In light of national threats to reproductive freedoms, we simply cannot wait that long, Hochul wrote in a memo when she had signed the bill into law. It was supposed to go into effect in November.

People could tap into the service as soon as the next several weeks, according to Hochuls office.

In New York, trained pharmacists will be able to hand out self-administered hormonal contraceptives including oral birth control pills, vaginal rings, and the patch, even if the patients don't have prescriptions.

Pharmacists who want to participate need to complete training developed by the state Education Department before they can dispense up to a 12-month supply of a contraceptive of the individual's preference.

Patients must fill out a self-screening form to help pharmacists identify the appropriate contraceptive as well as potential risks associated with the medication. Pharmacists will also be required to notify the patient's primary health care practitioner within 72 hours of dispensing the medication.

Opill will still be available on store shelves and can be purchased by American women and teens just as easily as they buy Ibuprofen.

___

Maysoon Khan 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.
CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW)  Conway City Council approved a hate crimes resolution at a meeting Monday night.

Council members debated whether the resolution should be an ordinance but were unsure how enforceable it would be, according to a source at the meeting. Council members said they are open to amending the resolution in the future.

Conway has supported a hate crimes bill at the state level and wanted to take action on adopting a local resolution.

The talk about a hate crimes resolution has increased since a Thanksgiving weekend cross-burning in Horry County that led to harassment charges against Alexis Page Hartnett and Worden Butler. They allegedly lit a cross on fire facing the home of their Black neighbors and used racially abusive language toward them.

South Carolina is one of two states without a hate crimes law based on race, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity.

Conway resident Priscilla Fuller said she is happy that the council approved the resolution but doesnt think it goes far enough.

* * *

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.
WHEATON, Ill. - A Cook County man has been sentenced to 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for breaking into homes in Wheaton and Lombard, which resulted in the shooting of a homeowner in August 2020.

Malik Pitts, 25, formerly of Broadview, entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of attempted murder, one count of home invasion and one count of attempted child pornography last July.

The case against Pitt's co-defendant, 24-year-old Isaiah Johnson of Blue Island, is due back in court on March 29 for a sentencing hearing.

According to prosecutors, at about 5:04 a.m. on Aug. 23, 2020, Wheaton police officers responded to a home invasion at 1710 E. Evergreen St.

Residents reported that they heard noises coming from outside. The homeowners then exited the back door, leaving it unlocked. Once they were outside, the residents encountered Pitts and Johnson. At that time, Johnson pointed a silver handgun at them as Pitts entered the home through the unlocked door.

Shortly after Pitts entered the residence, Johnson directed the victims to walk toward the rear of the residence with the gun.

Once inside, Pitts entered a bedroom where two young girls and their grandmother were sleeping, prosecutors said.

Pitts then attempted to pull down the blanket and shorts and underwear of one of the girls. At that time, the grandmother woke up and began talking to Pitts. He then struck her left cheek, ear and neck.

The girls' father entered the room and fought with Pitts. The two men then fled the scene in a stolen vehicle.

At about 5:22 a.m. the same day, the Lombard Police Department responded to a call of a home invasion and shooting at 433 S. Highland Ave.

During this incident, the male homeowner was awoken by Pitts and Johnson in his living room with Johnson pointing a gun at him and asking, "Where's the money?"

Pitts then went to the upstairs bedroom where the mother and her daughter were sleeping in the same bed.

Pitts ordered them to the main floor of the residence and then ordered the daughter to the basement and ordered her to remove her clothing.

The girl refused and fled, at which time, a physical struggle ensued between the father and Pitts.

The struggle went into the backyard of the residence leaving Johnson with a gun behind them.

During the struggle, Johnson fired multiple gunshots. One struck the father in the chest and another struck the family car.

The gunshot that hit the father went through him and ultimately struck Pitts as well.

The two men then fled the scene in the same stolen vehicle driven by a third co-defendant, Keytori Jackson.

Jackson has been sentenced to 14 years for her role in the crime.

"In the early morning hours, Mr. Pitts and Mr. Johnson violated the sanctity of their victims home in the worst imaginable way possible," said DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin. "We all deserve to feel safe and secure in our homes and the shockingly violent behavior shown by these two men demonstrates their complete disregard for our laws and for human life."

On Monday, a judge imposed Pitts' sentence of 35 years for attempted murder, a consecutive sentence of 25 years for home invasion and a concurrent 12-year sentence for attempted child pornography. Pitts will be required to serve 41.5 years before being eligible for parole.
A cop is accused of fatally shooting a 4-year-old and a man holding a knife to the childs neck, Illinois State Police said.

Macomb police responded to a domestic violence incident March 16 and found a woman with multiple stab wounds, Macomb police said in a news release. Two fatalities were also noted.

The investigation was then turned over to the Illinois State Police, according to the news release.

Body camera footage reviewed by the Illinois State Police showed the suspect ducking out of view and then returning holding the 4-year-old in front of his body, according to a March 18 news release by Illinois State Police. The 57-year-old man also had a knife to the childs neck, police said.

A Macomb police officer then fired a shot that struck both the man and the child, state police said.

State police said the investigation is ongoing, but all investigative reports will be turned over to the McDonough County States Attorneys Office, according to the news release. Police did not name the officer involved.

Macomb is about a 240-mile drive southwest from Chicago.

If you are experiencing domestic violence and need someone to talk to, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

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A new restaurant concept from McDonalds that specializes in beverages and quick bites is opening in North Texas this week.

The first ever CosMcs location in Texas will open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday in Dallas at 6033 Campbell Road. The Dallas restaurant will be the second ever CosMcs location, after the initial one opened last December in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

Following the Dallas location, McDonalds is gearing up to open nine additional stores in Texas across the North Texas and San Antonio regions. Theres even a CosMcs planned for southwest Fort Worth at 5341 McPherson Blvd., according to a recent state filing.

 More trending stories:

 Theres no better place to see April 8 total solar eclipse than in this tiny Texas town.

 How a six-pack of beer, $100 got rescuers to pull pig out of thorns.

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McDonalds announced the beverage-focused concept CosMcs last year, which is aimed at solving the mid-afternoon slump with a caffeine boost.

Inspired by nostalgia and powered by a menu of bold, refreshing beverages and tasty treats, CosMcs is landing earthside for us humans to enjoy, McDonalds stated in a press release.

A look at the drink menu for CosMcs. McDonald's

What kind of food and drinks are served at CosMcs?

CosMcs will serve a variety of flavors and drinks, from lemonades and teas, to coffees and slushies.

A few of the restaurants items include the sour cherry energy burst. which is a cherry slush with boba, and the island pick-me-up punch, a berry-flavored lemonade with dried strawberries. For coffee, the churro cold brew frappe is a blended cold brew topped with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles.

Along with beverages, CosMcs is serving a mix of old and new McDonalds food staples.

Classic egg McMuffins with bacon and sausage are on the menu, joining Oreo and M&M McFlurrys. For new items, customers can snack on sandwiches such as spicy queso and creamy avocado tomatillo.

There a three different filled dough items called McPops: cookie butter, apple cinnamon and hazelnut flavors. Other items include hash brown bites, pretzel bites, ice cream and cookies.

A look at the food being served at CosMcs locations. McDonald's

Whats the meaning behind CosMcs name?

CosMcs relates back to prior McDonalds marketing.

CosMc was an orange alien mascot who appeared in a few ads for McDonalds in the late 1980s, according to McDonalds Wiki. In the clip below, CosMc is seen interacting with two golden arches mainstays  Ronald McDonald and Grimace.

McDonalds is betting on its past success with nostalgic rollouts.

Last year, the fast food chain released adult Happy Meals and reintroduced the Hamburglar in April and Grimace in June with a special birthday meal and a purple shake.

CosMcs is a fond tip-of-the-cap to the restaurant chains futurism-of-the-past aesthetic and wouldnt be the first time McDonalds experimented with a new concept in North Texas.

McDonalds opened a restaurant in nearby White Settlement at 8540 West Freeway in December 2022, that specialized in express to-go orders through the companys app.

The concept is setup where patrons can order ahead through the app and pick-up in drive-thru lanes, where their food is delivered via conveyor belts.
Customers enter and leave the world's largest Costco, in Salt Lake City, Friday, Oct. 30, 2015. Costco announced it will start limiting access to its food courts to only cardholders  a move to crack down on nonmembers using the companys services. | Ravell Call

Costcos $1.50 hot dog combo may soon be an exclusive treat.

Costco has announced it will start limiting access to its food courts to cardholders  a move that furthers its crack down on nonmembers using the companys services.

According to The Hill, the companys food court policy has always been in place, but it hasnt been consistently enforced at all Costco locations.

Multiple representatives confirmed to The Hill that locations do have warning signs hung up  and one representative said that all 18 outdoor Costco food courts now ask for membership IDs.

The Motley Fool reports that the companys move to begin enforcing the existing policy is aimed primarily at preventing overcrowding of food courts during peak eating periods.

Costco food court warning

Reddit user GoldAssociation7261 shared a picture from a Costco in Orlando showing a warning sign by the food court.

Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court. You can join today. Please see our membership counter for details, the sign reads.

Does the policy change count for Shop Cards?

Its not yet clear whether Shop Cards, or Costco gift cards usable by nonmembers, can be used at Costco food courts moving forward.

The Hill reported that a California representative said that Shop Cards will work for nonmembers at food courts, while a Florida representative denied it  although the Florida representative admitted the policy could be updated.

Costcos nonmember crackdowns

The coming change to Costco food courts is one of many adjustments the company has made in recent years regarding nonmembers, as the Deseret News has reported.

Axios reported that employees covering the self-service machines began asking shoppers in June 2023 for ID confirmation. This policy came amid a rise in reports of shoppers using membership cards that do not belong to them.

And then the Deseret News reported in January about several Washington locations implementing scanning systems and requiring Costco members to scan their IDs prior to entering the store

We dont feel its right that non-members receive the same benefits and pricing as our members, a Costco statement shared with USA Today last January said. Costco is able to keep our prices as low as possible because our membership fees help offset our operational expenses, making our membership fee and structure important to us.

As of November 2023, Costco had more than 129 million cardholders, according to The Motley Fool.

If I dont have a Costco membership, should I now get one?

The Motley Fool looked into whether nonmembers who will be affected by the food court signs should join Costco and found that it depends on how theyll use the membership.

Whether you get the basic membership ($60 a year) or an Executive membership ($120 a year), its not financially sound to only use it for a couple food court meals a month, especially if you favor higher-priced items, The Motley Fool reported.

Joining could be worth it if youre willing to research and then take advantage of the deals Costco offers, including on gas and household offers. Plus, its good that you can cancel your membership at any time and potentially receive a refund if youre not satisfied, The Motley Fool reported.

When it comes to the food court specifically, you have to weigh whether the cost of a Costco membership corresponds with how much you enjoy $1.50 hot dog combos and giant pizzas costing around $10.
Improvements to Interstate 44 in Springfield and the surrounding area have been a hope for locals and frequent visitors alike throughout the years. Year after year, state budgets have failed to allocate funds to the major highway but this year could finally be the year that brings new life  and six lanes  to I-44 in Springfield, Rolla and Joplin.

Last week, House Budget Chairman Cody Smith introduced the proposed budget plan for the next fiscal year. The roughly $50 billion plan includes $727.5 million designated for I-44 expansion. The project would widen the entire portion of the interstate through Springfield to six lanes, with funding to rebuild pavement, replace bridges and improve the interchange at Kansas Expressway. The goal is to alleviate congestion and improve the safety of the roadway both for drivers and for emergency responders.

Proposed state funding would pay for widening Interstate 44 to six lanes through Springfield, along with other improvements.

Tuesday morning, Smith and other representatives held a news conference to expand on the plans. Patrick McKenna, director of Missouri Department of Transportation, said the highway has fallen behind with ongoing maintenance.

"We've had about 30 years of deferred maintenance," he said. "Much of our infrastructure, we've kind of rested on our laurels from our parents and our grandparents and what they had built, and now's the time."

When spending so much public money, McKenna said the spending needs to be justified. With demand in Springfield rising, where the city is growing, attracting more businesses and becoming a hub for trucking companies, that justification is there in order to ensure infrastructure can support that growth.

Patrick McKenna, director of Missouri Department of Transportation, talks about the plan to widening I-44 to six lanes in Springfield, Rolla and Joplin during a press conference at Branco Enterprises on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

What to expect from I-44 expansion in Springfield

Of the total $727.5 million, about $165 million is slated for improvements in Springfield. The rest is split between similar improvements and widening in Joplin and Rolla.

Half the funds for I-44 are set aside from general revenue, while the other half is in bond funds. By using general revenue, Smith said the costs fall less on taxpayers as the state relies less on borrowing money. In Joplin, the project would include upgrades to the I-44 interchange with Interstate 49.

More: Missouri House budget chairman trims $2 billion from governors proposed spending plan

"So really the areas most in need in the I-44 corridor will be addressed with this plan, and that will help alleviate greatly the traffic congestion and the safety issues that we see up and down I-44 now," Smith said.

This proposed plan would expand on some projects already funded in Springfield. The current budget year's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program included $114 million going toward the I-44 widening project from Kansas Expressway to State Highway 65, as well as an environmental study for a six-lane widening and improvement plan for the entire interstate.

Patrick McKenna, director of Missouri Department of Transportation, talks about the plan to widening I-44 to six lanes in Springfield, Rolla and Joplin during a press conference at Branco Enterprises on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Because of this study, McKenna said, if the proposed funds receive final approval later this year, the project would be further ahead to be able to get started with improvements. With the other widening projects already in the works, he said, these efforts would be merged to limit any inconvenience on drivers.

Earmarking funds for I-44 improvements mirrors last year's $2.8 billion appropriation to widen Interstate 70 from Blue Springs to Wentzville. With the I-70 project in the works, the expected funding has come in under budget, which Smith said can be reinvested into I-44. McKenna noted that the work on I-70 has made swift progress, with the first contract awarded within six months, something that usually takes two to three years.

More: Parson touts strong Missouri economy in summer State of the State address

Future of the budget plan

A one-day debate at the House Budget Committee on the proposal is scheduled for Monday. The overall budget must be completed by May 10. Smith's proposed budget cut $2 billion from the proposal Gov. Mike Parson made in January. Despite these cuts, the reconstruction of I-44 was a new addition.

Missouri House of Representatives Budget Chairman Cody Smith talks about the plan to widening I-44 to six lanes in Springfield, Rolla and Joplin during a press conference at Branco Enterprises on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Despite the budget being far from final, Smith said he is optimistic about the I-44 funding garnering support and making it into the final version of the budget. Especially with I-70 improvements approved last year, he said he feels there is consensus on the importance of putting money toward I-44.

"I feel good about those chances," he said.

Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: I-44 widening in Springfield to six lanes could soon be reality
McDonald's space-themed spinoff concept, CosMc's, has continued to reach new heights since its inaugural store opened late last year. This time, it's touched down in Texas.

The retro small-format restaurant is McDonald's latest foray into both the nostalgia and beverage markets. The first location in Illinois saw lines hours long on its first day and traffic surpassing that of an average McDonald's in its first month.

The fast-food giant promised 10 more locations opening in 2024, though it did not initially specify exactly where. As of Tuesday, the second promised location opened, bringing the new drinks and treats to Texans in Dallas.

Here is what we know about the new CosMc's location.

Concept art of what an average CosMc's location looks like.

CosMc's report: McDonald's spinoff surpasses traffic of traditional locations in first month

Second CosMc's location opens in Texas

The second-ever CosMc's location opened Tuesday, March 19 in Dallas, Texas. Located at 6033 Campbell Road, the small-format, beverage-forward concept has a menu heavy on customizable drinks and snacks.

The first store opened in Bolingbrook, Illinois, late last year, and has proven a successful venture for McDonald's.

Following the Texas opening, about nine additional test-and-learn locations are expected to appear across the Dallas and San Antonio metro areas in the coming months.

CosMc's menu: McDonald's reveals locations for chain's new spinoff restaurant and menu

New menu items at Dallas location

The new Beach Protein Frappe.

The menu available at the Illinois location is also available in Dallas, with two new additions to celebrate the CosMc's arrival in Texas.

Beach Protein Frappe : a blend of ice, a banana-flavored protein frappe base and banana flambe syrup.

Melon Herb Chiller: a lemon pinwheel and watermelon mint base poured over ice to add a kick to traditional lemonade.

What is McDonald's new restaurant CosMc's?

CosMc's is a new spinoff restaurant idea from McDonald's. CEO and president Christopher Kempczinski described it as "a small format concept with all the DNA of McDonalds but its own unique personality."

Story continues

The retro restaurants lean on a futurism-of-the-past aesthetic associated with a mascot, CosMc, who appeared in ads in the late '80s and early '90s. McDonald's has had success with the nostalgia market lately, having rolled out adult Happy Meals and the return of the Hamburglar and Grimace in the last two years.

McDonald's plans to open approximately 10 CosMcs pilot locations by the end of 2024. The first opened in Bolingbrook, Illinois in early December 2023 to significant fanfare, tripling the number of visitors per square foot compared to an average McDonald's in its first month.

McDonald's did not reveal exact locations for the rest of the rollout beyond the inaugural Bolingbrook, Illinois store and now the Dallas location. According to the announcement, patrons in the Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio metro areas can expect to see more locations popping up in the coming months.

The Melon Herb Chiller.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: McDonald's spinoff CosMc's lands in Texas for first time
Editors note: The above video is from a July 2023 article profiling the business.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A couple that opened an ice cream boat last season is looking for someone to take over the business.

Megan Ward and her husband, Isaiah Kinney, started Ice Cream Afloat last May. They visited various West Michigan lakes to sell ice cream, posting their location each day on Facebook. The couple played classic ice cream truck music and sold prepackaged items like ice cream sandwiches and popsicles.

West Michigan Scoops Tour: Hitting the water with Ice Cream Afloat

Co-owners of Ice Cream Afloat Isaiah Kinney and Megan Ward.

Last summer, the pair told News 8 people were enthusiastic about the ice cream boat.

I just love how happy everyone has been seeing us. Thats the best part, seeing how happy everyone is to see us and bringing a unique experience to people, Ward previously said.

The couple opened Ice Cream Afloat shortly after moving to Michigan from West Virginia. Now, theyre moving again, they shared in a March 10 Facebook post.

It saddens us to write this, but life has other plans for us, the wrote in the post. We will be relocating, and we will not be taking our business with us. It is our hope that someone will take over and continue our mission to serve ice cream and happiness to the boaters of Michigan.

Inside WOODTV.com: West Michigan Scoops Tour

The Ice Cream Afloat pontoon boat is docked at Mill Point Park on July 7, 2023.

The Ice Cream Afloat menu hangs off the side of the pontoon boat.

Ice Cream Afloat serves boaters on Spring Lake on July 7, 2023.

In a second post, they shared they are overwhelmed by the amount of responses we have received.

Those interested in the business can send them a Facebook message, or reach out by email at icecreamafloatmi@gmail.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Cowboy is better known for its sleek electric bikes that you can see in many major cities across Europe. And if you look at the persons riding those Cowboy bikes, most of the time, youll see a young adult heading to an office with a laptop in a backpack.

Thats why the company is launching a brand-new bike called Cowboy Cross. Its an all-road model that aims for comfort and long-distance trips.

I had the opportunity to see the new Cowboy Cross last week and take it for a test ride for a few minutes. When it comes to design, it definitely looks like a Cowboy bike with its pill-shaped front light, angular design and soft matte colors.

Similarly, Cowboy is betting on a fully integrated design with as little maintenance as possible. Theres no (physical) gear, braking cables are hidden as much as possible and the company uses carbon fiber belts.

Whats new with the Cowboy Cross are the tires. The wheels are slightly smaller (26.5 inches), but the custom-designed tires are much larger.

At the front of the bike, youll see front fork suspension. But unlike most road bikes, the front fork is inverted with the suspension near the wheel. In addition to a better design, thats how Cowboy manages to hide the front brake cable in the frame.

Theres also a seat post suspension for navigating rough terrain. For both the front fork and the seat post, the suspensions can be adjusted with a screwdriver.

And if youre a small person who just can't ride a Cowboy bike due to your height, the saddle can go a bit lower on the new bike. The handlebar is a bit larger as well. Again, everything has been designed to make the Cowboy Cross more comfortable than existing Cowboy bikes.

Image Credits: Romain Dillet / TechCrunch

There are two designs for the aluminum frame as the Cowboy Cross is available in step-over and step-through variants. The bike is available in three different colors  light gray, dark gray and green. Youll also find a rear rack that can support a child seat or various bags.

The battery is a bit larger with a 50% increase in capacity. The company claims that you should be able to ride for 60 to 120 km on (37 to 75 miles) on a single charge.

Thats about it for specifications. However, potential customers expect to keep their new bike for years to come. So its going to be important to make sure that the Cowboy Cross can easily be maintained over the long haul. But its hard to tell how it will fare on launch day. In addition to this hardware release, Cowboy is also announcing a new Check My Bike diagnostic tool.

Preorders start today with an early-bird price of 3,499 (thats $3,800 at todays exchange rate). Eventually, Cowboy expects to sell the Cowboy Cross for 3,999 ($4,350).

As a reminder, Cowboys classic bike models cost 2,699 ($2,940), but there are two software upgrades that cost 199 and 299 each. The 199 Cowboy Connect pack is included with the Cowboy Cross models.

According to our studies, this will double our total addressable market, Cowboy co-founder and CEO Adrien Roose told me. I think it's a different customer overall. It's a customer who's looking for more comfort. So theyre usually a little bit older and have a bit more budget.

Image Credits: Romain Dillet / TechCrunch

In my test ride, I also played with Cowboys mobile app. This app hosts all the smart features of the electric bike. You can turn on the lights, switch between Eco mode and AdaptivePower, get turn-by-turn directions and see historical data. AdaptivePower is the feature that automatically adjusts the power of the motor depending on the current slope and weather conditions  and that was under the spotlight following a patent suit with eBikeLabs.

The company also added some minigames that should encourage you to push harder without distracting you too much. For instance, the app will tell you to push as much as possible during 30 seconds. Or the app might say that youve entered a popular segment and tell you if youre faster than your friends.

These Strava-like features wont replace Strava just yet  they can even be disabled in case you find them too distracting. But its interesting to see the company going down that road and making software a first-class citizen.

Different models for different needs

Cowboy mostly sells its bikes to customers living in Belgium (its home country), Germany, France, the Netherlands and the U.K. Instead of launching in new markets, the company has decided to expand its product range with more form factors.

We mostly spent the first two years of the company prototyping. During the next five years, we refined our platform. Now we want to offer our product in different form factors to meet different needs, Roose said. So you can expect other models in the coming months and years.

In July 2023, Cowboys main competitor VanMoof filed for bankruptcy. This led to a difficult summer for Cowboy, too, as many potential customers dismissed Cowboys products. There was a big overlap of customers considering both VanMoof and Cowboy bikes, Roose said.

But he now believes that Cowboy can move forward, as the company is in a different position than VanMoof. There are about 100 employees at Cowboy. The figure I saw when they closed shop was that 700 people were working for VanMoof, Roose said.

With a gross margin of 40% on each bike sold directly to consumer, Cowboy expects to become breakeven on an EBITDA basis this year and generate a net profit next year.

Image Credits: Romain Dillet / TechCrunch
Almost 200 tons of rice, flour, vegetables and proteins have been distributed to families facing starvation in war-torn northern Gaza, World Central Kitchen announced Tuesday. The critical food delivery is the first humanitarian shipment to reach the Gazan coast by sea in nearly two decades. Photo courtesy of World Central Kitchen

March 19 (UPI) -- Nearly 200 tons of food and ready-to-eat meals have been distributed to families facing starvation in war-torn northern Gaza, in the first humanitarian shipment to reach the Gazan coast by sea in nearly two decades.

World Central Kitchen, a U.S. nonprofit, announced the shipment Tuesday of rice, flour, vegetables and proteins to communities where access has been "highly restricted" during Israel's war with Hamas.

"WCK provided almost 200 tons of food in northern Gaza that arrived in our first maritime shipment," the organization wrote Tuesday in a post on X.

"The aid went to families facing starvation in areas largely cut off by the war. Our teams are working to provide millions more meals via sea to Palestinians."

WCK provided almost 200 tons of food in northern Gaza that arrived in our first maritime shipment. The aid went to families facing starvation in areas largely cut off by the war. Our teams are working to provide millions more meals via sea to Palestinians.#ChefsForThePeople pic.twitter.com/jtrY77oevH World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) March 19, 2024

The delivery arrived on the 120-foot Open Arms boat through an international maritime corridor, proving "desperately needed food can be delivered by sea," according to WCK.

The United Nations has warned of mass starvation in Gaza, specifically in the north, where Israeli attacks have destroyed critical infrastructure.

"If we do not exponentially increase the size of aid going into northern areas, famine is imminent," said U.N. World Food Program Executive Director Cindy McCain.

On Monday, the United Nations food security agency said northern Gaza may be experiencing famine already, with the latest data showing two key thresholds -- household acute food insecurity and acute malnutrition -- "far exceeded" and "highly likely to have been exceeded."

The Israeli Defense Forces said Tuesday's delivery was conducted "in coordination with Israeli security and civilian authorities, in accordance with the directive of the government of Israel and at the request of the U.S. government."

A second ship, carrying hundreds of tons of food for Gaza, along with heavy machinery to "expedite the offloading process" will follow.

"The boat will be the second to set sail as part of the maritime corridor we've opened alongside international partners so Palestinians get as much support as possible," WCK said, without releasing a timeline.

WCK's founder Jose Andres said Tuesday their teams have "worked nonstop to open this maritime aid route into Gaza," adding that they built their own jetty using "rubble from bombed buildings to safely unload cargo."

"World Central Kitchen delivered this morning eight trucks safely to the north, 200 tons," Andres wrote Tuesday in a post on X.

"Almost 500k meals equivalent ...but we all need to continue this nonstop and daily and reach every community north ...thanks to World Food Program for helping us with cars and drivers."

.@WCKitchen delivered this morning 8 trucks safely to the north. 200 tones. Almost 500k meals equivalent...but we all need to continue this non stop and daily and reach every community north ...thank to @WFP for helping us with cars and drivers...#FeedTheNorth #ChefsForGaza pic.twitter.com/kSRXEDtfVi Jose Andres (@chefjoseandres) March 19, 2024
FILE PHOTO: WHO logo seen near its headquarters in Geneva

By Jennifer Rigby

LONDON (Reuters) -Vaccinating children who missed their measles shots during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical, a senior World Health Organization official said on Tuesday, as outbreaks of the infectious disease increase worldwide.

More than 50 countries have experienced "large and disruptive" measles outbreaks in the last year, twice as many as in 2022, said Kate O'Brien, WHO director of immunisation, at a virtual press conference.

Measles is a very contagious viral illness that causes flu-like symptoms and a rash. It can be fatal but is preventable with two doses of vaccine.

COVID-19 massively disrupted routine vaccination efforts worldwide, and around 60 million children missed their doses over that period, O'Brien said.

She said catch-up efforts were "really critical".

"It's now a race between whether the catch-up activities can happen quickly enough or whether the outbreaks will continue to scale," she said.

On Monday, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also urged people to get vaccinated against measles amid rising cases globally.

WHO experts also backed new ways of using existing vaccines to tackle other disease outbreaks, including the use of the mpox vaccine made by Bavarian Nordic (BAVA.CO) for at-risk children in African countries.

They also recommended the use of the hepatitis E vaccine for all women of childbearing age in conflicts and other emergency settings. The infection, mostly transmitted through contaminated water, can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women.

The vaccine, developed by China's Xiamen Innovax Biotech, has not been widely used outside China although it has been backed by WHO for use in outbreaks since 2015.

The chair of the WHO's expert vaccine committee, Hanna Nohynek, told the press conference that the focus on outbreaks was a sign that "the normalcy is starting to be living with outbreaks... that's kind of alarming."

(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Alex Richardson and Ros Russell)
UPDATE, 7:44 p.m.: The Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating a critical injury crash that involved a motorcycle and a small crossover utility vehicle in the Central City neighborhood on Monday.

The investigation started at about 5:25 p.m. on Monday, March 18, when SLC911 received multiple calls about a crash near 350 S 200 E, SLCPD said.

Jonas Brothers to headline Stadium of Fire 2024

Detectives are working to conduct a full crash reconstruction, but based on the preliminary investigation, SLCPD said a Mazda CX5 and a motorcyclist collided on 200 East.

The crash reportedly critically injured the motorcyclist, a 20-year-old man. Paramedics took him to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police said the motorcyclist did not appear to be wearing a helmet.

The driver of the Mazda, a 61-year-old woman, remained on-scene and is cooperating, SLCPD said.

Officers have closed 200 East in both directions between 300 and 400 South, and they expect that closure to last for several hours.

Due to the severity of the motorcyclists injuries, the Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Team and SLCPD Crime Lab technicians also responded to the scene.

There is no further information available at this time.

ORIGINAL STORY: SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Roads are closed and traffic delays are to be expected after a critical injury crash in Salt Lake City.

The Salt Lake City Police Department said they are currently investigating the crash, which reportedly involved a motorcycle near 350 S 200 E.

Lets keep the party going: Park City Mountain, Snowbasin Resort extend seasons

200 East is closed from 300-400 South in both directions, police said. Traffic delays will reportedly last for several hours.

There is no further information available at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Mark Cuban said Tuesday that Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) is wrong after the lawmaker questioned if former President Trump is really a billionaire given the fact that his lawyers said he might not be able to pay the full bond due in his New York civil fraud trial.

Trump claims hes a billionaire. But he cant pay a $464 million judgment. That means he is lying. How do I know? Math. #TrumpIsBroke, Lieu wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

In a lengthy repost of Lieus remarks, Cuban  an entrepreneur and former personality on ABCs Shark Tank  quipped the California Democrat is wrong and laid out the economics behind his argument.

Ted, you know Im no supporter of Trump. Thats for damn sure. How can anyone vote for someone who has so many of his executive employees turn on him, and, say he is incompetent is beyond me. But you are wrong on this topic Ted, Cuban wrote on X.

Net worth is completely different than cash in the bank. We were in a zero-interest rate environment for a long, long time. So, keeping cash in the bank or even money markets was dumb. In fact, searching for yield is what killed small banks last year, he continued. Also dumb was keeping interest rates that low for that long. Something Trump demanded more of.

In court filings Monday, Trumps lawyers revealed that they had spent countless hours negotiating with one of the largest insurance companies in the world and approached 30 companies to back the $454 million bond due in his New York fraud case.

Very few bonding companies will consider an amount of that magnitude, Trumps legal team noted in the filings.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.)

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) questions Attorney General Merrick Garland during a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing of the Department of Justice on Wednesday September 20, 2023. (Mattie Neretin)

New York Judge Arthur Engoron ordered the former president to pay nearly $355 million  plus interest  in penalties after determining he conspired to lie about his net worth for tax and insurance benefits. With interest tacking on about $112,000 per day, the total is now over $454 million.

So you can argue that Trump put himself in this situation by making sure that the only way to grow his net worth was non-cash investments, Cuban wrote. You can also argue Trump sucked at growing his net worth which led to him putting himself in this position by lying to banks about his assets. There is only one reason to lie on a loan application  you have to.

On a more macro basis Ted. Even if rates were along a long term trend line for the past ten years, few people are keeping more than 45 percent of their assets in liquid assets, he continued. And as far as the bond companies Trumps assets are mostly interests in commercial real estate and foreign assets. No bond company is loaning against them in this commercial real estate market, if ever.

The Hill has reached out to Lieus office for further comment.

Top Stories from The Hill

Trump quickly railed against the bond amount, arguing extreme measures would be needed to pay it.

Judge Engoron actually wants me to put up Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for the Right to Appeal his ridiculous decision. In other words, he is trying to take my Appellate Rights away from me, Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform Tuesday morning. Nobody has ever heard of anything like this before.

I would be forced to mortgage or sell Great Assets, perhaps at Fire Sale prices, and if and when I win the Appeal, they would be gone. Does that make sense? WITCH HUNT. ELECTION INTERFERENCE! he continued.

In a separate series of posts Monday and Tuesday, Trump called the bond unConstitutional and unAmerican.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Nicholas Hawkes was already a registered sex offender - Essex Police

The first person to be convicted of a cyber flashing offence has been jailed for 66 weeks after a judge warned him she had a duty to protect victims.

Nicholas Hawkes was sentenced at Southend Crown Court after sending unsolicited explicit photos to a 15-year-old and a woman.

The 39-year-old, from Basildon, Essex, sent the pair pictures of his genitals on Feb 9 2024, the court heard.

Cyber flashing refers to the sending of an unsolicited sexual image to people via social media, dating apps, text message or data sharing services such as Bluetooth and Airdrop.

It became an offence in England and Wales on Jan 31 2024 as part of the Online Safety Act.

Sentencing him on Tuesday, Judge Samantha Leigh said Hawkes was clearly a deeply disturbed individual.

She added: There is only one sentence for this set of offending, it clearly crosses the custody threshold.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, Hannah von Dadelszen, deputy chief crown prosecutor, said: Cyber flashing is a serious crime which leaves a lasting impact on victims, but all too often it can be dismissed as thoughtless banter or a harmless joke.

Disgusting pictures

She added: Using the new legislation, our prosecutors worked to deliver swift justice, securing a guilty plea just four days after Nicholas Hawkes sent disgusting photos to his victims.

The court heard that on the evening of Feb 9, Hawkes, who was already a registered sex offender, asked to use his fathers phone to call his probation officer. He went into another room, where he sent the indecent photo via WhatsApp to a woman in her 60s.

Minutes later, on the same device, he sent an explicit image via iMessage to the child, who was said to have been left overwhelmed and crying.

David Barr, prosecuting, said the offences were part of an established pattern of behaviour of the defendant.

The court heard Hawkes was convicted of sexual activity with a child under 16 and exposure in 2023.

His offences had been exclusively sexual in nature and started after he was kidnapped, stabbed and held at ransom for 5,000 eight years ago.

On May 12 2023, Hawkes went to Long Riding Surgery in Basildon, Essex, where he stripped naked. He then rubbed hand sanitiser on his genitals and walked around the foyer for five minutes.

Then on July 23 2024, he approached a group of young people in Mopsies Park, Basildon, wearing only his trainers and engaged in a sexual conversation with the victims and kissed one girl and hugged another.

Hawkes was spared jail for those incidents, blaming them on his post-traumatic stress disorder and heavy cocaine use. He denied a sexual attraction to children.

Crimes committed to create chaos

On Tuesday, Barry Gilbert, defending, insisted Hawkes did not receive sexual gratification from his offending but does it to create chaos when hes under personal pressure.

Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, said: Cyber flashing is a degrading and distressing crime which cannot be tolerated or normalised.

Weve changed the law so those who perpetrate these vile acts face time behind bars, and todays sentence sends an unequivocal message that such behaviour will have severe consequences.

Hawkes admitted two counts of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.

After he has served his sentence, Hawkes must comply with a 10-year restraining order and will be subject to a 15-year sexual harm prevention order.

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Nicholas Hawkes was sentenced to 52 weeks in jail for the cyber-flashing offences and 14 additional weeks for breaches of previous court orders

A convicted paedophile who sent a picture of his erect penis to a 15-year-old girl has become the first person to be jailed for cyber-flashing in England and Wales.

Registered sex offender Nicholas Hawkes, 39, of Basildon, Essex, also sent unsolicited photos to a woman.

The woman took screenshots of the WhatsApp image sent on 9 February and reported it to police the same day.

Hawkes, who admitted two charges, has been jailed for just over 15 months.

The offence was brought in under the Online Safety Act and came into effect on 31 January. It has been an offence in Scotland, which has a separate legal system, for more than a decade.

Passing sentence at Southend Crown Court, Judge Samantha Leigh said Hawkes was "disturbed" and had a "warped view of himself and his sexuality".

Cyber-flashing is an act typically involving an offender sending an unsolicited explicit image to people via an online platform, such as messaging applications and social media.

'Dangerous individual'

Hawkes was already a registered sex offender after he was given a community order last year for exposure and sexual activity with a child under 16. That registration ran until November 2033.

He has now been sentenced to 66 weeks in jail for two offences of sending a photograph or film of genitals to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation, and for breaching previous court orders.

Hawkes must comply with a 10-year restraining order and will be subject to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Det Ch Insp James Gray, of Essex Police, said the defendant had "proven himself to be a dangerous individual".

"Perpetrators may think that by offending online they are less likely to be caught, however that is not the case," he added.

Hannah von Dadelszen, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the East of England, hailed the "speedy justice" served and said the new legislation was a "really important tool in a prosecutor's toolkit".

"It just gives the prosecution another string to its bow in terms of offending in the digital space," she said.

"Cyber-flashing is a serious crime which leaves a lasting impact on victims, but all too often it can be dismissed as thoughtless 'banter' or a harmless joke.

"Just as those who commit indecent exposure in the physical world can expect to face the consequences, so too should offenders who commit their crimes online; hiding behind a screen does not hide you from the law."

The woman took screenshots of the WhatsApp image sent by Hawkes on 9 February and sent them to the police

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk KC said: "Cyber-flashing is a degrading and distressing crime which cannot be tolerated or normalised.

"We've changed the law so those who perpetrate these vile acts face time behind bars, and today's sentence sends an unequivocal message that such behaviour will have severe consequences."

Prof Clare McGlynn, author of Cyber-flashing: Recognising Harms, Reforming Laws, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that she feared loopholes still remained in the law.

She said it was a "hard threshold" for prosecutors to prove if a defendant intended to cause alarm, distress or humiliation.

"They do say it was a form of banter or they were just doing it for a laugh and didn't mean any harm," said Prof McGlynn, of Durham University.

"Even if we know that's not the case, we have to prove an intention to cause distress."

Emily Atack says at one point she was receiving thousands of unsolicited explicit images daily

The issue of cyber-flashing was explored in a BBC Two documentary last year called Emily Atack: Asking for It?.

Atack, the actor, presenter and campaigner, shared her personal experience of cyber-flashing and online harassment.

Speaking to the Today programme, Atack, from Luton, said she was "suffering in silence" after being sent "thousands and thousands" of unsolicited images online.

"I was receiving these messages from different men, different images, videos - anything you can think of," the 34-year-old said.

"I found that it was really chipping away at who I was as a person and I was questioning my entire being, everything I was as a woman.

"These behaviours have been normalised since the beginning of time and that is something we really need to look at."

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830
The Czech Republic is trying to deliver ammunition to Ukraine 'as quickly as possible,' Czech President Petr Pavel said on March 18.

"Producing the required number of shells takes time," Pavel told RFE/RL reporters. "This requires an increase in our production capacity. But Ukraine needs shells now. We cannot wait for European companies, so we are trying to find ammunition wherever we can. Deliver it to Ukraine as quickly as possible. But at the same time, we are increasing our own capacities."

The Czech Republic is leading an initiative to help finance the delivery of ammunition to Kyiv as the Ukrainian military faces critical shortages. Delays in U.S. military assistance, caused by disputes in Congress, have already had a direct impact on the battlefield, contributing to the loss of the key front-line city of Avdiivka.

Pavel also emphasized that Europe will be able to produce the "necessary amount of ammunition" in the near future.

President Pavel said last month that Prague had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside the European Union that could be bought and sent to Ukraine after the necessary funds were allocated to the initiative.

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that the ammunition suppliers taking part in the initiative include "some allies of Russia."

Czech officials told WSJ that Prague had managed to utilize its good relations with many nations in the Global South that have large stockpiles of Soviet-era arms and the ability to produce more.

They did not specify which Russian allies were among the ammunition suppliers involved in the deal.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU gives final approval of $5.5 billion in defense aid to Kyiv

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Rebecca Grossman, left, and her daughter, Alexis, head into the Van Nuys Courthouse during her trial in February. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Prosecutors want Rebecca Grossman's access to jailhouse phones cut off after they say she encouraged illegal conduct and her team attempted to tamper with jurors who convicted her of double murder.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Ryan Gould and his colleague Jamie Castro filed a motion Monday that detailed several jailhouse calls Grossman had with her daughter and husband since her Feb. 23 conviction for killing two young brothers in a crosswalk while speeding on a residential Westlake Village street.

According to court documents, Grossman told her daughter, Alexis, to make public a deputy-worn body-camera video that had been sealed by the judge and to direct another person to talk to the judge about a new trial. She also encouraged tracking down witnesses to get them to say their testimony was directed.

Read more: Rebecca Grossman guilty of murder in killing of two young brothers. She vows to appeal

The jury last month found Grossman, 60, guilty of two counts of murder, two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and one count of hit and run in the 2020 deaths of Mark and Jacob Iskander, ages 11 and 8. She faces 34 years to life in prison at sentencing.

Gould and Castro wrote that two jurors have reported that three others on the jury were contacted by Paul Stuckey, a private investigator, despite the judge's sealing jurors' personal information.

"This investigator did not properly identify himself, rather stating he was a 'private investigator for the family,' " prosecutors wrote in the motion filed Monday. Stuckey does not work for the Iskanders or the prosecution, but rather for Grossman, the prosecutors said.

The prosecutors said the only way the investigator could have found the jurors is if he had access to their personal information, which was sealed by Judge Joseph Brandolino, as is procedure in California after a verdict. The defense may petition the court for a juror's identity if a compelling interest is shown, but that has not been done in this case, the filing stated.

"The only ways in which the defense could have obtained this personal juror identification information was either by photographing the jury list that was presented to counsel during jury selection or copying the names down off this same list," prosecutors wrote. "The defense is actively attempting to engage in jury tampering ... and illegally in possession of jury personal identifying information."

The prosecutors are asking the court for all such information to be returned.

They also asked the judge to bar Grossman from contacting the Iskanders. Nancy and Karim Iskander, the parents of the boys Grossman is convicted of killing, informed prosecutors they received a letter from her on March 13.

Read more: Rebecca Grossman trial goes to jury with central question: Murderer or scapegoat?

They also want Brandolino to move Grossman to a part of the jail system with no access to phones or visitors, except for her attorneys, and where her mail is checked.

"While in custody, the defendant immediately began using her phone privileges to engage in wholly improper conduct or potentially illegal conduct. These calls include admissions to violating the court protective order regarding the disclosure of evidence on the internet and to the press," Gould and Castro said in the filing.

"These recorded phone calls also document numerous potential criminal conspiracies, such as requests to disclose more protected discovery, discussion of various attempts to interfere with witnesses and their testimony and attempts to influence his honor in regards to sentencing."

Phone calls made from people incarcerated at Twin Towers jail, where Grossman is being held, and other L.A. lockups are recorded by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

In a conversation on Feb. 23, the day of Grossman's conviction, she told her daughter: "I want you to unblock the videos."

Alexis Grossman replies, "I will."

Dr. Peter Grossman, Rebecca Grossman's husband, then interjects: "Everything you want us to put out, honey, let us know. We're going to put it all out."

To which, Grossman replies: "I want you to put everything out."

Read more: Rebecca Grossman jury must decide level of malice, dueling claims, finger-pointing

Prosecutors allege the exchange refers to body-camera footage from a sheriff's deputy at the scene in the aftermath of the crash. The video was on a webpage associated with Grossman's defense but removed after prosecutors informed the judge, who sealed all evidence not shown at trial.

Gould also alleges that Grossman told her husband to reach out to a Fox 11 news reporter to whom they sent the video. "Talk to her about, is she going to play that?" Grossman said in a Feb. 24 conversation.

Peter Grossman replied: "Rebecca, you know, we wrote this. I don't want you to say anything on the phone right now."

She asked, "Why? It's the truth."

As the jury deliberated last month, the judge issued a warning to Grossman about violating a court order by disclosing the video or making public any evidence that he had sealed and jurors had not seen. Prosecutors had asked Grossman be remanded to jail for her actions at the time.

Read more: Defense in Grossman murder trial keeps ex-Dodger Scott Erickson the center of attention

In another jailhouse conversation, Grossman spoke to her husband about a board member of the Grossman Burn Center, where he is the medical director. That doctor's patient Susan Manners was one of three witnesses who testified at trial she had seen Grossman's white Mercedes SUV strike one of the boys in the crosswalk. On the phone call, Grossman lamented that her husband's colleague had not influenced Manners' testimony.

She also separately told her husband to have a man she identified as Tom call the judge to see about getting a new trial.

In a Feb. 24 conversation with her daughter, Grossman said, "If we can get witnesses to come forward and say they were told to say things, this can get us a new trial." She encouraged her daughter to find and talk to a witness who was never called by the defense attorneys and who, according to their opening statements, saw a black car  not a white one  strike the boys.

"We have to get a real story out there about everything behind us and everything that wasn't done and all the things that were hidden from the jury and how the media influenced the entire trial and how they were releasing all this stuff to the media, just to make me look like a monster and that we know that the jurors were influenced by it," Grossman said.

Her 19-year-old daughter replied: "I'm going to do everything for you, Mom. Everything. And so is Dad."

Read more: Liquor, Valium, speed and recklessness: The D.A.'s case against Rebecca Grossman

Grossman told her daughter: "I was so in shock to have all 12 jurors [convict]. These were the worst jurors. I knew they were bad jurors. That whole jury selection thing didn't work for us at all. They weren't on my side from the beginning. I just knew it."

She continued: "Every single witness has a different story. How could there not [have] been reasonable doubt?"

The following day, Feb. 25, in a recorded conversation with her husband, Grossman brought up her then-boyfriend, Scott Erickson, whose Black Mercedes SUV she had followed through the crosswalk on Triunfo Canyon Road when she hit the brothers.

"You should call Scott Erickson and tell him to get on a video and that he needs to confess," she said, echoing her defense team's theme at trial.

Calling his wife a sacrificial lamb, Peter Grossman said: "I know he needs to confess, but right now, I can't even talk about the case. But that guy needs to [know] you're in jail for him, and it drives me crazy."

"Tell him to [make] a video and confess," Grossman told her husband. "I have a family."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
This is Blitz's third round of funding since commencing operations in 2022. The company secured additional funding across Q3 2023 and Q1 2024 from notable international and regional investors, including ADB Ventures, Iterative VC, FiveFortyAlpha, Third Derivative, BonBillo Fund, Bansea Fund, and Satvik Investments.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, SINGAPORE and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blitz Electric Mobility ("Blitz"), a trailblazer in the Asian Pacific electric vehicle (EV) logistics sector, proudly announces the successful closure of its oversubscribed seed extension funding round across Q3 2023 and Q1 2024, securing USD 1.6 million from eminent investors including ADB Ventures, Iterative VC, FiveFortyAlpha, Third Derivative, BonBillo Fund, Bansea, and Satvik Investments, with ADB Ventures leading the round. This brings Blitz's total funding to date to USD 2.6 million. The latest fund injection accelerates Blitz's expansion across Indonesia, strengthening its position as the country's leading EV logistics enabler.

Saivya Chauhan, CEO of Blitz, and Mohammad Feriadi, President Director of JNE, a longstanding client, collaborating on an instant delivery project

First conceptualised in 2019 by ex-Hyperloop engineer Saivya Chauhan, Blitz has rapidly become a dominant force in the APAC EV logistics market. The company operates nationally in 20 Indonesian cities and collaborates with over 30 enterprise clients across eight industry segments, including Lazada, BliBli, eFishery, JNE, Zalora, and SayurBox. Blitz's innovative approach to delivery services, primarily conducted using electric vehicles, underlines its commitment to sustainability and efficiency.

Blitz's success stems from its unique white-labelling business model and driver optimisation-focused approach to last-mile delivery. This model allows Blitz's clients to use its state-of-the-art logistics technology, operations, and EV fleets under their brand, enhancing delivery efficiency and providing a seamless brand experience without requiring substantial infrastructure investments. Blitz's AI-powered tech stack and EV fleets guarantee 99%+ delivery SLA completion with up to 16% shorter delivery times and 33% higher income than traditional gig workers.

Story continues

Blitz's innovative B2B model, characterised by its asset-light approach, sets it apart from conventional logistics providers. The company collaborates with EV OEMs, facilitating extended lease arrangements funded directly from courier earnings. This unique strategy enables couriers to acquire their EVs and ensures Blitz remains capital-efficient. With a broad spectrum of services, Blitz has emerged as a reliable partner in the e-commerce, grocery, logistics, and healthcare sectors.

The company's AI-powered driver management system optimises delivery operations, increasing driver performance and earnings. As of this writing, Blitz boasts 27x in year-on-year revenue growth and has completed 6 million deliveries on green vehicles, reducing carbon emissions by more than 10 million kilograms.

In 2024, Blitz aims to expand to 40 cities in Indonesia, targeting 2 million green deliveries a month. Central to Blitz's mission is the drive for social and environmental change, focusing on maximising driver income and job security while reducing the logistics industry's carbon footprint.

As Blitz rapidly expands within Indonesia and sets its sights on SEA, plans include trading carbon credits related to its emission-reducing activities. The company aims to become certified to sell carbon credits locally and internationally, furthering its commitment to environmental stewardship.

Regarding the funding round, Charles Cole Navarro, Investment Specialist at ADB Ventures, highlighted Blitz's high growth potential: "The transformation of the logistics sector is essential to reducing carbon emissions and air pollution in Southeast Asia. Last-mile transportation and logistics is an area of interest because it has grown significantly alongside e-commerce and the broader convenience economy over the past five years. Blitz's significant monthly growth, high execution capability of its founding team, and its aim to increase last-mile delivery operations' efficiency and facilitate the transition to electric vehicles positioned it as an attractive investment for ADB Ventures."

Saivya Chauhan, Founder and CEO of Blitz Holdings, said, "Celebrating the success of our second funding round is not just about capital; it is a testament to our potential to revolutionise logistics. From the get-go, our focus has been to redefine industry standards and empower clients and couriers alike. We are not just redefining the industry but setting new social and environmental standards. With bold plans for domestic growth, our journey is an invitation to everyone who shares our vision of positive change and innovation."

Charles Chai, COO and Director of Blitz Indonesia, said, "I'm excited about Blitz's trajectory post-funding. We're committed to operational excellence and cutting-edge tech. These funds will fuel domestic expansion and support our vision for positive change and innovation in logistics. I want to thank our investors, stakeholders, and the team for their crucial support."

Blitz Electric Mobility invites everyone who shares its vision of innovative and positive change to join its journey of transforming logistics in Southeast Asia. For more information, visit https://www.rideblitz.com/.

About Blitz Electric Mobility

Blitz is a data-driven logistic enabler in SEA. Enterprises from various industries private label Blitz's services, incorporating Blitz's logistic tech stack, operations, and EV fleets to enhance their delivery efficiency and margins.

Blitz's Surabaya team, driving higher income for drivers in Indonesia's second largest city

Blitz

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/blitz-raises-additional-1-6-million-in-oversubscribed-seed-extension-funding-to-accelerate-ai-and-ev-logistics-expansion-across-indonesia-302092593.html

SOURCE Blitz
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A man is sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder, and sexual assault, according to the Office of the District Attorney (DA), County of Tulare.

According to Department 10 of the Tulare County Superior Court, the court sentenced 24-year-old Wesley Anderson to life in prison for attempted murder and sexual assault.

On Nov. 2, 2022, the DA says Visalia Police Department officers responded to a 911 call of an assault in progress. When officers arrived at the residence, they contacted an adult female outside covered in blood with major injuries. Officers say they could hear another female nearby screaming. As officers approached the house, a second adult female opened the front door with her hands zip-tied. Anderson had already fled the scene according to the DA.

Through the investigation, the DA says it was learned that Anderson intended to kill one victim and sexually assault the other. Anderson initially hid in a closet and attacked the first victim, beating her and stabbing her with a pocketknife, before zip-tying his second victim and assaulting her. The assault lasted approximately 20 seconds before police arrived. Anderson was known to both victims.

Anderson was apprehended shortly after in Barstow as he attempted to make his way to Las Vegas, says the DA.

On Feb. 16, 2024, the DA says, Anderson pleaded guilty to pre-meditated attempted murder with the special allegations of a great bodily injury and use of a deadly weapon, assault to commit a felony during a burglary with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and sexual assault by force with the special allegations that he kidnapped the victim, did so during a burglary, and inflicted great bodily injury.

According to current California sentencing laws, Anderson must serve 25 years in prison prior to receiving a parole hearing. In addition to his sentence, Anderson must register as a sex offender for life.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Hickory Hill man was arrested after his son accused him of firing a semi-automatic shotgun at him Monday.

Police said Gerald Mason, 54, was too intoxicated to give a statement following the incident at his home in the 600 block of Rosewind Circle. Mason was booked in the Shelby County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault.

Masons son told officers he and his father were in the backyard when his father began drinking heavily. He said they got into an argument, and his father pushed him to the ground.

Witness: 52-year-old killed over spilled drink on Beale

The son said when he pushed back, Mason went inside his house, came back out with a shotgun, and fired shots in the air and into the ground at his feet.

Police said they saw in plain view a black semi-automatic American Tactical Bulldog in the backseat of a car parked in the driveway.

The son was not seriously hurt and refused medical treatment on the scene.

Mason is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
An Ohio father was arrested earlier this month after being accused of threatening his sons principal over the amount of homework he was assigned, police said.

The 37-year-old Oxford man repeatedly called Kramer Elementary School from Feb. 29 to March 1 using vulgar language and making demands, despite being told to stop calling, according to an Oxford Police report.

McClatchy News is not naming the father to protect the identity of his child.

He wanted his kid to spend more time with him and not do homework, police said in a March 6 Facebook post.

The father threatened the Kramer Elementary School principal, saying he better put his big boy pants on, according to police and media reports.

The man redirected his phone calls to the Oxford Police Department, officers said.

He calls dispatch, I think it was 18 times, roughly, Oxford Police Detective Sgt. Adam Price told WXIX.

Officers promptly went to his residence and arrested him, police said.

The father was charged with telecommunications harassment and menacing, according to police reports.

Oxford is about a 40-mile drive northwest from Cincinnati.

Father punished kids with cattle prod, Ohio cops say. Never seen anything like this

Toddler left alone dies while mom is on 10-day vacation, officials say. Mother sentenced

Dad warns hes more committed to killing judge than being a present father, feds say
A Dallas-based drug dealer was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday for distributing a staggering amount of counterfeit fentanyl pills, federal authorities said.

Law enforcement raided Terrill Antwan Rays apartment in 2019, seizing 28,000 tablets weighing upward of 27.5 pounds, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, Northern District of Texas.

Subsequent raids on his conspirators unearthed stashes of 114,000 pills, two firearms, and $11,000 in cash. In April 2023, Ray pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Mr. Ray is being held accountable for the poison that found its way into our community by his hand and the tens of thousands of pills that could have found their way into our love ones hands, DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chavez, said in a statement.

Ray ultimately confessed to dealing 142,000 fentanyl pills altered to resemble hydrocodone and oxycodone, two common prescription painkillers.

The numbing effects of fentanyl can be 50 times stronger than heroin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Doctors sometimes prescribe the synthetic opiate to patients managing the pain of surgery or late-stage cancer.

Illegally manufactured variants of the highly addictive substance have flooded the country. Fentanyl overdoses are the leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45. Dealers often fuse the drug with other illicit substances or disguise it altogether. The scourge has seared North Texas.

Federal authorities in the Northern District of Texas have issued hefty sentences for fentanyl-related crimes in recent weeks. A judge in early February locked away two Fort Worth gang members for a combined 20 years for trafficking fentanyl and other illegal substances. An online fentanyl dealer received a 24 year sentence the following week.

Chief U.S. District Judge David Godbey sentenced Ray.
Happy Tuesday and welcome to yet another edition of Rent Free. This week's stories include:

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott bizarrely cites TikTok falsehoods while calling for a crackdown on investor-owned housing.

Austin, Texas, builds a lot of homes and sees home prices drop. Scientists are baffled.

Sacramento, California, experiments with leasing public land to the homeless.

But first, our lead story about the darker side of housing bipartisanship. As most of the coverage of the 2024 YIMBYtown conference detailed, housing is one of those issues where Republicans and Democratswhile generally more polarized than evercan still work across the aisle to pass zoning reform.

The flip side of this dynamic is that Republicans and Democrats work against their own co-partisans to undermine zoning reform. For an example of this, witness what happened in Arizona yesterday.

In Arizona, Starter Homes Are Finished

Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, has earned herself a place in housing history/infamy by vetoing H.B. 2570, aka the Arizona Starter Homes Act, on Monday. Hers is the first gubernatorial veto of a major YIMBY bill.

The bill aimed to make smaller, owner-occupied housing easier to build by limiting local governments' abilities to ban smaller homes, require new housing to sit on larger lots, enforce purely aesthetic design requirements, force new housing to be covered by homeowners' associations (HOAs), or mandate community amenities that would require an HOA to manage.

H.B. 2570's deregulatory means in the service of more traditionally liberal ends of housing affordability produced unusually bipartisan votes in the Arizona House and Senate, with Republicans and Democrats pretty evenly represented in both the 'yes' and 'no' columns.

"We had very progressives like myself partnering with very strong conservatives, who saw this as a property rights issue, whereas people like myself look at it as a basic equal opportunity issue," Rep. Analise Ortiz (DGlendale) told Reason last week.

A majority of legislators from her own party voting in favor of the Starter Homes Act wasn't enough to bring Hobbs around.

"This is unprecedented legislation that would put Arizonans at the center of a housing reform experiment with unclear outcomes," said the governor in a veto statement. "This expansive bill is a step too far and I know we can strike a better balance."

Hobbs' veto statement cited only the opposition of the U.S. Department of Defensewhich complained the bill didn't exempt areas around military basesand firefighters, who said limitations on local setbacks regulations and required amenities like swimming pools could increase fire hazards. (The Starter Homes Act bill expressly protects local health and safety regulations.)

Conspicuously, the governor did not mention the primary organized opposition to the Starter Homes Act: Arizona's cities.

As Reason reported last week, Arizona's influential League of Cities and Townsa publicly funded association of municipalities that lobbies the state legislaturewas dead set against the bill from the beginning. The league had refused to negotiate on it or propose amendments.

After the bill passed, Hobbs told reporters that she was undecided on the bill and that she would have preferred housing bills that also have the support of local governments.

In Arizona, Democrats have long been the party of local control.

As the usual minority party in control of the state's largest city governments, Arizona Democrats have been constantly fending off Republican efforts to preempt local, liberal regulations and taxes. Of all the elements of local control, cities are the most jealous guardians of their land-use powers.

The rising salience of housing has upset this dynamic somewhat. Among the champions of H.B. 2570 were a number of progressive Democrat lawmakers. They're now complaining about the influence cities are wielding in the legislature.

"Cities and their lobbyists cannot continue to be the only barrier to statewide zoning reform solely to retain power and uphold policy decisions that have been historically detrimental to so many, especially communities like mine," said Sen. Anna Hernandez (DPhoenix).

My statement on the veto of the Arizona Starter Homes Act, HB2570. https://t.co/pm35LPzEtY pic.twitter.com/CkrsnT9IDz  Senator Anna Hernandez (@AnnaHernandezAZ) March 18, 2024

An irony of the bipartisan nature of housing politics is that it might be too bipartisan. Conservative Republicans and progressive Democrats both support zoning reform. In the Legislature, they can form alliances to get bills passed. But come election day, they're still going to vote like conservative Republicans and progressive Democrats.

If Hobbs' calculation is that she can upset YIMBY Democrats while still keeping their votes, she might not be wrong.

As one former Arizona Democrat lawmaker and YIMBY activist told The Atlantic's Jerusalem Demsas for a recent article, "If [Hobbs] ended up being the biggest NIMBY in our state, I'd still vote for her reelection because zoning, even though I'm one of the biggest zoning-reform advocates in the statestill doesn't rise high enough for me to flip my vote."

In her veto letter, Hobbs tries to have it both ways on housing. She says she's "supportive" of the Legislature's ongoing "efforts" to find a compromise on other housing bills that would liberalize accessory dwelling unit laws, all for residential redevelopment of commercial properties, and the like. She also says that "the status quo is not acceptable."

Nevertheless, her veto preserves a status quo that increasing numbers of Republicans and Democrats find untenable.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's TikTok Housing Politics

When a politician says they love free markets, you always know a "but" is coming.

Such was the case with Texas' Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who said on X that he "strongly supports free markets. But this corporate large-scale buying of residential homes seems to be distorting the market and making it harder for the average Texan to purchase a home."

I strongly support free markets. But this corporate large-scale buying of residential homes seems to be distorting the market and making it harder for the average Texan to purchase a home. This must be added to the legislative agenda to protect Texas families. https://t.co/VBs6Rluh3K  Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 15, 2024

Abbott was quote tweeting a profanity-laced TikTok video in which a woman claims that "private equity firms purchased 44 percent of single-family homes in America."

"This must be added to the legislative agenda to protect Texas families," said Abbott. No one said politics in the 21st Century would be uninteresting.

Cracking down on corporate home ownership has to date been mostly a cause of left-wing politicians, and heterodox right-wingers like U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance (ROhio). They blame institutional investors for driving up the prices of single-family homes that could have been purchased by individual families who, the story goes, are now stuck perpetually in the renting market.

In fact, the woman in the TikTok video didn't quite have all her facts straight.

Writing over at Housing Wire, Logan Moshtashami cites data from Freddie Mac showing that large corporate purchasers who bought 100 or more homes in the last year make up about 2.5 percent of home sales. In the second quarter of 2023, very large landlords owning over 1,000 homes purchased just .4 percent of single-family homes.

Reading is a good thing folks ???????? https://t.co/IYogNbORuD pic.twitter.com/bD0nSCLJXG  Logan Mohtashami (@LoganMohtashami) March 15, 2024

Investor-purchased homes have made up between 20 and 30 percent of home sales going back to the start of the century, but the vast majority of these investors are mom-and-pop landlords who own under 10 properties.

This is a far cry from BlackRock buying up all the homes. While a growing (apparently bipartisan) collection of politicians likes to complain about this phenomenon, it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Renters who either don't qualify for financing or who aren't looking to buy can still have access to single-family housing by renting it from an investor-owner. Research shows that restrictions on investor-owned housing result in lower-income renters being excluded from single-family neighborhoods.

One way to boost homeownership would be to legalize the production of smaller starter homes. A bill that would have done just that happened to pass in Arizona. We know how that turned out.

In Austin, Proof of YIMBY Concept

A wave of in-migration to booming Austin, Texas, saw home prices, rents, and incomes increase. This has been followed by a rash of new home and apartment construction, which is now pulling housing prices back down.

Overall, rents are down 7 percent this year, according to Apartment List data culled by The Wall Street Journal. The Journal gives this all a somewhat negative framing, describing a "glut" of luxury apartments and single-family homes selling at a loss.

It's also yet more proof that the basic supply and demand story continues to be true, even for housing. Despite some important zoning reforms, Austin is far from a YIMBY paradise. Nevertheless, development is a lot less restricted there than in other high-cost "superstar" cities.

As a result, new construction in the city is able to partially accommodate new demand and moderate price spikes.

The Texas-sized edition of Rent Free earlier this month covered some of the ways that the city and the state could liberalize development even more to boost construction and bring prices down.

In Sacramento, the Socialist Version of Homeless Homesteading

Sacramento, California, is trying out a novel approach to the city's homelessness crisis: leasing public land to an officially sanctioned homeless encampment. CalMatters reports:

When Sacramento changed its plan to demolish a homeless encampment on a vacant lot on Colfax Street, instead offering the homeless occupants a lease, activists and camp residents celebrated it as a win. The first-of-its-kind deal, which allows the camp to remain in place and govern itself without city interference, was held up as a model Sacramento could replicate at future sites.

It's produced mixed results. Those who didn't like the encampment's presence haven't been mollified. Many of the encampment residents complain of a lack of city-provided services.

Homeless advocates still argue the city lease allows people with nowhere else to go some level of stability and sanctuary, and makes it easier for homeless service providers to maintain contact with the people they're trying to help.

The experiment appears to be the socialist version of the "homeless homesteading" I proposed last year. The idea was to give the homeless title to public land they already occupy. Once they owned the land, the homeless could go about improving homes on-site. If their presence continued to produce nuisances, nearby property owners could purchase the land from them. Encampment residents could use the proceeds of the sale to buy more traditional housing.

It's an "off the wall" idea, to be sure. By only leasing the land to the homeless, Sacramento is short-circuiting the Coasian bargaining that promised the biggest benefits of homeless homesteading.

Quick Links

Vancouver, Canada, is taking land rights for indigenous communities seriously. But now that the area's First Nations use their land rights to build housing, the neighbors are having second thoughts.

this is so funny. rich liberals in Vancouver who have been protesting for land be returned to Indigenous people are now upset because one of the city's last plots of underdeveloped land was sold to local tribes and they're razing it to build an ultra-high density condo project. pic.twitter.com/OnhP5ht77w  pagliacci the hated ???? (@Slatzism) March 14, 2024

Speaking of starter homes in Arizona, the city of Mesa's zoning board voted to recommend denying a 26-unit townhome project in response to complaints from homeowners near the project site.

The New Republic published a takedown of the YIMBY case that building more housing reduces housing prices which ends up conceding the core YIMBY premise that building more housing reduces housing prices.

New York Senate Democrats continue to push for a radical "Good Cause Eviction" bill. See Reason's past coverage of the bill here.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, presses ahead with zoning reforms that would loosen density restrictions across the city.

The housing production power combo appears to be Democrat-run cities in Republican-run states, where everyone is at least minimally interested in growth.

On the other hand, all these cities are run by Dems. The existing housing power combo seems to be a Dem-run city in a GOP-run state, where everyone is at least minimally interested in growth. https://t.co/6fLsGTjjZi  Christian Britschgi (@christianbrits) March 18, 2024

The post The Dark Side of Housing Bipartisanship appeared first on Reason.com.
Dave Myers and Si King embrace following the end of their hugely popular TV series - BBC

Dave Myers said filming with Hairy Bikers co-star Si King was a dream come true during his final television appearance.

The presenter and cook died on February 28, aged 66, nearly two years after he was diagnosed with cancer.

For 20 years, the pair produced popular television series and best-selling cookbooks based on their travels around the UK and beyond.

The duos final episode of the seven-part series Hairy Bikers Go West will be broadcast on Tuesday at 7pm on BBC Two.

Myers, who underwent chemotherapy throughout the filming for the 650-mile road trip along the UKs west coast, told King: Who knows what the future holds but for the moment, Im living in the present, and its pretty fine.

Ive had a blast, lovely landscape, new friends and great food. And the two of us back together, doing what we do best.

The west really will be a trip to remember. It has been amazing, love you.

King, who was seen left visibly moved by Myerss words, told viewers: Im just lost for words. Its quite remarkable what hes done.

King was left visibly moved by Myers final words to him on the popular TV series - BBC

The final episode will see the pair visit Lympstone Manor in Devon, run by Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines.

In a preview, as they explored his vineyard, Myers said: You know this is such a special trip for the pair of us.

You know after the last 18 months and weve known you for a number of years now Michael and I can honestly say hand on my heart I couldnt think of a better climax.

As the episode drew to a close, King said: Well, weve made it.

Myers answered: And its been tough at times. You know Ive had chemotherapy all the time weve been filming, it hasnt been easy, but weve got there you know and its just a wonderful feeling. Being here with you, I long for this.

King responded: Weve done it, but more importantly hes done it. Hes my mate but I love him like family, like a brother, and... Im just lost for words. Its quite remarkable what hes done.

This is a pay-off to your hard work, to your will, to your effort, he added, as Myers admitted: Its a dream come true Kingy

An on-screen tribute played shortly after the end credits read: In loving memory of our friend, Dave Myers.

Myers, from Barrow-in-Furness, had been a make-up artist for film and television before moving in front of the camera.

He met King in the 1990s and the pair went on to become household names, presenting dozens of television shows and selling more than six million recipe books.

The pair met in the 1990s and went on to become household names presenting a host of TV shows and selling six million cookbooks - BBC

In 2013, he took part in Strictly Come Dancing, and said he loved every minute.

His dance partner, Karen Hauer, said after hearing of his death: Dave, you taught me to have fun and take on the day with a big smile. Rest well, my dear friend. Im going to miss you so much.

Myers announced in May 2022 that he had been diagnosed with cancer but kept the details private. Ive never gone on about what sort of cancer it is because I feel thats my business, he explained.

In a message posted online on February 29, King said: Im afraid I bear some sad news. Most of you will know Dave has been fighting cancer for the past couple of years.

Last night, on 28th February 2024, with Lili, Daves wife, his family, close friend David and myself by his side, he passed away peacefully at home.

All who knew Dave are devastated at his passing. His beloved wife brought him such happiness as did her children, Iza and Sergiu, whom Dave loved like his own.

Personally, I am not sure I can put into words how I feel at this moment. My best friend is on a journey that, for now, I cant follow. I will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime.

I wish you Gods speed brother; you are and will remain a beacon in this world. See you on the other side. Love ya.

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.
David Robinson hasn't lost hope that his son Daniel will be found.

That hope has led him to want to make a difference. And now it's led to him announce that he will be running for Congress in District 2 of his home state of South Carolina.

Daniel Robinson was a 24-year-old geologist living in Tempe. He was last seen on June 23, 2021, at his worksite in Buckeye. The missing person case remains unsolved, but his father isn't giving up.

Daniel Robinson's Jeep was found crashed in a ravine. While Buckeye police initially ruled out foul play, David Robinson isn't so sure that explanation makes sense.

Daniel Robinson, 24, was last seen June 23, 2021, driving west from his work site in an area west of Sun Valley Parkway and north of Cactus Road in Buckeye.

A private investigator employed by David Robinson released information late last year speculating the crash site had been set up. According to David, the investigator found the car had been driven 11 miles after its air bags were deployed.

Over the years, David Robinson has expressed frustration about his son's case not being treated as a crime scene. Robinson, a Democrat, hopes to focus on helping change the way that missing persons cases are treated in the country.

Over 650,000 people go missing in the United States every year, Robinson said.

"Three thousand five hundred, every day, 2,300 of them are children going missing every day. We definitely have to do something about that. And, you know, call it what it is: a crisis," Robinson said.

Through his son's case, Robinson said he's learned a lot about how law enforcement and different agencies handle missing persons cases. And he hopes to take that knowledge to Congress to help make missing persons cases easier for families.

Daniel Robinson: Private investigator releases new findings in unsolved missing geologist case

For example, some agencies require people to wait a certain number of hours before they can report a missing person. But people shouldn't have to wait, Robinson said.

Robinson said he also still hasn't been able to receive the pings from his son's cellphone the day he went missing. In missing persons cases, cellphone pings can provide a clue as to where the person may be. But law enforcement typically needs a warrant to access those pings, Robinson said.

And telecommunications companies also typically have a retention time. So, if law enforcement waits too long, the companies may not even have the data anymore. But Robinson said people should have the right to obtain their data without having to go through a judge.

"We know that nothing ever really disappears. So, we have to release that to the owners of that data," Robinson said.

Because Daniel's case was never treated as a criminal case, David said the Buckeye Police Department was never able to get a warrant to access Daniel's cellphone data.

Cases like Alicia Navarro's are what continue to give David Robinson hope. Navarro, an Arizona teen who went missing in 2019, was found last year in Montana.

"I feel that sometimes, you know, God has his way of bringing some great things out of something tragic," Robinson said.

While Robinson will be focusing on missing persons cases, he will also be focusing on local issues in District 2 in South Carolina, which sits on the border with Georgia and is where he grew up. Robinson hopes to focus on education and infrastructure issues, among others.

Robinson continues to maintain an active social media presence, where he continues to provide updates on his son's case. He also a website dedicated to his son's case and a website dedicated to his campaign.

Reach the reporter at ahardle@gannett.com or by phone at 480-259-8545. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @AlexandraHardle.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The father of missing geologist Daniel Robinson to run for Congress
Suspect arrested in Virginia after deadly shooting at Huntersville Walgreens

A man was arrested in Virginia following a deadly shooting at the Walgreens on Hylas Lane in Huntersville Tuesday night.

Shortly before 7 p.m., the Huntersville Police Department responded to reports about an unresponsive woman inside a vehicle. The woman, later identified as 55-year-old Sureita Angelia Samuels, was then pronounced deceased.

Witnesses told police they heard gunshots and saw a man exit the victims vehicle shortly after. The man, later identified as 53-year-old Rahman Akbar Ferguson, then entered a black Dodge Ram truck and left the area, according to police.

Its alarming, said Jackie Coffee, a Huntersville resident. Its alarming, living literally down the street. Its too close. Its too close. Its been a quiet area for as long as Ive been here.

ALSO READ: Man sentenced for hitting, killing elderly woman in Boiling Springs

The Huntersville Police Department said once they realized Ferguson was heading north, they reached out to Virginia State Police for assistance.

The Alexandria Police Department later informed the Huntersville Police Department they had attempted to stop Fergusons truck, but he fled from them twice, crashed, and ran from the truck. He was taken into custody after a brief search.

Police said they are working to extradite Ferguson to North Carolina.

ALSO READ: Victim IDed in deadly shooting in northwest Charlotte

Walgreens released a statement regarding the incident, saying:

The safety of our patients, customers, and team members is our highest priority. We are cooperating with law enforcement, and further questions should be directed to them.

This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

(WATCH BELOW: Driver says tire got damaged in work zone, but company wont pay)
The committee tasked with finding the 13th chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill will meet for the first time Thursday, officially kicking off a search process that is expected to last at least several months.

The meeting comes a little more than a month after UNC System President Peter Hans appointed the 13-member committee, which includes university governing board members, alumni and representatives of the student body, faculty and staff.

While the search at UNC is just beginning, chancellor searches at three other UNC System universities are well underway. So, where in the process do each of the searches stand, and when are they expected to be completed?

Welcome to Deans List, a weekly roundup of higher education news in the Triangle and across North Carolina from The News & Observer and myself, Korie Dean.

This weeks edition includes information about the four ongoing chancellor searches across the UNC System, a faculty vote against the provost of UNC Greensboro and a prominent North Carolina judge joining the Elon University School of Law.

Progress updates for UNC System chancellor searches

The search for a new chancellor at North Carolina A&T State University, the countrys largest historically Black university, began in October, following Chancellor Harold Martin announcing in September that he would retire by the end of the academic year.

The committee met for the first time in November, when Hans delivered his charge to the group. He said at the time that the committees goal is to complete the search by the end of the academic year, coinciding with Martins departure.

While it is far more important to get the right person than adhere strictly to a timetable, Im confident that we can work thoughtfully and efficiently toward the goal of me recommending a nominee to the UNC Board of Governors for election by the end of the spring semester, Hans charge stated.

The committee has met three additional times since November, and the university held several listening sessions for students, alumni, faculty, staff and the community in January. The university also selected Storbeck Search, a national search firm, to assist in the process.

A summary of the job, called a leadership profile, became available in early February. The priority deadline for candidates to apply was Feb. 29, and the committee is expected to review and interview candidates through April.

More information about the search for NC A&Ts next chancellor is available on the universitys website.

NC A&T State University Chancellor Harold Martin will retire at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.

The search for a new chancellor at Winston-Salem State University kicked off in December. Former Chancellor Elwood Robinson retired last summer, and Anthony Graham, who had been serving as the universitys provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, has filled the role on an interim basis since that time.

The search committee met for the first time in January, with Hans telling the group that its goal should be to complete the search by the end of the spring semester.

Also in January, the committee launched an online survey to gather input on the search and held listening sessions with university stakeholders.

The committee is expected to review applicants through the end of April. Hans is expected to nominate a candidate to the Board of Governors for its approval in May.

More information about the search for Winston-Salem States next chancellor is available on the universitys website.

The search for NC Central Universitys next chancellor began in late January, after Chancellor Johnson Akinleye announced he would retire by the end of the academic year.

When he gave the committee its charge in February, Hans said the committee should aim to complete the search prior to Chancellor Akinleyes retirement.

This will ensure a smooth transition before the start of the fall 2024 semester, Hans said.

The committee held several listening sessions for stakeholders in February. The leadership profile for candidates was released earlier this month.

More information about the search for NC Centrals next chancellor is available on the universitys website.

NCCU Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye speaks during his installation ceremony on the campus of North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. Thursday, April 19, 2018.

At the UNC-Chapel Hill search committee meeting Thursday, Hans should provide a rough timeline for the group to complete its work.

More information about the search for UNCs next chancellor is available on the universitys website.

UNCG faculty vote no confidence in provost

The fallout over a controversial review of academic programs at UNC Greensboro continues.

Last week, marking the second time in three months that they have done so, faculty voiced their disapproval of Provost Debbie Storrs and her management of the academic portfolio review (APR), which resulted in 20 programs being cut from the universitys future offerings.

In January, 25 members of the universitys Faculty Senate, an elected body representing the larger university faculty, voted to censure Chancellor Franklin Gilliam and Storrs for not initiating consultation with the Senate at the start of the [review] process and not providing a clear rationale of the choice of program closures.

And last week, about 180 members of the larger general faculty voted to express that they no longer have confidence in Storrs.

The past two years have been characterized by a devaluation of professional track faculty, a breakdown in shared governance, and low faculty and staff morale, the no-confidence resolution stated. The APR process, as managed by the Provost, has provided no clear plan for the universitys financial security or vision for the universitys future.

There were 800 faculty eligible to vote, according to Gilliam, and 339 chose to do so. Of those voters, 53% voted in favor and 47% voted against the measure. The vote was symbolic and does not place Storrs job in jeopardy, as was also the case with the censure vote.

Gilliam voiced his support of Storrs after the vote, saying he was proud to stand with her.

Provost Storrs exemplary leadership in the portfolio review sets a high bar for our institutional assessments, he said. She has been collaborative, proactive, and engaging throughout the review process, which stands out for its scope and demands.

Cheri Beasley joins Elon School of Law

Cheri Beasley, the first Black woman to serve as chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court, has joined the Elon University School of Law in an endowed professorship named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor.

Beasley will be the first person to hold the professorship, which was established to bring to Elon distinguished legal figures whose contributions to society reflect the tenets and values of OConnor, an announcement last month said.

Saying she was honored to serve in the role, Beasley called OConnor  the first woman to serve on the nations highest court  a maverick, trailblazer and literally one of a kind.

In the role, Beasley will teach courses on appellate practice, deliver a public lecture and contribute to professional development opportunities for students and faculty.

Im really excited about being a part of the Elon Law family, Beasley said. Elon Law students really have the whole world ahead of them. There are a wealth of opportunities available, and Im excited about working together on leadership development and watching them succeed. This is going to be a fruitful relationship and I look forward to being a part of the community.

Beasley began her legal career as a public defender in Cumberland County before becoming a district court judge in 1999. She was elected in 2008 as an associate judge on the state Court of Appeals, then appointed in 2012 to the state Supreme Court. Gov. Roy Cooper appointed Beasley chief justice in 2019. She ran to represent North Carolina in the U.S. Senate in 2022, and won the Democratic nomination but lost the race.

We are so lucky to have Chief Justice Beasley join our law school community, Elon Law Dean Zak Kramer said. At every step of her career, Chief Justice Beasley has made service the foundation of her work. I cant think of a better person to guide our students as they prepare to enter the legal profession.

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley leads the Supreme Court of North Carolina into the State Capitol Buildings historic Senate Chamber to hear oral arguments Wednesday, May 29, 2019.

Higher ed news Im reading

A man who spent 23 years in a North Carolina prison was exonerated and freed after a Duke Law School professor and his students in the universitys Wrongful Convictions Clinic presented evidence challenging the conviction, The N&Os Kristen Johnson reports.

This week marks 50 years since nearly 1,000 UNC-Chapel Hill students streaked across campus and broke the national record for public nudity. The N&Os Josh Shaffer takes us back to a giddy chapter of collegiate history that saw one campus after another across the state shed its clothes en masse.

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are floating a bill they say would bolster free expression on college campuses, but critics say it would restrict schools ability to limit hate speech, Inside Higher Ed reports.

Fifty years ago, UNC-Chapel Hill set the collegiate record for streaking with 924 naked people on a midnight run across campus. The record stood for only a day until the University of Georgia topped 1,000. Then the fad faded.

Sign up for our higher ed newsletter

Thats all for this weeks roundup of North Carolina higher education news. I hope youll stay tuned for more.

Like what you read here and want to be on our mailing list when the Deans List newsletter launches? Have suggestions for what kind of content youd like to see featured in the future? Let us know by filling out the form below:
European companies will soon be able to manufacture the necessary amount of ammunition to supply both Europe and Ukraine, Czech President Petr Pavel told Radio Svoboda (Liberty).

While Ukraine may need ammunition now, it takes time ramp up the production capacities of defense enterprises and produce the required number of shells.

Read also: Czechia can purchase 200,000 additional artillery shells for Ukraine  PM Fiala

"We cannot wait for European companies, so we are urgently seeking ammunition wherever we can to deliver to Ukraine with all possible speed, he said.

At the same time, we are working to expand our production capacities.

Europe should see a rise in production soon, he said.

Read also: Czechia can purchase 200,000 additional artillery shells for Ukraine  PM Fiala

"European companies will very soon be able to produce enough ammunition to (both) restock supplies in European countries and provide Ukraine with additional ammunition, if needed," Pavel added.

Czech initiative on procurement of ammunition for Ukraine

Pavel first announced the possibility of purchasing 800,000 shells for Ukraine on Feb. 17.

Read also: Bild names three countries from which Czech Republic could buy 800,000 shells for Ukraine

He said that Czechia had secured commitments for 500,000 155mm shells and 300,000 122mm shells, though he did not disclose the source countries.

Several other European nations have also joined this initiative to supply ammunition to Ukraine.

The plan is believed to involve spending about $2 billion USD to purchase shells from South Africa and South Korea, a Ukrainian military representative told NV.

Allies have already acquired the necessary funding to purchase the shells, it was announced on March 7.

Czechia had purchased 800,000 artillery shells from South Korea, South Africa, and Turkey, and could deliver them to Ukraine within a few weeks, Germanys Bild reported on March 11.

Ukraine may receive ammunition from Czechia in June, Czech national security advisor, Tomas Poyar reported.

About 800,000 artillery shells purchased under the Czech initiative will arrive on the front lines soon, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on March 13.

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
Bond yields have edged higher in 2024. Getty Images

Bond yields are back in focus this week as the Fed gets kicks off its policy meeting.

The 10-year is close a level that could put pressure on stock prices, Morgan Stanley said.

Long-term bond yields peaked above 5% last October. The 10-year yield was about 3.34% Monday.

The stock market has sidestepped concerns of higher bond yields so far this year as investors have ridden the artificial intelligence hype train and enjoyed a strong earnings season, but Treasurys are nearing a level that could put pressure on stocks again, Morgan Stanley says.

Strategists led by Michael Wilson said in a note on Monday that the 4.35% mark for the 10-year US Treasury has been viewed as "an important technical level" to signal the potential for higher rate sensitivity for stocks.

The key bond yield was just one basis point below that level on Monday afternoon, hovering around 4.34%, and yields could be volatile this week as the US central bank delivers its latest messaging on the direction of monetary policy.

"We think a key question for this week is whether the direction of rates will begin to matter more for the valuations of large cap equities," the analysts wrote in the note.

Yields on long-term bonds peaked last October, coinciding with a low in the stock market. The latest equity rally kicked off with the Treasury indicating less new issuance than markets had expected and the Fed's nod to easing monetary policy at its final meeting of the year

"This surprise occurred at a time when a large part of the bond community was short duration, which in addition to the Fed's 4Q policy shift, helped fuel a squeeze into year end," the note said, adding that multiple expansion driven by falling bond yields accounted for almost all of the stock market's returns during this period.

Still, the bank acknowledged that while rising bond yields are in focus again, investors this year appear to have largely begun to look past the influence of monetary policy in favor of corporate earnings growth and enthusiasm for AI.

Story continues

"From an equity standpoint, the rise in rates this year has not had the typical effect on valuationsi.e., P/E multiples have remained elevated in the face of rising rates," the note added.

The strategists said they're eyeing the 10-year Treasury yield's 200-day moving average as the Fed kicks off its meeting this week.

"Should rates decisively fall back below the 200-day moving average, it could serve as support for equity valuations to remain elevated," they wrote.

Read the original article on Business Insider
We can be knowledgeable with other mens knowledge, French Renaissance essayist Michel de Montaigne wrote, but we cannot be wise with other mens wisdom.

It is a longer rendering of the same sentiment in Montaignes most famous quote: Que sais-je? What do I know?

What Montaigne, a Christian humanist, left for us was his fascination with and appreciation for the members of our species and the joy of living, but also a deep, deep circumspection about the ability of individuals and the societies they create to see and know the truth.

Hence the shrug: This is what I think, he says, but I only understand what I have learned through my own experience. So here may be an answer, but what do I know?

The Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments in two separate cases, both related to the use of government power to influence political speech.

NRA v. Vullo involves a letter the New York Department of Financial Services sent to insurers in the state warning them against doing business with the National Rifle Association in the wake of the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The NRA, not surprisingly, sued. Its lawyers argued that the state was interfering with the groups ability to advocate for gun rights. Even NRA foes allow that New Yorks move was foolish.

But the other, bigger case, Murthy v. Missouri, is tricky. At issue are the efforts made by the federal government during the COVID pandemic and the 2020 election and its aftermath to battle what officials believed to be false claims posted on social media.

Its tricky because its sometimes hard to find the line between reasonable cooperation among government officials and the private-sector media to inform the public on pressing matters and jawboning, the use of direct or implied threats to manipulate speech. One is an extension of the same kind of work reporters and editors are always doing. The other is stealth censorship.

In the traditional media world, we would think of jawboning this way: If a government official notified a news organization of statements she or he believed to be false, no problem. If the official then said that such claims might trigger, say, an FCC license review, weve crossed over into abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.

Its notable here that the tricky Supreme Court case in question did not come from the social media companies that were perhaps jawboned into compliance, but from a pair of Republican attorneys general who say that their constituents were harmed by having their posts removed as a result of government pressure. Justices sounded unimpressed with the idea that state officials could sue the federal government for second-hand, maybe-maybe-not First Amendment violations that the media companies themselves are not suing over.

The same First Amendment keeps those same attorneys general from effectively suing the companies, since the platforms cant be compelled to publish things they dont want to publish. This, of course, infuriates many on the right who believe that social media platforms should be treated as public utilities, like telephone carriers, and not permitted to police the views offered thereon.

This is the wellspring of the populist rights cries of censorship, and demands that social media companies be forbidden from discriminating between users posts. But to run his social media platform, X, MAGA hero Elon Musk has to regulate speech, lest users feeds turn into open sewers of pornography and hate undesirable to a mainstream audience and mainstream advertisers.

So, social media companies have to be able to take some posts down. But which ones? Not ones that are being removed or muted because of ideological bias, say the populists. Which bias? Whose definition? By what evidence?

Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act shields social media companies from lawsuits for leaving up objectionable posts. You cant sue Meta if someone puts up a post defaming you. You can only sue the author of the post.

But the choice not to host speech the outlets disdain comes right back to the Bill of Rights, the wall into which right-wingers have repeatedly plowed. Hence the suits being heard Monday over secondhand censorship. Unless Congress makes social media platforms into common carriers like Ma Bell and regulated by the FCC, the effort to force these businesses to cater to customers they dont want will remain a talking point and not much more.

If the nationalists came to the idea of empowering the government to police speech (or to police the policing of speech) in that circuitous way, the progressive case for government control didnt have far to travel at all.

In a piece in Sundays New York Times, writers Jim Rutenberg and Steven Lee Myers lament that [Donald] Trumps allies are winning the war over disinformation.

[Trump] and many of his allies [were banned] from the platforms they had used to spread misinformation about his defeat and whip up the attempt to overturn it, reads the article. The Biden administration, Democrats in Congress and even some Republicans sought to do more to hold the companies accountable. Academic researchers wrestled with how to strengthen efforts to monitor false posts.

But, as Rutenberg and Myers rightly observe, Team Trump fought back aggressively, including with the lawsuits heard at the Supreme Court this week.

They have unquestionably prevailed, the article notes ominously.

Officials at the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department continue to monitor foreign disinformation they write, but the government has suspended virtually all cooperation with the social media platforms to address posts that originate in the United States.

Imagine if officials in the Trump administration had been engaging in cooperation with social media companies to address posts from the Black Lives Matter movement, transgender activists, environmentalists, and anti-Israel groups. What if Trump had tasked Stephen Miller with the work of rooting out disinformation on subjects that might incite mob violence or terrorism?

We could argue that its different in this case because Trumps lies, ever more effulgent, are about elections, and constitute an attack on the legitimacy of the government itself. If the federal government is charged with certifying election results and with protecting the rights of Americans to vote, doesnt the same government have an interest in policing misinformation about elections?

And, blammo, progressives plow into that same First Amendment brick wall that stymies the nationalists. Which misinformation? Whose definition? By what evidence?

Misinformation and disinformation are very much like right-wing claims of bias. Some of it is very obvious, but much of it is subjective and contextual. Sorting that out is fine work for individuals to do. Same for publishers, news outlets, and social media platforms. But when we bring the government into the game, we are inviting terrible trouble.

Its good for the government to put the facts out about Trumps bogus election claimsto talk to the press, to make facts readily available to the public, to make use of social media. That is especially true at the state level where elections are actually administered.

But suppressing disinformation is not just problematic for free speech rights, it doesnt work. What could make an idea or a claim more appealing to cranks and kooks than to hear that it was banned?

Nationalists want the government to have power to prevent content from being removed. Progressives want the same power, but in reverse. Both would be wise to remember that it wouldnt always be their side wielding the authority.

The better answer is to let the river flow and rely on citizens and media companies to make up their own minds about what to believe or disbelieve. Partisans and the politically powerful should make their cases as loudly as they like, but in the end, our republic rests on the capacity of individuals to make up their own minds.

And that brings us back to Montaigne: We can be knowledgeable with other mens knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other mens wisdom.

Read more at The Dispatch

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In a rally in Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday in support of Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, Donald Trump warned voters about the dangers of a second Biden term and criticized the current administrations approach to border security. On day one, my administration will terminate every open border policy of the Biden administration and we begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history, larger than that by far of Dwight Eisenhower, Trump said. You know, Eisenhower had a similar problem, but peanuts by comparison. Its like the border. I did a great job on the border. The border was terrible, but it was peanuts by comparison to what it is now; its like a little tiny, a small percentage. Now, I mean, nobodys ever had to go through this. Nobody ever.

Following the speech, Bidens Wins, the self-described largest online community of President Bidens supporters, claimed that Trump said he would round Latinos up and put them in detention facilities. Other Democratic-supporting accounts made similar statements claiming that Trump would round up millions of Latinos and build mass detention camps.

BREAKING: Donald Trump just said he will round Latinos up and put them in detention facilities. Retweet so every American knows. We need to stop this. pic.twitter.com/fYmr4A4plE  Bidens Wins (@BidensWins) March 16, 2024

Trump, however, never specifically mentioned Latinos or called for mass detention camps during his speech, though he did say that his administration would pursue a large-scale deportation program for undocumented migrants.

While the majority of undocumented migrants encountered at the southern border by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) come from predominantly Latino countries of origin, a significant number also come from non-Latino nations. In fiscal year 2022, for example, Customs and Border Protection recorded approximately 808,000 encounters with migrants from Mexico, but it also encountered approximately 25,000 from Ukraine, 21,000 from Russia, 18,000 from India, 15,000 from Turkey, 6,000 from Romania, and 2,000 from China.

Regarding Trumps reference to President Eisenhower, the U.S. implemented a new immigration enforcement regime beginning in 1954, led by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), to curb the high levels of undocumented immigration from Mexico that occurred during the prior decade. The operation rounded up undocumented immigrants in the American Southwest. The INS claimed that about 1.1 million people were either deported or left the country voluntarily during the program, but most independent estimates place the count closer to 300,000.

If you have a claim you would like to see us fact check, please send us an email at factcheck@thedispatch.com. If you would like to suggest a correction to this piece or any other Dispatch article, please email corrections@thedispatch.com.

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Delay in providing this funding enables the gangs to continue to terrorize and destabilize the country, said U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y.

Democratic members of Congress are urging Republicans to release millions of dollars to send aid to curb the crisis plaguing Haiti.

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., told theGrio that the only way the U.S. will bring stability to Haiti is by providing resources that they need [at] this moment.

Delay in providing this funding enables the gangs to continue to terrorize and destabilize the country, said Clarke, who is co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus.

In a statement obtained by theGrio, U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., said the funding is critical to protecting the Haitian people from violent crime.

The Congressional Black Caucus chairman believes the funding will help create an environment for Haitian self-determination.

Last week, House Minority Leader, U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sent a letter to House Speaker, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., stating that House Republicans refusal to deliver monetary resources is not in Americas national security interests.

In October 2023, the Biden-Harris administration pledged to give $300 million toward the Multinational Security Support Mission, an effort led by Kenya to bring stability to Haiti. Following that announcement, the State Department requested $50 million from Congress, which then released $10 million.

The U.S. Capitol building is shown in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The State Department is now demanding the remaining funds. However, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Rep. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, are blocking the aid.

Clarke told theGrio that although she has not spoken with her Republican colleagues about their refusal to release the monetary aid, she said the sentiment is that they do not want to invest monetary aid money to improve a bad situation.

Right now, were talking about a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions, said Clarke.

My hope is that we can get this funding  [and] bring some level of civility back to the nation so that all of the other issues that are impacting the people of Haiti can be addressed, she continued.

Nathalye Cotrino, a researcher with the Crisis and Conflict division of the Human Rights Watch, told theGrio that allocating $50 million to Haiti is a start, but it isnt enough.

Currently, Haiti needs urgent support in two ways: security and humanitarian aid, she explained.

Given the dire situation in the Caribbean nation, Cotrino said Haiti needs funding to restore the functioning of key infrastructure to the nations airport, police stations, courts, national roads, schools and hospitals.

The call for aid comes as an uptick in violence has swept the nation while armed groups have called for Haitis Prime Minister Ariel Henry to step down. Henry came into power following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Since then, he has postponed presidential elections, and gang members seeking political power have grown frustrated.

As a result, in recent months, armed gang members have taken over most of the country and have contributed to numerous deaths and kidnappings. Gangs have also destabilized life for Haitian citizens by targeting the nations airports and police stations. They also cut off access to the countrys largest port, resulting in food insecurity.

Earlier this month, gangs raided the nations main prisons, leading to the escape of more than 4,000 prisoners.

After repeated calls for Henrys resignation, he announced last week that he would step down once a new government is in place. According to U.S. officials, a transitional government consisting of a political council of nine members is set to take control of the country in the coming days.

Cotrino of the Human Rights Watch told theGrio that it is important that the U.S. and surrounding countries double efforts to ensure the new government does not repeat the mistakes of the past to quell the current crisis.

She added that candidates should be vetted to ensure they do not have records or credible allegations of corruption, human rights violations or supporting/financing criminal groups.

If Haiti does not receive the help it needs from the U.S. and surrounding countries, the U.S. could soon see an uptick in Haitians migrating to the U.S.

I cant envision people staying in Haiti under the current circumstances, said Rep. Clarke. Theres no doubt in my mind that we have to be prepared.

Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter.

The post Democrats in Congress want to send aid to Haiti, but Republicans wont budge appeared first on TheGrio.
One of the finest homes in Greensboro is being demolished by its new owner, infuriating the leading businesswoman who sold it.

The Georgian home at 710 Country Club Drive dates to 1937 and was built for J. Spencer Love, the founder of Burlington Industries. It features six bedrooms and a 3-acre lot.

ALSO READ: Davidson estate sells for $7.1 million, setting a real estate record

Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, the CEO of Pace Communications and former ambassador to Finland, sold the home for $4.5 million on Feb. 27 to an entity set up by Roy Carroll and Craig Carlock, the chief operating officer of Carroll Cos.

Read more here.

VIDEO: Davidson estate sells for $7.1 million, setting a real estate record
DENVER (KDVR)  A Denver man said a group of masked teens kicked in his door in the middle of the night.

Kody Clark, of the Athmar Park neighborhood, told FOX31 he heard two loud kicks at his door. He thought someone was trying to break into his home.

Fear, just surprised, honestly caught totally off guard, Clark said.

Clark shared these images of the damage:

Concerned for his safety, Clark recounted the terrifying ordeal that sent him running for his gun around 9 p.m. Sunday.

I was just watching TV on the couch, actually just kind of dozing off, getting ready for work the next day, Clark said. I heard someone run up my sidewalk, so kind of looked over. The first kick, they almost kicked the door open.

It was the second kick that got the job done.

They kicked the door in totally, Clark said. Blew the deadbolt through the trim. He had a bandana over his face and a hood on his head. It was really just hard to tell who it was.

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He is not sure how the situation would have unfolded if he responded more quickly.

As I was coming back from out of my room, he was already taking off out to the street and jumped into a car with a bunch of other teens, Clark said.

Neighbors witness suspects drive away from Denver scene

His neighbors were outside at the time and witnessed what happened.

They tried to run up to the guys and said stop, but they jumped in the back of the truck and took off, Clark said.

Unfortunately, he did not have video cameras to record what happened, but it is something hes considering now.

Thatll probably be next step of having more security at the house, he said.

Clark shared his story to the Nextdoor app to warn his neighbors.

Just wanted to let people know this is the vehicle these kids are going around, he said.

He said he saw the group leave in a old and huge dually truck, red and white with a KC light bar on the roof.

One of my neighbors actually said she saw the kids driving around in the truck earlier in the evening, Clark said. So they were out causing a ruckus earlier in the neighborhood.

Clark said there were dozens of comments from his neighbors on the post he made online.

Dozens of comments saying kids are doing this now and posting this on TikTok, Clark said. That was really disappointing to hear that kids are doing this for fun and not realizing that all those likes and doing those things for social media, those kids could have easily gotten hurt or killed that night, for sure.

Family-owned tailor shop destroyed in blaze

Clark has since added a security screen to his front door.

Meanwhile, FOX31 asked the Denver Police Department about this rumored TikTok trend. The department said it could not confirm or refute that by the end of Monday, when this story aired, but said they are looking into it.

Police want to hear from you if you have any information about this situation. You are asked to call Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
A man wanted for attempted murder in New Jersey led local law enforcement on a 100-mile chase on Thursday.

Deputies in Rowan County received a call from another agency telling them that a red Hyundai who didnt stop for police. That agency couldnt chase the car, so Rowan County deputies stepped in.

RELATED: Not worth anybodys life: When should police start a chase or stand down?

The deputies found the suspected car speeding 25 mph over the speed limit heading north I-85 near US Highway 52. When they tried to stop the driver, Damian Bell, he kept going.

More agencies joined to help. Police from Thomasville put down stop sticks at two exits in Davidson County, and Bell hit them but kept driving with a flat front tire.

After two more attempts to stop the car with stop sticks, the car had two flat tires but kept driving all the way through Orange County and Durham County on I-85.

Bells car finally slowed just before exit 183 in Durham County. He was arrested after 100 miles of trying to escape.

Deputies found nine handguns, one rifle, plenty of ammunition, meth, crack cocaine, and marijuana in the car and on Bell.

Bell first refused to give his name and didnt have any forms of identification. After he was arrested, charged and taken to the Rowan County Detention Center, deputies learned his name and that he was wanted out of New Jersey for two counts of attempted murder.

In Rowan County, Bell faces multiple charges with a bond of $150,000. Authorities in New Jersey are extraditing him back to the state under a fugitive warrant.

A magistrate added $750,000 to his bond, which now stands at $900,000.

(WATCH: Catawba County high-speed chase ends with crash into golf cart shop)
Rated Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) telcos are looking for new ways to expand their businesses and diversify revenue streams, says S&P Global Ratings.

This is because the GCC region's mature telecom markets, with mobile penetration rates of 130%-210%, offer limited organic growth prospects for telcos.

Higher growth rates, broader business diversification, and lower capital intensity fuel the tech appetite of rated telecommunications companies (telcos) in the (GCC) region.

No impact on rating

"We do not expect that the increasing revenue contribution from non-telecom operations will have a rating impact on GCC telcos over the next two to three years and expect rated GCC telcos will continue to exhibit low leverage," S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Tatjana Lescova said.

"Over the longer term, however, we will consider the potential rating impact of GCC telcos' changing business mix, competitive threats, and ability to balance growth and leverage."

Telecom markets in the GCC region are mature, which limits rated GCC telcos' revenue growth to about 1%-3% annually. This stands in stark contrast to tech companies' (techcos') revenues, which we expect will increase by double digits.

Diversification strategy

GCC telcos' diversification strategy could improve their cash flow generation potential, thanks to tech businesses' lower asset intensity. Yet, it could also impair their profitability. Techcos' margins, which are on average lower than telcos', could dilute telcos' consolidated EBITDA margins by 100 basis points (bps) to 300 bps over the next three years.

GCC governments' digitalisation and economic development agendas will support digital businesses and boost GCC telcos' consolidated revenues. S&P estimates non-telecom operations currently contribute about 15%-16% to rated GCC telcos' combined revenues. Digital businesses generate higher revenues in the case of more advanced telcos--including stc and e&--compared with Ooredoo and Beyon.

While core telecom services will continue to account for most revenues and remain the overwhelming profit generators in the short term, we expect digital businesses will grow at a significantly faster pace. Based on S&Ps latest forecast, it is expected that investment grade-rated global software and services companies will expand by 8%-10% over 2024-2025, compared with 1.5%-3.0% for investment grade-rated global telcos.

GCC governments drive digitalisation

Considering GCC governments' strong digitalisation push, we think GCC telcos' growth rates could be higher than elsewhere since the development of a digital economy will spur e-commerce, fintech, streaming, and gaming. Digitalisation will increase private and public spending in information and communication technology (ICT), which will benefit rated GCC telcos because of their leading market shares and close ties with various governments.

For example, Solutions (stc's ICT subsidiary) generated about 44% of revenues from government-related customers in 2023. It recorded a strong revenue growth of 20%-25% over 2022-2023, also partly thanks to M&As.

Digital revenues' relative contribution will increase

S&P estimates that rated GCC telcos' non-telecom operations could contribute 18%-25% to total combined revenues over the next three years. S&Ps sensitivity analysis assumes low single-digit growth for telecom revenues and an organic growth of 10%-20% per year in non-telecom revenues.

M&As could compound on the organic growth, resulting in much faster revenue accretion from tech related services. A material gap will remain between more advanced telcos, whose digital revenues could exceed 30%, and less advanced telcos, whose digital revenues will hover around 8%-14%. Currently, adjacent tech businesses are predominantly concentrated in GCC telcos' domestic markets. However, their gradual expansion to other markets, potentially via M&As, will accelerate growth.

We think e&'s recent announcement to generate 40% of revenues from techco businesses by 2030 is achievable via a combination of organic and external growth. We forecast GCC telcos' EBITDA margins could shrink by 100 bps-300 bps over the next three years. This is because of the dilutive effect that results from lower-margin non-telecom services.

EBITDA margins lower

The extent of the effect will vary, depending on the relative share of digital revenues. Based on S&Ps

forecast for investment grade-rated global software and services techcos, EBITDA margins will be at 33%-34% over 2024-2025. This is about 500 bps-600 bps lower than S&Ps expectation of 38%-39% for global investment grade-rated telcos' S&P Global Ratings-adjusted EBITDA margins.

GCC telcos operate at even higher S&P Global Ratings-adjusted margins, which will be 42%-43% over 2024-2025. We expect e&'s EBITDA margin, which stood at 43.7% in 2023, will increase by 300 bps-400 bps in 2024, thanks to the change in the royalties regime in the UAE and by another 200 bps because of the change in accounting after Vodafone becomes an associate.--TradeArabia News Service
(Bloomberg) -- Brookfield Asset Management appointed Hadley Peer Marshall as its chief financial officer, making her one of the most senior women in the executive suite at the Canadian investment firm.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Shell replace Bahir Manios, whos exiting the company after about 20 years and has been in his current role since 2022. Peer Marshall will continue as co-head of Brookfields infrastructure debt group in addition to her new responsibilities.

Hadley has deep experience and knowledge of our business and operations, President Connor Teskey said in a statement Tuesday. Her acumen, energy and investor-focused perspective are ideally suited to advancing our position as a world-class asset manager.

The decision is effective May 31.

Prior to joining Brookfield in 2015, Peer Marshall held a senior position in the project finance and infrastructure group at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Manios  who has been Brookfield Assets CFO since it was spun out of parent Brookfield Corp. in 2022  will retire from the firm, according to the statement. He has held several roles within Brookfield, including CFO of the infrastructure unit and chief investment officer of Brookfield Reinsurance.

We think the retirement of Mr. Manios was unexpected, in part given his age (he is ~45) and the relatively short duration of his tenure as CFO, RBC Capital Markets analyst Geoffrey Kwan said in a note.

Succession Plans

Brookfield has set in motion succession plans on a number of its units, including elevating Teskey to president of the asset manager  a role that makes him a potential successor to Bruce Flatt, chief executive officer of both the asset manager and its parent company.

Story continues

I will become an executive chairman at some point, Flatt told Bloombergs Francine Lacqua last month. What that means is Im here to help mentor young people, help with business development, look after clients, that can be helpful to the overall organization.

Anuj Ranjan was named CEO of its private equity unit business in February  succeeding Cyrus Madon, who became executive chairman of that unit.

Read More: Brookfield Fund Loses Consultant Approval After Leaders Exit

Several senior executives have departed Brookfield in the past two years, including Zachary Vaughan, who was CEO of a Brookfield-managed real estate trust for wealthy investors, and Mark Weinberg, who had helped lead Brookfields private equity unit in the US and left to join Josh Harriss 26North Partners.

Brookfield Corp. spun off 25% of its asset management business into a publicly listed entity to split the firms fee-generating assets from its own capital. The firm aims to more than double assets under management to $2 trillion in 2028 from $916 billion at year-end, including the parent companys capital.

Read More: Brookfield Explores New Infrastructure Fund After Record Close

--With assistance from Stephanie Hughes.

(Updates with analyst comment and additional context)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Then a Republican presidential candidate, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke to a supporter at the conclusion of a campaign rally at the LaBelle Winery on January 17, 2024, in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. On Jan. 21, he suspended his campaign. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

Although hes suspended his presidential campaign, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis withdrew too late to scrub his name from the official ballot in Floridas GOP presidential preference primary on Tuesday, so his fans in the Republican Party remain free to vote for him. A half dozen more candidates are on the ballot too.

Former President Donald Trump has already captured enough delegates to secure the GOP nomination. Nevertheless, counting will begin Tuesday evening, to see how many voters will pick Trump, DeSantis, or other candidates.

For all that, DeSantis hasnt really retreated from campaign mode  hes just redirected his sales pitch at Floridians rather than primary voters in other states. His recent press conferences have been marked by highly partisan attacks on the Biden administration, as when he signed a raft of anti-immigration bills last week and dispatched the Florida National Guard, State Guard, and state police to South Florida to block any refugees from the Haitian political violence.

There is a theory of the case in DeSantis world that, oh, Trump could drop dead. Trump could die on the stump. Something could go wrong, Trump could have an aneurism, something could go wrong legally, were going to keep our powder dry, Rick Wilson, the former Republican consultant who co-founded the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, told the Phoenix in a phone interview.

But: I dont necessarily think theres any amount of powder in the world that could be kept dry enough for Ron DeSantis to become the Republican nominee. Particularly because, if Trump did die tomorrow, the money would go to Nikki [Haley] by a tidal wave, because they like her better; shes more their kind of person. DeSantis is less culturally appealing to them than she is, Wilson said.

Now that all eyes are on Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Rons press conferences feel like a desperate cry for someone, anyone, to pay attention to him. Hes doing everything he can to cling to relevancy  from posturing over spring break to insulting the families of Floridas Haitian community, Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried told the Phoenix in a written statement.

I cant imagine how embarrassing it will be for him to watch the election results this week, knowing that he took his best shot at the presidency and still had to bend the knee to someone as awful as Donald Trump, Fried said.

Suspension vs. quitting

The Phoenix reached out to the governors press office about DeSantis plans for the day but hasnt heard back yet. We also contacted Evan Power, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, but he hasnt gotten back to us, either.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and other GOP candidates who suspended their presidential campaigns are still on the ballot in Florida for the March 19, 2024, Republican Presidential Preference Primary Election. Theres no Democratic primary election on Tuesday because the FL Democratic Party chose to place only Joe Bidens name on the March 19 ballot.

DeSantis suspended his campaign on Jan. 21, too late to remove his name from the primary ballot. The Florida Democratic Party certified the name of only one candidate  Joe Biden  so, under state law, therell be no Democratic primary.

Also appearing on the GOP ballot will be Haley, the former South Carolina governor, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, business executive Vivek Ramaswamy, and Ryan L. Binkley, a business consultant and pastor from Texas.

Like DeSantis, all but Trump have dropped out of the race  though they have all suspended their campaigns, vs. ending it.

Whats the difference?

Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley notes on his office website that candidates who suspend their campaigns usually get to keep any delegates theyve won and can continue to raise money beyond whats needed to retire their campaign debts.

In contrast, candidates who actually drop out of a race, usually have to forfeit certain

delegates and are limited in how they can raise future funds. If a candidate ended their

campaign instead of merely suspending it, then they might lose eligibility for federal

matching funds that would help pay off their debts.

In addition: The Federal Election Commission, in fact, doesnt consider a campaign completely over until its debts are paid off, loans are settled, and its cash has been transferred into other accounts. One more reason to suspend a campaign? In theory, if the political climate changes dramatically, a suspended campaign could spring back to life. The phrase has been employed at least as far back as the 1970s and continues to serve as the most popular way for candidates to end their primary bids without closing down their campaign committees.

The issue of delegates may be relevant if something were to happen to presumptive nominee Trump before the partys convention, which takes place in Milwaukee in mid-July.

Under Federal Elections Commission rules, according to agency spokesman Myles Martin, a candidate is no longer actively seeking nomination or election to a particular office once the candidate:

Becomes ineligible for nomination or election to that office by operation of law; publicly announces that the candidate is withdrawing from one race and ceases to campaign for that election, other than fundraising to retire outstanding debts; has filed a termination report; or has notified the commission in writing that the campaign will conduct no further activities with respect to that election other than fundraising to retire outstanding debts.

A list of reports the DeSantis campaign has filed with the FEC includes no hint that he has closed his campaign.

Delegate count

Trump has 1,273 delegates, more than the 1,215 needed to secure the nomination. Nikki Haley has 94 delegates, DeSantis has 9, and Vivek Ramaswamy 3, according to the USA Today Republican Presidential primary delegate tracker

Florida will send 125 delegates to the Republican National Convention this summer, according to Ballotpedia.

State records reflect 5,141,848 registered Republicans in Florida against 4,362,147 Democrats, 3,528,807 with no party registration, and 317,607 members of minor parties. Only registered Republicans are eligible to vote in the primary.

What does it matter?

Wilson sees a possibility that Haley could outpoll DeSantis among primary voters, on the theory that Trump skeptics would prefer her to someone like DeSantis.

Hes in a bad spot politically just because Trump is furious with him and thats not going to end anytime soon, Wilson said.

A smart Donald Trump would have made nice and would have welcomed DeSantis back into the circle and all that other stuff. But hes not a smart guy; he cant overcome his emotional reflexes to these things.

Meanwhile, anecdotal evidence suggests limited interest in the primary among Republicans.

I think that the base of Republicans is kind of over the primary. They think its over. Theyve already declared [Trump] the nominee in all of these different organizations and states, said Jake Hoffman, executive director of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans.

Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images

I think some people dont even realize that they need to vote tomorrow, and I feel like people who both like and dislike Trump arent going to vote, because its like, what does it matter? So, I dont know that youll be able to read anything into a protest vote or anything like that coming up. Im sure theyll be some people who will do that, but I dont think itll be anything significant, Hoffman continued.

April Schiff, a Hillsborough County Republican state committeewoman, expects very low turnout. There will be little vote for others.

Deb Tamargo, former president of the Florida Federation of Republican Women, calls it a nonprimary primary.

Theres been no push to vote. I told my friend yesterday, I havent even voted. Ive got to vote Tuesday, which is fine with me, its easier than hunting for the early voting sites, Tamargo said.

Asked if she thinks Republicans will vote for Ron DeSantis or Nikki Haley or another candidate, Tamargo said: I think youll see some of that because this is Florida.

She continued: Its probably people are going to say, vote for Ron DeSantis as opposed to voting for President Trump  So, I think there will be some of that vote.

The post DeSantis is on the ballot on Tuesdays primary in FL, though he suspended his presidential campaign appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
The makeshift shelter sits atop the ruins of the Kahlout family's shattered Gaza home, which took them 30 years to build but was destroyed in moments by war.

They were shocked to return to rubble after fleeing fighting around their house in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, yet they had to decide what to do next.

"We pitched a tent over the rubble and we are staying here. Where to go? There's no where to go, there's no shelter," said 60-year-old Oum Nael al-Kahlout.

"It's our memories, our house which we worked hard to build and we spent 30 years building it," she added.

Over five months into the war sparked by Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel, the heavy bombardment has flattened swathes of the densely populated Palestinian territory.

At the Kahlout's shelter, concrete blocks serve as stairs and a garland of red pennants hang limply from the roof of sheet metal. There are no windows and the walls are about waist-high.

The structure -- which houses a couch, some cooking utensils and a bed -- is surrounded by a desolate landscape of shattered concrete that used to be buildings.

- 'We eat nothing' -

The bloodiest ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas's attack resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in the Gaza Strip, including 33 who are presumed dead.

Israel has responded with a relentless offensive against Hamas that Gaza's health ministry says has killed at least 31,819 people, most of them women and children.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said the destruction in Gaza has created 23 millions tonnes of debris in the narrow coastal territory.

"It will take years to clear the rubble & unexploded ordnance," UNRWA wrote on social media on Friday.

Yet for people like Kahlout, who shares the shelter with her husband Saed Ismail al-Kahlout, food is the most pressing need.

Half of Gazans are experiencing "catastrophic" hunger, with famine projected to hit Gaza's north by May unless there is urgent intervention, a UN-backed food assessment warned Monday.

The situation is particularly dire in the north, where the United Nations says there are about 300,000 people and where famine was "imminent... projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May".

"We don't receive any aid. We eat ground weeds, when we find mallow weed. We cook it in water and drink it as soup," said Oum Nael, referring to an edible herb.

Her husband added that seeking help from charities had made little difference: "Hopefully we receive a plate of mallow weed or something. It's always mallow weed, we eat nothing."

bur-mg/jm/hkb
SBU detained traitor on suspicion of spying the Ukrainian Armed Forces and serving at the enemy checkpoints

Resident of Kharkiv region has been detained on suspicion of spying the frontline Ukrainian Armed Forces and serving at the enemy checkpoints in the region, Ukraines Security Service (SBU) reported on Telegram on March 19.

Read also: Ukraine's SBU arrests Russian intelligence informant in Mykolaiv Oblast

The investigation revealed that during the battles for the administrative center of Kharkiv, the suspect voluntarily collected information on the concentration of personnel and military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces along the frontline and passed it to the Russian army command in the Izyum sector.

After the partial seizure of the oblast, the detainee assisted the occupiers in identifying members of the resistance movement while on duty at Russian checkpoints. He was found in possession of an AK-74 rifle with ammunition and a Russian-style military uniform.



The detainee, who is currently in custody, has been served a notice of suspicion under two articles, with a maximum penalty of up to 12 years in prison:



Aiding and abetting the aggressor state (Part 1 of Article 111-2)

Unauthorized dissemination of information concerning the deployment, movement or use of the armed forces (Part 2 of Article 114-2).

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
For the third time in 10 days, a Detroit police officer was fired upon Monday evening, Police Chief James White said in a news conference Tuesday.

No officers were injured in the incidents, he said.

Monday's gunfire occurred just before 8 p.m. while an officer was conducting a traffic stop at Seneca Street and Harper Avenue. Two rounds were fired at the officer, forcing the officer and the man engaged in the traffic stop to duck for cover, White said during a Tuesday afternoon news conference at the intersection.

White said police were searching for a suspect. It was unclear from where rounds were fired, but police continued to examine evidence.

"It's absolutely unacceptable," White said. "It's absolutely ridiculous, unnecessary."

Detroit Police Chief James White addressed concerns over shootings at officers during a news conference at Seneca Street and Harper Avenue on March 19, 2024.

White went on to describe two other recent incidents where Detroit police faced gunfire. On March 11, White said a round was fired at an officer near Joy Road and Evergreen Avenue during a foot chase involving a group of juveniles accused of carjacking. The officer avoided injury and did not return fire, White said. A weapon was recovered and the juveniles were apprehended.

And on March 13, police responded to a dispute over hair when an individual attempted to flee in a vehicle. A subsequent traffic stop led to the individual fleeing from his vehicle and a pursuit by police; the suspect then fired two rounds at police near Orangelawn Street and Vaughn Street, White said.

Officers did not return fire and the suspect was arrested, White said.

"It's very serious," White said of the gunfire aimed at police. "They're just trying to do their job."

Despite the recent incidents, White said gunfire directed toward police doesn't appear to be on an upward trend in Detroit overall.

"Overwhelmingly, our community supports us. Overwhelmingly, the community works well with the police department ... these isolated incidents don't reflect the entire community."

Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. She can be contacted at 313-264-0442 or asahouri@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit police concerned over recent gunfire at officers
HENDERSONVILLE - With temperatures in the 30s on the morning of March 18, a couple of members of the Hendersonville Tree Board surveyed the property behind the Blue Ridge Mall, where developers are planning to build a four-story, extended stay hotel.

Residents who are against the project were also on hand to ask questions to the Tree Board's Glenn Lange and Mary Davis, who were going over the site plans to determine what they would recommend to the developers from Mitch Cox Companies in Johnson City, Tennessee at the board's March 19 meeting.

Hendersonville Tree Board member Glenn Lange, center, talks with residents who live next to the property at the Blue Ridge Mall, where developers are hoping to build an extended-stay hotel.

"Since we're interested in natural resources and improving our tree canopy, we're going to recommend to have as wide a buffer that can be put in, so the residents have some buffer against the development," Lange said. "Of course, that will improve the tree canopy eventually."

Lange said according to the site plans, the developers will plant several trees and also a lot of shrubs, which would benefit the environment. Further down the property, Lange and Davis noticed a large batch of bamboo.

Hendersonville Tree Board members Glenn Lange, right, and Mary Davis talk with residents who live next to the property at the Blue Ridge Mall, where developers are hoping to build an extended-stay hotel.

"That's an invasive plant," Lange said of the bamboo. "I was going to recommend they leave (the bamboo) alone ... but now I think we are going to recommend they take out the bamboo and replant something else there."

Philip Cox of Mitch Cox Companies submitted an application in January to the city of Hendersonville for a conditional zoning district for the 1.4 acre piece of property, which might be developed into an ECHO Suites hotel by Wyndham. The proposed hotel is 51,463 square feet with 124 rooms, and the parking lot site plan shows 76 parking spaces.

In a previous Times-News article, Cox said he and his staff took interest in the site after they got a call about a year ago from the Blue Ridge Mall Development Group, which is based out of Augusta, Georgia. The mall and the site for the proposed hotel is owned by James Hull Jr.

This is the area behind the Blue Ridge Mall where a developer is seeking to build a four-story extended-stay hotel. Just beyond the parking lot are residents' houses.

The applicant, Philip Cox of Mitch Cox Companies in Johnson City, Tennessee, said his company already has a footprint in the area with Universal at Lakewood apartments in Hendersonville.

Following the March 19 Tree Board meeting, developers will take the board's recommendations and decide on how to move forward, since their plans could change again, Lange said, based on those recommendations. After the Tree Board meeting, developers will turn their attention to the April 11 Planning Board meeting at the City Operations Center.

More: Developers' plans for extended-stay hotel behind Blue Ridge Mall delayed but will continue

The decision on whether the rezoning request is approved, and construction can begin will be made at the May 2 Hendersonville City Council meeting at the City Operations Center, according to Hendersonville City Planner Tyler Morrow.

"City Council will review the project and the recommendations from the Tree Board and Planning Board and will give consideration to public comments before ultimately making the decision on rezoning," Morrow said in a previous Times-News article.

Residents are still hoping they can prevent the project from happening. Many believe the hotel will add traffic and noise, and several told Lange and Davis that they wouldn't be allowed to have a short walk to the mall like they used to.

"We're hoping to have a big presence at the Planning Board's meeting," Leah Ryel, who lives directly behind the mall said. "We're going to reach out to as many as we can to make our voices heard."

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Tree Board to give recommendations to developers of mall hotel project
Kansas continues to carry out a practice that research has proven demeans, humiliates, and stigmatizes children: youth shackling. It involves using chains, leg irons, handcuffs or restraints on young people in the custody of the justice system. That means children are being restrained with devices that can weigh up to 25 pounds, including when they appear in court.

In 2016, the Legislature committed to a rehabilitative youth justice system. Yet from the start of their involvement with the existing system, Kansas children are treated as dangerous criminals. This harms their development, undermining the promises of restorative justice. Proponents argue that shackling supposedly teaches kids a lesson. They may be right  but it is time we ask ourselves if it is the right lesson.

Shackling is a cruel and pointless practice. Children in custody do not threaten adults working with them. These are just kids whose bodies, brains, and decision-making facilities are still developing. For reference, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average height of boys 12 to 14 years old in the United States is 5 feet 4 inches and their average weight is 127 pounds. American girls 12 to 14 years old have an average height of 5 feet 2 inches, with an average weight of 125 pounds. In comparison, the average man 20 and older is 5 feet 9 inches tall and 200 pounds, and the average American woman 20 and older is 5 feet 4 inches tall and 171 pounds.

Shackling does real and lasting harm to Kansas children. Research shows indiscriminate shackling of youth leads to retraumatization and shame, and increases recidivism of youth involved in the justice system. Experts and medical professionals agree that public shackling inherently produces shame and humiliation. This is even more acute in children and adolescents whose developing brains are vulnerable to lasting harm from these emotions. Shackling labels children as dangerous, and they are likely to react negatively to being stigmatized. That adversely affects their formation of self-identity, which is crucial during the teenage years of development.

Shackling does not keep communities safe and children out of the justice system. The lack of self and community identity that shackling produces in children could lead to more oppositional behavior, increasing recidivism. A rehabilitative justice system should use trauma-informed practices, not outdated, debunked methods of punitive justice.

Shackling also denies children their legal rights. Adults have legal protections against indiscriminate shackling. The U.S. Supreme Court has established that shackling adults during sentencing is almost always inherently prejudicial. Still, children in Kansas face hearings shackled or restrained. Doing so impedes their right to a fair trial by undermining the presumption of innocence and hindering the attorney-client relationship and communication. Why do we not afford kids the same protections as adults?

Shackling is happening to Kansas children. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit Gault Center recently published a report that shows Kansas is out of step with 39 states that have laws limiting or prohibiting indiscriminate youth shackling. The Kansas courts have also paid experts to study the states youth justice system. Those experts observed numerous court hearings in Kansas and found in every instance, children were shackled regardless of the crime they were accused of.

This practice is so commonplace in Kansas that it often doesnt even register with childrens defense attorneys that it is happening to their clients. They reported being numb to it or unaware that it was happening. Kansas youths deserve more than this from the justice system that promises to help them.

The Legislature continues to ignore this demeaning practice and has not protected kids. During the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers could have passed a bill to end the practice of youth shackling, yet they let it die in committee. Two bills to end youth shackling were introduced during the current session, and they again died in committee.

How long must kids in Kansas wait to have their dignity and legal rights heard? Youths involved in the justice system are just kids, and it is time we stop ignoring the harm a system that promises to help them inflicts.

Amanda Schlumpberger is policy and legal research analyst at Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit justice advocacy organization.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff excoriated Donald Trump on Tuesday, after the former president told a conservative radio host that Jews who vote Democratic hate Israel.

This is a disgusting, toxic, antisemitic thing to say, by anyone, let alone a former president of the United States and it must be condemned, Emhoff said during a campaign event in Nebraska, according to Bloomberg.

One of the most prominent Jews in the Biden administration, Emhoff has served as a de-facto envoy to the Jewish community for the White House, where hes worked on initiatives to combat the rise of antisemitism.

Trumps comments came during an interview with Sebastian Gorka, his former campaign aide  and they drew swift backlash from the Biden campaign and the Anti-Defamation League.



I actually think they hate Israel, Trump had told Gorka. Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion  They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.

Fallout of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and subsequent Israel-Hamas war has divided Democrats and caused headaches for President Joe Biden, who has tried to maintain the countrys long-standing ties to Israel amid outcry at home over the rising civilian death toll and increasingly bleak humanitarian situation in the besieged Gaza strip.
A man facing charges for fatally stabbing an 11-year-old and injuring his ex-girlfriend had a history of violence, authorities said.

Crosetti Brand was released from a Chicago-area prison the day before allegedly attacking 11-year-old Jayden Perkins and his 33-year-old mother at their home on Wednesday, March 13, CBS News reported.

When police arrived at the 5900 block of North Ravenswood Avenue at about 8 a.m., they discovered Perkins and the woman, who is eight months pregnant and was cut several times, including her neck, according to the report. Officials say that Perkins barged into the home while she was getting ready to take her children to school.

Crosetti Brand, charged for stabbing ex-girlfriend and her son, has a violent past, authorities say. (CBS Chicago/ Youtube/Screenshot)

Her 5-year-old saw what happened that morning. Both victims were transported to a local hospital, where Perkins was pronounced dead.

Brand, a convicted felon, was let out of Stateville Correctional Center last Tuesday, March 12, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He was initially sentenced to 16 years, serving just over eight, for home invasion and aggravated domestic battery for a separate incident with another woman and reportedly released on parole last fall.

His recent release comes after the 37-year-old was taken into custody in February on a parole violation charge where he was accused of harassing the ex-girlfriend, who had recently reached out to authorities for protection, the newspaper reported.

"This defendant has a history of domestic violence and had only been recently released from serving a sentence from a prior conviction," Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said in statement. "The victim had an order of protection against him from previous encounters, and this history paints a disturbing pattern of behavior which emphasizes the importance of the filing of the charges today."

After Brand allegedly texted her threateningly and showed up to her doorstep and tried to forcibly enter on Feb. 1, the woman immediately contacted the police, who told her to get a protection order. She requested an emergency order, which a judge denied because Brand was behind bars at the time.

According to the outlet, officials now claim that she had a "lifetime" protection in place stemming from a 2009 incident, which raised questions for advocates who want to know why Brand wasnt charged with violating that order after the February incident.

Also unresolved is the question of why Brand was paroled again last week despite evidence hed violated the terms of his parole in February. The Sun-Times reports the Illinois Prisoner Review Board addressed this issue with a statement that read in part, A hearing determined the alleged violations did not meet the preponderance of evidence standard.

For last week's crime, Brand was charged with home invasion, domestic battery, armed robbery, first-degree murder, and attempted first-degree murder, the outlets reported.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson called the incident "horrific," adding that systemic failures must be addressed. He also acknowledged Perkins, who died trying to protect his mother from Brand.

"Jayden was a bright light in his community. We grieve alongside his family and community as we reckon with this unthinkable loss," the statement said. "We pray for Jayden's mother's recovery. We will never forget Jayden, who was taken from us much too soon. May God rest his soul in eternal peace."

Disturbing: Judge Denies Pregnant Womans Protection Order; Man Allegedly Stabs Her, Kills 11-Year-Old Son Who Fought to Save Moms Life
A man pleads with a member of the National Guard after burrowing through razor wire in an effort to cross the border along the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass, Texas. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down a plea from the Biden administration and cleared the way for Texas to begin enforcing a new state law that authorizes its police to arrest migrants who illegally cross the Rio Grande from Mexico.

The decision came on a 6-3 vote, and it may signal a major change in immigration enforcement.

At issue is whether Texas and other red states may strictly enforce laws against coming into the U.S. illegally. Those state leaders say they are acting because of what they view as lax enforcement by the Biden administration.

In her appeal, U.S. Solicitor Gen. Elizabeth Prelogar had argued that the federal government, not the states, has the sole power to decide on the "entry and removal" of people at the borders.

But the justices turned down her appeal without comment and refused to block the Texas law from going into effect.

Read more: How Texas' plans to arrest migrants for illegal entry would work if allowed to take effect

The court split along ideological lines in the case, United States vs. Texas. The six conservative justices sided with Texas, while the three liberals voted in favor of the Biden administration's appeal.

Conservative Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett M. Kavanaugh pointed to procedural reasons to explain their vote. They said the conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit had yet to rule on the Texas law and that the high court should not weigh in beforehand.

Issuing a strong dissent were liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

"Today, the Court invites further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement," they said. "Texas can now immediately enforce its own law imposing criminal liability on thousands of noncitizens and requiring their removal to Mexico. ... The court confronts a state immigration law that will transform the balance of power at the border and have life-altering consequences for noncitizens in Texas."

Liberal Justice Elena Kagan dissented separately. She agreed the case was in a "preliminary" posture but said "the entry and removal of noncitizens particularly are matters long thought the special province of the federal government."

Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton tweeted: "HUGE WIN: Texas has defeated the Biden Administrations and ACLUs emergency motions at the Supreme Court. Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect. As always, its my honor to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to victory in court."

One provision of the law would authorize state judges to deport migrants who were found to have crossed illegally from Mexico.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that allowing the Texas law to go into effect "will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement, and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border."

Read more: Texas arrests migrants at border park, defying Biden order to stop blocking Border Patrol

The law has been seen as a direct challenge to past Supreme Court rulings that upheld the federal government's near exclusive power over immigration enforcement.

In 2012, justices voted 5 to 3 to block most of an Arizona law that would have given state officials and local police the authority to enforce restrictions on migrants who were "not lawfully present in the United States." The court said then that federal law preempts or overrides state enforcement that conflicts with federal enforcement.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had championed the new state law and argued that Texas has the power as a "sovereign" state to protect itself against what he's termed an "invasion." He cited the late Justice Antonin Scalia, a conservative who laid out a similar view in a dissent in 2012, insisting it was a myth that the Constitution gives the federal government exclusive power over immigration.

In defense of their law, known as Senate Bill 4 or SB 4, the state's attorneys said it does not conflict with federal immigration law, but "mirrors" it.

"SB 4 allows Texas to help enforce federal immigration laws," they said. "Everyone benefits when Congresss legislatively chosen priorities are respected."

They added that "Texas is the nations first-line defense against transnational violence and has been forced to deal with the deadly consequences of the federal governments inability or unwillingness to protect the border."

On Feb. 29, a federal judge in Austin blocked the law from going into effect on the grounds that it conflicted with federal enforcement. Four days later, a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in New Orleans lifted that order by a 2-1 vote, with no explanation.

That prompted the Biden administration to go to the Supreme Court. Prelogar said the Texas law was "flatly inconsistent" with the 2012 ruling and could not stand.

"More than a century of this court's precedents ... recognize that the authority to admit and remove non-citizens is a core responsibility of the national government," she wrote.

The U.S. Justice Department had argued that if Texas were allowed to enforce its own hard-line immigration policy, it would "create chaos" along the border and "disrupt" relations with Mexico.

But Texas' lawyers pointed to an increase in the number of migrants crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S., and said smugglers have taken advantage of lax enforcement.

They quoted President Biden's comments during his State of the Union speech:

"People pay these smugglers $8,000 to get across the border," he said, because migrants know "if they get by and let into the country, its six to eight years before they have a hearing.

Biden was making a plea for a bipartisan border bill that he said would shorten the delay for asylum hearings and thus reduce incentive for illegal crossings.

The American Civil Liberties Union and immigrants rights groups had also sued to block the Texas law from taking effect, saying it could have a "devastating impact" on migrants and could lead to racial profiling.

The Supreme Court's decision Tuesday allows the law to take effect, at least temporarily.

That could potentially change after the 5th Circuit Court hears arguments over the law's legality on April 3.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Doctors are increasingly using AI tools to take clinical notes, CNBC reports.

Clinical notes  and paperwork in general  take up a remarkably huge chunk of physicians' time, often leading to after-hours paperwork and organization workloads and overall contributing to feelings of exhaustion and abysmal work-life balance in the high-burnout field of healthcare. Now, a growing tide of AI-powered transcription tools are emerging as possible antidotes to doctors' ever-piling paperwork mountains, with creators and users of the programs arguing that patient experiences will ultimately improve as a result.

Per CNBC, contenders in the burgeoning marketplace include the VC-backed platforms Abridge and Suki, in addition to the Microsoft-owned Nuance's DAX Copilot, which last week announced a partnership with Stanford Health Care to deploy its tech throughout the university's medical system.

"DAX Copilot is part of our broader strategy to leverage AI to transform the health care experience for our providers and the patients we serve," said Michael Pfeffer, the chief information officer and associate dean of Stanford Health Care and Stanford School of Medicine, said in a press release. "By automating clinical documentation, we can increase efficiency while improving the quality of the clinical data captured during each encounter."

The Microsoft-backed AI "has shown significant value for our physicians who used the solution during our initial pilot deployment," Pfeffer's statement continued, adding that "patients whose providers participated in the pilot also appreciated having their doctor's full and undivided attention during clinic or telehealth visits."

Generally speaking, these AI-powered transcription tools seem to work more or less the same. Doctors press play on an app on their phones, and the program will record their conversations with patients, automatically generating clinical notes throughout.

On the one hand, given the sheer amount of paperwork that physicians are tasked with, we understand the appeal. As a previous CNBC report noted, a February Athenahealth survey reported that over 90 percent of doctors say they feel burnt out on a "regular basis," which behooves neither the healthcare system nor patients seeking treatment.

That said, this use case for AI draws some ethical questions. While transcription tools can absolutely be useful for saving some time  we use AI to transcribe audio interviews!  they don't always get things right, and their outputs still require careful fact-checking.

Case in point: a Buffalo, New York-based hematologist and oncologist named Lauren Bruckner recently told Fast Company that a generative AI-powered transcription tool had noted that a teenage cancer patient was allergic to sulfa drugs. In reality, though, the AI had misunderstood a moment in their conversation in which Bruckner had told her young patient that it was a positive thing they weren't allergic to sulfa drugs.

In other words, the AI got the interaction entirely backward. And if doctors are drowning in administrative work enough as it is, when are they going to find the time to comb through and correct their auto-transcripts?

"That doesn't happen often," Bruckner, who serves as the chief information officer at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, told Fast Company of the AI's concerning mistake, "but clearly that's a problem."

Considering that these tools are designed to record and keep track of confidential doctor-patient conversations, protecting patient privacy and preventing sensitive data breaches is another notable area of concern. It's also unfortunately true that doctors have already been caught attempting to use oft-incorrect AI tools to diagnose and treat patients, a growing practice riddled with practical and ethical tripwires.

But proponents of infusing AI into doctor-patient interactions are arguing that physicians' administrative burden is already costing doctors and their patients enough as it is  an argument that may ultimately say more about the state of the American health system at large than it does about a general desire to automate.

"The moment that that first document returns to you, and you see your own words and the patient's own words being reflected directly back to you in a usable fashion," Christopher Sharp, chief medical information officer at Stanford Health Care, told CNBC of his experience with the DAX Copilot, "I would say that from that moment, you're hooked."

More on AI and healthcare: Regulators Alarmed by Doctors Already Using AI to Diagnose Patients
Hundreds of people lined up well before dawn for the 6 a.m. Monday opening of Colorado's first Buc-ee's, the Texas travel center that's developed a cult-like following.

The convenience store chain, praised for its food options and award-winning cleanliness, debuted its latest location in Johnstown, Colorado. Buc-ee the Beaver, the store's official mascot, was on hand to welcome the throngs as doors opened.

The store has 116 fueling stations and 12 electric vehicle charging stations, as well as thousands of snack, meal and drink offerings, including homemade fudge, a full bakery, barbecued brisket, turkey and pulled pork. They also sell clothes, outdoor gear, home goods, toys, books and wine.

Buc-ee's is continuing to open a wave of new locations, including one in Sevierville, Tennessee in June and in Springfield, Missouri in December.

Buc-ee the Beaver waits for people to come in before the grand opening of Buc-ee's in Johnstown on Monday.

Hardcore fans rejoice at grand opening

Theresa Gooras of Johnstown arrived with her adult children at 1:30 a.m. Monday dressed in Buc-ee's onesies, wearing Buc-ee's T-shirts and wrapped in Buc-ee's blankets. Originally from Texas, Gooras was giddy that her favorite store is now just five minutes away.

"When I go home (to Texas), I spend a whole lot of money at Buc-ee's," Gooras said. "They have the greatest gifts, barbecue and kolaches," she said, referring to savory Polish treats.

Her second floor is decorated with Buc-ee's memorabilia, including pillows and blankets, and she admits she might be obsessed with Buc-ee's. Now that there's a store close by?

"I'm sure we will be here a lot," she said. "My pocketbook will hate me."

Rob Rosen of Erie got off work in Blackhawk at 1:30 a.m. and drove straight to Johnstown to get in line.

"If you haven't been to a Buc-ee's, you have to go experience it," he said. Calling it the "Walmart of gas stations," Rosen said the travel center will be a great addition to the community. "It brings business from everywhere."

Story continues

Mayor says Buc-ee's to bring 'significant' sales

The store won town approval for several land use amendments on 140 acres in early 2022. Johnstown Mayor Troy Mellon said Buc-ee's opening "ranks with Scheels opening up" and will bring "significant" sales tax revenue to the town. "It will go right back into the community to fund needed projects," he said.

Johnstown has high property taxes, Mellon said, and he hopes the sales tax revenue from Buc-ee's, along with Scheels, will produce enough revenue one day so the town can lower property taxes.

The town offered some sales tax sharebacks for 20 years as an incentive to get Buc-ee's to come to Johnstown. Those sharebacks were contingent on Buc-ee's installing electric vehicle charging stations and off-site improvements, such as a roundabout.

The town rebates 1.5% of the sales tax generated at Buc-ee's back to the store and keeps 1.5%. The other 0.5% of generated sales tax revenue is earmarked for roads and other infrastructure. Buc-ee's also provided about 275 jobs, most of them full time, said Josh Smith, Buc-ee's director of operations.

Other Buc-ee's locations coming to US

Following the Colorado opening, Buc-ee's will continue to expand its national presence.

Art Mann, economic development director in Hillsboro, Texas, said a location is expected to open this spring, according to a Buc-ee's spokesperson. The store would join over 30 Buc-ee's stores in the state. Another spot is expected to open in Boerne, Texas next year.

Construction for the Buc-ee's in Smiths Grove, Kentucky is expected to open this summer, the spokesperson added.

Local officials have also announced the following Buc-ee's developments:

What to know about Buc-ee's

Contributing: James Powel

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Buc-ee's opens 1st Colorado store in Johnstown, drawing devotees
EUCLID, Ohio (WJW)  A dog with an abusive start in life has sat in an Ohio animal shelter for nearly 600 days, hoping someone would give him a forever home.

Chester the pit bull finally went home to a family he can call his own, and he did it in style.

After 587 days living in a kennel, Chester finally walked out of the Euclid Animal Shelter on Monday morning to cheers and tears.

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: Is Ohio due for a win?

It has been a tough road for Chester, but he now has a new leash on life.

Chester was completely skin and bones. The dog couldnt even lay down. He had his paw stuck in a prong collar, and he was a mess. He had to be carried out after a little bit because he could not stand, said Kyrie Brickman, kennel manager for the shelter.

In August 2022, Chester and three other dogs were found in a vacant house, where they had been for more than a week.

He absolutely was so relieved to see people, and to be honest, I dont know how much longer he would have lasted, Brickman said.

For about 10 months, shelter workers treated him for heartworm and mange and helped him gain weight.

A year and a half went by and no one adopted him until a special woman came along. On Monday, Chester took a limousine ride to his forever home  thanks to Lake Erie Limo.

Dog that spent nearly 600 days at Euclid shelter takes limo to new home

Chester, believed to be about 4 or 5 years old, pulled up to his new home and his new family in North Royalton like a VIP.

Oh my goodness, did you ride in a limo to get here? Did you ride all the way in a limo, said Chesters new owner, Lauren Reitsman.

It was love at first sight for Reitsman when a friend sent her an online post of Chester.

He has all these people around him, and hes just bopping around just to see who he can get love from. So I think I won the lottery, Reitsman said.

Chester seems to be right at home, playing with toys, getting belly rubs, and of course, plenty of doggie kisses.

Dog that spent nearly 600 days at Euclid shelter takes limo to new home

Shelter workers said he needed a home without other dogs or small children and someone who understands his past.

I think adoption is so important, especially when an animal  now, Im getting emotional  has had a rough start in life because they deserve it even more, said Reitsman.

Lauren said she will leave Chesters name the same, sort of.

His government name, if you will, is going to be Chester William Reitsman the First, of Royalton, she said as people in the home laughed.

Reitsman said she also plans to make Chester meatballs, his favorite meal.

All three of the other dogs discovered in the vacant house with Chester have also been adopted.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
A driving instructor from Boston pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to defrauding the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).

48-year-old Ngan Dinh pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud.

He paid a road test examiner at the Brockton RMV to misrepresent certain drivers license applicants, resulting in drivers licenses being issued to people who didnt pass their road tests, according to Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. Some of the applicants reportedly didnt even show up to take the test but were still issued licenses.

The RMV would then mail licenses to applicants who had not proved they were qualified to operate a car as a result of the scheme. Charging documents say the scheme lasted from about August 2020 to April 2021, and some of the cash briberies Dinh received exceeded $2,000.

Dinh will be sentenced in federal court on June 5.

The charge of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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DOLTON, lll.  Last year, WGN Investigates sent the Village of Dolton a public records request, seeking copies of the agencys credit card statements.

WGN Investigates had been reporting how Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard and her allies spent taxpayer money on first class airline tickets, luxury hotels and high-end restaurants.

We wanted to see if the spending spree had continued.

But Dolton declined to release the records, in an apparent violation of state law.

WGN Investigates filed an appeal with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raouls office, the agency that oversees state transparency laws.

In a rare binding opinion, dated Feb. 9, the attorney general ordered Dolton to release the credit card statements, along with other requested documents.

Related: Attorney general orders Dolton to release spending records

The village had until March 15 to comply.

But it still has not released the records.

If the village does not comply, our office will consider all available options, a spokeswoman for the attorney general said in an email.

Those options could include suing Dolton in state court.

Henyard holds two taxpayer-funded positions: Dolton mayor and supervisor of Thornton Township. In all, the positions pay her more than $280,000 annually, according to interviews and records.

Last year, WGN Investigates also asked Thornton Township for additional credit card statements. Unlike Dolton, the agency turned over the records.

The statements showed Henyard and other officials spent nearly $67,000 in township funds on trips to Portland, Austin, Atlanta and New York City in recent months.

A Dolton spokeswoman had no immediate comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Border security has become a chief concern for the Dominican Republic as gang violence has flung the neighboring nation of Haiti into chaos, prompting tighter border security and deportations.

An estimated 5 million people in Haiti are in need of humanitarian aid and some 362,000 Haitians have been internally displaced across the country.

In the capital of Port-au-Prince, where 160,000 people have been displaced, extreme violence remains high and gangs are believed to control 80% of the city.

But despite the increasingly dire situation just a six-hour drive from Haiti's capital to the border with the Dominican Republic, Haitian refugees have not been permitted to enter the only other nation on the shared island of Hispaniola.

US NATIONAL SECURITY FACES MAJOR RISKS AS GANGS BATTLE FOR CONTROL OVER HAITI

On Monday, the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) said some 17,000 people fled Port-au-Prince in less than a week amid the abrupt resignation of Haitian interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

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Dominican President Luis Abinader made headlines this month when he made a call for action during a U.N. Security Council meeting, warning that "either we fight together to save Haiti, or we will fight alone to protect the Dominican Republic."

This view shows the wall being built by the Dominican Republic on the border with Haiti in March 2023.

It is unclear how many Haitians have attempted to flee to the Dominican Republic, though the IOM found that the majority of displaced Haitians intend to stay in the country, while 3% mean to travel to the neighboring nation and 1% plan to make their way to the U.S. or Brazil.

A Dominican Republic soldier organizes Haitians crossing the border after they were allowed into a farmers market for needed essentials and trade in Dajabon, Dominican Republic, on March 18, 2024.

The unrest has caused some concern in the international community that there could be incidents of mass migration as Haitians look to flee the violence at home, though they are unlikely to be able to successfully flee by foot.

Abinader has already taken steps to safeguard the border from the neighboring crisis by blocking Haitian refugees, deporting undocumented Haitians and continuing the construction of an extensive border wall  though he has allowed Haitians to cross the Dajabon border checkpoint to access a market where they can buy and sell goods.

NEARLY 1,000 AMERICANS IN HAITI PLEA FOR HELP AS GANGS UNLEASH NEW ATTACKS, STATE DEPT SAYS

A 12-foot wall, dubbed a "smart security fence" by the Dominican authorities, runs roughly 100 miles along the border with Haiti.

The fence, which has been under construction for more than two years, relies on technology like drones, 360-degree cameras and night vision to allow Dominican soldiers to focus on other security measures, like patrols, a commander told Fox News correspondent Bryan Llenas.

Haitian residents get off a truck to be deported at the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic in Dajabon province, Dominican Republic, on March 17, 2024.

Despite some criticism toward the hard-line stance barring Haitians from seeking refuge in the neighboring nation, Dominican authorities maintain that the border fence has helped to protect against Haitian gangs as well as cut down on vehicle, motor and livestock thefts.

Some in the U.S. have looked to the success that the Dominican Republic has had in heavily regulating border crossings as validation that policies like a wall could improve immigration woes closer to home.

A U.S. Border Patrol agent watches over more than 2,000 migrants at a field processing center in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Dec. 18, 2023.

"The Biden administration has politicized and emotionalized [the] border wall, making them the enemy instead of recognizing them for the national security asset theyve historically proven to be. The president must wake up to the reality that strong border security measures and effective policies are vital to national security," Texas Republican Rep. August Pfluger, who sits on the House Committee on Homeland Security, told Fox News Digital.

When pressed about whether the U.S. was working with its Dominican counterparts to encourage it to open its borders to refugees, a State Department official told Fox News Digital they would not comment on private diplomatic discussions.

Fox News' Bryan Llenas and Maria Paronich contributed to this report.





Original article source: Dominican Republic ramps up border security amid Haiti crisis, shows off new border wall
WASHINGTON  Former President Donald Trump said Tuesday that, if he is reelected, the United States will come to the aid of NATO nations should they be attacked. But he emphasized his stipulation that those nations must play "fairly" with financing the military alliance.

"NATO has to treat the U.S. fairly, because if not for the United States, NATO literally doesn't even exist," Trump said in an interview with conservative British politician Nigel Farage.

Trump did not define "fairly," but has said repeatedly throughout his political career that NATO members need to contribute more money for military defense. NATO members are asked to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. Not all members have reached this goal, fueling Trump's criticism of the alliance.

In the interview broadcast Tuesday, when Farage asked Trump if he would help in case a NATO country like Poland is attacked, the Republican presidential candidate said he would, but added a caveat.

Yea," he said, "but ... the United States should pay its fair share, not everybody else's fair share."

We're not going to defend you. If you're not paying your bills, we're not going to defend you," the former president added.

Trump's periodic threats to essentially break up the U.S.-European military alliance have become an issue in the 2024 election, with President Joe Biden and the Democrats describing him as shaking global stability.

Donald Trump at a NATO summit in 2019

Trump stepped up his criticism of NATO during a Feb. 10 campaign stop in South Carolina, with the former president saying he once told an unnamed European leader that the U.S. wouldn't help if Russia attacked and NATO members had not paid their fair share. He added that he might "encourage" Russia to invade under those circumstances.

One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, Well sir, if we dont pay and were attacked by Russia, will you protect us? I said, You didnt pay? Youre delinquent? He said, Yes, lets say that happened. No, I would not protect you."

Trump then added: "In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want."

The former president has also long drawn criticism for positive comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin, a foe of NATO, and for his skepticism about U.S. aid to Ukraine, the target of a Russian invasion.

After Trump's stunning remarks in South Carolina, Biden and other Democratic leaders began making NATO a campaign issue.

"The former president has set a dangerous and shockingly, frankly, un-American signal to the world," Biden said last month.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump again hits NATO, will support allies if they treat US 'fairly'
Donald Trump is seen lying about the 2020 general election results on a video screen during a House committee hearing on June 16, 2022, in Washington. Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post via Getty Images

WASHINGTON  Donald Trump on Tuesday made his case to the U.S. Supreme Court that his Jan. 6, 2021, coup attempt was part of his official duties as president and is therefore immune from prosecution.

The president cannot function, and the presidency itself cannot retain its vital independence, if the president faces criminal prosecution for official acts once he leaves office, Trump lawyer John Sauer wrote in a 67-page brief.

Sauer repeated arguments he and other Trump lawyers had tried previously, including the notion that Trump can only be prosecuted for actions if he has previously been impeached for them by the House and convicted by the Senate.

Trump was impeached by the House over Jan. 6, but the 57 votes to convict in the Senate were 10 shy of the supermajority necessary.

Sauers brief states that the lack of previous criminal prosecutions against former presidents for their conduct in office is proof that the legal authority to prosecute Trump for the same does not exist. It did not mention that Trump is the first president in the countrys history to not accept defeat after an election and to attempt to remain in office.

Sauer also repeats the previously tried claim that if Trump is not given immunity, every future president would be similarly at risk of prosecution. A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future president with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn him to years of post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents, he wrote.

Trumps claims have previously been rejected by both a trial court and a federal appellate court. A rejection by the Supreme Court  which many legal observers say is likely  could force him to undergo trial on conspiracy and fraud charges in the Jan. 6 case this autumn, just as many voters are starting to pay attention to a coming election in which Trump hopes to regain the White House.

In that scenario, a parade of onetime Trump aides, possibly including former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, would appear on the witness stand almost daily, offering firsthand accounts to the jury and the public about Trumps actions in the weeks leading up to and on that day, when a mob of his followers attacked the U.S. Capitol to block congressional certification of his 2020 election loss.

Should the high court side with Trump, it would effectively end special counsel Jack Smiths prosecution against the former president over his coup attempt.

According to Smith, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan and the three judges who heard the case on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, it would also effectively allow presidents to commit all manner of crimes in office by claiming that they were carrying out official duties.

Whatever immunities a sitting president may enjoy, the United States has only one chief executive at a time, and that position does not confer a lifelong get-out-of-jail-free pass, Chutkan wrote in her Dec. 1, 2023, ruling.

It would be a striking paradox if the president, who alone is vested with the constitutional duty to take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, were the sole officer capable of defying those laws with impunity, the appeals court judges wrote in their Feb. 6 ruling.

During oral arguments in the case, one of the judges, Florence Pan, got Trumps lawyer to acknowledge that, under his claim of immunity, a sitting president could order a political opponent to be assassinated by SEAL Team Six and never be prosecuted for it.

Smiths response to Trumps brief is due by April 8, and oral arguments in the case are set for April 25. A decision will almost certainly be handed down by the end of the courts term in late June or early July.

A federal grand jury that indicted Trump last August charged him with conspiring to defraud the United States, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, obstructing an official proceeding and conspiring to deprive millions of Americans of having their votes counted.

It is one of four active criminal cases against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. A second federal prosecution is based on his refusal to turn over secret documents that he took with him to his Florida country club upon leaving the White House; a Georgia state prosecution is based on his attempts to overturn his election loss in that state; and a New York indictment accuses him of falsifying business records to hide hush money payments to a porn star and a Playboy model in the weeks ahead of the 2016 election.

The New York case could go to trial as early as mid-April. If the Supreme Court rules against Trump on his immunity claim, the federal Jan. 6 trial could begin as early as late summer.

Related...
March 16, 2024; Dayton, Ohio, USA; South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem made an appearance ahead of former President Donald Trump to campaign outside Wright Bros. Aero Inc. at the Dayton International Airport for U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno on Saturday.

Former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump appeared with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem  a potential running mate  and called her up to the mic Saturday during a rally in Ohio.

We have a very special woman whos hot as a politician. Shes doing an incredible job in South Dakota. Shes the governor, Kristi Noem, Trump said during the event in Vandalia, according to a video shared by C-SPAN.

Noem made brief comments while she and Trump both wore red Make America Great Again caps.

She said when Trump was president, she was on offense.

As soon as Joe Biden got in the White House, I went on defense, Noem said. All I do now is fight to protect the freedom of my people.

After Noem left the podium, Trump added, And youre not allowed to say it, so I will not. You know youre not allowed to say shes beautiful, so Im not going to say that. I will not say it, because thats the end of your political career, if you make  if you make that statement, thats the end of your political  so I will not say that.

Noem and Trump also offered support for Ohio Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. The rally was staged on a tarmac in front of Trumps plane for a crowd estimated in the thousands.

Trumps speech included a bloodbath prediction that has drawn widespread criticism from his opponents.

After saying hed place a 100% tariff on cars produced in Chinese-owned, Mexican factories, Trump clarified if I get elected.

Now if I dont get elected, he continued, its gonna be a bloodbath for the whole  thats gonna be the least of it. Its gonna be a bloodbath for the country. Thatd be the least of it. But theyre not going to sell those cars.

The Biden campaign connected the phrasing to the violence carried out by Trumps supporters at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. In a press release after the fact, Trumps campaign insisted he meant a metaphoric, economic bloodbath rather than a literal one.

The Ohio Capital Journals Nick Evans contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Trump calls Noem to podium at Ohio rally, comments on her appearance
Donald Trump has falsely claimed that the US funds 90 to 100 per cent of Nato as he suggested the US would defend fellow alliance members from attack - if they paid their bills.

The former US President claimed Nato would not exist without American funding before demanding that member states pay their fair share, during a GB News interview with Nigel Farage on Tuesday evening.

Although the US does account for the majority of Nato defence spending, the figure is approximately 70 per cent. And when it comes to direct contributions - money provided by members to cover organisational costs - the US contributes 16 per cent of the total, the same as Germany.

Donald Trump made a number of false claims during the interview from Mar-A-Lago (The Independent)

Nato has to treat the US fairly, because if its not for the United States, Nato literally doesnt even exist, MrTrump told Mr Farage.

Asked if the US under his presidency would come to the aid of Nato countries under attack, Mr Trump said he would - only if they had already increased their defence spending. It was the second time this year he had made comments to that effect, hinting at what the relationship with Nato would be like if he returns to the presidency in the November US elections.

Last month, he said he would "encourage" Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to Nato countries which didnt meet their financial obligations to the alliance.

Only 11 Nato member states currently spend the required two per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP), according to Statista . And major countries, including Germany, France and Italy, have previously failed to meet this target, despite it being mandatory. However, in light of Vladimir Putins full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European Nato states are increasing their spending.

The former US president was speaking to long-time supporter Nigel Farage (GB News)

The alliances secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said earlier this year that he expects 18 allies to meet the two per cent requirement in 2024, a six-fold increase since 2014, when Putin first launched an invasion of eastern Ukraine.

In 2024, NATO Allies in Europe will invest a combined total of 380 billion US dollars in defence. For the first time, this amounts to two per cent of their combined GDP," said Mr Stoltenberg in February.

That same Germany announced that it had met the two per cent target, having allocated the equivalent of 71.8 billion (61bn) for defence spending in the current year through regular and special budget outlays.

Mr Trump interview with the former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage took place at the former presidents Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida.

During the conversation he touched on a number of other subjects, repeating the false claim that he won in the 2020 race and saying that he had not been approached by potential future prime minister Sir Keir Starmer when asked by Mr Farage. He also addressed issues facing the royal family, including the doctored photo of Kate Middleton, his admiration of the Queen and Prince Harrys US visa.

Mr Trump spoke about Prince Harrys visa, that helped him secure a new life in the US with wife Meghan (REUTERS)

Asked if Harry should have special privileges if he is found to have lied in his visa application, Mr Trump said: No. Well have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied theyll have to take appropriate action.

However, Mr Trump refused to be drawn on whether Harry could be forced to leave the US, where he currently lives with his wife and children.

Oh, I dont know, he said. Youll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago.

It comes after Harrys references to taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms in his memoir Spare prompted a conservative Washington DC think tank to question why he was allowed into the US in 2020.

The Heritage Foundation brought the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) after a Freedom of Information Act request was rejected  claiming it was of immense public interest.
At a rally near Dayton, Ohio on Saturday, Donald Trump told an audience full of rabid Republicans: If I dont get elected, its gonna be a bloodbath. Thats going to be the least of it. Its going to be a bloodbath for the country.

His disturbing words were in support of Bernie Moreno, whom he endorsed in the Republican Senate primary.

Following the imminent backlash, Trump did his best to walk back what he said on his social media platform. The Fake News Media, and their Democrat Partners in the destruction of our Nation, pretended to be shocked at my use of the word BLOODBATH, he wrote, Even though they fully understood that I was simply referring to imports allowed by Crooked Joe Biden, which are killing the automobile industry.

During that same Ohio rally, Trump also called immigrants animals and not people, in my opinion. He claimed that those who participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol were hostages and that democracy is over if he doesnt win.

I dont think youre going to have another election, or certainly not an election thats meaningful, he exclaimed.

Fear-mongering has been a strategy for Trump since he started his run for president, but he was literally out for blood when he bought newspaper ads back in 1989 that called for New York State to adopt the death penalty following the arrests of the Central Park 5.

The five black and Latino teens were wrongly convicted of rape and ultimately exonerated, though Trump never apologized for his crusade against them. In 2017, deadly violence occurred at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. A woman died after a driver rammed his vehicle into counter-protesters. There was blame on both sides, Trump remarked in regards to the womans death. He also said that there were very fine people on both sides regarding the same rally.

During his first presidential run, Trump said he would pay the legal fees of supporters who attacked protesters at his rallies. He incited the violence that occurred on Jan. 6 and still refers those perpetrators as victims who were merely upholding American values.

Trump has also stated that shoplifters should be shot, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff deserves execution and that immigrants are poisoning the blood of the nation. But the walls may finally be closing in on Trump, as his former adviser Peter Navarro surrendered Tuesday at a federal Bureau of Prisons after being convicted of contempt of Congress.

Trumps property may be seized if he cant cough up the $454 million he owes in civil fraud debt and is still facing 91 criminal charges. Somehow, he remains the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination whileusing violent rhetoric to keep his opposition at bay.

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The stepmother of a woman murdered by her abusive partner has said he should never been out on bail and free to kill her.

Emma Baillie was strangled and repeatedly struck with a knife by Peter Duffy at his home in Coatbridge.

Duffy, 48, also killed his brother John Paul, 51, in a separate attack while subject to three bail orders.

One of the orders involved not approaching Ms Baillie, who was 26 when she died.

Duffy was sentenced to a minimum of 30 years in prison last week and warned by a judge that he may never be released.

But Ms Baillie's stepmother Carol Austin told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme she could not understand why Duffy was previously allowed bail.

She said: "It is very worrying to know there are serious criminals walking the streets when they should be behind bars at the time of their arrest.

"This is not an attack on the police or the Crown in any way. There are fundamental issues with the law."

Ms Austin is not the first bereaved family member to criticise bail decisions for offenders that have killed after their release.

Last month the BBC reported how social services raised concerns about Christopher McGowan weeks before he was deemed fit for bail and went on to murder his girlfriend.

'Risk of further abuse'

Duffy meanwhile was found guilty of committing both murders between between 4 March and 12 April 2022.

The High Court in Glasgow had heard how a risk assessment had been carried out on him prior to the attacks.

Ms Austin said: "It's just very shocking that someone as dangerous as that was able to walk away.

"They had found Emma to be at risk of further abuse and in fear of her life.

"Yet even after that assessment, Peter Duffy was still able to be bailed.

"The case the police put together to convict Peter Duffy was amazing but the fact that he was able to commit the crime is what concerns us."

'No alarm was raised'

Duffy killed Ms Baillie before she was due to appear in court as a witness against him on a charge of assault.

Her family say attempts should have been made to trace her when she failed to turn up at court - 12 days after she had been murdered.

Carol Austin said: "When she failed to appear in court, no alarm was raised and no check was made on her.

"Equal effort should be put into finding the victim if they don't appear in court as finding the attacker."

A spokesman for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said bail decisions were a matter for the courts.

But he pointed out that bail had been opposed and Duffy had been issued with conditions in a bid to protect Ms Baillie.
CARET shines in the Best Midsize Places to Work in San Diego category, showcasing its commitment to exemplary workplace culture and employee satisfaction

SAN DIEGO, March 19, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CARET, a leading software provider for legal and accounting professionals, today announced its recent recognition as one of Built In's Best Places to Work for 2024. The prestigious accolade positions CARET among the top 100 businesses in the San Diego, California, Best Midsize Places to Work category.

Built Ins Best Places to Work is a unique awards program that highlights companies offering superior compensation packages, total rewards, and culture programs compared to their peers. What sets this awards program apart is its selection process. Theres no traditional nomination form; instead, an advanced algorithm meticulously evaluates employers' comprehensive offerings. This approach ensures an unbiased selection of companies that genuinely excel in creating exceptional workplaces.

CARETs Chief People Officer, Andy Burner, expressed his enthusiasm about the achievement, stating, "Being named a Built In 2024 Best Places to Work winner is a testament to CARETs unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and dynamic workplace. This accolade reflects our dedication to ensuring every team member is supported, valued, and empowered to achieve their full potential."

CARETs CEO, Keri Gohman, also shared her thoughts on the companys recognition, "This honor from Built In speaks volumes about our culture and the values we uphold. It reinforces our mission to not only be leaders in our industry but also to set the benchmark for what it means to be a truly great place to work. Our teams passion, creativity, and commitment are the driving forces behind this distinguished acknowledgment."

At CARET, the recognition as a Best Place to Work is not just an accolade but a reminder of the companys commitment to its employees and the innovative culture it continues to cultivate.

Story continues

For more information about career opportunities with CARETs global, remote team or its progressive workplace culture, please visit getcaret.com/careers/.

About CARET:

CARET, the visionary force behind CARET Legal and HotDocs brings the latest in technology and automation to more than 10,000 legal and accounting firms, empowering highly skilled professionals to refocus their expertise on what truly matters. CARET harnesses powerful and secure practice management, document automation, and payment processing platforms to take firms, professionals, and their clients further. To learn more, visit GetCARET.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319454703/en/

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Outgunned Ukraine forces should get enough ammunition within weeks to repel Putin troops, says PM

Ukraine hopes to have enough ammunition for its outgunned troops to repel Russian attacks starting from April, says Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Kyiv leaders are relying on a Czech-led initiative to source shells for supply.

Ukrainian troops were forced to retreat from the eastern city of Avdiivka in February in their biggest battlefield setback since May 2023 and face shell shortages, with a crucial military aid package from the US blocked for months by Republicans in Congress.

"We hope that this Czech initiative, which Luxembourg joined, will help us, and beginning since April we will have enough ammunition to deter our front line," Mr Shmyhal told a news conference on a visit to Luxembourg.

Prague located 800,000 artillery rounds in third countries earlier this year to supply to Ukraine and says it raised funds from allies to purchase a first batch of 300,000.

A senior Czech official said the first deliveries were expected by June at the latest.

"We also count on the supplying of long-range and middle-range missiles to cut Russian logistics on the occupied territories. It is also crucially important, (just) as the artillery shells are for us," Mr Shmyhal said

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said developing drone warfare is key to gaining an advantage over Vladimir Putins large army.

"The development of the use of unmanned systems is my priority," Colonel-General Syrskyi said on Telegram after meeting his deputy, Vadym Sukharevskyi.

"We are looking for asymmetric solutions to gain a qualitative advantage over a numerically superior opponent."

The increased use of drones by both sides has been shifting the conflict away from the battlefield to strikes on each other's military, energy and transport infrastructure.

As the Ukrainian military is outgunned and outmanned on the battlefield, Moscow's forces have been increasing pressure along the entire frontline and making gradual gains.

Putin, who on Sunday was granted another six years in power after winning Russia's presidential election which was widely criticised as a sham, said Moscow forces have an advantage on the Ukraine battlefield and vowed to press on with his military operation.

Western officials say that while Russian forces are advancing on the ground, Putins Black Sea Fleet has been pushed back from Crimea.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, as part of his military reforms, ordered in February the creation of a separate branch of Ukraine's armed forces devoted to drones.

Sukharevskyi was put in charge of development of unmanned systems and their use by soldiers.

The aftermath of a Ukrainian drone strike in Russia earlier this month (via REUTERS)

Britain has supplied thousands of drones to Ukraine.

Military analysts say drones could potentially give Ukraine a technological edge over Moscow, given its shortages in artillery shells and other more traditional weapons. But Russia's drone industry is also developing rapidly.

As the drones are becoming smaller, more lethal and can travel further, Ukraine has used a barrage of them to attack oil refineries inside Russia in recent months, knocking out an estimated seven per cent of its refining capacity in the first quarter.

Ukraine's air and sea drone attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, some of which have been successful, have also prompted the Russian defence ministry to vow over the weekend to shield the fleet from future attacks.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began more than two years ago and has since killed tens of thousands on both sides and displaced millions of Ukrainians.

Meanwhile, Britains Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden warned that Putins Ukraine war is the number one threat to democracy right now.

He also stressed that democratic countries around the world should band together to confront the threat of AI used by malign states to threaten free elections and spread misinformation.

In Seoul, South Korea, for the Summit for Democracy, Mr Dowden announced what he hopes will be a groundbreaking new global government compact on countering deceptive use of artificial intelligence by foreign states in elections.

But he stressed: For me the number one threat to democracy right now is the war thats going on in Ukraine.

Thats why I think the discussions going on today have that added edge, because of the threats we face to democracy right now.

Mr Dowden said he was deeply concerned about the reported weapons transfers from North Korea to Russia, and called on Moscow to stop interfering on the Korean peninsula.

Pyongyang and Moscow have forged closer ties since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met Putin in Russia in September and vowed to deepen military relations.

North Korea is suspected of supplying munitions to Russia.
FILE PHOTO: A Ukrainian serviceman launches a mid-range reconnaissance drone type Vector for flying over positions of Russian troops near the town of Bakhmut

FILE PHOTO: A Ukrainian serviceman launches a mid-range reconnaissance drone type Vector for flying over positions of Russian troops near the town of Bakhmut

(Reuters) - The development of unmanned systems, or drones, is key to give Kyiv an advantage over "a numerically superior" Russian forces, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said late on Monday.

"The development of the use of unmanned systems is my priority," Syrskyi said on Telegram after meeting his deputy, Vadym Sukharevskyi. "We are looking for asymmetric solutions to gain a qualitative advantage over a numerically superior opponent."

The increased use of drones by both sides has been shifting the conflict away from the battlefield to strikes on each other's military, energy and transport infrastructure.

As the Ukrainian military is outgunned and outmanned on the battlefield, Moscow's forces have been increasing pressure along the entire frontline and making gradual gains.

President Vladimir Putin, who on Sunday was granted another six years in power after winning Russia's presidential election, said Moscow forces have an advantage on the Ukraine battlefield and vowed to press on with his military operation.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as part of his military reforms ordered in February the creation of a separate branch of Ukraine's armed forces devoted to drones. Sukharevskyi was put in charge of development of unmanned systems and their use by soldiers.

Military analysts say drones could potentially give Ukraine a technological edge over Moscow, given its shortages in artillery shells and other more traditional weapons. But Russia's drone industry is also developing rapidly.

As the drones are becoming smaller, more lethal and can travel further, Ukraine has used a barrage of them to attack oil refineries inside Russia in recent months, knocking out an estimated 7% of its refining capacity in the first quarter.

Ukraine's air and sea drone attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea, some of which have been successful, have also prompted the Russian defence ministry to vow over the weekend to shield the fleet from future attacks.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began more than two years ago and has since killed thousands on both sides and displaced millions of Ukrainians.

(Reporting by Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Writing by Lidia Kelly; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
A vacationing Georgia couple ended up in jail after too many drinks on the beach left them incapable of keeping up with two children, ages 5 and 7, Florida investigators say.

It happened Saturday, March 16, at Daytona Beach and concerns were such that a Volusia County deputy checked for a pulse when the couple couldnt be roused, according to an arrest affidavit. Daytona Beach is about a 55-mile drive northeast from Orlando.

A 911 caller alerted authorities, reporting two adults had passed out from having too much to drink and their kids had vanished, the report states.

When deputies arrived, they found an unconscious man and woman surrounded by empty alcohol containers and childrens toys, officials said.

Deputies attempted to wake up (the man) by talking to him, which was unsuccessful, the report states.

Deputies further nudged his arm multiple times, but he remained asleep. (He) was breathing and did have a pulse. Finally, deputies began to yell.

The couple then woke up in a state of confusion, officials said.

Deputies asked multiple times if they had children and learned there were two ... somewhere.

When (the man) was asked where the children were, he gestured to the ocean and turned back to face deputies. He did not point out specific children, nor did he attempt to locate the children further, officials said.

The couple, who live northeast of Atlanta, eventually said they werent sure where the children were, leading to a search.

Deputies found the children, a boy and girl, at the Nautilus Inn pool, where they were swimming without supervision, officials said.

The couple, both age 27, was arrested on charges of child neglect, officials said. The man, who is not the biological father of the two children, faces additional charges of having alcohol on a Volusia County beach and attempting to escape, the sheriffs office said.

He was recorded running from deputies during questioning, but tripped and passed out after hitting the ground, resulting in an ambulance being called, officials said.

The children were taken to a family resource center and held until a relative arrived in Daytona Beach to take them back to Georgia, officials said.

Flying beach umbrella impales tourist, sending her to Alabama hospital, town reports

Great white shark weighing 1,500 pounds washes onto Florida beach, photos show

Teen dies doing drills with Canadian swim team in Gulf of Mexico, Florida sheriff says
In this AccuWeather map, the shaded area shows the Fire Weather Watch for Wednesday, March 20, 2024. It is an area about 130 miles long and 150 miles wide at its maximum points.

PETERSBURG  Dont let the beautiful spring-like skies, cool temperatures and low humidity over the next couple of days fool you. It may be ideal weather for fun outdoors, but it also is ideal weather for spreading fire.

The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for Wednesday and along with that a warning about operating hot machinery or stepping outside for a smoke. Beginning Tuesday, the dry air and windy conditions increase the risk of fire, especially in places where the greenery is plentiful.

Dry and breezy conditions will support adverse fire behavior, allowing fires to spread rapidly, the NWS office in Wakefield said in a statement Monday night.

The affected area runs from Fredericksburg and Charlottesville southward through metro Richmond and the Tri-City area and on to the Virginia-North Carolina line. Size wise, that is about 130 miles north-south and 150 miles east-west.

Humidity levels will be lower than average  20-30% instead of the typical 60% for the Tri-City area in March. Wind speeds will be 7-13 mph with gusts up to 22 mph Tuesday and 8-17 mph with gusts up to 28 mph Wednesday.

Residents are urged to exercise caution handling any potential ignition source, including machinery, cigarettes and matches, the NWS statement said. Be sure to properly discard all smoking materials. Any dry grasses and tree litter that ignite will have the potential to spread quickly.

Tuesdays high temperature will be in the mid-50s. That climbs to the mid-60s on Wednesday.

The dry conditions continue through Thursday, according to NWS. Our next rain chance is 40% on Friday and 50% on Saturday with highs all three days in the upper 50s.

Within the Fire Weather Watch announcement, NWS also issued a reminder that open-air burning is prohibited before 4 p.m. daily through April 30.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Fire Weather Watch issued for area Wednesday by weather service
Dry January is boosting the sales of non-alcoholic drinks at companies like Soho House.

Soho House's CEO said the company saw its biggest ever spike in mocktail sales in January.

Bars were hit hard by Dry January, with sales in the UK down 11.5% compared with 2023.

Dry January  the annual rite of atonement that involves temporarily swapping cocktails for non-alcoholic libations  is becoming so popular that it's showing up on Wall Street's radar.

On Friday, the head of the exclusive hotel and social club chain Soho House said the company saw a record rise in non-alcoholic drink sales during this year's Dry January. The bump came even as members spent slightly less than last year on food and beverages in the three months before January.

"What we also saw in January was a much bigger spike in non-alcoholic beverage consumption, much more than we've ever seen before," said Andrew Carnie, the chief executive officer of Soho House, on the company's earnings call.

The company did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

In addition to boozy, classic cocktails, Soho House, which has 44 club locations from London to Bangkok, serves a variety of "no and low" alcohol options, such as virgin versions of an Old Fashioned and a Moscow Mule. The company also offers alcohol-free draft beer and non-alcoholic wine, according to its website.

The Soho House brand has long prided itself on being associated with all things cool and en vogue  and the low-to-no booze trend is no exception.

In early February, data company CivicScience polled 1,500 US-based adults over the age of 21 about their drinking habits. A quarter of those surveyed said they took part in Dry January this year

The non-alcoholic drinks market is expected to make up nearly four percent of the current $517 billion overall alcohol market by 2027, according to beverage research company ISWR.

Non-alcoholic beverages aren't just for teetotalers  many consumers are looking to swap some drinks out. Millennials are the most interested in non-alcoholic drinks, compared with older and younger peers, per ISWR.

Celebrities including Blake Lively, Katy Perry, and Bella Hadid have all recently launched lines of alcohol-free wines or spirits.

This January was one of the driest and bleakest months for pubs across the UK as more people gave up booze and bad weather lowered foot traffic, The Guardian reported. UK bar revenues in January were down 11.5% compared with the same period in 2023, according to market researcher CGA.

The trend of staying sober at the beginning of the year was launched in 2013 as a campaign by British charity Alcohol Change to promote the benefits of cutting back on alcohol.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A Dyess Air Force Base airmen pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in federal court Tuesday in Abilene.

Senior Airman Hector Olazaran voluntarily consented to a plea of guilty before Magistrate Judge John R. Parker in the U.S. District Court of Northern District of Texas.

Seal of the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas

He awaits sentencing and could receive a maximum of 10 years in federal prison.

According to court documents, the Department of Homeland Security located Olazaran through an IP address trace when an image involving a female juvenile between the age of 8 and 10 was uploaded to Discord servers from his computer.

Olazaran was identified through contact with leadership at Dyess AFB, according to court documents filed March 8.

After receiving a warrant, agents searched Olazarans Abilene home in December 2023 and discovered multiple images and videos of child pornography, according to court documents. A computer and USB drive were confiscated as part of the investigation.

Olazaran admitted he possessed items with visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct of minors, according to court records.

As part of the guilty plea, he forfeited property that disclosed information relevant to the case.

Parker said in court Tuesday that Olazaran will not be eligible for parole.

Dyess Air Force Base confirmed Tuesday that he is a senior airman assigned to the 7th Munitions Squadron at the base.

"An investigation is underway as charges are pending in federal court. Further details cannot be provided at this time," Dyess officials said in a statement Tuesday.

More: DPS releases name of latest fatality on Big Country highways

More: St. Patrick's Day weekend leads to spike in highway accidents, resulting in one death

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Dyess airman pleads guilty to possession of child pornography
A police force is investigating claims by Earl Spencer that he was physically and sexually abused by staff at a prep school in the 1970s.

The 59-year-old Earl alleged in a memoir that he had been molested by a female assistant matron at Maidwell Hall, in Northamptonshire, where he was a pupil between 1972 and 1974.

He claimed the voracious paedophile, a woman in her late teens or early 20s, sexually abused him and other pupils while they were in their dormitory beds at night.

He also alleged that the former headmaster would spank boys on their bare bottoms, while another teacher took boys for naked swimming lessons.

On Tuesday, a Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: Northamptonshire Police has not received any formal reports as a result of these memoirs. However, we are working to proactively investigate them.

If anyone reading this has suffered sexual abuse at this establishment, or indeed anywhere else in the county, please contact us. We will listen to you, believe you and support you every step of the way.

Maidwell Hall has been approached for comment.

Earl Spencer was a pupil at Maidwell Hall between 1972 and 1974 - Getty Images Europe

The claims appeared in his newly-released memoir A Very Private School, in which he reveals he was so traumatised by his experiences that he regularly considered shooting himself with one of his fathers shotguns.

In an earlier statement, Maidwell Hall said the allegations were difficult to read about and a referral had been made to the local authority designated officer.

A spokesman urged any other pupils with similar allegations to come forward and report them to either the school, the local authority or the police.

In the book, Earl Spencer revealed how the alleged abuse took place when he was moved into a new dormitory when he was aged around 11.

He claimed the assistant matron at the time  whom boys would refer to as Please  would come into the room after lights out and hand out illicit snacks, alleging that one night she had kissed him on the lips before molesting him under the bedsheets.

Earl Spencer also claimed he was not the only pupil she did this to and would choose a different boy each term.

Earl Spencer alleged the abuse took place after he was moved into a new dormitory at the school - Ian Tyas

The book also contains a series of allegations about other members of staff, including the late headmaster, John Alexander Hector Porch, who was known to the boys as Jack, claiming he meted out brutal corporal punishment with a slipper or a cane, sometimes leaving the boys bloodied and bruised.

An earlier statement from Maidwell Hall said: It is sobering to read about the experiences Charles Spencer and some of his fellow alumni had at the school, and we are sorry that was their experience.

It is difficult to read about practices which were, sadly, sometimes believed to be normal and acceptable at that time.

Within education today, almost every facet of school life has evolved significantly since the 1970s. At the heart of the changes is the safeguarding of children, and promotion of their welfare.

Although we have not directly received any claims from ex-pupils, considering what has been reported, the school has followed the statutory process and made a referral to the Lado (local authority designated officer).

We would encourage anyone with similar experiences to come forward and contact either Maidwell Hall, the Lado or the police.

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 Keystone States workforce has started 2024 off on the right foot with strong labor figures, Pennsylvania officials say.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industrys most recent unemployment report, the commonwealths unemployment rate in January was roughly 3.4%, down slightly from 3.5% in December and below the national 3.7% rate. Pennsylvanias total non-farm jobs were up nearly 15,000 over the month, reaching a record high of roughly 6.13 million, the agency reports.

Labor in the public sector in Pennsylvania can be a sure bet to find steady pay and strong benefits  even while working remotely in some cases. Heres a look at some of the highest-paying jobs open and advertised publicly through the commonwealths online portal as of mid-March.

Workers compensation judge

Salary: $103,218 to $146,798

Agency: Department of Labor and Industry

Description: Individuals in this role help conduct administrative hearings surrounding workers compensation among employees, employers and insurance carriers under the Pennsylvania Workers Compensation Act and the Pennsylvania Occupational Disease Act. Specifically, this position helps resolve conflicts in evidence or expert opinion by determining credibility after a review of extensive hearing testimony, evidence of record, written arguments of attorneys and applicable law, then drafts findings of fact, conclusions of law and other orders, the job description reads.

Those applying for this job should have at least five years of experience working in workers compensation practice with administrative agencies or equivalent experience, plus status as an attorney in good standing before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Telework is possible for this role if candidates successfully pass a required probationary period. Those in the role also have the option of reporting to the headquarters office in Wilkes-Barre in Luzerne County.

Regulation and compliance chief (agriculture)

Salary: $96,626 to $146,798

Agency: Department of Agriculture

Description: A veterinary leader is needed to help direct the Regulations and Compliance Division of the Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services. The division chief is primarily responsible for ensuring effective operations for statewide regulatory programs that help prevent and control diseases among domestic animals in Pennsylvania. Other duties include ensuring compliance with regulations and policies, directing programs for statutory licensure requirements and collaborating with other state and federal animal health officials, according to the job description.

Those applying to this job should hold at least three years of farm animal or poultry practice experience as a U.S. Department of Agriculture-accredited veterinarian, plus a license to practice veterinary medicine in Pennsylvania. Telework is possible for this role for up to five days per pay period, while other work is conducted in one of several offices in Harrisburg and Altoona, among other Pennsylvania locales.

Capital and debt manager

Salary: $96,626 to $146,798

Agency: Office of the Budget

Description: The governors budget office seeks an experienced finance professional to collaborate with its executive leadership team. Broadly, duties include monitoring the commonwealths sinking fund, bonding fund cash flows, issuing debt, managing a team of analysts and facilitating some components of the capital budget submission process, among other duties. According to the job posting, additional responsibilities include monitoring capital project submissions and ensuring compliance with necessary regulations.

Applicants should hold a four-year degree in a relevant field, including accounting, finance or public administration, plus five years of experience working in public sector accounting, or an equivalent combination of experience and training.

This job, based in Dauphin County, is eligible for part-time telework for up to three days per week (with two days in the office in Harrisburg).

Forest district manager

Salary: $84,597 to $128,627

Agency: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Description: William Penn State Forest in Berks County is looking for an experienced candidate to help oversee its lands. A worker in this role would help lead planning, management, direction, coordination and leadership in the forest district while interacting and cooperating with other district managers, stakeholders, county and local governments and more. Forest district managers help implement strategic planning while developing program objectives, planning budgets and leading staff.

According to the online job posting, candidates should have at least four years of professional experience and at least two years of experience as a forest assistant manager, a forest nursery manager or a forest program specialist, plus a bachelors degree in forest management with completed credits in several fields, including dendrology, forest ecology, biometrics and forest management, among others. The job also requires possession of a valid drivers license and residency in Pennsylvania.

This job is eligible for telework for up to three days per week, the job posting says.

Architectural consultant

Salary: $74,191 to $112,666

Agency: Department of Corrections

Description: A worker in this role would help perform advanced consultative and professional architectural work for the Department of Corrections across Pennsylvania, the job description says. Key responsibilities include leading project phases, schematic designs, construction documents, bidding and negotiation process and construction administration, all while reviewing budget estimates and expenditures, projecting cost breakdowns and shopping drawings. According to the online posting, this jobs duties are performed with considerable independence.

Those applying for this Cumberland County-based role should have at least one year of experience as an architectural designer 2, plus three years of professional architectural experience in building renovation of preservation and new construction or commercial, institutional, government or educational buildings or structures, as well as a bachelors degree in architecture, architectural engineering or a closely related field. This position also requires active licensure as a registered architect by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or a reciprocal jurisdiction, or an active certification issued by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.

Employees in this role are eligible for up to three days per week of telework with the remaining time spent in an office in Mechanicsburg. Pennsylvania residency is a requirement for the role.

Field human resource officer 3

Salary: $74,191 to $112,666

Agency: Office of Administration

Description: In this role, an experienced human resources expert will manage activities for state correctional institutions Chester and Phoenix in southeastern Pennsylvania. Key functions of the job, which is based in Montgomery County, include standardizing human resources processes, receiving and forwarding complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Office, overseeing the processing of workers compensation matters, collaborating with the Bureau of Talent Acquisition for creative solutions for hard-to-fill jobs and more.

According to the job description, candidates should have at least one year of experience as a human resource analyst 3, a field human resource officer 2 or a human resource director 1. This can be substituted for four years of professional human resource experience (with at least one year of supervisory experience and a bachelors degree) or an equivalent combination of experience and training.

This full-time job is eligible for part-time telework, according to the job description. In-person work is conducted at the headquarters office in Collegeville.

Administrative officer 3

Salary: $64,959 to $98,661

Agency: Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Description: The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources seeks an administrator to manage and coordinate activities and services for some of the commonwealths field offices. Major functions of the role include preparing budgets, overseeing personnel services, supervising purchasing and contracting, directing labor and employee relations, organizing employee training and more.

Applicants should hold at least one year of experience as an administrative officer 2, or at least four years of experience in progressively responsible and varied office management of staff work in a public or private organization, potentially including personnel management budgeting or procurement, the job description reads. This experience may be matched by graduation from a four-year college or university or another combination of training and past work. Candidates must meet Pennsylvanias residency requirement.

This role is eligible for up to five days of telework per pay period. The job is based in Butler County.

You can browse more open public-sector jobs in Pennsylvania by visiting governmentjobs.com/careers/pabureau.
Survivors of sexual abuse committed by clergy in the Archdiocese of Baltimore may have an opportunity to describe their suffering in bankruptcy court, and say they struck an agreement with the church to have Archbishop William Lori there to hear them.

The committee assigned to represent all survivors of clergy abuse in the dioceses bankruptcy case raised the prospect of at least two days of grueling victim testimony in a court filing Friday, saying it would serve as an opportunity to humanize the technical, money-oriented proceedings.

It also would restore to survivors the chance to share their stories in a courtroom, an option lost when the church declared bankruptcy in September, effectively side-stepping a new state law that eliminated time limits for lawsuits stemming from child sex abuse, the committees attorneys wrote.

The request for the victims testimony needs the approval of U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Michelle M. Harner, who is presiding over the archdioceses case. Harner had not, as of Tuesday, granted the request. But as the filing from the committees attorneys noted, she has publicly encouraged victims to participate in the proceedings.

If the judge gives the greenlight for such testimony, Paul Jan Zdunek, chair of the survivors committee, told The Baltimore Sun, it is the committees understanding that the archbishop will be there.

Zdunek said he believed it was critical for Lori to attend so that these survivors can face him and tell him face-to-face, as opposed to via the media or via their lawyers. Its important for he and the church to hear so they can keep front of mind how these children, who are now adults, were affected and how its shaped their whole lives.

Spokespeople for the church have not responded to requests from The Sun to provide comment on the plan for Lori to attend the sessions. Yvonne Wenger, director of public relations for the archdiocese, said Friday she couldnt confirm it and said over the weekend she had no further information. Spokesman Christian Kendzierski was not able to make a statement Monday and Tuesday about Loris participation. An attorney for the church did not respond to a request for comment on the arrangement.

Story continues

Wenger said in a statement Friday that the church supported an open and transparent process that can lend itself to healing for victim-survivors.

This includes our support of an opportunity for victim-survivors to testify during proceedings in pursuit of an agreed-upon plan for a timely and fair global settlement, she said.

Advocates for survivors of sexual abuse celebrated the potential for victims to be able to address the bankruptcy court, adding that it would be particularly meaningful with Lori in attendance.

Its a wonderful step in the right direction to getting justice for survivors, to getting some accountability within the diocese, a level playing field where survivors are on the same plane as the bishop, David Lorenz, director of the Maryland chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, told The Sun. This is nothing but good news for survivors.

Maryland Catholic Church abuse database: Search the list

It is unusual, but not unheard of, for survivors of clergy abuse to have the opportunity to speak in court. In their filing, the committees attorneys cited two previous Catholic Church bankruptcy cases where judges have given victims the opportunity to present statements in court. One was involved the Diocese of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; the other was for the archdiocese in Guam. In those cases, survivor testimony served as an important step in the process of healing, communication, and atonement for Survivors and the Church, attorneys for the committee wrote.

An opportunity exists in this case to allow Survivor claimants a meaningful voice early in the process, their filing said. Pursuing this opportunity would communicate clearly to Survivor claimants that their voices are valued, that their suffering was (and remains) real, and that their histories will no longer be silenced or overlooked in deference to transactional or institutional priorities.

The prospect of two harrowing days of survivor testimony on April 20 and May 8 represents the possibility for the most dramatic court proceeding related to abuse in the Baltimore diocese in more than 20 years. In that earlier case, the late Cardinal William Keeler testified in 2002 in Baltimore Circuit Court at the trial of a man who confessed to shooting a priest who the defendant said had raped him. While on the stand, Keeler apologized to the defendant, Dontee Stokes.

Attorney Jonathan Schochor, whose firm represents a member of the creditors committee, expects the survivors testimony in the bankruptcy case to be unburdening.

Its going to be extraordinarily emotional, Schochor told The Sun.

Teresa Lancaster, an Annapolis attorney who survived abuse in the Catholic Church as a child and advocates for other victims, described the potential for survivor testimony particularly meaningful, given that many victims wanted to pursue lawsuits in state court under the Child Victims Act.

Lancaster and other survivors had long advocated for such a law, but for years came up short against strong pushback from the lobbying arm of the Catholic Church in Maryland  until last spring. She is among those who credit the report released last April by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, detailing the abuse of more than 600 children by 156 employees of the Baltimore diocese, with providing momentum for lawmakers to pass the child victims law in their 2023 session.

The victims act lifted a previous time limit for people who were sexually assaulted as children to sue their abusers and the institutions that enabled their torment. Seeking to protect its assets from an expected flood of lawsuits, the Baltimore diocese declared bankruptcy on Sept. 29  two days before the new law took effect on Oct. 1.

Instead of abuse allegations being made in public lawsuits in state court, they must be filed as claims in the bankruptcy proceedings. After survivors complete a two-page proof of claim form, and, for some, an optional supplemental questionnaire, experts will evaluate their filings and assign a dollar amount based on the extent of their suffering. Survivors have until May 31 to submit their claims, and can choose for their filings to be public or kept confidential.

Many of the survivors have related to me that they wanted to tell their stories, because if we had gone to court we wouldve been able to tell our stories before juries, Lancaster told The Sun.

Baltimore Sun reporter Dan Belson contributed to this article. This article may be updated.
Imagine that the Jan. 6 insurrection had succeeded. Perhaps the Oath Keepers who had been standing by with weapons caches ready to go had mounted a full-scale assault, capturing the Capitol and taking some lawmakers hostage, or even killing some. Maybe they did hang Mike Pence, and in the aftermath, the presidential results went uncertified, setting off a period of broad uncertainty as armed groups roamed the country trying to assert dominance, battling with security forces.

No American in living memory has any direct sense of this situation, nor do most really know what they would do in response. If violence soared and the stability of the government itself teetered, its undoubtable that some people would simply leave, especially if they found themselves directly in the crossfire. With a country the size of the United States, perhaps they could find peace internally. With a country the size of Haiti, which is in the midst of a quasi-civil war thats only been worsening in recent weeks, not so much.

Last week, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his planned resignation from Puerto Rico, where hes been stuck after finding himself unable to return to Haiti  armed gangs have been intermittently attacking the international airport in a bid to keep Henry away and force his removal. A new government will be formed by a transitional council, not the president, because there isnt one. There hasnt been a president since sitting President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in a still-unsolved hit in 2021.

Haitians need a committed civil society to remain and reconstruct, but it is also perfectly understandable that some people who simply want to live in stability and quietude would leave, just as some Americans would decamp if our society collapsed into internecine violence.

The same goes for Ecuadoreans, who are facing the encroachment of criminal gangs and cartels that have benefited from the movement of drug trafficking routes through the country. Murders have soared, armed groups recently took over a national TV station, curfews have been enacted.

While we may intuitively understand the reasons that make regular life untenable for some, this understanding tends to break down when they actually show up asking for help. Already, between last October and this January, Ecuadoreans have by far been the largest group of new cases filed in New York immigration courts, nearly doubling the next nationality of China. We can expect the recent developments in Haiti to drive up that countrys numbers significantly.

Does this mean the U.S. needs to accommodate every person from around the globe suffering under persistent violence and instability? Not really, but our principles and own economic interest should dictate that we work to accommodate as many as we can.

The problem is more so doing this ad-hoc, dealing with chaotic arrivals and little coordination. Rather, the federal government should work to expand the existing refugee system in places like Haiti and Ecuador, with moments of acute need, and make greater use of existing executive tools like temporary protected status.

The current TPS designation for Haiti, which expires in August, should be expanded to a new cutoff date, and Ecuador should be included in the program. And Congress, ever recalcitrant, should work to broaden humanitarian pathways.

___
Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recent report showing the tiny percentage of eligible voters who in recent elections have determined the outcomes of referendums on bond issuances and tax increases should serve as a wake-up call.

Taxation without representation is tyranny was the rallying cry that compelled a group of angry Bostonians to dump chests of tea into their harbor and eventually gave rise to the country that became the standard-bearer of democracy throughout the world. Yet some 251 years later, too many of us cant be bothered to take a few minutes to cast our votes for the candidates and policies we favor.

On the ballot in todays primary are consequential measures and contests along with many talented candidates for office. In Chicago, they include Mayor Brandon Johnsons bid to quadruple the citys sales tax on real estate transactions over $1.5 million in order to fund unspecified programs to alleviate homelessness. In Cook County, voters will be determining who is likely to succeed Kim Foxx in the crucial post of Cook County states attorney. If you care about public safety  and who doesnt?  you should consider both candidates and then vote.

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In addition to the Bring Chicago Home referendum in Chicago, there are a dozen other referendums in municipalities throughout Cook County that affect the taxes residents and businesses in those communities will pay.

Many who went before us put their lives at risk in order to obtain this right to self-government. Winston Churchill famously called democracy the worst form of government  except for every other one thats been tried.

Theres a lot of worry these days about the future of democracy in the U.S. We have Donald Trump vying again for the presidency after spearheading and cheerleading the outrageous effort on his behalf to nullify the legitimate presidential vote in 2020. Authoritarianism of one flavor or another is gaining potency around the world and there are some flickers of it at home, too.

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Heres a little act of resistance all of us who were rightfully horrified at the Capitol scene on Jan. 6 easily can perform. You can vote in this primary and then again in November.

Wed wager youll feel a little bit better about yourself and about the future.

And you then can righteously carp if the vote doesnt go your way, in time-honored American fashion. But youll have had your say.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Paso Independent School District announced that Dr. Green Elementary School in West El Paso will be the districts second Montessori program location.

This Montessori program will be open to students beginning in the 2024-25 school year, according to a news release sent out by EPISD.

The West El Paso location will allow families throughout the district a second opportunity to have their child experience this unique program in a place thats familiar and closer to home, the news release stated.

Dr. Green Elementary School Principal Guadalupe Pineda, who will work alongside Montessori Principal Isabel Justo, said: We are honored to introduce another enriching educational choice within El Paso ISD. This expansion underscores our commitment to providing diverse programs that inspire and support student success.

The selection of Dr. Green Elementary as the second Montessori site followed a comprehensive assessment of district needs and community input gathered during engagement sessions, the district said in its news release.



An open house is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4 at Dr. Green Elementary, at 5430 Buckley Drive. Families are invited to meet the administration, tour the campus, and experience a model classroom. Registration for Montessori and all district programs opens April 1, with priority seating available for students residing within the Dr. Green Elementary School boundary. Families can apply for priority admission by clicking here.



The Montessori program emphasizes hands-on learning and real-world skill development in an environment that nurtures independence, the news release said.

The program is open to children ages 4-6 throughout El Paso County. The program is free.

The first EPSID Montessori program is at Moreno Elementary, where 80 students are currently enrolled, according to the district.



For further details, visit episd.org/montessori.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Primary voters did not flock to the polls in great numbers Tuesday, despite contested congressional races, an expensive Cook County states attorneys matchup and a rare referendum, election officials said.

Officials were expecting a low turnout with the major presidential candidates for the November general election  Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump  virtually assured the nominations of their parties.

Max Bever, director of public information with the Chicago Board of Elections, said at a midday news conference that the Tuesday morning voter turnout in the city had been pretty sleepy  around 9,000 per hour, compared with 16,000 to 22,000 in busier years. That pace picked up as the day went on, peaking in the hour before polls closed, at nearly 24,000 ballots cast.

By the time polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, city elections officials recorded nearly 344,000 ballots cast by mail, early voting and at the polls. That equated to a turnout of 20.2% of registered voters, not counting any mail-in ballots postmarked by Tuesday but not yet delivered.

In suburban Cook County, elections officials recorded more than 270,000 additional ballots cast by 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, for a turnout rate of 17% by that time.

Bever said earlier Tuesday that he expected more mail-in ballots to come today and over the next few weeks that could affect closer races.

It is concerning that we are much lower, he said. We did not generally see an especially high turnout for early voting compared to previous presidential primary years or even our previous municipal elections.

Bever said voting had gone smoothly at polls around the city. He referenced just two incidents: a small fire that broke out at a school in the Englewood neighborhood Monday morning that forced a change in a voting site, and a scuffle in the 15th Ward about whether food and drink could be brought to election judges. The low turnout and dearth of lines likely contributed to the lack of incidents, Bever said.

At the same, tensions flared over an incident in which Ald. Ray Lopez, 15th, allegedly handed out not just coffee and donuts, but also envelopes of cash to election judges. The man Lopez is trying to unseat in Illinois 4th Congressional District, Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia, said Lopezs alleged envelope practices harken back to a time when shady things used to happen at polling places.

Lopez justified giving judges the envelopes of cash due to the difficulty of making two trips to each precinct. He said Garcias complaint reeks of desperation.

As committeeman, Im responsible for election judges and taking care of them, and theres no identifier that says courtesy of Ray Lopez, he said.

When asked how election judges are paid, Bever told the Tribune in an email that election judges are paid by check, by elections agencies, not precinct committeepersons.

A committeeperson does not pay election judges. Their role is to recruit (and often feed) election judges, but payment for Chicago this election cycle is directly through the City of Chicago/Board of Elections as budgeted, Bever said.

The Illinois attorney generals office said it is investigating the incident.

With presidential nominees certain, local candidates make their final push and hope against early indications of low voter turnout

As of Monday night, the city had recorded more than 157,000 early votes through in-person or mail-in ballots. That figure compares with about 244,000 votes that were cast in the city by the day before the 2020 primary. Roughly 109,000 mail-in ballots had yet to be returned, Chicago Board of Elections Chair Marisel Hernandez told reporters Tuesday morning when polls opened.

Chicago election officials said Tuesday morning that they were hoping for a higher voter turnout than the 2012 primary election, also a presidential reelection year, which saw 24% of voters cast their ballot with just over 46,000 early-voting and mail-in ballots collected before Election Day.

Several voters at the Voting Super Site, at 191 N. Clark St., told the Tribune they usually vote early but came out on Election Day this year due to schedule conflicts. In the first hour of open polls, a handful of voters dropped off mail-in ballots at the sites drop box.

Chicago voter Shonda Edwards coordinated with a group of her co-workers to stop at the Super Site early Tuesday before work so she could make her voice heard.

Edwards, a new grandmother, said her concern for the future of womens rights brought her out to the polls, but not before heavily researching candidates and feeling secure in her choices in the contested races, including for states attorney. In that race, she said she voted based on incumbent Kim Foxxs endorsement of Harris. She hoped others did their due diligence and were active part of the primary election.

Then when you are watching the news at night, you know you were a part of the voting; youre not just sitting there and like, I should have voted, and then youre mad about the turnout, Edwards said. If youre mad about the turnout, why didnt you go to influence the turnout?

Voters heading to the polls have been met with hordes of signs and, at times, the candidates themselves making last-second pitches.

Facing a challenge from Lai Ching Ng, state Rep. Theresa Mah of the Illinois 24th House District stood outside a polling place in the Brighton Park neighborhood Tuesday and looked at blown-up photos of herself with the words Failed leadership! printed in bold across the top.

She described the messaging as pretty aggressive, but said she came to get the word out to a ward that typically has lower voter turnout. She stood on the sidewalk trying to rack up more votes from passersby.

We feel good about the work weve done, reaching out to voters, she said, watching people walk by. Theres nothing more you can do.

Poll volunteers at various sites across the city reported slow and steady waves of voters throughout the morning, even in neighborhoods with contested congressional races.

Outside an early voting center in the Englewood neighborhood later Tuesday, a few dozen people walked through the doors of the Lindblom Park field house to cast their votes after work. Kids played baseball on the diamond nearby.

Rachelle Davis, 43, passed out flyers on the sidewalk outside for Melissa Conyears-Ervin, one of the leading contenders in the 7th Congressional Districts Democratic primary. Davis said shed also been urging voters since 7 a.m. to support Bring Chicago Home, the yearslong grassroots campaign to raise taxes for a fund to address homelessness.

I want you to flip that ballot over and vote yes. Were trying to make Chicago great again, she said to people who entered the building. We have to fix this community.

Earlier Tuesday, at a South Loop precinct site, voter Alex Menninger said he felt like a lot of people were not voting in this primary election due to the current political climate.

But Menninger said he believes its important to vote every time and all the way down the ballot.

I always want to vote in every election and enact my civic duty, Menninger said after leaving the polls.
The Ohio election on Tuesday was dominated by the primary election that features a tight Republican contest for U.S. Senate.

Businessman Bernie Moreno, state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, and Secretary of State Frank LaRose are running for the chance to take on Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in November. All eyes are on the race as it could determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

LIVE ELECTION RESULTS: Get the latest

At the top of the ticket is the presidential primary. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump already secured their party's nomination, meaning the outcome in Ohio will largely be symbolic.

Voters will also decide primaries for who should represent them in Congress and the Ohio House and Senate. There's also a Democratic primary for the Ohio Supreme Court on the ballot, along with county races and local issues in certain areas.

Here's everything you need to know to vote today.

When do polls close in Ohio?

Polls are open until 7:30 p.m. on March 19. You can find your polling place at voteohio.gov.

How do I know if I'm registered to vote in Ohio?

You can check your registration status at voterlookup.ohiosos.gov.

You can still turn in your mail-in ballot

Absentee ballots returned by mail had to be postmarked by Monday.

If you haven't mailed your ballot yet, you can take it to your local board of elections before polls close tonight. Do not take your mail-in ballot to a polling location.

What kind of photo ID do I need to vote?

Ohio now requires voters to show a photo ID when they cast in-person ballots. The ID must be unexpired, but it doesn't need to have your current address on it. Other documents, such as utility bills and bank statements, are no longer accepted.

The following documents qualify:

Ohio driver's license

Ohio state ID

U.S. passport or passport card

U.S. Military ID, Ohio National Guard ID or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID

Interim identification issued by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles

What if I forget my ID?

If you don't have your ID or run into other problems at the polls on Tuesday, you can cast a provisional ballot.

Voters have four days to provide any missing information to election officials. Boards of elections have until eight days after the election to determine which provisional ballots can be counted.

Are ballot drop boxes available?

Yes.

Each county has a drop box set up at the board of elections. You can bring your completed absentee ballot there any time before polls close. All drop boxes are monitored by video surveillance.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: When do polls close in Ohio?
Marcell Spencer of Elkhart has been missing since Dec. 3. He was last seen at an Elkhart 7-Eleven store.

An Elkhart mans mother is asking for help in finding her 29-year-old son, who was reportedly last seen in a surveillance video at an Elkhart 7-Eleven on Dec. 3.

Marcell Spencer would not have missed his daughters birthday and Christmas willingly, insists his mother, Creshia Reeves of Goshen.

Reeves said Elkhart police have told her the video image showed her son entering an Edwardsburg womans car at the convenience store at Jackson and Johnson streets in Elkhart. He has not been seen since.

Police told her no activities or pings have been detected from his iPhone, Reeves said.

Her son was released from federal prison a year ago after serving more than five years for selling drugs. He would not have risked his parole by being involved in guns or drugs after his release, she said.

His co-workers at Forest River told police it was unusual for him to not show up for work, either.

I touch base with the detective every day, she said. He always says, 'Nothing new.'

Spencer is a devoted father to his three daughters, ages 12, 9 and 7, according to his mother, who adds that family is important to him because he had a rough start in life.

He was born addicted to cocaine and with fetal alcohol syndrome, she said. His father was in prison for rape. After he took a turn in the foster care system, Reeves adopted Spencer when he was 6.

He would never do anything to jeopardize his freedom or his safety, Reeves said. I am fearful that something terrible has happened to him. Mentally, I am trying to prepare myself for the worst.

Police have issued a missing person alert. No Silver Alert was issued because those alerts, managed by Indiana State Police, are reserved only for those who are endangered, high-risk or have a mental impairment certified by a medical authority, according to Elkhart Police Department spokeswoman Jessica McBrier.

Mishawaka private investigator Tina Church put Reeves in touch with a national not-for-profit search organization willing to help find her son with its advanced search tools. The Elkhart officer leading the investigation into Spencers disappearance, Det. Casey Claeys, contacted an EquuSearch Midwest officer on Monday to discuss the case, McBrier said.

They both agreed that, at this point, the EquuSearch resources would not be deployed  as there is not a good starting point for an actual physical search, she said.

Mr. Spencers missing person investigation is still active and ongoing, McBrier said. We have no indication at this time that foul play was involved.

Anyone with information about Spencer and his disappearance may call Det. Claeys at 574-389-4789.

Marcell Spencer of Elkhart has been missing since Dec. 3. He was last seen at an Elkhart 7-Eleven store.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Elkhart man, 29, missing since Dec. 3, last seen in surveillance video
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  The Elmira College Nursing Program held a Public Health Emergency Response Exercise inside Meier Hall on March 18, 2024.

The drill simulated a Meningitis outbreak. Students, faculty, campus security and other community members were encouraged to participate in the event. Volunteers were first met by a greeter, then moved to registration. Next, they were able to receive a medical evaluation and be dispensed mock medication.

The importance of drill crisis simulation for nursing students gives us the opportunity for teamwork, to critically think. Being able to understand how to handle high stress situations. Essentially, we always have our clinical instructors with us. So, this gives us an advantage or this gives us a little push to figure out how to go about situations in real life settings, said Public Information Officer for the exercise Shermalie Bigot.

There are no known cases of Meningitis at Elmira College.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
During a campaign event in Nebraska, second gentleman Doug Emhoff criticized former President Trump for his recent comments about Democratic Jewish voters, saying he should be condemned for his disgusting, toxic and antisemitic remarks.

This is a disgusting, toxic antisemitic thing to say, by anyone, let alone a former president of the United States, and it must be condemned, Emhoff said, as reported by Bloomberg.

Emhoff was responding to Trumps recent interview with conservative radio host Sebastian Gorka, where he said Democrats hate Israel and that Jewish voters who back Democrats hate their religion.

Gorka asked Trump why top Democrats hate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as tensions rise between President Biden and Israels top leader over the war in Gaza.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Emhoff said the former president uses stereotypes to demean Jewish Americans.

He called Neo-Nazis at Charlottesville very fine people. And his former Chief of Staff said he even praised Adolf Hitler, Emhoff posted. This hateful and antisemitic rhetoric is toxic. Donald Trump is the one who should be ashamed.

Last week, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized Netanyahu for losing his way in the ongoing political and legal battles he faces and his handling of Israels war against Hamas.

Emhoff, a prominent Jewish figure in the Biden administration, has been a voice for the White House addressing the rise of antisemitism since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7. In January, he attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he highlighted the Biden-Harris administrations commitment to countering the global rise of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate of all kinds.

Trumps comments, and Emhoffs response, came shortly after Trump earned the Republican Partys presidential nomination, setting up a rematch between him and Biden, the Democratic Partys choice.

Since the start of the war, Trump has repeatedly positioned himself as deeply supportive of Israel in its mission to defend itself. Biden, on the other hand, has become more vocal about how Israel should be conducting its counteroffensive.

On Monday, Biden spoke with Netanyahu and stressed that the U.S. is still supportive of Israel defeating Hamas, but thinks the country needs to do it in a coherent and sustainable way. The call marks the first time the leaders have spoken since Biden said Netanyahu was hurting Israel.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man walks past Micah Ray outside the Haskell single-room occupancy hotel in Skid Row in February. Ray, 55, says living in the building is better than a tent but otherwise dismal. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Thirty years ago, when the Produce Hotel fell into disrepair, a newly formed nonprofit, the Skid Row Housing Trust, acquired and rehabilitated the turn-of-the-century building, restoring the brick facade and preserving 100 rooms for formerly homeless residents.

This story was repeated hotel after run-down hotel in the 1980s and '90s as homelessness advocates and civic leaders poured money and energy into saving the old single-room occupancy hotels in Skid Row  first built for itinerant railroad and agricultural workers  fearing that their collapse would force thousands onto the streets.

Now two generations later, livability and financial problems once again have thrown the SROs, which have tiny individual rooms and shared bathrooms, into disarray. Housing and health code inspectors have found clogged toilets, cockroaches, filthy hallways and broken windows in the Produce and similar, if not worse, conditions at dozens of other properties.

But this time, Mayor Karen Bass' administration, nonprofit owners and service providers don't want to save the SROs. Instead, theyd like to see them gone  demolished or gutted in favor of new buildings with private facilities for every tenant.

Ideally, they need to be replaced, said Carlos VanNatter, an executive with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. These are old, turn-of-the-century buildings. They used to be flophouses. Its not an ideal living situation for a chronically homeless person to be in.

The demise of Skid Row's SROs would mark a dramatic turning point in L.A.'s long battle with homelessness, ending an era of last-resort housing that began with the neighborhood's creation in the late 19th century. A combination of dismal trends has led to a renewed crisis for SROs, which, along with other cheap hotels that have been converted to permanent housing, number about 7,000 units in Skid Row.

Housing subsidies have fallen far below the costs of operations. Changes in leasing that prioritize housing residents with severe mental health and drug addiction challenges have overwhelmed providers. And aging plumbing, heating, electrical and elevator systems have failed.

Given all that, vacancies have soared  despite the tens of thousands of people living on the street.

Looking through the lobby doors of the Rosslyn Hotel, a woman can be seen as she makes her way along 5th Street  near Main Street  on the outskirts of Skid Row in 2002. The Rosslyn was later acquired and turned into homeless housing by SRO Housing Corp. while the Frontier Hotel was converted to mixed-income housing. (Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)

These problems exploded into view last year when Skid Row Housing Trust, the once heralded nonprofit founded in 1989 to preserve the Produce and other SROs, financially collapsed and fell into receivership. Of the 13 SROs owned by the trust, 10, including the Produce, already are being targeted for demolition or conversion into studio or efficiency apartments, with plans for the remaining three uncertain.

But despite the SROs' deficiencies, the efforts to replace them are fraught with risk. Rebuilding the trusts portfolio alone could cost nearly a half-billion dollars, displace, at least temporarily, hundreds of tenants and result only in a slight addition to the apartments available for homeless residents, according to city estimates.

Should redevelopment extend to SRO Housing Corp., a nonprofit that operates more than a dozen other Skid Row SROs and is facing its own struggles, the price tag and disruption could at least double.

Read more: The Times investigations into Skid Row's troubled housing providers

The push away from SROs disturbs some advocates who see the move as expensive and counterproductive.

Ever since SROs were first built, there have been efforts to eliminate them by powerful interests who saw the buildings as promoting vice or occupying land too valuable to be used for the poor, said Pete White, executive director of the Los Angeles Community Action Network, a Skid Row-based nonprofit.

Youve seen this conversation before, White said. The solution cant always be were going to knock it down and start over again. Because we dont have the luxury to just knock it down and start over again.

In 2000, SRO Housing Corp. renovated the 100-yearold Southern Hotel on 5th Street in Skid Row. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Theres no Skid Row without SROs. L.A.s Skid Row emerged in the late 1800s just east of downtown at the ends of the cross-country railroads. Railroad workers, transient farmworkers and men just drifting west landed there. SROs, where rooms could be had by the hour, day or week, filled Skid Row's 50-block boundaries with their legendary seediness depicted by writers Charles Bukowski and John Fante. Bars, brothels, warehouses and religious missions grew around the buildings.

By the late 1960s, Skid Row had 15,000 largely SRO housing units. Less than a decade later, half had been demolished and the neighborhood seemed destined to disappear, according to a Skid Row history produced by UCLA's Department of Social Welfare.

But city officials soon changed course. They began what became known as a containment policy for Skid Row. Leaders believed they needed to have low-cost housing and social services centered somewhere in the city, and started taking steps to keep the SROs alive. In doing so, they also sought to keep impoverished, drug-addicted and mentally ill people inside the neighborhood.

Maintaining and preserving those SROs in Skid Row was about maintaining and preserving other parts of the city  keeping SROs and the people who lived in them away, said Deshonay Dozier, an assistant professor of cultural studies at Claremont Graduate University who specializes in the history of Skid Row.

City leaders provided the initial funding for SRO Housing Corp., which was founded in 1984. Skid Row Housing Trust started five years later.

Both nonprofits received widespread praise for their rehabilitation work.

It is clean, safe and honest, Bernard E. Harcourt, then a University of Chicago law professor, wrote of the Produce in 2004, a decade after it reopened. There are no bad smells  so common in homeless missions and housing. No trash or litter. It is inviting.

Still, redevelopment pressures, driven by manufacturing and wholesaling interests and ultimately high-end development on the outskirts of the area, never went away. In the mid-2000s, the city doubled down on preservation, passing a new law to maintain as permanent housing SROs and other cheap hotels that had turned into full-time residences. A legal settlement provided even more protections for buildings in Skid Row, requiring replacement of SROs torn down or converted.

While they continued their acquisitions, SRO Housing Corp. and Skid Row Housing Trust began turning some into efficiency apartments, a process that often resulted in the demolition of units or whole buildings to make space for those with private bathrooms.

The nonprofits also moved beyond preservation to become developers of homeless housing. These new buildings not only offered residents more privacy but also gave the organizations a financial boost they needed to paper over mounting losses at their SROs. But it hasn't been enough.

After the trusts longtime leader left in 2018, the organization cycled through chief executives who put forward increasingly desperate moneymaking schemes. As the trust announced its collapse last February, one building had been shut down due to arson, another had been empty for years after a failed redevelopment and the remaining 27 were largely abandoned with sporadic security, cleaning crews and case workers for 1,500 tenants. A quarter of the trusts units were deemed uninhabitable.

Read more: Bad bets, dysfunction: Inside the collapse of the Skid Row Housing Trust

Unlike the trust, SRO Housing Corp. has had stable leadership, with its CEO Anita Nelson in charge for two decades. Yet the nonprofits financial picture also has been dire. In 2019, according to an internal report, 10 of its 15 SROs were operating at a loss. Money woes only worsened through the COVID-19 pandemic as rent collection slowed and property insurance costs skyrocketed, Nelson said.

"We were just struggling keeping our doors open," Nelson said.

Building conditions have deteriorated. Five SRO Housing Corp. properties are so damaged that city housing officials put them in a program reserved for problem landlords. Tenants receive rent reductions and can pay their monthly rent to the city, which holds the money in escrow until the landlord makes repairs.

Micah Ray inside a shared bathroom at the Haskell Hotel in February. Ray is trying to leave so he can take primary custody of his son after the child's mother passed away. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

In a tidy 11-by-15 room on the second floor of the 38-unit Haskell hotel, one of four SRO Housing Corp. buildings on the 500 block of Wall Street in Skid Row, Micah Ray cant ignore whats around him.

No one leaves any food in the shared kitchen because it would be stolen, Ray said. During the day, he burns incense and keeps his window open to dispel the smell of urine and feces from the hallway. Drug dealers and sex workers squat in vacant units. Ray uses a mobile shower set up in the street for unsheltered residents rather than the shared facility on the floor above him.

These showers, you cant imagine coming out of one clean, Ray said.

A photographer and artist, Ray, 55, became homeless in 2020 after a cancer diagnosis, living in a tent in Koreatown, a hotel-turned-shelter and a tiny home village, both in Westlake, before moving into the Haskell in June 2022.

In the building he wears what he calls "a uniform of old sweats so he doesnt stand out.

I dont want to compare it to prison, but there you want to keep yourself clean and out of trouble, Ray said. The exact same thing is happening here in this building.

Read more: Fallout of Skid Row Housing Trust collapse big and small: broken promises, homelessness, lost dentures

Of all the challenges facing SROs, the most immediate one, public officials and providers say, is the mismatch between federal housing vouchers and the cost of operations. Ann Sewill, the head of the city housing department, told council members last fall that in the former trust properties, the subsidies, which mostly come from old programs that are being phased out, pay about $700 per unit per month while the price tag to run them was $1,000.

The negative cash flow makes it harder to finance repairs, resulting in a financial death spiral as rooms go offline. As of last month, 30% of the units in the 21 trust buildings still under receivership were empty, according to a recent report from the receiver.

Deepening the crisis, providers said, is a decade-old change to leasing practices. The regions homelessness authority implemented a coordinated entry system for subsidized SROs and other permanent housing that prioritizes chronically homeless residents, often those with significant addiction and mental health challenges. The trust and SRO Housing Corp. have complained that bureaucratic delays left rooms vacant for too long and, once rooms became filled, the system concentrated too many disorderly people in their buildings.

A view of Wall Street from Fifth Street, where a row of SRO Housing Corp. buildings stand. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Some public agencies already have turned away from SROs. In 2014, L.A. Countys Department of Health Services began placing its homeless clients in the buildings through a rent subsidy program, but reversed course four years later. Leepi Shimkhada, the departments deputy director in charge of housing, said clients needed private bathrooms and kitchens to be housed successfully.

We found early on that people were not thriving in those locations, Shimkhada said.

Last year, the city asked the California Housing Partnership, a nonprofit affordable housing consultant, to develop a plan for a dozen of Skid Row Housing Trust's oldest properties that, due to their age and conditions, were unlikely to find other nonprofit landlords willing to take them over.

At first, the consultants expected to recommend maintaining the buildings. But as they dug into conditions and spoke with service providers, they determined that doing so would be throwing money at an unworkable housing model, said Paul Beesemyer, the partnerships managing director. They proposed demolishing the SROs and building efficiency apartments instead.

"The starting assumption was not to do the thing that seemed on its surface like it would cost the most money," Beesemyer said. "But once you go into a circa-1915 building, rip out virtually every wall to reconfigure and create a new building within the shell of an old, you're getting into a price point that looks very much like building new."

Inside the Clark Residence, a stately, historical SRO in Westlake, owned by Abode Communities. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

It's not just Skid Row Housing Trust and SRO Housing Corp. that have had problems operating SROs.

In December 2021, for-profit developer Baron Property Group reopened the 600-unit Cecil Hotel, notoriously the former home of several serial killers on the boundaries of Skid Row, as the citys largest SRO. The developer has struggled to fill the rooms , and its formerly homeless tenants say theyve felt abandoned as mold grows, violence persists and elevator service in the 15-story building remains spotty. Baron put the Cecil up for sale this month.

Starting in 2017, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the worlds largest AIDS charity, began buying up SROs with the same stated mission as the trust and SRO Housing Corp. decades ago: rehab and operate them at a cost even the most impoverished could afford. The L.A.-based foundation, which makes more than $2 billion in revenue annually, has spent nearly $200 million on 16 properties in and around Skid Row and poured an additional $30 million into renovations and repairs. It charges rents as low as $400 a month and largely avoids public subsidies.

Foundation leaders tout theyve increased occupancy by almost 200%, meaning almost 1,000 more people are off the streets. But a Times investigation last year found deplorable conditions in their buildings, with, in some cases, tenant complaints and crime surging after the nonprofit took over.

Read more: Inside the world's largest AIDS charity's troubled move into homeless housing

At the same time, the foundation has said it's lost more than $15 million over six years on operations across its portfolio. And thats without providing social services, which researchers believe is essential when serving a chronically homeless population, but executives have rejected as too costly.

To get this many people housed is viable and is beneficial, foundation President Michael Weinstein said last fall in a deposition from a class-action habitability lawsuit filed by foundation tenants. I'm saying that the amounts of money that we have lost and had to continue to invest, you know, if you look  if you're talking about economics from the point of view of attracting other people to do it, then it would not be attractive.

The Clark Residence in February. The building is two miles from Skid Row but faces many of the same challenges as SROs there. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Two miles from Skid Row in Westlake, Holly Benson, the president and CEO of nonprofit developer Abode Communities, has spent years trying to figure out what to do with the Clark Residence, a 152-unit SRO it has owned since the early 1990s.

On the surface, the Clark should be able to avoid some of the problems faced by Skid Row SROs. Built in 1914 as a YWCA, the stately brick building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Rooms average $400 a month, but because they're not directly subsidized with homeless housing vouchers, Abode chooses its own tenants and there are fewer with severe addiction and mental illness.

Still, around 20% of the Clarks rooms are vacant and the nonprofit has had to spend nearly $2 million to cover budget shortfalls in recent years, Benson said.

She now is struggling to cobble together public funding programs to convert the property to efficiency apartments.

Theres not a ready solution to get from here to where we repurpose these buildings, Benson said.

Holly Benson, president and CEO of Abode Communities, at the Clark Residence in February. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The citys redevelopment plan for the dozen Skid Row Housing Trust properties reveals these challenges. At an average of $500,000 per unit, the proposal would cost $428 million and result in a net increase of just 47 apartments over the current 809 rooms. Price tag aside, existing tenants would have to vacate while the properties were torn down or gutted.

Sewill, the city housing director, defended the plan as no different from what the trust already was doing in converting its SROs to efficiencies. She noted that the proposal calls for rebuilding the portfolio over the next seven years to spread out costs and avoid disruption.

"We're trying to make sure that we're not back here in receivership again," Sewill said. "Doing the whole redevelopment is one way of making sure that you have a building that meets the needs of the tenants, but it's also going to be the least expensive to operate and maintain for a very long time."

But some point to city failures as reason to doubt that the redevelopment plans will benefit residents. The city has long been aware of the financial challenges faced by the two nonprofits and is responsible for ensuring habitable conditions. It never should have allowed circumstances to deteriorate to such an extent, said White of the Los Angeles Community Action Network.

Combined with the history of efforts to demolish Skid Row SROs for private gain, White lacks trust that the city can manage a massive redevelopment plan.

I am 100% skeptical that without strong tools, strong controls, that this could become an opportunity to eliminate the community of Skid Row as we know it, he said.

The city expects to acquire the dozen trust properties this spring, boost their federal rental subsidies and then spin the buildings off to developers who would receive fast-track approval for the local portion of the redevelopment cost. City officials, Sewill said, have strong interest in ensuring success, not only to support chronically homeless residents but also to protect the tens of millions of dollars it's investing into the trust portfolio.

"We've got a whole unit of people that are working on it," she said. "We've put the capacity into it. We certainly have the incentive. This is our largest single concentration of supportive housing in the city."

Read more: Taxpayer rescue of Skid Row's largest landlord nears $40 million

White and others say they believe that money should instead go into fixing up the SROs, which they argue is cheaper and faster.

Last year, SRO Housing Corp. received $45 million from a state housing preservation program to upgrade plumbing, structural and electrical issues at three SROs for $222,000 per unit, with the work expected to extend the buildings' lives for decades.

Nelson, its CEO, said she pursued the funding to rehabilitate, rather than redevelop, her properties because that's what was available.

"If you said, 'Anita, the money's out there, rental subsidies are out there, do you want to keep these 13 properties as SROs or convert them to efficiency units?' Of course, I'm gonna say convert them to efficiency units," Nelson said. "But that's not reality. What we have at hand is a housing crisis that is growing. People need housing. We have housing stock, which is better than being in a tent."

Micah Ray inside his 11-by-15 room at the Haskell Hotel in February. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Ray, the tenant at the Haskell, said he'd rather be in his SRO than homeless. He's still trying to do everything he can to leave.

Residents whove lived in SROs for two years can apply for a Section 8 voucher that would allow them to find an apartment on the private market. Ray was a few months short of qualifying but successfully pushed for special consideration.

The mother of Rays teenage son died from cancer last month and Ray wants to take custody. Ray couldnt imagine living with his son at the Haskell. In the few times his son visited, Ray stood guard when the boy needed to use the bathroom because he was worried about his safety.

Ray feared that he would have become depressed or turned to substance abuse if he hadn't gotten the voucher.

"Things were really starting to feel desperate," he said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Huw Jones

LONDON (Reuters) - Central bankers said on Tuesday they have broken new ground by using artificial intelligence to collect data for assessing climate-related financial risks, just as the volume of disclosures from banks and other companies is set to rise.

The Bank for International Settlements, a forum for central banks, the Bank of Spain, Germany's Bundesbank and the European Central Bank said their experimental Gaia AI project was used to analyse company disclosures on carbon emissions, green bond issuance and voluntary net-zero commitments.

Regulators of banks, insurers and asset managers need high-quality data to assess the impact of climate-change on financial institutions. However, the absence of a single reporting standard confronts them with a patchwork of public information spread across text, tables and footnotes in annual reports.

Gaia was able to overcome differences in definitions and disclosure frameworks across jurisdictions to offer much-needed transparency, and make it easier to compare indicators on climate-related financial risks, the central banks said in a joint statement.

Despite variations in how the same data is reported by companies, Gaia focuses on the definition of each indicator, rather than how the data is labelled.

Furthermore, with the traditional approach, each additional key performance indicator, or KPI, and each new institution requires the analyst to either search for the information in public corporate reports or contact the institution for information.

"With Gaia, adding new KPIs or new institutions is quick and easy. This makes it possible to extract and analyse a multitude of KPIs from a large number of institutions, opening up the possibility of climate risk analysis at a scale that was previously unimaginable."

Listed companies, including banks and insurers, face new mandatory climate-related disclosures under new global, U.S. and European Union rules, which will lead to more detailed information, compared with the voluntary approaches to date.

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Gaia looked at 20 key indicators for 187 financial institutions over five years from documents in English and a small number in Spanish and German.

The results showed how more financial firms are committing to net zero targets and issuing green bonds, but not in an uniform manner across the globe.

"The flexible design may serve as a model for AI-enabled applications in a broader range of use cases for central banks and the financial sector."

The central banks said that one possible next step would be to make Gaia publicly available as an open web-based service for analysts.

(Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
First grade teacher Elizabeth Feliciano-Rosa had a personality larger than life, which made it even harder to tell her students when her life was cut short.

Feliciano-Rosa, 54, was hit by a pickup truck just after 5 p.m. in her hometown of Dumont on Thursday. She later died due to her injuries.

Known to students in Englewood public schools as "Ms. Rosa," Feliciano-Rosa spent nearly two decades teaching. She had worked as a first grade dual language teacher at Dr. John Grieco Elementary School in Englewood since September 2015.

First grade teacher Elizabeth Feliciano-Rosa, 54, was hit by a pickup truck in Dumont on March 14 and died from her injuries

Drawings from her students hung on the light pole at the intersection of Washington and Madison avenues, where she was struck. Balloons and dozens of bouquets lined the sidewalk as a tribute. "Ms. Rosa we will miss you" was written on one of the signs, along with a drawing of an angel.

Englewood Schools Superintendent Marnie Hazelton said she wanted to make sure Feliciano-Rosa's students knew of her death before anyone else in the school did.

On Friday morning, Hazelton gathered the rest of the students and staff into the cafeteria as they arrived at school, and she went to Feliciano-Rosas homeroom class.

Story continues below photo gallery.

For the 6- and 7-year-olds, Hazelton said, she needed to gauge their concept of death first, so they talked about what they loved most about Ms. Rosa. Students were asked if any of them had ever lost a family member before they were told she wasnt coming back.

She then went to tell the rest of the school about the teacher's death.

I felt it was really important that her students received the news in their classrooms away from the rest of the school, Hazelton said. Weve also been relying heavily on 'The Lion King' and the 'Circle of Life to help them process what death is.

The superintendent said she spoke with Feliciano-Rosas husband briefly and shared a message with the school community from him. He just wanted to thank them for all their love and support," Hazelton said.

A memorial is set up after Elizabeth Feliciano-Rosa, a 54 years old school teacher at Dr. John Grieco Elementary School in Englewood, was killed in a hit and run accident on Madison Ave at Washington Ave in Dumont, NJ on Monday March 18, 2024. The accident occurred on March 14, 2024.

Grief counselors are at the school for staff members and students.

"We are fortunate to have the crisis intervention team from Bergen County, because everyone is affected, from the cafeteria workers to staff and students," Grieco Principal Daniela Small-Bailey said. "Everyone's life was touched by her."

As an educator, she was second to none and was always direct with everyone, her colleagues said. She demanded high-quality work from her students and put her whole heart into the job.

More: Death of teacher in Dumont car crash was 42nd this year and part of disturbing trend

"If she was reading a book that had a penguin in it, you would see her walking around the classroom as a penguin," Small-Bailey said. "She just embodied everything she was doing. That was her personality, and we are going to miss it in the building."

A GoFundMe page created for the Feliciano-Rosa family has raised over $37,000, after an initial goal of $25,000.

A memorial is set up after Elizabeth Feliciano-Rosa, a 54 years old school teacher at Dr. John Grieco Elementary School in Englewood, was killed in a hit and run accident on Madison Ave at Washington Ave in Dumont, NJ on Monday March 18, 2024. The accident occurred on March 14, 2024.

"She walked into the room and the atmosphere shifted because she was there," Small-Bailey said. "She had such a great smile, an awesome personality, and could always find the lighter side of whatever was going on in our district and our building."

"She was just an exceptional, exceptional teacher with a great personality," Small-Bailey said. "It's just difficult to wrap my mind around her being gone. It would be one thing if she was sick, but this was just so sudden and tragic. It's really hard to wrap my head around that type of loss."

Ernest Hofmann, 94, was charged with a second-degree count of knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death and a fourth-degree count of obstructing the administration of law, and was issued several summonses, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said Friday.

Hofmann was held from Friday into Saturday at the Bergen County Jail. He was released Saturday on monitoring level 3 and his driver's license was surrendered.

Visitation for Feliciano-Rosa will be held Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Volk Leber Funeral home in Oradell.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: 'Lion King' helps Englewood school tell students of teacher's death
In mid-December, the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) swept into Sudans central Al Jazira state, known as the countrys breadbasket, with an ultimatum: Enlist or die.

Since then, the militia group has sought to use food as a weapon, withholding supplies from the hungry in a bid to coerce men and boys to join its ranks, according to over three dozen witnesses.

The RSF has been battling the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for control of the country since a civil war broke out between the two rival factions in April last year. Both forces have been accused of killing civilians. CNN reporting last year exposed an RSF-led campaign to enslave men and women, and other atrocities by the paramilitary group and its allied militias in Sudans western Darfur region  an area already scarred by what has been widely described as the 21st centurys first genocide.

Now, a CNN investigation has found that almost 700 men and 65 children have been forcibly recruited by the RSF over the past three months in Jazira state alone.

Many of the victims were identified by witnesses, survivors, and family members. CNN cross-checked their names with residents from their communities to get details of what happened in each case. The fighting has limited communications and restricted access to the media, making gathering accounts like these incredibly challenging.

CNN was independently able to corroborate the identities of all 750 people swept up by the RSF press gangs in Jazira. Of those, at least 600, including 50 boys under 18, joined the RSF in eastern Jazira, in many cases driven by hunger, witness testimonies revealed. Another 150, including 15 boys, were forcibly recruited in western Jazira. Many of the men previously worked as farmers or traders.

The RSF campaign unfolded in Sudans agricultural heartland during its peak cultivation and harvest period, exacerbating food insecurity in a country already on the brink of famine.

Eyewitnesses detailed a range of coercive methods employed by the RSF to compel individuals to join their ranks, including intimidation, torture, summary execution and the withholding of food and medical aid.

CNN has obtained and verified two videos from residents of a village in Jazira who described an RSF attack in early January. In one video, an RSF soldier, identified by his headgear and the insignia on his military fatigues, declares they have captured the village.

In another, RSF soldiers, again identified by their fatigues and headgear, are heard calling the villages men dogs before gunshots fill the air. The RSF soldiers can be seen humiliating the men, forcing them to prostrate themselves. Then they executed six of them, according to three of those who survived. The men had refused to enlist, the survivors told CNN. Two other witnesses from the village corroborated their account.

RSF soldiers looking to swell the militias ranks targeted a different village on February 27, witnesses said.

The militia tried to recruit 20 young men from the village, eyewitnesses, survivors and families of victims said. When the residents refused, they set up a base in the village, unleashing what the witnesses described as a campaign of terror. Homes were looted, and supermarkets and food warehouses were set on fire before the soldiers took off with over 30 stolen vehicles.

The three dozen eyewitnesses CNN spoke with from across Jazira, including survivors and the families of victims, say refusing the RSFs ultimatum comes at the cost of food, home and safety. CNN is not naming the villages and most of the people who spoke due to fear of RSF reprisals.

In response to CNNs request for comment for this story, RSF spokesperson Nizar Sid Ahmed provided a written statement denying that hunger and fear are being wielded by the RSF to force recruitment, and describing such claims as baseless.

The RSF absolutely does not need to forcibly recruit youths, Sid Ahmed said, as it has hundreds of thousands of fighters and supporters throughout Sudan, who (are) ready to fight in their ranks.

Sudans breadbasket

Jazira state in central Sudan feeds much of the countrys population of around 48 million, according to United Nations data. Located just south of Khartoum, Sudans capital, the state is also home to one of the largest irrigation systems in the world, the Jazira Scheme. Before the war, Jazira produced almost half of Sudans total wheat and housed most of the countrys grain reserves.

That grain, and the capacity to grow and harvest more, are now in the hands of the RSF, as they entrench and occupy vast swathes of Jaziras farmland.

Whoever controls Jazira, controls the food production in the country, said Alex de Waal, an expert on the Horn of Africa and executive director of the World Peace Foundation, about what he called the catastrophic hunger crisis the conflict has spawned.

Mohamed Badawi, a lawyer with the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies, told CNN that the RSFs coercive and violent tactics were akin to an enforced labor system.

People need to survive  they have no other choice, no one to complain to. If you dont kill for them, you will be arrested, he said of the RSFs methods.

Reports of the RSF forcing Sudanese men and children to join their ranks through intimidation, torture, and the withholding of food and aid are deplorable. The war must stop and those responsible for atrocities must be held accountable, said US Special Envoy for Sudan Tom Perriello on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to CNNs reporting.

With no sign of the conflict abating, fears of impending famine are gathering pace.

A health worker measures the circumference of a Sudanese child's arm at the clinic of a transit center for refugees in Renk, South Sudan, on February 13, 2024. - Luis Tato/AFP/Getty Images

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned earlier this month that more than 25 million people across Sudan and neighboring South Sudan and Chad were trapped in a spiral of deteriorating food security. Those most in need of help are stuck in areas which cant be reached because of relentless violence and interference by the warring parties, the news release added.

Around 220,000 severely malnourished children and more than 7,000 new mothers could die in Sudan if urgent assistance doesnt reach them in the coming months, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in an update Wednesday. Some 3.7 million children are suffering from malnutrition across the country, it stated, adding that there are already reports of child deaths related to malnutrition, including in Darfur.

The non-profit Save the Children, part of a group of humanitarian organizations working in Sudan, said since the conflict erupted last April, food supplies had severely decreased, both in production and distribution, while prices rose by 45% in under a year.

The UN has appealed for $2.7 billion this year to meet Sudans humanitarian needs. So far, only 5% of that figure has been given.

Displaced people fleeing from Jazira state arrive in Gedaref, in the east of war-torn Sudan, on December 22, 2023. - AFP/Getty Images

People without mercy

The RSFs grip on food supplies is only part of a broadening system of coercion in Jazira, witness accounts indicate.

On January 3, a 21-year-old fruit trader from western Jazira was on his way back to the state from an SAF-controlled area in the north when the RSF got hold of him. They accused me of cooperating with the Sudanese army intelligence and only released me following the intervention of one of my friends who has joined RSF, the trader, who did not want to be named for safety reasons, told CNN.

But his friend couldnt guarantee his safety going forward, the trader said. He advised me to join the RSF with him so that I could provide food for my children, he told CNN, indicating thats what his friend had done. But I completely rejected the idea. He has since escaped the state and is living in an undisclosed location within the country.

Another man who owns a citrus farm in the same area, Sidiq Farouk, said he was tortured on his farm on December 28, days after the RSF consolidated power in the state capital, Wad Medani. Farouk, who spoke to CNN from a safe location outside the country, said, They tied my hands and legs with ropes and pushed me to the ground. They started hitting me.

Farouk alleged the RSF soldiers, who accused him of associating with the SAF, then stood on his face with their military boots on. Its so tough, the movement of the boots on your ears. Your ears start whistling. After a while, you become numb to the beatings. They are people without mercy, he told CNN.

Four other members of his family have since been killed for trying to resist the RSF, he said.

He also recounted the experience of a man from Khartoum who had sought refuge in a village near his in Jazira when the war first broke out, in April 2023, and had since been coerced into joining the RSF. When the RSF entered the state this December, they stole his car, Farouk said.

The RSF told him they would only return his car if he worked for them, Farouk recalled. Till now, he has been made to work as a driver for them. He hasnt even got his car back.

More than a dozen witnesses also accused the RSF of exploiting a month-long communications blackout in the state to extort money from locals. As a result of the blackout, the paramilitary group controls access to the internet in Jazira, charging residents money to use SpaceXs Starlink satellite internet system for online services, including bank transfers.

The RSF charge $3 an hour to let people use (the) internet. And as far as bank transfers are concerned, they are taking a cut of 20% of the value of the amount that someone sends you from abroad, one witness said. They deliver it to the people in cash because they are the only ones now in the state of Jazira who have cash, from the money they looted from banks, shops, and many villages.

The quid pro quo demanded by the RSF became clearer as weeks passed, residents said. I went with a group of villagers to file a complaint with the district commander about the theft of cars and money from the village, said one witness. The commanders response was, Get the youth of the village to enlist with us so that they can protect you.

New RSF recruits are being rewarded with food and aid looted from others, more witnesses said.

Displaced people fleeing from Jazira state arrive in Gedaref, in the east of war-torn Sudan, on December 22, 2023. - AFP/Getty Images

Hala Al Karib, regional director of the non-profit Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, told CNN: What the RSF is doing in Jazira  turning self-sufficient communities into IDPs who are reliant on aid or downgrading them into enslaved people in their own lands  is precisely similar to what they did in rural Darfur 20 years ago and got away with.

Children are especially vulnerable to RSF exploitation, Al Karib said, and their recruitment will make any future demobilization process more difficult.

CNN shared its findings with UN special rapporteur for contemporary slavery Tomoya Obokata, who said, the recruitment of young men and children in exchange for food and safety amounts to forced labour, the worst form in the cases of children, and amounts to contemporary slavery under international law.

After nearly a year of war, UN childrens agency UNICEF estimates that about 19 million Sudanese children are out of school.

While several videos from across Sudan showing RSF child soldiers have been posted on social media since the beginning of the war, CNN has now been able to confirm the recruitment of 65 of them in Jazira since mid-December, with each report independently corroborated by locals from the villages concerned. Similar reports have emerged from other parts of the country; CNN has been able to confirm a handful of cases in Omdurman and Khartoum.

Hijacking Sudans food supplies

When the RSF moved into Jazira in mid-December it marked the first step in what appears to be a systemic destruction of the countrys agrarian infrastructure. It also worsened the countrys massive internal displacement crisis, since the state had given shelter to hundreds of thousands fleeing fighting elsewhere.

On December 20, the WFP, which had set up an aid hub and warehouse in Wad Medani after fighting broke out in Khartoum last April, was forced to temporarily pause distributions in Jazira, Leni Kinzli, head of communications for WFP in Sudan, told CNN.

In under a weeks time, Kinzli said, our warehouse containing more than 2,500 metric tons of life-saving food, including pulses, sorghum, vegetable oil and nutrition supplements, enough stocks to feed nearly 1.5 million severely food insecure people for one month in Jazira state, were looted by elements associated with the RSF.

In response to CNNs request for comment on the allegation, RSF spokesman Sid Ahmed said the World Food Programmes aid warehouses were looted by hungry residents deprived of humanitarian aid and called on the UN to launch an investigation.

CNN spoke to several locals who said most warehouses containing food aid in Jazira were looted in the first four weeks of the RSFs occupation. Since entering Jazira, the RSF leaders have been denying the looting, theft, and incidents of murder and rape, attributing them to criminals, a witness told CNN. But I, as an eyewitness to what happened in our village, can say those who commit all these atrocities are wearing RSF uniforms.

Civilians fleeing conflict in Sudan wait for asylum registration procedures in Renk, South Sudan, on December 18, 2023. - AFP/Getty Images

In a report to the government, Omar Marzoug, governor of the Jazira Scheme irrigation project, detailed what he said the RSF stole when they broke into its headquarters on January 18. The list  reviewed by CNN  includes everything associated with agricultural infrastructure: from tractors to seeds, fertilizer and even warehouses full of food.

A prominent leader in the Jazira and Al-Manaqil Farmers Alliance, who declined to be named for security reasons, told CNN: Now the fate of Jaziras agriculture has become unknown.

Eyewitnesses told CNN the Wad Medani central market, too, was looted and set on fire, just days after the RSF took over the city. In a video posted on social media  geolocated to the area around the market  a man wearing RSF fatigues boasts about the damage wrought by his forces: They said Wad Medani cannot be taken over. Look now. Satellite imagery from December 22 shows fire damage to the market.

De Waal, the Horn of Africa expert, told CNN that given the dire food situation, what is happening would constitute a reckless famine crime.

Seven million face starvation

The damage to Jaziras agricultural infrastructure will only worsen the situation in the rest of Sudan.

In January, Medecins Sans Frontieres, or Doctors Without Borders, reported that at the Zamzam camp for displaced people in the hard-hit North Darfur region, to the west of the country, at least one child is dying every two hours from starvation.

Sudan is facing the worst hunger level ever recorded during its October-February harvest season, according to research published last month by the Clingendael Institute, an independent think tank. It forecasts that the severity and scale of hunger in the coming lean season (mid-2024) will be catastrophic and calls for urgent, large-scale assistance.

According to the most likely scenario based on its research, around seven million people could face catastrophic hunger by June 2024, with mass starvation being the prospect.

The RSFs presence effectively prevented farmers from harvesting their crops, Anette Hoffmann, author of the report, told CNN.

This harvest was badly needed to compensate for the massive production losses that already occurred due to the fighting in other states. The RSFs violent advances in Jazira state, their targeted destruction of warehouses, Sudans gene bank and irrigation systems will inevitably further exacerbate Sudans massive food shortages, she said.

Those hampering life-saving aid must be held responsible for the famine they cause.

The UNs Food and Agriculture Organization has also urged immediate and collective action to avert an impending humanitarian catastrophe. Restoring crop and livestock production  a livelihood for 2/3 of the population  is a top humanitarian priority, it said in its 2024 humanitarian response plan.

De Waal highlighted the very immediate consequence of the RSF conscripting farmers and traders as fighters amid the hunger crisis. Who is going to cultivate then? Youre finished, he said.

As one farmer, who asked not to be named for fear of RSF retaliation, summed it up: It is an intentional act to starve people.

This story has been updated.

CNNs Benjamin Brown contributed to this report.

Editors Note: This report would not have been possible without the contributions of Sudanese journalists whom we are not naming for their safety.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Attorneys for Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed asked a judge on Friday to release her from jail and to grant a new trial, citing a recent New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in another case.

Gutierrez Reed faces up to 18 months in prison for negligently loading a live bullet into Alec Baldwins gun and causing the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She has been held since her conviction on March 6 at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility, where she awaits her April 15 sentencing.

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Her attorneys, Jason Bowles and Monnica Barreras, argued in the motion that a state Supreme Court opinion issued on Thursday will almost certainly lead to her conviction being overturned.

The challenge relates to the instructions that were given to jurors. The jurors were asked to find that Gutierrez Reed loaded live ammunition into Baldwins gun, and/or that she failed to properly check the ammunition.

The defense contends that the and/or conjunction allowed the jurors to convict even if they were not unanimous on either act.

On Thursday, the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction of two daycare workers on similar grounds. In that case, the jury instructions included four separate acts linked by the and/or conjunction. The court found that created confusion and misdirection, and ordered a new trial.

The term and/or has proved singularly unsuited to formulating clear and effective jury instructions, to the degree that our trial courts would be well served to avoid its use in jury instructions altogether, the court held.

Bowles and Barreras argue that the ruling means that an appeals court is virtually certain to order a new trial for Gutierrez Reed. They urge that she be released while the appeal is pending. The defense is likely to cite several other issues in its appeal.

Kari Morrissey, the prosecutor in the case, declined to comment.

Baldwins lawyers have filed a separate challenge to the jury instructions that were used to indict him for involuntary manslaughter in January. His lawyers are seeking to throw out the indictment for a series of alleged prosecutorial abuses. His trial is scheduled for July.

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On March 18, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a ban on the last form of ban on asbestos used in the United States. This carcinogen kills upwards of 40,000 Americans annually , has been phased out in many products, but is still used in some capacities in the US. Inhaling the tiny fibrous strands that make up asbestos can lead to numerous illnesses including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung and ovarian cancer .

While not a complete ban, under this new guidance , the EPA would prohibit the import of any items that contain the only asbestos used in the US called chrysotile asbestos , or white asbestos. Most consumer products including building materials and household appliances are no longer made with asbestos. However, some products including sheet gaskets, brake blocks, and other vehicle friction products, still have chrysotile asbestos. The ban on asbestos used in these products will take effect in six months .

Chrysotile asbestos is also used to make chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide that can be used for water purification. Chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant in water treatment and eight chlor-alkali plants in the US still use asbestos diaphragms to make chlorine and sodium hydroxide. These plants are primarily in Louisiana and Texas and this new requirement requires them to be phased out. The EPA notes that asbestos is not needed to produce chlorine and roughly two-thirds of the chlorine made domestically is done so without using asbestos. The rule will be phased in over five or more years to provide a reasonable transition period.'

[Related: The EPA is trying to ban asbestosagain ]

The science is clearasbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement .

According to the EPA, it advances one of the goals of the Biden Administrations Cancer Moonshot, to harness the power of the federal government to end cancer . This new rule also marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which made it difficult for the government to ban chemicals. This law remained unchanged until several amendments in 2016 overhauled the regulations of tens of thousands of toxic chemicals found in items found in everything from furniture to clothing and household cleaners.

The EPA tried to ban asbestos outright during the late 1980s . Manufacturing companies fought back and the EPAs initial 1989 prohibition of the use of asbestos contained a carve-out for the chlorine industry.

By 1991 , a panel of federal judges stuck down the ban and weakened the EPAs ability to address human health risks from asbestos or other existing chemicals. This decision went on to hamper additional federal attempts to ban asbestos. More than 50 countries have already outlawed chrysotile asbestos.

[Related: Lung cancer in naval personnel linked to asbestos exposure .]

This rule could be rolled back by future presidential administrations and some legislators are calling on Congress to step in.

An immediate ban on the import of chrysotile asbestos for the chlor-alkali industry is a long overdue step forward for public health, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) said in a statement. However, it cannot be the end of the road when it comes to phasing out other dangerous asbestos fibers, and Congress has a role to play here when it comes to providing stronger protections for our health.

Drexel University professor of environmental and occupational health Arthur Frank told NPR that asbestos still hides in many existing buildings and products across the US, so continues to pose risks to human health.

"This is not a total ban by any means," Frank said . "It is a modest step that reduces future exposures."
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his "victory" in the sham presidential elections and reiterated that Ankara is ready to facilitate peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the Directorate of Communications of the Presidency of the Republic of Turkiye

Quote: "President Erdogan congratulated President Putin on his election victory. Expressing his belief that the positive course in Turkish-Russian relations would increasingly continue in the new period, President Erdogan stated that Turkiye stands ready to assume any facilitating role in returning to the negotiating table in Ukraine."

Details: Turkiye supports the territorial integrity of Ukraine, provides it with military and political support, but at the same time maintains warm relations with Russia and opposes sanctions against the aggressor country.

Western countries have criticised Russia's sham elections as non-transparent, plagued by violations and held on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

Background:

Erdogan periodically reiterates the position that Ankara is in favour of ending the war through negotiations and is ready to offer a platform for such "negotiations".

Recently, he said that peace plans that exclude Russia "will not yield any results".

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The Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared a diplomat at the Russian Embassy persona non grata and summoned the temporary charge d'affaires of Russia on 19 March.

Source: Estonian broadcaster ERR, citing the ministrys statement, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Delivering a note on Tuesday, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the representative of the Russian embassy that Estonia will not tolerate actions by Moscow aimed at undermining the independence and sovereignty of Estonia, and considers it necessary to state this in no uncertain terms.

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An employee of the Russian Embassy in Estonia has been declared a persona non-grata and expelled from the country, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsakhna said on March 19.

Tensions between Tallinn and Moscow surged following the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said in February that authorities had "successfully stopped a hybrid operation by Russia's security services on our territory."

Earlier in February, Metropolitan Yevgeniy of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate announced he was leaving Estonia after the government decided not to extend his residence permit, citing public statements and actions he had made in support of Russia's military aggression.

In comments printed on the Foreign Ministry's website, Tsakhna said, "With its actions, the Russian Embassy has interfered in the internal matters of Estonia in an unacceptable way, more specifically in the judicial process, acquiring documents from a criminal case and contributing to their publication on Russian social media."

"By expelling the diplomat, we are demonstrating that Estonia will not allow any actions orchestrated by a foreign state on its territory," he concluded.

Tsakhna did not clarify the specifics of the diplomat's actions or which criminal case he referred to.

Read also: Estonias FM warns Baltic states have 3 to 4 years to prepare for Russian assessment of NATO capabilities

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Cross-border trading usually occurs in fintech, where companies send money to another country. However, David Yi and Simon Shin are out to apply that concept to the world of venture capital.

Yi and Shin started Ethos Fund two years ago to bridge opportunities and startup communities between Vietnam and the United States. Yi says the five-person firm is one of the few, if not the only, funds focused exclusively on strengthening opportunities between these two countries.

They closed on an inaugural fund with $12 million in capital commitments from a group of limited partners, including Elite Education Group, i-Scream Edu, Orion's Bridge Capital, Strong Ventures and founders from Altos Ventures, Hashed, Tapas Media, JLin LLC and Meridianlink.

Yi and Shin are working with companies in two ways: in the U.S. to invest in what they call third culture founders, which they define as brilliant minds who don't just belong to one culture but have been shaped by multiple ones, solving problems they care about.

The other is in Vietnam to invest at a very early-stage level: pre-product and pre-revenue. They are also investing smaller checks into third culture founders there who fall into such categories as returned Vietnamese diaspora, Vietnamese Americans and expats residing in Vietnam, and subsequently doubling down with larger checks into validated startups.

Ethos Fund, David Yi, Simon Shin

Ethos Fund co-founders David Yi and Simon Shin. Image Credits: Ethos Fund

Ethos is called Ethos because we focus on the ethos of the founders, Yi said. For us, its very important that the founders are more than doing cross-cultural things. Their third culture means they have their own third unique culture that they've built throughout their lives and that goes beyond skin color or geography.

Yi and Shin, both Korean American, met in 2020 when Yi was CEO of Riiid Labs, an AI for education company. Their origins are rather unique: Shin previously worked at different technology companies, including Chegg, primarily in product management in Los Angeles. He moved to Korea in 2014 to run a startup called Hellocafe before joining VC firm Bluepoint Partners.

Meanwhile, Yis started his career as a teacher for the Peace Corps in China. That led to him starting his own education technology company. That eventually turned into eight companies, two of which exited, many in the Irvine, California, area, including EduGroup. He later had a stint with Lyceum Partners before moving to Southeast Asia to work at ACT and K12, among others.

One of the things Yi noticed about his startups was that they weren't growing past a certain stage.

I thought maybe it's because I don't know how to manage people well, Yi told TechCrunch. I was also like, why is my revenue not going past a certain point? It's because I didn't know how to crack the code to be the one that got the bigger companies.

But there are always new things to learn, and in this particular instance, Yi learned two things: He indeed didnt know how to manage people professionally, and the technology couldn't scale unless they got to business-to-business. Now the pair wants to help startup founders figure those lessons out early.

When you're a startup CEO, you're learning on the go, Yi said. I had different personalities, and I did not know what I didn't know. I was able to learn from going to a bigger company to understand their infrastructures. Then you can filter what is applicable to startup or not.

Tapping into their edtech backgrounds, Yi and Shin also believe that venture capital is education, so they host live programs and events. Those include the New Venture Challenge, also known as Founders on a Plane, and Saigon Fest, which shuttles entrepreneurs and investors between Vietnam and the U.S. to learn from one another.

The pair have made nine investments so far, Shin said. One announced recently  and with good timing  was Oyl, which is building a digital wallet for a Bitcoin economy. Last week, Bitcoin hit an all-time high. Ethos has also invested in companies like up-skilling platform Skola, AI-enabled marketing company Needle and Mirrorscape, which is developing a virtual tabletop tool for gaming.

Have a juicy tip or lead about happenings in the startups and venture world? Send tips to Christine Hall at chall.techcrunch@gmail.com or via this Signal link. Anonymity requests will be respected.
The EU is preparing to impose duties on grain imports from Russia and Belarus, which will be the first restriction on food products after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Financial Times reported citing its own sources on March 19.

In the coming days, the European Commission will impose a duty of 95 euros per ton on grain from Russia and Belarus.According to the newspaper, this will lead to an increase in prices by at least 50%, which will destroy consumer demand.

Read also: 17-kilometer-long queue at Ukrainian border  Polish police

Duties of 50% will also be imposed on oilseeds and their processed products. EU imports from Russia of these products - grains, oilseeds and their derivatives - reached a record 4 million tons in 2023, which is 1% of total EU consumption.

"Brussels has long resisted pressure from Poland and the Baltic states to limit Russian and Belarusian imports, arguing that such a move could undermine global food markets and harm developing countries," the newspaper writes.

Read also: India plans to purchase discounted Russian grain  report

The United States produces more than 300 million tons of grains and oilseeds annually and is a net exporter, so it has no need for Russian and Belarusian imports, the FT added.

According to the newspaper's sources, the duty will be set at the maximum level allowed by WTO rules. Russia could retaliate, but it has already banned most of its food imports to the EU, and many European companies in the sector have left the country in recent years.

Read also: Blinken called "laughable" Russia's promises to supply grain free to African countries

The European Commission itself declined to comment on this decision. Earlier it was reported that the Czech Republic proposed to ban imports of Russian and Belarusian grain to the EU.

On Feb. 22, the Latvian Saeima adopted in two readings a resolution banning imports of Russian and Belarusian products until at least July 2025.

Read also: Russia would revive the grain deal if most sanctions are lifted  Putin

On March 13, Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Trade, told NV that the European Union is discussing the idea of stopping the import of Russian and Belarusian agricultural products into the EU.

Read also: Russia faces wheat exports shipping challenges after attacking Ukraine  Reuters

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EU foreign ministers have yet to reach a consensus about using profits from frozen assets of the Russian Federation for the benefit of Ukraine.

Source: Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, following a meeting of the EU Council; European Pravda

Borrell stressed that this is not about the frozen assets themselves but windfall profits from them.

"Now the issue is to take it and to use it for the benefit of Ukraine," Josep Borrell said, adding that this issue has been discussed for months.

"After the discussion today, I have seen that there is strong support. There are some member states that want to have more details, but there is strong support to take revenues and windfall profits and to use it to support Ukraine," Borrell said.

Borrell says these funds can be used for military support for Ukraine and to support the country's defence industry.

"I am going to table this Council decision proposal and will work with the Commission to approve a Council Regulation in order for the member states to discuss a concrete proposal before the EU Council," Borrell said.

"I cannot say that there was unanimity, but a strong consensus to take this decision," he noted.

He added that the decision proposal will be submitted to the member states "in a couple of days".

Background: Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski said it would be better if Russian money in the EU was used to defend Ukraine rather than to rebuild it.

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Prop trading challenge firms offer a unique proposition for U.S.-based traders. Challenges can springboard traders into higher potential earnings, and the contests give access (and leverage) to asset classes that are usually off-limits in the U.S. because all trading is simulated. Contracts for differences (CFDs) are one example of these, with high leverage, high risk and a broad range of strategies. But not everyone is thrilled with this arrangement  including one platform with significant industry sway.

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How Prop Traders Use CFDs

MetaQuotes is the developer behind the top-rated MetaTrader platform, which can be used to trade various instruments and is easily integrated into different brokers or prop firms. Currencies, futures and CFDs are popular tools because of the leverage available, but the last item on that list is making MetaQuotes uneasy.

CFDs are derivative securities designed to represent a bet between two market participants. Like a stock option, a CFD can be created by any two parties looking to wager on the price of a particular asset, commodity or currency. Unlike options and futures, CFDs do not have an expiration date when one party must deliver the actual asset to the other.

Here's a basic example of a CFD trade: Investor A believes the price of XYZ asset will rise from $100 to $110 over the next month. Investor B believes that XYZ asset is overvalued and thinks the price will be $90 in a month. Both investors agree to a CFD on XYZ price, which allows them to use leverage on the bet. If XYZ rises to $112 in just a few weeks, Investor B might choose to sell for a loss while Investor A collects the difference as profit  $12 profit per CFD, which can result in a considerable sum with the available leverage.

Story continues

CFDs are banned in the United States, but prop trading firms have found a workaround for their simulated trading challenges. Because participants in prop trading challenges pay an upfront fee to use paper trading systems and receive profits based on their performance, CFDs aren't actually traded. Thanks to this arrangement, CFD brokers offered MetaTrader products to U.S. prop firms under what's known as a grey label license. But this distinction no longer appeases MetaQuotes, which is now going after prop trading firms using this license with the tenacity of a bee-stung bulldog.

Into The Futures Market

With MetaQuotes cracking down on CFD usage, many U.S. prop trading firms have abandoned the asset class. MetaTrader is too valuable to risk losing access, so prop traders who formerly swapped CFDs suddenly find themselves trading futures.

CFD traders in Europe can still access these markets, but U.S. traders are seeing the prop firm loophole closed. Even though prop trading challenge firms don't face the same regulatory scrutiny as big institutions, MetaQuotes is likely pulling the plug anyway. As a result, prop firms courting U.S. clients are either switching to new platforms (like cTrader) or pushing users toward the futures market.

Futures trading happens on exchanges, which means a safer and more regulated market. However, maximum leverage levels are lower than CFDs, and futures contracts expire, while CFDs can remain open indefinitely. Prop trading firms seeking U.S. clients who wish to continue using MetaTrader platforms may have to consider shifting to the futures market.

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The Financial Times has learned that the European Union is planning to impose duties on imports of Russian and Belarusian grain to reassure farmers and some member states. This will be the first restriction on food products from Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the Financial Times

Details: Sources familiar with the plans say that in the coming days, the European Commission will announce a 95 per tonne duty on grain from Russia and Belarus.

The sources report that this will lead to a price increase of at least 50%, which will destroy demand.

Tariffs of 50% will also be imposed on oilseeds and their derived products.

In 2023, imports from Russia of grains, oilseeds and their derivatives reached a record 4 million tonnes, accounting for 1% of total EU consumption.

The EU produces more than 300 million tonnes of grains and oilseeds per year and is a net exporter of the former, so it has no need for Russian and Belarusian imports.

The EU representative noted that grain prices are at a four-year low, while Russia is "very competitive in the grain markets and exerts considerable pressure".

The duty will be set at the maximum level allowed under WTO rules. Russia could retaliate, but it has already banned most EU food imports, and many European companies in the sector have left the country in recent years.

In February, Latvia imposed a unilateral ban on imports of many food products from Russia and Belarus, and Lithuania announced strict cargo inspections.

On 8 March, Poland's Sejm passed a resolution calling for sanctions on imports of Russian and Belarusian food products.

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The European Union is preparing to impose tariffs on grain imports from Russia and Belarus to placate protesting farmers and the governments of some EU member states.

Source: Reuters with reference to EU officials

Quote: "The European Commission would propose a duty of 95 euros ($103.26) per metric ton on cereals from Russia and Belarus, with tariffs of 50% on oil seeds and derived products."

Details: One EU official stated that these figures are "about right", although they have not been finalised yet. Another indicated that the measure to discourage trading of Russian and Belarusian grain will likely take the form of tariffs, which must only win a majority of the vote in the EU, whereas sanctions require unanimous agreement.

The sources said the tariffs would apply to grain intended for use in all 27 EU member countries and will not extend to transit grain passing through the bloc to other countries.

This step is taken in response to farmers across Europe demanding changes to the restrictions imposed on them by the EU's Green Deal plan to combat climate change as well as the reintroduction of customs duties on imports of agricultural products from Ukraine, which were lifted after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Background:

A study has shown that the claims that the import of Ukrainian agricultural goods into Poland are jeopardising the ability of Polish farmers to earn a living are false.

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The EU agreed on March 18 to level new sanctions against Russia over the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, said Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat.

Bloomberg reported earlier in March that the EU was readying a new package targeting around 30 individuals in response to Navalny's death in February. Borrell told reporters ahead of a meeting with the EU's Foreign Affairs Council that the package was being adopted.

Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin's main political opponent, died in a penal colony in the town of Kharp, Yamal Nenets Autonomous District. He had been convicted in several fabricated criminal cases as part of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent.

Several countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Canada, and Australia, have imposed new sanctions against Russia over Navalny's death.

Navalny was detained in Russia in January 2021 and was later sent to prison on two separate sentences, one for nine years and another for 19, in trial proceedings described by human rights groups as a "sham."

Leaders around the world pointed at Putin as to blame for Navalny's death. It remains unclear whether the harsh prison conditions caused his death or if he was intentionally murdered.

Read also: European Parliament adopts resolution on Navalnys death

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The upcoming EU summit will be an opportunity to boost and accelerate efforts to provide military assistance to Ukraine.

Source: Charles Michel, President of the European Council, in an invitation letter to the members of the European Council; European Pravda

Quote: "Our foremost task is the swift provision of military aid to Ukraine and, building on recent initiatives like that of Czechia, the fast-track procurement and delivery of ammunition to Ukraine," Michel wrote in the letter.

"This European Council will be an opportunity to strengthen and accelerate those efforts. Additionally, we must focus on effectively implementing and enforcing our sanctions, as well as advancing our efforts on the use of windfall profits from immobilised assets," he added.

According to Michel, leaders should also talk about adapting the European economy to the realities of war. He said that the EU is facing the biggest security challenge since the Second World War and it should increase investments in defence.

"This means spending more, and buying more jointly, thus more efficiently," Michel added.

The Summit will also focus on the fighting and the looming humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. However, EU countries do not share a common view on a possible ceasefire, with some calling on Israel to immediately cease hostilities, while others support Israel's efforts to destroy the radical Hamas movement.

"A sustainable ceasefire is urgently needed to protect civilians, allow the hostages to return safely and ensure that humanitarian assistance can be delivered as needed," Michel said.

Backgound:

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Tuesday that he will suggest that the EU use 90% of the revenues from Russian frozen assets in Europe to purchase weapons for Ukraine through the European Peace Facility.

Earlier, Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski stated that the frozen Russian funds in the EU should be spent on defending Ukraine rather than rebuilding it.

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Czech President Petr Pavel has said that in the near future, European companies will be able to produce the necessary amount of ammunition for themselves and Ukraine.

Source: Petr Pavel; Radio Liberty

Quote: "The production of the required number of shells takes time. This requires an increase in our production capacity. But Ukraine needs shells now.

We can't wait for European companies, so we are trying to find ammunition wherever we can. We are trying to deliver it to Ukraine as quickly as possible. But at the same time, we are increasing our own capacity."

"In the near future, European companies will be able to produce the necessary amount of ammunition to replenish the stockpiles of European countries, as well as to provide Ukraine with ammunition if it still needs it."

Background:

Petr Pavel stated that it is still impossible to imagine that Ukraine and Russia could reach an agreement to end the war.

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Today, we bring you the latest news from across Ukraine, discuss diplomatic updates from the EU and the US and we interview the former British defence attache to Moscow and Kyiv on the Russian war machine, the fight for the Black Sea and the challenges facing both armies in the months and years ahead.

Listen to Ukraine: the Latest, The Telegraphs daily podcast, using the audio player at the top of this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

War in Ukraine is reshaping our world. Every weekday The Telegraphs top journalists analyse the invasion from all angles - military, humanitarian, political, economic, historical - and tell you what you need to know to stay updated.

With over 70 million listens, our Ukraine: The Latest podcast is your go-to source for all the latest analysis, live reaction and correspondents reporting on the ground. We have been broadcasting ever since the full-scale invasion began.

Ukraine: The Latests regular contributors are:

David Knowles

David is Head of Audio Development at The Telegraph, where he has worked for nearly three years. He has reported from across Ukraine during the full-scale invasion.

Dominic Nicholls

Dom is Associate Editor (Defence) at The Telegraph, having joined in 2018. He previously served for 23 years in the British Army, in tank and helicopter units. He had operational deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.

Francis Dearnley

Francis is Assistant Comment Editor at The Telegraph. Prior to working as a journalist, he was chief of staff to the Chair of the Prime Ministers Policy Board at the Houses of Parliament in London. He studied History at Cambridge University and on the podcast explores how the past shines a light on the latest diplomatic, political, and strategic developments.

They are also regularly joined by Telegraph reporters and correspondents around the world, including Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent), James Kilner, (Foreign Correspondent and Editor of the Central Asia & the South Caucasus Bulletin), Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent), Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent), Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent), Colin Freeman (Foreign Correspondent), Danielle Sheridan (Defence Editor), and Tony Diver (US Editor).

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.
Europe's share of global plastics production has fallen while China's output now accounts for a third, an industry report showed Tuesday.

Europe's share of global production fell from 22 percent in 2006 to 14 percent in 2022, according to an annual report by Plastics Europe.

China's share jumped from 21 percent to 32 percent over the same period, the report showed.

"Our European plastics industry is in trouble," said Jean-Yves Daclin, the head of Plastics Europe operations in France.

The group's "Circular Economy for Plastics" report warned of a "a growing competitiveness gap between Europe and the rest of the world".

The decline is linked to rising imports from China and the United States in recent years, Daclin said.

The European Union's 27 member countries, together with Britain, Norway and Switzerland, produced 58.8 million tonnes of plastics in 2022.

North America's global share has also fallen, dropping from 24 percent in 2006 to 17 percent in 2022.

Excluding China and Japan, the rest of Asia, Oceania, Turkey and Ukraine accounted for 19 percent of the global market in 2022 compared with 14 percent in 2006.

The Middle East and Africa regions have also taken a bigger slice, rising from a combined six percent to nine percent.

Japan's share fell by half to three percent while Latin American dropped slightly to four percent.

The Plastics Europe report also said that 26.9 percent of European plastics waste is now recycled.

Some 175 countries have agreed to conclude by 2024 a binding agreement to combat plastic pollution.

Kenya hosted the latest negotiations in November, which ended with disagreement about how the pact should work and frustration from environment groups over delays and lack of progress.

im/lth/gv
Hui Ka Yan is the founder of Chinese property giant Evergrande

Struggling Chinese property giant Evergrande and its founder, Hui Ka Yan, have been accused of inflating revenues by $78bn (61.6bn) in the two years before the firm defaulted on its debt.

The country's financial markets regulator has fined the company's mainland business Hengda Real Estate $583.5m.

Mr Hui also faces being banned for life from China's financial markets.

In January, Evergrande was ordered to liquidate by a Hong Kong court.

The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) laid much of the blame on Mr Hui, who was once China's richest man, for allegedly instructing staff to "falsely inflate" Hengda's annual results in 2019 and 2020.

Mr Hui was also fined $6.5m, according to a filing by the company to the Shenzhen and Shanghai stock exchanges.

Evergrande did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment.

Last September, Mr Hui who is also the company's chairman was put under police surveillance as he was investigated over suspected "illegal crimes".

The announcement comes days after the CSRC vowed to crack down on securities fraud, and protect small investors with "teeth and horns".

Evergrande has been the poster child of China's real estate crisis with more than $300bn of debt.

Liquidators have been appointed to look at Evergrande's overall financial position and identify potential restructuring strategies.

That could include seizing and selling off assets, so that the proceeds can be used to repay outstanding debts.

However, the Chinese government may be reluctant to see work halt on property developments in China, where many would-be homeowners are waiting for homes they have already paid for.

Problems in China's property market are having a major impact as the sector accounts for around a third of the world's second largest economy.

The industry has been facing a major financial squeeze since 2021, when authorities introduced measures to curb the amount big real estate developers could borrow.

Since then several large property firms have defaulted on their debts.

On Monday, official data showed that property investment in China fell 9% in January and February from a year ago.

New construction starts also dropped by 30% which was their their worst fall in more than a year.
Semafor Signals

Insights from Agencia Brasil, Universo Online, and O Globo





The News

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been indicted for allegedly falsifying his own COVID-19 vaccination data, marking the first time he faces potential criminal charges since leaving office.

The embattled leader is accused of entering false information into countrys public health database to make it seem as though he, his 12-year-old daughter, and several others in his inner circle received the COVID-19 vaccine, according to police documents released by the countrys Supreme Court.

The changes to the database appear to have been made shortly before Bolsonaro traveled to the U.S. in December 2022, when he would have required a vaccination certificate to enter the country.

If convicted of falsifying the data, Bolsonaro could face up to 12 years in prison, the Associated Press reported.

Bolsonaro became a prominent global anti-vaccine figure and one of the few world leaders to publicly rally against quarantine health restrictions.

The former president on Tuesday confirmed with Reuters that he had not been vaccinated.

Its a selective investigation, he told Reuters. Im calm, I dont owe anything. The world knows that I didnt take the vaccine.

The former president faces numerous legal problems for his alleged role in casting doubt about the countrys electronic voting system shortly before the 2023 Brasilia uprising. The countrys top electoral court ruled him ineligible to run in the 2030 election.

Bolsonaro is also being investigated for reportedly trying to bring $3 million worth of jewelry into Brazil without declaring the items to customs agents.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Thousands in Brazil remain skeptical of vaccines

Source: Agencia Brasil

Budget cuts in the health sector and the spread of misinformation during Bolsonaros term has caused vaccine rates to fall even after he left office, the countrys Ministry of Health warned in January. Bolsonaros reign was marked by a clear trend of scientific denialism that will have public health consequences for years to come, Health Minister Nisia Trindade said. The government under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is now trying to encourage regular vaccine schedules through a social media campaign educating the public about the need for vaccines in preventing future pandemics, Agencia Brasil reported.

US pressure was critical in preventing potential coup

Sources: CNN, Foreign Policy

Court documents released this week reveal that Bolsonaro reportedly urged top military officials to help overturn the election, but his efforts were stymied by divisions within the ranks. Pressure from the U.S.  through backchannels and Pentagon resources  was also critical to preventing members of Brazils military from executing Bolsonaros plans for a coup, experts told Foreign Policy, given that many were openly embracing his conspiracy theories of a stolen election. The U.S. sent semiconductors to ensure the working of Brazils electronic voting machines. The operation was more daring than it appears in retrospect given Washingtons history of meddling in Latin American affairs. Still  compared to the White Houses involvement in the Ukraine and Gaza wars  U.S. President Joe Bidens protection of democracy in Brazil remains a remarkable U.S. foreign-policy success, political scientist Oliver Stuenkel wrote for Foreign Policy.

Bolsonaro retains massive support

Sources: Universo Online, O Globo

Brazil remains heavily divided and supporting Bolsonaro is crucial for populist candidates to get elected, according to an editorial from Universo Online, a Brazilian news site. As prosecutors consider whether to arrest Bolsonaro, the editorial warned that detaining him would generate a commotion among part of the electorate, influencing municipal elections scheduled for this year. By attacking Bolsonaro and his base, President Inacio Lula da Silva is only fanning his predecessors popularity, columnist Merval Pereira wrote for O Globo newspaper. Lulas focus on denouncing Bolsonaros politics rather than promoting new economic and social reforms, means he could become less palatable for voters who dont like Bolsonaro but reject [Lulas Workers Party], Pereira wrote.
A grand jury indicted a former Concord police officer on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting three individuals while on duty in 2023.

Richard Cobb is facing four counts of simple assault by an on-duty law enforcement officer, according to New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella.

On March 23, 2023, the indictments allege Cobb knowingly caused unprivileged contact with two people. Authorities say Cobb did the same thing on April 1, 2023, twice to the same person.

The details of the unprivileged contact incidents were not immediately available.

Cobb will be arraigned at the Merrimack County Superior Court on April 5.

Boston 25 News has reached out to Concord Police for comment.

Simple assault, when committed by an on-duty law enforcement officer, is punishable by an enhanced sentence of up to 2-to-5 years in state prison and a $2,000.00 fine for each count.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Crude oil tanker Getty Images

China's intake of Russian crude is set to reach a record this month, Kpler data cited by Bloomberg shows.

Imports of Sokol crude are on course to jump as Indian buyers back away.

The shift is due to tighter enforcement of Western sanctions, that's diminishing the discount on Russian oil.

Chinese imports of Russian crude are on course to reach record volumes this month, as Beijing takes over diminishing Indian demand.

1.7 million barrels a day are expected to ship into the country, Bloomberg said, citing Kpler data. China's intake of Sokol oil  a Russian crude typically sought after by India  is likely to triple from last month, and should hit an all-time high of 379,000 barrels a day.

ESPO flows into China are also expected to rise, reaching their highest level since January 2023.

In one way, surging inflows are evidence of a deeper trade partnership between Beijing and Moscow, one recently touted by Foreign Minister Wang Yi as resembling a "new paradigm of major-country relations."

But it also stands to showcase the withdrawal of Indian buyers, who have fewer incentives to demand Russian crude amid a tightening of Western sanctions.

Although India became the biggest market for Russian seaborne crude exports last year, it's become more challenging for Moscow to offer the same sort of discounts on its oil as before.

That's as the West has pursued stricter enforcement of its curbs, applying a slew of sanctions on entities that breach have breached its restrictions.

For instance, by mid-February, 50 tankers have been targeted by such efforts, after shipping Russian crude above the $60 price cap mandated by the Group of Seven.

Russia's state tanker firm Sovcomflot has notched a number of these penalties, due to which it recently acknowledged operational hardship, Bloomberg said.

For those buying, this has added to freight costs, while adding to difficulties in finding available tankers. The discount on Russia's Urals oil mix has meanwhile risen, gaining $4 per barrel in February.

Story continues

That same month, Indian imports of Russian crude fell by 420,000 barrels a day. According to Bloomberg, the implied cost of importing Urals crude to the country is now around 20% of the export price when leaving Russia.

And although China's buying is surging, its traders also consider Moscow's asking prices as too high, sources told the outlet. The country is also not immune to secondary sanctions from the US and its allies, and could mean that Chinese banks hesitate from joining the trade.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(KRON)  A former Contra Costa County Fire Protection District battalion chief admitted to stealing thousands in fraudulent salary payments, the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Office said Monday.

Louis Manzo, Jr., 58, of Danville was originally charged in 2019. He has since pled no contest to one count of felony grand theft.

DA Pamela Price alleges recall signature fraud

KRON4 previously reported that Manzo allegedly took vacation days and later changed his time card to claim special pay. He also claimed overtime pay for events that he did not attend.

Acts of public corruption erode the integrity of our institutions that are here to serve our communities, said DA Diana Becton. The resolution in this case ensures that the misappropriated funds are returned to the Fire District.

The total amount of money that Con Fire lost from Manzos thefts is more than $46,000, the DAs office said.

As punishment, Manzo will have to serve 30 days of custody time, one year of court probation and 30 days of community service, the DAs office said. He must also pay restitution and fines and he cannot have contact with Con Fire employees.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Hunter Elward, a former Mississippi cop who was part of the self-described Goon Squad and pleaded guilty to torturing and sexually assaulting two Black men last year, was sentenced to spend 2o years behind bars on Tuesday.

Elward, 31, is the first of the six Goon Squad officers who pleaded guilty for the assault. He was slapped with a 241-month sentence by U.S. District Judge Tom Lee, the maximum permitted under federal guidelines.

Elward faced some of the nastiest allegations brought against the group of officers, having shot one victim in the mouth in a mock execution that went awry.

Lee called Elwards actions egregious and despicable, adding that issuing a maximum sentence was more than justified.

Its what the defendant deserves, he said. Its what the community and the defendants victims deserve.

Elward and five other officers raided a home that Michael Corey Jenkins, 33, and Eddie Terrell Parker, 36, were inside on Jan. 24, 2023. They had no warrant, and came only because a neighbor complained the men were staying in a home with a white woman.

Lexington Police Department in Mississippi Sued Again Over Racism, Abuse

Once inside the Rankin County home, just outside Jackson, Elward admitted he shoved a gun into Jenkins mouth and fired, though he claims he didnt mean to. The other officers have admitted to assaulting the men with stun guns, a sex toy, and other objects.

Other acts of terror listed by investigators included handcuffing the men and pouring milk, alcohol, and chocolate syrup over their faces. Jenkins and Parker were then forced to strip naked and ordered to clean up the mess, all while the cops used stun guns on them and hurled racial slurs.

As if that alleged horror wasnt enough, authorities said the officers then tried to frame Jenkins and Parker as being behind the chaos. The officers planted drugs and a gun at the house, and the duo faced criminal charges for months before they were ultimately dropped.

Jenkins and Parker repeatedly called for the stiffest of sentences, as they put it in a Monday news conference, and their attorneys asked for the same in court on Tuesday.

For his part, Elward sobbed as his sentence was read by Lee, reported The New York Times. Prior to sentencing, hed apologized to the victims and their family members, reportedly saying, I hate that I was involved in this. I hate whats happened to them.

The gunshot in Jenkins mouth shattered his jaw. His attorneys said he still struggles to talk and eat, and is lucky to be alive at all.

Mississippi Cop Pleads Guilty to Forcing Prisoner to Drink His Own Urine

They tried to take my manhood away from me, Jenkins said Tuesday, reported the Times. I dont ever think Ill be the person I was.

A Times investigation into the Rankin County Sheriffs Office uncovered a slew of nasty allegations against its officers. In the pursuit of drug arrests, witnesses and victims interviewed by the Times alleged that officers stuck a stick down one mans throat until he vomited, dripped molten metal onto another, and repeatedly beat others until they were bloodied and bruised.

Elward showed remorse for his crimes on Tuesday, telling Jenkins and Parker that he still sees their faces every night.

I dont want to get too personal. I see you every night, and I cant go back and do whats right, he said, according to the Associated Press. I am so sorry for what I did.

Parker then stood up and reportedly said, I forgive you.

So far, the Goon Squad officers in Rankin County have been charged for vigilante-style violence in two incidents, including the home raid and a separate attack on 28-year-old Alan Schmidt in December 2022.

Both cases made national headlines, and FBI director Christopher Wray addressed the sentencing in a speech on Tuesday.

Its hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by these guys, Wray said. But on the flip side, its hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Peter Navarro, Donald Trump's former White House trade advisor, before reporting to prison in Miami (CHANDAN KHANNA)

Peter Navarro, Donald Trump's former White House trade advisor, reported to a Florida prison on Tuesday to begin serving a four-month sentence for contempt of Congress.

Navarro, 74, is the highest-ranking former member of the Trump administration to spend time behind bars for actions stemming from the former Republican president's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Navarro was found guilty of two counts of contempt in September for refusing to comply with a subpoena to testify before the congressional panel that investigated the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters.

Navarro, a Harvard-educated economist, had asked the Supreme Court to allow him to remain free while appealing his conviction, but Chief Justice John Roberts rejected his last-ditch request on Monday.

Navarro, the architect of the "Green Bay Sweep," a plot to block Congress from certifying the 2020 election results, will serve his sentence at a minimum security federal prison in Miami.

He spoke to reporters in a parking lot before turning himself in.

"I am the first senior White House advisor in the history of our republic that has ever been charged with this alleged crime," Navarro said. "When I walk in that prison today, the justice system such as it is will have done a crippling blow to the constitutional separation of powers and executive privilege."

He claimed to be a victim of "partisan weaponization of our justice system."

"Every person who has taken me on this road to that prison is a friggin' Democrat and a Trump hater," Navarro said, adding that he will "walk proudly in there and do my time."

"I will gather strength from this: Donald John Trump is the nominee for the Republican presidential campaign," he added.

- Bannon also convicted of contempt -

Navarro refused to appear for a deposition before the House of Representatives committee that investigated the January 6 attack on Congress and declined to supply documents to the panel.

He was convicted of contempt by a federal jury in Washington after a two-day trial.

Navarro is the second close Trump ally to be convicted of contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas from the House committee.

Steve Bannon, one of the masterminds behind Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, was also found guilty of contempt of Congress.

Bannon was sentenced to four months in prison in January but remains free pending an appeal.

Trump was scheduled to go on trial in Washington on March 4 on charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the election won by Democrat Joe Biden.

His trial has been put on hold, however, until the Supreme Court hears Trump's claim that as a former president he is immune from criminal prosecution.

The Supreme Court has scheduled arguments in the immunity case for April 25.

Trump, 77, was impeached for a second time by the House after the Capitol riot -- he was charged with inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate.

cl/caw
Two former generals who led the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 have testified to Congress.

Mark Milley, former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, and Kenneth McKenzie, who led US Central Command, testified for the first time since retiring.

Republican lawmakers held President Joe Biden responsible for the disastrous exit, while Democrats blamed the Trump administration's deal with the Taliban.

But the two generals seemed unwilling to back either party's argument.

Instead, they said that both the Biden and Trump administrations had had a role in the disastrous withdrawal, as had the administrations that preceded them.

The Doha agreement - a deal former President Donald Trump negotiated with the Taliban that set the terms for the US departure - "pulled the rug out, morale wise" of both the Afghan security forces and government, Mr Milley said.

But he added later that the "fundamental flaw" of the US exit had been the timing of the Biden administration's decision to order a civilian evacuation in Afghanistan. He said it had come "too slow and too late".

He also emphasised that he had advised top American officials that the US "needed to maintain a minimum force of 2,500 troops on the ground" in order to prevent the Taliban from seizing control.

"Without this support, it was my view at the time, that it was a matter of 'when, not if' the Afghan government would collapse and the Taliban would take control," said Mr Milley.

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani's decision to flee the country as the Taliban marched toward Kabul was then "the straw that broke the camel's back", he said.

Still, both men maintained that no single factor alone had led to the US failure in Afghanistan, and they seemed to support the idea that the US should review the entire 20-year history of the conflict, not just its conclusion - a point supported by Democrats.

"We helped build an army, a state, but we could not build a nation," Mr Milley said, calling the outcome a "strategic failure".

They also acknowledged that remaining in Afghanistan would probably have put American troops in harm's way, as the Taliban would have restarted its fight with the US for staying on beyond an agreed 31 August departure deadline, Mr McKenzie said, citing intelligence reports he had reviewed.

Both men said the Taliban, which they characterised as a terrorist organisation, harboured militants who wished to target the US.

"They themselves [the Taliban] don't have a desire to attack us and our homeland, but they do harbour entities and organisations that do have a desire to do that," Mr McKenzie said.

A US plane departing Afghanistan

Family members of American soldiers who died in the suicide blast at the Kabul airport and others who served in Afghanistan attended the hearing. They watched as the former military leaders gave their sober assessments about the US withdrawal.

As it was the two retired generals' first time testifying since leaving the service, both were able to be more candid in their criticisms of US civilian officials and policymakers.

Much of their criticism was directed at the US Department of State for not issuing the order to evacuate American civilians months earlier.

Mr McKenzie and Mr Milley both testified that the US still did not know how many Americans were in Afghanistan, and it remains unclear how many were able to safely get out.

While much of the hearing rehashed old arguments made by Democrats and Republicans, there was some bipartisan news welcomed by lawmakers in the room.

Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, announced that the White House and Congressional leaders had agreed to grant 12,000 more special immigrant visas for Afghan nationals who assisted the US.

He said it would be included in a budget deal that is expected to pass this week.

Veterans of the war in Afghanistan and lawmakers have been fighting to expand the number of visas for Afghanistan immigrants, as only about 7,000 remained. The US has issued about 1,000 per month recently, raising fears that they could run out.

US troops pulled out of Afghanistan after 20 years - the country's longest ever war - and it left many Afghans who supported American forces in danger, particularly as viable exits from the country closed.

The violent withdrawal dented perceptions of Mr Biden's international competence. Republicans have since seized on the failed exit as key line of attack ahead of the November presidential election.

The Biden administration and Democrats have regularly blamed Donald Trump for negotiating the agreement with the Taliban that led to the withdrawal, arguing that his decisions "severely constrained" Mr Biden's options.

A government watchdog found that both administrations were to blame for the disastrous withdrawal that saw Afghan forces overwhelmed.
Editors note: A version of this story originally published on March 4, 2019.

The new bypass channel for the Trinity River near downtown Fort Worth will do more than create the actual islands for the multibillion-dollar Panther Island redevelopment.

The bypass channel is a key part of a major federal project that aims to reduce the risk of flooding. Its called the Central City Flood Control Project, and the U.S. Corps of Engineers is in charge of it. Once the Corps builds the 1.5-mile bypass channel, some existing earthen levees near downtown can come down, which will open up land for mixed-use redevelopment  aka Panther Island.

But for some, questions have lingered for years: Is Panther Island a legitimate flood control project? Or an economic development plan masquerading as flood control to tap federal money? And how exactly does this big dig prevent flooding?

In the Spotlight: Panther Island. Star-Telegram journalists answer your questions about the future Fort Worth development. Read more. Got a question? Use the form at the bottom of this story.

Backers of the endeavor have said for years that the flood control project is necessary to pull thousands of acres of prime real estate out of a flood plain. Opponents have said its simply a gleaming opportunity to re-imagine downtown Fort Worth that ignores real flooding issues.

Woody Frossard, an engineer with Tarrant Regional Water District, has been involved with the Central City project since 2003 and served as project manager. He told the Star-Telegram in 2019 that the project does address flooding risks for multiple neighborhoods.

Its not some flood somebody dreamed up sitting back somewhere, he said. These really do occur and theyve occurred in Texas.

Devastating floods have inundated Fort Worth multiple times. On July 5, 1889, the Fort Worth Gazette reported that thousands of people visited the bluff to see the huge sheet of water surrounding Fort Worth beyond the river.

Disaster hit again in 1908.

April 17, 1908 front page stories in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about the worst flood since 1889.

North Main Street in Fort Worth during a major flood in April 1908.

In April 1922, torrential downpours dumped 11 inches of water in two days; Trinity River levees had 17 breaches that led to 10 deaths.

The front page of the Star-Telegram on April 25, 1922, reporting on major flooding in Fort Worths north side.

In 1938, Marine Creek flooded the Stockyards and much of the north side.

But the most notorious Fort Worth flood was in May 1949, swallowing much of the citys west and central districts after 10 inches of rain. Ten people died and 13,000 lost homes. Todays West 7th district, the Fort Worth Zoo and Colonial Country Club were knee- to shoulder-deep in floodwaters.

The Star-Telegrams front page after the 1949 flood.

In 1949, there was extensive flood damage in Fort Worth due to inadequate flood control. This photo was taken May 17, 1949, of the Montgomery Ward building (now Montgomery Plaza) on West 7th Street, looking east toward downtown.

During the May 1949 flood, the North Crestwood addition flooded. It is considered a benchmark against which all other floods are compared. It was caused by 10 to 12 inches that fell in the Marys Greek and Clear Fork of the Trinity River.

The 1949 flood led to beefed-up levees on Clear Fork and West Fork through downtown Fort Worth.

Since then, some of the worst floods were in 1989, 1990 and 1991.

Flooding in 1989 pushed the Trinity River over its banks. This photo shows the area of Gateway Park and the Riverside Oxbow. The area is in a floodplain that periodically takes on water.

How will Trinity Rivers new bypass channel prevent floods?

So why is Panther Island needed and how exactly does the bypass channel mitigate flooding?

Fort Worths 21 miles of levees along the river can no longer protect the city adequately from a major flooding event, Frossard said. Thats largely because of the boom in development since the levees were built in the 1960s. More pavement means the ground is less able to absorb rain before it runs into the river.

This map showing the rivers current path shows the topography of Panther Island and surrounding areas. Yellow is the lowest elevation, and purple is the highest. The levees along the river are evident in orange. Downtown Fort Worth, which sits on a bluff, is seen in purple in the bottom right.

The project wont alleviate the urban flash flooding that has increasingly plagued Fort Worth streets. And it doesnt protect an area that regularly sees major flooding.

Instead, it pulls about 2,400 acres out of the flood plain for what the Army Corps of Engineers calls a standard project flood, the most severe flood considered possible for a region. Property value was estimated to be worth more than $2 billion in that area but updated numbers werent available.

This map shows 500-year FEMA floodplains (in yellow) and 100-year floodplains in pink. The more purple areas along the river is a floodway. Given the existing flood risk on Panther Island shown in the FEMA floodplain map, significant changes are needed in the flood protection infrastructure to unlock the development of the district. These changes are being accomplished by the Central City Project & new bypass channel that will reduce the risk of flooding on Panther Island by managing and partially redirecting the rivers flow, a consultant reported in February.

That area includes the future Panther Island, a former industrial zone that would transform into about 800 acres ripe for development.

Engineers believe the project would protect several neighborhoods along both forks of the Trinity River, including parts of Linwood, Crestwood, the West Seventh Street district and the area west of Brookside Drive around Isbell Road. Burton Hill and River Oaks would also be protected.

The Clear Fork and West Fork meet just north of downtown, where they immediately flow against the bedrock bluff the city is built on. The larger river then flows around a tight U-bend before heading downstream.

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In heavy rain, that confluence slows the flow of water, increasing the risk for flooding upstream, said Frossard, of the Tarrant Regional Water District.

The new bypass channel essentially skips the U-bend, allowing the water to flow quickly downstream during a flood stage.

This map shows the new bypass channel that follows a straighter path than the natural bend in the river at downtown.

This means more water moving faster toward downstream cities such as Dallas. To prevent that, overflow basins are being constructed in Gateway and Riverside Park. During a flood, water will top the levees along the parks, spilling water into the basins and slowing the flow.

The proposed canals and small lake within the new islands would serve as a secondary flood-control measure, capturing stormwater runoff.

Why not raise the levees instead of building a new channel?

Some have argued that the cost has ballooned too much and the city would have saved time and money had it gone with an overhaul of the levee system.

When looking at any project, the Army Corps is required to examine alternatives.

The alternative explored for the Trinity River was to raise two of the 12 levees in the city at a cost of about $10 million.

Frossard said that plan was a no-go from the beginning. Raising only two levees kept the rest of the city vulnerable, and raising all the levees would have been too costly. The Corps never priced raising all 12 levees, he said.

Read more:

 What is Panther Island? Facts to know.

 Why is it called "Panther Island"? Here's the history

 Will anyone be able to afford to live on Panther Island?

Get free alerts when news breaks.

To be structurally sound, levees require three feet of base width on each side for every foot in height. In heavily-developed Fort Worth, raising the height of the levees would require obtaining more private property, largely from homeowners, than the Panther Island bypass. Fort Worth has about 21 miles of levees along the Trinity.

Raising the levees also requires moving utilities and raising several bridges. Under one part of a the levee plan, a watertight gate would need to be closed manually on either side of the river, Frossard said.

I dont know why we, as a governmental entity charged with protecting Fort Worth, would choose to only protect part of Fort Worth, Frossard said of the Corps alternative of raising only two levees.

Levee size is an issue in urban areas, said Dave Dzombak, a water infrastructure expert and head of Carnegie Mellon Universitys civil and environmental engineering department.

To be effective, all levees in the system must be brought to the same height. Dzombak pointed to New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, where a mishmash of levees built at different heights and to different standards exacerbated flooding.

When not all the levees in cities can be raised at once, cities struggle to decide which land should be protected first.

It becomes a battle of levee height, he said. Whos building the tallest levee to protect what neighborhood?

Local advocates have long said Panther Island not only avoids raising the levees, but it also provides a unique development rivaling San Antonios River Walk. The channel creates miles of new riverfront property in central Fort Worth.

To make that happen, significant work is needed on the future island, including new roads, sewage and storm water lines. All of that must be funded with local dollars.

A special 40-year tax district was established to help fund development, but most of the districts projected revenue would be generated from development that would occur on the island. In 2018, voters passed a $250 million bond, which will pay for infrastructure on the island including some flood control.

This story contains information from the Star-Telegrams archives.
By Laurie Chen, Yew Lun Tian and Guy Faulconbridge

BEIJING/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China in May for talks with Xi Jinping, in what could be the Kremlin chief's first overseas trip of his new presidential term, according to five sources familiar with the matter.

Western governments on Monday condemned Putin's re-election as unfair and undemocratic. But China, India and North Korea congratulated the veteran leader on extending his rule by a further six years, highlighting geopolitical fault lines that have widened since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

"Putin will visit China," one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. The details were independently confirmed by four other sources, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another of the sources said Putin's trip to China would probably take place in the second half of May. Two of the sources said the Putin visit would come before Xi's planned trip to Europe.

The Kremlin, when asked about the Reuters report, said information on Putin's visits would be released closer to the date.

"Several presidential visits and several high-level contacts are being prepared at the moment," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "We will inform you as we get closer."

China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China and Russia declared a "no limits" partnership in February 2022 when Putin visited Beijing just days before he sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine, triggering the deadliest land war in Europe since World War Two.

The United States casts China as its biggest competitor and Russia as its biggest nation-state threat while U.S. President Joe Biden argues that this century will be defined by an existential contest between democracies and autocracies.

Putin and Xi share a broad world view, which sees the West as decadent and in decline just as China challenges U.S. supremacy in everything from quantum computing and synthetic biology to espionage and hard military power.

PUTIN AND XI

China has strengthened its trade and military ties with Russia in recent years as the United States and its allies imposed sanctions against both countries, particularly Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign diplomats and observers said they expected Putin to make China his first stop after being re-elected. Putin's formal presidential inauguration is due to take place around May 7.

Putin told reporters on Sunday that Russia and China shared a similar global outlook and enjoyed resilient relations in part due to his good personal relations with Xi, and that Moscow and Beijing would develop ties further in coming years.

Xi visited Russia in his first post-pandemic overseas trip in March last year, shortly after commencing his precedent-breaking third term as Chinese president.

The two leaders have often touted their close personal friendship and have met over 40 times, most recently in October when Putin was the guest of honour at China's Belt and Road summit in Beijing.

China-Russia trade hit $218.2 billion during January-November, according to Chinese customs data, exceeding a goal to increase bilateral trade to over $200 billion by 2024 that was set by the two countries.

Xi, in a call with Putin last month, said both sides should resolutely oppose interference in domestic affairs by external forces, indicating the U.S.

Chinese vice foreign minister Sun Weidong said bilateral ties were "at their best in history" when meeting his Russian counterpart in Moscow last month, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.

China is considering taking part in a peace conference aimed at ending the war in Ukraine to be hosted by neutral Switzerland in the coming months, its ambassador to Bern told local media on Monday.

Beijing launched a 12-point Ukraine "peace" plan last year but so far has not taken significant steps to resolve the conflict besides attending Western-led peace talks in Jeddah last summer.

China's special envoy for Eurasian affairs Li Hui met officials in five European capitals including Moscow and Kyiv earlier this month.

(Reporting by Laurie Chen and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing and Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
The city of Chicago has sued Glock, one of the largest firearms manufacturers in the world, accusing the gunmaker of willfully ignoring design flaws in its handguns that allow for them to be easily turned to fire automatic rounds.

A spike in the use of auto sears or switches  quarter-sized devices affixed to Glock pistols that allow for multiple bullets to be fired with one trigger pull  has only exacerbated the citys entrenched violence problems, city attorneys allege.

Instead of taking reasonable action to put an end to the modification of its pistols by civilians, Glock has made the business decision to continue profiting from the sales of its easily modifiable guns to the civilian market, the complaint, an advanced copy of which was provided to the Tribune, states.

The result endangers the health and safety of Chicagoans and increases and exacerbates the injuries and death from gun violence  draining the citys public health, safety, investigative, and judicial resources, and causing some city residents to fear using public streets, parks, schools, and transportation, the suit states.

For their part, Chicago police officers have recovered more than 1,100 Glock pistols outfitted with a switch in the last two years, city lawyers say, but only after the guns were used in scores of shootings and other violent crimes. One chilling aspect of this epidemic, city lawyers say, is its relationship to minors.

While Chicago has long struggled with an epidemic of gun violence, it is unquestionable that the ease of modification of Glocks and the resulting prevalence of Modified Glocks have made the situation worse, the complaint states. Criminals armed with Modified Glocks are emboldened because of their military-grade firepower, and they kill and injure more people, increasing the terror felt by ordinary Chicagoans.

A representative for Glock did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

The complaint, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court, accuses Glock of violating the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Business Practices Act, as well as the Chicago municipal code, by selling the modifiable guns to civilians who dont work in law enforcement  anyone with $20  $25 to spare and a desire to circumvent long-standing federal and state prohibitions on possessing fully automatic machine guns can do so by buying an auto sear and affixing it to a Glock pistol.

Story continues

Attorneys for the city say the lawsuit is the first of its kind to be filed since the Illinois General Assembly amended the states consumer fraud law year to include firearm manufacturers.

While it is illegal to sell machine guns to non-law enforcement personnel, except under very limited circumstances, Glock sells, manufactures, imports, and markets pistols that easily accept auto sears to civilians, thereby facilitating the proliferation of illegal machine guns, city attorneys wrote.

In addition to monetary damages, the city has asked that Glock be barred from selling pistols that can easily be converted to fully automatic to Chicago non-law enforcement consumers via its website and Illinois gun stores that serve the Chicago market.

The case will be heard by a Cook County judge at the Daley Center, and the first hearing is scheduled for mid-July, according to court records.

In 2021, the city brought a lawsuit in Cook County court against a gun shop in Gary, arguing that the shop had repeatedly violated federal laws by knowingly selling weapons to straw purchasers. A judge ultimately dismissed the suit last year, though the shops owner closed the business a few months later.
FILE PHOTO: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, meets with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission in Abu Dhabi

FILE PHOTO: Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, meets with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission in Abu Dhabi

By Alexander Cornwell

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -The United Arab Emirates is quietly urging the European Union to start talks on a trade pact separate from an Arab bloc, five people familiar with the matter said, as the Gulf state seeks closer political and economic ties with Europe.

They told Reuters that Abu Dhabi is frustrated at long-stalled trade negotiations between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), an Arab bloc that includes the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The UAE, an influential, oil-rich Middle East state, has long advocated deeper EU involvement in the Gulf region. It is the Arab world's second-largest economy after Saudi Arabia, a major Middle East trade partner for many other nations, and its sovereign wealth funds rank among the world's most active.

Three of the sources said the UAE had not yet submitted a formal request to the EU and it was unclear whether the GCC was aware Abu Dhabi had sought to initiate a bilateral process.

Officially, the UAE continued to support the GCC-EU process, they said, although it was privately pushing for its own talks.

However, the sources said UAE officials regularly raised the idea of a bilateral trade process in meetings with counterparts from the EU and its 27 member states, including in recent weeks.

Emirati officials had brought up the matter in almost every meeting across many levels, said the sources, who asked for anonymity to discuss the matter as the details are not public.

After this story was published, a UAE Ministry of Economy spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the Gulf state was open to exploring opportunities with partners both through the GCC and on a bilateral basis.

"The UAE's CEPA (comprehensive economic partnership agreements) agenda is not only entirely consistent with GCC objectives, it acts as an important catalyst to deliver the benefits of open, rules-based trade to the whole region," the spokesperson said, referring to bilateral trade and investment deals Abu Dhabi has signed with other nations.

The EU prefers a deal with the GCC, which includes Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, but some EU states have voiced support for a UAE deal given the lack of GCC progress, the sources said.

Failing any significant momentum by the summer, the EU could consider a bilateral process with the UAE, they said.

The GCC, headquartered in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, is a longstanding alliance that seeks to encourage political and economic cooperation between the six Gulf states.

The GCC Secretariat did not respond to emailed requests for comment. A European Commission spokesperson said expert-level discussions with the GCC were continuing and that the EU had also held talks with the UAE to enhance trade and investment relations, without saying whether the sides had discussed a bilateral process.

The EU would require a new mandate from its member states to start bilateral talks with the UAE, a process the sources said could take several months. The UAE does not want to engage in simultaneous bilateral and bloc-to-bloc negotiations, they said, meaning that the EU negotiates either with the UAE or GCC.

SLOW BURN

The EU and energy-rich GCC started trade talks in 1990 that, if reached, would give companies in the European bloc better access to what is today the EU's sixth-biggest export market. However, the talks were formally suspended in 2008.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter and the Arab world's biggest economy, is undergoing an ambitious economic transformation that has created huge business opportunities.

A broader deal with the GCC could further open EU member states to investments from Gulf sovereign wealth funds, major cross-sector investors who take a decades-long outlook.

But the GCC has signed very few trade deals. It finalised a pact with South Korea last year, 16 years after talks started, and entered into negotiations with Britain in 2022.

The UAE has also urged London to instead engage in a bilateral process, two other sources said, declining to be identified.

The UAE has signed several bilateral trade agreements since 2022, including with India and Indonesia, and is in talks with other countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and elsewhere.

Those deals, known as comprehensive economic partnership agreements, often covered investment, services, and other areas, and, in the case of India, were finalised within months.

But EU negotiations with the UAE are likely to take several years and Brussels would want human and labour rights provisions in any final agreement, the five sources said.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell, additional reporting by William James in London and Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; editing by Mark Heinrich and Nick Macfie)
Editor's note: An early cloud forecast for the April 2024 total solar eclipse is in. Read the latest eclipse forecast and news as of Friday, March 29.

Paul Maley grew up in Texas at the height of the Space Age of the 1960s, often looking skyward. He was mesmerized by solar eclipses, including one he photographed as a young teen, its image projected on a lawn chair.

Over the years, an interest in eclipses took him far beyond any Texas backyard.

Today the 76-year-old is among Americas most prolific eclipse chasers. He has followed them across the globe in 42 countries such as Indonesia, Peru, Turkey and Saudi Arabia  taking him to remote villages, sandy deserts and even the icy shores of Antarctica.

On April 8, the retired NASA contractor aims to notch his 84th eclipse  and 30th total eclipse  while floating in the Pacific Ocean on a ship somewhere west of Mazatlan, Mexico.

I look at every solar eclipse that I can possibly get to, he said.

Paul Maley observing astronomical phenomena in Turkmenistan in 2012. Chasing eclipses has led him all over the world, and he has become one of the most prolific viewers in America.

For die-hard eclipse chasers, the Holy Grail is a total eclipse, and in the path of totality, this years best destination is in central and western Mexico. Thats because the area around Mazatlan, Durango and Torreon provides the likeliest chance of clear skies and the longest period of darkness before the shadow arcs northeast through 13 U.S. states, from Texas to Maine, its shadow sweeping across the land at 1,500 miles per hour.

Maley will be in Mexico helping organize two eclipse trips, one on land and one at sea. Theyll be just some of the eclipse tourists  including dedicated viewers who call themselves umbraphiles, for shadow lovers  who have booked hotels, cruise ships or RV trips to Mexico.

Is the April 2024 eclipse safe for pets? Why experts want you to leave them at home.

Fred Espenak, a former NASA astrophysicist who has viewed 30 total eclipses  and who once chased a total eclipse with a path so remote, he had to fly to a landing strip in the Lybian desert so remote it was lit by vehicle headlights  will be with another group in Mazatlan.

Joseph Izen, 67, a retired physics professor, plans to pull a trailer with telescopes and cameras as part of an RV caravan en route to a borrowed ranch north of Durango, Mexico. He said it was the best shot for clear skies that provide an incomparable experience  and an adventure to boot.

Joseph Izen pictured at El Pais National Monument in New Mexico in 2019. For this year's eclipse, he'll be towing a trailer of telescopes and other gear to a ranch near Durango, Mexico.

He has seen fewer total eclipses than some other chasers, but is just as passionate. As we say in the community, this will be my fourth time in shadow, he said.

While Maley wouldnt miss an eclipse himself, whether total or otherwise, working as a trip coordinator in connection with the Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society means he is able to introduce newbies to the profound experience that has driven him around the globe.

In a total eclipse, broad daylight suddenly darkens, temperatures drop, birds quiet and the suns corona flickers around a blackened disk, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that can provoke strong reactions.

I've seen people cry. I've seen them scream. I've seen them run around and just make wild exclamations, Maley said. We had one guy that became so overcome, they had to bring him a paper bag ... he was hyperventilating.

More: What does a total solar eclipse look like? Photos from past events show what to expect in 2024

Fascination fuels shadow chasing

By the late 1960s, around the time of the first lunar landings, Maley landed a job with a company that did contracting work for NASA. He would go on to spend years doing various work including on flight control to support the Apollo missions, Skylab, the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station.

He kept going to see any eclipse he could, and by 1977 also began organizing trips in connection with the Johnson Space Center Astronomical Society to help others travel to see them, too.

It became an endless pursuit: Total eclipses cast their shadow at various locations on the Earth approximately every 18 months, and chasing them brought adventures around the globe.

In the early 1980s, he traveled to the island of Java, traveling to one small town with an Indonesian military police escort. Some residents went inside to avoid looking directly at the sun, he recalled, leaving them largely alone to observe the eclipse.

During the 1990s, his trips took him to Peru, including in the Amazon, to view eclipses. There, he met an American woman who he realized had lived near him back home. Lynn Palmer would later become his wife and still travels with him.

Hes also seen people with new-age views who sought to absorb the energy they connected with eclipses, he said.

In India, he never forgot the indelible image of women standing in the Ganges River with eclipse glasses looking at the sky. In 2010, he journeyed to Uganda to take certain solar measurements at the edge of a path of a total eclipse, instead of the centerline. (He says hes not among those thrilled only by total eclipses  he finds them all fascinating.)

In 2021, he organized a cruise to Antarctica to view an eclipse, with passengers paying up to $20,000. But cloud cover blocked the view. On top of that, the captain turned back to Argentina early because of bad weather, limiting the number of shore visits. Participants were noticeably upset, he recalled, and some blamed him.

It was bad luck, he said. We always tell everyone that regardless of where the eclipse is, there's no way we can guarantee that it will be clear.

Paul Maley in Antarctica.

But if eclipses are a reminder of peoples place in a vast universe, weather complications in chasing them  which once included trying to watch an eclipse in Georgia next to a chicken coop in the rain  were also a reminder to him of all that is beyond our human control.

The eclipse-chasing elite

While some veteran eclipse-chasers are solar researchers, others are tour operators, photographers or simply die-hard enthusiasts who chase with their own resources, said Kate Russo, who has written several books on the psychology of eclipse-chasers.

Its a small community, said Espenak, who formerly worked for NASA on planetary atmosphere modeling and later developed eclipse predictions.

People who have seen 10 or more total solar eclipses, I doubt there are more than a couple hundred of us, Espenak said.

Fred Espenak, a former NASA astrophysicist, has viewed 30 total eclipses.

Guinness World Records lists the title for the most instances within the Moon's umbral shadow, or most total eclipses viewed, at 35, as being held jointly held by two American umbraphiles: Glenn Schneider and John Beattie, whose most recent viewing was on a flight in 2019, according to spokeswoman Kylie Galloway.

Jay Pasachoff, a well-known eclipse chaser, shared the record before he died two years ago. He had seen more than 70 eclipses including one in Easter Island, Chile, that he wrote about in an 2010 op-ed in the New York Times called, Why I Never Miss a Solar Eclipse, describing a small community of veteran eclipse chasers reuniting from previous far-flung adventures.

On this Pacific outpost, 2,200 miles west of the South American coast, hundreds of us have gathered, exchanging warm greetings and catching up on life since we last saw one another  in the Galapagos five years ago, or in Zambia nine years ago, or in Papua New Guinea 16 years ago, he wrote. We are umbraphiles: having once stood in the umbra, the Moons shadow, during a solar eclipse, we are driven to do so again and again, whenever the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun.

The Guinness Book of World Records does not track records on the total number of times people have viewed all types of eclipses, Galloway said. Other types of eclipses includes partial, annular and hybrid eclipses.

Maley said he is drawn to see all types of eclipses. On Eclipse Chaser Log, where many but not all chasers self-report their experiences, Maley is listed as being among the top five people for the number of totality views, and having seen the most when all types of eclipses are included. Still more have logged more time in totality, meaning they spent more time inside the shadow.

Russo said its the experience of totality that drives most chasers. Thats because it provides reactions akin to primitive fear and a sense of wrongness related to an environment that seems out of line with the normal world.

Veteran chasers describe being hooked by feelings that made their hair stand up on their neck or gave them chills  and has had them coming back for more.

As soon as that eclipse was over, I realized that this could not be a once-in-a-lifetime event for me, I had to see another one, Espenak said.

Chasers flock to Mexico

Maley was thrilled to see interest in eclipses skyrocket after the 2017 eclipse that ended a decades-long drought for the continental United States. NASA estimates that 215 million U.S. adults viewed that eclipse directly or virtually.

Paul Maley in Kiribati, May 2013, for a solar eclipse.

That was a big moment, he said, one that led many to make years-ahead plans for viewing this years eclipse, with some setting their sights on Mexico.

On one Solar Eclipse Chasers Facebook group, one man said recently that he had reserved a place in Mazatlan four years ago.

While the moons shadow will first appear 370 miles off the west coast of Mexico, Mazatlan will be the first region of the mainland to experience totality, according to Space.com. The shadow will cross Mexico in 25 minutes, passing Durango, Torreon and Monclova as it heads northeast, crossing the U.S. border at about 1:32 p.m. Central Time.

In the middle of it will be David Gedalia, a 56-year-old amateur astronomer who has seen three total eclipses and 10 partial ones. The Southern California resident is driving to Concordia, Mexico, in a camper truck in an RV caravan, to ensure safety while traveling through the countryside. He said the cost and time to experience it in person rather than look at photos or video makes the long journey worth it. It's almost like watching somebody ride a roller coaster on TV, rather than riding a roller coaster yourself.

Izen, the retired physics professor with a trailer full of telescope gear, will soon be packing up for an overland trip with about 35 RVs organized by the Mexican-based RV touring company Caravanas de Mexico. The group will meet in Nogales and be north of Durango near Ciudad Canatlan on April 8.

Izen saw his first eclipse in 1979 and most recently saw one in Australia, where the jet-lagged enthusiast told an Australian TV reporter, Seeing totality and seeing my children born  its tough to say which is more exciting, he said.

About 190 miles away, Espenak will be in Mazatlan with a group of about 80 people seeking to mix eclipse watching and a beach trip. Hes preparing a lecture and to be available for questions, he said.

Maley will be offshore with 186 for a ten-day cruise on a small Swan Hellenic cruise ship, at a cost of about $14,000 for a couple in one room. If the clouds roll in, he said, they can try to motor to a clearer location and work with the crew to position the ship for the best viewing.

Being off the coast will provide up to 4 minutes and 28 seconds of totality, close to the maximum viewing anywhere along the eclipse path. At sea, he said, the sight is just as arresting as it is on land, appearing as if the sun is setting in every direction.

Interest in going to see eclipses may spike after this years eclipse, which will pass over more than 31 million residents in the U.S. alone and be the last to be visible in the lower 48 states until 2044.

Maley says he is already planning a series of future trips, including going to Egypt in 2027.

And if he makes it to every eclipse between now and 2031, hell reach a significant milestone  viewing 100 solar eclipses of different types. Thats if the stars align for him.

But as eclipses have taught him, he cant control whether that will happen.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Longest solar eclipse will take place over west coast of Mexico
Reality Check is a Ledger-Enquirer series holding those in power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a suggestion for a future story? Email mynews@ledger-enquirer.com.

The organizations of Columbus 2025 and Make My Move are, indeed, paying people to move to Columbus, Georgia, and its not as suspicious as it seems. With so much misinformation floating around, now is the time to clear the air and make sure the right information makes it to Columbus citizens and beyond. I recently spoke with a representative of the organizations responsible, Columbus 2025 and Make My Move, plus a city council member to clear up the rumors and get the answers you need to the most pressing questions.

Is this real?

Tabetha Getz, spokesperson for Columbus 2025

In short, yes; it is decidedly a real thing. Local organization, Columbus 2025, has partnered with Make My Move to incentivize top talent in order to change [the citys] trajectory from stagnant to dynamic, says Columbus 2025 spokesperson, Tabetha Getz. She goes on to say that in the short time since the program has been announced, they have seen an overwhelming response, with hundreds of interested applicants already throwing their hat in the ring. Although she was reluctant to give an official stop date to the application process, she says that interest has been overwhelmingly positive.

What are the details?

The old Eagle and Phenix mill, now apartments, from the Chattahoochee River where the dam used to be.

The intent of the program is to create a win/win scenario for Georgias economic development and attract seven to 10 movers of remote work annually. Getz explains the cash award, $5,000 in total, will be distributed in two installments, half being awarded upon initial selection and the remaining distributed when the applicant has lived here for 12 months.

To qualify, applicants must have a minimum salary of $75,000/year, have an existing remote job, and live a minimum of 75 miles away from the city limit prior to submission of application. Once selected, participants will be able to decide what part of town they want to live in, whether they want to lease, rent or buy a house, and how they want to spend the other $2,000, which is made up of a tailored list of soft incentives. These perks can range from rafting and zip lining to coffee with the mayor to trips to Fetch dog park.

Why Columbus? Why now?

Columbus is the only current Georgia city to participate in a program like this, however, Savannah had a pretty successful turn at it. Make My Move features a program with dozens of other cities across the country. Tulsa, Oklahoma; Frankfort, Kentucky; Abilene, Texas; and Jackson, Mississippi are all participants in the incentive program, offering cash compensation, and similar soft incentives.

Getz says it will be useful for Columbus economic and population development to participate in a program that is getting so much positive feedback and is part of a trending topic. She estimates the seven to 10 annual movers will bring approximately $600,000 in positive economic impact and could result in a population growth of 4% by 2026. This program is proving extremely timely, as the population of Muscogee County is down by 2.4% in the last few years as younger people move away from Columbus for college or after graduation.

Who is paying for this?

Muscogee County property tax assessments were mailed out May 30, giving residents until July 14 to appeal.

One of the major points of contention with the program is that it will pull from city money and divert resources from other public works projects. Councilperson Toyia Tucker assured me this is not the case. She reiterated that Columbus 2025 (and any of its partners in this endeavor) has not drawn down from the $3 million pledge the city offered Columbus 2025 back in 2022, and that the funds are from private investors. Getz confirmed this, saying the initiative uses no city money and that they are using discretionary funds from said investors.

What makes people so mad?

If youve scrolled the Facebook comments of any of the posts related to this topic, youve likely seen reactions range from mildly skeptical, to cautiously optimistic, to downright vitriolic, and its not for no good reason. Citizens are very worried about spending taxpayers money on experiential programs that wont directly impact local residents. But Getz is confident that attracting talented young people who have the disposable income to pour into the local economy will work towards everyones best interests. Especially as the program grows into larger and more ambitious concepts.

Even though the money isnt coming from any public funds, and isnt funneling support from other projects, critics suggest that the effort should focus on programs for existing residents of Columbus and Muscogee County. Councilperson Tucker addressed this, suggesting that the $50,000 Columbus 2025 is spending on the movers is a far cry from the millions of dollars for a swimming pool, or say, a new ball park. The implication is that its well worth the money spent to reap the rewards its anticipated to reap.

It is important to remember that this is a pilot program, and seeks to open a dialogue about the positive attributes of calling Columbus home. Getz, and the people at Columbus 2025 are hoping this program provides the long term benefits projected, and therefore will bring the big bucket ideas of jobs, talent, and place to make Columbus one of the most prosperous Georgia cities.
Claim:

A March 2024 Instagram post accurately reported Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told Tucker Carlson in an interview that Italy has an "ancestral right" to all of Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.

Rating:

Rating: Fake

On March 17, 2024, Instagram account @war_history uploaded a screenshot of a news article claiming Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told former Fox News host Tucker Carlson that Italy has an "ancestral right" to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia (archived here).

The article was purportedly published on Feb. 5, 2024, and included an image of the Italian leader wearing ancient Roman clothing.

The headline read: "PM Meloni claims Italy's ancestral right to all of Europe, North Africa & Western Asia in rare interview with Tucker Carlson."

https://www.instagram.com/p/C4oRpnOuKSP/

Other examples of the claim were found on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit.

Using a reverse-image search tool, the earliest iteration Snopes found of the screenshot online was published in a subreddit called Rough Roman Memes on Feb. 9, 2024.

This version purportedly indicated the screenshot came from a Reuters news article and instead showed Meloni wearing normal clothes. It also contained additional text beneath the featured image, which read:

'So if you don't mind I will take only 30 seconds or one minute of your time for giving you a little historical background and to explain why the French aren't real,' Meloni said, before embarking on a 30 minute lecture.

Snopes contacted the user who uploaded the meme for comment and will update this post if we hear back.

The screenshot was in fact taken from a real Reuters news article. However, it was clearly edited and is therefore fake.

We know this because of several similarities between the manipulated screengrab and the legitimate Reuters news article.

Firstly, the Reuters article was published at the exact same time  Feb. 5, 2024, at 5:47 a.m. PST  as the edited screenshot claiming the fake Meloni headline was published.

Secondly, the image in the legitimate article also matched the photo used in the manipulated screengrab.

Lastly, we could tell it was edited due to the font in the manipulated screengrab not matching the font used in Reuters headlines.

Snopes also found no evidence of Meloni making such comments in an interview with Carlson.

Comments below the edited screenshot, which was posted in a subreddit that hosts memes about the Romans, suggested it was a joke based on Carlson's real interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which premiered on Feb. 8, 2024, and saw the leader speak in depth about Russia's imperial history.

Around 2 1/2 minutes into the interview, Putin told Carlson: "So if you don't mind, I will take only 30 seconds or one minute to give you a short reference to history for giving you a little historical background."

This is nearly identical to the language used in the Reddit post beneath the edited screenshot.

Snopes has also contacted Reuters for comment.

Sources:

'Https://Twitter.Com/TuckerCarlson/Status/1755734526678925682'. X (Formerly Twitter), https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1755734526678925682. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

'Italy PM Says Finds Stellantis CEO Comments on Subsidies "Bizarre"'. Reuters, 5 Feb. 2024. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/italy-pm-says-finds-stellantis-ceo-comments-subsidies-bizarre-2024-02-05/.

Updates:

March 21, 2024: This report was updated to include a statement from Reuters.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  The University of Texas Board of Regents announced on Monday that Julie Philley is a finalist to be considered for the position of UT Tylers president.

UT System unanimously appoints new SFA State University president

Julie Philley, courtesy of The University of Texas System

According to a release, following a special called meeting of the UT board of regents, they unanimously voted for Philley to be a finalist in their search for a president following current president Kirk Calhouns retirement in May. Philley is currently the executive vice president for health affairs and the vice provost at UT Tyler.

Julie Philley is a native East Texan who continues to excel as an administrator, practicing physician and researcher since her arrival to campus in 2012. Dr. Philley is deeply engaged with and highly regarded in the Tyler and East Texas medical, education, and civic communities for making transformative advancements at UTT, and I believe her trusted leadership would allow UTT to accelerate its work seamlessly. The regents and I will look forward to hearing the committees evaluation of Dr. Philleys candidacy, Kevin Eltife, chairman of the UT board of regents, said.

UT Tyler School of Performing Arts celebrates big spring break victories

According to the statement, Philley is a physician board certified in pulmonary and critical care medicine and played a major role in the launch of the UT Tyler School of Medicine. Philley is reportedly a native of Overton, and returned to East Texas in 2012 as an assistant professor at UT Health Tyler.

I am honored to be considered by the regents for this incredible opportunity, and I am committed to serving UT Tyler in any way possible to advance its important work, Philley said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
The younger brother of Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) was shot dead Tuesday morning after getting into a yelling match with his son, who was arrested in connection to the crime, said the Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.

A single shot was fired Tuesday morning in Vienna Township, Michigan, about 16 miles north of Flint, Swanson said. Tim Kildee, 57, was allegedly shot dead by his 27-year-old son, who Swanson declined to identify by name until authorities charge him.

Sources told ABC News that the suspect is also named Tim Kildee and has a history of mental health issues, but has no criminal record.

In a statement, Rep. Kildee confirmed the shooting and said his family is grieving and heartbroken.

A Michigan Political Dynasty Is Over. Are Dems Done, Too?

There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy, he said. I thank the community for honoring my familys privacy during this very difficult time.

Swanson said 911 was called just before 3 a.m. Tuesday to respond to a domestic incident involving the suspect. The suspect fled on foot and was eventually tracked down by his mom and the slain Kildee.

Once back at his fathers house, Swanson said one of the suspects siblings heard the suspect get into an argument with his dad. Just before a single gunshot was fired, that sibling said he heard the suspect say, give me your wallet and your keys.

The suspect is being treated at a Michigan hospital after getting into a car crash after the shooting, Swanson said.

Kildee has represented Michigan in Congress for a dozen years, but announced in November he would not seek re-election this year after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The family of a missing woman and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department are asking for the publics help to locate the 22-year-old.

Authorities say Alexandria Aulauna Rios was last seen Saturday around 7 p.m. in the 45550 block of Fig Avenue in Lancaster.

Rios is described as Hispanic, 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighs approximately 123 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. She has a moth tattoo on her left knee and tattoos of centipedes on her collarbone.

Rios was last seen wearing all-black clothing. Her family says she suffers from depression and is extremely concerned about her well-being.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  As the search for missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain continued into its 11th day Tuesday, his family says they have asked the United Cajun Navy for help organizing search parties.

During a press conference in downtown Nashville on Tuesday, which you can see in the video player above, Strains mother cried as his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, expressed his gratitude for everything thats been done so far to help find Strain.

We appreciate more than youll ever know the outpouring that weve received from the community, from the press, and everyone else involved, Whiteid said. Our goal is still to bring Riley home. We feel that is still a very pliable goal.

He went on to explain that the family feels it needs extra resources to continue searching for Riley.

Weve had an airboat here on the river, weve had people involved behind the scenes, and following this and understanding whats been happening here, said Dave Flagg, the national director of operations for the United Cajun Navy. The nonprofit agency, which was formed after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, responds to natural disasters to conduct search and rescue operations.

According to Flagg, the group has been involved since learning about Strains disappearance.

Our main focus, obviously, is to find Riley. Our secondary focus is to ensure the safety of the people who are out here searching, Flagg continued during Tuesdays press conference, adding that the United Cajun Navy is stepping in to help organize volunteer search efforts for Strain.

Detectives with the Metro Nashville Police Department have also been collaborating with the United Cajun Army in the search for Strain.

At this time, police said there is still no evidence pointing to foul play. Investigators are continuing to follow up on multiple leads, and Sgt. Robert Nielsen said they will not stop until they have answers.

This is not going away any time soon. I have detectives that work cold case homicides that are decades old, and we continue to work on those, Nielsen said. In fact, one of my detectives was able to close two of them last year we keep going until we have absolutely nothing.

Strain has been missing since March 8, when he disappeared while on a fraternity trip in Nashville. Surveillance video caught Strain stumbling and falling in a parking lot at around 9:45 p.m. that night, before additional surveillance footage caught him crossing the street two minutes later.

Missing Missouri student: Metro police release new video of Riley Strain

Strains last phone ping was near James Robertson Parkway and Gay Street between 9:55 p.m. and 10 p.m. Detectives said the last phone conversation Strain had with one of his friends was also during that same time period, but the ping covered about a two-mile radius and didnt give them a direction of travel or any more details about where Strain might have gone.

A friend of the 22-year-old called 911 on Saturday, March 9 after saying he went to the Central Police Precinct and called the sheriffs office to file a missing persons report.

On Sunday, March 17, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) confirmed Strains bank card was found off of Gay Street along the riverbank. The next day, police released a new video showing Strain interacting with an officer near the area where his phone was last pinged. The officer had been called to the area to investigate a car burglary.

Police noted in a post on X that Strain did not appear to be in distress.

If an altercation, a physical altercation wouldve happened with Riley  a fight, an argument, or something  as family, were hoping, man, that cop wouldve heard something. Hes down there looking for mischief, close family friend Chris Dingman said. Did he get in a vehicle? Because at 6-foot-5-, 6-foot-6-inches, blonde hair, blue-eyed boy, you just dont vanish like he has. Somebody, if there is a crime involved, eight days into this has perfectly created the perfect crime.

Dingman said so far there were no signs of blood or Strains clothing in the area around the Cumberland River. He wondered if Riley had gotten into a vehicle.

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said its Urban Search and Rescue team has been searching the area around Strains last known location near the Cumberland River.

The Nashville Office of Emergency Management (OEM) told Nexstars WKRN they had not been called in to assist with search efforts Monday. Previously, crews had been searching along the Cumberland River with boats, drones, and K-9s.

The MNPD told WKRN they believed helicopters would fly over the area Monday, but detectives were focused on sorting through tips and looking into cellphone data.

The women who discovered Strains bank card Sunday continued to search throughout the day Monday.

Missing in plain sight: Thousands join search for Riley Strain online, some in person

Strains loved ones previously said they would like to see more resources devoted to the search, including agencies like the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), FBI, and Department of Homeland Security.

More eyes, if we have more eyes, more investigators, and more resources, maybe we can find him quicker. They find a card that we have been by every day  the police have been by every day  and find it miraculously. You couldnt put two and two more together on why we should have more police involvement. I even mentioned the FBI, Dingman said.

The TBI told WKRN their agency has forwarded several tips to the MNPD, however, their assistance had not been formally requested, which is a requirement for the agency to get involved.

We first thought the area had been searched pretty well and they find this little, small debit card. It just leaves you to question how well it was searched, maybe here in the future when these more organized search parties come through here, maybe theyll find something else. We just remain hopeful. Rileys captured the hearts of people across the country and we thank everybody for their thoughts and prayers and their efforts on trying to find him, Strains father, Ryan Gilbert, said.

Missing Missouri student: Riley Strains bank card found near Cumberland River

Strains family told WKRN they had reviewed surveillance footage with police and were able to see footage of Strain inside Lukes 32 Bridge, as well as near a food truck.

The MNPD said investigators have found no evidence of foul play.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
A former student of El Camino Fundamental High School and their mother have filed a lawsuit against San Juan Unified School District where they report that staff failed to stop physical assault.

The student, who was in the 10th grade and no longer attends the high school, was bullied, harassed and threatened with physical violence by their classmate in 2023, states the lawsuit, which was filed in February. On March 16, the student was viciously attacked, and thrown to the cement by their classmate, the lawsuit states.

The assault caused by Defendants negligence resulted in significant injuries to Plaintiff, including but not limited to bruising on her face and a concussion, the lawsuit states. Plaintiff also suffers severe anxiety and emotional damage from the assault.

Prior to the altercation, ongoing harassment from the students classmate was reported to school employees, who later met with the classmate, according to the lawsuit. The student and their classmate were told to stay away from one another through a stay-away/no-contact agreement, that the student signed.

The Sacramento Bee refrains from naming minors unless the individual is formally charged with a serious crime. The lawyer representing the student and their mother did not immediately respond to an interview request.

San Juan Unified failed to enter the agreement into their system, according to the lawsuit, and did not inform anyone of the agreement besides the vice principal.

Ten days after the agreement was signed, the student was approached by their classmate and was attacked, according to the lawsuit. There were no teachers or yard monitors present at the time.

El Camino Fundamental High School did not call an ambulance or seek medical attention for the child, the lawsuit states. The students mother said she was not called in a timely manner to report her childs injury. She later brought the student home from school after she reported severe head pain and seeing spots.

The student was later sent to the emergency room where she had a CT scan. The lawsuit said the scan showed soft tissue swelling around the eye.

The student felt unsafe being at the same school as their attacker, according to the lawsuit. After the assault, the parent transferred their child to a new school.

About one week after starting at their new school, the student learned their attacker was transferring to the same school, the lawsuit states. The parent repeatedly called both the new school and San Juan Unified before the district placed the other student in a different school.

Creating and maintaining safe learning environments for students and staff is a top priority for all of us in San Juan Unified. said Raj K. Rai, director of communication for San Juan Unified. However, the district has not received service of this lawsuit and will not comment on pending litigation.
More than 40 million people have an account with the bank. Andrew Woodley/Getty Images

Customers of an Ethiopian bank found they could withdraw unlimited cash for a few hours last weekend.

More than $40 million was withdrawn or transferred from CBE, local media reported.

Maintenance and inspection activities rather than a cyberattack could be to blame for the incident.

A technical glitch let customers of an Ethiopian bank take out or transfer more money they had in their accounts.

Local media reported that more than $40 million had been withdrawn.

Long queues formed at ATMs as news spread in the early hours of Saturday morning that unlimited withdrawals could be made from the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE), the reports said.

Several hours went by before the bank halted transactions and police cleared crowds around ATMs, BBC News reported, citing a local student.

Much of the cash was taken by university students, the bank's president Abie Sano said at a press conference on Monday, the outlet reported.

Universities have encouraged students to return any money that didn't belong to them, BBC News reported. Sano said that no one who returned money would be prosecuted.

More than 40 million Ethiopians have an account with the bank.

A campus official at Dilla University told the outlet that police were collecting money being returned voluntarily by students. However, the report added that a student at Jimma University said he hadn't heard of anyone giving money back.

The CBE hasn't confirmed the cause of the glitch, but in a post on X said it was not related to a cyber attack, per a Google translation.

      

                    pic.twitter.com/VRBQenftHT  Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (@combankethiopia) March 18, 2024

A statement issued by the body serving as Ethiopia's financial regulator on Sunday and translated by BBC Amharic said the glitch occurred during "maintenance and inspection activities."

Story continues

Last August, a similar incident affected the Bank of Ireland, enabling some customers to withdraw cash beyond their balances.

The Bank of Ireland said at the time that there had been a "technical issue" and warned account holders that any transfers and withdrawals made would still be applied to their accounts.

The CBE did not immediately reply to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Tension between a Virginia school board and members of the public was a match-stroke away from flames this week as parents lambasted the district administration for not doing enough to combat violent hate speechwhich many considered to be an overt death threat.

Hundreds of people turned out for the heated three-hour meeting with the Powhatan County Public School Board, just outside of Richmond, on Monday. Roughly 50 people took to the dais to share their concerns about the inaction of district with regards to bullying, with the majority of the complaints focusing on blatant racism.

The Original Black Panther Party National General Mike Pain told The Daily Beast that the group felt compelled to come out and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with concerned residents.

The Original Black Panther Party has heard the cries of the Powhatan community. When the community hurts, we hurt. Our initial step was to confront the school board and allow them the opportunity to do right by the victims of not just this one terroristic threat but all the accusations that had been presented at the school board meeting, Pain said.

If the Powhatan School Board continues to ignore these racially charged situations, we must move forward in protecting the students ourselves, by mentally arming them and their parents with new strategies to combat a racist environment.

Richmond ABC affiliate WRIC reported that in February, a photo of a white student at Powhatan High School surfaced online. In the photo, I KILL N----R is scribbled on the students arm. However, the mother of the Black student who took the photo said that the white student also wrote the phrase on another white classmates arm.

Without this picture, we wouldnt be here now because it would have been their word against [my sons], Miki Owens told WRIC. So, Im proud that he took the picture. Im proud that he was brave enough to take the picture and come forward with it.

Social media posts from members of the Powhatan community were livid that the white student in the photo allegedly only received three days suspension.

The Powhatan chapter of the NAACP organized a meeting with over a hundred attendees on March 7, WRIC reported. Powhatan Public Schools Superintendent Beth Teigen finally addressed the manner in an email to school district families on March 10.

Hateful speech and actions will not be tolerated. Period, Teigan wrote in the email.

The district planned a board meeting for March 12, but it was interrupted by the fire marshal who said the gathering was over capacity. The board rescheduled the meeting for March 18.

During Mondays meeting, dozens of people addressed the incident and overall racist culture within the district. Speakers who did not focus on racism within the district still addressed its pervasive bullying culture.

Ever since I moved to Powhatan I felt out of place because of the color of my skin.  Kids have said the N-word right to my face, said Powhatan Middle School 8th grader Yasmine Smith, who is Black. I feel as if I cant report anything because yall will keep it on the low, give it little investigation and consequences.

Linda Carr Kraft, a woman who claimed to be a white descendent of President Thomas Jefferson, said she was a concerned citizen, saddened and horrified by the recent incident.

Make no mistake: These were death threats, and they shouldve been treated as such, Carr Kraft said. Racial bullying has not been directed at me, but just because one does not experience something does not mean that it does not exist.

Make no mistake: Racism is real, she continued. My ancestors included a president, governor, and statesman, but they were also something else: Enslavers. Every single one of them, and I refuse to be part of the great white silence.  This is your canary in the coal mine.

But attendees didnt just speak on the recent issue; they slammed the school board for ignoring other racist acts that have permeated the district.

Members of the public railed against the all-white, cis-gendered, above 45 age-group school board for its lack of diversity. Students who spoke shared their experiences seeing classmates wearing Confederate flag paraphernalia and bragging that they were members of the Ku Klux Klan. Plenty of parents shared stories from their children being called the N-word, monkey, and slave.

Weve failed to acknowledge that our school system reflects our community. This is not just a school problem; this is a county problem. This is a society problem. This is a Virginia problem. This is a United States problem, said Rick Cole, a former Powhatan School Board member who acknowledged his own racial biases.

Dont stack committees with people who look just like you, he directed the board.

Smith said she has begged her mother to let her be homeschooled in order to avoid racially motivated jokes and comments, like how she was allegedly told she should be picking cotton instead of learning, at school.

I now have to take the time out of my day to ask adults to do their job, Smith said with a wave of applause.

Powhatan School Board Chair Dr. James Taylor also had two attendees escorted out by police after they repeatedly accused the board of maintaining white supremacy.

Justin Frye, a Black father of students in the district, said he graduated from the district 20 years before and dealt with the same racist bullying that his kids endure now.

Until you look like me and get dressed in the morning like me, wake up and wash your face and see that youre Blackhow you gotta move in public is differentyoure not going to understand what these people in here are arguing about, Frye said. You dont move with caution like we do.

Do your damn job! he demanded the board.

The Original Black Panther Party in Powhatan County also made an appearance and explained to the board how they considered the threat to be a form of terrorism.

This threat was to kill, said Mike Pain, national general of the Black Panther Party. When will you realize you have a gigantic racial problem in your school and community? Those that dont see it dont want to see it.

In the organizations statement to The Daily Beast, it said that the community needs to organize and get new individuals on the board if positive change does not take place.

We need people in these positions who will do right by all the children. Sweeping racial activity under the rug and ignoring the pain placed upon the students can not continue. The Original Black Panther Party will offer mediation to assist in bringing unity back to Powhatan County Public Schools. We also will offer a class on race relations for all the kids, parents, faculty, and staff, the statement read.

Our goal is to heal and create a space that is safe for children that are being racially attacked, and an environment of understanding and compassion. We listened to reports from Black, Mexican, White, Asian and Arab students and parents alike while at the school board meeting. Children need to be re-educated and heard and we are here to provide that to them if Powhatan County Public Schools cant.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, Powhatan Branch NAACP President Gail Hairston and Education Committee Chair Chiara Hoyt said their organization had attempted to work with the district for years over similar incidents.

We have no faith that they will make any of the necessary changes without sustained pressure and accountability. Many of them still have not responded formally to our organization, even after multiple emails, some of which included direct policy suggestions, the statement read, adding that board members were allegedly part of organizations that were against cultural learning and understanding.

Many of their final (and myriad other) comments indicate to the community that they are not equipped to lead in this moment, they do not understand the depth and complexity of the issues our marginalized children are facing, and they desire to remain willfully ignorant so that they do not have to go against their politically-motivated policy positions, even if that means continued harm to our children, the statement continued.

Our NAACP Education Committee routinely meets with the Superintendent.  We intend to continue to meet with administrators at all levels, and to continue organizing within the community, because we believe that the majority of Powhatan residents do not feel comfortable knowing that racist death threats and daily discrimination are tolerated widely within their childrens schools.

The administration from Powhatan Public Schools did not immediately return requests for comment from The Daily Beast.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The juvenile justice prosecutors of the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine jointly with the investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) have served two Russian women from the inner circle of Russian President Vladimir Putin with notices of suspicion of deporting two small children from Ukraine, as supported by evidence found by the investigation.

Source: the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine

Details: One of the suspects is Yana Lantratova, a member of the State Duma of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation who is a confidant of Sergey Mironov, the leader of the Just Russia political party, The other one is the fifth wife of Mironov, Inna Varlamova.

Their actions violate the laws and customs of war.

The investigation reports that at the end of 2022 they arrived in the then occupied city of Kherson with an allegedly official visit with the goal of choosing children for further deportation. They met with children from an occupation facility which had been illegally created in place of the Kherson Oblast orphanage.

After that the suspects arranged the deportation of two children, an 11-months-old girl and a two-year-old boy. Out of them only the girl was deprived of parental care, while the boy was in the facility temporarily due to complicated life circumstances in his family.

The children were illegally deported to Moscow under the pretext of an additional medical examination.

At the same time, the law enforcement established within the framework of the investigation that the children did not need additional medical examination and treatment, therefore there was no ground for their deportation to Russia.

The investigation also found the accomplices of the occupiers which helped organise the displacement of the Ukrainian children. It was the head of the so-called Healthcare Department of the Military-Civil Administration of Kherson Oblast, illegally created by the occupying authorities, along with the acting head doctor of the Kherson Oblast orphanage. Earlier they were served with notices of suspicion for committing this crime.

As of now Russian birth certificates have been issued for the deported children.

Quote: "The Prosecutor Generals Office stressed once again: Russias forcible deportation of Ukrainian children, giving them Russian citizenship and sending them into Russian families harshly violates the norms of international law.

The Russians try to pass the fact of deportation and forcible displacement of the children as a gesture of goodwill under the pretexts of rescue, evacuation, medical treatment and the like, which the aggressor state uses to justify the deportation of Ukrainian children.

An obvious hidden goal of Russia is to forcibly displace Ukrainian children to another social group and Russify them. The children are being deported for naturalisation or assimilation.

If you have any information about the deportation and forcible displacement of Ukrainian children, please write to the official email address of the Prosecutor Generals Office of Ukraine: office@gp.gov.ua."

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Donald Trump is trying to drag a few allies across the finish line on Tuesday.

The former president is himself certain to cruise to easy victories in the five states holding presidential primaries, but his power will be tested in a handful of down-ballot races.

That includes Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno, who has spent the final days of the closely contested GOP primary trying to move quickly past an Associated Press story about an account on an adult website that he says was created by an intern in 2008. Or five-term House incumbent Mike Bost, whos brandishing Trumps endorsement as a shield against a MAGA-aligned challenger in Southern Illinois.

The presidential primaries will also provide a key signal about the November rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden. Though both men have already mathematically clinched their respective parties nominations, the campaigns will be monitoring Tuesdays results for the latest check-in on the holdouts: voters who still arent on board with their partys nominee and in November could cross over, vote third-party or stay home.

Theres even more to watch down-ballot: Tuesdays primaries also represent the latest House GOP tug-of-war between institutionalists and insurgents, with two safely GOP open seats in Ohio and the special election in California to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. And it's the latest Democratic skirmish over the Israel-Hamas war, with the most prominent pro-Israel group seeking to exert its influence on a Democratic primary in Chicago after floundering in a similar race in Southern California earlier this month.

Here are five things to watch in Tuesdays primaries:

The power of Trumps endorsement

The former president is a prolific endorser in Republican primaries, but four races on Tuesday offer unique tests of his hold on the party.

Moreno is locked in a competitive, three-way race for the nomination to face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in what could be the decisive contest for control of the Senate. Theres little in the way of reliable, independent polling, though most observers see Moreno and self-funding state Sen. Matt Dolan  who is running in a more moderate lane  as the top contenders, with Secretary of State Frank LaRose a tier below.



Trump is putting his political capital behind Moreno, trekking to Ohio for a weekend rally just 48 hours after the AP story was published. He reportedly scheduled the trip the week before the primary after polling showed Moreno had not locked down the nomination despite Trumps long-standing endorsement.

In addition to the Senate race, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee is also endorsing three House candidates in competitive primaries.

His backing of Bost over 2022 Illinois gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey was reportedly at the behest of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), the chair of House Republicans campaign arm. The endorsement put Trump crosswise with some of his allies, like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who are supporting Bailey. Bailey is running to Bosts right, so the vote will test whether the most conservative voters support the more conservative candidate  or if Trumps imprimatur is enough to keep them in the fold.



Trump also made a last-minute endorsement on Monday in one of House Republicans most important primaries: the race to face vulnerable Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in Northwest Ohio. The former president is backing state Rep. Derek Merrin, who has also been the beneficiary of the Johnson-linked Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC.

But whether Merrin beats former state Rep. Craig Riedel on Tuesday, House Republicans have already avoided their nightmare scenario. With help from Trump, 2022 nominee J.R. Majewski, who was defeated soundly by Kaptur, dropped out of his second shot at the seat earlier this month and endorsed Merrin. The seat will be one of the most pivotal to control of the closely divided House.

And out in California, Trump is supporting state Rep. Vince Fong in the special election to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Fong, who also has McCarthys endorsement, was the first-place finisher in the regular primary with 42 percent of the vote.

There are fewer candidates on the ballot in the special election, and Fong has a real chance to win a majority of the vote. Otherwise, hes likely to face a fellow Republican, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, in May  in addition to their already-scheduled November showdown.

The battle for the Senate

Its only mid-March, but Tuesdays Ohio Senate primary will resolve the biggest question mark on the entire Senate map.

Ohio is a pivotal race: Its one of three Trump-won states Democrats are defending in November, and because the seat in neighboring West Virginia has all but slipped away with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchins retirement, the party has no margin of error.

Republicans can clinch control of the chamber with just one more seat, whether its Browns in Ohios, Democratic Sen. Jon Testers in Montana  or by winning any number of battleground-state races, like an open seat in Michigan, Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosens seat in Nevada, or by toppling Democratic Sens. Bob Casey in Pennsylvania or Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin.

And it's worth remembering that Republicans are operating at a big advantage. A victory in the presidential race would also give Republicans control of the Senate after Inauguration Day, even if West Virginia is the only seat that changes hands in November.

That's perhaps why Democrats meddled in the race in the closing week of the campaign. They're boosting Moreno, apparently seeing him as an easier candidate to beat in November.

Either way, though, Brown has a tough race ahead of him in a state Trump won twice by 8 percentage points.

The direction of the House Republican conference

The volatile House Republican conference will be getting at least two new members picked on Tuesday, thanks to open, solidly red seats in Ohio. Those races, to replace retiring Rep. Brad Wenstrup and former Rep. Bill Johnson, are the next skirmishes between the partys establishment and disruptive blocs.

There are 11 candidates running to replace Wenstrup in Southern Ohio, and the winner could prevail with just a plurality of the vote. Only four of the candidates have run TV ads, but candidate fields that large can be volatile.

House GOP leaders are keenly aware of these primaries and their potential impact on how manageable or unruly the conference will be  its part of why Johnson and Hudson pushed Trump to endorse Bost in Illinois, or Fong in California.

The first congressional primaries on Super Tuesday already resulted in a few nominees who seem poised to be thorns in the side of leadership, like Brandon Gill, the 30-year-old son-in-law of conservative commentator Dinesh DSouza. Gill won a primary in North Texas despite more than $2 million in outside spending from establishment-aligned groups.

Each partys presidential holdouts

Functionally, the presidential primaries are over: Both Trump and Biden have secured enough delegates to be their parties respective nominees.

But below the surface, there will still be clues for November. Take Arizona, which is holding its presidential primaries on Tuesday. The state has a slice of moderate Republicans who have been decisive in the past  voters who carried candidates like former Sen. John McCain and former Gov. Doug Ducey to victory, while rejecting Trump in 2020 and Kari Lake in 2022.

Do these voters  many of whom are still registered Republicans  register a protest vote against Trump by supporting one of his former rivals whose names are still on the ballot?

On the Democratic side, activists protesting Bidens handling of the Israel-Hamas war are encouraging their supporters to vote for Marianne Williamson, as the state does not have an uncommitted option.

And this is mostly a curiosity: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis name is on the ballot in his home states primary, since he was still an active candidate last December when the deadline to withdraw from the primary passed. How many votes will he draw?

The Dem divide over Israel

The Israel-Hamas war has become the most significant divide in the Democratic Party, including in a handful of primaries in Illinois.

In Chicago, 82-year-old Democratic Rep. Danny Davis faces two prominent challengers  one of whom, activist Kina Collins, has drawn negative ads from United Democracy Project, the super PAC funded by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Its the groups second significant effort in Democratic primaries this year, coming two weeks after a more expensive campaign for the open congressional seat currently held by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter in Orange County, California, flopped  state Sen. Dave Min easily secured a spot in the general election despite United Democracy Projects $4.7 million in spending against him.



The super PAC has spent just under a half a million dollars against Collins, including a TV ad that hits her for supporting the defund the police movement in 2020.

Two other Democratic incumbents in suburban Chicagoland districts are facing opponents who have made the war a central part of the campaign: Reps. Sean Casten and Bill Foster. But both are considered to be on safer ground than Davis.
This income tax season, more than 100 community members have received help from Downey High School students to prepare and file their returns.

The students are in the schools marketing career and technical education class and Future Business Leaders of America group.

Tera Coleman, the teacher and adviser of the class and organization at Downey, said it was important for her to teach financial literacy to help the community and to prepare her students for their careers and higher education.

Downey business teacher Tera Coleman, left, helps students Valeria Gomez, and Briseyda Calderon, right, as the students assist community members file tax returns as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) at the United Way office in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 16, 2024. Andy Alfaro/aalfaro@modbee.com

Coleman said she wasnt taught financial literacy until she was 25, and she wished shed learned about it in high school because many huge financial decisions come once a student graduates. She hopes more schools offer programs to teach students about financial literacy

I think having that education at a younger age can help them build up towards that and theyre not making poor financial decisions that could either change the trajectory of their lifestyle or their career choices, she said.

For Colemans capstone course for her students, she contacted United Way of Stanislaus County to have the teens assist in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to help community members file their taxes. The students received Internal Revenue Service training and started the tax help work Feb. 15.

While appointments are booked through April, people interested can still call United Way Stanislaus to get on its wait list if there are cancellations. They can also go to myfreetaxes.org to schedule appointments as they may open up. Additionally, they will continue to complete tax returns after tax day.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) at the United Way office in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 16, 2024. Andy Alfaro/aalfaro@modbee.com

Briseyda Calderon, a senior at Downey, said it was motivating to see how impactful it is to help the community. We were able to provide (help) for Spanish speakers that might have not been able to receive the tax service they were looking for, she said. It was just really rewarding to see that we could help so many people in our community.

Sage Verschelden, another senior at Downey, who interns with United Way, said he feels like he and his classmates are prepared more for the real world after their course with Coleman.

He is pursuing a career in finance and said he believes having a practical experience with financial literacy, being able to process tax documents and have conversations with community members, is giving him training hell need.

Those are all lifelong skills that Im gonna have to use in my future career, he said. So not only is it helping me build my career skills, but its also building my people skills.

Calderon and Verschelden both plan to study business in college. Calderon is looking to attend a local college while Verschelden plans to look state and nationwide.

Coleman said this volunteer work has been remarkable for her students because they are competitive and want to outdo one another in how many tax returns theyre preparing.

I love the culture that this has really created on our campus. Its crazy to think that kids think taxes are cool.

Downey business teacher Tera Coleman, her students, and United Way CEO Keristofer Seryani, seated, help Crystal Gonzalez, left, file her tax return as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) at the United Way office in Modesto, Calif., Saturday, March 16, 2024. Andy Alfaro/aalfaro@modbee.com
In our Reality Check stories, Star-Telegram journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability. Read more. Story idea? RealityCheck@star-telegram.com.

When a representative from a Dutch broadcasting company proposed a collaboration with Keller schools in January, former school board member Sandi Walker initially asked for a few days to consider the offer.

But it ultimately didnt take her that much time to decide. She replied less than an hour later.

Yes I would love to meet this weekend and chat. I too want to glorify God as well, she wrote, according to an email exchange the Star-Telegram received through a public information request.

Walker has since resigned from her position on the school board after the film crew from a Dutch company whose name translates to Evangelical Broadcaster sparked outrage from parents who were unaware of the visit until after filming and interviewing had already taken place at Central High School.

The correspondence began when a person named Petrie Trudell, who signed the email as a member of the companys research team, emailed Walker on on Jan. 18. The film crew visited Central on Feb. 9.

Trudell clearly laid out her companys goals for the collaboration with Keller schools.

The company wanted to highlight the importance of faith, especially in regards to what young children have to read in school and why it is so important that the Conservative Christians push back on the WOKE agenda trying to infiltrate the US school system, Trudell wrote in the email.

We will try to show our Dutch viewers the total picture of what is going on in Texas, but would look to zoom in on de gender transition situation, the education system and whatever other issues are current in Texas, she wrote.

Trudell declined to comment, saying that the company is preparing its own statement about what truly happened.

Keller school board President Charles Randklev did not immediately respond to an email seeking the boards stance on these issues.

Filming public school students without parent permission is illegal in some instances under Texas law. Permission is not required if the filming is for the purposes of a report by the news media, but the Texas Education Code requires a school district employee to obtain parent permission before they make or authorize the making of a videotape of a child, or record or authorize the recording of a childs voice.

The separation of church and state within U.S. schools means finding a delicate balance between not advocating a certain religion but then also not completely forbidding discussion of religion, according to Jill Heinrich, a professor of education at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

On either side of this balance are two provisions in the First Amendment: the establishment clause and the free exercise clause.

The establishment clause says that the government can do nothing to promote a particular religion, and schools are considered an arm of the state, so they also cannot promote a particular religion, Heinrich said in a phone interview.

Nor can schools take any actions to hinder students free exercise of religion. This balance is most evident in student-led events like See You At the Pole, at which students gather to pray on school campuses. Teachers, however, cannot participate in such events, as it would constitute a form of advocacy for a particular religion.

Walkers statement clearly appears to tip that balance into an outright endorsement for the type of conservative Christianity outlined by Trudell in her email, Heinrich said.

What it comes down to is advocacy, and this seems like advocacy, she said.

While there are no federal sanctions that can be placed on a school district that engages in religious advocacy, such incidents can lead to costly court cases.

The biggest penalty, to be honest, is it gets litigious, and thats very expensive for schools, Heinrich said.

The main legal issue remains the filming and interviewing of students without parental consent. Had the district obtained this consent, Heinrich said, it may have avoided concerns of violating the separation of church and state, as the interviews could have been considered covered under the students right to free exercise of their religion.

Several parents raised concerns about the film crew at the Keller school boards February meeting. Many called for the resignation of board member Micah Young, who posted to social media an apology for participating in the filming, but has not resigned.

The correspondence was initially published on X in early March by Keller school district parent Laney Hawes, who also made a public records request for the boards communications with the broadcasting company. The records, she wrote, shed a light on the audacity ... of our board & their commitment to pushing their own personal political/religious agendas.

A mother of students in Keller schools who declined to give her name told the Star-Telegram before the board meeting that parents raising these concerns were overreacting.

Kids film stuff all the time, she said. In the world that we live in today, am I all that concerned? No.

The Dutch company previously published a series titled, God, Jesus, Trump! Trudell told Walker that the program was meant to show the true heart and motivation of the Christian voters in America, Democrats as well as Republicans.

The program in which the footage taken at Central High School will feature is set to broadcast in April, Trudell wrote.
The European Union is planning to impose tariffs on grain imports from Russia and Belarus to appease farmers and some member states, the Financial Times (FT) reported on March 19, citing people familiar with the plans.

EU imports of cereals, oil seeds, and their derivatives from Russia reached a record of 4 million metric tons in 2023, which is 1% of the total EU consumption, according to FT.

Poland and the Baltic states have called on the EU to restrict Russian and Belarusian imports of agricultural products and foodstuffs to protect domestic markets from an influx of cheap products and deprive Moscow of the relevant profits supporting its war machine.

The European Commission is expected to impose in the coming days a duty of 95 euros ($103) per ton on grain from Russia and Belarus, which would increase prices by at least 50%, killing demand, the people told FT.

The EU also reportedly plans to place tariffs of 50% on oilseeds and derived products.

This would be the first restriction on Russian food products since the start of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

The duty will be set at the maximum level allowed by the World Trade Organizations rules, the FT sources said.

Russia may retaliate, but it has already banned most food imports from the EU, and many European agricultural companies have left the country in recent years.

Latvia decided to temporarily ban imports of grain and other foodstuffs from Russia and Belarus in February, making it the first EU country to take this measure.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
UPDATE: 3/20 5:45 A.M. BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) After a brush fire ignited near Stone Coal Road on Tuesday morning, the Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS says the fire is fully contained.

A group of about 30 personnel from across state and federal agencies responded to the scene to bring resources and help extinguish the blaze. Crews used a helicopter and bulldozer to establish containment lines throughout the afternoon.

The department says the fire scorched about 55 acres of mountainous terrain.

National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warning for Southwest & Central Virginia

The US Forest Service resources will return to the scene on Wednesday, March 20 to monitor the area and ensure containment.



UPDATE: 11:08 A.M. BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  WFXR is on the scene of the brush fire near Stone Coal Road in Botetourt County.

Details are still limited at this time. However, fire officials told WFXR that about 25 personnel are working to contain the fire and have established containment lines around the blaze.

Currently, first responders are using two bulldozers and a helicopter to contain the fire.

At this time, we expect the fire perimeter to be about 50 acres upon containment if everything goes well today with the wind and the humidity today, said Dennis McCarthy, area forester with the Virginia Department of Forestry. There are some resources on the line currently doing a little burning out trying to consume the fuels before the head fire gets to those lines.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Here are pictures from the scene:

(Dustin Hennessey/ WFXR News)

(Dustin Hennessey/ WFXR News)



BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  As brush fires continue to ignite across the Southwest and Central Virginia, another fire has sparked in Botetourt County on March 19.

The Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS says crews from the Fincastle Volunteer Fire Department are currently battling a fire near Stone Coal Road.

At this time, the fire is about 30 acres and is burning in the forest.

Fire at Twelve OClock Knob Road stretches to 72 acres, 60% contained

The department says no homes are in immediate danger and the Virginia Department of Forest and US Forest Service are on the way to the scene with additional resources.

Currently, smoke from the fire can be seen from a distance.

Please exercise extreme caution with any open-air fires. As a reminder the 4 p.m. Burn Law remains in place and current weather conditions are NOT favorable for burning. We DO NOT recommend burning over the next couple of days, posted the Botetourt County Department of Fire & EMS on Facebook.

This is a developing story.

WFXR News has a crew heading to the scene and is working to learn more. We will update this story as more information becomes available.

Smoke from Fincastle fire. (Dustin Hennessey/ WFXR News)



For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
Key Insights

Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure's estimated fair value is AU$2.04 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure is estimated to be 34% overvalued based on current share price of AU$2.73

Analyst price target for DBI is AU$2.91, which is 43% above our fair value estimate

Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Limited (ASX:DBI) by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. There's really not all that much to it, even though it might appear quite complex.

We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model.

Check out our latest analysis for Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure

Is Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure Fairly Valued?

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

Story continues

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (A$, Millions) AU$112.5m AU$106.4m AU$103.0m AU$101.4m AU$100.9m AU$101.3m AU$102.2m AU$103.5m AU$105.1m AU$106.9m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -8.71% Est @ -5.45% Est @ -3.16% Est @ -1.57% Est @ -0.45% Est @ 0.33% Est @ 0.88% Est @ 1.27% Est @ 1.53% Est @ 1.72% Present Value (A$, Millions) Discounted @ 11% AU$101 AU$85.8 AU$74.6 AU$65.9 AU$58.9 AU$53.1 AU$48.1 AU$43.7 AU$39.9 AU$36.4

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = AU$608m

We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.2%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 11%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = AU$107m (1 + 2.2%)  (11% 2.2%) = AU$1.2b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= AU$1.2b ( 1 + 11%)10= AU$405m

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is AU$1.0b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of AU$2.7, the company appears reasonably expensive at the time of writing. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

ASX:DBI Discounted Cash Flow March 19th 2024

Important Assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure 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 2.000. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

SWOT Analysis for Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Dividend is in the top 25% of dividend payers in the market.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average.

Interest payments on debt are not well covered.

Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 3 years.

Threat

Debt is not well covered by operating cash flow.

Dividends are not covered by earnings.

Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the Australian market.

Moving On:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. What is the reason for the share price exceeding the intrinsic value? For Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure, there are three essential elements you should explore:

Risks: For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure (1 is potentially serious!) that you should be aware of before investing here. Future Earnings: How does DBI's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the ASX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Finland handed over combat boats to Ukraine, but their number is currently unknown, Defense and Security Monitor reported, citing Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on March 18.

According to the publication, the combat boats will be delivered to Ukraine through Romania. There is no information on the number and type of boats yet.

Read also: Finland may ban asylum seekers entry from Russia

Iohannis also approved information about training 50 Ukrainian soldiers in Romania, who will be taught how to use these boats.

It is also specified that the Finnish Navy has Jehu-class amphibious assault ships and Jurmo and Uisko-class transport ships at its disposal.

Read also: Finland ready for potential Russian responses after joining NATO but sees no immediate attack threat

On March 19, Finnish government decided to allocate 30 million euros to the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on March 13 that Russia is preparing for long conflict with West.

Read also: Cars with Russian license plates must exit Finland by March 16

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
Finland joined a Czech-led initiative to provide Ukraine with hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, pledging 30 million euros ($35.6 million) to the effort, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen announced on March 19.

Czech President Petr Pavel said in February that Prague had identified 500,000 155 mm shells and 300,000 122 mm shells outside of Europe that could be bought and sent to Ukraine after the necessary funds were allocated to the initiative.

Artillery shells are a crucial capability for Ukraine as the country faces critical ammunition shortages. Delays in U.S. military assistance, caused by disputes in Congress, have already had a direct impact on the battlefield, contributing to the loss of the key front-line city of Avdiivka.

Hakkanen discussed with Lieutenant General Karel Rehka, the commander of the Czech Armed Forces, how to boost support for European defense and Ukraine as well as Prague ammunition initiative, Finnish minister said on X.

Finland has already provided around 1.8 billion euros ($1.95 billion) in military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion. Helsinki also joined the artillery and demining collations, one of many allied initiatives launched under the Ukraine Defense Contact Group to support individual sectors of Ukraine's Armed Forces.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on March 12 that the initiative has already secured the purchase of 300,000 shells and received nonbinding commitments for 200,000 more.

According to Fiala's security advisor, Tomas Pojar, the rounds could start flowing to Ukraine by June.

Read also: WSJ: Ammunition suppliers for Czech-led initiative to aid Ukraine include Russian allies, Czech officials say

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Finnish government decided to allocate EUR 30 million ($32 million) for the Czech initiative to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said on X on March 19.



Hakkanen discussed with the Commander of the Czech Armed Forces the improvement of European defense support and aid for Ukraine, including the Czech ammunition initiative.

Portugal also approved the allocation of EUR 100 million ($109 million) to support the Czech initiative on March 14.

Czech initiative on procurement of ammunition for Ukraine

Czech President Petr Pavel first announced the possibility of purchasing 800,000 shells for Ukraine on Feb. 17.

He said that Czechia had secured commitments for 500,000 155mm shells and 300,000 122mm shells, though he did not disclose the source countries. Several other European nations have also joined this initiative to supply ammunition to Ukraine.



Read also: With defense production spiking, Europe will soon produce enough ammo for both Ukraine and EU

The plan is believed to involve spending about $2 billion to purchase shells from South Africa and South Korea, a Ukrainian military representative told NV. Allies have already acquired the necessary funding to purchase the shells, announced on March 7.

Czechia had purchased 800,000 artillery shells from South Korea, South Africa, and Turkey, and could deliver them to Ukraine within a few weeks, Germanys Bild reported on March 11.



Read also: Czech Republic buys ammunition for Ukraine from countries considered Russia's allies  WSJ

Ukraine may receive ammunition from Czechia in June, Czech national security advisor, Tomas Poyar reported.



About 800,000 artillery shells purchased under the Czech initiative will arrive on the front lines soon, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on March 13.



Read also: Bild names three countries from which Czech Republic could buy 800,000 shells for Ukraine

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
COLUMBUS (WCMH)  Two crash victims escaped with minor injuries after a vehicle driving highway speeds collided with a Mifflin Township Fire Department firetruck on an east Columbus interstate early Sunday morning.

According to the Gahanna Police Department, officers and a Mifflin Township Fire Department battalion chief were assisting a disabled vehicle on Interstate 270 South, near the Morse Road interchange. At around 12:10 a.m. on St. Patricks Day, a car traveling southbound on the interstate struck the EMS vehicle at a high speed, causing the fire department vehicle to hit the police cruiser.

A Mifflin Township Fire Chief and a woman survived a high-speed crash on I-270 South, March 17, 2024. (Courtesy/City of Gahanna)

A Mifflin Township Fire Chief and a woman survived a high-speed crash on I-270 South, March 17, 2024. (Courtesy/City of Gahanna)

A Mifflin Township Fire Chief and a woman survived a high-speed crash on I-270 South, March 17, 2024. (Courtesy/City of Gahanna)

Second suspect arrested after death outside shuttered Columbus nightclub

The battalion chief was taken to an area hospital and treated for minor injuries. The Ford Bronco sustained full frontal damage, but the driver, who was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, was also treated for only minor injuries.

The Ohio Department of Public Safety crash report indicated that the police cruiser had its overhead beacon lights on while it was parked in front of the fire department vehicle. The Mifflin Township Division of Fire said that its vehicle also had emergency lights illuminated.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The Ford and fire department vehicle were towed due to extensive damage. The police cruiser sustained minor damage. I-270 southbound lanes were closed for a brief period after the crash.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
The Charlotte Fire Department battled flames at a north Charlotte apartment complex Tuesday morning.

Firefighters said they responded to the fire around 1 a.m. near the intersection of North Church Street and West 28th Street.

It took nearly 30 firefighters over half an hour to control the fire.

ALSO READ: Home destroyed in York County fire, officials say

However, no injuries have been reported.

Firefighters said the origin of the fire has been deemed undetermined, and the investigation into the cause remains open.

VIDEO: Home destroyed in York County fire, officials say




House Democrats on the Oversight Committee have selected an indicted associate of Rudy Giuliani, who played a role in former President Donald Trumps first impeachment trial, to be their witness at the panels hearing on Wednesday, a source with Oversight Committee Democrats told CNN.

Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian-American, worked with Giuliani in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election on behalf of Trump to try and unearth damaging information about then-presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, in Ukraine. Parnas was sentenced to 20 months in prison in connection with convictions on campaign finance, wire fraud and false statements.

House Republicans had embraced the dirt Parnas was peddling but he has since called it out as nonsense.

Lev Parnas can debunk the bogus claims at the heart of the impeachment probe and, in the process, explain how the GOP ended up in this degraded and embarrassing place, said Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Oversight panel.

In a statement provided to CNN, a Republican Oversight Committee spokesperson said, Its telling the Democrats didnt call any of Hunter Bidens business associates who claim his fathers innocence because they know their testimony wont withstand public scrutiny.

Parnas will be testifying alongside Tony Bobulinski, a former Biden family business associate who has levied critical but unproven allegations against the Bidens, and Jason Galanis, who is currently in federal prison for his role in multiple fraudulent schemes and will be appearing remotely.

Committee Republicans are expected to also have a seat labeled for Hunter Biden at their witness table during the hearing even though the presidents son is not expected to appear, a source familiar with the planning told CNN. Hunter Biden declined the invitation from Republicans. The decision to have an empty seat for the presidents son signals that the hearing is gearing up to be a spectacle.

After much back-and-forth, the presidents son appeared for a closed-door deposition last month, which failed to deliver the smoking gun against the president that Republicans were hoping for, leaving the inquiry at a standstill. House Oversight Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, has also sent a letter asking Biden to reconsider not appearing.

Republicans had also invited Biden family business associate Devon Archer to testify, but he also did not accept the committees invitation, according to a letter obtained by CNN.

Wednesdays hearing is only the second of its kind since Republicans launched their investigation into the Biden family and comes as the flailing inquiry into Biden stalls with impeachment becomes less likely.

Trump used the conspiracy theories brought forth by Giuliani and Parnas to falsely claim that as vice president, Joe Biden corruptly abused his powers to pressure Ukraine to fire a top prosecutor who was investigating Ukrainian energy company Burisma as a way to protect Hunter, who served on the firms board at the time.

The Biden-Burisma conspiracy theory formed the basis of the Republican pushback to Trumps 2019 impeachment and remains fundamental to the ongoing GOP-led impeachment inquiry into Biden.

Even before a former FBI informant was charged for lying about the president and his sons involvement in business dealings with Ukrainian energy company, Oversight Committee Democrats used previous testimony from Parnas to contradict the allegations made by the ex-informant.

Last year, Parnas sent House Oversight Chair James Comer a letter discrediting the many theories peddled by Republicans and called on Comer to end his investigation into the Biden family.

With all due respect, Chairman Comer, the narrative you are seeking for this investigation has been proven false many times over, by a wide array of respected sources, Parnas wrote in July 2023. There is simply no merit to investigating this matter any further.

Prior to selecting Parnas, Democrats had been considering Trumps former lawyer Michael Cohen to be their witness.

Explaining why Democrats ultimately chose Parnas, another source familiar with their decision told CNN, Cohen could have spoken directly to how Trump used the White House to enrich himself, but Parnas can speak directly to how Trump used sketchy sources to fabricate dirt on Biden.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
CHICAGO  After months of postponing shelter evictions for migrants, Mayor Brandon Johnson doubled down last week on Sundays deadline to remove migrants who had surpassed the 60-day limit.

The result? Just three of the 11,000 shelter residents were evicted Sunday.

Outside of shelters, migrants and volunteers who had set up tables to help those being removed expressed confusion at the lack of evictions and were left with unanswered questions.

At a Friday briefing with reporters, city officials said 34 migrants were scheduled to leave Sunday. The adults were slated to be evicted from three different migrant shelters.

But officials said Monday four were exempted because of disability and pregnancy. The other 27 were awaiting benefits from the state for housing or other protections.

Johnsons deputy chief of staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas told the Chicago Tribune that the small number of evictions was not a sleight of hand after the eviction announcements, but rather a response to an ever-evolving and fluid situation.

City officials say that coffers for sheltering migrants are running out, and closing shelters is a sure-proof way to save costs. But Johnson has delayed enforcing his shelter limit policy three times now, facing consternation from advocates who say thousands of migrants  many sent to Chicago on buses by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott  have few other housing options.

What we can say today can easily change tomorrow if we get eight buses, Pacione-Zayas said. We prepared for 34 exits, and there were only three.

On Friday, Johnsons administration exempted about 4,500 migrants who were set to be evicted from the shelter system this spring.

Pacione-Zayas said though she knows that it is important to publicly share the reasons for exemptions, she wants to be careful with migrants personal information.

Sometimes it can be an imposition on them. Theyre going through what theyre going through, she said. This is not a zoo.

Exemptions will be determined on a case-by-case basis for people with medical issues, who are in the process of leaving Chicago or securing housing, or who need to quarantine, according to officials. Pregnant women are exempt, and families with children can now receive three 30-day extensions.

That leaves around 2,000 people  mostly men  to be evicted in waves by the end of April. To be sure, the process is slow, and officials say it will likely have more visible effects in the coming weeks and months.

The city did not say how many people exited shelters Monday. Many migrants say their eviction date isnt for several weeks.

Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, said Sunday he hasnt been provided any information by city officials about how many migrants will be evicted out of which shelters in the next few days. As chair of the citys Immigration Committee, he said having accurate census numbers is important to prevent homelessness and crime.

What would you do? If you didnt have a place to live or any means to survive? he asked.

The 34 adults slated for eviction were at the Woodlawn shelter at the former Wadsworth Elementary School, the Gage Park fieldhouse on the Southwest Side and a building on North Elston Avenue in West Town.

To prepare for their removal, several volunteers set up a table outside the shelter in Woodlawn on Sunday. They set out sandwiches wrapped in plastic and bags of toiletries for migrants who had supposedly reached their time limit inside.

But no migrants had left by the 2 p.m. deadline city officials touted at the briefing last week. So volunteers packed up their tables.

About a dozen men stood outside and said theyd been told by staff that the shelter was closing soon.

This is just the way life is for us, said Moises Lopez, 21, when asked about the looming eviction notices. The uncertainty. Its not easy. There are many people who cant work, and we dont know what were going to do.

Most migrants dont qualify for work permit authorization, which would give them the right to legally work in the United States. Advocates say not having the document is a large barrier to migrants autonomy and economic independence.

Having received thousands of migrants on buses in the middle of winter, Johnson previously cited inclement weather as a reason to allow people to stay in shelters. Then in recent days, a large measles outbreak at a shelter on the Lower West Side contributed to the thousands of additional exemptions, officials said.

Jaime Groth Searle, founder of Southwest Collective, said the administration has flip-flopped its policy so many times that migrants arent actually prepared to be asked to leave.

Its a little bit of a surprise when they are told, she said. They have to start all over again.

Yorladis Reneteria, who stood outside the fieldhouse in Gage Park with her husband, Aldo Reyes, Sunday morning said her eviction date wasnt until April 30. Reneteria didnt know of anyone inside who was leaving Sunday.

The city keeps changing their mind. I dont have kids, but I imagine its just that much more scary for the families that do, she said.

Denver and New York have also received thousands of migrants in recent months and are adopting similar shelter limits, despite espousing welcoming values before Abbotts busing program began.

Chicago officials said migrants who are evicted can find their way back to the citys landing zone in the West Loop, where they can reapply for the shelter system if they want a bed.

No migrant interviewed by the Tribune Sunday knew how to get to the landing zone, though theyd heard it was an option.

Jesus Jimenez, 24, said Monday he didnt know how the shelter was enforcing shelter limits. It was his 60th day at the shelter in West Town, but he hadnt received a warning to leave.

I dont know whats going on, he said. I think theyre supposed to tell us 10 days before we need to go.

But Jimenez said he was glad the city wasnt asking him to leave that afternoon. He said he wanted to be connected with resources and find a steady job first.

_____

(Chicago Tribunes Alice Yin contributed.)

_____
After months of postponing shelter evictions for migrants, Mayor Brandon Johnson doubled down last week on Sundays deadline to remove migrants who had surpassed the 60-day limit.

The result? Just three of the 11,000 shelter residents were evicted Sunday.

Outside of shelters, migrants and volunteers who had set up tables to help those being removed expressed confusion at the lack of evictions and were left with unanswered questions.

At a Friday briefing with reporters, city officials said 34 migrants were scheduled to leave Sunday. The adults were slated to be evicted from three different migrant shelters.

But officials said Monday four were exempted because of disability and pregnancy. The other 27 were awaiting benefits from the state for housing or other protections.

Johnsons deputy chief of staff Cristina Pacione-Zayas told the Tribune that the small number of evictions was not a slight of hand after the eviction announcements, but rather a response to an ever-evolving and fluid situation.

City officials say that coffers for sheltering migrants are running out, and closing shelters is a sure-proof way to save costs. But Johnson has delayed enforcing his shelter limit policy three times now, facing consternation from advocates who say thousands of migrants  many sent to Chicago on buses by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott  have few other housing options.

What we can say today can easily change tomorrow if we get eight buses, Pacione-Zayas said. We prepared for 34 exits, and there were only three.

On Friday, Johnsons administration exempted about 4,500 migrants who were set to be evicted from the shelter system this spring.

Pacione-Zayas said though she knows that it is important to publicly share the reasons for exemptions, she wants to be careful with migrants personal information.

Sometimes it can be an imposition on them. Theyre going through what theyre going through, she said. This is not a zoo.

Exemptions will be determined on a case-by-case basis for people with medical issues, who are in the process of leaving Chicago or securing housing, or who need to quarantine, according to officials. Pregnant women are exempt, and families with children can now receive three 30-day extensions.

That leaves around 2,000 people  mostly men  to be evicted in waves by the end of April. To be sure, the process is slow, and officials say it will likely have more visible effects in the coming weeks and months.

The city did not say how many people exited shelters Monday. Many migrants say their eviction date isnt for several weeks.

Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, said Sunday he hasnt been provided any information by city officials about many migrants will be evicted out of which shelters in the next few days. As chair of the citys Immigration Committee, he said having accurate census numbers is important to prevent homelessness and crime.

What would you do? If you didnt have a place to live or any means to survive? he asked.

The 34 adults slated for eviction were at the Woodlawn shelter at the former Wadsworth Elementary School, the Gage Park fieldhouse on the Southwest Side and a building on North Elston Avenue in West Town.

To prepare for their removal, several volunteers set up a table outside the shelter in Woodlawn on Sunday. They set out sandwiches wrapped in plastic and bags of toiletries for migrants who had supposedly reached their time limit inside.

But no migrants had left by the 2 p.m. deadline city officials touted at the briefing last week. So volunteers packed up their tables.

About a dozen men stood outside and said theyd been told by staff that the shelter was closing soon.

This is just the way life is for us, said Moises Lopez, 21, when asked about the looming eviction notices. The uncertainty. Its not easy. There are many people who cant work, and we dont know what were going to do.

Most migrants dont qualify for work permit authorization, which would give them the right to legally work in the United States. Advocates say not having the document is a large barrier to migrants autonomy and economic independence.

Having received thousands of migrants on buses in the middle of winter, Johnson previously cited inclement weather as a reason to allow people to stay in shelters. Then in recent days, a large measles outbreak at a shelter on the Lower West Side contributed to the thousands of additional exemptions, officials said.

Jaime Groth Searle, founder of Southwest Collective, said the administration has flip-flopped its policy so many times that migrants arent actually prepared to be asked to leave.

Its a little bit of a surprise when they are told, she said. They have to start all over again.

Yorladis Reneteria, who stood outside the fieldhouse in Gage Park with her husband, Aldo Reyes, Sunday morning said her eviction date wasnt until April 30. Reneteria didnt know of anyone inside who was leaving Sunday.

The city keeps changing their mind. I dont have kids, but I imagine its just that much more scary for the families that do, she said.

Denver and New York have also received thousands of migrants in recent months and are adopting similar shelter limits, despite espousing welcoming values before Abbotts busing program began.

Chicago officials said migrants who are evicted can find their way back to the citys landing zone in the West Loop, where they can reapply for the shelter system if they want a bed.

No migrant interviewed by the Tribune Sunday knew how to get to the landing zone, though theyd heard it was an option.

Jesus Jimenez, 24, said Monday he didnt know how the shelter was enforcing shelter limits. It was his 60th day at the shelter in West Town, but he hadnt received a warning to leave.

I dont know whats going on, he said. I think theyre supposed to tell us 10 days before we need to go.

But Jimenez said he was glad the city wasnt asking him to leave that afternoon. He said he wanted to be connected with resources and find a steady job first.

Chicago Tribunes Alice Yin contributed.
Two former Mississippi sheriffs deputies were sentenced to years behind bars Tuesday for torturing two Black men after a neighbor complained that the men were staying in a home with a white woman.

Hunter Elward, 31, was sentenced to about 20 years in prison, while Jeffrey Middleton, the leader of the so-called Goon Squad that abused the men, was given a 17.5-year prison sentence. Four other former law enforcement officers who admitted to torturing Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker are set to be sentenced later this week.

Before sentencing Elward, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee called the former deputys actions egregious and despicable, and said a sentence at the top of the guidelines range is justified  is more than justified. He continued: Its what the defendant deserves. Its what the community and the defendants victims deserve.

In January 2023, the group of six burst into a Rankin County home without a warrant and assaulted Jenkins and Parker with stun guns, a sex toy and other objects. Elward admitted to shoving a gun into Jenkins mouth and firing in a mock execution that went awry.

The terror began on Jan. 24, 2023, with a racist call for extrajudicial violence when a white person phoned Rankin County Deputy Brett McAlpin and complained that two Black men were staying with a white woman at a house in Braxton. McAlpin told Deputy Christian Dedmon, who texted a group of white deputies so willing to use excessive force they called themselves The Goon Squad.

Once inside, they handcuffed Jenkins and his friend Parker and poured milk, alcohol and chocolate syrup over their faces. They forced them to strip naked and shower together to conceal the mess. They mocked the victims with racial slurs and shocked them with stun guns.

After Elward shot Jenkins in the mouth, they devised a coverup that included planting drugs and a gun. False charges stood against Jenkins and Parker for months. Jenkins suffered a lacerated tongue and broken jaw.

Last March, months before federal prosecutors announced charges in August, an investigation by The Associated Press linked some of the deputies to at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019 that left two dead and another with lasting injuries.

Jenkins is a musician, and his injuries have prevented him from singing as he used to. He also said he has trouble speaking and eating. Parker said he relives the episode in his nightmares.

Both men, who were sitting in the front row, called for the stiffest of sentences. Their attorney, Malik Shabazz, said they were too traumatized to speak in court, and he read statements on their behalf.

I am hurt. I am broken, Jenkins wrote in his statement. They tried to take my manhood from me. They did some unimaginable things to me, and the effects will linger for the rest of my life.

Elward, who wore a dark blue jumpsuit with tape obscuring the name of the facility where he is housed, said before being sentenced that he wouldnt make excuses. He turned to address Jenkins and Parker and looked at them directly.

I dont want to get too personal. I see you every night, and I cant go back and do whats right, Elward said. I am so sorry for what I did.

Parker then stood up and said, I forgive you.

Elwards attorney, Joe Hollomon, said his client first witnessed Rankin County deputies turn a blind eye to misconduct in 2017.

It became the new norm, it became institutional, Hollomon said. Hunter was initiated into a culture of corruption at the Rankin County Sheriffs Office.

During a speech Tuesday at the University of Georgia, FBI director Christopher Wray spoke about the federal investigation into the unspeakable crimes committed by the six former law enforcement officers in Mississippi.

Its hard to imagine a more atrocious set of civil rights violations than those carried out by these guys, Wray said, according to prepared remarks. But on the flip side, its hard to imagine more important work than investigating those crimes and seeking justice for the victims.

Elward was also sentenced for his role in an assault on a white man that took place weeks before Jenkins and Parker were tortured. For the first time Tuesday, prosecutors identified the victim as Alan Schmidt and read a statement from him detailing what happened to him on Dec. 4, 2022.

During a traffic stop that night, Schmidt said Rankin County deputies accused him of possessing stolen property. They pulled him from the car and beat him. Then, Dedmon forced him to his knees and tried to insert his genitals into Schmidts mouth, as Elward watched.

I pray every day that I can forgive them one day and hopefully forget the humiliation and the evil physical and sexual assault that I endured, Schmidt wrote. I know that Im not their only victim, and I pray for each victim that has crossed paths with the Goon Squad members.

The officers charged with torturing Parker and Jenkins include Elward, Middleton, McAlpin, Dedmon and Daniel Opdyke of the Rankin County Sheriffs Department and Joshua Hartfield, a Richland police officer. They have pleaded guilty to numerous federal and state charges.

All six former officers are facing potentially decades-long prison sentences on the federal charges. Time served for separate convictions at the state level will run concurrently with the potentially longer federal sentences.

The majority-white Rankin County is just east of the state capital, Jackson, home to one of the highest percentages of Black residents of any major U.S. city.

The officers warned Jenkins and Parker to stay out of Rankin County and go back to Jackson or their side of the Pearl River, court documents say, referencing an area with higher concentrations of Black residents.

For months, Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey, whose deputies committed the crimes, said little about the episode. After the officers pleaded guilty in August, Bailey said the officers had gone rogue and promised to change the department. Jenkins and Parker have called for his resignation, and they have filed a $400 million civil lawsuit against the department.

___

Michael Goldberg 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. Follow him at @mikergoldberg.
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Thirty-four Tennessee school systems have filed lawsuits aiming to protect students against harmful and dangerous online content, amid an uptick in teen mental health crises, Frantz Law Group announced in a release on Tuesday.

The lawsuit seeks to hold companies accountable for failing to monitor and filter inappropriate online content that students often see on social media.

Significant deficiencies found in Carter County audit for 2nd year in a row

From the region, six school systems will be joining the suit, according to the law firm:

Sullivan County Schools

Greeneville City Schools

Greene County Schools

Johnson County Schools

Johnson City Schools

Washington County Schools

With the ever-increasing use of social media among students, weve seen negative effects in the classroom, including disruptions, mental health issues and safety concerns, Chuck Carter, director of Sullivan County Schools said. Were charged with educating, preparing and protecting students and consider the requests in the lawsuit to be common sense solutions that could make a positive impact to combat these issues.

Missing Endangered Adult Alert issued for 18-year-old last seen in Athens

The firm said it is committed to working with Tennessee schools and families in an attempt to alleviate negative factors contributing to students mental health.

Controls for student access to these platforms combined with helpful resources have the potential to help parents, teachers and students as they navigate social media, said William Shinoff, an attorney with the Frantz Law Group. These media giants have an opportunity  and a responsibility  to protect children.

According to the release, the following companies will be included in the lawsuit:

Meta

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok

Snapchat

Google

WhatsApp

YouTube

Frantz Law Group in California is working with Lewis Thomason in Tennessee to manage the lawsuits, the company said in the release.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Leading Saudi developer Roshn Group and a PIF-owned giga project, has announced its renewed commitment to support the National Campaign for Charitable Work in 2024 through the National Platform for Charitable Work, Ehsan.

The campaign was launched under the patronage of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who donated SAR40 million.

This was followed by a SAR30 million donation from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Subsequently, Roshn Group announced its contribution of SAR30 million towards the campaign.

Roshn said its partnership with Ehsan, now in its second consecutive year, reflects the groups commitment to its values of empowerment and sustainability and its active contribution to supporting leading national initiatives and programs aimed at empowering the community, improving quality of life, and achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in promoting and institutionalizing social responsibility and empowering the non-profit sector.

This contribution further complements a year marked by impactful and distinctive initiatives carried out by Roshns Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Yuhyeek and the Ehsan platform.

This included the support of more than 27 initiatives implemented in 7 regions across the kingdom, in collaboration with dozens of third-party entities.

The programme involved the renovation of 100 homes in various cities of the kingdom, supporting the national breast cancer campaign, mobile clinics, dialysis machines, in addition to several programs to empower and support people with disabilities, food preservation projects, which benefitted more than 37,000 beneficiaries across the Kingdom.

Ghada AlRumayan, Group Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Roshn Group, said: "Roshn takes pride in actively participating in this campaign, reflecting the groups interest in contributing to improving quality of life in its projects and society as a whole and its commitment as one of the major giga-projects in the kingdom."

"The Yuhyeek programme is celebrating its second anniversary today, which is evidence of the groups commitment to supporting community development, enabling sustainability, and activating responsible investment in people and places in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030" she noted.

"At Roshn, we believe that people are the foundation of development and progress for societies. Hence, our commitment to the Yuhyeek programme to create a sustainable impact that extends to all members of our society, places people at the centre of our work, and develops quality initiatives in partnership with the non-profit sector in various regions of the kingdom, with active contribution from the Groups volunteers in the Yuhyeek Ambassadors programme," he added.

This year, Roshn plans to launch several programs and initiatives in new areas such as education, innovation, and sustainability through expanding the scope of the Roshn Green Initiative and promoting vocational and artistic programmes in the community, said the official.

It will also continue supporting current programs in the field of restoration, public health, community sports, support for people with disabilities, training, and empowerment, she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (ETR:DBK) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 21st of May to 0.45. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 3.3%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.

Check out our latest analysis for Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Bank's Earnings Will Easily Cover The Distributions

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable.

Deutsche Bank has a long history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at a minimum of 10 years. Using data from its latest earnings report, Deutsche Bank's payout ratio sits at 16%, an extremely comfortable number that shows that it can pay its dividend.

Over the next 3 years, EPS is forecast to fall by 4.8%. Despite that, analysts estimate the future payout ratio could be 39% over the same time period, which is in a pretty comfortable range.

Dividend Volatility

The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was 0.75 in 2014, and the most recent fiscal year payment was 0.45. Doing the maths, this is a decline of about 5.0% per year. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Deutsche Bank has impressed us by growing EPS at 65% per year over the past five years. Earnings have been growing rapidly, and with a low payout ratio we think that the company could turn out to be a great dividend stock.

Deutsche Bank Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Deutsche Bank is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The company is generating plenty of cash, and the earnings also quite easily cover the distributions. If earnings do fall over the next 12 months, the dividend could be buffeted a little bit, but we don't think it should cause too much of a problem in the long term. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Deutsche Bank (1 shouldn't be ignored!) that you should be aware of before investing. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
SOUTH BEND  As consultants and St. Joseph County officials explore what to do with the aging County-City Building, lets look at the bones and basics of this downtown landmark.

The county owns the structure, which needs repairs and upgrades. And the city will be moving out of its 3.5 floors in the next year.

Local consultants from DLZ and Abonmarche are giving county commissioners and the public a presentation on their assessment of the buildings condition and what to do with it next at 6 p.m. March 19 in the County-City Building. Options include building a whole new structure, renovating the entire building, renovating only parts of the building and replacing key parts of its infrastructure.

Seeking public input: Should county stay in the aging County-City Building? Commissioners weigh options.

When was it built?

1967.

What did it replace?

The ornate brick City Hall stood at 214 N. Main St., South Bend (behind the present-day Morris Performing Arts Center), from 1902 until it was demolished in 1970.

What the CCB replaced: Throwback Thursday: When South Bend's City Hall was an ornate building on Main Street

How much space does the County-City Building have?

Its 14 floors have a total of 174,002 square feet. Mechanicals are on the fifth floor. The city occupies the top three floors. And, apart from some city services that use half of the fourth floor, the county uses everything from the 11th floor down.

Why have its utilities caused the courthouses to close, too?

The County-City Buildings utilities, including water, heating and cooling, also serve three county courthouse buildings around it. Heat comes from an aging boiler that had trouble maintaining the right temperature during Januarys cold snap. And water had to be shut off just recently to all of the buildings, which closed them for one day, when a corroding steel pipe burst in the main courthouse.

Where are city offices going?

The city of South Bend hopes to move into the current school headquarters building at 215 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., which it is buying, by late spring in 2025, a city spokeswoman said. And the South Bend Community School Corp. aims to be out of that building this summer as it moves into the Brown Community Learning Center at 737 W. Beale St.

South Bend Tribune reporter Joseph Dits can be reached at 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Five things to know about County-City Building in South Bend
Morris County residents who see an increase in their tax bill this year won't be able to blame their county government.

For the fifth straight year, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners is touting an annual budget that comes with no increase in property taxes. The board introduced the $365.3 million spending plan at its meeting last week, with public comment sessions to follow on March 27 and April 10. If all goes as planned, a final vote would be held on April 10 as well.

Despite state mandates driving up costs and hikes in expenses that are out of our control, such as health care costs, Morris County is again introducing a thoughtful, fiscally responsible budget," said Deborah Smith, chair of the commissioners' Budget Committee.

The Morris County commissioners presented the county's Distinguished Military Service Medal to select residents during a Veterans Day Observance ceremony at the commissioners' Nov. 8, 2023 meeting.

This year's budget comes in at nearly $20 million more than last year's approved budget of $343.5 million. Growing tax ratables and "prudent fiscal management" were employed by the board to overcome rising costs, the commissioners said in this year's budget announcement.

A look at the spending plan shows that ratables  the total value of taxable property in the county  increased from $107.6 billion in 2023 to $117 in 2024.

Funding from the Biden administration's American Rescue Plan Act, allocated to cover capital expenses and available for 2023 through 2025, also continues to reduce the countys future borrowing needs.

The budget presentation shows the tax rate going down from 25 cents per $100 of the assessed value of a home to 24 cents per $100. The median value of an owner-occupied home in Morris County was about $532,000 as of 2022, according to county data.

Where Morris County tax dollars go

Overseen by the commissioners, county taxes fund a variety of services, including the operations of the Morris County Courthouse, the Sheriff's Office, the Morris County jail, educational programs through the County College of Morris and Morris County School of Technology, and public works projects, which include repaving and maintenance of roads and bridges.

The budget also provides funding for the county park system  the state's largest, by acreage  as well as the park police, the commissioners said.

The budget proposal prioritizes investments in public safety, infrastructure, education and economic development, and expands services to veterans, the budget announcement said. The largest chunk of the spending plan  $91.3 million, or 25% of the total budget  goes to employee benefits. Public safety came in second, at $77.8 million, or 21.3% of the budget. A complete breakdown of the budget is available online.

More: Morris County's second cannabis shop opens. Here's everything they sell

"It addresses our obligation as county commissioners to provide the services our residents require and deserve," Smith said in the statement. "It makes the investments necessary to keep Morris County the premier county in New Jersey, and yet it still enables us to keep the tax rate flat."

In addition to parkland, the county Preservation Trust Fund represents totals of $169 million spent on farmland preservation, $295 million for open space preservation, $50 million for historic preservation, $100 million on flood mitigation and $5 million in trail design and construction, Commissioner John Krickus said.

Though it varies by town, school taxes generally account for about 53% of a New Jersey resident's total property tax levy, with 29% going to the municipal level and 18% to the county, according to a report by the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, New Jersey Realtors and the Association of Municipal Assessors of New Jersey.

The commissioners also recently released their $35 million capital spending plan for 2024, including $16.5 million for road resurfacing and $14 million for job training centers at the County College of Morris and Morris County School of Technology.

Morris County budget highlights

The commissioners' announcement highlighted several other departments and programs covered by the budget. They include:

More than $24 million to support education, including career training at the county college and the Morris County Vocational School District.

A record $900,000 invested in economic development and tourism, with $100,000 for planning Morris Countys celebration of the American Revolution.

$9 million to support the Morris County Park Commission (20,455 acres).

Adding $300,000 to homeless services provided by the Office of Temporary Assistance, part of a total of $38.1 million for Human Services and Health Services.

William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com; Twitter: @wwesthoven

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morris County NJ budget jumps, no tax increases. Here's why
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  Fix a Leak Week has officially begun, lasting until March 24. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) is using the opportunity to encourage checking for leaks in your household plumbing and irrigation systems.

The ICC says each year, one trillion gallons of water are wasted across the U.S. due to leaks. Luckily, cheap fixes can help conserve water and wallets. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)s Fix a Leak Week aims to bring attention to just that.

Can you be struck by lightning while indoors?

The average American household loses more than 10,000 gallons of water each year from leaking faucets, running toilets, and dripping showerheads. Thats enough to fill a swimming pool, ICC Chairman Doug Scott said. Fix a Leak Week reminds consumers to find and fix leaks that with minor fixes, can conserve water and save consumers up to 10 percent on their utility bills.

How can I prevent household leaks?

Officials from the EPA provided several helpful tips on how you can prevent water leakage in your home:

Look at cold weather month water bills. If your family of four or less sees more than 12,000 gallons in water usage a month, you likely have a serious leak. You may also have a severe leak if you see spikes on your water bill from previous months.

Read the water meter before and after a two-hour period without water use. You may have a leak if there are changes to the meter.

Place food coloring into your toilet tank. A few drops should do. If the color shows up in the bowl after ten minutes, you have a leak.

Replace old and worn-out toilet flappers to stop a running toilet.

Make sure there is a tight connection between your showerhead and pipe stem. You can buy Pipe tape or Teflon tape at any hardware store and easily apply it to stop minor leaks. For serious showerhead leaks, call a licensed plumber.

Replace worn-out faucet washers and gaskets to stop faucet leaks. Always turn off the water line before starting repairs.

Champaign shares spring yard waste pickup dates

If youre uncertain about following the above tips on your own, minor leaks can be fixed by following online tutorials. Otherwise, you can contact a licensed plumber or experienced handyman to help mend the problem.

For more information on Fix a Leak Week, including tips on how to find and fix indoor and outdoor leaks, visit the EPAs website.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Floridas agriculture sector is awaiting Governor Ron DeSantiss decision on a newly passed bill aimed at addressing labor shortages in the industry.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

The bill (SB 1082), unanimously approved by lawmakers, seeks to limit local regulations on farmworker housing, potentially opening doors for increased participation in the federal H-2A visa program.

If signed into law, SB 1082 would prevent cities and counties from impeding the construction of housing for farmworkers on agricultural land.

The move comes amidst concerns about a labor shortage, partially attributed to the states crackdown on undocumented migrants, leading some growers to scale back planting efforts.

Jim Spratt, a lobbyist for the Florida Ag Coalition, highlighted the challenges farmers face in securing adequate housing for guest workers, noting that delays in the process have hampered production. He expressed optimism that the bill, by facilitating housing construction on agricultural land, could alleviate some of these issues, albeit with a ramp-up period.

The bills proponents anticipate the construction of housing for up to 52,000 workers statewide, subject to federal, state, and local building standards.

However, concerns have been raised about potential impacts on local property values and the effectiveness of the H-2A program.

Emory Rowdy Howard, a Hendry County Commissioner, voiced apprehensions about the bills implications for property values and the programs susceptibility to abuse.

Supporters like David Hill, Chairman of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, emphasize the necessity of ensuring farmers autonomy in addressing labor challenges

Under SB 1082, housing structures would need to adhere to specific regulations, including minimum separation distances and proximity limitations to residential areas. Structures not in use for a year or on land no longer classified as agricultural would be subject to removal.

The bills emergence follows previous legislative efforts to bolster immigration enforcement in the state, underscoring ongoing debates about the intersection of immigration policy and agricultural labor dynamics.

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PUNTA GORDA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida priest accused of child sexual abuse will not be charged and had his good name restored after the alleged victim withdrew their claims, according to a statement.

According to NBC affiliate WBBH, Reverend Jerome Kaywell at Sacred Heart Punta Gorda was accused of sexual misconduct with a minor during the winter of 2013-14.

Florida hunter mistakes man for turkey, shoots him in the head, police say

Throughout the investigation, the Diocese of Venice said Father Kaywell maintained his innocence, stating that the allegation could not have happened.

A new statement from the Diocese claims that the allegations were taken seriously and acted upon in accord with the Diocesan Policy for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults.

Since the alleged victim was a minor, the States Attorneys Office was also notified.

On Feb. 13, the law firm representing the alleged victim informed the Diocese that he was withdrawing his allegation, and wrote an apology letter declaring it was a false memory.

Florida sheriffs office pokes fun at jokester who placed For Sale sign on patrol car

The said letter informed that the alleged victim withdrew his allegation, and an apology was written by the accuser declaring it was a false memory, the statement read.

A review board met in March and determined that there was no evidence to support the allegation. The board recommended that Father Kaywell return to ministry as a result.

I consider the matter closed and the good name of Father Jerome Kaywell restored, Frank J. Dewane, Bishop of the Diocese of Venice in Florida, wrote. Thank you for your prayers and understanding. The Diocese of Venice and its entities take very seriously the safety of all young people and work to prevent any instances of abuse.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
A 3-month-old female giraffe died at Zoo Miami after breaking its neck over the weekend, officials said.

The juvenile giraffe, who was born on Dec. 15, was found dead by zoo employees on Saturday morning. After performing a necropsy, staff determined that she died of asphyxiation after breaking her neck.

Zoo Miami officials are still unsure what caused the young animal's death, but they believe she may have been startled by something that caused her to run into a fence.

In a statement, Zoo Miami called the incident "a devastating loss."

BRIGHTS ZOO IN TENNESSEE REVEALS NAME OF RARE SPOTLESS GIRAFFE

The baby giraffe was born on Dec. 15 and died after breaking its neck in March.

"Zoo staff continue to closely monitor the herd for any indication of stress or abnormal behavior while searching for any indication of what may have led to this very sad incident," the Florida zoo's statement read.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

A Zoo Miami official told Fox News Digital that it is "certainly not common" for a giraffe to break its neck.

"With that said, it is difficult to say what could be done to prevent a similar occurrence in the future," Zoo Miami communications director Ron Magill explained. "It is apparent that something must have startled the animal which caused it to run into a fence, resulting in the fatal injury."

RARE SPOTLESS GIRAFFE BORN AT TENNESSEE ZOO BELIEVED TO BE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD

Zoo Miami announced that one of its baby giraffes (pictured here) died after breaking its neck.

"However, none of the other giraffes that were living alongside this young female showed any signs of trauma, so it is difficult to say what might have caused this individual [giraffe] to sustain the injury."

Magill added that no predators were detected in the area, and the zoo did not capture any footage of the incident.

"Zoo staff is continuing to monitor the behavior of the herd as well as the surrounding areas in hopes of discovering a more definitive explanation of what may have happened," Magill added.

Zoo Miami said it is actively investigating the giraffe's death.





Original article source: Florida zoo staff find baby giraffe dead with broken neck: 'Devastating'
The Flossmoor Village Board voted Monday to officially terminate police Chief Jerel Jones contract following weeks of speculation and discussion among residents and village leaders.

After a long board meeting that included pleas from residents to keep the villages first Black police chief, the forceful removal of a disruptive audience member and a 90-minute closed door meeting, the trustees reemerged just before 10 p.m. to explain their views and cast their votes.

This decision has been made after thoughtful review of his performance and it has not been made lightly, said Mayor Michelle Nelson before casting her tie-breaking vote in favor of the chiefs firing. I think, in my own opinion, it is best that we part ways, as disappointing as it may be for those of us in this room.

Rumor that Jones was on the hot seat spread late February culminating in a lively Village Board meeting earlier this month and a lawsuit filed by Jones alleging his firing was triggered after he complained about a master-slave dynamic between village manager Bridget Wachtel and himself.

For weeks, none of the trustees publicly discussed the contents of any negative performance review outside of a public letter from Nelson March 7 confirming the intention to part ways with the chief over performance issues.

But shortly before their votes against the firing, trustees Rosalind Mustafa and Joni Bradley-Scott referenced the contents of the performance investigation.

I have not heard any conversations, have not read anything to indicate that the performance criticisms or his performance rises to the occasion of justifying termination, Mustafa said. I dont see any egregious, unlawful, illegal, inappropriate, unethical behavior  no safety concerns for the community.

More than 100 residents attended Monday meeting, and about a dozen spoke in favor of keeping Jones. The audience groaned when resident Susan Bass stood up in support of the board, citing her having Black friends as evidence for a lack of racism in the village.

Some held signs. Others murmured in agreement as people highlighted Jones character. Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef began a chant when resident Ronald Alston referenced Madeline Miller, who was holding a knife and had a history of mental health issues and who was fatally shot by a Flossmoor police officer in 2022.

Say her name! Say her name! he shouted. Only a few residents shouted back Madeline Miller in response.

As he continued to yell, one officer in the chamber tried to politely escort him out of the room. But Yosef approached the boards desk, continuing to shout closely in the face of the Village Clerk Gina LoGalbo who ducked out of her chair to avoid him.

Say her name! he repeated.

As it became clear he would not leave on his own accord, two more officers rushed in, working to forcefully remove Yosef, essentially carrying him to the lobby. Yosefs shouting could be heard from outside the chamber for about five minutes while the meeting continued.

In Jones lawsuit he accuses the board of racial discrimination. Residents have expressed appreciation over having a Black police chief for a town that is over 60% Black, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Both of the votes related to Jones termination, including the one on Monday, were split along racial lines with the three Black trustees voting opposite the three white trustees and white mayor. During public comment, dozens of Black residents spoke in support of Jones with some using racially charged words such as lynching to describe the firing.

And at Mondays meeting, yet another racial topic was brought up not only by Yosef but also multiple residents and board members.

It was to shut us up, said LaShawn Littrice when giving her opinion of Jones hiring from his post as chief of Macomb in 2023 following Millers death. It was more so like I cant be accused of being racist of doing racist practices because I just hired a Black chief.

When Alston made a similar point in front of the board, Nelson shook her head in disagreement.

Shortly after the trustees went into their closed session, Flossmoor resident and Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx discussed the allegation Jones was hired just to appease the community after the shooting.

I do believe that the village was reckoning with issues around race and policing due to the killing of Madeline Miller, Foxx said. Am I going to say that thats why he was hired? I certainly hope not. I think that his credentials speak for themselves.

After the meeting adjourned, Foxx stepped to the desk and had a lengthy conversation directly with Nelson. As Foxx left, she declined to discuss the vote.

Nelson and all of the trustees other than Bradley-Scott declined to answer questions from the Daily Southtown.

Bradley-Scott confirmed Deputy Chief Keith Taylor will be interim chief. Jones name has been removed from the village website.

hsanders@chicagotribune.com
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn is proposing that the historic St. Patricks Day parade be moved out of South Boston indefinitely amid concerns about public drinking, violence and destruction of property in local neighborhoods.

Flynn cited those issues of concern with the annual parade, which draws hundreds of thousands of people to South Boston each year.

We must make major changes and implement a zero tolerance for public drinking, any form of violence, fighting and destruction of property and other quality of life issues, Flynn said in a Facebook post on Monday night.

If we are not able to meet basic standards of decency and respect the South Boston neighborhood, the parade should be moved out of South Boston indefinitely, Flynn said. With almost a million visitors to South Boston for the parade, we cant sustain an anything goes attitude in the neighborhood. This is a neighborhood, and many of the spectators that come to the parade do not treat residents of South Boston with respect.

Authorities on Sunday arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly carrying a handgun while highly intoxicated near the parade, MBTA Transit Police said. An officer noticed the man, whose name was not released, while monitoring large crowds at Andrew Square Station for the St. Patricks Day festivities.

A firefighter from Ireland who flew into Boston for St. Patricks Day weekend is being held on a $100,000 bail, accused of raping a woman at the Omni Parker House hotel on Friday, according to Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden.

Prosecutors said Terrence Crosbie, 37, of Dublin, had flown to Boston from Ireland earlier on Thursday with other members of the Dublin Fire Brigade and that he was scheduled to leave on Tuesday. He boarded an earlier flight over the weekend, and state police stopped the plane on the Logan International Airport tarmac and removed him.

Crosbie was arraigned Monday in Boston Municipal Court on one count of rape, ordered not to leave Massachusetts, and to surrender his passport, Hayden said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Former President Donald Trump lashed out at the judge who imposed a $450+ million penalty in his New York fraud case after his lawyers admitted he was unable to secure a bond to appeal the case.

Trumps lawyers on Monday asked a New York appeals court to stay the enforcement of the judgment in his fraud case, saying it has been impossible to secure a bond necessary to appeal the judgment after approaching 30 different underwriters.

The former president lashed out at the judge on Truth Social after the filing.

Engoron wants me to put up the ridiculous fine (I DID NOTHING WRONG!) before I get a chance to Appeal his crazed ruling - A first! Trump falsely wrote. New York law requires a defendant to put up the full judgment amount with interest in order to appeal a civil judgment.

Judge Engoron actually wants me to put up Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for the Right to Appeal his ridiculous decision. In other words, he is trying to take my Appellate Rights away, Trump falsely claimed again in another post. Nobody has ever heard of anything like this before. I would be forced to mortgage or sell Great Assets, perhaps at Fire Sale prices, and if and when I win the Appeal, they would be gone. Does that make sense? WITCH HUNT. ELECTION INTERFERENCE!

Trump continued to lash out at the judge in a series of more than a half-dozen posts on Monday night and Tuesday morning, claiming that his Mar-a-Lago property is worth 50 to 100 times more than what Judge Arthur Engoron valued it at  even though the valuation was based on estimates by local officials.

Trump further lashed out at Engoron as a Crazed, Trump Hating, Rogue Judge.

The Corrupt Political Hacks in New York, Judge and AG, are asking me to put up massive amounts of money before I am allowed to appeal the ridiculous decision. Never done before. No jury, no victim, full disclaimer clause, happy banks, Trump repeated, falsely, about the New York law the requires him to put up the money to appeal.

I shouldnt have to put up any money, being forced by the Corrupt Judge and AG, until the end of the appeal, he complained. Thats the way system works!
Florida Republicans, and Democrats in some counties, headed to the ballot box Tuesday.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

While the election wont make a difference in terms of who clinches the Democratic or Republican nomination for President, it could reveal how Florida Republicans feel about sending former President Donald Trump back to the White House.

Both former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden have already secured the required number of delegates to secure their perspective parties nomination.

Florida Democrats even canceled their Presidential Primary, but Trump appeared alongside six other candidates on the Republican ticket.

While Trump is all but guaranteed to win the Presidential Primary in Florida, Florida Republicans had the opportunity to cast protest votes for other Republican candidates.

Most notably, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race back in January after a decisive loss in Iowa.

Political pundits analyzed no-contest votes cast in states like Michigan as a way of predicting whether Biden may lack support among his Democratic base.

19 percent of voters elected not to vote for the Democratic incumbent in that states Presidential Primary on March 5th.

However, Florida GOP Chair Evan Power told Action News Jax he expects protest votes to be minimal in Florida.

Obviously Governor DeSantis lives here and is still on the ballot and some people may vote for him for a number of different reasons, but people are turning out in a large number today to vote for their displeasure of Joe Biden, said Power.

While former candidates could take some votes away from Trump in the Sunshine State, two Republican voters Action News Jax spoke with Tuesday told us even if those candidates were still in the race, theyd pick Trump.

I like what he did last time. He got the economy back on track and he puts America and the military first, said Duval voter Karen Williams.

A lot of people see Trump on a bigger stage. I think he set himself up that way to be on a bigger stage and I dont see DeSantis is that way, said Duval voter Robert Neuman.

Power argued regardless of the vote share Trump receives in Florida, he doesnt see a scenario in which the former President loses the state in the General Election.

This is a formality so we can get to November. Another step in the right direction to retiring Joe Biden, said Power.

Despite the low stakes, as of 5:00 p.m. 1.1 million voters had cast a ballot statewide, including just over 40,000 in Duval County.

Polls officially close at 7:00 p.m.

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Pedestrians walk on an overpass near skyscrapers at the Central Business District in Beijing

By Selena Li and Xie Yu

HONG KONG (Reuters) -Fund manager Fidelity International (FIL) is planning to lay off 20 people at its main China unit, two sources familiar with the matter said, a reduction that coincides with a downturn in China's markets and as the firm cuts staff worldwide.

The cuts at FIL's wholly-owned China fund unit, which currently employs 120 staff, is equivalent to around 16% of its total headcount, according to the sources, who declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to media. The sources did not disclose the roles of the employees being laid off.

The firm, which manages $776 billion of client assets, kicked off a broader cost reduction programme globally earlier this month which is expected to save around $125 million in 2024 and make 9% of its workforce redundant.

Asked about the China unit, a spokesperson for the London-based fund house said a review of previously reported global role reductions is ongoing across business lines and geographies and no decisions has been made about its China business.

The downsizing in China by FIL underscores the challenges global asset managers face in navigating uncertainties in the world's second largest economy, where stock market routs and a deepening debt crisis in the property sector and local governments have battered investor confidence.

China's stock benchmark CSI300 fell by almost 9% over the last 12 months, and hit a five-year low last month.

Amid these difficult market conditions, Morgan Stanley laid off about 9% of staff at its asset management unit in China in December, Reuters reported, citing sources.

U.S. asset manager Matthews International Capital Management also said it was closing its Shanghai office.

London-based FIL secured regulatory approval to conduct business in China's $3.7 trillion mutual fund industry in late 2022. The unit manages three fund products with 6.7 billion yuan ($931 million) in assets as of the end of January, company reports show.

Story continues

FIL China's equity fund, its first mutual fund product, shrank 10.1% by Monday since its April 2023 debut and underperformed the 8.6% loss of a benchmark it has set, according to the companys official website.

However, its two bond funds, both in operation for just a few months, are so far outperforming benchmarks.

China has more than 150 companies in its mutual fund industry, including foreign asset managers BlackRock, Schroders, and JPMorgan Asset Management.

Foreign financial companies were permitted to run their local businesses via wholly-owned entities in 2019.

FIL was the former international investment arm of Boston-based Fidelity Investments before it was spun off.

($1 = 7.1981 Chinese yuan renminbi)

(Reporting by Selena Li and Xie Yu; Editing by Sumeet Chatterjee and Miral Fahmy)
Sarah Matthews, an ex-staffer of former President Trump, said his recent warning of a blood bath for the U.S. if he doesnt win in November follows a proven track record of unhinged comments.

[I]t does follow a proven track record of these kinds of unhinged comments from him, and an increasingly violent rhetoric, and apocalyptic rhetoric, almost. Matthews said Monday in an interview on MSNBCs Inside with Jen Psaki.

When he says things like Theres gonna be death and destruction if hes charged in these criminal cases, that is, I think, a warning call to his supporters, she told host Jen Psaki, the former White House press secretary.

Matthews, who resigned from her position on Jan. 6, 2021, in the aftermath of the Capitol attack, signaled the former presidents words could be seen as marching orders to his supporters.

We saw this happen in the lead-up from the election in 2020 to Jan. 6, where he told them to come to the Capitol, he said it was going to be a wild day that we needed to save our country, Matthews said of her former boss.

So, hes putting these kinds of messages out there, hoping that theyll act on them, she added.

Trumps remarks came Saturday during a campaign rally in Ohio supporting GOP Senate candidate Bernie Moreno. During the event, the former president warned China against trying to open factories in Mexico to sell cars to the U.S.

No, were going to put a 100 percent tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and youre not going to be able to sell those cars if I get elected, Trump said, adding Now, if I dont get elected, its going to be a blood bath for the country.

Thatll be the least of it, he continued. But theyre not going to sell those cars, theyre building massive factories.

The comments resulted in backlash from figures including President Biden  who launched a campaign ad around the remarks  and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

What does that mean? Hes going to exact a blood bath? Pelosi said on CNN. Theres something wrong here.

How respectful I am of the American people and their goodness  but how much more do they have to see from him to understand that this isnt what our country is about? she added.

The former president and his allies pushed back against the scrutiny by saying he was talking about the auto industry.

The Fake News Media, and their Democrat Partners in the destruction of our Nation, pretended to be shocked at my use of the word BLOODBATH, even though they fully understood that I was simply referring to imports allowed by Crooked Joe Biden, which are killing the automobile industry, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ukrainian troops should really have been withdrawn from the encircled Avdiivka (Donetsk Oblast), though Russia paid an enormous price to capture this demolished city, former CIA director (2011-2012) David Petraeus said in an interview with NV.

Having withdrawn to the west from Avdiivka, the Ukrainian defense will stabilize, he noted.

"Avdiivka was obviously surrounded by Russians on both sides, the troops really had to be withdrawn, General Petraeus said.

It is not a strategically important geographical point. There is no major highway or railroad, or other hub that still operates and passes through the area. I think it was a perfectly right decision by (Ukraines Commander-in-Chief) General [Oleksandr] Syrskyi and Ukraines military leadership.

Read also: Ukraine halts Russian battlefield advance  Zelenskyy

Russian losses during the assault on Avdiivka were staggering, so it is impossible to assume that the aggressor achieved strategic success, he added.

"It was actually an overwhelming price for them to pay, noted the ex-CIA official.

It's hard to call their advance a breathtaking victory, given the heavy losses they suffered to take control of what is actually a completely destroyed city.

Read also: Russians lost tens of thousands in Avdiivka offensive, more than citys population, says Ukrainian officer

Ukraines Defense Forces withdrew from Avdiivka on Feb. 17 following four months of intense battles and regular attacks by Russian troops, Syrskyi said at the time. The decision was made to avoid encirclement and to preserve the lives and health of the military.

Ukrainian forces have exhausted the momentum of Russian troops had after the fall of Avdiivka and stopped their advance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on March 11.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Chief of Police Billy Bolin of the Evansville Police Department gives a speech after receiving a distinguished alumni award during the Harrison High School commencement at Romain Stadium in Evansville, Ind., Friday, May 28, 2021.

Officials in Henderson, Kentucky, announced Tuesday that former Evansville Chief of Police Billy Bolin will begin working for the Henderson Police Department as a consultant, with the ultimate aim of naming Bolin chief of police once he secures a certification required by the state.

That announcement comes after recent leadership changes at both the Henderson Police Department and the Evansville Police Department, which Bolin led under former Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke's administration.

Former HPD Chief Sean McKinney announced in February that he would resign to spend more time with his family. McKinney was to begin working as an HPD school resource officer at the start of the new academic year, officials said in February.

The Henderson Board of Commissioners held a special meeting Tuesday afternoon to announce Bolin would soon work with the department and ultimately lead it as chief after he obtained his Peace Officers Professional Standards (POPS) certification.

"I began my law enforcement career with the Henderson Police Department back in 1995," Bolin said Tuesday. "It's quite an honor to be able to finish my law enforcement career where it began. I'm looking forward to working for the officers of HPD and the citizens of Henderson."

Bolin began his police career in Kentucky before the state required law enforcement personnel to receive the POPS certification. He served with the HPD from September of 1995 to March of 1998.

"While he obtains that certification he'll serve the department as a consultant," Henderson City Manager William "Buzzy" Newman explained. "Once he completes the required accreditation, he'll be named the chief of police."

Henderson Mayor Brad Staton, who said the appointment of a new police chief was "extremely important" for both the department and the city, described Bolin as an exciting and experienced choice to lead the HPD.

"He's bringing with him twelve years of experience as a police chief and a total of 28 years in law enforcement," Staton said, according to a city news release. "I have no doubts chief Bolin will lead and represent the Henderson Police Department extremely well."

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Billy Bolin tapped to lead the Henderson Kentucky Police Department
Former Gov. Michael Leavitt speaks as Utah policy experts gather for discussions hosted by the University of Utahs Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 18, 2024.

Its been 20 years and a couple of months since Utahs 14th governor, Mike Leavitt, left his third term as the states chief executive a bit early to serve, on the request of then President George W. Bush, as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

And just a couple years later, Leavitt would join Bushs cabinet as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

But at a Monday policy forum, hosted by the University of Utahs Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute and an event marking the release of Leavitts five-part memoir, the longtime public servant distinguished his time as Utahs top elected official.

Serving as governor was the professional opportunity of my life, Leavitt told the audience at Mondays discussion. It was a wonderful privilege. It was like receiving the worlds best scholarship.

Back to the future?

Leavitt said a lot has changed since that time but also underscored that many of the same critical challenges facing the state two-plus decades ago are back to relevance, including housing issues, matching higher education outcomes to employment needs and, yes, Utah freeways that are once again packed on a regular basis.

In a monograph on highway construction, Leavitt wrote that early in his first term he came to recognize that Utahs explosive population growth was straining roads across the state but particularly so through the states largest metropolitan area, Salt Lake County, and a section of I-15 that had not seen an upgrade for decades.

Every day, the traffic congestion commuters faced rivaled Californias worst, Leavitt wrote. Utahns had outgrown a system built 30 years earlier, which was now antiquated in terms of size, design, safety and efficiency.

For example, two major interstates  Interstate 15 (I-15) and Interstate 80 (I-80)  converged in Salt Lake City but used the same three lanes for several miles through the city center before diverging. The totality of these factors made traffic during peak periods untenable and a daily reminder of Utahs growth challenges.

As Leavitt was taking his first steps to formulate a plan to address the snarls, a big announcement elevated the need for an expansive roadway redo. On June 16, 1995, Salt Lake City was named to host the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The prospect of having the world visit Utah and experiencing the congestion was unacceptable, Leavitt wrote. I knew I needed to lead out on the issue and that I-15 would be the prime objective.

Leavitt said he knew he was asking a lot of residents and was hoping they had the patience to endure four years of disruption and discomfort that would include tearing down and rebuilding over 16 miles of freeway in Utahs busiest metropolitan area, replacing 142 overpasses, eight urban interchanges, and the junctions with I-80 and I-215  all at the same time.

While the project was completed on time for Utahs debut Olympic hosting duties, the state once again finds itself with an Olympic event on the horizon and a transportation system that is in dire need for new investment, a focus of one of a trio of panel discussions on Monday.

Tom Warne, who was the head of the Utah Department of Transportation when the 1990s I-15 rebuild was underway, said critics at the time argued that putting in 10 lanes was outrageous and we will never fill them.

Transportation is more than road building

Utahs population has continued to boom, and now finds itself officially a member of the midsize group of states, and, according to a Gardner Policy Institute report released last October, once again finds itself facing widespread traffic congestion. Wasatch Front Regional Council Executive Director Andrew Gruber notes solving transportation challenges requires a broader effort than just funding new highway projects.

Our legislature has made huge investments in roads, transit and trails, Gruber said. As we become a medium-size state, we have to provide these options and choices for people. For where they live and how they want to get around.

Transportation investment alone is not enough. Land use itself has to be a strategy for how we absorb growth. How and where we grow is just as important as our transportation investments.

Mobility will be tech-enabled

Leavitt said technology advancements are playing an increasingly pertinent role in transportation planning and recounted a visit to Beijing, China, where he had the chance to tour an autonomous vehicle test area. He noted China now has some 200 companies working on advancing autonomous vehicle technology.

When we talk about driving around an autonomous vehicle, its not just whats going on with the car, Leavitt said. Its whats going on with infrastructure.

And thats an area in which Utah transportation planners have embraced a good deal of preparation foresight, according to current UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras, who said the agency has been requiring the installation of fiber optic infrastructure in new projects for years which has led to a nation-leading connectivity.

Ninety-seven percent of all the traffic signals in the state are connected, Braceras said. Theres not a state in the country that has anything like that.

And that connectivity is a setup for connected autonomous vehicles, Braceras added.

Sponsored by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, in partnership with the Deseret News and Hinckley Institute of Politics, the invite-only Past is Prologue public policy discussions, featuring Leavitt and a wide range of state leaders, continue in April with further panel topics including Salt Lake Citys Olympic bid, caring for those in need and taxation issues.
France has joined Poland in its demand of additional restrictions on import of Ukrainian agricultural products which endangers the negotiations concerning the extension of tax-free access to the EU market for Ukraine for one more year.

Source: Politico with reference to three European officials

Details: French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish PM Donald Tusk met on 15 March at the Weimar Triangle meeting in Berlin where they urged the public to support Ukraine in its resistance against Russias full-scale war of aggression.

The leaders signed an agreement to bring the positions of Paris and Warsaw closer to one another ahead of the negotiations aimed at settling disagreements which arose between the EU countries and the European Parliament concerning the trade with Ukraine.

Two officials quoted by Politico refer to the estimates showing that this change would cost Ukraine 1.2 billion of trade income.

"Thats a massive cut to a country that needs all the help it can get. The member states that are making the biggest show of their support to Ukraine are also the ones doing the most damage to the country," one of the officials stated.

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France supports Poland's efforts to keep Ukrainian imports out

France is backing Poland's push to limit agricultural imports from Ukraine, threatening to derail talks on Kyiv's free trade with the EU, Politico reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met at the Weimar Triangle summit on Friday, urging support for Ukraine while simultaneously forging closer ties between Paris and Warsaw.

Read also:

These discussions aim to iron out any discrepancies between EU member states and the European Parliament regarding trade with Ukraine.

This shift could cost Ukraine 1.2 billion ($1.3 billion USD) in trade revenue, as assessed by the Commission, two anonymous diplomats reported.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Amidst the buzz of technological partnerships shaping the market, as seen with Alphabet's potential AI collaboration with Apple, investors are closely watching for opportunities that balance growth prospects with steady returns. In this climate, dividend stocks like PCTEL stand out for their potential to offer investors a blend of income and relative stability in a dynamic market landscape.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks In The United States

Name Dividend Yield Dividend Rating AGCO (NYSE:AGCO) 5.34%  Premier Financial (NasdaqGS:PFC) 6.58%  Peoples Bancorp (NasdaqGS:PEBO) 5.76%  Ennis (NYSE:EBF) 4.99%  First Interstate BancSystem (NasdaqGS:FIBK) 7.54%  Dillard's (NYSE:DDS) 4.93%  Burnham Holdings (OTCPK:BURC.A) 6.90%  Agree Realty (NYSE:ADC) 5.31%  ALLETE (NYSE:ALE) 4.87%  ONEOK (NYSE:OKE) 5.09% 

Click here to see the full list of 173 stocks from our Top Dividend Stocks screener.

Here we highlight a subset of our preferred stocks from the screener.

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: PCTEL, Inc. is a global provider of industrial Internet of Things (IoT) devices, antenna systems, and test and measurement solutions with a market capitalization of approximately $132.95 million.

Operations: PCTEL, Inc.'s revenue is primarily derived from its Antennas & Industrial IoT Devices segment, which generated $59.50 million, and its Test & Measurement Products segment, contributing $27.76 million.

Dividend Yield: 3.1%

PCTEL, despite a robust earnings growth of 274.3% last year and a forecasted annual earnings increase of 17.15%, faces challenges with its dividend sustainability. The payout ratio at 95.8% suggests dividends aren't well covered by earnings, complemented by a dividend yield (3.15%) below the US market's top quartile (4.61%). However, cash flows are healthier with a cash payout ratio of 43.6%. Recent product advancements may bolster operational efficiency but delisting raises questions about accessibility for investors.

Story continues

NasdaqGS:PCTI Dividend History as at Mar 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Standard Motor Products, Inc. is a company that specializes in manufacturing and distributing replacement automotive parts across the United States and internationally, with a market capitalization of approximately $684.30 million.

Operations: Standard Motor Products, Inc.'s revenue is derived from three primary segments: Vehicle Control ($737.93 million), Temperature Control ($337.75 million), and Engineered Solutions ($282.59 million).

Dividend Yield: 3.7%

Standard Motor Products (SMP) maintains a decade-long record of increasing dividends, underpinned by a 22% cash payout ratio and 39.9% earnings payout ratio, indicating a sustainable dividend policy. The company's P/E ratio of 10.8x is below the US market average, suggesting value potential relative to peers. However, recent financials show a year-over-year decline in Q4 sales and net income with flat to low single-digit sales growth projected for 2024; this may pressure future dividend growth despite current stability. On February 5th, SMP affirmed its quarterly dividend commitment at US$0.29 per share, reflecting ongoing shareholder returns amidst modest performance metrics.

NYSE:SMP Dividend History as at Mar 2024

Simply Wall St Dividend Rating: 

Overview: Qifu Technology, Inc. is a company that operates its credit-tech platform under the 360 Jietiao brand within the Peoples Republic of China, with a market capitalization of approximately $2.98 billion.

Operations: Qifu Technology, Inc. generates its revenue primarily from unclassified services, amounting to CN16.29 billion.

Dividend Yield: 6.3%

Qifu Technology's dividend history is marred by volatility, with significant annual fluctuations over the past two years. Despite this, its dividends appear sustainable with a 28.7% earnings payout ratio and an even more conservative 18.9% cash flow payout ratio. The company's recent actions, including a share buyback program and reaffirmation of its semi-annual dividend policypledging 20-30% of GAAP net income after taxsignal confidence in its financial health despite past inconsistencies in dividend payments.

NasdaqGS:QFIN Dividend History as at Mar 2024

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is touring three Nato partner countries in the Caucasus, two of them divided by warfare - with two NATO member states backing each of the belligerents.

Stoltenberg started his three-day tour on Sunday in Azerbaijan, host of the upcoming Cop 29, the UN climate change summit.

In a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, he stressed the need to fight global warming, and called climate change a "crisis multiplier" with implications for global security.

Praising energy-rich Azerbaijan for its "important role in delivering (natural) gas to key NATO allies," Stoltenberg said "the challenge is that the world needs energy, but at the same time we need to fight global warming."

"We need to reconcile the need for energy and environment," he said, adding that "climate change matters for security, matters for NATO."

But he also mentioned the conflict with Armenia, saying that "there is now a possibility to achieve lasting peace" after Aliev said that both countries were "currently in the active phase of peace negotiations."

In September, Azerbaijan's army entered Nagorno-Kharabakh, an enclave that was self-ruled by the majority Armenian population, and after a short bombing campaign, drove out all Armenians, claiming the territory for itself.

France's Armenia puzzle



Read more on RFI English



Read also:

France to raise Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict at UN Security Council

Marking 20 years since France "upheld the truth" and recognised the Armenian Genocide

Azerbaijan mulls French calls to join terrorism fight in the Sahel
United States and the Ramstein coalition will not allow Ukraine to fail, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in his opening remarks at the 20th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense on March 19.

"Ukrainian troops are now in harsh conditions and are fighting hard, and Ukrainian civilians are under constant attack from Russian missiles and Iranian drones, he said.



But Ukraine will not back down, and neither will the United States. So our message today is clear: The United States will not allow Ukraine to fail. This coalition will not allow Ukraine to fail, and the free world will not allow Ukraine to fail," he said.

Read also: If Ukraine falls, NATO will have to fight Russia  Secretary Austin

The Pentagon chief also said that Russia "has paid a staggering price for Putin's imperial dreams."

Austin noted that the war chosen by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will cost Russia $1.3 trillion in earlier economic growth by 2026.

He added that Ukraine has sunk, destroyed or damaged about 20 medium and large Russian Navy ships and continues to shoot down Russian military aircraft.

Read also: Austin to attend Ramstein-Pentagon meeting in Germany

The Pentagon chief added that assistance to Ukraine is not an investment just for the struggle of Ukrainians against Russian aggression, but is an investment in European and global security.

Austin also noted that he had held the first meeting of the Capability Coalition Leadership Group, noting that together with partners, the United States are coordinating work on drones, resilience, command and control, training, and revitalizing defense industrial bases.

He said that the eight coalitions to build capacity have made "significant progress" in recent weeks.



According to Austin, it is possible to stop Putin if Western partners stand by Ukraine and provide it with the weapons it needs to defend itself.

"Ukraine's survival is at stake, Austin concluded.

And our entire security is at stake. That is why we will continue to stand together against Putin's campaign of conquest."

Read also: Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin to participate in Ramstein meeting

On March 12, the United States announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth $300 million. The package includes artillery shells and GMLRS missiles for the HIMARS system. After that, the Pentagon said it would not be able to provide another "unplanned'' military aid package to Ukraine. The $300 million package was a "unique case".

On March 11, the Pentagon's website reported that the budget request for fiscal year 2025 included $300 million for Ukraine. The document said that the budget request was based on the 2022 National Defense Strategy, and that one of the priorities of this strategy was "countering the acute threat posed by the newly aggressive Russia."

The US Congress has not yet approved a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine. The Senate supported the bill on Feb. 13, but the House of Representatives is not considering it. CNN reported that the House may consider the aid package in late March or April.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
The hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus and its allies are urging colleagues to reject a forthcoming government funding package being crafted by congressional leaders, warning a vote for the legislation is a vote for the Biden administrations open border policies.

Forty-one Republicans signed onto a letter, led by Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-Va.) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), that came just days before Fridays shutdown deadline.

At some point, border security has to be more than something aspirational that we simply message on, the letter said. Is there a point at which we will refuse to let this happen on our watch, or is there no threshold of harm to our nation for which we would refuse to fund the government perpetrating the invasion?

The next government appropriations package funds multiple avenues Biden exploits to release millions into America, they said. From [the Department of Homeland Securitys] abuse of laws to release under parole and asylum, to the United Nations and [nongovernmental organizations] facilitating the trafficking of humans  the abuse can be checked, if the House of Representatives exercises its constitutional duty.

The caucus called for the GOP-led House to instead bring up an appropriations measure that forces the inclusion of the core elements of its flagship border bill, known as H.R. 2.

Of course, the fact that the funding package includes defense spending means many will rationalize a yes vote for the troops. Even setting aside the border, the power of the purse should also be used to stop the radical politicization of the Department of Defense, they wrote.

The letter comes as a bipartisan deal to fund swaths of the government  including the departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and State, along with the Internal Revenue Service and general government and foreign operations  and avert a shutdown later this week has been held up due to disagreements over the DHS bill.

Leaders initially indicated they would release text of the package Sunday, planning for a full-year stopgap measure for DHS. But that timeline slipped because of deep partisan divisions over border and immigration. Lawmakers say the remaining five bills are largely settled.

Pressed about negotiations Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that DHS needs a bill that adequately funds operational pace.

But there is much uncertainty around what the expected full-year funding plan for DHS will look like amid ongoing spending talks, particularly as the White House has become involved in discussions.

That is what the administration is fighting for. [They] want to make sure that they have the operational funding to do the job that they need to be doing, Jean-Pierre said, adding that the DHS has done the work to do what they can at the funding levels that they currently are operating in.

And we want to do everything that we can to make sure that they have that operational pace, she said, adding that the administration believes that DHS needs additional funding to deal with the security operations and much more that theyre dealing with at the border, obviously, and just more broadly all the work that the DHS has to do.

A source familiar with the matter also said Sunday part of the dispute is that Democrats are pressing for more funding for pay equity at the Transportation Security Administration, while Republicans want more dollars for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements detention and enforcement efforts.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Atmospheric testing in French Polynesia went on until 1974

French lawmakers are expected to launch a probe into the impact of the country's nuclear weapons tests in French Polynesia over three decades.

France detonated almost 200 bombs from the 1960s to the 1990s in French Polynesia -- a scattered Pacific island territory thousands of kilometres east of Australia -- including 41 atmospheric tests between 1966 and 1974.

"We need to ask ourselves what the French government knew about the impact of the tests before they were carried out, as they occurred and up to today," the largely communist GDR group in the National Assembly said in a written request for an investigation.

The GDR used its right to request one parliamentary investigation per session to demand the probe, which must be formally approved by the defence committee.

The blasts "had numerous consequences: They relate to health, the economy, society and the environment," GDR said in the text written by Mereana Reid Arbelot, a French Polynesian member of parliament.

She called for a "full accounting" of the consequences and added that the group wanted to "shed light" on how testing sites were first chosen during the 1950s.

Reid Arbelot said those decisions inflicted "trauma on the civilian and military populations".

GDR said that Paris' claims about how much radiation people were exposed to at the time of the tests are contested among scientists and should be revised.

Paris first opened a path to compensation in 2010 when it acknowledged health and environmental impacts.

A study published by the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) last year found that the nuclear tests slightly increased the risk of thyroid cancer for local people.

But campaigners at the time said that it should have looked at a larger segment of the population and called for more reparations.

On a 2021 visit, President Emmanuel Macron said the nation owed French Polynesia "a debt" for the nuclear tests, the last as recently as 1996.

He called for archives on the testing to be opened, save only the most sensitive military information.

France's independent nuclear programme was launched in the wake of World War II and pushed by Fifth Republic founder Charles de Gaulle.

One of nine nuclear powers in the world, it maintains a stock of around 300 warheads -- a similar level to China or Britain, but far short of heavyweights Russia and the United States.

French nuclear doctrine calls for the bombs to be used only if the country's "vital interests" are under threat -- a relatively vague term leaving the president wide leeway to decide on their use.

cds/tgb/ah/lth
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more measles cases have been reported in the U.S. in the first three months of 2024 than all of 2023.

There is a rise in measles cases nationwide. The Fresno County Public Health Department says this virus is one of the most contagious.

An official with UCSF in Fresno says measles spreads fast but it can be prevented.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection, said Geetha Sivasurbramanian, UCSF Fresnos Chief of Infectious Diseases. Typically measles can cause a pretty high fever, chills, fever. It can go up to 104. Along with it, you have a cough, you have some nasal congestion and redness in your eye, and conjunctivitis.

Last week, the Merced County Public Health Department confirmed a measles exposure.

Measles exposure confirmed in Merced Co., says Department of Public Health

In Fresno County, two cases were reported back in 2023. Now, the Public Health Department says there are no reports, but is preparing in case there is a confirmed exposure or case.

The health department will be following up on those and working hand in hand with other counties and with the state of California to make sure that any type of outbreak is limited, said Dr. John Zwifler with the Fresno County Public Health Department.

The department says if someone is exposed or infected with measles, there is a protocol health officers follow.

If youre fully vaccinated, youre not going to get it even if youre exposed, said Dr. Zweifler. But unless its been within three days of the exposure, then individuals who are exposed who are not fully vaccinated may be asked to quarantine. and when we say days seven through 21, after being away, after the exposure.

They said its important for anyone planning spring travel to make sure their measles vaccination status is up to date.

There have now been 58 cases this year reported in 17 states. Measles was believed to have been eliminated twenty years ago.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
No more burgers, airplane decor or old-timey gas pumps.

A prime spot in Fresnos River Park that was once home to Brooks Burgers and World Sports Cafe has been transformed into something entirely different. Now its a high-end Japanese restaurant with modern cuisine, trees climbing the walls and calming botanical murals

O-iza Modern Japanese opens to the public Wednesday  and is something completely new for Fresno.

Its upscale sushi and Japanese food, with glimmers of something extra: gold leaf atop sushi, prime Wagyu beef cooked at your table, and sushi and caviar served on a bed of black pebbles teeming with dry ice.

Its the type of restaurant owner Jason Lin visits in places like Tokyo and Taiwan.

The No. 1 thing is I want to bring something different to Fresno, he said. Theres no really nice, high-end exclusive, special-occasion restaurants that have Japanese cuisine.

O-iza Japanese Cuisine is a new sushi and modern Japanese cuisine restaurant that opens this week in the old Brooks Burgers location in the River Park shopping center. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

Reservations are strongly advised and can be made via ExploreTock.com.

Lin has tweaked the restaurants dishes to appeal to Fresnos tastes.

He knows the local customer base through his other restaurants. This is his third in River Park, having opened Spicy Js Specialty Chinese Cuisine and J Pot Mini Hot Pot & Bar.

His family-owned company also launched Hino Oishi and two Ramen Hayashi locations, and runs Lins Fusion, the Asian buffet on Blackstone Avenue.

Lin said he was motivated to launch O-iza after seeing local restaurateurs open Saizon. The modern, upscale Napa-meets-Mexico-City restaurant at Shepherd and Willow avenues opened in late 2022.

Id see what theyre doing and it inspired me to do something high-end, he said.

Since River Park didnt have a sushi place after Yoshino closed its north Fresno location (the Blackstone and Bullard avenues location is still open), Lin decided to open one  with his own twist.

Hamachi ceviche is served with tempura nori chips at O-iza Japanese Cuisine in the River Park shopping center. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

The food

The menu is about 50% sushi and 50% everything else.

Theres lots of uni  sea urchin  on the menu. Executive sushi chef Shiyong Elvis Weis favorite is the uni nori, made with uni, raw tuna, nori (seaweed) tempura, caviar and that gold leaf.

Wei would stay up to til 4 a.m. testing different sauces at the Hino Oishi kitchen trying to get everything on the O-iza menu just right.

Here, we make it different than regular, he said. Its very unique in Fresno, very special.

Theres a surf and turf made with raw Wagyu beef and jumbo shrimp. A pasta, almost like a carbonara, is made with uni and a Japanese twist. And theres bone marrow soup.

An appetizer expected to be a favorite is the A-5 Hot Rock. Its made with Wagyu beef (A-5 is best quality of Wagyu there is). A small grill is brought to the table, where the beef is cooked on a large black hot rock atop the grill.

Uni, or sea urchin, with shiso and caviar comes with dry ice fog pouring off the rocks its served on at O-iza Japanese Cuisine in the River Park shopping center. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

For people wanting something a little more familiar, theres the hibachi section of the menu (a reference to the grill the food is cooked on) that includes chicken, a tofu and vegetable dish, and garlic butter lobster tail.

Finding sources of many of these ingredients was a challenge, Lin said. Much of it is flown in from suppliers outside the country. That includes oysters from Canada, and amaebi, a large shrimp flown in from Japan thats still alive when it gets to O-izas kitchen.

Though that could lead to astronomical prices, Lin said hes trying to keep the menu affordable. Most entrees range from $26 to $49.

A collection of sake, Japanese rice wine, is available, ranging from $15 a serving to an $180 bottle. Cocktails made from sake, wine, beer and mocktails are also on the menu.

O-iza doesnt mean anything specific in Japanese. Instead, its a combination of names of restaurants from Lins past. Osaka was the eatery where he trained as a teppenyaki chef, and Izakaya was the first restaurant he opened in Fishers, Indiana with his dad and uncle when he was 18.

He combined their names to get O-iza.

I always remember where I came from, he said.

Head sushi chef Elvis Wei, left, and Ejony Herliyono prepare specialized sushi dishes at the raw bar at O-iza Japanese Cuisine in the River Park shopping center. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

For now, O-iza is open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, and until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Lunch hours are coming soon.

Two patios are also in the works. And the front of the restaurant will soon look completely different, with a wall so customers enter from the sides and lots of plants and greenery.

Its more rewarding to bring something back and do something that nobody has really done in Fresno, he said. I grew up in Fresno. Were very proud to be from Fresno and local.

Details: O-iza Modern Japanese is at 190 East El Camino in River Park. Visit ExploreTock.com for reservations.

The gyokuru martini comes with jumai sake, blue agave, lime juice, matcha, gold flakes along side a shot of nigori sake at O-iza Japanese Cuisine in the River Park shopping center. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

The king of the seas specialty maki is a sushi roll featuring Wagyu beef, baked lobster, asparagus, avocado and yuzu aioli paired with a lobster fruit salad and arriving at your table with dry ice fog flowing out of a serving boat at O-iza Japanese Cuisine in the River Park shopping center. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com

Tempura with shrimp and vegetables is ready to be served at O-iza Japanese Cuisine in the River Park shopping center. CRAIG KOHLRUSS/ckohlruss@fresnobee.com
FORT EUSTIS, Va. (WAVY)  The Fort Eustis Army Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is partnering with Virginia Chamber Foundation and Virginia Department of Veterans Services to host a hiring and networking event.

The event is open to veterans, transitioning service members, and their spouses.

Those in attendance will have the opportunity to connect with 30 Virginia-based employers.

Some of the businesses represented at the job fair include, Amentum, CISA, DAMUTH Trane, Dominion Energy, HII Newport News Shipbuilding, ITA International, Leidos and MI Technical Solutions.

The event takes place Wednesday, March 20 at The Fort Eustis Club, 2123 Pershing Ave. Fort Eustis from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Organizers say walk-ins are welcome but attendees can register in advance at virginiahvn.com/base/fteustis/.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
MARION COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A public funeral and remembrance ceremony is planned next week in Albuquerque for New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare, who was reportedly shot along Interstate 40 last week by a Marion man.

Justin Hares services begin at 1 p.m. EST on March 27 at Legacy Church located at 7201 Central Ave. NW in the city, the agency announced Monday on its Facebook page.

Its open to the public. Anyone wanting to donate flowers can do so by sending them to Daniels Family Funeral Services, 4310 Sara Rd Rio Rancho, NM 87124.

Hare died last Friday hours after being shot multiple times by a man authorities identified as 32-year-old Jeramy Smith of Marion.

Smith remains hospitalized in unknown condition at an Albuquerque-area hospital after being shot by Bernalillo County sheriffs deputies following a brief foot chase on Sunday.

Hes been charged with Hares murder. Smith is also a person of interest in the death of Pee Dee paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore. The 52-year-olds body was discovered last week in a remote area of Dillon County.

Smith was driving Machado-Fores white BMW when he shot Hare, police said.

News13 reported on Monday that Smith has an extensive arrest record spanning 15 years. Hes currently not facing any charges in connection with Machado-Fores disappearance or death.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
A Georgia man serving a federal prison sentence fraudulently obtained money from a pandemic relief program, officials say.

A judge sentenced Isaac Camon, 49, of Valdosta, to prison last week for taking advantage of the pandemic unemployment program while he served his sentence for unrelated drug trafficking and gun convictions in Florida.

Camon clearly has no regard for the law, as he decided to defraud Georgia during a national emergency while he was still serving time for drug trafficking, said Rich Bilson, supervisory senior resident of FBI Atlantas Valdosta office.

Camon was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. Tripp Self III to serve three years in prison for wire fraud, plus three years in prison for revocation of his supervised release, for a total of six years. That term will be followed by three years of supervised release and Camon will not be eligible for parole.

This lengthy sentence ... will hopefully put an end to Camons career as a criminal, Bilson said.

On June 16, 2020, Camon filed a fraudulent online claim for federal and state pandemic unemployment assistance with the Georgia Department of Labor, according to court documents.

Camon falsely asserted he worked for two companies during a period when he was actually serving a federal sentence in a prison, a halfway house or on home confinement. Camon never reported any work income for tax purposes and one of the companies Camon claimed to work for wasnt in operation at the time he claimed to work for them.

Camon is being held accountable for an intended fraud loss of $19,452; the restitution amount payable to the Georgia Department of Labor is $16,322.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721.
(NewsNation)  Florida lawmakers unanimously passed a domestic violence bill that includes language pushed for by the family of Gabby Petito. A co-sponsor of that bill says she hopes itll make a difference.

According to the CDC, one in three women in the United States will experience physical violence from an intimate partner during their lifetime. The bill signals a significant step forward in addressing the pervasive issue of domestic violence, according to state Sen. Erin Grall.

Human remains found after toes seen sticking out

A lot of times the victims are dismissedTraining for law enforcement on these types of instances is really important, Grall, a co-sponsor of the bill, said during a Sunday interview on NewsNation Prime.

The bill is named after 22-year-old Gabby Petito who was found dead in 2021 after being reported missing while on a road trip with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie. The legislation, which is now headed to the governors desk, includes language pushed for by Gabbys father, Joe Petito, and aims to address crucial gaps in law enforcement responses to such incidents.

Grall emphasized the importance of providing law enforcement officers with the necessary tools and training to effectively handle cases of intimate partner violence.

Laundrie was a person of interest in the case. He refused to talk with authorities and disappeared Sept. 13, 2021. His body was found near the Carlton Reserve in Florida on Oct. 20, and identified the next day. Petitos body was found at a camping area in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming in September, days after a nationwide search was launched.

Timeline of Petito disappearance, Laundrie manhunt

The bill mandates a set of questions for law enforcement officers to ask potential victims of domestic abuse when responding to calls. This standardized approach seeks to ensure that victims receive consistent support and are made aware of the dangers they may be facing.

Reflecting on the tragic circumstances surrounding Petitos death, Grall acknowledged the missed opportunities in her interactions with law enforcement. Police in Moab, Utah, received backlash after encountering Petito and Laundrie following a reported fight near Arches National Park shortly before her disappearance. Laundrie was taken to a hotel room for the night while Petito made other arrangements, but no additional action was taken.

The bill requires the collaboration of various state agencies and domestic violence organizations to identify and address gaps in victim support services.

Following its passage through the Florida Senate, the bill now awaits the governors signature to become state law. If signed, it would go into effect July 1, 2024.

Once enacted, the focus will shift to the thorough implementation of training programs for law enforcement officers, with a target completion date of October 1, 2026.

Grall underscored the need for coordination between law enforcement agencies and domestic violence centers to ensure victims are connected with vital resources and support services.

NewsNation affiliate WFLAs Kevin Accettulla contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
When a single insider purchases stock, it is typically not a major deal. However, when multiple insiders purchase stock, like in Rox Resources Limited's (ASX:RXL) instance, it's good news for shareholders.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares.

See our latest analysis for Rox Resources

Rox Resources Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when CEO, MD & Non-Executive Director Robert Ryan bought AU$98k worth of shares at a price of AU$0.24 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of AU$0.16. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

While Rox Resources insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. Their average price was about AU$0.22. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

ASX:RXL Insider Trading Volume March 19th 2024

Rox Resources is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying.

Insider Ownership

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. From our data, it seems that Rox Resources insiders own 8.5% of the company, worth about AU$5.0m. However, it's possible that insiders might have an indirect interest through a more complex structure. We do generally prefer see higher levels of insider ownership.

Story continues

So What Do The Rox Resources Insider Transactions Indicate?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. We'd like to see bigger individual holdings. However, we don't see anything to make us think Rox Resources insiders are doubting the company. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Rox Resources has 5 warning signs (4 are significant!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

Of course Rox Resources may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The Galapagos islands are cracking down on overtourism by doubling their entry fee

The Galapagos Islands is doubling its entry fee for tourists.

From August 2024, visitors from most countries will be required to pay $200 (184), up from $100 (92) currently.

The Ecuadorian archipelago is the latest to crack down on overtourism with a hike in tourist tax.

It is hoped that the higher fee will discourage some visitors and reduce pressure on the wildlife-rich destination.

Who will have to pay extra to visit the Galapagos Islands?

Visitors from all foreign countries will face higher fees to enter the Galapagos Islands - but some will pay less than others.

Tourists from Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay will see fees rise from $50 (46) to $100. Ecuadorian nationals will soon have to pay $30 (27.50) - a significant increase on the current $6 (5.50).

All other nationalities must pay the new $200 fee - a one-off charge that covers the entirety of their 60-day visa-free stay.

The fee for children under 12 years old will rise from $50 to $100, while infants under two years old will not be charged.

It will be the first time the fees have been raised since 1998.

The Galapagos Islands are doubling their entry fee for tourists. - Canva

Why are entry fees for the Galapagos Islands increasing?

The fees are increasing to help raise more funds for conservation, infrastructure and the community, according to the Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT).

It is hoped the money will help support the islands unique wildlife, as well as the tourism industry that depends on it.

A sharp rise in tourists to the Galapagos in recent years is putting pressure on water and food resources, along with waste management.

In 2022, almost 268,000 tourists visited the archipelago - close to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 and a steady increase from the 180,800 in 2012 and 215,700 in 2014.

It is also feared that the rise in foreign visitors increases the risk of invasive species being introduced to the islands and disturbing their delicate ecosystem.

The Galapagos Islands are not only a national treasure but a global one, Niels Olsen, Ecuadors Minister of Tourism, said in a statement shared with GCT. It is our collective responsibility to protect and preserve this unparalleled ecosystem for future generations.

The islands have a delicate ecosystem. - Canva

How else is Galapagos protecting itself from overtourism?

Spanning almost 8,000 square kilometres across 19 main islands - four of which are inhabited - Galapagos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ecuadors first national park. The country has declared 97 per cent of the islands area as protected.

Galapagos is home to nearly 9,000 species, many of them endemic - including the Galapagos tortoise, marine iguana and flightless cormorant.

In 2016 and 2017, measures were taken to ensure tourism remains sustainable, including placing a moratorium on construction of new tourism projects, which is still in place.

Tour operators in Galapagos are also learning regenerative tourism techniques to ensure their businesses can last into the future.

A limit on the number of flights, established in 2012, also remains.

Most visitors reach the islands by air from mainland Ecuador, with direct flights from Guayaquil and Quito. Alternatively, it takes around three days to reach the archipelago by cargo boat from Guayaquil.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti  Gangs attacked two upscale neighborhoods in Haitis capital early Monday in a rampage that left at least a dozen people dead in surrounding areas.

Gunmen looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin before sunrise, forcing residents to flee as some called radio stations pleading for police. The neighborhoods had remained largely peaceful despite a surge in violent gang attacks across Port-au-Prince that began on Feb. 29.

An Associated Press photographer saw the bodies of at least 12 men strewn on the streets of Petionville, located just below the mountainous communities of Laboule and Thomassin.

Crowds began gathering around the victims. One was lying face up on the street surrounded by a scattered deck of cards and another found face down inside a pick-up truck known as a tap-tap that operates as a taxi. A woman at one of the scenes collapsed and had to be held by others after learning that a relative of hers was killed.



Abuse! This is abuse! cried out one Haitian man who did not want to be identified as he raised his arms and stood near one of the victims. People of Haiti! Wake up! An ambulance arrived shortly afterward and made its way through Petionville, collecting the victims.

We woke up this morning to find bodies in the street in our community of Petionville, said Douce Titi, who works at the mayors office. Ours is not that kind of community. We will start working to remove those bodies before the children start walking by to go to school and the vendors start to arrive.

It was too late for some, though. A relative of one of the victims hugged a young boy close to his chest, with his head turned away from the scene.

The most recent attacks raised concerns that gang violence would not cease despite Prime Minister Ariel Henry announcing nearly a week ago that he would resign once a transitional presidential council is created, a move that gangs had been demanding.



Gangs have long opposed Henry, saying he was never elected by the people as they blame him for deepening poverty, but critics of gangs accuse them of trying to seize power for themselves or for unidentified Haitian politicians.

Also on Monday, Haitis power company announced that four substations in the capital and elsewhere were destroyed and rendered completely dysfunctional. As a result, swaths of Port-au-Prince were without power, including the Cite Soleil slum, the Croix-des-Bouquets community and a hospital.

The company said criminals also seized important documents, cables, inverters, batteries and other items.

As gang violence continues unabated, Caribbean leaders have been helping with the creation of a transitional council. It was originally supposed to have seven members with voting powers. But one political party in Haiti rejected the seat they were offered, and another is still squabbling over who should be nominated.

Meanwhile, the deployment of a U.N.-backed Kenyan police force to fight gangs in Haiti has been delayed, with the East African country saying it would wait until the transitional council is established.

In a bid to curb the relentless violence, Haitis government announced Sunday that it was extending a nighttime curfew through March 20.


FILE - The Gannett Co. headquarters sign is seen, July 14, 2010, in McLean, Va. The media company Gannett, publishers of USA Today and owner of the nation's largest newspaper chain, said Tuesday, March 19, 2024, that it would stop using journalism from The Associated Press later this month, severing a century-old partnership. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

NEW YORK (AP)  The Gannett and McClatchy news chains, publishers of more than 230 outlets including USA Today and the Miami Herald, have said they will stop using journalism from The Associated Press amid continued financial pressures for the news industry.

The decision by Gannett, the nation's largest newspaper chain, severs a century-old partnership. It enables us to invest further in our newsrooms, Gannett spokeswoman Lark-Marie Anton said on Tuesday.

A memo from Gannetts chief content officer Kristin Roberts directed the chains editors to stop using stories, videos and images provided by AP on March 25. The memo, obtained by The Associated Press, was first reported by The New York Times.

Shortly after, AP said it had been informed by McClatchy that it would also drop the service. A McClatchy spokesperson did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Like most newspaper companies, Gannett and McClatchy have been struggling financially for several years. Gannetts workforce shrank 47% between 2020 and 2023 because of layoffs and attrition, according to the NewsGuild. The company also hasnt earned a full-year profit since 2018, according to data provided by FactSet. Since then, it has lost $1.03 billion. The hedge fund Chatham Asset Management took control of the formerly family-owned McClatchy, with outlets in 30 U.S. markets, in a bankruptcy auction in 2020.

The AP was disappointed, considering there had been productive discussions with both news organizations, spokeswoman Lauren Easton said. The news cooperative remains hopeful that both chains would continue to support AP beyond their current contracts, she said.

We appreciate that these are difficult decisions to make and deeply understand the challenges the news industry faces, Easton said. At the same time, this would be a disservice to news consumers across the U.S. who would no longer see fact-based journalism from the AP.

Those involved would not specifically discuss how much money the news chains would save by this move, although it is likely to be in the millions of dollars.

In an earlier era, when fees from U.S. newspapers provided AP with virtually all of its revenue, such decisions would have represented a financial earthquake for the news cooperative. But AP has diversified its services with the decline of newspapers and U.S. newspaper fees now constitute just over 10% of its annual income.

With reporters in all 50 states and nearly 100 countries, The Associated Press provides news through text, still photography, audio and video for news organizations that can't afford such reportorial reach on their own. The company says that AP's journalism is seen by over half the world's population every day.

The AP won two Pulitzer Prizes last year for its coverage of the Ukraine war. Partnering with PBS' Frontline, AP last week won its first Academy Award, with the film 20 Days in Mariupol honored as best documentary feature.

APs diversification efforts include offering its journalism directly to consumers through an advertising-supported website. The company also provides production services and software to newsrooms across the world. This week, AP launched an e-commerce site called AP Buyline, run by the company Taboola, that provides product content and reviews for consumers.

Gannett said it would continue paying for two of APs most visible services: its extensive election-related polling and vote-counting, and the AP Stylebook that sets guidelines for journalism practices and word usage. It said it has signed an agreement with Reuters to provide news from around the world in multiple formats, including video.

Key to this initiative is ensuring that we extend the reach of the work we do to more readers, viewers and listeners nationwide, Roberts said in her memo.

With a contract for APs content that lasts to the end of 2024, it was not clear why Gannett is choosing to cut things off next week. While there remains the possibility that it represents a negotiating tactic for AP to lower its fees, Anton said she was not aware of any contract negotiations.

McClatchy's latest contract with AP was due to expire early next year, Easton said.
This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

Two weeks after her brother Garrison Brown's death, "Sister Wives" star Maddie Brown Brush is sharing a message about mental health, social media and the impact of his loss.

In a new Instagram video, the "Sister Wives" star spoke to her brother's state before his sudden death on March 5.

Mental health is so important and I dont think we talk about it enough and I dont think we do enough to bring awareness. It wasnt bullying. It wasnt a lack of love that Garrison had. It was mental health," she said.

"And I am going to continue talking about mental health and self care until I am blue in the face because I don't think it's talked about enough in a way that people understand it."

Police in Flagstaff, Arizona told NBC News the 25-year-old appeared to have died by suicide.

She addressed this topic in the caption of her post, writing, "I shared with a friend, who has also been intimately touched by the tragedy of suicide, how surreal it feels to step back into the rhythm of 'normal life'  observing others engaged in their everyday routines while my mind remains consumed with thoughts of Garrison. She acknowledged that the shadow of such a loss lingers for months. Though I am not naive to the fact of returning to what once was normal wont be happening. I find myself prepared to start getting back into this new normalcy."

Brown Brush said she believes social media negatively impacted her brother.

Social media is not real ... its a highlight reel and that was something that Garrison and I talked a lot about. Garrison used to feel like he wasnt doing enough because he was comparing himself to things on social media. I dont think that its real and I think we need to remember that," she said, adding that she's "done with filters."

She ended her video by acknowledging the importance of "community" during the grieving process and expressed gratitude for the support of her siblings.

"We're all very strongly opinionated people and we have disagreements on other things. But the way that we can show up for each other and love each other even in this time, even with our differences (is wonderful)," she said.

She also thanked the outpouring of love her family has received.

Brown Brush, who has three children, called the first week after he brothers death horrible. She said she spent the following week giving herself the space to grieve during her childrens spring break. This video is her first step back into "normalcy."

Garrison and Maddie Brown Brush are two of Janelle and Kody Browns six kids, and were raised in a polygamous family. Their parents announced their separation in December 2022. Three of Kody Browns other marriages have also ended.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Further escalation of the Israel-Hamas war could push around half of Gazas total population to the brink of starvation, a new report says. Also in the news: California, Ohio and Illinois brace for close primary contests and special elections on Tuesday. The First Four tips off the NCAA Men's tournament tonight.

 I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. These are our spring must-haves.

Here is the news to know Tuesday.

Gaza facing 'catastrophic hunger'

Famine is "imminent" in the northern Gaza Strip and is projected to affect more than 200,000 Palestinians by May, the U.N.'s World Food Program has warned. The program cited a report released this week that says 70% of the 300,000 Palestinians in northern Gaza face "catastrophic hunger." The almost complete lack of access that humanitarian aid organizations face in northern Gaza will likely compound the problems of hunger, healthcare, water and sanitation, the report said. Meanwhile, Israeli forces launched another raid on the Gaza Strips largest hospital, saying it killed a Hamas commander who was hiding there. Read more

Trump yet again made comments which Jewish leaders called antisemitic.

Here's what to watch in Tuesday's primaries and elections

Tuesday's congressional primaries and special elections are promising tough contests and close battles as November's general election quickly approaches.

A different kind of March madness: National races like these give a sense of American voter sentiment ahead of the general election, especially in races where Donald Trump-backed candidates are on the ballot.

Ohio holds pivotal Senate primary: Voters will choose a Republican to compete with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the fall. And Trump has put his endorsement record on the line yet again.

Californians pick Kevin McCarthy's replacement: A pack of nine candidates are seeking the vacant Congressional seat from McCarthy, the Bakersfield Republican who was ousted from his leadership post late last year.

Primaries in Illinois and Ohio: Voters can cast ballots in these presidential primaries although the presumptive nominees for each  President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump  are all but set.

Related: Far-right conspiracy theories threw one voter integrity system into peril.

Former President Donald Trump, left, listens as Senate candidate Bernie Moreno speaks at a campaign rally Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio

More news to know now

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

A $454 million bond a 'practical impossibility' for Trump

Facing a fast-approaching deadline, former President Donald Trump hasn't been able to get a bond in his civil fraud case to shield his assets while he appeals a $454 million judgment, his lawyers told an appeals court in New York Monday. Trump would need nearly $1 billion in cash or cash equivalents to post the bond while also keeping his businesses running and paying other debts, they said in a court filing. The Trump team is pleading for the court to block New York Attorney General Letitia James from collecting on the judgment  which could begin next week  without requiring him to post a bond or deposit for the full amount. Read more

Supreme Court extends hold on Texas border law

The Supreme Court indefinitely paused a Texas law that would allow police to arrest migrants accused of crossing into the country illegally. The decision keeps on hold the law, originally set to go into effect on March 5, while its being litigated. Texas officials said the state is the nations first-line defense against transnational violence and the law is needed to deal with the deadly consequences of the federal governments inability or unwillingness to protect the border. But the Justice Department argues the law would create "chaos" in border enforcement. Read more

Keep scrolling

March Madness begins with First Four

The First Four is the kickoff party for the Men's 2024 NCAA Tournament. With two games on Tuesday and two on Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio, these games typically involve the four lowest-ranked conference champions and the four lowest-ranked at-large teams. The winners move on to the first round to make up the field of 64 for the NCAA Tournament. The teams hoping to bust brackets tonight are Wagner College, which is up against Howard University, and Colorado State faces Virginia. Read more 73014946007

Howard Bison guard Joshua Strong (30) plays the ball during NCAA Tournament First Four Practice at UD Arena.

Photo of the day: Peak bloom comes early

Washington, D.C.'s famous cherry blossoms burst into peak bloom on Sunday, drawing visitors to the springtime event to take in the natural beauty of the nation's capital. Click here for more photos of the pretty petals.

Visitors enjoy the cherry blossoms in Washington. The annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, which commemorates Japan's gift of 3,000 cherry trees in 1912, runs from March 20 - April 14.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this  subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel-Hamas war, primary election, Trump trial, border, March Madness, spring: Daily Briefing
Gaza's waterfront is now the focus for desperate civilians waiting for aid drops as the territory faces famine - ASHRAF AMRA/ANADOLU VIA GETTY IMAGES

Gazas waterfront properties could be very valuable, Donald Trumps son-in-law has said, as he suggested Israel rehouse displaced civilians in the desert.

Jared Kushner, a former property dealer who served alongside his wife Ivanka Trump as senior White House advisers to her father, also told an audience at Harvard University that a Palestinian state would be a super bad idea.

Gazas waterfront property could be very valuable  if people would focus on building up livelihoods, Mr Kushner said in a discussion chaired by Prof Tarek Masoud, Harvards Middle East Initiative faculty chair.

His comments emerged after an international early warning system set up by governments and NGOs determined that half the population of Gaza was on the brink of famine.

Israels planned ground offensive in the border city of Rafah could leave around 1.1 million people facing catastrophic hunger, the UN-backed food security assessment warned.

The near total destruction of buildings along the beaches of Gaza can be seen in this photo posted to Twitter by the Israel Defense Forces - TWITTER/IDF

The West has struggled to respond to the looming humanitarian catastrophe, with US and European aid airdrop efforts criticised as inefficient by some international aid organisations.

Earlier this month, Joe Biden announced the US would deliver aid to Gaza from a floating pier, but that too is fraught with logistical and security challenges. A US military ship is en route carrying building equipment.

Speaking at Harvard, Mr Kushner said: Its a little bit of an unfortunate situation there, but from Israels perspective I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up.

Asked about concerns that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, would not allow Palestinians to return, Mr Kushner said: Maybe.

I am not sure there is much left of Gaza at this point. If you think about even the construct, Gaza was not really a historical precedent [sic]. It was the result of a war, he added.

But I dont think that Israel has stated that they dont want the people to move back there afterwards.

Mr Kushner also criticised all the money that had gone into the Hamas-run territorys weapons stockpile and underground tunnel network instead of being used on education and innovation.

I would try to move people to the Negev

He suggested that establishing a Palestinian state would essentially be rewarding an act of terror.

A top priority for Israel, he said, should be moving civilians out of Rafah, and persuading Egypt to accept refugees with diplomacy.

In addition, he said the Jewish state should move displaced Gazans to the Negev desert in southern Israel.

I would just bulldoze something in the Negev, I would try to move people in there, he said. I think thats a better option, so you can go in and finish the job.

Prof Masoud asked if the proposal was something he would try to work on. Mr Kushner said: Im sitting in Miami Beach right now. And Im looking at the situation and Im thinking: what would I do if I was there?

Jared Kushner with his wife Ivanka and Donald Trump at the Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Miami this month - GIORGIO VIERA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

The 43-year-old was an unpaid senior adviser in his father-in-laws White House, and played a key role in brokering Mr Trumps foreign policy approach in the Middle East.

While in the White House, he produced a 180-page Middle East peace plan that was three years in the making and included efforts to normalise relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

It was endorsed by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, but led the Palestinian Authority to cut ties with the US and Israel.

Mr Kushners remarks at Harvard on March 8 may give some indication of how Mr Trump will approach the Israel-Hamas war should he win back the White House.

Kushners will not serve again in White House

However, Mr Kushner and his wife have both kept a distance from Mr Trumps 2024 campaign and have ruled out serving in a future Trump administration.

Israel has been waging its war in Gaza for more than five months following Hamass Oct 7 attack which killed about 1,160 Israelis, most of them civilians.

Around 130 hostages seized by the terror group are estimated to still be held in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.

More than 31,800 Gazans, mostly women and children, have also been killed in the conflict according to the territorys Hamas-run health ministry.

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.
Engadget

The Levoit Core 400S smart air purifier is 14 percent off in a deal on Amazon, bringing the price down to $190 from its usual $220. It's compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, and has a simple touch display with easy controls and at-a-glance information.
When Minnesota Rep. Kristin Bahner left a previous job years ago, a male co-worker told her to make sure she was paid what she was worth at her next position.

Bahner would come to learn that her male colleague made about $20,000 more per year than she did, despite her five years of experience compared to his one. She managed three teams to his one, she said.

"It was a wake-up call for me," Bahner said. "We know that the gender pay gap is real. We know that it gets wider with age and experience."

Now a DFL lawmaker from Maple Grove, Bahner is pushing legislation aimed at improving pay equity. Under her bill, companies with 30 or more employees would be required to disclose salary ranges in job postings. All postings would be required to list the minimum and maximum annual salary or hourly range of compensation, as well as a description of all benefits and other compensation.

The kind of pay gaps Bahner experienced, she said, quickly add up over the course of a career for workers who are more likely to be caring for children, parents and their spouse, she said. If the position had listed a salary range when she applied, Bahner said, she thinks she would have been paid more fairly.

Legislators see the bill as complementary to a law passed last year that barred employers from asking candidates for their salary history. That law went into effect on Jan. 1.

"When transparency is available it puts folks on a more level playing field where they are able to have those conversations with a potential employer," Bahner said. "It sets expectations if you know what the bottom of the range is versus the top, and you can ask critical questions."

Though Minnesota has one of the highest rates of women participating in the workforce, the state is ranked 20th in gender wage gaps  with 31 states having smaller gaps. Over a lifetime, the average woman in Minnesota loses $447,960 in wages attributable to the gap, according to a report by the Center on Women, Gender and Public Policy at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

For full-time workers in Minnesota, women earn 82 cents for every dollar that men make. For women of color, that number drops further: to 72 cents for Asian American women, 64 cents for Native American women and 57 cents for Latina women, according to a 2024 Women's Foundation of Minnesota report on the Status of Women and Girls in Minnesota.

Other states including New York, California and Colorado have passed similar salary pay transparency laws in recent years.

The reception to the Minnesota bill has been favorable from members of both parties, said Sen. Alice Mann, DFL-Edina, one of three senators signed onto the bill in the state Senate.

"Data shows that it's very easy to comply with. It's not a burden on businesses to do. Not only is it helpful for the employee, it's also very helpful for the employer. They get better-qualified job applicants, they get more job applicants. There's more trust between the two parties when this happens," Mann said.

Once there are gender pay gaps in a company's salary structure, it is more difficult to address them and they perpetuate themselves over time, said Christina Ewig, faculty director of the Center on Women, Gender and Public Policy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

If a man and a woman, or a white employee and a black employee, come into a company with radically different salaries, percentage-based raises over time will only widen that gap, she said.

New employment mandates that could make the hiring process more complicated are concerning to small business owners at a time when many are struggling to fill open positions, John Reynolds, Minnesota state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, said in an e-mail. However, they appreciate that the smallest business owners will be exempt, Reynolds said.

Applicants in some states with similar laws have noted that some companies list wide ranges in an effort to circumvent the law, with some job postings including ranges spanning more than $100,000.

"That's not helpful for prospective employees," Ewig said. "When the ranges are really wide, prospective employees have less trust in the organization that they're applying for."

Legislators behind the Minnesota bill plan to add a good-faith provision to discourage that, Bahner said.

Though enforcement won't be included in the first iteration of the bill, they hope to give employers time to get used to the new cultural change in job applications, Mann said. But with a tight labor market in Minnesota outpacing the rest of the U.S., both Mann and Bahner expect salary ranges to be a useful recruitment tool.

"I think we're at a place where if you want to attract top talent, you want to attract the best-qualified candidates, transparency is something that those candidates want," Bahner said. "It's something that they are demanding."
GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN)  East View High School in the Georgetown Independent School District is one of only 29 schools across the nation to get the rights to perform Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, outside of Broadway. The district announced Monday the school will put the play on this fall.

The school won the licensing rights after winning the Wands at the Ready contest. It asked schools across the country to make the case why their school is the most magical place to perform the play. Georgetown ISD told KXAN students brainstormed to come up with ideas how to prove that, eventually creating a one-minute commercial that parodied Now Thats What I Call Music titled Now thats Magical.

The contest required students to post a short video on social media, among other steps. Contest rules described magical as demonstrating how their school or drama program shows a passion for commitment to the arts, student inclusion and diversity and ways they play to promote the production within their communities.

The play picks up 19 years from where J.K. Rowlings last novel left off. It portrays Potter and his friends as grown-ups.

We are over the moon to tell this important story of a young man finding his place in the world and his family, and I cant think of a better group of students to share this experience with, said East View Theater Director Jon DeMitchell.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
A Georgia clemency panel has voted against allowing a death row inmate, who is set to be executed later this week, to spend the rest of his days in prison.

Willie James Pye, 59, has been on death row for the last 28 years after being convicted of the kidnap, robbery, rape and murder of 21-year-old Alicia Lynn Yarbrough back in 1993.

He is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 7pm ET on Wednesday at Georgia Diagnostic and Classification Prison in Jackson. His execution will mark the first carried out in Georgia in four years.

His legal team filed a recent clemency application seeking a stay in his execution but that effort was denied on Tuesday after the clemency panel deliberated for several hours. The board has the sole authority to grant clemency on a death penalty case in Georgia. The Independent has reached out to his attorneys for comment.

The board had the option to commute Pyes death sentence to life with or without the possibility of parole, issue a stay or deny clemency altogether.

Pyes attorneys have argued that he must not be executed for his crimes because he is intellectually unstable and feels remorse.

The application for Pyes clemency is based on several points: that his intellectual disability makes him ineligible for execution; the appalling conditions of his childhood; his non-threatening behaviour toward corrections staff; some jurors on his trial do not want him to be executed; and that he feels remorse for his crimes.

The attorneys also argued that the public defender at Pyes trial effectively abandoned his post, leaving no one and nothing, to stand between his client and death.

The application continued: Had defence counsel not abdicated his role, the jurors would have learned that Pye is intellectually disabled and has an IQ of 68. They also would have learned the challenges he faced from birth  profound poverty, neglect, constant violence and chaos in his family home  foreclosed the possibility of healthy development.

Attorneys put down Pyes low IQ in part to his mother abusing alcohol while she was pregnant with him. The average person has an IQ between 85 and 115.

This is precisely the kind of evidence that supports a life sentence verdict, the application added.

US Supreme Court filings in connection with the case state that Pye, Chester Adams and Anthony Freeman robbed, kidnapped, raped and murdered Yarbrough back in 1993.

At the time of her murder, the 21-year-old was living with her boyfriend  who was the father of her child  but had previously been in a romantic relationship with Pye.

Her boyfriend signed her childs birth certificate though Pye believed he was the father.

Court documents say this angered Pye and  after finding out that Yarbroughs boyfriend had received settlement money from a lawsuit  he and his accomplices planned to rob him.

When the men arrived at the couples home, they found Yarbrough alone. Pye held the woman at gunpoint and kidnapped her. The men then went to a motel where they took turns raping her, the documents state.

Afterwards, they put Yarbrough in a car and left, eventually stopping along a dirt road. Thats where authorities say Pye told the woman to get out of the car, made her lie face down and shot her three times.

Prosecutors tied Pye to the crime using DNA recovered from his victims body.

Adams pleaded guilty to his involvement in the crimes in April 1997 and was handed five consecutive life sentences and is still behind bars. Freeman confessed to the crimes, took a plea deal and was the main witness at Pyes trial.

Pye has requested a last meal of two chicken sandwiches, two cheeseburgers, french fries, two bags of plain potato chips and two lemon-lime sodas.
SINGAPORE, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Not-for-profit grassroots organisation, Fintech Nation , along with its venture capital arm, Fintech Nation Fund (FNF) , is featuring as a guest venture capital investor on Mediacorp's new business reality show on CNA, The Big Spark , on the 15th and 22nd March 2024.

Vanessa Ho, Co-Founder of Fintech Nation

In collaboration with esteemed venture capital firms, including Venture Catalysts++ , Hatcher+ , Antler , and Tin Men Capital , FNF will evaluate and potentially fund an outstanding startup from a pool of 24 contenders namely in Fintech, ESG, Edutech, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Software as a Service (SaaS), and health & wellness.

The aim is to allocate a collective S$1 million seed funding, showcasing a united endeavour to nurture and bolster innovation within the region.

This involvement underscores Fintech Nation's unwavering commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across fintech and various industry sectors.

Fintech Nation has been fostering the startup ecosystem, working in close collaboration with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) & Elevandi to introduce initiatives that effectively bring together capital and startups.

The organisation has played a crucial role in events such as the Fintech Festival Investor Summit and Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) Investor Hours, which facilitated connections between 600+ investors and 1000+ startups, significantly contributing to the vibrancy and dynamism of the fintech and broader startup ecosystem across Southeast Asia.

The Big Spark seeks to reinforce Singapore's role as an innovation hub by fostering connections among key ecosystem stakeholders to support emerging ventures.

Co-founder of Fintech Nation Fund, Vanessa Ho will appear on the show on 15th and 22nd March, offering insights into FNF's investment ethos, focusing on sustainable business models, founder synergy, and strategic industry alignment.

Vanessa Ho, Co-founder of Fintech Nation: "The Big Spark is an exceptional initiative because it provides a unique platform for startups to connect with seasoned industry leaders, gain invaluable insights, and access resources that are crucial for scaling their solutions in today's competitive landscape.

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"Our participation reflects our continuous commitment to support startups and founders. This platform enables us to showcase our approach to nurturing startups that are positioned to make a significant impact on their industries and the broader ecosystem."

Varun Mittal , Co-founder of Fintech Nation: "We assess business models with the potential to develop into sustainable franchises, focusing on revenue models, customer acquisition, founder ownership, unit economics, contribution margins, and the founders' backgrounds. We aim to identify startups led by individuals best suited to solve their target problems, ensuring long-term success."

"Our objective is to support teams capable of adapting to the startup environment's inherent instabilities, fostering sustainable growth. Initiatives like The Big Spark are merely the initial steps in community engagement. We look forward to our participation in Season 2 and offering unwavering support to founders, extending well past the show's conclusion."

For more information about the Fintech Nation Fund, visit Fintech Nation's website .

Fintech Nation ( www.fintechnation.io ) is a not-for-profit grassroots platform founded by Varun Mittal to bring together the fintech community, regulators, investors, startups and corporates together. Started in 2020 with the development of the Fintech Nation book , it currently supports access and scaling talent, capital, policy and venture development in Singapore. It has recognized over 250 individuals through the Fintech 65 platform and invested in multiple startups through Fintech Nation Fund .

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SOURCE Fintech Nation
The Georgia Nursing Board sets the standards for nurses who wish to work in the field as part of an extensive licensing and certification process. The Georgia Justice Project is collaborating with legislators to propose a measure that would reduce some of the criminal barriers to dozens of professions that require licensing. Don Murray/Getty Images

Two Georgia legislative panels on Monday approved bills that criminal justice reform advocates contend will help thousands of people with minor criminal convictions improve their chances to find good jobs and housing.

The House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 157, intended to give Georgians convicted of minor offenses more access to professional licenses needed to work in one of every six jobs in Georgia. A few hours later on Monday night, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved House Bill 909, which would allow many more Georgians to keep their records sealed prior to their criminal sentence being completed under Georgias First Offender Act.

Both bills enjoy bipartisan support. The proposals are endorsed by the Georgia Justice Project as a step toward modernizing Georgias longstanding First Offender Act. Under the First Offender Act, some nonviolent felony convictions can be removed from the public record if the person has served their sentence. Both measures can still win legislative approval before the 2024 session is scheduled to end on March 28.

The professional licensing bill is designed to clarify the kinds of criminal charges a state board or agency can consider when deciding whether to grant someone a professional license if a criminal case is pending, if someone has pleaded guilty to a crime under the First Offender Act, or if there is another type of convictions.

An occupational board grants licenses to hundreds of thousands of Georgians who meet standards based on education and prior experience, passing certification exams and background checks. Professions licensed by the Georgia secretary of state range from nursing to hair stylist.

Many people are unaware that they have a chance to successfully win an appeal of licensing board denial or dont have the resources to go through that process, advocates say.

Georgia Justice Projects policy director, Wade Askew, said the bill is written in such a way that someone convicted of possessing a controlled substance would not necessarily be relevant to a number of professions that require licenses, but it could greatly affect a medical board overseeing nursing and pharmacy.

There are requirements that were making sure apply to everyone that say an offense has to be directly related to the relevant profession in order for it to be considered, Askew said.

If that record has been restricted and sealed and you run a private background check on your standard business then, no its not popping up for you, he said. If you are a sensitive employer, think medical, elder care, childcare and its a related offense, then you would see it.

The bill also says that a board can consider whether the applicant has committed an offense that could likely be a threat to public safety.

David Morgan, a government affairs associate at Reason Foundation, said the licensing bill would create more consistent guidelines for state officials who determine whether Georgians are permitted to work in specialty jobs.

Of course the legislation preserves boards ability to deny licenses in cases where applicants have criminal records directly related to occupation, and there is no evidence of rehabilitation, Morgan said about the bill sponsored by Sen. Brian Strickland, a McDonough Republican. These are common sense reforms that will get Georgians a second chance.

Mack Parnell, executive director with the conservative Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition, cited a letter signed by his organization and others like Georgia Chamber and Metro Atlanta Chamber, supporting a measure that could benefit many Georgians.

This is about building stronger families in Georgia and ensuring individuals have the opportunity to provide for their families, Parnell said.

Buzz Brockway, a lobbyist for Georgia Center for Opportunity, said the licensing bill is an example of how criminal justice reform could have a long-term benefit for Georgia residents. He praised former Gov. Nathan Deals criminal justice reforms that helped convicted under the First Offender Act finish substance abuse treatment and mental health courts programs.

I think this bill continues the good work that the Georgia Legislature has done really over the last decade in assisting people who have run afoul of the law at some point in their life to return back to society and get employment, Brockway said.

The revised version of the proposal to seal some conviction records seeks to resolve concerns about the original versions restrictions of judicial discretion and limiting access to records for those connected to the legal system.

This bill enables those people who have made a mistake of a certain nature the ability to recover from that and move on with their lives, Lyons Republican Rep. Leesa Hagan said at a committee hearing last week.

The post Georgia lawmakers advance bills aimed to give convicts of minor crimes easier path to work, housing appeared first on Georgia Recorder.
Last week, the judge overseeing the election-interference case against Donald Trump ruled that District Attorney Fani Willis could stay on the case she brought. While but one of many legal cases brought against the former president, this particular trail is notable for being held in Atlanta under Georgia state law  which means a reelected Trump could not pardon himself or anyone else.

To prosecute the case, Willis hired an outside attorney, Nathan Wade, as lead counsel. Because the case charges the defendants with collusion  it is being tried under the RICO laws  it is among the most complex any lawyer could bring. Oddly, the attorney Willis hired to bring it has zero experience trying any complex felonies, including RICO cases. He was a municipal judge, and then a private attorney who handled small accidents and injuries. So why would Willis choose him?

The co-defendants raised this question in a pre-trial hearing before Judge Scott McAfee, and presented considerable testimony, receipts, and other data questioning Willis truthfulness, financial integrity, and compliance with Georgia laws for public officials.

What the co-defendants had discovered was damning. Willis was in an amorous relationship with Wade and hired him after their entanglement began. He had been paid very generously with taxpayer money, and accompanied her on expensive trips. There was no evidence that the DA ever paid Wade for her share of the trips, as required by Georgia law, or that she had filed the required forms disclosing their relationship.

The defendants also raised a serious question about her influencing potential jurors by making a racially-charged speech about the case at an African-American church. Willis and Wade are black; the defendants are white. She told the congregation, in a televised speech, that she and Wade were being attacked because they are black.

For these reasons and more, the co-defendants asked Judge Scott McAfee to remove Willis and Wade from the case. The court hearing was televised and filled with that great triumvirate of American scandals: sex, money, and power.

Last week, Judge McAfee issued mixed rulings. Willis and her office could remain on the case, he said, but that Wade would have to go if she did. He resigned immediately. That was the headline news, featured on TV, newspapers, and podcasts. But it is not the end of the story.

Judge McAfee wrote that the prosecutors self-defense had the odor of mendacity. Thats fancy-talk for lying, a serious infraction if done during testimony under oath. Their statements will be examined by higher judicial authorities in Georgia and could jeopardise their law licenses. Willis will also hear that phrase repeated in her reelection efforts, where her troubles have elicited some competition.

Second, the judge threw out several key charges in the case, including the most damaging one against former President Trump. On a recorded phone call to Georgia election officials, then-President Trump had asked them to find over 11,000 votes, enough for him to win the state in 2020. Whether he was asking them to create those votes illegally was the crucial question.

But it turns out there is trouble with the recording of that call. Although it was recorded by a Georgia official, she was in Florida when she recorded it, and the law in that state, unlike Georgia, requires all parties to a conversation to consent to its recording. She never asked for that consent. In any event, that crucial charge against Trump and the co-conspirators was tossed out, along with several other important felony charges.

In fact, the judge found trouble with a lot of the counts. They detailed the relevant laws, he said, but they didnt really connect the defendants with their violation. That was his chief reason for dismissing them. The civilian words for that are really sloppy legal work. Not a good look for the District Attorney or her office.

Third, the co-defendants are likely to appeal the judges ruling, which could further delay the start of the trial. Thats important for Trumps election for two reasons. An ongoing trial would tie down the president during the heart of campaign season and a conviction would be extremely damaging politically.

Finally, RICO experts say the whole case is extremely weak, that Willis and her office have no experience trying such cases, and that they will have to master the materials that Nathan Wade dealt with before he resigned. At the very least, that will delay the trial, even if higher courts reject the co-defendants appeals. Moreover, Fani Willis conduct throughout the case has not only demonstrated bad judgment but a lack of legal sophistication. Thats good news for the defendants, bad news for the District Attorney.

Fani Willis has survived to fight on. But she resembles the beleaguered knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The judges ruling lopped her arms and legs off. She keeps screaming, Its a mere flesh wound, but her cries have the odor of mendacity.

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German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth 500 million euros (roughly $540 million) at a Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting in Ramstein, Germany, on March 19.

The meeting came at a precarious time for Ukraine and its allies, as Russia ramps up pressure along the front and $60 billion in aid from the U.S., a key military donor, remains stalled by disputes in Congress.

Germany's new package includes 10,000 artillery shells from the military stocks, as well as 100 armored vehicles for infantry and 100 logistical vehicles, Pistorius told reporters.

"We also continue to supply spare parts for systems that have already been delivered" and "large quantities" of medical supplies, he noted.

Germany will also finance the purchase of 180,000 artillery shells through the Czech-led initiative to supply ammunition to Ukraine, according to the minister. The delivery will take place gradually and begin this summer, he added.

The German defense minister said that during the Ramstein meeting, he spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, to discuss Kyiv's needs, namely munitions, air defense, and armored personnel carriers.

Initially a hesitant partner, Berlin has become Ukraine's second-largest military donor after the U.S. According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Germany has supplied Ukraine with 17.7 billion euros (around $19 billion) in military assistance as of January.

Germany and Ukraine signed a long-term bilateral agreement in February, under which Berlin pledged to provide Kyiv with military assistance worth 7 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in 2024.

Read also: Austin in Ramstein: Russia has paid a staggering cost for Putins imperial dreams

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A sign with a federal eagle and the words "General Federal Prosecutor at the Federal Court of Justice", is pictured taken in front of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office. Germany's public prosecutor has charged a German soldier with suspected espionage for allegedly providing information to a Russian secret service agency. Uli Deck/dpa

Germany's public prosecutor has charged a German soldier with suspected espionage for allegedly providing information to a Russian secret service agency.

According to statements made on Tuesday, the Karlsruhe authorities also accuse the man of violating official secrecy. It did not provide any details.

The security division of the Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court must now decide whether a trial will take place.

According to the statement, the accused had worked as a professional soldier at the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).

The Koblenz-based institution is responsible for equipping the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, with equipment and weapons as well as developing, testing and procuring defence technology.

From May 2023, the man is said to have offered to cooperate with the Russian consulate general in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin on several occasions - on his own initiative.

"On one occasion, he passed on information that he had obtained in the course of his professional activities to a Russian intelligence service for forwarding," the statement said.

Officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office detained the accused in Koblenz on August 9. He has been in custody since then. At that time, officers also searched the accused's home and workplace.

The investigations were conducted in close cooperation with the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) and Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the public prosecutor announced at the time.

This is not the first case of suspected espionage for Russia since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine in February 2022.

In Berlin, a former employee of the foreign intelligence agency (BND) is on trial on treason charges before the Court of Appeal. Carsten L. is alleged to have passed on secret information to a Russian intelligence service. The content is said to be a state secret within the meaning of the Germany's criminal code.

The German security authorities have stepped up their efforts to combat espionage by Russian services. Other European states are too and have expelled Russian agents since the war's start.
Germany has prepared a new package of military assistance for Ukraine worth approximately 500 million.

Source: German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius at the Contact Group for the Defence of Ukraine meeting, as reported by Tagesschau

Details: According to Pistorius, the package consists primarily of additional ammunition supplies  10,000 artillery shells from Bundeswehr warehouses.

The new aid package will also include 100 armoured infantry vehicles and 100 transportation vehicles.

US Secretary of Defene Lloyd Austin, opening the Ramstein meeting on Tuesday, promised that the United States will continue to support Ukraine's military efforts against Russia.

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said he would propose that the EU use 90% of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets in Europe to purchase weapons for Ukraine through the European Peace Facility.

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Two individuals accused of planning a firearms attack on Swedens parliament were arrested in Germany on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Office of the German Federal Prosecutor.

The pair, who authorities said are Afghan citizens, were arrested near the city of Gera in Thuringia, central Germany, on suspicion of terrorism, the statement said.

Germanys Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, said in a statement on Tuesday that one of those arrested is a suspected member of terror group ISIS, and one is a suspected supporter.

The Afghanistan Embassy in Berlin told CNN it had not received any communication on the matter from German federal authorities, saying it was ready to cooperate if needed.

The Embassy condemns, in the strongest terms, all ideological and acts of violence and terrorism in all its forms, it added in a statement.

According to the Office of the German Federal Prosecutor, the suspects received instructions on conducting the alleged planned attack from a branch of ISIS in the summer of 2023.

The attack was intended to be retaliation for the Quran burnings that took place in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries at the time, the prosecutor said. Police officers were among those set to be targeted, it added.

The two detainees made concrete preparations for the terror attack and unsuccessfully tried to procure weapons, the statement said. They also researched local conditions in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, where the attack was supposed to take place, it continued.

Both individuals had also previously collected donations amounting to around 2,000 Euros (around $2,170) to send to ISIS, investigators said.

The German federal prosecutor said that the suspects will be brought before the countrys Federal Court of Justice on Tuesday or Wednesday. The court will decide on arrest warrants and the execution of pre-trial detention regarding the suspects, it added.

Faeser said that the arrests show that Germany remains very vigilant and acts consistently to prevent Islamist attacks.

The threat of Islamist terrorism remains acute, Faeser said. Islamist terrorism continues to be a particular focus of the security authorities.

This story has been updated.

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SINGAPORE, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FinVolution Group (NYSE: FINV), a leading fintech company, today announced its financial results for the full year of 2023, highlighting significant global expansion and technological advancements throughout the year.

In 2023, FinVolution Group recorded a net revenue of US$1,767.3 million, marking a growth of 12.7% year-on-year, and a net profit of US$335.7 million, up 4.5%. Major operational indicators also experienced an uptick, with US$27.4 billion in facilitated transaction volume and US$9.5 billion in loan balance, up 10.8% and 4.3%, respectively.

Continued Business Expansion

Established in 2007, FinVolution is committed to providing inclusive finance solutions to underserved borrowers and small business owners in the pan-Asian region.

Despite macroeconomic challenges in 2023, the Group continued to expand its business globally. The cumulative number of borrowers served in China, Indonesia, and the Philippines reached nearly 30 million, a net increase of around 3 million new borrowers over the previous year.

The company's funding sources became more diversified as well, with partners expanding to 94 financial institutions as of December 31, 2023.

Since 2018, FinVolution has consistently returned value to its shareholders through a combination of share repurchases and dividends. In 2023, the company returned approximately US$160 million to its shareholders, comprising US$62 million in dividends and US$98 million through share buybacks.

Over the past six years, FinVolution has cumulatively repurchased shares totaling around US$280 million, demonstrating its confidence in its business outlook and its commitment to enhancing shareholder value.

Global Reach

FinVolution has strategically extended its global footprint since 2018, establishing localized online lending platforms "AdaKami" in Indonesia and "JuanHand" in the Philippines. Concurrently, it has empowered fintech companies across six countries with its industry-leading AI voice service platform "Blu."

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As FinVolution cemented its market foothold in Indonesia and the Philippines, its overseas lending platforms had cumulatively served 4.8 million borrowers by the end of 2023.

A larger user base contributed to an 85.9% year-over-year increase in international revenue to US$301 million. Throughout 2023, international transaction volume and outstanding loan balance soared to US$1.1 billion and US$177.8 million, up 84.7% and 57.5%, respectively.

FinVolution's Philippine brand has become one of the strongest players in the local market, with new borrowers increasing over 188%, transaction volume and outstanding loan balance surging over 200% year-over-year. In 2023, the brand was honored to be a founding member of the Consumer Lending Association of the Philippines.

Tiezheng Li, CEO of FinVolution Group, commented, "Our 'Local Focus, Global Outlook' strategy will continue to guide us as we embark on 2024. Going forward, we remain committed to serving borrowers in our existing markets while working to deliver innovative financial services to more borrowers in new markets, propelling our healthy and sustainable development."

Technological Innovation

As a tech-driven company, FinVolution has also crafted an industry-leading suite of comprehensive technology solutions, adapting to financial markets in different countries. The company increased its research and development investment by 4% year-on-year in 2023 to US$72 million. Breakthroughs were achieved in AI microfinance service platform construction, visual anti-fraud technology, and multi-language chatbot.

In view of a rapidly evolving international business landscape and a diverse overseas market environment, FinVolution's R&D team has developed anti-fraud technology tailored to global markets. They utilized accumulated expertise in graph algorithms and visual algorithms to accurately identify and block frauds powered by generative AI, with an identification accuracy rate of 98.8% and a recall rate of 95.3%.

FinVolution continued to upgrade its multi-language chatbot "Blu" in 2023, integrating Chinese, English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Bahasa into the languages covered by this flagship product. The accuracy rates of the chatbot in voice recognition and effective interaction intent recognition both exceed 90%, leading to a 20% improvement in business scenario conversion effects.

AI chatbot is now widely used in customer service processes on FinVolution's platforms, handling 80% of customer communication tasks and serving more than 20 fintech platforms across six countries.

FinVolution has also strengthened its commitment to small business owners through technology and product development. In 2023, the company launched "Hailu Cloud System," an intelligent platform for small- and micro-merchant services in China. The system covers the entire microfinance business processes, enhancing the digital operational capacity of small- and micro-enterprises and offline stores. Since its launch, the Hailu Cloud System has served over 500,000 users.

Optimization of Risk Control System

In 2023, FinVolution maintained a stable low-level credit risk profile and its percentage of better quality borrowers (clients with the lowest financial risk) held steady at 94.5%, thanks to its industry-leading credit risk assessment and fraud detection technologies.

Throughout the year, FinVolution intervened in suspected fraudulent activities an average 4,000 times a day, on the back of its leading risk control system, which features big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and voiceprint recognition at its core. Throughout the year, it thwarted over 30,000 fraud attempts, enabling users and institutions to avoid losses totaling nearly US$77.5 million.

[END]

About FinVolution Group

FinVolution Group is a leading fintech company that connects millions of borrowers as well as small business owners with financial institutions.

Founded in 2007 and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2017, we have been at the forefront of the pan-Asian credit technology industry, pioneering innovative technologies in credit risk assessment, fraud detection, big data, and artificial intelligence. With a proven track record of robust growth in pan-Asian countries, we have established leading fintech platforms in China, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

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SOURCE FinVolution Group
Gernot Dollner, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, is pictured at the company headquarters before the start of the annual press conference. Sven Hoppe/dpa

German carmaker Audi increased sales and turnover last year, but made significantly less profit, the company announced on Tuesday during its annual press conference.

Profit after tax fell by 12% to just under 6.3 billion ($6.8 billion). This was mainly due to the effects of raw material hedging transactions, chief financial executive Jurgen Rittersberger said.

The outlook for the current year is bleak: Audi expects sales to fall from 69.9 billion to 63 to 68 billion, partly due to several model launches after two years without a new model.

"2024 will be an even more challenging year than 2023 - 2024 will be a year of transition for Audi," said Rittersberger. Competition will become tougher and discounts will have to be granted in some areas, he said. Investments will increase.

The model changeover and launch of the Audi Q6 e-tron, the A6 e-tron and the A5 will lead to higher costs and have a temporary negative impact on sales, he added. Audi is also experiencing supply problems with engines.

Chief executive Gernot Dollner is basically sticking to the dates for phasing out the combustion engine, but wants to keep a degree of flexibility open with regard to customer wishes.

The future of the car is electric, Audi will present its last new combustion model in 2026 and is aiming to phase out the combustion engine in 2033, Dollner said.

However, he also pointed out that the EU would review its ban on new combustion engines planned for 2035 in 2026.

By the end of the decade, Audi should sell just as many e-cars as combustion engines and therefore be just as profitable, said Dollner. Currently, only 10% of the 1.9 million Audis sold are fully electric.

Just before the annual press conference, Audi presented the Q6 e-tron electric SUV, the first Audi vehicle based on the PPE platform developed jointly with Porsche for luxury cars.

Audi currently offers three all-electric model series on three different platforms. The launch of the Q6 e-tron was delayed by two years due to software problems.

The first fully electric car from the main plant in Ingolstadt has a range of up to 670 kilometres, will be launched in Germany and the US in the second half of 2024 and will also be built in China next year.

Last year, Audi increased its sales by 17% to 1.9 million cars and turnover by 13% to 69.9 billion. The operating result before special items fell by 18% to 6.3 billion.

The sales margin in the core business fell to 10%; in the current year it is expected to be between 8% and 10% with lower sales.

Audi employs 53,000 people in Germany.

The Audi logo can be seen on the steering wheel of a car at the company headquarters before the start of the annual press conference. Sven Hoppe/dpa

The Audi logo can be seen at the company headquarters before the start of the annual press conference. Sven Hoppe/dpa
German Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck speaks during a press conference at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD). Hannes P. Albert/dpa

Germany's Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck has warned in strong terms of the uncontrollable momentum of global warming.

"We may be on the verge of global warming, in this case the warming of the oceans, actually getting out of control," the Green politician said on Tuesday in Berlin at an international energy transition conference.

The temperature in the world's oceans has been at record levels for around a year now. "There will be storms, winds and hurricane floods that we will find difficult to control," warned Habeck. "That worries me deeply."

Habeck said that in addition to dealing with current crises, politicians must take strategic countermeasures against global warming.

"It is the task of our political generation to find solutions and implement them. If we don't do this, alongside everything else we need to do, we will have failed as a political generation," he said.

He called for the switch to renewable energies to be driven forward worldwide, including through trade.

In a report published on the margins of the conference, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) warned that the target agreed at last year's climate conference in Dubai to triple the capacity of renewable energies by 2030 could only be achieved with considerable additional efforts.

On average, almost 1,100 gigawatts (GW) of extra capacity would have to be installed annually by then - more than twice as much as the 473 GW added in the record year of 2023.

According to the report, renewable energies grew primarily in China, the EU and the US, which together accounted for 83% of global growth. Developing countries in particular lagged behind.

At the 2015 World Climate Conference in Paris countries agreed to limit global warming - and thus its potentially catastrophic consequences for humanity - to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times.

Many experts believe this is now barely possible, but any lower limit on the rise in temperature is still worthwhile.

"We all know that we are not on a 1.5-degree path, so we need to do more and do it faster," warned Habeck.

Germany's climate and energy policy was praised at the conference by Fatih Birol, director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who congratulated the German government on its course.

According to preliminary figures published by the German Environment Agency on Friday, German greenhouse gas emissions fell by more than 10% last year, although this is also due to the poor economic situation.

Birol cited the conversion of the energy sector away from fossil fuels and the slump in industrial production as reasons. However, this was an inherited problem, the result of decades of dependence on a key supplier that had long delivered cheaply, Birol said in an obvious reference to Germany's long-time main gas supplier Russia.

"It was a historic strategic mistake," he said.

German Vice-Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck speaks during a press conference at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD). Hannes P. Albert/dpa
Martin Schirdewan, Chairman of Germany's left party (Die Linke), presents his party's election campaign at the Babylon cinema. Germany's hard-left Die Linke opposition party has placed social justice at the centre of its campaign for elections to the European Parliament in June. Hannes P Albert/dpa

Germany's hard-left Die Linke opposition party has placed social justice at the centre of its campaign for elections to the European Parliament in June.

Specific demands include capping prices for food and rent and raising minimum pay in Germany to 15 ($16.30) and hour, Die Linke head Martin Schirdewan said at the launch in Berlin on Tuesday.

He predicted June 6-9 would be a watershed election. "Let's not leave Europe to the rich and the right wing. Let's get it back," Schirdewan said.

Die Linke currently holds five seats in the EU parliament and is hoping to retain them. For that it needs around 5% of the German vote nationwide.

Schirdewan is campaigning alongside Carola Rackete, who gained renown in and outside Germany as the skipper of a migrant rescue vessel on the Mediterranean Sea who clashed with Italian authorities in 2019.

Ates Gurpinar, manager for the party at the federal level, made clear at the launch that the party did not accept donations from companies and so had a small budget.

It would make use of billboards, 2 million flyers and digital campaigns, with the involvement of many supporters to get its message across.

Martin Schirdewan, Chairman of Germany's left party (Die Linke), presents his party's election campaign at the Babylon cinema. Germany's hard-left Die Linke opposition party has placed social justice at the centre of its campaign for elections to the European Parliament in June. Hannes P Albert/dpa

Martin Schirdewan, Chairman of Germany's left party (Die Linke), presents his party's election campaign at the Babylon cinema. Germany's hard-left Die Linke opposition party has placed social justice at the centre of its campaign for elections to the European Parliament in June. Hannes P. Albert/dpa
How does one fight a ghost?

The seemingly phantom American Ghost Army was one of many problems plaguing the Wehrmacht in the summer of 1944. The Germans were not, as they believed, fighting a numerically superior American force, but battling artists, engineers and inflatables.

The top-secret unit waged war using inflatable tanks and weapons, fake radio traffic, sound effects, even phony generals  all to fool the enemy into thinking that the army was bigger, better-armed, or in a different place than it was, according to James M. Linn IV, curator at The National WWII Museum.

Now, after nearly a decade of research and grass-roots lobbying on their behalf, the masterful performers of the Ghost Army are slated to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

Activated on Jan. 20, 1944, the unit known as the U.S. 23rd Headquarters Special Troops was the first mobile, multimedia tactical deception outfit in U.S. Army history. Comprising 82 officers and 1,023 men under the command of Army Col. Harry L. Reeder, this unique, top-secret detachment was capable of simulating two entire divisions  approximately 30,000 men  while being armed with nothing heavier than .50 caliber machine guns, according to The National WWII Museum.

First deployed two weeks after D-Day, the 23rd conducted 22 deception operations over a nine-month period. As the months wore on, the Ghost Armys tactics became more sophisticated  with a flair of dramatics.

There is too much MILITARY and not enough SHOWMANSHIP, Lt. Fred Fox wrote in a memo to the units leaders. We must remember that we are playing to a very critical and attentive radio, ground and aerial audience. They must all be convinced.

The mission, then, was never to fight Nazis, but to hoodwink them. Operating that close to the front, however, meant inherent danger.

The units baptism by fire came near the city of Brest, France, on Aug. 23-25, 1944. The battle marked the first time the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops used visual, radio and sonic deception all together, according to The Ghost Army Legacy Project.

Their mission in Brest was to exaggerate the size of American forces attacking the city. Outnumbered and outgunned, the 23rd blasted sounds of marching troops and inflated over 200 plastic tanks and trucks to shore up the units size.

I guess we were successful because the Germans fired upon us, 100-year-old Ghost Army veteran Bernie Bluestein, who specialized in fake signs and vehicle stencils, told The Washington Post. We convinced them that we were the real thing.

The deception proved so authentic that the German general, Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke, surrendered.

The Ghost Armys final act came on March 18, 1945, when the 1,100-man unit deceived Nazi intelligence about the site and timing of the U.S. Ninth Armys Rhine River crossing.

Under the cover of darkness, the phantom forces blared sounds of rumbling vehicles, hammering and even soldiers swearing, according to the Washington Post. They radioed false orders to simulate movement to the front and posed as loose-lipped colonels and generals while planting disinformation for German spies to overhear in local bars and cafes.

The Ghost Armys contribution to Operation Plunder helped to overcome the final natural obstacle barring the U.S. Armys way into Germany from the West.

Credited with saving between 15,000 and 30,000 American lives during the final year and a half of World War II, the actions of the secret unit were kept classified until 1996  in case similar deceit was needed during the Cold War. Their contributions to the war effort only recently began receiving national attention.

Some of these guys went to their graves without telling anybody in their families what this unit was involved in, Beyer said.

That vault of secrecy, of course, will be pried open on March 21, when Congress presents the Congressional Gold Medal to the Ghost Army in a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. Of the units seven known surviving members, Bluestein, Seymour Nussenbaum and John Christman plan to attend.

Im certainly happy that its happening and theyre giving us a little recognition, Bluestein told The Post. But Im very disappointed that it couldnt have been a lot earlier when many of these soldiers were still living so they could have accepted and had some recognition the same as I am.
A nearly five-year unusual mortality event involving the deaths of hundreds of gray whales along the West Coast is officially over, federal investigators have determined.

During the event, which stretched from Dec. 17, 2018, through Nov. 9, 2023, about 690 gray whales died due to strandings, with peak strandings occurring from December 2018 to December 2020, according to the Fisheries branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Some 347 whales perished along U.S. shores, while 316 died and in Mexico and 27 in Canada, per NOAA Fisheries.

Over the course of the event, scientists estimated that the eastern North Pacific gray whale population incurred a roughly 40 percent decline.

The strandings were linked to localized ecosystem changes in the animals Subarctic and Arctic feeding areas, which led to surges in malnutrition, decreased birth rates and heightened mortality, the agency noted.

We know the population has demonstrated strong resilience in the past, Deborah Fauquier, veterinary medical officer for the NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, said in a statement.

We will be watching to ensure we know how the whales recover, added Fauquier, who also served as coordinator of the 2019-2023 Gray Whale Unusual Mortality Event.

The population decline over the past five years shared some similarities with a shorter event that harmed the species from about 1999 to 2000, according to NOAA Fisheries. In the aftermath of that episode, gray whale numbers ended up rebounding even higher than their previous baseline.

During the event, federal researchers found that the eastern North Pacific gray whale population plunged from 20,500 whales in 2019 to 14,526 in 2023. Calf production, meanwhile, slid from around 950 calves in 2019 to about 217 in 2022  climbing once again to 412 in 2023.

Necropsy findings from a subset of the stranded whales identified malnutrition as the common cause of death and did not discover any underlying illness, according to the scientists.

Among the specific nutrition problems were curtailed access to and diminished quality of prey, particularly in the northern Bering and Chukchi seas, according to the findings. These circumstances led to a rise in deaths during the annual northward migration of the whales from Mexico to Alaska, the researchers added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Republican Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno is blasting the Associated Press after a story published days before the primary election linking him to an adult online dating site, which a former intern has taken credit for creating, was called into question by the dating sites founder.

On Friday, a post on X from one of the founders of the online site Adult Friend Finder, who says he wrote "most of the early code," seemingly rejected a key aspect of an Associated Press report days earlier that suggested "geolocation data," which is commonly understood as involving an IP address or GPS, linked the account to the area of a Moreno family home.

"I reviewed all the available information and it showed that the account had only a single visit, no activity, no profile photo, consistent with a prank or someone just checking out the site," Andrew Conru, the engineer who founded Adult Friend Finder, wrote on social media. "That's it."

"The AP report seeming to claim that the available data proves the account was created in Florida is inaccurate, as location information is manually entered during the signup (sic) process. In reality, there appears to be no public geolocation data tied to the account."

OHIO REPUBLICAN US SENATE CANDIDATE BERNIE MORENO HAS SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR GOP MEMBERS WHO 'DON'T LIKE' TRUMP

Ohio Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno listens as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Dayton International Airport, March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio.

Conru continued, "It's important to recognize that even temporary access to an email account is sufficient to create a fake dating profile in someone else's name. My sincere apologies to Bernie and anyone similarly affected by the 2016 data incident."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The Associated Press reported on Thursday, days before Tuesdays primary, that Morenos work email address registered on Adult Friend Finder 16 years ago with an account with a caption that said, "looking for young guys to have fun with while traveling." The Associated Press reported that "geolocation data" it gathered from a 2016 data leak from Adult Friend Finder showed that the account "was set up for use in a part of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where property records show Morenos parents owned a home at the time."

"Beyond the work email, the profile lists Morenos correct date of birth, while geolocation data indicates that the account was set up for use in a part of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where property records show Morenos parents owned a home at the time," the story said.

TRUMP-BACKED GOP CANDIDATE RIPS 'SICK' REPORT TYING HIM TO GAY HOOKUP WEBSITE: 'DESPERATE PEOPLE'

Republican presidential candidate former President Trump greets Ohio Republican Senate candidate Bernie Moreno during a rally at Dayton International Airport on March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio.

The Associated Press story did not confirm that Moreno created the account.

The Moreno campaign denied that he had anything to do with the account, and a campaign lawyer provided a statement from a former intern who knew Morenos personal information and claimed responsibility, saying the incident was a "juvenile prank."

Moreno, his family and supporters quickly labeled the Associated Press story as "debunked" and a "vile hit piece" following Conrus social media posts that explained how his website tracked location by the zip code entered in 2008, not using an IP address that would provide specific geolocation data.

"My husband and I have known Matt Dolan and his family for years. For him to stoop this low, simply because hes losing this race is disgusting, disgraceful, and he should be embarrassed," Morenos wife, Bridget, said in a statement, pointing the finger at Morenos opponent, Republican state Sen. Matt Dolan, whose super PAC released an ad hitting Moreno over the report less than 24 hours after publication.

TRUMP REVEALS 'VERY FIRST ACTIONS' HE'LL TAKE AS PRESIDENT DURING OHIO RALLY, HAMMERS BIDEN'S BORDER POLICIES

"If hes willing to slander my husband simply to win a political election, he doesnt belong anywhere near elected office," she continued. "I know family values might not mean much to Matt Dolan, but they mean a lot to this family. His desperate attempts will backfire, and I have full confidence that Ohioans will see through his dirty tricks and elect an actual conservative to the U.S. Senate. Now that this story has proven to be 100% false, if Matt even has an ounce of integrity left in him, he will publicly disavow this slime coming from his family-funded Super PAC."

The Dolan campaign did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

On Friday, Moreno rejected the report as a "sick, last-minute attack by desperate people."

Ohio Republican Sen. JD Vance, who has endorsed Moreno, wrote on X that Conrus post showed the story was "verifiably false," and Ohio Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, also a Moreno endorser, wrote on X that the AP story was "falling apart."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Associated Press Vice President of Corporate Communications Lauren Easton defended the story.

"This is a deeply reported piece of accountability journalism in an election year. We stand by the story," Easton said. "We did not report the location where the account was created."

Easton also pointed to a follow-up tweet from Conru in which he said he "clarified his response" but which also appeared to show that the "geolocation data" AP had was based on a zip code that was entered by the user who could have registered from anywhere.

"Ah, just noticed what people are calling geolocation," Conru wrote. "In 2008, when someone entered any zip code during signum (sic), we just had a lookup table to map it to latitude and longitude. Geolocation today means to deduce someone's location based on the browser's IP address which isn't the case here."

Former President Trump is shown with businessman Bernie Moreno ahead of a rally in Wellington, Ohio, on June 26, 2021.

Geolocation, the term used by AP, is currently defined as "the process of determining the location of an electronic device, as a computer, [cellphone], satellite, etc."

"My review was looking for 'geolocation' and there is none," Conru wrote in another X post . "In 2008, when someone entered any zip code during signum , we just had a lookup table to map it to latitude and longitude. Geolocation today means to deduce someone's location based on the browser's IP address which isn't the case here. As I have been building websites since 1993, I was being too technical in my post."

Fox News Digital followed up with the Associated Press and asked whether they possessed any data showing the location of the device consistent with the current definition of "geolocation" or if their data was simply the longitude and latitude of the zip code entered at the time of sign-up.

Eastons response said, "We stand by the reporting, including that geolocation information showed the account was set up for use in the Ft. Lauderdale area."

"In defense of your story, you point to a thread that explicitly shows the opposite of what you claim," Vance wrote on X in response to the AP's defense. "'Geolocation data' is a term with a specific meaning. Your reporter misused that term, and I demand a correction."

Vance also pointed to AP's own style guide on geolocation and argued it is not consistent with the use of the word in the story.

Fox News Digital reviewed an analysis from the cybersecurity firm CTC International, which registered an account on Adult Friend Finder using two different methods, including one it says was "used by the AP reporter," and pulled the data from those accounts. In both cases, the latitude and longitude in the data shows up as being in the submitted Washington, D.C., zip code even though the VPN was locked to Mississippi.

"There is a possibility of a lawsuit by GOP candidate Bernie Moreno over what is being denounced as a hit piece by AP on the eve of the Ohio primary," George Washington University Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on X . "If Moreno sues and gains access to discovery, this could prove costly and embarrassing for the company."





Original article source: GOP candidate blasts AP 'hit piece' as 'debunked' after adult website founder calls alleged profile a 'prank'
Nebraska lawmakers are calling for the resignation of State Senator Steve Halloran (R) after he repeatedly inserted the name of two fellow senators into an extremely graphic rape scene he read to the chamber.

On Monday, while debating a bill that would revoke prosecution exemptions granted to educational institutions providing obscenity to minors in grades K-12, Halloran directed his comments at Sens. Machaela (D) and John Cavanaugh (D), siblings who serve alongside Halloran in the state Senate and opposed the proposed legislation.

Halloran began reading an excerpt from Lucky, a memoir by the author Alice Sebold exploring the impact being sexually assaulted at age 18 had on her life. Halloran read Sebolds description of the attack, misrepresenting it as a piece of titillating literature and inserting Sen. Cavanaugh at various points  without clarifying which of the two lawmakers he was referring to.

The scene is incredibly violent. Sebold describes the physical injuries inflicted on her during the assault and relays her recollections of what her attacker said and did to her during the rape.

I want a blow job, Senator Cavanaugh, Halloran said at one point.

Heres the full video. I hate sharing it but its part of the public record and people ought to see what the fuck goin on in their Legislature. #NELeg pic.twitter.com/sxw0cMG6Qd  Senator Megan Hunt (@NebraskaMegan) March 19, 2024

Tonight one of my colleagues read a rape scene from a book inserting my name repeatedly. It was gross, disrespectful, and beneath the Nebraska Unicameral, Machaela Cavanaugh wrote Monday on X, formerly Twitter.

On the floor, Cavanaugh  fighting back tears  called the incident unbecoming of [Halloran] and unbecoming of this body.

That was harassing. That was about a book about sexual violence. I have done nothing but try to have a respectful debate with Sen. Albrecht about her bill that impacts my children, she added.

The session was adjourned early shortly after, with Speaker of the Legislature Sen. John Arch (R) calling it one of those times we just have to step back from debate.

Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh said in a statement provided to Rolling Stone: Earlier this week, a fellow member of the Nebraska Legislature violated the integrity of our non-partisan legislative body by reading excerpts from a book written about a sexual assault victim. But he didnt stop there. He verbally spat in the face of sexual assault victims across the state and the country by inserting my name in between phrases of obscenity. Its beneath him. Its beneath his title. So let me say this: Senator Steve Halloran should be held accountable.

Sen. Halloran did not reply to a request for comment.

By Tuesday morning, some of his colleagues were calling for him to step down.

State Senator Megan Hunt (I) wrote on X that in her view, Halloran should resign. How dare he even form his mouth to say the words Give me a blow job Senator Cavanaugh. He said that because he wanted to say it. It was beyond the pale. Pure aggression to read a rape scene out loud and put it like that. Broken brain.

Republican State Sen. Julie Slama wrote that Halloran should resign for this.

I know how this crowd operates. Bet theres plenty of laughs happening as certain senators pretend its funny to treat colleagues this way, she added in another post, Nope. Hell nope. Im out of words, but yall can be damn sure Ill find them by morning session.

Jane Kleeb, Chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, demanded the Republican Party hold Halloran accountable and pointed to a pattern of past vile rhetoric from the lawmakers. What in the hell is wrong with Halloran and the Republican Party leadership. You must resign Halloran. Weve known of disgusting comments made over the years at the country club when he thought he was in safe crowd. This is a pattern, not a one off comment, she wrote.

What in the hell is wrong with Halloran and the Republican Party leadership. You must resign Halloran. Weve known of disgusting comments made over the years at the country club when he thought he was in safe crowd. This is a pattern, not a one off comment. https://t.co/cDnm45Za3U  Jane Kleeb (@janekleeb) March 19, 2024

Last year, Halloran was at the center of a firestorm of controversy after the claimed that women cannot get pregnant by force. No ones forcing anyone to be pregnant. Pregnancys a voluntary act between two consenting adults, he said during a floor debate.

More from Rolling Stone

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A GOP Nebraska lawmaker has been skewered by those in his own party after he substituted two rival colleagues names into a rape scene of a book he read aloud in front of the Nebraska Senate on Monday night.

The disgusting incident came as senators debated a bill related to book bans. Thats when Sen. Steve Halloran, a Republican, used his time on the floor to read a graphic passage from Lucky, by Alice Sebold, which includes a graphic description of a rape Sebold survived in college.

Halloran didnt just read the book verbatim, however. Instead, he replaced the perpetrators name with Sen. Cavanaugh during the rape sequence, a clear reference to the Democratic Senators Machaela and John Cavanaugh, who are siblings.

He kicked me and I crawled into a ball. I want a blow job, Senator Cavanaugh, said Halloran, partially reciting dialogue from the book. Ive never done it before. I said, Im a virgin. Put it in your mouth. I kneel before him, Senator Cavanaugh.

Nebraska State Sen. Steve Halloran (R-Hastings) is facing bipartisan calls to resign after he interjected a colleague's name into a reading of a graphic rape scene multiple times.



SEN. MACHAELA CAVANAUGH (D): "I didn't know you were capable of such cruelty." pic.twitter.com/SDMFWhyFgi  Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) March 19, 2024

Machaela Cavanaugh skewered Halloran on the Senate floor for the tasteless stunt, fighting back tears as she exclaimed she didnt know he was capable of such cruelty.

She said she wanted to have respectful debate about the bill, which was introduced by Joni Albrecht, a Republican, seeking to prevent teachers and librarians from sharing obscene material with students even if its for educational purposes.

I have done nothing but try to have a respectful debate with Senator Albrecht about her bill that impacts my children, said Machaela Cavanaugh. That was so out of line and unnecessary, and disgusting to say my name over and over again like that.

Machaela Cavanaugh added that there are women in the legislature who experienced sexual violence themselves, suggesting they wouldnt take kindly to Halloran using a rape depiction as part of a political stunt.

Within hours, fellow state senators Megan Hunt, an Independent, and Julie Slama, a Republican, called for Halloran to resign from public office.

Honestly, I think Halloran should resign, Hunt posted to X. How dare he even form his mouth to say the words, Give me a blow job Senator Cavanaugh. He said that because he wanted to say it. It was beyond the pale. Pure aggression to read a rape scene out loud and put it like that. Broken brain.

Honestly, I think Halloran should resign. How dare he even form his mouth to say the words Give me a blow job Senator Cavanaugh.



He said that because he wanted to say it. It was beyond the pale. Pure aggression to read a rape scene out loud and put it like that. Broken brain. https://t.co/Wb7HOoOa1w  Senator Megan Hunt (@NebraskaMegan) March 19, 2024

Others within Nebraska politics have called for Hallorans resignation, including Precious McKesson, the head of the states Democratic Party.

This is unacceptable and Halloran needs to resign ASAP, she said. No woman should ever endure this from anyone. Resign now.

Albecht, who introduced the bill being debated, said she was taken aback by the stunt herself. She apologized to Machaela Cavanaugh on the floor and said she was mortified, but didnt call on Halloran to resign or apologize himself.

Halloran issued a half apology on Tuesday morning. He defended his decision to read the passage on the Senate floor, but conceded it was a mistake to incorporate the Cavanaugh family into the graphic passage.

I was not trivializing rape, he insisted. I was reading from a book thats required reading for some students. Should I have interjected the senators names? No. Sometimes we do things on the floor in the midst of making a statement that we shouldnt have done.

60 Minutes Confronts Moms for Liberty Co-Founders on Book Bans

Book bans have swept across the U.S. in recent years, with many state legislaturesunder increased pressure by Moms for Libertypushing to have books of a sexual nature or about LGBTQ people be pulled from library shelves.

Lucky was one of the most banned books in the country during the 2021-22 school year. As Halloran described, the book talks about surviving a rape in detailsomething the Nebraska GOP has argued is not appropriate for children.

John Cavanaugh countered that the book, while graphic, should remain in schools because it depicts the reality of life. He said the same is true of others like it.

There are graphic scenes in books. There are graphic things that happen to people in life, and stories have context, and they give meaning to the people who read them, who feel alone, John Cavanaugh said. The whole point is that we cannot make a determination writ large about what has value and to whom it has value.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Voting sign in the Gray Memorial United Methodist Church polling location in Tallahassee, Florida, on March 19, 2024. (Photo by Jackie Llanos/Florida Phoenix)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

Former President Donald Trump already has more than enough delegates for the GOP nomination, but Floridians are still voting in the partys presidential primary Tuesday out of a sense of duty, voters in the state capital told Florida Phoenix. Leon County is the main section of the Capitol complex in Florida.

Overall, 317,902 people have cast their ballots across the state on Election Day, according to the Florida Division of Elections. But Republican vote-by-mail shows 520,198, and early voting shows 220,420. The three categories add up to 1,058,520 votes, so far.

Although no other Republicans are actively challenging Trump for the nomination anymore, six other candidates are still on the GOP ballot, including Gov. Ron DeSantis. Additionally, only registered Republicans can cast their ballots in Floridas primary because President Joe Biden is the Florida Democratic Partys only certified candidate.

Still, folks headed out to the polls to make their voices heard, albeit in smaller numbers. As of late afternoon, out of more than five million registered Republicans, 20 percent have voted, according to Republican vote-by-mail, early voting and the Election Day turnout, according to the division of elections. However, the numbers will continue to change.

In this photo, Former President Donald Trump looks on during a campaign event on Dec. 19, 2023 in Waterloo, Iowa. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

This country is in a bad jam. I mean, its ridiculous the way things have gotten so yes, I definitely had to vote, said David Jones, a 60-year-old Tallahassee resident. He enthusiastically said he voted for Trump because he followed through on his promises.

A candidate needs 1,215 delegates to secure the nomination, and Trump has 1,273, according to the USA Today Republican Presidential primary delegate tracker.

Across six polling locations in Tallahassee, the Phoenix only saw 15 voters in the morning and early afternoon. Leon County reported 3,194 votes cast as of 4:40 p.m. The polls will close at 7 p.m.

The U.S.-Mexico border and the state of the economy were top of mind for those who made it to the polls.

Close our borders. Were having terrible people come in here.  We need to do that, and we have plenty of things for people to come in and actually apply for sanctuary, Katherine Wagner said. The 88-year-old Tallahassee resident and her 93-year-old husband also said they wanted more financial security for the middle class.

Despite the criminal and civil cases against Trump, he is the only viable candidate for the GOP nomination. However, some voters are not thrilled about a Biden-Trump rematch.

I dont want to see it happen again, Leon County resident Amy Kelly, 48, said. Unfortunately, I dont think we have great people to choose from right now. She did not say who she voted for.

As of 4:40 p.m., Trumps county of residence, Palm Beach, had the highest turnout (35,287 votes), according to the division of elections. The second-highest voter turnout at this point is in Brevard County, which reported 15,554 votes.

You can look at the data here: Florida Election Watch  Election Day Turnout

The post GOP presidential primary: More than 300,000 Floridians have voted so far on Election Day appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
Golden State

SOUTH COAST METRO, Calif., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- John Zamboanga joins an esteemed community of veteran financial advisors at Golden State, where he has launched his own California based wealth management firm, Tri Valley Wealth Management. John previously worked at Northwestern Mutual, UBS, and Morgan Stanley, where he worked extensively with corporate stock options, and was involved in creating an Executive Stock Option Platform with a Private Wealth Group. In addition, he possesses a successful track record with clients on a wide range of financial, estate, trust, real estate investing, and tax planning strategies. Having earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from California State University, Sacramento, he possesses more than 20 years of successful experience with capital markets and financial services.



At Golden State, we strive to assemble an exceptional community of advisors who are committed to helping their clients achieve financial success and reach their retirement goals, as well as to provide a supportive work environment so advisors can build enduring businesses, said Daniel R. Catone, Founder and CEO. "We are thrilled to have John join our team, and we look forward to supporting his growing business.

John is passionate about providing comprehensive and holistic advice that goes beyond managing investments and remains focused on understanding his clients entire financial life and how to plan for their future. Learn more at www.trivalleywealth.com.

About Golden State

The Golden State family of companies, comprised of Golden State Wealth Management, Golden State Equity Partners and Golden State Asset Management, are investment advisers registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The firms initial company was founded in 2013 by a group of executives who has partnered with advisors serving over $3 billion in assets under care1. Golden States infrastructure provides an extensive support network through succession planning, compliance oversight, dedicated transition support, a brokerage general agency, mortgage program, technology and marketing support and a Turnkey Asset Management Program. The Golden State family of companies is a multi-custodial firm that provides comprehensive tools and research necessary in todays complex markets. Golden States flagship office is located in South Coast Metro, California. With offices across the country, Golden State is committed to creating an atmosphere that benefits both advisors and their investors. For more information about Golden State, visit www.teamgoldenstate.com.

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1Source: SEC filing as of March 31, 2023; Golden State.

Media Contact:

Jennifer Nahas

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CONTACT: Jennifer Nahas +19494336860 Jennifer.Nahas@TeamGoldenState.com




House Speaker Dade Phelan greets Gov. Greg Abbott before speaking to the Texas House during opening ceremonies as the 2021 Texas Legislature gets down to work in Austin on Jan. 12, 2021. Credit: Bob Daemmrich/CapitolPressPhoto/Pool

Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan appeared together Tuesday at a public event for the first time since the beginning of the heated primary election cycle where Phelan has been targeted by a powerful group of Republicans who have managed to push him into a primary runoff.

The pair sat beside each other at a brief event in Dallas to announce a consortium to support Texas semiconductor industry in Dallas, joined by fellow House Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, a member of Phelans leadership team.

The remarks included no mention of Phelans precarious situation, and the politicians took no questions, but the governors willingness to invite the speaker to be alongside him may signal his tacit support. A University of Houston poll in February of conservative voters showed Phelan was by far the least popular Texas Republican, while Abbott was the most liked.

The timing of the invitation is notable because Phelan is fighting for his political life  after coming in second in the March 5 primary to his challenger David Covey. Since neither of them secured a majority of votes, there will be a runoff for the Beaumont-area District 21. The third-place finisher, Alicia Davis, has since endorsed Covey.

Abbott has so far been silent on his race, even as he endorsed the opponents of 10 House Republicans who last year helped sink his school voucher plan, one of the governors top legislative priorities which he largely refused to compromise on. Phelan did not take a public position on the bill at the time but told The Texas Tribune in January he would have preferred some version of it to pass.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has frequently clashed with Phelan and urged him to resign, was unable to attend the event at the University of Texas at Dallas. Speaking with reporters afterward, Phelan criticized the Senate leader for meddling in his race when statewide leaders of the same party have typically refrained from doing so.

The Big 3, typically we stay out of each others races, Phelan said, referring to the nickname for the governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker. The lieutenant governor decided not to follow that tradition. He crossed that Rubicon and thats his issue going forward.

Patrick, along with other Republican leaders including former President Donald Trump, Attorney General Ken Paxton, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller and Texas Republican Party Chairman Matt Rinaldi, have endorsed Covey while actively campaigning and attacking Phelan in ads and during campaign events. Phelan and fellow House members have come under withering criticism from Republicans for impeaching Paxton last year on charges of bribery and corruption.

No House speaker has lost a primary since Rayford Price in 1972. Typically, the candidates that win primary runoffs in Texas are those who secured the most votes in the first round.

Of the 10 members Abbott targeted, five lost outright, three face runoffs and two survived.

Abbotts office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The primary runoffs are May 28.

Disclosure: University of Texas - Dallas and University of Houston have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

We cant wait to welcome you to downtown Austin Sept. 5-7 for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival! Join us at Texas breakout politics and policy event as we dig into the 2024 elections, state and national politics, the state of democracy, and so much more. When tickets go on sale this spring, Tribune members will save big. Donate to join or renew today.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Gov. Kathy Hochul called for a top-down review of the Office of Cannabis Management as illegal smoke shops continue to pop up across New York City.

Shes tasked the Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy for a 30-day examination of the cannabis program. Hochul wants specific action plans to get a handle on the marijuana industry, she said.

Police shut down an illegal smoke shop in the Upper West Side, called the Zaza Waza Smoke Shop, twice in 24 hours last week. The store had opened up again after it was ordered to close, according to authorities.

The NYPD had to bring in a saw to cut off the padlocks to put on bigger ones. Officers were also seen pulling out bags of illegal products.

Police said they not only found illegal tobacco, but cocaine and fentanyl. It was the second raid on the store, according to authorities.

Mayor Adams accused of sexual assault by former city employee in lawsuit

City officials told PIX11 News theyre frustrated that state law, while legalizing and regulating marijuana, makes it harder to take action against illegal shops.

Hochul said the state needs to get a hold of the illegal shops and admitted there is a need for policy, procedure and regulation changes.

Adams said for legal businesses, like the Matawana Dispensary, to thrive, the city and the state need to protect the market from illegal shops.

Hochuls office said that after an initial examination period, more help may be brought in for an extended effort.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday signed a measure that lays out the process for an elected school board in Chicago that begins with the citys voters choosing 10 board members in November.

After months of debate, Illinois legislators earlier this month agreed on a plan to create a hybrid elected board before a fully-elected board is put in place in 2027. In addition to the board members elected later this year, Mayor Brandon Johnson will appoint 10 members and a president. Johnson had pushed for the hybrid model, and legislators ultimately acquiesced.

With the governors signature, potential candidates can begin circulating petitions March 26 for the November general election. At least 1,000 signatures from registered voters, but not more than 3,000, are required. The petitions are to be filed to election authorities from June 17 to June 24.

The board members will be elected from 10 districts, and Johnson will appoint 10 additional members as well as a board president. All 21 members would serve two-year terms.

Each of the 10 districts would be divided into two subdistricts, which in 2026 would hold elections for a fully-elected school board that would be seated in January 2027. Beginning with the 2032 general election, board seats would be up for election three times over a 10-year period, twice for four-year terms and then for a two-year term.

The new law includes maps for the 10 districts in the initial election, and also for the eventual 20 districts. That map will include seven majority-Black districts, six majority-Latino districts, five majority-white districts and two in which no group has a majority. The law also addresses ethical questions involving potential conflicts of interest among board members considering any contract, work, or business of the district.

Some lawmakers who expressed concerns about the hybrid model said they worried about changes related to selective enrollment schools. The school board late last year passed a resolution to prioritize neighborhood schools over a five-year period and acknowledged that selective enrollment schools have exacerbated inequities in the education system.

Pritzker on Monday expressed his support for legislation that would, among other things, prohibit the CPS board from making changes to the admissions standards of selective enrollment schools until a fully-elected board is in place in 2027.

The bill, whose main sponsor is state Rep. Margaret Croke, a Democrat from Chicago, has more than 30 co-sponsors, including House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, a Hillside Democrat who once served as an elected school board member in the near west suburbs.

I think it would be a mistake before the people get a chance to vote all of the new members of the board of education in, Pritzker said of allowing changes to CPS selective enrollment schools.

Chicago Tribunes Olivia Olander contributed.
Which servicemen and veterans will be buried at the National Military Memorial Cemetery (NMMC), Ministry of Veterans Affairs explained on March 18.

They noted that the full list of people is defined by the law on burial and funeral business. In particular, among them:

Military personnel:

who defended the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine

Full Cavaliers of the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, the Order of Courage, the Order of Princess Olga

those who participated in international peacekeeping and security operations

Heroes of Ukraine who have been awarded the Order of the Golden Star since 2014

Read also: Yulia Laputina tells NV that a military memorial will be built in Hatne near Kyiv, NV exclusive

War veterans:

Participants of combat operations: JFO, Russian war against Ukraine

people with war-related disabilities: JFO, Russian war against Ukraine

In addition, the cemetery will also be able to rebury prominent fighters for Ukraine's independence in the twentieth century

Also, people whose urn with ashes is now in a columbarium niche at other cemeteries but they have right to be buried at the NMMC, can be reburied in the columbarium at the National Military Memorial Cemetery in accordance with the procedure approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Read also: Zelenskyy honors fallen soldiers at Lviv cemetery, vows Ukraine will never forget their sacrifice

On March 15, the government approved the location of the MNNC. It will be located on two land plots in the Gatne community of Fastiv district, Kyiv Oblast.

On Dec. 8, Verkhovna Rada passed a bill to establish the National Military Memorial Cemetery.

The Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine presented its design. The ministry said that the design was based on foreign memorial experience, including the world-famous Arlington National Cemetery in the United States.

The chief architect of the preliminary design was Serhii Derbin, a designer from Dnipro.

In addition to the cemetery, the complex also plans to build a ceremonial square, a mourning house, chapels, a crematorium, a museum and exhibition complex, and other infrastructure.

Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Former GMP officer Joel Hopkins was sacked without notice

A police constable who fled the scene of a car crash has been sacked.

Former PC Joel Hopkins, 47, admitted gross misconduct at a hearing on 15 March.

The Greater Manchester Police officer had previously pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.

Hopkins' name was added to the College of Policing barred list, prohibiting him from working in any policing role in the UK.

The accelerated misconduct hearing, chaired by Chief Constable Stephen Watson, was told the officer's car had been involved in a collision with another vehicle in Golborne, Wigan, in July 2022.

'Terrible lapse'

Other officers responding to the incident asked Hopkins to walk a short distance up the street to wait behind a safety barrier as they assessed the scene for injuries and damage.

However Hopkins, who worked in the force's specialist operations unit, ignored the request and left on foot.

He later reported the crash and attended a police station in Leigh.

At his sentencing in 2023, Hopkins was disqualified from driving for six months, fined 1,250 and ordered to pay a 600 victim surcharge and prosecution costs of 400. The ban was later downgraded to seven penalty points on appeal.

Mr Watson described PC his behaviour as a "terrible lapse in judgement".

He said: "It remains clear however, that notwithstanding the officer's previously unblemished record, that this factor does not outweigh the potential for the loss of confidence that would ensue if PC Hopkins were to be permitted to continue to perform in the office of constable."

Why not follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  Greensboro officials are calling on the community to help keep people from using guns to break the law.

Quick thinking is what a Greensboro grandmother believes saved her and her 4-year-old grandsons life.

911 calls reveal details of Iredell County deadly shooting that led to standoff

I found myself on the floor having to cover my grandson, the anonymous grandmother said.

They ducked for cover after hearing gunshots outside her home off Berryman Street and Calvert Street Sunday on night.

Greensboro police discovered more than 70 rounds were fired from at least four different calibers.

I was counting the seconds. The seconds turned into minutes, the grandmother said.

While bullets ricocheted off her brick apartment building, another woman used her vehicle as protection.

Though no one was hurt on Sunday night, the community wants Greensboro police to have more officers in the Berryman Street area.

Somebodys child is going to die. This isnt fair to the parents or that innocent child, one woman said.

Movie armorer challenges conviction in fatal shooting of cinematographer by Alec Baldwin

We reached out to the Greensboro Police Department to see if they plan to increase visibility in the Berryman Street area, and we have not heard back from them yet.

Police are asking the community to help report illegally owned guns.

Gun Stoppers pay a minimum $250 per gun to anyone who anonymously tips them off.

You can share a tip through Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
HAI PHONG, Vietnam, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GoodWe, a leading player in the solar energy industry, has officially announced operations at its manufacturing plant in Vietnam. Representing a global milestone, the new facility marks the first one outside of its headquarters in China and the third in the company's manufacturing network.

GoodWe Opens Manufacturing Plant in Vietnam

Covering approximately 14,800 square meters and divided into two phases, the factory will specialize in the production of grid-tied and hybrid inverters, initially targeting markets in North America and key Asian regions. Upon reaching full operational status, Phase I's production lines are expected to achieve an annual capacity of 5GW.

"The establishment of this facility marks an important milestone for GoodWe, showing our strong commitment to the development of photovoltaic worldwide, especially, in Asian markets where I believe will become the biggest inspiration and motivation of renewable energy transition movement," shared James Hou, GoodWe APAC sales lead.

By establishing local production in Vietnam, GoodWe anticipates enhanced price competitiveness in global markets, as well as improved service offerings and timely product delivery tailored to the diverse needs of residential, commercial & industrial, and utility applications.

The factory, drawing upon over a decade of GoodWe's inverter manufacturing expertise, has fully integrated advanced inverter manufacturing technology and implemented rigorous quality control systems. Intelligent manufacturing techniques, including quality traceability and digital monitoring, have been incorporated.

Daniel Huang said, "We are dedicated to establishing an overseas benchmark factory, showcasing operational excellence, and replicating success across our global markets in the future. The positive impact of this milestone is also on GoodWe's innovation capabilities and its contribution to job creation in the local Vietnamese market."

Story continues

He also said that this move exemplifies GoodWe's commitment to strengthening its global brand image. "With the opening of the Vietnam factory, we look forward to cultivating expanded customer cooperation opportunities across the key markets such as United States and ASEAN countries, and beyond."

GoodWe is a world-leading PV inverter manufacturer and smart energy solution provider listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company has nearly 5,000 employees worldwide and installations in over 100 countries and regions. GoodWe offers an extensive range of products and solutions tailored for residential, commercial and industrial, and utility-scale PV systems. In 2021, GoodWe was recognized as one of the top three hybrid inverter suppliers worldwide by Wood Mackenzie.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/goodwes-manufacturing-base-in-vietnam-officially-opens-302092670.html

SOURCE GoodWe
Latino organizations and national civil rights groups blasted a lawsuit filed by conservative legal activist Edward Blum to end a Smithsonian Institution internship designed to draw more Latinos into museum studies and jobs.

The groups say in a friend of the court, or amicus, brief that the selection criteria for the internship do not include race or ethnicity and that application materials do not limit entry to any race or ethnicity.

The selection process is entirely race- and ethnicity-neutral, the groups say in the brief. The groups oppose Blum's request for a preliminary injunction suspending the internship program. A hearing is set for April 8.

Blum, president of the American Alliance for Equal Rights, sued the director of the yet-to-be-built American Museum of the National Latino last month. He has alleged the program is unconstitutional because it is not equally open to non-Latinos. Blum won the legal case that effectively ended affirmative action.

Blum did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The groups said Blum is asking that the equal protection clause, part of the 14th Amendment, be used "as a bludgeon to deter equal opportunity. The equal protection clause, which guarantees "equal protection under the law," has been the basis for court rulings that prohibit discrimination, such as the landmark desegregation case Brown v. Board of Education.

In addition, the organizations said Blum fails to understand Latino identity and ignores historical "under-inclusion" of Latinos in the American workforce.

This lawsuit attacks efforts to remedy racial discrimination and is part of an assault on civil rights progress, Katy Youker, director of the Economic Justice Project of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a news release issued Friday.

Blum had said in his lawsuit that in two classes of interns hired in 2022 and 2023, no one had identified as Black, Asian or white and that in those two years, at least 25, or nearly 90%, had identified as Latino. He said no intern identified as non-Latino.

But in their brief, the Latino and civil rights groups noted that Latinos are racially, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse.

"Many are Indigenous, others are of African ancestry, and many are not. Many speak Spanish, and many others dont," said Francisca Fajana, director of racial justice strategy at LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

The groups, citing federal documents, say Latinos are about 5% of the total Smithsonian workforce of over 6,300 employees.

"What we do know for a fact is that unequal educational opportunities for Latinos endure. The Latino Museum equips students with technical knowledge and skills to enter and succeed in the museum workforce," Fajana said.

The brief was also filed by the Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs on behalf of the Afro Latino Forum, ASPIRA National and the Hispanic Federation.

For more from NBC Latino, sign up for our weekly newsletter.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
WASHINGTON  Former President Donald Trump again used an offensive stereotype about Jewish Americans, prompting immediate backlash from Jewish groups and leaders.

"Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, Trump said in an interview with Sebastian Gorka, a former White House aide. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.

Trump singled out Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., during the interview posted Monday. Schumer is the nation's highest-ranking Jewish elected official and a longtime supporter of Israel.

The New York lawmaker in a Monday post on X, formerly Twitter, accused the ex-president of again using "highly partisan and hateful rants."

Schumer, who supports a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war and has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that "to make Israel a partisan issue only hurts Israel and the US-Israeli relationship."

Trump also falsely claimed Democratic lawmakers who criticize Israel are only seeking votes from people sympathizing with Palestinians in Gaza.

Former President Donald Trump

"Dont forget, when you see those Palestinian marches - even I am amazed at how many people are in those marches, Trump told Gorka. And guys like Schumer see that, and to him its votes."

Trump's comments immediately drew criticism from Jewish groups on Monday.

"Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory and patently false. Serious leaders who care about the historic US-Israel alliance should focus on strengthening, rather than unraveling, bipartisan support for the State of Israel," Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

Another day, another depraved antisemitic screed from Donald Trump, who has repeatedly vilified the overwhelming majority of American Jews," Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, said.

The White House also quickly responded to Trump's comments.

"As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased across the world  among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust  leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is and bring Americans together against it," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said. "There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens."

Trump has repeatedly conflated American Jewish people with Israelis, or their political positions with that of the Israeli government, a longstanding antisemitic trope.

In September, Jewish groups criticized Trump after he shared a social media post attacking liberal Jews following the start of Rosh Hashanah, one of the most important holidays for Jews around the world.

On that occasion, Trump called his attack "just a quick reminder for liberal Jews who voted to destroy America & Israel because you believed false narratives.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Groups criticize Donald Trump for using stereotype about Jewish voters
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Grand Rapids Public Schools board has approved the plan to build a new elementary school at the site of Aberdeen Academy in northeast Grand Rapids.

The plan was approved Monday in a unanimous vote, GRPS said.

The new school, which would open in the fall of 2027, would replace the current Aberdeen Academy and Palmer Academy elementary schools that are set to close the same year. It will be the first new school built in northeast Grand Rapids since 1965, according to the district.

The construction would be funded by funds from the bond voters passed in November. Students at the current Aberdeen Academy are not expected to be impacted by construction of the new school. Aberdeen Academy will be demolished and turned into green space after the new school opens, GRPS said.

Why GRPS is proposing a new Aberdeen school

The idea for a new school was the result of community feedback. A GRPS upgrade plan was released in mid-November, calling for the closure of several of its schools. In 2027, the plan outlined that some students from then-closed Palmer Elementary and Aberdeen Academy could move to the site currently being used by North Park Montessori, which would be renovated.

But community members spoke out, saying the North Park location was too far north to replace Palmer and Aberdeen. GRPS looked at current scholar addresses and recent birthrate data from the Kent County Health Department and decided Aberdeens site would be the best location for a neighborhood elementary school.

The approved Reimagine GRPS Facility Plan also calls for a new environmental science academy, a new Montessori campus and renovations to several elementary schools. It also will close 10 buildings over the next four years.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Travelers flying on April 8 may have a chance to see the total solar eclipse from the sky.

Delta Air Lines is running two special flights to chase the path of totality, but many carriers, including Southwest and United, are advertising the regularly scheduled itineraries they have with the best chance of seeing the daytime darkness.

According to Stephen Lawrence, a professor of physics and astronomy at Hofstra University, seeing the eclipse from a plane comes with some extra benefits but also a few challenges.

Much of the path of totality in the U.S. has a 60%-80% chance of cloud cover on the ground, with Texas being the most likely location for clear skies. On a plane, Lawrence said, You can generally fly high enough to be above the clouds, so youre guaranteed to see the eclipse.

But, he warned, just being on the plane isnt always enough.

You have to be on the correct side of the plane, Lawrence said. People on the right side of the plane, the south-facing side of the plane, will be able to see it, but those on the north side wont.

Watch from there parks: You can see the total solar eclipse from national parks, but their skies offer much more

If youre flying in an easterly direction, youll want to be on the right-hand side when facing forward or the left-hand side if your flight path is heading westerly.

Lawrence said eastbound flights have an added bonus for eclipse viewing, too.

2024 Total Solar Eclipse path

Youre slowing the shadow down by half. Instead of a 4 -minute eclipse, you might get a six-minute region of totality, he said, explaining that because planes cruise at around 500 mph and the shadow of the eclipse moves at about 1,000 mph, chasing it across the sky means you can see it for longer than youd be able to as a stationary observer on the ground.

He added the higher vantage point from a flight means travelers will have a better view of the shadow approaching than those on the ground.

Whether youre watching from the ground or the sky, Lawrence said its important to take appropriate precautions.

The most important thing, of course, is eye safety. It is safe to look at the eclipse with the naked eye but only during the few minutes of totality, he said.

Which airlines are advertising eclipse flights?

Delta has scheduled two special flights to see the path of the eclipse and added that some of its regular itineraries also have a high likelihood of crossing the shadow. United Airlines and Southwest Airlines also said they have flights that will likely encounter the path of totality.

Heres whats on offer:

Delta

 From Detroit (DTW) to Westchester, New York (HPN), departing at 2:59 p.m. EDT.

 From Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas (DFW), departing at 8:40 a.m. PDT.

 From Los Angeles (LAX) to San Antonio (SAT), departing at 9:00 a.m. PDT.

 From Salt Lake City (SLC) to San Antonio (SAT), departing at 10:08 a.m. MDT.

 From Salt Lake City (SLC) to Austin (AUS), departing at 9:55 a.m. MDT.

Southwest

 Flight 1252: departing Dallas (Love Field) at 12:45 p.m. CDT for Pittsburgh

 Flight 1721: departing Austin at 12:50 p.m. CDT for Indianapolis

 Flight 1910: departing St. Louis at 1:20 p.m. CDT for Houston (Hobby)

United

 Flight 5693 departs Chicago for Little Rock at 12:45 p.m. CDT

 Flight 490 departs Chicago for Houston at 12:47 p.m. CDT

 Flight 455 departs Chicago for Dallas at 12:49 p.m. CDT

 Flight 247 departs Chicago for Toronto at 1 p.m. CDT

 Flight 2440 departs Chicago for New York at 1 p.m. CDT

 Flight 2187 departs Chicago for Washington, D.C., at 1:20 p.m. CDT

 Flight 1438 departs Houston for San Jose del Cabo at 11:55 a.m. CDT

 Flight 6128 departs Houston for Columbus at noon CDT

 Flight 6109 departs Houston for Detroit at 12:05 p.m. CDT

 Flight 1318 departs Houston for Cincinnati at 12:23 p.m. CDT

 Flight 1687 departs Houston for Indianapolis at 12:25 p.m. CDT

But its not just airlines with flights through the path of totality that are seeing eclipse-related travel demand pick up. Alaska Airlines is seeing extra demand for flights to Austin, Dallas and San Antonio, Texas, as well as Cleveland  destinations that should have good opportunities for eclipse viewing on the ground. An Alaska spokesperson told USA TODAY the airline previously added an extra flight to Mazatlan, Mexico, which is expected to have the longest duration totality during this eclipse. According to the spokesperson, theres especially high demand for tickets to Mazatlan too.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can I see the solar eclipse during a flight? Try these specific ones.
The man previously charged with causing the death of a St. Johns County Sheriffs Sergeant has been released from federal custody.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

St. Johns County Sheriffs Office Sergeant Michael Kunovich lost his life after suffering a heart attack during a struggle with Virgilio Aguilar-Mendez back in May of last year.

Ever since, 19-year-old Aguilar-Mendez had been behind bars.

That changed last Friday when he was officially released from federal custody.

Aguilar-Mendez was initially charged with murder.

That was later reduced to manslaughter and resisting with violence before the charges were completely dropped on March 1st.

Jose Baez, an attorney who helped represent Aguilar-Mendez, told Action News Jax after the charges were dropped his client was the victim of racial profiling.

He didnt go looking for trouble. Trouble found him and unfortunately, that trouble came with a badge, said Baez.

READ: State drops charges against Guatemalan man accused in St. Johns deputys line of duty death

The State Attorneys Office said at the time it decided not to pursue the case after questions were raised about Aguilar-Mendezs intellectual capacity and inability to speak English.

But Baez argued his client is competent, and accused the state attorney of deflecting.

Thats the stupid kind of thing you say when you have blood on your face, said Baez.

Aguilar-Mendezs case has garnered national and international attention, largely because federal immigration authorities accused the Guatemalan-born man of being in the country illegally.

Baez told us earlier this month, that his client had been awaiting an immigration status hearing before his arrest, and he expects that process to continue on track now that hes been released.

And the arrest was an unlawful arrest, unjust. Hes a victim of racial profiling, so therefore, its not a situation where that should count against him, said Baez.

Action News Jax did reach out to the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office for comment on the release.

The agency declined, but after the charges were dropped the Sheriff issued a statement standing behind his fallen Sergeant, saying he died a hero.

[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.
Mar-a-Lago, Former President Trump's official address, is located in Palm Beach County. Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

As voters trickle to the polls on Tuesday, the highest turnout so far is from the county of Palm Beach  where former President Donald Trump resides.

Of the 67 counties in Florida, the election day turnout shows 16,416 votes at about noon in Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Division of Elections.

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel And Convention Center on Feb. 24, 2024, in National Harbor, Maryland. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump has already clinched the delegates needed for the GOP nomination, but Floridians can cast votes for six other candidates, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, during the Republican presidential primary election on Tuesday. (Those candidates have suspended their campaigns.)

In second place: Brevard County, on the Space Coast, on the Atlantic side of the peninsula. The turnout there was at 7,934.

The third place: Orange County, in Central Floridas Orlando area. The turnout there was at 6,014. But just recently, Pinellas County, at 6,892, now has more votes than Orange.

The numbers are moving fast now. Of all the counties, the turnout had been 139,501 around noon. But now its at 156,529.

The state Division of Elections is continuing the turnout throughout the day, so the numbers will continue to change.

You can look at the data here: Florida Election Watch  Election Day Turnout

Keep in mind that there are other data pieces to look at during the afternoon and early evening. The polls will close at 7 p.m. local time.

So far, Republican vote-by-mail stats show 520,198.

For early votes, the figure is 220,420.

The post Guess which FL county has the most turnout so far in the GOP presidential primary election Tuesday? appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
On Thursday 2 May Londoners will head to the polls to elect a mayor and 25 London Assembly members.

It's a chance for the 6.2 million registered voters to have their say on who will be in charge of running the capital for the next four years.

Here is what you need to know about the election and how you can participate in it.

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Who can vote in the election?

The mayor represents the 8.9 million people living all across London.

Anyone who lives in the capital and is over the age of 18 on the day of the election is eligible to vote.

You don't have to be a British citizen to vote - European Union (EU) and Commonwealth citizens who do not require leave to remain in the UK can also vote.

However, you must be registered.

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How do I vote in the election?

Firstly you need to be registered to vote - you are not automatically included on the electoral register.

Anyone over the age of 16 can register to vote online here.

You will need to register again if you have changed your name, address or nationality.

The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday 16 April.

Once you are registered you have a few options on how to vote - you can vote in person at a polling station on 2 May, by post or by proxy.

If you wish to submit a postal vote you must do so by 17:00 BST on 17 April.

A proxy vote, which means someone else can vote on your behalf, must be applied for by 17:00 on 24 April.

You can request a proxy vote for reasons such as being away on polling day or being registered as an overseas voter. The proxy must be someone you trust to vote on your behalf and you will need to tell them which candidate you want to vote for.

They can still cast their own vote as well.

Everyone will need to show photo ID at polling stations before they vote.

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How does the election process work?

On election day you cast two votes - one for the London mayor and the other for the London Assembly.

You can vote for two members of the London Assembly, one to represent your constituency and one for London as a whole.

The system for voting has changed this year.

Previously you would list a first and second preference candidate, but in this election, first past the post system will be used meaning you can only vote for one candidate and whoever has the most votes will win.

If you have registered to vote, you will receive a booklet in the post in April which includes election statements from mayoral candidates who wish to submit one.

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Who are the candidates running for mayor?

Sadiq Khan is seeking re-election for a third term as mayor. Other political parties have also announced their candidates.

The deadline for candidates to apply is 27 March. The official list of candidates will be announced in the afternoon on 28 March.

All candidates need a total of 330 signatures of people on the electoral register in London supporting the nomination, consisting of 10 from each London borough and 10 from the City of London.

They will also need a deposit of 10,000 which is returned to them after the election if they poll more than 5%.

In the last mayoral election, a record of 20 candidates stood.

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What important deadlines and key dates should I be aware of?

On 28 March the official candidate list will be published

Last day for registering to vote is 16 April

If you want to vote by post you must do so by 17 April

For proxy votes the deadline is 24 April

On 2 May polls are open between 06:00 BST and 22:00

Shadow line

Red line

When will we find out who has won?

The verification of ballot papers from the contests will take place on Friday 3 May, and the votes counted on Saturday 4 May.

The results will be announced at City Hall on Saturday 4 May.

The new London mayor and Assembly members take office on the second day after the results are declared and will have a term of four years.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk

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Gwinnett County officer Ashley Wilson stopped by the Georgia Capitol in March to support legislation to create state coverage of first responder PTSD coverage. Evelyn Farkas/Georgia Recorder

Two years into her service in Gwinnett County, police officer Ashley Wilsons partner died in her arms after being shot in the line of duty.

After winning her battle against post-traumatic stress disorder and accumulating $20,000 in medical bills, she has been fighting on a new front to help her fellow suffering officers. After three years of setbacks, new legislation passed in the state House of Representatives to provide supplemental insurance for first responders dealing with occupational PTSD.

Backed with bipartisan support and through a partnership with MetLife to provide the insurance product, House Bill 451 proposes a one-time fund of $3,000 to cover uninsured costs and up to 36 months of paid disability leave at 60% of the first responders salary.

It passed unanimously out of the House of Representatives just ahead of the February Crossover Day deadline with a vote of 168-0. A Senate committee is set to consider the bill Wednesday, although it is only set to receive a hearing, according to the meeting agenda. The session ends March 28.

I dont like to sit around and wait for change, Wilson said. I came back and wanted to just leave this job better than I found it for others.

Wilson met with Lawrenceville Democrat Rep. Gregg Kennard who immediately set the bill in motion.

I think our first responders are some of the highest character people in our society, Kennard said. They are seeing, hearing and experiencing the unimaginable. With first responders, it is the daily pile-on, the accumulating compound impact, day after day across a multi-year career, that is particularly debilitating.

Neuropsychological research provides further evidence.

That ongoing exposure is going to lead to a whole variety of classic PTSD symptoms, said Jeff Ashby, a licensed psychologist and co-director of the Ken Matheny Center for the Study of Stress, Trauma and Resilience at Georgia State University.

We havent isolated the particular mechanism, as mechanisms are very complicated questions, but theres no doubt from the evidence that we have that there are neural mechanisms and measurable physiological changes in PTSD, he said.

The autonomic nervous system, which mediates fight-or-flight mechanisms, the brains amygdala, which generates fear responses, the limbic circuit, which regulates emotions and the prefrontal cortex, which is critical in emotional control and decision-making, are all poorly regulated in PTSD, said Ashby.

Behaviorally, this manifests as hyperarousal, avoidance of triggering emotions and locations, intrusive thoughts and negative alterations of mood and cognition, said Kelly Kinnish, a clinical psychologist and director of the National Center on Child Trafficking at Georgia State.

This bill will start changing the narrative, said Wilson, the Gwinnett County police officer. Youre not broken. This is not all on you; this is an actual physical change. Trauma changes your brain. Facts will help break down barriers and the stigma that we have to be strong and cant show weakness.

Years of lacking education on the neurobiology of PTSD and societal stigmatization are slowly turning for the better, according to Kinnish, especially in the wake of Georgias landmark Mental Health Parity Act of 2022. That law was designed to step up enforcement of a 14-year-old federal law requiring health insurers to treat behavioral health benefits on par with physical care.

Other issues such as adequacy still plague those seeking treatment for psychiatric disorders.

Few really good counselors even accept insurance, Wilson said. So a lot of people told us that we dont need that much money because we passed medical parity. Well, that would be really great if the therapists were on our insurance, but theyre not.

In response, insurance companies have started developing limited and specifically tailored products that supplement available mental health resources.

Premier insurance companies have recognized the need to augment their offerings to a focus on mental health, said John Hanson, the attorney and public policy consultant responsible for mediating with insurance companies on behalf of associations that represent Georgia cities and counties.

This bill is a step in that direction that addresses the fracture in the support first responders have on a public policy level, according to Hanson.

The goal of the bill is to draw you into the system with the confidence that you will get the financial support that you need, he said.

Gwinnett police officer Ashley Wilson wears a lapel pin in honor of her late partner, who died in her arms. Evelyn Farkas/Georgia Recorder

That was Wilsons driving motivation over her years of advocacy.

The whole idea behind the bill was to prevent and give resources to prevent firefighter and police suicides, she said. If you are using that $3,000 to go to treatment with a counselor and doing the work, youre going to have enough skills and tools in your toolbox to use if and when you experience another critical incident.

Being a paramedic for 40 years, Marietta GOP Rep. Devan Seabaugh, the bills lead sponsor, has first-hand experience on the matter.

We work in a business that never closes, he said. The job requires us to run towards the danger when others are running away. It is a high-stress job that requires mental and physical toughness. Ive personally seen traumatic events that no human should ever see.

When we call our first responders in times of need, they show up, usually within minutes, said Kennard. Today, we have the opportunity to show up for them, in their time of need.

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The post Gwinnett officers push to get first responder PTSD coverage gets Georgia Senate panel hearing appeared first on Georgia Recorder.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Ominous clouds produced eerie weather in some parts of San Diego County on Monday.

Around 1 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of southeastern San Diego County until 2 p.m. Those communities included El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee, Bonita and Ramona.

FOX 5/KUSI viewers sent in photos and videos of lightning, hail and dark clouds.

One of the videos shows a viewer from Harbinson Canyon capture lightning strike the top of a mountain, while another shows lightning strike close to what appears to be powerlines in San Diego. In Jamul, hail could be seen pelting the ground, resembling somewhat of a winter wonderland at a quick glance. Watch the videos in the player above.

A viewer submitted a photo of a plane tied down on the parking ramp at Palomar Airport with lightning in the backdrop.

Around 4:07 p.m., NWS San Diego released a graphic of the total number of lightning strikes in Southern California, with purple representing cloud to cloud and in cloud, while orange is cloud to ground.

Mondays storm comes after parts of San Diego County saw heavy rainfall, hail and some snow last week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
The Bank of the Republic of Haiti sits in the business district of Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs are battling authorities for control (file photo)

Police in Haiti have killed at least three people while repelling an attack on the country's central bank.

A "group of criminals" targeted the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) on Monday, an employee told AFP, leaving up to four dead and a guard injured.

The bank itself thanked security forces for "protecting our community".

Haiti has been rocked by weeks of violence after gangs raided prisons, released thousands of inmates and forced the prime minister to resign.

In a statement on X, BRH said: "Following an incident yesterday near [our] site on Rue Pavee, security forces and the bank's security team acted with professionalism and efficiency."

The bank is one of a few key institutions still running in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, where many hospitals have been forced to close.

BRH added that it was "deeply grateful to our officers and the state police for their vigilance".

The employee, who spoke to AFP on the condition of anonymity, said "three or four" of the criminal gang had been killed in the attack.

They also told the news agency that the injured guard had sustained gunshot wounds.

BBC News was not able to independently verify these claims.

Police have been trying to recapture areas of Port-au-Prince held by notorious gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, nicknamed "Barbecue".

The power struggle has led to an uptick in violence - including gun fights - on the streets of Haiti, a country which struggled with gang violence long before the recent crisis.

Haitians told the BBC they could see no end to what is happening in the Caribbean country, with Port-au-Prince and the surrounding region under a month-long state of emergency.

Last week, following mounting pressure, Ariel Henry agreed to step aside as prime minister to allow the formation of an interim government.

Mr Henry had not been allowed back into Haiti after leaving in late January for visits to Guyana and Kenya, where he had signed a deal on the deployment of an international security force to help tackle the violence.

The Caricom group of Caribbean nations subsequently outlined plans to set up a transitional presidential council, comprising - among others - seven voting members, two observers and a religious leader.

One of those put forward to be a member was Leslie Voltaire, a government minister under former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide.

He told BBC World Service's Newshour programme that Haiti was in "a grave crisis" - but refused to accept that "bandits" could one day rule the country.

"They [armed gangs] say that they have put Ariel Henry out, but they cannot enter into the palace, they cannot enter into the prime minister's office," Mr Voltaire said.

Describing the chaos, he said "something" had to be done - and fast - "because now all the ports are blocked, the airport is blocked, and even if you want to go to the beach you cannot go".

He continued: "There is a lot of kidnappings, a lot of rape, a lot of burglaries. One has to decide if you want to live like that, or if you want to fight. I want to fight."

Countries including the United States and Germany last week evacuated embassy staff from Port-au-Prince, with the violence showing no sign of easing.

The US State Department then said over the weekend that it planned to charter a flight to rescue its remaining citizens still stranded.
HSINCHU, March 18, 2024 /CNW/ -- ICP DAS-BMP dazzled at the prestigious MD&M West Show, where its high-quality medical-grade thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) garnered orders from top manufacturers in U.S. and Japan. Concurrently, part of the company's TPU products passed the ISO10993-6 test for local effects after 90-day implantation, positioning them as ideal materials for producing indwelling medical devices intended for use over 30 days.

ICP DAS-BMP Secures Pivotal TPU Deals with Medical Materials Leaders in U.S. and Japan, Boosts Product Reliability

ICP DAS-BMP, Asia's first medical-grade TPU supplier, produces three main series of products: Alithane (ALP series), Durathane (ALC series), and Arothane (ARP series). The company is set to launch a new Durathane (ARC series), known for its exceptional biostability. All the TPU series are available in different hardness levels, colors, and concentrations of radiopaque fillers (Tungsten/Barium Sulfate). These materials are widely utilized in manufacturing cardiovascular, urological, and gastrointestinal devices, as well as medical and electromedical consumables.

ICP DAS-BMP's Arothane ARP-B20 (20% Barium Sulfate) and Durathane ALC-B40 (40% Barium Sulfate) passed the ISO10993-6 90-day implantation test. This qualifies them for long-term invasive or implantable medical applications such as peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) and port-a-cath. The company plans to conduct long-term implantation tests for other specifications of TPU products based on customer demand, while advancing research and development to uphold TPU product quality.

ICP DAS-BMP Medical Grade TPU Biocompatibility and Other Testing

Medical-grade TPU differs from other plastics by emitting minimal VOCs during manufacturing and having low wastewater discharge, making it extremely environmentally friendly. It contains no plasticizers or heavy metals, ensuring excellent biocompatibility and blood compatibility, and enhancing ESG sustainability. ICP DAS-BMP aims to offer safer, stable, and eco-friendly medical-grade TPU, collaborating with global medical device manufacturers to create long-term benefits and value.

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Haiti is fast becoming a failed state.

Armed gangs control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and have forced the shutdown of the capitals international airport and gasoline refinery. Most businesses are closed or are being extorted by the gangs.

Ordinary Haitians fear for their safety without the umbrella of law and order that only the government can provide. But there is not much government left: Elections have not been held since 2016; the last president, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in 2021; and the current prime minister and acting president, Ariel Henry, is stuck in Puerto Rico, unable to fly back to Haiti.

It is increasingly becoming clear that Haiti has neither the means nor the ability to pull itself out of this quagmire on its own, raising the prospect of  and calls for  foreign intervention. So far, to that end, Kenya has offered 1,000 armed policemen; other countries may chip in. The United States and Europe have pledged millions of dollars in aid.

But can a multinational security mission provide Haiti with a way out of its current crisis? My experience studying authoritarianism and democratization in Latin America and the Caribbean tells me that international intervention will only take care of Haitis immediate security crisis  but it does not guarantee any long-term solutions to Haitis challenges. Moreover, history shows that in the case of Haiti, a multinational security mission may create problems of its own.

Occupational hazards

This is not the first time that talk has turned to sending foreign troops to Haiti. Since their hard-fought independence from France in 1804, the Haitian people have seen their countrys sovereignty disrupted many times.

From 1915 to 1934, U.S. Marines occupied Haiti to impose order in the riot-struck republic, create a professional military force and secure U.S. strategic interests in the process.

The lengthy military occupation was a humiliating affair for the worlds first Black republic, which had to endure being ruled by white foreigners.

In the aftermath of the U.S. occupation, the new Haitian military became the main force in the countrys politics, either ruling directly or as the power behind the throne.

In 1994, U.S. troops once again landed in Haiti, this time to return to power the democratically elected president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who had been ousted by the military just seven months into his term.

This second U.S. occupation led to the dissolution of the Haitian military, setting the stage for the current security crisis. Since then, Haiti has lacked a national security force capable of imposing order without being challenged by insurgents, paramilitaries and gangs.

The United Nations eventually took over and sent several missions to stabilize the country starting in 1994. But the U.N. mission eventually left in 2019 once its mandate expired. U.N. troops were accused of sexually exploiting poor women and being responsible for a major cholera outbreak that killed thousands of Haitians.

Routes of transition

This sorry history with foreign intervention means that Haiti faces a conundrum now: The country desperately needs outside help to rein in the gangs and provide order, but at what cost?

With the U.S., U.N. and the Ariel Henry administration seemingly in agreement over the need for outside assistance, it seems like foreign intervention is increasingly likely.

Henry has promised to step down as soon as a transitional administration is set up. Any multinational security mission mandate is likely to be pretty straightforward: provide a modicum of security to assist the transitional administration.

But disarming the gangs is a major challenge. They will likely either resist, leading to a potential bloodbath, or, more likely, hide and wait until foreign troops leave Haiti and then reemerge.

That was one of the major failures of previous security missions in Haiti. U.N. peacekeepers kept the peace, but the flow of arms coming into the country from the United States continued unabated. Once the peacekeepers left, the violence resumed. Any international mission sent to Haiti will have to tackle this problem head on, or it will ultimately fail.

Gangs hold so much power over vast swaths of the country that any mediated solution to the Haitian crisis will likely have to include them. Moreover, there is a working relationship between the Haitian political elites and the gangs, with the former arming the latter and using them to pursue their short-term goals. Ignoring the political power of the gangs is, I believe, engaging in wishful thinking about the nature of the Haitian political system.

Haitians have bitter memories of U.N. troops in their country. Thony Belizaire/AFP via Getty Images

And what about Haitis other challenges, such as holding free elections, organizing a functioning, legitimate government and improving the lives of its citizens?

None of these goals can realistically be achieved until peace is restored. Only in the conditions of stability and order can a transitional caretaker government start planning the arduous task of holding free, fair and competitive elections.

It may be years before Haiti can organize such elections or restore trust in democracy among the populace. If this process is rushed, Haiti runs the risk of ending up with an illegitimate administration  as Henrys is seen to be  heightening the chances of the resumption of violence.

This has been the case over the past two decades: Haitis elections and authorities have became less legitimate, to the point where the country was unable to hold free elections after 2016.

The challenge ahead

If a multinational security mission is in Haitis immediate future, then the chances of it having lasting success will hang on whether the international community can provide enough support to the country after foreign troops leave.

A new police force will have to be recruited and trained, institutions such as the judiciary have to be reinforced, and the new administration will need time to earn the trust of the people. This is a difficult task considering Haitis political polarization.

To overcome these challenges, the international community will have to pump funds into Haiti. While history has shown that this risks exacerbating governmental corruption, I believe it is a small price to pay for the maintenance of peace.

Without sustained funding from the international community, Haiti will again become a forgotten crisis. For example, in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake, US$4.5 billion dollars were promised in aid, but only a little over half of it was delivered.

The fear is that now an international community distracted by crises elsewhere, such as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, may soon lose interest in Haitis plight.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world.

It was written by: Ernesto Sagas, Colorado State University.

Read more:



Ernesto Sagas 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.
Since Hamas blindsided Israel with its most ambitious attack ever launched from Gaza, questions have been raised over who masterminded the deadly invasion.

Many of the highest-ranking men belonging to the militant Palestinian group controlling Gaza keep a low public profile, while others have spent much of their lives evading assassination attempts by Israel.

These are Hamas's most prominent leaders.

Ismail Haniyeh

Haniyeh is considered the overall leader of Hamas

Ismail Haniyeh is widely considered Hamas's overall leader.

A prominent member of the movement in the late 1980s, Israel imprisoned Haniyeh for three years in 1989 as it cracked down on the first Palestinian uprising.

He was then exiled in 1992 to a no-man's-land between Israel and Lebanon, along with a number of Hamas leaders.

After a year in exile, he returned to Gaza. In 1997 he was appointed head of the office of Hamas's spiritual leader, strengthening his position.

Haniyeh was appointed Palestinian prime minister in 2006 by President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas won the most seats in national elections, but was dismissed a year later after the group ousted Mr Abbas' Fatah party from the Gaza Strip in a week of deadly violence.

Haniyeh rejected his sacking as "unconstitutional", stressing that his government "would not abandon its national responsibilities towards the Palestinian people", and continued to rule in Gaza.

He was elected head of Hamas's political bureau in 2017.

In 2018, the US Department of State designated Haniyeh a terrorist. He has lived in Qatar for the past several years.

Yahya Sinwar

In September 2015, the United States included Sinwar's name on its blacklist of "international terrorists"

The leader of the Hamas movement within the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, was born in 1962.

He is the founder of the Hamas security service known as Majd, which manages internal security matters, investigates suspected Israeli agents and tracks down Israeli intelligence and security services officers.

Sinwar has been arrested three times. After his third arrest in 1988 he was sentenced to four life terms in prison.

However, he was among 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli Arab prisoners released by Israel in exchange for an Israeli soldier held captive for over five years by Hamas.

Sinwar returned to his position as a prominent leader in Hamas and was appointed head of the group's political bureau in the Gaza Strip in 2017.

In 2015, the US included Sinwar on its blacklist of "international terrorists".

Mohammed Deif

Deif has near-mythical status in Gaza because of his ability to evade assassination

Mohammed Deif leads the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of the Hamas movement.

He is a shadowy figure known to Palestinians as The Mastermind, and to Israelis as The Cat with Nine Lives.

Israeli authorities imprisoned him in 1989, after which he formed the al-Qassam Brigades with the aim of capturing Israeli soldiers.

After his release, he helped engineer the construction of tunnels that have allowed Hamas fighters to get inside Israel from Gaza,

Deif is one of Israel's most-wanted men, accused of planning and supervising bus bombings which killed tens of Israelis in 1996, and of involvement in the capture and killing of three Israeli soldiers in the mid-1990s.

Israel imprisoned him in 2000, but he escaped at the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising, or intifada.

Since then, he has left behind little trace. There are three known pictures of him: one is dated, he is masked in the second, and the third is of his shadow.

The most serious assassination attempts on his life were in 2002: Deif survived but lost one of his eyes. Israel says he also lost a foot and a hand, and that he has difficulty speaking.

Israeli security forces again failed to assassinate Deif during a 2014 assault on the Gaza Strip, but killed his wife and two of his children.

Marwan Issa

Marwan Issa is thought to have played a significant role in attacks on Israel

Hamas has not confirmed that Marwan Issa, deputy commander-in-chief of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in an Israeli air strike in March 2024, as reported by the White House.

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he had been killed by the IDF, following reports in Israeli media that he had died in a strike on a tunnel complex under the Nuseirat refugee camp.

The senior commander is also known as the Shadow Man and has been viewed as Mohammed Deif's right-hand man.

Prior to reports of his death, he was on Israel's most-wanted list, and was injured when Israel attempted to assassinate him in 2006.

Israeli forces detained him during the first intifada for five years because of his activity with Hamas.

The Palestinian Authority arrested him in 1997, but he was freed after the second intifada in 2000.

Israeli warplanes also destroyed his house twice during invasions of Gaza in 2014 and 2021, killing his brother.

It was not known what he looked like until 2011, when he appeared in a group photo taken during a reception for exchanged prisoners.

He is thought to have played a significant role in planning incursions into Israel, including the most recent.

Khaled Meshaal

Meshaal is one of the founders of Hamas

Khaled Meshaal, who was born in the West Bank in 1956, is considered one of the founders of Hamas.

Under direct instructions from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Mossad spy agency attempted to assassinate Meshaal in 1997 while he was living in Jordan,

Mossad agents entered Jordan with forged Canadian passports and Meshaal was injected with a toxic substance while walking along a street.

Jordanian authorities discovered the assassination attempt and arrested two Mossad members.

The late King Hussein of Jordan asked Israel's PM for the antidote for the substance Meshaal was injected with. Facing pressure from then US President Bill Clinton, Mr Netanyahu provided the antidote after initially rejecting the request.

Meshaal, who lives in Qatar, visited the Gaza Strip for the first time in 2012. He was received by Palestinian officials and crowds of Palestinians came out to welcome him.

Hamas elected Ismail Haniyeh to succeed Meshaal as head of its political bureau in 2017, and Meshaal became head of the group's political bureau abroad.

Mahmoud Zahar

Zahar survived an Israeli assassination attempt in 2003

Mahmoud Zahar was born in Gaza in 1945 to a Palestinian father and an Egyptian mother. He is considered one of Hamas' most prominent leaders, and a member of the movement's political leadership.

He went to school in Gaza and university in Cairo, then worked as a doctor in Gaza and Khan Younis until Israeli authorities dismissed him over his political position.

Mahmoud Zahar was held in Israeli prisons in 1988, months after the founding of Hamas. He was among those deported by Israel to no-man's land in 1992, where he spent a year.

With the Hamas movement winning Palestinian general elections in 2006, Zahar joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh's newly formed government before its eventual dismissal.

Israel attempted to assassinate Zahar in 2003, when a plane dropped a bomb on his house in Gaza City. The attack left him with minor injuries, but killed his eldest son, Khaled.

His second son, Hossam, who was a member of the al-Qassam Brigades, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza in 2008.

More on Israel-Gaza war
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY)  Hampton Police are investigating an incident in which a person fired shots at two Newport News police detectives, who then returned fire.

The investigation revealed the Newport News detectives were in an unmarked police unit following a wanted subject Monday night. They continued into Hampton. When they got to the 1300 block of Patrick Street, the suspect vehicle came to a stop; someone got out and fired towards the detectives. The detectives returned fire and the suspect vehicle took off.

Neighbors told 10 On Your Side they heard at least five gunshots, one after the other.

The police unit was struck multiple times, according to a news release from Hampton Police, but the officers were not injured. Hampton officers responded to Patrick Street around 10:20 p.m. in response to a shots fired call.

About 20 minutes later, a 19-year-old Hampton man arrived at the Sentara CarePlex with a gunshot wound.

Hampton Police have not confirmed yet if the person who was shot is connected to the earlier incident.

The Hampton Police Division Major Crimes Unit is investigating both incidents.

If you have any information that could assist police, please contact the Hampton Police Division at 7577276111 or the Crime Line at 1888-LOCK-U-UP.

WAVY reached out to Newport News Police about this incident. A spokesperson said NNPD is cooperating fully with the Hampton Police Division. She also confirmed the officers who were shot at are on temporary administrative assignment pending the outcome of the investigation.

Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew addressed the shooting during Tuesday nights Chat with the Chief.

I called and checked on both [detectives] of them today just to hear their voice and make sure that they were doing OK because thats traumatic and I wanted them to have that health and wellness support, Drew said. The Newport News Police Department is cooperating fully. I did have a conversation with their [Hamptons] chief last night in Hampton.

At this time no arrests have been made.

Check with WAVY.com for more updates.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
The man who went full Freddy Krueger and decided to chase a bunch of peaceful Black Lives Matter protesters with a glove of blades has been sentenced.

In June 2020, Frank Cavalluzzi, 58, was filmed jumping out of his car equipped with a makeshift glove filled with what appears to be long kitchen knives to chase a small group of protesters on the side of the road in Queens, New York City. He shouted racial slurs and told protesters you are in the wrong neighborhood, according to court documents obtained by NBC 4.

In another video, Cavalluzzi is seen driving on to the sidewalk where protesters were standing while yelling I will kill you. People are sprinting away to avoid being crushed by Cavalluzzis car.

Cavalluzzi was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of nine counts of attempted murder and other charges last summer.

While there is something somewhat comical about a grown man putting on a costume because hes scared of a few people with posters, things could have taken a much darker turn.

In 2017, Black Lives Matter protester Heather Heyer, 32, was murdered by James Alex Fields when he rammed his car into a crowd, injuring dozens gathered to protest a white nationalist rally. Fields was later found guilty of first-degree murder.

In 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse shot three Black Lives Matter protesters, killing two of them. Unlike Fields and Cavalluzzi, Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges.

Cavalluzzis case ended without any deaths but with a sizable prison sentence.

A dangerous man is being held accountable for unleashing terror on peaceful demonstrators who were simply exercising their First Amendment right, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz told NBC4 in a statement. Thankfully, the victims were not physically harmed and we secured justice on their behalf.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Since the former Saint Clair 10 Cine theater closed four years ago, things have been quiet at 50 Ludwig Drive in Fairview Heights.

Until recently, when renovation work started for one of two new Faith Church campuses that will join six existing campuses in Missouri and Florida.

Folks passing by may have noticed (its hard to miss, after all) the chain-link barricade and multiple trucks and construction vehicles at the former movie theater.

A quick stop at the site didnt reveal much, but the sound of a jackhammer could be heard coming from inside the building.

Ive not yet received a reply to messages sent to Faith Church, but I do have some info about the project.

Faith Church bought the former movie theater from the Marcus Corporation in January 2022, according to St. Clair County property tax records. (The Marcus Corporation bought the theater from St. Clair Cine LLC in December 2016.)

In 2023, Faith Church launched its Open Door in 24 campaign, which was designed to cover the cost of the remaining renovations needed for the Lake Worth [Florida] Campus and the extensive construction of our Fairview Heights Campus, according to the churchs website.

The website includes a brochure for its fundraising campaign, which contains a floor plan for the former movie theater.

Redevelopment of the former movie theater is an ambitious project [that] represents an investment of $6 million, according to the campaign brochure. Construction will include around 32,800 square feet of renovated space.

The projects floor plan includes:

Two existing theaters (1,816 square feet and 1,091 square feet);

A 6,232-square-foot auditorium;

Childrens Ministry (2,612 square feet);

A sizable lobby;

Multiple preschool rooms;

Plus, offices, restrooms, storage and other small facilities.

A video on the website shows some of the early progress at the Fairview Heights campus.

In a Feb. 15 memo to the Fairview Heights City Council from Land Use & Development Director Dallas Alley, the project was included on a list of commercial plan reviews in the pre-permitting phase and marked Permit issued.

The permit was for an interior remodel and building addition, according to the memo.

A call to Alley to request additional info was not immediately returned.

New information will be reported as it becomes available.

About Faith Church

Faith Church was established by co-founders and pastors David and Nicole Crank in 2004.

Starting with 180 members, the church now has more than 18,000 active members among six campuses in Missouri and Florida, an online campus and virtual reality access, according to the website.

Faith Church services are broadcast via the online campus and social media through Facebook, YouTube, Apple TV and Roku.

For more information about Faith Church, visit faithchurch.com.
The grieving parents of a toddler have said they will discuss their next move with a lawyer after a hospital admitted she had received "sub-standard" care.

A consultant at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, apologised to Ivy Rupasinghe's family at an inquest into her death.

Two-year-old Ivy had been sent home with a prescription for antibiotics.

Coroner Lincoln Brookes did not blame the hospital for Ivy's death but said there had been "various shortcomings".

The inquest at Chelmsford on Monday heard how Ivy had been sent home with the prescription after waiting about six hours at the hospital's emergency department in October 2022.

Dr Adeyemi Kareem had thought she had tonsillitis.

Ivy's father Kelum Rupasinghe, 49, and mother Thuy Lam, 37, who live in Harlow, had not been given antibiotics for her before leaving the hospital.

The coroner heard the department had run out of penicillin on an "extremely busy" day.

Ivy's story at a glance

Ivy was born on 8 March 2020 - the month the first Covid-19 lockdown began

Ivy became unwell on 5 October 2022, with a temperature, a cough and vomiting

She was taken to a GP on 6 October 2022. The GP thought she had a viral flu and suggested Calpol or paracetamol

On 8 October 2022 her parents spotted a rash and took her to the Princess Alexandra Hospital. A doctor in an emergency department thought she had tonsillitis

Ivy's condition worsened on 9 October 2022. Her parents took her back to the hospital and she went into cardiac arrest during the journey. She was resuscitated at the hospital then moved to an intensive care unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

She died at Addenbrooke's on 19 October 2022 after her parents agreed to let doctors turn off a life-support machine

Ivy went into cardiac arrest the following day and died, in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, less than two weeks later after suffering multiple organ failure and brain damage.

No complaint was made about the care Ivy received at Addenbrooke's.

No complaint has been made about Ivy's care at Addenbrooke's

Post-mortem tests showed she had contracted the Epstein-Barr virus - which causes glandular fever - the coroner was told.

Consultant paediatrician Edward Haworth, based at the Princess Alexandra, conducted an investigation following Ivy's death, the inquest heard.

"Ivy should not have been sent home," he said.

"I have apologised before and I apologise again. The care she received was sub-standard."

'Caused harm'

The consultant said a "number of things" had been put in place, which he hoped would prevent a repeat of such a "scenario".

He said he thought Ivy would probably have continued to deteriorate even if she had been admitted.

But he said he still thought she had been caused "harm".

Another Princess Alexandra consultant, Nicola Ray, said what happened to Ivy was "less than best practice".

But Dr Ray thought Ivy would still have died had she been admitted.

Dr Kareem had left the hospital shortly after Ivy's death, the coroner was told.

'Easy solution'

Lawyer Robert Barker, of MR Law in Harlow, who represented Ivy's parents, told the inquest: "It's difficult to see how Ivy was provided with a basic standard of care."

Mr Brookes said there had been "various shortcomings" which hospital bosses had "rightly admitted".

"it seems to me he (Dr Kareem) saw what he expected to see - what he wanted to see," said Mr Brookes.

"An easy solution to the problem."

The coroner concluded that Ivy's death had been as a result of multi-organ failure caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.

Mr Rupasinghe told the BBC, after the inquest, that the family would seek legal advice before "taking things further".

"I don't know," he said. "We are just here to get justice."

Ivy's mother broke down as she added: "Our family is completely broken."

Giuseppe Labriola, deputy chief nurse for Princess Alexandra Hospital, said after the inquest that the family's experience had been "fully investigated".

"We sincerely apologise to Ivy's family that the severity of her illness was not identified at the earliest opportunity," she said in a statement.

"Since this tragic incident, we have introduced further training on the national paediatric early warning system to help us identify sepsis in children, and provided our teams with initiatives and technology for improving the accuracy of taking and recording observations, and the timely escalation of care.

"We have also strengthened oversight of all children within the emergency department by the senior nurse in charge and consultant."

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830
(FOX40.COM)  Comedian and Davis native Hasan Minhaj added a second Sacramento show for his Off With His Head tour.

Minhaj will perform back-to-back shows on March 29 at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center. The comedians second show will take place at 10 p.m., three hours after his first scheduled show at the downtown Sacramento venue.

The Davis native initially announced tour dates in November including a show in Sacramento on March 29 at 7 p.m. The second show is part of a slate of added shows that were announced Friday.

Matt Rifes ProbleMATTic tour coming to the Sacramento area

Tickets for the 10 p.m. show are available online. Minhajs 7 p.m. show is sold out, according to Ticketmaster.

Minhaj grew up in Davis, graduating from Davis High School and UC Davis before embarking on a comedy career. Hes been vocal about his love for the Sacramento Kings and was spotted at home games during the teams playoff run last season.

He gained national fame as a comedian and writer while working on The Daily Show from 2014 to 2018 before hosting his own show, Patriot Act on Netflix from 2018 to 2020.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
There are concerns about how the new law will be enforced by police

Police Scotland have said they will not target performers when new hate crime laws come into force next month.

The laws say hate can be communicated through public performances, online, or by playing videos.

But officers will only respond to complaints and not go looking for offending material, the force have said.

A lawyer said performers and writers "must trust to luck" they are not prosecuted.

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act comes into force in Scotland on 1 April.

Ahead of this, Police Scotland have urged anyone either witnessing or targeted by hate crimes to come forward.

The force have pledged to investigate every complaint they receive.

The new law points out that material used for "stirring up hatred" could be communicated by playing a video, through public performance of a play, online, on a sign, or through printed media.

It adds that this could be spread through the spoken word, the written word, or by electronic communications either by the originator of the material or by forwarding or repeating the material.

Someone convicted of stirring up hate could face a fine and a prison term of up to seven years.

BBC Scotland has seen part of the material being used in a two-hour online course to train police officers in the new law. It lists the various ways and scenarios which could be investigated.

Police Scotland online training course

Details of the training have been covered in the media and shared across social media platforms.

This led to condemnation from several Scottish Conservative MSPs, with the party's justice spokesman Russell Findlay saying it was at "odds with the legislation".

No targeting

However, Police Scotland have defended the training. They said officers were only preparing to respond to hate crimes and incidents.

A statement from the force said: "Police Scotland is not instructing officers to target actors, comedians, or any other people or groups.

"The training material was based on the Scottish government's explanatory notes which accompany the legislation:.

"This included examples of a range of scenarios where offences might take place, but this does not mean officers have been told to target these situations or locations."

The statement added: "Police Scotland is a rights-based organisation and officers balance the protections people have under human rights legislation against other laws every day.

"Our training for the new act therefore reminds officers of their human rights obligations and it reflects all aspects of the new legislation, including the protection it includes around freedom of expression."

'Populist sounding laws'

Tony Lenehan KC, president of Faculty of Advocates Criminal Bar Association, said the public knowing what is and what is not a crime is a "vital part of any modern democracy".

"Where the new statute is woven with threads of subjectivity, the broadcasters, after dinner speakers, comedians, debaters and dramatists must trust to luck that they don't end up being prosecuted under it," he told BBC Scotland.

Mr Lenehan said most of the behaviour tackled by the hate crime legislation "would already be a crime" as public order offences, or using specific aggravations such as crimes involving religion and race.

"My fear is that this legislation is driven by the hope of a PR coup, from passing pleasingly populist sounding laws," he said.

'Mother of all April Fools' jokes'

The law criminalises threatening or abusive behaviour which is intended to stir up hatred against someone who possesses, or appears to possess, certain characteristics.

These differ from the protected characteristics in the UK-wide Equality Act 2010 - age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and variations in sex characteristics.

While the law omits sex, to the criticism of women's groups, the police training does define transgender identity and includes people who identify as a gender different from their birth sex, as well as "non-binary people and cross-dressing people".

Harry Potter author JK Rowling is among the critics of the legislation, which she argues limits free speech.

JK Rowling said she would not delete any comments which could be considered criminal in Scotland

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, the author said she would not delete any comments which could be considered criminal in Scotland from April.

"If you genuinely imagine I'd delete posts calling a man a man, so as not to be prosecuted under this ludicrous law, stand by for the mother of all April Fools' jokes," she said.

Murray Blackburn Mackenzie, an Edinburgh-based policy analysis group, have been trying to seek assurances about the position of women's rights campaigners who are critical of gender policy.

"There has been no attempt over the past three years to involve those who had concerns about the act, to allay worries about how the police would handle complaints," they said.

"Police Scotland initially offered us the opportunity to look at the training materials before the act's commencement, but that has now been rescheduled for the first week in April."

Speaking on Tuesday, a Downing Street spokeswoman said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would not consider similar laws in England.
The petition was launched in hopes of securing rights for grandparents

Two grandparents say being prevented from seeing their grandchildren is "like a living bereavement".

The couple stopped having contact with their grandchildren last year.

A petition has been launched which would see the introduction of a legal right of contract between grandparents and grandchildren.

It is being backed by the Bristol Grandparents Support Group.

"The heart wrenching thing is or grandson is of an age of understanding... he must be wondering where we've gone," explained the grandfather.

He said the couple fear their grandson thinks they have "betrayed" him.

After going to the Bristol Grandparents Support Group for a meeting, they said they realised they were "not the only ones".

"You feel ashamed, you feel embarrassed, you feel isolated," added the grandfather.

This petition, they believe, is "absolutely necessary and will be beneficial for millions".

The Worcester Grandparents Support Group, which set up the petition, said: "UK grandparents have no automatic right of contact with their grandchildren.

"They can lose contact with a grandchild if the parents split up or for other reasons."

'Pain like no other'

Another grandparent, from Bath, said: "It's a pain like no other. It's a grief that I wake up with every day."

When asked about the petition she said: "The grandchildren's wishes need to be borne in mind, but on the whole, where it is appropriate, there should be a law protecting this [contact]."

"This is about the grandchildren and what they're losing out on," she added.

A government spokesperson said: "The government recognises the important role of grandparents in childrens lives and the stability they can provide in families when parents separate.

Grandparents can apply to the courts to decide arrangements for a childs upbringing, such as where and who they live with, and weve invested over 23 million in mediation funding to support more families resolve issues out of court.

More on this story

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CHICAGO  Chicago aldermen advanced a plan Monday to award a $45 million settlement to a 15-year-old boy left unable to talk and walk after he was injured in a police chase car crash.

The settlement  set to become one of the largest in Chicagos history if it passes the full City Council Wednesday  will help pay for the medical care of Nathen Jones. Jones suffered catastrophic injuries in a high-speed April 2021 crash during a police chase. He will need around-the-clock medical care for the rest of his life, according to his familys attorneys.

The settlement passed unanimously in the councils Finance Committee Monday as aldermen offered sympathy to Jones and his mother, who watched the deliberation in the council chambers. The case involving the Chicago Police Departments controversial no-chase policies shows there are rules in place for a reason, Ald. Andre Vasquez, 40th, said.

If somebodys running through a stop sign, that doesnt mandate a chase, Vasquez said. There was so much that could have been done differently.

Jones was in the back seat of a 2002 Volkswagen CC that police attempted to pull over for disregarding a stop sign in the West Town neighborhood. When officers turned on their lights, the Volkswagens driver, Khalil Raggs, drove off, sparking a high-speed chase down North Wood Street and North Damen Avenue.

Officer Jhonathan Perez drove his police cruiser at top speeds of 67 miles per hour before turning off his emergency equipment and slowing his car, city attorney Margaret Mendenhall Casey said. But seconds later, the Volkswagen sped into the intersection at Damen and Grand avenues, where it crashed into another car.

Raggs, also named in Jones lawsuit, was sentenced to three years in prison for the crash and charges related to a gun found in his car. Jones suffered catastrophic brain injuries, according to his attorneys.

Nathen is nonverbal, cannot dress or bathe independently and requires assistance for all activities. He wears diapers and is fed through a feeding tube, Mendenhall Casey said.

CPD vehicle chase policies do not allow officers to pursue drivers for minor traffic offenses. Perez, who remains on active duty, later testified that the chase violated department policy. The city would likely be required to pay for all of Jones lifetime medical expenses if it were found at all responsible for the crash in court, Mendenhall Casey said.

No amount of money can turn Jones back into the happy, healthy 15-year-old he was before the crash, his mother, Erika Boyd, said at a news conference later Monday. Her days are now defined by her sons complex needs, she said.

This is going to be the rest of our lives, Boyd said. Just a simple, Hey mom, how was your day?  Ill never be able to get that again.

The city would likely be forced to pay much more than the $45 million settlement if the case went to trial, said attorney Patrick Salvi Jr. of the familys law firm, Salvi Schostok & Pritchard. The high price, which Salvi said he believes will become the largest police settlement in Chicagos history Wednesday, shows how important it is that policies like the no chase rules are followed.

These are rules that have been written in blood, he said.

If approved by the full City Council, the settlement would compel the city to pay $20 million and its insurer to pay $25 million. Aldermen also advanced expensive settlements Monday in two additional lawsuits involving Chicago police.

The Finance Committee advanced in a 21-4 vote a $2.25 million settlement for the family of Roshad McIntosh. McIntosh was fatally shot by police in 2014 after fleeing from officers who had responded to a tip about possible illegal guns. McIntoshs mother alleged in a federal lawsuit her son was surrendering and unarmed when he was shot and that police misconduct in the shooting had been hidden by a code of silence.

Police said McIntosh, then 19, pointed a gun at an officer before he was shot, but CPD reopened its investigation into the shooting in November 2017 after surveillance video showed testifying officers werent as close to the shooting as they had said  an inconsistency that led to one officers resignation. Police at the time said they recovered a loaded 9mm pistol near his body, though an Illinois State Police inspection found no usable fingerprints. McIntoshs mother claimed the gun was planted.

Council members also approved a $5.5 million settlement for Ricardo Rodriguez, a man who spent decades in prison for what his attorneys say was a wrongful conviction for a 1991 shooting murder.

In a federal lawsuit, Rodriguez accused disgraced former Chicago police Detective Reynaldo Guevara of extracting a false confession using physical and psychological abuse during an interrogation, while having no physical evidence to link Rodriguez to the crime.

Guevara has been accused of fabricating evidence against people throughout his career with the Chicago Police Department, leading to dozens of overturned convictions, including Rodriguezs. Legal awards in cases involving Guevara have cost the city around $55 million, according to city attorneys.

____
Michael Larsen, Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Illinois Tool Works Inc (NYSE:ITW), has sold 37,167 shares of the company on March 14, 2024, according to a recent SEC filing. The transaction was executed at an average price of $265.06 per share, resulting in a total value of approximately $9,850,000.

Illinois Tool Works Inc is a global manufacturer of a broad range of industrial products and equipment. The company operates through seven segments: Automotive OEM, Food Equipment, Test & Measurement and Electronics, Welding, Polymers & Fluids, Construction Products, and Specialty Products. ITW's products and solutions are used in various applications, including automotive, electronics, construction, and food equipment.

Over the past year, the insider has sold a total of 37,167 shares and has not made any purchases of the company's stock. The recent sale by Michael Larsen represents a continuation of this selling trend.

The insider transaction history for Illinois Tool Works Inc shows a pattern of insider activity. In the past year, there has been only 1 insider buy, contrasted with 9 insider sells, indicating a general disposition towards selling among insiders at the company.

Illinois Tool Works Inc CFO Michael Larsen Sells Company Shares

On the valuation front, Illinois Tool Works Inc's shares were trading at $265.06 on the day of the insider's sale, giving the company a market capitalization of $79.14 billion. The price-earnings ratio stands at 27.19, which is above both the industry median of 22.52 and the company's historical median price-earnings ratio.

According to the GuruFocus Value chart, with a stock price of $265.06 and a GF Value of $250.55, Illinois Tool Works Inc has a price-to-GF-Value ratio of 1.06, categorizing the stock as Fairly Valued.

Illinois Tool Works Inc CFO Michael Larsen Sells Company Shares

The GF Value is a proprietary intrinsic value estimate from GuruFocus, which is calculated based on historical trading multiples, a GuruFocus adjustment factor related to past returns and growth, and future business performance estimates provided by Morningstar analysts.

Story continues

Investors often monitor insider selling as it can provide insights into an insider's perspective on the value of the company's stock. However, insider transactions are not always indicative of future stock performance and may be influenced by various factors, including personal financial requirements or portfolio diversification strategies.

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.


Gov. Kathy Hochul has finally called for an overhaul of the state agency overseeing New Yorks cannabis industry after even she admitted its roll-out was a disaster.

The move  fueled by a top-to-bottom review of the state Office of Cannabis Management that began Monday  came as a key New York weed regulator was placed on leave after being accused of retaliation by a pot supplier for her criticism of the program.

Hochul tapped her Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy to conduct the 30-day examination of the program to try to streamline its licensing operation and the opening of new pot stores  a directive seen in and outside the weed industry as a belated attempt to stem a full-blown crisis occurring on the governors watch.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has called for an overhaul of the states embattled Office of Cannabis Management. Office of Governor Kathy Hochul/Flickr

What took Hochul so long? Its hard to imagine something worse than we have right now  its a major blunder, said Queens City Councilman Robert Holden, who is fighting to close unlicensed pot shops in the heart of his district, Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village, to The Post.

A new legal pot shop that just opened on Metropolitan Avenue, The Cannabis Place, is currently surrounded by six unlicensed shops within a few blocks radius, said company CEO Osbert Orduna, who previously operated a delivery shop at another location.

State Sen. George Borrello (R-Jamestown) called the states legalized-marijuana program an abject failure.

From the beginning, it was a failure of identity politics  of giving people with pot convictions preferences for licenses over law-abiding citizens, Borrello said.

That same lenient ideology also allowed unlicensed pot shops to sprout up like weeds unchecked before the legal market could take hold  and its high time Democrats in charge snap out of their daze and do something, he said.

The New York City Sheriffs Office raiding an illegal marijuana shop in Queens on March 5, 2024. Council Member Robert Holden

Nothing is going to change until Democrats in Albany get a spine and pass a law to put illegal pot operators in prison, Borrello said.

Hochul on Monday promised a turnaround.

Today, we take the first step in revamping New Yorks legal cannabis industry to ensure its long-term success, the governor said.

I have full confidence in Commissioner Moys ability to identify areas that need improvement, establish standards and processes across agencies, and jumpstart the next phase of New Yorks legal cannabis market.

As news of the shake-up surfaced, Damian Fagon, OCMs social-equity director, was placed on leave after Jennie Argie, owner of upstate cannabis edibles supplier Jenny Loves Me, claimed he was behind state regulators closing her business in retaliation over criticism.

As a regulatory body, we take questions about the integrity of our systems seriously. To ensure a transparent, thorough investigation into the allegations made, the Office placed Mr. Fagon on leave, said OCM Executive Director Chris Alexander.

The problems with the states budding cannabis program are deep-seated, and some of them self-inflicted:

There are 83 licensed operators to sell cannabis in the Empire State, 38 of which are in New York City.

But city Sheriff Anthony Miranda and Mayor Eric Adams estimated up to 2,000 stores are illegally selling cannabis.

Damian Fagon, OCMs social-equity director, was placed on leave. Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

State lawmakers failed to approve measures to address the black market when they legalized the sale of marijuana in 2021.

Hochul is pushing the legislature to pass her proposal that would give local authorities more power to shut down unlicensed shops.

The slow rollout  hampered in part by lawsuits  has farmers who invested life savings to sell marijuana staring at bankruptcy because there were too few licensed cannabis stores to sell weed to.

In its budget bill, the state Senate recommended a staggering $126 million bail-out to prevent farms from going belly up, while the Assembly proposed $80 million to keep cannabis suppliers afloat until the market builds out.

Frustrated applicants have complained of waiting two years to obtain a license.

Orduna, The Cannabis Place CEO, said cracking down on the black market is the most pressing issue that Albany needs to address.

This is what the governor has proposed. The ball is in the legislatures court, Orduna said.
Las Vegas(KLAS)-Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas will celebrate their 20th anniversary with food and beverage specials throughout the year, including a different featured schnitzel which will be available for $20 on the 20th of each month.

Jessica Maass, Marketing and Office Manager for Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas, stops by with all the details on their year-long festivities.

Reservations at Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas can be made by calling 702.853.BEER (2337) or visiting HofbrauhausLasVegas.com. Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas is open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Critics say Hong Kong's new national security law could further curtail freedoms (Peter PARKS)

Hong Kong legislators unanimously passed a new national security law on Tuesday that introduces penalties such as life imprisonment for crimes related to treason and insurrection, and up to 20 years in jail for the theft of state secrets.

The law, which the United States, Britain and the European Union have warned could further curtail freedoms in Hong Kong, was fast-tracked through the legislative process.

UN rights chief Volker Turk denounced the "rushed" adoption, criticising it as "a regressive step for the protection of human rights".

But city leader John Lee called it "a historic moment for Hong Kong", adding that the law would come into effect Saturday.

The government's previous attempt to introduce Article 23 -- as it is commonly referred to -- was in 2003, but it was dropped after half a million Hong Kongers took to the streets in protest.

Lee had repeatedly cited Hong Kong's "constitutional responsibility" to create the new law as required by the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution since its handover from Britain to China in 1997.

The homegrown legislation will work in tandem with the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 after huge and at times violent pro-democracy protests.

The new law punishes dozens of offences under five categories: treason, insurrection, theft of state secrets and espionage, sabotage endangering national security, and external interference.

Lee had said it was needed to plug the legislative gaps left by Beijing's version, which targets secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

The law "will allow Hong Kong to effectively prevent, suppress and punish espionage activities, conspiracies and traps from foreign intelligence agencies, and infiltration and sabotage carried out by hostile forces", he said Tuesday.

He added that it would also "effectively prevent black-clad violence", a reference to the 2019 pro-democracy protests that were quashed.

One of the last-minute amendments added to the law last week empowers Lee and his cabinet to create new offences -- to account for "unforeseen circumstances" -- punishable by up to seven years in prison.

- 'An effective lock' -

Sanctioned by the United States for his oversight of the crackdown on the protests while security chief, Lee has called the law "an effective lock to prevent burglars" as authorities seek to combat "threats posed by external forces".

Penalties run up to life in prison for sabotage endangering national security, treason and insurrection, 20 years for espionage and sabotage, and 14 years for external interference.

It has also expanded the British colonial-era offence of sedition to include inciting hatred against China's Communist Party leadership, with an aggravated sentence of up to 10 years in jail.

As with its 2020 predecessor, the new law claims jurisdiction over some offences committed outside Hong Kong.

But the Beijing-run national security office in Hong Kong said "only an extremely small number of people" would be punished under Article 23, mirroring language used in the run-up to the original security law's imposition.

Nearly 300 people have so far been arrested under that law, while dozens of politicians, activists and other public figures have been jailed or forced into exile.

Calling it "a new Great Wall of rule of law", the security office said in a statement that "the majority of Hong Kong residents and international investors will benefit" from it.

- 'A regressive step' -

As part of the 1997 handover from Britain, Hong Kong was guaranteed certain freedoms -- as well as judicial and legislative autonomy -- for 50 years in a deal known as "one country, two systems".

The accord has helped cement the city's status as a world-class business hub, bolstered by a reliable judiciary and political freedoms distinct from the mainland.

Britain's foreign minister David Cameron said the new law would "further damage the rights and freedoms enjoyed" in Hong Kong and have "far-reaching implications" for the rule of law and independence of institutions.

State Department spokesman Vedant Patel meanwhile told reporters Tuesday that the United States was "alarmed by the sweeping and what we interpret as vaguely defined provisions" in the law.

And the Amnesty International rights group called the law "draconian".

"The passing of this law sends the clearest message yet that the Hong Kong authorities' hunger to accommodate Beijing's will outstrips any past commitments on human rights," said Amnesty's China specialist Sarah Brooks.

su-hol-dhc/sco/tw/bfm
FILE PHOTO: Tourists relax on the waterfront in front of Victoria Harbour, in Hong Kong

FILE PHOTO: Tourists relax on the waterfront in front of Victoria Harbour, in Hong Kong

By James Pomfret and Jessie Pang

HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed a new national security bill within two weeks of it being presented, fast-tracking a major piece of legislation that critics say further threatens the China-ruled city's freedoms.

The package, known as Article 23, punishes offences including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage with sentences ranging from several years to life imprisonment.

Hong Kong leader John Lee said the law would come into effect on Saturday and called it a "historic moment".

The legislation comes on top of a China-imposed national security law in 2020 that has been used to jail pro-democracy activists after violent street protests a year earlier and triggered sanctions from the United States, including against Lee.

Some lawmakers, however, shrugged off the risk of further sanctions and possible credit rating downgrades.

"We have to legislate for the security of our country and Hong Kong. Whatever comes, will come. We don't mind," said the head of the legislature, Andrew Leung.

Hong Kong's Legislative Council, stacked with pro-Beijing loyalists, was first presented with the bill on March 8 following a month-long public consultation.

The new law will have extraterritorial effect, giving rise to fears it could be used to intimidate and restrict free speech in other jurisdictions.

Critics, including the U.S. government, say the law will further narrow freedoms, and could be used to "eliminate dissent through the fear of arrest and detention".

Hong Kong returned from British to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee its freedoms, including freedom of speech, would be protected under a "one country, two systems" formula. Critics of the 2020 law say those freedoms have eroded swiftly.

The United States believes the passing of the new bill has the potential to accelerate the closing of a once-open society, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said, adding that a lot of the phrasing, including on external interference, was "incredibly vague."

"We're analyzing this legislation and we are taking a look at what the potential risk could be to not just U.S. citizens but other American interests that we might have," Patel told reporters at a regular news briefing.

Britain said the legislation would impact Hong Kong's reputation as an international city that respects the rule of law, has independent institutions and protects its citizens' freedoms.

"This new law, rushed through the legislative process, will have far-reaching implications for all of these areas," Foreign minister David Cameron said in a statement. He said it undermined the terms of the 1984 agreement under which Britain handed back its colony to China.

The U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China - which advises the U.S. Congress - published a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken last Thursday criticising the new laws and urging the U.S. government to "take additional steps to protect American citizens and businesses".

China's Foreign Ministry Commissioner's office in Hong Kong condemned the United States for its criticism.

"Immediately stop the political manipulation and interference in Hong Kong affairs," it said in an earlier statement.

All 89 lawmakers present voted to pass the bill. The assembly once had a strong pro-democracy camp but was overhauled in 2021 to ensure only Chinese "patriots" could run for office.

China's State Council Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said the law would "secure Hong Kong's prosperity and stability" as well as safeguard the interests of overseas investors, democracy and freedom.

Critics say authorities largely ignored calls from diplomats, legal scholars, rights advocacy groups to better safeguard fundamental rights, including exemptions for the media from crimes like state secrets.

One foreign executive with decades of experience in Hong Kong and China said the new law could hurt Hong Kong as it finds itself caught between U.S.-China geopolitical tensions.

"To the rest of the world, Hong Kong is increasingly considered to be a part of China - economically and politically. Its uniqueness continues to be eroded," he said, declining to be identified given the sensitivity of the topic.

Hong Kong officials, however, say the laws are no more severe than those in other countries including the United States, Britain and Singapore; and will ensure stability and prevent a repeat of the 2019 protests.

(Reporting by James Pomfret, Jessie Pang and Edward Cho; William James in London; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis in Washington; Editing by Christina Fincher, Alexandra Hudson, Ros Russell and Nick Macfie)
Police officers stand guard outside the Legislative Council where Article 23 was passed on Tuesday, marking the latest stage of a widespread political crackdown - Louise Delmotte/AP

Western businesses in Hong Kong face growing uncertainty after politicians passed draconian new national security laws that will align the city-state even more closely with Beijing.

Hong Kongs Legislative Assembly passed a major piece of legislation known as Article 23 on Tuesday, marking the latest stage of a widespread political crackdown triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The laws, which will come into force on Saturday, introduce a series of new crimes including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage. The punishment for offences ranges from several years to life imprisonment.

Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, branded the crackdown another large nail in the coffin of human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

The measures, which further tighten the national security laws imposed on Hong Kong by Beijing in 2020, have fuelled concerns about the former British colonys future as Asias business hub.

The passing of the major piece of legislation marks the latest stage of a widespread political crackdown triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019 - DALE DE LA REY/AFP/Getty Images

Analysts pointed to the broad and vague wording of the new laws, which expand the definition of state secrets to cover information ranging from diplomatic and foreign affairs activities to the economic or social development of both Hong Kong and China.

This will spark fears that financial professionals gathering corporate information for work such as audits and analysis could be accused of espionage and be detained or even imprisoned.

Ho-fung Hung, professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University, said: With these draconian and not clearly defined clauses, even apolitical business persons can get into trouble and will face the risk of their office being raided and themselves being detained, arrested or placed under exit ban as in many cases in mainland China. This will surely increase the doubt, anxiety, and uncertainty of foreign businesses in Hong Kong.

It comes amid a Beijing crackdown on purported spies that has already affected advisory and due diligence firms carrying out work in China.

Several large US consulting firms in the country were raided last year, while in January Beijing accused MI6 of recruiting and training a spy in a consulting agency to gather intelligence in China.

Many multinational companies have already moved their Asian headquarters away from Hong Kong to locations such as Singapore due to concerns about tightening Chinese control.

Article 23 was rushed through Hong Kong's pro-Beijing Legislative Council in less than a fortnight - DANIEL CENG/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

John Lee, the chief executive of Hong Kong, branded the changes a 'historic moment' - DANIEL CENG/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Under the new laws, citizens could also be imprisoned for keeping old copies of Apple Daily, the pro-democracy newspaper shut down in 2021. Its founder Jimmy Lai is currently on trial on a range of charges under the national security laws.

Maya Wang, acting China director at Human Rights Watch, said: The new security law will usher Hong Kong into a new era of authoritarianism.

Now even possessing a book critical of the Chinese government can violate national security and mean years in prison in Hong Kong.

The imposition of Article 23, which was rushed through Hong Kongs pro-Beijing Legislative Council in less than a fortnight, is highly symbolic for citizens of the city.

It fulfils a constitutional obligation for Hong Kong to enact its own security legislation after British rule ended. But previous attempts to do so in 2003 were shelved amid widespread public protests.

Authorities say the new laws close loopholes in the national security regime, even though existing laws have already been used to jail pro-democracy protesters who challenged Chinas rule over the semi-autonomous territory.

John Lee, the chief executive of Hong Kong, branded the changes a historic moment.

David Cameron, the UK Foreign Secretary, said: The overall impact of Hong Kongs new national security law is that it will further damage the rights and freedoms enjoyed in the city.

It undermines Hong Kongs implementation of binding international obligations, including the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former Conservative Party leader, said: This change to the existing law in Hong Kong is even worse and more oppressive. This will put Hong Kongs status as an English Common Law jurisdiction in very serious question.

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Moove, a global mobility fintech, has announced that it has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round, to expand its global mobility business and increase vehicle supply.

Moove will use the funds to extend its operations to 16 markets by the end of 2025. By doing so, Moove is not only expanding its vehicle fleet but is also laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and accessible mobility ecosystem for its customers worldwide.

Mubadala Investment Company PJSC (Mubadala), an Abu Dhabi sovereign investor, which led Mooves previous funding round in 2023, participated in this round alongside new investment from Uber.

Key milestone

Ladi Delano, Founder of Moove, said: Today's announcement marks a significant milestone for us. When we founded Moove in 2020, we were motivated by the acute shortage of vehicle financing that over two million African mobility entrepreneurs faced.

This validation from Uber and others stands as a testament to the fact that what was once a dream is now a palpable reality. This infusion of capital is set to amplify the immensely positive impact our products have in the lives of our customers on a much broader spectrum. I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated team of Moovers for their relentless effort and commitment, which has been pivotal in reaching this significant milestone on our companys journey.

Moove was founded in 2020 to connect mobility entrepreneurs with fair, accessible, and affordable revenue-based vehicle financing options. From its new headquarters in the UAE, a growing hub for entrepreneurship and innovative startups, Moove has achieved rapid growth through not only support of the UAE ecosystem, but a growth in customer demand.

The UAE stands as a pivotal market for Moove, as it was the first market where Moove launched its fully integrated charging solution, investing in a network of charging stations exclusively for Moove customers.

Pioneer market

Additionally, the UAE was Moove's pioneer market for transitioning to a 100% EV fleet, leading to the Company providing the largest number of EV trips on the Uber platform in 2023. This strategic focus on sustainability and innovation underscores Moove's commitment to shaping the future of mobility in the region and supporting the UAE's vision for economic diversification and technological advancement.

To date, Moove has helped more than 20,000 mobility entrepreneurs across three continents, enabling more than 30 million Moove financed trips to date  resulting in an annual recurring revenue of over $115 million, a significant milestone on Mooves path to profitability. Its successes have allowed the company to achieve a $750m valuation.

Ali Eid Al Mheiri, Executive Director of UAE Diversified Assets at Mubadalas UAE Investments Platform, commented: We are proud to continue supporting Moove through our second round of funding, not only as a testament to our commitment to nurturing the startup ecosystem in the UAE but also as a reflection of our renewed trust in Moove's vision and capabilities. This follow-on investment exemplifies Mubadalas strategy of deploying capital to drive positive change in communities, in addition to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across the UAE.

Game changer

Delano concluded: "This recent investment is a game-changer for Moove, enabling us to substantially broaden our offerings by introducing 45,000 new vehicles to our platform. This move not only expands our operational capacity but also highlights our commitment to sustainability, with a significant focus on electric vehicles in partnership with Uber. Mooves aim is to be at the forefront of the electrification of mobility, which we believe will help steer the world towards a zero-emission future.

Our global expansion is customer-centric, aimed at bringing Moove's innovative mobility solutions to those in need across various regions. By pushing into 16 markets by the end of 2025 and enhancing our EV charging infrastructure, we're not just growing our fleet; we're building a more sustainable, accessible mobility ecosystem for our customers around the world."--TradeArabia News Service
Equitable Holdings Inc (NYSE:EQH), a financial services company that operates through various segments including Individual Retirement, Group Retirement, Investment Management and Research, and Protection Solutions, has reported an insider sell according to a recent SEC filing. The company's Chief Operating Officer, Jeffrey Hurd, sold 9,969 shares of the company on March 15, 2024. The transaction was disclosed in an SEC Filing.Over the past year, the insider has sold a total of 19,938 shares and has not made any purchases of the company's stock. This latest transaction continues a trend of insider sells at Equitable Holdings Inc, with a total of 15 insider sells and no insider buys reported over the same timeframe.

Insider Sell: COO Jeffrey Hurd Sells 9,969 Shares of Equitable Holdings Inc (EQH)

On the day of the sale, shares of Equitable Holdings Inc were trading at $35.32, resulting in a market capitalization of $11.734 billion. The company's price-earnings ratio stands at 10.53, which is below the industry median of 12.31, and higher than the company's historical median price-earnings ratio.Equitable Holdings Inc's stock is currently assessed as Fairly Valued with a price-to-GF-Value ratio of 0.91, based on a GF Value of $38.77. 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.

Insider Sell: COO Jeffrey Hurd Sells 9,969 Shares of Equitable Holdings Inc (EQH)

Investors and analysts often monitor insider selling as it can provide insights into an insider's perspective on the value of the company's stock. However, it is important to consider that insider transactions may be subject to various personal financial needs or portfolio strategies and do not always indicate a bearish outlook on the company's future performance.

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.


MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Attorneys for the owners of the troubled Serenity Towers are due back in Shelby County Environmental Court on Tuesday, March 19th for a special hearing that would put the company a step closer to possibly being stripped of its power at the senior high rise.

Its a legal process thats fairly rare, but if it happens, it would coincide with the company potentially being banned from the federal housing business because of how much taxpayer dollars.

WREG visited Serenity Towers recently where longtime resident Robert Nichols pointed out the fact that one of the glass panels on the automatic front doors is missing. Its difficult to see from the sidewalk, so much so that Mr. Nichols turned his body and pointed during our conversation.

When that door shut, that second door, you see that, asked Nichols.

Thats a empty glass. That glass been out for two months, Nichols added.

News Channel 3 was told the glass was on back order and should be replaced soon.

But for Nichols, it represents the loss of a sense of safety at the taxpayer-funded towers for seniors.

He said, You pay rent for security really, somewhere, where you, you up in age, and ah, you aint safe!

There was a shooting at the complex in November.

Man shot at Serenity Towers after argument

Records show police have been called to the complex recently for reports of aggravated assault, simple assault, theft, and intimidation.

One resident told WREG he was pepper sprayed by a squatter.

Another senior at Serenity texted one of the WREG Investigators early one weekend morning.

It read, Please help me move, I now have bed bugs, I dont want to die like this.

Safety and security at Serenity came up again at an Environmental Court hearing in late February as attorney Marcus Ward provided an update on the progress of ongoing code violations at the complex.

The court appointed Ward as Special Master several months ago, a neutral party, to work with Serenitys owners and code enforcement to resolve nearly two years worth of violations.

Records: Unpaid Bills Leave Serenity Towers Residents at Risk

Serenity Towers residents without heat as temperatures drop

We want to have a plan in place for every issue that occurs, Ward explained during an interview with the News Channel 3 Investigators.

Ward said one of the goals at Serenity is to help the company in charge, Millennia, establish a maintenance plan at the property thats currently for sale.

Millennia Housing to part ways with Serenity Towers

Ward and inspectors from city and county code offices conduct frequent inspections at Serenity.

Ward told the NewsChannel 3 Investigators Millennias been cooperative, but says they need more done and faster.

Were here for the residents and if that means going above and beyond Millennia to get to where we need to be, thats what were going to do, said Ward.

Not long ago, Ward requested a show cause hearing from Environmental Court thats set for March 19th.

He explained the hearing requires Millennias attorneys to show why the property shouldnt be placed into court receivership and out of its hands.

Receivership requires a judges order.

If that happened, it would mean Millennia and its affiliated entity which currently owns Serenity, would be stripped of its duties at the property and the court would put someone else in charge.

Ward told News Channel 3, My concern is always in the present and right now the concern is that you have a development that is not providing service its tenants need.

After Serenity failed its latest federal inspection, the WREG Investigators uncovered records revealing HUD referred the property to its Departmental Enforcement Center.

A spokesperson told NewsChannel 3 that the DEC team was sending the owners a Notice of Default and would determine enforcement action.

The NewsChannel 3 Investigators have put in numerous interview requests with HUD and spent years pressing the agency about its oversight and response to the conditions at properties like Serenity.

We recently spoke with Walter Perry who is the Tennessee Field Office Director for HUD about the ongoing violations at Serenity Towers and the agencys responsibility.

He said, When things are brought to our attention, we want to do something about it.

The News Channel 3 Investigators asked Perry, How does HUD let it get to that point with that private owner?

Perry responded, We do inspections and we also receive concerns from residents, so when something comes into us as in elevators being down, we reach out to the management agency and say, whats going on?

WREG then asked, Is there a need for swifter action?

Perry replied, If we are aware of something, we have a project-based contract administrator that handles the concerns on maintenance and operations but if that is not receiving a timely response as you say, we need to know about that at HUD and well reach out and find out wheres the status.

News Channel 3 has also learned after years of documented violations at its properties across the country, like conditions weve exposed in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Georgia, HUD is now taking major disciplinary action against Millennia.

Problems at Millennia properties extend beyond Memphis

HUD is suspending the company, immediately prohibiting it from doing new business with them and any other government agency.

According to a statement from HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary Ethan Handelman, Millennia exercised financial mismanagement of tenant security deposit accounts and taxpayer funds providing housing assistance.

HUD is also demanding Millennia repay those misappropriated funds and hitting the company with a civil money penalty.

HUD leaders also want to bar Millennia from federal government business for five years. However, the agency makes it clear Millennia must continue to address repairs and maintenance issues at its properties.

A Millennia spokesperson sent WREG the following statement on the matter:

Millennia is aware of HUDs concerns and has taken action to address them while supporting a business model through increasingly challenging economic conditions. HUDs statement does not affect the daily operations of a property and Millennia remains steadfast in its fundamental commitment to delivering quality affordable housing.

Meanwhile, at Serenity Towers, Nichols says he isnt holding out hope that anything will change soon.

WREG asked, So then what are you looking forward to?

Nichols said, Moving out from here!

As for the sale of Serenity, Millennia says its still looking for a buyer who will be able to use the plans already established to complete a renovation at the property.

The suspension from HUD isnt the first time Millennias finances have come into question. Late last year, the Tennessee Housing and Development Agency pulled its support from Millennias deal to finalize the purchase and rehabilitation at Serenity. A source close to the deal told the WREG Investigators the agency simply didnt trust Millennias financials.

THDA revokes $23M bond for Serenity Towers owners

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Treaties are fickle things: the political conditions that bring them into being rarely endure. One of the modern eras more successful ones, the Antarctic Treaty, is starting to creak. Signed on 1 December 1959 and entering into force on 23 June 1961, it had 12 signatory nations. Its focus is to ensure that Antarctica remains a natural reserve dedicated to peace and science. But the world is changing, and China in particular nowadays seems to have a different agenda.

There are three reasons why this treaty has endured so well and expanded to 54 members (of which 29 have voting rights). The first is because it is clearly but also cleverly written. The second is because maintaining the integrity and purity of the worlds coldest, highest, driest and least inhabited continent is self-evidently to be desired. But diplomacy and altruism have had a stronger partner here. The third reason the treaty has stood is because getting to Antarctica and doing anything there is so difficult.

The Royal Navys single ice breaker, HMS Protector, is forward-based in the Falkland Islands, hardly a buzzing international hub themselves. From there, you have another 1000 miles to sail across the roughest water on earth: the Furious Fifties themselves. Vast, oceanic swells circulate clockwise around the planet without interruption before being whipped into a frenzy by the narrowing and shallowing of the Drake Passage  the gap between Cape Horn and the Antarctic peninsula. When you take your ship into the Passage, eating, sleeping and getting around the ship all become problematic, often for days at a time.

You can shorten the crossing to about 600 miles from Ushuaia or Punta Arenas or lengthen it from Christchurch, Hobart or Cape Town but the fundamental problem doesnt go away  youre in an extreme environment with limited possibility of help if things go wrong. Of course, ships of all sizes have operated, sailed and fished down there for centuries now, so it can be done, its just not for the faint-hearted and there have to be sound economic reasons to make the risk worthwhile. The old clipper ships, who exploited the furious western winds of the far south to move cargoes fast, mostly stayed in the slightly more civilised Roaring Forties: they only dipped into the Fifties to pass the Drake Passage.

Once you have got through the terrible high southern latitudes  or indeed, as you start to get through them  ice starts to become an issue, at first drift ice and then the Antarctic shelves. Icebreakers are not the only option when it comes to sustained operations down there but they are a large part of it. The US Coast Guard and Royal Navy have just three ageing hulls between them, four if we include the research ship Sir David Attenborough.

HMS Protector does great work down there on behalf of the Foreign Office (base inspections), the British Antarctic Survey (science and research) and the UK Hydrographic Office (charting) but can only be in one place at a time. Even within the Royal Navy, which provides the ships company, His Majestys ice patrol ship is a distant anomaly. Given well-published tensions of manpower and funding elsewhere in the service, the likelihood of buying another one to allow for concurrent tasking down there  or better still, one south and one north  is exactly zero. The US Coast Guard is at least investing in new hulls as part of the Polar Security Cutter program.

Flying to Antarctica is possible and has been for decades but it requires special skills, special hardware and special support services. And as ever with flying, if you want to do anything substantial at the other end, thats going to be a challenge.

So the Antarctic Treaty has endured and expanded, due partly to its wisdom and partly because defying it, in practical terms, is hard to do. However, when working down there, one always had the sense that as soon as Antarcticas vast resources become economically worth the risk of exploiting, this would change. We may be seeing the start of this now.

There are no prizes for guessing who is leading the charge. China only recently built its fifth base in Antarctica for scientific purposes without submitting the environmental evaluations required by the treaty. The base was built in three months. The US still has the largest footprint on the continent, but the Chinese one is growing the fastest. American, UK or South Korean bases are not used for military purposes, spying or listening. I know this because Ive been in them.

For now, the only vaguely exploitable resource in the Antarctic is sea life. On land, one day, there are minerals and fossil fuels: but for now the environment is too hostile to go there to get those. But sea life has long been exploitable: much of the large-scale industrial whaling of the 20th century took place in the Antarctic.

Today, in line with their global modus operandi of sending fishing fleets far and wide, China has a fleet of super trawlers in Antarctic waters exploiting the vast quantities of krill and other fish knowing that regulation is nearly impossible and claiming research if challenged. In 2019 China attempted to claim control of Dome Argus, the highest point of Antarctica and perhaps the coldest place on Earth  between the mountains there and the ice sheet on top of them, the surface is at an altitude of more than 13,000 feet. Dome Argus sits squarely in the Australian slice of the pie. This was blocked, but for how long?

Russia is likewise expanding its footprint on the continent and conducting fishing as the vessels involved go dark or spoof their location on various tracking systems. People fishing legally dont do this.

The Southern Ocean is not only inhospitable, it is huge. It is officially defined as waters south of 60 degrees South. To put this in perspective, 60 degrees North cuts through the top of the Shetland Islands. Imagine having to police everything north of that. We struggle to monitor illegal fishing in UK waters  or stop boats in the Channel.

Iran, not one of the 54 signatories or one of the 29 with voting rights but never far behind when an opportunity to cause mischief presents itself, announced last autumn its intention to build an Antarctic base  and claiming property rights.

The first question is does any of this matter?

I would say it does, not just because of the requirement to preserve the environment there but because of the way allowing these activities encourages still more. Regardless of the Treaty, presence and activity may well translate into property rights in the real world one day.

HMS Protector, the Royal Navy icebreaker and ice patrol ship, on operations. The ship is frequently deployed to the Antarctic - LPhot Belinda Alker/Royal Navy

Non-compliance with international law and the rapid build-up of dual-use civilian/military installations in the South China Sea and the Arctic are better known examples of this. General interference with energy and communications infrastructure is another and actively blocking choke points in the Black and Red Seas is another.

These have all been happening for years but have accelerated recently because we failed to either deter in the first place or then act when that failed. In other words, it matters because it is part of a general pattern of behaviour that is designed to stretch (our) resources in the short term and provide (them) strategic economic benefit in the long term, and only early and decisive decision-making will stop it.

Question two. Does all this matter enough for countries to invest in the apparatus there to regulate it?

This would require a coherent strategy underpinned by an uplift in people, inspectors, ships and mechanisms for enforcing the treaty. The likelihood of this happening is low. If political and financial constraints make achieving consensus in Ukraine, Gaza, the Arctic and the China Sea (amongst many others) hard to come by, what chance is there of overcoming these impediments in the remote, inaccessible Antarctic?

In the meantime, we are left with small groups of determined politicians, diplomats, influencers, scientists and mariners doing what they can to help and inform. Inevitably it seems, larger groups of people are now seeking to disrupt, stretch and exploit the soft edges of the treaty and this will only accelerate in the absence of a meaningful deterrent.

Soft power only goes so far  eventually, you have to do something or the high ground (literally in this case) is lost.

Tom Sharpe is a former Royal Navy officer who commanded four different warships. One of them was the icebreaker HMS Endurance

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The posters on display at Yousaf & Co Accountants on Monday. Those depicting the Palestinian flag over a map of Israel have been removed - Wattie Cheung

Humza Yousafs parents have taken down pro-Palestine posters from the window of their family business after they were accused of advocating for the annihilation of Israel and Jews.

The Yousaf & Co accountancy firm, which the First Ministers father Muzaffar set up after he emigrated from Pakistan in the 1960s, had a large pro-Palestinian window display at its prominent Glasgow headquarters.

It included multiple copies of a poster in which the Palestinian flag is imposed over the entirety of a map of the Israeli state, surrounded by two hands snapping a chain encircling the country, alongside the slogan Free Palestine.

The Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCoJeC) said images depicting a single Palestinian state within Israels territory amounted to a call for the annihilation of Israel and the Jewish people and were therefore anti-Semitic.

Locals said the window display at the Yousaf family firm had been on show prominently for months and interpreted the posters as a visual depiction of the controversial from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free chant.

The phrase has been condemned as anti-Semitic and interpreted as a call for the destruction of the Jewish state, as it refers to Palestine existing across the boundaries of Israel, between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean.

The claims about the slogan have been denied by the Muslim Council of Britain which has said there are alternative interpretations for the phrase.

The Telegraph understands that the posters labelled anti-Semitic, which feature the Palestinian flag over an outline of Israel, were removed from the window on Monday after Mr Yousafs officials were approached for comment.

Palestinian flags and Free Palestine posters which do not include the offensive imagery have remained in place.

Mr Yousaf with his parents Muzaffar Yousaf and Shaaista Bhutta and wife Nadia El-Nakla - Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Asked about the window display, SCoJeC said images of the type displayed at the Yousaf firm cause a great deal of distress to Scottish Jews, with many still mourning those murdered by Hamas.

It is, of course, entirely in order to express support and sympathy for all civilians caught up in the war, which followed the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas and associated terrorists in southern Israel on Oct 7, the SCoJeC spokesman said.

However, chants of from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free along with posters, flags and social media posts which depict a single Palestinian state in all of the area from the River [Jordan] to the [Mediterranean] Sea are a call for the annihilation of Israel and of the Jewish people, since Israel does not exist outwith that area, and are therefore anti-Semitic.

As such, they cause a great deal of distress to the vast majority of Jewish people in Scotland, most of whom have close relatives and friends living in Israel, and maybe mourning those who were murdered, and desperate for the return of others kidnapped and taken to Gaza during the carnage of Oct 7.

The Yousaf & Co accountancy firm has a prominent headquarters in the Pollokshields area of Glasgow and has net assets worth 1.3 million, according to its most recent accounts.

Muzaffar Yousaf, 69, still has active involvement in the business, according to its website, while the First Ministers mother, Shaaista, 67, is listed as the company secretary.

Just a week after the Hamas attacks, both were pictured attending a pro-Palestinian rally in Glasgow, condemning the Israeli response.

The accountancy firm has net assets worth 1.3 million, according to its most recent accounts - Wattie Cheung

Five separate copies of the anti-Semitic poster were on show in the windows of the Yousaf & Co business, which the First Minister is not involved in running, alongside two large Palestinian flags and other images.

Mr Yousaf has publicly backed a two-state solution, a position shared by the UK Government, though the posters in his parents firm allegedly imply that a Free Palestine would mean what is currently Israel would become an entirely non-Jewish country.

A local resident said that the display had been up since at least November, the month after the Hamas invasion of Israel when around 1,200 people were murdered and more than 250 were taken to Gaza as hostages.

The posters showed a flying Palestinian flag as well as one imposed over the entirety of a map of the Israeli state - Wattie Cheung

The Gaza health ministry, which is run by Hamas, has said more than 31,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military operation in response to the atrocities.

Mr Yousaf has previously spoken of his pride at his fathers business achievements, saying he came to Scotland with little but grafted night and day for a better life, setting up the Yousaf & Co company in 1983.

Annie Wells, the Scottish Tory Glasgow MSP, said: Given the knock-on effects for communities across Glasgow as a result of events in the Middle East, high-profile businesses like this one must be mindful to act responsibly.

The displaying of this poster in their front window could potentially alienate certain communities and the owners should reflect carefully on that.

In the wake of the Hamas invasion of Israel, Mr Yousafs parents-in-law, Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, became trapped in Gaza after a family visit coincided with the outbreak of war.

They were eventually allowed to leave after spending almost a month trapped in the enclave. Mr Yousafs wife, Nadia, has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

While condemning the scale of the Israeli response to the Hamas invasion, Mr Yousaf has also made a point of expressing sympathy for victims of the Hamas atrocities and condemning anti-Semitism.

He has met with representatives of Scottish Jews at Bute House and days after the Hamas invasion, gave a speech at a synagogue in Giffnock for which he was widely praised.

The First Minister fiercely denied this month that he had a conflict of interest when he personally directed that 250,000 of public cash should be sent to the UNRWA agency while his parents-in-law were still trapped in Gaza.

At the weekend, the Scottish Government denied that Mr Yousaf should have declared property owned by the Yousaf & Co firm on his register of interests.

He has declared a single rental property in Dundee, owned by his wife, but did not include eight properties owned by his parents and the Yousaf & Co business.

Ministers are told that their declarations should include interests of the ministers spouse or partner, and close family which might be thought to give rise to a conflict.

The Scottish Government denied that Mr Yousaf should have declared his familys property empire as the obligation only applied in cases where he could be perceived as being a direct beneficiary from assets.

Asked about the window display, an SNP spokesman said: The First Minister has been unequivocal in his calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire by all sides in the conflict in Gaza and a long-term peace based on the two-state solution of an independent Palestine alongside a safe and secure state of Israel.

Yousaf & Co did not respond to requests for comment.

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Rep. Elisabeth Epps, a Denver Democrat, listens to witness testimony during a committee hearing on a bill to prohibit semi-automatic firearms in Colorado on March 19, 2024. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline)

A proposed ban on most semi-automatic rifles in Colorado made it out of a state House of Representatives committee just after midnight on Wednesday and now heads to the full House for consideration.

House Bill 24-1292 would prohibit the manufacture, import, transfer, purchase and sale of so-called assault weapons in Colorado. The bill provides a list of would-be banned features, such as a threaded barrel and pistol grip, and an extensive list of specific firearm models. People who already own these types of firearms would be allowed to keep them.

An amendment approved during committee would allow transfer to a licensed firearms dealer for storage or disposal, as well as transfer to an heir.

The bill is sponsored by Democratic Reps. Elisabeth Epps and Tim Hernandez, both of Denver. Epps sponsored a similar bill last year, but it died in its first committee.

The bill was once again in front of the House Judiciary Committee, which has a more progressive makeup this year and does not include two of the Democrats who voted against last years version. It passed on a 7-3 party-line vote after 12 hours of emotional testimony from supporters and opponents.

Coloradans have expected us for decades  in some cases some before some of us had the choice to come here  for us to take decisive, courageous policy action. One of the tenants of that is doing the work, that at this moment the federal government has not yet resumed, of taking the steps to interrupt the proliferation of these weapons in our communities, Epps said, referring to a federal assault weapons ban that ended in 2004.

She called the scale of gun violence in the country a uniquely American crisis caused by poor policy choices.

Hernandez, the first Gen Z lawmaker at 27 years-old, spoke about maturing in an American culture where public mass shootings at places like schools, movie theaters and grocery stores have become commonplace.

This has been happening my entire life. And to be frank with you, Im not waiting anymore. Assault weapons must be banned in the state of Colorado. As a young person in the state, it was our state Legislature that taught me that nobody is coming to save us. I now teach the young people in my classroom that we must save ourselves, he said.

Hernandez has taught in both Denver and Aurora and is now an educator at the Urban Peak shelter.

I cannot morally do nothing. I cannot morally do nothing, like the adults in my life, and just ask students to wait. I cannot offer thoughts and prayers, he said.

The Colorado House Judiciary Committee considered testimony on House Bill 24-1292 on March 19, 2024. (Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline)

The witness testimony fell into the usual contours of gun debates, with supporters arguing that civilians should not have access to such highly lethal weapons and opponents lambasting the bill for alleged unconstitutionality and laying blame for the countrys mass shooting epidemic on poor mental health resources, not the weapons themselves.

How many more school shootings do I have to endure before we can come together as a state and say that citizens dont need AR-15s to hunt and for self-defense? said Grant Cramer, a sophomore at East High School in Denver, which experienced two shootings last year.

Opponents on Tuesday promised a legal challenge if the bill makes it through the legislative gauntlet and is signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat. Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, a gun-rights advocacy group, challenged a handful of firearm laws from last year, bolstered by the 2022 New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, which places a high legal burden on gun restrictions.

Let me be clear: If this bill is signed into law, before the ink is dry I will file a lawsuit. I can promise you that, RMGO Executive Director Taylor Rhodes said.

RMGO led the lawsuit to block a new Colorado law last year that raises the minimum age to purchase all guns to 21.

About 30% of federal court decisions in cases that cite Bruen have resulted in a Second Amendment violation, according to 2023 research.

No Senate sponsor yet

Originally, HB-1292 would have imposed a fine of $250,000 for the first offense and $500,000 for the second offense, both civil infractions. An amendment changed that consequence to a petty offense, the lowest level criminal offense in the state that can carry a 10-day stay in jail and fine up to $300.

Because those financial penalties were amended out of the bill, it can head straight to the House rather than face another hearing with the House Finance Committee. It is up to Democratic leadership when to schedule the bill for its floor debate.

The bill does not yet have a Senate sponsor. Democrats enjoy large majorities in both the House and Senate, but that does not mean the bill is set to pass.

We know what the data tells us. We know what the public health officials suggest, Epps said. What we dont know is if we as a body are going to make a collective decision that is unapologetically committed to saving lives  over saving seats.

Editors note: This story was updated at 11:15 a.m. on March 2, 2024, to reflect the outcome of the committee vote.

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The post Bill to ban sale, transfer of assault weapons in Colorado clears committee appeared first on Colorado Newsline.
Auriol Grey, who confronted the cyclist in Huntingdon, was convicted of manslaughter

A pedestrian whose actions killed a 77-year-old cyclist who was riding on the pavement is to appeal against her manslaughter conviction.

Auriol Grey, 50, shouted an expletive and gestured aggressively towards Celia Ward, who then fell in front of a car, in Cambridgeshire in 2020.

Grey, of Bradbury Place, Huntingdon, was jailed for three years in 2023.

Court of Appeal judges gave the go-ahead for her to appeal against her conviction at a hearing earlier.

Judges had dismissed her previous application for leave to appeal her sentence in May last year, saying it was "not arguably manifestly excessive".

The incident which led to the death of Mrs Ward, a 77-year-old grandmother from Wyton, near Huntingdon, happened during the afternoon of 20 October 2020.

The two women passed each other in opposite directions on the pavement of Huntingdon's ring road.

In CCTV footage, Grey could be heard shouting at Mrs Ward, a retired midwife, to "get off the [expletive] pavement".

At her trial, prosecutor Simon Spence KC said the defendant was "angered by the presence of a cyclist on a footpath" and gestured towards Mrs Ward, who fell into the path of a car.

Mrs Ward died at the scene.

The trial heard Grey had cerebral palsy and was partially sighted, but Judge Sean Enright said: "These actions are not explained by disability."

Celia Ward and her husband David married in 1967

Grey was found guilty and was jailed for three years in March 2023.

But at a hearing on Tuesday, three judges at the Court of Appeal gave Grey the go-ahead to challenge her conviction.

The court in London heard Grey was charged with unlawful act manslaughter, which requires that an unlawful action takes place to cause death.

However, her lawyers told appeal judges that no such action was considered by the jury at Grey's trial.

Dame Victoria Sharp, sitting with Mrs Justice Yip and Mr Justice Calver, said Grey's appeal could be heard.

"We are satisfied that the ground of appeal now advanced is arguable," Dame Victoria said.

The full appeal is expected to be heard in May, with Grey also able to make a bid to be released on bail.

Ben Rose, of Hickman & Rose solicitors, who are representing Grey, said: "Auriol Grey is an autistic, disabled person with impaired vision... In a case such as this, the prosecution is required to prove to the jury that she intended to cause Mrs Ward harm, or fear of harm.

"We say this did not happen, and as a result will ask the Court of Appeal when the case is heard in May to quash Ms Grey's conviction."

Follow East of England news on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830
House District 10 candidates Marilyn Lands (left) and Teddy Powell (right) (Courtesy of Marilyn Lands and Teddy Powell)

Next Tuesday will feature something rare in Alabama: a competitive legislative election.

The contest will take place in House District 10, covering south Huntsville, southern Madison County and parts of Madison. Madison City Councilman Teddy Powell, the Republican nominee, will face Democratic nominee Marilyn Lands, who ran in 2022.

The seat opened after former Rep. David Cole, R-Madison, resigned in August after pleading guilty to voter fraud charges. In 2022, Cole got 52% of the vote to Lands 45%. Libertarian nominee Elijah Boyd got 3%.

Powell, formerly a budget analyst with the U.S. Department of Defense, was the only Republican candidate to qualify to run in the special election. Lands, a licensed professional counselor, was the only Democratic candidate to qualify.

Powell is focused on infrastructure and making sure that north Alabama continues to develop economically, while Lands is focused on protecting and expanding reproductive rights across the state.

Both candidates have areas of agreement. In separate interviews, Lands and Powell each said they saw a need to expand child care. Powell and Lands both support a vote to legalize gambling in the state, saying that gaming is already occurring and the state needs to regulate it.

Libertarian Boyd said he will not be on the ballot this year.

The state party wasnt informed of major party status until after the deadline closed to certify primary candidates, he said in a statement. The deadline was Oct. 10, 2023.

The election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26.

Marilyn Lands

Political candidate poses for professional portrait

House District 10 candidate Marilyn Lands. (Courtesy of Marilyn Lands)

Age: 65

Residence: Huntsville

Occupation: Licensed professional counselor

Education: B.S., Business Administration, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 1981; M.S., Business Administration and Management, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 1987; M.S., Counseling Psychology, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, 1995.

Party: Democratic

Previous political experience/campaign: Democratic candidate, Alabama House of Representatives, 2022.

Fundraising: Through Sunday, Lands had raised $184,703 and spent $156,856. She had $24,247 on hand as of Friday.

Lands, like other Democratic candidates this election cycle, is focused on access to reproductive rights. Lands said the issue was a priority in 2022, but said in an interview that theyve become the heart of the campaign this year.

The issues changed a bit when Roe vs. Wade got overturned and then we passed our no exceptions abortion ban, she said. So then reproductive health care and womens freedoms became a higher priority in the campaign.

Lands said she wants to prioritize overturning Alabamas near-total abortion ban. That is unlikely with a Republican supermajority in the House. Lands said that it would have to be done in pieces, starting with providing exceptions to the ban, such as for rape and incest.

Lands said she had to have an abortion 20 years ago because of a nonviable pregnancy. She said the contrast between the care available in Alabama 20 years and today is stark.

There are women who truly are becoming critically ill because they wont do the procedure. They are becoming septic, their organs are shutting down. This is not something anyone should be in favor of. This is not pro-life, she said.

She said that aside from funding child care, the state needs to look at creative approaches to providing care, including incentivizing business to provide company-run daycare programs.

Public education is also a priority for Lands. She said that the CHOOSE Act recently enacted into law does not meet the criteria to preserve the existing funding we have for public education, she said.

I know there are problems that need fixing, but I dont believe that this legislation that was passed earlier this month does that and Im very, very concerned that its going to erode the funding we currently have for our public schools, Lands said.

Teddy Powell

Political candidate poses for professional portrait

House District 10 candidate Teddy Powell. (Courtesy of Teddy Powell)

Age: 50

Residence: Madison

Occupation: Former budget analyst with the U.S. Department of Defense

Education: Associate of Applied Science, Business and General Studies, Bevill State Community College, 1996; B.S., Finance and Business Administration, Birmingham-Southern College, 1998; Masters of Business Administration, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 2010.

Party: Republican

Previous political experience/campaign: Madison City Councilman, District 3, 2016-present.

Fundraising: Through March 4, Powell had raised $125,395 and spent $41,851. Powell had $82,983 on hand as of March 8.

Powell said his focus is on economic development and infrastructure and not the political angst between the two parties.

He said that aside from lowering the cost of goods and services, such as cutting tax on groceries, are things they can agree on, as well as bringing dollars into the state.

Anytime we can do things that are business friendly and help bring in dollars to our state that we didnt have  I think those are things that Id like to focus on, and I think its something that we can all agree on, Powell said.

With north Alabama being one of the fastest growing areas in the state, Powell said they need to be able to fund services for the growing population.

Were bringing in more tax dollars, therefore, some of those dollars should come back and help us to do some of the infrastructure things that we need to do, so we can continue to grow the state coffers to be able to fund those things, Powell said.

He said that his district is split on providing an Education Savings Account (ESA). He said that there are areas of the district he feels the CHOOSE Act will benefit residents, while in other parts, it wasnt as well received because residents say they already have good schools. But he said ESAs will benefit students who dont have access to schools like in Madison.

He said he is concerned about high achieving students leaving priority public schools, formerly known as failing schools, and that it doesnt benefit the school itself.

If [a student] were the brightest kid in that school, and you take that child out of that school, well, that doesnt mean that test grades are going to go up. You havent helped that school. So, I think theres a very delicate balance there, he said.

The post Huntsville-area voters to choose state representative in rare competitive race appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, (left) and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, attend a Senate Finance Committee hearing on March 31, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Heres something that you dont normally see in Washington  the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Finance Committee standing side-by-side at a news conference, talking about a bill aimed to help pharmacists and patients.

There was no casting of political blame, no bashing of President Joe Bidens policies, and no disparaging comments about former President Donald Trump. It was two senators  Republican Mike Crapo of Idaho and Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon  talking about a problem that has been around far too long.

They did not hide their frustrations about how pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, were making it challenging for patients (especially seniors) to obtain their needed medications. And there was no diplomacy when they talked about how these benefit managers, and their regulations, were driving community pharmacies out of business. Wyden and Crapo told the crowd of supporters at the virtual news conference that its high time for Congress to take action.

This is not a complicated issue, folks, said Wyden, who chairs the finance committee. This is about the fact that two of us, two United States senators, believe that we should be helping patients, pharmacists and taxpayers rather than the PBMs that are hijacking their money.

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The list of political supporters for the cause goes beyond two senators. The full committee has approved a reform bill by what Wyden jokingly described as a very narrow vote  26-0.

Thats a noteworthy accomplishment in todays political environment; its tough to get 26 Republicans and Democrats to agree on the color of the sky on a given day. But even the most partisan of senators can agree on who the good guys are on this matter.

Unfortunately, certain pharmacy benefit management practices continue to jeopardize the viability and stability of pharmacies, said Crapo, the committees ranking member. This (reform) must happen now. Oversight protections for Medicare Part D have fallen short of the promise to protect seniors and their ability to access the pharmacy of their choice and cause far too many pharmacies to close shop.

A strong reform bill, he said, will mean lower out-of-pocket Medicare and Medicaid costs for seniors, while enhancing accountability in federal health-care programs.

Crapo is not a newcomer to this cause. Last summer, he was in Twin Falls talking about the committees reform bill, targeted at a $500 billion PBM industry. The Times News of Twin Falls reported on Crapos Magic Valley visit.

Our legislation takes aim at a wide range of problematic PBM practices, from inappropriate patient steering to opaque and unreasonable network contracts, Crapo said in Twin Falls.

The bill hardly qualifies as fun reading, but the senators are clear about the bottom line. PBMs, as they are operating, are a nightmare for consumers and pharmacy operations. Its not surprising that Wyden and Crapo have the support of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association, for starters.

A number of Idaho groups are backing PBM reform, including the American Nurses Association, the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Idaho Retailers Association and the Idaho State Pharmacy Association.

According to a letter to Crapo from the group, the benefit managers have used their control over the prescription drug supply chain and the high costs of some medicines to line their own pockets with record-setting profits. In the process they have increased costs for patients, narrowed where Americans can choose to access their prescription medications and in turn pushed long trusted independent pharmacies across the country out of business.

Wyden and Crapo hear the message, loud and clear.

The time for PBM reform was yesterday, Wyden says. Its past time to crack down on the shady practices of these pharma middlemen that result in higher drug prices for consumers across Oregon and nationwide. The Senate Finance Committee, on a bipartisan basis, is not backing down today, tomorrow, or ever until we get PBM reform in America to help pharmacists and patients. We want to put patients over profits, and were going to stay at it until it gets done.

A reform bill may not be the end-all political solution to the nations health-care problems, but it does get to the front lines of the battle. And while bipartisan unity is not a new venture for Crapo and Wyden, who are longtime colleagues from neighboring states, its refreshing to see it on display.

Were not going to see much bipartisanship during this election-year campaign.

The post With Idahos Crapo and Oregons Wyden working on PBM policy, partisan rancor takes a brief vacation appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
Idaho moves to ban use of public funds for transgender surgeries and hormone therapy

Idaho is expected to pass a bill this week that would ban public funds from going towards transgender sex change surgeries and hormone therapy treatment on state-owned properties.

It would also bar state properties, facilities or buildings from being used for surgical procedures pertaining to "gender transitions," the bill text states.

House Bill 668, which cleared the state House in a 58-11 vote last week, states public funds "shall not be used for purposes of altering the appearance of an individual in order to affirm the individual's perception of the individual's sex in a way that is inconsistent with the individual's biological sex regardless of whether the surgical operation or medical intervention is administered to a minor or an adult, except for exempted surgical operations or medical interventions."

BRYAN KOHBERGER ASKS COURT FOR CHANGE OF VENUE AFTER DELAYS IN IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS TRIAL

A general view of the Idaho State Capitol building on May 23, 2021 in Boise, Idaho.

The bill now heads to the Republican-controlled Senate. If it passes, Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, would have to sign off on it. Little has signed bills in recent years opposing similar issues affecting transgender people. Last year, he signed a bill criminalizing sex reassignment surgeries for minors. He also signed a bill prohibiting transgender students from using public restrooms that do not align with their biological sex.

The public funds would specifically target Medicaid, the country's primary federal health insurance program.

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The bill also states that physicians and other medical professionals "in the course and scope of employment by the state or a county or local government may provide the surgical operations or medical interventions."

IDAHO MURDERS CASE: JUDGE TO CONSIDER BRYAN KOHBERGER ATTORNEY'S REQUEST FOR SUMMER 2025 TRIAL START DATE

Pro-transgender activists clash at pro-women rally in Texas.

If the bill passes, it would make Idaho the 10th state to ban federal funds from going toward transgender surgical procedures and treatment.

According to the Associated Press, Idaho has had to defend itself against several lawsuits over denying gender transition treatments and surgeries. In one case, the state was ordered to provide a transgender inmate with gender-transition surgery, and the inmate was later awarded roughly $2.5 million in damages.

"This is a taxpayer protection bill in my view," Rep. Bruce Skaug, R Idaho, one of the bill's sponsors, said during a hearing last week.

If the bill becomes law, the penalties for violations include fines ranging from $300 to $10,000 and the possibility of a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

At least 23 states, including Idaho, have passed laws banning transgender sex changes and hormone treatment for minors. This month, a leading scientific organization in the U.S.  the American Psychological Association  representing more than 150,000 licensed psychologists, announced a new policy urging clinics to provide "unobstructed access" to gender-transitioning treatments for children.





Original article source: Idaho moves to ban use of public funds for transgender surgeries and hormone therapy
Do our eyes and ears deceive us?

Is something different this year in the Idaho Legislature?

This session weve seen something we dont see nearly enough of: reasoned and reasonable debate and discussion leading to prudent, measured decision-making.

First, for those who dont follow along, heres the standard operating procedure in the Idaho Legislature: Several people, including average citizens, doctors, lawyers, teachers, experts come to the state Capitol to testify against a really bad bill before a committee. The bill gets passed anyway. Why bother even having public testimony at all?

But something happened this year. Somethings different.

Perhaps it all started when Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, introduced a ridiculous bill to get rid of scientifically accepted terms embryo and fetus and replace them with preborn child.

Fortunately, a doctor who is an in vitro fertilization specialist testified to tell the legislators they were grievously misguided.

The committee did something remarkable: Its members listened and voted to hold the bill in committee.

A one-off, you might say, a fluke.

But then a bill to get rid of a law banning domestic terrorism died, and then a bill to give a tax credit to people who dont want to send their kids to taxpayer-funded public schools died.

Rep. Bruce Skaugs bizarre bill to let the Idaho attorney general go after city and county officials was killed. Skaugs unserious bill to impose a mandatory fine of $420 for any amount of marijuana in Idaho also failed in committee.

We were starting to see a trend.

A bill to ban certain allowances for teachers unions failed, and a bill to require insurers provide at least a six-month supply of prescribed contraceptives passed, a no-brainer in a state that bans abortions.

A bill to repeal voter-approved Medicaid expansion was held in committee.

After much testimony, debate and sincere, honest deliberation among legislators, a bill to force school districts to allow employees to carry guns in school was held in committee.

A senators loony bill to strip powers from health districts died in committee. (Those on the far right are apparently still mad at attempts to maintain public health and safety during the pandemic. No word yet on whether they want to strip police powers over enforcing speed limits and traffic signals.)

A ridiculous, pointless memorial calling for the impeachment of the president failed.

These votes are all the more significant this year, an election year, when moderate Republicans face threats of getting an extremist primary opponent.

Whats going on here?

Republicans come to their senses?

Perhaps some Republican legislators are simply coming to their senses.

Perhaps theyre no longer listening to the Idaho Freedom Foundation, which seems to have lost its power lately, especially under new president Ron Nate.

Perhaps theyve actually become emboldened now that Idaho Republican Party chairwoman Dorothy Moon has established an outlandish Republican Party platform purity test that gives House Speaker Mike Moyle a grade of D- and no fewer than 41 Republican legislators, including the likes of Sen. Todd Lakey and Reps. Wendy Horman and Rod Furniss, grades of F.

Talk about losing all credibility.

Or maybe its because of the Soviet Politburo-style tribunals in which Idaho Republican county central committees are censuring such Republican legislators as Sen. Kevin Cook and Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen for not being extreme enough.

You deserve to know that some people within the party believe they should call all the shots, Mickelsen wrote in a guest op-ed in the Idaho Statesman this month.

Perhaps were being overly optimistic, but in this session, it seems as if more Republican legislators are breaking the chains of the extremists and demagogues who have taken the wheel of the Idaho Republican Party and steered it into MAGA-land.

Theyre starting to vote sometimes with their conscience, wisdom and reason, not with fear and hate.

And that trend, if it continues, would be good for Idaho.

Statesman editorials are the unsigned opinion of the Idaho Statesmans editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser and community members Mary Rohlfing and Patricia Nilsson.
From Chicago to across Illinois, voters headed to the polls on Tuesday to cast ballots in the states presidential primary election and other races.

YOUR LOCAL ELECTION HQ | Election Results: Key Races in Illinois Primary

Among the many races to be decided on March 19 were the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County States Attorney, pitting Clayton Harris III against Eileen ONeil Burke in a bid to replace Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, who announced in April 2023 that she would not seek reelection.

As of early Wednesday morning, that race was still too close to call.

SEE ALSO: Race for Chicago-area prosecutor seat features tough-on-crime judge, lawyer with Democratic backing

The Bring Chicago Home referendum, a real estate transfer tax hike proposed by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, was also on the ballot. The question asks citizens to decide whether to impose higher real estate transfer taxes on homes and commercial properties that sell for more than $1 million while reducing the rate for properties that sell for less than $1 million.

With more votes opposing the measure, Bring Chicago Home is likely to fail, though votes were still being counted.

READ MORE: Bring Chicago Home votes to be counted after Illinois Supreme Court denies appeal

Other Illinois primary election races included congressional district seats. In the states 4th Congressional District, progressive Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia defeated conservative Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez.

RELATED: Rep. Jesus Chuy Garcia and Ald. Raymond Lopez face off in race for seat in Illinoiss 4th congressional district

In the 7th Congressional District, 82-year-old incumbent Danny Davis, who sought a 15th term, defeated a crowd of contenders that included City of Chicago treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Kina Collins, Kouri Marshall and Nikhil Bhatia.

In the race for clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court, incumbent Iris Martinez lost to challenger Mariyana Spyropoulos, commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

SEE ALSO: Clerk of Cook County Circuit Court race heats up ahead of primary

WGN News special coverage of the Illinois primary began at 7 p.m. Tuesday and included coverage and analysis of the states presidential primaries, Bring Chicago Home, congressional district races and the Cook County States Attorney Democratic Party nomination. Follow our full blog of the night below:

10:30 p.m.

As of 10:30 p.m., the Democratic matchup for the Cook County States Attorney primary is too close to call.

10 p.m.

The latest numbers for the Democratic primary nominee for Cook County States Attorney show Eileen ONeil Burke with a narrow lead over Clayton Harris III with 93% of the votes counted.

9:50 p.m.

With 96% of the vote counted, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnsons signature program to fund homelessness prevention through changes to the real estate transfer tax is failing. #WGNelection pic.twitter.com/dtVSn1NMVq  Ben Bradley (@BenBradleyTV) March 20, 2024

9:46 p.m.

As the Bring Chicago Home referendum appears headed for defeat, the campaign says our resolve to fight for housing justice continues.

The Bring Chicago Home campaign exists in the long lineage of past and present struggles for fair housing, civil rights, and economic justice. While tonights election results are disappointing, we are nowhere near the end of our journey. There are still 100,000 outstanding mail-in ballots to be counted, but whatever the final count, one thing is abundantly clear tonight: how determined our opponents are to continue profiting from displacement and inequality. From landlords sending intimidating emails to tenants to a legal challenge attempting to invalidate the results, the realtors, corporate landlords, and mega-developers fought us at every turn. Our broad-based coalitionmade up of homeless and formerly homeless people, union members, faith leaders, social service providers, community organizations, and grassroots volunteersis determined to keep fighting for housing justice. Together, our city-wide field program knocked over 300,000 doors, made over 600,000 phone calls, and sent over 1 million text messages across all 50 wards. This is the work that makes our movement stronger over the long haul, no matter the final result. Statement from representatives with Bring Chicago Home

9:40 p.m.









9:36 p.m.

In a race that showed the power of a party endorsement over the power of incumbency, Mariyana Spyropoulos defeated Iris Martinez in the race for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk. #WGNElection @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/UKOaM6Elyk  Mike Lowe (@MikeLoweReports) March 20, 2024

9:34 p.m.

Former Illinois GOP gubernatorial nominee Darren Bailey loses challenge to fellow republican Mike Bost for downstate congressional seat.



Former President Trump endorsed Bost despite previously backing Bailey in race for governor. #WGNelection pic.twitter.com/GYjCwWpIBF  Ben Bradley (@BenBradleyTV) March 20, 2024

9:31 p.m.

Illinois Senator Natalie Toro concedes race for 20th District:

While Im deeply disappointed by this outcome, Im incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported this campaign with your votes, your voices, and your hard work. I wish the next senator nothing but the best and look forward to a seamless transition.

9:25 p.m.

In the south suburbs, a tax to support mental health services failed. WGNs Ben Bradley reports that questions about Tiffany Henyards spending and leadership style may have doomed the effort.

WGN INVESTIGATES: Mental health tax in Thorton Township proposed by Tiffany Henyard fails

9:23 p.m.

WATCH | Mariyana Spyropoulous speaks with WGN-TV after winning Cook County Circuit Court Clerk race

9:16 p.m.

A statement from Graciela Guzmans campaign says she has won the Democratic primary for Illinois State Senate 20th District and will advance to the general election in November.

I am overcome with gratitude for the independent political organizations, advocacy groups, unions, teachers, students, home care workers, retired members of our community, and many others who were the soul of this truly grassroots campaign. This victory is yet another win in the years-long effort to build a foundation of progressive leadership at the city, county, state, and federal levels. I look forward to continuing this campaign through the general election and then immediately getting to work in the State Senate. Statement from Illinois State Senate 20th District Democratic Nominee Graciela Guzman

9:15 p.m.

The latest numbers on the Bring Chicago Home referendum as of 9:15 p.m. show that the Johnson-backed ballot question appears headed for defeat.

9:04 p.m.

Mariyana Spyropoulos defeats Democrat Party incumbent Iris Martinez in the Clerk of Cook County Circuit Court race:

8:57 p.m.

In southern Illinois, Republican Rep. Mike Bost faces only his second intraparty challenge in seeking his sixth term in Congress. Former state Sen. Darren Bailey, the unsuccessful 2022 GOP nominee for governor, is hoping to unseat the 63-year-old incumbent, the Associated Press reports.

8:51 p.m.

Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez gives his concession speech after losing his bid for the states 4th Congressional District seat.

8:40 p.m.

WATCH | Congressman Danny Davis speaks with WGN-TV after winning 7th Congressional District:

8:39 p.m.

Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia gives his victory speech after besting Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez to retain the states 4th Congressional District seat.

We have delivered for our communities. We have defended and will defend our communities. We have fought back against hate and division, and weve come together and uplifted each other, especially in our greatest time of need.

And were not done yet.

8:27 p.m.

8:23 p.m.

City of Chicago treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin concedes in race for the 7th Congressional District seat.

My heart is full because I am so grateful. I want you all to know that when I look around this room, I am so grateful. I think about this campaign. This has been a long journey but it has been a journey worth taking, Conyears-Ervin told supporters.

8:15 p.m.

Sean Casten wins Democratic nomination for U.S. House in Illinois 6th Congressional District.

8:10 p.m.

Longtime Rep. Danny Davis, seeking a 15th term in the 7th Congressional District, has won the Democratic primary after a competitive five-way race.

8:09 p.m.

With 86% of the vote counted, Eileen ONeill Burke leads Clayton Harris in the race to replace Cook Co. States Attorney Kim Foxx. Noteworthy because Foxx, board president Preckwinkle and Mayor Johnsons backers supported Harris. #WGNelection pic.twitter.com/P1yAMKfjeh  Ben Bradley (@BenBradleyTV) March 20, 2024

8 p.m.

7:55 p.m.

The Associated Press reports that Congressman Jesus Chuy Garcia has won his primary reelection bid after being challenged by Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez.

7:46 p.m.

7:42 p.m.

Chuy v Ray



64% vote counted pic.twitter.com/1F9nNfBqhE  Tahman Bradley (@tahmanbradley) March 20, 2024

7:40 p.m.

With 45% of the votes accounted for, early numbers show that nearly 67,000 residents have voted against the controversial Bring Chicago Home referendum.

Bring Chicago Home pic.twitter.com/bF2uO9EEJ8  Tahman Bradley (@tahmanbradley) March 20, 2024

7:30 p.m.

With the primary polls closed, the citys Board of Elections reports that as of 7 p.m., out of 1,697,498 voters, both active and inactive, 343,639 total ballots have been cast, accounting for a citywide turnout of 20.24%.

Ballots Cast By Age Group:

17 -24 : 12,160 ballots cast  3.53%

25-34 : 47,000 ballots cast  13.67%

35-44 : 49,221 ballots cast  14.32%

45-54 : 50,155 ballots cast  14.59%

55-64 : 66,653 ballots cast  19.40%

65-74 : 70,181 ballots cast  20.42%

75+: 48,269 ballots cast  14.04%

7:23 p.m.

Early look at vote totals in Congressional 7. pic.twitter.com/TbDu7eXZu8  Tahman Bradley (@tahmanbradley) March 20, 2024

7:20 p.m.

The Associated Press reports that President Joe Biden (D) and Donald Trump (R) won respective presidential primaries in Illinois, setting up a likely rematch in November.

7:15 p.m.

It's time! No one does election night like @WGNNews. Join this crew and many more on your television LIVE right now, streaming at https://t.co/YwCvlKHnKO #WGNElection https://t.co/3e9UmI4jk5  Jordan Muck (@J_muck) March 20, 2024

7 p.m.

Polling sites across Illinois have officially closed. WGN News special coverage of the Illinois primary officially kicks off with Ray Cortopassi and Micah Materre, joined by political analysts Paul Lisnek, Tahman Bradley, Lisa Duarte, and Pat Brady.

6:30 p.m.

Is the third time the charm?



Kina Collins is running against Rep. Danny Davis for the third time. In 2022, she got 45% of the vote.



Shes 50 years younger than him.



She says age isnt the reason she ran but its time for new leadership in ILs 7th district. #WGNElection pic.twitter.com/l94RxX3b7L  Jenna Barnes (@Jenna_Barnes) March 19, 2024

5 p.m.

With two hours to go until the polls close, as of 5 p.m., 287,621 ballots were cast in Chicago for a citywide voter turnout percentage of 16.94%. There are 1,697,498 registered voters in Chicago.

Turnout By Age Group:

17 -24 : 8,987 ballots cast  3.12%

25-34 : 35,094 ballots cast  12.20%

35-44 : 38,530 ballots cast  13.40%

45-54 : 39,382 ballots cast  13.69%

55-64 : 55,811 ballots cast  19.40%

65-74 : 64,084 ballots cast  22.28%

75+: 45,733 ballots cast  15.90%

4 p.m.

Three hours until the polls close across Illinois.

Election Night on broadcast TV!!



WGN-TV Channel 9 is on now until 10:30 pm!



Join Ben and Lourdes now!



Catch the rest of us at 7 pm! pic.twitter.com/EFd6In3K2k  Tahman Bradley (@tahmanbradley) March 19, 2024

While Chicago has nearly 1.7 million active registered voters, turnout at the polls has been considerably low, WGNs Christine Flores reports:

3:40 p.m.

Make sure your voice is heard, Chicago! pic.twitter.com/vMkop6l1AF  City of Chicago (@chicago) March 19, 2024

3:14 p.m.

Vote today, and then watch the results on @WGNNews tonight. The #WGNElection special starts at 7 p.m. on Channel 9, Chicagos Very Own. We Hope youll join us! pic.twitter.com/9ACArvpPSO  Mike Lowe (@MikeLoweReports) March 19, 2024

3 p.m.

As of 3 p.m., 253,798 ballots were cast in Chicago for a citywide voter turnout percentage of 14.95%. There are 1,697,498 registered voters in Chicago.

Turnout By Age Group:

17 -24 : 7,475 ballots cast  2.96%

25-34 : 29,681 ballots cast  11.69%

35-44 : 32,791 ballots cast  12.92%

45-54 : 33,460 ballots cast  13.18%

55-64 : 48,834 ballots cast  19.24%

65-74 : 58,713 ballots cast  23.13%

75+: 42,844 ballots cast  16.88%

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Key Insights

MISC Berhad's significant private companies ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public

The largest shareholder of the company is Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) with a 51% stake

Institutional ownership in MISC Berhad is 26%

To get a sense of who is truly in control of MISC Berhad (KLSE:MISC), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. With 52% stake, private companies possess the maximum shares in the company. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Meanwhile, institutions make up 26% of the companys shareholders. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about MISC Berhad.

See our latest analysis for MISC Berhad

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About MISC Berhad?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

MISC Berhad already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. 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 MISC Berhad's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

MISC Berhad is not owned by hedge funds. Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) is currently the largest shareholder, with 51% of shares outstanding. This essentially means that they have extensive influence, if not outright control, over the future of the corporation. With 12% and 7.7% of the shares outstanding respectively, Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia and Permodalan Nasional Berhad are the second and third largest shareholders.

Story continues

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Insider Ownership Of MISC Berhad

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

We note our data does not show any board members holding shares, personally. Not all jurisdictions have the same rules around disclosing insider ownership, and it is possible we have missed something, here. So you can click here learn more about the CEO.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 12% stake in MISC Berhad. 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.

Private Company Ownership

It seems that Private Companies own 52%, of the MISC Berhad stock. Private companies may be related parties. Sometimes insiders have an interest in a public company through a holding in a private company, rather than in their own capacity as an individual. While it's hard to draw any broad stroke conclusions, it is worth noting as an area for further research.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand MISC Berhad better, we need to consider many other factors.

I always like to check for a history of revenue growth. You can too, by accessing this free chart of historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

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.
The Illinois Supreme Court has changed rules for appealing pretrial detention decisions after appellate courts saw an unprecedented and unsustainable influx of such appeals following implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

The changes, which take effect April 15, were recommended by a task force that prepared a report after consulting clerks, prosecutors, public defenders and other attorneys across the state. The law allows detention decisions to be appealed, but the process is governed by Supreme Court rules.

The changes are meant to streamline the process while still providing for meaningful review of decisions regarding pretrial detention, the report says.

The long-sought reforms that abolished the use of cash bail took effect in September, a landmark moment that advocates say levels the playing field for defendants who sometimes were locked up for years while awaiting trial because they were too poor to post bail.

One impact of the legislation, though, has been a staggering increase in appeals asking higher courts to review trial court judges decisions about detention. Though anticipated to some extent, the volume of appeals surpassed expectations, with pretrial appeals outnumbering all other criminal appeals by about 3 to 1 in some districts, the report said.

In about five months, there were nearly 1,900 detention appeals, compared with about 17 bond appeals annually under the previous cash bail system, marking a projected 268-fold increase in volume, the report said.

There is no doubt that the volume of PFA cases is a problem; thats why the Task Force was created, 4th District Appellate Justice and task force Chair Eugene Doherty said in a statement. We think our recommendations can help address the volume while making the process of appellate review more meaningful.

The task force, made up of five appellate judges, notes that further changes could be necessary if these dont sufficiently stem the flow, including adding additional judges.

We hope that adoption of the measures  will result in the ability to handle PFA appeals with appropriate deliberation, but we harbor doubts about whether they will be sufficient, the report said.

Among changes are a requirement that appellants file a motion in front of the trial judge asking to set aside the detention decision as a prerequisite for filing an appeal before an appellate court.

This change, though, elicited negative feedback from trial judges, the report said, who noted that this would add to their dockets.

We do not overlook the fact that trial courts have borne much of the burden of implementing the PFA in our court system; we would never contrive to put upon them some exotic new requirement, the report said, adding that the change is in line with how bond decisions were previously appealed. But this is not a contrivance, and it is not new; it is a return to the norm.

The court also will now only allow one-at-a-time appeals, meaning that parties cannot appeal a new detention decision by a judge if a previous appeal is in the works. The Pretrial Fairness Act provides that detention decisions are reviewed during subsequent court dates, so defendants could file multiple appeals in the same case, clogging up the system.

The change would incentivize strategic thinking by trial counsel about which detention rulings to appeal, the report said.

Among other changes, the court requires notification within 24 hours if the appeal becomes moot due to a resolution in the case, as well as the elimination of the 14-day deadline to file, reasoning that people are rushing into decisions about whether to appeal due to the deadline.

The Pretrial Fairness Act, part of a broad array of criminal justice reforms passed as part of the SAFE-T Act, abolished cash bail as a potential condition for release and changed the way pretrial hearings are conducted.

Proponents of the law have long argued that cash bail deepened disparities in the system by disproportionately jailing people too poor to make bail. In addition to the bail measure, the law also seeks to even the playing field for defendants up for their first court appearance, with more robust hearings and opportunities to evaluate the evidence more closely.

The cash bail measure has been controversial for those concerned about the public safety impact of the provisions  particularly Republicans. Opponents of Gov. J.B. Pritzker have sought to paint him and his Democratic allies as weak on crime  though studies of bail reform measures in other jurisdictions have not shown a significant effect on recidivism or failure by defendants to appear in court.

Lawmakers delayed implementation for two years so jurisdictions could prepare for the changes, and it was further stalled by a lawsuit from prosecutors across Illinois who challenged the laws constitutionality.

____
(Bloomberg) -- The International Monetary Fund is lending near a record amount to almost 100 countries, evidence of its growing role as a backstop against the financial and political dangers of the post-pandemic world.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Primarily because of surging borrowing costs and conflicts, the IMF has had to put out more economic fires, including major blazes in Ukraine, Egypt and elsewhere in Africa as well as in Argentina and Pakistan.

IMF credit outstanding, a key measure of money disbursed by the Washington-based fund, climbed to about $151 billion at the end of February, according to Bloomberg calculations of IMF data. (The IMF reports the figure as 113 billion units of its foreign exchange reserve asset, called Special Drawing Rights.)

Thats likely to rise further after the fund finalizes up-sizing its support for Egypt to $8 billion, likely this month, pushing the total toward a recent record in August.

Although the pandemic is drifting into the past countries are still going through pressure and strain, said Masood Ahmed, president of the Center for Global Development think tank and a former head of the IMFs Middle East department. The world has become more geopolitically fraught. There are more tensions and conflicts.

More than 50 of those borrowers have active loan or guarantee programs  about a quarter of the funds members. While thats down from 90 during the depths of Covid-19  and largely with smaller zero-interest emergency loans  its the most ever under the funds normal borrowing programs.

Kristalina Georgieva, the funds managing director since 2019, has warned that the widening income gap between rich and poor countries is a major factor fueling instability. The other is conflict.

We see trust diminishing among nations too, with geopolitical tensions on the rise, she said in a speech last week. A fragmented world would be poorer and less secure, she said, referring to the effects of Russias invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and many more that often dont make the headlines.

Georgieva has touted the funds $1 trillion in liquidity support, including funds available but not used. By comparison, the amount currently outstanding is relatively small  less than 0.2% of the global $100 trillion-plus economy  but a testament to the IMFs central role of policing and managing the global financial system designed by the US in the wake of World War II.

Given those origins, its not surprising that many of the funds borrowers  including some of its biggest, Argentina, Egypt and Ukraine  overlap with Washingtons top geopolitical priorities.

The US has seen the fund as a vital tool for promoting its own national security, economic welfare and interests in financial stability around the world, said Mark Sobel, a former US Treasury Department official who spent almost two decades focused on international policy, especially the IMF. Western and certainly US officials view the IMF as a first responder.

Shoring up Ukraine against Russia provides a prominent example, with the fund voting to revamp its rules to allow lending to a country at war, a decision only made possible by the backing of the US, which has a veto-proof 16.5% voting share.

The two other biggest borrowers  accounting for a combined $58 billion, nearly half the total outstanding credit  are Argentina and Egypt, long-time clients of the fund.

The IMF declined to elaborate on its priorities or on loan details.

Argentinas recently elected president, Javier Milei, is currently pushing through major economic reforms sought by the IMF, such as shoring up foreign exchange and raising revenue. IMF lending to Egypt, at the same time, is growing, but only a fraction of the more than $50 billion pledged globally to shore up the countrys teetering economy, a strategic linchpin at the intersection of Africa and the Middle East, and and bordering the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Egypt is not by accident getting all those programs even though they havent reformed the role of the military in the economy, said Martin Muhleisen, a former director at the IMFs key strategy, policy and review department. There are clearly geopolitical considerations at work.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
The 74 is partnering with Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the A Nation At Risk report. Hoovers A Nation At Risk +40 research initiative spotlights insights and analysis from experts, educators and policymakers as to what evidence shows about the broader impact of 40 years of education reform and how Americas school system has (and hasnt) changed since the groundbreaking 1983 report. Below is the projects chapter on key lessons learned from the past several decades in implementing standards-based reforms. (See our full series)

Standards-based reform in the heyday of the education reform movement was a bit like the title of a recent film: Everything Everywhere All at Once. The strategy of setting statewide standards, measuring student performance against those standards, and then holding schools accountable for the results was at the heart of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and dominated education policy for most of the long NCLB period from the 1990s into the 2010s. To many observers, standards-based reform was education reform, and so the question about whether standards-based reform worked is equivalent to asking whether education reform worked.

Answering that question is only possible if we define whats in and whats out: What counts under the umbrella of standards-based reform? Did it succeed as an overall strategy? Were there individual components that were particularly effective?

In this chapter, we will work our way through these and related questions, but readers should beware that the results will not be entirely satisfying. Get ready for a lot of shrugging. We know, for example, that student achievement improved markedly in the late 1990s and early 2000sthe very time that states were starting to put standards, tests, and consequential accountability into place. Some of the gains can be directly attributed to those policies. But the improvement was likely driven by other factors, too, some of which had very little to do with education policy or even schools, such as the plummeting child poverty rate at the time.

On the flip side, when student achievement plateaued and even started to decline in the 2010s, its plausible that the tapering off was related to the softening of school-level accountability, as NCLB lost steam and eventually gave way to the Every Student Succeeds Act and the Common Core State Standards. But hard evidence is scant, and its difficult to know for sure, especially becauseagainso much else was going on at the same time. That included the aftermath of the Great Recession (and its budget cuts) as well as the advent of smartphones and social media, which may have depressed student achievement just as they boosted teenage anxiety and depression.

And while we know that standards, testing, and especially accountability drove some of the improvements in student outcomes in the 1990s and 2000s, especially in math, we unfortunately have limited information about exactly what schools did to get those better results. For the most part, the black box that is the typical K12 classroom stayed shut.

Heres the good news: despite all these uncertainties, theres still much we can learn from the era of standards-based reformboth for future efforts to use standards, assessments, and accountability to improve outcomes and for education reform writ large.

Related

Study Shows Meager Growth Linked to Common Core

A short history of standards-based reform

The NCLB Act locked into place a specific version of standards-based reform, one that incorporated a mishmash of ideas that had been floating around since the 1980s and arguably since the 1960s. Think of it like a dish at a fusion restaurant, reflecting a novel combination of flavors and culinary lineagesnot always with a satisfying outcome.

One might even say that this version of standards-based reform was incoherentwhich is ironic, given that coherence was arguably the number-one goal of the original progenitors of the idea. In a series of articles and books in the late 1980s, scholars Jennifer ODay and Marshall Smith argued for what they called systemic reform. Their key insight was that the multiple layers of governance baked into the US education system as well as myriad conflicting policies emanating from the many cooks in the K12 kitchen were pulling educators in too many directions. What we needed was to fix the system as a whole, to think comprehensively and coherently and thereby get everyone rowing in the same direction in pursuit of stronger and more equitable student outcomes.

To do so, we needed to get serious about alignment. We should start with a clear set of desired outcomes, also known as standards, delineating what we expect students to know and be able to doat the end of high school but also at key milestones along the way. Those curricular standards would set forth both the content of what kids needed to learn and the level at which they needed to learn it. Regular assessments would help practitioners and policymakers understand whether kids were on track to meet expectations and ready to progress to the next grade level and, ultimately, high school graduation. This approach would allow for the assessment of student performance against common expectations and criteria rather than measuring students against one another (norm-referenced evaluation and rankings) to determine academic achievement. But perhaps most importantly, all the other key pieces of the education apparatus needed to be aligned to the standards as wellespecially teacher preparation, professional development, instructional materials, and funding systems.

ODay and Smith didnt say much about accountability as we would later come to talk about itconsequences that would accrue to educators, especially for poor student performance. Instead, their focus was primarily on coherence, alignment, and building capacity in the system to improve teaching and learning.

Systemic reform was popular with traditional education groups. It spoke to the frustration of classroom teachers as well as principals and superintendents, without directly threatening the political power of key constituencies, especially teachers unions. They welcomed the additional help envisioned by scholars such as ODay and Smithand the additional money.

But this approach was hardly the only school improvement game in town. Other ideas were gaining prominence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, too, ideas promulgated by governors, economists, political scientists, and business leaders. To oversimplify a bit, they coalesced around the reinventing government frame  namely that to reform a broken system like K12 education, leaders needed to embrace a tight-loose strategy: tight about the results to be accomplished and loose about how people closer to the problem might get there. This was how business titans of the time steered their organizations, especially as the economy was shifting to knowledge work. To get the best results, people on the front lines had to have the autonomy to make decisions and solve problems themselves in real time rather than take orders from the top. They should be rewarded when they improved productivity accordingly. But if they failed to generate the desired results, unpleasantness might be expected to follow. They might even lose their jobs.

This struck a chord among some education scholars as well. As far back as 1966s Coleman Report, we knew about the disconnect between education inputs and outcomes. If we wanted better results, it made sense to focus on the latter. Furthermore, many of the reforms embraced in the wake of 1983s A Nation at Risk report tried to tweak inputs such as teacher salaries, course requirements, and days in the school year. In an era of stagnant achievement and widening achievement gaps, none of that seemed to be working. It was time, many thought, for something else.

By the early 1990s, the tight-loose frame was a big driver behind the charter schools movement and the notion of accountability for results for public schools writ large. Lamar Alexander, who was governor of Tennessee before becoming US secretary of education under George H. W. Bush, was apt to talk about an old-fashioned horse trade: greater autonomy for schools and educators in return for greater accountability for improved student outcomes. And it wasnt just Republican governors who embraced this model; several Democratic ones did, too, especially southern governors such as Jim Hunt (North Carolina), Richard Riley (South Carolina), and Bill Clinton (Arkansas). It helped that the Progressive Policy Institutea think tank for the New Demssupported this approach enthusiastically.

This version of standards-based reform had some overlap with ODay and Smiths systemic reform, especially when it came to the centrality of academic standards. But it put greater emphasis on the measurement of achievement against those standardsin other words, high-stakes testingand especially on accountability measures connected to results. This reflected the thinking of both economists and political scientists, who thought that the right incentives might allow local schools and school systems to break through the political barriers to change. With enough pressure from on high, schools might finally put the needs of kids first rather than follow the lead of adult interest groups, especially unions. They would remove ineffective teachers from the classroom, for example, ditch misguided curricula, and untie the hands of principals. The assumption was that the major barrier to improvement was not incoherence or the lack of capacity per se, but small-p politics and, especially, union politics. Getting the incentives right by tying real accountability to results could take a sledgehammer to the political status quo in communities nationwide.

This made sense to some key actors on the political left as well, especially the Education Trust and other civil rights organizations. They bought into this version of standards-based reform but with an important twist: doing right by kids would be defined primarily as doing right by kids who had been mistreated by the education system. That meant Black, Hispanic, and low-income students especially. These reformers wanted to counterbalance the political power of the unions but also that of affluent parents and other actors who tended to steer resources to the children and families who needed them the least. They wanted to use top-down accountability to redirect money, qualified teachers, and attention to the highest-poverty schools and the most disadvantaged kids.

These various flavors of standards-based reform were all in the mix in the 1990s, with many public discussions in particular about the wisdom of a strategy focused on capacity building versus one that stressed accountability for results. The enactment of NCLB settled the debate; the accountability hawks won. Capacity building would mostly be put on the shelf in favor of a muscular, federally driven effort to hold schools accountable, especially for the achievement of the groups that most concerned civil rights leaders.

Enter No Child Left Behind

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the Bush-era reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, was the law of the land for an entire generation of students. The kids who entered kindergarten in the fall of 2002, nine months after then president George W. Bush put his signature on NCLB, were seniors in high school in December 2015 when then president Barack Obama signed into law the Every Student Succeeds Act (its reauthorized successor).

Thats not to say that the same policy was set in stone for those thirteen years. For the first half of its life, federal officials implemented it rather faithfully, but the second half came with major policy shifts driven by regulatory actions and what might be termed strategic nonenforcement. Lets take a brief trip down memory lane.

NCLB-classicwhich was the 2001 reauthorization of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Actcentered on the three-legged stool of standards, tests, and accountability. But those three elements were not treated with the same level of prescription. States had complete control over their standardsboth in terms of the content to be included and in terms of the level of performance that would be considered good enough. Not so when it came to the teststhose had to be given annually to students in grades three through eight in reading and in math, plus once in high school, plus three times in science. And the assessments had to meet a variety of technical requirements.

But where NCLBs designers really got prescriptive was around accountability requirements. They created a measure called adequate yearly progress, which judged schools against statewide targets for performance and decreed that subgroups of studentsthe major racial groups plus low-income kids, students with disabilities, and English learnerswould need to hit those targets as well. If schools failed to achieve any of their goals in a given year, they would face a cascade of sanctions that grew more severe with each unsuccessful year. Students would have the right to attend other public schools in their same district and, eventually, to receive supplemental education services (i.e., free tutoring) from private providers. Districts were charged with intervening in low-performing schools with ever-increasing intensity.

NCLB had a plethora of other provisions, from mandating that schools hire only highly qualified teachers to bringing scientifically based reading instruction (now called the science of reading) to the nations schools. Some of these other pieces could be considered capacitybuilding efforts. But overwhelmingly, NCLB was about accountability for results. It assumed that with enough pressure, schools and districts would cut through the Gordian knot that was holding them back in order to raise the achievement of students, especially those from marginalized groups. That was the theory. And as well get to in a moment, it partly worked.

But it also soon became clear that many schools and systems didnt know what to do in response to the accountability pressureor couldnt steel themselves to make the requisite changes in long-established practices and structures. Some educators narrowed the curriculum, significantly expanding the time spent on math and reading at the expense of other subjects. Stories filled the nations newspapers about schools teaching to the test, canceling recess, even ignoring lice outbreaks, all because of the accountability pressures of NCLB. In perhaps the most notable education scandal, teachers and principals in the Atlanta Public Schools district were found to have cheated on state-administered tests by providing students with the correct answers to questions and even changing students answers and modifying test sheets to ensure higher scores.

NCLB Evolves

As with most federal statutes, Congress was supposed to update NCLB after a few years. A reauthorization push in 2007 came close to doing so and would have made the law even tougher, but it fell apart under fierce opposition from teachers unions and other education advocacy groups. So the law lumbered on even as it became clearer to its strongest supporters, including then education secretary Margaret Spellings, that parts of it were becoming unworkable.

One of the major issues was that an increasing number of schools were failing to meet NCLBs adequate yearly progress provisions. If tens of thousands of schools were deemed subpar, then the sting and stigma were lost, as was much of the motivation to do something to fix it. In particular, the laws focus on achievement rather than progress over time was snaring virtually all high-poverty schools in its trap, given the enduring relationship between test scores and kids socioeconomic backgrounds. Now that annual tests were in place, and states had, with federal money and support, built more sophisticated data systems, it was technically feasible to measure individual students progress from one year to the next. Such measures were much fairer to schools whose students arrived several years below grade level. But these growth models werent contemplated back in 2001, so they werent allowed under the law.

Through a series of regulatory actions, Spellings (under George W. Bush) and Arne Duncan (under Obama) allowed states to make critical changes to their implementation of NCLB to address these concerns. They allowed growth models provided the models still expected students to hit proficiency within a few years. They loosened rules around supplemental services so that school districts could provide tutoring themselves rather than outsource it to private providers. The cascade of sanctions was replaced with a menu of intervention options and funded generously through the School Improvement Grants programall meant to encourage school turnarounds. An Obama-era waiver program allowed states even greater flexibility to tinker with their accountability targets in return for commitments to embrace other reforms the administration supported.

Meanwhile, states were working to address another key issue with NCLB: its encouragement of low level academic standards and much-too-easy-to-pass tests. Because the law required states to set targets that would result in virtually all students reaching the proficient level by 2014, it incentivized states to set the proficiency bar very low. This, in turn, may have encouraged educators to engage in low-level instruction, with teaching to the test and drill and kill methods. It also provided parents with misleading information, as states told most parents that their children were proficient in reading and math, even if they were actually several years below grade level and nowhere near on track for college or a decent-paying career. In Tennessee, for example, the state reported that 90 percent of students were proficient in fourth-grade reading in 2009 while the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) had the number at 28 percent. Advocates came to call this the honesty gap.

Under the leadership of the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers, states started collaborating on a set of common standards for English language arts and mathwhat would eventually become the Common Core State Standards. The hope was that, by working together and providing political cover to one another, the states would finally set the bar suitably highat a level that indicated that high school graduates were truly ready for college or career and that would encourage teachers to aim for higher-level teaching. It would certainly be hard for the effort to result in worse standards than what most states had in place. Multiple reviews of state standards over the years from the American Federation of Teachers, Achieve, and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute found that they were generally vague, poorly written, and lacking in the type of curricular content that systemic reformers had envisioned so many years before.10 It wasnt surprising, then, that so many educators reported teaching to the test. The tests became the true standards, and they were perceived to be of low quality too.

The Common Core standards were adopted by more than forty states in 2010 and 2011, changing the very foundation of NCLBs architecture. No longer were states aiming to get low-achieving students to basic literacy and numeracy; now the goal was to get everyone to college and career readiness. But that shift was largely overlooked at the time, drowned out by a fierce political backlash to the Common Core. It mostly came from the right, as the newly emerging conservative populist movement seized on Obamas involvement in encouraging the adoption of the standards (through his Race to the Top [RttT] initiative). Nonetheless, by 2015, more than a dozen states were using new assessments tied to the standards (largely paid for through RttT funds), and even today, most states still use the Common Core standards or close facsimiles.

So did standards-based reform work during the NCLB era?

As mentioned before, judging the success or failure of such a sprawling reform effort is hard to do. Thankfully, scholars Dan Goldhaber and Michael DeArmond of the CALDER Center at the American Institutes for Research offered a wonderful overview of the research literature in a recent report for the US Chamber of Commerce, Looking Back to Look Forward: Quantitative and Qualitative Reviews of the Past 20 Years of K12 Education Assessment and Accountability Policy. I strongly encourage readers to review their findings; allow me to summarize them here.

First, its clear that student achievement in the United States improved dramatically from the mid to late 1990s until the early 2010sespecially in math, especially at the elementary and middle school levels, and especially for the most marginalized student groups. Pointing to studies by M. Danish Shakeel, Paul Peterson, Eric Hanushek, Ayesha Hashim, Sean Reardon, and others, Goldhaber and DeArmond conclude that the long-term gains on the NAEP reveal a decades-long narrowing of test score achievement gaps between underserved groups (e.g., students of color, lower achieving students) and more advantaged groups (e.g., White students, higher achieving students).

My own analysis of NAEP trends from that time period focused on the impressive gains made by the nations low-income, Black, and Hispanic students, especially at the lower levels of achievement. The proportion of Black fourth-graders scoring at the below basic level on the NAEP reading exam, for example, dropped from more than two-thirds in 1992 to less than half in 2015. Likewise, the percentage of Hispanic eighth-graders scoring below basic in math dropped from two-thirds in 1990 to 40 percent in 2015. Those numbers were still much too high, but the improvement over time was breathtaking.

Nor was it just student achievement. High school graduation rates shot up as well, climbing fifteen points on average from the mid-1990s until today. We saw major improvements in college completion, too, with the percentage of Black and Hispanic young adults with four-year degrees climbing from 15 percent and 9 percent, respectively, in 1995 to 23 percent and 21 percent by 2017. Some analysts have argued that these improvements might reflect a softening of graduation standards, but rigorous studies have found that a significant proportion of the gains were real.

Alas, the progress in test scores stalled in the early to mid-2010s, and achievement even declined in some subjects and grade levels in the late 2010s, before the pandemic wiped out decades of gains. As Goldhaber and DeArmond explain, this has led some analysts to argue that the rise and fall of test-based accountability can explain the rise and fall of student achievement.

Thats possible, but NAEPs design makes it hard to know for sure. What scholars can do is compare states with various policies (and policy implementation timelines) to try to link the adoption of standards-based reform to changes in student achievement. Thats exactly what a series of studies did in the 2000s, including ones by Martin Carnoy and Susanna Loeb, another by Eric Hanushek and Margaret Raymond, and a seminal paper by Tom Dee and Brian Jacob. The latter compared states that adopted consequential accountability in the late 1990s to those that adopted it in the early 2000s, once NCLB mandated them to do so. Dee and Jacob found large impacts of those policies on math achievement (an effect size in the neighborhood of half a year of learning), with even greater effects for the lowest-achieving students as well as Black, Hispanic, and low-income kids. The impacts on reading and science were null.

Another study, by Manyee Wong, Thomas D. Cook, and Peter M. Steiner, used Catholic schools as a control group and found more evidence that accountability policies raised achievement in math in the public schools. Other research, also reviewed by Goldhaber and DeArmond, looked at the impact of NCLB on the so-called bubble kidsthe students who were closest to the proficiency line or the schools most at risk of sanctions. Most studies found the largest gains for such students and schools, for better or worse.

A brand-new study, by Ozkan Eren, David N. Figlio, Naci H. Mocan, and Orgul Ozturk, found that accountability policies had an impact on more than just test scores. Our findings indicate that a schools receipt of a lower accountability rating, at the bottom end of the ratings distribution, decreases adult criminal involvement. Accountability pressures also reduce the propensity of students reliance on social welfare programs in adulthood and these effects persist at least until when individuals reach their early 30s.

Circumstantial evidence from individual states also points to a big impact from consequential accountability. Massachusetts, which combined standards-based reform with an enormous increase in spending in its 1993 Education Reform Act, saw student achievement skyrocket in the late 1990s and early 2000sthe much-remarked Massachusetts miracle. Fourth-grade reading scores increased by nineteen points from 1998 through 2007the equivalent of about two grade levels. Eighth-grade math scores jumped thirty-one points from 2000 to 2009. With its high-quality academic standards, intensive supports for teachers, lavish funding, and new high school graduation exam for students, the Bay State showed what was possible.

Nor was Massachusetts alone. Other states made significant progress, too, including Texas and North Carolina in the 1990s, Florida in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Mississippi in the 2010s, and the District of Columbia throughout the entire reform period.

What we can say, then, is that NCLB-style accountability worked, at least for a while and at least in math. Nationally, it didnt make an impact in reading, even though reading achievement was improving during the NCLB era (including in states like Massachusetts and Mississippi). We also arent sure if achievement plateaued in the 2010s because accountability necessarily stopped working or because accountability stopped.

It doesnt help that we dont have much evidence about the mechanisms that might have driven the gains Dee and Jacob (and others) found. Did schools improve their approach to teaching mathematics? Did they make more time for intensive interventions such as tutoring, especially for their lowest-performing kids? Did they work harder or smarter to support teachers and get their best folks where they were needed most? Why did accountability lead to gains in math but not in reading?

We only have a few studies on how these policies might have changed classroom practice. As mentioned above, it was widely perceived that schoolsespecially elementary schools, where the schedule is more flexiblenarrowed the curriculum and spent more time on math and reading and less time on social studies and science. Several teacher surveys showed this to be the case.19 (Perhaps thats one reason standards-based reform failed to move the needle on reading achievement, given the growing evidence linking content knowledge in subjects like social studies to improvements in reading comprehension.) The improvement of scores for bubble kids indicates that schools and teachers may have shifted their attention to kids near the proficiency line. And teaching to the test was also thought to be pervasive; some teacher surveys, for example, found that instruction became more teacher centered and focused on basic skills.

Alas, studying policy implementation all the way into the classroom is difficult and expensive. So save from surveying teachers about their practicewhich is better than nothing but not terribly reliablenot much else was done. As a result, when it comes to changes that standards-based reform might have brought to the classroom, we have more questions than answers.

School improvement, school choice and school closure

In 2009, the Obama administration successfully lobbied Congress to allocate $3.5 billion (eventually growing to $7 billion) into the Title I School Improvement Grants program. This sum was directed primarily to the 5 percent of schools in each state with the lowest academic achievement. The federal government instructed districts to select from four intervention options, from replacing the principal to closing the school entirely. Most selected the least onerous option, and perhaps for that reason, a federal evaluation of the effort found no impacts on test scores, high school graduation, or college enrollment.

However, as Goldhaber and DeArmond explain, some local and state studies did find positive impacts arising from the SIG initiative. Californias implementation was particularly well studied by scholars including Thomas Dee, Susanna Loeb, Min Sun, Emily K. Penner, and Katharine O. Strunk.25 Both statewide and in particular cities, the results were generally positive, with improvements in both reading and math. This may be because California required its lowest-performing schools to implement more intensive interventions. It also focused a great deal of moneyup to $1.5 millionon each school and gave the school lots of help in spending it well.

Though not addressed by Goldhaber and DeArmond, another place to look for lessons on accountability is the school choice movement. In particular, we can compare the relative success of charter schools with private school choice, given that the former operates under a strict accountability regime while the latter, in most states, does not. A growing body of research, including a new study from CREDO at Stanford University, shows charter school students outpacing their traditional public school peers both on test scores and on long-term outcomes such as college completion. That is especially the case for urban charter schools and for Black and Hispanic students.

Private school choice programs, on the other hand, have been markedly less effective in boosting student outcomes, at least as judged by test scores. Recent studies of large-scale voucher programs in Ohio, Indiana, and Louisiana all show voucher recipients trailing their public school peers on test score growth, sometimes quite significantly. To be sure, another set of voucher studies finds positive long-term impacts on measures such as high school graduation and college enrollment. But the negative findings on achievement are still worrying and might reflect the lack of consequential accountability baked into these programs.

In the charter schools sector, authorizers are empowered to close low-performing or financially unsustainable schools, and they do so with regularity. This is real accountability, and the threat of closure very likely contributes toperhaps even causes much ofthe charter achievement advantage.

Whats less clear, once again, are the exact mechanisms. Does the threat of school closure encourage charter schools to improve? Perhapsand a series of studies from the Fordham Institute and others have found that charter schools tend to embrace a variety of practices associated with improved achievement, from higher teacher expectations to greater teacher diversity to firmer policies around student discipline. On the other hand, its surely the case that school closures themselves automatically improve the performance of the charter sector, as the worst schools disappear, shifting the bell curve of achievement to the right. Whatever the reason, its clear that accountability plays a key role in the relative success of charter schools.

Unresolved tensions in standards-based reform

Accountability versus capacity building:

The most fateful decision in the history of standards-based reform might have been the movecemented by NCLB  to place accountability at the heart of the strategy while largely neglecting capacity building; in other words, to assume that the only problem was the lack of will rather than skill. As Robert Pondiscio argues in chapter 5 of this series, that decision was particularly critical when it came to the issue of curriculum. Even those of us who believe in the importance of standards understand that they dont teach themselves, nor do they provide day-to-day guidance to teachers on how to instruct students in an effective, engaging, evidence-based way.

Yet only in recent years have reformers embraced curriculum as a key lever for school improvement, with foundations and even states investing in building high-quality instructional materials and organizations such as EdReports judging them for alignment with rigorous standards. Imagine how much more progress we might have made had we embarked on these efforts twenty years earlier!

Yet that would have been hard to do, since back then states were just developing their standards, and they differed dramatically from one another even as most were of low quality. Only with the creation of the Common Core State Standards was there an opportunity to build a truly national marketplace for curricular materials, which is exactly what has happened in recent years. As high-quality products like Core Knowledge Language Arts and Eureka Math gain market share, we might be returning to the capacity-building effort we ditched so many decades ago. Perhaps fixing teacher preparation and professional development can come next.

Its become clear that states need to show leadership around curriculum and instruction rather than sit back and hope districts make the right decisions on their own. States that have done so over the past twenty-five yearsincluding, at various times, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Mississippihave seen improvements in achievement (though, of course, correlation does not equal causation).

Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts?:

As with so much else about this topic, its hard to know whether there were particular components of standards-based reform that made a bigger difference than others. As explained earlier, seminal studies found that it was consequential accountability that led to test score gains in the late 1990s and early 2000swhich meant some sort of system to classify schools and some legitimate threat that something might happen to those deemed low-performing. My vague language is intentional. State policies, especially pre-NCLB, varied greatly, and yet scholars still detected an impact on achievement. We can say, then, that the threat of rating schools as poor and potentially taking action was enough to move the needleat least when these policies were first introduced.

Its likely, though, that when accountability systems were discovered to be mostly bark and no bitebecause state officials were loath to follow through and actually shutter schoolsthese impacts faded. That brought us to a new stage, when the federal government spent billions of dollars through the School Improvement Grants program to turn around low-performing schools. This was a helping-hand approach rather than tough love, and as discussed earlier, it mostly didnt work.

Nor can we make strong claims about the standards and assessments that are at the heart of standards-based reform. Scholars have failed to detect any difference in achievement in states that had low standards versus high ones or weak tests versus strong ones. As they say, the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence. Its hard to believe that the quality of standards and assessments does not matter; rather, its more likely that to drive positive change, demanding expectations and tests must be connected to sophisticated school rating systems; meaningful accountability for results; and capacity-building efforts, like the introduction of high-quality curricular materials, to help students succeed.

The lesson for standards-based reformand many other reforms as wellis that policymakers cant view components as items on an a la carte menu. In order to drive improvements, its all or nothing. Especially in the push for systemic, coherent reform, the effort is only as strong as its weakest link. If the question is which is most important (standards, assessments, school ratings, consequences, turnaround efforts, or capacity building, especially around curriculum), the correct answer is all of the above.

Common standards versus student variation:

Other key issues that reformers often swept under the rug were (1) the inevitable conflict between the desire to set a single, high standard for achievement and the undeniable reality that kids come into school with widely varying levels of readiness and may need varying amounts of support and time to reach standard; and (2) that schools and school systems in the United States have historically underserved and under-supported students experiencing poverty and students with lower socioeconomic status.

The standards-based reform movement succeeded in promoting the idea that all students can learn and that we must reject the soft bigotry of low expectations. These are powerful and necessary maxims. But they rub up against the lived experience of educators, who must cope with the reality of classrooms of students who can be as many as seven grade levels apart on the first day of school.

Slogans about holding schools accountable for results elide critical questions over the details. Results for which students? All of them? Including the ones who start the school year way above or way below grade level? The embrace of growth models in the late NCLB period and under ESSA helped to circle this square. By focusing on progress from one school year to the next, accountability systems could give schools credit for helping all of their students make gains, no matter where they started on the achievement spectrum.

NCLB had an answer to this question, implicit though it may have been: the sharp focus of NCLB was on helping the lowest-achieving studentswho tended to be Black, Hispanic, or low-income, or students with disabilities, or those still learning Englishreach basic standards. And as discussed earlier, this focus worked for a time (again mostly in math) as those were the precise groups whose achievement rose the most during the 1990s and 2000s and who were much more likely to graduate from high school in the 2010s. But did this hyperfocus unintentionally incentivize the success and growth of some students over others? And was getting these students to a baseline level of proficiency setting them up for postsecondary success?

Tests as accountability metrics versus instructional tools:

Another key conflict throughout the standards-based reform era was the role of testing. To put it mildly, high-stakes tests were not (and are not) popularwith the general public, parents, and especially educatorseven though accountability in education polls quite well.

The pushback to testing has been significant. Some of that stemmed from how schools responded to the testsas discussed earlier, by teaching to the test or narrowing the curriculum. Some of it related to the Obama-era push to tie teacher evaluations to test scores. Some of it focused on the tests themselves. Making kids sit for annual assessments from grades three through eight ate up precious instructional time. But since the results didnt come back until months latereven until the next school yearthey werent of much help to educators. They werent instructionally useful. Thus, most school districts opted to give students additional standardized tests, such as NWEAs Measures of Academic Progress, in

order to receive real-time information about how students were doing. One study found students spending as many as twenty-five hours a year sitting for tests.

In recent years, some advocates and assessment providers have called for testing systems that can produce both accountability data and instructionally useful information for educators. Thats an understandable impulse, but trade-offs are unavoidable. Some approaches would assess students three times a year, for exampleso-called through-year assessmentswhich might increase the testing load and encourage schools to adopt a curriculum closely aligned with the scope and sequence of the tests, for better or worse. Assessments that return results immediately, meanwhile, are by definition not graded by humans, and (so far at least) they cant test the same higher-order skills that the better state assessments today can. This might encourage a return to low-level teaching of the skill-and-drill variety.

A key issue going forward is whether states will pursue these more instructionally useful assessment systems or simply acknowledge that we need a variety of tests, some to guide instruction and others to generate accountability data, as unpopular as the latter may be.

Lessons for the future

What can tomorrows policymakers learn from our experience with standards, assessments, and accountability?

Be clear-eyed about capacity in the system. Some of us wrongly assumed that incentives were the only big problemthat once we put pressure on schools to improve, they would figure out how to help their students meet standards. What standards-based reform revealed, however, was how little capacity existed in many schools. Educators didnt know how to boost achievement, or they only knew how to do this for some kids in their schools. They didnt know what curricula to use. And accountability wasnt generally strong enough to overcome the political incentives operating in the system, especially union politics. Reformers cant wish realities like these away. Fixing perverse incentives is necessary but not sufficient; capacity building is needed too. And that means states need to take a more muscular role around issues like curriculum and teacher preparation than some of us once imagined.

Be wary of any reform that is about all students (or all schools). Yes, all kids need to learn to read, write, and do math, and virtually all students can reach basic standards. But not all kids need to (or can be) college ready. Reforms that dont come to terms with the huge variability in kids readiness levels, cognitive abilities, and prior achievements will lose popular support and will flounder.



Dont take success for granted! Especially in the wake of the awful COVID-19 pandemic and its disastrous impact on our schools, its hard not to romanticize the period in the late 1990s and early 2000s when achievement was skyrocketing. What we wouldnt give to have those test score gains back! Yet the education debate at the time wasnt full of celebration and confidence, but angst about things not moving quickly enough. What we need to remember is that education happens slowly, year by year, and we need to make sure that policy leaders stay on course over a long period of time. We should fight the urge to look for the next big thing. At the current moment, for example, theres much enthusiasm about universal education savings accounts as new and exciting, in contrast to charter schools, which feel old and dated to some. Yet based on their strong track record, slowly but surely continuing to expand high-quality charter schools may be the best approach to improving student outcomes and expanding parental options. Policymakers, advocates, and philanthropists need to get better at finishing what we started.

Scholars need new ways to study policy change all the way to the classroom. Thanks in part to the data produced by standards-based reforms, the field of education research has improved markedly in recent decades. Experimental and quasi-experimental designs are much more common, and every day brings important new findings about interventions and their impact on student outcomes. Yet as this chapter demonstrates, we still struggle to follow policy changes all the way down to the classroom. But that doesnt have to be a given. Its now technically and financially feasible to put cameras and microphones in classrooms nationwide to collect detailed information about teaching and learning. Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence will soon allow us to analyze such data to gain insights about curriculum implementation, effective instructional strategies, grouping practices, student discipline, and much else. The question is whether we will have the political will to make this vision a reality while ensuring safeguards for teacher and student privacy.

The conventional wisdom in some quarters is that standards-based reform in general, and NCLB in particular, didnt work. That conventional wisdom is incorrect. These policies deserve some of the credit for the historically large achievement gains of the 1990s and 2000s and the equally impressive improvements in the high school graduation and college completion rates of more recent years.

But this approach to reform will work much better if it is combined with efforts to boost the knowledge, skills, and confidence of educators on the front lines. Providing high-quality instructional materials is arguably the best way to do that, and its an effort that states have finally embarked upon. This is still no panacea; the Gordian knot hasnt been sliced through, nor have teachers unions disappeared, nor have we solved the riddle of how to get fourteen thousand school districts to embrace smart policies and practices. Systemic dysfunction remains. But a recommitment to accountability for results, along with a focus on making classroom instruction more coherent, effective, and equitable, could yield stronger results in the years ahead.

See the full Hoover Institution initiative: A Nation At Risk +40.
In the new novel "Wandering Stars," Indigenous author Tommy Orange sheds light on how intergenerational trauma can manifest. via Associated Press

Theresagreeting ritual where Native people introduce themselves. We say who we are, the land we come from, and who our people (both our tribes and our relatives) are. These identifications are our way of showing our spiritual connections to our land and our heritage. Community is at the core of our values, as well as the way we share knowledge and pass down histories, stories and legacies.

This trading of information is intrinsic to the journey that New York Times bestselling author Tommy Orange, a citizen of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes from Oklahoma, takes us on in his new book, Wandering Stars. While Oranges debut novel, There There, was a contemporary story of urban Natives filled with multiple perspectives culminating in the dramatic events at a powwow, Wandering Stars dives into the history of the Bear Shield family line, serving as both a prequel and a sequel.

By beginning his new novel amid 1864s Sand Creek Massacre and then exploring the pain and displacement that haunted the Bear Shield and Red Feather families for decades afterward, Orange sheds light on how intergenerational trauma can manifest. His storytelling informs and enlightens anyone unfamiliar with the specifics of how Native families were deliberately broken down over the years. For young Natives like myself, though, it does something even more crucial: It provides context to why we introduce ourselves in the way we do, and explores the more shrouded parts of our identities that lie deeper.

Wandering Stars shows us, through its complex characters, the different ways in which our trauma as Native people shows up. Why did you feel like it was important to give the historical prequel as part of Wandering Stars?

It all started with finding out about the prison castle at Fort Marion, which I had never heard about. Southern Cheyennes made up half of the prisoners of war there, and I didnt know that we were at the seed for this awful thing that devastated generations of people. I was doing research and was already calling the book Wandering Stars.

I found out that the prison castle was shaped like a star and that there was an actual prisoner, a Southern Cheyenne, named Star, and then another prisoner named Bear Shield, which is a family from There There. I knew I was going to write this generational thing that reached all the way back to the Sand Creek Massacre, because it was a family story that I grew up hearing  that was the devastating part of Cheyenne history.

Really going through the rest of the history had to do with reaching the present  the family line. It had more to do with creating this family line that would end up landing you in the present with all of the context and backstory.

When you wrote There There, you mentioned that you were driven by a sort of loneliness, since weve always been represented in such monolithic ways. What was the initial drive when you wrote Wandering Stars?

This time, that loneliness  it wasnt there. A lot of cool Native representations are happening right now. Also, knowing that I have an audience whether I succeeded or failed at the sophomore effort, theres sort of a spectacle. Ive met a lot of Native people and experienced their reactions too, so theres a lot of different factors.

I write from the inside out. I really need to know my characters, what they think about, what theyre like in the interior, before I have them doing things in the world. To make them feel real to me, I have to make the inside part real first. So thats usually how I start.

How do you tap into that internal world of each character and use it to explain history and culture in this story?

Ill use certain things that I might know or that I thought of for the character. Sometimes its driven by a name. For example, Star at the prison castle was a bread-maker and went on to become the chief of police. In reality, the actual person Star had that going on. So, sometimes I have real details, especially with the historical piece I write from Richard Henry Pratts perspective. I read up a lot about him.

There was a lot of research for this [novel] that informed my character development differently than with There There, and even the contemporary parts of Wandering Stars. Its a lot more that comes from knowing the community. The addiction stuff comes from personal experience and family experience.

What was it like approaching this novel, given how successful There There was? Did you feel a lot of pressure, from yourself or elsewhere?

My agent and editor are very hands-off. I almost wish they pressured me more, sometimes. But I definitely felt the sophomore effort and wanted to write something that felt like itll do as good or better. Writing an actual book was the goal. It was different every day, but the same doubts were there. When I quiet everything down, I just have to face the writing room. And I havent gotten any better at believing  I just have to keep working until I feel its good enough.

You just sold your third book. Is there anything you can tell us about what that will look like?

So, its contemporary Oakland stories. There are multiple perspectives  again, surprise, surprise! One of the major themes is pretendians.

A character in the book writes a parody of a book called TheEducation of Little Tree. It was, like, the only Native book I knew about growing up. I only found out somewhat recently that it was not written by a Native person. It was written by a former KKK member named Asa Earl Carter under the pseudonym Forrest Carter, who wrote the famous line segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever. He wrote The Education of Little Tree and passed himself off as a Cherokee man. A lot of people argue that its actually white supremacist propaganda, sort of hidden in Native American coming-of-age stories  kind of crazy.

So, this character, he writes this book and he becomes a Native author with success. He starts a podcast about ethnic fraud and pretendians, and how rampant it is. So theres a lot to explore in that world, but thats one of the areas.

Wow, I cant wait to read that.

Yeah, the tone is more dark comedy. You know, There There and Wandering Stars are pretty heavy subject matter, and the tones are pretty dark. So its nice to pivot to a different tonal style.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
MANALAPAN - Plans for four 48,140-square-foot industrial buildings sitting directly across from the Route 33 entrance to Monmouth Battlefield State Park were conditionally approved by a 5-to-3 vote after a combative planning board meeting.

Board chairwoman Kathy Kwaak and board planner Jennifer Beahm said the boards hands at Thursday night's meeting were tied in favor of approval and argued that the board could not take into consideration a number of factors.

They argued that traffic impact would be subject to the state Department of Transportation review, as Route 33 is a state highway, and the plans did not have to be submitted to the state Department of Environmental Protection for historic review because the site is not registered on its list of protected sites.

Board member John Castronovo proposed that the developer, Monmouth Battlefield Flex Co. LLC, conduct an archeological survey.

Revolutionary War historic ground: Neighbors fear proposed Upper Freehold warehouse could ruin life in neighboring Allentown

Lets do it from a historical standpoint, lets preserve what we can," he said. "And as a board, were doing what we can to show the public that we do care and generally our hands are tied in many of these applications. But if this is something that we can do to help, it sounds like a win-win.

As a condition of approval, the board voted that developer would have to undergo a phase 1A archeological survey, which would require the developer to hire a third-party archeology consultant to determine whether or not artifacts from the Revolutionary War could be found on the site by reviewing documents, maps and literature regarding the Battle of Monmouth.

At a previous planning board meeting in February, David Martin, president of Friends of Monmouth Battlefield, argued that a map dated to 1779 shows a colonial-era road on the site. He said the road was used by troops going and coming from the June 28, 1778, battle that was fought at what is now Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

Modern roads and the proposed development (in red) laid against the "Butler Map" dating to 1778.

Historic building threatened: Racing to save a Monmouth County house where a Revolutionary War patriot was murdered

The battle was the last major fight in the North during the war. It ended in a draw, with the British continuing their retreat toward Sandy Hook and from there to their base at New York City, and the Americans holding the field. It featured Gen. George Washington rallying his troops when an early attack faltered.

Attorney for the developer John Giunco said he met with an author of "Fatal Sunday: George Washington, the Monmouth Campaign, and the Politics of Battle."

Giunco said the author did not find anything that showed that the British or colonial troops came onto the battlefield from the south, where the buildings are planned.

Site plans for proposed industrial buildings located across Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

Supernatural sighting? Tinkling bells and strange orbs fascinate ghost hunters at this historic Middletown home

The British were moving west from Freehold Borough towards Englishtown and the colonials were moving east from Englishtown, he said. He argued that the road Martin had indicated did not exist.

The battle was mainly fought along (what is now Route) 524 and the major part of the battle was on the north side of 524, another mile or so west, he said.

About 25 people came to the meeting. A number of residents spoke out against development occurring across from the state park.

Reenactors from the American army fire a round on the battlefield at the British during the re-enactment of the Battle of Monmouth at Monmouth Battlefield State Park in Manalapan.

Road work coming: Check out the big road projects planned for Monmouth and Ocean counties through the 2020s

Manalapan resident Richard Kuberski said, This historical and beautiful area of Manalapan bordering Freehold does not need a flex warehouse in this area.

The proposed industrial building could hold up to 56 tenants. Although each tenant has an accompanying loading dock or drive-in door that could accommodate tractor-trailers, the developer argued that mainly box trucks would come in and out of the facility.

Site plans for proposed industrial buildings located across Monmouth Battlefield State Park.

Where was she? Searching for Molly Pitcher at Monmouth Battlefield

To the west of the approved buildings, another industrial space has been proposed by the developer Mercer Realty Partners and is currently under litigation with the township.

That proposed 232,920-square-foot building was presented by the developer as a "flex space" that should be permitted under the townships zoning. The township argued that the building was not flex space because 95% of the building consisted of warehouse space while 5% was for office or manufacturing space. Warehouses are not permitted in the zone.

In addition to the archeological study, other conditions of approval for the Monmouth Battle Flex Co. industrial buildings include sidewalks, the preservation of many of the mature trees at the proposed buildings' entrance, a declaration lane and a letter from the state Department of Transportation stating that it would not allow an opening on the freeway portion of Route 33 bordering the property to the south.

Olivia Liu is a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth Battlefield getting industrial buildings across from entrance
Long Beach PD Agrees to Pay $500K to Former Black Police Pilot to Settle Racial Discrimination Suit

A Black former helicopter pilot with the Long Beach Police Department has been awarded $500,000 to settle a lawsuit after he accused his coworkers and supervisors of decades of racial discrimination.

Michael Colbert, who flew choppers for the LBPD for 30 years, said he regularly experienced racism from colleagues, including epithets and Black jokes, ranging from casual remarks about his skin color to unmistakable instances of racism.

I was ridiculed for things that I never should have been ridiculed for, Colbert told the Long Beach Post in late 2021 when he filed the action. And the constant demeaning, it tears you down.

A Long Beach police helicopter keeps an eye on a May Day march in Long Beach, CA on Sunday, May 1, 2016. Following a rally at MacArthur Park, several hundred May Day protestors marched to city hall. The group was championing several causes from racial issues and police brutality to healthcare, the environment, education and LGBT issues. (Photo by Scott Varley/Digital First Media/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images)

Colberts lawsuit claimed he was targeted in performance reviews, unfairly demoted, and often blamed for maintenance issues with the helicopters.

The lawsuit cited evidence of a hostile and racist work environment, with Colbert recounting a specific incident from 1990 in which a new training officer referred to a neighborhood in Central Long Beach as "NirVille.

Colbert also claimed that on one occasion, someone placed a banana peel on the hood of his unmarked police car, and that his supervisor kept a hand-drawn "blackface" sketch of the Dragon Ball anime character Mr. Popo displayed in his office cubicle for years.

During a closed-door meeting on March 12, the Long Beach City Council voted to pay Colbert half a million dollars in exchange for dropping the lawsuit.

Colbert's lawyer, Richard Jorgensen, said it was a smart move for the city to settle the case as he blasted the departments racial mitigation efforts as smoke and mirrors, suggesting the culture of racial bigotry in the department was too pervasive to change overnight.

A hundred percent, however you want to cut it, the Long Beach Police Department has no understanding of what boundaries theyre supposed to keep with race relations, hostile work environment, with harassment, Jorgensen said. Its insane.

Deputy City Attorney Howard Russell said a professional mediator helped both sides reach the deal, which avoided a potentially costly trial.

As part of the settlement, the city of Long Beach was not required to admit to any wrongdoing.

The City of Long Beach is built on respect, integrity, and equality, Russell said, while noting that the city had implemented strategies aimed at Racial Equity and Inclusion. We are committed to a safe, inclusive, and anti-discriminatory workplace and a community for all."

Initially, the city filed a response to the lawsuit, denying the allegations and claiming that Colbert had exceeded the statute of limitations because the alleged incidents took place many years ago.

During a press conference, Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish emphasized the department's commitment to progress, saying he is dedicated to maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce.

For Colbert, becoming a police helicopter pilot was a lifelong dream come true, but he soon found himself living a nightmare amid day-to-day racial hostilities.

After serving as a teen Police Explorer in Huntington Beach, Colbert joined the Long Beach Police Department in 1989 and became the first and only Black helicopter pilot in the units 53-year history.

He retired in October 2019 and began to reflect on the racist encounters he experienced throughout his career, which began to keep him up at night.

Feeling wronged, Colbert filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Dec. 28, 2021, claiming Black police officers were kept from obtaining management positions and that incidents of racial harassment were never investigated nor addressed.

Insane: Long Beach Polices First Black Helicopter Pilot Says He Endured Years of Racist Bullying By Colleagues. Now, Department Must Pay Him $500K to Drop Lawsuit
Public schools in Washington will be required to update curriculum to include LGBTQ histories and perspectives under a new law signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on Monday.

Senate Bill 5462 requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to incorporate the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion in new or revised learning standards.

The contributions of gay Washingtonians deserve recognition, and just as importantly, students deserve to see themselves in their schoolwork, said the bills prime sponsor Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, in a news release Monday. That leads to better attendance, better academic achievement and better overall quality of life, ensuring success for all our students.

By June 2025, the Washington State School Directors Association and OSPI must develop a model policy, and the model must require school boards to adopt age-appropriate and instructional materials that recognize the history and contributions of LGBTQ individuals.

Historically marginalized groups including people from various racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds and people with various socioeconomic and immigration backgrounds must also be included in the model curriculum.

The law requires OSPI to post a revision of learning standards on their website by September 2025, and requires schools to amend and conform with the model policies by October 2025.

Oregon, California and Colorado are among seven states that now require inclusive curriculum in schools.

According to the American Bar Association, implementing education and social supports such as the ones included in Washingtons new law are important, particularly for LGBTQ students.

Lack of such support can adversely affect their academic motivation and can lead to sadness, feelings of disconnectedness, and even suicidal ideation, the ABA noted in a July 2022 report. When LGBTQ students perceived their schools to be as safe as did straight cisgender students, the disparities in outcomes were reduced, though not eliminated.

This was the second year Democratic lawmakers considered the legislation. The bill was first introduced during the 2023 session but stalled in the House.

The legislation had no support from Republicans in either chamber, and during the debates on the bill Republican pushed back on the idea because they believe the bill erodes local control.

People are pulling their kids from the schools because of cumulative policies, policies like this and many others, said Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, in a February House floor debate.

The bill passed the Senate with a 29-19 vote on Jan. 17. In the House, the bill passed 56-37, with five lawmakers excused.
A group of Augustana University students gathered in solidarity, sitting in a circle and chanting prayers from their respective religions one after another, to commemorate the official reopening of the Interfaith Room.

Students covered their heads with scarves as a sign of respect for the sacred space, while symbols of different non-Christian religions surrounded them, adding color and vibrancy.

A group of Augustana University students go around the room and sharing intentions on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 at the Morrison Commons building in Sioux Falls.

The opening of the Interfaith Room, located in the Morrison Commons Building at Augustana University, took place Feb. 28 and was intended to be a renewal of sorts. It was a marked moment of healing from a traumatic moment in January 2023, when the sacred space was taken away by the administration without the councils consent or knowledge.

In December 2022, the room was stripped of its religious symbols and sacred texts for a brief period, its identity as an interfaith space symbolically taken away for that time. The disrespect with which the sacred items were handled reflected the lack of religious and spiritual freedom for students, according to previous Argus Leader reporting.

Interfaith Chaplain Jen Dreiske commences the reopening ceremony with an introduction on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 at the Augustana University Morrison Commons building in Sioux Falls.

While students were given the interfaith room back in January 2023, the opening held in February was about officially reclaiming ownership of the space and its symbolization of students freedom to practice their traditions and religiosity without interference.

The event was organized by the Augustana University Interfaith Council, a student-led group dedicated to uplifting the voices of non-Christian faiths on campus. The group, representing five religions, consists of Isha Hooda and Ashirvad Sharma of Hinduism, Raleigh Lunderman of Native American faith, Avneet Tiwana of Sikhism, Nasteho Abdi, Mariam Alinizi and Maya Madson of Islam and Michael Schmidt of Christianity.

Being a part of the interfaith council was for me to learn about different religions, said Hooda, president of the council. And also, I think its a really nice way to create a sense of belonging on campus, when people feel like they have a place to be every week.

The Interfaith Room opening began with the Native American ritual of smudging to cleanse the atmosphere in the room, followed by a circle of prayers and intentions shared by each person. The end was the recitation of a Sikh prayer for new beginnings, which this reopening signified for the room.

Im so grateful for the students who came before us in helping create this space, and Im so grateful for the students that we have here, said Interfaith Chaplain Jen Dreiske, who belongs to the Judaism faith and serves as a supervisor for the council. Im grateful for the administration and faculty staff understanding the importance of how interfaith work brings a sense of belonging and connection.

Interfaith Council members and supervisors pose for photos after weekly council meeting on Tuesday, Feb, 20, 2024 at Augustana Humanities Building in Sioux Falls.

Since when has the Interfaith Room been around?

The Interfaith Reflection Room, first established in the year 2017 with resources from Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), was one of the early milestones in Augustanas interfaith journey over the last decade, according to Augustanas Interfaith History documents.

Augustana University's first Interfaith Reflection Room Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in the Morrison Commons Building on campus.

The interfaith conversation at Augustana began in 2014 when two Christian students from Campus Ministry approached me and expressed their desire to learn about religions other than their own, said senior campus Pastor Ann Rosendale who serves a supervisor for the council. This led to Augustana forming a relationship with IFYC, now known as Interfaith America, a Chicago-based non-profit.

As the conversation gathered more substance, numerous organizations were founded along the way, according to documents. Better Together was founded as an official student organization in 2015 and Open Minds was established in 2016 to represent non-religious worldviews.

It was in the fall of 2021 that the Interfaith Council came to be as a separate body, a year after Augustana saw its first non-Christian students assume the position of interfaith leaders.

Interfaith Council member Maya Madson takes meeting notes during weekly council meeting on Tuesday, Feb, 20, 2024 at Augustana Humanities Building in Sioux Falls.

The Interfaith Council and Its Impact

As the Interfaith council group grew in its reach and impact, additions of meditation and interfaith rooms, bringing in an interfaith chaplain on campus, and changing Campus Ministrys brand name to Office of Faith and Spiritual Life, are a few of the many changes that were seen.

I think the Interfaith Council is a sign of hope. Its a sign that the university is more willing to listen to to all of the students on campus who might not be Christian, said Tom King, former council member and current member of the Better Together group. I (also) worry about it sometimes, because when religious groups have to work with the governing body of an institution, there can be some conflict. So, Ive been interested to see how the new generation of interfaith council members deal with that friction.

Interfaith Chaplain Jen Dreiske and Senior Campus Pastor Ann Rosendale listen to students' discussion during weekly council meeting on Tuesday, Feb, 20, 2024 at Augustana Humanities Building in Sioux Falls.

The most recent win of the council was the students trip to Blaine, Minnesota, in January this year to consult with Augustanas Doctorate of Physical Therapy department about an interfaith room. The trip was an insightful learning experience where they visited numerous places of worship belonging to different religions, said students.

It was humbling. And it was humbling on so many levels, said Dreiske, who accompanied students on the trip. It was humbling in realizing what you dont know and realizing that you want to be curious and you want to do things right.

A table filled with religious deities on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 at the Augustana University Morrison Commons building in Sioux Falls.

The religious learning continues to take place through newly introduced weekly discussions called Chai and Chat where students learn about a different religion every week, as well as religious festival celebrations on campus. The council is also currently working on introducing an Interfaith week on campus in order to create more awareness and recognition about the group.

A group of Augustana University students gather during a "Chai and Chat" event to discuss Native American religions on Friday, March 1, 2024, in the interfaith room at Morrison Commons Building on campus.

Were partnering with other organizations on campus to do events, because we think that religious holidays can help create a sense of belonging on campus, said Hooda, who brought the idea of Chai and Chat to the table. We actually have a plan of doing an interfaith fest, hopefully this summer.

The collective goal of the council is to actively create a space for conversations about non-Christian faiths and celebration of their practices in an institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. It is about understanding and figuring out how their religious beliefs fit into the wider framework of diversity in the world, especially as they each continue to learn more about religions different from their own, said Schmidt.

Senior Campus Pastor Ann Rosendale reads a prayer from her phone with her kids on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024 at the Augustana University Morrison Commons building in Sioux Falls.

To me, it shows a sign of unity, that all of these different religions and spiritualities on campus can come together. I think thats really powerful, said Alinizi, Interfaith Council member. I like educating other students around campus, because we do go to a Christian university (and) most people arent used to seeing those different religions and cultures.

What's next for the Interfaith Council?

Alinizi said she wanted to bring more focus to the Muslim Student Association, an organization established in 2017 during President Donald Trumps administrations Muslim Ban, as that is another group that is strictly associated with religion. Similarly, Tiwana, also a council member, said she wants to bring more Sikh traditions and festivals to the campus, as Sikhism doesnt have as much representation in the student body as Hinduism and Islam.

Interfaith Council member Mariam Alinizi listens during weekly council meeting on Tuesday, Feb, 20, 2024 at Augustana Humanities Building in Sioux Falls.

Hooda and Schmidt reiterate the councils goal of creating long-term event schedules and calendars to be followed, which would list a concrete set of celebrations and the resources to bring them to fruition. Lunderman, on the other hand, talked about wanting to create a multicultural center of sorts, which would have divisions for each religion to have its own representation.

A space where we can have a section to ourselves, but also be collective with each other when we need to be, said Lunderman.

President of the Interfaith Council Isha Hooda smiles during weekly council meeting on Tuesday, Feb, 20, 2024 at Augustana Humanities Building in Sioux Falls.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: The Interfaith Council serves as sign of hope for non-Christians on campus, Augustana students say
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A former investment broker has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $150,000 from two clients last year, the Erie County District Attorneys office said Tuesday.

52-year-old Damian Baird, of Clarence, admitted to stealing a total of $153,503 across four accounts belonging to two clients between Feb. 3 and March 15, 2023. Baird deposited the checks into his personal bank account instead of their investment account. Both of the clients are located in Erie County.

It was discovered after one of the clients filed a dispute after receiving a notice that their investment account had not been funded and the check had been altered to be payable to Baird.

Baird pleaded guilty to four counts of third-degree grand larceny. He faces up to seven years in prison when he is sentenced on June 12. As part of the plea, he agreed to pay full restitution.

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Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Iran is poised to attack US drinking water supplies, the Biden administration has warned, amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

Jake Sullivan, Joe Bidens national security adviser, sent a warning to state governors asking them to be on guard for potential cyber attacks on their critical infrastructure systems.

The warning letter was co-authored by Michael Regan, the head of the US Environmental Protection Agency and made public on Tuesday.

In it, they cited ongoing threats from hackers linked to the governments of Iran and China and warned hackers associated with both states have previously attacked water systems.

Attractive target for hackers

Disabling cyber attacks are striking water and waste water systems throughout the United States, the pair wrote.

They warned that drinking water and waste water systems were an attractive target for hackers because while they are lifeline-critical they often lack the resources and technical capacity to protect themselves from potential attacks.

We need your support to ensure that all water systems in your state comprehensively assess their current cyber security practices to identify any significant vulnerabilities, they told state governors.

They went on to request that each state exercises plans to prepare and recover from a potential cyber incident.

Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Regan - Andrew Harnik/AP

It comes after figures associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Iranian state security body, were identified by Washington as carrying out cyber attacks against critical US infrastructure entities, including drinking water systems.

The IRGC-linked hackers were able to target and disable a common type of operational technology used at water facilities where the facility had neglected to change a default manufacturer password, according to the Biden administration.

In late November, Iranian-backed hackers attacked Israeli-made digital controls commonly used in the water and waste water industries in the US, affecting several states, according to Bloomberg, although it did not affect water supplies.

Potential to disrupt critical lifeline

Meanwhile, Volt Typhoon, a Chinese state-sponsored group, has also previously compromised drinking water and other critical infrastructure systems, the Biden administration letter warned.

It stated: These attacks have the potential to disrupt the critical lifeline of clean and safe drinking water, as well as impose significant costs on affected communities.

The US government had assessed with a high degree of confidence that Volt Typhoon is pre-positioning to disrupt critical infrastructure operations in the event of rising tensions or military conflicts, the letter said.

The water system is an especially vulnerable part of US infrastructure, fraught with weak controls, insufficient funding and staffing shortages.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - Interra Copper Corp. (CSE: IMCX) (OTCQB: IMIMF) (FSE: 3MX) ("Interra" or the "Company") is pleased to issue the following letter from its Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Rick Gittleman, updating shareholders on the Company's plans for unlocking value from its assets while executing on a prudent yet strategic work plan in 2024.

To our fellow shareholders of Interra Copper Corp.,

I'm writing to you today with great enthusiasm for a busy and productive 2024. Over the year, Interra's leadership will be focused on maximizing shareholder value through exploration on multiple projects and initiatives. The team has spent time prioritizing and re-evaluating the Company's projects - re-interpreting data to identify the best targets and regions within those projects. The overall goal was to determine optimal exploration programs and to also eliminate non-productive assets and costs that are generating no real value for the Company.

We ended 2023 on a positive note - closing on a multi-round non-brokered flow-through private placement financing raising C$1.14 million in December 2023 and positioning the Company for near term exploration work in British Columbia. We are especially excited to put this money to work and commence exploration at the Rip Copper-Molybdenum Project, the newest addition to our exploration assets. In December 2023, in connection with the Rip Project, we acquired an option for up to an 80% earn-in and joint venture agreement with ArcWest Exploration Inc. Rip's geological attributes make a compelling case for prioritized exploration. The fully permitted exploration project is located in central British Columbia (BC), an established mining region on Canada's west coast, and situated in a prolific belt of Late Cretaceous intrusions (Bulkley Plutonic Suite), host to numerous past producing mines and well-known Copper and Molybdenum deposits, such as Huckelberry, Endako, Granisle and Granduc.

Story continues

Together with our partner, ArcWest, we have begun to develop a significant exploration plan for the Rip Project. New work, completed in late 2023, included a modest till cover geochemical sampling program. Follow-up work to aid with drill target definition will include a drone supported high resolution magnetic survey in addition to a 3D Induced Polarization survey this summer. The Rip technical committee is also currently in the process of finalizing options and costs for a modest drill program based on an assumption of success with the early exploration. Interra has flow-through qualified CEE "Canadian Exploration Expenses" funds available to support both of our BC projects, with funds not going to Rip in 2024 to be dedicated to our other exciting BC porphyry project, the Thane Project.

Our 100% owned Thane Project is a district scale copper-gold project covering a 20,658-hectare concession within the Quesnel Terrane in Northern British Columbia. The Quesnel Terrane is a prolific porphyry belt with significant copper, gold, silver, molybdenum mineralization. Thane sits amongst existing mines and other known significant deposits, such as Centerra Gold's Mt. Milligan Mine and Kemess North Deposits, North-west Copper's Kwanika and Stardust and Pacific Ridge's Kliyul Deposits and the Company classifies it as underexplored. Six mineralized copper-gold target areas have been identified to date and in late 2023 Interra engaged in an independent review to re-assess past work and re-interpret the project data with a view to an integrated life of project dataset and a new strategy for discovery. Our consultant has extensive and relevant experience with Northern Cordillera copper-gold systems both as a senior exploration specialist with major mining companies and with specific direct experience in the district surrounding Thane Project as a technical adviser on the same style of deposits Thane has the potential to host.

Based upon the results of the review, we are anticipating work contemplated for 2024 will include both ortho-imagery and high-resolution topographical surveys to support field reviews and targeted rock geochemistry to help vector towards mineral centres. This work will be focused on maximizing the use of previously invested data and ensuring a well thought out systematic discovery program can be developed for the next phase of work. This next stage of work is expected to include detailed magnetic geophysical surveys and focused geological mapping of the mineralization and alteration of specific copper-gold target zones to prepare for discovery drilling.

Given the large size of the property and multiple mineral centres identified to date, Interra has also begun a search for a senior company partner in order to accelerate these plans and provide support to a longer-term discovery strategy to maximize the value of the asset. Exploration plan details for 2024 will be shared with the market in the coming weeks.

While Thane is fully permitted for all planned work in 2024, ahead of this work, we have continued previous discussions with local First Nations representatives to ensure open and transparent communication with the Nations and local communities and to allow for integration of traditional territories. Interra is committed to responsible exploration in the regions in which we operate and we look forward to working closely with local First Nations and partners as we further advance our assets in this region.

Chile has proven to be of decreasing attractiveness especially over the past twelve to eighteen months, culminating with what amounts to a burdensome "tax" on exploration ventures and capital. Management does not see this policy improving anytime soon. Our drilling program at Tres Marias yielded no positive results. Pitbull and Zenaida are greenfield projects in very early stages of exploration which technically rank lower than our BC exploration portfolio. Unfortunately, the government of Chile this year increased significantly the annual claim fees that need to be paid to maintain the concessions; claim fees that amount to unacceptable overhead costs to the Company and that represent a drastic increase from previous years. Accordingly, based upon the results at Tres Marias, the Interra board of directors (Board) has consented to divesting these projects for nominal compensation or to return the claims to the government. Nonetheless, we are very excited about both Rip and Thane. We need to use our resources prudently. Accordingly, these projects will be pursued with much greater focus and resources. We believe that our funds can and must be better spent in jurisdictions like BC, Canada.

Interra anticipates 2024 will be a pivotal year for the Company, both in terms of improving market conditions, and with new discovery focused programs initiating at two projects in British Columbia. With the backdrop of strong metals prices, particularly copper and gold, we look forward to unlocking the potential of our highly prospective exploration assets located in a great jurisdiction. Additionally, consistent with our corporate strategy, the Company continues its search for brownfield and resource-level copper development project opportunities with the potential for high impact. We continue to seek out special opportunities that will prove valuable to the Company and our shareholders.

Finally, and on a personal note, it has been a great pleasure working with my colleagues on the Interra Board and with the Interra management team. I have also been extremely impressed by our shareholders who stand by and support the Company. The support I have received is meaningful to me personally. Originally it was not my intent to take on the role of the Chief Executive Officer on a permanent basis as recently announced, however, the past six months have convinced me that the Interra team and vision is the right one and that the shareholders of Interra need a CEO fully committed to the Company's success. Moreover, I have, along with other Board members, increased our shareholdings in Interra and financially invested in the Company through participating in the recent and current private placements.

Thank you again to you, the shareholders, for your ongoing support coming out of what has been a very tough market. Interra has a very skilled and dedicated leadership team with a long track record of success. We remain committed to creating value through our focused copper-gold discovery programs.

Sincerely,

Rick Gittleman

Chairman of the Board, President & Chief Executive Officer

Interra Copper Corp.

About Interra Copper Corp.

Interra Copper Corp. is focused on building shareholder value through the exploration and development of its portfolio of early-stage exploration copper assets located in British Columbia, Canada and Chile.

The Company's portfolio includes three exploration projects in British Columbia: Thane, Chuck Creek and Rip. The Thane Project located in the Quesnel Terrane of Northern BC spans over 20,658 ha with 6 high-priority targets identified demonstrating significant copper and precious metal mineralization. Chuck Creek is an early-stage exploration project located within the Eagle Bay Assemblage. The Company has an earn-in option up to 80% and joint-venture agreement on the Rip Project located in Stikine Terrane in a prolific belt of Late Cretaceous (bulkley plutonic suite), known for copper-molybdenum deposits. The Company also owns three copper projects located the Central Volcanic Zone, within a prolific Chilean Copper belt: Tres Marias and Zenaida in Antofagasta Region, and Pitbull in Tarapaca Region.

Interra Copper's leadership team is comprised of senior mining industry executives who have a wealth of technical and capital markets experience and a strong track record of discovering, financing, developing, and operating mining projects on a global scale. Interra Copper is committed to sustainable and responsible business activities in line with industry best practices, supportive of all stakeholders, including the local communities in which we operate. The Company's common shares are principally listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange under the symbol "IMCX". For more information on Interra Copper, please visit our website at www.interracoppercorp.com.

On behalf of the Board of Interra Copper Corp.

Rick Gittleman

Chairman, President & CEO

For further information contact:

Katherine Pryde

Investor Relations

+1 (778) 949-1829

investors@interracoppercorp.com

Forward-Looking Information

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, relating to the Company's plans on the Thane and Rip Projects, and the potential results of exploration work on the projects, as well as the Company's intent and ability to divest its Chile assets. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur, or are those statements, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions that forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Except to the extent required by applicable securities laws and the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause future results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with mineral exploration operations, the risk that the Company will encounter unanticipated geological factors, the possibility that the Company may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances necessary to carry out the Company's exploration plans, the risk that the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plans, and the risk of regulatory or legal changes that might interfere with the Company's business and prospects. The reader is urged to refer to the Company's reports, publicly available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and the Company's website. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/202330
Iraqi immigrant plotted to smuggle assassins through Mexico to kill former US president: docs

An Iraqi citizen living in Ohio plotted to smuggle ISIS sympathizers into the United States "who do not care if they are killed during the mission" to murder former President George W. Bush, court records show.

Shihab Ahmed Shihab Shihab, 53, believed the former commander in chief was responsible for killing many Iraqis and destroying the country during "Operation of Iraqi Freedom."

Shihab pleaded guilty last year to attempting to provide material support to terrorists and was sentenced in February to more than 14 years in prison for the plot, details of which were revealed in court documents.

US ARMY VET RECALLS NIGHT 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION WAS AMBUSHED BY ONE OF ITS OWN BEFORE IRAQ INVASION

Shihab aided al Qaeda as a gun runner during the war. He brought weapons from Syria into Iraq and smuggled explosive-packed vehicles that were set as traps along known roads Americans traveled, federal court documents say.

Shihab's plot included two former Iraqi intelligence agents, who were to carry out the actual assassination while he scoped out the former president's Texas home and coordinated travel logistics, court documents show.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

He planned to smuggle the Iraqi nationals across the U.S.-Mexican border for thousands of dollars, but he had no idea he was plotting the assassination with an unnamed informant, identified in court papers as "CS1."

In recorded conversations with the FBI's confidential source, Shihab admitted "he wanted to be involved in the actual attack and assassination of former president Bush," the criminal complaint says, and he would be "proud" to give his life.

THE PAINFUL DEBATE OVER IRAQ, WHICH BECAME A BLOODY QUAGMIRE, 20 YEARS LATER

The George W. Bush Presidential Center opened a new exhibit, Freedom Matters, to honor American freedom by housing historic artifacts for the public to see.

He planned to smuggle at least seven assassins  all Iraqi nationals  across the U.S.-Mexican border for thousands of dollars each.

In the fall of 2021, he believed he successfully smuggled an ISIS member into the U.S. for $40,0000, but "in reality, the individual was fictitious, and the interaction was coordinated under the direction of the FBI," federal Ohio prosecutors said in a press release.

READ THE FULL CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

The court documents don't say what first put Shihab on federal law enforcement's radar or tipped them off about the plot.

But the complaint details several recorded meetings between Shihab and "CS1" between April 2021 and May 2022.

US IRAQ WAR VET SAYS 16 CASUALTIES OF MARCH 2003 ATTACK IN CAMP PENNSYLVANIA DESERVE PURPLE HEART

In February 2022, Shihab traveled with "CS1" to Dallas, where he recorded the driveway leading to Bush's home and "took two passes by the front access gate leading into the neighborhood," court documents say.

He also recorded Bush's front access gate and the surrounding area that led into the abutting neighboring, and the George W. Bush Institute, according to the criminal complaint.

Pictures after March 23, 2003, when Army Sgt. Hasan Akbar ambushed other U.S. military members, killing two and wounding 14.

The FBI's informant talked Shihab out of sending the videos to the assassins by saying they could be intercepted by the U.S. government.

The former president was reportedly never worried, despite how close Shihab appeared to be.

IRAQ WAR IN PHOTOS

"President Bush has all the confidence in the world in the U.S. Secret Service and our law enforcement and intelligence communities," Freddy Ford, Bush's chief of staff, told The Guardian after Shihab's arrest in May 2022.

U.S. Marines of the Light Armored Reconnaissance company of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, fire a rocket to clear houses at the site where four insurgents staged a bloody attack that killed one American and wounded many others, Nov. 23, 2004, in Fallujah, Iraq.

He was finally arrested by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in May 2022 and charged in federal court with attempting to provide material support to terrorists.

Shihab pleaded guilty last March and was sentenced in February to 178 months in prison.

He'll likely be deported after his prison sentence, but he will also be under supervised release for life.

Shihab entered the country in September 2020 on a visitor visa and worked a number of jobs, including in markets and restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, according to prosecutors.

In March 2021, he filed a claim for asylum with U.S. citizenship, which was pending review when he was arrested.

Shihab obtained fake divorce papers from his wife in Iraq to set up a sham marriage with a U.S. citizen to gain immigration status.





Original article source: Iraqi immigrant plotted to smuggle assassins through Mexico to kill former US president: docs
FILE - Iraqi Defense Minister Najah al-Shammari speaks to journalists after his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 23, 2019. Iraqs former defense minister, who holds dual Iraqi-Swedish citizenship, has been arrested in Sweden, suspected of illegally receiving benefits in the Scandinavian country. Prosecutor Jens Nilsson told Swedish broadcasters on Tuesday that Najah al-Shammari was arrested Monday at the Stockholm airport upon arrival to Sweden and that he was wanted by Swedish authorities. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban, File)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  Iraqs former defense minister, who holds dual Iraqi-Swedish citizenship, has been arrested in Sweden, authorities said Tuesday. He is suspected of illegally receiving benefits in the Scandinavian country.

Prosecutor Jens Nilsson told Swedish broadcaster SVT that Najah al-Shammari has been wanted for almost a year and a half. The prosecutor told broadcaster TV4 that al-Shammari was arrested on Monday at the Stockholm airport by upon arrival in Sweden.

Swedish media earlier have said that al-Shammari claimed child and housing support for years  despite living in Baghdad.

In 2019, Swedish news agency TT said al-Shammari, is registered as living in a Stockholm suburb.

Swedish newspaper Expressen had reported that he moved to Sweden in 2011, received citizenship in 2015 and was reported to authorities, along with his wife, for suspected benefits fraud. He allegedly continued to claim social payments years after returning to Iraq.

Sweden and its Nordic neighbors are known for providing generous social benefits.
When Senior Cpl. Chris Kaderly of the Irmo Police Department gets in his police car, he carries everything he needs: his service weapon, a pair of bright pink handcuffs and several boxes of mac n cheese.

You might be surprised to learn that groceries could be a valuable crime fighting tool, but one local non-profit believes food can be a bridge to help bring law enforcement and the communities they serve closer together.

The program, called Gregs Groceries, is the brainchild of Kassy Alia Ray, the founder of Serve & Connect, a South Carolina non-profit that aims to improve relationships between law enforcement agencies and the public.

As part of its mission, Gregs Groceries equips police and sheriffs departments around the state with cardboard boxes full of shelf-stable food intended to feed a family of four for a week.

Most of the time when we think about making a difference, we think it has to be a grand event... but actually its about the little acts of kindness. said Alia Ray at a recent Greggs Groceries packing event, where volunteers assembled over a thousand boxes to be distributed around the state. Were making a difference when we deliver that box.

Last Thursday, Kaderly fetched one of those boxes from the storage room of the Irmo police headquarters, where the department keeps 50 Gregs Groceries boxes. The non-perishable food items seem selected for Southern tastes: grits, canned green beans, macaroni and cheese and rice. But the boxes also include applesauce and cans of fruit and Vienna sausage.

Some cops keep a box in their car in case they run into someone in need, but Kaderly said that this box had been reserved for an Irmo family of three  an older couple who lived on a fixed income and their adult child, an amputee.

Theyre one of roughly 20 families that the Irmo Police Department checks in with and supports with additional services, like providing hats and mittens in winter or fans in the summer.

Irmo is very diverse; we have million dollar homes, and then we have $100,000 homes, Kaderly said. Were giving it to the families who truly need it.

In the decade that hes been on the force, Kaderly says hes seen the need for this kind of support increase in Irmo, in part due to the construction of two new apartments buildings that provide low-income housing.

Before leaving the box on the front porch of a modest, one story home in the Friarsgate neighborhood, Kaderly scanned a QR code on the side of the box and quickly entered information about how it was being used. The system helps Serve & Connect keep track of the impact that the program is having.

To date, Serve & Connect estimates that over 85,000 meals have been delivered through their Gregs Groceries program. And on the ground, each delivery represents a small contribution towards maintaining trust and goodwill between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

We still have to do our job and lock people up. But were trying to close those gaps, said Irmo Chief of Police Bobby Dale.

And its essential to see providing support, from Gregs Groceries to backpack giveaways to school kids, as a full-time part of policing, Kaderly said, because that trust can quickly be eroded locally and by national events like the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Its not just one single thing; its kind of like an ant pile because eventually all of those things are going to get us to where we need to be, Kaderly said.

A statewide effort

The box Kaderly delivered was one of the 1,500 assembled at a recent packing event at the South Carolina Law Enforcement Divisions helicopter hanger.

Te space, normally full of helicopters and tools, was now full of six rows of folding tables lined with palettes of shelf- stable food.

After a few introductory words, a small army of SLED agents as well as cops and sheriffs deputies from more than 70 agencies descended on the tables, transforming them into assembly lines. As the large white boxes moved down the long row of tables, volunteers filled them with cans, boxes and pamphlets on additional resources.

What a great way for law enforcement and communities to connect, said SLED Chief Mark Keel, as he manned a station packing boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese.

The inspiration for Gregs Groceries and Serve & Connect came after Alias husband, Forest Acres police officer Greg Alia, was shot and killed in 2015 while he pursued a suspect into Richland Mall.

Part of her inspiration in launching the effort, Alia Ray said, was a conversation she had with Greg where he told her that many of the positive interactions law enforcement had with people went totally unknown to the general public. After his death, a woman wrote an op-ed saying that one night when she was experiencing homelessness, Greg had paid for a hotel room for her. It was this sort of act of compassion, that led Alia Ray to ask how law enforcement could help meet peoples basic needs and in the process build stronger relationships with their communities.

In 2017, Alia Ray launcehd Gregs Groceries in partnership with the Harvest Hope Food Bank. Today, Serve & Connect not only runs Gregs Groceries, but the group has expanded into a range of community initiatives including opening a community center in Northeast Columbia, where Greg grew up.

But Irmo Police Chief Dale said he remembered where the group once started, attending the first ever Gregs Groceries packing event with just six or seven other people.

I could see this becoming a Southeastern or even a nationwide thing, Dale said.
Members of the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza (file image from 2022)

Hamas leader Marwan Issa died in an Israeli air strike, White House official Jake Sullivan has said.

As deputy military commander, Mr Issa would be Hamas's most senior leader to die since the war began on 7 October.

The Palestinian group, which controls Gaza, has not officially commented on reports of his death.

On Monday, US President Joe Biden held a high-stakes call with Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, about the war's direction.

Israeli media sources have reported that Mr Issa was killed in an Israeli air strike that targeted a tunnel complex under the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza a week ago.

The deputy commander of Hamas's military wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, was considered one of Israel's most-wanted men. The European Union, which placed the Hamas leader on its terrorist blacklist, linked him directly to the 7 October attack led by the group which killed approximately 1,200 people and sparked the war.

Marwan Issa (circled in file image)

He had been jailed by Israel for five years during the First Palestinian Intifada and detained by the Palestinian Authority in 1997 until the start of the Second Intifada in 2000.

The Israeli military has killed a number of Hamas's senior leaders since 7 October. Hamas political leader Saleh al-Arouri died in an explosion in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh. Israel is widely considered responsible for that attack.

Mr Sullivan, the White House's national security adviser, said other Hamas leaders were believed to be in hiding, "likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network" in Gaza.

He pledged that the US would aid Israeli in its continued hunt for top Hamas leaders, adding, "Justice will come for them, too."

But while he noted Israel's numerous military successes against Hamas since the start of the war, he also emphasised President Biden had expressed his growing alarm over the rising number of civilian deaths in his call to Mr Netanyahu.

The relationship between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has grown tense as the war in Gaza continues.

The president reiterated his commitment to Israel and its "right to go after Hamas", according to Mr Sullivan, but he also said that it would be a "mistake" for Israel's military to invade Rafah - a city in southern Gaza that an estimated million refugees have fled to during the war.

The invasion "would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally", the US national security adviser told reporters.

More than 31,000 Palestinian civilians have died since the war started on 7 October, according to the Hamas-led health ministry in Gaza. The death toll has drawn international condemnation and alienated many of Israel's allies.

President Biden pushed Mr Netanyahu for a "clear, strategic end game" in Gaza during the call, Mr Sullivan said.

"The president told the prime minister again today that we share the goal of defeating Hamas, but we just believe you need a coherent and sustainable strategy to make that happen," he said.

Mr Biden was able to get the Israeli leader to agree to sending a "senior interagency team composed of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials" to Washington in the coming days to discuss US concerns over an invasion of Rafah.

The expectation is that Israel will delay its assault until that meeting is held, Mr Sullivan said.

Mr Netanyahu confirmed the call on X, formerly Twitter, and said the two had "discussed the latest developments in the war" as well as Israel's goals in the conflict.

The Israeli prime minister said those objectives included: "Eliminating Hamas, freeing all of our hostages and ensuring that Gaza never gain constitutes a threat to Israel - while providing the necessary humanitarian aid that will assist in achieving these goals."

Prior to Mr Biden's call, senior Democrats in the US had grown more vocally critical of Mr Netanyahu.

On Thursday, Chuck Schumer - the top Democrat in the Senate - called for new elections in Israel, saying that Mr Netanyahu was prioritising his "political survival" over the country's needs.

Mr Netanyahu's Likud party pushed back, saying Israel was not a "banana republic" and that the prime minister's policies were "supported by a large majority".

Mr Biden told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that he knew Mr Schumer's remarks were coming. The president said, however, that the Senate leader had "expressed serious concern shared not only by him, but many Americans".
By Bassam Masoud, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams

RAFAH, Gaza Strip/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spurned a plea from Joe Biden to call off a planned ground assault of Rafah, the last refuge in Gaza for more than a million displaced people, where Israel believes Hamas militants are holed up.

Netanyahu told lawmakers on Tuesday he had made it "supremely clear" to the U.S. president "that we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there's no way to do that except by going in on the ground".

The two leaders spoke by phone on Monday. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington believed that storming Rafah would be a "mistake" and that Israel could achieve its military aims by other means.

U.S. and Israeli officials will likely meet early next week in Washington to discuss Israel's military operation in Rafah, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday, citing deep concern about reports of imminent famine in Gaza.

Jean-Pierre said Biden had asked Netanyahu to send a senior team of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to Washington for comprehensive discussions in the coming days.

Washington has launched a new diplomatic push for a ceasefire in the nearly six-month-old war to free hostages and bring in food aid to ward off famine in the Palestinian enclave.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a trip to the Middle East in which he would meet senior leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia to "discuss the right architecture for a lasting peace". Unusually, Blinken made no mention of a stop in Israel itself, and the Israeli foreign ministry said it had received no notification to prepare for one.

Late on Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike on a major roundabout killed 30 people from groups that local clans had formed to secure the entry of aid trucks into Gaza City, Hamas media said. Hamas denounced the strike on groups protecting aid trucks as an effort to "spread chaos and security anarchy."

At the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building with three floors killed at least 15 people, with some believed to be trapped under its rubble, Palestinian health officials said.

The Israel Defence Forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the airstrikes.

In Rafah, dazed survivors walked through the ruins of a home on Tuesday morning, one of several buildings hit in overnight Israeli airstrikes that killed 14 people in the city, where more than half of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been pushed up against the southern border fence with Egypt.

At a nearby hospital morgue, relatives wailed beside corpses laid out on the cobbles. A woman peeled back a tiny bloodstained shroud to reveal the face of a small boy, rocking him back and forth in her arms.

"Theres U.S. support, European support and support of the whole world for Israel, they support them with weapons and planes," said one mourner, Ibrahim Hasouna. "They mock us and send four or five airdrops (of aid) just to save their faces."

The war was triggered when Hamas fighters crossed into Israel on a rampage on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Nearly 32,000 people have been confirmed killed in Israel's retaliatory onslaught, according to Palestinian health officials, with thousands more feared lost under the rubble.

The international hunger monitor IPC, relied on by the United Nations, said on Monday Gaza's food shortages had already far surpassed famine levels, and Gazans would soon be dying of hunger at famine-scale rates without a ceasefire.

Israel, which initially let in aid only via two checkpoints on Gaza's southern edge, denies blame for hunger in the enclave and says it is already opening new routes by land, sea and air.

It says the U.N. and other aid agencies should do more to bring in food and distribute it. The U.N. says that is impossible without better access and security, both of which it says are Israel's responsibility.

"The extent of Israel's continued restrictions on entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime," said U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence.

PEACE TALKS RESUME IN QATAR

Ceasefire talks are resuming this week in Qatar after Israel rejected a Hamas counter-proposal last week. An Israeli delegation headed by the country's spy chief travelled to Qatar on Monday, although an Israeli official said Israel believed any agreement would take at least two weeks to nail down.

Both sides have been discussing a six-week truce during which about 40 Israeli hostages would be freed in return for hundreds of Palestinian detainees and aid would be rushed into the Gaza Strip.

But they have yet to narrow differences over what would follow the truce, with Israel saying it will negotiate only for a temporary pause in fighting, and Hamas saying it will not release hostages without a wider plan to end the war.

A Palestinian official close to the mediation talks told Reuters that the new round in Qatar was expected to be "very tough", accusing Israel of deliberate stalling.

Hamas said a senior police commander was killed in the Jabalia district of northern Gaza, along with his wife and children, in overnight airstrikes, the second senior police official killed in two days after another was killed in an Israeli raid on Gaza City's Al Shifa hospital.

A third police chief was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in central Gaza's Al-Nuseirat later on Tuesday, Hamas media reported. Five people in all were killed in the attack, including children, Palestinian health officials said.

(Writing by Peter Graff, Mark Heinrich and Deepa Babington; editing by Christina Fincher and William Maclean)
Israel will send a team of officials to Washington to discuss its planned offensive on Rafah, the White House has said, as the Biden administration insists that an attack would be a mistake and seeks to persuade Israel to allow in more aid in the face of an imminent famine in Gaza.

The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, announced the Israeli visit after a phone call on Monday between Joe Biden and the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, focusing on the planned Rafah assault that Netanyahu has vowed to launch.

Sullivan confirmed that Israeli forces had killed Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of Hamass military wing in Gaza, and one of the masterminds of the 7 October attacks, in an operation last week, one of thousands of Hamas fighters he said had been killed. But he added: a military plan cannot succeed without an integrated humanitarian plan and political plan.

Sullivan said it was first and foremost Israels obligation to step up and ensure that more is done to deliver food to starving people in northern Gaza, in the wake of a warning from UN organisations that famine was imminent in northern Gaza, with an onset at any time between mid-March and May. Administration officials made clear that Israel would bear primary responsibility if a famine was allowed to happen.

With just two previous famine declarations in the 21st century, this is a horrific milestone, Samantha Power, the head of the US Agency for International Development, said. We call on Israel to take immediate action to put an end to this mass  and preventable  suffering.

Related: Catastrophic levels of hunger in Gaza mean famine is imminent, says aid coalition

Sullivan restated US opposition to the planned Rafah offensive, pointing out that more than a million Palestinians had taken refuge in the southernmost Gazan town having fled other cities ruined by Israeli bombing.

Israel has not presented us or the world with a plan for how or where they would safely move those civilians, let alone feed and house them and ensure access to basic things like sanitation, Sullivan said.

He also pointed out Rafah was the main entry point for the small amount of aid reaching Gaza, and it could seriously affect Israeli relations with Egypt, on the other side of the border.

Sullivan described the Biden-Netanyahu call, their first in over a month, as businesslike but said the US president had dismissed straw man arguments put forward by the Israeli leader.

The president has rejected and did again today the straw man that raising questions about Rafah is the same as raising questions about defeating Hamas. Thats just nonsense, he said.

Sullivan admitted that Israel had made military gains against Hamas but said, A major ground operation [in Rafah] would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza, and further isolate Israel internationally.

In the call, Biden asked Netanyahu to send a team of military, intelligence and humanitarian officials to discuss Gaza and talk about alternatives to attacking Rafah.

Now we really need to get down to brass tacks and have the chance for a delegation from each side on an integrated basis, everyones sitting around the same table, talking through the way forward, Sullivan said. Send your team to Washington, lets talk about it. Well lay out for you what we believe is a better way.

He said Netanyahu accepted the invitation and the meeting should happen at the end of this week or the beginning of next week.

We have every expectation that theyre not going to proceed with a major military operation in Rafah until we have that conversation, Sullivan added.

The national security adviser said talks were also continuing in Doha between Israel, Qatar and Egypt aimed at securing a hostage deal, and that if Hamas agreed to release the elderly, sick and women hostages tomorrow there would be an immediate six-week ceasefire.

We believe those discussions are very live, that a deal is possible, that we should be able to achieve it and that it is the best way both to get hostages home and to alleviate the suffering of the civilians in Gaza, Sullivan said.

He said the US was hoping to beat the projected schedule of 45 to 60 days for building a floating dock off the Gaza Strip for delivering aid delivered by sea. The plan is for US military engineers to put the dock together at sea and then for it to be floated into shore and secured by Israeli troops, Sullivan said. Aid agencies have warned, however, that the famine would already have a grip on Gaza by the time any such a pier is built, it remains unclear how food would be distributed, and it would be no substitute for opening more land routes for more aid to flow into the besieged coastal strip.
Key Insights

The projected fair value for My E.G. Services Berhad is RM1.46 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity

Current share price of RM0.81 suggests My E.G. Services Berhad is potentially 44% undervalued

The RM1.06 analyst price target for MYEG is 27% less than our estimate of fair value

Does the March share price for My E.G. Services Berhad (KLSE:MYEG) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example!

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

View our latest analysis for My E.G. Services Berhad

What's The Estimated Valuation?

We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (MYR, Millions) RM316.6m RM440.4m RM544.3m RM624.1m RM694.8m RM757.3m RM813.0m RM863.5m RM910.2m RM954.3m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x3 Analyst x4 Analyst x2 Est @ 14.66% Est @ 11.33% Est @ 8.99% Est @ 7.35% Est @ 6.21% Est @ 5.41% Est @ 4.85% Present Value (MYR, Millions) Discounted @ 9.4% RM289 RM368 RM416 RM436 RM443 RM441 RM433 RM421 RM405 RM388

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = RM4.0b

Story continues

After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (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 9.4%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = RM954m (1 + 3.5%)  (9.4% 3.5%) = RM17b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= RM17b ( 1 + 9.4%)10= RM6.8b

The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is RM11b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of RM0.8, the company appears quite undervalued at a 44% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

KLSE:MYEG Discounted Cash Flow March 18th 2024

The Assumptions

We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at My E.G. Services 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 9.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.924. 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 My E.G. Services Berhad

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Weakness

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Professional Services market.

Opportunity

Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the Malaysian market.

Good value based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Threat

Dividends are not covered by cash flow.

Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the Malaysian market.

Next Steps:

Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Instead the best use for a DCF model is to test certain assumptions and theories to see if they would lead to the company being undervalued or overvalued. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. What is the reason for the share price sitting below the intrinsic value? For My E.G. Services Berhad, there are three additional factors you should look at:

Risks: Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for My E.G. Services Berhad you should know about. Future Earnings: How does MYEG's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every 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.
MANITOWOC  Jame McCall has resigned from her post as assistant superintendent for the Manitowoc Public School District. Her last day will be May 30.

Her letter to Superintendent James Feil announcing her resignation is dated March 12. She also emailed MPSD staff about her resignation March 15.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the opportunity to work for the Manitowoc Public Schools," McCall wrote in her resignation letter to Feil. "Together in the short year-and-a-half, we have worked to ensure there is a viable curriculum including assessment cycles, and a budget that is aligned with adoptions needed."

She wrote that she considered the implementation of Success For All school reform model as one of her greatest accomplishments with the school and assured that she would complete her assigned tasks by the time she leaves in May.

"Again, I thank you for the opportunity to support the children and staff of the MPSD. It is with a sense of accomplishment that I am resigning my position to return my full attention to my family," she wrote.

News of her resignation comes just two weeks prior to the April 2 election in which two school board members  Stacey Soeldner and Kerry Trask  are running for reelection against two challengers  Basil Buchko Jr. and Keith Shaw.

MPSD staff survey: Manitowoc school staff cite negative student behavior, overwork, local politics in district-wide survey

McCall was brought on for the newly created assistant superintendent position in November 2022, one month after Feil was offered his current position. She had previously worked as an associate superintendent of student services for the Traverse Area Public Schools in Michigan until she retired in 2020.

Her time with the Manitowoc school district has been marked by her efforts to establish Success For All as a whole school reform with the goal to raise literacy scores.

According to Feil, students saw a 10% cumulative average growth in student reading proficiency over the first two quarterly assessments of the year. Those data were taken through internal assessments implemented with the introduction of Success For All.

James Feil

Success For All was adopted by the MPSD for the 2023-2024 school year, a decision that was finalized by the MPSD Board of Education only two months after McCall was hired.

The change was made in hopes to raise student reading scores. According to the Wisconsin DPI's data from the 2023 state Forward exam, approximately 27.9% of Manitowoc students in grades 3-8 were deemed proficient or better in language arts. Statewide, 39.2% of students were proficient or better in language arts.

Under Act 20, which was enacted in July 2023 and limits schools in which literacy curriculums they are able to use, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction must recommend early literacy curriculums. Local schools who use those recommended curriculums are then eligible for a partial reimbursement grant.

Success For All was not one of the 11 programs on the list of recommended early literacy curriculums for 2024-2025, which was published Feb. 19.

Writing curriculum: Manitowoc schools approve new writing curriculum: Your latest Watchdog Wednesday report

On March 5, Feil petitioned the DPI's Early Literacy Curriculum Council to include Success For All on the list of recommended curriculums for Wisconsin.

In a news release, Feil wrote that he believes Success For All meets the requirements set in Act 20.

"Students will soon be taking the annual state Forward Exams in reading/English Language Arts and mathematics, and MPSD believes SFA will move the needle on the district's reading proficiency," he wrote.

The MPSD school board decision to move forward with Success For All as a reading curriculum was made five months before Act 20 was enacted.

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: Manitowoc Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Jame McCall resigns
In the three years since the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, Isabella DeLuca gained a right-wing following and burnished her resume with two internships in the offices of GOP members of Congress.

On Monday, the political social media influencer was criminally charged for storming the Capitol and helping to force the evacuation of the very chamber from which she would later draw a modest salary. Prosecutors say that she planted herself in the middle of one of the most chaotic scenes of the violent day and helped remove a wooden table from a Capitol office that other rioters would later break apart and hurl at police.

DeLuca stands apart from the other 1,300 people charged in the Jan. 6 riot for one reason: Shes the first known member of the mob who would take a position in Congress after her role in the riot.

Screenshots culled from her social media accountsby open-source researchers tracking participants in the Jan. 6 riot indicate DeLuca began in the office of then-Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), a prominent Trump ally, in April 2021, just three months after her alleged role in the attack. In late 2022, she started a fall internship in the office of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), one of the staunchest backers of Trumps bid to overturn the 2020 election. DeLuca remained with Gosar, according to congressional salary records, until Jan. 2023. During her brief stint in that office, the Jan. 6 select committee released its findings related to the attack.

Aides to Gosar and Zeldin say they never learned that DeLuca had been part of the Jan. 6 crowd that day.

Isabella DeLuca was an intern in Congressman Gosars office for three months beginning in the fall of 2022. said Anthony Foti, a Gosar spokesman. We have no knowledge of any alleged participation in activities on January 6, 2021.

"Apparently, she briefly volunteered unpaid to help a staff member in the district, a person close to Zeldin told POLITICO. There was no awareness she was at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021.



DeLuca did not respond to a request for comment. Outside of her trip to the Capitol on Jan. 6, its unclear if she spent any time in the building as part of her internships. The FBIs statement of the case indicated that DeLuca is a New York resident, and many Hill offices operated remote internships because of lingering Covid-era policies. The FBIs account of the case also noted that DeLuca appeared to have removed social media posts in the timeframe between late 2020 and early 2021, so its unclear whether congressional offices would have seen them if they vetted her as an incoming intern.

DeLuca has 334,000 followers on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, and late Monday she posted a link on her account to raise money for her legal defense.

Though she appears to be the first to get a paying position after Jan. 6, DeLuca is not the only figure connected to the events of Jan. 6 to have worked for or in Congress.

One prominent member of the mob that day, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, spent a year on the staff of former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) in the 1990s. Others who didnt participate in the riot but were more closely associated with Donald Trumps 2020 election efforts have also since come to Congress.

That group includes Thomas Lane, a former campaign staffer who helped organize the pro-Trump slates of electors and now works forthe House Administration Committee, and Maggie Mulvaney, an organizer of Trumps Jan. 6 rally, who has worked for Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) since 2021. Max Miller, who worked on Trumps advance team in 2020 and sat for a combative interview with the Jan. 6 committee, is now a member of the House from Ohio.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Police arrested a Clark County School District janitor on charges including sexual assault of a minor under the age of 16, according to North Las Vegas police.

On Monday CCSDPD contacted North Las Vegas police after learning of a possible sexual assault involving a minor at a North Las Vegas high school.

Detectives identified and arrested 27-year-old Devyn Hudson on charges of sexual assault of a minor under the age of 16, attempted sexual assault of a minor under the age of 16, and lewdness with a minor under the age of 16.

Hudson has been employed by CCSD since December 2015 as a janitor at Canyon Springs High School.

The sexual assault is believed to have occurred at the school.

Another CCSD staff member, Joshua Herrera, 28, was arrested Monday on charges of contact or attempted contact of a minor by a person of authority for the purpose of sex, and two charges of school employee engaging in sexual conduct with a person 16 or older, records showed.

Anyone who may have been a victim of Hudson or has information about this crime is urged to contact the North Las Vegas Police Department by phone at 702-633-9111. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers by phone at 702-385 -5555, or at crimestoppersofnv.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Donald Trump tasked his son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner with bringing peace to the Middle East. It didnt quite work out, as Israel has spent the past few months leveling the Gaza Strip in a relentless offensive that has left over 30,000 Palestinians dead, countless displaced, and a famine looming as Israel has cut off humanitarian aid to the region. The brutal campaign began in response to an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 that killed 1,139 Israelis.

Kushner, a real-estate developer who had zero diplomacy or foreign policy experience when the former president tapped him for the role, spoke about the ongoing conflict in Gaza during an interview at Harvard earlier this month. Gazas waterfront property could be very valuable  if people would focus on building up livelihoods, he said, adding that Israel should do its best to move the people out and then clean it up.

Kushners comments were reported by The Guardian on Tuesday.

Kushner said that he would move those in Gaza to the desert in southern Israel, and that with diplomacy they could be moved into Egypt. The interviewer seemed surprised at the idea that Gazans could be relocated to southern Israel. Im sitting in Miami Beach right now and Im looking at the situation and Im thinking: What would I do if I was there? Kushner replied.

Kushner also claimed that Israel has gone way more out of their way than a lot of other countries would to protect civilians from casualties.

Israel hasnt been doing a very good job of protecting civilians from casualties, and the idea theyve been concerned with this at all is dubious to say the least. The Washington Post reported on Monday that Biden officials were speaking at the White House in late October about how Israel was bombing buildings in Gaza without credible evidence they were military targets.

When he isnt pontificating from Miami Beach on how Israel can finish the job and clean out Gaza, Kushner has been busy striking real estate deals as Trump  whose first administration he served in as a diplomat  runs to reclaim the White House. The New York Times reported last week that Kushner is closing in on major development deals in Albania and Serbia, and that it appears the agreements originated through relationships he developed through his capacity as a government official.

Hes certainly his father-in-laws son-in-law, both in terms of using his position in public service to enrich himself, and in his views on the war in the Middle East. You have to finish the problem, Trump told Fox News earlier this month about what Israel needs to do in Gaza.

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Sketchy real estate empire nepo baby Jared Kushner looks at the devastation in Gaza and sees one thing: dollar signs.

Kushner praised the very valuable potential of Gazas beachfront property during a talk at Harvard University earlier this month, and essentially advocated for ethnic cleansing so Israel could develop the region.

Gazas waterfront property could be very valuable  if people would focus on building up livelihoods, Kushner told his interviewer, Harvards Middle East Initiative faculty chair Tarek Masoud, on March 8.

Its a little bit of an unfortunate situation there, but from Israels perspective I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up, Kushner continued. But I dont think that Israel has stated that they dont want the people to move back there afterwards.

Kushner said Israel should focus on displacing civilians from the southern city of Rafah, which has been under renewed bombardment and threat of an Israeli invasion. Kushner suggested moving those people with diplomacy into Egypt, on an entirely different continent.

I would just bulldoze something in the Negev, I would try to move people in there, he said, referring to the desert. I think thats a better option, so you can go in and finish the job.

Kushners use of the phrase finish the job echoes a comment his father-in-law Donald Trump made just a few days prior. The former president told Fox & Friends he was on board with the Israeli armys tactics in Gaza, saying, Youve got to finish the problem.

Kushner also mused at Harvard whether there was anything left in Gaza to preserve.

I am not sure there is much left of Gaza at this point, he said. If you think about even the construct, Gaza was not really a historical precedent. It was the result of a war. You had tribes in different places and then Gaza became a thing.

Host: people worry that once Gazans leave Gaza Netanyahu won't let them back in



Jared: maybe, but what's left of the place?- Anyway, lemme tell you about how valuable Gaza's waterfront property could behttps://t.co/FiKxU9Yw0g pic.twitter.com/NZvYl4J8og  Hamza M Syed (@HamzaMSyed) March 19, 2024

The region occupied by modern-day Israel and Gaza has been inhabited through different groups throughout its history, but it has existed as a hub of civilization since the fifteenth century BCE. The countries current borders, which Kushner cites, have really only existed since the 1940s at the behest of the United Kingdom.

Since October 7, more than 30,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks, while survivors are on the brink of famine. The majority of the victims have been children.

Kushner is married to Trumps daughter Ivanka, meaning he is also a fraudulent real estate nepo son-in-law. During Trumps presidential term, Kushner served as a top Middle East adviser and was instrumental in the Abraham Accords, which saw Israel normalize ties with a number of Gulf states. His horrific comments at Harvard are indicative of what Trumps Middle East policy will look like should he be reelected in November.
Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trumps son-in-law, faced sharp criticism on Tuesday for comments describing waterfront property in the Gaza Strip as valuable in the face of the Israel-Hamas war.

At a February 15 event at Harvard University, Kushner, who served as a senior advisor to Trump during his term in the White House, said Gazas waterfront property could be very valuable  if people would focus on building up livelihoods. A video of his comments was posted online on March 8.

Its a little bit of an unfortunate situation there, but from Israels perspective I would do my best to move the people out and then clean it up, Kushner said. He then added that Israel should move Palestinian civilians into the Negev desert in the countrys southern region.

Kushner received quick and sharp blowback on social media. Dylan Williams, vice president of government affairs at the left-leaning Center for International Policy, posted on X : [Just] days after the @ADLs @JGreenblattADL gave him an award for his record of policy work, Donald Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner openly advocates for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.

Earlier this month, the Anti-Defamation League gave Kushner an award for his "vital and deeply impactful work on the Abraham Accords," which saw various Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, normalize relations with Israel. The Anti-Defamation League told POLITICO that it is standing by the award, pointing to chief executive officer Jonathan Greenblatt's remarks at the award ceremony earlier this month, that "his public service singularly helped further the cause of peace in the Middle East."



Kushner's comments come on the heels of Republican attempts to diminish or minimize Palestinian claims to territory and nationhood amid the Israel-Hamas war. GOP lawmakers have insinuated they wish to see Palestinians leave the lands currently occupied and administered by Israel. One Tennessee Republican even advocated to kill them all when confronted by a Palestinian activist.

Kushner and his wife, Ivanka, have distanced themselves from Trump since he left office, and Kushner has stated he will not return to the White House if his father-in-law is elected president. But he remains an influential figure in Trump's orbit.

The Trump campaign did not return a request for comment.

Despite not having any foreign policy experience, Kushner served as an unofficial presidential envoy to Middle Eastern countries during his father-in-laws presidency. He built a close relationship with Saudi Arabia, helped broker the Abraham Accords and was made the point person in the Trump administration for negotiating an end to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misstated the date of Kushner's speaking engagement at Harvard. The event took place on February 15, and a video of his remarks was posted online on March 8.
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft wants to eliminate Missouris income tax, which provides two out of every three dollars in the states general revenue fund, and says budget cuts can pay for it.

To help craft the plan, Ashcroft has enlisted some of the well-known conservative economists and low-tax advocates that advised then-Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback on a massive tax cut enacted in that state in 2012. The resulting plunge in revenues led to the repeal of the cuts in 2017 and contributed to Republicans losing the Kansas governorship in the 2018 election.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft is seen here the GOP Lincoln Day event at the Oasis Convention Center on March 9, 2024.

Ashcroft, one of the leading candidates for the Republican nomination for governor, said he will not repeat the Kansas debacle.

I cant tell you were going to repeal the income tax all in one day, Ashcroft said in an interview with The Independent. Its not going to work out that way. But were going to put the state on the glide path to do that.

Ashcroft also wants to repeal the 12.5-cents per gallon fuel tax increase enacted in 2021. That increase is being phased in at 2.5 cents per year. So far, 7.5 cents has taken effect, with another 2.5 cents per gallon to be added July 1 and again on July 1, 2025.

A lawsuit that found the Highways and Transportation Commission had authority to use money in the state Road Fund to finance a program to raise salaries shows the new tax wasnt really needed, Ashcroft said. The October ruling is being appealed and no raises beyond the general state pay plan have been awarded.

When that gas tax got passed, the immediate thing that transportation did was they started giving out salary increases to people, Ashcroft said. It wasnt about new roads. It wasnt about repairing roads. First and foremost, it was about new salaries.

The $50 million salary plan was the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commissions reaction to rapid turnover in the department. The tax increase, when fully implemented, was expected to add $337.5 million annually to the state road fund and provide $125 million for city and county governments to spend on local roads when it was passed in 2021.

The department said at the time that the extra money was essential to matching available federal highway funds.

Ashcroft unveiled his tax proposal last week and it immediately drew sarcastic criticism from one of his rivals for the nomination, state Sen. Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring.

Nice to have you endorsing my plans, Eigel wrote on social media. Where have you been the last 8 years? If only you were a real conservative in office, not just during the campaign

On his campaign website, Eigel states he wants to eliminate both the personal and corporate income taxes and the personal property tax that almost entirely funds local government operations.

Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe seen here at the GOP Lincoln Day event at the Oasis Convention Center on March 9, 2024.

Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the other Republican running a full-scale campaign for the nomination, has not posted any stands on tax policy on his campaign website or reacted to Ashcrofts proposal on social media.

In a statement issued by campaign spokesman Mike Hafner, the Kehoe campaign takes partial credit for the tax cuts enacted while he was in the Senate, saying he voted for tax cuts totaling $2.5 billion.

Kehoe, like Ashcroft and Eigel, wants to repeal the income tax, the statement read.

As governor, Mike will continue this progress by working to eliminate the income tax altogether and control state spending, the statement read.

More: Republican candidates, elected officials gather for Greene County Lincoln Day

Democratic candidates for governor asked for reactions to Ashcrofts proposal noted the overlapping of low-tax advocates of the group that advised Brownback in Kansas and the task force of experts Ashcroft says he enlisted to help him.

At least three  Arthur Laffer, creator of the Laffer Curve purporting to show the relationship between tax rates and total revenue; Stephen Moore of the Heritage Foundation; and Jonathan Williams of the American Legislative Exchange Council  were on Brownbacks advisory panel.

Other prominent names are Grover Norquist, who founded Americans for Tax Reform, and Aaron Hedlund, a former University of Missouri economist who now works at Purdue University, who was chief economist for the White House Council of Economic Advisers during President Donald Trumps final year in office.

Norquist, in 2015, two years after Brownbacks cuts and at a time when revenues were far short of projections, said other states should emulate its moves.

Kansas is the future, he said in an interview. Kansas is the model.

Missouri gubernatorial candidate Crystal Quade speaks at a fundraising event at Q Enoteca after she secured an endorsement from state LGBTQ+ advocacy group PROMO PAC on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade of Springfield, a Democrat running for governor, said Missouris current tax system needs reform, but trusting the same people who thought up the failed Brownback debacle in Kansas would be laughable if the stakes for hardworking Missouri families werent so dire.

Quades chief opponent in the Democratic primary, businessman Mike Hamra of Springfield, also noted the links to the Kansas cuts.

This is a strategy for earning Grover Norquists support and funding in the primary, not a realistic plan for moving Missouri forward, Hamra said. Kansas tried this experiment a decade ago with disastrous results  a budget crisis, schools closing weeks early, multiple credit downgrades, and slowed economic growth.

Budget cuts

Ashcroft, in the interview, did not name any new source of revenue he would propose to replace the almost $10 billion generated by the income tax.

Instead, he said, every dollar spent by the state should be examined and if it does not pay for education, public safety or roads, bridges and waterways, it should be reduced or eliminated.

Its gonna have to be kind of a starting from the beginning, what are the core responsibilities of the government, and then how do we pay for those core responsibilities? Ashcroft said.

More: Proposed tax cuts could divide MO legislature as revenues flatten, past cuts take effect

There are numerous earmarked funds in state government, ranging from fees paid to licensing boards and appropriated for regulatory operations to taxes that pay for conservation and state parks.

Missourians should be asked if they want to retain those earmarked accounts or put all the money into the general revenue fund for appropriation as determined by lawmakers, Ashcroft said.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft delivers remarks to journalists at the James C Kirkpatrick State Information Center in Jefferson City on Dec. 20, 2023.

We need to not just figure out how to limp along for another five to 10 years, but how do we put our state on the path we want for the next 30 or 40? Ashcroft said. And its going to have to be looking at not just a general revenue, its going to be looking at some of those special funds and going back to people.

In the webpage on his tax plan, Ashcroft cites states that have no income tax as having superior economies. Some of those states, like Tennessee and Texas, have high sales tax rates and others, like Alaska, have taxes on extraction of natural resources that provide the bulk of state revenues.

Missouri is already a high sales tax state, mainly because local option taxes, on average, almost double the 4.225% rate imposed for state purposes.

When pressed on where he would find the revenue to operate state programs without an income tax, Ashcroft again referred to the need to cut spending.

Youve got to cut and thats the hardest thing for any elected official to do because they want to be able to hand out stuff, Ashcroft said.

Income taxes

From 1972 to 2018, the top income tax rate in Missouri was 6% of taxable income above $9,000.

The last time the tax code was changed so the income tax would produce more revenue was in 1993, when lawmakers capped the deduction for federal income taxes so wealthy Missourians would pay more in state taxes.

The corporate income tax rate was also increased in 1993 and was set at 6.25%.

Soon after Kansas enacted its tax cuts in 2012, the Republican supermajorities in the Missouri legislature tried to follow suit. With the dire results of immediate sharp cuts apparent by 2014, a bill passed over the veto of Gov. Jay Nixon made small cuts of 0.1 percentage point in the top rate contingent on an annual revenue growth target of $150 million.

More: Taxes don't have to be scary. Here are some tips ahead of the April 15 deadline

The growth trigger wasnt achieved until fiscal 2017 and the first cut took effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

Since Republicans took control of the executive branch with the election of Eric Greitens in 2016, the cuts have accelerated.

This year, the top tax rate is 4.8% for taxable incomes greater than $8,911. There are three adjustments of 0.1 percentage point to come that will be triggered by revenue growth of at least $200 million.

In the period since the first income tax cuts took effect, income tax receipts have increased from $7.2 billion in fiscal 2018 to just under $10 billion in the year that ended June 30.

When the next cut will occur is uncertain. Revenue is expected to fall 0.7% in the current year and actual receipts through Friday show a decline slightly larger than that amount. And revenue is not expected to grow substantially in the coming fiscal year.

That means the next reduction in the top income tax rate would not occur until at least Jan. 1, 2027.

Republicans have also been busy exempting income from taxation and cutting the corporate tax.

The 2014 tax law also cut the percentage of income from businesses that is reported on personal tax returns, taxing only 75% of the total.

State Representative Crystal Quade speaks before the ribbon cutting for the new Arc of the Ozarks' Autism and Neurodevelopmental Center at 2648 S. Nettleton Ave. on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024.

Quade, in a statement, argued those tax cuts overwhelmingly benefited higher-income Missourians.

The last few income tax cuts passed by Republicans have overwhelmingly given the rich tax breaks, she said, while working Missourians save pennies.

Last year, lawmakers passed a bill making Social Security and retirement income off limits for the state income tax.

The corporate tax rate was cut to 4% effective in 2020, and the Missouri House is poised to pass a bill this year completely eliminating the tax.

The general revenue fund took in $14.8 billion in the year that ended June 30, before paying out refunds. The personal income tax provided just over two-thirds of that amount, with another 20% from sales tax.

Corporate taxes made up 7.1% of the total, or about half the amount that didnt come from personal income or sales taxes. The rest comes from interest on daily balances, liquor and beer taxes and other small levies.

The Missouri Constitution requires twenty-five percent of the state revenue, exclusive of interest and sinking fund, to be applied annually to the support of the free public schools.

This story was first published at www.missouriindependent.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Ashcroft wants steep state budget cuts to fund income tax elimination
The Jersey Police Authority has outlined the island's policing plan for 2024 to 2027

The Jersey Police Authority has said it wants more to be done to stop crime before it happens.

It has published a plan for 2024 to 2027, outlining areas it wants States of Jersey Police to target.

Among the targets is to "prevent crime and bring offenders to justice", which authority chair Simon Harman said would involve "working smarter".

Chief Officer Robin Smith said crime prevention is a "collaborative effort" between police and the community.

'Problem-solving policing'

The authority is an independent body that aims to make sure Jersey Police is efficient.

It aims to deliver its key targets while also speaking to local people about their views on the island's policing.

The plan for the next four years has the following five main targets:

Keeping people safe

Problem solving policing

Our people, our culture

Prevent crime and bring offenders to justice

Provide value for money

The report has also said the force's budget will remain roughly the same between this year and 2027.

The force will get 27,335,000 in 2024, 27,425,000 next year, 27,402,000 in 2026 and 27,381,000 in 2027.

Jersey Police Authority chair Simon Harman said problem-solving policing is about "looking at the issue rather than the symptom"

Mr Harman said it was up to the chief officer to look at how current resources could be used to target the prevention of crime before it happens.

He said the plan was about looking at how the force could be "working smarter and working in different areas than they are now".

"I think problem-solving policing is looking at the issue rather than the symptoms, it's not all about blue lights and fast police cars," Mr Harman told BBC Radio Jersey.

"If there's a particular area that's got a problem or an issue or a particular part of the community has a problem or issue, how can the police service get into that and stop it before it becomes an issue that has to be dealt with in alternative ways?

"At this time it would be a case of looking to see what happens in the very near future."

Within the report, Mr Smith said it is the force's "solemn responsibility" to ensure everyone on Jersey feels safe.

He said police would work with the community on crime prevention as it was a "effort between law enforcement and the community we serve".

"By working together, we can address the root causes of criminal behaviour and create a safer, more resilient island," he added.

Follow BBC Jersey on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. Send your story ideas to channel.islands@bbc.co.uk.

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Over the long run, Wall Street is a bona fide wealth-creating machine. Although gold, oil, housing, and Treasury bonds have increased in value over multiple decades, no asset class has come close to replicating the average annual returns delivered by stocks over the past century.

For example, including dividends paid, the benchmark S&P 500 has delivered just a hair north of a 10% annualized return since its official inception as a 500-company index in 1957. That's a hearty return that can double investors' money about every seven years.

But on an aggregate growth basis, the S&P 500 doesn't hold a candle to what semiconductor stock Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has done for investors since becoming a publicly traded company in 1999.

Image source: Getty Images.

If you purchased $1,000 of Nvidia stock at its IPO price, you're now rich

Not too long before the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, Nvidia made its grand entrance as a publicly traded company. Its initial public offering (IPO) occurred on Jan. 22, 1999, with shares being sold at $12. Of course, a lot has changed since then.

If investors had the wherewithal to purchase $1,000 worth of Nvidia stock for its IPO, they would have received 83 shares, not including commission costs and fractional shares. In the quarter of a century since going public, this Wall Street darling has split its stock on five separate occasions. The figure in parenthesis behind each split denotes what the original 83-share position would have grown into:

June 27, 2000 : 2-for-1 stock split (166 shares)

Sept. 12, 2001 : 2-for-1 stock split (332 shares)

April 7, 2006 : 2-for-1 stock split (664 shares)

Sept. 11, 2007 : 3-for-2 stock split (996 shares)

July 20, 2021: 4-for-1 stock split (3,984 shares)

IPO-day investors have seen their share count in Nvidia grow by a factor of 48. At the same time, the IPO offering price has been reduced to a split-adjusted $0.25 per share.

Based on Nvidia's closing price of $878.36 on March 15, 2024, a 3,984-share position would equate to $3,499,386. For those of you keeping score at home, Nvidia has produced a 351,244% gain since its IPO, which compares to just a 318% return for the benchmark S&P 500 over the same period. Keep in mind that I'm not including the additional returns from Nvidia's nominal dividend in this 351,244% figure, either.

Story continues

Here's what's made Nvidia the stock of the century (thus far)

Throughout its 25 years as a public company, Nvidia has had moments where it's thrived. For quite some time, the company's graphics processing units (GPUs) used for gaming on personal computers were its calling-card to success. The company also gained momentum from 2016 through 2018 as cryptocurrency prices soared. Cryptocurrency miners gobbled up the company's high-powered GPUs.

But there's little question that Nvidia's role as the infrastructure backbone of the artificial intelligence (AI) movement has done most of the heavy lifting.

Though estimates vary wildly, the analysts at PwC believe AI can add $15.7 trillion to global gross domestic product by 2030. Utilizing software and systems to handle tasks that would normally be assigned to humans, and seeing these systems evolve over time and become smarter, is what gives AI application across virtually every sector and industry.

Nvidia's A100 and H100 GPUs are nothing short of the standard in AI-accelerated data centers. With demand easily outweighing the supply of these high-powered chips, Nvidia has enjoyed otherworldly pricing power, which more than double its sales in fiscal 2024 (ended in late January).

Additionally, Nvidia's ramp of A100 and H100 chips looks to be in its early innings. Its four largest customers -- and fellow "Magnificent Seven" members -- Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Amazon, and Alphabet, have been aggressively gobbling up supply for their own AI-fueled ambitions.

However, sustaining this success in the years to come could prove challenging.

Image source: Getty Images.

Nvidia's epic outperformance may come to a screeching halt

For the past year, Nvidia has blown the doors off of Wall Street's revenue and profit forecasts. But don't expect this to continue for much longer.

One problem Nvidia may be contending with in the second-half of 2024, if not well beyond, is margin contraction. The scarcity of the company's AI-GPUs is what's lifted prices for these chips into the stratosphere. With supply chain issues beginning to ease and external competitors entering the arena, AI-focused GPUs will be far less scarce in the second-half of 2024 than they are now. That's a recipe for weaker pricing power and lower margins for Nvidia.

What's arguably an even bigger concern for Nvidia than the external competitors that'll be challenging its AI-accelerated data center dominance is that its aforementioned top four customers, which account for 40% of its sales, are developing AI-GPUs of their own. Regardless of whether these internally developed GPUs are to complement Nvidia's chips or replace them, we're very likely witnessing a peak of orders that will taper into subsequent years.

Nvidia is also getting no help from U.S. regulators. Following an initial round of export restrictions to China for its top-notch A100 and H100 GPUs, the company developed the toned-down A800 and H800 chips. Late last year, U.S. regulators axed the shipment of these GPUs to China as well. Nvidia is missing out on billions of dollars in potential quarterly sales because of these restrictions.

The final damning factor for Nvidia, aside from its lofty valuation, is that every next-big-thing investment trend over the past 30 years has navigated its way through an early stage bubble, without exception. Investors have a terrible habit of overestimating the adoption/demand of new innovations or trends, leading to bubbles. It's highly unlikely that Nvidia/AI is going to be the exception to this unwritten rule.

Although Nvidia has made patient investors richer, locking in some of those gains would likely be a wise decision.

Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

Before you buy stock in Nvidia, consider this:

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John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. 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. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Sean Williams has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta Platforms. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. 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.

If You Invested $1,000 in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Nvidia for Its IPO in 1999, Here's the Jaw-Dropping Amount of Money You'd Have Now was originally published by The Motley Fool
New Jersey woman killed after being hit by 94-year-old driver in library parking lot

New Jersey authorities said a 75-year-old woman died after she was hit and dragged by a car in a library parking lot.

Paramus resident Helen Koons was walking in the parking lot at the Paramus Public Library when she was hit by a car around 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Paramus Police Department.

Police Chief Robert Guidetti told Fox News Digital that the car was exiting the library's rear parking lot at the time.

"Preliminary findings indicate that a 2013 Toyota Corolla driven by a 94-year-old female from Paramus struck the pedestrian in the area of the crosswalk in the parking lot and dragged her 20 feet," the Paramus Police Department said in a statement.

NEIGHBORS RESCUE NEW JERSEY COUPLE TRAPPED IN MAJOR HOUSE FIRE: 'WE'RE HERE, WE'RE HERE'

Koons was promptly transported to Hackensack University Medical Center for treatment. She sustained a head injury and was semi-alert while being transported, according to police.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Koons died shortly before noon the next day.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Helen Koons during this difficult time," the police department said in a statement.

FLORIDA WOMAN FLIPPED OFF DEPUTY WHILE DRIVING ERRATICALLY, YELLED SHE HATES POLICE: SHERIFF'S OFFICE

The 94-year-old driver was later charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and careless driving.

"The safety and well-being of our community members remain our utmost priority," the police department added. "We urge all individuals to exercise caution and vigilance, especially in areas with high pedestrian traffic."





Original article source: New Jersey woman killed after being hit by 94-year-old driver in library parking lot
An off-duty paramedic has saved a man who allegedly tried to take his own life in an airliner lavatory.

Gareth Lines, 36, was travelling from Thailand to Heathrow when he heard a commotion at the back of the Eva Air flight.

He initially thought a fellow passenger had collapsed but soon realised the situation was more serious.

He said: I just thought, What is going on? It looked like someone had collapsed at the back of the plane, but it turned out to be worse than Id thought and his heart had stopped.

This gentleman had tried to end his life and the plane crew and I dragged him out into the kitchen area.

Mr Lines, from Portsmouth, used his medical training to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques.

Gareth Lines used his medical training to administer CPR - SWNS

The paramedic, who had visited Thailand for a stag do, said the airliner had some medical equipment onboard including an automatic defibrillator and portable oxygen supplies.

Mr Lines continued: The guy was in cardiac arrest for 30 minutes then 15 minutes after[wards] the London ambulance crew arrived.

They managed to get him to hospital and his heart was beating again.

Within 20 to 30 minutes we considered stopping CPR but the guy on the plane was down for a good 30 to 40 minutes  there is no chance he would have made it if he wouldnt have had CPR.

Ultimately, thats what is going to save someones life Without drugs, we couldnt do much more.

Thankful for support

The paramedic, who has been in the ambulance service for 10 years and a trained paramedic since 2019, said everyone should know how to carry out CPR.

Good quality CPR is all that is needed to potentially keep someone alive in the event of a cardiac arrest  before the emergency services arrive.

I was thankful to have the support of the airline staff, who remained calm in the difficult circumstances  and to the pilot for a fairly smooth landing as well.

Gareth was travelling from Thailand to Heathrow when he leapt into action - Alamy

An Eva Air spokesman said: During the descent of Eva Airs flight BR67 from Bangkok to London Heathrow on March 15, a passenger was found in one of the bathrooms, where it was suspected that he had made a suicide attempt.

With the assistance of Eva Airs flight attendants and a medically qualified passenger on board, the affected passenger was immediately given first aid treatment.

On the flights arrival in London at 7.03pm, the passenger was transported to the hospital for further treatment by medical personnel, and the matter was passed to the police for a follow-up investigation.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: Officers at Heathrow Airport were called to meet a flight arriving from Bangkok after a passenger was taken unwell onboard.

The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

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Rep. Jevin Hodge resigned after less than two months in the Arizona Legislature.

Democratic Rep. Jevin Hodge resigned on Tuesday, capping a political career that must be one for the record books.

Hodge, 30, who once upon a time (read: last week) was considered an up-and-coming Democratic star, trudges out of the Arizona Legislature just 48 days after he was appointed to fill a vacancy.

Theres a lesson in there for aspiring politicians who think they can outrun the skeletons in their closet. And for the people who supposedly (theoretically?) vet them.

Thanks to the internet, those skeletons are now wearing Nikes.

Hodge was accused of sexual assault

Hodges political death occurred on Monday morning when The Arizona Republics Mary Jo Pitzl revealed he was kicked off campus at George Washington University in 2016 for violating the schools sexual violence and sexual misconduct policies.

A student from Boston College reported that he sexually assaulted her in his Washington, D.C., apartment in October 2015, saying he would like to have sex with her while sticking her head out of a window.

When she declined, he then grabbed her, pulled her hair as he pulled her towards the window of the room, and bent her over towards the window, while stating that he knew that (she) wanted to have sex in that manner, the report stated.

She didnt and later filed a complaint, prompting Hodges attorney to threaten a defamation lawsuit if shed didnt drop it and sign a non-disclosure agreement.

She didnt and a hearing board suspended Hodge, barring him from campus for a semester.

Hodge insists he did nothing wrong, telling Pitzl that the encounter was consensual. When she said stop, I stopped, he said.

Hodge abruptly stopped his campaign

But given the documentation, that ship has sailed.

The 28-year-old Boston woman contacted Pitzl in early January after learning through the internet that Hodge had been nominated to fill a legislative vacancy in Tempe.

I didnt want this to happen to anyone else, she said. And I dont trust this person in a position of power.

Pitzl promptly requested the records and, well, that was the end of Tempes political wunderkind.

The question is, why did the Democratic Party cover for this guy?

Hodge ran for Congress in 2022, losing to Rep. David Schweikert by less than 1% of the vote. A rematch was widely expected, yet in March 2023, Hodge abruptly announced he would not be running for Congress or any other office in 2024, citing financial and emotional stress.

Im going to go out on a limb here and guess that he got a call from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Somehow, Hodge rose to top for nomination

The Boston woman confirmed to Pitzl that a friend had flagged the DCCC about the sexual attack and resulting banishment from campus, prompting a DCCC staffer to call her in early 2023.

Yet there he was, not even a year later, nominated by Democrats in January to fill a spot in the Arizona Legislature and ultimately appointed by the Republican-run Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

Id ask what vetting the Republicans did but then, I don't imagine the DCCC was burning up the phone lines to flag Hodges nomination.

This is  or should be  a major embarrassment to the Democratic Party.

Republicans certainly have had their share of legislators with skeletons dancing about their heads. Ex-Rep. David Stringer comes to mind. His political career was cut short in 2019 after a 35-year-old bombshell police report surfaced, accusing him of sex crimes involving boys. And then there's, well, that guy, Donald Trump.

Rep. Sun was a train wreck: Glad she resigned

But the timing of this is bad.

Democrats are making a play to gain control the Legislature in the fall elections. Yet theyre losing legislators at a steady clip, some due to political ambition or for career reasons. One (Rep. Leezah Sun), who resigned in January just ahead of a vote to toss her out for, among other things, threatening to kill a lobbyist.

Can Democrats flip the Legislature like this?

Now Hodge, 48 days and done.

We have accepted Representative Hodges resignation, which he offered in good faith and out of respect for our caucus, and we are prepared to move forward with the important business of the state, House Minority Leader Lupe Contreras said in a statement.

Before you move forward, Rep. Contreras, perhaps you could explain how Democrats came to nominate a guy who records say wanted to have sex with an unwilling woman while her head was stuck out a window?

Did someone in the Arizona Democratic Party know about this?

And if not, then Im wondering  why not?

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts or on Threads at laurierobertsaz.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Rep. Jevin Hodge is gone in just 48 days? Who vets these guys?
Migrants arriving in Juarez with hopes of reaching the U.S. were abducted and held for ransom by a gang of kidnappers allegedly including Juarez municipal police officers, state authorities said.

Migrant trafficking is now believed to be more lucrative  and less risky  than drug trafficking for organized crime groups in the Juarez border region, Chihuahua law enforcement officials said.

Immigration: 'Where is the humanity?' Migrant deaths soaring at El Paso-Juarez border with few ways to document them

Bryan Fernando H.R. is accused of using his job as a police officer to form "a complex network of corruption" linked to migrant kidnappings in a border city teeming with new arrivals from around the world, the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office said.

Bryan Fernando H.R., a former Juarez municipal police officer, is accused of belonging to a gang that kidnapped migrants for ransom in 2023 in Juarez, Mexico. He was arrested in Mazatlan, Sinaloa, on March 8, 2024.

Bryan Fernando H.R. was allegedly part of a gang made up of civilians and police officers who kidnapped migrants for ransom, the attorney general's office said in a statement. Two other officers were arrested last summer.

The now former police officer was arrested on March 8 in the coastal city of Mazatlan, Sinaloa, by Chihuahua state police investigators working with their counterparts in Sinaloa, officials said.

The ex-policeman faces a charge of aggravated kidnapping in connection with the abduction of 17 migrants of various nationalities held for ransom in March 2023 in the hillside Felipe Angeles neighborhood in western Juarez, across the border from the University of Texas at El Paso.

More: Mass grave may contain bodies of Mexican migrants who vanished near Texas border

He allegedly guarded the kidnapped migrants, threatened them with a gun and demanded ransom payments from their families in exchange for letting them go free, prosecutors said.

Authorities did not disclose the former officer's last name in keeping with rules in Mexico regarding the naming of crime suspects.

Migrants abducted after arrival at Juarez airport

Last June, Chihuahua state police investigators arrested two other Juarez police officers accused of kidnapping recently-arrived migrants.

Saulo D.G. and Juan Manuel R.I. are accused of abducting migrants who had been intercepted while taking an Uber ride after arriving at the Juarez airport, the attorney general's office said.

Migration dangers: 'It is truly ugly': Family decries deadly violence migrants face in Juarez on journey to US

Undocumented migrants who fly into the Juarez airport with plans to cross the U.S. border are plump targets for kidnappers because they, or their families, are believed to have more money than the often penniless migrants, many of them Venezuelans, who arrive riding atop freight trains, law enforcement officials have said.

On the evening of May 9, 2023, two migrants had just flown into Juarez from Mexico City and were riding in an Uber when their ride was intercepted and they were abducted by men in a pickup truck in a parking lot on Sanders Avenue, south of downtown Juarez, the attorney general's office said in a statement.

The migrants were held at various houses for 12 days, where they were threatened with a gun, beaten and ordered to provide the telephone numbers of relatives in the United States, prosecutors said. The kidnappers demanded the migrants' relatives pay $30,000 (U.S. dollars) for both of them. The migrants were later freed. It was unclear if the ransom was paid.

Migrant trafficking as lucrative as drugs

The criminal underground of human smuggling is a generations-old along the Texas-Mexico border. It has become increasingly lucrative amid tighter U.S. border security measures and the arrival of growing numbers of irregular migrants from around the globe, authorities said.

"There is an abuse by organized crime that sees in them (migrants) the possibility to bleed them for more money that they already paid to reach the border ... to enter the United States," Chihuahua Attorney General Cesar Gustavo Jauregui Moreno said at a news conference in September.

Borderland: FBI arrests 'El Alaska' after kidnapped migrant found at El Paso area stash house

Migrant trafficking has surpassed drug trafficking in profitability along Mexico's northern border as irregular migration has swelled in the last seven years, Gilberto Loya, the head of the Chihuahua state public safety department, said at a news conference last summer.

Criminal groups view the trafficking of persons as carrying less legal risks than the trafficking of narcotics because of a lack of regulation in Mexico, Loya said.

Juarez police found about 140 migrants crowded into a stash house in early June 2021.

Carlos Manuel Salas, the state prosecutor for the northern zone of Chihuahua, has said that prosecutors face challenges even when migrant stash houses are discovered.

Its rare for migrants to want to press charges against the smugglers who are detaining them, Salas said at a December news conference. Migrants usually just want to leave and continue their journey to the U.S. and its difficult to get them to cooperate on filing formal charges.

In some cases, the migrants have even defended the alleged traffickers saying they were protecting the migrants from other "narcos," Salas added.

Just as with illicit drugs markets, rival drug cartels and crime organizations are vying for control of the border migrant smuggling rackets. In these cases, the "product" is not narcotics, but people.

More: 'I can't live with this pain': Fort Bliss soldier accused of killing Juarez woman

In some cases, drivers for ride-hailing service and smugglers who pick up migrants at the Juarez airport are stopped on streets by members of crime groups, state prosecutors have said. If the driver doesn't have the correct "passcode" showing they have permission to transport, the migrants are forcibly taken. The smuggler could also face abduction, torture and death.

There have been more than 250 homicides in Juarez this year, according to tallies in news reports.

"I can tell you that many of the homicides in Ciudad Juarez are related to the trafficking of persons," Loya said.

Juarez police patrol along the Mexican side of the Rio Grande in 2021. The patrols are in conjunction with the U.S. Border Patrol on the El Paso side of the river.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Juarez police accused of kidnapping migrants for ransom
President Joe Bidens visit to Intel marks his second stop at a Valley semiconductor manufacturing plant, and third time a sitting president made such a trip.

In December 2022, Biden visited Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.s north Phoenix campus for the tool in ceremony. At the ceremony, Biden and TSMC executives also announced the expansion of the facility, growing the investment from $12 billion to $40 billion.

"Arizona is a hub, literally a hub for the technical change that will take place," Biden said shortly after arriving via Air Force One at Luke Air Force Base for the 2022 visit. "This will be an incredible asset to the state of Arizona."

Biden toured the TSMC facility, which was mostly under construction at the time, and spoke to some construction workers at the site.

President Joe Biden speaks to guests after a tour of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. under construction in Phoenix on Dec. 6, 2022.

At the event, Mark Liu, TSMCs chairman, said the passage of the CHIPS Act encouraged TSMC to expand in Phoenix.

Obama visited Intel in 2012

President Barack Obama visited Intels campus in January 2012. At the time, the plant was under construction on a $5 billion expansion. Obama used the visit as a place to emphasize the need for domestic manufacturing.

January 2012: Gov. Jan Brewer created controversy by pointing her finger at President Barack Obama after he arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

Obama's visit was remembered for a tense encounter with then-Gov. Jan Brewer, who stuck her finger in the president's face not long after Air Force One landed.

The Obama Administration picked Intels campus for the visit because of the amount of construction jobs and permanent jobs that would be created.

Its an economy built on the American manufacturing, with more good jobs and more products made in America, Obama told the Chandler crowd. Its an economy built on American energy fueled by homegrown and alternative energy sources that make us more secure and less dependent on foreign oil. Its an economy built on the skills of American workers, getting people the education and the training they need to be prepared for the jobs of today and ready to compete for the jobs of tomorrow.

Reach the reporter at cvanek@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter @CorinaVanek.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Biden's Intel visit follows two presidential trips to Arizona chip plants
For the last few weeks, the legal and political world had its eyes on the spectacle of an effort to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the prosecution of former President Donald Trump, over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia.

Yet over the last six months, a slow-moving car-crash of a case has been unfolding, with a judge who seems committed to protecting the former president at every turn of the road. In that case, Judge Aileen Cannon is adjudicating the prosecution of the former president in the classified documents case in a haphazard way at best. At worst, she is doing all she can to protect the former president from facing the classified documents case before the election, if at all.

Her recent rulingsannouncing she is likely to release the names of the governments witnesses and potentially expose them to ridicule and violence, and a highly questionable decision on how she may instruct the jury should we ever get onedo not just make special counsel Jack Smiths case more difficult. In a perverse way, the more difficult she makes it, she might actually help Smith in the end.

Heres Why Trumps Defamation Suit Against George Stephanopoulos Is Doomed

Should Smith ask an appellate court to review Judge Cannons rulings, not only is he likely to get those decisions reversed, her actions to delay and attempt to block the effort to bring the former president to justice may end up getting her removed from the case altogether.

In many respects, weve been here before. Back in 2022, in a highly questionable move, Judge Cannon presided over a case challenging the FBIs entry into Mar-a-Lago pursuant to a lawful subpoena to determine whether the former president was harboring classified documents there (he was). Her willingness to entertain such a brazen and unprecedented effort should have been laughed out of court. Instead, she intervened in that case to protect the former president.

When her interventions were appealed, the appellate court ruled that there were no grounds for such a case to proceed. They also roundly criticized the basis for the action, holding that creating an exception for a case (such as the one Trump filed) against a former president, would defy our Nations foundational principle that our law applies to all, without regard to numbers, wealth, or rank.

The case was sent back to Judge Cannon, but the appellate courtmade up of three judges nominated by Republican presidentsordered her to dismiss the case outright. The panel made clear: the case never should have been filed and no relief should have been granted by Judge Cannon.

That order to dismiss the underlying case was one filed by Trump. Here, should Smith appeal and prevail on any of the questionable decisions issued by Judge Cannon, the remedy would not include dismissal of that case.

The Supreme Court Is Doing Trumps Campaign Work for Him

That does not mean Smith is without recourse. Should Smith prevail, an appellate court would be well within its rights to send it back to the trial court, but unlike where it ordered Cannon to dismiss the case brought by Trump, here, it could direct that a different judge take up the matter.

And that is exactly what might happen if Judge Cannon continues to do what should seem obvious that she is doing to anyone watching this matter: she is putting her thumb on the scale in favor of the defendant over and over again.

If Judge Cannon keeps going down this road, Smith can seek an immediate appeal of any of those orders that seem to improperly hamstring his prosecution and ask the appellate court. In this instance, that would be the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, the same court that previously overturned Cannon in her fools errand related to the search of Mar-a-Lago. Smith can ask the court to not just overturn those orders, but also re-assign the case to a different judge.

In the federal system, appellate courts have the authority to supervise lower court proceedings, and a federal statute, 28 U.S.C. 2106 provides as follows:

The Supreme Court or any other court of appellate jurisdiction may affirm, modify, vacate, set aside or reverse any judgment, decree, or order of a court lawfully brought before it for review.

It also states that an appellate court may remand the cause and direct the entry of such appropriate judgment, decree, or order, or require such further proceedings to be had as may be just under the circumstances.

Jack Smiths Subtle Shot at Trump Mar-a-Lago Judge Aileen Cannon

Courts interpreting the appellate courts general supervisory obligations and the application of 2106 have routinely found that appellate courts can re-assign a case to a different judge, if to do so could counter-act perceived bias in the performance of the judge in the case, or even the appearance of impropriety.

This would include a judge routinely ruling in favor of one party, or imposing unreasonably light sentences, something that the 11th Circuitagain, the circuit that will hear any appeal of any of Judge Cannons ordershas done in the past.

Judge Cannons willingness to show favor for the former president may ultimately backfire and get her kicked off the case. And the case could end being assigned to a new judgewho may not be as willing to bend over backward in support of dubious claims and defenses that support Trumps ultimate goal of delaying the case until at least past the 2024 election, if at all.

It is likely not a question of whether, but when, Cannon will completely overstep her proper role. Even then though, it might still be too late to try to bring the former president to justice before the election.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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FILE - Officers escort Richard Allen out of the Carroll County courthouse following a hearing, Nov. 22, 2022, in Delphi, Ind. On Monday, March 11, 2024, a judge moved up the trial date for Allen, an Indiana man charged in the 2017 slayings of two teenager girls. Allen's jury trial is now scheduled for May 13 through May 31, according to court records. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A judge approved two new murder counts Monday against an Indiana man charged in the killings of two teenage girls but rejected a prosecutor's bid to add kidnapping charges.

Special Judge Fran Gull approved the two counts in addition to two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping that Richard Allen of Delphi already faced.

Allen was arrested in October 2022 and charged in the 2017 slayings of 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German. He pleaded not guilty to the original charges.

Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said when he filed the amended charges in January that it more accurately aligns the charging information with the causes discovery and probable cause affidavit.

In addition to approving the new charges, Gull also ruled that all future hearings in the case will be held in Carroll County, other than jury selection on May 13. Some hearings have been held in Fort Wayne, where Gull is an Allen Superior Court judge.

A relative of one of the teenagers dropped them off on Feb. 13, 2017, at a hiking trail near their hometown of Delphi, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of Indianapolis. They were reported missing that evening after they didnt show up at a meeting place where they had arranged to be picked up. Their bodies were found the next day in a rugged, heavily wooded area near the trail.

The killings have haunted Delphi, a city of about 3,000 where Allen worked at a drugstore, and the case has been closely watched in the state and nationwide.

Gull issued a gag order in December 2022 barring attorneys, law enforcement officials, court personnel, the coroner and the girls family members from commenting on the case to the public or the media in any form, including social media.

Prosecutors had sought the order, citing intense public scrutiny and media attention. Gull was brought in as a special judge to oversee the case after a Carroll County judge recused himself.

___

This story was first published on March 18, 2024. It was updated on March 20, 2024, to correct the new charges against a man in the slaying of two teenagers in Delphi, Indiana. He newly faces two counts of murder, while he had already been charged with two counts of murder while committing or attempting to commit kidnapping.
Donald Trumps former attorney Michael Cohen and adult film star Stormy Daniels will be allowed to testify at the former presidents New York criminal trial, a judge ruled Monday.

Judge Juan Merchan denied a motion from Trumps attorneys to prevent Cohen and Daniels  two key witnesses in the Manhattan district attorneys case  from testifying at Trumps hush money trial, which could begin next month.

The judge also ruled that he would allow testimony about Trumps infamous Access Hollywood tape  but that playing the tape itself to jurors was not necessary.

The district attorneys office charged Trump with falsifying business records, accusing him of concealing the reimbursement of hush money payments Cohen made to Daniels before the 2016 election to keep her from going public about an alleged affair with Trump. The former president has pleaded not guilty and denies the affair.

Trumps lawyers sought to block Cohens testimony, arguing that Cohen previously committed perjury and alleging that he lied in his testimony at Trumps New York civil fraud trial last year.

But Merchan wrote in his decision that Cohen had not been charged with perjury for his more recent testimony.

Defendant provides examples of situations where Cohens credibility has been called into question. However, he offers no proof of perjury in the case at bar, Merchan wrote, noting that he found nothing to support Defendants rationale that a prosecution witness should be kept off the witness stand because his credibility has previously been called into question.

Merchan also denied a bid from Trumps attorneys to block Daniels from testifying about the hush money payment she received from Cohen in 2016.

Locating and purchasing the information from Daniels not only completes the narrative of events that precipitated the falsification of business records but is also probative of the Defendants intent, Merchan wrote.

The judge also ruled he will allow testimony from former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who alleged she had an affair with Trump, though he granted there would be limitations on her testimony that would be discussed further at trial.

Merchan did not address in this ruling a complaint from Trumps attorneys about a new documentary about Daniels, in which she spoke about the hush money payment.

Trumps attorneys have argued the release of the documentary should be grounds to dismiss the indictment or delay the trial since it came one week before jury selection was scheduled to begin. They said some of Daniels statements, including concerning threats of violence, would be prejudicial to Trump. They blame prosecutors for not alerting them about the documentary.

The New York trial was supposed to begin March 25, but it has been delayed after new evidence was turned over this month from the US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York.

Merchan has scheduled a hearing on March 25 to discuss the circumstances behind the new evidence and a motion from Trump to dismiss or delay the trial over it. He said he could set a new date after that hearing.

Judge will allow testimony about Access Hollywood tape but not playing of it

Merchan wrote Monday that he would allow testimony about Trumps Access Hollywood tape, which was released one month before the presidential election in 2016. But he decided that playing the tape to the jury was not necessary.

Trumps lawyers had objected to prosecutors desire to use the 2005 tape as evidence to show that Trump and his campaign staff were deeply concerned that the tape would harm his viability as a candidate and reduce his standing with female voters in particular.

Merchan wrote that he would allow testimony on the tape, in which Trump can be heard graphically bragging about how he would use his stardom to aggressively come on to women, because it helps establish Defendants intent and motive for making the payment to Daniels and then, attempting to conceal them.

But the judge added that he agreed with Trumps lawyers that a compromise should be struck to avoid undue prejudice to the Defendant.

This court rules that the proper balance lies in allowing the People to elicit testimony about a videotaped interview which surfaced on October 7, 2016, that contained comments of a sexual nature which Defendant feared could hurt his presidential aspirations, Merchan wrote. However, it is not necessary that the tape itself be introduced into evidence or that it be played to the jury.

The judge also gave Trumps lawyers a warning in his decision: The court may reconsider this aspect of the ruling should the Defense open the door.

Merchan also declined to rule before trial on whether the district attorneys office could introduce evidence of sexual assault allegations levied against Trump after the Access Hollywood tape was released, writing he was reserving that decision.

This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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An Orange County circuit judge has ordered Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill to stop all contact with a 96-year-old constituent after Hill was accused of obtaining power of attorney over the woman in 2021 and using that legal position to spend more than $100,000 of the womans savings, rack up more than $10,000 in debt in the womans name and purchase a home using the woman as a cosigner.

Court documents allege Hill used the money to pay for a facelift and dental surgery, purchase expensive perfume and clothing, book a hotel in Miami for a New Years Eve vacation, and obtain numerous intravenous vitamin infusions at Vitalounge.

The documents emerge from a case brought on behalf of the woman, whom the Orlando Sentinel is not naming, against Hill. They include an affidavit from an agent for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has been investigating the matter for a year. The legal issues were first reported by WFTV Channel 9.

Hill could not be reached for comment, and FDLE has not responded to inquiries.

According to the FDLEs March 7 affidavit, Hill met the woman in March 2021. By the following month, the woman had signed power of attorney over to Hill.

When FDLE Special Agent Steve Brenton asked the woman about that transaction, the woman said she recalled signing some sort of document but did not understand it and would have never agreed to allow Hill to be a power of attorney over her.

The documents say Hill used the bulk of the womans money to pay for renovations on a home on Lewis Court, where Hill lived until she was ordered by a judge to vacate last week. The home is one of two owned by the victim. She inherited it when her parents died in 1988 and there was no evidence that Hill paid rent in the renovated home, court documents said. The victim lives in a second home she owns.

A third home on Domino Drive was purchased by Hill in August 2022 with the woman cosigning the loan. The FDLE affidavit says that property appears to be abandoned, there is no electricity, or running water.

Referring to Hills use of the womans money, Brenton wrote that these purchases and/or bank withdrawals exceeded $100,000 and solely benefitted Hill.

Brenton also noted that the home the victim lived in needed repairs and there was no evidence Hill spent any of the money to help renovate that home.

A temporary protective injunction for exploitation of a vulnerable adult was granted last week. In the order, Judge Heather Higbee wrote that the injunction against Hill was needed to provide physical and financial safety to the elderly woman because there was an immediate and present danger of exploitation, and a likelihood of irreparable harm.

The judges decision was based in part on a detailed account filed by Adriane Alexander, a Tampa woman who said she has known the victim her whole life. Alexander replaced Hill as the holder of the womans power of attorney last month. Higbee also reviewed the affidavit written by Brenton, legal documents believed to be fraudulent and financial records that showed the dramatic decrease in the vulnerable adults assets as well as the accumulation of debt in her name ostensibly at Ms. Hills hand.

According to Brentons affidavit, before Hill met the woman, she had more than $164,000 in her bank account and a balance of about $650 on a credit card. But as of October, the woman had less than $60,000 left in her account and more than $10,000 in credit card debt.

It is the petitioners sincere concern that the respondent will either worsen the damage if not deplete (the victims) bank accounts and take title of the properties into her name if a temporary injunction is not immediately granted, Alexander wrote in a petition for the injunction. Hills position of power increases the chance of further harm thus judicial intervention is needed to stop the bleeding.

Hill represents Orlandos commission district 5 that includes Parramore, Rock Lake, Lake Mann Estates, Malibu Groves and other parts of west Orlando.

Allegations involving Hill and the elderly woman first became public in a complaint filed by a former Hill aide, Jacqueline Cockerham, against the City of Orlando in 2022. Cockerham complained that Hill tormented her while on the job, forcing her to work long hours and conduct Hills personal business on city time.

Among the personal business, Cockerham alleged, was work on the restoration of a home owned by the then-95-year-old woman. Cockerham described the home as infested with cat feces and urine.

Cockerham said that Hill and the constituent had become co-owners of another house and that Cockerham was ordered to work on that house as well, including retrieving banking and real estate documents and ordering dumpsters.

In investigating the allegation, an outside attorney hired by the city interviewed Hill about her relationship with the woman. According to the investigators report, Hill said she met the woman when she was alerted to her plight by city code enforcement personnel, and that she worked to get the woman improved living conditions, medical care, and ultimately a live-in caretaker. Hill acknowledged that she had recently purchased a home within the district and that the woman co-signed the loan.

Cockerham also shared information about the relationship between Hill and the woman with FDLE, and an investigation was launched a year ago, the FDLE affidavit said. On Tuesday, Cockerhams attorney declined to provide further comment regarding the allegations Cockerham made both in court filings and to FDLE.

Orlandos 2023 investigation  which focused on Cockerhams employment-related complaints, not the elder exploitation allegations  cleared Hill of wrongdoing. Cockerham later sued the city over the matter.

City officials are aware of the latest FDLE investigation and the lawsuit against Hill but are not privy to specific details, spokesperson Ashley Papagni told the Sentinel in an email. The City of Orlando has not been named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

Elected officials are held accountable by those who elect them. The city does not have any authority to take disciplinary actions against an elected official, Papagni said.

Hill is no stranger to legal scrutiny.

When she first ran for office in 2014, news surfaced that she had a rap sheet with 21 previous arrests dating to 1983, including drug offenses, DUIs, fraud and passing bad checks. She was able to run for office only because she successfully sought in 2008 to have her civil rights restored by the Florida Parole Commissions Office of Executive Clemency.

In the campaign, she tried to turn her past into a positive.

There is no better leader to be the voice of the people of District 5, because Ive walked in their shoes, Hill said at the time. Ive overcome those obstacles and I know what they go through.

In 2022, Hill was arrested in Birmingham on misdemeanor charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped under circumstances she declined to explain.

In the latest case, Hill has until Friday to file a written response to the allegations of elder exploitation and a hearing is set for March 27 to determine if the temporary injunction approved last week will be upheld.

Orlando Sentinel reporter Cristobal Reyes contributed to this report.
The judge overseeing former President Trumps criminal prosecution in New York has denied Trumps attempts to exclude evidence related to the Access Hollywood tape and testimony from key witnesses from his upcoming criminal trial, but prosecutors will not be permitted to play the infamous tape to jurors.

The defense argued Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, should not be allowed to testify because he has a history of lying, arguing that calling him to the witness stand would amount to suborning perjury.

Judge Juan Merchan rejected the argument.

This Court has been unable to locate any treatise, statute or holding from courts in this jurisdiction or others that support defendants rational that a particular witness should be kept off the witness stand because his credibility has been previously called into question, Merchan said.

PHOTO: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the Dayton International Airport, March 16, 2024, in Vandalia, Ohio. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

MORE: Trump seeks to fundraise off 'bloodbath' controversy: What he actually said

He also will allow Stormy Daniels to testify since she is the recipient of the $130,000 hush payment at the center of the case, writing, The probative value of the evidence is evident.

Merchan also ruled that prosecutors will not be permitted to play the "Access Hollywood" tape -- on which Trump is overheard bragging about how he approaches women -- to the jury or introduce it into evidence. However, prosecutors are allowed to elicit testimony about the tape and how it prompted Trump to fear its impact on his presidential aspirations.

"Thus, the tape helps establish Defendants intent and motive for making the payment to Daniels and then attempting to conceal them," the ruling said.

Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury.

In court documents unsealed April 4, prosecutors alleged Trump engaged in a "scheme" to boost his chances during the 2016 presidential election through a series of hush money payments made by others and the falsification of New York business records to cover up that alleged criminal conduct.

In a statement of facts accompanying the indictment, Manhattan prosecutors allege Trump made payments to his lawyer to reimburse him for a payment the lawyer made to one woman.

Trump, who has denied all wrongdoing, pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts.

Trumps criminal trial in New York has been delayed until at least mid-April.

Judge rules evidence related to Access Hollywood tape admissible in Trump hush money trial originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A judge has ruled in a North Myrtle Beach night clubs federal lawsuit, which claimed that the citys noise ordinance violated its First Amendment rights.

SkyBar, located at 214 Main St., filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on July 5, 2022, alleging North Myrtle Beachs October 2021 noise ordinance was too broad.

The judge ruled March 13 that the ordinances restrictions on profane language did indeed violate free speech, saying in the ruling that it was unconstitutionally overbroad and vague, according to court documents. However, the judge sided with the city when it came to obscene and vulgar language.

The city of North Myrtle Beach was to meet in executive session Monday night to discuss the lawsuit and judges ruling. It did not make a decision regarding the suit.

The city is pleased that the federal court ruled in its favor on two of the three challenges to the ordinance brought by the ACLU on behalf of the plaintiff, according to an emailed statement from city spokesperson Lauren Eckersley.

In this order, the court grants summary judgment to the city and upholds the provisions of its noise ordinance ... which regulate obscene and vulgar sounds being broadcast into public spaces at certain times and levels, the statement said.

Its unclear if the council will decide to alter the ordinance based on the judges ruling.

Bar owner Michael Moshoures, who is being represented by attorneys from the state American Civil Liberties Union chapter, named North Myrtle Beach, Mayor Marilyn Hatley and Police Chief Dana Crowell and former chief Tommy Dennis in the suit.

Meredith Dyer McPhail, one of Moshoures attorneys with the state ACLU, said Monday that the judges ruling changes what the city can and cant enforce.

To anybody else in North Myrtle Beach, the city can no longer enforce the broadest part of the ordinance of profane speech, McPhail said.

The ACLU is considering appealing the ruling on the obscene and vulgar portions, McPhail said.

The U.S. Supreme Court established a test that judges and juries use to determine whether matter is obscene. It includes whether the average person finds that the matter appeals to prurient interests, describes sexual conduct in an offensive way and that the matter lacks serious literary, artistic or political value.

Moshoures suit stems from incidents in which police entered the bar and forced a DJ to stop playing music multiple times, according to the suit. Music played by the night club includes songs that could be considered profane language.

The citys ordinance prohibits the use of sound equipment to broadcast obscene, profane, or vulgar language from any commercial property, private property, public right-of-way or city property in excess of 30 decibels from 7:01 a.m. to 10:59 p.m., the noise equivalent of speaking in a whisper, and 50 decibels from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., roughly as loud as a normal conversation.

The SkyBar is open from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturdays, according to its website.

The ACLU believes the ordinance was targeted at the music the bar played. That music includes such genres as top 40 dance, club music and R&B.

McPhail said since music is an artistic value, we dont think the ordinance can be lawfully applied to music.
After months of debating over how South Carolina selects state judges, a solution to the biggest criticism of the judicial election process remains: How much power will lawyer-legislators continue to wield over the states judiciary?

Last week, the Senate passed a bill  S. 1046  which aims to address ongoing concerns related to the fairness and transparency of how judges are elected in South Carolina and the influence lawyer-legislators hold over them. The bill cleared the Upper chamber with unanimous support, but was fraught with compromises, including one key omission critics of the current system say would drastically help to improve the publics perception of the states judiciary. That is, the removal of all lawyer-legislators from the Judicial Merit Selection Commission, the gatekeeper for judicial candidates seeking election by the General Assembly.

State Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Richland, a lawyer-legislator and one of the most outspoken proponents of judicial reform, said while the bill lacks the removal of lawyer-legislators from the JMSC, it was a huge step in the right direction.

There is something in (the bill) for everyone to either like or dislike, but this is a tremendous change from what weve done in the past, he said.

The chief complaint by advocates seeking changes to how judges are selected involved lawyer-legislators serving on the JMSC and wielding undue influence over judicial candidates, who they may later appear before. S. 1046 does not address this concern as lawyer-legislators would still be permitted to serve on the vetting body.

In a perfect world, we would not have lawyer-legislators on (the JMSC) because they get to vote at the end (once candidates are deemed qualified and referred to the General Assembly), Harpootlian said. However, with six, not three judicial candidates being reported out (by the JMSC) and 12, not 10 members on the JMSC and the governor having significant input on the JMSCs makeup, defuses the power of any lawyer-legislator to any have any significant control of who comes before (the General Assembly).

Here are some of the changes to the current judicial selection process that the House will soon consider.

Number of JMSC members and source of appointments

S. 1046 increases the number of JMSC members from 10 to 12, and for the first time, affords the governor several appointments to the body.

Specifically, South Carolinas chief executive would appoint four members to the JMSC. Three must be lawyers (one primarily practicing criminal law; one, civil law; another, family law) and a retired judge from the supreme court, court of appeals, circuit court or family court, and who is not serving in an active retired status.

The speaker of the House would have four appointments, down from five.

The Senate would also appoint four members, two from the president of the Senate and two from the chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee.

Judicial candidate cap

The JMSC can currently recommend up to three candidates for each vacant judgeship. Under S. 1046 that number would increase to six.

By increasing the pool of qualified candidates, lawmakers say the process will become more transparent and could potentially promote more diversity on the bench.

What has hurt a lot of our African-American candidates is that when you can only screen out three candidates, rarely do we ever get one African American, if even one, said state Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Richland. I do think six works. Its certainly better than three, and if there is any component of this legislation that can help increase diversity, that is it.

Jackson said the challenge African American judicial candidates have historically encountered is the number of white candidates also running whove previously run and, thus, have more experienced in navigating what many refer to as an extremely rigorous vetting process.

Harpootlian said he believes the cap increase will lead to more transparency and fairness.

The bills cap increase gives the JMSC less power to do anything other than to find judicial candidates qualified or unqualified on very objective standards. In the past (the JMSC) has always taken five candidates and narrowed it down to three, they dont have to do that anymore, he said.

JMSC term limits

Commissioners on the JMSC will be limited to four-year terms that cannot be served successively, meaning, former members would be eligible to return to the JMSC only after four years following their initial term.

One of the many criticisms in recent months levied against JMSC members, particularly lawyer-legislators, is that they maintain power and undue influence over the judiciary almost in perpetuity  at least until they leave the JMSC or the General Assembly.

With the exception of the the JMSC chairman and vice chairman, state Rep. Micah Caskey, R-Lexington, and state Sen. Luke Rankin, R-Horry, respectively, the current remaining commissioners would be term limited off. The chairman and vice chairman would be limited to a term of one year in their respective leadership roles.

Notwithstanding the four-year term limit, commissions appointed by the governor would be subject to a right of removal by the governor at any time.

Legislative appointees could be removed from the commission for incapacity, misconduct, or neglect of duty by a resolution adopted by their respective chamber, according to the bill.

The legislative members term, if ceasing to serve in the General Assembly, would also end when they leave office. Their seat would be filled by the office that appointed them. A member appointed to fill a vacancy may serve a full term after the expiration of the unexpired term to which they were appointed.

No member of the JMSC is eligible for nomination and appointment as a judge or justice of the state court system or administrative law judge division while serving on the commission and for a period of one year thereafter. If a candidate is a family member of a member of the commission, the member must resign.

Chances of passing the House

Now that S.1046 is headed to the House, House leadership said theyre confident that some version of S. 1046 will clear the House, including Speaker Murrell Smith, R-Sumter and Majority Leader Davy Hiott, R-Pickens.

We certainly plan on getting something passed (on judicial reform) this year, I think thats an important part of both bodies, Hiott said. We were waiting on (the Senates) bill to get over here, and were glad its coming to us.
EXETER  The Juicery, known for its nutrient-dense smoothies and acai bowls, will be opening downtown this summer.

The Juicery will take over the location that formerly housed Fly By Cafe at 161 Water St. Owner Alex Vandermark said he chose Exeter to open up his 11th location because of his childhood connection to the town.

Being a New Hampshire native, Exeter is nostalgic to me, and I have a lot of memories here, said Vandermark, a graduate of Portsmouth High School. Between summer soccer camps as a kid and frequent dinners out in town, I know Exeter is a great community, and Im excited to be a part of it.

The Juicery, known for its nutrient-dense smoothies and acai bowls, is opening a new location in downtown Exeter.

From superfood-packed smoothies such as Peanut Butter Bliss (banana, peanut butter, chocolate almond milk) to the trendy Acai Bowl (blended acai/guarana, banana and almond milk topped with fresh banana, peanut butter, granola, coconut, cacao nibs), The Juicery is known for its healthy eats.

Vandermark, who purchased the 1,000-square-foot space between the Big Bean and Tranquility Salon & Skin Care last month, said the layout was a perfect fit. Although no plans have been filed with the town yet, Vandermark said he envisions The Juicery as a space for the community to gather, refuel, and socialize.

We are not ones to rush an opening though, as we do our best to be intentional about the decisions we make, and that can take time, he added. As for the work that needs to be done, we are still in the process of clearing out the space and drawing up our vision of what it could be.

The Acai Bowl (blended acai/ guarana, banana and almond milk topped with fresh banana, peanut butter, granola, coconut, cacao nibs) is on the menu at The Juicery.

Darren Winham, Exeters director of economic development, said the arrival of The Juicery will be a great addition to downtown." He said it "once again shows how desirable Exeter is; we fill vacant spaces at lightning speed."

Winham was referring to the fact that the space was purchased immediately after the closure of Fly By Cafe. The cafe closed its doors this past December after 2 years, citing financial and staffing issues.

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The Juicery excited about opening new Exeter location

Vandermark purchased The Juicery, which started in 1995, from a Craigslist ad in 2008. Back then, the first and only location was a 100-square-foot space in an old taxi stand in Portsmouth.

Following the purchase, Vandermark gave the hole in the wall a facelift, adding a couple more fresh juices and smoothies to the menu before moving to a larger space next door in 2013. Since then, The Juicery has expanded its footprint around New England, with four stores in the state, four in Massachusetts and two in Maine.

Vandermark also owns Maine Squeeze, which he purchased in 2011 and has expanded to four more locations between New Hampshire and Maine.

The Juicery, known for its nutrient-dense smoothies and acai bowls, is opening a new location in downtown Exeter.

Many residents voiced their excitement when they learned of the arrival of The Juicery in town. In the local Facebook group, Exeter, NH Community Forum, a post by Shana Hoch announcing the news received over 200 likes and nearly 100 comments.

Oh my poor wallet, they have the best acai bowls ever, wrote Jennifer Eleanor.

However, some residents voiced their concern, stating that Exeter already has similar options with the likes of Laney & Lu at 26 Water Street and Island Vibes Cafe, which opened last fall at 97 Lincoln Street.

In response to those comments, Vandermark said what sets them apart from other stores is versatility.

We think it is great there are so many healthy options in the area, there seems to be a demand for it, he said. While we are known for our smoothies and acai bowls, we feel that our menu has a versatility that caters to many different people, and our fresh made-to-order juices are a specialty that could be what sets us apart.

Vandermark said the new store will hopefully employ between 10-30 people and that customers can expect to see a "revamped space that matches the energy of our other Juicery stores, as well as our passion for approachable healthy offerings.

Hampton Beach Ocean Boulevard makeover: Here's the latest $50 million plan and start date

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: The Juicery opening new Exeter spot: Smoothies, acai bowls and more
A Houma man was found guilty of murdering a local crack cocaine cook after he ruined a batch worth $1,400.

Jamar Mosley, 36, was found guilty of second-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. A 12-person jury returned the unanimous verdict after deliberating for one hour.

Opening statements began March 13, and closing arguments were delivered Monday in Judge Juan Picket's Division C courtroom. Sentencing is set June 20. Second-degree murder carries a life sentence.

During closing arguments, Prosecutor Chris Erny used a dry-erase board to write down 13 bullet points, repeatedly rewriting the date July 2, 2020, the date witnesses testified they last saw Mosley alive.

He played a video recording of Mosley being interviewed by police. In the interview, Mosely said Henry Allridge, the victim, cooked crack cocaine for him and was using a large pot to stretch the product. Detectives asked Mosely if the drugs were messed up. Mosley said nothing was wrong with the drugs, but he threw them away, and took a small pot for cooking before leaving.

"You don't throw dope away  $1,400 of it," Erny said. "If Henry had already cooked dope for him, why did he need the pot?"

Terrebonne Courthouse

The evidence against Mosley for the murder charge was circumstantial. Tora Melendez was sleeping at Mosley's residence with her boyfriend, Shawn Thomas, the last day Allridge was seen alive, July 2, 2020.

"Thirty minutes go by, and I hear Jamar getting mad, saying Henry had messed up the cocaine," Melendez said.

She said she heard the two men arguing in another room, and that when she left the home, she saw Mosely with a gun. Shortly after she left she saw Mosely, Allridge and Thomas get in a vehicle together. Allridge never returned.

A missing person case began for Allridge, and his skeletal remains were found Nov. 7, 2020.

Dr. Ginesse A. Listi, a forensic anthropologist with the Louisiana State University FACES Lab, was part of the team that recovered Allridge's remains. The remains had been run over by a tractor, which shattered pieces of the skeleton. She and other members of the lab reconstructed what they found and were able to distinguish between the blades of the tractor and the beveling of a gunshot entrance wound to Allridge's skull.

"It's right here," Listi said, lifting her right hand and making a cupping motion on her own head. "The way the bone breaks, it will cause beveling to occur opposite of the impact."

Beveling is high velocity or gunshot trauma. There weren't enough skull fragments to locate where the exit wound was, but Listi showed how the bullet's damage to the bone was different than that of the tractor.

The murder weapon, caliber of the bullet, time of the murder and location of the murder were not established. Defense attorney Teresa King said the prosecution hadn't brought enough evidence, and that their entire case hinged on a witness who couldn't be trusted.

Melendez had told police conflicting stories throughout the investigation. She pled guilty to accessory after the fact for misleading the police after telling them she saw Thomas and Mosely bury Allridge's body in the woods of Dularge. Allridge's remains were found at 5442 N. Bayou Black Dr. Thomas is scheduled for trial at 9 a.m. March 25.

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King used a measuring cup and a bottle of Coffee Mate Zero creamer as a visual display as she spoke. She pointed to the top line, saying that it was reasonable doubt.

"The testimony of Tora Melendez threats allegedly made by Mosely to the family the passage of time," she said. With each point she made, King poured more creamer into the cup, stopping short of the top line. King said Erny's case relied on Melendez's account for motive, and Melendez's numerous accounts meant her testimony couldn't be trusted.

"Without that statement, what other evidence do you have?," King said.

This article originally appeared on The Courier: Houma man convicted of second-degree murder in killing over crack cocaine
In a debate Monday at the Supreme Court challenging the Biden administrations alleged coordination with Big Tech to censor certain messages, one justice raised eyebrows in her comments about the governments relationship with the First Amendment.

The case stems from a lawsuit brought by Republican-led states Missouri and Louisiana that accused high-ranking government officials of working with giant social media companies "under the guise of combating misinformation" that ultimately led to censoring speech on topics that included Hunter Bidens laptop, COVID-19 origins and the efficacy of face masks  which the states argued was a First Amendment violation.

In nearly two hours of oral arguments, the justices debated whether the Biden administration crossed the constitutional line, and whether its outreach efforts with private companies amounted to permissible persuasion or encouragement versus illegal coercion or threats of retaliation.

"It's got these big clubs available to it, and so it's treating Facebook and these other platforms like their subordinates," Justice Samuel Alito said. But Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson took a different approach.

SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS IN KEY FIRST AMENDMENT CASE CHALLENGING BIDEN ADMIN TEAMWORK WITH BIG TECH

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson

"Your view has the First Amendment hamstringing the federal government in significant ways in the most important time periods," she told the lawyer representing Louisiana, Missouri and private plaintiffs.

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"The government actually has a duty to take steps to protect the citizens of this country... by encouraging or even pressuring platforms to take down harmful information," she said.

"Justice Jackson appears to be saying that she believes that the states view would prevent the government from explaining its facts or positions to the social media companies when there is some danger or imminent threat," John Shu, a constitutional attorney who served in both Bush administrations, told Fox News Digital, noting that the "heart" of the case "revolves around where the differentiating line between persuasion and coercion exists."

"The First Amendment does not prevent government officials from complaining about a particular post or explaining why the post is factually incorrect. In fact, thats why X has the Community Notes function," he said.

However, Shu noted that the First Amendment "prevents government officials from coercing, whether explicitly or implicitly, publishers to remove posts or articles because the government disagrees with or doesnt like that viewpoint, even if it is under the guise of national security or public health."

SUPREME COURT TO HEAR FIRST AMENDMENT CHALLENGE TO NEW YORK'S FINANCIAL 'BLACKLISTING' OF NRA

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey told Fox News Digital in an interview that Justice Jackson was "absolutely right."

"It is hamstringing, and it's supposed to. The whole purpose of the Constitution is to protect us from the government, and the government exists to protect our rights. But here, the federal government is ignoring our First Amendment protections and weaponizing the federal government to silence our voices," Bailey said.

"And she's right. It limits what the federal government can and can't do. And that's a good thing," he added.

The lawsuit from the states alleges 67 federal agencies and officials coerced platforms like Facebook and Twitter/X to censor individual posts, primarily related to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the past two administrations, as well as the 2020 presidential election results.

Those cited include White House communications staffers, the surgeon general, the FBI and the U.S. cybersecurity agency.

In a July 4 court order last year, U.S. District Court Judge Terry A. Doughty imposed the temporary injunction preventing White House and executive agency officials from meeting with tech companies about moderating content, arguing that such actions in the past were "likely" First Amendment violations.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals extended the scope of the injunction, and said officials could not "coerce or significantly encourage" changes in online content.

In its appeal to the Supreme Court, the Justice Department argued that "a central dimension of presidential power is the use of the Offices bully pulpit to seek to persuade Americans  and American companies  to act in ways that the President believes would advance the public interest." That includes areas like public health, voting integrity and national security threats.

In Mondays oral arguments, conservative justices were most vocal against the federal government's actions, which Alito in October  when the appeal first arrived at the high court  said was "heavy-handed tactics to skew the presentation of views on the medium that increasingly dominates the dissemination of news."

Justice Clarence Thomas suggested how the federal government might subtly coordinate with tech firms. "You just work together, said: Look, we're right; they're wrong. Let's work together. You know, we're on the same team. Let's work together to make sure that this misinformation doesn't gain sort of any following."

But several of their conservative colleagues were concerned about hamstringing the federal government too severely. One hypothetical raised in court was how to respond to an epidemic sprouting online, in which young people were being encouraged as a dare or stunt to record themselves jumping from windows to the ground below, at ever-increasing heights.

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Missouri Attorney Genearl Andrew Bailey

"The government is not monolithic either," said Chief Justice John Roberts, using another hypothetical. "Maybe EPA is trying to coerce a platform about something, and the Army Corps of Engineers is trying to coerce them the other way? I mean, you can't just sort of pick and choose which part of the government you're concerned about."

When the lawyer for the plaintiffs argued the federal government was indirectly engaging in "encouragement" with platforms, Justice Amy Coney Barrett interjected.

"Just plain vanilla encouragement, or does it have to be some kind of significant encouragement? Because encouragement would sweep in an awful lot."

Justice Elena Kagan raised national security concerns.

"Terrorists engage in things that come under the First Amendment. Let's say they're just recruiting people for their organizations" online, she asked. "There's all kinds of things that can appear on these platforms that do all kinds of different harms, and the inability of government that you're suggesting to reach out to these platforms and say: We want to give you information that you might not know about on this."

Jenin Younes, counsel for the New Civil Liberties Alliance who represented private individuals in the case said they were "optimistic."

"Our clients, who include top doctors and scientists, were censored for social media posts that turned out to be factually accurate, depriving the public of valuable perspectives during a public health crisis," Younes said.

"Were optimistic that the majority will look at the record and recognize that this was a sprawling government censorship enterprise without precedent in this country, and that this cannot be permitted to continue if the First Amendment is to survive."

Fox News' Bill Mears and David Spunt contributed to this report.





Original article source: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson raises eyebrows with comment that First Amendment hamstrings" government
Kraig Biocraft Laboratories

ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) ("Kraig Labs" or "the Company"), announces today that Dr. Nirmal Kumar, a globally recognized expert in sericulture, will join the Companys Senior Management in Vietnam to supervise the start of the spring production trials and the launch of the BAM-1 hybrid.



Dr. Nirmal Kumar gained recognition as a leading authority in the breeding and rearing of silkworms through his 37 years of work at the Central Sericulture Research & Training Institute ("CSRTI") in India. He specializes in research, training, and testing of silkworm breeds, mulberry cultivation, and rearing technologies. Dr. Nirmal Kumar joined the Kraig Labs team as a senior consultant in November of 2023, bringing world-class expertise in silkworm breeding and commercial scale rearing to the Company.

Dr. Nirmal Kumar will join senior management to oversee operations and kick off the 2024 production season. He is tasked with reviewing the Company's production operations and that of its third party contract manufacturers. He will provide guidance and training to the team and oversee the rearing of the first generation of BAM-1 parent lines. He will also assist senior management in outlining the blueprints for the planned continued expansion of production capacity in Vietnam.

"Dr. Nirmal Kumar brings a wealth of firsthand knowledge and expertise. We are very excited to have him working side by side with our team as we mark this pivotal milestone for the commercialization of recombinant spider silk," said Founder and CEO of Kraig Labs, Kim Thompson.

To view the most recent news from Kraig Labs and/or to sign up for Company alerts, please go to www.KraigLabs.com/news

About Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc.

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. ( www.KraigLabs.com ), a reporting biotechnology company is the leading developer of recombinant spider silk-based fiber technologies.

Story continues

The Company has achieved a series of scientific breakthroughs in the area of spider silk technology with implications for the global textile industry.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

Statements in this press release about the Company's future and expectations other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These statements are made on the basis of management's current views and assumptions. As a result, there can be no assurance that management's expectations will necessarily come to pass. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as "believes," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "estimated," "hopes," "if," "develops," "researching," "research," "pilot," "potential," "could" or other words or phrases of similar import. Forward looking statements include descriptions of the Company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions and goals. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security.

Ben Hansel, Hansel Capital, LLC

(720) 288-8495

ir@KraigLabs.com




KANSAS CITY, Mo.  MacKenzie Scott, a billionaire, philanthropist and author, has donated $3 million to two Kansas City-area nonprofits.

On Tuesday, Kansas City nonprofits KC Healthy Kids and Amethyst Place announced they received grants from Scott through her organization, Yield Giving.

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Amethyst Place received $2 million, which will support its affordable housing expansion project. The nonprofit is a long-term supportive housing program for women and children recovering from generational substance use, poverty and trauma.

We are incredibly honored to be among the leading nonprofits in the country working toward transformational community change, Starla Wulf Brennan, the Executive Director of Amethyst Place, said.

This gift nearly closes the gap on our capital campaign, ensuring affordable housing for 32 more families by the end of 2024. We cant wait to bring these families off our year-long waitlist and home to heal.

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KC Healthy Kids $1 million grant is the largest award in its 20-year history and is a nod to their efforts to advance the health and wellbeing of kids in the Kansas City area.

This award represents the largest gift in our nearly two-decade history, and recognizes and confirms our impact advancing the health and well-being of kids in our community, said Danielle Robbins-Gregory, president and CEO of KC Healthy Kids.

This generous contribution sets the stage for expanding our efforts and deepening our partnerships to create environments that promote healthy living for kids and families in our region.

In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an open call for community-led, community-focused organizations that aim to enable individuals and families to improve their well-being through foundational resources.

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Amethyst Places spokesperson, Sarah Knopf-Amelung, said that group requested $1 million in aid from Yield Giving, money that would be used to offset the $16 million price tag of those new living quarters. Instead, Scotts philanthropy delivered $2 million  twice the price Amethyst Place had asked for.

We were in complete shock, Knopf-Amelung said on Tuesday afternoon. Its a rare project to be owned by a non-profit. Were going to be able to afford this long-term. Were not going to convert it to market rate. Were going to stick to our mission.

Scotts generosity seems American nonprofits that provide indispensable services to their community.

Splitlog Farms, an urban grower that sits in the Bethany neighborhood in Kansas City, Kansas, is also on the list of groups enjoying donated dollars. The farm is operated by KC Healthy Kids, a community group that raises fresh produce on that farm and distributes it to community agencies in need. Some of those groups use the vegetables to give kids healthy snacks and lunches.

KC Healthy Kids received $1 million from Yield Giving, according to Rachael McGinnis Millisap, one of that groups vice-presidents.

It just validates the work we do. It fills in the gaps of everything from keeping the lights on to growing more fruits and vegetables out here  or getting Tracy Flowers, our farmer out here  help she needs to grow two thousand pounds of food and distribute it in the community, Millsap said.

Scott promised to give $1 million each to 250 organizations last year through an open call for applications. On Tuesday, she announced she would give $640 million to 361 organizations instead. Scott received over 6,000 applications during her open call.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating after Kansas City police shot a woman allegedly armed with a handgun Tuesday morning.

That 41-year-old woman is now facing charges in Platte County.

The shooting happened around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday near Ambassador and Polo drives. MSHP is now leading the investigation.

A spokesperson for the Kansas City Police Department said it happened as two officers were serving court paperwork near a cluster of hotels just south of Kansas City International Airport.

Man found dead in pond behind Overland Park home

MSHP Sgt. Andy Bell said Kansas City officers were dispatched after the petitioner of protection order had concerns about the respondent and wanted officers to contact that person.

Bell said as two officers arrived, they saw the respondent, a woman, walking down the road. They attempted to make contact with the woman, but Bell said she didnt comply with officers.

MSHP said the woman had a handgun and presented it to police, and an officer shot the woman.

The woman has non-life threatening injuries, and first responders took her to a local hospital. No officers were injured.

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Later Tuesday, a Platte County Prosecutors Office spokesperson confirmed Zina Sokoli has now been charged with first-degree assault or attempted assault and armed criminal action.

Court documents further detailing the charges against Sokoli were not immediately available.

Kansas City police said Sokoli was released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon and is in police custody with no bond.

The highway patrol will now review body camera and dash camera video as they investigate the police shooting.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Kansas House Republicans are abandoning their top policy goal for the year  a single-rate income tax.

For more than a year Kansas GOP leadership have pushed aggressively for a flat income tax despite a promised veto from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, acknowledged defeat on Tuesday, weeks after his chamber failed to override Kellys veto on an earlier flat tax plan.

You can only do what you have votes for and it became very evident to me that were not going to get to an override vote, Hawkins said during a press conference at the Capitol.

At some point in time you have to give up maybe what you want and move to what you can get passed.

The decision to move is a remarkable departure for Hawkins who spent months before the legislative session traveling the state advocating for a flat income tax and a major concession to Kelly. In interviews earlier this year Hawkins had said a flat income tax was a must have for any tax plan.

Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, have long argued the flat income tax is fair and will draw people and businesses to Kansas. But Kelly has been vehemently opposed to the proposal which she says will harm the states budget and deliver a disproportionate amount of tax relief to higher income Kansans.

Last month the House fell four votes short of a veto-proof majority when they sought to override Kellys veto. After weeks of conversation, Hawkins said, it was clear a flat tax was not possible this year.

Instead Hawkins and other top House Republicans rolled out a new tax plan this week that eliminates one of Kansas three income tax brackets moving the state to a dual rate income tax.

In addition to adjusting income tax rates, the new plan would phase out income tax on Social Security over the next four years and reduce the amount of income tax collected by the state.

Kellys office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the plan. The governor has repeatedly said she would veto any tax package that includes a flat income tax but has expressed an openness to negotiating on other items.

But the plan has drawn cautious interest from lawmakers who voted against the last plan. Rep. Mark Schrieber, an Emporia Republican who voted against the flat tax, said the change to a dual rate could make the policy more acceptable to him.

The feedback I got in my district on the single-rate plan wasnt as favorable, Schrieber said. A dual rate, he argued, could be more palatable because its a less severe change to Kansas tax structure.

Across the aisle, Rep. Tom Sawyer, the top Democrat on the House Taxation committee, called the bill promising but said hed like to see a few changes.

The proposal is almost certain to hit hangups in the Kansas Senate where just last week Republicans approved a new flat tax plan with a veto proof majority.

Following the vote, Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican who has championed the flat tax, said he was looking for a flat tax plan that kept the overall cost to the state low enough to maintain that support.

Frankly, Im not pleased where the rates at, but the structure is whats important to me, he said of the Senate bill.
A Kansas man was found dead in an apparant drowning in Overland Park Monday night, according to police.

Police were called to the 19300 block of Flint in Overland Park around 9:28 p.m., where they found a person who had drowned, according to a news release from Overland Park police spokesman Officer John Lacy. Police said emergency medical staff declared the victim deceased before they arrived on scene.

The victim was identified as Christopher Larson, 53, of Bucyrus, Kansas, according to the news release.

The investigation into the death is ongoing, according to police. Anyone with information is asked to call the Investigations Unit at 913-344-8750 or the tips hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
A former Kansas police chief, now working as a deputy, has been censured after threatening an inmate and punching him three times in the head and face after the inmate spit on him, according to documents released Tuesday.

A censure is considered a formal reprimand.

James Cude, who was police chief in the WaKeeney Police Department when the incident happened July 22, 2023, is now a deputy with the Greenwood County Sheriffs Office.

Cude replied no comment when reached by phone Tuesday and then hung up.

Cude self-reported the incident to the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (KSCPOST), the organization which oversees officer certifications.

Cude ran the roughly six-officer department from February 2023-2024 before resigning, the police department said.

He was still with the department when KSCPOST finished its investigation last month. The findings were published Tuesday.

Heres what it says:

Cude took an inmate to the Ellis County Jail, where jail staff put the inmate in a restraint chair due to his behavior.

The inmate, who reported to officers that he had Hepatitis C, became increasingly agitated and thrashed about. He then tried to headbutt an officer, when Cude threatened him.

The inmate then tried to bite an officer when Cude said: If you try to bite anyone, you wont have any teeth when I am done.

The inmate then spit in Cudes face, who reacted by punching the inmate three times in the face and head before jail staff stopped him.

The inmate was restrained when Cude punched him. Cude was not charged with anything in the case, court records show.

Hepatitis C is a virus that can be spread through blood contact from an infected person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It cannot be spread through saliva.
GREAT BEND, Kan. (KSNW)  The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, located at 592 NE Kansas Highway 156 in Great Bend, will host a solar eclipse viewing party from 12 to 3 p.m. on Monday, April 8.

While our location may not experience totality, viewers will still be treated to a rare and spectacular sight as the moon obscures 82.5 percent of the sun, said the KWEC.

The KWEC says the eclipse viewing party will be educational and fun for all ages.

Attendees can look forward to engaging in games, science experiments, snacks, crafts, and safe viewing opportunities, said the KWEC.

Kansas eclipse map: Which cities will have the best view?

Activities will include various safe viewing methods, learning sessions about moon phases, accompanied by sweet treats, discussion about animal behavior during an eclipse, and crafting sessions to make UV bead bookmarks and eclipse necklaces as keepsakes. There will also be lawn games and eclipse-related videos playing in the auditorium.

The Great Bend Noon Lions Club has donated 300 eclipse glasses that will be distributed to participants on the day of the event. The KWEC will be reminding everyone not to stare directly at the sun to avoid any eye damage.

Guests are being encouraged to bring a lawn chair and their own lunch.

For more information, call the KWEC at 877-243-9268.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Four years after the death of Breonna Taylor, lawmakers are renewing their efforts to ban no-knock warrants.

The push comes as Congress has struggled to enact policing reforms.

Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul says it is time to ban no-knock warrants.

Its just not a good idea to go in without announcing yourself, Sen. Rand Paul, (R-Ky.) said.

No-knock warrants are when law enforcement go into a home without announcing their authority or purpose.

Paul named his bill after Breonna Taylor, who was killed in March 2020 when police entered her apartment through a no-knock raid and shot her.

Paul first filed the bill in 2020, but it did not have a Democratic co-sponsor and did not move forward. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is co-sponsoring the current bill.

Libertarians like myself have been talking about no-knock raids, really for a long time. Even before this, Paul said.

Paul says in many cases no-knock warrants are used for non-violent offenses.

They involve drugs and drugs are bad and people are harmed by drugs, but its mostly people choosing to harm themselves, Paul said.

He says these raids also put law enforcement at risk.

Arrest them during the daytime when they go to the coffee shop, when theyre alone, when theyre not behind a closed door, Paul said.

State and local law enforcement agencies that receive federal funding would be required to follow these new rules.

This is about police safety as well, Paul said.

Virginia Democratic Senator Tim Kaine agrees its a good idea to ban no-knock warrants.

So, I have supported that, as a part of a more comprehensive police reform bill. I havent seen Senator Pauls bill and I want to look at the details. But in terms of the concept, I think its got a lot of merit, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said.

Paul says he would like to see this bill get a vote in the Senate immediately.

The House bill that is sponsored by Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.) can be found here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
A Kentucky sheriffs deputy was shot and another man is dead in a Monday incident in Wayne County, according to Kentucky State Police and media reports.

The incident happened on Carters Dock Road in Alpha. KSP said the deputy was transported to the University of Tennessee Hospital with injuries. The deputy has since been released from the hospital.

WKYT, the Herald-Leaders news-reporting partner, reported the deputy was shot in the chest while serving papers. The deputy was wearing a vest during the shooting that saved his life, according to WKYT.

FOX56 identified the deputy as Cody Neal.

Another man was declared dead at the scene, according to KSP. No details were given on how the man died or the mans identity.

No other injuries were reported. KSP said it is investigating the shooting and will release further details after witnesses are interviewed and facts are gathered.

Timelines to complete investigations vary based on the complexity of the case, KSP said in a press release.

A standoff occurred after the shooting but it has since ended, according to Lex 18. The Wayne County Sheriffs Office, Monticello Police Department and Kentucky State Police were on scene during the standoff.

In a Facebook post, the city of Monticello said theyre praying for Neal and the officers who responded to the scene.

Today showed what small town is all about, the city said in a Facebook post. As the horrible news spread throughout the community of the officer involved shooting, with the wayne county sheriff dept. prayers filled the heavens that our neighbor would be healed.

This is a developing story and will be updated.
President William Ruto is hoping to provide affordable houses to low income-earners through the new levy

Kenya's President William Ruto has signed into law a controversial bill, paving the way for the government to continue collecting a housing levy of 1.5% of a worker's monthly pay.

The levy is intended to pay for the construction of affordable housing for poorer Kenyans.

But it sparked an outcry from the opposition and a large section of the population who feel burdened by a raft of new taxes.

The law had been held up in the courts.

A judge had stopped the deductions citing lack of a legal framework. However, MPs amended and approved the bill last week despite objections from opposition legislators.

The levy, which had been mentioned in Mr Ruto's manifesto for the 2022 election, was part of a finance law adopted last June that also doubled the sales tax on fuel. A new higher health insurance levy is also due to come into effect soon.

The government has argued that it needs to increase its revenue from taxation in order to reduce the budget deficit and pay for public services.

The authorities had begun deducting the 1.5% housing levy from peoples' pay from last July. But, amid public anger, one activist took the government to court arguing successfully that it unfairly singled out Kenyans in the formal sector who get a regular monthly salary.

In order to address the issues raised by the court, the new law now extends the levy to other workers and now requires non-salaried Kenyans in the informal sector to pay the levy.

It is not clear how the government will collect the money from those in the informal sector.

The new law also establishes the Affordable Housing Fund, which is intended to manage the money the government will get from the levy.

The authorities say the deduction will not be backdated to include the money that would have been paid had the scheme not been suspended.

President Ruto is aiming to construct 200,000 affordable housing units every year and hopes to create more than 600,000 jobs.

The opposition has threatened to take this new law to court, alleging the government ignored concerns of Kenyans over the increasing tax burden.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said authorities in Kern County will work on extraditing a Colorado man accused of kidnapping an 11-year-old girl who was located in Utah.

Youngblood provided a few more details about the case during a press conference Tuesday afternoon. Joshua Michael Stehle, 29, of Thornton Colorado was arrested and held at the Sevier County jail while he waits to be extradited, authorities said.

The girl was located in Utah on March 17, hours after going missing near the 3100 block of Pioneer Drive in Bakersfield, according to the the Kern County Sheriffs Office.

Officials said a Salina Police Department officer spotted a Chevy Silverado heading east on I-70 near Salina and pulled the truck over. From there, the officer was able to take Stehle into custody and rescue the 11-year-old girl.

The Bakersfield girl was taken into custody of the Utah Division of Child and Family Services and has since been reunited with her family.

Watch the press conference with Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood in the video player above.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
MUMBAI, India, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Locobuzz , India's leading unified customer experience (CX) management platform, today announces its expansion into the Middle East through a strategic partnership with Al-Mulla Media, a prominent digital transformation company in the region. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Locobuzz's expansion efforts in the EMEA region and underscores its commitment to empowering businesses with a comprehensive and powerful CX solution.

Locobuzz forays into Middle East region in partnership with Al-Mulla Media

As part of this strategic partnership, Locobuzz will serve as a technology partner to Al-Mulla Media and jointly offer its SaaS platform to enterprises in the region. Al-Mulla Media has a strong market presence, serving over 800 clients across diverse sectors, including Automotive, Financial Services, Healthcare, Information Services, Mining, and other government and private organizations.

Commenting on the expansion and partnership, Vishal Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Locobuzz, said, "We are excited to partner with Al-Mulla Media. With their deep understanding of the regional market and extensive client base, we are confident that we will make a significant impact in helping businesses deliver exceptional customer experiences."

This partnership comes at a pivotal time, as digital transformation is in full swing, with businesses in the Middle East increasingly leveraging new media channels for customer engagement. However, limited availability of comprehensive product options often leads businesses to rely on multiple vendors or pay a premium for comprehensive solutions. Locobuzz aims to fill the gap by providing enterprises with a unified CX platform that streamlines customer interactions and enhances brand-customer relationships. The platform offers a comprehensive suite of solutions, including digital care, analytics, actionable insights, and holistic social media management, all accessible from a single, user-friendly dashboard.

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Partnering with Locobuzz enables Al-Mulla Media to deliver cutting-edge CX solutions to their enterprise clients, enriching their digital transformation journey. It expands the scope of services beyond CRM and WhatsApp integration to encompass the entirety of social media, providing clients with broader opportunities. Locobuzz and Al-Mulla Media plan to integrate with existing technology in the future, providing a more comprehensive solution.

"We are delighted to join hands with Locobuzz and bring their leading CX platform to the Middle East market," said Hamad Al Mulla, CEO of Al-Mulla Media. "Locobuzz's innovative solutions will empower businesses in the region to connect with their customers on a deeper level and deliver exceptional, memorable experiences. We look forward to working closely with Locobuzz to drive digital transformation and customer-centricity across various industries."

This partnership brings together the strengths of both organizations to meet the growing demand for advanced customer engagement tools and analytics in the rapidly evolving business landscape. Locobuzz will initially focus on brands in Dubai, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia across various industries. Within the next year, the company aims to onboard 100 clients, establishing itself as a key player in the rapidly growing CX market in the region.

About Locobuzz:

Locobuzz is a global enterprise software company specializing in digital customer experience management. Its unified CX management platform enables brands to automate the entire customer experience journey, delivering delightful and humane experiences to customers across all customer-facing functions. The platform uses advanced AI, ML, Big Data, and Analytics to empower brands with real-time data analytics, automation, consumer insights, and end-to-end social media management, including publishing, listening, analytics, and engagement. This helps brands forge stronger customer relationships and increase lifetime value.

Trusted by Fortune 500 companies and marquee brands across various industries, Locobuzz operates in seven countries, including India, the USA, the UK, Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Learn more at https://locobuzz.com/

About Al-Mulla Media

Headquartered in Kuwait, Al-Mulla Media is a leading digital transformation company, committed to delivering top-notch business communication solutions centered around advancement and positivity. Our expertise spans all communication channels and marketing disciplines, enabling us to contribute to national and regional initiatives across diverse business sectors. With a focus on client satisfaction and innovation, we proudly serve clients in industries such as Hi-Tech, Automotive, Banking, Healthcare, Financial Services, Information Services, and Mining. Learn more at https://almulla-media.com/

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Devon Archer, a key witness in House Republicans' impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, will not attend a high-profile open hearing this week, citing what his attorney characterized as a "patently unreasonable" amount of time to prepare.

Matthew Schwartz, an attorney for Archer -- a former Hunter Biden business associate, revealed Monday in a letter to a top Oversight Committee investigator that the panel only contacted him on Friday in an "end-of-day email" to inquire about whether his client would attend the hearing on Wednesday, which Schwartz says "is sure to be a closely-watched public hearing that the committee has provocatively entitled 'Influence Peddling: Examining Joe Biden's Abuse of Public Office.'"

"The answer is no," Schwartz wrote to the committee, according to a copy of the letter obtained by ABC News. "Providing such short notice for a witness's public appearance before the Committee on a matter of national importance is patently unreasonable."

Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer publicly invited Archer to appear alongside Hunter Biden and two other witnesses in their probe -- Jason Galanis and Tony Bobulinski -- at the public hearing on March 7 and has frequently promoted the hearing in public statements since then.

After closed-door testimony, Hunter Biden declines invitation from Comer to testify in public

"This is an opportunity for Hunter [Biden] to have the hearing he wanted," Comer said on Fox News over the weekend. We want the public hearing. We actually need the public hearing because of the discrepancies" between Hunter Bidens closed-door testimony and what other witnesses in the probe have told the committee, he said.

But according to Schwartz's letter, Archer first received word from the committee late Friday. Schwartz alluded to an invitation attached to the Friday email dated March 6 and transmitted to Devon Archer "via counsel," but he claimed "that latter was never sent to me."

Schwartz suggested the letter dated March 6 was mistakenly sent to a different attorney.

"As you well know (and as the lawyer to whom you sent the letter has confirmed), I have been the only lawyer to represent Mr. Archer in the Committee's work, including representing him at the July interview," Schwartz said.

A spokeswoman for the committee told ABC News in a statement that "the Oversight Committee sent the invitation to one of Devon Archer's attorneys on March 6 and he confirmed receipt."

"It's unfortunate Devon Archer appears to be planning not to testify at the hearing," the spokeswoman said.

PHOTO: Devon Archer, a former business associate of Hunter Biden, arrives for closed-door testimony with the House Oversight Committee at the O'Neill House Office Building, July 31, 2023, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

What did Hunter Biden's ex-business partner tell lawmakers?

Archer's testimony last year was promoted by House Republicans as some of the most damning evidence of the Biden family's alleged influence peddling. Comer hoped to air some of Archer's closed-door testimony -- including a claim that Hunter Biden frequently put his father on speakerphone in the presence of business associates -- in a public setting.

But in his letter Monday, Schwartz wrote that "it is not remotely reasonable to ask an important witness in what is sure to be a closely-watched public hearing ... to prepare witness testimony in one business day, and to prepare to give public testimony in less than three business days."

Schwartz reiterated his client's willingness to cooperate in the investigation and asked them to suggest other dates in the future for Archer to testify publicly. Archer is currently preparing to report to prison for defrauding a Native American tribe.

PHOTO: FHunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, and attorney Abbe Lowell arrive for a closed-door deposition with the House Oversight and Judiciary committees on Capitol Hill, Feb. 28, 2024. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)

Hunter Biden addressed numerous allegations under questioning from lawmakers, transcript shows

Hunter Biden last week also declined the panel's invitation to testify publicly, despite previously expressing an interest in doing so, calling the hearing a "carnival sideshow" and a "blatant planned-for-media event."

Archer and the two other witnesses invited to participate in the hearing -- Galanis and Bobulinski -- are former business associates of Hunter Biden who have since become critics of the Biden family.

Bobulinski released a statement last week signaling his intention to appear for the hearing.

Mark Paoletta, an attorney for Galanis -- who is currently serving a 14-year prison sentence in Alabama for securities fraud -- said his client "is willing to testify at this hearing to provide his firsthand knowledge of then-Vice President Joe Biden helping his son Hunter Biden in his business dealings."

A spokesperson for the Oversight Committee did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.

Key GOP impeachment witness won't attend open committee hearing, citing 'short notice' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
King Charles III (C), during an audience with Veterans of the Korean War (L-R) Alan Guy, Mike Mogridge, Brian Parritt, and Ron Yardley at Buckingham Palace on March 19, 2024 in London, England. Credit - Jonathan Brady/WPA PoolGetty Images

Two appearances by King Charles III have swiftly put to bed false claims by Russian media that Britains monarch had died.

The 75-year-old king was spotted on Tuesday leaving Windsor Castle and arriving at Clarence House, hours before hosting an audience with veterans at Buckingham Palace to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.

King Charles was photographed hosting veterans associated with the conflict. As many as 60,000 members of the British Armed Forces served in the war, with 1,100 people losing their lives in Korea. Around 227,000 South Korean troops were also killed during the conflict.

While King Charles met with some Korean War veterans, Princess Anne and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, later hosted a separate reception Tuesday for hundreds of veterans on his behalf, which he did not attend. Anne, Princess Royal, delivered her brothers speech for him. It has been a personal ambition of mine to invite you all, in some form, to Buckingham Palace to recognize this significant milestone and ensure you are all most deservingly honored for your valiant service over 70 years ago, the Kings speech said. Anne also expressed Charles disappointment that he could not attend in person.

King Charles is still receiving treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer, news he made public in February. The monarch has reduced his duties and cut back on public appearances while he recovers. Working royals within the family are set to support the King with some of his official duties during this time.

Read More: What Are Working Royals? And What Happens When They Cant Work?

King Charles appearances come a day after the British government and its Moscow and Kyiv embassies had to declare that the monarch was alive amid false rumors of his death spread by Russian media. On Monday, Russian state media and some social media accounts cited unknown sources in their stories claiming that King Charles had died. The false claims spread to the media in Ukraine and Tajikistan.

Broader speculation and misinformation about the royal family is swirling, with conspiracy theories spreading about Kate Middletons health, whereabouts, and marriage to Prince William after the Princess of Wales retreated from the public eye after a planned abdominal surgery in January. A short video shared by tabloids TMZ and The Sun on Monday showed Kate leaving a farm shop in Windsor alongside William. Kensington Palace has not commented on the video.

More From TIME

Write to Armani Syed at armani.syed@time.com.
BURNET COUNTY, Texas (KXAN)  Late last month, a Burnet County judge sentenced a Kingsland man to 99 years in prison, after he was found guilty of possessing a large quantity of methamphetamines with an intent to distribute.

In addition to the sentence, Judge Allan Garrett said Daniel Limon, 29, has to pay a fine of $250,000.

Llano County Sheriffs deputies pulled Limon over for a traffic stop in Kingsland, and a vehicle search revealed he had 984 grams of methamphetamine hidden in a speaker, according to a news release from the Burnet County District Attorneys Office.

Limon attempted to run from deputies, but he was eventually caught and arrested in a backyard in a nearby neighborhood, the release said.

Evidence presented during Limons trial included two previous conviction for possession of methamphetamine and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine back in 2016 in Llano County, the release said. He was sentenced to 12 years in both cases, and he served seven years before he was released on parole.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Former President Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside State Supreme court in Manhattan, Dec. 7, 2023. (Dave Sanders/The New York Times)

Its crunchtime for Donald Trump.

By Monday, the former president must secure an appeal bond for roughly half a billion dollars in his civil fraud case in New York, and his ability to do so was called into question this week.

In a court filing, Trumps lawyers revealed that he had been unable to secure an appeal bond despite diligent efforts that included approaching about 30 bond companies.

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While Trump this month managed to post a $91.6 million bond in a defamation case he recently lost to writer E. Jean Carroll, securing the deal at the eleventh hour from a large insurance company, he lacks the assets needed to secure the far bigger guarantee for the fraud case.

If he cannot produce the bond in time, Trump faces the possibility of financial disaster and humiliation. New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the fraud case, would be entitled to collect the $454 million and could seek to seize Trumps New York properties or freeze his bank accounts.

And Trumps money problems spread well beyond New York. As the presumptive Republican nominee for president, he is facing increased pressure to raise money to fund his campaign, lagging behind his opponent, President Joe Biden, in fundraising.

In recent days, The New York Times has received many questions about Trumps financial woes. Here are answers to several:

What was Trump accused of?

James took Trump, his company and his adult sons to trial last fall, accusing them of fraudulently inflating the value of his golf clubs, office buildings and other properties to the tune of about $2 billion.

Trump exaggerated the property values, and in turn his own net worth, to obtain favorable loan terms from banks and insurers, according to James.

At the trial, which lasted months, James lawyers showed that Trumps company had ignored appraisals and manipulated numbers to sometimes absurd heights.

For example, the former president had valued his triplex apartment in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue as if it were 30,000 square feet for years. It was actually 10,996 square feet.

Trump lost the trial. The judge overseeing the case  there was no jury  ruled in favor of James.

How was he punished?

Justice Arthur Engoron came down hard on Trump, imposing a judgment of $355 million plus interest, amounting to $454 million.

The judge also imposed a range of penalties that could curb Trumps influence over his family business, barring him from serving as a top executive at a New York company for three years.

What comes next?

Trump has appealed the judgment.

Although he does not have to pay James office the $454 million while he appeals, he is on the hook to either cut a check to the New York state court system for the full amount himself, or, more likely, obtain an appeal bond.

What is an appeal bond?

In this case, it would be a document in which a bond company promises to pay the $454 million judgment, plus interest, if Trump were to lose his appeal and fails to pay.

To obtain a bond of such size, Trump would need to pledge a significant amount of collateral to the bond company  about $557 million, his lawyers said  including as much cash as possible, as well as any stocks and bonds he could sell quickly.

He would also owe the bond company a fee that could amount to nearly $20 million.

Does he have enough cash to obtain one?

Short answer: no.

A recent New York Times analysis found that Trump had more than $350 million in cash as well as stocks and bonds, far short of the $557 million he would need to post in collateral.

In a court filing Monday, Trumps lawyers said they had contacted more than 30 bond companies, and none agreed to do a deal.

But I thought he was a billionaire?

While Trump has long bragged about his wealth, his true financial position remains something of a mystery. And most of his wealth is tied up in his real estate holdings that bond companies dont typically accept as collateral.

He also has less liquid collateral available today than he did even a few weeks ago. To secure the bond in the case he lost to Carroll, he most likely had to pledge more than $100 million in collateral to Chubb, the insurance company that provided the bond. That money cannot be used as collateral for a second bond.

What is the deadline for the bond?

Trump asked an appeals court either to pause the fraud judgment while he appeals it, or to accept a lesser bond of $100 million. The court could rule this week.

Although James could have moved to collect the $454 million immediately, she offered a 30-day grace period, which ends Monday.

James could still grant additional time for Trump to pay or show mercy to the former president by offering a counterproposal.

What other options does Trump have?

If the appeals court denies his bid for a pause, and he still cant find a bond by Monday, he might appeal to the states highest court.

Assuming that fails, he could quickly sell one of his properties or other assets, or seek help from a wealthy supporter. He might also try to obtain a loan from a bank, which he could then post as collateral for a bond.

And if all else fails, he could have the corporate entities implicated in the fraud case file for bankruptcy, which would automatically halt the judgment against those entities. But Trump is likely to balk at bankruptcy, and even if he were to pursue that path, it is not a panacea.

James judgment would not be halted against Trump himself, and she would likely seek to hold him accountable for his companys debts.

How could the state collect?

If Trump misses the Monday deadline, James will be free to collect the money owed to the state. It could get ugly for Trump.

Although James cant put Trump in jail  because it is a civil case, not a criminal one  she still has plenty of leverage. With help from a local sheriff, she could freeze some of his bank accounts.

And if she wanted to take a more aggressive posture, she could even try to seize some of the properties involved in the case, including his office tower at 40 Wall St. in lower Manhattan.

One swift option would be for her to place a lien on the buildings. Actually seizing them through the courts and the foreclosure process could take significant time.

James likely would not be entitled to seize assets unrelated to the case, although that and similar questions might require litigation to resolve.

Could Trump use campaign money to pay?

Probably not.

A super PAC supporting Trumps candidacy can raise unlimited amounts of money, but it is legally banned from coordinating with him and cannot pay the judgment.

And although the former president has used a political action committee under his control to pay for lawyers and witnesses in his legal cases, that group lacks the kind of money needed to address the $454 million penalty.

He is now scrambling to raise campaign cash as he faces a significant financial deficit. Bidens campaign recently announced that it had entered March with $155 million cash on hand. Trumps campaign and the Republican National Committee had about $40 million total on hand at the end of January, though the Trump campaign has not released a more recent total.

What else is happening Monday?

Trump also has a crucial hearing in his Manhattan criminal case, which could be the first prosecution of a former American president.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed charges against Trump that accuse him of covering up a sex scandal involving a porn actor to bolster his 2016 presidential campaign. The case is now proceeding to trial.

Jury selection was originally scheduled to start Monday, but the trial was delayed late last week after the disclosure of more than 100,000 pages of records that had been in the possession of the federal prosecutors.

While the documents have now been turned over, Trumps lawyers were given until mid-April to review the papers.

Judge Juan M. Merchan set the Monday hearing to determine if the trial should be delayed further and to rule on Trumps motion for an outright dismissal.

The Manhattan case is among four criminal prosecutions Trump faces.c.2024 The New York Times Company
An employee at an Ohio zoo is recovering after officials say the worker was attacked by a Komodo dragon.

It happened March 3 at the Akron Zoo, the zoo said in a March 19 news release following an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The zoo said the worker suffered injuries while in the Komodo Kingdom employee service area. Its unclear what led to the attack.

Our initial investigation establishes that most injuries came as the result of bite wounds inflicted by one of the Komodo dragons, according to the zoo.

The zoo has two Komodo dragons, Padar and Jasper. The Komodo dragon not involved in the workers injuries was also injured, but the zoo said it was stable and recovering.

An OSHA investigation showed no employee safety standards were violated during the incident.

The worker was recovering at home following the attack, the zoo said.

The Smithsonians National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute said a Komodo dragon attack can be fatal to humans.

They rely on their sharp, curved teeth and long, sturdy claws to slash and tear at their prey with astonishing force, the National Zoo said. After biting down, they use their powerful neck muscles to violently shake side-to-side, ripping apart flesh and muscle and causing severe blood loss and shock.

9-foot alligator bites snorkeling woman on face in Florida spring, officials say

Lion bites zookeeper during routine feeding at New York zoo, officials say
The supply chain ripples caused by pandemic bottlenecks are being felt along the U.S.-Mexico border as nearshoring intensifies. Cross-border logistics continues to gain attention as large multinational corporations move their operations to Mexican border regions, creating additional demand for warehousing space, manufacturing facilities, transportation capacity and providers to manage shipments.

While creating warehouses and manufacturing centers is a straightforward process, finding and managing Mexican transportation capacity to service these locations is limited by visibility for available carriers and, if you find willing carriers, the inability to track their progress. Mexican trucking regulations do not require drivers to have ELDs. Drivers instead use either paper logs or a digital logbook to comply with hours-of-service regulations.

Compared to a U.S.-based carrier that can utilize third-party tracking or directly provide ELD telematics and location data to all parties, contacting Mexican carriers is often a low-tech affair.

We look at this really deeply also with our product and engineering teams. Theres some providers in the U.S. that are getting a little better at Mexico  but the consensus is its not very good at the border and especially on the Mexican side. Visibility is really a challenge for most shippers. At Nuvocargo, were able to provide end-to-end visibility with a full-time monitoring team, through integrations with GPS providers, and by partnering with select carriers, said Deepak Chhugani, founder and CEO of Nuvocargo.

Chhugani notes that for sending messages to drivers and carriers, social media messaging apps like WhatsApp remain a fixture for most Latin American emerging markets, with tracking updates and load communication routed through those apps.

You typically have WhatsApp groups with your carriers, with 3PLs, with some of the border service providers. Weve built technology integrating with the key players in the ecosystem so you can streamline, centralize, and measure those communications.

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Danny Gordon, head of account management at Nuvocargo, said, You have to have relationships with those carriers. Its a very specialized network, and its especially important to be an expert on the compliance side, sourcing carriers with the best safety measures that adhere to Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) regulations. Gordon notes in Mexico there is no large carrier loadboard or repository where brokers can start dialing a list of hundreds of carriers to source for a load.

He adds: The last thing you can do when youre doing Mexico is find one truck carrier youve never talked to or met and trust them to take that business. Thats a recipe for disaster. It takes a lot of work to develop a specialized network of trustworthy, high-service-level carriers.

To tackle these operational and visibility challenges, Nuvocargo is pairing technology with singular expertise in this trade lane to disrupt the status quo. Gordon explains that many legacy providers approach the cross-border market like they would a traditional U.S. market where cold calling and brute force carrier discovery can create market share. Operating at a higher level requires additional considerations, like the documents required, the languages required for a specific facility to book appointments, or even routing considerations within Mexico that take into account infrastructure and safety requirements.

For Chhugani, Nuvocargos in-house technology addresses a major blind spot in traditional transportation management systems, which are not designed to handle the added business logic that cross-border operations require. He noted that added complexity comes from the additional variables, like whether its a northbound or a southbound shipment, how many legs the shipment has, whether there is a drop at the border or final destination, and whether the paperwork is prepared or a shipper or customs broker needs to provide additional documents before reaching customs at the border.

For Nuvocargo, the focus on in-house technology is paying off by reducing border crossing times. The company notes a 66% faster document turnaround time and 33% faster border crossings when Nuvocargo handles freight and customs. For the carriers that haul the cross-border, Nuvocargo reported a 43% faster approval process for on-time payments. Nuvocargo has been partnering successfully with US shippers to enter and expand into the Mexican market, seeing very strong momentum. The company now handles all cross-border logistics for a growing number of U.S. shippers.

As nearshoring efforts intensify, the number of trucks that cross the U.S.-Mexico border each day is expected to soar from the current total of nearly 35,000 in the coming years. For shippers and logistics providers, this growth is upending expectations for service and visibility and requires a tailored approach compared to the current opaque process that plagues cross-border freight.

To learn more, visit www.nuvocargo.com

The post The Logistics of Nearshoring: Navigating U.S.-Mexico Border Complexities appeared first on FreightWaves.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A six-year-old boy from Albuquerque is getting a free trip to Disneyland courtesy of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and a special club of students at La Cueva High School. A group of about 80 students from La Cueva High School raised funds to make 6-year-old Emersons dream come true.

33rd Annual ArtsThrive exhibition at the Albuquerque Museum

The students call themselves the Make-A-Wish Club. We just want to let him know that the whole school is rallying behind him. I know theres so much talk here at La Cueva, we have some fundraiser people asking: Whos the kid? Whos the kid?. People are so invested in it, said Make A Wish Club President Tea Kalajdzic.

The club raised $6,000 to make Emersons wish happen.

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 Los Angeles socialite who killed two young brothers in a drunken hit-and-run is allegedly asking her family to tamper with key players in the case in a quest to get a new trial, prosecutors allege.

Rebecca Grossman, 60, was found guilty last month of second-degree murder and other charges for the September 2020 car crash that killed 8-year-old Jacob Iskander and his 11-year-old brother, Mark. Since being jailed, Grossman has been allegedly asking her plastic surgeon husband and 19-year-old daughter to track down witnesses and her ex-lover and to release sealed evidence, prosecutors say in a Monday motion.

If we can get witnesses to come forward and say they were told to say things, this can get us a new trial, Grossman allegedly said in a Feb. 24 jailhouse conversation with her daughter, according to the prosecutions motion first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

We have to get a real story out there about everything behind us and everything that wasnt done and all the things that were hidden from the jury and how the media influenced the entire trial and how they were releasing all this stuff to the media, just to make me look like a monster and that we know that the jurors were influenced by it, Grossman said, according to the motion.

The motion, which cites several calls between Grossman and her family, asks Judge Joseph Brandolino to ban Grossmans access to the jailhouse phones except for attorney calls. It alleges that in the first two days after she arrived at Twin Towers Correctional Facility, Grossman used her phone privilege to engage in wholly improper conduct or potentially illegal conduct.

These calls include admissions to violating the court protective order regarding the disclosure of evidence on the internet and to the press, prosecutors said. These recorded phone calls also document numerous potential criminal conspiracies, such as requests to disclose more protected discovery, discussion of various attempts to interfere with witnesses and their testimony, and attempts to influence his honor in regards to sentencing.

Prosecutors also allege that since Grossmans conviction, at least three jurors have been contacted by a private investigator even though the judge sealed their personal information. The motion says that the person identified himself as a private investigator for the family but did not say whether he was working for the Grossmans or the Iskanders.

The only ways in which the defense could have obtained this personal juror identification information was either by photographing the jury list that was presented to counsel during jury selection or copying the names down off this same list, the motion says. The defense is actively attempting to engage in jury tampering and illegally in possession of jury personal identifying information.

Grossman will be sentenced on April 10 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. Her lawyer and her husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Iskanders also did not respond.

At trial, prosecutors detailed how Grossman, under the influence of alcohol and Valium, struck the two brothers at 73 mph as they crossed the street with their mother and another sibling. Prosecutors said Grossman was speed-racing her then-lover, ex-MLB player Scott Erickson, after a date. Her defense attorney argued Erickson, who allegedly hid in the bushes while police interrogated Grossman, caused the crash. The childrens mother testified she did not see Ericksons car hit her children.

The motion filed Monday says that almost immediately after Grossman was found guilty, she began calling her daughter and husband. In one call, Grossman asked her daughter to release a sheriffs deputy's body-camera video after the crash. The LA Times reported that the video was previously on a website associated with Grossmans defense but was later removed after the judge ordered all evidence not shown at trial be sealed.

Everything you want us to put out, honey, let us know. Were going to put it all out, her husband told her, the motion says. I want you to put everything out, his wife said.

Prosecutors allege Grossman asked her husband to reach out to a Fox 11 News reporter. In another call, she asked her husband to reach out to Erickson to ask him to confess on video.

An attorney for Scott Erickson, Mark Werksman, told The Daily Beast that his client has consistently and truthfully maintained that he had nothing to do with this tragic accident, and nothing Rebecca Grossman says or does will change that.

In another conversation, she allegedly asked Dr. Grossman if someone named Tom could call the judge to ask him to please let us have a new trial. The motion says that in another call, Grossman asked her daughter to find and talk to witnesses the defense never called to the stand.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Clive Lewis said he had not directed his language at anyone in particular

A Labour MP has apologised for swearing in the Commons chamber on Monday night during voting on the Governments Rwanda Bill.

Clive Lewis, the MP for Norwich South, told the House that he had not directed his language at anyone in particular and said sorry for his outburst.

It came after the Deputy Speaker said earlier that a Commons doorkeeper had been sworn at by an MP.

Mr Lewis, who served in Jeremy Corbyns shadow Cabinet, told the Commons: Id like to put on record, if I could, my apologies to the chamber, to Members and members of staff, for an earlier outburst I had.

If I could very quickly explain: I received a message which caused me some consternation and surprise, to which I made an outburst in general at no-one specifically.

If I could do it again Id probably have said something like, My giddy aunt, rather what did come out of my mouth, and for that I apologise.

But just to clear the air and put on record the fact that it was directed at no-one in particular.

I appreciate the honourable gentlemans candour

Sir Roger, the Deputy Speaker, who earlier told the House the consequences would be very severe for the MP in question, said: I appreciate the honourable gentlemans candour in identifying himself and the fullness of the nature of his apology, which is accepted.

The episode came during voting for the Governments Rwanda Bill on Monday night, in which MPs comfortably defeated 10 House of Lords amendments that had sought to water down the legislation.

Labour had supported the amendments, in particular around the safety of the African country as a destination for migrants.

Mr Lewis ran against Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership in 2019 but received only five of the 22 nominations needed from Labour MPs to get a spot on the ballot.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, he caused controversy when he claimed that the idea of monarchy as a symbol of duty is a lie.

Mr Lewis defied an order from Sir Keir to remain silent following the late Queens death in the days before her funeral. He said he watched thousands of people queueing to pay tribute to the late Queen at her lying-in-state with bemusement followed by a touch of despair.

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Data from GP records will be shared to save the NHS, Labour has vowed as the party accused the Tories of being too timid in their approach to technology.

Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said Labour would go further than the Government in modernising the health service and using patient data to improve care.

The partys technology plan would also mean the NHS will send app alerts to patients when a relevant clinical trial is recruiting.

The NHS recently announced plans to roll out a federated data platform to harness hospital data in order to improve efficiency and bring down waiting lists.

Mr Streeting said the plans did not go far enough, accusing the Government of running scared from using GP data to improve the health of the nation.

He told the WIRED Health conference that the NHS could go the way of Woolworths - a much-loved national institution which failed to change with the times and was left behind if it had five more years under the Tories.

Mr Streeting says the Government's plans to harness hospital data do not go far enough - Hugh Hastings/Getty Images

The shadow health secretary said the last Labour government had introduced patient choice in 2002, taking on conspiracy theories that this was about privatisation.

We will take the same approach to the major issue for the future of the NHS: patient data.

The NHS has struck gold here, yet its leaving it in the ground, he said, adding that the plans for a federated data platform were the right thing to do.

The Governments plans have already generated controversy, with the award of the contract to Palantir, a US firm best known for its work with intelligence and military agencies in the US.

Mr Streeting said: The Government had a choice - they could face down the conspiracy theorists on the one hand, and the vested interests on the other. Or they could back away and leave the job half-finished. The timid Tories chose an easy life and a worse health service.

The platform doesnt include general practice data, which is key to unlocking better population health outcomes.

Under the current Government, the NHS drew up plans for shared data, which could be accessed by doctors, researchers and pharmaceutical companies.

But the care.data scheme was ditched in 2016 after a backlash from GPs and privacy campaigners.

Labour believes data sharing is 'mission critical' to improving care of patients, rather than leaving the NHS to 'wither on the vine' - Timon Schneider/Alamy

Mr Streeting accused the Government of refusing to take on the fearmongering of the tinfoil hat brigade on TikTok and X, formerly known as Twitter, to urge followers to opt out of data sharing.

Its a fight that a Labour government is willing to have, he said, adding it would be transparent about which aspects of patient data are shared; which third-party organisations had access; what patients rights and the mechanisms to opt-out are; and the safeguards in place to protect patients confidentiality.

But he said data sharing was mission critical to improving care of patients, rather than leaving the NHS to wither on the vine.

Health officials say that NHS trusts which piloted the use of the federated data platform were able to speed up treatment, with systems showing all care staff which tasks were completed and which remained outstanding.

Mr Streeting also suggested that the NHS should follow Singapore in setting step count challenges to encourage people to live more healthy lives.

Andrew Stephenson, the health minister said: Rather than talking down the hardworking people who work in our NHS, Labour need to explain how they will pay for their billions of pounds of unfunded spending commitments.

Labour do not have a plan and thats why they cannot deliver the long-term change the NHS needs. Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a plan that will strengthen our economy, meaning we can continue to invest in the NHS.

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Lacey police arrested a man on Tuesday who they believe broke into multiple hospitals Monday morning with a sledgehammer.

Just after 2 a.m. Lacey police were called to South Sound Behavioral Hospital where a man used a sledgehammer to break into the lobby through the front windows.

He then smashed several doors inside the hospital and said he was Just looking around. He then ran away.

Do you recognize this man?He is described as a white male in his 30s, about 509, slender build with sandy blonde hair and glasses. He used a sledgehammer to break some windows to gain access to a couple different places yesterday!  pic.twitter.com/EkfZrGhDn8  Lacey Police (@LaceyPolice) March 19, 2024

Then around 5:45 a.m., police were called to the Providence Lacey Clinic where a similar burglary had occurred. Police believe the same man is responsible.

Police released photos and a description of the suspect.

At 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, Lacey Police said they had identified the suspect and taken him into custody.




LAKE CHARLES, La. (KLFY)  The 5th suspect in a fatal shooting was arrested in Beaumont.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office reported they are investigation a drive-by shooting in which one woman was killed.

CPSO said deputies responded to W. Tank Farm Road in Lake Charles in regards to a shooting around 7:45 p.m. on Saturday. Upon initial investigation, officials said a drive-by shooting occurred with multiple rounds being fired. One of the bullets traveled through a nearby residence, a struck a woman inside.

Louisiana State Police investigating Scott officer-involved shooting

The victim, Annette D. Touvell, 65, of Lake Charles, was taken to a local hospital where she later died. Further investigation into the incident revealed another home in the area was also struck, but no one inside the home was injured.

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On March 4, CPSO detectives received a report in reference to a 17-year-old juvenile who had stolen a family members car and had not returned it. It was discovered the same car was used during the shooting, authorities said.

Detectives said there were four suspects in the vehicle: two 17-year-old juveniles, Jordan L. Jones, 18, of Lake Charles and Tyler D. Lewis, 25, of Bridge City, Texas.

Authorities said the mother of one of the juveniles, Chelsea R. Hyatt, 36, of Sulphur, had been notified her daughter was involved in the shooting but failed to report it to law enforcement. Hyatt, along with the two 17-year-old juveniles and Jones, were arrested Tuesday. Hyatt and Jones were booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center. The two juveniles were booked into the Juvenile Detention Center.

Jones was charged with second degree murder on $2 million bond. Hyatt was charged with obstruction of justice, bond was set at $100,000.

One of the 17-year-olds was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, the other with accessory after the fact to second degree murder.

Detectives issued a warrant for Lewis arrest on the charge of principal to second degree murder with bond set at $1 million. On Monday, CPSO detectives received a tip in reference to Lewis possibly being in the Beaumont area. Detectives made contact with the Beaumont Police Department and Lewis was taken into custody and booked into the Jefferson County Jail.

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Jose Antonio Ibarra, who federal authorities said entered the United States illegally in 2022, was arrested last month in Georgia in the killing of Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student. This case and others like it are gaining national attention during a debate over immigration policy and border security.

In his State of the Union address on March 7, President Joe Biden even mentioned that the accused killer was an "illegal."

As tragic as these cases are, analyzing the broader facts is crucial before changing public policy. Otherwise, the government could do more harm than good.

Undocumented migrants commit fewer homicides

According to my latest research, undocumented migrants in Texas were about 26% less likely to be convicted of homicide than native-born Americans over the decade of 2013-22. Legal immigrants were about 61% less likely.

The homicide conviction rate averaged 2.2 per 100,000 undocumented migrants over those 10 years, compared with 3.0 for native-born Americans. Those who came here illegally committed about 6% of all murders for which there were convictions, compared with 90% committed by native-born Americans.

At the same time, undocumented migrants were 7.4% of Texas population and native-born Americans were 82%.

Immigration and border politics: Laken Riley's killing is national news and Preston Lord's isn't. Why?

Most who entered Texas illegally are from Latin America and the Caribbean. Compared with the entire region, they have a criminal conviction rate of about 6.5 times lower. Even if we assume that the real rate of murders by undocumented immigrants is 50% higher than the conviction rate, theyd still have a lower homicide rate than native-born Americans convicted of homicide in Texas and substantially below those in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Suppose you think theres a lower illegal immigration population in Texas than I estimate. In that case, the rate of that population's homicide convictions will be slightly higher but still below that of native-born Americans. Regardless of the measures, legal immigrants have the lowest homicide conviction rate of all.

Why focus on illegal immigration population in Texas?

There are three reasons to focus on Texas:

It's a border state with more than 2 million undocumented migrants and is the epicenter of a vast increase in illegal border crossers since 2020.

Texas takes criminal justice seriously. It has no sanctuary jurisdictions, it harshly punishes criminals and Republicans have controlled Texas for more than 20 years.

Texas is the only state that keeps data on the immigration status of convicted criminals.

The third point is key. Immigration data is taken when suspects are arrested, but it isnt perfect.

New Census data proves it: No, America is not seeing an unprecedented surge in immigration

After conviction, authorities investigate prisoners more closely to identify undocumented immigrants better  but they concentrate on those convicted of the worst crimes like homicide.

This means researchers should wait a few years to tally up criminals who came here illegally and focus on serious crimes like homicide to compare their crime rates with native-born Americans and legal immigrants.

Undocumented migrants commit fewer homicides for many reasons. First, the punishments are harsher  they get deported. Second, many came from more violent countries because they wanted more safety. Third, they mostly leave their families, friends and cultures behind because they want a better future for themselves and their children. People like that are just less likely to be criminals in the first place.

A Texas National Guard soldier counts migrants after they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border to request asylum on March 13, 2024, in El Paso, Texas.

In the event that they do commit homicides, they typically kill people they know  who are mostly other undocumented immigrants.

Thats one reason why the death of Laken Riley, a stranger to Ibarra, is so shocking. According to the FBI, of homicides where we know the prior relationship, nearly 80% of the killers know their victims.

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Few people are murderers, and undocumented migrants are less likely to commit homicide than native-born Americans in Texas. Still, some do commit homicide, and that fact is no consolation to victims and their families  nor should it comfort them.

Killers and other violent and property offenders should be arrested, tried, convicted and severely punished  no matter their immigration status. Undocumented immigrants convicted of violent and property crimes should then be deported with a total ban on returning to the United States.

Alex Nowrasteh is the vice president for economic and social policy studies at the Cato Institute.

Nonetheless, illegal immigration is not the source of the crime wave of recent years, and more enforcement of immigration laws wont reduce homicide rates.

All states should keep the immigration and crime data like Texas does.

We need to punish the actual criminals and stop blaming an entire population for crimes they are less likely to commit than native-born Americans.

Alex Nowrasteh is the vice president for economic and social policy studies at the Cato Institute.

You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Laken Riley's death aside, illegal immigration is not behind crime
LAKEWAY, Texas (KXAN)  Five juveniles were arrested over the weekend in Lakeway after they allegedly attempted to break into cars in the Rough Hollow area while driving two stolen vehicles, according to police.

The Lakeway Police Department posted on social media about the attempted burglaries, saying a resident notified the department around 2 a.m. on March 16 that someone was attempting to burglarize a vehicle in the Peninsula neighborhood of Rough Hollow. The resident told police security camera footage captured several teenage boys pulling on car door handles.

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Officers responded and located the suspects, who fled in two stolen vehicles, one of which was stolen from a Lakeway residence shortly before, according to police.

Officers pursued both vehicles, stopping one and arresting the four people inside. The second vehicle got away but was later found abandoned in Austin by the Austin Police Department.

A fifth juvenile suspect was later identified and arrested after police investigated further.

All five people arrested were juveniles, ranging in age from 12 to 16 years old, and they each had prior criminal histories, including burglary, vehicle thefts and weapons-related charges, according to Lakeway PD.

A spokesperson with the City of Lakeway said none of the juveniles were residents of Lakeway. They also said though crimes of this nature are on the rise throughout Austin, Lakeway is not seeing a trend in juvenile criminal activity.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Las Vegas is one of the leading cities for human trafficking and local city leaders want to make the warning signs known and bring awareness to the ever-growing crime.

Its a sad reality, but oftentimes, victims are groomed and exploited by someone they know or love.

I realized my daughter had been a victim of this process by her then-boyfriend, a father told 8 News Now about his daughter Cassandras human trafficking struggles. We talked for a long time and eventually I was able to get her out of there.

Unfortunately, though, while he was able to save his daughter in that moment, Cassandra lost her life years later.

City of Las Vegas Councilwoman Victoria Seaman and Henderson City Councilwoman Carrie Cox hosted Mondays awareness event as human trafficking continues to be an ongoing battle in the valley.

Were number two in the nation in cities of human trafficking and its unacceptable, Seaman shared.

We are going to make sure that we educate parents and grandparents and so on, that our children are not for sale, she added.

Las Vegas Metro Police Departments Special Victims Unit said its team receives 50 to 70 human trafficking-related cases every quarter which averages close to 250 cases in Clark County each year.

As for those who handle those types of calls, Tina Decola spent years on the other side and now teaches dispatchers what human trafficking signs to look out for.

Sometimes theyll say I just need an ambulance, but dont call the police, so that is a big red flag for us, Decola explained.

Taking that call changed my life. Its now my mission to make sure everyone gets trained because no human being should have to go through what these folks go through, she added.

Metro rescued over 120 minors last year. This awareness event is just one of many being held across the valley this year.

If you see anything that looks suspicious or out of place, you are urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. You can also text the word INFO to 233-733.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Ben & Jerry's is known for taking a stance on social issues - JIM LO SCALZO/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Unilever has warned that up to 7,500 jobs are at risk as Ben & Jerrys owner outlined plans to split off its ice cream unit as a separate business.

The FTSE 100 consumer goods giant, which makes dozens of household products from Dove soap to Marmite, said it was seeking to become a simpler, more focused company.

Chief executive Hein Schumacher said he was open to options about a possible float abroad.

The ice cream division is currently run from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, although Mr Schumacher indicated on Tuesday that it is in the process of moving to a new base in Amsterdam.

This could kickstart a battle between London and Amsterdam to secure any potential listing.

Under the overhaul, which is expected to save 800m (684m) over the next three years, Unilever will separate its ice cream businesses and divide the rest of the company into four divisions: beauty & wellbeing; personal care; home care; and nutrition.

Unilever, which has 128,000 employees globally and 6,000 in the UK, said office-based staff will be largely affected by the cuts.

City investors welcomed the separation, which is expected to take place by the end of 2025.

Roseanna Ivory, a fund manager at one of Unilevers top shareholders Abrdn, said she was pleased the company was exploring options for its more complicated ice cream arm, adding that a sale would only make sense at the right price.

Major shareholder Terry Smith, who last year accused Unilever of virtue signalling and has previously claimed that the company had lost the plot by trying to define the purpose of Hellmanns mayonnaise, also approved the decision.

Unilever chief Hein Schumacher has been battling to revive confidence in the business since taking over last July - UNILEVER/FRIESLANDCAMPINA

Speaking to Sky News, he said his only frustration was that the split was marketed as being part of a growth action plan because would you ever put out a shrinkage inaction plan?.

Mr Schumacher took over the company last July and has since been battling to revive confidence in the business.

He already unveiled plans to roll back Unilevers focus on social purpose and said he would no longer seek to force fit brands with a social cause.

Story continues

The separation of the ice cream business, which had a combined turnover of 7.9bn (6.8bn) in 2023, comes after a series of controversies between Unilever and its Ben & Jerrys brand.

Founded in 1978, Ben & Jerrys is known for taking a stance on social issues such as refugees rights, LGBTQ+ issues, and climate change.

Its ice cream flavours are often named after social issues such as raspberry and marshmallow-flavoured Save Our Swirled, which was to raise awareness for global warming, and apple pie-flavoured Apple-y Ever After in support of same-sex marriage.

Bosses at the ice cream business, which has an independent board, called for a permanent and immediate ceasefire in Gaza in January, having previously clashed with its parent company in 2021 after it vowed to stop selling products in occupied Palestinian territories.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A high-speed road rage chase came to a deadly end after a Las Vegas man allegedly shot and killed a man for crashing into his friends car, according to documents 8 News Now obtained.

Police arrested Tony Archuletta, 42, on March 7 on a charge of open murder with a deadly weapon, records showed.

Tony Archuletta, 42, faces a charge of open murder after a man was found shot to death in a vehicle. (LVMPD)

On March 2, around 12:40 a.m., Metro police received a 911 call from a person reporting that when he arrived at work, there was a vehicle crashed into the security booth at the gate of the business in the 4400 block of East Lone Mountain Road, according to an arrest report.

Las Vegas police arrest suspect after man found shot to death in vehicle

The man reported a woman inside the vehicle, who appeared to be under the influence and in need of medical attention. Arriving Clark County Fire Department crews also found a man, later identified as Angel Corona-Rubio, dead in the drivers seat with an apparent gunshot wound to his head.

Paramedics took the woman to a local hospital with internal injuries as well as a broken leg, they said.

There were multiple bullet holes to the rear and passenger side of the car as well as red paint on the side of the car, police said. Officers found several Winchester 9 mm Luger and 7.6239 Tul Ammo cartridge cases in the road.

Surveillance footage in the area showed that on March 1 around 10:35 p.m., Rubios grey Nissan 370Z and a maroon Honda Accord pulled into the gated entrance. Rubios car stopped momentarily and the Honda pulled up to face the car. A dark-colored pickup truck was then seen driving past the two cars before Rubios car drove into the security booth, according to the arrest report.

Officers were able to also find footage of the Honda and Rubios car engaged in what police said appeared to be a road rage incident. Footage showed the cars following and cutting each other off at high rates of speed on Nellis Boulevard between Owens Avenue and Craig Road.

As the two cars approached the intersection of Nellis and Craig, the Honda attempted to make a left turn and Rubioss car cut in front of them to make a right turn. The Honda then turned around to follow the Rubio toward Lamb Boulevard, police said.

After the shooting, the Honda was seen making a left turn onto Lamb Boulevard. The last place the car was seen was Lamb and Tonopah around 11:45 p.m.

Man found dead in vehicle with apparent gunshot wound in northeast Las Vegas valley

On March 5, LVMPD found a maroon Honda Accord matching the description of the car seen in the surveillance footage. Detectives obtained a search warrant for the car and as they were in the process of having it towed, the owner exited their apartment telling them that he knew why they were there and that he was actually the victim, police said.

The man told police that on March 1, he was side-swiped by a man driving a dark-colored sportscar near US 95 and Boulder Highway. He said that the car kept driving so he got behind him and flashed his lights until he pulled over, the report said.

When he approached the driver of the sportscar, he said he appeared drunk and could smell alcohol coming from him. Rubio ignored what the man was saying about him hitting his car telling him, Its OK, you know me, police said.

Rubio then got back into his car and drove away, taking the Charleston exit. The man followed Rubio and began recording with his cellphone but realized the car did not have a license plate, so he continued to follow him onto Charleston, according to police.

The man pulled up next to Rubio and rolled down his window and Rubio said something in Spanish along the lines of The police wont do anything and if you want to settle this with guns we can get guns, the report said.

The two cars continued to follow and cut each other off with Rubio attempting to ram into the Honda several times, police said.

During the chase, the man in the Honda called his friend, Archuletta, telling him that he was being followed by another car. The man denied asking Archuletta for help or telling him the location of the shooting, according to police.

The man told police that he turned onto Lone Mountain Road, not realizing that it was a dead end. He then heard gunshots and ducked down, thinking that he was being shot at, police said. He then left the scene and went home.

On March 5, officers learned that the 9mm cartridges found at the scene matched a handgun that was used in a separate road rage incident in Salt Lake City in August 2023. Police said that Archulettas son was arrested with the gun in Utah on August 20, 2023, and the gun was then impounded. On Feb. 21, Utah police released the gun to Archuletta.

Detectives then learned that Archuletta owned a dark red pickup truck and was able to access his phone records. Detectives accessed his location data which showed his phone at the scene of the shooting, police said.

They also obtained surveillance footage of his truck driving behind the cars during the chase, according to police

Archuletta told police that he was not at the scene and went to bed at 10 p.m. When officers asked him why his phone and car were at the scene of the shooting, he said that his two sons must have been involved in the shooting, not him, according to police.

Police said that Archuletta told detectives numerous times during their interview that his sons committed the shooting.

He admitted to owning a Taurus 9 mm handgun that was previously used in a road rage incident in Utah and that his son owned an AK-47-type firearm that was kept in his bedroom, according to the report.

When officers searched Archulettas home, they did not recover either firearm.

Archuletta was arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on an open murder charge.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is continuing its effort to help owners of Hyundai vehicles impacted by theft and security concerns.

Police have partnered up with Hyundai Motor America to host a mobile software upgrade and anti-theft solution service center for owners of vehicles impacted.

The event will provide Hyundai owners with the latest anti-theft technology upgrade needed to curb recent vehicle thefts free of charge.

Due to a recent increase in stolen Hyundai vehicles, LVMPD and Hyundai Motor America will host a mobile software upgrade and anti-theft solution service center at LVMPDs Headquarters parking lot. (LVMPD)

Mobile software upgrade event

WHEN: Friday, March 22, Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE: LVMPD Headquarters  400 South Martin Luther King Boulevard

No appointment needed, no registration, no cost

Specifically trained mobile service technicians will be on-site to install and complete the software upgrade, which should take less than 30 minutes.

Due to a recent increase in stolen Hyundai vehicles, LVMPD and Hyundai Motor America will host a mobile software upgrade and anti-theft solution service center at LVMPDs Headquarters parking lot. (LVMPD)

Impacted Hyundai vehicle owners encouraged to attend

2018-2022 Accent

2011-2022 Elantra

2013-2020 Elantra GT

2013-2014 Genesis Coupe

2018-2022 Kona

2020-2021 Palisade

2013-2022 Santa Fe

2013-2018 Santa Fe Sport

2019 Santa Fe XL

2011-2019 Sonata

2011-2022 Tucson

2012-2017 & 2019-2021 Veloster

2020-2021 Venue

All attending owners receive a no-cost steering wheel lock, compliments of Hyundai.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) may have been kicked out of a performance of the musical Beetlejuice last September, but a part of her never really left that Denver theater, as evidenced by her comments in a recent interview.

Speaking on KHOWs Dan Caplis Show on Friday, the Colorado congresswoman referenced the day she was ejected from the Denver Center for Performing Arts for obnoxious behavior like vaping, singing, and groping her date as she responded to a question about what scandals might emerge in her future.

As far as [opposition] research, I am very clearly an open book, she told Caplis. And I cant even go to a theater without that being, you know, broadcast to the world.

The far-right Republican firebrand promised thatpresumably because of pesky things like eyewitnesses, journalists, and surveillance cameras in theaterstheres nothing new or hidden thats coming out about me ahead of this summers primary election in Colorados 4th Congressional District.

Boebert currently represents the states 3rd District, but announced in December that she planned to switch to the 4th, a more reliably red stronghold, and run to succeed Rep. Ken Buck, who had announced he would not seek another term. Buck threw a wrench into the works, however, when he moved his retirement up ahead of schedule, saying earlier this month that this coming Friday would be his last term in office.

Boebert responded by saying that she would not run in the special election triggered by Bucks early exit, which would require her own resignation in the 3rd, threatening the GOPs already tenuous hold on the House, opting instead to focus on the primary. She also slammed Buck for giving a gift to the Uniparty and accused him of trying to rig the primary with a swampy backroom deal.

Buck denied this in a recent interview with the Colorado Sun, calling Boeberts allegations ridiculous and her efforts to fundraise off of them fundamentally unfair.

Im not giving anybody an advantage or disadvantage, he said, pointing out to the Sun that he hadnt commented when asked about the recent arrests of Boeberts ex-husband and son. I have done my very best to stay out of this primary election.

In her Friday interview, Boebert brushed off Buck as so irrelevant and such an embarrassment to Colorado, claiming that people come up and ask her why he hates America. As for his comments, she said, theyre nothing but old news.

This isnt something thats going to be an October surprise to folksthat I had a rough divorce and theres issues going on at home, she said. But people are seeing that Im still committed to serving them, and to representing them.

Boebert is polling decently in the 4th District, but her victory remains uncertain, particularly as shes been lambasted by her critics and opponents for carpetbagging.

Ive been called much worse than a carpetbagger, she told Caplis, laughing, and my records show that the carpetbaggers actually brought a lot of innovation and prosperity. So we can look at it that way as well.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Negotiators reached a deal Monday evening on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, a key piece of the puzzle to get an agreement on a government funding package and avoid a partial government shutdown, according to a source familiar with the talks.

But congressional staff still need to finalize the legislative text of the six-bill package, which would also fund the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, State and other priorities.

The leaves congressional leaders precious little time to get the massive bill passed through the House and the Senate and onto President Bidens desk before funding for a huge swath of the federal government expires at 11:59 p.m. Friday.

Senate and House appropriators had eyed splitting off the controversial Homeland Security piece from the rest of the six-bill appropriations package, but White House negotiators made it clear Saturday that they opposed that option, according to sources familiar with the talks.

The White House wanted to keep funding for the departments of Homeland Security and Defense connected to maintain leverage over Republicans as it tries to secure the funding and flexibility President Biden needs to manage the border, say people familiar with the talks.

An estimated 1.3 million active-duty service members wouldnt receive pay checks if Congress fails to extend funding for the Defense Department beyond this week.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had come under pressure from members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus to add tough border security reforms to the spending package, including proposals that are non-starters with Democrats.

Reps. Bob Good (R-Va.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) warned in a Dear Colleague letter signed by more than 40 House Republicans Monday that funding the Homeland Security Department without adding the core elements of H.R. 2, the House-passed Secure the Border Act, would directly fund Bidens disastrous policies.

From DHSs abuse of laws to release under parole and asylum, to the United Nations and [nongovernmental organizations] facilitating the trafficking of humans  the abuse can be checked if the House of Representatives exercises its constitutional duty, they wrote.

Johnson is expected to put any funding legislation that needs to pass Congress on the suspension calendar, where it would need a two-thirds majority vote to pass, to get around divisions within his own conference. In this scenario, he would need a large number of Democratic votes to pass it.

House conservatives have previously blocked rules for considering spending bills under regular order.

Congressional aides said Monday they did not expect legislative text of the funding package to be made public before Tuesday, raising the specter that Congress could blunder into a partial shutdown over the weekend.

Now lawmakers are mulling a short-term stopgap measure to keep federal departments operating into next week. This would give them time to review any legislation that may emerge this week. House Republicans adopted a rules package at the start of the 118th Congress that requires bills to be made public at least 72 hours before a floor vote.

Theyre extremely close or done with five of them and the final one is Homeland and the White House came in over with the weekend with last-minute changes and gummed up the process, said one Republican source familiar with the talks before the agreement announced Monday evening.

The GOP source said the White House had made new requests over related to border management that appeared to put any deal in jeopardy.

I think were going to go right up to the line on this and maybe have a technical shutdown, the source warned. Maybe theyll get it done in time, well see.

Republican aides say that the Speaker has made it clear to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Republicans that he wants to avoid a shutdown.

Johnson told Senate Republicans at their annual retreat last week that negotiators were very close to a deal and suggested legislative text of a spending deal would emerge before Monday.

But that was before the talks hit a snag over the weekend.

Congressional leaders may have to buy themselves more time by passing a short-term measure if they cannot speed the full-year spending package through both chambers over the next four days.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) has repeatedly warned that triggering a shutdown in an election year would be a bad political move for Republicans.

I think there have been lessons learned here, especially by the Republicans, said James Dyer, the former Republican staff director of the House Appropriations Committee.

If they need to buy a few days, I think they can buy them, he said of the prospect of pushing off the funding deadline a few more days to wrap up the stalled negotiations.

They usually put these expiration days close to a weekend, the assumption being that other than [having] no guards at the national parks, a weekend shutdown of the federal government doesnt harm as many people, he said.

Dyer said Republicans decision to reject a bipartisan border security deal crafted by the White House, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Senate Democrats has complicated this months negotiations on DHS funding.

This is a direct result of course from having walked away from that Homeland deal. If theyre smart, theyll own up to that now, he said. They had a bipartisan deal that the Senate wrote  to seal the border. If they had passed that, it would have made this Homeland title easy to do.

The Senate border deal, which only four Republicans voted for, would have allocated an additional $20 billion to shore up the southern border.

It would have provided $6.8 billion to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, $7.6 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and $4 billion to Citizenship and Immigration Services.

House Republicans have pushed for more funding for beds and facilities to detain migrants at the border as well as policy changes, such as language to require Biden to deport migrants to Mexico to wait for their asylum requests to be processed by U.S. courts.

Lankford, who voted for the Senates border security deal, said that Biden has the power to implement a remain in Mexico policy for people surging across the border but hasnt chosen to use it.

Right now it is allowed in law, he said. The court required that there is some setup for that two years ago, but obviously its not being used.

Its allowed right now, he said. Anything we can do to be able to slow down the dramatic flow, we should do.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) last week called remain in Mexico language problematic.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A new lawsuit against New York City Mayor Eric Adams alleges that during his time on the police force in the '90s he demanded sexual favors from a colleague in exchange for help with a job issue.

Adams' accuser, Lorna Beach-Mathura, says she had been repeatedly passed over for promotions and experienced "resistance all-too-frequently faced by Black and female NYPD  employees in that era." Adams at the time served as a leader in the Transit NYPD Guardians division, so she sought him out for his help.

"Instead of helping Plaintiff get fair treatment at the Defendant Transit Bureau, Defendant Adams preyed on her perceived vulnerability, demanding a quid pro quo sexual favor and sexually assaulting Plaintiff, revealing himself not to be the 'Guardian' he purported to be, but a predator," the lawsuit states.

A lawyer for the New York City Corporation Counsel, Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix, called the allegations "ludicrous."

NYC SECURES $106M IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MIGRANT COSTS AFTER MONTHS OF DELAYS

New York City Mayor Eric Adams

"While we review the complaint, the mayor fully denies these outrageous allegations and the events described here; we expect full vindication in court. Additionally, in 1993, Eric Adams was one of the most prominent public opponents of the racism within the NYPD, which is why the suits allegations that he had any sway over promotions of civilian employees is ludicrous," she said.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

According to the lawsuit, Beach-Mathura learned in the fall of 2023 that New York had passed a law allowing survivors of sexual assault to come forward years after an attack and thus felt compelled to bring Adams' "behavior to light."

She alleges that Adams said he would help her with an employment problem but instead drove her alone to a vacant lot and requested oral sex from her, which she rejected. He continued to sexually assault her, according to the suit.

When Adams ran for mayor, Beach-Mathura said she found his comments on the campaign trail "hypocritical and sanctimonious."

HOCHUL, ADAMS ANNOUNCE CRACKDOWN ON TOLL-DODGING 'GHOST CARS': 'THE GHOSTBUSTERS HAVE ARRIVED'

The lawsuit alleges that Adams demanded sexual favors from a colleague in exchange for help with her job.

Beach-Mathura said in the lawsuit that Adams initially was going to pick her up and give her a ride home to Coney Island to talk. Once in the car, she realized instead that he was headed to an area near the Hudson River, which made her "nervous and scared."

"Plaintiff was frightened not only due to Defendant Adams appalling conduct, but also because she knew that he, as a police officer, had at least one loaded gun in the car," the lawsuit says.

'BLING BISHOP' LASHES OUT AT FBI AFTER BEING CONVICTED OF FRAUD, ATTEMPTED EXTORTION, LYING TO FEDS

The lawsuit alleges Adams exposed himself and begged Beach-Mathura to perform oral sex and placed her hand on his genitals. When she refused, he masturbated in front of her, per the lawsuit.

Beach-Mathura also says Adams told her he needed to get back to work, drove her to a subway station in Manhattan and dropped her off there.

She alleges Adams never helped her with the employment issue and that she eventually left city government in 1994. She now lives in Florida, where she has worked as a public school teacher.





Original article source: New lawsuit alleges NYC Mayor Eric Adams demanded sex acts from police officer in exchange for career help
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Charlotte contractor has been barred from collecting payments or providing any repair work amid an ongoing lawsuit, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein announced Tuesday.

Stein obtained a preliminary injunction against Canary General Contracting and Design and its operator Steven Sand and owner Khuneary Kim.

This month, Stein sued Canary for running an unlicensed general contracting business and defrauding homeowners in Charlotte. The injunction stops the company from performing or collecting payments for any contracting or home repair work for the duration of the lawsuit.

MORE FROM QUEEN CITY NEWS

Crime & Public Safety

When a business does wrong by North Carolinians, like homeowners investing in their homes, I wont hesitate to take action, Stein said in a released statement Tuesday. I am pleased that Canary cant deceive other people in North Carolina while this lawsuit continues.

The lawsuit alleges that Canary didnt start projects on time, didnt complete the work, and in some instances failed to secure building permits on behalf of the homeowners for the planned construction. Canary also allegedly collected advance payments for work it didnt complete and left behind substandard work that was unsafe and did not meet code.

The Department of Justices Consumer Protection Division has received 15 complaints against Canary, and North Carolinians have reported more than $250,000 in financial losses.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
A lawsuit seeking to remove Rep. Nima Kulkarni, D-Louisville, from the primary ballot over an issue with her re-election paperwork was filed Monday in Jefferson Circuit Court.

The complaint centers around a woman who was a registered Republican at the time signing Kulkarnis re-election filing papers.

The suit against Kulkarni was filed by Dennis Horlander, a former Democratic representative who held office for a decade before losing his seat in a 2018 primary to Kulkarni. In 2020, he lost by a larger margin.

In a statement to the Herald-Leader, Kulkarni called the suit desperate and an attempt to take away the rights of the voters in the 40th district to choose their own representation.

I have defeated Mr. Horlander in fair elections twice, once by over 20 points, and the second by over 57 points, she wrote. Voters have overwhelmingly rejected Mr. Horlander at the ballot box, and I am sure a court will do the same.

Sharon LaRue was one of two registered voters of the same party from the district required by law to sign Kulkarnis candidate paperwork; she was a Republican at the time, but weeks later became a Democrat on Jan. 8, according to records obtained from the Jefferson County Clerks Office.

LaRue signed Kulkarnis filing on Dec. 22, 2023, according to the suit, as well as records obtained from the Kentucky Secretary of States Office.

The Herald-Leader verified these claims, which appeared in the lawsuit, regarding LaRues political affiliation using open records requests.

Primary elections are slated for May 21. The only other person to have filed for Kulkarnis office is Louisville Democrat William Zeitz.

Horlanders challenge does nothing to immediately change Kulkarnis current status on the ballot.

The suit asks the court to issue an injunction or restraining order that Kulkarnis name be stricken from the written designation of candidates and that votes cast for her in the primary arent counted.

Horlanders attorney, Steven Megerle, reached out to Kulkarni earlier this month asking her to withdraw from her re-election bid.

Megerle is a Northern Kentucky attorney who has previously been involved in GOP politics; last year, he filed an ethics complaint against former attorney general Daniel Cameron during his GOP gubernatorial primary run.

Kulkarni said that the challenge was based on an outdated technicality to disenfranchise voters. She called it outdated because LaRue is now a Democrat and became one before the filing paperwork was certified by the Secretary of States Office on Jan. 17; a spokesperson for Secretary of State Michael Adams confirmed the date of certification.

At the time of certification by the Secretary of State, and of this court challenge, I have had two registered Democrats on my filing papers. Any issue was resolved before certification, as the courts require, Kulkarni wrote.

A similar case occurred last cycle when a judge disqualified Kim Holloway from the Republican primary ballot in the West Kentucky district held by Rep. Richard Heath, R-Mayfield, for having a registered Democrat signing her paperwork.

In Louisville that year, a Democratic candidate for GOP Rep. Kevin Bratchers seat withdrew from the race after Bratcher sued him on the grounds that he did not switch his party affiliation early enough to run.

Professionally, Kulkarni works as an attorney with a focus on immigration law.

As a legislator, Kulkarni has served in the House since winning election in 2018. She scored a bipartisan victory in 2022 when a bill of hers cracking down on so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) became law  an increasingly rare occurrence for a Democrat in Frankfort.

The lawmaker framed the lawsuit as an attempt to silence her and scare her off the ballot.

Lets be clear, they have not been able to silence me. They have not been able to scare me. They know they cannot beat me, so now they are trying to use an outdated trick to remove me from the ballot. It will not work.

The voters of the 40th district deserve a true choice in May, and I will fight to ensure that they have one.
Opec lefts its oil demand growth forecasts for 2024 unchanged at 2.2m b/d with the growth concentrated in emerging economies. The outlook for 2024 would represent a third year in a row of more than 2m b/d of demand growth and four years in a row of robust growth when including the pandemic recovery year of 2021, reported EmiratesNBD Research.

At a regional level, Opec expects emerging economies to show oil demand growth of 2m b/d on their own, with China, India and other Asian economies representing almost 60 per cent of that total. The Middle East will also show strong growth according to Opec with almost 400k b/d of demand growth.

On supply, Opec estimates non-Opec supply growth to slow this year but still record a strong increase of almost 1.5m b/d, down from more than 2m b/d in 2023. The US, Canada, Brazil and Norway will show the largest increases in supply for 2024.

Opecs robust demand forecast has stood in marked contrast to the IEA which had initially been projecting less than 1m b/d of demand growth this year based on a pronounced slowdown expected for the global economy.

The IEA will release its own revised oil market report later this week and it has been edging its demand growth forecast higher, though not to the scale of the Opec projections.

EmiratesNBD Research expects a wide gap to remain between the two main forecasting agencies given they have distinct perspectives on the outlook for oil demand with the IEA expecting to see peak oil consumption by the end of the decade whereas Opec forecasts long-run demand growth for oil out to the middle of the century.

According to the secondary sources published in the Opec monthly oil market report, compliance with cuts for those producers providing additional output restrictions in Q1 was relatively good in the first two months of the year.

Saudi Arabia has been roughly at 100 per cent compliance levels, the UAE and Kuwait at 99 per cent while Iraq has been closer to 95 per cent among the larger producers. Iraqs oil minister has acknowledged it has missed its target and that the country would compensate with deeper cuts.

COMPLIANCE WITH TARGETS: SECONDARY SOURCES

Separate to the oil market report, Russias president Vladimir Putin said that Opec+ does help hold up the oil prices but cautioned that output is dropping while it grows in other countries such as the US.

Opec+ producers have been losing market share as they curtail production to put a floor under prices and prompt inventory draws.

At some point several million barrels per day of Opec+ oil will need to return to markets as persistent production curbs eat into the economics of capacity expansions that many members of Opec+ have undertaken.
Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc (NYSE:MMC), a global professional services firm offering clients advice and solutions in risk, strategy, and people, has reported an insider sale according to a recent SEC filing. Vice President and Controller Stacy Mills sold 1,461 shares of the company on March 14, 2024.Stacy Mills has been active in the market over the past year, selling a total of 1,461 shares and making no purchases of the company's stock during that period.The insider transaction history for Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc shows a pattern of insider sales, with 16 recorded over the past year and no insider buys in the same timeframe.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc's Vice President and Controller Stacy Mills Sells 1,461 Shares

On the valuation front, shares of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc were trading at $209.16 on the day of the insider's recent sale, bringing the company's market cap to $101.72 billion. The price-earnings ratio stands at 27.48, which is above both the industry median of 12.31 and the company's historical median price-earnings ratio.With the current share price and a GuruFocus Value of $194.93, Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc has a price-to-GF-Value ratio of 1.07, indicating that the stock is Fairly Valued according to the GF Value metric.

Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc's Vice President and Controller Stacy Mills Sells 1,461 Shares

The GF Value is calculated considering historical trading multiples, a GuruFocus adjustment factor based on past returns and growth, and future business performance estimates provided by Morningstar analysts.For more detailed information, the SEC Filing can be viewed here.

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.


It was two days before Christmas in 2006 and 34-year-old Brian Dorsey was in trouble: Two drug dealers were at his apartment, demanding money.

Despite repeatedly seeking addiction treatment, Dorsey had been drinking daily for years and routinely binged crack cocaine, a drug that caused him to experience psychosisand left him feeling deeply ashamed.

And now he was in a position where he had to call several family members and ask them for cash. They declined but went to Dorseys apartment and convinced the drug dealers to leave. Dorseys cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Ben Bonnie, invited Dorsey to spend the night at their place. He took them up on the offer, and spent the evening drinking and playing pool with his relatives.

The next morning, Sarah Bonnies parents found her and Ben Bonnie dead in their bedroom. Their 4-year-old daughter sat on the couch in the living room. Dorsey turned himself into the police two days later. Following the advice of his appointed counsel, he pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder without securing any deal from prosecutors to take the death penalty off the table. After a two-day sentencing trial, a jury sentenced him to death. On April 9, the state of Missouri plans to execute Dorsey, using a lethal injection of pentobarbital.

Like most people on death row, Dorsey couldnt afford to hire a lawyer for the resource-intensive work of a death penalty trial. Instead, the Missouri State Public Defenders Office, which has faced chronic underfunding, contracted with two private attorneys, Christopher Slusher and Scott McBride. They were each paid a flat fee of $12,000 to represent Dorsey. Between 1998 and 2004, defense lawyers for people facing the death penalty spent an average of 3,557 hours per trial, according to a 2010 report. If Dorseys lawyers had put in that much time on his case, they would have been paid about $3 per hour.

Had counsel investigated and completed an expert evaluation of their client, they would have learned that Mr. Dorsey was not guilty of first-degree murder, as he was neurologically incapable of deliberation, Dorseys current lawyers wrote in a petition for writ of habeas corpus, asking the state supreme court to either overturn his death sentence or order evidentiary development on his claim.

Yet, Brian Dorsey was sentenced to death because counsel was laboring under a financial conflict-of-interest, and pressuring Mr. Dorsey to plead guilty to a crime he could not have committed was a sound financial strategy for counsel, the petition continued.

Former Missouri Supreme Court Judge Michael Wolff, one of the judges who upheld Dorseys death sentence during his direct appeal, described it as a rare case where those of us who sit in judgment of a man convicted of capital murder got it wrong.

At the time, none of us on the Court were aware of how compromised and ineffective his trial lawyers were, Wolff wrote in a letter to Gov. Mike Parson (R), urging him to grant Dorsey clemency.

In a separate letter to the governor recommending clemency, Missouri Public Defender director Mary Fox noted that her office no longer uses flat fees in death penalty cases because it incentivizes spending a minimal amount of time on a case. The American Bar Associations guidelines describe the use of flat fees as improper in death penalty cases.

Slusher declined to comment. McBride did not respond to a request for comment.

Brian Dorsey's appointed trial lawyers were paid a flat fee of $12,000 to represent him. Against the advice of another lawyer, they advised Dorsey to plead guilty without a deal from prosecutors to take the death penalty off the table. Courtesy of Brian Dorsey's legal team

Dorsey, whose father struggled with alcoholism throughout Dorseys childhood, began drinking and using crack cocaine as a teenager, according to the habeas petition. He suffered from treatment-resistant major depressive order and survived multiple suicide attempts. He tried addiction treatment programs, but was unable to stay sober. He preferred to isolate during drug binges because he often experienced paranoid delusions, the petition said.

When Sarah and Ben Bonnie brought Dorsey to their home on Dec. 23, 2006, he had spent the previous two to three days drinking and smoking crack, with no sleep or food. When he got to their home, he noticed a gun in the barn when they were playing pool, and thought about how easy it would be to kill himself, he would later testify during his sentencing trial. Although he has never denied killing the Bonnies, his memory of the evening is spotty, he testified, leaving him unable to describe exactly what happened or why.

Dorsey called his mother late on Christmas night and said he wanted to end his life. He ultimately agreed to have his parents pick him up and spend a final night together in a motel room. He turned himself into the police the next day.

Dorsey was charged with two counts of first-degree murder  the crime of knowingly causing the death of another person after deliberation upon the matter. The state sought the death penalty.

Ahead of Dorseys trial, Slusher called Janet Thompson, who, at the time, was an appellate lawyer in the state public defenders office.Slusher told her he planned to have Dorsey plead guilty even though there was no deal from prosecutors to take death off the table and he wanted her opinion.

I told him it was a really bad idea, that every time anybody had done that kind of procedure, the result had been abominable, Thompson testified at a 2011 post-conviction evidentiary hearing.

ABA guidelines similarly advise defense lawyers to be extremely reluctant to waive a clients trial rights without a guarantee that the death penalty will not be imposed.

But Dorseys lawyers did not change their approach. I think the idea was, is that we were hoping for some credit for acceptance of responsibility  from the jury, Slusher testified at the post-conviction evidentiary hearing.

The first time they spoke with Dorsey about pleading guilty was on March 10, 2008, the morning of his plea hearing, his current lawyers wrote in his habeas petition. With no time to consult with his parents about this life-or-death decision, Dorsey trusted his lawyers. He pleaded guilty.

At the time, Slusher and McBride had done no investigation into alternative defense strategies, according to the habeas petition. Although the trial lawyers had the option of requesting funding to staff their team, they declined to hire a dedicated investigator or mitigation specialist, as ABA guidelines recommend in capital cases.

Ultimately, this meant the jury was never presented with an alternative narrative  much less the truth: that Brian Dorsey was experiencing drug psychosis and not guilty of first-degree murder, the habeas petition read.

Indeed, Robert Lee Smith, the clinical psychologist who testified for the defense during Dorseys sentencing trial, described Dorsey as having diminished capacity. However, that testimony was struck since Dorsey had already pleaded guilty, the habeas petition noted.

Even if Dorseys trial lawyers hadnt been able to convince jurors Dorsey was innocent of first-degree murder, going through the guilt-innocence stage of the trial would have presented an opportunity to front-load mitigation evidence for the penalty phase, said Arin Melissa Brenner, a federal public defender who is currently representing Dorsey.

Mitigation evidence is information, such as evidence of family trauma, addiction or mental illness, that can reduce a defendants culpability. It is a key part of the sentencing stage, but it can also be introduced during the first stage of trial to give jurors a fuller picture of the defendants life and the events that led to the crime.

Youre kind of getting the jury ready to hear about what went wrong here, Brenner told HuffPost. Yes, maybe they are guilty, but you are framing how the jury should receive all the information they are about to get overloaded with  and thats especially true for experts. If you are introducing a lot of brain science to jurors, it helps to pave the way for it in the guilt phase, so its more readily understandable and applicable in the penalty phase.

Presenting a strong defense during the guilt-innocence phase of trial can also impact the penalty phase by leaving jurors with residual doubt about what happened, Brenner said. If there isnt any concrete proof of what actually happened at a crime scene, or what the defendant was actually thinking or doing, I have seen that residual doubt translate into life without parole sentences instead of death.

During the sentencing phase, prosecutors argued that Dorsey had sobered up by the time of the killings. They portrayed him as a calculated murderer who lied to the jury about having a spotty memory of the night of the crime.

Despite defense counsels supposed strategy of putting all their eggs into the sentencing phase basket, they made no effort to counter the governments erroneous assumptions and allegations, Dorseys current lawyers wrote, citing research showing that cocaine-induced psychosis can last for days.

Although the state never charged Dorsey with sexual assault, they claimed at trial that he raped Sarah Bonnie, and used that allegation as an argument in favor of the death sentence. The states evidence of rape was thin, but their narrative went largely unchallenged at trial, according to court documents. When the jury announced their verdict, they cited the rape as one of the aggravating factors in support of their decision.

Its hard to put into words what I  what Ive done to my family and Bens family, Dorsey testified at his sentencing trial. It just breaks my heart  [Im] very, very angry with myself. I  I  Ive never ever wanted to hurt anybody in my life, much less people that I love and care for.

Thompson, the appellate public defender who advised Slusher against pleading guilty without a deal to remove the death penalty, went on to represent Dorsey during his direct appeal. After speaking with Dorsey and learning that the plea idea was sprang on him with little time to consider, she reported her concerns to her supervisor.

I further opined that the System should not hire Mr. Slusher nor Mr. McBride for death penalty cases again, Thompson wrote in a 2015 affidavit.

More than 70 prison staffers signed a letter urging Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) to commute Brian Dorsey's death sentence to life without parole. Kansas City Star via Getty Images

During Dorseys 16 years on death row, he has never had a single disciplinary infraction, a rare feat in a place where guards can issue infractions for something as minor as a prisoners tone of voice or the number of pieces of paper they have in their cell. He lives in the prisons honor dorm and is entrusted to work as a barber, cutting the hair of other prisoners, staffers and even wardens.

More than 70 prison staffers, including a former warden, signed an extraordinary letter urging Parson to commute Dorseys sentence to life without parole. We are part of the law enforcement community who believe in law and order, they wrote. Generally, we believe in the use of capital punishment. But we are in agreement that the death penalty is not the appropriate punishment for Brian Dorsey.

A handful of the signatories wrote additional personal notes, describing their observations of his remorse and accountability. It would be a loss to the state if he were executed, one signatory wrote. I have never written a letter like this before, and I doubt that I ever will again. Brian Dorsey is just different.

Last month, Dorsey filed another state habeas petition, arguing that it would violate Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment to execute someone who had been rehabilitated.

Dorsey also asked a federal court to delay his execution, arguing that the states lethal injection protocol risks causing Dorsey serious, torturous, physical and psychological pain and could prevent him from any meaningful spiritual discussion with his spiritual adviser during his final moments. Because the prison staffers setting the IV lines are not trained medical professionals, they sometimes resort to cut-downs, a procedure that involves slicing into an individuals skin to access the veins.

Dorseys clemency request is currently pending. The Missouri Probation and Parole Board will issue a nonbinding and nonpublic recommendation to Parson, who makes the final determination about whether to allow Dorsey to live.

Related...
The lead attorney for Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with murdering four University of Idaho students, urged state lawmakers to oppose a bill that proposed expanding the defendants who would qualify for the death penalty.

Anne Taylor, chief of the Kootenai County Public Defenders Office, appeared before an Idaho Senate committee last week to argue that the state was not in a position to shoulder an increase in its number of capital punishment-eligible criminal cases. Taylor, who has led her office since 2017, was assigned to the Kohberger case after his arrest in December 2022.

The proposed law Taylor testified against sought to make certain sex crimes against children under the age of 12 punishable by death  a possible sentence ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, already passed in the House before it came up for a Senate committee hearing Friday.

Anne Taylor is the lead public defender for Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022. She is the only public defender in North Idaho qualified to lead the defense in a death penalty case.

Taylor provided her remarks virtually during the bills hearing at the Capitol.

These are not cases that are quick to be resolved, Taylor told the Senate panel. If it remains a death penalty case, it can take years to get to trial and get to a sentencing phase in that case.  Idaho is not staffed or prepared for this.

Taylor is one of 13 public defenders statewide who are qualified to lead a death penalty defense. She is the only one of those attorneys in all of North Idaho, and her Kohberger case co-counsel, Jay Logsdon, who is her offices chief deputy, is the only death penalty-qualified co-counsel for the same region.

Kohberger, 29, is accused of stabbing the four U of I students to death at an off-campus Moscow home in November 2022. The victims were seniors Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, both 21, junior Xana Kernodle and freshman Ethan Chapin, both 20.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson announced last year that he plans to seek the death penalty for Kohberger if he is convicted by a jury. Prosecutors have 60 days from the point a plea is entered to issue their notice of intent on whether they will pursue capital punishment.

Up until then, the state requires that a defendant who cannot afford an attorney be provided with a death penalty-qualified public defender within 14 days of being charged with a capital punishment-eligible crime, Taylor said. In Idaho, the only charge that can result in a death sentence is first-degree murder.

Bryan Kohberger, center, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, sits with his attorneys, Anne Taylor, left, and Jay Logsdon, during a pretrial hearing at the Latah County Courthouse in Moscow, Idaho, in September 2023.

When somebodys charged with a crime where the death penalty could be imposed  whether it will be asked for or not by the prosecutor  the accused is entitled to representation from a capital-qualified team, Taylor said. That happens long before a prosecutor makes a determination of whether death will actually be sought or not, but that team has to be in place that early.

If the jury convicts Kohberger, jurors must unanimously find at least one aggravating factor to sentence him to death, which could include that more than one murder occurred in the incident and/or the murders were committed in the midst of another crime. Kohberger faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of felony burglary.

Bill failed to advance after testimony

Taylor, an Idaho native and alum of the U of I law school, drew scrutiny last year after the Idaho Statesman reported that she was actively representing a parent to one of the student victims when she was appointed to represent Kohberger.

Taylor quickly conflicted out of representing that victims family member and argued any potential ethical issues were resolved during a closed-door court hearing held on the matter a month after she was assigned to Kohbergers case. At that hearing, Kohberger endorsed keeping Taylor on as his lead public defender.

Following testimony last week from Taylor and four other state public defenders, the Republican-heavy Senate committee voted the bill down, stopping its advance to a full Senate vote. Florida adopted a similar law last year and it could face potential legal challenges over its constitutionality based on decades of U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

Anne Taylor, chief of the Kootenai Public Defenders Office, testified against a bill that aimed to expand the death penalty before a Senate committee Friday, March 15, 2024. House Bill 515 was held in the committee after it failed to receive a majority of support to move it to the Senate floor.

Skaug, a former Ada County deputy prosecutor, told the Statesman in a text message that he would consider amending the bill and trying to pass it again next legislative session.

By April 17, Kohberger must file his alibi defense if his attorneys plan to argue such a defense. The attorneys must also file their legal briefs by that same time asking for a change of venue for trial outside of Latah County. A trial date has yet to be set.

Kohberger is next scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on the change of venue request on May 14.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK)  A free event will be held in Nacogdoches on March 23 for citizens to learn about bike safety.

Lawn mower racing returns to Gun Barrel City

TxDOT announced the bike safety event designed to help cyclists to learn how to safely ride and properly take care of their bicycles.

Courtesy of Texas Department of Transportation

According to a release, attendees can expect goody bags, bike and helmet giveaways and complementary drinks and snacks. People are asked to bring their own bicycle and helmet if possible.

For more information the public can contact Tambra Branton at 936-553-2671.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Lebanese Army soldiers take cover from Lebanese and Palestinian protestors who tried to push through the premises of the US embassy in Awkar north of Beirut during clashes following a pro-Palestine demonstration. Marwan Naamani/dpa

The Lebanese Army has long been considered the guarantor of national security in Lebanon but today, it is economically weakened to the extent that it can barely pay its soldiers.

In the morning I go about my job in the army, a soldier who prefers to remain anonymous tells dpa. I drive a taxi in the afternoon and at night and on weekends, he says. This is what he must do to feed his children, the soldier adds.

Many military personnel in Lebanon find themselves in similar circumstances. The soldiers' poor economic situation poses a security risk for Lebanon and the region at a time of growing tensions with neighbouring Israel and the imminent threat of war.

The powerful Shiite Hezbollah militia, which is backed by Iran and controls large parts of Lebanon, further increases the potential for conflict.

Hezbollah is classified as a terrorist organization by several Western countries. It not only presents itself as the stronger and more capable rival, but has also established a kind of "state within a state" in Lebanon - with dangerous consequences.

Even before 2019, when Lebanon slid into the worst economic crisis in its history, a regular soldier earned the equivalent of about 1,500 ($1,640) a month. However, the country is running out of foreign currency.

State institutions can only pay their salaries partially in local currency, which has lost more than 95% of its value during the crisis. Today, that same soldier brings home an average of just under 130, which is hardly enough to survive in the deeply corrupt Mediterranean state, let alone support a family.

The economic situation has forced many soldiers and police officers to take on other jobs to make ends meet, says former Lebanese Army general Wehbe Katicha.

So far, the army has turned a blind eye because it simply does not have enough resources to pay full salaries. "This is very dangerous," Katicha says.

If the army were to collapse, it could have serious consequences. If there is no army, militias will take their role and the country will descend into chaos, Katicha warns.

This would be a painful reminder of Lebanon's most difficult days during the Lebanese Civil War between 1975 and 1990, which led to the collapse of the country's army.

Various militias, formed largely along communal lines, seized power and plunged Lebanon into a bloody inter-sectarian conflict that killed more than 150,000 people.

For many soldiers and policemen, however, their main job - protecting the country - has now become secondary to making ends meet.

"I am a soldier I have duties yes towards my country, but if I cannot feed my family, my job becomes secondary," one soldier who also works in a pharmacy tells dpa.

This comes at a time when Lebanon is experiencing its worst escalation of violence in years on its shared border with Israel.

Since the massacre led by the militant Palestinian organization Hamas in Israel on October 7 and the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, mutual attacks have occurred almost daily between the Hamas-allied Hezbollah and Israel with casualties on both sides.

Just one day after the Hamas attack, Hezbollah's first rockets flew at targets in northern Israel.

There have long been concerns that the war could spread to Lebanon if a diplomatic solution is not reached in Gaza.

"The army's power is not only weakened by the economic problems," says Lebanese political expert and analyst Makram Rabah. Its power is also undermined by Hezbollah's strategies, he says.

The militia has built a kind of state within a state in Lebanon and has propagated that the army is unable to protect its border with Israel.

In general: "The destruction of the idea of the state has destroyed the idea of the army," says Rabah.

Hezbollah mainly controls the south on the border with Israel. As a strong political force, it was the only group that was officially allowed to keep its weapons after the civil war.

It claims to have tens of thousands of rockets that could reach the entire Israeli territory. According to its leader Hassan Nasrallah, it has around 100,000 fighters at its disposal.

This figure cannot be verified. But if it is correct, Hezbollah would be larger than the Lebanese army, which officially has 85,000 members.

Military expert Katicha also sees the militia's actions as a danger. Despite the economic problems, the Lebanese armed forces are sufficiently trained to "easily maintain peace on the border."

Hezbollah would just have to let them, he says. "If Hezbollah does not allow this, then the whole country would be jeopardized."

After visiting Beirut in January, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock pledged 15 million so that the army could better ensure security in the south of the country along the Lebanese-Israeli border.

The funds are intended to cover fuel costs, but also medium-term measures, including border surveillance. However, military salaries will not be paid with this support.

A military employee who drives a taxi for extra income says, "I'm just tired. My colleagues in the army feel the same.

"Even on my days off, I work day and night. If I find a job that pays me better and in dollars - whether here or abroad - I will resign and leave the service. In the end, my family's survival is the most important thing," he says.

Lebanese Army soldiers guard a local bank during a protest in the wake of the 2019 economic crisis. Marwan Naamani/dpa

Lebanese soldiers securing a local bank scuffle with protesters during a protest to demand the imposition of a timetable for returning the savings of depositors. The protests of depositors against banks has been expressed regularly since the restrictions imposed by the Lebanese banks in 2019, at the start of an unprecedented economic crisis in which Lebanon is still entangled. Marwan Naamani/dpa
Amid legal battles unfolding in federal courts regarding the transfer of wetlands-permitting authority from the federal government to the state, a significant development emerged on Monday as a judge decided to halt a lawsuit filed by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore granted a stay requested by attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice, following a recent ruling by another federal judge asserting that the authority transfer was executed improperly and should be nullified.

This issue has garnered attention from both business and environmental groups due to its implications for permitting processes concerning various development projects impacting wetlands. Typically held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the permitting authority was shifted to the state in late 2020, shortly before the conclusion of the previous administration.

The Miccosukee Tribe initiated its lawsuit in 2022 against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), contending that the transfer violated the federal Clean Water Act.

Concurrently, a coalition including the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, and others filed a separate lawsuit in Washington, D.C., challenging the transfer. Florida has intervened in both cases to support the transfer.

In the Washington, D.C., case, Judge Randolph Moss ruled on Feb. 15 that actions by the EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contravened the federal Endangered Species Act. Moss invalidated the transfer but left certain legal matters unresolved, pending further proceedings.

The state has petitioned for a stay of Moss decision, a motion that remains pending as the judge schedules a conference for April 4. Meanwhile, environmental groups have opposed a stay and urged for a final judgment to facilitate potential appeals.

In a recent order, Judge Moore paused the Miccosukee Tribes case until April 17, citing the possibility of being unable to provide substantial relief if Moss issues a final judgment in the Washington, D.C., case.

While the Miccosukee Tribe voiced objections to the stay, highlighting distinctions in legal issues, the legal firm Longman, Lewis & Walker noted that progress in these cases may remain stagnant until the April 4 conference in Washington, barring any rulings by Moss.

As the legal maneuvering unfolds, the processing of state 404 permit applications remains on hold, leaving many individuals uncertain about the next steps in navigating these complex regulatory challenges.

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Donald Trump is a master at postponing legal accountability, but two cases targeting the ex-president and his orbit now in the penalty phase show that when the law finally exacts its price, the experience can be harsh and humiliating.

Trumps lawyers said Monday that he cannot secure a bond to cover a near half billion dollar judgment against him in a New York fraud case while he appeals. The admission is a dent to the mystique of an ex-president who built his brand on the power and size of his The Art of the Deal fortune. And it raises the possibility his cash crunch could worsen a growing personal and campaign financial crisis.

And Peter Navarro, Trumps former trade guru, is headed to prison after failing in his plea for the Supreme Court to spare him jail while he appeals a conviction for ignoring congressional subpoenas for documents and testimony about his boss bid to overturn the 2020 election.

Both cases offer a lesson in the potential consequences of the culture of rule-breaking and a sense that pervades Trump world that the law is something that applies to other people. They also show that while defiance of laws and customs can be a potent political tool for the ex-president and his advisors, the outcomes of prosecutions designed to enforce more stringent codes of behavior can impose painful legal consequences regardless of politics. In Navarros case, his plight as a 74-year-old who is readying himself for the scary prospect of prison highlights the sometime price of loyalty to Trump and the ex-presidents method of turning every legal challenge into a political cause to boost his brand and goals.

Dramas over Trumps latest legal struggles and his former advisors fight to stay out of jail again show how the former president and his associates use every single avenue of potential appeal  protections guaranteed to them by the Constitution and legal system Trump often decries  to postpone legal outcomes. This tactic has helped Trump get closer to one 2024 goal as his frenetic litigation has succeeded in delaying his criminal legal trials to the extent that its not certain that he will go before a jury before Novembers presidential election. But for all the delays and digressions, the law, in the end, can be relentless. And while it has become a new normal to see a presumptive presidential nominee constantly embroiled in courtroom dramas, another set of legal imbroglios surrounding Trump and a high-profile member of the Make America Great Again movement is also a reminder of the surreal circumstances of the 2024 election.

Trumps struggles to secure a bond highlight his financial situation

Trump has been trying to find an insurance company to underwrite his bond for at least $464 million dollars plus interest pending the appeals process after he, his adult sons and the Trump Organization were found liable for huge sums in ill-gotten gains in a civil fraud trial brought by the state of New York. Multiple insurance firms have balked at Trumps attempt to finance the bond based on the value of his real estate assets. His tactics appear to indicate he lacks sufficient cash or shares to guarantee the agreement to cover disgorgement payments and interest payments on his own. The payment is required since an appeal could drag on for years and the state wants certainty that it will be paid if the court rules in its favor.

The former president argues that the value of his properties, including skyscrapers and golf resorts, vastly exceeds the size of the bond and therefore the court should allow him to defray payment until after the appeals process. This argument is richly ironic since it follows a case in which Trump was accused of hyping the value of his buildings to gain preferential rates from banks and insurance firms.

This is somebody who is in this unenviable position because he has been found guilty of over inflating the values of his properties, so it makes sense insurance companies would not accept the properties and his valuations of them as security on a bond of this size, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe told CNNs Wolf Blitzer. Judge Arthur Engoron ruled last month that Trump and his co-defendants were liable for fraud, conspiracy and issuing false financial statements and false business records.

Post-trial action in this case also hints at the darkening reality of Trumps position and the way in which his fortune and empire appears to be in grave peril from the case. As CNNs Allison Morrow noted, if Trump doesnt put up the immense amount of money he needs, the judgment can be enforced, allowing New York Attorney General Letitia James to seize Trumps properties and sell them to pay down what he owes.

As James put it in an interview with ABC News last month: Yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day, referring to one of the ex-presidents most cherished Manhattan properties.

In another irony, there are increasing signs that for all his strength in polls, Trump has money problems. Hes already had to post bond of more than $90 million pending an appeal after he lost a second defamation case to the writer E. Jean Carroll. And his multiple cases, including four looming criminal trials, have saddled him with huge legal bills. The use of some of the cash from his political fundraising committees to meet those costs threatens to worsen an emerging cash disadvantage to President Joe Biden and the Democrats in the run-up to November.

As always with Trump, there is a legal front and a political one. It does not seem likely that signs hes not as rich as he claims could undermine his business legend, which many supporters at his rallies still cite as qualification for the Oval Office. Nothing has weakened the ex-president among the hardest core of his support, and his effort to portray the multiple criminal and civil prosecutions that hes facing as examples of political persecution have been a great success, helping him dominate the GOP primary race by consolidating base voters around his narrative. Trump argues that hes protecting millions of Americans who would otherwise face victimization from the government. His claims are inaccurate but appear to be politically effective among his supporters who revile political and legal elites in Washington. Recently, hes even drawn analogies between his legal situation and unfair treatment of minorities by the criminal justice system as he seeks to drive down Bidens support among Black voters who form a critical part of the Democratic coalition in swing states.

Given the sensitivities of an election year, an attempt by James, who Trump has already complained is biased against him, to seize his properties would cause an extraordinary political furor. The process of seizing assets is legally complex at the best of times. It would likely be even more so given the labyrinthine financing used by Trump in his business. And the former president would certainly highlight his treatment to super charge his claims hes a victim of a political witch hunt to keep him out of the White House. Therefore, there are good reasons why James  a Democrat may seek other legal remedies to secure the judgment.

Trump is already trying to weaponize his latest legal liabilities. The presumptive Republican nominee said on Truth Social that a bond of this size is unConstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY Company, including one as successful as mine. We will fight and defeat this Hoax, and all of the other Crooked Joe-directed Hoaxes, once and for all. If I wasnt running for President of the United States, and leading by a lot, this kind of Witch Hunt would never have happened, Trump said, seeking to highlight a question that has long surrounded this case  whether another businessman would have had the same treatment if he lacked the ex-presidents profile.

Trump does have some other options  for example, he could refinance or sell some of his diverse portfolio to put up the money. In court papers Monday, Trumps lawyers accused James of being inflexible and argued that posting a full bond for a judgment of this size was a practical impossibility. They also warned that if he was forced to divest his properties, Trump would become victim to a fire sale that would cause massive losses. The ex-president says the court has the authority to stay the judgment until after the appeal plays out.

Navarro faces the reality of jail time

While Trump was fighting on multiple fronts, Navarro Monday was contemplating the nightmare of jail time as soon as Tuesday after Chief Justice John Roberts rejected his last-ditch effort to stay free.

Navarro had argued that a federal judges refusal to let him raise an executive privilege defense at trial was wrong and that since an appeals court could reverse the decision he should remain out of prison. But Roberts wrote in a brief order that he had no basis to disagree with the lower court finding that Navarro had forfeited any argument that he could avoid appearing before Congress even if he was entitled to the privilege.

Peter Navarro, a former advisor to former US President Donald Trump, speaks to reporters as he departs the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse on January 25, 2024, in Washington, DC. - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Navarro is expected to report to the minimum-security federal Bureau of Prisons satellite camp in Miami and become the first former White House official ever jailed for contempt of Congress. Hes nervous, Navarros prison consultant Sam Mangel told CNN. Anybody, regardless of the length of their sentence, is going into an unknown world. Navarro was sentenced to around four months in prison but is expected to be eligible for early release.

Although his case is historic, Navarro is far from the only ex-Trump associate to serve time in jail. For one of the most famous, there is apparently the possibility of an unlikely comeback.

Trumps team is considering bringing back his former 2016 campaign chairman Paul Manafort to help with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this summer, CNNs Kristen Holmes reported. The possibility of his return was first reported by the Washington Post.

Manafort was released from jail to home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 after serving about a third of a 7.5 year term. He was convicted of financial crimes in a case arising from special counsel Robert Muellers Russia probe and was eventually pardoned by Trump.

Meanwhile, legal controversies continue to swirl around a host of lesser-known Trump operatives due to the former presidents reckless behavior. In a Michigan-related case, Stefanie Lambert, a pro-Trump lawyer who tried to overturn the 2020 election, was arrested in a dramatic courtroom scene on Monday following a court hearing about her recent leak of internal emails belonging to Dominion Voting Systems.

This story has been updated with additional details.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Legal experts are weighing in on Donald Trumps options after attorneys for the former president said he has not been able to secure a $464 million appeal bond he needs following a New York civil fraud judgment against him.

Trumps lawyers wrote in a Monday court filing that obtaining the nearly half-a-billion appeal was a "practical impossibility under the circumstances presented."

David Gelman, a criminal defense attorney and a former deputy district attorney, called the judgment a "unicorn." He argued that the judge should give Trump a lot more leeway to satisfy the bond because "not even the richest man in the world has $464 million lying around."

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a Buckeye Values PAC Rally in Vandalia, Ohio, on March 16, 2024.

A New York Appeals Court judge denied Trumps request late last month to delay payment of the $464 million owed as a result of the lawsuit brought by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, but said he would temporarily allow the 2024 front-runner and his sons to continue running their business during the appeals process.

A New York Appeals Court judge previously ruled that the former president must post a bond for the full amount of the judgment and that an independent director of compliance will be appointed.

That ruling comes after New York Judge Arthur Engoron handed down his decision earlier in February after a months-long trial beginning in October in which the former president was accused of inflating his assets and committing fraud in financial documents.

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JAMES CARVILLE SAYS BIDEN CAMP RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT BLACK VOTE: IT IS A PROBLEM

Engoron ruled that Trump and other defendants were liable for "persistent and repeated fraud," "falsifying business records," "issuing false financial statements," "conspiracy to falsify false financial statements," "insurance fraud" and "conspiracy to commit insurance fraud."

Gelman told Fox News Digital that "everyone needs to realize how unprecedented this is."

"There has never been a judgment of this magnitude against a company or individual in the history of New York, so we are really in uncharted territory."

Gelman said Trump has three options: not appeal, ask the court to allow Attorney General James to use his property as collateral, or take it to a federal court and say the New York law is unconstitutional on its face.

"Courts really dont deny bonds when there are other ways to pay. Again, because this is so unprecedented, and I dont care how rich you are, nobody has that much liquid cash. So if a court had the option to allow a defendant to use some other collateral to satisfy the bond, they will," Gelman said.

He added that there was no reason for the judge or Attorney General James to say no.

"Youre dealing with Trump. Hes not going anywhere. Hes the most famous and well known person in the world. Its not like he can just disappear and cant be found," Gelman said.

NATHAN WADE CANCELS MAJOR IN-PERSON NETWORK INTERVIEW, CITING FAMILY EMERGENCY

Former federal prosecutor Andrew Cherkasky told Fox News The Story with Martha MacCallum that he "would not count Trump out yet."

Cherkasky said that even if the court denies Trumps appeal, he "still has paths to move forward through federal court  ultimately to the Supreme Court to complain about Eight Amendment violations."

Per the Eighth Amendment, which deals with cruel and unusual punishment, "excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

Lara Trump speaks at the NCGOP state convention with former President Trump on June 5, 2021 in Greenville, North Carolina.

Cherkasky argued that the fines imposed on Trump were so "astronomically high here that it seems unbelievable for the Constitution to permit it under these circumstances."

"I think  and I hope  that the New York Court of Appeals looks at it appropriately," Cherkasky said. "But like I said, I think even the Supreme Court would have an interest in this case on Eighth Amendment grounds."

Trump attorney Alina Habba told the X22 report Monday she was "confident" Trump's debt would be dismissed.

"Despite the fact that witnesses frankly had said that they were great clients, we all made money, they did nothing wrong, we got slammed with this egregious number, and I'm confident we'll overturn it," Habba told the online podcast.

Writing on his Truth Social platform later Monday, Trump called the bond set by Engoron "unconsitutitonal, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY company, including one as successful as mine."

"The Bonding Companies have never heard of such a bond of this size before nor do they have the ability to post such a bond, even if they wanted to," Trump wrote.

Fox News' Greg Norman contributed to this report.





Original article source: Legal experts weigh in on Trumps options after failure to secure $464M appeal bond: uncharted territory
DENVER (KDVR)  A contested bill, which would create a task force to study school safety issues, passed through the House Education Committee on Tuesday with a vote of 7-4.

House Bill 1320, Educator Safety Task Force, is sponsored by two teachers: Rep. Meghan Lukens, representing Eagle, Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties; and Sen. Janice Marchman, representing Boulder and Larimer counties. If passed, the bill would create a task force to:

Study the impact of state policy, staff shortages and resource inequalities on the safety of public staff

Develop recommendations to avoid contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline

Now more than ever, our educators need support, said Amie Baca-Oehlert in a release. Baca-Oehlert is a high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association.

Deans shot at East High have put Denver Public Schools on notice for lawsuit

Teachers voice concern about violence in schools

The CEA released its annual State of Education report earlier this year for the 2023-2024 school years, and it noted that violence against educators is prevalent and rising, with the effects of COVID-related isolations exerting additional strain on the social and emotional development of children.

The report goes on to state that nearly a third (32%) of CEA educators surveyed said they had experienced physical abuse by a student in the two years before taking the survey. The report noted that the recent establishment of the Colorado Office of School Safety is commendable, but focuses on emergencies like school shootings and not everyday violence.

This task force, comprised of people with lived experience in the education system, will go a long way towards ensuring that both our students and educators are safe, Baca-Oehlert said in a release. When theres a sense of safety in the learning environment, students and educators are empowered to thrive and excel at their fullest potential.

The CEA report also found that 70% of respondents said their students mental health significantly worsened over the past few years, and 66% of educators reported their own mental health deteriorating in the same period.

However, 77% of the surveys respondents also said they would feel less safe if educators were able to carry firearms in schools. That same survey found that nearly 58% of educators were considering leaving the profession soon.

Furthering the education crisis, the Colorado Department of Education found that 15% of all teaching and 20% of all school support professional roles in the state were left unfilled during the previous school year (2022-23).

Safe2Tell reports rose 35% in February, reaching highest monthly volume

We must address the pressing issue of educator safety, and its essential that our interventions are thoughtfully designed to avoid worsening the existing school-to-prison pipeline, said Baca-Oehlert in a release for the House bill.

The CEA report also noted that a Healthy Kids Colorado survey found that one in four Colorado teens reported they could access a loaded gun within 24 hours. The CEA survey found that 66% of educators are somewhat or very worried about a school shooting. February Safe2Tell numbers show that suicide and bullying reports were some of the top categories reported by Colorado students.

We must ensure that our efforts do not inadvertently contribute to the systemic issues already in place, perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage and incarceration among our youth. Therefore, any steps taken must be well-informed, targeted, and aimed at dismantling the structures that fuel this harmful trend rather than inadvertently reinforcing them. I laud the bill sponsors for their work on this vital issue.

The measure will be presented to the Colorado House of Representatives for discussion and a vote.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
When you buy a stock there is always a possibility that it could drop 100%. But when you pick a company that is really flourishing, you can make more than 100%. Long term Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) shareholders would be well aware of this, since the stock is up 108% in five years. On top of that, the share price is up 13% in about a quarter. But this move may well have been assisted by the reasonably buoyant market (up 7.1% in 90 days).

Now it's worth having a look at the company's fundamentals too, because that will help us determine if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business.

Check out our latest analysis for Mastercard

In his essay The Superinvestors of Graham-and-Doddsville Warren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

During five years of share price growth, Mastercard achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 16% per year. This EPS growth is remarkably close to the 16% average annual increase in the share price. Therefore one could conclude that sentiment towards the shares hasn't morphed very much. In fact, the share price seems to largely reflect the EPS growth.

You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).

We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here..

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. In the case of Mastercard, it has a TSR of 114% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that Mastercard shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 38% over one year. Of course, that includes the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 16% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. In the best case scenario, this may hint at some real business momentum, implying that now could be a great time to delve deeper. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Mastercard .

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The man suspected of killing his sister, stepmom and ex-girlfriend in a Philadelphia suburb over the weekend began by arguing with his father, according to police.

Charging documents against Andre Gordon Jr., 26, were made public Monday and described multiple violent confrontations in Levittown.

Cops said Gordon first arrived Saturday at the home where his father and stepmother, Karen Gordon, lived along with his 13-year-old sister, Kera Gordon, the Bucks County Courier Times reported.

Police said Gordon knocked on the door and began arguing with his father, a debate that ended with his dad closing the door on him, according to the documents obtained by Levittown Now. After that, Gordon smashed glass on the front door with a rifle he was carrying and opened fire into the home, investigators said.

Those bullets killed Karen Gordon, 52, and Kera Gordon, according to police.

Cops said Gordon then made a short drive to the home where Taylor Daniel, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of their two children, lived with her family.

Investigators learned Gordon and Daniel got into an argument at the front door of that residence, with Daniel both calling the police and telling her family that Gordon had a gun, according to Levittown Now. When officers arrived, they found Daniels body in a bedroom at the home and spoke with Daniels brother.

Daniels mother told police she struck Gordon with an ax handle and he responded by smacking her with his rifle, local NBC affiliate WCAU reported. Gordon was charged with assault for that response.

Gordon remained at Monroe County jail in Trenton, N.J., on Monday, pending his extradition back to Pennsylvania. He is also facing several weapons counts and a carjacking charge in New Jersey.
The Lexington-Fayette County Human Rights Commission has ruled against a local restaurant in a case of alleged discrimination involving a service animal.

The commission, which investigates and enforces civil rights laws, voted on March 18 to present the case involving Oasis Mediterranean Restaurant in Chevy Chase to a public hearing officer, who will determine if the restaurant owes a patron monetary damages for embarrassment and humiliation, according to Ray Sexton, executive director of the commission.

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On March 16, 2023, Sarah Van Vooren alleges Oasis discriminated against her based on her disability after she was denied service at the restaurant due to the presence of her service animal, according to a news release from the commission. She alleged that she was told that she could not have access to the buffet with that dog and was told to leave the restaurant immediately.

The case was brought under Lexingtons public accommodation ordinance.

The Oasis Mediterranean Restaurant at 837 Chevy Chase Place in Lexington, Ky.

Van Vooren did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Van Vooren filed a complaint with the commission on March 30, 2023. The commission investigated and issued a Probable Cause Determination on Oct. 26.

The parties were given an opportunity to conciliate the case before moving to a public hearing, according to the commission, but conciliation failed. A date for a public hearing has not yet been set.

Ahmad Saleh, owner of Oasis Restaurant Group LLC, said in an interview with the Herald-Leader after the commission announced that the case would go to a public hearing, that he considers his restaurant open to all.

He said he asked Van Vooren to leave after her service dog came sniffing at the buffet during lunch rush.

Thats not acceptable even if it was a service dog, he said. I kind of blocked the way of the dog.

He said he was focused on handling the situation fast ... and if the health department got involved that would be an issue as well. We all know animals are not supposed to be around food thats being served to the public.

Sexton said cases involving service animals are rare, but not unheard of.

In November, the owners and operators of LexLive reached a settlement with the U.S. Attorneys Office after a disabled veteran accused them of forcing her group to leave because of the presence of a service animal. The woman and others were forced to leave LexLives Corner Bar in December 2022 because she was accompanied by her service animal.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission, which was created jointly by the city and the county fiscal court in 1967, represents those who have experienced discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodation.
LIBERTY TWP.  Trustees didnt have to look far to find their new administrator.

They promoted economic development director Caroline McKinney as Liberty Townships administrator.

This was an easy decision for us. Carolines passion and dedication to Liberty Township is unsurpassed, said Trustee Tom Farrell.

Liberty Township Administrator Caroline McKinney

Leading a great team that she has been an integral part of for almost 17 years is a natural transition for her that I am certain will continue to provide the high-quality services that the Liberty Township residents and businesses expect and deserve.

A township resident, McKinney was the townships first and only economic development director since her May 2007 hiring. Public information duties were later added.

Initial discussions about Liberty Center were just starting when McKinney began working for the township. Construction on Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical was in its early stages and the Kroger Marketplace had just opened off Yankee Road.

Since then, Childrens has added the Cincinnati Children's/UC Health Proton Therapy Center, Christ Hospital opened a Liberty Township campus and the township has added to its business community.

Weve got an incredible team here in Liberty and Im pleased to have the opportunity to continue contributing to our communitys success, McKinney said. Ive been saying it for years: its an exciting time to be in Liberty Township and Im looking forward to working with our elected officials, team, residents and businesses.

In her new role, McKinney will earn $146,000 annually and receive a $500 monthly car allowance.

Her breadth of skills, knowledge and tenure with the township, along with being a resident of this community make her a perfect fit, said Todd Minniear, board president. We are lucky she is stepping in to continue the great work of our entire township team.

McKinney is replacing Jesse Lightle who resigned earlier this year after just one year on the job.

A native of Sidney, Ohio, McKinney holds a bachelors degree from Miami University. Before working for Liberty Township, she worked for the Cincinnati USA Chamber in economic development and marketing. McKinney also did marketing and public relations work for the Cincinnati Art Museum, Christ Hospital, and the Observatory Group advertising agency.

Married to husband Matthew, she has two sons, serves as the board chairwoman for Travel Butler County and is on the West Chester-Liberty Chamber Alliance board.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Liberty Township names Caroline McKinney new administrator
Passenger Angel Harding says she was left "in shock" after she and a friend were allegedly 86'd from an an Air New Zealand flight due to their size.

Skys the limit  but not on this airline.

A female passenger claimed that she and a friend were allegedly ordered off an Air New Zealand flight due to their size.

I just couldnt believe what was happening to me, Angel Harding told 1News of the traumatizing incident, which allegedly occurred on a flight from Napier to Auckland.

Passenger Angel Harding says she was left in shock after she and a friend were allegedly 86d from an an Air New Zealand flight due to their size. 1News

The pair had reportedly been returning from a Hui (a Maori term for an informal gathering) in Hastings, having flown from Kerikeri to Auckland, and then Auckland to Napier without any issue.

The woman said she was looking out of the window while the plane was taxiing on the tarmac, when all of a sudden, she felt a sharp pain.

Thats when she allegedly turned to see a flight attendant slamming the armrest down on her arm.

My thoughts are they took me off because of my build, because of my size, said Angel Harding. 1News

I was kind of was in shock, she said. I moved forward, and she started yelling to me that the pilot cant take off unless all the arm rests were down. She was speaking to me in an aggressive manner.

Harding claimed that the flight attendant only relented when she asked her to stop. At that point, her appalled friend, who was sitting next to her, confronted the crewmember over her alleged behavior, but this only exacerbated the situation.

She said, Dont you think you should be seated if the plane is in motion? Harding claimed. And then [the flight attendant] looked at both of us and said, I can get you both kicked off this flight.'

The pair soon realized she was not making an idle threat. Harding claimed the woman walked to the front of plane and spoke into the phone, after which she noticed the aircraft starting to turn back to the gate.

Shortly thereafter, the air hostess announced over the intercom that everyone would need to deplane due to an inconvenience, before reportedly walking back down the aisle to berate Harding and her friend once more.

She came over and said, You two should have booked four seats, you two should have bought two seats each, declared the distressed passenger.

Harding said she was subsequently informed that shed have to book four seats should she ever fly Air NZ in the future.

Harding plans to seek compensation from Air New Zealand over the humiliation and pain she suffered because of the incident. 1News

Harding and her pal, who were assisted with wheelchairs, were allegedly shuffled off to the side and left with an airport worker while the other passengers disembarked.

Kathleen Tuhiwai Wharemate, who was flying with the duo but had a separate seat, said she was devastated upon realizing what had transpired.

As I was pushed [back] out to the plane, I looked back and saw them both crying, and I was crying, and it was just so sad leaving them behind, she lamented.

While the airline didnt give an explanation for their removal, Harding believes theyd been discriminated against because of their weight.

My thoughts are they took me off because of my build, because of my size, she said. As to myself and our build, our size had a lot to do with it. They didnt say it [was], they said it was an inconvenience.

She said she found their treatment particularly jarring as she hadnt had any problems on the flights out with the airline.

Air New Zealand reportedly required Harding and her friend to rebook a flight that could accommodate them, but footed the bill for their tickets, accommodations and food. AFP via Getty Images

To make matters worse, Harding claims she was told theyd need to rebook on another flight to accommodate them, which wouldnt be available until Sunday due to the soaring demand.

When the pair informed Air NZ they couldnt afford the ticket, the airline footed the bill. They also covered accommodations, meals and even granted them free access to the exclusive Koru Lounge while ironing out the details.

Air NZ even issued a formal apology to the pair.

We are committed to treating all customers with respect and dignity and we apologize that these customers received an inconsistent experience, an airline spokesperson said in a statement. We will continue to work with the customer directly to address their concerns.

However, they added that they strongly recommend that passengers contact them before boarding if they require extra space onboard, claiming that flight staff would try and accommodate them if possible.

I just couldnt believe what was happening to me, said Harding. 1News

Nonetheless, Harding and her friend plan to seek compensation from the airline for the humiliation and trauma they allegedly endured.

Were all humans, were all human, and I dont ever want anyone to go through the trauma that we are going through right now, she said.

Currently, New Zealand doesnt have any laws stating that plus-sized passengers have to buy another seat, instead leaving it up to the airline.

The United States doesnt have such a law either, with policies for plus-sized passengers varying vastly from airline to airline.

United Airlines, for one, requires passengers to buy extra seats if they cannot buckle their seatbelts, take up space in adjacent seats, or cannot keep their armrests lowered while they are seated, per their website.

If an extra seat isnt available, youll need to change your flight to one that has extra seats, they write.

On the other side of the aisle, US budget carrier Southwest Airlines boasts a customer of size policy, which allows overweight passengers to request a complimentary seat and forces the flight staff to accommodate larger flyers  even if that means kicking others with tickets off the flight.
Coastal Southern California, which rarely sees lightning, witnessed several hundred bolts Monday from a string of unusual thunderstorms  a display not to be overshadowed by the day's other overhead spectacle, the SpaceX rocket launch.

Orange and San Diego counties' coasts and valleys in particular experienced frequent bursts of lightning Monday afternoon, along with hail and loud thunder, as a low pressure system moved in from the east, creating instability in the atmosphere that fueled the unusually strong thunderstorms. Isolated storms, also with significant lightning, were recorded in Los Angeles County and the Inland Empire.

"They were more intense than your normal thunderstorms, for sure," said Alex Tardy, a National Weather Service meteorologist in San Diego. They didnt have a lot of rain, but they certainly had a lot of lightning and a lot of ice, or hail. ... The lightning and the hail [were] the dominant feature in these storms."

The storms hit the San Diego area first, primarily between 1 and 3 p.m., then moved across Orange County through 6 p.m., Tardy said, as the low pressure system tracked most directly over those areas.

Some residents reported hearing "constant" thunder and shared photos of some of the lightning and small hail on social media.

Tardy estimated that several hundred to a couple thousand lightning discharges happened in the atmosphere over Southern California on Monday, though the majority  about 80%  remained in the clouds. About 120 strikes hit the ground, he said, based off initial analyses from ground-based instruments that record and track lightning.

Because the lightning was occurring over more populated areas, he said many residents likely heard a lot of thunder and saw some hail. All lightning is accompanied by thunder and hail, though the hail doesn't usually reach the ground and sound travels slower than light, so it's not always heard. But the strength of the storms and frequency of the lightning made those two phenomena more prevalent Monday, Tardy said.

Lightning in Southern California remains rare, Tardy said, typically accompanying only a few winter storms and primarily occurring in July and August over the mountains and deserts. He said it's rare year-round along the coasts and valleys, which makes it hard to compare Monday's lightning to prior storms.

It's very unusual for the coast to have such widespread lightning," Tardy said. "We had some on Friday too and that was unusual."

Read more: 'Instability' over Southern California driving chance for afternoon thunderstorms, showers

That instability on Friday, which dumped snow on the Southern California mountains and created some isolated thunderstorms, came from the same low pressure system that brought storms Monday. The system has lingered and shifted along the California-Arizona border for days, Tardy said, but it's expected move out of the area by early Wednesday.

There's a small chance for more thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon, but the concern is significantly less widespread and focused on the mountains.

Lightning  which is hard to predict  is a concern only when it touches the ground, when it can have disastrous outcomes: setting vegetation or homes ablaze, interrupting power and even killing people.

I dont know of anyone being injured or any wildfires right now," Tardy said Tuesday, though he noted that reports can come in days after a weather event.

But Southern California isn't out of the woods when it comes to storms. Another large system is expected to take aim at the area this weekend, this one coming down from the eastern Pacific off the coast of Oregon, weather officials said.

It could bring more precipitation to the region Saturday and Sunday, but any rainfall is expected to be minor.

It will be light if there is anything this weekend, said Kristan Lund, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. "If anything does fall, the majority of the area will get under a tenth of an inch."

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.
FILE - Los Angeles Chargers middle linebacker Denzel Perryman (52)) defends during an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. Perryman is back with the Los Angeles Chargers for a second stint with a one-year contract. The team made the announcement on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.(AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, File)

COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP)  Denzel Perryman is back with the Los Angeles Chargers for a second stint with a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.

Perryman was a second-round selection by the Bolts in 2015 and was with the team for six seasons. He played for the Houston Texans last season and the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021 and '22.

Perryman started 13 of the 14 games he played in last season, including both of Houston's postseason contests.

In 2021, Perryman was third in the league with 102 solo tackles and sixth with 154 total stops en route to getting selected to the Pro Bowl.

The signing of Perryman gives the Chargers depth and experience at the inside linebacker position. Los Angeles lost two starters when Eric Kendricks was released and Kenneth Murray Jr. signed with Tennessee. Amen Ogbongbemiga, a backup last season, signed with Chicago.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Canadians are expected to come out and pay their last respects to Brian Mulroney, Canada's 18th prime minister, as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building in Ottawa March 19 and 20.

Mulroney died in a Palm Beach, Fl., hospital on Feb. 29 at the age of 84. His death was met with a wave of reaction from politicians and members of the public. The former PM is survived by his wife, Mila Mulroney, and their four children.

A funeral cortege carried Mulroney's body to the Sir John A. Macdonald Building on Tuesday morning, where Governor General Mary Simon and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed their sympathies to the Mulroney family. Members of the public will be able to visit and pay their respects from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on March 19, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 20.

Brian Mulroney's funeral ceremony is set to take place on Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m., at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal. Prior to the ceremony, a funeral cortege  including a Royal Canadian Mounted Police mounted escort, a Canadian Armed Forces escort and guard of honour, the Royal Canadian Air Force Band, and RCMP pallbearers  will make its way to the Notre-Dame Basilica.

Follow our live blog below for images, tributes and the latest details from the tribute to Mulroney.

LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER 13 updates Featured Vote: Which accomplishment do you most associate with Mulroney's legacy? Brian Mulroney's reign as prime minister started with one of the largest political wins in Canadian history  after he and his Progressive Conservatives won a record 211 seats in the House of Commons in the 1984 federal election. During his time in office until 1993, his impact included brokering the free trade deal and acid rain treaty with the U.S., introducing the loonie, as well as his leading position in the fight against racial apartheid in South Africa. However, moves like the introduction of the GST and the Airbus scandal also led to unpopular opinions toward Mulroney. How to watch former PM Brian Mulroney's funeral The vigil sentinels as seen around the casket of former prime minster Brian Mulroney, Tuesday, March 19, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld The funeral ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at the Notre-Dame Basilica (110 Notre-Dame Street West) in Montreal. Yahoo News Canada will broadcast live coverage of the funeral from Global News here. Trudeau, Gretzky to deliver eulogy: What we know about the event Prior to the ceremony, a funeral cortege, including a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) mounted escort, a Canadian Armed Forces escort and guard of honour, the Royal Canadian Air Force Band, RCMP pallbearers, and honorary pallbearers, will make its way to the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal. The ceremony will feature religious components led by His Grace Christian Lepine, Archbishop of Montreal, and The Very Reverend Miguel Castellanos, PSS, rector of Notre-Dame Basilica. Eulogies will be offered by Caroline Mulroney, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Karl Peladeau, Wayne Gretzky, James Baker and Jean Charest. Guests invited to the ceremony will include family, friends, current and former government representatives and dignitaries, as well as representatives of organizations to which the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney had a close connection.

Canadians mourn former prime minister Brian Mulroney Canadians took a moment out of their day either virtually or in-person on Tuesday to offer their condolences to Brian Mulroney's family and take in a moment in front of the former prime minister's flag-draped casket. Members of the public line up outside to pay their respects to former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, across from Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle People pay their respects as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Blair Gable-Pool Goodbye to the only decent conservative politician & Prime Minister in my lifetime,

The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney pic.twitter.com/AhQ7IoITOi  Noreen Millar-Breen (@MillarBreen) March 19, 2024 People greet members of the Mulroney family as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Blair Gable-Pool Public queue to attend Prime Minister #BrianMulroney Lying in State. pic.twitter.com/EKyShUbUTL  Holly Doan (@hollyanndoan) March 19, 2024 Members of the public pay their respects at the casket of former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald Building, across from Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

How did former PM Brian Mulroney die? Former prime minister Brian Mulroney poses for a photo after an interview in Montreal, Tuesday, October 25, 2022. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is dead at 84. His family announced late Thursday that the former Tory leader died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz While no official cause of death has been released, a family spokesman said Mulroney died in a Palm Beach, Florida hospital, where he's been since a recent fall. Mulroney was a long-time seasonal resident of the state. He was surrounded by family upon his passing. In April, the former prime minister was also treated for prostate cancer. His daughter, Caroline, said in August that following cancer treatment, and also a heart procedure, his health was improving.

Who is who in the Mulroney family? Governor General Mary Simon, and her husband Whit Fraser, left, pay their respects to Mila Mulroney and Mulroney family members as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Brian Mulroney's widow Mila Mulroney greets Governor General Mary Simon and her husband Whit Fraser. Born in Yugoslavia in 1953, Mila Mulroney moved to Canada along with her family in 1958. She and Brian Mulroney got married on May 26, 1973 and had four children. Seen in the picture above are Caroline, Nicholas, Ben and Mark Mulroney. Caroline, an acclaimed lawyer and politician currently serves as MPP for York-Simcoe riding. As for Nicholas and Mark, they both ventured into the business world. Ben, the eldest, is an acclaimed Canadian producer and former television host.

Lying in state vs. lying in repose: Explainer Former prime minister Brian Mulroney's body is lying in state on March 19 and 20th in Ottawa before his body will lie in repose at Saint Patricks Basilica in Montreal on March 21 and 22 ahead of his state funeral on Saturday. What does it mean when a leader lies in state and how is it different from lying in repose? Dignitaries line up to pay their respects to former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Lying in state The Canadian government defines lying in state as "a term used to describe the ceremonial tradition whereby the remains of the deceased rest on view, with a vigil, to allow official dignitaries as well as members of the public to pay their final respects." In Canada, this usually takes place on Parliament Hill, where officials and members of the public file past a flag-draped casket and flanked by honour guard. There is no determination of length that a leader can lie in state, and is determined on a case-by-case basis. The last time a Canadian dignitary lay in state in Ottawa was 2011, when thousands waited in line for hours to commemorate NDP leader Jack Layton. Lying in repose In Canada, when deceased governors general and prime ministers lie anywhere outside of the Hall of Honour on Parliament Hill, they lie in repose.

Dignitaries descend on Ottawa to express sympathies to Brian Mulroney's family Dignitaries parade through the Parliamentary precinct where Mulroney's body will lie in state for the next day-and-a-half to offer their condolences to the family and pay their final respects. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon Governor General Mary Simon pays her respects as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Former prime minister Joe Clark and his wife Maureen McTeer Former prime minister Joe Clark and his wife Maureen McTeer pay their respects as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Blair Gable-Pool Former Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean Former governor general Michaelle Jean pays her respects as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick A priest pays his final respects A priest pays his respects as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Blair Gable-Pool House Speaker Greg Fergus offers condolences to the Mulroney family House Speaker Greg Fergus talks with members of the Mulroney family as former prime minister Brian Mulroney lies in state in the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his wife Anaida payrespects at the casket of former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh pays his respects at the casket of former prime minister Brian Mulroney as he lies in state at the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Mulroney's widow, children, hear glowing tributes from politicians at House of Commons on Monday Mulroney family members take part in a moment of silence prior to tributes to the late prime minister Brian Mulroney in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, March 18, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Members of Parliament shared stories and tributes as the Mulroney family attended the House of Commons on Monday. Trudeau took an opportunity to reminisce about one of his last encounters with Mulroney when they toured Mulroney Hall last fall, as reported by CBC. "He wouldn't let himself succumb to temporary pressure. He was motivated by service. And those things, those big things, have stood the test of history four decades and counting," Trudeau said. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre touched on the former leader's humble beginnings. "I was just becoming aware there was such a thing as prime minister when he had that job. And like millions of young people from similar backgrounds, we looked to him and said  if the Irish son of a working-class electrician from a mill town can rise to become prime minister, then in this country, anyone from anywhere can do anything," Poilievre said.

Trudeau offers his condolences to the Mulroney family Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is one of the dignitaries paying their respects to the Mulroney family before members of the public have their opportunity to say farewell to Canada's 18th prime minister. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau greets the family of late former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, ahead of his Montreal funeral, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 19, 2024. REUTERS/Blair Gable/Pool

Mulroney's casket is carried into Sir John A. Macdonald building A honour guard carries the casket of former prime minister Brian Mulroney into the Sir John A. Macdonald building opposite Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Ben Mulroney reflects on the legacy of his father Brian Mulroney Brian Mulroney's son Ben spoke with the hosts of The Morning Show to reflect on memories of the late prime minister as a father. "We are having a tough go.. You are OK until you are not OK," Mulroney said.

Vote: What do you think of Brian Mulroney's leadership and legacy? FILE - Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney has died at the age of 84, his daughter Caroline Mulroney posted on social media, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) As the Canadian Press obituary for Brian Mulroney put it, the former prime minister leaves a divisive legacy, with many Canadians either loving or hating him. "Canadians loved him: In 1984, they handed the youthful charmer a blank cheque and the largest majority mandate in history so he could change the country. "Canadians hated him: When he announced his departure from politics in 1993, his charm was dismissed as blarney, his youth faded into a lugubrious middle-age." Mulroney entered the office of prime minister amid a massive wave of public support. By the time he left office in 1993, however, Mulroney held the lowest approval rating in the history of polling.

Brian Mulroney's life and legacy in photos Remembered as one of Canada's most influential and controversial politicians, here are just a few monumental snapshots of Brian Mulroney's life. Brian Mulroney stretches through a bus window to reach potential voters in Wabush, NF, on his last stop of the federal campaign, Sept 2, 1984. Two days later his Progessive Conservative party won the election and he became Prime Minister. (CP PHOTO/Fred Chartrand) Brian Mulroney and Mila waving from the stage on election night Sept. 4, 1984. (CP PHOTO/stf) Queen Elizabeth II toasts with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in Quebec City, Oct. 23, 1987. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is dead at 84. His family announced late Thursday that the former Tory leader died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Poling Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and U.S. President George Bush toss out the first pitches at the Toronto Blue Jays home opener against the Texas Rangers at the SkyDome in Toronto on April 10, 1990. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is dead at 84. His family announced late Thursday that the former Tory leader died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, supported by his wife Mila, jokes with the media travelling on his campaign plane Nov. 22, 1988 during the flight home to Ottawa from Baie Comeau. Mulroney wore the sign that said he would not run in 1999, a response to questions earlier in the day regarding his intentions for a third term of office. HiRes (SHER1) SHERBROOKE, Quebec, Sept 28--RIPS PAPER--Prime Minister Brian Mulroney holds up a piece of paper he had torn during a speech in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Monday. Mulroney was demonstrating that a No vote on the referendum would rip apart the 31 points Quebec got in the Charlottetown agreement. (CP PHOTO) 1992 (stf-Fred Chartrand) South African anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela raises his arms as he is acknowledged by the Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and other members of Parliament in Ottawa, June 18, 1990. (CP PHOTO/Fred Chartrand) (OTTX 103) OTTAWA, Oct. 22--Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney laughs while Governor General Romeo LeBlanc puts the Order of Canada around his neck during an Investiture ceremony in Ottawa Thursday.(CP PHOTO) 1998 (stf-Tom Hanson)th Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right, is offered a seat at the desk by former prime minister Brian Mulroney while touring a replica of Mr. Mulroney's former parliamentary office in Mulroney Hall at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. on Monday, June 19, 2023. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is dead at 84. His family announced late Thursday that the former Tory leader died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  As the search for missing University of Missouri student Riley Strain continued into its 11th day Tuesday, his family says they have asked the United Cajun Navy for help organizing search parties.

During a press conference in downtown Nashville on Tuesday, which you can see in the video player above, Strains mother cried as his stepfather, Chris Whiteid, expressed his gratitude for everything thats been done so far to help find Strain.

We appreciate more than youll ever know the outpouring that weve received from the community, from the press, and everyone else involved, Whiteid said. Our goal is still to bring Riley home. We feel that is still a very pliable goal.

He went on to explain that the family feels it needs extra resources to continue searching for Riley.

Weve had an airboat here on the river, weve had people involved behind the scenes, and following this and understanding whats been happening here, said Dave Flagg, the national director of operations for the United Cajun Navy. The nonprofit agency, which was formed after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, responds to natural disasters to conduct search and rescue operations.

According to Flagg, the group has been involved since learning about Strains disappearance.

Our main focus, obviously, is to find Riley. Our secondary focus is to ensure the safety of the people who are out here searching, Flagg continued during Tuesdays press conference, adding that the United Cajun Navy is stepping in to help organize volunteer search efforts for Strain.

Detectives with the Metro Nashville Police Department have also been collaborating with the United Cajun Army in the search for Strain.

At this time, police said there is still no evidence pointing to foul play. Investigators are continuing to follow up on multiple leads, and Sgt. Robert Nielsen said they will not stop until they have answers.

This is not going away any time soon. I have detectives that work cold case homicides that are decades old, and we continue to work on those, Nielsen said. In fact, one of my detectives was able to close two of them last year we keep going until we have absolutely nothing.

Strain has been missing since March 8, when he disappeared while on a fraternity trip in Nashville. Surveillance video caught Strain stumbling and falling in a parking lot at around 9:45 p.m. that night, before additional surveillance footage caught him crossing the street two minutes later.

Missing Missouri student: Metro police release new video of Riley Strain

Strains last phone ping was near James Robertson Parkway and Gay Street between 9:55 p.m. and 10 p.m. Detectives said the last phone conversation Strain had with one of his friends was also during that same time period, but the ping covered about a two-mile radius and didnt give them a direction of travel or any more details about where Strain might have gone.

A friend of the 22-year-old called 911 on Saturday, March 9 after saying he went to the Central Police Precinct and called the sheriffs office to file a missing persons report.

On Sunday, March 17, the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) confirmed Strains bank card was found off of Gay Street along the riverbank. The next day, police released a new video showing Strain interacting with an officer near the area where his phone was last pinged. The officer had been called to the area to investigate a car burglary.

Police noted in a post on X that Strain did not appear to be in distress.

If an altercation, a physical altercation wouldve happened with Riley  a fight, an argument, or something  as family, were hoping, man, that cop wouldve heard something. Hes down there looking for mischief, close family friend Chris Dingman said. Did he get in a vehicle? Because at 6-foot-5-, 6-foot-6-inches, blonde hair, blue-eyed boy, you just dont vanish like he has. Somebody, if there is a crime involved, eight days into this has perfectly created the perfect crime.

Dingman said so far there were no signs of blood or Strains clothing in the area around the Cumberland River. He wondered if Riley had gotten into a vehicle.

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) said its Urban Search and Rescue team has been searching the area around Strains last known location near the Cumberland River.

The Nashville Office of Emergency Management (OEM) told Nexstars WKRN they had not been called in to assist with search efforts Monday. Previously, crews had been searching along the Cumberland River with boats, drones, and K-9s.

The MNPD told WKRN they believed helicopters would fly over the area Monday, but detectives were focused on sorting through tips and looking into cellphone data.

The women who discovered Strains bank card Sunday continued to search throughout the day Monday.

Missing in plain sight: Thousands join search for Riley Strain online, some in person

Strains loved ones previously said they would like to see more resources devoted to the search, including agencies like the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), FBI, and Department of Homeland Security.

More eyes, if we have more eyes, more investigators, and more resources, maybe we can find him quicker. They find a card that we have been by every day  the police have been by every day  and find it miraculously. You couldnt put two and two more together on why we should have more police involvement. I even mentioned the FBI, Dingman said.

The TBI told WKRN their agency has forwarded several tips to the MNPD, however, their assistance had not been formally requested, which is a requirement for the agency to get involved.

We first thought the area had been searched pretty well and they find this little, small debit card. It just leaves you to question how well it was searched, maybe here in the future when these more organized search parties come through here, maybe theyll find something else. We just remain hopeful. Rileys captured the hearts of people across the country and we thank everybody for their thoughts and prayers and their efforts on trying to find him, Strains father, Ryan Gilbert, said.

Missing Missouri student: Riley Strains bank card found near Cumberland River

Strains family told WKRN they had reviewed surveillance footage with police and were able to see footage of Strain inside Lukes 32 Bridge, as well as near a food truck.

The MNPD said investigators have found no evidence of foul play.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Palm Beach County residents living within the boundaries of a municipality have important choices to make Tuesday, March 19.

Nearly 500,000 voters in 23 local towns, cities and villages will be voting in the March 19 election, although many already voted by mail or took part in early voting. Some ballots will contain just one town council race, while others will see multiple races and ballot questions.

Election Day polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. You must vote at the polling place that is assigned to your precinct. Polling places may change. Visit VotePalmBeach.gov to confirm your polling place before you go vote.

Voters likely will decide mayoral races in Delray Beach, Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Lake Worth Beach, Wellington, Greenacres, Juno Beach, Lantana and Hypoluxo, while some voters in Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach will decide whether they want to annex their lands into Gardens.

Complete Palm Beach County municipal election results

More: A city-by-city look at the 23 Palm Beach County March 19 municipal election ballots

Boca Raton election: Yvette Drucker, Andy Thomson win council seats

BOCA RATON  Residents of Boca Raton, Palm Beach County's second-largest city with 97,422 residents, elected candidates for Seats C and D on the City Council. Incumbent Yvette Drucker will represent voters in Seat C, and former council member Andy Thomson will represent them in Seat D.

For Seat C, Drucker defeated Boca Raton's Bernard Korn, gaining 77% of the vote to his 23%. Thomson defeated political newcomer Brian Stenberg by a margin of 63% to 37%, according to unofficial results.

For the full story, go here.

Voters crush proposals of annexation into Palm Beach Gardens

PALM BEACH GARDENS  Residents of every unincorporated pocket of northern Palm Beach County targeted for annexation by Palm Beach Gardens and North Palm Beach overwhelmingly voted down the offers Tuesday.

Thousands of voters were eligible to cast ballots, and a few hundred had annexation offers from both North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens.

Palm Beach Gardens identified five areas it wanted to annex. If all voted yes, the municipality would have added 1,316 acres and 8,352 residents.

All five areas voted overwhelmingly against annexation.

For the full story, go here.

West Palm Beach election: Christina Lambert earns fourth term

Christina Lambert won a fourth term on West Palm Beach's City Commission Tuesday, cruising past asset manager Matthew A. Luciano in what is seen as a likely prelude to a mayoral run in 2027.

Unofficial results from the Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Office showed that Lambert, 44, got nearly 6,900 votes, about 72% of those cast.

For full story, go here

Lake Worth Beach: Mayor's race headed to runoff

LAKE WORTH BEACH  Incumbent mayor Betty Resch will face challenger Andy Amoroso in a runoff election April 2 in her quest for another term for the 42,000 coastal residents.

Resch received 48% percent of the vote while Andy Amoroso received 31% of the vote, but winning by less than 50% of the vote automatically triggers a runoff. Alex Cull received 14% and William Joseph 6% of the vote.

Meanwhile, in District 1, Sarah Malega, 48, won her second three-year term for District 1 City Commission while Mimi May unseated incumbent Kim Stokes in District 3.

For the full story, go here.

 Palm Beach Post

Melania Trump joins her husband as they cast votes

PALM BEACH  Melania Trump joined her husband as they cast their votes in Florida's presidential primary on Tuesday afternoon.

The former first couple arrived at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center to fill in their ballots just after 4 p.m. She then accompanied the former president as he briefly spoke to reporters.

The appearance at the polling precinct is a rarity.

Melania Trump has largely stayed out of the spotlight as her husband campaigns for the presidency for a third time. She did not attend his "Super Tuesday" election victory party on the night her husband swept more than a dozen primaries to get within range of clinching a third straight GOP presidential nomination.

For the full story, go here.

Palm Beach County leads Florida with most ballots cast

Palm Beach County led the state's 67 counties with the most Florida presidential primary day voters by a wide margin, with more than 44,000 ballots cast as of about 7:10 p.m.

Behind Palm Beach were Brevard and Miami-Dade counties, with 19,789 and 15,232 votes cast, respectively.

Election Day was particularly busy for poll workers, despite Donald Trump and President Joe Biden becoming their parties' presumptive nominees earlier this month.

Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Link said she spent her day driving around polling locations to monitor traffic and check in with poll workers.

For the full story, go here.

 Stephany Matat

Despite new laws, elections expert says Florida has 'robust' menu of options for voting

For all the talk of recently implemented voting restrictions, one of the nation's foremost experts said Florida maintains a "robust" menu of options for citizens seeking to cast a ballot.

"It's definitely true that Florida has seen, as have many states, a remarkable rise in lies and false claims about the elections process," said David Becker, executive director and founder of the Center for Election Innovation & Research. "Unfortunately that has led to some things to be considered by the Legislature, and state officials at least, that probably do not overall improve the integrity of election and access for eligible voters."

Citizens and volunteers engage in voting day activities at the Palm Beach County Library's Gardens Branch on March 19, 2024, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

One of those poor decisions, Becker said, was Florida's withdrawal from the Electronic Registration Information Center, known as ERIC, which Becker said may mean the state's voter lists may be less accurate than in the past. Voting rights activists have also criticized other additional measures they say curtail wider access to ballot drop-off boxes as well as a requirement that voters reapply every two years for by-mail ballots.

But Becker said mail ballots will still be available, as well as early voting.

"But in, general, these options are still available to voters," he said. "If you talk to the 67 supervisors of elections, they are still committed to providing easy opportunities for voters to vote ... It's true that in Florida voters still have very robust options to vote at a time other than Election Day."

He added: "Those options persist, which is a good thing."

 Antonio Fins

Donald Trump votes in Palm Beach, comments on Manafort, Navarro

Donald and Melania Trump stand in front of members of the media after casting their votes at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center on elections day March 19, 2024 Palm Beach.

PALM BEACH  Donald Trump cast a vote for himself in Tuesday's Florida primary, then doubled down on his recent controversial comments about Jewish voters.

Earlier this week, Trump, in a broadcast interview conducted by one of his former White House aides, Sebastian Gorka, said any Jewish voter who backs Democratic Party candidates "hates Israel" and "hates their religion."

He stuck by those comments after voting, in person, with former first lady Melania Trump at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in his town of Palm Beach just after 4 p.m.

"I think that the Democrats have been very, very opposed to the Jewish people, that's true, and to Israel," he said before pushing back on comments that U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, made over the weekend.

For the full story, go here.

 Antonio Fins

Donald Trump courts Catholics

Donald Trump may have wrapped up the Republican nomination before Tuesday, but the former president may still be courting votes and support when the Catholics for Catholics organization holds a gala at his Mar-a-Lago private club. The event comes as Trump continues to cultivate faith voters and critics argue he is giving political oxygen to militant Christian nationalist fervor.

 Antonio Fins

"I'm against annexation," says voter in North Palm Beach

North Palm Beach Community Center did not attract many voters as of around 3:30 p.m and the parking lot  dotted with anti-annexation signs  had plenty of spots open.

Phil Kilmer, 69, lives in unincorporated Palm Beach County and voted on annexation today.

I think the way North Palm Beach explained annexation was biased, said Kilmer, who has lived in the area for 35 years. I am against annexation from either (North Palm Beach or Palm Beach Gardens). I dont want to see my taxes go up and Im happy with the services the county is providing.

It was a quiet scene at Palm Beach Gardens City Hall around 4 p.m., also. Around 100 people voted at the precinct until that point, a poll worker said.

 Maya Washburn

Donald and Melania Trump stand in front of members of the media after casting their votes at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center on elections day March 19, 2024 Palm Beach.

Juno Beach mayor says voter turnout biggest he's ever seen

JUNO BEACH  Residents stood in winding lines outside of the polling room while more tried to navigate the parking lot to find a spot at town hall on a busy Election Day.

Mayor Alexander Cooke said today's voter turnout is the biggest he's ever seen at a town election. As of 2 p.m. 1,188 people voted, a poll worker said. Cooke said he is feeling cautiously optimistic" about the election so far.

Juno Beach has about 3,800 residents and 3,000 registered voters. Typically, only about 20% of those registered to vote in their area cast ballots in local elections.

There are lines to vote here, Cooke said. Juno Beach doesnt have lines.

Vice Mayor Peggy Wheeler said she typically sees around 1,100 total votes in the town's local elections, but they hit that number around 10:30 a.m.

Beverly Gibel, 72, said that she thinks the heavy turnout is because the town is under a real threat from developers.

We have a huge project going up on U.S. 1 and Donald Ross, said Gibel, a retired psychotherapist and Juno Beach resident for five years. People are alarmed now that they see the scope of the site. Its just a taste of things to come.

Gibel said she received many mailers from political action committees that disparaged some candidates.

I think the (fliers) that smeared candidates were really disgusting, Gibel said. I was shocked that it got dirty so fast. Im hoping that enough people saw through the mailers, negativity, smearing and outright lies.

 Maya Washburn

Secretary of State gives Election Day update

Cord Byrd, Florida's secretary of state and chief elections officer, gave an update Tuesday in which he said he'd been in contact with all 67 counties by midday and there were no "major issues" and no voters unable to cast a ballot.

He also said that as of Monday night 807,782 people had voted either early or by mail, according to local elections supervisors across the state.

Even though only Republicans can vote and Trump is the last GOP candidate still pursuing the White House, "we want to show a good turnout because it's good for the republic. It's good to show that democracy is working," Byrd said.

 Jim Rosica

A voter arrives at Plumosa School Of The Arts to vote on election day on March 19, 2024 in Delray Beach, Florida.

What to watch: Will Trump get 93% Republican support like last time?

Leon County Elections Supervisor Mark Earley and University of Central Florida political scientist Aubrey Jewett said for the voters registered as Republicans who can vote in a presidential primary, Tuesday's contest is not without drama, despite no opposition for Trump.

"There's still plenty of political jockeying between now and the national party conventions. This lets your party know how you feel," said Earley.

"Turnout does potentially send a signal for the amount of support that Trump actually has in Florida. He got 93% last time (2020) if he does better it will show he really has a lock on the Republican Party in Florida," added Jewett.

 James Call

Florida primary an exercise in futility?

Palm Beach County has important municipal races on Tuesday but for 58 of the states 67 counties, there are no contests.

That's because it's also Florida primary day, but the Republican (former President Donald Trump) and Democratic (incumbent Joe Biden) nominees are all wrapped up.

Supporters wave at cars entering the parking lot at Pompey Park during election day on March 19, 2024 in Delray Beach, Florida.

So the presidential primary for voters everywhere else is more an exercise of civic duty and partisan loyalty than it is to choose a Democratic or Republican nominee for the fall campaign.

Support for Biden is solid enough for the Florida Democratic Party to decide not to even hold a primary. And all contenders but one, former President Donald Trump, have dropped out of the race for the Republican Party nomination.

Nonetheless, elections officials sent out mail-in ballots Feb. 8, opened early-voting sites, and will staff precinct polls for 12 hours Tuesday and spend another couple hours to tabulate the vote.

Election workers, party officials, and voters will participate in the exercise despite knowing that Biden and Trump are the nominees because Florida law demands it, said former Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho, an internationally recognized Florida elections expert.

Candidate Jim Chard puts a campaign sign together for his city commission run at a polling location at Plumosa School Of The Arts on March 19, 2024 in Delray Beach, Florida.

Sancho gained fame in the legal battles after the states 2000 election debacle and is credited for creating Floridas early-voting procedures and other efforts to increase voter participation. He retired in 2017.

This election exposes a flaw in how Florida conducts primaries, he said.

Florida law allows the parties to decide who is a candidate for its nomination, sets a Dec. 31 deadline for the parties to submit a slate of candidates for a March presidential primary, and then orders the states election officials to conduct that primary  regardless of the nominations being decided  like this year.

Its another example of how the Florida election system is relatively disconnected from reality. If you have no real contest, why do you spend the taxpayers' dollars to do it, said Sancho.

 James Call

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Live election updates: Palm Beach County and Trump turn out to vote
Medacta Group (VTX:MOVE) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: 510.8m (up 17% from FY 2022).

Net income: 47.4m (up 2.4% from FY 2022).

Profit margin: 9.3% (down from 11% in FY 2022). The decrease in margin was driven by higher expenses.

EPS: 2.37 (up from 2.32 in FY 2022).

SWX:MOVE Revenue and Expenses Breakdown March 19th 2024

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

Medacta Group Revenues and Earnings Miss Expectations

Revenue missed analyst estimates by 1.6%. Earnings per share (EPS) also missed analyst estimates by 24%.

The primary driver behind last 12 months revenue was the Europe segment contributing a total revenue of 242.4m (47% of total revenue). The largest operating expense was Sales & Marketing costs, amounting to 186.7m (62% of total expenses). Explore how MOVE's revenue and expenses shape its earnings.

Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 12% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 7.9% growth forecast for the Medical Equipment industry in Switzerland.

Performance of the Swiss Medical Equipment industry.

The company's shares are down 4.3% from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Medacta Group you should know about.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT)  Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) is providing an update on what she is working on in Washington today at the U.S. Space & Rocket Centers Davidson Center for Space Exploration.

Britt appeared in Florence on Monday. She spoke on budget, the Tiktok ban and local funds during her visit to the Shoals.

RELATED: 5 things to know about the potential TikTok ban

The Senator said that one of her biggest priorities  and challenges  in her first year has been building relationships. Britt added that she is looking for bipartisan solutions and wants to get things done, which includes passing a budget.

Recently, the House voted to ban the video-making app TikTok, moving it to the Senate floor.

She said the conversations about TikTok will continue in the Senate this week.

The CCP knows that if it controls the minds of our next generation, then it conquers America. And it is time that we wake up.

 Get breaking news, traffic and weather alerts directly to your smartphone. Download the News 19 App

Britt said she will support a ban on the app, especially after seeing the firsthand impacts of social media.

From 2011 to 2019, the depression rates in our teens more than doubled. It coincides with the rise and use of social media, the Senator said. I want you to hear the uncomfortable truth of what is happening to our youth Nine percent of our teenagers in high school actually attempted death by suicide.

She has co-sponsored the Kids Online Safety Act, called KOSA. Britt also told those in attendance that she, along with senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Tom Cotton (R-AR), have

We came together not as Democrats or Republicans. We came together as four concerned parents, who say, If we dont put some guardrails up, Im not sure where our children go from here.

Slight scare: RC airplane crashes onto Huntsville brewing companys roof

Alabamas freshman U.S. Senator was elected in 2022 and serves on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Development, and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
The Long Beach Police Department has made an arrest in the October 2023 murder of a 33-year-old man.

Authorities say Joseph Ballard, 23, is responsible for the shooting death of Thomas Ferguson, a resident of Fontana.

The shooting happened on Oct. 22, 2023, around 2:30 p.m. in the area of 14th Street and Long Beach Boulevard.

When officers responded, they found Ferguson suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Police say the investigation revealed that Ballard and Ferguson got into some kind of altercation which led to shots being fired. Its unclear if they knew each other.

Authorities say there were several witnesses in the area at the time of the shooting, but they were unable to pinpoint a suspect.

As the investigation continued, police say Ballard became a focal point. The 23-year-old was arrested in November 2023 for a separate incident, for which he was sentenced to a state prison.

Detectives presented the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office last month, and Ballard was transported from the prison to Long Beach City Jail where he was booked for murder.

Ballard will be arraigned next week.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to contact LBPD Homicide Detectives Jesus Espinoza or Alfredo Chairez at 562-570-7244

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Less than a month after she was found guilty in the deaths of two young boys, Rebecca Grossman is facing more legal issues.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the District Attorney is accusing the L.A. socialite of illegal conduct from jail, and her legal team of juror tampering following the trial.

A jury found Grossman guilty in the deaths of Jacob Iskander, 8, and Mark Iskander, 11, who were hit and killed in a crosswalk in Westlake Village in 2020.

The 60-year-old was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. She faces 34 years to life in prison.

According to the report from the L.A. Times, prosecutors would like Grossmans access to jailhouse phones taken away after their investigation revealed that she has been trying to get her daughter, husband, and legal team to help her get a new trial.

Grossman has allegedly asked her daughter, Alexis, to publish a deputy-worn body camera from the incident that the judge had ordered sealed, and to ask another person to speak with the judge about getting a new trial.

In addition, the report states that Deputy D.A. Ryan Gould and his colleague Jamie Castro  who filed the motion  say that Grossmans private investigator identified as Paul Stuckey has contacted three jurors, despite the fact that the judge sealed all of the jurors personal information.

The only ways in which the defense could have obtained this personal juror identification information was either by photographing the jury list that was presented to counsel during jury selection or copying the names down off this same list, prosecutors wrote. The defense is actively attempting to engage in jury tampering  and illegally in possession of jury personal identifying information.

Rebecca Grossman, second from left, with her husband, Dr. Peter Grossman, left, and daughter heads to Van Nuys Courthouse West Van Nuys, CA. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

From left: Rebecca Grossman seen in a photo from her Instagram page; Mark Iskander and Jacob Iskander are seen in a family photo.

Nancy Iskander and her husband Karim exit Van Nuys Courthouse during a lunch break from a preliminary hearing for Rebecca Grossman who is charged with murder and other counts stemming from a crash in Westlake Village that left the Iskanders sons Mark Iskander, 11, and Jacob Iskander, 8, dead. Nancy Iskander took the witness stand and testified to the moment her sons were killed by Grossmans Mercedes as they were walking in the crosswalk on Triunfo Canyon Rd. In. Westlake. Village. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Courtroom sketch of Rebecca Grossman being handcuffed when a guilty verdict was announced in a Van Nuys courtroom on Feb. 23, 2024.

Courtroom sketch of Rebecca Grossmans daughter audibly crying out and her son reacting to the guilty verdict being announced in a Van Nuys courtroom on Feb. 23, 2024.

Courtroom sketches of emotional reactions when the guilty verdict for Rebecca Grossman was announced in a Van Nuys courtroom on Feb. 23, 2024.

VAN NUYS, CA  FEBRUARY 14: Rebecca Grossman, left, and daughter heads to Van Nuys Courthouse West Van Nuys, CA. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Courtroom sketch of prosecutors during the trial of Rebecca Grossman on Feb. 22, 2024. (KTLA)

According to the L.A. Times report, Grossman sent a letter to the parents of the young boys, Nancy and Karim Iskander, who informed prosecutors that Grossman sent them a letter on March 13.

Prosecutors have also asked officials to move Grossman to a part of the jail where there is no access to phones or visitors, and where she will not be allowed visitors, other than attorneys.

These recorded phone calls also document numerous potential criminal conspiracies, such as requests to disclose more protected discovery, discussion of various attempts to interfere with witnesses and their testimony and attempts to influence his honor in regards to sentencing, Gould and Castro wrote in the motion.

Grossman is being held in the Twin Towers jail, where phone calls from inmates are recorded by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

According to The Times, Grossman told her daughter to unblock the videos on the day she was found guilty. To which Alexis replied, I will.

Further information from the DAs motion shows a transcribed conversation between Grossman, and her husband, Peter.

Everything you want us to put out, honey, let us know, Peter Grossman said. Were going to put it all out. To which Rebecca responded by saying I want you to put everything out.

The DA also alleges that Grossman was not happy with the testimony of witness Susan Manners, who says she saw Grossmans white Mercedes SUV strike one of the boys in the crosswalk.

Grossman allegedly asked her husband why his colleague, Manners doctor, didnt do more to influence the witnesses testimony.

Further details in the report say that Grossman was communicating with her daughter on how to push for a new trial.

We have to get a real story out there about everything behind us and everything that wasnt done and all the things that were hidden from the jury and how the media influenced the entire trial and how they were releasing all this stuff to the media, just to make me look like a monster and that we know that the jurors were influenced by it, Grossman said.

Im going to do everything for you, Mom. Everything, her daughter Alexis replied. And so is Dad.

The DAs motion states that after the verdict came in, Grossman told her daughter: I was so in shock to have all 12 jurors [convict]. These were the worst jurors. I knew they were bad jurors. That whole jury selection thing didnt work for us at all. They werent on my side from the beginning. I just knew it.

The L.A. Times report adds that Grossman has continued to say that her former boyfriend, former Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson  who was driving close to Grossman when the crash occurred  is responsible for the death of the two young boys.

I know he needs to confess, but right now, I cant even talk about the case, Peter Grossman said to his wife. But that guy needs to [know] youre in jail for him, and it drives me crazy.

Tell him to [make] a video and confess, Grossman replied. I have a family.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
HII

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., March 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

What: HIIs (NYSE: HII) Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division will host commencement exercises for the Class of 2023 graduates of The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School. Among the graduates will be one who is the first to earn an associate of applied science in maritime technology degree. Members of the news media are invited to attend the graduation ceremony. This event is NOT open to the general public, but will be livestreamed:https://hii.com/events/apprentice-school-graduation/ When: 10 a.m., Saturday, March 23

(Media asked to check-in by 9:30 a.m.) Where: Liberty Live Church

1021 Big Bethel Road

Hampton, Virginia, 23666 RSVP: Confirmation of media attendance is required. Please RSVP by noon on Friday, March 22 to:



Todd Corillo

Todd.T.Corillo@hii-co.com

(757) 688-3220 Details: The Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School accepts more than 250 apprentices per year. The school offers four- to eight-year, tuition-free apprenticeships in 19 trades and eight optional advanced programs in which students earn an associate in applied science degree. Apprentices work a 40-hour week and are paid for all work, including time spent in academic classes.



Through partnerships with Virginia Peninsula Community College, Tidewater Community College and Old Dominion University, The Apprentice Schools academic program provides the opportunity to earn associate degrees in business administration, engineering and engineering technology and bachelors degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering.

About HII

HII is a global, all-domain defense provider. HIIs mission is to deliver the worlds most powerful ships and all-domain solutions in service of the nation, creating the advantage for our customers to protect peace and freedom around the world.

Story continues

As the nations largest military shipbuilder, and with a more than 135-year history of advancing U.S. national security, HII delivers critical capabilities extending from ships to unmanned systems, cyber, ISR, AI/ML and synthetic training. Headquartered in Virginia, HIIs workforce is 44,000 strong. For more information, visit:

HII on the web: https://www.hii.com/

HII on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeamHII

HII on X: https://www.twitter.com/wearehii

HII on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearehii








The Los Angeles Police Department has formed a task force to counter a rise in gangs from Latin America that have been targeting luxury homes in Southern California.

In a notice last week, the LAPD said it "recognizes the increase in burglaries where homes in affluent neighborhoods are targeted."

Joseph Choi speaks to the crowd on hand after he was sworn in as the Los Angeles Chief of Police on Friday, March 1, 2024.

"I can tell you that we have a significant increase in burglaries from organized groups that are outside this country, that are coming into the country, and they are targeting high-end residents," Chief Dominic Choi said.

This year alone, the LAPD has recorded more than 900 Los Angeles homes that have been burglarized. The department said it was teaming up with other agencies that have been affected by organized groups coming into the country to engage in this criminal activity.

HOMELESS MAN TERRORIZED COMMUNITIES IN 2 STATES AFTER ALLEGEDLY KILLING 3 FAMILY MEMBERS DURING CRIME SPREE

Most of the participants in these gangs are coming from Chile, but law enforcement has seen nationals from other South American countries, including Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

It is believed that many of those involved in these organized crime rings are entering the U.S. by exploiting a 2014 visa waiver that was intended to promote tourism from trusted countries. The waiver allows nations of designated member participants to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a visa.

Los Angeles Police Department headquarters.

LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told the Los Angeles Times that the thieves tend not to carry guns to avoid gun charges.

"They sometimes carry jamming devices to disable home security systems," he said.

Meanwhile, police in Scottsdale, Arizona are investigating a string of crimes related to South American theft groups. Last week, police announced three arrests in so-called "dinner-time burglaries," FOX 10 reported.





Original article source: Los Angeles police forms task force to counter foreign gangs exploiting US visa system to target luxury homes
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  The Office of State Inspector General cites several failures on the part of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services and others leading up to the fentanyl overdose death of 2-year-old Mitchell Robinson III in a new report.

He died on June 26, 2022, and the OIG found that DCFS was called twice by a registered nurse at Our Lady of the Lake North emergency room on April 12 and June 4, 2022.

The mother of Mitchell Robinson, III, Whitney Ard, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the toddlers death. She would later plead not guilty to the murder charge. The case is still pending.

OIG said there is no factor more significant than the critical nine-day period between June 17, 2022 and June 26, 2022, during which DCFS personnel, including the assigned case worker and supervisor, had specific knowledge that Mitchell Robinson III had tested positive for fentanyl at the time of his June 4 hospital admission. During those nine days, DCFS personnel took no

action whatsoever to ensure the safety of the child.

Heres the timeline OIG pieced together of what happened to Mitchell in the weeks leading up to his death, how DCFS responded and why. DCFS also explained what is being done to help other kids in similar situations get the help they need faster.

ER visits lead to DCFS calls

On both dates, the child was given Narcan after arriving at the hospital unresponsive. He responded and received more treatment at Our Lady of the Lake Childrens Hospital each time.

The first time, he wasnt breathing and responded to four rounds of Narcan. A drug screen, however, was negative. The nurse added a follow-up written report calling it a possible drug overdose.

On the June 4 report, according to the OIG, a nurse said he wasnt breathing well and only responded to narcotic reveals meds. He reportedly responded well to Narcan the first time but not the second or third doses. Again, his drug screen was negative.

The nurse informed the call-taker that This is not the mothers first time bringing this child in for this but when asked if she could pull up the chart and give me a synopsis about the last time, she replied that she could not, the report reads.

Father of 2-year-old child who overdosed pleads guilty in separate federal drug case

The hospital did not contact law enforcement, and no written report was submitted after the second call.

It was determined upon initial review by a DCFS Intake Supervisor that the reports did not meet their criteria to initiate an investigation, according to the OIG.

On June 6, a doctor and social worker at Childrens Hospital reached out to DCFS because Mitchell was about to be discharged and sent home.

A DCFS supervisor recognized that the childs response to Narcan was significant. Internal emails showed employees acknowledged he accessed a narcotic the hospital may not test for.

On June 7, the case was assigned as Priority 2, and the caseworker was meant to contact the client within 48 hours.

A childrens hospital doctor called DCFS on June 17, explaining that the drug screen from Mitchells admission on June 4 was positive for fentanyl. She wanted to see what action DCFS had taken to help the child and ordered extra blood tests to check for the drug.

The physician said he had overdosed in his own house twice and went home with parents who nearly killed him twice. The physician stated she would like to get this kid somewhere safe, according to OIG. She noted a May 2022 drug bust at the childs house and said Narcan only works on opiates.

The OIG report said Mitchell Robinson, Jr. and Whitney Ard were arrested and booked on numerous felony drug charges on May 11, 2022. There was no record of a call to DCFS regarding the couples young children, the OIG noted.

The DCFS worker said they would take another report, according to OIG. The information was forwarded to the caseworker.

The caseworker was assigned several other high-priority cases during the same critical period of time, OIG said. They got sick, and no DCFS employee met with the parent or child before his death.

DCFS declined to investigate

DCFS released an initial report following an investigation into Mitchells overdose death, and then DCFS Secretary Marketa Walters, Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Rhenda Hodnett and others met with the OIG to provide a timeline for its report.

The intake supervisor said the lack of illegal drugs in the drug screen was giving a lot of weight to the decision not to investigate, and at one point, a possible seizure disorder was discussed.

Those who determined that the reports would not be accepted for investigation apparently understood the negative drug screen to show that the child had no illegal drugs in his system and that there must be some medical explanation for his condition. It was acknowledged that Centralized Intake employees had received no training regarding the medical use of Narcan, the OIG wrote.

The caseworker said she was assigned the case on June 7 while working a Priority 2 sex abuse case. The Mitchell Robinson case was already outside the 48-hour contact window by the time shed been given it because of the delay in opening the file. She was out of the office on June 8 and then was instructed to stay in the office and work on a case backlog on June 9 and 10.

Fentanyl is killing more people in Baton Rouge as dealers are lacing pills, other drugs

She reportedly started working on the case on June 14 and left a call-back letter at an apartment on Greenwell Springs Road provided at the ER. She got a call back from Ard and set up a meeting on June 16.

After working all night and into her next work day on June 16, she was told to go home after wrapping up the paperwork on a case that required children to be taken into custody.

The meeting with Ard never happened.

State offices were closed on Friday, June 17, for Juneteenth. The caseworker responded to three calls that day and worked the next two days through the weekend despite being ill.

She went on sick leave June 20-24 and returned to work Monday, June 27.

Mitchell died on June 26.

The supervisor over the case resigned in August 2022. DCFS stripped her responsibilities immediately after Mitchells death, and she was on medical leave until her resignation. She did not speak with OIG investigators.

OIG says multiple failures led up to the childs death

OIG concluded that multiple factors played a part in the death of Mitchell Robinson III including multiple failures by DCFS Child Welfare management, especially the caseworkers immediate supervisor.

Overburdening one person with assigned cases requiring prompt contact.

Failing to help or mitigate the caseload.

Not checking that initial in-person contacts were made in newly-assigned cases.

Not handling the caseworkers assigned cases while she was out on sick leave for a whole week.

DCFS intake personnel were not trained on the medical use of Narcan, so they didnt know how important it was that the child responded to treatment.

Medical personnel did not contact law enforcement.

The hospital toxicology screens did not look for synthetic opioids. This led to misleading negative results.

There is no record that law enforcement contacted DCFS after two adults were accused of having drugs near young children in May 2022.

Medical personnel and DCFS had poor communication during the first two hotline calls.

Current DCFS explains changes to help more kids

DCFS Secretary David Matlock said he stepped into the role earlier this year during the regime change to Gov. Jeff Landrys administration. He responded in a letter to the OIG and explained what theyre doing differently to help other kids get help sooner.

He said Mitchell Robinson IIIs death is truly a tragedy.

In June 2022, he said, most people didnt know how fentanyl would affect young children.

At that time, it also was not widely known that a person would only respond to Narcan if an opioid were present and that negative drug screens do not necessarily point to the absence of drugs in the system. Even today, typical general drug screens in emergency rooms do not test for fentanyl, Matlock said.

The child welfare division now specifically requires testing for fentanyl if a child is treated with Narcan.

A new policy also requires all reports of abuse or neglect from medical staff for kids three and younger to be accepted for investigation unless a manager overrides it.

DCFS also made changes to stabilize and increase the capacity of available employees. Case assignment has been streamlined, Matlock said, with more visibility around how many new cases are going to each worker and re-assign them as needed to distribute resources better.

He said the report underscores the overwhelming workload and schedule that our staff are juggling. In state fiscal year 2022, he said, there were 18,032 investigations. In 2023, there were 25,862, a 43.4% increase. He said 75% of cases now need in-person contact within 48 hours.

The department, Matlock said, is still understaffed and needs more caseworkers.

Latest News

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com.
The first three strokes were mild. Ricky Ortizs speech slurred. His fingers tingled. His face grew numb.

But the fourth left him unable to talk.

Ortiz, a manager at a Walmart north of Tampa, was working last October when it happened. He became nonverbal and suffered a seizure in the stores back room. A colleague was with him.

I was just staring at her, trying to get words out, but I couldnt, Ortiz said.

An ambulance rushed him to St. Josephs Hospital. The 40-year-old Lutz man had experienced two strokes in 2020 and a third in August. Why was he having so many?

The culprit was a condition called moyamoya disease, a rare disorder in which arteries supplying blood to the brain become blocked. It can lead to strokes and fatal hemorrhages.

At first, Ortizs father was stumped as he searched for a doctor familiar with the disease, which is more common in Japan and other Asian countries. But instead of flying over the Pacific Ocean to get treatment, Ortiz only had to cross Tampa Bay.

A neurosurgeon at HCA Florida Largo Hospital specializes in the condition. He recently performed two operations on Ortiz, who is recovering at his dads house in Ruskin.

It was a blessing, said Daniel Ortiz, 61, who works for the U.S. Social Security Administration. Im reaching out all across the world, and all across the country, and right in my backyard Ive got this young, talented professional who was able to perform the surgery.

Moyamoya means puff of smoke in Japanese, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. As arteries at the base of the skull become blocked, the body tries to compensate. Tiny, weak blood vessels develop, which look hazy on X-ray images.

The disease was first noted in Japan in the 1950s. It often affects kids and adults in their mid 40s. Fewer than 1 in 100,000 people develop it each year, experts say. The Tampa Bay Times could find no data on Florida cases of the condition.

Genetics appear to play a role in who contracts the illness, research shows. In one Japanese study, 12% of patients had a family history of moyamoya disease.

Why Ortiz developed the ailment remains a mystery, said Abilash Haridas, the surgeon who treated him. No relatives have it.

A neurologist at BayCare Health System initially diagnosed him in August. Afterward, Daniel Ortiz stayed up until 1 a.m. searching Google to learn more.

Another son of his died at the age of 14 from a rare form of cancer. He vowed to do everything he could to prevent a similar fate for Ortiz, who loves video games and puzzles and has worked at Walmart for 20 years.

In September, the BayCare neurologist referred the family to Haridas, who grew interested in moyamoya disease in the 2000s. He calls it an insidious ailment that comes creeping over your lifetime.

Fewer than 100 U.S. doctors regularly treat it, Haridas estimated. He did two surgeries on Ortiz, one in November and the other in January.

He performed whats known as cerebral bypass procedures, creating different routes for blood to reach the brain. He made incisions above Ortizs temples. Then, he cut vessels that normally supply blood to the scalp and used extremely small stitches  each thinner than an eyelash  to connect them with vessels in the brain.

The first operation lasted almost eight hours, Daniel Ortiz said. The second, about five. The benefits largely outweigh the risks, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The procedures are very challenging and it takes years to become comfortable doing them, Haridas said. He has performed cerebral bypasses on close to 100 patients in his career.

This is one of the few surgeries where youre actually creating something completely new, he said, which is the coolest thing for me.

Ortiz, so far, hasnt suffered another stroke. He needs speech therapy and is trying to get long-term disability benefits. But he hopes to return to work soon.

I feel not 100%, he said. But I feel like myself again.
Following a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (Ramstein-20), Ukraines Ministry of Defence has reported that Luxembourg has joined the artillery coalition led by France and Germany.

Source: Ukraines Defence Ministry on Telegram

Quote: "Luxembourg joins the artillery coalition led by France and Germany."

The ministry added that Luxembourg is purchasing drones for Ukraine jointly with Belgium and the Netherlands and continues to support Ukraine by supplying it with vitally needed equipment.

Background:

Luxembourg announced on 8 March that it would join the Czech-led initiative aiming to purchase 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine.

Czech President Petr Pavel announced at the Munich Security Conference that Czechia had found up to 800,000 NATO-standard-calibre shells which it could send to Ukraine within a few weeks if funding for the delivery could be found.

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Editors note: Welcome back to our series Lets Dish, Kansas City, showcasing some of our favorite restaurant meals. Click here to sign up for our newsletter. And scroll down to learn how you can participate.

OK, lets get to the literal meat of the matter, what real foodies want to know.

The mango duck at Bamboo Pennys, an upscale Thai restaurant in Leawood at 5720 W. 116th Place, is, for this hard to please patron, a new favorite:

Duck, peeled from the bone and lightly fried, it is set on a bed of sauteed asparagus, carrots and chunks of fresh mangoes. Add the sauce  mixed warm from a wok, and composed of tamarind, chile paste, bell peppers, more mangoes, onions and, if you choose, garlic (which I dont because Im allergic to garlic and it will kill me)  and what has the potential to be an overly rich serving of fried fowl becomes a moist medley thats savory, sweet and surprising.

At $28 for a half portion, yes, it is expensive. But the volume is plenty for one person and, for my money, worth it as much as any other item on a menu created by owner and chef Wan Phen (pronounced pen as in Penny) Mufuka.

Bamboo Pennys mango duck dish is deboned, lightly fried and layered in a bed of mangoes, sauteed asparagus and heirloom carrots. It is dressed in a house-made sauce with fresh diced mango, onions, bell peppers and garnished with an orchid flower and cilantro.

But why, you might rightly ask, should you trust me, the recommendation of a non-professional food critic whos just some reporter? Because, frankly, over the 40 years Ive spent as an adult in Kansas City, I am truly sorry to say Ive grown disappointed. Ive become a food curmudgeon, a doubter with skepticism born of years of restaurant letdowns.

Dont get me wrong. I know there are banquets of great meals to be had in Kansas City. The Stars Lets Dish series is a testament to the towns growing food scene. I, my family, my friends: We love to dine out and try new places. Hope is our appetizer.

But I am also sorry to say that on far too many occasions, after going out  willing, as a couple, to drop three figures on a meal, toss in whats now $14 cocktails, a glass of wine  I routinely walk to the car thinking, hmm, was that really worth the money? No, it wasnt.

Wait, friends says. Didnt you guys go to so-and-so and try the such-and such?

Yeah. Went there. Tried it.

Wasnt it so good!?

Eh, I shrug, offer a weak smile. But usually Im thinking, meh.

So when a colleague mentioned that shed taken a friend to Bamboo Pennys and enjoyed it, my wife and I went that night, expectations in check.

Bamboo Pennys is decorated with a variety of decorative foliage.

Everything was lovely. My wife ordered the mango duck; I ordered the chicken pad see ew, a standard at most Thai restaurants: wide egg noodles, bok choy, broccoli, mushrooms, a savory sauce. The welcome surprise: broccoli was crisp and green. Carrots, peppers and other vegetables fresh enough to be on the edge of snapping.

We went again and had other dishes: a shareable laab salad ($15) with spicy minced pork balanced by palate-cooling lime, cucumber, mint and cilantro. I dont even like cilantro, but in this mix it worked. My wife had a salmon panang curry  pan-roasted, with peanuts in a coconut cream sauce ($32). She had a glass of pinot noir ($11). I had a Manhattan ($12)  generous pours, too, a nice relief from the cocktail trend of a giant ice ball sunk into a sip of booze to make it look voluminous.

Thank you, finally, for a real drink.

The atmosphere, too, was pleasant: tropical modern, with gloss-white plates and tan booths, a black stone bar, soaring stone accent wall, wood plank and ceramic floors below. Above, baskets full of faux tropical plants hanging from the ceiling create the feel of an arboretum.

A patio that, in the winter, overlooks the ice rink at Park Place, includes a gas fire pit. An upstairs space, available for parties, has more tables, another bar and additional fire pits. In warm weather the ceiling over the top floor rolls back for the place to become an open-air deck beneath a canopy of patio lights.

Wan Phen Penny Mufuka, co-owner and chef at Bamboo Pennys, pours a house-made mango sauce over a mango duck dish.

This has been my dream from day one, Mufuka said of the place, even though, across the street, shes pouring $1.5 million into a new restaurant, Aqua, serving seafood and set to open soon.

At 56, Mufuka has a story thats as compelling as her food, having flown from Thailand to the United States at age 29. She knew almost no one. She spoke no English and had only $800. But she had been cooking since age 12.

When youre born so poor, you want to find some place of opportunity, she said.

The next week she landed in Kansas City, started work as a Thai restaurant dishwasher. Gradually, she worked her way up. She found herself working with Ann Liberda, who had come from Thailand in 1975 and had, over the years, established herself as the matriarch of Thai cuisine in the region. The Liberdas opened multiple restaurants in Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka. Her son, Ted, consulted on Waldo Thai at 83rd Street and Wornall Road.

Bamboo Pennys is at 5270 W. 116th Place in Leawoods Park Place.

Mufuka worked at restaurant after restaurant until in 2013, with her husband, Doug Mufuka (they met on a blind date), the couple bought the Thai House restaurant in south Kansas City from its previous owner. It prospered  enough so that in June 2021, although countless restaurants across the country had shuttered in the teeth of COVID-19, the Mufukas opened Bamboo Pennys.

It was kind of all-or-nothing, Doug Mufuka said. We pretty much used all of our savings.

It was a gamble. Within a year, they were more than profitable, Mufuka said.

Worth it.

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MIAMI  Peter Navarro has no regrets.

The ex-trade adviser to former President Donald Trump spent his last moments before reporting to federal prison railing against Democrats and the justice system, claiming they conspired to lock him up for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena.

In a meandering 20-minute press conference at a strip mall parking lot a block away from the prison, Navarro  who repeatedly urged reporters to fact-check me  argued that his refusal to cooperate with congressional investigators investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol was really a high-minded effort to protect the separation of powers.

But the courts disagreed, and Navarro is now the first former White House official in history to go to prison after being convicted of contempt of Congress. Hes also the first member of Trumps circle of White House advisers to go to jail for crimes stemming from Trumps effort to subvert the 2020 election.

Navarro on Tuesday continued to maintain that his decision to invoke executive privilege  even when members of the House committee told him theyd address matters not related to his conversations with Trump  was proper. The Justice Department prosecuted him and he was convicted by a Washington, D.C., jury of two misdemeanor counts of contempt of Congress and sentenced to four months in a federal prison in Miami.

I'm pissed. That's what I'm feeling right now, Navarro said, standing in a parking lot across from a Papa Johns and a pawn shop. But I'm also afraid of only one thing: I'm afraid for this country because this, what theyre doing, should have a chilling effect on every American regardless of their party. They come for me, they can come for you.

Navarros trial judge explicitly rejected Navarros claims of victimhood when he issued the sentence in January.

In all of this, even today, there is little acknowledgement of what your obligation is as an American to cooperate with Congress, to provide them with information they are seeking, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said. They had a job to do. And you made it harder. Its really that simple.

You are not a victim. You are not the object of a political prosecution, the judge added. These are circumstances of your own making.

Navarro spent the bulk of his remarks accusining investigators, judges and even jurors of partisan weaponization and said he shouldnt have been compelled to testify given the experience of past White House officials.

But Navarros explanation also omitted key facts: Judges at every level concluded that Navarro had failed to show Trump ever intended to prevent his testimony to the Jan. 6 committee  and that even if he had, Navarros decision to entirely blow off the committees subpoena would still have been inappropriate. In addition, while many former White House officials have been afforded protections from compelled testimony to Congress, the Justice Department had never staked out a similar position regarding a former adviser to a former president. And only months before his subpoena, a fellow ex-adviser, Steve Bannon, was criminally charged for defying a Jan. 6 committee subpoena in a similar manner.

Navarro also falsely claimed that his fate was determined entirely by Democratic-appointed judges, omitting that just a day earlier, Chief Justice John Roberts made the final decision to deny his bid to remain out of jail pending the appeal of his conviction.

Navarro insisted he didnt want a pardon from President Joe Biden, saying that he instead wanted his appeal to first go to an appeals court with what he called the mission of eventually getting the issues in front of the Supreme Court. He said he will be done serving his sentence by the time the appeal process is over, and he shook his head when asked whether he would want a pardon from Trump should he win the presidency in November.

Navarro wouldnt answer whether hed spoken with the former president, saying only that he had the greatest amount of support from Donald Trump and his team.

I will walk proudly in there and do my time, Navarro said after asserting that if Republicans had been in control of Congress then he wouldnt be heading to jail. He accused former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who lost reelection after her role on the Jan. 6 committee, of hating Trump because he told the truth about her daddy, her daddy killed people in Iraq and Afghanistan war and everybody in this country knows that.

Navarro then took a moment to promote his forthcoming book, The New MAGA Deal, which he said comes out ahead of the Republican convention, and offered reporters an advance copy.

I am just tired of the Democrats saying that Donald Trump and his followers and supporters are extremists, he said.

Navarro worked with Bannon on a 2020 strategy they dubbed the Green Bay sweep, a plan to orchestrate congressional challenges to Bidens presidential electors on Jan. 6, 2021, the day the House and Senate met to certify the 2020 election results.

Navarro also authored a three-part report making largely discredited claims of election fraud, one installment of which Trump cited in a now-infamous tweet urging supporters to descend on Washington for a wild protest on Jan. 6.

After his remarks, Navarro  accompanied by his attorney Stanley Woodward  stepped into a silver car and drove to the prison.

Ill see you on the other side, he said as he departed the press conference.

Kimberly Leonard reported from Miami, Florida. Kyle Cheney reported from Washington, D.C.
Frances former health minister has been criticised for taking up a lucrative job as a plastic surgeon at a clinic that offers penis enlargement.

Olivier Veran, who practised as a neurologist before entering politics, became a household name over the pandemic when he served as spokesman for the government of Emmanuel Macron.

But after he was ousted in a reshuffle earlier this year, the 43-year-old is now training as a plastic surgeon at the Clinique des Champs-Elysees, which offers procedures including penis enlargement, which costs up to 4,000.

Critics have accused the Left-leaning MP for Isere in the Alps of enriching himself rather than helping to solve Frances dire shortage of doctors.

Mr Veran defended his decision by saying plastic surgery helped people to feel better about themselves and their bodies.

In January, Mr Macron appointed 34-year-old Gabriel Attal as Frances youngest prime minister ever in a reshuffle in which he jettisoned several Left-leaning ministers, including Mr Veran.

Olivier Veran was at Emmanuel Macron's side throughout the pandemic but lost his job as health minister in a reshuffle in January - LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL VIA REUTERS

Afterwards, Mr Veran swiftly announced his intention to return to medicine while continuing as an MP, saying he had missed his former job.

However, in an interview with Le Figaro published this week, he said he had decided not to go back to the neurology practice he used to run in Grenoble because he feared his past as a minister would skew his relationship with his patients.

He told Le Figaro that plastic surgery was a way for people to repair themselves after illness. He added that as well as becoming a plastic surgeon, he planned to get involved in a self-defence organisation for women and an association for breast cancer victims.

But his career change has provoked a backlash among health professionals. He was accused of making the move for financial gain, and sending a terrible message at a time when there is a dearth of surgeons in his former speciality, leading to long waiting times.

Critics highlight staffing crisis

Olivier Veran used to ask independent doctors to do their bit to relieve the burden on state hospitals, and he used to denounce them when they asked for meagre raises, general practitioner Jerome Marty told RMC radio.

He says that neurology has changed a lot and rather than brush up on his skills, hes going into plastic surgery to train at an establishment that does G-spot amplification (700 to 1,600) and penis thickening (2,800 to 4,600).

The Champs-Elysees clinics website also offers buttock augmentation for between 2,800 and 8,900 and vaginoplasty, an operation to tighten the perineum and narrow and rejuvenate the vagina, at a cost of 5,000.

When you train like this, its not to make money, and no doubt Olivier Veran will practise this profession in hospital and pass on the benefits to the poor, Dr Marty added.

When you know about the hospital crisis, the health crisis, that there is a shortage of specialists everywhere, that we have patients who take months to find appointments with specialists and that these things are the consequences of the policies pursued by Olivier Veran, you have the courage to stay in your profession.

What can I say? Distressing, Arnaud Chiche, an anaesthetist, said of Mr Verans decision.

Need for neurologists is increasing

Christophe Prudhomme, an emergency medicine doctor and regional councillor for the hard-Left France Unbowed party, criticised Mr Verans fallacious argument for not returning to his profession as a neurologist.

Rather than training in plastic surgery, Veran could have used the same time to brush up on his speciality,

Barbara Lefebvre, a teacher, told the radio station RMC: Hed have us believe that hes going to help people repair themselves, but what hes really going to do is make money out of breast enlargements.

Hed be better off keeping his mouth shut and not advertising his change of direction. Hes out of touch with reality, she added, pointing out that as the population ages, degenerative diseases are likely to increase, and thus the need for neurologists.

Mr Veran will not be the first former government minister to work in cosmetic surgery.

Jerome Cahuzac, a Socialist, was a successful hair transplant surgeon when he became the budget minister for then president Francois Hollande, and was tasked with cracking down on tax evasion.

However, his government stint ended badly in 2012 when he admitted to tax fraud and money laundering for hiding various offshore accounts. He was sentenced to four years in prison, two suspended.

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 French President has every right to make his points publicly, but we will not speak on his behalf, and we have made our position clear regarding Emmanuel Macrons proposal to send Western troops to Ukraine, said U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan, during a March 18 briefing.

The USA is not planning such a decision from its side, he noted.

Weve made our position clear, which is that were not intending to send U.S. troops to Ukraine, he said.

President Biden actually reiterated that before the American people at the State of the Union, and we havent wavered from that position. Were not wavering from it today.

Read also: Ukraines Gvozdyk to fight undefeated American Benavidez for world lightweight title in June

Ukraine's Western allies would form a coalition to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with long-range weapons, Macron said after a Feb. 26 conference in Paris about Western support for Ukraine.

Sending Western troops to Ukraine in the future should not be ruled out, he added.

Read also: White House is considering allocating $200 million from Pentagon reserves to Ukraine

Several NATO countries publicly rejected the idea of sending troops to Ukraine in response to Macron's statements. Poland, the United States, Germany, Czechia, Canada, and the United Kingdom are among them.

We could not guarantee that our country's military would not be sent to Ukraine in the future, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said on March 3.

Western countries should discuss the idea of sending troops to Ukraine and stop drawing "red lines" in terms of assistance to Kyiv, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.

NATO countries should consider all options to help Kyiv, the Netherlands Defense Chief, General Onno Eichelsheim, said.

European NATO member states have been studying the possibility of sending NATO troops to Ukraine for weeks, AFP reported, citing a source.

French troops could be sent to Ukraine to protect certain frontiers and participate in exercises or ground air defense, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Feb. 28.

He ruled out the participation of French soldiers in battles "directly on the front line."

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
Morning Memo comes to you this week from Knoxville, Tennessee, where Im checking in on my folks. Sign up for the email version.

Buckle Up!

A rapid-fire series of developments in the various Trump legal entanglements Monday demonstrate anew what a precarious position Trump is in. Precarious probably doesnt do it justice. There is simply no precedent for a major party nominee for the presidency to be under criminal indictment in four different jurisdictions while also burdened by half a billion dollars in civil judgments against him.

Lets get to it.

The Newest Cannon Craziness

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has unlocked new achievements in weirdness and incompetence.

On Monday, she issued an order directing Special Counsel Jack Smith and Donald Trump to each come up with a set of proposed jury instructions based on two hypothetical interpretations of the Presidential Records Act. Both of her interpretations are wrong as a matter of law and favorable to Trump, putting Smith in an extraordinary bind.

If this is confusing, trust me, its not you. This is a strange and unusual place to be at this stage in a criminal case. Cannon clearly doesnt understand her role or the law at issue. She is casting about for help, but doing so in a way that is not going to be helpful to her or to the case.

This is where I would usually insert a brief (and incisive!) explanation of the legal issues, but thats impossible to do here. It makes no sense.

Its an utter mess and left legal observers flabbergasted.

A Sampling Of The Reaction To Cannon

George Conway: In the decades that I have been a lawyer, this is the most bizarre order Ive ever seen issued by a federal judge. What makes that all the more amazing is that the second and third most bizarre orders Ive ever seen in federal court were also issued by Judge Cannon in this case.

Joyce Vance: [I]ts two pages of crazy stemming from the Judges apparent inability to tell Trump no when it comes to his argument that he turned the nations secrets into his personal records by designating them as such under the Presidential Records Act.

Much more here 

Trump Fails To Get James Bond

Donald Trump came up short, he told an appeals court, in obtaining a bond to secure payment of the $454 million judgment against him obtained by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Some 30 companies rebuffed Trump, most refusing to accept real estate as collateral for the bond. The deadline to obtain a bond is March 25, after which James can begin collecting on her judgment against him  unless the appeals court gives Trump some relief.

Good Catch

NBC News dug into UCC filings in Florida to find evidence of the collateral that Trump used to secure the $91.63 million appeal bond he posted in the E. Jean Carroll case: Its a brokerage account at Charles Schwab held by the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust.

Trump: I Didnt Rape Her! I Sexually Assaulted Her!

Donald Trump has sued George Stephanopoulos and ABC News for defamation, claiming that it was libelous for Stephanopoulos to say on his March 10 Sunday show that Trump had been found liable for raping E. Jean Carroll when he had only been found liable for sexually assaulting her. Good luck with that one!

Keep An Eye On Georgia RICO Case

Trump and his co-defendants having formally asked the trial judge to allow them to immediately appeal his decision not to disqualify District Attorney Fani Willis. If granted, it could add significant delay to a case that is already going to drag deep into 2025.

Key Pre-Trial Rulings In The Hush Money Case

The trial judge in the now-delayed Stormy Daniels hush money case issued several important pre-trial evidentiary rulings Monday:

Prosecutors may not play the Access Hollywood tape but they can ask witnesses about it.

Prosecutors may call Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, and Karen McDougal to the stand.

Prosecutors may argue that Trump was seeking to influence the 2016 election.

Prosecutors may present evidence of the National Enquirer using catch and kill to protect Trump from unflattering stories.

Peter Navarro Reports To Prison Today

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts rebuffed Trump White House official Peter Navarros last-ditch effort to avoid serving four months for his contempt of Congress conviction. He is to report to federal prison in Miami today.

With Trump under financial pressure and angling to avoid jail, the possible reemergence of Russia-oligarch-whisperer Paul Manafort  himself convicted in the Mueller probe and later pardoned by Trump  as an adviser to the Trump campaign is a development that I would find implausible in a fictional political thriller, but here we are:

Brian Beutler: Desperate Trump Turns Once Again To Paul Manafort

David Corn: Trump Considers Adding Paul Manaforta Grave Counterintelligence Threatto His Campaign

Marcy Wheeler: Donald Trump is considering hiring the former business partner of two alleged Russian spies, admitted money launderer Paul Manafort, to help with fundraising.

Notable

The Supreme Court was cool to the argument from red states that the Biden administration had illegally coerced social media platforms into removing misinformation.

Centering Christian Nationalism

TPMs Josh Kovensky reports on a little-noticed speech last fall given by former Trump OMB Director Russ Vought that puts Christian nationalism at the center of the Trump II agenda.

Lovely 

Donald Trump: Any Jewish person who votes for Democrats hates their religion and everything about Israel.

What An Intern Program!

A conservative influencer and former intern for Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has been charged in the Jan. 6 attack. Isabella Deluca interned with Gosar for three months starting the fall of 2022, after she had already been contacted by the FBI and while she was under investigation.

Gosar interns should ring a bell for you.

One of the them popped up in this May 2023 TPM story about the ties between a Gosar staffer and neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes.

Then in January 2024, the Arizona Mirror published a story on two other Gosar interns who had expressed deeply racist, homophobic and antisemitic beliefs.

Smart Move!

With a bench warrant outstanding against her back in Michigan, pro-Trump lawyer Stefanie Lambert showed up anyway for a hearing in federal court in Washington, D.C., where she was representing former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne in a defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems. She was arrested after the hearing by U.S. marshals. The bench warrant was issued after she failed to appear to face four felony counts in a voting machine tampering case that grew out of bogus 2020 election conspiracies.

Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know!
Influencer Magali Berdah was the focus of cyberbullying campaign, a French court found

Twenty-eight people have been jailed for up to 18 months for the harassment of an influencer in France's largest cyberbullying case to date.

Judges found the accused guilty of harassing Magali Berdah, spurred on by a campaign by the French rapper Booba against "thieving influencers".

The court in Paris heard that the harassment had "real consequences" to Ms Berdah's mental health.

Booba is facing a separate trail and denies aggravated harassment.

Ms Berdah has built a prominent career in France as a lifestyle and fashion expert, while also marketing other social media stars through her company Shauna Events.

Her lawyers said posts from Booba, real name Elie Yaffa, encouraged a "mob" of people online to send hateful and insulting messages to their client, something Booba denied.

The court said that each of the defendants "made a conscious choice to join in" with the cyberbullying.

The accused, aged between 20 and 49, received jail terms ranging from four to 18 months, some of which were suspended.

Ms Berdah, known as "the queen of influencers" in France, hailed the sentencing as a "beautiful victory" after previously telling the court that the bullying brought her "within a whisker of throwing (herself) out of the window".

Booba made headlines in 2018 after a brawl in a Paris airport.

"My life was destroyed for two years because of this," she said. "Finally, I've been recognised as a victim."

Her lawyers said the convictions showed "no one is safe behind their keyboard".

The defendants were fined 700 euros (598) and were ordered to pay an additional combined 54,000 euros (56,100) in compensation to their victim.

Booba denied in December that he had put himself at the head of an online "mob".

The rapper made headlines in 2018 after being involved in a brawl at a Paris airport with fellow rapper Kaaris, for which both received an 18 month suspended jail sentence.

Ms Berdah is due in court on a separate charge of money laundering and her marketing company Shauna Events is being investigated for fraud.
For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

Despite being in the age of tech-stock blue-sky investing, many investors still adopt a more traditional strategy; buying shares in profitable companies like Burckhardt Compression Holding (VTX:BCHN). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it.

See our latest analysis for Burckhardt Compression Holding

How Fast Is Burckhardt Compression Holding Growing?

If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS) outcomes. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Impressively, Burckhardt Compression Holding has grown EPS by 24% per year, compound, in the last three years. If growth like this continues on into the future, then shareholders will have plenty to smile about.

One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. Burckhardt Compression Holding maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 26% to CHF902m. That's a real positive.

The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.

While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Burckhardt Compression Holding?

Story continues

Are Burckhardt Compression Holding Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

As a general rule, it's worth considering how much the CEO is paid, since unreasonably high rates could be considered against the interests of shareholders. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Burckhardt Compression Holding with market caps between CHF888m and CHF2.8b is about CHF1.1m.

The Burckhardt Compression Holding CEO received CHF956k in compensation for the year ending March 2023. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense.

Does Burckhardt Compression Holding Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

For growth investors, Burckhardt Compression Holding's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. With swiftly growing earnings, the best days may still be to come, and the modest CEO pay suggests the company is careful with cash. Based on these factors, this stock may well deserve a spot on your watchlist, or even a little further research. You still need to take note of risks, for example - Burckhardt Compression Holding has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

Although Burckhardt Compression Holding certainly looks good, it may appeal to more investors if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see companies with insider buying, then check out this handpicked selection of Swiss companies that not only boast of strong growth but have also seen recent insider buying..

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
A 69-year-old Independence man accused in a mass shooting that killed an Independence police officer and a Jackson County Court employee is not eligible for a public defender, according to court documents.

The Missouri State Public Defenders Office has advised the court that Larry Dean Acrees application for a public defender has been denied. Acree has income and/or available assets exceeding their guidelines, thus making him not eligible for representation by their office, according to a court order filed Monday.

Under Missouri law, a person is eligible for representation when they do not have the means to obtain an attorney. All circumstances of the case, including the persons ability to make bond, income and number of dependents, are considered when determining whether the person is indigent.

Acree, who has been charged with the murder of Jackson County civil process server Drexel Mack and Independence police officer Cody Allen during an eviction on Feb. 29, can appeal the decision.

Judge Page Bellamy, from Saline County, Missouri, has ordered a hearing for 2 p.m. Friday to determine Acrees eligibility after he had requested a public defender and so far has not made bond or obtained his attorney.

Acree, who was injured in the shooting, made his first court appearance on March 6 after being charged. At the time, he said he planned to try to hire a lawyer for his case but elected to begin the process for public defense.

After still being without an attorney at a hearing last Friday, Bellamy had Acree fill out the paperwork to begin the process for a public defender.

Bellamy told Acree that the form would be forwarded to the public defenders office, but he could hire an attorney at any time.

Bellamy, appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to preside over the case after all Jackson County judges recused themselves, continued proceedings until Friday, when a hearing on Acrees eligibility for a public defender will now occur.

Held on $2 million bond

Acree has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder as well as first-degree assault in the fatal shooting of 41-year-old Mack and 35-year-old Allen.

The shooting unfolded shortly after 1 p.m. on Feb. 29 in northeastern Independence while Mack and another civil process server were trying to carry out an eviction. Acree lost his home in the 1100 block of North Elsea Smith Road over back taxes, court records show.

Acree allegedly fired shots, and Mack was struck. Police responded to the scene, and Allen was struck in the head by another round of gunfire from the house. A second officer was hit in the abdomen, according to court documents.

Acree is held in Jackson County jail on a $2 million cash-only bond.

At last weeks hearing, More than a dozen Independence police officers attended, many in uniform. Their badges displayed black mourning bands.

Officers down: Audio captures emergency response in deadly Independence shooting
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Months after a woman was murdered in the Parkrose Heights neighborhood, authorities have arrested the man investigators believe shot her.

Richard David Simms, Jr., 30, is suspected of shooting 40-year-old Nicole Lashawn Davis outside an apartment complex on the afternoon of Nov. 22.

Shelter in place lifted in Southeast Portland after disturbance

When police arrived at 11100 NE Weidler Street, they found Davis dead at the scene. Simms was nowhere in sight, and officials did not make any arrests.

An investigation led officers to arrest Simms on March 19. He now faces charges of second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and possession of a firearm as a felon.

Man arrested after grabbing womans feet and rubbing them on his face: Officials

Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact police.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
A 31-year-old Dorchester man accused of shooting a Boston Police officer in the chest on Monday night was previously arrested on cocaine trafficking charges in Webster in 2017, police records show.

Avery Lewis is facing armed assault to murder and a slew of other gun and drug charges after police said he shot the officer, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest, in the area of Esmond and Bradshaw streets in the citys Dorchester neighborhood around 9:30 p.m. Monday.

The unidentified officer, who has been with the department for about two years, was taken to Boston Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Lewis was previously arrested following a SWAT team response and drug raid in Webster in 2017.

After a weeks-long investigation, on March 24, 2017, at 5 a.m., members of the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT team and Webster Police officers and detectives executed a search warrant for narcotics at 15 Granite St., apartment 1 in that town, Webster Police said at the time.

When investigators entered the apartment, they found 30 grams of what was believed to be crack cocaine, and $6,000 in cash. Two children, aged 7 and 7 months, were in the apartment at the time, police said. The Department of Children and Families was notified.

Police said Lewis, then 24, who lived in the Webster apartment at the time, was charged with possession with trafficking a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate the controlled substance law, and distribution of a Class B substance within a school zone.

The outcome of that 2017 case was not immediately known on Tuesday.

Following the police officer shooting on Monday night, Lewis is also charged with assault and battery on a police officer, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, unlawful possession of a large capacity feeding device, assault and battery with a firearm, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, trafficking of cocaine, and resisting arrest, according to the Boston Police Department.

He is expected to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court.

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
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The man previously accused of stabbing and killing another man on the Steel Bridge was released on Tuesday, according to the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office.

Officers responded to reports of a stabbing on Friday afternoon and found a man with serious injuries. He was taken to the hospital, but later died.

Man covered by a blanket hit by bus while lying in Springfield bus lane

On Saturday morning, officers responded to a report of a man threatening another man with a knife near Northwest 3rd Avenue and Davis Street. When officers arrived, they found a 31-year-old man matching their description and detained him.

Further investigation led the officers to connect him to the previous fatal stabbing.

However, officials told KOIN 6 News they had insufficient evidence to issue criminal charges against the man on Monday. By Tuesday, he was released.

Shelter in place lifted in Southeast Portland after disturbance

Video evidence is being analyzed, which the prosecutor believes may shed light on the level of culpability of the involved parties, the DAs office said. This is still an open and active investigation. Feel free to check back for updates.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact Portland police.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Officials say an Aloha man sexually assaulted two women responding to an advertisement looking for a housekeeper, and Washington County authorities believe there may be more victims.

Jimmy Liu, 55, was booked into the Washington County Jail on Friday and faces multiple charges, including two counts of third-degree sex abuse and two counts of attempted harassment.

Man found guilty after 1980 death of Mt. Hood Community College student

According to the Washington County Sheriffs Office, deputies received a report from a woman who had a suspicious encounter with Liu. The woman reportedly was responding to a Craigslist ad for a housekeeper and went to Lius home.

Not long after she arrived, Liu subjected the woman to unwanted contact by grabbing her bare feet and rubbing them on his face. The woman left the home and called police. During the investigation, deputies discovered that there was another woman who reported similar behavior by Liu in February 2024. This person was also responding to an advertisement seeking a housekeeper, officials said.

Liu was arrested in his home later in the day. Officials say that he has an expansive social media presence and that he has been sharing content about seeking a housekeeper since as early as 2017. Liu also has advertised math tutoring services to children.

Deputies believe that Liu may have additional victims. Anyone with information about Liu is asked to contact WCSO.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
A man in a catatonic state was shot to death by Davie police officers after thrusting his hands from behind his back and pointing an cellphone at them, body camera footage released Monday reveals.

At around 12:30 a.m. Friday, officers shot the man  later identified as 39-year-old Steven Amann  at a house on the 14000 block of Southwest 24th St. in Davie. Police were at the location responding to a medical call.

Amann was struck by the hail of bullets six times, including on the face and chest, according to police records. He was transported to Broward General Hospital, where he later died.

READ MORE: Man dies after cops shot him at Broward home. State law enforcement investigates

Davie police confirmed that Sgt. Steve Lambert and officers Matthew Correa and Jarrett Wheeler were involved in the shooting, though its unclear to what extent. All three have been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation, as is standard policy.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting.

The Davie Police Department remains committed to transparency in our investigations, the department said in a statement. We will continue to work with [FDLE] to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted.

What are you doing, dude?

Before the shooting, a 12-year-old girl called 911 to report that she found her father face down on the floor without a pulse. In the body cam footage, responding officers are heard discussing how Amann walked into the home during the medical call.

But no one recognized Amann.

He walked in the door, just started walking in, one of the officers says. We dont know who he is.

The footage doesnt show Amann inside the home. He was outdoors for the entirety of the released video.

When an officer asked Amann if he had any form of ID, he bent over like he was picking something up and touched grass in front of the home. He then stood on his feet and stared off into the distance.

Another officer, according to the footage, instructed Amann to sit down and relax for a minute. Amann remained still, gazing at the ground in front of him  not saying a word.

The officers resumed talking about the medical call among themselves, stating that the girl who called 911 lived at the home with her sister and their aunt. Their father, who doesnt have legal custody of them due to substance abuse issues, also lives there.

Amann, the footage shows, reached behind his back and stumbled toward some trees, where he pointed a cellphone at the officers.

What are you doing, dude? an officer said. What the f--k.

Officers then shouted as gunshots rang out. Amann was no longer visible in the frame; the footage abruptly ended.
HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  A man has been charged after police say he choked a hospital staff member with a towel.

According to the Hazleton Police Department, on Monday around 11:30 p.m., officers were called to Lehigh Valley Hospital for a man attacking a hospital staff member.

Alleged Luzerne County dealer arrested, 2,000 doses of fentanyl seized

Police said they learned Jacob Goralewski attacked a technical partner by wrapping a towel around the victims neck to choke them. Another staff member removed Goralewski from the victim before police arrived.

Goralewski was arrested and later charged with aggravated assault, and strangulation. He remains in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility on a $5,000 bail.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Firefighter

A man has died after a cottage fire in Moray.

Emergency services were called to Rathven, near Buckie, shortly after 06:00 on Tuesday.

Police Scotland said a 74-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

"The fire was extinguished by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS)," a police statement said. "Inquiries are ongoing into the cause. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.

'Thoughts with family'

The SFRS said: Operations control mobilised three appliances to the scene and unfortunately a male was pronounced dead at the scene.

Our thoughts are very much with his family, friends, and the wider community at this difficult time.

A joint investigation alongside Police Scotland colleagues is now ongoing.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A Troutdale man was found guilty of several charges on Friday in connection to the 1980 murder of a Mt. Hood Community College student, according to court documents.

Multnomah County Circuit Court found 60-year-old Robert Plympton guilty of one count of first-degree murder, and two counts of second-degree murder.

He was found not guilty on two other counts of first-degree murder, but guilty of the lesser included offense of second-degree murder.

Study shows best places in the Pacific Northwest for renters

Plympton was taken into custody by Gresham police in June 2021 and was initially charged with the rape and murder of Barbara Mae Tucker, who was a 19-year-old business student at Mt. Hood Community College.

Authorities said the break in the case came from DNA technology that was not available over 40 years ago.

On the night of January 15, 1980, Tucker was seen running onto NE Kane Drive from a wooded area on the west edge of the campus, authorities said. Multiple witnesses saw her but thought she was waving at someone. Another witness saw a man come out from the shrubs and led her back to campus.

Man accused of selling stolen trailers on social media linked to 17 other missing units

The next day, a student found Tuckers body in nearby bushes. She had been sexually assaulted and beaten to death.

Physical evidence from the scene was maintained and a recent DNA profile match led investigators to Plympton.

In a statement, former Gresham Police Department Chief Claudio Grandjean previously said, These cold cases are not lost or forgotten for our department. Each one represents a person to our officers, and their tragic stories are passed down through the generations in hopes of one day bringing honor to their names and a sense of justice and closure to their cases.

He noted the efforts of Detective Aaron Turnage and criminalist Deanna Grossi who worked on the case for years.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
A Pennsylvania man is accused of killing his mother then asking police when he could collect insurance money, news outlets reported.

David Michael Lombardo, 43, was charged with criminal homicide, according to a criminal docket.

On the morning of March 15, police were called to a home in Clearfield Borough, for a reported cardiac incident, according to an arrest affidavit, WJAC reported. When they arrived, they found 69-year-old Paula Lombardo ice cold and stiff as a board on her bed.

Investigators spoke to several people who were at the home when she died.

Witnesses told police that Paula Lombardo seemed OK on Thursday, March 14, as late as 5 p.m. when someone saw her eating dinner, the Progress News reported.

When she was found the next day, court documents said she was fully clothed, with shoes on, face down in pillows in the middle of her bed, according to WTAJ.

Officers and witnesses said they found the placement of Paula Lombardos body suspicious because she had Parkinsons Disease and a deep brain stimulator implanted inside her head, which caused mobility issues, WJAC reported.

Police interviewed her son David Lombardo, who told them he woke up at 6:30 a.m. Friday and spoke to his mother before a nurse arrived, the Progress News reported.

Around 7 a.m., one of the witnesses arrived at the home and found Paula Lombardo in her room not breathing, the news outlet reported.

The witness told police that she told David Lombardo his mother wasnt breathing and he said he had to use the restroom. After four to five minutes, he checked on his mother, said she was cold and walked away and told the witness to call someone, the Progress News reported.

When talking with police, David Lombardo showed little emotion and asked when he could get his mothers death certificate for life insurance and to access her bank account, court documents said, according to WTAJ.

He also admitted to trying to move her body after she was found, police said, according to WJAC.

Paula Lombardos cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation, WTAJ reported. Police said they believe David Lombardo smothered her then placed her on the bed.

In addition to criminal homicide, he is charged with aggravated assault,, strangulation, tamper with/fabricate physical evidence, abuse of corpse, recklessly endangering another person, court records show.

Attorney information for David Lombardo was not listed in court records.

Clearfield Borough is in central Pennsylvania, about an 115-mile drive east of Pittsburgh.

14-year-old stabbed while protecting mom from home intruder, Washington police say

Dad killed child months before reporting him missing, officials say. Hes found guilty

25-year-old son shoots and kills mother at their shared home, Missouri cops say
Nvidia (NVDA) is diving deeper into the robotics game with the debut of a new foundation model for humanoid robots dubbed Project GR00T.

A foundation model is a type of AI system trained on massive amounts of data thats capable of being used for a wide variety of tasks from generating sentences to videos, images, and more.

According to Nvidia, Project GR00T will help humanoid robots understand natural language and emulate movements by observing human actions  quickly learning coordination, dexterity, and other skills in order to navigate, adapt, and interact with the real world.

Nvidia also announced its Isaac Manipulator and Isaac Perceptor, part of the companys Isaac robotics platform. Isaac Manipulator is a series of foundation models designed for robotic arms, while Issac Perceptor is meant to offer multi-camera, 3D surround-vision capabilities for robots designed to take on manufacturing and fulfillment roles.

In addition to those, the graphics giant also debuted its Jetson Thor computer for humanoid robots. The platform, which is powered by Nvidias Thor system-on-a-chip, will serve as the brains of humanoid robots.

AI engineer Jenna Reher works on humanoid robot Figure 01 at Figure AI's test facility in Sunnyvale, Calif., Oct. 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Jetson Thor was created as a new computing platform capable of performing complex tasks and interacting safely and naturally with people and machines. It has a modular architecture optimized for performance, power, and size, Nvidia said in a statement.

The company says its already working with some of the biggest names in robotics including Boston Dynamics, famous for its Spot robot, 1X Technologies, Agility Robotics, Apptronik, and Figure AI.

Figure AI, in particular, has been making waves of late, releasing a video last week in which it showed a humanoid robot speak as though it was a person in response to prompts and complete a series of tasks, including picking up dishes and putting them in a drying rack.

While that may seem relatively mundane, the technology needed to get the robot to recognize each item and move them precisely is incredibly sophisticated.

Story continues

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In February, Nvidia, as well as Microsoft, OpenAI, Jeff Bezos, Parkway Capital, Intel Capital, and others, took part in a Series B funding round for Figure AI valuing the company at $2.6 billion.

Humanoid robots offer the promise of being able to complete dangerous or rote tasks for people, though as with other AI technologies, they also raise the specter of displacing human jobs. Still, dont expect humanoid robots to start strolling down the street anytime soon.

Daniel Howley is the tech editor at Yahoo Finance. He's been covering the tech industry since 2011. You can follow him on Twitter @DanielHowley.

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Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Monday that lawmakers are so close to reaching a deal to reform the nations system for approving infrastructure projects.

We are so close, he said during an energy conference Monday, referring to progress toward compromise legislation on what has become known as permitting reform.

I want to get it done before we go out on the August recess, he added.

Businesses, including in the energy sector, have long complained about the amount of time it takes to get projects approved by the government. Manchin has been a leading voice in Congress advocating for changing that system.

At least some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have expressed interest, as some Democrats say changes are needed to bolster the development of climate-friendly energy sources. But a deal has remained elusive as lawmakers have struggled to find agreement on sticking points including cost allocation for electric grid infrastructure.

But, in his remarks at the CERAWeek conference in Houston, Texas, Manchin pledged to get the remaining obstacles resolved.

We are going to change, we are going to change how we do business, he said.

Manchin is not seeking reelection, and his term ends in January.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
(Bloomberg) -- Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the threat to his nation from Chinas sweeping claims in the South China Sea is growing but argued that his governments efforts to assert sovereignty over disputed areas arent meant to start a conflict by poking the bear.

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We are trying to keep things on an even keel, Marcos said Tuesday in an interview with Bloomberg Televisions Haslinda Amin at the presidential palace in Manila. The challenge, he added, is that since the threat has grown, we must do more to defend our territory.

Along with Taiwan, the standoff between the Philippines and China over a series of contested reefs and islands has become a critical flashpoint in the region. Since Marcos took office in 2022, the Philippine military and coast guard have ramped up operations to supply troops at a remote outpost and escort fishermen he says have relied on the waters for generations.

That stance has sparked condemnation from Beijing, whose armada of fishing boats and coast guard vessels have often blocked Philippine ships and even collided with them, raising the risk of a conflict with China that could quickly draw in the US.

We have not instigated any kind of conflict. We have not instigated any kind of confrontation, Marcos, 66, said of his governments policies. We are just trying to feed our people.

But, he added, China has taken some very aggressive actions against our coast guard.

During a trip to deliver supplies to its outpost on the Second Thomas Shoal this month, Manila said four Filipino sailors were injured after two Chinese coast guard vessels blasted water cannons at their chartered boat.

Reversing the policies of his predecessor, former President Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos has tightened ties with the US military, giving it greater access to Philippine bases and resuming joint sea patrols. In return, Washington has strongly backed the Philippines when it comes to its efforts in the South China Sea.

The Marcos interview came on the same day US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Manila. Ahead of a meeting with Marcos, Blinken criticized what he called Beijings provocative actions.

Marcos has also strengthened ties with other US allies. The Philippines upgraded relations with Australia last year, signed defense pacts with the UK and Canada and is negotiating a deal for mutual military visits with Japan.

In a briefing on Wednesday, Chinas foreign ministry said Manila was to blame for the rising tensions in the South China Sea.

The root cause of the recent escalation in the South China Sea situation is because the Philippines have been creating trouble, provoking China and spreading misinformation to misguide the international community, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

Marcos said his nation cant accept Chinas vast claims, which Beijing bases on a 1947 map that shows a vague nine-dash line sweeping over most of the South China Sea. A United Nations tribunal in 2016 ruled against Beijings claims, a verdict Xi Jinpings government has rejected.

Despite the standoff, Marcos emphasized that hes kept talks with Beijing going and that he doesnt want to be in the position of invoking a mutual defense treaty the Philippines has had with the US for decades.

Asked what might provoke him to utilize that defense accord, Marcos said the Philippines would have to be facing an existential threat.

I hope the time never comes that we have to answer that question, he said. When you talk about the mutual defense treaty, to invoke that, actual outright violent conflict, then this is a very, very dangerous, very, very slippery road to go down.

Below are some excerpts from the interview on other topics:

On the economy:

Inflation is still our biggest problem, Marcos said. Asked whether he sees more room to cut borrowing costs at the highest level since May 2007, he added: Were not yet there.

Read more: Marcos Says Too Early for Philippine Rate Cut, Eyes 8% Growth

On charges hell change the constitution to prolong his term:

Thats incorrect. The proposals for the amendments to the constitution are solely concerned with economic provisions, things like ownership of corporations...So the political structure of the Philippines, theres no proposal to change that. Im not quite sure where it came from, but its being used as a stick to beat this issue over our heads.

Key challenges and geopolitical shocks:

Climate change is another big part of the challenges that we face. Geopolitical instability, certainly, because no matter what we do here in the Philippines, we are still subject to shocks that come down the pike that we have very little control over, very little influence over and sometimes did not forecast.

When the Russians first entered Ukraine, the initial reaction was that, Well, its very far away, its Eastern Europe, it shouldnt affect us. Within a month we felt the effects. We import wheat from both countries, we import agricultural commodities from both countries. So all of these things we need to recognize now.

On the impact of a potential second Donald Trump presidency:

Marcos said that a second Trump presidency, if it occurs, would usher in some changes, undoubtedly, but didnt think the relationship would fundamentally change, given that the two countries are treaty allies.

As long as we stay true to the agreements of those treaties that we have had, I think the foreign policy will maintain a balance and there wont be any radical changes, radical moves.

--With assistance from Alex Chandler, Manolo Serapio Jr., Philip J. Heijmans and Colum Murphy.

(Adds reaction from China starting in 11th paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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MARINETTE, Wis. (WFRV)  Police in Marinette say a 58-year-old woman was arrested on Monday after multiple reports of her driving her vehicle erratically.

According to a release from the Marinette Police Department, the Marinette County Dispatch received a traffic complaint at about 4:40 p.m. for a vehicle driving erratically.

Officers say they located the vehicle, however, in an attempt to conduct a traffic stop, there vehicle fled and started a pursuit that was soon after terminated for safety reasons.

Police find Wisconsin woman laying on ground near vehicle, arrested for 7th OWI

Soon after the first encounter with police, a Marinette County Sheriffs Office Investigator, along with a deputy, located the vehicle in question still driving erratically.

The investigator and deputy attempted a traffic stop which once again led to another pursuit that eventually came to an end at the Kwik Trip on 2103 Hall Avenue.

The driver of the vehicle, a 58-year-old woman from Menominee Michigan, was then arrested.

No other information about this incident is available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Delving into the Dividend Details of NXP Semiconductors NV

NXP Semiconductors NV (NASDAQ:NXPI) recently announced a dividend of $1.01 per share, payable on 2024-04-10, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-03-20. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's look into NXP Semiconductors NV's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does NXP Semiconductors NV Do?

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NXP Semiconductors is a leading supplier of high-performance mixed-signal products. The firm acquired Freescale Semiconductor in 2015 and now has significant market share in the automotive market, where it supplies microcontrollers and analog chips into automotive clusters, powertrains, infotainment systems, and radars. NXP Semiconductors also serves industrial and Internet of Things, mobile, and communications infrastructure.

NXP Semiconductors NV's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at NXP Semiconductors NV's Dividend History

NXP Semiconductors NV has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 2018. Dividends are currently distributed on a quarterly basis. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Breaking Down NXP Semiconductors NV's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, NXP Semiconductors NV currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.70% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 1.70%. This suggests an expectation of same dividend payments over the next 12 months.

Over the past three years, NXP Semiconductors NV's annual dividend growth rate was 39.30%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate increased to 48.60% per year. Based on NXP Semiconductors NV's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of NXP Semiconductors NV stock as of today is approximately 12.32%.

Story continues

NXP Semiconductors NV's Dividend Analysis

The Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and Profitability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-12-31, NXP Semiconductors NV's dividend payout ratio is 0.32.

NXP Semiconductors NV's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks NXP Semiconductors NV's profitability 9 out of 10 as of 2023-12-31, suggesting good profitability prospects. The company has reported positive net income for each year over the past decade, further solidifying its high profitability.

Growth Metrics: The Future Outlook

To ensure the sustainability of dividends, a company must have robust growth metrics. NXP Semiconductors NV's growth rank of 9 out of 10 suggests that the company's growth trajectory is good relative to its competitors.

Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, and NXP Semiconductors NV's revenue per share, combined with the 3-year revenue growth rate, indicates a strong revenue model. NXP Semiconductors NV's revenue has increased by approximately 18.70% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 68.39% of global competitors.

The company's 3-year EPS growth rate showcases its capability to grow its earnings, a critical component for sustaining dividends in the long run. During the past three years, NXP Semiconductors NV's earnings increased by approximately 232.50% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 98.47% of global competitors.

Lastly, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of 48.20%, which outperforms approximately 89.15% of global competitors, further underscores its financial strength and potential for continued dividend payments.

Next Steps

In conclusion, NXP Semiconductors NV's upcoming dividend, along with its impressive history of dividend growth, reasonable payout ratio, and solid profitability and growth metrics, paint a positive picture for current and prospective investors. The company's financial health and industry position suggest that it could be a reliable source of dividend income. Investors looking for dividend-paying stocks should consider the robust profile of NXP Semiconductors NV, as it stands out as a potentially valuable addition to an income-focused portfolio. Will NXP Semiconductors NV continue its dividend growth streak, and how will its strategic initiatives influence future payouts? These are critical questions value investors may ponder as they assess the company's long-term prospects.

GuruFocus Premium users can screen for high-dividend yield stocks using the High Dividend Yield Screener.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


Missouri senators Holly Thompson Rehder and Lauren Arthur have teamed up to sponsor legislation that would effectively ban all child marriages in Missouri.

The bill would prohibit marriage licenses from being issued to anyone under 18 under any circumstance.

The current Missouri state law allows 16- and 17-year-olds to get married in Missouri as long as they have parental consent. The law also bans marriage between a minor and anyone 21 or older.

Currently, no marriage license shall be issued in Missouri for individuals under 16 years of age or issued when one party to the marriage is under 18 years of age and the other party over 21 years of age, the bill says. Additionally, no marriage license shall be issued if any party to the marriage is under 18 years of age without parental consent.

But the law used to be even more lenient than it is today.

Heres the history of child marriage laws in Missouri.

What was Missouris child marriage law before?

Before 2018, anyone 15 or younger could get married in Missouri. No place in the United States was easier, The Star found in 2018 through an analysis of child marriage statutes across the country.

At the time, children ages 14 or younger could also marry in Missouri, because the state was one of 25 states with no minimum age requirement. A judge needed to approve the marriage if a child was 14 or younger, but if a child was 15, they only needed one signature from a parent.

In other states where marriages at 15 or younger were legal, statutes generally required both parents signatures, a judges approval or proof of pregnancy.

The Stars analysis showed that Missouri was a destination wedding spot for 15-year-old child brides. More than 1,000 child brides married in Missouri between 1999 and 2015, The Star found, with people coming in from states like Arkansas, Colorado, Arkansas, Florida and Oregon.

Up to one-third of the girls were marrying men over 21, meaning any premarital sex was statutory rape.

Jackson, Dunklin, Jasper and St. Louis counties were the hotspots for child marriages, according to The Stars analysis.

When did the law change?

After The Stars investigation, Missouri lawmakers passed a law in 2018, setting the states minimum marriage age at 16, with the approval of one parent or guardian.

The states statutory rape law does prohibit those 21 or older from sexual intercourse with anyone under 17.

Before the 2018 law, 88% of minors who were married in Missouri were age 16 or 17, said Fraidy Reiss, the founder and executive director of Unchained At Last, a nonprofit seeking to end child marriage nationwide, told The Stars Kacen Bayless this week.

Between 2019 and 2021, 231 minors were married in Missouri, and most of them were girls married to adult men, said Reiss.

The Stars Eric Adler and Kacen Bayless contributed to this report.
Two Maryland men face animal cruelty charges after an investigation discovered charred remains of several domesticated dogs on a Cumberland property.

The Allegany County Sheriffs Office arrested 18-year-old Justin Uzonna Anabaraonye and 19-year-old Paul Tomas Baylor III on March 15 and charged them with multiple counts of animal cruelty.

According to the sheriffs office, deputies were contacted on March 12 for reports of animal cruelty.

The deputies were presented with photographs of what appeared to be charred remains of domesticated dogs, which led to the launch of an investigation.

ILLEGAL MIGRANT CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING GIRLS AT MARYLAND CHURCH WAS DEPORTED TWICE: ICE

Paul Thomas Baylor III and Justin Uzonna Anabaraonye face animal cruelty charges after the charred remains of seven dogs were found in a wooded area in western Maryland.

As part of the investigation, detectives executed a search warrant on March 15 at a property in the 13000 block of Tulip Street in Cumberland, Maryland.

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While searching a wooded area of the property, investigators discovered charred remains of seven dogs in what looked like a burn pile, the sheriffs office said.

Skeletal remains of numerous other dogs were also located during the search of the property.

MARYLAND POLICE ID SECOND SUSPECT IN DECADES-OLD COLD CASE KILLING OF TEEN GIRL

Friendswood Police Department is asking for victims of what they call the "viral TikTok Door Knock challenge" to come forward.

Deputies enlisted the help of the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which deployed a K9 team to the property. As a result of the search conducted by the dogs, there was an indication that the suspects used some type of accelerant to start the fires.

The sheriffs office turned the remains of the dogs over to the Humane Society of the United States to investigate and determine how they died.

Still, Baylor has been charged with four counts of animal cruelty, while Anabaraonye faces six counts, along with a single count of aggravated animal cruelty.

Both men were remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center where they were held pending a bond review.





Original article source: Maryland investigators find charred dog remains, charge 2 men with animal cruelty
New Hampshire Republican gubernatorial candidate Kelly Ayotte on Tuesday torched Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's recent comments on a migrant rape case in the Bay State.

Healey, a Democrat, recently was asked on camera by Boston 25 News about the case against Cory Alvarez, a 26-year-old migrant from Haiti who is charged with raping a 15-year-old disabled girl at the Comfort Inn in Rockland, Massachusetts, that was converted into an emergency migrant shelter by the state.

"Its a horrible situation. Its a horrible allegation. My thoughts are with the victim and her family," Healey told the outlet at an event in Dorchester last week, defending the vetting process for migrants who are placed at the state's emergency shelters. "I think we have the right systems in place. Unfortunately, this is a terrible incident."

"This is also an individual who came in lawfully under the federal government through a federal program.  Unfortunately, we have security and systems in place, we have vetting in place. It is unfortunate from time to time things will happen."

HAITIAN MIGRANT CHARGED WITH RAPE OF 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL ENTERED VIA CONTROVERSIAL PAROLE PROGRAM: SOURCES'

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey

Ayotte, a former U.S. senator, issued a statement on Tuesday demanding that her Democrat opponent, Joyce Craig, "denounce" Healey's endorsement in the New Hampshire governor's race.

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"This is the problem with politicians. There are real consequences for these dangerous sanctuary policies and when the system fails our children, it is not good enough to say it will happen  it is unacceptable, and it must be fixed. Maura Healey should be ashamed of herself," Ayotte said in a statement to the Boston Herald.

"Unfortunately, Joyce Craig agrees with her Massachusetts mentors dangerous sanctuary policies and would bring this crisis to New Hampshire. Craig needs to denounce Healeys endorsement, and once and for all condemn sanctuary policies," she added.

Cory B. Alvarez allegedly raped a teenage girl at a motel where he lived that houses migrants. Alvarez entered the United States lawfully in 2023 in New York City and is being held without bail.

MAYORKAS CALLS POLICY TO LET 30K MIGRANTS FLY IN EACH MONTH A KEY ELEMENT OF BORDER PLAN AFTER LEGAL WIN

Craig's team later responded in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

"This is a disgusting attack by Kelly Ayotte, who should know better than to use a heinous crime to score political points," said Craig Brown, campaign manager for Joyce Craig for New Hampshire. "Joyce worked closely with law enforcement to reduce violent crime in Manchester by nearly 40% as mayor and she supports legislation to strengthen our nations border. Kelly Ayotte proved she is more interested in playing politics than addressing the border crisis when she opposed the bipartisan border security bill that would have delivered billions to secure the southern border, provide more screening for migrants, and prevent fentanyl from being smuggled into our communities."

In a post on X sharing the Herald's story, Ayotte wrote, "Joyce Craig can hide from the media all she wants, but she can't hide from the truth. The truth is, Joyce agrees with @MassGovernor's sanctuary policies that have left the commonwealth in complete chaos. I will not let Joyce Craig MASS up New Hampshire."

Kelly Ayotte is running for New Hampshire governor.

Fox News Digital also reached out to Healey's office for comment but did not immediately hear back.

The Plymouth County District Attorneys Office said Rockland police responded to the Comfort Inn on March 13 to reports of a sexual assault. The hotel participates in a state and federal program to house migrant families, and Alvarez lived at the hotel. When officers arrived , they spoke with the 15-year-old female victim, who was taken to an area hospital to be treated.

Multiple Department of Homeland Security sources told Fox News last week that Alvarez is a Haitian national who came to the U.S. in June via the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan (CHNV) parole processes. The policy, first announced for Venezuelans in October 2022, allows a limited number of noncitizens to fly directly into the U.S., as long as they have not entered illegally, have a sponsor in the U.S. already and pass certain checks.

In January 2023, the Biden administration announced the program was expanding to include Haitians, Nicaraguans and Cubans and would allow up to 30,000 people per month into the U.S. It allows for migrants to receive work permits and a two-year authorization to live in the U.S. and was announced alongside an expansion of Title 42 expulsions to include those nationalities.

Fox News' Bill Melugin, Adam Shaw, Griff Jenkins and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.





Original article source: Massachusetts Gov Healey's 'things will happen' comment on migrant rape case spills into NH gov race
Wildlife protection advocates are welcoming a decision by the Massachusetts Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission to approve protections for horseshoe crabs during spawning, which is when the creatures are at their most vulnerable.

The move comes as interstate regulators are limiting the harvest of the primordial species of invertebrate to try to help rebuild its population and aid a threatened species of bird.

Horseshoe crabs pre-date the dinosaurs, having inhabited ocean environments for more than 400 years, but their populations have been depleted for decades due to harvest in part for bait to catch eels and whelk, a species of sea snail, supporters of the move by state regulators.

Their blood is also used to test for potentially dangerous impurities by drug and medical device makers.

David ONeill, President of Mass Audubon, said he was ecstatic with the new regulations.

Protecting horseshoe crabs during spawning season is incredibly important to getting this keystone species back to historic population levels that are critical to the health of coastal ecosystems, including the migratory birds that rely on them, ONeill said in a written statement.

He said Massachusetts had been lagging behind other East Coast state that have strengthened protections for horseshoe crab populations including New Jersey, Delaware, and South Carolina.

The animals have been declining in some of their range, and theyre critically important as a food source for the red knot, a migratory shorebird listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

The regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission said it will allow no harvest of female horseshoe crabs that originate in the Delaware Bay during the 2024 fishing season, but would allow more harvest of male horseshoe crabs in the mid-Atlantic to help make up for the lost harvest of females.

Despite their names, horseshoe crabs are not really crustaceans but are more closely related to spiders and scorpions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Bitdeer, a global company that computes data for cryptocurrency transactions, bought 31 acres in 2023 on the west side of Ninth Street SW, between Industrial Avenue and Albrecht Street, in Massillon for an expansion effort. The project has concerned a number residents who live nearby.

MASSILLON  Residents who live near a proposed cryptocurrency mining site sounded off against a proposal Monday night that would help the business build in the city.

City Council considered legislation on second reading that aims to authorize a replat of southwest Massillon property bought last year by Bitdeer, a global tech company based in Singapore with its U.S headquarters in San Jose, California.

Council members could have voted up or down on the replat, but instead pushed the matter to their April 1 meeting for third reading, which allows more time for discussion.

Overall, about 60 people packed into council chambers. More than a dozen spoke against the Bitdeer replat, citing noise and water drainage as main factors.

Bitdeer company has purchased property in southwest Massillon for an expansion project that aims to bring 70 jobs to the area.

Janice Phillips, a city resident who lives along Albrecht Street SW and near the Bitdeer property, told council that noise is her primary concern for not wanting the site to open.

"We know about long-term effects of noise pollution to humans and animals," she said. "Health wise, we're very concerned about our families."

Bitdeer is seeking a replat on its 31-acre property for a multi-facility expansion project that could break ground as early as April.

"I don't think they should build that thing," said Jack Reese, who lives on 17th Street SW. "I think the zoning isn't right for it."

Proposed Bitdeer expansion site in Massillon is zoned light industrial

Bitdeer bought the light-industrial zoned property along the west side of Ninth Street SW, between Industrial Avenue SW and Albrecht Street SW, for about $1.6 million. Plans involve constructing two warehouses, an office and 26 database buildings. The company has said the project would provide 70 full-time jobs.

The replat would relocate sanitary and stormwater easements to accommodate construction, as well as combining lots.

If passed, Bitdeer could break ground in a matter of weeks, with project completion targeted for August 2025.

If the replat fails, Bitdeer could abandon the project altogether, choose to sell the property and maybe build elsewhere.

Another option could be to reconfigure the plan around existing easements and build on site. A redo of the project could stall momentum, cost the company more down the road and result in less input from city officials.

"Nothing we have (via ordinance) can stop (Bitdeer) from building on the land they own," said City Councilman Ed Lewis, R-at large.

Massillon council OKs legal settlement for downtown building demos

City Council voted Monday to authorize a legal settlement between the city and a property owner regarding a federal lawsuit that dealt with downtown building demolition.

An agreement was reached last week in U.S. District Court of Cleveland that transfers ownership of two demolished properties at 14 and 20 Lincoln Way E to Massillon.

The lawsuit was brought forth by Towne Plaza Ltd., operated by Grant "Fuzzy" Kowell, who owns more than 30 properties in Massillon. He claimed it was illegal for the city to tear down his two crumbling buildings at 14 and 20 Lincoln Way in January 2023.

The city is also to receive the old Cornell Building at 10 Lincoln Way E, and a building at 28 Erie St. N, which housed the former Oriole's Nest bar, via the settlement.

Reach Steven at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE

This article originally appeared on The Independent: Massillon City Council delays final vote on Bitdeer replat proposal
State officials seized an ailing alligator from an upstate New York home where it was being kept illegally. Environmental conservation police officers confiscated the 750-pound, 11-foot-long alligator last Wednesday from a residence in Hamburg, located just south of Buffalo and approximately 90 minutes west of Rochester.

The home's owner built an addition and installed an in-ground swimming pool for the 30-year-old alligator and allowed people, including children, to get into the water with the reptile, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The alligator has "blindness in both eyes" and spinal complications, among other health issues. The reptile was sent to a licensed caretaker until a place is found where it can receive permanent care, according to a release from the agency.

Environmental conservation police officers seized the 750-pound, 11-foot-long alligator from a home about 90 minutes west of Rochester.

Owners vows to fight for return of alligator in NY

The owner's state license to keep the alligator expired in 2021. The state determined at that time the alligator's holding area failed to meet safety standards. Officers took action this week after learning the "extent at which the owner was seriously endangering the public," according to a statement from the agency.

Tony Cavallaro, who told The Associated Press the alligator, Albert, had been with him since the 1990s, promised to fight for his return. Cavallaro said he treated the alligator like it was his kid and that he never put anyone in danger.

"I'm not dangerous. I'm not being unsafe with people," Cavallaro said.

The home's owner had built an addition and installed an in-ground swimming pool for the 30-year-old alligator, which has blindness in both eyes and spinal complications, among other health issues.

Thousands sign petition for alligator's return to NY owner

Over 100,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org, urging for the return of the alligator to Cavallaro.

"I took care of him better than most people take care of their kids," the owner said in the online petition.

Will charges be filed against owner of alligator seized in NY?

The department said that charges against the owner will be determined after all evidence is analyzed and a licensed veterinarian assesses the wild animal and its health.

Contributing: Associated Press; USA Today Network

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Albert the alligator seized from NY home. What the owner says
AUSTIN (KXAN)  A trial has been set in Travis County this May amid an ongoing legal dispute involving Austins Project Connect mass transit plan.

The Austin Transit Partnership shared with KXAN a copy of a memo shared with ATP board members Monday. In it, ATP officials confirmed the Travis County District Court would host the trial May 28-30.

Prior to that trials start is an initial hearing on April 10 related to ATPs request for a protective order in benefit of some confidential information they dont want divulged publicly. Officials said in the memo a public release of internal cost estimates for some portions of the light rail system would seriously undermine ATPs ability to get the best pricing through competitive bidding.

That trial update comes after ATP filed a bond validation petition and lawsuit in the Travis County District Court in February, in the hopes of having ATPs bond program reaffirmed as a legitimate funding source.

Memo_ATP-Board-of-Directors_March-18-2024Download

The nature of that question comes amid ongoing legal issues surrounding Project Connect, and more specifically, its light rail plan. Back in November, a group of plaintiffs sued Austin City Council and ATP over Project Connects replacement transit plan, arguing the property tax increase voters approved in November 2020 was for a substantially different plan than the current version moving forward.

PAST COVERAGE: Lawsuit filed against Austins revised Project Connect light rail plan

ATP officials told KXAN in November the organization would continue advancing work on the first phase of light rail and wouldnt comment on the pending litigation. Then, ATP announced in early February one of the lawsuits plaintiffs  Dirty Martins Place  was no longer at risk of displacement due to alignment changes to the light rail route.

Mark Nimer, owner of Dirty Martins Place, told KXAN at the time he was cautiously thrilled about ATPs announcement but wanted to see that promise in writing. Legal counsel for Dirty Martins and other plaintiffs confirmed they would continue with their lawsuit due to changes to the original plan approved by voters.

New court filings submitted last week by Bill Aleshire  lead attorney on the lawsuit representing the plaintiffs  spell out those changes to Project Connects light rail system as a reaffirmation of the plaintiffs concerns. The project was initially presented as a two-line, 20-plus-mile light rail plan leading up to and following the November 2020 election; last June, city and transportation officials adopted an initial 9.8-mile route to serve as Phase 1 of light rail operations in Austin.

An image of the Project Connect planned System Map courtesy of CapMetro.

The Austin Transit Partnership is recommending the 38th Street to Oltorf Street to Yellow Jacket Lane is the first phase of light rail services to be built under Project Connect. (Courtesy: Austin Transit Partnership)

You are seeing the beginning of the end of the biggest con job ever perpetrated on the taxpayers of Austin, Aleshire said in a statement Tuesday. When all is said and done, I expect the final court decision to result in a rollback of the almost 21% Austin property tax increase being used to Project Connect and a refund of hundreds of millions of those dollars that ATP has on hand, unspent.

ICYMI: Dirty Martins to remain following tweaks to Project Connects light rail alignment

Plaintiffs also raised concerns surrounding the legality of Project Connects payment structure, with their latest filing alleging the city lacks the right to use or pledge the Project Connect [maintenance and operations] Property Tax increase for debt service and that it can only be spent on maintenance and operations-related purposes. Those arguments cite the Texas Tax Code as cause for its basis.

2024-03-14PLAINTIFFS1stAMENDEDPETITION-RESPONSEDownload

Plaintiffs are requesting Travis County District Court officials to grant an injunction against both the city and ATP defendants to prevent them from spending Project Connect tax revenues on the replacement plans light rail route and related facilities on the merit that this version of the plan wasnt voter-approved.

On Friday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also submitted a plea to the jurisdiction, requesting a dismissal of ATPs funding plans for Project Connect. He had previously issued a legal opinion last May questioning its funding structure, arguing at the time that Texas Tax Code does not authorize a municipality to earmark use of a voter-approved increase in its maintenance and operation property tax revenue for debt service.

ATP declined to comment on Paxtons latest plea or the new documents filed by the plaintiffs last week.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11)  Mayor Eric Adams denied allegations of sexual assault brought by a former city employee in a new lawsuit.

The lawsuit stems from an alleged incident in 1993, in which a woman claimed Adams demanded she perform a sexual act in exchange for helping to obtain a promotion.

The accuser said she refused, but alleges during the incident, Adams forced his hand onto her and also exposed himself. Adams was an NYPD transit officer and a high-ranking member of the Guardians Association, a fraternal organization that advocates for Black members of law enforcement, at the time of the alleged assault.

The woman was a civilian working for the transit police department. The lawsuit also names the city, the NYPD and the Guardians Association.

Boy, 15, accused of slashing 4 students inside Staten Island high school: NYPD

The civil complaint was filed in Manhattan under New Yorks Adult Survivors Act on Monday. It was first announced late last year.

The mayors legal counsel responded, saying in part, While we review the complaint, the mayor fully denies these outrageous allegations and the events described here; we expect full vindication in court additionally, in 1993, Eric Adams was one of the most prominent public opponents of the racism within the NYPD, which is why the suits allegations that he had any sway over promotions of civilian employees is ludicrous.

The accuser is asking for a trial by jury. PIX11 News reached out to the city, NYPD and the accuser for comment.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
As an investor its worth striving to ensure your overall portfolio beats the market average. But its virtually certain that sometimes you will buy stocks that fall short of the market average returns. We regret to report that long term Media Prima Berhad (KLSE:MEDIA) shareholders have had that experience, with the share price dropping 31% in three years, versus a market decline of about 7.9%.

Since shareholders are down over the longer term, lets look at the underlying fundamentals over the that time and see if they've been consistent with returns.

Check out our latest analysis for Media Prima Berhad

While the efficient markets hypothesis continues to be taught by some, it has been proven that markets are over-reactive dynamic systems, and investors are not always rational. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

Media Prima Berhad became profitable within the last five years. That would generally be considered a positive, so we are surprised to see the share price is down. So it's worth looking at other metrics to try to understand the share price move.

The company has kept revenue pretty healthy over the last three years, so we doubt that explains the falling share price. There doesn't seem to be any clear correlation between the fundamental business metrics and the share price. That could mean that the stock was previously overrated, or it could spell opportunity now.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

KLSE:MEDIA Earnings and Revenue Growth March 19th 2024

It is of course excellent to see how Media Prima Berhad has grown profits over the years, but the future is more important for shareholders. You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. We note that for Media Prima Berhad the TSR over the last 3 years was -27%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

Media Prima Berhad shareholders are up 11% for the year (even including dividends). But that return falls short of the market. But at least that's still a gain! Over five years the TSR has been a reduction of 2% per year, over five years. So this might be a sign the business has turned its fortunes around. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Media Prima Berhad that you should be aware of before investing here.

For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Malaysian exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Incumbent Pat Keller will face challenger Chris Randazzo for the District 14 seat on the Portage County Board in the April 2 election.

Portage County supervisors serve two-year terms. All 25 Portage County Board seats are up for election this spring.

To learn more about registering to vote and to find your polling place, visit My Vote Wisconsin.

The Stevens Point Journal asked each of the candidates to address important issues in the county and why they are running for the position.

Local election news: Portage County's new voting equipment leads Wisconsin in election security and access. Here's how it works.

Pat Keller

Pat Keller

Age: 63

Residence: Plover

Occupation and education: Direct outside-sales of electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, building products. Studied marketing at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Degree not completed. I have kept up with continuous tech school and professional level courses, ongoing for 35 years. Graduate of public high school in Sun Prairie.

Relevant experience: I have worked in retail and wholesale management and direct sales for many years. I have experience and HR training in the areas of hiring/firing, employee relations, and business negotiation, at all vertical levels. My experience also has involved working with government at every station from village maintenance supervisors to state specifying engineers and department heads who report directly to the governor. My most important quality is the ability to control emotions and use them to gauge how educated we are on the matter at hand. Second is the ability to act independently and remain open to learning more on every subject until it is time to vote.

Campaign website/Facebook page: Contact me at kellep156@gmail.com

Chris Randazzo

Chris Randazzo

Age: 54

Residence: Village of Plover

Occupation and education: Small business owner; bachelors degree in mass communication from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Relevant experience: Local news reporter for Portage County Gazette for five years, covering local governmental meetings

Campaign website/Facebook page: Randazzo for County Supervisor on Facebook

Why are you running for office?

Keller: Friends asked me to run in 2022 because our County Board supervisor, Anton Anday, passed away in September 2021. I agreed because I thought it was important that someone from Wisconsin represent our neighborhood. I am running for reelection because many other supervisors have told me I do a good job and they are glad I am on the board. It is an important job, and I dedicate a lot of time and care to doing it well. I am proud to serve as your representative.

Randazzo: Im running for Portage County Board of Supervisors because I believe its the job of county government to serve its residents and its clear our current board does not agree. Recent Board actions have denied the community a voice in whether to keep funding the Portage County Health Care Center, created an adversarial relationship with staff and members of our community, and have been fiscally irresponsible by planning to spend $1.2 million on property in Plover for a jail without having studied the feasibility of a jail at that location.

What are residents telling you are their most important issues in the county, and how would you address them?

Keller: The issue I get asked about the most is the Health Care Center. It does get the most attention in the news. Second is taxes and how the Health Care Center will affect those taxes, and then the new jail is brought up, and recently, why the proposed Plover location. The school system, roads, and the homeless round out the top six. Then there are the issues that affect individuals, such as changing zoning to allow for different types of business activity in certain areas or if a parcel of land can be divided in a way that is different than described in the ordinance.

Randazzo: The two biggest issues I hear about are the jail/justice center and the fate of the Portage County Health Care Center. On the jail, Id support using community input and data-driven planning to determine what kind of facility we need to build and then develop a plan based on that vision. On the Health Care Center, Id listen to the communitys desire to keep it county-owned and operated.

The future of the Portage County Justice Center and the need for a new jail has been discussed for decades? What would you like to see happen with a new jail, justice center and courthouse?

Keller: Initially, I liked the idea of a new campus at a location that would be easy for all residents to access. That didnt appeal to enough supervisors, so now an idea is to begin by locating the jail at a location in Plover. That location is big enough so it would likely house the Sheriffs Department and 911 dispatch services. Then we can decide if the courthouse should be updated or build new. If new, should it be at the same location or one or two parcels over, or should it go to a new location all together? Currently, I like the Plover location and feel we can decide on the courthouse after we get the jail underway.

Randazzo: Id like the jail and justice center to remain together, preferably downtown. Previous proposals on the project have espoused the benefits of keeping these facilities together and nothing has changed on that front. The type of jail we build, which among other things will determine staffing for said jail, should be determined before picking a location. This is a facility that will serve the community for decades and cost millions of dollars. We shouldnt rush the decision now just because the facility is needed.

In 2022, Portage County residents approved a referendum to build a new Portage County Health Care Center. Due to a variety of concerns and issues that has not yet happened. What would you like to see happen with the county-owned health care center?

Keller: Currently we have someone interested in buying it. Another option is to build a new one because this one is not adequate to give skilled nursing care. What I dont like about this option is that no one has considered selling the current structure to someone who could put it to use for something else, like a transitional housing facility or a womens shelter or a host of other things. A new one could be built at a different site for less money because there would be no demolition fees. Plus it bothers me that we would tear down an 80-100 bed facility to build a 42-bed facility. If we take the time, well probably find other options, as well.

Randazzo: I am in favor of the county continuing to support and own the Portage County Health Care Center. The job of county government is to serve its residents, and the Health Care Center serves some of our most at-risk neighbors. A previous referendum showed that a majority of county residents are in favor of keeping the facility county-owned, so the board should heed the will of the voters and continue offering the high level of care our county-owned facility provides.

Clean drinking water is a top concern for many in the county. If elected, how would you work to ensure safe drinking water for all residents?

Keller: We need clean water. We also need food. We can filter water in the short term while we continue to find the best long-term solution. I know some want to eliminate farming, but I dont agree with that position. Central Wisconsin is a wonderful source of produce and dairy products that are enjoyed worldwide. We need to find a way to continue our agricultural heritage. I assure you, our farmers are true stewards of the land. They care about water quality more than the average consumer does. Im certain we will find a way to support our farmers and preserve our valuable resources.

Randazzo: Access to safe drinking water is a human right, and we have a duty to our neighbors and future generations to protect it. We need to address the source of the problem to do that. In the short term, it may be necessary to treat the contamination so people have clean drinking water today. Thanks to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, were lucky enough to live in a community full of experts on this issue. We need to create and maintain constructive relationships with those experts to develop plans to protect this precious commodity.

More local news: The Stevens Point Fire Department held live fire training on Hoover Road in December. What's next for the property?

Local business news: The robot waitstaff and Vietnamese cuisine are highlights at PHO EVER 21 in Stevens Point

Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA-TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Reach him at epfantz@gannett.com or connect with him on X (formerly Twitter) @ErikPfantz.

This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: April 2024 election: Portage County Board District 14 candidates
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is pleading with users to fight calls for a ban of the social media app.

He's 41 years old, went to Harvard Business School, and interned at Facebook when it was a startup.

Here's what else we know about him.

TikTok is under a lot of scrutiny right now.

US lawmakers worry the video-sharing platform, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, poses a danger to national security. The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would force any company owned by a "foreign adversary" to divest or sell to a US-based company within 180 days in order to keep operating in the US.

Now, TikTok faces a potential ban or forced sale, and President Joe Biden has said he would sign it into law if it passes the senate.

So who's leading the company through this turbulent period?

That would be Shou Zi Chew, TikTok's 41-year-old CEO from Singapore, who got his start as an intern at Facebook.

Here's a rundown on TikTok's head honcho:

Chew worked for Facebook when it was still a startup.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg in 2010, before he took his company public. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

He earned his bachelor's degree in economics at the University College London before heading to Harvard Business School for his MBA in 2010.

While a student there, Chew worked for a startup that "was called Facebook," he said in a post on Harvard's Alumni website. Facebook went public in mid-2012.

Chew met his now-wife, Vivian Kao, via email when they were both students at Harvard.

Shou Zi Chew and Vivian Kao attend The 2022 Met Gala. Theo Wargo/WireImage

They are "a couple who often finish each other's sentences," according to the school's alumni page, and have three kids.

Chew was CFO of Xiaomi before joining Bytedance.

Shou Zi Chew and Xiaomi's CEO give thumbs up at the listing of Xiaomi at the Hong Kong Exchanges on July 9, 2018 REUTERS/Bobby Yip

He became chief financial officer of the Chinese smartphone giant, which competes with Apple, in 2015. Chew helped secure crucial financing and led the company through its 2018 public listing, which would become one of the nation's largest tech IPOs in history.

He became Xiaomi's international business president in 2019, too.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in Washington, DC on Tuesday, February 14, 2023. Matt McClain/The Washington Post/Getty Images.

Before joining Xiaomi, Chew also worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs for two years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

He also worked at investment firm DST, founded by billionaire tech investor Yuri Milner, for five years. It was during his time there in 2013 that he led a team that became early investors in ByteDance, as the Business Chief and The Independent reported.

For a while, Chew was both the CEO of TikTok and the CFO of its parent company, ByteDance.

ByteDance founder Zhang Yiming Zheng Shuai/VCG via Getty Images

Chew joined ByteDance's C-suite in March 2021, the first person to fill the role of chief financial officer at the media giant.

He was named CEO of TikTok that May at the same time as Vanessa Pappas was named COO. Bytedance founder and former CEO Zhang Yiming said at the time that Chew "brings deep knowledge of the company and industry, having led a team that was among our earliest investors, and having worked in the technology sector for a decade."

That November, it was announced that Chew would leave his role as ByteDance's CFO to focus on running TikTok.

TikTok's former CEO, Kevin Mayer, had left Walt Disney for the position in May 2020 and quit after three months as the company faced pressure from lawmakers over security concerns.

Some government officials in the US and other countries remain concerned that TikTok's user data could be shared with the Chinese government.

The Biden administration has demanded that TikTok divest its American business from ByteDance or risk being banned. Jacquelyn Martin, Pool

Former President Donald Trump's administration issued executive orders designed to force ByteDance into divesting its TikTok US operations, though nothing ever happened.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order in June 2021 that threw out Trump's proposed bans on the app.

Last year, the Biden administration reportedly demanded TikTok divest its American business from its Chinese parent company, or else risk being banned in the US. In response, Chew said such a divestment wouldn't solve officials' security concerns surrounding TikTok.

In a TikTok last March, Chew announced the company has amassed 150 million monthly active users in the US and broached the subject of the ban threats.

Chew took to TikTok to discuss the ban threats. TikTok

"Some politicians have started talking about banning TikTok," he said. "Now this could take TikTok away from all 150 million of you."

Chew testified before Congress that month about the company's privacy and data security practices.

Wall Street said his testimony didn't do much to help his case to keep TikTok alive in the US, though Chew seemed to win over many TikTok users, with some applauding his efforts and even making flattering fancam edits of him.

Now, Chew is in the spotlight again as the US takes a step toward a potential TikTok ban.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testifies during a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The House of Representatives passed a bill on March 13 that would require any company owned by a "foreign adversary" to divest or sell to a US-based company within 180 days to avoid being banned in the US.

Chew put out a video response shortly after, asking users to "make your voices heard" and "protect your constitutional rights" by voicing opposition to lawmakers.

He called the vote "disappointing" and said the company has invested in improving data security and keeping the platform "free from outside manipulation."

"This bill gives more power to a handful of other social media companies," he added. "It will also take billions of dollars out of the pockets of creators and small businesses. It will put more than 300,000 American jobs at risk."

The bill heads to the Senate next. President Biden has said he'll sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

When he's not fighting efforts to ban TikTok, Chew makes appearances at some pretty high-profile events.

Shou Zi Chew leaves Congress on March 23. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

He's been seen at the Met Gala, and also posted about attending the 2023 Super Bowl and even Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.

His hobbies include playing video games like Clash of Clans and Diablo IV, golfing, and reading about theoretical physics.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Just imagine the endless cocktail conversation fodder.

A mansion that was used in an episode of Miami Vice back in the day can be yours.

Youll need $29.9 million, though.

The six bedroom, six bathroom listing at the Moorings in Coconut Grove is massive, at 6,268 square feet. So if times get tight you can probably take in a few boarders.

A mansion featured in an episode of Miami Vice back in 1989 is for sale at 3467 N Moorings Way. Internet sleuths may recall the arched ceilings.

Surrounded by lush grounds, the property also features a pool, fountain, koi pond and views for days.

In Miami Squeeze, which aired in the fifth season in 1989, the mansion belonged to British drug trafficker Sebastian Ross who links up with a congresswoman (played by Rita Moreno!) who is trying to save her neer do well son. Internet sleuths will note the signature arched ceilings during a shootout in an upstairs room.

Villa Serenita, in the Moorings gated community, includes lush grounds, a koi pond and fountain.

Along with the celeb tie-in, this bayfront crib, which is being offered furnished, has historic cred, too. The 1929 residence was built by venerated architect Walter De Garmo, the man behind the Miami Womans Club in the Grove, among other local landmarks.

This historic mansion that was featured in an episode of Miami Vice is being offered furnished.

Villa Serenita, as its known, was meticulously restored over the years by such industry big shots as Portuondo Perrotti and Bunny Williams.

Realtor Renier Casanova of Compass has the listing, which is in one of the most prestigious and private gated communities in town. The Moorings has just 35 homes, a la Billionaire Bunker in Miami Beach.

Extensive renovations were made at this historic mansion in the Grove, including an updated kitchen.

Experience the magic of Mediterranean Revival architecture in one of Coconut Groves most exclusive enclaves, reads the description. Timeless elegance and unparalleled craftsmanship, Villa Serenita delivers an unrivaled South Florida lifestyle.

READ MORE: Modern mansion seen in 80s cop drama for sale in Miami
PALM BEACH  Melania Trump joined her husband as they cast their votes in Florida's presidential primary on Tuesday afternoon.

"Stay tuned," the former first lady said smiling when asked about a return to presidential campaign politics.

The Trumps arrived at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center to fill in their ballots just after 4 p.m. She then accompanied the former president as he briefly spoke to reporters.

The appearance at the polling precinct is a rarity.

Melania Trump has largely stayed out of the spotlight as her husband campaigns for the presidency for a third time. She did not attend his "Super Tuesday" election victory party on the night her husband swept more than a dozen primaries to get within range of clinching a third straight GOP presidential nomination.

More on Melania: Donald Trump calls Melania 'great first lady' as she accompanies him at Trumpettes gala

Donald and Melania Trump stand in front of members of the media after casting their votes at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center on elections day March 19, 2024 Palm Beach.

Melania Trump has stayed away from political rallies, courtrooms

Melania Trump has also been absent from the myriad courtrooms where Trump has furiously fought nearly 90 felony counts in four different cases as well as a civil fraud case against the family business empire as well as a defamation lawsuit against her husband that, together, have resulted in $500 million in claims.

Melania Trump has made some appearances at the couple's Mar-a-Lago private club in Palm Beach, however.

She attended a March 8 formal dinner party where the former president hosted autocrat and political ally Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister. And on Feb. 10, she accompanied Trump as he spoke at the Trumpettes fan club gala also at the Palm Beach estate.

Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Melania Trump votes Florida primary with former president in Palm Beach
Former first lady Melania Trump made a rare public appearance Tuesday alongside her husband, former President Donald Trump, where she teased a potential role in his 2024 campaign.

The Trumps cast their ballots in Floridas Republican primary, when a reporter asked the former first lady if she would return to the campaign trail with her husband.

Stay tuned, she responded.

Melania Trump has been mostly absent from the campaign trail or from making public appearances alongside her husband. She appeared at his campaign launch in 2022, but she has not joined him during any of his recent rallies or various court appearances, and she was not among the family members on stage as he delivered victory speeches in early primary states or on Super Tuesday.

The two were spotted together at the funeral for Melania Trumps mother in January.

The former president was asked during a town hall with Fox News host Laura Ingraham last month about her lack of visibility and called her a private person who is focused on their family.

You know, a lot of first ladies would go out  they want to be everywhere. They get angry at their husband because hes not introducing them, Trump said. If I didnt introduce Melania, shed be very happy about it. Shes just a different kind of a person.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BUCYRUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A man has been arrested on a charge related to a fatal shooting of another man in Bucyrus inside a biker clubhouse.

Police said that on Friday, officers were called to the 800 block of South Highland Avenue just after 10:45 p.m. on reports of a shooting. 28-year-old Guilianno Yamani was found dead from a gunshot wound at the residence, which police identified as a clubhouse for the Outlaw Bikers group.

Global Brazilian steakhouse to open first Ohio restaurant in former OCharleys

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Yamani was a member and another member, 27-year-old Zachary Cole, was arrested and charged on tampering with evidence. Bucyrus police did not identify a suspect or person of interest that could be charged with murder.

Bucyrus police are continuing to investigate.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Unpacking the Sustainability of Philip Morris International Inc's Dividends

Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE:PM) recently announced a dividend of $1.3 per share, payable on 2024-04-09, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-03-20. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's look into Philip Morris International Inc's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does Philip Morris International Inc Do?

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Sign with PM.

High Yield Dividend Stocks in Gurus' Portfolio

This Powerful Chart Made Peter Lynch 29% A Year For 13 Years

How to calculate the intrinsic value of a stock?

Philip Morris International is an international tobacco company with a product portfolio primarily consisting of cigarettes and reduced-risk products, including heat-not-burn, vapor, and oral nicotine products, which are sold in markets outside the United States. The company diversified away from cigarettes with the 2022 acquisition of Swedish Match, a leading manufacturer of traditional oral tobacco products and nicotine pouches, primarily in the U.S. and Scandinavia. It diversified away from nicotine products with the acquisition of Vectura, a provider of innovative inhaled drug delivery solutions, in 2021.

Philip Morris International Inc's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at Philip Morris International Inc's Dividend History

Philip Morris International Inc has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 2008. Dividends are currently distributed on a quarterly basis.

Philip Morris International Inc has increased its dividend each year since 2008. The stock is thus listed as a dividend achiever, an honor that is given to companies that have increased their dividend each year for at least the past 16 years. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Breaking Down Philip Morris International Inc's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, Philip Morris International Inc currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 5.40% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 5.47%. This suggests an expectation of increase dividend payments over the next 12 months.

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Over the past three years, Philip Morris International Inc's annual dividend growth rate was 2.70%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate increased to 2.80% per year. And over the past decade, Philip Morris International Inc's annual dividends per share growth rate stands at 3.50%.

Based on Philip Morris International Inc's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of Philip Morris International Inc stock as of today is approximately 6.20%.

Philip Morris International Inc's Dividend Analysis

The Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and Profitability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-12-31, Philip Morris International Inc's dividend payout ratio is 0.90. And this may suggest that the company's dividend may not be sustainable.

Philip Morris International Inc's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks Philip Morris International Inc's profitability 8 out of 10 as of 2023-12-31, suggesting good profitability prospects. The company has reported positive net income for each of year over the past decade, further solidifying its high profitability.

Growth Metrics: The Future Outlook

To ensure the sustainability of dividends, a company must have robust growth metrics. Philip Morris International Inc's growth rank of 8 out of 10 suggests that the company 's growth trajectory is good relative to its competitors.

Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, and Philip Morris International Inc's revenue per share, combined with the 3-year revenue growth rate, indicates a strong revenue model. Philip Morris International Inc's revenue has increased by approximately 7.10% per year on average, a rate that underperforms than approximately 50% of global competitors.

The company's 3-year EPS growth rate showcases its capability to grow its earnings, a critical component for sustaining dividends in the long run. During the past three years, Philip Morris International Inc's earnings increased by approximately 1.20% per year on average, a rate that underperforms than approximately 75% of global competitors.

Lastly, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of 3.10%, which underperforms than approximately 60% of global competitors.

Next Steps

In conclusion, while Philip Morris International Inc's dividend track record is commendable, the high payout ratio raises questions about sustainability. However, the company's strong profitability rank and consistent net income provide some reassurance. The growth metrics present a mixed picture with solid revenue growth but lagging EPS and EBITDA growth rates. Investors should consider these factors in conjunction with industry trends, regulatory impacts, and strategic initiatives when evaluating the future prospects of Philip Morris International Inc's dividends. GuruFocus Premium users can screen for high-dividend yield stocks using the High Dividend Yield Screener.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


Two men have pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for fatally shooting three wild donkeys with AR-style rifles in Southern California's Mojave Desert, prosecutors said Monday.

The men, identified as Christopher James Arnet, 32, of Colorado, and Cameron John Feikema, 36, of California, said in their plea agreements that they drove out to the desert in Arnet's truck in November 2021. The area they drove to was public land in San Bernardino County, according to a news release from the U.S. District Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. When the men got out of the truck, they were dressed in tactical gear, including helmets with night-vision goggles, and carrying short-barreled AR-style firearms.

At around 1 a.m. local time, the two men fired on wild donkeys, or burros, killing three of the animals. One animal was paralyzed and in "severe pain before it died," prosecutors said. Each man fired multiple rounds, and Arnet fired the bullet that paralyzed one of the donkeys, according to an investigation by the Bureau of Land Management.

The firearms were later seized from the men's homes. Investigators found that the weapons were unregistered, despite requirements that they be registered under federal law.

Both Arnet and Feikema were charged with a felony count of possession of an unregistered firearm, and a misdemeanor count of maliciously causing the death of a burro on public lands. Both men pleaded guilty to the charges, and as part of their plea agreement, agreed to forfeit the rifles, night vision goggles, and other gear, including over 4,000 rounds of ammunition.

The men will next appear in court on July 8 for sentencing. They each face up to 10 years in prison for the firearm charge and one year in prison for the charge of killing the burros.

Burros are federally protected under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971, as CBS News previously reported, and those found guilty of capturing, branding, harassing or killing wild, free-roaming horses or burros could face a fine and jail time.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  After a 15-year battle, a Mexican journalist and his son were granted asylum Monday, March 18 in an El Paso courtroom. The pairs path to U.S. citizenship is now clear from threats of deportation.

Emilio Gutierrez Soto and Oscar Gutierrez Soto fled to the U.S. in 2008 after Emilio received death threats over his reports covering corruption within the Mexican military.

During the 15-year ordeal, the father and son underwent forced separation, incarceration in a detention facility twice and attempted deportation.

Emilio was persecuted both by the Mexican government and the U.S. government for his freedom of speech, said the pairs attorney, Eduardo Beckett.

Beckett said despite Gutierrez Soto entering the country through legal channels, he was targeted for his critiques of the U.S. immigration process. Gutierrez Soto requested asylum twice, both requests denied by Judge Robert S. Hough who questioned Gutierrez Sotos credentials as a journalist and the severity of the threats he received.

William McCarren, former executive director of the National Press Club in Washington DC, said: The drawbacks in the earlier case with the prior judge, Judge Hough, was that he questioned the entire time whether Emilio was a journalist or not, despite us having hundreds of articles.

Lynette Clemetson, director of the Knight-Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan, said Gutierrez Soto never denounced his role as a journalist, even though his work almost took his life.

Everything he did, he did to save Oscars life because his son was held at gunpoint in front of his eyes so hes been incredibly strong when I think many people would have given up, said Clemetson.

With their asylum status affirmed, the father and son can now apply for citizenship. Clemetson and McCarren said while Mondays status hearing was a win, their jobs are not over.

McCarren said: Theres now case law established where other journalists could use this and it could be effective for them going forward. What wed like is for there to be some identified judges who get special training about journalism. So, they dont need to start from zero on things like this.

Clemetson echoed McCarrens sentiments and said: Were celebrating today, but we also know that we need to keep fighting and that there are many journalists from many countries as the world has become more autocratic who face similar challenges.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
TORRANCE COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE)  More than $100,000 in state funds are going to a Torrance County family farm looking to grow a business in rural New Mexico.

The New Mexico Economic Development Department awarded Sanchez Farms $150,000 to help them expand their farm and store.

The funds from the Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) are for retail projects in communities with a population of 15,000 or fewer. To receive the grant, the new stores must not compete with an existing business in the community.

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The importance of getting these funds is that it helps make investment in a rural-urban economy, said Javier Sanchez, owner of Sanchez Farms.

With this funding, Sanchez Farms plans to expand the services it offers at its Estancia supply store.

When we dream about the store, we dream about a welding shop; we dream about a tire shop, said Sanchez.

The farm also hopes to open another hardware and feed store, possibly in Mountainair, Manzano, Torreon, or Tajique.

The goal is to offer more places for rural communities to get the supplies they need.

Is New Mexico tax friendly? Map shows every states grade

The financial boost would also help free up cash to buy more farm equipment

We hope to be able to invest in a pallet mill to mill our own feed since we grow the crops, the staple crops, to be able to mill feed, said Sanchez.

Sanchez said the grant is a win for their business and the community.

It also shows that state government is very much interested in rural New Mexico as well, said Sanchez.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
(Bloomberg) -- Mexicos leading presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to keep up support for state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos, even while pushing toward renewable energy.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Sheinbaum on Monday laid out a plan to increase Mexicos renewable energy capacity, striking a contrast with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said the green transition remains distant. Both spoke during events to mark the 86th anniversary of Mexicos oil expropriation.

Sheinbaum, who is leading in polls ahead of Mexicos election, said shed aim to keep oil production at Pemex at around 1.8 million barrels per day in the coming years, using renewable energy sources to meet any further demand.

The plan would keep Pemex and state energy company Comision Federal de Electricidad, or CFE, operating as public companies, she said. She also promised to make Mexicos refineries more efficient, reduce fuel imports and grow Pemexs mandate to include lithium extraction and energy production through thermal generation and renewables.

Its about strengthening Pemex in its main function of oil production, but at the same time, reinvigorating the company in the face of the current moment within the context of climate change, Sheinbaum said. Pemex is  and will continue to be  the company of all Mexicans.

Read More: AMLO Celebrates Oil Takeover Anniversary With Vow to Back Pemex

Here are some other key points of Sheinbaums plan:

Mexico will stop gas flaring, and Pemexs sustainability frameworks will be strengthened

Fuel and electricity prices wont increase in real terms under Sheinbaum administration

Sheinbaum would strengthen energy transmission networks and maintain CFEs control of around 54% of electricity market

Mexico would implement stricter emissions and energy efficiency standards, as well as focus on growing electric vehicles sector

(Corrects figure related to Sheinbaums plan for Pemex output.)

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When Miami Beach officials announced that the city was breaking up with spring break in a viral video earlier this month, young people around the country heard the message. But not everyone heeded it.

Thousands of spring breakers still descended on South Beach this past weekend, prompting the city to declare a midnight curfew in hopes of preventing the type of chaos and shootings that have soured the festivities in recent years. But the crowds were markedly smaller and calmer than in 2023, when throngs of visitors packed Ocean Drive and there were two deadly shootings.

This year, an unprecedented law enforcement presence  approximately 600 officers from 18 local, state and federal agencies  is policing the area and overseeing the citys drastic spring break measures, including 6 p.m. beach entrance closures, license-plate readers and a DUI checkpoint. Enforcement was beefed up over the past two weekends, when officials were expecting the largest spring break crowds.

Citywide data show arrest numbers have still been substantial but are down from last year. From March 1 to March 17, Miami Beach police made 274 arrests, according to a report from the department. Thats an 8% reduction from the same time period last year and includes a 26% decrease in felony arrests, from 133 to 99. Misdemeanor arrests are up from 164 to 175. The numbers include all arrests in Miami Beach, not just those related to spring break.

I am very pleased with the progress of the spring break deployment so far, Police Chief Wayne Jones said in a statement. The combined efforts of law enforcement and the community have contributed to establishing a safe and enjoyable environment for residents and visitors alike.

There havent been any shootings, a measure Mayor Steven Meiner has said would be the marker of a successful month of March.

We were risking ruining our reputation by having these acts of violence, which weve prevented this year, Meiner told Fox News on Monday. This is a win-win for everyone, and this is actually a huge success for us.

Although there was an incident in early March where a Miami Beach police officer shot a fellow officer on the Venetian Causeway, police said the event was unrelated to spring break.

Two weekends to go

Spring break isnt quite over yet. City officials are still expecting visitors during the final two weekends of March, during which measures like $30 parking, double towing fees, 6 p.m. beach entrance closures and restricted vehicle access to residential neighborhoods will be in effect.

So far, 68% of arrests in the city this month have been of Miami-Dade County residents. About 22% of arrests have been of non-Florida residents, according to Miami Beach police. Those numbers are similar to last years data during the same time period.

Alex Fernandez, a city commissioner since 2021, said it was disheartening that a majority of the arrests have been of locals. But overall, he said, the data suggest the citys approach is working.

The decrease in overall arrests and the substantial reduction in felonies stand as irrefutable evidence of the resounding success of our proactive measures and the undertaking of the [Miami Beach Police Department], Fernandez said.

Fernandez has sought to defend the city against accusations that its policing approach toward spring breakers in Miami Beach, many of whom are Black, is racially biased. In response to a Miami Herald columnist, Fernandez penned an op-ed saying the citys approach has nothing to do with the color of ones skin.

Police data show that 53% of arrests in Miami Beach from March 1 to March 17 have been of Black people, down 4% from the same period last year.

The numbers unequivocally validate our citys unwavering commitment to responsibly policing dangerous and illegal behavior, irrespective of race, Fernandez said Tuesday.

Marijuana enforcement

The citys spring break approach has included strict enforcement of marijuana laws. A Herald review of jail booking data and court records showed Miami Beach police have charged at least 23 people in March with possession of small amounts of marijuana and charged at least eight people with smoking marijuana on public property. Among those 31 people arrested, 24 are Black, according to court records.

During a court hearing Saturday in a lawsuit filed by nightclubs that challenged the midnight curfew, Jones, the police chief, said part of his calculus in recommending a curfew involved observing a changing atmosphere on Ocean Drive. That included widespread public drinking and an area that was awash in the smell of marijuana, he said. Jones suggested that, in past years, those indicators have been a precursor to violent incidents.

Last month, the Miami Beach City Commission voted to remove a civil citation option for possession of 20 grams or less of marijuana. Fernandez, who proposed the change, said he wanted to send a message on the eve of spring break that the city was shifting away from its party-town reputation.

Law enforcement experts have repeatedly warned us that lenient laws on drug possession and marijuana smoking creates a welcoming environment for armed dealers and compromises community safety, Fernandez said Tuesday.

Other commissioners opposed the move last month, including Tanya Katzoff Bhatt, who said Black and brown people are disproportionately arrested for marijuana possession and that the move could contribute to Miami Beachs reputation for being unwelcoming to minorities.

Ripple effect of restrictions

Beyond the 274 people arrested this month, many others have been swept up in the citys spring break enforcement plan. A license-plate reader detail on the eastbound Julia Tuttle and MacArthur causeways, which has caused significant traffic delays entering Miami Beach, resulted in more than 1,100 traffic citations this past weekend, according to police data. A DUI checkpoint on Fifth Street led to one DUI arrest and more than 100 traffic citations on Friday and Saturday.

Booking data show police also made at least four arrests for violations of the midnight curfew during the three days that it was in effect this month.

Amid the draconian measures in Miami Beach, some young people have decided to go elsewhere. After the curfew in South Beach took effect this past weekend, people flocked to the city of Miami, where promoters were advertising parties.

Fort Lauderdale, also a popular spring break destination, is experiencing larger crowds than in years past and has seen isolated incidents, such as disturbances and fights, police spokesperson Casey Liening said Monday.

Miami Herald reporter Raisa Habersham contributed reporting.
Miami City Manager Art Noriega is walking back a report and spreadsheets he released Monday to outline the citys spending with furniture vendor Pradere Manufacturing, a company owned by his in-laws that employs his wife.

On Tuesday, his office released a short statement acknowledging that it had released inaccurate data.

An updated presentation/report will be compiled due to anomalies in the tracking system used to retrieve purchase information, as outlined in the recently released report, reads a statement released by the city of Miami.

In a story about the data and presentation Monday, the Miami Herald noted the inconsistencies in the data released by Noriega, who has denied any wrongdoing.

Noriegas office on Tuesday canceled a planned interview with the Herald scheduled for Wednesday, a meeting that Noriega himself had requested to discuss the matter.

A city spokesperson said the city manager did not want to do the interview without having the accurate and complete data on hand. The Heralds request to sit down with Noriega to discuss the ethical implications and other questions not related to specific numbers was denied. The meeting has not been rescheduled, and the city did not provide a time frame for when the new data would be released, only saying that it would be shared in an expeditious manner once available.

The report released by Noriega on Monday was a delayed response to questions of impropriety and potential conflicts of interests after Herald news partner WLRN in January reported on how much public money was spent on office furniture purchased from the company owned by Noriegas in-laws. There was a roughly $211,000 discrepancy between the figures reported by WLRN and the numbers released Monday.

The flawed data were released well after Noriega had initially promised it. On Jan. 11, Noriega told city commissioners that he would present his findings at the next commission meeting. But three meetings passed before his presentation was scheduled for last Thursday. By 9 p.m. at that meeting, Noriega still had not presented but said he was ready to do so. Instead, commissioners suggested moving the presentation to April so that more people could be in attendance and have a chance to ask questions.

Noriega ended up sharing the presentation and the faulty data with commissioners, the mayor and the press on Monday morning.

After the Herald asked for further clarification, city spokesperson Kenia Fallat said that the initial report had been created based on a search using the word furniture as the classification.

Upon doing a further analysis, it was determined that Pradere was paid for products and/or services that were not classified as furniture, she said.

After Noriegas report was produced, WLRN found that 22 purchase orders from Pradere Manufacturing between 2020 and 2023 were omitted from the managers report, including four direct payments to Pradere Manufacturing.

Commissioner Manolo Reyes told the Herald on Tuesday that this seemed to be a mistake that shouldnt have happened.

But it happened, he said. Somebody messed up. The good thing is they found out, and theyre willing to correct.

Reyes continued: The biggest question is did he benefit his wife, and did he do it on purpose?

Commissioner Miguel Angel Gabela told the Herald on Tuesday afternoon that he had been briefed by his staff about the matter but had not had a chance to go in to his City Hall office to look over the report. He said that he isnt focused so much on the numbers, but on how Noriegas office and City Hall used his wifes furniture company despite the alleged conflict of interest.

Why would you even take the chance of the optics? he asked. Theyre not good.

Commissioner Damian Pardo echoed Gabelas concerns.

These conflicts of interest evoke serious ethical issues, he said in a statement to the Herald. I share Commissioner Gabelas quest for transparency and government accountability, and I encourage Mr. Noriega to fulfill his obligation and provide an accurate and fair accounting, as was promised, to the public.
Outdoor workers in Miami-Dade looking for water, breaks and shade from the sweltering South Florida sun went to their politicians for help. But after powerful pushback from agriculture and construction lobbyists, on Tuesday Miami-Dade County Commission put an end to a landmark bill that wouldve protected 80,000 outdoor workers.

The County Commission withdrew the bill because they couldnt legally pass it after Floridas legislature passed a bill banning any local government from setting their own heat enforcement rules.

Commissioner Marleine Bastien, co-sponsor of the bill, said they withdrew the bill because of the states preemption. Bastien said she still hopes theres a possibility of bringing the bill back in some form.

My heart is heavy but I am not giving up on ways to protect outdoor workers, Bastien said to the Herald.

The years-long effort from WeCount, a worker-advocacy group, to pass heat protection legislation came to a head this summer  the hottest year on record. For 46 days, Miamis heat index topped 100 degrees every afternoon. Its a problem that climate change is only making worse.

Esteban Wood, the policy director of WeCount, said their fight doesnt end here.

WeCount is going to regroup; the issue is not going away. Extreme heat is getting worse as summer approaches and the county has a responsibility to protect outdoor workers from extreme heat, Wood said.

But even before the Florida legislature banned counties from setting their own heat protection rules, the majority of commissioners didnt support the bill. In November, their main objection was unnecessary regulation that singled out the agriculture and construction industry.

This is an overreaching and outrageous heat sanction on only two industries, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins said at the November commission meeting. This ordinance could potentially kill industry.

Critics of the bill say the rules are redundant. They argue that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) already issues fines for unsafe working conditions, including for violations related to heat. But while OSHA is working on a heat protection standard for outdoor workers nationwide, it could be years before the draft rule is introduced.

But despite academic research showing the toll that extreme heat takes on outdoor workers and anecdotal stories from Miami-Dades farm workers, the proposed policy was unpopular with employers, who voiced their concerns with commissioners. Miami-Dades failed bill was watered down from its original intention of ensuring water and mandated breaks for half the year to only be effective for five days a year on average, with no fines, after a concerted lobbying effort from Floridas politically influential agriculture and real estate industry.

Members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers listen to a presentation about the Modern Slavery Museum set up in Bryant Park, Palm Beach. The coalitions Modern-Day Slavery Museum has displays on the history and evolution of abuse of farmworkers in the state.

Wood said WeCount is committed to finding bold solutions at all levels, including exploring protections outside of the legislative process.

This month, WeCount went to Palm Beach for a farmworker festival rallying support for the Fair Food Program  a legal contract between outdoor workers and fast-food restaurants and grocers to buy from farms that follow a strict code of conduct.

In 2021, the Fair Food Programs code of conduct was revised to include protections from rising temperatures.

As part of the Fair Food Program, growers must provide 10-minute breaks every two hours where every single worker has to stop what they are doing. Workers also are required to get electrolyte drinks during those hotter months. Thats largely what workers were initially seeking in the Miami-Dade ordinance that failed.

READ MORE: Blocked by lawmakers, Florida farmworkers seek help on heat protection from food industry

We are disappointed by the result but this does not stop in any way our momentum to protect our outdoor workers, Wood said.

Ashley Miznazi is a climate change reporter for the Miami Herald funded by the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.
Michigan lawyer Stephanie Lambert plans to return home after she was released following her arrest in a Washington, D.C. courtroom stemming from the criminal case against her for allegedly orchestrating a plot to illegally gain access to voting machines in the wake of the 2020 presidential election.

Lambert has had a bench warrant for her arrest outstanding for over a week after she failed to appear for a court hearing in the criminal case against her for refusing to comply with a court order issued several months earlier to undergo fingerprinting.

With the warrant still outstanding, Lambert appeared Monday in Washington, D.C. for a hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in a defamation lawsuit from Dominion Voting Systems against her client Patrick Byrne, the former Overstock.com CEO who has spread conspiracies about the 2020 election.

The U.S. Marshals Service arrested her in the courtroom, according to Brady McCarron, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals Service. She was subsequently charged as a fugitive in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, wanted for failing to appear in Michigan.

Stefanie Lambert, an attorney who has represented 2020 election deniers across the country, is accused of illegally accessing Michigan voting equipment.

During her arraignment Tuesday afternoon in D.C. Superior Court, a judge released her, telling her she had to post an unsecured $10,000 bond, an amount she would pay if she failed to turn herself in on the bench warrant. A court-appointed lawyer said Lambert planned to leave Tuesday and drive back to Michigan and turn herself in by Wednesday.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Heidi Herrmann encouraged Lambert to do exactly that and set an extradition hearing in the event Lambert does not turn herself in on the warrant.

The warrant came after Lambert  an ally of former President Donald Trump  failed to show up for a court hearing in her criminal case in Oakland County on March 7 regarding a court order issued several months earlier requiring her to undergo fingerprinting with which she had not yet complied. That led to the warrant for her arrest.

During a hearing last Wednesday, Oakland County Circuit Court Chief Judge Jeffery Matis presiding over Lambert's case denied a request to set aside the bench warrant after Lambert had days to turn herself in. Lambert is fighting the fingerprinting order in the Michigan Court of Appeals.

In court filings, she argues that her failure to appear for the March 7 hearing was not willful, citing a communication breakdown with her previous attorney. She also argues that the fingerprinting order violates her right to due process and asserts that the special prosecutor in the case against her will improperly use the information to compare with evidence collected from the voting equipment she allegedly handled.

Among her efforts related to the 2020 election, Lambert participated in a Michigan lawsuit that served as a vehicle for conspiracy theories about Dominion Voting Systems and was also involved in an unsuccessful legal bid spearheaded by attorney Sidney Powell to overturn President Joe Biden's victory in Michigan and award the state's Electoral College delegates to Trump.

Amid legal setbacks in the cases related to the 2020 election, Lambert traveled across Michigan to convince local officials to carry out their own election audits.

Michigan voting machine case: Bench warrant issued for pro-Trump Michigan lawyer facing criminal charges

Last August, Lambert was indicted by a grand jury for allegedly joining other Trump allies in a conspiracy to gain illegal access to voting machines after the 2020 election. She has repeatedly blasted the special prosecutor's review that led to the charges. She has accused Democrats of trying to silence her in a plot to keep Trump out of office in a video posted to her Telegram account on the eve of her indictment.

When Muskegon County Prosecutor DJ Hilson announced the charges against Lambert last August, he noted that he took the unusual step of petitioning to convene a grand jury. "These charges were authorized by an independent citizens grand jury," Hilson said in a statement at the time. "Protecting the election process is of the utmost importance for our state and country." He called the prosecution "an important step in that direction."

Contact Clara Hendrickson: chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen.

Looking for more on Michigans elections this year? Check out our voter guide, subscribe to our elections newsletter and always feel free to share your thoughts in a letter to the editor.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan attorney Stephanie Lambert plans to turn herself in
Congressman Dan Kildees (D-Mich.) brother, Timothy Kildee, was killed in a Tuesday morning shooting, local law enforcement said.

Timothy Kildee was shot and killed during a string of crimes that transpired during early morning hours on Tuesday, Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said during the Tuesday news conference.

The suspect in the case is Timothy Kildees son. The 27-year-old, who was not identified, sustained serious injuries and is currently recovering at Hurley Medical Center where he is watched by sheriffs deputies.

Our family is grieving and heartbroken. There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a terrible tragedy, Rep. Kildee said in a Tuesday statement after law enforcement announced the death of his brother. I thank the community for honoring my familys privacy during this very difficult time.

The sheriffs office was called before 3 a.m. on Tuesday due to an incident in Burton. The suspect engaged in a verbal confrontation, according to Swanson. A firearm was presented, Swanson noted. The suspect left the house and reached out to his birth mother. The suspect, who was on foot, was picked up by her sometime between the initial incident and 5 a.m.

She took him to a Vienna township home, where his father, Timothy Kildee, resided. The suspect jumped out while the vehicle was moving. The mother connected with Timothy Kildee to find their son. The other son, who was in the basement of the house, then heard a confrontation between Timothy Kildee and the suspect.

Give me your wallet and your keys, the suspect said at one point.

The son who was in the basement heard one shot fired during the confrontation. The shot was the one that killed Timothy Kildee, according to Swanson.

The suspect stole Timothy Kildees pickup truck and crashed it after driving at a high speed. A wallet was found on the suspect belonging to Timothy Kildee.

No charges have been filed so far against the suspect.

The two people, also driving a pickup, that the suspect hit did not have non-life-threatening injuries.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A northern Michigan man has been arrested after allegedly trying to kidnap a 3-year-old child.

The Antrim County Sheriffs Office released information Tuesday on an incident that happened at a motel last week in Mancelona Township.

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Police were called at 9:18 Friday night for a report of an attempted abduction. According to investigators, a woman was looking after a group of children in a motel room when the suspect, a 27-year-old man from Mancelona Township, opened a window and tried to pull one of the children out of the window.

According to the sheriffs office, the babysitter was able to fight back and pull the child back in. The suspect allegedly returned and entered the room through the door but was forced out by the babysitters husband. The suspect was held until deputies arrived and took him into custody.

In a statement, Antrim County Sheriff Kevin Hoch praised the adults who kept their cool and the neighbors who stepped in to help.

Without their interventions, this crime could have had a tragic outcome, Hoch stated.

The suspect will not be identified until he is formally arraigned. The man was taken to the Antrim County jail and will be charged with one count of attempted kidnapping/child enticement, first-degree home invasion and breaking and entering with intent, deputies say. He will also be charged as a habitual offender.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
CHICAGO  Republican and Democratic voters go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots for their November general picks for public office, including putting their imprimatur on each partys designated White House nominees  Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump.

Polls open across the state at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Central time. At stake in each party are votes for president as well as pledged national convention nominating delegates  although the outcome is a fait accompli. Primaries held a week ago gave Biden and Trump more than enough delegates to win their party nominations at their national conventions this summer.

With no statewide races up for election this year, the undercard is the story of the 2024 primary as voters will be deciding November matchups for the U.S. House, all 118 seats in the Illinois House, 23 of the 59 seats in the Illinois Senate, selected county offices, including Cook County states attorney and circuit clerk, as well as circuit judgeships.

The Democratic Party race for states attorney between former prosecutor and government official Clayton Harris III and former prosecutor and retired Appellate Judge Eileen ONeill Burke has caught much of the attention.

Both are seeking to replace outgoing Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx, who hadnt publicly endorsed either candidate. But over the weekend Foxx took to her private Instagram account to share a picture of herself with her two adult daughters at the polls.

We are Team Clayton Harris! We cant afford to go back to the past, read the post, which the Chicago Tribune obtained screenshots of from separate followers. Dont sleep on this race. Vote like our lives depend on it!

Foxxs comments werent a major surprise. Harris was endorsed by Foxxs political mentor, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and backed by the Cook County Democratic Party that Preckwinkle heads.

Still, the primary has functioned as a referendum on Foxxs two-term tenure and her backing of Harris comes as her political popularity has waned and her legacy is mixed. While she has been praised by some for helping reform major problems in the office with race and justice, others have criticized her for not being tough enough on defendants and lowering prosecutors morale. She also was blamed for shootings and homicides that surged during the pandemic. While statistics show those crimes have gone down since the pandemic, carjackings and thefts remain high, according to Chicago Police Department statistics.

Story continues

Foxx told the Tribune a surprising number of friends and family had asked who she was voting for. She is supporting Harris because it is critically important to aggressively continue the offices work reversing wrongful convictions and admit when we got it wrong.

Harris campaign manager Alaina Hampton said Harris was proud to have a broad coalition of supporters who believe the urgent work of criminal justice reform must continue. ONeill Burke has touted her decades of court experience both behind and in front of the bench, arguing the most effective way to change criminal behavior is by enforcing the law. Among her pledges is for arrestees to be held without bond each and every time they are found with an assault weapon, threaten anyone with a weapon or are involved in violent crime.

Chicago voters also will decide the fate of the Bring Chicago Home initiative, a signature referendum question backed heavily by Mayor Brandon Johnson that would give the City Council authority to increase the citys real estate transfer tax on high-end sales, primarily involving commercial and larger residential properties. As part of the proposal, sales on properties for less than $1 million would see a slightly reduced tax rate, while all properties sold for more than $1 million would see the transfer tax increase. Supporters estimate the hike will generate $100 million, which city officials have said would be used to pay for housing and wraparound services for people experiencing homelessness.

I just hope people get out to vote. I know its an important day, Gov J.B. Pritzker, who isnt up for election this year, told reporters. Im always afraid that people either forget that its Election Day, because theyre not reading everything that youre putting out, or theyre just busy in their lives, and often too busy.

The primary also will provide an indicator of the success of the Illinois Republican Partys embrace of a national strategy to encourage early and mail-in voting. The GOPs Bank the Vote program was launched despite Trumps dislike of the practice and his false claims that fraudulent mail-in ballots were part of the reason he contends the 2020 election was stolen from him.

Early voting helps save costs for our Republican candidates, especially since our nominees will need resources and funds for the general election, state GOP Chair Don Tracy said in his weekly memo on Friday. Our Republican candidates need our most dependable Republican voters to vote early to help save money for their campaigns.

Illinois Democrats for years have pursued a well organized and successful early vote and vote-by-mail program thats given them a strategic advantage over Republicans. The state GOP contends that in 2022, Illinois Democrats saved $5.5 million for the general election by banking more early and mail-in votes by Election Day.

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(Chicago Tribunes Olivia Olander and Jeremy Gorner contributed to this story.)

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Mustafa Suleyman is one of the biggest names in the artificial intelligence revolution that is taking the tech world by storm and his hiring is a major move by Microsoft, which already partners with ChatGPT creator OpenAI (Patrick T. Fallon)

DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman will become the head of a newly created consumer AI unit at Microsoft, the scientist and entrepreneur said on Tuesday.

Suleyman is one of the biggest names in the artificial intelligence revolution that is taking the technology world by storm and his hiring is a major move by Microsoft, which already partners with ChatGPT creator OpenAI.

Of all the tech giants, Microsoft has moved the fastest into adopting generative AI, integrating its powers into a whole range of products, most notably through its Copilot chatbot.

"I'm excited to announce that today I'm joining @Microsoft as CEO of Microsoft AI. I'll be leading all consumer AI products and research, including Copilot, Bing and Edge," Suleyman said in a post on X.

Suleyman said he would be leaving his role as chief executive of Inflection, a startup he co-founded and that became a promising rival to OpenAI and Anthropic in building the models that deliver ChatGPT-style AI.

He added that some key collaborators at Inflection, including co-founder Karen Simonyan, had "chosen to join" his team at Microsoft.

"We have been operating with speed and intensity and this infusion of new talent will enable us to accelerate our pace yet again," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a blog post.

Nadella said AI innovation at Microsoft would still depend on its partnership with OpenAI, the company led by Sam Altman where Microsoft invested $13 billion last year.

"We congratulate Mustafa and Karen on their new roles and look forward to working with them," an OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to US media.

With the hire, Microsoft is expanding its already leading position in the AI frenzy, accumulating investments and partnerships well beyond its deal with OpenAI.

Last month, the company said it had partnered with French startup Mistral AI, a company that is seen as another promising upstart in the generative AI field.

The full embrace of artificial intelligence has often taken archrival Google by surprise and seen Microsoft become the world's biggest company by market capitalization, taking over that top berth from Apple.

Suleyman's DeepMind was acquired by Google in 2014 for $500 million and the company was fully merged with Google's own AI research department last year.

Regulators in the United States and Europe have been scrutinizing the relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI amid a broader inquiry into how tech giants are potentially dominating the fledgling sector.

arp/mlm
Rents in countryside areas such as Tandridge are increasing at close to twice the rate of those in urban areas - Greg Balfour Evans / Alamy Stock Photo

Middle earners in the South are being priced out of the countryside because of soaring rents, analysis reveals.

Those earning the median income would see more than half their income eaten up by rent in 15 rural local authorities, the Council for the Preservation of Rural England (CPRE) found.

The countryside charity said that Sevenoaks, Bath and North East Somerset, Tandridge, Chichester and Lewes were now the most unaffordable areas to rent in Britain, based on analysis of figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Rents in the countryside are increasing at close to twice the rate of those in urban areas, the CPRE said. Last year, rents in rural areas soared by 27pc, compared to a 17pc rise nationally over the last five years.

The charity said rising rents made it difficult for households to maintain a decent standard of living. The ONS figures did not include those who were self-employed or out of work, suggesting a possible poorer picture regarding housing affordability, it added.

The CPRE called on policymakers to redefine the term affordable housing so that the cost of these homes is directly linked to what people on average local incomes can afford, rather than to market prices.

The charity also urged ministers to make it easier for local councils to purchase land at lower prices for social housing. It also suggested a register for second homes and short-term lets, with higher council taxes for second homeowners.

A spokesman said: Its alarming that people on middle incomes  teachers, nurses and emergency services workers  can no longer afford to live in many parts of rural England.

What will people in these communities do without the essential workers they rely on every day?

It comes amid mounting pressure on Rishi Sunak to scrap EU rules that are blocking up to 150,000 new homes from being built.

Senior Tories including former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and Sir Simon Clarke have called on the Prime Minister to axe the nutrient neutrality enivormenntal planning laws to allow more sites to be developed in an effort to fix the housing crisis.

Landlords have also warned that rents will continue to rise if the Conservatives succeed in banning no-fault evictions.

Landlords and MPs alike have lobbied the Government to overhaul the Renters Reform Bill, which would replace no-fault evictions with rolling tenancies, putting an end to fixed-term contracts.

Critics argue it would would drive thousands of private landlords to sell up, choking supply and driving rents up even further.

Meanwhile, social housing is at its lowest rate in a decade  housing charity Shelter estimates there has been an annual loss of 24,000 social homes since 1991.

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A makeshift migrant boat carrying 24 people from Cuba arrived in the Middle Florida Keys Monday night, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

The vessel made landfall around 7 p.m. on the shores of Duck Key, said Adam Hoffner, assistant chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrols Miami sector.

Hoffner told the Herald there were 21 men and three women on board. They are in Border Patrol custody, being processed for removal back to Cuba, Hoffner said Tuesday.

The landing happened days after Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered hundreds more state police officers to South Florida and the Keys in anticipation of a possible maritime arrival of large groups of people fleeing increased gang violence and instability in Haiti.

So far, that exodus has yet to materialize.

But, the migrants arrival Tuesday also occurred in the midst of growing street protests within Cuba demonstrating against the communist governments response to food and electricity shortages.
Donald Trump said the Princess of Wales photo editing row should not be a big deal - GIORGIO VIERA/AFP

Donald Trump has said the Princess of Waless photo editing row shouldnt be a big deal because everybody doctors their pictures, as he called for the public to stop criticising her.

The former US president weighed into the debate on the princesss Mothering Sunday photo, days after she released an apology for airbrushing the image of herself and her children.

In an interview with Nigel Farage on GB News, Mr Trump said: Well it shouldnt be a big deal. Because everybody doctors [their pictures].

You look at these movie actors, and you see a movie actor and you meet them and you say: Is that the same person in the picture?

Mr Trump was accused of editing photographs when he asked government officials to crop an image of crowds on the National Mall in Washington DC during his inauguration in 2017.

The photograph was cropped to remove the space where the crowd ended, after Mr Trump was frustrated that more people were pictured at Barack Obamas inauguration ceremony.

On Tuesday, he said that the public should stop criticising the Princess of Wales for a minor edit, which sparked online conspiracy theories about her health.

I looked at that, actually, and it was a very minor doctoring, Mr Trump said. It is a rough period and, you know, theyre really going after her.

He also used the interview to take aim at the Duke of Sussex, who has been accused of lying on his immigration forms about whether he had used drugs when he moved to the US with the Duchess in 2020.

Donald Trump speaks during an interview with Nigel Farage

Well have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied theyll have to take appropriate action, Mr Trump said.

Pressed on whether that would mean not staying in America, he replied: Oh I dont know. Youll have to tell me. You just have to tell me.

The Duke of Sussexs immigration status has become the subject of a lawsuit by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, which is suing the government to release his immigration forms. Lawyers for the US government have said that his description of taking narcotics in his memoir, Spare, is not proof he took drugs.

Mr Trump said the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs decision to leave Britain had insulted the late Queen, describing their decision as a great disrespect done to a person that I got to know very well.

She was unbelievable, and I thought she was treated very disrespectfully by them, he said.

I would say, although she wouldnt show it because she was strong and smart, I would imagine they broke her heart.

The things that they were saying were so bad and so horrible. And she was in her nineties and hearing this stuff. I think they broke her heart. I think they really hurt her.

Im a different kind of environmentalist

It is rare for Mr Trump to give an interview to a British news outlet, preferring instead to speak to conservative networks in the US.

Mr Farage, the former Ukip and Brexit Party leader, is a friend of the former president and has suggested he would like to serve as the UKs ambassador to the US under a Trump administration.

Asked for his views on the King, Mr Trump said on Mr Farages programme that he and the monarch had different views on environmental policy, but got along.

He was a little bit more into environmental restriction than I am, he said.

Im an environmentalist, I feel in a true sense. But Im a different kind of environmentalist. You know, I want to get things built, I want to get things done.

He was very much into the environment. And he meant it from the heart.

Asked whether he would continue to support the Nato alliance if he wins in Novembers presidential election, Mr Trump said he would 100 per cent defend other countries if they meet defence spending commitments.

In a bizarre tangent, the presumptive Republican nominee also claimed the Democrats had allowed 15 million people into the country during Joe Bidens administration.

15 million people that come in from prisons, they come from prisons, many of them, they come from mental institutions and insane asylums like Silence of the Lambs, he said.

Hannibal Lecter, I wonder if hes one of the terrorists coming into our country totally unchecked.

07:58 PM GMT

Interview has finished

The much-anticipated sit down with Farage and Trump has now finished.

Thank you for following along with our live coverage.

07:50 PM GMT

Trump: election will be most important day in history

The former US president said 5 November is going to be the most important day in the history of our country.

He added: With that being said, seven months is a long time. When you have somebody as destructive and incompetent as this President thats a long time - a lot of bad things can happen to our country in that seven months.

07:47 PM GMT

Putin wouldnt have invaded Ukraine if I was in power

Trump said he thinks Putin is someone you can negotiate with.



I got along with Putin great. I got along with President Xi great, he said.

Thats a good thing. Not a bad thing.

He added that Putin certainly wouldnt have gone into Ukraine, had he still been president.

You wouldnt have Ukraine, you wouldnt have had Israel. The attack on October 7 would never have taken place. Iran was broke. They had no money.

I said anybody that buys oil from Iran cant do business in the United States. And Biden came along and he lifted everything. Now Iran has $221 billion.



07:44 PM GMT

Trump: I made NATO strong

He said lot of moneys come in since Trump said he wouldnt protect NATO countries that wouldnt pay.

I went to the first meeting early in my administration, and I saw what was going on. And I said, youre going to have to pay your bills, everybody.



And the second meeting, I hit them hard... I said, You mean youre delinquent? Youre not paying the bills? Were not going to do it. Were not going to defend you. If youre not paying your bills, were not going to defend you. Its very simple. And hundreds of billions of dollars came flowing in... NATO became strong because of me.



07:39 PM GMT

Trump: Kate Middleton editing photos is no big deal

The former US president said the furore over the Princess of Wales editing a family photograph shouldnt be a big deal because everybody doctors pictures.

He added: You look at these movie actors and you see a movie actor and you meet him and you say that the same person in the picture?

Trump added that it was a very minor doctoring.



07:21 PM GMT

Trump claims he is winning over female voters

The former president said the Black and Hispanic communities like me and I like them.

He said were doing so well, adding: Nobodys ever done well with the Hispanics like Ive done, with the Black community, the whole thing has been amazing.



Trump went on to say he is doing well with women - a group he has traditionally struggled to win over - because they want security.

07:16 PM GMT

Trump defends his bloodbath comments

Over the weekend Trump said the country would face a blood bath if he lost in November.

Asked about this, he told Farage he was only referring to the car industry.

I said its going to be a bloodbath its going to be a terrible bloodbath for the auto industry.



07:13 PM GMT

Trump: Ill close the border if Im re-elected

The former president said he is going to deport illegal migrants in a bid to battle migrant crime.

He claims the US had the best border weve ever had when he was president but now has the worst in history.

Asked how he would get it back, he said: Were going to close up the border you can come to you can come into the country but you have to come in legally.



07:09 PM GMT

Trump: Biden cheated in 2020

Donald Trump has continued to claim the 2020 election was stolen from him.

He said he did great in 2016 and much better in 2020 but very bad things happened and were not going to let that happen again.

He claimed Biden is the worst president in history and said he is going to do very well in the November election.

The polls have us leading by a lot and there was a lot of cheating going on and were gonna get that cheating stopped, he said.

07:06 PM GMT

And were off

So far weve had a montage of Trump and Farage shaking hands and sitting down.

06:41 PM GMT

Trump: America backs NATO if countries play fair

'If they start to play fair, America's there?'



'Yes, 100%.'



Donald Trump has said America WILL stay in Nato if he wins at the polls and members pay their fair share.



Watch @Nigel_Farage's full interview tonight from 7pm, only on GB News. pic.twitter.com/64V7EuljzR  GB News (@GBNEWS) March 19, 2024

06:26 PM GMT

Trump: NATO countries are paying because of my comments

In a clip trailed ahead of tonights interview, Trump questions why the US guard countries that do not pay.

Why should we guard these countries that have a lot of money, but now theyre paying because of those comments that you saw, two, three weeks ago, he said.

Watch Farage: The Trump Interview on @GBNEWS in 60 minutes.  pic.twitter.com/cJCK8eXjLo  Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) March 19, 2024

06:09 PM GMT

Prince Harrys future in the US

During the interview Donald Trump will suggest he could deport the Duke of Sussex from the US over claims he lied on his visa application about taking drugs.

The former president will say he would take appropriate action if he were to win Novembers presidential election and the Duke was found to have lied on his immigration forms.

The Duke has been accused of giving false information to the Department of Homeland Security when he moved to the US with his wife in June 2020.

US immigration authorities typically require visa applicants to declare they have not taken illegal drugs, but the Duke admitted last year in his memoir Spare that he had taken cocaine, marijuana and magic mushrooms.

Read the full story from The Telegraphs US Editor Tony Diver here

06:06 PM GMT

Welcome to our live blog

Thanks for joining us for tonights live coverage of Nigel Farages sit-down interview with Donald Trump.

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On Tuesday morning, something remarkably unremarkable happened: The House and Senate Appropriations committees and congressional leadership announced they had crafted a deal to keep the government open for the rest of the fiscal year.

Congress had already passed six congressional spending bills earlier this month. But the final six were always going to be tougher to pass, specifically because of the fact that it would include funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which would give hard-right Republicans the ability to extract demands from the White House and a Democrat-controlled Senate.

Indeed, on Monday evening, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good of Virginia  who helped oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker last year  sent a letter along with 41 other conservatives to House Speaker Mike Johnson, demanding changes to immigration policy. It also demanded that the government end diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the Pentagon.

But Johnson seems to have channeled his inner Michael Corleone and responded that my final offer is this: nothing.

Johnson standing up to the Freedom Caucus folks who torpedoed his predecessor might surprise some people. He still has to navigate a thin majority; indeed, McCarthys exit at the end of the year and Ken Bucks decision last week to leave the House means he has an even thinner margin to navigate than McCarthy himself.

Where McCarthy shifted his politics to suit the moment  going from reasonable dealmaker in his days in the California legislature to servant of Donald Trump later in his tenure  Johnson is far more ideological. He sells himself as a pious, Bible-believing Christian whose politics are an extension of his deeply conservative faith. Indeed, after he posted a picture of himself sipping a pint of Guinness out of the same glass Ronald Reagan used to celebrate St Patricks Day, his team quickly noted it was an alcohol-free Guinness 0. Thats a far cry from the fratty McCarthy, who enjoyed regular pizza parties, and John Boehner, who notably enjoyed his red wine with a side of cigarettes.

Nevertheless, it appears that despite being a relatively inexperienced speaker  he only joined the House in 2017  Johnson has figured out something McCarthy learned the hard way: the hard-right of the House Republican conference will never be satisfied, no matter how many concessions he gives.

McCarthy notoriously gave away multiple concessions to the hard-right in January of last year to get the votes of House Republicans who opposed him. Most notably, he allowed for a single member to file a motion to vacate the chair and stage a no-confidence vote.

Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida, McCarthys nemesis, finally pulled the trigger on a motion to vacate after McCarthy collaborated with Democrats to pass a clean continuing resolution to keep the government open. And McCarthys needless antagonizing of Democrats  from censuring Adam Schiff to booting Ilhan Omar off the House Foreign Affairs Committee  gave Democrats no reason to save him.

Conversely, despite his strident conservatism, Johnson so far has not given Democrats any reason not to trust him. They may have been annoyed that he opposed the bipartisan immigration agreement, but it had little chance of surviving once Donald Trump, his political benefactor, opposed it.

At the same time, hes passed three stop-gap spending bills to allow for negotiations to marinate, even as he faces criticism from Republicans. Similarly, given the fact that his own party has consistently voted down not just Republican legislation but even blocked a rule to begin allowing debate, hes opted to mostly pass legislation under a procedure called suspension of the rules, which requires two-thirds of the House to vote on legislation without having a rule vote.

That means Johnson has mostly passed legislation that wide swathes of Democrats support. That was the case last week when he brought forward legislation to either force the sale of TikTok from ByteDance or lead to it being banned, despite Trump opposing it. It was also the case with the spending bills.

Of course, this does not mean Johnsons speakership is fully secure. The big test will come after the spending bills are passed. Then, he will have to make a decision to either allow for a vote on a national security package that provides aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that the Senate passed or force some pro-Ukraine Republicans to collaborate with Democrats to sign a discharge petition to bring a vote to the floor without his permission.

Many Republicans oppose supporting Ukraine. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a hard-right vocal supporter of Trump, has said she would file a motion to vacate if Johnson put a Ukraine aid bill to the floor. He will have to walk a tightrope to balance the competing needs of his conference.

But Johnson has shown his mettle this time. And while Democrats may celebrate his skills now, that manoeuvring should worry them if he keeps the gavel during a Trump presidency.
A visitor looks the Italian artist Piero della Francesca's paintings on the occasion of the inauguration of the exhibit "Piero della Francesca. Il Polittico Agostiniano riunito" (Piero della Francesca. The Augustinian Polyptych reunited) at Milan's Poldi Pezzoli museum, Italy, Tuesday, March 19, 2024. The Augustinian altarpiece originally comprised 30 sections in a polyptych, was dismantled after the Augustinians moved churches and eventually sold off. Only eight of the sections remain as individual paintings owned by museums in New York, Washington, D.C., London, Milan and Lisbon, Portugal. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

MILAN (AP)  An unprecedented exhibition opening Wednesday at the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan reunites for the first time in over 450 years eight surviving panels of the Augustinian Altarpiece by the early Italian Renaissance master Piero della Francesca, while possibly solving one of its enduring mysteries.

Museums have tried and failed in the past to assemble the remaining eight panels, spread among five museums in Europe and the United States, of the original 30-piece polyptych. They include the Poldi Pezzoli, owner of one panel, in 1996 and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2018.

The Frick Collection in New York, owner of four panels, came closest a decade ago, gathering six.

Poldi Pezzoli Museum director Alessandra Quarto succeeded this time, after learning The Frick Collection would be closed for six months. With the works headed to storage, the New York museum agreed to the loan, making it easier to bring on board museums in London, Washington, D.C. and Lisbon.

In the exhibition, four large panels of saints are staggered against a blue background, flanking a blank wall where the missing central panel would have been. The piece has been missing for centuries and no sketches or records of its subject exist.

What jumps out is the art and the exuberant monumentality of Piero della Francesca, because the whole is much more than the sum of its parts, said co-curator Machtelt Bruggen Israels of the University of Amsterdam. The research we have done have allowed us to reveal the biggest mystery that remained around this work.

New evidence gathered during scientific study leading up to the exhibition indicates that the missing central panel depicted the coronation of the Virgin, not as long believed the Virgin and Child enthroned, Israels said.

Infrared and stereomicroscopic studies revealed traces of two wings, one pink, one blue, on panels that would have flanked the central piece, indicating angels. The wings, Israels said, would have been scraped off when the altarpiece was disassembled, the wing fragments no longer making sense.

Experts also detected the image of a foot beneath a brocade dress on the left panel, the National Gallery, London's St. Michael the Archangel, suggesting a kneeling central figure of the Virgin. A similar step and corresponding angel wing is found on the opposite panel, The Frick Collection's St. John the Evangelist.

The angels, together with the kneeling Virgin, are typical of depictions of the coronation. Until the new study, the pink and blue paint fragments of the wings had been detected, but not fully understood, said co-curator Nathaniel Silver of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.

It was a huge ah-a!, Silver said. It was one of these things that had come up previously as an idea, but there wasnt the surviving technical evidence to add to the argument.

Curators maintain a very cautious optimism that the new exhibition, which runs through June 24, could lead to the rediscovery of missing pieces.

Augustinian hermits in della Francesca's native Borgo San Sepolcro commissioned the altarpiece in 1454, and it hung in its original church for less than 100 years. It was disassembled sometime after being moved to another church, as such depictions fell out of favor, Israels said. A panel showed up in a private collection in San Sepolcro as early as 1620.

The four major panels in the exhibition turned up in Milan in the 1800s. The whereabouts of only other panel, a smaller piece, was noted around the same period, Israels said, adding with a laugh, therefore I trust that maybe it can be found once again on the ancient market in Milan.

But most of the others  including the prized central panel  have been lost from view for centuries.

I think it is very difficult, but not impossible" that missing panels could resurface, said Xavier Salomon, deputy director and chief curator of The Frick Collection in New York. The last time any of these were seen together was probably here in Milan. So, I would just suggest to anyone who has an attic in Milan, to have a look around.
International hospitality company, Atmosphere Core, has announced two strategic senior corporate appointments.

The company has welcomed Anupam Banerjee as the Vice President of Food & Beverage and Euan Blake as the Assistant Vice President of Communications.

Based in the Maldives, the leaders will be responsible for Atmosphere Cores three brands, The Ozen Collection, Colours of Oblu, and Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts.

Salil Panigrahi, Managing Director of Atmosphere Core, said: Anupam and Euan join us at an exciting point as we are expanding our global footprint. They bring to the table expertise and industry acumen that will further support our growth and help drive performance. In addition, their dedication and passion make them a perfect fit for the Atmosphere culture of 'Joy of Giving'."

Banerjee has built a reputation for excellence and innovation over a global culinary journey spanning from China to the US. He will drive brand distinction and take forward Atmosphere Cores reputation for creating award-winning culinary experiences. A natural leader, Anupam believes in fostering a culture of creativity and resilience. He will be overseeing the F&B teams at all resorts within the growing company portfolio.

During a successful career spanning over two decades, Banerjee has held various leadership roles at prestigious international brands. Before joining Atmosphere Core, he served as the Director of F&B at The St. Regis Bangkok, where he handled four outlets including a speciality restaurant awarded with one Michelin Star. His passion for food and beverage extends beyond the kitchen, evident in a deep commitment to preserving the soul of hospitality amidst challenges, a statement said.

A seasoned hospitality professional, Blake brings to the role a holistic approach that taps into his multifaceted skill set spanning public relations, sales and marketing, and insights into hotel operations. He will be handling the companys Maldives portfolio of eight operational resorts within three brands, as well as positioning the latest property Raaya By Atmosphere set to open in July 2024.

Blake will lead the companys global communications strategy, amplify brand stories, and build share of voice, while also overseeing the companys extensive network of PR agencies across the globe.

With a degree in Hotel Management, Blake gained hands-on experience in operations early in his career. Subsequently pursuing a passion for marketing communications, he spearheaded strategic initiatives around the world specialising in launches and repositioning of real estate assets. Before joining Atmosphere Core, Blake served as the Cluster Marketing Manager Indian Ocean Region & Special Corporate Projects at JA Resorts & Hotels, and specifically in the Maldives, he previously held the role of Regional Director of Sales for Como Hotels. -TradeArabia News Service
(Bloomberg) -- When Reddit Inc. lists on the New York Stock Exchange this week, its fate will rest, in part, in familiar hands: those of its users.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The company has reserved about 8% of its long-awaited public offering for its most prolific users, including volunteer moderators who help tame the platform. Their shares wont be subject to a lockup, meaning the owners can sell them on the opening day of trading. Some of those users have already threatened to bet against the company.

Weve all seen what subreddits can do for companies, both positive and negative, said Kyle Stanford, lead venture capital analyst at PitchBook. Reddit has been built on its users, so at the very least, this is a goodwill building effort.

The social media platform is set to price one of the years most closely watched US IPOs Wednesday, with the company and some existing shareholders seeking to raise as much as $748 million, according to company filings. It plans to begin trading on the NYSE Thursday under the symbol RDDT. Redditors, as users are known, have a historically combative relationship with the site, launching revolts over everything from racism on the platform to executives staffing decisions.

Read more: Reddit Launches Long-Awaited IPO With $748 Million Target

Bryant Zadegan, who runs the r/relationship_advice forum, which has about 11.5 million subscribers, was offered a chance to purchase up to 1,000 shares in the offering. He immediately decided to buy in, saying Reddits plans to license data to artificial intelligence companies to train large language models is what makes him a believer in the stocks longterm value.

Story continues

At least with how generative AI is trained today, the training still requires human content, he said. Reddit and other platforms like it will be necessary for AI to continue to be refined.

Zadegan, who describes himself as an internet janitor for Reddit, said he hopes the company will eventually figure out a way to share revenue from AI licensing deals with the users who generate content. He plans to hold onto his stock, even if it pops on listing day.

Whipsaw

Reddit will want to avoid the kind of whipsaw suffered by Robinhood Markets Inc. and Instacart, which both sold shares to the very retail traders who pumped the stocks of GameStop Corp. during 2021s meme mania. Robinhood shares soared as much as 124% in the days after its debut before spiraling 69% from the offer price six months later. Instacart, which does business as Maplebear Inc., popped as much as 43% on its debut before dropping below its offer price just a week later.

Thousands of members of the WallStreetBets forum  which boasts around 15 million users and helped send the share prices of companies like GameStop to eye-popping heights during the pandemic  voted to boost a forum post about shorting Reddits stock when it begins trading. Their reasons varied from the companys lack of profitability to competitive concerns.

Read more: Reddits Huffman Leaves Early Young Troll Image Behind for IPO

Jordan Zazzara, a WallStreetBets moderator who lives on the East Coast, isnt planning to buy shares as part of the IPO program. Zazzara instead will wait to see if shares get cheaper, and then will decide whether to snap them up. Not because Im not generally optimistic about Reddit as a business, but because Im sure its going to be volatile, Zazzara said by email.

Noor Al, a 28-year-old senior analyst in Toronto for a private equity backed health-care company, said he intends to buy as many shares as Reddit will allow and may sell call options against the shares. Al, who moonlights as a moderator for WallStreetBets, said the forums sentiment toward the companys stock is largely negative.

People see it as a poor investment, and they generally hold unfavorable views toward the company, Al said. When public sentiment is so strongly negative against something and the underlying business is improving then thats an opportunity.

But, Al added, like anything, if the price becomes attractive, I would sell.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
A pharmacist in Aitkin County engaged in sex discrimination when he refused to fill a woman's prescription for emergency contraception because of his personal beliefs, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Monday.

It's believed to be the first time a U.S. court found it was sex discrimination to refuse to fill a prescription for emergency contraception. Jess Braverman, legal director for Gender Justice, one of the groups that worked on the lawsuit, said the ruling could have national implications in the ongoing battle over reproductive rights.

"Emergency contraception is time-sensitive medication. You have to be confident when you show up to get your medication that you are not going to be turned away for reasons that are not medical reasons," Braverman said.

The appeals court also found the jury was given incorrect instructions regarding how to determine whether the pharmacy was also liable for the pharmacist's decision not to fill the prescription. The ruling sends the case back to district court for a new trial, but the defendants could ask the Minnesota Supreme Court to weigh in.

The case dates to 2019, when Andrea Anderson tried to fill a prescription for an emergency contraceptive at Thrifty White, which is now McGregor Pharmacy. The lead pharmacist, George Badeaux, told Anderson his beliefs prohibited him from giving her the medication and at trial he testified he feared it would interfere with a pregnancy.

Anderson said she had to travel 100 miles round trip from her home in McGregor to Brainerd to get the prescription filled at another pharmacy. Attorneys for Badeaux and the pharmacy did not immediately return messages Monday seeking comment.

Anderson filed a lawsuit under the Minnesota Human Rights Act alleging sex discrimination.

After a 2022 trial, a jury found discrimination had not occurred, but that Badeaux had caused Anderson emotional harm and awarded her $25,000 in damages. After the verdict, Badeaux's attorney said it was important that medical professionals may act in accordance with their beliefs.

Anderson's attorneys appealed the jury's decision that there was no sex discrimination. The appeals court agreed, noting the Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination, including not doing business with someone, because of their sex.

"This ruling is important to show that it is not just people's beliefs that matter. Patient health and safety matter, too," Braverman said. "You cannot turn people away who need reproductive health care."
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  Earlier this month, a teen was sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to murder in a 2022 Tyler shooting.

Palestine police arrest 2 for shooting in neighborhood

According to officials, the shooting took place in October 2022 in the 2400 block of N. Broadway Ave. where police found a man on the sidewalk. Officials said the man, identified as Cornelius Tims, 43 of Tyler, was taken to a local hospital and later died from gunshot injuries.

Witnesses reportedly told police they had seen two suspects running after the shooting.

The suspect, who was 14 at the time, turned himself into police in connection to the shooting. He pleaded guilty to the murder of Tims on March 7 and was sentenced to 45 years with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
A missing mother and child have been found dead at a Texas park on the eve of a custody hearing, officials said.

Savannah Kriger and her 3-year-old son Kaiden were at the center of a now-canceled Amber Alert after they were reported missing on Monday, March 18, KENS reported.

The search is over following the discovery of two bodies in a ditch at Tom Slick Park in San Antonio, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said at a March 19 news briefing.

On Monday, deputies responded to a call for a welfare check at Krigers home on the citys southwest side, Salazar said. But when they arrived, there were no vehicles at the residence and seemingly nobody was home.

That morning, Kriger left work early and picked Kaiden up from day care for a doctors appointment  but family members soon became concerned when they couldnt get in touch with her, according to investigators.

Eventually, a family member came to the home and let deputies inside, Salazar said. Salazar wouldnt specify what deputies found, but it made them worried for the safety of Kriger and Kaiden.

Additionally, investigators learned Kriger was involved in a child custody battle over Kaiden with the boys father.

The search led investigators to Krigers car, abandoned near Tom Slick Park, according to Salazar.

In a nearby ditch, park police and deputies found bodies believed to be Kriger and Kaiden, he said. There was also a gun, which appears to have been used to kill them both, Salazar said.

Currently, Kriger is the only suspect, he added.

Deputies are investigating whether the custody fight played a role.

She did have possession of the child but my understanding is very soon, I think today, there was supposed to be some sort of a hearing regarding the ongoing custody of that baby, he said.

Salazar said it is a possible murder-suicide.

Officials say the boys father has been cooperating with investigators.

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A blanket belonging to Elijah Vue, the 3-year-old Wisconsin boy who has been missing for almost a month, has been found during the investigation into his disappearance, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

The red and white plaid blanket was discovered earlier in the search about 3.7 miles from the area in Two Rivers from which Vue was reported missing on Feb. 20, the Two Rivers Police Department said. Authorities are offering a $40,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and charge of anyone responsible for the toddlers disappearance.

Sheriff Tears Up as Missing 3-Year-Old Elijah Vues Family Begs for Help

Vue vanished last month while in the care of his moms boyfriend, Jesse Vang, according to a criminal complaint. Vang told police he woke from a nap to find Vue gone, the complaint said. The 39-year-old has been charged with one count of being party to neglecting a child.

Vues mother, 31-year-old Katrina Baur, faces four charges including two counts of child neglect and two of resisting or obstructing an officer. Baur told police she left her son with Vang because she wanted to teach the toddler how to be a man, according to the complaint.

On Friday, the Two Rivers Police Department said searches continued last week in wetlands and rural areas, the West Twin River, and a farm waste container. We followed up on numerous tips and leads and continued going through large amounts of video footage with DCI and the FBI, the department added, but noted that Vue has not been found.

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The blanket of a missing Wisconsin toddler was found weeks after his disappearance, local police said on Monday.

The Two Rivers Police Department said that a red and white plaid blanket found earlier in this investigation was confirmed to belong to Elijah Vue, a Wisconsin 3-year-old who went missing on February 20. The blanket was found about 3.7 miles from where Elijah was last seen, the department said in a news release.

An initial description of Elijah said he was last seen wearing gray pants, a long-sleeved dark shirt, and red and green dinosaur shoes, according to CBS affiliate WDJT. He might have been carrying the blanket, WDJT reported.

Vue's mother Katrina Baur and another man, Jesse Vang, were arrested and charged with child neglect on Feb. 21. WDJT reported that local authorities said that Baur handed Elijah over to Vang for "discipline." The Vue family told the station that they don't know how Baur knew Vang, who served six years in prison for the distribution of methamphetamine. WDJT later described Vang as Baur's boyfriend.

It was Vang's apartment that Elijah disappeared from, police said, and Vang who reported him missing.

Elijah Vue. / Credit: Supplied to CBS 2

"(Baur) intentionally sent that child for disciplinary reasons for than a week to (Vang's) residence," Manitowoc County District Attorney Jacalyn LaBre said in a court hearing on Feb. 23. "She was aware of the tactics used and the lack of care provided. This was an intentional thing by her."

Both Baur and Vang maintain that they had nothing to do with Elijah's disappearance, WDJT reported. They will next appear in court this week. Baur will be arraigned on Friday, while Vang's preliminary hearing will be held on Thursday, police said. Both remain held in Mantiwoc County Jail, according to online records.

Police have taken possession of a vehicle that they said was identified during the investigation. The car, a four-door 1997 Nissan Altima, has Wisconsin plates beginning with "A" and ending with "0." The car was not owned by Baur or Vang, police said.

"Our interest is not with the current owner of the vehicle, only in the camera footage captured on February 19, 2024, between the hours of 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM," the department said.

Anyone with information leading to the discovery of the toddler may be eligible for a reward of up to $40,000, police said.

Multiple agencies have been searching for Elijah since he was reported missing. The Two River Police Department has asked all members of the public to keep an eye out for the toddler and check all urban and rural areas, including water, to help find him or any evidence related to his disappearance. Officials have searched storm sewers, landfills, rivers and more, police said.

Elijah's uncle, Orson Vue, told WDJT that the family has been drained by the search effort but have been touched to see strangers organize searches for the toddler.

"It means everything, to be honest," Vue said. "If it was just me and my family doing this search, I don't know what we'd even do. With the whole world, really, reaching out, giving their support, their love, it means the world, and we couldn't do it without them."

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TWO RIVERS, Wis. (WFRV)  It has been nearly a month since 3-year-old Elijah Vue was reported missing from a home in northeastern Wisconsin. As the search continues, police say theyve found a significant item: a blanket belonging to the boy.

Elijah Vue was reported missing on Feb. 20. He was allegedly last seen by Jesse Vang, 39, inside Vangs residence in Two Rivers, about 40 miles southeast of Green Bay. Vang is reportedly in a relationship with Elijahs mother, Katrina Baur.

On the day Elijah went missing, Vang claimed he saw Elijah asleep as he got his own son ready for school. Vang says he later went back to bed. When he awoke, he said he found Elijah had disappeared. Vang reportedly told authorities he had locked the door, including using the doorknob lock, a deadbolt and a security chain.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Nexstars WFRV last month, Vang had been trying to help Elijahs mother correct Elijahs bad behaviors.

Emotional day for community members at Baur and Vangs preliminary hearing

Baur, 31, of Wisconsin Dells, reportedly told authorities that Elijah had been in the care of Vang for about a week. She allegedly described Vang as the enforcer of rules in the relationship and said she sent Elijah to stay with him to learn how to be a man.

A criminal complaint also alleged neglect by both Baur and Vang, citing photographic evidence that appeared to show bruising on Elijahs jaw, neck, side and arm. Authorities also found text messages between Vang and Baur that appeared to reference making Elijah fear Vang.

Baur was formally charged with one felony count of party-to-a-crime of child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing an officer. She was being held on a $15,000 cash bond. Vang was charged with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect. He was being held on a $20,000 cash bond.

Over the last few weeks, authorities have continued searching for Elijah throughout the lakeside community of Two Rivers, including waterways and a local landfill. Theyve also scoured through large amounts of surveillance video and released information regarding a vehicle of interest in the case.

On Monday, Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert said they had found a red and white plaid blanket about 3.7 miles from Vangs home earlier in the investigation. They have since determined that blanket belonged to Elijah.

We continue to request the publics assistance in checking all urban and rural areas, including water, to find Elijah and locate any evidence related to his disappearance, added Meinnert.

$40K in rewards offered for info on missing Wisconsin 3-year-old sent to learn to be a man

The Two Rivers Police Department is asking the public to continue to search and to contact it immediately with any relevant information through its tip line (844-267-6648), the Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers P3 App, or the police department email.

A combined $40,000 in rewards is being offered in the search for Elijah.

The Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the discovery of Elijah or the arrest and charging of anyone responsible for his disappearance. The FBI is offering a $15,000 reward for similar information. The City of Two Rivers is offering $15,000  raised through donations from the public  to find Elijah.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Two Rivers Police Department tip line at 844-267-6648.

Baur and Vang appeared in court again last week for continued preliminary hearings.

Baur, the boys mother, waived her right to a preliminary hearing and withdrew her motion to dismiss count one, the chronic child neglect party to the crime charge. She is scheduled to be arraigned later this week.

Vang, whose hearing was delayed as he awaited a public defender, is expected back in court on Thursday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
TWO RIVERS, Wis. (WFRV)  It has been nearly a month since 3-year-old Elijah Vue was reported missing from a home in northeastern Wisconsin. As the search continues, police say theyve found a significant item: a blanket belonging to the boy.

Elijah Vue was reported missing on Feb. 20. He was allegedly last seen by Jesse Vang, 39, inside Vangs residence in Two Rivers, about 40 miles southeast of Green Bay. Vang is reportedly in a relationship with Elijahs mother, Katrina Baur.

On the day Elijah went missing, Vang claimed he saw Elijah asleep as he got his own son ready for school. Vang says he later went back to bed. When he awoke, he said he found Elijah had disappeared. Vang reportedly told authorities he had locked the door, including using the doorknob lock, a deadbolt and a security chain.

According to a criminal complaint obtained by Nexstars WFRV last month, Vang had been trying to help Elijahs mother correct Elijahs bad behaviors.

Emotional day for community members at Baur and Vangs preliminary hearing

Baur, 31, of Wisconsin Dells, reportedly told authorities that Elijah had been in the care of Vang for about a week. She allegedly described Vang as the enforcer of rules in the relationship and said she sent Elijah to stay with him to learn how to be a man.

A criminal complaint also alleged neglect by both Baur and Vang, citing photographic evidence that appeared to show bruising on Elijahs jaw, neck, side and arm. Authorities also found text messages between Vang and Baur that appeared to reference making Elijah fear Vang.

Baur was formally charged with one felony count of party-to-a-crime of child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing an officer. She was being held on a $15,000 cash bond. Vang was charged with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect. He was being held on a $20,000 cash bond.

Over the last few weeks, authorities have continued searching for Elijah throughout the lakeside community of Two Rivers, including waterways and a local landfill. Theyve also scoured through large amounts of surveillance video and released information regarding a vehicle of interest in the case.

On Monday, Two Rivers Police Chief Ben Meinnert said they had found a red and white plaid blanket about 3.7 miles from Vangs home earlier in the investigation. They have since determined that blanket belonged to Elijah.

We continue to request the publics assistance in checking all urban and rural areas, including water, to find Elijah and locate any evidence related to his disappearance, added Meinnert.

$40K in rewards offered for info on missing Wisconsin 3-year-old sent to learn to be a man

The Two Rivers Police Department is asking the public to continue to search and to contact it immediately with any relevant information through its tip line (844-267-6648), the Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers P3 App, or the police department email.

A combined $40,000 in rewards is being offered in the search for Elijah.

The Manitowoc County Crime Stoppers are offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the discovery of Elijah or the arrest and charging of anyone responsible for his disappearance. The FBI is offering a $15,000 reward for similar information. The City of Two Rivers is offering $15,000  raised through donations from the public  to find Elijah.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Two Rivers Police Department tip line at 844-267-6648.

Baur and Vang appeared in court again last week for continued preliminary hearings.

Baur, the boys mother, waived her right to a preliminary hearing and withdrew her motion to dismiss count one, the chronic child neglect party to the crime charge. She is scheduled to be arraigned later this week.

Vang, whose hearing was delayed as he awaited a public defender, is expected back in court on Thursday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
GUANGZHOU, China, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The promotion tour for 135th China Import and Export Fair ("Canton Fair"), held from February 29 to March 7, has successfully reinvigorated trade vitality across the Middle East, with events in Dubai, UAE and Cairo, Egypt successfully held, and in-depth business talks with Canton Fair partners in Morroco. Led by Zhang Sihong, Deputy Secretary General of the Canton Fair and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, the delegation invited high-quality enterprises from the countries and surrounding regions, to explore cooperation and business opportunities, achieving remarkable outcomes.

"We hope that Middle East buyers can utilize the Canton Fair's online platform for regular engagement, facilitating online appointments and offline negotiations to achieve more trade transactions through dual-channel interactions," said Zhang Sihong, during the conference, emphasizing the importance of utilizing the Canton Fair's online platform for regular engagement on top of onsite attendance.

In Morocco, China Foreign Trade Centre renewed its partnership agreement with Confederation Generale Des Entreprises Du Maroc (CGEM), further promoting trade between China and Morocco.

The delegation conducted field research at major sourcing platforms and institutions in the Middle East, including Noon, the largest e-commerce platform in the Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre, Marjane and Electroplanet, the largest supermarket and electronics mall in Morocco respectively, Gomla Market, the largest chain supermarket in Alexandria, Egypt.

The delegation also engaged in deep exchanges with Dubai Chamber, Chinese General Chamber of Commerce UAE, Confederation Generale DesEntreprises Du Maroc (CGEM), China-Morocco Economic, Trade and Cultural Exchange Centre, Cairo Chamber of Commerce, and Alexandria Business Association, establishing a more comprehensive Canton Fair partnership system.

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The 135th Canton Fair promotion tour has received an enthusiastic response from the three Middle Eastern countries, continuously revitalizing trade vitality in the local and surrounding regions.

For the latest information on the 135th Canton Fair, please register at https://invitation.cantonfair.org.cn/BuyerUser/RegisterUser?MediaType=16.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reviving-trade-ties-135th-canton-fair-focuses-on-strengthening-economic-bonds-with-middle-eastern-nations-302093132.html

SOURCE Canton Fair
A white former Mississippi sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for torturing two Black men (SCOTT OLSON)

A former Mississippi policeman who carried out a brutal attack on two Black men with fellow white officers who called themselves the "Goon Squad" was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison.

Hunter Elward, four other former members of the Rankin County Sheriff's Department and a former member of the Richland Police Department pleaded guilty in August to multiple offenses.

Elward, 31, who shot one of the men in the mouth during the attack, was the first member of the group to be sentenced on charges that included civil rights conspiracy, deprivation of rights and obstruction of justice.

US District Judge Tom Lee sentenced Elward to 241 months in prison, according to court documents.

Jeffrey Middleton, 46, a former lieutenant in the sheriff's department, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a statement after the sentencing, saying the Justice Department "will hold accountable officers who violate constitutional rights, and in so doing, betray the public trust."

"These defendants will spend 20 years and 17.5 years in prison for their heinous attack on citizens they had sworn an oath to protect," Garland said.

"These defendants kicked in the door of a home where two Black men were residing, handcuffed and arrested them without probable cause, called them racial slurs, and punched, kicked, tased, and assaulted them," he said.

According to the Justice Department, Elward, Middleton and the other four officers -- Brett McAlpin, Christian Dedmon, Daniel Opdyke and Joshua Hartfield -- used a sex toy, Tasers and a sword in an hours-long attack on Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker.

All six acknowledged that while responding to a report of suspicious activity on January 24, 2023, they entered the house without a warrant and began a sustained and unprovoked attack on Jenkins and Parker.

Elward at one point removed a bullet from the chamber of his gun and forced his weapon into Jenkins' mouth before pulling the trigger, the Justice Department said.

"Elward racked the slide, intending to dry-fire a second time. When Elward pulled the trigger, the gun discharged. The bullet lacerated M.J.'s tongue, broke his jaw and exited out of his neck."

As the critically injured Jenkins lay bleeding, the officers set about fabricating evidence to justify their actions, including planting a gun and drugs.

Jenkins survived the shooting and was in court Tuesday for Elward's sentencing along with Parker.

cl/mlm
Don't make these errors the next time you ride the rails. Peter Muller via Getty Images

Traveling by train can be a magical experience. You can enjoy stunning scenery as you pass through parts of the world you might not have the opportunity to see otherwise. Its also a more eco-friendly alternative to flying or driving.

But like any form of transit, train travel also comes with its fair share of stress. To help train-goers, we asked experts to break down some of the most common mistakes people make while traveling by rail. Read on for their observations and advice for making the journey as smooth as possible.

Traveling With Too Much Luggage

Compared with air travel, taking a train can be a more relaxing experience, as you dont have to worry about bag rules. But you should still aim to pack as efficiently as you can.

Although you can take as much as you can carry and there are no luggage restrictions on the vast majority of trains, bear in mind that you will need to carry this on and off trains, as well as securing its spot in the luggage racks, said Simon Hodge, managing director of the U.K.-based Tailor Made Rail. It is best to travel light.

Not Bringing Enough Food

Hodge noted that another common mistake in train travel is not bringing enough food on board for a long journey, and planning to rely on the dining car  if there even is one.

These restaurant cars can run out of your preferred choice very easily, and there are no restrictions to bringing your own food and drink on board, unlike airlines, he said. Take a picnic on board for longer journeys.

But do be mindful of...

Taking Out Strong-Smelling Foods

Its important to pack enough food for yourself, but make sure you give some thought to what, specifically, you plan to eat on the train.

That wonderful speciality cheese you see in the deli on the way to the train station is perfect for ending dinner at home with friends, but it may not smell so great after several hours on a hot train, said Rail Europe CEO and executive chairman Bjorn Bender, who commutes by train between Paris and Switzerland almost weekly.

Pack a picnic for the journey, to be sure, but go easy on strong-smelling foods, Bender told HuffPost. Anything too spicy or pungent may test the patience of fellow passengers in your carriage.

Misunderstanding The Seat Assignment Policy

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the seating situation before you book your train journey.

A common mistake people make that affects their fellow travelers is not being familiar with seating assignment policies, said Staffo Dobrev, director of communications at Wanderu. Generally, train seats are offered on a first-come first-served basis, unless you have booked a business or first class fare, both of which allow you to reserve a specific seat ahead of time. Because of that, people who travel together sometimes end up not being able to sit near each other, which may result in frustration and even confrontations with other passengers.

Booking A Regular Seat For An Overnight Train

Here at Rail Europe, weve seen the renaissance of night trains across Europe, Bender said. Thats a great way of covering a lot of ground while also saving on hotel costs.

If you choose to train through the night, however, consider upgrading to a car with a bed. Sometimes it doesnt even cost much more.

Always book sleeping berths, Bender advised. No-one enjoys an overnight journey in a regular train seat.

Missing The Scenery

Our guests choose rail travel to slow down and experience the epic scenery that is, in parts, only accessible by train while being able to reconnect with their travel companions. So, anything that detracts from this would be a mistake, said Wendy McMichael, a train manager with Rocky Mountaineer. For instance, spending time on tablets or phones when you can be enjoying the incredible scenery outside your window.

Another way people miss breathtaking scenery is by choosing these routes for their overnight train travel.

Dont plan overnight train journeys through the Alps, Hodge said. People often take [overnight trains] on routes that are beautifully scenic, for instance traveling through the Alps, on a journey from Munich to Venice and missing out on the spectacular Brenner Pass route.

A little planning can go a long way. If you can, try to avoid booking overnight trains for scenic rides, like those that go through the Alps. Thomas Barwick via Getty Images

Intruding On Other Passengers Space

Even if youre on vacation, its always best to be a considerate traveler, said Jody Ford, CEO of Trainline. Respect the space of fellow passengers and be mindful of keeping your belongings out of other peoples way.

Keep your feet where they belong, as well. Ford pointed to a recent Trainline survey of about 7,000 regular train travelers from the U.K., France, Germany and Spain, which found that one of the most cited pet peeves was people putting their feet up on the seats.

A way to support everyone is by never stowing your bags and belongings on empty seats, Bender noted. Only take so much as you think you can store in the overhead racks or in the designated areas for bag storage at the end of your carriage.

Disrespecting The Crew

It should go without saying, but always be respectful of the train crew, Dobrev said.

Remember that their job is to get you to your destination safely, and many things are out of their control. That includes your own train travel missteps.

Its normal to make mistakes, but its not acceptable to blame others for your failure to familiarize yourself with the details of your journey, Dobrev said. The crew is there to help you and make your travel experience better, but if you approach them with a confrontational attitude its less likely to get the best resolution to your problem.

Booking At The Last Minute

You might not always know far in advance when youll need to a take a train, but in cases where you do, take advantage.

Booking ahead where possible will always get you the best ticket prices, Ford said. A recent consumer survey in the U.K. for example found that ticket machines at stations can charge more than twice the price of online tickets. Plus, in many European countries, trains on popular routes fill up, so booking in advance means you can know your schedule.

Selecting The Wrong Station

In the United States, its not uncommon to have cities with the same name in different states, Dobrev said. There are Newarks in both New Jersey and Delaware, for example, as well as Springfields across the country.

As a result, sometimes travelers make the mistake of booking a train trip to or from the wrong city, he explained. That could lead to losing money when they try to change it, or even worse, completely derailing their travel plans because they did not realize their mistake until well on their way.

Additionally, many cities have multiple train stations, and they might be in very different locations.

Some travelers may not necessarily be aware of that and may think that their train departs from the one station they know of, Dobrev said. If they did not arrive early enough before realizing their mistake, they may not have enough time to make the trek over to the correct departure point.

Traveling Without A Power Bank

You cant always rely on trains to have ample working outlets, so if youre going on a long journey, make sure your phone is fully charged and you have a way to power it back up.

Take a power bank in case your phone is low on battery and there is no in-seat power, Hodge advised.

Missing Transfers

When traveling by train, sometimes you may need to transfer to a different train to reach your destination, Dobrev said. Unfortunately, many travelers dont realize thats the case with their itinerary, so they end up stranded because they did not change trains when they were supposed to.

He emphasized the importance of paying attention to your trip details and itinerary so you dont end up on the wrong train or miss a transfer. Dont expect to have all the information on your ticket, either. You might need to keep up with updates on the train companys app, or via information posted in the railway station.

Make sure you know the exact station from which you are departing, and when you get there, look for the schedule board to determine the specific track from which you need to board your train, Dobrev said. If you have any trouble, dont hesitate to seek help from a station attendant.

Stay up-to-date with train departures so you don't miss your transfer. COROIMAGE via Getty Images

Being Unfamiliar With The Cancellation Policies

One of the most common mistakes that we see passengers make is not familiarizing themselves with the change or cancellation policy of the fare type that they booked, Dobrev said. For example, Amtraks cheapest fare classes, such as Sale or Value, dont allow any changes post-booking and only offer partial refunds of 50% and 75% respectively. As a result, passengers whose plans change may get frustrated that they are unable to get all of their money back.

He advised travelers who need flexibility to book the higher-tier fare types that come with 100% refund and free change options.

Its important to note that no refunds or changes are allowed once the trip has commenced, so if you expect that you are going to miss your train, we highly recommend that you contact Amtrak ahead of time and arrange to get any refund that is available to you, he said. Knowledge is power and the more you know about your rights as a passenger and the train carriers regulations, the smoother your travel experience will be.

Bender similarly suggested that travelers take advantage of rail passes, which can provide benefits like unlimited travel in designated places.

Additionally, they offer flexibility, allowing you to adjust your plans easily, he said. Many travelers make the mistake of having a rigid itinerary with little room for change when purchasing individual tickets for each leg of their journey, locking them into a specific schedule. With a rail pass, changing your plans is effortless.

Making Noise On Board

While we dont suggest leaving your cell phone behind, minimizing usage during the journey can enhance the experience for everyone, Bender said. Avoiding loud phone calls and being mindful of noise levels contribute to a more pleasant atmosphere.

Dobrev similarly recommended keeping your noise levels down and doing your best not to disrupt others travel experiences.

If someone is being disruptive towards you, seek help from a crew member, he said. They are trained to deal with difficult situations and de-escalate confrontations.

Not Appreciating The Ride

Train travel can be a truly magical experience, especially if you take time to enjoy scenic routes and stop off in the smaller communities along the way.

I encourage guests to sit back, relax, and take in the incredible journey that comes with train travel, McMichael said.

Even if you arent taking a leisurely ride through stunning landscapes, theres plenty to appreciate about this form of transportation.

Dont worry too much about making mistakes, and instead focus on enjoying your journey! Ford said. Train travel is a much better way to enjoy your vacation than hiring a car  for example you have no concerns around local traffic laws, navigating foreign roads, traffic or parking. Instead, you get much more time to relax, enjoy the view or take advantage of the free Wi-Fi thats available on many routes, before arriving at your destination in the heart of the city center.

Related...
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova declared a Russian embassy staff member persona non grata on 19 March due to him assisting the president of the Russian Federation in organising "elections" on the territory of Transnistria, an unrecognised breakaway state within Moldova, despite the disagreement of Chisinau.

Source: European Pravda, citing Moldovas Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi

Details: Popsoi noted that this decision was communicated to Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov, who was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, 19 March.

"The Moldovan side protested against the presidential elections held by Russia in the Transnistrian region, against the wishes of Moldovan authorities. A diplomat was declared persona non grata," the minister wrote on his Twitter ().

The ministry's press office stated that a note was handed to the Russian envoy, declaring the embassy staff member unwelcome on the territory of the Republic of Moldova and requiring them to leave the country.

Background:

Chisinau has prohibited the opening of polling stations on the territory of Moldova for voting in the "elections" for the president of Russia, except for the polling station at the embassy in Chisinau.

However, Russia has opened six polling stations on the left bank of the Dnister River. Moldova's Foreign Minister, Mihai Popsoi, stated in an interview with European Pravda that Chisinau will respond to the illegitimate holding of "elections" for the president of the Russian Federation in the unrecognised Transnistrian region.

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Assessing the Upcoming Dividend and Historical Performance of STX

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (NASDAQ:STX) recently announced a dividend of $0.7 per share, payable on 2024-04-04, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-03-20. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's look into Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does Seagate Technology Holdings PLC Do?

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with STX.

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Seagate Technology Holdings PLC is a leading supplier of hard disk drives for data storage to the enterprise and consumer markets. It forms a practical duopoly in the market with its chief rival, Western Digital; they are both vertically integrated.

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's Dividend History

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 2011. Dividends are currently distributed on a quarterly basis.

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC has increased its dividend each year since 2011. The stock is thus listed as a dividend achiever, an honor that is given to companies that have increased their dividend each year for at least the past 13 years. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Breaking Down Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, Seagate Technology Holdings PLC currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.29% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 3.29%. This suggests an expectation of same dividend payments over the next 12 months.

Over the past three years, Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's annual dividend growth rate was 2.80%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate decreased to 2.40% per year. And over the past decade, Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's annual dividends per share growth rate stands at 6.00%.

Story continues

Based on Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of Seagate Technology Holdings PLC stock as of today is approximately 3.70%.

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's Dividend Analysis

The Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and Profitability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-12-31, Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's dividend payout ratio is 0.00.

Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's profitability 7 out of 10 as of 2023-12-31, suggesting good profitability prospects. The company has reported net profit in 9 years out of the past 10 years.

Growth Metrics: The Future Outlook

To ensure the sustainability of dividends, a company must have robust growth metrics. Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's growth rank of 7 out of 10 suggests that the company's growth trajectory is good relative to its competitors.

Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, and Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's revenue per share, combined with the 3-year revenue growth rate, indicates a strong revenue model. Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's revenue has increased by approximately -3.50% per year on average, a rate that underperforms approximately 69.87% of global competitors.

The company's 3-year EPS growth rate showcases its capability to grow its earnings, a critical component for sustaining dividends in the long run. During the past three years, Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's earnings increased by approximately -64.10% per year on average, a rate that underperforms approximately 96.49% of global competitors.

Lastly, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of -35.20%, which underperforms approximately 96.87% of global competitors.

Next Steps

In conclusion, while Seagate Technology Holdings PLC has a history of consistent dividend payments and a respectable dividend yield, the company's recent growth metrics present a mixed picture. The negative growth rates in revenue per share, EPS, and EBITDA over the past few years could raise concerns regarding the long-term sustainability of Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's dividend growth. However, the company's solid profitability rank and zero payout ratio as of the last reported date suggest that it still has the financial flexibility to maintain its dividend in the near term. Value investors should monitor Seagate Technology Holdings PLC's future earnings reports and growth metrics closely to better understand the potential impact on the company's dividend sustainability and overall financial health. For those seeking income-generating investments, GuruFocus Premium users can screen for high-dividend yield stocks using the High Dividend Yield Screener.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


DENVER (KDVR)  A former hotel converted into a homeless shelter in Denver has seen hundreds of calls for police service this year.

Formerly known as the DoubleTree Hotel, the building at 4040 Quebec St. in Denver is now known as the New Directions shelter and is leased by the city as part of Mayor Mike Johnstons House1000 initiative.

Seesaw summer: Farmers Almanac predicts Denver weather

According to the Denver Police Department, officers have responded to a total of 414 calls for service since Jan. 1, including drugs, assault, domestic violence and more. Now a homicide investigation is underway after police said they found two people dead inside the shelter over the weekend.

Ana-Lilith Miller of Housekeys Action Network Denver, a group that advocates for the unhoused, said this could have been prevented.

People feel unsafe there, Miller said. Theres nothing to do around there. Theyre out in the middle of nowhere with no form of transportation, and so without these things, youre bound to have things happen.

Aerial view of former hotel turned homeless shelter

Miller said there needs to be more accountability.

You cant just leave them in a hotel and let them fend for themselves, Miller said. The best thing we can do is actually staff these places and staff them with the properly trained staff. We need people there that know what theyre doing, know how to deal with people who are in vulnerable populations, people with PTSD and other mental health issues.

Denver responds with plan to address shelter safety

In response, the city of Denver said it is enacting a seven-point action plan to address the safety and security concerns. The site is already staffed 24/7 by the sites service provider.

The plan includes a new management role responsible for the oversight of all unsheltered response and outreach, more staffing and case management help and increased patrols and security  including a badging system for site access.

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Below is the full statement from the city of Denver:

The safety and wellbeing of our staff, our partner organizations staff, and residents is a top priority. Currently, all sites are staffed 24/7 by each sites service provider. To immediately address safety and security issues at this facility, the city, in partnership with service providers, is enacting a seven-point action plan. The plan includes both immediate actions and long-term solutions that will help sustain the continued success of the efforts surrounding homelessness and the All In Mile High sites. Seven-point plan at New Directions: City of Denver

Metro Denver Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for anyone with information on the double homicide. The public can call 720-913-7867.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
An Arizona lawmaker made what one abortion-rights advocate called a "bold declaration," announcing her decision to get an abortion during an emotional speech on the Senate floor this week.

Democratic state Sen. Eva Burch said that after learning her pregnancy wasn't viable, she decided to get an abortion. And she's not the only one, according to a new report from the Guttmacher Institute.

The study, published on Tuesday, reported that there were more than 1 million recorded abortions in the U.S. in 2023  the highest figure in more than a decade.

Burch joins a growing number of people who are getting abortions, despite the Supreme Courts 2022 Dobbs ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

Burch announces abortion on the state Senate floor

On Monday, Burch told her colleagues that she would be getting an abortion after she learned her pregnancy was not progressing and was not viable after numerous ultrasounds and blood draws.

The mother of two boys  who said that 12 years of being a nurse practitioner specializing in womens health and mental health informed her decision  also revealed that she and her husband had a nonviable pregnancy that ended in abortion in 2022 while she was campaigning for her current seat.

Right now, the safest and most appropriate treatment for me  and the treatment that I choose  is abortion. But the laws this legislature has passed has interfered with my ability to do that, she said, adding that legislative bodies do not have the right to assign a one-size-fits-all script in peoples reproductive lives.

The year 2022 was the same one in which Arizona Republicans banned abortions after 15 weeks. Burch expressed that her experiences as a provider and a patient  including enduring an unwanted transvaginal ultrasound now required under Arizona law  led her to believe the states governing body has failed Arizonans.

Arizonans deserve freedom and liberty to make those decisions for themselves, Burch said on the Senate floor. I will never try to force anyone to have an abortion; nobody should ever try to prevent me from having mine.

Burch also said that while people should not have to justify their decision to terminate a pregnancy, her choice to share her abortion decision should serve as an avenue to meaningful discussions about the reality of how the work that we do in this body impacts people in the real world.

Abortion hits a high nationwide

According to the Guttmacher Institute, an estimated 1,026,690 abortions were recorded in the U.S. health care system in 2023  the highest rate in the U.S. in more than a decade.

Kelly Baden, the vice president of public policy for the Guttmacher Institute, told Yahoo News how stories like Burchs are a reminder of how abortion is a widely shared experience in the U.S.

Burchs announcement is a bold declaration in the face of stigma surrounding abortion care and the numerous restrictions both in Arizona and the U.S., she said.

The number of abortions rose despite more than a dozen states banning the procedure since June 2022.

Abortion is currently legal in Arizona under certain circumstances including medical emergencies, while several of the states abortion laws are tied up in legal battles.

However, the Guttmacher study pointed out that seven states including Arizona have laws limiting abortion access based on the gestational age, or the first day of a persons last menstrual period.

Data shows that while access to abortion care has dramatically declined in states that have enacted bans, states without total bans saw a 25% uptick in abortions compared with 2020.

Baden linked the abortion increase to work done by clinics and abortion-rights organizations that have helped people in states where the procedure has been banned to access support  particularly in states bordering ban states.

The future of abortion rights

As Burch concluded her speech, she stated that legislative decision-making should be free from political posturing and partisan bias, adding she was a perfect example of why a decision to get an abortion should be between doctor and patient. She ended with the hope that Arizonans had the opportunity to weigh in on abortion this November.

Abortion-rights advocates in Arizona are working on an initiative that would enshrine protections for access to abortions up until fetal viability, which is around 24 weeks.

Other states that have also pushed for the right to abortion to be on Novembers ballot include Nevada, Montana, South Dakota, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Arkansas.

Last week, Vice President Kamala Harris became the first vice president to publicly visit an abortion clinic while in office. During her visit to a Minnesota Planned Parenthood clinic  a stop on her Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour  Harris said that access to reproductive care, including abortions, was a health crisis.

Read more on Harriss historic visit from the Grio: Historic abortion clinic visit by Harris appeals to important voting bloc: Black and brown women

According to a Yahoo/YouGov poll conducted in December, only 26% of Americans say they would vote for a candidate for major office who wants to ban most abortions that were legal under Roe v. Wade.
BALTIMORE  A list of more than 130 donors to a legal-defense fund created to benefit Baltimore officials Nick and Marilyn Mosby will remain hidden from the public under a recent ruling by the Baltimore City Circuit Court.

The fund, which was the subject of an ethics investigation that ultimately found Council President Nick Mosby was in violation of city law, was disbanded nearly two years ago following an order from the Baltimore City Board of Ethics to cease operation.

Still, Baltimore officials have withheld the list of donors to the fund from media outlets including The Baltimore Sun and the Baltimore Brew, arguing they constitute financial information.

In September, Marylands Public Information Act Compliance Board sided with The Sun and the Brew in an appeal, ordering Baltimore to release the complete list of donors who contributed a collective $14,352 to the fund. The board argued the donations were akin to contributions to campaigns which are disclosable under Maryland law.

On Friday, however, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill overturned the compliance boards ruling, arguing the names of donors constitute financial information under a broad interpretation of an exemption to the states Public Information Act. The act requires public agencies to withhold records about the finances of an individual, including assets, income, liabilities, net worth, bank balances, financial history or activities, or creditworthiness.

Fletcher-Hill relied on a 2016 ruling that permitted the Maryland comptroller to withhold specific financial information related to unclaimed funds.

It may be argued that these single transactions, some of them in very small amounts, show little about any persons overall financial position, he wrote. But the same could be said of the minimal information concerning unclaimed funds held by the Comptroller.

The Mosby legal defense fund was created in 2021 to benefit the Mosbys, who at the time were in the midst of a federal investigation into their financial dealings. Nick Mosby wasnt charged. His now ex-wife Marilyn Mosby has been convicted since of two counts of perjury and one count of mortgage fraud.

The fund collected donations from at least 130 contributors, the majority of whom live in Maryland, according to a redacted list provided by the Board of Ethics.

In May 2022, the Board of Ethics found Nick Mosby violated the citys ethics ordinance by indirectly soliciting for the fund and by failing to include it on his annual ethics disclosure form. The board found Mosby received at least two donations from controlled donors  those who seek to do business with the City Council, the council presidents office or the Board of Estimates.

In February 2023, Fletcher-Hill, in a separate court proceeding, upheld the Board of Ethics decision, although he disagreed with the boards finding that Mosby actually received money from the controlled donors.

Last week, Fletcher-Hill found the compliance board erred when it relied on Maryland election law and Internal Revenue Service code to argue that donations to the legal-defense fund are akin to campaign contributions. Donations to candidates are disclosable under election law. Similarly, IRS code, which governs the Mosby legal-defense fund as a Section 527 political organization, requires disclosure of the names and addresses of donors who gave $200 or more.

There is no evidence that the fund, which was controlled by a trustee, ever submitted such a donor list to the IRS. An IRS spokeswoman told The Sun last week that she could not say for certain whether an organization has filed such a list, but the disclosure portal is updated weekly. No donors to the Mosby fund have been reported in the portal.

The exemption for financial information under the Maryland Public Information Act applies unless otherwise provided by law.

Fletcher-Hill said the compliance board failed to harmonize Marylands public information law with state election and federal tax laws.

Where  the agency custodian is not an official charged with administration of the other law, it is too much to expect the custodian to make fine determinations concerning disclosure under the other law,' Fletcher-Hill wrote.

Baltimore Sun Media Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Trif Alatzas said the organization is still considering its response to the ruling.

We are disappointed by this decision and believe it is in the publics interest to know who is providing financial contributions to elected officials, he said. We will assess this ruling and decide our next steps.

_____
Sen. Mike Lang, R-Malta, prepares to speak to supporters of Senate Bill 442 on Monday, May 1, 2023, just ahead of its final Senate passage.

Sen. Mike Lang, R-Malta, prepares to speak to supporters of Senate Bill 442 on Monday, May 1, 2023, just ahead of its final Senate passage. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

Senate Republican leadership is heading up a last-ditch effort to try to block a court-ordered override poll of a popular bill Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed last session, making similar arguments the governor made in a lawsuit and the court has disagreed with multiple times.

The push comes three days after the Montana Supreme Court cleared the way for the poll to be sent out by Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen by the end of Tuesday.

Leadership sent letters Monday signed by most of the Senate GOP caucus to the Montana Supreme Court and Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan, and separately to Gianforte and Jacobsen, saying they believe that the Supreme Courts order from Friday ordering the poll to be sent out is unconstitutional because they say it violates the separation of powers among the three branches of government.

Legislators are elected by the people to represent their interests, Senate President Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, said in a statement. We cannot abide a situation where the peoples voice in Helena is ignored by the other branches of government. Separation of powers demands that only the elected officials closest to the peoplelegislatorsmay make law. The Judicial Branch is overstepping its constitutional bounds on this matter.

None of the letters are official court filings in the governor and secretary of states formal appeal of Menahans January order in which he found the Legislature needed to have some kind of chance to override Gianfortes veto of SB 442.

But the last-ditch questions the Republican lawmakers and governor raise are their latest efforts to avoid an override poll of the bill that passed the full Legislature with votes from 130 out of 150 lawmakers, including every Republican senator except for one. That lone lawmaker, Sen. Brad Molnar, R-Yellowstone County, did not sign either letter on Monday.

The Gianforte Administration also has argued against sending out the poll. However, Gianforte sent Jacobsen a letter Monday with a copy of his veto of Senate Bill 442, saying he wants to comply with the court order but does not have the bill in his possession. Gianforte wrote that it would violate the state constitution to try to get it from the Legislature.

I do not have custody of the original veto message or the actual original bill, and consequently I am unable to provide them. Instead, I provide a copy of my veto message in an attempt to comply with the courts order and while we await the Montana Supreme Courts ruling on the underlying constitutional question about whether the judiciary can manage rules, processes, and political questions that are solely the purview and authority of the Legislature, Gianforte wrote in his letter.

In a news conference late Monday afternoon, Ellsworth said he had the bill in his possession for the past 10 months and held it up for reporters to see. A spokesperson for Senate Republican leadership said as of Monday evening, there was no plan to hand the bill and the veto message back to the governor.

A spokesperson for the Secretary of States Office did not respond to an email seeking details of a timeline or plans for the override poll on Monday.

Senate Bill 442 was a widely supported, bipartisan bill that redistributes Montanas marijuana tax revenue, including new allocations to county road maintenance and a Habitat Legacy conservation program. While most lawmakers supported the bill, the governor and a handful of Republicans balked at it because more money was not going to crime prevention or the General Fund, as they had hoped.

Rylee Sommers-Flanagan, an attorney representing Wild Montana and the Montana Wildlife Federation, which are two of three plaintiffs in the case, said in response to the letters from the lawmakers that they appear to profoundly misunderstand the courts order.

This case has always been about making it clear the legislature is a coequal branch of government and the executive cant use gamesmanship to take their powers away, Sommers-Flangan said in a statement. Ultimately, this is an attempt to shift the discussion away from county roads, conservation funding, and veterans programming  all of which benefit from the bill.

Montana Association of Counties Executive Director Eric Bryson said in a statement that the courts have already agreed that no process allows a sitting governor to issue a pocket veto.

We respect whatever manner the legislature chooses to exercise that right, by participating in the poll or not, but we hope that they choose to vote in favor of legislation that is good for Montana, Bryson said.

Nearly 10 months of court battles follow veto

The arguments made Monday by the Republican legislators about where the bill sits are not novel; the governors attorney raised the point that the Legislature was still in possession of the bill when it filed its appeal of the case last week with the Supreme Court and asked for the stay of the lower courts decision.

In a 6-0 decision a day later, the Supreme Court denied that request and said the override poll needed to go out while the Supreme Court considers the full appeal.

Because the fate of SB 442 could ultimately go either way, a stay denial does not moot Appellants appeal. Appellants have not demonstrated irreparable harm, the six justices wrote in their opinion, which was not signed by Justice Dirk Sandefur.

But the Supreme Court did not address the claim that the bill was still in the hands of the Legislature, and Senate Republican leadership over the weekend started drafting the letter raising the separation-of-powers concerns on their own behalf, though they are not party to the case.

The entire case has involved the interpretation of what in session means for the Legislature and the veto process in the state constitution. Gianforte and Republicans who have been unhappy with SB 442s passage have for 10 months maintained that since the House was still in session that day for several hours after the Senate adjourned, the Legislature was still in session.

But attorneys for the plaintiffs  Wild Montana, the Montana Association of Counties, and Montana Wildlife Federation  have always said that they believe the Legislature was not in session when the veto occurred because the veto message of the bill was never read in front of the Senate chambers that day before the Senate adjourned.

Menahan in January sided with the plaintiffs, saying the framers of the Constitution made it clear that the Legislature needed an opportunity to override a veto no matter when it occurred and that the loophole the governor was using to avoid sending the veto and bill to Jacobsen so she could mail out the override poll needed to be closed.

This creates a situation in which the legislature is deprived of a constitutionally delegated authority on the basis of a procedural anomaly, Menahan said.

Gianforte and Jacobsen both asked for stays of his decision so the poll override wouldnt have to go forward while they appealed to the Supreme Court, but Menahan denied those requests. After Gianforte and Jacobsen filed their notice of appeal last week with the Supreme Court, that court also denied the stay request on Friday.

Republicans say they think court orders are unconstitutional

Ellsworth said in a news conference he had spent the entire weekend trying to figure out how to respond to what he says are unconstitutional orders from Menahan and the Supreme Court.

The letter to the court says the 27 Republican senators who signed on believe the judicial branch is stepping on the Executives and Legislatures toes because they maintain the Legislature was in session when Gianforte vetoed the bill.

The legislature will not participate in an unconstitutional poll, the letter says.

Senate Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, said in the news conference that the situation was an invitation for mischief in the future by which legislators could game out the end of the session to hold onto a bill. The plaintiffs in the case had postulated that the same could be said for a governor who did not like a bill and wished to create a situation where a veto could not be overridden.

Fitzpatrick said at a committee hearing last week he wanted to write new draft rules he said would directly address the court rulings against Republican lawmakers in this case and another involving attorneys fees.

Ellsworth agreed the Legislature is not a party in the case and technically has little say, but he said he felt the purpose of the letters was for the Supreme Court to look at them and do something with them. Fitzpatrick said the letters were not a push toward the governor or secretary of state to disobey either courts orders to conduct the poll.

This is just simply an expression of our point of view, that we think there is a separation of powers issue, Fitzpatrick said. I fully expect the poll to go through unless something happens, unless some other party makes a motion or anything of that nature. But I think this is just more about making sure that our opinion is expressed.

He said he didnt feel it was necessary for the Legislature to seek to intervene as a party to the suit when it was in district court. Ellsworth said the letter was not questioning the bill as a policy but rather the courts determinations in the case so far, while Fitzpatrick, himself an attorney, compared the situation to lawmakers setting rules for how long a court hearing could last.

These are internal operations of the legislature, and I am just really frustrated to think that a court is going to question the internal operations of the legislature when they are not constitutionally based, Fitzpatrick said.

Democrats say Republicans letter is a delay tactic

Democratic legislative leadership saw the Republicans efforts differently. Every Democratic lawmaker supported SB 442 last session.

After months of repeated political tricks and delay tactics by Governor Gianforte, legislators should and will have the opportunity to override the governors veto and make that bill law, Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers, D-Belgrade, said in a statement. He also made the motion to adjourn last May. It is unfortunate that, at the eleventh hour, some Republican legislators are refusing to stand by Montanans and instead are surrendering their constitutional duties to the governor.

In response, Fitzpatrick said that was rich coming from Democrats, saying they did not override vetoes from Democratic governors previously while Republicans have overridden Gianfortes vetoes.

House Minority Leader Kim Abbott, D-Helena, said she still expected an override poll to be issued on Tuesday.

No matter how badly Republican legislators want to give their power away to the governor, the Montana Constitution disagrees with them, Abbott said.

Supreme Court Veto Override Letter

The post Most Senate Republicans send letters accusing Supreme Court of violating separation of powers appeared first on Daily Montanan.
A mother who has been wanted by Indiana police since after her 5-year-old sons body was found inside a suitcase in 2022 was found and arrested last week in Los Angeles, authorities say.

Dejaune Ludie Anderson, 38, is accused of killing her son, Cairo Ammar Jordan, whose remains were found inside a hard-shell suitcase in rural Washington County, Indiana, in April 2022, according to state police.

An arrest warrant was issued for Anderson in October 2022 for the charges of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and obstruction of justice, Indiana State Police said. But the mother avoided arrest for more than a year.

Last week, a detective received information from a concerned citizen that led authorities to find and arrest Anderson in Arcadia, California  a suburb of Los Angeles  as she was trying to board a train on March 14, police said in a news release.

Anderson is being held without bail, Los Angeles County jail records show. She waived extradition during a court appearance Monday and will be returned to Indiana, said the Los Angeles County Public Defenders Office, which represented her in the hearing. It is unclear if Anderson has obtained other legal representation.

The suitcase containing Cairos body had a distinctive Las Vegas design on its front and back and was found by a man foraging for mushrooms in a heavily wooded area, police said at the time.

An autopsy found that the child had died from electrolyte imbalance, likely caused by viral gastroenteritis, according to police. The condition is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines that results in vomiting and diarrhea, which can eventually lead to dehydration, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Another woman, Dawn Elaine Coleman, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was arrested in San Francisco in 2022 in connection with Cairos death, CNN reported.

Coleman eventually pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, with five of those years suspended to probation, Indiana court records show. CNN has reached out to Colemans attorney for comment.

CNNs Amir Vera and Stephanie Gallman contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Editors note: This is issue 46 of Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniaks weekly Ukrainian Economy in Brief newsletter, covering events from March 4- 10, 2024. The digest highlights steps taken in the Ukrainian parliament related to business, economics, and international financial programs.

The Kyiv Independent is republishing with permission.

World Bank priorities

The President can no longer veto the draft law on financial markets, but the Presidential Office found a way to change it in favor of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission's head.

According to the Constitution of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky could have vetoed draft law #5865 on strengthening the independence and institutional capacity of the National Securities and Stock Market Commission (NSSMC) within a period of 15 days after the Presidential Office received a document for signing. However, he still can delay signing.

In Issue 46, we informed that the Head of the NSSMC Ruslan Mahomedov signed a letter in which he asked to veto draft law #5865 as it doesnt include the provisions of increasing salaries and creates a conflict of interest for Mahomedov himself by banning a person to work in the NSSMC if he/she has a relative related to the professional market players.

Read also: Kyiv adopts plan for Ukraine Facility, structural reforms to be implemented

According to our information, respective amendments were submitted to draft laws #9667-1 and #9456. These amendments are expected to meet the above mentioned demands of Mahomedov and change relevant provisions of draft law #5865. After that the president will sign draft law #5865 on financial markets and draft laws #9667-1 and #9456 which contain the amendments to it.

The adoption of the draft law #5865 was one of conditionalities for Ukraine to $1.5 billion from the World Bank guaranteed by Japan.

Obligations to the EU

The president signed the draft law on ethical lobbying.

On March 2, Zelensky signed draft law #10337 on ethical lobbying submitted by the Cabinet of Ministers. Its one of Ukraines obligations within the EU integration process. The law comes into force in two months after the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) launches a public register, but no later than Jan. 1, 2025.

KI Insights

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Moreover, the Verkhovna Rada will consider in the second reading draft law #10373 on administrative responsibility for violations under the lobbying law during the plenary meetings on March 20-21.

Other key economic issues

The Defense Committee is still working on amendments to the draft law on mobilization.



The Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence continues to work on the table of amendments to draft law #10449 on mobilization. On March18, the Committee was scheduled to consider the amendments under the numbers from 636 to 874 out of 4,269.

The majority of lawmakers who were on international business trips last week belong to the ex-pro-Russian faction.

According to the statistics, the week before plenary meetings in Rada were cancelled, the majority of lawmakers from ex-pro-Russian faction were abroad. Fifteen percent (5 out of 34) of lawmakers from the ex Opposition Platform  For Life faction were on international business trips.

At the same time only one out of 20 lawmakers from the Holos faction and seven out of 235 lawmakers of the Zelensky's faction Sluha Narodu were on business trips during this period, nor were any lawmakers from the other opposition factions European Solidarity and Batkivschyna."

Read also: Lawmaker Dubinsky fined over corruption-related offense

Permissions for business trips became a new mechanism of control over lawmakers from the Presidential Office. Decisions of who can go for the international business trip are made exceptionally by the president's office. This mechanism replaced the old ones to control the majority faction Sluha Narodu.

In the past the Presidential Office used encouraging methods for maintaining discipline among Sluha Narodu lawmakers such as money from the state budget for lawmakers districts, quotas for the appointments, financial benefits and so on.

Now punitive methods have replaced encouraging ones. The ban on international business trips is the lightest one. The Presidential Office even uses the control over law enforcement state bodies to open criminal cases against pro-presidential lawmakers and businesses related to them.

The President signed the draft law which should cancel a tax evasion scheme on the tobacco market.



Last week the Zelensky signed draft law #9662 with the amendments to the Tax Code regarding the digitalization of the tax services in Ukraine. Among other provisions the draft law should stop a tax evasion scheme on the illegal tobacco market regarding an exaggeration of raw material losses in tobacco production.

Moreover, on March 15, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the draft law on a slight increase in excise duties on tobacco products and transition from rates in hryvnia to euro from July 1, 2024. We expect the draft law to be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada any time soon.

Deputy head of the Presidential Office promised to present the cash back program by the end of March.

According to Forbes Ukraine, during the KIEF TALK public event Rostyslav Shurma, the deputy head of the Office of the President promised to present the Ukrainian cash back program "Buy Ukrainian" by the end of March.

As President Zelensky announced earlier, Ukrainian citizens will be able to get a refund of a part of the money spent on the purchase of certain Ukrainian goods and services.

Read also: Zelensky unveils new Made in Ukraine economic platform

According to Shurma, the program is already developed, but it still needs to be agreed with international partners. However, neither the Cabinet of Ministers, nor the Presidential Office havent told their estimates how much the implementation of the program will cost the state budget.

As we reported in Issue 45, the idea was met with vast criticism from Ukrainian economists, expert NGOs and business, such as Valerii Pekar, the Center of Economic Strategy, owner of the biggest private post operator Nova Posta and others.

Lawmakers submitted the draft law on launching the Specialized Economic Prosecutor Office to ensure the effectiveness of the Bureau of Economic Security after its restart.

Lawmakers submitted to the Verkhovna Rada the draft law #11087 on launching the Specialized Economic Prosecutor Office (SEPO) according to the best practices of SAP development.

The authors of the draft law are the group of lawmakers led by Yaroslav Zhelezniak. The SEPO won't be a brand new state body, it would be created by reorganizing the relevant departments in the General Prosecutor's Office and separating them into an independent body.

The main aim of the SEPO will be to provide an effective supervision of the Bureau of Economic Security pre-trial investigation and ensure that the bureau only investigates economic crimes within its exclusive jurisdiction.



This draft law is aimed to solve the problem on which some experts pointed out. For example, European Union Anti-Corruption Initiative emphasized that there is a serious risk that any improvements in the work of the bureau can be potentially can be reduced due to the obstacles caused by the lack of competence and integrity of the prosecutors responsible for the procedural management of the bureau's criminal proceedings.

Read also: Monthly chart: Ukraine struggles to cover budget needs for 2 months in a row as foreign financing dwindles

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Transit workers move millions of people around the tri-state region every day.

On Monday, as part of National Transit Worker Appreciation Day, MTA management spent time with front-line workers and highlighted the workers essential roles in the system.

Daniel Ribeiro is a LIRR signal inspector.

We are the lifeline. Im really proud of the crews, Ribeiro said.

New Jersey family raising awareness of rare genetic disorder Trisomy 18

Courtney Williams has 21 years with transit and currently is conductor on the No. 7 line. He had the president of NYC Transit with him in the cab on the job Monday.

Williams is ready for whatever the shift brings.

Ive been called all kinds of names. I say, have a nice day. If I thought about every incident, I would stay home. I was hired to be a transit worker, Williams said.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber worked in stations and spoke with agents and cleaners.

Today is a chance for all of us to show our gratitude to the thousands of workers across the MTA who keep New York moving. Of course, we thank our conductors and operators, station agents and cleaners as I always do when Im out in the system, but also folks like the planners who schedule trips and the technical specialists who maintain our fleet, said Lieber.

They addressed the jobs and safety at a joint media availability after performing some duties together.

The Transport Workers Union has been calling attention to an increase in assaults on workers. A conductor was slashed in the neck on Feb 9. The suspect has not been identified or caught. Recent crimes in the system have included a shooting last on the A train during rush hour.

At the end of the media availability, Chairman Lieber said the most recent NYPD statistics show crime is down.

The city added 1,000 officers to transit patrols and the Governor sent state police and National Guard into the system.

There are an average six felonies a day in a system that has been registering about 4 million rides a day.

Mental health response teams and addressing repeat offenders with district attorneys are also part of upgraded plans.

Cameras are set to be installed on all cars by the end of the year. Platforms that dont have surveillance are also to be equipped with cameras.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Muhammad Syed seen in an undated drivers license photo

An Afghan refugee has been convicted of murder in one of three fatal ambush-style shootings of Muslim men in the US state of New Mexico two years ago.

Muhammad Syed faces life in prison for killing 41-year-old Aftab Hussein on 26 July 2022. He still faces trial for the other two killings.

The three victims were each found gunned down in Albuquerque within the span of a few weeks.

The murders caused widespread fear within the city's Muslim community.

The trial heard that Syed was armed with an AK-47-type rifle when he shot Mr Hussein from behind some bushes.

Prosecutors said the victim's body was "destroyed" by 11 entrance wounds, reports the Albuquerque Journal.

The trial saw mobile phone data showing Syed was in the area when the shooting occurred.

A ballistics expert testified that casings and projectiles from the scene matched a weapon found under Syed's bed.

Defence attorneys argued there was no proof Syed had actually pulled the trigger. They said they would file an appeal after the other two trials.

Syed did not testify and the defence called no witnesses.

Prosecutors acknowledged at the end of the trial that Syed's motive remains unclear.

No evidence was presented that he had ever interacted with Aftab Hussein before the shooting.

Deputy District Attorney David Waymire said outside court on Monday: "As best we can tell, this could be a case of a serial killer where there's a motive known only to them and not something that we can really understand."

Syed is also accused of killing Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, 27, in a drive-by shooting on 1 August 2022.

He will stand trial, too, for the murder of Naeem Hussain, 25, who was shot inside his vehicle on 5 August.

Mr Hussain had recently become a US citizen and had just attended a funeral for two of the other shooting victims before he himself was targeted.

Syed was arrested on 9 August, two days after police distributed a photo of his vehicle.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  Multiple fire departments battled a structure fire early Tuesday southwest of Peck in Sumner County. The fire call came in around 2:30 a.m. in the 400 block of E. 140th Ave N.

Crews from Sumner County Fire 9, Cowley County Fire District IV, Mulvane Fire Rescue, Wellington Fire/EMS, and Clearwater Fire Department assisted in battling the flames.

Wichita-area car dealer indicted by grand jury

Officials say the structure is a total loss. No injuries were reported.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
A defendant attacked his attorney with a pen, then lunged toward a deputy district attorney at the A.F. Bray Courts Building in Martinez, Calif., on Monday. (Google Maps)

An Oakland man on trial in the killing of his ex-girlfriend cut through a lap restraint and attacked his attorney with a pen, then lunged toward the prosecutor, creating a chaotic courtroom scene Monday as a Contra Costa County jury watched, officials said.

Ramello Randle, 28, is now facing additional charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and battery, said Jimmy Lee, spokesperson for the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff.

His defense attorney, Matt Fregi, said he harbored "no ill will toward" his client, who had already cycled through several attorneys before him.

"Nothing serious," he said of his injuries. "Everyone thought it was a lot more serious than what it was."

Read more: D.A. accuses Rebecca Grossman of 'illegal conduct' from jail, her legal team of jury tampering

Randle is accused of working with Christopher Slaughter to track 24-year-old Jonaye Lahkel Bridges with a GPS attached to her car in July 2020. Bridges and Randle had been embroiled in a bitter child custody battle. Prosecutors said Randle followed her to a 7-Eleven in Antioch and fired into her car, where she was sitting with another man. The man was hit by gunfire but survived. Bridges was killed.

Slaughter, who was a co-defendant in the case, earlier took a plea deal.

Outbursts in Randle's case are nothing new, and this fracas raises questions about whether Superior Court Judge John W. Kennedy, who is presiding over the case, will declare a mistrial.

In 2022, a previous judge declared a mistrial after Randle, who had been representing himself, unleashed what the Bay Area News Group described as "chaotic, profanity-ridden pandemonium." He cycled through several attorneys after losing his right to represent himself, including one whom the outlet said he "took a swing at" in open court last year.

Read more: Stalked with an AirTag? A class-action lawsuit against Apple in California will move forward

On Monday, the attorneys at A.F. Bray Courthouse in Martinez had hoped the case would be coming to a close. Jurors had been listening to the defense's final witness, Randle's brother, around 11 a.m. when, according to a source at the scene, Randle jammed the pen into Fregi's head and again near his jaw. He then headed toward Deputy Dist. Atty. Kevin Bell, who had been standing near the jury box. But he never reached him.

"The courtroom was immediately cleared," sheriff's spokesperson Lee said. "The Fire Department responded to assess both of the attorneys, who refused medical attention."

Bell is "fine," having only a scratch on his finger, said Ted Asregadoo, a spokesperson for the Contra Costa County district attorney. The case will resume Tuesday.

"We hopefully decide to forge ahead," Fregi said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Bloomberg) -- A federal judge in Utah took the extremely unusual step of sanctioning the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying that the regulator abused its authority in a case against crypto platform Digital Licensing Inc., known as DEBT Box.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The SECs conduct constitutes a gross abuse of the power entrusted to it by Congress and substantially undermined the integrity of these proceedings and the judicial process, Robert Shelby, a federal district court judge in Salt Lake City, said in an 80-page legal filing on Monday. He also ordered the agency to pay DEBT Boxs attorneys fees and other costs related to the restraining order that the regulator had sought against the crypto platform.

An SEC spokesperson said the regulator is reviewing the decision. Richard Hong, an attorney for DEBT Box, declined to comment.

The SEC sued DEBT Box in July 2023, accusing the crypto platform of defrauding investors of at least $49 million. The same month, Shelby froze the companys assets and put the company into receivership at the SECs request.

However, the freeze was later reversed after the court found that the SEC may have made materially false and misleading representations in the process.

In one example cited by Shelby, when the SEC asked for its freeze against DEBT Box, Michael Welsh, an SEC attorney, said that DEBT Box was moving investor funds abroad. After DEBT Box disputed that statement, Welsh told the court that he did not have direct evidence of investor funds being moved overseas, and that he was making an inference based in part on a YouTube video by a DEBT Box official.

According to Shelby, the regulators misconduct wasnt limited to a single misstatement or imprecise comment. Each piece of evidence the SEC used to seek and later defend the emergency restrictions against DEBT Box proved to be some combination of false, mischaracterized, and misleading, he said in the Monday order.

Story continues

The SECs enforcement chief, Gurbir Grewal, apologized to Shelby for mistakes make in the DEBT Box case in December. Welsh also apologized for his conduct. Grewal said he would mandate new training for SEC enforcement staff on the standards needed when seeking emergency relief.

Last month, several Republican senators sent a letter to SEC Chair Gary Gensler, saying cases such as the one involving DEBT Box undermine the publics trust in the regulators enforcement actions.

Some in the crypto industry, which has been locked in a bitter fight with the SEC, took to social media to spotlight the judges rebuke on Monday.

However, Shelby emphasized that the Monday order shouldnt be read as providing an opinion on the underlying merits of the SECs case, which the court hasnt yet been able to evaluate. This Order focuses exclusively on the Commissions conduct. The judge also denied the agencys motion to dismiss the case.

Regulatory agencies require supervision by people who understand the gravity of the matters they are supervising, said Paul Pelletier, a former federal prosecutor who now works as a consultant. It sounds like the supervisors were asleep at the switch here.

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
The Johnson Space Center welcomed 12 new astronauts  10 Americans and two from the United Arab Emirates  after the class completed a two-year training program through NASA.

These astronauts will be assigned missions to the International Space Station and future commercial space stations, and will also focus on missions to the moon in preparation for Mars.

Luke Delaney, a retired United States Marine Corps major from DeBary, Florida, said graduating from the program was a dream  for some, a dream that was decades in the making.

MASSIVE COMET WITH OUTBURSTS OF BRIGHTNESS MAKES ITS APPROACH TOWARD SUN

When putting on his spacesuit, Delaney said he felt like he made it.

"The first time you put that on, and youre getting in the water, its impressive. You just feel like youve made it in some ways," he shared.

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The class, which was made up of scientists, doctors, engineers and researchers, was chosen two years ago from over 12,000 applicants.

After making the cut, they moved to Houston and have been training physically and mentally for their first spaceflight.

The 2024 NASA astronauts were chosen from a group of 12,000 applicants and moved to Houston to train for their upcoming missions.

Jack Hathaway, a commander in the United States Navy from South Windsor, Connecticut, described the different types of training the astronauts underwent as part of the training program.

JUAN WILLIAMS' NEPHEW IS PART OF NASA'S NEW CLASS OF ASTRONAUTS

"We learned about the space station systems. We learned to speak a little bit of Russian. We learned how to fly the T-38. We do spacesuit training in the neutral buoyancy lab. And, we learned how to operate the Canadian arm  the robotic arm thats on the space station right now," Hathaway said.

The 2024 astronauts completed training in a neutral buoyancy lab.

Hathway shared his excitement about all the opportunities available to astronauts, declaring there is "really not a bad job in the astronaut office."

"Theres so much in front of us right now. Whether its a Starliner flight or a Dragon flight, or getting to work on a development program or to work on current operations with whats going on in the space station right now," Hathaway said.

4 ISS ASTRONAUTS FROM 4 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES RETURN TO EARTH AFTER REPLACEMENTS ARRIVE

Though they won't immediately hop on a flight, the new astronauts are prepared for their time out of this world.

"The science that were doing on the International Space Station, theres nowhere else in the universe that we can do that science. Were learning things about medicine and the human body. Space gives us a laboratory to work with that we dont have here on the ground," said Chris Williams, a medical physicist from Boston.

Astronauts complete training in NASA labs for two years before they graduate from the program.

The Johnson Space Center director said it will be at least one year until any of the newly graduated astronauts get their first flight assignment.

Applications are now open for the next round of astronauts.





Original article source: NASA welcomes its newest class of astronauts after two-year training in Houston
On March 15, Joe Pitts, the mayor of Clarksville, said it took him three hours to drive the 80 miles from his city to Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.

In recent years, it has taken me that long to drive from my home in Nashville to Knoxville (180 miles away) or to Birmingham, Alabama (191 miles away).

I was going to the same venue as Pitts and the state of traffic congestion  including a partially closed ramp going to the Interstate 24 and I-40 divide  caused my one-way commute of 45 miles to last an hour and 15 minutes.

Greater Nashville Regional Council Executive Director Michael Skipper, the event keynote speaker, told the audience that they should expect traffic will get worse due to the soaring population increases in the area and the strain on infrastructure and resources.

I am not happy about that news either.

Expect Nashville traffic to worsen

The inaugural event was called A Forum on Growth and Challenges in Middle Tennessee sponsored by MTSU's Jennings and Rebecca Jones Chair of Excellence Urban and Regional Planning and Cumberland Region Tomorrow, an organization that focuses on creating sustainable growth in 10 counties across Middle Tennessee.

Greater Nashville Regional Council Executive Director Michael Skipper was the keynote speaker at A Forum on Growth and Challenges in Middle Tennessee on MTSU's campus, March 15, 2024.

The previous day, the U.S. Census released updated figures showing that the greater metropolitan area of Nashville was growing at a rate equivalent to 86 new people a day.

The growth is not expected to stop any time soon, but if our state and local leaders cannot find a sustainable way to hone that growth, citizens will face even worse commutes, higher garbage bills and housing costs that are increasingly out of reach for most people.

Nobody I know wants any of that.

Column: Nashville neighbors fear zoning reform will spur 'voodoo housing' and 'woohoo tourism'

It's starting to feel more crowded in Middle Tennessee

Census numbers released on March 14 show the gain in 10 Middle Tennessee counties' population in 2023 and the percentage growth from 2022:

Traffic on the highway moves slowly down the road while cars enter the highway at a trickle with the ramp from Rossview Road ramp at Exit 8 on I-24 South in Clarksville, Tenn., on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021.

Cheatham: 42,254 (+1.17%)

Davidson: 712,334 (+0.70%)

Dickson : 55,729 (+1.8%)

Maury: 110,760 (+2.56%)

Montgomery: 239,872 (+2.12%)

Robertson: 76,776 (+1.83%)

Rutherford: 376,101 (+1.78%)

Sumner: 207,994 (+2.1%)

Williamson: 264,460 (+1.43%)

Wilson: 163,674 (+3.2%)

The Nashville region grew by more than 30,000 people in a year. If you felt the roads get more crowded, you weren't imagining things.

The opposite of growth is shrinking, but longtime residents, especially, are getting tired of the decline in quality of life. Finding a balance is nearly impossible when the infrastructure is not keeping up with the demand.

How are we going to pay for all this growth?

After Skipper's remarks at the MTSU forum, I moderated a conversation with three city mayors, including Pitts of Clarksville, Ken Moore of Franklin and Paige Brown of Gallatin.

Clarksville City Mayor Joe Pitts speaks during a press conference in Clarksville, Tenn., Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023.

Among the topics we discussed were:

Does growth pay for itself?

What should cities do about housing needs and solid waste?

What are the right regional approaches toward transportation?

All three answered "no" to the first question on growth paying for itself.

Franklin Mayor Dr. Ken Moore during a forum at City Hall in Franklin , Tenn., Monday, Oct. 2, 2023.

Tennessee's low-tax environment is attracting many new residents, but cities and counties are limited on how to pay for services because there is no state income tax. In fact, in 2014, state voters agreed to amend the Tennessee Constitution to forever prohibit a state income tax.

Most municipalities rely primarily on property and sales taxes to pay for public services. Only some can levy impact fees to charge for the cost of development.

A solution: State lawmakers should initiate a study to find out what every county's individuals needs are and provide fair and equal tools and options that allow them to keep up with paying for public services.

On garbage, GNRC, the group Skipper leads, has a task force on solid waste looking at regional approaches because Middle Point Landfill in Rutherford County, which services Nashville, for example, only has a life span of about six more years.

Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown, Gallatin Area Chamber of Commerce and Grace Place Ministry were some of the featured guests in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony on March 4, 2022.

A solution: Initiate municipal pilot programs throughout the state that incent and perhaps even require composting to separate food waste from garbage that goes into the landfill. The cost of doing nothing, as one panelist said, is that citizens' solid waste bills could one day be as high as their electric bills.

Then, there's the issue of housing. There are more people moving into the region than available housing at a variety of price points. We have a supply issue that will require local policy that will not be preempted by the state. Lawmakers need to make this an urgent priority because this is affecting every part of the state, not just the urban areas.

On roads, even though there have been efforts over the last decade by two governors to invest in highways and infrastructure  former Gov. Bill Haslam's IMPROVE Act and current Gov. Bill Lee's Transportation Modernization Act  Tennessee continues to fall behind on keeping up with the growth and impact of commuters and commercial transportation today.

A solution: Tennessee has maintained a policy of "pay-as-you-go" on building roads, but the state should consider ways to reform how the Volunteer State pays for the construction. That should include the possibility of borrowing money  something state leaders have been reluctant to do.

A comprehensive transit plan in Nashville may be the start for a strong regional system in the future. Nashville-Davidson County voters will get their say in a Nov. 5 referendum.

Additionally, look into options not to do highway construction work during the day to avoid keeping people from getting to their destinations on time, be it work, a shopping trip or an event.

As growth surges and infrastructure lags, we need new and creative thinking before congestion turns into constriction.

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville population: Traffic, housing worsen. Something must change
Today is National Ag Day, which means the Tennessee State Capitol will hold the annual Ag Day on the Hill to highlight Tennessee agriculture.

National Ag Day, organized by the Agriculture Council of America, shines a light on the nation's agriculture industry. The Tennessee State Capitol takes part in National Ag Day by holding Ag Day on the Hill with recreational activities and a House Ag Subcommittee meeting.

Global economic influence contributed to a decrease in Tennessees agriculture revenue in 2023, according to the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, dropping the price of corn, cotton, soybean and wheat, below the five-year average despite huge crop yields.

Here's what to know about National Ag Day and Ag Day on the Hill in Tennessee.

What is the goal of National Ag Day?

National Ag Day recognizes the 2% of the American population that produces most of the nations food and is part of National Ag Week.

"It's a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture," according to the National Ag Day website. "Every year, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture."

Educational aspects include understanding how food and fiber products are produced and how agriculture helps maintain a strong economy.

What to know about Ag Day on the Hill at the Tennessee State Capitol

Tennessee agriculture is recognized on the Tennessee state seal, with a plow and the sheaf of a wheat and a cotton stalk, so there is a natural connection between Capitol Hill and National Ag Day.

Ag Day on the Hill began 16 years ago. Past activities have included shucking corn and guest appearances by farm animals. Each year a contest  which is not made public until the day of  takes place. Past contests include timber-cutting and cow-milking.

Ag Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, throws a bale of hay during agriculture day at the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Last year during Ag Day on the Hill, 19,000 pounds of sweet potatoes were bagged and distributed to Nashville area churches and food kitchens, as well as food pantries across 12 Middle Tennessee counties.

This year, the Tennessee Agri-Tourism Association organized a straw bale throwing contest between Gov. Bill Lee, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, and several members of the General Assembly.

After throws by four teams representing the House, Senate, executive branch, and Attorney General's office, Sens. Page Walley, R-Savannah, and Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun were crowned "Tennessee Straw Toss Titans"  having tossed a 33-pound straw bale a combined distance of 57.8 feet.

Sen. Page Walley, R-Savannah, Sen. Steve Southerland, R-Morristown, and Sen. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, win the bale of hay throwing contest during agriculture day at the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Even in Nashville, agriculture is visible in the middle of the city. Tennessee State's agricultural program has more than doubled in the past 10 years, with a huge acreage visible from Ed Temple Boulevard.

What are the top 5 Tennessee agricultural commodities?

Soybeans yielded the most value of Tennessee agriculture production in 2023 at $1.09 billion, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Broiler chickens ($973 million), corn ($691 million), cattle ($687 million) and hay ($549,710,000) were the next most profitable.

Other top Tennessee agriculture commodities include wheat, cotton, tobacco, fresh-market tomatoes and dairy products.

How many farms are in Tennessee?

There were 63,100 farms in Tennessee in 2023, according to the USDA. The operations yielded crops and livestock worth $4.5 billion in production value. The total economic impact was $89 billion, according to the Tennessee Farm Bureau.

A portion of the crop yield is sold direct to consumers at Tennessees 129 farmers markets.

What percentage of Tennessee is farmland?

Tennessee agriculture is more prevalent that people might think. Farmland makes up 39.6% of the states land, according to the Tennessee Farm Bureau.

 The Tennessean reporter Vivian Jones contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What is National Ag Day? How it's celebrated in Tennessee
VIRGINIA (WFXR)  As wildfires have been raging across the state, including a 75-acre fire on 12 OClock Knob Road in Roanoke County, the National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of Southwest and Central Virginia along and east of the Blue Ridge. On Wednesday, March 20.

From 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., strong winds and low relative humidity will create optimal dry conditions in the area and increase the chances for fires to start and spread.

Wind gusts can reach 40-45 mph with a relative humidity of as low as 20%.

Fire at Twelve OClock Knob Road burns 75 acres, 80% contained

There is currently a burn ban for all open fires in effect in Roanoke County, including recreational fires until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, March 22.

The affected areas include Alleghany County, Amherst County, Appomattox County, Bath County, Bedford County, Botetourt County, Campbell County, Central Virginia Blue Ridge, Charlotte County, Craig County, Eastern Highland County, Western Highland County, Franklin County, Halifax County, Henry County, Patric County, Pittsylvania County, and Roanoke County, Rockbridge County.

You can get all the latest updates on WFXRs Virginia Wildfire Information page.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Armenia for the first time during his 10 years in office and discussed the situation in the South Caucasus with the country's leadership, NATO's press service announced on March 19.

Traditionally aligned with Russia in its regional conflict against Azerbaijan, Armenia has experienced heightened tensions with Russia after Russian "peacekeepers" did nothing to prevent Azerbaijan's September 2023 offensive into Nagorno-Karabakh.

On the last day of his tour of the South Caucasus, Stoltenberg traveled to Yerevan to meet Armenia's President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, according to a press release published on NATO's website.

As part of the tri-nation tour, Stoltenberg previously visited Georgia and Azerbaijan. "We support your sovereignty and territorial integrity  and we support your efforts to strengthen your democracy, and achieve full Euro-Atlantic integration," he told Georgian leaders on March 17.

Stoltenberg praised Armenia for being a long-standing partner of NATO and welcomed the country's contributions to the alliance's missions and operations, including increased troops in the NATO-led international peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.

Stoltenberg and Pashinyan discussed "the importance of stability in the South Caucasus," with the NATO chief urging Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach an agreement "to pave the way for the normalization of relations and a durable peace."

"This matters for Euro-Atlantic security as we face a more dangerous world," he said at a joint press conference with Pashinyan.

"NATO supports Armenian sovereignty and territorial integrity and your peaceful aspirations."

Pashinyan said on March 12 that Armenia would leave the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) if the military alliance fails to address Armenia's collective security concerns. Armenia had previously "frozen" its participation in the CSTO.

Read also: Armenia asks Russian peacekeepers stationed at Yerevans airport to leave

At the press conference, Stoltenberg also mentioned Russia's war against Ukraine, welcomed Armenia's solidarity with Kyiv, and urged other partners to increase their support for Ukraine.

"If (Russian President Vladimir) Putin succeeds in Ukraine, there is a real risk that his aggression will not stop there. And other authoritarian actors will be emboldened."

Stoltenberg and Pashinyan also discussed the progress in Armenia's domestic reforms, including anti-corruption efforts and commitments to strengthen the country's democratic institutions and uphold the rule of law.

Since coming to power in a 2018 revolution, Pashinyan's government has steadily deepened the country's ties with the West while drawing condemnation from Russia.

In recent months, Armenia has further sought to distance itself from Russia - repeatedly accusing Moscow of being an unreliable partner.

Armenia's Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan revealed earlier in March that the country is considering applying for membership in the European Union, aiming to strengthen ties with the West.

In January 2024, Armenia joined the International Criminal Court, becoming one of 124 countries obliged to arrest Putin if he steps foot in national territory. The Kremlin decried the move as an "unfriendly step" and "the wrong decision."

Read also: Russias peacekeeper act crumbles as Azerbaijan overwhelms Nagorno-Karabakh

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Stoltenberg says presidential elections in Russia 'neither free nor fair'

NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that presidential elections in Russia were "neither free nor fair".

Speaking at a news conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, Stoltenberg added that Russia's organisation of elections "in occupied parts of Georgia and Ukraine" was "completely illegal".

"Georgia is facing complex security challenges. Russia persists in its pursuit of its imperial ambitions, and in Ukraine, the situation on the battlefield remains difficult. So, it is vital that we continue to step up our support," he added.

Stoltenberg, who was in Georgia's capital as part of his South Caucasus trip, met with the country's Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze. They discussed Black Sea security problems and the strengthening of Georgia's NATO cooperation.

Kobakhidze thanked the NATO Secretary-General for supporting Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Stoltenberg arrived in Tbilisi from Baku where he discussed cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO with officials from Azerbaijan's Defense and Foreign ministries.

On Sunday Stoltenberg met with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

His tour concludes on Tuesday in Armenia.
Navarro on what its like reporting to prison: Im pissed. Thats what Im feeling right now

Ex-Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro said hes feeling pissed that hes going to prison, which he reported to Tuesday to begin serving a four-month sentence in Miami for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena.

Im pissed. Thats what Im feeling right now, he said. But Im also afraid of only one thing. Im afraid for this country, because this, what theyre doing, should have a chilling effect regardless of their party.

They come for me, they can come for you, Navarro continued.

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts shot down Navarros last-ditch effort to remain free this week when the former Trump adviser sought to appeal his contempt of Congress conviction.

Navarro opened the press conference, held in a parking lot next to the prison, by addressing the reporters in the crowd. He said the little story Tuesday is that he is going to prison, but suggested they might want to report on and even do some research on two larger stories.

The ex-Trump White House economic adviser suggested the reporters fact-check him on an unprecedented assault on the constitutional separation of powers and the partisan weaponization of our justice system since former President Trump was elected.

When I walk in that prison today, the justice system, such as it is, will have done a crippling blow to the constitutional separation of powers and the executive privilege, he said.

Navarro, 74, was convicted last year of two counts of contempt of Congress. One count was for failing to produce documents related to the probe, and another was for skipping his deposition before the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

The district judge barred Navarro from using executive privilege as part of his defense.

The former Trump adviser said he doesnt want Trump to pardon him if he wins reelection this fall, and thinks the Supreme Court will decide his case on its merits.

He criticized President Biden and the Democrats for not granting him a release pending his appeal, which means he will already have done his time before the court would review the appeal.

But that is the price of living in Joe Bidens America right now, Navarro said. God bless you all. Ill see you on the other side.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ASHEVILLE  In a new legal filing, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein moved to dismiss counterclaims brought by HCA Healthcare regarding the health care conglomerates alleged breach of contract at Mission Hospital.

Stein, who is the Democratic nominee for governor, sued HCA Dec. 14, alleging that the Nashville-based company did not provide the level of emergency and cancer care at Mission it agreed to when it bought the hospital system in 2019. The case is being heard in North Carolina Business Court in front of Judge Julianna Theall Earp.

HCA responded Feb. 13, arguing that the company adhered to the agreement and the contract did not require the hospital to comply with any quality or quantity of care standards. The company filed two counterclaims, asking the court to declare that HCA did not breach the 2019 contract and that the agreement does not require HCA to meet subjective healthcare standards.

Attorney General Josh Stein speaks at Urban Orchard in his bid for governor, October 11, 2023, in Asheville.

In the filing, HCA touted its efforts to deliver high-quality care in Western North Carolina, pointing to capital investments in Mission facilities, which are partially mandated by the 2019 contract. It noted increases for nursing wages and education, despite the hospitals nurses union consistently criticizing Mission leadership over inadequate staffing. The union also took credit for wage increases in 2022.

The filing mentioned Missions stellar performance on Leapfrog and Healthgrades, ratings systems which have been called into question for their integrity and reflection on overall quality of care in a preliminary report from Wake Forest Professor of Law and Public Health Mark A. Hall, and a 2019 report published in the New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst.

"Current hospital quality rating systems often offer conflicting results  a hospital might rate best on one rating system and worst on another," lead author of Rating the Raters: An Evaluation of Publicly Reported Hospital Quality Rating Systems Dr. Karl Bilimoria said in a 2019 statement. Bilimoria then was director of the Northwestern Medicine Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center.

Steins motion to dismiss the counterclaims, filed March 14, took aim at the argument made by HCAs attorneys.

HCAs counterclaims suffer several flaws, including that they rest on a misreading of the (2019 contract) and present a factual narrative that has been flatly contradicted by patient experience, news reports, and an investigation by a federal agency, the lawsuit reads.

The attorney general pointed to the recent immediate jeopardy finding from the federal government, which meant that conditions at Mission Hospital placed patients at risk of serious injury, harm or death. Immediate jeopardy conditions at the hospital have been removed, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, but Mission remains noncompliant with federal Medicare conditions for participation. The hospital become substantially compliant with the regulations by June 5, or risk losing its Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements.

Mission Hospital is seen from Riverside Drive in Asheville, March 7, 2024.

Steins filing asks the court to dismiss HCAs counterclaims, saying that the attorney general is protected by sovereign immunity. This dictates that a party can sue the state of North Carolina only after the state gives its consent, or after waiving the protection. Stein did not waive his immunity, and HCA did not allege that he did, the filing argues. His filing also argued that HCA's claims were redundant because the court will settle those questions over Stein's breach of contract claims.

"As we noted in our filing, although it is enough for now that HCAs counterclaims are procedurally flawed, they are also factually inaccurate," attorney general's office spokesperson Nazneen Ahmed told the Citizen Times in a March 18 email.

A meeting to discuss case governance will be 11 a.m. March 20 through video conference.

In a report filed to the court, the two sides disagreed over the pacing of the case. Steins office requested more time for discovery, for HCA to serve expert reports, to prepare for deposition and trial. HCA gave a schedule that would begin the trial in late October. If attorneys file at Steins requested deadlines, the trial would begin April 2025 at the earliest, after he leaves office.

"We are confident that Mission has fulfilled its obligations under the Asset Purchase Agreement, and we intend to defend the lawsuit filed by the Attorney General aggressively," Mission Health spokesperson Nancy Lindell told the Citizen Times in a March 18 statement.

More: Proposed schedule for HCA, Stein case released: Sides disagree over pacing, trial start

More: NC Attorney General Josh Stein sues HCA Healthcare and Mission Hospital

More: HCA and Mission respond to lawsuit, denying breach of contract allegations; ask to dismiss

Mitchell Black covers Buncombe County and health care for the Citizen Times. Email him at mblack@citizentimes.com or follow him on Twitter @MitchABlack. Please help support local journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Lawsuit: Josh Stein asks court to dismiss HCA Healthcare counterclaims
In a post-January 6 world, when people named Donald Trump still go around spreading lies about a stolen election, its best to avoid doing anything that might further fuel dangerous conspiracies.

Some Democrats are learning the hard way that they have to be careful about what they say, especially if the party wishes to truly separate itself from the Republican Party and its tolerance of Trumps election denialism.

In North Carolina, for example, a Democratic lawmaker is facing criticism after he filed a protest alleging election irregularities in his primary election loss to a progressive challenger. N.C. Rep. Michael Wray, one of several moderate Democrats under fire for siding with Republicans on key legislation, appeared to have lost in House District 27 to teacher Rodney Pierce by a slim margin of 0.36%.

But Wray filed an election protest last week raising issues with the vote in all three counties in the district. Among Wrays concerns: multiple voters were given the wrong ballots when they went to the polls, and some voters were wrongly turned away. Wray also claimed that, at one precinct, a poll worker on site was urging people to vote for Pierce. His protest asks for an investigation into the alleged irregularities and an updated vote count.

The number of irregularities Wray is alleging is less than the approximately three dozen votes separating him from Pierce, and Wray has acknowledged that his protests may not change the outcome of the race. Wray has also formally requested a recount, which state law allows in races with a margin of less than 1%.

Wrays protest was met with criticism from left-leaning groups, including the Young Democrats of North Carolina, the NC State AFL-CIO and the League of Conservation Voters, who all called on Wray to concede the race. Pierce also spoke out, saying in a statement that in a time of a crisis of faith in our institutions, spreading conspiracy theories about our election process is wrong and it has real consequences.

Wray did not respond to my request for comment.

Wray is certainly not the first candidate to file a protest in an extremely close race, and he isnt the first Democrat to do so, either. Democrat Cheri Beasley filed protests across the state contending thousands of votes were wrongly disqualified  and requested a recount  in 2020 after trailing Republican Paul Newby by just a few hundred votes in the race for state Supreme Court chief justice.

Of course, that was before Trump and his supporters tried to overturn a legitimate election, so its certainly understandable why some might be more alarmed to see similar behavior today.

A great example of what not to do happened this month in California, when Rep. Katie Porter decisively lost the primary for Californias open U.S. Senate seat to Adam Schiff. In a statement following her loss, Porter said that there was an onslaught of billionaires spending millions to rig this election. It was an ill-advised way to phrase her frustration with the amount of outside spending in the race. After receiving criticism, however, Porter chose to double down and said the vote had been manipulated by dishonest means.

Thats inappropriate, and Democrats must resist the temptation to use any kind of rhetoric that could further undermine trust in elections, especially if they are going to frame themselves as the party of small-d democracy. While Porter may have felt the odds were stacked against her in the Senate race, words like rigged and manipulated cross the line of insinuating foul play.

To his credit, Wray is not using that kind of language, but he does need to tread carefully. If he is simply exercising his right to protest the results in good faith  based on legitimate concerns that were brought to his attention  thats one thing. But if he is using it as a tool to challenge an election outcome he doesnt like, thats unacceptable, and too closely resembles the legal paths Trump and his supporters took to try to overturn the 2020 election in several states.

What matters most is how Wray  and any other candidate in his position  responds after his claims are addressed. State law gives him the right to have his concerns heard, but if election officials decide his claims are unfounded, he must accept defeat and concede, without further casting doubt upon the result. Thats the true difference between respecting democracy and denying it.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The White House says Israels Prime Minister Benajamin Netanyahu has agreed to send a delegation to Washington in coming days to hear U.S. warnings against Israels invasion of Rafah, Gazas most densely populated city.

More than a million people have taken refuge in Rafahthey have nowhere else to go, said White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

The agreement was announced following the presidents first phone call with the prime minister in more than a month.

Despite repeated warnings from the Biden administration, on Sunday Netanyahu vowed to continue Israels military campaign in Rafah to take out key Hamas targets.

Were going to continue military pressure, said Netanyahu.

Sullivan says Israels current plan would exhaust an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza and make it nearly impossible to deliver aid inside.

We share the goal of defeating Hamas, we just believe in a coherent strategy to make that happen, said Sullivan.

Monday, the United Nations citing a new report, warned hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will starve without an immediate ceasefire.

Famine in the northern part of Gaza is imminent, said U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

Sullivan said the Biden administration and partners in Qatar are still pushing for a ceasefire deal to pause fighting and release hostages but described the process as elusive.

Sunday, Netanyahu said hes hoping for diplomatic solution but called Hamas demands outlandish.

Last week, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), citing the growing death toll in Gaza and Netanyahus refusal to support a Palestinian state, called for new leadership in Israel.

Schumer is the highest ranking Jewish official in the U.S.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas.) called Schumers comments inappropriate and embarrassing, adding that U.S. leaders should not undercut Israels democracy.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

The SEC is cracking down on investment advisers is says falsely claim to use AI.

The agency settled with two advisers, Delphia and Global Predictions, who agreed to pay fines of $225,000 and $175,000, respectively.

"Investment advisers should not mislead the public by saying they are using an AI model when they are not. Such AI washing hurts investors," SEC chair Gary Gensler said.

The SEC is beginning to crack down on companies it says are "AI washing."

In a release on Monday, the agency announced that they had settled with two investment advisers, who agreed to pay six-figure fines after being charged with "making false and misleading statements about their use of artificial intelligence."

The firms, Delphia (USA) and Global Predictions, agreed to pay penalties of $225,000 and $175,000 respectively.

The decision arrives about a month after SEC chair Gary Gensler warned investors about misleading claims of AI use and highlighted the potential risks of AI to financial stability.

"We've seen time and again that when new technologies come along, they can create buzz from investors as well as false claims by those purporting to use those new technologies," Gensler said per the release. "Investment advisers should not mislead the public by saying they are using an AI model when they are not. Such AI washing hurts investors."

Delphia, a Toronto-based firm, was charged for saying they used AI and machine learning to figure out which companies and trends would take off and invest in them before everyone else, which the SEC claimed was false. Global Predictions was charged for saying they were the "first regulated AI financial advisor" and that they provided "[e]xpert AI-driven forecasts"  claims also disputed by the SEC.

The release also noted that Delphia and Global Predictions settled without admitting or denying the SEC's findings.

As the AI hype multiplies and sweeps across all industries, it's gathering increasing scrutiny from the government watchdog. The SEC issued an investor alert in January, warning about AI and investment fraud.

"Individual investors should know that bad actors are using the growing popularity and complexity of AI to lure victims into scams," the alert said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday suggested the invasion of Rafah in Gaza will be unavoidable to eliminate Hamas forces, despite warnings from U.S. officials.

Speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netayanahu said there is no alternative to the invasion, which he argues is necessary to wipe out Hamas.

There is no alternative to this. We cannot go around it; neither can we say we will destroy 80 percent of Hamas and leave 20 percent, because from that 20 percent, they will reorganize and take over the Strip again and  of course  constitute a new threat to Israel, Netanyahu said.

This requires the elimination of the remaining battalions in Rafah and of course, the 1.5 battalions in the camps in the center. We are determined to do this, he said.

Netanyahu told the committee about his Monday call with President Biden and said he made it as clear as possible that Israel is determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah, and there is no way to do this without a ground incursion.

Biden and other U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed concerns over Israels plans for Rafah, a city in Gaza that shares a border with Egypt. Millions of people seeking refuge are being housed in the region after being evacuated from other parts of the enclave since the start of the war in early October.

Netanyahu acknowledged what he called a debate with American leaders over the need to enter Rafah while maintaining he agrees with President Biden on wanting to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and helping facilitate their exit from the territory.

We have been doing this since the beginning of the war, Netanyahu noted.

White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Monday told reporters that Netanyahu has agreed to send senior officials to Washington, D.C. this week to further discuss Israels military plans.

Tensions between the Biden administration and Netanyahu have risen in recent weeks. On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) gave a speech on the Senate floor starkly criticizing Netanyahus handling of the war and arguing a new government was needed in Israel.

More than 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed since Israel began an offensive last year in response to a brutal attack by Hamas that left around 1,200 dead in Israel.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu said Israel will not be getting off the gas, in its attacks in Gaza while maintaining he will try to minimize civilian casualties.

Well, Im telling you that were not getting off the gas. Im telling you that we have to take care of Israels security in our future, and that requires eliminating the terrorist army. Thats a prerequisite for victory, he told Fox and Friends earlier this month.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The International Court of Justice has been making headlines around the world (Remko de Waal)

From conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East to salt mining in Brazil -- courts in the Netherlands have become Ground Zero in a global legal battlefield with far-reaching implications.

A strong legal tradition, home to many multinationals and international organisations, and global ease of reach: the country has several trump cards making it the preferred legal arbiter of choice.

Three months into 2024, the city of The Hague's two most influential international courts have already cast headline-grabbing rulings on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the spiralling conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

In early March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for two high-ranking Russian commanders, while in January the UN's top International Court of Justice (ICJ) handed down emergency measures telling Israel to boost aid in Gaza and to protect its population.

At the same time, a local civil court handed down a landmark judgement halting the supply of F-35 fighter jet parts from the Netherlands to Israel.

Victims of devastating salt mining in the Brazilian city of Maceio are suing petrochemical giant Braskem for compensation before a Rotterdam court -- one of many international compensation suits launched in recent years.

An Amsterdam court in February quashed an appeal by Russia in a record $50-billion case involving a compensation claim by former shareholders of the dismantled oil giant Yukos.

Recent years have also seen Dutch courts hand down rulings in major climate cases including one won by NGO group Milieudefensie in 2021.

In that case, the court ordered petrochemical giant Shell to curtail greenhouse emissions in what is considered the first major climate change ruling against a corporation.

- Legal hotbed -

So why is the Netherlands a hotbed of international litigation?

"I do think it is potentially easier to launch lawsuits in the Netherlands," said Cecily Rose, assistant professor of public international law at Leiden University.

"The legal bar for bringing collective actions is relatively low in the Netherlands, and this does have the effect of making it easier for NGOs to pursue public interest litigation in Dutch courts," she told AFP.

"Cases with international implications regularly reach the Dutch courts partly because the Netherlands is home to transnational companies with a global reach, such as Shell, Unilever or Heineken," added Leon Castellanos-Jankiewicz, senior researcher at the Asser Institute for International and European Law.

"These multinationals are subject to Dutch law and therefore the Dutch courts have jurisdiction over these entities and their dealings," he told AFP.

The country also has a highly skilled legal workforce and a strong belief in upholding the law.

"The Netherlands has a tradition of placing strong emphasis on the development of international law," Castellanos-Jankiewicz said.

"Promoting the development of the international legal order is a permanent objective of Dutch foreign policy," he said.

Coupled with good infrastructure with global reach and the perception that the Netherlands was a "neutral ground" made it an appealing choice for parties seeking an impartial resolution, experts said.

- 'Peace and Justice' -

The Netherlands also hosted several international courts and tribunals as well as agencies such as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and Europol, "embedding these organisations in the Dutch legal landscape," legal experts said.

Nestled on the Dutch coast between Amsterdam and Rotterdam, The Hague has always been seen as the "City of Peace and Justice" with its first international arbitral body, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, established in 1899.

Still existing today, the PCA laid the groundwork for later bodies established in the city, including the ICJ after World War II and the ICC, which opened its doors in 2002.

Other international courts, including the now defunct Yugoslav war crimes tribunal (ICTY) and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers also found a home here.

"Although the cases in these jurisdictions are completely independent from the Dutch courts as they belong to the United Nations system, they amplify many issues of global concern," Castellanos-Jankiewicz said.

jhe/ric/giv/ach
There are no risks of a breakthrough at the Russian border in Sumy Oblast, where the number of Russian attacks has increased.

Source: Volodymyr Artiukh, Head of Sumy Oblast Military Administration, on the air of Radio Liberty

Details: Artiukh said that the intensity of attacks in Sumy Oblast has increased 2-3 times over the last 2.5 months.

Quote: "The enemy's most powerful means of attack are guided bombs. Over the past week, 111 attacks by guided bombs have been observed. Between 40% to 50% of residential buildings have been destroyed in border settlements."



Details: The Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently evacuating people from the most heavily attacked border points within a 5-kilometre zone. Artiukh says there are currently between 3 to 10 people left in each of them. At the same time, there are no risks of a border breakthrough, he added.

Quote: "Knowing our own capabilities and knowing the enemy's capabilities, there is no such danger today. That is, on the ground. The greatest danger to our region is air and missile strikes, which have become significantly more intense on our infrastructure."

Background: Since 11 March 2024, the Russians have begun actively attacking the borders of Sumy Oblast. Russians troops mostly utilise guided bombs, artillery, and Lancet drones.

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(Bloomberg) -- Senegalese President Macky Sall defended his decision to delay elections that plunged the West African nation into turmoil, and insisted its democracy and institutions remain intact.

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Its true, we had a bad start, of a month or so, he said in an interview in the capital, Dakar, on Tuesday. It was a difficult experience, but one that will strengthen us despite the uncertainties.

Until Sall postponed the vote that had been scheduled for Feb. 25  citing questions around the Constitutional Councils vetting of candidates  Senegal was widely seen as one of the last bastions of democracy in a region roiled by a series of coups in recent years.

The move was condemned by critics who called it a constitutional coup. Aminata Toure, a former prime minister, who served under Sall and was arrested during the pre-election protests, dismissed Salls defense.

Senegalese defended their democracy, she said. We lost four young lives in the process  thats Macky Salls doing. So for him to say that democracy remains intact, that the delay didnt have any major impact, shows how disconnected he is.

The new administration will need to rebuild some of the trust that was lost between the state and the Senegalese people, she added. It shouldnt be this easy for one person, one man to almost change the course of a nation according his political, and personal, interests.

Sall said the deferral and a subsequent decision to grant amnesty to opposition leaders and others implicated in political violence were necessary to reconcile a divided nation, and normality would return after the vote.

I really wanted to leave a reconciled country, a country in peace, which continues its trajectory of stability, he said. This is what allows us to go to the ballots today, even if the process was not always completely straightforward.

Story continues

Millions of voters will decide on March 24 between 19 candidates, including the incumbents chosen successor, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, and opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who was jailed along with other government critics in the run-up to the election.

Faye was released earlier this month along with firebrand opposition leader Ousmane Sonko after an amnesty law was passed in an effort to ease tensions that ratcheted up after the postponement. No candidate is expected to win Sundays election outright, according to analysts, and a second round is likely after Sall officially steps down on April 2.

A win for Ba would mean policy continuity and reassure investors, while a Faye victory may have significant implications for the regional economy and Senegals plans to start producing gas and oil by the third quarter of this year, according to Emmanuel Kwapong, an economist at Standard Chartered Bank.

Ba would focus on creating jobs, fostering entrepreneurship, bolstering agriculture and improving the nations infrastructure, although a lot has been done already, Sall said.

Faye has signaled he intends to renegotiate gas and mining contracts with Senegals private partners, including BP Plc, Endeavour Mining Plc and Kosmos Energy Ltd. He also plans to review Senegals relations with former colonial power France and its use of the West African currency, the euro-pegged CFA franc, which is legal tender in eight countries.

I dont think its really appropriate to talk about leaving the CFA, Sall said. Oil and gas contracts can always be improved, but frankly, thinking that we can change the contracts already signed with the companies is not possible. That would be a disastrous turn for Senegal.

Bonds Hammered

Uncertainty over the election date and the violent protests that marred the run-up have tarnished the countrys reputation and unnerved investors. The nations dollar bonds are among the worst-performing in emerging markets this year, with a loss of 7.4% compared with an average gain of 0.2%.

I believe investors still have confidence in Senegal, Sall said. While the country may raise new debt, the key rates have been very high in recent months so now isnt the best time to go. I think by the end of March, beginning of April, Senegal could return to the market to raise resources at much lower rates.

He said the countrys debt, that increased to more than 70% of gross domestic product last year from 42% when he took power in 2012 was necessary to accelerate the countrys development. Now that much investment has been done, the nation is very rigorous about debt sustainability.

We must be disciplined in budgetary matters, increase the capacity to collect domestic resources to have more budgetary sovereignty, and spend more efficiently with a focus on investment, Sall said.

Despite the recent upheaval, Senegals economic prospects appear among the brightest in Africa. After securing a $1.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund last year, forecasts now show GDP expanding 8.8% this year as gas and oil projects go online.

--With assistance from Moses Mozart Dzawu, Paul Richardson and Antony Sguazzin.

(Updates with opposition comment from fourth paragraph.)

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Nobel Prize-winning Canadian economist Robert Mundell, often referred to as the father of the euro, died at his palatial home in Italy without a will in 2021. Now his heirs are squabbling over the villa and millions of dollars in assets they believe were illegally commandeered by his widowed second wife.

According to a lawsuit filed in New York Supreme Court on Friday, the plaintiffsWilliam, Robyn, Alexander, and Lily Mundellaccuse Robert Mundells wife, Valerie Natsios-Mundell, of fraud and other misdeeds. They are seeking their alleged share of the estate, plus punitive damages and attorney fees.

Its beautiful, Robyn Mundell told The Daily Beast of the villa. We grew up there and spent every summer [there] with our kids. She added that her father used to host conferences at the home every summer with famous economists like John Nash.

Robert Mundell had three children with his first wife: William, Robyn, and Paul, who was killed in a car accident in 2018. Two of Pauls four children, Alexander and Lily, joined the lawsuit. Pauls third child, Alice, died in 2023, while his youngest child, Lucy, is not a party to the litigation.

Natsios-Mundell, who married the economist in 1998, lives in Italy and is not a U.S. citizen.

According to the complaint, Robert Mundell spent portions of his career on the faculties of Columbia, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins. At his death, his retirement accounts at those institutions were collectively valued at more than $4 million and maintained by an outside entity known as TIAA. Natsios-Mundell claims 100 percent of those funds as her own, the lawsuit alleges.

Much of the dispute traces to 2013, when Robert Mundell suffered a massive stroke that left him severely impaired in his ability to comprehend or formulate language, to communicate through writing, and with limited insight or awareness, the plaintiffs claim.

Mundell was treated in New York and in 2014 flew back to Italy, where Natsios-Mundell became his sole caregiver, upon whom he relied for all his needs to be provided in his best interest and to fulfill his intentions, the complaint says.

After the stroke, Mundell, operating with reduced mental capacity, expressed as best he could that he wanted all his assets split five ways, the lawsuit says. William, Robyn, Paul, and Natsios-Mundell would each receive a share, as would Mundell and Natsios-Mundells only child, Nicholas.

But the lawsuit claims that Natsios-Mundell sought a greater portion of the money. In January 2014, before Mundell returned to Italy, she was allegedly named the sole beneficiary to his retirement accounts.

The change was made online, the complaint asserts, even though Mundell did not have access to a computer or other electronic device and was not capable of operating one.

Also that month, the suit says, Natsios-Mundell tried to have Mundells signature notarized on a power of attorney form and told the notary that her husband was unable [to] move around or speak due to the stroke. The notary allegedly refused, telling her wife that he could lose his license.

In 2019, Natsios-Mundell allegedly prepared a New York State Short Form Power of Attorney under which she was named as agent for Dr. Mundell. According to the lawsuit, this purportedly gave her the ability to make large gifts on Mundells behalf.

Before Mundell died, Natsios-Mundell allegedly arranged for roughly $800,000.00 from a Swiss bank account owned by Dr. Mundell to be transferred to an account in Italy in her name.

Natsios-Mundell could not be reached for comment, nor could Lily and William Mundell. Alexander Mundell declined to speak, while the plaintiffs lawyer, Gary Krim, declined to elaborate beyond the complaint.

The plaintiffs claim that Natsios-Mundell is flouting Italian law and denying them access to Mundells bank records.

They further allege that Natsios-Mundell and Nicholas are living at the 60,000-square-foot villa, which is comprised of four large buildings with separate entrances. The property was profiled in a 1992 edition of Architectural Digest. It was designed by Baldassare Peruzzi for Pandolfo the Magnificent Petrucci in the early years of the sixteenth century, Robert Mundell gushed to the outlet.

Despite the large size of the Villa and the land on which it is situated, the lawsuit says, Natsios-Mundell wont give the defendants access to the property or financial records they believe are housed inside.

Already, the plaintiffs claim, they have been forced to spend about $150,000 in legal fees and related expenses, without having received any part of the estate due them.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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There are new developments in the fight over Confederate monuments in North Carolina after the state court of appeals weighed in on an ongoing case in Alamance County.

According to a North Carolina Court of Appeals ruling on Tuesday, Alamance County Commissioners didnt violate the law when they refused to remove Confederate monuments from the county courthouse.

The NAACP for both the state and Alamance County sued the county for what they claimed was an effort to protect a monument of a Confederate soldier. The group said the county was acting unconstitutionally by violating the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment and North Carolinas pen courts clause.

The battle over the Confederate monument has been going on for years. Nearly a decade ago, supporters of the monument collected thousands of signatures to deliver to county commissioners.

ARCHIVE: Confederate monument supporters to rally in Alamance Co.

A lower court ruled in favor of the county, but the NAACP appealed.

Tuesdays ruling from the court of appeals was based on a state statute known as the Monument Protection Law. The three-judge panel said the county leaders dont have the authority to remove the monuments because of that law.

The NAACP of Alamance County sent Channel 9 a statement acknowledging the ruling, adding that the matter now rests with our Legal Redress Committee, which will work in consultation with our attorneys and other relevant parties to determine the appropriate next steps.

(WATCH: Confederate monument will stay outside Gaston County Courthouse, ruling says)
A North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that someone acting as a parent cannot be required to pay child support in the state without being the actual parent or without signing a formal agreement.

A split three-judge panel reversed a ruling from a local judge that stated that the ex-partner of a childs mother is required to pay the biological mother child support. ETonya Carter gave birth to the child through in vitro fertilization (IVF) while her ex-partner Tricosa Green did not.

Based on long-established North Carolina law, the short answer is no: Plaintiff cannot be required to pay child support unless she is the childs mother or father or she agreed formally, in writing, to pay child support, the opinion reads.

According to the decision, the two women were in an on again off-again romantic relationship and planned to have a child together. In 2015, both Green and Carter signed an IVF agreement through an IVF program in New York and Carter gave birth in November 2016 in Michigan.

Only Carter was listed on the birth certificate as the mother since Green could not be under Michigan law.

The two women, who were never married, had joint legal and physical custody of the child for years after they ended their romantic relationship and both moved to North Carolina. Carter then sought child support for the child, but Green maintained that she was a de facto parent, not a biological or adoptive one, and not liable for child support under state law.

The Associated Press noted that the child support law means that the mother and father must share the primary liability for child support.

Mecklenburg County District Court Judge J. Rex Marvel ruled in 2021 that the mother and father clause should be applied in a gender-neutral way to this case, according to the AP. Marvel directed Green in 2021 to pay nearly $250 per month in child support and to continue to pay for the childs health insurance premiums. Green later appealed the decision.

The Tuesday opinion, written by Court of Appeals Judge Donna Stroud, pushed back on Marvels ruling and noted that the previous ruling applied the law differently to the two women as opposed to a heterosexual couple.

But based on the well-established law discussed below, the trial court did not have a legal basis to order Plaintiff to pay child support, Stroud wrote, noting that the trial courts interpretation of the law created a different result than would have been required under the law if the parties to this case had been a heterosexual couple.

Stroud argued that the law has the same application to both same-sex unmarried couples who have a child by in vitro fertilization as to unmarried heterosexual couples who have a child by in vitro fertilization if the male partner is not the donor of the sperm.

She added that neither can be required to pay child support.

The Associated Press contributed.

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North Korea's military is getting more than weapons testing can offer by letting Russia fire its missiles at Ukraine

North Korea is gathering invaluable data by letting Russia use its missiles and ammo in Ukraine.

A South Korean official warned Ukraine has become a "test site" for North Korea's missiles.

Both Putin and Kim stand to gain considerably from closer Russian-North Korean relations.

The front lines in Ukraine, bloody and bruised from one two years of brutal full-scale war, are proving opportunistic for North Korea.

Through its arms deal with Russia, the so-called "Hermit Kingdom" is able to collect useful data on the performance of its artillery ammunition, rockets, and ballistic missiles. Ukraine's emergence as a "test site" for North Korean weapons, as a South Korean official described it, marks the first clearly visible benefits of closer Russian-North Korean relations.

At a Monday event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Dr. Jung H. Pak talked about relations between Russia and North Korea, highlighting what the latter has to gain from sending weapons to Russia for its forces to use in Ukraine.

North Korean ballistic missiles, she said, "are killing Ukrainian people, destroying Ukrainian lives, and certainly this is an abhorrent violation of UN Security Council resolutions."

She said that she can't help but think "about what this does for Kim Jong Un and for North Korea that you have a permanent member of the UN Security Council buying arms and using North Korea's banned ballistic missiles against a country."

Pak said it seemed as if Russia was blatantly disregarding nonproliferation norms and noted that "North Korea certainly is not doing this for free."

"They're almost certainly looking for things like fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, ballistic missile technologies, and other technologies or armored vehicles," she said, adding that there was a lot Russia could provide. There are many ways North Korea could benefit from this arrangement.

All of the developments being seen amount to a "pretty fraught moment," Pak said, "in terms of nonproliferation, what it means for actual war fighting, and what North Korea might be learning about its weapons systems because Russia is actually using it on the battlefield."

Images of North Korea launching four missiles in an undisclosed location North Korea were released on March 7, 2017. KRT via AP Video

Earlier this year, the US accused the Russians of using short-range ballistic missiles provided by North Korea in multiple strikes in Ukraine late last year, citing declassified intelligence. South Korea had previously reported in November 2023 that North Korea had likely delivered SRBMs and launchers, along with other munitions and artillery as part of a larger arms deal.

While both Russia and North Korea have denied the existence of any such deal, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held a high-profile meeting last September to discuss closer military cooperation between the two states, specifically so that Russia could get North Korean weapons in order to replenish its then dwindling ammo stockpiles.

In return, it was suspected that North Korea might request the various technologies and educated personnel it needs for advanced weapons programs, US officials said at the time, including capabilities for its air force and nuclear weapons.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (left) shaking hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) when they met in September. Kremlin Press Office / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

But Putin and Kim's meeting left vague uncertainties about just how far cooperation between the two could go. Was Russia that desperate for ammo that it would be willing to assist North Korea with its military wish list? It was hard to know.

Then, in October 2023, the White House tracked what it identified as more than 1,000 containers of equipment and ammo sent from North Korea to Russia. A month later, South Korea said there'd been about 10 such transfers since August.

In total, North Korea is believed to have sent at least a million shells to Russia, beating out the European Union's collective aid to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

North Korea's arms transfers to Russia, and the reported use of North Korea's ballistic missiles in Ukraine, arose during a January 2024 United Nations Security Council meeting.

The US and its allies condemned Russia for violating UN resolutions on North Korea. Russia didn't explicitly deny it had fired North Korean missiles, but it did call out "anti-Russian propaganda," saying there had been evidence that the use of such missiles was misinformation.

Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said that Russia was "flagrantly violating Council resolutions to attack another UN member state," and he added that its arms deal with North Korea was "undermining the global nonproliferation regime."

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un observes artillery fire competition in North Korea. KCNA/REUTERS

South Korea's ambassador to the UN, Hwang Joon-kook, said the consequences of such an arms deal went a step further than just closer cooperation between Russia and North Korea, saying North Korea is gaining "valuable technical and military insight" by allowing Russia to use its missiles in Ukraine.

"By exporting missiles to Russia, the DPRK uses Ukraine as the test site of its nuclear-capable missiles," he added.

While there are no specific details on which North Korean missiles have been used in Ukraine, experts have assessed Russia has fired KN-23s, which North Korea has claimed can carry nuclear warheads.

"From the ROK [Republic of Korea] standpoint, it amounts to a simulated attack," he said.

North Korean military cadets hold a North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il's flag during a perform of the Arirang festival which is a part of commemorations marking the 60th anniversary of the Workers' Party of North Korea on October 6, 2005, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

But just because North Korea is getting actual combat data on its missiles in Ukraine doesn't mean it hasn't continued its own testing. Just Monday morning, it launched multiple SRBMs into its eastern waters, South Korea reported. It's the first in over a month but the latest in an increasingly frequent testing schedule. It also came only days after South Korea and the US wrapped major joint military drills.

Those 11-day drills involved computer-simulated training and 48 field exercises, double last year's. Throughout the drill, North Korea conducted its own exercises, projecting strength with various tank, artillery, and paratrooper missions.

North Korea's latest missile test also occurred while US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Seoul.

Experts have said 2024 is a big year for North Korea on a variety of fronts, as its relationship with Russia and potentially China grows stronger, and the 2024 US presidential election raises the potential for tension in the region.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A North Tonawanda man was arraigned Tuesday and accused of selling fentanyl that caused the deaths of three people, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Officials said 41-year-old Ernest Green allegedly conspired with others to sell fentanyl and cocaine between 2019 and May 2020. It is alleged that on May 27, 2020, Green sold fentanyl that caused the deaths of three people, identified as J.Y., T.M. and D.R.

Green is currently serving a 10-year federal sentence following a 2022 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He faces at least 20 years in prison and a maximum of life.

Latest Local News

Adam Gorski is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team in 2022. You can find more of his work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
WELLINGTON, Ohio (WJW)  A Northeast Ohio man has been sentenced to prison for his role on January 6, 2021.

Michael Mackrell, 42, of Wellington, pleaded guilty in October to assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Petland theft suspect arrested, puppy still missing

Mackrell was sentenced to 27 months in prison, in addition to 12 months of supervised release and $2,000 in restitution.

According to court documents, Michael Mackrell traveled from Ohio with his son, co-defendant Clifford Mackrell, to Washington, D.C.

He marched his son to the Capitol, according to court records, and pushed back barricades with other rioters.

Mackrell wrapped his arm around the neck of a U.S. Capitol Police officer and threw the officer to the ground, according to video.

Kyle Rittenhouse to be upcoming speaker at Kent State, causing controversy

Court documents say Mackrell tackled 5 officers at the scene.

The FBI arrested Mackrell on March 9, 2023.

His son, Clifford Mackrell, has also been sentenced to prison for 27 months.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
NORTHERN VIRGINIA (DC News Now)  About one or two months ago, Hani Almadhoun was talking to his brother who lives in Northern Gaza about the many life-threatening and life-ending challenges people are facing there. Among them are famine and starvation.

So, they came up with an idea to try and help people.

We landed on a food kitchen, a soup kitchen because theres some produce thats still available on the ground, but really expensive and not many people have cash, said Almadhoun.

Initially, Almadhoun said the financial support to create the soup kitchen came from his friends and social media followers. He decided to set up an online account to solicit donations.

Were able to do a lot more now for families who wouldnt eat otherwise inside Gaza, especially in the north, said Almadhoun.

Hani said a lot of his family members volunteer at the soup kitchen, which feeds about 3,000 people a day.

My family eats from the same food that my brother cooksMy mom preps the food, my sister pitches in, said Almadhoun.

Hani said theyre very grateful for the support theyve received from the community.

We love the DMV. This is where our family has been for 20 years now and we love the communityThe community knows us and they rallied around us, said Almadhoun.

Although hes happy to be able to help families in Gaza, Almadhoun said he worries about his own relatives in Gaza.

His other brother died in an Israeli airstrike in November.

Our homes are destroyed. My family is homeless, but my mom does this in memory of the fallen and relatives, and she says I sleep better at night knowing a child had a meal or had a full belly because of the work shes done, said Almadhoun.

You can follow the familys work through its soup kitchen on Instagram.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (L) and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umjerow attend the consultations of the US-led Ukraine Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base. Numerous defense ministers and high-ranking military officers are discussing further support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. Uwe Anspach/dpa

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has promised Ukraine continued international support in its defensive against Russia.

"Our message today is clear: the United States will not let Ukraine fail, this coalition will not let Ukraine fail, and the free world will not let Ukraine fail," Austin said on Tuesday at the start of a Ukraine conference at the US Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

"Let's not fool ourselves," Austin said on the 755th day of the war, adding: Russian President Vladimir Putin "will not stop at Ukraine."

"But as President [Joe] Biden said: Ukraine can stop Putin - if we stand by Ukraine and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself."

Ukraine will also be helped to build a future army, Austin said. "This will ensure long-term security." He spoke of capability coalitions, in which several countries work together on drones, for example.

"We will not let up," Austin told the conference.

He had once again invited high-ranking military officers and defence ministers from around 50 member countries of the Ukraine Contact Group to the sixth conference of this kind in Ramstein.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who is also taking part in the conference warned on Tuesday against losing sight of Ukraine's essential defence needs.

Sufficient artillery ammunition, longer-range missile artillery and air defence are the truly existential issues, the minister said on broadcaster Deutschlandfunk on Tuesday morning.

Russia has been waging a war against neighbouring Ukraine since February 24, 2022. The West is supporting Kiev in its defence with extensive arms deliveries, among other things.
BARCELONA, SPAIN / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / In a world where geographical boundaries are increasingly becoming blurred for the business community, a notable trend has been observed with American entrepreneurs relocating from the USA to Spain, motivated by the allure of both personal and professional growth opportunities. Facilitating these transitions is My Spain Visa, a frontrunner in the industry, which prides itself on providing comprehensive assistance to simplify the Spanish immigration process and business establishment for international entrepreneurs.

The appeal of Spain goes beyond its attractive climate and a rich mosaic of cultures. The country boasts a conducive economic environment for startups and established businesses alike. A rise in American interest in Spain reflects a strategic move towards engaging with one of Europe's most vibrant economies. My Spain Visa has been pivotal in decoding the complexities involved in not only moving to Spain but thriving as an entrepreneur. The specialized services provided are a testament to how integral these movements have become in the global business narrative.

The Spanish government, with a keen interest in diversifying its economy, encourages innovation and investment from abroad. TheSpanish entrepreneur visa program is an ideal pathway, specifically crafted to simplify the journey for ambitious entrepreneurs. This visa program does not just pave the way for the business owners but also opens doors for their families, thus promising them a shot at a new life in Spain, full of potential.

Stepping into a foreign market brings its set of challenges, such as navigating the bespoke business laws and understanding the indigenous market customs. Herein lies the unparalleled value of My Spain Visa, where an unmatched level of tutelage from initial ideation and legal consultancy to business execution and integration into the local commerce practices, is provided. The full suite of services ensures that transitioning American entrepreneurs can focus on their business while My Spain Visa manages the intricacies of their move.

Story continues

Institutional knowledge of legal and commercial frameworks across the United States and Spain enhances My Spain Visa's ability to offer customized, actionable advice. The team's commitment to delivering a clear, tailor-made path to success for its clients comes from a rich vein of expertise and an unwavering commitment to service excellence.

As the narrative of successful client engagements unfolds, it is clear that the value proposition offered by My Spain Visa is far more than administrative support-it's about nurturing successful enterprises that contribute significantly to the Spanish economy. Successful American emigrants who have availed themselves of My Spain Visa's comprehensive services often reflect on their achievements within Spain's competitive yet rewarding business ecosystem. These accomplishments not only signify personal and professional triumphs but also signify the strengthening of economic ties between the United States and Spain.

As Spain solidifies its standing as a warm and welcoming hub for international business talent, American entrepreneurs view it as an epicenter for creativity, growth, and an excellent work-life balance. Committed to supporting this trend is My Spain Visa, offering everything from insight into market dynamics, business culture to networking opportunities. As the demand for cross-border entrepreneurial endeavors continues to ascend, the services rendered by My Spain Visa will remain indispensable for those seeking to establish a prosperous business venture in Spain.

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Spain's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: A deeper inspection into Spain's encouraging environment for startups can enlighten potential entrepreneurs about the local success stories, which range from tech to hospitality sectors. This information could include regional startup hubs, incubators, and accelerators that position Spain as a competitive player on the global stage.

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SOURCE: My Spain Visa





View the original press release on accesswire.com




If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, contact RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline for free, confidential, 24/7 support in English and en Espanol at 800.656.HOPE (4673) andonline.RAINN.org yRAINN.org/es.

A Florida woman has accused New York City Mayor Eric Adams of sexually assaulting her in 1993, as outlined in a complaint filed Monday.

The lawsuit was filed under New York's Adult Survivors Act which opened a year-long window for sexual assault survivors to file claims after the legal deadline had passed. That window closed in November 2023, days after this lawsuit was first filed with few details.

The most recent complaint alleges Adams told the woman he would help her get a promotion, but requested oral sex from her in a quid pro quo proposition while they were parked in a vacant lot. He then forced her to touch his genitals and continued to masturbate to completion while they were in the car together, the lawsuit alleges.

In response to the lawsuit, the mayor's office provided the following statement: While we review the complaint, the mayor fully denies these outrageous allegations and the events described here; we expect full vindication in court," said New York City Corporation Counsel Hon. Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix.

"The effects of that sexual assault, betrayal, and astonishing abuse of power continue to haunt the plaintiff to this day," the lawsuit says. USA TODAY does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted without their permission. The plaintiff's lawyers did not immediately respond to an interview request.

Adult Survivors Act: Why so many sexual assault lawsuits have been filed under New York law

Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a press conference at the office of the District Attorneys on February 08, 2024 in New York City. Adams was accused of sexual assault in Adult Survivors Act lawsuit.

Lawsuit alleges Adams propositioned plaintiff in quid pro quo sexual assault

In the years leading up to the incident, the plaintiff experienced sexism and racism working as a Black woman in New York City transit policing, the complaint states. During her employment, she became a member of the Guardians Association, a fraternal organization within the NYPD that represents African American members.

She was passed over several times for promotions, she said. So she turned to Adams, a fellow Guardian member, for help.

Adams told her they could talk about it in the car while he drove her home, but instead, they drove to an empty lot away from the street, the complaint states.

She then recounted to him the problems she was having getting a promotion. The lawsuit states that Adams said he could help, but, "he 'also needed some help'." He then tried to convince the plaintiff to perform oral sex and exposed himself, the woman alleged.

NYPD Transit Bureau and Guardians Association also named in lawsuit

The November filing shows she is seeking $5 million in damages.

The complaint shows she believes the incident led to her being laid off and moving to Florida. She said she did not report it at the time out of fear of retaliation, however, she did tell other employees and her daughters in the years since the incident, according to the filing.

The Transit Bureau of the New York Police Department and the New York Police Department Guardians were also named as defendants in the lawsuit. They have been accused of gender discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation. NYPD and the Guardians Association did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

"In 1993, Eric Adams was one of the most prominent public opponents of the racism within the NYPD, which is why the lawsuits allegations that he had any sway over promotions of civilian employees is ludicrous." Hinds-Radix statement on behalf of the mayor said.

"(The) plaintiff was sickened and outraged that a man who presented himself as an advocate for justice and equalitya man who held himself out to be a 'Guardian' of other Black employeeswould trap a Black woman in his car in a remote lot and demand sexual favors as a prerequisite to helping her obtain fair treatment at work," the lawsuit states.

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Eduardo Cuevas; USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York City Mayor Eric Adams accused of sexual assault in lawsuit
This article was originally published in Chalkbeat New York.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters

New York City schools will no longer require a five-day quarantine for those who test positive for COVID, according to new guidance issued to principals and posted online Monday.

Educators across the five boroughs have been eagerly awaiting an update for more than two weeks, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its pandemic-era guidance that urged individuals who tested positive for COVID to isolate for at least five days.

Since March 1, the federal agency has instructed people to remain at home until their symptoms improve and they have not had a fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. The CDC still advises people to take precautions over the following five days, including wearing a mask, social distancing, and testing.

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Education Department policy directs those experiencing COVID symptoms to isolate themselves from others and get tested. Like the CDC, the city now recommends students and staff stay home until symptoms have improved and theyre fever free for 24 hours without the aid of medication. The department also urges students and staff to wear a mask and take other precautions for five days after returning to school.

For those who test positive for the virus but exhibit no symptoms, there is no need to stay home, but precautions outlined in the updated guidelines should be taken upon return to school, according to the email sent to principals.

The new policy for schools also matches the citys Health Department guidelines.

The elimination of a minimum isolation period is the latest in a series of changes that have loosened COVID-related restrictions in schools  as federal and city health authorities have moved to treat the virus more like the flu and other common respiratory infections. Last spring, Mayor Eric Adams announced that proof of vaccination against the virus would no longer be required for city employees and school visitors. And schools previously sunsetted masking requirements, vaccine mandates for student athletes and prom attendees, as well as daily health screenings and in-school COVID testing for students and staff.

The citys public schools will continue to provide COVID tests in school upon request, according to the email sent to principals. (As of this month, the federal government has ended its free COVID test distribution program, and the citys public libraries are no longer distributing free tests.)

Schools staff will still be able to take up to 10 days off for COVID-related absences without dipping into their sick days this year, according to the United Federation of Teachers, which emailed members about the updated guidance Monday evening.

COVID cases have fallen steadily since mid-January, after the city saw an uptick in cases over the holidays. As of March 14, there were about 22 cases per 100,000 people, according to New York Citys daily average of the last seven days from the Health Department. That was down slightly from the week before and had fallen from roughly 87 cases per 100,000 people in September.

Though the citys Health Department tracks cases by age group, the spread of the virus is no longer publicly reported by school. In September, the citys Education Department scrapped a map tracking the daily number of cases among students and staffers across schools.

The citys Education and Health departments did not respond to multiple requests for the citys COVID guidance for schools in recent weeks.

Michael Elsen-Rooney contributed.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
Former US president Barack Obama was a surprise visitor to Downing Street yesterday. Mr. Obama held informal talks with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, discussing artificial intelligence as well as the work of the Obama Foundation.

The timing and optics though, could not have been worse. This was a reckless move by Downing Street ahead of an impending US presidential election this November, as well as a bad strategic decision to host a left-wing anti-British former president who actively tried to undermine Brexit and the democratic will of the British people.

On an earlier visit to Number 10, hosted by then-Prime Minster David Cameron back in April 2016 ahead of the Brexit referendum, Obama warned Great Britain that it would be in the back of the queue for a trade deal with the United States if it dared to leave the European Union. This was an astonishing intervention by a US president in advance of the biggest democratic vote in British history. It was a menacing slap in the face for the 17.4 million Britons who later ignored Obamas advice and thankfully opted to take back control of the UK from the EU.

It is hard to see how Obamas visit in any way reassures Conservative Brexit supporters who believe the Sunak administration has been far too weak in fully implementing Brexit and delivering upon its earlier promises. Barack Obama epitomises the anti-Brexit globalist liberal elite who openly sneer at the defence of borders, nation states and the fight against supranationalism.

As president, Obama and his administration also had a long track record of insulting Britain, from throwing out a bust of Winston Churchill from the Oval Office, to siding with former Argentine President Cristina Kirchner over the Falkland Islands. His successor, Joe Biden, has been just as bad, if not worse. Obamas visit simply reminds the British electorate of the many times Biden and his team have shamelessly knifed Britain in the back, including over Northern Ireland, and sinking a trade deal between London and Washington.

When it comes to bashing Britain, Obama and Biden are birds of a feather. Biden of course served as Obamas vice president and is in many respects continuing the Obama legacy and policy agenda. The two are inseparable in the eyes of the American people.

The shameless courting of Mr. Obama by a British Prime Minister just months away from a hugely important US presidential contest will not go down well with conservatives in America who are battling against the destructive open borders, big government, ultra woke agenda of the Biden administration. Many will question why a Conservative prime minister is welcoming a leftist former US president closely aligned with the current incumbent in the White House. Obamas ill-timed visit will do little to endear a potential second Trump administration to a Sunak-led government.

Instead of rolling out the red carpet for Barack Obama at Number 10, Rishi Sunak should be standing up to the anti-British Biden presidency and calling it out for its numerous threats against the UK. And Mr. Obama should at last apologise to the British people for his rude and arrogant anti-Brexit threat back in 2016.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden have been no friends of Britain. Rishi Sunak should be cultivating ties with Donald Trump, who has been a stalwart defender of the Special Relationship, and an unflinching supporter of Brexit and the principles of sovereignty and self-determination.

Nile Gardiner is Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC

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Two tribal leaders in South Dakota are demanding Gov. Kristi Noem apologize for comments she made about tribal governments at town halls last week.

The president of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe released a statement over the weekend calling the comments defamatory and racially prejudiced. The president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe released a statement Monday calling the comments malicious, incendiary and demeaning.

Noem told attendees at a Winner town hall that she believes tribal leaders are personally benefiting from drug cartels. At a town hall in Mitchell, she said tribal children dont have parents who show up and help them, and tribal members have a tribal council or a president who focuses on a political agenda more than they care about actually helping somebodys life look better. She did not offer evidence supporting the comments.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks to members of the public at a town hall in Mitchell on March 13, 2024.

Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said her comments ignore the work being done by his administration to expand broadband services and invest in dams and infrastructure, among other initiatives. Star Comes Out also serves as the chairman of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmens Association.

How dare the governor allege that Sioux Tribal Councils do not care about their communities or their children and, worse, that they are involved in nefarious activities, Star Comes Out said.

Earlier this year, tribal leaders and tribally enrolled legislators criticized comments Noem made about drugs on South Dakota reservations during a speech to lawmakers about the U.S.-Mexico border. In that speech, Noem made multiple references to the ravages of fentanyl and other drugs on reservation communities, and said the drugs are coming from Mexican cartels.

Noem was banned from the Pine Ridge Reservation for a second time after her border remarks in February.

You cant build relationships if you dont spend time together, Noem said in February in response to the ban. I stand ready to work with any of our states Native American tribes to build such a relationship.

Star Comes Out declared a state of emergency on the Pine Ridge Reservation last year due to increasing crime. A judge ruled last year that the federal government has a treaty duty to support law enforcement on the reservation, but declined to rule on the funding level the tribe sought.

The governor has offered to enter into a law enforcement agreement with tribal governments to have South Dakota Highway Patrol officers assist in enforcing tribal law on reservations, according to a letter she sent to tribal leaders in late February.

In the letter, she invited the leaders to meet with her in Pierre or invite her to their tribal nations to discuss the issue further.

Scott Herman, then the Rosebud Sioux Vice President, in 2018.

Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Scott Herman said Noems most recent remarks were made from ignorance and intended to fuel a racially based and discriminatory narrative towards the Native people of South Dakota.

If the governor is truthful about wanting to work with tribal nations on issues of education, economic development and law enforcement, she should take the time to contact tribal leaders before making racist, unsubstantiated and discriminatory attacks of tribal people, Herman said.

Noems spokesman Ian Fury told South Dakota Searchlight she called President Herman on Monday and left him yet another voicemail, and that shes also trying to schedule a meeting with Oglala Sioux Tribe leadership. While Fury said she hasnt received a response, she has been engaging with tribal community members.

We would challenge the tribes to prove the governors comment false by banishing the drug cartels from their reservations, Fury said in a text message.

Noem also told town hall attendees she wants to improve Native American student success, while criticizing tribal leaders and parents for low success rates.

Chronic absenteeism among South Dakotas Native American students attending public school increased from 31% to 54% from 2018 to 2023  the highest among all South Dakota student demographics. A third of Native American public school students dont complete high school, 84% are not considered college and career ready, and only 7% take the ACT, according to the latest data from the state Department of Education.

Star Comes Out called on Noem to engage in meaningful dialogue and collaboration with tribal leaders to address problems in South Dakota and reservation communities.

It is only through genuine partnership and mutual respect that we can work towards a future of prosperity and justice for both Indian and non-Indians residing in South Dakota, Star Comes Out said.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Tribal presidents demand SD governor apologize for comments last week
There's a first time for everything. Honda's latest alt-fuel creation is the first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in the U.S. to also include a battery and a charge port. This is also the first time we can recall seeing a colon in a model name. One of these advancements is more interesting than the other.

Oh, the Flexibility!

Like the FCX and Clarity FCEV before it, the CR-V e:FCEV will be available here exclusively as a lease and only in California. That's where you'll find the overwhelming bulk of the country's light-vehicle hydrogen refueling infrastructure, but even that's sparse and trending in the wrong directionShell recently shuttered its H2 operations in Cali, reducing the number of stations in the state by seven, a 9 percent drop. For those times when you're not near a hydrogen station, or in the case they're out of fuel, the e:FCEV lets you plug in. Its 17.7-kWh battery, which can also be recharged using the fuel cell while on the go, is good for 29 all-electric miles, per the EPA, while the two hydrogen tanks combine for for an additional 241 miles of range. Recharging takes under two hours at 240 volts or about 10 hours on 120. Hydrogen refueling is much quicker.

The e:FCEV is Honda's attempt to break the chicken-and-egg infrastructure cycleif hydrogen stations aren't proliferating (and they're not), then drivers need an alternative to that alternative fuel. In this case, the addition of a rechargeable battery is meant to reduce range anxiety. How the tables have turned.

Honda

It's not a coincidence that this latest fuel-cell vehicle uses the very popular CR-V crossover, Honda's bestselling model, as its basis. It's likely to attract a wider audience than the Clarity fuel-cell sedan while blending in better with traffic in SoCal and the Bay Area, where hydrogen stations are most concentrated.

About that initial-heavy name: Honda reps tell us the lowercase e preceding the colon is meant to denote that the vehicle is electrified. Elsewhere around the globe, the CR-V hybrid is badged e:HEV, while the not-for-U.S.-consumption plug-in-hybrid version is the e:PHEV. Fully parsed, that makes this one the Honda Comfortable Runabout Vehicle Electrified Fuel-Cell Electric Vehicle. We'll stick with e:FCEV.

A Nose Job and Bespoke Assembly

Another first: This is the initial and so far only consumer application of the fuel-cell stack developed through a Honda-General Motors joint venture. The powertrain modules are assembled in Michigan and then shipped down to Marysville, Ohio, where the e:FCEV is hand-assembled in the same Performance Manufacturing Center that turned out the NSX and a handful of special-edition Acura sedans and crossovers.

Honda

Honda had to lengthen the front overhang nearly four inches to accommodate the fuel cell, so the designers took the opportunity to restyle everything ahead of the A-pillars. Fenders and hood are aluminum to save weight, the hood is lower and a little longer, and the hexagonal grille opening extends lower down on the fascia, giving it a distinct look somewhere between that of the standard CR-V and the Prologue EV. The taillights get a clear treatment, and there's a new tailpipe-less rear fascia. Water, the only hydrogen-oxygen byproduct, exits inboard of one of the rear wheels. The Clarity spit its liquid out under the rear bumper, where it had a tendency to land on the footwear of anyone opening the rear hatch.

The 10,000-psi hydrogen tanks reside below and behind the rear seats, impinging not a whit on passenger space but reducing cargo capacity. You still get a flat-ish load floor with the rear seats folded thanks to an adjustable shelf that can sit level with the bump created by the topmost of the two carbon-fiber tanks. Honda didn't have a cargo-volume figure available, but we can confirm that it is less than the nonhybrid CR-V's 39 cubic feet.

Honda plans to produce around 300 e:FCEVs per year. It will be available in a single spec, Touring, meaning it's fully loaded. Interior differences are relatively minimal aside from updated digital interfaces. The e:FCEV is the only CR-V in the U.S. to include a fully digital gauge package (it measures 10.2 inches), as well as a heated steering wheel, the latter of which is borrowed from the global parts bin and covered in synthetic leather. Shift buttons replace the console lever we're used to in U.S.-spec CR-Vs. Paint is applied by humans in either white (to accommodate the expected municipal customers) or a handsome charcoal. The door is potentially open to add a more interesting hue in coming years.

Honda

Quiet Reassurance

The first thing we noticed after setting off in the e:FCEV was that the CR-V hybrid's artificial steering feel, which wants to click into faux detents off-center, is thankfully not present. In its place is the steering system from the European CR-V e:PHEV, which doesn't resist your inputs and feels more natural.

Then there's the quiet. Most of what you hear in the cabin is generated sound and the occasional gurgle of the fuel cell. The European e:PHEV also donates its battery pack, situated low down and providing some sound deadening.

Engineers retuned the suspension from the e:PHEV to accommodate the different weight distribution; Honda estimates the fuel-cell model will weigh about 500 pounds more than a comparable CR-V hybridfor reference, the last CR-V Sport Touring hybrid we tested weighed in at 3914 pounds. The added weight wasn't too noticeable during our short drive, likely aided by the smoother steering setup.

Honda

Fuel-cell CR-Vs include the same drive modes as the hybridNormal, Sport, Econ, and Snowas well as a handful of battery settings. Save keeps some battery-electric range in reserve, Charge runs the fuel cell to top up the battery, EV keeps the fuel cell off if possible, and Auto makes its own decisions. Fancy zinc-alloy paddles behind the steering wheel offer four levels of brake regeneration. Like in the CR-V hybrid, the effect is only temporary, allowing for brief stints of one-pedal driving before the vehicle reverts to a low-regen setting.

The e:FCEV is both heavier and less powerful than its turbo and hybrid brethren, making 174 horsepower, and its 229 pound-feet of torque about splits the difference between the other powertrains' totals. As such, the fuel-cell model's acceleration feels only adequate, although pedal response is smooth, and the modest torque hits immediately.

Zero Emissions, Two Fuel Sources

Honda hasn't announced pricing for the three-year lease yet but says the figure should be "attractive" to its target customers. If the Clarity FCEV is a guide, expect a monthly payment in the neighborhood of $400 with some hydrogen credit included.

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An Ohio congressional candidate accidentally sent an email conceding his race hours before polls closed.

Republican Derek Myers is one of 11 candidates in Ohio's March 19 primary running for the Republican nomination for the 2nd District House seat. The primary winner will likely succeed U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup in the heavily Republican district.

"Tonight did not go as we had hoped, but as we know, this race is decided in the primary. I want to give my congratulations to the Congressman-Elect," Myers said in the emailed statement sent at 3:19 p.m., four hours before Ohio's 7:30 p.m. poll closing time.

Myers sent a statement clarifying that the concession was an error less than 10 minutes later. In a subsequent release, Myers said he had prepared two statements to be sent: one if he won the primary and one if he lost.

"Anyone who works in communications knows its not uncommon to have speeches and releases prepared in the event of each outcome, especially on such an impotent (important) night. Its simply good strategy," Myers said in the release.

Myers later did concede, this time for real. He finished last in the 11-person primary.

Erin Glynn is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio GOP candidate Derek Myers accidentally concedes race
CLEVELAND (WJW)  An Ohio woman who left her 16-month-old daughter alone for more than a week while she vacationed, leading to the girls death, was sentenced to life in prison without parole Monday morning.

Kristel Candelario, 32, left her daughter, Jailyn, alone and unattended at her home in Cleveland on June 6, 2023. Authorities said she did not return until June 16.

According to prosecutors, Candelario traveled to Detroit and Puerto Rico. She returned 10 days later to find the girl unresponsive and called police.

Man suspected of killing Charlotte mother, 2 kids arrested in California

The child was pronounced dead at the home. She was discovered in a playpen soiled with urine and feces, according to a press release from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office. The countys medical examiner determined the 16-month-old died of starvation and severe dehydration and ruled her death a homicide.

On Feb. 22, Candelario pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of endangering children. Candelario has since been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of patrol for aggravated murder and eight to 12 years for endangering children.

County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan told Candelario she committed the ultimate betrayal by leaving her daughter alone without food.

Just as you didnt let Jailyn out of her confinement, so too you should spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom, Sheehan said. The only difference will be, the prison will at least feed you and give you liquid that you denied her.

Candelario, who has struggled with depression and related mental health issues, said she has prayed daily for forgiveness.

Theres so much pain that I have in regards to the loss of my baby, Jailyn, she said. Im extremely hurt about everything that happened. I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through  God and my daughter have forgiven me.

Mans life saved during severe medical emergency by Union County court deputies, Sheriff says

During the court hearing, Candelarios parents also stood up to speak.

My heart is ripped apart in 1,000 pieces, Candelarios mother said. I am here to tell the world that my daughter came from a home where there were values, beliefs, emotions, warmth. Where the most important thing was family.

I want to say before Jailyn that your memory will never leave us. We love you. Your grandparents will never forget you, she continued, tearfully.

She also said that Candelarios emotional health was affected on more than one occasion and that her depression and anxiety ended up consuming her.

Candelarios father said that even though he is shocked by everything that happened, he is still giving moral and spiritual support to our daughter.

I ask for compassion, understanding and mercy, he said. My beloved daughter, always remember that we will never forget Jailyn, our beloved granddaughter. We miss you very much. I carry her image always within my memory. Jailyn is the light of our life.

Candelario also has a 7-year-old daughter.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
STMicroelectronics N.V.

P4616S -- Mar 19 2024 -- STM32U0 MCUs_IMAGE

STM32U0 MCUs

STMicroelectronics reveals advanced ultra-low-power STM32 microcontrollers for industrial, medical, smart-metering, and consumer applications

New flagship in ultra-low-power consumes less, delivers more at effective cost

Geneva, Switzerland, March 19, 2024  STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has introduced a new generation of energy-conscious and cost-effective microcontrollers (MCUs) that can reduce energy consumption by up to 50% compared to previous product generations. This enables less frequent battery replacements, minimizes the impact of discarded batteries, and allows more designs to go battery free running solely from an energy-harvesting system such as a small photovoltaic cell.

In the global pursuit of sustainability, technologies deployed in smart buildings and Internet of Things (IoT) applications are critical tools for managing energy and resources efficiently. At the heart of the smart sensors and actuators making them possible, STs microcontrollers manage the processes that collect, filter, analyze, and act, communicating with high-level applications in the cloud. There are billions of these MCUs in action already and the expansion of smart living and working will demand billions more.

Its vital that these pervasive devices consume as little energy as possible as they help to minimize waste elsewhere. The new STM32U0 microcontroller series we are introducing today takes this notion to a new level, building on our proven ultra-low-power technologies, explained Patrick Aidoune, General Purpose MCU Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. In fact, our new MCUs consume so little power that small devices in some dedicated applications like industrial sensor management can run for twice as long from the same size battery. This comes with the opportunity to add more advanced features and deliver cost-effective solutions for a variety of industrial, medical and consumer devices.

Story continues

The new STM32U0 MCUs enable this great leap in energy efficiency through a combination of their state-of-the-art design techniques and advanced manufacturing process. These include extremely low static power consumption in standby mode and superior wake-up performance, enabling the MCU to spend more time in power-saving sleep modes to minimize average energy demand.

One lead customer, in the security-systems market, is using the STM32U0 in security cameras to wake the device when motion is detected and thus enhance surveillance while saving energy. Another has created ultra-long-lasting smoke detectors, while a further application, by Ascoel, is using the STM32U0 to manage power-conscious functions of a water meter.

Ascoel builds a wide range of innovative electronic devices with a focus on IoT technologies. We are working to design an ultrasonic water meter, with battery lasting for more than 10 years, integrating an LCD screen for real-time data, as well as the necessary security, said Francesco Cerretani, Senior Software Developer, Ascoel. We found that the STM32U0 was the perfect solution, supporting our goal to create a low-cost, ultra-low-power, easy-to-install, zero maintenance, precise water meter. When deployed at scale in the customers grid, it will improve control over water leakage and contribute to reducing the environmental impact.

The STM32U0 enhances cost-effectiveness by providing an LCD segment display controller. Devices with an LCD, like Ascoels water meter as well as thermostats, smart retail labels, access-control panels, and factory automation can take advantage of this to reduce the cost of their PCB. Additional value-added features of STM32U0 MCUs include numerous analog peripherals like analog-to-digital converters (ADC), digital-to-analog converters (DAC), operational amplifiers, and comparators. There is also an on-chip system oscillator that helps cut the bill of materials to save costs and PCB space.

STM32U0 devices are the first MCUs running on Arm Cortex-M0+ targeting SESIP Level 3 and PSA level 1 focusing on firmware code protection. Certification provides an independent assurance of the STM32U0 security capabilities that product manufacturers can leverage to comply with the coming voluntary US Cyber Trust Mark and mandatory EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED).

Developers can also take advantage of up to 256KB of Flash, package options up to 81 pins, and 56MHz core speed, which are generous specifications for this class of device.

The STM32U0 series is in production now and ST is making the new devices available at an attractive price point starting at $0.68 for 1,000 units. Sample requests and further pricing options are available from local ST sales offices.

For more information, please go to www.st.com/stm32u0.

A marketing presentation for the STM32U0 series is available at https://www.st.com/resource/en/product_presentation/microcontrollers-stm32u0-series-product-overview.pdf.

STM32 is a registered and/or unregistered trademark of STMicroelectronics International NV or its affiliates in the EU and/or elsewhere. In particular, STM32 is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

About STMicroelectronics

At ST, we are over 50,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are committed to achieving our goal to become carbon neutral on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3 by 2027. Further information can be found at www.st.com.

For Press Information Contact:

Alexis Breton

Corporate External Communications

Tel: +33.6.59.16.79.08

alexis.breton@st.com

Attachments




The polls are now open for Ohio voters.

>>ELECTION 2024

They are deciding on who will represent their party in the upcoming November elections and on some local levies.

As we reported on News Center 7s Daybreak, the polls opened at 6:30 a.m.

>>RELATED: Polling location changed for 2 Dayton precincts after unforeseen circumstances

News Center 7 spoke with Alisha Lampert, Director of the Greene County Elections.

She said they saw slow early voter turnout.

Lampert says there are plenty of reasons for that.

It could have to do with six elections in two years, but also that both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump clinched their partys nominations.

It could be especially because we are one of the last states to go with our primary, she told News Center 7. It could be any number of things as to why people werent coming out.

>>RELATED: 2 polling locations to be moved in Clark County for Ohio Primary election

Republican voters will also decide who will be their partys nominee in the Ohio Senate race this November against Democratic incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown.

The three nominees are State Senator Matt Dolan, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, and businessman Bernie Moreno.

>>RELATED: Tuesdays primaries include a key Senate race in Ohio and clues for the Biden-Trump rematch

Lampert reminded voters if they are coming out today to bring their photo ID.

She also says that it should be a smooth process.

I dont think its going to be overly busy, said Lampert. So, hopefully, we wont have any lines out there and people can get in and vote.

>>RELATED: High-profile elections in Ohio could give Republicans a chance to expand clout in Washington

The polls will close at 7:30 p.m.

To find your polling location, visit this website.

We will have updates throughout the day including a full update starting today at 5 p.m. and election results tonight on News Center 7 at 11 p.m.
The main entrance to the voting area at the Griswold Center in Worthington on Tuesday.

Polls are now closed in Ohio, although those who got in line before 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote on a host of political primary races and ballot issues on everything from municipal taxes to school construction.

This blog will be updated throughout the evening as results begin to come in. To report any issues at polling places, send an email to newsroom@dispatch.com.

Favor wins Democratic primary for Franklin County prosecutor

With 100% of the precincts reporting in Franklin County, Columbus City Councilwoman Shayla Favor has won the Democratic primary for county prosecutor, according to unofficial results. Favor had 41% of the votes compared to 35% for Anthony Pierson and 24% for Natalia Harris.

Favor will face unopposed Republican John Rutan in the Nov. 5 general election.

Olentangy, Heath and Fairbanks school levies headed to defeat

Voters across central Ohio appeared in no mood to support local school levies on Tuesday with numerous districts seeing strong opposition to their tax increase efforts.

In Licking County, the Heath City Schools levy lost 61.5% to 38.5%, according to final unofficial results.

With 79 of 83 precincts reporting, Olentangy Local Schools levy is losing by more than 6,000 votes out of 23,000 cast - surely too steep a deficit.

The Fairbanks Local School District in Union and Madison counties appears on track to lose an income tax and property tax effort. The issue was failing with 55.29% voting against it, according to final unofficial results in Union County. Results from Madison County, however, have not yet been reported.

Taylor, Wilson, Miller win Congressional primaries

David Taylor, Tamie Wilson and Adam Miller are the unofficial winners of the 2nd, 4th and 15th Ohio Congressional District primary races in central Ohio counties, respectively, according to the Associated Press. Democrats Wilson and Miller will be underdogs against Republican incumbents this fall.

Taylor will face an unopposed Democrat, Samantha Meadows, with the advantage of a Republic-majority 2nd District in November.

In the 4th Congressional District, Wilson was beating fellow Democrat Steve Thomas, 69, of Powell, by 70% to 30% with 31% of precincts reporting, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's website. Wilson will go on to challenge incumbent Republican Jim Jordan in November.

In the 15th Congressional District, Miller was beating his Democratic challenger Zerqa Abid by 70% to 30% with 29% of precincts reporting. Miller will go on to face unopposed incumbent Republican Mike Carey in November.

Olentangy schools levy trailing badly

Voters in Delaware County appear to be telling their local school district to slow down on its growth plans. With 69% of precincts reported, the Olentangy Local Schools levy is losing 63.5% to 36.5%, or nearly 5,000 votes. The levy was intended to help the growing school district construct a fifth high school, among other buildings.

Pierson, Favor battle for prosecutor nomination

With 362 of 888 precincts reported, the Democratic race for Franklin County prosecutor remains fairly close, although Shayla Favor's lead has been growing for the past hour. Favor leads with nearly 40% of the vote compared to almost 37% for Anthony Pierson. Roughly 1,200 votes separate the two.

Natalia Harris remains in third with 23.4% of the vote.

Associated Press calls GOP Senate race for Moreno

Bernie Moreno will face Sen. Sherrod Brown this fall after winning Ohios combative Republican U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday.

The Associated Press called the race for Moreno, a businessman from the Cleveland area, at 8:40 p.m. He defeated Secretary of State Frank LaRose and state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, in a contest that pitted the GOPs old guard against allies of former President Donald Trump.

Absentee results favor Dolan for Senate, Pierson for prosecutor

Early vote results posted by the Franklin County Board of Elections show Matt Dolan leading the GOP Senate primary in the county with 46% of the vote compared to 34% for Bernie Moreno and 20% for Frank LaRose. These votes are from people who voted before Tuesday in person or via absentee ballot.

Across Ohio, Moreno had 38% of nearly 82,000 votes counted by 7:52 p.m. compared with 37% for Dolan and 24% for LaRose, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's website.

In the Franklin County prosecutor Democratic primary, Anthony Pierson had 40% of the vote, Shayla Favor had 38% and Natalia Harris had 22% of the early votes posted by the county.

Amanda Hamilton votes while her daughter Hadley Hamilton, 5, watches at the Griswold Center in Worthington on Tuesday.

Brown leads Hanna for lone contested Franklin County judgeship

With just early votes counted, unofficial results show Ohio House Rep. Richard Brown, the endorsed Democrat, ahead of challenger Stephanie Hanna in the race for a seat on the bench in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

Brown had 60% of the vote and Hanna had 40% in results of early in-person and absentee voting released a little after Ohio polls closed at 7:30 p.m.

This is the only contested judge seat out of nine available on Common Pleas Court in the March primary.

No problems in Ohio election per Secretary of State

There have been no major or systemic issues on election day so far, according to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

There'll be small things here and there, but the key to our success in Ohio is that we have well-trained poll workers, boards of elections, and a very responsive team here at the Secretary of State's office that works through those things, he said.

There were 408,972 early and absentee ballots cast for Tuesdays election and around 50,000 absentee ballots remain outstanding as of Sunday night, according to the secretary of state.

As for in-person voters, the secretary of states office has seen steady turnout at polling locations around the state on Tuesday.

He declined to measure this elections turnout against previous primary elections, saying its unique conditions make it difficult to accurately compare.

The bottom line is it's hard to make an apple to apples comparison unless you find a year where that very similar (election) profile existed, he said.

Update: prosecutor candidate heeds calls to stop using flyer

In Franklin County, the hottest race is the Democratic primary for prosecutor. The historic race has three Black attorneys vying for the nomination to replace current Prosecutor Gary Tyack, a Democrat who is retiring. They are: Delaware City Attorney Natalia Harris, who lives in Columbus; Columbus City Council member Shayla Favor, a former assistant city attorney; and Anthony Pierson, deputy chief counsel in Tyack's office who has Tyack's support.

Pierson's campaign told the Dispatch Tuesday afternoon that it was heeding Franklin County Democratic Party Chair Michael Sexton's request to stop circulating a flyer Sexton called misleading. Pierson's campaign called the flyer "factually accurate."

Pierson's campaign said in an emailed statement:

"We have worked to remove the 'factually accurate' literature from circulation at the request of the Chairman."

Ohio primary: Franklin County prosecutor candidate decries opponent's 'misleading' flyer

Favor and the county party chair called on Pierson and his campaign Tuesday to stop passing out misleading flyers at the polls that look like the county party slate cards and might make voters think hes endorsed by the county Democratic party, which he is not.

The blue flyers tell electors to vote for Democrats recommended by the Franklin County Democratic Party screening committee."

Images of both sides of the Pierson campaign's flyers resembling slate cards supporters were allegedly handing out at polling locations on Tuesday. These images were included in a press release from Shayla Favor's campaign.

The wording is factual as the county Democratic partys screening committee recommended Pierson for endorsement after all three candidates submitted to screening. However, Favor points out, the larger party executive committee narrowly voted in January not to endorse Pierson or anyone in the prosecutors race ahead of the primary, heeding calls from the NAACP Columbus branch, Favor and others.

Throughout this campaign, my opponent claimed to be a person of integrity and trusted by the community. To see him stoop to this level to mislead voters about having an endorsement that he does not have is disappointing, Favor said in an emailed statement.

The Pierson campaign told The Dispatch in an emailed statement:

"The campaign put together a piece to promote our candidate and highlight the other recommended Democrats on the ballot at the same time, which is important in a low-turnout election. It is a factually accurate piece. Also, the fonts and colors are not the same, contrary to assumptions..

Pierson also said: "And it's interesting that the Favor campaign is accusing us of being misleading while at the same time stating lies about her lack of criminal prosecution experience."

This is what the slate card of Franklin County endorsed Democrats looks like in the March 19 primary on the party's website.

Franklin County Democratic Party Chair Michael Sexton in a statement Tuesday afternoon emphasized nobody is endorsed in this race and also called on Pierson to stop using the "misleading" flyer.

"After reviewing the piece, I have found that, although it is factual, it is misleading to voters who may not know the difference between a recommendation and an endorsement. In addition, the piece was never authorized by the Franklin County Democratic Party. As Chairman, I am disappointed in this action and have asked the Pierson campaign to cease using it through the end of the Primary Election," Sexton said.

America First candidate Derek Myers accidentally concedes race early, retracts

Derek Myers

Derek Myers, the America First candidate vying for the Republican nomination in Ohio's 2nd Congressional District, sent out a press release apparently in error on Tuesday afternoon conceding the race four hours before the polls close.

The release referenced Myers' private watch party scheduled for tonight as if it had already happened.

"Tonight did not go as we had hoped, but as we know, this race is decided in the primary," the release said, noting that Myers said this Tuesday evening "surrounded by 100 of his close friends and supporters."

Myers said in the release that he will work with the GOP candidate who wins today's primary and will work to re-elect Donald Trump as president.

About 3:30 p.m., Myers acknowledged the error on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Attention Press: My campaign comms team has sent out an email in error as we prepare for both possible outcomes tonight," he wrote in a post. "The polls remain open until 7:30 p.m. Please disregard the email. Thank you."

In an email at 3:58 p.m. Myers wrote, ""Two emails were prepared for this evening: one declaring a victory and one conceding the race. The concession email was sent in error as it was being loaded into the media distribution portal, as a draft, in the event of a loss. Accidentally, the send now button we clicked instead of 'draft . . .' Whatever the results return this evening, Ill be thankful for this journey. And yes, the media will be getting a release sometime after the results roll in, declaring a victory or concession. Thank you."

Central Ohio Voter Guide

Key races, issues: See our voter guide on contested races, issues in Columbus region

Presidential race

Meet the candidates: Here's who is on the ballot for president

Where do I vote?

You can find your polling place at voteohio.gov.

Ohio, Franklin County election results

After the polls close, come to Dispatch.com for the results on all the U.S., state and county contested candidate races (except party committees) and on municipal and school issues across central Ohio.

Central Ohio: Election results for Franklin County and central Ohio

Ohio election: Statewide results for president, U.S. Senate and more

U.S. House of Reprsentatives Results for Ohio US House races

Ohio Senate: Results for Ohio Senate primaries

Ohio House: Results for Ohio House of Representatives primaries

Ohio Supreme Court: Results for contested primary between Forbes and Jamison

Delaware County election results

Olentangy schools: Results for all key Delaware races

Licking County election results

Issues and races: Results for county commissioner, school issues and more

Fairfield County election results

Issues: Results for key Fairfield issues

Madison County election results

Results: County Commissioner and issues

Pickaway County election results

Results: Contested primaries for sheriff and other offices

Union County election results

Results: Sheriff's race and issues

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio primary election: Latest news, results tonight for Columbus area
Bernie Moreno will face Sen. Sherrod Brown this fall after easily winning Ohios combative Republican U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday.

Moreno, a businessman from the Cleveland area, won with nearly 51% of the vote, according to unofficial results. He defeated state Sen. Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, and Secretary of State Frank LaRose in a contest that pitted the GOPs old guard against allies of former President Donald Trump.

"We're going to win this race in November," Moreno told a crowd of supporters in Westlake. "We're going to retake the United States Senate. We're going to have President Trump in the White House. We're going to get the America first agenda done."

Who is Bernie Moreno? Meet Trump-backed Ohio Senate candidate who will face Brown

Moreno previewed his general election pitch, saying Brown is beholden to President Joe Biden and wants to pretend otherwise. But the three-term senator remains confident about his prospects. During a campaign event Monday, Brown said the Republicans opposing him are on the wrong side of abortion, minimum wage and other issues.

"The choice ahead of Ohio is clear: Bernie Moreno has spent his career and campaign putting himself first and would do the same if elected," Brown said in a statement on Tuesday. "Elections come down to whose side youre on, and Ill always work for Ohio  from standing up to special interests taking advantage of Ohio workers and corporations raising costs for families to making sure our veterans get the healthcare they earned."

Moreno victory brings heated Ohio Senate primary to end

Tuesday's election concluded a race that became increasingly vicious in its final weeks. The candidates and their allies spent millions of dollars to spar on the airwaves as they clamored for voters support. Most attacks centered around the candidates conservative credentials and whether theyd have Trumps back if hes reelected in November.

Morenos victory was far from assured. Trump endorsed him back in December, but the nod didnt put the race away like many expected. Instead, Moreno struggled for weeks to break away from the pack and whittle down a plurality of undecided voters that dominated most polls.

In the end, a flurry of visits to Ohio from Trump and his allies pushed Moreno over the finish line. And it wasn't the close outcome that polls predicted.

U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno kisses his wife, Bridget, at the end of his speech at his watch party in Westlake on Tuesday.

Throughout the race, Dolan and LaRose highlighted Morenos shifting positions on gun control and immigration. He was also dogged by legal trouble from his car dealership days, including over a dozen lawsuits in Massachusetts that accused him of not properly paying overtime to his employees.

Morenos biggest competition came from Dolan, who secured endorsements from Gov. Mike DeWine and former Sen. Rob Portman. Dolan cast himself as a pragmatist with a plan to solve problems and criticized Republicans who think civility is a weakness. But his late momentum wasnt enough to beat back the Trump machine that labeled him a RINO, or Republican in Name Only.

"I think we're a little disappointed in the turnout," Dolan told reporters. "We ran a race where we wanted to present a case to Republicans to say, if you want somebody who understands the operations of government, wants to go to Washington and actually gets things done. We just didn't get it out to enough people."

LaRose, meanwhile, came in third place despite being the only candidate to hold statewide office.

"I started this mission with a very clear statement, and that is we have a country to save. That has not changed," LaRose said after calling Moreno to concede. "That mission is still clear. That mission is to defeat Sherrod Brown this November and put this country back on track by having a senator who has Ohio's values in Washington, D.C."

Secretary of State Frank LaRose concedes his run for the U.S. Senate at Grandview Cafe in Columbus on Tuesday.

Who is running for Ohio Senate in 2024?

Now, all the attention shifts to November.

Brown, whos seeking a fourth term in office, is one of two Democrats defending his seat in a state won by Trump. Republicans believe he's vulnerable and see an opportunity to flip Ohio as they try to regain control of the U.S. Senate.

While the Buckeye State likely wont be competitive for president, Ohioans can expect a similar onslaught of attention  and advertising  for the Senate race. Already, the Senate Democrats' campaign arm has reserved $65 million to help Brown, according to the Washington Post, while Politico reported that a PAC aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to spend $83 million.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, will take on Republican Bernie Moreno in November.

A Democratic PAC even meddled in the Republican race ahead of Tuesdays primary by airing an ad that touted Morenos ties to Trump. Democrats said they wanted to show Morenos true colors, but his opponents argued that they were trying to prop up the weaker candidate against Brown.

"I want to address this idea that Chuck Schumer put some money in to help me, if helping me means running really mean and horrible ads about me," Moreno said. "But one of the things people say is, 'Oh yeah, but he said that you were tied to Trump.' Let me just say something: I wear with honor my endorsement from President Trump."

Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bernie Moreno wins Ohio Senate Republican primary 2024
Lisa Forbes, the Democratic candidate for the Ohio Supreme Court, smiles as she talks with attendees at the Woman's Empowerment Luncheon in Richmond Heights, Ohio, Saturday, March 9, 2024. Forbes is currently an Ohio Court of Appeals Judge. The Ohio Supreme Courts 4-3 Republican majority could flip to Democrats favor in the fall if the party sweeps the three seats up for election this year. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

Tuesdays primaries for three contested seats on the Ohio Supreme Court kicked off a high-stakes battle for partisan control of the court this fall.

The court, which currently has a 4-3 Republican majority, is expected to determine how to implement an amendment to the state constitution protecting abortion rights that voters overwhelmingly approved last year.

Of the three seats up for election this year, just one had a contested primary. Lisa Forbes, an 8th District Court of Appeals judge who was endorsed by the state Democratic Party, defeated Judge Terri Jamison, who sits on the 10th District Court of Appeals.

Were honored to receive the support of Ohioans across the state who are ready to restore justice, fairness and the rule of law to the Ohio Supreme Court, Forbes said in a joint statement with the two other Democratic judges who will be on the November ballot. With so much at stake in 2024, we need all hands on deck to defend our democracy.

She now will face Dan Hawkins, a Republican judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, for what is the courts only open slot. Hawkins and the state Republican Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ohio is one of 33 states with supreme court races this year and among the few where voters have an opportunity to flip partisan control of the court. The institutions have been under increasing scrutiny in recent years because they often are the court of last resort for some of the most high-profile issues that divide the nation, including abortion, voting rights and redistricting.

Just weeks ago, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos can be considered children, a decision that temporarily halted in vitro fertilization treatments in the state and sparked a national debate over reproductive rights. A race for one seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court last year was the costliest state high court campaign on record  $42 million  and eventually flipped control from conservatives to liberals.

To flip control of Ohios court, Democrats must sweep all three contested races in November, retaining two incumbents  Justices Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart  and the open seat for which Forbes won the nomination on Tuesday. That will be a difficult task, given that the state Supreme Court has been under Republican control since 1986 and the former swing states overall politics have tacked right in recent years.

But Democrats see an opening after 57% of Ohio voters backed a reproductive rights measure last fall. They plan to draw attention to the courts influence over the amendments future and see the races as a possible way to chip away at the Republican Partys longstanding control of all three branches of government in Ohio.

Forbes has served on the 8th District Court of Appeals since 2020. Before then, she was a partner at a Cleveland office of a national law firm, where she focused on business and consumer class-action law.

During her campaign, Forbes hinted at the importance of building a Democratic majority on the court, referring to it as a firewall in a state that has long been under full Republican political control.

In a statement Tuesday night to The Associated Press, Forbes said she had heard from Ohioans that they want a judiciary that will protect them and their rights.

Deametrious St. John, senior strategist for Jamisons campaign, said he was disappointed by the results and criticized the state Democratic Party for picking sides.

I think state parties should leave primaries alone, he said. Were all Democrats. Were looking to see a fair election to see whos best equipped to represent us, and thats not what happened here.

The open seat for which Forbes will compete against Hawkins is being vacated by Republican Joe Deters, who was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine in 2022. Deters has decided not to seek reelection but to instead challenge Democratic Justice Melody Stewart for her seat in November.

The term for Stewarts seat runs through 2030  four years longer than whats available on Deters current seat. The incumbent-versus-incumbent primary would tend to favor the Republican, given the states politics.

In the third court race, Donnelly will face Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Shanahan, a Republican, in Novembers general election.

Besides abortion, redistricting, public education, health care, the environment and criminal justice may also arise as campaign issues.

Passing the reproductive freedom amendment didnt automatically strike down all of the now unconstitutional restrictions on abortion in Ohio, said Kellie Copeland, executive director of Pro-Choice Ohio. There are only two paths to doing that. One is through the legislative process, which we dont see as a realistic path for some time. And the second is through court challenges that will definitely fall to the state supreme court.

Aaron Baer, president of Center for Christian Virtue in Ohio, also emphasized the importance of abortion rights in these races, raising concerns over judges too loosely interpreting the new constitutional amendment to include issues such as gender-affirming care.

The question is if were going to have judges who push their political agenda on the country or judges who just interpret the law, said Baer, who served on the board for Protect Women Ohio, the Issue 1 opposition campaign.

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The Oklahoma Senate laid its budgetary cards on the table Monday, passing a simple resolution that would allocate about $12 billion for the fiscal year 2025 budget. The measure now goes to the House of Representatives.

The proposal, which saw about 10 minutes worth of debate, passed with a 41-3 vote. Sens. Carri Hicks, Julia Kirt and George Young voted against the measure. Four other lawmakers did not vote.

The resolution, which was part of Senate Pro Tempore Greg Treat's new budget transparency plan, outlined the Senate's spending priorities. The bill also includes a $312 million cut to the state's portion of the grocery sales tax  the lone tax cut Treat said the Senate would support this session.

Plan would earmark billions for education, health services

In addition to the tax cut, the Senate's resolution would allocate:

$5.507 billion for education systems

$1.269 billion for general government and transportation

$2.211 billion for health and social services

$1.046 billion for public safety and judiciary

$923 million for human services

$500 million for infrastructure expenses

$470 million for natural resources and regulatory services

$107 million for other select agencies

$92.4 million in supplemental funding

While the measure gives a detailed view of the Senate's budget plan, the final budget probably will undergo major changes before the end of the legislative session. Nonetheless Treat, R-Oklahoma City, said he was pleased by how the process worked.

The new budget transparency process has gone better than anticipated and marks a significant step toward enhancing accountability and public trust in the Senates fiscal decision-making process, the Senate leader said in a media statement. All 33 meetings were open, livestreamed and have established a framework that promotes accessibility and a proactive approach to budgeting that will bring further accountability to government. I appreciate the diligent work and all the hours Senators put into this process, especially the staff who were essential to this process. I hope this will be built upon in the future and will continue to promote engagement and responsibility.

More: How should the state spend billions in one-time expenses? Stormy debates are ahead

Monday afternoon Treat said the Senate's budget balanced the needs of Oklahoma and, at the same time, kept the state on sustainable trajectory that "keeps our commitments to tax relief, investing in education, transportation, and health care."

"We are hiding nothing and we are ready to negotiate with the House," he said. Although, this is the most important part of our job, it is the one that historically has been the most opaque and least inclusive. We have made steps in the recent past in the Senate, but our chamber decided to dedicate ourselves to complete transparency this year. I am proud of the work that nearly all senators have participated in this year. It goes to show when you empower the right members, they will never cease to amaze you and go beyond your grandest concept."

Senate budget chairman, Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, said the resolution was a comprehensive spending plan that addresses the needs of Oklahomans across the state.

The purpose of state government is to ensure all Oklahomans feel safe in their homes and that they have access to quality schools and reliable health care," Thompson said in a media statement. "Although theres always more work to be done, this proposed budget prioritizes funding for education, public safety, transportation and health care.

House considers adding restrictions for education spending

Speaking at a Monday morning news conference, House Speaker Charles McCall said the House's final budget plan could include spending restrictions on the Oklahoma State Department of Education. McCall, responding to a story that detailed how state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters signed a $30,000 contract designed to give himself national media attention, said officials should not be spending state funds for personal promotion.

And, while McCall, R-Atoka, stopped short of praising the Senate's new efforts on making the budget transparent, he did say he hoped it would improve the process.

More: McCall suggests the state House could limit Ryan Walters' ability to hire outside PR firm

"Perhaps the Senate's process will allow them to coalesce around a budget agreement much earlier than they have in the past," McCall said. He said that last year House members were ready to move the budget and adjourn the legislative session "a couple of weeks early of the constitutional adjournment date," but the Senate delayed that effort.

"What ended up happening was we had to call a concurrent special (session) to finish up the process," he said. "It had a lot to do with the processes over in the Senate. I'm supportive of whatever the Senate needs to do internally for us to get a budget agreement early and meet our constitutional deadlines."

With the legislative session at the midway mark, lawmakers have a little more than a month to finalize a budget and any policy issues before end of session at 5 p.m. May 31.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Senate plan calls for $12 billion budget; see the proposal
Old photos of the Union flag lowered to half-mast flooded social media on March 18, fuelling rumours about the health of Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales. While the three photos are real, they in fact show the UK flag lowered at Buckingham Palace and the British Consulate General in Istanbul following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022 and at Westminster following the deadly London Bridge attack in 2017. Live footage streamed on social media on March 18 showed the Union flag flying at full mast at Buckingham Palace.

"Reports of Flags flying at half mast in Britain..." reads a post on social media platform X that shared one of the photos on March 18, 2024.

Another X post from the same day shows a night-time shot of the Union flag flying at half-mast.

"BREAKING: Reports that the Union flag is flying at half-mast at some Government Buildings across the United Kingdom tonight amid reports the BBC is on standby for an 'imminent announcement' from the Royal Family," it says.

"Could this be related to Kate Middleton's condition?" the caption continues, alluding to speculation around the princess' whereabouts and health.

Another photo, which shows the flag flying half-mast over Buckingham Palace, was also shared widely.

Screenshots of social media posts sharing the old photos

The photos surfaced around the world -- including in the United States, Pakistan and Turkey -- after Kate had not been seen at a public event since attending a Christmas Day church service, and underwent abdominal surgery in January.

She was at the centre of uproar after she admitted on March 11 to editing an official portrait of her and her three children that was released by Buckingham Palace on Mothering Sunday.

Instead of calming fears over her health, the edited picture sent the rumour mill into overdrive as media, including AFP, pulled the picture.

British media published new images of the princess a week after the furore, showing the smiling 42-year old walking alongside her husband Prince William at a farmer's market in Windsor, west of the capital London.

According to the UK-based Flag Institute, flags can be flown at half-mast for several reasons, including the death of a member of the royal family. However, this only takes place after the death has been announced, the organisation added (archived link).

No such announcement had been issued by the royal family and there were no official reports about the Union flag lowered at Buckingham Palace, as of March 19.

AFP journalists in London said the Union flag was flying at full mast in Downing Street on March 18 and at the UK parliament on March 19.

Livestream footage posted by a tourist on March 18 here and here showed no changes to the Union flag atop of Buckingham Palace (archived links here and here).

Old photos

A reverse image search on Google found the photo in the first post was taken from a report by Reuters news agency from June 4, 2017 (archived link).

The photo, which is credited to Reuters' Kevin Coombs, is captioned: "A union flag is flown at half mast in Westminster after an attack on London Bridge and Borough Market left 7 people dead and dozens injured in London, Britain, June 4, 2017."

Below is a screenshot comparison between the falsely shared image (left) and Reuters' photo from June 2017 (right):

Screenshot comparison between the falsely shared image (left) and the Reuters photo from June 2017 (right)

AFP confirmed the photo shows the Revenue and Customs building in Westminster using Google Earth and Google Maps Street View (archived links here and here).

A reverse image search on Google found the second photo was taken from a report by Turkish news agency Anadolu published on September 9, 2022 (archived link).

The report says the British flag was lowered to half-mast over the British Consulate in Istanbul following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Below is a screenshot comparison between the falsely shared image (left) and Anadolu's photo from September 2022 (right):

Screenshot comparison between the falsely shared image (left) and the Anadolu photo from September 2022 (right)

AFP confirmed the location of the photo using geotagged imagery and Google Street View (archived links here and here).

A reverse image search found the third photo in an X post by journalist Rory Challands from September 9, 2022 (archived link).

He wrote: "Flag at Buckingham Palace just lowered to half staff."

The previous day, Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II -- the longest-serving monarch in British history -- aged 96 (archived link).

Below is a screenshot comparison between the falsely shared image (left) and the photo from September 2022 (right):

Screenshot comparison between the falsely shared image (left) and the photo from September 2022 (right)

The queen's death triggered 10 days of national mourning, with flags lowered and church bells tolled across the nation.

AFP published various photos of the Union flag flying half-mast at Buckingham Palace following the her death, including here and here.
Patricia Washington, a resident of Naples Manor, prays with fellow members during church service at the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in River Park on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019.

After searching for two years, Naples' oldest African American baptist church has found a new pastor.

In 2022, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church grieved the death of their pastor, Lonnie Mills. The church has been without a pastor since, but on March 31 at 11 a.m., Rev. Jaccaire Simons will fill that role.

Simons, 36, will be pastoring his first congregation. He will be the youngest black pastor in the area, according to the church.

"The acknowledgement is humbling to say the least. However, it affirms the word of God  that He can use anyone regardless of age or any other notion to do the work of ministry wholeheartedly and effectively," Simons said in an email.

Rev. Jaccaire Simons, 36, will be pastoring his first congregation starting March 31 for the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Naples.

Simons grew up in Arcadia, Florida knowing early in life he was destined to serve. According to his biography provided by the church, he received Jesus Christ as his personal savior when he was 12. In 2015, Simons preached his first service at Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church in Arcadia. Three years later he was ordained. Recently, Simons served as an associate pastor for Life Changing Experiences Baptist Church in Port Charlotte.

"Im proud to be connecting with a church that is well established and respected in the community. I feel blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to share the Good News and impact lives from a new ministry perspective," Simons said.

As Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church transitions from interim leadership to a permanent pastor, members of the church are adjusting to Simons's rhetoric. Frank Walker III has been attending the church since 1996 and currently serves as the Program Ministry Director & Deacons Ministry.

More: A visit with Pastor Lonnie Mills and his family in photos

Lonnie Mills, pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church Naples, prays during a service on Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021. Mills and his wife, Josie, were hospitalized last year with COVID-19.

"[Compared to late Pastor Mills]I think the biggest difference is the style in which he is introducing himself and plans for the ministry," Walker said. "He is taking his time and very methodical in how he proceeds."

Another member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Voncile Whitaker, has been with the church since 1969. She serves as the church clerk and interim finance secretary. In an email, she wrote about the struggles during the church's period without a pastor.

"Since the death of our beloved Pastor Mills on March 17, 2022, our church struggled with maintaining his vision. At the time we had only two elderly deacons that were not able to led the church as ordained by our bylaws," Whitaker said.

With her responsibilities as church clerk, she took on a leadership role to assist members. Rev. Edward Miller from Hollywood, Florida preached nearly every Sunday and Whitaker created a close community to help the church uphold their bylaws.

"Anytime there is a change in Pastor's, there is a change in leadership styles, mission, and vision. However, one thing remains, a good Pastor is ordained and sent by God," Whitaker said.

Simons is currently preparing for his inaugural service that happens to take place on Easter Sunday. He plans to keep the resurrection of Jesus Christ at the center of his service.

"By keeping the main thing, the main thing  The Resurrection of Jesus equating to the free gift of Salvation for all who believe. It is a new journey for both pastor and people, so there has been much prayer for Gods blessings and guidance. Im looking forward to connecting with members and friends of the Naples community," Simons said.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Historic African American church in Naples has new pastor
March 13th - March 15th, National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) witnessed the grand opening of the 24th China Retail Trade Fair.

SHANGHAI, March 19, 2024 /CNW/ -- SUNMI Technology once again made a striking appearance at CHINASHOP. As one of the leading companies in China's retail industry, SUNMI showcased a series of remarkable products and solutions, showcasing seamless tech-business fusion and a fearless drive to push boundaries.

SUNMI booth draws a steady stream of visitors.

Star Products Lead the Trend of Commercial Digital Innovation

From the first day of the event, SUNMI's booth became the most popular, drawing attention with its prominent LED screen spanning the entire top. SUNMI's 3rdgeneration star products, including the SUNMI T3 PRO series, D3 MINI series, D3 PRO, V3 MIX, joined hands with the million-level new energy hardcore off-road vehicle, the U8, to make a stunning appearance. Together, they showcased China's top-level technology products, highlighting exquisite craftsmanship and quality, making them the undeniable focus of the show.

At the exhibition, SUNMI unveiled the pre-release of the Smart Desktop Terminal SUNMI D3 PRO, which continues the design style of the SUNMI's third-generation family. It features a metal aluminum body and a 15.6-inch HD display, equipped with a Qualcomm chip, supporting fingerprint unlocking with a power-on button, and can flexibly choose a 10-inch secondary screen and scanning module.

The Smart Scale Terminal S2L CC, using AI technology to accurately identify weighing goods, has realized the automation of label printing, bringing a brand-new self-service experience to the supermarket industry.

The "Qualcomm X SUNMI SUPER POS" solution jointly launched by SUNMI and Qualcomm made its domestic debut at this exhibition. This is also the industry's first product to use the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip to carry the Windows operating system and form a commercial cash register solution. The "Qualcomm X SUNMI SUPER POS" speeds up global POS cross-platform transformation, offering a low-power, high-performance, lightweight, and stylish experience for Windows system users.

Story continues

Furthermore, the widely praised T3 PRO series, D3 MINI series, and V3 MIX caught the eye of numerous attendees. SUNMI also showcased its robust software capabilities, such as the iF International Design Award SUNMI OS 4.0 and the SUNMI DMP, offering partners professional, efficient, and secure device management and content control.

Jointly building new business scenes with over 20+ ecological partners, embracing digital trends

At this CHINASHOP, SUNMI's booth invited a number of ecological partners to jointly create rich business scenes, including 24 scenes such as new tea drinks, fast food, hotels, pet supermarkets, group meals, Tiktok local life and retail, bringing immersive experiences to the audience. At the same time, many outstanding partners also brought exciting on-site speeches, not only bringing more inspiration and innovation to the industry but also providing audiences with deep insights.

About SUNMI

SUNMI is an IoT company which is committed to bring businesses smart IoT devices and supporting integrated cloud services, to build an interconnected world and finally achieve Business 4.0.

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sunmis-3rd-generation-flagship-products-shine-at-chinashop-2024-joining-hands-with-numerous-partners-to-create-new-business-scenarios-302092395.html

SOURCE SUNMI Technology

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2024/19/c2040.html
Fellow veterans have an eagerness to support each other. They will often build companies specifically around the idea of creating a safe and supportive environment where their teams can do meaningful work while making good income. Jason Anderson has done exactly this in his real estate brokerage, VeteranPCS .

Anderson has developed a network of vetted real estate professionals who have agreed to participate in a program that provides $200-$4,000 cash back to clients to help with the moving costs and another 10% to charity.

His brokerage focuses on military families who are PCSing, leaning heavily on Andersons first-hand experience from his own time in service, but real estate professionals dont need to work for VeteranPCS to be a part of his referral network. He says the network exists solely to serve a vital need within the military community, so its open to any real estate professional as long as they agree to participate in the cash back program, are a military veteran with an honorable or medical discharge or a military spouse and pass his vetting call.

Jason Anderson

Andersons military service began in 2012 when he was commissioned as an aviation officer in the Army flying AH-64D Apache helicopters. He then served in South Korea, Fort Liberty, and Fort Carson, with a combat deployment to Afghanistan, and a tour to eastern Europe. He served in leadership roles as a Platoon Leader and Troop Commander, accumulating over 1000 flight hours in the process. Anderson said, My time in the Army as a leader and combat aviator were some of the best years of my life, and truly shaped my character, work ethic and integrity. It was demanding and challenging nearly every day, but flying the Apache helicopter was a hell of a good time. Mission first, people always, was a core belief in the military, and is now the roots of VeteranPCS.

Andersons time in service played a pivotal role in his success in entrepreneurship because it prepared him for the adversity he would face in launching and running a business. But he was faced with twice the challenge that most entrepreneurs are because he launched both the brokerage and the referral network at essentially the same time. This meant dividing his time, energy and capital between two entities. It was a lot more difficult, but he says he felt like it was the right thing to do.

When a service member goes through a PCS, its often chaotic and stressful because they still have a job to do, so a lot of the moving process typically falls to the spouse, Anderson explained. I know how that goes because Ive been through it a few times, so I knew I could help some of my fellow service members, but I couldnt help all of them, so I chose to start the referral network at the same time. This enabled me to leverage the power of my network to help more service members than I could on my own.

He shared a story about his own entry into the industry when he didnt have the money to buy leads and had to resort to other means to find business. There werent many good options available to new agentsessentially, they could either hound friends and family for introductions to people who might want to sell or purchase a home someday, or they could buy expensive leads from one of the countless lead gen websites online today, which are often also resold to multiple agents, making them essentially worthless.

Now he had two problems to solve.

The first was a lack of support for service members PCSing, and now that he had become an agent, he identified a second problem, which was that he didnt have access to quality leads at an affordable price.

As Anderson grew the VeteranPCS referral network, he could now serve more clients, send business to other real estate professionals who are also veterans, put money back in the hands of military homebuyers, and donate money to veteran charities.

Anderson present a veteran with cash back.

Anderson shared, The more I learned about the industry, military spouse and veteran unemployment, and big corporations taking advantage of our service members the more I thought, Why isn't there just a simple website that equally supports moving military families, veteran and military spouse businesses, and military-focused charity? And just like that, VeteranPCS was born. A company dedicated to the mission: Military Families Helping Military Families Move.

Anderson says hes on a mission to impact the military community in a big way by eliminating one big worry that active duty service members facemoving. His vision is to serve over 10,000 moving military families each year through his network, which translates into a staggering $10 million given back to service members while supporting thousands of veteran and military spouse real estate professionals. Real estate professionals who want to join the VeteranPCS referral network can apply at: https://veteranpcs.com .
Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of Ukraines National Security and Defence Council, believes that the time will come when historians will describe how Ukraine opened Europe's eyes to the real Russia.

Source: Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, in an episode of Ukrainska Pravda. Summary

Quote: "Time will pass, and when historians describe these events, they will write: Ukraine finally woke Europe up. We have stirred Europe up with our actions. They were in a kind of, let's say, political slumber, believing that there were no threats from an authoritarian, autocratic, totalitarian Russia. Now they are finally beginning to realise that this is very dangerous."

Details: Danilov reminded us that Ukraine is defending not only itself, but also the whole of Europe.

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Data from the Ministry of Justice found there were 15,594 Muslim prisoners in jails in England and Wales in September 2023 - iStockphoto

One in five Muslim prisoners is white, official figures show, amid fears that Islamic gangs are driving conversions.

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data has revealed that there were 15,594 Muslim prisoners in England and Wales in September last year, accounting for 18 per cent of all inmates despite comprising only 6.5 per cent of the population.

Of these, 3,096  19.9 per cent  were white, according to the MoJ figures. This is nearly three times the rate in the general Muslim population, where 7.8 per cent are recorded as white.

Only 5,489  35 per cent  were of Asian or Asian British ethnicity, while 4,212 were black or black British. The rest were of mixed, other or unrecorded ethnicity.

The figures  combining ethnicity and religious belief for the first time  follow a series of reports highlighting concerns that gangs in some jails are ordering prisoners to become Muslims or face violence.

Pragmatic response to who controls power

Ian Acheson, who conducted a review of Islamist extremism in prisons for the MoJ, said: Theres strong evidence that people convert as a pragmatic response to who controls power and space in our prisons.

This seems to be the case in high security prisons, in particular, where safety is at a premium and there are also large numbers of violent young men entering custody searching for meaning and belonging. So Islam in this case has gang characteristics.

However, he said it was important not to rule out authentic conversions, adding: Conversion to Islam, which the figures indicate is happening at a higher rate than other religions in prison, is a relatively simple process and good Imams should be able to spot those doing so out of convenience.

But the fact remains that frontline prison staff lack the religious competence, leadership backup and authority to spot and challenge malign control and intimidation by such gangs, often because of fears of being accused of racism.

A report two years ago by Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terror legislation, revealed that Muslim terrorists had been able to seize control of prison wings and set up sharia courts behind bars because prison staff were so concerned about being accused of racism.

He highlighted how two jailed terrorists  Usman Khan, who killed two students in an attack at London Bridge, and Sudesh Amman, the Streatham knife attacker who was shot dead by police  had threatened other inmates in an attempt to convert them to Islam or radicalise them.

Every offender has religion logged

A third review last year by Colin Bloom, a government adviser, found that failure to identify as a Muslim meant that at best the new prisoner would be denied protection from the dominant Muslim gang on that wing, or at worst the new prisoner would be subjected to violence and intimidation from that same gang.

The new MoJ analysis, uncovered by Inside Time, does not record how many were born into the Islamic faith and how many converted into it, either in prison or before arriving.

Every offender has their religion logged in their prison record, and access to some privileges  such as attending chapel, receiving appropriate food and being allowed to possess religious items in cells  is based on this record.

In 2023, Christians were the biggest faith group, accounting for 45 per cent of the prisoner population, followed by those who stated they had no religion (31 per cent) and Muslims (18 per cent).

Previous MoJ figures, covering eight London jails, showed that between 2015 and 2018, 255 prisoners converted to Islam. During the same period, there were 209 cases of prisoners changing their religion to Christianity, and 92 cases of prisoners adopting other faiths.

It is likely some of the 3,000 recorded white Muslims are Europeans born into the Islamic faith. Last year there were 1,475 Albanians in UK prisons, the biggest single group of foreign nationals. Albania is a majority Muslim nation.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: Attributing these figures to the influence of Muslim gangs would be misleading and based on wholly anecdotal evidence. Forced religious conversions are not tolerated in prisons.

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There is something about sound that upends the human psyche. Thats certainly the case in Jonathan Glazers latest film, The Zone of Interest.

The film follows a family through their daily routine. Theres a birthday celebration; the family dog that wants to follow its owners from room to room; a daughter who has sleepwalking issues.

Except these arent normal times, and this isnt a normal family.

The characters in question are Rudolph Hoss, the Nazi commandant of the Auschwitz death camp, his wife Hedwig, and their five small children. The family lives an upper-middle-class suburban life, with one small hitch: they share a wall with Auschwitz.

From its opening in 1940 to the camps liberation in 1945, over 1.1 million men, women and children were systematically murdered at Auschwitz. More than 11 million were killed in the Holocaust  six million of whom were Jews.

Yet Glazers camera never focuses on mass murder. Instead, the viewer is left with only a handful of impressionistic shots  flowers being grown with the ashes of human remains or a shot of water running red as Hoss boot heels are cleaned after a days work.

Viewers never go inside the gates of Auschwitz, but they hear its horrors. The constant ambient soundscape suggests the untold terrors within. Distant gunshots, the hum of machinery, dogs snarling, train whistles and the shrieks of parents separated from children. One never truly sees the Holocaust unfold, which makes Glazers portrayal of it all the more of a gut punch.

Since Rudolph is not affected in his everyday life by what he does or sees within the concentration camp, Glazer would like us to imagine living in the same way as Rudolph, writer and filmmaker Enid Tihanyi Zentelis wrote for Talkhouse. Because the Holocaust has been so fully written about and analyzed by historians, it makes for an ideal study of humankinds ongoing capacity for violence, depravity and staggering lack of empathy, no matter what country or time period we consider.

Called a study in extreme cognitive dissonance by the Guardian, Zone of Interest does feature one strand of hope in the form of a young girl.

Shot on a thermal imaging camera, the film pivots from its hauntingly ordinariness to nighttime scenes that follow a young woman moving almost ghostlike by the camera, according to the Guardian. [She] clandestinely moves through a construction site beneath a railway that runs into the camp. She places apples in the earth for the starving prisoners on work duty to find the following day.

This particular scene is a result of Glazer meeting a 90-year-old Polish resistance fighter by happenstance. The woman, called Alexandria, was just 12 when she began defying the Nazis and hiding apples and other food for the prisoners of Auschwitz.

While speaking to Alexandria, the woman revealed that she had discovered a small sheet of music while laying out food, which turned out to have been composed by an Auschwitz prisoner, composer Joseph Wulf, who survived the war.

She lived in the house we shot in, Glazer told the Guardian. It was her bike we used, and the dress the actor wears was her dress. Sadly, she died a few weeks after we spoke.

Her defiance, however, became a ray of sunlight for Glazer amid the darkest subject matter.

That small act of resistance, the simple, almost holy act of leaving food, is crucial because it is the one point of light, he recounts for the Guardian. I really thought I couldnt make the film at that point. I kept ringing my producer, Jim, and saying: Im getting out. I cant do this. Its just too dark. It felt impossible to just show the utter darkness, so I was looking for the light somewhere and I found it in her. She is the force for good.
Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and Stitcher.

Donald Trump may generate daily headlines with his bombastic statements and myriad legal troubles, but of all the important 2024 election-related issues worth discussing there is one in particular that deserves highlighting, according to The New Abnormal co-host Andy Levy.

The Trump campaign was in full damage control last week after the former president called in to CNBC and suggested making cuts from Medicare and Social Security, which offer financial care to retired Americans or those with a disability.

There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements, tremendous bad management of entitlements, Trump told CNBCs Joe Kernen.

While the Trump campaign issued a statement explaining Trumps remarks meant he would get rid of waste and fraud, Levy isnt buying it.

Hes tried to backtrack from that. But it is very clear that as with every other policy that Trump wants, he wants to benefit the rich and harm the middle class and harm poorer people, Levy said.

Subscribe to The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Overcast.

Then, Justin Baragona, a senior media reporter at The Daily Beast, joins the show to discuss one of Trumps latest problematic comments, this time at an Ohio rally over the weekend during which the former president declared there will be a bloodbathfor the auto industryif he is not elected in November.

He does have a habit of using this kind of violent rhetoric, Baragona explains. Even when he was first inaugurated, we all know about the American carnage speech he loves doing this kind of stuff.

The Real Reason Why Trump Is Trashing Kimmel and the Oscars

Plus! Shannon Vavra, a national security reporter for The Daily Beast, joins the program to discuss her latest piece, The Sloppy Russian Schemers Impersonating Top U.S. Officials, and explain how online disinformation has proliferated in recent months.

Listen to this full episode of The New Abnormal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon and

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.
Due to the US sanctions pressure, Dubai's main state-owned bank Emirates NBD has closed some accounts of Russian oligarchs and Russian oil traders.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Details: It is noted that Emirates NBD has closed its Russian subsidiary and many Russian accounts. The companies of Azerbaijani businessman Etibar Eyyub, who trades in Russian oil, were also hit.

Emirates NBD ordered the closure of the accounts of Coral, Voliton, Bellatrix and another company associated with Eyyub, Pontus Trading. These companies were the ones that registered old tankers carrying large volumes of Russian oil.

Emirates NBD also closed the accounts of Russian fertiliser giant Uralkali and Russian businessman Ivan Tavrin. In December, the United States imposed sanctions on Tavrin, who had been buying up foreign technology companies since the start of the full-scale war.

In addition to Emirates NBD, the Dubai branch of the Egyptian state-owned bank Banque Misr has also started to curtail its work with Russians.

Background: Emirates NBD will start transferring the assets owned by Russians to separate accounts, where all payments on securities owned by them will be received.

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People walk past a "now hiring" sign posted outside of a restaurant in Arlington, Virginia on June 3, 2022. Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images

The US economy is set to grow faster because of a surge in immigration, according to Goldman Sachs.

The bank raised its 2024 GDP forecasts because of the increased labor supply due to immigration.

"Elevated immigration has boosted labor force growth and, by extension, potential GDP growth," Goldman Sachs said.

Economic growth in America is set to accelerate amid a period of surging immigration, according to Goldman Sachs.

The bank boosted its 2024 GDP forecast in a note on Sunday, arguing that a jump in labor force growth via elevated immigration will drive the US economy higher.

"Elevated immigration has boosted labor force growth and, by extension, potential GDP growth," Goldman Sachs said.

The bank highlighted recent studies that suggest immigration was 1.5 million above the trend of about one million in 2023. The jump in immigration should continue in 2024, according to Goldman Sachs economist Ronnie Walker.

"We expect immigration to be about 1mn higher than usual this year, implying breakeven job growth of around 125k and a 0.3pp boost to potential GDP growth in 2024 from faster labor force growth," Walker said.

The sharp increase in immigration should lead to higher monthly payroll reports, with Goldman Sachs increasing its average monthly job gains in 2024 to 175,000 from 150,000.

And as more people hold jobs in America, consumption trends should continue to rise, further driving economic growth.

The bank boosted its 2024 real GDP growth estimate to 2.4% on a fourth-quarter over fourth-quarter basis, and to 2.7% for the full year, according to the note.

"Our estimates imply that above-trend immigration will boost potential GDP growth by 0.3pp in 2024. Together with economywide productivity growth of 1.5% and a 0.3pp contribution from labor force growth implied by demographic trends and historically average net migration, we estimate that potential GDP growth will be roughly 2.1% in 2024," Walker explained.

Goldman Sachs' bullish forecast on the US economy, driven in part by immigration trends, follows a report from the CBO in February that said the US economy will grow by an extra $7 trillion over the next decade due to elevated immigration trends.

Read the original article on Business Insider
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR)  Here is a round-up of the latest outdoors news from across southwest and central Virginia.

Shad Run

An annual rite of spring in Virginia is underway. The hickory and American shad runs are in their early stages, but some fish are being taken in Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Shad return from the sea each year to spawn in freshwater.

The thing that I love about shad and herring, especially here in Virginia is that theyre an anadromous species, meaning they live out in saltwater, and then come into freshwater to spawn, said Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR) District One Fisheries Manager Clinton Morgeson. To me theres nothing stronger of a metaphor for being part of the bigger picture than fish that live out in the ocean coming back to spawn where theyre born to continue that process.

American shad numbers are still low, so they can not be harvested. Hickory shad numbers are stable, and they can be kept according to regulations.

A hickory shad caught from the James River in Richmond, Virginia (Photo: George Noleff)

You can catch shad in a variety of ways, but the most popular way is to cast for them with small shad darts, spinners, or spoons. A popular location to fish for them is Ancarrows Landing in Richmond, though they can be taken from nearly every Chesapeake Bay tributary.

Hickory shad are prized for their meat and roe. They can be roasted, grilled, or fried, and their fried roe is considered a delicacy.

Shad Cam

There is a way you can follow the shad run live as it happens. It is the VDWRs Shad Cam. It is a live web camera that captures images of fish as they move through the fish passage at Boshers Dam on the James River near Richmond. While the camera is used to monitor the movements of shad, it also captures plenty of other species like striped bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish, blue catfish, American eels, and white perch among others.

Six Billion!

Good news about Chesapeake Bay oysters. The Chesapeake Oyster Alliance says there are now six billion of the bivalves in the Chesapeake Bay. The Alliance has a goal of ten billion oysters in the bay by 2025.

A report from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation finds oyster restoration on the Chesapeake Bay to be very successful

It was just about a decade ago that oyster numbers had fallen to critical levels in the Chesapeake. Government and private efforts to restore the oyster population has reversed the downward trend. Though oyster numbers are not close to their historical highs, wildlife managers say the growth puts oysters on a good path in the Chesapeake.

Oysters are vital to Virginias economy. Virginia is the leading oyster exporter on the east coast.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
NAPERVILLE, Ill.  The owner of a Naperville massage business was arrested late last week and charged following an investigation into a report of battery at the business, the Naperville Police Department announced Tuesday.

Austin Arianoutsos, 35, of Naperville is charged with misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct stemming from a Jan. 5 incident at YangRising Health & Wellness, located at 25 South Washington Street, Suite 212, in Naperville.

Board terminates Fenton High School employee accused of sexual abuse allegations

In that incident, police say, Arianoutsos allegedly made unwanted contact of a sexual nature with a client. He was arrested Friday, March 15.

Naperville man gets 18 years for killing 3 in DUI crash

Arianoutsos is also charged with practicing massage therapy without a license after police learned that his massage therapist license had been placed in Refuse to Renew status by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation.

According to police, placement of that status was the result of unprofessional conduct associated with unprofessional and immoral conduct as exhibited by sexual misconduct during the course of providing massage for compensation services to a client.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headline

Police are unsure if there are additional victims of this alleged crime and ask anyone who may have experienced similar contact with Arianoutsos to call the Naperville Police Department at 630-420-6665 and ask for the Investigations Division.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command is asking Congress for $11 billion more than the White Houses fiscal 2025 defense budget request, an amount that is three times greater than the wish list it submitted last year.

Much of the money requested in the annual list, obtained by Defense News, would go toward constructing infrastructure to host U.S. forces in the region, classified space programs, munitions and Guam defenses. The U.S. is aiming to bolster its presence in the region to deter China.

The largest component of the list by far is military construction in the Indo-Pacific region, with a $3.3 billion request to enable U.S. Indo-Pacom to develop and deliver footprint requirements in a timely manner. The military construction amount alone is nearly equal to the total $3.5 billion unfunded priorities list Indo-Pacific Command submitted to Congress last year, which was the largest wish list from any combatant command in FY24.

Indo-Pacific Commands request to beef up military construction in the region comes after Congress recently renewed assistance to the Pacific island nations of Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, which provide military access for U.S. forces in return.

The unfunded priorities list requests another $40 million for the Navy, specifically for activities in Micronesia to integrate posture plans, military construction projects, land use negotiations and other joint support activities.

Meanwhile, the Philippines is expected to begin work on numerous base upgrades this year after its recent agreement to enhance basing cooperation with the United States.

Another $580.7 million on the list would go toward military campaigning in the region, with the bulk of those funds directed toward the Army.

Additionally, $1.4 billion on the Indo-Pacific Command list would go toward classified space programs. Half of that requested amount would help accelerate the development of space-based sensors used to counter missile threats, while the rest would resource space control and enabling capabilities.

For munitions, the list asks for more than $1 billion to accelerate development and procurement of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk cruise missile. It requests another $766.9 million for the Navy to procure more of the Standard Missile-6 weapons and another $396.9 million for that service to accelerate fielding Hammerhead mines, designed to be delivered by unmanned underwater vehicles and surface vessels.

It asks for $390.7 million worth of Precision Strike Missiles for the Army. For the Air Force, it requests $298.4 million to procure Joint Strike Missiles and another $105.1 million to buy Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles.

Wargames conducted by the House Committee on the Chinese Communist Party last year found a U.S.-China conflict over Taiwan would rapidly deplete munitions stockpiles, including the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile.

The commands wish list is meant to bridge the FY25 funding gap it reported in its annual assessment to Congress, which Defense News obtained last week. That report assessed the command needs $26.5 billion for FY25, $15 billion of which was in the Pentagons base budget request.

The command is also asking for $430 million to develop a missile defense system in Guam against ballistic, hypersonic and cruise missile threats.

Its unclear how much funding Congress can provide for either the FY24 or FY25 wish list, as last years debt ceiling agreement imposed an $886 billion defense spending cap for FY24 and an $895 top line for FY25. Funding any defense wish lists would require Congress to take money out of other accounts.

Nearly six months into the fiscal year, Congress has yet to pass a full FY24 budget. Lawmakers are expected to release the text of the long-overdue FY24 Pentagon spending bill later this week.

Furthermore, the Defense Department had been relying on the Senates $95 billion foreign aid bill for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan to beef up global force posture and ramp up munitions production. That bill includes $542 million for Indo-Pacific Command to fulfill its $3.5 billion unfunded priorities list for FY24.

The Senate passed the bill 70-29 last month, but it has stalled in the House amid opposition from Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

The military combatant commands and services are legally required to submit unfunded priorities lists to Congress every year.
PALESTINE, Texas (KETK)  Police arrested two men suspected of shooting in a Palestine neighborhood Sunday around 1:41 a.m.

Man sentenced to 10 life sentences for child sex abuse in East Texas

Officer I. Pettigrew and Sgt B. Nicholson reportedly heard bursts of gunfire from McClellan Street, and a caller reported hearing the shots from the 700 block of S. Fulton Street. As officers investigated the area, they saw a vehicle fleeing the area and the passenger moving about furtively inside the car as it passed.

When they initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, officials said they immediately smelled marijuana. After an officer noticed an AR-15 style rifle in the floorboard behind the driver, both occupants of the vehicle were taken into custody.

Two arrested in Nacogdoches for stolen gun, marijuana, after shooting investigation

The driver was identified as 20-year-old Darrius White, and the passenger was identified as 21-year-old Dreyon Barrett. Both were charged with deadly conduct and booked into the Anderson County Jail.

Officers said the gun was still warm to the touch when they recovered it. During questioning, police said White was vague on the details but admitted shots had been fired from the weapon.

Additionally, officers found eight cartridge cases in front of 616 S. Dorrence Street similar to the rounds recovered from the rifle.

The back half of this residence was missing, and it was uninhabitable, but there was evidence of narcotics activity and loitering at the location, police said. There was at least one bullet hole in a window of the residence which penetrated through a back wall and apparently exited the open back side, as well as defects at the front of the residence that may have been caused by fired rounds.

No victims were found and police are unsure if anyone was at the residence at the time of the shooting.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) -Armed and masked men from an array of clans and factions have started providing security for aid convoys in Gaza as Hamas tries to keep its clout in the enclave, Palestinian officials and sources in the militant group say.

Video footage obtained by Reuters showed a convoy of trucks entering Gaza City with foreign aid overnight, watched by several men armed with AK-47 assault rifles and others wielding sticks.

With Israeli forces sworn to eliminate Hamas since its deadly Oct. 7 raid on Israel, it has become highly risky for anyone linked to the Islamist group to emerge into the open to provide security for aid deliveries to desperate civilians.

So numerous clans, civil society groups and factions - including Hamas's secular political rival Fatah - have stepped in to help provide security for the aid convoys, according to the Palestinian officials and Hamas sources.

They did not identify the clans and factions but said Hamas' ability to rally such groups behind it over security showed it retains influence, and that efforts by Israel to build its own administrative system to keep order in Gaza were being resisted.

"Israel's plan to find some clans to collaborate with its pilot projects of finding an alternative to Hamas didn't succeed but it also showed that Palestinian resistance factions are the only ones who can run the show, in one way or another," said a Palestinian official who asked not to be named.

An Israeli military spokesperson declined comment, saying specific rules of engagement in an active war zone could not be publicly discussed.

CIVIL ORDER STRAINED

Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed over 30,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials, and reduced much of the enclave to rubble. The campaign was launched in response to Hamas's Oct. 7 attack, in which Israel said 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage.

Hamas, which has run Gaza since 2007, has built its popularity on social services, education programmes and charities it offers impoverished Gazans.

With public order strained and civil police having concerns about providing security for fear of being targeted by the Israeli military, the safe distribution of supplies has become increasingly hard to guarantee.

Dozens of Palestinians were killed last month after crowds surrounded a convoy of aid trucks entering northern Gaza and Israeli troops opened fire. Israel said many victims had been trampled or run over, and that it opened fire only after its troops felt threatened by the advancing crowd.

A senior Israeli official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said Israel was open in principle to Palestinians securing areas of the Gaza Strip cleared of Hamas, and could even approve the formation of an armed police.

"But this is more of a day-after (the war) enterprise than something that could be implemented as a policy right now. We would need to be assured that the individuals have no Hamas ties - and certainly that they are not directly or indirectly serving Hamas interests," the Israeli official said.

Juliette Touma, spokesperson for the U.N. refugee agency UNRWA, had no information about masked men securing convoys.

Jamie McGoldrick, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said the United Nations was not working with clans.

"We've been trying to get the Blue Police (Palestinian civil police) back on track again. There have been a number of incidents where the blue police have been targeted by Israel, because they regard them as part of the Hamas infrastructure," he said.

"And so we are trying to find the best way suitable to have delivery of assistance into the north and other parts of Gaza Strip. That is a combination of using community groups, etc. And where we can use the police in a discreet manner as well."

Shimon Freedman, spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Ministry liaison agency for Palestinian civilian affairs, said the distribution of aid in Gaza was the responsibility of international organisations.

"While we assist in that distribution and we help coordinate those convoys and allow them to go through our humanitarian corridor, the aspects of that are up to them," he said.

SENIOR POLICE CHIEF KILLED

Israel said on Monday it had killed Brigadier General Faiq Abdulraouf Al-Mabhouh, a senior police chief in central Gaza, during a raid on Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

Hamas said Mabhouh was responsible for protecting and securing aid trucks in Gaza, and had been coordinating with the U.N. over the protection of the distribution of aid.

On Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike on a home in northern Gaza Strip killed another officer tasked with aid delivery security, that also killed his wife and children, health officials said.

Late on Tuesday, 30 people from groups formed by local clans to secure the entry of aid trucks into Gaza City were killed by an Israeli strike while waiting for aid at a major roundabout, Hamas media said. Israel had no immediate comment.

Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the attacks "to influence the protection of aid and increase chaos as sought by the occupation (Israel)." Israel has denied accusations of using starvation as a weapon of war.

Separate statements issued in the name of the National Assembly of Palestinian Tribes, and Palestinian factions, condemned Israel's killing of police officers and members of the popular protection committees in the past two days.

"We affirm that we stand with all our tribes, clans and families in the Gaza Strip behind our national Palestinian police and the supporting protection committees," said the statement of the clans.

As part of plans for running Gaza after the war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has considered empowering local representatives not affiliated to Hamas or other militant groups, but it is unclear who those people might be.

Gaza has large traditional family clans, affiliated with political factions including Hamas and Fatah, which dominates the Palestinian Authority in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Some of the larger clans are widely believed to be heavily armed. Some clan leaders have publicly rejected Israel's plan and said they cannot take the place of U.N. relief agencies helping Palestinian refugees, or be a substitute for local authorities.

(Addittional reporting by Emma Farge in Geneva and Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Timothy Heritage and Josie Kao)
The Palm Coast City Council Tuesday morning voted to terminate City Manager Denise Bevan without cause. The termination was effective immediately.

About 30 minutes into the council's Tuesday business meeting, Mayor David Alfin made the motion to remove Bevan.

Alfin said the council and city staff "must address the pressures of impending growth to ensure our quality of life" as well as invest in the future and local economy. He also said the council must balance these interests with "our community's beliefs" to keep taxes low and avoid government waste. Doing so, he said, requires "focus, leadership by this council and the expertise of city staff. Now that council's unified on the city's direction, I want to take an additional action to lead this city into the future. I would like to make a change in our city manager position."

He made the motion to terminate Bevan without cause; use the Florida League of Cities and other sources to employ an interim manager with "proven experience," and then begin the process of finding a "highly qualified person to manage this city consistent with our communitys goals, vision and values."

Councilmembers were split on the decision.

"I think a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way  and I think thats what Denise has done," council member Nick Klufas said during the meeting. "Leaders have a capacity to translate vision into reality and I think thats what weve been able to accomplish. I dont support relieving Denise of her duties."

Council member Theresa Carli Pontieri said that while she agreed there needed to be a "change in direction at management level," she thought it should happen at the director level.

"Furthermore," she said, "(Bevan) came in at a time when we have experienced unprecedented growth and we can say until are blue in the face that its her fault that certain things have not been managed correctly, when the fact of the matter is when we as a council approve zoning variances  approve density above and beyond what we should without the proper infrastructure in place, thats not her fault, thats the council's fault."

Both Klufas, whose term is up at the end of the year, and Pontieri were concerned that hiring a new city manager with an election six months out would be unfair to new council members.

"Worst case scenario is we relieve Denise of her duties today, we hire someone in the interim, November comes around and they get fired, and then another search has to go out and the next thing we know, 18 months from now we're still without a city manager, without leadership," Klufas said. "And my biggest qualm is that this is going to leave so much turmoil for all the directors and employees beneath them."

Vice Mayor Ed Danko agreed with allowing the new council to choose its city manager.

The motion to terminated Bevan was approved 3-2 with Klufas and Pontieri opposed.

After the vote, Alfin directed Bevan to meet with HR, and as she left the room, she received a round of applause from council and audience members as well as a standing ovation from Klufas and Pontieri.

The council named Assistant City Manager Lauren Johnston as acting city manager during the interim period.

Bevan was originally promoted to city manager in February 2023, after she served as interim city manager following Matt Morton's resignation the previous year. She never applied for the position. The city received approximately 90 applications, but the council wasn't impressed by any of the candidates.

At the time, the city unanimously voted to promote Bevan to city manager.

Bevan started with the city on Feb. 26, 2007, as a senior environmental planner. She served in that position for many years before being promoted to city administration coordinator where she stayed until her promotion to chief of staff over infrastructure in April 2021. She has also been a certified floodplain manager since 2007.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Palm Coast City Council fires city manager without cause
On behalf of its client Matter Labs, Sygnum is investing USD 50m into Fidelity's Institutional Liquidity Fund (ILF)

Sygnum generates on-chain representation by issuing security tokens that act

as secure and transparent "Proof-of-Reserves" for Matter Labs' treasury reserves

Represents first step in Matter Labs' long-term strategy to move its treasury

reserves on-chain with trusted institutional custodians

By tokenising traditional securities, Sygnum is strengthening the Crypto-TradFi bridge and laying the foundations for a fully-tokenised ecosystem

ZURICH, March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sygnum, a global digital asset banking group, is tokenising USD 50m of Matter Labs' treasury reserves onto the zkSync blockchain. The Sygnum-issued security tokens act as on-chain representations of units from Fidelity International's ("Fidelity") USD 6.9bni Institutional Liquidity Fund (ILF) to generate a secure and transparent "Proof-of-Reserves."

zkSync Sygnum

Matter Labs is a software development, engineering, and cryptography company focused on creating scaling solutions for Ethereum and contributing to the improvement of zk-rollup technology, such as zkSync. zkSync is a layer 2 blockchain protocol designed to scale the performance of Ethereum, the second largest cryptocurrency. The investment marks the first step of Matter Labs' long-term strategy to move its treasury reserves on-chain with institutional custodians like Sygnum.

This is the first project to leverage the capabilities of Sygnum's multi-chain tokenisation solution with traditional securities. With the tokenisation of the investment in Fidelity's money market fund, Sygnum further strengthens Crypto-TradFi connections and lays the foundations for a fully-tokenised ecosystem.

Jurg Rimle, Country Head Switzerland at Fidelity International, says "We welcome the partnership with Sygnum Bank that expands access for professional and institutional investors  and strengthens the trusted bridge between the emerging digital asset economy and traditional finance."

Story continues

Fatmire Bekiri, Sygnum Head of Tokenisation, says "Working with Fidelity and utilising zkSync, Sygnum leverages both the power of the blockchain and the experience of a global Tier 1 investment manager. It's a prime illustration of our mission to connect Crypto and Trad-Fi and build Future Finance on-chain."

Marco Cora, Matter Labs SVP of Business and Operations, says "Moving USD 50m of our treasury reserves onto the zkSync blockchain showcases its institutional-grade security as well as our commitment to transparency. We're eager to collaborate with Sygnum to bring part of the Fidelity money market fund on the zkSync blockchain for investors."

Matter Labs' strategic move bringing its treasury reserves on-chain is part of the growing Real World Assets (RWA) tokenisation trend which in 2023 increased 74% to USD 2.5bnii. Their enhanced liquidity and accessibility  as well as the increased attractiveness of traditional yield-bearing instruments  is driving new levels of transparency, efficiency and new product creation in financial markets.

About Sygnum

Sygnum is a global digital asset banking group, founded on Swiss and Singapore heritage. We empower professional and institutional investors, banks, corporates and DLT foundations to invest in digital assets with complete trust. Our team enables this through our institutional-grade security, expert personal service and portfolio of regulated digital asset banking, asset management, tokenisation and B2B services. In Switzerland, Sygnum holds a banking licence and has CMS and Major Payment Institution Licences in Singapore. The group is also regulated in the established global financial hubs of Abu Dhabi and Luxembourg. We believe that the future has heritage. Our crypto-native team of banking, investment and digital asset technology professionals are building a trusted gateway between the traditional and digital asset economies that we call Future Finance. To learn more about how Sygnum's mission and values are shaping this digital asset ecosystem, please visit sygnum.com

Media contact:

Dominic Castley, Chief Marketing Officer

dominic.castley@sygnum.com

+41 58 508 21 01

Sygnum Bank AG

Uetlibergstrasse 134a 8045

Zurich, Switzerland

Disclaimer: The information in this publication pertaining to Sygnum Bank AG ("Sygnum") is for general information purposes only, as per date of publication and should not be considered exhaustive. This publication does not consider the financial situation of any natural or legal person, nor does it provide any tax, legal or investment advice. This publication does not constitute any advice or recommendation, an offer or invitation by or on behalf of Sygnum to purchase or sell any assets. When making an investment decision, you should either conduct your own research and analysis or seek advice from an expert. No elements of precontractual or contractual relationship are intended. While the information is believed to be from accurate and reliable sources, Sygnum makes no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy of the information and Sygnum expressly disclaims any and all liability that may be based on such information, omissions, or errors thereof. If nothing is indicated to the contrary, all figures are unaudited. Any statements contained in this publication attributed to a third party represent Sygnum's interpretation of the data, information and/or opinions provided by that third party either publicly or through a subscription service, and such use and interpretation have not been reviewed by the third party. Sygnum reserves the right to amend or replace the information, in part or entirely, at any time, and without any obligation to notify the recipient of such amendment / replacement or to provide the recipient with access to the information. Simultaneously, there is no obligation of Sygnum to inform recipients of information, if before provided information later becomes outdated, inaccurate or obsolete, unless otherwise provided by applicable law. The information provided is not intended for use by or distributed to any individual or legal entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution, publication or use would be contrary to the law or regulatory provisions or in which Sygnum does not hold the necessary registration, approval authorization or license. Except as otherwise provided by Sygnum, it is not allowed to modify, copy, distribute or reproduce, display, license, or otherwise use any content for commercial purposes. The information herein refers to products and services of Sygnum and therefore constitutes advertising according to Art. 68 of the Swiss Financial Services Act ("FinSA"). Nonetheless, this document contains only general material and does not consider the financial situation of any natural or legal person, nor does it provide any tax, legal or investment advice. In particular, this publication does not constitute (i) any advice or recommendation, an offer or invitation by or on behalf of Sygnum to purchase or sell any assets; (ii) an inducement or incitement to participate in any product, offering or investment; (iii) a prospectus or key information document according to Swiss laws and regulations; nor shall it be construed as such. Where applicable, the full offering documentation of the products mentioned in this publication (such as for example the prospectus, offering memorandum, key information document (Basisinformationsblatt) may be obtained free of charge at Sygnum Bank AG, Uetlibergstrasse 134a, 8045 Zurich, Switzerland and/or by contacting us at https://www.sygnum.com/contact/. Some of the products mentioned in this publication might not qualify as units of a collective investment scheme according to the relevant provisions of the Swiss Federal Act on Collective Investment Schemes ("CISA"), as amended, and are not licensed thereunder. Therefore, neither such products nor the issuer is governed by the CISA nor approved by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA ("FINMA"). Accordingly, for such products investors do not have the benefit of the specific investor protection provided under the CISA. These materials and this publication are for distribution only under such circumstances as may be permitted by applicable laws. They are not directed to, or intended for distribution to or use by, any person or entity who is a citizen or resident of or located in any locality, state, country or other jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, availability or use would be contrary to law or regulation or would subject Sygnum or its partners to any registration, licensing or other legal requirement within such jurisdiction. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, no action has been or will be taken by Sygnum or its partners that would permit a public offering or a distribution of the products or possession or distribution of any offering material in relation to the products in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. No offers, sales, resales or deliveries of any products or distribution of any offering material relating to any products may be made in or from any jurisdiction except in circumstances which will result in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations, and which will not impose any obligation on Sygnum. Where applicable, if and to the extent Sygnum has registered its prospectus with a prospectus evaluation body or a regulatory authority, further reference regarding the applicable selling and transfer restrictions is made to such prospectus. These materials may include statements that are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements". These forward-looking statements include, for example, the terms "believes", "estimates", "plans", "projects", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "may", "will" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements may and often do differ materially from actual results. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Without prejudice to any requirements under applicable laws and regulations, Sygnum and each of the participating authorized participants expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in these materials to reflect any change in expectations thereof or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such forward-looking statement is based, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. These materials are not a complete statement of the markets and developments referred to herein. Where applicable, some figures may refer to past performances or simulated past performances and past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Some figures may be forecasts only and forecasts are not a reliable indicator of future performance. Investment decisions should always be taken in a portfolio context and make allowance for your personal situation and consequent risk appetite and risk tolerance. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information contained in these materials or its accuracy or completeness. None of the participating authorized offerors, authorized participants, or distributors or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers or agents accepts any responsibility or liability whatsoever for or makes any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the truth, accuracy or completeness of the information in these materials (or whether any information has been omitted from them) or any other information relating to Sygnum or associated companies, whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form, and howsoever transmitted or made available or for any loss howsoever arising from any use of these materials or its contents or otherwise arising in connection therewith.

About Matter Labs

Matter Labs is a leading research and development company focused on the creation of scaling solutions for Ethereum and other blockchains. The company is a pioneer in zero-knowledge proof technology, which it leverages to build blockchain infrastructure that enables fast, secure, and scalable transactions. With a commitment to privacy and decentralization, Matter Labs is driving the next wave of innovation in blockchain technology.

About zkSync

zkSync uses cutting-edge zero-knowledge (ZK) technology to scale Ethereum and bring crypto to the mainstream  reaching millions of developers and billions of people in need of a technological solution for achieving progress and prosperity. zkSync makes it possible for enterprises and financial institutions to easily deploy their app-chain, setting their custom privacy requirements, all while remaining interoperable with other chains and without compromising on security and performance.

Deeply rooted in its mission to advance personal freedom for all, the zkSync blockchain network makes digital self-ownership universally available. It is trustless, secure, reliable, censorship-resistant, privacy-preserving, hyper-scalable, accessible, and sovereign. To learn more about zkSync, visit zksync.io.

About Fidelity International

Fidelity International offers investment solutions and services and retirement expertise to more than 2.9 million customers globally. As a privately held, purpose-driven company with a 50-year heritage, we think generationally and invest for the long term. Operating in more than 25 locations and with $776.2 billion in total assets, our clients range from central banks, sovereign wealth funds, large corporates, financial institutions, insurers, and wealth managers, to private individuals.

Our Workplace & Personal Financial Health business provides individuals, advisers and employers with access to world-class investment choices, third-party solutions, administration services and pension guidance. Together with our Investment Solutions & Services business, we invest $560.4 billion on behalf of our clients. By combining our asset management expertise with our solutions for workplace and personal investing, we work together to build better financial futures. Data as at 31 December 2023. Read more at fidelityinternational.com.

i As at end of February 2024

ii Galaxy Digital: Overview of On-Chain RWAs and the Forces Propelling their Growth

Cision

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FILE - Panama's former President Ricardo Martinelli speaks to supporters during a campaign rally, in Panama City, Feb. 3, 2024. Panamanian authorities on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, ordered the arrest of Martinelli, who has been holed up in the Nicaraguan Embassy since receiving political asylum from that country earlier this month. (AP Photo/Agustin Herrera, File)

PANAMA CITY (AP)  Panama on Monday accused Nicaragua of meddling in its internal affairs by allowing former Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli to continue taking swipes at the justice system and promoting his political allies from within the walls of the Nicaraguan embassy.

Martinelli has been holed up in the embassy for more than a month since Panama moved to arrest him after his appeals ran out on his money laundering conviction. The 72-year-old former leader maintains that his prosecution was politically motivated as he sought to run for a second term in office.

Nicaragua granted Martinelli political asylum. Panama has refused to grant Nicaragua permission to move Martinelli to Nicaragua. So Martinelli has stayed in the political mix using social media to advance his agenda.

Panamas Foreign Relations Ministry said Monday in a statement that it had sent Nicaragua a vigorous protest and called on Nicaragua to closely monitor Martinellis behavior.

Panamas electoral authorities ruled Martinelli ineligible to participate in the May 5 presidential election following his conviction and sentencing. He previously governed Panama from 2009 to 2014.

Since being ruled out of the race, Martinelli has worked to promote his running mate Jose Raul Mulino, who is now atop the ticket.

Last week, Martinelli wrote on the social platform X that they disqualified me politically as a candidate, but the more they pursue me  the more it fires up the people and they will help J.R. Mulino win and level (the competition).

Martinelli, a populist who oversaw a period of big infrastructure projects, including construction of the capitals first subway line, is the first former president convicted of a crime in Panama.

Last year, the U.S. government barred Martinelli and his immediate family from entering that country, based on what it called his involvement in significant corruption. ____

Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Xplore DisAbility was designed and created by Lancashire-based start up Ability Digital

A former Paralympian has launched an app to help users understand the reality of living with disabilities.

The app gives the user the chance to experience different disabilities, from visual impairments to mobility issues. It also teaches sign language.

It was designed and created by Lancashire-based start up Ability Digital.

Company director and retired GB para athlete Claire Buckle said she hopes it will help people develop empathy.

Born with cerebral palsy, Ms Buckle said she was bullied at school, but went on to represent Great Britain at discus and shot put.

Former Paralympian Claire Buckle has launched an app to help users understand the reality of living with disabilities

Ms Buckle visited Farington Moss Primary School in Leyland to launch the app, named Xplore DisAbility.

"I hope they can develop knowledge, and more importantly empathy," she said.

"Every disabled person has a place in society and a role to fill."

Ms Buckle said the app was inspired by her nephew, who was curious about the reality of being disabled.

Company director and retired GB Para Athlete Claire Buckle said she hopes it will help people develop empathy

"My nephew had been learning about all the different people that may live in his community, including those with a disability," she said.

"Wanting to know more, he asked me the impossible question of 'what is it really like to be disabled'.

"I realised that it was very difficult to explain and that others may want to ask the same question. I thought, 'there must be a way for people to experience this'.

"Seeing my nephew immersed in gaming technology gave me the idea to turn to technology."

Ms Buckle visited Farrington Moss Primary School in Leyland to launch the app

The app covers eight different types of visual impairments. The user selects the impairment and holds the device up so they can then see through their phone viewer the difference having that disability would make to their vision.

One pupil used the app to see how a book would look to someone with a visual impairment.

"The book looked bigger than it actually was, and I couldn't see any of the words," she said.

"It felt like it wasn't real, and now I feel for people who are partially blind."

There is also a mobility section on the app, which allows users to explore up to 10 elements of everyday life for someone with a physical impairment.

The app gives the user the chance to experience different disabilities, from visual impairments to mobility issues

The children were put through their paces, learning to carry a tray and tie shoe laces with just one hand.

Other pupils were tasked with navigating the school in wheelchairs.

"It's really good that people can have a go and see what it's like for other people," they said.

"I think it's good that Claire made the app so then other people can see what it's like to be here.

"If I see someone in a wheelchair and they're stuck on something, I'll ask if they need any help."

Why not follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk
The parents of four students who were murdered in the 2021 Oxford High School shooting are now calling for the school to be held accountable for its actions  or lack thereof  before, during and after the massacre.

The push for school accountability comes after two Michigan juries found Jennifer and James Crumbley, parents of school shooter Ethan Crumbley, guilty of involuntary manslaughter following their respective trials in February and March.

"While we are grateful that James and Jennifer Crumbley were found guilty, we want to be very clear that this is just the beginning of our quest for justice and true accountability," the families, who together identified as a group called "The Families for Change," said in a Monday statement. "There is so much more that needs to be done to ensure other families in Michigan and across the country dont experience the pain that we feel and we will not stop until real change is made."

The Families for Change represent the parents of the four students who were killed on Nov. 30, 2021, including Tate Myre, 16; Justin Shilling, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Madisyn Baldwin, 17. Seven other victims were injured during the shooting.

JAMES CRUMBLEY TRIAL: MICHIGAN JURY REACHES GUILTY VERDICT FOR SCHOOL SHOOTER'S FATHER

Ethan Crumbley, at age 15, walked into Oxford High School on the morning of Nov. 30, 2021, went to morning classes, met with the school counselor with his parents and was sent back to class before he took a gun out of his backpack and killed 16-year-old Tate Myre, 16-year-old Justin Shilling, 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana and 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin.

The shooting and subsequent efforts by families and government officials to pursue justice has been described as historic  first, because Ethan Crumbley was the first shooter in U.S. history to be charged and convicted of terrorism, and second, because his parents were also the first in U.S. history to be charged in connection with their child's execution of a mass shooting.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Prosecutors pointed to the fact that Oxford High School administrators called Crumbley's parents to school the morning of the shooting to discuss drawings Ethan, then 15 years old, made in class. The drawings depicted phrases such as "blood everywhere" and violent images, including a drawing of a gun.

MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTER ETHAN CRUMBLEY'S FATHER CALLS HIM PERFECT KID IN INTERVIEW WITH POLICE

James and Jennifer Crumbley met with their son and school leaders the morning of the shooting after a teacher caught Ethan Crumbley drawing disturbing images in class.

The suspect convinced them during the meeting that the drawings were for a "video game."

Despite being confronted with the drawing and seeing Ethan that morning, the parents left and allowed their disturbed teenager to stay in school. Crumbley later took a gun out of his backpack and opened fire inside the building.

JENNIFER CRUMBLEY TRIAL: MICHIGAN JURY FINDS SCHOOL SHOOTER'S MOM GUILTY OF INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER

Now, The Families for Change is calling for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate "Oxford Community Schools, the Oxford School District and the immediate removal of board members who were leading the district at the time of the Oxford School Shooting," according to a Monday press release.

MICHIGAN SCHOOL SHOOTER'S MOTHER JENNIFER CRUMBLEY CALLED SON AN OOPSIE BABY,' WITNESS SAYS

"The Oxford community deserves board members it can trust to keep its children safe and move it forward," The Families for Change said. "We are grateful that leaders like Governor Whitmer and Prosecutor Karen McDonald have listened and shown a great interest in helping us address gun violence in our communities. Today, we are asking for a commitment of support moving our recommendations forward."

A Nov. 30, 2021, shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan left four students dead and seven injured.

Michigan passed several new gun safety laws in 2023, including one that criminalizes the failure to properly secure a gun at home if it ends up in a minor's possession, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Numerous civil lawsuits have been filed against school officials since the shooting occurred.

Ethan Robert Crumbley, 15, charged with first-degree murder in a high school shooting, poses in a jail booking photograph taken at the Oakland County Jail in Pontiac, Michigan. His parents were convicted for their role in the shooting.

One such lawsuit that attorneys Matthew Turner and Lisa Esser of Sommers Schwartz, P.C., filed in June 2022 on behalf of the parents of a 14-year-old victim who was shot in the face states that Oxford Community Schools and its officials "repeatedly" told the school community that counselors at Oxford High who reviewed Ethan's drawings "had no choice but to send the shooter back to class because their school policy was such that unless there was a disciplinary issue they could neither send a student home nor detain them in the counseling office."

Another attorney representing victims of the shooting alleged in a separate lawsuit that Oxford Community School District security guard Kimberly Potts, a 20-year veteran of Oakland County law enforcement, allegedly thought the shooting was an Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate (ALICE) drill even after she saw the body of deceased 16-year-old Myre.

Tate Myre after an Oxford High School football game.

"What we now know is this. When the shots rang out at 12:51Ms. Potts walked down the hallway, where, ultimately, she found Tate Myre," Ven Johnson said during an August 2022 press conference. " Tate had already been shot. He was on the ground. Ms. Potts told the investigators that when she looked at Tate, she thought, Boy, this ALICE drill  theyre really using good makeup."

Ethan Crumbley pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.





Original article source: Parents of Michigan shooting victims call for school accountability after shooter's parents found guilty
HANOVER TWP., LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Police say they are searching for a thief who stole off a porch in Hanover Township.

On March 18 around 10:00 a.m., the Hanover Twp Police Department was called to a home on Monahan Court for a report of a package theft.

Hanover Township Police

Hanover Township Police

Man accused of multiple retail thefts across NEPA

Police say a man walked onto the porch, stole an Amazon package, and fled the scene. Officers believe the suspect was headed towards Wilkes Barre City on foot.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to contact the Hanover Twp Police Department at 570-825-1254.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
On Friday, former Vice President Mike Pence made the surprise, historically unprecedented announcement that he will not be endorsing his former boss in 2024  during an interview with Fox News Martha MacCallum.

But to watch the broadcasts of the very platform on which the former Veep choice to reveal his decision would be to barely know that information, according to a new report from Media Matters for America. In the three-day span between when Pence broke the news, on Friday, through the end of day Monday, the network spent approximately four minutes discussing Pences break with Trump.

The news was mentioned on Fox during hosts Neil Cavutos and Bret Baiers shows briefly Friday. Host Laura Ingraham noted the announcement during her show that evening, when she said Pence should just go down to the border and start welcoming people in because he might as well do that and start working directly for Biden.

Though it has periodically displayed hints of backbone  its call for Biden in Arizona in 2020, owner Rupert Murdochs distaste for Trump, and the resulting on-air ambivalence, in the early days of the 2024 primaries  it appears the network has returned to its former status: cowering before the power Trump has over its viewers.

Both CNN and MSNBC spent, in aggregate, more than an hour discussing the news over the same stretch of time. You can read the full Media Matters report here.

In a post-announcement interview with CBS Sunday, Pence elaborated, saying his decision was about Jan. 6 but also about Trumps fiscal responsibility, position on abortion and foreign policy.

I mean, the presidents reversal just last week on TikTok  following an administration where we literally changed the national consensus on China  is the reason why, after a lot of reflection, I just concluded I cannot endorse the agenda that Donald Trump is carrying into this national debate, he said.

He continued saying hes since forgiven Trump for Jan. 6.

The president and I have profound differences. Many people think its just over January 6  and frankly, the fact that the president continues to insist that I had the right to overturn the election that day is a fundamental difference, he continued. But I want to be clear that, you know, Ive forgiven the president in my heart for what happened that day. As a Christian, Im required to do that. Ive prayed for him in that regard.

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U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will try to convince European allies on Tuesday that President Joe Biden's administration is still committed to supporting Ukraine, in spite of the fact that Washington has almost run out of money to support Kyiv.

Source: Reuters with reference to sources

Details: Austin will chair the meeting, known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, which will take place at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and will be attended by about 50 allies providing military support to Ukraine.

The Pentagon said that Austin, who is making his first trip abroad since being treated for prostate cancer, will reaffirm Washington's commitment to Ukraine.

"I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation and the Ukrainians more so than anyone because of the shortages that are resulting from us not being able to supply them," a senior US defence official said on condition of anonymity.

Last week, the Biden administration said it would provide US$300 million in military aid to Ukraine, but added that this was an extraordinary step after unexpected savings on military contracts made by the Pentagon.

Officials are not ruling out the prospect of finding additional funds in this manner, but they say that this amount will not be enough to compensate for the lack of action by Congress.

Experts say Austin will face a sceptical audience in Europe.

At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, whose ammunition-starved troops are fighting their toughest battles since the first days of the Russian invasion.

European support is becoming increasingly important as Biden has failed to get a major aid package for Ukraine through Congress, and much of his foreign policy energy is focused on the war in Gaza, the article says.

But US officials say the reality is that without the United States, European support for Ukraine will be insufficient to stand up to Russian forces.

"There isn't a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of U.S. support," said a senior US defence official.

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The Pentagons Office of the Inspector General launched a new website Tuesday to give more information to Americans about the oversight of U.S. weapons and equipment provided to Ukraine.

The new website, launched in coordination with inspector general office for the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, comes as congressional Republicans continue to hold up new funding for Ukraine and question whether there is proper accounting for the weapons shipped to the embattled country.

In a statement, the Pentagon inspector general said the website provides resources and information about the work more than 20 U.S. oversight agencies  known collectively as the Ukraine Oversight Interagency Working Group  are doing to ensure Ukraine aid is not being misused.

The website also includes contact information to report any allegations of fraud, waste or misuse related to Ukraine aid.

Pentagon Inspector General Robert Storch said in a statement the website is a convenient, one-stop shop for people to learn more about our extensive efforts across the oversight community to oversee the use of taxpayer dollars for the U.S. Ukraine response.

The website has a welcome page, complete with a video, describing the efforts from the Ukraine Oversight Interagency Working Group and an introduction about the war in Ukraine and U.S. support.

It also has fact sheets about how much the U.S. has provided in aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in 2022  $113.4 billion  along with details about oversight projects from agencies tasked with ensuring against the misuse of weapons.

Republicans have long raised questions about the billions of dollars headed to Ukraine, including whether there is proper oversight. Storchs office has found some issue with tracking aid to Ukraine but has not found glaring problems of waste, fraud or misuse.

Diana Shaw, acting inspector general for the Department of State, said Ukraine oversight is our number one priority, hailing the new website as a new tool to help keep American taxpayers informed.

We are delighted that this important resource  a centralized website showcasing the impressive volume and breadth of our whole-of-government oversight of the U.S. response to Russias unprecedented war in Ukraine  is now available to our stakeholders, Shaw said in a statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The U.S. Defense Department's Office of the Inspector General on March 19 announced that it had launched a website to track U.S. military and other assistance to Ukraine.

The website called "Oversight Ukraine" was created as U.S. aid to Kyiv remains stalled. While the Senate approved a $95 billion funding package on Feb. 13 that contained $60 billion in aid for Kyiv, the package still faces an uphill battle in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

Ukraine faces an ongoing ammunition shortage, with the country being in dire need of shells and missiles.

The website focuses on U.S. government effort to supervise security, economic, humanitarian, and other aid to Ukraine from Washington, the office's statement reads. It also contains the information on the work of more than 20 U.S. oversight agencies, which ensure that assistance to Kyiv is used as intended, The Hill reported.

Ukraine oversight is our number one priority, and we are excited this tool is in place to help keep American taxpayers informed, Diana R. Shaw, acting inspector general for the Department of State, said.

Congress has approved about $113 billion in aid to Ukraine, according to estimates by the U.S. State Department Office of Inspector. On March 12, the U.S. pledged a defense aid package of weapons and equipment for Ukraine worth $300 million, the first since December.

The website also provides contact information to report any allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement related to U.S. aid to Ukraine.

U.S. inspectors have already arrived to Ukraine several times since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. The most recent visit for meetings with Ukrainian officials was on Jan. 29.

In November 2023, U.S. Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink said the inspections have not uncovered any cases of military aid theft in Ukraine.

The U.S. Defense Department Inspector General's Office said on Jan. 10 that Washington had improved its military aid tracking systems but had failed to track over $1 billion in weapons as of June 2023.

Read also: US Senator Graham in Kyiv: If you want aid to Ukraine, youd better start talking to American taxpayers

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
imtmphoto / iStock.com

Seniors who move into nursing homes or other types of assisted-living centers are eligible for tax deductions based on medical needs and other factors. As with any tax break, you need to pay close attention to ensure you get the right ones.

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According to the IRS, in certain cases, nursing home expenses are deductible medical expenses. Heres a quick breakdown:

If you, your spouse, or your dependent is in a nursing home primarily for medical care, then the entire nursing home cost (including meals and lodging) is deductible as a medical expense.

If that individual is in a home primarily for non-medical reasons, then only the cost of the actual medical care is deductible as a medical expense, not the cost of the meals and lodging.

The total amount of all allowable medical expenses equals the amount that exceeds 7.5% of adjusted gross income.

The vast majority of the time, someone has been in skilled nursing because of a medical need. So that can be up to 100% deductible, Xan Smith, chief financial officer at Goodwin Living, a not-for-profit senior living company based in northern Virginia, told U.S. News & World Report.

The rules are a little different for other types of age-restricted facilities. For example, if you move into an assisted living community, then part of your expenses go toward medical care, U.S. News reported. This might include a portion of the upfront fee as well as the monthly fee.

Furthermore, for medical care to be tax-deductible, an assisted living resident must be chronically ill and the care needs to be prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider or physician. Qualifying as chronically ill means that you require substantial supervision and assistance with at least two activities of daily living or have a severe cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimers.

Story continues

In most circumstances you cant deduct rent or the housing portion cost of assisted living.

The facility should be able to provide you with a letter saying what percent of your initiation and monthly fees goes toward medical costs, Jonathan Gassman, principal at Prager Metis CPAs in New York City, told U.S. News. It is important to have this documentation, particularly if the IRS has any questions or you get audited.

In the case of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), a fairly sizable portion of the entry fee and the monthly fee might be tax deductible as a medical expense, according to a blog on My LifeSite. Thats the case even when healthcare services are not being currently being received.

A separate blog from Intuit TurboTax noted that the CCRC entry fee is treated as a prepayment of future medical expenses and it is deductible in the year you paid it.

For more information, go to Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses on the IRS website. You can deduct medical expenses on Schedule A (Form 1040), Itemized Deductions.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Are There Any Tax Benefits of Age-Restricted Housing for Retirees? Heres What Experts Say
Peter Navarro, a political aide to former President Donald Trump who served as a trade adviser in the White House, was jailed Tuesday for contempt of Congress. He is the first former Trump aide to be imprisoned for efforts related to trying to steal the 2020 election.

Navarro, 74, was sentenced to four months in prison for defying subpoenas from the House committee that investigated the Capitol attack of Jan. 6, 2021. He remained defiant before surrendering at the federal correctional institution in Miami, a low-security facility.

When I walk in that prison today, the justice system  such as it is  will have done a crippling blow to the constitutional separation of powers and executive privilege, Navarro told reporters across the street from the prison.

The facility has previously housed Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega, boy-band creator Lou Pearlman and NFL safety Darren Sharper.

Former Donald Trump adviser Peter Navarro walks away after holding a press conference before turning himself into a federal prison on March 19, 2024, in Miami, Florida. Mr. Navarro, who was convicted of contempt of Congress last year, surrendered at a federal Bureau of Prisons facility to begin serving his four-month sentence after speaking to the media.

Navarro had asked to remain free while he appealed his conviction and sentence. But Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts refused Monday to step in, saying he had no basis to disagree with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals or U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta.

Roberts noted the decision doesnt affect the actual appeal.

Navarro contends Trump invoked executive privilege to prevent him from testifying or providing documents to the committee about confidential administration communications.

But Mehta ruled there was no evidence Trump asserted the privilege at the time. Even if Trump had, Mehta ruled Navarro was obligated to appear before the committee to refuse to answer specific questions.

Prosecutors argued Navarro deserved no shield from testifying even if Trump asserted the privilege because the lawmakers wanted to ask about his campaign activities rather than government policy.

Former Trump White House official Peter Navarro speaks to reporters before he heads to prison on March 19, 2024 in Miami, to begin serving his sentence for refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The Jan. 6 committee wanted to question Navarro because he wrote, in his 2021 book "In Trump Time," about the scheme to delay certification of President Joe Biden's election. Navarro described the scheme as the "Green Bay Sweep" and said it was the "last, best chance to snatch a stolen election from the Democrats jaws of deceit."

Navarro said in a later interview that Trump was on board with the strategy, according to the committee.

Another Trump aide, political strategist Steve Bannon, also refused to cooperate with the committee. He was convicted of contempt of Congress and also sentenced to four months in jail, but he remains free on appeal.

A 'prison consultant'

Navarro will be held at federal Bureau of Prisons satellite camp for elderly male inmates located next to a zoo. He also has retained the services of a "prison consultant" to ease his transition.

Not only can you hear the lions  you can hear the lions roar every morning, Sam Mangel, Navarros prison consultant, told CNN.

Hes nervous, Mangel added, about Navarro. Anybody, regardless of the length of their sentence, is going into an unknown world.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Peter Navarro, former Trump aide, jailed for defying Congress
Peter Navarro, a former White House trade adviser, made history Tuesday by becoming the first senior Trump aide to serve time in prison for actions related to the efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Navarro was convicted last year on two counts of contempt of Congress: one for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena for documents related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, and another for skipping his deposition.

He fought to avoid prison in a series of court battles but ultimately failed to make his case convincingly and was left with no choice but to report to prison in Miami.

Here are the moments and events that chronicle Navarros path to today:

Navarro in the Trump administration

Navarros time in the White House, which lasted from April 2017 until then-President Trump left office, was centered on pursuing a hawkish foreign trade agenda focused on enacting protectionist policies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his focus shifted somewhat as Trump tapped him to manage the use of the Defense Production Act on needed supplies.

Navarro clashed frequently with Anthony Fauci, a top public health official at the time, over the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 and about other related issues.

After Trump lost his reelection bid in 2020, Navarro made public assertions of election fraud. Navarro described the election as one of immaculate deception that November.

We are moving forward here at the White House under the assumption that there will be a second Trump term, he said at the time.

Navarro called on then-Vice President Mike Pence to take actions beyond the scope of his ceremonial duties on Jan. 6, to overturn the election for Trump, advocating the false theory that he could call into question slates of electors from various states.

Jan. 6 select committee subpoenas Navarro

The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack issued a subpoena for Navarro in early February 2022, demanding he produce documents and appear for a deposition.

The subpoena pointed to passages from Navarros own book, published in November 2021, that the committee said suggest Navarro was involved in plans to delay certification of the presidential election.

You, then a White House trade advisor, reportedly worked with Steve Bannon and others to develop and implement a plan to delay Congresss certification of, and ultimately change the outcome of, the November 2020 election, the committee wrote in its subpoena. In your book you reportedly described this plan as the Green Bay Sweep and stated that it was designed as the last best chance to snatch a stolen election from the Democrats jaws of deceit.

Navarro responded in a statement saying Trump had invoked executive privilege.

As the domestic terrorists running the January 6 partisan witch hunt are well aware, President Trump has invoked Executive Privilege; and it is not my privilege to waive. They should negotiate any waiver of the privilege with the president and his attorneys directly, not through me, he said in a statement at the time.

Biden administration denies executive privilege claim

In March 2022, deputy White House counsel Jonathan Su informed Navarro in a letter that President Biden would not assert executive privilege to shield him from complying with the congressional subpoena, saying Biden believes an assertion of executive privilege is not in the national interest given the unique and extraordinary nature of the matters under investigation.

Navarro responded to Su in an email, saying it was fanciful and dangerous to assert that a sitting president can revoke the Executive Privilege of his predecessor.

You and the Biden regime along with partisan judges and the witch hunt otherwise known as the Jan 6 committee are doing great violence to the Constitution and the country, Navarro wrote in the message. See you at the Supreme Court.

House holds Navarro in contempt

The House voted in April 2022 to hold Navarro in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena. The vote also referred the charges to the Justice Department.

Lawmakers voted almost entirely along party lines, 220-203.

The vote followed the Jan. 6 committees vote to advance the contempt resolution to the full House. Then-Reps. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), the only two Republicans serving on the committee, were also the only members of their party to back the resolution.

A federal grand jury indicted Navarro in early June 2022 on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress for defying the subpoenas.

Navarro in court accused the Justice Department of prosecutorial misconduct for arresting him at an airport on his way to Nashville for a television appearance. He also argued the committee lacked the authority to subpoena him.

That committee is a sham committee that doesnt have the power to issue subpoenas, he told a federal magistrate judge. Theyve basically weaponized their investigatory powers in a way which violates separation of powers.

Later that June, Navarro pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Judge rejects request to investigate contempt charges

In September 2022, a federal judge rejected Navarros request to investigate the charges against him, as he claimed the prosecution was politically motivated and sought documents from the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Navarro argued he was selectively prosecuted and that the DOJ decision to charge him was tainted with unlawful political interference, pointing to its decision not to prosecute former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino for similar actions.

District Judge Amit Mehta rejected Navarros claims, noting that Meadowss and Scavinos cases were materially different.

Meadows and Scavino were both expressly directed by Trump not to comply with subpoenas from the Jan. 6 committee and had extensive communications with the committee on the issue, with Meadows turning over thousands of text messages, the judge said.

Navarro did not receive any specific request from Trump and made no apparent effort to accommodate the panel, communicating with the committee over a three-week period largely through terse emails and public statements, Mehta said.

Judge rules trial can proceed; Navarro convicted

Mehta ruled during a pretrial hearing in late August 2023 that Navarro failed to prove Trump invoked the executive privilege that Navarro says prevented him from testifying before the Jan. 6 committee. The ruling cleared the way for his trial to proceed as planned the following week.

Navarro was found guilty of contempt of Congress following a jury deliberation that lasted nearly five hours in early September 2023. The sentencing was set for January.

After his conviction, Navarro told reporters he was convicted because of association with J6, not for contempt of Congress, the charges lodged against him.

You saw the opening argument of John Crabb, the attorney for the prosecution  he didnt argue the case on contempt. He said that I was responsible for the J6 insurrection, which is totally, totally without fact, Navarro said.

He also told reporters that he expects his case to reach the Supreme Court because of the questions it raises about executive privilege for high-ranking White House staff.

I am willing to go to prison to settle this issue. Im willing to do that. But I also know that the likelihood of me going to prison is relatively small, because we are right on this issue, Navarro said.

Judge denies request for new trial

In January of this year, Mehta ruled that Navarro would not be granted a new trial because he did not prove that the jury was prejudiced by Jan. 6-related protesters during a brief outdoor break shortly before they issued a verdict.

Mehta also determined that Navarros counsel knew about the jurys potential exposure to protesters before its verdict was issued but waited to see if the jury would rule in their favor before raising concern. Because of that, they waived it as grounds for a new trial, he wrote.

A defendant cannot learn of alleged improper external influence on the jury, remain silent and gamble on a favorable verdict, only to complain afterwards that a new trial is warranted because the jury was unduly prejudiced by that outside influence, Mehta wrote. That is precisely what occurred here.

Navarro sentenced to four months in prison

In late January, Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison  the same sentence as recommended for Steve Bannon, a former White House adviser who was also convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress last year.

Prosecutors argued that Navarro showed utter disregard for the House committees probe and utter contempt for the rule of law. They asked the judge to impose a six-month prison term.

The committee was investigating an attack on the very foundation of our democracy, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb said. There could be no more serious investigation undertaken by Congress.

In early February, Mehta denied Navarros bid to stay out of prison while he appeals his conviction.

On March 11, Navarro was ordered to report to a Miami prison to begin his sentence.

His lawyers, in another effort to avoid prison time, argued in a court filing March 9 that a federal appeals court should temporarily put his sentence on hold while he appeals his conviction.

On March 14, a federal appeals court denied Navarros bid to stay out of prison while appealing his conviction.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit largely affirmed the trial judges ruling last month that Navarros appeal does not raise a substantial question of law and therefore doesnt warrant his release.

The federal appeals court also found that for Navarros arguments on executive privilege to raise substantial questions, it would have required Trump to have invoked said privilege  which the court said did not happen here.

Even if executive privilege were available to appellant, it would not excuse his complete noncompliance with the subpoena, the appeals court wrote in a two-page order. Appellant makes no claim of absolute testimonial immunity, nor could he.

A properly asserted claim of executive privilege would not have relieved him of the obligation to produce unprivileged documents and appear for his deposition to testify on unprivileged matter, the court order continued.

Navarro files emergency appeal with Supreme Court

Navarro filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court on March 15.

His attorneys argued he should be allowed to remain free while he pursues his appeal as he poses no public safety or flight risk. They also said he stands to raise important issues before the court.

For the first time in our nations history, a senior presidential advisor has been convicted of contempt of congress after asserting executive privilege over a congressional subpoena, Navarros attorneys wrote.

Dr. Navarro has appealed and will raise a number of issues on appeal that he contends are likely to result in the reversal of his conviction, or a new trial. Chief among them are whether an affirmative invocation of executive privilege was required to preclude a prosecution for contempt of congress; what was required of former President Trump for a proper invocation of privilege.

Justice Roberts rejects emergency appeal

Chief Justice John Roberts on Monday shot down Navarros last-ditch bid to remain free, locking in March 19 as the day he would report to prison.

Roberts said Monday that he will not pause Navarros four-month prison sentence as his appeal moves forward.

This application concerns only the question of whether the applicant, Peter Navarro, has met his burden to establish his entitlement to relief under the Bail Reform Act, Roberts wrote, citing an appeals courts determination that Navarro forfeited any argument challenging the district courts conclusion that executive privilege was not invoked by Trump.

I see no basis to disagree with the determination that Navarro forfeited those arguments in the release proceeding, which is distinct from his pending appeal on the merits.

Roberts received Navarros bid to avoid prison because Roberts handles emergency matters arising from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Though just one paragraph, it was the first time in a decade Roberts has published an in-chambers opinion, a written explanation for his ruling on a case he didnt refer to the full court for consideration.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Navarro spoke to reporters in a parking lot on his way to prison

Peter Navarro, a former trade adviser to Donald Trump, began a four-month jail term for contempt of congress in federal prison on Tuesday.

Navarro, 74, was convicted last year after ignoring a subpoena from a House committee investigating the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot.

A Supreme Court justice denied his last-ditch appeal to stay out of prison on Monday.

He will be the first Trump-era official to be jailed for contempt of Congress.

Navarro stopped in the parking lot of a shopping centre to speak to reporters before reporting to federal prison in Miami. The facility, FCI Miami, is a low security facility with an adjacent minimum security camp.

Wearing the bomber jacket that he was seen in while addressing the conservative meeting known as CPAC, Navarro repeated his defence in the case to a handful of reporters. He also promoted his upcoming book, accused federal judges of political partisanship, and passionately endorsed his former boss, who is running again for the White House.

Navarro said that he believed the Supreme Court would ultimately overturn his conviction, but the "tragedy" would be that "I will have already done my time" in prison.

Along with advising on trade, Navarro worked on strategies to try to overturn the 2020 election and keep Mr Trump in the White House. People who stormed Capitol Hill on 6 January 2021 sought to stop lawmakers from certifying that Mr Trump lost the election.

Navarro was first served with a subpoena by the US House of Representatives select committee in February 2022, but did not hand over any of the emails or documents requested.

When contacted by the committee, Navarro said that former President Trump had instructed him to cite executive privilege, a legal principle allowing some White House communications to be kept private.

The judge in the case found Mr Trump could not make that request and executive privilege did not shield Navarro from the subpoena.

At the end of January, three years after the attack on congress, Navarro was given the sentence and fined $9,500 (7,500).

Navarro had sought to remain free while appealing his conviction, with his attorneys arguing that he was "indisputably" not a flight risk or threat to the public.

Earlier this week, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr refused to delay the sentence.

In a 2021 memoir - entitled In Trump Time - Navarro said he was the architect of a strategy to challenge the 2020 election's results that made Joe Biden president.

The plan called for congressional Republicans to delay certification of Mr Biden's electoral victory, a standard procedure that was scheduled for 6 January 2021. The House committee noted that Navarro's claims of electoral fraud had been repeatedly determined to be baseless by state and local officials.

Another Trump-era official, former campaign strategist Steve Bannon, was also convicted of two counts of contempt for refusing the committee's summons and sentenced to four months in jail.

Bannon, however, has been allowed to stay out of prison while his defence team appeals.
Medical device manufacturer Philips is betting on innovation as artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the healthcare industry, its chief executive told AFP in an interview on Tuesday, as the company looks to turn the page on a massive recall of defective sleep respirators.

The challenge facing healthcare systems is "how we take care of more patients in the future, with less staff, doctors, nurses and technicians", Roy Jakobs said.

Stretched hospitals and healthcare systems is a relatively widespread phenomenon around the world and technology can help provide solutions, said Jakobs, who took over the reins at the Dutch medical equipment manufacturer in 2022.

"For example, a nurse on average spends 20 minutes per hour on administrative tasks," he noted.

Meanwhile radiologists spend most of their time ruling out simple negative cases, and AI could help them "spend more time on complex cases where it needs all their time and effort to actually make the right and accurate diagnosis".

Jakobs said AI is not new and is already being used.

"But the next generation AI has much more powerful application methods," he said.

The increasing use of technology is creating reams of sensitive and valuable health data, which has created concerns about protecting and keeping it within national boundaries when it is stored in the cloud.

- Defective sleep respirators -

Philips has a development partnership with Amazon Web Services, but Jakobs said the company is agnostic about cloud storage.

"So we work with any cloud provider," he said. "And in China, it's Chinese cloud providers. In Europe, sometime it's local providers, or it's on the big tech."

Jakobs said health data should be looked at as a "massive opportunity" for both patients and efficiency.

"Because the more we know about patients... the better we can treat the patient for a better outcome," he said.

Since 2021, Philips has been battling a series of crises over its DreamStation machines for sleep apnoea, a disorder in which breathing stops and starts during sleep.

Users were at risk of inhaling or swallowing pieces of toxic soundproofing foam that could cause irritation or headaches. The US Food and Drug Administration said this possibly posed health risks although the company later said independent tests showed it was "unlikely" to harm patients.

The crisis pushed Philips into more than $2 billion in losses in 2021 and 2022 after it recalled 15 million machines, but it has since reached agreements to compensate users in the United States and with regulators.

"That was a very important milestone for us because it gives clarity on the way forward," said Jakobs.

He also said that Philips was "in the final stretch" with recalls, for which he apologised again and said the company was in the process of resolving the situation.

lem/rl/yad
Getting a windfall of cash  say, a profit-sharing check from one of the Detroit Three automakers or maybe, a sizable income tax refund  can spark some savers to want to set aside more money, maybe even for college.

Sure, they might save cash from a payout after covering other bills and obligations. Fortunately, though, more college savings plans offer options that do not require that you plunk down thousands of dollars at once.

The Michigan Education Trust, Michigan's prepaid college tuition program, quickly built up a name in the late 1980s with what was then a novel "pay now, learn later" approach. The phones, according to a Detroit Free Press report, were "ringing off the hook" in late 1988 as savers rushed to meet a deadline then to buy the brand new MET contracts. The minimum deposit nearly 36 years ago was $1,689 for each year of tuition to cover a newborn or $6,756 to prepay four years of college. The price tag, as it works now, ended up being higher for older children.

The promotional push in 1988 noted then that parents, grandparents and others could prepay up to four years of tuition for any child at any of the state's 15 public universities and then 29 community colleges.

But today, frankly, the price of a lump sum contract can scare anyone out of writing a check. Who wants to pony up essentially the cost of a down payment on a new car to pay for a year of college tuition down the road? Some do but many find the price beyond their budget.

Fortunately, there are other newer "Pay-As-You-Go" options, too.

Prepay a semester at a time with MET

College tuition costs have gone up astronomically since 1988, driving up the price of prepaid tuition contracts.

Big tax refunds, as well as profit-sharing checks from the Detroit Three automakers, are often used to pay off debt or cover bills. But some of that extra cash creates an opportunity to save more, as well.

Currently, parents or grandparents can pay $16,230 for a baby born Dec. 1, 2023, or after to cover two semesters or one full year under the full benefits option. For just one semester, the lump sum cost is $8,115. Those prices are effective Feb. 1 through Jan. 31, 2025. One semester equals 15 credit hours.

Story continues

The full benefits plan is the most costly option but can provide the biggest bang for the buck, if the student ends up attending a high-cost university, such as Michigan Technological University, the University of Michigan and, often, Michigan State University. The full benefits plan covers full in-state tuition and mandatory fees at any Michigan public university, including pricey ones.

A lower-cost limited benefits option would cover full tuition and mandatory fees at many public Michigan universities, but offers only limited coverage currently at Michigan Tech and U-M Ann Arbor.

Currently, MET will pay full tuition for the credits purchased at MSU under a limited contract, according to Megan Patino, deputy director for the Michigan Education Trust for the Michigan Department of Treasury. That's if a student with a limited benefit contract attends MSU during the 2023-24 academic year. It doesn't always work out this way.

Full tuition coverage at MSU under a limited MET contract has only been available three out of the last 20 years, Patino said. The limited contract fully covers tuition at specific public universities and community colleges only when "tuition does not exceed 105% of the weighted average tuition of all Michigan public four-year universities."

Under the limited plan, tuition at MSU might be only partially covered in future years, Patino warned, "since it is still one of the most expensive universities in Michigan."

There's also a MET plan at a lower cost that covers only community college.

Money in a MET plan can be directed to a private college in Michigan, out-of-state college or trade school. Full tuition isn't often covered. But some out-of-state institutions have lower costs than the Michigan average tuition rates, such as Florida, Patino said, and tuition at some Florida colleges is covered in full.

Refunds can be made if a beneficiary decides not to attend college or the student gets a full scholarship. Prepaid plans typically cover tuition, not room and board.

Another MET option: Buy by the credit hour

Given the high cost of a lump sum contract now, the "Pay-As-You-Go" option in the MET plan is popular. Savers can spend hundreds, not thousands of dollars initially, to prepay just one credit hour. For many, we're talking about the price of some attractive flat screen TVs.

One college credit for a baby born Dec. 1, 2023, or after, for example, is now priced at $541 for a full benefits credit. The cost jumps up to $781 a credit for a student in the 12th grade.

Patino said 53% of the new contracts opened in 2023 were "Pay-As-You-Go" contracts for the MET plan. The flexible option was introduced in 2016. Savers must buy a minimum of one credit in the plan of their choice but then can add $25 or more at any time. Patino said about 75% of purchasers contribute more than the $25 minimum when they set aside more money.

The "Pay-As-You-Go" plan also has a way for friends and family to contribute for birthday gifts and holidays.

"I have two little ones of my own, so I know how many toys you can get," Patino said.

Monthly MET payment plans

It's also possible to set up a monthly savings plan to buy a full year's of tuition  or more  if your budget allows.

A four-year monthly MET purchase plan for a fourth-grader, for example, is $207 a month to buy just one semester of tuition in the full benefits plan. Yet, for many families, a monthly college prepaid tuition payment can look like another utility bill.

In 2023, MET sold 1,351 contracts totaling $26 million in prepaid tuition, plus an additional $5.5 million in extra contributions to existing Pay-As-You-Go contracts.

Patino said MET contract sales were up 7% last year from 2022, making 2023 the best year since before the pandemic.

A more flexible path: A 529 college savings plan

After a landmark tax decision in 1996, savers began hearing more about qualified tuition plans known as 529 plans based on the relevant section in the Internal Revenue Service code. Many even now dub May 29 as "529 Day" to highlight tax-advantaged college savings plans. MET is classified as a 529 prepaid tuition savings plan.

But another even more popular option for savers is a 529 college savings plan, such as the Michigan Education Savings Program, which was launched in November 2000. Savers can open an account for as little as $25. The goal isn't to prepay tuition but, instead, build up savings.

The state's MESP plan is one of 15 college saving plans nationwide that ranks as "silver," according to "Morningstar 529 Ratings: The Best Plans of 2023." Morningstar reviewed 54 college savings plans across the country, which represented more than 90% of $415 billion in assets invested in college savings plans as of August 2023. The review doesn't include prepaid tuition plans.

Another 17 plans in that group were ranked below as "bronze."

More: Michigan property tax bills will go up again significantly in 2024, thanks to inflation

A silver rating indicates a strong option for savers, according to Morningstar. Much can vary among plans, but, in general, silver would reflect some combination of well-researched asset allocation approach, a robust process for selecting and monitoring underlying investments, an experienced investment team, stable oversight from the state, and low fees. A specific plan, for example, might not necessarily have lower fees and still get a silver ranking if other features had exceptionally high marks.

Silver isn't as high as the gold rating, which went to the Utah "my529 plan," which has held that designation since 2012, and Pennsylvanias 529 Investment Plan, which was upgraded in the latest rankings from silver.

The Michigan plan lost a bit of its edge over the competition and was downgraded from gold, according to Morningstar, as other 529 plans caught up to Michigans "straightforward and low-cost approach that made it a top pick in previous years."

Adam Millson, associate director of multi-asset and alternative strategies for Morningstar Research Services, told me that Michigan's downgrade was driven by its rating for what Morningstar calls its "process pillar," which went from a high to an above average rating.

The "process" rating reflects the plan's approach to asset allocation, its glide path that changes the asset mix over time to limit risk closer to a student's college years, underlying manager selection and risk management for the investment options.

"The silver rating does show we still have a lot of conviction in this plan, and believe that it will deliver positive outcomes for education savers," Millson said. Ratings are reevaluated every year.

He said the Michigan plan remains "a very solid plan."

Savers have some flexibility when it comes to using their 529 plan money. Money in the Michigan plan can be used for registered and certified apprentice programs, as well. The money would be withdrawn tax-free at the federal level but it is currently not tax-free for Michigan income taxes. "For Michigan taxpayers, these withdrawals are subject to recapture of tax deduction, state income tax as well as penalties," according to an MESP fact sheet of frequently asked questions.

Patino said bipartisan legislation in Lansing is seeking to "add apprenticeship programs to the list of qualified higher education expenses in the MESP law, so it should hopefully be tax-free for Michigan income taxes soon."

Beginning in 2024, money in a 529 savings plan can be rolled over into a Roth 401(k) for the beneficiary without a tax penalty if that money isn't needed for education. The rules are very specific. Up to $35,000 in total over a lifetime can be rolled over to a Roth individual retirement account for the beneficiary. But you can only transfer up to $7,000 in 2024 for someone younger than 50, based on the maximum allowable annual Roth contribution. The 529 plan account must have been opened for at least 15 years.

The popularity of prepaid tuition plans overall has been declining, according to Mark Kantrowitz, a student loan expert. About a dozen prepaid plans, including Michigan's MET plan, remain open to new savers, he said. Many states that once offered prepaid tuition plans no longer offer the plans to new savers.

The 529 savings plan in Michigan, Kantrowitz noted, is now bigger than its prepaid tuition plan.

The Michigan Education Trust had nearly $1.1 billion invested in 33,179 accounts, according to a report issued last September by the College Savings Plan Network, a division of the National Association of State Treasurers.

By contrast, Michigan Education Savings Program had more than $7 billion invested in 306,704 accounts.

The Michigan 529 Advisor Plan, which is sold by financial professionals, had another $1 billion invested in it with 55,718 accounts.

Follow the rules for tax breaks

Savings can grow, free of federal and state taxes while in the 529 savings plan account. No income tax is paid on the earnings in a 529 plan when withdrawals are used for qualified expenses. A nonqualified withdrawal is subject to income tax and a 10% federal tax penalty on earnings.

Under a 529 savings plan, contributions can vary and families select their own investment options  which can gain or lose value over time. The savings plan can be used for either tuition, room and board or both. Savers can invest directly into the MESP and select their own investment options, including age-based plans that take on less investment risk as the child moves closer to college.

One draw for many families is the state income tax break for contributions into the MET and the MESP.

Michigan taxpayers can deduct the full amount of what they paid for a MET contract from their taxable income on state income tax returns for the calendar year that the contract was bought. The same holds true for "Pay-As-You-Go" contributions in a given year. Deductions are taken on Schedule 1, Line 18.

Michigan savers also can deduct the amount contributed to the Michigan Education Savings Program in a given calendar year on Schedule 1, Line 17, of the 2023 Michigan income tax return. That deduction is limited to up to $5,000 for individuals each year from their Michigan adjusted gross income and up to $10,000 for married couples filing a joint return.

To deduct the amount on the 2023 return, though, contributions or purchases must have been made by Dec. 31, 2023.

Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompor: stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on X (Twitter) @tompor.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: College savings plans in Michigan: What to know from MET to MESP
In the three years since being released from jail, Jasmine Ingram has struggled to find affordable and decent housing in Charlotte.

The residences she has landed through HUD emergency housing vouchers were worn-down apartment complexes that featured little security on the grounds. Other places were run by property managers who Ingram described as slumlords.

Ingram, who has a 3-year-old son and another child on the way, just wants a pleasant, safe environment to raise a family. But Ingrams criminal record, including a 2019 felony robbery conviction, creates an obstacle for her.

Its often a challenge for many former justice-involved individuals whose options are limited because of their criminal histories.

The government tries to help, but youre being placed in the same environments, Ingram told The Charlotte Observer. Im a single mom living alone, and thats dangerous.

Help for people in Ingrams circumstance is on the way thanks to the Charlotte nonprofit Freedom Fighting Missionaries that plans to support a housing development specifically for the formerly incarcerated.

Jasmine Ingram, a young mother, received one of 178 emergency vouchers to afford housing in Charlotte. She is a client with the nonprofit, Freedom Fighting Missionaries.

Opportunities for stable housing

Kenny Robinson heads the nonprofit and recently acquired 1.8 acres of land in University City that will be used to construct townhomes. The organization began in 2020 to assist formerly incarcerated persons become self-sufficient and connect them with housing and employment, the Observer previously reported.

The nonprofit received $4 million in funding to support the effort, including $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars from Charlotte and $2 million from Mecklenburg County.

Rebecca Hefner, the citys housing and neighborhood services department director, said Charlotte commits $80 million every two years toward affordable housing.

The Freedom Fighting Missionaries townhome project provides opportunities for stable housing and services that can help lead to well-being and economic mobility for people recently released from jail or prison, she said.

Freedom Fighting Missionaries recently purchased 1.8 acres of land in University City in Charlotte that will be used to construct townhomes for formerly incarcerated people.

It is an exciting project for the city to be able to invest in along with Freedom Freedom Fighting Missionaries, said Hefner. Stable housing isnt just about having a roof over your head. It is about helping individuals and families break the cycle of recidivism. When people have a stable place to live, they can build a better future for themselves.

Robinson, who once served a 10-year federal prison sentence, understands the challenge of having nowhere to go and no guidance on navigating the world upon release. It is part of the reason he was moved to start the effort.

This project derived from my own living experiences here in Charlotte, he said. Even after becoming employed, I was denied on housing applications for apartments and rental houses.

Living that uncertain lifestyle drove him to help others land on their feet. Since Freedom Fighting Missionaries started in 2020, the organization has helped hundreds in Charlotte and beyond.

When the two- and three-bedroom, 24-unit development is built in 2025, it will provide stability and community for people who have sought it.

We hope to provide a pathway to upward mobility and home ownership, Robinson said.

A great need in Charlotte

In addition to securing a place to stay, Robinson said the housing project initiative would require residents to maintain employment and take financial literacy and homeownership courses facilitated by Wells Fargo and Ally Bank, among others.

Qualifications for residency consideration include being formerly incarcerated and having children, though a previous criminal record is not required, said Robinson. Due to limited capacity, those with sex offenses or arson convictions and those who have active drug addiction will not be served.

While rent rates have not been established for the property, the townhomes will be earmarked for tenants earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income, Robinson said. The median household income in Charlotte is $74,070, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data.

The townhome, said Robinson, is just a start to assisting the formerly incarcerated on a path to true independence and hope.

The need in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County is greater than 24 units, said Robinson, who hopes to acquire additional support from the private sector. Were setting the precedence that these projects can be done. You dont have to be a rapper, an athlete, or a corporate person to do it.

We can do it with community support.
An odd remnant of the nations wartime past was revealed by chance in February in South Carolina, when a plowing farmer hit something on Johns Island near Charleston, officials say.

The mysterious structure has been linked to the War of 1812, but it sat hidden for over 200 years for good reason.

Sidi Limehouse was bottom-plowing a field at the end of Johns Island a few weeks ago when he hit something, made another pass, and hit it again, according to Zack Snipes, Coastal Region extension agent with Clemson University.

They began excavating the mystery and started pulling up handmade bricks. The structure was around 4 feet by 12 feet.

The farmer contacted a historian, who brought a metal detector, Snipes says. That led to the discovery of artifacts, including buttons, Spanish and English coins, pottery, old metal scraps, and massive oyster shells as they sifted soil from the site.

So what did the farmer find?

The historian who helped excavate the site believes this was a latrine from a camp used by soldiers in the War of 1812, Snipes said.

Latrine, as in public toilet.

No wonder the crops that grow in that spot look so good! Snipes added.

Details of the dig and the fate of the artifacts were not revealed.

Latrines were the militarys version of portable toilets in the 18th and 19th centuries, Historynet.com reports.

Each camp had its open latrine area, raked and buried over daily to maintain a modicum of sanitation, but during a battle any available latrines and privies were generally luxuries reserved for the senior officers, the site reports.

How bricks came to be used in a camp latrine is a mystery, but soldiers in South Carolina had a lot of time on their hands during the War of 1812.

No battles or skirmishes were fought in the state, but more than 5,000 soldiers were assembled in preparation for war, historians say.

The British Navy blockaded Charleston, but no serious bombardments took place, the National Park Service reports.

Johns Island is 84 square miles, about a third of which is within the city of Charlestons limits, Charleston.com reports.

The War of 1812 is among the lesser celebrated of the nations victories, perhaps because the British marched into Washington, D.C., and burned the White House.

18th Century pistol found by class searching 1740s Charleston home, SC officials say

Holes were dug illegally at SC historic site, park says. What are culprits hunting?

Historians find fingerprints of long-forgotten SC slaves in 200-year-old bricks
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal arrived in Luxembourg on March 19 and met with his Luxembourgish counterpart Luc Frieden.

According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), which tracks international support for Ukraine, Luxembourg has committed 130 million euros ($142 million) as of January 2024.

Military support formed the bulk of Luxembourg's commitments, at 110 million euros ($120 million).

Shmyhal said that he and Frieden would discuss Luxembourg's support for Ukraine and the potential future confiscation of Russian assets.

Luxembourg's Defense Minister Yuriko Backes said earlier in March that the country had delivered 6,000 155mm shells to Ukraine and would be joining the Czech-led initiative to procure more shells.

Read also: Russians still enjoying American burgers and sandwiches as companies refuse to leave

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Poland and Germany will activate an "armoured vehicles coalition" focused on main battle tanks as an initiative aimed at supporting Ukraine.

Source: Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, Polish Defence Minister, after talks near Warsaw with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius, as reported by European Pravda with reference to TVP World

"On March 26, we are activating as co-leaders, Poland and Germany, the armour capability coalition for support of Ukraine," the Polish minister told reporters at a joint press conference with Pistorius.

"It is one of the most important coalitions that have been established; we are the two leading countries of this project, other partners have signed up for it, such as Great Britain, Sweden, and Italy," he said.

Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that personal participation of Pistorius in the work with Poland is a sign of friendship, partnership and "thinking about what to do today to help Ukraine" as well as working for the security of Europe, NATO countries and "our civilization and our future."

He called the cooperation within NATO and the EU fundamental for European security and stressed that it would be strengthened and developed further.

Pistorius stressed the importance of being prepared for any situation. "Nobody really knows whether or when Russia will [attack anybody] in Europe, but what we really see is that it is able and willing to attack Ukraine and is doing it now for more than two years," the German Defence Minister said.

"So what we have to learn all together as allies in Europe is to be prepared for any threat, especially for a threat which comes from Putin's Russia in any year. This is a task we have to do and this is what we are working on," he added.

He also stressed the importance of supplying Ukraine with sufficient defensive and offensive capabilities in the form of ammunition and armament.

Background:

The UK and Latvia lead the international "drone coalition", created within the Contact Group for Ukraines Defence, better known as the Ramstein format.

Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the UK, announced during his visit to Kyiv in January that London would allocate 200 million to manufacture various drones for the Ukrainian military.

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Wiltshire Police were called to an address in Fore Street, Trowbridge, at around 18:45 GMT on Monday

Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was cut by a blade

Wiltshire Police were called to an address in Fore Street, Trowbridge, at around 18:45 GMT on Monday following reports that a male had been injured during an altercation.

The victim was later taken to hospital with injuries which were not through to be life-changing or life-threatening.

The force said inquiries to locate the suspect, who is known to the victim, are ongoing.

Anyone with relevant information in regards to the incident are asked to contact police.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Police Seek Atlanta Mother Who Talked About Performing Exorcism on Boy Found Dead In Suitcase By a Stranger In Indiana

A mother who went on the run two years ago after her 5-year-old son was found dead inside a suitcase in the Indiana woods was arrested in a suburb of Los Angeles after someone recognized her and called police.

Dejuane L. Anderson was taken into custody March 14 in Arcadia, California, after authorities received a tip from an alert citizen.

Local authorities moved in alongside the U.S. Marshals Service, spotting Anderson as she tried to board a public train and placed her in handcuffs.

Police have charged Dejuane Anderson with murder in the April 2022 death of her son Cairo Jordan, who was found in a suitcase. (Photos: YouTube screenshots/NBC Bay Area)

She is being held at the Los Angeles Police Department detention facility, pending extradition back to Indiana to face arraignment.

She faces charges of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and obstruction of justice in the April 2022 death of her 5-year-old son, Cairo Jordan, who was found discarded in a heavily wooded area off Holder Road in South East Washington County  his body stuffed inside a carry-on size luggage bag.

Andersons arrest comes several months after her admitted accomplice, Dawn Elaine Coleman, received a 25-year sentence in November after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder while confessing that she helped cover up the childs death.

Previously, Coleman made a deal with prosecutors to eventually testify against Anderson in exchange for a lighter sentence as several charges against her were dismissed, including neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aiding or inducing murder, and obstruction of justice.

Following Andersons arrest, investigators with the Indiana State Police Department immediately flew to California to try to ascertain her movements and whether she had help to remain a fugitive.

Ironically, police had been searching for Anderson in the Los Angeles area and believe she could have spent part of her time on the lam lying low in San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, or Houston.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls expressed relief that Anderson was finally behind bars but called the moment bittersweet because of the cruelty of Cairo's death.

Its still a sorrowful, a somber moment in the investigation, Huls said during a news conference to announce the arrest, according to Law & Crime. But its a thing weve looked forward to and anticipated for almost two years now.

A hiker searching the woods for mushrooms stumbled upon the discarded bag on April 26, 2022.

The very distinctive suitcase was imprinted with a panoramic view of the Las Vegas Strip.

Inside was the lifeless body of a small child with no identification. The boy showed no signs of trauma, and no family connections could be made initially, as no one came forward to claim the boys body or to report a missing child.

Authorities found fingerprints on trash bags that had been used to package the boy into the suitcase, while cellphone records eventually led to Coleman and Anderson as suspects.

Investigators also tracked down the boys biological father to Atlanta, Georgia, where Anderson is originally from.

Six months after Cairos body was found, the Washington County Circuit Court issued felony arrest warrants for the two women in October, while federal authorities joined the dragnet to find them.

Coleman was arrested in San Francisco on Oct. 19, while Anderson slipped away and eluded authorities for nearly two years until her arrest last week.

Coleman told investigators that she and Anderson were living together in Louisville, Kentucky, when one day she witnessed Anderson sitting on the boys back while he was facedown on a mattress, claiming the child was already dead when she walked in.

Coleman, of Shreveport, Louisiana, admitted to helping Anderson put the boys body into a suitcase and driving with her to Indiana to dump the remains in the woods.

Before the boys death, his mother posted troubling messages on social media in which she claimed her son was possessed by demons, saying he desperately needed an exorcism, according to court documents.

Search warrants for the womens social media accounts turned up old photos of Anderson with the same type of suitcase in which the body was found, as well as images of a boy who matched the remains in the suitcase.

Officials said Jordan died from an electrolyte imbalance most likely caused by gastroenteritis, which in common laymans terms would be vomiting and diarrhea, and that resulted in dehydration.

Two-Year Manhunt Ends for Mother Who Allegedly Stuffed Sons Body In Suitcase After Talking About Performing Exorcism
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Police are continuing to search for the person or persons responsible for killing one person and wounding three others during a shooting outside an East El Paso bar over the weekend.

Police responded to a shooting at about 2:15 a.m. Saturday, March 16 at the Rock City Bar and Grill at 2285 Trawood.

1 person dead, 3 others hurt in East El Paso shooting

A total of four people were shot in the incident and one of them, identified as 37-year-old Mario Daniel Avalos, died from his injuries at the hospital, police said.

The other victims were a 20-year-old woman, a 28-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man. We are not reporting the names of the other three victims because they are the victims of an apparent crime.

Over the weekend, police initially said the shooting happened after a dispute at the bar. They did not specify a motive in the news release they sent out identifying the victims.

Police say they are continuing to investigate the incident and want anyone with information to come forward.

If you know anything about this shooting, you can call the El Paso Police non-emergency number at (915) 832-4400 or you can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (915) 566-8477.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR)  The Oklahoma Police Department has confirmed its officers are on the scene investigating a shooting near 178th & May Avenue.

Police officials say, the shooting started out as road rage incident. The individuals lived near each other and exited their cars and got into a confrontation, after which one person shot the other. One person was transported to the hospital.

Authorities say, the shooter is detained currently but not arrested.

KFOR has a team on the scene.

No further information has been released at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
The Fairview Heights Police Department is investigating reports of unauthorized cash withdrawals from a Scott Credit Union ATM at 555 Lincoln Highway, according a release from the department.

The release, posted Tuesday on the police departments Facebook page, states that the department has received 12 reports of unauthorized withdrawals made on March 16 and March 17.

As it is early in the investigation, the exact means that were used to compromise the debit cards is unclear, the release states.

The release says that typically, thieves use a ``skimming device to make these withdrawals.

A skimming device electronically captures card data and either stores it on the device or transmits it to a nearby computer. Skimming devices are commonly placed inside of ATM machines or gas pumps, the release states Criminals then imprint the stolen data onto other cards with a magnetic strip.

The police department urged people to check their bank statements and report any suspicious activity.

The release did not say how much money was fraudulently withdrawn.
Along with a new light-rail system, Project Connect includes improvements to the existing commuter rail Red Line, which runs between Leander and downtown Austin.

A Travis County judge on Monday set a trial date to hear arguments in a pending bond validation lawsuit centered on the proposed financing plan for Project Connect, setting a stage on which the future of the city of Austins $7.1 billion public transportation investment could be at stake.

A bond validation lawsuit seeks to confirm the validity of municipal bonds issued by a government entity. The trial will be the culmination of a lawsuit that attorneys representing the Austin Transit Partnership, the city's light-rail planning agency, filed in February.

The trial is set for May 28 through 30, according to a memo sent to Austin Transit Partnership board members Monday.

In a 11-page petition filed Friday afternoon, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton weighed in on the pending lawsuit, claiming neither the city nor Austin Transit Partnership can issue bonds to build the planned improvements, including the centerpiece light-rail system. The Republican attorney general asked the judge to dismiss the city's request to affirm the bonds.

Voters approved Project Connect in 2020 by a more than 15 percentage-point margin, raising the ad valorem property tax rate by 8.75 cents  an increase to the city's property tax rate by more than 20%. The new tax would go toward transforming the city's transit map with a new light-rail system, high-frequency bus routes and other improvements.

The investment's most costly element is the light-rail system. A finance plan published last summer estimated the initial system would cost between $4.5 billion and $5.1 billion. Current plans rely on the new property tax and at least a 50% match in grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

The light-rail plans have undergone a number of changes since 2020. Last summer, the Austin City Council and transit officials approved a downsized version of the initial buildout: a 9.8-mile line stretching north, south and east of downtown Austin but stopping short of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Crestview Station, where it could intersect with Capital Metro's commuter rail line between Leander and downtown Austin.

Story continues

Austin Light Rail

In the memo to board members Monday, Casey Burack, an Austin Transit Partnership executive over business and legal affairs, said the light-rail planning agency was "confident in our position" and characterized the attorney general's motion as an "attempt to deprive" the agency and the city of due process.

The city disagrees with the attorney general's assertions and was "certain the court will allow the City and ATP time to file responses," said Shelley Parks, a city spokesperson, in a statement.

Supporters of Project Connect say the legal challenges by critics are attempts to subvert the will of voters and undo efforts to expand public transportation. Opponents say the financing model is faulty and the current light-rail plan no longer reflects what voters were shown prior to casting a ballot in November 2020.

The bond validation lawsuit was consolidated with one filed by critics of Project Connect last fall. In a statement Friday, attorney Bill Aleshire, a former Travis County judge and tax assessor/collector who is representing the plaintiffs, marked the attorney general's filing as "the beginning of the end of the biggest con job ever perpetrated on the taxpayers of Austin."

"If Austin 'leaders' want mass transit in Austin, they should immediately stop Project Connect, cancel the illegal tax increase, and go back to the voters with an affordable plan, with an honest price tag, and see if voters will authorize bonds, i.e., the legal way taxpayer debt is incurred," Aleshire said in the statement.

Among the plaintiffs represented by Aleshire is Dirty Martin's Place, a longtime burger restaurant near the University of Texas campus. More than two years ago, light-rail planners informed the owner that the property might need to be seized because the new light-rail line would run through it, according to records obtained by the American- Statesman.

Attorney Bill Aleshire speaks at a news conference announcing his lawsuit against the city of Austin and the Austin Transit Partnership at Dirty Martin's Place near the University of Texas in November. At the time, it looked like Project Connect's light rail construction might endanger Dirty Martin's. but that's no longer the case.

However, last month, the Austin Transit Partnership announced it no longer intended to seize some private property along Guadalupe Street between 27th and 29th streets for the proposed line, including the property where Dirty Martin's Place sits. Despite this change, the owner, Mark Nemir, said he planned to continue pursuing the lawsuit.

Project Connect has faced scrutiny from state officials before. Last summer, state lawmakers took aim at the city's finance model with proposed legislation, but those bills died during the session. Speaking to the Statesman last fall, state Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway, said the city's finance model is illegal and vowed to propose similar legislation next session.

A Paxton-issued legal opinion at the time, which informed some of the proposed legislation, said the city made mistakes and misstatements to the voters. Parts of the attorney general's Friday filing echo its previous opinion.

Bonds are a key part of Project Connects current financing plan. In seeking the matching federal grant funds, the Austin Transit Partnership concluded a series of required open house events last month as part of a federal environmental review for the 9.8-mile system. Construction of the line could stretch into the 2030s.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Paxton asks judge to reject Austin's plans to finance Project Connect
Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in France this May, Politico reported on March 18. This would be the Chinese leader's first visit to Europe since the pandemic.

The high-level talks will reportedly coincide with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Paris and Beijing.

An anonymous source told Politico that the visit "will be less festive and more studious given the current economic and geopolitical stakes."

China has grown closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the last two years even as European leaders, including the French President, continue to publicly support Ukraine. President Xi has not condemned Russia's actions in Ukraine and has repeatedly abstained from voting on UN resolutions on the war.

Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Russia became China's largest oil supplier. China and Russia have also reportedly begun joint naval exercises with Iran in the Gulf of Oman.

Ukraine is keeping diplomatic channels with China open, even though Beijing has maintained close ties with Moscow during the war.

Since President Volodymyr Zelensky presented a 10-point peace plan in November 2022, there have been four advisory meetings on the level of national security advisers. China was present at only one of them.

Earlier this week, the Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland announced that Beijing is considering participating in the upcoming peace summit.

Switzerland agreed in January 2024 to host a global peace summit on the war in Ukraine. Over 160 countries, including China, will be invited to discuss Kyiv's peace formula and create a joint document on what needs to be done to restore the countrys sovereignty. The date for the summit has not yet been set.

Officials told Politico that China is trying to persuade European leaders to allow Russia to attend future peace talks, including the upcoming summit in Switzerland. Beijing said it would boycott peace talks that do not include Russia.

Russia, on the other hand, said it would not attend the Switzerland summit even if Russia were invited.

President Xi and Macron previously met in Beijing in April 2023. The French leader reportedly tried to urge President Xi to use his influence over Moscow to end the war.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU gives final approval of $5.5 billion in defense aid to Kyiv

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The oil company responsible for a pipeline leak in Poole Harbour has said it has taken steps to ensure a similar incident cannot happen again.

About 200 barrels of oily water escaped from a pipeline at Wytch Farm oil field into Poole Harbour on 26 March 2023.

Operator Perenco UK said the cause was microbial corrosion in a buried pipeline and the recovery phase had been "successfully concluded".

Conservationists have called for an end to oil extraction at the site.

Poole Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Europe and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its ecological importance.

Following the spill, the area had to be closed to the public, with swimmers, beachgoers, anglers and sailors urged to stay away.

In a statement released to mark the first anniversary of the incident, Perenco UK - which declined to be interviewed by the BBC - said its infrastructure underwent "regular inspections".

"However there were very specific conditions in the pipeline that led to a faster and unexpected rate of corrosion," it said.

Perenco said the affected pipeline remains out of service with measures being taken to protect other pipes against corrosion including the insertion of internal liners.

It said the cause of the leak of reservoir fluid, made up of 85% water and 15% oil, was "enhanced internal microbial corrosion in a buried pipeline".

Floating barriers were put in place following the leak of reservoir fluid

The Wytch Farm oil field and processing facility produces about 14,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Perenco has given the BBC the first access to the site since the spill to see the completed recovery work ahead of the first anniversary.

Franck Dy, Perenco UK's Wytch Farm general manager, said: "After a thorough independent review into the cause of the leak clear measures have been taken to ensure that this will not happen again.

"I would like to reiterate that we are sorry for the distress caused a year ago."

The Environment Agency said it would decide on possible enforcement action after investigation work concludes.

Pete Miles, from Dorset Oysters, said the impact of the spill was hard to quantify

Shellfish harvesting in the harbour was suspended for a month following the leak.

Pete Miles, from Poole based Dorset Oysters, said he had been compensated by Perenco for losses but said the impact was hard to quantify.

He said: "We were talking to new customers before the oil spill who went quiet on us, it probably scared them off a little bit."

A slick about 400m (1,300ft) long and 1m (3ft) deep landed on the shoreline at the RSPB's Arne reserve, about a mile along the coast from Wytch Farm.

In total across the harbour there were reports of 30 oiled birds, though there were not believed to have been any fatalities.

Peter Robertson, senior RSPB site manager, said: "This is one of Europe's most important wildlife spots, to have oil extraction in the middle of it you have to have absolute safeguards in place.

"We know that the infrastructure is old. We would take some reassuring to know that there isn't going to be a repeat."

In its latest update the Recovery Coordination Group, whose members include Poole Harbour Commissioners and Natural England, said that due to the "quick action of all partners" there had been no reports of related oil outside of the contaminated area in Ower Bay since 5 April 2023.

Poole Harbour

A localised clean-up around the release site, which involved controlled scraping and removal of sediment and organic matter, continued until January.

The group said monitoring to assess the recovery of the habitat would be ongoing.

Martin Price, from East Dorset Friends of the Earth, said: "Our message to Perenco is that you should be shutting this field down as soon as possible. The potential risks are huge."

Perenco UK said its goal was "zero harm" to the environment.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk.
Porter County officials have scheduled two closed-door meetings in the coming days in an attempt to get to the bottom of a settlement agreement between the Indiana Dunes Tourism board and its outgoing longtime executive director, Lorelei Weimer.

The Board of Commissioners will meet in executive session at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. The meeting, said President Jim Biggs, R-North, will include two members of the county council, as well as representatives from the tourism board and board attorney David Hollenbeck.

Per the agenda, the meeting is being held With respect to any individual over whom the governing body has jurisdiction and to receive information concerning the individuals alleged misconduct.

The council follows with an executive session of its own before their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday. Council member Red Stone, R-1st, confirmed it is to discuss a request by the tourism board for a $225,000 payout for the last two years of Weimers three-year contract. The stated purpose for the meeting is to discuss pending litigation.

Christine Livingston, vice president of IDT, took over as the agencys interim president and CEO on Jan. 19, the day after the board approved her as interim director, while Weimer used up nine weeks of vacation time.

Weimer had been with the agency for 33 years, starting there as an intern after college. She led the agency for 22 years.

Tourism officials had hoped to get the council to approve the settlement at the councils March 26 but Stone has said as interim council president he wouldnt put it on the agenda because its shrouded in a confidentiality agreement.

Mitch Peters, president of the tourism board and the councils appointment to that body, has said the settlement is the number that was approved by our board unanimously, and that he wouldnt recommend anything that isnt in the best interest of tourism and Porter County.

County officials balked at approving the request without knowing the nature of the settlement and without details about why Weimer was exiting her post so suddenly after decades with the tourism bureau.

Biggs said he called for Wednesdays meeting to get more information. He didnt know Weimer was stepping back until he read a Post-Tribune story about it in January, which he said took him by surprise, especially since commissioners have four appointments on the 11-member tourism board.

I didnt get a whisper that anything was wrong over there and we have all these appointments to that board, he said.

Commissioners are trying to make sense of whats going on, he said, because, just like the county council, commissioners are not being told the whole story, Biggs said, adding commissioners are getting involved because hes been told theres a possibility of litigation.

To keep it from getting to that point, we need to know whats at risk here, he said, adding the tourism board is requesting that the settlement come out of the countys innkeepers tax.

Stone said of the councils executive session, Its 100% about the settlement. I was not putting it on the agenda until we had an executive session.

This whole thing is really unfortunate, he added.

alavalley@chicagotribune.com
A number of production lots of 50% Less Sodium Roasted & Salted Whole Cashews sold at Trader Joe's locations in sixteen different states were recalled Sunday for testing positive for Salmonella.

It's not a great day to be a nut lover, especially if you are a Trader Joes customer.

The grocery store chain said it was recalling specific production lots of 50% Less Sodium Roasted & Salted Whole Cashews over salmonella concerns Sunday.

The recalled product was sold at Trader Joes retail locations across the country, impacting cashew lovers across 16 states.

The Food & Drug Administration found, during routine testing, that one of the recalled lots tested positive for the presence of salmonella. Consumers have yet to report illness as a result of product consumption.

The recall notice comes days after John B. Sanfilippo & Son Incorporated, the manufacturer behind Great Value brand sold at Walmart stores, recalled a limited amount of Honey Roasted Cashews over undeclared allergens, USA TODAY reported.

Heres what to know about the recall, including refund availability and product numbers.

Labels to read, numbers to look out for

A close-up look at the lot number found on "50% Less Sodium Roasted & Salted Whole Cashews," a Trader Joe's nut product that has been recalled.

One way to check whether your your bag of TJ cashews is part of the lots recalled is to check if the lot number and best by date match the list included below.

The lot number is printed on the back panel of the plastic pouches.

T12139 - Feb. 21, 2025

T12140 - Mar 1, 2025

T12141 - Mar 8, 2025

T12142 - Mar 10, 2025

You can also check to see if the product was manufactured in India or Vietnam, according to the FDA.

No other lot numbers or products were affected by this recall.

50% Less Sodium Roasted & Salted Whole Cashews were sold at Trader Joes locations in Ala., Ark., Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Kan., La., N.M., Nev., Okla., Ore., Tenn., Texas, Utah, Wash.

Refunds available to customers who purchased recalled nuts

People stand in line waiting to enter Trader Joe's to buy groceries in Pembroke Pines, Fla., on March 24, 2020.

Consumers have been urged to dispose of any and all potentially contaminated nuts as soon possible, as they are not safe to eat.

You can take your bag of 50% Less Sodium Roasted & Salted Whole Cashews back to your local Trader Joes for a full refund.

Anyone with questions about the recall can reach Wenders LLC, the manufacturing company that issued the recall via email at foodsafety@wendersllc.com.

Story continues

Salmonella is known to cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.

Healthy people who are infected with the organism may experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trader Joe's nut recall: Cashews recalled for salmonella concerns
PORTSMOUTH  The City Council has selected a new permanent city manager, marking the fourth hire in as many years.

Following a closed session Monday, City Council appointed Steven Carter to the position in a 4-3 vote. Mayor Shannon Glover and council members Bill Moody and Mark Hugel voted against Carters appointment, saying they each would have preferred the interim city manager keep the job.

Carter is currently the city manager of Albany, Georgia. He was hired for the role in 2021 after serving as interim. The U.S. Air Force veteran has degrees in computer information systems and a master of business administration from Liberty University, according to a copy of his resume obtained by The Virginian-Pilot. Before his appointment as city manager, Carter served as the chief information officer for Albany and Dougherty County in southwestern Georgia.

Carter will start on April 22 with a $255,000 annual salary, according to the motion approved by Portsmouth City Council.

City leadership has undergone significant upheaval in recent years, with three city managers taking the reins over the past four years. Since January 2023, Mimi Terry, the citys former chief financial officer, led the city in an interim role.

Though Terry was present in City Hall while council met in closed session, she had left by the time council members entered the mostly full chambers to take the formal vote. A slew of individuals sat near the front wearing maroon shirts in support of voting for Terry.

Moody said the council considered three candidates and Carter was his second choice. He praised Terry for serving the city very admirably during her tenure.

There were a lot of issues when she came in as interim and she wrapped her arm around those problems and got them resolved and she righted the ship, Moody said. I think in that respect, she did a tremendous job.

Hugel said though he supported Terry, the new city manager will need the full support of all of us.

Glover said many words came to mind for Terry: compassionate, professionalism, concerned, commitment, diligence.

(Ms. Terry) didnt get the support that she deserved. She came here as an interim and that woman went to work, Glover said. Our city has lost something today.

Council members have been working with Korn Ferry executive search firm since last year to help recruit for the citys top position, which essentially amounts to being the citys CEO. The council had opted to allow Terry to lead them through this years budget process before taking the next steps on a permanent appointment because of her background in finance.

However, with her departure, the council also voted 5-2 Monday to contract with Berkley Group to provide interim city manager services at the rate of $210 per hour, effective immediately.

A city manager is tasked with carrying out the councils vision, developing a budget, supervising city employees and selecting department heads. The city is expected to head into budget discussions in the coming weeks.

Council member Vernon Tillage told The Virginian-Pilot he believes council made the right decision following the official search they all agreed to last year.

I think this is a great opportunity for Portsmouth to begin to move in the right direction, Tillage said. Im very optimistic and hopeful that Mr. Carter will come in and serve the citizens of Portsmouth well. Ms. Mimi Terry, I believe she did the best she knew how and I thank her for her service.

The council abruptly fired its last two city managers who served before Terry. Former Portsmouth Police Chief Tonya Chapman served as city manager for six months before she was fired in January 2023 after new council members took office. Chapman had returned to the city following a 2019 departure from the police department after the council fired her predecessor, Angel Jones, in a divided and unexpected vote in May 2022.

Following Jones firing, she filed a lawsuit against the city alleging wrongful termination and levying explosive political corruption allegations against the majority of council members who voted to terminate her. Most of those counts have since been dismissed in court.

Before Jones, Lydia Pettis Patton served as city manager between 2015 and 2020, resigning under pressure related to her suspension of a former police chief.

We have had a lot of turnover in this city, Glover said. And I shared with my colleagues if you think that youre going to bring someone else into this city and theyre going to do a whole better job and not make any missteps, well, you probably are not thinking right.

Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com
(Bloomberg) -- Portugals far-right Chega party said theres still no agreement to back a government led by center-right coalition AD following the snap election held on March 10.

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So far theres no agreement or understanding with AD that would guarantee government stability, Chega leader Andre Ventura told reporters after meeting Portugals president in Lisbon on Monday. Ventura said hed keep trying to reach an agreement.

The center-right AD alliance won the most seats in parliament in the election, narrowly beating the Socialists, who have governed for the past eight years. Chega grabbed much of the spotlight after it quadrupled the number of seats held in parliament, cementing its position as the third-biggest force.

The AD coalition on its own is well short of a parliamentary majority, which means that Portugal will likely have a minority government that may be forced to compromise on key policies and budgets to get support from other parties. Combined with Chega, AD would have an absolute majority in parliament, but center-right leader Luis Montenegro has so far ruled out agreements with Chega to get backing.

You cant ask us to vote in favor of a budget without wanting to negotiate with a party that has more than 1 million votes, Ventura said on Monday.

Read more: Portugal Joins Europes Shift With Far-Right Support Surging

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has to meet all the parties before appointing the new prime minister, which wont happen before March 20. The winners of four seats representing Portuguese voters living abroad still have to be determined, though Socialist leader Pedro Nuno Santos conceded defeat on election night.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during an expanded meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow. -/Kremlin/dpa

Vladimir Putin called for "traitors" to be hunted down in an address to the FSB domestic security agency in Moscow on Tuesday following his re-election as Russian president.

They should be identified and punished, Putin said, adopting a noticeably angry tone. "We will punish them without time limitation, wherever they may be." Russia would not forget these traitors who had committed crimes against the country, he said.

There have been repeated cases of Russians being murdered, some while abroad, or dying under unexplained circumstances.

In his remarks, Putin referred specifically to attacks mounted from Ukraine on the Belgorod region along the border, where there have recently been civilian casualties. Intensive attacks took place in the region during the elections between Friday and Sunday.

Putin referred to terrorism aimed at disrupting the vote. He accused "sabotage and terrorist groups" acting alongside Ukrainian forces, mercenaries and other "rabble." The latter could refer to Russian citizens who have gone over to the Ukrainian side.

The president also called on the FSB to join forces with other intelligences services in intensifying counterterrorist work. "We are dealing with a strong and dangerous adversary, who has a wide range of information, technical and financial resources in his arsenal ," he said.

Putin recalled the blowing up of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines under the Baltic Sea in 2022.

Border security also had to be strengthened, for example through greater effectiveness by mobile units, Putin said. He referred to land and sea borders, among them the Black Sea, where Ukrainian forces have been successful against the Russian navy.

The FSB has responsibility for protecting Russia's borders among its other duties.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during an expanded meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB) in Moscow. -/Kremlin/dpa
The Kentucky Board of Education on Tuesday entered into contract negotiations with the preferred candidate for the next commissioner of education, but would not release the name of the selected candidate.

Finalists Jim Flynn, Buddy Berry and Robbie Fletcher, all who have been superintendents in Kentucky, did not immediately say whether they were the preferred candidate.

The Kentucky Board of Education authorized the KBE Chair Sharon Porter Robinson to enter into contract negotiations, according to a news release Tuesday.

The proposed negotiated contract will be presented to the full board for approval at a future special called meeting.

If the contract is approved, the name of the selected candidate will be announced.

The state board intends to name a new commissioner and submit that individual to the Kentucky Senate for confirmation by the end of March.

In February, the Kentucky Department of Education did not release the names of the 15 initial applicants.

The 2023 General Assembly passed a law that, for the first time, requires the Republican-led Kentucky Senate, to confirm the appointment of Education Commissioner.

This is a developing story and will be updated.
President Joe Biden will be in Dallas on Wednesday for two fundraisers, his campaign confirmed Tuesday.

The Dallas Morning-News reported one event will be hosted by lawyers Russell Budd and Regina Montoya, among others, and the second will be hosted by Dallas businessman Kneeland Youngblood. Biden will also attend a campaign reception in Houston, the newspaper reported.

Budd, Montoya and Youngblood did not immediately return requests for comment.

Biden was last in Texas when he visited Brownsville in late February, the same day former President Donald Trump visited Eagle Pass.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were quietly demoted on Buckingham Palaces official website on Monday, with a photo of the couple now sitting at the bottom of a page that lists every member of the royal familya far cry from their previous spot near the top.

The demotion comes more than four years after the couple announced they were stepping down as senior working members of the family and moved to the United States in search of privacy.

Instead of having lengthy individual biographies on the site, which they enjoyed until this week, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex now share only a joint profile topped with a statement about their decision to step down from family duties.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle now share a joint biography page on Buckingham Palaces website. Buckingham Palace

Harry and Meghans demotion was blamed on a routine website update, a palace source told The Telegraph, adding that the change is unrelated to the couples recent brand development.

Those looking for information about the couple will now have to scroll to the bottom of a biography page on the palaces websitepast even the scandal-scarred Prince Andrew, who has a biography page to himself.

The new, much shorter biographies for Harry and Meghan direct readers to their own website, Sussex.com, to learn more about them. The website was launched in February to criticism about their use of royal titles on it.

Palaces Top-Secret Plan for Kate Middletons Public Return: Report

Buckingham Palaces decision to demote the couple comes at a perilous time for the institution, as it faces ongoing speculation about Kate Middletons well-being after her abdominal surgery in January.

Conspiracy theories about the family have spread like wildfire, with a recent video of the princess taking a stroll at a farm shop with Prince William over the weekend doing little to quell gossip in the aftermath of her photoshop gaffe.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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The Prince of Wales acknowledged the absence of the Princess from public engagements during a visit to Sheffield on Tuesday.

Prince William suggested that his wife would like to have been sitting with him to hear about work on her specialist subject of childhood development.

During his visit on Tuesday to see a project to help end homelessness, he talked to Kate Joseph, the chief executive of Sheffield City Council, about the importance of childhood experiences.

He said, smiling: Venturing into my wifes territory here. She needs to be sat here to hear this.

The Prince joined a conference to tackle the problem of homelessness, agreeing to selfies and waving to those who had come to see him.

The Princess is at home as she continues her recovery from major abdominal surgery. She is not expected to be back at work until after Easter, although is understood to have been closely following work in her chosen sector of early years.

Prince William was in Sheffield for two engagements unveiling major commitments to his Homewards initiative to end homelessness in the UK.

At one, he joined the Homewards Sheffield Local Coalition meeting at the Millennium Gallery to discuss ways to end homelessness.

He heard from project worker Chris Lynam, 41, who described how he had turned his life around after he ended up homeless, then in jail, seven years ago.

William said: I want to say how brave you are to be here telling your story  its amazing where you are.

He also discussed how early intervention can turn around lives and asked Mr Lynam to explain the moments when people stepped in to help.

You guys know this better than I do, but there is no one-size or one solution that fits all, said the Prince. I see it almost as an umbrella and all your ideas, wisdom and experiences together, and we can mix around and produce something.

The Prince was in good spirits, agreeing to selfies with people he met - Oli Scarff/AFP

Leigh Stinchcombe, 33, persuaded William into a selfie, with the Prince holding his coffee mug and helping to work the phone before shaking hands.

Peter Brownley, 61, told Prince William he was a huge fan of the Royal family and had sent the Princess of Wales a get well soon card. You really are very kind, said the Prince.

In one engagement, the Prince was praised for bringing together key players in Sheffield, one of the six flagship Homewards locations where he and his team are working to eradicate homelessness within the next five years.

He said: I appreciate that, but this has been a team effort. Its the only way its going to work. This is the start of the journey  this is just the beginning. I am excited you are all sitting around the table and are here.

He unveiled a partnership with Homebase, the DIY store, which has pledged an investment of 1 million to support Homewards in furnishing and decorating new housing projects.

In a second major initiative, William revealed that local Sheffield landlords have committed to provide 31 homes as a start for families at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness in the Yorkshire city.

Asking those who have experienced homelessness for their thoughts, the Prince heard how there was still too much stigma and limited long-term wraparound care.

That wraparound care is critical, he said. People come from so many difficult backgrounds. The needs are diverse and great. Hopefully we are starting to challenge the stigma around social housing. Things are changing.

You dont see the hidden homeless of families. You see a lot of people sleeping rough, but not the other stories. We are trying to bring these other facets out.

Prince William speaks with Maisy Lee, a nurse involved with homelessness intiatives in Sheffield - Oli Scarff/AFP

One of those to whom he spoke spoke was Kwajo Tweneboa, 25, an influencer and campaigner from Croydon, south London, who said he was blown away by Williams determination to use his position to bring about systemic change.

Mr Tweneboa has personally experienced homelessness since the age of 12  finding himself living in a storage container with his family at one point  and has devoted his life to highlighting the often horrific stories of those suffering from sub-standard social housing.

He said: People up and down the country are living in slum-like conditions. There are not enough solutions. When I spoke to Williams team, I thought yes, they get this. They want to do something. Those living in poor conditions do not often have their voices heard. He hears them.

Its the biggest emergency that this country faces at the moment, with a huge knock-on effect on other services. He is one of the most famous people on the planet. He is absolutely to be applauded.

It came as the King said he was bitterly disappointed to not be able to host a reception for Korean War veterans at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday afternoon.

In his place, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Edinburgh welcomed around 200 veterans to the Bow Room on Tuesday.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the King, who is not undertaking any public engagements while he receives treatment for cancer, Princess Anne said she was filling in for my senior brother.

In the remarks, Charles said it had been a personal ambition to host the veterans, adding: You might therefore imagine how particularly disappointed and frustrated I am to not be able to join you all in person.

However, he did host a private meeting ahead of the reception with four veterans of the three-year war.

Also on Tuesday, the Government confirmed that the Royal family will receive 86.3 million in the Sovereign Grant for the financial year 2024-5. The figure matches the amount for this year.

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 group of progressive lawmakers is renewing its push to increase taxes on the countrys wealthiest people.

The proposal, reintroduced Tuesday, would create a 2 percent tax on households that are worth more than $50 million and a 3 percent tax on households worth more than $1 billion. It would affect the wealthiest 100,000 households in the country, according to the bills sponsor, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), USA Today first reported.

Today Im re-introducing my Ultra-Millionaires Tax so that when someone makes it really bigearning over $50 millionthey have to chip in 2 cents on the next dollar, Warren said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

That means Jeff Bezos cant keep paying lower tax rates than public school teachers, Warren added.

In an effort to prevent the wealthy from avoiding paying the tax, the bill includes provisions to provide the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with an additional $100 billion. It also creates a 40 percent tax on net worth about $50 million for people who want to ditch their U.S. citizenship in order to not pay the wealth tax.

Warren has support from a handful of Democratic senators and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), as well as more than 20 House Democrats. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), who serves as ranking member of the House Budget Committee, introduced the bill alongside Warren.

Warrens bill is not expected to get very far in the Republican-controlled House but continues the lefts years-long effort to tax the rich.

Last week, President Biden released his ambitious budget proposal, in which he called for a wealth tax on individuals worth more than $100 million. He called for a 25 percent minimum tax rate on the wealthiest 0.01 percent of Americans and the restoration of the top income tax rate for people making more than $400,000 a year to 39.6 percent.

As Biden and Congress gear up for an election year, the proposals intend to restore tax rates closer to what they were before former President Trump took office.

In an emailed statement, Warren reiterated her message that its not fair that Amazon CEOs Bezos has tax loopholes where he pays less than a teacher. She said that all my bill is asking is that those who are doing well financially pay more taxes so everyone else can have a chance to do well, too.

Updated on March 20 at 9:54 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
TransUnion (NYSE:TRU), a global information and insights company that provides data and analytics to help businesses and consumers make informed decisions, has reported an insider sale according to a recent SEC filing. Richard Mauldin, the Executive Vice President - Operations of TransUnion, sold 1,500 shares of the company on March 14, 2024.Richard Mauldin has been active in the market over the past year, selling a total of 5,500 shares and making no purchases of the company's stock. This latest transaction was disclosed in an SEC Filing.

TransUnion EVP - Operations Richard Mauldin Sells 1,500 Shares

The insider transaction history for TransUnion shows a pattern of more sales than purchases among insiders. Over the past year, there have been 19 insider sells and only 2 insider buys.On the valuation front, TransUnion shares were trading at $78.1 on the day of the insider's recent sale, giving the company a market cap of $15.085 billion. The stock's price-to-GF-Value ratio stands at 0.85, indicating that TransUnion is modestly undervalued according to the GF Value.

TransUnion EVP - Operations Richard Mauldin Sells 1,500 Shares

The GF Value is a proprietary intrinsic value estimate from GuruFocus, which takes into account historical trading multiples, an adjustment factor based on the company's past performance, and future business performance estimates provided by Morningstar analysts.TransUnion's business involves providing a wide range of risk and information solutions to businesses, including credit reports, fraud and identity management services, and marketing solutions. The company also offers credit reports, credit monitoring, and identity theft protection products directly to consumers. With its significant role in the financial information sector, TransUnion's stock performance and insider trading activity are closely watched by investors seeking insights into the company's financial health and future prospects.

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.


EL PASO, TEXAS (KTSM)  An El Paso non-profit organization is looking for a new board members to represent low-income who live in Northeast El Paso.

Project Bravo is an organization that aims to help residents in El Paso County look for affordable housing.

They are seeking board members to represent Northeast El Paso, in the following area codes: 79903, 79904, 79906, 79908, 79916, 79918, 79924, 79930 and 79934.

Although the board members do not have to be low-income, individuals must be willing to represent the interests of the low-income people living in the area, according to Project Bravo.

People interested in applying need to submit letters of intent no later than 10 a.m. on April 17.

Board members will be democratically elected during a mail-in election on May 9.

Information: contact Andrea Cortez at (915) 562-4100 or email at acortez@projectbravo.org.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
The U.S. Navys fiscal 2025 budget request for Project Overmatch, its effort to digitally link people, ships and sensors over vast distances, is too sensitive to make public, according to the service.

Asked for potential spending details, a Naval Information Warfare Systems Command spokesperson said the budget is considered controlled unclassified information, or CUI, and as such, we are unable to provide the requested information at this time. The Navy sought at least $192 million in FY24 and secured $226 million in FY23.

Project Overmatch represents the services contribution to the Defense Departments multibillion-dollar connectivity campaign known as Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control. Military leaders have shared few specifics about its maturation since inception in 2020, citing Russian and Chinese monitoring. It was not clear why information could be distributed in past fiscal years but not the upcoming one.

Rear Adm. Ben Reynolds, the Navys deputy assistant secretary for the budget, previously told reporters at the Pentagon that Project Overmatch funding would be applied to software development and some hardware that goes on our ships, goes into our numbered fleets, and then provides them the capability to operate distributed.

How US Navy leaders see power evolving at dawn of the information age

We remain committed to our Overmatch capabilities, Reynolds added. The ability to move information across a distributed fleet? Thats very important.

At least three carrier strike groups already have Project Overmatch capabilities aboard, C4ISRNET previously reported. While a spokesperson at the time declined to the name the groups, the individual said rollout to carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups and maritime operation centers was way ahead of an FY25 mandate from the chief of naval operations.

Navy officials have said Project Overmatchs injection into the fleet will first focus on the Indo-Pacific region, where Washington may butt heads with Beijing and where interception and jamming jeopardize the network activities. Trials with the advanced technology kicked off last year with the Carl Vinson carrier strike group off California.
NV organizes another brainstorming session and invites to discuss Ukraine's European integration path

NV will host the Ukraines European Path: Dialogues About the Future event from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EET on March 28.

The latest in NVs Dialogues series, the event will bring together some business and political leaders, practitioners, and academics for a series of brainstorming sessions and discussions about Ukraines path toward European integration.

Read also: NV to establish Foreign Media Advisory Council

Along its long fight for freedom and independence, through challenging trials, historical revolutions, radical  yet essential  changes, and tumultuous processes, Ukraine forges its European course despite it all.

Experiencing a unique integration process in the history of the European Union, Kyiv became the first to gain candidate status for EU membership while at war, opening new possibilities and perspectives.

Can we complete the final stage and join the EU? Will we seize our chance for prosperity? How will the management system change? What will businesses need to reconsider? What will the new social contract look like?

Discussing new rules, requirements, challenges, and readiness not only for Ukraine, but also for EU countries. How will things change for every Ukrainian?

Let's talk about it on March 28.

Speakers include: National Bank head, Andriy Pyshny; Ukrainian parliamentary committee head on Ukraine's integration into the EU, Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze; Naftogaz Ukraine chair, Oleksiy Chernyshov; Ukroboronprom CEO, Herman Smetanin; and Biopharma pharmaceutical company president, Kostyantyn Yefimenko, among others.

Come listen to leading experts and express your own opinion.

Event participation requires prior registration.

There will also be an online broadcast on all NV platforms. Stay tuned for updates.

Over the past six years, NV has actively conducted lectures and panel discussions featuring speakers such as American historian Francis Fukuyama, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, American-Swedish economist Anders Aslund, co-author of "Why Nations Fail" James Robinson, and others.

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
Lawmakers in Frankfort, seeking to protect Kentuckys coal industry, are pushing legislation that will create a new layer of bureaucracy overseeing the states electrical utilities. While the bills supporters mean to protect the states coal workers, this new law will result in Kentuckians paying higher  not lower  electric bills.

Known as Senate Bill (SB) 349, the proposal creates an Energy Planning and Inventory Commission (EPIC) that is appointed by the legislature, with the goal of mandating that the states electrical utilities do not shutter older, aging, and economically inefficient coal powered electrical plants.

But its simple economics: requiring the states electric utilities to operate inefficient plants means Kentuckians would be getting increasingly expensive electricity because over time, it costs more to run these facilities than it does modern and efficient power plants.

What would make sense for Kentucky, is to build newer electrical plants  powered by sources like natural gas  that cost less to operate than an outdated coal plant. But what EPIC seemingly plans to do is reverse that logic and divert utility investments away from modern power plants in order to keep inefficient coal plants online longer.

Of course, there are voices in Kentucky challenging SB 349 because they oppose burning coal for energy. But my organization is not anti-coal. In fact, we disagree with the decision made by other states, like Illinois, to close their coal plants. Those closures created energy shortages which have resulted in higher electric bills. But, Illinois is not Kentucky. In the Bluegrass State, shuttering coal plants and investing in more efficient energy sources will actually reduce electric bills and ensure adequate power.

Another issue with creating EPIC, is that it is designed to challenge the Kentucky Public Service Commission (KPSC) the agency mandated to implement policies for the benefit of electric customers. Keep in mind, there are robust and longstanding processes built into the system that require large amounts of public input before the KPSC makes any decision. EPIC would seek to upend these types of KPSC decisions, and allow coal interests serving on EPIC to thwart coal plant closures even if it meant higher power bills for all Kentuckians.

Additionally, the upcoming presidential and congressional elections are toss-ups because the nation is so evenly divided politically. The next few elections could see the federal government become more progressive. Should that happen, there could be federal policies which require Kentucky to quickly shutter older coal plants. If this occurs, and the state has not made common sense investments in cleaner technologies, then Kentucky could have too little energy.

Lastly, today, only 1 percent of Kentuckys energy is derived from renewables  which typically create lower cost energy because they dont have variable fuel costs. Wind and solar are free resources, unlike coal and natural gas. Supporters of SB 349, are not conveying an accurate picture when they say Kentucky is going to be overly dependent on clean energy technologies without that legislation.

Setting aside the complicated politics around energy issues, implementing SB 349 only means favoring coal power over everything else, including low electric bills and reliable energy. Therefore, I urge Kentuckys leaders to reject this proposal that will increase the cost of living for residents of the commonwealth.

Gary Meltz is the Executive Director of Power for Tomorrow.
A Russian attack on Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast injured a policeman, the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported on March 19.

Kupiansk, a crucial logistics juncture that was temporarily occupied by Russia in 2022, and nearby villages have recently been under heavy attacks as Russia intensified assault attempts in the area.

The city was attached at about 5:30 p.m. local time with Uragan rocket launchers, according to preliminary information. Residential buildings were reportedly damaged as a result.

The village of Mokra Rokytna in Kharkiv district also came under attack earlier the same day.

A Russian missile strike damaged the property of an agricultural enterprise, including solar panels, according to the report.

Due to its proximity to the border, Kharkiv Oblast and the regional capital have faced near-daily attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov announced on March 7 that local authorities would conduct mandatory evacuation of residents living in communities near Kupiansk.

Read also: The Counteroffensive: Inside Kharkivs underground metro schools

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Editors Note: This article is part of a Dispatch debate series. Michael Sobolik made the case for forcing ByteDance to divest TikTok.

In 1962, Congress passed a law restricting the ability of Americans to subscribe to foreign communist periodicals. But three years later, in Lamont v. Postmaster General, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous rebuke to Congress, ruling that Americans had the right to unrestricted access to that material.

One of the publications that had been targeted was the Peking Review, a propaganda outlet of the Chinese Communist Party. Even at the height of the Cold War and even dealing with overt propaganda, the court refused to abridge the First Amendment right of Americans to consume the material of their choice, no matter how wrong or wicked it happened to be.

Today, although the platform is different and the format has changed, America is once again faced with a similar question. Over the past two weeks, Congress has been rushing through a bill that threatens to ban short-form video app TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests from its U.S. operations. Proponents of the law are concerned about Chinese government officials using the platform to spread propaganda as well as potentially gathering data on U.S. citizens.

One possible outcome from the bill would be a forced sale of TikTok in the U.S. It would be messy, granting a $250 billion global company only six months to sell its operations to a competitor in one of its most valuable regional markets. That would create the perfect conditions for a hasty fire sale at submarket pricing and likely draw the scrutiny of regulators, given the size of the acquisition. China has also threatened to block any sale, making a ban more likely. It is a recipe for failure.

Looking beyond the questionable divestment timeline, this TikTok controversy poses a problem unique to the digital era. Supporters of the bill, who justify the forced sale and ban on national security grounds, are worried data gathered from the app could be used to surveil the 170 million U.S. residents who use it.

The federal government does have a legitimate interest in protecting the American people from surveillance by foreign governments. But the powers being sought by Congress represent the most radical options on the table, when other alternatives could better balance security and the protection of users free speech rights. Congress has a range of regulatory options that fall in between doing nothing and either forcing divestment or threatening a ban.

For example, national security concerns could justify closer government monitoring of TikTok, such as mandated, routine, unannounced audits by an executive agency of TikToks data or its communications with parent company ByteDance. TikTok has already spent $1.5 billion on Project Texas, its plan for storing American data in America (although critics point to evidence that the firewall isnt as solid as TikTok avers). But Congress could take an extra step and mandate data localization for all companies owned by foreign adversary nations and then police any such breaches. Congress could require that apps disclose the national origin of their parent companies to users. While these alternatives all involve trade-offs, they would have a much less significant impact on speech than the proposed forced sale or ban.

Supporters of the bill have dismissed free speech concerns by arguing that it is not a ban. After all, if ByteDance sells then TikTok users speech would be unaffected since the app would only be banned if ByteDance refused to comply. But if ByteDance were unable to find an appropriate buyer in the short time frame granted by Congress, the bill would stiffly penalize app stores that allow users to download TikTok, resulting in a functional ban of the app while removing a major forum for both the production and consumption of speech.

And this restriction on speech could have devastating effects for the 7 million TikTok users who derive either part or all of their income from businesses based on the platform. Commerce on the site could grind to a halt, damaging the livelihoods of business owners who have spent years building a customer base in order to sell products on TikTok. It could also devastate users who have grown an audience on the app and turned creating content into a full-time profession.

Some proponents of the bill point to the existence of similar appssuch as Instagrams Reels or YouTubes Shortsto suggest that losing TikTok would not be much of a loss. However, TikToks users choose it over competing products, and do so for any number of reasons, from its audience to its features. The fact that alternatives exist does not excuse or erase a violation of the First Amendment.

The mere suspicion that TikTok might someday be used to monitor American citizens or manipulate elections is not a substitute for the kind of evidence needed to justify a ban in court. Much of the data TikTok is allegedly collecting on users can be purchased on the open market, for as little as 12 cents a personif the CCP really wanted this information, it could access it via means that wouldnt kill TikTok.

Those worried about the potential abuse of TikTok by Chinese authorities should also spend some time worrying about the ways this bill could lead to abuses by the American government. While the bill is primarily focused on TikTok, it cedes a vast, new regulatory power to the executive branch over both foreign and American companies.

As former Rep. Justin Amash has noted, under the terms of the bill any companywhether based in the U.S. or notwith at least 20 percent ownership by shareholders from a foreign adversary country, as designated by the secretary of commerce, could be subject to a similar forced sale or ban. That already includes potentially hundreds of U.S. companies.

Opposing a TikTok ban does not necessitate embracing TikTok or dismissing the potential for Chinese government misuse of the app. Opposing a TikTok sale or ban is a product of the belief that Americans dont prohibit access to information; instead, we trust our citizens with the freedom to choose what they watch and read in an informational marketplace, believing that the truth will ultimately win out.

A TikTok ban not only defies this tradition but squanders an opportunity for the United States to continue to distinguish itself from countries around the world where it is the government, and not the people, that decides what information is allowed.

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.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) risks "slipping backwards" in its relationship with the LGBT community, a Stormont minister says.

Andrew Muir, who is gay, was speaking as part of a BBC Spotlight programme into the murder of a police officer.

He said not allowing officers to take part in the 2023 Belfast Pride parade in uniform was "concerning".

The PSNI said the decision was taken to comply with its obligations on impartiality.

"There had been a lot of goodwill built up as a result of the decision previously to take part, and that has had a real significant impact," Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Mr Muir said.

"There's a journey that needs to be undertaken to redress that issue in terms of policing.

"We can't just let that go as if it was right."

In the interview - given ahead of his appointment to the Northern Ireland Executive - Mr Muir said the police had more work to do with the community.

PSNI officers first paraded in uniform at the Belfast Pride event in 2017.

It had faced criticism as some saw the attendance of officers in uniform as an official endorsement of LGBT campaign issues.

In a statement to Spotlight, the PSNI said it understood the decision would come as a disappointment to many, adding "we're under no illusions around its impact on the community".

"We want to reassure everyone that this decision in no way lessens the commitment of the Police Service to support our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and serve the community."

The PSNI said it would continue to attend and support Pride events, but officers were not permitted to take part in the parade in uniform.

It said officers could still attend in a private capacity, whilst off duty, but they could not make reference to their role as a police officer, or purport to represent the service.

Mr Muir, who came out in 1996, claimed there was "institutional homophobia" from within the police dating back to when it was known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) before a wide-reaching reform of policing in the early 2000s.

The PSNI said policing had "not always got things right and the relationship with our LGBTQIA+ community has in the past been particularly challenging".

"There have been instances where the police could and should have done better, and in hindsight we have on occasions failed that community," it said in a statement.

BBC Spotlight investigated the murder of RUC officer Darren Bradshaw, who was shot and killed by republican paramilitary group the Irish National Liberation Army in 1997.

Mr Bradshaw had been socialising in Belfast's first openly gay venue, the Parliament.

The documentary looks into the origins of the historic LGBT space in the city, where Mr Bradshaw regularly went.

Darren Bradshaw was shot in the back

He was suspended from the RUC at the time of the attack, after allegations were made that he had attended a party with other gay men where drugs had been used.

Vincent Creelan, who was with Mr Bradshaw for the start of the internal disciplinary process, said he denied any wrongdoing.

He believed Mr Bradshaw's sexuality may have influenced the decision to suspend him.

"The impression was given was that this was an embarrassment for the RUC," said Mr Creelan, who worked at the Garnerville police training centre in Belfast.

Vincent Creelan set up the first Gay Police Association in Northern Ireland

He said he also tried to persuade Mr Bradshaw not to attend the Parliament bar because his life was at risk.

"Special Branch were aware that a terrorist organisation was showing interest in Darren, in a police officer, who attended the bar and that he was the subject of a threat," Mr Creelan told Spotlight.

"He was suspended, so he's vulnerable, he's easy.

"You're dealing with one individual who doesn't have a gun anymore, doesn't have protection.

"He was being told that paramilitaries were after him."

Former Parliament performers and regulars told Spotlight that Mr Bradshaw's killing had a "devastating effect" on the gay scene at the time.

Robert McCready is known as his drag persona the Baroness Titti Von Tramp

Robert McCready, who is known for his drag persona the Baroness Titti Von Tramp, said the murder "fragmented the gay scene".

"It did take a long time for that to come back because it just wasn't there, and people just didn't feel safe going out," he said.

"I can remember somebody said to me: 'He should have got more of you.'

"You're sitting going: 'That's horrible', because it was hard enough as it was, and you are sitting having to deal with that.

"You're in limbo, you've lost friends, you've lost a connection with people. That's hard to find."

Blood on the Dance Floor will be shown on BBC One Northern Ireland at 22:40 on Tuesday 19 March and on BBC iPlayer.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) The city is asking for residents to join a public meeting on a hazard mitigation plan later this month.

The meeting on Wednesday, March 27 at 3 p.m. is to discuss the Columbus Consolidated Government Hazard Mitigation Plan Update. According to the city, its vendor will be available to answer any questions during the meeting.

Interested parties can join the meeting through a conference call at 617-829-6097.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
NEW YORK  Donald Trump cant come up with almost half a billion dollars he owes the New York attorney general for committing large-scale fraud, his lawyers told an appeals court Monday.

With one week to go before the former presidents deadline to put down at least $454 million to appeal the mammoth judgment without its consequences taking effect, Trumps lawyers said he was unable to secure the cash. They noted he needed to find closer to $557 million as most bond agents require 120% as security.

(Very) few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that, Trump lawyers Alina Habba and Cliff Robert wrote, asking the First Department Court of Appeals to hear oral arguments over his effort to halt enforcement of the crushing ruling while he appeals.

The case involves no actual victims and no award of restitution, and (the AG) is fully protected by Defendants real-estate holdings.

If Trump doesnt secure a ruling from the appeals court pausing Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engorons Feb. 16 ruling from taking effect or lowering the security deposit, hell have to post the total with the court by March 25 to automatically prevent the AG from beginning the collection process  whether by asking the sheriff to seize his properties, including famed New York properties such as Trump Tower, or through other means.

The GOP front-runner in the 2024 presidential race appealed Engorons devastating ruling on Feb. 26. He previously failed to convince the mid-level appellate court to allow him to deposit a smaller sum of $100 million while appealing.

According to Mondays filing, Trumps lawyers unsuccessfully asked 30 underwriters to back the eye-popping bond, and none of them were willing to accept his properties as collateral.

The ex-president, who says hes worth billions and has at least $400 million in cash, gave up after countless hours negotiating with one of the largest insurance companies in the world, according to an affidavit from Gary Giulietti, a broker and longtime friend of Trumps, who testified for the defense at trial.

Story continues

The broker, whose word Trumps lawyers asked the appeals court to rely on, was described as a questionable witness in Engorons ruling finding Trump liable for fraud.

Engoron said Giulietti was the first expert witness hed encountered in 20 years on the bench who not only was a close personal friend of a party, but also had a personal financial interest in the outcome of the case for which he is being offered as an expert, noting he made $1.2 million in commissions from Trumps company in 2022.

The AGs office declined to comment on Trumps problems paying the bond. Trumps lawyers could not be reached.

Engorons ruling found Trump and his top executives at the Trump Organization liable for multiple fraud claims in AG Tish James September 2022 case. Evidence presented at the nearly three-month trial showed that for years, they intentionally lied about Trumps net worth, often by billions, to secure better terms in business deals.

Among other penalties, the judge barred Trump from running a New York business for three years and ordered him and his crew to pay around $464 million. Trumps majority cut is increasing by around $112,000 daily with interest.

Last week, Trump, whos also facing four criminal cases, posted more than $91 million bond owed to writer E. Jean Carroll, for whom he was found liable for sexually assaulting and defaming in two cases during the last year. He is appealing.

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Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said that Russian leader Vladimir Putin's ambitions are not limited to the borders of Russias immediate neighbouring countries and he will move further  as far as he is allowed to.

Source: Kuleba at an online briefing with representatives of more than 160 media outlets from 65 countries, European Pravda reports

Details: Kuleba mentioned the document distributed by Russia at the end of 2021 where the Kremlin demanded that NATO return to its borders as of 1997.

"I would not limit Putin's ambitions to Moldova and Georgia. His plans go much, much further, and he will move as far as he is allowed to.

That's why the most effective way to prevent a situation where NATO and Central European countries fight Russian soldiers on their own territory is to help Ukraine defeat Russia on our territory," he said.

Kuleba said that whatever the cost of helping Ukraine now, the cost of waging a war on its own is much higher, including the highest price in human lives that Ukraine is currently paying.

He stressed that, given Putin's desire to restore the Soviet Union, his ambitions go beyond the borders of Russias immediate neighbouring countries.

"He does not recognise the right of many states to be within their internationally recognised borders, so Central Asian countries should also be concerned," Kuleba added.

Background: Earlier, German intelligence services prepared an analysis of the military threat from Russia for the German government, which predicted that "starting in 2026", it could attack the territory of NATO member states.

In recent weeks, a number of European NATO countries have warned of the risk of Russian aggression in the near future. For example, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in January that the Alliance should prepare for a Russian attack on a NATO country within 5-8 years.

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Mediator Qatar is "cautiously optimistic" after negotiations to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war resumed in Doha on Tuesday, just as a top UN figure said Israel using hunger as a tactic in the conflict could constitute war crimes.

Israel has been bombarding the Palestinian coastal strip since October 7 when militants from the Islamist group Hamas, which controls Gaza, and other extremist groups killed over 1,200 people inside Israel in an unprecedented terrorist attack.

The Jewish state's reaction and attempt to root out Hamas has killed more than 31,819 people since the beginning of the war, according to Gaza's Hamas-controlled health authority, with many more said to be missing. Around 73,934 others have been injured, it said.

Talks over a ceasefire have been off and on for weeks and Qatar hopes for progress.

"We are of course cautiously optimistic that the negotiations have continued...in Doha," spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a briefing.

David Barnea, head of the Israeli foreign intelligence agency Mossad, left Qatar after holding talks, while technical teams remained.

"It is too early to claim any particular success," al-Ansari said.

When asked if a permanent ceasefire is on the table, he said the focus now is to reach an agreement on a "humanitarian pause." Mediators hope this pause would build momentum towards a full truce.

Expectations are that the discussions, which are being attended by representatives from Egypt and the United States as well as Qatar, will continue for a week or two.

Al-Ansari warned that an Israeli assault on Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip would obstruct all attempts at an agreement and would be a humanitarian catastrophe.

Hamas has put forward a new proposal to the mediators. It is no longer calling on Israel to end the war before the hostages it is holding are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

According to the proposal, Hamas would make a long-lasting halt to Israeli military action a condition only in a second phase of hostage releases.

The move means that Hamas is coming closer to a multi-stage plan that the mediators presented several weeks ago and that has been accepted by Israel, observers said. At the time, Israel said Hamas was making unrealistic demands.

Israel's N12 broadcaster reported that the mediators' plan envisaged the release of 400 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 40 hostages.

Hamas was instead demanding the release of 950 prisoners held in Israel, with the additional stipulation that it decide on which prisoners would be released, including those sentenced for murder.

Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 reported that National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both on the far right, had threatened to desert Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government "if dozens of terrorists with blood on their hands are released."

Hamas is alleged to have abducted around 240 hostages on October 7, more than 100 of whom are still believed to be held there.

Meanwhile, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, believes that Israel may be using starvation in the Gaza Strip as a conflict tactic - which would be tantamount to a war crime.

A spokesman for his office said that it would be up to international courts to determine whether this was actually happening.

The United Nations has warned of an imminent famine, with around 1.1 million people in the Palestinian region in a desperate situation.

"The extent of Israels continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime," Turk said in a statement.

"The clock is ticking. Everyone, especially those with influence, must insist that Israel acts to facilitate the unimpeded entry and distribution of needed humanitarian assistance and commercial goods to end starvation and avert all risk of famine."

According to the UN and international legal experts, Israel is an occupying power because it controls practically all access points and supplies to the Gaza Strip.

Israel rejects this because it withdrew militarily in 2005, before re-entering in October.

On the ground on Tuesday, the Israeli army said its troops were continuing precise operations against Hamas operatives it believes are deliberately embedded in civilian infrastructure in the Strip.

This includes the al-Shifa hospital, the army said.

"Thus far, the troops killed over 50 terrorists and apprehended approximately 180 suspects," a statement added.

A general view of destruction on the house belonging to the Al-Hashash family following an Israeli air attack. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

A general view of destruction on the house belonging to the Al-Hashash family following an Israeli air attack. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

Palestinians inspect destroyed vehicles following an Israeli air attack. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa
I imagine that lots of people wont like this article. Theyll feel attacked. Theyll feel its unfair. The depth of that response will show just how deeply rooted American politics is, and has always been, in racial fears.

The centrality of race to our politics is clear in the current presidential campaign. The most common campaign slogan is from the campaign of Donald Trump: MAGA  Make America Great Again. The slogan indicates that the U.S. was once great but has fallen from greatness.

So what caused Americas fall?

Former president Trump introduced MAGA as his campaign slogan when he began his presidential run in 2015. Central to his announcement, and repeated endlessly since then, is his claim that illegal immigrants assaulting our border are an existential threat because, he claims, they are rapists, criminals and other kinds of predators.

His anti-immigrant campaign is steeped in race. When criticizing what he calls the countrys open borders, he isnt referring to Canada. In fact, he hopes, he says, for more immigrants from Norway and other predominantly white nations.

The fearsome immigrants, the others, are the ones who have darker skin than most white Americans; their racial identity is written on their faces. How do we distinguish these immigrants from other Americans who have darker skins? Theres no need; the former president has warned us about them as well. You know, the earlier immigrants, from countries he referred to as s***hole countries.

Social scientists like me have been able to demonstrate that concern about race has long been central to Trumps appeal. As the U.S. begins another presidential campaign in which Trump is likely to be the GOP nominee, heres what we have found:

People wave Confederate flags outside the hotel that President Barack Obama stayed in on July 15, 2015, in Oklahoma City. AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Racial resentment key

Researchers showed that the second-strongest determinant of individuals vote for Trump in 2016 and 2020  first, of course, was the voters party identification  wasnt peoples economic fears or their commitment to individual freedom. It was respondents racial resentment, measured by agree-disagree questions such as, Whites in the U.S. are more discriminated against than Blacks, and Blacks are getting advantages from elites that Blacks have not earned.

Substantial numbers of Americans, including one-third of white respondents, claim that white Americans face either a great deal or a fair amount of discrimination in the U.S. Among Republicans, well over half claim that white people are discriminated against, a larger percentage than acknowledges discrimination against Blacks, Latinos or Asians.

White Americans racial resentment increased substantially during the Barack Obama presidency. Even many 2008 Obama voters soon found that the media focus on Obama becoming the nations first Black president, at first so exciting, was hard to swallow on a day-to-day basis.

The U.S. is not now post racial, free from racial prejudices or discrimination, nor has it ever been.

Its not easy to argue seriously that white people are more discriminated against than Black Americans. Such a claim withers in the face of hard facts: that the average Black employee earns just 70% of the average white employees wages; that the median white household in 2021 had nine times as much wealth as the median Black household; that Black Americans, especially Black men, are jailed in much higher proportions than white Americans are; or that the homeownership gap between Black and white Americans is substantial, at 44% versus 73%, and growing.

Even reports from white Americans themselves belie the notion that they are more discriminated against than people of color. White people are less likely than other racial groups to report that they have experienced negative responses from other people. And among Black adults, those with self-reported darker skin tones are more likely to report discrimination experiences than those with lighter skin tones  added evidence that observed racial differences affect the way people are treated.

The homeownership gap between Black and white Americans is substantial, at 44% versus 73%, and growing. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Anxiety deepens resentment

The centrality of race in American life is nothing new.

Race was the reason that a large portion of the U.S.  the South  could not have been legitimately defined as a democracy for most of the nations history. How could a region that deprived a large portion of its citizens of the right to vote systematically, in law and practice, on the grounds of their race be considered democratic?

But racial resentment seems to deepen in times of anxiety, when many people seek a specific target for their fears rather than deal with a vaguer sense of dread. The U.S. recently experienced an enormous source of anxiety: More than 1.1 million Americans died of a virus that affected virtually every aspect of day-to-day life, from our education and travel to the nations budget and public health.

The U.S. has also faced social-demographic change at a speed that those with racial resentment may find threatening. In just 20 years, from 2000 to 2020, the U.S. Census found that those who identified as non-Hispanic white dropped from about 75% of the population to 58%, though the two years measures are not completely comparable. These threats to the publics health and to the image of the white American that so many traditionalists hold can encourage racial resentment.

However understandable it may be, its hard to argue that racial resentment, or any other hatred rooted in immutable differences, benefits U.S. society. Some segments of society do benefit from racial resentment, of course, and they will resist losing it as a campaign tool to protect their privileged status.

But if the U.S. is to fully realize the American ideals of freedom, opportunity and democracy for all, the country is going to have to face the reality of continuing discrimination against people of color and others of all types. Americans will need to not just talk about race but to listen, even if they dont like what they hear.

As I said, lots of people wont like this story.

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: Marjorie Hershey, Indiana University

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Marjorie Hershey 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.
Have we finally got a new Bond?! Aaron Taylor-Whatsit? Its sad to think Johnny Mercer has been overlooked yet again, especially after all those selfies he sent the Broccolis. But give it another 10 years till the next fella retires and Johnny will still be younger than Roger Moore at his physical peak...

Labour, meanwhile, has cast Rachel Reeves as Mrs Thatcher for her Mais lecture, an uninspired choice  if theyd labelled her the new Imelda Marcos, she could at least wear nice shoes  at which she doesnt convince. Shes playing Maggie Thatcher if Maggie Thatcher wanted to nationalise trains and destroy private schools.

Wardrobe stuck her in a blue suit for Treasury Questions and she just... sat there. Thats what Reevsey always does. One can imagine a woodpecker landing on her head. Other politicians play poker on their phone or google new Bond topless, but Rachel is at home in silence, staring at the Chancellor as he bounces around at his Tiggerish best.

The vacuity of the modern Tory Party is summed up by Jeremy Hunts recent claim that the NHS is the biggest reason most of us are proud to be British. Someone should tell him that King Arthur has slept less time than it takes for a GP receptionist to pick up the phone.

Jam and tea towels

Mr Hunt, who has never spiritually left the sixth form, threw out swotty stats to prove Britain is still the worlds largest producer of jam and tea towels and thus not to be dismissed. The economy is beginning to turn the corner after a series of unprecedented shocks (thatll be Boris Johnson and Liz Truss) and has grown faster than multiple other countries (North Korea and Yemen).

In a flurry of claim and counterclaim that suggests two different countries, Labour MPs said the tax burden was at a postwar high, whereas the Tories said it was at a 50-year low. Jonathan Gullis, one of the best actors in the House, rattled off a list of Conservative accomplishments at such speed he sounded like an auctioneer  a clever trick, but if you play it back at 45rpm, you note that half of what he said was a recitation of Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Thats what the next election would be fought on, said Jeremy, practically bouncing through the ceiling: Optimism on this side of the chamber! Absolute pessimism on their side!

He has a point. When Reeves finally spoke it was to ask how the Government could afford the reduction in National Insurance. Her Thatcherite dress looks from another angle like a straitjacket, her obsession with fiscal rules and lowering expectations leaving Labour without a plan, which is a far cry from Mrs T in 1979, who actually wanted to do something. Tulip Siddiq also rose to ask a question  so petite she barely reached the Despatch Box  and demanded to know when the Government will give people a chance to vote for change.

Thats it folks. Thats Labours biggest policy: to call for a general election. When theyve got one and won it, what will they do next? Perhaps hold an election every week, until the economy gets the message and improves itself.

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Once upon a time, people used to speak about a Christian mission to darkest Africa. The extent of the change is visible in a job advert recently put out by the Diocese of York. It appears to be announcing a mission to whitest England.

The diocese is seeking a racial justice enabler, a half-time post for which he/she will be paid 32,000  more than double the annual rate of pay for a full-time vicar. Thrown in on top of the pension scheme are free parking in York, the benefits of a cycle to work scheme and eye-care vouchers.

The introduction and job description run for more than 2,500 words, as well as the Racial Justice Charter, which is attached. I shall try to boil it down.

First of all, the post will not be offered to a white person. The ad cannot state as much (such racial discrimination is against the law), but I think that is what the person specification means when it says that the successful candidate will have a passion for racial justice and radical hospitality borne out of lived experience.

I am not sufficiently educated in modern missionary lingo to know exactly what radical hospitality means, but I do know that lived experience is something that white people, in racial questions, are considered incapable of possessing.

The problem the diocese wishes to address is that most of its population is white: We are working within what are traditionally conservative cultures, both in the church and wider society, which means that culture change to become more diverse is a complex and contested arenaWhilst there are diverse communities in Middlesbrough and in Hull, the Diocese of York is a predominantly white community with around 3 per cent of the population of 1.4 million who are Global Majority Heritage [GMH].

How, short of ethnic cleansing, can the racial justice enabler get to work on this problem? It is not absolutely clear, but he will need the ability to speak truthfully to others and to get tough with backsliders, having experience of working with adult learning which has needed to be transformational in its impact and overcoming barriers to change.

There are targets. By mid-2025, the enabler must plan, curate and roll out an appropriate unconscious bias and diversity training programme. By 2027, he must have produced a resource for social justice and to have this used by one third of the ministry Units (I think these are what Christians have traditionally called parishes) in the diocese.

Of the 13 qualities the enabler will need to exhibit, only two refer explicitly to Christianity. But he will have to work hard on the 4th mark of Mission, which is transforming unjust structures. In doing so, they must use the Being White programme to work with senior leaders to address issues of white fragility.

Once white fragility is dealt with, We hope that this will help us to see those who our biases cause us not to see, to widen the funnel of those who enter the discernment process and to increase the numbers of GMH lay and ordained ministers in the Diocese of York.

Poor enabler. Truly, his task will be as hard, though not as dangerous as that of 19th-century missionaries cutting their way through equatorial jungles. How would you fancy telling a whole load of Yorkshiremen and women that they are fragile because they are white?

I find this all rather tragic. Christianity is at a low ebb in most of Europe. Energetic missionaries from black Africa would be very welcome. Instead, an Anglican diocese is disrespecting those who our biases cause us not to see  97 per cent of its population.

A merciful election

Until now, I have seen no reason to have a snap general election. The Government might as well totter on for a few more months rather than bothering the electorate before it has to.

Now, however, I am changing my mind. I cannot think of any other way to stamp out the epidemic delusion that rages among Conservative MPs. They think that a new leader can save their bacon. She/he cannot, for the very simple reason that it is already too late. To change at this stage in the Parliament would lose whatever shreds of respect the party may still retain. There is no more to be said, yet many Tory MPs go on saying it.

Enough! Please, Mr Sunak, go and see the King after Easter and ask him to release party and country from this torment.

Laughing to the Banksy

Banksy, or what one might call School of Banksy, has painted a mural of green foliage on a white wall exposed by the severe pollarding of a tree in Hornsey. This is a good idea, Banksy fans point out, because, unlike some of his other works, it cannot be stolen.

The fear of Banksy theft proves that his art has moved, whether he likes it or not, from activist statement to worthwhile investment. If I were a London estate agent, wanting to raise house prices in the neighbourhood, I would secretly commission Banksy to paint on its best (and least movable) blank walls. I would choose an area, probably in north or east London, where people are both rich and Left-wing. He could then continue with his concerned social messaging. I would be laughing all the way to the Banksy.

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Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. announced they will cease operations in Minneapolis starting May 1, after the City Council overrode Mayor Jacob Freys veto and mandate that rideshare drivers be paid the local minimum wage of $15.57 per hour.

After the veto, Uber said, We are disappointed the Council chose to ignore the data and kick Uber out of the Twin Cities, putting 10,000 people out of work and leaving many stranded."

The decision has sparked significant controversy for rideshare users in the area and Uber and Lyft, which both criticized the decision. Lyft termed the bill as deeply flawed and expressed hope for a return if a more favorable statewide solution is found in Minnesota.

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Late last week, Lyft told many of its customers, "We're leaving Minneapolis. Despite our efforts and your support, the Minneapolis City Council passed an ordinance that would make rides on the Lyft platform unaffordable for the majority of Minneapolis residents. This drastic drop in rides means the thousands of drivers who rely on the platform for earnings will ultimately earn less, creating an unsustainable situation for our customers. As a result, starting May 1, Lyft will be forced to stop offering rides in Minneapolis."

This development comes after protests by rideshare and delivery drivers demanding fair pay and working conditions that were staged on Valentines Day. The tension is part of a larger national conversation about gig worker rights and fair compensation. The rideshare companies' decision to leave Minneapolis follows a significant legal settlement in November, where Uber agreed to pay $290 million and Lyft $38 million to resolve a multiyear investigation by the New York Attorney Generals office into wage theft, the largest settlement of its kind in the offices history.

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The Minneapolis City Council, which voted 10-3 to implement the wage law, argues that the ordinance supports the city's large East African immigrant community, many of whom work as drivers for these services. They feel this decision counters exploitation and ensures fair wages. However, Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz have expressed concerns, emphasizing the need for a solution that benefits both drivers and rideshare companies while keeping the service affordable for riders.

Many have raised concerns about the broader implications of this. Several studies have shown Uber and Lyft to reduce drunk driving incidents. People needing to drive their vehicles into the city could mean less parking, which could decrease foot traffic and hurt local businesses.

The companies departure from Minneapolis is part of a broader debate on how to regulate gig economy jobs and ensure fair compensation without sacrificing service availability or affordability. The situation underscores the ongoing challenges cities face in balancing the interests of gig workers, companies and consumers in the rapidly evolving landscape of urban mobility and employment.

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This article Uber, Lyft Leave Minneapolis After New Minimum Wage Law Leaves 10,000 Out Of Work: 'We Are Disappointed The Council Chose To Ignore The Data' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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Men and boys gather to inspect a destroyed vehicle following overnight Israeli bombardment at the Rafah camp in southern Gaza (SAID KHATIB)

Torrential rains lashed a tent camp for displaced people in Gaza's southern city of Rafah, where frightened Palestinian children can no longer distinguish between thunder and Israeli bombardment.

The storm fell overnight Monday to Tuesday in the southernmost Gaza Strip city, adding to the anguish of Palestinians who fled the war between Hamas and Israel, many without warm clothes, blankets or proper footwear.

Oum Abdullah Alwan said her children "screamed in fear" because "we can't tell the difference between the sound of rain and the sound of shelling".

"'It's shelling, Mum, we have to run,'" one of the children told Alwan, who was displaced from Jabalia further north, and now lives with more than a dozen family members in a tent in the makeshift camp.

She asked her son: "Is that the sound of shelling?" He told her it was thunder.

The rain, accompanied by biting winds, soaked foam mattresses and the meagre belongings of the camp's residents.

"We are 14 people living in a tent and we cannot find a single dry mattress to sleep on, or even a dry blanket. We have been soaked in rainwater all night," said Alwan.

Like other parents, she said she huddled with her children, embracing them to quell their shivers and "feel a little warmth".

"How much longer will we live in this torment? How much longer?," she cried out.

The war, now in its sixth month, has devastated vast swathes of Gaza and pushed hundreds of thousands to flee their homes seeking safety.

Many have flooded into Rafah, on the border with Egypt, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to launch a ground offensive as he hunts Hamas militants.

The war broke out after an unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7 resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.

Israel retaliated with relentless air, ground and sea bombardment on the Gaza Strip that has killed at least 31,819 people, mostly women and children, the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory says.

Hundreds of thousands of people are now also on the brink of famine, the United Nations and international aid groups have warned.

- 'Tired of living in a tent' -

An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians now live in Rafah, most of them displaced from other parts of the Gaza Strip and living in a sea of makeshift tents.

In the camp, a group of children walked past the tents wearing sandals or even barefoot.

"I've told you many times not to play here," an old man shouted at them. "It's (the water is) dirty. You'll get sick."

Residents complained that rainwater was seeping through the tents, drenching them and their belongings and making them ill.

Many tried to patch up their improvised homes with whatever they could find.

Mahmoud Saad gathered sand and pushed it against the edge of his family's tent to stop the water, with help from his daughter Aya.

"Winter is usually a blessed season, but not for Gaza," said Aya.

Further away, Akram al-Arian, who is displaced from Khan Yunis, said when the rain fell he too was confused, thinking it was another Israeli bombardment.

"I held my children close to me like a hen protecting her chicks," Arian said.

"I didn't know what to do. I'm tired of living in a tent."

Abir al-Shaer, also originally from Khan Yunis, said her children had "developed a psychological obsession with rockets".

"Every sound is a rocket sound to them, even when the tent flap flutters in the wind, they think it's the sound of a rocket."

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Following the results of the meeting of the Work Group for Ukraines Defence (Ramstein-20), Rustem Umierov, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, said that Ukraine will be supplied with more ammunition and missiles for air defence systems.

Source: Umierov on Facebook

Details: Umierov told the press about the meeting held on 18 March in Wiesbaden with the military leadership of key partner states. There, the Ukrainian delegation presented the action plan for 2024 and voiced the critical needs of the Defence Forces of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian team, Lloyd Austin, Minister of Defence of the US, and Charles Brown, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed Ukraines plan for 2024, construction of fortifications, strengthening of Ukraines air defence, supply of radioelectronic warfare devices and long-range armament.

Rustem Umierov and Lloyd Austin at Ramstein-20. Photo: Umierov on Facebook

Photo: Umierov on Facebook

Quote: "During todays 20th Ramstein-format meeting, the coalition of partner states demonstrated their unity and activeness in their support for Ukraine.

The ammunition is what our soldiers critically need. There will be ammunition! This was the main topic of the meeting. The partners reported about the aid packages, which include 155 mm, 152 mm, 105 mm shells and others. We are grateful to our partners who search for and find the ammunition worldwide, which is so much needed to fight the aggressor.

Ramstein-20 meeting

Photo: Umierov on Facebook

There will be air defence [missiles] needed to protect our cities, to protect our soldiers from the Russian aircraft which drop guided aerial bombs on our positions. There will be more missiles for our air defence systems. I am grateful to the German Defence Minister who noted that the sky above Ukraine belongs to Ukrainians. So our common task is to facilitate Ukraines air superiority".

Details: Umierov added that Ukraine was working jointly with the US, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and Romania to receive the F-16 fighter jets as soon as possible.

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ATHENS, WV (WVNS)  Concord University reached a milestone with the installation of a high-performance X-ray-diffracting crystal at the Rare Earth Element Analysis Center.

The high-performance X-ray-diffracting crystal was manufactured by Rigaku Innovative Technologies of Auburn Hills, Michigan, and installed in the ARL electron microprobe at Concord University by Advanced Microbeam Inc. of Vienna, Ohio. There are only two of these crystals in the world, one at Advanced Microbeam, and now a second at Concord University.

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This addition helps the growth of the Concord Materials and Rare Earth Element Analysis Center, and is the start of many upgrades to the electron microscopy and microanalysis facilities at Concord University that are federally funded.

West Virginia is on the cutting edge of research and innovation, and this exciting milestone is further proof of that. Im proud to have helped secure a Congressionally Directed Spending award to support the Concord Materials and Rare Earth Element Analysis Center and its newly acquired X-ray-diffracting crystal. I look forward to seeing the groundbreaking advancements this project will undoubtedly continue to produce and, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for resources to bolster scientific research and support our West Virginia universities. Senator Joe Manchin

Dr. Joseph Allen and Dr. Stephen Kuehn, both Geology and Earth Science professors at Concord University, manage the project. In the July of 2024, a national conference presentation, called Improved EPMA Analysis of Rare Earth and Trace Elements Using a New Precision Germanium WDS Crystal, will be given by Dr. Kuehn at the Microscopy and Microanalysis 2024 conference in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Keuhn and students in lab  Photo Courtesy: Concord University

x-ray diffracting crystal 1  Photo Courtesy: Concord University

x-ray diffracting crystal 2  Photo Courtesy: Concord University

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Concord University students and faculty, as well as industry and visiting researchers, will be able to use the Rare Earth Element Analysis Center to help with scientific research, economic development, and workforce training. The analytical instruments at Concord University are used for chemistry, physics, and geology classes, in addition to research projects with student and faculty members.

The only electron microprobe instrument in the Mountain State has been located at Concord University since 2010. The electron microscope is a specific type that gathers images and analyze the chemical make-up of materials as small as 1/1000th of a millimeter. When the microscope focuses on a material with a narrowly-focused beam of electricity, the X-rays that are given off reveal details about the sample.

The high-performance X-ray-diffracting crystal spreads the X-rays out much like how a prism separates visible light into rainbow colors, and does this more effectively than previously used materials. This is helpful for rare earth elements (REEs) and other chemical elements that might only have trace amounts, like those in coal refuse and coal.

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In 2022, due to funds from a grant by the U.S. Department of Education and acquired through the Congressionally Directed Spending program with help from Senator Joe Manchin, the Concord Materials and Rare Earth Element Analysis Center project was started.

Since then, an Innovation Grant awarded to Dr. Kuehn by the Science, Technology and Research (STaR) Division of the WV Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) in fall 2023 added to the original grant. The West Virginia Office of the Governor issued funds that partially matched the federal grant in January 2024.

So far, awarded funds for the project includes the $642,000 federal grant, the $150,000 state match, and the $40,000 Innovation Grant, to a total of $832,000.

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Other plans for the microprobe lab include improvements, complementary equipment to expand material types that can then be studied, as well as the support of industry and scientific applications. Upcoming milestones include the addition of new electronics and new instrument control software with an expected delivery date of June 2024.

This gives students at Concord University the opportunity to have hands-on experiences that might not be found in other areas. Concord University is also looking to partner with entrepreneurs to show what the equipment can do.

More information about the electron microprobe laboratory and the developing Materials and Rare Earth Element Analysis Center at Concord University can be found by contacting Dr. Stephen Kuehn by email at sckuehn@concord.edu or by phone 304-384-6322.

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Centered around expanding educational opportunities of international students, the unique service is helping students worldwide arrive on campuses of US universities.

Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - March 19, 2024) - As the demand for US universities remains high among international students, INTO University Partnerships is offering tailored assistance for those navigating the US visa process, especially in regions where visa success is challenging.

INTO University Partnerships' PASS program boosts visa success rates for US-bound international students

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/201708_6843f662c442ca4f_002full.jpg

The Pre-Arrival Success Services (PASS) program was developed by INTO University Partnerships to deliver an enhanced level of visa support and guidance for international students hoping to pursue higher education in the US. The program is free of charge for students, with a central goal of ensuring international students have greater access to education in the US. It has helped more than 2000 students from India, Vietnam, Pakistan, Turkey, Kenya, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Kazakhstan - among many others - successfully obtain their F-1 visas.

Unlike conventional light-touch visa guidance, INTO University Partnerships' PASS program upholds a hands-on approach, creating a simulated interview experience for students and led by a team of experienced advisors. The comprehensive initiative includes one-on-one mock interview sessions, workshops and activities for students to practice their new skills, and virtual webinars that address each step of the visa application process.

"When it comes to a students' enrolment journey, it is vital that we meet them where they are, offering support and services in areas of high stress. The US visa process and how decisions are made on an F-1 visa can be confusing for students and their families to navigate. What makes PASS different is that we take the time to work individually with students - each student, their goals and background are unique, and so is each 1:1 session our advisors have with students. Human interaction is important here, not just for visa success but for student success," said Jacquie Serr, INTO University Partnerships' Vice President of Enrolment.

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Laura Nye, PASS Program Manager at INTO University Partnerships said: "The US international student visa application and interview is a complicated and challenging process for many students. Our primary goal with the PASS program is to build students' confidence throughout the visa process as they prepare to embark on their academic journey in the US."

Launched in 2020 to support international students from countries with low US visa success rates, INTO University Partnerships' PASS program has accelerated to become a fully-fledged service, supporting hundreds of students. On average, students have a 50% greater likelihood of getting a visa if they prepare with the PASS program.

The PASS digital webinars cover an array of topics from applying for the F1 visa to document and application review, and students then have the opportunity to engage in a Q&A forum.

Laura Nye added: "Our program is designed to cover every aspect of the US visa process for students. We provide students with comprehensive information and the opportunity to address any concerns or questions they may have. We also facilitate connections with student experience teams at our partner universities and provide insights into campus resources. This ensures a smooth transition into university life, where students can leverage the available support."

During the process, INTO's PASS team helps students understand the steps they need to take in order to obtain their visa and offers a safe space to practice and build their confidence as they explain their own unique academic goals.

The one-to-one mock interview sessions with INTO University Partnerships' US visa specialists equip students for their visa interviews. This interactive experience helps students build their confidence and effectively communicate their academic plans and goals during their visa interviews.

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/201708
Officials have accounted for the remains of a United States Army soldier from Alabama who was killed during World War II  eight decades after a German officer handed over his identification tags.

U.S. Army Pfc. Noah C. Reeves was reported killed in action on Dec. 6, 1944, after a firefight between his battalion and heavily-armed German forces near the town of Vossenack, Germany, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Reeves, of Moulton, Alabama, was 26 years old when he died.

Noah C. Reeves, a U.S. Army soldier from Alabama killed in Germany during World War II, was accounted for in September 2022, decades after his death. / Credit: DPAA

After the battle in Vossenack, officials said U.S. and German troops called a temporary truce to recover soldiers who had been killed or wounded. A German officer turned in Reeves' identification tags, which suggested that he was among the dead and that German forces had recovered his body. U.S. forces could not collect Reeves' remains before fighting started again.

The American Graves Registration Command investigated the Hurtgen Forest area, which includes Vossenack, after the end of the war as part of their mission to recover missing U.S. personnel from Europe. They were unable to recover or identify Reeves' remains during those investigations, and the soldier was declared non-recoverable in 1951.

Unidentified remains that had actually been found three years earlier, in 1948, in the Hurtgen Forest turned out to belong to Reeves. The graves registration command recovered the remains during their searches in that area after the war, but they could not scientifically identify them, so the remains were interred in the Ardennes American Cemetery, a military cemetery in Belgium, in 1949. They were given the label X-5770.

A DPAA historian renewed the search for Reeves' remains in 2021, when officials determined that X-5770 could potentially belong to him. Scientists used a combination of anthropological analysis, circumstantial evidence and multiple types of DNA analyses to test the remains and ultimately identify them as Reeves. His remains were officially accounted for on Sept. 12, 2022.

A date and location for Reeves' burial had not yet been determined when DPAA announced that he was identified. People interested in family and funeral information can contact the Army Casualty Office by calling 800-892-2490, officials said.

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UNICOI, Tenn. (WJHL)  Renea Jones says if the voters of Tennessees Fourth District send her to Nashville, the farm owner, small business advocate and former school board member will bring more than just a strong public service background to the job.

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Ive been told Im a unifier, that I can unite people and work out compromises, Jones told News Channel 11. I did that on the school board, so I do feel like that I have a skill set personally that allows me to work with people.

Jones, who considered running for the seat a decade ago until family needs intervened, hopes to replace outgoing Rep. John Holsclaw, an Elizabethton Republican in his fifth term who has previously told News Channel 11 that he does not intend to seek re-election. As things stand Tuesday, shell face Elizabethton Mayor Curt Alexander in the Aug. 4 GOP primary.

Tennessee House District 4 candidate Renea Jones. (Photo: WJHL)

The district, which covers Unicoi County and much of Carter County, has characteristics and needs that fit well with her skill set, the owner of Jones and Church Farms said.

I have a skill set from small business. I serve on the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses) state advisory board, so I think that opportunity has helped me learn a lot about how to advocate for small business, Jones said.

Jones served on the Unicoi County School Board for 12 years and also got elected president of the state school boards association.

RELATED: Elizabethton Mayor Curt Alexander enters race for State House District 4 seat

That gave me an opportunity to visit all school districts in the state. I learned a lot. You realize that the struggles and the challenges and the successes that they celebrate and face every day.

Jones herself has a bachelors degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech and a masters in crop science and integrated pest management from North Carolina State University. She said shes been supportive of expanded community and technical college programs inside District Four as Northeast State Community College and the TCAT at Elizabethton have collaborated.

What theyre bringing to both Carter and Unicoi County as District Four, I would love to be involved in that and making sure that that succeeds, she said.

Her service on the state small business advisory board is important as the tourism economy expands, Jones said.

Its a beautiful area, and I think we can capitalize on our natural resources. Lots of folks have worked on that prior to this election and I want to continue that work.

Jones said that in a house district with a stagnant population, the representative should support whatever types of economic opportunities present themselves.

Right now, tourism is hot. So I think you tap into that market if you can. If something else comes up  in the next decade or whatever you would tap into that, she said.

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As chair of Unicoi Countys Farm Bureau, Jones recently helped shepherd a bill that would eliminate property taxes related to agricultural operations.

I serve as a chairman of the (Unicoi) county Republican Party, and I have worked with many candidates at the local, state and federal level on their campaigns. So I feel like I have a very good sense of the government and the way government works and how I can fit into that process and make things work for District 4.

Jones said her ability to compromise isnt the only soft skill she thinks voters would benefit from.

Im persistent. I will stay with something until we get it, and I think that in the state legislature that that is very important because sometimes you dont get a bill passed the first year.

You have to keep working on it and make it better for the people that it is going to impact. And I think most importantly, one thing that I am very feel very strong about is you have to think about the unintended consequences of any piece of legislation and to try to minimize that negative impact when youre passing legislation.

The Republican primary is Aug. 1. The qualifying deadline is April 4.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills says he has helped 23 Americans exit Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which has fallen into chaos as criminal gangs have overpowered government forces.

"Our team has now successfully rescued and evacuated more Americans than (President Joe) Biden and his entire administration," the Florida Republican claimed in a tweet on X. "Americans deserve support from their government. Not the pattern of abandonment this administration has shown."

Mills did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He told the Washington Examiner he first got involved last week after a request for assistance by U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain, a Michigan Republican, on behalf of the Have Faith orphanage, started by author Mitch Albom.

Its with great pride I announce that our team successfully conducted another rescue of 13 Americans out of PAP Haiti. Our team has now successfully rescued and evacuated more Americans than Biden and his entire administration.



Americans deserve support from their government. pic.twitter.com/KZhLDZsdtR  Cory Mills (@CoryMillsFL) March 18, 2024

"Thanks to the efforts of Representatives Cory Mills and Lisa McClain and a brave team of pilots, 10 volunteers were able to evacuate Haiti safely via helicopter in the dark and early hours of Tuesday morning," a Have Faith Instagram post from last week reads.

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Mills said he rescued 255 Americans out of Israel after the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, as well as another evacuation of U.S. citizens from Afghanistan when the military pulled out in 2021.

U.S. Rep. Cory Mills says he has helped 23 Americans exit Haiti in two rescue missions. Key parts of Haiti have fallen into under the control of criminal gangs, creating a chaotic, violent situation there.

Mills arranged an escape from secret location

Albom, the author of "Tuesdays With Morrie," wrote in his Detroit Free Press column that Mills arranged an escape from a secret location in the dead of night.

"Go! Go! Go!" Mills ordered the evacuees, as they piled into a helicopter and prayed they wouldn't be fired at by the gangs in control.

"Foreigners and volunteers are forced to find their own way out, with no help from their embassies," Albom wrote. "And trapped in the middle are innocent civilians, millions of them, including 60 precious children at the orphanage I have operated for the last 14 years."

A second Mills mission over the weekend returned 13 others.

US flight rescued 30 Americans from Cap-Haitien

Albom's message about rescuing more Americans than the Biden administration comes after a U.S. government-chartered flight out of Haiti that brought more than 30 Americans with U.S. passports from Cap-Haitien, Haiti, to Miami on Sunday.

U.S. Department of State deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said nearly 1,000 Americans have completed a crisis intake form in Haiti, which has been listed as a Level 4 Do Not Travel state since 2020. In what he called a "fluid and quickly evolving situation," Patel said did not offer any promises on plans to charter more flights. He added that the government has "no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens."

"U.S. citizens should not travel to Haiti and those in Haiti should depart immediately, using commercial or other private transportation options when available and safe to do so," Patel said in a news conference Monday.

Congressman Cory Mills with rescuees.

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Mills served in Iraq and Afghanistan

Mills is in his second year in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected in 2022 to Florida's 7th District, which straddles northern Seminole and southern Volusia counties.

While in the Army, Mills served tours of duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, among other locations. After military service, he co-founded Pacem Solution International LLC and Pacem Defense LLC, which provide intelligence and security in faraway places.

Haiti's Prime Minister resigned amid gang violence

Earlier this month, Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned following attacks on police and military by heavily armed gangs in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Gangs have control key parts of the city including the airport, leaving treacherous conditions for Americans wanting to leave.

Henry's temporary tenure began after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. However, he repeatedly postponed elections due to the ongoing crisis.

Many Haitians grappling with severe violence and poverty have left the nation. 138,000 have sought protection in the U.S. through the Biden administration's humanitarian parole program, which also applies for Cubans, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.

Flights to Port-au-Prince canceled due to gang violence

Gangs have attacked the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince to stop Henry from returning. Flights into Port-au-Prince have been canceled.

On March 11, 10 Americans including Albom were rescued on a helicopter that flew them over the border to the Dominican Republic.

Many Haitian Americans have wired money to their families who are in financial turmoil and trying to leave the island. Around 1.1 million Americans were born in Haiti or have ancestry to the nation, the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey shows.

Contributing: Lauren Villagran and Eduardo Cuevas

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: U.S. Rep. Cory Mills rescues orphanage volunteers from chaotic Haiti
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall) on Tuesday urged Capitol Police to drop charges against the Southern California father who interrupted the State of the Union address by shouting his son's name and the place where he was killed in Afghanistan.

Steve Nikoui, 51, father of a U.S. Marine killed in 2021 when U.S. military forces withdrew from Afghanistan, was arrested March 7 in the House chamber for interrupting President Bidens State of the Union address. He yelled the names of Marines killed in a suicide bombing, including his son Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Nikoui, and "Abbey Gate," the location of the airport attack.

"Mr. Nikoui's arrest for emotionally expressing his grief and seeking acknowledgment for his son's sacrifice during the State of the Union  where he called out, "Abbey Gate! Kareem Nikoui! Second Battalion, First Marines!"  highlighted a profound disconnect between the sacrifices made by our service members and the recognition they deserve. Though he interrupted the event, what Mr. Nikoui voiced out loud was a cry for the acknowledgment of the loss endured by the families of the 13 who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country," Issa wrote in a letter Tuesday to Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger.

Issa joins other Republicans who are pushing for the misdemeanor charges against Nikoui to be dropped, noting that Fred Guttenberg, the father of a victim in the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., was escorted from President Trumps 2020 State of the Union address for shouting but was not arrested.

Nikoui, of Norco in Riverside County, attended the speech as a guest of a Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.). Conflicting stories have emerged as to whether Nikoui got caught up in the moment or entered the House chamber intending to interrupt the speech.

Capitol Police gave Nikoui several warnings to stop shouting before removing him from the chamber at about 10:15 p.m. ET.

"Disrupting the Congress and demonstrating in the Congressional Buildings is illegal," the department said in a statement released that night.

A Capitol Police spokesperson referred further questions to the attorney general for the District of Columbia. A spokesman for the attorney general declined to comment.

While police make arrests, it is up to prosecutors to decide whether to pursue charges. As such, Capitol Police have no control over whether Nikoui is charged.

Nikoui is scheduled to make his next court appearance March 28. He faces a fine of up to $500, though that amount is routinely reduced to $50.

Nikoui's situation has drawn attention because of the circumstances of his protest and the Republican representatives who have called for the charges to be dropped. But the charge is a fairly routine one for protesters who interrupt the ability of Congress to operate.

Protests are so common on Capitol Hill that those expecting to be arrested often hold $50 to pay the fine in their hands while they wait for Capitol Police to arrive.

Six people appeared before the District of Columbia Superior Court on Tuesday alone to face charges of crowding, obstructing or incommoding.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  As arguments inch closer in a U.S. Supreme Court case that could reshape how elected officials are able to address homeless encampments, more groups have sought to weigh in, including multiple members of Congress and the Department of Justice.

They join a slew of briefs filed with the high court by an unusual coalition of progressives and conservatives since last August, when the city of Grants Pass petitioned the justices to take up their case, Grants Pass v. Gloria Johnson, challenging controversial appeals court rulings on the issue.

These rulings from the 9th Circuit held that anti-camping ordinances aimed at preventing unhoused people from sleeping in public places through fines or other penalties as unconstitutional punishment if there is nowhere else for them to go.

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Elected officials in western cities like San Diego that fall under the 9th Circuit have long lamented the decisions, which stem from the 2018 case Martin v. Boise, as a restriction on their ability to mitigate health and safety risks in encampments.

In Martin, the appeals court held that the cruel and unusual punishment clause of the Eighth Amendment prevents governments from imposing penalties on homeless individuals for sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property if there is no accessible alternative.

It was followed by the Grants Pass case, which was brought by three homeless residents of the small Oregon town, affirming the conclusion that a person cannot be prosecuted for involuntary conduct if it is an unavoidable consequence of ones status.

Dozens of groups and elected leaders, like Gov. Gavin Newsom, have filed amicus curiae briefs since last year to urge the court to hear appeal in the Grants Pass case, arguing it was an overreach by the courts. The city of San Diego and District Attorney Summer Stephan also filed similar memos.

Unhoused people and their advocates, on the other hand, have argued the 2018 decision is an important backstop to prevent adverse harm from policies that impose criminal penalties on life-sustaining activities when there is not another choice, as they often lead to barriers that make it more difficult to exit homelessness. These efforts, they say, are also more costly for taxpayers.

Since the court granted the appeal in January, dozens of additional briefs have been filed with the high court by advocates, business groups and other parties at all levels of government  each with a different opinion on how the court should rule in Grants Pass v. Johnson.

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In its amicus brief filed on March 4 in support of neither party, the Department of Justice agreed in part with the 9th Circuits ruling, saying it believed the court was correct in finding enforcement of anti-camping ordinances unconstitutional when there is not enough shelter space.

Where the court erred, DOJ officials argued, was applying the decision to all unhoused people without requiring a more particularized inquiry into the circumstances of the individuals to whom those ordinances may be applied.

They pointed to the courts decision to decline discussion about what conditions are necessary for an individual to be considered involuntarily homeless  a term originating from Martin v. Boise to describe an unhoused person who does not have access to another alternative.

The DOJ suggests the Supreme Court narrowly correct this issue and vacate the 9th Circuits judgement in Grants Pass before remanding it back to lower courts for further consideration.

However, six members of Congress, who similarly filed a brief earlier this month, supported a more sweeping decision by the justices in Grants Pass v. Johnson. Among the House members included in the brief was Rep. Darrell Issa (R-San Diego) and Rep. Clifford Benz (R-Grants Pass).

In their brief, the members said the 9th Circuits decision should be reversed in its entirety to ensure local municipalities are full able to combat the crime that inevitably results from unrestricted homeless encampments.

They further argue the decisions by the Supreme Court effectively usurped the policymaking authority of local and state governments on the issue of homelessness.

FOX 5 reached out to Issas office for a statement on the brief and is awaiting response as of Monday afternoon.

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This association between homelessness and crime has been well-established, although it is often not as straightforward as some may believe.

Some studies have attributed this link in part to homeless status offenses, or minor offenses like loitering, trespassing or violating a camping ban that are often unavoidable given the nature of being homeless. Local data on homeless crime has also been found on occasion to tangle unhoused victims with perpetrators, inflating numbers.

In an updated brief filed earlier this month, San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan appeared to throw enforcement of arson laws into the mix of status offenses, arguing that Martin could be read in a way that would limit authorities ability to crack down on use of devices for cooking or warmth in encampments to prevent wildfires or prosecute for arson.

Will officers be subject to civil liability for attempting to enforce arson statutes where the reason for the fire was the unavoidable activity of preparing food for consumption or rudimentary protection from the elements faced by unsheltered individuals? Stephan writes.

She also reasserted her argument from a filing before the justices granted the city of Grants Pass its appeal: that health and safety concerns are harder to address under the courts ruling. She is also asking the court to overturn it in its entirety.

This broad overturning appears to break from what other San Diego officials were hoping to get out of a ruling from the Supreme Court.

While he hinted at that possible outcome, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria told FOX 5 last September that he was hoping for a ruling that would give some certainty of what expectations of cities are, but shied away from saying outright he wanted Martin overturned entirely.

Hopefully, those expectations are set by the localities themselves, he said. What we are hoping for is a ruling that would say cities can continue their enforcement efforts, obviously doing those in the most compassionate ways  the ways that follow best practices and formed by the experiences of those who have lived on our streets.

San Diegos homeless enforcement is guided by court orders. The Supreme Court may complicate that

At this point, it is unclear what types of arguments the justices may be receptive to with regards to the constitutional questions at the center of the case.

Both sides will likely come down to different interpretations of the text, history and tradition of the Eighth Amendment, according to legal analysts. How the right to due process under the Fourteenth Amendment plays into enforcement will also be an important question for the court.

Arguments for the case are scheduled for Apr. 22. The Supreme Court is then expected to hand down a decision sometime in June.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
One of Rep. Paul Gosars former interns has been arrested for her role in storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

According to court records, Isabella Maria DeLuca was caught on video climbing through a broken window to enter the Capitol during the insurrection, then passing a stolen table out of another broken window to rioters.

The table was then used as a weapon against police officers.

Twenty months later, DeLuca was back at the Capitol, working for Gosar.

Gosar didn't know? That's believable

U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar is shown in May 2023.

She was his intern from September 2022 through January 2023, according to congressional pay records obtained by the Arizona Mirror, but Gosars spokesman insists nobody in the office had any idea she was under investigation by the FBI.

We have no knowledge of any alleged participation in activities on January 6, 2021, Anthony Foti told the Arizona Mirrors Jerod MacDonald-Evoy.

I believe him. Had Gosar known that his intern was one of the rioters who broke into the Capitol, he probably would have  promoted her.

As Arizonas biggest congressional crackpot, Gosar has long lurked there on what used to be the partys dark outer fringe  giving a keynote speech at a white nationalists conference, courting QAnon and even working briefly with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to form an America First Caucus, to make America great again one Anglo-Saxon at a time.

According to Stop the Steal organizer Ali Alexander, Gosar was one of three congressmen who helped plan the Jan. 6 rally, hoping to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 election.

Gosar demanded Jan. 6 security footage

Of course, Gosar denies it (as do Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona and former Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama).

But hes been an impassioned defender of the Jan. 6 rioters  or as he has called them, peaceful patriots.

During a House hearing several months after the events of Jan. 6, Gosar chastised the FBI for having the nerve to ask the publics help in tracking down those peaceful protesters.

The DOJ is harassing peaceful patriots across the country, Gosar complained, during a May 2021 House Oversight Committee hearing into the events of Jan. 6.

Outright propaganda and lies are being used to unleash the national security state against law-abiding U.S. citizens, especially Trump voters.

Gosar demanded security footage of what occurred before and during the riot.

Such footage would provide answers that would contain exculpatory evidence regarding outrageous accusations against members of Congress, he said, and most importantly, exonerate the many Americans who peacefully protested and never set foot in the Capitol.

That footage incriminated his future intern

People like his future intern?

In her initial interview, an FBI investigator says DeLuca claimed she never set foot inside the Capitol.

But court records say video  the very footage Gosar attacked the FBI for collecting  captured her both entering the Capitol through a broken window and passing out a table to rioters.

This table was subsequently used to assault law enforcement officers guarding the Lower West Terrace Tunnel, an FBI agent said in a court affidavit, unsealed on Monday.

Gosar's unglued: What's that make his supporters?

Some of the most vicious attacks on police occurred in that tunnel, where the legs of a table  one that looked a lot like the one DeLuca passed through the broken window  were used as clubs and the table itself was hurled at police who were trying to hold the line.

While his future intern was busy arming the rioters, Gosar was actually on the House floor waxing on about Arizonas stolen election and why Arizonas vote should be rejected.

Over 400,000 mail-in ballots were altered, switched from President Trump to Vice President Biden or completely erased from President Trumps total, Gosar declared, just seconds before he and his colleagues fled due to all those patriots marching their way.

These charges might bolster her resume

Luckily for Gosar, it is apparently not a federal crime to flat out lie to Congress.

Unluckily for DeLuca, not everybody shares Gosars opinion that breaking into the Capitol and tossing out furniture to be used as weapons is an act of patriotism.

DeLuca, 24, who has done volunteer work for Turning Point USA and has a huge social media following among conservatives, was arrested on Friday in California and is facing misdemeanor charges that include theft of government property, disorderly conduct and entering a restricted area.

No doubt, thatll boost her resume.

In certain congressional circles, at least.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts or on Threads at laurierobertsaz.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Gosar intern arrested for role in Jan. 6 Capitol riot? That figures
Rejected twice by federal judges in their effort to stop the use of electronic voting machines, Republican candidates for office Kari Lake and Mark Finchem have now taken their case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Lawyers for Lake, who is running for U.S. Senate, and Finchem, who is seeking a state Senate seat, filed a 210-page petition with the nation's top court last week asking it to consider their case. The duo challenges the use of electronic machines that count votes, alleging they are hackable and not properly tested.

Their arguments, first made in 2022 when Lake was a Republican candidate for Arizona governor and Finchem a GOP candidate for secretary of state, have been repeatedly rejected as lacking evidence. Dominion Voting Systems, which manufactures the machines used in Maricopa County and in many other states, won a colossal settlement in a defamation case against Fox News last year related to similar false claims.

Lake narrowly lost to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, and Finchem was handily defeated by Democrat Adrian Fontes.

Yet nearly two years later, Lake and Finchem revived their calls for a "do-over."

"Although the 2022 election had not yet occurred when petitioners filed the operative complaint or when the district court ruled, a court could order 'do-over' relief (e.g., counting the paper ballots) in the 2022 election, as well as similar relief in future elections," the appeal argues.

The appeal paperwork was filed one day before Lake, a former television news anchor who has made attacks on the media a hallmark of her campaigns, submitted over 10,000 signatures to qualify for the August primary ballot.

I told the people of Arizona after that election that I would do everything I can to fight for their sacred vote, and this is just another step in that process," Lake told reporters Friday.

We need to have honest elections," she said. Asked if her common refrain of casting doubt on election operations fueled the public's distrust, Lake chuckled and said no, telling a reporter to "open your eyes" to the way elections are run.

Mark Finchem, former Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state and Kari Lake, U.S. Senate candidate.

Dems see line of attack as duo appeals to GOP base

The appeal plays to Lake's and Finchem's most faithful GOP supporters, the voters who turn out in primary elections, but could alienate general election voters.

Democratic operatives quickly seized on the appeal as a renewed chance to tie Lake to the election doubt that likely cost her the race for governor. The Arizona Democratic Party sent multiple email blasts seeking to amplify Lake's "work to push election conspiracy theories" even as she is under pressure from some national GOP figures to shift focus from past elections to future ones.

Kari Lake is an election denier who has undermined our democracy and sown doubt in our elections for years," said Hannah Goss, spokesperson for Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego's campaign for Senate. "She will do anything to gain power, even though her baseless lies do nothing but hurt Arizonans  and that's exactly why theyll reject her again.

In response, Lake's campaign said it was Gallego who was "Arizona's OG election denier"  using an acronym that can mean original  based on a seven-year-old clip of a CNN interview. Gallego told CNN's Jim Acosta during the wide-ranging 2017 interview that Trump would not concede there was Russian meddling in elections because of his ego. Trump was correct in thinking that "he is not a legitimate president, according to many people," Gallego said.

A spokesperson for the Secretary of State's Office declined to comment on the lawsuit. A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors did not respond to a request for comment, but the county has repeatedly stood by its use and testing of voting equipment, which is certified by state and federal election officials. Both bodies are named in the appeal.

Their responses to the Supreme Court appeal are due April 17, according to the court's docket.

Finchem said he would "patiently await acceptance by the court" of the appeal and "the opportunity to show the evidence of maladministration, perjury and deceit on the part of Maricopa County Supervisors and election officials affecting the 2020 and 2022 elections that has been accumulated."

No guarantees with SCOTUS

Lake and Finchem asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case that prior judges have said rested in "conjectural" claims and hypotheticals. The nation's top court, which has discretion to decide what cases to take up, usually hears roughly 1% of the appeals filed.

That has some court observers skeptical that Finchem and Lake's case will be heard.

"I doubt this will get there, especially since both the District Court and the Ninth Circuit both found flaws in standing, and standing is hard to achieve in voting cases," said Stefanie Lindquist, foundation professor of law and political science and executive director of the Center for Constitutional Design at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law.

To have standing to file a case, a candidate or voter has to show they were personally harmed by the actions of the defendant.

"One of the things the Supreme Court has been very clear on is you can't just come forward as a taxpayer, as a generalized voter, and just say, 'I see a problem with the system,'" Lindquist said. "There's other ways to fix that. ... If you don't show a unique injury to yourself ... you will not be granted standing."

Lake, Finchem already rejected by appellate court

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals noted in an October ruling that none of Finchem's and Lake's allegations support the idea that future elections could be marred because of electronic ballot-tabulation machines. They only presented "conjectural" claims that relied on a series of hypothetical circumstances "that have never occurred in Arizona," the ruling states.

Because they were no longer candidates for office and presented no evidence they were harmed by the use of voting machines, the appeals court dismissed the case and affirmed the prior ruling of U.S. District Court Judge John Tuchi.

Tuchi ordered Lake's and Finchem's lawyers, Andrew D. Parker and his law firm, Parker Daniels Kibort LLC, and Kurt B. Olsen and his law firm, Olsen Law PC, along with Alan Dershowitz, to together pay a $122,200 sanction for the baseless case.

Olsen, who is facing disciplinary proceedings in Arizona, and Washington, D.C., and lawyer Lawrence J. Joseph are representing Lake and Finchem in their bid for Supreme Court consideration. Olsen and Joseph did not respond to an email request for comment Monday.

Lake and Finchem first filed the lawsuit in April 2022, alleging ballot tabulation machines weren't trustworthy and should not be used without objective tests.

The lawsuit echoed conspiracy theories about Dominion Voting Systems and vote-tabulating machines put forth by former President Donald Trump and his legal team after he lost to Joe Biden in 2020. Colorado-based Dominion last year reached an unprecedented $787.5 million settlement with Fox News, ending a defamation case that targeted the cable news network's lies about the 2020 presidential election.

A separate case filed by Lake challenging her 2022 loss to Hobbs is still ongoing before an Arizona Court of Appeals.

Reach reporter Stacey Barchenger at stacey.barchenger@arizonarepublic.com or 480-416-5669.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ voting machines lawsuit: Kari Lake, Mark Finchem want SCOTUS review
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Republicans have sued Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar and five county clerks including Clark Countys Lorena Portillo, alleging impossibly high voter registration numbers because lists have not been properly maintained.

The lawsuit by the Republican National Committee (RNC), the Nevada Republican Party and Scott Johnston  a precinct captain and registered Republican voter  was filed Friday in U.S. District Court. It alleges the plaintiffs have failed to live up to requirements of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).

At least three Nevada counties have more registered voters than they have adult citizens who are over the age of 18. That number is impossibly high, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also cites two examples of county voter registration totals that are higher than 90% of adult citizens over the age of 18, and high rates of inactive voters on the rolls.

Election integrity starts with clean voter rolls, and thats why the National Voter Registration Act requires state officials to keep their rolls accurate and up-to-date, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a statement released Monday. Nevada has universal mail voting and no voter ID requirement, which makes Secretary of State Cisco Aguilars failure to comply with the NVRA and provide accurate voter rolls all the more concerning. Securing clean voter rolls in Nevada is a critical step towards ensuring that it will be easy to vote and hard to cheat.

Federal and state law make Nevadas Secretary of State primarily responsible for list maintenance, the lawsuit said.

A similar lawsuit was filed last week in Michigan. A report from The Hill noted that the lawsuit came just days after allies of former President Trump took leadership positions and hours after the party confirmed that Trump was the GOP nominee for the 2024 election.

County clerks are responsible for maintaining the voting rolls. In addition to Portillo, the lawsuit names William Scott Hoen (Carson City clerk), Amy Burgans (Douglas County clerk), Staki Lindberg (Lyon County clerk) and Jim Hindle (Storey County clerk).

Claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election included unproven allegations that more than 1,506 dead people voted and 40,000 people voted twice. Those claims described votes  not voters listed on registration rolls.

The new lawsuit takes issue only with counties failure to purge names when people die or other circumstances. But it repeats familiar themes, citing two cases.

Voter fraud is very real in Nevada. Several recent elections have suffered from voter fraud. The cases of Donald Kirk Hartle, 55, of Las Vegas in November 2021 and Craig Frank, 53, of Las Vegas in February 2021. Hartle voted twice in the 2020 election. Frank voted twice in the 2016 election.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford described the Hartle case after a guilty plea was entered.

Though rare, voter fraud can undercut trust in our election system, Ford said. This particular case of voter fraud was particularly egregious because the offender continually spread inaccurate information about our elections despite being the source of fraud himself. I am glad to see Mr. Hartle being held accountable for his actions, and I want to stress that our office will pursue any credible allegations of voter fraud.

The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction barring further violations of NVRA, a court order to reasonably and effectively maintain voter registration lists and compensation for attorneys fees.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
ORLANDO, FL / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2024 / Emerging North American cybersecurity firm, White Tuque, is excited to be exhibiting at the Disaster Recovery Journal (DRJ) Spring 2024 conference in Orlando, Florida. This four-day conference and exhibition is the largest event dedicated to managing risk and resiliency.

White Tuque's approach to cyber resiliency is a perfect fit within DRJ's focus on recovery. Risk-focused and intelligence-driven, White Tuque's methodology ensures organizations can reduce their cyber risk through vulnerability identification, incident response and business continuity planning, tabletop exercises, and other professional services.

This is the first year White Tuque is taking part in a DRJ event, and Founder and CEO Robert D. Stewart looks forward to showcasing how White Tuque can help organizations remain resilient in the face of cyber threats. "We are thrilled to be an exhibitor at the DRJ Spring 2024 conference. It's an incredible opportunity to showcase our innovative approach to cyber resiliency, connect with industry leaders, and dive into the latest trends in disaster recovery and business continuity," Stewart said.

As the oldest business continuity resource in the world, DRJ hosts companies with the expertise and technology to ensure your business is equipped for today's disruptions and tomorrow's emerging threats. "At White Tuque, our cyber resiliency programs are designed to help your secure your data, keep your core services functioning, and significantly reduce your overall risk," says Kevin Sandschafer, COO and VP Cyber Risk Assurance.

"We work with clients to prevent disruptions and show them how to respond quickly should a cyberattack occur," Sandschafer said. "Preparing today can keep your business operating post-cyberattack."

DRJ Spring 2024 conference is on now through Wednesday, March 20th. You can visit White Tuque at booth 211 daily during expo hall hours.

Story continues

About White Tuque

White Tuque's experts are battle-tested industry veterans with a passion for empowering organizations - no matter the size - to take control of their cyber posture and remain resilient to technology outages.

We provide professional services and solutions to mitigate cyber risk and support your operations.

Tabletop Exercises

Cyber Resiliency

Risk Assessment & Resiliency Planning

White Tuque's methodology is intelligence-based and risk-driven. We understand the threat landscape and evaluate our client's individual risk to implement robust cybersecurity solutions that are efficient, effective, and easy to maintain.

Working with White Tuque gives you a partner against sophisticated cyber threats. We work with you to understand your people, your process, and your technology to deliver comprehensive protection that mitigates your risk and prioritizes your operations.

Learn more at www.whitetuque.com or contact our experts at info@whitetuque.com .

About DRJ

DRJ is the industry's largest resource for business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis communication, and risk management, reaching a global network of more than 138,000 professionals. Offering weekly webinars, the latest industry news, resources, podcasts, an official mentoring program, a quarterly magazine, DRJ Academy, and two annual live conferences, DRJ is leading the way to keep professionals up-to-date and connected in an ever-changing world.

DRJ's annual spring and fall conferences are the longest-running and best-attended business continuity events in the world. DRJ can help you protect your organization from today's disruptions and tomorrow's threats by exposing you to insights from industry leaders and giving you an early look at new BC technologies.

Our mission is to give business continuity professionals the insight, information, and inspiration they need to make smarter decisions concerning the overall protection of their organization. For more information about Disaster Recovery Journal, visit www.drj.com .

For more information, please contact:

White Tuque:

Robert D. Stewart

CEO

rob@whitetuque.com

SOURCE: White Tuque





View the original press release on accesswire.com




Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror

In an effort to bypass a veto from Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, Republicans want to ask voters to end early voting by mail, sharply limit early voting in person and cap precinct voting locations in Maricopa and Pima counties at 1,000 voters.

Republicans have introduced two separate bills that eliminate early voting, by far the most popular way to vote in Arizona, and to cap voting precincts at 1,000 voters. But if those pass through both chambers, Hobbs would have the power to veto them.

House Concurrent Resolution 2032 would instead go to the November ballot and ask the voters for approval, avoiding Hobbs and her veto stamp.

Unlike the bill that would ban voting centers to be replaced by 1,000-voter precincts, the resolution would allow counties with populations of 500,000 or less to use voting centers, while it would require counties with populations of 500,000 or more  Maricopa and Pima counties are the only to fit that criteria  to use 1,000-person precincts, though they could open voting centers in addition to those.

Several Arizona counties use a vote center model, in which any registered voter in the county can cast their ballot at any polling location in the county. In a precinct model, each voter can only cast a ballot at their designated location, and if they dont cast their ballot at the correct location, it wont be counted.

Arizonas most populous counties, Maricopa and Pima, both use vote centers exclusively, and Yuma and Yavapai counties have both used them for more than a decade.

Jen Marson, executive director of the Arizona Association of Counties, told lawmakers on the Senate Elections Committee that the precinct cap, even with an allowance for voting centers in addition to precinct locations, was completely unworkable.

We just dont have the places and the people, Marson said at Mondays committee hearing.

Marson has repeatedly told the Republicans that back these bills that the counties simply cannot find enough voting locations or election workers to comply with 1,000-voter precincts.

She estimated that around 2,500 precincts would be necessary in Maricopa County alone. Thats more than twice as many as the 1,100 or so the county had 20 years ago  and it was a struggle to find workers to staff them back then.

Marson said that the bill hamstrings counties in a way thats just untenable.

Alan Skillicorn, a Fountain Hills City Council member, was the only member of the public who spoke in favor of the bill during the committee meeting.

He pointed to conspiracy theories about the 2022 election in Maricopa County as proof of voter suppression, saying that long lines and tabulator problems caused people to go home without voting. But those are some of the claims that were thrown out of court in Kari Lakes challenge to the results of the 2022 election.

The resolution would also ask voters to ban no-excuse early voting, an extremely popular way to vote in Arizona that has been used by 75-90% of voters in the last several elections. Republicans ushered in no-excuse early voting in 1991 and it became increasingly more popular after that, until former President Donald Trump began spreading conspiracy theories about vote-by-mail fraud after he lost the 2020 election.

Sandy Bahr, the director of the Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon Chapter, told lawmakers that she got involved in encouraging voting when she first moved to Arizona, before no-excuse early voting was implemented, when voter turnout was low. Turnout increased significantly after its implementation, she said.

Why would you want to do anything at all to discourage voting? she asked.

Bahr added that she is confident that voters will reject the measure if it makes it to the ballot, but she still encouraged them to save the trouble and vote it down in committee.

While Skillicorn argued that capping precincts at 1,000 voters would make for shorter lines, Sen. Priya Sundareshan, D-Tucson, argued that banning the way that the vast majority of Arizonans vote, even with small precincts, would do the exact opposite.

A huge influx of people casting ballots at the polls on Election Day would not make things easier, she said.

Sen. Sonny Borrelli, R-Lake Havasu City, said he thinks the bill is a great way to encourage more people to volunteer as election workers.

To assume that the counties dont have the logistical expertise, I find extremely insulting, he said, ignoring Marsons statements on behalf of the counties.

Kerry Jackson, who said hed worked as an election observer at precinct locations, voting centers, at the Runbeck facility run by Maricopa Countys elections contractor and at the Maricopa County Elections and Tabulation Center.

He compared those who believe that fraudulent ballots could be inserted into the system to people who dont believe that man landed on the moon.

They listened to the stories about the (election fraud) court cases but not about cases being denied, Jackson said.

Prior to the committees vote on the resolution, former secretary of state Sen. Ken Bennett, R-Prescott, who had voted against the 1,000-voter precinct bill in committee, left the Elections Committee hearing to speak about bills he had sponsored that were being considered by committees in the House of Representatives. Sundareshan asked if the Elections Committee could wait for his return to vote on the resolution, but committee Chairwoman Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, denied her request.

I think this is overdue and the voters want it, Rogers said.

The Elections Committee voted 4-3 to pass the resolutions, with only Republicans in favor. It will next head to the full Senate for consideration.

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The post Republicans want to ask voters to ban early voting, put 1,000-person cap on precincts appeared first on Arizona Mirror.
In January, harsh weather prevented the Rev. Charles Burton from traveling to Monmouth College from St. Louis to give the keynote talk for the schools celebration of the life and impact of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Rev. Charles Burton will give a free talk at 7 p.m. March 26 in Dahl Chapel.

The 1992 Monmouth graduate will instead present his talk at 7 p.m. March 26 in Dahl Chapel and Auditorium. Titled From Equality to Equity: A Dream Redefined, the talk is free and open to the public.

A bi-vocational pastor, Burton serves the congregation of Unity Fellowship Church in Godfrey, Ill., and was recently named as the chief human resources officer for Webster University in St. Louis, where hell begin working April 1. Burton previously held a similar role for St. Louis Public Schools.

He is past president of the United Congregations of Metro East (UCM) and co-founder and past co-convener of Gamaliel of Illinois. Through these organizations, Burton partners with local congregations and unions to engage in grassroots community organizing aimed at empowering Gods people to receive His Kingdom rooted in His love, according to a Monmouth release Monday.

Burton has helped lead the fight for the rights of those who Howard Thurman calls the disinherited in affordable housing, education, jobs, mental health, and criminal justice and immigration reform.

His academic credentials include a juris doctorate from Washington (Missouri) University School of Law and a bachelors degree in political science from Monmouth, where he served as president of the Student Association. A member of the Colleges M Club Hall of Fame, Burton was the NCAA Division III national champion in the 400-meter hurdles his senior year as the Fighting Scots track and field team placed seventh in the nation.

Burton is married to educator Renee Burton and the couple has three children. The Burtons values are faith, family, health and the pursuit of knowledge. Their commitment to education is undergirded by the belief in the John Dewey pronouncement: Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Rescuers survive helicopter crash on mountain in Italy, continue on to save mountaineer trapped in crevasse

A crew of Italian rescuers all survived a helicopter crash on a mountain peak over the weekend before going on to complete its mission to save a mountaineer who fell into a crevasse, officials said.

The helicopter crew was responding Saturday to a distress call on Monte Rosa, the second-highest mountain in Western Europe, when it crashed on the mountains upper glacier, said Italys national mountain rescue service, Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico.

Paolo Pettinaroli, a passenger in the helicopter, told Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera that they were flying at an altitude of about 14,760 feet (4500 meters) when they suddenly heard a "thud."

"It happened in a moment," Pettinaroli said. We didnt understand. I dont know what happened. We had arrived. But the helicopter was destroyed."

GOLD MINE COLLAPSE IN RUSSIA TRAPS AT LEAST 13 WORKERS, OFFICIALS SAY

Everyone on board the rescue helicopter survived a crash high up on Monte Rosa, a mountain on the Swiss-Italian border.

The agency shared a photo of the wrecked helicopter on its side under the Capanna Margherita, a mountain hut built on the summit of Punta Gnifetti. Due to the altitude, it is the highest building in Europe.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The crew, however, survived without suffering serious injury and walked out from the wreckage to move forward with its mission, a move that the rescue agency says characterizes the "tenacious spirit" of its team members.

The Capanna Margherita is a mountain hut built on the summit of Punta Gnifetti. Due to the altitude, it is the highest building in Europe.

"The team on board, however, completed the rescue mission for which they had been activated, recovering a climber who had fallen into a crack," the rescue service said. "An extraordinary example of those who, even before their own strength, put their hearts into what we do every day."

SKIER MISSING NEAR SWITZERLAND'S MATTERHORN AFTER 5 OTHERS FOUND DEAD AMID DETERIORATING CONDITIONS

Another helicopter from Zermatt, Switzerland, arrived to pick up the rescuers and the climber and fly them down to the valley, the newspaper reported.

In this 1987 photo, climbers ascend to the Capanna Margherita on Monte Rosa.

The crew was evaluated medically at a hospital. No further information about the incident or the mountaineer they rescued was immediately available.

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Monte Rosa is located on the border between Italy and Switzerland.





Original article source: Rescuers survive helicopter crash on mountain in Italy, continue on to save mountaineer trapped in crevasse
The former U.S. commander who oversaw the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan said Tuesday that he alone bears responsibility for the American soldiers killed during the attack at Kabul's airport.

"I was the overall commander, and I and I alone bear full military responsibility for what happened at Abbey Gate," retired Marine Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., who led U.S. Central Command from 2019 to 2022, said at a congressional hearing.

Gold Star families who lost their loved ones during the Abbey Gate attack attended the hearing Tuesday by the GOP-led House Foreign Affairs Committee that focused on an assessment of the Biden administrations withdrawal. The attack by the Islamic State terrorist group outside the airport at Abbey Gate killed 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghan civilians on Aug. 26, 2021. The troops were helping people evacuate from the country at the time.

The hearing also featured testimony from retired Army Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Lawmakers hoped the two retired generals could be more candid and share more information now that they're no longer in uniform.

"We owe them answers," Milley said about the Gold Star families in his opening statement, promising to help them understand what happened. "There's nothing that I can say or do that's going to fill that gaping hole in your heart. But as I've told you before, I'm committed. I will honor that commitment to get you the answers to get you to the truth."

Milley said it would take a "considerable length of time" to get those answers, especially because, he said, much of the record is classified.

"It was a tragic event, one of many that have occurred over our 20-year engagement in Afghanistan," McKenzie said about the Abbey Gate attack. "It remains my opinion that if there was culpability in this attack, it lies in policy decisions that created the environment of August 2021 in Kabul. ... The simple fact is this: On the battlefield, even with good planning, tremendous execution by bright people on the ground, the enemy sometimes has success."

But later McKenzie and Milley both placed some of the blame on the State Department, saying the order for the evacuation from Afghanistan came too late. McKenzie said it was up to the State Department  not the Defense Department  to authorize that order, which finally came on Aug. 14, 2021.

"I believe that the events of mid- and late August 2021 were the direct result of delaying the initiation of the [evacuation] for several months," said McKenzie, who said the Pentagon had already begun positioning U.S. forces in the region as early as July 9, 2021. "But we could do nothing, nothing to commence the operation, the evacuation," until it was declared by the State Department, he added.

"I believe the call to execute the [evacuation] came too late," Milley said.

Both McKenzie and Milley said that their previous testimony about the withdrawal still stands  that the chaos didn't happen overnight and that multiple factors contributed to the collapse of the Afghan government after the U.S. left the country. Milley, however, said he's still not sure how many Americans were left behind in Afghanistan, because, he said, "the starting number was never clear." At the same time, he said, it wasn't realistic or feasible to track down the exact number.

McKenzie and Milley had testified before Congress about the chaotic withdrawal in 2021 when they still held their leadership roles. They revealed then that they had recommended to President Joe Biden that the U.S. keep 2,500 troops in Afghanistan even after the Aug. 31, 2021, withdrawal deadline.

Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, reiterated Tuesday his criticism of the Biden administration's execution of the military pullout.

"I believe the accountability ensures mistakes of the past are not repeated. But from where I sit, the president and this administration refused to acknowledge their failures," McCaul said. "I launched this investigation to make sure that the mistakes made in Afghanistan never, ever happen again."

McCaul has been seeking certain documents from that period, and afterward, that could shed light on intelligence and the communication among U.S. officials in the run-up to the withdrawal.

Ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said that Biden's effort to end the 20-year war in Afghanistan was the right decision and acknowledged that while it was in the best interest of the U.S., "a number of contributing factors complicated the withdrawal." He placed some of the blame for the attack on former President Donald Trump, who Meeks said "lacked a comprehensive plan for withdrawing from Afghanistan."

Earlier this month, McCaul postponed a planned markup to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress for failing to turn over relevant documents. The chairman said Blinken agreed to provide the records.

"I had a good conversation with the secretary last night and he agreed to produce the documents," McCaul said. "In the spirit of good faith negotiations, Ive postponed the markup  with the understanding that these documents will be produced. Ive been told we will start to get them this morning. Our teams are working to facilitate that. These documents will provide crucial information for our investigation. I take the secretary at his word that we will get all these documents. But if the situation changes, I will have to revisit all our options to ensuring they are produced.

The documents were from internal interviews the State Department conducted for its after-action review of the Afghanistan withdrawal. McCaul subpoenaed them in July 2023 after first requesting them in January 2023.

McCaul had threatened to hold Blinken in contempt over the State Department's failure to share a 2021 diplomatic cable in which 23 U.S. diplomats warned of Kabul's potential collapse post-withdrawal. Ultimately, the State Department allowed McCaul to view the dissent cable and its response.

In April 2023, the White House released a report on the withdrawal that largely blamed the Trump administration for what unfolded. Trump, meanwhile, often chastises Biden for his handling of the withdrawal.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Two of Americas highest-ranking retired generals testified on Tuesday that a series of errors during 20 years of war led to the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, but they also conceded that multiple mistakes were made by the Biden administration.

Gen. Mark Milley, a former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, former head of U.S. Central Command, appeared before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Seated behind them were Gold Star families, or relatives of the 13 American service members who died during the withdrawal.

Committee Republicans slammed the Biden administration for a disastrous withdrawal, while Democratic lawmakers stressed the Afghanistan retreat can only be viewed in the lens of 20 years of decisions made across various administrations.

Milley, appearing before Congress for the first time since he stepped down from his role as the nations highest-ranking military official last fall, said decisions made during years of war led to the 2021 collapse of the Afghan government as the Taliban swept to power following the American retreat.

I think the whole thing was a strategic failure, Milley said, though he praised the U.S. military for carrying out its duty.

Milley faulted the Biden administration for what he said was a poorly timed Noncombatant Evacuation Operations (NEO), or the withdrawal of nonessential civilian and military personnel, which did not come until mid-August, a little more than two weeks before the deadline to leave.

The fundamental mistake, fundamental flaw was the timing, Milley said. I think that was too slow and too late. And that then caused a series of events that resulted in the very last couple of days. Theres a lot of other mistakes that [were] made along the way  [but] I think that was the key.

Milley also testified that the U.S. lacked proper intelligence gathering ahead of the withdrawal because of the reduction of troops leading up to it.

We blinded ourselves, he said, noting the U.S. relied on electronic intelligence toward the withdrawal date. But technology cant read a persons heart, they cant see the negotiation thats going on locally [and] we lost our ability to really sense that environment.

Both Milley and McKenzie had recommended the U.S. maintain a small presence in Afghanistan of about 2,500 troops, but President Biden ultimately decided for a complete withdrawal by the end of August.

The exit of U.S. troops left a vacuum in the country that was quickly filled by the Taliban, despite the U.S. spending years training Afghan security forces. Afghan troops collapsed quickly as the Afghan president and his Cabinet fled the country, allowing the Taliban to take control within days.

While some estimates indicated the Afghan government would collapse in 24 months, the military assessed at the time that it could come as soon as the fall, Milley and McKenzie said. But even the military did not predict a collapse in summer 2021.

We depended upon Afghan support to hold the perimeter. That melted away, McKenzie said. And that was probably the most significant immediate operational effect.

Milley said the U.S. failed in the mission to train Afghan security troops, saying that failure stemmed from a cascade of decisions stretching back to the early 2000s.

Theres a whole series of these that go way back in time that ultimately end up in a collapse of the Afghan security forces under intense pressure by the Taliban, he told the committee.

Republican lawmakers spent a considerable amount of time hammering the Biden administration for the chaotic withdrawal, which was captured in images of people clinging to the wings of transportation aircraft in a desperate bid to leave the airport in the capital of Kabul.

And on Aug. 26, 2021, just days before the deadline for the U.S. to withdraw from Afghanistan, an ISIS-K suicide bomber exploded at the airports Abbey Gate, killing 13 American troops and 170 Afghans.

Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) said the Biden administrations withdrawal from Afghanistan has rippled across the world.

American communities are less safe and the world is much more dangerous and unstable, she said. We are paying the price now, with conflicts roiling every corner of the globe.

Democrats, however, fended off accusations against the Biden administration. They pointed to the Doha agreements, signed in 2020 under the Trump administration which stipulated the terms for a U.S. withdrawal, as the starting point of the events.

Former President Trump reduced troop levels to roughly 2,500 in January 2021 as Biden came into office. Biden later signaled in April 2021 that a full withdrawal would have to come by the end of August.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, argued that the withdrawal was well underway by the time Biden entered office.

We [should] really be transparent with the American people on everything that took place in the 20 years in Afghanistan, not just one piece, said Meeks. If we are serious and not playing politics with this issue.

The White House has deflected blame for the Afghanistan withdrawal, largely pinning the blame on the Trump administration in a report last year.

In attendance at Tuesdays hearing was retired Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who testified to Congress last spring that he had identified the suicide bomber before the explosion at Abbey Gate  but was unable to confirm he could engage the target when he ran it up the chain of command.

The claims from Vargas-Andrews sparked an investigation from the House Armed Services Committee, but relevant documents have not been turned over yet, according to Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Milley told lawmakers he was not familiar with the situation that Vargas-Andrews was in, but said if he had identified a hostile target, the rules of engagement allow it.

You dont have to ask permission, he said. Every single soldier, sailor, airman, marine, ships captain or fighter pilot has the right to self-defense.

McKenzie also questioned the account from Vargas-Andrews, saying there were a lot of threats that were flowing around that day.

Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) slammed McKenzie, accusing him of discrediting the account of Vargas-Andrews.

Its shameful, Mills said.

Some lawmakers also questioned if the U.S. could have carried out a better evacuation had they used Bagram airbase, which American forces withdrew from in July.

McKenzie said it would not have been possible to use Bagram for evacuations given the troop levels they were operating with at the time.

Ultimately, the U.S. withdrawal plunged Afghanistan back into a humanitarian crisis, with the Taliban re-implementing harsh conditions in the country. The U.S. also left some $80 billion worth of equipment and supplies in the country and was not able to evacuate everyone, including some Americans, though the exact number of U.S. citizens left behind is unclear.

A State Department After Action Report last year found failures in both the Biden and Trump administrations in planning for the withdrawal.

McCaul, who launched his investigation of the Afghanistan withdrawal in January 2023, said Gold Star families and the American people deserve accountability for what he has called a botched evacuation that will impact Americans for generations.

I believe that accountability ensures mistakes of the past are not repeated, he said. I launched this investigation to make sure that the mistakes made in Afghanistan never ever happen again.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China in May for talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, Reuters reported on March 19, citing five sources familiar with the matter.

This might be Putin's first trip abroad after he secured his fifth term in office in the recent presidential election, broadly regarded as rigged and unfair. While many Western leaders denounced the vote, Xi congratulated the Kremlin leader, promising to "maintain close communication" between the two countries.

Beijing has fostered close ties with Moscow during its full-scale war against Ukraine, increasing economic cooperation and disrupting Western attempts at isolating Russia. China has also weighed in on possible peace negotiations, saying talks must include Moscow.

Reuters' sources said Putin will likely arrive in China in the second half of May. Two of the sources said that the Russian leader's trip will precede Xi's planned visit to Europe.

The Kremlin did not confirm nor deny the planned visit in a comment for Reuters.

"Several presidential visits and several high-level contacts are being prepared at the moment," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

"We will inform you as we get closer."

Putin previously visited China last October to attend the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing.

Read also: Sanctions for show: Russian oil sales to China, India single main driver of Ukraine invasion

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Robert F Kennedy Jr has insisted that many of his family members back his independent presidential campaign after several members of the family seemingly snubbed him with a visit to the White House in which they heaped praise on President Joe Biden.

Many other family members are working for my campaign, he told NewsNations Chris Cuomo, adding: Many other family members support it.

It is not clear which members of his family Mr Kennedy Jr was referencing.

His comments came after several generations of the famous Kennedy clan were pictured at the White House with President Biden for a St Patricks Day celebration over the weekend.

RFK Jr, who is currently running as an independent candidate in the 2024 election, was notably absent.

In his interview with NewsNation, Mr Kennedy Jr downplayed the size of the group in the photo, which he said was a very small percentage of my family.

Robert F Kennedy Jr has insisted that many of his family members back his independent presidential campaign (News Nation)

The Kennedy family shared the photo on social media on Sunday and also took the opportunity to voice their support for president Biden.

Its not enough to wish the world were better, you must make the world better, Kerry Kennedy, the younger sister of RFK Jr wrote in a post on X.

@POTUS President Biden, you make the world better, she added.

Further downplaying the photo, Mr Kennedy Jr told NewsNation: President Biden is an old friend of my family.

He also took partial credit for facilitating the visit to the White House on Sunday, telling Cuomo: I played a role, I think, in facilitating that visit to the White House and bringing them all such happiness, so Im happy about that, he said. I do hope at least a couple of them took the time to talk to President Biden and ask him to provide me with Secret Service protection. So thats my hope.

Earlier this month, Mr Kennedy Jrs presidential campaign asked for Secret Service protection for a fifth time, according to Newsweek, after being most recently denied in February by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Sundays photo is not the first time RFK Jr has been publicly snubbed by his own family.

Following his announcement that he was running for president, his family members released a statement denouncing him as dangerous and perilous for our country.

Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment, Kerry Kennedy wrote on behalf of four members of the illustrious political dynasty.

JFKs grandson Jack Schlossberg also previously condemned his cousin, calling him an embarrassment to the family name.

Hes trading in on Camelot, celebrity, conspiracy theories and conflict for personal gain and fame, Mr Schlossberg said.

RFK Jr has previously been accused of amplifying conspiracy theories  most notably about the Covid vaccine.

He has been accused of making baseless claims that vaccines are linked to brain disorders. He also claimed that the virus which causes Covid-19 was ethnically targeted and was targeted to attack Caucasians and Black people.

His wild conspiracy theories are not the only thing that has caused a rift between Mr Kennedy Jr and his family.

The son of the late US senator Robert F Kennedy initially filed candidacy papers for the Democratic nomination with the FEC in April, but later decided to break his familys long running ties with the Democratic party, and switched to running as an independent candidate.

In October, he admitted during a Fox News interview that his decision was very painful and leaving the party of my family is very, very difficult.

It was a choice that I didnt feel that I had a choice about, he added.

Speaking about the rift between him and his family members, Mr Kennedy Jr acknowledged: I understand that many of them disagree with me on the war in Ukraine. They disagree with me on Covid, on some of the public health issues. They disagree with me on the free speech issues.

He added: So, you know, we can disagree with each other in a friendly way and still love each other.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. downplayed the significance of his relatives meeting with President Biden on St. Patricks Day, saying the viral image represents only a very small part of his extended family.

NewsNation host Chris Cuomo pressed Kennedy on Monday about his familys support for Biden, particularly pointing to the recent photograph of more than three dozen relatives posing with the incumbent in front of the White House.

President Biden, you make the world better, Kerry Kennedy, the candidates sister, posted on X, formerly Twitter, alongside the picture.

Here is a lot of your family, OK, gathered around Joe Biden. It is St. Pattys Day. They all put out messages that are all about the same thing, which is, Go, Joe! We support you, Cuomo said, before asking, What does it mean when the people who know you best say Joe Biden is better than their own brother, uncle, cousin?

Kennedy replied, Although that looks like a big crowd of people, it is a very small percentage of my family.

Last July 4, I think there was 105 people at the Cape, and many other family members are working for my campaign and many other family members supportive, the candidate, who is the nephew of the late former President Kennedy, added.

He acknowledged the current president is an old friend of my family and that many family members have worked for the Biden administration and supported his campaign.

Kennedy said he disagrees with Biden and some family members on a range of issues, but he was glad to see his family happy in the photograph.

We can disagree with each other in a friendly way and still love each other, he said.

They look very happy in that photograph and, you know, its very exhilarating, Kennedy added. Its intoxicating being in the White House, and Im glad I got to  I played a role, I think, in facilitating that visit to the White House and bringing them all such happiness, so Im happy about that.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for confirmation about Kennedys role in facilitating the meeting.

Kennedy has frequently been disavowed by some family members as he continues his bid for the White House. An activist and lawyer, he has raised conspiracy theories about vaccines.

Kennedy, who originally launched a campaign on the Democratic ticket, was attacked publicly by his family when he said he would run as a third-party candidate. Democrats, too, have expressed concerns that his candidacy would pull votes away from Biden in November and help elect former President Trump.

The decision of our brother Bobby to run as a third-party candidate against Joe Biden is dangerous to our country, a statement signed by four of his siblings  former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (D), former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II (D-Mass.), Rory Kennedy and Kerry Kennedy  reads, following the candidates announcement.

Bobby might share the same name as our father, but he does not share the same values, vision or judgment, they wrote. Todays announcement is deeply saddening for us. We denounce his candidacy and believe it to be perilous for our country.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
PROVIDENCE  The Rhode Island Senate overwhelmingly approved proposed new "safe-storage" requirements for guns on Tuesday night, despite warnings from a handful of Senators that the law will put law-abiding gun owners at risk "when seconds count."

The final vote was 28-to-7, with only two Democrats joining the solid bloc of GOP opposition on a day the Department of Children, Youth & Families publicly acknowledged for the first time that between March 2023 and March 2024, DCYF "received reports of four fatalities and one near fatality involving guns."

Summing up the opposition to the legislation, Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz told colleagues: "It is very sad to hear when children pass away because of irresponsible storage of firearms. But here's the thing:

"Most gun owners already safely store their firearms with or without children at home, and I'm one of them," she said. "My husband and I do not need a new statutory civil or criminal penalties to force us to keep children safe if we have firearms in our home."

But the lead advocate within the Senate  Sen. Pam Lauria  said existing law does not go far enough to prevent tragedies, such as those recounted in heart-wrenching detail at legislative hearings on the bill.

"As a society, we have poured immense resources into pediatric cancer treatment because no child should be lost to cancer if we can do anything about it," she said. "We have passed and accepted mandates for seat belts...in our vehicles because no child should needlessly die in a motor vehicle accident if we can help it.

"This bill seeks to offer similar safeguards for the number one reason American children die: guns," she said.

The vote, by chance, came within days of this USA Today headline from Detroit: "School Gunman's Dad Guilty of Manslaughter."

There, James Crumbley, the father of a school shooter who killed four students and injured seven other people at Oxford High School in November 2021, was found guilty of failing to secure a gun at home and doing nothing to address acute signs of his son's mental turmoil. Crumbley  and months earlier, his wife  were convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Around 100 gun-rights supporters gather for a rally in the RI State House rotunda last Wednesday afternoon as day two of gun legislation hearings continued.

Safe storage bill draws opposition from Republicans

The proposed new Rhode Island safe-storage law follows years of heart-wrenching testimony of family members left behind by a suicide in Warwick, as well as the accidental shooting death of a Johnston teenager at the hands of a friend playing with his uncle's unlocked gun.

The three Republicans in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room last week cast the only nay votes, when the bill emerged from committee last week.

They included the Senate Minority Leader, de la Cruz, who, in her weekly newsletter, reiterated her belief that the legislation (H2202) co-sponsored by 28 of the 37 current senators is "an infringement on our right to self-defense with a firearm in our homes."

And she was not alone. As both a Rhode Island National Guardsman and "Firearms Policy Coalition Member," Christopher Morin of Coventry told the lawmakers in written testimony that the requirement that firearms "be secured in locked containers or equipped with tamper-resistant locks at all times when not in use'' is impractical, "could delay or prevent individuals from defending their homes and loved ones in emergencies" and "infringes on the rights of law-abiding gun owners."

He said the penalties could also add to the trauma of "individuals and families already suffering fromaccidents involving firearms"  presumably their own.

Arguments in support of the bill

But Rhonda Brewster, the mother of the 16-year-old shot to death by his best friend in Johnston in 2022, told legislators during one of the gun hearings last week that she has a chihuahua and a Rottweiler who would alert her of an intruder in plenty of time.

Working in child protective services for the state, she said, she also sees cases where children get into guns and shoot themselves.

"Just within the last four months, we've had about six cases of children having access to guns  with their parents' home  and shooting themselves," she said.

In response to a Journal inquiry about her statement, DCYF acknowledged the four fatalities and one near fatality involving guns, noting it is "prohibited from sharing additional information."

More: RI faith leaders implore state 'leaders to lead' with assault-weapons ban and safe storage law

For South Kingstown Councilwoman Patricia Alley, last week's hearings marked the latest in a year-after-year series of visits to the State House to recount the events that led to the suicide of her sister Allyson Dosreis at age 37.

"This bill would prevent other Rhode Island families from enduring the same devastation that my family and I have gone through after the suicide of my sister, Ally," she told the House Judiciary Committee.

Alley told lawmakers how she and her sister got close later in life when she reunited with her birth family. But COVID and the pandemic took a toll on her sister's hairdressing business, and then her sister's partner "abruptly" ended their 10-year relationship and listed their house for sale. He was active duty military, Alley said, and when his firearm wasn't with him, it was in an "easily accessible location known to the family."

"And when she was at her lowest, she used that gun to end her life," Alley said.

"Suicide is often an impulsive act," she told the legislators. "If you can prevent access to a gun, you can short-circuit that impulse and save a life."

Gun opponent Susan Feeley of Providence waits in line with others to enter the Senate Judiciary hearings on a variety of gun bills at the State House last Tuesday.

What would the penalties be for violating the safe storage law?

The potential penalties for violating the proposed new Rhode Island safe-storage law start with a fine of up to $250 for a first offense, which would be treated as a civil infraction, to a fine of up to $1,000 for a second offense and up to six months in prison, and a fine of up to $500 for three of more violations.

The penalty gets steeper  a potential year in prison and $1,000 fine  for someone "who knows or reasonably should know that a child" or someone prohibited from purchasing a firearm "is likely to gain access to the firearm."

The penalty increases exponentially for the gun owner if the unsecured gun is obtained by a child or a person prohibited by state or federal law from having a firearm and is then used to commit a crime or cause injury. Any of those scenarios would be punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The approval comes after some Senators warned of putting law-abiding gun owners at risk.
FILE PHOTO: Signage is seen at the headquarters of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Washington, D.C.

(Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge said the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had engaged in "gross abuse of the power entrusted to it by Congress" in its dispute with blockchain technology firm Digital Licensing, which does business as DEBT Box.

The regulator had sued the blockchain company in July last year, accusing it of defrauding investors of nearly $50 million.

Chief District Judge Robert Shelby said on Monday the SEC acted in "bad faith" and was "deliberately perpetuating falsehoods" in its efforts to obtain an asset freeze and a temporary restraining order against the company.

The regulator, for instance, accused DEBT Box of trying to move its assets overseas. Citing a YouTube video from the company, it alleged that DEBT Box was in the process of moving its operations to the United Arab Emirates to evade U.S. securities laws.

Lawyers for DEBT Box refuted the allegations, saying the comments made in the YouTube video were just discussing the benefits of operating in the UAE versus the uncertain regulatory environment in the U.S.

The judge also sanctioned the SEC, ordering it to pay attorneys' fees and legal costs of DEBT Box. The order, however, "should not be construed as offering any views on the underlying merits of the case" against DEBT Box and was focused only on the regulator's misconduct, the judge wrote.

The SEC is often accused of adopting a heavy-handed approach towards crypto firms, and its chair Gary Gensler is a fierce skeptic of the industry.

He has been criticized by executives in the crypto space for jurisdictional overreach, and some have warned that the hostile regulatory environment in the U.S. could lead to major industry players moving offshore.

An SEC spokesperson said the regulator was reviewing the decision.

(Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
Arkansas Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith (right) discusses draft rules with state board of education members during a work session in Little Rock on March 6, 2024. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate)

Arkansas school districts have already begun helping students meet a new community service graduation requirement as state officials work to approve final rules for the program.

Under the LEARNS Act, a sweeping new education law, Arkansas students must complete 75 hours of community hours to graduate, starting with this years freshman class.

De Queen superintendent Jason Sanders said 9th grade administrators and teachers have built time into the school day throughout the year for community service opportunities as well as after-school opportunities to meet the requirement.

Students at De Queen Junior High, which serves 8th and 9th graders, have participated in campus clean-up days, volunteered at sporting events, worked concession stands, served meals at a chamber of commerce banquet and visited nursing homes, Sanders said.

We understand there could be extenuating circumstances for some students and are waiting for guidance from [the Arkansas Department of Education], he said. It is really hard to say how difficult implementation is at this point because we are still in the early stages of this LEARNS requirement. We should be able to know more in due time.

Details are on the way following the State Board of Educations approval of draft rules for public comment on Thursday, more than a year after the passage of the LEARNS Act.

The proposed rules, which mirror language in the LEARNS Act, will have a 30-day public comment period and feedback will inform any changes. The final rules must again be approved by the state board and then by lawmakers.

Unless another effective date is specified, the rules become effective 10 days after filing with the Secretary of States office.

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Since the 1996-1997 academic year, Arkansas law has allowed students to receive one graduation credit for completing a minimum of 75 hours of community service. Under the LEARNS Act, the graduating class of 2025-2026 will be the final group eligible for the credit.

Arkansas Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith said Thursday that the new graduation requirement will help students have pride and connection to their communities. She also said the rules provide flexibility for local districts to determine what qualifies as community service.

We do believe that school districts need to know their students and they need to have the ability to make some individual decisions, and they know their communities and their resources and places that students have the opportunity to go and do community service, Smith said.

While the proposed rules allow districts to decide what counts as community service, the policy must be posted to the district website, require an adult sign off on the students community service hours and include preparation, action and reflection components required for a student to receive credit.

Service activities can be completed inside or outside of Arkansas and before, during or after school hours.

When designing community service activities, districts are required to address student safety and ensure partner organizations have the infrastructure to accommodate students by ensuring student safety and privacy, as well as provide necessary equipment and training, according to the draft rules.

A minimum number of community service hours are not required for each grade unless they are transferring into the district. The minimum number of hours for transfer students is 15 hours for 9th grade and 20 hours for 10th through 12th grade.

Rep. Tippi McCullough, a Little Rock Democrat and former educator, said shes not against community service, but she is concerned about students who face challenges at home or have extra familial duties like caring for siblings.

I think for a lot of families that requirement will put a certain kind of strain on the family and on the kids just because of these advantages some families have over others, McCullough said. Whether its money or whether its their life situation or whateverI do think it will be much easier for some students to achieve that than others.

The proposed rules allow the service requirement to be waived for extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis. A parent, legal guardian or 18-year-old student may petition the district for the waiver and a public school board must take up the request at its next board meeting. The chief executive officer of an open-enrollment charter school must take up the request within 15 days of receipt.

Extenuating circumstances may include a major illness of a student or family member, a student who is medically fragile or with a disability under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Smith noted that a student does not automatically qualify for an exemption if they have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a written education plan for students with disabilities.

Again, its about individual students, and [districts] working with families and working with their students and the schools to determine whats appropriate, Smith said.

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Additional extenuating circumstances include a student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, or if the student is a major contributor to family income.

Its not uncommon for students to contribute to their households income in high-poverty areas like the Newport School District where nearly 76% of the districts 1,125 students qualify for free and reduced lunch. That number was as high as 100% in 2018 and 2019.

Newport School District Career and Technical Education Coordinator Amanda Brogdon said many of Newports students work, but she doesnt think theyll have trouble meeting the requirement.

The district has focused on community service for some time, but Brogdon said theyre increasing opportunities and providing more guidance to keep students on track with the new requirement.

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Giving back is very important and its a very important civic lesson I think to teach our kids, she said.

The proposed rules require districts to maintain a system to record community service hours, which will be reported to the education department annually. Districts must also report if a student was granted a waiver and the reason for the waiver.

Brogdon said a coordinator in Newport already tracks students community service hours in a shared Google spreadsheet, and this year, students have earned more than 2,000 hours.

By volunteering at community events, Brogdon said students can build relationships and network with local leaders. Volunteer opportunities can also expose students to potential careers.

For example, health occupation students who participate in a blood drive twice a year get to learn about the medical field while earning community service hours, Brogdon said. These students also lead an awesome teddy bear clinic where they show elementary school students how to administer shots to the stuffed animals or check their heartbeat.

Thats getting young kids excited about careers in the medical field, a very very important fieldwe are exposing those kids to early careers and its a great thing, she said. Its a really good thing.

The post Rules governing Arkansas community service graduation requirement approved for public comment appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
After the market close on Monday, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) kicked off its annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC), which some have dubbed the "Woodstock of Artificial Intelligence (AI)." Thousands of tech glitterati showed up in person to watch CEO Jensen Huang's keynote address, while millions more tuned in online.

During the two-hour presentation, Huang expounded on the company's latest creations, collaborations, and partnerships, which will have a ripple effect across much of the tech world. This morning, investors are still digesting the impact of these announcements, which is causing something of a hangover in AI stocks -- likely following the old adage "buy the rumor, sell the news."

With that as a backdrop, AI-centric server maker Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI) tumbled 10.3%, chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) slumped 5%, and chip designer Arm Holdings (NASDAQ: ARM) declined 2.8% as of 1:26 p.m. ET on Tuesday.

A check of all the usual suspects -- regulatory filings, financial reports, and changes to analysts' price targets -- was mixed in terms of company-specific news (more on that in a bit), suggesting much of the move was tied to Nvidia's day in the spotlight.

Image source: Getty Images.

The unveiling of Blackwell

Nvidia announced its long-awaited Blackwell architecture, the successor to the company's highly sought-after Hopper processors, which have become the gold standard for AI processing. Huang called the updated B200 graphics processing unit (GPU) the "world's most powerful chip" for AI.

The GB200 superchip combines two B200 processors and a Grace CPU on a single board. Nvidia also developed a new network switch chip -- the NVLink -- that facilitates speedier communication while reducing the burden on the main processors.

These next-generation processors are being packaged into full systems, including the GB200 NVL72, which contains 36 Grace CPUs and 72 Blackwell GPUs in a complete rack-scale design. The liquid-cooled system also contains a 72-GPU NVLink, which "acts as a single massive GPU," delivering 30 times faster performance for the large language models (LLMs) that underlie generative AI.

Story continues

As Nvidia's chief rival in the AI chip space, AMD's stock price reaction isn't unexpected, as Nvidia raised the bar for AI performance expectations. Analysts from JPMorgan posit that Nvidia "continues to be one to two steps ahead of its competitors," while analysts at Bank of America suggest Nvidia continues to "widen its competitive moat."

Furthermore, the Grace CPU in Nvidia's GB200 was designed by Arm Holdings, which means the company gets a cut of each sale, either in the form of royalties or licensing revenue.

Super Micro Computer, commonly referred to as Supermicro, partners with Nvidia on its own rack-scale, AI-centric servers to ensure optimal integration and performance from Nvidia's AI workhorse processors. Supermicro announced the expansion of its product portfolio to include these latest powerhouse AI chips.

It's easy to see how the ripples from Nvidia's announcements will impact each of these companies in both positive and negative ways.

There was one piece of company-specific news that may have fueled its downturn Tuesday. In a regulatory filing, Supermicro announced a secondary stock offering, with plans to sell 2 million shares of common stock, bringing the total share count to 58.55 million.

Current shareholders are no doubt unhappy about the dilution, which amounts to about 3.5% -- far less than today's stock price drubbing. However, since the stock was recently sitting near an all-time high, it maximizes the amount of capital Supermicro will raise. At its current price of roughly $900 (as of this writing), the company could raise roughly $1.8 billion.

Are any of these stocks a buy?

Most market commentators believe that it's still very early days for the adoption of AI. If they're right -- and I believe they are -- each of these stocks has a vast opportunity ahead. For example:

Supermicro has become the server of choice for many businesses looking to adopt AI. Furthermore, the company's building-block strategy allows companies to start small and easily expand their existing systems as the need arises.

Arm Holdings controls a vast library of intellectual property (IP) and will continue to see its licensing and royalty revenue grow from the accelerating adoption of AI.

AMD offers alternatives to Nvidia's AI processors, as well as CPUs of its own design to accompany them, so it will also benefit from the secular tailwind represented by AI.

In terms of valuation, Supermicro is the least expensive of the group, with a forward price-to-sales ratio of 2, while AMD and Arm Holdings are selling for 9 times and 33 times forward sales, respectively.

However, for those with a long-term outlook and stomach for some increased volatility, each of these stocks represents an intriguing opportunity, especially since it's still early days for AI.

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JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Danny Vena has positions in Nvidia and Super Micro Computer. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why Super Micro Computer, Advanced Micro Devices, and Other Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks Tumbled on Tuesday was originally published by The Motley Fool
One of the most popular performers on RuPauls Drag Race is now facing multiple accusations of sexual assault.

Darius Jeremy DJ Pierce  who performs in drag under the name Shangela  has been accused by five different people of either sexually assaulting them or trying to have sex with them when they were too intoxicated to consent, according to Rolling Stone.

Neither RuPaul nor the show are implicated in Rolling Stones report.

One of the victims, a 27-year-old man named Helmer, said he met Pierce, 42, seven years ago when he was working at a Los Angeles bar and later hooked up on social media.

But Helmer said things took a turn for the worse during a late dinner in 2017 where Pierce ordered a mojito for him. Helmer told the Los Angeles Police that he woke up completely naked on a bed and had no recollection of the events that occurred after he drank that cocktail.

According to the complaint Helmer filed with the LAPD, Pierce told him that they had sex together, and added, There was another guy involved that you brought in.

When Helmer asked the other mans identity, Pierce said he didnt know. But you were really into it, Pierce told Helmer.

Pierces attorney, Andrew Brettler, told Rolling Stone that Helmers allegations were absurd and claimed any sex between all three men was consensual.

Another victim, Edward Ramirez said Pierce allegedly shoved me on the floor in a closet and tried to penetrate me in 2018. He was 21 years old.

Im very confident I was clear with my nos. I was declining advances, Ramirez told Rolling Stone. He still kept trying anyway.

Brettler also denied the allegation, saying there were three people who could attest that Mr. Pierce and Mr. Ramirez were never alone together on the night in question.

All five people who spoke to Rolling Stone about Pierces alleged crimes identify as queer and have either participated in drag shows or watched, according to the publication.

All of them also admitted they feared going public because of the current anti-drag show climate sweeping parts of the nation.

[Pierce is] a huge spokesperson for a community in which they have hurt quite a few people. I would hope that people take this kind of thing seriously, said Zein Checri, who accused Pierce of attempting to penetrate him without consent in 2017  he was also 18. It is a big relief that, finally, this conversation is starting to happen.

The new expose comes about 10 months after a production assistant named Daniel McGarrigle accused Pierce of raping him, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Although Pierce said that he was hurt and disgusted by the totally untrue allegations, he and McGarrigle reached a settlement in February.

You can read the very extensive report here.
Russian forces struck 11 communities in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast in 50 separate attacks throughout the day, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on March 18. At least 214 explosions were reported in the region over the past 24 hours.

The communities of Mykolaiv, Myropillia, Yunakivka, Khotin, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Konotop, Shalyhyne, Esman, and Seredyna-Buda were targeted.

Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, grenade launcher, tank, drone attacks, according to the Ukrainian military. Several communities saw mines dropped and suffered missiles attacks. No casualties were reported.

The town of Bilopillia, located just eight kilometers south and 25 kilometers west of the Ukraine-Russia border, experienced the bulk of the attacks with 84 explosions reported in the area.

In recent weeks, Russian assaults on Sumy Oblast have escalated in their destructive impact.

During the early hours of March 6, a drone strike launched by Russian forces in Sumy resulted in four injured individuals and inflicted damage on numerous residences, schools, and medical facilities. Another assault on March 7 claimed the lives of two people and left 26 others wounded, with six civilians requiring hospitalization.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: EU gives final approval of $5.5 billion in defense aid to Kyiv

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Editor's note: The article was updated following a statement by Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov about alleged casualties in the region.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on March 19 that Belgorod Oblast came under a rocket strike, marking yet another alleged attack against the region in the past few days.

The Russian state media and officials claimed that the city of Belgorod, lying not far from the Ukrainian border, was attacked also on March 16, 17, and 18, allegedly resulting in civilian casualties.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims of Russian authorities, and Ukraine does not usually comment on alleged attacks on Russian soil. The news comes days after Russian anti-Kremlin militias reportedly broke into Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, resulting in clashes with the Russian government forces.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, its forces repelled the March 19 attack, supposedly shooting down nine rockets fired from the Czech-made RM-70 Vampire launcher at around 10:30 a.m. local time (GMT+3). Vyacheslav Gladkov, the regional governor, reported an air raid alert around the same time.

According to Gladkov's statement after the reported attack, four people were injured in Razumnoye, a village lying near Belgorod. The governor also alleged that 13 houses, 10 flats in eight apartment buildings, and 19 cars were damaged. Windows were also broken in local school and kindergarten buildings, he claimed.

Damage was further reported in the villages of Nikolskoye, Nizhny Olshanets, and Belovskoye.

Footage shared by the Russian Baza Telegram channel supposedly captures several burning cars and black smoke rising above Belgorod.

Read also: Ukrainian drones hit one Russian oil refinery after another

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Over 200 explosions were heard along the border regions of Ukraines Sumy Oblast as Russia dramatically increases its activity in the area.

A total of 214 explosions were heard in 50 separate attacks on nearly a dozen communities.

Read also: Number of casualties in Russias deadly missile attack on Mykolaiv rises to 9

Russia launched 800 shelling attacks on Sumy Oblast in a 48-hour period from March 13-14  as much as the last six months combined, reported Sumy Regional Administration head, Volodymyr Artyukh, on March 14.

Read also:

The communities affected in the March 18-19 shelling include Mykolaivska, Myropilska, Yunakivska, Khotynska, Bilopilska, Krasnopilska, Velykopysarivska, Konotopska, Shalyhynska, Esman, and Seredyno-Budska.

Russian troops have been consistently shelling residential areas in Sumy Oblast with various types of weaponry.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Russia may have the military capability to attack NATO as early as 2026-27.

Source: Polish President Andrzej Duda in an interview with CNBC, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Polish president defended his recent proposal to increase the required threshold for NATO defence spending from 2 to 3% of GDP.

"From my point of view, its a question of common sense. New reports are coming in, and I recently saw one by German experts which said that soon, perhaps as early as 2026 or 2027, Putin, by putting his economy on a war footing, will have such military might that he will be able to attack NATO," Duda said.

"The alarm bells are ringing. We have two or three years in which we can increase our efforts, stockpile ammunition and produce weapons to maximise European security, get ready and make sure the invasion does not happen," he added.

He also urged the US to continue to support Ukraine, warning that if Russia is not stopped in Ukraine, the cost will rise sharply later.

"This Russian aggression has to be stopped at all cost. If its not stopped it will spill over and then, I fear US money wont be enough to stop Russia: US soldiers will have to step in and no one wants that," Duda said.

At the same time, he said that "every dollar donated to support Ukraine, every Bradley transferred to Ukraine, every weapon transferred to Ukraine, every box of artillery ammunition transferred to Ukraine staves off the Russian victory".

Background:

German intelligence services had prepared an analysis for the German government examining the military threat posed by Russia, which predicted that it could attack the territory of NATO member states "starting in 2026".

In recent weeks, a number of European NATO countries have warned of the risk of Russian aggression in the near future. For example, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in January that the Alliance should prepare for a Russian attack on a NATO country within 5-8 years.

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Around 9,000 children will be evacuated from the Russian region of Belgorod, the local governor said, as Russian volunteers fighting for Ukraine carry out cross-border raids in the region.

The first group of 1,200 children will be evacuated on March 22, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the Belgorod governor, said

The announcement comes after shelling in the region this morning injured three people and left the border district of Grayvoronsky without power, Tass, the Russian state-owned media agency, reported.

Pro-Kyiv Russian soldiers, who have captured prisoners and villages in the regions of Belgorod and Kursk over the past week, have repeatedly called for residents to evacuate to avoid being caught up in military strikes.

The groups have targeted several Russian ammunition depots in recent days, with one reportedly destroyed this morning in the border village of Tetkino, Kursk.

03:14 PM GMT

Thats all for today

Thank you for tuning in to todays live blog. Well be back tomorrow to bring you all the latest updates from the Russia-Ukraine war.

Key moments from today:

Sergei Naryshkin, Russias foreign intelligence chief, said that any French troops sent to Ukraine would be a priority target for Russian forces, Tass, the state-owned news agency, reported.

Ukraine hopes to have enough ammunition for its outgunned troops to repel Russian aggression starting from April, Denys Shmyhal, the Ukrainian prime minister, said.

Boris Pistorius, Germanys defence minister, has announced a 500 million euro (427.4 million) aid package for Ukraine, including 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

Josep Borrell, the European Union foreign policy chief, has said he will propose that the EU uses 90 per cent of the revenues from Russian assets frozen in Europe to buy arms for Ukraine.

The United States will not let Ukraine fail, Lloyd Austin, the US defence chief, has said.

Russia said its forces have seized the village of Orlivka, in Donetsk, on Ukraines eastern front.

Europe must shift to a war economy and significantly bolster its defence capabilities in the face of Russian aggression, Charles Michel, the European Council president, said.

Donald Trump has said Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, was probably involved in the death of Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader who died in an Arctic prison last month.

Vladimir Putin is attempting to use the alleged record levels of voter turnout in Russias sham elections to justify a long-term war in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.

Developing drones is key to giving Kyiv an advantage over the numerically superior Russian forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraines Commander-in-chief, has said.

03:06 PM GMT

Germany charges military officer with spying for Russia

German prosecutors have charged an officer in the military procurement agency with attempting to pass secret information to Russian intelligence, the federal prosecutors office said in a statement.

The German national, whom the prosecutors office identified only as Thomas H., has been in custody since August.

He is accused of repeatedly approaching Russias consulate in Bonn and embassy in Berlin from May last year on his own initiative to offer his cooperation.

On one occasion, Thomas H. handed over information obtained during the course of his work with the intention that it be passed to a Russian intelligence service, the federal prosecutors office said.

He was arrested in Koblenz, the procurement agencys seat in western Germany, and his home and workplace were searched.

The nature of the information he attempted to pass to Moscow was not specified.

03:05 PM GMT

French troops in Ukraine would be priority target, says Russia

Sergei Naryshkin, Russias foreign intelligence chief, said that any French troops sent to Ukraine would be a priority target for Russian forces, Tass, the state-owned news agency, reported.

It (a French contingent) will become a priority and legitimate target for attacks by the Russian Armed Forces. This means that the fate of all Frenchmen who have ever come to the territory of the Russian world with a sword would await it, Naryshkin said.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, in late February opened the door to European nations sending troops to Ukraine.

03:04 PM GMT

Ukraine hopes to have enough ammunition to repel Russian by April

Ukraine hopes to have enough ammunition for its outgunned troops to repel Russian aggression starting from April, Denys Shmyhal, the Ukrainian prime minister, said.

His comments come as a Czech-led initiative to source ammunition for Ukraine has so far raised the funds to deliver hundreds of thousands of rounds.

We hope that this Czech initiative, which Luxembourg joined, will help us, and beginning since April we will have enough ammunition to deter our front line, Mr Shmyhal told a news conference on a visit to Luxembourg.

Prague earlier this year located 800,000 artillery rounds with which to supply Ukraine and has so far raised funds to purchase a first batch of 300,000.

03:03 PM GMT

Moldova expels Russian diplomat over Trasnistria elections

Moldova has expelled a Russian diplomat after Moscow opened polling stations for its presidential election in the breakaway region of Transnistria.

The Russian ambassador, Oleg Vasnetsov, has been summoned to the Foreign Ministry, Mihai Popsoi, the Moldovan foreign minister, said on Twitter. The Moldovan side expressed its protest against the presidential elections held by Russia in the Transnistrian region, against Moldovan authorities stance.

A diplomat was declared persona non grata, Popsoi added.

The decision to summon Mr Vasnetsov was made in protest against the Kremlins decision to open six polling stations in Trasnistria, despite having previously agreed to open just one polling station at its embassy in Moldovas capital, Chisinau.

Relations between Chisinau and Moscow have grown increasingly fraught in recent weeks, with officials in Moldova concerned that the Kremlin is stoking opposition among pro-Russian rebels in Moldovas breakaway region of Transnistria in order to derail the countrys EU accession plans.

02:57 PM GMT

Russia paying staggering cost for Putins war, says US defence chief

Russia has paid a staggering cost for Putins imperial dreams, Lloyd Austin, the US defence chief, has said.

Speaking at a meeting of Ukrainian allies held in Ramstein, Germany, Mr Austin hammered home the impact Vladimir Putins war has had on Russian lives and the countrys economy.

At least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since Putins all-out invasion in February 2022, he said. Russia has squandered up to $211 billion to equip, deploy, maintain, and sustain its imperial aggression against Ukraine.

See post at 12.16pm for more details.

02:49 PM GMT

Germany announces 427.4 million aid package for Ukraine

Boris Pistorius, Germanys defence minister, has announced a 500 million euro (427.4 million) aid package for Ukraine, including 10,000 rounds of ammunition.

We have once again put together an aid package worth almost half a billion euros, Pistorius told reporters on the sidelines of talks with the United States and other allies at Ramstein Air Base in south western Germany.

The package also includes 100 armoured vehicles, 100 units of transport equipment, 180,000 155mm artillery shells pledged by Berlin as part of the Czech Republic ammunition initiative as well as 100,000 155mm shells newly ordered in Germany.

Despite his offer of aid, Mr Pistorious reaffirmed Germanys commitment not to have boots on the ground in Ukraine.

02:39 PM GMT

Use Russian frozen asset revenues to arm Ukraine, says EU foreign policy chief

Josep Borrell, the European Union foreign policy chief, has said he will propose that the EU uses 90 per cent of the revenues from Russian assets frozen in Europe to buy arms for Ukraine.

The EUs top diplomat told reporters in Brussels he will propose that the remaining 10 per cent be transferred to the EU budget to be used to boost the capacity of the Ukrainian defence industry.

He said he would submit the proposal to EU member states on Wednesday, ahead of a summit of EU leaders on Thursday and Friday.

Mr Borrell stressed the proposal was to use profits from the assets held in Europe rather than the assets themselves. He said this could yield some three billion euros annually.

The concrete proposal will be tabled tomorrow, he said. This is for member states to agree.

02:33 PM GMT

Putin calls rogue Russian soldiers scum

Vladimir Putin called on the FSB security service to identify and punish pro-Ukrainian Russian fighters who have taken part in an increasing number of deadly attacks on border regions.

About these traitors... we must not forget who they are, we must identify them by name. We will punish them without statute of limitations, wherever they are, Putin said, calling Russians fighting against their country scum.

Pro-Kyiv Russian forces have taken part in cross-border raids over recent weeks in the territories of Belgorod and Kursk, capturing villages and prisoners for exchange.

02:23 PM GMT

Watch: Rogue Russian strikes on Belgorod

02:10 PM GMT

Macron backs restrictions on 1bn Ukrainian imports to EU

France has backed a proposal to impose restrictions on duty-free imports of Ukrainian agricultural goods to the EU  which are worth more than an estimated one billion euros a year, write James Crisp.

Paris swung behind Poland ahead of crunch negotiations to roll over the duty-free trade regime brought in to help the Ukrainian economy after Vladimir Putins illegal invasion.

It supported calls for limits on Ukrainian poultry, eggs, sugar and wheat, which Polish farmers argue is undercutting them in their domestic market.

Emmanuel Macrons, the French president, move at a Monday night meeting of ambassadors in Brussels has put him at odds with allies including Germany, the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries.

Read James full report here.

01:42 PM GMT

Posterchild for Russias removal of Ukraine orphans was threatened with beatings

A teenage orphan who became a posterchild for Moscows deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia said he was instructed by officials to recite pro-Russian talking points for television cameras and threatened with a beating when he complained about conditions.

Denys Kostev, 18, is one of 4,000 orphans and children without parental care who, according to Kyiv, have been unlawfully taken to Russian-controlled territory following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia says it has done nothing unlawful and that it only moved the children to protect them from the war.

Denys was taken from the Ukrainian city of Kherson by Russian forces and emerged as a regular participant in a stream of pro-Russian videos filmed and shared widely online.

The teenager, who left Russia last month and is now living in Poland, said he had no plans to return to Ukraine, where some see him as a collaborator and propagandist. He told Reuters he took part in the videos because he felt intimidated and alone.

When your life is threatened, you will do anything to keep yourself safe, he said.

01:30 PM GMT

Zelensky calls for air defence aid amid barrage of Russian strikes

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, has appealed to Kyivs allies to supply more air defences, saying Russia had launched 130 missiles, more than 320 attack drones and almost 900 guided bombs in attacks this month alone.

We require more protection, specifically a fully realistic number of air defense systems that our partners possess, Mr Zelenksy posted on Twitter.

Patriots and other systems must do what they were designed for: protect lives, not collect dust in storage.

Every day and night, Russia uses drones, missiles, and guided bombs to wage a terrorist war against our people, against ordinary Ukrainian cities and villages.



Since the beginning of March, Russian troops have used 130 different types of missiles, over 320 'Shahed' drones, and pic.twitter.com/pZTm3n2V0r  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 19, 2024

01:10 PM GMT

Russia politicising sport with Friendship Games, says Olympic Committee

Russia is politicising sport by launching its so-called Friendship Games from next September, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said.

The new competition will compete with the Olympic Games and Russian organisers are also planning a winter edition.

Announced several months ago, the first edition of the summer Friendship Games is planned to be held in Moscow and Yekaterinburg next September, the IOC said, with the first winter edition to take place in 2026 in Sochi, the venue for the controversial 2014 Winter Olympics.

The IOC called on the sporting world and the governments invited by Moscow to reject any participation in and support of the new event, it said in a statement.

Russian sportsmen and women have been permitted to compete in this years Olympics in Paris on the proviso that they compete under a neutral banner and do not support Russias invasion of Ukraine.

12:47 PM GMT

Pictured: An unexploded Shahed drone uncovered in Ukraine

A worker uncovers debris of a drone shot down in Vinnychyna, Ukraine - Telegram

Three other drones shot down in the region scattered debris across a 200m area - Telegram

12:16 PM GMT

US will not let Ukraine fail, says defence chief

The United States will not let Ukraine fail, Lloyd Austin, the US defence chief, has said.

His reassurance comes despite Ukraine grappling with acute ammunition shortages as a $60 billion package of US aid remains stalled in Congress.

We remain determined to provide Ukraine with the resources that it needs to resist the Kremlins aggression, he said at the opening of a meeting of Ukraine allies in Germany.

Washington announced $300 million in assistance for Ukraine last week, but Mr Austin said it was only possible due to savings on recent purchases.

We were only able to support this much-needed package by identifying some unanticipated contract savings, Mr Austin said.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said in a statement yesterday that it is critically important for us that the Congress soon completes all the necessary procedures and makes a final decision on aid for Kyiv.

11:58 AM GMT

Russia captures front-line village near Avdiivka

Russia said its forces have seized the village of Orlivka, in Donetsk, on Ukraines eastern front.

On the Avdiivka front, units of the Centre grouping of troops liberated the village of Orlivka, the defence ministry said.

The reported capture comes a little over a month after Russian forces seized the nearby town of Avdiivka, 2.5 miles to the east, following one of the bloodiest battles in the conflict.

British Ministry of Defence analysis shows Russia has concentrated the majority of its attacks on the area west of Avdiivka and Marinka, also in Donetsk, in recent weeks.

11:23 AM GMT

Europe will be able to produce necessary amount of ammunition, says Czech Republic

Petr Pavel, the Czech president, has said that, in the near future, European companies will be able to produce enough ammunition for themselves and Ukraine.

In the near future, European companies will be able to produce the necessary amount of ammunition to replenish the stockpiles of European countries, as well as to provide Ukraine with ammunition if it still needs it, Mr Pavel said.

His comments come after a Czech-led initiative last week raised enough funds to deliver 300,000 rounds of ammunition for Ukraine, with the goal of providing much more.

European countries have stepped up efforts to arm Ukraine in recent months as a US bill to provide a $60 billion package of aid to Kyiv remains tied up in Congress.

10:47 AM GMT

Rogue Russian soldiers blow up ammunition depot

Russian volunteers fighting for Ukraine say they have destroyed an ammunition depot in the border village of Tetkino, in Kursk.

Drone footage posted on social media shows smoke rising from the warehouse after it is hit by artillery, before a second strike causes the building to burst into flames.



We destroyed the ammunition depot of Putins army in Tetkino. To be continued! the Legion of Freedom posted on Telegram.



They are one of several pro-Kyiv groups currently involved in cross-border raids inside the Russian border regions of Kursk and Belgorod.

10:14 AM GMT

Four dead and six injured in Russian strikes

Russian attacks against Ukraine have killed four people and wounded six over the past day, local officials reported.

Russian forces struck the city of Kherson and eight more settlements in the region, killing three people, Oleksandr Prokudin, the local governor, reported.

One more person was killed and another one injured in attacks on the village of Ocheretyne, Donetsk, some nine miles northwest of the recently captured Avdiivka, Vadym Filashkin, the regional governor, said on Facebook.

Around 22 miles south west in the village of Selydove, four people were injured after Russian missile fire, regional officials said, with images of the strike on social media showing houses reduced to rubble.

Russia targeted a total of nine Ukrainian regions  Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Donetsk  with casualties reported in the latter three.

09:47 AM GMT

Pictured: Ukraine and Russia trade fire in Belgorod

A Russian tank fires its cannon at Ukrainian troops from a position near the border with Ukraine in the Belgorod region - AP

Emergency workers in Belgorod at the destroyed building after shelling from the Ukrainian side - AP/Belgorod Region Governor Vyaches

09:23 AM GMT

Europe must prepare for war, says European Council president

Europe must shift to a war economy and significantly bolster its defence capabilities in the face of Russian aggression, Charles Michel, the European Council president, said.

If we want peace, we must prepare for war, Mr Michel wrote in an op-ed, published by several newspapers, imploring European leaders to no longer take US support for granted.

Russia is a serious military threat to our European continent and global security. If we do not get the EUs response right and do not give Ukraine enough support to stop Russia, we are next, he said.

We must therefore be defence-ready and shift to a war economy mode.

08:51 AM GMT

EU to impose tariffs on Russian grain imports

The European Union (EU) is preparing to levy tariffs on grain imports from Russia and Belarus to placate farmers and some member states, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the plans.

The European Commission is expected to impose a duty of 95 euros (81.22) per tonne on cereals from Russia and Belarus, thereby increasing prices by 50 per cent and nixing demand. Tariffs of 50 per cent are also to be placed on oil seeds and derived products.

The move comes as EU farmers protest against climate measures imposed on them by the bloc as well as cheap grain imports from Ukraine, which they say undercut their prices.

Poland has been gripped by protests in recent weeks as farmers demonstrate against EU measures. Meanwhile, Donald Tusk, the countrys prime minister, has been a leading voice calling for an EU ban on imports of Russian and Belarusian agricultural products.

08:21 AM GMT

Watch: What does Putin election win mean for Ukraine?

08:05 AM GMT

Trump says Putin probably involved in Navalnys death

Donald Trump has said Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, was probably involved in the death of Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader who died in an Arctic prison last month.

I dont know, but perhaps, I mean possibly, I could say probably, I dont know, the US Republican presidential candidate said in an interview with Fox News, when asked whether Putin bears responsibility for Navalnys death.

Hes a young man, so statistically hed be alive for a long time  so something happened that was unusual, Mr Trump added.

Mr Trump, who faces a rematch with Joe Biden in Novembers US presidential race, has previously been accused of taking a soft stance on Putin. He was also criticised for only acknowledging Navalnys death days after the event, without mentioning Putin directly.

07:57 AM GMT

Putin using election win to support long-term war in Ukraine, says leading think tank

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, is attempting to use the alleged record levels of voter turnout in Russias sham elections to justify a long-term war in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.

Putin is likely continuing efforts to set informational conditions to justify a protracted conflict and long-term occupation of Ukraine under the guise of protecting civilians in occupied Ukraine who are only in danger because of the Russian invasion, the ISW said in its daily report.

The president supposedly won up to 95.23 per cent of the vote in Ukraines occupied territories, which he used to demonstrate that the people of occupied Ukraine are grateful for Russian protection. He said, therefore, that Russia will do everything to ensure the protection of occupied Ukraine.

07:43 AM GMT

Drones are key to gaining advantage over Russia, says Ukraine army chief

Developing drones is key to giving Kyiv an advantage over the numerically superior Russian forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraines Commander-in-chief, has said.

The development of the use of unmanned systems is my priority, Mr Syrskyi said on Telegram after meeting his deputy, Vadym Sukharevskyi.

He added: We are looking for asymmetric solutions to gain a qualitative advantage over a numerically superior opponent.

As part of his military reforms, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, last month ordered the creation of a separate branch of Ukraines armed forces to be devoted to drones.

Britain, meanwhile, has announced the formation of a Ukraine drone coalition, under which it has pledged to deliver 10,000 drones to Kyiv throughout this year.

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Ukraine has found repeated success in the Black Sea by using naval drones to hammer Russian ships.

As of last month, Russia had already lost a third of its Black Sea Fleet, officials said.

This has forced Moscow's top brass to look into better ways to protect its warships from drones.

It took losing a third of its Black Sea Fleet for Russia's military leadership to decide that it should take Ukraine's naval drones a bit more seriously than it has been.

Kyiv, which lacks a proper navy, has relied heavily on an arsenal of uncrewed surface vessels, or USVs, packed with explosives to damage and sink Russian warships in the Black Sea. Moscow has so far been unable to consistently defend against this asymmetrical style of warfare.

Amid these mounting losses, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stepped in to announce a new set of protective measures for his naval assets.

Russia's defense ministry said Sunday that Shoigu visited the Black Sea Fleet's command post, located on the occupied Crimean peninsula, to discuss the Ukrainian drone attacks and how Moscow can better protect its warships and infrastructure.

Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visits the command centre of the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet at an unknown location, in this still image taken from video released March 17, 2024. Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

During his visit, Shoigu said it is "necessary" for naval crews to train every day so they better prepare for drone attacks from the air and sea, according to a statement from Russia's defense ministry. He also ordered the installation of "large-caliber machine gun small arms systems," although it was not immediately clear where these would be placed or what specific types would be used.

British intelligence noted Shoigu's recent visit, saying it was ultimately prompted by the Ukrainian military's continued success in the Black Sea.

"With Ukraine continuing to seek out opportunities to strike at distance," Britain's defense ministry wrote in a Tuesday intelligence update, Russia "has been prompted to increase its efforts to preserve its fleet in the Black Sea."

The Russian navy, Britain added, "has highly likely resorted to limiting its operations to the eastern Black Sea as its losses mount, and its threat perceptions increase."

A naval drone moves through the water during the presentation by Ukraine's Security Service in the Kyiv region on March 5, 2024. AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, suggested that Shoigu may also use the outcome of his visit for personal gain or to shield himself from criticism.

"Shoigu's posturing to protect the BSF sets conditions for Shoigu to either take credit should the BSF become more effective at protecting itself against Ukrainian strikes or blame other commanders should the BSF fail in this effort," the analysts wrote in a Sunday assessment.

Ukraine introduced its naval drones in late 2022 and has since used these systems to batter the Black Sea Fleet, forcing some of it to relocate to mainland Russia and away from the vulnerable headquarters at Sevastopol. Through its attacks, Kyiv has managed to open up a maritime corridor in the region, which is crucial for its economy.

It's unclear if the new efforts announced by Shoigu this week will yield any significant results, especially if they don't include sufficiently capable weaponry or electronic warfare capabilities.

Handout footage shows an explosion on what Ukrainian military intelligence said is the Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship Sergey Kotov that was damaged by Ukrainian sea drones at a location given as off the coast of Crimea, in this still image obtained from a video released on March 5, 2024. Ministry of Defense of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS

A general in the Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, previously told Business Insider that Russia at one point had deployed machine gun crews on its warships in a bid to better protect its forces. Ukraine, likewise, has increased the capabilities of its naval drone boats.

But these efforts have essentially proven to be fruitless, as video footage has shown. Kyiv has managed to take out roughly a third of the Black Sea Fleet's vessels in the first two years of the full-scale war, officials revealed last month.

The Black Sea fight is one battlespace where the Ukrainians have found tremendous success over the past year amid shortcomings on the ground. Kyiv's forces failed to achieve a major breakthrough during their much-anticipated counteroffensive last summer, which paved the way for Russia to follow up with its renewed offensive.

Over the past few weeks, Russia has made some noteworthy territorial gains in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv faces dwindling firepower and uncertainty over the future of Western support, particularly from the US  its biggest provider of military aid.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Understanding the Dividend Dynamics of NWWDF

New World Development Co Ltd (NWWDF) recently announced a dividend of $0.2 per share, payable on 2024-04-18, with the ex-dividend date set for 2024-03-20. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's delve into New World Development Co Ltd's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.

What Does New World Development Co Ltd Do?

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 8 Warning Signs with NWWDF.

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How to calculate the intrinsic value of a stock?

New World Development, or NWD, is the listed property arm of Chow Tai Fook, owned by the Cheng family. Chow Tai Fook owns a 45% stake in NWD, which mainly engages in residential property development and investment properties of retail malls and offices in Hong Kong and mainland China. NWD also develops high-end hotels across Hong Kong, mainland China, and in Southeast Asia. Additionally, NWD holds a 75% interest in New World Department Store China, which operates 24 department stores in mainland China.

New World Development Co Ltd's Dividend Analysis

A Glimpse at New World Development Co Ltd's Dividend History

New World Development Co Ltd has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 1999. Dividends are currently distributed on a bi-annual basis. Below is a chart showing annual Dividends Per Share for tracking historical trends.

Breaking Down New World Development Co Ltd's Dividend Yield and Growth

As of today, New World Development Co Ltd currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 8.09% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 4.26%. This suggests an expectation of decreased dividend payments over the next 12 months.

Over the past three years, New World Development Co Ltd's annual dividend growth rate was -1.30%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate increased to 1.20% per year. And over the past decade, New World Development Co Ltd's annual dividends per share growth rate stands at 3.10%.

Story continues

Based on New World Development Co Ltd's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of New World Development Co Ltd stock as of today is approximately 8.59%.

New World Development Co Ltd's Dividend Analysis

The Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and Profitability

To assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-12-31, New World Development Co Ltd's dividend payout ratio is 2.77, which may suggest that the company's dividend may not be sustainable.

New World Development Co Ltd's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks New World Development Co Ltd's profitability 7 out of 10 as of 2023-12-31, suggesting good profitability prospects. The company has reported positive net income for each year over the past decade, further solidifying its high profitability.

Growth Metrics: The Future Outlook

To ensure the sustainability of dividends, a company must have robust growth metrics. New World Development Co Ltd's growth rank of 7 out of 10 suggests that the company's growth trajectory is good relative to its competitors.

Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, and New World Development Co Ltd's revenue per share, combined with the 3-year revenue growth rate, indicates a strong revenue model. New World Development Co Ltd's revenue has increased by approximately 17.90% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 75.09% of global competitors.

The company's 3-year EPS growth rate showcases its capability to grow its earnings, a critical component for sustaining dividends in the long run. During the past three years, New World Development Co Ltd's earnings increased by approximately 17.30% per year on average, a rate that outperforms approximately 68.78% of global competitors.

Lastly, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of -35.80%, which outperforms approximately 4.42% of global competitors, presents a mixed picture but does not overshadow the company's overall strong performance.

Engaging Conclusion: Evaluating New World Development Co Ltd's Dividend Prospects

In conclusion, New World Development Co Ltd's upcoming dividend payment, along with its historical dividend performance, presents an interesting case for investors. While the dividend growth rate and high yield on cost are attractive, the low payout ratio raises questions about the dividend's sustainability. However, the company's solid profitability and positive growth metrics provide confidence in its ability to sustain dividends. Investors should weigh these factors carefully and consider New World Development Co Ltd's overall financial health when making investment decisions. Will the company continue to reward shareholders with consistent dividend payments? Only time will tell.

GuruFocus Premium users can screen for high-dividend yield stocks using the High Dividend Yield Screener.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


Flags of the RVC and the Siberian Battalion in the village of Kozinka

Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC) mobilized all reserves and are gradually advancing along the entire line of contact in Russias Belgorod Oblast, said Alexander Fortuna, the RVCs head of staff on national television on March 19.

"At present, there is a gradual advance, an offensive is underway," Fortuna said.

"We are employing all our potential and reserves. Currently, we are advancing along the entire line of contact."

Read also: Russia may conduct mobilization more openly after re-election - Ukrainian intelligence

Russian army's losses in this sector are gradually increasing, he said.

"It is difficult to provide a specific analysis at the moment, but as of yesterday, there were over 600 casualties among the active personnel and a significant amount of equipment," Fortuna said.

"More data will be available later, as the battles continue and the numbers increase."

Read also: Explosions rock border city of Belgorod on final day of Russian elections: photos, videos

Fortuna dismissed the figures provided by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, who claimed that 1,500 Russian volunteers were killed.

"There are losses, but they are not of the scale claimed by Vladimir Putin and the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation," he said.

RVC fighters are currently facing Russian border guards and motorized infantry, Fortuna said.

"This means that we are achieving one of our goals - to draw the Russian Federation's forces away from the front," he said.

"There are also special units, but their number is small."



Read also: Ukrainian HUR helps Russian volunteer corps to fight Putin's regime

Raid of Russian volunteers in Russia - what is known



On March 12, Russian volunteers from the Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL), Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), and Siberian Battalion announced a new operation in Belgorod Oblast of the Russian Federation.

The RVC said they advanced tens of kilometers and taken prisoners. The Russian Federation reported casualties among the Russian army.



On March 13, Russian rebels attacked the FSB building in Belgorod. Russian volunteers also claimed to be in control of the village of Tiotkino in Kursk Oblast. Later, they said that the village was in a gray zone.

Read also: Putin confirms agreement to exchange Navalny, reportedly just hours before his death in prison

On March 14, the FRL claimed to have destroyed two ammunition depots in Tiotkino.

On March 16, it was reported that shopping centers would be closed for several days and schools would be suspended in Belgorod and nearby towns. The Freedom of Russia Legion called its main mission to reach Moscow.

Soldiers of the Siberian Battalion called on Belgorod residents to temporarily leave the city due to the threat of striking Russian military facilities.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Aftermath of Russian attacks on Kharkiv Oblast. Stock photo: Telegram of Viacheslav Zadorenko

Russian forces attacked the village of Kozacha Lopan in Kharkiv Oblast with guided aerial bombs, damaging private houses, civilian infrastructure facilities and power transmission lines.

Source: Viacheslav Zadorenko, Head of Derhach District Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote from Zadorenko: "Around 09:00, Russian forces launched two strikes with guided aerial bombs on Kozacha Lopan. Several private houses, civilian infrastructure facilities and power transmission lines were damaged."

More details: Zadorenko said that there was currently no information on casualties; the situation is still being assessed.

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Russian forces have dropped an explosive from a UAV on a car with civilians inside at the entrance to the village of Osokorivka in Kherson Oblast, injuring two people.

Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, onTelegram

Quote: "At the entrance to the village of Osokorivka in Novovorontsovka hromada, the Russians attacked a car with civilians inside [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed].

They dropped an explosive from a drone, injuring a married couple."

Details: Prokudin reported that a 57-year-old woman and a 58-year-old man were diagnosed with contusion and an acute reaction to stress.

They have received necessary medical treatment.

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In his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned Russia's strikes on the border oblast of Sumy, where Russian aircraft have dropped almost 200 guided bombs since the beginning of March alone.

Source: Zelenskyy's evening address on 19 March

Quote: "I'll give you just one example right now: Sumy Oblast, which borders Russian territory. There are constant Russian attempts to bring in sabotage and reconnaissance groups, constant terrorist attacks and shelling. The Russian army is trying to burn our border villages to the ground.

From the beginning of March to the present day, Russian aircraft have dropped almost 200 guided bombs on the communities of Sumy Oblast alone, right onto villages, cities and civilian infrastructure. What Ukraine clearly needs to do is to bolster our air defence in such a way as to make this terror impossible."

Details: Zelenskyy also said he had held a meeting on international work in March and April. New security agreements with Ukraines partners are being prepared for signing. The president announced new legal steps to bring Russian war criminals to justice.

In addition, Zelenskyy spoke with European Council President Charles Michel.

Quote: "We are preparing for a meeting of the European Council. And for important European decisions this year. In particular, economic ones, including the continuation of trade liberalisation between Ukraine and the European Union, which is one of the vital elements of our resilience in the time of defence against Russian aggression. We are also preparing political decisions.

In particular, it is crucial for us in Ukraine, and for the whole of Europe, that real negotiations on Ukraine's membership begin in June, without delay. "

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If you earned interest last year, you could owe the IRS.

A savings account is a critical component of most peoples financial plans. Having extra funds in your savings account can provide a safety net in case of a financial emergency or help you reach a larger goal like homeownership.

Savings accounts are interest-bearing accounts that can help your balance grow faster thanks to the magic of compound interest . However, the interest you earn in a savings account is usually subject to income taxes, which youll need to address at tax time.

Do you owe taxes on your savings account?

The principal balance on your savings account is not subject to tax since you already paid taxes on that money before depositing it. However, the interest you earn on your savings account is considered taxable income.

For example, say you open a bank account that earns 4% APY and make a deposit of $1,000. After one year, you will have earned about $40 in interest (assuming your rate doesnt change and you dont make additional contributions).

The IRS considers that $40 of interest to be taxable income. So you would need to report those earnings on your tax return. In fact, any interest earned on your savings  whether through a savings account, money market account , certificate of deposit (CD), bond , or Treasury bill  is generally taxable. The same is true for any dividends or bonuses you receive.

The amount of taxes you pay will depend on your federal income tax bracket . There are few exemptions for certain savings account holders, such as those with low incomes.

How to pay taxes on your savings account interest

If you earned $10 or more in interest on your savings account, your financial institution will likely send you a Form 1099-INT or 1099-OID. These tax forms provide all the information you need to correctly file your tax return and report how much interest you earned in the past year.

If your bank didnt automatically send you this form, you can contact them to request a copy. Keep in mind that youre still expected to report all interest income, even if you dont receive a form. Failing to report this information on your tax return could result in penalties or backup withholding.

In some instances, your financial institution may withhold taxes on interest income. In this case, you may be able to claim a tax credit on your return to get some money back if it withheld more than the required amount.

5 ways to shield your savings from taxes

Interest-bearing deposit accounts can boost your savings and are generally worth it, even if a portion of your earnings go toward taxes.

That said, there are other types of accounts that offer tax-free or tax-deferred ways to save. Depending on your goals, they could be worth exploring.

Individual retirement account (IRA)

A traditional IRA is a type of retirement savings account. Contributions are generally made pre-tax; you can lower your taxable income and reduce your overall tax bill by putting money in one.

Funds held in an IRA then grow tax-deferred until you begin making withdrawals from your account in retirement, at which point that money is taxed as ordinary income. This allows your investments to grow more significantly over time, thanks to compound returns.

This type of account can be a good option if your goal is to save for the future and you dont intend to dip into those savings until you reach retirement age (making a withdrawal before retirement age comes with steep penalties).

Read more: What is the retirement age for Social Security, 401(k), and IRA withdrawals?

Roth IRA

A Roth IRA is another type of retirement savings account. Contributions to a Roth IRA are made with after-tax dollars, so they wont lower your taxable income for the current year. The plus side is that when you make withdrawals in retirement, you wont have to pay taxes  including on the earnings. Similar to a traditional IRA, pulling out money before retirement age results in penalties.

Read more: These are the new traditional IRA and Roth IRA limits in 2024

401(k)

Many companies offer 401(k)s, a type of employer-sponsored retirement plan. You can elect to defer a portion of your salary to your 401(k) account, and these contributions are typically made pre-tax, reducing your taxable income for the year theyre made. Withdrawals are then taxed in retirement.

One major benefit some employers offer is matching contributions to their employees' 401(k) plans, up to a certain percentage of their salary. This is essentially free money that can help you reach your goals even faster.

Read more: How much can you contribute to your 401(k) in 2024?

529 plan

If youre saving for a childs education , a 529 plan is a tax-advantaged account designed to encourage saving for future education costs. After-tax contributions to a 529 plan grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals for qualified education expenses are exempt from federal taxes. Many states also offer tax deductions or credits for contributions to a 529 plan.

Health savings account (HSA)

A health savings account allows those enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) to save and pay for health expenses. You can elect to contribute pre-tax dollars to your HSA with each paycheck or deduct after-tax contributions on your tax return. Withdrawals from your HSA for qualified medical expenses are tax-free.

Read more: HSA contribution limits for 2023 and 2024: Heres how much you can save

There are many types of savings vehicles, all with different benefits, drawbacks, and tax rules. When deciding where to put your money, carefully consider what youre saving for and how often youll need to access your money.

If youre saving for financial emergencies or a short-term goal, a high-yield savings account could be your best bet. The tax youll pay on earned interest may be a small price to pay for penalty-free access to your funds.

However, if youre saving for a long-term goal, such as college or retirement, opting for a tax-advantaged account could help you save more money in the long run.
Russia intends to strengthen their security with air defence systems since Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian oil refineries and energy facilities in recent months.

Source: Artem Verkhov, Director of the Gas Industry Development Department of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, at a round table in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, quoted by Russian Interfax

Quote: "Security work is currently underway, which is a highly relevant issue. We are collaborating with colleagues from Rosgvardia [National Guard of Russia  ed.] to implement measures to protect those objects, including the installation of Pantsir-type protection systems."

Details: In recent weeks, drones have attacked over a dozen large Russian refineries. According to Ukrainska Pravda sources, this is a large-scale operation by Ukraine's Defence Forces, which include the Ukrainian Security Service, Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, Special Operations Forces, along with Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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Russian forces attacked the village of Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast with artillery on 18 March, injuring a man.

Source: Anastasiia Miedviedieva, spokesperson for the Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office, in a comment to Suspilne.Donbas, the local branch of Ukraine's public broadcaster

Quote: "At 11:30 today, the occupiers shelled the village of Ocheretyne, Pokrovsk district, with artillery, injuring a 64-year-old man."

Details: Miedviedieva said the man was taken to a hospital with a fracture.

A pre-trial investigation has been initiated under Article 438.1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

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In the course of one day, Russian troops launched nine kamikaze drone attacks and fired artillery at the Nikopol district, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Source: Serhii Lysak, the Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "Nine kamikaze drone attacks were accompanied by heavy artillery shelling. In the Nikopol district, the aggressor's weapons were operational during the day.

The enemy attacked the districts centre, as well as the Marhanets and Pokrovsk hromadas (an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.)."

Photo: Serhii Lysak

Photo: Serhii Lysak

Details: The Russians also damaged a private house, outbuildings, and an excavator.

There were no civilian deaths or injuries.

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(Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said late on Tuesday that he will consider China for his first overseas trip during his new presidential term that he secured in weekend election.

On Tuesday, Reuters exclusively reported that Putin will travel to China in May for talks with Xi Jinping, in what could be the Kremlin chief's first overseas trip of his new presidential term.

Russia's TASS state news agency reported that at a meeting with parliamentary factions on Tuesday the leader of the Communist Party, Gennady Zyuganov, asked Putin to choose Beijing for the trip.

"I hope that your first visit will be to the East, and not to the West. Comrade (Chinese President) Xi Jinping is waiting for you to visit, he loves our country very much," TASS cited Zyuganov as saying.

Putin promised to consider the trip.

"I will definitely - without any jokes - take into account what you just said," Putin responded with a smile, according to TASS.

Western governments lined up on Monday to condemn Putin's landslide weekend election victory as unfair and undemocratic, but China and North Korea congratulated the veteran Russian leader on extending his rule by a further six years.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Rishi Sunak has said he wants Rwanda deportation flights to take off in the spring - Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images

Rwanda flights could be delayed as the Lords seeks to inflict a series of fresh defeats on Rishi Sunaks flagship legislation on Wednesday night.

Peers will attempt for a second time to amend the Rwanda Bill in a confrontation with the Commons that could push back the first deportation flights by a month.

Labour and crossbench Lords have tabled half a dozen amendments that seek to reinstate changes to the Bill rejected by MPs on Monday night.

If they are voted through on Wednesday, it could delay the passage of the Bill until after Parliament returns from its Easter break on April 15  a move that could push back the flights from May to June.

On Monday night, James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, accused Labour of trying to delay, disrupt or sabotage the scheme as he urged peers to recognise its time to let this Bill pass so we can continue to stop the boats and save lives.

The more this Bill progresses the more worried Labour get, that as weve always said, it will work, and the more weve anticipated deliberate efforts from Labour to delay, disrupt or sabotage the scheme. We remain focused on not letting that happen, he said.

The Bill is central to the Prime Ministers pledge to stop the boats  and his electoral fortunes  by getting the first deportation flights off to Rwanda in the spring after almost two years of delays from legal challenges.

The Home Office has identified 150 migrants for the first two deportation flights, who would be detained within days of the Bill gaining Royal Assent. They could be flown to Rwanda in six to 10 weeks following the appeals process required by law.

In the first round of parliamentary ping-pong, the Commons rejected all 10 of the Lords amendments on Monday night by majorities of between 57 and 78, sending the Bill back to the Upper House.

However, the Lords are now threatening a second round of ping-pong, with amendments requiring extra safeguards that Rwanda was a safe country, greater rights under domestic law for migrants to appeal and tighter protections under international law.

Government whips have asked all 280 Conservative peers to turn up on Wednesday in an attempt to avoid defeat. They need some 220 to match the combined numbers of Labour and Liberal Democrat peers.

More than 60 crossbenchers voted against the Government last time, and could be critical in determining whether ministers secure passage of the Bill on Wednesday.

Lord Carlile, a crossbencher and former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said: Crossbenchers will at the very least hold the balance and the amendments will be passed. Then we come back to the second round of ping-pong.

Lord Falconer, a former Labour Lord Chancellor, said he believed the Upper House would reinstate amendments.

If they are defeated, ministers will have to decide whether to delay the Bill until after Easter or try to force it through early next week.

On Monday, Number 10 insisted the flights could take off in the spring even if there were further votes after Easter. Spring does not technically end until June 20.

Meanwhile, in evidence to a Lords committee, David Neal, the former borders watchdog, suggested he may have been removed from his post to avoid scrutiny of the Rwanda plan.

Work in relation to Rwanda will be without scrutiny now, he said. Its been suggested to me  although I havent seen the evidence  that perhaps thats why I wasnt reappointed, because it was too risky to reappoint me.

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Sacramento City Unified School District students may attend eight extra days of classes each of the next two years to make up for lost instruction time after an eight-day strike shut down campuses in 2022 and to avoid a $47 million state-imposed penalty.

Sacramentos largest district and its teachers union agreed to spread the 16 days across two years during negotiations regarding teacher raises and lowering class sizes.

In 2022, unions representing teachers and maintenance workers halted work in hopes to secure pay raises, address issues with health care policies and teacher staffing. Classes resumed with many of those demands met, according to The Sacramento Bees previous reporting.

The agreement comes after California Department of Education statutes levied a $39.8 million fine against the district for failing to meet the minimum minutes and days required of instruction during the 2021-22 school year. Sacramento City Unified and the Sacramento City Teachers Association agreed on the specific days of instructional time, which allows the district to apply for a waiver to forgive the fine.

School board members are scheduled Thursday to approve the waiver request. State Board of Education trustees would then consider approving the waiver at a May meeting.

Money that has already been earmarked to pay the fine will instead be used to improve staffing and student services if the waiver is approved, according to the teachers union.

We are appreciative that the new administrative leadership team, along with a supermajority of the school board, have moved the District in a much more constructive direction, said Nikki Milevsky, a school psychologist and the president of the SCTA.

California K-12 students are required to attend 180 days in school. Kindergartners must go to class for 36,000 minutes per year, according to the State Board of Education. Instructional time is 50,400 minutes for first through third graders and 54,000 minutes for fourth through eighth graders, according to the state. High school students must be taught for 64,800 minutes.

Our hope is that you will use this information to make plans that allow students and staff to maximize attendance and engagement during these extra learning days, Sacramento City Unified wrote in a statement to parents.

Here are the potential schedule changes

If the plan is approved by May 15, the additional days will be tacked onto the front end of the next two school years. The first day of school could be rescheduled to Aug. 19, according the news release.

Currently, the 2024-25 school year is scheduled to begin on Aug. 29. But if the waiver is approved, the eight additional days could be Aug. 19-23 and Aug. 26-28.

The eight additional days in the 2025-26 school year could be Aug. 18-22 and Aug. 25-27.

If the state education trustees approve the plan after May 15, then the new days will instead apply to the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.

The new education days for the 2026-27 school year could be Aug. 17-21 and Aug. 24-26. The additional school days for the 2025-26 school year would be Aug. 18-22 and Aug. 25-27, the same as the other plan.
In the Spotlight is a Sacramento Bee series that digs into the high-profile local issues that readers care most about. Story idea? Email metro@sacbee.com.

Flojaune Cofers rise to the top of the pack of Sacramento mayoral hopefuls was fueled partly by the citys lowest-income neighborhoods, a Sacramento Bee analysis found.

The trend of lower income voters favoring progressive candidates continued on down the line. Kevin McCarty, the second most progressive, is winning mostly lower and middle income areas, the analysis found. Steve Hansen, the most moderate candidate, is mostly winning higher income areas. Richard Pan, the second most moderate, is mostly winning higher and middle income areas.

Cofer, who has likely secured a spot on the November runoff ballot, was leading in 95 precincts during the most recent batch of results Friday  far more than any other candidate. She drew support across all income levels, leading in more precincts across the income spectrum than any other candidate. But she was particularly strong in lower income areas like downtown, midtown, Meadowview and Oak Park.

Cofer, who is Black, has participated in demonstrations after the 2018 police killing of Stephon Clark. She led 21 of the 30 voting precincts that had the highest proportion of Black residents in the surrounding census tract  the most of any candidate, the Bee analysis found.

The trend suggests that lower-income neighborhoods such as Meadowview and Oak Park, which are more likely to have negative experiences with police, support Cofers critical eye to department. If elected, she plans to reduce $70 million from the police budget. Her plan would not mean layoffs, but she would cut down on overtime, would not fill vacancies, and as officers leave or retire, she would not replace them. She would redirect the $70 million into hiring non-police personnel to respond to non-violent calls, freeing up police time to handle violent crime.

When I hear things like, our police department is understaffed, what Im thinking is, our police department is not using their time efficiently, Cofer said during a Jan. 31 Bee and KVIE debate. And thats a waste of public resources.

Sacramento mayoral candidate Flojaune Cofer thanks supporters at her election party at Our Place in Old Sacramento on March 5. Renee C. Byer/rbyer@sacbee.com

The idea of reducing a portion of police funding gained popularity following the 2020 Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, but Sacramentos spending has continued to increase. The council approved an all-time-high $228 million police budget for the year that started July 1. Even years after the Floyd killing, police reform remains important to lower-income and Black communities.

McCarty, whose father is Black and who sponsored a 2020 police reform law, received the second most support from low income communities, including Del Paso Heights. Hansen and Pan, who both said they want to hire at least 100 new officers, adding to the police budget, did not win in as many low-income areas. That tracks with the trend of higher income, more white areas wanting to see an increase in police patrols and faster response times. The department currently has fewer officers than it did before the Great Recession, while the city has grown.

The findings suggest low-income voters largely disagreed with Hansens often repeated claim that more police actually do more to help than to hurt poor neighborhoods.

Having been a kid who was beat up by his moms boyfriends, when those flashing lights came, they were there to save us ... our communities, especially our disadvantaged communities, deserve to be safe, too, said Hansen, whos endorsed by the city police union, during the Jan. 31 debate.

As of Friday Hansen was leading in four lower income precincts, three middle income precincts and 16 higher income precincts. His strongest support was in East Sacramento and much of Land Park.

Establishment candidates do well in higher income areas

In addition to progressiveness, the fact that Cofer is the only candidate who has never held elected office also likely played a role in her success in lower income areas, said Paul Mitchell, vice president of bipartisan voting data firm Political Data Inc.

Sometimes the higher income precincts look also at the more establishment candidates, Mitchell said.

Pan is a former state senator, McCarty is a state assemblyman, and Hansen is a former City Council member. All three have significantly more name recognition than Cofer, whose service on a Measure U sales tax advisory board was not largely known.

Cofer frequently pointed out that she is anti-establishment

Doing what we have always done will get us what weve always gotten, she said frequently at candidate forums ahead of the March 5 primary, particularly when speaking about the homelessness crisis.

Sometimes the establishment factor can even be more important than the progressive factor, Mitchell said. That was the case when Antonio Villaraigosa lost to Gavin Newsom for governor in 2018. In that case Newsom, who was more progressive, lost in many pf the lower income areas, Mitchell said.

Renters favored Cofer

Cofer was also more successful in precincts with many renters, the Bee analysis found. There were 63 precincts where most housing units are occupied by renters. Of those, Cofer is leading in 40, Pan in 10, McCarty in nine, Hansen in two and two are tied as of Friday.

Cofers plan on rent control could have curried favor with those voters. She was the only candidate who said she wants to lower the amount landlords are allowed to raise rent annually  currently at 10%. Pan, Hansen and McCarty all said they did not want to significantly change the rent control ordinance.

Rising rent has been a growing issue with Sacramento renters, where the typical rent for an apartment in the Sacramento region is higher than New York City and Washington D.C., a 2021 study found.

Rent is always a topic of conversation in Oak Park, said Lavinia Phillips of Oak Park, who supported Cofer. Were always talking about the fact that (landlords) are allowed a 10% increase.

Phillips, who is Black, said she also favored Cofer for other reasons as well.

Shes not speaking just for Black folks but she is one of us and she gives us an offer of hope thats not entirely unrealistic, said Phillips, a member of the Sacramento City Unified School Board. We really want someone whos gonna hear us. And not only hear us, but understand us.

Hansen was more successful in precincts where there were a lot of homeowners, the analysis found. Homeownership didnt correlate strongly with the performance of McCarty or Pan.

Elections officials divided the city of Sacramento into 185 consolidated precincts for the March primary. The Bee determined the leader in each precinct. It then matched precinct data with income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Based on the typical household income in the surrounding census tract, The Bee classified each precinct as higher income, middle income or lower income.
Sacramento is about to have a national moment: Mayor Darrell Steinberg, who is Jewish, is advancing a diplomatic approach contrary to that of the Israeli government, calling for an immediate and bilateral ceasefire in Gaza.

Whats unclear in the hours before the Sacramento City Councils scheduled Tuesday vote on the Steinberg resolution is whether the city will send a constructive message about a historic international conflict, or one of worsening local civic incivility.

The killing of civilians in both Israel and Gaza during the past six months has created this moment. A thoughtful expression about constructive next steps in Israel from this diverse community by this council would be inherently meaningful. The subject is relevant in Sacramento because it is an issue that Sacramentans care about. All any community can do is to stand up for what it believes is right. Thats what this council should do by passing this resolution.

Opinion

To that end, Steinbergs head and heart seem to be in the right place. A savvy and veteran leader, Steinberg would not place a ceasefire resolution on a council agenda if he didnt think the proposal stood a chance of passage.

The mayor said he has been working for many weeks with local leaders of both faiths to find words both groups can agree upon to advocate for a mutual approach toward peace. This is squarely within the functions of the mayors job. This seemingly distant crisis  more than any in recent memory  has challenged interfaith approaches to local challenges of mutual concern.

It appears that the mayor has received a degree of support from local Muslim institutions such as the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, as well as some notable Jewish citizens, according to a report by The Bee.

Steinberg struck a fair balance in a resolution that articulates the pain and the vulnerabilities of both sides positions, doing so with parallel language.

The resolution recognizes how many in the Jewish community are experiencing the terrible rise in antisemitism and how the Muslim and Arab-American communities are experiencing the terrible rise in Islamophobia and anti-Arab rhetoric.

It also recognizes the hurt that certain rhetoric has caused both parties: Many in the Jewish community are rightfully offended by the spoken views of some, and the implicit and sometimes explicit justification is wrong and stokes the communitys central fear that Palestinian lives are easily expendable.

The resolution calls for an immediate and permanent bilateral ceasefire to urgently end the current violence. Hamas is called upon to immediately and unconditionally release all Israeli hostages, and Israel is called upon to immediately release all Palestinians held in prison without charge. There is also a demand for new leadership on both sides.

At best, the outside world will hear a few sound bites about what happens to this resolution Tuesday at City Hall. While the nuances of Steinbergs resolution may be lost elsewhere, the words matter. A resolution that equally embraces the perspectives of both communities has important, durable value that will remain long after this council meeting is over, and it will help heal the broken bonds that have splintered us

Steinbergs earnest intentions, however, come with considerable risk. Sacramento City Council meetings have abruptly ended or been suspended when audience members have yelled and screamed at elected officials. One council member, Caity Maple, recently said on social media that she fears for her own safety.

Another Jewish council member who has been an outspoken supporter of Israel on social media, Lisa Kaplan of Natomas, recently faced a late-night mini protest of sorts at her home. She worried about holding a council meeting with an actual resolution on the agenda.

You put my life and my familys life in danger, she said at the time. And she sincerely meant it.

The stakes for the mayor and for Sacramento will be high Tuesday night. All that careful wordsmithing by the mayor could quickly get lost if he once again loses control of the meeting. Our uncivil war is what may get national attention. Sacramentos interested public can share its heartfelt perspective Tuesday night without crossing that line into berating the council or interrupting its business.

If Steinbergs effort challenges our interfaith community to work in fellowship and with mutual respect toward finding common ground, something good  at least on a local level  could come of this.

Externally, Californias capital city will add its voice to a growing chorus.
(FOX40.COM)  Students who attend classes at the Sacramento City Unified School District may have a longer school year for the next two years if state officials approve a plan between the district and the teachers union.

In early March, the district announced that it had agreed to a learning recovery plan with the Sacramento City Teachers Association that would add 16 more days of instruction across two school years.

The State Board of Education must still approve the extension of the school years before it goes into effect, the district said.

The plan for eight additional days of instruction each of the two academic years is partly for the district to avoid paying $47 million in penalties related to a teachers strike in the 2021-22 school year.

Please dont plant these species in California, CDFW says

The eight-day strike resulted in lost instruction time, which the state requires districts to make up during a certain amount of time.

According to the district, if the state approves the plan before May 15, then the first day of instruction for the upcoming school year will be August 19.

If the plan is approved after May 15, then the first day of classes will be on August 29 and the school years of 2025-26 and 2026-27 will be the ones that are extended.

Sacramentos first cherry blossom park on track to open during summer 2024, officials say

After the two extended years, the school year would revert to the regular amount of instructional days unless the district and union agreed to different terms.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
Loose Lips

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is remaining tight-lipped about the company's secretive Q* project  even after admitting that his company is something of a leaky ship.

Even among those who followed along with OpenAI's November massacre that saw Altman temporarily ousted, it's easy to overlook the Q* (pronounced "queue-star") of it all, particularly because nobody outside the company really knows what the heck it is.

The speculation-laden project was linked to the chaos at the firm in the aftermath of that failed coup, and at the end of 2023, OpenAI refused to answer any questions about it  a posture Altman continued in a new interview with tech podcaster Lex Fridman.

When speaking with the high-profile MIT researcher, Altman was initially jokey in his attempts to dismiss any suggestion that the firm he co-founded alongside Elon Musk is hiding anything of import when it comes to the mysteriously-named project.

"OpenAI is not a good company at keeping secrets," Altman told Fridman. "It would be nice if we were able to have something like that."

But when the podcaster-cum-MIT researcher pressed him on what Q* actually is, his jovial tone shifted.

"We are not ready to talk about that," Altman responded curtly.

"See, but an answer like that means there's something to talk about," Fridman retorted. "It's very mysterious, Sam."

Within Reason

In an attempt at deflection, the CEO made vague statements about OpenAI's "work on all kinds of research" before trailing off when discussing "better reasoning" in AI systems.

"We haven't cracked the code yet," he continued. "We're very interested."

Those admissions appear to be along similar lines to others we've heard about Q* since learning of its existence during the "turkey-shoot clusterfuck," as folks at Microsoft called last fall's debacle. But on closer inspection, the terse refusal to admit to anything other than its existence is actually pretty telling.

As The Information reported during the kerfuffle, Q* is said to "be able to solve math problems that it hadnt seen before" and provide advances in AI functioning the likes of which the world has never seen. In subsequent reporting, Reuters noted that insiders claim the model is capable of "performing math on the level of grade-school students."

When lining up those sorts of clues, which Ars Technica powerfully pieced together last December, it appears that OpenAI is indeed sitting on a massive breakthrough in computational reasoning  but just how huge a leap it will be remains to be seen. For now, Altman being coy does nothing but build the hype.

More on OpenAI: OpenAI Says Sora Video Generator May Allow Nudity
Dawn Grimshaw, M: 402-305-8631, dgrimshaw@betteromaha.com, www.betteromaha.com - Gorgeous 1.5 story home with lots of updates. Ceramic tile floors throughout much of the main floor. Fresh paint on the interior. Main floor bedroom plus office/library and large open living room and kitchen. Abundant natural light and tall ceilings. 2nd floor has 3 bedrooms, plus a bonus room for a 5th bedroom, loft, or whatever you want to use it for! Currently does not have a closet, seller is willing to add if needed for buyer to use as bedroom. Home is situated on a large corner lot. Out building that is 26 x 48 (shop) with 9'4" x 10' garage doors for extra car/toy storage shop with rough in gas/sewer/water. What a great opportunity to own this home with so many possibilities with the outbuilding, while located in town! No flood insurance, not in a flood plain in this location.

View More
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The San Diego International Airport announced on Monday it is experiencing some flight delays after storms passed through parts of San Diego County earlier in the afternoon.

As of 9:30 p.m., there are 20 arrival delays and 12 departure delays, according to SANs website.

Severe thunderstorm warning issued for parts of San Diego County

The San Diego airport advises customers to check with their airlines for up-to-date flight information before heading to the airport.

Mondays storm brought hail, lightning and thunder to the San Diego area.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  The City of San Diego is set to start its recruitment process for the new chief of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, the city announced Monday.

The new fire chief will replace incumbent Chief Colin Stowell after his retirement in August. Stowell, San Diegos 18th fire chief, joined SDFD back in 1988 and has served the city for 34 years.

SDFD fire chief announces upcoming retirement

Stowell announced his retirement on X, formerly known as Twitter, earlier this month.

The recruitment process consists of a series of interviews including an interview conducted by a panel of community leaders selected by Mayor Todd Gloria and city councilmembers.

The city will schedule final interviews in May, with the final selection to be announced in June.

The city is letting San Diego residents provide their input on the qualities they look for in the next person to lead the department.

National City PD offering $30K lateral hiring incentive for officers

Community meetings will be held on Wednesday, April 3 at the Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center on 6401 Skyline Drive and again on Thursday, April 4 at the Kearny Mesa Recreation Center on 3170 Armstrong St. Both meetings will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Although RSVPs are not required, interested participants are encouraged to make their reservations online by filling out this form on the City of San Diego website.

More information about the search for the next fire chief will be shared on the recruitment webpage.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
(KRON)  An auto insurance agent has been charged with fraud after allegedly falsifying documents to get his clients student discounts and earn thousands in commission. Thomas Truong, 61, of San Jose, submitted fake University of California, Berkeley college diplomas, fake report cards and fake letters from a local community college, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorneys Office.

Truong, the DA said, submitted 10 Good Student forms from Mission College in Santa Clara to his place of employment to get discounts for clients. An investigation revealed that eight of the 10 clients had never attended the college and that the two who did, did not during dates listed on the forms.

Woman accused of purchasing merchandise with counterfeit bills arrested

Truong was fired by Farmers Insurance after allegations of the crime came to light. He is due to be arraigned Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Hall of Justice in San Jose. If convicted, he could be ordered to pay restitution and could face a jail sentence.

The massive losses caused by insurance fraud statewide  large and small  trickle down to us all, District Attorney Jeff Rosen said. Were determined to enforce the law and even the playing field for businesses and customers.

Investigators from the California Department of Insurance probed Truongs work and discovered:

10 fraudulently altered college diplomas

14 fraudulent report cards from high schools across the Bay Area

10 fraudulent school official statements

When shown the documents, Truongs former clients said they did not provide the documents and had never seen them before. Many of the clients told investigators that they didnt know they were receiving the discounts that had been fraudulently obtained.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
The Dodge County Sheriffs Office received a grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety to participate in an alcohol selective overtime enforcement operation, which ran from March 15-17.

The sheriffs office provided seven deputies who worked a total of 84 overtime hours over that time period.

The following traffic enforcement statistics will be reported to the State of Nebraska: 8 speeding citations, 1 reckless driving citation, 1 arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol, 1 fugitive apprehended, 2 citations for minor in possession, 23 total citations and 34 total vehicles contacted.
WASHINGTON  Wisconsin Republican businessman Scott Mayer will not run for Senate in 2024, increasing the odds Republicans will avoid a contested primary race as they seek to unseat Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin in November.

Franklin businessman Scott Mayer, chairman of QPS Employment Group, is weighing a run for U.S. Senate.

Mayer on Tuesday told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he has no "desire to be in a bloody, really, really, really expensive primary" race against Republican banking mogul Eric Hovde. He said he will "stand down" to let Hovde try to take on Baldwin.

"I really truly feel like I could have made a difference," Mayer said. "I just don't want a bloody primary. I don't think that's going to help anybody but Tammy Baldwin."

Mayer's decision means Republicans are almost certain to avoid a primary fight for a seat that will play a key role in determining which party controls the Senate next year. Hovde joined the race last month with the blessing of national Republicans, and Mayer, a multi-millionaire from Franklin, had been seen as one of the last remaining potential contenders.

Former Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. has not yet formally ruled out launching a run, but he has shown no signs of campaign activity. In the first official month of Hovde's campaign, Clarke has defended Hovde on social media multiple times.

Mayer, the leader of a staffing and recruitment company and a political newcomer, had on occasion appeared reluctant to jump into the race but continued to travel the state to speak to Republican groups and donors. When national Republicans effectively endorsed Hovde late last year, Mayer told the Journal Sentinel he had "enough support from all the wealthy Wisconsin connections" and could gain steam with voters.

More recently, Mayer gave mixed signals about the status of his potential campaign. He said in February that he had started to build out his staff and took shots at Hovde, but he immediately walked back his claims that he hired campaign staff, saying instead that he had people ready to join his campaign should he announce a run. He ultimately opted out.

On Tuesday, Mayer said he felt he "would have been disruptive and not just follow party lines" if he ran but noted Hovde's entrance into the race last month set up a situation where Mayer would have had to spend $10 million to $15 million of his own money.

He said he "truly was gearing up and preparing" for a run and did not think Hovde would actually launch a campaign, despite national Republicans saying otherwise. With Hovde in the race, Mayer said, "I don't want to spend the amount of money that it would take to do it right and win the primary."

"He obviously has resources, and I have resources, and the only one that would benefit from that would be Tammy Baldwin," Mayer told the Journal Sentinel. "And that's just not what I want to see happen."

"I just don't think that there's any reason for me to get involved and turn it into a mess and give a free pass for the incumbent," he said. "So I'm going to stand down."

Mayer told the Journal Sentinel he planned to support Hovde. He said he thought Democrats would have a "field day" with Hovde's connections to California  something Mayer was previously critical of  but added: "Let's be honest, he was born and raised (here). He's a Wisconsinite."

"My goal all along has been it's time for Tammy to, you know, get out and give somebody else a chance," Mayer said. "I think we gotta push for some new people, and I think there's going to be a big push for people with a business background."

Hovde, in turn, called Mayer "a good man" who "would have been a formidable opponent."

Tuesday's development comes as welcome news for Republicans, who hoped to avoid a big primary fight ahead of a November matchup with Baldwin and Democrats in what is sure to be an expensive race. Baldwin had just over $8 million in her war chest at the beginning of the year, and Democrats have already launched six-figure ads attacking Hovde.

Baldwin's campaign declined to comment on Mayer's announcement.

Hovde and Republicans, meanwhile, have had their sights set on Baldwin in the absence of a viable GOP primary challenger.

National Republicans launched ads hitting Baldwin on the first official day of Hovde's campaign. And Hovde has sought to tie Baldwin to President Joe Biden, who is not popular in the state.

"Republicans are united in our fight to flip the Wisconsin Senate seat and send 40-year career politician Tammy Baldwin into retirement" NRSC spokesman Tate Mitchell said after Mayer said he would not run.

And Mayer on Tuesday said his future in politics was uncertain. He said he had no interest in running for governor at some point and said the Senate was right for his "skill set."

"I couldn't tell you that you're ever going to see my in politics again, but... I've learned not to box myself in," Mayer said. "Who knows what happens down the road?"

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Scott Mayer won't enter GOP field to challenge Tammy Baldwin
The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to enforce a law that allows local police to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally  marking a significant but temporary win for the state's efforts to control illegal immigration across the border with Mexico.

The ruling comes a day after the court extended a block on the state law at the request of the Biden administration, which sued to strike down the measure. The Biden administration argued that the law, known as Senate Bill 4 and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott in December, would usurp federal authority on matters related to immigration enforcement. It marked the most significant effort by a state to take control of enforcement since the court struck down parts of an Arizona law in 2012.

"The United States brings this action to preserve its exclusive authority under federal law to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens," the DOJ lawsuit filed in January states. "Texas cannot run its own immigration system. Its efforts, through SB 4, intrude on the federal governments exclusive authority to regulate the entry and removal of noncitizens, frustrate the United States immigration operations and proceedings, and interfere with U.S. foreign relations."

JUDGE RULES ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS HAVE GUN RIGHTS PROTECTED BY 2ND AMENDMENT

Texas said the states law mirrored federal law and was put in place to compensate for the Biden administrations inadequate response at the southern border.

"Texas has defeated the Biden Administrations and ACLUs emergency motions at the Supreme Court. Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect. As always, its my honor to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to victory in court," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement on Tuesday.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The ruling was not focused on the merits of the case itself but on the stay on the law issued by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which had blocked the law in February from taking effect. The court did not explain its reasoning for ending the stay, but in a concurring opinion, Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh expressed concern about the moves by the appeals court  and suggested it could rule differently on the merits itself.

"Before this Court intervenes on the emergency docket, the Fifth Circuit should be the first mover," Barrett wrote.

"So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter  or not enter  an administrative stay. I would not get into the business. When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal," she wrote.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a scathing dissent, accusing their conservative counterparts of inviting "further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement."

BIDEN LAWSUIT OVER TEXAS IMMIGRATION LAW LATEST ATTEMPT TO STIFLE STATES' MOVES TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

"Texas passed a law that directly regulates the entry and removal of noncitizens and explicitly instructs its state courts to disregard any ongoing federal immigration proceedings. That law upends the federal state balance of power that has existed for over a century, in which the National Government has had exclusive authority over entry and removal of noncitizens," Sotomayor said.

The White House said it "fundamentally" disagreed with the Supreme Court's order.

"S.B. 4 will not only make communities in Texas less safe, it will also burden law enforcement, and sow chaos and confusion at our southern border. S.B. 4 is just another example of Republican officials politicizing the border while blocking real solutions," the White House said in a statement.

The case now goes back to the Fifth Circuit, which could block the law again, setting up another Supreme Court battle. Abbott called the ruling a "positive development" while acknowledging that there will be hearings in the appeals court.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, right, is shown at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The ongoing legal battle marks the latest in a number of clashes between the state and the government on how to handle the ongoing crisis at the border. The DOJ sued Abbott's administration this year over its construction of a floating barrier on the Rio Grande.

The DOJ also requested that the Supreme Court intervene in its dispute with Texas over the construction of razor wire at the border. Texas had sued the DOJ after federal officials cut and destroyed the wire in order to take migrants into Border Patrol custody. The Supreme Court in January allowed the wire to be taken down as the legal challenge continues.

That dispute was followed by a stand-off in Eagle Pass, Texas, in which Texas took over Shelby Park  a key crossing area  and refused to allow federal officials access. The Biden administration subsequently threatened to sue over the lack of access.

It comes as border security and the migrant crisis at the southern border looks set to be a top political issue in the 2024 elections. Both President Biden and his opponent, former President Trump, recently visited Texas, with Trump promising to launch a mass deportation operation if elected and with Biden urging Congress to pass a bipartisan border funding deal that includes more staffing at the border and money for NGOs and cities receiving migrants, as well as an expulsion authority if migration reaches a certain level.





Original article source: Supreme Court OKs law letting Texas police arrest migrants suspected of illegally crossing border
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A search warrant released this week reveals new details in the murder of a Charlotte mother and her two children.

On Friday afternoon, March 15, authorities executed a search at an apartment unit located at 405 Orchard Trace Lane after Markayla Johnson, 22, and her two children, 4-year-old Miracle Johnson and 7-month-old Messiah Johnson, had been reported missing by family on March 3.

Documents state that Johnson had moved from Myrtle Beach, SC, in the fall of 2023 to an apartment along Orchard Trace Lane in Charlotte to be with a new man she met online.

According to search warrant documents, [Redacted] states that November 3, 2023, they came to Charlotte, where they retrieved [redacted] and both children from 405 Orchard Trace Lane.

[Redacted] was reported to affiant to have been high on narcotics when she was picked up and was in care of the children, documents state. [Redacted] states that sometime around the third week of January 2024, [redacted] left Myrtle Beach again, with both children and states she was going back to live at 405 Orchard Trace Lane.

Search warrant documents state that the family said text messages received from Johnsons phone number were not like her and did not match up with their experience of how she normally communicates. They believed it was related to her living arrangements, mental health concerns, and possible drug use.

Heinous act: Charlotte mother and two young children confirmed dead after human remains found: CMPD

[Redacted] states that [redacted] and [redacted] paternal grandmother have a custody agreement in place, and the grandmother gets the children on most weekends. The grandmother has not seen the children or heard from them [redacted] since she left home in January and [redacted] has missed all of the weekend visits since she was last seen, search warrant documents state.

An unnamed woman and other family members went to Johnsons apartment unit at 405 Orchard Trace Lane to try and speak with her or anyone there, but there was no answer.

An emergency records request on her cell phone showed that the phone was turned off on March 3 in the area of 405 Orchard Trace Lane, and had not been turned back on since.

On March 6, [redacted] with Orchard Trace Apartments communicated that he entered the apartment unit at 405 Orchard Trace Lane to conduct a wellness check on behalf of the apartment complex and advised that he did not observe any necessary items to care for a child or a baby, to include no food, bedding, clothing, diapers, toys or anything else related to child care, documents state. Based on the above facts and circumstances it is believed that there is probable cause that child abuse or neglect has been or is being committed.

The remains of Johnson and her two young children were found by authorities at a northeast Charlotte home Friday afternoon, March 15. Their official cause of death is unknown at this time.

A missing persons report was made on March 3, when Johnson and her two young children went missing from Orchard Trace Lane; however, CMPD did not notify the public until several days later, on March 8.

Benjamin Taylor, 34, Johnsons alleged boyfriend, was arrested in Imperial County, California, close to the Mexican border, on Saturday, March 16. He is charged with three counts of murder and one count of death concealment. He is currently awaiting extradition to North Carolina.

Benjamin Joseph Taylor (Image courtesy of the Imperial County Sheriffs Office in California)

According to the NC Department of Adult Correction, Taylor has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2007. Charges include B&E, assault, as well as weapon and drug-related charges.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
It has been four weeks since 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers disappeared from his home in Tennessee, with still no sign of the teenager.

The autistic teenager was last seen by his mother and stepfather when he went to bed on the night of 25 February, but when his mother went to wake him up for school the next morning, he was gone, she said.

Sebastian is believed to have wandered off in the middle of the night with a flashlight, barefoot and alone.

The case sparked a major search in Sumner County that stretched thousands of miles and lasted more than a week before officials said they were scaling back the ground search to focus more on the investigative side.

Below is a full timeline of what has happened in the case to date:

Monday 26 February: Endangered child alert issued

An Endangered Child Alert was issued at approximately 11.17 am by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) on behalf of the Sumner County Sheriffs Office.

In the alert, investigators said Sebastian was last seen earlier that day near Stafford Court in Hendersonville, adding that he was wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants and glasses.

It has been over three weeks since 15-year-old Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers disappeared (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

Sumner County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Ken Weidner said over 200 people had been dispatched to search for the missing teenager, including multiple K-9 teams, mounted units, helicopter crews and drones.

The search team covered a nearly five-mile radius. I cant recall off the top of my head when the last search like this was, Chief Deputy Eric Craddock with the Sumner County Sheriffs Office told News 2. Obviously, this one is exponentially more important being a child who does have autism.

Tuesday 27 February: Amber alert goes out

On 27 February, the TBI announced that the Endangered Child Alert had been elevated to an Amber alert, based on additional investigative information developed during the search.

An Anber 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, according to the DOJ.

Meanwhile, dozens of agencies continued searching for Sebastian and began employing unique tactics such as blasting his favourite song, Eye of the Tiger, while searching in different areas to try to call out to him, the Sumner County Sheriffs Office said.

At a press conference later that day, authorities urged local residents to check their surveillance cameras and report any possible information that could help lead to Sebastian.

Thursday 29 February: Pond drained but nothing found

As the search entered its fourth day, officials revealed they had received several tips amid calls for people to check their surveillance cameras, but none were confirmed sightings of Sebastian.

The 15year-old has high functioning autism (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation)

Emergency Management Agency Director Ken Weidner added that search-and-rescue dogs had not been able to pick up a scent.

Investigators also drained a pond to the east of Sebastians home and found nothing.

Saturday 2 March: Reward issued for information

The sheriffs office told News 2 that an anonymous group of business owners in the Nashville area had pledged a minimum cash reward of $3,000 for information that may lead to finding the missing teen.

The award was raised to $3,500 the following day.

Monday 4 March: Search scaled back and parents speak out

After a week of searching, authorities announced that they were scaling back the ground search for Sebastian and transitioning to an investigation.

This does not diminish our commitment to finding Sebastian, Mr Craddock said during a press conference. This is simply us transitioning from the ground search to the investigative side.

Sebastians stepfather, Chris Proudfoot, and his mother, Katie Proudfoot (WSMV)

He added that there were no leads, no details to indicate that Sebastian is not alive.

On the same day, Sebastians mother spoke to the media for the first time about their childs disappearance, telling WSMV4 I just want my baby to be ok.

I wouldnt wish this on anyone, she added.

Sebastians stepfather, Chris Proudfoot, said the family had been on one constant rollercoaster ride of helplessness and hopelessness since Sebastian vanished.

The couple has received backlash for not speaking out earlier, to which they say they shouldnt be judged because no one knows what theyre going through.

You dont know, and I dont wish you to ever know, they said. Just be kind to people. Its just that simple.

Thursday 7 March: Landfill in Kentucky searched

On 7 March, investigators announced that the search had moved to a landfill in White Plains, Kentucky, where trash was taken from Sebastians neighbourhood in the Beech area.

Authorities searched a landfill in White Plains, Kentucky (WSMV)

Officials called the search of the landfill a precautionary measure to eliminate possible options and questions and said there was no specific information indicating evidence related to the search for Sebastian was there.

The search concluded that evening, with authorities later stating that it did not provide any additional clues as to what happened to Sebastian.

While we had hoped for a different outcome, our commitment to finding Sebastian remains unwavering, Sumner County Sheriff Sonny Weatherford said. We will continue to explore all available avenues and resources to bring closure to this case and provide answers to Sebastians family and loved ones.

Sunday 10 March: Stepfather reveals fear for Sebastian

In an interview with WTVF, Sebastians father, Seth Rodgers, revealed his fears for his stepson, saying that he was not one to wander off, and due to an experience as a young boy would never go far without shoes on.

He decided he wanted to step into a mound of what he thought was dirt. It was fire ants, and since then he doesnt like to get his feet in the dirt. He likes to have his shoes and socks on, he said of Sebastians childhood experience.

Sebastians father, Seth Rodgers (NewsChannel 5 Nashville WTVF)

In order for him to do something thats out of the normal, something wouldve had to happen that he felt like he just couldnt deal with it anymore, he added.

During the interview, he also revealed that a search dog had traced Sebastians scent to a construction site, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

One dog tracked him to a construction area over there and it just disappeared, and its confusing. There are missing pieces to the puzzle, and Im having difficulty solving this, he said.

Mr Rogers added that it makes absolutely no sense theres been no trace of him.

Im hoping hes still alive, the father said. That is my main hope right now.

Thursday 14 March: Video shows activity outside family home

Home security video, obtained by WTVF, showed two specks of light outside the familys home in the Hendersonville neighbourhood around 3.10am in the middle of the night when the teenager went missing.

Sumner County Sheriffs chief deputy Eric Craddock told the news outlet that there are several clips that have come in that investigators are reviewing for more clues.

One clip shows a pitch-black Stafford Court neighbourhood with two lights that appear to be people with flashlights moving toward each other before moving off-screen.

Saturday 23 March: New resources join the search

The United Cajun Navy announce at a briefing in Nashville that they are joining the search effort.

The volunteer-run organisation, which assists with natural disaster recovery and missing persons searches, said it was sending a team, along with a K-9 unit, to try to find Sebastian.

Monday 25 March: Parents speak in new interviews

In two separate interviews on Monday, Sebastians parents answered questions about the search for him, with his mother saying she had cried on-and-off for a month.

Katie Proudfoot and her husband, Sebastians stepfather, Chris Proudfoot appeared on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, in which the host grilled them on their whereabouts the night the teen vanished.

Ms Proudfoot said she was convinced someone must have her son, as there had been no trace of him so far.

Meanwhile, Seth Rogers, Sebastians dad, appeared on NewsNation, saying he had not given up hope of finding his son.

He also spoke of communication issues between himself and the Proudfoots.
PROVIDENCE  U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday called Rhode Island's plan to open a new westbound Washington Bridge in 2026 "aggressive" but one that "needs to be met."

Standing on the bridge's Gano Street off-ramp after touring the condemned structure, Buttigieg told reporters he recognizes "the impact this is having on so many people."

"I'm hearing stories that are going right to my heart about families having to reconsider what school their kids are in because of the impact that the change in their commute time has had on their daily life," he said. "This is exactly why these unglamorous subjects like transportation matter so much."

The bridge was closed abruptly in December when engineers working to repair it discovered it was in much worse condition than was previously believed and at risk of collapsing into the Seekonk River.

Since 2016, the state has spent $55 million trying to fix the bridge to get another 30 years of life out of it, but since January, engineers had become increasingly convinced the structure would have to be torn down.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tours the Washington Bridge during his visit to Rhode Island on Tuesday.

What did Buttigieg say about the bridge?

On Tuesday, Buttigieg redirected questions about the money wasted on the bridge  most of it federal dollars  toward plans for a new span and repurposing the roughly $40 million that was budgeted to finish the now-abandoned repair project.

"I'd have to refer you to our legal teams on all of the ins and outs of how those funds get spent and repurposed," he said. "But what I can tell you for sure is our objective here is not to take funding away from Rhode Island; it is to make sure Rhode Island is getting the funding that it needs to meet this acute issue and all of the other projects that still need to be done."

Engineers looking at the condition of the bridge's steel sections, which were being repainted, noticed that some of the tie-down rods anchoring the cantilevered concrete beams holding up some spans were broken.

"I would note that if that repair project [were] not undertaken, the inspections that caught this potentially deadly flaw would not have happened," Buttigieg said, putting a positive spin on how much work was done before the problems were found. "And there is a very real risk that residents would've found out through a collapse when instead it was found out through an inspection."

Buttigieg, who ran for president in 2020, has become one of the most prominent Cabinet members in President Joe Biden's administration. He toured the 1968 bridge with Gov. Dan McKee, Rhode Island's congressional delegation, Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt, Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson and state Transportation Director Peter Alviti Jr.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, center left, tours the Washington Bridge on Tuesday with members of Rhode Island's congressional delegation and state and federal officials.

Who does Buttigieg think is responsible for the bridge?

Asked who is to blame for the bridge reaching such a perilous state, Buttigieg looked back to the bridge's 1960s designers.

"I wish I could have a conversation with some of the people who came up with this design in the 1960s that appears to be the only one of its kind in the country, even compared to the other span of this same bridge," he said. "But what we know is none of those people are here today."

As The Journal reported last week, the westbound span of the Washington Bridge was the brainchild of former state Bureau of Public Works director Angelo A. Marcello.

Marcello had wanted to build a concrete arch bridge to match the 1930s structure next to it (which now carries the East Bay Bike Path) but turned to pre-stressed concrete girders with false arches when the federal government balked at the price.

More: 'You don't see this every day': Why is the Washington Bridge so strange?

Will the feds help rebuild the Washington Bridge?

Last week, McKee announced that state consultants believe the old bridge can be demolished and a new one built in 18 to 24 months at a cost of $250 million to $300 million.

Buttigieg said the federal government would try to clear away "red tape" that might slow construction, but added that red tape does not include environmental permitting.

"We certainly need to make sure that this is a swift process," he said. "That doesn't mean abandoning standards."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg walks Washington Bridge on visit
Second suspect named in 1970 murder of Maryland teen thanks to DNA and forensic genealogy

Investigators have named a second suspect in connection with the murder of a Maryland high school student more than 50 years ago.

Donald Willard was identified using forensic genetic genealogy and traditional investigative methods in the murder of Pamela Lynn Conyers, 16, in 1970, Anne Arundel County police said in a statement Monday.

The first suspect, Forrest Clyde Williams III, was identified last year using DNA evidence collected from Conyers' body and clothes.

"During the investigative genetic genealogy process, the FBI personal utilized publicly accessible databases and conducted open source research to locate potential relatives of the suspects," the acting special agent in charge of the FBI Baltimore field office, Joe Rothrock, said Monday. "Interviews of these relatives were conducted and eventually led to the identification of suspects."

Willard and Williams died before they could be charged with the murder. It is unclear how and whether they knew each other, and there is no indication that they knew Conyers before her death.

A second suspect was identified in connection to the murder of Pamela Lynn Conyers from Maryland who went missing more than 50 years ago, according to authorities. (Anne Arundel County Police Department)

On Oct. 16, 1970, Conyers attended a bonfire at Glen Burnie High School before she ran an errand at Harundale Mall, the last place she was seen alive, police said.

Her body was found four days later a short distance from her abandoned vehicle in some woods in Anne Arundel County. An autopsy ruled her cause of death was homicide by asphyxiation.

"This announcement has been a long time coming, particularly for Pam's family and friends," Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said at a news conference Monday. "While we do hope it provides a sense of closure to all who knew and loved her, we know they still search for answers to what happened to Pam."

Investigators are asking the public for help filling in missing pieces of information and determining whether the suspects could have been responsible for additional crimes.

Both men were hunters known to frequent the now-closed Mountain Bar. Willard worked on the Route 100 construction project where Conyers' body was found.

"Share your experiences with us," police spokesperson Justin Mulcahy said. "Maybe you hunted or fished with them. Maybe you worked or drank a beer with them. If you did, call us."

"It's not too late to come forward with information. There's no information that's too small. It's all significant to us," Mulcahy added.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A Local Working Group that provides advice on the priorities of many U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs will meet from 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, at the Lower Platte North NRD Lake Wanahoo Education Building.

The public is encouraged to attend and express their natural resource concerns. Ideas generated from the public will help the U.S. Department of Agriculture tailor their natural resource programs to meet the needs identified locally.

There is a Local Working Group in each Natural Resources District. Membership on the Local Working Group includes federal, state, county, tribal or local government representatives, according to Bryan Shupe, district conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service whose agency guides the Local Working Group.

For more information about the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the programs and services they provide, contact your local USDA Service Center or visit ne.nres.usda.gov.
The Asian Justice Movement (AJM) demands the immediate release of the video showing the fatal attack of Ms. Yanfang Wu (age 63). @SFPD dismissed the death as an "accident" last July. The same suspect just attacked a 71-year-old Asian woman.

Trending on NextShark: Studio Ghibli Fest 2024: Full list of movies and schedule

We DEMAND justice! #JusticeForAsians pic.twitter.com/zyp8ZQusNQ

 Asian Justice Movement (@AsianJusticeMvt) March 11, 2024
TOPEKA (KSNT)  A new honors class is being offered to inmates at the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

The jail is in week four of the new 12-week inmate honor module. Its a program that provides structured behavior modification, with programs like behavioral health, life skills, faith-based programs, module sanitation assignments, cognitive behavior programs and peer support.

According to program staff, 120 inmates showed interest in the program, but only 16 were selected to take part.

Shawnee Co. health organizations assess the communitys concerns

One inmate said, That explained, most treatment programs focus on one part of a program like drugs or mental health. But our programs attack all areas and aspects,' Angela McHardie, Shawnee County Jail said. So they just are really thankful to our team and our volunteers.

Right now, the program is only available for male inmates, but the jail is looking to expand the program to women.

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.
Shigeichi Negishi - Matt Alt

Shigeichi Negishi, who has died aged 100, was the inventor of the karaoke machine, the electronic singalong system that became a cultural phenomenon in his native Japan before spreading across the world.

The owner of a small factory in suburban Tokyo assembling 8-track car stereos, Negishi  like a great many Japanese men  had always enjoyed singing for relaxation. The term karaoke, a contraction of empty and orchestra, originally referred to entertainers who sang to recorded backing tracks, and Negishi himself was a devotee of a singalong morning radio programme in similar vein called Pop Songs Without Lyrics.

One day in 1967, when his chief engineer overheard him and told him jokingly that he was not very tuneful, he had the idea of attaching a microphone to a tape deck so he could hear himself over a recording of the radio show.

Piece of cake, boss, the engineer replied, and delivered a simple prototype three days later. Negishi tested it by crooning a popular ballad called Mujo no Yume (the Heartless Dream)  and they elaborated the design into the coin-operated Sparko Box, an 18-inch cube with chrome fittings and multicoloured flashing lights that played selected instrumental recordings on cassette tapes, with printed lyrics provided.

A karaoke bar in Tokyo: by the turn of the century, it was estimated that half of Japan's 125 million population regularly sang karaoke - Barry Lewis/Alamy

It works! Thats all I was thinking, Negishi told Matt Alt, author of Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World, many years later. Most of all, it was fun! I knew right away Id invented something new.

The small bars and eateries favoured by Japans hard-drinking after-work salarymen, and the short-time love hotels favoured by romancing couples, offered a ready market, while many customers also installed Sparko Boxes at home. Though he met strong resistance from nagashi  itinerant guitarists whose traditional role was to accompany singing drinkers  Negishi sold 8,000 of the machines before deciding to pull out of the karaoke market in 1975.

At that time the trend was still in its infancy. Twenty years later, it was claimed that almost half of Japans 125 million population regularly sang karaoke. In what has been estimated as a $10 billion global industry, the habit, and the increasingly sophisticated equipment, spread throughout Chinese-speaking Asia as well as to expatriate Japanese venues the world over, where many an embarrassed western guest has been cajoled into howling Frank Sinatras My Way.

Negishi never registered a patent, however, and in due course there were several other claimants to karaoke fame  notably Daisuke Inoue, a nightclub musician from Kobe who launched his own machine, the 8 Juke, in 1971. But Negishis Sparko Box is recognised and saluted, not least by the All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association, as the authentic blueprint of the concept.

Negishi with an original Sparko Box, as he called it - Matt Alt

The son of a local official, Shigeichi Negishi was born on November 29 1923 in Itabashi, a northern satellite of Tokyo. As a boy he made cardboard cityscapes and won a national competition for calligraphy. He studied economics at Hosei university before being conscripted for military service and spending two years as a prisoner of war in Singapore after the Japanese surrender in 1945.

After returning to Japan, Negishi worked as a camera salesman before establishing his own business, Nichiden Kogyo, in 1956, to assemble transistor radios and other consumer electronic products for larger manufacturers.

An inveterate entrepreneur, he went on to launch several other businesses after the Sparko Box, including a line of electronic Buddhist talking prayer books. He also continued to enjoy karaoke singing.

According to his daughter, he was never concerned by the absence of a patent that might have made his fortune. He felt a lot of pride in seeing his idea evolve into a culture of having fun through song around the world. He is survived by three children.

Shigeichi Negishi, born November 29 1923, died January 26 2024

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Kyiv hopes that Ukrainian soldiers will have enough ammunition by April, including thanks to deliveries from its allies, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said at a press conference during a visit to Luxembourg on March 19.

Ukraine is facing critical shell shortages, as $61 billion in funding from the U.S. remains stuck in Congress. Delays in military assistance have already had a direct impact on the battlefield, contributing to the loss of the key front-line city of Avdiivka.

Several European countries joined a Czech-led initiative to procure from non-EU countries 800,000 sorely needed artillery ammunition for Ukraine. The rounds could start flowing to Ukraine by June, according to Tomas Pojar, Czech prime minister's security advisor.

"We hope that this Czech initiative, which Luxembourg joined, will help us, and beginning since (from) April we will have enough ammunition to deter our frontline," Shmyhal said, according to The Guardian.

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Ukraine also expects to get medium- and long-range missiles to cut Russian logistics in the occupied territories, the prime minister said.

"This is as important as artillery shells for us," Shmyhal added.

Since the beginning of 2024, Russia fires seven times more shells than Ukraine, according to Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, Ukraine's deputy defense minister.

Moscow is producing close to 250,000 artillery munitions monthly, or around 3 million per year, which is nearly three times as many artillery munitions as the U.S. and Europe can send to Ukraine, CNN reported on March 11, citing NATO intelligence estimates and unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A week after four people were injured in a shooting and melee at a South Carolina bar, multiple arrests were made, including members of the security team, the Sumter Police Department said Tuesday.

Two patrons and six members of the company hired to provide security at the Backyard Bar & Grill were charged with various crimes, police said in a news release. The venues on Rast Street, in an area of Sumter between U.S. 378 and U.S. 76.

The shooting happened March 10, according to the release.

At about 6 p.m., officers were heading to the bar in response to a call about a fight when they learned about the gunfire, police said.

At the scene, and through the course of an investigation, officers discovered that a disagreement or fight  involving individuals attending a brunch and music performance  began inside the club and spilled outside into the parking lot where shots were fired, according to the release. Officers recovered multiple shell casings from both hand and long guns, outside of the bar, according to police.

Victims

Three victims  a 29-year-old Columbia woman, a 26-year-old Bethune woman, and a 21-year-old Sumter man  were shot before being taken by private vehicles to Prisma Health Tuomey, police said.

Another victim, a 31-year-old Columbia woman, fell and was run over by a car leaving the parking lot, according to the release. She was later transferred to a hospital in Columbia.

All four victims were treated for their injuries and have since been released, police said. Further information on their conditions was not available.

Charges

As of Tuesday, 22-year-old Gable resident Myzariah Lucas and 27-year-old Sumter resident Aaliyah I. Blanding are the patrons who have been arrested, according to the release.

Lucas was charged with attempted murder, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, possession of a gun on premises where alcohol is sold and aggravated breach of peace, police said. Blanding was charged with aggravated breach of peace and possession of a weapon on premises where alcohol is sold, according to the release.

The owner and co-owner of Cerberus Security & Protection also were arrested, along with four men who were acting as security guards, police said.

The owner, 35-year-old Hopkins resident Kevin Bethea, and co-owner, 51-year-old Sumter resident James Lewis Love, both were charged with obstruction of justice, according to the release.

Sumter residents Steven Bethea, 32, and Zachary Sebastian Geddings, 20, were acting as a security guards and are not licensed through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and both were charged with possession of a weapon on premises where alcohol is sold, police said.

Another Sumter resident, 22-year-old Keion Shakel Dicks, also was acting as a security guard and isnt licensed through SLED, and was charged with possession of a weapon on premises where alcohol is sold as well as possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the release.

Julius Armonte Rasheem Ellerbe, a 24-year-old Sumter resident, also was acting as a security guard and isnt licensed through SLED, and was charged with possession of a weapon on premises where alcohol is sold, police said. Ellerbes security license was revoked in 2023 after an unrelated incident in Florence County where hes facing felony charges, according to the release.

All eight were booked at the Sumter County Sheriffs Office Detention Center, police said.

More charges to come?

Investigators said Lucas and at least two other people fired shots outside of the club, and police are working to identify others connected to the fight and shooting.

More arrests are expected, police said.

Anyone with information is asked call police at 803-436-2700, CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.

Additionally, police said the Rast Street venue has been the source of multiple calls for police response over the past few years. Because of the number of calls and types of activity reported, police said they filed a petition in November 2023 with the S.C. Department of Revenue to have the bars alcohol license revoked.

Further hearings about a possible revocation are pending, according to the release.
Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker will bravely walk into a federal courtroom in Mississippi this week to face six former Rankin County law enforcement officers who tortured them for hours. A single bullet nearly silenced Jenkins voice forever.

This has been very hard for me, for us, this last year, Jenkins said during a press conference on Monday ahead of three days of sentencing hearings for the disgraced former officers.

The now-33-year-old stood stronger than he did a year ago when Capital B first interviewed him weeks after he was released from the hospital. The thin man had large white gauze pads and medical tape surrounding most of his neck to cover where the bullet exited.

Im hoping for the best, preparing for the worst, Jenkins said briefly into the scrum of news cameras and microphones.

Speaking appears to still be a challenge for him. The bullet caused permanent brain damage and sliced through his tongue that was surgically removed due to the damage, his attorney previously told Capital B.

On Tuesday, Hunter Elward, the deputy who shot Jenkins, and Jeffrey Middleton were the first to be sentenced in connection with the unthinkable crimes that occurred on Jan. 24, 2023. Elward received 20 years; Middleton got 17 years and six months. They, along with Brett McAlpin, Christian Lee Dedmon, Daniel Opdyke, and former Richland, Mississippi, K-9 officer Joshua Hartfield, faced up to 70 years in federal prison for multiple charges they pleaded guilty to in August. The judge has the discretion to have the sentences run consecutively.

They should be given what they gave me and Michael Jenkinswhich was No Mercy and the[y] should be given THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE, Parker wrote in his prepared victim impact statement.

Moments later, Elward was granted the opportunity to say whatever he wanted before the judge decided his punishment. He faced Jenkins and Parker to apologize, CNN reported.

Im so sorry that I caused that. I hate myself for it, Elward said. His public act of remorse moved Parker, who has been in therapy since the attack, to stand up in the courtroom.

We forgive you, mane, Parker said. Jenkins nodded in the affirmative, CNN reported.

Capital B reached out to the former officers defense attorneys for comment prior to their court appearances this week.

Jason M. Kirschberg, an attorney representing Opdyke, said in an emailed statement that his client admitted he was wrong and feels deep remorse for the pain he caused the victims.

In court on Wednesday, Opdykes attorney, Jeff Reynolds, revealed that his client was the whistleblower, the Associated Press reported. Opdyke and Dedmon were sentenced on Wednesday to 17 and 40 years, respectively, in prison.

The last two former officers, Hartfield and McAlpin, were sentenced on Thursday. Hartfield received 10 years, and McAlpin 37 years and three months.

Separately, Dedmon, Elward, and Opdyke pleaded guilty in another federal case stemming from an incident in December 2022 where a white mans civil rights were violated by Dedmon. As Dedmon beat, used a stun gun, and fired a gun near the victims head to force a confession, Elward and Opdyke stood by and didnt stop the brutality that included sexual violence. Their attack on this third survivor was included in their sentences for brutalizing Jenkins and Parker.

Dedmon was identified as the official organizer of both incidents.

Eddie Terrell Parker escorts Mary Jenkins, mother of Michael Corey Jenkins, into the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday for the sentencing of two of the six former Rankin County law enforcement officers who tortured the men. (Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press)

The sentence should match the crime

Never in the history of the United States of America, and in this state, have you had six police officers plead guilty and head to court for sentencing at the same time, Malik Z. Shabazz, an attorney for Jenkins and Parker, said at the news conference.

Keeping track of how many law enforcement officers have been prosecuted and convicted for almost killing someone can be difficult. Philip M. Stinson, a professor of criminal justice at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, comes close with his Henry A. Wallace Police Crime Database that tracks arrests of non-federal law enforcement officers between 2005 and 2018. However, without logging acquittals, convictions, and dismissals, the picture is incomplete.

The Mapping Police Violence database is helpful in tracking fatal police brutality cases in the U.S. and their resolutions going back to 2013. There have been more than 12,000 incidents, yet less than 1% of families received justice, according to an analysis of the database. In most of those 49 cases, the former law enforcement officer more than likely received a sentence that was less severe than what a first-time offender would get under similar circumstances.

Some of these other sentences that you have been hearing [about] across the country  this officer got three years, another got two years, another got probation, another got six but will only serve two  we dont expect to hear any of that, Shabazz said.

Some examples:

One of the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the murder of George Floyd received three years in prison.

Kim Potter, a former Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, police officer, was sentenced to two years in prison for killing Daunte Wright when she mistook her service weapon for her stun gun.

Three former Pennsylvania police officers were given probation for the stray bullet death of 8-year-old Fanta Bility.

Jason Van Dyke, the former Chicago police officer convicted of killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, was sentenced to six years but only served three.

Jason Volpe, a former New York Police Department officer who brutally sodomized Abner Louima, was released early from his 30-year federal prison sentence.

Read More: Does Sentencing Day Help Families Heal, or Open Old Wounds?

Shabazz classifies what happened to his clients as sick.

History was made today in Mississippi, where no white police officers have ever been prosecuted for harming a Black person, Shabazz said in a statement Wednesday. All of these Goon Squad sentences are sending a serious message to all rogue police and other Goon Squads all over America, that justice is coming to you.

The disgraced former law enforcement officers may also owe millions of dollars in court fines, according to figures tallied by the Associated Press. Those court fines dont specify what percentage goes toward restitution payments for Jenkins and Parker, who also have a pending $400 million civil lawsuit against the officers. With the conclusion of the criminal case, the associated civil case usually gets resolved soon afterward.

The former officers also pleaded guilty to state charges that include home invasion, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice, and obstruction of justice. Their state sentences will run concurrently with their federal sentences, but the federal decision will determine the eventual length.

What was done cant be erased

Parker, 38, said this incident has taken him on a roller coaster Im still riding.

My family is also affected by this, they worry more about my safety. My financial situation has taken a very crucial hit also. I am terrified of the public. My mind is all messed up and my emotions are sometimes all over the map, Parker wrote and said in court.

Before all of this, he said, his life wasnt perfect, but it was his.

I wish I didnt have to experience the memory of this torture session but I cant do that either. I cant erase my memories but I will struggle to live on, Parker wrote.

Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, was a regular winter day for Jenkins and Parker. Unbeknownst to them, a group of white law enforcement officers were in a group chat called Goon Squad plotting a mission that would call for no bad mugshot  the excessive physical abuse would avoid the suspects face.

As Jenkins was hanging out in Parkers Braxton, Mississippi, home, the six law enforcement officers burst through the front door. Jenkins and Parker were handcuffed as the officers ransacked and searched the house, allegedly for drugs.

They were repeatedly punched, kicked, slapped, and shocked with stun guns for nearly two hours. Parker and Jenkins said the deputies poured water and milk over their faces while accusing them of dating white women. At one point, one or more of the former officers threatened to use a sex toy to molest both men.

I dont know if Ill ever be able to sleep again at night. I am in constant fear someone will break into my home and terrorize me again. I fear I will be attacked again or even killed by police in Rankin, Parker wrote.

They were also forced to do other sadistic acts that as men are extremely humiliating topics to discuss at all, let alone publicly. Because of the former officers perverse conduct, a strong message must be sent to the nation that this type of outrageous activity and outrageous incidents will not be tolerated, Shabazz said.

Those white officers reign of terror upon Black men ended when Elward put his gun into Jenkins mouth and shot him. Jenkins barely survived the police bullet that severely damaged his tongue and burrowed out of his neck.

By the middle of August, the officers were fired from their jobs and had pleaded guilty in federal and state courts. Calls for Sheriff Bryan Bailey to resign have increased as Jenkins and Parker continue to suffer emotionally, mentally, and physically with constant flashbacks of that night.

What happened shouldnt have never happened. Damien Cameron  would agree, Parker said.

Cameron, 29, was allegedly beaten to death in 2021 while in the custody of Rankin County sheriffs deputies that included Elward. A grand jury declined to indict the officers in October 2022.

Capital B has reached out to Jason Dare, an attorney representing the sheriffs department, for comment.

Im just hoping everything that comes out of this comes out right, because everything needs to be done right because everything was done wrong, Parker said at the press conference on Monday. What was done already, mane, cant be erased, mane, cant be taken back. I relive this everyday.

This story has been updated.

The post Sick Acts Warrant Stiff Penalties for Former Mississippi Officers, Lawyer Says appeared first on Capital B News.
yle Rittenhouse's Speaking Event at Kent State Draws Strong Opposition from People Who Note Campus History of Deadly Suppression of Protest

Kyle Rittenhouse's college speaking tour continues to draw heavy opposition from campus communities.

"The Rittenhouse Recap," as organizer Turning Point USA calls it, is set to take place at the University of Memphis and Western Kentucky University this month and at Kent State University in April.

Kyle Rittenhouse looks back as attorneys discuss items in the motion for mistrial presented by his defense during his trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse on November 17, 2021, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Photo by Sean Krajacic - Pool/Getty Images)

The event web pages state that Rittenhouse will speak "about the importance of the Second Amendment and the lies of (Black Lives Matter)."

At Kent State, one person launched an online petition calling for the university to cancel Rittenhouse's event. More than 1,100 people have signed it so far.

"As a member of the Kent State community, I am deeply concerned about an upcoming event hosted by student organization Turning Point USA, which will feature Kyle Rittenhouse as a guest," Ally Greco wrote. "We must remember that our university should be a place for learning and growth - not for promoting divisive figures or ideologies that could potentially incite more violence."

Rittenhouse was 17 when he fired a semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle at three men, killing two of them, during a demonstration in 2020 against the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was acquitted of five charges, including intentional homicide, in 2021.

People online who learned about the speaking tour took issue with it since Rittenhouse's acquittal carries controversy to this day.

https://twitter.com/ksecus/status/1769458532003271096

In 1970, Kent State was the site of a deadly shooting carried out by the Ohio National Guard. Officers killed four college students and wounded nine other students who were protesting against news that the U.S. would be intensifying Vietnam War efforts by invading Cambodia.

The shooting triggered student strikes nationwide, forcing hundreds of college campuses to close.

Several social media users, including those affiliated with Kent State, denounced Rittenhouse's invitation and questioned why the campus would invite a man who shot and killed protesters to a campus that has a history of gun violence.

Some called the event "tone deaf" and "detrimental to the student body."

https://twitter.com/RickChapterTwo/status/1769387749734281485

Kent State released a statement after Rittenhouse's event was announced:

"A registered student organization is bringing this speaker to campus. Kent State University upholds the First Amendment rights of free speech and peaceful assembly for all. As a state university, we permit groups and individuals to speak and share their views on our campus about topics they feel are important," the statement says. "Kent State has a long history of allowing peaceful dialogue from all points of view, including those whom some may feel are offering different and/or sometimes controversial opinions."

"As with any speaker invited to our campus, the university does not endorse or condone an opinion or point of view represented by the speaker, nor does the university advocate for any topic the speaker might discuss during their visit to campus," it continues. "We continue to support and encourage freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas. Consistent with our core values, we encourage open dialogue and respectful civil discourse in an inclusive environment."

At Western Kentucky University, a spokesperson said that the event does not represent the values or views of the school.

"While WKUs commitment to free speech includes allowing groups to invite guests to campus, that does not mean that the university supports, endorses or agrees with the views of those individuals," Jace Lux said in a statement.

The organization behind Rittenhouse's speaking tour is Turning Point USA, a conservative student advocacy group founded by right-wing firebrand Charlie Kirk. Candace Owens even served as the organization's communications director for a time.

This Sickens Me: Kyle Rittenhouses College Speaking Tour Triggers Petition, Fierce Pushback from Campus Communities
CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)  Carter County received its second consecutive poor audit from The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.

On Tuesday, the Comptrollers Office announced its annual audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 found material weaknesses, significant deficiencies and noncompliance within the Office of the Finance Director within Carter County.

The audit included 10 findings, six of which were reported in the 2022 audit report that had not been corrected, the Comptrollers Office stated.

PREVIOUS: State audit finds Carter County finances in disarray

Two of the findings were related to the Comptrollers Office investigations of Carter County Schools and Carter County Solid Waste departments.

According to findings in the audit, Carter County did not comply with its policy to develop a balanced budget for the 2023 fiscal year. The county reportedly budgeted to use fund balance instead of current revenues to support its operations.

Auditors noted the following noncompliances within The Office of Finance Director:

Failed to maintain accounting records

Failed to hold spending within the limits authorized by the county commission

Had deficiencies in the posting of journal entries

Did not maintain capital asset records properly

Did not properly place amounts withheld from contractor payments in an escrow account

RELATED: Comptroller: Former Carter County Solid Waste director had questionable business relationship

Carter County officials should recognize that these audit results are not acceptable, Comptroller of the Treasury Jason Mumpower said. The county had 11 findings last year and 10 this year, which is significantly more than the average Tennessee county. County Commissioners, the Financial Management Committee, and the Audit Committee should exercise their authority to provide oversight and accountability.

To view all Tennessee county audit reports, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
The colourful powder is also thrown in the Holi Hindu festival - Heathcliff O'Malley/The Telegraph

Sikhs across the Armed Forces celebrated their annual military festival on Tuesday with a day of colour and competition in Aldershot, Hampshire.

They marked the three-day celebration of Holla Mahalla with a shooting contest, practice of Sikh martial arts and a weapons demonstration.

Officers were also pictured throwing rang, a coloured powder, at one another in a vibrant display.

They were joined by members of the Defence Sikh Network, which represents Sikhs in other services of the UK Armed Forces.

Holla Mahalla is a martial arts festival typically celebrated each March the day after Holi to honour the spirit of fierce but good-natured competition.

The activities included military games - Heathcliff O'Malley/The Telegraph

The festival celebrates courage, preparation and readiness - Heathcliff O'Malley/The Telegraph

Sikhs have been serving in the British Army since the 1800s - Heathcliff O'Malley/The Telegraph

Sikhs have served in the British Army since the 1800s. More than 84,000 died and 100,000 were injured during the First World War.

In 2019 there were 130 Sikhs serving in the Army and another 70 across defence, according to the Royal Logistic Corps.

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The Colorado Springs man accused of creating and detonating homemade explosive devices near downtown last year had an arson charge bound over for trial on Monday afternoon.

Edward Kiley, 69, faces eight charges, including arson, criminal mischief, controlled substance possession and several counts of possession or use of explosives or incendiary devices for allegedly creating and setting off a homemade explosive device.

On Monday afternoon Kiley appeared to court for his preliminary hearing, where Judge Eric Bentley would determine if there was probable cause to bind over the charge of arson against Kiley.

Due to Kiley no longer being in custody of the El Paso County jail he is only entitled to a preliminary hearing on the charge of arson, a class-3 felony. The remaining seven charges were bound over for trial after Kiley posted the $10,000 surety bond to be released from custody on Jan. 23, according to court records.

The prosecution called one witness to the stand at Kiley's preliminary hearing, a detective with the El Paso County Sheriff Office's regional explosives unit.

The majority of the detective's testimony was taken up by the several surveillance video clips entered into evidence by prosecutor Anthony Gioia. The surveillance clips, many of which were referenced to in Kiley's arrest affidavit obtained by The Gazette, showed what was described as a "improvised hot air balloon" floating through the sky before the device is caught on a fence and detonates.

The explosion from the device caused over $1,000 in damages to a nearby business, the detective stated.

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Further video surveillance footage entered into evidence by the prosecution showed a clip of a man, alleged to be Kiley, setting the device into the air from a nearby parking lot. The detective states they were able to identify Kiley as the likely suspect due to the truck in the parking lot surveillance matching the truck owned by Kiley, as well as Kiley's proximity to the area where the homemade explosive device was discovered.

When law enforcement investigated Kiley's home, several items described as materials to create explosives were recovered from the home, including a black "smokeless powder."

The affidavit obtained by The Gazette also states that supplies from Home Depot and a book titled Fireworks Cookbook were also recovered from Kiley's home during the investigation.

During cross-examination, Kiley's attorney, Eli Huscher, asked the detective how they were able to confirm that it was Kiley in the surveillance footage played in court when the pickup truck alleged to be Kiley's had no visible plates on it in the video. The detective stated that he was able to identify the truck as Kiley's due to the stickers on the truck as well as the antenna.

Following the single testimony from law enforcement, Judge Bentley ruled that the arson charge would be bound over for trial.

"Other conclusions are possible, but it's a reasonable conclusion that the defendant put (the explosive device) together and put it in flight," Bentley said.

Kiley will return to court on April 15 for an arraignment hearing, which will be his first opportunity to enter a plea on the eight charges he currently faces.
DENVER (KDVR)  A new Colorado law signed by Gov. Jared Polis will open access to privately owned 14ers in the state while also protecting landowners who provide access from liability.

Climbing a 14,000-foot mountain is a goal for many who recreate in Colorado. However, according to Sen. Mark Baisley, a sponsor of the bill, 56.7% of Colorado is privately owned, and that includes several famous 14ers. Many peaks are fully owned or cross into private land.

14ers closed off due to liability concerns

Recently, some 14ers were closed to the public after a bill that would protect landowners from being sued by injured recreationists failed in 2023.

One landowner, John Reiber, closed public access to Mount Lincoln and Mount Democrat after the bill failed.

Another Colorado 14er could have its name changed

Those who own popular land in Colorado are protected under the Colorado Recreational Use Statute. The statute protects landowners from liability if someone gets injured while recreating on their land.

The bill outlines that landowners could be found liable in instances of willful or malicious failure to those recreating on their property.

However, that willful or malicious wording came to a head in a 2019 verdict.

According to the Nelson vs. United States court case, a Colorado Springs mountain biker was seriously injured while on private property on the U.S. Air Force Academy land. The man sued the academy, and the landowner was found liable for $7 million worth of damages due to the fact that the owner willfully ignored the dangerous conditions that the washed-out path imposed on the biker.

Many private landowners became wary of allowing access to their land after this decision, in fear of being sued.

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So, a new bill was proposed in 2024 to better define willful or malicious failure by the landowner.

On March 15, Polis signed Senate Bill 24-058, Landowner Liability Recreational Use Warning Signs, into law.

How does the new law open access to mountains?

In this latest bill, lawmakers worked to define the language of the Colorado Recreational Use Statute and list the circumstances in which an owner does not commit a willful or malicious failure.

The circumstances are as follows:

The owner posts a warning sign at the primary access point where the individual entered the land, which sign satisfies certain criteria

The owner maintains photographic or other evidence of the sign

The dangerous condition, use, structure, or activity that caused the injury or death is described by the sign

The recreator also has a role in this bill.

Why arent people hiking 14ers as much?

Anyone who chooses to hike on private land must stay on a designated recreational trail, route, area, or roadway unless the owner allows otherwise. If this rule is broken, the person will be deemed a trespasser.

The new bill also clarifies that an owner is a possessor or holder of a conservation easement.

What will change on Colorado 14ers?

After Polis signed this bill into law, hikers will now notice signs at the entrance of a trail warning them of the dangers.

When Polis signed the bill, he held up an example of a sign that, in summary, warns a hiker they are entering land intended for recreation, they must stay on designated trails and that there are inherent risks and dangers associated with using the land.

FOX31's Denver Guide

Events, things to do, FAQs about living in Denver

Read more from The Denver Guide

By having this sign posted, the landowner is protected from any lawsuit that alleges liability, as the landowner is no longer failing to warn recreationists against the dangers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Pritam Singh's charges relate to his testimony in parliament over an earlier scandal involving a former lawmaker in his party

Singapore's opposition leader Pritam Singh has been charged with lying under oath to a parliamentary committee.

The charges relate to Mr Singh's handling of a former lawmaker from his party who lied in parliament in a separate case.

Mr Singh has rejected the accusations. Appearing in court on Tuesday, he said he would contest the charges.

Prosecutors say they intend to ask for fines for Mr Singh, who could also possibly lose his seat in parliament.

In August 2021, MP Raeesah Khan - then a lawmaker from the Workers' Party - claimed the police had misbehaved towards a sexual assault victim. But she later admitted the anecdote was not true.

Ms Khan was fined for lying and abusing her parliamentary privilege. She has since resigned from the party and vacated her seat.

During a subsequent parliamentary committee investigation into the incident, Mr Singh was called in as a witness and gave testimony pertaining to how he dealt with Ms Khan.

Ms Khan claimed Mr Singh encouraged her to continue her narrative despite finding out it was not true.

Mr Singh has denied this, but also said he had given Ms Khan "too much time to settle herself before closing this issue with her".

The committee later concluded Mr Singh had not been truthful while speaking to them under oath, and recommended a criminal investigation into Mr Singh's conduct.

Mr Singh has said he was "unable to accept" the committee's findings and that he "intends to clear his name".

According to the charge sheets released on Tuesday, Mr Singh is accused of "wilfully making false [answers]" to the parliamentary committee in relation to Ms Khan's case,

For each charge, he faces a jail term of up to three years or a maximum fine of S$7,000 (4,100; $5,200), or both.

In Singapore, MPs who are convicted of an offence could lose their seats and be disqualified from standing for election if they are fined more than S$10,000 or jailed for more than a year.
Sirens are blaring: UN climate report says 2023 was off the charts

As Earth endured its hottest year on record in 2023, records for six other climate change metrics were also broken, according to a UN report issued Tuesday.

The State of the Global Climate 2023 report published by the World Meteorological Organization  the UNs climate agency  confirmed what has already been widely reported. However, the WMO said that 2023 also capped the planets warmest 10-year period on record.

According to the report, the worlds average near-surface temperature in 2023 was 1.45 degrees Celsius (2.61 degrees Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial baseline.

2024 ALREADY HAS 99% CHANCE OF BEING AMONG 5 HOTTEST YEARS ON RECORD, NOAA SAYS

"Never have we been so close  albeit on a temporary basis at the moment  to the 1.5 C (2.7 degrees F) lower limit of the Paris Agreement on climate change," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo in a statement about the report. "The WMO community is sounding the Red Alert to the world."

In a tweet about the report, the WMO used a spiral graph to show how global temperatures have warmed since the 19th century.

"2023 gave new meaning to the phrase off the charts," scientists wrote in the tweet.

The worlds temperature was not the only record broken in 2023. According to the report, records for greenhouse gases, ocean heat and sea level rise all hit record highs last year.

The extent of Antarctic sea ice also reached a record low, while Arctic sea ice remained well below normal.

LESS THAN 22% OF STAGHORN CORAL IN FLORIDA SURVIVED MARINE HEAT WAVE, SCIENTISTS SAY

The Greenland Ice Sheet continued to lose mass after the worlds largest island experienced its warmest summer on record. A set of glaciers around the globe that are used for reference also saw the largest loss of ice on record.

"Sirens are blaring across all major indicators... Some records arent just chart-topping, theyre chart-busting. And changes are speeding-up," said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a statement about the report.

ARCTIC OCEAN COULD BECOME 'ICE-FREE' WITHIN A DECADE, RESEARCHERS SAY

An aerial view of meltwater lakes formed at the Russell Glacier front, part of the Greenland ice sheet in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on August 16, 2022.

Scientists said that renewable energy generation  solar, wind and water  set records in 2023, as well, with capacity additions increasing by 50% from 2022 for a total of 510 gigawatts.

Scientists said renewable energy had become a focus of climate action because of its potential to achieve targets aimed at reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses.

Countries have set a goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity to 11,000 gigawatts by 2030.

RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION EXPECTED TO JUMP SHARPLY, DEFYING EXPECTATIONS

Wind farm in California.





Original article source: Sirens are blaring: UN climate report says 2023 was off the charts
A view of a destroyed vehicle at the accident scene. Two police officers and four others died when they were hit by a speeding truck which went through a police checkpoint on a motorway near Seville in southern Spain on Tuesday. Francisco J. Olmo/EUROPA PRESS/dpa

Two police officers and four others died when they were hit by a speeding truck which went through a police checkpoint on a motorway near Seville in southern Spain on Tuesday.

The incident took place on the AP-4 motorway, state broadcaster RTVE reported. Three people were seriously injured. Police detained the truck driver, who was uninjured.

According to the report, the authorities are working on the assumption that the incident was an accident and that the driver could have been suffering from fatigue. Tests for alcohol and other drugs have turned out negative.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his condolences to the victim's next-of-kin on X (formerly Twitter).

A view of a destroyed vehicle at the accident scene. Two police officers and four others died when they were hit by a speeding truck which went through a police checkpoint on a motorway near Seville in southern Spain on Tuesday. Francisco J. Olmo/EUROPA PRESS/dpa
The man accused of killing two people at a University of Colorado Colorado Springs dorm room last month will undergo a competency evaluation, an El Paso County judge ordered on Monday.

Nicholas Jordan, 25, is facing two charges of first-degree murder for allegedly shooting and killing Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo, and Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, in the early morning hours of Feb. 16.

Jordan and Knopp were roommates and students at the UCCS, according to previous reporting from The Gazette. Jordan's arrest affidavit states that Jordan had made a death threat against Knopp over taking out the trash, and that campus security and housing had recorded multiple complaints about Jordan prior to the shooting.

Jordan appeared in court on Monday for a review hearing to help determine if attorneys would be ready to proceed to a preliminary hearing at the end of the month. Instead, Jordan's defense attorney, Nick Rogers, informed the court that he had filed a motion for a competency evaluation.

"I'm incompetent," Jordan could be heard saying at one point in the hearing.

Judge David Shakes granted the defense motion and ordered the evaluation, noting that he was "concerned" with Jordan's competency.

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Jordan's case will be delayed until he is declared competent by a state psychologist. If he is found incompetent the case will remain on hold until Jordan is restored to competency.

Because of Jordan's competency evaluation, his preliminary hearing originally scheduled for March 27 has been delayed indefinitely.

Rogers also filed a motion for Jordan to appear at future court proceedings in civilian clothing, but Shakes did not rule on the motion because the county attorney's office had yet to file a response.

Jordan will return to court on April 12 for a review hearing to check on the status of the competency evaluation and determine next steps.

Jordan remains in custody at the El Paso County jail on a $5 million bond. At Jordan's first appearance Rogers implied that Jordan was unable to post a $5 million bond, or anything close to it, but on Monday Jordan asked Judge Shakes where someone could pay the $5 million bond for his release.
The House returns to Washington on Tuesday facing heightened urgency to move more military help for Ukraine but with no formal deadline  and no clear strategy  for getting it passed.

The lower chamber is scheduled to be in session for only four days before a two-week holiday recess, and Kyivs supporters, including top Democrats in both chambers, are urging Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to move the additional aid before weeks end.

We cannot go home for Passover and Easter  we must have this assistance to Ukraine, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday in an appearance on CNNs State of the Union program.

Yet Congress is facing a Friday deadline to fund the government and prevent a partial shutdown  a process expected to dominate the week  and Johnson has given no indication hes ready to move quickly on a foreign aid package in the short window before the break, nor has he disclosed what such legislation would look like.

Indeed, the Speaker has said he wants to focus first on funding the government and shift to a package of national security issues  including aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, as well as funding for more security at the U.S.-Mexico border  only afterward.

We are moving through our normal appropriations process  should be done by this Friday  after which the Speakers indicated hes committed to putting this supplemental on the floor, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News Sunday.

That timeline would push the earliest potential action on Ukraine until April 9  three weeks away  when the House is scheduled to return to the Capitol after the long holiday recess. In the eyes of many Democrats, Ukraines beleaguered forces dont have that long to wait.

Russian troops are slowly advancing, while Ukraine is running low on resources. Ukrainian officials said an airstrike killed 20 people in Odessa, and last month Russian troops captured the key city of Avdiivka.

The clock is ticking, and we have to get the bipartisan national security bill over the finish line before we leave town next Friday, March 22  before we leave town, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) warned last week.

Its reckless to do otherwise.

The Democrats ultimatums are designed to put political pressure on House GOP leaders to consider a Senate foreign aid package, including $60 billion for Ukraine, which passed easily through the upper chamber last month by a 70-29 vote. Johnson, however, hasnt budged, rejecting the Senate bill out of hand for lacking border provisions and vowing to send a more conservative House alternative back across the Capitol  maybe as a package, maybe in separate pieces  at some unspecified time in the future.

The issue has emerged as a huge challenge for Johnson, whos scrambling to provide more military assistance to help Ukraine fend off Russias advancing forces without sparking a revolt in his own GOP conference, where the appetite for foreign aid has waned, and the wrong move could cost him his gavel.

Complicating the political math, former President Trump has opposed both Ukraine aid and tougher border provisions  the centerpieces of Johnsons vague plan  before Novembers elections, warning against lending President Biden a political victory on an issue that stands as one of his top vulnerabilities in his rematch against Trump.

Many House conservatives have adopted Trumps isolationist leanings, and some are pushing Johnson to scrap the idea of providing any more military aid to Ukraine  now or ever.

Johnson told reporters at the House GOPs annual retreat in West Virginia last week that he understands the urgency of sending additional aid to Ukraine, but he has disclosed few details on how he intends to accomplish that goal  leaving lawmakers, White House aides and Ukrainian officials in the dark as they sound the alarm about Kyivs dwindling arsenal in its battle against Moscow.

The mystery of how Johnson plans to move Ukraine aid is deepening by the day as he gets closer to having to make a decision.

The Speaker told Politico in an interview last week that any Ukraine legislation would likely be a stand-alone bill and be considered under a fast-track procedure known as suspension of the rules.

By stand-alone, Johnson meant the assistance for Ukraine would not hitch a ride on must-pass legislation such as government funding, according to a leadership aide. But that does not necessarily mean it would be free from border provisions, which has been a key request from congressional Republicans.

The aide said the components of a bill or series of bills are still being worked through with members, and leadership has not provided any guarantees on being able to move something.

During a conversation with Senate Republicans at their retreat last week, Johnson floated tweaking the upper chambers foreign aid bill to make it a loan or lend-lease program rather than a grant. He also discussed including language that would allow the U.S. to use seized Russian assets to pay for the aid, similar to the REPO for Ukrainians Act sponsored by McCaul.

But by predicting that the Ukraine aid would move under suspension of the rules  which requires two-thirds support for passage, meaning buy-in from Democrats is a must  Johnson is signaling that the legislation would be bipartisan, a detail that raises more questions about the makeup of the measure.

Johnson last week suggested that border security is still part of the conversation  Republicans have demanded that any aid for Kyiv be paired with policy to address the situation at the U.S. southern border  but it remains unclear how that will attract support from Democrats.

I believe, and the American people believe, we have to secure our own border as the top priority, and I think that is a sentiment that the vast majority of the people in the country expect and deserve. And were gonna continue to press for that, Johnson told reporters Friday when asked if he was considering moving Ukraine aid without border security policy.

Lawmakers in both parties recognize the difficult situation Johnson finds himself in as he contends with a Ukraine in need, vocal Democrats calling for support for the embattled U.S. ally, a pair of discharge petitions trying to go over his head and a rowdy right flank that has threatened to force a challenge to his gavel.

It is in everyones best interest not to delay. However, we are operating in a divided government with a slim majority, Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), a proponent of Ukraine aid, told The Hill.

Navigating government funding and other foreign aid priorities in this environment requires buy in from everyone, he added. Im confident Speaker Johnson will thread this needle swiftly.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Well, that was dumb.

Partying on St. Frattys Day  Cal Poly students unofficial and unauthorized celebration of St. Patricks Day  is one thing.

Theft and vandalism so bad that it necessitates briefly evacuating a college dorm, such as happened early Saturday, is next level  as in criminal.

Muir Hall on campus had damage so extensive that university officials were forced to temporarily close the building and evacuate about 300 student residents in order to repair and restore fire suppression and alarm systems, clean up destruction and debris from smashed ceiling tiles and marred floors and provide deep cleaning and air quality restoration throughout, Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong said in an email to the campus community. Other buildings were damaged as well, though not so severely.

Screenshot of video showing broken ceiling tiles, trash littering a hallway in Tenaya Hall after an early-morning St. Patricks Day party left parts of campus damaged on March 16, 2024. Allison Cadena

There will no doubt be repercussions, most likely in the form of increased security from here on out. That wont affect just current students, but also future Mustangs.

The campus wasnt the only location affected.

Thousands of students congregated in the nearby Hathway Avenue neighborhood, where city police issued citations for various violations, including noise, unruly gatherings, open containers, public urination and public intoxication. Damage to several vehicles  including a smashed windshield  was reported.

If this were merely a case of loud partying, authorities might have been more forgiving. But its hard to ignore deliberate vandalism and theft.

In his scathing email, Armstrong vowed to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.

These selfish and harmful actions are unacceptable for individuals who have been granted the privilege to study, live and work in the Cal Poly community, he wrote. It is confounding and deeply disturbing that a portion of our own students so ignorantly and callously destroyed parts of our campus  including the very places they and so many other students live.

A paternal scolding from the college president is unlikely to change behavior, however.

For one thing, it echoed the admonition Armstrong delivered back in 2015, when at least eight St. Frattys Day revelers were injured after a garage roof collapsed under the weight of 50 celebrants.

This event raises significant concern about the judgment exercised by both the party organizers and attendees regarding the health and safety of themselves and others, Armstrong said then. Behavior like this has no place in San Luis Obispo and is counter to the expectation we have of Cal Poly students.

After that debacle, then Mayor Jan Marx wanted to ban climbing onto rooftops for any reason except maintenance and installation. That went nowhere, though other crackdowns on disruptive partying  including adoption of a party registration system and the doubling of fines on and leading up to St. Patricks Day  have been adopted.

Those, too, have failed to deter St. Frattys Day revelers, however, which demonstrates just how tough it is to control such events.

In the case of two other celebrations that grew unruly and violent until they erupted in full-blown riots  the Mardi Gras Parade in downtown San Luis Obispo and the annual Poly Royal open house sponsored by Cal Poly  authorities permanently canceled the events.

Last year, some Cal Poly neighbors called on the university to cancel St. Frattys Day, according to Mustang News.

But thats not so easy in this case. How do you stop people from celebrating an annual holiday?

You cant cancel St. Patricks Day, any more than you can cancel Halloween or New Years Eve.

Nor can you easily change the culture that surrounds certain holidays.

St. Patricks Day, for example, is no longer strictly an Irish Catholic holy day. Its been embraced by all nationalities as an opportunity to wear green beads, eat corned beef, drink copious amounts of alcohol and attempt to speak with Irish accents.

Absent truly draconian measures  such as imposing a curfew or closing down campus  authorities are better off attempting to prevent things from getting out of hand in the first place.

The university could start with more aggressive messaging that makes it clear just what risks students face if theyre caught destroying property and committing crimes.

This goes beyond threatening fines that will end up being shared by entire dorms or off-campus houses. Suspension and even expulsion should be in the mix for the worst offenders.

Another strategy would be to once again tell visitors from other schools that they are not welcome here. That message has been used in the past to discourage out-of-town students from bringing chaos to San Luis Obispo.

Then, when St. Frattys Day morn arrives, boost security around the first-year dorms so any aspiring neer-do-wells know someone is watching. Deter misbehavior while students are dispersed and before they have a chance to feed off a drunken, anonymous crowd.

Not that we want to see a heavy police presence on or off campus. Its not something students should want, either, which is why they really should call out the idiots who think its fun to trash residence halls, steal from campus dining facilities, mess with fire alarms and damage parked cars.

But weve now reached the point where another step in escalation could get really ugly, and we need to do whatever we can to prevent that from happening next year.

Because there will be another St. Frattys Day next year.

We all know students are going to party, and it doesnt seem that meager regulations, fines or registration systems are going to stop that from happening.

But something must change now, before the rocks and bottles start flying again.
Airlines from China, US on stable path to raise flights after agreement

Global Times) 08:37, March 19, 2024

Beijing Daxing International Airport welcomes its first day of peak travel as the Spring Festival travel rush started on January 26, 2024. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Airlines from China and the US are on a stable path to increase flights between the two countries, recording the biggest jump since the outbreak of the pandemic, amid recent efforts by the Chinese and US governments to increase flights.

On Monday, US-based Delta Air Lines said that it would increase the frequency of nonstop services between Shanghai-Pudong and Detroit to daily flights, beginning on May 23.

Delta is currently operating daily flights from Shanghai-Pudong to Seattle and three-times-weekly services to Detroit.

After the change, Delta will operate two daily flights from Shanghai to its US gateways.

Delta is not alone.

United Airlines said earlier this month that it would add four weekly flights between Los Angeles and Shanghai starting on August 29. Further, in late October, the Shanghai-Los Angeles route will be increased to daily service. This service complements United's daily service between San Francisco-Shanghai and San Francisco-Beijing.

In addition, six Chinese airlines including Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines, which serve routes between the two countries, all announced new flight schedules to the US.

Air China will add one flight per week between Beijing and Los Angeles and two flights per week between Beijing and New York from March 31, and China Eastern will add two weekly flights from Shanghai to Los Angeles and one weekly flight from Shanghai to San Francisco starting from March 31.

China Southern will add one new weekly flight from Guangzhou to Los Angeles on March 31, and two new weekly flights from Guangzhou to San Francisco on April 2.

The new flights between China and the US operated by Chinese airlines are still mostly concentrated in Los Angeles and San Francisco in the western US.

The announcements came after the agreement made by the Chinese and US governments recently. Starting on March 31, airlines from China and the US can operate a total of 100 scheduled round trips per week, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China on February 29.

China and the US have seen increasing flights in recent years, and this round of increases is the biggest jump since the outbreak of the pandemic. There were three rounds of increases in 2023, and the latest was up from 48 flights to 70 flights, starting from November.

However, the total number of flights linking China and the US is still lagging behind the level of 2019. Even after this increase in flights, the level of recovery still lagged behind those among other countries.

In 2019, daily passenger flights between China and the US averaged 165, with a daily peak of 181, data from information provider VariFlight showed.

Data from Fly Master showed that China's outbound passenger flights during the Spring Festival period recovered to 69.3 percent of the level in 2019.

The destinations were concentrated in East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Korea, Thailand and Japan ranking in the top three. In terms of the recovery rate, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the UK exceeded 100 percent.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The 4th Judicial District Attorney's office announced that it has ruled the actions justified of a Colorado Springs police officer in 2023 to knock a vehicle off the road, resulting in the death of a man suspected of carjacking.

Henry Jackson, 20, was killed April 13 after the car he was riding in was knocked out of control by the officer and crashed into a utility pole.

City police were on the lookout for a silver 2020 Hyundai Kona, which had been carjacked at gunpoint by two masked men around midnight, when a chain of events started.

According to police and the District Attorney's Office, about 2:30 a.m. officers found the vehicle with two men wearing ski masks inside at a gas station off Delta Drive. Officers followed the vehicle, eventually turning on their lights.

Dashcam footage released by police shows scenes from the ensuing 3-mile car chase, where the suspects were doing 60-80 mph in 35 and 45 mph zones, running at least one red light in the process.

Colorado Springs officer Matt Anderson was in the lead position of the pursuit. Anderson requested permission to conduct a tactical vehicle intervention  purposefully tapping a pursuing vehicle to force it to turn sideways suddenly, ideally bringing the vehicle to a stop.

The district attorney's investigation reports that at 2:38 a.m., Anderson asked for authorization of a TVI. It was authorized, provided the officers had cover and it could be done safely.

Anderson soon performed the TVI, just north of South Circle Drive and East Pikes Peak Avenue, at 2:39 a.m.

While the TVI was happening, the district attorney's report notes that Monitoring Supervisor Sgt. Brady Mitts radioed, TVI under 30 miles per hour, if possible.

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Data collected from Anderson's patrol vehicle indicated he accelerated up to 88 mph to conduct the TVI. The suspect's vehicle was traveling at 90 mph. The district attorney's report notes that data from the Hyundai indicates that the suspect driver, later identified as 18-year-old D'Angelo Flynn, was flooring the accelerator at the time of the crash, and never applied the brakes. Neither he, nor his passenger, later identified as Henry Jackson, 20, were wearing seat belts.

The Hyundai skidded out of the intersection before hitting a utility pole.

Jackson was determined to be deceased at the scene, according to the DA's office report. Officers said a loaded handgun was found in Jackson's possession.

Flynn was taken into custody, and later charged with charges including aggravated robbery and vehicular eluding. He is scheduled in court Wednesday.

No officers were injured during the incident, according to police.

Court records show Flynn is charged with aggravated robbery, violent crime with a weapon and vehicular eluding with death. He is held in the El Paso County jail on $50,000 bond.

DA's findings

The report from the district attorney's office concludes the work of the multiagency Deadly Force Investigation Team and concludes that Anderson was justified in his use of force, as defined by Colorado law.

Among the details the district attorney's report notes in coming to its conclusion, was the fact that Officer Anderson requested and received permission to use his vehicle to stop the suspect's vehicle. The report also notes that the officer had a reasonable belief that the two suspects, armed, masked and in a stolen vehicle, posed a continued threat to the public.

The suspects had ample opportunities to stop and surrender peacefully, but showed no inclination to do so, driving recklessly. The TVI was conducted in a less-busy intersection when there was no other traffic present.

While done at a speed higher than advised, the DA's report notes that it was still conducted within CSPD policy. Also, other methods available to the officers at that time, like a roadblock, would have posed a significant risk to the officers since the suspects were believed to be armed.
ST. LOUIS  St. Louis is on the map as one of several potential pit stops for a long-distance railway connecting New York to Dallas.

The Federal Railway Administration recently proposed this railway as part of a new study identifying long-distance train routes.

If the railway becomes a reality, it would be the first direct passenger rail route from St. Louis to New York. Currently, train riders who choose to travel between both cities must hop off a train and transfer routes at another station, like one in Chicago or Washington.

St. Louis already has a direct route to Dallas through the Amtrak Texas Eagle route, but the proposed railway could speed up travel time with only a few stops in between.

The FRA recently released this map in its February Long-Distance Survey Study presentation.

According to the map, which the FRA lists as a draft, the New York-Dallas route would also allow St. Louis to connect with other big markets like Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.

Federal officials are hopeful that the proposed system will connect cities across the United States with more efficient railways. For example, the new route between Denver and Seattle would be about a 40-hour ride on a single train, according to the FRA study. The trip would be about 16 hours shorter than the current trip.

Missing Missouri student: Officials focusing search efforts on Cheatham Dam

The study didnt offer such metrics for Dallas to New York, but presumably it would make getting to either from St. Louis a little faster. According to travel website KAYAK, taking St. Louis to Dallas via train right now is approximately 15 and a half hours, while taking St. Louis to New York with stops in between is roughly 1 day and 10 hours. From Dallas to St. Louis, then to New York, for people who choose this route, the current duration of train rides stretches more than two days.

The FRA says it could take several years before this railway actually becomes a reality, however. The FRA said the final design and construction for its preferred network likely wouldnt begin until Year 8 of its timeframe. The railways then wouldnt likely start operating until Year 15.

Over the next few months, the FRA will work to review feedback on its preferred routes and identify costs to build and operate the tracks. The administration intends to meet again to reveal implementation schedules and discuss recommendations for the next steps sometime this spring.

NOTE: Information from a similar report from Salt Lake City Nexstar affiliate KTVX (ABC4.com) also contributes to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
During Dr. K.C. Somers final board of education meeting as Lewis Palmer School District 38s superintendent, staff morale, culture and a successful strategic plan were touted as some of the districts accomplishments under his leadership. Going forward, though, better wages throughout the district remains a goal.

During the boards regular meeting Monday night, pay raises for all staff members was the main focus of a financial presentation as the 2024-25 budget continues to take shape.

The districts chief business officer, Brett Ridgway, presented board members with a 5.85% overall wage increase across the districts employees based on a 6% per-pupil revenue change.

Still in its early stages, Ridgway broke down varying changes to different base pay rates based on employee categories and pay schedules. Specific target increases were 4.9% for licensed teachers and special service providers, 9% classified employees; 4.7% for professional and technical educators and 3% for administrators.

Ridgway explained that the varying rates between categories was also the result of varying pay schedules and pay changes. The intention is that newer district employees wouldnt get far outpaced by senior employees, or vice versa, like they would if everyone received the same dollar or percentage raise.

Were trying to aim for this middle point  so that everyone can kind of achieve a balance, he said.

If approved, the district's starting wage would increase to $17.35 per hour at the start of the new school year.

Ridgway also stressed that these figures are still in the draft stage and that the final metrics from the state Department of Education to confirm these adjustments could be expected around April, which is roughly when they came out last year.

As a discussion item, the board will continue to build on this proposal and other general budget considerations throughout spring before a final vote in June.

Board member Ron Schwarz noted that continuing to improve wages will help the district attract younger educators going forward.

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And if we maintain the quality of culture that we have here, theyll stay here for their whole career, he said.

Other discussions

Earlier during the meeting, teachers and staff expressed their appreciation and gratitude to Somers ahead of his departure for a superintendent position in Peoria, Ariz.

Schwarz noted that Somers entered into a somewhat contentious environment when he became superintendent in 2019, but listed his accomplishments since then that included improving school safety, helping the board solidify its strategic plan, navigating academic instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was recognized by the Washington Post for its effectiveness, and continuing academic growth and achievement.

Within 12 months, we were able to reverse a negative trend into a positive trend, Schwarz said.

Somers also provided some words to the board and staff in attendance, emphasizing their accomplishments and how they were the result of always acting with the students in mind first and foremost.

His words were received with a standing ovation.

I will not be a stranger to Colorado, Somers said.

During the February regular meeting, the board approved the appointment of Assistant Superintendent Amber Whetstine to serve as acting superintendent for the remainder of the school year, starting Apr. 1.

Additionally, Courtney Harrell was introduced by Whetstine to the board for their recommendation as the new principal for Lewis-Palmer Middle School. The board ultimately voted to approve her. Harrell most recently served as an assistant principal at Sand Creek High School.
A man who died in a south London house fire last month has been named by detectives carrying out a murder investigation.

Basilio Dos Santos Antonio was discovered inside a multi-occupancy house in Glenister Park Road, Streatham, on 25 February.

The 49-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, the Metropolitan Police said.

Two people are due to go on trial next year charged with Mr Antonio's murder.

Detectives said Mr Antonio worked as a cleaner having moved from Brazil.

"Our thoughts are with his family and friends as they continue to come to terms with their loss," Det Ch Insp Kate Blackburn said.

Mayara Loiola Ataide, 34, and Gevaldo Tavares Dos Santos, 46, have been charged with murder and two counts of arson with intent to endanger life.

They appeared in custody at the Old Bailey on 1 March and were remanded in custody.

The Met said a trial date had been set for the start of January 2025.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  A Lincoln Middle School student was transported a nearby hospital by helicopter after a physical fight with another student in a campus bathroom on Monday afternoon, school officials confirmed.

In a note to families, Principal Cesar Mora said that paramedics had been called to the Oceanside schools campus around 1 p.m. to assess the student as a precautionary measure.

The paramedics then determined the helicopter transport was necessary for further evaluation by medical personnel, school officials added.

No additional information was immediately available about the wounds paramedics were concerned about, although a school official on Wednesday said the student was released shortly after arriving at the hospital with no serious injuries. The other student was uninjured.

Oceanside Police Department (OPD) public information officer Tom Bussey told FOX 5/KUSI on Wednesday that the airlift following the fight at Lincoln Middle was something he has never seen before in his 50 years with the agency.

Neighbors looking for answers after man shot on trail seeks help from nearby houses

Thats pretty much the first that Ive seen, he said. Ive seen or had complaints you know where kids were fighting and stuff, but it was all superficial.

This is something that came between two kids and you know they worked it out together that they were going to have this fight, even where they were going to have it, so its something you typically dont see, Bussey continued.

While staff worked to get the situation under control, students were rerouted in the passing period to ensure their safety, Mora said. Once it was cleared, regular school activities continued for students.

Please rest assured that the health and safety of all our students remains our top priority, Mora said in the note to families, adding they believed the incident was isolated and were actively investigating.

I think its good for parents who have kids who go to the school to tell them that these are the kind of things that happen and you need to avoid, added Bussey.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Students at Damian Elementary School were released early on Tuesday, March 19 after a water main was impacted causing an interruption in water service at the campus, according to Canutillo Independent School District.

The school district says its water service was interrupted and bottled water was provided to the students at lunchtime.

Water service at Damian will not be restored today, the school district said on Tuesday.

Students were released at around 12:30 p.m. and those who were not picked up within the hour were transported to Garcia Elementary School.

The school district says its working on resolving the issue.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
It's been four years since American schools shuttered, forcing millions of schoolchildren into months of online learning. While the decision was hailed as necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect teachers, the years since widespread school shutdowns have produced mounting evidence that pandemic closures led to massive learning losses for students, all without making a significant impact on COVID infections.

On Monday, The New York Times released an extended article combing over new data showing that post-COVID learning losses were directly related to how much time students spent in online school.

According to one study highlighted by the Times, school districts that spent the least amount of the 202021 school year in remote learning (between 0 percent and 10 percent online) experienced a significantly smaller drop in student scores than districts that spent almost all of the school year online. For the least online group, declines in third- and eighth-grade math scores indicated that students were 0.35 years behind where they should be, while the most online group had fallen back more than half a school year by 2022.

While other factors contributed to district-level learning loss, like student poverty, time spent in remote learning still had an incredibly large impact. Students in the poorest districts that stayed mostly in-person actually experienced less learning loss than students in the richest school districts that taught students mostly online.

Unsurprisingly, the students who suffered the most were poor students who experienced mostly remote learning. While mostly remote students in the richest school districts were only 0.15 school years behind their mostly in-person counterparts, mostly remote students in the poorest districts lost 0.25 years more than their peer districts who were mostly in-person. In all, poor, mostly online school districts saw their students fall nearly two-thirds of a school year behind in math scores.

Some of the last school districts to reopen were large, urban school districts with many poor students. However, the leadership in many of those districts hasn't learned much in the face of mounting evidence that extended school closures hurt students without meaningfully reducing COVID infections.

"There's no such thing as learning loss" United Teachers Los Angeles leader Cecily Myart-Cruz famously quipped in 2021, adding that "it's OK that our babies may not have learned all their times tables. They learned resilience. They learned survival."

"I do believe it was the right decision," said Jerry T. Jordan, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, told the Times. Philadelphia schools didn't fully return to in-person learning until August 2021. "It doesn't matter what is going on in the building and how much people are learning if people are getting the virus and running the potential of dying."

While it's now been four years since schools first closed during COVID-19, the school year lost on online and hybrid learning has clearly had a lasting impact on American schoolchildrenone that is likely to echo for years to come.

The post These Students Lost More Than Half a Year of Learning During COVID appeared first on Reason.com.
A study by the National Institutes of Health spanning four years did not find signs of brain injuries in people affected by the mysterious ailment known as Havana Syndrome, but the results, published Monday in a medical journal, have been disputed by participants who accused authors of bias and mishandling confidential medical information.

According to a research paper published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the NIH team found no signs of brain injuries in advanced MRI scans of 81 people who experienced anomalous health incidents, the government term for the events associated with the Havana Syndrome.

Two earlier imaging studies published in JAMA had found signs of mild traumatic injury and other changes in the brains of people exposed to the incidents in Cuba and China.

Havana Syndrome got its name from the city where U.S. diplomats and intelligence officials first reported in 2016 experiencing strange noises and sensations of pressure, and later developed debilitating symptoms like vertigo, migraines and hearing and cognitive problems. The incidents were later reported around the world, which led to suspicions that a foreign adversary, possibly Russia, was attacking U.S. diplomats and spies with directed energy or some other unknown weapon.

The NIH imaging study, conducted by the NIH Clinical Center between June 2018 and November 2022, recruited participants stationed in Cuba and other places like China, Austria, and the United States. Only 49 of the 81 patients were scanned twice.

A second paper published in JAMA says the researchers did not find significant differences in blood, vision, hearing, and cognitive tests of 86 participants and those of a smaller controlled group except for self-reported and objective measures of imbalance; symptoms of fatigue, post-traumatic stress, and depression. According to that study, 41% of participants had symptoms of neurological disorders.

The post-traumatic stress and mood symptoms reported are not surprising given the ongoing concerns of many of the participants, said Louis French, deputy director of the National Intrepid Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and a co-author of the study. Often, these individuals have had significant disruption to their lives and continue to have concerns about their health and their future. This level of stress can have significant negative impacts on the recovery process.

Congress to look at intelligence agencies handling of Havana Syndrome investigation

Although it concluded in 2022, the study was published Monday amid news that the House Intelligence Committee is launching a formal inquiry into how spy agencies handled the Havana Syndrome investigation, following complaints by whistle-blowers.

The results of the study align with an earlier intelligence community assessment published in March 2023, which concluded that most of the symptoms experienced by those affected were probably the result of pre-existing conditions, conventional illnesses and environmental factors because an attack by a foreign adversary was unlikely.

The assessment cites the NIH study, which was unpublished at the time, to support its conclusions.

Knife in the back: Havana Syndrome victims dispute report dismissing their cases

However, the new study is unlikely to put the issue to rest, as some of the participants have questioned the integrity of the research.

Before the papers were published, Tim Bergreen, a lawyer with the firm Hogan Lovells, sent an email to JAMAs editorial board and the NIH Director of Research Integrity with a document listing several concerns from some of the studys participants. Bergreen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Bergreens complaint, obtained by the Herald, includes allegations that NIH officials and researchers involved in the study maintained close contact with the CIA and were pressured to ensure the studies found what was asked of them. The email says that doctors involved in the study made private remarks to patients that they were pressured or were afraid to report a traumatic brain injury diagnosis accurately, and that patients were told verbally of findings that were not later reported in writing in their medical records.

As the nature and scope of the cooperation between CIA and NIH throughout this process has come to light, participants have dropped from the program, undermining the integrity of any longitudinal study findings and impeding the duty of both to put the welfare of Agency personnel first, the complaint says.

The document said NIH asked the CIA to provide a comparative control group given the unique and complex nature of the studys participants and the unique demands of field-deployed intelligence officers. However, the control group provided was not comparative or matched to the study participants, and NIH staff routinely complained to participants about this fact, the document adds.

The complaint also questions the inclusion in the study of one NIH doctor who, in 2017, made repeated comments about the Havana Syndrome being a case of mass hysteria.

Other allegations revolve around ethical issues regarding the recruitment of participants and the handling of medical data.

According to the complaint, several patients were coerced into taking part in the NIH study. They were told it was the only way to get bloodwork or brain scans and were effectively blocked by their respective employers to visit other private institutions for that testing.

Participants were told that the only way to get follow-up medical care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center was if the NIH approved it. According to the document, enrollment in the NIH study became a mandatory gateway to further care when its role was properly confined to data collection and analysis.

The complaint adds that some officials who were evacuated from their posts after being affected by one of the mysterious incidents were directly told to report to NIH, which acted as the clearing medical entity to send them and their family members back to post after weeks of research, with no treatment or treatment recommendations given to impacted individuals.

The document also claims that NIH researchers disclosed specific test results to participants government employers without keeping them anonymous and without authorization, which resulted in consequences for study participants.

Asked about the allegations, an NIH spokesperson said: We understand that some patients may be disappointed that researchers were unable to identify clear markers of injury. We take these allegations very seriously and will be reviewing the researchs performance in accordance with policy, which will determine the appropriate offices next steps. Beyond this, we wouldnt discuss a review.

A JAMA spokesperson did not say if the journal investigated the complaints.

The publication process is confidential, so we can neither confirm nor deny anything that occurred prior to publication, said Jen Zeis, the Director of Communications and Engagement for JAMA Network, which includes 13 peer-reviewed journals.

But JAMA also published Monday an article by Dr. David Relman, a prominent Stanford University professor, pointing out several limitations of the NIH study and research in general about the Havana Syndrome. Though the journal calls it an editorial, it does not represent the journals views, Zeis said.

With few differences between cases and controls in the two current studies, one might suspect that nothing or nothing serious happened with these cases. This would be ill-advised, Relman said.

Relman led a National Academy of Sciences study between 2019 and 2020 that concluded that the set of symptoms that came to be known as Havana Syndrome was unlike any disorder in the neurological or general medical literature and is consistent with the effects of directed pulsed radiofrequency energy. He was co-chair of an Intelligence Community Experts Panel that found that commercially available devices known as directional loudspeakers or acoustic lasers could caused the symptoms.

Relman said that incomplete information, nonstandardized clinical testing, delayed reporting, and the sensitive nature of the circumstances, individuals, and their work have hampered understanding of the syndrome.

Among the problems affecting the NIH study, he notes that some patients were scanned up to four years after the incidents, which is important for a syndrome that evolves quickly with time. He also argues that the researchers aggregated cases for their analysis, diluting findings for particular clusters of individuals.

Relman said NIH investigators relied on blood biomarkers developed for traumatic brain injury, which are known to peak about 24 hours after an incident and return to normal levels 3 to 7 days later. However, only 16 out of the 86 individuals studied had their blood tested within three days of the incident. Hence, their study lacked relevant statistical power, Relman wrote.

He also said that current MRI technology used in the study may be insensitive to, or improperly timed for, the kinds of potentially transient cellular and local physiological disruption that characterizes the health incidents.

The authors of the NIH study acknowledged some of these limitations. They said that testing closer to the incident might have resulted in different findings and that their research could not be directly compared to previous ones because they used a different sample of individuals.

A lack of evidence for an MRI-detectable difference... does not exclude that an adverse event impacting the brain occurred at the time of the incident, said Carlo Pierpaoli, an NIH investigator and lead author on the imaging paper.
What began in 1984 as a small collective of churches that came together to help people displaced from the shuttering County Poor Farm has become a lifeline for low-income and homeless residents on the westside of Colorado Springs, where million-dollar homes occupy the same block as affordable housing.

Forty years later and now assisting 10,000 people with less than 5% overhead, the exponential growth of Westside Cares would have been impossible without the elbow grease of faithful volunteers, said CEO Kristy Milligan.

We have incredible volunteers with vast experience and deep compassion, she said.

The volunteer force of about 350 people includes Murlene Williams, who retired from a 30-year teaching and school administrator career and has volunteered at the organization for two decades and counting.

What dedication to show up every week for 20 years just to help people and not get paid for it, Milligan said.

Williams recently received the organizations highest honor: the annual Founders Award, recognizing a volunteer who goes above and beyond to exemplify the spirit of the founders vision of giving back to the community.

Shes a quiet force of patience and kindness and compassion, Milligan said.

Williams also is reliable and a problem-solver, the CEO said.

She can work with people on the worst day of their lives, and they can walk out feeling better, Milligan said.

Monday found Williams and about 20 other volunteers circling up in the morning to review the days tasks.

Those included triaging a line queued up at the door  some waiting for hours outside  to determine whether people could get money for overdue rent, utilities or security deposits; pick up mail; be seen by a nurse; sign up for identification, Social Security cards or food stamps; and obtain free bus passes, clothing and snacks.

Chief Operations Officer Maryann Stadjuhar alerted the group that the agencys allotment of 1,100 metro bus passes it received in January nearly has been depleted, and they need to selectively fulfill the most pressing requests until another batch arrives.

A prayer sent up before the office adopted the hustle of catching a plane asked that staff and volunteers not resent others in need but are thankful for what they have and what they can give.

Those asking for one-time rent assistance are the first to be ushered inside the office at 2808 W. Colorado Ave.

Twenty-two-year-old Rico Sanchez is a proud father of an 11-month-old daughter and owes about $1,000 in back rent.

He was recently released from a correctional facility, and as a convicted felon, Sanchez said its been tough to get a decent-paying job to support his family.

Im just looking for a little help right now, Sanchez said. Im very thankful there are places like this.

Vivian Rodriguez accompanied her 25-year-old disabled son, Isidro, to wait in line also for a temporary stopgap in paying his rent.

Isidro is receiving federal assistance, but theres been a delay in his check, and hes three months behind, about $1,500, in rent payments.

Were hoping he can at least get some money so he doesnt get evicted, Vivian said. I just dont want to see him go to the streets.

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Requests for rental assistance have increased by 1,000% since the pandemic started in March of 2020, Milligan said. Low availability and inventory of affordable housing is the main problems, she said.

People who are homeless comprise about 15% of clients, but theyre frequent flyers in using the agency.

Volunteers are mostly senior citizens, said a man who goes by the name of Uncle Mikey. Hes been homeless for 15 years, and its getting harder every year, he said, what with muggings, robbery and other violence.

The volunteers at Westside Cares are the most helpful in the city, Uncle Mikey said, while hanging out in the parking lot. In fact, Uncle Mikey said he would give the volunteers the award for the nicest in how they treat clients a little down on their luck.

Its one of the reasons Williams spends her time and energy as a volunteer patient advocate.

Every staff member and every volunteer is really dedicated to helping others, she said. You can take 15 minutes or two hours with someone, and no one cares because they know you are working to try to find the best solution for that person. Whether they need clothing, utilities assistance, a wheelchair, to pick up mail, resources in the community  all kinds of things come across your path, and you have to see what you can do.

Its such a community effort; if its possible, well make it happen together.

Joyce Kunkle, a volunteer for 16 years, spends up to nine hours a week coordinating the resource room, where clothing and personal hygiene items are handed out.

When she moved to Colorado Springs from near Philadelphia, Penn., her son told her the westside was the only place to live.

The westside gives me the same feel as the small town I came from, the neighborhood stores, a diverse population, and thats why I like the westside and like volunteering for this organization, Kunkle said.

Westside Cares was set up 40 years ago to serve a specific geographic location west of Interstate 25, where 30% of residents live at or below the federal poverty level, according to the American Community Survey.

Under a collaborative agreement, three other nonprofits covered different areas in the beginning, but only two continue the model: Westside Cares and Tri-Lakes Cares in Monument.

The Billie Spielman Center has since closed, and Mercys Gate expanded its reach in 2019 to be community wide.

The philosophy then is the same as now for Westside Cares, Milligan said.

We want to do what we do really well, she said, Instead of spreading ourselves to be too thin to be effective, we want to focus on and lift up our immediate community.

Twenty-four houses of worship on the Westside support the organization. The churches supply 80% of the vast volunteer team and 20% of its annual cash income, which last year was $1.1 million. The agency also posted $1.8 million in in-kind contributions last year.

Milligan cites its economic diversity as an outstanding feature of the Westside.

It creates a vibrancy, she said. Being able to invite new residents in new homes into the community with their less-resourced neighbors is a special thing. People all agree that we should be doing something to solve the complex challenges of poverty.

Colorado Springs City Council will issue a resolution acknowledging the important community contributions of Westside Cares at an upcoming meeting, Milligan said, ahead of its April 26 anniversary.
A 15-year-old emotionally disturbed girl was shot dead by police in The Florida Keys early Monday after she pointed a stolen gun at deputies, law enforcement officials say.

The deadly incident occurred at around 5:20 a.m. when the girl allegedly took the stolen gun, broke off an attached gun lock and walked to a remote location on Stock Island, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Stock Island is located to the east of Key West.

She pointed the weapon at herself and then at deputies who then fired at her, killing the teen, police said.

FLORIDA-DISCOVERED SNAIL SPECIES FOUND NEAR JIMMY BUFFETS MARGARITAVILLE: SEE THE MARGARITA-COLORED CREATURE

"This incident is a tragedy for everyone involved," Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement. "While the deputy appears to have acted in self-defense, I have asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct an independent investigation to ensure transparency."

Ramsay told Local 10 News that deputies were "begging" the girl to put the gun down as she pointed the gun at herself. She then pointed it at deputies, he said, and a sergeant opened fire.

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A witness described what he heard during the encounter in an interview with Local 10 News.

The Sheriffs Office says it immediately called for rescue and rendered aid. The girl was pronounced dead at Lower Keys Medical Center.

VIDEO SHOWS KEY WEST REAL ESTATE MOGUL FATALLY SHOOT FORMER HIGH SCHOOL STAR ATHLETE AFTER URINATING ON A WALL

"They were telling her to put the gun down, put the gun down, quite a few times," the witness, who did not want to be identified, said. "Then about eight minutes later than that, all the shots rang out."

The witness said he believed the girl fired the gun once before deputies arrived.

The Sheriffs Office says it immediately called for rescue and rendered aid. The girl was pronounced dead at Lower Keys Medical Center.

Her name has not yet been revealed. It is unclear from where she allegedly stole the gun.

The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago off the southern coast of Florida, which form the southernmost part of the continental United States.





Original article source: 'Suicidal' teen shot dead by Florida Keys deputy after pointing gun at police: authorities
Protestors backing a social media case against the U.S. government rallied outside the Supreme Court on Monday, March 18, 2024, as arguments in the case were being heard inside. The lawsuit filed in 2022 by attorneys general in Missouri and Louisiana alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies to suppress the freedom of speech. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)

Protestors backing a social media case against the U.S. government rallied outside the Supreme Court on Monday, March 18, 2024, as arguments in the case were being heard inside. The lawsuit filed in 2022 by attorneys general in Missouri and Louisiana alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies to suppress the freedom of speech. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)

WASHINGTON  The U.S. Supreme Court seemed skeptical Monday of a lawsuit alleging the federal government colluded with social media companies to suppress the freedom of speech, with a majority of justices across the ideological spectrum raising issues with the case and its potential consequences.

The Biden administration argued to the court there is no evidence that the government violated the First Amendment in its efforts to combat false, misleading or dangerous information online.

Beyond that, the court should dismiss the litigation because plaintiffs dont have the right to sue, said Brian Fletcher, principal deputy solicitor general.

Arguments occurred in a packed courtroom, where just outside dozens of protesters held signs accusing the government of infringing on free speech.

The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by two states  Missouri and Louisiana  and five individuals who either were banned from a platform or whose posts were not prominently featured on social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube and X, formerly known as Twitter.

Fletcher argued that the plaintiffs have not shown any evidence that decisions by social media companies to remove or deprioritize content can be attributed to the government. Instead, the companies made their own decisions relying on their own content moderation policies.

There was no coercion or attempted intimidation, Fletcher said, and the best proof of that is that social media companies routinely said no to the government.

They didnt hesitate to do it, and when they said no to the government, the government never engaged in any sort of retaliation, Fletcher said. Instead, (the federal government) engaged in more speech. Ultimately, the president and the press secretary and the surgeon general took to the bully pulpit. We just dont think thats coercion.

Benjamin Aguinaga, the solicitor general for the Louisiana attorney general, argued that the government has no right to persuade platforms to violate Americans constitutional rights, and pressuring platforms in back rooms shielded from public view is not using the bully pulpit at all. That is just being a bully.

Emails obtained as part of the lawsuit, Aguinaga contends, show the government badgered platforms behind closed doors, abused them with profanity and ominously says that the White House is considering its options all to get the platforms to censor more speech.

Under this onslaught, he said, the platforms routinely cave.

Encouragement vs. coercion

Government agencies have routinely encouraged social media companies to restrict harmful or illegal content for years, including posts involving terrorism and human trafficking.

Aguinaga argued that speech involving criminal activity is not protected. But the Biden administration, he said, began to push social media companies in 2021 to restrict misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Content was also targeted that involved election disinformation.

In 2022, U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, a court nominee of President Donald Trump, ruled that officials under both President Joe Biden and Trump coerced social media companies to censor content over concerns it would fuel vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or upend elections.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans prohibited the White House, the Surgeon Generals Office, the FBI, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from having practically any contact with the social media companies. It found that the Biden administration most likely overstepped the First Amendment by urging the major social media platforms to remove misleading or false content.

The Supreme Court placed a temporary stay on the order in October until it decides the case.

Standing and traceability

Another question at the core of Mondays arguments was whether any harm to the plaintiffs could be, in fact, traced back to the governments actions or could be remedied by judicial relief.

Justice Elena Kagan asked Aguinaga to highlight the single piece of evidence that most clearly shows the government was responsible for one of your clients having material taken down.

How do you decide that its government action as opposed to platform action? Kagan followed.

Aguinaga pointed to a May 2021 email the Biden administration sent to a social media platform regarding misinformation about COVID-19. Aguinaga argued that evidence shows two months later content from one of the plaintiffs, Jill Hines of Louisiana, was suppressed.

A lot of things can happen in two months, Kagan said. So that decision two months later could have been caused by the governments email or that government email might have been long since forgotten because there are a thousand other communications that platform employees have had with each other, a thousand other things that platform employees have read in the newspaper.

I mean why would we point to one email two months earlier and say it was that email that made all the difference? Kagan said.

Justices question consequences for public safety, national security

During Mondays arguments, the justices focused on whether encouragement by federal officials amounted to illegal coercion, rather than merely informing or persuading social media companies.

There are lots of contexts where government officials can persuade private parties to do things the officials couldnt do directly, Fletcher argued when Justice Clarence Thomas questioned him about coercion versus censorship.

For example, recently after the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, a number of public officials called on colleges and universities to do more about antisemitic hate speech on campus, Fletcher said.

An ideologically diverse majority of justices raised concerns about the potential consequences of the litigation for things like public safety and national security.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned whether the government violates the First Amendment when it requests the removal of factually inaccurate posts. He suggested there could be national security concerns if false information was posted online about troops.

Kavanaugh also asked how the federal governments communications with social media companies were any different than when news organizations are warned that a story they are about to publish could affect national security.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett continued along that line of questions, asking whether the FBI would still be able to warn social media platforms if an individual had been doxxed in a way that might put them at risk.

Aguinaga countered that he is a free speech purist but in that circumstance, the government would be allowed to issue warnings to social media companies about content.

But when speech is protected, the government has no right to intervene to push for it to be censored, he said.

When the government is identifying a specific viewpoint and specific content that it wishes to wholly eliminate from public discourse, thats when the First Amendment problem arises, he said, later adding that the government has lots of tools at its disposal to combat misinformation.

Censorship, he said, has never been the default remedy for a perceived First Amendment violation.

That argument didnt move Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

You have to admit that there are certain circumstances, she said, in which the government can provide information and encourage the platforms to take it down.

The most scathing criticism of the day came from Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

I have such a problem with your brief, counselor, Sotomayor said to Aguinaga. You omit information that changes the context of some of your claims. You attribute things to people who it didnt happen to. I dont know what to make of all this.

Aguinaga apologized if any aspect of our brief was not as forthcoming as it should have been.

Justice Samuel Alito, who sat back and rocked his chair with his hands behind his head, seemed most sympathetic to the plaintiffs case, reframing the discussion as Aguinaga was facing a series of difficult questions.

Coercion doesnt only apply when the government says do this, and if you dont do this, there are going to be legal consequences, Alito said, adding: Its a more flexible standard and you have to take into account the whole course of the relationship.

In his rebuttal, Fletcher compared the Biden administrations communications with social media companies and public comments about misinformation to President George W. Bushs public condemnation of pornography and President Ronald Reagans criticism of media influence of drugs and violence.

A ruling on the case is not expected for several months.

Plaintiff reaction

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said afterward he believes the Supreme Court justices will make the right decision here.

Ultimately that (decision) will continue to build a wall of separation between tech and state using this lawsuit. The court will affirm the district court injunction and were excited to get back to the district court level, Bailey told reporters on the plaza in front of the Supreme Court after arguments concluded.

When asked for his reaction to the justices skepticism of Aguinagas argument of government coercion, Bailey said the evidence clearly establishes coercion.

Bailey argued that evidence gathered by Missouri, Louisiana and the individual plaintiffs reveals the Biden administration threatened reform of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which currently shields social media companies from liability for content published on their platforms.

Those are direct explicit threats against the big tech social media giants, he said.

The Department of Justice declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.

Jason Hancock reported from Columbia, Mo. Ashley Murray reported from Washington, D.C.

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(Bloomberg) -- UK lawmakers rejected a slew of changes suggested by the upper House of Lords to its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, allowing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to progress toward fulfilling his flagship immigration pledge.

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Sunaks administration secured enough support among Conservative MPs to vote down all 10 amendments, which it argues would have watered down its migration bill. The legislation will return to the Lords on Wednesday in a process known as ping-pong, where it is batted between the two houses of Parliament until agreement is reached.

While typically the Lords back down, Sunak will hope that happens quickly, because his government has said it intends to get the first flight carrying migrants to Rwanda off the ground by spring. If the Lords resist pressure, progress will likely be delayed until after the Easter recess in mid-April.

Sunak Struggles for Control in Face of Dire Polls and Tory Anger

Mondays vote is an important step for Sunak, whos on track to suffer a landslide defeat in an election expected later this year, with the opposition Labour Party occupying a commanding lead in national polls. His allies believe that Rwanda deportation flights will begin in May, allowing Sunak to show progress on his key immigration policy, which they hope will persuade Tory voters flirting with Reform UK to return to the fold.

The provisions the Commons voted against included reinstating the ability of courts and officials to decide whether Rwanda is a safe country in individual cases, and to prevent the deportation of unaccompanied children who are wrongly assessed as adults.

If the Lords does back down, the bill could become law as soon as this week. The government says its already identified a cohort of people to board the first flights, which will begin departure weeks after the bill passes through Parliament.

Why the UKs Plan to Stop Migrants Depends on Rwanda: QuickTake

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The Supreme Court is considering whether the government violates the 1st Amendment when it presses internet platforms to remove or restrict misinformation. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)

Do government officials violate the 1st Amendment when they press internet platforms to remove or restrict misinformation about COVID-19, alleged election fraud or other matters of public interest? That proposition was presented to the Supreme Court on Monday, and many justices seemed appropriately skeptical.

In one of several internet-related cases considered by the court this term, a lawyer for Louisiana and Missouri and some individuals defended an injunction saying that federal officials, including White House staffers, the surgeon general and FBI employees, may not coerce or significantly encourage social media companies to remove material.

Read more: Opinion: How the Supreme Court should rule on Texas and Florida laws against social media moderation

It would be a violation of the 1st Amendment if the government coerced internet platforms to moderate content, for example by threatening retaliation if the platforms didnt take the governments advice. That was essentially the contention in another case argued Monday involving a New York state officials effort to dissuade banks and insurance companies from furnishing services to the National Rifle Assn.

In upholding (though narrowing) an injunction issued by a federal district judge in the Louisiana and Missouri social media case, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals adopted a somewhat different approach. But that approach, if accepted by the Supreme Court, would prevent the government from suggesting that some material be taken down or limited in its dissemination because of concerns about public health or national security.

Read more: Abcarian: Lies, damn lies and social media  there's a reason this country is so deeply polarized.

The Supreme Court should resoundingly reject that approach and make it clear that the government violates free speech only when it uses its powers to coerce compliance. The court should also make it clear that significant encouragement, a phrase used in a 1982 decision, is not the controlling legal standard. (The court could also find that the two states lack standing to sue, but a ruling on the merits would be preferable.)

As Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, a veteran of the executive branch, suggested at oral arguments, such limitations on the government would forbid administrations from something they have done regularly even before the rise of the internet: expressing displeasure about particular stories to news outlets. Kavanaugh said: Its probably not uncommon for government officials to protest an upcoming story on surveillance or detention policy and say, you know, if you run that, it's going to harm the war effort and put Americans at, you know, risk.

This lawsuit must be viewed in the context of a relentless campaign by conservatives to accuse the government and social media companies of censoring conservative content online. It also comes before the court during a presidential election year, in which voters likely will be inundated with conspiracy theories such as Donald Trumps claim that the 2020 election was rigged.

A ruling against Louisiana and Missouri would make it clear that government officials may propose to social media companies that they remove or restrict certain information, so long as there is no coercion. Of course, officials should be prudent about when and how they flag what they consider to be misinformation. For example, it would be wise for White House officials to refrain from making suggestions to social media platforms about statements coming from the Trump campaign; let the Biden reelection campaign register such complaints.

But government officials must be free to suggest to social media companies that some content is false or dangerous. That is how the court should rule.





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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(WASHINGTON)  A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police broad powers to arrest migrants suspected of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out.

The Biden administration is suing to strike down the measure, arguing its a clear violation of federal authority that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law.

Read More: The Complicated World of Human Smuggling

The law allows any police officer in Texas to arrest migrants for illegal entry. A judge could then order them to leave the U.S. Texas has argued it has a right to take action over what Texas authorities have called a crisis at the southern border.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Gov. Greg Abbott has described the situation at the border as an invasion of migrants.

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Supreme Court justices appeared split on the question of whether it's a problem if the White House ever puts pressure on social media companies to take down certain content.

During oral arguments in Murthy v. Missouri, a case that will determine how far social media companies can go to combat controversial or inaccurate social media posts, questions about posts relating to COVID-19 were expanded to include hypothetical instances of doxxing government officials and challenges for children to jump out of windows.

While justices moved farther afield in their analysis during oral arguments, here are some of the posts that sparked a backlash toward the Biden administration for trying to censor content online.

Louisiana Department of Justice

blocked

by YouTube for sharing video of citizen concerns

In August 2021, the Louisiana Department of Justice posted a YouTube video in which citizens came to the Louisiana state Capitol to voice their opinions about the states handling of COVID-19 guidelines. YouTube removed the video from its platform and said an additional strike would lead to a one-week suspension from the platform.

YouTube does not allow content that spreads medical misinformation that contradicts local health authorities or the World Health Organization (WHO) medical information about COVID-19, the notice from YouTube to the Louisiana DOJ read.

The communications officer for the Louisiana DOJ argued that blocking posts expressing citizen concerns directly interferes with the Louisiana DOJs ability to serve its state.

Government oversight during the COVID-19 pandemic faced numerous

community warnings

from Facebook

Jill Hines of Health Freedom Louisiana launched an organization, Reopen Louisiana, to document concerns about government outreach during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hines claims that Facebook censored her organization in October 2020 when the page was gaining 1.4 million views by fact checkers and "warnings." After Facebook censored the page, it averaged 98,000 views. One post, which was a call to action for Louisianians to testify against a bill that would create an employee mandate for the vaccine, was given a community standards warning by Facebook. Hines said she was barred from posting on her personal account for 24 hours afterward.

She said she was completely restricted from using the platform for 30 days in January 2022.

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A personal Twitter account

banned

for spreading potentially harmful information

In 2022, Micheal Senger said he was permanently banned from Twitter, now X, which he claims was out of the ordinary for the platform's normal suspension route.

In October 2020, Senger received his first suspension for 12 hours after posting, so the FDA granted an emergency use authorization to give kids mRNA vaccines, with unknown risks, for a virus that accounts for significantly fewer than 1% of deaths in that age group? Where is the 'emergency?'

In March 2022, his account was permanently suspended for violating Twitter rules by spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to COVID-19. The post in question was commentary from an article titled "How Did This Many Deaths Become Normal?

How did this many deaths become normal? Because, though they may not yet be willing to face it, the vast majority have realized that every COVID policy  from the lockdowns and masks to the tests, death coding, and vaccine passes  has been one, giant fraud, Senger wrote.

A journalists work

labeled

as misinformation

Jessica Baumgartner, Missouri resident and freelance reporter, said an article of hers was classified by Facebook as misinformation.

In July 2021, Baumgartner wrote a story for the Epoch Times titled Nurse Blows the Whistle on the Medical Industry: Theyre Not Offering Informed Consent, which went viral on Facebook before being labeled as misinformative.

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She said she wrote a later story for the Federalist titled What I Saw When I Met the U.S. Truckers Convoy In Missouri. She said when her friends and family tried to share the story on social media, they were barred from doing so.

Baumgartner also said her personal posts on X were flagged, resulting in her being locked out of her account, after she shared alternative COVID-19 treatments, mentioning the fact that masks have caused some developmental and health issues in children, and mentioning that I am healthy even though I have not received the COVID-19 vaccine.
A man who was taken into custody after reportedly shooting at Sacramento County sheriffs deputies Friday in a hours-long standoff in Fair Oaks made his first court appearance Tuesday.

Eric Oneal Smith Jr., 36, faces charges of attempted murder, discharge of a handgun at an inhabited dwelling, discharge of a handgun in a grossly negligent manner and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the criminal charges read in court.

With his retained attorney Byron Roope, Smith appeared Tuesday afternoon for his arraignment in Sacramento Superior Court. Roope declined to comment about his clients case.

The standoff with authorities on Friday prompted the evacuation of residents at the Hazel Ranch apartment complex in Fair Oaks. Gunfire erupted before 10:30 a.m. at the 208-unit complex on the 8800 block of Winding Way near Hazel Avenue.

Eric Oneal Smith Jr. appears with attorney Byron I. Roope in Sacramento Superior Court on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, for his arraignment in conjunction with a police standoff in Fair Oaks last week. He faces charges that include attempted murder and assault with a firearm upon a peace officer.

Deputies responded after another resident of the complex had called to report someone had fired weapons into their home, leaving a bullet hole through a window.

Sgt. Amar Gandhi, a sheriffs spokesman, said there were multiple calls reporting shots fired at the complex, including from the suspect himself.

Gandhi said Smith began firing shots from inside an apartment through a window, before the deputies returned fire.

Moments later, the deputies backed off to seek cover while they called for additional deputies to respond. Residents were soon evacuated from the complex. Gandhi said the man later fired upon SWAT deputies and destroyed three sheriffs aerial drones, as negotiators over 7 hours continued to talk to Smith to get him to peacefully surrender.

The standoff ended around 5:30 p.m. Friday when authorities launched less-lethal gas into the apartment to flush out Smith, who walked out of the apartment and was taken into custody, the sheriffs spokesman said.

Radio dispatches monitored by The Sacramento Bee indicated the man, who may have been suffering from a mental health crisis, laid down on the ground as deputies rushed in to detain him.

Gandhi said Smith indicated throughout the ordeal that he wanted to be killed by law enforcement, and it appeared that he was setting them up for an ambush.

Judge Alicia Hartley scheduled Smith to return to court April 23 for further proceedings in his case. He remains in custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he is being held without bail.
By Andrew Hay

(Reuters) - A New Mexico jury on Monday found an Afghan asylum seeker guilty of murdering a Pakistani immigrant in one of three ambush-style shootings of Muslim men that terrified the Islamic community in the state's largest city during the summer of 2022.

Muhammad Syed, 53, faces life imprisonment for the first-degree murder of 41-year-old Aftab Hussein who was found dead in southeast Albuquerque on July 26, 2022, next to a vehicle that police said had been shot up.

Syed is charged with the two other 2022 killings that some national Muslim groups and media linked to sectarian violence, but police and Albuquerque's Islamic community blamed on interpersonal feuds.

As best we can tell, the motive in this may truly be a random serial killer type of mentality that we will never understand, prosecuting attorney David Waymire told reporters after the verdict.

During the week-long trial, jurors heard how Syed's mobile phone showed he was in the area of the shooting when it happened and an examination of spent cartridges found at the scene matched a semi-automatic rifle found at Syed's home.

Syed is also charged with the Aug. 1, 2022 killing of 27-year-old urban planner Muhammed Afzaal Hussain and the murder of truck driver Naeem Hussain four days later, both on streets near Albuquerque's Central Avenue.

All three men killed were of Pakistani or Afghan descent and prayed with Syed at Albuquerque's largest mosque.

Syed has a record of criminal misdemeanors since he came to the United States, including a case of domestic violence.

He is next expected to stand trial for the murder of Muhammad Afzaal Hussain, who was shot at night while walking near his home by the University of New Mexico where he got his master's degree.

"The Muslim community has some relief the person who was the killer is behind bars and no other brother, no other son, will become the victim of that hatemonger," said Hussain's brother Muhammad Imtiaz Hussain, adding that a date has yet to be set for the trial.

(Reporting by Andrew Hay; Editing by Nia Williams and Edwina Gibbs)
Investigators have found the body of Riley Strain, a 22-year-old University of Missouri student who disappeared on March 8 after drinking with his fraternity brothers in the city's downtown. Throughout the investigation, Metro Nashville Police Department released several videos that show Strain walking alone. Here is a timeline of events the night Strain disappeared and the announcement that his body had been found in the Cumberland River.

9:35 p.m. Luke's 32 Bridge

Strain and his friends were in the city for the weekend and staying at a downtown hotel. On March 8, they went to Luke's 32 Bridge, a bar owned by music artist Luke Bryan.

Strain was escorted out of the bar at 9:35 p.m. according to a joint statement from the bar's management company and Bryan. They said the decision to ask Strain to leave was made "based on our conduct standards."

The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced it was going to investigate claims that Strain was overserved at the bar. The bar's records show he ordered one alcoholic drink and ordered two waters, according to the statement.

9:47 p.m. Gay Street

Nashville police released a video showing Strain crossing Gay Street at around 9:47 p.m. after leaving the bar. According to Google Maps, the street is about a 16-minute walk from Luke's 32 Bridge.

Detectives today continue to pursue tips & investigative leads concerning missing person Riley Strain, 22. Strain, wearing a 2-tone shirt, is seen in this video crossing 1st Ave N to Gay St (right to left), at 9:47 p.m. Fri. Have info about him? Plz  615-742-7463. pic.twitter.com/fE86dlqeOC  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 12, 2024

According to Google Maps, Nashville's Gay Street is about a 16-minute walk from Luke's 32 Bridge. / Credit: Google Maps



Bodycam footage shows Strain on Gay Street

Officer Reginald Young was on Gay Street responding to a call about a vehicle burglary and his body-worn camera captured Strain walking down the sidewalk. Strain is not visibly distressed and he and Young exchange a short greeting.

Strain appears in the bodycam footage around the 14-second mark. Young was on that street for about 45 minutes.

Shown was Riley's brief exchange of greetings w/ Officer Reginald Young on Gay St., south of the Woodland St. Bridge, on the night of 3/8. Riley did not appear distressed. Officer Young was there on a vehicle burglary call & remained on that portion of Gay St. for 45 min. pic.twitter.com/z0xeEzeieK  Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) March 18, 2024

9:52 p.m. last sighting on Gay Street

Strain's last sighting on Gay Street was 9:52 p.m. "No video has been discovered that shows Riley away from Gay St. after the 9:52 p.m. timeframe," the police department wrote on social media.

The detectives on the ground and the police department's helicopter searched the area, but there have been no sightings of Strain.

About 1:35 a.m.

One of Strain's friends reported him missing about four hours after he was escorted from Luke's 32 Bridge.

A friend on the trip, identified only by his first name, Brayden, told CBS affiliate WTVF he tried to find Strain after he left from the bar on March 8. Brayden also used Snapchat's location feature to try and locate Strain, but he was unable to find him, he said.

Calls made to Strain's cellphone went to voicemail after he went missing and investigators said Strain's phone last pinged near a cell tower less than two miles from Luke's 32 Bridge.

Aftermath of Strain's disappearance

After hearing their son was missing, Strain's parents drove from Springfield, Missouri, to Nashville. His mother, Michelle Whiteid, said she and her son normally talk every day.

"I just need to know where my son is," Whiteid told WTVF. "We talk every day, multiple times a day, this is the longest I've ever gone without talking to him. It's devastating  I just want to find him and hug him."

Nashville police began releasing updates about their investigation, sharing the video of Strain crossing the street on Tuesday, March 12.

Strain's debit card was found Sunday, March 17 on an embankment of the Cumberland River, near where he was last seen more than a week prior. Nashville police shared this information, as well as Young's bodycam footage on Monday, March 18.

Strain's body found in Cumberland River

On Friday, March 22, police announced on social media that Strain's body had been recovered from the Cumberland River in West Nashville.

"No foul play-related trauma was observed. An autopsy is pending," they wrote.

After his debit card was found along the river, investigators had been focused on area waterways, using helicopters boats and ground crews. They expanded their search from the dowtown section of the river to the Cheatham Dam, about 40 miles from the city's downtown.

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DOVER  Prosecutors argued Timothy Verrill was the only person who could have killed Christine Sullivan and Jenna Pellegrini in Farmington seven years ago, making their case Tuesday in the opening of Verrill's second trial.

The women were killed at the 979 Meaderboro Road home of Dean Smoronk, with whom Sullivan had a relationship, prosecutors said.

The defense, in contrast, attempted to cast doubt on the investigations done at the time, portraying Verrill as the convenient person for the prosecution to blame for the killings, suggesting there were more people who could have, and probably did, commit the heinous crimes.

Timothy Verrill walks back into the courtroom after a lunch break during the first day of his second double murder trial at Strafford County Superior Court in Dover Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Attorneys for both sides presented their opening statements Tuesday and began questioning witnesses.

Verrill, 41, sat quietly as the proceeding began.

Verrill's first trial on the murder charges ended in a mistrial in October 2019 because New Hampshire State Police failed to provide all the evidence to the defense.

Verrill is charged with killing Sullivan, who was 48, and Pellegrini, 32, on Jan. 27, 2017. Prosecutors previously said Verrill believed the women had been informing authorities about drug trafficking by Verrill, Sullivan and Sullivans boyfriend, Smoronk.

Smoronk has been found guilty and sentenced in multiple cases involving drugs and firearms in New Hampshire and out of state.

Evidence police failed to provide in the first trial, which led to a mistrial being declared, included five witness interview recordings and various emails and text messages investigators exchanged with witnesses. As a result, the discovery evidence was not provided to the defense until late in the first trial.

Prosecutors say women were stabbed dozens of times

New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Peter Hinckley questions witness Vanessa Mango during the first day of Timothy Verrill's second double murder trial at Strafford County Superior Court in Dover Tuesday. March 19, 2024.

In his opening statement, Assistant Attorney General Brian Greklek-McKeon portrayed Verrill as a paranoid drug dealer. He said on Jan. 27, 2017, Verrill stabbed Sullivan eight times, and used blunt force trauma that was so severe, it fractured her skull and caused bleeding in her brain. He said she was alive for at least part of the attack and fought back, sustaining many defensive wounds. He said Verrill stabbed Pellegrini 43 times in the neck, chest and back and also used blunt force trauma and she was likely sleeping when the attack began so she did not fight back.

Greklek-McKeon said Verrill took disorganized steps to try and hide the crimes, discarding their bodies beneath the porch, and making efforts to clean the blood and remove other evidence on trash bags. The bags later were found with Verrills prints on them, he said.

Verrill faces felony counts of first-degree murder, and second-degree murder as an alternative theory for both women. He is also charged with falsifying physical evidence for his alleged efforts to hide the bodies and other evidence.

Greklek-McKeon showed mass transit video he said proves Smoronk was in Florida at the time of the killings and could not have killed the women. The state provided text messages from Florida when Smoronk was trying angrily to reach Sullivan and Tuesday's first witness, Vanessa Mango.

Mango testified Smoronk was with her and she was his girlfriend in that state.

Defense attorney Matthew McNicoll breaks for lunch with his client Timothy Verrill, left, on the first day of his double-murder trial at Strafford County Superior Court in Dover Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

Video presented by the state showed Verrill, Sullivan and Pellegrini at the Meadorboro Road residence on Jan. 27. At one point, Verrill appeared to enter a detached garage and spray painted the windows green. Cans of spray paint with his fingerprints on it were found, prosecutors said.

The prosecution stated Verrill was staying with Joshua Colwell, another associate in Farmington. Earlier testimony transcripts indicated Colwell said Verrill was at his place, acting erratically, asking if he thought Pellegrini was an informant. He said Verrill said he was going to go back to Smoronk's house and set up his own cameras.

The state alleges Verrill, after the murders, tried to clean up. Greklek-McKeon said he wrapped the women's bodies in bedding, cloths and tarps, then put them under the porch, piling junk on top of them "as if they were trash."

Greklek-McKeon said Verrill returned to Colwell's house, grabbed a beer and went inside, saying it was an interesting night.

''He asked for a pair of pants and started drinking shots," said Greklek-McKeon. "He told Josh he had to tie up a few loose ends. He went to Walmart and bought a phone, at Lowe's he bought salt melt and ammonia cleaners."

Greklek-McKeon said Verrill returned to Smoronk's house to clean up, using the ice melt to try and eradicate a blood stain on the ice on the porch, where he said Sullivan was likely killed.

Greklek-McKeon said when Smoronk could not reach Sullivan, he made arrangements to return from Florida, and also authorized friends to break into his home to look for the women. In Pellegrini's room, the friends found a blood-stained mattress, prosecutors said.

At that time, Greklek-McKeon said, Verrill called his mother and asked to go to rehab. She took him to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover.

Smoronk arrived home Jan. 28 about 1:30 a.m. He turned on his surveillance systems, which had been turned off and looked at Jan 27, finding there was 1 day, 17 hours and 18 minutes missing, prosecutors said. He called police two hours later.

"There is no boogeyman; there is only Verrill," said Greklek-McKeon, echoing what was said in Verrill's first trial in 2019.

Defense argues prosecution's case is 'unreliable'

Defense attorney Matthew McNicoll speaks to the jury during the double murder trial of his client, Timothy Verrill, at Strafford County Superior Court in Dover Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

In his opening statement, public defender Matthew McNicoll said "Christine and Jenna fought back, very hard. Tim had no reason to kill, no motive, yet the state will ask you to convict a man of a murder he did not commit."

McNicoll said the defense planned to ask questions the state will not be able to answer.

"The state's inability starts with the investigation," he said, referring to the discovery issue that resulted in the new trial. "The state will tell you it's all true, whats done is done, but there is no transforming an unreliable investigation into a reliable one."

McNicoll said the state collected evidence and ignored leads that should have been looked at more closely.

"Based on that they made choices and decisions about this case they shouldnt have," he said. "This case starts with drugs. This is a universe of people buying and selling drugs, and about growing their drug enterprise. Tim sold drugs, used them. He was growing detached from the world. Dean and Christine met in Florida and she came to help the drug operations here. Dean had a home in Florida, too, Christine had a business selling secondhand items she refurbished."

McNicoll said Smoronk wanted Christine out of his life. He said Colwell was a high-ranking member of a motorcycle gang who owed money to Smoronk and acted as an enforcer, helping to collect debts owed to Smoronk.

McNicoll said the investigation "tunnel visioned" on Verrill, ignoring other avenues.

"Think critically about what you see and dont see," he urged the jury. "Look at evidence like DNA and fingerprints. They are his, but how did they get there?

Defendant Timothy Verrill is seen on the first day of his second trial for the alleged 2017 first-degree murders of Christine Sullivan and Jenna Pellegrini in Strafford County Superior Court in Dover Tuesday, March 19, 2024

McNicoll said both women were alive and happy when Verrill was there and when he left.

"He had no motive to kill them," he said. "Speculation said he was unwell. Consider the other players and their suspicious behavior, their associations. The state needs to prove who killed, but they are pointing at the wrong man. Tim did not kill them, and he is not guilty."

Tracey Flaherty, intelligence analyst for New Hampshire State Police's Major Crimes Unit, testified phone records supported the state's contention Smoronk made many attempts to reach Sullivan on the night of the murder.

Brentwood Officer Evon Cary, who was a Farmington police officer at the time of the 2017 murders, testified being called by Smoronk to report his girlfriend was missing and described a bloody scene at the home.

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Timothy Verrill on trial for grisly murder of 2 women in Farmington
TIOGA COUNTY, Pa. (WETM)  A Pennsylvania school district in Tioga County will see more than $1 million to provide vital resources to the district to support students and their way of learning.

The $1.1 million grant was awarded to the Northern Tioga School District as part of the federal Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and its Stronger Connections Grant Program.

Through this grant funding, the district will be able to maintain the current multi-tier system of support with tutors at the elementary school and fund new tutors at both high schools.

Superintendent Kristopher Kaufman said the grant would go toward the students and allow them to focus on learning and their success.

Maple Weekend is back in Potter and Tioga Counties

As we prepare for American Rescue Plan/Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funding to twilight in the fall of 2024, we have been concerned that we would not be able to fund some of the programming and initiatives that were started through these programs, said Kaufman. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and its Stronger Connections grant provides additional support for our students that allows them to focus on their learning, and to find success, they said.

On top of having more tutors, the funding will be put toward the after-school Community College Initiative and summer school transportation for students.

Representative Clint Owlett commended Northern Tioga and other school districts in the area for the commitment they have to students and their path to success.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
UPDATE: Memphis police say they arrested more than 4,000 juveniles in 2022.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  With the controversial Parental Accountability Act passing in the Tennessee Senate on Monday, debate rages on about whether or not it is the right way to combat juvenile crime.

In 2023, Memphis Police told City Council that officers had arrested more than 4,000 juveniles, including more than 500 for motor vehicle theft.

As a way to drastically bring those numbers down, the state Senate passed a new bill that takes aim at parents of young offenders and will hold them accountable for the actions of their children.

It would allow Juvenile Court judges to require parents to pay up to $1,000 dollars for every crime their child commits after being arrested.

Is the 45% truancy rate at Memphis Shelby County Schools contributing to citys juvenile crime?

In addition to the restitution, interim Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis has spoken with multiple juvenile authorities to find other innovative ways that parents could take accountability for their childs crimes.

Judge (Tarik) Sugarmon and I have talked about mandatory parental classes that some parents would also have to take, Davis said. If your child commits a crime, and you know, or this child has done this over and over again, and you know that that child is involved. If a car shows up in front of your house, you know thats not your car.

Republican Sen. Brent Taylor is the bills sponsor and said that with it in place, it will lead parents to be more aware of their childrens activities.

We need to do whatever we can to get the attention of parents, so that raising their kids is higher on the to-do list than the 20th item, Taylor said. This is not meant to be punitive. If it encourages parents to be pay a little closer attention to their children than what theyve been doing I think it would be worth it.

17-year-old charged with murder after woman killed outside senior facility

While there are Memphis Democrats who agree that something needs to be done, there are some like Rep. G.A. Hardaway who said the bill could create more hardships in an already difficult situation.

Sometimes parents have to be held criminally liable for some of the actions of our children, Hardaway said. However, Im not for adding another tax  so to speak  that thousands of dollars on top of everything else that a lot of our low income parents are having to deal with.

As for local residents, there appears to be skeptism among them as well.

They (kids) feel as though they can continue to commit these crimes without much repercussion at all, Memphis resident James Cunningham said. I dont see that its really holding the kid accountable, just the family instead.

Another local man, John Rinehart echoed Cunninghams sentiments.

I really dont think itll have an affect on the youth, Rinehart said. These kids have so much theyre thinking about doing. Theyre not worried about the long term effect.

If the bill passes in both the Senate and the House it would then require the signature of Gov. Bill Lee.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
A bill that would create $1.9 billion in franchise tax breaks and refunds for businesses operating in Tennessee is headed to the Senate floor  despite the Lee administration not releasing information about the source of legal threats over existing law.

Republicans have pushed through the legislation in the Senate, while Democrats have questioned whether the governors private business could potentially benefit from the legislation and unsuccessfully sought a revenue-neutral fix.

If approved, the Senate Bill 2103 would change the method by which the state charges franchise taxes to businesses, eliminating the property tax calculation  a move thats expected to cost the state $400 million in revenue beginning this year.

The governors bill also includes $1.5 million for franchise tax refunds for businesses who have recently paid based on property tax, which could include the Lee Company, which the governor helped lead for decades and still owns in a blind trust.

Members of the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee approved the bill in a 9-1 party-line vote on Tuesday. It now moves to the full Senate for a vote. The bill has not yet moved in the House, but is scheduled in the House Finance Subcommittee next week, according to a House Republican Caucus spokesperson.

While presenting the bill Tuesday, Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, said the bill solves a pressing threat of legal action over the states existing franchise tax law that was raised by a national law firm and serious enough to cause departments to confer on the legislation.

Sen. Ken Yager during the General Assembly, at Tennessee state Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

We have come up with a solution to a serious constitutional challenge, Yager said. We have come up with a logical plan to address a serious challenge. Theres a front-end cost to this, of course, but as somebody once told me a long time ago, Mr. Chairman, the hardest thing to know what to do is to cut your losses and move on.

Despite requests by The Tennessean, the Lee administration has yet to release any record of communication by a national law firm expressing constitutional concerns or threatening legal action. The governor's office did not respond to an additional request for information late Tuesday afternoon.

Yager said the bill does away with the uncertainty of litigation which could result in an adverse decision that would include millions of dollars in attorneys fees, court expenses, among other things. He also argued the bill aligns Tennessees franchise tax structure with neighboring states and provides equitable tax relief to companies that have invested in Tennessee.

While the retroactive tax refunds were initially projected to cost the state $1.2 billion, fiscal analysts have since determined that if every one of the 100,000 businesses expected to be eligible for the refunds took advantage of them, it could cost up to $1.5 billion.

The Lee administration has sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee pledging to include funding for the roughly $300 million difference in the governors budget amendment, funding the difference with interest earning growth that occurred since the budget was developed in November.

I consider that a funding letter that says its funded, Senate Finance Committee Chair Bo Watson, R-Hixson, said.

The problem is, Mr. Chairman, that the funding letter is pretty deficient, said Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, noting that the number was estimated two months ago. I dont know why would think that the fiscal year 24 interest is going to increase by $300 million dollars.

During the same meeting, Watson said that according to the Department of Revenue, the state has collected $437.6 million less than anticipated during the first seven months into the fiscal year, resulting in nearly a -1% growth rate. Watson warned that if things dont change, the state will have to cover the funding gap, if it continues, when the legislature returns next January.

Lee denies conflict of interest

Lee told reporters Friday that he does not know whether his familys business, the Lee Company, will financially benefit from the franchise tax break.

I do not know whether they would or whether they would not, Lee said Friday. That's not available to me and it wont be.

Gov. Bill Lee shakes hands as he walks out after delivering his State of the State address to the Tennessee General Assembly in the House chamber of the Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, Feb. 5, 2024.

After nearly four decades leading the company, Lee placed it in a blind trust before taking office in 2019.

The reason the company is in a blind trust is because that's how you ensure integrity, Lee said. That's how you make sure that someone  a public official in a position like mine that is involved in a company  that there is no conflict of interest.

Democrats have called on Lee to disclose Lee Company tax filings from the last several years to demonstrate how much the governors company stands to benefit from the governors proposal. In response, Lee cited the blind trust, saying he does not have access to company records.

It would be illegal for me to access those records. It'd be illegal for me to know anything about the financial records or tax records of that company, Lee said Friday. And I won't be providing that information because I'd have to break the law to do it.

When asked if he recalled whether the company paid franchise taxes based on the states property calculation when he was chair and CEO, Lee did not answer.

The Lee Company pays taxes depending on what their outcomes are for the years that those taxes are due. I have no insight into outcome over the past five years for that company, so I have no information, Lee said. I have no access to that information.

No revenue-neutral resolution

Administration officials did not answer directly whether a revenue-neutral solution to constitutional concerns was considered.

The Department evaluated a variety of possible solutions to resolve the franchise tax legal challenge, Courtney Swim, chief of staff at the Department of Revenue, told The Tennessean in an email. We believe the proposed solution is the best way to address this challenge. It will minimize the states legal risks and financial exposure, while also more closely aligning the franchise tax with neighboring states and providing equitable tax relief to companies that have invested in Tennessee.

Lee spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson agreed.

As weve said previously, we considered many other courses, but ultimately those alternatives are less likely to achieve our forward-looking goals of improving the competitiveness of Tennessees tax structure while resolving our legal issues promptly and predictably, Johnson said.

Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee's $1.9B franchise tax break heads to full Senate vote
Spring has finally arrived, officially, that is.

Don't expect to feel temperatures to feel springlike across the state, though.

A cold front is moving down the state and could bring temperatures near freezing in some areas, along with very breezy conditions.

March 19 also marks Florida's presidential preference primary, where some voters will head to the polls.

And for students in 28 Florida counties, the wait is finally over. They're celebrating spring break this week.

Florida GOP voters head to polls for presidential preference primary

Florida joins voters in four other states in heading to the polls today:

 Voting guide

Arizona

Florida

Illinois

Kansas

Ohio

Only registered Republicans can vote for a GOP candidate for president in Florida.

The Florida Democratic Party nominated Joseph R. Biden Jr. as its only candidate and chose him for this November's ballot last year, so there will be no presidential preference ballot for voters registered with the Democratic Party.

What candidates will be on Florida's PPP ballot?

The 2024 Florida presidential preference primary will be held March 19.

Florida law states that if a candidate did not submit a formal withdrawal before Dec. 12, 2023, the candidates name must remain on the PPP ballot .

What happens after the presidential preference primary?

After the PPP, the decision over who will represent the party goes to delegates.

Political party delegates nominate the preferred presidential candidates at each partys national convention.

The party then decides at the convention which presidential candidate will represent their party on the November general election ballot.

When does spring begin?

Spring officially begins today, March 19, astronomical spring, that is. Meteorological spring started March 1.

Cold front moving through Florida to welcome spring's arrival

A cold front is moving through Florida, just in time for the arrival of spring.

Winds out of the north are following a cold front moving through the state today. Wind gusts up to 30 mph are in the forecast, but are expected to diminish through the mid morning.

Near freezing temperatures were expected Monday night for interior Florida Panhandle locations, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

Northerly winds were forecast to usher much colder temperatures Monday night, with lows falling to near freezing over the interior Florida Panhandle and the upper 30s to lower 40s along the coastline and into the Suwannee River Valley.

What's the difference between astronomical and meteorological seasons?

Meteorological and astronomical seasons begin and end on different dates. The reason has to do with how each are defined.

Astronomical seasons are based on the position of Earth in relation to the sun, whereas the meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

Meteorological seasons are the three-month periods we commonly refer to when talking about spring, summer, fall and winter.

According to National Centers for Environmental Information, meteorological seasons were created because traditional seasons varied from 89 to 93 days. That made it difficult to compare statistics from one year to another.

Astronomical seasons are based on the position of the earth as it makes its annual trip around the sun, according to NOAA. Seasons are defined by two solstices and two equinoxes.

The four meteorological seasons

NOAA comparison of the differences between astronomical and meteorological seasons.

For meteorologists, seasons are defined by the months with temperatures and weather often associated with each.

Spring : March, April, May.

Summer: June, July, August.

Fall: September, October, November.

Winter: December, January, February.

The four astronomical seasons

The earth is tilted 23.5 degrees. That tilt and the suns alignment over the equator determine both the solstices and equinoxes. The dates vary slightly from year to year.

Solstices occur when Earth's tilt is at its maximum either toward or away from the sun.

Equinoxes occur halfway between the solstices, when the suns path is aligned with the equator.

So in 2024, those seasons occur:

Spring (vernal equinox): March 19, 11:06 p.m. EDT

Summer solstice: June 21, 4:51 p.m. EDT

Fall (autumnal equinox): Sept. 23, 8:44 a.m. EDT

Winter solstice: Dec. 21, 4:21 a.m. EST

Spring break has been in full swing across Florida in March

Spring break ranges from the first week of March to mid-April, and usually peaks in mid-March in Florida.

 Spring break schedules for Florida colleges, universities

Miami Beach recently broke up with spring break. The city put safety measures in place for spring break and set a midnight curfew over the St. Patrick's weekend.

For Florida public schools, spring break continues through this month, with students in 28 counties on spring break this week. For some school districts, spring break won't arrive until April.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida presidential preference primary, spring, cold front arrive
Henson: always insisted that the award of his Military Cross belonged to the whole patrol

Tom Henson, who has died aged 92, was awarded an Immediate MC in 1952 in the Korean War.

On the night of March 3 1952, Henson, in command of a platoon of the 1st Battalion the Royal Norfolk Regiment, set off at dusk with a fighting patrol of 12 men to set up an ambush on a bridge over the Sami-chon River. His orders were to capture or kill any enemy that he encountered.

He was armed with an American carbine and carried a Verey pistol; one man carried the Bren gun and the others were equipped with rifles or Sten guns. The patrol carried code words so that they could radio for support and call down AA (anti-aircraft), machine-gun or 25-pounder fire.

After moving carefully through a gap in the minefield, as the patrol approached the bridge over the river Henson spotted an enemy foot patrol moving across the road about 200 yards in front of him.

As his men advanced with fixed bayonets, they were fired at by Chinese soldiers concealed among the tall millet. Three men were wounded. Henson, guided in the darkness by the muzzle flashes, and firing from the hip, closed with the enemy.

One man jumped on Hensons back, but he threw him off. The fighting was then at such close quarters that his men could only use their bayonets, rifle butts and fists. When four more men were wounded, Henson formed the survivors into an all-round defensive position and pulled the wounded into the centre. His patrol was outnumbered three to one and surrounded.

With his ammunition running low and in danger of being overwhelmed, through his wireless operator, Private Tearle, Henson radioed the company commander for back-up and called in machine gun and 25-pounder support, firing on a fixed target line, to cut off the Chinese route of retreat.

A relief force started at once but it was 30 minutes before it arrived. During this time, Henson, together with three unwounded and two wounded men, drove off repeated machine gun and grenade attacks from the enemy on all three sides. Throughout the noise and smoke and bedlam of battle, Tearle continued to report back in the most unruffled manner.

When the relief force arrived, the patrols ammunition had all but run out. The enemy were dispersed and the casualties, consisting of three killed and six wounded, were evacuated. Henson carried a dead soldier back to the battalion lines, a distance of more than a mile.

He was awarded an immediate MC, the citation paying tribute to his courage, calmness and inspiring leadership. Henson always insisted that the award belonged to the whole patrol. Private Tearle was Mentioned in Despatches.

Thomas John Brooke Henson was born near Fort Victoria, in what was then Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), on September 2 1931. His father was a mining engineer before becoming a tobacco farmer. Just before the Second World War broke out, young Tom returned to England to go to school. He grew up in the village of Otford in Kent, near Biggin Hill aerodrome, and remembered watching dogfights in the sky above him and fighter planes attacking V-1 flying bombs on their way to drop on London.

He attended Woodbridge School in Suffolk, where he was head boy. He was called up for National Service and, after attending Octu (the Officer Cadet Training Unit) at Eaton Hall, Cheshire, he was commissioned into the Royal Norfolk Regiment and posted to the 1st Battalion.

He embarked for Korea at the end of August 1951. The ship was met at Pusan by a black American jazz band. The battalion, part of 29th Infantry Brigade, deployed on a hillside overlooking the Sami-chon River.

Conditions were challenging. Hensons bunker was dug into the side of a hill. A blanket served as a door, the bunks were made of logs and the dug-out was lit by candles. The temperature on a winters night sometimes fell to minus 20 C. At breakfast, milk was served with a knife. The officers mess was known as the Pigsty and rats fed on the waste in the refuse pits.

The Chinese attacked by charging en masse, regardless of the weight of incoming fire. Often, only the first line was armed. When that went down, the second line would pick up their burp guns and carry on (the Communists Type 50 short-barrelled sub-machine guns were nicknamed for the sound they made). By the time the third line had the weapons, they were usually into the Royal Norfolks defences.

Every three or four nights, a recce patrol went out. Sometimes, the men took an inflatable rubber boat, crossed the river and moved quietly through enemy-occupied villages, returning at first light. In August 1952 the battalion left for Hong Kong.

After he was demobilised, Henson went up to Lincoln College, Oxford, to read Modern Languages. He subsequently worked in marketing in television and then in the plastics industry. Settled in Norfolk, in his spare time he enjoyed fishing and walking. He remained in touch with Alf Tearle and they spoke together as recently as last Christmas.

Tom Henson is survived by his wife, Gill, and by a son and a daughter.

Tom Henson, born September 2 1931, died January 11 2024

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NEW YORK (Reuters) -A Canadian resident of China has been arrested in the United States for allegedly stealing electric car manufacturer Tesla's trade secrets and conspiring to sell them to undercover law enforcement officers.

Klaus Pflugbeil, the operator of a China-based business that sells technology used in electric vehicles, was arrested on Tuesday in New York, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said.

He had traveled for a meeting with undercover agents whom he had believed were Long Island businesspeople, prosecutors said.

Pflugbeil and business partner Yilong Shao built their business using trade secrets belonging to "a leading U.S.-based electric vehicle company," prosecutors said. Shao was also charged but remained at large.

Prosecutors did not name the U.S.-based company, but said it acquired a Canada-based manufacturer of battery assembly lines in 2019. That matches the description of Tesla's acquisition of a Canadian company named Hibar.

Both Pflugbeil and Shao are former employees of the Canadian company, prosecutors said.

Pflugbeil was expected to make an initial appearance in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors said. His lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Shao could not be reached for comment.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York, Eric Beech and Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Stephen Coates)
Semafor Signals

Insights from The New York Times, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal

The News

Former President Donald Trump cant find an insurance company to underwrite a bond to cover the $464 million judgment in the New York attorney generals civil fraud case against him, his lawyers told an appeals court Monday.

Trumps attorneys said he has approached 30 underwriters to back the bond, which he must pay by March 25. They have asked the court to delay posting the bond until his appeal of the case is over. Its unclear when the appellate court will rule on the request.

The amount of the judgment, with interest, exceeds $464 million, and very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude, Trumps lawyers wrote in court filings.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

A bond that big is a practical impossibility

Sources: CBS News, Truth Social

An insurance broker who testified for Trump during the trial signed an affidavit saying that securing a bond of that amount is a practical impossibility. Several of the United States largest underwriters have policies that bar them from securing bonds larger than $100 million, he said.

I have never heard of nor seen an appeal bond of this size for a private company or individual, said Gary Giulietti, the broker, who added that obtaining such a bond was just not possible under these circumstances. On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that the size of the bond he requires is unConstitutional, un-American, unprecedented, and practically impossible for ANY Company, including one as successful as mine.

The problem: Underwriters cant accept real estate as collateral

Sources: CNN, The New York Times

Trumps lawyers said that potential underwriters need cash to back the bond  not properties  because real estate is risky collateral. While the value of the presidential candidates properties significantly exceed the judgment, CNN reported his attorneys as saying, no underwriters will accept real estate in lieu of cash.

Thats because of regulations on the insurance market. Regulators dont allow insurance companies to charge high premiums for taking on that kind of risk, New York Times opinion writer Peter Coy explained, they want insurers to charge low premiums for low risk.

New Yorks attorney general could seize Trumps assets  but it could take time

Sources: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal

If he cant secure the bond by the deadline, Trump faces the possibility of financial disaster and humiliation, The Times reported. New York Attorney General Letitia James  who brought the fraud case against him  could seize Trumps properties or freeze his bank accounts if he fails to come up with the money. But, lawyers told The Wall Street Journal, Trump wouldnt lose his assets immediately. The collection process can be painfully slow, one attorney said.

Trump has another problem: Interest on his bond is going up every day. At this point, the former president would have to post about $1 billion in cash and liquid securities to get the bond he needs, Coy wrote in The New York Times, which is more than double the judgment amount.
Former President Trump told the Supreme Court in his initial brief that he should be immune from criminal charges, arguing that a denial would "incapacitate every future president with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office," and would create "post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents."

Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, and his legal team filed the 67-page brief to the high court on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court will hear initial arguments on the issue of presidential immunity on April 25, after Trump argued that he should be immune from prosecution on charges stemming from Special Counsel Jack Smiths investigation into alleged election interference in 2020 and Jan. 6.

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump.

Smiths trial is on hold pending the high courts ruling, which is expected to be handed down in mid-June.

"A denial of criminal immunity would incapacitate every future President with de facto blackmail and extortion while in office, and condemn him to years of post-office trauma at the hands of political opponents," the brief states. "The threat of future prosecution and imprisonment would become a political cudgel to influence the most sensitive and controversial Presidential decisions, taking away the strength, authority, and decisiveness of the Presidency."

The brief lays out the case brought against Trump.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

SUPREME COURT AGREES TO REVIEW WHETHER TRUMP IMMUNE FROM PROSECUTION IN FEDERAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE CASE

"The indictment charges President Trump with five types of conduct, all constituting official acts of the President," the brief states. "First, it alleges that President Trump, using official channels of communication, made a series of tweets and other public statements on matters of paramount federal concern, contending that the 2020 federal election was tainted by fraud and irregularities that should be addressed by government officials."

"Second, the indictment alleges that President Trump communicated with the Acting Attorney General and officials at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding investigating suspected election crimes and irregularities, and whether to appoint a new Acting Attorney General," it continues. "Third, the indictment alleges that President Trump communicated with state officials about the administration of the federal election and urged them to exercise their official responsibilities in accordance with the conclusion that the 2020 presidential election was tainted by fraud and irregularities."

TRUMP SAYS SUPREME COURT RULING IN COLORADO CASE IS 'UNIFYING AND INSPIRATIONAL'

"Fourth, the indictment alleges that President Trump communicated with the Vice President, the Vice Presidents official staff, and members of Congress to urge them to exercise their official duties in the election certification process in accordance with the position, based on voluminous information available to President Trump in his official capacity, that the election was tainted by extensive fraud and irregularities," it states. "Fifth, the indictment alleges that other individuals organized slates of alternate electors from seven States to help ensure that the Vice President would be authorized to exercise his official duties in the manner urged by President Trump."

The brief states that according to the indictment, "these alternate slates of electors were designed to validate the Vice Presidents authority to conduct his official duties as President Trump urged."

"President Trump moved to dismiss the indictment based on Presidential immunity," the brief states. "The district court wrongfully held that a former President enjoys no immunity from criminal prosecution for his official acts. The D.C. Circuit affirmed, likewise incorrectly holding that a former President has no immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts."

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal.

Trump's attorneys argue that "A former President enjoys absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for his official acts."

"Criminal immunity arises directly from the Executive Vesting Clause and the separation of powers," the brief argues. "The Impeachment Judgment Clause reflects the Founders understanding that only a President convicted by the Senate after impeachment could be criminally prosecuted. The Constitution authorizes the criminal prosecution of a former President, but it builds in a formidable structural check against politically motivated prosecutions by requiring a majority of the House and a supermajority of the Senate to authorize such a dramatic action."

Donald Trump and Jack Smith

"The Founders thus carefully balanced the public interest in ensuring accountability for Presidential wrongdoing against the mortal danger to our system of government presented by political targeting of the Chief Executive," the brief states. "The long history of not prosecuting Presidents for official acts, despite ample motive and opportunity to do so over the years, demonstrates that the newly discovered alleged power to do so does not exist."

TRUMP SPEAKS AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING, TELLS BIDEN TO 'FIGHT YOUR FIGHT YOURSELF'



Trump and his attorney argue that the "lack of historical precedent" provides "a telling indication of a severe constitutional problem with the asserted power."

Trump attorneys also argued that the impeachment judgment clause of the Constitution "confirms the original meaning of the Executive Vesting Clause  i.e., that current and former Presidents are immune from criminal prosecution for official acts."

Trump attorneys argue that "the Impeachment Judgment Clause provides that, after impeachment and Senate trial, the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law."

"By specifying that only the Party convicted may be subject to criminal prosecution, the Clause dictates the President cannot be prosecuted unless he is first impeached and convicted by the Senate," the brief states.

Trump lawyers argued that "the Clauses plain language presupposes that an unimpeached and un-convicted President is immune from prosecution."

Smith charged the former president with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. Those charges stemmed from Smiths investigation into whether Trump was involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and any alleged interference in the 2020 election result.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.





Original article source: Trump tells Supreme Court a denial of immunity would 'incapacitate every future president,' in initial brief
Former President Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican nominee for president, will likely spend days in court defending himself against charges in multiple jurisdictions while also crisscrossing the country on the campaign trail until Election Day.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges in all cases. Many trials have been delayed or put on pause.

Here is where each case stands:

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on whether Trump is immune from prosecution next month.

Arguments on presidential immunity are scheduled to begin on April 25. A ruling from the high court is expected by late June.

Trump and his legal team, in requesting the Supreme Court review the issue of presidential immunity, said that "if the prosecution of a president is upheld, such prosecutions will recur and become increasingly common, ushering in destructive cycles of recrimination."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Former President Trump and Jack Smith

"Criminal prosecution, with its greater stigma and more severe penalties, imposes a far greater personal vulnerability on the President than any civil penalty," the request states. "The threat of future criminal prosecution by a politically opposed Administration will overshadow every future presidents official acts  especially the most politically controversial decisions."

SUPREME COURT TO HEAR ARGUMENTS IN TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY CASE ON APRIL 25

Special Counsel Jack Smith charged the former president with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.

Those charges stem from Smiths months-long investigation into whether Trump was involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and any alleged interference in the 2020 election result.

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial was set to begin March 4 but was put on hold pending a resolution on the matter.

The trial stemming from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs investigation into Trumps alleged hush-money payments during the 2016 election was scheduled to begin on March 25.

Last week, though, a judge delayed the trial until mid-April to give Trump's lawyers additional time to go through 15,000 records of potential evidence the Justice Department shared from a previous federal investigation into the matter.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York said much of the newly produced material is unrelated to the state case against Trump. Federal prosecutors have already produced more than 100,000 pages of records for review. Fox News Digital has learned, though, that at least 74,000 pages of records initially were sent only to Braggs office and not to Trumps legal team.

JUDGE DELAYS TRUMP'S HUSH-MONEY TRIAL AMID LAST-MINUTE EVIDENCE DUMP BY FEDS

Trumps lawyers were seeking a 90-day delay or a dismissal of charges against him, arguing there were violations in "the discovery process," whereby both sides exchange evidence. Defense lawyers said a 30-day delay was "insufficient."

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg

Trump's lawyers have said the materials from the federal investigation are critical for his defense in the state case being brought by Bragg.

Bragg indicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Bragg alleged that Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election."

The charges are related to alleged hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign.

In 2019, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York opted out of charging Trump related to the payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

The Federal Election Commission also tossed its investigation into the matter in 2021.

U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed Trumps motion to dismiss charges of retaining classified documents on the grounds of "unconstitutional vagueness."

Cannon has not yet ruled on Trumps other argument, which is a motion to dismiss based on the Presidential Records Act.

TRUMP FLORIDA JUDGE CANNON DENIES TRUMP DISMISSAL ON 'UNCONSTITUTIONAL VAGUENESS'

Trump was charged out of Smiths investigation into his retention of classified materials. Trump pleaded not guilty to all 37 felony charges out of Smiths probe. The charges include willful retention of national defense information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and false statements.

Trump was also charged with an additional three counts as part of a superseding indictment out of the investigation  an additional count of willful retention of national defense information and two additional obstruction counts.

Trump pleaded not guilty.

A Fulton County judge recently quashed six counts in the Georgia election interference case against Trump and his 18 co-defendants.

Judge Scott McAfee said in an order Wednesday that the state failed to allege sufficient detail for six counts of "solicitation of violation of oath by public officer."

"The Courts concern is less that the State has failed to allege sufficient conduct of the Defendants  in fact it has alleged an abundance. However, the lack of detail concerning an essential legal element is, in the undersigned opinion, fatal," McAfee wrote.

FULTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR NATHAN WADE WITHDRAWS FROM TRUMP CASE, ALLOWING DA FANI WILLIS TO CONTINUE

"As written, these six counts contain all the essential elements of the crimes but fail to allege sufficient detail regarding the nature of their commission, i.e., the underlying felony solicited," the judge continued.

Fulton County DA Fani Willis winks before being sworn in to testify on the hearing about an allegedly improper relationship with Nathan Wade.

"They do not give the Defendants enough information to prepare their defenses intelligently, as the Defendants could have violated the Constitutions and thus the statute in dozens, if not hundreds, of distinct ways."

Georgia state law prohibits any public officer from willfully and intentionally violating the terms of his or her oath as prescribed by law. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis alleged that Trump and six of his co-defendants illegally attempted to persuade numerous state officials to violate their oaths in an effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election in Georgia.

Willis charged Trump with one count of violation of the Georgia RICO Act, three counts of criminal solicitation, six counts of criminal conspiracy, one count of filing false documents and two counts of making false statements.

JUDGE RULES FANI WILLIS MUST STEP ASIDE FROM TRUMP CASE OR FIRE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR NATHAN WADE

Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Meanwhile, Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade has withdrawn from the prosecution after McAfee said either he must go or Willis would be disqualified from prosecuting Trump. Four co-defendants had accused Willis of having an "improper" affair with Wade, who she hired to help prosecute the case.

Fulton County special prosecutor Nathan Wade, left, and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis

The defendants alleged that Willis benefited financially by hiring Wade in 2021 because they were in a preexisting romantic relationship and went on several trips together. Michael Roman, a Republican operative who worked on Trump's 2020 reelection campaign, alleged that Wade's law firm billed taxpayers $650,000 at a rate of $250 an hour since his hiring  and that he used that income to pay for vacations with Willis.

Both Wade and Willis denied they were in a romantic relationship prior to his hiring. During a two-day evidentiary hearing in February, they each testified that they split the cost of their shared trips. Willis told the court she reimbursed Wade for her share of the trips in cash.

A trial date for Trump has not yet been set.





Original article source: Trump trials: Heres where each case against former president and presumptive GOP nominee stands
Former President Donald Trump unsurprisingly cruised to an overwhelming victory in the Florida GOP presidential primary on Tuesday after having already secured his partys nomination.

THANK YOU, FLORIDA  MAGA! Trump posted on his Truth Social site.

With 94% of the vote counted, Trump had 80.8% to 14% for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and 3.9% for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Haley, DeSantis and four other former candidates remained on the ballot despite dropping out.

Tonights results underline what we already know: Florida Republicans are united and ready to send Joe Biden back to his basement in Delaware this November, state GOP chairman Evan Power said in a statement. I want to congratulate President Trump on his overwhelming victory tonight, and I look forward to working with him to Make America Great Again!

Despite the large margin of victory, Trump has continually posted lower numbers than expected in GOP primaries for a semi-incumbent, even after Haley dropped out of the race.

Almost 20% of registered Republican voters in Floridas closed primary cast ballots for someone else, including about 23% in Orange County and 28% in Seminole.

Those results suggest that Donald Trump still has a lot to worry about, Gregory Koger, a professor of political science at the University of Miami, said Tuesday night.

The next challenge for any party nominee is to consolidate the party and bring the coalition together, Koger said. And there seems to be a consistent 20% to 30% of the party that rejects him, even when there is no active candidate running against him.  And it remains to be seen what he can say and do to bring them around.

At the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Altamonte Springs, a few dozen people cast their ballots early in the day. Some said they were eager to see Trump return to the White House.

He represents the best chance to put this country back on the course it needs to be, said David Salazar, 63. I think the current government is driving the country into the ground.

Salazar listed his top issues as the Southern border, the economy and building a strong military.

Diane Chavis, 70, said Trump impressed her during his presidency.

He can run a business, she said. Our country was in a lot better shape when he was president.

As for DeSantis, Chavis said she likes him as governor but thought he was probably a little ahead of his time.

Tod Townsend, 61, of Winter Springs, said he didnt base his vote on Trumps personality but rather what he accomplished as president.

He also doesnt see the country moving in a positive direction under Biden.

I dont really care for the personality that much, but we dont vote them in for their personality, he said outside a polling station in Casselberry. Most presidents have been either womanizers or gamblers or whatever. Its the human factor. Every president has stuff on them.  I vote for the man that I think can do the most for the country. In this era we are in, I believe that is going to be Trump.

Townsend said he considered DeSantis and Haley but settled on Trump.

If he and Ron were stlll neck and neck, I dont know, Townsend said. Ron DeSantis is a lot more polished. He doesnt say belittling things about people the way Trump does. There are a lot of things about Trumps character I dont like. He would not be a friend of mine, but were looking for people who can take action and make it happen.

Mark Hall, of Windermere, said he was casting an anti-Trump vote for Haley.

If he had respected what the Constitution said, and had conceded when it said he had lost the election in 2020, my vote would possibly be different, Hall said at the Lifebridge Church polling site near Windermere. But theres no way I can vote for somebody who is a proven enemy of the Constitution.

Asked whether there would be enough protest voters in Florida to send a message, he said, thats the prayer. Ive been a Republican since the 90s. And Im worried about the party.

After casting his primary ballot in Palm Beach, a reporter asked Trump who he voted for.

Did somebody just say, Whod you vote for? he said with a laugh. Yeah, I voted for Donald Trump.

Trumps undisputed victory in the Florida primary came after months of the state GOP shifting toward him and away from DeSantis.

Trumps entry into the race at an event in Mar-a-Lago in November 2022 drew dismissive headlines such as Florida Man Makes Announcement on page 26 of the New York Post, while DeSantis 19-point reelection victory that same month saw front page coverage calling him DeFuture.

But close Trump ally Christian Ziegler was elected state GOP chair in February 2023, the first signs that DeSantis hold over the party was not absolute.

For months, Trump railed against DeSantis, slamming him as an average governor who came begging for an endorsement when he first ran in 2018.

The first of what became 91 felony charges against Trump dropped in March 2023, leading DeSantis to defend him and threaten to block extradition as Trumps poll numbers jumped among Republicans.

In April, 10 GOP members of Congress from Florida dined at Mar-a-Lago after having endorsed Trump.

By the time DeSantis entered the race himself in a glitchy Twitter announcement in May, Trump had taken a solid lead over every GOP challenger he would never relinquish.

The state party followed suit, with its leaders voting unanimously in September to drop the requirement that a presidential candidate had to sign a loyalty oath to appear on the ballot, a major victory for Trump.

Ziegler was removed as chair in January amid a sex scandal, replaced by the DeSantis-aligned Power. But by then, the DeSantis campaign was limping toward a distant second-place finish in Iowa.

DeSantis dropped out less than a week later and endorsed Trump. The state GOP didnt wait for Haley to drop out in March before endorsing the former president.

Floridas Democratic Party canceled its presidential primary and declared President Joe Biden the winner.
Former President Donald Trump asked a Georgia judge if he could appeal the judges decision to keep Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on the criminal case against Trump for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election.

On Friday, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that Willis could stay on the case after prosecutor Nathan Wade stepped down after it was revealed Willis and Wade had a romantic relationship.

Trump and several of his co-defendants say that Willis benefitted from hiring Wade through dates, trips and meals Wade paid for. However, McAfee found no evidence to support the conflict of interest but said that Willis dating Wade was a tremendous lapse in judgment. In the filing, lawyers for Trump and his co-defendants wrote that getting Willis disqualified from the case is of the utmost importance to this case, according to Reuters.

McAfee said disqualifying Willis from the case was not necessary when a less drastic and sufficiently remedial option is available, like Wade resigning.

If Trump can successfully appeal the judges ruling, he could potentially delay the case, something he is trying to do while he runs for president this year.

Willis charged Trump and his co-defendants in August with participating in a scheme to illegally try to overturn the 2020 election. The charge marks Trumps fourth criminal indictment.

Related...
Washingtons short winter days are turning into long summer ones, and quickly.

The days have been getting longer since the winter solstice, and theyll continue to do so until the summer solstice in June. But the rate at which they get longer peaks between the two at the spring equinox, which arrived Tuesday.

Days get longer at faster rates in March

Since the Earths axis is at a slight tilt, the Northern Hemisphere is pointed closer to the sun during our summer months, and the Southern Hemisphere is pointed closer to it during our winter. According to Jacob DeFlitch, a meteorologist at the Seattle-Tacoma branch of the National Weather Service, as the Northern Hemisphere begins to tilt more and more towards the sun, days get longer at an increasing rate.

What happens is the Earth is tilted more towards the sun during these times. So were leaning to more daylight during this period, which is why were seeing an additional little under two hours through the month of March, DeFlitch told McClatchy News in a phone interview.

The rate at which they increase isnt steady, though. The days on either end of the equinox see the starkest increase. While days will still get longer, the rate of increase will start going down until we hit the summer solstice, when it slows to a halt. DeFlitch said that this is due to the shape of the Earths orbit.

The Earth generally moves in an ellipse around the sun, so theres going to be different rates of increasing and decreasing sunlight during the spring and autumn seasons, DeFlitch said.

How much daylight does Washington gain?

In Tacoma, the sun rose at 6:48 a.m. on March 1 and set at 5:55 p.m., for a total of 11 hours and seven minutes of sunlight. On the 31st, after the clocks were moved ahead by an hour, its expected to rise at 6:49 a.m. and set at 7:38 p.m., for nearly 12 hours and 50 minutes of sunlight. Thats a one-hour, 43-minute gain in one month and three minutes, 24 seconds on a typical day. Olympias numbers were nearly identical, with a monthly increase of over an hour and 41 minutes.

In the Tri-Cities area, meanwhile, there were 11 hours and nine minutes of sunlight on the first and a projected 12 hours and 48 minutes on the 31st. The area saw an increase of three minutes and 16 seconds in March.

Northern Washington has the starkest increase in the state. Bellingham started the month with 11 hours, four minutes of daylight and is expected to end it with a 12-hour, 52-minute day, which amounts to an average of a three-minute, 35-second gain daily.

Parts of the state further south will still see an increase in daylight in April, it just wont be quite as stark. Tacoma is expected to gain an hour and 34 minutes of daylight next month, while Bellingham will gain an hour, 39 minutes and the Tri-Cities will gain an hour and a half.
By Susan Heavey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump drew outrage from the White House, Democrats and leaders of Jewish groups for saying Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats hate their religion and Israel.

"Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, they hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves," said Trump, who hopes to unseat President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

"The Democrat Party hates Israel," he said in the interview with his former adviser Sebastian Gorka posted on his website on Monday.

Groups including the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Jewish Democratic Council of America condemned Trump's remarks for tying religion to how people might vote.

Asked to comment on Trump's remarks, the White House said in a statement on Tuesday: "There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement.

After Trump's remarks were posted, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, wrote on social media platform X on Monday: "Trump is making highly partisan and hateful rants. I am working in a bipartisan way to ensure the US-Israeli relationship sustains for generations to come, buoyed by peace in the Middle East."

Last Thursday, Schumer, the highest-ranking U.S. Jewish elected official and a longtime supporter of Israel, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an obstacle to peace five months into a war in Gaza that began with attacks on Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7.

Biden said many Americans shared Schumer's concerns. Netanyahu called Schumer's speech inappropriate.

Democratic National Committee spokesperson Alex Floyd said in a statement on Monday: "Jewish Americans deserve better than the appalling, offensive attacks Trump continues to launch against the Jewish community."

Trump's campaign stood by his remarks.

"The Democrat Party has turned into a full-blown anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, pro-terrorist cabal," Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

The Republican Jewish Coalition on Tuesday defended Trump's remarks, which it reposted on X.

RJC spokesperson Sam Markstein said that he did not know what Trump meant by his comment that Jewish Americans who vote for Democrats hate their religion but that Democrats' stances were problematic: "It's befuddling to a lot of Republicans that in light of all this, how can there not be more outrage in the Jewish community?"

While president, Trump came under fire from critics in 2017 for drawing an equivalence between white nationalists who chanted "Jews will not replace us" and protesters against racism who clashed in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump said there were "fine people on both sides."

Trump also took the unprecedented steps of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, moving the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights captured from Syria in a 1967 war.

Since Trump left office, critics have cited his 2022 meeting with white supremacist Nick Fuentes at his Florida club that Trump said happened inadvertently. Biden also assailed Trump for echoing Nazis by using the word "vermin" to describe political enemies.

Biden has strongly supported Israel's offensive in Hamas-ruled Gaza, where Palestinian health officials say 32,000 people have been killed since Oct. 7, the day Hamas crossed into Israel, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Under pressure from some Democrats over his staunch support of Israel, Biden has shifted his position to push for a ceasefire and negotiations leading to Israeli and Palestinian states side by side.

A Pew Research Center poll conducted in 2020, when Trump and Biden faced off the first time, found 71% of American Jews surveyed identified with the Democratic Party while 26% leaned Republican.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne, Steve Holland and Doina Chiacu; writing by Susan Heavey; editing by Howard Goller)
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said if Prince Harry lied on his visa application about drug-taking Trump would seek to take "appropriate action" if he won November's presidential election, declining to rule out Harry leaving the United States.

Trump's comments to British right-leaning media outlet GB News came in an interview with presenter and frequent Harry critic Nigel Farage.

U.S. visa applicants are required to make a disclosure about any history of drug use, which can impact their application. Lying on an application can result in penalties including deportation.

Harry, who has lived in California since 2020, admitted to past illegal drug use in his memoir "Spare," after which conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation sued the U.S. Homeland Security Department to access his immigration records. Earlier this month, a judge ruled in that case that the details pertaining to Harry's visa application should be handed over to court.

Farage, a long-time Trump ally, asked the Republican presidential candidate if Prince Harry should receive any "special privileges" if he lied in his application.

"No. We'll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they'll have to take appropriate action," Trump replied.

When asked if that might mean Harry "not staying in America," the former president replied: "Oh I don't know. You'll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago."

Since Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle left royal duties and moved to California, they have often railed at their treatment by Britain's royal family.

From an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021 to a Netflix documentary series and Harry's book, the couple have asserted that the royals and their aides failed to protect them from a hostile press and leaked negative stories about them.

The couple, who married in 2018, have rarely returned to Britain since their departure for the United States.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
(Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday issued a health advisory urging people, particularly children and international travelers, to get vaccinated against measles due to the increase in cases this year.

The CDC had recorded 58 cases of the disease across 17 jurisdictions, as of March 14, same as the whole of 2023.

Most cases reported this year have been among children aged 12 months and older who had not received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, the CDC said, and asked healthcare providers to ensure children are vaccinated against the disease.

The agency said the risk of widescale spread was low, given the currently high immunity levels in the population against measles in most U.S. communities, but added some pockets may have a greater likelihood of outbreaks.

The American Medical Association on Monday also urged Americans to get vaccinated against measles.

"We are reminding physicians to talk with their patients about the health risks associated with not being vaccinated and to make a strong recommendation for vaccinations, unless medically inadvisable," said Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, president of the U.S. doctors' body.

Measles is one of the most contagious human viruses and is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. It requires 95% vaccine coverage to prevent outbreaks among populations.

However, according to the CDC, coverage with measles vaccines among U.S. children in kindergarten has decreased to 93.1% in the 20222023 school year from 95.2% in 20192020.

This has left approximately 250,000 kindergartners susceptible to the disease each year over the last three years, the CDC added.

Declines in measles vaccination rates globally have also increased the risk of measles outbreaks worldwide. The agency added that cases continue to be brought into the United States by travelers infected in other countries.

(Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Ravi Prakash Kumar)
By Mica Rosenberg and Kristina Cooke

(Reuters) -A Republican-backed Texas law that would empower law enforcement authorities in the state to arrest people suspected of illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border was blocked again late on Tuesday by a federal appeals court, just hours after the U.S. Supreme Court had cleared the way for it to go into effect.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals halted enforcement of the law, reviving a federal judge's order blocking it in response to a challenge by Democratic President Joe Biden's administration. The 5th Circuit set arguments for Wednesday on whether to keep the block in place while Texas appeals it.

The legal back and forth in the case has caused uncertainty about the future of the measure signed in December by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The Biden administration sued in January to stop the law, known as SB 4, which was originally set to take effect on March 5. The administration argued it violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law by interfering with the U.S. government's power to regulate immigration as well as running afoul of a 2012 Supreme Court precedent.

The statute authorizes Texas law enforcement to arrest people suspected of entering the United States illegally, giving local officers powers long delegated to the federal government. Abbott said the law was needed due to Biden's failure to enforce federal laws criminalizing illegal entry or re-entry.

The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, on Tuesday had decided to let the law take effect, with the three liberal justices in dissent.

The law is one of several measures put in place by Abbott aimed at deterring migration in the state including deploying National Guard troops and state law enforcement under its Operation Lone Star and placing concertina wire and floating buoy barriers along the Rio Grande river.

On Tuesday night at the border between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, several groups of migrants who had already crossed the river into the United States but were blocked by concertina wire along the banks built fires for warmth in makeshift encampments made of sheets and sticks, waiting for a chance to navigate through the barrier.

'CHAOS AND CONFUSION'

Republicans have criticized Biden's handling of the record numbers of migrants caught illegally crossing the border. Abbott and other Republicans favor the restrictive policies of former President Donald Trump, their party's candidate challenging Biden in the Nov. 5 U.S. election.

Opinion polls reveal acute voter concern over the situation along the border. Reuters/Ipsos polling showed Biden's public approval level at 37% as of Feb. 28.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday the Texas law would "sow chaos and confusion at our southern border."

The Texas law made illegal entry or re-entry into Texas a state crime, with penalties ranging from 180 days in jail to 20 years in prison. It would require Texas magistrate judges to order migrants to return to Mexico, with up to 20-year sentences for those who refuse to comply.

Mexico said on Tuesday it would not accept those repatriated by Texas.

Texas-based U.S. District Judge David Ezra on Feb. 29 sided with the Biden administration and agreed to preliminarily block Texas officials from enforcing the law, saying it "threatens the fundamental notion that the United States must regulate immigration with one voice."

But the 5th Circuit paused Ezra's ruling in an order that would have let the law take effect on March 10, prompting the administration to file an emergency request to the Supreme Court. Justice Samuel Alito, acting for the Supreme Court, on March 4 had halted the 5th Circuit ruling - and thus the law - from taking effect, giving the justices more time to consider the matter.

A 5th Circuit panel, in a 2-1 vote, on Tuesday night lifted the administrative stay ahead of arguments on whether to once again put on hold the judge's injunction while Texas pursues an appeal.

The majority in the appeals court's order included Judge Priscilla Richman, an appointee of Republican former President George W. Bush, and Judge Irma Carrillo Ramirez, a Biden appointee. Judge Andrew Oldham, an appointee of Republican former President Donald Trump, dissented.

(Reporting by Mica Rosenberg in New York, Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Kylie Madry in Mexico City, Nate Raymond in Boston, John Kruzel in Washington and Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham, David Gregorio and Lincoln Feast)
FILE - A Unilever logo is displayed outside the head office of PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk. in Tangerang, Indonesia, Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. Unilever, the company that makes Ben & Jerrys ice cream, Dove soaps and Vaseline, says it's cutting 7,500 jobs and spinning off its ice cream business to reduce costs and boost profits. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana, File)

LONDON (AP)  Unilever, the company that makes Ben & Jerrys ice cream, Dove soaps and Vaseline, said Tuesday that it is cutting 7,500 jobs and spinning off its ice cream business to reduce costs and boost profits.

London-based Unilever said its ice cream business, which also includes Magnum bars, has distinct characteristics from its other brands and would benefit from separate ownership to increase growth. It said the split is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

The British consumer goods company with 128,000 employees also said it is launching a productivity program that is expected to lead to a reduction of about 7,500 mostly office-based jobs worldwide.

Unilever said it will invest in technology to find efficiencies and avoid duplication that it anticipates will help it save 800 million euros ($867 million) over the next three years. The company also laid off 1,500 staffers in early 2022.

Simplifying our portfolio and driving greater productivity will allow us to further unlock the potential of this business, supporting our ambition to position Unilever as a world-leading consumer goods company delivering strong, sustainable growth and enhanced profitability," said CEO Hein Schumacher, who took the helm at Unilever last summer.

The company's shares jumped more than 3% in late-morning trading on the London Stock Exchange.

The share price bounce goes some way in reversing what has been a difficult last year, as investors have fretted over a company with limited high growth prospects and in need of streamlining despite its reputation as a solid defensive play, said Richard Hunter, head of markets for interactive investor, an online investment service.

The company behind Hellmans mayonnaise, Axe fragrances and Cif household cleaners said it is targeting underlying sales growth of mid-single digits after spinning off the ice cream business.

It saw sales volume drop 3.6% in 2022 after jacking up prices 13.3% on average across its brands that year. In response, it raised prices just 2.8% last year, and sales rose 1.8%.

Some analysts pointed out that splitting from Ben & Jerry's, which is known for social activism that has put it at odds at times with its corporate owner, could have an added upside for Unilever.

A side benefit of the brand exiting Unilevers portfolio is it might quieten the go woke and go broke noise, but more widely the reasoning for the decision looks pretty sound," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, a financial services company.

He noted that the ice cream spinoff had not been widely anticipated by the market even if "political pronouncements from Ben & Jerrys had provoked a meltdown among some investors."

Ben & Jerrys has supported liberal issues like LGBTQ+ rights, Black Lives Matter, justice for migrants and efforts to fight climate change.

The brand announced in 2021 that it would stop selling its ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem  territories sought by the Palestinians.

Unilever later announced that it was selling its business interest in Ben & Jerrys in Israel to its Israeli licensee, which would market the products with Hebrew and Arabic labels. A U.S. judge rejected a lawsuit in 2022 from Ben & Jerrys to block that plan.

More recently, since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, Ben & Jerrys independent board chair Anuradha Mittal has called for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A Japan-bound United Airlines flight was forced to return to the gate at San Francisco International Airport on Monday due to maintenance issues, KRON4 has confirmed. United Airlines flight UA35 was due to take off shortly after noon Monday for Osaka.

According to a spokesperson for United, the crew received an indication of an engine start issue. After taxiing on the runway, the plane returned to the gate before departing at 4:56 p.m. Monday.

The aircraft was a Boeing 777-200 with 243 passengers and 14 crew onboard, according to United Airlines. The aircraft was never grounded, as it had not yet departed SFO when the issue was discovered.

Boogaloo boy sentenced to life in prison for killing officer at Oakland courthouse

Mondays incident is the latest in a string of incidents involving United flights experiencing mechanical difficulties. Many of the incidents have involved flights either bound for or taking off from SFO.

Last Friday, a United flight to Oregon landed with a missing panel. On Thursday, an SFO-bound United fight encountered a hydraulic leak as it was about to land. The Friday before that, a Mexico-bound flight from SFO was forced to land at Los Angeles International Airport due to a hydraulic issue.

Earlier this month, another Japan-bound United flight lost a wheel while taking off from SFO and also diverted to LAX. That plane was a Boeing 777, the same model as the United flight Monday that had to return to gate.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
American Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin warned that Ukraines survival is in danger from Vladimir Putins invasion as he piled pressure on Republicans to stop blocking a huge new aid package.

Republican House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to call a vote on a bill that would provide $60 billion (47 billion) more for Ukraine and the White House has been scrambling to find ways to send assistance to Kyiv, which has been battling Russian forces for more than two years.

At a meeting of allies backing Kyiv, Mr Austin pledged that 'the United States will not let Ukraine fail despite the Republicans thwarting more support.

He sought to convince European allies that President Joe Biden's administration is still committed to supporting Ukraine, even as Washington has essentially run out of money to continue arming Kyiv.

The are also few signs that Congress will move to replenish funds.

Leading the monthly meeting known as the Ukraine defence contact group, held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, of about 50 allies, Mr Austin warned: "Ukraine's survival is in danger.

"Our allies and partners continue to step up, the United States must also.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to Kyiv's allies to supply more air defences, saying Russia had launched 130 missiles, more than 320 attack drones and almost 900 guided bombs in attacks this month alone.

British Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has warned Republicans against showing the weakness displayed against Hitler in the 1930s.

The UK has led the West in arming Ukraine, first with anti-tank weapons, then Challenger II tanks, and long range Storm Shadow missiles.

France has also sent Scalp long range missiles.

So far German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has yet to agree to despatch Taurus long range missiles but Berlin is a major supplier of aid to Kyiv.

Ukrainian soldiers, though, given a shortage of munitions significantly blamed on the delays in fresh US supplies, are being out-fired by Russian troops.

At the start of the meeting of allies, Mr Austin stressed: "The United States will not let Ukraine fail...This coalition will not let Ukraine fail.

The Defence Secretary, who is travelling for the first time this year since prostate cancer treatment, did not say how Washington would support Ukraine without additional funding and did not specifically mention Congress.

Officials say the lack of funding available is already having an impact on the ground in Ukraine and Ukrainian forces are having to manage scarce resources.

"I think our allies are acutely aware of our funding situation and the Ukrainians more so than anyone because of the shortages that are resulting from us not being able to supply them," said a senior US defence official.

Last week the Biden administration said it would send $300 million (236 million) in military assistance to Ukraine, but added that it was an extraordinary move after unexpected savings from military contracts the Pentagon had made.

Officials have not ruled out that they could find additional savings, but they say that amount would not be enough to make up for the lack of Congressional action.

There are also concerns that if Donald Trump makes a comeback to the White House in the US presidential election later this year he will further cut US support for Ukraine.

"It's becoming harder and harder for US leaders to travel to Europe, with the message that the United States is committed to Ukraine in the long-term," said Rachel Rizzo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Europe Centre in Washington.

"The message of this long-term financial, military, economic commitment flies in the face of the reality of what's happening on Capitol Hill," she added.

At a joint press conference in Berlin on Friday, Mr Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, whose ammunition-starved troops face their toughest battles since the early days of Russia's invasion two years ago.

European support has become increasingly key with Mr Biden unable to get a big Ukraine aid package through Congress, and much of his foreign policy energy is focused on the war in Gaza.

French president Emmanuel Macron has not ruled out sending western troops to Ukraine to boost the battle against Putins invasion.

But US officials say that the reality is that without the United States, European support for Ukraine will not be enough to fend of Russian forces.

"There isn't a way that our allies can really combine forces to make up for the lack of US support," the senior U.S. defence official said.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russia is preparing a new offensive against Ukraine starting in late May or summer.
Library and campus of the University of Maryland located in College Park, MD.

Greek life is set to continue at the University of Maryland, reversing the temporary suspension set weeks ago by executive leadership over allegations from new recruits claiming to have experienced hazing and alcohol abuse on campus.

Patricia A. Perillo, vice president for student affairs issued a statement Friday saying that the university was lifting its pause on new member, alcohol-related activities and related no-contact orders that were issued on March 1.

All but five chapters were cleared to return to normal activities as the college continues to investigate evidence that suggests involvement in hazing or other incidents that threatened the health and safety of our campus community," the statement says.

Some students remain under investigation for potential violations of the Code of Student Conduct.

Allegations of abuse prompt pause on February recruiting activities

The college issued temporary restrictions to chapter members late February, a month where chapters generally begin recruitment activities, after receiving multiple reports alleging that certain Code of Conduct violations had taken place, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY Monday.

The violations reported, which occurred over a relatively short period of time were related to concerning hazing behaviors and harmful alcohol-related activities that were witnessed within the fraternity and sorority community, the University of Maryland stated.

A coalition of fraternities, among others, initially pushed back against the suspension, according to reporting by CBS, calling the colleges move unfair.

"Students specifically and repeatedly asked what are the allegations, and the university said we're basing this investigation on rumors that we've been hearing. That's it," Wynn Smiley of Fraternity Forward told CBS.

Multiple fraternities were said to have committed the violations, which include the presence of prohibited substances and drug paraphernalia located at a fraternity house and harmful hazing rituals that involved paddles, cigarettes, torches, nails, human waste and consumption of non-food items like urine and a live fish.

'Abused for hours': Anonymous report details horrors

An anonymous reporter told the colleges Office of Student Conduct that they had personally experienced a line up, a ritual that involves new pledges being abused for hours," the individual said.

The individual shared that the group was forced to do multiple exercises, intentionally harm themselves and subject themselves to physical assault all while being naked or in underwear for the purpose of public humiliation.

The individual also witnessed someone passing out because they [chapter] refused to provide us with water and forced us to drink straight vodka. And they did nothing to help him, in fact they hit him in the face with a plastic bat and poured beer on him until he woke up, according to court documents.

A new pledges parent reported that her son was forced to stay in the cold for several hours on the evening of Feb. 21 resulting in a trip to a local medical center for suspected hypothermia, court documents show.

Members from the chapter were interviewed following the reports of alleged abuse, but provided inconsistent and apparently false statements to OSC investigators," according to documents.

Leadership meets with chapter presidents, additional incident causes suspension

Cheerleaders assemble outside Reckord Armory Oct. 27, 2023 on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park for a launch event for the Maryland Service Year Option program.

A week after university leadership was notified of the alleged widespread conduct by a number of chapters on campus, they called a meeting with all chapter presidents to discuss the alleged violations and reinforce the universitys policies prohibiting hazing and alcohol use, according to court documents.

Chapter leadership was warned that the university would "take action in response to further allegations of prohibited conduct, including a pause of new member activities across one or all of the councils since the allegation included criminal acts that are against both school policy and state law.

University leadership gave chapter presidents the opportunity to ask questions, confidentially seek support for chapters and contact them via email following the meeting with questions or concerns.

The chapter leaders and members at the meeting did not provide any additional substantive information that suggested that they were not engaged in the alleged misconduct, nor did they provide further information to clarify which fraternities or sororities were responsible for the allegations, according to court documents.

Several hours after the meeting concluded, university leadership was made aware of two separate incidents of new chapter members transporting alcohol, who were said to have attended chapter events a couple days prior.

The Office of Student Conduct also received an anonymous report from the mother of a new pledge alleging that hazing rituals had taken place, including locking new members in the basement and breaking glass on the floor for the new members to clean up, court docs show.

The university decided to place a temporary interim cease and desist order for two Greek life activities, including hosting social events where alcohol was served and conducting new or prospective member activities based on the totality of information that was received.

Current fraternity and sorority members were also prevented from having contact "with any new member or prospective new member, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.

Investigation continues, leadership focuses on one chapter

The University of Maryland campus in College Park, Md., is seen, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014.

University of Maryland leadership imposed the suspension on over 30 chapters on its campus, citing the need to expeditiously investigate the allegations and identify specific chapters, if any, that were allegedly involved in hazing.

They made this move in an attempt to protect vulnerable underclassmen who are new or prospective members of chapters from being subjected to hazing as well as to maintain integrity in the investigation of the serious allegations set forth, according to court documents.

An outside consulting firm was called to interview students for the purpose of gathering information about the activities of chapters during the preceding weeks, court documents state.

The investigation of the alleged violations that occurred in late February is set to continue, with five chapters at the center of the investigation. There will continue to be limited restrictions, though the nature of the restrictions was not made immediately clear.

Theta Chi, Alpha Sigma Phi, and Alpha Tau Omega were among the 32 fraternities and sororities that have been cleared to return to normal activities, according to court documents.

The university has continued its investigation into Kappa Alpha Order Fraternity, one of the fraternities under investigation. It engaged in various physical and emotional hazing activities during the new member process in the spring 2024 semester, including requiring tasks or errands of prospective new members, alcohol distribution to individuals under the legal drinking age, and high-risk drinking behaviors," court documents state.

KAO will be unable to continue its "new member education program at this time" or host social events where alcohol is present.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UMD still investigating hazing reports; Greek life suspension lifted
Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Rafah

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.N. Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) head Philippe Lazzarini and U.N. staff should be able to visit the agency's fields of operation, including in Gaza, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters on Tuesday.

Patel said he could not comment on why Lazzarini was denied entry, after UNRWA and Egypt said Israel had denied the head of the refugee agency entry to the Gaza Strip on Monday.

"Our belief is that they should be able to visit UNRWAs fields of operation, including in Gaza," Patel said at a regular press briefing in Washington.

"And we're going to continue to work with the government of Israel to rapidly approve all requested visas for U.N. and NGO workers in an expeditious fashion."

Patel said the free movement of international workers is a key part of the humanitarian response in Gaza, where the population is on the verge of famine after Israel launched a military operation in response to deadly attacks by Hamas militants.

Washington, UNRWA's biggest donor, has paused its funding to the agency since January after Israel accused 12 of the agency's 13,000 employees in Gaza of participating in the Oct. 7 attacks, but insists the aid group's humanitarian work is indispensable.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis, Ismail Shakil and Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by David Gregorio)
This story was updated March 20, 2024, with a statement from Lockheed Martin.

The U.S. Air Force on Sunday carried out what is expected to be the final test of the hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon.

The service did not say whether the test was successful.

In a statement to Defense News, an Air Force spokesperson said a B-52H Stratofortress carried out the test of the fully operational ARRW prototype, referred to as an all-up round test, after taking off from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The test was carried out at the Reagan Test Site, an Army facility in the Marshall Islands.

The Air Force declined to identify the tests objectives, but said it gained valuable insights into the capabilities of the Lockheed Martin-made hypersonic weapon.

This test acquired valuable, unique data and was intended to further a range of hypersonic programs, the spokesperson said. We also validated and improved our test and evaluation capabilities for continued development of advanced hypersonic systems.

In a follow-up statement, Lockheed Martin said it is ready to deliver ARRW technology or other hypersonic capabilities to the Air Force.

Following the recent end-to-end flight test, Lockheed Martin has completed the test program with full confidence in ARRWs revolutionary capabilities, and we stand ready to deliver this fully-qualified, hypersonic solution to the U.S. Air Force, the company said. Building on ARRWs industry-leading technology and testing success, Lockheed Martin can quickly deliver additional hypersonic-strike assets that can be rapidly deployed to the U.S. military.

ARRW is one of the Air Forces two main programs to develop an air-launched hypersonic weapon that could fly faster than Mach 5 and be highly maneuverable. China and Russia have invested heavily in their own hypersonic weapons, and the Pentagon is under pressure from Congress to show more progress toward fielding the United States own capabilities.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall last year told lawmakers the ARRW program had struggled in testing, shortly after a March 2023 test failed.

Air Force officials said earlier this month that ARRWs upcoming test would be its last, and the service plans to wrap up its rapid prototyping program this year. The service requested no funding to procure ARRW, nor conduct any research and development, in 2025.

Kendall has sounded a more optimistic tone about the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile program, and the fiscal 2025 budget request proposes $517 million to keep developing that program. The HACM weapon, developed by Northrop Grumman and RTX subsidiary Raytheon, is an air-breathing missile that the Air Force said would be smaller than ARRW and able to fly along vastly different trajectories than the boost-glide ARRW.

The Air Force assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics told reporters earlier this month that the service will study the results of the final ARRW test to help it decide what hypersonic capabilities it will need.
The presidential primary season may be over with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump heading for a rematch, but several down-ballot races are up for grabs that will determine control of Congress. Ohios primary on Tuesday will decide which Republican takes on Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown in November, as well as congressional contests key to the GOP House majority. This series, Buckeye Blitz, will examine the politics behind the races and the issues that will drive 2024 turnout. Part Two, below, looks at how the Ohio Senate primary has become the latest test of the former president's sway with Republican voters.

COLUMBUS  The weight of Donald Trumps endorsement is unquestioned in Republican politics. It can send a candidate to the front of the pack in a crowded primary, as it did for Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) in 2022s Ohio Senate race.

Entrepreneur Bernie Moreno is hoping for a repeat on Tuesday. He landed Trumps endorsement this cycle by casting himself as the America First Republican in the primary for Ohios other Senate seat.

Yet days of polling have cast a pall of uncertainty over the race, with Moreno swapping the lead with Matt Dolan, a state senator who has distanced himself from the former president.

At stake is the direction of the Republican Party in a primary that has become a proxy war between the pragmatic centrists who represent the Old Guard of the GOP and a Trumpy new wing that rejects compromise.

Dolan represents the former and Moreno the latter.

But the campaign has implications for the former president himself. A Moreno loss on Tuesday, should it come to pass, would be considered a political embarrassment that defies his newfound hold over the party, demonstrated by his decisive wins in the 2024 presidential primary.

Dolan brushed off an Emerson poll released on the eve of the election showing him down 9 points against Moreno.

Polls go up, polls go down. Weve been laser-focused this whole time on results tomorrow night, he told the Washington Examiner at an event in Columbus on Monday.

However, Moreno, too, has been forced to navigate weeks of surveys showing him down or leading near the margin of error.

Moreno blames Dolans trust fund  he comes from a wealthy family that owns the Cleveland Guardians  for the race being a toss-up. When you take that trust fund and you aim it right at me with a bunch of misleading, disgusting, and gross ads, then of course thats going to happen, he said on Sunday at an event outside of Cincinnati.

Yet the prospect of Moreno falling short with a Republican electorate very friendly to Trump, who won the state by 8 points in 2020, would be an astounding development.

Even more so because Dolan openly shies away from the former president.

Moreno does not just benefit from Trumps endorsement. The Club for Growth, an influential conservative advocacy group, has spent more than $4 million supporting him, according to Medium Buying, and a slate of Republicans in Trumps orbit, from South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, has stumped on his behalf.

Vance, appearing with Senate candidate Kari Lake in Milford, told the Washington Examiner that he dispelled the same concerns after winning his primary and predicted Moreno will close this thing big in the final days.

Multiple Republican strategists not affiliated with the campaigns similarly expect Moreno will prevail.

However, a Dolan victory on Tuesday night is a distinct possibility. One-fifth of likely primary voters are still undecided on the eve of the election, according to the Emerson poll, and they appear to be breaking disproportionately for Dolan.

Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH), who appeared at the event in support of Dolan on Monday, demurred when asked about the importance of Trumps endorsement in the race.

Well, I dont think we know. Look, I think that theres a lot of different factors in the campaign, he told reporters in Columbus. This campaign ultimately is not about Mike DeWine. Its not about Donald Trump. Its really, who is going to represent Ohio?

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He predicted that voters will cast their ballot based on who can beat Sherrod Brown, the Democratic incumbent senator, in November.

And theres no doubt that Matt Dolan is the best person to beat him, DeWine added.

One Ohio Republican strategist, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the Washington Examiner it would be an indictment of Moreno if he loses given his structural advantages.

On top of his support from Trumpworld, national Democrats have spent almost $3 million on campaign ads elevating Moreno, who polls worse against Brown compared to Dolan.

But the operative judged that Morenos lead would be solidified after Trump rallied outside of Dayton on Saturday, where thousands of spectators waited hours to see the former president.

The Washington Examiners interviews with rallygoers at that event, held at an airfield in Vandalia, dispelled any doubt about the weight of Trumps endorsement, at least with his base of supporters.

Anything Trump does, I will support because our country needs him, said Vanessa Miller, a nurse from Cincinnati who had not yet decided whether she would vote on Tuesday.

However, those interviews also suggested that voters were largely unfamiliar with Moreno. One left the ballot for Senate blank when he voted before heading to the event on Saturday.

The rally was held for that very reason. On big, red signs flanking the bleachers, Trump supporters were encouraged to vote and received pleas from his surrogates to tell their friends and family to do the same.

Yet the former president also hinted at a degree of anxiety as he riffed on his prepared remarks. Youve gotta win, Bernie. Dont leave me alone. Dont leave me alone, Bernie, he said.

Moreno allies have attempted to make allegiance to Trump a dividing line in the race. Ohio voters are being inundated with negative campaign advertising, including commercials that frame Dolan as a liberal who is hostile to Trump.

Dolan has attempted to split the difference on the former president, telling voters he supports his policies but not his temperament. Moreno, taunting him as Mitt Dolan, a reference to the centrist senator from Utah, called that a left-wing talking point.

I know what his personality is now after having run against him, Moreno told the audience outside of Cincinnati. Let me tell you something, you arent fit to shine Donald Trumps shoes, OK?

In Columbus, Dolan did not mention Moreno by name, but he not-so-subtly accused him of reinventing himself to win Trumps endorsement. Leaked emails show Moreno was repulsed by the idea of a Trump presidency in 2016.

Im the only one whos actually executed Trump policies. Im also the only one that hasn't had to delete any of my tweets, any of my previous comments, about the president, Dolan said.

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The Senate primary is not the only race in which Trump has loomed large. Members of House Republican leadership withdrew their support for a candidate in Ohios 9th District after he was found to have criticized the former president in leaked audio.

Trump ultimately endorsed his rival, Derek Merrin, on Monday.
The term "Christian Nationalism" has been used by the Left as a means of dismissing social conservatives who believe in the role of religion, or Judeo-Christian values, in everyday American life. In this series, the Washington Examiner will analyze what it actually means to be a "Christian Nationalist," why the term is maligned and misunderstood, and what role, if any, it might play in a future Trump administration. Part Two will look at conservative plans for the courts.

Former President Donald Trump's legacy on the federal judiciary was a crowning achievement after his four years in office  one that his supporters have hoped he will build upon, while his left-leaning critics believe he's shaping a burgeoning "Christian nationalist" movement on the Right.

With the help of then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Trump cemented the 6-3 Republican-appointed majority on the Supreme Court by the end of 2020, and just two years later that court overturned 50 years of precedent under Roe v. Wade. The country now reckons with a recent Alabama Supreme Court decision making it illegal to destroy frozen, fertilized embryos.

Bradley Onishi, a former ally who is now a critic, says there is a Christian nationalist strategy. "The goal is to institute people at every level of government who will either act as Christians carrying out God's mission on Earth, this mission to colonize or take dominion of every part of human society, or to elect and work with those who are going to carry out that mission, whether or not they are doing so as conscious purveyors of God's plans themselves," Onishi, an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco, told NPR's Terry Gross last month.

Despite Onishi's suggestion that Christian nationalism is monolithic, there is no universally accepted definition as to what it means, and many conservative legal scholars who championed the overturning of Roe reject Onishi's characterization.

Jay Richards, director of the DeVos Center for Life, Religions, and Family at the Heritage Foundation, told the Washington Examiner he thinks "Christian nationalism" is "mostly a media-created slander used to paint politically-engaged conservative Christians as authoritarians who oppose the First Amendment."

"There are a few 'Christian nationalists' who hold such views, but they are an extreme minority," Richards said.

While scholars such as Onishi have boasted in the belief that Republicans are marching to the drumbeat of Christian nationalist ideas, Richards countered that it'd be a "mistake" to frame the debate over legalizing abortion in terms of Christian nationalism.

"Nothing in the pro-life argument depends on sectarian premises  unless opposition to murder is to be redefined as a sectarian belief," Richards said. "The fact that conservative religious believers see the burden of this argument more clearly doesnt make the argument religious or sectarian."

The Public Religion Research Institute released a study in February finding 10% of U.S. residents may count as Christian nationalism "Adherents," while 20% of respondents were listed as "Sympathizers" of the ideology. Meanwhile, a Gallup poll from July 2023 found 13% of respondents would prefer all abortion to be illegal, while 36% say it should only be legal "in a few circumstances," showing an uneven divide between Christian nationalism and abortion issues.

As the 2024 presidential election looms, President Joe Biden's rate of appointing federal judges has slowed, as Senate Republicans use their influence to force the White House to bargain with them over potential nominees. Biden has overseen 185 judicial confirmations to date, while Trump named 234 by the end of his first term, including the three associate justices to the Supreme Court.

According to a January report from Russell Wheeler, a governance studies senior fellow for the Brookings Institution, Biden has a chance to match the number of federal district court confirmations of Trump, but it "appears likely that the administration wont match Trumps circuit confirmation numbers."

Richards said if Trump is reelected and secures a similar number of federal judicial appointees, "this would undoubtedly have a profound cultural effect."

"Sure, politics is downstream from culture. But because the law is a teacher, that means that culture is downstream from politics and the courts," Richards added.

Trump's potential second term will likely look similar to the first when it comes to judicial nominations, in which the former president made many picks based on lists provided to him by groups such as the Federalist Society, which recommended Gorsuch in 2017.

Some of the legal battles the conservative movement chooses to fight under a second Trump administration may look different, however.

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While fighting in courts and state legislatures to secure more restrictions on abortion is important to many conservatives, Trump himself has indicated he believes staunchly anti-abortion positions are bad for GOP electoral prospects.

Trump celebrated the high court's 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and he took credit for the decision because of his nominations of Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, three members who helped create the 6-3 majority opinion.

But it was also Trump who helped rally fellow lawmakers in the Republican Party to draw a firm line against the Alabama Supreme Court decision, coming out in strong support of IVF rather than championing the decision as a win for his movement. That position directly contradicted one held by most of the traditional Catholics in his base.

"Under my leadership, the Republican Party will always support the creation of strong, thriving, healthy American families," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform last month. "We want to make it easier for mothers and fathers to have babies, not harder!"

Trump has also promised to redouble protections for religious liberties, particularly for Catholics, a group that faced unprecedented surveillance operations under the Biden administration's FBI and has also been targeted for arrests for FACE Act violations for engaging in nonintrusive protests outside of abortion clinics.

During a December campaign speech in Iowa, Trump said his political opponents are "going hard" against Catholics.

Upon taking office, I will create a new federal task force on fighting anti-Christian bias to be led by a fully reformed Department of Justice thats fair and equitable that will investigate all forms of illegal discrimination," he said during that speech.

While shielding Catholics from bias is not a goal unique to so-called Christian nationalists, Trump's focus on undoing the perceived wrongs the Biden administration has set against Catholics and other Christians has endeared Trump to the conservative Right.

Meanwhile, Onishi also told NPR he was concerned about a Christian nationalist movement that would seek to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2014 decision that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by both the due process clause and the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.

Some scholars have pointed to Justice Clarence Thomas's concurrence in the Dobbs decision as a potential road map for how some jurists could reshape the bounds of law in a vision that would more closely resemble Christian values. In it, the justice argued the court "should reconsider" cases that established access to contraception, allowed same-sex consensual relations and same-sex marriage and "correct the error" established in those precedents.

But it remains to be seen whether Trump, who has always been eager to accept LGBT support and tout his friendship with Caitlyn Jenner, would angle his judicial nominees toward that type of result in 2025.

"His record on gender ideology is mixed  symbolized by the reasoning of Justice Gorsuch  a Trump appointee  in the Bostock case," Richards said, referring to the 2019 decision that held an employer who fires an individual for being gay or transgender violates Title VII.

Richards said he believes a lot has changed in recent years, "from drag queen story hour to males competing in female sports, to minors being subjected to sterilizing medical interventions."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"It seems likely that these issues  related to gender ideology  could play as prominent a role in appointments during a second Trump term as abortion played in the first term," Richards speculated.

"I doubt Trump thought of gender ideology as an existential threat in early 2017," he added.
A Democratic Georgia state senator is complaining that Republicans' investigations into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis are distracting from other issues such as expanding Medicaid.

In an appearance on the Meidas Touch podcast, Georgia state Sen. Harold Jones argued that the lawmakers' focus on Willis was a "waste of time" and risked jeopardizing an effort to expand access to Medicaid.

"One of the major issues that are affecting the state of Georgia is that Georgia is only one of 10 states now that has not expanded Medicaid. We're still trying to push that this year. And we've still got two weeks to do that left in our session," Jones said. "And we're actually trying to make sure that takes place; that is huge for us."

"We're taking time away from doing that type of work, which is very important to actually engage in a process," he continued, referring to investigations of Willis. The Democratic senator then pointed to the hearing the Georgia lawmakers held with Ashleigh Merchant, former President Donald Trump's co-defendant Michael Roman's attorney and the woman who helped spearhead the investigation into Willis.

"This process here that we really have no control over. It's nice for the media and things of that nature, but that hearing that we have with Mrs. Merchant has no effect on the Georgia Senate. We have no control over those prosecutors. We have no control over that particular process. It was really, quite frankly, it was a waste of time," he said.

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The Republican-dominated Georgia legislature turned its attention to Willis's prosecution of Trump after it emerged that she had a relationship with the man she appointed as special prosecutor, Nathan Wade.

A judge ruled on Friday that either Wade or Willis had to step aside from her offices election subversion case against Trump, and if they did, Willis could continue the investigation. Wade, shortly after, resigned, though Trump and his codefendants requested on Monday that the judge allow them to appeal the decision not to disqualify Willis.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is defending his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pointing to his Jewish identity and detailing the precarious situation Israel finds itself in.

In a speech on the Senate floor last week, Schumer, the United States's highest-ranking Jewish official, called for Israel to conduct new elections and said Netanyahu has "lost his way."

In an interview with the New York Times, the Democratic leader said the goal of his speech was to say you can still love Israel and feel strongly about Israel and totally disagree with Bibi Netanyahu and the policies of Israel.

He said his Jewish faith motivated him to stand up for Jews and Israel and speak out against the prime minister, who he believes risks Israel's global reputation.

I said to myself, This may hurt me politically; this may help me politically. I couldnt look myself in the mirror if I didnt do it, he said.

Schumer was harshly criticized by Republicans for his comments on Israel and Netanyahu, with former President Donald Trump commenting on the matter by saying, "Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion." Still, Schumer has not backed down from his position, recognizing the U.S.'s importance to Israel, saying without American support, the future could well be over for Israel.

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To make Israel a partisan issue only hurts Israel and the US-Israeli relationship, he said on X. Trump is making highly partisan and hateful rants.

Schumer said he was conflicted about exactly what action he should call for as tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed during Israel's response to Hamas's Oct. 7 attack, and backlash from progressive Democrats and voters has been fierce. The senator said he spent nearly two months and 10 drafts before settling on what to say.

I wrestled with myself  maybe I should say Bibi should step down, Schumer said before deciding not to take that route. That is telling Israel what to do, and its in the middle of a war.

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Still, Schumer said his pride in his Jewish identity and care for the future of the Jewish nation prompted him to speak against Netanyahu.

I care about Jews, he said. Its not the only thing I care about. I care about America, I care about New York, I care about my family, but I care about Jews.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Following the Center for Disease Control and Preventions lead, Washington health officials have laid out relaxed guidelines for those experiencing respiratory viruses.

The Washington State Department of Health has told the public they can return to normal activities after at least 24 hours if their symptoms have improved and if they havent had a fever without using medication to treat it.

Federal funding fuels Portland projects including police body cameras, park lighting

The CDC previously advised people with COVID-19, influenza or the respiratory syncytial virus to isolate for at least five days after noticing symptoms. The national agency has since reduced its recommended isolation period, saying COVID-19 is still a threat to public health, but it is no longer an emergency.

According to the CDC, weekly hospitalizations for the disease have dropped by more than 75% since January 2022. COVID-19 deaths have also declined by more than 90% in the same time period.

This updated respiratory virus isolation guidance reflects that were in a better place now in the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington health department Chief Science Officer Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett said.

Phil Knight donates $2M to Oregon committee backing Republicans

Even with the new guidance, Washington DOH notes that people with COVID-19 can be contagious for up to 10 days, people with the flu can be contagious for up to seven days and those with RSV can be contagious for up to eight days.

The health department advised people to take extra steps to protect themselves and others within the first five days of having a respiratory virus. Recommendations include wearing a mask, social distancing, and improving ventilation and air quality indoors.

DOH added that people who are sick should be especially cautious of staying away from those who are at a higher risk for severe diseases, such as young children and the elderly.

Man accused of murder in Parkrose Heights apartment complex shooting

while life is returning to normal in many ways, we must remember that for many in our community with chronic conditions and weakened immune systems, respiratory virus infections such as COVID-19, flu, and RSV remain a deadly threat. Each week, more than a dozen people in our state lose their lives to COVID-19 each week. We must not rest until that number is zero, Sheng said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Washington State legislators have passed a bill that will put LGBTQ+ curriculum in schools, and Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee has signed it into law.

Senate Bill 5462 was recently approved by the state House of Representatives and Senate, and Inslee signed it Monday. It requires the state's education agency, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to update learning standards to include lessons on LGBTQ+ history and contributions.

The bill also creates curricula for other underrepresented groups, including racial and ethnic groups, those with disabilities, and varying socioeconomic backgrounds. It encourages diversity in all topics, even sciences and math  for example, fictional people in practice problems are suggested to be diverse in race and gender instead of being solely white men.

The updated standards aim to make queer students feel included and secure, while also encouraging all students' interest in contemporary topics. The bill's sponsor, Democratic Sen. Marko Liias, told a Washington PBS outlet that when students "feel a connection to what theyre learning, they do better."

Thats really the spirit of the bill," he said.

More than 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills were introduced across the U.S. in 2023, and 80 were passed into law. Less than three months into 2024, 479 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced, many of which restrict or outright prohibit LGBTQ+ curriculum in public schools, according to the American Civil Liberties Union . In Florida, K-12 teachers who include queer subjects in lessons are at risk of losing their licenses.



While some teachers in Washington already include LGBTQ+ topics in their lessons, the new policy creates a standard across the state to ensure the subjects reach students. The new law will also ensure educators are protected for engaging with such topics, though they have not been punished for doing so in the state previously.



Curriculum is still ultimately approved by school boards based on the state's standards, giving districts flexibility to highlight certain topics based on their relevance to their local communities.



We still are empowering our local school districts to do the important work of finding curriculum and materials that are appropriate for the community, Liias continued. We just want to make sure that theres this broad expectation that theyll be inclusive.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin spoke at a military base in Germany at a meeting of Ukraine's international supporters on March 19, 2024 (Daniel ROLAND)

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin promised Tuesday that the United States would not let Ukraine fail in fighting off Russia and expressed hope that Congress would soon approve further aid as Kyiv's forces face munition shortages.

The Republican-led House of Representatives has been blocking $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine and the United States has warned that a recent $300 million package would last only a few weeks.

The "United States will not let Ukraine fail", Austin said at the opening of a meeting in Germany of dozens of Ukraine's international supporters.

"We remain determined to provide Ukraine with the resources that it needs to resist the Kremlin's aggression," he said.

Washington announced the $300 million package for Ukraine last week, but Austin said it was possible only due to savings on recent purchases.

"We were only able to support this much-needed package by identifying some unanticipated contract savings", he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that it was "critically important for us that the Congress soon completes all the necessary procedures and makes a final decision" on aid for Kyiv.

Austin expressed hope Tuesday that the US Congress would approve the additional assistance "soon", and said that aiding Ukraine benefits Washington as well as Kyiv.

The "United States stands by Ukraine because it's the right thing to do and because America cares when freedom is at risk. But we also stand by Ukraine because it's crucial to our own security", he said at a news conference.

Speaking alongside Austin, the top US military officer, General Charles "CQ" Brown, said that aiding Ukraine "strengthens NATO. It helps to bolster the defence industrial base of the United States, Europe and the world."

"Russia's plan is to wait out Western will to support Ukraine. This coalition must not let that strategy work", he said.

But the delay in providing additional aid is already hampering Kyiv's forces.

Russia said Tuesday that its troops had again made gains in eastern Ukraine, building on the capture of Avdiivka a month ago.

Ukraine's troops meanwhile were "having to pay attention to their supply rates and how they execute," Brown told journalists en route to the Ramstein meeting.

- 'Incremental gains' -

There is an "incremental kind of back and forth between Ukraine and Russia", with "incremental gains on both sides", Brown said.

But he noted that "even as the Russians have gained territory, they do it at a pretty big cost in number of casualties, like in personnel, but also in number of pieces of equipment that are being taken out".

Austin said Tuesday that "Russia has paid a staggering cost for (President Vladimir) Putin's imperial dreams", using "up to $211 billion to equip, deploy, maintain, and sustain its imperial aggression against Ukraine".

"At least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded" since Russia launched its invasion in 2022, Austin said, adding that Ukraine had also "sunk, destroyed, or damaged some 20 medium-to-large Russian navy vessels".

The sinkings have been an embarrassment for Moscow and Russian state media confirmed Tuesday that the head of its navy had been replaced.

Austin and other US officials have spearheaded the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly forging a coalition to back Kyiv after Russia invaded and coordinating aid from dozens of countries.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Ukraine meeting, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin had offered another half a billion euros' worth of military aid to Ukraine.

"That includes 10,000 rounds of ammunition from the stock of our armed forces," he told journalists.

Germany is Ukraine's second-biggest donor of military support after Washington, which has committed tens of billions of dollars to aid Kyiv since February 2022.

But Chancellor Olaf Scholz has in recent months come under intense fire for his refusal to deliver long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.

Speaking at a forum on Tuesday, Scholz hit out at domestic critics, saying the debate was "embarrassing for us as a country".

Germany fears that Taurus missiles could be used to hit targets deep within Russia.

Scholz had repeatedly insisted that "German soldiers must not be linked at any point or place to the targets that this system reaches".

wd/hmn/js
[Source]

A 12-year-old girl has gone viral on Chinese social media for her remarkable grasp of college-level math.

Key points:

The girl, surnamed Gu, is a primary school student who posts educational videos to her Douyin and YouTube channels, teaching her viewers how to solve complex math problems, ranging from geometry to calculus.

Gu has over 2.9 million followers on Douyin, with some of her videos raking hundreds of thousands of views. Two of her pinned viral videos, posted on her Douyin channel on Dec. 1, 2023, and Jan. 26, have received over 2.8 and 1.48 million views, respectively.

The details:

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Gu started posting videos in 2022, initially tackling simple elementary math problems. Since then, her videos have evolved to cover more advanced topics, reportedly even leaving some college students unable to understand them.

Speaking to Chinese media, Gu's mother explained that she encouraged her daughter to record herself explaining the math problems to gain a better understanding of the subject herself.

This method of learning is called the Feynman Technique, developed by Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman. The learning technique has the potential to enhance a persons learning capabilities by studying their subject of interest and later teaching it to others.

Gu plans to eventually compete in the International Mathematical Olympiad, an international math competition for pre-university students considered to be one of the most prestigious math contests in the world.

Reactions:

Amazed Douyin users have started calling the 12-year-old Teacher Gu.

Its not that hard to find, even if you gave me ten years, I still wouldnt be able to find it, one user joked.

This 'little sister' is truly gifted with innate teaching abilities. My mother, who has been teaching for over thirty years, watched your teaching video and fell silent, another commented.

When I go to bed at night, listening to it, I definitely won't have insomnia, another quipped.

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TechCrunch

This week, Anthropic, the AI startup backed by Google, Amazon and a who's who of VCs and angel investors, released a family of models -- Claude 3 -- that it claims bests OpenAI's GPT-4 on a range of benchmarks. There's no reason to doubt Anthropic's claims. As we did with Google's current flagship GenAI model, Gemini Ultra, a few weeks back, we ran our questions through the most capable of the Claude 3 models -- Claude 3 Opus -- to get a sense of its performance.
Billionaire and Shark Tank co-host Kevin O'Leary said there would be roadblocks related to a potential purchase of TikTok, which has been discussed as a possibility in recent weeks.

The House of Representatives voted 352-65 last week to pass the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which would require TikTok to either separate itself entirely from its Chinese parent company ByteDance or risk getting banned in the United States. O'Leary, who has described TikTok as one of the largest networks in the world, noted that a sale of TikTok with its algorithm will likely not happen, as China is protective of the data of its own people.

"So when people talk about this being a $100 billion transaction, no chance," O'Leary said on Fox News's The Story with Martha MacCallum. "If they're not selling the algorithm, I have to rebuild it from scratch."

Ahead of the House's vote, O'Leary expressed interest in purchasing the platform to make it an "American company."

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O'Leary predicted that if such a sale were possible, $40 billion would be much closer to the actual sale price without TikTok's algorithm. He also reiterated that the potential sale of TikTok would not happen until the Senate votes on the legislation.

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Last week, former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he is interested in forming a group of investors to buy TikTok, calling it "a great business" and suggesting it be owned by American businesses.

Similarly, Chris Pavlovski, the CEO of video platform Rumble, stated Tuesday that Rumble would be ready to join a consortium of other parties to acquire and operate TikTok in the U.S. should it divest itself from ByteDance. Rumble has gained traction in the market of video-based social media platforms as a free speech alternative to YouTube.
Rep. Dan Kildee's (D-MI) brother was shot and killed as part of what police say was a string of crimes committed by the victim's son early Tuesday.

Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said police identified Timothy Kildee, 57, as the victim. He was pronounced dead at the scene of a shooting shortly after 5 a.m. in Vienna Township in Michigan.

Timothy Kildee's son, 27, is believed to be the one who fatally shot his father, according to police. The son was involved in a serious crash occurring shortly after the shooting, and he has not been charged with any crimes while he continues to recover at Hurley Medical Center, per ABC 12 News.

Dan Kildee released a statement on Tuesday shortly after law enforcement announced the death of his brother.

"Our family is grieving and heartbroken," the congressman said. "There are no words to describe the loss of a beloved brother and family member, especially in such a tragedy. I thank the community for honoring my family's privacy during this very difficult time."

According to law enforcement, the fatal shooting was part of a crime spree committed by the victim's son on Tuesday morning. Police said the suspect went to his birth mother's home in Burton, Michigan, around 2:50 a.m. and allegedly produced a gun after getting into an argument.

Swanson said the suspect took off on foot before the Burton Police Department could arrive. The suspect later contacted his mother, who is also Timothy Kildee's ex-wife, and she picked him up at around 5 a.m. and drove him to his father's home in Vienna Township.

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The victim's son allegedly jumped out of the moving vehicle before she could arrive at Timothy Kildee's residence. Together, the mother and Timothy Kildee went out to look for the suspect.

Another son of Timothy Kildee's, who stayed home, told police that he heard his father arrive home alone. Shortly after, the suspect arrived at the Vienna Township home and allegedly engaged in a loud verbal argument with Timothy Kildee, per the local outlet.

The other son heard the suspect ask for Timothy Kildee's wallet and keys. He then heard a single gunshot and found his father dead.

The suspect had stolen Timothy Kildee's wallet and pickup truck, according to police. While investigators were responding to the shooting at Vienna Township, reports of a serious crash came in. Police later discovered the crash involved the victim's son, who was driving the pickup truck at a high speed and crashed into another vehicle, whose occupants sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

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Dan Kildee has faced several hurdles over the last year. In March 2023, the congressman was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, which is a "serious but curable" form of cancer. He had surgery for a tumor in April of that year, and he announced in May that the cancer was gone.

The Michigan Democrat announced he would not seek reelection in 2024  delivering a blow to Democrats who hoped the congressman would hold onto his seat as the party works to flip the House majority this fall. His seat is ranked a "toss-up" by Cook Political Report.
Former President Donald Trump is embroiled in multiple criminal indictments as he seeks another term in the White House, and as the cases develop, the former president has had some wins and losses as the trials approach.

On Monday, three of the former president's criminal cases had moves that either helped or hurt him in his bid to resolve the four criminal indictments. Here is what happened in three of his trials after Trump had several legal wins last week.

Classified documents case (Florida)

In the classified documents case in federal district court in Florida, Judge Aileen Cannon issued an order for Trump and special counsel Jack Smith to propose jury instructions by April 2 for "competing scenarios and offer alternative draft text that assumes each scenario to be a correct formulation of the law to be issued to the jury."

The first scenario assumes that the jury is "permitted to examine a record retained by a former president in his/her personal possession at the end of his/her presidency and make a factual finding as to whether the government has proven beyond a reasonable doubt that it is personal or presidential using the definitions set forth in the Presidential Records Act."

The second scenario in the order is more favorable to Trump and assumes that "a president has sole authority under the PRA to categorize records as personal or presidential during his/her presidency." This scenario would make convicting Trump significantly more difficult and would be a boost to the former president's arguments about classifications of documents he allegedly possessed at his Mar-a-Lago resort after his presidency concluded.

2020 election subversion case (Georgia)

In the 2020 election subversion case in Fulton County, Georgia, Trump's team had a mixed result with a bid to remove District Attorney Fani Willis from the case over an alleged conflict of interest.

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A Friday order by Judge Scott McAfee said special prosecutor Nathan Wade would either have to be removed from the prosecution or Willis's office would have to be removed from the case.

Wade resigned on Friday, seemingly clearing the way for Willis to stay on the case, but the former president's lawyers requested an appeal of the decision allowing Willis to stay on the case on Monday. The defendants asked the judge to grant them a "certificate of immediate review," which would allow them to appeal his ruling.

Hush money case (New York)

In the hush money case in Manhattan, Judge Juan Merchan ruled that the 2005 Access Hollywood tape  in which Trump made crude remarks, including a claim that fame allowed men to grope women  would not be played before jurors.

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The tape was leaked weeks before the 2016 presidential election but did not derail Trump's bid to win the White House. The video was allowed to be played for jurors during the former president's defamation trial brought by E. Jean Carroll.

Merchan said prosecutors may still question witnesses about the tape but that it is not necessary for the video to be played or entered as evidence.
Former President Donald Trump has come under fire for saying that Jewish people who vote for Democrats "hate their religion."

In an interview on Monday with Sebastian Gorka, a former White House aide of his, Trump was asked about several prominent Democrats' criticisms of Israel's government, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and President Joe Biden. Trump responded by accusing Democrats of hating Israel and questioning the faith of the Jewish people who support them.

I actually think they hate Israel, Trump said. I think they hate Israel. And the Democrat party hates Israel.

Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion, he added later in the interview. They hate everything about Israel, and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.

He reiterated comments he made on Sunday about Schumer's motivations, saying Democrats only criticized Israel due to cynical self-interest, seeing potential votes from pro-Palestinians.

Dont forget, when you see those Palestinian marches  even I am amazed at how many people are in those marches, Trump said. And guys like Schumer see that, and to him, its votes. I think its votes more than anything else because he was always pro-Israel. Hes very anti-Israel now.

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A spokesman for President Joe Biden denounced Trump's remarks as antisemitic, connecting his comments with Hamas's Oct. 7 surprise attack against Israel and the Holocaust.

"President Biden has put his foot down when it comes to vile and unhinged Antisemitic rhetoric," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said in a statement. "As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased across the world - among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust - leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is and bring Americans together against it."

"There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens. None," he continued. "Like President Biden said, he was moved to run for President when he saw Neo Nazis chanting 'the same Antisemitic bile that was heard in Germany in the 1930s' in Charlottesville. He will never give hate any safe harbor, including today."

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Trump has made similar comments before, previously aiming to win the support of Jews by touting his treatment of Israel. Democrats and other activists responded by accusing him of antisemitism.

Schumer and Biden have largely backed Israel in its war against Hamas since last fall but have soured on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently over the death toll of Palestinians. Schumer said Netanyahu "has lost his way by allowing his political survival to take precedence over the best interests of Israel," a statement that Republicans and Netanyahu himself harshly denounced.
David Danner, chairman of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, during a 2015 hearing. Danner is under fire after using a racial slur and being accused of fostering a discriminatory environment. (Ted S. Warren / The Associated Press)
By Rodrigo Viga Gaier and Ricardo Brito

BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil's federal police formally accused former President Jair Bolsonaro of fraud on his vaccination records, opening the door to criminal charges, according to a police report seen by Reuters on Tuesday.

An investigation by the comptroller general's office had already found that Bolsonaro's vaccination records were falsified to suggest he was vaccinated against COVID-19 in Sao Paulo in July 2021, when he was not in the city.

Police found in their report that Bolsonaro could be charged with falsifying data in the country's public health system (SUS) and forming a criminal organization to evade public health rules.

One of his former aides, Mauro Cid, who was arrested in May in the investigation and released as part of a plea bargain, was also formally accused in the police report.

Police found that Cid fraudulently obtained vaccination records for Bolsonaro and his daughter Laura at the request of the then-president. Cid's plea bargain testimony was used as evidence against his former boss.

Bolsonaro told Reuters that he had not taken the COVID vaccine or done anything wrong: "It's a selective investigation. I'm calm," said the former president. "The world knows that I didn't take the vaccine."

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The police said that the fraudulent certificates were issued "to obtain undue advantages related to the evasion of sanitary rules established during the pandemic period".

During his tenure, Bolsonaro repeatedly downplayed the importance of immunization and social distancing measures during the pandemic, which killed more than 700,000 people in Brazil.

The police report accusing Bolsonaro of crimes paves the way for Brazil's prosecutor general to present criminal charges before the Supreme Court.

Bolsonaro has already been ruled politically ineligible until 2030 for spreading electoral misinformation during the 2022 election. Police recently seized his passport while probing his efforts to cling onto power after he lost to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the election.

Last week, the former heads of Brazil's army and air force confirmed that Bolsonaro discussed a draft decree to prevent the handover of power after the election.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro and Ricardo Brito in Brasilia, Eduardo Simoes in Sao Paulo; Writing by Peter Frontini; Editing by Steven Grattan, Brad Haynes and Daniel Wallis)
Biden tells Latino voters theyre the reason he defeated Trump in 2020 and says, 'I need you back'

President Joe Biden is appealing to Latino voters, telling them they're the reason he defeated Donald Trump in 2020 and urging them to help him do it again in November
Suletea leaga victoriile in Liga 4

IN FORMA Vitis Suletea a legat doua victorii la rand! La numai cateva zile dupa ce a invins-o pe CSO Negresti, scor 2-1, trupa pregatita de Gigel Ghenghea a cules trei puncte si din confruntarea cu Flacara Muntenii de Sus, 2-1 (2-0). Dupa patru etape in care au obtinut un singur punct, au venit, iata, [] Articolul Suletea [citeste mai departe]
FOTO | Un cuplu s-a trezit cu 10 milioane de euro in cont: Nici nu i-au calculat bine si au inceput vestile proaste

Un barbat si o femeie au avut o surpriza incredibila cand au constatat peste noapte ca conturile lor bancare s-au umplut cu 10 milioane de euro. Cu toate acestea, [citeste mai departe]
Two of the multifamily projects that have opened or are under construction in downtown Colorado Springs.
Lot numeros la Olimpiada de Informatica, printre elevii calificati se numara si trei perechi de frati!

BRAVO Vasluiul are, anul acesta, unul dintre cele mai numeroase loturi judetene la Olimpiada Nationala de Informatica. Echipa este formata din 22 de elevi, iar cei mai multi (13) sunt de la [citeste mai departe]
Hungary provides humanitarian aid to the civilians suffering under the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza, the foreign ministry state secretary in charge of aid to persecuted Christian communities said in Brussels.

Speaking to MTI after addressing the European Humanitarian Forum, Tristan Azbej said Hungary is helping Egypt manage the influx of refugees from Gaza by providing the country with medical supplies and financial aid.



Hungary has also sent 400,000 US dollars worth of humanitarian aid to both Christians and Muslims in the Palestinian territories via the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, he added.



Meanwhile, Azbej said Hungary hasnt forgotten about the crisis zones that get less global attention, either, noting that the government had launched a humanitarian and development project in the Sahel, which is facing political instability, desertification, a food crisis, a water shortage and civil wars.



Hungary, through its Hungary Helps humanitarian programme, has also sent a medical mission to Chad to aid internally displaced people as well as Sudanese and other refugees there, Azbej said.



The government also helps persecuted Christians in Nigeria living under the threat of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups, the state secretary added.



We believe in providing both immediate and long-term assistance to local communities, Azbej said, underscoring the importance of Hungarys support for the Chadian authorities caring for refugees.



MTI Photo: Zsolt Szigetvary



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As every year, commentators mark 15 March with attempts to apply the lessons of the 1848 revolution to the present era.

In his anniversary speech on Friday, Prime Minister Orban identified the need to safeguard national sovereignty as the main legacy of 1848. He said Hungary would in this spirit resist foreign attempts to re-educate our children, impose masses of immigrants on Hungary and pressurise us to join the war in Ukraine.



DK shadow Prime Minister Klara Dobrev accused the Prime Minister of having transformed Hungary from the most promising country of the former Soviet bloc into one lagging behind the rest.



Peter Magyar, the divorced husband of former justice Minister Judit Varga announced his intention to set up a centrist party in front of a surprisingly large crowd for a newcomer in politics  one significantly larger than the attendance at rallies held by the governing or opposition parties.



In Elet es Irodalom, Janos Szeky laments that at present, Hungary lacks the kind of people who made the revolution 176 years ago  who knew in theory and in practice what a thriving European country free of tyranny and based on liberal representation and a market economy looks like.



A unique situation has developed in Hungary, he suggests, whereby no change in government is possible, at least until sometime around 2174.



Although in a very different vein, Mandiners Milan Constantinovits also believes that the opposition hasnt learned the lesson of 1848  or of the 1956 revolution, or again that of the 1989 regime change.



Namely, it doesnt concede that restricting the nations elbow room, this time by Brussels, is unacceptable. Until there is national consensus on that, he writes, the heritage of the past is not deeply rooted in Hungarian souls, he concludes.



By contrast, Magyar Hangs Szabolcs Szereto accuses the government side of forgetting the legacy of 1848. In fact, he explains, its representatives refused to honour Russian dissident Alexei Navalny after his death in a detention centre in February.



People who poke fun at someone sacrificing his life for his convictions cannot consider themselves heirs of the 19th-century revolutionaries, he writes.



In Demokrata, Gabor Bencsik approves the governments position that there is no military solution to the war in Ukraine. He calls it immoral to demand that people make sacrifices for a goal that simply cannot be attained.



He finds it obvious that Russia cannot be forced to its knees nor do the sanctions imposed on it work. He therefore agrees with Pope Francis who urged leaders to muster the courage to take up the white flag and start negotiating.



In Magyar Narancs, on the other hand, Mihaly Bak finds it feasible for the democratic world to finance Ukraines war against Russian aggression. It would take just 0.8% of GDP from Germany and about half of that ratio from the USA and Great Britain.



Since after the war, rebuilding Ukraine would require an almost $500 billion boost in technological and building outputs, he believes helping Ukraine is not only an investment in the Wests security but also in its economic prosperity.



MTI Photo: Tamas Kovacs



This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher.

Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.

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Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) is a leading institution of higher learning in Ghana. It has multiple faculties and schools offering multiple programmes at different levels of academic learning. Discover all the business courses in KNUST and their requirements today.

The KNUST logo and a man in a bathrobe reading a book. Photo: @Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), pexels.com, @Ron Lach (modified by author)

Source: UGC

Business courses in KNUST are offered by the KNUST School of Business (KSB). Ranked among the top business schools in Ghana and West Africa for both undergraduate and graduate programs, KSB is a vibrant hub of academic excellence and professional development.

Business courses in KNUST: everything you need to know

KSB is one of the best business schools in Ghana. Since its inception, it has provided thousands of learners with a platform where they can access the highest quality educational services and training. Discover more about the KNUST programmes and requirements below.

Departments

KSB has the departments listed below.

Department of Accounting and Finance

Department of Human Resource and Organizational Development

Department of Marketing and Corporate Strategy

Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems

Department of Hospitality and Tourism Studies

Undergraduate business courses offered at KNUST

If you are looking to pursue a business undergraduate course, KNUST is an excellent choice. The school has multiple programmes to choose from. The undergraduate programmes offered at KNUST are listed below.

BSc Business Administration (Accounting)

BSc Business Administration (Banking & Finance)

BSc Business Administration (Marketing)

BSc Business Administration (International Business)

BSc Business Administration (Human Resource Management)

BSc Business Administration (Management)

BSc Business Administration (Logistics and Supply Chain Management)

BSc Business Administration (Business Information Technology)

BSc Hospitality and Tourism Management

If you are keen, you have observed there are multiple business administration courses in KNUST. Every student chooses the area of specialisation they prefer.

Masters programmes in KNUST

KSB offers innovative and flexible Masters programmes designed to accelerate students' leadership careers. Below is a list of the courses available.

MBA in Accounting

MBA in Finance

MBA in Human Resource Management

MBA in Management And Organisational Development

MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

MBA in Management Information Systems

MBA in Marketing

MBA in Strategic Management And Consulting

MSc. Accounting and Finance

MSc. Business and Data Analytics

MSc. Finance

MSc. Logistics & Supply Chain Management

MSc. Management and Human Resource Strategy

MSc. Marketing

MSc. Procurement and Supply Chain Management

MSc. Aviation Management (Accra and Kumasi)

MSc. Corporate Governance and Strategic Leadership Programme (Accra and Kumasi)

MPhil. Accounting & Financial Management

MPhil. Finance

MPhil. Logistics & Supply Chain Management

MPhil. Procurement and Supply Chain Management

MPhil. Marketing

MPhil. Management & Human Resource Strategy

A young woman in a white top is reading a book. Photo: pexels.com, @cottonbro studio

Source: UGC

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes

The KNUST School of Business postgraduate programmes include several PhD programmes in Business Administration and all its specialisation areas.

Unlike other courses at KBS, applications for PhDs are only available by invitation. Applicants should, therefore, contact the institution to get more information on how to apply and the course content provided.

The minimum qualification requirements for a Doctor of Philosophy degree at KNUST are listed below.

An applicant must have an MPhil degree or equivalent from a recognised institution.

The individual must also submit proof of enough training and capacity to tackle the proposed programme.

Requirements for KNUST undergraduate courses

Learning more about the KNUST courses and their cut-off points is important before submitting your application. Note that the cut-off points for KNUST undergraduate courses may vary from one course to another. Even so, below are the basic requirements prospective students must meet.

WASSCE applicants

WASSCE applicants must have a minimum of credit pass in three core subjects, i.e., Mathematics or Integrated Science, English Language, or Social Studies. They must also have at least a credit pass in three elective subjects under General Science, General Arts, and Business.

A-level applicants

A-level applicants must have five credits at O-level and must include Mathematics and English Language. They must also have three A-level passes or equivalent in General Science and General Arts.

General Business Certificate (GBCE) and Advanced Business Certificate (ABCE) applicants

General Business Certificate (GBCE) and Advanced Business Certificate (ABCE) applicants must have credits in six subjects, including Mathematics and English Language for GBCE applicants.

They must also have three passes in compulsory subjects that are relevant to the course and three optional subjects for ABCE applicants.

ACCA, ACIB, ICA, & CIM applicants

ACCA, ACIB, ICA, & CIM applicants must have credit passes in three core subjects and three electives at WASSCE/SSSCE. They must also have five credits at O-level and should encompass Mathematics and English Language.

Second-class (lower division) and HND applicants

Second-class (lower division) and HND applicants must have credit passes in three core subjects and three electives at WASSCE/SSSCE. They must also have five credits at O-level and must include Mathematics and English Language.

Applicants in this category can join year two or year three at KNUST Business School. Note that they must pass the entrance interview or examination to qualify to join year two or three.

Mature applicants

A mature applicant is one who is at least 25 years old. The institution will allow them to enrol for an undergraduate course if they satisfy the following requirements:

They must have five credits in O-level and mandatory credits in Mathematics and English Language.

They must have credit passes in three core subjects, especially Integrated Science, English Language, and Mathematics.

They must have credit passes in three elective subjects in Business, General Science, and General Arts.

All shortlisted candidates in this category must take an entrance examination before doing any undergraduate course.

Requirements for KNUST undergraduate courses

The general qualification requirements for Masters programmes at KSCB are explored below.

A Bachelors degree or equivalent from a recognised institution in the relevant field of study.

A candidate must be proficient in written English.

A candidate must pass a selection interview at the school to enrol in their preferred course.

The institution also requires that applicants show they can pay all fees set for the programme throughout their duration of the study.

NB: KNUST gives preference to candidates with first-class honours or second-class (upper division).

A man in a white shirt is reading a book in a library. Photo: pexels.com, @Mikhail Nilov

Source: UGC

Modes of study

The modes of study for various courses are as follows:

Undergraduate: full-time and part-time

MBA: full-time and part-time, including weekends

MSc: full-time and part-time, including weekends

Master of Philosophy: full-time

Doctor of Philosophy: full-time

Note that weekend and evening courses are not distance learning programmes. A learner must be physically at the institution to study.

KNUST Business School fees schedule

The school fees at KNUST vary depending on the course and level of academic learning. All students get their fee structures before the beginning of a new academic year.

What are the KNUST business administration requirements?

The requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in business administration are explored in earlier sections of this article. Kindly check out the details above.

Does KNUST offer business courses?

Yes, the KNUST School of Business (KSB) offers multiple undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as explored above.

What are the requirements for the KNUST School of Business?

The requirements vary depending on the course of interest and the level of academic learning. Generally, postgraduate courses cost more than undergraduate courses.

Which university is best for business administration in Ghana?

The best university for business administration offers your preferred area of specialisation, is affordable, and has a good reputation.

Business courses in KNUST are offered by the KNUST School of Business (KSB). Prospective students must meet the minimum qualification requirements to be admitted for studies.

Yen.com.gh recently published a list of all UCC-affiliated colleges you could consider applying to. The University of Cape Coast (UCC) stands out as a beacon of academic excellence and innovation.

Colleges affiliated with UCC provide a wide range of programmes across numerous disciplines, meeting the educational needs of students looking for high-quality learning opportunities.

Source: YEN.com.gh
Happy National Ag Week! What happens in agriculture impacts all Nebraskans as 1 in 4 Nebraska jobs are connected to ag. A strong ag economy (Nebraska ranks #1 in farm cash receipts of all commodities/capita) helps Nebraskas overall economy.

In 2021, every dollar in agricultural exports generated $1.07 in economic activities such as transportation, financing, warehousing and production. Nebraskas $9.98 billion in agricultural exports in 2022 translates into $10.68 billion in additional economic activity.

Also, 92% of Nebraskas land is used for farming and ranching to grow the food, fiber, and fuel we rely on each day. In 2023, Nebraska had 44,400 farms and ranches, the average size of which was 991 acres. The following are from the 2024 Ag Facts card: https://nda.nebraska.gov/facts.pdf. Thank you to all who are involved ag-related careers and theres numerous opportunities for youth to pursue ag-related careers!

#1: Nebraskas largest ag sector is beef production with Nebraska leading the nation in commercial cattle slaughter at 6.8 million head. We moved up to #1 in beef and veal exports. We also have the most irrigated acres in the nation. #2 in all cattle and calves, all cattle on feed, and commercial red meat production.

#1: Nebraska also ranks 1st in Great Northern bean production, 2nd for pinto bean production and 4th in the nation for all dry edible bean, dry edible peas, and light red kidney bean production.

#2: Nebraska is #2 in ethanol production capacity. Nebraska produces 2.3 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 24 ethanol plants. Distillers grains, a co-product of ethanol production, is an important livestock feed. Nebraska is also #2 in bison production. We fell to #2 in popcorn production in 2023. We are also #2 in no-till cropland acres.

#3: Nebraska is #3 in corn production and exports; also, in cash receipts of all farm commodities.

#4-7: Nebraska is ranked #4 in hay production, land in farms and ranches, and for cover crop acres. We rank 5th in soybean exports and 6th in soybean production. We also rank 5th in grain sorghum, alfalfa hay, and sunflower production and 5th in the nation for production of sugar beets, with half of U.S. sugar production coming from sugar beets. Nebraska is 6th for all hogs and pigs on farms and in commercial hog slaughter. Nebraska ranks 7th in pastureland acres.

Nebraska is the 14th largest winter wheat producing state. We are ranked 14th for organic cropland acres.

When it comes to our natural resources, the aquifer below us is a blessing for irrigated agriculture. If it was poured over the surface of the state, the water in those aquifers would have a depth of 37.9 feet. Nebraska has nearly 80,000 miles of rivers and streams and 22 million acres of range and pasture, half of which are in the Sandhills.

Theres so much to be proud of regarding agriculture in Nebraska! As were seeing throughout the world, we cant take farming and food production for granted. May we seek to celebrate and support ag now and in the future! Happy National Ag Week!

Earliness of Spring

Several have commented the tree buds and flowering bulbs seem early. According to the USA National Phenological Network, Omaha, is 20 days ahead for spring leaf out of lilacs and honeysuckles compared to the 1991-2020 long-term average, which means were currently earlier than 2012 at this point. Well have to watch what happens.

Sprayer Drone Conference

A Sprayer Drone Conference will be held on Thursday, March 28 at the Leadership Center in Aurora from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. More information and registration can be found at: https://go.unl.edu/8pam.

Upcoming Events

March 18: Pesticide Training, 1 p.m., Southeast Com. College Learning Center, Falls City

March 18: Seward County Ag Banquet, Fairgrounds, Seward

March 19: Chemigation, 1:30 p.m., Extension Office, Columbus

March 21: Pesticide Training, 1 p.m., Extension Office, Lincoln

March 21: Chemigation, 1:30 p.m., Extension Office, Hastings

March 21: Pesticide Training, 6 p.m., Extension Office, Hastings

March 28: Spray Drone Conference, 9 a.m., Leadership Center Aurora, RSVP: https://go.unl.edu/8pam

March 28: Pesticide Training, 1 p.m., Extension Office, Beatrice
Celebrated usually a day before Holi, Holika Dahan involves the lighting of a bonfire to celebrate the burning of the demoness, Holika - a symbolic ritual signifying the victory of good over evil. While Holi falls on a full moon day of the Phalgun month of the Hindu calendar (February-March), Holika Dahan, also known as Chhoti Holi is celebrated a day earlier. As in most Hindu festivals, there is an auspicious time known as Muhurat. Gurudev Shrie Kashyap, Astrologer and Numerologist, and Founder of All India Institute of Occult Science, shares the date, muhurat and significance of Holika Dahan and lists out the dos and don'ts.

Holi 2024: Date, Muhurat Of Holika Dahan

Holi 2024 will be celebrated on March 25 while Chhoti Holi or Holika Dahan is on March 24. "According to Panchang Diwakar, Holika Dahan is performed during Bhadra Rahitakal on the day of Pradosh Vyapini Phalgun Purnima. This year Phalgun Purnima is Pradoshvyapini on March 24, 2024, only. On March 24, Bhadra ends at 11:13 pm, before midnight at 12:33. So this year, Holika Dahan will take place on March 24. The auspicious time for Holika Dahan is from 11:13 pm to 12:32 am. Therefore Holika Dahan should be done only after 11:13 pm," says Gurudev Shrie Kashyap.

Holika Dahan Puja Rituals

"There is a tradition of worshipping Holika before lighting the fire in Holi. For this, the person should sit facing east or north while worshipping Holika. For the worship, keep garland, flowers, raw cotton, jaggery, roli, scent, whole turmeric, moong, batasha, gulal, coconut, five types of grains, ears of wheat and a pot of water. One should go around the bonfire lit for Holika Dahan. Next day Holi ashes should be brought and kept in a silver box. People also put barley grains and mustard plasters in the sacred fire of Holika. It is said that doing this brings happiness in the house. Holika Dahan never happens in Bhadra," shares Gurudev Shrie Kashyap.

Holi 2024: Dos And Don'ts

Gurudev Shrie Kashyap lists the following dos and don'ts for Holi, one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated with colours:

Dos:

- Always use eco-friendly colours: Natural and herbal colours are far better than synthetic ones. It's your skin so protect it well.

- Respect everyone's boundaries: Don't cross limits while playing Holi as it may cause harm to others. Be mindful while playing Holi.

- Keep yourself hydrated: Playing Holi can lead to exhaustion, so keep drinking water to stay hydrated.

- Avoid wearing new clothes: Colours can be difficult to wash, so wear old clothes to be on the safe side.

- Protect your skin and hair: Apply oil or moisturiser on your body and oil your hair before stepping out to play Holi. This makes it easier to wash off the colours later and protects your skin and hair from damage.

- Share sweets and snacks: Holi is a time for sharing joy and happiness. Share traditional sweets and snacks with family, friends, and neighbours.

Don'ts:

- Don't force anyone to play: Respect everyone's choice to participate or not. Some people may prefer not to play with colours due to health reasons or personal preferences.

- Avoid water balloons: While water balloons might seem like fun, they can cause injury or discomfort if thrown forcefully. Opt for dry or wet colours instead.

- Avoid using 'permanent' colours: Some synthetic colours used during Holi contain harmful chemicals that can cause skin allergies and other health issues. Stick to natural, eco-friendly colours.

- Don't use colours on animals: Holi can be distressing for pets and animals. Keep them indoors during the festivities and avoid applying colors on them.

- Be mindful of public spaces: While playing Holi in public spaces, avoid creating a mess that may inconvenience others. Clean up after yourself and dispose of waste properly.

- Respect others' property: Avoid forcefully applying colours on strangers or their property without their consent. Respect everyone's space and belongings.

"By following these do's and don'ts, you can ensure a safe and enjoyable Holi celebration for everyone involved," says Gurudev Shrie Kashyap.
Although the US Supreme Court has spoken about constitutional protection for familial association, Colorado's justices are evaluating whether a man convicted of a sex offense had a right to live with his sister and her infant nephew
AIIMS INI CET 2024: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, has launched the online application process for the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) July 2024 session. Candidates can register for the AIIMS INI CET exam by visiting to the official website, aiimsexams.ac.in. The application deadline is April 12, 5 p.m. According to the official notice, the exam will be held by May 19.

All the candidates who have completed their basic registration under OCI category are required to make a new fresh basic registration for July 2024 Session, previous registration of OCI category candidates will not be accepted, reads the official notice.

Candidates must be graduates of an accredited university with an MBBS degree for MD, MS, DM, MCH, or MDS courses, or a BDS degree for MDS courses in order to apply for the exam. All INIs must also complete a 12-month mandatory rotating internship/practical training programme by July 31, 2024, or sooner.

AIIMS INICET 2024: Heres how to apply

Step 1: Visit aiimsexams.ac.in, the official website of AIIMS.

Step 2: Click the Academic Courses tab to open a new page.

Step 3: Select the link to the AIIMS INICET for July 2024 that appears on the page.

Step 4: Register and log in.

Step 5: Complete the AIIMS INICET 2024 application form and submit the application fee.

Step 6: When finished, click "Submit."

Step 7: Download the AIIMS INICET 2024 application form and print a copy for your record.

Candidates from the general, OBC, foreign national, and OCI categories must pay a registration fee of Rs 4000. Meanwhile, SC/ST/EWS aspirants must pay Rs 3200 to finish the application procedure. Those with Benchmark Disabilities do not have to pay any application fees. Candidates can get the most recent changes on the official website, aiimsexams.ac.in.
New Delhi: The cheer is high on the 96th Academy Awards and it's surely the perfect time to delve into the extraordinary lineup of films nominated across the highly prestigious categories. 2024 was surely an iconic year for the film industry with the release of some of the biggest hits like Barbie, Oppenheimer. Featuring stellar casts and gripping plots, here are five Oscar-nominated films that have captured the hearts of fans and are a must-watch.

Oppenheimer

With a stellar cast led by Cillian Murphy, who portrays the role of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the movie secures the most Oscar nominations, totaling 13 nominations. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the plot unfolds as Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. selects physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to spearhead the clandestine Manhattan Project. Entrusted with the monumental task of developing the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer and his team dedicate years to research and development. Their relentless efforts culminate on July 16, 1945, as they bear witness to the inaugural nuclear detonation, marking a pivotal moment in history. The successful explosion of the atomic bomb heralds a new era, forever altering the trajectory of global affairs.

Where to Watch: JioCinema

Poor Things

Starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Willem Dafoe in lead roles, "Poor Things" has garnered a total of 11 nominations. The plot revolves around the peculiar patient Bella Baxter, who resides in the ward of Godwin, a surgeon. Max, a new assistant to the surgeon, discovers Bella and is captivated by her childlike personality. He soon learns of the extraordinary medical procedure that created Bella, where the brain of an infant was transplanted into her mother's head to save her life. After Bella accepts Max's proposal for marriage, the duo embarks on a journey in which Bella's mind begins to mature.

Where to Watch: Rent or purchase at Apple TV or Google Play Movies

Killers of the Flower Moon

Based on true events, the story of Killers of the Flower Moon unfolds in the Osage Nation, where the discovery of oil on their reservation in 1920s Oklahoma leads to immense wealth. However, sinister forces within the community orchestrate a series of murders targeting wealthy Osage, including Mollie Kyle's family. As the killings escalate, Mollie's husband, Ernest Burkhart, becomes embroiled in the conspiracy. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone in lead roles and secured a total of 10 nominations.

Where To Watch: Apple TV

Barbie

Starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, 'Barbie' has been a favourite of audiences and critics and received nominations in 8 categories. The movie transports viewers to the imaginative realm of Barbie Land, where Barbie resides amidst various versions of herself in a matriarchal society. However, a pivotal incident compels Barbie to embark on a journey alongside Ken, venturing from the confines of Barbieland to the complexities of the real world. Along this transformative path, they confront societal norms and grapple with existential crises.

Where to Watch: JioCinema

American Fiction

Starring Jeffrey Wright in the lead role, American Fiction has secured a total of 5 nominations. The story revolves around the life of Thelonious Monk Ellison, a highly intelligent African-American writer and professor, who faces rejection from publishers and conflicts at his university over his portrayal of racial issues. Forced to revisit his hometown of Boston, he confronts family struggles and societal expectations. As he grapples with personal and professional challenges, Monk's journey prompts introspection and reevaluation of his identity and beliefs.

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video.
Delhi: The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet on Tuesday to discuss and finalise the party's manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The central election committee (CEC) of the Congress, led by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, will convene on March 19 and 20 to select the candidates for the remaining phases of the seven-phase polls starting on April 19.

AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's apex decision-making body, is slated to convene on March 19 to approve the draft manifesto which carries the five 'guarantees' for justice.

Congress Five Nyay Concept

According to PTI, Jairam Ramesh conveyed the party's stance on fighting the elections based on the concept of 'five nyay' (justice) - 'Bhagidari Nyay', 'Kisan Nyay', 'Nari Nyay', 'Shramik Nyay', and 'Yuva Nyay'. He mentioned that there are 25 guarantees, five for each 'nyay', which have already been announced by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former president Rahul Gandhi.

Ramesh also made a pointed remark, stating, "These are the guarantees by the Congress party and not by a single person," in an apparent dig at the prime minister who has been claiming to provide "Modi ki guarantee," as per PTI.

This comes after the Congress Party's release of 82 candidates across two separate lists: the first containing 39 candidates and the second comprising 43. Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP, will once again contest from Wayanad, a seat he won in 2019. The 17th Lok Sabha is set to dissolve on June 16, 2024. The Election Commission announced on Saturday that polling for Lok Sabha seats will occur in seven phases, starting from April 19, with votes being counted on June 4.
NEW DELHI: As the electioneering heats up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, a haunting incident from history casts a stark reminder of Pakistan's audacious act during the 1965 India-Pakistan war. The chilling account revolves around the merciless downing of a civilian aircraft carrying Balwant Rai Mehta, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, allegedly for breaching Pakistan's airspace.

The Ill-Fated Journey

On September 19, 1965, amid the intense conflict between India and Pakistan, Balwant Rai Mehta, a prominent Congress leader, embarked on a journey aboard a Beechcraft Model 18 aircraft. Accompanied by his wife, Saroj, a journalist, and three aides, Mehta set out for Mithapur, near the Indo-Pak border in the Rann of Kutch.

A Deadly Encounter

As the flight progressed, tragedy struck. Flight Lt A I Bukhari and Flying Official Qais Hussain, tasked with investigating a 'suspicious' radar contact, intercepted the aircraft near Bhuj in Gujarat. Ignoring signals indicating its civilian nature, Hussain unleashed a fatal barrage, sending the plane spiralling down in flames.

A Heartbreaking Fallout

The aftermath was devastating. Forty-six years later, the pilot responsible, haunted by the weight of his actions, reached out to the daughter of the aircraft's chief pilot Jahangir Engineer - one of the celebrated pilots of the Indian Air Force, expressing remorse for the irreparable loss. Yet, no formal apology ever emerged from Pakistan, leaving wounds unhealed and justice unrealized.

Despite the passage of time, crucial questions linger. Why did the Pakistani military, in its pursuit of glory, target a civilian aircraft? Why did apologies elude the victims' families for decades? The incident serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by innocent lives amid the tumult of war. Balwant Rai Mehta and his companions were not mere casualties; they were symbols of a nation's aspirations and dreams, tragically extinguished in the flames of conflict.

Seeking Closure

As the nation grapples with the memories of the past, there remains a yearning for closure -for acknowledgement, for accountability, and the recognition of the lives lost to the brutality of war. Only then can true healing begin, and the echoes of history find solace in embracing justice.
New Delhi: Police officials om Tuesday confiscated explosive materials from an unoccupied plot adjacent to a private school in Karnataka's capital Bengaluru, news agency IANS reported. This incident has heightened security worries following the low-grade improvised explosive device detonation at a Bengaluru cafe on March 1.

Discovered by the police were items such as gelatine sticks, detonators, and additional explosive components. These items were reportedly stored in a tractor situated on a vacant lot close to the aforementioned school.

Acting on a tip-off, the Bellandur police unit swiftly responded to the location and secured the explosive materials. Initial findings from the investigation indicate that the materials are typically utilized for blasting rocks at construction and quarry sites.

In response to the situation, the police have independently initiated a case and are currently conducting an inquiry. A number of schools in Bengaluru have been the target of bomb threat emails in recent times. With heightened vigilance, the local authorities are actively investigating the incident.

Bengaluru Police Uncover Explosives Close to Private School; Probe Underway
In a big win for the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party faction, the Supreme Court has directed Election Commission of India and State Election Commission to recognise 'Trumpte' as the official symbol of the NCP-Sharad Pawar. The Supreme Court also ordered the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP to issue public notice saying NCP's origianl 'clock' symbol is sub-judice and its use is subject to adjudication. The top court also directed the Ajit Pawar faction to make declaration about 'clock' poll symbol being sub-judice in all poll-related advertisements.

The Supreme Court also directed the Election Commission to not allot 'man blowing turha/trumpet' symbol to others for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls whiler ordering the ECI to recognise 'man blowing turha' as symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar for polls.

With the apex court order, the Sharad Pawar bloc can now use party symbol 'man blowing turha' for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. The top court also allowed the Sharad Pawar faction to use party name 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' for Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

The apex court had earlier directed that the Election Commission's order of February 7 allotting 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction will continue till further orders.

Earlier last week, the Supreme Court questioned the Ajit Pawar faction, which has been officially recognised as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by the Election Commission of India, as to why it is using veteran leader Sharad Pawar's photos for campaigning. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan also asked the Ajit Pawar group to file an undertaking that they will not directly or indirectly use the name of Sharad Pawar. It further suggested that the Ajit Pawar group use a symbol other than the 'clock' for elections so that there won't be any confusion.
CHENNAI: In a significant development ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a crucial seat-sharing agreement with the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) in Tamil Nadu. As part of the deal, the PMK, representing the Vanniyar minority, has been allocated ten parliamentary constituencies for contesting the upcoming polls in the southern state. PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss expressed optimism about this alliance, stating, "The people of Tamil Nadu are yearning for a change after six decades of rule by other parties. To fulfil this aspiration, PMK has chosen to align with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP."

#WATCH | PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss says, "For the last ten years PMK has been part of the NDA in Delhi. Today, PMK has decided to join the NDA in Tamil Nadu and an agreement was signed. We are happy that we have joined the NDA in Tamil Nadu for a change. The last 57-58 pic.twitter.com/tAhx1mE4iQ  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2024

Impact Of BJP-PMK Alliance

Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai echoed Ramadoss's sentiments, emphasizing the strength of the alliance. He highlighted the transformative impact of the PMK's decision to align with the NDA, leading to an immediate shift in the political landscape. Both leaders are set to participate in a public meeting alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, underscoring the significance of this collaboration.

The PMK, which mostly represents the Vanniyar minority in Tamil Nadu, was the second main alliance partner of the BJP in the Lok Sabha election 2019, which contested on seven alliance seats. With a vote percentage of 5.42 per cent, it was unable to secure even one seat in the polls. PMK contested 23 seats in the AIADMK alliance in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election and won five seats by securing 4.04 per cent.

During the 2019 general elections, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led Secular Progressive Alliance, which comprised INC, VCK, MDMK, CPI, CPI(M), IUML, MMK, KMDK, TVK, AIFB, registered a landslide victory by winning 38 of the 39 seats. In 2019, the DMK won 23 Lok Sabha seats with 33.2 per cent vote share, Congress bagged 8 seats with 12.9 per cent vote and CPI won 2 seats in Tamil Nadu. CPI(M) got a seat, IML won 1 seat and independents were elected on 2 seats.

The PMK had a slight increase in vote share to 5.42 per cent over seven seats in 2014, up from 4.4 per cent for eight seats. Anbumani Ramadoss is currently a Rajya Sabha member having been elected unopposed in 2019.

BJP's Seat-Sharing Arrangements

Following the agreement, discussions are underway to finalize the specifics of the seat-sharing arrangement. PMK leaders are expected to attend Prime Minister Modi's upcoming public meeting in Salem, where the official announcement of PMK candidates will take place. This alliance marks a strategic move by the BJP to bolster its presence in Tamil Nadu, a state historically dominated by Dravidian parties.

Expanding Footprints In DMK-Ruled Tamil Nadu

The recent seat-sharing deal with the PMK underscores the BJP's concerted efforts to expand its influence in Tamil Nadu, despite being under the rule of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Prime Minister Modi's extensive outreach in the state, coupled with alliances with regional parties and prominent figures like actor R Sarath Kumar, signals the BJP's determined push into Tamil Nadu's political arena. This was followed by Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) chief T.T.V. Dhinakaran's announcement of his partys unconditional support to the BJP-led alliance for the Lok Sabha polls.

Interestingly, during his recent rallies in Tamil Nadu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced development projects worth Rs 30,000 crore. In his speeches, PM Modi consistently criticized the ruling DMK for its alleged mismanagement over the past three years, its dynastic politics, and its perceived anti-Hindu stance. PM Modi also tactfully avoided direct criticism of the one-time NDA ally AIADMK, which has distanced itself from the BJP. PM Modi's praise for AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran and former leader J Jayalalithaa further indicates that channels for collaboration may still exist.

It may be noted that the BJP, in alliance with the AIADMK, had drawn a blank in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In 2023, the two parted ways, leaving the BJP to contest with smaller parties such as Maanila Congress, PMK etc.

Inclusive Approach and Political Strategy

The BJP's inclusive approach, demonstrated through the selection of leaders from diverse backgrounds to helm the party in Tamil Nadu, aims to dispel misconceptions of it being a pro-Brahmin party and broaden its appeal beyond traditional voter bases. By showcasing a commitment to inclusivity and embracing regional sentiments, the BJP seeks to carve a niche in Tamil Nadu's political landscape.

Challenges And Optimism

While the BJP faces challenges in Tamil Nadu, particularly in garnering support amidst existing political dynamics, the party remains optimistic about its prospects. With the Lok Sabha elections approaching, the BJP's concerted efforts to engage with voters and forge alliances underscore its determination to establish a formidable presence in the state and reshape Tamil Nadu's political narrative in the upcoming elections.

Lok Sabha Elections In Tamil Nadu

The first phase of voting for all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu is scheduled for April 19. The Election Commission has announced a seven-phase polling schedule across the nation, with voting taking place from April 19 to June 1 and counting of votes slated for June 4.
A viral video on social media showed the innovative thinking to two brothers as they turned their Wagon R car into a helicopter. The modified vehicle became a centre of attraction and netizens flooded the comment section after the video was shared online. The innovation was done by two brothers from Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkar Nagar.

However, before the brothers completed their task of painting the vehicle, the police caught them and seized their unique creation.

The brothers, who live near the Bhiti area, modified a car into a helicopter which is now into police custody. ANI shared a video on X where the footage showed the rotor blade of a helicopter welded onto the roof of a Maruti Suzuki. The video also shows that a few people and the police officers surrounded the vehicles which is standing outside the Ambedkar Nagar police station.

#WATCH | Ambedkarnagar, Uttar Pradesh: A person from the Bhiti area modified a car into a helicopter pic.twitter.com/idbZiN374b  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 19, 2024

This is yet another example where the innovation is being discouraged, and not encouraged by the police department. Instead of appreciation, what the two brothers have received is trouble from the local police, feel netizens.

This is not the first time where such innovation has surfaced online. Earlier, Mahindra group Chairman Anand Mahindra has shared multiple videos featuring indigenous inventions showing creativity at their bests. While such inventions continue to take place in even in remote corners of India, the need of the hours is appreciation and recognition from the authorities.
Delhi: Neerja Gupta, the vice-chancellor of Gujarat University, commented on the incident of alleged attack on foreign students in the University. She said performing namaz alone couldn't have been the sole reason behind the violence against foreign students on Saturday night, Gupta was talking to The Indian Express. She said that a lack of understanding of local customs by foreign students may have contributed to the incident.

She pointed out that foreign students often consume non-vegetarian food, and the disposal of leftovers might be a concern in Gujarat's predominantly vegetarian society. The vice-chancellor stressed on the importance of educating and guiding foreign students on local customs and traditions, reported the Indian Express.

Police have arrested five individuals linked to the assault on international students at the Gujarat University hostel for their Namaz prayers. Currently, the university has opted to transfer foreign students to a different wing and enlist the help of ex-servicemen to enhance security measures.

The police, having established nine teams to investigate and apprehend all perpetrators, detained three additional individualsKshitij Pandey, Jitendra Patel, and Sahil Dudhatiyaon Monday, supplementing the earlier arrests of Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel.

Following an incident where a group attacked students for praying near the hostel block on Saturday, the university responded by relocating foreign students to a different wing and enlisting ex-servicemen to enhance security. The government-operated university has opted to transfer international students to a distinct hostel intended for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) within a span of three days.

Meanwhile, a committee has been formed to advise foreign students, and ex-military personnel have been deployed to reinforce security at the hostel premises. Deputy Commissioner of Police Tarun Duggal stated that an extensive investigation is underway, utilising technical surveillance and other methods to identify the remaining suspects involved in the attack.

Police have filed an FIR against 20-25 unidentified attackers for various offenses, including rioting, causing harm intentionally, and criminal trespass. According to the police, two studentsone from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistanwere admitted to the hospital following the incident on Saturday night.

However, the Gujarat High Court has declined to intervene as an investigative agency, asserting that not every incident warrants a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The court encouraged individuals to pursue legal avenues for addressing specific concerns related to the incident. Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal said, do not replace this court with police inspectors. Do not expect the court to act as police inspectors.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has granted Paytm the status of a Third Party App Provider (TPAP), marking a pivotal advancement for the company renowned for its mobile payments and QR code solutions. This milestone is further amplified by Paytm's partnerships with leading financial institutions  State Bank of India, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, and YES Bank. This collaboration marks a noteworthy shift in the fintech landscape, signifying potential for new disruptions in the financial services sector.

These partnerships with major banks are to facilitate seamless and uninterrupted UPI transactions and AutoPay mandates. This step not only reflects Paytm's evolving business strategy but also signals a broadening of its service offerings. By joining forces with these leading banks, Paytm can now expand its service spectrum. The partnerships are aligned with RBIs intent to engage multiple partners and ensure seamless services continuity.

Paytm, previously engaged in collaborations with banks and NBFCs for credit distribution, is broadening its partnerships to include the wider products of banking sector. Sources close to the development have shared, 'This expansion enables Paytm to offer an extensive array of banking financial services to its customers, encompassing both payment products and other financial solutions. Furthermore, Paytm intends to capitalize on the extensive distribution networks, revenue sharing with these banks to enhance its business model. The collaboration with banks will also open greater opportunities for cross-selling, including co-branding debit cards. By leveraging banks' expertise and consumer base, Paytm will gain access to deeper market penetration, foster new innovations, and its overall contribution will soon be aligned with its profitability. Discussions are ongoing, and the outcomes are expected to unfold over time.'"

Previously, Paytm's operations were closely tied to Paytm Payments Bank, limiting its financial maneuvers to a singular banking partnership. This structure facilitated a specific model of revenue sharing. Now, Paytm is poised to broaden its horizons, extending revenue sharing models to encompass a wider array of major banking institutions as last month, Paytm and PPBL had mutually agreed to discontinue various inter-company agreements with Paytm and its group entities. This strategic expansion is anticipated to significantly increase partnerships in the near future. At its core, the fintech firm's transition to operating as a Third Party App Provider (TPAP) is set to catalyze substantial growth opportunities. This move is expected to not only diversify its service offerings but also refine its strategies for acquiring new customers.
A Gilpin County judge who ejected the defendant's family and other observers from his courtroom and told them to watch the livestream from elsewhere in the courthouse violated the defendant's constitutional right to a public trial, Colorado's second-highest court ruled last week.
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address entrepreneurs and all stakeholders at the 'Startup Mahakumbh' on Wednesday. The Prime Minister said that India's strides in the world of startups have been phenomenal in the last few years.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "At 10:30 AM tomorrow, I will be speaking at the Startup Mahakumbh, a forum which brings together stakeholders from the world of Startups, innovators, and upcoming entrepreneurs. India's strides in the world of Startups have been phenomenal in the last few years."

Startup Mahakhumbh 2024 commenced at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on March 18.

According to the Ministry of Electronics and IT, with the resounding theme of 'Bharat Innovates,' the event aims to serve as a catalyst for innovation, networking, and growth opportunities across various sectors.

Startup Mahakumbh, India's largest and first-of-its-kind startup event, registered record participation, serving as a vibrant platform for all stakeholders in the Indian startup ecosystem. The confluence of stakeholders and experts is expected to help further develop emerging sectors like DeepTech, AgriTech, BioTech, MedTech, AI, Gaming, etc, the Commerce Ministry said on Tuesday.

"The event, designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship across India, witnessed an unparalleled level of participation from leading investors, innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs. The event is hosting over 2000 startups, 1000+ investors, 100+ unicorns, 300+ incubators & accelerators, 3,000+ conference delegates, 10+ country delegations, 3000+ future entrepreneurs and 50,000+ business visitors from across the country. The event has witnessed vibrant discussions on way forward and networking between all the stakeholders," the ministry said.
Delhi: Satyendar Jain, the ex-Delhi health minister and AAP member, re-entered Tihar Jail on Monday following the Supreme Court's rejection of his bail request in a money laundering case earlier that day. Reacting to the incident Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to 'X to express his sentimets saying that Jain is a hero for all Delhi people (Dilli wallas). The Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained the AAP politician on May 30, 2022, accusing him of money laundering via four companies purportedly associated with him.

He is a hero for all Dilli wallas. He made arrangements for providing 24x7 electricity, free electricity, good govt hospitals and mohalla clinics. Feel extremely sad for him and his family. God bless him, Delhi CM wrote.

He is a hero for all Dilli wallas. He made arrangements for providing 24x7 electricity, free electricity, good govt hospitals and mohalla clinics. Feel extremely sad for him and his family. God bless him. https://t.co/X5H9htV9xm  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 18, 2024

"Jain arrived at Tihar jail in the evening. He was taken to jail number 7 after the formalities of lodging him in the prison were completed," stated a jail official. According to officials, the 69-year-old underwent a medical examination before being allocated to a separate cell within the prison, reported PTI.

Jain departed from his Saraswati Vihar home in northwest Delhi at approximately 5:45 pm to turn himself in at the jail. Prior to his surrender, he hugged his wife and other family members. Accompanied by his wife and a relative, Jain travelled in one car, while other relatives followed in a separate vehicle. Jain has two daughters.

The Supreme Court denied an oral plea from Jain's legal representative to grant him a week's grace period to surrender. On January 17, the SC had reserved its decision regarding his standard bail appeal. Jain had been granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 26, 2023, on medical grounds after an incident in Tihar Jail's bathroom. This bail was subsequently extended over time. In June of the previous year, he underwent spinal surgery.

Jain had appealed to the highest court to contest the Delhi High Court's decision on April 6, 2023, which rejected his plea for regular bail in the case. He was arrested based on a CBI FIR filed against him in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The Supreme Court is set to review several pleas on Tuesday requesting the government to suspend the enforcement of the 2024 Citizenship Amendment Rules. The stay is demanded until the court has resolved the challenges to the constitutionality of the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The bench announced its intention to schedule all applications requesting a suspension of the Rules for a hearing on Tuesday. Additionally, the highest court mentioned that the entire set of 237 petitions will be included in the list alongside the most recent applications.

The early hearing was warranted after Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) argued that once migrant Hindus are granted Indian citizenship, it cannot be revoked, thus suggesting the need for an expedited hearing. A panel consisting of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra have acknowledged the arguments by Sibal.

Apart from IUML, the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Debabrata Saika, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Assembly, Abdul Khaleque, a Congress MP from Assam, and various others have also submitted applications requesting a suspension of the Rules.

Muslim Community Deprived Of CAA Benefits

One day after the government released the regulations under the CAA, the Kerala-based political party IUML filed a petition in the Supreme Court, requesting a stay to the enforcement of these regulations. The IUML urged for a suspension of the contested law and regulations, arguing that no punitive measures should be taken against members of the Muslim community who have been excluded from the benefits of this legislation, reported ANI.

PK Kunhalikutty, a leader of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), expressed solidarity with the Kerala government's stance of abstaining from enforcing CAA. "Why should they implement a law that has not been welcomed by anyone in India? What is the need? Why are they taking a partisan stand in the matter of citizenship? " Kunhalikutty told agency.

Kerala Governments Plea Against CAA

On March 11, following the Union Home Ministry's notification of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asserted that Kerala would not enforce the Act. Vijayan stated, "The LDF government approached the Supreme Court to confirm that Kerala would not implement the Citizenship Amendment Act. Kerala is the first state to move a plea against CAA in the Supreme Court. The state will initiate further legal action soon."

Mandate Under CAA 2019

The regulations of the CAA, brought by the Central government and ratified by Parliament in 2019, is designed to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted migrants belonging to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians community who fled from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and entered India prior to December 31, 2014.
Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has set the legal stage for a potentially significant constitutional debate, issuing notices to the Centre, the Haryana government, and the Election Commission regarding a plea challenging the appointment of Nayab Singh Saini as the chief minister of Haryana. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji sought their response in the matter and fixed April 30 as the next date of hearing in the case.

Advocate Jagmohan Singh Bhatti, who filed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL), alleges that the newly formed Haryana government led by Saini is "illegal and a fraud on democracy." Speaking to reporters, Bhatti outlined several grounds for the alleged illegality, including the increase in the Haryana assembly's member count beyond the constitutionally permissible limit of 90 due to Saini's appointment. He also questioned the legitimacy of the five new cabinet ministers appointed alongside Saini.

One significant contention raised by Bhatti is the suspicion that Saini was holding an "office of profit" at the time of taking oath as chief minister, given his status as a sitting Member of Parliament from the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha seat. Bhatti argues that this contravenes constitutional provisions and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Responding to the plea, the high court issued notices to the Centre, the Haryana government, the Election Commission, and the Haryana Assembly Speaker. Nayab Singh Saini assumed office as the new chief minister last week, following the unexpected resignation of Manohar Lal Khattar and his cabinet ministers.

Historical Precedent: Sonia Gandhi's Resignation

This current controversy echoes a historical event when Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi relinquished her Lok Sabha seat in 2006 due to similar concerns over holding an office of profit. Sonia Gandhi was accused of holding an office of profit by being a Member of Parliament as well as the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council, the latter being a post with the rank of a Cabinet minister.

The controversy arose due to an oversight by Congress' political managers who forgot to seek exemption from the Office of Profit Act for the post of the Chairman, NAC. The NAC was created to advise the then UPA government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. That Gandhi too held an office of profit came to light after the Congress had stepped up a campaign against SP Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan, who also held the post of the Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh Film Development Corporation. Sonia Gandhi consequently resigned from her Lok Sabha membership on March 23, 2006, even as the Election Commission was considering a petition against her.

Understanding The Office Of Profit

The concept of an office of profit, originating from English law, aims to ensure the independence of legislative bodies and maintain the division of governmental powers. This principle is fundamental to the Indian Constitution.

Constitutional Provisions

While the Indian Constitution does not explicitly define the term, articles 191(1) and 102(1) impose restrictions on legislators at both central and state levels regarding accepting government positions. According to Article 102 (1)(a) of the Constitution, a person shall be disqualified as MP for holding any office of profit under the government of India or the government of any state, other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder.

Similarly, Article 191(1)(a) applies to MLAs, disqualifying them if found holding an office of profit, subject to exemptions and presidential review.

Exemptions And Safeguards

Ministers are exempted from these disqualification rules, and if a legislator's position cannot be legally disqualified, the rule of office of profit does not apply.

NCT Act, 1991

Section 151(1)(a) of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991, provides for the disqualification of MLAs holding an office of profit, with similar safeguards and exemptions.

Judicial Interpretation

The Guru Gobind Basu vs. Sankari Prasad Ghosal & others case underscores the importance of various factors in determining an office of profit, including appointing authority, payment source, and accrued authority.
Your hair can majorly impact your self-esteem. Thanks to our innate desire to look good, most people place a lot of importance on hair, which is often linked to our sense of confidence. So alopecia - when the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss - can be disturbing. However, with the right intervention, alopecia, experts say, can be managed. Sanath Dutta, Herbal Solution Expert & Co-founder, Eliea Wellness, answers some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about alopecia:

1. What is Alopecia And What Causes It?



Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss. It can occur in various forms and severity, ranging from patchy hair loss to complete baldness. The exact cause of alopecia can vary. It may result from genetics, autoimmune disorders, hormonal changes, stress, certain medications, or underlying medical conditions.

2. Is Alopecia Treatable?



Treatment options for alopecia depend on the type and severity of hair loss. Treatments may include medications, topical solutions, corticosteroid injections, hair transplants, or lifestyle changes. While some forms of alopecia may resolve spontaneously, others may be chronic or recurring. There is no universal cure for alopecia, but treatments can help manage symptoms and promote hair regrowth

3. How Does Alopecia Affect Mental Health?



Alopecia can have significant psychological impacts, leading to stress, anxiety, depression, and lowered self-esteem. Seeking support from mental health professionals or support groups can be beneficial.

4. Can Alopecia Be Prevented?



Preventing alopecia may not always be possible, especially in cases related to genetics or autoimmune disorders. However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing stress, and avoiding harsh hair treatments may help minimise the risk.

5. Can Children Develop Alopecia?



Yes, children can develop alopecia, with some forms being more common in childhood. Paediatricians or dermatologists can provide appropriate diagnosis and treatment options for children with alopecia.
New Delhi: Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda's nuptials on the 15th of March were not just a celebration of love but also a feast for fashion enthusiasts. The couple's wedding attire has sent the internet into a frenzy, with netizens showering praise and admiration across social media platforms.

Pulkit Samrat's groom attire stole the spotlight, captivating the hearts of many with its unparalleled elegance and uniqueness. Comments flooded in, expressing awe and admiration for the groom's impeccable choice of outfit. From calling it "amazing" to dubbing Pulkit "groom of the year," the internet was abuzz with compliments for his unconventional style.

"I've never been impressed by celebs' wedding outfits. They all look the same but... this!!!! Wow," expressed one comment, echoing the sentiments of many who found Pulkit's attire a breath of fresh air in the world of celebrity weddings.For some, Pulkit's outfit set a new standard, with remarks like, "if my dulha doesn't wear something like this then I don't want it."

But the admiration didn't stop at Pulkit's attire; Kriti Kharbanda's bridal ensemble also garnered its fair share of compliments. Netizens praised the beautiful bridal hues, motifs, and patterns, applauding the couple for breaking away from the conventional pastel palette.

"This is the best pink wedding lehenga since Anushka's!" exclaimed one commenter, Kriti's outfit was hailed for its elegance and grace, complementing Pulkit's ensemble perfectly.

The couple's wedding itself was described as a spectacle of love and joy. Netizens gushed over the pictures and videos from the ceremony, with many congratulating the newlyweds and wishing them a lifetime of happiness.
New Delhi: Janhvi Kapoor is one of the top actresses in our industry today. She often makes headlines for her films and social media posts. The actress often gets snapped by the paps on the streets of Mumbai with friends, sisters, or even her rumoured boyfriend Shikhar Pahariya. The actress has once again set the internet on fire after a video of her went viral on social media. The actress made a sexy appearance at an event where she was seen making head turns in a beige deep-neck gown.

Janhvi stepped out in the town wearing a super sexy outfit and it has now taken over the internet. The 'Bawaal' actress wore a stunning golden gown with a plunging neckline flaunting her perfect curves. Fans have flooded the comment section with heart-eye and fire emojis. Most have called Janhvi as 'Hotness personified.' Many pictures and videos are going viral on social media from last night as the actress truly ruled the look.

Janhvi rules millions of hearts with her performance as well as her strong fashion game. Her stunning posts, pictures and videos take over the internet within an hour.

On the film front, the actress was last seen in 'Bawaal' with Varun Dhawan. She also has 'Mr and Mrs Mahi' with Rajkummar Rao. Recently, she began shooting for their upcoming film NTR 30 in which she will be seen opposite RRR actor Jr NTR.

She will be seen in 'Ulajh,' directed by National Award winner Sudhanshu Saria, the patriotic thriller film also stars Gulshan Devaiah and Roshan Mathew in the lead roles.
New Delhi: NVIDIA has introduced a new generation of artificial intelligence Superchips and software for running AI models. The world's most powerful AI chip, the Blackwell B200, features a remarkable 20 petaflops of FP4 power, which is about 30 times faster than the current flagship H100 and 25 times more power-efficient.

The newly launched AI Superchips will replace the Hopper (Graphics Processing Unit), which significantly boosted Nvidia's sales.

The pack has two Blackwell chips: the Blackwell B200 GPU and the GB200 Superchip. The first Blackwell chip, called the GB200, will ship later this year.

Tune in live: Our CEO Jensen Huang's onstage #GTC24 keynote.



Join us at 1p.m. PDT as Jensen unveils the #AI advances that are shaping our future across industries. https://t.co/YzMA4jGs5l  NVIDIA (@nvidia) March 18, 2024

The GB200 is an important part of the NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 system. This system is designed for heavy work tasks and uses liquid cooling. It has multiple nodes and racks to handle demanding workloads. The GB200 includes 36 Grace Blackwell Superchips, with 72 Blackwell GPUs and 36 Grace CPUs connected by fifth-generation NVLink technology. (Also Read: Motorola Edge 50 Pro Official Launch Confirmed In India; Check Specs, Date, Availability)

On the other hand, the Blackwell GPU architecture features six transformative technologies for accelerated computing, unlocking breakthroughs in data processing, engineering simulation, electronic design automation, computer-aided drug design, quantum computing, and generative AI.

This AI Superchip, with 208 billion transistors, combines two circuit boards to function as one chip, accelerating AI innovation in healthcare and life sciences.

Delivering a massive upgrade to the worlds #AI infrastructure, our CEO Jensen Huang introduced the NVIDIA Blackwell platform to unleash real-time generative AI on trillion-parameter LLMs at today's #GTC24 keynote. Read more about our announcements. https://t.co/nDVFy00odb  NVIDIA (@nvidia) March 18, 2024

NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang stated, For three decades, weve pursued accelerated computing to enable transformative breakthroughs like deep learning and AI. He added, Generative AI is the defining technology of our time, and Blackwell is the engine powering this new industrial revolution. We will realize the promise of AI across every industry, working with dynamic companies worldwide. (Also Read: POCO X6 Neo 5G Goes On Sale In India Via Flipkart; Check Price And Bank Offers)

Major companies expected to adopt Blackwell include Amazon Web Services, Dell Technologies, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, Tesla, and xAI.

Adding further, Nvidia introduced revenue-generating software called NIM, making AI deployment easier and giving customers more reasons to choose Nvidia chips over competitors.
New Delhi: US President Joe Biden expressed his grave concerns to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding potential extensive military actions in Rafah, similar to those in Gaza City and Khan Younis, as conveyed by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. In a phone call with Biden, Netanyahu consented to dispatch a mixed team of Israeli experts to Washington to deliberate on a different strategy to address key Hamas figures in Rafah and to safeguard the border between Egypt and Gaza without launching a significant ground offensive, as announced by Sullivan in a press briefing.

The conversation marked the first direct communication between the leaders in a month, focusing significantly on Rafah.

Biden detailed his serious apprehensions about Israel initiating large-scale military operations in Rafah, akin to previous campaigns in Gaza City and Khan Younis.

Sullivan highlighted that over a million individuals have sought sanctuary in Rafah, having moved from Gaza City through Khan Younis, with no alternative refuge available as other major cities in Gaza are mostly in ruins.

He further noted that Israel has yet to propose a viable plan to the US or the international community for the safe relocation, sustenance, and accommodation of these civilians, including ensuring essential services like sanitation.

Rafah serves as a crucial gateway for humanitarian aid from Egypt into Gaza, and any military action there would impede this flow.

Sullivan mentioned Egypts profound concern regarding a significant military operation in Rafah, which could potentially impact its future relations with Israel.

He clarified that questioning the strategy in Rafah does not equate to questioning the defeat of Hamas, dismissing such comparisons as baseless.

The US stance is clear: Hamas must not find refuge in Rafah or elsewhere. However, a substantial ground operation would be erroneous, leading to further civilian casualties, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, contributing to chaos in Gaza, and increasing Israels international isolation.

Sullivan emphasized that Israels objectives in Rafah could be attained through alternative methods.

Biden urged Netanyahu to send a high-level team, including military, intelligence, and humanitarian personnel, to Washington soon to discuss the USs apprehensions regarding Israels intentions for Rafah and to propose a different plan targeting Hamas in the city while maintaining border security, without a full-scale invasion.

Netanyahu agreed to this proposal.

The leaders also reviewed ongoing talks for an immediate ceasefire, which would extend for several weeks in exchange for releasing hostages held by Hamas and other groups in Gaza.

The aim is to leverage the ceasefire to enhance humanitarian aid delivery at a critical juncture. Despite challenges in reaching an agreement, the US remains committed to this urgent matter.

Biden reiterated his unwavering commitment to Israels long-term security and reiterated Israels right to counteract Hamas, responsible for significant atrocities against the Jewish community, as affirmed in his State of the Union address.
In an open admission amid the Israel-Gaza war, the Yemeni army has claimed to have attacked an American vessel 'Mado' in the Red Sea. The army said that they targeted the vessel's naval missiles and Israel's Eilat region with winged missiles. Yemeni Armed Forces spokesman Yahya Saree said that the port of Eilat in the allegedly Israel-occupied territories with several cruise missiles. According to maritime shipping trackers, an LPG tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag is en route from Saudi Arabia to Singapore. The Houthis have labelled it as American.

Saree also announced the new operations of the Yemeni army against American and Israeli regimes. Since mid-November, Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched drones and missiles multiple times at international commercial shipping in the Red Sea region. They claim to be acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's military actions in Gaza. These attacks have caused disruptions in global shipping, compelling companies to undertake longer and costlier routes around southern Africa.

The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response. Saree added that Yemen's military operations will not stop until the attack on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the blockade on them ends.
Firefighters from around the region traded out hoses and helmets for pen, paper, and a classroom for a Company Officer Academy  hosted in the Mason City Room of the library by the Mason City Fire Department last week.

The program, which is through Columbia Southern University, is designed to prepare firefighters who are looking to be promoted to leadership positions, prepping firefighters for a seamless transition from being part of a crew to leading it.

For three days, March 12-14, 43 firefighters from 15 agencies, mostly from the state of Iowa, took the course, working on leadership communication and motivation, brainstorming response scenarios, and learning people management and safety.

There were 15 firefighters from the MCFD in attendance.

Assistant Deputy Chief of Training in Mason City, Randy Elsbernd, said the training is beneficial for all levels of firefighters from rookies to experienced crew members who are up for promotion to a captain.

Its not required. But if you want to move up the chain of command, this is a good, good thing to have as a feather in your hat, Elsbernd. The class is to get your mind thinking about more things than just attacking the fire.

Elsbernd said having the training in Mason City has been a goal since some of the department took the class in Marion three years ago.

They got back and were really excited, saying we need to have this class here and everybody from the lowest firefighter to the chief should attend, Elsbernd said. For us, this is a big deal getting to bring in two nationally known chiefs and host it right here.

The course had two instructors with 77 years of fire service experience between them.

Chief Rick Lasky began his career in the southwest suburbs of Chicago before being a chief in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, and then Lewisville, Texas, where he retired.

John Salka was the 18th Battalion Chief in the Bronx, New York, and prior to that leadership role, he served in several of the New York City Fire Departments busiest, most active units.

Chief Salka said the class is about more than just leadership. Its about programs, evaluations, tactics, and being the guy that rides on the front seat.

Its nice for the community to know that their volunteers and their career firefighters take time out of their own schedule and away from their own families to improve the skills that they use to help them, Salka said. Theyre all here because they want to help their community and better themselves.

Salka  who started out writing articles about his fire experience and going to conventions before landing his teaching gig  said he enjoys working with firefighters from all over the country because its the same language everywhere.

For a class that revolves around intense, risk assessment scenarios, Salka engaged with the class on a personable level that broke up technical classroom work about leading fellow firefighters into dangerous situations with stories and life experiences oftentimes concluded with a laugh. He approached the class of students with a pairing of precise focus that can translate into saved lives and wisdom that comes from a passionate career.

They love to teach, they love to share, and to try and make everybody better, Elsbernd said about Salka and Lasky.

Its just a shared experience with everybody from all these other departments, Elsbernd said. Most of the people here are looking to move up into a higher rank, and it continues to challenge them and thats why they love their job.
Bill was born on March 19, 1952, in Mason City the son of Marion and Margaret (Kay) Carberry. He graduated from Sheffield-Chapin High School in 1972. Bill then attended Hawkeye Institute of Technology and graduated May 1974 with his AA in Police Science. In college he worked at the Dike Police Department and then later with the Vinton Police Department. While in college, he met his future wife, Julene Wallace. They were united in marriage May 12, 1974, at the Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Iowa. To this union two children were born. After graduation the couple moved to Manchester, Iowa, where Bill served as a deputy for Delaware County. One year later, they moved to Dyersville where he was a police officer, working alongside Julene, who served as the police dispatcher. In 1976, they moved back to where Bill grew up to farm with his dad. Stepping away from farming, Bill worked for Beacon Microcenter in computer sales then switched to IT/repair. He continued in the computer technology field with David Manufacturing and then as a self-employed computer guru, making technology work for a wide-range of people and businesses in the North Iowa area, often with a little sarcasm and laughter included for free.
Re: In contemporary autobiographical works by Black Americans experiments [ #permalink

Para 1: In Contemporary autobiographical work-- prose appear in similar frequency as traditional history chronology. A well crafted autobiography is literary as it contains historical narrative even with personal history. however life experiences/storytelling of many black autobiographers approach have gone beyond limits of standard historical narrative. Some forms of the approach are discussed



Para 2: Such forms were present in autobiographies of some prominent figures but for some reason they did not choose to unfold them. Case in point is WDuBois



Para 3: WDuBois early chapters focused on latest trip that brings his madly changed view of society and he credits this not only latest tour but all those preceding it. he traverses all them and comes back to his birth place. He sees history as cyclical and linear and autobiographies capture this dual outlook expressed in traveller's image. WDuBois focused on content. Author writes that now WDuBois has found right narrative and telling truth he lived over his lifetime.



Main Point: Author introduces extraordinary approach of black autobiographers and says such forms were present in prominent figures but they did not unfold them. One such prominent figure is WBDuBois, whose autobiographies is disussed. Author presents his view that WDuBois has now found right narrative.



1. Which of the following would be the most appropriate title for the passage?



A. Literary Qualities Seldom Found in Autobiographies

-- The passage talks about literary qualities when it says that a well crafted autobiography is literary as it contains historical narrative even with personal history. Hence saying that qualities were seldom found in autobiographies will be incorrect



B. Cultural Variations among Traditional Historical Chronologies

-- The passage does not discuss on cultural variations among traditional historical chronologies



C. Contrast Among Historical Views of Black Autobiographies

-- The passage does not contrast among historical views of autobiographies . In fact not many historical views have been provided. Hence out



D. Narrative Styles in the Autobiographies of Contemporary Black Americans

-- The passage is about narrative styles in contemporary black americans. Contemporary and well crafter autbiography was one style, however life experiences of black americans style and form go beyond a limit. It discusses presence of such forms in WDuBois and prominent figures but not fully exploited. Later WDubois adopted the style and found right narrative

This is the answer



E. Origins of Narrative Forms Refined by Contemporary Black American Autobiographers

-- The passage is not about origin of narrative forms refined by contemporary black american autobiographers. It is discussing one form and an example of prominent figure who could not use it





2. The author develops his topic by



A. noting the origins of a distinction and questioning its contemporary value

-- Author does present the distinction of beyond limit storytelling but never questions its contemporary value



B. explaining an assertion and providing illustrative examples

-- Author presents contemporary autobiographical works and then present beong limit storytelling of black american autobiographers ans explains forms of important figures. He then provides illustrative examples

This is the answer



C. presenting the implications of a paradox and evaluating their importance

-- Author does not present any paradox and evaluates their importance.



[ s]D. revealing the internal inconsistencies of a position and formulating a more coherent position[/s]

-- Author does not formulate a more coherent position. Infact author mentions his take only at the end that WDuBois has not found right narrative



E. offering an alternative conclusion and supporting that alternative

-- Author does offer an alternate conclusion





3. According to the passage Du Bois described his life in terms of which of the following?

"These dislocations in chronological time convey Du Bois' image of his life as a long spiral. The line is traced by the successive journeys that often traverse terrain previously covered. These returns signify continuity and repetition, just as Du Bois' experiences as a Black American did not change in some fundamental respects"



Du Bois' Autobiography report impressions of his latest trip across Europe and what follows is an account of his madly changed view of society, a change that occurred, he asserts, as a result not only of his latest tour, but also of the trips that had preceded it.



I. Continuity

-- Looks good



II. Repetition

-- Looks good



III. Change

-- "just as Du Bois' experiences as a Black American did not change in some fundamental respects. Yet the tine also wavers in response to new historical forces, sweeping him and almost everyone else along on an altered path" Hence even his life went on an altered path which means some change. Also he started writing truth which is change..



A. I only

B. II only

C. I and II only

D. 1 and III only

E. I, II, and III : This is the answer







4. The author implies that the life experiences of a number of Black autobiographers led them to do which of the following?



A. Conclude that the well-crafted autobiography is inevitably literary

-- The passage says any well crafted autobiography is literary so Life experiences do not led autobiographers to conclude anything on well-crafted autobiography



B. Challenge the belief that Du Bois' Autobiography is structured chronologically



-- Life experiences do not led autobiographers to challenge the belief that WDuBois autobiography is structured chronologically



C. Adopt the style used by Du Bois in his earliest writing

--No where it is mentioned that black autobiographers adopted style used by WDuBois



D. Question whether autobiography is a special kind of historical narrative

-- Life experience do not imply questioning whether autobiography is special kind of historical narrative



E. Experiment with the techniques of fiction in their autobiographical writing

-- This looks good as the the illustrative examples of life experiences include producing a vernacular narrative that captures an authentic speaking voice and Another being novelistic narrative,

This is the answer





5. The author expressly names each of the following places EXCEPT



A. the town where Du Bois was born

-- mentioned in para 3 as "his birthplace "by a golden river and in the shadow of two great hills" in Great Barrington, Massachusetts"



B. the city in which Du Bois started writing his autobiography

--City when WDubois started writing is not mentioned

this is the answer



C. the country where Du Bois became a voluntary exile

-- mentioned in Para 2 "A case in point is the Autobiography of W. E. B. Du Bois, completed in 1960 when the Black sociologist and leader was over ninety and a voluntary exile in Ghana."



D. two continents that Du Bois crossed during the fifteenth journey of his career

-- Moscow, Prague are mentioned which is part of Asia and Europe and journey was not the latest but traced by the successive journeys that often traverse terrain previously covered



E. several national capitals to which Du Bois journeyed

-- mentioned in Para 3 "Only after these factors are set forth does the narrator return, via the cities of Prague, Moscow, and Peking, to the beginning: "





6. Of the following, which best describes the author's attitude toward autobiographies that extend "beyond the limits of the standard historical narrative" (Highlighted)?



A. acceptance

-- It denotes author's acceptance as the word usage is beyond limites. Also the author at end of passage mentions that WDuBois found the right narrative and is telling truth he lived over a century

This is the answer



B. indifference

-- The tone is not of indifference and hence out



C. ambivalence

-- the author expresses by using beyond limits, authentic speaking voice, novelist narrative so it does not capture ambivalence



D. impatience

-- Author is not being impatient with the storytelling coming from life experiences



E. condescension

-- Author is not condescending anything here, hence out





7. The author states that Du Bois' Autobiography reveals which of the following about the narrator?



A. His sensed that his life experiences had been very different from those of most Black Americans.

-- Du Bois' experiences as a Black American did not change in some fundamental respects" and saying that he sensed that experiences had been very different is incorrect



B. He had recently formulated an entirely original sociological thesis.

-- An entirely original sociological thesis is not mentioned in the passage, hence out

Yet the tine also wavers in response to new historical forces, sweeping him and almost everyone else along on an altered path.



C. He had subordinated his lifelong interest in history to his emerging interest in literature.

-- No where the passage mentions that he had subordinated his lifetime interest in history and hence out



D. He felt that his life had been fundamentally altered by historical forces.

-- Para 3 says, "Yet the tine also wavers in response to new historical forces, sweeping him and almost everyone else along on an altered path" and hence we can say that he felt that his life has been fundamentally altered by historical forces.

This is the answer



E. He thought that he was the first American writer to exploit literary techniques in an autobiographical narrative.

-- Nowhere it mentioned that WDubois thought he was the first american writer to exploit literary techniques...he was one among prominent writers....hence out





8. The author implies that it was only in Du Bois' later years that Du Bois did which of the following?



A. Consciously perfected the expressive style that he began to develop as a young writer.

-- "Of special interest is the fact that such forms also are evident in the autobiographies of some prominent figu"



B. Exploited the expressive possibilities of narrative form.

-- We cannot say WDubois exploited expressive possibilities as the author say that the form was present but he has chosen not to unfold them. Hence out



C. Evaluated the significance of his accomplishments as a Black leader.

-- Nowhere it is mentioned that WDuBois evaluated significant of his accomplishments as a black leader and hence out



D. Revisited his birthplace.

-- Para.3 says that "Only after these factors are set forth does the narrator return, via the cities of Prague, Moscow, and Peking, to the beginning: his birthplace " and "These dislocations in chronological time convey Du Bois' image of his life as a long spiral." Hence he revisited his birthplace can be safely implied

This is the answer



E. Transcended his desire to formulate a coherent view of history.

-- Nowhere WDuBois expressed his desire to formulare coherent view of history...hence out
Sobs punctured a late-winter windy Monday afternoon at Averett University as hundreds huddled together to memorialize David Hanbury, a beloved professor who died over the weekend.

Hanbury was in Orlando, Florida, for the Southeastern Psychological Association Conference. He was supposed to chair a session Saturday morning but never made it.

His disappearance ignited a social media sharing blitz with colleagues and friends franticly trying to make sense of what was happening.

Authorities in Orlando responded to a gym-style club sometime Saturday for the report of an unattended death, Andrea Otero, a spokesperson with the Orlando, Florida, Police Department, told the Register & Bee in an update Monday.

Thats where they found 38-year-old Hanbury dead.

The investigation into his death does not appear to be suspicious at this time, Otero said. The cause of death will be determined by the Orange County Medical Examiners Office.

Hanbury, who came to Averett in 2015, was an assistant professor of psychology and co-chair of the universitys psychology department.

He quite literally was my rock at Averett, Maiju Hyvarinen, a senior at the school, said of Hanbury. He really pushed me to do better in the classroom, outside of the classroom.

For Ashley Navarro, a fifth-year student, Hanbury nudged her to add on a second major of psychology on top of her nursing pursuit.

Without him, I feel like I wouldnt be the person I am today, she said.

Hosted outside of the student center Monday, hugs abounded in the simple and informal memorial service. There was one table with photos, flowers and small candles. Another table nearby held pieces of paper attendees were encouraged to use to write a message to Hanburys family.

Your presence speaks volumes this evening, Averett University President Tiffany Franks said to open the service. Because we come together this evening as one family  as Davids extended family  at a time of mourning.

She said the university was united in both grief and sorrow.

Yet were bound by the memories and legacies of Dr. Hanbury, she said as tissues were used to wiped the tears from the faces of students and facility members.

We give thanks for all that he meant to Averett and for the remarkable difference that Dr. Hanbury made in this world, she noted.

Dr. Hanbury was more than a professor, she continued. He was a beacon of warmth and kindness, always ready with a smile and a welcoming embrace.

Franks said Hanbury always made people feel valued.

His dedication to his students knew no bounds, she explained.

Hyvarinen knows that firsthand.

There were so many times I wanted to give up, she said in an interview after the service. I didnt want to be here anymore.

Hanbury told her that she was capable of doing anything.

Without him I dont think I would be graduating, Hyvarinen, herself having to wipe away tears, said.

He really pushes you to be the best version of yourself inside and outside of the classroom, Navarro said of the professors impact.

Franks said she doesnt believe a true educator ever dies.

The body may leave us, but their influence definitely continues to live in each of us, in each of you, she said.

His life will continue to give for generations to come, she continued. Thats because of the difference he made while he was here.

Averett Universitys chaplain Sean Timmons thanked folks for coming out and then offered a prayer for the professor, mentor and friend.

We gather with our hearts in our hands, heavy and broken, he said. We raise our voices in search of understanding. Why him? Why now?

Timmons said those questions echo through the souls of everyone looking for answers.

Often in our efforts we will only find fragments, his said in prayer, calling it a mosaic of uncertainty.

And yet, today, we claim our right to seek, he continued. We dare to question for our hearts ache and our minds wrestle.

Attica Bundy, the director of counseling at Averett, talked briefly about how students and staff members can cope with the tragedy.

Grief comes in stages, she explained, noting many people are still in shock.

You might even question God, Bundy said. You may feel angry irrigable, sad or even numb.

Grief oftentimes can sneak up, like during a walk across campus or while sitting in class.

Thats where tears can suddenly flow out of the blue.

Noting the counseling services will be available all week for private sessions or in groups, she encouraged students to keep a normal routine.

Take good care of yourself and find ways to memorialize Dr. Hanburry, she said.

As the speaking portion ended, a glimmer of sunlight started to peak through the clouds, almost illuminating the table with a photo of Hanbury and dozens of candles.

Attendees were invited to the table to light a candle in his honor as instrumental versions of Wind Beneath My Wings and Candle in the Wind played through speakers.

Dr. Hanbury will greatly be missed by us all, Franks said.

Hyvarinen and Navarro said they will miss his personality and jokes the most because no matter what, Hanbury was always able to put them in a good mood.

His love of dogs also caused both to smile when asked to share their fondness memory.

I think my happiest memory with Dr. Hunbury was he brought his dog to class and we all fed the dog marshmallows, Hyvarinen, with her tears suddenly turning into a smile and slight laugh, said. That was the best day.

Photos: Averett University remembers professor
The Center for Creative Leadership said Monday that a data breach in August may have caused the release of personal information, including Social Security numbers, medical and bank account numbers, that may affect employees, customers, grant participants and contractors.

The Greensboro nonprofit group is the latest in a series of Triad companies to have experienced a data breach.

CCL said that for its employees, the information potentially accessed or acquired may have contained employees or dependents Social Security number, or employees drivers license, bank account information (for direct deposit) or medical information related to workers compensation or family or medical leave.

CCL said it detected an incident on Aug. 26 that limited the availability and functionality of our computer network.

The group said its investigation determined that an unauthorized actor accessed and acquired certain files contained on our network.

We determined that it is possible that some of the files accessed or acquired may have contained personally identifiable information related to our customers and participants, or our U.S.-based contractors, vendors, and employees.

As we learned more through our investigation, on Nov. 7 we began notifying by email customers that we determined may have been impacted, CCL said. We have also continued our work to put in place additional safeguards to further protect and monitor our systems.

CCL said for more information, people are asked to 866-495-6513 from 9 a.m. to 6:30 pm weekdays. Clients with questions are asked to email to IncidentInquiries@ccl.org.

Other data breaches

The parent company of Golden Corral said in early March that a data breach on Aug. 11-15 may have caused the release of personal information, including Social Security numbers and bank account numbers, of current and former employees, their dependents and beneficiaries.

The Raleigh-based restaurant chain said it is unaware of any misuse of the information and is providing notice to potentially affected individuals out of an abundance of caution. The company did not say how many employees were affected and whether it was providing services to those employees.

The chain conducted a review of the data breach that was completed Jan. 26. It began notifying affected individuals on Feb. 16.

The names and Social Security numbers of about 57,000 Bank of America customers, including 3,258 in North Carolina, may have been exposed in a data breach, according to bank notifications to the N.C. and Maine attorney generals offices.

The N.C. Attorney Generals office was notified Feb. 2 by a customer-warning notice from Infosys McCamish Systems LLC of Atlanta. Yahoo Finance reported the cyberattack was done by a ransomware group known as LockBit. Infosys provides services for deferred compensation plans, including plans serviced by Bank of America in which customers based in Maine are participants.

VF Corp. reported Jan. 18 that hackers were able to steal the personal data of at least 35.5 million customers during a December cyberattack. The breach disrupted its distribution operations, including its ability to fulfill customer orders that played a role in lower quarterly sales.

HanesBrands Inc. disclosed in a May 31, 2022, regulatory filing that it began experiencing a ransomware attack on May 24, 2022.

Ransomware is a type of malicious software employed by hackers that can block access to a computer system until a ransom is paid. In recent years, the targets have shifted from individuals to governments, companies, nonprofits and health care systems.

HanesBrands said the ransomware attack affected its global supply-chain network and ability to fulfill customer orders for about three weeks.

HanesBrands reported receiving at least $20.5 million in insurance compensation in 2023 for the 2022 ransomware attack that cost the manufacturer about $100 million in global sales.

Atrium Health and Novant Health Inc. were notified in September of being victims of an apparent data breach by the cybercriminal group Russian Clop, according to media and healthcare industry reports. The breach occurred May 28-29 over the Memorial Day holiday period and also involved software groups Progress Software and Microsoft subsidiary Nuance Communications, according to the companies.

Although the breach was discovered on May 31, Nuance said that around July 10 it confirmed that certain individuals personal information was affected by the incident. Impacted customers were notified.

Neither group has said how many North Carolina consumers have been affected.

In February 2023, Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC, which has more than 550 employees in Winston-Salem, disclosed a data breach affecting the personal information of its 2,300 workforce in five states.
Happy Tuesday. Plenty of time to fill out those brackets.

Bless her heart, but the 83-year-old struggling to recover from a broken arm has better things to worry about other than a recent money grab by a North Carolina grocery.

She had been hospitalized for more than about a week and then had to move into a short-term rehab facility.

Regaining the ability to stand, preserving her independence and finally getting to go home should top the list.

Instead, shes disturbed by the fact that her local Harris Teeter decided to start charging a fee for cashback transactions at the register  75 cents for cash withdrawals up to $100 and $3 for getting more than $100.

Food prices are bad enough, she said while waiting for the NCAA Tournament brackets to be revealed. Now this. When is enough enough?

Solid question.

No one should be surprised at such a thing. If theres a way to beat an extra nickel out of weary consumers, big business will find it. Customer service has largely gone the way of the dodo and providing little conveniences even at a small cost to companies just isnt done.

It seems to have been that way since the first gas station started charging motorists for air.

Tipping has gotten a bad name, too, as a noticeable backlash has been reported in recent months following a spike in automatic point-of-purchase tipping screens. Somebody always has a hand out somewhere.

And banks have been piling on fees for transactions for years, so why wouldnt a grocer pad its bottom line in a similar manner?

Its just the way of the world. Perhaps youve noticed.

Social media users and little old ladies alike have and theyre less than pleased.

HT is the only place I ever get cash, so this is going to suck, a Reddit user commented recently. Just gives me a(nother) reason not to shop there anymore.

The Teeter is following a time-honored playbook to deal with a public-relations problem. Issue a brief statement and hunker down.

Frustration and anger will blow over. And people have to eat.

Corporate Harris Teeter wrote in an email to The Charlotte Observer that customers have historically been charged a $3.00 fee for cash withdrawals exceeding $100 and the expenses in managing cash transactions have increased over time.

Didnt Wells Fargo say something similar after a recent usurious scandal? Its hard to say; they all seem to run together.

To ensure we can continue to offer cashback services, the company introduced a $0.75 fee for cash withdrawals up to $100, the Teeter statement read.

Still, despite notices being posted over keypads in checkout lanes, the move is equal parts jarring and infuriating. At least they warned us.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and we appreciate your understanding, the checkout signs read.

Try telling that to a ticked off senior who just got nicked 75 cents for the convenience of getting $20 for bingo  after dropping $100 for four plastic bags of food.

Inches away from thoughts and prayers

GREENSBORO  A weekend shootout in a Greensboro neighborhood has left police searching for answers and pleading with residents to cooperate.

Again.

About 8:20 p.m. Sunday night, police were summoned to Berryman and Calvert streets in northeast Greensboro to investigate what surely must have sounded like urban warfare to terrified neighbors praying for it to end.

Investigators recovered more than 70 spent rounds fired from four different weapons, police said. Bullets struck one apartment with people inside and two other unoccupied residences.

With some 70 rounds sprayed indiscriminately in a residential neighborhood in a matter of seconds, its a miracle (or dumb luck) that no one was injured.

Absent surveillance video that captured automobile license plate numbers  still a possibility albeit remote  police were left with little recourse other than to offer cold cash for information.

Again.

Residents who might know something are asked to report any illegal guns to the Guilford County Gun Stoppers program, which pays a minimum $250 per weapon to anyone who reports an illegal gun that leads to an arrest by city police or the Guilford County Sheriffs Office.

Good luck with that. We hope it works.

Meanwhile, its only a matter of time  or inches  before another corner shooting results in tragedy and another round of toothless thoughts and prayers.
When Mai Whelan beat out 455 competitors to win $4.56 million dollars on Squid Game: The Challenge  the reality competition series based on the award-winning Netflix K-drama  minus the deaths!  she had all kinds of options to go away to luxurious destinations. But she surprised fans with her choice. I asked my husband, Jay, to pick a cabin where I can go for walks and spend time with the dogs, she said. We found a place in Seaman, Ohio, with 80 acres of land for the dogs to run free and for me to stroll with my husband. It was a perfect, serene setting  and I didn't have to socialize with anyone. I slept a lot for a week, took strolls, wrote and ate.

Q: What was it like shooting The Challenge in London?

A: Filming in London was amazing. I had the chance to see behind the scenes how they film. It required a lot of people from different departments, such as costumes, catering, welfare, camera, sound, interviewers and much more. Everyone wore a microphone 24/7, except when we went to sleep and showered. The staff left the players to do what is natural  living out our lives in an enclosed environment and playing games. I did not keep my eyes on the prize, but it was more like keeping my eyes on my opponents. Even though we were forming friendships, I kept my guard up for any surprises that may come my way.

Q: What stands out about some of the places that you have lived in?

A: I was in the Navy for 20 years so I have lived in Charleston, South Carolina  it has history, friendly people, by the water, good food. Meridian, Mississippi  I was scared after watching the movie Mississippi Burning. I didn't want to go there. Honolulu  beautiful beaches, weather was nice, but I had island fever. La Maddalena, Italy, my favorite place  friends, people, good food, beautiful scenery, relaxing culture, family oriented. London  food was bland, very formal culture, rained a lot, beautiful scenery. Chicago  good food, nice scenery, very cold.

Q: How long did you live in Chicago?

A: I met my husband, who is a chef, [in Chicago]. We started as a catering business, MyChefCuisine, and then opened a restaurant offering six to 12 gourmet courses paired with wine. During the recession of 2008, we lost our business. Chicago was known at the time to tax small business owners heavily. We, unfortunately, took a heavy blow.

Q: You were young when your family fled from Vietnam to Pennsylvania. Was assimilating difficult for you?

A: At eight years of age, it was an easy transition because I knew little about Vietnamese culture, but I did know how to respect my elders. My views conflicted with my mom's and older siblings at times. The hardest was learning English, because there are so many tenses. In Vietnamese, we have general, formal and no tenses.

Q: Have you been back to Vietnam?

A: I returned to Vietnam for the first time in October 2023 to reunite with my lost brother. After 48 years, we have finally met.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?

A: La Maddalena, Paris, London, Bruges (Belgium) and Kennebunkport (Maine).

Q: You won quite a bit of money on Squid Game: The Challenge. Will you take a dream vacation with some of the prize?

A: My dream vacation is going to the Maldives. But my goal is to take the winnings and do something good by forming a nonprofit to promote causes that have been near my heart for some time now  the underprivileged, animals and the environment.

Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A: I need a straightener to tame my curls, glasses, floss, toothbrush and rosary.

Q: What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?

A: My best vacation was touring Europe for 30 days backpacking with my kids. There hasn't been a bad vacation to date. Even if there was, we somehow found a way to make it better.

(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and travel writer. You can respond to this column by visiting her website at www.jaehakim.com. You may also follow Go Away With on Twitter at @GoAwayWithJae where Jae-Ha Kim welcomes your questions and comments.)
Carroll College unveiled its new Corette Library and Simperman Learning Commons filled with study rooms, a 24/7 area and a podcasting room to students on Monday.

Students returned from spring break to see a newly remodeled library on their campus that offers them new ways to study for their courses.

Library director Jennifer Oates said everyone is excited to see it almost completed. The main portions of the library are finished and available to students, but some rooms like the podcasting room and some of the lecture rooms are still being put together.

The bottom level of the library remodel began in 2018 and was finished in 2019, but the newest addition on the main floor was planned a couple of years prior to its completion earlier this year.

The newest remodel offers 17 study rooms for students, with views of Montana scenery and Nelson Stadium after doubling the amount of windows in the facility.

The remodel was funded entirely through donations from Roy and Frances Simperman, the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Sunderland Foundation, Ron and Tar Rickman, Tom Harrison, Tom and Diana Dowling, and Jerry Berberet, among many other donors.

"This endeavor redefines our library as a modern venue for education, creativity and collaboration. It's a testament to the vision and generosity of Roy and Frances Simperman, and to the collective effort of our community," Carroll College President John Cech said.

Phase one was the lower level of the library, costing $1.88 million. The newest addition to the library is phase two, costing roughly $6 million.

The Simpermans contributed about 54% of the donations and M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust contributed an $800,000 grant toward the project.

New features in the library were made in response to direct student feedback. Oates said students wanted a 24/7 space, more study rooms and more windows.

The 24/7 space or the Fireside Room includes vending machines and a fireplace with security cameras that will monitor the number of students who use the space so the school can accurately accommodate their future needs.

Due to some of the spaces not being complete, classes will not take place until the fall semester.

The Wi-Fi in the building has also improved, allowing students easier access to material online that they need for their courses, according to Oates.

Another space in the remodeled library is the Center for Innovation in Technology for Education, CITE, which offers students a multimedia space with a makerspace including 3D printers and a podcasting room.

"Our goal was to create an inclusive space that fosters innovation and collaboration. With these enhancements, we ensure our library continues to lead in fostering a vibrant learning and research community," Oates said.

Other additions to the library include a tutoring room, mobile outlets, and whiteboards and accessible bathrooms.

Colleen Blake, a sophomore who works in the library, said she is excited about the remodel because it encourages her to study and stay engaged in school.

She mentioned a running joke where she said she lived in the library is now more true because of the advancements.

One of her favorite things about the remodel are the windows, and she plans on experimenting with new features it has to offer.

A senior student at Carroll, Maria Bourekis said she loves the new lighting in the library and as a nursing student she uses the library every day.

She also likes the rooms with the whiteboard walls and tables.

The library's completion created a center for campus life, college officials said, and offers collaborative spaces to students making Carroll College a leader in innovative education and student support.
Lewis and Clark County commissioners have approved applying for federal funds to improve security at the county courthouse, and replace its current closed-circuit TV system from a Chinese state-owned company.

Jenny Chambers, Lewis and Clark County public works director, told the commissioners at their March 12 meeting the county is pursuing a Montana Disaster and Emergency Services State Homeland Security Grant to replace and expand the courthouse closed-circuit TV camera system, add contact alarms to first floor windows, glass break alarms and installation of an emergency backup power source for the camera system.

She said in early 2022 the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency did a risk assessment of the courthouse and recommended improvements. They included interior intruder-detection devices.

They also found the current camera system, manufactured by Hikvision, is not compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act, she said.

Officials later said Hikvision is a Chinese state-owned manufacturer and is susceptible to cybersecurity attacks. The grant application is for $121,350 to replace the system and increase security at the courthouse, Chambers said. No match of funds is required.

Support letters have been received from the Lewis and Clark County Sheriffs Office, the District Court Clerk, judges and the countys historical preservation officer. If the county receives the grant, the new equipment must be installed from Oct. 1, 2024 to Dec. 31, 2025.

Mac McCarley, maintenance technician with building facilities, said the cameras are less than three years old. He said the federal government has ordered the cameras from five Chinese companies be replaced and not online in any manner.

He said Hikvision for 15 years was the cats meow of camera systems. It was the cheapest, had the highest-quality camera. He said the vendor was also used by the city of Helena and that is how Lewis and Clark County came to use the system.

Commissioner Candace Payne said because it is seen as a cleanup that explains why no match is required.

Justin Webster, emergency manager with Montana DES said in a telephone interview Monday the funds are to be used for efforts to prepare against terrorism, adding that courthouse and election security and cameras can fall into that category.

Webster said not every Montana courthouse with Chinese-made cameras will go the route of removing them, but they would have to in order to get any federal funds for the security upgrades. He said there was no mandate ordering agencies to address this but if want to use federal funds, you cannot use federal funds for Chinese-made cameras.

Those who use their own money and want to buy Chinese cameras still can, he said.

McCarley said at the March 12 commissioners' meeting the assessment also showed weaknesses where there is no coverage such as inmate travel, some stairwells. He said the main concern from the evaluation was a lack of electronic surveillance in the corridor between the jail and the courthouse and poor lighting in that area.

It will also have cameras that will cover the parking lots and angle parking.

 over my tenure we have had many requests from law enforcement agencies looking for footage for incidents that happened in those areas that we couldnt provide, McCarley said.

Sounds like much-needed repair, Payne said. The commissioners then voted 3-0 to pursue the grant.
Veterans are invited to join Montana VA virtually for a town hall 5-6 p.m. on Thursday to discuss updates on policies, programs and services.

This town hall will discuss a variety of issues from travel benefits, mental health resources, the new PACT Act expansion (www.va.gov/PACT), and more.

Duane Gill, Montana VAs interim executive director, will host and discuss how policies and programs have evolved and answer questions from veterans.

We are looking forward to updating Montana veterans on our latest policies and programs, said Gill.

The town hall conversation is accessible virtually either by calling in or livestreaming. To join, veterans and their families should call in at 866-478-3358 or livestream the townhall at www.access.live/MontanaVATownHall or from Montana VAs Facebook page.

Program experts will share overviews of their services and resources for the first section of the town hall. The final 30 minutes are reserved for a question and answer period.

Montana VA Health Care System serves over 47,000 enrolled veterans across Montana with a staff of 1,400 at 18 sites of care across the state.
In a letter to the editor, (Helena IR, March 9) Dr. Crichton wrote about our shared history, attending UM, learning from the same teachers before our paths diverged, he to medicine, me to law.

He offered a long discussion of the history of Nazi government, pondering about how an enlightened country as Germany could produce a Hitler. I am not going to question his research. Could be that he was not looking hard enough.

Just a few facts. Discrimination against the Jewish people in Germany did not start with Adolf Hitler. It was there centuries before Hitler. For example the village of Oberammergau conducted a Passion Play every ten years since 1680 and in it, until after World War ll, the Jewish people were blamed for murdering Jesus.

Germany was ripe for Hitler. It had endured extensive devastation at the end of the war, was hit with enormous financial reparations, lost land to France and lost its overseas colonies. As the people struggled, the Depression hit.

There were enough grievances to go around and Hitler capitalized on them, putting the blame on the Jewish people, about 10% of the population who were different, in their dress, their religion, their language and in the holidays they celebrated. Hitler practiced identity politics. He called out Jewish people making them the scapegoat for all the wrongs in Germany.

Sound familiar? Same language now spouted by Donald Trump. Trumps targets are immigrants but the same theme prevails. All that is bad in society is due to the presence of immigrants. His solution is to round them up and put them in detention camps, then deport them to their countries of origin. Some of the language and some of Trumps solutions all trace back to Hitler.

What bothers me? I write because I am concerned about the direction this country is taking. I love Democracy, the right to vote, the right to speak freely, the right to organize and peacefully protest. To attend meetings and to be informed about the subject at hand and to express any opinion I have. I love the fact that we have an open and free press which informs us of all the news.

I look at Trump and his portion of the Republican Party and how it has been changed. How this party which was strongly in support of our international presence is now headed by an individual who believes in isolationism. Just a few years ago Republicans saw Russia as a threat and NATO the strongest of our allies. Now this party has reversed its priorities, embracing Putin and Russia and turning on our allies.

What bothers me is that our progress towards racial equality and justice are being reversed as Trump aligns himself with the white Christian Nationalist movement. On January 6, Trump used two such groups as his own storm troopers. What is bothering me is that womens constitutional rights have been stripped away and there will be more to come as Trump embraces conservative Christian doctrine, which will be applied to everyone.

What bothers me most is what is happening here mirrors what happened in Germany in the 1920s and 30s. Everyone knew what Hitler was and what he was about. What he said and wrote was ignored, justified by excuses. Hitler was given power and we all know what happened. Many in Germany knew what Hitler would be.

It frightens me when I see this start to play out here. We know who Trump is. We know what his plans are. If his words alone are not enough, there are numerous prior staff members and news paper columnists who are shouting and screaming about the disaster which will befall America if Trump regains power. He is racist, misogynistic, a liar and a fraud. He wants to be an autocrat. That is enough to describe the danger.

Too many people dont care, are willing to make excuses. Too many people are willing to have a strong leader who speaks his mind and will respond to their grievances. Too many people will close their eyes, hold their nose, cross their fingers and vote for Trump.

This is what bothers me, Dr. Crichton.
DECATUR  Authorities have identified the Decatur man who died Monday in an officer-involved shooting.

Macon County Coroner Michael Day said Rocky L. Dupin, 38, died at 5:44 p.m. in the operating room of Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel said during a news conference Monday evening that the shooting involving two Decatur officers occurred during the investigation of an armed robbery of the Decatur Discount convenience store, 898 W. Grand Ave., earlier in the day.

Brandel said two officers were seeking the suspect, who they were able to identify from store surveillance videos. Brandel said the suspect, who wore very distinctive clothing, was spotted walking with another man and a woman around 3:50 p.m. in the 600 block of West Grand Avenue.

The suspect, Brandel said, initially complied with police commands to get on the ground after being confronted by officers but then got back up and ignored commands to stay down and not move before reaching into his coat and pulling out what appeared to be a gun.

That is when the two male officers opened fire; the chief said he wasnt able to yet say how many shots were fired and how many struck the suspect.

The man's companions took off running after the shooting and Brandel, who did not identify them as suspects in the robbery, said officers were still looking for them and needed to talk to them.

Brandel said the shooting was captured on both squad car and body cam videos from the two officers, both of whom have been with the department for more than two years. The chief said he aims to release those videos to the public within a week.

The shooting is now under investigation by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation and will be headed by Lt. Lisa Mitchell of the Major Crimes Unit. Its protocol for state police to probe shootings by police officers, and the findings will be passed to Macon County States Attorney Scott Rueter who will decide whether the use of deadly force was justified.

Day said an autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday morning at the McLean County Coroners Morgue in Bloomington.

A look back at Decatur police through the years  1911 1911 1911 1924 1934 1939 1941 1942 1951 1960 1977 1990
DECATUR  Charges that a former Decatur hotel worker had stabbed a guest have been dropped by prosecutors.

Carl W. Scotts jury trial on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and aggravated battery involving great bodily harm had been set for March 11.

But the 42-year-old defendant made an appearance in Macon County Circuit Court on March 8 where Assistant Macon County States Attorney Timothy Tighe requested the dismissal of both charges.

Commenting on the case Monday, Macon County States Attorney Scott Rueter said Tighe wasnt left with any options that would have allowed him to proceed.

We could not find either the victim or witnesses to the stabbing, Rueter explained.

We believe that they were purposefully ducking service, but we dont know that for sure; its just our conjecture based on experience. So we could not get hold of our victim or witnesses for any trial purposes, and we had no choice but to dismiss with leave to reinstate.

The unusual circumstances of the case date to the night of Oct. 6 at the USA Inn, 3141 N. Water St. A sworn affidavit from Decatur police said cops had pulled over a vehicle in the hotel parking lot and the vehicle was going to be towed from the scene.

The 28-year-old driver and several passengers had gone into the hotel seeking rooms for the night when the cops, still in the parking lot, suddenly saw the driver stagger back outside. He and a companion were trying to keep pressure on a profusely bleeding gash to his neck that measured some five inches long.

The affidavit said officers pulled surveillance video from the hotel which showed two confrontations between the driver and Scott. In the second incident, the driver is seen to make a threatening motion with his fist and police say Scott, armed with a knife, responds by slashing at the drivers neck.

The dropping of the charges saw the defendant released from the custody of the Macon County Jail on March 9, but he was not a free man. Jail records show he was sent back to the Stateville Correctional Center to resume a 30-month sentence for a conviction of domestic battery involving bodily harm out of Sangamon County.

Scott had been paroled on that case on May 18, 2023, but the arrest in the Decatur hotel stabbing violated that parole. The defendant, who also has a previous conviction for attempted murder, is due to be paroled again in February of 2027.

2023 mugshots from the Herald & Review Lourash Hirstein Phillip Gehrken Joseph A. Williams Jetrevius O. Jarrett Edwards King-Woods Wilson Derrickson Colby J. Park
DECATUR  The primary election is here, but Macon County voters who head to the polls on Tuesday will find the options on their ballots are few and far between.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have already established themselves as the presumptive presidential nominees of the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively. And there are no statewide races for governor or U.S. senator this time around. This leaves just a handful of down ballot races to drive voters to the polls.

Turnout will be relatively low, said Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner. In 2022, we had about 23% turnout in the general primary, so well probably have about that or slightly less.

The numbers have borne that out so far. As of noon Monday, 1,510 people turned in vote-by-mail ballots and 1,418 participated in in-person early voting, which began Feb. 8. Macon County has just under 68,000 registered voters.

Tanner said that voter turnout is often dependent on how many contested races there are in a particular election. In 2022, Macon County voters had competitive Republican primary races for governor, U.S. Senator and Congress to choose from, for example.

(It) really depends on whos on the ballot and how much is contested, Tanner said. This particular election, theres not a lot of contested races.

The most lively race appears to be the Republican primary for Macon County coroner, where Michael Burkham, Jeffrey Kashefska and Whalen Vancil are vying to succeed retiring Michael Day. Democrat Tiffany Hall is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Republican voters in the 107th Illinois House District, which includes Blue Mound, Macon, Mount Zion and rural southern portions of the county, will have a choice between incumbent state Rep. Brad Halbrook and challenger Marsha Webb, both of Shelbyville.

Diane Couri-Whithaus is running unopposed in the Republican primary to replace retiring Macon County States Attorney Scott Reuter while Cheryl Wise is running unopposed to succeed retiring County Auditor Carol Reed. Incumbent Circuit Court Clerk Sherry Doty is also running unopposed in the GOP primary. No Democrats filed in those races.

Incumbent Macon County Recorder Mary Tangney Eaton is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republican filed to run.

Voters in the Harristown Fire Protection District will be asked to approve an increased tax rate of .40% of equalized assessed valuation, which is .10% higher than the current rate. The department is also asking for a separate .10% tax to support emergency medical services.

The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those planning to vote in person.

People who arent registered to vote but want to do same-day registration can do so at their polling place. But there have been some changes to polling place locations, so those who are unsure are encouraged to first go to the Macon County Building at 141 S. Main St. in Decatur to verify their polling place.

Regardless, Tanner said that people need to have two forms of identification with them when they register and one has to have a current address. For example, they can use a drivers license and a piece of mail or an insurance card.

People who are using mail-in ballots have until 7 p.m. to put them in their postal box or drop them off at the dropbox outside of the county building. The ballots must be postmarked by primary day, though election officials can receive them for up to two weeks after.

Despite a limited number of contested races in Macon County this time around, Tanner still encourages people to head to the polls or send in their mail-in ballots.

We just encourage everyone to get out and vote. There are a number of races in Macon County that do have contests, so its important that everyone come out and vote, Tanner said.

Lee Enterprises' Brenden Moore contributed to this report.

Where each Trump case stands Classified documents case Election interference Hush-money scheme Georgia election indictment Civil cases
Future of Minorities At Stake in Struggle Between Erbil and Baghdad

Dark clouds are gathering over Iraqi Kurdistan amid growing tensions between Erbil and Baghdad in view of elections to the regional parliament scheduled next June.

In a joint statement released yesterday, representatives of different Christian communities - including Chaldeans, Assyrians, Syriacs and Armenians -- express support for the decision by the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to boycott the upcoming vote.

This decision comes as tensions and concerns are rising about the legality and fairness of the electoral process.

The declaration, signed by key organisations such as the Hammurabi Coalition, underlines the common commitment to upholding constitutional principles and safeguarding Iraq's fragile democracy.

At the centre of the controversy is the 21 February ruling by Iraq's Federal Supreme Court (FSC), terminating the 11 seats reserved for minorities in the Kurdistan assembly: five for Chaldeans and Assyrians, one for Armenians and five for Turkmens.

Boycotting the vote is seen as a necessary step to counter "unconstitutional circumstances".

Stressing the importance of fair elections, the signatories reiterate the need for the process to keep to the legal and constitutional frameworks established in the Kurdish regional government and to be impartial and inclusive, free from external interference.

"We support the KDP's declaration and all efforts to protect democracy and keep a balance among institutions," which is why "any decision that undermines Iraqi democracy must be opposed."

Controversial sentence

The crisis was triggered by a ruling of the FSC to cancel the quota for ethnic minorities, including Christians, in the Kurdistan regional parliament.

Such a move is a further blow to Christians, already victims of the violence that followed the US invasion of 2003, which provoked the community's demographic collapse, from 1.5 million to just over 300,000.

This has been compounded by a clash between the Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad, Card Louis Raphael Sako, the country's highest Christian religious authority, and Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid after the latter revoked the decree that formally recognised the prelate as the country's Chaldean patriarch.

In the wake of the president's decision, the Chaldean primate temporarily moved the patriarchal see from the capital Baghdad to Erbil.

In addition to other critical issues, the FSC decided to abolish the 11-seat quota reserved for ethnic and religious minorities, including Christians, in the regional assembly, ahead of 10 June elections.

To critics, such a decision appears to be detrimental to the political rights of minorities that are guaranteed under the constitution.

This is why various political parties and minority representatives plan to boycott the election, which was set on 3 March, unless the ruling is overturned.

Kurdistan Regional President Nechirvan Barzani postponed it several times due to disputes between the parties.

Uncertain vote

Fuelling the controversy between the parties is the way in which the elections process itself and the dissolution of the legislature after the FSC deemed its self-extension "unconstitutional".

Since 1992 regional elections have been held every four years to pick 111 members of the local parliament, with the last dating back to 2018.

The vote was originally scheduled for October 2022, but was delayed due to disagreements between the PDK and its main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

After extensive bargaining the two parties eventually agreed to extend the mandate of the parliament by one year to continue negotiations on issues such as changing the electoral law and sharing taxes and oil revenues.

In May 2023, the FSC ruled that all decisions taken by the regional assembly after its extension were null and void, including the one aimed at reactivating the electoral commission to oversee the vote.

Last month, the court finally ruled that the Kurdistan Parliament should include only 100 members rather than 111 (excluding the minority quota) and that the elections should be overseen by the national electoral commission.

According to Dawid Salman, director of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission, there are 3.6 million eligible voters in the Kurdistan Region

The battle of religious leaders

The issue does not only concern minorities, but could undermine Iraqi Kurdistan's very autonomy and its pluralistic nature, which have enabled many to find refuge from violence and persecution in recent years.

Hundreds of thousands of Christians, Yazidis, and Muslims fled Mosul and the Nineveh Plain, finding a safe haven in Iraqi Kurdistan, when Islamic State group ruled over large swathers of Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2017

For Card Sako, who spoke to Rudaw, a Kurdish media network, the court's decision to scrap the quota for minorities in the Kurdish Parliament is "unconstitutional". He also expressed concern over the very reasons that led to the verdict.

"The ruling contradicts the law and the constitution, and does not honour prevailing customs. There are a lot of things that are not in the hands of the court," he said.

Not only Christian leaders, but the Shura Council of the Kurdistan Region, has come out against the FSC's ruling.

"The decision made by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court, in contravention of the constitution and laws, establishes it as a superior authority above all other powers, leading to a multitude of unfavourable consequences, encompassing legal, political, and social dimensions," the Shura said in a statement.

One consequence is the decision by parties linked to the Turkoman, Assyrian, and Chaldean communities to boycott the 10 June vote.

Considering this, the Shura Council expressed concern that non-participation in the vote would cause further political problems in the autonomous region, where a crucial, yet fragile balance exists between the various groups.

The council warns that "the parliament formed after the elections will not include representatives from these communities. Therefore, it is essential for the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court to adhere to the Constitution, exercise its privileges as outlined in the Constitution, and avoid infringing upon the privileges of other branches of power."

However, such an appeal risks falling on deaf ears, generating more confusion and divisions in Iraq (and Kurdistan), already touched by past tensions and conflicts between ethnic and religious groups.
Dr. Mark Garnett Recognized As Top Doctor

Dr. Garnett has been recognized as a 2024 Whos Who Top Doctor

Spearman, TX - The Global Directory of Who's Who proudly acknowledges Dr. Mark H. Garnett, D.O., for his exceptional achievements and contributions to the field of Family Medicine. Dr. Garnett, a distinguished alumnus of the University of Wyoming Casper, has made significant impacts in healthcare and his community.



Dr. Garnett completed his residency in Family Medicine in Casper, Wyoming, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Brigham Young University. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Practice, a testament to his commitment to excellence in patient care and professional development.



A highly respected member of his community, Dr. Garnett was honored as Citizen of the Year in Hanford County for his outstanding service and dedication. He is also actively involved in education and serves on the Board of Directors at Spearman ISD, demonstrating his commitment to shaping the future of healthcare and education. Also received 2022 Alumni of the Year for Spearman High School, and currently serves as the President of the school board.



Board certified in Family Medicine, Dr. Garnett has served as a medical director since 2001, overseeing the care of patients ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics. He currently practices at the Hanford County Hospital District, where he continues to provide compassionate and comprehensive care to his patients.



The Global Directory of Who's Who recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence in their fields and have made significant contributions to society. Dr. Mark H. Garnett's inclusion in this prestigious registry highlights his dedication to the field of Family Medicine and his impact on the community.




Gruver City Librarian Melyn Johnson Presents Newman Memorial Hospital With First Edition Book

Pictured are (left) Melyn Johnson with the Gruver City Library and Rhonda Hayes (right) with Newman Memorial Hospital

Gruver City Librarian Melyn Johnson recently presented Rhonda Hayes with Newman Memorial Hospital in Shattuck, Okla., with a first edition copy of the book entitled Hang onto the Willows and written by Ernestine Gravley and printed at Bison Press in Shawnee, 1958.



The foreword, written by John Wesley Raley, President of Oklahoma Baptist University: This book is essentially an authentic story of the life and experiences of a colorful, pioneer doctor who staked his claim at the turn of the century in the little town of Grand, Oklahoma Territory, county seat of old Day County, which was abolished by the statehood of Oklahoma in 1907 to become a part of present day Ellis County.



After he became highly successful, Dr. O.C. Newman, subject of this story, was asked what period of his life he treasured most. His prompt reply was Territorial days.



Here, in old Day County, the treacherous South Canadian River was to him a constant challenge with its raging floods, tricky quicksand bars, and breaks through the ice in winter, when he called on his patients by horseback or buggy. A man of less courage and determination could not have braved the deprivation and suffering of a raw, new frontier, to become a legend. But, as a pioneer of old Grand observed, it was because he stuck it out and hung onto the willows, that O.C. Newman became great. It was from this colorful and significant statement that the author took her title for this work.



I consider Ernestine Gravley a most excellent writer, sympathetic with the material she handles, and technically quite competent as well as capable of giving creative imagination to her work.



Johnson came across this book on the shelves of the Gruver City Library and thought it, being a first edition, belonged home in Shattuck. She contacted the hospital staff who said they would like to have the book. Johnson delivered it to Rhonda Hayes on Mar. 7.



The dedication, written by the good doctors wife, reads to our three sons, Roy, Floyd, and Haskell, and the pioneer and contemporary friends who gave of their memories. -Della Newman



Copyright is 1957 by Mrs. O.C. Newman, Shattuck, Oklahoma. Pen drawings throughout the book are by Augusta I.C. Metcalfe of Durham, Okla.

The book begins in 1886 with ten-year-old Oscar, the son of Mesheck Herdman Newman of Jaybird, Ohio, leaning on his hoe watching the local doctor drive by










Hansford County Commissioners Recognize Local Fire Departments

Butch Reed, Robert Whitaker, Latisha Barnes, Blythe Boyd, Aaron Boyd, Judge Tim Glass, Spearman Fire Chief Roger Close, Chris Sims,Tate Tyler, Tim Stedje, Wylie Maupin

On Monday March 11, 2024, the Hansford County Commissioners met for a regular meeting at the library in the Hansford County Courthouse.



The Hansford County Commissioner court awarded certificates of merit to Spearman Volunteer Fire Department, Gruver Volunteer Fire Department and Hansford EMS for their heroism during the Panhandle fires.



"I was extremely proud to pass out the certificates of merit for the Hansford County Commissioner Court to Spearman Fire, Gruver Fire, and Hansford EMS. These brave men and women are just a few that helped fight the Panhandle Fires. Hansford EMS covered calls in other jurisdictions including assisting firefighters until help from around the state arrived. Thank you to all of our Volunteers."---Hansford County Judge Tim Glass



Fire Departments and emergency crew from all over the Texas Panhandle came to the aid of our area communities to battle the largest wildfires in the history of the state of Texas.



The fires were so destructive they were reported on nationwide.



Hansford County emergency crew were on the scene with equipment and aid throughout the devastating fires.



The Smokehouse Creek Fire alone burned an estimated 1,076,638 acres (1,682.247 sq mi; 435,700 ha) in Texas and Oklahoma. It started on Monday, February 26, one mile north of Stinnett in Hutchinson County, Texas.



Other fires include the Windy Deuce Fire, which also started on February 26 burning 144,206 acres (225.322 sq mi; 58,358 ha), including a portion of Lake Meredith National Recreation Area.



In addition, the Grape Vine Creek Fire started 9.5 miles south of Lefors in Gray County, Texas on the same day, burning an estimated 34,882 acres (54.503 sq mi; 14,116 ha)



While most people are running away from the dangerous situation, emergency crew are rushing in. This is even a more incredible feat as typically rural firefighters are volunteers.



Thank you for your dedication not only to your community but to your state.




Share-riding giant Uber has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit brought on by Australian taxi drivers for $272 million, the fifth-largest settlement in Australia ever.

Maurice Blackburn, which brought the case on behalf of Australian taxi drivers and chartered drivers, announced on Sunday that the case, which was set to go to trial, will be settled, with Uber agreeing to pay $271.8 million.

The class action suit, which has run for five years, centres on Ubers launch into Australia before it was legalised and the impact of this on taxi drivers, particularly those who had paid for expensive licences.

The case was initially brought on by Melbourne taxi driver Nicos Andrianakis, and was expanded to include more than 8,000 taxi drivers and chartered drivers, who argued Uber had harmed them financially by operating UberX across the country illegally.

Uber issued a statement saying that when it began operating more than a decade ago, ridesharing regulations did not exist anywhere in the world, let alone Australia.

Today is different, and Uber is now regulated in every state and territory across Australia.

Uber has made significant contributions into various state-level taxi compensation schemes, and with todays proposed settlement, we put these legacy issues firmly in our past.

Uber resistance

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers principal Michael Donnelly said the settlement puts beyond doubt that Uber has now been held to account for the method it adopted upon launch in Australia.

Uber fought tooth and nail at every point along the way, every day, for the five years this has been on foot, trying at every turn to deny our group members any form of remedy or compensation for their losses, Donnelly said in a statement.

But on the courtroom steps and after years of refusing to do the right thing by those we say they harmed, Uber has blinked, and thousands of everyday Australians joined together to stare down a global giant.

When the case was launched in 2019, Andrianakis described the impact of Ubers launch on him and his family.

My family has always been into taxis, my father drove taxismy son drove taxis while he was at uni, he told the ABC.

But when Uber came to our shores illegally, like pirates, they broke every law, every regulation.

The settlement will finally put real money back into the accounts of people who have been devastated, Donnelly said.

We are extremely proud that thousands of people put their faith in us and Nick Adrianakis and allowed us to do what we do best  holding to account major organisations that we say inflicted mass wrongs on people, he said.

This case succeeded where so many others have failed. In Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, cases were brought against governments and all of them failed.

What our group members asked for was not another set of excuses  but an outcome  and today we have delivered it for them.

A win for taxi drivers

The class action alleged that the drivers had lost income and the value of their licences for taxis, hire cars, limousines, and charter vehicles because of the launch of Uber into Australia when it was unlicensed.

Uber first launched its UberX service in Australia in Sydney in 2012, initially doing so outside of the law.

The ACT became the first Australian jurisdiction to legalise ridesharing in 2015, followed by New South Wales and then the rest of the country.

When ACT began regulating Uber, it cut taxi licence fees by 50 per cent in the first year then another 50 per cent the following year, meaning it dropped from $20,000 to $5,000.

The territory government also required ridesharing drivers to pass various safeguards such as criminal and driver history checks.

In late 2022, Uber was ordered to pay a $21 million fine after it admitted to engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct and to making false or misleading representations to consumers following legal action brought on by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Uber admitted to misleading its users about cancellation fees if they booked through its Uber Taxi service.
Many residents across Cabarrus County are still angry over the revaluation notices they received earlier this year. Real property values increased an average of about 60%. The median assessed value for a single family residential home during the revaluation was $356,905, up from $210,000 four years ago.

Several people no doubt have been wondering what one woman raised aloud during Mondays Board of Commissioners meeting: I just have one question  why? she asked about the revaluation taking place this year during public comments.

The answer? Cabarrus had some wiggle room for when to conduct the revaluation process but not much. That is because the countys sales assessment ratio was 78.18% in 2022, according to a letter Cabarrus County Tax Assessor David Thrift received from the North Carolina Department of Revenue that year, which was shared with the paper.

Sales assessment ratios in essence provide an indication as to how effectively property and buildings are assessed for tax purposes. The goal is to have ratios as close to 100% as possible. The sales ratio study is an analysis of randomly selected sales to compare proximity of sales price to tax assessment, Thrift told the paper.

Counties had to conduct an appraisal by Jan. 1 of the third year following notification by the NCDOR. Since Thrift received the letter in 2022, the county had to schedule the revaluation no later than Jan. 1, 2025.

Per N.C. statute 105-286 (a) (2): A county whose population is 75,000 or greater according to the most recent annual population estimates certified to the Secretary by the State Budget Officer must conduct a reappraisal of real property when the county's sales assessment ratio determined under G.S. 105289(h) is less than .85 or greater than 1.15, as indicated on the notice the county receives 

The state requires counties to undergo revaluations once every eight years, though Cabarrus has adopted a four-year-cycle, which is in line with the NCDORs recommendations. Cabarrus last held a revaluation in 2020, so even without NCDORs letter, the next revaluation would have occurred in 2024, unless the board stipulated otherwise.

In an interview with the Independent Tribune after the BOC meeting, chairman Steve Morris said that in hindsight, the board could have delayed the revaluation another year, though it would have required making an exception to the every-four-years policy.

The law says you must do it a minimum of every eight years and if your property values deviate 15% up or down in any given year, and they sample it every year, they send you the letter" which triggers the three-year deadline, Morris told the paper.

Morris, who lost his reelection bid last week, said revaluations have been conducted every year he has campaigned. While it has never been ideal, this year has been different. Its never been as dramatic as this time, Morris said.

More than a dozen angry residents, alarmed by the revaluation notices they received, spoke during Februarys BOC meeting about what they felt were unfair and inflated values of their homes as a result of the revaluation process.

The people in this county cant afford this, one of the speakers, David Leonard, said. We cant afford this. The trough is empty.

During the February meeting, Thrift said the increases in assessed value appeared so massive because they reflected the real estate market over the past four years.

It is still too early to determine how much residents will be paying in terms of property taxes. The county commissioners will set the property tax rate later this year.

Several commissioners, including Morris, have expressed confidence that the property tax rate, which is currently 74 cents per $100 valuation, will be decreased for the next fiscal year.

I am one vote out of five (commissioners), but I think I can speak on behalf of the entire board that we are anxious to reduce that current tax rate as low as we possibly can, Morris told a crowd during a meeting at Hickory Ridge High School a few weeks ago.

The commissioners can set the property tax rate to revenue neutral, which means the revenue brought in by property taxes in a revaluation year would be approximately the same as if the revaluation had not taken place, after an adjustment for average annual growth. The revenue neutral tax rate does not mean that an individuals tax bill will not change, Thrift said during the February meeting, as it is not property specific.

People have until May 7 to appeal their revaluation notice. Just under 5,000 residents have currently filed an appeal, Thrift said.

Once the county looks into each individual request and responds, residents will then have 30 days to decide if they want to continue their appeal, which would involve the Board of Equalization and Review.

Tax bills with the updated values will be mailed to property owners in July 2024 and are due by early January 2025.
COMPANY NEWS: Initiative involves development of AI frameworks to expedite time to market and reduce the complexity of building and deploying infrastructure for generative AI

Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), today announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to create a new generation of transformational artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. Hitachi Vantara will develop a portfolio of solutions, Hitachi iQ, to drive targeted AI outcomes by layering industry-specific capabilities on top of its AI solution stack, so outcomes can be more specific and relevant to an organisations business.

As new and exciting data-intensive technologies like generative AI are spurring a goldrush to business transformation, these technologies are exacerbating the already-strained environments in which they run. According to a recent S&P Global Market Intelligence report, IT infrastructure is straining under the resource requirements of AI workloads. Only a third (32%) of respondents indicate their organisation is always able to support internal AI workload demand. Through this collaboration, Hitachi Vantara will be able to help address the needs of the market through the creation of hybrid cloud-enabled AI capabilities that facilitate faster, actionable insights.

As part of the Hitachi family, we have strong expertise in multiple industrial market segments including energy, transportation, and manufacturing, which makes it possible to accelerate digital transformation powered by AI, said Sheila Rohra, CEO of Hitachi Vantara. Successful collaboration is built to meet customers needs, both for today and the future, and this collaboration empowers us to integrate NVIDIAs AI leadership with Hitachi Vantaras expertise in future-facing hybrid cloud infrastructure solutions and services to help our customers establish a data foundation for innovation.

Built on NVIDIAs latest AI technologies and combined with Hitachi Vantaras next-generation storage platforms, the Hitachi iQ portfolio will feature solutions that address the needs of the market through the creation of AI capabilities that accelerate digital transformation in industrial and enterprise markets. Offered through multiple consumption models, Hitachi Vantara will provide customers with mechanisms to consume the data storage they need, all while providing improved on-premises performance and allowing for a better ROI.

A New AI-Powered Architecture

Powered by NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, the first offering under the Hitachi iQ portfolio will launch in the first quarter of Hitachis fiscal year. This offering will undergo NVIDIA DGX BasePOD certification and plans to feature NVIDIA DGX H100 systems and NVIDIA AI Enterprise software. Beyond that, the Hitachi iQ portfolio will also feature:

A high-end NVIDIA HGX offering - powered by NVIDIA H100 GPUs - and a complement of midrange PCI-E based offerings, consisting of NVIDIA H100 and L40S GPUs.

Utilising the Hitachi Content Software for File (HCSF) storage technology, Hitachi Vantara will be releasing a new Generation 5 based accelerated storage node, delivering fast storage solutions powering complex AI workloads.

Enterprises across industries are building AI factories to turn their data into intelligence, said Charlie Boyle, vice president of DGX platforms at NVIDIA. With solutions built with NVIDIA DGX infrastructure and software, Hitachi Vantara customers will be able to create AI Centres of Excellence to turbocharge their generative AI strategies.

Leveraging Hitachis OT and Industrial Expertise

Hitachi is transforming to meet the needs of the market. Last year, the company announced the creation of the Hitachi Generative AI Center of Excellence. As part of a broader relationship with NVIDIA, Hitachi will focus on the creation of OT-specific foundational models, becoming one of the first to create industry-specific generative AI models to help address the markets data-driven digital transformation needs. Additionally, through Hitachi iQ, Hitachi and its subsidiary and partner ecosystem will help customers discover the potential of what AI has to offer, improving their enterprise.

For more information, please visit www.hitachivantara.com.

Additional Resources

Connect With Hitachi Vantara
The 3G shutdown of Telstra and Optus could be delayed as the government noted that customers still using 3G services may be unable to access Triple Zero services.

Australian media reported that the government is forming a working group comprising Telstra, Optus, TPG Telecom, and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Authority (AMTA) to manage the switch from 3G to 4G "in a safer way."

The government voiced concerns that around 740,000 Australians have 4G handsets that are configured only to make voice calls over 4G except Triple Zero, which utilises 3G.

"The 3G network switchover was first announced in 2019, and will provide a more efficient use of spectrum by mobile network operators to boost capacity and data speeds," said Communications minister Michelle Rowland in a statement.

"However, the government is concerned customers in possession of particular 4G handsets may mistakenly believe their mobile device is unaffected post-switchover, as the handset could continue to operate normally for voice and data, except when trying to call Triple Zero."

According to Rowland, the government is informing customers who have older 4G phones, devices purchased overseas and brought into Australia, or those who have purchased via the "grey market" that their handsets may not be appropriately configured to make emergency calls following the switchover.

The government has warned users not to make compatibility tests.

The government strongly advises consumers against placing test calls to Triple Zero, given impacted devices will still work over existing 3G services until the 3G switchovers occur later this year, Rowland said.

Australian media reported the working group will formalise the approach by industry and will report its progress to the government.

If warranted in the public interest, options exist under law for the government to consider regulatory intervention  including proposals for delays to planned switchovers, subject to required consultation and procedural processes."

Telstra plans to shut down its 3G network on 30 June and Optus from 1 September. TPG Telecom retired its 3G network in January.
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More than a century ago, the United States Supreme Court defined limits on the First Amendment. In 1919, Chief Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously wrote that freedom of speech "would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic." Maybe a jurist in Missouri will soon say that the Second Amendment does not give one the right to spray gunfire into a crowd celebrating a Super Bowl win.

According to police affidavits, the man arrested for firing the first shots at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Rally told authorities he felt threatened, while a second shooter said he fired because someone was shooting at him.

According to The New York Times, experts suggest that even though the shooting left one bystander dead and two dozen people injured, the two shooters might have good cases for self-defense through the Missouri's "stand your ground" law.

Florida passed the first stand-your-ground law in 2005, expanding on what was known as the Castle Doctrine. The Castle Doctrine permitted the use of deadly force within one's home without first attempting to retreat.

Florida's stand-your-ground law stated "a person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony." Missouri's law mirrors the Florida statute.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, laws in at least 28 states provide that there is no duty to retreat from an attacker anywhere in which one is lawfully present. At least 10 of those states have language stating one may stand his or her ground.

In probably the best known, and most controversial, stand your ground case, Trayvon Martin was killed by George Zimmerman, a member of a neighborhood watch in Sanford, Florida. Although his lawyers originally sought a stand your ground defense, his defense team merely raised self-defense. In 2013, he was acquitted by a jury of six women.

Maybe less known, but equally disturbing, was the retired Florida police officer who shot and killed a man inside a movie theater after a dispute over cellphone use, reported The New York Times.

A jury of four men and two women found Curtis J. Reeves Jr. not guilty of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Chad W. Oulson in 2014, in a movie theater near Tampa.

Reeves' legal team argued that he acted in self-defense when he fired on Oulson, who had tossed a bag of popcorn on Reeves.

Missouri's stand your ground law was enacted in 2016. The mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl Rally could be a new test of those expanded protections. However, Kansas City already has a high-profile stand your ground shooting to contend with in the meantime.

Eighty-four-year-old Andrew Lester was charged with two felony counts of assault and armed criminal action after he shot 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, a high school student who rang his doorbell by accident

Yarl was trying to pick up his siblings around 9:45 p.m. when he mistook Lester's home for a home where his siblings were waiting. Yarl rang the doorbell, Lester opened the door and said "Don't come back around here" and shot Yarl in the head through the door.

Lester's trial is set to begin in October of this year, and could be a prelude to the anticipated Super Bowl Celebration stand your ground defense.
 Students will go to just about any lengths to get out of a test -- even outer space. So it was in Hemlock, Michigan when an enterprising student reported an alien invasion to avoid a math test, according to KTVZ-TV.

The student reported that ETs came from the skies in flying saucers and landed on the playground, and the rumors quickly began circulating amongst the student body on social media. But

Superintendent Don Killingbeck wasn't having it: "We have thoroughly investigated the situation, and there is no evidence of any alien activity on our school grounds," he said.

The prankster has been disciplined, he added. [KTVZ, 5/17/2023]
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Well, THOSE eagerly anticipated revelations certainly crashed and burned.

You may recall last summer a former intelligence officer told Congress that Uncle Sam maintains a covert stockpile of downed alien spacecraft and corpses. ("Doesn't he look unnatural?")

But now a wide-ranging report by the Defense Department's All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) declares there is zero reasonable evidence of a secret program to recover dead extraterrestrials and reverse-engineer their technology.

(Pay no attention to that low-level mechanic showing off a set of fifth-dimensional fuzzy dice. Or the decoded message "Tell my wives I'll miss them. Those &%$# flying reindeer came out of nowhere")

Depending on your existing prejudices, you may greet these conclusions with relief, vindication, disappointment or a skeptical outburst of "If they can't keep up with the defense secretary's hospital stays, what makes you think they'd know an alien autopsy if it bit them on the keister?"

The report raises as many questions as it answers. First, I realize unexplained sightings didn't really catch the public imagination until the end of World War II, but why did researchers look at military data only from 1945 to the present?

Perhaps they were afraid of going back further and unearthing deeply embarrassing scientific anachronisms.

Like, for instance, March 21, 1942 when Gen. Douglas MacArthur declared, "I shall return  perhaps five or 10 years before I even LEFT."

Or even September 23, 1779 when Captain John Paul Jones bellowed, "I have not yet begun to levitate!"

Second, why was there so little pressure applied to corporate executives at companies alleged to have concealed information abut collusion between the government and the private sector? ("Nothing to see here  especially if the invisibility shield finally started to work. We're innocent. Cross my heart and hope to die  but not by the Death Star. Anything but that!")

Third, why didn't the researchers focus more on whether friends and foes abroad have salvaged and adapted off-world technology? Perhaps they were spooked by the rumors that the newest Swiss Army Knife has a corkscrew, bottle opener and Elvis Abductor Ray.

Fourth, are the AARO investigators certain they want to get into a slap-fight with conspiracy theorists? ("Bravo on AARO's report. But WE studied classified and unclassified archives and reached the unassailable conclusion that conspiracy theorists don't exist!")

Fifth, exactly how many "well-intentioned" Defense Department goobers are wandering around speculating about misunderstood hearsay evidence, mistaking surveillance balloons for a Klingon Bird-of-Prey and getting the public all agitated  and is it feasible to bury the pensions of these "essential employees" deep beneath Area 51?

I've been fascinated by the possibility of extraterrestrial life at least since the early 1960s when NBC began airing Gerry Anderson's British marionette puppet series "Fireball XL5," so the report leaves me wishing for something juicier.

But surely no nefarious weapons makers could have found a way to bamboozle our intrepid investigators or otherwise prevent them from divulging incriminating evidence.

No, it was a grand day for America and mankind when the findings brought closure to this matter of national security.

"There is no reason to believe aliens have been among us or that anyone has surreptitiously made use of alien technology. No cover-up. Case closed. I shall now begin slapping myself for no discernible reason. And, oh yes, flapping my arms and clucking like a chicken. Cluck cluck cluck"

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Controversial author Harlan Ellison once described the work of Mr. Tyree as "wonkily extrapolative" and said his mind "works like a demented cuckoo clock." Tyree generated a particular buzz on the Internet with his column spoofing real-life Christian nudist camps. A lifelong small-town southerner, he graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications.
Atrium Health has taken another symbolic step in spreading its umbrella over Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and Winston-Salem by attaching the Levine Childrens brand in front of Brenner Childrens Hospital.

The branding change took effect Tuesday for all pediatric care services within Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, such as outpatient facilities, primary care offices, emergency departments and specialty clinics.

The official branding name is Atrium Health Levine Childrens Brenner Childrens Hospital.

Atrium said the branding change represents reaching a milestone within its childrens services.

The extension of the Atrium Health Levine Childrens name is the logical next step to optimize and continue to build the best of our pediatric services across the Southeast, said Dr. Stacy Nicholson, Levine Childrens president.

Atrium, based in Charlotte, acquired Baptist  Forsyth Countys largest employer  on Oct. 9, 2020. Baptist remains under the Atrium umbrella from an organizational structure.

Brenner Childrens Hospital and Health Service was established in 1986 through a gift from the Brenner family. In 2002, the childrens hospital moved into Ardmore Tower.

Lynn Brenner Eisenberg said the Brenner family is honored to be a part of Atrium Health Levine Childrens Hospital in the systems effort to enhance pediatric care. She said Brenner officials were the ones to inform the family of the branding change.

The Brenner family continues to support the amazing work of the team caring for children in this region. Were excited about this growth and the future of care for generations to come.

Were all still involved and thrilled with what the childrens hospital has become.

Eisenberg said the family recognizes that this is progress. This is what happens when businesses merge and take over.

We really hope that there wont be any pushback on the (branding) change. It will remain a community hospital and we need to continue to cherish what we have.

Brand change goals

The goal of the brand change, according to Atrium, is to unify its three pediatric-focused hospitals  including Beverly Knight Olson Childrens Hospital in Macon, Ga.  as Levine Childrens.

Levine Childrens is known nationally for our high-level of care and childrens services at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Atrium Health Navicent have played a crucial role in that recognition, since combining a few years ago, Nicholson said. We are thrilled to now align under the same name.

On the Brenners website, the branding change is touted as everything you know and love about Brenner Childrens Hospital and your pediatric care team is here to stay  now with even more. More access to care. More groundbreaking treatments and clinical trials. All with the continued confidence your child is exactly where they need to be.

The three childrens hospitals provide more than 703,000 primary care and 481,000 specialty care visits annually.

Levine Childrens also represents eight neonatal intensive care units, 668 beds and more than 900 pediatric providers.

Brenner is the only Level I pediatric trauma center in the Triad region and northwest North Carolina. Brenner features the Dale and Karen Sisel NICU.

It is a verified Level I childrens surgery center, the only one in the 68-hospital Advocate Health organization.

Alisa Starbuck, Brenners president and Baptists vice president of womens and childrens health services, said that by uniting with the teams across the Southeast, we will be able to deliver more coordinated care to those who count on us.

Starbuck also said that unifying the brands allows for expanding our research and education capabilities through Wake Forest University School of Medicine to discover new ways to treat pediatric illnesses and injuries and train the next generation of pediatric health care leaders.

In February 2022, the Levine and Brenner pediatric heart programs were combined into one unit.

As this combined pediatric heart program grows, additional specialists will be added to the team in Winston-Salem, according to a joint statement.

The most complex pediatric patients at Brenners now have direct access to Levine Childrens Hospital.

The Charlotte-based Levine Childrens hospital has a dedicated pediatric cardiac intensive care unit and a progressive care floor, serving as a step-down floor during recovery, with highly trained and dedicated teams.

Derek Williams, section head of Brenners pediatric cardiology, said the two heart programs have collaborated on care for several years.

Atrium is part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health  the nations third-largest not-for-profit health care system  which debuted in December 2022 representing the completed merger of Atrium and Advocate Aurora of Chicago and Milwaukee.
Jury selection began Monday in the capital murder trial of Mario Kennard Bennett of Rural Hall who is accused of the killing a woman in December 2018.

Bennett is charged with first-degree murder in the Dec. 12, 2018, death of Shantika Tika Lashae Dunlap, a mother of four. Prosecutors will pursue the death penalty against Bennett if he is convicted.

After James Dornfried, an assistant district attorney, questioned 12 potential jurors about their views regarding the death penalty, Judge Todd Burke of Forsyth Superior Court urged Bennett to consider a plea offer.

Bennett, 36, was first connected to Dunlaps death when he was arrested in Florida in 2019 and charged with felony larceny based on allegations that he stole Dunlaps Federal Credit Union card on Dec. 14, 2018. That was the day before Dunlaps body was found in a dumpster at 4843 Country Club Road in Winston-Salem.

An autopsy determined that Dunlap, 30, was suffocated to death. An arrest warrant accused Bennett of killing Dunlap on Dec. 12, 2018.

When Bennetts trial began at 10 a.m. Monday, Burke was told that Bennett hadnt accepted an offer under which he would plead guilty to first-degree murder and be sentenced to life in prison. At some point, prosecutors made another plea offer to Bennett, but neither they nor Bennetts attorneys discussed that offer in open court.

Burke said that Bennett should reveal his decision on the plea deal when jury selection resumes at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in courtroom 303 in the Forsyth County Courthouse.

He has had five years to think about this, Burke said to his attorneys, Dan Anthony of Winston-Salem and Keith Hanson of Asheville. Hes not being rushed.

Earlier Monday, Burke told the jury pool that prosecutors will present graphic photos and descriptions during the trial.

Bennett also is on trial on charges of concealment of an unnatural death and interfering with an electronic monitoring device, court records show.

Prosecutors and Bennetts attorneys will select 12 jurors and three alternate jurors to hear the case.
Yamileth Bazan was named the 30th president of Union College on Tuesday.

A 17-year veteran of higher education, Bazan currently serves as associate dean for student affairs at Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California.

She will succeed Vinita Sauder, who has led Union since 2014. Sauder will retire on May 31; Bazan is set to take over as president on July 1.

When Bazan does move into the president's office at Union this summer, it will be shortly after the school has changed its name to Union Adventist University.

"During my visits to the campus this year, I was blessed to experience the caring learning community that makes Union special," Bazan said in a news release. "The values and mission are lived beautifully by the faculty, students, staff and administration.

"It has been a sweet surprise to see God connect our paths," she added.

Bazan earned a Ph.D. in leadership from Andrews University in Michigan, and holds master's and bachelor's degrees from La Sierra University, as well as an associate's degree from Loma Linda University, both in California.

She has taught graduate-level classes in educational leadership and a seminar course for first-year students to help them succeed in college.

At Loma Linda, Bazan is responsible for all student services and support offices, which includes student organizations, the student records office, tutoring and other academic support.

Bazan and her husband, Daniel, an IT professional and entrepreneur, have one son, also Daniel, who is studying neuroscience at Northwestern University.

Students at Union, who met with Bazan in November, said she demonstrated compassion, empathy and love when she visited shortly after the death of a student in an accident.

"She will be a great president because she is both a strategic thinker and a great listener who cares deeply about the students and employees," said Student Association President Annelise Jacobs.

Gary Thurber, the chair of Union's Board of Trustees and the president of the Mid-American Union Conference, said he was confident that "God led the search process."

"The experience she brings in serving young people, mentoring them spiritually and building leaders is a perfect fit for Union," Thurber said in a statement. "She lives and breathes the mission and values of the Adventist church and this university."

And Sauder said she felt "Yami," as the new president likes to be called, had answered Union's prayers.

"I can retire happily knowing that I am leaving Union in the hands of someone so caring and competent," Sauder said.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
Michon Morrow officially became Lincolns 33rd police chief Monday during an emotional confirmation hearing where she promised the department would move forward as a team and be available to the community for the hard conversations.

Im excited. Im nervous, she told the City Council. Were going to work really hard to get it right. We recognize we might not always hit the mark, but what we promise is whether we do or we don't, were going to be available for the conversation. The challenging conversations to share our why, to hear the concerns from our community. ... We are going to be present and show up every day, regardless of what the topic of conversation is.

Her appointment became official Monday eight months after Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird named her interim chief in the wake of former Police Chief Teresa Ewins' abrupt departure in July. Gaylor Baird nominated Morrow for the permanent job last month.

Ewins, who was a commander with the San Francisco Police Department, was Gaylor Bairds pick to lead the department at the conclusion of a national search following the retirement of Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister in 2020.

Her tumultuous 23-month tenure was marked by controversies including allegations of retaliation against former female officers who filed lawsuits alleging years of discrimination and harassment, as well as questions about transparency that came under increased scrutiny before her resignation.

On Monday, city leaders looked forward.

As acting chief for the last eight months Michon affirmed what I long thought to be true," Gaylor Baird said. "That she is a wise, compassionate, collaborative, resolute and strong leader who is skilled at building the relationships that are at the heart of community policing and a thriving police department."

Morrow joined the Lincoln Police Department in 1995 as part of a victim assistance unit and became an officer in 1997. She was promoted to captain of the departments southwest team and then to acting assistant chief, a role made permanent by Ewins. As chief, she will make $180,000 a year. When she resigned, Ewins was making $187,460.

Gaylor Baird noted that between Morrow and her husband, who is also an LPD officer, the two have a combined 55 years of service to the department. Morrow's father also spent his career in law enforcement.

I didnt know Michons dad, James Joneson, but I feel certain if he were here today hed be incredibly proud of his daughter, as I am, she said.

Morrow was misty-eyed when she took the podium at the City Council meeting and thanked Gaylor Baird for mentioning her father, who died three years ago.

When she was nominated for the top job at LPD, Morrow laid out four priorities: recruitment, retention, resiliency and respect.

On Monday, she told the council that all LPD employees will move forward as one team, and her leadership team pledges to make sure all employees feel valued and supported.

She said the opportunities she had working for LPD and the city allowed her to raise an amazing family  she and her husband have two sons  and she wants those same opportunities for a new generation of officers.

My gratitude motivates me to make sure that we continue to support and value those that are serving here and set them up for future success, she said. Because someday I will retire, and I want to make sure that we leave this organization in good hands."

She said all the former police chiefs she has worked under were mentors, including Tom Casady, Jim Peschong and Jeff Bliemeister, as well as Brian Jackson, who served as acting chief and first tapped her as an acting assistant chief.

Except for Jackson, those former chiefs were not at the confirmation hearing Monday, but Morrow said they all reached out to her to offer support. Several former police chiefs came to Ewins' confirmation hearing.

The council unanimously approved Morrows appointment and gave her a standing ovation.

Chief Morrow mentioned she was nervous, said Council Chairman Tom Beckius. I am not. Chief Morrow has shown through her years of leadership dedication not only to the department but to the community at large as well.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
Nebraska Thoroughbred Hall of Fame member David C. Anderson has been talking about retirement for years.

The longtime trainer and breeder was looking forward to cutting back on his farm near Ashland, enjoying the grandkids and doing all the things retired people do.

But when Nebraska voters legalized casino gambling in 2020, his outlook changed in a hurry.

All of a sudden my phone started ringing, Anderson recalled in 2021, and I have a hard time saying no.

After falling to an unsustainable low, the number of Nebraska-bred foals has rebounded in the years following voter approval of casinos at licensed race tracks. That is despite what some in the breeding and racing industries see as a slow start to state-sanctioned gambling.

The number of registered foals in the state had plummeted from 189 in 2005 to 33 in 2019. In 2021, the year after voters overwhelmingly OKd casino gambling, that number grew to 96.

Anderson and some of his clients immediately went to Kentucky and bought a few mares that were with foal.

We went down there and bought six or eight, said Anderson, vice president of the Nebraska Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association and a member of the Nebraska Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Theyre 3-year-olds now and we have a few of them out here (at Fonner Park).

The number of mares bred, which some view as a better indicator, also is trending up  from 81 in 2020 to 130 in 2023.

But a breeding boom doesnt immediately translate to racing results. Thats because foals arent ready to hit the racetrack until theyre 3 years old. In 2002, there were 448 Nebraska-bred starters that went to the post a total of 3,231 times. By 2022 that had shrunk to 98 Nebraska-bred starters with just 490 starts.

I dont know if its a true indicator of the direction were going or not, said Zach Mader, president of the Nebraska Thoroughbred Breeders Association. I know there was a lot more excitement in 2021 than there is now. I think when we see the finished product (permanent casinos built), we should see larger purses and an influx of dollars into the racing business.

The measures approved by voters in 2020 were years in the making. The coalition that successfully got the measures on the ballot argued, among other things, that they would provide a badly needed lifeline to Nebraskas horsemen.

Youre going to start seeing a lot of people raising thoroughbred horses again, said Lynne McNally with the Nebraska Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association in a 2020 video promoting the measures. That part of the economy has decreased significantly  if this passes you will see that resurgence again.

The changes allowed for the construction of casinos at licensed horse tracks. Nebraska currently has six of those tracks.

But a combination of factors, including legislative and regulatory delays, have slowed casino construction. No permanent casinos have opened yet, though temporary ones are operating in Lincoln, Omaha, Grand Island and Columbus. Those generated $17.8 million in tax revenue in 2023.

Its kind of backed off the last couple of years because people in their minds dont see it moving forward quickly enough, so theyve taken their mares elsewhere to foal out, Anderson said.

State law requires tracks to run at least one race for Nebraska-bred horses each live racing day. Thats been a problem the past few years when the numbers were so low.

Anderson said the success of the breeding industry in the state has a direct effect on the success of horse racing.

Any state that has racing thats successful has a tremendously good breeding program, he said. They offer great breeders rewards and incentives to run in open races and different things like that. I want our breeders board to get the program off and running to this point.

Thats what Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak is looking for as well.

I'd rather raise a Nebraska-bred, he said. I dont care if I have three Nebraska-bred races a day. We need a strong industry in Nebraska for the thoroughbred racing, and having a strong breeding program is the solution.

Fonner Park was able to increase its purses by 20% this year. Thats a nice jump, but it wasnt enough to attract more trainers for its 31-day meet that opened on Feb. 17, or enough to compete with purses offered at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, or at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota.

We wished the whole process would have happened a little more rapidly in terms of casinos and money generated, Anderson said. I anticipated by 2024 our purses would be substantially more than they are, but it is what it is. I think moving forward our breed program will certainly grow.

Thats what Kotulak wants to see too. He said it will take everyone working together  the breeders association, the HBPA and maybe the Legislature  to get it all to work.

Were going to have more people raising horses, which means well need feed for those horses, more jobs, and then of course the money that comes from people involved with breeding and racing thoroughbreds, Kotulak said.

Judy Pryor, who has a horse farm near Omaha, is one of those breeders who would benefit from increased purses in the state.

She purchased a pair of stallions in 2021  Court Vision and Giant Expectations  for her 400-acre Pryor Ranch. But Pryor isnt doing it for the money.

The amount of money that you make, no matter if the purses are big or small, doesnt compare to the joy with the chores and the hands-on at home, she said. When you bred them and raised them from beginning to end  theres no price you can put on that.

The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
A disturbance in a kickball game led to the fatal shooting of a man a week ago at a North Omaha park and the arrests of two other men.

Taw Moo, 27, of Omaha, was shot in the stomach at Fontenelle Park near 48th and Pratt streets about 6:20 p.m., Omaha police said. He was pronounced dead at the Nebraska Medical Center.

Police arrested Chit Lay, 25, and Wah K. Say, 18, both of Omaha, on suspicion of first-degree murder, use of a weapon to commit a felony and being felons in possession of a firearm. Say was also arrested on suspicion of flight to avoid arrest. Both men were booked into the Douglas County Jail late Tuesday.

A witness told police that he was involved in a kickball game at the park when he noticed a disturbance in another kickball game being played nearby. The witness, according to an affidavit filed by an Omaha police officer, saw a man in his early 20s approach Moo with a handgun and shoot him in the stomach at close range.

The witness said the shooter and at least three other men ran to a white Dodge Challenger SRT with a black hood scoop that left the area westbound. Officers located a Dodge Challenger thought to have been involved in the shooting and attempted a traffic stop near 46th Street and Ames Avenue.

Near 66th Street and Grand Avenue, a passenger in the Challenger got out and ran. The passenger, a 17-year-old male in possession of a rifle, was captured following a foot pursuit.

The Challenger was being driven recklessly, a police spokesman said, as it eluded officers. The Challenger is alleged to have run several stop signs and red lights while being pursued by police cruisers and a police helicopter.

The helicopter pilot reported the Challenger being driven at speeds exceeding 70 mph in residential neighborhoods. At one point, the Challenger attempted to stop for fuel but took off when officers arrived in the area.

The Challenger eventually ran out of gas on Interstate 29. Say and Lay were taken into custody by a deputy from the Pottawattamie County Sheriffs Office.
A small group of health care professionals launched a ballot initiative Tuesday aimed at amending the state's constitution to bar most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies.

The proposed constitutional amendment, unveiled Tuesday by the newly formed Protect Women and Children Committee, would enshrine into Nebraska's constitution similar abortion parameters that already exist in state law.

The committee's proposed petition language, which has not yet been approved by Nebraska's Secretary of State, declares "unborn children shall be protected from abortion in the second and third trimesters" with the exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies.

In a statement Tuesday, the initiative's organizers  Mark Patefield, a Laurel pharmacist and member of the State Board of Health; Elizabeth Peterson, a nurse; and Jan Kuehn and Maureen Bausch, both retired nurses  said the proposed language "reflects Nebraskans' sensible position on abortion limits" while protecting women and their doctors.

"The vast majority of Nebraskans support well-defined, commonsense abortion limits after the first trimester of pregnancy," their statement read in part. "The use of established scientific terms sets clear parameters for women and their physicians, not inviting political interference."

The effort is meant to rival a ballot initiative backed by abortion rights advocates that would amend Nebraska's constitution to protect legal abortion care until fetal viability, generally considered to be around 23 or 24 weeks gestational age.

Organizers of that ballot initiative  formally launched in November by a group called Protect Our Rights, backed by organizations including the ACLU of Nebraska and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska  said Tuesday that the new ballot initiative "would enshrine Nebraskas current harmful ban in our state constitution" while leaving the door open for more restrictive bans.

"This competing effort is backed by groups that want to outlaw abortion in all circumstances and take away peoples ability to make the decisions that are best for their lives, bodies and futures," Jasmine Smith, an Omaha-based full spectrum & abortion doula and one of Protect Our Rights sworn sponsors, said in a statement.

"Our focus remains reaching Nebraskans in every corner of the state as we work to qualify for the ballot and make sure that every patient has the freedom to decide whats right for their unique situation," Smith said.

Nebraska's leading anti-abortion advocacy groups celebrated the new initiative's launch Tuesday, lauding the choice that the alternative initiative could afford state voters.

"The initiative being circulated by abortion advocacy groups to create a right to late-term abortion in the Nebraska Constitution is the single greatest threat to parental rights, the health and safety of women and the protection of innocent babies our state has ever seen," the Nebraska Family Alliance said in a statement Tuesday, referring to the Protect Our Rights initiative.

"This new initiative reflects what our Legislature passed last year and would keep existing laws protecting women, parental rights and babies who can feel pain in place while we work to create a culture of life that provides love and support to every mother and child."

Organizers for both initiatives will need to collect signatures from 10% of Nebraskas registered voters to get the would-be amendments on the ballot in November  a total that will require about 123,000 voter signatures, including 5% of registered voters in at least 38 of Nebraskas 93 counties.

Every successful petition or referendum effort for the past decade has spent $1.5 million or more on gathering signatures and campaigning.

Protect Our Rights organizers, who have been collecting signatures for four months, said earlier this month that they are "on track" to qualify for November's ballot but declined to share specific signature totals, Nebraska Public Media reported.

If both initiatives were to appear on the ballot and be approved by voters, it would be up to a state court to construe the conflicting language offered by the competing amendments, said Anthony Schutz, an associate dean at the University of Nebraska's College of Law and an expert on the state constitution.

"One focuses on mom. One focuses on unborn children," Schutz said. "The newer one is difficult to reconcile with the first, but it would probably depend on the case that came before the court. They are different provisions, and the newer one doesnt really purport to limit government. So Im not entirely sure how they would work together."

Both abortion-focused petitions will circulate around the state a year after Nebraska lawmakers voted in May to ban most abortions after 12 weeks gestational age, which is marked from a womans last period.

The restrictions passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jim Pillen effectively banned abortions in the state about 10 weeks after fertilization  less restrictive than a six-week ban that lawmakers fell one vote short of advancing last April.

A bill that would have added an exception for fatal fetal anomalies to Nebraskas 12-week abortion ban stalled in the Legislature earlier this month, failing to advance from the Judiciary Committee.

Top Journal Star photos for March 2024
UPDATE Nebraska Legislature tabs panel to investigate Halloran for workplace harassment

A Nebraska state senator facing calls to resign after invoking other lawmakers' names while reading a graphic description of a rape during floor debate said Tuesday he has no plans to step down.

Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings was rebuked by colleagues on both sides of the political aisle for his comments, which came during a charged debate over a bill (LB441) that would enact criminal penalties for anyone who provides obscene materials to minors.

Reading from Lucky, a memoir by Alice Sebold that recounts a brutal rape she suffered in college, Halloran repeatedly inserted the name of Sens. Machaela and John Cavanaugh, as well as Sen. George Dungan.

At one point on Monday night, Halloran, the chair of the Agriculture Committee who will be term-limited this year, interjected Sen. Cavanaugh at the end of a sentence in the book where the perpetrator demanded oral sex from the victim.

Machaela Cavanaugh, speaking shortly after, said Hallorans words were among the most cruel she has experienced during her time as a state senator. She also pointed out that others, particularly women senators, have given voice to their experiences of sexual harassment or sexual violence.

That was so out of line and unnecessary, and disgusting to say my name over and over again like that, Cavanaugh told Halloran on Monday night, asking for others in the legislative body to also respond to Halloran.

The Legislature then abruptly adjourned about one hour earlier than anticipated on the first day of late-night debate.

Theres times when we just have to step back from debate, and this is one of those times, Speaker John Arch said.

Overnight, the outrage on the floor quickly washed over social media, where Halloran faced multiple calls to resign from women in the Legislature, as well as Nebraskans across the state.

Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt, in a post to X, formerly Twitter, said she was angry that she didn't respond to Halloran on the floor.

"Honestly, I think Halloran should resign," Hunt posted. "He said that because he wanted to say it. It was beyond the pale. Pure aggression to read a rape scene out loud and put it like that. Broken brain."

Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar also called on Halloran, a fellow Republican, to resign on X, saying she would have more to say Tuesday morning.

"I know how this crowd operates," Slama said in a tweet. "Bet there's plenty of laughs happening as certain senators pretend it's funny to treat colleagues this way."

The temperature had not cooled by Tuesday morning when Halloran was confronted by a handful of protesters at the Capitol, where they called the Hastings lawmaker evil and deplorable, while others labeled him as a fascist. Some held signs calling for his resignation.

For close to five minutes, Halloran engaged with the demonstrators, explaining his rationale as the group derided and cursed at him outside the chamber.

"The reason I inserted the senator's name was this: It was important for them to be paying attention to what the transcript (said)," Halloran said.

"Oh, f*** you," one protester shouted. "Seriously?"

"They were not paying attention," Halloran said. "They were chatting and laughing with their colleagues."

In remarks to reporters moments later, Halloran said he will not resign.

He maintained that he had invoked his colleagues' names  "I was primarily talking to Sen. John Cavanaugh," he said  to draw their attention to the language in the book "so that they would understand that this should not be in schools."

"If you read the transcript, it's like a how-to lesson on how to rape someone," Halloran said. "Is that good? No. It's not good. That's obscene. And that's why I drew attention to it."

Halloran, too, seemed to question the merits of the calls for his resignation.

"If it offends senators that I called them out to listen to what's being said on the floor  if they're more worried about the sensitivities of those senators than they were about the sensitivities of the kids being exposed to these books, that's on them, and whatever they want to call me out for, that's fine," he said. "I'm an adult and I can take it. That's what this is all about."

Senators criticize Halloran during debate

Inside the chamber on Tuesday morning  Day 46 of the 60-day session  lawmakers spent more than an hour discussing Hallorans comments the night prior.

Every senator who spoke on Tuesday condemned Halloran for his comments but varied in how they wished to see his conduct addressed by the Legislature.

Ultimately, no action was taken.

Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad said everyone involved in bringing LB441, the priority bill of Sen. Joni Albrecht of Thurston, bore some responsibility for Hallorans comments, but she said the Legislature should not level a punishment at an individual member.

I do not believe we should support calls for censorship or expulsion for one of our own, particularly during debate about censorship and punishment, Conrad said. The antidote to speech we find offensive is speech, not punishment.

Conrad asked her colleagues to call out speech they did not like or disagreed with, adding that accepting free speech did not mean condoning what was said, but she reiterated she believed it is wrong to invoke governmental punishments for speech we find offensive.

Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington said Halloran was going for a gotcha moment during a charged debate, but his comments became aggressive and, ultimately, hurtful. She also said other senators conduct was wrong.

I was disappointed to see people laughing when Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh was discussing this issue last night, DeBoer said. And to the extent some of you found it funny to see another colleague in pain, I would ask you to do better.

Halloran apologized on the floor for using both Cavanaughs' and Dungans names, but said he would not apologize for reading the passage of the memoir, which he described as a blow-by-blow lesson on how to rape a woman, saying thats where people should direct their outrage.

He added that when the transcript of the debate is ready, it will be clear that he intended to get the attention of other lawmakers.

Hallorans harshest criticism on Tuesday came from Slama, who said his comments were wholly inappropriate no matter who they were directed toward.

If you were at any other job in the world and you got up and told your coworker in front of the rest of the workplace give me a blowjob and then you interjected their name into a graphic description of a rape, what do you think your company would do to you? Slama asked.

Slama, who has pushed for the Legislature to create a structure and process where allegations of sexual harassment and violence could be adjudicated, also said senators should provide an example to Nebraskans, particularly young Nebraskans, in demonstrating Halloran's behavior was not OK.

We owe it to the little girls watching at home who want to be something like this when they grow up, she said.

At the end of her time on the microphone, Slama said Halloran should be ashamed of himself and called upon him to resign  being the only lawmaker to make that demand Tuesday.

John Cavanaugh said Halloran missed the point of Lucky, which was trying to impart empathy to the reader for the authors experiences and not serve a prurient interest when he used the names of his colleagues to make a point.

You, in essence, sexualized the people you worked with for effect, he said, and thats what were talking about.

Machaela Cavanaugh agreed with Slama that the Legislature should have some mechanism to address inappropriate speech, adding Halloran had described the books contents to her and another senator in detail prior to speaking on the microphone.

When he says it wasnt directed at me, I dont believe him, she said.

And Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, through tears, described how people who have experienced rape could have been retraumatized by Halloran, particularly when he inserted others names into the text.

Von Gillern also noted that Hallorans conditional apology is still not a full apology.

After a little more than an hour, the Legislature moved on to its regular agenda.
Two weeks after advancing legislation that would allow the children of immigrants who entered the country illegally to serve as law enforcement officers, the Legislature on Monday had second thoughts.

The amendment to a bill (LB894) from Sen. Teresa Ibach requiring candidates for county sheriff to have attended and completed a sheriff's certification course was adopted with 36 votes on March 4.

But Ibach said several senators approached her in the days following to express concerns that allowing individuals with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status  better known as DACA  to serve as police officers and sheriff's deputies in Nebraska may have larger implications.

"While I understand the workforce issues facing law enforcement, I was not fully on board with attaching the amendment to LB894," said Ibach, who did not vote for the amendment but supported advancing her bill, "but I allowed the members of this body to vote their conscience."

On Monday, Ibach said giving recipients of DACA  which started in 2012 under President Barack Obama  the ability to be in law enforcement gave them privileges over those with green cards or work permits, which she told her colleagues was unfair.

Ibach also said a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court or action by Congress or a future president could end the DACA status, and consequently, remove the law enforcement certification of those individuals.

The amendment, she added, "opens a conversation that should be studied further."

Other senators said they thought the amendment was a good first step and indicated they believed it should stay on the bill, however.

Omaha Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh said a potential future where DACA is ended should not stop Nebraska from acting to provide opportunities for individuals who are lawfully present in the country.

"It seemed like a good place to start," Cavanaugh said.

And Omaha Sen. Mike McDonnell said the concerns raised by opponents that DACA recipients were prohibited from carrying firearms is not a problem for those individuals who serve in the U.S. military.

A handful of states, including California, Colorado, Illinois and Virginia, that allow DACA recipients to become law enforcement officers have found workarounds, such as requiring those officers to turn in their guns at the end of their shifts.

But Sen. Robert Dover of Norfolk and Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte  both of whom voted to attach the amendment during the first round of debate  said they had second thoughts.

Dover said Madison County Sheriff Todd Volk expressed concern that the bill would open up law enforcement agencies to lawsuits.

Rep. Mike Flood, a former state senator from Norfolk, took to social media after LB894 passed the first round of debate to say DACA recipients who become law enforcement officers "could be easily discredited in front of virtually any jury."

Jacobson said he did not "understand all of the ramifications" of allowing so-called Dreamers to become police officers when he voted in favor of the amendment, and said voters in his district responded negatively.

"The second house made it abundantly clear they do not want this," Jacobson said.

Wayne, who worked with Sen. Julie Slama of Dunbar on the amendment, said the Legislature found itself in "a weird spot" in giving overwhelming support to an amendment that the introducer who agreed to have it attached personally objected to.

He said he supported removing the amendment because LB894 was named a speaker's priority bill, which gives the sponsor more control over what makes it into the legislation.

Ibach's amendment nearly failed, however, as the vote count hovered at 24 before Wayne asked for a call of the house, requiring all senators to return to the chamber to vote.

Her amendment to strike the earlier amendment was adopted with 25 votes. Eleven senators voted against removing the provisions allowing DACA recipients to become law enforcement officers.

The Legislature then advanced the bill to the final of three rounds of consideration.

Ibach pledged to study the issue further after the session concludes and bring a more comprehensive bill in the 2025 legislative session.

Meet the Nebraska state senators making laws in 2024
OMAHA  Jennifer Eno had just clocked into work at her Omaha office when a construction worker appeared at her door holding a dusty pink wallet.

The man had been cutting through cinder blocks in the basement of the office building at 84th and Dodge streets. Inside one of the blocks, he found the pink wallet.

Now the man didn't know what to do with it. Would Eno mind taking it?

"Absolutely not," Eno remembers telling the man. "I'll take it and see if I can't find the rightful owner."

When Eno opened the wallet on that morning in April 2021, she found old school photos, a prayer booklet and a student ID for a Ronnette Smith from St. Richard Catholic School in Omaha.

It was enough information for Eno to begin searching for Smith on the internet.

It had a rightful owner and I just wanted to find who it belonged to," Eno said in a recent interview. "Obviously, it meant something to someone at one point in time. There were a lot of photos in there."

Eno, who worked in real estate at the time, is known for her tenacity and refusal to let things go.

Its a curse and a gift, she said.

There were a few false leads including one conversation with a confused man but Eno tracked down Smith's phone number and left her a voicemail. She also reached out on Facebook.

Smith, who grew up in Omaha and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, was shocked when she got the messages but yes, she confirmed, that was her wallet.

I didnt remember actually losing it or missing it but I do remember the wallet," Smith said. "I remember everything in it. I remember the people."

Smith said many of the photos were from her 1981 eighth grade class at St. Richard. The school, which was near 42nd and Fort streets, closed in 2009.

The pictures in the wallet brought back so many memories from my childhood," Smith said. "Looking at my belongings from eighth grade gave me chills. I thought it was miraculous. It had no money in the wallet, but the pictures were priceless."

Neither Smith or Eno have any idea how the wallet ended up in the cinder block. Eno took a video of where the wallet was found and sent it to Smith but that's one part of the mystery that has never been solved.

Eno mailed the wallet back to Smith, texting her shipping updates as it made its journey from Omaha to Atlanta.

Smith was amazed at how much effort Eno put into returning the wallet.

She did not have to go out of her way," Smith said. "She went completely out of her way to do that.

When Smith got the wallet, she took a photo of it in her mailbox and sent it to Eno. Smith said, despite the wallet being missing for four decades, the photos and the wallet itself were in excellent shape.

Smith and Eno's interaction could have ended there but instead the two women kept chatting. They talked about their families, their interests and hobbies. They exchanged cards and gifts.

"I've never had a friendship click that quickly," Eno said. "I've never just felt close to somebody like that."

When Smith and Eno talk about the beginning of their friendship, both women said it feels like they were destined to meet.

"We don't know each other," Smith said. "And a wallet, something lost, brings us together and we end up loving each other."

Last year, Eno and Smith met in person for the first time when Smith made a trip back to Omaha. They met at Lewis and Clark Landing in downtown Omaha and talked for hours.

Smith told Eno about how she was back in town to help her mother move from Omaha to Atlanta. Eno told Smith she wanted to help.

She said, I just want to be here for you, Smith remembered.

Smith told Eno before they even met, Eno had been there for her.

Eno and her husband helped Smith move her mom. And Smith mailed Christmas presents last year to Eno's grandson.

Smith, who is CEO of a nonprofit that aims to help level the playing field for students in Atlantas underserved communities, said she sees parallels between the work she does for kids and what Eno did for her.

Sometimes we all need to stop and remember that the kind things we do have more of an impact on others than we think, Smith said.

Smith and Eno have marveled at all the ways they could've never met. The construction worker could've given the wallet to someone else or thrown it away. Eno could've found the wrong Smith.

But once the wallet brought them together, Eno said they just connected.

"Shes such an amazing woman, Eno said of Smith.

"Shes a special, special person and Ive grown to love her," Smith said. "Things in life, we just dont know what doors will open.

Photos: Nebraska men's basketball vs. Indiana in Big Ten Tournament, March 15
1. Yes. The area is still in a drought, and long-range forecasts are predicting a hot, dry summer .

2. Yes. Despite modest rainfall, area lake levels are far below normal. Restrictions are likely.

3. No. Frequent rainfall has helped this spring. Unless summer is unusually dry, it should be OK.

4. No. The area was very hot last summer, but water restrictions never reached Stage 3.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say without seeing how much rain the area gets in April and May.

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KEARNEY  Growing up in his homeland of Venezuela, Carlos Rodriguez started running at age 3.

When I was a boy I ran without shoes, he said.

Later, he joined the Venezuelan military, where he managed logistics and payroll for his unit. He tried not to let his military responsibilities come between him and his almost-daily runs.

In 2016 Rodriguez and his wife, Lisvey Rivera and their two sons, Anthony, then 10, and Enlic, then 8, migrated to the United States. The Venezuelan economy had collapsed and the country was riddled with crime.

Carlos and Lisvey had a successful business, but that made them targets for criminals, who attempted to kidnap the family and force them to pay a ransom.

Kidnappings in South America can stretch over years if families cant pay the criminals to release loved ones.

For Carlos and Lisvey, their kidnapping nightmare was the last straw. They departed Venezuela for the United States, and found themselves in Kearney. Lisvey, a former school principal, works as a teacher/social worker helping migrant families. Carlos found work at Eaton Corp. and later BluePrint Engines.

Daily runs helped Carlos to keep one foot in his new country and the other foot in his South American homeland. If he had time, Carlos would run 22-30 miles at a time.

The long runs abruptly ended several months ago when Rodriguez was attempting to repair a car in his driveway. He had jacked up the vehicle and crawled underneath it, but the jack gave way.

Pinned under the car, he yelled for help.

Luckily, family members were nearby and heard Carlos yelling. A sister-in-law, Ingry Barroso and niece, Nikol, ran out of the house and lifted the car.

Carlos son, Enlic, called police. Officers dispatched an ambulance, and emergency responders arrived in just minutes to rescue Carlos. His lips were purple for lack of oxygen. Responders took him to the CHI Health Good Samaritan emergency room.

Lisvey was terrified, but she and her husband said Carlos was in good hands at the hospital.

His breathing problems persisted. Carlos was unable to take deep breaths. The shallow breathing continued for about three months, the couple said. Pain in his ribs also continued.

Carlos tried to sleep, but the pain frequently forced him from bed to the living room sofa where he struggled to find a position to relieve the pain in his ribs and allow him to breathe deeper. Lisvey frequently joined her husband on the sofa.

I was worried, but not totally worried. I am a woman of faith, Lisvey said.

She said her faith has seen her through four serious, life-altering challenges: the loss of a son who died after he was born, the kidnapping, coming to the United States and her husbands accident.

The couple said they are grateful to friends and employers for their support, and to the medical professionals who were committed to Carlos recovery.

An American friend, June Peterson, put her nursing experience to work helping Carlos.

The Good Samaritan nurses are very good, Lisvey said.

She and Carlos said Brenda de Leon, a nurse practitioner, general surgeon Brittney Maloley and chiropractor Trenton Talbitzer greatly contributed to Carlos recovery.

Off and running

Lisvey and Carlos have launched a cottage industry to pay hospital bills. At 2:30 a.m. each Thursday, Lisvey rises from bed to make white corn masa for Venezuelan-style arepas. Lisvey and Carlos fry the masa into the shape and size of English muffins. They slit open the arepa to stuff it with meat, cheese and other ingredients.

A $10 order includes three arepas and two small containers with mild green salsa and a second container with spicy pico de gallo.

The average is 50 orders per week, Lisvey said.

Carlos said BluePrint Engines employees purchased 200 orders, which came to a total of 600 arepas.

Lisvey said her patience and faith, along with Carlos determination, finally produced results. Carlos used to run miles and miles, but he and Lisvey considered it a major victory when he finally managed to walk one block. A while later, it was four blocks, with several stops to rest and regain his breath.

I cried, but it wasnt because I was sad, Lisvey said.

My faith is more strong now, Carlos said. His recovery is continuing.

On Sunday he ran 13 miles, Lisvey said.

Rodriguez said he cant remember being pinned under the car. He also cant remember his hospital stay, but he is recovering his memory and his sense of humor.

People never visited me before, but after the accident I had lots of visitors and even some gifts, Carlos laughed.

He shared some hard-earned advice. For anyone working on a car, follow safety rules.

PHOTOS: Sandhill cranes descend on Central Nebraska Nebraska's Platte River Valley: A critical stopover for cranes during migration The Platte River Valley in Nebraska hosts up to 90% of the world's sandhill crane population during migration season, with an estimated 650,00 Cranes in Central Nebraska Matt Urbansk, Saunders Conservation Fellow at the Crane Trust, right, photographs guests walking to a Platte River observation blind around 5: Capturing images Grace O'Dwyer, 5, her parents Christian and Lilla, and brothers Paul and James of Denver had their first sandhill crane season experience Marc Cranes in Central Nebraska Among the Crane Trust's staff and volunteer blind tour leaders is Matt Urbansk, the Saunders Conservation Fellow at the Trust, who watches cra Cranes in Central Nebraska As daylight faded to dusk March 1, sandhill cranes in silhouette lowered their legs and spread their wings to float down to overnight roosts o Cranes in Central Nebraska At dusk, sandhill cranes start flying to the Platte River  in this case at the Crane Trust near Alda  from nearby grasslands and harvested c Cranes in Central Nebraska Record numbers of sandhill cranes arrived early this year, according to estimates based on aerial surveys taken by the Crane Trust Science Tea Bison in the fog A lone bison ambled through a Crane Trust pasture near the headquarters complex southeast of the Alda I-80 exit on a foggy March 1 morning. Ot Cranes in Central Nebraska Sandhill cranes, ducks, geese and people in Crane Trust observation blinds along the Platte River woke up to dense fog March 1. That made cran Cranes in Central Nebraska Sandhill cranes, ducks, geese and people in Crane Trust observation blinds along the Platte River woke up to dense fog March 1. That made cran Cranes in Central Nebraska Grace O'Dwyer, 5, her parents Christian and Lilla, and brothers Paul and James of Denver had their first sandhill crane season experience Marc Bison in the fog A lone bison ambled through a Crane Trust pasture near the headquarters complex southeast of the Alda I-80 exit on a foggy March 1 morning. Ot
Born in Washington, D.C. to parents deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, Eleanor Holmes Norton clearly remembers the day in class when the principal announced that the Supreme Court had declared that segregated schools like hers were unconstitutional. Norton studied for a bachelors degree from Antioch College in Ohio in between organizing the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and being arrested at sit-ins in DC, Maryland and Ohio. Norton then worked simultaneously on masters degrees in law and American Studies at Yale. After her career started taking off, she married Edward Norton and moved to New York City, where she was the assistant legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union.

A staunch supporter of the freedom of speech, Norton made headlines in 1968 when she represented then Alabama Gov. George Wallace, a notorious segregationist and racist who was frequently endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan. Norton believed that the freedom of speech applied equally to everyone, and represented Wallace when he was denied a permit for a rally at Shea Stadium in New York.

Two years later, the public became aware of Nortons activism for gender equality when she represented 60 female employees of Newsweek in a class action lawsuit over Newsweeks refusal to hire women as journalists. Winning the case on the grounds that Newsweek had violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act permanently changed sex discrimination laws in the news and journalism industries. Norton has also been a lifelong advocate for reproductive freedom.
The La Crosse school board took a major step Monday toward putting a $53 million building referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot.

By a 7-2 vote, the board endorsed a plan to consolidate Emerson and Spence elementary schools into a new school building on the Hogan administrative site and add eight classrooms and a gymnasium to State Road Elementary School.

The addition at State Road would result in the closure of Hintgen Elementary School.

The new elementary school is estimated to cost $42 million. The State Road addition is estimated to cost $11 million. The plan would add 44 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to school district property tax bills.

The board still must pass a resolution to authorize borrowing before it can appear on the November ballot.

Superintendent Aaron Engel said the projects are necessary to modernize facilities and cope with shrinking enrollments. He noted that Holmen, Onalaska and West Salem have recently passed building referendums.

Our neighbors have put a lot of money into their buildings the past two years, Engel said.

Board members Deb Suchla and Scott Neumeister cast the no votes. Suchla is the board member who first offered the plan to consolidate Emerson and Spence. She favored separate questions and expressed concern that adding the State Road project to the referendum would jeopardize a new building at Hogan.

If we dont get the referendum passed, we dont get anything, Suchla said.

She also said the referendum does nothing to address the districts two middle schools. She had earlier suggested building a new middle school on the vacated Spence site.

Were sitting with two middle schools that are going on 100 years old, Suchla said.

However, a majority of the board favored addressing the elementary school proposals in one referendum.

Otherwise, its the death of a thousand cuts, board member Juan Jimenez said.

Board member Katie Berkedal said a two-part referendum would tempt voters to choose the cheaper option. She also said voters would be more receptive to a combined referendum.

There will be more people who will be frustrated because we didnt do it all together, Berkedal said.

The district is looking to consolidate buildings due to declining enrollment. Projections show 750 fewer students within five years, including 250 at the elementary level.

At that rate, Im not sure this will be our last discussion on consolidation, Suchla said.

In November, the board heard a recommendation from a citizens committee to close North Woods International and Hintgen elementary schools at the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year. In February, the board decided not to close any elementary schools until voters decided on a long-term building program.
A city committee is set to consider whether La Crosse should reduce or eliminate its requirements for developers to provide off-street parking when constructing residential buildings.

Locked in by bluffs to the east and the Mississippi River to the west, land in La Crosse is limited and additional requirements for how it is used can drive up the cost of projects.

Present rules require multi-family properties to provide one off-street parking space per bedroom in each new building. With a minimum of 145 square feet per parking spot, a buildings parking lot area can grow quickly.

Expensive construction

The Chalmers Residences mixed-use development downtown plans have 373 bedrooms in initial drawings. Developers have planned an entire underground floor to provide 170 parking stalls; each stall is estimated to cost $30,000 to built. Still, that is not enough parking to meet city requirements.

To meet the citys parking rules, developers elected to construct a sky bridge that connects to the Pine Street parking garage so they can lease an additional 120 to 160 stalls from the city.

Developers say the parking requirements place a high cost burden on them and limit the potential for residential growth in the city.

Some city legislators are looking into whether changes could help add much-needed housing to the market.

The citys Neighborhood Revitalization Committee met March 6 to discuss reducing or eliminating off-street minimum parking requirements from zoning practices.

Parking requirements do add costs to developments, said council member Jennifer Trost. This would reduce costs, and the idea is we would replace those with units of housing.

3 parking options

City planners will develop three or more potential resolutions to reduce off-street parking minimums. The three main options will be targeted reductions, citywide reductions and total freedom from parking requirements. The Neighborhood Revitalization Committee will discuss the variations and recommend one for further consideration.

According to Parking Reform Network, a resource informing the committee on parking mandate practices, 199 cities in the U.S. have eliminated minimum parking requirements. Eight of these cities are in Wisconsin.

Zoning reform

The city also is working on a zoning overhaul. City planner Tim Acklin said zoning codes have not been revisited since the 1980s, and are outdated in language and use. He said permitted uses do not list enough functions and are too vague to understand what is and is not allowed.

Acklin said the city is looking for a funding source to hire a consultant specialized in zoning writing to make the overhaul.

With more precise zoning language and zones, the city could target specific areas that should not require parking minimums based on building type and location. For example, a River Point mixed-use building could follow different, more appropriate parking requirements than a South Side neighborhood duplex building.

According to the citys climate action plan, about 75% of La Crosse commuters drove alone and 9% walked to get around in 2019. In a survey for the action plan, 65% of respondents said they would walk more if they felt safer to do so.

A number of River Point District building plans have emphasized walkability over car travel in response to preferences from prospective residents.

RyKey Properties is developing a mixed-use building in the new River Point District and the citys Redevelopment Authority approved the developer to continue with parking plans below the 1:1 bedroom rule. The developer also plans to upcharge tenants who use parking in the building.

Well try and make it almost uncomfortable for people to get the parking, Lee Harezma, CEO of RyKey Properties said in a Redevelopment Authority meeting.

The cost developers pay to purchase land or build structures for parking is passed along to tenants, the Neighborhood Revitalization Committee argued. If parking requirements are reduced, city legislators believe development costs and rent will both decrease as well.

A resolution to reduce or eliminate parking minimums still needs to be crafted, but the discussion signals a future where parking can be curbed for new developments.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos offered a blunt assessment of those seeking to force a recall election against the long-standing Assembly Republican, calling organizers behind the effort whack jobs and morons at an event in Madison on Tuesday.

The recall effort was launched in January by supporters of Donald Trump frustrated that Vos has refused the former presidents request to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Organizers said last week they submitted more than 10,000 signatures to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

However, an initial review by commission staff last week found the group appears to have come up more than 900 signatures short of the 6,850 needed in Vos old Assembly district to force an election.

Regardless of the number of signatures collected, questions linger as to what legislative districts should apply to a recall effort, after the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled late last year that maps used in the 2022 election are unconstitutional, effectively barring their use. New maps signed into law earlier this year dont formally go into effect until November.

In a split decision Tuesday, the states high court gave all parties in the case until Thursday to file a response to a motion from the Elections Commission seeking clarification on what boundaries should be used for the potential recall election  a decision that could impact how many signatures are needed or deemed valid.

Vos has until Thursday to file a challenge to the petition. Speaking at a WisPolitics.com luncheon in Madison, the Rochester Republican described those pursuing the recall as morons who are out of touch with reality.

Vos also said a volunteer-conducted review of the petition found a ton of fraud, including as many as 400 duplicate signatures, misspelled addresses and missing information.

The people who did this? Whack jobs and morons, Vos told reporters after the luncheon.

What are the boundaries?

Vos was elected in the 63rd Assembly District, but new maps signed earlier this year by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers place Vos in the new 33rd Assembly District. Whats more, some of Vos previous territory now falls in the new 66th Assembly District.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled late last year that previous Republican-drawn legislative boundaries were unconstitutional. In that ruling, the states high court enjoined the Elections Commission from using the current maps in all future elections. New maps are to be used starting in November.

The bipartisan commission last week filed a motion with the state Supreme Court seeking clarification on what boundaries apply to the recall effort against Vos or in any special elections held before November.

In a 5-2 order Tuesday, the court gave all parties in the case until Thursday to respond to the commissions motion. Chief Justice Annette Ziegler and Justice Rebecca Bradley, both conservatives, dissented in the order.

Writing in dissent, Ziegler said its premature for the commission to request such an action from the court  noting the agency did not seek the courts advice on the use of absentee ballot drop boxes in the 2020 election. Such boxes were later ruled illegal by the courts then-conservative majority. The court, which has since shifted to a liberal majority, earlier this month accepted a lawsuit seeking to reverse that ruling.

The court was not WECs legal advisor then, and the court is not WECs legal advisor now, Ziegler wrote. The court should not condone WECs request for legal advice here. No response to this motion should be ordered.

Suspicious signatures reported

In addition, Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson said last week her office began receiving reports of suspicious signatures just days after the petitions were submitted to the Elections Commission.

The Racine County District Attorneys Office has had numerous calls to report theft of identifying information from electors whose names appear on the recall petitions, but did not sign a petition personally, Hanson said.

Vos previously had expressed suspicion that the recall group illegally paid people to sign the petition and engaged in other wrongdoing, including collecting signatures outside of his current 63rd Assembly District.

Organizers of the recall effort in a statement Monday attributed the suspicious signatures to sabotage committed by individuals from outside the state.

Organizers said they meticulously followed every rule, adding later that despite our vigilance, a few unverified petitions slipped through due to a volunteer oversight, a regrettable yet isolated incident.

Vos, the states longest-serving Assembly speaker, became the target of Trumps supporters after refusing the former presidents call to decertify President Joe Bidens narrow win in the state in 2020  something he is not legally or constitutionally empowered to do.

A recount, court decisions and multiple reviews have affirmed that Biden defeated Trump in Wisconsin by almost 21,000 votes.

Vos also drew criticism from Trump supporters when he refused to back an effort to impeach Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe, who has been targeted by legislative Republicans since the commission made changes to certain procedures in the 2020 general election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic  changes that have spurred some conservatives to falsely accuse her of malfeasance.

Vos has said there is not enough GOP support in the Assembly to impeach Wolfe. A Dane County judge last year blocked efforts by Senate Republicans to remove her from office.

Matthew Snorek, a leader of the recall effort, said if the petition fails, efforts will shift to a primary challenge against Vos this August. The long-standing speaker faces another election this November.

Republican Adam Steen challenged Vos in the 2022 August primary, with Vos narrowly winning the contest by 260 votes. Vos won the general election handedly that year, with 73% of the vote.

Election advantages due to district mapping
Dehua porcelain int'l exhibition held at UN

Xinhua) 08:46, March 19, 2024

Daniel del Valle Blanco (C), permanent observer of the Office of the Permanent Observer of the International Youth Organization to the United Nations, attends the "Blanc de Chine - Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition tour's promotional event at the UN headquarters in New York, March 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

The 105 pieces of national treasure-grade Dehua porcelain are divided into four categories: antique-inspired cultural creations, artisanal porcelain, everyday porcelain, and export porcelain, showcasing the diverse characteristics of Dehua white porcelain.

UNITED NATIONS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The "Blanc de Chine -- Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition tour's promotional event was successfully held at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York on Friday.

The event is part of the exhibition's U.S. leg.

Dehua porcelain artwork Nostalgia is presented at the "Blanc de Chine - Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition tour's promotional event at the UN headquarters in New York, March 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

The international tour's promotional event in New York kicked off at Times Square on Thursday and is open to the public from March 15-18.

The 105 pieces of national treasure-grade Dehua porcelain are divided into four categories: antique-inspired cultural creations, artisanal porcelain, everyday porcelain, and export porcelain, showcasing the diverse characteristics of Dehua white porcelain.

Dehua porcelain artworks are presented at the "Blanc de Chine - Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition tour's promotional event at the UN headquarters in New York, March 15, 2024.(Xinhua/Li Rui)

Fang Junqin, the county magistrate of Dehua County in southeast China's Fujian Province, said he hopes the event will allow more friends to learn about porcelain, understand Dehua, know China, as well as create more opportunities and provide greater convenience for close exchanges and cooperation between the two sides.

Representatives from Fujian Province, the United Nations, and various countries attended the event and were amazed by the exquisite craftsmanship of the exhibits and their profound cultural significance.

Dehua porcelain artwork Porcelain Vase with Auspicious Clouds and Dragon is presented at the "Blanc de Chine - Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition tour's promotional event at the UN headquarters in New York, March 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

Asim Sharma, chief of the Inter-agency and Intergovernmental Service Office of the UN Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance, expressed his admiration for the exquisite Dehua white porcelain and thanked the delegation from the Dehua County Government for the invitation.

Daniel del Valle Blanco, permanent observer of the Office of the Permanent Observer of the International Youth Organization to the United Nations, spoke about the importance of cultural exchanges between nations for international cooperation and foreign relations, congratulating Dehua white porcelain, a historical and cultural heritage, on its exhibition at the United Nations.

A Dehua porcelain artwork is presented at "Blanc de Chine - Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition in New York, the United States, on March 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

As one of the "Chinese Brands on the Global Stage" series of activities initiated by Xinhua News Agency, the "Blanc de Chine -- Dehua Porcelain" international exhibition tour started in 2023. The plan is to spend five years holding exhibitions, cultural exchanges, and other activities showcasing Dehua white porcelain in more than 20 countries and regions globally.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
On 18 March the state public security ministry (SSP) in Mexicos Michoacan state condemned the cowardly killing of a local police chief and two other police officers the previous day.

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On 18 March Cubas foreign ministry (Minrex) summoned US charge daffairesand handed him a formal protest note accusing the US of interfering in domestic affairs.

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On 18 March Perus attorney generals office opened a preliminary investigation into Presidentfor possible illicit enrichment and failure to declare assets.

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On 18 March lawyers representing Paraguays former president(2018-2023) took legal action against two public prosecutors that charged him and eight former officials in his government with revealing state secrets, misuse of public office, and other crimes designed to discredit his predecessor(2013-2018).

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One early morning in Washington, D.C., many years ago, the president of the United States took off his clothes and jumped into the Potomac river. Moments later, he saw a dead man float to the surface.

The president was John Quincy Adams, the nations sixth leader. And we know about the incident because he wrote about it in his diary.

A diary is a daily record of events of ones life, especially of personal experiences and thoughts.

American presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden, have been known to keep diaries. The men wrote about everyday experiences and thoughts. They also wrote about important decisions they made and the reasoning behind such decisions.

Adams called his diary his second conscience. Barack Obama said his diary is a process of turning thoughts into writing that makes you ask tougher questions.

Jimmy Carter left the White House with more than 5,000 pages of such notes. He said, I seldom exercised any restraint on what I dictated.

Dwight Eisenhower wrote about disputes within a scientific advisory group and some of its proposals about Soviet atomic bombs. And Donald Trumps daily writing was seen by the public on Twitter, now known as X.

Secrets in diaries

Sometimes, the presidential diaries contain secrets that they should not.

Robert Hur was the special counsel who investigated Bidens handling of classified information after his time serving as vice president. He reported that Bidens diary contained notes from intelligence briefings, including some classified as top secret.

The 1978 Presidential Records Act says that the U.S. government has complete ownership, possession, and control of all presidential and vice presidential records. The act does not cover personal diaries. But classified information is not supposed to be in those.

Hur noted in his report that both Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush had classified information in their diaries.

Ronald Reagan left the White House in 1989. He took with him eight years of handwritten diaries, the report says, which he appears to have kept at his California home even though they contained Top Secret information.

Hur wrote, Historically, after leaving office, many former presidents and vice presidents have knowingly taken home sensitive materials related to national security from their administrations without being charged with crimes.

Both Biden and former President Donald Trump have been investigated for their handling of classified information. But only Trump is being accused of resisting demands to return them.

Values of diaries

Students of history have always been interested in presidential diaries.

They provide unique windows into the presidency, helping us better understand how policy is made and power is used, said Marc Selverstone, director of Presidential Studies at the University of Virginias Miller Center.

As for John Quincy Adams, all 15,000 pages of his diaries written over 68 years are available to the public. The Massachusetts Historical Society, which publishes them online, said his diaries represent the longest continuous record of any American of the time.

On July 22, 1825, Adams wrote, I stripped and went in to the river; I had been not more than ten minutes swimming when the drag boat started, and they were not five minutes from the shore when the body floated immediately opposite the rock; less than one hundred yards from the shore.

The entry noted the death of Mr. Shoemaker, a post office worker seen swimming about in the water earlier.

Im Caty Weaver.

Calvin Woodward reported this story for the Associated Press. Hai Do adapted it for VOA Learning English.

_______________________________________

Words in This Story

conscience  n. knowledge of right and wrong and a feeling one should do what is right

tough  adj. difficult to accomplish, resolve, endure, or deal with

dictate  v. to speak or read for a person to transcribe or for a machine to record

counsel  n. a lawyer engaged in the trial or management of a case in court

classified  adj. withheld from general circulation for reasons of national security

unique  adj. being the only one of its kind

strip  v. to remove clothing, covering, or surface matter from

shore  n. land along a body of water
From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

In 2021, the U.S. food and drug agency approved the drug Wegovy for weight loss. Now, the Food and Drug Administration (or, FDA) says the drug can reduce the risk of death from stroke or heart attack in adults who have cardiovascular disease or are overweight.

The FDA approved a usage change requested by drugmaker Novo Nordisk. The change expands the use of semaglutide, the general or generic name of the drug. Wegovy is the brand name given by the company that sells it.

The FDA based its decision on the results of a study that found Wegovy cut the risk of serious heart problems. The study also found that overweight patients with heart disease but not diabetes were 20 percent less likely to experience those problems. Researchers compared the results of patients who took the drug with those who took a placebo, or inactive injections.

Wegovy is the first medication approved to help prevent possibly life-threatening disease in overweight people, the agency said.

Dr. John Sharretts directs the FDAs Division of Diabetes, Lipid Disorders, and Obesity. He said, Providing a treatment option that is proven to lower this cardiovascular risk is good for public health.

Dr. Martha Gulati said the decision will change the way many heart patients are treated. Gulati is a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The research also confirms that the new class of obesity medications are useful for improving health, not just losing weight.

The hope is that insurers will start understanding that this is not a vanity drug, Gulati said. So-called vanity drugs are drugs that serve no medical purpose. Some researchers call them lifestyle drugs. Gulati estimates that nearly 70 percent of her heart patients could be eligible for treatment.

Wegovy is a high-dose version of the drug Ozempic. Ozempic is a diabetes treatment. The FDA approved the drug to cut the risk of serious heart problems in people with disease. The weight-loss drug costs about $1,300 a month.

Novo Nordisk has also asked European Union officials to expand the use of the drug for heart problems.

The FDA warned that Wegovy carries the risk of serious side effects. These included thyroid tumors and certain cancers. Other possible side effects can include low blood sugar. Organs in the body can be affected such as the pancreas, gallbladder, kidney, or eye. Another possible side effect is suicidal behavior or thinking.

The clinical trial, which resulted in the drugs approval, involved more than 17,600 people. About one third of them reported serious side effects. About 17 percent of the group that took Wegovy and about eight percent of those who received a placebo left the study because of reported side effects.

The new approval could mean that Medicare might increase coverage to the drug. Medicare is the federal health coverage program for retirement-aged citizens. U.S. law bars Medicare from covering drugs for weight loss alone. Recent estimates say nearly $3 billion was spent in 2021 covering Ozempic to treat diabetes.

Tricia Neuman is a Medicare expert at KFF, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that researches health policy. She said the change  will open the door to allow more people on Medicare to gain access to Wegovy.

A spokesperson for the industry group Americas Health Insurance Plans said private health coverage companies will consider the new guidance for Wegovy.

Drugmakers and activists for lower obesity rates have been pushing for expanded coverage. This includes legislation that would require Medicare to pay for the obesity drug. The cost of the drug needs to be balanced by reduced spending on medical care related to obesity and heart disease.

Another problem is a limited supply of the drug. The FDA said there has been a shortage for more than a year. Novo Nordisk officials said they are aiming to increase production.

For Gulati, the heart specialist, wider use cannot come soon enough.

Everybody (is) waiting to get this medication, she said. Lower the cost, do (not) be greedy and make sure the drug is available for use.

And thats the Health & Lifestyle report. Im Anna Matteo.

Jonel Aleccia reported this story for the Associate Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English.

Quiz - US Agency Approves Weight-loss Drug to Reduce Heart Disease Risk Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

____________________________________

Words in This Story

cardiovascular adj. related to the circulatory system including the heart

generic adj. a class of product that is not sold under a brand name because its production and sale is no longer restricted by government patent protections

placebo n. an amount of an inactive substance whose effect is compared to that of a drug that is being tested

option n. a choice among several that can be made

vanity n. the feeling of mainly paying attention to your own appearance, feelings and comfort

dose n. the amount of a medicine needed to be effective

tumor n. an abnormal growth that can be linked to cancer

eligible adj. able to do or to receive a treatment

clinical trial n. a medical test done on real patients

obesity n. the condition of being severely overweight

greedy adj. wanting more for yourself than is fair or right

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COZAD  Wilson Public Library in Cozad hosted a Community Chat event to hear from Amy and Justin Hoehner about the upcoming changes and events for Comeca Camp and Retreat Center.

Executive Director Justin Hoehner emphasized Comecas core purpose: Our main purpose is bringing people to Christ; our mission is providing a place for all people to experience Christ.

He shed light on the dedicated team behind Comeca. Currently, he said, 10-15 individuals work at the camp, and the summer months bustle with around 40 helping hands.

Using an online program called Camp America, Comeca has been able to enlist support from individuals hailing from various corners of the globe, including Ireland, England, Wales, Germany and more.

Looking ahead to next year, the Hoehners outlined plans to enhance the camps infrastructure, particularly focusing on improving space and accommodations. Justin expressed concerns about the current state of housing, deeming it inadequate given the increasing staff and camp enrollment. To address these challenges, Comeca has initiated discussions with engineering and architecture firms to spearhead necessary improvements, with an estimated project cost of $20,000.

To raise funds for this endeavor and future projects, Comeca will launch a capital campaign within the next 12 months, Justin said.

The whole purpose of this is to create an environment where we can fit every type of group in every single group and do it relentlessly by showing them the love of Christ like they dont experience anywhere else, Justin said.

Amy Hoehner, Comecas development coordinator, underscored the importance of early registration for summer camps, encouraging community members to keep an eye out for flyers circulating in the coming weeks.

As Easter approaches, Comeca prepares for its Easter service at 7 a.m. March 31. Attendees can enjoy breakfast with a free-will offering, with proceeds directed toward the capital campaign.

In 2025, Comeca celebrates its 75th anniversary. While details of the commemorative events remain under wraps, Amy hinted at exciting plans in the pipeline.

In a bid to enhance accessibility and inclusivity, plans are underway to install a new zipline at Comeca. The current zipline, described as amazing, will be replaced with one accessible to individuals of all abilities, including those with mobility challenges.

Amy encouraged attendees at the library event to explore the camps gift shop, where they can find mementos to cherish their memories of Comeca.
A 4-year-old boy died Thursday after being hit by a car last week in North Omaha.

The Omaha Police Department is investigating the fatal accident, which occurred at approximately 11:40 a.m. Wednesday near Fontenelle Boulevard and Wirt Street, according to a press release from the Police Department.

The boy was attempting to cross from the east side of Fontenelle Boulevard to meet family members on the west side of the street when he was hit by a northbound Kia Sorento driven by a 35-year-old man, according to the release.

Omaha Fire Department medics transported the boy to the Nebraska Medical Center in critical condition and he died on Thursday, the release said.
The Chinese embassy in Singapore has urged Chinese citizens in the city-state to stay away from gambling, reiterating that cross-border gambling violates Chinese laws  a reminder that will most likely not be applied to Macau.

In a statement yesterday, the embassy solemnly reminded the majority of Chinese citizens in Singapore to enhance their legal awareness and stay away from all forms of gambling.

China has been intensifying its crack down on cross-border, off-shore and online gambling, sending similar warnings to several countries as it tries to curb these illegal activities and warnings to citizens abroad.

Macau SAR is the only place in China where gambling is allowed.

In a notice to the country, which is home to two casinos, one operated by Las Vegas Sands and the other Genting Singapore, the embassy reminded that when caught, embassies and consulates may not be able to provide consular protection for violations.

Even if overseas casinos are legally opened, cross-border gambling by Chinese citizens is suspected of violating the laws of our country, the embassy said.

Cross-border gambling may also bring risks such as fraud, money laundering, kidnapping, detention, trafficking and smuggling, the Chinese embassy in Singapore added.

The Chinese government, the embassy reiterated, has always opposed any form of gambling and opposes Chinese citizens leaving the country to engage in the gambling industry.

Meanwhile, gaming industry expert and analyst Ben Lee believed that, while gambling for the mainlanders no matter where has always been deemed illegal, it does present an interesting dilemma for the mainland authorities as to how they will apply that ruling.

Theres very little doubt that they will most likely not apply that law to Macau as the outcome would be nothing short of a disaster for the SAR, said Lee, managing partner of IGamiX Management & Consulting.

Three years ago, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Department of China stated it had established a blacklist of overseas gambling tourism destinations (excluding Macau), listing some cities that have opened casinos to attract Chinese tourists and disrupt the business order of Chinas tourism market.

After a year, Beijing extended its travel blacklist of overseas gambling jurisdictions, which seeks to prevent Chinese nationals from traveling to casino destinations, which are alleged to be endangering the personal and property safety of Chinese citizens.

To the Times, Lee remarked, It sits with our view that travelers flagged for gambling overseas are still unable to travel freely up until now and it either presages the gates being opened for more people to travel again or the crackdown continuing.

The Chinese embassies in South Korea and Sri Lanka also issued similar warnings recently.

While the blacklisted destinations have not been made public the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia and Vietnam are all hotspots for Chinese gamblers, which have also become home to casinos and online gambling operations aimed at Chinese nationals.

Just last month, law enforcement agencies in China and the Philippines cooperated to repatriate more than 40 Chinese nationals engaged in offshore gambling, according to a statement from the Chinese embassy in the Philippines.

The Chinese embassy in Singapore said the Ministry of Public Security of China opened a reporting platform for combating cross-border and online gambling, where Chinese citizens can pass on clues and suspected activity.

Legal and gaming expert Jorge Costa Oliveira from JCO Consultancy Ltd told the Times that such reminders dont seem to apply to Macau.

The gaming consultant noted that the criminal prosecution in Wenzhou (China) of former junket mogul Alvin Chau for overseas (Philippines) operations seems to have already assumed this kind of interpretation of Chinese law.

The Suncity case has comprehensively verified the specific harmful behaviors of the cross-border gambling criminal group such as organization and agency, gambling fund settlement, online gambling, asset management, technology and vehicle services.

Quoted by CCTV news, officials of the Intermediate Peoples Court of Wenzhou believed that all these activities have been suppressed throughout the entire chain, which has a landmark significance for Chinas lawful crackdown on cross-

border gambling crimes.
The stringent requirements and criteria established by the government in the public tender for the operation of the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal are likely to severely restrict the number of participants, an analysis made by the Times of the tender document has concluded.

On the line are the compulsory requirements for the potential bidders who need to be a registered company based in Macau and dedicated to the management of real estate for commercial purposes, management of ferry terminals, piers, airports or border posts.

Companies that participate in the tender also need to do so individually and not in any form of partnership or consortium with other companies.

If these requirements were not restrictive enough, the bidders will also need to present a deposit amounting to as much as MOP20 million.

Another of the requirements established in the tender published by the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) notes the bid price cannot be lower than 10% of the gross revenue of the current concession.

Bids will be accepted until April 8 (Monday) at noon at DSAMAs headquarters.

All the bids received will be opened on the following day (April 9) at 10 a.m.

Among the criteria and weight used for the evaluation of the proposals, was noted the return to the government of a share of the profits before taxes (50%), the plan for the proposed operation of the Terminal (30%) and the experience of the bidder on the operation and management of this type of facility (20%).

Considering such criteria and requirements, it will be surprising if any company, other than the current operator, has a real chance of winning the tender.

2023 was a low year  or the Macau ferry terminal

According to data from DSAMA on the operations of the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, last year was a considerably low year for this facility which catered for a total movement of 3,044,237 passengers.

The figure is just about 35.52% of the figure registered in 2019 (8,571,690) and contrasts with the movement of 4,490,240 passengers recorded by the Taipa Maritime Terminal last year. In this case, the almost 4.5 million passengers traveling from Taipa terminal, was about 78.83% of the number registered in 2019 (5,696,082).

Note that the figures indicated for the Taipa Ferry Terminal also include the number of departures and arrivals of passengers using the Coloane Yacht Club Pier.

In a Times analysis of the DSAMAs detailed figures, some inconsistencies were found.

For example, according to the bureau, the daily average of maritime passenger movements (arrival and departure) in 2023 was 288,131. However, if that is correct, then passenger volume would have amounted to about 8.6 million rather than the bureaus published figure of 7,534,477.

It is statistically apparent that Outer Harbour has seen a significant decline in passenger numbers since 2017, particularly between 2018 and 2019 (coinciding with the opening of the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge).

While the Taipa-located terminal was in full operation during the past year, the Macau one suffered because maritime authorities imposed several service limitations and suspensions, related to the construction of the 4th bridge Macau-Taipa.

During the several days of suspension of sailings from and to the Outer Harbour, all ferry services were rerouted to the Taipa facility, also contributing to its higher results.

Tenants and Tourism Industry call for revitalization

According to the president of the Travel Industry Council of Macau, Andy Wu, a revitalization is needed at the Outer Harbour.

In an interview with the Chinese channel of the public broadcaster TDM, Wu said the new operator should consider adding new business elements.

He also said that the facility includes many spaces dedicated to catering for travel agencies which are vacant as most of this business has shifted to online, suggesting the operator adjust the size and purpose of the existing commercial spaces to increase the occupation.

Similar ideas were expressed by the member of the Tourism Development Committee, Manuel Iok Pui Ferreira, who called on the operator to adopt a more modernized approach and optimize the facility to allow tourists to buy snacks, drinks or souvenirs, on the path that leads to the gates.

Ferreira noted that the business model of the ferry terminals is lagging and cannot keep up with the pace of the current times and profile of the current visitors.

Concurrently, tenants of some of the commercial spaces of the facility are calling for cheaper rentals taking into account the reduction of movement at the terminal which has also a lot fewer ferries arriving and departing when compared to the pre-pandemic era.

According to DSAMA, only 65% of the commercial spaces of the Outer Harbour are operating (31 of 48). The majority of the spaces in operation are occupied by food and beverage establishments and retail stores.
Chinas manufacturing and investment improved in the first two months of the year, while weakness in the property sector weighed on the economy, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.

The report said industrial output rose 7% from a year earlier in January-February, better than analysts had forecast. Spending on factories and equipment, known as fixed-asset investments, rose 4.2%.

The real estate sector remained sluggish, with investment in real estate falling 9% in January-February compared to the same period a year earlier.

The property market is still in a state of adjustment and transition but policies outlined at Chinas annual legislative session earlier this month will promote stable and healthy development, National Bureau of Statistics spokesperson Liu Aihua told reporters.

During the National Peoples Congress meetings, Chinas leaders pledged to refine property sector policies, including increasing financing to developers and building more affordable housing.

The signs of strength followed various moves by authorities to boost growth. The statistics bureau said retail sales climbed 5.5% and consumer prices rose for the first time since August. The consumer price index was up 0.7% in February after months of falling prices.

Industrial production was a sizable beat, supported by strong exports in the month, while fixed assets investments on the other hand, were likely supported by a state-driven push early this year, said Louise Loo of Oxford Economics in a note.

She said consumer spending was buoyed temporarily by spending related to the Lunar New Year holidays, the biggest festival of the year, and that without added government spending it would be difficult to keep up strong growth.

Beijing has set an economic growth target of about 5% for 2024, which experts say may be challenging to reach.

We expect economic momentum to improve further in the near-term given the tailwind from policy stimulus. But this recovery may prove short-lived due to the economys underlying structural challenges, said Zichun Huang, a China economist with Capital Economics.

The recovery of the worlds second-largest economy following the shocks of the pandemic has been hindered by various factors, one of the largest being a downturn in the real estate industry after authorities moved to curb excess borrowing by property developers.

Huang said that the correction in property construction is still in its early stages.

Another area for concern is employment. While the official urban unemployment rate was 5.2% according to the latest data, but 14.6% of young Chinese 16-24 years old were jobless.

Thats an improvement from 14.9% in December and nearly 20% in June, but still highlights persisting difficulties young Chinese face in finding jobs following the pandemic and a crackdown on technology companies that hurt investment in private businesses. The jobless figure for youths does not include students.

China usually releases economic data monthly, but data for the first two months of the year are combined to avoid distortions from the weeklong Lunar New Year holidays, when many businesses and factories are closed. ZEN SOO, HONG KONG, MDT/AP
A man has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a young female student at a local university when the latter sought medical assistance at a hospital in Taipa, the Public Security Police Force (PSP) announced yesterday.

According to the police, the man works as a security guard at the hospital. In his 40s, he is a non-local worker from the Philippines.

The girl told police that on March 13, she went to the hospital for an injury on her arm. While speaking with the security guard, her hand was touched for several minutes. She thought the man was only being caring.

In the evening on the same day, the girl passed by the hospital and met the security guard again. She said she was invited for a chat nearby, where she was kissed on the cheek and neck by the man. She then reported the case to the police.

The man, in response, told the police that he was only trying to console the girl emotionally, although admitting to having closer contacts with the girl.

In another case, a mainland man, reportedly unemployed, has been arrested for allegedly stealing cash from the till of a shop in the NAPE district. The loss amounted to MOP75,000, the Judiciary Police (PJ) disclosed yesterday.

He was arrested at a casino in Cotai, the PJ added.

Aged 40 and surnamed Sheng, the man allegedly committed the crime on or before March 15. The staff at the shop told the police that the cash disappeared, and the police discovered  from surveillance camera footage  that the man sneaked into the shop when the staff left the shop briefly.

After allegedly committing the theft, the man roamed the city before entering the casino at 10 p.m. the same day, where the police arrested him. He told the police the cash had been lost to a casino. AL
From April 19 to June 1, nearly 970 million Indians  or over 10% of the global population  are eligible to vote in general elections. The mammoth exercise is the biggest anywhere in the world and will take 44 days before results are announced on June 4.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third successive term. He will face off against a broad but flailing alliance of opposition parties that are struggling to challenge his appeal. Most surveys predict Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party will win comfortably, cementing him as one of the countrys most popular and consequential leaders.

WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG?

It boils down to two key reasons: the sheer size of India, the worlds most populous country, and the astonishing level of logistics needed to ensure that every registered voter is able to cast their ballot.

Over the years, the duration of voting has wavered. It took nearly four months to complete the vote in Indias first elections in 1951-1952, after it gained independence from British rule, and just four days in 1980. In 2019, voting took 39 days, and this years election is the second longest.

With 969 million registered voters, the size of Indias electorate is bigger than the combined population of the European Union.

The vote to choose 543 lawmakers to the lower house of Parliament takes place over seven phases. Indias 28 states and eight federal territories will vote at different times. Each phase is one day, with the first kicking off April 19 and ending on June 1.

While some states will cast their ballots in a day, voting elsewhere may take longer. Uttar Pradesh, the largest state the size of Brazil with 200 million people, will vote on all seven days, for example.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS

The Election Commission of India, which oversees the vote, has to make sure there is a voting booth available within 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of every voter.

Election officials have to travel to great lengths to ensure that even a single voter can exercise their franchise, said Chakshu Roy of PRS Legislative Research, an independent think tank.

Some 15 million election officials and security staff will traverse the countrys deserts and mountains  sometimes by boat, foot and even on horseback  to try to reach every voter.

It can be especially arduous. In 2019, when India last held elections, a team of polling officers trekked over 480 kilometers for four days just so a single voter in a hamlet in the remote state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, could exercise their right.

Officials also traveled to a village tucked away high up in the Himalayas in 2019 to install a booth at 15,256 feet, the highest polling station anywhere in the world.

This time too, polling stations will be installed in remote places, including one inside a wildlife sanctuary in southern Kerala state and another in a shipping container in western Gujarat state.

TIGHT SECURITY

Experts say a key reason behind the multi-phase elections in India is about security.

Tens of thousands of federal security forces, who usually guard borders for instance, are freed up and deployed alongside state police to prevent violence and transport electoral officials and voting machines.

Deadly clashes involving supporters of rival political parties, particularly in the eastern state of West Bengal, had marred previous elections. But such violence has tapered over the years, thanks to heavy security, and voting has been relatively peaceful.

Look at the geography of the country  there are rivers, mountains, snow, jungles  think of the security forces movements. They will have to travel through the length and breadth of the country, Rajiv Kumar, the chief election commissioner, said on Saturday. We will walk the extra mile so voters dont have to. KRUTIKA PATHI, NEW DELHI, MDT/AP
The parliamentary committee responsible for the discussion of the Legislative Assembly electoral law review bill will submit its list of opinions in the next meeting, signaling the bills second reading soon.

The government delivered an edited draft of the bill to the parliament in January.

Yesterday, the committee met with government officials, who explained the alterations made to facilitate the second draft.

Clause 3, Article 13 of the bill originally proposed that should any member of the Electoral Affairs Commission fail to duly conduct their work on the grounds of physical or mental challenges, the Chief Executive will announce replacements in the form of a Dispatch.

It was changed with an additional requirement proposed, which is related to criminal offenses.

The new version suggests that should any member be taken into custody or prosecuted for deliberately committing any crime subject to three years imprisonment at maximum, they will not be permitted to take a post at the Commission.

Committee president Chan Chak Mo, who spoke to the press after the meeting, said this aims at making the provision comply with the CE Electoral Law.

Another change fell onto the seven criteria under which the eligibility of future lists of candidates will be scrutinized.

In Item 3, Clause 4, Article 33, a Chinese character meaning again or and has been deleted.

Chan said this is to make the meaning of the item clearer. In Item 7 of the same Clause, a Chinese character has been added, transforming the sentence from not accepting [] due to electoral purposes to not permitted to accept [] due to.

No committee member has expressed concerns over these lexical adjustments, Chan said.

He went on to discuss suggestions from committee members. Some members asked the officials if voter registration will be added to the government One Account app. Moreover, some members asked if the deadline for voter registration can be pushed later. Under current requirement, voter registration ends on Dec. 31 preceding the year of election.

In response, the government said voter registration by One Account is technically practical and that it will consider the suggestion. The main concern lies in cybersecurity and not technical practicality, the officials added.

On the matter of extending the registration period, Chan cited the officials as explaining that it may cause difficulties in coordination of the overall electoral procedure. Ceasing registration at the end of the year preceding an election leaves time for the Commission to publish the Electoral Registers.

This step is crucial, according to the officials, because prospective candidates will be able to get an idea who is and who is not a voter. Based on this, the registration deadline will not be adjusted at least for now.

According to Chan, the officials said the adjustment on One Account voter registration will not take place in the next election, which will happen next year. They suggested local residents can register their voting rights at e-kiosks. It was also noted that 17-year-old residents will be eligible for registration but will only be permitted to vote when they reach 18 years of age.

When asked if Macau residents without Chinese nationality will be permitted to run or vote in a parliamentary election, Chan said this has nothing to do with nationality. Provided they are Macau residents, they will be eligible to do so.

As for becoming candidates, Macau residents will also need to fulfil the requirements as proposed in Article 33.

This is made concerning the election of the Legislative Assembly in Macau, not the National Peoples Congress in mainland China, Chan said, in support of his comment on the nationality matter.

A major change in this Electoral Law review is that the Commission will become a permanent entity.
President Vladimir Putin sealed his control over Russia for six more years yesterday with a highly orchestrated landslide in an election that followed the harshest crackdown on the opposition and free speech since Soviet times.

While the result was never in doubt, Russians attempted to defy the inevitable outcome, heeding a call to protest Putins repression at home and his war in Ukraine by showing up at polling stations at noon on Sunday. But from the earliest returns, it was clear Putin would extend his nearly quarter-century rule with a fifth term.

With nearly all the precincts counted yesterday, election officials said Putin had secured a record number of votes  an unsurprising development underlining the Russian leaders total control of the countrys political system.

Putin has led Russia as president or prime minister since December 1999, a tenure marked by international military aggression and an increasing intolerance for dissent. At the end of his fifth term, Putin would be the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great, who ruled during the 18th century.

As early results came in, Putin hailed them as an indication of trust and hope in him  while critics saw them as another reflection of the preordained nature of the election.

Of course, we have lots of tasks ahead. But I want to make it clear for everyone: When we were consolidated, no one has ever managed to frighten us, to suppress our will and our self-conscience. They failed in the past and they will fail in the future, he said at a meeting with his campaign staff after polls closed.

Any public criticism of Putin or his war in Ukraine has been stifled. Independent media have been crippled. His fiercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison last month, and other critics are either in jail or in exile.

Beyond the fact that voters had virtually no choice, independent monitoring of the election was extremely limited.

Russias Central Election Commission said yesterday that with nearly 100% of precincts counted, Putin got 87% of the vote. Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova said that nearly 76 million voters cast their ballots for Putin, his highest vote tally ever.

Western leaders have denounced the election as a sham, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy particularly criticized voting in Ukrainian areas that Russia has illegally annexed, saying everything Russia does on the occupied territory of Ukraine is a crime.

Frances Foreign Ministry said the conditions for a free, pluralist and democratic election were not met, while paying tribute to the courage of many Russian citizens who peacefully show their opposition.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un quickly congratulated Putin, along with some Central and South American leaders and presidents of nations that have historic and close current ties to Russia, such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In the tightly controlled environment, Navalnys associates urged those unhappy with Putin or the war to go to the polls at noon on Sunday  and lines outside a number of polling stations both inside Russia and at its embassies around the world appeared to swell at that time.

Among those heeding call was Yulia Navalnaya, Navalnys widow, who spent more than five hours in the line at the Russian Embassy in Berlin. She told reporters that she wrote her late husbands name on her ballot.

Asked whether she had a message for Putin, Navalnaya replied: Please stop asking for messages from me or from somebody for Mr. Putin. There could be no negotiations and nothing with Mr. Putin, because hes a killer, hes a gangster.

A voter in Moscow, who identified himself only as Vadim, said he hoped for change, but added that unfortunately, its unlikely. Like others, he didnt give his full name because of security concerns.

Meanwhile, supporters of Navalny streamed to his grave in Moscow, some bringing ballots with his name written on them.

Putin brushed off the effectiveness of the apparent protest and rejected Western criticism of the vote as he tried to turn the tables on the West, charging that the four criminal cases against U.S. Republican candidate Donald Trump were a use of the judiciary for political aims and describing denigrating democracy in the U.S. as a catastrophe.

The whole world is laughing at it, he said.

Putin referenced Navalny by name for the first time in public at the news conference, declaring that he was ready to release him in a swap for unidentified inmates in Western custody just days before the opposition leaders death.

Some people told the AP that they were happy to vote for Putin  unsurprising in a country where state TV airs a drumbeat of praise for the Russian leader and voicing any other opinion is risky.

Dmitry Sergienko, who cast his ballot in Moscow, said, I am happy with everything and want everything to continue as it is now.

Voting took place over three days at polling stations across the vast country, in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine and online. EMMA BURROWS, Moscow, MDT/AP
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his New Zealand counterpart yesterday, as Chinas most senior diplomat began a tour of the country and Australia.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters greeted Wang in Wellington, New Zealands capital.

There have been some significant developments since we last met, not least a global pandemic that impacted both our countries, Peters said in his opening comments of their formal meeting at New Zealands parliament house.

Today is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities that are now before us.

Wang is the highest-ranking Chinese politician to visit the country since his own previous visit in 2017.

New Zealand has had strong economic ties with China in recent years, and was the first developed country to sign a bilateral free trade deal with Beijing in 2008.

While in Wellington, Wang will also have brief meetings with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Trade Minister Todd McClay.

China looks forward to working with the two countries to deliver on the common understandings between the leaders, enhance strategic communication, deepen mutual trust, advance exchanges and co-operation, promote the steady and sustained growth of the China-New Zealand and China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnerships and contribute to world peace, stability and prosperity, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

Wang will arrive in Canberra, Australia tomorrow to meet with counterpart Penny Wong, with dialogue between the pair expected to center on the case of detained Australian Yang Hengjun.

It will be the first time the two foreign ministers have met face to face since Yang was found guilty of espionage following a closed trial and sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in February.

Also on the agenda will be the removal of the last-remaining trade tariffs that were imposed by China in 2020 and were widely regarded as punishment for the previous Australian government passing laws that ban covert foreign interference in domestic politics, for barring Chinese-owned telecommunications giant Huawei from rolling out Australias 5G network due to security concerns and for calling for an independent investigation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The trade tariffs cost the local economy an estimated 20 billion Australian dollars ($13 billion), but have since been wound back on most goods except wine, rock lobsters and some abattoirs. MDT/AP
On a recent visit to New York I stopped at a Japanese bookstore in Manhattan. Among the English-language books about Japan, I encountered a section of a shelf marked WABI-SABI and stocked with titles such as Wabi Sabi Love, The Wabi-Sabi Way, Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers, and, in all lowercase, simply imperfect: revisiting the wabi-sabi house.

What is wabi-sabi, and why does it rate its own section alongside such topics as sushi and karate?

Wabi-sabi is typically described as a traditional Japanese aesthetic: the beauty of something perfectly imperfect, in the sense of flawed or unfinished. Actually, however, wabi and sabi are similar but distinct concepts, yoked together far more often outside Japan than in it. Even people who have been brought up in Japan may struggle to define wabi and sabi precisely, though each is certainly authentically Japanese and neither is especially obscure.

As a scholar of classical Japanese language, literature and culture, I too have a professional interest in wabi and sabi and how they have come to be understood outside Japan. A cursory search of Google Books shows that the term began to appear in print in English around 1980. Perhaps this was a delayed reaction to a book by Japanese art critic Yanagi Soetsu, The Unknown Craftsman, which was translated into English and published in 1972.

In it, in an essay titled, The Beauty of Irregularity, Yanagi wrote about the art of the tea ceremony and its simple grace. More broadly, as the title suggests, he was captivated by a sense of beauty apart from traditional ideals of perfection, refinement and symmetry.

Behind roughness, Yanagi wrote, lurks a hidden beauty, to which we refer in our peculiar adjectives shibui, wabi, and sabi.

Shibui means austere or restrained, yet it was wabi and sabi that caught on abroad  perhaps because they rhyme.

After taking off in America and other countries, the phrase wabi-sabi was imported back to Japan as a compound term; the mentions I found in online Japanese sources typically addressed such topics as how to explain wabi-sabi to foreigners. Wabi-sabi does not appear in standard dictionaries of the Japanese language.

Miserable poetry

Wabi is a noun derived from the classical Japanese verb wabu, related to the modern verb wabiru and adjective wabishii. Wabu means to languish or be miserable.

Here is a celebrated example from a ninth-century waka poem, the brief verse of 31 syllables that forms the backbone of classical Japanese poetry. The poet, a courtier named Yukihira, was a provincial governor who, by some accounts, was exiled to Suma Bay, a famous stretch of coastline in western Japan.

Should by chance Someone ask for me, Answer that I languish At Suma Bay, shedding brine upon the seaweed.

Suma Bay wasnt all misery for Yukihira; according to legend, he loved and was loved by two sisters there. But his poem well captures the pain of wabi  the misery of having been exiled from the courtly world he knew.

Miserable tea

Eventually, the misery of wabi made its way into one of Japans most iconic traditions: tea.

The custom of drinking powdered green tea, called matcha, entered Japan around 1200. Zen monks returning from China brought the powder home, using it as a medicine and a stimulant. Over time, tea spread to the rest of the population; by the middle of the 16th century, it was a mundane part of everyday life.

It was precisely then that the preparation and serving of tea was sublimated to high art, now known as chado or sado, the so-called Way of Tea.

As the tea ceremony gained in popularity, powerful warlords competed in acquiring the most coveted utensils, including braziers, kettles, scoops, whisks and the bowllike cups in which the tea was whipped and sipped. The tearoom itself might be decorated with rare works of art, such as paintings or calligraphy mounted on hanging scrolls, elaborate flower vases and incense burners.

Then there emerged a group of connoisseurs and teachers of tea who championed a more severe and austere style of presentation: wabi-cha, which literally means miserable tea. Whereas newly ascendant warriors and merchants used the tea gathering to flaunt their wealth, wabi-style tea emphasized subtlety, frugality and restraint.

It is not hard to see traces of wabi in old tearooms, with their patina of age and elegant but unobtrusive furnishings, and in the utensils themselves  in particular, the misshapen, cracked or somber-hued teabowls.

Wabi-style tea perhaps reached its pinnacle in the 16th century, when the celebrated tea master Sen no Rikyu introduced innovations still used today. These include bamboo tea scoops, black raku-style ceramic teabowls and the crawling entrance: the 2-by-2-foot door through which attendees wriggle in order to enter the cozy, womblike tearoom.

A lovely loneliness

Like wabi, sabi is a noun: in this case, derived from the classical verb sabu. Today, the verb sabiru means to rust, with its connotations of age and decay. The modern adjective sabishii means lonely.

Classical poems yield many examples of sabi but it really took off as an aesthetic ideal in the 17th century. Poets often tried to capture its particular kind of loneliness in the 17-syllable poetic form of haiku.

As the scholar Makoto Ueda remarked, sabi is not the loneliness of a man who has lost his dear one, but the loneliness of the rain falling on large taro leaves at night, or the loneliness emerging out of a cicadas cry amid the white, dry rocks, or the Milky Way extending over the rough sea, or a huge river torrentially rushing in the rainy season.

Matsuo Basho, a 17th-century master of haiku, saw sabi in this verse by his disciple Mukai Kyorai, translated by Ueda:

Under the blossoms Two aged watchmen, With their white heads together.

The juxtaposition of wabi-sabi as a single term is of recent, not ancient, vintage, and it does not seem to have occurred in Japan. Nonetheless, the terms originated in Japanese aesthetics: sabi out of poetry and wabi out of tea.

Combined, they appear to fill a gap in the Western vocabulary for talking about art and life  a leaning away from perfection, completion and excess, and a yearning toward leaving something undone, broken or unsaid. Paul S. Atkins, University of Washington, MDT/AP
La Crosse Diocese Bishop William Patrick Callahan announced his retirement Tuesday after his resignation was approved by Pope Francis. In his place, the pope named Bishop Gerard Battersby from Detroit to take the La Crosse post.

Battersby will be the 11th bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse. He served as bishop in Detroit for seven years. The new bishop will be installed May 20 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman.

Callahan is retiring for health reasons. At 73 years old, Callahan will leave just before the mandatory bishop retirement age of 75. Many bishops submit retirement papers at this time in their lives to get in front of the reinstallation process.

The diocese has been led wonderfully in the direction of many cooks, many people in this broth in his presence, Callahan said. The future has been kindly set for us by our holy father Pope Francis, and we are very grateful.

The outgoing bishop will live in the La Crosse Holy Cross Diocesan Center among other church staff and clergy.

Battersby retained a measured approach in his new appointment. He asked for the Catholic community to pray that he can fulfill his duties and grow into the role of La Crosse bishop appropriately.

The best path forward is dont change anything but your socks for the first year, Battersby chimed. My initial desire is to listen. Before I start to teach, I have to know the hearts and the disposition and hopes of my people.

He added he was excited to serve the city where Father Solanus Casey began his career before joining the Capuchin Order in Detroit. Casey started the Detroit Capuchin Soup Kitchen in 1929, and it still operates today.

The Diocese of La Crosse covers 19 counties in western Wisconsin with 156 parishes. The diocese also hosts seven Catholic high schools and 58 other K-8 schools.
WASHINGTON  As Salvatore LoGrande fought cancer and all the pain that came with it, his daughters promised to keep him in the white, pitched roof house he worked so hard to buy decades ago.

So, Sandy LoGrande thought it was a mistake when, a year after her fathers death, Massachusetts billed her $177,000 for her fathers Medicaid expenses and threatened to sue for his home if she didnt pay up quickly.

The home was everything, to her father, said LoGrande, 57.

But the bill and accompanying threat weren't a mistake.

Rather, it was part of a routine process the federal government requires of every state: to recover money from the assets of dead people who, in their final years, relied on Medicaid, the taxpayer-funded health insurance for the poorest Americans.

A person's home is typically exempt from qualifying for Medicaid. But it is subject to the estate recovery process for those who were over 55 and used Medicaid to pay for long-term care such as nursing home stays or in-home health care.

This month, a Democratic lawmaker proposed scuttling the cruel program altogether. Critics argue the program collects too little  roughly 1%  of the more than $150 billion Medicaid spends yearly on long-term care. They also say many states fail to warn people who sign up for Medicaid that big bills and claims to their property might await their families once they die.

LoGrande says thats how she ended up in a two-year legal battle with Massachusetts after her father died. Several years before he died in 2016, she had turned to a local nonprofit for advice on caring for her elderly father. The group suggested she sign him up for Medicaid. She even remembers asking about the house, but was assured the state would only seek the house if it sent her father to a nursing home.

For years, her father got an annual renewal notice from the states Medicaid office. She says it wasn't until after his death, when the state's demand for $177,000 arrived, that she saw the first bill for his care, which included a brief stint in the hospital for pain from cancer, medications and hospice.

Thats what ripped my guts out, LoGrande said. It was dishonest.

The state settled with the LoGrandes in 2019 and released its claim on the house.

State policies around this recovery process vary widely, according to a 2021 report from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, which makes policy recommendations to Congress.

Some states will put a lien  a legal right  on a home while others dont. Meanwhile, some Medicaid offices try to recoup all medical costs from patients, like doctor visits or prescriptions, while others just pursue the costs for long-term care. Alaska and Arizona pursued just dozens of properties in recent years while other states go after thousands of homes, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

New York and Ohio topped the country for such collections, recovering more than $100 million combined in a single year, a Dayton Daily News investigation found.

Last month, a foundation for one of the industry's biggest health insurance giants called on Massachusetts to overhaul its process, which includes collecting reimbursement for most Medicaid costs, beyond the federal government's minimum requirement to recover long-term care expenses. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Massachusetts recommended the state Legislature pass a law that would prohibit those additional collections.

In Tennessee, which recovered more than $38.2 million from more than 8,100 estates last year, Imani Mfalme found herself in a similar predicament after her mothers death in 2021.

As her mother's early-onset Alzheimer's worsened, Mfalme continued to care for her. But in 2015, when Mfalme was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed a double mastectomy, she started looking at other options. She hosted a meeting in her mothers home with the local Medicaid office. The representative told her to drain her mothers bank accounts  money Mfalme poured into assisted living facility payments for her mom  so her mother would qualify for the program.

The representative, Mfalme said, made no mention that she could be forced to sell the house to settle her mother's bill with Medicaid once she died.

Now, Tennessee's Medicaid office says she owes $225,000 and the state is seeking a court order that would require Mfalme to sell the house to pay up.

Mfalme, now 42, said she wants to pay what she can, but the house is a particular pain point. Her mother, a Black woman, purchased her dream home in Knoxville after she won a landmark discrimination lawsuit against her former employer, Boeing, for paying her less than her male co-workers.

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's report recommended that Congress reverse the 1993 law that required states to recover money from estates, instead making it optional.

Earlier this month, Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois reintroduced legislation that would end the federal government's mandate. Schakowsky believes the rule is a losing proposition for families, who give up their homes, and taxpayers, who don't see big returns from the recovery efforts.

It is one of the most cruel, ineffective programs that we see, Schakowsky said. "This is a program that doesnt work for anybody.

New laws are increasing price transparency in health care. Here's what they mean for you. Site-neutral procedures for Medicare Spread pricing under Medicaid is out Hospital price transparency Public lab test and imaging pricing Additional funding for health care worker training programs Extending the ban on pharmacist gag clauses Health care coverage price transparency
Dane County continues to outpace some population projections as new federal census estimates found that nearly 14,000 people moved to the county since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest population estimates reflect a 2.5% increase, a sign of the countys growth and ongoing difficulties faced by the housing market to keep up with it.

Between April 2020 and July 2023, Dane Countys population has risen from an estimated 561,500 residents to 575,350, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released last week.

It shows the economic strength of the region, said Kurt Paulsen, a professor of urban planning at UW-Madison. I think it also means we really have to go and update our long-term forecasts. Theyll probably be significantly higher.

But population projections for the county in recent years have varied depending on whos doing the counting.

Woods & Poole, an industry standard for demographic projections, anticipated the county to have a population of 573,300 by the end of 2023, which trails the latest census figures.

The new census numbers might even be an undercount of the actual number of new county residents, said Sean Higgins, a senior community planner with the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission.

The state Department of Administration, which historically has conservative estimates, anticipated Dane County to have a population of 590,000 by the start of 2023.

Those variations point to a need for officials and planners to reach closer numbers, but the bottom line is that Dane County continues to grow at a steady and rapid pace, Higgins said.

Its a one-two punch, Higgins said. Not only do we have to plan for this development and this growth, but were also behind the curve in supplying housing. We need to approach this with a common understanding of what the likely outcome is.

Using pre-pandemic state DOA figures that have already been outpaced, the regional planning commission determined that the county needed more than 100,000 new housing units by 2050.

In Madison, 2022 new housing permits signal about 2,350 units expected to be added to the citys housing supply across 2023 and 2024, according to the citys latest housing report.

Statewide changes

Beyond Dane County, the latest figures show how the population is changing throughout Wisconsin. The state added about 17,000 residents between 2020 and 2023, bringing the states population to 5.9 million, according to the data.

Milwaukee County continued to see an extreme population decline, hemorrhaging 23,000 people since 2020, a 2.5% drop, according to the data. The WOW counties surrounding Milwaukee  Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee  all saw growth since the beginning of the pandemic.

Waukesha added 5,600 people, the second-most in the state behind Dane County, a 1.4% increase.

Ozaukee added 2,000 residents, a 2.1% increase, and Washington added 1,400 people, a 1% increase.

Most Wisconsin counties added residents, though many increases were modest gains of a few hundred residents in small- to medium-sized places.

Other notable gains were seen in St. Croix County, along the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River outside the Twin Cities. The population there grew by 3,200 people, a 3.5% rise. Nearby Eau Claire County grew by about 2%, adding about 2,200 residents.

The impact of social media on the mental health of Gen Z The impact of social media on the mental health of Gen Z Social media affects younger people more
Fundraising is complete for the new $18 million Centro Hispano of Dane County building on Madisons South Side and $2 million in startup operational funds after the organization received a bigger-than-expected donation from one of the nations leading philanthropists.

Yield Giving, a foundation established by MacKenzie Scott, provided the final $2 million for what has been a two-year fundraising campaign, Centro executive director Karen Menendez Coller announced Tuesday at a gathering of about 30 staff and community members.

This gift will ensure the completion of Campaign Centro, she said.

The funds cap off Centros efforts to replace its aging building at 810 W. Badger Road. Its new, 25,000-square-foot home at 2403 Cypress Way will provide space for programming and a growing staff for the nonprofit, which serves more than 2,500 Latino families each year.

Located around the block from the existing center, the new Centro will open with a public celebration April 26.

Centro Hispano, building on local gifts, applied through an open call for a $1 million grant from Yield Giving  but was granted twice that, Menendez Coller said. The open call had drawn more than 6,000 applications, she said.

Scott, a novelist, was a co-founder of Amazon with her ex-husband, Jeff Bezos; since its establishment, Yield Giving has distributed more than $17 billion to nonprofits, according to its website.

Tuesdays announcement was planned as a surprise for Centro staff members, who will be moving into the new building next month.

Karen had kept it a secret, said family connections and volunteer engagement lead Rachel Rosin, who exchanged hugs with a co-worker when Menendez Coller broke the news.

The new location offers far more space for everything from workforce development programs to a weekly Zumba class and a seasonal farmers market, said communications coordinator Sara Sanchez Santana. The design is also a state-of-the-art, sustainable structure.

If you go What: Grand opening celebration for Centro Hispano's new building Where: 2403 Cypress Way, corner of Hughes Place and Cypress Way When: Friday, April 26  ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m.; activities from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. including music, artistic performances and food vendors Website: micentro.org

Theres no project of its kind in the Madison area, Menendez Coller said. Geothermal, water retention, solar panels, the landscape  its all meant to be sustainable.

Many immigrants come to the United States because of climate pressures in their home countries, she said.

Theres no agriculture, theres no water, so you move  you move out of necessity. The new Centro is a symbol of hope that were going to be doing it differently, she said.

The construction has been part of a flurry of redevelopment near or on South Park Street just north of the Beltline. The area is now home to the Urban League of Greater Madisons new Black Business Hub and the Madison Area Technical Colleges Goodman South Campus, which opened in 2019.

Centro Hispano was founded in 1983 to respond to the needs of Dane Countys growing Cuban refugee population. It has since evolved to support the countys entire Latino community and in 2017 opened another office space in Sun Prairie.

Centros initiatives are some of the only  the only  bilingual, bicultural programs focused on serving a segment of the population that is the fastest-growing group in the city, the county and the state, Menendez Coller said during her announcement.

In Dane County, the Latino population has grown 100% in the last 10 years. In some areas its over 400%, she said. We see a number of new arrivals who are coming to our community, but the vast majority of our families are U.S.-born.

Centro is key to making many people feel like part of the community, board president Felipe Noboa said.

As an immigrant, I always looked for a place that feels like home, and Centro felt like that from Day 1, he said.
Former Edgewood College President Mary Ellen Gevelinger, who took the helm of the small Dominican college at a challenging time as staff and academics were on the chopping block following sustained enrollment declines, died Wednesday at her Madison home. She was 80.

In summer 2019, Gevelinger was on a beach with friends in California when she got a call from Lucy Keane, a 1984 graduate of Edgewood College and chair of the colleges board of trustees. Then-Edgewood College President Scott Flanagan was stepping down, in part due to his personal concerns he couldnt continue to have the stamina and energy the college deserved.

Would Gevelinger, professor emerita for the college and a Sinsinawa Dominican sister, take on the presidency in the interim, Keane asked, as Edgewood College searched for a permanent successor? Gevelinger said yes and started in September 2019.

It was very selfless  she was retired. So that in and of itself was a selfless act, Keane recalled.

Her successor, current Edgewood College President Andrew Manion, was brought on eight months later in May 2020, but not before Gevelinger was faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, where she worried deeply about the effect it would have on students, Keane said. As a parting thank-you from the board, members removed her interim title and designated her as president emerita.

Gevelinger also found herself steeped in controversy during her presidency: Edgewood College students protested when a link to Planned Parenthood was quietly removed from the colleges website and conservative student organizations and news sites claimed victory.

Gevelinger was a tenured faculty member in the School of Education and was the director of doctoral research for the college. She joined Edgewood College in 2007 and led the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation as its prioress between 2011 and 2016.

Gevelinger served Edgewood College in many ways over her lifetime, most recently as president during a critical year of budget challenges and the onset of the pandemic, Manion said in a statement Friday. This college is forever in her debt, and deeply saddened by the news of her passing.

Born to Robert and Margaret (Bradley) Gevelinger on May 31, 1943, and raised on a farm outside of Mineral Point, Gevelinger pored over books that shed pick up from the library once a week as part of the weekly grocery run. She was rarely seen until those books were finished, Gevelinger told Edgewood College in a 2019 magazine profile.

Margaret was a proud teacher, teaching in one-room schools and religious education classes, so it was no surprise the teaching bug caught on to her daughter.

The Sinsinawa Dominican sisters have a long history of being teachers, Keane said. A young Gevelinger considered being a teacher, a nurse or a doctor, she told Edgewood College in 2019, but her exposure to the Sinsinawa sisters at St. Clara Academy and later joining the convent changed her life. Gevelinger became a professed nun in 1963 and was bestowed the religious name Sister Marie Alphonse, her obituary states.

Gevelinger received her bachelors degree in Latin from Rosary College (now known as Dominican University, a private Catholic institution) in Illinois and a masters degree in religious studies from Mundelein College, then a private womens college, in Chicago. She received a second masters degree in educational administration from St. Xavier College in Chicago and then got a doctoral degree in educational leadership from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Gevelinger started her teaching career in 1965 and moved around among Illinois and Minnesota parochial schools, serving in both teaching and administrative roles. Once at Edgewood College, Keane said, Gevelinger was instrumental in starting the doctorate in education program.

The doctorate in education program really came to life under her, and particularly the research side, Keane said. For Mary Ellen, it just made sense ... what better than having not just our teachers out in the world, but having our teachers teach teachers?
Responses to the Wisconsin State Journals candidate questionnaire. The election is April 2.

Michelle Crisanti

Age: 60

Family: Husband and son

Job: Owner and agent at Truckers Insured

Prior elected office: None

Other public service: Club marketing communications chairperson for the Edgertons Lions Club; volunteer, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art; served as a membership committee person for Women in Trucking; served on the board of the Chicago Artists Coalition; served on the board of the nonprofit Music Ensemble in Chicago

Education: Bachelors degree in art and design; health/life/property and casualty licenses in 22 states

Matt McIntyre

Age: 66

Family: Engaged

Job: Retired

Prior elected office: Mayor (10 years) and city city council member (10 years)

Other public service: Member of the Edgerton Chamber of Commerce as mayor representative for the city

Education: Graduate of Edgerton High School; attended UW-Rock County, UW-Whitewater; Blackhawk Technical College; Oklahoma Technical School

Q&A

What unique expertise or experience would you bring to this office?

Crisanti: My most important experience comes from being a small-business owner. It has taught me budgeting, customer service, patience, listening, out-of-the-box thinking, timelines/schedules and deadlines, strategy, promotion, responsibility and ownership of the good and the bad.

McIntyre: A lot of good productive experience doing things for Edgerton as former mayor and council member over the years to keep Edgerton growing forward in a smart, well-balanced way. Good communication and listening with everybody. Always available to everybody, thinking positively forward with proven results with vision, values and committed service for our city as a whole.

What is the most pressing problem facing the community, and how would you fix it?

Crisanti: Im planning to continue the councils prioritization of fixing Edgertons streets. I also plan to support the efforts and investments already made in clean energy and other conservation projects.

McIntyre: To keep fixing and repaving our streets and underground water and sewer mains for our safety and for our families and businesses. This costs a lot, but through very diligent budgeting and planning and a progressive reconstruction forecast, this is something that we have been doing over many years and years forward to fix up for our infrastructure.

What do you most want for your community?

Crisanti: To let surrounding towns, cities and states know what a wonderful place Edgerton, Wisconsin, is. Im excited by all of the new businesses opening up in Edgerton and would love to help further support them. I want to keep the city of Edgerton growing to its full potential.
TWIN FALLS  A California woman who prosecutors say was part of a commercial theft ring has been sentenced for her role in stealing nearly $17,000 worth of Apple electronics products from the Target store in September 2022 in Twin Falls.

Within approximately 15 minutes, Dalia Calin, 26, and her husband stole the items, including iPads, MacBook Airs and Apple watches, after breaking the lock on a cabinet, security video showed, according to police. The video also showed Calins brother playing a part, records say, but charges against him were dismissed.

The trio left the store in a dark-colored mini-van.

Calin, charged with aiding and abetting grand theft, feigned ignorance after being caught five months later in California after committing the same type of crime and being connected to the Twin Falls theft, said Jethelyn Harrington, senior deputy prosecutor, but Calin and her group are skilled consmen.

This was a thought-out, planned-out theft by people who knew what they were doing, Harrington said Friday during Calins sentencing.

When she was caught in California with the other two individuals, police found $20,000 worth of Apple products, but none of them came from Twin Falls, records say.

Calin paid back $17,000 restitution as part of a plea agreement, and was given a suspended sentence of a minimum of three years prison with five years indeterminate, with probation.

Through an interpreter, Calin apologized to the court, vowing not to commit the crime again.

She has not been sentenced for charges she faces in California, Harrington said.

Calins husband has been deported, defense attorney Daniel Brown said, and that Calin likely wont be deported because she has children living in the U.S.

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.

Ask Dale: Do I always have to show my receipt before I leave Walmart? Walmart is known for having employees check your receipt before you leave the store. For some people, it's annoying, and one of those people a
Daughters of the American Revolution honors Magic Valley Students

The Twin Falls Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution recently honored Magic Valley students who were winners in several scholarship, writing and art contests.

High school seniors at 12 schools were recognized as Good Citizens based on their qualities of dependability, service, leadership and patriotism. The students received certificates and monetary awards at a reception in March.

The following are the chapter scholarship winners: first place  Draycen Lamm, Wendell High School; second place  Seleny Ramirez-Hathaway, Glenns Ferry High School; and third place  Gracie Cheney, Shoshone High School.

Other school winners: Daniel Bowyer, Carey High School; Katelyn Brackett, Castleford High School; Kynan Maloney, Filer High School; Madeline Gibson, Hansen High School; Courtney Jensen, Murtaugh High School; Alyssa Dewsnup, Oakley High School; Megan Campbell, Raft River High School; Sydney Jund, Twin Falls High School; and Aiden McFarland, Xavier Charter School.

The chapter winner in the Patriots of the American Revolution essay contest is ninth-grader Alexis Bailey of Twin Falls High School. Baileys essay was also named first place in the state-level contest by the Idaho State Society of DAR.

Also:

Idaho Power

has filed the first of two annual cost adjustments with the Idaho Public Utilities Commission. This years Fixed Cost Adjustment requests an increase of $10.6 million, or 1.44%, for customers in Idaho. If the proposal is approved, the customer would see about a $1.69 increase to their monthly bill beginning June 1. However, the final impact to customer bills wont be known until a second annual adjustment is filed in April.

Sixteen-year-old

Alejandro Alvarez was airlifted to Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello following a car crash. He spent 11 days in the ICU before succumbing to his injuries. He dreamed of becoming a diesel mechanic and was taking classes in high school to learn the trade. He was also looking forward to attending the Idaho Catholic Youth Conference. Alvarezs family has started a GoFundMe for help covering his funeral expenses, and his many medical bills. For more information about donating, go to

.

Full-year Idaho residents qualify for a

grocery credit refund, of up to $120 for most Idaho residents, plus $120 for each of their qualifying dependents. Residents 65 or older get $140. Qualifying dependents include those born or adopted by the end of 2023, as well as resident dependents who died in 2023. The amount you qualify for excludes any months you received federal food stamps, were in jail, or were in the United States illegally. If youre 65 or older, use the Idaho State Tax Commissions

, Idaho Grocery Credit Refund. If youre under 65, use

, Idaho Individual Income Tax Return. Follow the instructions on page 7 of the

.

The

Bureau of Land Management Burley Field Office

will extend the seasonal motorized travel closure in the South Hills area, south of Twin Falls, until March 24. Roads in the area are still snow covered and wintering deer herds are hanging in the lower elevation areas, needing additional protection. The area is still open to the public for non-motorized use.

 Times-News

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.
A relic worker restores wall paintings in Cave 55 of the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, Gansu province, in August. [Li He/Xinhua]

The Dunhuang Academy's cultural relics protection team was honored with the title of National Outstanding Engineering Team early this year, China's highest honor in the field of engineering.



Su Bomin, the director of the Dunhuang Academy and head of the cultural relics protection team, has been involved in mural protection work for nearly 40 years, while the Dunhuang Academy's cultural relics protection team has expanded from four members in 1992 to over 200 members today.

They have successively rescued and preserved cultural heritage sites in 153 locations across 13 provinces and regions, providing a Chinese solution for the protection of ancient murals and polychrome sculptures worldwide.

"Through the continuous efforts of several generations at the Mogao Grottoes, effective protection and management have been achieved, gradually restoring the site's former glory," Su said.

The Mogao Grottoes stands as the largest and best-preserved Buddhist cave art site in the world, with 735 caves spanning a cliff face 1,700 meters long, containing over 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 polychrome sculptures.

It is one of only two heritage sites in the world that meet all six criteria for World Cultural Heritage.

The protection and restoration of cultural relics such as the Mogao Grottoes have garnered attention worldwide. The Dunhuang Academy has collaborated with countries such as Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, promoting a complete set of techniques for cultural heritage protection.

A student copies a wall painting from the Mogao Grottoes during a study tour in Dunhuang in February last year. [Zhang Xiaoliang/Xinhua]

In the past five years, Dunhuang art exhibitions have been held in dozens of locations both domestically and internationally, leaving a mark in countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Austria.

Enduring more than 1,600 years, the allure of the Mogao Grottoes remains, thanks to efforts made through generations. However, during the restoration and protection process, Su's team has encountered many challenges such as those found in the murals in Cave 85.

Su said that murals typically consist of three layers  a support layer, a ground layer and a pigment layer. Cave 85's 110 sq m of murals exhibit three typical diseases of the Mogao Grottoes  flaking, detachment and efflorescence.

He said that these issues are caused by soluble salts within the murals. As temperature and humidity fluctuate, these salts continuously crystallize and exude through the murals, leading to their gradual deterioration.

"At first, after analysis and research in Cave 85, the conclusion was that the problems were unsolvable at that time," Su said.

To find solutions, the cultural relics protection team, in collaboration with experts from the Getty Conservation Institute in the United States, attempted to relocate the soluble salts to the surface and then desalinate them through injection.

After four years and the formulation of 81 different recipes, they finally developed a suitable injection formula through repeated improvements.

With the "prescription" in hand, the next step was how to apply it.

Fan Zaixuan, a member of the cultural relics protection team, has been involved in the restoration of ancient murals for 43 years.

He explained that mural restoration demands extremely precise work and allows no room for error. Conventional tools are inadequate for mural restoration, so the team designed their own restoration instruments.

They replaced the plunger of a traditional syringe with an ear syringe, creating a device that looks like a needle with a balloon attached at the bottom.

"This was to allow for more injection material and to better control the injection volume," Su explained.

After eight years, the bottleneck issues in Cave 85 had been resolved.

"This was a process of going from zero to one," Su said.

In the early 1990s, China had not yet achieved unified technical protection and site management. This restoration directly prompted the introduction of the Chinese Cultural Relics and Historical Sites Protection Guidelines, providing a set of ideas and methods for the protection of China's cultural relics.

Regarding future development, Su said, "We hope to make Dunhuang better known to the world through our efforts." He added that the digitization of Dunhuang plays an irreplaceable role in this endeavor.

The Dunhuang Academy began exploring digitization in the late 1980s.

On May 1, 2016, Digital Dunhuang was officially launched, allowing people worldwide to appreciate the exquisite murals in 30 caves of the Mogao Grottoes online.

By 2022, they had completed high-precision data collection for 300 caves, more than half of the numbered caves in Dunhuang.

"There is nothing that can be preserved permanently; the ultimate fate of the Mogao Grottoes is continuous degradation. What we, throughout our lives, are doing is resisting destruction, striving to preserve the Mogao Grottoes for a longer time," said Su, remembering the words of Fan Jinshi, the honorary director of the Dunhuang Academy.
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The Philippines and the European Union restarted free trade agreement (FTA) talks, with the potential to grow bilateral trade by an additional 6 billion euros.

Strengthening economic engagement with the EU remains a priority for the Philippines. As one of the countrys largest trading partners and sources of investment, we have worked diligently to enhance our ties with the EU, including high-level exchanges over the past two years between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, said Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

We aim for an ambitious, balanced, and comprehensive FTA with the EU. Our approach is guided by the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, directing us to advance purposive, assertive, and forward-looking FTAs, said Pascual.

The proposed PH-EU FTA aims to provide enhanced market access for goods, services and investments, going beyond the benefits of the EUs Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+). By committing to rules and higher standards, the FTA will enhance competitiveness and foster sustainable, inclusive growth and development in the Philippines.

The conditions are right to take our trade relations to the next level. Trade between the EU and the Philippines is already strong and has been growing at an impressive pace over the past decade, said European Commission executive vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis.

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Dombrovskis noted the Philippines importance in diversifying the EUs sources of critical minerals, adding this perspective to the FTA discussions alongside the need for specific agricultural and fisheries products.

The Philippines is also a significant producer of critical raw materials like nickel, copper and chromite, all vital for the green transition, Dombrovskis said. A deal with the Philippines will help strengthen our supply chains in these critical minerals at a time of pressure on global supply chains.

The EU said the proposed FTA would not only support bilateral trade but also the Philippines ambition to be a leader in the green and digital transition.

Following the historic critical minerals agreement between Japan and the United States, the Philippines has been proactive in seeking a similar deal with the US government.

The potential strategic cooperation for critical minerals under the Philippines-EU FTA could be another historic milestone.

We seek technology and partnerships with EU companies to create more value from our mineral ores, particularly green metals like nickel, cobalt and copper, said Pascual. We believe this will allow us to achieve value creation within our shores rather than simply exporting raw ores.

Dombrovskis said the EU is actively engaging partners worldwide on critical minerals through FTAs, and the Philippines is a trade partner with high growth potential.

The EU is extending similar FTA proposals to India, Indonesia and Thailand to strengthen regional engagement, appreciating the Philippines steadfast support for international law. It also noted a strong interest in including intellectual property rights (IPR) as a key agenda item in the FTA renegotiations.

Pascual cited the need for diversification beyond just critical minerals. He said diversification of food and non-food items is a major focus of the FTA, given the impact of the pandemic and global political disruptions.

He said the continued access to the GSP+ is important for the Philippines to help small businesses grow.

We want to lock in the benefits of the GSP+ because the ambition for tariff reduction is much greater under the FTA negotiations, Pascual said, noting the Philippines potential graduation to upper-middle-income status, which would make it ineligible for GSP benefits.

The Philippines, with a GDP of 370 billion euros and a population of over 150 million, has the potential to be a major market for EU industry. Goods trade exceeded 18.4 billion euros in 2022, while trade in services reached 4.7 billion euros in 2021. The EU is the Philippines fourth-largest trading partner and one of its largest investors, with foreign direct investments of 13.7 billion euros in 2021.
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GCash, the countrys leading e-wallet, said Tuesday it is rolling out its financial services for Filipinos living and working in 16 countries globally.

The company said its GCash Overseas is now available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, Qatar, Kuwait, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia.

We are now in 13 countriesthe US, Canada, UK, Australia, Italy, Japan, Germany, Spain, UAE, Qatar, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea. So the three more will be Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Singapore by April, said Paul Albano, general manager of GCash International.

Filipinos abroad can now download and use the GCash app, whether they have Philippine SIMs or local mobile phone numbers in the countries or territories where they live.

We recognize the financial needs of over 13 million Filipinos living abroad. With GCash now available beyond the Philippines, we are responding to the needs of global Filipinos in these cashless digital economies, providing them with a safe, secure, and efficient fintech solution to send money back home, Albano said,.

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The availability of GCash in the 16 key markets worldwide allows overseas Filipinos to send money to loved ones anytime anywhere; pay bills and be in complete control of where the money is going, including household utilities, tuition, and taxes among others; and purchase mobile phone load for loved ones to stay connected via chat or video calls.

We want to expand to more countries, but these 16 countries already account for more than 80 percent of the remittances of our Filipino kababayans, Albano said.

About 10 million Filipinos are working abroad. Hopefully, we get all the 10 million into using GCash overseas, Albano said.

GCash said that beyond enabling Filipinos around the world with a secure platform to transfer money back home, it is also offering other digital financial services, including savings, gifting vouchers and online payments.

GCash is teaming up with Ikon Solutions Asia Inc., a licensed recruitment agency, to ensure OFWs are equipped with digital financial services through the app.

The fintech leader also teamed up with global payments platform Alipay+. With Global Pay, GCash is now a viable channel to pay over 3 million Alipay+-enabled merchants in 17 countries and territories around the world, including Japan, South Korea and Singapore in the Asia-Pacific region; Qatar and United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom in Europe, and in the United Statesall with the benefits of low foreign exchange rates and zero service fees. Moreover, the service was recently integrated with the national QRs of Malaysia and South Korea, making scanning to pay even more seamless in these countries.
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The Department of Energy (DOE) awarded Repower Energy Development Corp. (REDC) wind energy service contracts totaling 500 megawatts that would further expand its portfolio of clean-energy facilities around the country.

The 25-year wind contracts would allow the company to build the wind farms in Real and Mauban in Quezon province.

REDC is committed to providing accessible, affordable, and sustainable energy to the underserved Filipino communities, and these new wind energy service contracts will allow us to succeed in continuing achieving this goal, REDC president and chief executive Eric Peter Roxas said in a statement to the Philippine Stock Exchange Tuesday.

Developing our wind-energy capabilities will complement our core capabilities in operating run-of-the-river hydropower plants, enabling REDC to continue enjoying its ongoing multi-year growth in revenue and net income, he said.

The projects include the 100-MW Silang onshore wind farm covering 2,592 hectares of land, the 100-MW Mauban offshore wind farm on 3,888 hectares, the 200-MW Real offshore wind farm covering 14,661 hectares and the 100-MW Pandan Labayat onshore wind farm spanning 2,025 hectares.

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The company said it plans to have its wind turbines shipped via sea and start its construction of wind farms in Quezon later this year.

The projects are situated within the vicinity of REDCs 3 operating hydropower plants, where it operates a base for the province. It also operates a large switching station that is directly connected to the grid operated by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

REDC, a subsidiary of Pure Energy Holdings, said a jetty port, being built by one of the countrys leading conglomerates, is near its property that it could use for its equipment.
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SENATE Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III on Monday said the legislators should pay attention to the constitutional requirements meant to ensure that government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) are created based on their economic viability.

Pimentel issued the observation after the chamber approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2572 or the Act Establishing the Bulacan Airport City Special Economic Zone and Freeport.

Twenty-two senators voted for the approval of the measure seen as a growth catalyst for Central Luzon.

According to Pimentel, there is still time to comply with the constitutional requirements.

Just a reminder because that lack of test of economic viability, I used as an argument in my petition questioning the Maharlika

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Investment Corporation which is a GOCC There is a saying that haste makes waste and the best examplewas the first version of this bill that was already vetoed by the President, Pimentel said.

He noted that the veto message of President Marcos on the previous version of the bill seeking to create the Bulacan Special Economic Zone had many good points.

I hope that we have really addressed all those concerns. Let not the saying be proven a second time, Mr. President Let us devote the time before the finalization of this measure in the bicam productively. Make sure that the measure is compliant with the constitution, Pimentel stressed.

Senator Grace Poe thanked Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senator Imee Marcosthe main author of the billand Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, a Bulakeno who totally fought for what is best for his province.

I am proud to say through our collective brainstorming, we have crafted a vastly improved bill that adheres to constitutional provision on land conversion; that balances economic growth with environmental protection; and that warrants greater LGU (local government units) representation at its helm, said Poe, chairperson of the Senate pubic services committee.

She expressed optimism that the ecozone would spur investment, create more jobs and will actually be a model, not just here in the Philippines, but all over Asia, that would hopefully increase our GDP.

With this measure, the Bulakenyos and the rest of the country can now expect a world-class economic zone that we can truly be proud of, Poe said.
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A Makabayan bloc lawmaker believes the International Criminal Court is determined to run after former President Rodrigo Duterte after the ICC posted job vacancies for Cebuano and Tagalog translators.

I wont be surprised if there could be such hiring of not only translators but also legal staff for the ICC, Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said.

They are really interested. It seems they are very much interested since 2021 on the cases of the victims of the war on drugs of Duterte, she added.

The vacancies were posted on the ICC website (https://www.icc-cpi.int/jobs/vacancies) and both had a deadline of December 31, 2024.

A roster of freelance field interpreters, consisting of speakers of the relevant situation language, namely Cebuano, will be established as a result of this selection process. Once accredited, freelance field interpreters may be offered service contracts to provide consecutive interpretation services either remotely, at Headquarters or in the field according to the operational needs of the different sections and units of the Court.

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Earlier, President Marcos said his administration does not play politics with jurisdiction and sovereignty as he reiterated his position of not inviting the ICC to investigate his predecessor more fully.

Mr. Marcos said this on an Australian television program in response to the query of ABCs Sarah Ferguson, who said it was clear from the outside that theres been some breakdown in the relationship [with Duterte].

No. That would be a political move and what we are, we do not play politics with jurisdiction and sovereignty, Mr. Marcos said.

He said the ICC was formed to conduct, to provide justice to areas where there is no judiciary as he highlighted the countrys working police and justice system.

We have a functioning police force. We have a functioning judiciary, and it is their responsibility to take care of that. We have made a great deal of progress in that regard where many policemen have already been removed from service because theyve been found to be liable, cases have been filed. Many are already in jail, he added.

A recent OCTA Research Survey showed at least 59 percent of Filipinos support the Philippines rejoining the ICC, with 55 percent also infavor of investigating allegations of crimes against humanity during the previous administration.

In 2019, the Philippines, under then-President Duterte, withdrew from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, after the tribunal began a probe into his bloody drug war, followed by a formal inquiry in September 2021.

But the Hague-based tribunal said it retains jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed while the Philippines was a member from November 2011.

Duterte carried out his war on drugs from 2016 to 2022. Under this campaign, law enforcement authorities pursued suspected drug dealers and users, several of whom ended up dead by way of summary executions.
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Brussels, BelgiumThe European Union and the Philippines announced the resumption of negotiations for a free trade agreement on Monday, with Brussels saying the first round of talks should begin later this year.

The conditions are right to take our trade relations to the next level, EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said at a press conference in Brussels.

Talks began in 2015 under then-Philippine president Benigno Aquino but stalled two years later under his successor Rodrigo Duterte, whose deadly drug war strained diplomatic relations with the West and sparked an international probe.

The two sides announced their intention to reopen negotiations during a visit to Manila by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen last year.

The Southeast Asian nation, which depends heavily on trade with China, says it wants to expand its economic relations with other countries to achieve greater resiliency.

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The EU is the Philippines fourth-largest trading partner and is one of the biggest investors in the country.

The future of EU-Philippines economic relations holds immense promise, Philippines trade minister Alfredo Pascual said.

The EU is also looking to boost trade ties around the globe with countries that could help diversify its supplies of key raw materials needed in the transition to green technology.

The Philippines has major reserves of critical raw materials, including nickel, copper and chromite.

Duterte left power in June 2022 and was succeeded by Ferdinand Marcos.

Rights groups last year criticized the EU for turning a blind eye to ongoing abuses in the Philippines and called on the bloc to tie any trade deal to concrete human rights improvements in the country.
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KABULEight civilians were killed Monday in reckless air strikes by Pakistans military in the border regions of Afghanistan, prompting Afghan forces to retaliate against Pakistani military outposts, Taliban officials said.

Border tensions between the two countries have steadily escalated since the Taliban government seized power in 2021, with Islamabad claiming militant groups are carrying out regular attacks from Afghanistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani aircraft bombed civilian homes in Khost and Paktika provinces near the border with Pakistan at around 3:00 am, adding all of the dead were women and children.

Afghanistans defense ministry said its border forces retaliated by targeting Pakistans military posts along the border with heavy weapons.

Cross-border skirmishes in the region were reported by both sides on Monday, the latest in a string of incidents on the disputed frontier.

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The Taliban government strongly condemns these attacks and calls this reckless action a violation of Afghanistans sovereignty, Mujahid said in his statement.

Such incidents can have very bad consequences which will be out (of) Pakistans control.

Pakistans foreign ministry confirmed on Monday it had carried out anti-terrorist operations in the border regions inside Afghanistan.

It said in a statement it was targeting the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, one of several factions of the homegrown Pakistani Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, that are responsible for a surge in border violence against police and security officials.

The strikes prompted a call from the United States for Pakistan, once a key ally in its war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, to exercise restraint.

We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil and we urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

Malak Noor Khan, a tribal elder in the Sperah district of Khost, said he saw at least four explosives dropped from drones and jets and that multiple homes were destroyed, one with a woman and her children inside.

When the drone came first, we all, including women and children, left our homes and went into the trees on the mountainside, it was very cold as there was snow on the ground, he told AFP.

A local government official in Pakistans border regions, who asked not to be identified, told AFP residents had been instructed to evacuate the area during the skirmishes.

Islamabad has accused Kabuls Taliban government of harbouring militant fighters, allowing them to strike on Pakistani soil with impunity.

Kabul has denied the allegations.

In the first half of 2023, attacks rose by 80 percent, with 112 people killed in August, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.

A senior government official based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who asked not to be identified, told AFP that, despite repeated complaints, Afghanistan does not seem to be taking the matter seriously.

Regional analyst Saira Aqil said that, while increased attacks in Pakistan are prompting inevitable retaliation, the country cannot afford to lose Afghanistan as an ally.

The Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement posted on X it had summoned the head of the Pakistani embassy in Kabul to protest against Mondays strikes.

It called on Pakistans new government to not allow some circles to complicate the relationship between two neighboring Muslim countries  an apparent reference to certain Pakistani military leaders.

The Pakistan foreign ministry in turn said that certain elements among those in power in Afghanistan are actively patronising TTP and using them as a proxy against Pakistan, urging them to make a clear choice to stand with the people of Pakistan.

Mondays strikes came after seven Pakistani troops were killed in an attack by an armed group inside Pakistans territory on Saturday, for which President Asif Ali Zardari vowed retaliation.

Pakistan has decided that whoever will enter our borders, homes or country and commit terror, we will respond to them strongly, regardless of who it is or from which country, he said while attending the funeral prayers of the soldiers.

A Pakistani military statement said security forces also carried out an operation overnight Sunday in North Waziristan district, which borders Khost and Paktika, killing eight militants accused of being involved in Saturdays attack. AFP
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The government should use space-based technology such as satellites to protect the marine environment and assert the Philippines rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit stressed the importance of space science and technology applications (SSTA) within the field of maritime domain awareness, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.

In our advocacy to bring to light Chinese interference in the West Philippine Sea, the monitoring of Chinese Coast Guard vessels through satellite imagery has become useful in showing Chinese aggression to the world and asserting our rights in that area, Manhit said, in his speech on Tuesday during the first-ever conference on space cooperation in the Philippines, organized by the Stratbase Institute, in partnership with the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines and the Philippine Space Agency.

By harnessing the power of satellites, space agencies, and international partnerships such as the one that we have with the Embassy of Canada today, we have the opportunity to revolutionize our capabilities at sea. From tracking vessels in real time to detecting illegal fishing activities and monitoring environmental changes, space-based assets offer unparalleled insights into the dynamics of our maritime areas, he said.

Aside from using SSTA in the maritime domain, several experts also discussed space-based technologys importance in other sectors such as agriculture, connectivity, and climate change, among others.

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Considering these, Manhit exhorted the government to collaborate with like-minded nations like Canada to strengthen the Philippines capabilities in this field. Rey E. Requejo

This is an industry that warrants attention especially in the wake of rapid technological advancements. It is our hope that this conference would be the start of discussions on the relevance of space science and technology applications across different sectors. By encouraging more dialogue and collaboration in these areas, we can make use of space science and technology applications to address global challenges, he said.

We at Stratbase believe in looking beyond the present and seeing not only risks, but opportunities as well. In the sector of space, the areas for new industries, collaboration with different countries, and economic potential for Philippine society at large are as vast as space itself, Manhit added.

In his speech, Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman emphasized that Canada is proud to be a reliable partner of the Philippines.

We will continue to explore opportunities to deepen our relationship in multiple forums to further advance our respective national objectives both here on Earth, as well as in outer space, Hartman said.

Considering the advancements in space-based technology, the Ambassador also stressed the importance of strengthening the governance of outer space in advancing norms, rules, and principles of responsible behavior.

Alongside such guidelines that support the long-term safety and sustainability of space activities, success will be dependent on international collaboration and cooperation, he added.

Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) Program Director General Dr. Joel Marciano Jr. further highlighted the opportunities that space science bring to the country and the importance of partnerships with like-minded nations in developing these technologies.

Partnerships are key, and the various agreements that PhilSA has had with different government agencies in terms of building capacity within these agencies has allowed them to make more informed decisions and have more efficient programs based on space data, he said.

Marciano noted that the European Commission National Copernicus Capacity Support Action Program for the Philippines (CopPhil), the first space cooperation program in Asia, further strengthens the space data value chain in the Philippines.

[CopPhil] is very important for early warning, for example for extreme weather phenomenon, as well as improving climate resilience, Marciano said.
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As Blinken repeats US ironclad commitment to Manila

WASHINGTON  US President Joe Biden will hold the first three-way summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan next month, the White House said, as the United States firms up alliances against China.

Bidens meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on April 11 is the latest in a series of meetings with Asia-Pacific allies.

Mr. Marcos on Tuesday welcomed to Malacanang Palace US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who underscored Washingtons ironclad commitment Tuesday to help defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack against its forces.

It comes against a backdrop of skirmishes between Philippines and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea, where the countries have contested maritime claims.

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These waterways are critical to the Philippines, to its security, to its economy, but theyre also critical to the interests of the region, the United States and the world, Blinken said earlier at a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo.

The leaders will advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship including a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Biden will later hold a separate bilateral meeting with Mr. Marcos to reaffirm the ironclad alliance with the Philippines, she said.

Kishida, on the other hand, will be at the White House for a state visit the day before the summit.

In Manila, Blinken said the United States stands by its ironclad commitments to defend longtime ally the Philippines against armed attack in the South China Sea.

The Palace had yet to issue President Marcos comments on Blinkens visit as of press time.

Thats why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defense commitments, including under the mutual defense treaty.

For his part, Manalo said the challenge ahead was how to sustain and further elevate relations with the United States, which he thanked for its support over recent altercations with China in the South China Sea.

After Blinkens remarks, China said the United States has no right to interfere in the South China Sea.

The United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to interfere in maritime issues that are between China and the Philippines, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press conference.

In Tokyo, chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said Japan believes the talks will boost a free and open international order based on the rule of law.

With the Japan-US alliance as the linchpin, we believe that deepening cooperation with like-minded countries like the Philippines in a wide range of areas will be essential to maintaining the peace and prosperity of this region, he told reporters.

The US is redoubling efforts to improve longstanding ties with regional allies such as Tokyo and Manila, in an effort to counterbalance an increasingly aggressive China.

The announcement of the three-way summit came as Blinken was heading to Manila, a trip that the State Department said would reaffirm Americas unwavering commitment to the Philippines.

Beijing recently accused Washington of using the Philippines as a pawn in the dispute over the South China Sea.

Japan and the Philippines meanwhile said during a visit by Kishida in November that they would begin negotiations for a defense pact that would allow them to deploy troops on each others territory.

Japan invaded and occupied the Philippines during World War II, but the two countries have since grown closer due to trade and investment, and more recently, to counter Chinas assertiveness in the region.

Biden has also increasingly turned to the three-way summit format to strengthen US alliances.

In August last year, he hosted Japans Kishida and South Koreas president Yoon Suk Yeol at his Camp David presidential retreat, in a bid to bring the two US allies closer after years of tensions.

But Biden also held a landmark summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California in November in a bid to prevent conflict between the two superpowers, but relations remain tense.

Ahead of his meetings, Blinken toured a semiconductor plant. He described the Philippines as an increasingly critical partner in ensuring a resilient supply chain of chips.

The United States is seeking to cement its lead in the chip industry both on national security grounds and in the face of competition from China.

According to Blinken, economic ties with the United States would expand, offering support to Philippine manufacturing with a view to diversifying supply chains.

Last week the US commerce secretary Gina Raimondo visited the Philippines and said US companies were set to unveil more than $1 billion of investments in the country.

Editors Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline White House: Biden, Marcos to hold separate dialogue at Washington Summit this April
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Manila, PhilippinesUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to hold talks with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Tuesday, as the countries seek to reinforce security and economic ties to counter Chinese influence.

Blinkens visit to Manilahis second since Marcos took office in June 2022is part of a brief Asia tour that also included South Korea.

Washington is keen to improve relations with its regional allies, such as Manila and Seoul, in a bid to deter China and North Korea as tensions rise in the South China Sea, over Taiwan and on the Korean peninsula.

Blinkens trip comes ahead of a trilateral meeting in Washington next month between US President Joe Biden, Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Announcing the three-way summit with the Asia-Pacific allies, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders would push a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

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During his meeting with Marcos and his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on Tuesday, Blinken is expected to reaffirm the United States security commitments to the Philippines.

What were trying to demonstrate is that we are committed to the Indo-Pacific, to this region, despite everything else thats going on in the world right now, a senior State Department official told reporters on Monday.

I would expect when were in Manila, the main concern will obviously be Chinas continued destabilising actions in the South China Sea that are in contravention of international law.

Top US officials have repeatedly said that an armed attack against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces and coastguard would invoke the 1951 US-Philippines mutual defence treaty in which Washington is obliged to defend its ally.

Blinkens visit follows a spate of incidents involving Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea, including collisions, in recent months.

Marcos has expressed great alarm over the confrontations that have sparked diplomatic sparring between Manila and Beijing.

Ahead of his meetings, Blinken toured a semiconductor plant. He described the Philippines as an increasingly critical partner in ensuring a resilient supply chain of chips.

The United States is seeking to cement its lead in the chip industry both on national security grounds and in the face of competition from China.

Advancing the alliance

Beijing has accused Washington of using the Philippines as a pawn in the dispute over the waterway and various reefs.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, and an international ruling that has declared its stance baseless.

Blinkens visit was aimed at advancing the alliance, said Renato De Castro, professor for international studies at De La Salle University in Manila.

Marcos would also likely be interested to hear from Blinken what are the trigger points for the United States to invoke their mutual defence treaty, said Herman Kraft, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines.

Relations between Washington and Manila were rocky under former president Rodrigo Duterte, who pivoted towards China and away from the United States.

Since Marcos took power, however, they have warmed as he seeks to deepen cooperation with the United States and regional neighbors, while standing up to Chinese aggression towards Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.
During a short promotional tour in China from March 13-15 for the release of "Dune: Part Two," director Denis Villeneuve visited the Forbidden City, an IMAX theater and other venues in Beijing. Villeneuve also met with enthusiastic fans and received gifts that included Chinese local spices and incense. Besides greeting fans, he also exchanged ideas with Chinese directors Chen Sicheng and Frant Gwo, discussing the new film, his views on science fiction and his past experiences and possible future China plans.

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and Tanya Lapointe, his wife and film producer, pose for a photo at China's Forbidden City in Beijing, March 13, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Legendary East]

"First of all, it all started with the book. The book is very strong in details and textures and sensations," Villeneuve said, noting the classic sci-fi novel "Dune" by Frank Herbert. Despite "Dune" being a cornerstone of science fiction, Villeneuve was determined to ground his adaptation in reality, filming on location in the vast deserts of Abu Dhabi and Namibia.

Though modern tech innovation has prompted worries about artificial intelligence and other high-tech concerns, Villeneuve said that one aspect of the novel that attracted him is that it's not about technology. "It's about the triumph of the human spirit in the 'Dune' universe, where AI is banned."

Gu Bei, the sci-fi writer and Chinese translator of "Dune," praised Villeneuve's approach to filming, highlighting how "Dune: Part Two" is tailored for a cinematic experience with its classical textures and soul-stirring music. "What's most important is that the director has truly grasped the main warning the original author wanted to convey to the world: when a belief system, power and charismatic heroes combine it is actually very dangerous for humanity," she remarked.

The epic tale of Dune's protagonist Paul Atreides continues to draw viewers into theaters for an immersive experience that only premium formats like IMAX can provide. "Dune: Part Two" has grossed 260 million yuan in China by Sunday and is nearing $500 million worldwide since its debut in early March.

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has a dialogue with his Chinese colleague Chen Sicheng, who is making an innovative new film "Decoded," in Beijing, March 14, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Legendary East]

Chen Sicheng, the renowned Chinese filmmaker whose "Detective Chinatown" trilogy grossed a total of 8.74 billion yuan, met with Villeneuve on March 14. "As I continue making films, including watching 'Dune: Part Two,' there's always a sense of deja vu. I increasingly feel that the best works of art, including films, are about awakening  a part of our subconscious or a dimension of our awareness," Chen said, striking a chord of agreement with Villeneuve.

Villeneuve's admiration for Chinese sci-fi cinema was reciprocated when he met with Frant Gwo, director of the wildly successful "The Wandering Earth" franchise which grossed more than 8.7 billion yuan with two installments. "The scope of 'The Wandering Earth II' is so big that it makes my movie look like an indie film," Villeneuve joked, expressing his awe for Gwo's exploration of "sacrifice" and the meticulous attention to detail in the films' production and design.

Villeneuve sees science fiction as a playful yet profound medium to address different difficult subjects. "I think it's very healthy for human beings to project themselves into the future. Nowadays it's even more essential; it's an act of hope," he stated.

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and his Chinese colleague Frant Gwo hold posters of each other's films during a dialogue held in Beijing, March 15, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Legendary East]

Gwo, in turn, drew attention to the humbling perspective that sci-fi can offer by mentioning "Pale Blue Dot," NASA's iconic photo of Earth which is featured in "The Wandering Earth II." He noted, "Such an image inspires reflection on our place in the cosmos and the kindness we owe to one another. Thus, sci-fi films can help us see this from different dimensions and perspectives."

Villeneuve called himself "one of the worst actors ever" when Gwo extended an invitation for him to make a cameo appearance in "The Wandering Earth 3." However, he said he would love to visit the set in the future, mentioning he visited Chengdu in 1990 while making a small documentary. The French-Canadian film director continued by saying that he has always wanted to return to China for decades because of his fascination with the country and its culture.

"I have always said to my wife, I think the only way that we can come back and spend time [in China] would be to make a movie here actually. So, I will try to make this happen. I don't know if it's 'Dune: Part Three' but that I have the chance to spend time and work here will really be a dream, and I'm serious," he said.
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By Ella IDE

Rome, Italy  Half of Gazans are experiencing catastrophic hunger, with famine projected to hit the north of the territory by May unless there is urgent intervention, a United Nations-backed food security assessment warned Monday.

People in Gaza are starving to death right now. The speed at which this man-made hunger and malnutrition crisis has ripped through Gaza is terrifying, said Cindy McCain, head of the UNs World Food Programme (WFP).

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partnership on Monday estimated that 1.1 million people  half the population, according to UN data  were facing catastrophic conditions.

To have 50 percent of an entire population in catastrophic, near-famine levels, is unprecedented, Beth Bechdol, deputy director general of the UNs Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), told AFP.

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The WFP said this was the highest number of people ever recorded as facing catastrophic hunger under the IPC system, originally developed in 2004.

The situation is particularly dire in the north of Gaza, where the UN says there are about 300,000 people  and where the IPC said famine was imminent projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May.

Martin Griffiths, the UNs humanitarian chief, called for Israel to allow unfettered access for aid to the besieged Palestinian territory, saying there was no time to lose.

The international community should hang its head in shame for failing to stop this, he said.

US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the findings were alarming, and revealed a heartwrenching picture of children who are starving.

That is why we believe so strongly that everything must be done to scale up the delivery of humanitarian assistance, he said.

Wasted children

The bloodiest-ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, to which Israel responded with a relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.

With aid agencies reporting huge difficulties gaining access to Gaza, particularly the north, the UN has warned for weeks that a famine is looming.

The IPC said Monday that while the technical criteria for famine had not yet been met, all evidence points towards a major acceleration of deaths and malnutrition.

The report highlighted the horrific toll on children.

Hunger is a slow and painful death, said Hiba Tibi, country director for the CARE international aid group, who reported aid workers seeing children who can barely talk and walk for lack of food.

A famine is declared when 20 percent of households face an extreme food shortage  which is the case in Gaza, the UN says.

Other criteria are that one in three children are acutely malnourished, and that at least two in every 10,000 people die every day of starvation or malnutrition.

According to the WFP, one in three children below the age of two is now acutely malnourished, or wasted', meaning they are dangerously thin.

In a statement, the World Health Organization pointed to the lasting effects of malnutrition, particularly on children, warning that the current situation will have long-term effects on the lives and health of thousands.

This compromises the health and well-being of an entire future generation, it added.

WFP chief economist Arif Husain, said the final criteria for declaring a famine  the mortality rate  could be met within weeks.

The FAO said it could be already happening in the north, where data is patchy.

Waiting for a retrospective famine classification before acting is indefensible, the IPC said.

Aid convoys

Donors have turned to deliveries by air or sea, but these are not viable alternatives to land deliveries, UN agencies say.

Aid charity Oxfam on Monday accused Israel of continuing to systematically and deliberately block and undermine the delivery of aid into Gaza, in violation of international humanitarian law.

Bechdol, of the FAO, told AFP that Gazans are turning to alternative sources for food, including animal feed and inedible items, purely out of desperation.

Israel has repeatedly defended its procedures for allowing aid into Gaza, with COGAT  a defence ministry body governing civilian affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories  saying in a statement on X that 222 trucks of supplies had entered on Monday, two-thirds of them carrying food.

WFP said meeting basic food needs would require at least 300 trucks to enter Gaza every day, especially in the north.

The agency has managed to get only nine convoys into the north since January, the latest on Sunday night involving 18 truckloads of food supplies delivered to Gaza City.

Our hope is we can still avert a full-fledged famine, said the WFPs Husain.

But the window is shutting and it is shutting very, very fast.
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Washington, United StatesUS President Joe Biden will hold the first three-way summit with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan next month, the White House said Monday, as the United States boosts alliances against China.

Bidens meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House on April 11 is the latest in a series of meetings with Asia-Pacific allies.

It also comes against a backdrop of clashes between Philippines and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea, where the countries have contested maritime claims.

The leaders will advance a trilateral partnership built on deep historical ties of friendship including a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Biden will later hold a separate bilateral meeting with Marcos to reaffirm the ironclad alliance with the Philippines, she said.

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Kishida will be at the White House for a state visit the day before, which had already been announced.

Japan believes the talks will boost a free and open international order based on the rules of law, chief government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said.

With the Japan-US alliance as the linchpin, we believe that deepening cooperation with like-minded countries like the Philippines in a wide range of areas will be essential to maintaining the peace and prosperity of this region, he told reporters.

The US is redoubling efforts to improve longstanding ties with regional allies such as Tokyo and Manila, in an effort to counterbalance an increasingly aggressive China.

The announcement of the three-way summit came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was heading to Manila, a trip that the State Department said would reaffirm Americas unwavering commitment to the Philippines.

Beijing recently accused Washington of using the Philippines as a pawn in the dispute over the South China Sea.

Japan and the Philippines, meanwhile, said during a visit by Kishida in November that they would begin negotiations for a defense pact that would allow them to deploy troops on each others territory.

Japan invaded and occupied the Philippines during World War II, but the two countries have since grown closer due to trade and investment, and more recently, to counter Chinas assertiveness in the region.

Biden has also increasingly turned to the three-way summit format to build US alliances.

In August he hosted Japans Kishida and South Koreas president Yoon Suk Yeol at his Camp David presidential retreat, in a bid to bring the two US allies closer after years of tensions.

Biden held a landmark summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California in November in a bid to prevent conflict between the two superpowers but relations remain tense.
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Manila, PhilippinesThe entire population of Gaza is experiencing severe levels of acute food insecurity, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, underscoring the urgency for increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territory.

According to the most respected measure of these things, 100 percent of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity. Thats the first time an entire population has been so classified, Blinken told a press conference in the Philippines where he is on an official visit.

Blinkens remarks came on the eve of his return to the Middle East, this time to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and ramp up aid deliveries.

A United Nations-backed food security assessment warned Monday that half of Gazans are experiencing catastrophic hunger, with famine projected to hit the north of the territory by May unless there is urgent intervention.

Martin Griffiths, the UNs humanitarian chief, has called for Israel to allow unfettered aid into the besieged Palestinian territory, saying there was no time to lose.

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The bloodiest-ever Gaza war broke out after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7.

Israel responded with a relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.

With aid agencies reporting huge difficulties gaining access to Gaza, particularly the north, the UN has warned for weeks that a famine is looming.

Donors have turned to deliveries by air or sea, but these are not viable alternatives to land deliveries, UN agencies say.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification partnership said Monday that while the technical criteria for a famine had not yet been met, all evidence points towards a major acceleration of deaths and malnutrition.

Citing UN data, Blinken said 100 percent of the population in Gaza needed humanitarian assistance, compared with 80 percent in Sudan and 70 percent in Afghanistan.

This only underscores both the urgency, the imperative, of making this the priority, Blinken said of aid deliveries.

We need more, we need it to be sustained, and we need it to be a priority if were going to effectively address the needs of people.

Blinken is in Manila as part of a brief Asia tour aimed at reinforcing US support for regional allies against China.

During a joint press conference with his Philippine counterpart, Blinken was asked about steps he was taking to address the lack of access to Gaza for foreign journalists.

There are obviously profound security considerations in an active war zone and those have to be taken into account, Blinken said.

But the basic principle of access for journalists is something we stand strongly behind.
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China has denied supplying Russia with arms needed to bludgeon Ukraine, but Western powers allege it is still packing Moscows war chest in other ways

Beijing  Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Vladimir Putin on his election victory, hailing the Russian president as a force for progress as Moscows ties with Beijing deepen.

Putin faced no genuine competition on the way to what state media reported was a record landslide win  one that paves the way for the former spy to become the longest-serving Russian leader in more than 200 years.

Both he and Xi, who often tout their deep friendship, have torn up political convention to secure unprecedentedly long terms in power.

In a congratulatory message reported by Beijings state broadcaster CCTV, Xi told Putin his re-election fully reflects the support of the Russian people for you.

I believe that under your leadership, Russia will be able to achieve greater achievements in national development and construction, Xi said.

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For his part, Putin heaped praise on Beijing on Monday, saying he was sure that in the coming years we will only strengthen and build up our relations, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

The most important thing is the coincidence of state interests. This creates a very good tone for solving common problems in the field of international relations, Putin reportedly said.

Ties between Beijing and Moscow have deepened even as Putins invasion of Ukraine has roiled Moscows relations with Western nations.

China has notably refused to condemn Russias attack on its European neighbor, calling for peace negotiations and a general end to hostilities.

Western nations have argued that the equivocation has given Putin much-needed political and diplomatic cover to wage an unprovoked war of aggression.

Once socialist allies, China and Russia endured a tempestuous relationship during the last century but have since drawn closer, and their friendship has come to represent a bulwark against the US-led West.

The two sides depict their relationship as a union of equals and a shining example for other countries to emulate, with Beijings foreign minister this month hailing a new paradigm for major power relations that differed completely from the Cold War era.

The relationship rests on the basis of non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties, Wang Yi said during annual political meetings in Beijing.

Wang Yiwei, professor of international studies at Beijings Renmin University of China, said the partnership means not only that China and Russia dont come into conflict with each other, but also that they dont gang up to confront others, such as NATO.

Instead, he said, the two nations maintain a kind of strategic collaboration that serves common interests such as a multipolar world and global strategic stability on the Eurasian continent.

But Ja Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, said ties were not so evenly balanced in practice.

The new paradigm, especially when contrasted to the Cold War, is one where (China) is the senior partner and Russia the junior partner, he told AFP.

Neither Moscow nor Beijing have a firm alliance commitment to each other. However, there will be some level of cooperation especially when it comes to preventing what they see as the United States working against their interests.

China has denied supplying Russia with arms needed to bludgeon Ukraine, but Western powers allege it is still packing Moscows war chest in other ways.

Beijings backing takes the form of support to Russias defense industrial base, including by providing dual-use material and components, according to a US intelligence report published last month.

Last week, Chinese and Russian warships held joint naval exercises with Iran, another nation whose ties with the West have frayed in recent years.

Russian news agencies cited Moscows defense ministry in saying the purpose of the drills was to work out the safety of maritime economic activity.

The joint drills with Iran demonstrate that Moscow and Beijing can work with others to complicate US interests, Chong told AFP.

Meanwhile, trade between China and Russia soared to record highs last year, according to official customs figures. AFP
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Visiting US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has had his words loud and clear the expanded defense cooperation with the Philippines is extraordinary and underlined Washingtons expanding alliances are not aimed at China.

That Blinken, who just flew in from a democracy summit in Seoul, stated this should remind the skeptics that indeed Washington and Manila share a common concern about Chinas actions in the South China Sea, more than 90 percent of which it claims as its own under its mythical nine-dash line, now upgraded to ten-dash line.

Such disturbing actions have been seen within the 200-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, particularly on some shoals and reefs, when Philippine vessels, on humanitarian missions, were blocked or subjected to water cannons.

The Manila trip comes one month before a trilateral meeting on April 11 among US President Joe Biden, President Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, when the three, according to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, would push a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Blinken said that arrangement was a very important platform for peace and building greater stability.

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It is not designed against anyone, but in service of realizing a common vision for the future to the benefit of people in all of our countries, Blinken said.

Washington is keen to improve relations with its regional allies, such as Manila and Seoul, in efforts to check China and North Korea as tensions rise in the South China Sea, over Taiwan and on the Korean peninsula.

The Tuesday meeting, the second visit by Blinken since President Marcos took office on June 30, 2022, is seen as part of efforts to boost security and economic ties in face of growing Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Such commitments are also included in the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States, signed on Aug 30, 1951 by their representatives in Washington, DC.

The treaty has eight articles and requires both nations to support each other if another party attacks the Philippines or the United States.

Last year, President Marcos succeeded in pushing Washington to make clear the extent of Washingtons security commitment.

During his Manila trip, Blinken stressed the deal was ironclad, adding it extended to armed attacks on the Philippine armed forces, public vessels and aircraft, including those of its coast guard anywhere in the South China Sea.

Of course there will be some who will maintain and insist the Philippines is the one continuing provocation on the South China Sea issue, on the same wave length as Chinese foreign ministry statement, and illegally trespassing waters off Chinas territory.

Beijing has accused Washington of using Manila as a pawn in the dispute over the waterway and various reefs while claiming almost the entire South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, and an international ruling in 2016 that has declared its stance baseless.

We hope the Mamila meeting will help clarify some security issues for everyone to appreciate.
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It is often a matter of contemplation why people are still hesitant about being vaccinated.

In a study by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), misinformation or fake news and speculations on the effects of vaccines and their side effects are major factors why some people remained unvaccinated.

Some believe that vaccines are the primary cause of illness rather than being given as a preventative measure and a barrier against the virus. Others believe that vaccines could cause fertility issues, and heart diseases, or worse, could implant microchips inside the body.

Hence, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) launched OK Ka Sa Bakuna, an informational campaign aimed at refuting misconceptions about vaccinations, given that many remain hesitant about it.

This is in response to the growing need to educate people about the importance of vaccines against measles, rubella, influenza, polio, and other viruses that immunization initiatives could solve.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) also ensured the effectiveness and safety of vaccines.

PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwendolyn Pang stressed the importance of vaccines in strengthening a persons immune system. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity and protect themselves and their loved ones, said Dr. Pang.

It is worth mentioning that experiencing reactions to the vaccine, like fever and body aches, after receiving a shot is an expected reaction from the body to something it has not yet adjusted to. The effects should dwindle or be gone after a few days.

WHO explained that the body reacting to the shot through minimal side effects proves its effectiveness. However, the organization reiterated that having no side effects did not mean the jab was ineffective. Simply said, bodies respond to immunizations differently.

For instance, the usual side effects of vaccines against Rabies are pain or soreness on the shoulder or at the injection site. Another normal side effect is nausea or headaches.

For some, redness around the injection site and fever are normal side effects after a booster shot.

Meanwhile, IFRC Head of Delegation to the Philippines Sanjeev Kafley said that it is important for communities to work together to combat the misinformation against immunization.

For this reason, the PRC, in collaboration with the local government, has been doing house-to-house information drives to aid the needs and answer questions of people on immunization. PRC sees this as a positive avenue to educate people on the importance of vaccines.

The OK Ka Sa Bakuna campaign proves to be a testament to the PRCs dedication to serving Filipinos, taking part in the advancement in the health sector, and strengthening the immunity of communities through immunization.

For any information regarding vaccine scheduling and availability, visit the nearest PRC chapter or barangay health center. You may also contact the PRC hotline at 143 for further assistance.
A Rocky Mount entrepreneur is on his way to developing a new alcoholic beverage that will be mixed and bottled for distribution in Henry County.

Richard Cecil received the blessings of the Henry County Planning Commission on Wednesday to have rezoned property at 39 Enslow Drive in the Blackberry District from Commercial to Limited Industrial so he can retool an existing garage building for the business.

Im developing a spirit-infused drink with the extract of the Jambu plant, also known as the toothache plant, said Cecil. Within 10 seconds of drinking it, my drink causes your mouth to tingle, vibrate and be slightly numb. Its a very cool experience that 99.9% of Americans have not experienced, however the drink is very popular in Brazil and I think it can be popular here as well.

Cecil said about a year ago he traveled to Brazil to visit with foreign exchange friends he had met while in college.

They gave me the full experience and took me on an adventure to some of the beaten paths, Cecil said. One night at a bar, a few locals kept repeatedly asking me if I had tried the Jambu, and I had no idea what they were talking about. Eventually, after purchasing our entire group multiple rounds of this newfound Jambu liquor sensation, I had a good idea of what it was.

Cecil couldnt get the memory of the fun he had that night out of his head, and decided to invest in a business that would make the product available in the United States.

He described the drink as alcohol infused with the flowers of the Jambu plant, describing the sensation of drinking it as similar to Pop Rocks candy, a popular product produced by General Foods from 1976 until 1983.

Its not dangerous or addictive, just a cool and novel experience, Cecil said. The sensation only lasts for a few minutes, just enough time for you to pour another drink. It is a pretty surreal sensation, something most Americans have likely not tried unless they have connections to Brazil.

Cecil said the concoction is 100% legal in every state of the USA, and consists of Cachaca (similar to rum), Jambu flowers and sugar. Other liquors can be used instead of Cachaca.

The product will not be consumed at the property on Enslow Drive. In fact, Cecil says passersby will likely have no idea of what is being done in the garage building.

There will be no distilling on the property. Cecil said he intends to purchase the liquor and have it delivered in 55 gallon drums and is working with a mixologist to fine tune the exact flavor profile.

My goal is to make the effect as profound as possible while making a liquor that is both good for shots but also makes a good mixer with a light, but unique flavor, Cecil said. I also want to make sure to minimize a bit of plant bitterness that the Jambu adds.

Once the product is mixed and bottled in Henry County, it will be shipped to wholesalers.

I will be growing the Jambu in Rocky Mount and am looking to source the liquor inside Virginia as well, said Cecil. As the business grows, I will be hiring employees. I will also be spending money in Bassett, which helps the community grow.

In other matters the commission:

Denied a request by Patrick Henry Farms Corp. to rezone approximately 22 acres on the southwest end of St. Johns Circle in the Iriswood District from Suburban Residential to Agricultural. The applicant wished to use the property for agricultural purposes.

Approved a request by Patrick Henry Farms Corp. to rezone approximately 3.88 acres from Suburban Residential to Commercial. The applicant intends to market the property, in conjunction with adjoining commercial property, for proposed business purposes.

All three matters will now go before the Henry County Board of Supervisors for consideration at its regular meeting March 26.
Algeria has overreacted to the decision of Moroccan authorities to start expropriation proceedings for three Algerian real estate properties in Rabat, for the expansion needs of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denouncing a confiscation contrary to international law.

In response to these unfounded allegations by Algeria, Moroccan diplomatic sources provided extensive clarifications on Monday, March 18th.

The diplomatic sources explained that contrary to these allegations, the Chancellery and the Residence of the former Algerian Embassy in Rabat  whose land was actually offered by the Moroccan authorities  have not been subject to any confiscation and assured that these premises remain respected and protected by the Moroccan state, even in the absence of diplomatic privileges and immunities following Algerias unilateral severance of diplomatic relations with the Kingdom.

The Moroccan diplomatic sources reiterated that only one building had been the subject of discussions with Algerian authorities. It concerns unused premises, immediately adjacent to the headquarters of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rabat, requiring an expansion operation.

Actually, a draft decree published earlier this month in the official gazette explains that the expropriation of the properties is necessary for public utility purposes, namely the expansion of administrative buildings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Moreover, the expansion operation of the headquarters of this department has involved, in recent years, several diplomatic buildings, notably those of Cote dIvoire and Switzerland, the diplomatic sources recalled, pointing out that Algerian authorities have been closely involved and duly informed in advance and at all stages, with full transparency, of this procedure for over two years.

The Moroccan Foreign Ministry has, since January 2022, officially and repeatedly informed Algerian authorities of the Moroccan states wish to acquire the said premises amicably. The Consul General of Algeria in Casablanca was received four times at the Ministry regarding this matter. Additionally, eight official correspondences were transmitted to Algerian authorities, but only five official responses were received by Moroccan authorities.

In two of their letters, Algerian authorities responded to the Moroccan offer by stating that a state property evaluation of these assets is underway and that they will communicate their conclusions upon finalization. The release of premises and the relocation of its contents will be done in accordance with diplomatic practices once the sale operation is duly finalized, the letters specified.

Furthermore, Algerian authorities have informed the Moroccan authorities in a written message that they have decided to initiate an expropriation procedure for public interest reasons for certain properties in the area near the Peoples Palace, and consequently to reclaim possession of the residence of the ambassador of the Moroccan mission in Algiers.

Moroccan diplomatic sources further emphasize that contrary to the inaccuracies contained in the statement from the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Morocco fully assumes its responsibilities and obligations arising from the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, notwithstanding Algerias unilateral severance of diplomatic relations with Morocco on August 24, 2021.

As a result, properties of the Algerian state that no longer host diplomatic or consular premises and do not enjoy the privileges and immunities provided by international law, remain respected and protected by Moroccan law, under the general conditions applicable to property rights in Morocco, specify the same sources.

They assure that Morocco has never been in a logic of escalation or provocation, as it has always worked to preserve a relationship of neighborliness between the two countries and fraternity between the two peoples. It is in this context that the procedure concerning the mentioned premises is at a standstill, the sources said.
Gambian lawmakers convened to discuss the potential reversal of the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) despite increasing efforts by activists to eradicate the practice. Instituted in 2015, the prohibition imposed severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for those involved in FGM procedures. However, FGM cases have been on the rise in recent years despite activist campaigns.

Lawmaker Almameh Gibba presented a bill for repeal earlier in the month, contending that the ban infringed upon citizens rights to practice their cultural and religious beliefs, particularly in the Gambia, where Islam is the predominant religion. If ratified, Gambia would become the first country to revoke an FGM ban. After thorough discussions, lawmakers voted 42 to four to refer the bill to a parliamentary committee for further review, a process expected to last at least three months.

Recent data from the United Nations Childrens Fund revealed a global increase in the number of women and girls subjected to FGM, rising from 200 million to 230 million over the past eight years. The majority of cases were concentrated in African countries, followed by Asia and the Middle East. While advocacy group Equality Now underscored the importance of legal prohibitions in combating FGM, it noted that more than half of the countries where FGM is practiced already have legislation against it.

Despite convictions in August for individuals conducting FGM, resistance to the ban has been notable, particularly since President Adama Barrow assumed office in 2017. The Supreme Islamic Council in Gambia has emphasized the religious significance of the practice. While some parliamentarians have expressed support for the bill, activists remain vigilant, recognizing the uphill battle they face. Senior researchers, like Michele Eken of Amnesty International, warn that repealing the ban on FGM could set a dangerous precedent for womens rights, not only in Gambia but also across the region.
You are here: Business

Chinese regulators plan to ban Xu Jiayin, chairman of property developer Evergrande Group, from entering the securities market for life, the company announced on Monday.

The company's flagship real estate subsidiary said it has received advance notice of administrative penalties and market bans issued by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC).

The CSRC accused Xu of "making decisions on and organizing financial fraud," Evergrande Real Estate Group said in filings to the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges.

The CSRC will issue Xu a warning and a fine of 47 million yuan (nearly $6.63 million).

Evergrande Real Estate Group will also receive a warning and a fine of 4.18 billion yuan for the issuance of false information in its 2019 and 2020 annual reports, for suspected fraud in its issuance of corporate bonds, and for its failure to disclose required information in a timely manner.
Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Angolan President Joao Lourenco in Beijing, extending a warm welcome and describing Lourenco as a longstanding friend of the Chinese people. Xi emphasized the enduring nature of China-Angola relations despite global changes, emphasizing the mutual benefits derived from their cooperation. He characterized their collaboration as exemplifying South-South cooperation, a partnership between developing nations rooted in mutual assistance and benefit. With 40 years since diplomatic relations were established, Xi expressed a strengthened commitment to deepening traditional friendship and achieving common development through solidarity.

In response, President Lourenco expressed gratitude for Chinas significant support, particularly praising the exemplary economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. He noted the vast potential for further growth and development in their relationship, foreseeing mutual benefits for both nations.

The meeting concluded with the announcement of an elevation in bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, marking a significant milestone in their relationship. This upgrade signifies a deeper commitment to collaboration and mutual support between China and Angola, promising enhanced cooperation across various sectors.

Overall, the discussions between Xi and Lourenco underscored the importance of the China-Angola relationship and highlighted their shared commitment to advancing bilateral ties for the benefit of both nations.
After decades of bloody Algerian military occupation, the 10-million Kabyle people, living in Northern Algeria, deserve to have their independent State of their own.

Time has finally come for the Kabyle to take their destiny into their own hands and proclaim their own republic. The official announcement will be made on April 20 in New York by Ferhat Mehenni, President of the Provisional Kabyle Govt. in Exile and leader of Kabylia Self-Determination Movement (MAK).

In his latest historic speech broadcast on social media networks, Mr. Mehenni reaffirmed the Kabyle peoples attachment to their independence and rejection of the Algerian authorities control, recalling in this regard the boycott of the Kabyle of the Algerian presidential and legislative elections.

The Kabyle people have chosen a peaceful approach to achieve their independence, rejecting any intention of engaging in war, underlined Mr. Mehenni.

An independent Kabyle Republic had existed decades before the creation of Algeria. It is a geo-historical reality, with its own territory and culture. It was in 1857, 20 years after the decree creating Algeria that Kabylia was annexed. After decolonization and forced cohabitation, the Kabyle people continue to rise up against the Algerian military regime, and struggle for their own independence.

The choice of the date and venue for the announcement of an Independence Kabylia is not fortuitous. The Kabyle people still remember the Berber Spring, referring to the popular demonstrations of 20 April 1980 which were brutally crushed by the Algerian authorities and ended in bloodshed.

April 20 also reminds the Kabyle people of the Black Spring of 2001 during which hundreds of militants were slaughtered by Algerian authorities at pro-democracy rally.

Furthermore, Ferhat Mehenni has chosen New York, symbol of freedom, as a platform for the proclamation of the Independence of Kabylia Republic, suggesting a support from the free world.
You are here: China

Participants visit an exhibition on the sidelines of the 2024 China Seed (Nanfan Agricultural Silicon Valley) Congress in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, March 17, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

China collected more than 530,000 agricultural germplasm resources during a national census on these resources that concluded in 2023, according to a seed industry conference opened in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province Sunday.

China has rescued 746 rare and endangered agricultural resources, including large-sized kiwi and Hetao big-eared pig, and has found 51 new species including the Pamir yak, according to the conference.

The census covered fields of crop, livestock and poultry, and aquatic products in 625,000 villages across 2,323 counties nationwide.

This general survey conducted a thorough assessment of resource types, quantity, distribution, characteristics and their changes in recent decades, thereby, laying the foundation for future protection and utilization work as well as formulation of related policies, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The focus of protection and utilization efforts will be redirected toward accurate identification and shared utilization to meet the demand for breeding innovation and industrial development, the ministry said.
A SUSPECTED drug peddler was killed while another one was hurt during the serving of a warrant of arrest in Barangay Semba here on Thursday...
As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers impacts of grizzly bears moving into the Bitterroot, Ravalli County Commissioners signed a letter addressed to the agency strongly opposing artificial reintroduction of the endangered species.

Instead, commissioners urged USFWS to continue the status quo of a no-action alternative, or letting grizzlies move naturally into the Bitterroot Ecosystem (BE). In the letter signed last week, commissioners expressed concern with how reintroduction would affect public health and safety and the loss of access and opportunities on public lands.

Reintroduction versus natural recovery may cause rural communities to suffer disproportionate negative impacts and economic hardship from incursions by grizzly bears into human occupied areas, harming residents who are dependent on personal food production, livestock operations and other rural daily living activities, the letter stated.

The BE is one of six recovery zones in the contiguous U.S. for grizzly bears. The area was identified as a recovery zone in 1993 for being large enough and of sufficient quality to provide grizzly habitat.

Ravalli County is Montanas largest in terms of land mass thats part of the ecosystem.

The USFWS initially created a plan to begin artificially reintroducing grizzlies into the BE in 2000, yet reintroduction never occurred. In March 2023, a federal district court judge found the agency unnecessarily delayed actions in implementing the plan and ordered it to supplement an environmental impact statement or to issue new plans.

The USFWS decided to work on a new plan determining the best path forward for grizzly bear introduction. Planning documents are scheduled to be completed by November 2026.

An increasing number of grizzlies have been observed in the BE since 2000. However, no established population  defined as having two or more breeding females or one female with two consecutive litters  currently exists, according to a USFWS press release.

In Montana, grizzly bear populations are present in three ecosystems including the Cabinet-Yaak in the states northwestern corner, the Northern Continental Divide surrounding Glacier National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Area surrounding Yellowstone National Park

The commissioners letter cautioned USFWS as it works toward its plans deadline imposed by judicial interference. The commissioners said the agency shouldnt place expediting grizzly bear restoration above human interests.

The United States Forest Service (USFS) is trying to manage our Bitterroot landscape to improve forest health and resilience, treating fuels to modify fire behavior, and protect citizens, first responders and wildlife from wildfires, adding the grizzly bear as a designated Endangered Species will thwart these efforts, the letter stated. If grizzly bears occupy the BE and study area, it becomes even more arduous to fulfill the federal governments century-old promise to our forested counties to provide sustainable revenues for their schools and roads due to restrictions that place grizzly bear interests above those of our citizens.

The public comment scoping phase for the potential reintroduction of grizzly bears concluded Monday. In that two-month phase, there were more than 1,100 comments submitted from citizens, governments, and environmental nonprofits. Most comments seemed to oppose artificial reintroduction.

The citizens of Ravalli County overwhelmingly DO NOT support grizzly bear introduction, this will be cause for negative support of the grizzly bear recovery across the landscape, the county commissioners' letter stated.

The letter requests the county be involved throughout the development of the grizzly reintroduction plan. It also requests that the commissioners be notified and consulted on any grizzly that is to be relocated in the county.

The introduction of grizzly bears into the community is a problem on many levels, County Commissioner Greg Chilcott said last week. And this letter acknowledges and indicates many of those levels. It's important that we participate actively, and perhaps even aggressively to make sure we're part of that decision. This scoping letter is our attempt to do that.
A quote attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte asserts, An army marches on its stomach.

Two centuries later, satisfying meals help maintain and boost morale for sailors serving aboard the USS Montana and other U.S. Navy submarines.

During a March 14 visit to Butte, Naval Cmdr. Jon Quimby said a key crew member on the nuclear-powered, fast-attack USS Montana is the culinary specialist.

Quimby said serving aboard a submarine on an extended mission can be tough duty. Meals matter, he said.

Crew members from the USS Montana  including Quimby, Petty Officer/Culinary Specialist Chase Rosas and others  stopped in Butte Thursday to learn the art and craft of making pasties. The hearty, all-in-one meals fit nicely in the lunch pails of Cornish and other underground miners in Butte. Miners called them letters from home.

Pasties, folded into pastry envelopes, typically feature cubed potatoes, beef, salt, pepper and a hint of onion. They remain a Mining City tradition.

The crew of the USS Montana first dined en masse on pasties from Butte during commissioning ceremonies in Norfolk, Virginia, in June 2022 for the 377-foot Virginia-class submarine.

Ron Davis of Butte said volunteers made 300 pasties, had them frozen by Western Meat Block and shipped to Norfolk. A positive gustatory reception led to the pasties tutorial March 14 in Butte.

Rosas listened carefully and followed pasty crafting directions from Connie Powers, whose feedback was kinder than performance reviews quipped by some of Rosas boatmates. Powers neatly crimped folds of dough looked almost like sutures.

The prep and cook lessons unfolded in the kitchen of the Parish Hall for St. Ann Catholic Church. Powers was joined by Tara Stillwagon, John and Nancy Reis and Davis.

Other USS Montana sailors participating Thursday were Lt. Jacob Hodges and Lt. Cmdr. Caleb Young.

Davis said local businesses pitching in during the crews time in Butte included the Western Meat Block, Comfort Inn Butte and the World Museum of Mining.

The USS Montana honors its namesake state in various ways. Passageways are named for Montana rivers and a berthing area is named for Butte.

A recent issue of Vanity Fair magazine featured a story about the USS Wyoming, a different class of submarine but with similar service demands. The reporter observed, Virtually everyone I interviewed on the Wyoming raved about the food, which is an atypical reaction when it comes to military chow.

The USS Montana typically fields a crew of between 135 to 140 submariners.

After its commissioning, the USS Montana completed a shakedown cruise and then returned to port for adjustments and repairs. Quimby said the submarine will soon be back at sea.

According to U.S. Navy public affairs, the USS Montana and other Virginia-class submarines are built to conduct anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, special operations forces support, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and more.

The submarine can dive to at least 800 feet.

Quimby said the crew looks forward to Burger Fridays while in port, Burger Saturdays while at sea and Taco Tuesdays.

The crew of the USS Montana took a deep dive last week into pasties preparation and, by all measures, surfaced with new culinary skills.
A smoldering separation-of-powers dispute between the state's legislative and judicial branches got new life Monday, as Senate Republicans denounced recent judicial rulings on the veto override process.

The dispute at hand has drawn all three branches into a disagreement about the Legislature's ability to override Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto of a widely popular bill, a matter that's been under litigation for almost a year.

Court decisions thus far have meant to close loopholes precluding the Legislature's authority to overturn vetoes and have maintained twice that an override poll shall be initiated on Tuesday. But a majority of state senators, all Republicans, on Monday lashed out at the court for treading into their proceedings.

In separate letters, one to the Montana Supreme Court and the other to the governor and secretary of state, Senate President Jason Ellsworth expressed concerns he and 27 other GOP senators hold.

"The Legislature will not participate in an unconstitutional poll," Ellsworth wrote.

There's haste in the air as courts have ordered the Secretary of State's Office to administer the override poll, which is also on a strict timeline due the rules and laws in place, while parties expect big-picture arguments to continue in court over the override process.

Plaintiffs said the letters were a ploy to change the narrative around the merit of the bill about to be reconsidered by lawmakers. Though Gianforte's actions exposed a loophole, the GOP senators say it's theirs to fix, not the courts.

Ellsworth told reporters in a press conference he hopes the letters cause officials involved to "take a breath" and address the issues lawmakers want addressed, saying a poll ordered by the courts would be unconstitutional.

"The hope is the Supreme Court looks at those letters and can do something with them," Ellsworth said.

While strongly worded, the letters to the court were not submitted in any legal fashion capable of triggering a ruling that would pause the poll.

"I want to be very clear: we are not trying to tell anybody to disobey a court order," Senate Majority Leader Steve Fitzpatrick, the only attorney among Senate GOP leadership, said. "To me this is just simply an expression of our point of view, that we think there is a separation-of-powers issue."

In short, Gianforte's veto last year of Senate Bill 442 occurred at a moment that precluded the Senate from participating in a veto override during the session because the Senate was unaware the bill had been vetoed when it voted to adjourn. The House was still amid its business down the hall at that moment, so conservation groups that sought passage of the bill asked a court to determine whether such circumstances violated the Legislature's constitutional right to overturn a governor's veto.

District Court Judge Mike Menahan in January found that loophole tilted more power over the lawmaking process to the governor than the Constitution allowed and that the procedure should be dictated by whether the Legislature had an actual opportunity to act on the governors veto before voting to adjourn.

The Governor's and Secretary of State's offices last week asked the Supreme Court to stall the override until the merits of the process could be hammered out in court, but were denied Friday.

"That has put the Senate into a very mobile campaign of trying to solve a problem that shouldn't have been a problem," Ellsworth said Monday. "  That put us in a very difficult spot because the poll then would be issued unconstitutionally."

The Montana Constitution, as has been the center of the ongoing litigation, doesn't contemplate a situation when one chamber has adjourned and the other is still in progress.

The Legislature has not been a party to the litigation over SB 442's veto demise; Fitzpatrick said Monday additional lawyers in the legal scrum would have been unnecessary. But Senate Republicans on Monday picked up Gianforte's side of that argument, asserting categorically that the Legislature was indeed in session after the Senate adjourned because the House was still in action.

"So therefore a poll is not in order, I think that's primary," Sen. Tom McGillvray, R-Billings, told reporters on Monday. "Judge Menahan said there was no remedy and that's why he made up a remedy for us."

A remedy does exist, as Senate leadership pointed out Monday: If SB 442 is dead, as they contend, the Legislature could decide to convene in a special session and reintroduce the bill and restart those proceedings.

While the bill was certainly popular  130 of 150 legislators voted for it  senators argued Monday their contention was purely over the courts deciding legislative rules and not the merits of the bill.

"I think a court is completely within its right to say a bill is unconstitutional, that's their job," Fitzpatrick said. "What happens on whether a bill is signed or what kind of bill gets put on a board, that's all us. These are internal operations of the Legislature. I'm just really frustrated to think that a court is going to question the internal operations of the Legislature when they are not constitutionally based."

Those opposite of the Senate GOP sounded off Monday in statements sent to the Montana State News Bureau.

"After months of repeated political tricks and delay tactics by Gov. Gianforte, legislators should and will have the opportunity to override the governor's veto and make that bill law," Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that, at the eleventh hour, some Republican legislators are refusing to stand by Montanans and instead are surrendering their constitutional duties to the governor."

Senate leadership, in responding to Flowers' comment, pointed out that GOP lawmakers have in several cases overturned vetoes by the Republican governor.

Rylee Sommers-Flanagan, attorney for Wild Montana and the Montana Wildlife Federation, two groups that sued to uphold the Legislature's override ability, said "the legislators' letters appear to profoundly misunderstand the court's order."

"This case has always been about making it clear the Legislature is a coequal branch of government and the executive can't use gamesmanship to take their powers away," Sommers-Flanagan said. "Ultimately, this is an attempt to shift the discussion away from county roads, conservation funding and veterans' programming  all of which benefit from the bill."

While the dispute has developed over a Senate bill, Republican House Speaker Matt Regier told the Montana State News Bureau he would hold a call with House leadership Monday evening to determine next steps.

"It is a Senate bill but the judicial branch is affecting the whole legislative branch here," Regier said in a phone call. "The poll here is the microcosm of, once again, who's in charge of the legislative process? Is that the judicial branch or is that us?"

The backdrop here has been building for years: the separation of powers dispute took off in earnest in 2021 as lawmakers sought to subpoena the judicial branch's emails in an investigation to uncover whether judges were predetermining opinions on pending legislation. The Supreme Court rejected those subpoenas, ruling the Legislature was acting outside of its constitutional authority by conducting investigations without a legislative purpose. The dispute simmered down largely after the judicial branch agreed to do away with polling judges internally on legislation that affects the courts and updated their records retention policies in concert with other branches.

At the time, Republicans had expanded their majority in the Legislature and claimed the governor's office, clearing the hurdle of a Democratic governor's veto as had been the case for 16 years prior. Since then, many Republican policy ambitions have been stalled or struck down on legal challenges.

In January, the Supreme Court issued a novel ruling that found the "bad faith" means by which the Legislature had passed a bill warranted attorney's fees against the state. Even that episode in the larger saga got a glancing mention in Monday evening's press conference.

"It is not right for them to say, 'Your hearings don't last long enough,' or 'You can't have a vote in a free conference (committee) one day after a bill dies on the floor,'" Fitzpatrick said. "That's a Legislature question at the end of the day."

It appears likely the poll will proceed Tuesday as ordered. Also on Monday, the Governor's Office issued a letter to the Secretary of State's Office providing some documentation that follows the court's order and allows Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen to initiate the poll. The letter also indicated the governor's office will move forward with the appeal to fight the lower court's decision over the override poll process.
Yellowstones wild, free-roaming buffalo are wildlife.

The biggest threat to wild buffalo today is settler-colonialism, domestication, and plantation farming for trophy hunters. Unfortunately, 21st-century American colonial adventures persist in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

In February 2024, 141 wild Yellowstone buffalo were kidnapped, loaded into trucks, and relocated to the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, some 500 miles north of their ancestral homeland in Yellowstone National Park.

To colonize is to plant or establish a colony in; to plant or settle subjects of a native territory in a remote location, for the purpose of cultivation, commerce, defense  and for permanent residence.

The term colonization is derived from the Latin words colere ("to cultivate, to till"), colonia ("a landed estate," "a farm") and colonus ("a tiller of the soil," "a farmer"); and then by extension "to inhabit.

Colonialism is dominion. Colonialism is domestication.

Indian reservations accepting government-kidnapped wild buffalo and relocating them on strange, unknown lands accept and repeat the same conqueror, settler-colonial concepts (mindset) foundational to American imperial rule.

Under the direction of Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS-USDA) surveillance-detention (quarantine) and extra-territorial abduction and rendition program, wild Yellowstone buffalo are being farmed (domesticated), commodified and traded on an emerging wild meat market that converts wildlife into livestock.

This diabolical arrangement (public-private partnership) sidesteps long-standing Montana laws against Texas-style game farming, and canned hunting. Canned hunting caters to wealthy trophy hunters with animals kept in a confined area, typically a fenced enclosure on a private ranch.

Since 2019, the so-called Yellowstone Bison Conservation Transfer Program has kidnapped over 400 wild, free-roaming Yellowstone buffalo and trucked them to the 320-acre quarantine pen at the Fort Peck Reservation. After one year in captivity, many are trucked to other Indian Reservations under rules invented and enforced by the APHIS-USDA through the Inter-Tribal Buffalo Council.

Whats not being disclosed is how this colonial trafficking operation is adversely affecting the genetic legacy of Yellowstones wild buffalo populations. Almost all Indian Reservation buffalo herds are fenced in. Game farming causes inbreeding and prevents their natural migration instinct.

The live-capture and re-colonization of Yellowstone buffalo is at bottom a privatization and domestication process, not restoration.

According to APHIS-USDA, there has been concern about the presence of brucellosis in the Yellowstone National Park (YNP) bison herd since the inception of the Cooperative State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program in 1934. Yet, after 90 years of research and concern, no brucellosis transmission from wild buffalo to cattle has been documented.

Converting wild Yellowstone buffalo into domesticated livestock is a crime against nature. Most private, corporate, federal, state, and tribal laws, rules and policies undercut the natural evolution of Yellowstones wild bison genome.

We should honor and celebrate the Blackfeet Nations bold, historic leap forward by returning wild free-roaming buffalo to their native homeland after being displaced for more than 140 years.

On June 26, 2023, 49 bison were released onto sacred Blackfeet Nation land near Ninaiistako (Chief Mountain), on Glacier National Parks eastern boundary.
CATAWBA COUNTY -- Jodi Picoults book Nineteen Minutes will remain on high school library shelves in the Catawba County Schools district.

Members of the Catawba County Schools Board of Education were so divided on the topic at Monday nights book hearing that two motions failed. The book remains in the school system because the board could not agree on a decision so the result was no action.

Vice chair Annette Richards made a motion to restrict the book so students could only check out the book with parental permission. No one seconded the motion and it failed.

Board member and book challenger Michelle Teague made a motion to remove the book from media centers. Board member Don Sigmon seconded. The motioned failed in a 3-4 vote. Teague, Sigmon and board member Tim Settlemyre were in favor of the motion. Chairman Jeff Taylor, Richards, and board members Leslie Barnette and Ronn Abernathy were not in favor.

Teagues case against book

Teague spoke about why the Picoult book should be removed from the school system She read her justifications from her notes. Teague said the book is not appropriate for teenagers because of sexual references, profanity, violence, bullying and suicide. She said these themes can be intense for young readers and cause anxiety or distress.

Teague said she feels the book could glorify violence and suggest to teenagers that violence is an acceptable solution to problems. She said she is concerned that exposing students to graphic depictions of violence, such as the school shooting in the book, may desensitize students to violence or inspire them to commit the act themselves.

Teague said the book, contains the F-bomb 47 times.

I feel like there could be alternate choices, other books could be made available that address similar things, but in a more age-appropriate manner, encouraging teenagers to explore literature that aligns better with their emotional maturity might be a wiser choice.

Near the end of her presentation, Teague read an explicit passage from the book. The passage depicts sexual assault.

Teague questioned by fellow board members

Barnette asked Teague which character she found most offensive in the book. Teague said Matt, a character who sexually assaulted another character.

So, the date rape was more offensive than the child who murdered nine children and injured 19 others? Barnette asked.

Teague said no. She said she finds the whole book offensive.

Was there a reason you didnt cite any of the scenes of the school shooting and only chose language, sexually explicit-charged language, in your presentation? Barnette asked.

No, I just said that they had 47 things in there for the f-bomb. I mean, as far as the shooting, its violence. It doesnt matter, either way its violence, Teague responded.

Teague said she has heard many parents express concern about their children reading the book.

Barnette asked why Teague did not include copies of parents opposition in her evidence. Barnette said she would like to see the opposition.

You heard the audience give their opposition to this book, Teague said. That should conclude it.

Chairman Taylor reminded the board that when asked on a survey, more than 80% of parents answered that they want to choose what their child can and cannot read. Taylor said the majority of parents also answered that books are not among their top concerns.

Barnette said that, in Teagues appeal letter, Teague wrote some high school students are not mature enough to read the book. Am I to take from that statement that there are some students that are mature enough to read it? Barnette asked.

Teague said Barnette would know the answer to that because she was a teacher and principal for many years. My thing is, there are different maturity levels of students, Teague said.

Exactly, Barnette said.

Barnette asked who decides on a students maturity level. Teague said teachers and parents.

So, it would be a parents choice in that case? Barnette asked.

Its always about parents, Teague said. No doubt about it. Parents are always in charge of their children. They should be.

May I ask why you get to choose for other parents? Barnette asked.

I am the voice for the parents that do not want this trash in our schools, Teague asserted. Thats why I was elected to this position as a board member.

One person removed during public comments

Twenty-four people signed up to speak. One was removed before his name was called.

Winklers Grove Baptist Church Pastor Paul Deal was removed for interrupting the school board chairman from the audience during public comments. Chairman Taylor gave Deal several warnings before asking deputies to remove him.

Deal and others addressed Taylor from the audience about 10 minutes into the meeting, asking why Taylor did not allow Teague to speak. This was prompted because Barnette asked for a point of clarification from a speaker.

Taylor answered that comments from the board were not allowed during the public hearing.

When Deal continued to speak out from the audience, Taylor asked that he be removed.

Outside the building, Deal said that there was a double standard.

They let one board member speak to the chair, but they wouldnt let another one. They let a guy stand up behind me and complain, and they accepted it. They didnt call him down, but they wouldnt let me speak up in complaint, Deal said.

The audience member Deal referred to stood to tell the board he could not hear because people around him were murmuring.

During a short break, Taylor explained that he was conducting the meeting according to the boards policies.

If youre yelling at me from the front row  and if you continue after I ask you to stop, then Im going to have to ask you to be removed, Taylor said. If you havent gotten your chance to speak yet, then you forfeited that by your behavior as an audience member."

Taylor added: Im trying to run an orderly, fair meeting that doesnt devolve into a circus sideshow.
The ceremony for the joining of the fourth cross-sea bridge connecting the Macao Peninsula and Macao's Taipa was held on Monday, marking the project's entry into the final stage.

The bridge, with a total length of 3.085 km and a main span of 280 meters, was joined last Tuesday and was the first eight-lane divided bridge in Macao.

Lam Wai Hou, director of the Public Works Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, said at the ceremony that numerous challenges had been overcome since the project began in March 2020. He listed examples such as the impact of the pandemic, bad weather occasions, and complex geological conditions.

Chen Sichang, general manager of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation -- one of the constructing parties, said that the group will continue to deepen cooperation with various sectors in Macao and strive to contribute more to the improvement of infrastructure, economic and social development, and people's livelihood in the Macao SAR.

The new bridge was on the east side of the Ponte de Amizade, also called the Bridge of Friendship, which was completed in 1994.
Editors note: Calendar items must be submitted at least five days before an event. Email all items to news@morganton.com.

TODAY

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.

Friendly Tuesday Club

The Friendly Tuesday Club will meet at 10 a.m. at the Burke Senior Center, 501 N. Green St., Morganton, for a potluck meal.

WEDNESDAY

Voter registration drive

Food Matters Market, 210 Avery Ave., will host a voter registration drive between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20.

THURSDAY

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. SE, Valdese.

New Dimensions board meeting

New Dimensions will hold its monthly Board meeting on Thursday, March 21, at 4 p.m. in person on campus as well as via Zoom. Contact ckinard@ndschool.org for link information.

SATURDAY

Eggroll fundraiser

First Hmong Baptist Church of Morganton, 301 Walker Road, will hold a eggroll fundraiser on Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu includes a combo plate with chicken stick, fried rice and two eggrolls for $10; two chicken sticks and fried rice for $10; four eggrolls and fried rice for $10; a dozen eggrolls for $20; one chicken stick for $5; fried rice for $5; and $4 for boba tea. For more information, email Chong Thao at tsoogthoj@gmail.com.

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.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

DAV meeting

Disabled American Veterans Chapter #43 will have its monthly meeting at 2779 DAV Ave., on March 28 with social hour beginning at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. For questions or more information, contact Dave Tubergen at 828-437-0177. All veterans are welcomed to come and discuss the new rules for service-connected assignments and the new toxic exposures  oil well fires, firefighting foam, Camp Lejeune water, Agent Orange exposure worldwide, and contaminated drinking water from military runoff. Other toxins are also considered. Come and talk with us to see if we can assist you.

Coffee at the Museum

Robert Patton IV, president of the Historic Burke Foundation, will speak at 10 a.m. at the History Museum of Burke County at 201 W. Meeting St. in Morganton as part of its Coffee at the Museum series. The interactive presentation will feature colonial life and Revolutionary War-era weapons. The presentation is free and open to the community, and refreshments will be served. For more information, contact the museum at 828-437-1777.

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.

Free Bingo

The Lake James Community Center will have free bingo on Friday, March 29, from 6-9 pm. at the Center on N.C. 126. Hot foods will be available for purchase to eat in or to go. Several door prize drawings will be held throughout the evening. The public is invited.

THURSDAY, APRIL 4

Smart Start meeting

Burke County Smart Starts board of directors meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 4, at 4 p.m. at the Partnership offices located at 304 W. Union St. Board meetings are open to the public and are held in handicapped accessible facilities. COVID, flu and other health restrictions will be observed. For anyone with a hearing impairment who may require the assistance of an interpreter or have other special needs, call the Partnership at 439-2326 or use the NC Relay System at 1-800-735-8262.

THURSDAY, APRIL 11

Public Input Meeting

The public is invited to a presentation of the proposed park in Glen Alpine at the intersection of Bridge and Linville streets on Thursday, April 11, at 6 p.m. at Glen Alpine Town Hall. A site map showing planned amenities and layout will be shown and public comments recorded. The town will be applying for a NC PARTF grant and wants to make sure the park includes features residents desire.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12

ACAP annual conference

ACAP Hickory/Foothills (Adult Children of Aging Parents) will be presenting its annual Caregiver Conference on Friday, April 12, at 8:30 a.m. until noon on the CVCC Campus, West Wing Commons, 2550 U.S. 70 SE, Hickory. In partnership with the Catawba County Library System and Catawba Valley Community College Human Services Technology Program, ACAP Hickory/Foothills will present the half day caregiving conference. The speakers will be Timothy Aumen, Ph.D. from Wake Forest University and George Place, Ph.D., community wellness specialist, Flow DoJo Training, as they discuss The Mindful Heart of Caregiving: Making Room for Peace, Balance, and Gratitude.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13

Scavenger hunt

Burkes Amazin Race, a community scavenger hunt, is coming up on Saturday, April 13. Teams of 3-5 members (ages 21+) will compete to collect clues, take on fun challenges, and adventure through Downtown Morganton, followed by an Afterparty & Awards Celebration at Comma Performing Arts Center. Theres even a $300 Top Prize. Register your team by April 1 and learn more at https://www.bcuw.org/amazinrace.

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.
Anyone who watched the Burke County Board of Education meeting on March 11 probably felt confused about if they were at a political rally or a Sunday morning hellfire and brimstone church sermon.

Turns out, it was both.

The meeting originally was scheduled for Monday, March 4, but was postponed until March 11 to avoid political campaigning by incumbents and candidates, according to a release by Burke County Public Schools. By meetings end, however, it was clear that effort was all for naught. It seemed the only concern many public speakers had was politicizing public education and, from there, decorum and civility quickly went out the door.

Ironically, its the first meeting of the board since it was made partisan with this years election.

Vague legalese from board attorney Chris Campbell started the meeting, with Campbell addressing two complaints filed about a board member without ever naming the board member. The board voted to proceed with an investigation into the unnamed member, and it was onto public comments.

The podium-turned-pulpit was opened as many conservative evangelical Christians from near and far signed up to speak in opposition to some books in the school systems media centers. Some identified as ordained ministers, while others held up a particular book to which they took offense, stirring the flock of book bashers to the point that amens, hallelujahs and the roar of standing ovations overtook the meeting.

Some stuck to rebuking the handful of what they deemed pornographic books they brought with them, while others blamed books for leading them to a life of sin. Overall, the claim was that it was these books that would corrupt the minds of all the students in Burke County Public Schools.

Local minister Paul Deal opened the political rhetoric by citing a comment Gov. Roy Cooper made during a recent visit to Forest Hill Elementary School where he called complaints about books in schools political myths. Deal went on to make a ludicrous claim that if any rapes occur in Burke County, it will be because of the board making these books accessible to children.

His was not the only ludicrous comment made that night. Another speaker compared board members who support leaving the books in schools to Hitler.

As the meeting went on, others used their five minutes to call out board member Jane Sohovich over heated exchanges amongst Burke County GOP members at their weekly gatherings on Feb. 23 and March 1.

Once the crowd turned its attention to Sohovich, resident Gina Walker-Bailey, who has served as chair of the Burke County Republican Women and the second vice chair for the Burke County GOP, took to the podium and the political rhetoric ramped up as she not only issued her complaints with Sohovich, but proceeded to call out other board members as liberals and RINOs without addressing them by name.

As the onslaught of grandstanding continued, more speakers felt emboldened to bring Cooper and politics into question regarding decisions of the local school board.

Before the public comment speaking ended, the board admittedly broke its own protocol for public speakers by allowing Paul Deal to speak for three more minutes. But this time, Deal didnt use his own words  instead, he read a text message he purportedly received from current lieutenant governor and gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson.

Regardless of the topics, though, most all of the public speakers had a few things in common  vocalizing their political agenda at a public meeting, grandstanding for their five minutes of fame and failure to get their facts straight.

To add more irony to the fire, multiple speakers called out media outlets, including The News Herald, accusing the newspaper of twisting their words.

One of those comments was from Walker-Bailey, who claimed The News Heralds owner colluded with Sohovich to create an election website. When reporter Chrissy Murphy asked her about the claim after the meeting, Walker-Bailey identified the owner of another local publication, who is not associated with The News Herald.

At the end of a raucous public comments session, board member Leslie Ritchie Taylor made the most reasoned comments of the night regarding the book policy (although again by a vote by the board to alter procedure and respond to public comments).

Ritchie Taylor reminded the crowd that the board has instituted a procedure for issuing challenges over material in the media centers. Every challenge is thoroughly reviewed, and if a book is deemed too mature for students at any particular grade level, they are removed. She also noted that most every book mentioned by speakers had already been removed from schools after being challenged and reviewed.

We believe the board has created a reasonable policy for parents and guardians objecting to books in the school system. But those who challenge material need to remember that its not their job to regulate how other parents or guardians raise their children. One persons beliefs doesnt give them the right to override the beliefs of others.

To those aiming to silence the voices of people who have had different experiences than them  be it their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or anything else  Helen Keller said it best in a letter to Adolf Hitler and German students before her books were burned in 1933.

History has taught you nothing if you think you can kill ideas, Keller wrote in an open letter. Tyrants have tried to do that often before, and the ideas have risen up in their might and destroyed them.

Burke County Public Schools and Board of Education meetings are not the place for political rhetoric to be spewed, and its not a forum for a particular political or religious ideology.

Instead, they are places to be inclusive of others beliefs and rights and to take into consideration all of those who the school system serves.
The Appian Way, begun in 312 BC, was the engineering wonder of its day. It connected Rome with Capua (near Naples), ignoring natural contours and running in a straight line for much of the way. Eventually it stretched 430 miles to Brindisi  gateway to the East  where Roman ships sailed for Greece and Egypt.

While our modern roads seem to sprout potholes right after theyre built, sections of this marvel of Roman engineering still exist. When I visit Rome, I get a thrill walking on the same stones as Julius Caesar or St. Peter. Huge basalt paving blocks form the sturdy base of this roadway. In its heyday, a central strip accommodated animal-powered vehicles, and elevated sidewalks served pedestrians.

Fortunately, about the first 10 miles of the Appian Way is preserved as a regional park (Parco dell'Appia Antica, www.parcoappiaantica.it). In addition to the roadway, there are ruined Roman monuments, two major Christian catacombs, and a church marking the spot where Peter had a vision of Jesus.

Getting here from the center of Rome is easy by taxi, Metro, or bus. It's best to come on a Sunday or holiday, when the whole park is closed to car traffic, and it becomes Rome's biggest pedestrian zone. You can rent bicycles at the Appia Antica Service Center (which also serves as a visitor information resource for the whole park)  though some find the old paving stones too bumpy for biking.

As you stroll or bike along the road, you'll see tombs of ancient big shots that line the way like billboards. While pagans didn't enjoy the promise of salvation, those who could afford it purchased a kind of immortality by building themselves big and glitzy memorials. One of the best preserved is the Tomb of Cecilia Metella, built for the daughter-in-law of Romes richest man. It's a massive cylindrical tomb situated on the crest of a hill. While it dates from the first century BC, we still remember her today  so apparently the investment paid off.

But of course, early Christians didn't have that kind of money. So they buried their dead in mass underground necropolises  catacombs  dug under the property of the few fellow Christians who owned land. These catacombs are scattered all around Rome just outside its ancient walls, including two inside this park.

The tomb-lined tunnels of the catacombs stretch for miles and are many layers deep. Many of the first Christians buried here were later recognized as martyrs and saints. Others carved out niches nearby to bury their loved ones close to these early Christian heroes. While the bones are long gone, symbolic carvings decorate the walls: the fish stood for Jesus, the anchor was a camouflaged cross, and the phoenix with a halo symbolized the resurrection.

By the Middle Ages, these catacombs were abandoned and forgotten. Centuries later they were rediscovered. Romantic-era travelers on the Grand Tour visited them by candlelight, and legends grew about Christians hiding out to escape persecution. But the catacombs were not hideouts. They were simply low-budget underground cemeteries. The Appian Way has two major Christian catacombs, each offering visitors a half-hour underground tour to see the niches where early Christians were buried. The Catacombs of San Sebastiano also has a historic fourth-century basilica with holy relics and some pagan Roman tombs. The larger Catacombs of San Callisto is the burial site for several early popes and for St. Cecilia, patron saint of music, who was killed for converting to Christianity. Her tomb is marked with a copy of a famous statue by Stefano Maderno.

On your way back to the city center, stop by the Domine Quo Vadis Church. This tiny ninth-century church (redone in the 17th century) was built on the spot where Peter, while fleeing the city to escape Neros persecution, saw a vision of Christ. Peter asked Jesus, Lord, where are you going? (Domine quo vadis? in Latin), to which Christ replied, I am going to Rome to be crucified again. This miraculous sign gave Peter faith and courage, causing him to return to Rome.

Inside the nave of the church, you can find a stone marked with the supposed footprints of Jesus. Youll see a fresco of Peter (with his symbolic keys to heaven) on the left wall and one of Jesus on the right. A bust depicts Nobel Prize-winning Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz, who wrote a historical novel that was the basis for the 1951 Hollywood movie Quo Vadis.

The Appian Way was called the Queen of Roads. Twenty-nine such highways fanned out from Rome, but this one was the first and remains the most legendary. For a time-warp road trip that will take you back 2,000 years, hit the highway.

(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours. This column revisits some of Rick's favorite places over the past two decades. You can email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)
Montana Democrats are pouring millions into an effort to boost turnout among Native voters in the effort to re-elect U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and help other party candidates seeking to ride his coattails.

This years U.S. Senate race in Montana has massive implications both for the state and the balance of Congress. Tester was the lone statewide Democrat left standing after 2020s trouncing by Republicans for seats up and down the ballot. Nationally the GOP is targeting his seat as critical to the partys hopes in taking back the U.S. Senate; he is expected to face Belgrade aerial firefighting company CEO and political newcomer Tim Sheehy.

The Montana Democratic Partys announcement Monday is aimed in part to counter the millions expected to be spent trying to unseat Tester by groups including the National Republican Senatorial Committee led by Montanas junior U.S. Sen. Steve Daines.

The Big Sky Victory coordinated campaign is a multi-million dollar program that plans to hire more than 50 people in 20 offices across the state and focus on the most robust voter outreach program in Indian Country that Montana has ever seen, according to a press release announcing the effort.

Indian Country is facing tough battles in 2024, and the outcome of this election couldnt be more important, said Cinda Burd Ironmaker, Native vote political director for the Montana Democratic Party and Blackfeet Tribe member, in a press release Monday. From honoring tribal sovereignty, to improving health care delivery, to combating the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis, we deserve elected officials who will fight for us and be our partner. Jon Tester is that fighter.

The seven-figure campaign will include Native organizing efforts, full-time organizers, offices on reservations and a paid communications plan that includes mail and digital efforts to reach Native voters with targeted messaging for each tribe in the state.

Turnout across Montanas reservation counties typically lags behind the average statewide. In 2022, the statewide average turnout in the general election was about 61%; in Roosevelt County where most of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation lies it was 45%. In Glacier County, home to the Blackfeet Reservation, it was 38%. Both those counties saw turnout around 69% in the last presidential election, when statewide turnout rose to a record high of 81%.

In 2018 the Char-Koosta News reported that Tester leveraged get-out-the-vote efforts on the Flathead Reservation from Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Get Out The Vote, Montana Democrats Native American Get Out The Vote and Western Native Voice; turnout in the county rose by 19% from 2014.

Tester has historically done well in Indian Country: Big Horn County delivered for him by a 31-point margin in 2018, giving him 3,027 votes. He took 75% of the vote in Glacier County, tallying 3,754 votes. And he took 58% of the vote, or 2,031 votes, in Roosevelt County. That year saw a massive turnout for a mid-term election, with a statewide average of 72%, more on par with a presidential year.

Comparatively, when Democrat Steve Bullock ran and lost in Montana's 2020 Senate race, his margin of victory was 12% in Big Horn County and he underperformed Tester by 5% in Glacier and Roosevelt counties.

Montana Democrats know how to win in this state: by burning shoe leather and speaking with voters face-to-face, said Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party in the Monday press release. Big Sky Victory is a well-resourced, juggernaut organizing effort that will ensure we are getting every eligible voter out to the polls in 2024. Were fired up and were ready to re-elect Jon Tester and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.

The Democrats coordinated campaign also includes voter protection and ballot access efforts, according to the press release. Over the past legislative sessions, the GOP-majority state Legislature has passed laws that have been challenged in court by tribes and Native votings-rights groups and struck down, including an end to Election Day registration and an attempt to halt paid third-party ballot collections.

Nick Marroletti, the coordinated campaign director, said in the press release the effort is the earliest, best-funded organizing program Montana has ever seen.

Montana Democrats are also hoping to see improved performance from Monica Tranel, again the partys candidate in the western House race. Tranel lost to Republican Ryan Zinke, who shes likely to face again in a rematch this year. In her 4-point loss, Tranel underperformed in Glacier County, where turnout also dropped from the last midterm election by 22%.

Tranel has been named by the national Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a member of their "Red to Blue" program that will also bring staff and cash to the state.

Montana Democrats also have high hopes to pick up legislative seats with the new map as a result of the redistricting process completed last year. Last session the GOP held a supermajority in both the House and Senate. Outgoing House minority leader Kim Abbott predicted gaining eight to 10 seats in the House, and Senate minority leader Pat Flowers predicted picking up two or three seats in the Senate. Flowers said he hoped specifically to gain Native legislators in those caucus.

The Montana Republican Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday, though the GOP nationally is going all-in this year on early voting in an effort to boost turnout. The NRSC and Daines last year emphasized plans to encourage voters to bank their votes early, with Daines saying then that will give us a competitive edge in some of these critical races, which they're going to be several of them in the 2024 Senate map. Republicans need to take advantage of all voting methods in each state, just like the Democrats have done.
The state Supreme Court on Monday said a ballot initiative aimed at adding the explicit right to access a pre-viability abortion to the Montana Constitution should move forward, though supporters have concerns about the next steps.

The court in a 6-1 order overrode Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsens finding that the ballot language was legally insufficient. The courts order gives Knudsen, a Republican, five days to prepare a ballot statement and send it to the Secretary of State, which would clear the way for Montanans Supporting Reproductive Rights to gather the tens of thousands of signatures needed to get the measure on the ballot this year.

However, MSRR expressed a mix of happiness and concern Monday, worried about the language Knudsen may draft to appear on ballots.

Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights is reviewing the decision made today by the Montana Supreme Court. Montanans deserve to make their voices heard at the ballot box on this issue, and MSRR has been confident in the legality of Ballot Issue No. 14s submitted language all along," said Martha Fuller, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana on behalf of Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights, in an emailed statement.

"We are pleased to see the Montana Supreme Court conclude that not only is the initiative language constitutionally sound, but also that the Attorney General cannot attach a misleading fiscal note when there is no fiscal impact. We urge the AG to approve the clear, neutral ballot statements submitted by MSRR with haste to avoid more unnecessary litigation. We will continue to do everything we can to bring Ballot Issue No. 14 to Montana voters in November.

In a statement from spokesperson Emilee Cantrell, the Attorney Generals Office said Monday night:

"The dissent had it right in agreeing with the Attorney General that the proposal violates the Montana Constitution's prohibition on logrolling multiple amendments in a single ballot issue. The dissent also correctly stated that CI-14 will lead to unnecessary voter confusion and should have been withheld, as it's internally contradictory. We will comply with the order.

Supporters need about 60,000 signatures with a set amount necessary from at least 40 state House districts to get the measure on the ballot. The deadline to submit signatures is in June. Last week Montana Free Press reported that MSRR urged the court to issue its decision quickly, citing the tight timeline.

Pre-viability abortions are legal in Montana under a previous state Supreme Court decision that found the Montana Constitutions right to privacy allows access. But the ballot initiative from MSRR would amend the state Constitution by adding a new section that says a person has the right to make and carry out decisions about their own pregnancy and that the government may regulation abortion access after fetal viability so long it does not deny abortions that are medically indicated to protect the life or health of the pregnant person.

It would also say the government shall not penalize people based on their pregnancy outcome, nor may it penalize a person aiding or assisting another person in determining their pregnancy outcome.

Knudsen, in rejecting the measure known as Constitutional Initiative 14, said it wrongly "logrolls" many political choices into one initiative and would improperly limit the ability of the state to provide for public health and safety. But the court, minus Justice Jim Rice, rejected those arguments.

CI-14 effects a single change to the Montana Constitution on a single subject: the right to make decisions about ones own pregnancy, including the right to abortion. If CI-14 is placed on the ballot, voters may ultimately agree or disagree with the proposed change that CI-14 offers, but they will be able to understand what they are being asked to vote upon because CI-14 does not effect two or more changes that are not substantive and closely related, wrote Justice Ingrid Gustafson for the majority. If CI-14 is adopted, questions may arise as to its interpretation, but this is true of the entire text of the Montana Constitution and its subsequent amendments, and processes exist to resolve those questions accordingly.

When Knudsen declared the measure legally insufficient on Jan. 16, he determined the measure violated the "separate-vote requirement" that means a measure cannot make two or more changes to the Constitution that are substantive and not closely related.

But Gustafson's opinion noted that voters and the Legislature have "historically treated the matters addressed in CI-14 as one subject," pointing to a bill passed in 2021 that set parameters for when an abortion could be performed and provided penalties for those who performed abortions outside what was allowed. Republican legislators in recent years have passed several bills aimed at limiting access to abortion; many have stalled out in court having been found in conflict with the constitutional right to privacy.

Justice Rice did not concur with the rest of the court. He wrote that he read CI-14 as making two or more changes to the Constitution because each subsection "provides a new and at least partially independent substantive concept." He also said he found the initiative "alters, or defines in a new way, existing legal concepts and create an internal, unresolved conflict within its provisions," making it "virtually impossible, in my view, for a voter to fully comprehend the effects of its multiple provisions."

While we have not previously held this purpose to be a standalone basis to reject an initiative, I believe it is clear that the provisions of CI-14 are not readily understood, have effects that are concealed, and would result in voter confusion this review is designed to prevent. Most critically, CI-14 contains an unresolved internal conflict. Unfortunately, this appears to be a situation where less (language) would have been more, Rice wrote.

In part of Knudsen's argument to the court, he said that the proposal changes an existing part of the Constitution that already protects a person's right to a pre-viability abortion, pointing to the privacy provisions that have been held to allow access to pre-viability abortions under the 1999 Armstrong decision.

The court's majority did not agree, with Gustafson writing that the rights and protections guaranteed by one provision of the Constitution may also be found in other provisions is well-established.

While Knudsen also argued that the measure violated the separate-vote requirement because it would prevent the government from taking adverse action from anyone who aids or assist another in making pregnancy decisions, the court found that Knudsen was exceeding his authority in making such a determination. The court also rejected Knudsens argument that the ballot measure was confusing as reason to reject it.

Because Knudsen found the measure legally insufficient, he did not review the ballot statements that would appear with the measure. MSRR asked the court to do that, in anticipation of Knudsen possibly "rewriting the statements on remand and requiring MSRR to initiate another proceeding before this court," creating an "opportunity for needless delay" that could make it impossible to gather enough signatures to qualify the measure.

The court disagreed with MSRR, saying it did not have the authority to do that.

It did, however, order Knudsen to prepare a ballot statement and send it to the Secretary of State within five days of Monday.

Last year the court rejected another "logrolling" rejection from Knudsen related to how primary elections are conducted.
Theres nothing like a Cubs game  and many Chicago Cubs fans are no doubt itching to get a seat in time for the teams opening game.

One of Muscatines local animal shelters hopes to give fans a chance to get the perfect seats in exchange for helping out on a worthy cause.

Throughout the past three years, It Takes a Village (ITAV) Animal Rescue and Services has seen success in its efforts to help the animals of Muscatine through adoptions, fostering and spay/neutering services. But for ITAV to continue being able to provide these services, the team is looking towards the community to help support their latest fundraiser.

This month, ITAV is running a donation drive in coordination with Give Butter. For every $25 donated through its Give Butter Donation Drive link, the donor gets their name entered into a drawing for two tickets to the Chicago Cubs home opener against the Colorado Rockies on April 1.

The seats are in section 18, row 13, just behind home plate.

With the donation drive having a maximum limit of 200 entries, those wishing to win these tickets will have very competitive odds at doing so. As of early Monday afternoon, the fundraiser is only at 43% (or $2,150) of its $5,000 goal.

The fundraiser comes after ITAVs recent distemper outbreak. Although the outbreak has since been taken care of, the shelter is still struggling with the financial strain that it caused.

(Our financial situation) has been pretty severe, ITAV Founder Meagan Koehler said.

She explained much of the strain came from the shelter needing to close its clinic during the distemper outbreak, temporarily losing its biggest source of income.

The revenue from that supports our rescue activities, and with that having been shut down for more than a month while we were still employing all the people in there because we needed their medical services, that was a huge financial strain on the rescue, she said. So, this fundraiser is specifically going to be assisting with this.

Koehler also said that while ITAV does have additional fundraisers planned for later in the year, this latest one is extremely important and, should it be successful, will be incredibly impactful, allowing them to continue keeping the clinic portion of their rescue open. She also noted that because ITAV doesnt have any government contracts, this in turn makes donations, grant funding and additional community support all the more crucial.

Right now, were working really hard to come up with all sorts of ideas to generate revenue for the rescue and to keep the mission alive, Koehler said. Were really hoping that with fundraisers we have planned for the next couple of months that were able to get everything back on track, but we wont be able to do it without the help of our community.

Those wishing to take part in the Give Butter Donation Drive can do so at https://givebutter.com/8XfNEl. For more information on ITAV services and upcoming events or on how to volunteer for animal fostering or ITAV events, residents can check out its website at https://www.ittakesavillage.dog/ or go to its Facebook page.

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WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court seemed likely Monday to side with the Biden administration in a dispute with Republican-led states over how far the federal government can go to combat controversial social media posts on topics including COVID-19 and election security in a case that could set standards for free speech in the digital age.

The justices seemed broadly skeptical during nearly two hours of arguments that a lawyer for Louisiana, Missouri and other parties presented accusing officials in the Democratic administration of leaning on the social media platforms to unconstitutionally suppress conservative points of view.

Lower courts sided with the states, but the Supreme Court blocked those rulings while it considers the issue.

Several justices said they were concerned that routine interactions between government officials and the platforms could be affected by a ruling for the states.

In one example, Justice Amy Coney Barrett expressed surprise when Louisiana Solicitor General J. Benjamin Aguinaga questioned whether the FBI could call Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) to encourage them to take down posts that maliciously released someone's personal information without permission  the practice known as doxxing.

"Do you know how often the FBI makes those calls?" Barrett asked, suggesting they happen frequently.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh also signaled that a ruling for the states would mean that "traditional, everyday communications would suddenly be deemed problematic."

Justices also appeared receptive Monday to National Rifle Association claims that a former New York state official violated its free-speech rights by pressuring banks and insurance companies to blacklist the group after the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

The NRA sued former New York State Department of Financial Services superintendent Maria Vullo, who the group says used her regulatory power to economically punish the group for its gun-rights stance in violation of the First Amendment.

The Biden administration backed some of the NRA's claims and encouraged the high court to reverse a lower court decision to toss out the suit. The NRA is being represented by a group often on the other end of the political spectrum: The American Civil Liberties Union.

Monday's social media case was among several the court is considering that affect companies in the context of free speech.

Last week, the court laid out standards for when public officials can block their social media followers. Less than a month ago, the court heard arguments over Republican-passed laws in Florida and Texas that prohibit large social media companies from taking down posts because of the views they express.

The cases over state laws and the one that was argued Monday are variations on the same theme  complaints that the platforms censor conservative viewpoints.

The states argue that White House communications staffers, the surgeon general, the FBI and the U.S. cybersecurity agency are among those who coerced changes in online content on social media platforms.

Aguinaga put the situation in stark terms, telling the justices that "the record reveals unrelenting pressure by the government to coerce social media platforms to suppress the speech of millions of Americans."

He said calls merely encouraging the platforms to act also could violate speech rights, responding to a hypothetical situation conjured by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, about an online challenge that "involved teens jumping out of windows at increasing elevations."

Jackson, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, pressed the Louisiana lawyer about whether platforms could be encouraged to remove such posts.

"I was with you right until that last comment, Your Honor," Aguinaga said. "I think they absolutely can call and say this is a problem, it's going rampant on your platforms, but the moment that the government tries to use its ability as the government and its stature as the government to pressure them to take it down, that is when you're interfering with the third party's speech rights."

Justice Samuel Alito appeared most open to the states' arguments, at one point referring to the government's "constant pestering of Facebook and some of the other platforms." Alito, along with Justices Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas, would have allowed the restrictions on government contacts with the platforms to go into effect.

Justice Department lawyer Brian Fletcher argued that none of the actions the states complain about come close to problematic coercion and that the federal government would lose its ability to communicate with the social media companies about antisemitic and anti-Muslim posts, as well as on issues of national security, public health and election integrity.

The platforms are large sophisticated actors with no reluctance to stand up to the government, "saying no repeatedly when they disagree with what the government is asking them to do," Fletcher said.

Justice Elena Kagan and Kavanaugh, two justices who served in the White House earlier in their careers, seemed to agree, likening the exchanges between officials and the platforms to relationships between the government and more traditional media.

Kavanaugh described "experienced government press people throughout the federal government who regularly call up the media and  and berate them."

Later, Kagan said, "I mean, this happens literally thousands of times a day in the federal government."

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CHICAGO (AP)  An open race to lead the nations second-largest prosecutors office remained too early to call Wednesday after a heated primary campaign in the Chicago area.

The Democratic matchup for the Cook County states attorney primary features Eileen ONeill Burke, a former appellate judge with a large campaign war chest, versus Clayton Harris III, a professor and attorney whos held government posts. The winner of the primary in the Democratic stronghold is expected to win outright in November.

O'Neill Burke had a narrow lead as late results were still coming in from Chicago.

We are cautiously optimistic, but we have to make sure all the votes are counted, she told supporters.

Harris asked his supporters for patience, saying all parts of the county matter: So, were going to wait and were going to count the votes.

The race is open because Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx didn't seek a third term. She was among several progressive prosecutors elected in the past decade in major U.S. cities including Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Many have been criticized as being soft on crime, but in Chicago, both Democratic candidates have been more careful of their critique of Foxx, saying that they'll continue her approach on some issues.

Harris says penalties for crimes should take racial disparities and communities into account. He often talks about his personal experiences as a Black man raising children in Washington Park, a neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. He says the office needs to beef up its special prosecutions unit and improve communication with police.

We hear gunshots sometimes, and nobody wants to live like that, he said. I understand how safety and justice affect our communities.

O'Neill Burke says harsher punishments should be in place, particularly for those who contribute to the flow of illegal guns.

Our justice system is not working right now, but I dont think anyone living in Chicago right now would disagree, she said.

She's called for more attorney training and a unit to protect abortion rights, while continuing Foxx's restorative justice efforts. Harris has said he'll continue Foxx's controversial policy not to prosecute retail theft as a felony unless the value of the stolen goods is over $1,000. State law sets a $300 felony threshold.

When it comes to fundraising, ONeill Burke is ahead with roughly double the amount of Harris, just under $2 million compared to roughly $750,000. Her sum includes money from top Republican donors.

But Harris has picked up hefty endorsements from labor unions, progressive leaders and the Cook County Democratic Party.

The states attorneys office has more than 700 attorneys and is the country's largest after Los Angeles.

Also running are Republican former Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti, who lost a 2020 bid for the office, and Libertarian Andrew Charles Kopinski.
New data suggests Iowa continues to understaff and underfund the office charged with investigating Medicaid fraud and patient abuse.

All 50 states have a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, or MFCU, that is tasked with investigating abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as financial fraud perpetrated by Medicaid-funded medical providers. Like Medicaid itself, the MFCUs operations are paid for with a mix of state and federal funding.

Collectively, the nations MFCUs recover $3.35 for every tax dollar they spend, usually through civil penalties that stem from fraud investigations. A new report from the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that last year, the MFCUs recovered a total of $1.2 billion for taxpayers and secured 329 convictions for patient abuse or neglect.

The amount of resources each state spends on their fraud control unit generally has some correlation to the amount of money they spend on Medicaid. Historically, however, Iowa has provided far less funding for its MFCU than states with comparable Medicaid spending.

According to the latest data from the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units, there were five states that in 2022 had Medicaid budgets within $1.5 billion of the $8 billion spent by Iowa Medicaid that year. All of those states had MFCUs with budgets that were two to four times that of Iowas unit.

In fact, some states with far smaller Medicaid budgets than Iowa spend significantly more on their fraud control units. Indiana, for example, spent only $2.9 billion on Medicaid in 2022, according to the association, which was less than half of what Iowa spent that year. But Indiana allocated $8.4 million for its Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which was more than six times the $1.3 million Iowa provided for such operations.

According to the association, Arkansas total spending on Medicaid was almost identical to that of Iowa in 2022, but its MFCU budget was more than double that of Iowas.

Inspector general questions funding, staffing

The Iowa MFCU, which is housed within the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, had a total of nine staffers in 2022, which included five investigators, according to the national association. Only four other states in the nation had fewer total MFCU staff, and only nine had fewer investigators.

In 2022, the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reviewed the work of Iowas MFCU and praised it for operating effectively and achieving high case outcomes. But the inspector general also said the unit was leaving positions vacant and was not maintaining its own approved staffing levels.

The low staffing levels were partly the result of a significant turnover of investigators which in turn contributed to high caseloads, the inspector general stated. Iowa was spending about $759 million on Medicaid per MFCU employee, at a time when only two other states in the nation were reporting a higher disparity between total Medicaid spending and spending on investigations.

Federal data indicates Iowas staffing issue dates back several years. Although Iowas unit was approved for 11 employees in the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, it actually employed seven or eight individuals at the end of each of those years. Nearly all of the staff vacancies during that time consisted of investigator positions, the inspector general reported, noting that while the budget had allowed for seven investigators, only four were employed there at the end of each fiscal year.

The inspector general also found that during the three-year period, six investigators had left the unit. Four of them were employed there only a short time  one week to 15 months  and two of those four didnt complete the six-month probationary period.

Even if all of the vacant positions were filled, the inspector general reported, the Iowa units staffing levels remained low compared to all other fraud-control units in the nation. The staffing shortage resulted in the investigators handling as many as 20 open cases at a time, far above the units preferred caseload of 12 to 15 cases, the inspector general reported.

Larry Johnson is the director of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. (Photo by Kathie Obradovich/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

The inspector general recommended that Iowa assess the adequacy of the units staffing levels and said adding more staff would ultimately enhance the units ability to protect the Medicaid program and its beneficiaries.

The state disagreed. While it hired an additional investigator after the inspector generals visit, it argued that its current staffing levels were sufficient.

Nine full-time employees are adequate at this time to operate effectively and efficiently, DIAL Director Larry Johnson told the inspector generals office. Specifically, five investigators are sufficient to respond to current referral intakes.

The unit, he said, had reasonable caseloads to keep investigators working diligently and was not using taxpayer funds to employ unnecessary personnel.

The Iowa Capital Dispatchs calls to the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit were referred to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which declined to comment on the data from the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units or the inspector generals recommendations, other than to cite Johnsons letter.

Iowans prosecuted for abuse and fraud

Among the more recent criminal cases initiated by Iowas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit:

Christina Sue Archer, 43, of Centerville, was charged last year with the misdemeanor offense of falsifying medical records. She was accused of fabricating patient-treatment records in an effort to conceal 33 separate incidents in which she falsely claimed to have provided 164 hours of home-health services for a Medicaid beneficiary.

Archer was also charged with felony fraudulent practices for having deprived Medicaid of $8,136 through her actions. At the time she was charged, she was working for Knoxville Hospitals and Clinics, according to court records. The felony charge was dismissed and Archer pleaded guilty to the charge of falsifying records, was fined $855 and sentenced to two years of probation.

Bianca Beamgard, 21, of Mount Ayr, was charged in 2023 with misdemeanor dependent adult abuse through by personal degradation by a caretaker.

Beamgard was working in an Iowa care facility run by the company Care Initiatives when she allegedly used her phone to make a video recording of a resident covered in fecal matter and then posted the video to a social media platform. She later pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $430 and sentenced to one year of probation. She received a deferred judgment in the case that will result in the conviction being expunged from public court records after the completion of probation.

Jamie Leah Jenkins, 39, of Fort Madison, was charged in 2020 with felony identity theft, felony fraudulent practices, felony forgery and misdemeanor tampering with records. She was accused of creating at least 12 claims for payment for medical care that she falsely claimed to have given a Medicaid beneficiary. The fraudulent billings totaled $7,000.

At the time she was charged she worked for Hope Home Care, according to court records. She pleaded guilty to the charge of fraudulent practices and was sentenced five years of probation and ordered to pay $9,663 in restitution. The remaining charges were dismissed.

Photos: Nebraska vs. Iowa in Big Ten tournament championship, March 10
DES MOINES  Statehouse Republicans have approved two different proposals to overhaul the operation and funding of Iowas nine Area Education Agencies, which provide special-education services and other supports to K-12 schools.

Meantime, separate coalitions of K-12 superintendents reached out to state lawmakers over the weekend to express their respective support for and opposition to the proposals.

Iowa Senate Republicans passed their version of AEA changes Monday at the Iowa Capitol. This proposal is similar to one presented by Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier this year but significantly different from one that Iowa House Republicans passed last month.

Superintendents 'deeply concerned about the proposed changes

Last weekend, a group of 32 K-12 Iowa superintendents made their feelings on both proposals clear when they emailed all state legislators to express their opposition to the plan.

Our message is clear: we are deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the AEAs, especially the shift towards a Fee-for-Service approach, states the emailed letter.

The value of the AEA system as designed is that it is a cooperative that ensures that every school district, regardless of size or location, has access to the services it needs to serve students, the letter continues. Rural school districts, in particular, rely heavily on AEAs for critical support. Disrupting a model that has largely worked over the past 50 years will have grave consequences for the students we serve.

Another group of 18 superintendents signed a letter to legislators in which they expressed support for the legislative effort to change AEA operations and funding.

We advocate for AEA reform in this session, that letter says. We recognize the valuable role that AEAs play in supporting our schools and educators. Also, as advocates for the well-being of our students, we believe it is essential for educational systems to continually evaluate their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

Both bills would create new division for AEA oversight

Currently, state and federal funding is sent directly to the Area Education Agencies, which provide services to school districts in their region. The AEAs are most prominently used in supporting special-education students  those who have an individualized education plan, or IEP. AEAs also provide professional development for teachers, crisis response programs and media services, among others.

Under the Senates bill, which is much closer aligned with Reynolds proposal, AEA funding would be transitioned to a fee-for-service model, through which AEAs would provide special education and other services only if requested by a school district. That annual uncertainty, critics of the proposal say, would jeopardize the entire AEA system.

Both proposals create a new AEA oversight division in the Iowa Department of Education.

The House version keeps the current funding structure largely in place; state funding for special-education services would go to the school districts, and they would be required to use that funding with the AEAs.

Six Republican senators join Democrats in opposing bill

Senate Republicans approved their proposal, an amended version of Senate File 2386, on Monday. Only Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while six Senate Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against it: Sens. Waylon Brown, Mike Klimesh, Mark Lofgren, Charlie McClintock, Sandy Salmon and Jeff Taylor.

During Senate debate, Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia and former teacher, principal and superintendent, said the changes are needed because the U.S. Department of Education has since 2018 categorized Iowa as needs assistance under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

This bills about ensuring that our children with disabilities receive the best possible services in education. The goal is to get the best return on investment for the delivery of special-education services to the kids who need them, Evans said. This is the right direction to go. We need more local control on how these dollars are spent.

Senate Democrats proposed pausing the AEA reforms and establishing a task force to spend a year studying the agencies and making recommendations to lawmakers before next years legislative session. They criticized Republicans for not listening to the outpouring of educators and parents who have expressed opposition to the AEA proposals and the process by which the legislation has been proposed and passed.

Democrats pointed to a recent Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, which showed 56% of Iowans have a favorable view of AEAs.

(Statehouse Republicans) have once again maybe listened, but they did not hear their constituents. Because if they heard their constituents in Iowa, they told them resoundingly to not do anything to this AEA system, Sen. Molly Donahue, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids who has worked for 43 years as a special-education teacher, said during debate.

Donahue said she had benefited from AEA services as a special-education teacher and as a child, when she spoke with a lisp.

The fact is, I wouldnt be standing here talking to anybody at all had I not had those services, Donahue said.

Reynolds has said the AEA system needs updating and has claimed that Iowas special-education students are falling behind other states, and although the test scores she has used as an example are also used by the federal government, the company that designs the test has said the scores should not be used to inform policy changes. Reynolds administration hired a consultant to review the AEA system and recommend changes, a process that Democrats roundly criticized as biased.

I want to thank the Senate for their commitment to improving special education and acknowledging that the AEA system needs reform, Reynolds said in a statement. I now look forward to working with the House and Senate to reach a compromise that will bring transparency, accountability, and consistency to the AEA system while most importantly improving outcomes for students with disabilities.

Under the Senate bill, starting in the 2025-2026 school year, 90% of the funding for special education would go directly to the school districts, which would be free to use that funding to contract for special education services through an AEA or a private company. The remaining 10% would go to the AEAs.

Also under the Senate bill, in the 2024-2025 school year, 60% of the funds for media and educational services would go directly to the school districts, which again could use those funds to contract with AEA or a private company. The remaining 40% would go to AEAs. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, all media and educational services funding would remain with school districts, and none of it would go to AEAs.

Bill also would address teacher pay

The Senate bill also proposes raising the minimum salary for new Iowa teachers to $46,251, which they say is the current statewide average for starting teachers salaries.

House Republicans addressed teacher and other education staff salaries in a separate bill, and they proposed raising the starting teacher minimum to $50,000  matching the figure proposed by Reynolds  phased in over two years. House Republicans also proposed dedicating more funding to help schools increase veteran teacher salaries and create a $15 per hour minimum wage for education support staff.

In her statement, Reynolds called for legislation that will increase salaries for both starting and veteran teachers.

Whats next for bill?

House Republicans passed their AEA bill, House File 2612, on Feb. 29 with a 53-41 vote. Only Republicans supported the bill, and nine Republicans joined all Democrats in voting against it.

With both Republican-led chambers having approved their respective AEA bills, leaders from each chamber and Reynolds will need to reach an agreement on a proposal that can pass both chambers and be signed into law by Reynolds.

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang signed a decree of the State Council, unveiling refined regulations for the implementation of the nation's law on the protection of consumer rights and interests.

Effective on July 1, 2024, the regulations made detailed provisions on business operators' obligations, including protection of consumers' personal and property safety, the handling of defective products, avoiding fraudulent advertisement, price transparency, quality guarantee, and protection of consumers' personal information. The regulations also added provisions on operators' obligations regarding the protection of the rights and interests of the elderly and minors as consumers.

The regulations refined provisions regarding online consumption and stipulated operators' obligations concerning prepaid consumption, urging them to provide goods or services in accordance with the agreement made with consumers.

The regulations also standardized consumer complaints and compensation claims, stipulating that complaints and reports must abide by laws, regulations and relevant provisions. Furthermore, they shall not be used to seek improper benefits, infringe on the legitimate rights and interests of operators, and disrupt the market order.

The regulations also specified that governments at all levels should strengthen guidance on the protection of consumer rights and interests, increase supervision, inspection and law enforcement, and promptly investigate and deal with practices that infringe on consumers' legitimate rights and interests.

In addition, the regulations also specified requirements for consumer associations to perform their duties.
Kenyans will begin monetizing their content on Facebook and Instagram by June this year.

This makes Kenya one of the few countries in the continent enjoying the feature.

The move was announced by the Facebook President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg in a meeting with President William Ruto at State House Nairobi

The announcement is a culmination of a year-long push by the government led by the president to have creators earn for their online content.

Kenyan content creators who meet the eligibility criteria will now earn from their Facebook and Instagram spaces as we start monetization by June this year, Nick said.

President William Ruto praised the partnership between Kenya and global digital platforms on the monetisation of content.

Now content creators can begin earning from their imagination and creativity. I have kept my word to negotiate and get them fresh opportunities.

He added: We are banking on the digital space to create jobs for the millions of jobless youths in our country.

President Ruto also welcomed plans to have monetization available on M-Pesa.

Additional Revenue Channels on Facebook and Instagram

Meta announced the rollout of Instream ads, along with the launch of additional revenue channels across Facebook and Instagram. These will encompass Facebook Stories, Instagram subs, and IG gifts.

We are very happy to announce that were gonna have instream ads available on Facebook starting early summer maximum, said Moon Baz, Head of global partnerships for Africa, Middle East and Turkey.

What instream ads mean is they are image and video ads that will be served, before, during or after any of your videos and it is a way for you guys to monetise and generate revenue through Facebook.
Kenyan gay rights activists staged protests in the UK to voice their objection to the Family Protection Bill 2023.

A faction of Kenyan activists supporting gay rights, alongside others from Uganda, Ghana, Pakistan, and Tanzania, participated in street protests in the city of London.

They said that the Family Protection Bill 2023 proposed by Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament, Peter Kaluma, is discriminatory. According to the activists, aside from the persecutory attitude among Kenyans towards them, the Bill will exacerbate the situation if it passes through parliament.

Seth Ouma, a Kenyan LGBTQ+ rights activist, observed that Kenya could follow Uganda and Ghana in enacting discriminatory anti-homosexuality legislation.

Ouma fears that if the Bill is brought for debate, MPs will overwhelmingly support it, disregarding potential violations of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, and other universal rights and freedoms.

The persecutory attitude of Kenyans is rife with livid homophobia, and this fans parliaments push for the harsher laws, the activist said.

Ouma was among hundreds of gay rights activists who attended the 75th Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London, UK on March 11, 2024. They protested against what they described as the ongoing criminalization of homosexuality in 30 out of the 56 Commonwealth countries.

Kalumas Family Protection Bill

The Kaluma Bill is currently under review by the National Assemblys Justice and Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Following the February 2023 Supreme Court ruling that approved the registration of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission by the NGOs Coordination Board, MPs, particularly the opposition, unanimously condemned the court. They called for the judges to revoke the decision or resign.

On February 29, 2024, a gay couple was assaulted by angry locals at a Naivasha restaurant. Florence Jeptoo, another Kenyan at the London event, described the incident as regrettable and unacceptable.

It surprised everyone that no police enforcement action materialised during this incident, which we condemn in the strongest terms possible, she said.

The protest in London garnered the attention of other Londoners, who joined in the chants as dignitaries from various countries arrived for the Commonwealth function.

Chanting pro-LGBTQ+ slogans and calling out the countries responsible, including Kenya, attending Kenyans expressed their disappointment at the ongoing discrimination and persecution of the countrys LGBTQ+ community. The said the situation exarcebated after the High Court in May 2019 refused to repeal sections of the penal code that criminalize homosexuality.
Dear Kyle, Tom and Alan:

I just lost my job and my wife works part-time. Were totally not used to this, and we have no health insurance from my work as of next month. Weve gone online and looked for some kind of plan for us and our two kids, but man, is it expensive.

So, first, what is the deal with getting a break on monthly premiums through Covered California, and second, Ive read that there is another bill in California about single-payer, and third, how does Medi-Cal fit in?

Larry

Kyle: OK, Larry, great questions. First, with your loss of employment coverage, you and your family are guaranteed to be accepted for Covered California because loss of employment is a qualifying event.

Also, whether or not you get a break on premium (subsidy) is entirely based on household income.

According to the 2024 Program Eligibility by Federal Poverty Level, you can have an annual income of up to $120,000 and still be eligible for a subsidy. If your income drops below $82,992, what may happen is you and your wife will choose a plan, while your children will be on Medi-Cal.

Tom: Not everyone is crazy about the kids on Medi-Cal, but thats the way it is.

Al: Second, according to the Fact Sheet dated Feb. 7, 2024, Assembly Bill 2200 is revisiting a similar bill from 2022 that failed to move forward. Part of the summary reads: AB 2200 sets in motion a single-payer health care coverage system in California, called CalCare, for all residents, regardless of citizenship status.

Kyle: A legislative analysis of the 2022 bill estimated the cost of single-payer as between $314 to $391 billion in state and federal funds. The entire California state budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year is $291.5 billion.

According to John Goodman and Linda Gorman from the Goodman Institute:

Assembly Bill 2200 would make CalCare the states single-payer health coverage provider. Under the act it would be illegal for any resident to pay a doctor privately for any medical treatment covered by CalCare.

To accomplish this goal, the legislators hope to convince the federal government to turn over all California Medicare funding so they can force every senior into the new system. Ditto for Medicaid. Employer-provided health insurance would also vanish.

Al: I think theyre against it. In a later part of the column, they said that in 2017 only 48% of private California physicians accepted new Medicaid patients.

An article in the LA Times noted that the California Nurses Association strongly favors a single-payer where the public (everyone) receives health insurance through the government.

Kyle: Third, and finally, Medi-Cal is our version of Medicaid. Through both federal and state funds, healthcare is provided to low-income residents. If a family of four has a household income of less than $43,056, they all qualify for Medi-Cal.

It looks like what Larry will have to do is give his best estimate of income and look into Covered California.

Photos: The giant redwood trees of Franklin Street in downtown Napa Franklin St. 2 Franklin St. 3 Franklin St. 4 Franklin St. 5 Franklin St. 6 Franklin St. 7 Franklin St. 8 Franklin St. 9 Franklin St. 10 Franklin St. 1
Updated 6:06 p.m.  Sheriff's deputies visited Caymus Vineyards' property in early March to serve a subpoena, officials at the winery confirmed late Monday.

However, Michael T. Carlson, the winery's vice president and general counsel, said it had to do with a wage garnishment issue involving one of its employees, and was not related to an earlier federal subpoena filed with Napa County that named its principals.

The March 1 visit was apparently very brief  lasting only a matter of minutes  and the record related to it did not indicate what the subpoena was seeking or to whom it was addressed.

Reached by phone, sheriff's officials could not immediately state the nature of the subpoena, and Caymus Vineyards co-founder Charles (Chuck) J. Wagner did not return a text message and phone call seeking comment Monday afternoon.

Earlier, it was believed the March 1 subpoena was potentially related to a Dec. 18 federal subpoena served on Napa County asking for county records related to 40 individuals, businesses and events  among them Wagner and his son Charles (Charlie) F. Wagner.

That, said Carlson, is not the case.

PHOTOS: Party hopping on Election Night in Napa County
Updated at 11:04 a.m. Wednesday  American Canyon Police are continuing to investigate a shooting death Monday night, the citys first reported homicide in more than three years.

Officers were called at about 7:30 p.m. to the 200 block of Tapestry Lane, the department said in a news release. Police found a man who appeared to have been shot and gave him first aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

The department had not identified the victim or shared further details of the incident as of Wednesday afternoon.

Napa County Sheriffs Office detectives and the Napa County Major Crimes Task Force have taken over the investigation, which was continuing.

No suspect was in custody, and the shooting appears to be an isolated incident, police said. Shortly after the shooting, the department issued a text-message alert asking people to avoid the area, which is east of Highway 29 and north of Donaldson Way East.

Witnesses or anyone with information about the shooting are asked to contact Napa County Sheriffs Detective Rochester or Detective Dameron at 707-253-4591.

The fatal shooting is the first homicide in American Canyon since Aug. 16, 2020, when a gunman fatally shot 18-year-old Nathan Gabriel Garza in the parking lot of the Safeway supermarket on West American Canyon Road, where Garza was an employee.

A Napa County jury in 2023 convicted Christopher Roly Young of Martinez of first-degree murder in Garzas death, and Young received a lifetime prison sentence with no possibility of parole.

Photos: SpiritHorse unites unwanted horses with traumatized humans in Napa County SpiritHorse 2 SpiritHorse (cover) Spirit Horse 11 Spirit Horse 12 Spirit Horse 10 Spirit Horse 1 SpiritHorse 3 Spirit Horse 4 Spirit Horse 5 Spirit Horse 6 Spirit Horse 7 Spirit Horse 8 Spirit Horse 9
SACRAMENTO  In the last six months, Gov. Gavin Newsom has sent state police into Oakland to crack down on thefts, announced new efforts to charge drug dealers with murder, and sent attorneys from the California National Guard and the California Department of Justice to help Alameda County prosecute more people.

His focus on prosecution and policing marks a departure from his past embrace of criminal justice reform efforts that focused more on rehabilitation than locking people in jail. It has increased speculation that he's preparing for a future presidential run, but Newsom is just one of many Democratic leaders across the country shifting to the right on criminal justice policies amid rising concerns from Americans about crime and safety.

Before he became governor, Newsom forged much of his political reputation through advocacy on criminal justice-related ballot measures. He was a leading supporter of Proposition 47, a 2014 law approved by voters that reduced punishments for drug possession and theft of property worth less than $950. In 2016, he spearheaded the successful campaign to legalize recreational cannabis in California and supported a failed effort to end the death penalty. Though Californians affirmed their support for capital punishment that election, Newsom thwarted the will of the voters when he became governor in 2019 and placed a moratorium on executions in the state.

But in the last year, he's embraced a tougher approach to crime. Earlier this month, he touted his efforts to recruit and train more state police officers, and promoted a string of arrests in Oakland by more than 100 state police officers he sent to crack down on crime there. Last year, he similarly deployed state police to San Francisco to crack down on fentanyl dealing and ordered the California National Guard to help target drug traffickers operating in the city.

Newsom's shift to a more tough-on-crime approach reflects his constituents' views on the issue. In February, 11% of Californians identified crime, gangs and drugs as the top issues facing the state, an increase from five years before when 3% identified it as a top issue, according to polls by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. Just 3% identified crime as the top issue in 2014, the same year voters passed Prop. 47.

The heightened concern accompanies an increase in violent crime in California. According to the Public Policy Institute of California, the state's violent crime rate increased by 5.7% from 2021 to 2022, the last year for which comprehensive data is available. Experts at the PPIC noted that the nation as a whole has also seen violent crime increase in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and that California's violent and property crime rates are still well below levels from the 1980s and '90s.

Americans also view crime as more of a problem nationally. Last year, 63% of Americans identified crime as extremely or very serious in a Gallup poll, up from 54% in 2021.

Tinisch Hollins, who runs the criminal justice reform organization Californians for Safety and Justice, said the recent efforts to recall politicians over progressive policies is helping drive the more moderate push from many Democrats.

"There is for sure a trend that is sweeping the country with people who have been typically progressive or liberal moving to the middle or to the right," she said.

Oregon voters in 2020 voted to decriminalize possession of drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, LSD and oxycodone. Earlier this month, lawmakers voted to roll the law back and allow drug users to be sent to jail for possessing small quantities of hard drugs.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell went from telling the Seattle Times that he wanted to focus on treatment as a response to the city's fentanyl crisis in April to in October pleading with city council members to approve an expansion of drug arrests in the city, according to the paper. Earlier that year, Washington state lawmakers voted to continue keeping drug possession illegal.

In New York state, Gov. Kathy Hochul sent the National Guard into the New York City subway system to conduct random bag searches after a spate of violence on trains.

Hollins has been very critical of San Francisco Mayor London Breed's recent actions on crime. Hollins pointed to Breed's successful championing of Proposition E, which expands San Francisco police's power, and Proposition F, which requires welfare recipients to submit to drug screenings. She characterized the mayor's advocacy for the measures as a significant swing to the right from Breed, who just a few years ago led an effort to spend $60 million to uplift the city's Black community in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

Hollins said she's particularly concerned about Breed's backing of a proposed ballot measure that would roll back parts of Prop. 47.

Breed has characterized the ballot measures as important steps to crack down on crime and drug use in the city as she fights to win reelection.

Newsom faces some of the same political pressure to crack down on crime, Hollins said, but she praised the governor for continuing to support Prop. 47. She said it's too early to judge his deployments of state police officers in the Bay Area to fight crime, which she said could be beneficial if they are targeted and don't amount to a general increase in policing.

The state police deployments have led to increases in arrests but also concern that the officers are pulling people over for minor matters like tinted windows or a broken taillight as a pretext to search cars. City leaders in San Francisco and other cities across the state have sought to limit police use of so-called pretextual stops, which have been linked to racial profiling.

Hollins said she is concerned about the possibility those officers are conducting pretextual stops, especially in light of the recent passage of Prop. E, which lowers the standards for when San Francisco officers can initiate car chases and surveil residents with drones and cameras.

"We tried tough on crime. We tried mass incarceration," she said. "We know they don't work or increase public safety."

Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, chair of the California Democratic Party's Progressive Caucus, said she views Newsom's policies as moving in the wrong direction and as evidence he's contemplating a run for higher office.

"We know our governor has other political ambitions," she said. "I think we're seeing some of these ... reactionary policies so he can go out and say, 'I cleaned up our state.'"

Americans' attitudes on criminal justice tend to shift back and forth, said Mike Madrid, a California-based Republican strategist. When crime is low, they tend to support more rehabilitation-focused policies, but when it's up, they turn to a more "lock them up and throw away the key" approach, he said.

The Democratic Party is shifting toward the right on crime, Madrid said, because people feel less safe in their communities. Newsom, in particular, needs to be receptive to that shift in public sentiment as he faces down a difficult budget year that will test his political power. Backers of a longshot effort to recall Newsom have also cited crime as one of the issues motivating them to try to oust the governor.

"I don't think it's because he's running for president," Madrid said of Newsom's shift on crime. "It's because he's a governor who needs a lot of support going into a tough budget season."

Katie Merrill, a Democratic consultant in California, characterized Newsom's moves as being responsive to complaints from communities in response to rising property and violent crime.

She said she also doesn't see it as a sign he is mounting a presidential run.

"There is plenty that he has done in terms of debating Ron DeSantis and running ads in Florida that people used to justify their speculation that he's running for president," she said. "But this is just good policy. ... You can talk to anyone in the San Francisco Bay Area, in Sacramento, in Los Angeles  I bet any poll would tell you they feel less safe than they did two years ago or three years ago."

Photos: Napa Valley Faces and Places, March 16, 2024
Guwahati: A day after a Bangladesh smuggler was killed in Border Security Force (BSF) firing the body of the youth, who died in Magruli village of Kailashahar in Unakoti district on Sunday, was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Monday.

According to reports, an FIR was lodged by BSF at Irani police station immediately after the incident and a flag meeting between BSF and BGB took place on Monday.

Finally, the body of the deceased  Saddam Hossain  was handed over to the BGB in the presence of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer Kailashahar Jayanta Karmakar and others including the deceaseds father.

Here it is to be noted that Mohan Lal, a BSF constable, was also seriously injured during the attack by the smugglers during Sundays incident.

The injured BSF Jawan, who is presently under treatment at Unakoti district hospital, is in all likelihood will be taken to GB Pant Hospital, Agartala for better treatment on Tuesday.
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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, at the meeting with the residents of Voskepar village in Tavush Province, indirectly confirmed the fears that Armenia will be handing over the four former Azerbaijani-inhabited villages without getting anything in return.

"The [border] demarcation and delimitation process is as follows that our commissions shall go and decide on the spot where the Republic of Armenia begins, and that shall become the state border between Armenia and the Azerbaijani state. Why are we discussing this matter and why have we come to discuss this with the people of Voskepar? Because there are some issues that we will discuss. We see that the real possibility of starting the demarcation and demarcation process can be realized in this section: in the section from Baghanis to Berkaber [villages].

We know that Azerbaijan speaks about four non-enclave villages, you know that we speak about 31 villages. We raise that issue, they raise that issue, and whenever we want to move forward in these discussions, even if we rely on the logic that we have 31 settlements in a problematic situation, theyless than that, Azerbaijan uses such an argument that the actual territory of none of the settlements of the Republic of Armenia is under the control of Azerbaijan; that is, the residential area of a village is not under the control of Azerbaijan.

They say: let's free the actual territories of the settlements, then discuss, talk about the territories of vital importance in the villages. Of course, we counter, we say: a village is not only the village administration, a village is also its vital territories. During all discussions we bring these arguments, and these arguments are fair, and our policy is that we must not allow war, we must not let the start of war. And this is the reason why we have decided that we should proceed with the adjustment of the border of Armenia in these sections. And we do this not only for the sake of the Republic of Armenia, but specifically for Voskepar, Kirants villages, in order to ensure the security of those villages," said the PM of Armenia.

By this, Pashinyan indirectly said that in exchange for handing over these territories to Azerbaijan, the latter will not return to Armenia, for example, Berkaber villages hundreds of hectares of land, which came under Azerbaijan's control in the 1990s.
This conversation is not an easy conversation. This is about having a safe, prosperous, strong state and an optimistic future, but with the difference that we should be able to discuss complex issues today. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this during a meeting with the residents of Kirants village of Tavush Province.

"You know that Armenia is facing quite serious security challenges. And I also said in my press conference a few days ago that in my opinion, one of the most important features to solve our security issue is to put our trust in ourselves, in our resources. The resource, the tool at our disposal is legitimacy. We must be active in order to record the borders of Armenia within the framework of this internationally recognized area," said Pashinyan and again showed a model of the map of Armenia he had brought with him.

"I came here because the [border] delimitation process may cause some problems for some of our settlements. But on the other hand, I came to say that the situation is such that it is logical that we start the [border] demarcation and delimitation process in the area from Baghanis to Berkaber [villages], or a little further that side.

Delimitation is when we specify on the map what the coordinate of the border is, and demarcation is when we go, stand on the ground, and say this is where Armenia begins or ends.

It is important for us to specify the territorial integrity of Armenia. Our issue today with a number of countries in the region is that we want them to recognize the territorial integrity of Armenia according to an agreement. But if we want others to recognize [it], first we must recognize it ourselves. I have come to say that this is the only option to build our future.

At the moment, we have no agreement, no decision, nothing exists with anyone that you are not aware of," the Armenian PM announced.
This is the first meeting, but not the last. Today there are many questions, the answer to which I will not give today, not because I cannot imagine, but because the answer to that question must be worded by agreements, and it does not depend on us alone. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this during a meeting with the residents of Kirants village of Tavush Province.

One of the residents asked: "Kirants is attached to the border [with Azerbaijan]. Will there be a fence, an enclosure, will soldiers stand there? How will we maintain our security?"

In response, Pashinyan said: "The only thing I can say is that we can go to solutions with having at least a certain level of confidence that we will provide that security. We want to replace the line of contact [with Azerbaijan] with a border. The border is a phenomenon that builds a legal enclosure. The most important result of [border] demarcation can be that the troops leave their positions and the border guards come in their place. Shooting at each other is not accepted at all where the border guards stand; that is, there is no dispute in that section. They shoot because there is a dispute. If there is no dispute, the meaning of shooting does not exist.

If we draw, specify the border, ensure that there will be no clashes between the inhabitants of the villages, rule out the occasions, shooting becomes meaningless if a country does not declare war on a country. If you have a border, you have a legal enclosure which is up to the country to decide whether it wants to have also a physical enclosure there as well or not. The situation may be such that we decide together that it is necessary, or we decide that it is not necessary."

Another resident stated that two months ago on Google maps, the Armenian-Azerbaijani border was passing through his house, but now it has moved 50 meters. "If the Armenian or Azerbaijani troop came and stopped [there], how can I live in that house?" asked the villager.

Pashinyan responded: "I said that we shall come and answer that question. Now, during this work and negotiations, we should put your question also on the table, say: how will this person live in his house? What guarantees do we give [him]? And not only Armenia, but also Azerbaijan should answer that question. I have come now not to answer your question, but to take your question, take [it] with me, and put [it] on the table of the agenda of the whole [border] delimitation work, and to say: answer this person's question. We will come and answer that question honestly. We will say, dear Mr. Simonyan, today's situation is as follows that you will be able to live comfortably in your home because... and we will note conditions. After that, we will listen to your reaction, whether it is convincing for you or not."
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Alen Simonyan: Russia needed twice as much as we needed Russian border guards presence in Armenia

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We are happy to host NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the delegation led by him in Armenia. This visit is your first visit to Armenia in the position of NATO Secretary General, it is a good opportunity to exchange opinions on Armenia-NATO cooperation, as well as regional and global stability and security issues. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated during his joint press conference with Stoltenberg in Yerevan Tuesday.

"We [i.e. Armenia] are interested in continuing and developing the existing political dialogue and expanding the partnership with the alliance, as well as individual member states. We hope that the new format of Armenia-NATO cooperation, the individually tailored partnership program will be approved soon.

In the light of the developments that occurred in our region, it is extremely important for Armenia to strengthen its resistance and develop the relevant defense capabilities.

We attach great importance also to Armenia's participation in peacekeeping operations and consider it an important contribution to ensuring international peace and security. The Armenian peacekeeping unit continues to contribute to the [NATOs] Kosovo mission and, as you know, in July 2023, when the situation in Kosovo was somewhat unstable, Armenia increased the personnel of its peacekeeping unit with an additional 17 soldiers.

An effective dialogue is carried out also in the parliamentary sphere, as our [Armenian] parliamentarians are engaged in the meetings and seminars of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Armenia continues to adhere also to the policy of regionalization. Our special relations with Georgia and Iran are extremely important, and none of our cooperation can be directed against our own region" the Armenian PM added.
UN chief calls on Israel to ensure Gaza humanitarian access

Xinhua) 08:52, March 19, 2024

People wait to get free food in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 18, 2024. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, March 18 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza.

Guterres made the plea after the latest acute food insecurity analysis for Gaza warns that famine in the northern part of Gaza is imminent.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis conducted in December 2023 warned that famine may occur by the end of May 2024 if an immediate cessation of hostilities and sustained access for the provision of essential supplies and services to the population did not take place. Since then, the conditions necessary to prevent famine have not been met and the latest evidence confirms that famine is imminent in the northern governorates and is projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May 2024.

The report is an appalling indictment of conditions on the ground for civilians. Palestinians in Gaza are enduring horrifying levels of hunger and suffering. This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the IPC system -- anywhere, anytime, said Guterres.

"This is an entirely manmade disaster and the report makes clear that it can be halted. Today's report is Exhibit A for the need for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire," said Guterres.

He called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza and for the international community to fully support UN humanitarian efforts.

"We must act now to prevent the unthinkable, the unacceptable and the unjustifiable," he said.

People get free food in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 18, 2024. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People line up to get free food in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 18, 2024. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People get free food in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 18, 2024. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

A volunteer distributes free food in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 18, 2024. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

People line up to get free food in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on March 18, 2024. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli authorities to ensure complete and unfettered access for humanitarian goods throughout Gaza. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The issue of defending the collective rights of Artsakh residents, including the right to return to Artsakh, is our strategic goal. Former Artsakh State Minister Artak Beglaryan stated this in a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Humanitarian programs should serve this agenda, he said.

"We should not allow the Armenian authorities to close this issue. It should be on the negotiating table with Azerbaijan. Without a clear position of the Armenian authorities, we will not achieve the result. They must emphasize that this does not mean territorial claims to Azerbaijan. The International Court of Justice made a relevant decision on the right of return of the Artsakh people," he noted.

Beglaryan called the housing issue the most acute social problem of Artsakh residents.

"Based on these reasons, it is wrong to compare Artsakh residents with the residents of Armenia who are deprived of housing. Artsakh residents became displaced as a result of genocide due to the failure of Armenia to fulfill its commitments. Russia, France, the USA, and, in general, the whole international community also failed.

In addition, we have the status of refugees, for which Armenia has additional obligations. In our case, the source of funding is also different. Armenia should demand large sums of money from the international community to solve the social problems of the Artsakh people. Instead of that the Armenian authorities declare that they solve those problems in a spectacular way, giving a signal to the international community that there is no need for their support," the former Minister stressed.

He said he is actively cooperating with members of the Committee for the Protection of Fundamental Rights of the Artsakh People, headed by former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan.

"Active, effective co-operation is underway. I hope that the Committee will move to the stage of public activity. It is important that this Committee does not cast a shadow on Artsakh's state institutions or take over their powers," Beglaryan concluded.




SIUs Rock & Mineral Clinic set for Thursday

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Learn more about the rocks and minerals that make up the planet at the Rock & Mineral Clinic on Thursday, March 21, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

The event is set for 3-6 p.m. in Room 101F in the Parkinson Building on the SIU campus. Daniel Hummer, associate professor of geology, will provide expert oversight, and the Geology Club will host the program.

All ages are welcome, and members of the public are invited to bring in any rock, mineral or geological sample they want to have identified. They can also learn basic examination techniques scientists use to identify samples.

Metered parking will be available in parking lot 13, accessible from the campus east entrance on South Illinois Avenue (U.S. 51) and located across from the Student Center. This metered parking will be free after 4 p.m.

The event comes in advance of National Geologists Day, April 7, which is celebrated on the first Sunday of April each year. Originally established in April 1966 by scientists in the former Soviet Union, the day honors the work of geologists, geophysicists and geochemists who study the history of the Earth and the composition of rocks, soil, water, minerals and other materials.
Startup Mahakumbh, a large congregation of Indian startups, wrapped up its Day 1 celebration by showcasing insightful sessions by industry leaders. The inaugural day started with a panel discussion around the role of startups in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat, which was focused on informed deliberations on the critical role of Indian startups. The panelists were of the view that Startup Mahakumbh could be a launchpad for the Indian startup ecosystem. The plenary inaugural session was graced by Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa and Former CEO, NITI Aayog, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOC&I), Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOC&I), Prashant Kumar Singh, CEO, Government e Marketplace (GeM), Arvind Gupta, Head and Co-founder of Digital India Foundation, among others. Amitabh Kant, as part of his intervention, said that Indian startups are a story of undeniable growth, and job creation is a major part of it. "But the ambition should be even bigger: becoming the world's leading startup nation," Kant said. "India's booming startup scene has indirectly created over 10 million jobs and fostered a vibrant gig economy of over 10 million individuals." Throughout the inaugural day, startups, incubators, unicorns, future entrepreneurs, and other key stakeholders attended key note sessions, panel discussions, and fire side chats of industry leaders. There were sessions around the strategies for fostering creativity and disruption in startups, what does the next decade look like for the ecosystem, how can startups build multi-generational businesses and what are the opportunities for key sectors like Agritech, AI & SaaS, Climate Tech, Gaming and Deep Tech among others. Additionally, enriching sessions were held around how startups can scale their businesses globally. Over 1,000 start-ups, more than 500 incubators, hundreds of investors, and delegations from over 10 different countries have assembled for the three-day mega startup event 'Startup Mahakumbh'. The organisers said that this event will now be an annual affair. As many as 23 states have participated in this event and are showcasing their startup ecosystems and policies. A few investors from the popular reality show Shark Tank will be present at the event over these three days. Startup Mahakumbh is being organised by ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, Bootstrap Incubation and Advisory Foundation, TiE and Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), and supported by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. India ranks at 40 in terms of innovation and the goal is to move up from this. India has the third largest startup ecosystem and now it is an endeavour to become the best and this event is that direction. On Day 1, Peyush Bansal, Co-Founder, CEO, Lenskart, highlighted how consumer loyalty isn't limited to channels, and how business models should be based on solving problems. This insightful panel discussion, in particular, garnered a lot of curiosity from the audience. Founder and CEO, Zomato, joined for a fireside chat to inspire the audience with his journey and share the valuable lessons he has learned as an entrepreneur. (ANI)
Abhijeet Jhawar, the Chief Strategy Officer at Infra.Market, believes that India has been in a positive spiral in the last few years due to policies of the government. Jhawar spoke to ANI on the sidelines of the 'Startup Mahakumbh' held at Bharat Mandapam. Infra.Market is a construction material solutions provider. When questioned about India's growth trajectory, Jhawar expressed optimism, highlighting the nation's positive momentum over the past few years. He attributed this growth to government policies that have fostered a favorable environment for businesses. Jhawar said, "India has been in a positive growth spiral from the last couple of years with all the policies being pretty friendly towards the businessmen to do their business, specially with the PM's initiative about 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat'" stated Jhawar. "A lot of manufacturing has seen the right trajectory and the kind of investment government has announced for the infrastructure sector and the kind of projects that we have on the unveil, it is the sunrise sector for us. India is poised for a huge growth" he added. Discussing government initiatives, Jhawar commended the emphasis placed on infrastructure development in recent budgets. He pointed out the significant investments in road construction, basic amenities, and real estate, which have revitalized sectors that were previously experiencing stagnation. "Government is trying to connect the rural Bhaarat to the Modern Bhaarat through the railway network, road network in a very big way. That is helping a lot of manufacturers who are working in their sector reach zenith. Once infrastructure comes, then comes the population and then comes the demand," he said. He noted that improved connectivity is enabling manufacturers operating in rural areas to reach new heights, emphasizing that infrastructure development is essential for stimulating demand and economic growth. "These are the thoughts which inspires companies like us. This is incidental that due to USD 5 tn economy vision that Prime Minister has, which is driving the company towards growth. Globally there is a lot of recession, lot of triggers which can bring in a lot of depression, whether it is any political turmoil" he said. "But India is been pretty opaque and India is showing a lot of signs of lot investments coming in. Time is not far away when entrepreneurs like us will be able to export and "Atmanirbhar Bhaarat" will extend the story outside India also," he added. Responding to questions about India's ambitious goal of achieving a USD 5 trillion economy by 2047, Jhawar expressed confidence in the nation's potential for sustained growth. Startup Mahakumbh is a first-of-its-kind event bringing together the entire startup ecosystem of India including startups, investors, incubators and accelerators, and industry leaders from several sectors. (ANI)
Filmmaker Alex Proyas has long argued that his 1994 superhero film, 'The Crow' should not be rebooted out of respect for Brandon Lee, his actor who died in an on-set tragedy. After years of development, a 'The Crow' reboot is now ready for release, and Proyas is once again raising concerns, as per The Hollywood Reporter. "I really don't get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmakers work. And I'm certain the cast and crew really had all good intentions, as we all do on any film. So it pains me to say any more on this topic, but I think the fan's response speaks volumes," Proyas wrote on Facebook, along with a link to an article noting that 'The Crow' reboot's trailer received numerous dislikes on YouTube. "THE CROW is not just a movie. Brandon Lee died making it, and it was finished as a testament to his lost brilliance and tragic loss. It is his legacy. That's how it should remain." As per The Hollywood Reporter, Proyas previously spoke at length on the subject in 2017, when Jason Momoa was set to feature in the revival. "I finished the film for Brandon - struggling through grief, along with the hugely supportive cast & crew who all loved Brandon, to complete it in his absence," Proyas wrote. "We were imbued with the strength of Brandon's spirit and his inspiration. Not only Brandon's wonderful work as an actor and a film-maker, but as a man, whose humanity had touched us." Bruce Lee's son, Lee, was murdered by a prop gun on set in 1993 when he was 28 years old. Rupert Sanders, the director of the new 'The Crow', had stated that he hoped the picture will act as a memorial to Lee. "Brandon was an original voice and I think he will always be synonymous with The Crow and I hope he's proud of what we've done and how we've brought the story back again. His soul is very much alive in this film. There's a real fragility and beauty to his version of the Crow, and I think Bill feels like he is a successor to that," Sanders told Vanity Fair in an article published last month. Lionsgate is behind 'The Crow', which is due out June 7. 'The Crow' is based on James O'Barr's comics, which debuted in 1989 and tells the story of a man who is murdered, alongside his fiancee, only to be resurrected to seek vengence. Multiple sequels followed the 1994 film, including The Crow: City of Angels (1996), The Crow: Salvation (2000) and The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005), according to The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI)
After witnessing a triangular contest in 2019 with a narrowing winning vote margin, Maldaha Dakshin, one of West Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha constituencies, is a highly anticipated constituency as TMC and BJP have declared their candidate from the seat. Polling for the South Malda constituency is scheduled for May 7. Trinamool Congress has declared - Shanawaz Ali Rehan as its candidate from South Malda. While BJP has once again reposed faith in Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury as the candidate from South Malda. Congress is yet to declare its face for the seat. Malda South Lok Sabha constituency consist of seven assembly segments Manikcha, English Bazar, Mothabar, Sujapur, Baishnab Nagar, Farakka, Samserganj. Incumbent MP from South Malda and Congress leader Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury (Dalu) has been winning the seat since 2009, but over the years the vote base had been narrowing. In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls Abu Hasem's victory margin over Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury was just 0.6 percent. In 2018 the TMC won 22 seats, the Congress won two seats whereas the BJP won 18 out of the 42 seats in the state. Riding on issues of worsening law and order, corruption, atrocities on women and the implementation of the CAA, the BJP is sniffing a chance of not only repeating its 2019 performance of winning 18 seats but also raising its tally before it takes on TMC in the assembly polls in 2026. [{c37b1a2a-a772-46b3-be5e-76163c3423d7:intradmin/ANI-20240319050803.jpeg}] "CAA is the law to give citizenship to those who need it and not to snatch anyone's citizenship. Trinamool Congress' campaigning propaganda has been going on only and only to mislead the common people and to instigate them in any way" said BJP candidate from South Malda Srirupa Mitra "The government of Trinamool Congress is spreading unrest among the people and provoking people at various places against, our nation-building campaign by Honorable Modi ji," said BJP candidate Srirupa Mitra. "Modi ji has a mantra, that mantra is service, good governance and poor welfare. These three mantras and Antyodaya are the foundation of our Bharatiya Janata Party. Antyodya is the basis of our human welfare, as Pandit Upadhyay ji has said. We will take the same mantra forward under the leadership of Honorable Modi ji. In this election, we say that this is the biggest festival of democracy. This festival has to be the worship of Janata Janardan (Public). We are moving forward with the welfare of the poor." Srirupa Mitra added. In 2019, Congress leader Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury (Dalu) got 444,270 votes, while, BJP's Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury bagged 436,048 in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. In 2019, TMC leader Md. Moazzem Hossain was in third position with 3,51,353 votes. In 2014, Congress leader Abu Hasem Khan Chowdhury (Dalu) also won from the South Malda constituency. Maldaha Dakshin, one of West Bengal's 42 Lok Sabha constituencies, paints a picture of a diverse electorate. While a general category seat, it encompasses parts of both Malda and Murshidabad districts, boasting a significant rural population (67%) alongside a growing urban base (33%) according to the 2011 census. The constituency's literacy rate stands at 53.68%, with a substantial Muslim population according to voter list analysis (around 58.8%). Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities also hold a presence, constituting roughly 15.2% and 3.7% of voters respectively. Maldaha Dakshin has witnessed impressive voter turnout in recent elections. In the 2019 General Elections, a staggering 80.9% of electors cast their ballots. This high participation rate was preceded by an 82.4% turnout in the 2016 Assembly Elections. India's political landscape is undergoing a significant transition as the 2024 Lok Sabha elections draw near. The INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) consortium is gearing up to challenge the established National Democratic Alliance.The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4. (ANI)
Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Tuesday demanded Supreme Court-monitored Lok Sabha polls alleging that BJP's tricks are destroying the Election Commission of India (ECI). The TMC leader hit out at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing them of manipulating the electoral landscape ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like ECI. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Oppn? ECI or HMV? Transferring officers of elected State govts! For free & fair elections. We want a Supreme Court-monitored election," O'Brien stated in a post on X. Earlier TMC Spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had also criticised the Union Government after the ECI took the decision to replace DGP Rajeev Kumar. "We have seen that the BJP is trying its best to grab different organisations including ECI. They have taken over the control of central agencies and different organisations. In this case also, after the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, what we saw today is the reflection of BJP. It is trying its best to grab and monitor the functioning of these kinds of organisations, including ECI" Kunal Ghosh said. The Trinamool Congress' claims come after DGP of West Bengal Raveev Kumar was replaced with a new IPS Officer Vivek Sahay by the ECI. The ECI took this decision in anticipation of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The ECI said the steps to replace the Bengal DGP and Home Secretaries of six states were aimed at upholding the principles of transparency, fairness and freedom in the electoral process. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued orders for the removal of Home Secretaries in six states namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Apart from this, the ECI also ordered the removal of certain key officials of six states in what it termed a decisive move towards upholding the principles of free, fair and transparent elections. Additionally, the Secretary of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have also been removed. The Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal will be held in 7 phases starting April 19. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections TMC won 22 seats with a vote share of 43.7 percent while the BJP won 18 seats with a vote share of 40.6 percent. The Congress had won two seats in the state. (ANI)
BRS leader K Kavitha on Tuesday withdrew her plea from the Supreme Court challenging the ED summons in the Delhi excise irregularities case in view of her arrest. The BRS leader''s plea challenging her arrest is pending before the Supreme Court. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate claimed on Monday that BRS MLC K Kavitha allegedly conspired with the top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to get favours in the Delhi Excise policy formulation and implementation, and she was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to the AAP leaders in exchange for these favours ED''s claims came three days after it arrested Kavitha, MLC of Telangana Legislative Council, in the alleged case of Delhi Liquor Policy Scam. Kavitha, who was arrested by an ED team on March 15, is in ED''s custodial interrogation for seven days till March 23. She was arrested after a search operation conducted at Kavitha''s residence in Hyderabad on the same day. During the search proceedings, the ED officials said they were obstructed by the relatives and associates of Kavitha. "ED investigation revealed that K Kavitha along with others allegedly conspired with the top leaders of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia for getting favours in the Delhi Excise policy formulation and implementation," ED claimed in a statement. "In exchange for these favours, she was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to the leaders of AAP. By the acts of corruption and conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, a continuous stream of illegal funds in the form of kickback, from the wholesalers was generated for the AAP," it added. To date, the ED has conducted searches on 245 locations across the country including Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and other places. A total of 15 persons including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair from AAP have been arrested in the case so far. ED has filed one prosecution complaint and five supplementary complaints in the case so far. "Further, out of proceeds of crime generated, assets worth Rs 128.79 crore have been traced so far and have been attached vide Provisional Attachment Orders dated January 24, 2023 and July 3, 2023. Both the attachment orders have been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority, New Delhi," claimed the ED. (ANI)
Delhi Minister and AAP leader Gopal Rai on Tuesday accused the Enforcement Directorate of working as a "Bharatiya Janata Party worker" rather than an independent agency. "From the things that are happening across India including Delhi, it is understood that ED is working as a BJP worker rather than an independent agency...BJP's credibility has been lost...this case is fake (Excise Policy scam), they have been conducting raids for two years but haven't found any evidence so far," Gopal Rai told ANI. Earlier on March 17, the Enforcement Directorate issued two fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection to two different cases -- the liquor policy case and a case linked to the Delhi Jal Board. Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal did not appear before the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Monday in connection with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) money laundering probe. He was issued a summons by the ED under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in the Delhi Jal Board case. This came as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued the ninth summons to Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering probe related to irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 case, asking him to join the investigation on March 21. ED's move comes after Kejriwal first appeared before the city's Rouse Avenue Court physically on March 16 in connection with the case, as the agency earlier filed two complaints against him in court complaining of disobeying their summons to join the probe in the Delhi excise policy case. The court later granted him bail in the case filed by the agency for skipping its summons. Kejriwal got bail on a bail bond of Rs 15,000 in the case of complaints filed by the ED. He is on bail and has been asked by the court to respond to the ED summons and obey the law. The court directed the Delhi Chief Minister that following the law is appropriate for a person who has taken the oath of the Constitution. Kejriwal has so far skipped eight previous summons issued by the ED in the liquor scam case on March 4, February 26, February 19, February 2, January 18, January 3, November 2 and December 22 in the Delhi excise policy case. The ED wants to record Kejriwal's statement in the case on issues like the formulation of policy, meetings held before it was finalised, and allegations of bribery. The case alleges multiple irregularities in the formation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The policy was withdrawn after allegations of corruption. Two senior AAP leaders -- Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh -- are already under judicial custody in the case. Sisodia, who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning and on October 5, the ED arrested Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member. (ANI)
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Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the decision of the European Union (EU) to allocate an additional 5 billion euros (about 5.44 billion U.S. dollars) for military support to Ukraine, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Speaking at the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Kuleba said that the move to unlock the aid was an important step for Ukraine.

Kuleba also thanked the Czech Republic for its initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine and appreciated the countries that have joined the initiative.

Earlier in the day, the Council of the EU allocated 5 billion euros (about 5.44 billion U.S. dollars) for Ukraine under the European Peace Facility (EPF). The funds are due to be used for providing Ukraine with lethal and non-lethal military equipment and training.

Between 2022 and 2024, the European Union mobilized 6.1 billion euros (about 6.64 billion U.S. dollars) for Ukraine under the EPF.

Last month, the Czech Republic proposed to EU countries to jointly purchase 800,000 artillery shells and send them to Ukraine.
The Congress working committee, met on Tuesday and 'deliberated' thoroughly on the party's manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, dates for which were announced on Saturday. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other congress leaders were present at the meeting. The meeting was held at AICC headquarters in Delhi. Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who headed the manifesto committee, said earlier the draft report will be presented to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and will be discussed by the Congress Working Committee. Welcoming the members, Kharge said a committee had been set up under the chairmanship of Chidambaram Ji to prepare the draft Manifesto. The Committee successfully ensured public participation in this exercise, rather than merely confining it to an academic one. It held extensive consultations in different parts of the country and submitted a draft to me on March 6th, 2024, Kharge said. He said that suggestions and comments were also solicited through an online website which was rightly called "Awaaz Bharat Ki". "Whatever has been promised in Manifesto, will be strictly implemented. Before making promises in the Manifesto, in-depth deliberation has been made to ensure that these promises are implementable," he said. He said it is because of this very fact that right from 1926, the Congress Party's Manifesto has been regarded as a "document of trust and commitment". Kharge recalled after independence, the Congress party's first manifesto was released under the leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru which was famously called "What Congress stands for". Speaking on the recently concluded Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he said, "Mumbai is an important place for us because our party was formed here. The freedom movement got its final fillip with the Quit India movement in 1942". "These were not just political Yatras but will be noted as the largest mass contact movement in our political history. One can't undermine the fact that nobody in our times has undertaken such a massive exercise. Both these Yatras managed to take the issue of the people to the national centre stage," Kharge said. "During the Yatra, both me and Rahul Ji addressed several public rallies in which we spoke of our guarantees and commitments under the Five pillars of the Yatra - Kisan Nyay, Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari nyay," he said. The Congress leader said that over the last two months, a total of 25 Guarantees - 5 guarantees each for the 5 Nyays were announced. Hailing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi he said, "Rahul Ji has done his maximum through the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra as far as these guarantees are concerned. But in the coming days, we must spell out what our priorities, policies and programmes are going to be for the next 5 years" "I am sure by now you would have all been made aware of these promises. Most of them are derived from the draft Manifesto itself," he said while addressing the CWC members. I will request Chidambaram Ji to give us a detailed overview of the draft Manifesto, he said. "After his presentation, we would have a brief discussion amongst ourselves. We will finalise the Manifesto based on your comments and thereafter, have it released. I would also request Rahul Ji to make his intervention during the discussion," the Congress chief said. " The country is fervently demanding a change. The guarantees currently being touted by the present government would have the same fate as that of the "India Shining" slogan of 2004," he said. "All of us have a responsibility to ensure that our Manifesto gets the widest publicity in different states and that our commitment is taken to every household across the country and people at large," the Congress chief said. In a post on X, Kharge said, " The Congress Working Committee (CWC) deliberated thoroughly on the Congress Manifesto, today." https://x.com/kharge/status/1769967227296530440?s=20 His post added, "The country is fervently demanding a change". Lok sabha Elections 2024 would be held in seven phases starting on April 19 and ending on June 1. The results will be declared on June 4. (ANI)
President Murmu also appointed C P Radhakrishnan, Governor of Jharkhand, to discharge the functions of the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in addition to his duties until regular arrangements are made.

"I am humbled and blessed to be given the additional responsibility to serve as the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry," Radhakrishnan wrote on X.

"I thank from the bottom of my heart to our beloved most respected Honourable President Smt Droupadi Murmu Ji, Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji and Honourable Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji for giving me this great additional responsibility to serve our motherland," Radhakrishnan said in a statement on X.

Soundararajan tendered her resignation on Monday.

Soundararajan's resignation came amid reports of her plans to contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Tamil Nadu.

Soundararajan was sworn in as Telangana Governor in November 2019 and was later given additional charge as Lt Governor of Puducherry.

Previously, she served as a spokesperson for the Tamil Nadu BJP from 2007 to 2010 and has undertaken various organizational roles within the party.

Lok Sabha elections will take place in Telangana on May 13 and the results will be announced on June 4

In the 2019 general elections, Telangana witnessed a keenly contested electoral battle with the BRS winning 9 seats with a vote share of 41.7 percent. Its rival BJP won 4 seats with a vote share of 19.7 percent. The Congress, which is now the ruling party in the state, had won 3 seats with a vote share of 29.8 per cent while AIMIM had won only one seat with a vote share of 2.8 per cent. (ANI)
The Rouse Avenue court on Monday granted more time for inspection of un-relied documents to accused persons in the Delhi Excise policy money laundering case. The Court has also disposed of the application moved by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleging delay in trial on the part of the accused persons. The Court extended the judicial custody of Manish Sisodia till April 6, the next date of hearing. AAP MP Sanjay Singh was exempted from appearance for today as he is to take the oath of Rajyasabha. Special judge M K Nagpal granted more time to accused persons for inspection of documents at ED office. The Court disposed of an application moved by the ED alleging delay on the part of accused persons. The allegations were refuted by the accused persons. The court said that it would pass an appropriate order, if required, in the conduct of ED and accused persons. Four accused persons filed their replies on the plea. The court asked other accused persons to file their reply within three working days. On March 7, ED moved a plea and alleged a delay in trial on the part of the accused persons. The agency moved a plea seeking direction to accused persons to cooperate in the trial and prevent them to cause unnecessary delay in the commencement and conclusion of trial. In its plea the ED stated that accused persons are filing applications pertaining to copy of the CCTV footage (both audio and video) of the interrogation proceedings during the period of their custody and even of other arrested accused persons without giving any substantive reason for seeking the same which is not maintainable at this stage before the framing of charges. The submissions of ED were opposed by the counsels of accused. They submitted that ED wants to curtails our legal rights. It is also alleged by the ED that information/CCTV footage provided to these accused persons is being misused by AAP leaders against this Investigating Agency in media in form of baseless defamatory statements. The ED said this is a mere tactic on the part of various accused persons to create burden on the investigating agency and to delay the smooth functioning of the trial. It is also stated that so far, 31 accused persons have filed more than 90 applications of various nature. Further, ED has said that this also goes to show that the conspiracy by various accused persons didn't end with the scam but continues till date when information pertaining to one accused Amandeep Singh Dhall is being shared and used by other accused persons/persons them. In this manner, the delay caused by one accused person Dhall is also attributable to others, the plea stated. Court on December 19, took cognizance of the supplementary prosecution Complaint (charge sheet) filed against AAP MP Sanjay Singh and his Associates Sarvesh Mishra. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on December 2, filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (Chargesheet) against Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh and his alleged associate Sarvesh Mishra in money laundering case related to Excise policy case. On 4th October, AAP MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. According to the Enforcement Directorate, it's a fifth supplementary chargesheet in the case. This case is presently at the stage of scrutiny of documents. ED earlier told the court that Sanjay Singh was part of the conspiracy to collect kickbacks from liquor groups in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 Sanjay Singh allegedly had close relations with now approver Dinesh Arora who allegedly introduced accused Amit Arora to Sanjay Singh Dinesh Arora was in regular touch with Sanjay Singh. This has been proved by analysis of Call Detail Records. Singh allegedly received proceeds of crime of Rs 2 crores, stated the ED. ED earlier claimed that Singh and his associates played a part in the Delhi government's decision to give licenses to alcohol shops and merchants in 2020, causing losses to the state exchequer and violating anti-corruption laws ED had previously searched a number of locations including the homes and offices of Sanjay Singh's close associate Ajit Tyagi and other contractors and businessmen who allegedly benefited from the policy. In its nearly 270-page supplementary charge sheet, the ED has called Sisodia a key conspirator in the case. The Delhi liquor scam case or the excise policy case pertains to allegations that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 allowed cartelization and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge that has been strongly refuted by the AAP. ED, last year filed its first chargesheet in the case. The agency said it has so far undertaken over 200 search operations in this case after filing an FIR after taking cognizance of a CBI case which was registered on the recommendation of the Delhi lieutenant governor. The CBI inquiry was recommended on the findings of the Delhi chief secretary's report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010. Earlier, a charge sheet was filed against Manish Sisodia. He was arrested last year. (ANI)
The plea was mentioned by the INC lawyer before a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan also comprising Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora and sought urgent a listing for tomorrow.

Lawyer Prasanna S, representing the INC, stated that reassessment proceedings for three years have commenced against the Indian National Congress party. After considering the submissions, the bench scheduled the hearing for March 20, 2024.

Last week, the Delhi High Court upheld the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) order refusing to stay on the Income Tax notice for recovery of more than Rs 105 crore as outstanding tax against INC. The Court while upholding the ITAT order, granted liberty to Petitioner congress party to move Appellate Tribunal afresh with the grievance.

The Congress has recently approached the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) against the recovery and has filed a complaint and sought a stay against Income Tax Department proceedings of recovery and freezing of their Bank accounts.

In the complaint, Congress said the Income Tax Department has enforced its law by encashing some of the balances lying with the banks without waiting for the outcome of the hearing scheduled before the bench. Congress appealed that the department should not proceed further till the disposal of the stay application. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Shahnawaz Hussain on Tuesday expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA would secure victory on all the 40 seats in Bihar in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "There are no political differences between the parties and everyone is happy," he said. "We are going to win 40 seats in Bihar. No one is angry with us. People of Bihar are happy with us and when the public is happy then everyone is happy," Hussain told ANI. The BJP will contest the Bihar elections in alliance with the HAM, the Rasthriya Lok Morcha and Chirag Paswan's LJP., Shahnawaz Hussain said that the alliance in Bihar is strong and good. "It is a very good alliance in Bihar, last time BJP was fighting on 17 seats, this time also BJP is fighting on 17 seats. JDU had 16 MPs last time. Chirag Paswan's party has been given 5 seats, one seat has been given to Upendra Kushwaha and one seat has been given to Jitan Ram Manjhi's Ham Party. It is an excellent alliance," he added. "Some of the seats that we had earlier too have been exchanged, there has been a change among ourselves, but most of the seats are the same which were fought last time. This time there is a double-engine government, so we are working on how to win 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar. We have to win 40 seats in Bihar under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and this time NDA will win 400 seats. Bihar will contribute 10th per cent to this mission," he added. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest on 17 seats, Janata Dal-United (JDU) on 16 seats, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) (Ram Vilas) on 5 seats, Hindustani Awam Morcha and Rashtriya Lok Morcha on one seat each in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) President Pashupati Kumar Paras resigned from the post of Union Minister on Tuesday and said that "injustice has been done with us and our party." The seat-sharing arrangement was announced by Vinod Tawde, BJP's General Secretary, at a joint press conference held by members of the Bihar NDA alliance on Monday. Bihar will see polling in seven phases. The first phase of polling will be held on April 19, the second phase on April 26, the third phase on May 7, the fourth phase on May 13, the fifth phase on May 20, the sixth phase on May 25, and the seventh phase on June 1. The BJP will field candidates in key constituencies including Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Aurangabad, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj, Saran, Begusarai, Nawada, Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Aara, Buxar, and Sasaram In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA, consisting of BJP, JDU ( (Janata Dal-United), and LJP (Lok Janshakti Party), secured victory by taking the lead on 39 out of 40 seats. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan, led by RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), INC (Indian National Congress), and RLSP (Rashtriya Lok Samta Party), only managed to secure one seat. The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will be held in seven phases from April 19. Counting of votes on June 4. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tarun Chugh on Tuesday condemned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark and said that Maa Shakti is the "strength" of the country. "Maa Shakti is the strength of the country...Since the beginning, we have been praying before her. Unfortunately, he is continuously insulting Maa Shakti, Sanatan Dharma, religion and central institutions," BJP leader Chugh told ANI. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi triggered a row by raising concerns about the operation of Electronic Voting Machines, to emphasize the Opposition's struggle against the might of the state. After Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark stirred controversy, the BJP leaders criticised him for his statement, whereas the Congress rallied behind the Wayanad MP and came in support of him. Rahul Gandhi, in his comments made on Sunday in Maharashtra, said, "There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hinduism. We are fighting against a Shakti (might of the state). The question is, what is that Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King (Modi). This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax department, have traded their spines to the Centre." Meanwhile, clarifying his remark, Rahul Gandhi said that he was speaking about the power whose mask is none other than the Prime Minister. "Modi ji does not like my words, he always tries to change their meaning by twisting them in some way or the other because he knows that I have spoken a deep truth. The power that I mentioned, the power that we are fighting, it's mask is none other than Modi ji," the Congress leader posted on X. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at Rahul Gandhi over his 'Shakti' remark and said that he is willing to sacrifice his life for 'Shakti'. "The INDI alliance in their manifesto said that their fight is against 'Shakti'. For me, every mother, daughter and sister is a form of 'Shakti'. I worship them in the form of 'Shakti'. I am the worshiper of Bharat Mata...Their manifesto is to finish 'Shakti', and I accept the challenge...'Main jaan ki baazi laga dunga'," PM Modi said. The elections for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held from April 19 to June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4. (ANI)
One Naxal's body has been recovered, along with weapons seized from the encounter site, police said.

A joint team comprising of Dantewada District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) conducted search operations at the site. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Kirandul police station.

Meanwhile, four Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, a senior police official said on Tuesday morning.

Superintendent of Police (SP) of Gadchiroli, Nilotpal said that during an early morning search operation in the Kolamarka mountains, located 5 km southeast of SPS Repanpalli, the security teams were met with indiscriminate firing from Naxals.

On Saturday, one Naxal was killed in an encounter between Naxalites and security forces in Kankar district, police said.

On Thursday morning, an exchange of fire took place between police and the Naxals in Koyalibeda area of the State.

Earlier, this month, an exchange of fire took place between police and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Koyalibeda area. Naxalites fled under the cover of forest, the Kanker SP said. (ANI)
Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi President Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday offered to "lend full support" to the Congress on seven seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after he claimed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), were unwilling to listen to his party. The state will vote in five phases for 48 constituencies in the upcoming general elections. In a letter to Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday, Ambedkar requested him to enlist the names of 7 constituencies from the quota allotted to the Indian National Congress in the MVA. He also recalled a meeting with Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi at the Samapan Maha Samaroh of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai on March 17. "We could not engage in an extensive conversation and hence I am writing to you today". He said that the schedule of the elections has been announced and Maha Vikas Aaghadi has been meeting continuously without inviting Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi for any discussions or meetings. "The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) have refused to listen to VBA's representatives in the numerous MVA meetings and we have lost faith in both of these parties due to their unequal attitude towards VBA in the MVA," he said. "Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi's prime agenda remains the same -- unseat the fascist, divisive, undemocratic BJP-RSS government. With this thought, I have decided to lend VBA's full support to the Indian National Congress on 7 seats in Maharashtra," he said in his letter. "I request you to enlist me the names of 7 constituencies from the quota allotted to the Indian National Congress in the MVA. Our party will lend its complete ground and strategic support to the candidates of your party on these 7 seats of your choice," he said. This proposal from Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi to the Indian National Congress is not only in goodwill but also an extension of a friendly hand for a possible alliance in the future, he said. The Maha Vikas Aghadi consisting of the Congress, the Sena (UBT) and the NCP (SPawar) have not detailed out their seat sharing agreement despite numerous meetings between alliance partners. Lok sabha Elections 2024 would be held in seven phases starting on April 19 and ending on June 1. The results will be declared on June 4. (ANI)
Delhi''s Rouse Avenue court extended the judicial custody of Manish Sisodia till April 6, the next date of hearing in the Delhi Excise Policy case. AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia reached Delhi''s Rouse Avenue Court for a hearing in the Delhi Excise Policy case today. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday opposed the bail plea of former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a Delhi court and said that some high-profile people may be arrested. The CBI said that an investigation is underway in the Delhi Excise policy case and the accused may hamper it. The other accused was given bail on the basis of my judgement (Sisodia), however ironic it may be, Senior advocate Mathur submitted. He also submitted that the SC gave him the liberty only because the ASG had said that he would conclude the investigation within 6-8 months. He further submitted that "aside from that, the fact is that there is no loss to the exchequer, but profit to the exchequer. No loss to even any private person or any consumer. No money was paid by him and vice versa." On the other hand, the bail plea was opposed by APP Pankaj Gupta. "There was no delay from our side. The trial starts after the arguments on charge. We''re trying to start that. The accused are delaying the trial," the Additional Public Prosecutor submitted.APP Pankaj Gupta also submitted that some high-profile people may be arrested. "An investigation is going on and this accused may influence the witnesses, and hamper the investigation," APP said before the court. The application should be dismissed, Pankaj Gupta submitted. On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate claimed that Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha allegedly conspired with the top leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia to get favours in the Delhi Excise policy formulation and implementation, and she was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to the AAP leaders in exchange for these favours. (ANI)
Spiritual leader Swami Akhileshwaranand Giri took a potshot at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday over his 'Shakti' remark, saying the Congress MP would have to suffer. "If he (Rahul Gandhi) is talking about defeating Shakti by taking the strength of the evil people, the vengeful people and those who are standing against the culture, then he (Rahul Gandhi) will have to suffer. He will not have to wait long for that. It will be visible within two-three months. One can never acquire Shakti by challenging it. Only if you have faith, devotion and feeling towards Shakti will you be able to acquire Shakti," Swami Giri told ANI. He also targeted INDIA bloc and said that the one with whom he (Rahul Gandhi) is having an alliance is challenging Sanatan Dharma. Earlier, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin compared 'Sanatana Dharma' to coronavirus and malaria. Udhayanidhi Stalin had, on September 2, 2023 said that 'Sanatana Dharma' is against equality and social justice, likening it to coronavirus and malaria and calling for its eradication. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also criticised Rahul Gandhi, saying that the Congress MP does not have an understanding of either the Hindu religion or democracy. "Unfortunately, I have to say that Rahul Gandhi doesn't have an understanding of either the Hindu religion or democracy, not even about the EVM, which has placed India and democracy in a better position in the world. Rahul Gandhi should think about what he says and his party must rethink if they consider Rahul Gandhi as their leader or not in such a condition," CM Yadav told reporters in Bhopal on Monday. Rahul Gandhi earlier said that "there is a word 'Shakti' in Hinduism. We are fighting against Shakti" in an address in Mumbai. Notably, Rahul Gandhi, in his comments made on Sunday in Maharashtra, raised concerns about the operation of EVMs to emphasise the opposition's struggle against the might of the state. "There is a word 'Shakti' (might) in Hinduism. We are fighting against a Shakti (might of the state). The question is, what is that, Shakti and what does it entail for us? The soul and integrity of EVMs have been traded to the King (Modi). This is a fact. Not just EVMs but every autonomous institution of the country, be it the ED, CBI or Income Tax Department, have traded their spines to the Centre," Rahul said in an address in Mumbai. After Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Shakti' remark sparked outrage, with BJP leaders criticising him for his statement, the Congress has come in support of Rahul Gandhi. Meanwhile, on Monday, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh backed Rahul Gandhi, saying there are two types of 'Shakti': one is 'Asur Shakti' and the other is 'Dev Shakti'. Rahul Gandhi spoke about 'Asur Shakti' and expected justice from 'Dev Shakti'. "There are two types of 'Shakti': one is 'Asur Shakti' and the other is 'Dev Shakti'. 'Asur Shakti' is dishonesty, violence, and hatred, and it commits atrocities towards people. 'Asur Shakti' is existing in PM Modi's government. 'Dev Shakti' is that which seeks justice against injustice. The 'Shakti' Rahul Gandhi spoke about was 'Asur Shakti' and he expected justice from 'Dev Shakti'," Singh told ANI. (ANI)
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Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L), also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Wellington, New Zealand, March 18, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met Monday with both sides pledging further efforts to strengthen cooperation and relations.

Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, is currently on a tour from March 17 to 21 for an official visit to New Zealand and to Australia.

China-New Zealand relations have always been at the forefront of China's relations with developed countries, and has become a treasure for both sides to cherish and carry forward, Wang said.

China regards New Zealand as a rational and mature cooperative partner, and bilateral relations are strategic and long-term in nature, Wang said.

To forge a stronger bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership will not only benefit the two peoples, but also make new contributions to global peace and development, he noted.

New Zealand takes education, technological innovation, infrastructure, business environment and export expansion as its policy priorities, and China is willing to be a reliable strategic partner of New Zealand in these areas, Wang said.

China is happy to see New Zealand's continued participation in the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, and looks forward to working with New Zealand to explore the new growth areas of cooperation such as science and technology, green and innovation while strengthening the cooperation in traditional fields, he said.

The Chinese economy enjoys both a solid foundation and a broad space for growth, which will continue to inject more impetus into the world economy and bring new opportunities to New Zealand, the Chinese foreign minister said.

Both China and New Zealand advocate multilateralism, support the central role of the United Nations in international affairs, and are committed to resolving international disputes by peaceful means, Wang said.

China is ready to work with New Zealand to strengthen solidarity and cooperation, resist the Cold War mentality, unilateralism and protectionism, oppose reversing the course of history and safeguard the right direction of human progress, he said.

Luxon said that New Zealand-China relations are very important. Bilateral relations have achieved strong development, and economic and trade cooperation has yielded fruitful results since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties.

The comprehensive strategic partnership between New Zealand and China has provided an important driving force for bilateral cooperation, Luxon said, adding that New Zealand will continue to adhere to the one-China policy.

New Zealand is willing to take the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership as an opportunity to further strengthen high-level exchanges with China, enhance mutual understanding, deepen cooperation in areas including economy and trade, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, education, tourism, agriculture, technology and climate action, promote common prosperity of the two countries and safeguard regional and world peace and stability, said the prime minister.

Wang also held talks with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and met with Trade Minister Todd McClay on Monday.
The names of three IAS officers, Arvind Singh Hayanki, Radhika Jha, and Sachin Kurve, have been sent to the Election Commission for the position of Home Secretary in Uttarakhand, sources said on Tuesday. Shailesh Bagauli was removed from the position of Home Secretary, Uttarakhand, on Monday. ECI can also recommend the name of any other IAS officer, apart from the names sent by the state government. Earlier, Home Secretaries in six states--Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand--were asked to step down. Additionally, the secretaries of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have been removed. This step comes as part of the Commission's resolve and commitment to maintaining a level playing field and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, which has been emphasized by CEC Rajiv Kumar time and again and recently during the press conference for the announcement of the Schedule for General Elections 2024. The Commission meeting, chaired by Rajiv Kumar, comprising Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, was held today at noon. The officials who have been removed in these seven states were found to be holding dual charges in the office of Chief Minister in respective states, which may potentially compromise or be seen to be compromising the impartiality and neutrality required during the electoral process, especially in matters relating to law and order, deployment of forces, etc. Through these measures, the Commission says it has ensured that all stakeholders uphold the highest standards of integrity and impartiality, thereby safeguarding a level playing field in the entire electoral process. (ANI)
Hitting out at the Congress government in Karnataka over the law and order situation in the state, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejaswi Surya said on Tuesday that one must wonder as to why nefarious elements who want to create disharmony in society feel emboldened whenever the grand old party comes to power. Tejasvi Surya, who represents Bangalore South in Lok Sabha, joined the protest in Bengaluru following an altercation between a group of people and a shopkeeper during 'Azaan' time on Sunday, March 17, near Siddanna Layout. Speaking to reporters, Tejaswi Surya said, "The government speaks of building brand Bengaluru. I want to ask the CM and the Deputy CM. You speak of building a brand in Bengaluru. How can you do so in this kind of law-and order situation? What happened to Mukesh yesterday could happen to any person sitting and going to his business honestly in a calm, unprovoked manner anywhere in the city." Referring to the recent incidents of the blast in Rameshwaram cafe, and the alleged raising of 'Pakistan Zindabad slogans' in Karnataka Vidhan Soudha, Tejaswi questioned the Karnataka government, "What message is this government trying to give?" "Two weeks ago, there was a bomb blast. A week before that, there were Pakistan Zindabad slogans. And today you have these unprovoked attacks on shopkeepers. What message is this government trying to give?" BJP MP said. "Why is it that whenever the Congress party comes to power, elements like these who want to create disturbance and disharmony in society feel emboldened? And why is it that cabinet ministers like Dinesh Gundu Rao come in defence of the accused and do not stand up for the victim's justice?" he added. On the remarks made by Congress leaders over the politicisation of the issue, BJP MP Surya said that the Karnataka government is defending the indefensible in this matter. "The government, instead of trying to give him swift justice, is trying to defend those who have perpetrated this crime only because it suits its vote bank. Who is doing politics here? We are asking the police to act in a professional manner, in an unbiased manner, in an impartial manner. This is our demand. What is politics in this? This is not the first time that this government and its ministers have come out in defence of the indefensible," he said. Earlier today, the shopkeeper involved in the altercation expressed gratitude for the support received. "In the incident that happened on Sunday, who would have been responsible if I had died in the incident. I feel happy that so many people have come in support of me," the shopkeeper said. BJP MP Tejaswi Surya has urged the Bengaluru City Commissioner to investigate the incident in an unbiased and professional manner. Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Police said that an FIR has been registered at Halasuru Gate Police Limit, and the police are working to arrest the accused. The police said that further investigation was underway. (ANI)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's brother Srinivas Pawar slammed the former for revolting against his uncle and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and called his brother incompetent (Nalayak). The video of Shrinavas's speech criticising his brother in Baramati on Sunday went viral on the internet. In his address, Srinivas distanced himself from his brother Ajit Pawar and criticised him for abandoning Sharad Pawar in his old age. He also declared his support for Sharad Pawar, saying that, at the age of 83, it is not fair to leave seniors within the family. He said, "I stayed with Ajit Pawar all the time, I followed him in all the situations, I supported all his decisions, and I never questioned him. Many people know me here; I grew up here. When I and Ajit Pawar had a discussion, I told him that you keep contesting Baramati as MLA and leave Loksabha under Pawar Saheb's leadership, as we are grateful to him for the various things he (Pawar Saheb) did for us. You all also know about it, because I didn't feel good about the idea of leaving him alone at the age of 83." "Some of our friends told me that the future lies with Ajit Pawar instead of Sharad Pawar but this thought was very painful for me to leave the person at old age and join the person who can benefit us. In my personal view, if someone thinks in such a way, he is an incompetent person," he added. Srinivas said that, just as every medicine has an expiry date, every relationship too has an expiry date. Consider it an expiry and move ahead in life."This is like, after getting ownership of land, removing the actual owner from his house. We all know whoever got positions in politics is just because of Sharad Pawar, and asking the same person to sit at home and do 'Bhajan Kirtan' is not good. Like every medicine has an expiry date, some relationships also expire and life moves on. I am 60 years old. I want to live a life of self-esteem. I can't live under pressure," he said. Shrinivas also attacked BJP and RSS for splitting the NCP and alleged that it was their conspiracy to finish the name of Sharad Pawar, "This is nothing but the conspiracy of the BJP and RSS to finish the name of Pawar Saheb. History is known to all that a family breaks only after someone from the family goes out. If the family is united, then no one can break into the house. I am not scared of anyone now. I will continue to speak about it with my heart. I am not going behind anyone for benefits," he said. Recently, while speaking at Baramati, Ajit said to the workers that there are chances that "my entire family would be against me. They will campaign against me, but my workers are my family now." The Baramati Lok Sabha segment has traditionally been a bastion of Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule, however, Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar announced his intent to field a candidate against her. Pawar said that he would field a candidate who has not contested an election earlier, but that person would have the support of those with ample experience. (ANI)
"After the drafting of the Indian Constitution in 1950, the first Lok Sabha elections were held in 1952. To this day, it was never before seen that the Election Commission is also being controlled by the BJP and Central ruling body, just like they treat other independent, autonomous bodies," said Sen.

The TMC MP further alleged that ECI has become another office of the BJP, adding to which he said, "CJI was removed and the Prime Minister and Home Minister are nominating the members of the Election Commission. This Election Commission has become His Master's Voice."

Sen demanded, "People of the country want the Election Commission to provide a free and fair atmosphere where people can cast their votes."

He further added, "We feel that this EC can't possibly provide such an atmosphere. So, we have demanded that the 2024 elections be held under Supreme Court monitoring."

Earlier in the day, Trinamool Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien on Tuesday demanded Supreme Court-monitored Lok Sabha polls alleging that BJP's tricks are destroying the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The TMC leader hit out at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing them of manipulating the electoral landscape ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

"BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like ECI. Is BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Oppn? ECI or HMV? Transferring officers of elected State govts! For free & fair elections. We want a Supreme Court-monitored election," O'Brien stated in a post on X. (ANI)
Congress has finalised the names of candidates for 12 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, sources said on Tuesday. The finalisation of names was done after Congress held a meeting of its Central Election Committee on Tuesday. "Discussions took place for Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and West Bengal by the screening committee," said Congress leader Jaivardhan Singh. The Congress has already announced candidates for 82 Lok Sabha seats. In its first list, the party declared the names of 39 candidates, while in its second list, the names of 43 candidates were announced. Voting for Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal will be held in all seven phases. The Trinamool Congress has already announced its candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. In the previous Lok Sabha polls, the TMC won 22 seats, while the BJP sprung a major surprise, winning 18 seats. Earlier today, the Congress Working Committee held a detailed discussion on the manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, which has a heavy thrust on the party's 'nyay' agenda and authorised party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to grant it final approval. Addressing a press conference after the CWC meeting, Congress leaders KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh said that the party will build on the momentum of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, during which the party announced five guarantees and a plan has been prepared to take the message of guarantees at the grassroots level. "The meeting we had today was not just for our manifesto but for our 'nyay patra'. Congress is absolutely ready for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the meeting today, there were discussions on our agenda. For the last 63 days, Rahul Gandhi has been talking about our five Nyay and has announced 25 guarantees. This is not just a simple manifesto but an important 'nyay patra' so that the people of our country can see a better future," he said. The meeting of the CWC, the party's highest decision-making body, was held days after the announcement of the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections. The Lok Sabha polls and assembly polls in four states will be held from April 19 to June 1 and the results will be declared on June 4. (ANI)
The Special Court of Delhi, appointed by the Supreme Court for the trial of coal block allocation matters, discharged businessman Manoj Kumar Jayaswal and all other accused in a case of money laundering of more than 300 crore rupees on Tuesday. The special judge, Arun Bhardwaj, passed the order on Tuesday and decided to discharge all the accused in the case. He said that, as in this case there is no material to support the allegation of the offence of money laundering against any of the accused, all three accused are discharged. "There would be no offence of money laundering in the absence of any charge for cheating in securing the allocation of coal blocks," said the special judge. The fact that no proceeds of crime were generated just from conspiracy u/s 120B r/w 420 of the IPC also went against the complainant in this case. The complainant could not rely upon criminal activity under Section 406 of the IPC as the offence did not have cross-border ramifications. "Since there was no cheating in seeking allocation of a coal block in favour of Jayaswal Neco Industries Limited, therefore independent of the observations of the Delhi High Court in the case of Prakash Industries-I and Prakash Industries-II that the allocation letter is not property/proceeds of crime, there would be no offence of money laundering in the absence of any charge for cheating in securing allocation of coal block," said the court. In its complaint, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated that in the predicate offence case, CBI had filed the chargesheet on December 5, 2016, against Manoj Kumar Jayaswal, Ramesh Kumar Jayaswal and Jayaswal Neco Industries Ltd, earlier known as Jayaswal Neco Ltd, alleging that Manoj Kumar. Jayaswal, the then Managing Director of Jayaswal Neco Ltd, and the said company conspired with each other to get a coal block allocated fraudulently and dishonestly from the Ministry of Coal and for misappropriation of valuable natural resources by using coal fines rejected in its CPP in violation of prescribed conditions. The complaint alleges that Manoj Jayaswal, the then Managing Director of the company, in a company application letter dated July 25, 1998, dishonestly and fraudulently misrepresented the fact that the company has been allocated 1300 acres of land at Siltara Growth, Raipur. However, on the date of making the application, the company was allocated 1031.27185 acres of land only. The complaint further alleged that coal worth over 300 crores was excavated and portions of it were utilised in the power plant even though the coal block had been allocated on the application made under the signature of Manoj Kumar Jayaswal for use of coal in the sponge iron plant of the company M/s Jayaswal NECO Ltd for which offence U/s 120-B r/w 420 IPC r/w 406 IPC was registered against him by the CBI. The company was also successful in raking in over 100 crore rupees by way of subscription of shares, even though, subsequent to the cancellation of the coal block allocated to the company by the Supreme Court on September 24, 2014, the share price of the company fell from Rs 14.35 to Rs 11.80. The ED had provisionally attached the plant and machinery of the company to the extent of Rs 206 crore. Advocate Vijay Agarwal and Nagesh Behl, appearing for the accused in this case, argued that the ED's case of money laundering can begin only after the scheduled offence ends and therefore the offence of money laundering will only be subsequent to the scheduled offence, but the ED made Manoj Jayaswal an accused for signing the application for which activity belonged in the realm of the scheduled offence. Senior advocate appearing for the ED argued in rebuttal that the proceeds of crime are derived as a result of criminal activity relating to the scheduled offence and not from the Scheduled offence itself, to which advocate Agarwal replied that as per the Indian Penal Code, an act includes a series of acts and criminal activity therefore cannot be seen in isolation. Advocate Vijay Agarwal further argued that his client could not be held vicariously liable u/s 70 PMLA for being the joint managing director of the company in 2002, whereas coal was extracted from the block only in 2006. He also argued that the ED cannot seek to re-adjudicate the scheduled offence but has to adhere to the charges framed in the scheduled offence, and in the present case, even though the ED has based its entire case on the coal block having been acquired through misrepresentation, there was no charge framed to that effect. Instead, the charge framed was an attempt to cheat and the attempt being an incomplete offence cannot yield any proceeds. He further argued that the other charge was framed under Section 406, which is not a scheduled offence, and in the absence of a scheduled offence, there can be no proceeds of crime. This is the second case of money laundering in coal scam cases in which all the accused have been discharged. In the other case, Manoj Kumar Jayaswal was also the accused. In that case, pertaining to the company M/s Abhijeet Infrastructure Ltd, the allegation was that thousands of crores of rupees were obtained as loans from the bank and from shareholders after the coal block was acquired by the company by making misrepresentations and then the amounts were laundered. Manoj Kumar Jayaswal has been made an accused in 6 cases of coal scams filed by the CBI and in almost an equal number of cases filed by the ED. (ANI)
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) acting president, MM Hassan, on Tuesday urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reschedule the polling in the southern state, which is scheduled to take place on March 26, as it coincides with a Friday. "Considering the inconvenience to a certain section of the people regarding the election day, which is Friday, we have urged the Election Commission to change the date. In Kerala, Friday and Sunday will be inconvenient to various sections of the community. So we urge to change this 26th day to another date," MM Hassan said. "I have sent an email to the Central Election Commission and the UDF chairman. The opposition leader has also sent mail to the election commissioner for the same," he added. Meanwhile, as the Lok Sabha is nearing, one of the most high-profile constituencies in this Lok Sabha election is Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Three-time MP from the constituency Shashi Tharoor of the Congress is up against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP and a strong left candidate in Pannyan Raveendran a former MP. Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency comprises six Assembly segments: Nemom, Kovalam, Neyyattinkara, Parassala, Vattiyoorkav, and Kazhakkoottam. Being the state with the highest literacy rate in the country, Kerala holds 20 Lok Sabha seats. Congress' Shashi Tharoor believes that his work over the last 15 years in the constituency will speak for itself. In 2019 general elections, Tharoor emerged victorious, gathering 416131 votes (41.4 per cent) of total votes, followed by BJP's Kummanam Rajasekharan--416131 votes (31.4) and Communist Party of India's C. Divakaran--258556 votes (25.7). Similarly, in 2014, Shashi Tharoor emerged victorious, defeating BJP candidate O. Rajagopal. The BJP has fielded Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar against Congress MP Tharoor. This is the first time that Chandrasekhar has been fielded for Lok Sabha polls. He also served as a national spokesperson for the BJP. Kerala will hold elections in a single phase on April 26. There are 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala and the BJP has never won a parliamentary seat in the state. Earlier in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA won 353 seats, the UPA stood at 91, and others won 98. (ANI)
In response to Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan, the Taliban's forces have targeted Pakistan's military posts along the Durand Line with heavy weapons, the Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported, citing the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence. In a press release, the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence stated, "In response to this aggression, the border forces of Taliban targeted Pakistani military centres along the fabricated border line with heavy weapons." It further said that Afghanistan's "defence and security forces are ready to respond to any aggressive actions and will defend their territorial integrity under all circumstances." Armed clashes had erupted between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards along the Durand Line, Khaama Press reported citing sources. According to local sources, the clashes began at 7 am (local time) on Monday. Residents of Dand Patan had evacuated their homes after the rocket fire from Pakistan. The clashes erupted between the armed forces of the Taliban and Pakistan after Pakistani air forces conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan's Khost and Paktika provinces. According to the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence, Pakistani fighter jets "once again entered Afghan territory in a provocative action... and bombed civilian homes in Bermel district of Paktika province and Sepera district of Khost province," Khaama Press reported. At least eight people, including women and children, were killed in Pakistan's airstrikes on Khost and Paktia provinces on Monday, TOLO News reported. Taliban said such airstrikes are a clear violation of Afghanistan's territory. Following Pakistan's airstrikes, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid warned that any infringement on Afghanistan's sovereignty would have dire repercussions. Taliban's deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said, "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns these strikes and calls the unconsidered act an invasion of its territory, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has the experience of a long struggle for freedom against the superpowers of the world and cannot tolerate any kind of invasion of its territory," TOLO News reported. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Office has said that Pakistan carried out "intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations" inside the border regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. According to Pakistan's Foreign Office press release, the prime targets of the operations carried out on Monday were terrorists belonging to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group. It said that Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group along with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in "deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials", according to Dawn report. Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the latest attack of such an instance took place at a security post in North Waziristan's Mir Ali on Saturday, which claimed the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers. (ANI)
Reacting to Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan, the White House has called on both the nations to address their differences through dialogue. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged the Taliban to ensure that terror attacks are not launched from Afghan soil. While addressing a press briefing on Monday (local time), Karine Jean-Pierre said that the US remains committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States and its partners and allies. In response to a question about Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan, Karine Jean-Pierre said, "We are aware of the report obviously that Pakistan carried out air strikes in Afghanistan in response to attack in Pakistan on Saturday at a military post. We deeply regret the loss of life and injuries sustained during the attack in Pakistan and the loss of civilian lives during the strikes in Afghanistan. We urge the Taliban to ensure that terror attacks are not launched from Afghan soil." "We urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts. We urge both sides to address any differences through dialogue. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or other partners or allies. So, we've made that very clear and we're going to continue to be consistent," she added. Her statement comes after Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Khost and Paktia provinces of Afghanistan which claimed the lives of eight people including children and women. Taliban asserted that such airstrikes are a clear violation of Afghanistan's territory, Afghanistan-based TOLO News reported. Pakistan's Foreign Office has said that Islamabad carried out "intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations" inside the border regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. According to Pakistan's Foreign Office press release, the prime targets of the operation carried out on Monday were terrorists belonging to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group. It said that Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group along with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, resulting in "deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials", according to Dawn report. Pakistan's Foreign Office said that the latest attack of such an instance took place at a security post in North Waziristan's Mir Ali on Saturday, which claimed the lives of seven Pakistani soldiers. In response to Pakistan's airstrikes in Afghanistan, the Taliban's forces have targeted Pakistan's military posts along the Durand Line with heavy weapons, the Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported, citing the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence. In a press release, the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence stated, "In response to this aggression, the border forces of Taliban targeted Pakistani military centres along the fabricated border line with heavy weapons." It further said that Afghanistan's "defence and security forces are ready to respond to any aggressive actions and will defend their territorial integrity under all circumstances."Armed clashes had erupted between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards along the Durand Line, Khaama Press reported citing sources. According to local sources, the clashes began at 7 am (local time) on Monday. Residents of Dand Patan had evacuated their homes after the rocket fire from Pakistan. The clashes erupted between the armed forces of the Taliban and Pakistan after Pakistani air forces conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan's Khost and Paktika provinces. According to the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence, Pakistani fighter jets "once again entered Afghan territory in a provocative action... and bombed civilian homes in Bermel district of Paktika province and Sepera district of Khost province," Khaama Press reported. Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat condemned Pakistan's airstrikes and called it an "invasion of its territory." According to TOLO News report, Fitrat said, "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns these strikes and calls the unconsidered act an invasion of its territory, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has the experience of a long struggle for freedom against the superpowers of the world and cannot tolerate any kind of invasion of its territory." (ANI)
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) solemnly marks the eighth anniversary of the US Department of State's determination in 2016 that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) perpetrated genocide against northern Iraq's Yazidis, Christians, and Shi'a Muslims. The State Department also determined that ISIS carried out crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed toward these same groups and, in some cases, Sunni Muslims, Kurds, and other minorities. USCIRF reiterates its call for the US government to give greater support to Iraq's diverse religious communities still suffering from the aftereffects of ISIS's genocidal campaigns, USCIRF said in a press release. "ISIS's atrocities against Iraq's religious and ethnic minorities were part of a deliberate campaign of genocide and crimes against humanity. Although ISIS's threat has diminished, militant non-state actors and government-affiliated militias continue to perpetrate abuses against Yazidis, Christians, Shabaks, Shi'a and Sunni Muslim Turkmen, and other religious and ethnic minorities," stated USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck, adding, "USCIRF urges the United States to encourage the Iraqi government to curb the power of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) and other state-affiliated forces who subject religious minorities to checkpoint harassment, interrogation, detention, torture, and efforts to usurp their political representation and leadership." In 2014, ISIS surged to dominance in northern Iraq. ISIS has systemically subjected the region's diverse array of ethnic and religious minorities, including several indigenous groups, to atrocities such as mass execution, mass rape, systematic sexual slavery and forced labour, and forced religious conversion. On March 15, 2016, the US House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution finding that ISIS's crimes against religious minorities in Iraq and Syria constitute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, the USCIRF release also said. On March 17, 2016, Secretary of State John Kerry declared that ISIS had committed genocide and crimes against humanity against Yazidis, Christians, Shi'a Muslims, and others. In 2019, the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS--including the United States and its local partners--achieved its territorial defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. "Today, minorities in Iraq continue to suffer for their religious and ethnic identity," said USCIRF Commissioner Frank Wolf, adding, "USCIRF calls on the US government to support the governments of Iraq and its Kurdistan Region in their missions to rescue the 2,700 missing and enslaved Yazidi women and girls. The US must also emphasise to the Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional governments the urgency of fully implementing the 2020 Sinjar Agreement and making the region safe for the return of genocide survivors, so that hundreds of thousands of Yazidis and others among the 1 million-plus Iraqis languishing in internal displacement can go home," it added. USCIRF has consistently highlighted the long aftermath of ISIS's genocide against Iraq's religious minorities, including threats to their administrative autonomy and political representation. USCIRF recently held a hearing identifying ways the US government can work with the Iraqi federal government (IFG) and the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to address religious freedom concerns, especially for the country's vulnerable religious minorities. In September 2023, USCIRF also published a report examining recent developments as well as ongoing factors affecting religious freedom in Iraq, the release also said. (ANI)
The party asserts that Pakistan's global image has been tarnished by the unwarranted censorship of social media and the continuous suppression of its own citizens, Dawn reported.

A spokesperson for PTI highlighted the absurdity of the government's actions, saying, "Pakistan has become an object of ridicule in the international arena due to the senseless blockade of social media platforms, which is aimed at concealing the truth regarding electoral malpractice."

The party's media wing echoed these sentiments, decrying the erosion of constitutional norms over the past 23 months. "Basic constitutional rights have been trampled upon with impunity," he lamented.

Expressing dismay over the month-long ban on X, the PTI spokesperson affirmed the party's support for the demand made by 28 civil society organisations to lift the prohibition on the social media platform. "In a democratic society, the free flow of information must be upheld," he stressed.

The spokesperson condemned the systematic suppression of freedom of expression and the press, labeling it the primary agenda of the "usurper and anti-constitutional" faction. "Journalists and social media workers face coercion and brutality, including enforced disappearances and intimidation of their families," the PTI spokesperson decried.

There is a concerted effort, the spokesperson alleged, to stifle dissenting voices and seize control of the media landscape. "The government, rejected by the people, continues its assault on fundamental and constitutional rights without fear of repercussion," he added.

Emphasising the violation of both domestic and international laws, the PTI spokesperson asserted, "The arbitrary closure of social networking sites contravenes Article 19 of the Constitution and international statutes." PTI aligned itself with Amnesty International's stance and demanded the immediate reinstatement of social media platform 'X', Dawn reported. (ANI)
The most sacred Holy Buddha Relics and those of his two main disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Maha Moggallana, that travelled for a month from India to Thailand, will return to India today amidst full State honours. The exposition of the Holy relics drew over four million devotees to Thailand informed the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC). The relics will arrive at Air Force Station Palam, Technical Area (at Palam) on March 19. Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi will receive the relics in a humble ceremony marking their return home, the IBC release said. On the return journey of the relics, a delegation led by Tashi Gyalson, Chairman LAHDC and a number of monks from the Theravada and Mahayana traditions are accompanying the relics. The exposition in Thailand drew a phenomenal response. Scenes of winding queues of devotees waiting with offerings since the early hours of the day became a familiar sight as the Holy Relics procession arrived in one city after another, in Thailand, the release also said. The revered relics' exposition, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), travelled to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani and Krabi provinces, starting from New Delhi on February 22 and culminating on March 19. The inauguration of the prayers took place at the central exhibition park of the city and was performed with full grandeur by Vajiralongkorn, the King of Thailand and his Queen, a release said. The exposition, titled 'Shared Heritage, Shared Values', was also marking the commemoration with respect and honour of the 72nd birthday of the King that falls on July 28. The relics arrived in Bangkok on February 22, accompanied by an official delegation led by Bihar Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar and Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar. Monks from India attended the relics at each of the four locations, along with academicians from different Indian universities who spoke on the relevance of the relics and issues connected with Buddhism, the IBC said in its release. (ANI)
Vinay Kumar (IFS: 1992), presently Ambassador of India to Myanmar, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Russian Federation, informed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the MEA also said. Russia, which recently underwent elections, has been a longstanding and time-tested partner for India. The development of India-Russia relations has been a key pillar of India's foreign policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Vladimir Putin for a huge victory in the 2024 polls. "Warm congratulation to H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation. Look forward to working together to further strengthen the time-tested Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia in the years to come," said PM Modi in a post on X. Since the signing of "Declaration on the India-Russia Strategic Partnership" in October 2000 (during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India), India-Russia ties have acquired a qualitatively new character with enhanced levels of cooperation in almost all areas of the bilateral relationship including political, security, trade and economy, defence, science and technology, and culture, the MEA said in a statement. Under the Strategic Partnership, several institutionalized dialogue mechanisms operate at both political and official levels to ensure regular interaction and follow up on cooperation activities. During the visit of the Russian President to India in December 2010, the Strategic Partnership was elevated to the level of a "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership." India has longstanding and wide-ranging cooperation with Russia in the field of defence. India-Russia military technical cooperation has evolved from a buyer - seller framework to one involving joint research, development and production of advanced defence technologies and systems, the MEA also said. (ANI)
A large number of Pashtuns organised an anti-Pakistan protest in front of the United Nations office to denounce the crackdown on workers and leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). The protest, held during the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), was organised by PTM Europe and joined by many Afghan Pashtuns. Fazal Ur Rehman Afridi, a member of PTM Europe, stated, "We are organizing a protest and demonstration in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council to denounce the systematic use of torture by Pakistan to stifle our freedom of expression and our right to assembly." He added, "During the protest, speakers condemned the torture of PTM leader Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen, the arbitrary detention of Noor Ullah Tareen, who has been languishing in jail for the last four months, and Idris Khattak, who has been in jail for the last few years." Afridi also emphasized that these human rights violations are a matter of grave concern for defenders of human rights and urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take notice. The protesters also urged the United Nations to intervene to stop the systematic torture against human rights defenders, journalists, and PTM activists of Pashtun ethnic minority, including Gilaman Wazir, Eid ur Rehman Wazir, Zakim Wazir, and Zahid Madakhel. They called upon the international community to compel Pakistan to release arbitrarily detained PTM activists and leaders, including Noor Ullah Tareen and Idrees Khattak. Qudrat Ali Khel, a PTM activist from Holland, stated, "Members of PTM Europe have gathered here with heavy hearts to shed light on the grave injustices faced by PTM members, including Pashtuns, Balochis, and Sindhis in Pakistan. We are here to be their voice." He further emphasised, "Enforced disappearances, raids on homes, unlawful arrests, torture of men, women, and even children, and targeted killings are regular occurrences in the Pashtun belt and Balochistan. That is why we are here to be their voice, to show the reality to the world, and to demand their attention." The Pashtuns also expressed solidarity with the protest sit-ins at Chaman and Angoor Adda on the controversial Durand Line dividing Pashtuns. (ANI)
In a relief to former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan, a judicial magistrate in Islamabad on Tuesday acquitted him in two long march vandalism cases, The Express Tribune reported. On May 27, 2022, the Islamabad police filed separate cases against 150 people, including then Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, and other party leaders including Asad Umar, Asad Qaiser, over allegations of arson and vandalism in the federal capital a day earlier. The judicial magistrate, Shaista Kundi, announced the verdict reserved earlier in the day. The court, however, rejected the request to produce the PTI founder in court. The Pakistan-based news daily reported that during the hearing, Imran's counsel, Naeem Panjotha, said that all cases against the ex-premier were limited to the extent of intimation. He was booked in multiple similar cases in one day. The complainant in the case is an SHO and he does not have the authority to lodge a case. The case also does not include the statements of witnesses, he added. The judge inquired whether Imran had been acquitted in cases before, to which the counsel responded in the affirmative. The complaints against the former premier were registered at the Sahala and Lohi Bhair police stations. In the case filed against the PTI founder and others, the footage of the Safe City cameras as well as those from private TV news channels were included in the challans of the cases as evidence. At least 39 people were taken into custody after identification from the footage. Two FIRs were registered at Kohsar police station over the complaint of sub-inspector Asif Raza and sub-inspector Ghulam Sarwar under Sections 109 (abetment), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public service), 188 (disobedience), 353 (assault on public servant), 427 (causing damage) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Sub-inspector Raza stated in his FIR that he was patrolling with his other police personnel near Jinnah Avenue's China Chowk when, at 11 PM, around 100-150 people with PTI flags suddenly moved towards Express Chowk. He added that the police tried to stop the PTI supporters due to the imposition of Section 144 in Islamabad but they did not listen and instead pelted stones at the police officers and also set fire to trees, The Express Tribune reported. The SI said 36 individuals, "acting at the behest of Imran and other PTI leadership," were "brought under control.". In May 2022, Imran launched a march towards Islamabad to topple the coalition government that assumed power after he was ousted as the premier following a vote of no confidence. The rally was part of the PTI's struggle to achieve "real freedom" and deliver the nation from the "slavery" of the "US-backed" coalition government, The Express Tribune reported. Imran accused the coalition government of being an "imported government that came to power through a US-backed conspiracy." (ANI)
The Thai-Indian community heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for strengthening the deeply rooted religious and cultural linkages between the two countries with gestures like sending sacred relics of Lord Buddha to Thailand, an official release said. Participating in the Sadbhavana event with the theme "Role of the Thai-Indian Community for Building a Resilient Indo-Pacific Future" organised by the Indian Minorities Foundation (IMF) at the Embassy of India in Bangkok, the Thai-Indian Community said PM Modi has provided strong and progressive leadership for free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific nations. They also praised PM Modi's stand for dominance free peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. According to the official release, the event was attended by the Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and IMF Convenor, Satnam Singh Sandhu, IMF co-founder Prof Himani Sood, along with other dignitaries, academicians, business leaders and esteemed members of the Thai-Indian community, including Sikhs, Buddhists, Hindus and Dawoodi Bohra Muslims. The Indian diaspora in Thailand said that since Prime Minister Modi announced the continuation of the Look East into the Act East policy, the relationship between Thailand and India has evolved in the past 10 years. They said India's shared strategic maritime border with Thailand and other Indo-Pacific nations holds geopolitical significance amid the growing influence of China in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. The members of the Buddhist community expressed gratitude for PM Modi's gesture of sending relics of the Buddha and his two disciples to be temporarily enshrined in Thailand from February to March 2024. They said the goodwill gesture reflects the Modi government's 'Look East' policy and the deeply rooted religious and cultural linkages between the two countries. They also praised PM Modi's message at the United Nations and India's mission "to save the planet from conflict and violence" through the principles of Buddhism. Speaking at the event, the Sikh diaspora said PM Modi has taken significant initiatives to celebrate and promote the values of Sikhism and augment Sikh welfare. They said that besides building the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor after decades of long wait, PM Modi has facilitated efforts to provide justice and closure for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by creating a SIT, reopening 300 cases for action against guilty and bringing three 'Swaroop' of Guru Granth Sahib ji from Kabul. Hailing PM Modi for the construction and consecration of the long-awaited Ram Mandir in Ayodhya this year, the Hindu Diaspora said PM Modi has spread the rich Hindu values to the world through the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, which reflects his mantra of Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi (development along with heritage preservation). They said PM Modi has found a place in the hearts of Hindus all over the world by bringing an end to the wait for Rama Mandir in Ayodhya. During the event, the members of the Indian diaspora echoed the sentiment that, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India has become an economic powerhouse with the fastest-growing economy in the world. The Indian diaspora said they now feel proud to be aligned with PM Modi and a rising India, as his leadership has boosted the self-esteem and confidence of non-resident Indians and persons of Indian origin. Dr Chirapat Prapandvidya, Director, of the Sanskrit Studies Centre at Silpakorn University in Thailand, expressed gratitude for honouring his work and contribution towards the promotion of Sanskrit studies and said, "India and Thailand have shared cultural relations for a long time. The Sanskrit language is the essence of Indian philosophy and by knowing Sanskrit, one can understand India deeply. PM Modi has a great vision to recognise and honour people who promote rich Indian culture. Indian culture has a great influence on Southeast Asian nations. It is the soft power that PM Modi had envisioned that is bringing people from different regions together through culture." "PM Modi has established supremacy in soft power in Southeast Asia and Asia in particular. Today, under the leadership of PM Modi, India has emerged as one of the strongest blocs not just in Asia but in the entire world. Modi has emerged as one of the strongest leaders in the world and given the policies of Vishwa Guru, I think he can achieve that. I wish him that he wins the next election in India," he added. Additionally, Papnil Thakur, President of the of the Indian Association of Thailand, underscored that India is now closer to the Indo-Pacific Nations and PM Modi is raising their issues at a global level. "The Indian Diaspora in Thailand has been living since the 18th century, and they have contributed bug time in the development of the nation. During the last 10 years, both countries have come closer in terms of bilateral trade and relations by partnering each other at the global level. The trade between the two countries has doubled, which shows that the Indo-Thai bond has been enhanced to the next level, he said. "The Act on East Policy has brought India closer to the Indo-Pacific Nations and now India, under the leadership of PM Modi, is raising its issues at a global level. Moreover, students from Thailand have always considered India their second home, and the number of students going to India for higher education has increased during the last 10 years. Prime Minister Modi has brought Hindu values to the world through the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. The strong leadership of PM Modi has reconnected today's generation with centuries-old civilizations and religious traditions and values," he added. Moreover, Rajya Sabha MP and IMF Convenor, Satnam Singh Sandhu, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enhancing India's global image and relations over the past decade, especially with Thailand. He said, "Indo-Thai relations have strengthened like never before due to the visionary leadership and initiatives of PM Modi. The bilateral trade witnessed a two-fold increase from USD 9 billion in 2013-14 to USD 17.7 billion in 2022. Additionally, India emerged as the 'Voice of the Global South' during the G-20 Summit for addressing their regional concerns effectively. Recently, PM Modi's gesture of sending holy relics of Lord Buddha to Thailand, was a goodwill gesture, and an advocation of peace, harmony and respect for the Buddhist community worldwide." Sandhu added, "Under PM Modi's leadership, Bharat is undergoing a massive transformation like never before. Over the past decade, India has become a land of reform, propelling our nation into the top five economies globally. PM Modi has given every Indian a new vision of Viksit Bharat to be achieved by 2047, and the Indian Diaspora residing across the world has to actively contribute towards realising this vision." Particularly, the Indian community in Thailand has consistently played a significant role in enhancing bilateral relations and is contributing to India's progress towards its transformation into a developed nation. Assistant Professor at Mahamakut Buddhist University Isan Campus in Thailand thanked India for giving opportunities to pay homage to Lord Buddha through the relics. "It's an honour to represent the Thai community, Sangha, government, and people in paying homage to Lord Buddha and his disciples' relics. This occasion marks a significant moment for Thailand, as it welcomes Lord Buddha's relics after 13 years, offering a rare and invaluable opportunity for those unable to visit the Buddhist holy sites in India. The Thai people deeply appreciate the decision made by the Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to send these relics to Thailand," he said. "PM Modi has genuine care and affection not only for the people of his own country but for people worldwide. In return, Buddhists hold a deep admiration for Prime Minister Modi and pray for Lord Buddha's blessings upon him, hoping that he continues to show love and kindness to all. All Buddhists, including myself, are Modi Ka Parivaar." He further highlighted the utmost significance of the Sadbhavna event in strengthening the already strong Indo-Thai cultural ties. "Even the Buddhism religion followed in Thailand originated in India. The influence of Indian culture is evident in Thai culture, particularly in terms of the Sanskrit language that we got from India," he added. Satvinder Pal Singh, Representative Sikh Community and Secretary, Sri Guru Singh Sabha. Bangkok, Thailand, said, "The Sikh community has always been close to the heart of PM Modi, which is evident from the fact that many issues have been resolved that were centuries old. The opening of the Kartarpur Corridor has enabled every Sikh across the world to visit the holy land where Guru Nanak Dev Ji performed farming and lived during his last years. Besides this, justice for 1984 victims has been delivered due to the strong leadership of Prime Minister Modi. The Sikh Diaspora in Thailand is extremely thankful to PM Modi for the inclusive development that the minority communities, including the Sikhs', have enjoyed under his leadership." Moreover, Jushad Arif, a resident of Thailand and member of the Dawoodi Bohra community, said, "Dawoodi Bohra community is deeply impressed with PM Modi; he is the only Prime Minister in India who has promoted the cause of minorities, especially the Dawoodi Bohra community. Wherever PM Modi goes - be it to London, Dubai, USA or any part of the world, he always gets a grand welcome from our community, and Dawoodi Bohras feel at home in PM Modi's presence. He is one of the greatest leaders we have. Minorities are safe, which we have ourselves experienced during visits to India." Juzer Bharmal, a Dawoodi Bohra businessman in the Indo-Thai community, said, "The supreme leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community is very fond of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shares a strong connection with him. The entire community wishes for PM Modi's win in the 2024 elections to become Prime Minister of India again," they added, saying, 'Bohra bhi hain Modi ka Parivaar'. Sonia, a student in Thailand who originally hails from Punjab, said that the global image of India has transformed under PM Modi. "PM Modi has made all of us really proud. Today, we feel the power of New India at the global level. We have started getting respect wherever we travel across the world. The global image of India has not just changed but has transformed completely under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi's digital inclusion policy has brought about a major transformation in India and ensured a transparent system, which has further resulted in good governance. The policies of PM Modi have created limitless opportunities for youth to grow," she said. "Owing to the thrust laid on improving the quality of education in India today, Indian universities are now competing with the top universities of the world today and this has all been possible due to the dedicated efforts of our Prime Minister," she added. Ravikant, a student in Thailand who originally hails from Haryana, said, "The education system of India has gone through a sea change under the visionary leadership of PM Modi; there are many students from Thailand who are going to India to pursue their academics. We wish that PM Modi, who is the strongest leader till now, must win the 2024 elections and continue to lead India in the future as well. Under the Modi government, the youth have been empowered and provided limitless opportunities to grow like never before." (ANI)
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to pay a two-day state visit to Bhutan this week, the Himalayan nation is decked up with posters of PM Modi with slogans 'Long live Bhutan-India friendship'. PM Modi's visit from March 21-22 will further strengthen the multifaceted cooperation between the two neighbouring nations across various sectors, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press statement. During the visit, the Prime Minister will receive an audience with Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan and Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan. The Prime Minister will also hold talks with the Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay, the MEA said. Ahead of PM Modi's arrival, the airport and the roads have been adorned with posters of PM Modi and the Bhutanese King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Earlier, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi accepted the invitation of his Bhutanese counterpart, Tshering Tobgay to visit Bhutan after Bhutan PM extended his invitation to PM Modi during his India visit this month. Different posters have been put up at various places in the city along with the flags of both countries. King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck too has made several visits to India, underscoring the close ties between the two nations. His last visit to India was in November 2023. Similarly, PM Modi's visit to Bhutan in August 2019 marked a significant milestone, with the launch of major bilateral projects aimed at bolstering economic cooperation and connectivity. Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay was in India on an official visit, which was his first overseas visit after assuming office in February 2024. Over the years, high-level exchanges have played a pivotal role in nurturing the strong bond between India and Bhutan. Formal diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in 1968. The economic partnership between India and Bhutan has flourished over the years, driven by the India-Bhutan Agreement on Trade, Commerce, and Transit. This agreement, first signed in 1972 and revised multiple times, has facilitated a free trade regime between the two countries, promoting bilateral trade and economic growth. India stands as Bhutan's top trade partner, both in terms of imports and exports. The bilateral trade volume has seen a significant surge, reaching INR 11,178 crores in 2022, showcasing the robust economic engagement between the two nations. India's investments in Bhutan span various sectors, including banking, manufacturing, electricity generation, and IT services, contributing to Bhutan's socio-economic development and fostering closer economic integration. India has been a steadfast development partner for Bhutan, extending economic assistance to support its socio-economic progress since the 1960s. India's contribution to Bhutan's 12th Five Year Plan, amounting to Rs 5000 Cr., underscores its commitment to supporting Bhutan's developmental aspirations. With several hydroelectric projects operational and others in various stages of implementation, India has played a pivotal role in supporting Bhutan's energy security objectives. The commissioning of projects like the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project and the ongoing collaboration in the hydro-power sector underscores the shared commitment to sustainable energy development and regional cooperation.The educational and cultural ties between India and Bhutan form an integral part of their bilateral relations. India has been a key destination for Bhutanese students seeking higher education, with over 1000 scholarships provided annually by the Government of India. Additionally, cultural exchanges and initiatives under the India-Bhutan Foundation have strengthened people-to-people ties, fostering greater understanding and collaboration between the two societies. The Nehru Wangchuck Scholarship Scheme, ICCR Scholarships, and ITEC program have further facilitated skill development and capacity building in Bhutan, reflecting India's commitment to nurturing human capital and fostering educational excellence in the region. Cultural and religious ties between India and Bhutan have deep historical roots, with shared Buddhist heritage serving as a cornerstone of their cultural identity. Pilgrimages to sacred Buddhist sites in India and cultural exchanges have further cemented these ties, enriching the spiritual and cultural fabric of both nations. Initiatives such as the loaning of the Zhabdrung Statue by the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, and the visit of His Holiness the Je Khenpo to Rajgir underscore the enduring cultural bonds and shared reverence for Buddhist traditions. In addition to traditional areas of cooperation, India and Bhutan are exploring new avenues for collaboration, including digital initiatives, space cooperation, and technology partnerships. Projects like 'Digital Drukyul' and the joint development of satellites reflect the commitment to harnessing technology for mutual benefit and socio-economic progress. The interoperability of flagship projects like RuPay and the BHIM app demonstrates the evolving nature of the bilateral relationship, with a focus on leveraging digital innovations for inclusive growth and development. Recent developments, including progress on rail connectivity links and the establishment of Integrated Check Posts, underscore the commitment to enhancing trade and connectivity between India and Bhutan. Financial linkages, youth empowerment initiatives, and skill development programs further highlight the comprehensive nature of the bilateral partnership, aimed at fostering sustainable development and prosperity in Bhutan. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a state visit to Bhutan from March 21-22 to further enhance the India-Bhutan bilateral ties, Ministry of External Affairs said in an official statement. PM Modi's visit will see the high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan. " Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a State visit to Bhutan from 21-22 March 2024. The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Bhutan and the Government's emphasis on its Neighbourhood First Policy," the ministry said. During his visit to Bhutan, PM Modi will meet the Bhutanese King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. He will also hold a meeting with the Bhutanese Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay. " During the visit, Prime Minister will receive audience with His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the King of Bhutan and His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan. Prime Minister will also hold talks with the Prime Minister of Bhutan Tshering Tobgay," the statement read. According to MEA, " India and Bhutan share a unique and enduring partnership which is rooted in mutual trust, understanding and goodwill. Our shared spiritual heritage and warm people to people ties add depth and vibrancy to our exceptional relations. The visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on bilateral and regional matters of interest and deliberate on ways to expand and intensify our exemplary partnership for the benefit of our peoples." India and Bhutan share a unique and exemplary bilateral relationship founded on mutual trust, goodwill, and understanding. Formal diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in 1968, with the cornerstone being the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1949, subsequently renewed in February 2007. Over the years, high-level exchanges have played a pivotal role in nurturing the strong bond between India and Bhutan. King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, has made several visits to India, underscoring the close ties between the two nations. His last visit to India was in November 2023. Similarly, PM Modi's visit to Bhutan in August 2019 marked a significant milestone, with the launch of major bilateral projects aimed at bolstering economic cooperation and connectivity. The recent official visit of Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay of Bhutan to India in March 2024 further reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to enhancing bilateral relations across various domains, including development cooperation and vibrant economic ties. (ANI)
The meeting centred on discussions regarding the operations of nine Korean companies in Gujarat.

Recently, On March 6, the 10th India-South Korea Joint Commission Meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul in Seoul

The two leaders held talks on expanding bilateral ties, cooperation in defence, science and technology, business and trade sectors.

During the meeting, Jaishankar and Cho Tae-yul held discussions on developments in the Indo-Pacific and the convergences of India and South Korea to challenges in the region. Both sides also spoke about advancing trilateral cooperation.

In his opening remarks at the 10th India-South Korea Joint Commission Meeting, Jaishankar said that the ties between the two nations have grown from "strength to strength."

Calling the two nations "important" partners for each other, he stressed that India and South Korea have witnessed steady growth in trade, investments and defence.

Additionally, he added, "Last year, as you noted, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic ties. During our Prime Minister's visit in 2015, our relations were elevated to a special strategic partnership."

"India is interested in expanding ties with South Korea to new areas like human resource mobility, nuclear cooperation, green hydrogen supply chain resilience, and critical and emerging technologies," Jaishanakar asserted while on his two-day visit to South Korea on March 5. (ANI)
Former White House advisor to Donald Trump, Peter Navarro, reported to a federal prison in Miami on Tuesday afternoon to serve a four-month sentence for refusing to comply with a congressional conviction, The Hill reported. Notably, Navarro has become the first Trump administration official to be imprisoned over his role in the effort to subvert the results of the 2020 election. Reacting to the sentence, the former White House official said that 'they' are coming after Donald Trump with the same "tactics, tools and strategies." "They can put me in prison; they can put you in prison," Navarro said in a press conference just before he reported to the facility. "Make no mistake about that, and make no mistake about this: They are coming after Donald Trump with the same tactics, tools and strategies they used to put me over there today," he said. "If they come for me, they can come for you." Navarro's last-ditch bid to remain free while appealing his contempt of Congress conviction was shot down Monday evening by US Chief Justice John Roberts in a rare "in-chambers" opinion, a written explanation for his ruling on a case he didn't refer to the full court for consideration. Roberts said he denied Navarro's application because the ex-Trump White House economic adviser forfeited any argument challenging the district court's conclusion that executive privilege was not invoked by Trump, citing an appeals court's decision. Navarro, 74, was convicted last year of two counts of contempt of Congress -- one for failing to produce documents related to the probe, and another for skipping his deposition before the selection House committee that investigated the events surrounding the January 6 attack on the Capitol, as reported by The Hill. At trial, the district judge barred him from using executive privilege as part of his defence after finding that he failed to prove privilege was ever invoked by former President Trump. Defence attorneys said the decision "hamstrung" their defence, and Navarro told the judge during his sentencing that he had an "honest belief" executive privilege had been invoked. "This is the partisan weaponization of our judicial system," Navarro said Tuesday, railing against the district and appellate judges who oversaw his case as "Democrats from start to finish." Like Navarro, ex-White House adviser Steve Bannon was also convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress last year and sentenced to four months in prison, but a different judge said he could remain free pending appeal. Bannon argued his case before a federal appeals court in November but has yet to serve any time in prison. Navarro further added that he does not want a pardon from Trump if he is re-elected or from President Biden, adding that he still expects his case to be decided by the Supreme Court on its merits, The Hill reported. "It's crying out for the Supreme Court to do this," Navarro said of his appeal. "But the tragedy here is, because I have not been released pending appeal, I will have already done my time before that is done. "But that's the price of living in Joe Biden's America right now," he added. "God bless you all. I'll see you on the other side." (ANI)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) will go ahead with the ground operation in Rafah, despite global concerns, and he has told US President Joe Biden about the same, the Times of Israel reported. "We have a disagreement with the Americans about the need to enter Rafah," Netanyahu told the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Tuesday. "Not about the need to eliminate Hamas -- the need to enter Rafah. We do not see a way to eliminate Hamas militarily without destroying these remaining battalions. We are determined to do it," Netanyahu said. The Israeli PM said that there is no way to destroy or eliminate Hamas other than the ground operation. "I made it clear to the president in our conversation, in the clearest way, that we are determined to complete the elimination of these battalions in Rafah," said Netanyahu. "There is no way to do it, except by going in on the ground." Biden, during a phone call with Netanyahu on Monday, effectively ruled out any potential support for a major Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, which abuts the Egyptian border in Gaza's southernmost tip, as reported by the Times of Israel. "A major ground operation would be a mistake. It would lead to more innocent civilian deaths, worsen the already dire humanitarian crisis, deepen the anarchy in Gaza and further isolate Israel internationally," US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said. Netanyahu added in his discussion with Israeli legislators that the two leaders agreed on a mechanism for the Americans to share their ideas on humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians, a concern that he said Israel shares. "We need to complete the military elimination of Hamas," he said. "There is no substitute for that, you can't go around it, you can't say, 'We'll destroy 80 per cent of Hamas, we'll [leave] 20 per cent,' because that 20 per cent will reorganize and retake the Strip, and of course they will pose a renewed threat to Israel, and of course it will also be a victory for the broader axis that threatens us -- the Iranian axis," Netanyahu added. Meanwhile, the White House readout of Biden's call with Netanyahu stated that the former had warned against the operation in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge. Biden and Netanyahu agreed to have their teams meet soon in Washington to exchange views and discuss 'alternative approaches' that would target key elements of Hamas and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground operation in Rafah, the White House said. Biden asked Netanyahu to send a senior team composed of military, intelligence, and humanitarian officials to Washington to discuss an alternative approach that would target Hamas in Rafah and secure the Egypt-Gaza border without a major ground invasion. (ANI)
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government, backed by Imran Khan-founded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) urged Punjab authorities to hand over the incarcerated former Prime Minister to it after the latter imposed a two-week ban on all public visits and meetings with the former premier, citing "security threats," Geo News reported. The advisor to KP Chief Minister on Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif asked the Punjab government to hand over Khan to the KP government if it was "unable to provide security" to the incarcerated former prime minister, who is held at Adiala jail in Rawalpindi. Last week, Khan was barred from holding meetings inside Rawalpindi's Adiala jail for two weeks. According to a notification issued by Punjab's Home Department, all kinds of visits, meetings and interviews have been restricted in Adiala Jail due to a 'security alert', as reported by Geo News. The Punjab government had clarified that the restrictions imposed in the jail were not aimed at hindering meetings of the PTI leaders with the party's founder. "This move wasn't made to take away any facility from him [Khan]. There is a serious threat alert, which is under investigation," Punjab's Information Minister Azma Bukhari said. She said the fresh restrictions were imposed, as some terrorists were arrested from the jail who had a map of the jail in which Khan is imprisoned. On the other hand, the PTI leadership has called it "a deliberate plan" to stop them from meeting the party's founder. Reacting to the ban on meetings in the jail, Barrister Saif said that all the prisoners were facing difficulties due to the restrictions imposed in the name of "security concerns." The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM's aide also slammed the Maryam Nawaz-led provincial government and urged the Punjab government to hand over the prisoners to them instead of causing "pain and suffering" to them due to their "incompetence and fear of Khan," Geo News reported. "Maryam Nawaz is busy doing photo shoots instead of doing any work in Punjab," he said. "In Punjab, a drama is being played to hide incompetence." (ANI)
When a wildlife officer got a call about an anglers catch on a Tennessee lake, he thought it was a joke at first.

When he arrived, he found the fisherman was telling the truth: He had caught an alligator.

The caller reported reeling in a gator on Norris Lake on March 18, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said in a news release. He said he caught the animal on a type of fishing lure that imitates a small fish.

The fisherman had the animal pinned down by the time the wildlife officer arrived, the agency said. The officer confirmed it was an alligator measuring 3-4 feet in length, WATE reported.

The issue is, alligators arent found in the wild in northeastern Tennessee, and its illegal to own them, officials say.

Alligators have begun expanding into southwestern Tennessee from other states but are not typically found in the state, the wildlife agency said after a 7-foot gator was spotted in the area.

They range as far north as North Carolina and as far west as Texas, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo.

An angler caught a 3-4 foot alligator in a Tennessee lake outside the animals natural range, wildlife officers said. The gator is being held at a zoo temporarily.

Gators in Tennessee are not the norm, wildlife resources officers said in September when McClatchy News reported a gator was found in the Appalachian Mountains.

Wildlife officers said the Norris Lake gator was likely an illegal pet released into the wild.

Alligators are a Class 1 wildlife species, which are those considered inherently dangerous to humans and may only be possessed by permitted exhibitors or commercial propagators, the wildlife agency said.

Matthew Cameron with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency told WATE that swimmers likely dont need to worry too much about alligators appearing in their waters.

Are there gonna be alligators out there? Probably not, Cameron told the outlet. But once again, its possible that someone could have captured another one, brought it into Tennessee illegally and then released it illegally into the water.

The gator is staying at the Little Ponderosa Zoo for now until authorities can figure out where to put it, the agency said, noting that the zoo doesnt normally house gators.

TWRA would like to remind the public that its illegal to possess an alligator in Tennessee and furthermore, releasing them into the wild poses safety and biological threats to humans and the ecosystem, the agency said.

Norris Lake is a reservoir thats about a 60-mile drive north of Knoxville.

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Arkansas state Sen. Clarke Tucker asks state Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson about the state's change in driver's license policy at a hearing at the state Capitol complex in Little Rock, Ark. on Thursday, March 14, 2024. The state announced it would no longer allow residents to choose "X" instead of male or female on state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. A legislative panel approved the emergency rules for the new policy. (AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo)

An emergency rule mandating that all Arkansas drivers licenses and state ID cards show the bearers sex as its recorded on a birth certificate went into effect on Thursday after approval by the Arkansas Legislative Council.

Top officials at the Department of Finance and Administration, which issued the rule, say it accounts for a need for the police to know the sex of people they encounter. They invoked public safety as a core rationale for the policy change.

Transgender rights activists and the ACLU of Arkansas, however, are pushing back. They say the policy would likely lead to sex-based discrimination and threatens the safety and wellbeing of trans and gender non-conforming people in the state.

A drivers license, DFA Secretary Jim Hudson told the Arkansas Legislative Council on Thursday, is a document that law enforcement relies upon, and if law enforcement cannot have confidence [in] information about the person theyre encountering, I do believe that is a public safety issue.

There is potential for confusion under the existing policy that we rescinded.

State Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, disagreed.

What you all are telling me is we want law enforcement to have the most accurate information possible when theyre presented with a person, and to me, theres no distinction between gender, height and weight on that, which are obviously also objectively verifiable.

Height and weight on a state ID are self-reported, the same as gender was under the previous policy.

Hudson and Assistant Commissioner Paul Gehring did not city specific problems with the then-current policy over the 14 years it had been in place, saying that the emergency rule change is proactive.

A 'dangerous proposition'

Sarah Everett, director of policy at the ACLU of Arkansas, took issue with the idea of requiring IDs to show sex assigned at birth.

They're implying a couple of things," Everett said in a Monday interview. "One is that law enforcement treats people differently based on sex, which is illegal, and that trans people are somehow inherently dangerous.

U.S. Supreme Court precedent, she said, holds that discrimination based on gender expression is, legally speaking, sex-based discrimination.

Obviously there's no basis, Everett said, for the idea that police must know a persons sex assigned at birth.

It's just it's kind of a scary and dangerous proposition that trans people should be required to out themselves to law enforcement and anyone else who needs to see their identification," she said.

No officer is going to be confused when a woman hands him a driver's license that says F. But he may be confused and may react questionably at best if a woman hands him a drivers license that says male.

'Going forward'

Since 2010, Arkansas has allowed ID holders to change the gender shown, without any questions asked, and to use the gender-neutral designation X in addition to male and female.

Across the nation, 21 other states and the District of Columbia continue to allow state IDs to be marked M, F or X. The practice is also allowed on U.S. passports.

From now on, people in Arkansas with a gender marker of X on their passport must choose between male or female on their state ID, Gehring said before the Legislative Council on Thursday.

All current licenses and IDs will remain valid until their printed expiration date regardless of the sex marker shown on them.

In Arkansas, there is no option to designate a newborn as intersex on a birth certificate or to later change ones sex to anything besides male or female.

Gehring said that the previous policy of no questions asked changes to sex markers was based on a departmental memo, which was not codified in state law or agency rules.

The change, he said, seeks to ensure that everything on a state ID is based on existing documentation.

The agency's primary concern with the rule change was the X designation on a state ID, rather than male or female markers which differ from other documentation. This is because a marker of X is not verifiable, said Scott Hardin, a representative from the DFA.

But any sex markers that might differ from those on a persons birth certificate, he said, are inherently unreliable and perhaps even inherently fraudulent.

Hardin said that the agency sees the issue of sex markers on state IDs as a pressing concern but that their emergency rule change was not made in response to existing problems on the ground or calls to action from the public or law enforcement.

The emergency rule, Hardin said, has a sense of urgency meant to ensure nothing does happen going forward [because] there's a real possibility that something could happen if we're not to address this.

Wide-ranging consequences.

Max Calabotta, the Northwest Arkansas Coordinator at the trans rights advocacy group Intransitive, said that the consequences of a mismatch between a persons outward appearance and the sex shown on their ID are wide-ranging.

These can include being misgendered and denied housing, being misgendered and then being mistreated in the hospital when you're in crisis, being misgendered by a police officer who has a gun and potentially the power to kill you.

I have a beard and I have a deep voice, he said. You don't need to know anything else, none of the rest of how my body works.

The new rule, he said, means that the only option for people to change the gender marker on their ID would likely cost many thousands of dollars in a complex and difficult process.

Under the new rules, Arkansas state IDs can only show male or female and that must match the sex on the holders birth certificate. It isnt impossible for a transitioning person to change the sex on their birth certificate, but the bar to do so is set very high.

It can be changed by court order only after sex reassignment surgery. Normally an attorney is needed for this type of action, notes an explanation on the Arkansas Department of Healths website.

The combination of medical bills and legal fees that are pre-requisites for obtaining a drivers license with a different name or sex means a heavy burden for a bureaucratic process thats practically free in other places.

Adding to this, transgender and gender non-conforming people are far more likely than the general population to be living below the poverty line, according to data from the University of California-Los Angeles, putting transition therapy, let alone legal counsel, far out of reach.

By contrast, for Calabotta, who was born in New York State and moved to Arkansas as a young child, there were no such hoops for them to jump through when changing the sex on their birth certificate.

I just had to fill out a form and send them I didn't have to provide a bunch of proof.

Everett said that even this less attainable loophole could itself be in danger of further restrictions or even elimination.

The only reason we haven't seen an attack on that yet is because we're not in a regular legislative session, she said, noting that there are legislative bills in other states seeking to restrict that process.

Everett said that the ACLU of Arkansas policy is not to announce any potential legal action they might take until after filing a complaint, but that they are looking at our options when it comes to litigation.

An emergency rule like this only stays in effect for three months. Hardin said the DFA is already in the process of drafting a permanent rule change which will allow for a 30-day public comment period.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Arkansas driver's license gender rule change prompts safety debate
Semafor Signals

Insights from Health Circle, Physicians Journal, and Korea JoongAng Daily

The News

Hospitals across China are shutting down their newborn delivery services, faced with a declining population that has led to a sharp decrease in demand.

While the exact number of hospitals that no longer deliver newborns remains unclear, Semafor found at least four hospitals across three provinces who announced the closure of their obstetrics departments on the social media platform WeChat in the last month alone.

Chinas population fell for a second consecutive year in 2023 due to a record-low birth rate and high deaths due to COVID-19, Reuters reported. The decline has put Beijing on alert as it rushes to boost the recovery of its post-pandemic economy.

The countrys declining population is forcing hospitals to choose to sacrifice once-vital services in order to prioritize its aging population. Fertility-boosting measures are failing as increasing numbers of young people refuse to have children, owing to factors such as high unemployment, falling wages and a patriarchal society that puts much of the burden of caregiving on women.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Rural hospitals are underfunded and obstetrics strains their budgets

Sources: Health Circle, Physician's Journal

Chinas hospitals  particularly rural ones  are facing the strain of the countrys aging population: fewer taxpayers are paying for the more expensive healthcare needed to treat elderly patients, according to Health Circle, a Chinese healthcare blog. Faced with dwindling resources, hospital managers are cutting programs and units that bring in less revenue, including obstetrics, which costs more money to operate than it makes, Chinas Physicians Journal reported. While acknowledging it would be unpopular, the paper suggests increasing fees for obstetrics services, otherwise safe access to maternal healthcare cannot be guaranteed.

Beijing cant convince women to have more children

Source: The Wall Street Jounral

Since ending three decades of the one-child policy in 2016, the Chinese Communist Party has blamed women for the countrys persistent low birth rate, and is pushing them to have more babies  but many remain unconvinced. Chinese President Xi Jinping in October urged the state-backed All-China Womens Federation to prevent and resolve risks in the womens field, The Wall Street Journal reported, which one propaganda expert told the Journal is a sign Xi and other top leaders consider womens increasing refusal to have children a major threat to social stability. Balancing work with taking care of aging parents, Chinese women interviewed by the Journal said they simply do not have the energy and resources to have more children, especially given that the government has not yet proposed considerable child benefit plans for families that do choose to conceive.

Korea also faces extinction of OBGYNs as doctors strike

Sources: Korea JoongAng Daily, TIME Magazine, Chosun Ilbo

South Korea  the country with the worlds lowest fertility rate, at 0.78%  faces an extinction of obstetrics and gynecology doctors as fewer and fewer medical students choose to specialize in womens health, according to the Korean JoongAng Daily. Just 102 new OBGYNs joined the profession last year, and many of those specialize in gynecology, not deliveries. As in China, hospitals across the country  particularly in rural areas  have shut down delivery rooms, in their case owing to staffing issues, forcing pregnant women to travel to give birth, the paper reported.

The Korean government is attempting to fix these deserts of newborn care by increasing the annual medical school enrollment quota, but current physicians and medical students oppose the plan and are instead are striking for better pay and hours, which they claim would encourage more candidates to stay in the profession. Sadly, the public health consequences of the strike are already noticeable: mothers are reporting miscarriages and post-delivery complications because their caregivers are on strike, Koreas Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported.
Chinese diplomat Wang Kejian met Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar, Chinas Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, the first meeting between a Chinese and Hamas official publicly acknowledged by Beijing since the outbreak of the war in Gaza.

The meeting follows visits from Wang to Israel and the occupied West Bank  making him the first known envoy Beijing has sent to either location since Hamas deadly October 7 attacks and the ensuing Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

Wang and Haniyeh exchanged views on the Gaza conflict and other issues during their meeting Sunday, according to a brief readout from Chinas Foreign Ministry Tuesday.

Haniyeh stressed in the meeting the need to quickly stop the aggression and massacres, for the Israeli military to withdraw from Gaza, and achieve the political goals and aspirations of establishing an independent Palestinian state, according to a press release from the Hamas government media office. Chinese Ambassador to Qatar Cao Xiaolin was also present at the meeting, the statement said.

Haniyeh praised the role played by China in the Security Council, the United Nations, and the International Court of Justice, the Hamas statement said, referring to Beijings recent diplomacy related to the war.

The militant group also said they had met with Cao late last month in Qatar. Chinas Foreign Ministry and its embassy in Qatar did not release any information about that meeting.

Wangs visit comes as Beijing aims to step up its profile as a peace broker and has become increasingly vocal in its opposition to the Gaza war.

Wang, a former ambassador to Lebanon, has been in the region since at least March 10 when he met with counterparts in Egypt, before traveling to the West Bank, Israel and Qatar as part of a previously unannounced trip in which the war in Gaza has been high on the agenda.

Fighting began on October 7 when Hamas carried out a deadly attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostages, according to Israel. Israeli forces have since launched months of ongoing bombardment and ground operations in the Hamas-ruled enclave of Gaza, where the death toll stands higher than 31,000, according to the Ministry of Health in the strip.

Beijing did not name or condemn Hamas in the wake of the October 7 attacks. Since then, it has condemned the war and been a vocal proponent of an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of a two-state solution.

During his visit to the West Bank, Wang met with the Palestinian Authoritys foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki, where the Chinese envoy said Beijing is deeply concerned about the conflict in Gaza.

He also pledged to work with the international community to swiftly extinguish the flames of war and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question based on a two-state solution, according to a readout from Chinas Foreign Ministry.

In a subsequent visit to Israel Thursday, Wang met with Israeli foreign affairs officials, stating that the top priority is a comprehensive ceasefire, cessation of the war, guarantee of humanitarian aid and protection of civilians, a separate Chinese readout said.

China dispatched Zhai Jun, a special envoy for the Middle East, to the region in the weeks following the October 7 attack and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held meetings in Egypt at the start of the year, but neither were confirmed to have visited the Palestinian Territories or Israel.

Chinese officials have had other contact with Israeli and Palestinian officials since the start of the war, including when Beijing hosted a delegation from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian National Authority, and Indonesia in November.

Solidarity with Global South

Beijing has also used the war as a platform to showcase its solidarity with the Arab world and Global South, while positioning its views as in opposition to those of the United States.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing earlier this month, Foreign Minister Wang said the failure to end the humanitarian disaster in Gaza was a disgrace for civilization and he urged the international community to act promptly to promote an immediate ceasefire as its overriding priority.

China supports Palestines full membership in the UN, and urges certain UN Security Council member not to lay obstacles to that end, Wang said in a veiled swipe at Washington, which has backed Israels right to retaliate following Hamas terror attack.

China has also called for convening an international peace conference and setting a specific timetable for implementing a two-state solution.

Though it is unclear how much sway China has in the region to play a strong role backing such an effort, an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel is consistent with Beijings longstanding foreign policy. It was one of the first countries to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state in the late 1980s and has long advocated for a two-state solution.

Beijings growing criticism of Israels treatment of Palestinians comes as it too has been accused of rights abuses against minorities, particularly in its western Xinjiang region.

The UNs highest human rights office said serious human rights violations that could amount to crimes against humanity have been committed against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, where rights groups and researchers have said more than a million people may have been placed in re-education camps. Beijing denies committing rights abuses in Xinjiang.

CNNs Nectar Gan, Sophie Jeong and Celine Alkhaldi contributed to this report.

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COLDWATER  Monday morning, Ken Delaney, decked out in green and a kilt, walked from Four Corners Park to the nearby Jeannie's Diner.

"Because I'm Irish," he said.

The WTVB morning personality calls the event "Michigan's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade."

Kilted Ken Delaney led Michigan's shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade Monday in downtown Coldwater.

Because his show is only on weekdays, the parade took place Monday along West Chicago for less than 20 yards.

Delaney said the idea started as a pub crawl 25 years before. "That got to be too much," he said.

About a decade later, the parade time moved from an afternoon pub crawl to just after he finished his morning show when he headed to a downtown restaurant.

Those who join the parade usually join him for a corned beef and cabbage lunch.

In 2020, with COVID-19, he held the parade ending at JTs, with everyone wearing special St. Patrick's Day masks.

With the shutdown, Delaney held the 2021 parade in his backyard, drinking Guinness with friends.

This year in the snow was the biggest crowd ever, with 25 people surpassing 17 in 2023.

Delaney is proud of his parade music, recorded in an Irish pub 15 years ago. "The Hudson Valley Drum and Pipe Corp, guys from New York, police officers and firefighters that were actually in a pub in Ireland," he said.

There Delaney recorded the two minutes and 19 seconds song on his iPhone.

Delaney got his St. Patrick's Day idea from WJR Detroit radio legend JP McCarthy. His party was held in the Fisher building in Detroit.

Delaney said McCarthy "used to just open the doors and everybody who was anybody would come by. The mayor, Wayne County Commissioners, and the bishops, everybody would come live for his morning show on St. Patrick's Day."

The parade is Delaney's small market version.

Delaney traces his Irish heritage back to "My great-grandmother. My dad's side was born in Ireland."

For Delaney, "My whole family's Irish, seven kids, an all-Irish Catholic family."

"I love it everything about Ireland. I've been there three times," he added.

His wife, Chris, bought him authentic Irish kilts for Irish events and parties.

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Over Memorial Day weekend, Delaney will celebrate his 40th year at the Coldwater radio station, where he is the market manager for Midwest Broadcasting.

Over those 40 years, he always did something different for St. Patrick's Day before starting the parade. "It's fun. I think everybody can be goofy. But since I've been to Ireland a couple of times, I guess it's gotten even more so. Why not have a little fun?"

-- Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Coldwater hosts Michigan's shortest St. Patrick's Parade
TALLAHASSEE, Florida  Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested Tuesday that Florida could sponsor a new wave of migrant flights, this time using the controversial state-funded program to transport Haitians who enter the U.S. after fleeing the chaos unfolding in the island nation.

The comments, made during an appearance on a podcast hosted by conservative radio host Dana Loesch, come as Florida braces for a potential influx of Haitian migrants entering the state, which has one of the largest populations of Haitians and Haitian-Americans in the U.S.

We do have our transport program also thats going to be operational, the Republican governor said. Haitians land in the Florida Keys, their next stop very well may be Martha's Vineyard.

DeSantis, alongside Floridas GOP senators, have been pressing the Biden administration to enact stricter immigration policies amid the political upheaval in Haiti and reports of gangs committing jailbreaks, releasing possibly scores of criminals onto the streets. So far, Florida has not seen a huge influx of migrants from Haiti even as the country descends into violence and citizens face homelessness and hunger.



In reaction to the violence in Haiti, the DeSantis administration last week deployed dozens of officers and soldiers, alongside helicopters, drones and seacraft, to South Florida to help scour the Keys for vessels arriving from the country. DeSantis noted Tuesday that Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers recently intercepted a Haitian boat and found 25 people, including five unaccompanied children, on board and reported finding firearms, night vision gear and drugs.

Look, Dana, Ive got to defend my state, DeSantis said. I've got enough issues just dealing with people fleeing from blue states moving into Florida.

But now DeSantis says Florida is preparing for more action by resuming a program that relocated migrants from the Texas border to liberal bastions in the northeast  Marthas Vineyard  and Sacramento to the West.

DeSantis often used illegal immigration and the rise in migrants at the Southern border as a cudgel against the Biden Administration, especially while he was running for president before dropping out in January. Last year, DeSantis also signed into law one of the countrys strictest anti-illegal immigration laws in the country that prohibits undocumented immigrants from driving in the state even if they have a valid license issued from another state and requires hospitals that receive Medicaid to ask patients their immigration status.

Floridas initial migrant flights from Texas to Marthas Vineyard in September 2022 sparked outcry from liberals across the country, as well as lawsuits and an investigation by a Texas sheriff and the U.S. Department of Treasurys inspector general. The DeSantis administration still has millions of dollars available for the program, which sent two flights of migrants to Sacramento in June as a protest to federal immigration policies and a shot at Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

I definitely think we can help put them back over the border if they come across in Texas or Arizona, DeSantis said. Id be willing to help do that. I think that the states have no other choice to do that.
Despite a stretch of days with record-high temperatures tempting Iowans, it's not yet safe to head out on the water. Bodies of water in Iowa are still too cold to safely go kayaking, canoeing and the like, and paddlers opting to get out on the water now should know the risk.

When it comes to paddling and being out on a river especially, we have to play it smart and this is a real dangerous time of year now and late fall, Todd Robertson, Iowa Department of Natural Resources water trails coordinator, told the Des Moines Register.

Iowa DNR recommends paddlers wait for consistent, warm weather, which will ensure water temperatures reach safe levels, before getting out on the water.

When can paddlers go out on the water in Iowa?

James Weeks competes during the Ninth Annual Charles City Challenge kayak and stand-up paddleboard contest on June 26, 2021, at the Charles City Whitewater Park.

The when for safe water activities is weather dependent, Robertson said. But typically, May is when bodies of water in Iowa have a chance to consistently warm up.

April is tricky because while it might be a warm day, the temperature of the water is still cold. If you dont want to worry about water temperature, wait until early June, Robertson advised. Thats when there will have been enough consistent sunlight.

How can I check the temperature of a body of water in Iowa? And what temperature is or isnt safe?

Geese swim though the snow and ice in the Des Moines river Friday, Jan. 17, 2020.

The general rule for Robertson and the paddlers he is out with during the early spring and late fall  when the water is cold  is water temperatures 60 degrees or less automatically put you at risk for hypothermia. The colder the water, the higher the risk.

Cold water can drain body heat up to four times faster than cold air, according to the National Weather Service. It can also cause cold shock, which is just as dangerous from water temperatures at 50-60 degrees versus water at 35 degrees. Cold shock causes dramatic changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, and it creates a greater risk for drowning, according to the National Weather Service.

But paddlers should also account for other factors such as the wind, Robertson said. Get wet? That wind will only exacerbate the cold. Will it be overcast, or sunny out?

Find information about water temperature through resources including:

The National Weather Services water temperature map, which tracks daily temperatures in regions of the central U.S., including in Iowa.

Iowas fishing report on the Iowa DNRs website also provides some information regarding water temperatures in Iowa.

Or, give a nearby bait shop a call, Robertson said, describing bait shops as a great source of information that could inform you on a body of waters temperature.

What are some safety tips for paddles in Iowa?

Kayaker Hannah Childs of Cedar Rapids competes during the 9th annual Charles City Challenge kayak and standup paddle board contest on Saturday, June 26, 2021, at the Charles City Whitewater Park in Charles City.

Dress for the chance youll get wet and opt for a wetsuit or a drysuit, Robertson said. He also recommends having a change of clothing that you can access and get out of your wet, cold clothing as soon as possible.

Paddlers out on the water should also be aware of, and avoid, an obstruction of debris called strainers. Like a spaghetti strainer, these piles of wood out on the water can catch you, and though water can keep flowing, you may end up flipped and sucked beneath, Robertson explained. These are the No. 1 hazard  and if you do end up plunged into cold water because of a strainer, that can affect your finger dexterity and movement, he said, which can affect your ability to remove yourself from a dangerous situation.

Other safety tips from Robertson and the Iowa DNR:

Always wear a life jacket

Paddle in groups of people, not alone

Tell a loved one where you are going and when you are expected to return

Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Here's when Iowa lakes, rivers are warm enough to kayak, canoe
JOHNSTOWN  A nearly $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation is funding a project to build a network for drone delivery of life-saving medical supplies to parts of Cambria and Somerset counties.

A new purpose: What is happening at the old Daily American building? Think kids, fun, learning

On Thursday, the agency awarded a total of $54 million in grant funding to 34 projects in 22 states through its Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grants program, funding projects that are using technology to create safer, more efficient and forward-thinking transportation systems.

George Rodriguez, foreground left, and Greg James, center, explain how these two drones could potentially deliver medical supplies in an emergency situation. Both men work for DroneUp, a drone delivery service company from Virginia.

The local grant proposal, called Emergency Life Saving through Multi-Modal Mobility (ELSa-M3), was awarded $1,925,256 in SMART program funds. The proposal was submitted by the Southern Alleghenies Planning & Development Commission on behalf of a variety of project partners, including the Cambria County Emergency Management Agency, Somerset County Department of Emergency Services, St. Francis University, the Johnstown Airport and the Aerium Foundation.

A sign lists the organizations involved in the Emergency Life Saving through Multi-Modal Mobility, or ELSa-M3, project.

What is the ELSa-M3 project about?

The ELSa-M3 projects goal is to create a network of sites in Cambria County from which a drone can be dispatched to deliver an automated external defibrillator (AED), Narcan or an EpiPen to a precise location while medical services personnel are heading to the scene.

The project were announcing today is really helping to improve healthcare access and emergency medical service (EMS) delivery in life-critical situations, with the support of using a drone system, said Robert Hampshire, chief science officer and deputy assistant secretary for research and technology for the department of transportation.

This is going to allow life-saving medicines and devices to be delivered to people in need, even before EMS can arrive. Together the system of EMS, plus the medical services, plus all the support services, is really key in the partnerships in this project.

The Watts Prism Sky II, left, is used for shorter range missions (3 miles) and can fly at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour (21.7 knots), while the Swoop Aero, at right, can fly up to 100 miles and a top speed of 60 knots (69 mph).

This project will also help determine how the nation can use drones to partner with emergency medical services, as well as other potential uses, Hampshire said.

So were looking to this area, to this region, to really serve as a model here in Pennsylvania and across the country, that other places around the country can learn from, about drone delivery of medical services. This really is a ground zero here of learning about how these services work, he said.

The latest on this case: Bond revocation for former Somerset County 911 coordinator denied; new conditions

How will this work?

Over the rest of this year, data experts from ATA Aviation in Fredericksburg, Virginia, will work with Stephen Kocsis, Cambria Countys Geographic Information Systems director, to put together a detailed four-dimensional digital map and sensor overlay of the project coverage area, which includes Johnstown and a small portion of northern Somerset County.

The proposed coverage map (in yellow) for the Emergency Life Saving through Multi-Modal Mobility, or ELCa-M3 project, includes much of the Johnstown area and a small portion of northern Somerset County, near Windber.

Weve identified every pole, every building, all the tree canopy, all the dispatch sites  and when I say four dimensions, its because we have it on lat (latitude), long (longitude), height and time, said John Eberhardt, managing director of ATA Aviation.

What that will allow is everything in the air to know about everything else that is in the air, thats how we do this safely. And when you combine that four-dimensional digital model with the countywide sensor overlay, companies like DroneUp can operate their vehicles in a safe and efficient manner and eventually in a fully automated manner.

DroneUp, based in Virginia Beach, provides retail, food and medical drone delivery services, including a partnership with Walmart that delivers online orders to up to 4 million households in six states, including Virginia.

Greg James, DroneUps vice president of business development, said their company would use the county's completed digital model to set up one or more sites within that coverage area for drones to take off when dispatched by the Cambria County 911 center.

Well set up operations, that include people, technology, drones, and what DroneUp builds is all the underlying software that allows us to fly from point A to point B, he said.

Weve got the ability to cover multiple miles in flight very efficiently, so using some of the data that (ATA Aviation) can collect, allows us to also determine the fastest flight path.

When the drone reaches the delivery location, it doesnt land but instead delivers the box containing the medical supplies using a winch.

We generally fly at an altitude of 200 feet, and as we hover over the place where were going to deliver, our drone drops down to about 80 feet and we deliver on a winch. We can deliver within about an 18-inch circle diameter, so when you think about precision accuracy, and exactly where somebody is getting what they need, we can get it to them, James said.

Weve been doing drone delivery for several years, and currently operate one of the biggest drone delivery networks. This is a really exciting project because were delivering life-saving (supplies).

Local government news: Commissioners accept another resignation, hire chief clerk

Plans to expand

Eberhardt said that testing of the drone delivery system should take place later this year, and he expects the drones to begin to fly sometime in 2025.

A successful launch of this initial phase of the project could also lead to expanding its reach into more parts of Cambria and Somerset counties and to other states as well.

Whats also exciting is that we already have a deliberate plan to link the system here in Cambria County to efforts already underway in Virginia and northeast Ohio, which will make Cambria County the beating heart of the first nationwide advanced aerial mobility system, Eberhardt said.

Joel Landis, director of Somerset Countys emergency management agency, said that while the projects coverage area is currently focused on Cambria County, hes looking forward to learning more about how this type of technology could benefit Somerset as well.

The more populated areas of Cambria County are included in that (map), they are going to see the immediate benefit but were hoping that this will expand into Somerset County as well, and maybe that (coverage) area will expand based on the progress of their project, he said.

Im anxious to see how this works, especially with our geographics, the mountains, the weather. Im anxious to see how this project is going to unfold with all those variables. This is obviously being tested in other parts of the country, and our geographics are completely different than theirs, so thats part of this picture, to use this area because of the (unique) challenges we might have.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Johnstown PA project receives $2 million grant to add drones into EMS network
8th District Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes landed the Ohio Democratic Party endorsement in the primary race for state supreme court.

In the only statewide Democratic primary race on Tuesday, 8th District Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes defeated 10th District Court of Appeals Court Judge Terri Jamison to run for an open seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, according to early, unofficial results.

With more than 93% of the vote counted, Forbes was leading Jamison, 63%-37%.

When Forbes won the Ohio Democratic Party endorsement, she gained an edge in fundraising and campaign horsepower over Jamison. In November, Forbes will go against Republican Dan Hawkins, a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge.

In a written statement, Forbes said Ohioans want a judiciary that will protect them and their rights. "I plan to take my message to the voters that I am running to do my part to ensure that the Supreme Court serves as a firewall to protect our Democracy and the rule of law."

In 2022, Jamison lost a race against incumbent Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick Fischer, a Cincinnati Republican.

In addition to the race for the open seat, three incumbents will be fighting over two seats on the Supreme Court in November.

Democrat Michael Donnelly will try to fend off challenger Megan Shanahan, a Republican from the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. And Republican Joe Deters, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, decided to run against his colleague, Democrat Melody Stewart, for a full six-year term.

It's the second election cycle in which voters will see party designations on the ballot for supreme court and appellate court races.

Justice Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, is suing to overturn the law requiring partisan labels. Brunner lost her bid for chief justice in 2022 against Republican Sharon Kennedy. That was the first election cycle in which the partisan label law was in force. Republicans won all three supreme court races in that cycle.

Ohio Republicans have controlled a majority of seats on the seven-member high court since 1986. The GOP currently holds four of the seven seats on the court.

10th District Court of Appeals Judge Terri Jamison, a Democrat, is running for Ohio Supreme Court. Judge Terri Jamison poses for a photo in her office in Columbus, Ohio on April 13, 2022.

Supreme Court decisions impact how much Ohioans pay in taxes, whether utility companies can add fees to ratepayers' bills, how insurance and business laws are interpreted, what government records will be available to the public and more.

With the passage of Issue 1 in November, the Ohio Supreme Court next year is expected to rule on lawsuits that challenge existing laws that restrict abortion.

Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who is running for Ohio Supreme Court? Terri Jamison and Lisa Forbes
The Scene

ADDIS ABABA  Last month, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), I made an open offer. I called for anyone to send me a private message if they knew someone who urgently needed essential medicine to be brought from Kenya. I was set to attend the African Media Festival in Nairobi.

I was overwhelmed. Among many, I received requests for medicine for all kinds of chronic illness ranging from cancer to diabetes, as well as insulin and over the counter pain medications that are readily available in Kenya, but not in Ethiopia.

I was able to assist about half of the nearly two dozen people who approached me on social media with requests. I knew none of them, beyond exchanging a few messages on social media. But it was clear that many were desperate to help themselves or loved ones. It cost a total of approximately $500.

To help me expand my reach, I was financially supported by someone I met through a direct message on X who works with one of the international organizations based in Addis Ababa who volunteered to partially cover the cost.

I heard from people from all walks of life: rural and urban, young and old, rich and poor, and those in between. They narrated how difficult it has become to obtain basic healthcare in Ethiopia, amid a biting shortage of essential medicines.

To me, these are a small glimpse of many who are suffering in silence where potentially lifesaving basic medicine is a far-fetched dream for many.

Know More

Ethiopia, like many African countries, has a high dependence on imports to maintain its medical supply chain. It is currently grappling with a chronic foreign currency deficit which has made it hard to secure the dollars needed to import goods.

There is a real fear that the situation could get worse. Earlier this year it was reported that the National Bank had less than $1 billion in its reserves to facilitate imports  enough for just under a month of imports  prolonging the shortage of forex to pharmaceutical imports. Reuters, citing sources, in December reported that Ethiopia only had enough import cover for far less than a month.

The situation has forced many importers to rely on contraband medicines. The prices are exorbitant since they are based on the black market currency exchange rate that is trading double the official rate. The market is also awash with counterfeit products that are of substandard quality.

The Ethiopian government has long aspired to become a regional manufacturing hub through its fast growing industrial parks. An effort to ramp up manufacturing capabilities for the country to meet the needs of its fast growing population, instead of using dwindling reserves for importation, has now fizzled amid conflicts and an exodus of foreign investors.

Last year, the government launched Let Ethiopia Produce, a nationwide campaign as the Ethiopian Ministry of Industry acknowledged that hundreds of companies have stopped their operations in the country.

Samuels view

The situation became personal to me because I witnessed the desperation firsthand. My own fathers medicines were often shipped from Canada because none of his medicines could be found within Ethiopia. In the last year, I saw my own cousin struggle to track down basic vitamin supplements, before ultimately being forced to purchase them at highly inflated prices from entrepreneurs. Most of my friends who are prescribed medicine from pharmacies cant find the essential medicines they need.

Samson Berhane, a business analyst based in Addis Ababa, said the foreign exchange scarcity at the center of the medicine crisis is a long-standing problem in Ethiopia. The issue stems from stagnating export earnings which have not kept up with rapidly growing imports, Berhane told Semafor Africa. Production costs for many essentials have risen as most are forced to obtain forex from parallel markets where exchange rates are often twice as high as official exchange rates, he added.

I am aware that I am the exception  and so were my father and cousin. Many Ethiopians do not share such experiences. With the nations economy expected to worsen and dwindling foreign exchange available to a vast growing economy, many people are expected to suffer.

The View From Mekele

The shortage of medicines has been particularly acute in areas affected by conflict such as the northern Tigray region which was ravaged by the two-year civil war that ended in 2022.

Ayder Hospital, which is located in Tigrays regional capital Mekele, was under siege for two years during the conflict. It has been crying out for assistance amid a lack of basic medicine for preventable and treatable diseases that are killing many patients.

Were still not getting enough medicines, medical equipment and laboratory regents, Kibrom Gebreselassie, the chief executive director of Ayder, told Semafor Africa.

Notable

Ethiopia is bidding to become an African medical tourism hub with a new $400 million hospital but its healthcare system is collapsing.
The former sheriff of Ray County has been charged with a misdemeanor for interfering with the arrest of another man at a steakhouse in January, court records filed Tuesday show.

A probable cause affidavit filed March 19 says Garry Bush stepped in front of and pushed an officer who was attempting to arrest another man acting erratically with a gun at a restaurant.

Officers responded to a call shortly after 7 p.m. Jan. 25 to 708 Wollard Boulevard on a call that a man had a gun in a restaurant and was acting erratic.

The affidavit said an officer obtained the gun from the suspect. After he cleared the weapon, loaded with one round, the officer saw the suspect walk away from another officer toward Bush.

The suspect lifted his left hand and the officer who had cleared the weapon rushed to assist, grabbing the mans left hand, the affidavit said.

Officers said the suspect broke away and at this point Bush allegedly stepped in front of the officer. The affidavit said Bush then used his left hand to push the officer back, saying dont do it and dont start.

I pushed Garry Bush away from me, telling him not to get involved, Cpl. Cody Davis with the Richmond Police wrote in the affidavit. It should be noted it took several attempts to get Garry Bush to stop interfering.

A news release from the Platte County Prosecutors Office March 19 said prosecutor Eric Zahnd has been appointed to serve as special prosecuting attorney on the case. The charge was filed Tuesday after his office reviewed police reports, surveillance video and body camera footage from Richmond police officers.

The charge against Bush  interfering with an arrest  is a class A misdemeanor.

Bush served as Ray County sheriff from 2012 until 2020, when he decided not to run for re-election. In October 2023, Bushs time as sheriff was put under a spotlight when Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick gave the county the lowest possible rating from his office.

The scathing review found that the sheriffs office spent county money on beer, 15 TVs and 76 hams. The audit also uncovered missing money from concealed carry weapon permit fees and sex offender registry fees under Bushs leadership from 2018-2020.

Issues uncovered by the state auditor in Ray County highlight problems uncovered in a recent investigation by The Star, which showed how local governments often lack safeguards against fraud and mismanagement of taxpayer money.

Scott Childers, who took over as Ray County sheriff in 2021, told The Star last fall that the audit spoke to his campaign message of poor management within the county when he was Bushs political opponent.

Childers was removed from office by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey in early March after he unlawfully allowed prisoners to leave jail, perform work for friends and acquaintances and smuggle in drugs, alcohol and other contraband, Bailey claimed.

Respondent has allowed these detainees to drive vehicles, make purchases at local stores, leave the State of Missouri, and generally move about Ray County without proper supervision, Baileys petition for quo warranto said.

Ray County, which includes the cities of Camden and Crystal Lakes, is located about 47 miles east of Kansas City. It has an estimated population of 23,107 people, according to the most recent census data.

This story includes reporting from The Stars Jonathan Shorman, Kacen Bayless and Bill Lukitsch.
The state on Monday approved nearly $5 million in economic incentives for a German pharmaceutical supply maker to create 401 jobs at a future syringe manufacturing facility in the Eastern North Carolina city of Wilson.

Under the terms of the job development investment grant (JDIG) it received, SCHOTT Pharma promises to add these jobs and invest $371 million in the site by 2030. In addition to state benefits, the city of Wilson and Wilson County combined to offer the company economic incentives worth $7 million.

The Wilson plant will make glass and polymer prefillable syringes for pharmaceutical and biotech customers, the N.C. Department of Commerce wrote in its JDIG agreement. SCHOTT says the site will develop its U.S. syringe supply chain to help deliver in-demand mRNA and GLP-1, the latter of which is a medication category that includes the popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. The Danish health care company Novo Nordisk currently produces both of these GLP-1s in Johnston County.

Under state incentive deals, recipient companies only receive payroll tax benefits after they meet certain hiring and investment thresholds.

SCHOTT says the average salary at the plant will be $57,868. The average wage in Wilson County is currently $52,619, according to the state commerce department.

SCHOTT Pharma is a subsidiary of SCHOTT Group, a global producer of glass and other materials. In a statement, SCHOTT North America President Christopher Cassidy said his company picked Wilson due to its proximity to the Research Triangle area, which hosts numerous universities, pharma companies, and research institutions.

The North Carolina Community College System will receive $641,600 to train workers for the project.

Wilson is a city of 47,000 about 50 miles east of Raleigh. SCHOTT selected it over another finalist site near Greenville, South Carolina, the JDIG stated. Helping land the project was the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, which on Monday celebrated North Carolinas deepening ties with businesses from Germany.

According to EDPNC, the state has announced 109 projects from German companies over the past decade, leading to 7,000 new jobs.
A Jackson County grand jury has indicted one of the men charged with murder in the mass shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl Rally, according to court documents.

The grand jury indictment charges 23-year-old Lyndell Mays of Raytown with one count each of second-degree felony murder and unlawful use of a weapon, as well as two counts of armed criminal action for his role in the shooting.

The indictment replaces the original, identical charges filed by prosecutors last month. May was summoned to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. on April 18 to plead to the charges.

Last week, a Jackson County judge denied a request to reduce Mays bond. He remains in Jackson County jail on a $1 million cash-only bond.

The Feb. 14 shooting at Kansas Citys Union Station killed 43-year-old Lisa Lopez Galvan and left 22 others with gunshot injuries. At least 18 others were hurt in the stampede that followed.

Dominic M. Miller, 18, of Kansas City, also faces one count each of second-degree felony murder and unlawful use of a weapon, as well as two counts of armed criminal action for his role.

Jackson County prosecutors alleged that the shooting began after an altercation between two groups. Mays was in one group and Miller in the other. The group Miller was in approached Mays to see why they were staring at each other, according to court documents.

Both Mays and Miller were injured in the shooting. Miller has remained hospitalized since the shooting and has not yet been booked into Jackson County jail. No court date has been set for him.

Prosecutors alleged Mays was the first to pull out a handgun and to fire. Gunfire from Millers firearm struck and killed Lopez-Galvan, according to court documents.

Under Missouri law, a person who did not pull the trigger can still be charged when someone is killed during the commission of a dangerous felony.

Others charged in the shooting

Two juveniles have been charged with gun-related offenses and resisting arrest. The Office of the Juvenile Officer is the prosecutor for criminal cases brought against minors, with the proceedings held in family court. Both 16-year-olds have been detained in the Juvenile Detention Center since the day of the shooting.

On Tuesday, the Office of the Juvenile Officer amended the charges for one of the teens, charging him with unlawful use of a weapon by shooting at a person, a Class B felony, according to a news release. The family court administrative judge will hear evidence on whether the teen should stand trial as an adult.

The other teen is being detained on gun-related charges which do not rise to the level where the teen is eligible to be tried as an adult, the news release said.

Several other cases related to the mass shooting have also been filed.

Last week, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri filed federal charges of illegal gun trafficking and straw purchases of firearms related to the shooting.

Prosecutors say at least two of the firearms recovered from the area around Union State were illegally purchased or trafficked. The charges dont allege that the men were among the shooters, but instead, they were allegedly involved in illegal straw purchases and trafficking of firearms.

The defendants are 22-year-old Fedo Antonia Manning, 21-year-old Ronnel Dwayne Williams Jr. and 19-year-old Chaelyn Hendrick Groves.

Manning faces one count each of conspiracy to traffic firearms and engaging in firearm sales without a license and 10 counts of making a false statement on a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives form.

Williams and Groves both face one count each of conspiracy to make false statements in the acquisition of firearms, aiding and abetting the making of false statements in the acquisition of firearms, and making a false statement to a federal agent.

In a separate case, Jackson County prosecutors have charged Jose L. Castillo with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm for allegedly picking up a handgun following the mass shooting.

Castillo was convicted on July 6, 2016, of a felony for conspiracy to distribute marijuana in U.S. District Court in Kansas, according to court documents. Under Missouri law, its against the law for a person convicted of a felony to possess a firearm.
The worsening crisis in Haiti has leaders in South Floridas large Haitian American community alarmed and searching for solutions that never seem to come.

Every day in Haiti people are being murdered, are being raped, killed. Houses, properties are being set ablaze in total impunity. This is what Haiti is living today, Frandley Julien said Monday. This is the most severe crisis Haiti has seen in more than 100 years.

Its so bad, Julien said, that every morning when he wakes up he immediately checks WhatsApp to make sure that everybody is still alive. His father lives in Haiti.

Julien, who regularly appears on Haitian radio and television, is a former prosecutor who practices law in North Miami Beach, which has a large Haitian American community.

When the phone rings from Haiti, we hesitate before we pick up, Julien said Monday in a video news conference, explaining that was not unique to him, but the experience of everybody in the Haitian community.

State Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood, who was born in Haiti and has relatives there, said people are going hungry because the gang-fueled violence is so pervasive they cant leave their homes to get food.

Others have been thrown out of their homes by gangs, and forced to live on the street, she said.

The situation in Haiti really weighs on my heart. Its also deeply frustrating, she said. I feel helpless. The U.S. and the rest of the international community, she added, cannot afford to turn a blind eye to Haiti anymore.

Julien and Woodson appeared with former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a Democrat running against U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.

Its an issue that hits close to home for many in Florida where, Woodson estimated, the Haitian community numbers about 500,000, most of whom she said are first-generation Americans who, like her children, were born in the U.S.

Besides his family ties to Haiti, Julien sees the results in his practice as an immigration attorney. One client recently told him that its better to be undocumented (in the United States) than dead (in Haiti), Julien said.

Woodson called for compassion to people who flee Haiti and make it to Florida.

These are human beings. Those are mothers, those are fathers. They are not fleeing Haiti just because (they) want to leave Haiti, she said. If it was your family or anybody else who were in this situation, you would use compassion, you would reach out and see how you can help instead of just standing by to send them back to what they are leaving.

Mucarsel-Powell immigrated from Ecuador to the U.S as a teenager, along with her mother and sisters. I know exactly what it feels like to fear for the safety of your home country and for the family that you left behind.

Even though Haiti is about 700 miles from South Florida, Mucarsel-Powell said youd think that it doesnt even exist sometimes based on the way that our leaders have completely turned a deaf ear to the Haitian community.

Mucarsel-Powell said the impact of the crisis extends beyond the Haitian community in the U.S. The instability in Haiti not only is threatening the lives of its citizens, but its also posing a security risk to the United States.

She called for federal humanitarian spending, U.S. government support for law enforcement in Haiti and for the Organization of American States to organize joint support for Haitian people.

Theres some politics at play, as both parties have sought in recent years to build support among Haitian Americans who are citizens and can vote.

Mucarsel-Powell cited the widely reported practice of Haitian gangs buying weapons in Florida and smuggling them back to Haiti. She said Florida, with its Republican-controlled government, needs to make it more difficult for criminals from other countries to buy weapons in the state.

The Mucarsel-Powell camp criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis. And Scott, the Republican she hopes to unseat, used it to criticize President Joe Biden.

In an interview that aired Sunday on the WTVJ-Ch. 6s Impact program, Scott said the situation in Haiti is Bidens fault, though he didnt explain how.

It seems like everything Biden touches falls apart, Scott said. His foreign policy has completely failed us.

Scott said he stands with the Haitian people, and praised Floridas Haitian community, but didnt directly answer a question about what actions hed take.

I think we need to understand what we can do to bring peace and stability and opportunity for the Haitians. We have a great Haitian community in Florida. I do everything I can to be helpful to them. But this is, this is just devastating whats happened with these gangs, and the death and, and all this stuff. So weve got to look at this very seriously to see what we can do, Scott said.

_____
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) argued that the United States should be worrying more about the remaining hostages taken by Hamas and less about pressuring Israel to agree to a cease-fire, saying this is war.

Huckabee joined NewsNation Tuesday morning, saying he has visited Israel over a hundred times, as recently as December when he met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He criticized President Biden for the rising tensions between the allied countries, which both have citizens still in Hamas control.

This is like Joe Biden wouldve gone back in history and said lets cancel D-Day because its really not going to be pretty, he said. No, it isnt. This is war. And a reason its a war is because Hamas butchers went over and slaughtered innocent Israeli citizens on the holiest day of their week and weve still got hostages.

Biden spoke with Netanyahu Monday, marking the first time the two have spoken since Biden criticized the prime minister for hurting Israel more than helping. It also followed a dramatic speech from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). in which he called on Netanyahu to hold new elections.

Since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages, Israel has launched a deadly and destructive counteroffensive. More than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed, the majority women and children, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry reports.

During their conversation, Biden emphasized the U.S.s ongoing support for Israel in its mission to defeat Hamas, but said the country needs to do it in a coherent and sustainable way, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday.

Huckabee questioned why the Biden administration isnt more focused on the U.S. citizen hostages, and criticized Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken for saying Israel must find a way to feed these people and clothe them.

Its not Israels responsibility to do that. And I want to know why arent the Egyptians, the Jordanians, the Emiratis, the Qataris, how come theyre not being asked to take this burden? Theyre the ones who helped finance it. What about the Iranians? Were giving them money, he said.

We oughtta be giving them grief. This is an insanity played out on our stages and Im just stunned that the U.S. government thinks that what the U.S. government thinks we oughtta do is pressure Israel. Were pressuring the wrong side here, Huckabee continued.

Biden and Netanyahus conversation included a lengthy discussion about Israels plans to invade Rafah, a city in Gaza that is near Egypt and is housing millions of people who fled other war-torn areas of the enclave. The U.S. has warned Israel against conducting a military operation in Rafah and Israel has agreed to send officials to Washington, D.C. to discuss potential alternatives.

Huckabee argued that Biden wont give any invasion plan a green light because he is thinking politically, hes not thinking principally.

The Hill and NewsNation are both owned by Nexstar Media Group.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Iowa law enforcement would be allowed to arrest undocumented immigrants who were previously denied entry into the United States under a bill that mirrors a controversial Texas law and is on its way to Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk.

Senate File 2340 makes it a crime for someone to attempt to enter Iowa after being previously deported or barred from entering the United States.

The bill's floor manager, Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, said the federal government has "abdicated its responsibilities" to enforce immigration laws, which he said requires states to act.

"The status quo of federal government failure is unsustainable," Holt said. "I believe that in order to protect our communities and our state, we must push the envelope. And that is what this legislation does."

State Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, speaks from the House floor at the Iowa State Capitol, Monday, May 1, 2023.

Rep. Sami Scheetz, D-Cedar Rapids, whose mother and partner are immigrants, said the bill will foster fear among immigrant communities and potentially hinder their cooperation with law enforcement in other situations.

"Illegal immigration is a serious problem that requires action, yet the approach laid out in this bill misses the heart of what it truly means to address this issue with compassion, wisdom and effectiveness," he said.

House lawmakers voted 64-30 to pass the measure Tuesday. All but one Republican present voted in favor of the bill. They were joined by three Democrats: Reps. John Forbes, D-Urbandale; Kenan Judge, D-Waukee; and Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs. One Republican, Rep. Brian Lohse, R-Bondurant, joined every other Democrat in opposition.

The Senate previously passed the bill along party lines on March 5, so the House vote sends the measure to Reynolds for her signature. Reynolds said in a statement Tuesday that she intends to sign the bill into law.

"President Biden and his Administration have failed to enforce our immigration laws and, in doing so, have compromised the sovereignty of our nation and the safety of its people," Reynolds said. "States have stepped in to secure the border, preventing illegal migrants from entering our country and protecting our citizens. Americans deserve nothing less."

Once Reynolds signs the measure, it will take effect July 1.

Texas law temporarily blocked while challenge to its constitutionality continues

The Texas law is currently blocked from taking effect while a legal challenge plays out after a series of back and forth rulings on Tuesday.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the law Tuesday night, but set a hearing Wednesday to further consider whether to allow the law to take effect.

The 5th Circuit's ruling came hours after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a hold on the law earlier in the day, briefly allowing it to take effect before it was blocked again.

More: Federal appeals court order puts controversial Texas immigration law back on hold

The U.S. Justice Department is suing over the Texas law, arguing it unconstitutionally usurps the federal government's authority to enforce immigration laws and could create chaos in administering the law.

Holt said he believes the U.S. Constitution "does recognize some state military and immigration authority."

"Many other states are standing up to protect their sovereignty and their citizens, and Iowa must do the same," he said. "I reject the doctrine of implied federal preemption in the situation we currently find ourselves in."

Scheetz said the bill steps into an area of law "that is constitutionally reserved for the federal government."

"Immigration with all of its nuances and implication is a national issue that demands a cohesive federal response," he said. "Attempting to address it at the state level not only oversteps our bounds, but also risks fragmenting our approach to a challenge that affects every corner of our nation."

Migrant workers and advocates with Escucha Mi Voz Iowa, an Iowa City-based immigrant rights group, circle in prayer at the Iowa State Capitol on Feb. 12, 2024. The group traveled to the Capitol to speak against a slate of proposed bills they called "anti-immigration."

Escucha Mi Voz, an immigrant rights group that has protested several immigration-related bills at the Iowa Capitol this year, promised to continue fighting the legislation.

"From Texas to Iowa, our message is No Tengan Miedo, have no fear," Manny Galvez, an Escucha Mi Voz board member from North Liberty, said in a statement. "We will continue to fight this unconstitutional law during rulemaking, in the courts, and on the streets. We will continue to organize to stop deportations, protect refugee children, and keep families together."

What does the Iowa bill criminalizing 'illegal reentry' into the state do?

The bill creates a new crime of illegal reentry into the state, which applies to anyone who has previously been deported, removed or denied admission to the United States.

"This is a nuance that maybe people havent noticed, but its sort of a second offense bill," Holt told reporters following the House vote. "They have to have already been identified as having been in the country illegally."

In most cases, the crime would be an aggravated misdemeanor, which carries a two-year sentence. But it would rise to a class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, in certain circumstances.

And the crime would become a class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, if the person was arrested for allegedly committing another felony.

For anyone convicted of illegal reentry, the judge in the case would have to enter an order requiring the convicted person to return to the country they had come from.

The bill forbids law enforcement officers from arresting someone if the person is in a school, a place of worship, a health care facility, or a facility for survivors of sexual assault.

And the legislation provides legal immunity for local law enforcement and other government officials responsible for enforcing the measure.

Other immigration-related bills have failed to advance. But are they dead for the year?

Iowa Republicans have considered several bills this year intended to deter illegal immigration, over protests from critics who described the legislation as anti-immigrant. However, the other immigration measures failed to clear a legislative deadline last week and are no longer eligible for consideration this year.

More: Republicans kill bevy of bills in Iowa Legislature's 2nd 'funnel.' What lives, what died:

Those bills include a Senate-passed measure to require Iowa businesses to use the federal E-Verify system to determine whether their employees are legally in the country, a bill to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving in-state tuition rates at Iowa's public universities and a measure passed by the House that would create a new crime of "smuggling" an undocumented immigrant.

Holt said he still wants to find a way to pass the smuggling bill, possibly by attaching it to a budget bill or another piece of legislation before the end of this year's legislative session. He called it "a long shot," but said, "I'm not giving up."

"I still hope we can get that passed somehow in the Senate," he said.

Democrats have said any immigration laws need to come from the federal government. They've chastised Republicans in Congress for killing a bill in the U.S. Senate that would have created a new mechanism to shut down the border if illegal crossings reach a certain threshold.

More: Ernst criticizes failure of bipartisan border deal amid 'raging river' of misinformation

"Republicans want to talk about immigration because they think its a winning issue for them," House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, told reporters on Thursday. "The bottom line is if they really wanted to talk about immigration and really wanted to fix the problem, theyd be reaching out to their Republican delegation in Washington and asking them to come back to the table since they walked away."

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said immigration is one of the top issues lawmakers are hearing about from constituents.

"Its not a Republican or Democrat issue. This is what people are talking about," he said. "And so we feel as a state, while we cant do the complete reform that I think Americans expect of our federal government, what can we do at the state level?"

Editor's note: A previously published version of this story incorrectly listed the vote of Rep. Brian Lohse, R-Bondurant. Lohse voted against the bill.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Legislature sends bill to Reynolds criminalizing 'illegal reentry'
On a single night in Kansas last year, there were about 2,636 homeless people living in the state, including about 400 in Shawnee County, according to the statewide Point in Time Count that likely undercounts the total number.

But there are less than a thousand shelter beds available statewide.

The House Committee on Welfare Reform is tasked with finding ways to address the growing homeless population in the state, which reached the highest levels it has seen since 2014 after six consecutive years of rising homeless populations.

Members of various organizations across Topeka search for homeless residents in Topeka for the annual Point in Time count Jan. 25. The numbers haven't been released, but in 2023, it identified more than 400 people in Shawnee County.

The committee heard a bill, House Bill 2723, which would establish a $40 million grant fund that would go to communities around the state that create a plan to create more shelter beds. Grants would only go to cities that do the following:

Provide the same amount of money they receive.

Submit a building plan to create or improve a shelter.

Collect data on the populations the shelter serves.

Enforce laws criminalizing vagrancy and public camping.

Prioritize Kansas residents whove lived in the state for more than eight months.

Provide wraparound housing service.

Those wraparound services arent defined in the bill, which several legislators and advocates raised concern about. But legislators got a better sense of what those services include at a March 14 briefing from homeless service providers and cities seeking to expand their services.

Shelters, services and statutes

Of the 2,636 homeless people identified in the latest Point in Time Count, 943 resided in rural areas. Several legislators on the reform committee raised concerns about equitably distributing funds to address both categories of homelessness. McPherson Housing Coalition runs a non-congregate shelter in the 14,000-population town, hosting up to 10 families in separated tiny homes.

To get the shelter up and running cost around $1 million, said MHCs executive director Chris Goodson. The most important part, though, is the social services included to help get families back on their feet.

You can build affordable housing, but if you dont offer social services of some sort to help families work through those roadblocks, its not going to work, Goodson said.

A notice sign is posted just east of the Kansas Avenue Bridge and north of the Kansas River stating violation enforcement for camping and fires within the area homeless have been living.

City officials from Wichita presented their idea of addressing homelessness in a much larger City. Their proposal is to refurbish Riverside Hospital into a complex that includes a congregate shelter, where people share rooms for an overnight stay, as well as solo non-congregate rooms, low-income housing, space for homeless services, dining rooms and classrooms.

The more that we can bring under one roof, said Troy Anderson, Wichitas assistant city manager. There are efficiencies of scale, there are efficiencies in trying to achieve that functional net zero because theres not a lack or a confusion of trying to connect one resource to another.

The functional net zero of homelessness is effectively getting more people out of homelessness than are becoming homeless. Anderson said if they can consistently graduate people toward housing stability, itd eventually mean that the homeless population is almost entirely temporarily displaced people, rather than chronic homelessness, which accounts for about 25% of Kansass homeless population.

Wichita has the largest homeless population in the state, and its proposal may have the highest price tag. The city said it would likely be asking for $20 million, half of the total grant money available in HB 2723, to construct the complex.

Advocates from all over the state spoke to the committee, from Liberal to Wyandotte County. Though smaller communities will need less money for their projects than larger communities, their less resourced local governments may have additional barriers to proposing than more heavily staffed urban areas.

Committee-members considered earmarking a certain amount for more sparsely populated areas or allowing cities to bolster their applications with donations from nonprofits.

Is the bill enough to address homelessness in Kansas?

Some homeless service providers had quibbles with the bill, including the provisions on enforcing vagrancy laws, that the data collection doesnt feed into other reports, that nonprofits should be able to apply for funds and including a severability clause that would ensure the program continues if parts of the legislation are struck down in court.

One conferee, though, sharply differed from the others in their rejection rejection of housing-first policies that offer transitional housing, pointing to increases in homeless populations in areas that adopted a housing-first approach.

Obviously homelessness and theres many factors, but we believe housing first is making the problem worse, it focuses dollars away from shelter and toward permanent supportive housing, said Andrew Wiems, of Cicero Action, a group that last year advocated for legislation that would criminalize public homelessness.

House Bill 2723 had its hearing on March 5 and isnt scheduled for debate on the House floor, but if passed could significantly impact the scope of homeless services in the state.

From the conversations Ive had with prospective bidders, communities that are considering applying for the funds, I feel like the $40 million, with the one-for-one match which would be $80 million, I think would be sufficient to address the chronically homeless population that were looking to target with our funds, said Andrew Brown, deputy secretary for programs of the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas considers investing millions into homeless shelter capacity
Abortions, particularly medication abortion, have increased in the United States in recent years despite bans prohibiting the procedure in more than a dozen states, according to a report published Tuesday.

More than a million abortions occurred in the formal U.S. healthcare system in 2023, the year after the Supreme Court overturned of Roe v. Wade, according to a monthly report from the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization that supports abortion rights.

That is the highest number in more than a decade and a 10% increase since 2020, the report said. And the numbers are likely an undercount because they don't include self-managed abortions that happen outside the healthcare system.

But experts said the increase does not mean it's gotten easier to access abortion care. Rather, they said the increase in people traveling out of state indicates that financial and logistical burdens have grown for many patients and clinics that have to work harder to meet increased demand.

"Making abortion illegal does not make it less common. I think that's exactly what we're seeing," said Jennifer Kerns, a professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at the University of California, San Francisco. "What it does is it places incredible burdens on people who are going to access it and who need to access it."

Kim Gasper-Rabuck, left, and Maria Gaboury, right, stand next to each other and express opposing views on abortion in front of Planned Parenthood's Madison East clinic. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said on Feb. 13, 2024 that an anti-abortion campaign targeted people visited 600 Planned Parenthood locations around the country.

What's causing the increase in abortion?

The number of abortions in the United States peaked in 1990 at 1.6 million and have been falling for several decades until the trend began to reverse in 2019. Almost every state without an abortion ban saw an increase in the number of abortions in 2023. In most states, the majority of the increase was driven by residents having more abortions, according to Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist at Guttmacher.

But an increasing amount of patients are traveling across state lines to have abortions as well, and states that shared a border with those that have enacted abortion bans - including Illinois, New Mexico, Virginia and North Carolina - saw particularly sharp increases, according to the report.

More than 160,000 people traveled out of state to have an abortion in 2023, more than double the number found in 2020, Maddow-Zimet said. Traveling to have an abortion comes with significant challenges, but abortion funds have helped make it possible and clinics have undergone what he called Herculean efforts to provide care. But, he said advocates are worried such efforts may not be sustainable.

Kerns said she provides abortions at a clinic called Trust Women in Wichita, Kansas, which has rapidly expanded the number of patients they see to absorb the need from other states.

"I routinely hear about patients who are traveling five hours, nine hours, sometimes over 12 hours, some people are flying into Wichita to access services. And these are only the people who we see," she said. "We don't see the people who maybe tried to make some attempts to travel and were unable to garner the resources, the financial resources, time off of work, assistance with childcare, all of the pieces that have to come into play for them to be able to access services outside of their state."

Medication abortion is more common than ever

On Friday, April 21, 2023, the Supreme Court halted restrictions that would have limited access to the abortion pill mifepristone, resolving a massive and fast moving conflict over access to the drug while the underlying lawsuit is decided.

Medication abortion has been increasing steadily for years, and that trend continued in 2023, Maddow-Zimet said. Approximately 642,700 medication abortions took place last year, an increase from 53% of all abortions in 2020 to 63% in 2023, according to the report.

Recent changes that have made mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in medication abortion in the United States, more accessible may be driving this increase, Kerns said. The FDA has allowed the medication to be prescribed during telehealth appointments and delivered by mail since 2021. And earlier this year, CVS and Walgreens, two of the nation's largest pharmacy chains, announced they will soon carry mifepristone in their stores.

Though medication abortion has become an integral part of abortion care in the United States, Maddow-Zimet stressed the increased access isn't sufficient to meet all patients' needs.

"It may be the only option for many people given restrictions and availability of care, but it's important to keep in mind it's not necessarily everybody's preferred method," he said. "It may be for some people, but some people prefer or need to have procedural abortions, and it's really critical that people still have that option available."

The Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments next week in a case that could increase restrictions on mifepristone. Maddow-Zimet said these restrictions could lead to increased demand for procedural abortions and put further strain on clinics.

"Any additional policy change, just ends up sowing more chaos and confusion both for clinics and for patients, and really ends up creating really big obstacles to care," he said. "It's hard to predict always exactly what those obstacles will be, but we know that they will cause harm."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New report finds abortion numbers increased in 2023 despite bans
On April 8, a solar eclipse will occur across North America, with a path of totality  total blockage of the sun by the moon  occurring throughout the day above several large U.S. cities in succession. In metro Detroit, the eclipse will begin at 1:58 p.m., reach more than 98% coverage of the sun around 3:14 p.m. and conclude with a final partial eclipse at 4:27 p.m.

But how do we know that  down to not just the day, but the minute, the path and the level of sun coverage? The answer involves thousands of years of human history and some of the most famous scientists of all time.

Ancient civilizations thousands of years ago noticed correlations between the sun, the moon, the stars and the seasons  and their observations over time became very refined. Ancient Chinese, Chaldean and Babylonian cultures, as far back as 2,500 B.C.E., noticed that certain celestial events, including eclipses, repeated themselves.

More: 2024 total solar eclipse to be visible in sliver of Michigan: Where map shows to go

"Humans quickly noticed that lunar and solar eclipses would alternate dates, roughly nine years apart, and that solar eclipses would repeat patterns about every 18 years," said Austin Edmister, assistant director for astronomy at the Stanley Frankel Detroit Observatory at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

2024 Total Solar Eclipse path

That roughly 18-year pattern is known as a Saros cycle, based on an ancient Babylonian word for a time interval. Fred Espenak, a retired astrophysicist who worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center writing for NASA.gov explained what this meant: "Any two eclipses separated by one Saros cycle share very similar geometries. They occur at the same node with the moon at nearly the same distance from Earth and at the same time of year."

'The short answer is, it was math!'

One slight problem: It's not exactly 18 years; it's more like 18 years, 11 days and 8 hours. That means when the Saros cycle rolls around again, the extra one-third or so day has caused that much more Earth rotation, putting the eclipse path a little farther west. It means it takes three Saros cycles  about 54 years and 34 days  for a solar eclipse to return to about the same geographic region.

It was Sir Isaac Newton and his revolutionary theory of gravitation, published in what many consider the most important scientific work ever written, the "Principia" in 1687, that led to a far greater understanding of our solar system, planetary motion throughout it, and thus the cycles of eclipses.

More: 2024 solar eclipse: Where to get free eclipse glasses, how to know they're safe

"The short answer is, it was math!" said Shannon Schmoll, director of the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan State University.

"We had a lot of observations by that point to understand Earth's rotation, orbital period, etc., which helped humans understand and predict moon phases and planetary motion. And Newton was able to start explaining that mathematically, which allowed for more precise predictions."

In this July 29, 1933 file photo, a teacher and students stand next to an astronomical instrument at the Ancient Observatory in what is now Beijing. The facility was built in the 1400s. The Babylonians, the Maya and the Chinese centuries ago noticed a mathematical pattern in when eclipses showed up and started calculating them in advance.

English astronomer and mathematician Edmond Halley, a contemporary of Newton's who helped him fund publication of the "Principia," was fascinated with the cutting-edge concepts of applying mathematical formulas to how the heavens moved. He noted historical records of a comet in 1531, 1607 and 1682, and surmised it was the same comet, coming back around. Halley in 1705 predicted that comet would be observed again in 1758. He didn't live to see his prediction come true, but it has been dubbed Halley's Comet ever since. Its last appearance was 1986; its next will be 2061.

Refining the calculations

Halley in 1715 also correctly predicted a total lunar eclipse, and how the moon's shadow would pass across England, based on Newton's planetary motion principles. In 1824, a German accountant with a fascination about space and eclipses, Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, came up with a refined mathematical formula that also moved forward eclipse prediction, elements of which are still used to this day.

An image of Halley's Comet, taken on May 29, 1910, by Professor Edward Emerson Barnard at Yerkes Observatory.

As technology  on Earth and in space  has fine-tuned observations of planetary movement and other factors, predictive models of eclipses have also improved.

"There are many factors involved like the Earth's rotational speed, the moon and the Earth's orbital speed  and those change over time," Schmoll said. "All of these have to be mathematically modeled to get to the point where we can know what's going to happen with precision."

So when the sky goes dark around 3:14 p.m. April 8, imagine Sir Isaac Newton, Edmond Halley and Freidrich Bessel somewhere, smiling and nodding knowingly.

Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Solar eclipses: How we predict exact day, time they occur
Two men who used assault rifles and night vision goggles to kill three wild burros in the Mojave Desert near Barstow pleaded guilty on Monday to federal charges related to the crimes, prosecutors said.

John Feikema, 36, of Yorba Linda, and Christopher James Arnet, 32, of Loveland, Colorado, each admitted to one felony count of possessing an unregistered short-barreled rifle and one misdemeanor count of maliciously causing the death of a burro on public lands, according to the United States Department of Justice.

The killings took place about 1 a.m. on Nov. 6, 2021, as the men drove through the Mojave Desert just northeast of Barstow, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Ciaran McEvoy said in a written statement.

Wild burros, pictured in an undated photo.

"Arnet and Feikema eventually got out of Arnets truck and were dressed in tactical gear, including ballistic helmets equipped with night vision goggles," he said. Each man carried a short-barreled, AR-15-style firearm.

At least 13 rounds were fired at the animals in total, officials said. Feikema fired at least four bullets, while Arnet fired at least five.

"One burro was shot near its spine towards its hind legs, which paralyzed the burros hind legs and caused the animal severe pain before it died," McEvoy said.

The guns used in the incident were found at the suspects' respective homes, prosecutors said. Investigators from the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management managed to match a bullet recovered from one of the slain animals to Arnet's gun.

Both weapons were short-barreled rifles, which require registration under federal law to own, McEvoy said. Neither gun was registered.

Feikema and Arnet face a maximum penalty of 11 years in federal prison when they return to federal court in Riverside for sentencing on July 8, McEvoy said.

Under their plea agreements, they both agreed to forfeit the illegal weapons, 4,000 rounds of ammunition, night vision goggles and other tactical gear, he said.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: 2 men guilty in fatal shooting of wild burros in the Mojave Desert
Protections were upheld for a rare bird species known to dwell throughout New Mexico, despite lawsuit from the New Mexico agriculture industry in 2021 that was struck down Thursday.

The New Mexico Cattle Growers Association sought to strip the southwestern willow flycatcher of its endangered species status, the highest level of federal protections to prevent extinction, by suing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Interior Department in December 2021.

The case was considered in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, which ruled against the association Feb. 28 and upheld the status the bird first received in 1995.

More: No jaguars in New Mexico as feds deny request to recover species in Gila National Forest

In the ruling signed by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, she wrote that the southwestern willow flycatcher was a recognized subspecies since 1948 and the Association only petitioned for its listing after outlier data was presented to suggest otherwise in 2015.

The Service then undertook a 12-month review of the species status, Reyes wrote, assessing available science and concluding that the species should maintain its status.

The Service did not discard the petition as strictly for the birds. It instead found that it presented substantial information that delisting may be warranted, Reyes wrote. The Service counters that it considered the best available science, found that the flycatcher satisfied methods taxonomists use to identify subspecies, and explained its reasoning.

More: Silverspot butterfly in northern New Mexico is 'threatened' amid climate change threats

The southwestern willow flycatcher migrates annually from Latin America to the American Southwest, with its estimated range including every New Mexico county, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and several in Arizona, Texas, Colorado and Utah.

The endangered southwestern willow flycatcher is pictured. It's listing sparked a legal battle between a New Mexico ranching group and a national environmental organization.

It grows to about 6 inches in length, with a brownish-olive gray or gray-green body, read a report from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The bird is known for its vocalizations, described as a sharply-whistled whit or dry sprit sound. The southwestern willow flycatcher requires dense riparian habitats along rivers for nesting and eats mostly flying insects.

Human water developments that alter river flows threatened the species ability to survive, read the report, along with increased fires and other impacts of climate change.

More: Here's the latest on local efforts to restore Carlsbad's endangered species

Ranchers argue against endangered species listing

The Cattle Growers Association first petitioned the federal agencies to delist the flycatcher 20 years later in 2015 but was denied despite arguing new data showed the flycatcher to not be a distinct subspecies of the more common willow flycatcher and therefore did not warrant listing.

The 2021 lawsuit maintained that the denial was illegal and that the agency made no adequate definition of subspecies to warrant the listing. The listing was overly burdensome, the Association argued, and provided no actual benefit to conservation.

(Endangered species listings) increase the costs of federal permitting, reduce the market value of affected lands, and expose landowners to potentially ruinous civil and even criminal penalties, read the lawsuit. It is therefore crucially important that federal decisionmakers are guided by sound data-driven science and objective, publicly disclosed standards.

More: Biden vetoes Congress' effort to repeal lesser prairie chicken protection in New Mexico

Meg Townsend, attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, which intervened in the case to provide its own testimony, said in response to the verdict that the Pacific Legal Foundation  which represented the Cattle Growers Association  had for years made baseless arguments to delist species like the flycatcher.

Im so happy the beautiful, little Southwestern willow flycatchers will remain protected, Townsend said. Pacific Legal Foundation has been making the same baseless arguments for years to callously deprive imperiled wildlife like the flycatcher the protections they need to survive. What a relief the court didnt buy it.

In a statement announcing the initial lawsuit, the Pacific Legal Foundation pointed to Catron County rancher Hugh McKeen who the law firm contended was unfairly impacted by the southwestern willow flycatchers listing.

More: Gray wolves are being released in Colorado. How will that affect lobos and ranchers in NM?

Like all ranching families in the region, Mr. McKeen must contend with drought, wildfire, and the many other realities of raising cattle in the harsh conditions of the arid West, read the statement.

Unfortunately, these hard-working ranchers must also contend with unlawful federal regulations that conjure new species and subspecies from thin air, declare them endangered, and establish draconian rules to protect them.

The Maricopa Audubon Society also intervened in the case, and the groups Conservation Chair Charles Babbitt said the ranchers who opposed the birds protection had operations that were inherently destructive to wildlife.

That protection is problematic for ranchers whose unsustainable business model requires that their cows continue to destroy the countrys few surviving desert riparian areas, Babbitt said.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Southwestern willow flycatcher still protected amid New Mexico lawsuit
At a meeting Tuesday, the Bolivar school board is slated to discuss censuring one of its own.

Board member Brad Wommack was part of an anonymous group that worked to successfully defeat a tax levy that the board voted to place on the November ballot.

Wommack's leadership role in the Concerned Citizens of Bolivar and Polk County  an opaque group that mailed postcards to voters and paid for a newspaper advertisement urging a "no" vote  was not known to the board or the district until the Missouri Ethics Commission completed its investigation in late February.

Board president Paula Hubbert said she will propose the censure based on Wommack's alleged violation of district policy BBF, which outlines the ethical expectations of board members.

The policy, updated in late 2023, requires among other things that members act legally, ethically, transparently and "avoid even the appearance of impropriety." The policy permits members to express personal opinions but "once the board has acted, accept the will of the majority."

Paula Hubbert

Hubbert said she will pursue censure because it is "almost impossible" to seek the removal of a board member. Wommack was elected to the board last year after serving a stint decades ago.

"We are taking this step because we need to demonstrate to our patrons and to the employees of this district that we, as board members, do not, cannot and will not condone someone breaking the law, someone violating board policy," Hubbert told the News-Leader.

"I hope our patrons understand that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior. As elected officials, we have a very strong obligation to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and to maintain our credibility with our employees. If we can't hold ourselves to our own standard, how can we expect them to abide by that standard?"

Asked about the proposed censure Monday, Wommack laughed and said: "That is so interesting, over the top."

"What did myself, Janet Arnold and others stand to gain by opposing that (tax levy)? Nothing. In our minds, we were preserving that tax levy money to do something later, to do something for teachers."

He added: "My daddy always told me you never go wrong doing the right thing and we felt we were doing the right thing here."

"May their wish to remain anonymous go unmet"

In November, the Bolivar district asked voters for permission to become part of the official Ozarks Technical Community College taxing district, a move that would have raised residents' property taxes  20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation  in exchange for significantly lower tuition.

In the days before the election, the Concerned Citizens group sent postcards and placed a newspaper ad urging a "no" vote and listing a series of concerns, some of which were misleading or speculative in nature.

The only name publicly associated with the group was Janet Arnold, who was listed as treasurer on the newspaper ad but not the postcard.

Following voter defeat of the proposal, Hubbert and board vice president Kyle Lancaster filed complaints with the MEC as private citizens. The complaints named Arnold.

A copy of the postcard mailed to voters by the Concerned Citizens of Bolivar and Polk County.

The group failed to register as a campaign finance committee in Missouri and failed to report how much it raised, and from whom, as well as how the funds were spent.

The Feb. 26 report by MEC showed Wommack ordered and paid for all the postcards and collected funds from up to 20 people to place the ad in the Bolivar Herald-Free Press on Nov. 1, 2023.

The MEC concluded that based on Wommack's activity, he should have been the one to file the paperwork to form the campaign finance committee and the disclosure reports that were required.

The report stated: "Wommack also collected cash contributions and made cash expenditures in excess of statutory allowances and included incorrect 'paid for' disclosures on the materials."

The MEC report stated Arnold, who paid $100 to the group and permitted her name to be listed as treasurer, was not involved enough to be held accountable for the actions of the group.

Arnold is one of three candidates running for two open seats on the board in the April 2 election.

Hubbert, who was not aware of Wommack's role in the group until the MEC report, said her initial complaint against Arnold "named the wrong person."

"It grieves me to know that unbeknownst to me and five of my fellow board members, one in our midst who didnt bother to ask any questions or make any comments against the initiative during the months we discussed this ballot measure would try to hide in the shadows to evade disclosure of his actions against what our board vocally supported," she said.

More: Report: MO school board member part of anonymous group to defeat tax levy in own district

As private citizens, Hubbert and Lancaster  who is not running for re-election  filed new MEC complaints against Wommack. Other than Arnold, they still do not know who else was involved.

"The trajectory of our communitys future was adversely affected by the willful deception of a group that hoped to remain unknown," Hubbert said. "May their wish to remain anonymous go unmet."

"I wasn't keeping it a secret"

In a follow-up interview last week, Wommack said he wanted to refute comments from Hubbert that the campaign mounted by the Concerned Citizens group was built on "blatant inaccuracies and lies."

"I am going to probably confront her," he said.

He said Hubbert never told him she was concerned about the information he was putting out as part of the opaque group.

"I wasn't keeping it a secret because I was actually actively working against it," he said.

Wommack said even though he did not disclose his involvement, Hubbert and others should have known because he talked to a lot of people about his concerns and there were comments on social media.

"I would have to think about what (Hubbert) said about not knowing is a lie. I would have to think that because I was out there. I wasn't trying to keep anything a secret," he said. "We didn't list our names in the information that we put out there. Had anybody asked me, I would have told them."

The Bolivar school board includes, from left: Daniel Goodman, Brad Wommack, Keri Clayton, Paula Hubbert, Ron Owens, Mike Ryan, and Kyle Lancaster.

Asked why he did not sign his name, Wommack said it was "just a group of concerned citizens."

"Do we want to list the name of all the concerned citizens that came together as part of this? Well, you know, I don't know. Maybe ... in hindsight, we should have done that. But we didn't."

Wommack alleged the information put out by the district was "one-sided" and the school officials who wanted the tax levy, which was defeated, were "sore losers."

"I'm sorry that they didn't get their way on it. I really feel bad about that but all we did was put information out there to give the public balance so they had an understanding of both sides of it. Then they can make an informed decision."

He added: "I represent the citizens of Bolivar. I feel like it's my responsibility to try and inform them the best way I know how and you got to understand this was done in a really short period of time."

Bolivar Superintendent Richard Asbill said the district started exploring the option of joining the OTC district roughly six months before the vote, initially with board officers and then the rest of the governing body.

Asbill said many of the concerns raised by the Concerned Citizens group were directly addressed in board meetings and in the information provided to voters by the district.

For example, the group wrote there was "apparently no sunset clause," meaning the tax levy was expected to remain in place, if approved, and could only go up.

Information about the proposed tax levy was provided ahead of the November election.

Information provided by the district and OTC explained half of the 20 cents per $100 of assessed valuation was subject to a sunset  meaning voters must review and approve every 20 years. The other half was permanent.

The way the taxing district for OTC is structured, the request to join  and the corresponding tax levy  must be proposed by a school district and approved by voters.

The college concentrates its services and offers in-district tuition to residents in the school districts that are part of the OTC taxing district, which includes Ash Grove, Branson, Clever, Everton, Fordland, Hollister, Logan-Rogersville, Marshfield, Nixa, Ozark, Pleasant Hope, Republic, Springfield, Strafford, Walnut Grove and Willard.

Wommack acknowledged the proposed tax levy would have lowered tuition for Bolivar residents who wanted to enroll in OTC, but alleged that might have given the college an advantage over others in the area include Southwest Baptist University, which is located in Bolivar.

"It was just focused on OTC and so that was a big concern of mine," he said.

The Concerned Citizens group alleged OTC provides programs that benefit "relatively few" high school students and residents.

According to OTC, 1,503 students from Polk County  787 from Bolivar  had enrolled at the college in the five years before the vote. The prior year, there were 218.

The group speculated that "rents would likely be increased and businesses could adjust pricing to reflect higher costs" due to the higher taxes.

Wommack said that, during a meeting with OTC officials, Gov. Mike Parson and Bolivar business leaders in August, there was a motion to take a vote on placing the tax levy request on the ballot.

At that time, Wommack said he asked to table that motion and allow the board to close the public portion of the meeting to discuss the proposal.

"I had some questions I would like to ask and I would simply like our guest to leave, let us discuss them and then if you want to go ahead and proceed with a vote, that is OK," Wommack recalled saying. "But I was muzzled. I wasn't even allowed to ask my questions."

Hubbert said she insisted the discussion, like the vote, take place in the public part of the meeting. A majority of the board agreed to place the request on the ballot.

Wommack said he was the "sole 'no' vote" and if others were against it, they did not speak up. "Picture in your mind the amount of pressure that was on that board when you've got the OTC representatives in front of you, you've got all these people from the city of Bolivar, you've got bankers, the governor was just there."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Bolivar school board member faces censure in role to defeat tax levy
Western leaders have lined up to condemn the sham election that has handed Vladimir Putin another six years in power  as an independent Russian vote monitoring group called it the most corrupt in the countrys history.

The Kremlin claimed that President Putin won more than 87 per cent of the vote, by far the biggest landslide in post-Soviet Russian history. That follows years of repression and a crackdown on dissent that has accelerated since Moscow invaded Ukraine two years ago and the whole election process being controlled. In claiming victory, Putin again sought to threaten the West against deploying troops to Ukraine, saying that a possible conflict between Russia and Nato would put the world a step away from a third world war.

The announcement last month that Putins fiercest critic, Alexei Navalny, was dead  with the opposition leader having spent his last few weeks in a brutal Arctic prison on charges that the international community have decried as trumped up  was the starkest example of the state of Putins Russia ahead of the election. World leaders laid the blame for Nanalnys death at Putins door, and his widow Yulia called Putin a killer, a gangster.

Other Navalny allies later accused Putin of being a bloodsucking bug who will soon burst after the Russian leader said his rivals name for the first time in public for the first time in years as he claimed victory

Putin removes his political opponents, controls the media, and then crowns himself the winner, said Britains foreign secretary, David Cameron. This is not democracy.

Golos, an independent Russian watchdog, described the vote as the most fraudulent in Russian history. Branded a foreign agent in 2013, the organisation was barred from sending observers to polling stations. One of its leaders, Grigory Melkonyants, is in prison awaiting trial on what Golos says are politically motivated charges.

Never have we seen a presidential campaign so out of line with constitutional standards, the group said in a statement. The campaign was conducted in a situation where the foundational articles of the Russian constitution, which guarantee political rights and freedoms, were essentially not in effect.

Noting that Putin changed the constitution in 2020 to allow him to run well beyond the two-term limit, something he has now eclipsed twice, first in 2012 and again in 2024, Golos added: The basic constitutional safeguard against the usurpation of power has been dismantled.

These comments were echoed by the French, German and Polish foreign ministries, as well as by the European Union and several Baltic states. Calling Russia a dictatorship, a German government spokesperson said the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, would not congratulate Putin on his re-election in a vote viewed by Berlin as predetermined.

Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Aleksei Navalny, outside the Russian embassy in Berlin after she voted in Russian elections on 17 March 2024 (Getty)

Lithuania, meanwhile, is set to be the first nation to formally refuse to recognise the results of the elections. The countrys foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, described the election as a reappointment lacking any legitimacy and that only three per cent of Russians who voted remotely from Lithuania signed for Putin.

The elections are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him, said John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson.

Having declared victory at his campaign headquarters on Sunday night, Putin said the country had a lot of tasks ahead, suggesting that Russia could try and set up a buffer zone inside Ukrainian territory. A senior Ukrainian official said on Monday that this was a clear indication Moscow planned to escalate its war. This is ... a direct manifest statement that the war will only escalate, presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters. The Kremlin leader did not provide details but said the buffer zone may have to be big enough to stop what he said were foreign-made weapons striking Russian territory.

Putin also hailed his Kremlin-controlled triumph at the polls as indicative of the trust and hope the country has in his leadership, a narrative the West has been eager to dispel. Putin spoke later on Monday at a large stadium event in Moscow to mark the 10th anniversary of Russias illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, which started the path towards the current invasion. He offered more of the same war propaganda to the thousands gathered.

Ukraine has repeatedly struck at Russias Black Sea fleet  which is based in Crimea. Kyiv has damaged and sunk a number of warships in recent months and several other vessels have had to be moved.

Russian state media told its viewers that international congratulations were pouring in from foreign leaders around the world. In reality, though, the praise came only from a few countries.

Russia and China have become increasingly close during Xi Jinpings rule over China (via Reuters)

Chinese president Xi Jinping, who declared a limitless friendship with Putin just weeks before the invasion of Ukraine, said: Your re-election is a full demonstration of the support of the Russian people for you.

China attaches great importance to the development of China-Russia relations and stands ready to maintain close communication with Russia to promote the sustained, healthy, stable and in-depth development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership.

Similar words of support came from North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un and Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi. Both countries are believed to be supplying weapons to Russia to be used against Ukraine. Some Central and South American leaders and presidents of nations with historic and close current ties to Russia also passed on their regards, such as Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Putin also received congratulations from both India and the UAE, nations with whom the Russian leader has sought good relations in recent years. Indias prime minister, Narendra Modi, said on X/Twitter: Warm congratulations to H.E. Mr. Vladimir Putin on his re-election as the President of the Russian Federation.

Given the threat of arrest for those who gathered in Russia to protest the vote, Navalnys associates urged those unhappy with Putin or the war to go to the polls at noon on Sunday  and lines outside several polling stations both inside Russia and at its embassies around the world appeared to swell at that time. Navalnys associates suggested thousands heeded their call.

Among those was Navalnys widow Yulia, who spent more than five hours in the line at the Russian embassy in Berlin. She told reporters she had written her late husbands name on her ballot. Asked whether she had a message for her countrys president, Ms Navalnaya replied: Please stop asking for messages from me or from somebody for Mr Putin. There could be no negotiations and nothing with Mr Putin.

Other allies of Navalny reacted with fury after Putin decided to name the opposition leader in public for the first time in years. Putin described the death as a sad event  despite being accused of his killing  before claiming that he had agreed to a prisoner swap just days before Navalnys death. That was likely to rub salt in the wounds of Navalnys family and supporters.

Putin called Navalny by name for the first time, a month after he cynically killed him, said Leonid Volkov, who was Navalnys chief of staff during his presidential run in 2018. The bloodsucking bug revels in its impunity. It will burst soon and that will be some splash.

Georgy Alburov, another member of Navalnys opposition movement, said: If every serial killer was given a press conference instead of a trial, this is what it would be like.
WASHINGTON  The Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Nicole Berner as a federal judge, putting the longtime union lawyer and former Planned Parenthood litigator into a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit.

The final vote was 50 to 47. No Republicans voted for her  not even the two who identify as pro-choice, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. One Democrat voted no: Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Berner is general counsel for Service Employees International Union, the labor union that represents nearly 2 million workers. Shes worked in some legal capacity for SEIU since 2006. She was also previously a staff attorney for Planned Parenthood from 2004 to 2006.

The 59-year-old is also a partner at the D.C.-based law firm James & Hoffman.

Berners work at SEIU has included filing amicus briefs in Supreme Court cases that protected the Affordable Care Act, overturned the Defense of Marriage Act and, later, led to full marriage equality. She was the lead attorney on a 2018 amicus brief opposing a Donald Trump administration effort to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and has been part of the Fight for $15 campaign to raise local and state minimum wages.

During her time at Planned Parenthood, she litigated cases aimed at protecting medication abortion in Ohio, defending young peoples access to abortion in Missouri and increasing womens abortion access in New Mexico.

Berners confirmation is a big win for progressives. At least one progressive judicial advocacy group, Demand Justice, previously proposed her as a Supreme Court nominee for President Joe Biden.

Her confirmation is also a victory for anyone who cares about making the nations federal judges more diverse and representative of the communities they serve  something that Biden has prioritized with his court picks. Berner will be the third-ever openly lesbian judge to serve on a U.S. appeals court. The other two are Judge Beth Robinson and Judge Alison Nathan, both of whom are on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit and both of whom were also appointed by Biden.

Nicole Berner testifies during her Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing in December 2023. C-SPAN

Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor and judicial nominations expert, said that Berners confirmation is significant for a number of reasons.

Not only will she be one of a minuscule number of federal judges who practiced employee-side labor law, he said, but her confirmation reflects an ongoing shift in her particular courts ideological balance.

As recently as 2005 or so, [this court] was considered the most ideologically conservative appeals court in the nation, said Tobias. Indeed, the court has become more centrist and even progressive on certain issues, thanks substantially to George W. Bushs inability to fill several vacancies on the court in 2007-2008, after Democrats won a Senate majority in 2006, and [Barack] Obamas ability to fill the openings with rather progressive appointees.

Of the 15 authorized judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, nine were appointed by Democratic presidents. Berner is replacing another Democrat-appointed judge, Diana Gribbon Motz, who assumed senior status and scaled back her duties in September 2022.

Beyond that, Berners background with Planned Parenthood matters because this court has jurisdiction over some states with restrictive abortion laws.

Any appeals of federal lawsuits relating to abortion rights in North Carolina, South Carolina or West Virginia will end up before the court that Berner now sits on. Each of these states has varying degrees of restrictions, if not outright bans, on access to abortion. If Berner is randomly assigned to any these potential cases, she brings the expertise of someone familiar with legal fights over womens reproductive rights.

On more personal matters, Berner is a dual American Israeli citizen. When she lived in Israel, she fought for years and ultimately won a case before Israels Supreme Court that changed the countrys law to require the government to recognize two moms as the full parents of a child.

She wasnt just the attorney in that case  she was the litigant.

That ruling is considered one of the most important LGBTQ rights decisions in Israeli history, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who recommended Berner to the White House, said in her confirmation hearing in December.

According to Van Hollen, Berner said that case taught her how humbling and terrifying it is to be a litigant defending the most important thing she has.
An elite unit of South Africa's police has raided the Johannesburg home of the speaker of parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, over corruption allegations.

She has been accused of soliciting bribes in return for awarding contracts when she served as defence minister.

"The Speaker steadfastly upholds her strong conviction of innocence," said a statement from parliament.

The police unit was acting on behalf of state prosecutors who have been carrying out an investigation.

The statement from parliament said that the police "conducted a search and seizure procedure" at Ms Mapisa-Nqakula's residence, adding that she "welcomed the investigators into her home, co-operating fully" during the five-hour search.

The 67-year-old veteran of the anti-apartheid struggle became speaker in 2021. Before that, she served as defence minister for seven years.

During her time in that post, Ms Mapisa-Nqakula allegedly made several demands for money, amounting to $120,000 (96,000), from the owner of a company to secure a tender to transport army equipment back to South Africa from elsewhere on the continent, the Business Day newspaper reports.

Cyril Ramaphosa became president in 2018 on a pledge to tackle corruption in the country. His predecessor, Jacob Zuma, was accused of overseeing a huge effort to divert state resources, charges he denies.

Ms Mapisa-Nqakula herself believes that "corruption poses a significant threat to the principles of democracy and good governance", parliament said.

"Therefore, she is profoundly disturbed by such allegations."

In a brief statement, the National Prosecuting Authority confirmed the search operation, but gave no other details and did not say when or whether any charges would be brought.
For a third time, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has turned down a request from state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters to insert himself into a lawsuit that seeks to stop the creation of what would be the nation's first public religious charter school.

Oral arguments in the lawsuit filed by state Attorney General Gentner Drummond against the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board are set for April 2. Each side in the case is being given 30 minutes to speak before the Supreme Court. In a court filing on March 8, the attorneys for Walters, the Oklahoma State Department of Education and state Board of Education  both of which he leads  asked that they be given 10 minutes to speak alongside those attorneys representing the board, to ensure that the interests of the State are adequately advocated.

On Friday, the court turned down that request, citing the opposition of both Drummond and the virtual-school board and noting (t)he Department failed to show extraordinary cause to participate in oral argument in this case.

Walters criticized the court's ruling.

"With Oklahomans' religious liberty and educational choices at stake, the people deserve to hear as robust a debate as possible," Walters said. "I am disappointed in this decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court. In the end, I trust the Court will preserve the religious liberties of all Oklahomans, as enshrined in the Constitution."

Drummond sued the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board on Oct. 20 after the board, by a 3-2 vote, approved the creation of what would be known as St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Charter School. Drummond has warned that approval of the Catholic charter school might eventually force Oklahoma to fund schools teaching Sharia law.

Walters filed his initial motion to intervene in the case on Nov. 7. On Nov. 14, the state Supreme Court denied that motion without offering a reason. Two days later, Bryan Cleveland  then the general counsel for the Education Department  filed a motion for the Supreme Court to reconsider that decision. Cleveland said doing so and allowing Walters to intervene would pragmatically settle the questions surrounding St. Isidore and its sponsorship and funding.

During its Nov. 30 meeting, the Oklahoma State Board of Education approved Walters' request to retain lawyers from groups headquartered outside Oklahoma  the Plano, Texas-based First Liberty Institute and the Overland Park, Kansas-based Spencer Fane LLP  for the attempt to reverse the Supreme Courts rulings. Both sets of attorneys for Walters are working pro bono on the case.

But on Dec. 18, by a 6-2 vote, the court denied the motion to reconsider.

Supreme Court Chamber is pictured March 23, 2022, at the Capitol.

What was the court's latest ruling against Walters, state Education Department?

Saying the court had granted them amici  essentially, friend-of-the-court status  Walters, the Education Department and the state Board of Education said in a filing earlier this month they should be allowed to speak during oral arguments. Among the attorneys with their names on that court filing was Erin Smith, whos an assistant general counsel with the Education Department, although her name is not listed on the agencys website. Cleveland, who has resigned as the agencys general counsel, still is listed on its website.

Drummond, who has steadfastly opposed Walters involvement in the case, disputed that assertion in another filing. He noted the state Board of Education had not filed a brief supporting the virtual-school board or St. Isidore and said, As a result, (the education board) clearly has no grounds to participate further in this matter.

Later in his brief, Drummond said Walters, the agency and the state board continue to presumptively act as parties to this action but havent identified what, if any, adverse impact the outcome of this litigation will have on them.

Attorneys for both the virtual-school board and St. Isidore also protested the request by Walters, the agency and the state board. The virtual-school boards attorneys, in a brief, said cutting 10 minutes out of their allotted time during oral arguments would materially limit and adversely affect their presentations and would not materially advance the Courts consideration of the issues in this case. St. Isidores attorneys advanced similar arguments.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Supreme Court rules against Ryan Walters in St. Isidore case
The House Foreign Affairs Committee hammered the administration on Tuesday for its 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, seeking to keep the chaotic exit in the public eye even as the two retired generals who oversaw the evacuation offered few new details.

President Joe Bidens poll numbers tanked three years ago as U.S. forces left Afghanistan, especially after an ISIS suicide bomber killed 13 American service members outside Kabuls airport. Republicans have since tried to make the withdrawal a political albatross to hang around Bidens neck, leading Democrats to defend him on the committee dais and beyond.

But its unclear just how much of a liability the war in Afghanistan will prove for Biden heading into a likely presidential matchup with Donald Trump, who initiated the withdrawal process by signing a deal with the Taliban.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Mike McCaul (R-Texas) has made it a central theme. He culminated his months-long investigation into the evacuation with Tuesdays high-profile testimony from retired Gen. Mark Milley, the former Joint Chiefs chair, and retired Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, the former chief of U.S. Central Command.



McCaul accused Biden of ignoring advice from the two generals  who had advocated for at least 2,500 U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan. The administration scrambled to secure Kabul airport as hordes of Afghans rushed to board evacuation flights.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail  and fail they did, McCaul said.

McCaul, a former prosecutor, addressed the relatives of some of the 13 slain service members. I will not rest until I get to the bottom of this tragedy, he said. You deserve answers. The American people deserve answers, and I intend to deliver.

Here are three takeaways:

Evacuation made too late

Both generals admitted the administrations decision to conduct the noncombatant evacuation operation from Afghanistan was made too late  reiterating previous stances.

The fundamental mistake ... fundamental flaw was the timing of the State Department call of the evacuation operation, Milley told the panel. That was too slow and too late.

Even as Afghan troops defended their country, Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis decision to flee to the United Arab Emirates  the day after telling Secretary of State Antony Blinken he would stay  demoralized Kabuls forces and they melted away.

McKenzie argued the chaos surrounding the withdrawal, which included the attack at Kabuls airport that also wounded 170 Afghans, could have been averted if the State Department had chosen to evacuate earlier.

The Taliban had overrun the country, McKenzie said. As you are aware, the decision to begin [an evacuation operation] rests with the Department of State, not the Department of Defense.

The State Departments own report said the agencys participation in the evacuation was hindered because it wasnt clear which department was taking the lead.

Crisis preparation and planning were inhibited to a degree by concerns about the signals that might be sent, especially anything that might suggest the United States had lost confidence in the Afghan government, the report said.

Calls for more accountability

McKenzie, who led the top command for the Middle East from 2019 to 2022, took responsibility for the military response in Afghanistan. But he also faulted policy decisions for the situation leading up to the final days, adding pressure from the Biden administration to accept some culpability.

Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), a former Green Beret, said while many people in the administration had taken responsibility, no officials in the Biden administration had been held accountable.

Your government failed you, he said in an impassioned plea to families in the audience.

Generals agree with Democrats

While McCaul focused on the final deadly days of the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, the panels top Democrat noted the 20-year war spanned four presidential administrations. He  and the generals  argued that the lessons of the war cannot be learned by its final months, lending ammunition to Bidens defenders.

Nothing we're going to discuss today happened overnight, Milley said. The outcome in Afghanistan was the cumulative effect of many decisions over many years of war. And like any complex phenomena, there's no single causal factor that determined the outcome.



The House Foreign Affairs Committees ranking member, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), who has accused McCaul of politicizing the investigation, argued the testimony did not reveal anything new. He pointed to 2021 testimony from McKenzie and Milley in the months after the withdrawal.

This is not anything groundbreaking or anything that, you know, is being discovered newly, he said to Milley.

Meeks carried the Democrats rallying cry. He argued the final days of the war were set in motion  not by the withdrawal alone  but by Trumps 2020 peace agreement with the Taliban.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misstated the location to which Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled.
HELSINKI  Vladimir Putin won his fifth term as Russia's president with a record number of votes, Russia's Central Election Commission said Monday, confirming exit polls that showed the country's longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin won by a landslide in an election in which he faced no credible opposition and cracked down on free speech.

With nearly 100% of all precincts counted, Putin received 87.29% of the vote, Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova said. She said nearly 76 million voters cast their ballots for Putin, his highest vote tally ever.

Putin hailed the results as a clear indication of Russia's "trust" and "hope" in him. But his many critics saw them as another illustration of the preordained nature of the election. Criticism of Putin or his war in Ukraine has been criminalized. Independent media outlets have been closed down. Putin's fiercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison last month. Other Putin opponents are either in jail or in exile.

Russia's election: Putin hails big win as a sign of 'trust' in him

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with the media at his campaign headquarters in Moscow on March 18, 2024.

Germany called the vote a "pseudo-election," and Washington described it "neither free nor fair." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Putin was "sick with power and is doing everything in his power to rule forever." British Foreign Secretary David Cameron wrote on X: "This is not what free and fair elections look like."

"The elections took place in an ever-shrinking political space, which has resulted in an alarming increase of violations of civil and political rights, and precluded many candidates from running, including all those opposed to Russias illegal war of aggression, deprived Russian voters of a real choice and heavily limited their access to accurate information," said Josep Borrell, the European Union's top foreign policy official.

Russian presidential election: Vladimir Putin cements longest reign since Stalin

There were also congratulations sent from some of Russia's allies, including Cuba, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the presidents of Honduras, Nicaragua and Venezuela, as well as the leaders of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In a news conference Sunday, Putin said he would press on with his invasion of Ukraine. He also claimed Russia's democracy was more legitimate than the system in the United States, where he said you can "buy a vote for $10."

Callum Fraser, a Russia researcher at the Royal United Services Institute think tank in London, said a "significant part of Russian society is not content with Putin or the current state of the country." He estimated Putin's share of the domestic Russian vote at about 55% and said there were "isolated" acts of protest during the vote, but the largest demonstrations against Putin's rule took place outside Russia because of harsh crackdowns inside it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Putin wins Russia presidential vote, Central Election Commission says
Even though spring is here, and days are getting longer, now that daylight savings has come and gone, I get to commute to work in the dark again. This has its pros and cons, but one exciting thing is the chance to see migrating frogs and salamanders on warm, rainy mornings. Last week, while driving to work on one such warm (if you call 45 degrees Fahrenheit warm) morning, I watched tens, possibly hundreds, of frogs hopping across the road. Sadly, I also saw the squished carcasses of those who had been hit by cars.

This is part of what is called an amphibian big night. Big nights happen on rainy nights when the temperature is around 45 degrees or higher. Frogs and salamanders who have been hibernating all winter under leaves and in underground burrows emerge and migrate to the pools where they were born to find mates. Depending on location, this mass migration can involve hundreds of thousands of amphibians. Two of the most common amphibians to find migrating en masse are wood frogs and spotted salamanders.

A wood frog migrating across the road in North Berwick, Maine.

Why are these frogs and salamanders up and about so early? They are adapted to take advantage of vernal pools, which will dry up fairly quickly. This is a problem in that these amphibians require water for the reproductive part of their life cycles. Their eggs need to develop and hatch out in water. But this also gives their fast-growing young an advantage; they have one less predator to worry about since fish cannot survive in these temporary pools. Their strategy: get to the pools early and lay their eggs. Those tadpoles develop super fast, and if all goes well, they are hopping and crawling out of the pools before they dry out.

I was first made aware, long before I ever experienced it, of the idea of a massive frog (and salamander) migration in Loren Eiseleys essay The Dance of the Frogs, in which an old professor recounts to a young scientist his experience with a frog migration: It was a late spring, he said. Fog and mist in those hollows in a way I had never seen before. And frogs, of course. Thousands of them, and twenty species, trilling, gurgling, and grunting in as many keys. The beautiful keen silver piping of spring peepers arousing as the last ice leaves the ponds  if you have heard that after a long winter alone, you will never forget it ... All amphibia have to return to the water for mating and egg laying. Even toads will hop miles across country to streams and waterways. You dont see them unless you go out at night in the right places as I did, but that night You could feel the forces of mighty and archaic life welling up from the very ground. The water was pulling them not water as we know it, but the mother, the ancient life force, the thing that made us in the days of creation, and that lurks around us still, unnoticed in our sterile cities.

A migrating spotted salamander.

I read this essay as a kid and when I moved to Maine and experienced my first big night it was pure magic, spring made physical.

These frogs (and salamanders) need to migrate to vernal pools. Unfortunately, we have divided up the forested wetland complexes they need  we have filled in wetlands and built roads and driveways in the middle of their age-old migration routes. One way we can help is to watch for them during migration season and be careful when driving along wet roads on rainy nights.

We can also get involved in citizen science projects that monitor migration routes and provide guidelines for helping these tiny amphibians make it safely across roads. I recently joined Maine Big Night, a nonprofit community science project established to confront the issue of amphibians becoming roadkill during their spring migration.

Maine Big Night (MBN) organizes volunteers to assist these animals across the road while collecting valuable data that will help to protect them in the future. MBN recorded data on over 20,000 amphibians at over 300 road locations throughout the state as of 2023 and will be collecting data for 2024 through May. It isnt too late to check out their website, get certified to collect data, and hit the road (so to speak). If you dont live in Maine, find an amphibian monitoring program in your area, and get involved. Coastal New England is rich in vernal pools which gives us all the opportunity to get outside on rainy spring nights and participate in this rite of spring.

Susan Pike

Susan Pike, a researcher and an environmental sciences and biology teacher at Dover High School, welcomes your ideas for future column topics. Send your photos and observations to spike3116@gmail.com. Read more of her Nature News columns at Seacoastonline.com and pikes-hikes.com, and follow her on Instagram @pikeshikes.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: How you can save frogs, salamanders on their big night: Nature News
Hundreds of abandoned and derelict boats litter South Carolinas pretty shorelines and fish-filled waterways across eight coastal counties. But the states chief environmental agency aims to put a dent in the chronic problem with a first-of-its kind program for the state..

Through the Vessel Turn-in Program, unveiled earlier this month, residents and businesses in Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Horry and Jasper counties can simply apply to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control to have unwanted, at-risk or end-of-life vessels disposed of before they become abandoned.

This is a first of its kind program in South Carolina, said Liz Hartje, a project manager in DHECs Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

Historically, DHEC has assisted local governments and others in acquiring funding, typically through NOAA, to remove boats that already have been abandoned. It is a costly process, Hartje said.

Preventing boats from being left behind in the first place is a new tactic in addressing the chronic environmental and navigation problem for the states coastal counties. The proactive service, which is free for those who qualify, is way to get out in front of the problem, Hartje said. Its a little bit of a different way to tackle the issue and something were pretty excited about.

DHEC officials studied what other states are doing across the country including Florida and Texas to develop the South Carolina pilot program.

Boat owners are required to fill out an application to be covered by the new program. If the state accepts the submission, owners can bring the vessel to a laydown yard 40 miles north of Charleston. If they cant transport it, a contractor may be able to transport it for them. At the laydown yard, the vessel will be broken down and as much of it as possible will be recycled. The rest will be sent to a landfill. Fiberglass hulls will be broken down and mixed with other materials made into a fuel source at a local cement kiln.

Its going to be a case by case basis, says Julia Chrisco, a Coast Resource project manager. If people apply, I can look at every single detail about their vessel and come to a better conclusion.

She expects to see a lot of sailboats and motorboats.

The project is currently being tested and Chrisco and Hartje hope it is popular so it can be implemented on a long-term basis.

I think sometimes people arent sure how to take care of a vessel, Hartje. This makes it easier for them.

While the state does not keep specific numbers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says thousands of abandoned and derelict vessels litter ports, waterways and estuaries up and down the cost. These aging watercraft pollute marshes and coastal waters, Chrisco says, because once they get into the waterways or the salt marsh or oyster reef habitat, gas and oil can leak. They also create navigation hazards for working boats.

Some organizations pull abandoned vessels out of the water but the cost can reach into the tens of thousands of dollars to remove and transport them to a landfill.

It would not be unusual to spend more than $10,000 on a sunken vessel that needs to be floated up and placed on a barge, Hartje said.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control is testing a new program to prevent derelict boats from entering coastal waterways where they may become environmental or safety hazards.

The pilot project is being funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It is part of the states five-year marine debris strategy.

Those interested in the pilot project should apply online at scdhec.gov/ADV.

The first vessel drop-off day will take place in the Charleston County area in June. Interested applicants from any of the states eight coastal counties are encouraged to apply online by April 5, to be considered.

Anyone with questions can learn more at scdhec.gov/ADV or email chriscj@dhec.sc.gov.

Some coastal South Carolina communities in Beaufort County are taking steps to address abandoned boats as well.

In 2022, the Port Royal Town Council unanimously approved an ordinance that requires a permit for mooring and bans anchoring within a certain distance of public boat landings, bridges, private docks and marinas. The Town of Hilton Head is considering an ordinance as well to address the problem.

An abandoned, sunken boat is seen at low tide on Wed., Sept. 21, 2022 in Battery Creek with buoy markers to alert boaters near the shrimp dock in the Town of Port Royal.
At a small Northern California airport managed by a county departments division of airports and cemeteries, a withering grand jury report found that pilots fly in terror of the very tall pine trees that stand uncomfortably close to the runways.

Multiple pilots have clipped these pine trees, the El Dorado County grand jury said in a February report. One pilot took off from Georgetown and, when he landed in Cameron Park, discovered he had decapitated a conifer: A two-foot portion of tree top was stuck to the undercarriage of his plane.

Theyre really lucky that they werent slightly lower and got a bigger section of the tree, Scott Herring, a pilot based at Georgetown Airport since 1997, told The Sacramento Bee in an interview.

The report says the pines make landing, in particular, even more dangerous.

To knowledgeable pilots operating under ideal weather conditions, the airport is rapidly becoming unusable, the report said. To pilots without local knowledge operating under less-than-ideal weather or night conditions, its a potential death trap.

Caltrans suspended night operations last December at the public, two-runway airport roughly 10 miles north of Placerville, which is managed by the El Dorado County Planning and Building Department. The grand jury report said hundreds of small planes use the airport each year.

A spokesperson for El Dorado County, Carla Hass, did not answer questions about the findings. She said staff were working on a formal response that would be presented to the Board of Supervisors by May 20, the required 90-day deadline for county officials to answer the grand jury.

But the grand jury report said the county has been working on addressing the issue for two years, without any tangible progress.

The report also contends that the county has been aware of these unsafe airport conditions since at least 2013 when it received a service request to remove overgrown trees, and that the airport is not in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration or state regulations.

For at least 10 years, weve been bringing up this problem that these trees on the south end are getting taller and taller, said Herring, who has more than 6,000 hours of recorded flight time. Theyre getting into the point where you have to make an adjustment to your flight path to get over them. And thats difficult for students when theyre learning.

Pilot Scott Herring stands next to one of his airplanes at the Georgetown Airport on Friday. He has several businesses at the airport, including Airfilm Camera Systems, which makes of aircraft mounts for imaging systems. Herring and other pilots say that tree growth near the runway has made for dangerous conditions. Hector Amezcua/hamezcua@sacbee.com

The county operates its two airports at a loss of about $500,000 a year from the general fund. Last year, the Board of Supervisors funded a $50,000 economic development plan for the facilities in Georgetown and Placerville.

The grand jury asked, Could that $50,000 have been better spent on ensuring the airport is safe much earlier?

Axing the offending trees may cost the county more than the economic development plan. The report says that engineers believe there are more than 1,500 trees across 6 to 8 acres that need to be removed. The project, it was estimated, will run between $50,000 to $100,000.

The county Board of Supervisors placed an item on the consent agenda of Tuesdays meeting to transfer $50,000 from the general fund to Georgetown Airport. The item also includes a form for submission to Cal Fire that would clear the way to remove about 3 acres of the troublesome trees.

In the interim, the grand jury said, theres a risk that those trees might kill someone.

And the grand jury report suggested that perhaps the division that manages cemeteries is not the best fit to manage airports, calling the marriage a particularly awkward fit.

Eric Meyer, of Jackson, maneuvers over tall trees as he approaches the runway at the Georgetown Airport in El Dorado County on Friday. Some of the trees should be removed, said Meyer, who has had to go to a different airport because he couldnt land at night. Hector Amezcua/hamezcua@sacbee.com

Flight risk

Pilots carped repeatedly about the trees. The grand jury quoted two pilots statements from a November 2023 Airport Advisory Committee meeting, where attendees were responding to the news that that the tree cull would take two years.

Ive been here for 25 years, and the trees have been talked about a lot, but now the trees are an endangerment to the pilots and to the houses near there, one said. You cannot see these trees when you are starting to slow the plane down to get down to what is called the over the fence speed. I think I might have hit one the other day and I have flown into Georgetown probably more than anyone else in the history of the airport. I have 4000+ hours of flight time around Georgetown and the trees are really tall. I think the rain this year did this.

We cant wait two years.

A second pilot quoted in the report agreed that the changes could not wait. I actually stopped flying my plane into Georgetown because I believe I clipped the trees on my last takeoff, the flier said, and it is forking terrifying.

The pilot continued, We have to do something, because someones going to die and then were really going to regret not doing something.

Gary Vorderbruggen, a pilot and Georgetown resident, said he has been involved with the advisory committee for about 15 years. He said the operation over the last four or five years has been in shambles.

Something needs to be done and the county wont get off their rear ends and do anything.

Pilot Gary Vorderbruggen, of Georgetown, talks on Friday about the dangerous conditions of trees at the Georgetown Airport. The last four or five years has just been a shambles. We cant get them to take care of the place up hear and the trees have grown exponentially, Vorderbruggen said. Hector Amezcua/hamezcua@sacbee.com

The grand jury in its report said: General aviation airports dont get a lot of political attention because they benefit so few constituents and are only politically relevant as a revenue generator and/or emergency preparedness resource.

In addition to benefiting very few constituents, the report pointed out, Georgetown bleeds money out of the countys general fund: There is an understandable reluctance, it said, to invest a significant additional operating cost in a money-losing venture.

But still, the investigation found, those trees are a menace.

Herring described the worst-case scenario: a tree ripping off a wing or tail of a plane, sending the aircraft spiraling into a nearby home.

If the trees were gone, it would be just a much safer environment for everyone, he said.

An evergreen problem

The February report said that the county showed a general lack of urgency for the situation until the Grand Jury began investigating the issue.





An enforcement action from Caltrans, the report said, also seemed to spur public officials.

In a letter dated March 19, 2022, an aviation safety officer with Caltrans wrote to the Georgetown Airport manager demanding that the county submit a detailed obstruction reduction plan by July 30, 2022. The officer, Christopher Brooks, threatened to suspend night operations if such a plan were not produced.

A year and 10 months later, Brooks sent another letter, dated Dec. 7, 2023. We recognize your efforts toward future obstruction clearing, however, the risk to persons and property requires Caltrans Aeronautics Programs to initiate airport permit action.

The letter suspended nighttime operations at the airport until Caltrans determined that problems laid out in the March 19, 2022, letter no longer exist.

A week later, the airport produced an interim safety plan. Instead of taking two years, the county estimated that the problem could be solved by the end of 2024. Three acres of the most troubling trees are first on the schedule for the chopping block.

The Bees Hector Amezcua contributed to this story.
PolitiFact identified several videos that used AI-generated audio to promote false claims, many about the 2024 election, on TikTok and YouTube.

A recent social media post made what appeared to be a surprising announcement about the 2024 presidential race.

"Breaking news: Donald Trump has declared that he is pulling out of the run for president," the narrator said in a Feb. 22 TikTok video, which was viewed more than 161,000 times before TikTok removed it from the platform.

Of course, Trump hasnt dropped out of the 2024 race. As of March 12, hed secured enough delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nomination.

Besides the false claim, the video had another distinctive element: Its audio appeared to be made with artificial intelligence.

PolitiFact identified several TikTok accounts spreading false narratives about the 2024 election and Trump through its fact-checking partnership with TikTok.

(Read more about PolitiFact's partnership with TikTok.)

Videos on YouTube made similar false claims. These videos, which also appeared to have AI-generated audio, were reshared with lower engagement on Facebook and X.

Generative AI is a broad term that describes when computers create content, such as text, photos, videos and audio, by identifying patterns in existing data. It is likely to play an outsized role in national elections that the U.S. and more than 50 other countries are holding this year.

ChatGPT is a well-known example of generative artificial intelligence, which refers specifically to AI tools that use algorithms to generate outputs and create content that can include text, audio, code, images and more.

In February in Indonesia, AI-generated cartoons helped rehabilitate the image of a former military general linked to human rights abuses who won the countrys presidential election.

Recent advances in generative AI have made it harder to determine whether online content is real or fake. We talked to experts about how this technology is changing the information landscape and how to spot AI-generated audio. Unlike video, there arent visual abnormalities that can hint at manipulation.

When contacted for comment, a TikTok spokesperson said, "To apply our harmful misinformation policies, we detect misleading content and send it to fact-checking partners for factual assessment." Once alerted to the content highlighted in this story, TikTok removed it from the platform.

Experts analyze videos use of AI-generated audio

We asked generative AI experts to analyze five TikTok videos that made false and misleading claims across multiple accounts to determine whether wed accurately surmised that the audio was AI-generated.

Hafiz Malik, a University of Michigan-Dearborn electrical and computer engineering professor who studies deepfakes, said his AI detection tool classified four of the videos as having AI-generated audio. Some parts of the fifth video were labeled as "deepfake," while others werent.

Siwei Lyu, a University at Buffalo computer science and engineering professor who specializes in digital media forensics, said his AI detection algorithms also classified a majority of the five videos as using AI-generated audio.

TikTok videos make outrageous claims

Trump was a focus of these TikTok accounts; several of the accounts used photos of the former president as their profile photos.

These accounts followed a similar playbook: eye-catching headlines often displayed against red backgrounds; videos featuring famous figures, including Trump and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas; and a disembodied narrator.

Some videos made false claims about the well-being of high-profile people  that Trump had had a heart attack and New York Attorney General Letitia James had been hospitalized for gunshot wounds. James sued Trump in 2022, accusing him of fraudulently inflating his net worth; a judge ruled in February that Trump must pay a $454 million penalty.

Another video displayed text that said, "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas joins other justices to remove 2024 race candidate." This appears to misleadingly refer to the Supreme Courts case on Trumps ballot eligibility, in which Thomas and the other justices unanimously ruled that individual states cannot bar presidential candidates, including Trump, from the ballot.

All of these TikTok accounts were created within the past few months. The one that appeared the oldest had videos dating to November; the newest began posting content March 1. Three of the accounts had TikToks default username of "user" followed by 13 numbers.

Protests were held outside the U.S. Capitol as the House last week approved a bill that would force TikToks parent company to sell the popular social media app or face a practical ban in the U.S.

These accounts collectively posted hundreds of videos and garnered hundreds of thousands of views, likes and followers before TikTok removed the accounts and videos.

We also found YouTube videos making false claims that mimicked the TikTok videos format: sensational headlines, Trump photos, audio that sounded AI-generated. Most of them were viewed hundreds or thousands of times.

The two YouTube accounts that posted the videos were created in 2021 and 2022 and amassed tens of thousands of followers before we contacted YouTube for comment and the company removed the accounts from the platform.

Before YouTube removed the videos, they were reshared on other social media platforms, including Facebook and X, where very small numbers of people liked or viewed them.

(Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

A YouTube spokesperson did not provide comment for this story by our deadline.

How generative AI is contributing to more misinformation online

Misinformation experts say the newest generations of generative AI are making it easier for people to create and share misleading social media content. And AI-generated audio tends to be cheaper than its video counterparts.

"Now, anyone with access to the internet can have the power of thousands of writers, audio technicians and video producers, for free, and at the push of a button," said Jack Brewster, enterprise editor at Newsguard, a company tracking online misinformation.

"In the right hands, that power can be used for good," Brewster said. "In the wrong hands, that power can be used to pollute our information ecosystem, destabilize democracies and undermine public trust in institutions."

NewsGuard reported in September 2023 that AI voice technology was being used to spread conspiracy theories en masse across TikTok. The report said Newsguard "identified a network of 17 TikTok accounts using AI text-to-speech software to generate videos advancing false and unsubstantiated claims, with hundreds of millions of views."

A 2023 University of British Columbia study that used a dataset from TikTok found that AI text-to-speech technology simplified content creation, motivating content creators to produce more videos.

Study authors Xiaoke Zhang and Mi Zhou told PolitiFact that increased productivity means generative AI "can be deliberately exploited to generate misinformation at a low cost."

The technology can also help users conceal their identities, which can "diminish their sense of responsibility towards ensuring information accuracy," Zhang and Zhou said.

TikTok requires users to label content that contains AI-generated images, videos or audio "to help viewers contextualize the video and prevent the potential spread of misleading content." TikToks community guidelines bar "inaccurate, misleading, or false content that may cause significant harm to individuals or society."

No TikTok videos we reviewed had this generative AI label, although some included labels to learn more about U.S. elections. Brewster said NewsGuard also observed many TikTok users bypassing this policy about identifying AI-generated content.

YouTubes community guidelines dont allow "misleading or deceptive content that poses a serious risk of egregious harm." YouTube requires disclosure for election advertising containing "digitally altered or generated materials." The company said in December that it plans to expand this generative AI disclosure to other content.

How to detect AI-generated audio

Experts say existing AI detection tools are imperfect. They add that as detection tools improve, so does generative AI technology.

AI-generated audio lacks the more obvious visual cues of AI-generated images or videos, such as mouth movements that arent synced to audio or distorted physical features.

However, there are ways people can identify AI-generated audio.

Malik, the University of Michigan-Dearborn professor, said to listen for abnormalities in vocal tone, articulation or pacing.

"(AI-generated voices) lack emotions. They lack the rise and fall in the audio that you typically have when you talk," Malik said. "They are pretty monotonic."

Brewster also advised that the "old tactics" are still the best way to avoid AI-generated misinformation. Those include cross-checking information with other sites, being attuned to grammatical errors and odd phrasing, and searching for the names of those who posted to see if they have shared false information in the past.

Our sources

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Social accounts use AI-generated audio to push election misinformation
The Supreme Court unanimously ruled Tuesday that a mans challenge to his former placement on the No Fly List can move forward, finding the government failed to show his lawsuit is moot.

Yonas Fikre, a U.S. citizen who previously resided in Sudan, claimed his placement on the list was unlawful and sued the FBI.

The government later removed him from the list and signaled it was unlikely he would be readded. It then contended Fikres lawsuit was moot as a result and should be tossed.

The government warned that not declaring lawsuits like Fikres moot at the onset could require the government to disclose classified information. The Supreme Court rejected that assertion, enabling Fikres case to move ahead.

Necessarily, our judgment is a provisional one, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the courts opinion.

Just because the government has not yet demonstrated that Mr. Fikres case is moot does not mean it will never be able to do so, the conservative justice continued. This case comes to us in a preliminary posture, framed only by uncontested factual allegations and a terse declaration. As the case unfolds, the complaints allegations will be tested rather than taken as true, and different facts may emerge that may call for a different conclusion.

Fikre alleges that he traveled to Sudan in late 2009 in pursuit of growing an electronics business in his native East Africa. The FBI questioned him while in Sudan, according to court filings, telling Fikre he was on the No Fly List and could be removed if he became an informant.

Fikre allegedly refused and moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he claims he was then abducted and tortured for months by the countrys secret police at the FBIs request. After leaving the United Arab Emirates, Fikre says he moved to Sweden, filed his lawsuit and sought asylum.

After being denied asylum, Sweden allegedly flew Fikre back to Portland, Ore., on a private jet.

In 2016, the government told Fikre he had been dropped from the No Fly List and his lawsuit was moot, court filings show. The district court agreed, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, leading the government to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The FBI cannot play whack-a-mole with the rights of Muslims. The FBI cannot place innocent Muslims on the No Fly List, only to then block that unconstitutional list from scrutiny by removing those Muslims whenever they file a lawsuit, the Council on American-Islamic Relationss Gadeir Abbas, who argued the case for Fikre, said in a statement.

The government does not generally disclose the full reasoning for why people are placed on the list, and the Justice Department expressed concerns that allowing cases such as Fikres to move forward would needlessly force the government to reveal its sometimes-classified explanations.

A case does not automatically become moot when a defendant suspends its challenged conduct and then carries on litigating for some specified period, Gorsuch pushed back. Nor can a defendants speculation about a plaintiffs actions make up for a lack of assurance about its own. (For that matter, given what little we know at this stage in the proceedings, Mr. Fikre may have done none of the things the government presumes he has, perhaps wishing to but refraining for fear of finding himself relisted.)

Top Stories from The Hill

Justice Samuel Alito, joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, wrote separately to clarify that the government does not necessarily have to make classified information available to Fikre to show his case is moot.

In at least some instances, requiring the Government to disclose sensitive information regarding its grounds for placing or removing a person from the No-Fly List could undermine the Governments significant interests in airline safety and the prevention of terrorist attack, Alito wrote.

Lindsay Harrison and Annie Kastanek, partners at Jenner & Block who represented Fikre, applauded the ruling.

We are proud to have helped Mr. Fikre secure justice through this unanimous US Supreme Court decision, they said in a statement. Mr. Fikre was unconstitutionally placed on the No Fly List and stranded overseas for four years, and todays victory underscores that the government cannot evade review of its national security policies by selectively mooting out cases.

Updated at 12:54 p.m. EDT

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Marco Polo sheep, native to Central Asia, is the largest species of sheep in the world, which makes it a tantalizing target for trophy hunters.

For nearly a decade, Montana ranchers illegally developed hybrid sheep, created with Marco Polo sheep DNA, to create animals for shooting reserves and game ranches in Texas.

On Tuesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that on of the ranchers pleaded guilty to two counts of felony wildlife crimes, with each count carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

For nearly 800 years, Ovis ammon poliiknown commonly as the Marco Polo sheephas fascinated the western world. Named after the world-famous explorer who was the first European to describe the sheep in the 13th century, this subspecies of argali sheep calls the mountainous Pamir region of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan) its home. It is the largest wild sheep species in the world, standing nearly four feet tall, weighing nearly 300 pounds, and growing massive horns that can be as long as 6 feet and weigh upwards of 60 pounds.

Unfortunately, this animals impressive stature also makes it a prime target for hunting, and some will pay upwards of $40,000 for the opportunity . Sadly, the desire to hunt this majestic animal has reached a breaking point this week, as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) detailed an absolutely bonkers scheme to create giant hybrid sheep in the U.S. using genetic material extracted from illegally imported Marco Polo sheep.

The goal of this macabre scheme? To create a kind of Frankensheepusing cloning, hybridization, and artificial inseminationto ultimately sell to captive hunting operations (whether shooting preserves or game ranches), most of which reside in Texas.

For nearly a decade, Montana rancher Arthur Jack Schubarth, along with five other accomplices, committed several violations of the Lacey Act. First passed back in 1900, the act combats the illegal trafficking of wild animals. On Tuesday, Schubarth pleaded guilty to two felony wildlife crimeseach count carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

This was an audacious scheme to create massive hybrid sheep species to be sold and hunted as trophies, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) said in a DOJ press statement. In pursuit of this scheme, Schubarth violated international law and the Lacey Act, both of which protect the viability and health of native populations of animals.

Unable to acquire living Marco Polo argali sheep due to their transparent size, Schubarth instead illegally imported parts of an Ovis ammon polii, extracted its genetic material, and created cloned embryos in a laboratory. After implanting the embryos into ewes on his 215-acre alternative livestock ranch, Schubarth finally got his hands on a pure genetic Marco Polo argali, according to the DOJ.

Named Montana Mountain King, or MMK, this argali outweighed even the beefiest of Marco Polo sheep, the Telegraph reports . MMKs semen was used to impregnate other species of ewes to create hybrid specimens. Schubarths actions not only violated the international protections of the Marco Polo argali, as stipulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but also ran afoul of the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Montanas own laws designed to protect native sheep from disease and hybridization.

Montana Mountain King is now in the custody of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and as part of the plea deal, animals containing MMK DNA will be quarantined and possibly neutered. So, the best way to see these magnificent animals will require following in the footsteps of Marco Polo and glimpsing them in their native habitat.

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One of the two 16-year-olds arrested and held in juvenile detention since the mass shooting after the Kansas City Chiefs rally is now facing a felony charge of firing a gun and may be tried as an adult, according to court officials.

The teenager is accused of a single felony count of unlawful weapon use for shooting at a person. He also is charged with felony-level resisting arrest.

The Office of the Juvenile Officer amended the charges against the teenager on Tuesday, according to a news release from the Family Court division of Jackson County Circuit Court.

The criminal charges against the one teenager rise to the threshold under Missouri law where a Family Court division judge will determine if he is tried as an adult.

That process, known as certification, is mandatory in certain cases of serious criminal allegations. Some certifications in Jackson County take weeks or months before such a decision is reached

A second teenager, also 16 years old, remains held in juvenile detention on gun related charges.

Authorities have not disclosed the exact criminal charge, or further detailed the allegations, though the statement from the court on Tuesday says the second teenagers charges do not rise to the level of the more serious felony charges where a juvenile is eligible for a certification hearing.

The latest update on the teenagers comes more than one month after 25 people were shot outside Union Station at the close of the Kansas City Chiefs victory rally. Authorities have said the shooting stemmed from a dispute between two groups that quickly ended in gunfire.

Killed at the rally was 43-year-old Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a Johnson County mother of two and beloved radio DJ. Among the injured bystanders were children, who made up roughly half of those shot on Feb. 14.

Last month, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced charges against two men  Lyndell Mays, 23, and Dominic Miller, 18. Each is charged with felony murder and other crimes in the death of Lopez-Galvan.

Authorities allege Mays drew and fired first. Miller allegedly told police he shot at a person who had been actively firing a gun.

Federal prosecutors last week said three men had been charged as straw purchasers of two firearms recovered from the shooting scene.

An affidavit prepared by an agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says at least six people are believed to have fired weapons and 12 possibly brandished firearms based on evidence of the case.

Local Kansas City authorities, meanwhile, have declined to say whether other suspects are under investigation.

The Stars Katie Moore contributed to this report.
The mayor of a Texas town was recently arrested and accused of helping run a cocaine trafficking conspiracy with his brother and others, according to federal officials and news outlets.

Gerardo Alanis, mayor of the south Texas town of Progreso, was taken into custody March 18, according to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court of Southern Texas.

In the documents, federal officials accuse Alanis of taking part in a trafficking scheme involving more than 80 pounds of cocaine, which he did intentionally possess with intent to distribute.

Three other men are also named in the documents, including his brother, Frank Javier Alanis.

Alanis arrest comes about five months after his brother, who was arrested on drug charges in October in connection to the same plot, according to a Department of Justice news release. The 40-year-old was serving as school board president and assistant city manager at the time of his Oct. 13 arrest.

McClatchy News reached out to the city managers office for comment regarding Mayor Alanis arrest, but did not immediately hear back.

These arrests come as no surprise to Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Constable Celestino Avila Jr., who told KVEO that corruption among the towns leadership is not new.

It seems like its the same circus  all they do is change the clowns, he told the station, adding that while many Progreso residents may take issue with the Alanis family, the family is very influential, and people are afraid to speak out against them.

They have them pretty much by the throat, Avila said. They cant say or do anything.

Progreso has a population of about 5,500 people. Its about 2 miles north of the Mexico border and a roughly 255-mile drive south from San Antonio.

No attorney was listed for Alanis.

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The former president must pay the full amount in cash or secure a bond by 25 March

Donald Trump's lawyers are asking a New York court to put a $464m (365m) fine in a civil fraud case on hold, as the former president finds himself in a precarious financial situation that could ultimately see his most prized properties taken.

If Mr Trump wants to continue his appeal in the case without the state seizing the fine from him, he must submit the full amount in cash or secure a bond from a private company by 25 March.

But on Monday, his lawyers said that despite their "diligent efforts" it had been "practically impossible" to find a company willing to act as a guarantor of the full sum and asked for a pause.

"We really are in a moment of serious crisis for Trump personally, as well as for his business," said Professor Will Thomas from the University of Michigan Ross Business School.

So with the clock seemingly ticking, here's what could happen next in the case.

1) Trump gets a pause

A panel of appeals court judges will decide by 25 March whether the $464m judgement can be paused while Mr Trump appeals.

This would be a best case scenario for the former president, who is no doubt eager to avoid having to pay an estimated 16% of what Forbes reports is his $2.6bn net worth.

The fact that Mr Trump has assets in the state of New York that can be seized, however, could reassure a court that he would be able to pay the penalty if he lost the appeal, according to Mr Thomas.

Mr Trump is seeking to overturn the judge's finding that he owes millions in potential lost interest by the banks that loaned him money, and from the profits of his sale of his New York golf course and Washington DC hotel.

"I think it is very likely that he will get some kind of stay - unless they find some other stopgap option," he told the BBC.

Renato Mariotti, a lawyer who represents large real-estate developers, said it was hard to predict how the court would treat a former president.

"But my clients wouldn't get a pause," he said.

2) He secures a bond

Mr Trump could still find a way to secure a bond - for a fee - if his request for a stay is rejected, although according to his lawyers, this could be difficult.

The bonding company would be agreeing to pay the financial penalty if Mr Trump loses his appeal and cannot do so himself.

But his legal team said they had already approached 30 companies without success.

To secure a bond, an individual has to demonstrate to the company providing the guarantee that they have enough liquidity - usually in the form of cash plus stocks or securities which can be sold quickly - to cover the amount.

Mr Mariotti said the fact he could not secure a bond could mean two things: "Trump is not nearly as wealthy as he has led the public to believe - or he didn't prepare for this possible judgement."

In a filing responding to Mr Trump's request for a pause, New York Attorney General Letitia James urged the court to disregard the former president's "unreliable" claims he could not secure a bond, arguing he could get several smaller bonds if he failed to get one larger one.

3) A compromise option

The New York appeals court could come back to Mr Trump with a middle-of-the-road option, experts said.

The court could require Mr Trump to post a bond of a smaller amount while he appeals against the ruling.

Mr Trump, however, has already asked an appeals court to allow him to post a bond covering $100m instead. His lawyers argued he would "suffer irreparable harm" if forced to pay the full sum up front.

That request was rejected by a judge.

Alternatively, the court could ask Mr Trump to sign a sworn statement saying he has assets in New York and understands they could be seized if he loses the appeal, Mr Thomas said.

Ultimately, if Mr Trump does not get a pause and the court offers no compromise option, he could appeal directly to New York's Court of Appeals.

But with a deadline of 25 March to pay the judgement or post a bond, he is working on a tight timeline and is seeing thousands of dollars in interest added to the penalty sum each day.

4) Mr Trump pays the penalty

Without a bond to cover the full amount, Mr Trump could attempt to pay the judgement with his own money.

He told a court last year that he had $400m in liquid assets.

To get cash quickly to cover the rest of the fine, experts said he could try to refinance his properties or quickly sell some of his assets - but selling real estate properties could take time.

He could also declare bankruptcy, which would allow him to avoid paying the judgement.

But bankruptcy could be costly - and prove a hit to Mr Trump's reputation in an election year, Mr Thomas said. "Practically, it's the most devastating thing that Donald Trump could ever do to his self image," he said.

5) New York takes Trump's assets

If Mr Trump cannot find a way to pay the fraud judgement or secure a bond by 25 March, Ms James can begin to collect the fee and take his assets.

She has said she will do so if he fails to pay.

Experts say this is another worst case scenario for Mr Trump, as he could lose some of his most famous properties.

They can take any of his buildings - not just those in New York - including the 58-floor Trump Tower and his sprawling Florida club, Mar-a-Lago.

Ms James would likely not sell these assets until the appeals process is over, Mr Thomas said. This is because if she were to lose the appeal to Mr Trump, her office would have to pay him back after losing value on properties they sold quickly.

But if Ms James does eventually sell the assets, there would be a court-ordered process to do so, with the first $464m going to New York state to pay the judgement, and any money left over going to Mr Trump, said Mitchell Epner, an attorney who handles commercial litigation.

Mr Epner said the state could seize multiple assets, as none of Mr Trump's properties on their own appear to be worth $450m.

With additional reporting from Nada Tawfik
Two Powerball tickets sold in Texas each won $1 million, just missing out on the estimated $656 million jackpot, lottery officials say.

The tickets matched five winning numbers in the drawing Monday, March 18, but not the Powerball, the Texas Lottery said.

Nobody won the grand prize, which rises to an estimated $687 million, with a cash value of approximately $327 million, for the next drawing Wednesday, March 20, according to the national Powerball site.

The winning numbers were 10, 17, 20, 39 and 44, with a Powerball of 16.

The winning tickets were sold at a convenience store in Donna and a gas station in Houston, lottery officials said.

More than 63,000 other tickets sold in Texas won prizes from $4 to $300, the Texas Lottery said.

Tickets sold in Florida, Maryland, Minnesota and Virginia also matched five numbers but not the Powerball.

What to know about Powerball

To score a jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.

The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338.

Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.

Drawings are broadcast Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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Three men stand next to a destroyed building hit by shelling in Belgorod

Around 9,000 children will be evacuated from the Russian city of Belgorod and the wider region after shelling that authorities have blamed on Ukraine.

Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said three people, including a child, were injured in the latest attacks, while part of the region - which borders Ukraine - was without power.

He added that a total of 16 people have been killed and 98 wounded this week.

It comes days after strikes forced closures across the city.

Students in Belgorod were ordered not to attend school on Monday and Tuesday. Shopping centres in Belgorod were also closed on Sunday and Monday.

The new evacuation order affects several villages in the city of Belgorod and several villages in other parts of the region, Mr Gladkov told a gathering of the Kremlin's United Russia party.

The first group of 1,200 children will be evacuated on Friday.

Russia's defence ministry said its forces shot down what is said were nine Ukrainian shells over Belgorod on Tuesday.

The ministry later added it had destroyed two groups of Ukrainian "saboteurs" in pre-emptive strikes near the border with the Belgorod and Kursk regions.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian border areas have continued to report Russian attacks, requiring evacuations there.

Kyiv has not commented on the recent spate of attacks in Belgorod.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously accused Kyiv of launching strikes on the region to disrupt his bid for re-election, in which he claimed a landslide victory.

The contest was described as neither free nor fair by critics. Mr Putin's victory was in no doubt, since he had no credible opponent.

Earlier this month, three Ukraine-based Russian paramilitary groups said they had crossed into Russia and were now fighting government troops there.

The Freedom of Russia Legion (FRL) and Siberian Battalion (SB) posted videos that purported to show their fighters in the Belgorod and Kursk regions.

The FRL and an exiled Russian politician claimed two villages were now in control of "liberation forces".

At the time, Russia's defence ministry said the breakthrough attempts were thwarted.
Update: On Tuesday evening, the New-Orleans based 5th Circuit Court of Appeals announced it would hold virtual oral arguments on SB 4 on Wednesday at 10 a.m.

The U.S. Supreme Court in a divided decision Tuesday is allowing Texas to begin enforcing its sweeping immigration law just one day after having extended a hold on the controversial measure, which authorizes state law enforcement officials to arrest, detain and deport people suspected of entering Texas from Mexico without authorization.

Initially taken up by the high court on March 4 after an injunction by Justice Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court's order Tuesday clears the way for SB 4 to take effect while the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals continues to weigh constitutional challenges to the state law.

By enabling the Fifth Circuits disingenuous procedural jurisprudence, the United States Supreme Court undermines its own credibility," said U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, after the high court's decision. "The Supreme Court has opted to allow for a trial run of a constitutional crisis.

Protesters march in downtown Austin on March 9 to call for a repeal of Senate Bill 4, which would allow state and local law enforcement to arrest and deport people thought to have entered the country illegally.

SB 4 is an alarming state overreach that will likely lead to massive civil rights violations across our state. At a time of rising anti-Hispanic violence, this law puts a target on the back of anyone perceived by law enforcement to look or sound like an immigrant. While we wait for the Supreme Courts final ruling, Ill do everything I can to help Texans understand their rights and navigate the dangerous climate that Governor Abbott and state Republicans have created.

Passed by the Legislature during a special session in November, SB 4 codifies a series of penalties for anyone suspected of crossing into the U.S. in Texas other than through an international port of entry. The penalties range from a Class B misdemeanor to a second-degree felony. The law allows state police to arrest migrants suspected of entering the U.S. illegally and to force them to accept a magistrate judge's deportation order or face stiffer criminal penalties.

Signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in December, SB 4 had previously been scheduled to take effect March 5, but its implementation was delayed after the U.S. Justice Department and civil rights groups sued the state over constitutional challenges.

"We still have to have hearings in the 5th circuit federal court of appeals," Abbott posted to X, formerly Twitter, following the ruling. "But this is clearly a positive development."

Despite opposition, including this month's downtown march, and constitutional concerns, the U.S. Supreme Court said Tuesday it would let Texas enforce SB 4, at least for now.

When Judge David Ezra of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on Feb. 29 issued the first hold on SB 4, he said the attempt to enforce immigration law falls under the federal government's established control of monitoring ingress and egress across the country's borders.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office has defended the law through the federal court system, called Tuesday's reversal to allow the law to take effect a huge win.

"Texas has defeated the Biden Administrations and ACLUs emergency motions at the Supreme Court," Paxton posted on X. "Our immigration law, SB 4, is now in effect. As always, its my honor to defend Texas and its sovereignty, and to lead us to victory in court."

In its ruling Tuesday, which is not a final order because the constitutional concerns are still being hashed out in federal court, three of the court's more liberal justices  Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson  disagreed with court's decision and dissented from the opinion allowing SB 4 to become active.

As part of the court's 6-3 decision, Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett said the ruling is not based on the merits of SB 4, but that the court's involvement in considering the constitutionality of the law is currently premature.

Sotomayor said the order invites further chaos and crisis in immigration enforcement.

President Joe Biden participates in a briefing at the Border Patrol station in Brownsville last month. The U.S. Justice Department has sued Texas to block its SB 4 border bill.

Immigration advocates involved in the lawsuit, in a joint news release, expressed frustration that the law was allowed to take effect, calling SB 4 the "most extreme anti-immigrant law ever passed by any state legislature in the country."

Todays decision is disappointing and threatens the integrity of our nations immigration laws and bedrock principles of due process," said Anand Balakrishnan, senior staff attorney for the ACLUs Immigrants Rights Project. "But it is only preliminary and turned on the specific posture of the case. Well continue to fight against SB 4 until it is struck down once and for all.

Concerns voiced in the lawsuit against SB 4 point to the state's inability to properly adjudicate immigration issues, that Texas' comparison of migrant entries to an invasion is inaccurate, and that those with lawful, federal immigration statuses could be subject to arrest and deportation to Mexico no matter their country of origin.

Similarly, Rebecca Lightsey, co-executive director of American Gateways, which is a party in the lawsuit, called the ruling another setback for civil rights advocates who are trying to help those fleeing persecution.

Gov. Greg Abbott held a bill-signing ceremony for SB 4 in Brownsville in December.

We all recognize that our current immigration system is broken," Lightsey said. "Its past time to take a look at realistic solutions that will help not only those coming and seeking protection, but also the communities that are receiving them.

Currently, the 5th Circuit has scheduled an expedited consideration of SB 4, with virtual oral arguments in front of the New Orleans-based appeals panel scheduled for Wednesday. Previously, the case was set for consideration on April 3.

In a statement after the ruling, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank and advocacy group based in Austin, celebrated the high court's ruling and thanked state lawmakers Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, and Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, along with Abbott for advancing the bill into law last year.

"The bill achieves three major ends: it defends Texas communities, it asserts Texas legitimate Constitutional powers, and it signals that the old erain which the federal government acts more vigorously against states defending their citizenry than it does against the state-cartel threat from the southern borderis over, Joshua Trevino, the foundation's chief of intelligence, said in the statement. "The bottom line is SB 4 is Constitutional and necessary for the defense of Texas against the state-cartel nexus that increasingly controls Mexico."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Supreme Court allows Texas immigration policy, SB 4, to take effect
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (pictured in Washington in 2021 during a virtual roundtable with representatives from Guatemalan community-based organizations) will meet next week with Guatemala's President Bernardo Arevalo. File Photo by Sarah Silbiger/UPI

March 18 (UPI) -- Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Guatemala's President Bernardo Arevalo at the White House later this month to discuss economic opportunities and immigration challenges.

The March 25 meeting will highlight the U.S. commitment to supporting "good governance and democracy in Guatemala" after January's inauguration of Arevalo, said White House Communications Director Kirsten Allen in making the announcement Monday.

Allen said immigration will be a key component of the vice president's discussions with Arevalo, saying the two will talk about what's driving "irregular migration" from northern Central America into the United States.

Those talks are part of the Biden's administration's ongoing examination of factors driving immigration from the region and how they can be shaped by U.S. efforts under the administration's "Root Causes Strategy," which aims to ensure civilian security, human rights, labor protections and the prevention of gender-based violence.

While Arevalo is in Washington, Harris also will convene a meeting of public and private-sector leaders, Allen said. That meeting will be part of Central America Forward, a public-private partnership that has funneled more than $4.2 billion toward creating and maintaining economic opportunity in northern Central America, officials said.

Guatemalan president-elect Bernardo Arevalo (R, with Vice President Karin Herrera in August after his electoral win) will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and Biden administration officials. File Photo by Esteban Biba/EPA-EFE

The March meeting between Harris and Arevalo comes as the Biden administration has targeted corruption in Guatamala as an important factor in immigration of Central Americans into the United States.

In January, the White House targeted two former Guatemalan officials, including former President Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla, with punitive measures over allegations of corruption. Giammattei was barred from entry to the United States and former Ministry of Energy and Mining Alberto Pimentel Mata was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury, blocking all property in his name and preventing U.S. persons from doing business with him.

Arevalo, of Guatemala's center-left Movimiento Semilla party, won a surprise victory in last summer's presidential election by vowing to crack down on corruption in Central America's most populous country.
Jan 18, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Anthony Pierson, deputy chief counsel in Gary Tyack's office, left, and John Rutan, a local defense attorney, right, are both running for Franklin County Prosecutor.

The Franklin County prosecutor race is among hottest contests in the state.

The race to replace outgoing Prosecutor Gary Tyack has been intense, particularly among Delaware City Attorney Natalia Harris, Columbus City Councilwoman Shayla Favor and Anthony Pierson, deputy chief counsel for the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office.

The trio is competing on the March 19 primary ballot to be the Democratic candidate for the seat in November.

Grove City defense attorney John Rutan is the only Republican running to replace Tyack who is retiring.

Favor, Pierson and their respective supporters and detractors have shared their perspectives with Dispatch Opinion.

There have been no submissions about or by Rutan or Harris.

John Rutan: First Republican joins 2024 race for Franklin County prosecutor, faces uphill battle

Natalia Harris: A second Democrat is joining 2024 race for Franklin County prosecutor

MARCH 19 OHIO PRIMARY: Why vote for Shayla Favor for Franklin County prosecutor

Two opinion pieces supporting Anthony Pierson as Franklin County prosecutor

Headline: "Columbus families are being shattered by alarming surge of brazen teen violence."

Author: Anthony Pierson

Excerpt: "As a prosecutor, my commitment lies in striking a balance between accountability and rehabilitation.

Crime must be prosecuted, but we must also address the underlying issues that lead to crime. Diversion programs, restorative justice initiatives, and therapeutic interventions each play a role in transforming youthful offenders into productive citizens.

The surge in youth-related violence in Franklin County demands a collective commitment to change our trajectory. We cannot be misled by the false choices of only strict punishment options or slap-on-the-wrist approaches.

Instead, we need a multi-faceted approach to prevent, intervene, rehabilitate, and incarcerate when necessary."

Letter headline: Gary Tyack was a disastrous prosecutor, Shayla Favor would be worse

Author: John Litle Litle, a Zanesville resident, is a former Franklin County assistant prosecutor.

Excerpt: "Anthony Pierson is the only real prosecutor running for office.

Anthony Pierson does the work of prosecuting rapists, child abusers, and killers  the only actual way to obtain skill, judgment and experience.

Favor orchestrates publicity stunts, preens for press conferences, and muses at single-party council meetings. Columbus voters need to elect a prosecutor who knows what theyre doing.

That person is Anthony Pierson."

Ohio election: See our voter guide on contested races, issues in Columbus region

One opinion piece against Shayla Favor

Letter headline: "Favor is not effective"

Author: Raymond D'Angelo

D'Angelo resides in Westerville.

"If (Shayla Favor) was effective in her job, why can't she get the rest of council and the mayor (all Democrats like her) to pass legislation?

If this issue is so important to her, why hasn't she pushed back on spending almost a half billion dollars for a two-mile downtown bike path and a music hall used part time by the symphony?

Or is her letter more of means to get her more visibility in her effort to run to succeed retiring Franklin County Prosecutor Gary Tyack?"

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why vote for Anthony Pierson Franklin County prosecutor March 19